Chapter 3

[mylolita]

On 4/8/2023 at 9:27 PM, dias said:

I watched https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Léon:_The_Professional I watched it when I was little but I didn't remember much. I liked it. It would have been censored nowadays. I believe Lolita would like it.

She does like it - CHING CHING! 🤩 Absolutely amazing film - knocked my socks off!

Knocked my socks off three times! Seen it a few times. They call it 'Leon' over here I think, it's 'The Professional' in America.

Never read the book though... I think it's based off a book? Might be wrong, gut feeling!

x

[dias]

10 hours ago, mylolita said:

She does like it - CHING CHING! 🤩 Absolutely amazing film - knocked my socks off!

Knocked my socks off three times! Seen it a few times. They call it 'Leon' over here I think, it's 'The Professional' in America.

Never read the book though... I think it's based off a book? Might be wrong, gut feeling!

x

Do I know you or what ?😉😎

[dias]

On 4/9/2023 at 1:01 AM, Jibralta said:

That's such a great movie. Yes, it would be censored now lol!

At first I thought it was an American movie but then again it was too sentimental to be an American film. I checked wikipedia and it's in fact French. It makes more sense. It's not that American films can't be sentimental but every culture has a different "kind" of sentiment. I mean this movie is too maudlin, it had to be something like French or Italian. 

Certainly a really good movie. Natalie Portman was a better actress as a kid than as an adult lol. 

[Jibralta]

I agree. Perhaps she was less self conscious as a child.

[mylolita]

3 hours ago, dias said:

At first I thought it was an American movie but then again it was too sentimental to be an American film. I checked wikipedia and it's in fact French. It makes more sense. It's not that American films can't be sentimental but every culture has a different "kind" of sentiment. I mean this movie is too maudlin, it had to be something like French or Italian. 

Certainly a really good movie. Natalie Portman was a better actress as a kid than as an adult lol. 

I am, an absolute cliche Dias, and don't I know it! So predictable 🤫 It's true!

And I agree as well, totally. She should have stuck with Harvard after that but kept the bob with fringe. LOVED the hair.

x 

[dias]

I've been thinking the UK a lot lately. I didn't finish what I started and this really frustrates me. I thought I would rest up whilst in Greece but it didn't happen. I actually look and feel more tired which is strange because I work less, I have a flat on my own and the weather is good. What gives?

I can only attribute this to not pursuing a goal and I am witnessing my life passing by. I go out with colleagues, friends, some dates and I honestly can't relate to anyone on a deeper level. It's always superficial stuff. Except from one childhood friend who is the only one we discuss freely and everything, everyone else is just another person I met in my life that I am not really interested in spending more than a couple of hours and he/she does not add anything to my life. 

I am the strange one, I know this. At least in the UK I am chasing something that gives meaning to my life. Now I don't even have this. 

 

[mylolita]

13 hours ago, dias said:

I've been thinking the UK a lot lately. I didn't finish what I started and this really frustrates me. I thought I would rest up whilst in Greece but it didn't happen. I actually look and feel more tired which is strange because I work less, I have a flat on my own and the weather is good. What gives?

I can only attribute this to not pursuing a goal and I am witnessing my life passing by. I go out with colleagues, friends, some dates and I honestly can't relate to anyone on a deeper level. It's always superficial stuff. Except from one childhood friend who is the only one we discuss freely and everything, everyone else is just another person I met in my life that I am not really interested in spending more than a couple of hours and he/she does not add anything to my life. 

I am the strange one, I know this. At least in the UK I am chasing something that gives meaning to my life. Now I don't even have this. 

 

Know the feeling - know this all too well, Dias.

Wish I had the magic answers, or someone could give me them anyway!

x
 

[dias]

10 hours ago, mylolita said:

Know the feeling - know this all too well, Dias.

