Modern English 1982

I don’t know what it is about this song, but it has lived in my head and heart for 40 years. It’s a story of being so absolutely sotted with a soul, that it all just melts away.

Who wouldn’t want that?

Complete abandon, trust, longing, want. Absolute acceptance.

It’s playing on the radio right now, while I wait in the car. It’s making me really kind of sad—wistful maybe.

Thing is, there are really beautiful sentiments. Some experiences I've certainly had. Some of these things I don’t think I’ll ever get to experience.

That’s not fair. Of course I will never not get to.

But.

Making love to you was never second best—for a variety of reasons that lands in me.

I see the world thrashing all around your face—

I think I never really understood this lyric… right now it’s hitting as: the world is turmoil but there is an island of calm. This face brings peace and harmony-safety, belief, trust. Not out of obligation or loyalty, but karmic chemistry.

I'll stop the world and melt with you

This is a place I’ve been. In person and in imagination—for a time just being out of time and place. More of the woe-displacement. For you. With you.

Trapped in the state of imaginary grace

Limerence, an elevated existence. More just wanting to be out of time. Out of place. Apart from a world that is only concerned with art, beauty and love in regards to how much income it can generate.

I made a pilgrimage to save this humans race

Of course, ME’s intent is for the speaker to make his pilgrimage to her, to save himself. I've always heard it as my own pilgrimage to save this human's race. Possessive, to save my people. A life spent with the express intent to save as many who wish it.

Never comprehending the race had long gone by

In the process, I think—I think I worry I may have lost my own race. This is as yet unresolved. But wolf's doing his damnest, he's still melting, still finding grace and the pilgrimage— maybe it's not an end, but stops along the way. The pilgrimage is the journey, one that never ends, but demands experiencing.

You've seen the difference and it's getting better all the time

I see some changes and I guess life is getting better. Certainly aspects are much improved. But other pieces of me, parts that got away in the stream of time and want back... they feel like less improvement and more loss. But, perhaps the point is that you can't advance without loss. Only ever keeping what we have, good or bad, doesn't leave room for the new. Doors close and doors open. I don’t know, but that seems to be the nature of life.

I'll stop the world and melt with you

The future's open wide

ME herald's the call, the declaration over and over. Longing want? Or expressed intent? Maybe they're saying, what-the-hell-ever comes, I'm always going to have this—if you're here with me or not—the melting is what I have. It's what I give. It's what I want.

After all, the future's wide open.

And maybe that’s the truth I keep circling: the world won’t actually stop, not for me, not for anyone. But every once in a rare while, something — a face, a memory, a song from 1982 drifting through a car radio on an ordinary day — reminds me that melting is still possible.

That the part of me built for surrender, for dissolving into another soul, hasn’t gone extinct. The race isn’t lost. Maybe it was never a race to begin with. Maybe it’s just a long pilgrimage toward the few moments where everything unnecessary falls away and what remains is simple, human, incandescent connection. And if those moments still exist, then so do I.

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Moving forwards, using all my breath

Making love to you was never second best

I saw the world thrashing all around your face

Never really knowing it was always mesh and lace

I'll stop the world and melt with you

You've seen the difference and it's getting better all the time

There's nothing you and I won't do

I'll stop the world and melt with you

Dream of better lives the kind which never hate

Trapped in the state of imaginary grace

I made a pilgrimage to save this humans race

Never comprehending the race had long gone by

I'll stop the world and melt with you

You've seen the difference and it's getting better all the time

There's nothing you and I won't do

I'll stop the world and melt with you

The future's open wide

The future's open wide

I'll stop the world and melt with you

I've seen some changes but it's getting better all the time

There's nothing you and I won't do

I'll stop the world and melt with you

The future's open wide

I'll stop the world and melt with you

You've seen the difference and it's getting better all the time

There's nothing you and I won't do

I'll stop the world and melt with you

I'll stop the world and melt with you

I'll stop the world and melt with you

I'll stop the world and melt with you

I'll stop the world and melt with you

There is a moment every believer eventually meets—a point so defining, so spiritually disruptive, so unmistakably divine, that it becomes impossible to return to the version of yourself that walked the earth before it happened. It is not loud. It is not dramatic. It is not something you can schedule, predict, or resist. It arrives quietly, almost like a whisper. It settles in your spirit before it ever reaches your mind. And at first, you cannot explain it. You just know something has changed. Something has awakened. Something inside you refuses to keep living the same way.

That moment is the beginning of an uncommon life.

Most people never reach this moment because they cling too tightly to the familiar. They hold onto habits that keep them numb. They stay surrounded by circles that keep them small. They feed their minds with noise that keeps them spiritually asleep. They avoid the discomfort of introspection, obedience, and truth. But for those who do reach this moment—those who feel the divine tugging of God pulling them out of their old story—life will never be the same again.

When God begins calling you higher, everything inside you starts shifting. What once felt normal feels too narrow. What once felt acceptable begins to bother your spirit. What once felt comfortable becomes suffocating. The desires you used to chase no longer feel satisfying. The conversations you once tolerated now feel shallow. The environments you used to fit into now feel out of alignment. And the version of yourself that once felt natural now feels like a stranger wearing your skin.

It is not depression. It is not restlessness. It is not confusion. It is spiritual awakening.

It is God revealing that you were created for more.

He reveals it slowly, gently, deliberately. He starts by allowing your spirit to feel frustrated with cycles that once felt normal. Then He lets you see that your environment is too small for the destiny He placed in you. Then He reveals the gap between the life you're living and the life He designed. And finally, He begins pulling you out of the familiar so He can lead you into the future.

But here is the part most believers are never taught: God will disrupt your comfort long before He displays your calling. He will break your patterns before He builds your purpose. He will separate you before He elevates you. He will disturb your peace to awaken your identity. He will make you uncomfortable so you cannot stay in environments He never intended to be permanent.

