Tuesday, February 28

homeland security

I just wanted to let you know that the new Homeland Security Bill has passed. Things will be different now and Internet surfing will be tracked by what the 'Agency' calls a "non-intrusive method." The 'Agency' says you will not notice anything different.

For a demonstration, click here.

Thursday, February 23

spinning figure


spinning figure, originally uploaded by utnapistim.

spinning magnets


spinning magnets, originally uploaded by utnapistim.

This is a toy I got from Jumbo; Basically it's just a set of metal spheres and magnetized sticks.

It makes for some really interesting combinations.

spinning magnets


spinning magnets, originally uploaded by utnapistim.

me. Me ME


skates, originally uploaded by utnapistim.

... on skates

Wednesday, February 22

countries I visited



create your own visited countries map
or vertaling Duits Nederlands

Spiritual Enlightenment Truth Realization Blog By ET

Spiritual Enlightenment Truth Realization Non-Duality Blog By Edward Traversa: "There is no magic involved in awakening. It?s not based on IQ, amount of suffering, how compassionate you are, how well you surrender, work ethic, gender, race, age etc. There is no chosen elite, no secret handshakes, and no mystical practices.

Its all about facing reality as is, without blinkers on and without ideas about how enlightenment should be. That’s the whole secret of enlightenment. Which isnt much of a secret. "

tag browser

Flickr related tag browser

Talk about a visual interface! :)

Keo


Keo, originally uploaded by utnapistim.

Yet another picture from this Sunday.

boats on the horizon


boats on the horizon, originally uploaded by utnapistim.

I took this saturday, from the bycicle road on the Limassol seafront.

I was skating.

main gate


main gate, originally uploaded by utnapistim.

Main gate of the Romanian Embassy in Nicossia

beer on sunday


beer on sunday, originally uploaded by utnapistim.

Some of the guys in the new batch of employees comming from Romania.

We were having a beer on Sunday.

No Parking! Embassy


No Parking! Embassy, originally uploaded by utnapistim.

A bit rusty!

This sign is on the main gate of the Romanian Embassy in Nicossia.

V&L on skates


V&L on skates, originally uploaded by utnapistim.

jumbo


toy store, originally uploaded by utnapistim.

I took this yesterday morning in Jumbo toy store.
I could have stayed there for a few hours.

Friday, February 17

reiki

Lately (by that I mean in the last few days) I started giving reiki ...

It's one of my long-term goals, and I seem to be moving into it, slowly.

Now, if you know me, you'll probably wonder:

WHY?!?

I mean ... we all know that psychologically I'm the pleasure-seeker type and more than a little lazy.

Here's my answer: It's a good feeling to do it. As lot of people had stated, if you give reiki correctly, it leaves you energized.

I didn't really grasp how giving something leaves you better off, but now I will add that it also leaves you fulfilled and happy and whole.

Wholefully yours,
the lazy guy

Thursday, February 16

foray into nicossia

What a senseless waste of human life!
Monty Python


I went to the romanian consulate today, to solve my pesky-password-passed-away problem (in short, it expired).

I made sure to be prepared, taking four passport photos with me, my local papers and permits, and currently passed away passport.

It didn't work.

I got there and found out that I needed six photos instead of four, discovered I didn't have some details from Romania (namely the ID card of someone from there) with me and couldn't do anything.

So, with two hours before the consulate closing for the day I started the happy trip through Nicosia for a photo studio for two additional photos and some iCaffee for my 'details from Romania' problem.

It's amazing how things turn out some times; I'm not talking of BIG things here (like me getting the papers done, because it didn't happen) but of small things (like finding an internet connection with no iCaffee in the area, while looking for a photo studio).


Anyway, back to the story: I walked some streets around there, went as (mistakenly) dirrected up to the secretary of the manager of the big Siemens building in the area (they had this really cool external elevator that made your stomach ascend to your neck as you reached fifth floor), and at some point I found a small and forgotten shop selling ... something computer related (not sure what) that had an internet connection.


I got back to the consulate with 20 minutes to spare, filled almost all papers (I found out I actually needed my left-at-home ID card), talked to the counselor and found out I have program for monday morning:
I'm visiting the counsullate again. Oh Joy!


So ... random impressions from my forray into Nicossia?
The lady at the photo studio was downright beautiful and had a killer smile;
I have to make sure to get some thicker clothes on monday with me;
Waking up at seven in the morning sucks!
The way to there and back made for a very relaxing (albeit short) sleep;

There is no cow level!


... and ... that's about it!