Wish I had the magic answers, or someone could give me them anyway!

x
 

Yeah I read about your acquaintance's paranormal fantasies lol. Did she really call a witch doctor? Was that for real? Did you ask her if she is smoking something funky to share it with us lol

I tell you what, I have met engineers who believe in psychics. For real. I always found it strange with engineers who believe in God and are very religious, I think their judgment might not be that emmm good. However, believing in psychics and stuff is beyond comprehension notably when you are an engineer. 

Go figure.....

 

[mylolita]

8 hours ago, dias said:

Yeah I read about your acquaintance's paranormal fantasies lol. Did she really call a witch doctor? Was that for real? Did you ask her if she is smoking something funky to share it with us lol

I tell you what, I have met engineers who believe in psychics. For real. I always found it strange with engineers who believe in God and are very religious, I think their judgment might not be that emmm good. However, believing in psychics and stuff is beyond comprehension notably when you are an engineer. 

Go figure.....

 

Dias!

The word witch doctor flew into my head and onto the keys as a turn of phase but, it's the nearest way to describe it because, if you think about it, it really is that ancient and absurd - they believe you can call someone round to exercise demons or forces or energies or ghosts or entities - whatever you want to call them - by doing whatever, burning sage or saying something or trying to call them out on their little cheeky ghostie ways or whatever! HA! I honestly don't know. It's never made a jot of sense to me.

My thing always is, instead of her seeing those hand prints and jumping to the most logical, likely, obvious conclusion that it was her 3 young kids and husband at some point, she instead made the leap that the laws of physics and nature were suspended in her house and some supernatural thing has put bloody smudges on her glass?! C'MON! 

Honestly. I can't take it seriously.

Her house is dark, as some looming, stone clad, huge Victorian houses are. It's their vibe. It's not for me, I like airy light spaces ideally, so those type of almost gothic leaning houses do nothing for me. Have a lot of corners and halls which, as an animal, not being able to see what's round the corner, I think stokes a little primal fear or suspicion we have anyway, but we peg it down to all these loony things, and then, I can't quite take them seriously anymore. So much will have happened in a historic house that is 100 years plus. I've always lived in very old houses. They are historic. Your imagination, if stoked, can run wild. But what is the polite way to say "I think you are mistaken?" There isn't one really. That's why I get into trouble if I don't sit and agree!

And I'm not even gonna get into the religious thing Dias. It gets me into seriously hot water every single time. I think you can derive that, I am full of, zero religion, and not only that, but I have a big axe to grind with it too, I don't think it's this harmless collection of ditties people believe in that keeps them on the "straight and narrow" or helps them feel better. 

It's actually interesting you mentioned this because, my son is only 3 or so months into school now, and I was at my first Easter celebration with him, and I knew they would be singing. And, bear in mind, the school he goes to is NOT a religious school, NOT a Church of England school, it's supposed to be educational and impartial, but the songs they were singing Dias, and the re-enactment of the crucifixion and the resurrection, mortified me. They had our 4 and 5 year olds shouting in unison "CRUCIFY HIM! LET HIM DIE!" I mean, we're talking about allowing 4 and 5 year olds to act out the torture and sacrifice of a human, and I'm supposed to be COOL about it? Including details about the nails being hammered in, "LEFT TO DIE IN THE HOT SUN" etc etc. My boy honestly knows nothing Dias. We've hardly even touched on the concept of life and death really. I wouldn't dare let him read or watch anything that contained morbid graphic torture and sacrifice but here we go again, because it's religion, it gets a free pass, and a bunch of weirdo vicars I've never seen in my life or worse even KNEW were going every Friday to my sons school teaching Bible study(!!!) were there!

We have raised him neutral. I haven't mentioned anything for or against. I really must be naive, because I thought religious studies in an impartial way including all religions would have began later, maybe at 7 or 8, but no, I research this Church and they are creationists (don't acknowledge evolution) who are unknown to all parents, coming in literally through the back door telling our kids about this stuff. Fine if I had signed up to a full blown religious school. 

