“All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players.” ~ William Shakespeare

This is one of my favorites quotes from William Shakespeare. There are many meanings to this quote. One of it talks about our journey through life. We as human beings go through various stages in our life. From our birth we enter the stage and keep on acting true to our age, until old age when we act the last scene.

We as human beings are merely puppets on stage. We’re given different roles and we play them thinking that this is our’s decision, that we have control over our destinies. As a man made puppet show, every human character has different roles to play in their lives. Our first role on this earth is of a infant being born into the world kicking and screaming. The second role is that of a growing child, unwillingly carrying his heavy school bag (which to him is like a burden), dragging his feet reluctantly to school.

The third role is that of a lover, attempting to court their significant other in an attempt to not go through life’s journey alone and to live behind a legacy. Then, he takes on the role of a soldier, a guardian, a sentinel. One who fights with all his courage to defend what he believes in and treasure the most. They could possibly fight for their rights, their ideals, their newly formed family, their freedom, their dreams or simple just to overcome the challenges the life throws at them.

This is the phase of their lives that determines what the ending will be. In stories, this is the phase where the protagonist is challenged constantly in his/her quest to realise their ambition/goal/dreams. The protagonist will either triumph against all odds or will follow Macbeth footsteps as wades through blood until his inevitable fall.

Regardless of the outcomes of the this phase, the protagonist will learn and gain new insights and view of live. This is when he plays his next role as a person full of wise sayings based on their experience of life. They will then continue to grow older and older until their final stage, which when death claims them. This is when the character exits the stage and thus the human being who is merely a player finishes his role from the play of life.

The other meaning is that since we’re all merely players on a stage, everyone is watching our every move and actions. Whether you think you are alone in the world or not, you are merely playing different roles. We’re always and constantly performing. Take for example, while you are at school, you may play the role of the popular kid in school, the one everyone aspires to. However, when at home alone, you may play the tragic hero where nothing ever goes right.

In this world, regardless of whether you believe it or not, we all want to be loved by people around us. The sad fact of this is that we try hard to please everyone around us and consequently let society dictate what we do. The things we say and do, also perhaps the games we play, and manipulations to derive a particular outcome of a scenario are merely the what we are made to do. In other words, human beings have no will of their own. Each of us has a definite predetermined role to play in the drama of life. It is not left to any of us to assign to themselves a role of their own choice. The roles are assigned by someone else without consulting us. No one can change or modify the role assigned to them. The role is assigned by the stage manager, call him Fate or God.

We have to always hide our emotions, for fear of offending someone. All the world is a stage, and all the men and women merely players.

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What I surmise is that when you’re happy and things are going well, you tend to be too happy enjoying life rather than posting about it. Which is true most of the time.

While I’m in a better position now compared to a few months back, it doesn’t mean that everything is fine now. My lack of posts for the couple of months was due to the fact that I was too busy resolving my own issues to post about it. Secondly, I’m also trying to cut down on depressiong posts.

Life is never a smooth journey. Its how you overcome the hurdles of the journey that brings meaning to life. Life goes on and I will continue to plough through it.

Imagine this. A bunch of guys in suits, standing around a container holding red liquid death in the middle and each one holding a plain biscuit to dip in. On the count to three, and due to peer pressure, everyone dipped in the sauce (by dip I mean everyone just touched the sauce just a little bit) and put the poison into their mouths. The first five seconds or so, everyone goes “that’s not so bad… I wonder what the fuss is about…”. After five seconds or so, everyone goes “hang on… I think I feel it coming… oh yeah its coming alright… shit… that is hot…. ok…. thats FUCKING hot… stop… stop… STOOOPPP!!” and everyone dashes to the sink beating and shoving each other away just that douse the hellish flames raging in our mouths.

Same thing happened when I took some sauce over to my friend’s place. Two blokes were game enough to try, the rest scurried away in abject horror upon smelling the ghastly waft of chili death. RC, the big guy took a dip and was furiously sweating, mucus flowing and eye tearing,  rapidly removed his thick jacket and guzzled down jugs of water. The feeling was like a fire building up into a bonfire, and then rapidly feel like a flamethrower just went off in your mouth and finally nuclear explosion killing your senses. Your brain shuts down and all you can think about is killing the pain.

This sauce is clearly not for the average person who loves to add some spice to their cooking. However, if you would like to turn your cooking into nuclear fare, I would advise using no more than a few drops at the time. Please heed the words of wisdom on the bottle and proceed with caution — and enjoy!

