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Physical, Mental, Emotional, and Spiritual: Part IV – Spiritual

April 23, 2020
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A Photo Taken in Texas

Welcome

The Who: Tommy’s Holiday Camp (from Tommy, the rock opera)

If you follow my blog and have been patiently waiting for “Part IV – Spiritual”, here it is. I should know better than to attempt multi-part blogs, which seem to take forever to finish. The one I did on Crystal City, inspired by a gym friend who grew up there, took four months to complete. I hope you read Crystal City, it’s an interesting example of humanity gone amuck.

Be sure to read to the end of this post.

The Creative Process Can Be Painful

Starting with a blank page, it’s a challenging process – normally, I have my draft notes (in my green notebook), other sources of information at my fingertips, including blog notes in my daily journal. Sometimes I imagine myself as Michael Keaton in “The Paper” typing away on his keyboard or in a much older classic film about writing a novel or a news story using a manual typewriter, and the writer is frustrated because he’s been sitting for an hour and has only a part of a sentence on the page and a wastebasket full of crumpled paper. Anyway, let’s get back on track.

“Spiritual” Means What?

Looking at its history and literal meaning, according to Merriam-Webster, as an adjective “spiritual” means:

  • Of, relating to, consisting of, or affecting the spirit
  • Of or relating to sacred matters
  • Ecclesiastical rather than lay or temporal
  • Concerned with religious values
  • Related or joined in spirit

Historically, first used in the 14th century – source Middle English, from Anglo-French and Late Latin; Anglo-French espirital, spiritual, from Late Latin spiritue alis, from Latin, of breathing, of wind, from spiritus

I like the “breathing” connotation, as in “inspiration” or “respiration”, i.e. spiritual as in an active state.

As befits this series, how does spiritual fit into the scheme of things? I ask myself, “Am I spiritual”? I think we all are spiritual to some degree, but not necessarily in a religious sense.

OK, I’ve decided this piece won’t progress beyond the “draft” stage, something I realized many weeks ago, that “Spiritual” was going to be a real challenge. I’m going to conclude with a story or two, pictures of course and probably some music.

Inspiration

One of the stories I really liked is about a woman who overcame a serious physical ailment and moved on with her life in a very positive way. The article was in the March-April 2020 Daily Word, a Unity publication.

Odds & Ends: about Relaxing

I wanted to include a link to another article with some ideas about relaxing, especially important during the Covid-19 situation. This article was also in the March-April 2020 Daily Word, a Unity publication.

More ideas about relaxing, you might want to revisit two of my posts about mindfulness, Mindfulness, What is it, is it important? (2014) and Mindfulness (2016).

One More Quote and a Related Story

OK, this segment is a bit divergent from the main topic, but in my opinion it speaks of our need for spirituality in our lives, whether it be religious or another form.

“Great spirit, grant that I might not criticize my neighbor until I’ve walked a mile in his moccasins.” (traditional American Indian prayer)

The quote reminds me of my time in scouting when I was growing up (in my first childhood) in Texas. I belonged to a boy scout troop in my hometown. One part of our regular troop meeting, for some of us, was the Caddo Lodge. We had our own special meeting room, members of the lodge had to go through a rigorous all-night initiation, and on special occasions we would perform traditional Indian dance ceremonies. The quote above was similar to the ending prayer for our meetings. Kind of makes you think doesn’t it, at least it reminds me of my New Year’s resolution to “not be so judgemental”.

The Caddo Lodge was not a unique organization, given the existence of well-established groups like the Order of the Arrow, which is still in existence. I belonged to the OA too when I was in scouting. If you’re interested, check out the link for more background.

More Walt Whitman Quotes

Pictures

 

 

Rex and Bella
A new bridge at Willowcreek
A couple of my favorites
Symbolic yard art
Anchors away
Along the way
A great tree!
Yes
Words speak
Not Churchill
Commonwealth Lake

More Music

Listen to as many songs as you want.

