Happiness is a bar of chocolate

The modern equivalent for a life partner, the humble yet powerful bar of chocolate has been given extra props today as it not only tastes amazing, is reasonably priced and fits easily into your bag but it’s now also been proven to reduce stress.

Indeed many people would claim the research redundant as they’ve been finishing bars of chocolate in an effort to calm down for years, at least now it’s scientifically proven.

Mice in the experiment were separated based on how happy they were, though I’m not sure how you measure a mouse’s happiness, the unhappy mice were fed a small amount of chocolate, unleashing the chemicals hidden deep within the dairy milk saviour.

Once the chocolate had been administered the mice were found to be de-stressed.

This week I was interviewing the managing director of an Australian chocolate company on my radio show who was sharing this marketing genius of research with me and I saw another news article, one regarding the syndrome sweeping Japan which I’ve dutifully dubbed MJ Fever.

MJ Fever is not a music obsession, sexual or illegal activity, dance move or jig. MJ Fever is that seemingly natural drive that pushes you away from who you really are.

Michael Jackson suffered it more than most; with his skin transformations and general slide from his teenage years away from everything he started out as and with to where we last saw him a few months ago.

I’m sure I think Michael Jackson suffered the most because his life was under the microscope more than most; there would be people who spend every last dollar in an attempt to not be who they are.

MJ Fever in Japan is sweeping the nation with white skin all the rage, where as in Australia we want tanned skin. Every country and every generation has it’s thing it wants to change.

Imagine the resources we’d have available to us if we could be happy with the us that’s here, free and available. Imagine the time, money, time … and the money … and the time …. life would be grand, or maybe we could just eat more chocolate.

Virgin Blue and the Golden Card

Virgin Blue, the airline that made flying fun and accessible all those years ago made a big boo boo today.

At 2:45pm (Friday, 13th November 2009) West Australia time an email was received by many Australian’s, possibly thousands, notifying them of a surprise in regard to their Velocity membership, here’s the email I received:
Since that email was received social networks and forum board lit up across Australia, this was a very generous offer but some thought it was needed, in a competitive air travel market Virgin Blue had figured out how to gain everyone’s loyalty!

The Velocity Gold Card requires you to earn 50,000 points each year to keep the card. You can earn points with Virgin Blue Velocity partners but the main way to earn them is by flying Virgin Blue at 5 points per $1 spent – $10,000 a year on flights.

I’m almost certain I’m not spending $10,000 on flights this year … but I’m up for the challenge! And I think many Australian’s were as well.

At 4:25pm (Friday, 13th Nov ‘09) Virgin Blue corrected what we found out was a mistake:
Now we all watch with interest as Virgin Blue manages this PR nightmare. Thousands of Australian’s have been offered something they don’t deserve … and we want to keep it!

Well I do … how about you?

Schoolies: Sex, Drugs and Alcohol?

A Facebook friend suggested banning Schoolies because of it’s abuse of drugs and alcohol and the rampant sex that takes place there. I commented, asking the question “When has having things banned ever helped a problem like this? It’s a quick, easy and lazy way of attempting to solve a problem, whilst you send it underground and out of sight”

She was curious how I thought we should respond, here are my thoughts:

Alcohol – it’s hypocritical of us to expect youth to not drink it whilst we indulge in it like it’s out last drink on earth.

Drugs – the myth that life is hard and it’s getting harder is perpetrated across media and general conversation, when the truth is it’s just life. Youth come across problems and difficulties and see adults winging about life so an answer they resolve to is drugs, it makes everything better for a short while.

Sex – in the public domain lets start honouring the intimate physical exchange of love, hold it in high regard, as something you do with someone you love and cherish. It might help to talk about it more openly and healthily and perhaps if something was going to be banned it might be strip clubs, meter maids and late night commercials for sex phone lines. It might also help to eradicate child sexual abuse, because 1 in 3 girls are sexually abused by someone they know they now value sex like their abuser did.

