This is a tribute to those who served and died in the wars.
America!
Bruce Springsteen: Summer of 69
I wasn’t in favor of war in my youth, but the draft still existed, and, guess who got drafted. Vietnam was pretty hot then (late sixties), so to avoid that I managed to crash my younger brother’s motorcycle and subsequently failed my induction physical. They gave me a temporary deferment so that I could heal. Being the genius that I am, I joined the Navy Reserves thinking that surely that would keep me out of Vietnam. Sitting in San Diego after my basic training, waiting for my orders, I heard my name called.
“Naval Support Activity – Saigon” was not on my list of preferred duty stations. There’s a reason why servicemen refer to that duty station list as a “dream sheet”. After my pre-Vietnam indoctrination at Coronado Island, my Dad (God bless you, Dad) said goodbye to me at Travis Air Force Base. His words were, “Keep your head down, son”, very good advice. It was going to be a long flight to Tan Son Nhut airport in Saigon, so I bought a paperback in the airport bookstore, The First Circle by Alexander Solzhenitsyn. Not the best choice of a book when you’re going off to war. I didn’t read beyond the first chapter.
Who Should We Honor Today?
According to Google (who else), Memorial Day originally honored those who died in the Civil War but now honors those who have died in any war.
Feel free to look at my December 3, 2017 blog about Vietnam. I included a brief Vietnam movie in that blog that illustrates what it was like in THAT war zone, what a Swift Boat looks like, etc. The wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other wars had their casualties, and those service people deserve to be honored today.
I served on a barracks ship that supported Swift Boats (“brown-water Navy”). My role was as a noncombatant, but the people we supported were combatants. They came and went; literally, i.e we frequently lost boat crews. A boat would go out on a mission and become a casualty. I never became close friends with the “Swifties” because the opportunity wasn’t there – maybe as a familiar face, someone standing in a chow line, or gearing up to go out on another mission. They were only acquaintances, but some of them paid the ultimate price. OK, we could digress into whether or not the Vietnam War was worth it. Considering all the lives lost, on both sides, it wasn’t. And, some of the casualties were draftees, not enlisted soldiers and sailors. They didn’t volunteer, but they still served. Good or bad, wars happen.
I’m going to end with a quote, actually it’s a bumper sticker that I saw on a neighbor’s car.
“Except For Ending Slavery, Fascism, Nazism, And Communism, WAR Has Never Solved Anything.”
Blogger’s Note: Blog under construction – new WordPress user interface and blog redesign (be patient)
Thank You, John Krasinski
Music
Building All is Love: “Where the Wild Things Are” (soundtrack)
Not to diminish what I said in my last blog when I was venting (never mind the Prozac, I’m OK now), this post is in a much lighter vein and hopefully will be uplifting for you.
Yes, obviously I’m a John Krasinski fan – I recently finished Season 2, Episode 8 of JackRyan, which I thought was nicely done. Other notable projects for him were The Office, 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi, and a new one, The Quiet Place, Part II, which I haven’t seen.
Hebrews 4:16
Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
What a World We Are In!
Basically, John’s work inspired me to do this blog about trying to stay sane in a crazy world. His show, which unfortunately is ending after eight episodes, is amazing, uplifting, endearing, enlightening, and many other superlatives. I’ll provide the link at the end of this post, so you can check it out.
News bulletin: Just heard that SGN will be continuing on a different network.
Pandemic Basics
Actually, I hate the “p” word and prefer “situation”. You already know the basics, one of which is to wash your hands – remember, at least 20 seconds. The 20-second “song” that I prefer is the ABC song. If you were ever a kid, you know how it goes. I say that as a segue into my next segment, which kept me awake early this morning, trying to match the alphabet letters to a good “prompt” that might help you or help someone else deal with the situation. Trust me, I have my down days and need encouragement. Hang on, here we go:
A – Ask a friend or relative if they need something.
B – Be available, if only to listen.
C – Check on your neighbor to see how they’re doing (don’t forget the mask).
D – Don’t crush your cans before putting them in the recycle bag. :}
E – Exercise
F – Find someone to talk to when you’re down, or if they’re down, talk to them.
G – Go on a walk, and take the dog if you have one or your cat.
H – Say “hello” every chance you get, even to strangers.