Doobie Brothers: Listen to the Music
Canned Heat: Let’s Work Together (Let’s Sick Together)
Coldplay: God Put a Smile on Your Face (Album: A Rush of Blood to the Head)
Crosby, Still, Nash & Young: Helplessly Hoping
Eagles: Love Will Keep Us Alive (Album: Hell Freezes Over)
Chicago: Wake Up Sunshine (Album: Chicago II)

Bottom Line

For me, as a Bible-reading believer and as a person who finds his own inspiration and guidance in the word of God, I wanted to end with these verses and underscore what I’ve been saying in this blog.

Galatians 5:22-24 (NIV Bible): But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

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Resolution Reboot – v2.0

March 25, 2020

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20200326_130417_Welcome-2

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),

More Brainy Quotes about family.

A Beacon of Light

“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:

Judicial Watch (free subscription). You be the judge.

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.

Vangelis: Blade Runner (End Titles), 1982

Pictures, of Course

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Physical, Mental, Emotional, and Spiritual: Part III – Emotional

January 7, 2020
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Dad and son

Introduction: Type A or Type B?

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)

Here’s a link to a bunch more quotes if you’re interested.

Music and pictures are always a challenge, I hope you like my visual and auditory offerings in my blog posts.

Joe Cocker: Feelin’ Alright

 

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It’s 2020: What’s Next?

January 5, 2020
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It’s a Brand New Year

Digifish Music: Second Dawn

Prelude: You Must Expect It of Yourself!

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.

Seriously, Woodie Guthrie?

I ran across this item, Woody Guthrie’s No Frills Doodle List-Filled List of 33 New Year’s Resolutions from 1943 and wanted to include it – you’ll find it both amusing and titillating. Guthrie’s 33 list of resolutions is impressive, some tongue in cheek, but others are right on:

  • Wash teeth if any
  • Listen to radio a lot
  • Learn people better
  • Love (4 occurrences)
  • Change socks (love that one)
  • Help win war
  • Wake up and fight
  • Dream good

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.

Back to the Future: Main Theme (from the movie)

 

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Is it 2019 Yet?

December 31, 2018

Is Portland, Oregon weirder than Austin, Texas?

I watched a program on public TV the other day about Vortex I, a documentary about a 1970 event, really interesting and historic as it relates to the state of Oregon. I may have to do a follow-up blog about the Portland vs Austin question.

Thanks to Portland State University and the Oregon Historical Society for the Vortex I web write-up.

It Is Still 2018?

Yes, as I put pen to paper (actually fingers to keyboard) drafting this post, probably my last post for the year, there is only a full day left in 2018 before the big ball drops in Times Square. No, I won’t be there, but I have a runner friend who lives in Oregon but really likes New York.

The first and only time I was in New York occurred when I was a teenager. I was with my oldest sister and her husband, and it was Christmas time. We did a lot of “tourist stuff”, went to Rockefeller Center with the big tree and the ice skaters. We also went to a supper club in mid-town Manhattan where Joan Rivers was performing. She was pregnant, and I thought her jokes were pregnant. Anyway, for a boy who had grown up in small-town Texas, New York was an amazing experience – from a town of less than 8,000 to New York City, walking down 5th Avenue where people were packed in practically elbow to elbow. The subway and Greenwich Village were fun too.

Was 2018 a Good Year for You?

For me, now winding down 2018. I can say that it has been a good year, possibly a great year, but I’m ready to move on to new challenges. When you get “older and wiser”, you tend to get philosophical (and more forgetful) about life. Hopefully, no matter what your age, if you look back and reflect on 2018, you will smile and say that it has been a hoot or an adventure or whatever, and you will look forward to 2019. There are two quotes, a Nelson Demille quote at the top of that page and a Hunter S. Thompson quote at the bottom in my Favorite Quotes post. In my opinion, those two quotes say it all.

What is the Meaning of Life?

If you are at all interested in the meaning of life or the purpose of life I’m suggesting that you read another Reader’s Digest article, to start you off on the right foot for 2019.

The excellent article, Maintain Your Purpose in Life, was written by David G. Allan.

If you’re old enough, you may remember that screensaver from many years ago, a weird red and green cartoon character, mouth open and tongue hanging out (captioned the “meaning of life”) that flitted around the computer screen daring you to click it with your mouse, and of course it always evaded you. Regardless of the implication suggested by the screensaver creator that it isn’t possible to figure it out, read Allan’s article and give it some thought, about your own purpose in life. For him it’s a yearly exercise, and he says that his answer changes over time. Don’t overthink it – the year he got engaged, Allan’s answer to the question was “Love”.

