What’s Your “IP” Address…relax.calm?

 Time to loosen your grip

take a shot from the hip

All the posing just skip

And your sweetness unzip

So what if you slip

Don’t let fear crack the whip

Take a gulp not a sip

From Your Grail called Life’s Trip

Live Now

Adding Up to Peace +Joy

 Seeking Peace and Joy Adds Up

So holy cow it’s January 12th already and my “new Year’’s Resolutions are sitting patiently by waiting for me to dig in.   Now it could be  that some of us make these resolutions and don’t start on them right away and are starting to feel guilty…let’s visit that a little later.  It may be that we’ve already given up  in which case pat yourself on the back for being an overachiever as research has shown that the majority of all resolutions are abondoned by January 19th sometimes known as National Give Up Day.  Either way let’s figure out what we really. Want to work on and start today but… first….

Let’s figure out why we didn’t start right away… There are probably lots of reasons, however, maybe its mostly about fear of change?  Maybe  let’s explore this by relating it to something most people are taught to fear—MATH.

Yep… you see most people get taught to be afraid of math at some level and then they stop building the foundation to change their level of math skills.  So … let’s substitute  math skills for  life skills and put some stronger math  bricks in your foundation and then in the next couple posts  bring the two together.  Life hacks/ Math Hacks

We are usually taught somewhere around third grade. Or fourth grade the only math hack  we ever learn… so your schools are ripping you off (big shocker).   What’s that Hack?

The rule of 9

When you multiply. Any number  by nine the sum of the numbers in the answer will add up to nine.  While this is true no matter how high you go we are usually only taught up to 9 X 9.  

That’s a good foundational hack, however, it just get’s left there with no building. On top of it and that leads to some uncertainty so let’s expand shall we?  What is almost?  Why 10 of course… So multiplying by 9 is the same  as multiplying  by 10 which is adding a 0 to the end and subtracting  that number multiplying by 1 which is of course  that number.  So let’s say we want to multiply 319 X 9 well that is 3190 — 31990–19  is 71 and 3100 —300 is 2800 so the answer is 2871 and of course 2+8+7+1 is 18 and 1+8 is 9 (remember what we said about the digits adding up to 9?  So instead of multiplying all this numbers you are simplifying be adding a zero and subtracting  and subtracting  shouldn’t scare anyone… 

The  5 Hack 

Now another hack we should all be taught is the 5 hack but we are not.   Now multiplying be 10 is adding a 0  and 5 is half of 10  so take the  you are multiplying by  5 let’s say 1286 just for giggles.  So cut 1286 in half which is 643 and and the 0 there’s your answer so what if it is an odd number …pick the next higher or the next lower number  and do the same thing and simply add or subtract  the 5. So let’s do 6217 for example… we’ll add 1 making it 6218 cut in half that’s 3109 now add the 0 so you have 31090 then subtract the  5 and presto you get 31085

Squaring  numbers that end in 5 … so let’s say  we are going to multiply 25 time 25  the hard way is to multiply 20 times 25  and then add another 5 times 25 or the other way around.   The easy way is to look at the first digit  which. Is 2 and then multiply it by the very next number which is  3 and then stick 25 on the end.  So 25  time 25 is 6 (3X2) 25. Now let’s go to 45 squared  using the same hack it is 4X5 (20) with  a 25 tacked on or 2025 so of course 85 squared  is 7225 etc..  and yes 105 squared is 110 (11X10) 25 11025! 

Just one more for today

Multiplying by 25… 

Now 4 X 25 is 100  and just like  multiplying by 10 adds one  zero… multiplying by 100 adds two  zeros.  Now the trick here is to remember. We are multiplying by 100 divided by 4.. so we add the two zeros and then divide by 4 or divide by 4 first and then  add the zeros.  So let’s take 72 X 25 .. Now 72 divided by 4 is 18 and 25X72 is 1800 Now you say that’s all good but what if the number  doesn’t plot by 4?  Good question… since you are multiplying by  25  your answer has to end in 00 25 50  or 75 so after you divide if there is 1 left  over your answer ends in 25 for example 117 X 25 = 117  divided by 4. Or 29 with 1 left over.. so the answer has to end in 25 which means 117 times 25  is going to be 2925  39 X25  would be 39 divided by  4 which. Is 9 with 3 left over so that is going to end in 75 or 975

The point is …. Math can be fast and fun and easy..however many of us were not taught that… We learned that  there were piles of complicated numbers to be figured out. Carried put in columns and the very least we need a fancy calculator to even come close.. 