Honestly, thinking back, if I'd realised fully how it was going to be, and not been in shock and pure disappointment and actually, sadness at it, I would have stood up, took his hand in front of the whole entire school, and marched us right out of that whole sordid ordeal. 

SICK! Who would put this stuff in young kids minds?! They were practically babies a year back?! He still has his warm milk on a night?!

Anyway, you can guess my feelings on this stuff.

Obviously with D in his line of work, we have amazing museum style pieces to do with the natural wonders of the world, and have had real life fossils of dinosaurs come and go through the house, and our kids have asked great questions and been told about them all, through various friends who are biologists or who unearth this stuff like real life Indiana Jones. 

I'm penning a letter tonight actually, to give to the head, and I'm just gonna swing right by on one of those Fridays and demand to sit in on this "religious teaching" they aren't even supposed to be doing in a neutral school. Unbelievable. The back door nature of it is creepy as anything and gets my back up big time. BIG TIME!

I am actually so glad D was working away that day and couldn't make it. He would have actually stood up and took him right out, I know for a fact. Some of the other Mums were looking at each other as if to say, "Oh my God?! What on Earth is this?!"

Yeah. Heavy. Heavy and dark.

I want him to be learning about science, maths, how to read and write, the laws of nature, the laws of physics, all of this. All of this stuff we taught him in basic before he even hit this school. Here we go, de-education.

I want him to learn about Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, all of it - even the weird niche stuff like Janeism, along with Christianity. I'd rather he make his own mind up after being given all the information and facts.

I'm not into raising "an atheist child" or "a Christian child" or "a Muslim child" Dias. I just want him as "a child" and innocent and perfect as he is. 

Kids don't need to be told this stuff in order to make them behave or be good. It's an insult to humanity that we have to have the fear of eternal fire and burning alive in a never ending torture chamber to make us behave. Or the flip side of it, a supernatural entity who can read your mind and convict you of thought crime, like some advanced North Korea.

It always blows me away when anyone who seems straight and thinking believes it. But I'm not surprised and in a way, I never am, because people are always brought up with this stuff, and it's desperately hard to shake off what you were taught at 4, and especially if it instilled fear and awe, you don't want to let it go, or fear letting it go. You are taught not to question it. 

It's easy to think "God made everything" and call it a day. It's harder to think, "We don't have all the answers, but there is a method called science which is the best way we know of up to now for deciding if something is true or false, and we can keep chipping away and exploring and asking questions, and maybe one day, get bigger answers to the ones we have found before."

Christopher Hitchens and Freud were right when they said, “Sigmund Freud was quite correct to describe the religious impulse, in 'The Future of an Illusion', as essentially ineradicable until or unless the human species can conquer its fear of death and its tendency to wish-thinking.”

As long as we fear dying, I think it will always be around. 

Sadly for me, trying to raise my kid without the stone age tradition of human sacrifice to make atonements (never asked for a human sacrifice, never wanted it, would have tried to stop it if I had been there, got nothing to do with me or my son, this is Ancient Rome etc) it's an uphill battle I never thought I would be having to take Dias, not 4 months into his education in a bohemian coastal town that's mostly lets jog on the beach, lets do yoga, lets get a smoothie!!!

DISSAPOINTING! To say the least!

PHEW! What a rant! (Probably ban-able!)

What's your take on it? What did you say to your colleagues and friends? I'm kind of, half relieved that you have experienced this.

It always makes my shoulders drop. Things sometimes are going so well and then they mention mumbo jumbo like ghosts and guardian angels and spirit animals and crystals and yes, God, and I'm just tired of it. I think all my discussion and spark for a debate has almost gone surrounding it. It was a fight I used to have many years ago until other political things took over and invaded my peaceful little life but, here we are! Back on it again! 

I'm sat here thinking look, you are more than free to believe whatever you want! Believe in fairies and goblins for all I care! But when I get on the war path is when they start insisting everyone else needs to believe it too, aka, my son, at 5 years old.