I – Inspire someone with a compliment about their talents.
J – Say a prayer to Jesus (often).
K – Kindness always works (“. . . random acts of kindness”).
L – Love more, hate less.
M – Make an effort to smile often.
N – If you’re wearing your mask, just nod as you pass someone.
O – Only faith and determination work best.
P – Pay it forward when you hear good news.
Q – Quit frowning.
R – Run
S – Say a prayer every day.
T – Try on a new pair of socks.
U – Use your generosity to help others.
V – Voice your opinions, but allow feedback.
W – Work as much as you can, but take breaks too.
X – Marks the spot.
Y – You can rely on your faith to get you through this. Check out Hebrews, Chapter 11.
Z – Zippidy do dah zippidy eh, my oh my what a wonderful day!
I think it’s time to wrap up this installment, with some pictures, and the link to the SGN Episode 8. Sorry about any ads that may pop up, not mine.
Thank you again, John Krasinski and your production team for SGN!
In Journalism school we used to have great fun with headlines, coming up with humorous or nonsensical word plays that would get the reader’s attention. In this case, “too many words” refers to something a relative posted in Facebook with that heading. I’m pretty sure what he meant was that writers/authors/reporters/etc. need to get to the point. So, depending on how long this part of my post is, I may comment more on wordiness as a sidebar.
First Some Definitions
Open-mindedness: “Receptive to arguments or ideas” (Merriam-Webster)
Bigotry: “Obstinate or intolerant devotion to one’s own opinions and prejudices” (Merriam-Webster)
Examples of bigotry in a sentence: “A deeply ingrained bigotry prevented her from even considering the counterarguments.”
Why Am I Venting?
Prompted by some Facebook sessions a few weeks ago in which I made the mistake of getting embroiled in a political discussion, I decided to vent in this post.
If I had taken my own advice – “don’t discuss politics using social media” – I wouldn’t have participated in the Facebook sessions that upset me. I say that because for me social media is the wrong platform for exchanging that kind of information. I.e., if someone comments in a news feed that so and so did this or something happened that supports their point of view, I want to be able to ask that person, “What’s your source for that information” or “Why do you believe that’s true?”
“You’re entitled to your own opinions, but you’re not entitled to your own facts.” Daniel Levitin
Anyway, back to my “embroiled political discussion”. Before the dust had settled on the Facebook exchanges that lasted several days, yours truly had been thoroughly thrashed and labelled with some very unkind labels (nothing obscene, but much undeserved labels).
For a bit more grist for this mill, check out this Imprimis piece by Amy Wax. You can read all of it if you want, but at least scroll down to the paragraph that begins, “It is well documented that American universities today, more than ever before”. Read that paragraph and the two paragraphs that follow it.
As you may know, Imprimis is a right-biased source. If that bothers you, just forget all that (bias business) for a minute and read the damn article. Amy Wax provides some thought-provoking ideas.
Here’s some music to listen to as you read and a quote to think about:
Antonio Vivaldi: Four Seasons (Spring)
“Truth and lies were irrelevant, what mattered was what people believed.” (A quote from LethalAgent, a novel by Vince Flynn that I just finished reading)
What’s My Point?
Shouldn’t I be allowed to contradict someone, to express my own opinions and try to ferret out the truth without being lambasted for my own beliefs? And, yes, if I hear a convincing and accurate argument that disagrees with mine, I’m willing to say, OK, you’re right, and I’m wrong.
If you missed this part in the Imprimis piece by Amy Wax, here it is again:
“What those of us in academia should certainly not do is engage in unreasoned speech: hurling slurs and epithets, name-calling, vilification, and mindless labeling. Likewise we should not reject the views of others without providing reasoned arguments. Yet these once common standards of practice have been violated repeatedly at my own and at other academic institutions in recent years—and we increasingly see this trend in society as well.”
Sorry, no pictures this time, but for sure I’ll add pictures in my next blog. I’m done venting (feels great!), thanks for reading and listening. I’ll save the “wordiness” sidebar for another post.
None of us would be here if it weren’t for moms. Those of us whose moms are gone miss them dearly. Just browse the social media postings for May 10, 2020, and you’ll see what I mean. One Facebook friend posted today that she kept a voicemail of her mom’s last message for years just so she could listen to her voice and wouldn’t forget what she sounded like.