What is being suggested here  is that we are probably more likely to feel good about seeking peace and joy through New Year’s change if we start with a simplified scheme that we can feel good about.  

So let’s say you want to eat better…. Start by multiplying  by 10… What?  Adding one zero… eating one piece of fruit or one green vegetable  Then  if you want to get a little more advanced multiple. By five.. Eat one fruit AND. One vegetable .  

Back to the  point about not starting yet… Screw it… You are the master of your own life calendar… start today … Guilt never changed history… and you may have to start again a few times  in order. To figure out what formula works for you.. You may multiply. By 9 by simply  multiplying by 9 but. You may find  it must easier to multiply. By 10 and subtract.  

Seeking peace  and joy or any change or building any meaning  is adding up the pieces from where you stand at any one time.   And after a while  you can start putting some anchors down like knowing that 74 squared is 5476 and 76  squared is 5776 and 88 squared is 7744… the point is practice facing fears to build a foundation  from which to exercise curiousity …  and be sure to show your work!

More Math hacks soon and your new year starts now… 

Peace.

No joy in Mudville and very little peace of mind

 There is no (Peace and) Joy in Mudville 

A Two-Part entry on the Lock-out

Well…there are many reasons why baseball may be  the best sport for seeking peace and joy, however  it’s not reasonable to go forward without claiming my stance in the current baseball lock-out so today’s blog entry. Does just that in an eight line rhyme.  Tomorrow  we will take you out the Ballpark for more.  For.now put me in coach for a few words that reflect  my notions.  

Your mess you could not mop

So some games you chose to chop

More cash you would not drop

Instead you took a flop

The grounders will not hop

Nor will the big bats bop

You rich cats at the top

Will kill the game—so Stop!

Lock Out

Is it time to drop anchor

 Anchors Away!

This morning I heard a fog horn….well maybe it was  just my snoring since it’s winter and there is probably not much shipping moving through the Great Lakes headed in most directions.  Also  given the relentless breezes called wind chill the surface of Lake Huron  is a gnarly  wash machine and I suspect. Most water craft are in dry dock or anchored  down safely somewhere.  

so that  inspired this… let’s think about anchors and peace and joy.

Well since  the 10th century  a lot of anchors. Are exactly the shape you see in most tattoos or on Popeye”s muscles.  This design emerged  some time around the tenth  century.  Now there are other shapes  that have been developed because we have other materials and ideas about what shapes  hold best on what underwater surfaces.   No matter the shape, an anchor is used to keep the ship from being wrecked or to hold it at a certain. Point in the water.  It is for safety, however, are all anchors  really safe?  

Anchors in Time

In seeking peace and joy we need to take a fresh look at Anchors.  So many times we have anchors that just plain stop us from sailing.  

Anchored in the past

When we anchor to the past it is so tempting to regret what is happening now and regret something we did at some point before now.   When we anchor in the past we keep looking back and are dragged back by things we already experienced.  While this gives us an opportunity to gather the lessons  we might learn from a past experience we have difficulty  applying  those lessons to in the seas ahead.  

Anchoring in the Future

We also anchor in the future  putting limits on when and where we might go and what we might choose to do given the waves and currents the world presents.  Do we spend so much time following the chain  to the place we think we need to be that we miss  the treasure that might be near by or just below the surface where we are right now.   At this time of year we are still into  resolutions and pursuing most goals we set for the new. Calendar.  Are these goals future anchors?  Once we reach them will we sit there unable to move in other ways?  

So what about being anchored right now?  Well if that gives us a chance to steady the ship then there is. Some value in using an anchor.  If we are making our ship stable and steady so others can climb aboard to sail with us or adding. Folks to row  along…well a temporary anchor from time to time. Might have some value, yet as time passes we need to stay aware. Enough to know. When that anchor is dragging us  into a situation  where we are anchored to our past.  

In short, we’re not saying. Anchors aren’t useful.  It is, however, important to know where and when you are anchored to.  It is  important to know how long you have been anchored and  it is important to know  that there comes a time to pull up anchor and drop the chain in a way that you can move the ship of your soul.    

Perspective On Predictions PartII

 What’s Risky in Seeking Peace and Joy?