He also points out that this isn’t a theoretical exercise, you should turn your answer into action. If your answer is “love”, then you should love more.

Bottom line, there is no right answer, only what’s right for you at any given time. He talks about how studies have shown that people who have a specific purpose in life and can articulate it, live longer. He suggests that if you take the time to think about it and answer the question, it will in effect add meaning to your life.

Allan quotes some of the answers from famous people.

  • “Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.” (Albert Einstein)
  • “The sole meaning of life is to serve humanity.” (Leo Tolstoy)
  • “There is only the meaning we each give to our life, an individual meaning, an individual plot, like an individual novel, a book for each person.” (Anais Nin)

What’s Ahead – Foreshadowing my Blog for 2019

Stuff about good people and what they do. If you read my November blog, I included a link to Reader’s Digest stories. Every November Reader’s Digest publishes their America’s Nicest Places issue. A  couple of other interesting links for you:

Imprimis articles (of course)

Vietnam, my experiences and my observations about the war.

More about “Is Portland, Oregon weirder than Austin, Texas?”

Mindfulness, a continuation of my blog topic. A subject that keeps popping up in the media.

The Big Leap, a book by Gay Hendricks – I included the link in a November post, just boring “self-improvement” stuff. Kind of like meditation, it may require some effort on your part to realize the positive results.

Music and Pictures

Vivaldi, The Four Seasons (Winter)
Vivaldi, The Four Seasons (Spring)
Vivaldi, The Four Seasons (Summer)
Vivaldi, The Four Seasons (Autumn)

Some Parting Shots

I’ve mentioned my Daily Word readings – just a couple of recent ones to pass along that I thought were noteworthy.

December 29, 2018, “Love: It is my nature to extend love.”

“I recognize that forgiveness is easier than condemnation because forgiveness reflects the truth of who I am. God is perfect love and therefore so am I.”

A companion Bible verse, Ephesians 4:26: “Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger.”

December 30, 2018: “Power: I am a spiritual being, bestowed with great power.”

“I align my thoughts with my highest good, envisioning health, abundance, love, and success.”

If you have been reading The Big Leap, the last sentence should remind you of Hendrick’s “universal success mantra” that he discusses in the book.

That’s it for 2018, see you next year.

 

 

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November 2018 Reflections

December 1, 2018

Quotations and Books

“Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking.”  Marcus Aurelius
Books:  The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks (not an easy read but a good “self-improvement” book if you’re willing to make the effort, link to audible.com).

I really like Marcus Aurelius quotes, so here’s another one that Hendricks includes in his book toward the end of it. Keep in mind that Marcus Aurelius was a soldier who lived in first century Rome.

“I am part of the whole, all of which is governed by nature. I am intimately related to all of the parts which are of the same kind as myself. If I remember these two things, I cannot be discontented with anything that arises out of the whole because I am connected to the whole.” Marcus Aurelius
“There are times in our lives when we realize that our past is precisely what it is, we cannot change it, but we can change the story we tell ourselves about it, and by doing that we can change the future.” Eleanor Brown (from a Criminal Minds episode)

With the Eleanor Brown quote in mind, let’s dive in to the rest of this November blog.

Other Thoughts – Boomer or Not, Imprimis

It’s fun to reflect to get a different perspective. Obviously, since I’m older, I suppose I’m a “baby boomer”, but I’m right on the cusp. Tom Brokaw called another pre-WWII group “the greatest generation” (he wrote a book by that title). For “millennials”, it would be a shorter time period to reflect on their lives. They also would not be able to remember a time when you didn’t have to lock things – house, car, bike, etc. I was talking to someone at the gym about that, growing up in a time when that was true, at least in a small town like the one where I grew up. You walk out the front door leaving it unlocked and spend the whole day out, no worries. Not drawing conclusions on society in general, but obviously things are different in the 21st century.

