The conversation was about "The Woodshed"..
In the lexicon of a musicians world, to "Woodshed" means to go and practice hard. Supposedly it originates from people who would go into actual woodsheds for privacy and not being disturbed so they could practice, and hone their skills without being heard by others. So for us musicians "Shedding" or "In the Woodshed" is our serious version of figuring some musical ideas out, or working on something that is giving us trouble, and we need to drill it, so that it becomes muscle memory, and is flawless. It takes a tremendous amount of time, discipline, and energy to devote to the aspect of this because it is tedious sometimes, and repetitive, and full of moments of failing whatever it is that is trying to be accomplished. There are extremely frustrating moments when you believe that you have something down to a tee, only to discover that you only have a grasp of just an aspect of what you are trying to do, and not the whole "Enchilada". It is humbling and sometimes all consuming as you look for ways to reach inside yourself , and guide your mind and body to do what you want it to, because nothing is more frustrating than your mind knowing absolutely what it needs to do, but the physical nature of what you want hasn't caught up yet. I am using music as my ground zero for this idea, but "The Woodshed" although a part of music jargon applies to way more things than just music.
Everyone who has to execute something in some way, whether it be Music, Gymnastics, Skating, other sports, Painting, Writing, or an aspect of displaying some particular skill to others, or performance individually or within a group has their own particular Woodshed that they have to retreat to in order to get better at what they do. Everyone who does something like this has a particular level that they desire to reach and the woodshed is the place where that level resides. You have to know what that level is, and you have to be committed to reaching that level and understand when it is time to retreat to the shed where you can work on it. The "Shed" is not only a physical place, such as your room, a court,or some sort of practice venue, but it is also a state of mind that you have to reach in order to attain the tenacity and accept the repetitive nature of what you are doing in order to actually be able to repeat it again and again. Which means you have to like being in the shed, because despite what performance aspects you may come across, and how much you are able to take what you do and display it to others, most of your valuable time will be spent in the shed. In fact probably 90% of what you do concerning your craft will be spent practicing. If you don't practice, don't bother, because whatever you do will be short lived anyway. You have to not only want to be in the shed practicing, you have to actually like it more than the performance aspect because the performance aspect is the end result reward. The actual journey is the practice that takes place to achieve the reward, and the journey of getting better, and seeing what you can do is where you get the meat and potatoes of your craft. Liking the shed is crucial to expanding yourself, because if you don't like practicing, then you won't with any sort of conviction. And no conviction means no intensity. And intensity is not to be turned on and off like a ceiling fan. Intensity has to be there from the shed through the execution of the end result, but practice will help you with the tenacious nature that you need to have all of the time, lying in wait..Not off, but turned down to a low volume, and blasted loudly when needed.
The shed has to be a regiment. A part of your lifestyle if you are going to be the best that you can be. If it takes an hour a day to be in the shed doing something, then make it so. If it takes more than that, or if it is once every two days, or once a week, you will make it work, if you are committed to doing what you set out. Whatever amount or frequency of time that you require to be in the shed, you have to do it. The Shed will be something that you not only want to do and like to do, but have to do, or else your equilibrium will be off, and you will feel that you have lost something. And the truth of the matter is that you will have lost something. You will have lost vital time to be better for your own sake. Not for someone else, or even in competition with someone else. In everything that we all do, there will always be someone better at something. The more you accept that, the more you can not focus on it, and just concentrate on the aspect of your own self, and what you need to do. Worrying about , and focusing on someone else and what they do, only makes you weaker, and takes your energy away from yourself. It is a backdoor empowerment aspect for someone else when you try to figure out what they are doing.
Whatever you do, your shed should be your shed alone. if you have desire, commitment, goals, and a belief in yourself, you will do what it takes to execute, realize your flaws, and go to the shed to focus. It is you who has to push yourself in the long run. People can motivate you, inspire you, and encourage with great support, but in the end you will reach a plateau, and a crossroads..Continue onward to get better, or settle, and be satisfied. There awaits the shed. To greet you with open arms or to be intimidating and something to be feared. Being in the woodshed is the happiest place to be because there is only one person to please. Yourself, and usually The biggest critic is ones self, but that is good because trying to be the best you can be for only yourself is the greatest feeling in the world. Make the woodshed a refuge, and happy place for yourself, and you will shine in the end, and even if no one on the outside of the shed notices, the person on the inside of the shed is the one that matters the most. Take him or her to the limits. The reward is you. ....And that is exactly how it should be.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Monday, March 19, 2012
In Like Yin: The balance of needed self love
It is not an easy thing in this world to walk around and feel good about ones self. There are always people who say and do things to take you down a peg for no other reason than they feel they have to. All of us experience doubt about our abilities, our looks, our thoughts on things, and there are always people who capitalize on that simply because they need a boost in their own self esteem that seems to come from tearing others down. They seem to flourish from negative aspects, and revel in confrontations that involve trying to show someone just how smart they are. They will even announce that they are smart, as if to try to solidify this idea into their own mind, while at the same time telling others that they have no clue in life. For people to do this, there is something lacking within themselves that tells them they must divert the attention from their own low self esteem, and put the spotlight on some made up criteria that they put forth to mask one thing: They are in love with themselves, but don't love themselves.
Loving ones self is an important piece of life's puzzle. Once you learn how to love yourself, and yes it is a learned skill, you can go about the day with confidence, and not cockiness. Loving ones self does not mean megalomania. There are too many people who get this confused, the love of themselves is really an "In love" with who they see themselves to be, and not who they are. We as people are flawed, and fragile, and life's events can accentuate those flaws, and also crack the vase of who we are, spilling out all kinds of fears, doubts and questions about self. If you love yourself, you will be able to accept those flaws and try to make them better, or realize that it is part of you. Trying to improve ones self is a crucial part of loving yourself, because you are trying to be the best "you" possible. Not for someone else, or a situation, but because you feel that you deserve the best "you" that you can be. It is the Yin and Yang of our inner emotional works, where respecting who you are, and your differences from other people can help you to appreciate others, and respect them without feeling the xenophobia that too many people feel because they lump people into some hate filled stew, because they are different, or because they have a different perspective on life. Respect is the key word that loving yourself will generate because love is humbling, and loving yourself makes you open to new people, and you will want to see what they think about life because there is the acknowledgement that you don't know it all, so you will try to acquire as much knowledge as possible to improve yourself.
