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work - stuff - money - time..... which order?

6/27/2017

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I was running the other morning and crossed over a driveway of a condo as a Porsche was pulling out.  That was the start of my thoughts for this blog.  Then speaking to clients and friends about life and work, constant travel for work, working longs hours, little down time, no time for much else. More fuel for the blog....

It started me thinking, what is it all about and how did we get so out of balance?

In the Western world we really live in a land of plenty and can generally get most of what we want (the Porsche thoughts...)- unfortunately often putting us into debt.  Loan companies are willing to lend out money whether the person can repay or not, credit cards offer themselves to us, pay day companies that encourage us to over spend - or be impatient with when we buy and then the temptation of ‘buy now, pay later”…

I fell into the trap myself as well, bought too much stuff, had a loan and credit card debt and once you’re in that spiral it’s easy to stay there and go deeper. It stressed me out to have such debt and luckily I managed to not get in so deep that I couldn’t get out (and lucky to have parents who gave me a interest free loan).  I’m happy to say that since I turned 40 (5 years ago) I have no debt, no credit card and even have some savings in my bank which is believe it or not a first for me!.

‘Should’ I have more to show for my 45 years, have a great pension scheme ready for my retirement?  Maybe - maybe not.  I do have a whole heap of experiences behind me and many unbelievably good memories!  

I own almost nothing and what I do own is not really that valuable in any way other than sentimental value; which for me is greater than its financial value.  If I lost it all tomorrow, it wouldn’t be the end of the world.  My most valued possession is probably my phone so that I can keep in touch with those I love.  

When I go to buy ‘bigger’ things I question if I really need it or simply want it - and often I just want it and will buy; but nowadays I think more than I ever used to.  I know I could cut down my spending- a few habits that aren’t good for my wallet! I am at least now more aware than I used to be where my dollars go.


If I had earned more would I have spent more and or saved more?
 
Interesting question - in the past probably spent!..  Now I think I would ‘save’ as I don’t need anything really. But if earning more meant sacrificing the time I have to do the things I enjoy in my life - I’ll chose time.  

Time.

This land of plenty, where we can get pretty much what we want materially but what about time?  It is the most precious commodity and it goes quicker each year it seems.  With longer work hours, there’s no time to eat well, to move even 30 minutes a day, family time gets reduced, hobbies get pushed to one side and as for spending time in self reflection - high stress and  poor health result. 

What is it though that drives us to spend so much time at work? Expectation from the company? Fear of losing our jobs if we don’t? Too much work? The salary dictates we work those hours?

Maybe it is to earn to buy? Buy another bag, pair of shoes, outfit, a house, sports car, bigger TV the kids need another game, latest i-phone etc etc - the list goes on.  

Is it so important to have these possessions and things? What do they add to our lives? What is they give us? Is it the excitement of the newness?  The image it projects that we (on the outside) can afford luxury goods? The feeling we are not good enough if we don’t have xyz?

Is having money in the bank one of the most important things?  That one day you don’t have to work, or at least not so hard and that makes up for all the hours in the office, time on planes and time not spent with family and friends and doing things for self as opposed to a company?

I have no idea to be honest, I really don’t - this is just a collection of my random musings that I have the time to sit and write and it brings me pleasure to babble away so I do!!!  As always love to hear responses, thoughts, ideas on the jumble that often comes out in these blogs - an insight into my mind…


Last note - a client said to me the other day that she sees me ending up a ‘bag lady’ - not a down and out; but a wanderer in a van or similar who has turned her back on how society says we are meant to live…  In a way she might be right. 


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Technology

6/20/2017

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We live in a fast moving world, especially when it comes to technology and engineering.  I don’t consider myself old ( never will!) - yet when I look back over my life time and think about the things I now have that I didn’t 25 years ago it is staggering and the trend is set to continue.

I seem to keep coming across and having conversations with people who are in the field of data, engineering, sustainability and technology and how it is going to affect us.  It makes my head spin a bit when I hear about what advancements are being made especially in data analysis and robotics.

It both scares me and intrigues me and I wonder where the world is heading both in my life time and after.

Scares me because will for example, robots eventually be able to take over and humans will become obsolete and it intrigues me because there are so many amazing ways that this new technology can be used to assist us as beings.

I guess it’s all about how we use it - for the betterment of the planet as a whole or as a selfish means to gain power (which lets be honest human beings are great at doing).

After one conversation I had I went on a TED talk rampage, what and where is the research in robotics, why are we working to build them and how they effect our lives.  I was pleasantly surprised to find the amount of investment there is in it with the aim to enhance our lives.  In  one talk the researcher was very aware that robots might be able to override their off button, and working to  how we don’t let that happen (phew). All the movies of the last 25 years come to mind - Terminator and BladeRunner the two most obvious.  

Robots that help on factory lines, in hospitals and those that keep older people company.  I find the latter a tad sad that as we age we might need robots for our social interactions but it is at least better than being alone.


Another conversation, about data and how our hormones, sugar levels and blood pressure etc can be monitored quickly to tell us what we need to do to rebalance ourselves and what our emotional state is (easiest way I can explain it..!!)

I see the benefit of this, I really do - with this data we can change what we eat, drink etc and recalibrate  - reducing disease, stress, illness and be a healthier race.

On the flip side, I question if this will stop us looking inwards - we could end up relying on something external to tell us how we feel and what we need to do.  