A Sentimental Deja Vu
About six years ago I went to my hometown in Texas for a high school class reunion. It was a memorable trip for several reasons. First, I got to see my classmates who I hadn’t seen in a long, long time. Also, I made a special trip to the cemetery where my mom was buried. A bit of information before I reveal the last reason.
Before I left Portland I googled my hometown to see if my old house was still there. Technology always amazes me. Just saying, this had been over half a century since I lived in the house. I looked at an aerial view of the neighborhood, zoomed in, and there it was, my old house. After all the parties and reminiscing with my classmates, I went on my “memory” tour. There was a for sale sign in the yard of my old house, and I contacted the real estate agent to see if I could visit the house, explaining that I had lived there. The house was occupied. I knocked on the door, introduced myself, and asked if I could come in. As it turned out, I found out later that the woman who lived there knew my younger sister from their school days. I should interject, if it weren’t for Texas overwhelming friendliness, this might not have worked. Don’t try it in New York City.
Think of one of those movies where the protagonist, say Benjamin (Dustin Hoffman) in The Graduate, is attending his graduation party, a pool party. He makes his grand entrance dressed in his scuba gear (presumably a graduation present), the sound of his breathing amplified by the face mask. Not sure why that scene compares to my hometown experience, but think about how you might react in my situation. I hadn’t been in this house for over 50 years. The fact that it was still standing amazed me. Except for different furnishings, it was the same house. I walked through the living room into the kitchen. This was the kitchen where my mom fixed meals for the family. Slight changes, cabinets had been updated and some new appliances, but otherwise the exact spot where mom fixed all those Sunday dinners (usually roast beef, mashed potatoes, and green beans), tapioca pudding, which I loved, and peanut butter cookies, also a favorite. In the next room was the dining room. In those days, families sat at a table and had their meals. Truthfully, I don’t remember conversation topics.
Continuing, we headed up the stairs. Indelibly imprinted in my mind is the cat on the stairway as we ascended, looking up with a puzzled expression (who is this unknown person in my house?). At the top was a bedroom two of my sisters shared and down a long hallway past a walk-in attic was the bedroom my brother and I shared. The whole time I was taking pictures, having gotten permission from the owners. I know, as I’ve implied, kind of surreal. My old bedroom was more or less the same – this was the same bedroom with the repainted ceiling, repainted because the lab experiment with my chemistry set (Christmas present) was literally a bust. Anyway, after the tour I thanked the owner and made my exit.
This was the most important reason for my visit – my mom’s presence was felt in that old house, and I’m so glad I returned. I don’t know what else to say, but here’s an exact quote from one of my mom’s letters, obviously a very personal thing to share, but it seemed important to say it. The letter was addressed to my aunt whose husband had just died.
Dearest (Aunt’s name),
How are you? I’m so ashamed of myself for not writing or calling. I think of you many times a day and pray that you are adjusting to your aloneness. No one can know what you are going through until they have experienced the loss of their loved one. I do feel that you and (uncle’s name) had something within your own lives that few, few married people ever find. It seems ironical that mortals cannot express themselves naturally and freely. I have never learned to show or let others know how I feel.
Looking in the Rear-view Mirror: Resolution Reboot
Now that we’re over two-and-a-half months into 2020, I wanted to check in, see how you’re doing, tell you how I’m doing – resolutions kept, resolutions broken, resolutions revised or tossed – and perhaps chart a course for what’s left of 2020.
“Keep your face always toward the sunshine and shadows will fall behind you.” (Walt Whitman)
A Note about the Music
The two pieces of music in this blog are by Vangelis. The 76-year-old Greek composer is one of the most important, influential figures in the history of electronic music as well as the world of film scores. His best-known works are the Chariots of Fire (1981) and Blade Runner (1982) soundtracks and the tracks used in the Cosmos (1980) television series. I find Vangelis music very thought-provoking and relaxing. I recommend ear buds or headphones to better appreciate the music.
Vangelis: L’apocalypse des animaux (soundtrack)
Sidebar: COVID-19
Just an aside to give you some of my thoughts on the virus. Less than two weeks ago I was still going to the gym three times a week, swimming, and running (actually, I still run three times a week). However, my well-meaning adult children, said, “Dad, you have to stay home.” No matter now, they closed all the gyms where I live. I’m not panicking, just waiting for a cure and waiting for COVID-19 to run its course. Without getting religious on you, I’ll just say that I’m confident that it will be resolved and our normal lives will be resumed.