So in the previous entry we started exploring  predictions/risks etc. because we often struggle with fear in seeking peace and joy or making  most chosen changes.  The reality is we make guesses based upon incomplete, outdated, and very stilted  data all the time.  This entry will belabor that point with a few more tidbits to chew on.

Making Choices… 

This set of blog entries is about  making choices.  Anybody that tells you they don’t worry  a few times. Now and again  about the choices they make are certifiable or just liars.  Some, maybe most  of us wonder if the choices we make  will lead to heaven/nirvana / the place of 72 virgins…whatever.  Well let’s say  that saints pretty much have a golden ticket to that show.  The odds  of someone becoming a saint (once submitted for sainthood by  the clerics) is approximately 1 in 20 million.  Since the chance that any of my former nuns would suggest such a thing  is about the same  as the chance  of my not listening to music on any given day (0%)  I’ll assume some of my choices will end up on the “he’s not getting into the pearly gates” scoreboard.  The question is…. Does that make me fear making some choices?  Well no… Seeking peace and joy requires living with uncertainty and if that  is translated int insecurity  that’s unfortunate….however why not ponder  on being  completely secure in the knowledge that uncertainty  will not only visit it will bring it’s pet skunk from time to time.  You’re no saint, I’m no saint but we can try to. To good. To and for each other and  our chances are better than one in 20,000,000 of understanding a shared experience  when we do.  

Moving Forward…

Well  our new year’s predictions often assume things will move forward, yet why do we make that assumption?  As adults we don’t always move forward and sometimes  we do things that  might  make the universe shake her head.  We are spending a lot of energy worrying about. Our mode of transportation  be it electric or gas powered.  One thing we can be  proud of is that adults in general have dismissed less fruitful  options.  What options?  Well kids have for generations learned to ride and bounce around on pogo sticks.  One in 115,000  adults who use a pogo stick wind up in the emergency room.  regardless of the zero emissions  and renewable fuel of a pogo stick there is no great call for adopting  any pogo quotient  by the year 2040.  So what’s the point.  We often make good choices and then forget that we do…. So we get more anxious and less able to conquer fear with  other more valuable emotions.  So next time  you wonder if you are making the right choice remember you didn’t go to prom on a pogo stick.  Seeking peace and joy  is sometimes an exercise  in believing inn what we have done enough to do the next thing.  

Finally Fitting in…

Sometimes we wonder and are afraid  because. We don’t think  we will fit in.  Well truth be told sometime we wont.  In fact 4.4 million left handed  people die. While using things designed for right handed people every year.  However, of all the left-handed people who die or don’t die using  these things that bnumber isn’t very big and there is little datat on people who only do some things left-handed.  I drink left-handed and given the graphics on the cup I think it might be a right-handed design.  Will that keep me from raising  a glass to my friends and others willing to care for their fellow man?  No way … Salute.

to sum up so far … don’t be afraid of not being perfect….your odds of first ballot salvation hall of fame are slim and  you like everyone are going to make mistakes.  Every now and then remind yourself that  you have made some really good guesses. And predictions and although you may fall down  you can generally count on the fact that seeking peace and joy will be a vehicle for a joyful meaningful life.  By the way my personal pogo stick  bouncing up record achieved at the age of 9 was 1209 bounces without falling off or stopping…but then it was time for the Lone Ranger or Batman…priorities are priorities.

finally connecting is powerful, and yet worrying about fitting in doesn’t  always have to dominate your choices…. You are sometime going to fit in when you least expect it and sometimes not…. 

Well one more entry on this and some “real” 2022  predictions  in the next blog…. I hope odds are good you’ll read it.   

Is this change shortage Real?

 

So while opening a new checking account a week or so ago the people at the bank said they were in fact experiencing a change shortage.  Now aside from the  obvious  question—“isn’t money  your main product?”—I started  imagining why this shortage was real.  The best explanations I could come up with were:

1. Since  people. Are staying at home far more than ever before the amount of loose change that we usually give to  people for tips is staying in our pockets.   then add that to the fact we aren’t changing our clothes as often so more change has a longer time frame to get shuffled out of our  pockets and into our  reclinersa and couches along with  the stray socks that are left over from the dryer, the coupon for 50% off two car washes, and the back from  that little earring—oh and that hair tie you know the one that matches those flip flops.
2. Most people just don’t believe in change anymore... even when we used to have it—it just didn’t buy much except for a few minutes of parking and well quite frankly the machines that  Artie designed to process change don’t  ever work.   Let’s face it how many times have you put a dollar in a change machine and while some coins may have. Fallen out—nothing...I mean nothing of importance...ever. Changed.

seriously... maybe it’s time to move to the  question—why does it take so long for change to happen when it does?   