This discomfort is not punishment—it is preparation. It is the spiritual indicator that everything in your life is shifting. It is the sign that you are standing on the threshold of transformation. It is the evidence that God is stirring the anointing inside you. It is the announcement that He is about to call you out of everything that has kept you spiritually small.

But to walk into an uncommon life, you must confront a powerful truth: you cannot rise while surrounding yourself with people who refuse to move.

Your environment is either elevating your spirit or suffocating it. Your circle is either sharpening your calling or destroying it. Your habits are either strengthening your faith or weakening it. Your conversations are either feeding your purpose or poisoning it. Your routines are either aligning you with destiny or distracting you from it.

This is why God often begins your transformation by addressing your surroundings. He reveals things you overlooked. He exposes motives you tolerated. He brings clarity to relationships you once excused. He shines light into spaces you tried to ignore. He disrupts the peace you found in places that were actually stunting your growth.

Because He knows something you haven’t admitted yet: you cannot become the person He created you to be while remaining shaped by people who never embraced who they were created to be.

Walking with God requires courage. Obedience demands separation. And transformation demands honesty.

Honesty about your habits. Honesty about your weaknesses. Honesty about your distractions. Honesty about your compromises. Honesty about your surroundings. Honesty about who you pretend to be. Honesty about who you’re afraid to become.

Becoming the person God envisioned when He created you is the most courageous work you will ever do. It requires confronting the shadows of your own soul. It demands walking away from cycles you normalized. It requires you to own the truth that your life will not change until you do. And for many believers, this is the moment that becomes the breaking point.

The breaking point is a gift. It is the moment when pretending becomes impossible. When excuses lose their power. When compromise feels too costly. When stagnation feels unbearable. When God’s whisper grows louder than the noise around you. When your spirit refuses to tolerate the life you’ve been settling for.

And when that breaking point arrives, you face the greatest decision of your life: Will you return to the familiar, or will you step into the future God is calling you to?

Most people will choose the familiar. Not because they lack faith, but because they fear what they cannot predict. But you—if you’ve read this far—you already know God is not calling you into the predictable. He is calling you into purpose. Into identity. Into maturity. Into spiritual strength. Into courage. Into obedience. Into clarity. Into territory your old self cannot survive in.

To walk into an uncommon life, you must leave the common one behind.

You cannot keep the same habits and expect a different future. You cannot keep the same excuses and expect transformation. You cannot keep the same circle and expect elevation. You cannot keep the same mindset and expect breakthrough.

God is calling you higher—but elevation requires participation.

It begins with separation. Not separation from people because you think you’re better than they are, but separation from patterns that cannot take you where God is leading you. Separation from cycles that contradict your calling. Separation from distractions that keep you spiritually numb. Separation from environments that cripple your growth.

Every person God used in Scripture was separated before they were elevated.

Noah separated from the culture of his generation. Abraham separated from everything familiar. Joseph was separated from his family into the furnace of development. Moses was separated in the wilderness. David was separated from obscurity into purpose. Esther was separated through preparation. Daniel was separated by integrity. Peter was separated by calling. Paul was separated by transformation.

And Jesus? He constantly separated Himself to pray, to listen, to realign, to walk in the Father’s will instead of the crowd’s expectations.

Yet believers still wonder why God calls them into seasons that feel quiet, lonely, stripped down, uncomfortable, and misunderstood. But separation is not abandonment—it's refinement. God isolates to elevate. He subtracts before He multiplies. He breaks before He builds. He prunes before He expands.

This season of your life, the pressure you feel, the discomfort that won’t let you rest—this is the evidence that God is about to pull you into something deeper. You are not falling apart; you are being rearranged. You are not breaking down; you are breaking open. You are not losing yourself; you are discovering the version of you that was buried under survival, routine, and compromise.

This is not the death of your identity—it is the birth of your purpose.

And to walk into this identity, you must embrace the truth that uncommon living is not a result—it is a decision.

A decision to rise. A decision to obey. A decision to step out of the crowd. A decision to break generational patterns. A decision to build discipline. A decision to reject spiritual laziness. A decision to choose discomfort over stagnation. A decision to become unrecognizable to your past.

The uncommon life requires walking when others stop. Praying when others sleep. Growing when others drift. Discerning when others ignore. Sacrificing when others indulge. Listening when others argue. Obeying when others negotiate. Standing when others bow.

And this is why the uncommon life is so rare.

Because it demands something the average life never will: everything.

It demands surrender. It demands courage. It demands maturity. It demands attention. It demands discipline. It demands self-reflection. It demands truth. It demands spiritual hunger. It demands obedience when obedience is costly.

But what it gives you in return is beyond anything you could ever trade for it.

Clarity. Peace. Identity. Purpose. Strength. Maturity. Discernment. Authority. Confidence. Stability. Faith that cannot be shaken. Anointing that cannot be denied. And a life that hell fears.

Because when you finally decide to live the life God created you for, you become the version of yourself that heaven has been waiting for.

This version of you is bold. This version of you is disciplined. This version of you is obedient. This version of you is spiritually awake. This version of you is stable. This version of you is courageous. This version of you is unbothered by opinions. This version of you is aligned with heaven. This version of you is dangerous to darkness.

And this version of you becomes the foundation of your destiny.

You were never called to a common existence. You were never designed to blend in. You were never created to walk without purpose. You were never meant to stay small.

God created you to rise.

So rise.

Rise out of the cycles that held you back. Rise out of the environments that kept you limited. Rise out of the excuses that stole your years. Rise out of the identity you were never meant to wear. Rise out of the version of yourself you have outgrown.

Walk forward. Walk boldly. Walk faithfully. Walk intentionally. Walk as the person God designed.

Walk into your uncommon life.

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— Douglas Vandergraph

#faith #motivation #christianmotivation #uncommonlife #purpose #encouragement #Jesus #riseup #transformation #growth

VVA miniserie Therapeutische Stukjes

(Deel 1 van 1)

Nog geen week geleden begon dit hele proces. Ik had iets gehoord over een stand van zaken, omstandigheden iets voor een reactie maar ik zat daar, dronk mijn oplos koffie en pas toen ik op zoek ging naar een homp koek drong het door 'Ik vind er niets van' Ik schrok behoorlijk want ik vind overal iets van. Dat is voor ons type als de natte neus van een hond, blijft dit effect na een oorzaak en een gevolg uit dan is er iets goed mis.