People who love themselves have an inner peace about them. They don't feel the need to announce how smart they are, or thrust their opinions upon anyone that they want to be in conflict with. When asked, they will tell you their opinion, and be more than happy to discuss things in an adult fashion without screaming, or idiocy, and if that person disagrees, then it is just as rewarding to excuse themselves from the conversation if it escalates, because constructive conflicts are good..Arguments are not. Those who love themselves do not have to begin every sentence with "I". It is usually not about them. It is about discovery, and the only way to discover is to listen. Those who love themselves never have to be right all of the time, and will accept the fact that they could be wrong about many things. Life is for growing, and those who love themselves always want to expand that particular horizon. They will also choose to surround themselves with people who respect others, and themselves also, because life is chaotic enough without others to perpetuate more chaos around you.
Those "In love" with themselves are in their eyes, always right, seem to be obsessed with proving people wrong, and are constantly seeking attention by conflict. Yes they will tell you that they love themselves, but in reality, if one loves themselves, there is no need to carry on in such a manner to build up self esteem. They are in love with who they see themselves to be which is not based in reality. That is why you have so many bullies that carry from childhood all the way through adulthood and seem to need to "prove" something to everyone. They will speak loudly so everyone can hear them, and surround themselves with anything that can keep their self esteem afloat, all in an effort to get people to see them the way they see themselves.
Is this a negative post? I don't think so because I am trying to promote the idea of people loving themselves, and then once that happens they can respect others, and judge each individual one on one. Being comfortable in your own skin, and who you are, means that honestly you will be less likely to be a loud mouthed idiot, which of course the world has no shortage of. Hatred of other people, blaming others for failures, and simple things like divisive conversations of opinion, would be curbed if people just loved themselves enough to be comfortable with the fact that not everyone thinks like them. Love and respect yourself, because you are the only thing that you own outright in the world. Do whatever it takes within you to face your flaws, be a good person, and have the Yin and Yang of your two sides live in harmony together. It sometimes will take half of your life to get to this point, but the journey of you is even better than the arrived destination. And once you arrive, you can look in the mirror, and say, "What's not to love?"
Loving ones self is an important piece of life's puzzle. Once you learn how to love yourself, and yes it is a learned skill, you can go about the day with confidence, and not cockiness. Loving ones self does not mean megalomania. There are too many people who get this confused, the love of themselves is really an "In love" with who they see themselves to be, and not who they are. We as people are flawed, and fragile, and life's events can accentuate those flaws, and also crack the vase of who we are, spilling out all kinds of fears, doubts and questions about self. If you love yourself, you will be able to accept those flaws and try to make them better, or realize that it is part of you. Trying to improve ones self is a crucial part of loving yourself, because you are trying to be the best "you" possible. Not for someone else, or a situation, but because you feel that you deserve the best "you" that you can be. It is the Yin and Yang of our inner emotional works, where respecting who you are, and your differences from other people can help you to appreciate others, and respect them without feeling the xenophobia that too many people feel because they lump people into some hate filled stew, because they are different, or because they have a different perspective on life. Respect is the key word that loving yourself will generate because love is humbling, and loving yourself makes you open to new people, and you will want to see what they think about life because there is the acknowledgement that you don't know it all, so you will try to acquire as much knowledge as possible to improve yourself.
People who love themselves have an inner peace about them. They don't feel the need to announce how smart they are, or thrust their opinions upon anyone that they want to be in conflict with. When asked, they will tell you their opinion, and be more than happy to discuss things in an adult fashion without screaming, or idiocy, and if that person disagrees, then it is just as rewarding to excuse themselves from the conversation if it escalates, because constructive conflicts are good..Arguments are not. Those who love themselves do not have to begin every sentence with "I". It is usually not about them. It is about discovery, and the only way to discover is to listen. Those who love themselves never have to be right all of the time, and will accept the fact that they could be wrong about many things. Life is for growing, and those who love themselves always want to expand that particular horizon. They will also choose to surround themselves with people who respect others, and themselves also, because life is chaotic enough without others to perpetuate more chaos around you.
Those "In love" with themselves are in their eyes, always right, seem to be obsessed with proving people wrong, and are constantly seeking attention by conflict. Yes they will tell you that they love themselves, but in reality, if one loves themselves, there is no need to carry on in such a manner to build up self esteem. They are in love with who they see themselves to be which is not based in reality. That is why you have so many bullies that carry from childhood all the way through adulthood and seem to need to "prove" something to everyone. They will speak loudly so everyone can hear them, and surround themselves with anything that can keep their self esteem afloat, all in an effort to get people to see them the way they see themselves.
Is this a negative post? I don't think so because I am trying to promote the idea of people loving themselves, and then once that happens they can respect others, and judge each individual one on one. Being comfortable in your own skin, and who you are, means that honestly you will be less likely to be a loud mouthed idiot, which of course the world has no shortage of. Hatred of other people, blaming others for failures, and simple things like divisive conversations of opinion, would be curbed if people just loved themselves enough to be comfortable with the fact that not everyone thinks like them. Love and respect yourself, because you are the only thing that you own outright in the world. Do whatever it takes within you to face your flaws, be a good person, and have the Yin and Yang of your two sides live in harmony together. It sometimes will take half of your life to get to this point, but the journey of you is even better than the arrived destination. And once you arrive, you can look in the mirror, and say, "What's not to love?"