Well some folks are just fine with the way things are and. Believe the  future will be pretty much the same as long as they don’t push for change.   well... a lot of these folks really. Hate 2020.  

Uncertainty is often sold as failurr and if there is  little risk of failure than. There is little hope for change.  So in a world of uncertainty  and uncertainty being  viewed as something to. Fear... there is little doubt that. A lot of people can’t bring themselves to embrace change due to the notion that people want to feel like they have control outcomes  when they  experience self-directed. Or coincidental  universal shifts.   In short, uncertainty is not  calling for curiosity it is calling for fear and a lot of people are listening.  even  when  we see alight at the end of the tunnel people are shouting “it’s a train.”   

Now here’s the magic...

If you  apply a bit of curiosity and make a change you eliminate all the uncertain associated with all the choices that you put aside to act in a particular. Way and as uncertainty  dwindles the more opportunities  to explore without fear materialize.  So when you are uncertain —change—it’s a win-win

So in the realm of the completely obvious—today starts a couple days on  the relationship between curiosity, fear, and control...

and one thing I can control is my worcount—so this is it for today

Breathing Dash one last gasp?

 

 BREATH —A LAZST GASP?

Well...I’m kidding... this WILL NOT BE THE LAST TIME  we wander. Down the road of breathing... Unless you wish to stop breathing in which case  read fast... 

However...maybe take this three-part entry  series as a beginning..like we are  just in the delivery room and the doctor is holding us by our feet and. Slapping us  on the rump to get us howling and sucking in that. Valuable air.  Now... I don’t remember  my kids getting slapped  when they were born and as Rodney Dangerfield  might remark... when. My kids were born the doctor slapped their father...

Okay moving back to a little more serious time and place—

Here and Now—-

Much of my current awareness of breathing comes from two sources.  Peter Leidy  and John Kabat-Zinn.  

So assuming you all know who Peter is... I’ll start with  JKZ..Now  this person wrote tow books that  helped me understand  about meditation and breathing  as a path  to the meditation /mindful state.   Not only did he write clear and very readable. Books they have great titles..

Full Catastrophe  Living—-

Speaking of 2020 for so many people and my personal favorite title with the possible exception of Green Eggs and Ham—

Where ever You Go There You are.

In both these. Books JKZ  illustrates how people can use breathing to  help people become “mindful—-Now that’s a much-used  trendy self-help word although I’d guess we all could  find some people we would claim are mind-empty.  

Anyway breathing or being aware of  this thing called breathing that we do 20,000 times a day, helps us pay attention to what is happening right here and right now.  It helps us focus on our current state—-not on what happened ye3sterday—so we become aware of the fact that  our concept of yesterday is a present one and not  tomorrow yet.  JKZ makes it clear that today’s  actions  do create tomorrow’s possibilities to some extent.   The point is that when we pay attention —full attention to now we don’t ‘mindlessly tumble  forward or fall where we stand.  

Let me put this another way...

Imagine your life is a walk down a hallway.  At the end of the  hallway there is a door you can see through and on the other side of that door  there appears to be  something you believe you want or need...a goal. The realization  of a purpose so to speak.   Now this  hallway has doors   Indented  on either side... you can see that there are. Doors but can’t see into them.  

So sometimes the hallway will appear scary and you won’t. Go down it... that’s a topic for another. Blog...however let’s say for today you have decided to move. On ahead—In reality life will move you down the hallway whether you  like it or not....again a topic for a different day..

Okay if we stay focused on where the hallway  came from we will likely wander  down the.path looking. Back and  maybe not see the places where the  hallway has tacks  on the floor rotten boards or even worse....