Meteen zat ik en zak en as, mijn leven was van een nieuwe hardcover voor de volle prijs gekocht in een echte boekenwinkel veranderd in een beduimeld exemplaar bij een kringloop winkel voor alles en ook wel eens een boekje. Het boek was qua inhoud hetzelfde maar toch helemaal anders. “Vreselijk!” citeerde ik de auteur Hubert Schimmelpenninck, onterecht onbekend gebleven, hiermee uitdrukking gevend hoe ik me op dat moment voelde. Het besef drong meteen diep door, ik zag het zelfs in de spiegel van de ziel van anderen, in hun pupillen, het klonk door in het timbre van elke stem, ik was niet langer de beste versie van mezelf nu ik zomaar op eens ergens niks van vond.

Ik had dringend hulp nodig. Ik sloeg de gouden gids open op zoek naar kennis uit het verleden en heden over mijn soort onthutsend gedrag, aanstootgevend was het zowaar ik u brom. In de gids vond ik diverse kenners op alle gebieden waaronder ook Helers gespecialiseerd in tijdelijke onverschilligheid [aanbevolen] Ik zocht naar sterren, tekens der beoordeling des waardige tijds, zodat ik de beste heler uit de reeks kon inhuren. In de papieren versie stond niks maar eenmaal aangelijnd waren er meer dan voldoende meningen over deze categorie helers te vinden. Het waren allemaal prima mensen, vak lui, met een zekere staat van dienst, dat zag ik zo, niks dan lof, zelfs al waren ze dat niet, of minder goed dan uitstekend, de nood was inmiddels zo hoog dat ik een bijna vier sterretjes therapeut gewoon wel moest accepteren. Gelukkig kon ik terecht bij iemand met bijna 5 sterren, de laatste ster was net niet tot de rand toe gevuld.

Een uur daarna had ik een afspraak voor de dag daarna, De van alles wat iets wetende man had de ernst van de situatie ingezien en alle andere afspraken naar achteren geschoven. Ergens niets van vinden is in ons reactief leven vergelijkbaar met een zwaar ongeval op de weg voor de EHBO, hele hoge nood.

DE dag daarop zat ik tegen over de therapeut, Hein, een broodmagere man, een afgetrainde duurloper waarschijnlijk en deed mijn verhaal. Hein luisterde aandachtig. Ik vertelde dat ik de radio aan had gezet en er een bericht was over een situatie in een regio op een bepaald vakgebied en dat ik amper luisterde en enkel genoot van mijn bakje oploskoffie, mijn stem brak toen ik de boodschap overbracht. De therapeut keek verschrikt, zuchtte diep, daarna deed hij snel zijn hand voor de mond, een heler mag dergelijke emoties nooit tonen aan een cliënt maar soms is het te erg. Ik kon ook zien dat Hein eigenlijk onbedaarlijk wou huilen in plaats daarvan ging hij op de vloer liggen en ademde een paar minuten diep in en uit tot kalmte was herwonnen.

Hij zei “Mijn excuses, ik had gehoopt op een minder moeilijke situatie, eentje waar ik geen nachtje over moet slapen, helaas.” Ik bood daarop mijn excuses aan en hij accepteerde deze schoorvoetend. Hij trok zijn vlinderdasje recht, rechte zijn schouders met een waterpas en sprak op gemaakt lijzige toon “U moet weten dat ik altijd mijn uiterste best doe om mensen te helpen maar ik doe geen belofte aan niemand niet, ik weet niet zeker of ik kan zorgen dat u na deze kuur nooit weer tegen iets aan loopt waar u niets van vindt echter in de meeste gevallen slaag ik er in om dit voor een zeer lange periode te voorkomen” Ik vond dit geruststellend en zei dat ook. Hein knikte waarmee hij aangaf dat ik werd gehoord. Dat deed me goed, zo vaak komt dat niet voor. Ik besloot daar gebruik van te maken door nog iets te zeggen “De crisis situatie bij Ajax gaat me na aan het hart!” Ook dit veroorzaakte een duidelijke reactie, hij drong er echter op aan om hem de ruimte te geven zijn werkplan voor mijn euvel te vertellen, uitleggen wat ik en hij allemaal moesten doen om voor op het goden gouden paadje over de tienbaans snelweg rijden zo snel mogelijk weg van OZ en zijn miniseries, het omroepland van onverschillige zaken. Nu was het mijn beurt om te knikken, en ik besloot meteen mijn kwek te houden over Ajax.

Hein liep naar een digitaal bord aangesloten op zijn mobiele telefoon. Hij liet een punt zien op een heel wit vlak en sprak “Dit is waar u zich bevindt” vervolgens liet hij een kaart van Smægmå zien en zei dit is waar we zo snel als mogelijk terug naar toe gaan. “Goden zij dank” citeerde ik weer Hubert Schimmelpenninck, mijn favoriete auteur voor citeren, zijn taal is altijd zo helder en eenvoudig, echt iemand die bij de essentie blijft en niet voortdurend afdwalen naar regionen die niks te maken hebben met hele verhaal, gewoon taal om taal te maken, daar vind ik namelijk ook niks aan.