Friday, March 16, 2012
Insane In The Vain: Chasing and focusing on the right beauty
As some people get older in life, they face a tremendous crossroads that sometimes keeps them hostage until the end of their days here on earth. They spend incredible amounts of dollars if they are able, and tremendous hours of time trying to slow down or even stop the one thing that they have no control over...Time. They will constantly look for ways to hold onto youthful appearances, and dwindle bank accounts trying to Botox something, tuck something else, get rid of lines here, or grey there, and putting a lift on other things that age naturally withers, and takes away. Now I am not talking about someone who has had a surgery and desires to fix a scar, nor am I talking about the people who desire to enter a gym, and exercise, or even develop a lifestyle of eating right. Those things will obviously help with the internal aspects of youthfulness in the long run, and believe it or not, they have a hand in keeping the mind sharp and focused. What I am talking about is this obsessive chase for maintaining, or finding beauty in the vanity of ones self. Insane in the vain. People lose their minds when they have grey hair, when they have lines in their face or when they see their parents in the mirror in the morning. The problem is that the beauty that we all should really seek is not superficial within someone's face, or on the edge of some plastic surgeon's scalpel. The beauty that we should seek is within us and around us.
This world that particularly us Americans inhabit is so unforgiving. The personal demands upon each of us is taxing, and the peripheral distractions of life and everything takes its toll on not only our external features, but it also jades and erodes our inner gauge for perspective. Because of the demands of people upon us, and us upon other people, we sometimes develop a distorted view of just what beauty is, because we are always not only dealing with things on some sort of superficial level, but we are told by media, and by other people just what beauty is represented by. Look at any billboard from the highway, or any advertisement that comes up on the internet, and some person who is supposed to be beautiful is selling a product, or idea, or concept that their own personal beauty is supposed to be the guideline and standard bearer for. Instead of what is being sold, or put forth, it becomes now a beautiful person. This is where people get screwed up, because they begin to think that the superficial beauty of themselves should be the focus of how they will gauge worth, and value. Aging becomes an issue when it shouldn't because if we are fortunate, we will all age. Some better than others physically, but that's not where true beauty lies, or where one should want to stop the appreciation.
Beauty is everywhere. It was here before all of us were born, and it will be here long after we are all dead and turned to dust. Beauty exists in every single aspect of nature..It exists in architecture, it exists in the sky, and at your feet.It exists as sounds in the morning and evening in the form of birds, and Bullfrogs, and Crickets, and it exists in the mechanical human made world that we go about doing our business in daily. Missing this beauty is our biggest crime, because it is so easy to see, and it doesn't take that much effort to constantly immerse ones self in it.
The importance of acknowledging, respecting and stopping to look at the beautiful existing things around means that you put yourself in perspective. Yes one likes to look as good as one looks, because it's not realistic for me to say that we should not have any vanity at all. But when you realize that beauty is all around you, you will not be obsessed with your own physical shortcomings or perceptions of those. You will not compete with other people for beauty, and to compete with nature is just futile. So in a sense it frees you to focus on the inner beauty that you and other people possess, because you then acknowledge that there is something much bigger than you. And your physical beauty by certain standards becomes fleeting, and unimportant. You will not be preoccupied with fighting father time with expenses, because you will be too busy reveling in the beauty of other things besides your outer self. Appreciating the other beautiful things out there does wonders for your overall inner beauty because you have inside of you, respect, admiration, and appreciation for something other than yourself..And that in itself is beautiful.
The chase for beauty should not be one of vanity, but one of deeper beauty, which is worldly and inner. Why obsess and spend tons of money and time focusing on the the outer house of yourself, because when that goes, and you begin to give up attempts at perfecting some fantastical "look", you will realize that you never were in the scheme of things in the right chase. And it will be a sad day because of all the energy, time, and money that was spent could have been saved, and just appreciation for the true beauty of life, nature, and people could have possibly given you happiness, but instead you spent life worrying about crow's feet around the eyes.
Stop, take a deep breath, look and listen. You will see the important beauty around you, and it will absolutely floor you and leave you breathless when you try to take it in. It exists outside of not only your doorstep, but outside of your realm of regular appreciation of things. You have to step out of that box to accept the fact that beauty,and I mean true beauty has no boundaries, no age limit, no color, and sometimes no physicality. It is within you, and it is around you, and it is forever. And when you step out of that small box that we all sometimes seem to exist in and inhabit, and look at it that way, a mirror is the last thing that you will care about.
This world that particularly us Americans inhabit is so unforgiving. The personal demands upon each of us is taxing, and the peripheral distractions of life and everything takes its toll on not only our external features, but it also jades and erodes our inner gauge for perspective. Because of the demands of people upon us, and us upon other people, we sometimes develop a distorted view of just what beauty is, because we are always not only dealing with things on some sort of superficial level, but we are told by media, and by other people just what beauty is represented by. Look at any billboard from the highway, or any advertisement that comes up on the internet, and some person who is supposed to be beautiful is selling a product, or idea, or concept that their own personal beauty is supposed to be the guideline and standard bearer for. Instead of what is being sold, or put forth, it becomes now a beautiful person. This is where people get screwed up, because they begin to think that the superficial beauty of themselves should be the focus of how they will gauge worth, and value. Aging becomes an issue when it shouldn't because if we are fortunate, we will all age. Some better than others physically, but that's not where true beauty lies, or where one should want to stop the appreciation.
Beauty is everywhere. It was here before all of us were born, and it will be here long after we are all dead and turned to dust. Beauty exists in every single aspect of nature..It exists in architecture, it exists in the sky, and at your feet.It exists as sounds in the morning and evening in the form of birds, and Bullfrogs, and Crickets, and it exists in the mechanical human made world that we go about doing our business in daily. Missing this beauty is our biggest crime, because it is so easy to see, and it doesn't take that much effort to constantly immerse ones self in it.
