Life Through Another's Eyes
An e-mail from an extremely close and wonderful friend:
That´s just the story of my life, he he he. (Of course with my brother it´s different. With him it´s all his hard work. Or at least this is what my mother thinks. :-)) But here it´s a normal thing. It isn´t a part of our culture here to compliment people on what they do well, it´s usual to criticize them for what they did wrong. If I compliment people on what they did well nowadays, it´s something I learned from my American penfriends. (Well, some of them, anyway.) Really sad, right? I didn´t know something like this before. If you do something well here, people will wait until you do something wrong and then they will tell you: "I told you you can´t do it." or "I knew it would end LIKE THIS." etc. They love it. So people who are really active and enterprising, will often move abroad (including your country) to get a "better life". But this is my home, I want to live here. That doesn´t mean that I agree with everything here, or that I like Czechs. But I accept the fact that this is my country. Some of my penfriends (Americans) have a really serious problem with it... ?... and often end dropping correspondence to me, because it´s not my life´s desire to move to the USA. Americans constantly present that idea like the best thing in the world. Which is just something I don´t understand. I actually have (or had? better to say!) some American penfriends (okay, I will admit that woman was Japanese by origin, and not a real American.. although she considered herself a true American) who said she didn´t expect "anything else of me" as I grew up during "Russian power".... Do you understand it??? What it has to do with one liking his or her country, which I think is all right? It´s not my fault that she hates Japan and all Asian culture... I don´t feel the same way about it. She lives in NYC (and I will honestly I admit I would dearly want to have a penfriend in NYC... I´d love to learn more about that city), she went to Budapest (Hungary) for a couple of days ... she came back a couple of days ago... and she sent me such an awful "travel report". She was bitching about such silly things... so why she goes there if all she wants is some wild night life? And fashion stores. I guess I am minus one penfriend now (he he he) but in her case it isn´t such a tragic loss. (:-)) I try to write better and better ads, but I tend to think that people don´t even bother to read them... I mean they do write to me all right, like crazy, only I think they don´t really bother to read the actual words. I am not surprised you only have 2 penfriends now. It´s pretty frustrating, most of the time. (:-)) Now, all my old penfriends are really great, but I wanted to get some new ones. Somehow I tend to think it´s much worse nowadays than in the early 90´s.... nowadays it seems to be much harder, for some reason. People are used to such a fast life... I am not sure if they ever notice what they are doing. Well, what do you think?
So, it was "written in stars" that you would become a HR Manager and an EMT? And how it was spelled out? (:-)) And in which language ... English? (:-)) Even before English was ever invented??? And Jesus... he was using English, too? Or he knows all the languages? I guess they would say he knows all the languages. Well, I don´t think that anybody can reason with those people, but if they are happy in their own way... I guess it´s harmless. As long as they don´t bother anybody else. George Washington would have to turn in his grave, if the USA became governed by religion. That´s why they went over there, to escape religious abuse in their original country, and nobody of them said they would create another country with only one true and allowed religion for everybody. It´d be pretty nonsensical.
Oh, I have to go. I am sorry your mother won´t be at home at Christmas. So Ray will be alone there? Or he will spend Christmas with her in that home? What became of the dog business? Does Ray keep it on his own now, or it´s already finished? I was thinking about her dogs constantly. What a sad way to go, like this. Really, really sad. People must take care of their health while it´s still possible, or they will become such a sorry picture in their old age. She used to laugh I would be a tiny, old lady with a cup of tea... only I don´t think it´s such a bad thing at all. (:-))"
I can't wait to answer this e-mail and get the conversational balling rolling on this one...!
"Hi Aislínge,
I wanted to tell you I will close my profile at facebook. It´s not for me, I am sorry. I would never get used to this, I want to keep personal correspondence with my penfriends (including you, of course!!!), not this public affair. I will read your website instead. I hope you don´t mind. E-mails are okay. Luis´ family is really something, but my father was a mental case, so I guess I have no business to talk, he he he. I would probably also smile and nod... actually I never know what to say to these people. I usually try to get away. I know it´s pointless to argue with them. It´s just a waste of time and effort. You can´t convince anybody they aren´t mental, if they don´t see it themselves. he he. Luis Sr is probably not as bad as some of his siblings... and you are right, one has to appreciate it. Maybe he is just happy he can live in his son´s house and learned to appreciate it in time? Maybe he doesn´t want to cause trouble. Maybe he learned, after his escape (he he he about that) that he can´t live on his own... or not this well, at least? It might be one of reasons why he makes an effort to be as pleasant as possible. (Even though he won´t be a complete charmer, ever, he may try to control himself in a way.) Well, it was sure interesting to read everything! I don´t know how it is with those stars and what they mean by that. Like astrology? Some people in western countries (and maybe in your country too) go to "astrologers" and pay quite a good money to get their very own personal horoscope. Not just that fun horoscope one can read in every magazine (he he) and so, but their own expensive horoscope, that also includes "happy days" for one´s wedding, or a business contract, and "unhappy days" to do this or that... something like this? Abortions are just fine in my book... as long as it is a part of that woman´s body, it´s up to her to make decisions. Nothing else could be accepted. And I don´t know why you should go to Hell for it... don´t worry, it´s already chock full with religious fanatics. (:-)) No more free room. he he he
As for accomplishments, I have never heard any compliments on my own contributions... it was "just luck". So, I am "lucky". Each time I manage to do something, I am "lucky". It´s all "good luck" with me. No personal effort, at all