“U bent vorige week in het nergens terecht gekomen. Het is aan mij om te ontdekken waarom maar we moeten eerst en vooral denken aan de toekomst. Het vinden van de oorzaak is niet per c noodzakelijk om het euvel in de nabije toekomst te voorkomen. Het is echter mijn taak om alles tot de bodem uit te zoek, de onderste steen van het fundament boven halen en als dat eenmaal klaar is een ander meer opleverend bouwwerk neerzetten.” Ik knikte heel erg. Hein ging voort. Op het grote scherm liet hij al pratende en wijzende zijn plan voor mij zien en vertelde daarover. “U gaat van A naar Beter, laat u niet van de wijs brengen door alle afleidingen en afslagen, gaat vermetel voort naar u doel, daar waar de rivier der eeuwige verschilligheid, betrokkenheid stroomt als een wilde en alle mensen meesleept naar het intens grote geluk der voortdurende communicatie, discussie en oproer. Het paradijs waar u sinds vorige week uit bent verstoten.” Nou ik stond op uit mijn grote luie stoel en gaf Hein een daverend ovatie, ik was om, tot nu toe dacht ik dat mijn probleem zelfs te groot was voor een zo goed als vijf sterren therapeut. Niks is minder waar.

Om daar te komen moeten we iedere week samen een paar uur doorbrengen, uw verplichte verzekering betaalt mij, eveneens verplicht, en ik praat dan tegen u, toon u het goede beeld onder andere op dit scherm en dat net zolang u het zich kunt veroorloven en tevens tot u weer 'daar' bent, wederom verscheen de kaart van Smægmå op het scherm. Ik was blij verheugd dat ik iemand had gevonden die dit voor mij over had, die iedere week een paar uur met mij door wou brengen en praten over dingen die mij nu niet bezig houden in verband met die kwalijke onverschilligheid maar er dan weer toe doen en dat we dit allemaal samen doen met mijn verzekeraar en zo zij hij dat is in feite iedereen daar, weer wijzend op de land kaart en vooral op alle bewoonde gebieden. De rest voegt verdomd weinig toe aan de staatskas en dergelijke. Al die bomen, grassen, dat water en die lucht, daar heb je verder helemaal niks aan. Hein vond overal het zijne van, dat was goed om te horen en zien, een heerlijke uitgesproken persoonlijkheid, een man van het woord met oordelen over alles uit zijn mond naar voren gebracht met alle woorden in zijn hersenen aanwezig, geweldige ervaring. Zo wou ik ook weer zijn. Ik zag ook dat het geluk bij hem er van af straalde.

Na anderhalf uur zo aanhoren wat ik allemaal moest doen en wanneer moest ik weer naar huis. Ik was een beetje huiverig dat ik daar zo meteen waarschijnlijk een moment van de dag weer op een stoel of bank zou zitten, iets zien en horen en daar dan niks vinden. Het kon altijd ooit op ieder moment van een etmaal waarheid worden, een rilling liep over en of door mijn lijf door die gedachte of misschien ook wel door de kou terwijl ik door de kou fietste van stad terug naar het dorp. Thuis gekomen volgde ik het advies van Hein en deed er alles aan om te voorkomen dat ik ergens niets van kon vinden. Ik zag een plant met een dor blaadje en zei 'Daar maak ik notitie van', ik keek naar de muur, en zei 'mooi, mooi, lekker dicht' en zo voort alsmaar bevestigend dat het er was en dat ik daar was om er iets van te vinden net zo lang alles weer normaal was op de wereld. Ieder uur deed ik digitaal verslag van mijn vorderingen op de Hein Verbeter je Wereld Applicatie, zodat hij de data die ik aanmaakte kon analyseren en we deze volgende week konden gaan bespreken. Heerlijk, al die vorderingen zei ik tegen de App, ik gaf het een 8 op een lijn van 10, dat zou de nodige gespreksstoffen opleveren, dat weet ik zeker.

Sindsdien weet ik dat ik aan mezelf moet blijven werken zodat ik een beter mens ben dan ik was en nu nog ben, opdat de wereld zich aan mij zal tonen en eenmaal daar dit dan blijft doen. Echt daar vind ik wat van en zo hoort dat.

V Dědolesu bydlel dědek jménem Prdelojza Mezera. Byl to obyčejný dědek. Měl prdel, pantofle, světničku a strach ze sov. Ne z normálních sov. Z prdelatých sov, těch, co lítají nízko, funí a dělají podivné zvuky mezi prdelí a píšťalou.

Prdelojza si byl jistý, že jednou v noci přiletí. A samozřejmě měla pravdu jeho prdel – vždycky to poznala první.

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🌙 Noc, kdy začalo šustění

Jednou večer seděl Prdelojza u stolu, pil si čaj a snažil se ignorovat prdel, která ho varovala tichým plop. Vítr nefoukal. Vesnice spala. Ale u okna se ozvalo šššš… šššš… jako když se sova snaží být nenápadná, i když váží jako menší kozel.

Prdelojza se přikrčil. „To nic nebude,“ šeptal si. Prdel mu odpověděla hlubokým brrrrp. Varování.

A pak to přišlo.

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Najednou se na okenici objevila obří prdel. Chlupatá, kulatá, přimáčklá na sklo jako mokrý chleba.

Sova funěla, tlačila půlkami na okno a dělala zvuk, který připomínal křížence mezi hřměním a dědkem na záchodě. Prdelojza vytřeštil oči a snažil se nevydat ani hlásek. Vlezl si tiše pod postel a ani nedutal. Vzpomněl si, že okno úplně pevně nedovřel.

Pak sova zaprděla.

Sklo zamlželo. Rámečky zaskřípaly. A Prdelojzovi došlo, že pokud něco okamžitě neudělá, ta sova se protlačí dovnitř jak teplý rohlík do kapes. Ale strach ho přimrazil prdelí k podlaze pod postelí.

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😱 Sova vtrhne dovnitř

Okenice povolily.

Sova prolétla světničkou prdelí napřed, srazila hrnek, převrátila lavici a přistála na peřině. Působila jako zlo v peří. Svítila očima, funěla a její prdel vydávala nízké dunění, které slibovalo, že tohle neskončí dobře.

Prdelojza zařval. Prdel mu málem spadla strachy.

A pak… se ozvalo zpoza dveří nenápadné šustnutí.

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🦡 Vstupuje jezevec

Do světničky nakráčel jezevec od sousední nory. Žádný mýtus, žádný hrdina — prostě obyčejný jezevec, co spal, dokud ho neprobudil soví smrad.