As we pass. The first door on the right moving down the hall there may be a key that just might unlock the door at the end of the. Hall...but if we are not paying attention we may miss it—-stop and breathe and notice the key or  move forward automatically  and miss it...I’d say BREATHE

Breathe again as we pass the  second door on the left.  Stop and really pay attention and you may smell the. Most delicious  cinnamon  rolls ever and looking in you may see the most beautiful garden and from the garden you hear sounds  emerging like birds and what’s that?   Some sweet combination of. Vivaldi, Mozart, and Blue Grass violin (although  the bluegrass will come from a fiddle.  Suddenly you realize that. This door has. Much more to offer than the one at the end of hall and you noticed it because you  were paying real attention to the here and  now which is rally all we have full access to.. You see the rest is only what our mind is imagining  what was and what will be..... You see in that. First door there was  a key....

Well Breathing is the Key to countless doors a if you let it be—I didn’t forget there’s a Beatles” Day coming  before the end of September.  

Okay... contact me directly if you want to hear more about JKN and his books.  

Okay Peter Leidy

Keeping this to the point...he was the first  “regular” Joe I knew who said “I’ve been getting into this “mindfulness” stuff.  Notice I used the word. Regular instead of normal—Normal is a loaded word and Peter might be offended if I used it in describing  him in the here and. Now.   

anyway...we  all benefit. From  knowing people in our network who  highlight their. Curiosity  right out loud.   I’m fortunate to know quite a few folks who  have that kind of courage....

Time to Exhale...

I’ve spent about two hours trying to figure out  how to  finish up this thing on breathing and then it sort of hit me like a ton of featherrs—which weighs just as much as a ton of bricks by the way—

So...since breathing doesn’t stop —well  until it’s over and it’s not over till it’s over...I’ll just say we’re going to  take a step down our hallway of topics for now.... Instead of  closing the topic it may be interesting to  toss some info. About meditation (breathing with a purpose of paying attention)..

Now here’s a cautionary note...if you are reading this info to see  how much you will be accepted  or how much you are like others if you  meditate stop reading  HERE AND NOW

 Otherwise here are some interesting  facts... 

As of about three years ago  it was estimated. That 14% of all Americans  claimed to have tried meditation.  The. Number of children who  currently meditate is  nearing 5%.  The. Number of adults has tripled  in the past two decade as and  the number of children  has increased nearly  tenfold .  So maybe kids are not completely  losing the capacity to  pay attention in this attention economy—

Speaking  of paying attention... I have asked for enough of your attention  for one post...So thank you...close your eyes ...breathe. In  hold think a positive thought. Breathe out—-

A human being’s guide to breathing and thinking

 BREATHING, FEELING, AND THINKING—NOT NECESSARILY IN THAT ORDER

In honor of the fact that each breath is thought to have two basic parts—the inhale  and the exhale  there were going to  be two parts to this “breather” portion of the show.  Then many sources  included a third part to the breath—the “hold” part.  So..now in honor of  my changed perception there will be three parts and this is the second of those.   since most of us can’t hold our breath  all that long I’ll try to make this  middle portion a bit  short, however, if it leaves you gasping for air...well..sometimes it happens.

So what’s the big deal about breathing?  

Here’s some perspective...  

We  make (these days )  probably a dozen or two career/job changes in a lifetime.   We enter into  about that many  romantic relationships some of which result in marriages or long-term partnerships.  Some of these. Are “till death us do part” although it is somewhat worth mentioning. That  when this concept was introduced the average  human being  lived  to the ripe old age of about 24 years old.   Now before I get nasty comments...I have nothing against marriage at all I’m just offering some context.   Some other things that happen repeatedly...

Well we eat on an average 3 to 5 meals a day... We go to the bathroom  lots of times..I’ll have a post about that in  September..... Although  suffice  it to say after  about age 50 it seems like the “view from the throne” is far more frequent.  

If you add all those numbers up... the number of things we do in a day... wow!!!

Yet,  you can go a couple days without water and a couple weeks without  food however. Drumroll....

Breathing and Thinking/feeling are mountains compared to the  molehills of other things we do.

Breathing 

We use our tennis-court sized  lungs to bring in somewhere around  23,000  breathes a day.   In an 80 year lifetime we are talking  over 672 million times.   So... maybe, just maybe, we should give this breathing thing a little attention right?

given this number of breaths we are taking maybe exploring clean fuels and things like. Wind and solar energy aren’t such a bad notion.  Maybe  electric and self-driving efficient  transportation could be a plus?   Okay commercial over...