As you already know if you read my blog, I’m an Imprimis fan. You might want to check out their publications online or better yet, get on their mailing list for a free printed copy of each publication. For example, here’s a different take on how things used to be, the piece that Amy Wax did for the Imprimis January 2018 publication, “Are We Free to Discuss America’s Real of Problems”. Pay special attention to the first 10 or 12 paragraphs, where she contrasts contemporary American society with our society between the end of World War II and the mid-1960s. You can draw your own conclusions, but I strongly recommend reading the last three paragraphs, especially the one that starts with “Disliking, avoiding, and shunning people who don’t share our politics is not good for our country.”

Back to November 2018 – A Few Snippets

You’ll notice the details that I’m able to remember from the entire month of November – admittedly, I do a daily journal, so it’s not all from memory.

On November 1, I tested some Nike shoes (testing gives me Nike Employee Store privileges, which saves me money on running shoes). November 1 is also my beautiful daughter’s birthday. In my family it’s a tradition to take the birthday honoree out to eat at a restaurant of their choosing. We celebrated her birthday on November 3 at the Old Spaghetti Factory, a great place for adults and kids, with good food and reasonable prices.

The rest of that first week of November, was our normal routine – for my wife, volunteer work at a local senior center, Bible study, pitching in with the grandkids, and cooking for our Monday night family dinner at our house. For me, it was gym workouts, running, and my running club had a banquet to reward volunteers who participated in 2018 events. Actually, on November 6 we went to SoCal to visit relatives. You may have seen my “On the Road, SoCal, November 2018” entry. Just a brief diversion from my November snippets to share my reactions to the SoCal trip.

What Did I Learn in SoCal?

Did I learn anything, or was it just another vacation trip, five days in the sun (no complaints), hanging out with friends and relatives, and total relaxation in a very nice setting. About learning, the question is rhetorical, we always learn things. On this trip I learned on a higher level:

  • People are tough and resilient. While we were there, the mass shooting at Thousand Oaks happened, and the Woolsey fire in SoCal and the fire in northern California, all happened in that week.
  • Most people (not all) are friendly and approachable, willing to share things about themselves. There were many people in the hotel who had evacuated their homes.
  • Most people will help others who are in a bind, sometimes going out of their way to help. There were hundreds of fire-fighting professionals from Oregon and Washington who volunteered two weeks of their time to help fight the fires and to help people in need. Another example, an Oregon man loaded up his business truck with food and supplies and drove to California.
  • More examples of people helping people, check out these Readers Digest stories – I was especially impressed with “Life Moves Yoga in Killeen, Texas”.
  • Relationships with people close to you are worth preserving but may require extra effort.

Back to November 2018 – A Few Snippets (continued)

On November 10, we returned to Portland, unpacked and did our laundry. It was good to be back.

On November 11, Veterans Day, I went to a local event honoring Vietnam veterans. It was a large turnout with people from other wars too. There were speeches and socializing, vets meeting other vets, and we received pins honoring our service. Just remember, not everyone who served had a choice, but that doesn’t matter, they served.

Interesting side-note – my Daily Word affirmation for that Sunday was “I am free through the freedom of Spirit.” The Bible verse, 2 Corinthians 3:17, for that day was: “. . . where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”

On November 15, one of our grandsons did a sleepover. We walked the dogs and hung out.

On November 17, I continued my annual battle of the leaves (we have lots of trees) for disposal. My daughter hosted an early Thanksgiving dinner at her house, which gave us all a chance to overeat. The food was delicious.

On November 20, we made a decision on which Medicare supplement insurance to go with, after weeks of researching and thinking about. More leaf accumulation, up to about 50 bags now. Met with my running club in the evening to run on the track at a local school, windy and cold but dry.

Thanksgiving Day, November 22, I ran a 5K race and won my age group, which felt really good. I ran my fastest 5K time of the year. We had already celebrated our Thanksgiving dinner.

On November 24, we got invited over to my brother-in-law’s house for another Thanksgiving dinner, very well prepared and delicious. I overate again.

On November 25, I hauled 54 bags of leaves over to a disposal site, multiple trips in my truck. Done for this year thank goodness.

The rest of the month, we played Top Golf a few times, and did the rest of our normal routine.