Postavil se, zavrčel… a rozběhl se přímo proti sově.

Zahryzl se jí rovnou do prdele. Sova zařvala, vyletěla vzhůru, narazila do stropu, pak do kredence a nakonec oknem pryč, nechávajíc po sobě jen peří a trauma.

Jezevec si odfrkl, otočil se na Prdelojzu a pohledem mu jasně sdělil: „Zavři si příště okno, idiote.“

A zmizel zpět do nory.

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💤 Po boji

Prdelojza celou noc nezamhouřil oko. Světnička smrděla sovím strachem a kousancem jezevce.

Ale byl vděčný. Sově, že odešla. Jezevci, že přišel. A prdeli, že ho varovala.

Od té noci spal s okny zavřenými. A pod stolem nechával mísek s pamlskem, kdyby se jezevec rozhodl zase jednou zachránit situaci.

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Poučení:

Když ti prdel řekne, že přiletí sova, tak přiletí. Neignoruj vlastní zadek.

cuando empezó a comer esa fruta pulposa / blanca se dió cuenta que no sabía exactamente si era chirimoya anona o guanábana pero lo que dejó fue simple / un semillero en el plato

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Since 2012, Pat McCarthy , an Irishman, has supported over 25,000 rural Chinese students and encourages overseas Chinese to support their roots through educational giving.

As an Irish philanthropist living in China, my journey here began not in boardrooms or conference halls, but in villages, in modest classrooms, and in the quiet determination of children sitting at worn wooden desks, dreaming of a future they could barely imagine.

Through the work of the Ireland Sino Institute (爱尔兰中国研究院), a registered non-profit organisation dedicated to education, charity, cultural exchange, and community upliftment, I have had the honour of serving more than 25,000 rural students across China over the past decade. Many of these children had never spoken to a foreigner, never owned an English book, never stepped outside their county — yet inside them I saw the same spark, the same intelligence, the same dreams that live in children everywhere.

I have also met many Chinese who now live overseas — in Ireland, Europe, North America, Australia, and beyond. You are business owners, doctors, engineers, artists, academics, entrepreneurs, parents, and community leaders. You have carried China with you in your language, your values, your work ethic, and in your hearts.

But distance is a powerful thing. Life becomes busy. The connection to home grows quieter. Roots that once felt strong can begin to fade into memory.

Pictured above is Zhang Chang, the wife of Pat McCarthy, teaching rural Chinese students in Liaoning Province, China.

Today, I offer a gentle invitation.

Remember where you came from. Remember the teachers who guided you, the grandparents who sacrificed for you, the villages and cities that shaped your first identity. And if you can, in whatever way is possible for you — give back.

Giving back is not only about money. It can be as simple as helping one rural student continue their education. It can be a donation of books to a small school, a sponsored scholarship for a child whose parents work far from home, a video call to encourage a classroom, or the sharing of your professional knowledge with young people who long for guidance. Even a small gesture, given with sincerity, can change the direction of a life.

Through the Ireland Sino Institute, we have built libraries, supported teachers, provided learning materials, organised speech festivals, created cultural exchange opportunities, and stood beside communities when they needed it most. I have seen children’s eyes light up as they realise that someone, somewhere in the world, believes in them.

China’s rise has inspired the world, but in some quieter corners of the country, there are still children whose potential is waiting for someone to believe in them. That outstretched hand can also carry the spirit of overseas Chinese who never forgot where they came from.

By giving back, you are not just supporting China’s future — you are honouring your own story. You are strengthening an invisible bridge between the person you once were and the person you have become. You are showing the next generation that success is measured not only in wealth or status, but in compassion, responsibility, and remembrance.

If there is even a small voice inside you calling you back to your roots, I invite you to listen to it. Reach out. Ask questions. Reconnect. Together, we can create lasting, meaningful change.

Our non-profit school in China, registered as I Love Learning Education Centre, was created to bring hope, confidence, and opportunity to children in rural communities who would otherwise be left behind. For many of these children, access to English means access to the wider world — to jobs, scholarships, and a future that once felt out of reach.

Today, that mission continues — but it depends on the kindness of those who believe in the power of education and the importance of staying connected to one’s roots.

If you feel that connection, I invite you to stand with us.

👉 Support our campaign, “Give 1,000 Rural Children an English Education” on GlobalGiving and become part of a movement that is transforming lives, one child at a time.

© 2025 All About China News Team

Currently I thought I will have more time to write. But it looks like, that my brain is so occupied with stuff that each day I forget to write a post the previous day.

I forgot to count but it is the third fourth fifth attempt to write the post. 🙈 Hell, I also forget to pay some bills or answer some letters which are important.

I don’t know what’s happening at the moment. I’m focused on a topic but I’m so lost on other important ones and forget about them constantly.

---

56 of #100DaysToOffload
#log
Thoughts?

I went skydiving and got a couples massage with E. Today was good. Time to drive to SJ tmrw morning!

In a celebration of language, learning, and connection, the Ireland Speech Festival lit up the headquarters of the Ireland Sino Institute in Liaoning Province on November 13th and 14th, 2025. What began as a simple idea—to encourage Chinese students to explore Ireland through speech—blossomed into a heartwarming event filled with curiosity, courage, and cross-cultural friendship.

Ireland ranks first in the OECD for reading literacy and is recognized as the most highly educated countries in the world. Through initiatives like the Ireland Speech Festival, the Ireland Sino Institute proudly shares this spirit of educational excellence in China, fostering opportunities for young people to learn, express themselves, and build bridges of understanding between the two nations.

Hundreds of Chinese students delivered speeches on the theme “Exploring Ireland.” Participants first researched Ireland and wrote their speeches, then submitted audio recordings for review. Experts at the Institute provided personalized feedback before the final presentations at the festival.