However, as long as you are going to be breathing anyway why not make it something  gun and interesting?   In yesterday’s post  there was a brief  breathing technique—and there are almost countless others like. It available in books and online.   After all, I didn’t invent breathing and neither did your yoga instructor or Buddha.  

Now let’s set that aside for a second and add a little something called 

Thinking

Science has had a difficult time. Nailing down just how many thoughts we have in a day.  Most  folks agree that it’s somewhere between  12 and 60 thousand  thoughts a day.   Well tha’t like saying  the weather is going to be  partly cloudy.   If you see a cloud any time in the day then it was partly cloudy right?   Okay back to thinking....

Not only do we think a lot —-but not too much I have argued—most folks have  more negative thoughts than positive ones.   In fact the Cleavland Clinic estimates that 80% of  our thoughts might be negative.  Oh and for extra measure  science has started to show us that. 95% of these  negative  thoughts are  repeated .

So how are we supposed to feel good if  the stories we are telling ourselves   Over and over are not the night. Before Christmas” they are  the Nightmare” before  Christmas on Elm Street?   

So  in seeking peace and joy and being armed with these  notions... I suggest that we become a bit more aware of breathing and thinking as a combo.  

Breath in..imagining a healing or  joyful thought...Hold. In the breath and the. “Happy thought” for a few seconds —WARNING IF YOU ARE PETER  PAN YOU MAY TAKE OFF FLYING— and the breath out a negative. Thought... No really actually  imagine the3 last negative thought you have and let it exit your body with the  breath you have held for a second or two.  

does this sound a lot like yesterday?  We’re you breathing yesterday?—and are you still breathing today? ,sorry about  the sarcasm).  

In seeking peace and joy (for me) it is usually  a productive activity to  breath in positive thoughts.  If I do. This  with awareness about  10 minutes a day life seems a bit more  cerntered—

It’s an experiment  I’m sharing and saying I’m just wondering  how it might work for you?

Short of Breath?

Well I promised I would try to keep this. A bit short—sohere’s the wrap...

We breath and think a lot... We hold the breath in us for  a bit.... this provides  an opportunity to explore changing some negative thoughts to positive or creative ones.  

If I’m still breathing  tomorrow or Saturday...then there will be one last gasp at this subject matter for now...

Until then. Know that there’s  something in the air go ahead and instigate...

Peace joy and boomerangsjoy

Add caption

Photo of boomerang

Peace, Joy & Boomerangs

I beat the drum of staying in the present and leaning toward the future—but not too far forward.  Leaning forward. Is just my way of thinking  about creating. Something of value for  my fellow travelers when the creative process cannot be completed immediately.  In the last week or so I drifted back into my high school experience to share some thoughts of gratitude.  Lo and behold, I wound up. On memory lane a bit more than  usual and picked up some  feelings of old regrets.  I thought that I had thrown most if not all of these  away over the last two decades —wrongg!  A couple of them came  flying  back with a bit more. Force and clarity than I would have imagined.  I wasn’t expecting this cosmic boomerang and yet maybe  this is a lesson that can move me  in a good direction when seeking peace and joy.  So I caught the boomerang  yesterday and let it sit. With me. Until a couple minutes ago.  

This. Recent  flashback spree  suddenly  became a source of. Peace and joy when two things happened.  First, when I realized that  some of the people who. Shared my past experience had learned lessons by reflecting on those even in the present hour.  So I tried that and learned that I can be more aware of how my  current actions become not only part of my past, but also  part of what others will think about and learn from when they. Drift back in time at a future point.  That means if people are going to drift back, give them your best effort to create experiences that are rich with the gifts  you have to offer and if they are somewhat. Unique  gifts that’s all the better.  In short, give more right now so that someone else’s boomerang comes back  with  possible wisdom attached.  

The other thing I learned (or am learning) is that it is really important to develop a support system  of friends and information  sources that  keep pulling you forward at least as far as the present.  It’s okay to. Drift back if you do so understanding that it is a way to see how positively you have changed.  If  going back doesn’t create that sort of mirror don’t  go there.  

Yesa and when you are going to  walk down  memory lane watch out for boomerangs. And last. But not least watch your  speedometer because when you hit  88 miles per hour you might. See some serious shit...