“Oscar Wilde: ‘Do you mind if I smoke?’ Sarah Bernhardt: ‘I don’t care if you burn.'” Sarah Bernhardt
Sarah Bernhardt quotes – You can pick one that YOU like.

Pictures and Music

 

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Randy Newman: Sigmund Freud’s Impersonation of Albert Einstein in America

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To Do or Not to Do: Birthday Blog, 2018

February 23, 2018

My birthday blog for last year is here. I have a new birthday today.

I’ll start with some music – it’s Winter – and some quotes to set the tone for this piece which could go anywhere, hang on . . .

Takako Nishizaki: Very Best of Vivaldi, “Four Seasons, Winter (Largo)”

This BrainyQuote’s page has a wealth of quotes that relate either directly or in some weird, tangential way to this birthday blog. I started reading some of the quotes after doing the search on Shakespeare’s famous quote, “To be or not to be, that is the question,” which is the hook for the rest of this creative dissertation. I’ll explain more in a minute. Check out Jean-Luc Godard’s quote, “To be or not to be. That’s not really a question.” All you ex-English majors, like me, and grammarians should get a chuckle out of it. And check out Chuck Palahniuk, wow, some powerful, some witty, some head-scratcher quotes. By the way, his birthday is February 21, two days before mine. I should find him on Facebook and wish him a belated Happy Birthday. I’m not sure I can compete with the wisdom in some of the quotes, but as I get back on track here, maybe some of it will make sense to you. Nobody has quoted me yet.

To Do or Not to Do

Many weeks ago I got the idea for this blog. I started a draft on paper – I do that a lot as do many famous writers. Not that I’m famous, but John Le Carre’ is famous and well-published. I was just listening to his latest novel today, A Legacy of Spies. I watched a 60 Minutes interview with him several weeks ago. He lives in England in a remote place called Land’s End and has a separate little house where he writes his books in longhand. His wife types and edits his manuscripts. I thought that his lifestyle was extremely cool. His real name, which he prefers, is David Cornwell. Here he is in Wikipedia if you’re interested.

Back on Track

If you look at the “intro” parts of this blog, Looking for a Rufous, you may have picked up on the whole Rufous thing. Looking for things in life that really, really provide meaning and fulfillment, rather than just “living.” Also, there’s a great quote in Me and My Blog, probably my favorite quote, that says it all in my opinion. Of course, like someone said, if you already know the answer, don’t ask the question. Maybe you’ve figured it out already. Power to you, go for it, I’m perfectly fine with not perpetuating the search for meaning.

Takako Nishizaki: Very Best of Vivaldi, “Four Seasons, Spring (Allegro)”

An Average Day

Early morning sun (unusual for us in our Oregon winter) coming through the living room window, the dogs horsing around, listening to a Chicago song, “Wake Up Sunshine”, feeling good, an upbeat start to my day. I hope your day started on an upbeat note. But not every day starts that way, some days are more of a struggle. More caffeine, doesn’t help. Does that sound familiar? Such is life, eh, ups and downs, it’s normal. But what about the “baseline” parts of your life, the ongoing efforts that help you transcend the temporary mood swings and dark days? Is your baseline OK?

Tom Robbins: “To be or not to be isn’t the question. The question is, how to prolong being.”

I look at the best-selling authors, the scientists who discover cures for diseases, the athletes who strive to do their best, the volunteers who stack sandbags to stop the flood waters, and the others who strive to do things beyond themselves – I look at them in awe, admiring what they do. I’m not saying that being average is bad or that winning second place is not something to be proud of. You were there, that’s what counts.

N. Tonchev, Montana Chamber Orchestra: “Four Seasons, Summer (Presto)”

Parting Words on Starting this New Year (for me)

  • For this year, my plan is to try to stay healthy. If you’re active doing stuff, that’s a great place to start.
  • Do new things like meditation, early in the day. Even if it’s only 5 minutes, just relax, clear your thoughts, and focus on your breathing.
  • Journal, listen to music, watch the birds, cook dinner, talk to your kids or your friends or your dog (you’d be surprised how good a listener a dog can be).
  • Get involved, open up your mind and figure things out by relying on good, solid information. Segue to the Imprimis site, check it out, pick an area that interests you. I love the latest one, Are We Free to Discuss America’s Real Problems?.