Here are some pictures:
walking down the street
down the street



the Siemens building
Big Siemens building

street corner in Nicossia
street corner

photo studio in Nicossia
inside a photo studio

random guy at the consular window
random guy speaking to the counsellor

Romanian Embassy in Nicossia, Cyprus
the embassy building


Yeah!

Wednesday, February 15

my canon


my canon, originally uploaded by utnapistim.

It's not an A80 Powershot (if you couldn't tell)

Spring in Trodos Mountains

This was taken while going towards Calledonia Falls.

Unfortunately (or luckyly - depends how you look at it) the road to there is much more interesting than the falls.

Diver in poor visibility


Diver in poor visibility, originally uploaded by utnapistim.

I don't remember the dive site; Perhaps I'll look through my diving log at some point.

Wreck Window


Wreck window, originally uploaded by utnapistim.

Corals in the Mediterranean


corals in the Mediterranean, originally uploaded by utnapistim.

Shot on my first (or was it second?) dive in Malta, last summer

Tuesday, February 14

breaking the rule of thirds

breaking the rule of thirds in photography rarely makes sense; When you do it knowing why and what you're doing, the results can be astounding.

here is a good example.

Sun from the Blue Hole on Gozo Island

Exitting the Blue Hole


Exitting the Blue Hole, originally uploaded by utnapistim.

Through the Inland Sea tunnel


Through the Inland Sea tunnel, originally uploaded by utnapistim.

Deck of the Um El Faroud


Deck of the Um El Faroud, originally uploaded by utnapistim.

Deck of the Um El Faroud


Deck of the Um El Faroud, originally uploaded by utnapistim.

Inside the Blue Hole on Gozo Island

Deck of the Um El Faroud


Deck of the Um El Faroud, originally uploaded by utnapistim.

scuba photography

here

Einstein's Theory 'Improved'

A Chinese astronomer from the University of St Andrews has fine-tuned Einstein's groundbreaking theory of gravity, creating a 'simple' theory which could solve a dark mystery that has baffled astrophysicists for three-quarters of a century.


(taken from here)

random update

I'm in office now, and working on two tasks (blocked on both); I figured I could take some time/disposition to post some form of update.

so ... Sunday evening we (7 victims I think) went to a japanese restaurant in limassol, to sample the japanese cuisine.

I'm sory I didn't get my camera with me.
I had sashimi (good, if you can ea raw fish/octopus with sauce), water (I had drank some before so I knew what to expect ;)), sake (a combination between a strong alcoholic dring and hot wine, but not very strong; all in all drinkable), shake (that is not milk-shake; the name is read as sha-ke, and is a fried salmon with vegetables recipe and all-in-all a great dish) with garlic rice and mixed seafood soup (exotic, different, but a great taste).


The soup actualy contained algae/seaweed.


Yesterday ... well ... it was nothing spectacular, except being an usual monday morning :|, and today ... today is not finished yet, so I wouldn't know :).

Sunday, February 12

on meaning

I had started a post a few days ago about how I miss meditation in my life, but didn't finish it; now I realize it's not meditation I miss, but seeing past the surface, past the shape of things.

Now, it's dawn; the kind of dawn that smells of fresh air; all in all a good sign for new beginnings.
It's half past six on a sunday morning and I just got home. I went to A&A's farewell party last night.

And a good party it was; we had some drinks, talked a lot and generally had fun; we shared a few laughs; and I talked some with M and A and all the other guys, and I got that meaning back; When we got out the door A said he wished he'd filmed this as he'd like to remember it. The fact that he said it, finally drove the point accross to me: they're leaving.

I wanted to say though that remembering it is all we need, and there's no need to record it to keep it precious.

a night awake is a gained extra day
this is what was written in Dune anyway.

Thanks for sharing a night awake with me
utnapistim

Monday, February 6

candles closeup


candles closeup, originally uploaded by utnapistim.

candles at N's birthday


candles closeup, originally uploaded by utnapistim.

saturday activity


skates, originally uploaded by utnapistim.

candles


candles, originally uploaded by utnapistim.

Thursday, February 2

my new cube


my new cube, originally uploaded by utnapistim.

"It's not much, but it's home..."
"I think it's brilliant"

(from one of the Harry Potter movies)

Pure Silence

A gentle, loving, inner peace and silence is here and now in this moment. It has always been this way. It is always here. It is right here within you and all around you, a stillness, an apparent void, a seeming nothingness out of which everything arises, exists, and eventually returns.

You know this. You have felt this.



There is nothing more than this.



You are this.

(taken from Pure Silence)