I don’t have any real idea how to fix every problem on earth – but there’s 3 humble suggestions that I’m sure everyone will find a problem with, but I present not the final solution, but offer an opportunity to talk about it. And you know what … prayer wouldn’t hurt either, but perhaps you could focus it a bit more.

I neglected this point and thought of it after: it wouldn’t hurt to support the agencies that are working day and night to help these root issues. Give them money, time, cook them meals, build them things, whatever. Especially the Red Frog Crew who are the Schoolies Support Crew, on the ground during Schoolies every year. Give them anything and everything you can, they need it if you actually want the problem solved.

Or if you just want to complain and whine about it – then do nothing.

The Black Tree

A good friend of mine, Stu Larsen, penned a song called “The Black Tree” on the EP with the same name and released it earlier this year.

Listening to the EP, especially this song, on a high volume holds a special sort of power in bringing peace, it just levels you out, makes you feel better.

Are you ok?

It’s a question I’ve been asked a number of times today. That & I’ve also been told to man up.

I’m not sure why some days you wake up and feel poor in spirit. Radio personalities have this divine calling to push aside their feelings and personal situations in order to entertain and keep company with listeners. It’s why I love my work, I get this secret access to people’s lives, in their car, office, bedroom. When you’ve got this special access it’s like meeting the Queen, you’re now with the Queen and this is her party, not yours.

So today I just feel poor in spirit and I’m not allowed to acknowledge it. I’m physically ok, healthy enough. I’ve got food in my pantry, stomach and access to more if needed at Woolworths. There’s a large collectoin of people across this earth who think somewhat positive thoughts of me, though I’m unsure how many are in Esperance. My faith in God is steadfast and my mental health is at a seemingly normal level.

Perhaps I uncovered something when I was unsure how many of those people were in Esperance. Love is something that cannot be assumed (example: stalkers), love is something that needs to be communicated on an ongoing basis. As is that sticking point in most blogs where you’ve lost the first 85% of the readers, you’ve stuck this far, so I’ll proclaim I love you, it’s a response to your reading ability this far in, ok?

But are you ok?

Yes I’m ok, I really am, I’m fine

For a moment though think about the question you’re asking though. As far as questions go, when you’re hoping for an answer, that’s a poor question.

Perhaps next time you see someone and you feel a caring or worried feeling towards them perhaps speak more about their situation, so you might actually be able to help, for example:

• instead of “are you ok?” try “I see you’ve been hit by a car, could I call you an ambulance and maybe try and remove the car off you?”
• instead of “are you ok” try “So the girl you’ve spent months developing a friendship with, after spending $100’s of dollars on coffees, meals and those little gifts, finally figures out you’d like to date her and freaks out. Let me tell you that ‘everything will be ok’ and ‘there’s plenty more fish in the sea’?”
• and finally instead of “are you ok” try “I can see you’ve just moved 3,853km from the Gold Coast where you once lived and you’re now 4,100km from your home town and even further from your family, at least three flights away from anyone you know or love. That might be a little lonely. Could I ask you if you’re ok?”

The Black Tree

It’s a beautiful EP … you should listen to it. Try Lydia Cole on for size while you’re there … and Scat, they’re also tops.

Disregard Notice

Please disregard anything I post on this Blog, Twitter or Facebook, even the contents of telephone calls we may have until such time that I’m married or am ‘doing coffee’ with other people 3 to 4 times a week (n.b. not by myself like I do each day after I get off air to relax).

It seems the extreme move from metropolitan Qld to extremely remote and rural Western Australia has made me all emotional and I may blog, tweet or Facebook things that other people should not read, or may not want to read … which is intolerably worse.
Thank you.

Family, your own family

Typically writers steer clear of the wrath of their family. It’s a noble cause, given the pain it could create in relationships because often you’d only write about them if everything was perfect.

We are family

Everyone has a different scope when it comes to family. Mine is divorced 3 times or more, it’s separated geographically, conversationally, culturally. Some of us are barely connected by blood let alone marriage.

But … we are family.

Family Perfection

Perfection has been often labeled a myth or unreachable goal. I prefer to think of it as everyone else that you respect. Some kind of mish mash of the Brady Bunch, Home and Away, that South African family you know and the stupid neighbours across the road who really can do no wrong.