The importance of acknowledging, respecting and stopping to look at the beautiful existing things around means that you put yourself in perspective. Yes one likes to look as good as one looks, because it's not realistic for me to say that we should not have any vanity at all. But when you realize that beauty is all around you, you will not be obsessed with your own physical shortcomings or perceptions of those. You will not compete with other people for beauty, and to compete with nature is just futile. So in a sense it frees you to focus on the inner beauty that you and other people possess, because you then acknowledge that there is something much bigger than you. And your physical beauty by certain standards becomes fleeting, and unimportant. You will not be preoccupied with fighting father time with expenses, because you will be too busy reveling in the beauty of other things besides your outer self. Appreciating the other beautiful things out there does wonders for your overall inner beauty because you have inside of you, respect, admiration, and appreciation for something other than yourself..And that in itself is beautiful.
The chase for beauty should not be one of vanity, but one of deeper beauty, which is worldly and inner. Why obsess and spend tons of money and time focusing on the the outer house of yourself, because when that goes, and you begin to give up attempts at perfecting some fantastical "look", you will realize that you never were in the scheme of things in the right chase. And it will be a sad day because of all the energy, time, and money that was spent could have been saved, and just appreciation for the true beauty of life, nature, and people could have possibly given you happiness, but instead you spent life worrying about crow's feet around the eyes.
Stop, take a deep breath, look and listen. You will see the important beauty around you, and it will absolutely floor you and leave you breathless when you try to take it in. It exists outside of not only your doorstep, but outside of your realm of regular appreciation of things. You have to step out of that box to accept the fact that beauty,and I mean true beauty has no boundaries, no age limit, no color, and sometimes no physicality. It is within you, and it is around you, and it is forever. And when you step out of that small box that we all sometimes seem to exist in and inhabit, and look at it that way, a mirror is the last thing that you will care about.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
The Need...For Greed: The inner mess of excess
One of the first words out of all of our mouths besides "Mama" or "Juice", is the word "Mine". It's a word that we all learn to use to describe something that is of value to us, or something that really has no value other than the fact that as a child, something made us feel strong like a big person, and nothing makes a child feel stronger than the ability to claim possession of something. When we said "Mine" as a child, we finally had control in a world where we had no control, because we were told what to do, when and how to do it, and stopped from doing other things. So being able to say mine was a rare treat because it gave us a rare sense of power, and control, and even at that young of an age, in human beings that is rocket fuel for self esteem. As we get older possessions, and accumulations become essential as we are told to "Get" this, "Have" that, and that we must "Acquire" things in order to not only function in society, but to be accepted into it. We are bombarded with hidden, and not so hidden messages daily that say if you don't have a certain something, then you are less of an individual. So adapt the concept of "Mine" and plow through anyone that stops you from accumulating. The manifestation of this concept for many becomes one word, and one word only..Greed.
Greed is always one step behind most of us, as we are all guilty of accumulating just for its own sake. We take more than we actually need, because we are in the mindset of either running out, with the inability to replenish, or that someone will take that something away. Human beings are the only animal that develop the concept of mortality, so the idea of greed comes into play because people tend to believe that living life to the fullest requires having "stuff". Whether that "stuff" be money, material things, power, or where they live, the brainwashing is begun at a young age, and quite a few of us fall into the trap of "Mine". Because "Mine" means "Not yours" and what's mine is just that. In order for some to believe they have worth, they must have as much of "Theirs" as possible. The more they can get of theirs means that their lives are worth more. And this permeates into all avenues of their thinking. When it does, it just doesn't matter what aspect it is for that person, more becomes essential, and the feeling of getting that "more" leads to satisfaction. Not only satisfaction, but some insatiable lust where nothing seems to satisfy that individual. They must have the latest this, the greatest that, purchase more than they can possibly consume, and waste more than most people consume, just because they can, and they feel that they should not have to share a minutia of something that they have because everyone should according to them have the same mentality.
I am not talking about the desire to provide a home for ones self, or the pride of providing for ones family, or the goal of having a good job..That is not what I am referring to at all, because there is a distinct difference between supplying ones self because of personal need, and pathological acquisitions that go completely overboard. Greed turns people into sharks who smell blood in the waters, and will trample over anything and everyone to get something that they really don't need, but justify it by saying that it is their right to have it. There is only so much that a person can use, whether it be money, resources, land, food, or just personal items, but the person who is a slave to greed doesn't see it that way, and gets very insulted when it is suggested that they have enough already. Greed is a disease that really has no cure because acquiring becomes the gauge for happiness, and that euphoria of having and hoarding only lasts for so long until it has to be fed again. The true happiness that comes from existence is never obtained by the greedy individual, because existence doesn't define them. The word "Mine" does.
It's every person's right to be able to obtain what they want in life, and I won't begrudge anyone for trying to obtain whatever it is that they feel makes them happy. What I have a hard time with is the fact that most people who are slaves to greed, do all kinds of things to step over individuals who are helpless in their wake, who are in the eyes of the greedy one "in the way" of their progress. They will also deceive, lie, and manufacture deflections from themselves so that while others are preoccupied with pending situations, and looking at shiny objects, they can figure out just how to obtain something for themselves that is really unnecessary but acquiring, and having more, is the drug of their choice.
This is the reality of the world we live in. Greed is not limited to one group of people or one type of person. No one is immune to moments of greed, but what you can avoid is being a slave to it. It would be a wonderful world if everyone just took what they needed, or obtained just enough where they could function in whatever capacity they wished, but as it is, there are those where enough is just not enough, and the acquisition of more begets the desire for even more. And it is the concept of more that makes them feel somewhat immortal, and powerful. You can't take anything with you when you die, but greed somehow makes you feel that you are defying life's odds while you are here. The unforeseen price is that you are just creating a mess for yourself, as your existence depends upon actions, whereas people who are not slaves to greed can live, and not merely exist. And to them living, and breathing, and admiring the world and people around them, while trying to be good and honest is the greatest reward ever. Do they need things to exist, and live? Yes, but those ideas of what they need for themselves and their families are more based in the reality of usage, rather than storage.
