E
Erica. Before rambling about the less-important things, I want to show my gratitude to a person who suggested the letter "E". She's actually one of the most active commentators of blogs, including mine. Thanks for that, at first! Just lately she started her own blog, and I've never seen such a warm-hearted idea for any blog... or for any website for that matter. She started writing about people who are important to her: showcasing people who've had impact in her, people who have cared for her, people who have been there for her. Splendid, marvellous, amazing idea! Can anything be more genuinely loving than this? Yet it's so simple. How come no one has done it before? 99% of people, me among them, are just too busy telling about their own lives. But now, it's about time someone tells a few nice things about Erica, and they are not any kind of nice things, they are my deepest feelings for my lovely ex-colleague, ex-flatmate future leader and a life-time friend. Here we go... A few roles in which Erica Cleofe is really good at:- A FRIEND: I still remember how we got to know each other, playing drinking games as a pair in Saimaa Summer. Little did we know, that it wouldn't be the only common challenge for us. Next time I saw you in Kantsu talking about a soap called "It's not my cup of tea". Honestly, that Erica was someone else. She wasn't yet the friend I later on got to know. Still in the early part of our term you took your distance, but at the moment you decided to open up I realized how caring a friend can you be. I miss discussions with you (no matter if the topic was relationships, entrepreneurship, spirituality, getting married, two trains attacking each other or some work-related stuff) and I especially miss the "Everything you desire evenings!".
- A COLLEAGUE: Working with you was no less than a perfect experience. We were such a good pair, completing each others approach and skills. Starting from the very first weekend we planned and carried out together, I couldn't have lived without you. When I was too carried away blabbering about facts and visions, you were the voice of reason and practicality: At the moment when I realized we need something essential like printouts, you had them ready to be given out. When we went to sales visits together, there was no need for an ice-breaker (although Lion is a cat!): Your smile was enough to melt the ice. At the office, you were the mediator, bringing the chaos together. You were THE example of an organized person with all your calendars and post-its. You were the one who I learned the most from.
- A FLAT MATE: Living in the same flat with you for one year, was an amazing experience for me, most likely not the easiest one for you. :) But you picked up the style quite quickly, and left your cabbage parts lying around on the table, next to the unwashed dishes and half-eaten tuna jar. That was our style. Kantsu was home for the three of us, and I will always remember every detail of the flat. Still, the best thing in the flat was the flat mates. I have never felt such a proximity, such a loving spirit between flat mates. Even The Apprentice was a good show when watched with you!
- A LEADER: Last but not least, seeing you in front of the people has always been a delightful scene. You are radiating positive energy in the space, talking wise words with immense commitment and people have no choice than listening to you. But you can be more than a convincing leader. You can be the one who just listens, takes notes and comes up with a solution. Or you can be the one who by her own example - even if it means working 14-hour days - makes a whole country shift forward.
- ...Did you get it? I love you and miss you, like my whole Team Lego. Those were the days my friend. Thanks for being all this and thanks for starting a great blog! :)
Environment. Second bugging thing is how these people don't care about the environment. Before coming here I was so impressed reading how there are dozens of rules not to harm the coral when diving, how you are not supposed to leave cigarette buts in the nature and how sacred things elephants really are. Now that I'm here I can't deny those facts, but I'm just perplexed how no one seems to care about the environment, and how no one in the govenrmental institutions has taken precautions to handle all the waste. I bet 20, 30 or 40 years ago even Colombo was quite a beautiful city. Now it's a shit-hole! Beira Lake is filled with trash and pelicans are eating plastic from the green water. The ocean beach is so full of dirt that no one dares to go there anymore. Why did they let this happen? Last weekend we saw how the beachfront was covered in oil and dirt because seemingly there was a sinking ship somewhere in vicinity. However, even the next day there was no one to clean it up.
Effort. Last weekend we went down south to spend a day at the beach. As we were driving past Hikkaduwa I saw the graves of the Tsunami victims for the first time. I saw how two years after the disaster, the area was still amidst rebuilding. Although the people were still seeing the effort to make it better, it all felt somehow devastating. I felt so heart-breakingly sad that I didn't realize to produce my camera soon enough. The bus went by but the feeling stayed. As we arrived to Mirissa, we took the wrong way as we tried to find a guest house. Accidentally we arrived to a school yard. There was a class room full of kids who were so smily and happy. It didn't take long for us to find out that all of them had lost their parents to the Tsunami. Still they saw the effort to study and still they were smiling more than e.g. cranky Finnish kids. :) They are the future. I just hope they don' t repeat the same mistakes as their parents, and that they respect the nature a bit more because of what has happened. Because if we don't stop messing with nature, it will always strike back!
Epilogue. I've come to notice that this tactics of writing with one letter is a really good method for collecting your thoughts. That's why I'm writing so huge postings: I have a lot to say. But I cannot spend hours and hours in front of the computer, typing about Zack Wylde and still thinking that I should mention something about Zorro before going to sleep. So, that's why I'm suggesting two alternative methods. Either I a) post comments on the previous posts I've made, when I have something to add under some certain letter, or b) I make a random posting every now and then, adding some thoughts to previous letters. Which one do you prefer?
posted by Tomi Astikainen @ Monday, September 11, 2006
8 Comments:
Thanks for your thoughts on racism. I've never really experienced it from either side of the table so those words definitely widened my perspective.
As for the random posts vs comments question, I'd say go for the posts; a) People won't often go back to read comments, and b) This casual, jumping style of posts is actually quite cool.
Ok,
Cool. Point taken.
New pictures available in Yahoo! Check the September 2006 folder.
-Tomi
Hey Tomi,
Thanks for the very sweet posting. :) I miss and love you as well. You were one of the people I looked to for energy, honesty and understanding last year. You made me realize the importance of being honest. :) But enough of this now, you have to read my blog tomorrow. :)
Hugs,
Erica
I feel like I'm in that movie... what's its name..."Pay it Forward" :)
Erica started something really valuable on her Blog - showing appriciation of others. I can see the butterfly effects of this everywhere now! Funny how a few simple words make so many people smile :)
Hey,
I thought of Pay It Forward concept too. Good movie, good life, good people. Enjoy! My final E. :)
-Tomi
Haa, such a nice and warm idea from Erica. I feel much better after reading those even though I am not mentioned. Just reading sincere words about people I know is enough. Especially when I can agree at least some of those ;-)
:) It's nice that people like reading the blog. Well, dont worry Dora, I am blogging about people one day at a time so I will probably mention you and some people close to you one day. :)
Thanks for the nice comments!
Erica
P.S. Tomi, have you read my entry today?
Finally, an issue that I am passionate about. I have looked for information of this caliber for the last several hours. Your site is greatly appreciated.
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