It’s hard for the New World man to find peace and joy Rest In Peace Neil Peart

In HONOR OF. NEIL PEART DRUMMER

NEW WORLD MAN PERFORMED BY RUSH

Written. By  Neil Elwood PEART )RIP) 

Gary Lee Weinrib & Alex Zivojinovich 

He’s a rebel and a runner 

He’s a signal turning green 

He’s a restless young romantic

Wants to run a big machine

He’s got a problem with his poisons

But you know you’ll find a cure

He’s cleaning up the system

To keep  his nature pure

Learning to match the beat of the old world man

Learning to catch the heat of the third world man

He’s got to make his own mistakes

And learn to mend them as he makes

He’s old enough to know what’s right and young enough not to choose it

He’s noble enough  to win the world and weak enough to lose it

He’s a new worl man

He’s a radio receiver

Tuned to factories and farms

He’s a writer and a ranger

And a young man bearing arms

He’s gat a problem with his powers

Weapons on Patrol 

He’s got to walk a fine line

And keep his self-control

Trying to save the world for the old world man

Trying to pave the way for third world man

He’s not concerned with yesterday

He knows constant change is here today 

He’s noble enough to know what’s right

But weak enough not to choose. It

He’s wise enough to win the world

But. Fool enough to loose it

He’s a new world man 

He’s learning to match the beat of the old world man

Learning to  catch the heat of the. Third world man

HE’S A NEW  WORLD MAN

PHILOSOPHY

Since this is a cross-over. Post  between. My Peace and Joy Blog and the Rock and Roll Philosophy  Blog I’ll try to limit my  comments to those that. Fit both.  Neil “Elwoood” PEART passed onto the never-ending  heart-pounding  solo section of his spiritual life yesterday and boy could he bring it.  Most of the time there was  subtle  joy in his driving  style as he punctuated every Rush  lyric and backed almost any sound that this  remarkable. Three-person  group could crank out.  He was a human. Controlled. Explosion  and yet he never. Covered up  the Rush lyrics which almost always had  a social. Justice or observation  message and made it clear that living in todays world was complicated and changing.  Neil  brought. The group. Right to the edge of the change with his beat all the time and  the lyrics took it the rest of the way.  

In my listening career and that includes a lot of hours I haven’t heard better....I have heard some equal drum solos sometimes because. Let’s face it drummers get possessed by their  spiritual rhythms and  do remarkable things in a flow and peace and joy come in a flow.  

New world man (this song I have  selected among n many) tells us to pay attention to the world around us and differences between the  old and new worlds and all the perspectives  each of us can bring to their experiences.  The song clearly says the  best can happen but it will have to be chosen.  

The  song tells us that those caught in the  new world are well aware of their. Situation and those of their fellow man.  For a  song written nearly 30 years ago  the message of the “new world” generation screams out true even today.  

REST IN PEACE

 Neil

We’ll return to a more. Regular post tomorrow.not change is  going to  be with us now and In HONOR OF. NEIL PEART DRUMMER

NEW WORLD MAN PERFORMED BY RUSH

Written. By  Neil Elwood PEART )RIP) 

Gary Lee Weinrib & Alex Zivojinovich 

He’s a rebel and a runner 

He’s a signal turning green 

He’s a restless young romantic

Wants to run a big machine

He’s got a problem with his poisons

But you know you’ll find a cure

He’s cleaning up the system

To keep  his nature pure

Learning to match the beat of the old world man

Learning to catch the heat of the third world man

He’s got to make his own mistakes

And learn to mend them as he makes

He’s old enough to know what’s right and young enough not to choose it

He’s noble enough  to win the world and weak enough to lose it

He’s a new worl man

He’s a radio receiver

Tuned to factories and farms

He’s a writer and a ranger

And a young man bearing arms

He’s gat a problem with his powers

Weapons on Patrol 

He’s got to walk a fine line

And keep his self-control

Trying to save the world for the old world man

Trying to pave the way for third world man

He’s not concerned with yesterday

He knows constant change is here today 

He’s noble enough to know what’s right

But weak enough not to choose. It

He’s wise enough to win the world

But. Fool enough to loose it

He’s a new world man 

He’s learning to match the beat of the old world man

Learning to  catch the heat of the. Third world man

HE’S A NEW  WORLD MAN

PHILOSOPHY

Since this is a cross-over. Post  between. My Peace and Joy Blog and the Rock and Roll Philosophy  Blog I’ll try to limit my  comments to those that. Fit both.  Neil “Elwoood” PEART passed onto the never-ending  heart-pounding  solo section of his spiritual life yesterday and boy could he bring it.  Most of the time there was  subtle  joy in his driving  style as he punctuated every Rush  lyric and backed almost any sound that this  remarkable. Three-person  group could crank out.  He was a human. Controlled. Explosion  and yet he never. Covered up  the Rush lyrics which almost always had  a social. Justice or observation  message and made it clear that living in todays world was complicated and changing.  Neil  brought. The group. Right to the edge of the change with his beat all the time and  the lyrics took it the rest of the way.  