Going Beyond New Year’s Resolutions
Although I love Woody Guthrie’s no frills doodle-filled list of New Year’s resolutions from 1943, to broaden your mindset, think of New Year’s resolutions as tools that we use for self-improvement. You might want to go back to an article I included in my January 7 blog, written by David G. Allan. His concept I thought was very interesting, his “meaning of life” exercise. Granted it goes beyond a simple list of resolutions that you write down and try to accomplish. If you read the entire article, note that he suggests that you turn your “purpose” into action.
Allan gives examples of some very famous people’s answer to the meaning question:
“Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.” (Albert Einstein)
“Throw little torches out to lead people through the dark.” (Whoopi Goldberg)
“Love.” (David G. Allan)
A couple of life meanings I thought of for myself were – “show more compassion to others” and “try to be less judgemental”.
Another good reference, if you’re serious about finding your “purpose”, is Rick Warren’s book, The Purpose Driven Life.
My Own Resolutions List
For each of my resolutions below, I’ll give some of the affirmations from Daily Word that seemed relevant to me.
Relax more. A good, personal mantra to remember when you’re stressed is – just breathe.
“Relax: I relax my mind, heart, and body.” (Daily Word, March 7, 2020)
Pray for others and pray at least once a day.
“My prayers bless others and uplift the world.” (Daily Word, April 25, 2020)
Good deeds – think of others; small deeds count too.
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” (Mahatma Gandhi)
Don’t judge others – this one is high on my list of resolutions.
“For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” (Ecclesiastes 12:14)
Stay healthy – take care of myself.
“I choose to create and experience abundant life.” (Daily Word, February 23, 2019)
Forgive – all others and myself.
“Then Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.’”
Write more – at least once a day.
Why not, it worked for Stephen King.
Be fair-minded and less opinionated.
“Everyone is entitled to his own opinions, but not to his own facts.” (Daniel Patrick Moynihan)
Spend more time with my family.
“The family is the first essential cell of human society.” (Pope John XXIII),
“Be a beacon of light in the forest of uncertainty.” (My own “purpose” mantra for the time being)
I’ll wrap up this blog with some media information that you might find useful. I’m constantly looking for independent, unbiased, and accurate news sources. As always, you may choose to disagree with anything I write, and your feedback is welcome.
The following are new media sources on my list and not fully vetted, i.e. I haven’t checked them out thoroughly, but I thought they were worth looking at.
“We just want the facts ma’am.” (Sergeant Joe Friday, Dragnet TV series. OK, you’re right, only a boomer would know that quote)
Epoch Times is a subscription publication, but you might want to check it out. To see other examples of their news coverage, go to their podcast:
There are quite a few Christian news outlets, I selected this one at random.
Another site (not a news source), “Protect Press Freedom”, the mainstream media apparently are supporting – Nora O’Donnell (CBS?) mentioned it on one of her broadcasts. Why was I watching mainstream news media, must have landed on it when I was channel surfing. I decided not to provide a link to the PPF site until I vetted it.
One More Vangelis to End With
You’ll recognize the music if you’re a Harrison Ford fan.
What are Type A and Type B personalities according to Wikipedia?
I think in my last post in this series, Mental, I got into some really heady stuff (sorry, “heady” wasn’t intended to be a pun) about memory, about the long-term effects of marijuana, etc. Obviously mental and emotional are very closely connected and interactive, but think of mental as the engine and emotional as the resulting output – keep the “engine” tuned up and the “output” will be efficient and reliable.
I would label myself as a Type A person – hard for me to relax, always working on something. The Wikipedia definition fits me very well, especially “impatient” and “more competitive”.
Two days ago my morning Daily Word reading (affirmation) was:
“I give my mind and body permission to rest and relax”.
The accompanying Bible verse for that day was:
Psalm 23:2-3: “He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul.”
Wow, even if you don’t read the Bible you have to admit the Psalm verses are powerful and calming.
