Philosophical musings on a Saturday afternoon – wisdoms from Aristotle

It is 2.37pm Saturday. It is especially important that you know that; because all good songs start with time.

  • It’s 9 o’clock on a Saturday, and the regular crowd shuffles in
  • 6 o’clock already I was in the middle of a dream, I was kissing Valentino by a crystal blue Italian stream
  • Love me two times baby
  • Time after time
  • 9 to 5
  • Morning has broken
  • If I could turn back time
  • And my favourite – Lets do the time warp again

And now that I have put an ear worm in your head, we can get to the theme of today’s blog.

It has been 10 days since I last blogged.

  • If I could turn back time

It was a busy 2 weeks. First of all, Critical to take care of some financial year end procedures in the middle of nowhere.

Nothingness

You understand what I mean when I say, the middle of nowhere?

Nothing, …….is awesome.

Nothing, …. are the essential (elements).

Then there were a couple of board meetings where we had to get serious.

  • Sign of the times

You are the expert. How are you going to widen your impact?

The specific logic I am trying to elicit by getting those electric pulses connecting your synapsis, is that you have specific technical knowledge to apply to a transaction/decision and so forth. But also, how do you apply your brand of ethos, to widen the impact of your area?

For example, I am the designated chairman for a specific board committee, and I could have opened the meeting with a welcome, apologies and quorum. But I used the opportunity to share some words of wisdom I recently learned at a seminar presented by Philip van Schalkwyk. While these principles were touted as the three principles of public speaking (or rather, in a more philosophical sense “persuasion”)  as defined by Aristotle, I found the principles really mind altering, still today, in a modern context.

Ethos: Credibility. If you want anyone to believe you, you must show them.

Pathos: The emotional connection to others. Let us be kind to each other and work together.

Logos: Logic. For obvious reasons.

We have a job to do, but there is more than one way to do it, each with varying degrees of success. How do we ensure we get the best way, with the best outcome?

Ethos, Pathos, and, Logos

Aristotle

What I loved, is that those words, that I received from someone, went on to meld with others, and will continue to pass ripples of change from their origin in 300 BC, through today, and into tomorrow.

PS – If you need to prepare a great speech, read the following article – It is brilliantly written.

https://fs.blog/2016/11/ethos-logos-pathos

Ending on a lighter note, see of you can match the artist, to the ear worm in your head right now.

In no particular order
RiffRaff/Magenta/Criminologist/Columbia
If I could turn back time
CherMorning has broken
Cat StevensTime after time
Dolly PartonLove me two times baby
Billy JoelIf I could turn back time
The DoorsLet’s do the time warp again
Bangles9 to 5
Cindy LauperIt’s 9 o’clock on a Saturday, and the regular crowd shuffles in
Prince (or Harry Stiles I believe)6 o’clock already I was in the middle of a dream, I was kissing Valentino by a crystal blue Italian stream
Match the artist – by a child of the eighties

Hedonism – a declaration of well-being

My name is Talita, and I am a hedonist. Good food, good company, good music makes a good weekend.

Hedonist is a person who believes the pursuit of pleasure is the most important thing in life.

And why not. In the post For whom the bell tolls – just once…and those who remain standing, I repeat the life question on why chocolatiers insist on including chocolate coated marzipan in the tray.  

My ex-colleague had questioned why chocolatiers keep putting in the least favorite chocolates in the “All because the lady loves milk tray” boxes.

A selection of experiences

Because, quite simply, there are those favorite chocolates to savor and appreciate. 😊 .

Philosophical hedonists focus on the hedonistic theories of value, especially the good life of the one living it.

Hedonism is a school of thought that argues seeking pleasure and avoiding suffering are the only components of well-being.

Ethical hedonism is the view that combines hedonism with welfarist ethics. What we should do depends exclusively on what affects the well-being of individuals.

This has been a weekend of the good life. Thanks for a great Friday night Rika, and again, happy 50th! Talk about good food + good company + good music = good vibes.

So, this weekend, less words, and more visual story telling of the hedonistic life, and the inspiration for #popuprestaurantdreams.