Speech in Full — Ireland Speech Festival Participant

The speeches were deeply inspiring—each word carrying the warmth, sincerity, and determination of youth. What made them even more remarkable was the journey behind them. Many students travelled from remote villages around Changtu, some setting out before dawn in the bitter cold, determined to stand on that stage and share their voices. For them, this was more than a competition—it was a moment of courage, hope, and pride.

Proud Moments: Ireland Speech Festival Participants Receive Certificates of Achievement

Recognizing Excellence — Certificates of Achievement Awarded at the Ireland Speech Festival

Several participants shared that taking part was not only a personal achievement but also a source of immense joy and honor for their families and entire communities, who watched with pride as their children represented the bridge of friendship and learning between China and Ireland.

The event also welcomed participants from as far as Shenyang and even Hubei Province, further enriching the festival’s strong spirit of unity, learning, and cultural exchange.

A scholar from Hubei Normal University delivered an impassioned speech on Ireland–China cultural relations via live video link.

A true friend of Ireland who drove from Shenyang to Changtu to take part in the festival.

Participants also received Irish souvenirs as a symbol of friendship and connection between the two nations. Each item—carefully chosen to reflect Ireland’s rich culture and heritage—served as a reminder of the spirit of learning and exchange that defines the Ireland Speech Festival.

A token of friendship — Irish souvenirs gifted to celebrate cultural exchange and mutual appreciation.

For many students, these small tokens carried deep meaning, representing not only their personal achievement but also a lasting link to Ireland and the values of curiosity, creativity, and cross-cultural understanding that the event celebrates.

Pat McCarthy, Chair of the Ireland Sino Institute, was deeply honoured to explicate and recite Seamus Heaney’s poem “Scaffolding.”

Scaffolding by Seamus Heaney Explication

Pat McCarthy reflected that Heaney’s clever use of irony in this poem invites us to see familiar things in a new way and encourages critical thinking. A wall, which often symbolizes separation, is here transformed into a symbol of strength, unity, and friendship.

He noted that the poem reminds us that strong relationships are not built overnight—they take time, patience, and small acts of trust and care that accumulate over the years. In this way, the poem beautifully mirrors the friendship between Ireland and China, a relationship that has grown steadily over the past 45 years into a strong partnership capable of withstanding global challenges.

Recitation of Scaffolding

Masons, when they start upon a building, Are careful to test out the scaffolding; Make sure that planks won’t slip at busy points, Secure all ladders, tighten bolted joints.

And yet all this comes down when the job’s done, Showing off walls of sure and solid stone. So if, my dear, there sometimes seem to be Old bridges breaking between you and me,

Never fear. We may let the scaffolds fall, Confident that we have built our wall.

The renowned and talented Erhu player, Setanta McCarthy, who recently performed at the Beijing Intangible Cultural Heritage Festival, also gave a special performance at the Ireland Speech Festival. The young Irish musician played the beloved Irish melody “Danny Boy” on the traditional Chinese Erhu, creating a truly moving moment that beautifully symbolized the harmony between Irish and Chinese culture.

An unforgettable cross-cultural moment — Setanta McCarthy plays “Danny Boy” on the Chinese Erhu.

https://youtu.be/a868bzSrMFA?si=qACS_twN_8d_u30d

The Ireland Sino Institute, recognized by the China State Council, the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Civil Affairs, is honored to have the opportunity to contribute to rural development in China.

Since 2012, the Institute, through its philanthropic work, has provided quality education to more than 25,000 rural Chinese students and remains committed to doing even more.

Moving forward, it will continue to promote China to the world and further strengthen the cultural and economic ties between Ireland, Europe, and China.

You too can also help the children of rural China by supporting our ‘Give 1000 Rural Chinese Children a quality education’ campaign on Global Campaign.

© 2025 Pat McCarthy

Rumors of My Demise Evan Dando Audiobook read by author (2025)

Note: Part of my ongoing #AudioMemoir series reviewing author-read memoirs. Previous: Neko Case, Cameron Crowe. Coming: Wayne Kramer, Larry Charles.

The 100 Word Review of The Lemonheads' new album, Love Chant

Funny, honest, and soulful, Dando takes an unflinching look at his life as a teen punk of privilege, alterna-hunk, and dope fiend.

Examining his Boston upbringing, 120 Minutes indie rock era, and the burdens of being hot, Dando ambles through life dedicated to art and deconstruction. Stories of Gibby Haynes, Courtney Love, Keith Richards, and others intermingle with harrowing tales of the House of Shock crack den and breakdowns in Australia. 

He owns it all. No big sobriety arc or 12-step apology tour. He knows he’s hurt people and wasted time, but his warmth and talent shine.

Listen to it.

#AudioMemoir #100WordReview #Larrys100 #100DaysToOffload #EvanDando

I’ve settled into a truth I think I always knew: there’s a veil beyond this world—something I can feel, even if I can’t see it. And yet, despite that sense of something greater, I spent so much of my life feeling… lonely.

High school was especially hard. We moved away from everything and everyone I knew, straight into the countryside of the South. Everyone there had grown up together, shared roots, shared memories. And me? I was the outsider. Add puberty on top of that and you get a perfect recipe for struggle.

And LORD, it was hard to get a girl to even look my way. I took all of it personally. I internalized every rejection, every awkward moment, until my self-talk turned razor sharp and cruel. At my lowest, I wanted to end my life—until, as I’ve said before, I heard the voice of God redirect me.

I still remember prom. We paid for the limo, the tux, even the girl’s dress… and she didn’t acknowledge me the entire night. I sat in the corner—hurt, embarrassed, and broken. And it’s wild how even now, when I share that story with a friend whose daughter is going through the same thing, I still find a tear to shed. That was the cost of being “different.” Socially awkward, not that handsome in others eyes... charisma questionable but had this depth to my spirit that I couldnt find anyone to relate with. I mean in HS it's hard but when you're 15, you don't see it that way..

But here’s the light in all of this: graduating and going to college changed everything. That’s when “different” stopped feeling like a curse and started turning into something powerful—being unique.