A Brief Flashback
Looking at my 2019 New Year’s post if you want to check it out. You might want to take the time to think about “what is the meaning of life” or “what is my purpose in life”. David Allan’s Reader’s Digest article provides ideas on how to figure it out.
Don’t Overthink It
Some of the solutions to keeping your emotions in working order are very simple and attainable – try relaxing, practice breath control, do yoga, exercise, hang out with your friends (or if you don’t have a lot of friends, make new friends).
Wrapping It Up
Just quotes . . .
For a creative writer possession of the ‘truth’ is less important than emotional sincerity. (George Orwell)
In the pool area of my gym, the quote below is in huge letters superimposed over the picture of a swimmer looking directly at you with a knowing look in her eyes and saying:
“Before you can accomplish something, you must expect it of yourself.”
Maybe that’s the ticket for making New Year’s resolutions and actually keeping them. As I noticed a couple of days ago, the gym where I work out was very busy. As they say, the traffic will subside when people lose the motivation that prompted their “resolution list” and they stop coming to the gym on a regular basis.
If you read this blog, you know that I’m a big believer in fitness – all kinds, physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. It’s challenging, but really worth it in the long run. My goal this time is to throw some ideas your way, just to plant some good thoughts about what to expect of yourself this year.
After you see Woody’s list, you might want to check out the Open Culture web site offerings.
A Humorous Sidebar: Humorous Words
Not to distract you from our main goal, pondering our 2020 resolutions, this humorous Reader’s Digest item was too good not to share. Ignore the ads and enjoy!
A More Serious Item
I watched a program on public TV about N. Scott Momaday, the other night and found his ideas very thought-provoking. Here’s a quote from the program “The Man Made of Words”:
“Most of us have developed an attitude of indifference towards the land. We Americans must come to the moral comprehension of the earth and air. We must live according to the principle of a land ethic. The alternative is that we shall not live at all.”
By the way, he won a Pulitzer Prize for his book, House Made of Dawn. I haven’t read it, but I plan to.
I can’t say that I’m an environmentalist, but I try to be aware of the small role I can play. The part of the country where I live just outlawed the use of plastic grocery bags. If you forget to bring your tote bags, you can buy paper bags for a nickel when you check out. At my house we recycle. Maybe it’s too little too late to undo the damage and save the earth, but you have to try. OK, so you can add that resolution to your list, “don’t forget your tote bag”.
One More “Preachy” Item
A parting shot before I wrap this up. I was watching a program about Tuscany the other night – why is it that public TV seems to be the only thing worth my time these days? Anyway, it was interesting, partly because it looks so beautiful, and I would like to go there.
By the way, the TV program is “Rick Steves Europe”, really well-produced show that provides travel information and history. In this segment they talked about the local history and culture and how it affects the citizens (or vice versa). They were in Siena, Italy, where they practice something called “passiegata”. This is a daily evening ritual where the locals walk around in the streets, visiting with friends, eating, and just relaxing. Notice I said walking, that’s right, no cars. One more comment in the Tuscany piece:
“A community ruled by a just government enjoys peace, prosperity, and is great place to raise your kids.”
FYI: Imprimis
I haven’t read all of these Imprimis publications, but I’ve read enough of them to raise my awareness level of important issues in our society and to make me want to learn more. This is the main link to the web site, you can pick and choose the specific publications of interest to you.
More Music and Pictures
The bridge pictures are NOT metaphorical, nah, of course not, too obvious. The clouds, well, you can draw your own conclusions. Bottom line is, I just like taking pictures, and sometimes they are symbolic. The music, yeah, kind of obvious, but I really like the movie.
If you’re a follower of this blog, hopefully a faithful follower, you probably understand the Rufous angle, my blog theme so to speak. Deja vu, six years back, here’s the link if you care to refresh your memory.
Regarding the Rufous transition, as I look out the window at the bird feeders in my backyard – watching the Juncos, Goldfinches, Sparrows, and other birds, lo and behold the unmistakable shape and colors of the Rufous-sided Towhee as he flits around feeding on the ground (never perching on the feeder). Today being December 21st, he’s supposed to be in the south-lands this time of year. I’m not complaining, I hope he and his mates hang around as long as they want.
I think humans transition too, personally not being a winter person, my first music selection is Four Seasons (Spring), obviously thinking ahead to warmer temperatures and flowers blooming.