In my listening career and that includes a lot of hours I haven’t heard better....I have heard some equal drum solos sometimes because. Let’s face it drummers get possessed by their  spiritual rhythms and  do remarkable things in a flow and peace and joy come in a flow.  

New world man (this song I have  selected among n many) tells us to pay attention to the world around us and differences between the  old and new worlds and all the perspectives  each of us can bring to their experiences.  The song clearly says the  best can happen but it will have to be chosen.  

The  song tells us that those caught in the  new world are well aware of their. Situation and those of their fellow man.  For a  song written nearly 30 years ago  the message of the “new world” generation screams out true even today.  

REST IN PEACE

 Neil

We’ll return to a more. Regular post tomorrow.not change is  going to  be with us now and In HONOR OF. NEIL PEART DRUMMER

NEW WORLD MAN PERFORMED BY RUSH

Written. By  Neil Elwood PEART )RIP) 

Gary Lee Weinrib & Alex Zivojinovich 

He’s a rebel and a runner 

He’s a signal turning green 

He’s a restless young romantic

Wants to run a big machine

He’s got a problem with his poisons

But you know you’ll find a cure

He’s cleaning up the system

To keep  his nature pure

Learning to match the beat of the old world man

Learning to catch the heat of the third world man

He’s got to make his own mistakes

And learn to mend them as he makes

He’s old enough to know what’s right and young enough not to choose it

He’s noble enough  to win the world and weak enough to lose it

He’s a new worl man

He’s a radio receiver

Tuned to factories and farms

He’s a writer and a ranger

And a young man bearing arms

He’s gat a problem with his powers

Weapons on Patrol 

He’s got to walk a fine line

And keep his self-control

Trying to save the world for the old world man

Trying to pave the way for third world man

He’s not concerned with yesterday

He knows constant change is here today 

He’s noble enough to know what’s right

But weak enough not to choose. It

He’s wise enough to win the world

But. Fool enough to loose it

He’s a new world man 

He’s learning to match the beat of the old world man

Learning to  catch the heat of the. Third world man

HE’S A NEW  WORLD MAN

PHILOSOPHY

Since this is a cross-over. Post  between. My Peace and Joy Blog and the Rock and Roll Philosophy  Blog I’ll try to limit my  comments to those that. Fit both.  Neil “Elwoood” PEART passed onto the never-ending  heart-pounding  solo section of his spiritual life yesterday and boy could he bring it.  Most of the time there was  subtle  joy in his driving  style as he punctuated every Rush  lyric and backed almost any sound that this  remarkable. Three-person  group could crank out.  He was a human. Controlled. Explosion  and yet he never. Covered up  the Rush lyrics which almost always had  a social. Justice or observation  message and made it clear that living in todays world was complicated and changing.  Neil  brought. The group. Right to the edge of the change with his beat all the time and  the lyrics took it the rest of the way.  

In my listening career and that includes a lot of hours I haven’t heard better....I have heard some equal drum solos sometimes because. Let’s face it drummers get possessed by their  spiritual rhythms and  do remarkable things in a flow and peace and joy come in a flow.  

New world man (this song I have  selected among n many) tells us to pay attention to the world around us and differences between the  old and new worlds and all the perspectives  each of us can bring to their experiences.  The song clearly says the  best can happen but it will have to be chosen.  

The  song tells us that those caught in the  new world are well aware of their. Situation and those of their fellow man.  For a  song written nearly 30 years ago  the message of the “new world” generation screams out true even today.  