This storyboard shares 50 random kitchen experiments (and yes, bravely declares some disasters), all fueled by AF cocktails. Because who can resist cooking a great meal, without a glass of something in the hand.

I hope these inspire some experiments of your own.

For whom the bell tolls – just once…and those who remain standing

It was a mixed bag week. To quote a famous move line “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get”.

A variety of Vanilla Christmas Biscuits – no dudds!

Or, to paraphrase an ex-colleague (very logical question Ansie!) “is there some cost saving, or subsidy related reason that chocolate factories keep putting those least favourites in the box of treats?”

It may be useful to create some context for you on my mixed bag week. On Thursday, I stepped into a meeting after just receiving some downright maleficent news. (That one is for you Uwe 😉 ) .

Maleficent is used to describe harm or destruction, especially caused by supernatural means.

The news was not exactly caused by some unexplained force, although human failings are sometimes simply outside of any reasonably explainable realm. It does not matter what the news was, but it did put my entire being in the most foulest state of mind. And just as we are about to start the meeting, the clock tower outside struck. Hence the title. Someone was going to bleed. As in: take all the resources that a person or thing has available…. ☹

It struck only once – was that a good sign, or a bad sign?

For whom the vultures wait – at sunset in Kwando

It reminds me of a poem I wrote as a teenager, while listening to 

I wonder about thunder,
When bells chime, it might be the time.
Who might know, who might care
Before God every soul is bare

Please forgive my small belief.
Of reason I was bereaved,
When I realised what it meant,
That this, could be the world's end.

All this despair reminds me of a joke Loni used to tell. Paddy & Murphy went to a costume party, dressed as emotions. Wait, perhaps not suitable for general audience (teehee).

This kind of event happens all the time, to all the people. It represents a choice. You do not have a choice in greeting such news, but you can choose how to react. That whole “Your perception is your reality” kind of vibe.

What could be perceived as the ocean, is in fact the desert – one of my printed photographs.

And its true.

I could have chosen to play drama queen and throw my toys out the cot. This is something I easily do. But on this day, I chose not to. I chose to park it for a minute, and as is nearly always the case, further facts revealed themselves. And the situation may still be dire, but there is also an opportunity to bring about constructive change. I left the meeting feeling like there was an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. And what is more, I think there is now more understanding about the point I was trying to reach. As opposed to a poorly understood directive, which would consequently be poorly implemented.

That is the short cut to a long-winded message – I believe that the end goal is more important, than the way you get there. Of course, you cannot head in the opposite direction and expect to get there, but there is more than one way to get there. And its much more fun, and more sustainable, if there are people on the bus with you.

Panorama shot attempt number n+1 🙂

The other part of the mixed bag news is that a company restructure left someone especially important to me, out in the cold. And it is minus degrees outside. At the start of this COVID pandemic, I had visions of us reverting to a barter economy, the financial and government systems collapsing, and eking out an existence in a post-apocalyptic washed up world. So, my opinion, which I continue to share readily, was that entrepreneurship was the solution for us and our children. Kind of:

  • What problem can you solve for someone?
  • Who will pay for that solution?
  • Do you enjoy doing that?

These words are intended to convey the silver lining around the cloud, and convince you that there is always hope, maybe just around the corner.

A break in the clouds – always makes a good photograph

And big mouth Horn as I must sometimes grudgingly admit, likes to pretend that I am taking on such an uncertain challenge by taking on a new venture by way of living off the land. But I am not all the way there yet. I do not have to be all the way there yet. Tethered to the security blanket of a stable job, albeit in an at-risk industry.

Now I am sharing these words with someone who is important to me. And I have only some, but not all, the experience to share with this person. So, I do not quite know how to convince the person.

But what I do know, is what Captain James T Kirk said, “I have no idea what I’m supposed to do, I only know what I can do”. He knows what he can do, and that potential option he shared, is so very very exciting. Imagine solving someone’s furniture and fittings problems, in a way that is unique to them and their circumstances. And connecting through your carefully crafting hands, to a concept coming to life. Flat two-dimensional shapes, being aligned, fitted, planed, polished, and buffed to become that perfect solution to someone’s need.

The future is scary, but by golly, it is exciting!