My point about this blog is to point out that greed is a negative condition (or vice) that has caused more chaos in history than any other of the "7 cardinal sins" all because it always revolves around the action of taking something that has the word "Mine' attached to it, even if it wasn't yours to begin with. Because if it wasn't yours, it belonged to someone else. And we all know what happens when two entities claim ownership of something. Someone wants to take, and someone has to defend. It's harsh, it's never ending, it's powerful, and it cannot be stopped no matter how hard we all try. It's greed, and for some people, it's what's for dinner..
And it all starts with the word.."Mine".
Greed is always one step behind most of us, as we are all guilty of accumulating just for its own sake. We take more than we actually need, because we are in the mindset of either running out, with the inability to replenish, or that someone will take that something away. Human beings are the only animal that develop the concept of mortality, so the idea of greed comes into play because people tend to believe that living life to the fullest requires having "stuff". Whether that "stuff" be money, material things, power, or where they live, the brainwashing is begun at a young age, and quite a few of us fall into the trap of "Mine". Because "Mine" means "Not yours" and what's mine is just that. In order for some to believe they have worth, they must have as much of "Theirs" as possible. The more they can get of theirs means that their lives are worth more. And this permeates into all avenues of their thinking. When it does, it just doesn't matter what aspect it is for that person, more becomes essential, and the feeling of getting that "more" leads to satisfaction. Not only satisfaction, but some insatiable lust where nothing seems to satisfy that individual. They must have the latest this, the greatest that, purchase more than they can possibly consume, and waste more than most people consume, just because they can, and they feel that they should not have to share a minutia of something that they have because everyone should according to them have the same mentality.
I am not talking about the desire to provide a home for ones self, or the pride of providing for ones family, or the goal of having a good job..That is not what I am referring to at all, because there is a distinct difference between supplying ones self because of personal need, and pathological acquisitions that go completely overboard. Greed turns people into sharks who smell blood in the waters, and will trample over anything and everyone to get something that they really don't need, but justify it by saying that it is their right to have it. There is only so much that a person can use, whether it be money, resources, land, food, or just personal items, but the person who is a slave to greed doesn't see it that way, and gets very insulted when it is suggested that they have enough already. Greed is a disease that really has no cure because acquiring becomes the gauge for happiness, and that euphoria of having and hoarding only lasts for so long until it has to be fed again. The true happiness that comes from existence is never obtained by the greedy individual, because existence doesn't define them. The word "Mine" does.
It's every person's right to be able to obtain what they want in life, and I won't begrudge anyone for trying to obtain whatever it is that they feel makes them happy. What I have a hard time with is the fact that most people who are slaves to greed, do all kinds of things to step over individuals who are helpless in their wake, who are in the eyes of the greedy one "in the way" of their progress. They will also deceive, lie, and manufacture deflections from themselves so that while others are preoccupied with pending situations, and looking at shiny objects, they can figure out just how to obtain something for themselves that is really unnecessary but acquiring, and having more, is the drug of their choice.
This is the reality of the world we live in. Greed is not limited to one group of people or one type of person. No one is immune to moments of greed, but what you can avoid is being a slave to it. It would be a wonderful world if everyone just took what they needed, or obtained just enough where they could function in whatever capacity they wished, but as it is, there are those where enough is just not enough, and the acquisition of more begets the desire for even more. And it is the concept of more that makes them feel somewhat immortal, and powerful. You can't take anything with you when you die, but greed somehow makes you feel that you are defying life's odds while you are here. The unforeseen price is that you are just creating a mess for yourself, as your existence depends upon actions, whereas people who are not slaves to greed can live, and not merely exist. And to them living, and breathing, and admiring the world and people around them, while trying to be good and honest is the greatest reward ever. Do they need things to exist, and live? Yes, but those ideas of what they need for themselves and their families are more based in the reality of usage, rather than storage.
My point about this blog is to point out that greed is a negative condition (or vice) that has caused more chaos in history than any other of the "7 cardinal sins" all because it always revolves around the action of taking something that has the word "Mine' attached to it, even if it wasn't yours to begin with. Because if it wasn't yours, it belonged to someone else. And we all know what happens when two entities claim ownership of something. Someone wants to take, and someone has to defend. It's harsh, it's never ending, it's powerful, and it cannot be stopped no matter how hard we all try. It's greed, and for some people, it's what's for dinner..
And it all starts with the word.."Mine".
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
What's It Worth Day: Reflection and Projection
As I have the opportunity to have another birthday in life, I think about important things as I guess quite a few people do on their birthdays. At a certain age You reflect upon your past, and what you've done, Kind of proud of certain things in life, while cringing at others. You also take a gander around you and feel out where you are standing at the moment. what your life is like, Who you have around you at the present time, and what your state of mind is. The last thing that you think about is where you are headed. Because there is always somewhere you think you have to be. Whether it be physical, or mental. Sometimes the right now is only good enough until birthdays come around, because birthdays have a way of reminding us of our mortality. There are no bigger mixed feelings for some than to be at the crossroads of appreciating the aspect of getting older, and dreading it at the same time.
Some people get depressed at their birthdays for a myriad of reasons. Since I understand human nature I get why that happens, but I could never identify with it fully. Living another year is a privilege that some people didn't get on a day that happens to have fallen on your particular birthday. I always wondered why people took that for granted, just because they haven't found love, have lines in their face, or grey hair, or aren't making whatever money they feel they need to make at some particular junction. Yes time is running out as we speak, but there is no need to be wary of that situation, because it is something that you have no control over. What you do have control over is you, and how you perceive things, and how you approach them, and how you view events in your life past and present. Which brings me to my own Birthday.
I consider myself at this point in life to be extremely fortunate. I can look back at my life and say that I have had some worthy life growing experiences, that at the time I wasn't happy about them happening, but upon reflection, they put character in my soul. Some people never have the chance to love and share a life with someone, and I had that opportunity twice. Some people have by this time lost parents or grandparents, or have never even had a substantial parental figure to ground them. I still have mine. Some people never figure out just what they have for a talent, and never develop that spiritual outlet needed to extend themselves. I fortunately have the ability to play music and give of my inner self in such a manner that it may please some, but if I for some reason never get the opportunity to play in front of an audience again, I will still hopefully have the reward itself of playing music, because that is its own reward to me. I still believe in a dream that I have, and that dream is fully possible, if I work hard, and persevere with discipline, and focus.
