Doc Spad: Be A Warrior

My friend Doc Spad, USMC, today calls upon us all to stand up against bullying on his blog Doc Spad...a few thoughts. Read the post "Be A Warrior"

We must never ever let the bullies succeed in their efforts, fight them at every instance. Don´t let them think they are getting away with what they are doing unnoticed, call them out for what they are.

Apart from being a friend of mine, Doc is also the Chairman of the board for Second Pride 2011.

When Strangers Click 2

On September 23rd I was very lucky! Although it had been widely publicized on some of the Swedish SecondLife blogs that the HBO documentary film "When Strangers Click" was going to be shown on the Swedish television channel SVT I had completely forgotten about it.

However, I must have remembered subconsciously or just had a bit of dumb luck because contrary to my usual habits the first thing I did when I came home from work was turn on the television set. And there it was, the film had just started running so I settled down in front of my set and watched it.

The film depicts five couples meeting and falling in love on the Internet, among them the SecondLife singer/songwriter Bara Jonson and his sweet wife Nickel Borrelly, who both are dear friends of mine.

Bock as Bara´s best man
Photography by Ika Cioc

It is in this film that The Much Honored Bock McMillan, laird of Southern Charm and prince of Cascade Falls, makes his international television debut in the cameo role as Bara´s best man in the pictures from the sweet couples SecondLife marriage.

I liked the documentary, but most of all I loved watching my friends and Bara´s mother Malla all being charming, intelligent, honest and so sweet. I actually fell completely in platonic love with both the primatars of Nickel and Malla.

Nickel very forthrightly tells us that we owe gratitude to Vodka for the existence of their beautiful son  Kris, who was born nine months after Bara and Nickels first life meeting.
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An interesting fact that was presented in the program is the responses that women and men gave to the question "What are you most afraid of concerning Internet dating?"
Women: That they would meet a serial killer.
Men: That they would meet someone who is fat.

Cool People

(via copyranter)

I totally love this ad for Carlsberg. Brave and open minded people who do not judge books by their covers truly deserve Carlsberg´s, well cooled.

Intermission

I am too tired to blog so I give you a musical break instead.

This is Mauro Scocco, my favorite Swedish singer/songwriter, next to Bara Jonson (the Swedish SecondLife celebrity musician and my buddy).

Mauro has for a long time been the singer I always return to when I am happy or sad. Well, to be totally truthful, whatever mood I am in actually - except angry.

The title of the song means "I Miss Us". Please enjoy!

Pneumonia

I hate this awful sneaky disease thoroughly.

It sneaks up on people as a common cold and then when they least expect it slowly, slowly and step by step it makes them weaker by taking away their appetite and making them ever so tired.

Mostly no clear signs appear until the afflicted have it full blown inside their lungs. Then the fevers come, followed by the pains and the shallow breathing and an overwhelming fatigue.

My mother is 80 years old, but is still a strong willed lady with an extremely  clear mind. She will beat this. She has to, I refuse to lose another loved one to this killer!

Thank you science for antibiotics and painkillers and medical doctors who at least catch it in it´s later form.

When I left her this evening she was sitting up in her bed to have dinner. Her color had changed from that awful pale to a glow on her cheeks and she was more alert and awake although still very tired. I will keep my hopes up, mother is strong. Mother is strong willed.

UPDATE 9/26
My mother was today moved from the emergency care unit to a regular ward. She is of course still on intravenous antibiotics and oxygen and is very tired but has gotten some of her fighting spirit back.

After the move to the new ward my mother shares a room with a Bosnian woman who hardly speaks any Swedish, and my mothers Bosnian is absolutely non-existent. The woman is very friendly and chats away the whole time in Bosnian with some Swedish words thrown in. I had great difficulty in understanding anything she said but we nodded and smiled at one and other.

My mother whispered to me that she didn't understand why the woman continued talking to her when it must be obvious that she cannot understand her at all. She then silently confided to me that she actually turns her hearing aid off to get some peace and quiet.

The doctors say they are hopeful that this will go well, but I have heard that before and am not relying on it until she is back home with my father again.

Is Bock A God?

God is - at least in monotheistic religions - usually defined as a power (for lack of a better word) that is infallible  omnipresent, omnipotent (and therefore also omniscient) and perfectly good.

It is sometimes rather strange - and at times amusing - to read about myself on other blogs or in comments, where people seem to believe that I am all-powerful and all-knowing or the incarnation of goodness in the world. If they don´t think it themselves they imply that I do so myself.

I would like to address these allegations.

At the header of "Bock in SecondLife" there has since it´s creation always been these words (either in Swedish or in English): "Wherein this avatars fates, adventures and experiences in, his thoughts and feelings about and also his reactions to his first and second life are depicted with written messages, images and other visual tools."

• I have never assumed to be all-knowing or infallible. 
• I have never deluded myself with the notion that I know everything that is going on in any of my worlds, whether in deed or in word. 
• I have never assumed to know what anyone does or says to anyone else in private chats, IMs or in e-mails. 
• I have never pretended to be able to see into the hearts and minds of men, women or avatars. 
• I do not assume the role of judge and jury, even if I am a lawyer and sometimes throw in my legal opinions.

What I always have tried to do, however, is to honestly share my admittedly very subjective and personal points of views on things I experience, observe, read or witness in any other way. I also avoid relying on second hand information.

I have also repeatedly stressed and disclosed the fact that I am a fallible human with moods, likes and dislikes and weaknesses that can distort my clarity of vision.

I admit I sometimes make snap judgments and could use a kinder or politer way of communicating with my readers, but I firmly believe in being outspoken and honest and I expect others to be so too.

Now you tell me, am I - or do I pretend to be - a God or a man? Leave your answer in the poll and any explanations for your vote are welcome in the comments!

Bullying IS Violence

(via Joe.My.God.)

...if you feel this message is directed at you, it most likely is!