More to come in the next blog.

N. Tonchev, Montana Chamber Orchestra: “Four Seasons, Autumn (Adagio-molto)”

Always Pictures

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My Mom’s Blog

May 14, 2017

Happy Mother’s Day, Mom, in remembrance of you on this day!

Just a photo or two or three and some music to honor my Mom, that’s all.

A few notes about the music and photos. My Mom was buried in Liberty, Texas. I was able to honor her with a visit in 2015. The bird is the Varied Thrush. It represents my beautiful Mom, because I couldn’t find a good picture of her to share with you. The music is totally random but music that I thought was appropriate to express my feelings about her. The Glen Miller piece was from her era. He died in 1944. She died in 1964. Listen at your leisure to the music as I did when I was putting this together.

It was good to visit Mom's grave.

It was good to visit Mom’s grave.

Glenn Miller: Big Band (swing)
Stevie Wonder: You are the Sunshine of My Life
Norman Greenbaum: Spirit in the Sky
DSC_0389

Varied Thrush

Lion King soundtrack: The Circle of Life
Vangelis: The Tao of Love

I miss you, Mom!

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Adam & Eve in Love!

March 31, 2017

What’s Love Got to Do With It?

Tine Turner: What’s Love Got to Do with It?

The idea for this blog dawned on me in SoCal (southern California) on one of our many trips down to visit relatives and of course get away from the @#$%^&* rain for a few days – I do love that natural  vitamin D! One morning I was enjoying an early breakfast and reading the Wall Street Journal (provided by the hotel). In the “Review”, section was an essay written by Bruce Feiler. It was adapted from his forthcoming book (March 21), The First Love Story: Adam and Eve and Us.

By the way, my recommendation is that you read the article if you’re a WSJ subscriber, or just use this link and check out the video interview with Bruce Feiler. I think the essay is a very thought provoking piece, especially if you’re married and (hopefully) in love or perhaps recently fallen in love. Rather than get off on a side trail about my opinion of how important love is or what it means, I’ll just let Bruce Feiler’s ideas speak for themselves. I may summarize his ideas along the way. Also, if you have a Bible handy, it might help you to better understand if you read Genesis chapters 1 and 2 and for good measure 1 Corinthians 13 (the “love” chapter) in the New Testament. It’s a lot to digest, but I’ll provide some bullet points that might help.

Here’s a totally irrelevant (but wonderful) quote to get you started. I saw this on a napkin dispenser at MOD Pizza in Beaverton, Oregon on March 28th while I was eating my pizza, enjoying a beer, and making some notes in my blog notebook.

Bob Dylan, Poet Laureate and Nobel Prize in Literature in 2016:
“May you’re your heart be always joyful.
May your song always be sung.
And may you stay young forever.”
Karen O and the Kids: All is Love (from Where the Wild Things Are soundtrack)

Quoting from Bruce Feiler’s Essay

“In December 1867, Mark Twain was touring Jerusalem when he visited a room in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre identified as Adam’s tomb. He was overcome with emotion. ‘The fountain of my filial affection was stirred to its profoundest depths,’ he wrote. Twain became obsessed with his oldest ancestor, at one point urging planners in New York to replace the Statue of Liberty with a monument to Adam. He went on to write a half-dozen pieces about the first couple, including Extracts from Adam’s Diary and an Autobiography of Eve.”

“Adam, in Twain’s retelling, is initially uncomfortable with Eve. It used to be so pleasant and quiet here, he says, ‘I foresee trouble. Will emigrate.’ Eve is equally unimpressed with Adam. ‘He talks very little. Perhaps it is because he is not bright, and is sensitive about it.’ (who says Twain didn’t have a sense of humor!) But slowly the two come around. ‘I see I should be lonesome and depressed without her’, Adam says. Eve echoes his feelings: ‘I love him with all the strength of my passionate nature…It is my prayer, it is my longing, that we may pass from this life together.’”

Patti; Tuck & Patti: Love is the Key

Adam and Eve in love? Really? Who would think such a thing?”