Tap tap tap goes the rain raps my window. Strong winds rattling the window frames and icy wind seeps through the old wooden cracks and numbs my fingers.

I looked at the weather report and it tells me that it is 5.7 degrees Celsius now. However, it also mentions that it feels like -4.9 degrees Celsius. Wind speed is around 46km/h with gusts travelling at 61km/h. Hail is also predicted.

I put on more clothing and I’m still shivering and struggling to type with numb fingers. My rapidly cooling cup of honey is doing little to keep me warm.

The rain is now hammering my window and I can feel more wind blowing through the rotten old wooden window frames. I curse at the weather half-heartedly as I still prefer the cold over the hot weather, after all there is only so much you can take off.

I can’t curse the rain with a vengeance too as I love listening to the rain when I’m indoors and dry. It has a strange calming effect on me. Helps me to relax, think and reflect. Its soothing and it takes me back to days gone by when I traced the droplets down the window with my finger, or blew my breath on the pane to draw a smiley face (which i still do).

Sometimes, it even gives me some sense of security, wrapped in a thick blanket, like a cocoon being sheltered from the world. The rain washing away the problems of today and the worries of tomorrow, if only just for a brief moment. I listened intently on the rain, hoping it will whisper me its secrets. All I heard was the fickle minded rain that drizzle for a few minutes and pours heavily the next. Playing in the background softly is Cocoon by Jack Johnson. I forgot how much I loved Jack Johnson’s songs. The simple acoustic guitar rhythm and mellow deep lyrics is just what I need now.

Midnight is slowly but surely creeping up on me. I know I should sleep early and get more rest, but I find it hard to sleep these days. Perhaps with the sweet sound of the rain singing a lullaby to me, tucked into a warm blanket, with my loving wife next to me, I might just be able to sleep well.

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If you see a hobo with a knife on a street, what do you do?
You stay the fuck away from him!

If you see someone standing on the edge, what do you do?
You don’t fuckin’ provoke him!

SO STOP FUCKING PUSH ME OFF THE EDGE!

I’ve had it all in control. I told you things were better now that you agreed to my terms. Things were finally getting back on track. After the squaring off between and the circling in the dissonance, I’ve started bringing back the pieces. The fallen pieces were starting to fall back into place. Communication rediscovered. Cold silence lessened.

Then you just had to force yourself to break the status quo. You had to nudge me off the cliff. And I watched the temple topple over again. The pieces fall away again. Mildewed and smoldering. The light that fueled our fire then has burned another hole between us.

I’m so disappointed.

I know the pieces fit ’cause I watched them fall away
Mildewed and smoldering, fundamental differing
Pure intention juxtaposed will set two lovers’ souls in motion
Disintegrating as it goes, testing our communication
The light that fueled our fire then has burned a hole between us so
We cannot see to reach an end, crippling our communication

I know the pieces fit ’cause I watched them tumble down
No fault, none to blame, it doesn’t mean I don’t desire
To point the finger, blame the other, watch the temple topple over
To bring the pieces back together, rediscover communication

The poetry that comes from the squarin’ off between
And the circling is worth it, finding beauty in the dissonance

There was a time that the pieces fit but I watched them fall away
Mildewed and smoldering, strangled by our coveting
I’ve done the math enough to know the dangers of a second guessing
Doomed to crumble unless we grow and strengthen our communication

Cold silence has
A tendency to
Atrophy any
Sense of compassion

Between supposed brothers
Between supposed lovers

I know the pieces fit, I know the pieces fit
I know the pieces fit, I know the pieces fit
I know the pieces fit, I know the pieces fit
I know the pieces fit, I know the pieces fit

~ Schism, Tool

I’m holding on a rope
Got me 10 feet off the ground
I’m hearin’ what you say but I just can’t make a sound
You tell me that you need me then you go and cut me down
But wait
You tell me that you’re sorry didn’t think I’d turn around and say:

That it’s too late to apologize
Too late
Said it’s too late to apologize
Too late

I’d take another chance, take a fall, take a shot for you
I need you like a heart needs a beat, it’s nothing new
Yeah
I loved you with a fire red now it’s turning blue
And you say
Sorry like the angel heaven let me think was you
But I’m afraid

It’s too late to apologize
Too late
Said it’s too late to apologize
Too late

I’m holding on a rope
Got me 10 feet off the ground