When we care about something, or someone, in great detail or in great quantities perfection is the thing we try to bring to it. This is my understanding of it anyhow. I’ve always understood that if you don’t try to bring to perfection to something, a relationship, job, artwork, chore, then you don’t care for it. Which is ok with me. Really, it is. But just know that I noticed it.

So back to perfection, it’s that drive to make it better, it makes you angry, upset and is usually the driving force behind most emotion. You either made it perfect or you didn’t.

Family perfection

So statistics tell me that you think your family was way more screwed up than everyone elses. Unless you’re South African … somehow they have this special blessing of perfect families. I wish I was South African sometimes.

The truth is that we look at our family in a special lens, hoping they would just be better. I’m looking at this holistically: relationships, gatherings, generosity, conversation, relationships between others. I know that I hope the best, seriously the best for my family, as jagged, divorced, separated and distant as we seem sometimes I hope for the best.

I think about my family and their wellbeing more than modern statistics tell me I should be thinking about sex.

You’ll recognise within yourself similar thoughts or actions, you simply want your family to do well. Your elders, parents, grandparents, cousins, uncles and aunts. You wouldn’t wake up with ghastly thoughts for them. Your siblings, nieces and nephews.

We’ll call these thoughts, perfection, just wanting everything to be amazing. Because you care.

Medicine

This post started out as a plea to my family to get their act together. I assumed a few things

• They all read this blog – unlikely
• I was without doubt the best – verdict is out
• They were all in some way a little bit wrong or misguided – most probably
• I had all the answers – most assuredly not

With those things clarified as I typed the first few paragraphs I got to here and had nothing to type.

I’d opened up WordPress with the intention of being really annoyed at a number of things stemming over the past 27 years. Many of which I’d forgiven and forgotten. They range over at least 5 marriages, somewhere near 10-15 houses, more last names than I’d care to remember and a bitterness that runs deep through the valleys of our bloodline.

Healing

Blogging is a selfish thing quite often, writing blogs about personal issues, it’s healing to my soul and if you’ve made it this far you’re obviously wondering if I’ll talk about you or you actually care for me, which I’m rather grateful for.

But here’s the public advice, though these rivers of bitterness run deep, through every conversation, connection, Christmas and birthday, if you drink from the river you’ll surely be poisoned.

This bitterness which is common in family lines, the one that sits at the dinner table with you all, has only a single function: to harm.

Forgetting might not be an option to you today. But forgiveness is. Forgiveness is the bridge of bitter waters that opens the options up when this Chistmas is looking lonely. Forgiveness is the blank cheque, that when given lets the child inside loose in the candy store of life.

Why?

Well you want your family to be perfect don’t you?

The Micro-Loans … 24 hours later

24 hours later and the Micro-Loan, Finance 2.0, Micro-Lending thing that I’ve created still doesn’t know how to categorise itself but nonetheless it is up and running.

24 hours later I’m $750 closer thanks to your support!!!

Criticism

I wanted to address some of the criticism I’ve recieved in an honest and open way.

Just get a loan: thanks for your wise words.

Why? why not?

Why $6000 when you only need $5626.90? I said $6000 as a nice figure. I didn’t think it would be harmful to address a higher number. In that last few hundred I’ll have another look at the prices and if we reach the correct amount I’ll call off the campaign. If we go over then that get’s repaid instantly anyhow. No harm?

Am I a real person? Yes … I am a real person. I’m unsure how I could really prove this to you on a general basis – if you’re unsure you can email me a question and I’ll try and prove myself I guess.

Comments

Also addressing some of the comments:

• No, this isn’t patented
• Yes, you can use this model or principle
• Yes, I also hope ‘it works’

The Terminology

I’m uncertain how to title or categorise this journey. I used Micro-Finance, because it is financing broken down into smaller chunks, which lends itself to Micro-Loans or Micro-Lending. Finance 2.0 is also a bit of a wanky way of saying it. Perhaps you could suggest a better way of titling it?