Vivaldi’s Four Seasons (Spring)
Introduction to Part II – Mental
What’s in this installment? This is a continuation of my blog series, following Part I, Physical.
I am providing links to my past blogs that are related to this topic, like Mindfulness and any other relevant links as we go.
Speaking of mindfulness, check out these Jon Kabat-Zinn quotes.
Blogger’s disclaimer:
It’s important to me that people enjoy my blog AND learn from it. My most straightforward advice is on my well-worn (note the dirty bill) hat. However, I’m providing other, more intense options for re-oiling your mental machine if you so choose – self-help books, Jon-Kabot-Zinn training, etc. You can pick your own level of engagement but above all:
One of my favorite hats
Setting the Tone for Mental Balance
I’ve included Daily Word quotes in this blog. As part of my daily routine, early in the day I sit down with my journal, my Bible, and my pocket-sized Daily Word booklet and flip to the page for that day. The Daily Word affirmation and the brief text for that day only take maybe 10 minutes or so to read and think about. It makes for a good start for that day. I’m including some of my favorites here. It’s a very inexpensive publication.
Daily Word Readings
June 21, 2019: “Mind, Body, and Spirit: My mind, body, and spirit work together in harmony.”
June 14, 2019: “Clarity: Through Spirit within, my mind is clear.”
June 3, 2019: “Healing Meditation: I am an infinite expression of life. I am whole and well.”
May 10, 2019: “Focus: I focus on the good, bringing out the best in every situation.”
January 9, 2019: “Relax: I am relaxed and rejuvenated. For mental restoration, I practice mindfulness.”
May 18, 2019: “Relax: I relax into a time of prayer.”
The following is a five-step prayer process developed by Unity, the publishers of Daily Word. Please note, as always, I never try to force my religious beliefs on anyone, although my God is spelled with a capital G. Think of this five-step process as a restorative exercise, a counter to our 21st century lifestyles where we constantly experience video images and sound bites, TV commercials, sports on TV, and cell phones always in our right or left hands.
Step 1: Relax – Breathe deeply and let go of outer concerns.
Step 2: Concentrate – Focus my thoughts on the Spirit of God within.
Step 3: Meditate – With an open mind and a receptive heart, feel the peace of God’s presence.
Step 4: Embrace the Silence – Rest in a consciousness of oneness. (Psalm 46:10)
Step 5: Give thanks – Leaving yourself open to receive good.
Deep Diving
I was reading a book by Caroline Leaf titled “Switch on Your Brain”. This book is well-written, by a woman who is highly educated and an expert in her field. I found bits and pieces of it very informative and useful, but when she delved into quantum physics – did you know there is a particle even smaller than a quark (the name of the particle escapes me at the moment) – I realized I should move on to my next book. She uses a lot of biblical references to illustrate her ideas.
Dr. Leaf talks about things like this — did you know that memories never go away? Every single memory in our lives is stored in that amazing organ, our brains. For example, when I started on this section, out of the blue I remembered a play I went to in Houston many many years ago, “The Persecution and Assassination of Jean-Paul Marat as Performed by the inmates of the Asylum at Charenton Under the direction of the Marquis de Sade”, surely one of the longer titles ever for a play. Go ahead and Google it.
I remember it was performed in a theater in the round. The audience encircled the stage, which obviously is challenging for the production crew when making scene changes, etc. OK, that’s just an example of a non-volatile memory that somehow miraculously stays in our heads and then all of a sudden – pop, the thought materializes. Of course, sometimes, especially for older people (like me) when you’re trying to remember something it doesn’t materialize at all.
Quote: “If you want to accomplish something, you must expect it of yourself.” (Anonymous)
Just a suggestion for a “lighter” read, this one might work for you:
The Art of Clear Thinking by Wallace Ermes, available as an audiobook, lots of good reviews.
Something Else Mental – Overthinking
In my opinion, sometimes in a situation the plain truth or solution is right in front of us ready to be acted upon. How about this example of trying to get along with your neighbors. Let’s say, they’re leaving for work in the morning or just getting home from work, ask how they’re doing. Or, you get your neighbors mail by mistake, just walk over, knock on the door, and hand it to them. You’d be amazed at how simple courtesies like that can improve our relationships, even the casual ones.
