Or fear the blurry shadows as the light begins to dim
When the buzzer says it’s over as the ball bangs off the rim
As the waves consume the lifeboat and some aboard can’t swim
You can choose to start believing that all of life is grim
But i say grab your Goblet and fill it to the brim
For Karma flips eternally and often on a whim
And your slice of glee and happiness is really not that slim
Things Change
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
Hark ye crooks collecting fees
Stop selling fears it’s a disease
Don’t worship greed with so much ease
And spreading debt through mock degrees
We vow to no more bend our knees
We’ll lift our heads and say -Oh Please
Blood from our stones you shall not squeeze
Today’s that day we choose to seize
Economic Policy
Life today’s a funky gig
Demand folks either zag or zig
Use labels to make small gaps big
Can’t be a Newton AND a fig
Debate lipsticks for every pig
Now change your hair or find a wig
Play some music that you dig
Then tango waltz moonwalk or jig
Of someone’’s bold advice
Smear at fear and roll the dice
Don’t be squeaky like young mice
Or drink cheap champagne on ice
If choice exists then please choose nice
I’ll be glad to tell you twice
Peace and Joy are worth the price
Point your fingers all around
Who’s to blame?—they must be found
Losers chosen Winners Crowned
The clock ticks for it’s tightly wound
Once again that popping sound
In the earth a tiny mound
We place our children in the ground
Political Differences?
Then the breaking story broke
No one laughed for it’s no joke
For with one quite careless stroke
countless giants they did poke
There’s all daggers but no cloak
Like burning gasoline with oak
Civil discourse up in smoke
SocialMedia
At the wheel of fate you wink
As you stand here on the brink
You’ll dare not even blink
Or count how many shots you’ll drink
As the bright sun morphs to pink
And the blue sky turns to ink
Hope conquers as fears shrink
Liquid courage
Maybe some should read it twice
For with very little sacrifice
You hold the latest phone device
Shouting takes not keys nor mice
Yet if you choose not to be nice
You just rolled the cosmic dice
Which can’t be cleaned when dipped in rice
#think first
To those young and to those old
To the meek and to those bold
To those wild and those controlled
If what you seek is gold
Your heart will soon grow cold
Your mind shall turn to mould
And your soul’s already sold
Since there have been and will continue to be various calendars applied to whatever time is on this planet, in this galaxy, within this universe etc and since the world (as we know it) excepting for that pesky concept of conservation of matter/energy—will end we can simply modify when we start counting so that 2022 will mark the end just like the wise old owl tells us that it takes 3 licks to get to the center of a tootsie pop.
So that’s prediction. Number one. Here are nine more predictions and resolutions coming from the seeking peace and joy realm and spanning what’s left of the year.
Resolution and /or Prediction 2 —Sharing thoughts about books....
Yours truly listens to an estimated 500 books a year—yes that means I’m listening to books and music pretty much non-stop. It seems that somewhere other than my gray matter should be used to record at least one quote/concept/thought to be passed along. After all, if any of “Seeking Peace and Joy” ever makes it into a book I want people to record their reflections for further review. So... do unto others. These mini-reviews are probably. Going to be jotted down in some blogs and recorded in frequent podcasts... depending on which instruments of mass instruction are most convenient. At the time. Will the reader have to cross platforms? Yep.... sorry—it’s the 21st century!
Resolution-Prediction 3 –Getting organized—This Blog has over 500 entries....500.... if you would have told me I was required to write 500 entries over the course of a lifetime I may have wiggled a solitary finger and said no way at one point, yet now that we’ve crossed that Rubicon it’s all downhill from here—unless we’re headed in the wrong direction. The point is....it is possible to index the entries and I haven’t done even a half fast (Thanks Mac) job of using labels so readers can weave their way through new and old entries. So... as the munchkins advised the ruby-slippered runaway... let’s begin at the beginning. Starting tomorrow the process of. Making sure each blog will have at least three categories attached to it begins. By the end of 2022 (and hopefully before) every blog entry will be thusly organized. Does it mean there will be some square pegs in round holes? Yep and some triangle screws will be wedged forcibly into trapezoid treehouses too.
Resolution-Prediction 4.
Drink More Water
What? This is self explanatory. I need to drink more water. It can be tap water, bottled water, vitamin. Water, and possibly even fire water (well maybe not so much), however I drink too much stuff with sugar and other ingredients. Now just a note of clarification. There are no such things as artificial flavorings.or colors. Anything you can taste has an actual or real flavor and anything you can see has a real actual color and all ingredients. Are natural unless they are ghosts which might make them supernatural. The point is I need to stay hydrated and do all things possible to enhance my supernatural immunity .
Prediction-resolution 5...
I will be using the restroom more frequently than in 2021.... see resolution-Prediction . Number 4
Prediction-Resolution 6.
If you read this blog (or listen to the podcast) you will have the opportunity to learn at least three new words (foreign or domestic) or novel concepts each month. For example the tiny glob of toothpaste left on the side of the nozzle should be referred to as crest-crust or social media that is blasting stuff your way without your control should be called MMDs Methods of Mass Distraction.