That story… is for next time.

Prov

Dreams

I dreamed vivid dreams all my life. Dreams of heaven, dreams of the afterlife. Dreams of past lives and the future. This supported me understanding that I was “different” even more.

Scariest dream:

I believe I may have been seeing myself in a past life or living out someone else's life. But I was a woman. Brunette with short hair. Possibly 5'5 and white. In this dream I was abducted by 2 men in the woods. Just writing I can still; feel the coolness of the night air, the feeling of anxiety and distress, the tan colored car with its high beams on. I was taken out of the trunk in a trash bag tied up with zip ties. I recalled whoever these men were trying bury me. I woke up from this dream in a gasp. To this day I question when and who this was.

Happiest dream:

I went to the afterlife and felt this overwhelming sense of love all around me. All the colors and divinity was just breathtaking. Even today I still feel the warmth of this place and look forward to going back.

Prov

Why Your MSP Needs an MSP Digital Marketing Agency to Compete and Win

MSP digital marketing agency support is no longer optional for managed service providers that want to stand out in a crowded market. Buyers have changed. They research quietly, compare online, and evaluate credibility long before scheduling a call. Because of this shift, MSPs must simultaneously build trust, authority, and differentiation across multiple digital channels. Doing so consistently is challenging, especially with limited time and internal resources.

This is where a specialized partner makes the difference. A general marketing firm may understand branding, design, or SEO. However, they rarely understand co-managed IT, MDR, compliance frameworks, cybersecurity stacks, or the MSP sales cycle. That gap leads to wasted effort, weak messaging, and campaigns that fail to convert.

Equilibrium Consulting, an experienced MSP marketing agency, solves that problem by aligning messaging, brand clarity, digital strategy, and pipeline development specifically for managed service providers and IT channel organizations.

Why MSP Digital Marketing Is Different Marketing for an MSP is not the same as traditional B2B marketing. MSP buyers have complex concerns:

Business continuity

Cyber risk exposure

Compliance requirements

Financial impact of downtime

Long-term IT strategy

They are not looking for a vendor. They are looking for a partner who can reduce uncertainty and increase stability.

However, many MSPs attempt to communicate value using technical language. That approach confuses non-technical decision-makers and fails to demonstrate business outcomes. Conversely, overly simplistic messaging can turn off technical evaluators.

A specialized MSP digital marketing agency balances both audiences by translating capabilities into outcomes. This approach ensures clarity for business leaders and credibility for technical reviewers.

Why Equilibrium Consulting Is Built for MSPs

Equilibrium has spent years inside the MSP and IT channel ecosystem. The firm understands vendor programs, partner incentives, pricing shifts, cybersecurity mandates, and the evolution of managed services. Because of that, Equilibrium brings insight that general marketing agencies simply cannot match.

Equilibrium approaches marketing for MSPs through four core disciplines:

1. Strategic Positioning and Story Your MSP must answer: Why you? Why now? Equilibrium helps articulate a clear, compelling narrative that differentiates you from competitors selling similar services.

2. Website and Digital Presence Foundation A modern MSP website must guide visitors through a story. It must communicate pain points, services, trust signals, and next-step calls to action. Equilibrium structures, writes, and designs websites that convert.

3. Content That Builds Trust and Authority Consistent content signals stability and expertise. Equilibrium produces blogs, case studies, landing pages, service pages, and social content tailored specifically for MSP buyers.

4. Pipeline and Lead Development Marketing must support sales, not operate separately from them. Equilibrium builds campaigns that generate qualified conversations, not just web traffic.

The MSP Buyer Journey Has Changed

Buyers now perform 70%+ of the research before engaging with sales. Therefore, your digital footprint must address each stage of the buyer journey:

Stage Buyer Question Marketing Needed Awareness “Do I have a risk or issue?” Educational blogs, webinars, and social content Consideration “How do MSPs solve this?” Service pages, frameworks, comparison guides Decision “Why this MSP?” Case studies, testimonials, pricing philosophy Commitment “How will onboarding go?” Onboarding guides, FAQ pages, maturity frameworks

A specialized MSP marketing agency ensures no stage is overlooked.

What Happens When MSPs Try to Do This Alone

Many MSPs attempt to handle marketing internally. However, obstacles appear quickly:

No consistent brand message

Sporadic or inconsistent content publishing

Website messaging written by technical staff

No clear campaign sequencing

No measurement or lead tracking

Marketing starts and stops depending on workload

This on/off pattern creates pipeline volatility, in turn leading to revenue instability.

Marketing is not a seasonal project.

It is a system that, when run consistently, creates a predictable flow of opportunities.

A MSP digital marketing agency like Equilibrium provides that system.

What Makes Equilibrium Different

Many agencies sell deliverables.

Equilibrium sells clarity, alignment, and execution.

They don’t guess your buyer.

They map your Ideal Client Profile and personas.

They don’t produce content that sounds generic.

They capture your tone and point of view.

They don’t simply send traffic to your site.

They guide traffic into structured next steps.

Equilibrium treats marketing as a growth engine, not a task list.

The Competitive Advantage: Trust

The MSPs winning today are not always the cheapest, fastest, or most technically advanced.

They are the ones who communicate trust the most clearly. Trust is built through:

Consistent brand messaging

Professional digital presence

Case studies and customer stories

A proven onboarding experience

Market visibility and thought leadership

Equilibrium helps MSPs demonstrate these qualities in a way that resonates with decision-makers.

Final Thought

The MSP market will not get less competitive.

Automation, AI, cybersecurity consolidation, and national providers are reshaping the landscape.

To stay competitive, MSPs must differentiate through brand clarity, consistent presence, and message discipline.

Partnering with an MSP digital marketing agency like Equilibrium empowers MSPs to build authority, generate pipeline, and grow consistently—without sacrificing internal bandwidth.

Want to see how your current marketing stacks up? Schedule a no-cost ContentRX™ Review and get recommendations you can use immediately.