Looking forward to writing this tomorrow—Hint think tablets :)

Standing in the middle of the desert waiting for your ship to come in and peace and joy

STANDING. IN THE MIDLE OF THE DESERT WAITING FOR YOUR SHIP TO COME IN?  THERE CAN STILL BE PEACE AND JOY

Standing in the middle of the desert waiting for. Your ship to come in is a line from a Sheryl  Crowe (sp)  song.  You know being at the wrong place at the wrong time waiting for the wrong thing...sort of deal.  

Well for the longest time the question I asked myself when I found myself in that spot was “how did I get here?’  

Of course, that leads to a series of reflections about  all the  choices you should have, would have, and could have” made. It gets me and I suspect many stuck in past mode thinking and  lets us imagine the circumstances that  you were in then are the same as. You are in now—which is simply not the case.  You. Make  decisions in the present without the  benefit or curse of knowing the exact results of the decisions and all the changes the universe  brings about.  

So you are still in the middle of the desert..now what?  

Step 1. Build a big smiley face in the. Sand so in the unlikely event someone flies over they will know someone was there and can  track your. Trail away from that point if they are. Looking for you (we all have someone looking for us.). Then if you absolutely believe anywhere is better than where you are now, pick a point on the horizon and start moving toward it.  Now if you come across a smile on your journey to thatplace one of two things is possible.  You have walked in a circle or someone else is sharing this desert with you.  Either way you have learned something.  Pick another point on the horizon and start out again.  If you reach that point be joyful that you have chosen to be there and by the guidanc. Of yourself and your spirit you have reached a new point.  Draw another smile.  Why?  You’ve earned it!  Eventually, you will learn to get to a place where you want to be or learn you like roaming the desert.  It’s a win-win.  

The difference?  You will stop asking “how did I  get here?” —And Start asking “why am I here right now?”  The answer to thawWill be generally—because I chose to head this way from where I was instead of all the could have would have should haves.”  That is a far more peaceful place.  Drawing the smiles is not only a sign of accomplishment for you, but it can serve as a set of markers to others you wish to teach or help and you guessed it...that is almost always the source of some joy.

So to sum up...we all find ourselves standing in the middle of the desert from time to time.  Don’t spend too much valuable time wondering how  you got there.  it doesn’t help us move anywhere.  Start asking yourself where do I go from here and why and be happy that you have choices.  Draw a lot of smiles—because they help you and others try to understand that Peace is your journey not your destination and Joy is something you share as often as something you collect like stamps or coins or money or houses or (you  fill in the blank.)

Oh and if you thought  today’s  entry was strange...tomorrow the. Topic is “What’sthedifferendce between Meditation and Duct Tape?”  

Have a terrific day and draw a smile for. Someone today....

Chase the blues away with peace and joy

YepSOME DAYS JUST DO  THIS—AND FILL  MY SOUL WITH A SONG—SORRY

So yesterday around  2 my time (as if I own a time lol) Idecided to run up  our small hill of a driveway to get the garbage can.  Given the forecast and how the weather seemed around sun up I didn’t. Expect what I found when I strolled out in my classic  black hoodie.  Now I have had this hoodie for 15 years and I hope to have it a few more... I guess it is one of those things that own me more than I own it.

Okay let’s get down to it.

The day  is freaking spectacular!!  Almost no breeze and the sun is shining brightly.  All of the sudden I’m feeling a rush of joy and peace  and  lo and behold my mind kicks into gear with the following set of lyrics.  For those of you not familiar with the flawed yet marvelous creative mind...this is the crap that happens.....

Anyway here are the words that came bubbling out and the video is below.  Enjoy

Chasing  the Blues. Away

The breeze it is light and 

The sun  it is shining

There’s no one around that. I can hear whining

These are the days that chase the blues away

There’s kids flying kites. And there’s kids blowing bubbles

Makes me forget  nearly all of my troubles

And makes me. Forget that there is any other way

Than how f I  can seek  peace and joy every day

These are the days that chase  all the blues away

I’m going to get my. Guitar and sit out in the sun

And I really don’t care if. My work’s not all done

I’m going to sing. Every song I ever learned how to play

Because these are the days that chase the blues. Away

I’m gonnna grab my guitar and sit  out in the sun

I don’t really care. If my work gets all done

I’m gonna sing every song I  know how to play

And these are the days, these are the days, these are the days that chase the blues away

And here’s a link to some products that will chase your blues away from one of my very first and new sponsors take a look great products for summer

https://whal3n.bigcartel.com/