The Micro-Loan

If you’re reading this without reading the original proposition then you’re missing out! Here it is: http://joshuawithers.wordpress.com/2009/10/13/micro-finance-a-macbook-pro-and-adobe-cs4/

Micro-Finance a MacBook Pro and Adobe CS4

The world that is presented to you today via TV, media, radio and especially by our friends here at Interwebs Inc is fairly consuming of your time, money and energy so I appreciate that you’d take a few moments out of your day to read this blog, my twitter, facebook or whatever it might be that dragged you into this blog today.

In that spirit of appreciation I’d ask you to embark on a little journey with me. The impact you’ll have on me and those around me, which may well include you, will be massive!

The cause

Purchase an Apple MacBook Pro and Adobe Creative Suite 4 plus a few small necessary accessories. I gave away my Apple Macbook to a student friend about 12 months ago and since have been without a personal computer. Up until recently I’ve had work computers to use for Graphic Design, but since following my dream job here in Esperance in WA I have not.

The reason

To create graphic design and web design which I love doing for fun, also for profit but also for good causes for free or goodwill!

The proposition

I would ask you to lend to me an amount of money, you choose the amount, towards the necessary $6000 for such a purchase which includes PayPal fees. (Actual cost at time of posting is $5,626.90. I ask for $6000 because of fluctuation in Apple and Adobe pricing plus  PayPal fees. When the purchase is made, residual can be immediately paid back)

My commitment

• I will repay the debt, in whole, within 3 years, by October the 1st 2012 but almost certainly much sooner than this. Your repayment may happen next week or next year, if you need it by a certain time email me and I can prioritise your repayment.
• I will start this repayment once the laptop is purchased, and keep you updated via email on the status of my debt to you.
• The interest of the loan I can offer to you in kind, for graphic or web design at a rate of 15% or one hour’s work whichever is greater. So if you loan $100 I will offer you $15  or 1 hour, whichever is greatest at $49 an hour, worth of work of graphic design on the newly purchased laptop.
• I will keep this project open and accountable on this blog. You will be able to see who lent or donated and who’s been paid back and when.

Bonus Offer

If you care to, you can donate money instead and I will return it to you 115% in graphic design services in kind.

Why

I’m doing this because together we can, and by myself I cannot. Corporate finance institutions will only lend me your money anyway, but they’ll charge interest that you won’t receive.

How to do it

Simple.

1. Decide on how much you want to contribute to the $6000
2. Paypal that amount to me or transfer it into the NAB account which has been  set up for such a purpose. Account details below.
3. Email your personal details (Name, Email, Phone) plus how you would like the money to be transferred back to you (Paypal, Bank Transfer or Money Order) to my email address which is joshuawithers [at] me.com of course remove the ‘ [me] ‘ bit and replace with an @, it’s there to stop spammers grabbing my email address. Make sure you include how much you’ve lent or donated as well.
4. Stay tuned to this blog, or my Twitter or Facebook for updates as we do this together
5. I thank you sooo much!

The details

Paypal: Follow this link to transact via PayPal

Australian Bank Transfer: I’ll send you my Bank Details via email on request. I had posted them here but decided against it in-case they were hacked etc. It’s a real fear in today’s world apparently.

Postal: Of course you can send it via post: PO Box 1896, Esperance, WA, 6450.

Micro-loaners Spreadsheet: http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AlvKnIFAhbkKdDRFX2NRUlA4QTBuWHFNblB4X1I5dnc&hl=en

Purchase details

Here’s a pdf printout from the Apple Store for the products I want to purchase. I suppose if you wanted to you could actually purchase an individual item, it would all work the same. If you’re curious about my graphic and web design abilities look at my Portfolio.

Thank you!

I’m so appreciative that you would take part in this freaking amazing process!

Stephanie

There’s a beautiful thing that happens when one human separates him or her self from whatever is currently occupying them, because we often occupy ourselves rather sufficiently, and they connect with another. Connect is such a whored out word today, as if it’s the answer to success, will solve all of your problems and make you stove cleaner. Connection is more than that though, even though marketers and advertisers use it as a swear word.