And by the way, I wouldn't trust some of those creepy vicar guys who headed up the service as far as I could throw them. Yet another concern. Who are these people coming into school and why didn't I know about it? It's a legit safety concern. Are they left alone with them? When and where? Every Friday? I thought they just did PE on a Friday and had a casual afternoon of art and crafts and playing out?! I'm beyond furious. 

Sneaky sneaky sneaky! They have done this in a very devious way.

I'LL BE HAVING WORDS DIAS! TRUST ME!

The head mistress is gonna wish she'd took a job at the filling station next week LOL!!!!!!

x

[mylolita]

Wait... I said I wasn't gonna get into it?

😅

x

[dias]

Lol

 

[dias]

5 hours ago, mylolita said:

she instead made the leap that the laws of physics and nature were suspended in her house and some supernatural thing has put bloody smudges on her glass?! C'MON! 

Honestly. I can't take it seriously.

Of course you can't. Who would??

6 hours ago, mylolita said:

I don't think it's this harmless collection of ditties people believe in that keeps them on the "straight and narrow" or helps them feel better. 
 

I do believe most people who are not religious fanatic need a dogma to believe in which helps them in their life. I also believe we all or most of us need a story to believe in to keep us going. It does not have to be a religion. For instance, a rug to riches with lots of adventures story is a tale that motivates me. For someone else, it might be a nice house full of kids. I am an atheist myself but I don't mind religions as long as they don't force it down my throat. 

Now, things become weird when you believe that God reveals you the path to happiness, success, peace of mind and whatnot. It's so preposterous I wouldn't even try to engage in a conversation if I heard something along those lines. It's a different world...

6 hours ago, mylolita said:

They had our 4 and 5 year olds shouting in unison "CRUCIFY HIM! LET HIM DIE!" I mean, we're talking about allowing 4 and 5 year olds to act out the torture and sacrifice of a human, and I'm supposed to be COOL about it? Including details about the nails being hammered in, "LEFT TO DIE IN THE HOT SUN" etc etc.

Yes this does sound odd. 

6 hours ago, mylolita said:

I'm penning a letter tonight actually, to give to the head, and I'm just gonna swing right by on one of those Fridays and demand to sit in on this "religious teaching" they aren't even supposed to be doing in a neutral school. Unbelievable. 

I thought most public (I assume it's public school?) schools in the UK don't involve religious teaching?? Correct me if I am wrong but most people in the UK are protestants I think. Correct me if I am wrong again, I thought protestants are the least fanatic believers??

6 hours ago, mylolita said:

What's your take on it? What did you say to your colleagues and friends? I'm kind of, half relieved that you have experienced this.

I am not wasting time arguing for nonsense. Nonetheless, I am a libertarian. Their life, their opinions. As long as they don't force them on me one way or another. 

My take on religion in general? Religions were like the social media before the advent of technology. They are based on doctrines to keep people under control. It was a medium to push propaganda. We have social media for this nowadays but imagine how would you control the masses if you didn't have the current technology? 

6 hours ago, mylolita said:

I'm sat here thinking look, you are more than free to believe whatever you want! Believe in fairies and goblins for all I care! But when I get on the war path is when they start insisting everyone else needs to believe it too, aka, my son, at 5 years old.

Definitely creepy and unhealthy to shove it down his throat at this age. 

6 hours ago, mylolita said:

The head mistress is gonna wish she'd took a job at the filling station next week LOL!!!!!!

Lol let me know how it plays out. 

[Jibralta]

13 hours ago, dias said:

Awesome.

[dias]

 

[mylolita]

1 hour ago, dias said:

 

The way his eyes move and glitch from side to side while he's thinking probably a mile a minute is like some savant! 

