Benched

This truly is a magnificent bench.

“Benched" sneak peek #2

Karma isn’t love, it’s not blind.

We’ve been working around the clock and finally our humble attempt at film making — “Benched” starring Paul Horsfield and Sammy Sousa and me — will be making its online debut! We are planning a release on YouTube this coming Sunday at 20.00 GMT, so watch this space or check my tweets around that time. For now, sneak peek #2.

SNEAK PEEK #1: Benched — first glimpse

Paradox of Human Nature

El coloso
Asensio Juliá

Modern humans are like tamed lions: it is in our nature to love but also to kill. We refrain from killing not because we do not want to — we are simply tamed, habituated by the society to follow certain rules and customs in order to meet its needs. But sometimes, just like a tamed lion, our wild nature resurfaces and takes over. In an instant, we become the savage beasts that we once used to be: we explode, we fight, we sometimes even kill. If that is true, the question of efficient functioning of the society aside, is it right or wrong to kill? How could anyone be penalised for being true to their nature, penalised for being true to themselves? The major argument here certainly is: a person that kills is penalised for their inability to control this nature, and not for staying true to it. But isn't that precisely were the real problem lies? That our attempts at self-control have the same effect as a cracking whip and iron bars of the cage have on a tamed lion? In other words, isn't the self control we try to exert upon ourselves ultimately what leads us towards loosing the control in the first place?

Languedoc-Roussillon: Mainstay of Peace

Pont du Gard

Languedoc-Roussillon truly is a magical place on Earth. The Sun is tender, the landscape is never the same, the ancient monuments reign throughout, and the cuisine... mmmm the cuisine! The combination of these pieces makes for a wondrous outcome — a magnificent feeling of inner peace and balance with nature, the dream of idyll life come true.   

FLICKR: Languedoc-Roussillon: Mainstay of Peace

Exegi monumentum aere perennius

Non omnis moriar

The news of yesterday’s passing of Steve Jobs still echo in my head. What a remarkable man! His company sold millions of gadgets worldwide yet... that’s not what really made him extraordinary. To me, rather, it were his unshakable beliefs and unfading spirit. For one thing, I wouldn’t be doing what I am doing now had it not been for his words of wisdom (“It’s more fun to be a pirate than to join the navy” or “Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me … Going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful… that’s what matters to me.”). Monumentum aere exegi perennius, Steve Jobs.

Benched — first glimpse

“Benched"

The above image is gives you the first glimpse at the short film we made with friends last month in London. It’s called “Benched” after the phrase used in football when the coach sends one of the players off, often contrary to the player’s will. We are still putting the finishing touches and the film should be ready for release very soon now. Stay tuned!

How Will You Lead the Future?

Together with my mate Andy Shannon we shot this video as part of the promo campaign for the 2011 edition of TEDxRotterdam. The theme of the event is “Future Leadership” and is made exclusively for students. So to film the video we chose to go directly to those most interested, shooting at three different higher education institutions, and approaching over a hundred students for participation. It was hard work but mostly it was just good fun. 

If you could be a leader in any discipline, who would you be?

Every student we approached we asked one question: "If you could be a leader in any discipline, who would you be?” The point was to inspire the viewers by showing them those who were busy working towards their passions. We also wanted to stimulate awareness among the students about letting go of what other people expect them to do and acknoledging their true dreams, the things they had always wanted to do but were either too shy or too afraid of pursuing. We concluded the video with a direct challenge to the viewers to do the same, by asking a simple question: how will you lead the future? 

TEDxRotterdam: official website

Femme Nue

Femme Nue
Pablo Picasso

A young girl with her lover

Are staring at the sky

He turns towards her only to discover

a tear in the corner of her eye

He doesn't interrupt its flow
Watching it slowly trickle down her cheek
There is something she wants him to know
But right now, she simply cannot speak

He can feel her heart pulsing stronger
More violent with every beat
How much longer will she remain silent
Before heart rushes her to speak?

They keep still like an open ocean
Unaware of everything but the other's gaze
They may be lying there without motion
But their hearts are in a constant race

It takes all her strength to talk
But finally she utters this one word
It comes crushing down on him like a falling rock
Even though it barely can be heard

He tenderly wipes her lonesome tear
That still lingers on
He knows her memory will stay near
Long after she is gone.

Words of Wisdom (#2)

Bez tytułu #2

Chcę zatrzymać ten moment
Kiedy patrzę na Ciebie
Ale ten moment ucieka
Jak oka mgnienie.
Jak zatrzymać ten czas?
Chociaż na chwilę!
Tego co w nas
Nie pozostawić w tyle.
Ile bym dał
by posiąść tę siłę
By zanim wyruszę przed siebie
Móc, w chwili gdy patrzę na Ciebie
Wstrzymać Słońce od wschodu
Unieruchomić gwiazdy na niebie!
Boże, nie chcę umierać za młodu.