Sunday, November 28, 2010
Brrrrrrr.....!!
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Sad Mac
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Apple is ready to go
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Happiness Measurement
I woke up this morning to see in (BBC) Breakfast News interviews about measuring happiness. Apparently, the leader of this country Prime Minister David Cameron suggested this idea – along with his big term like “Big Society” – amid all the budget cuts that might throw some poor people deeper into poverty.
Articles about happiness are all over the media today. BBC Magazine published an article by Michael Blastland, “Why is it hard to measure happiness “ (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-11765401). Whilst The Guardian contemplated deeper into the philosophy of happiness from the utilitarian point of view to Heidegger’s analysis of technology with the idea that life is something to be controlled and mastered (“What philosophy tells us about the happiness index” http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/nov/15/happiness-index-philosophy).
Reading all of this is amusing and entertaining. Yet it makes me think. What is happiness for me, for us common Earth dweller? How do we measure it (or do we need to and do we want to measure it)?
I am going to send the next few paragraphs as a comment for the article in BBC:
Indeed happiness is subjective and very personal. For me, I don’t really care about GDP, or whether or not I can buy new clothes every so often or not. My family has a roof to shelter for, we can afford some (healthy) food everyday, and my son gets the best education that he deserve to fulfil his dreams one day, that is the most important thing for me now.
Yet, even this personal measure changes over the years. When I was a teenager, being able to hang out with my friends around campfires and going hiking played a great deal in my happiness factors. In my career as an aviation journalist, taking pictures and writing about Concorde was the highlight of my life then. Now in my late thirties with a teenager son who wants to be a particle physicist like Brian Cox, seeing him flourishing in school is a great joy. So, I can say that I am happy in general. There are of course things that can me grumpy, but they do not count for my whole happiness, contentment and well-being.
Again, the measurement varies all too broadly. My friends who love shopping, came back from New York very happy – at least for me they looked happy – with so many new shoes, perfumes, clothes and all the “Sex and the City” likes. I would not be so happy walking in Trafford Centre among all the glittery fashion as I just don’t enjoy them. My next door neighbour looks very happy holding his newborn baby in the weekend, yet the next day he looks so tired and said he was looking forward to go back to work for a bit of “peace”. Relative. Personal. Immeasurable. Abstract.
Still, I have one formula that always succeeds in reminding me of how happy I actually am. Content is the word that is more suitable for this.
My formula is a song from Disney’s “Jungle Book” sung by Baloo the bear. It says, “Look for the bare necessities, the simple bare necessities. Forget about the worries and strive…. When you found out you can live without it then go along not thinking about it! I tell you something good: the bare necessities of life will come to you.” This song is about discerning between need and want, about being content and appreciate what we have – after all, there are always people who sleep in refugee camps and cannot afford food, there are babies dying everyday of curable diseases only because they do not have affordable health care. The list of less fortunate people can go as long as forever.
So, at the end of the day, am I happy? I think yes, I am very happy. Our parents and grandparents got it right when they say repeatedly, “Count your blessings, love. Count your blessings.”
Articles about happiness are all over the media today. BBC Magazine published an article by Michael Blastland, “Why is it hard to measure happiness “ (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-11765401). Whilst The Guardian contemplated deeper into the philosophy of happiness from the utilitarian point of view to Heidegger’s analysis of technology with the idea that life is something to be controlled and mastered (“What philosophy tells us about the happiness index” http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/nov/15/happiness-index-philosophy).
Reading all of this is amusing and entertaining. Yet it makes me think. What is happiness for me, for us common Earth dweller? How do we measure it (or do we need to and do we want to measure it)?
I am going to send the next few paragraphs as a comment for the article in BBC:
Indeed happiness is subjective and very personal. For me, I don’t really care about GDP, or whether or not I can buy new clothes every so often or not. My family has a roof to shelter for, we can afford some (healthy) food everyday, and my son gets the best education that he deserve to fulfil his dreams one day, that is the most important thing for me now.
Yet, even this personal measure changes over the years. When I was a teenager, being able to hang out with my friends around campfires and going hiking played a great deal in my happiness factors. In my career as an aviation journalist, taking pictures and writing about Concorde was the highlight of my life then. Now in my late thirties with a teenager son who wants to be a particle physicist like Brian Cox, seeing him flourishing in school is a great joy. So, I can say that I am happy in general. There are of course things that can me grumpy, but they do not count for my whole happiness, contentment and well-being.
Again, the measurement varies all too broadly. My friends who love shopping, came back from New York very happy – at least for me they looked happy – with so many new shoes, perfumes, clothes and all the “Sex and the City” likes. I would not be so happy walking in Trafford Centre among all the glittery fashion as I just don’t enjoy them. My next door neighbour looks very happy holding his newborn baby in the weekend, yet the next day he looks so tired and said he was looking forward to go back to work for a bit of “peace”. Relative. Personal. Immeasurable. Abstract.
Still, I have one formula that always succeeds in reminding me of how happy I actually am. Content is the word that is more suitable for this.
My formula is a song from Disney’s “Jungle Book” sung by Baloo the bear. It says, “Look for the bare necessities, the simple bare necessities. Forget about the worries and strive…. When you found out you can live without it then go along not thinking about it! I tell you something good: the bare necessities of life will come to you.” This song is about discerning between need and want, about being content and appreciate what we have – after all, there are always people who sleep in refugee camps and cannot afford food, there are babies dying everyday of curable diseases only because they do not have affordable health care. The list of less fortunate people can go as long as forever.
So, at the end of the day, am I happy? I think yes, I am very happy. Our parents and grandparents got it right when they say repeatedly, “Count your blessings, love. Count your blessings.”
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Mac meets Alan the Modelmaker
I went with Adeline walking around today. We went to a vintage fair in Printworks, Manchester, near the big wheel. Among all the vintage clothes, accessories and all girly things, I saw the best stall ever! It is called "Mossley Modelmaker". Adeline chat with the modelmaker himself, Alan Tolfrey. He is a very nice guy. I really like Alan. He is so talented, making all little buildings exactly the same as the real big ones. 
I enjoy our little walk around today. We were meant to go with Cat Sullivan, a very nice lady who likes my pictures and who said that she wanted to meet me. Unfortunately, Cat is not feeling well. So she had to stay at her home in Sheffield today. I wish her well soon.
I was a little sad not being able to meet Cat today. But I am happy to meet nice Alan. Please look at his models in his website http://mossleymodelmaker.com/.
Now I'm going to watch the recorded Formula One qualifying with Adeline and Andy.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)