Are we sure the Musk isn't actually gonna just be like - yup! This ain't JUST botox! I am an ANDROID! SURPRISE! 😆

That little shuffle laugh when he says, "Well I said to him, we gotta make sure humanity is okay here!" LOL! Oh my good Lordy Lord!!! 

x

[dias]

 

[dias]

I spoke with an ex-colleague from my last job in the UK. She said she liked my Youtube channel. I asked her how did she know about it since I hadn't told her. She told me my erstwhile manager promoted my channel during the morning meetings and encouraged people to subscribe. She said he is still talking about me and he is very proud of me starting a youtube channel???????????????????? I am like I left the company almost a year ago and the atmosphere wasn't the best anyway. It was pretty bad actually. 

Why would he speak highly of me a year later and after what happened??? I can't fathom his intentions???? I doubt we will meet or work together in the future....although you never know, life is unpredictable. 

People are strange, go figure. 

[dias]

I haven't organised a meetup since last time. It was Easter holidays here (Orthodox Easter is one week later) and I took a break. This weekend I wanted to upload a new video as I am leaving next Saturday. I will resume the meetups once I am back. 

I bought a ticket for a 2 hours river cruise in New Orleans (is it the Mississippi river there?) and an airboat tour in the swamps to see the alligators. Damn, this would be fun. As long as the boat won't capsize of course lol. My coding skills won't dissuade the alligators I am afraid hahaha

I don't think I would have enough time to visit all the places I would like as I want to spend some time with bro too. I think I will choose Nashville over Savannah but I haven't decided yet. 

Everyone who has visited New Orleans told me it's awesome and a person like me would love it. Let's see 🙂

 

[dias]

This lady here describes everything I feel to the T. It's true that when you start travelling it's extremely difficult to settle down. Especially in your home country, you feel so stagnant........It's difficult to explain it. 

 

I think this Swedish lady on the podcast who traveled a lot before moving to the US and did all those amazing things she did, put it very accurately (1:48:40): home is everywhere but you don't feel fully at home anywhere. I think this describes most nomads. Btw, Jib I think you would find this gal below interesting. 

 

 

[Jibralta]

3 hours ago, dias said:

I bought a ticket for a 2 hours river cruise in New Orleans (is it the Mississippi river there?) and an airboat tour in the swamps to see the alligators. Damn, this would be fun. As long as the boat won't capsize of course lol.

The boat doesn't have to capsize. You just have to lean over the side 🙂

 

[dias]

8 hours ago, Jibralta said:

The boat doesn't have to capsize. You just have to lean over the side 🙂

 

Wow!!! Thank you for placating my concerns. I feel much more relaxed now hahaha 😆 

[dias]

On 4/7/2023 at 9:45 PM, dias said:

I couldn't see her in a sexual way but I was as polite and pleasant as I could be. She keeps texting me. She texted me today to go to her house. I replied I am tired. I told her she could come with me for a walk on Sunday if she wants. She said yes. I hope she did get the message that I am not interested in her. We can hangout from time to time, I don't mind, but this is it. I hope I won't have to spell it out for her although she is perceptive so hopefully she knows.  

We went for a walk last weekend as friends. Then, yesterday she asked me if I wanted to go for a walk again with her. I was like ok why not. When we got back, she suggested we sit in the park. She had other stuff on her mind. We sat on a bench. I thought ok now either I kiss her or I tell her I am not into her.

I kissed her and one thing led to another apparently and we ended up in her car in the middle of nowhere. 

During the whole thing, she complimented me so many times I found it kind of uncomfortable. I reciprocated some compliments of course but it was mostly due to being polite. At the end she told me she likes me and I replied I liked her back (which is not true). I don't mind hanging out with her but I am not interested in a relationship with her. I like her as a person but this is as far as it goes. 

I need to find a way to cut it. 

[Jibralta]

4 hours ago, dias said:

I need to find a way to cut it. 

All you have to do is tell her the truth!

[dias]

Finally!!!! YAY 

[dias]

Super excited!!! Just landed!! Bro has a nice place 👌 can't wait to explore YAY