REST IN PEACE

 Neil

We’ll return to a more. Regular post tomorrow.not change is  going to  be with us now and In HONOR OF. NEIL PEART DRUMMER

NEW WORLD MAN PERFORMED BY RUSH

Written. By  Neil Elwood PEART )RIP) 

Gary Lee Weinrib & Alex Zivojinovich 

He’s a rebel and a runner 

He’s a signal turning green 

He’s a restless young romantic

Wants to run a big machine

He’s got a problem with his poisons

But you know you’ll find a cure

He’s cleaning up the system

To keep  his nature pure

Learning to match the beat of the old world man

Learning to catch the heat of the third world man

He’s got to make his own mistakes

And learn to mend them as he makes

He’s old enough to know what’s right and young enough not to choose it

He’s noble enough  to win the world and weak enough to lose it

He’s a new worl man

He’s a radio receiver

Tuned to factories and farms

He’s a writer and a ranger

And a young man bearing arms

He’s gat a problem with his powers

Weapons on Patrol 

He’s got to walk a fine line

And keep his self-control

Trying to save the world for the old world man

Trying to pave the way for third world man

He’s not concerned with yesterday

He knows constant change is here today 

He’s noble enough to know what’s right

But weak enough not to choose. It

He’s wise enough to win the world

But. Fool enough to loose it

He’s a new world man 

He’s learning to match the beat of the old world man

Learning to  catch the heat of the. Third world man

HE’S A NEW  WORLD MAN

PHILOSOPHY

Since this is a cross-over. Post  between. My Peace and Joy Blog and the Rock and Roll Philosophy  Blog I’ll try to limit my  comments to those that. Fit both.  Neil “Elwoood” PEART passed onto the never-ending  heart-pounding  solo section of his spiritual life yesterday and boy could he bring it.  Most of the time there was  subtle  joy in his driving  style as he punctuated every Rush  lyric and backed almost any sound that this  remarkable. Three-person  group could crank out.  He was a human. Controlled. Explosion  and yet he never. Covered up  the Rush lyrics which almost always had  a social. Justice or observation  message and made it clear that living in todays world was complicated and changing.  Neil  brought. The group. Right to the edge of the change with his beat all the time and  the lyrics took it the rest of the way.  

In my listening career and that includes a lot of hours I haven’t heard better....I have heard some equal drum solos sometimes because. Let’s face it drummers get possessed by their  spiritual rhythms and  do remarkable things in a flow and peace and joy come in a flow.  

New world man (this song I have  selected among n many) tells us to pay attention to the world around us and differences between the  old and new worlds and all the perspectives  each of us can bring to their experiences.  The song clearly says the  best can happen but it will have to be chosen.  

The  song tells us that those caught in the  new world are well aware of their. Situation and those of their fellow man.  For a  song written nearly 30 years ago  the message of the “new world” generation screams out true even today.  

REST IN PEACE

 Neil

We’ll return to a more. Regular post tomorrow.not change is  going to  be with us now and In HONOR OF. NEIL PEART DRUMMER

NEW WORLD MAN PERFORMED BY RUSH

Written. By  Neil Elwood PEART )RIP) 

Gary Lee Weinrib & Alex Zivojinovich 

He’s a rebel and a runner 

He’s a signal turning green 

He’s a restless young romantic

Wants to run a big machine

He’s got a problem with his poisons

But you know you’ll find a cure

He’s cleaning up the system

To keep  his nature pure

Learning to match the beat of the old world man

Learning to catch the heat of the third world man

He’s got to make his own mistakes

And learn to mend them as he makes

He’s old enough to know what’s right and young enough not to choose it

He’s noble enough  to win the world and weak enough to lose it

He’s a new worl man

He’s a radio receiver

Tuned to factories and farms

He’s a writer and a ranger

And a young man bearing arms

He’s gat a problem with his powers

Weapons on Patrol 

He’s got to walk a fine line

And keep his self-control

Trying to save the world for the old world man

Trying to pave the way for third world man

He’s not concerned with yesterday

He knows constant change is here today 

He’s noble enough to know what’s right

But weak enough not to choose. It

He’s wise enough to win the world

But. Fool enough to loose it

He’s a new world man 

He’s learning to match the beat of the old world man

Learning to  catch the heat of the. Third world man

HE’S A NEW  WORLD MAN

PHILOSOPHY

Since this is a cross-over. Post  between. My Peace and Joy Blog and the Rock and Roll Philosophy  Blog I’ll try to limit my  comments to those that. Fit both.  Neil “Elwoood” PEART passed onto the never-ending  heart-pounding  solo section of his spiritual life yesterday and boy could he bring it.  Most of the time there was  subtle  joy in his driving  style as he punctuated every Rush  lyric and backed almost any sound that this  remarkable. Three-person  group could crank out.  He was a human. Controlled. Explosion  and yet he never. Covered up  the Rush lyrics which almost always had  a social. Justice or observation  message and made it clear that living in todays world was complicated and changing.  Neil  brought. The group. Right to the edge of the change with his beat all the time and  the lyrics took it the rest of the way.  