I am not wealthy by any stretch of the imagination, but I am rich beyond my wildest imagination with friends who love me, respect me, and I can talk to. With family who has always been there when I needed them, and kept me grounded and based in reality when I get too high faluttin' for my own good, and I have managed to surround myself with good people who don't destroy, but build. Whether it be themselves, or their own particular corner of the universe, they have a purpose in life and accept high standards of behavior within themselves and others around them. Drama is a burden that I don't have patience for, but is irrelevant because the people I choose to spend significant quality of face time with, don't either.
At this point in my life I still don't know as much as some, but I certainly know more than others. I am not a slave to the almighty dollar, as money is not my prime directive. My prime directive is being a good person, and try doing the things I love to do. I sleep well at night knowing that I treat people the way I would like to be treated, and that I do what I can to the best of my ability. If something wasn't enough, then I certainly wish it was, but if I did my best, then that is what I could do.
I guess I feel fortunate for all of the above, and the fact that I have my health, my mind, and my dreams intact, and they are all intertwined to make me who I believe that I am today. Whether that be someone's cup of tea or not is not my concern, nor is my concern to please everyone I come across in life. My goal is to be happy with myself as a child of the universe, and to in my own way try to change a little of the world, or at least leave my space in it a little better than when I got here. I feel good about being the age I am living in the time I am living now because there are fascinating incredible things that can be seen, and some of those fascinating incredible things are as simple as a sunrise in my back yard, or the sound of Bullfrogs. It sounds corny, and simple but it's what I have learned and accept. Appreciate the things that deserve appreciation, and everything else is icing on the cake. And one of the very things to appreciate and not take for granted is growing older. So as my age number changes today, I don't mind growing older. I just don't want to grow old..
.And as the people that know me, or correspond with me, or if I have in some way made some positive impact upon you, then I am on the right path. What path is that? The "leaving things better than I found them". As I look forward, I know just where I want to go and what it takes to get there. I have no idea what the future holds but one thing is certain..There will be setbacks, and leaps forward,, tears and laughter, good times, and times where I may feel miserable. That's what life is.. a ball of unpredictable contradictions. A process of learning, growing, and evolving. But I am glad to be a part of the process. And no matter what the future has in store for me, so far the process has been something I wouldn't trade for the world.
Here's to life!
Some people get depressed at their birthdays for a myriad of reasons. Since I understand human nature I get why that happens, but I could never identify with it fully. Living another year is a privilege that some people didn't get on a day that happens to have fallen on your particular birthday. I always wondered why people took that for granted, just because they haven't found love, have lines in their face, or grey hair, or aren't making whatever money they feel they need to make at some particular junction. Yes time is running out as we speak, but there is no need to be wary of that situation, because it is something that you have no control over. What you do have control over is you, and how you perceive things, and how you approach them, and how you view events in your life past and present. Which brings me to my own Birthday.
I consider myself at this point in life to be extremely fortunate. I can look back at my life and say that I have had some worthy life growing experiences, that at the time I wasn't happy about them happening, but upon reflection, they put character in my soul. Some people never have the chance to love and share a life with someone, and I had that opportunity twice. Some people have by this time lost parents or grandparents, or have never even had a substantial parental figure to ground them. I still have mine. Some people never figure out just what they have for a talent, and never develop that spiritual outlet needed to extend themselves. I fortunately have the ability to play music and give of my inner self in such a manner that it may please some, but if I for some reason never get the opportunity to play in front of an audience again, I will still hopefully have the reward itself of playing music, because that is its own reward to me. I still believe in a dream that I have, and that dream is fully possible, if I work hard, and persevere with discipline, and focus.
I am not wealthy by any stretch of the imagination, but I am rich beyond my wildest imagination with friends who love me, respect me, and I can talk to. With family who has always been there when I needed them, and kept me grounded and based in reality when I get too high faluttin' for my own good, and I have managed to surround myself with good people who don't destroy, but build. Whether it be themselves, or their own particular corner of the universe, they have a purpose in life and accept high standards of behavior within themselves and others around them. Drama is a burden that I don't have patience for, but is irrelevant because the people I choose to spend significant quality of face time with, don't either.
At this point in my life I still don't know as much as some, but I certainly know more than others. I am not a slave to the almighty dollar, as money is not my prime directive. My prime directive is being a good person, and try doing the things I love to do. I sleep well at night knowing that I treat people the way I would like to be treated, and that I do what I can to the best of my ability. If something wasn't enough, then I certainly wish it was, but if I did my best, then that is what I could do.
I guess I feel fortunate for all of the above, and the fact that I have my health, my mind, and my dreams intact, and they are all intertwined to make me who I believe that I am today. Whether that be someone's cup of tea or not is not my concern, nor is my concern to please everyone I come across in life. My goal is to be happy with myself as a child of the universe, and to in my own way try to change a little of the world, or at least leave my space in it a little better than when I got here. I feel good about being the age I am living in the time I am living now because there are fascinating incredible things that can be seen, and some of those fascinating incredible things are as simple as a sunrise in my back yard, or the sound of Bullfrogs. It sounds corny, and simple but it's what I have learned and accept. Appreciate the things that deserve appreciation, and everything else is icing on the cake. And one of the very things to appreciate and not take for granted is growing older. So as my age number changes today, I don't mind growing older. I just don't want to grow old..