Prediction-resolution 7. I will learn to play 24 songs on the keyboard/piano (and describe these efforts in the SPJU. What’s the SPJU? remember. I said I’d be introducing a new concept? The SPJU is the “seeking Peace and Joy Universe LOL”. so I play a little already and yet it’s meager. I’m not fully engaged most the time when I do and while I can plunk out a mean smoke on the Water or Twinkle Twinkle, its time to be focused enough to echo some real melodies and chords etc. This will include at least 4 songs I write and play specifically. With the keyboard. You see, every instrument has some magic locked inside and like all experiences, unless you “paint the fence”, “sand the floor”< and “wax on wax off” it’s not likely you can gain or share the full meaning within. Therefore I’m diving in and bringing the SPJU along. There is a distinct possibility of failure here... but you’ll miss every shot you don’t take.
Resolution-Prediction 8. More “Poetry”
In the year of 20 and 21 There were some rhymes and they were fun Yet. More of them could have been done Describing prophet, pawn, or nun
for. Rhythmic words cut through the haze of words designed to clear the maze but often just disturb our days In in wacky large and little ways.
Alas new rhymes are now in store on topics one should not ignore IWith hopes of causing laughs galore or thoughts one’s never dared before
resolutions-Predictions 9 & 10 Pointing out Fear and Taking the risk and Responsibility
i will use first person. Entries more often....and shall be open with my fears and condemnation of said fears. These are two separate yet closely linked things. And it seems necessary to come right out and say so. In may of the 500 some odd posts prior to this I have avoided first person language in an effort to distance myself from some of the notions that most the readers (My readers?) have been exposed to and done so because I don’t want anyone to feel targeted or more importantly blame me for targeting ideas and folks. I use terms like “we often” when it would be more accurate to say “you know I often”.... so the thing is... maybe this shows fear and I’m so tired of being afraid and I’m so tired of people being afraid and being sold the fact that they should be afraid. If you are. Afraid. Like everyone else than you AND I. Are cloaking the process of being responsible for inaction. Well though is not enough. If I and maybe we don’t choose risk and responsibility let’s not shout. Out about our “rights” in the coming year. You see living in the now and seeking peace and. Joy really do require acting in an engaged way. They require saying ‘fear” is real, yet it only lasts until we learn to grab lessons from “failure and then fear is just a prompt to provide a menu of risks worth taking. If I want. You to take this blog or the podcast. Into your heart and soul then I have to admit it comes from my heart and soul as fed by the people I know, the people i read, the songs I hear and play and on and on. the time has come for me. To say I am here... it is now... let’s walk forward in the light we can create and share
Peace, Joy, and Love
Jim January 2022
“Extra Life” a recent book by Steven Johnson illustrates how world-wide life expectancy has doubled over the last century. So … in seeking peace and joy terms it would seem. We ll have at least a moment or two for taking a second to respond rather than react. If we find it difficult to slow down then how about we wrap our head around the concept of being in a hurry to listen? If not that, then at least we might unload our verbal cannons until we make certain we aim at the right targets. These are the thoughts behind the “Eight Line Rhyme.Time below.
Be you in a group or here alone
If common sense. Has somewhat flown
This rhyme will toss you all a bone
Say something that should be widely known
While quick you’re tempted to share a groan
Resist. The whine and mute the moan
Remember. Not to hurl a stone
For it’s glass houses we that you may own
Breathe First
Today marks the 101st anniversary of women getting the right and responsibility to vote. While in many ways seeking equality is a part of my seeking peace and joy, I think it’s best to celebrate the strengths of each person on the planet. I’ve known a lot of strong women including Catholic nuns…
So as irreverent as it may seem/be this eight line rhyme time is for them.
We all saw the rancid rabbit
The sweat drops rolled out we had to dab it
Should we give chase or try to jab it
Quite frankly could we even grab it?
Who has the guile and guts to nab it?
The Monks all failed complained the abbot
The Ninja Nun hiked up her habit
Let loose her dagger and sure did stab it
STRONG WOMEN
I can’t quite imagine every topic on this earth
Needs the entire world to recognize my humble two cents worth
No pretending play dough pondering need seem like they’re carved in granite.
I needn’t hold opinions ‘bout all folks across the planet
It’s perfectly acceptable to admit “oh no, I haven’t. Seen it.”
You can swear you don’t care especially when you mean it
I am not the Judge my words are just suggestions
So I propose you question answers just as you answer questions
Chorus
You see I am not your judge and I am not your jury
There’s no claiming facts are clear if many still are blurry
If you’ve got no time to listen Oh..what’s your bloody hurry?
When we could all work together or alone mix fear and fury
No No No No No
I am not your judge—-No I am not your jury
Verse 2
There is no harm in smiling as you say I haven’t learned that yet
The things in life that baffle us won’t approach an empty set
You needn’t be a ruler with delusions of defining
Which clouds will only rain and which have a silver lining
Don’t declare your lot is awe full when at least half the time it’s awesome
or be quick to say that thing’s a weed give it a chance to blossom
Chorus