I wanted to tell you I will close my profile at facebook. It´s not for me, I am sorry. I would never get used to this, I want to keep personal correspondence with my penfriends (including you, of course!!!), not this public affair. I will read your website instead. I hope you don´t mind. E-mails are okay. Luis´ family is really something, but my father was a mental case, so I guess I have no business to talk, he he he. I would probably also smile and nod... actually I never know what to say to these people. I usually try to get away. I know it´s pointless to argue with them. It´s just a waste of time and effort. You can´t convince anybody they aren´t mental, if they don´t see it themselves. he he. Luis Sr is probably not as bad as some of his siblings... and you are right, one has to appreciate it. Maybe he is just happy he can live in his son´s house and learned to appreciate it in time? Maybe he doesn´t want to cause trouble. Maybe he learned, after his escape (he he he about that) that he can´t live on his own... or not this well, at least? It might be one of reasons why he makes an effort to be as pleasant as possible. (Even though he won´t be a complete charmer, ever, he may try to control himself in a way.) Well, it was sure interesting to read everything! I don´t know how it is with those stars and what they mean by that. Like astrology? Some people in western countries (and maybe in your country too) go to "astrologers" and pay quite a good money to get their very own personal horoscope. Not just that fun horoscope one can read in every magazine (he he) and so, but their own expensive horoscope, that also includes "happy days" for one´s wedding, or a business contract, and "unhappy days" to do this or that... something like this? Abortions are just fine in my book... as long as it is a part of that woman´s body, it´s up to her to make decisions. Nothing else could be accepted. And I don´t know why you should go to Hell for it... don´t worry, it´s already chock full with religious fanatics. (:-)) No more free room. he he he
As for accomplishments, I have never heard any compliments on my own contributions... it was "just luck". So, I am "lucky". Each time I manage to do something, I am "lucky". It´s all "good luck" with me. No personal effort, at all
That´s just the story of my life, he he he. (Of course with my brother it´s different. With him it´s all his hard work. Or at least this is what my mother thinks. :-)) But here it´s a normal thing. It isn´t a part of our culture here to compliment people on what they do well, it´s usual to criticize them for what they did wrong. If I compliment people on what they did well nowadays, it´s something I learned from my American penfriends. (Well, some of them, anyway.) Really sad, right? I didn´t know something like this before. If you do something well here, people will wait until you do something wrong and then they will tell you: "I told you you can´t do it." or "I knew it would end LIKE THIS." etc. They love it. So people who are really active and enterprising, will often move abroad (including your country) to get a "better life". But this is my home, I want to live here. That doesn´t mean that I agree with everything here, or that I like Czechs. But I accept the fact that this is my country. Some of my penfriends (Americans) have a really serious problem with it... ?... and often end dropping correspondence to me, because it´s not my life´s desire to move to the USA. Americans constantly present that idea like the best thing in the world. Which is just something I don´t understand. I actually have (or had? better to say!) some American penfriends (okay, I will admit that woman was Japanese by origin, and not a real American.. although she considered herself a true American) who said she didn´t expect "anything else of me" as I grew up during "Russian power".... Do you understand it??? What it has to do with one liking his or her country, which I think is all right? It´s not my fault that she hates Japan and all Asian culture... I don´t feel the same way about it. She lives in NYC (and I will honestly I admit I would dearly want to have a penfriend in NYC... I´d love to learn more about that city), she went to Budapest (Hungary) for a couple of days ... she came back a couple of days ago... and she sent me such an awful "travel report". She was bitching about such silly things... so why she goes there if all she wants is some wild night life? And fashion stores. I guess I am minus one penfriend now (he he he) but in her case it isn´t such a tragic loss. (:-)) I try to write better and better ads, but I tend to think that people don´t even bother to read them... I mean they do write to me all right, like crazy, only I think they don´t really bother to read the actual words. I am not surprised you only have 2 penfriends now. It´s pretty frustrating, most of the time. (:-)) Now, all my old penfriends are really great, but I wanted to get some new ones. Somehow I tend to think it´s much worse nowadays than in the early 90´s.... nowadays it seems to be much harder, for some reason. People are used to such a fast life... I am not sure if they ever notice what they are doing. Well, what do you think?
So, it was "written in stars" that you would become a HR Manager and an EMT? And how it was spelled out? (:-)) And in which language ... English? (:-)) Even before English was ever invented??? And Jesus... he was using English, too? Or he knows all the languages? I guess they would say he knows all the languages. Well, I don´t think that anybody can reason with those people, but if they are happy in their own way... I guess it´s harmless. As long as they don´t bother anybody else. George Washington would have to turn in his grave, if the USA became governed by religion. That´s why they went over there, to escape religious abuse in their original country, and nobody of them said they would create another country with only one true and allowed religion for everybody. It´d be pretty nonsensical.
Oh, I have to go. I am sorry your mother won´t be at home at Christmas. So Ray will be alone there? Or he will spend Christmas with her in that home? What became of the dog business? Does Ray keep it on his own now, or it´s already finished? I was thinking about her dogs constantly. What a sad way to go, like this. Really, really sad. People must take care of their health while it´s still possible, or they will become such a sorry picture in their old age. She used to laugh I would be a tiny, old lady with a cup of tea... only I don´t think it´s such a bad thing at all. (:-))"
In some ways, this is much like looking through my eyes; we agree on a great many things. Not everything (that would be weird) but a lot. And when she sees something differently than I do, then she tells me - and I love that. Honesty is ALWAYS the best policy (except at family functions that are comprised of the other side... i.e. Luis' family. Then silence (as pained as it may be) is really the best. Good advice...
I can't wait to answer this e-mail and get the conversational balling rolling on this one...!
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