Feiler goes on to say that several very famous people would agree that, yes, they were in love, and that, given the transitional state of the family for the last 30 centuries – major changes with high divorce rates, lifestyles in our hyperconnected world – maybe Adam and Eve could offer some guidance.

Some Bullet Points in Summary of Feiler’s Ideas

Obviously taken out of context (you really need to buy the book or get a copy of the WSJ essay), here are some more thoughts, quoted and/or paraphrased from the essay.

  • The first couple have been victims of a long campaign of character assassination. One reason is that we rarely read the opening chapters of Genesis with the idea that Adam and Eve might be in love. He goes on to explain this important point in detail.
  • Who is God’s chosen sex, man or woman? If you read and compare Genesis 1 and Genesis 2, the answer appears different. Feiler elaborates, then concludes by saying they are entirely equal.
  • In support of the equality idea, if you look at Michelangelo’s famous painting in the Sistine Chapel, it is Eve, not Adam and not God who occupies the exact center of the room. In the third panel, the two figures (Adam and Eve) reach together for the forbidden fruit. They are not estranged, they are partners.
  • Milton’s Paradise Lost was a step-by-step argument that Adam and Eve were equal.
  • In Shakespeare’s words, “Love is not avoiding conflict; it is about overcoming it”.
  • The most underappreciated aspect of Adam and Eve is how they continually return to each other after periods of separation. They start life united, then Eve goes off alone. She could remain apart but instead returns to Adam. Once out of Eden, they could split, but instead they stay together.
Beatles: And I Love Her

Some Final Thoughts

The Bible is the first to put a man and a woman at the start of the human line. God can’t procreate. He needs human partners – starting with Adam and Eve – for humanity to succeed.

Feiler concludes his essay by saying that the first couple struggled too, yet they found a way to heal their wounds and forgive their wrongs.

Some More Music

Eagles: Love Will Keep Us Alive (Hell Freezes Over album)
Del Shannon: Sea of Love (really old song)
Karen O and the Kids: Building All is Love (from Where the Wild Things Are soundtrack)

noah_loves_the_beach_cropped

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Birthday Blog: 2017

February 23, 2017

Another birthday, another year, I won’t tell you my exact age, but I’m right on the line between “baby boomers” and the one before that, which Tom Brokaw calls the “Greatest Generation”. But this blog isn’t about me; it’s about and for my folks.

Blogger disclaimer: I wondered in the past about social media, about very personal information, Uncle Jack’s favorite chili recipe notwithstanding, actually I thought it was very tasty :), or other more intimate information. Being a private person, it didn’t sit well with me, telling the world those things that should be reserved only for the person who is sharing or for their family and close friends. Breaking through that shell of privacy, in this blog post I’m sharing very personal information. It just seemed appropriate to say it after all these years, as a tribute to my Mom and Dad.

Don’t Ever Take Them for Granted

Taking parents for granted is not something anyone should do. When they’re around, you should appreciate and cherish them. My Mom and Dad have both been gone a long time, my Mom in 1964 and my Dad in 1985. When I hear people talk about their parents, no matter what the context, it makes me think of my own parents.

First, and most important, they were good parents, in all the ways parents should be good parents – disciplining, education, providing a home, and more. On Sundays (and other days), my Mom always had dinner ready on time. With my Dad, it was doing stuff like hunting and fishing, which we did a lot of. I had many wonderful father-son “bonding experiences” with my Dad.

Rites of Passage

Pow, the loud sound broke the silence of the cold morning air. My Dad had driven us out to one of his favorite spots on the deer lease, called “Devil’s Hollow”. The lease, a big ranch probably 500-600 acres, was in the Texas hill country near Mason many hours drive away from our home in southeast Texas. All layered up to ward off the sub-freezing cold, we trudged up the hills with our rifles until we found a good spot behind a scrub oak tree. I got settled in to wait, and my Dad left. The viewpoint was great with a clear view across the draw and to the left and right. I was about 14 years old at the time. I had my hand warmers going and my multiple layers of clothing but was still cold. Soon a nice 8-point buck stepped out about 90-100 yards away across the draw. I took careful aim with the scoped rifle and shot him through the right shoulder. He took a step or two and went down. I stayed in place behind the scrub oak, and the “buck acres” started (see note). Basically, the shakes, it happens to hunters, athletes, etc. after something exciting just happened. Another buck materialized on my left, possibly a trophy buck, within easy shooting distance, but I missed (too much excitement). My Dad, who had barely enough time to get down the hill, came back to help me. We went over and field-dressed the deer and packed him down the hill. My first deer, it was a great morning for a young kid!