Connection is fulfilling one of humanity’s five important tasks assigned to them at birth.

1. Breath in …. breath out …. continue until further notice
2. Pooing (if you don’t eat, you don’t poo, if you don’t poo you die)
3. Look up
4. Look across
5. Look down

The first two, albeit simple, are rather important. It’s the other three that often need clarification.

Look up

Get religous, weird, spooky, spirity or just plain old oddball, whatever you thought of me just then, but there’s someone greater than you – work this one out your own way, the sooner you do it the less troubled you’ll find yourself feeling.

Look across

There’s a rather high value in connecting to those around you. Medical experts agree, mental health experts agree, cafe and nightclub owners agree and I’ll reluctantly acknowledge our friends at the online dating bureau.

There’s differing amounts of value you can instill in others, you’ll find the more you give, the more you get, but you often don’t learn that until later in life when you all of sudden regret a few things. Don’t worry, after all, what can you do to add to yesterday? (The answer is nothing … you cannot add anything to yesterday)

The point I’m making here is this: don’t be a bastard, find that person “across from you” your friend, family member, workmate, stranger and instill some value in them. Value is a whole new blog post, it could be money, time, a coffee, but more than likely a set of operating and receiving ears is all that’s required.

Look down

This encapsulates two main people groups. Babies and “the poor”.

Babies: have them and be aware of your responsibility in raising them, take this one seriously.

The poor: they need someone’s help …. it’s most probably yours, lets not be arrogant about the situation and do something about it later on.

Stephanie

I titled this post Stephanie or as we call her @spatniotis mainly because she was seemingly upset at the then present fact I hadn’t blogged about her.  We met a few days back, she’s a friend of @DGPerth and @nova937music. @DGPerth I’ve not met, I’m sure I walked past and said hi to @nova937music once when we both worked at a radio station on the Gold Coast though.

Twitter first, then Facebook, now I’m blogging about her. This is connection 2009 style folks, say what you will about Social Media or the interwebs this isn’t how we are going to connect, this is how we are connecting …… well this and all those other ways we’ve been perfecting over the last few thousands years.

Go connect with someone today, it’ll probably cost you a few dollars when you shout them a coffee, a few minutes where you have to stop talking about yourself or your cares, but it will mean the world to them and Stephanie, I hope this means the world to you

AustralianIdol.com.au

Somehow I ended up on the Australian Idol website today and found it’s “Inside Idol” section where kids can ask questions of their celebrity idols and others involved in the show.

One kid had asked a question of Andrew G: “How did you get into the business, where did it start and how did you end up as a host? What did you first do to get you into hosting on television?”

Andrew had a good and simple answer: “Radio. Get into radio and learn about broadcasting, then buy yourself a video camera and practice!”

Someone replied: “i want to do radio , but i guess it takes a very long time to get yourself out there and only fery few are very successful”

I read this and had one of those “feeling sad for the youth of today” moments I’m sure my grandpa experiences every time he takes a breath. I’m kind of on this theme at the moment of being sick of seeing other people live their dreams, hearing the stories, talking about it amongst friends and preaching about it at church, in magazines & on Tv, but no-one does it.

So I replied: If anything doesn’t take hard work or a good measure of time then it’s not worth doing kid. Hard work builds a character in you that you can’t buy in Myers or learn about in a magazine. Andrew didn’t just wake up and be a radio host any less than he woke up and was hosting Aussie Idol.

After 7 years of working really hard – volunteering for years, working jobs I didn’t really want to – I now have a job in commercial radio doing the breakfast radio show in regional WA – 3000km from my friends and family. It’s just another step in the journey if that’s what you want to do.

Stop hearing about other people living their dreams and start telling your own story about how you’re living yours. Once day soon you’ll look back and freak out at how far you’ve come.

Josh: 1 Society of Losers: 0

Link to Aussie Idol question page: http://ate.australianidol.com.au/questionanswer.aspx?category=andrew-3&humanurl=how-did-you-get-into-the-business-where-did-it-start-and-how-did-you-end-up-as-a-host-3826