Andy's Mind

I’ve come across two cool things today.

First one is something that I wanted to have for years: an all-black keyboard without any markings. It’s called “Das Keyboard” and was featured in today’s dose of Slashdot. Apparently it’s simply a Keytronic, just all black. The only other cool feature it has is that key resistance (or in other words force required to depress a key) varies according to function and region as shown on this picture.

Despite a rather hefty price tag ($80 is quite a lot for a keyboard) I think I’ll buy one as soon as I’ll have some free money floating around. I always loved black equipment, and I’ve had some black keyboards already (the best of which came as a gift from a friend who knew about my little passion for black plastic) but this is what I’ve always wanted having dispensed with the need for markings long time ago.

Now, if only Apple would make a black Power Book, also with unmarked keyboard… Just imagine that beauty: oxidized black metal with cool red or – even better – deep blue illumination… Eh….

Enough daydreaming! On to another cool thing I’ve came across while looking for… incense on zensupplies.com (or whatever). It’s a special alarm clock called Zen Alarm Clock, which is of course digital but uses a physical device (small tubular bell) as the sound source. Not very innovative, since old mechanical wall or standing clocks used all kinds of chimes – but still great. And very elegant in its wooden, carved case (two colors available).

I especially like the “E” sound the larger version produces. It can be used for conventional waking up in the morning, but it can also be used to time meditation. While I’m not entirely convinced that something this gentle and non-intrusive could wake me up I like the idea of timing meditation with it. It is definitely something I would love to have since when I’m sitting at home I don’t know how much time has passed. And harsh sound of alarm in my cellphone is certainly not suitable for signaling the end of meditation.

But, since I’m not the richest of guys at the moment I think I’ll settle for short incense sticks. The only problem seems to be getting a reputable source of good incense, since some of the cheap incense made in China and India these days contain chemical additives that can be toxic or addictive (or both). One of the (many) problems of living in a small country at the edge of the European Union is that anything off the beaten track is harder to get.

Tomorrow I’ll write the first of my essays on books. I came up with the idea that – unless I’d be on the move or somethin’ – I’ll post a book review or essay every Friday. Stay tuned.

While sitting in meditation yesterday it again came to me that I’m just that – lost in thoughts. We all are.

This expression has a whole new meaning for me now that I’m experiencing my mind in meditation. I now understand why in old texts our mind is being compared to a wild horse. It is never resting, always shaken by incoming thoughts, twitched and pulled by attachment to them. In all this frantic activity we are getting lost. The present moment is getting lost, because the thoughts inevitably run away towards the future or dwell on the past.

It is so hard to just sit.

So I have seen “The Revenge of the Sith“, like millions everywhere. I didn’t expect much so the disappointment was not severe. The special effects and CG are superb, it’s nice to see the same old heroes again but the characters are underdeveloped, not convincing and the plot is thin, at times so thin it hurts. This whole Sidious’ intrigue, his behaviour around Anakin and later his tricks and false promises – all this is so obvious I’m sure even 5 year olds would be screaming “he’s the bad Sith lord” within ten minutes. Anakin’s internal conflict is at times pathetic, despite Hayden Christensen’s mimic effort. It all doesn’t add up – Anakin is supposed to be a brilliant commander, with great tactical and strategic insights capable of commanding the fleet and winning battles for whole planets yet he fails to see through a plot this simple. Sorry, I can’t buy this.

Of course, part of the fact that I remember seeing the original Star Wars for the first time so well is that I was then seven or eight years old and when I saw the second (Episode V) part I was ten. So, I think I like to see it sometimes mainly because it brings back distant memories of my mind as a kid.

Also, it was still a fresh idea then, fresh script, fresh project. Now there is no freshness left, it’s just the relentless machine of movie industry squeezing last drops out of the idea almost thirty years old. When I read enthusiastic news like this one boasting the amounts earned by the movie during the first days I realize this not art, it’s not about telling a story, conveying a meaning, expressing something – it’s about revenue streams. Nothing more. And it shows. It’s a great business – not much more beside it.