In my listening career and that includes a lot of hours I haven’t heard better....I have heard some equal drum solos sometimes because. Let’s face it drummers get possessed by their  spiritual rhythms and  do remarkable things in a flow and peace and joy come in a flow.  

New world man (this song I have  selected among n many) tells us to pay attention to the world around us and differences between the  old and new worlds and all the perspectives  each of us can bring to their experiences.  The song clearly says the  best can happen but it will have to be chosen.  

The  song tells us that those caught in the  new world are well aware of their. Situation and those of their fellow man.  For a  song written nearly 30 years ago  the message of the “new world” generation screams out true even today.  

REST IN PEACE

 Neil

We’ll return to a more. Regular post tomorrow.

From Moses to Mozart in the land of Peace And Joy

SOMEWHERE BETWEEN MOSES AND MOZART SEEKING PEACE AND JOY IN YOUR. OWN WAY...

Okay let’s start by admitting sometimes we have a serious week and we haven’t laughed. Enough...that’s been my week.  Have I smiled some—yes, I’m not dead just a little on the somber side.  Therefore today I’m sitting down to.write with that  all too often ignored writing prompt—“What would you write if  someone told you the theme of your writing was “screw this, laugh at yourself and get over. It.”  So  in that spirit...

Moses

I believe there was. A Moses.  I believe he was a leader of some folks who said k”hey we’ve had enough of this slave gig” and through divine intervention and human  ambition they left their captures.  The Ten Commandments... I don’t believe  they were true.  Now, I do believe there may have been  some commandments  that were inspired in the soul of Moses and that somehow  got written on some stone, but  in the Bible  the number. 10 is not very  frequently found.  I think there were.twelve to begin with.  So what happened?  Well  one of two things seem likely.  Moses ran out of space on those. Two pieces of stone or  got tired of writing with a rock on another  rock.  You ever. Tried carving something into a stone while God was watching?  Heck I had trouble diagramming. A sentence  with a nun watching...and that’s small potatoes  by comparison.  The other. Possibility and I think probably  the more likely, is that these commandments were meant for future generations and Moses didn’t understand them so he said let’s stick with this ten and someone else can do the last 2 later.  I’m not going to. Suggest my biblical scholarship is  astute enough to  pinpoint the missing two commandments, however I will offer  five  possible commandments that we should have  learned.

1. thou shalt not keep your remote control near the. Couch—you see we have violated that and men have been wasting  hours of their lives searching  in the hell of commercials as punishment. 
2. Thou shalt  not sell coffee for  over. $1.00 per cup—Now the Jewish  people were still into. Wine and the  majority of civilization was. Heavy into drinking. Different. Forms of ale.   It is  reported that. The workers who built the pyramids were given 5 quartz  of beer as part of their daily pay. 
3. Thou shalt not take the tags off  your matress—it’s a law of the Gentiles now we aren’t sure why so it must be one of the “mysteries.”
4. Thou shalt not have your phone on in the. Movie theater..—Look Moses was writing on a rock and even the Chinese  were only using the abacus ... Somehow getting this one reinstated would  be great does anyone. Have the Pope as a facebook friend:
5. Thou shalt not ever, under any circumstances, tell a pitcher to swing away. On a three ball-no strike count.  If you don’t understand  this one, find any true  baseball  fan and they’ll explain it to you chapter and verse.  

Mozart

Well where to begin...I don’t really know much about.”classical” music, however, if somebody said you have to pick one of the classics to listen to. For a couple hours every day Mozart would get the nod.  Most  of his tunes are quick-paced and “simplee”, yet bold and require musicians  to flow through scales and feel the rises and falls rather. Than sitting back and waiting for the audience to wonder  if this is a serious piecw, hw ahoots a faster higher pitched instrument over the  top  of the bass score and you know right now that this is  a meaningful section.  Also  you know that Mozart. Couldn’t have happened in the time of Moses or any earlier time when writing  things down took a long time.  He uses so many  notes and changes in so few. Measures that he wouldn’t have  made it on two tablets...it would have taken  carving. One side of the Grand Canyon or something...Mozart is probably. The closest thing to  rock ‘n’ roll.  The thing. About Mozart is, for me, I can’t really just play it in the background, I have to pay attention to its flurries and it touches my emotions.  Now, I can listen a bit and then be emotionally  fired up enough to create almost. In any way—write a poem or song—write a blog—edit a photo—reframe a  lingering  problem or puzzle... I. Mean it strikes me in that. Way.  I think it is Mozart that was played in those  “baby” studies that  were conducted and that led to claims that. Playing classical music led to quicker development  or smart babies... My kids heard mostly  social justice. Tunes so when  they were. Two they protested everything.  Oh your kids did that too—well  who do you think was sending them the underground messages through Barney and Sesame  Street?  