Visit: equilibriumconsult.com/content-rx

This artist and this song needs more views and more likes. It's so good! Love how he's keeping those emo flames alive as well.

We burn the map, we miss the turn We made every mistake you'd think we'd learn But somehow it still feels like home Even when we're lost and broke

These late night drives, the empty streets The promises we swore we'd keep I'll raise a glass to every wrong 'Cause that's the reason we belong

And maybe one day we'll forget But tonight we're not done yet

Here's to the mess we made To every plan that we betrayed To broken hearts and wasted time To knowing we'll be just fine Here's to the nights we can't replace The scars that we still wear with grace We'll scream until there's nothing left Here's to the mess, it's all we've got left

We cut our teeth on gasoline We lit the match, we chased the dream We never thought we'd make it here But chaos got us through the years So don't look back, just sing along We're not the kids we were but we're still strong We'll carry all these stupid scars Like trophies from a battle star

And maybe we'll grow up someday But for now, we'll stay this way

Here's to the mess we made To every plan that we betrayed To broken hearts and wasted time To knowing we'll be just fine Here's to the nights we can't replace The scars that we still wear with grace We'll scream until there's nothing left Here's to the mess, it's all we've got left It's all we've got left

If life's a joke, then let it play We'll laugh until it fades away And when it's gone, at least we'll know We left it all inside the show

Here's to the mess we made To every risk we weren't afraid To all the tears and all the fights To turning darkness into light Here's to the nights that built our bones The friends we found, the love we've known We'll scream until there's nothing left Here's to the mess, our beautiful mess

#skinnyfeelings #MusicVideo #EmoIsNotDead

Reason why I’m doing this

So most of this stuff doesn’t actually relate to why I started reading Daniel in the first place. It’s mostly about the crazy visions that Daniel has about the near future of regional geopolitics and the end times.

But there are still many things to be taken from the text in relation to the topic – “How can I live as a slave to Christ?”

Consistency

First off, Daniel is nothing if not consistent. His life, all the way up to the end of his life, is dedicated towards God, and everything else is secondary. God never rebukes Daniel for the sin in his life (at least in the Bible), and God continually saves Him. I’m not saying Daniel is sinless, but clearly, he never let up in his relentless pursuit of God. He practices spiritual discipline daily. He prays 3 times a day, even in the face of death for prayer.

“Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.” (Daniel 6:10)

What’s notable about this is that it mentions that he gives thanks to God daily. This is incomprehensible without a transcendental trust in God, and an attitude of abandon towards his own life. Daniel’s life was rife with political intrigue, and there are likely many more plots against him that didn’t make it into the Bible. But it doesn’t seem like they swayed his heart at all. His trust towards God did not falter, and his faith stood the test.

This cannot be explained but by the grace of God. For who can live like this with their own strength? I need to ask God for grace, that I may be as consistent and unrelenting in my pursuit for God as Daniel.

Lives a Life Blameless Before Others

Second, Daniel’s life is blameless before others. King Darius’s administrators and satraps tried to dispose of Daniel, and investigated every nook and cranny of his life as a public servant. But they could not find a single charge against him in corruption, negligence, or lack of excellence in work. He was easily the best amongst all of them. So much that King Darius put him on a fast track for promotion.

I make so many mistakes at work, some due to my own negligence. I’m also inexperienced, and have a lot to learn. I need to step it up. I’m not representing myself, I’m representing God. But for this too, I must ask for God’s grace. For who can gain ability on their own if God does not allow it?

Trusts God

Third, Daniel is distinguished in his trust towards God.

“The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.” (Daniel 6:23)

I’m not sure if it was intended to be interpreted in this manner, but in the English NIV translation, the verse seems to imply that Daniel was saved because he had trusted in God. So does that mean that if Daniel did not trust in God, he would not have been saved? Not necessarily, because that logical relation does not mean that he would not have been saved for another reason. But still, this trust seems to be important.

Daniel’s life is full of obstacles. God places before him various trials the moment he arrives to Babylon, and they only increase in difficulty. At each obstacle, God seems to be asking, “No matter if I save save you or not, will you still follow me? Do you still trust in my goodness? Do you love me more than you love life itself?” For us reading the Bible, and for us familiar with Daniel’s story, it seems so obvious that God had a plan, and God would continually save Daniel, proving his faithfulness. But Daniel had no idea. At every trial he faced, there was no guarantee that God would save him yet again. After all, God allows even faithful people of God to die.

Would I be able to say yes to God even when staring down the barrel? My little unfounded theory is that God doesn’t just present trials out of the blue to a believer. It doesn’t mean that trials will never not jump in difficulty and only linearly increase in difficulty, it’s just that God gives us opportunities, even small ones, every single day, to say “yes” to Him. He builds us up in faith and character using these small opportunities, and uses us accordingly. If only we say “yes” to all the small things, I have hope that He will use even the smallest things to give us the strength to say “yes” to him when the stakes become higher. This thinking is based on the following verse.

“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much” (Luke 16:10)

Every little small thing God has entrusted in my life I need to give my utmost attention to. So what are the things in my life that God has entrusted to me?

Largely,

• a job
• my church
• friends
• family
• my extra time
• my intellect
• an Internet connection
• etc.

So God has given me each of the following things for a reason, and entrusted me with them. Without Him in the picture, these are all good things that I wouldn’t know what to do with. But with Him in the picture, I now know that He has entrusted me with each of these things for a reason, and I need to understand that reason, and in joy, prayer, and petition, fulfill God’s plan in each of these areas, as a child uses a crayon to fill in the outlines given by a coloring book.

Even when reading through Daniel, I am resoundingly sure of the fact that I have not even understood 1% of the significance of this book, and of Daniel’s life. But I hope that God will use this insignificant effort of mine to understand what it means to live for Him in a great way. I look forward to the day when God shows me how He used this time spent before Him.

#slave2christ

I learn stuff from being involved with others in real life, and I value that. As rewarding as that is, I like coming home to myself at the end of the day. Some people exhaust me.