Note:  OK, “buck acres” is a colloquial expression, hopefully I spelled it correctly, but deer hunters are familiar with it. I couldn’t verify it online.

One of my big regrets in life is that I didn’t do more of the “man thing” with my son when he was growing up. Oh we’d set off rockets, take the skiff out on the lake to fish, and stuff like that, but that was about it. All Dads should be aware that once those years are gone, they’re gone. If you’re a Dad, don’t mess up, and I’m not excluding daughters, spend quality time with them too.

A Belated Eulogy for My Dad

I don’t remember my Dad ever saying I love you, but I don’t begrudge him for that because I know he loved me. I loved and still love you, Dad. So this is my belated eulogy to you, Dad, perhaps to make up for the shaky knees and quavering voice that I had at your funeral service in 1985, reading some Bible verses, and wanting to say more. This is my testimony to you 32 years later. Rest in peace, Dad.

1 Peter 1:24: “For all men are like grass, and all their glory is like flowers of the field, the grass withers, and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever.”

A Belated Eulogy for Mom

Her passing was more than 20 years earlier than my Dad, in 1964. The details of her personality and her life are not totally clear in my memory, but some things stand out. I mentioned her dinners (we used to say “supper”) were consistently on time. On Sundays after church, as I recall it was usually roast beef, mashed potatoes, and green beans. My love of cookies comes from my Mom – she’d make peanut butter cookies with the impressions made with a fork and homemade tapioca pudding, yum! The house was always neat and clean.

I’m going to quote from an old letter (January 21, 1959), just an excerpt, which I think speaks volumes of what kind of person my Mom was:

“Dearest Elaine,

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 yourself to your aloneness. No one can know what you are going through until they go through the loss of their loved one. I do feel that you and Edwin had something within your own lives that few, few married people ever find. It seems very ironical and sad that mortals cannot express themselves naturally and freely. I have never learned to show or let others know how I feel.”

1 Corinthian 13:4-8: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”

Liberty, Texas Memories

Interestingly, in 2013 I went back to Liberty for my 50-year high school reunion. Besides seeing my friends that I hadn’t seen in a half century, a couple of other notable events happened. Going to a pep rally at the new high school and a Friday night football game was a real treat, and it seemed like I was back in 1963 (Back to the Future) sitting in the stands cheering for the team (they won). But more importantly as planned, I went to see my Mom’s grave site (pictures of both my Mom’s and Dad’s grave sites are below). I wanted to decorate the headstone and found the red flowers at a store in town.

The other thing that I had planned on my trip was to go see my old house. I knew that it was still there because I Googled it before I left Portland. As I zoomed-in in Google, I was kind of amazed to see it after so much time had passed. One day I drove over to the house. It had a For Sale sign in the yard so I called the agent to see if I could look at the house. She made a call; I went over, knocked on the door, and was greeted by a friendly face. The woman living there went to high school with my younger sister, which at the time I thought was an amazing coincidence, but you know Liberty is a small town. That and good ole Texas hospitality might have been the primary reasons why I was able to visit my old home so easily. Walking in the front door, I experienced one of those serendipitous moments, like I was time traveling back to my earlier life. The furniture and decor were different, but the floor plan was the same. I walked past the living room straight into the kitchen where my Mom prepared all those meals for us. The door to the garage was on the right, more memories of pickled snakes and of freshly killed deer hanging from the rafters waiting to be processed for the freezer. Not my Mom’s favorite place to hang out. We took the stairs to see my sisters’ bedroom and my brother’s and my bedroom at the end of a long hallway. This was the same room where I had to repaint the walls and ceiling in one corner because of a disastrous lab experiment with my new chemistry set, a Christmas present.

I’m going to wrap this up with pictures and music.

Links to previous blogs about Liberty, Texas:

Growing Up in Texas

Pep Rally and the Game

Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young: Our House

 

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