Anyway what’s all this have to do with peace and joy?  Moses put out  10 rules and  probably two others that said “treat Mozart people well and here are the boundaries for doing that.  In short, he started a path for us.  Mozart said “hell...I’m a classical guy but screw the elevator, I’m going to jam.  He told musicians to. Grab an idea and run with it...Run till you reach your limit if you have to, but don’t sit around. Wondering what the. Limits of your. Creativity might be.  He’s saying don’t ever. Stop and then say “I wish I would have seen where that road went.”  I find peace in Mosesa and Mozart because they. Created some iconic  tools for running  experiments with  life.  

For  Mozart the 11th commandment  was Thou shall not hesitate to push the creative. Sap ace and your musicians will come along with you.  

Mozart didn’t care that his sound was different.  I doubt if he ever. Even looked at the billboard charts to make sure he was still no. 1.  Mozart wrote for the living... I’ve never heard ay of his classics at a funeral.  So maybe when. I have my ashes  shot from the gun placements at Crapo park into the Mississippi It will be  at the end of some funky. Simon and Garfunkel/Hunger Strike/Metallica/Mozart mash up.  

So to sum upas we head into  2020 approaching peace and joy for me and I imagine for some of you means  building some foundations (Moses) and then  getting the fuel to let yoursaelf fly (Mozart)—I’m with you on that and let’s all use our 20/20 visions  to seek  peace and joy through all the great experiences and experiments that we can have. With every breath we take (no I’m not trying to get the Police’s endorsement) 

Check out Mozart’s music to study by on Spotify .... and come back here soon.  

Peace and joy resolutions for 2020

MY PEACE & JOY  RESOLUTIONS FOR 2020

Yesterday, I checked the “map” of downloads for my podcast which  compliments this blog —I mean it doesn’t  flirt or anything and the podcast doesn’t ask if it looks fat in this  dress—so they are.related and. Add to each other some.  Anyway there have been downloads from 10 countries for the podcast and so that says to me...people are seeking peace and joy in many countries and within. Many cultures.  We live in a complicated and changing world, so that makes sense and prompted me to  share these resolutions I’ve adopted and that are related to peace and joy.  Do I have other resolutions—only one—quit picking dead skin off  my feet—okay TMI but I’m putting it out there because if you are going to take the rest of this semi-seriously, I had to  get to the nitty gritty. Too.

Okay back to the P&J ...

These are not in any particular order—I always like when someone says that and then  puts  things in a list one after another.  Those things are in a particular order just not in an order of fun or importance’s or likelihood to happen... but you can’t put something down without it being in some particular order ...so quit using that phrase okay:  

Resolution  1. Stay focused on real world experiences and let them simmer until  they smuggest the  path to peae and joy that can be reached by. Understanding or reframing these experiences.  In short, keep learning the lessons that the soul is crying  out to learn.  To guide me toward this I plan on spending 20 minutes at the “end of the day” in solid reflections and bypassing  numbing  analysis that I sometimes fall into during exzperiences and that distract me from  the experiencing part.   In short, I want to avoid. Paralysis  by analysis. 

P&J Resolution  2.  Remain flexible, and yet develop some identifiable. Routines.  I have routines and some patterned behaviors., However, from time to time—quite often—I let the clock dictate what I’m doing more than a routine that might lead to more  peace and joy.  For example, if I  wake up after. 7 AM I am  far less likely to meditate,exchange the garbage, do the dishes etc... If I let the feeling I get  by doing these things dictate my behaviors the clock wouldn’t matter as much I’m thinking so I am committed to logging some experiences and. Learn why they don’t or do  execute tasks.  

P&J Resolution 3.  This is a contribution resolution.  I am going to. Contact my old. High school and. Offer to mentor and lead the rebirth  of our school newspaper.  Working on it was a great experience for me and I think it was for others.  I know it will have to be an “on-line” version  and it takes time to develop a staff and a  routine, but  I think every school should have this  as a tool to tell their story and. In the voices of it’s. Students for the most part.  I think a few of my. Fellow classmates would help and some from other. Classes  would probably join in  along with many of today’s students.   Sure am I making this resolution because I want to connect with  my. Old classmates and school?  Well of course.  However, I have learned a thing about  writing and telling mission based stories  over my career and  feel it is important to pass these lessons along.  