.And as the people that know me, or correspond with me, or if I have in some way made some positive impact upon you, then I am on the right path. What path is that? The "leaving things better than I found them". As I look forward, I know just where I want to go and what it takes to get there. I have no idea what the future holds but one thing is certain..There will be setbacks, and leaps forward,, tears and laughter, good times, and times where I may feel miserable. That's what life is.. a ball of unpredictable contradictions. A process of learning, growing, and evolving. But I am glad to be a part of the process. And no matter what the future has in store for me, so far the process has been something I wouldn't trade for the world.
Here's to life!
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Perchance To Dream: Driving that train, high to attain
The hardest thing about having a dream, is that because it is your dream, others may not understand it. The people you trust to tell that dream to may tell you that it's unrealistic, that you can't do it, or put "ifs" in front of you, saying "What if it doesn't happen?", or asking questions like "How much time will you devote to this pursuit?" Those who dream don't ask those questions, so it is perplexing when those questions are presented, because it never crosses their mind. The only things that cross the mind of one who has a dream are 1)What the dream is 2)How to go about this dream in a logical realistic fashion, and 3)Never giving up. Sometimes people plant roadblocks in your mind because they just can't see how the pursuit of one's dream can be beneficial, consuming, and rewarding all at once. A person's dream is not something separate from them, or something that just comes and goes like the full moon. A person's dream is part of them, and a great portion of who they are, what they believe, and what makes them tick. When you understand a person's dream, and just how they go about it, you understand them, and that dream is a big bay window into their soul. When you dismiss a person's dream, you are in a sense cutting their legs off, and dismissing a part of them that they feel is the most valuable and sacred. If you don't believe in someone's dream, it sometimes is best to just keep that to yourself, because the most hurtful thing that someone can say to someone with a dream is that it is nonsense, or that they don't believe it can happen for them. That is like saying the bay window into their soul has a crack in it, and they need it replaced.
Upon hearing things like that, the person with a dream has a choice. Be discouraged, get angry, or be more determined than ever to focus on that dream. Getting discouraged does nothing, but create self doubt, where you will begin to hold yourself back because of questioning just what you are doing. This can lead to loss of focus, and drive to succeed, because of the fear of failure. Fear of failure is a killer of dreams because it puts the "What if" into the equation again. When pursuing dreams there is no room for "What ifs." You must be prepared for setbacks of course, but you must be confident that your plan for obtaining this dream will work. That is confidence. And confidence fuels desire. Even if no one believes that you can do something, you have to believe it. you have to believe in yourself to the fullest, because you will then try to improve upon the foundation of what you are doing. And therefore getting better, can only make things better in the long run.
Getting angry will do absolutely nothing either, because it will take you away from your game of pursuit. You will be clouded by the emotion of anger, and won't see clearly, because you will try to achieve something out of spite more than out of desire. Determination is the key. If someone seems to discourage you in some way, or say that your dream is nonsense, then be sorry to hear that they feel that way, and that they have a right to think that, but disagree, and continue. There is no point in getting angry, because people have their feelings, and their feelings are valid because it is theirs. But theirs don't have to be yours. It's that simple. So just be more determined for yourself, rather than trying to show others that they are wrong.
Your dream is yours. you should hold onto it and protect it like some ancient artifact that you personally found. Because that's what it is. And if someone tries to take it from you, then you need to hold onto it tighter, and carry it within you and around you closer to your heart. Because a person without dreams, no matter how small they may be, is a person who only gets up in the morning because they have to..Not because they want to. Small dreams, big dreams, seemingly against odds dreams inside of a person are what makes us all different. You and I and everyone who reads this have significantly different versions of how we see the world, ourselves, and our place in it. Someone looking at me, may see me vastly different than I see myself, and may not understand just what I do, or why..But that works in all ways. I may not understand another person's dreams, and sometimes may think that they may be looney for thinking that it can be achieved..But I do understand that it is necessary and healthy for them to want what they want..So I can either encourage, or say nothing...Because I understand where they are coming from.
Be now...No one knows what's going to happen tomorrow, so do what you have to do today, in the chance that there is a tomorrow, you can be there when it happens continuing your pursuit of your dream. Don't ever give up..Not for anyone, because your dream is part of you. And if you want something bad enough, you can achieve it whether it takes 5 years, or 25 years. Keep pushing forward, and keep with the plan..Perchance to dream now..Perhaps reality later.
Upon hearing things like that, the person with a dream has a choice. Be discouraged, get angry, or be more determined than ever to focus on that dream. Getting discouraged does nothing, but create self doubt, where you will begin to hold yourself back because of questioning just what you are doing. This can lead to loss of focus, and drive to succeed, because of the fear of failure. Fear of failure is a killer of dreams because it puts the "What if" into the equation again. When pursuing dreams there is no room for "What ifs." You must be prepared for setbacks of course, but you must be confident that your plan for obtaining this dream will work. That is confidence. And confidence fuels desire. Even if no one believes that you can do something, you have to believe it. you have to believe in yourself to the fullest, because you will then try to improve upon the foundation of what you are doing. And therefore getting better, can only make things better in the long run.
Getting angry will do absolutely nothing either, because it will take you away from your game of pursuit. You will be clouded by the emotion of anger, and won't see clearly, because you will try to achieve something out of spite more than out of desire. Determination is the key. If someone seems to discourage you in some way, or say that your dream is nonsense, then be sorry to hear that they feel that way, and that they have a right to think that, but disagree, and continue. There is no point in getting angry, because people have their feelings, and their feelings are valid because it is theirs. But theirs don't have to be yours. It's that simple. So just be more determined for yourself, rather than trying to show others that they are wrong.
Your dream is yours. you should hold onto it and protect it like some ancient artifact that you personally found. Because that's what it is. And if someone tries to take it from you, then you need to hold onto it tighter, and carry it within you and around you closer to your heart. Because a person without dreams, no matter how small they may be, is a person who only gets up in the morning because they have to..Not because they want to. Small dreams, big dreams, seemingly against odds dreams inside of a person are what makes us all different. You and I and everyone who reads this have significantly different versions of how we see the world, ourselves, and our place in it. Someone looking at me, may see me vastly different than I see myself, and may not understand just what I do, or why..But that works in all ways. I may not understand another person's dreams, and sometimes may think that they may be looney for thinking that it can be achieved..But I do understand that it is necessary and healthy for them to want what they want..So I can either encourage, or say nothing...Because I understand where they are coming from.