Driving courtesy – you’re in a long line of traffic and someone is trying to merge into the line. You stay back, honk or motion to them, and let them merge. A by-product of that act is that it makes both of you feel good, kind of like when you pet your dog. Stopping to let people cross the street, same thing, a mutual benefit.
More Serious Examples of Overthinking
Voting – study the candidates and pick one. If you don’t have a lot of time, find an unbiased voter’s guide. If you didn’t vote, don’t complain about who was elected.
Religion – don’t be judgemental, let people choose (notice that “mental” is part of judgemental). Personally, I think there is a God (capital “G”) who loves me, but that’s just me.
Relationships – spouses, friends, getting along, cue Beatles music, “All You Need is Love”.
Moving on to Milepost 99
If you read Part I in this series, you know that I place a high value on physical fitness. Let’s put “mental” in perspective. Logic would tell us that mental well-being is on a par with physical. I’ve run 10 marathons, and I think the mental part of that effort is very important, perhaps 60% or more.
The rhetorical question is, “is it important for us to be mentally healthy, both individually and as a society?” What are we as a society doing to be mentally healthy? A cursory assessment of that question might conclude, not very much. Just look at the TV commercials advertising drugs to “get us back on track”. And, check out the number of self-help books that are constantly published. Not to say those books aren’t well-written and helpful, but are there better ways to get back on track? I’m not the expert, but perhaps something in this blog will set you on the track that is best for you.
Merriam-Webster’s definition of mindfulness: “The practice of maintaining a nonjudgmental state of heightened or complete awareness of one’s thoughts, emotions, or experiences on a moment-to-moment basis.”
Sidebar: Imprimis Article
I decided to include Alex Berenson’s thought-provoking piece about marijuana because there are so many things going on in our society that surely must make us wonder about what’s really going on. I only mention the article because I think it’s related to my “mental” subject, and I could do a whole blog on the possible root causes of things like mass shootings, drug dependence (including alcoholism), the #metoo movement, information overload and preoccupation with information (and misinformation). Hey, I’m guilty too – my granddaughter called me a “phone head” the other day. How often do we panic when we realize we forgot our cell phones?
I read Berenson’s article and thought, my word, I didn’t know that about marijuana. Having traversed decades in my later life with NO exposure to that magical weed that we so frequently indulged in back when we were “hippies”, I hadn’t really worried about marijuana. I do live in a state that legalized it, and I do have friends with medical issues that praise its beneficial effects and who use it as medicine. However, when I read Alex Berenson’s Imprimis piece, it gave me a broader perspective on marijuana and how it affects people. Rather than try to summarize the publication, I’ll let you form your own conclusions.
A Parting Quote (non-political)
This quote is from a Criminal Minds episode this year:
“Everyone is entitled to his own opinion but not to his own facts.” Daniel Patrick Moynihan
I recently ran a relay in Oregon, the Hood to Coast Relay. For runners and walkers it’s a big deal – in the words of the race organizers, “the mother of all relays”. Feel free to Google it to get the full spiel, or check out Wikipedia’s narrative, especially if you run, but here’s my 25-words or less description.
1200 teams
12 runners, each running 3 legs
2 vans (6 runners in each van)
Total distance 199 miles
Very little sleep
Little real food
The first van with six runners starts at Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood, the first leg of the 36 legs in the relay. Already it’s a party atmosphere with vans looking for parking places, van captains checking in at the registration tent, loud music, long lines at the porta-cans, friends greeting friends on other teams, and pictures being taken. The announcer up on his perch above the crowds, calls out the team names when it’s their turn to start. Some of my favorite team names are:
Blood Sweat and Beers
Minnesota Sole Sisters
Scrambled Legs and Hamstrings
It’s Five O’clock Somewhere
Crazy Lactic Acid Rich Asians
Coast Encounters of the Hood Kind
Off and Running
Donna, our leg 1 runner takes off at 9:00 a.m. sharp, running her heart out, down that big hill leading to the next exchange.
The average team takes about 30 hours to finish the relay, traversing a wide variety of roads and terrain to reach Seaside, Oregon. Many of the legs provide breathtaking views of mountains and valleys, other legs meander through the suburbs around Portland and through Portland, into the Coast Range where rivers streams course along the roads, providing a distraction from the physical effort needed to run or walk. As a 20-plus year veteran of the relay, I take the scenic sights for granted while still appreciating the physical beauty of where I live.