Okay do I want to change my body some in the next year—yep..but I have to change my body attitude a little more first... and that  means. The resolution won’t come for a month or two —after my annual physical—a proctology exam has a way of providing motivation from time to time.   

So that wraps it  up for today except for this sentiment that is  pounded out in  two quotes..

In resolving. To do things.. I will not die with my best song still. In me.....and  I’ll die with memories  not with dreams.

More. Tomorrow....3

Four keys to making your New Year’s resolutions happen

MAKING SURE YOUR. NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS DON’T FALL SHORT IN 2020

We are about 54,000 seconds into the new year...more or less so if you haven’t made any resaolutions that’s cool or if you haven’t satarted executing them that’s cool too.  The really nice thing is you haven’t had the3 chance to sabotage  them yet and you. Still have time to remove  many. Of the barriers that. You may run into.  In short, it’s  the perfect time to  enhance your chances of gaining peace and joy in relation to your. New Year’s  commitments to make proactive change.  

fortunately, or unfortunately, that’s up to you to decide, nobody reading this just dropped onto the planet.  So let’s start  with th3e assumption that it is a new year, however, you are carrying over some old crap. From last year.

The first  key to creating  the map to proactively  engaging in new things is to  make yourself a little. Working. Room.  No I’m not talkin g about. Cleaning out the  basement or garage—all that stuff. There if REALLY. GOOD. Even if you have no idea what you have and why—-oh wait that’s me.  I’m talking about making  the mental space needed.  If you are making a resolution  to change something that your past has created—too much weight...not enough  sleep...too much debt etc... then you have alre3ady set up a barrier to  peace and joy by assuming somehow that you have been and are at present a failure in those areas.  If you are  starting with the idea that you have failed before, you reduce your positive energy around that resolution.   So, for example,  maybe you want to weigh 20 pounds less.  Why? Is this because you don’t want someone else. To think you are too heavy?  Is it because you have an idea in your head about what. “Normal”  people look like?  In short,  if your  resolution is about something from the past it is critical to understand the root origin of that resolution because  working on the branches won’t chop down that tree.  You might discover you want to lose weight. Because  you want to feel younger.  Well spoiler  alert you might have the equation  backwards.  It could be that  looking at a bicycle. In the same way. You did at age 10 might get you closer to getting in shape than  riding that bike in order to regain the energy of a  10 year-old.  You want to be able to dance like you did when you were 20?  Then start dancing ... like you were. 20.  Yesa, you  may fall short, but  also remember that when you were 20 you had to learn how to dance too.  In fact, it might have taken you 20 years to learn how to dance like a 20 year-old and your memory might have fooled you into thinking you used to be better than you actually.were.  In short, don’t have targets built on memories and especially  those you’ve already declared yourself a failure  at right now.  For me.. I do want to lose. Weight because I want. To live longer.  I want to live longer because I have  some experiences out there that I still  feel like I’d  learn from and enjoy.  I want to do a better job at respecting this tool called my body as it is what carries a my spirit around.  Therefore, I have a choice to make right now.  I. Can choose to say to myself, “hey you fat loser you’d better quit eating so much and exercise more”, or I can say, “here are some tools that you have that will help you breathe. Better, smile more, share laughter with others more, and do that for a few more years—why don’t you try a few and see how. That feels?”  There is far more peace and joy in the  second way of thinking and feeling....this is a new year I’d rather  not build it on old feelings of failure.

Second, build a resolution team for each of your resolutions.  Find a frie3nd, family member (not always the same thing), writer, poet, singer, etc. or two or three that  is into the same. Thing you are walking. Toward and walk along, sing  along, play along, read along—you get the picture.  People will do this with you, however, you have to let them know you want their. Help or you will work on things together .  Human beings are great at assuming that everyone thinks like them (oh wait that’s me again) however it just might be from time to time a few people  have different ideas than I do and so it wouldn’t hurt to  put them in the loop and get their. Thoughts a and help or in the same  manner of thought it wouldn’t hurt. Me to help them out either.  Two  heads are always better than one (unless you only have one hat).  As a friend of mine often reminds me.... “no one can do everything...but everyone can do something.”