I already think many of us have stopped our inward search - we don’t want to look at how we are behaving, what triggers our emotions and go deep into those emotions to seek out what we can  change to help ourselves.  Our actions have an impact, how we treat each other and then on a bigger scale how we treat the planet.  Can robots help us stop destroying this planet, bring awareness to what we do in such a way that we change?

External feedback is vital, it provides us information we can’t necessarily see or feel - and that can come from different sources including the other people in our lives.  It’s really whether we want to look at that feedback, ponder it, internalise in our human way and act on it.  Will we become slaves to data collected as opposed to tuning in to our body’s innate wisdom.  

Will we become flesh and bone robots as opposed to living, thinking, feeling beings?


My wish is that data and robots help us become better humans, ones that take care of ourselves, each other and the planet more than we do now. 

That they help us gain a better work life balance, providing time to appreciate social interaction, to spend more time in nature and appreciate the beauty of the planet we live on, to get in touch with our creative sides whatever that means to each of us, to move again and not be stuck at a desk or on a treadmill, be less stressed, feel the need to own less and have wealth shared more equally.

Maybe not in my life time but then maybe one day we'll live forever!!..


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PORM

6/13/2017

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I bet that image got your attention....

I woke this morning wondering what to blog about and a few things came to mind but nothing grabbed me. 
Then I checked my phone and a friend had sent me a rather funny (well I think so) youtube about…. 

Porm

Yes it is a typo on purpose and if you watch the youtube you’ll get it..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaOQMMD3hIM&feature=youtu.be&app=desktop

It started me thinking about attitudes towards porn, what we each do or don’t like or think is morally correct based on many factors from our upbringing - and then how we view sex.  Yes this was all this morning and no I don’t have a headache from thinking so much!!

People are intriguing, they fascinate me and I find myself fascinating too - the way I’ve changed myself, my opinions, my beliefs and how I see certain things in this world.  I have odd ball conversations with people I meet and the topic of porn (and sex) can and often crops up…

It is one of those taboo topics, that until it is mentioned by another we don’t want to start a conversation about.  But why?  Is it such a big deal?.  Okay so maybe it depends on what the type of porn is, I get that and who you are talking to - but otherwise sex is one of the most natural things in the world - without it none of us would be here. Although sadly the way we produce children is changing and it won’t be needed in the future (it's not really now is it!!). That is not a plesant thought.

Where am I going with this?  This is not about your sexual preferences, although I might blog about that at some time.

What "bothers" me is that there are things that we do that we feel the need to keep quite private; fear of judgement, not being understood, being different, weird, odd - because we are ashamed of it based on what parents, religion, society says..

There are things I do that I keep quieter for sure and I know others do too based on the conversations I've had.  And it’s not just watching porn, that is simply one example.  Now I'm not saying to go shout it out, hire a plane with a banner on it to fly across the sky telling the world your 'secrets' - but simply asking that we all pause and consider the things/emotions etc we don't freely share and why we don't.


My thought is: will we get to a point where whatever (within reason) we do and feel is accepted regardless of our own cultural beliefs and we can freely talk about all topics ?

I hope so..

We may not all be understood by everyone but if can accept even if we don't agree, I reckon we’ll come one step closer to a more pleasant world and that’s a world I’d love to live in.

Keep calm and watch ....  fill in the blank!


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wonder woman

6/6/2017

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Weird things happen when I go and watch movies. 


When I saw Planet of the Apes it made me question human beings and how we treat each other. Watching X-men Apocalypse sent me wondering about whether to talk to our younger self or our older self talking to us as we are now. 


Then I watched Wonder Woman ...


Wonder Woman was my hero- when I was 6 I wrote to Jim'll Fix It (not going into his misdemeanors) and wanted to do the spin and be her as I'm sure many girls also did. 

I loved the TV show, have been likened to her a number of times (makes me chuckle) and was super excited about the new movie.

Gal Gadot - what an amazing actress for the role, beautiful woman, great sensual physique, and such an innocence too. 

I personally loved the movie, I'm sure there'll be critics of it and so be it- each to their own opinion.  From my love of Wonder Woman from a young age it really did make me think.  No surprises there that I think hey!!


About what?


Humans mainly - who we all are - how we treat each other and ourselves - what influence we can all have in this world.   I know I can't 'save' the world, no one can.  I do think there's some saving to be done but where does that start?


With ourselves.


How we behave to each other, to ourselves, the way we treat other animals on the planet and how we treat the planet. 

Too deep? Maybe.  But that's my thoughts after watching the movie.


Yes there's horrible atrocities in the world and inside of each of us is a darker side - but also in each of us is goodness.  We all have an inner goddess or god, a part of us that can influence those around us for the 'better'.


It depends if we chose to see that in ourselves or live life only for ourselves. 


I blog, do the job I do, draw, model etc etc with the aim of bringing joy to others.  I don't often know which may do what - what influence I have, but that's my intention. I can't change the political situation of the world, take away the pain of losing someone, stop war, famine or slavery. 


But what I can do is leave whatever in situation I am for the better. 


I don't profess I do this all the time - I have my moods and can be sharp with my tongue and I know when I have been.  Not ideal but nothing is perfect - I am at least doing the best I can to be the best person I can be.


Did I really get all this from a DC comic movie ?     Yup I honestly did ...
Thanks


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    lisa....

    I have opinions on most things - and I am happy to listen with an open mind, seeing a different view. Please feel free to comment and tell me how it occurs for you..

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