My fascination with Pomegranates

Which as it turns out is a fairly enchanting fruit:

1. Symbol for righteousness in Jewish tradition because it is said to have 613 seeds which corresponds with the 613 commandments of the Torah (Hebrew teachings).

2. In Greek mythology, Hades tricks Persephone into living in the Underworld for six months of each year by getting her to eat six pomegranate seeds while she was his prisoner - these six months become autumn and winter where the land is no longer fertile, as Persephone's mother Demeter the Goddess of Harvest grieves her absence.

3. In Buddhist legend (pretty awful story, this one) the demoness Hariti, who devoured children, was cured of her evil habit by the Buddha, who gave her a pomegranate to eat.

4. The Prophet Mohammad advised, “Eat the pomegranate, for it purges the system of envy and hatred.”

5. In early Christian doctrine, some believe that Eve was tempted with a pomegranate in the Garden of Eden rather than an apple as the actual fruit is not identified in the Old Testament Book of Genesis.

That, plus being very a pretty fruit, as well as having properties which cure weary hearts (pomegranate juice makes grenadine syrup which can be used in a whopping 583 types of cocktails!) and ill tummies (medicinally, seriously) grants it a spot in my book of not-quite-sure-why-this-is-important fixations.

Seasons Greetings

How do yis like the new look? Big thank you to Denzil for helping out with the background :)

And yes, HAPPY HAPPY DEEPARAYA to all Hindu and Muslim folks out there! Have a safe and blessed holiday.

Actually I do have an analogy Re:My Work Situation

The Sausage Situation

You know how sausages are made - gunk they call meat is stuffed into tube-like casings then tied at the ends? As you may imagine, there are specifications for such things e.g. a 2-inch casing fits 10 grams of meat. Well, the boss says one day "Multiply the meat by 10 and stuff it into a 1-inch casing". Us the minion-machine operators grumble and complain, but the boss says, "The client wants the orders tomorrow - that's final". The machine makes awful grinding noises, it shudders and sputters then the shit/meat explodes and hits the fan. It all goes splattering and everyone runs for cover.


Post retail therapy - I have another insight. Slightly more hopeful, I'd like to think.


The Inferno Situation

Instead of a wiener-churning machine, there is a burning building before me. As Junior Firefighter, the Superintendent says to me "Get in there, pull out the survivors, find the source and put it out". "But the fire has gotten so huge! (I protest) Getting in will be suicide!". And the Superintendent says "The client wants the building intact and everyone in it saved - it can't be helped that they only called us after it is almost razed to the ground".

But unlike the sausage situation, I choose another option. I pick up my extinguisher (tiny as it may be to fit my petite frame), put out the flames from the outside, and assess the damage after. It won't be pretty and there may be casualties but at least we won't all get slapped in the face with leftovers scraped from the carcass of animals. (If you are doubting it - don't, I really did review a sausage plant).

Move along move along when the hope is gone

I have a car suction-cup thingee which says "When the going gets tough, the tough goes shopping".

How do I begin to explain what the going is like for me right now? aftotz does a pretty good job of hers, but I just don't really want to start because if I do, like a boss of mine says it really makes "my blood go upstairs". And things will start getting blown out of proportion, or are they already?

Suffice to say I now know what statements like "sanity hanging by a thread" means and it's really scary but I think I commisserate with Sylvia Plath's whole belljar concept more than I would like to.

So. I once said something about making choices and biting bullets, not excuses.

The thing is, to me there was always a difference between doing what it takes, and doing what you can do. And I always thought, if everyone tried a little harder to do what it takes, then we'd be so much closer to what it should be, less people would have to just do what they can do, the world would be a better place etc.

But now, when it comes to choosing between my sanity and what it takes, I choose my sanity - there's no bouncing back if you're broken. Maybe that's what the truth is about - people do what they can because doing what it takes is not feasible for survival.

So. My laptop taskbar is hung - I am going shopping in about an hour. Hopefully when I am back it'll be the little man, instead of the Wizard of Oz waiting.

Perspective my dear, is everything.

What my world needs now

Is..

1. for the haze to go away
2. for internet banking from the bloody bank to be available 24-hours
3. a weekend without work
4. a really good iced chocolate

but what i do have - new shoes, a sister with permanently free hi-speed wifi, and someone who wades through workends with me. Enough reason for a smile.