Oh my, this week's engagement topics are juicy. I have thoughts on almost all of them. So this might be a little superficial, maybe not, we'll see how far my brain takes it, swimming in the water of a body with "elevated" temperature.
Share a photo from your past and tell us about it. (What, when, how, why etcetera.)
It's not much past. It's yesterday. But it's something that I missed a lot, and something that gives me great tranquility. A family. Ellie and Kami's family, to be precise. But they adopted me by now, and are genuinely happy to include me... whenever. Christmas 2021 was the first time. Then a concert at their former restaurant, where they accepted me to work behind the bar and handle the cash and cheering everyone to drink, me included, as I was paid in beer and did not accept anything from the tip box. And later, too calm down, I washed the dishes, even though my mother in law told me she'd do that in the morning. Pretty sure that's when I won their heart. Since then, I've been to all kind of family stuff with them. My parents in law have given up on having more grand children, so Lily is very welcome, too. To the point that she calls them "abuelo" and "abuela". Which they love. 6 years is a long time, and yet they still find new ways to open up to me. Just today my mother in law slapped my arm in jest when I was mocking her. And just yesterday Kami bit me so hard in the arm while playing in the water that I have a bruise. Hm... Okay... maybe not the best examples. But that playful violence takes some trust, too.
Talk about your journey through life and your endeavours to create the best one you could possibly achieve.
Just today I talked to my friend in Serbia. About our paths. It's something we talk a lot. Trying to find our ways through life without going crazy facing humanity, well, mainly animalistic humanity. I was lucky to come from a home with plenty of privileges, but just enough to appreciate them and use them for the better (aka what I think is the better). Work attitude was never a problem, intellect wasn't either, only empathy was for a while until I learned how to control and use that, too. Too much empathy that is. Worst thing in the world that can happen to a person, at least in the society we're living in these days.
The endeavors were plenty. Just today my friend sent me this quote:
„If you have assumed any character beyond your strength, you have both demeaned yourself ill in that and quitted one which you might have supported.“
Epictetus, Enchiridion, Chapter 37
That sums it up quite nicely. I tried to be something I wasn't way too many times, put one way too much on my back, tried to carry the weight of the world, and - surprise! - it didn't work out at all. Ever. Everything that is working out is what I actually can handle. My daughter, my relationship with Ellie and Kami, my business, my friends, and in absence of Lily also business of others. But I very much know now one of the most important lessons that endeavors can teach you if you listen:
Know your limits. You will only hurt others, and probably yourself, if you don't.
If you could have any animal on the planet for a pet (except a cat or dog) what would you choose and why?)
Animals? Easy! A pig. Pigs are awesome. Okay, maybe a cow. Okay, both. Pigs are just super smart and awesome, definitely better than humans. And the movie "Snatch" would be half as fun without them, or the menace of them. Cows are the most laid back animals in the world. Not the smartest, maybe, but just watching them hang out and chew all day, filling their four stomachs, that's something satisfying. When Kami and Lily are through university, I will start saving up for a piece of land, a forest area, and just start rescuing pigs and cows and such, to live the rest of their life in peace and tranquility.
Animals I don't like? Humans. Some motherfucking asshole poisoned our cat, Nero. And no, I don't usually swear, but this really calls for it. Fucking bastard, I'm kind of glad that I'll never find out who it was or they would not have fun for the rest of their lives. Luckily, 
What are your thoughts on consumerism and why?
Consumerism is the result of our detachment from ourselves. We have no clue anymore what we really need, and focus solemnly on what we want, or think we want. All needs are covered, so go for the blow, no matter the consequences - especially those that won't be for us. The detachment isn't only the consuming, but the unconscious part about it. Not appreciating the little things, like the luxury of spending a day at a ludicrously mesmerizing place with my family. Okay, that's a big thing. Doesn't matter, it's about that idea of always wanting more, and never being satisfied, Rolling Stones style.
The absurd part is that even the "escaping" from consumerism is consumed these days. Everyone and their grandma is enlightened and talking about all their meditations and their doing good and their being good and their praying and their non-dualism and their healing the world. I never heard the Dalai Lama say anything like that. For good reason. It's an internal process. Those who are, are the ones that will least talk about it, but smile and nod while the bloated egos float around on their fragile fictions created to simulate superiority and yet connection in a fragmented world.
Would you accept a job that you knew was criminal just to make a healthy sum of money? Why or why not?
Criminality is a social construct. What is criminal in some cultures, is totally normal in others. So, in the end, it's just about finding the right culture to justify ones behavior. Or the right religion. See my point above. Now, doing something "evil" is a whole different question, that would call for even more words. But luckily, it's about criminal. So, if the crime is not evil within my set of values, why not? That's a question for the readers. I'm a law abiding citizen and adapt to all the half baked nonsense the government throws at me. And I'm glad for that skill.
What are you doing this weekend and why?
Yeah okay I answered that in the first one. Today I just chilled, mainly. I still got 9k steps on my clock and my body is hating me. That's fine. I've survived worse. But I'll give it it's rest now. Cheers, have a good night!
What are your thoughts about this topic? Please feel free to engage in any original way, including dropping links to your posts on similar topics. I'm happy to read (and curate) any quality content that is not created by LLM/AI.
Post written for the #weekend-engagement by 
This is my response to: All of them.
Thank you for reading!