OK, so I got back from my day and a half at the seaside. I was on a friend’s boat, helping with repairs which meant this time helping in scrapping the rust spots on the deck and covering them with protective paint. Complete re-painting of the deck is planned next week.

It was a very interesting time. The boat itself is a 40 feet steel sloop, built somewhere in the seventies. It has a very well designed hull, which behaves very well in bad weather as my friends who sailed her told me. It was used as an expedition yacht many times, just a month before she returned from a cruise up North, near Spitsbergen. For such a boat it is in surprisingly bad state. Everything looks makeshift. The engine, for example, is not a marine engine – it’s an old Mercedes diesel pulled out of a car years ago. Its air intake is made of a beer can, with a large plastic water bottle acting as the filter. The engine broke down on her last voyage, luckily on the return leg from Norway to Poland so they had to return under sails with no power. Interior is worn down and in overall bad state. There is no shower and no heating. A hard to describe, nauseating smell permeates the interior. It is a mixture of moist dirt, oily smells coming from barely covered engine and bilge water.

My friends who were there (the boat owner was not present, BTW) are fine sailors with many hard expeditions under their belts, mainly to the Arctic which is now trendy amongst top tier sailors in Poland. Cruises to the Arctic seas repeatedly win “Cruise of the year” award and are generally seen as “true sailing” for “real men” – as opposed to easy sailing in warmer and calmer seas like Mediterranean. People who go on those cruises look down somewhat on those who prefer to navigate in modern, comfortable boats in better conditions. They shun fancy equipment, with the exception of GPS receivers and chart plotters. They are the same kind of men as those who do base jumping, they just operate on the water. They would do anything provided it is dangerous and difficult enough.

They are very good people, overall relaxed and friendly. And they drink. A lot.

On Friday evening some beers were consumed, then everybody turned to a bottle of home brewed strong alcohol (made by mixing vodka with some sweets and then allowing them to dissolve in alcohol, result is quite good). I took two rounds and decided it’s enough, but three of them proceeded to empty the bottle which contained about half a gallon of this stuff. Next morning everybody around seemed to run on beer – also people from other boats. I met one guy at 6 AM with a large can of beer in his hand, within half an hour he emptied two more. When people on my boat woke up they too started their day by a trip to a shop and beer. Then, beer to accompany breakfast and then beer all day long, steadily, as we worked on the boat. I think that by the evening the dose would be around 10 cans per head, spread evenly over the day. I was shocked, frankly I still am! I can hardly believe I now know personally people who would start their day with beer.

So, overall, despite being welcome there I felt a bit strange. The night was hard, I hardly slept because of the voices etc. from the party going on around the table and later on from the cold. Despite sleeping in clothes, including a thick jacket and sweatshirt, it was so cold I actually woke up around 5:30 AM and proceeded to walk around. It was bearable that way and as the sun rose it was much warmer in the sunshine on a bench on the quay than on my berth. My body is not designed to be in the cold, I’m afraid – I love the temperatures most of my Polish friends describe as sweltering heat and hide from in air conditioned cars and offices.

I was about to stay for another day but I had to go back to take care of this project of mine. Quite frankly, it wasn’t all that bad to leave as I told my friends, but the bright side of this is that I slept tonight in a normal bed, took a long shower and feel human again. I’m not the rough explorer type, I’m afraid. It may sound very bourgeois, but I prefer clean comfy boats with all amenities, including heating and shower.

But, anyway I’m here because tomorrow would be stormy. Just as I was leaving on Friday the client’s IT director called and said they want to have our complete report Monday morning or the heavens would fall apart. She casually mentioned they might consider canceling the deal. I don’t think they themselves can really afford to do this, but I can’t be sure. And if they would do that, well, I would be in deep trouble because I’m doing this project on fixed-price, not a hourly rate – mistake I wouldn’t repeat even for a short project with the client I don’t know. I have to finish off the report before the morning, the problem is I have a kind of writer’s block. I just can’t produce more of this consulting babble. It has something to do with the fact that since the client didn’t want to consider any point of view other than their own (IMHO chaotic and illogical) current report’s shape and conclusions are very far from what I really believe and think about this case.

Well, enough of this, back to my report now…