What’s with the main heading, Bingle, Bangle, Bongle? As it happens, teams sometimes have to replace runners who are injured or have other situations preventing them from being on the team. In our case, one of the women on our team pulled a hamstring muscle. I recruited a new runner and Don, who had been in our van 1, was moved to van 2. Later for various reasons he was moved back to van 1, but before the dust settled and we figured it all out he was back in van 2. Good naturedly, he took it all in stride (so to speak).
Party at the Beach
At the beach, we ran across the finish line as a team, and wandered around with the multitudes celebrating the end of one of the most amazing athletic events imaginable. Later at our hotel, we made s’mores over an open fire, had some drinks, and collapsed from a very full two days.
OK, obviously this is not Part II, Mental, in my series that I started in May. I’m still working on it.
On my runs sometimes I like to have a dog encounter. On this run as I was going through a nature park a few miles from my house, I met Ebony and Charlie. I don’t have a picture of them, so I used my dogs, but their coloring suits the content of this blog, i.e., black and white. Maybe it’s a bit of a stretch, but I’m trying to illustrate a point here and underscore the comments in the quote that follows. Personally, I know all about racial bias, having grown up in the south in an era where segregation existed. Being judgemental I think comes naturally to most of us – I know I struggle with it.
Ebony and Charlie’s owner was leading them across a bridge where I had stopped to catch my breath and stretch. He was an older guy like me, but fit and obviously enjoying his outing with his dogs. I asked if I could approach his dogs – Charlie, a mixed breed of sorts, was very friendly, but Ebony, a black lab, was a bit skittish, so I backed off. He told me that Ebony was recovering from his own encounter and was a bit nervous about people approaching him. Apparently someone on the trail had overreacted and kicked Ebony. The dog wasn’t seriously hurt, but the incident had left an impression on the dog. Am I leading up to some profound message here? Perhaps. The following song might help too.
Paul McCartney, All the Best album: Ebony and Ivory
What’s It About?
Ostensibly, a good friend of mine inspired this blog post. He had posted what I thought was a very engaging and thought provoking item on Facebook. His suggestion was to copy the post, add a selfie, and share it. What he had presented in his post was not a brand new concern of mine and was something brought to my attention often these days, but anyway, listen to the song, then take a few minutes to read the following quote and really think about it.
Editor’s Note: Unfortunately I don’t have the author’s name for this quote.
“If you’re skinny, you’re on drugs. If you’re fat, you need to lose weight. If you smoke weed you’re a druggie. If you drink, you’re an alcoholic. If you get dressed up, you’re conceited. If you dressed down, you’ve let yourself go. If you speak your mind, you’re rude. If you don’t say anything, you’re snobbish. If you are sociable, you’re a party animal. If you stay to yourself, you’re detached. If you are young, you are useless, if you’re old you’re dispensable.
YOU can’t do anything without being criticized. We live in a society where people can’t survive if they’re not judging the next person. Love me or hate me, but you will never change me. Believe that, get to know people before judging. Let’s build each other up. We are all doing the best we can, in the same game called life.” (Anonymous)
Here is an Imprimis link to a piece by Amy Wax. She discusses “political correctness” and similar issues. If you don’t have time to read all of her January 2018 piece, go to my previous blog, under Parting Shots, where I summarize Amy Wax’s article.
I decided to keep this blog short, but give this some thought.
Quotes
“What we do for ourselves dies with us, what we do for others in the world remains and is immortal.” (Albert Pines, from a Criminal Minds episode)
“Don’t be intimidated by people who seem to be experts. Hear their points of view and get their judgements. But at the end of day, you’ve got to make a judgement because it’s not their life that’s going to be affected so much as your future.” Robert Dallek
“I tend to make snap judgements about people.” Jane Fallon
For more “judgemental”, quotes (and many others), you can go to the BrainyQuote site.
Random Odds & Ends
This is a “rerun” of two links in my early 2019 blog, “Is it 2019 Yet?” Some things are worth repeating at least once, in this case to bolster the whole “helping others mindset”.
blazinbernie
Looking for a Rufous 