Remember that life is complicated.  That’s the third key to  engaging in  new experiences a in the new year.  Therefore, when you  do A and expect B, don’t be extremely shocked if C happens.  If C happens work from C and if that means detouring through  Q back to B, then enjoy Q while you are passing  through.   Thought like “when I do this that will happen are tricky because there may be some relationship there but  it might. Not be that. This causes that just because this often follows that.  My favorite example of that is  the relationship. Between. Marriage and divorce.  You see there can be a lot of things that  create condisitions for divorce, however if you  look at  the conditions that come before. Divorce, marriage will always show up  on the list.  Everyone who has ever been divorced has been married...but does marriage lead to divorce or cause it?  Before being. Married...you are single so being single leads  to married that then leads. To divorce... so what the heck are you supposed to do?  The point is...be ready to adapt and adjust your pathways to your wanted experiences.  In fact, it might be a  wise idea to make some of your resolutions apply to the3 processes you use to do things and thus. You are recognizing that  you can’t control everything and that life gets messy.  Or as John said “life is what happens while. You make your plans.”

Big Shocker—Work in the spirit of peace and joy...Enjoy the  idea that you have chosen to try something. New and are willing to experience and experiment.  Know that everything you do creates a tool for doing something that  will or at least could  happen in a later present.  Celebrate your work as growth toward many  outcomes and  be  joyful about.that.  Have you ever played a  video game and at the end when you’ve won the game so to speak the  “celebration”  sequence was disappointing?  Have you ever. Read a book where you  were  wanting the crime to be solved, however when all the answers were in the last chapter you were disappointed in how things  worked out?  Well try to avoid that with your resolutions....

Okay let’s sum up this first entry on resolutions for now and. The next post will be the  unveiling of my personal resolutions for 2020.  

To summarize, even if you are working on things from your past...don’t start from the  failure so far launch point.  This is sometimes made easier if  you look. For the root of this  resolution and in some cases you will find you don’t really  even need that  fruit and so you  don’t need to  pay attention to that tree.

Next, Each one of you is special, however, one of the things  that makes many special is their ability to work with others on common goals and dreams.  In order to. Do this it is helpful to form a “resolution team.”  It is also important to know that. Your team will not be the same for all your resolutions.  

Next recognize that life is not a linear experience and. That relationships between people, places, things, and actions are woven. Together in  wonderful and complicated  tapestries of experiences.  Stay aware of this and relax your estimates of  causal control...In short, know that sometimes you’ll row.  Sometimes you’ll swim.  Sometimes you’ll sail.  Heck sometime as you’ll even  surf, however these might. Not be in the order you thought they would happen.

Finally... celebrate your work...celebrate and  respect your  experiments and experiences as you are having them.  In that way  you might not. Spend as much time. Worrying about the celebration at the end.  for, as. We all know, worrying is the worst possible way to use one’s imagination.

Okay welcome to 2020 More tomorrow.

Setting things down part one

AS WE HEAD INTO 2020–AND SOME OF US VOW TO DO MORE...PEACE AND JOY MAY. DEPEND UPON WHAT  YOU DO LESS OF—WEALL MAKE CHOICES ABOUT WHAT WE CARRY FORWARD INTO THE NEW DECADE...THIS IS A LITTLE  ENTRY ABOUT  WHAT MY VOICES INSIDE TELL ME...
There are ghosts and shadows  from my past

The question is how long  they’ll last

Will I learn from them and let them go

Or fear them hence and they will grow

Sometimes my own dark side  comes clear

It has great  power fueled by fear

of things  I’ve said and I have done

Mistakes I’ve made  far more than one.

Thus far  some fears still wear the crown 

While others I’ve  managed to set down

I have learned the lessons  that they carry

But why are some things still so scary?

I think it is that we forget

That answers  sometimes  aren’t known yet

So we carry with us  all the dread 

 Having little faith  in the road ahead.

So I haven’t posted  for a week and I start with this?   What in the world is wrong with me…What does this have to do with  seeking peace and joy?  

Well I suspect  sometimes when we sit and think about the world we all think about  a few great things to come and  also  think about some regrets.  

Well okay maybe it’s  just me who does  that in which case… come back and read tomorrow.

for the first  40 years I lived on this planet…okay about 45 I started trying to answer every question  with  the framework that the answer  was to be found in my past.  I pulled the big dusty book of Jim off the  shelf and reviewed  all my triumphs  and failures searching for answers and often  woke up all the fears of my failures in doing so.  Then when I decided to move forward and actually address these questions of  course I picked up all these ghosts and carried  them  along with me.  

 Then thanks  to a number of circumstances I was  challenged to answer the question—what if you  didn’t  have to try to answer all the questions  in your past before  looking on the path ahead for the  answer to the question in your heart right now?  

Whoa…at first that was  hard and  really  frightening because I had to trust i  had learned all the lessons from my past that I could have learned and  if not..well I was going to leave them behind along with all the scattered  refuse  of my faults.  However, life kept throwing  new things  in my face until I realized that my past experiences were  only weighing  me down and that  from time to time  you must just set that stuff down and walk ahead.  

Eventually  I learned that far more answers lie ahead than ever lie behind and even if there is valuable info in your past…your future will go back and get it without you worrying  about it.  

how can  that be…..well that’s how curiosity  works.  It  allows  you to create and explore using new tools.  Fear holds all the old tools and demands constant attention so you can learn  so little that questions are going to be  very hard to answer and even worse  you are unable to  discover  you might not even be asking the  questions you really need to answer. 

So here’s  my summary  for today… because I’m coming back to this tomorrow.

It is easy to  reflect on  your ghosts because their stry is finished.  We think all our success has come from  our past so the answers  we need in our present  or our near future are  back there too  Well…. some answers lie in the future and curiosity  is a powerful  tool for  finding answers although fear will try to hide some of them.  

When I get  up in the morning I have  a little routine and  you may borrow it….

I pick three questions that i  will try to answer today and ask any of my ghosts if they would  like to walk along to help me find the answers….but I  tell them i am not going to carry them… I know that sounds  goofy..but I don’t care…  

Then In the evening if I have  not found the answers I simply thank the world for showing  me some new lessons and  say a  prayer that  tomorrow  I will wake up with three questions…either the same or different.  I cannot change the past so all I can do is respect the ghosts for a while.  I cannot control the future but I can explore it so  that is what I do.  

So  tomorrow we  are  going to talk about  “Why” did this happen? and how  (I have failed ) and done okay with it.  

After tomorrow…well we’ll see what questions appear.

Have a great  day.  

How deep does peace and joy go

HOW DEEP CAN PEACE AND JOY BE?

Well at least  ankle deep—if you jump in head first.  There’s an old farmers joke including a barn on fire and having to jump into a pig sty… 

Maybe  later in the year I’ll get  into some more farm sayings and then “jumping  in head first will  take on a different perspective.  

For  now (and  as I try  to remind myself now is the only time there really is in the worldly  circumstances  anyway) it’s the different perspective I wanted to  ramble on about.  

As I sit here  typing I think of how  the keys are very easy to press (nothing like the  old manual typewriters they built from  World War I cannon parts) and about how I overtype  some things because the emotions  run high and I have a “heavy thumb.”  Yet in spite of the light feel of the  keys, I sort of feel like I‘m sitting at a piano composing  a mental  melody.  I can arrange a all aligned attitudinal  arsenal  of aaliterations.  Or chime in time with a sublime rhyme too cute for a scholar and to loud for a mime.  I can  hope to take  a journey that spans miles and  miles and  brings  you to tears or  prompts some slight smiles.  

Mostly I can spend a few minutes not  worried about  yesterday’s scoreboard to  triumphs  and stumbles.  I can simply enjoy the word as it tumbles onto the screen in a flash and a flicker—and wish that the thoughts some days would come so much quicker.  However each time I sit here I get a new  view  of what’s inside me and I’ll share it with you.  I get the feeling that my thoughts are just being and these keys are merely their tools for freeing some of  my burdens for a moment or two.  Okay, Okay, I’m just about through.  

when I sit down to type I’m in my own space.  It can be lonely and a scary  new place…. but It can also be a tremendous release  where I  find my mind drifting  directly toward  peace.  And in this place the doubts and demons aren’t hard to destroy because  writing  this with you brings peace and joy… and not just a little it usually quenches my thirst becauseI’m in ankle deep but I dive in head first.  

Well here’s what it boils down to… when I’m writing I open my spirit  and float like a river.  I hope  you enjoy or think about these words I    deliver 

 You can throw them away but some you may keep you see peace and joy can get rather deep 

Removing clutter

This is a top 10 for good reasons.  Mostly because life is more fragmented than ever. Look for more a lot more on this in 2020

Sometimes in life  there is peace and joy from dealing with clutter
 and there is help that allows us


choices https://www.facebook.com/groups/OLDPodcast/permalink/1907103729586849/

Check out some of these. That seem to have some meaning for you.