Be now...No one knows what's going to happen tomorrow, so do what you have to do today, in the chance that there is a tomorrow, you can be there when it happens continuing your pursuit of your dream. Don't ever give up..Not for anyone, because your dream is part of you. And if you want something bad enough, you can achieve it whether it takes 5 years, or 25 years. Keep pushing forward, and keep with the plan..Perchance to dream now..Perhaps reality later.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
The Hippest Trip: What Saturday morning Soul was really saying
With the passing of Don Cornelius who was the architect of "Soul Train" it was eerily ironic that his passing was on the first day of February which is Black History month. With all of the rich history of Blacks in America it is an important month because for too long in this country we were a visible people who were treated like we were invisible. I hear people ask just why there has to be a Black History month anyway, and the simple answer that I have is this: History submerged is history not only rearranged, but sometimes history forgotten. Like it or not, that is my answer. For too long Blacks in this country contributed amazing things of beauty, bravery, and greatness, but were denied it in history books which led to dismissal in many minds about just who we were as a people. This country was built on the backs of every race, and creed, but Blacks have a special stake and place in it because of just how we ended up here. In a colonized land that was deemed civilized, but owned people as property, and destroyed families by murder, sell offs, and keeping them in the darkness of illiteracy to rule over them. All of this, and yet we fought in every war, became inventors, scholars, artists, pioneers, and key innovators in pushing the country forward towards greatness, and yet eating a simple piece of toast in a room with others was denied, and brutally enforced.
We did not just 1)get off of the boat, 2)become slaves,3) get freed by President Lincoln, and then4) march on Washington with Dr King, singing "We shall overcome" but that to some,that is all of our history , and to them, encompasses who we are. There is a rich and diverse history there, full of great people, bad people, suffering, and triumph, and stories that Hollywood could never dream of. There are nuances(there's that word again) of us as a people. And within those nuances and hidden meanings of what we tried to say about ourselves, particularly after the Civil Rights movement of the 60's, and within the Black Power movement of the 70's is Don Cornelius and Soul Train.
In the 70's Blacks had found themselves still trying to reap the benefits of the efforts of Dr. King, and the movement not in the respect of rights, but in the respect now of individualism, and power. They now knew that there was an audience and a craving for their culture, their music, and what they wanted to say, and how they wanted to be seen. And Black people wanted to be seen as sexy, as heroes, as artists of intellect, and as people with a style that others could possibly want to see, and copy because imitation is the greatest form of flattery. That's why there was the Blaxploitation movement in Hollywood, and that's why Soul Train was as important as it was. Yes it was only a dance show on Saturday mornings, but the hidden meaning was more than that. The show said basically, "Look at us..Hear our music, see our style. We are sexy people who have love in our hearts, and we create beautiful art." Don knew this, and the show brought Black people and that style into the homes of millions, some who had never even seen a Black person in their lives let alone see one dance, move, and be sexy on Television. This was not 'The Ed Sullivan Show" where a black artist comes on does a song, gets interviewed briefly then goes away. This show had Black style, Black dialect and slang, and Black heart and soul attached to it, and within it. And the rest of America couldn't look away because it was so foreign to them, yet so cool it was like looking at Jupiter through a telescope. You know it's there, and you are looking at it, yet it seems impossible to be what it is.
. Black style and music had always been copied, but now with the widening number of Televisions in homes, it was inescapable. The lingo, the clothes, the dance moves, and the music, all contribute to the admiration and humanizing of a race of people. And when you admire a people, and their culture, you see them in a different light. You want to know more about them and their history. As you dig into their history, you see all of the important things that took place that they were a part of..And when that happens, you realize that they are human beings just like you, and therefore you relate, and can call them friend..That is believe it or not, just such a thing that a little dance show on Saturdays did for race relations, and showing the world that we are people of great emotional content. Once again, music is the bridge that brings people together.
So today you have people of all colors and of all races saying thank you, and goodbye to Don Cornelius because they get it. They understand what he did by having a show such as that during a time such as that. It was needed badly, and he did it with style, and a deep Baritone voice. He put a great deal of the music that you and I love in our minds, while showing us part of the revolution is in fact televised.
I remember watching Soul Train as a kid, and thinking to myself "I am so proud to be a part of that in some way". And in some strange way, the rest of America at some point may have said that very same thing..Because for even a brief minute, they may have said to themselves things like, "Boy those kids can sure dance", or "Wow that was a great song", or "That show looks like it's fun to be on". And not once during one of those sentences did the word "Black" ever pop up. It was people..And that's what Soul Train will be remembered for within the nuances of Black history. Showing us as people.
Thank you Mr. Cornelius. Rest in Peace.
We did not just 1)get off of the boat, 2)become slaves,3) get freed by President Lincoln, and then4) march on Washington with Dr King, singing "We shall overcome" but that to some,that is all of our history , and to them, encompasses who we are. There is a rich and diverse history there, full of great people, bad people, suffering, and triumph, and stories that Hollywood could never dream of. There are nuances(there's that word again) of us as a people. And within those nuances and hidden meanings of what we tried to say about ourselves, particularly after the Civil Rights movement of the 60's, and within the Black Power movement of the 70's is Don Cornelius and Soul Train.
In the 70's Blacks had found themselves still trying to reap the benefits of the efforts of Dr. King, and the movement not in the respect of rights, but in the respect now of individualism, and power. They now knew that there was an audience and a craving for their culture, their music, and what they wanted to say, and how they wanted to be seen. And Black people wanted to be seen as sexy, as heroes, as artists of intellect, and as people with a style that others could possibly want to see, and copy because imitation is the greatest form of flattery. That's why there was the Blaxploitation movement in Hollywood, and that's why Soul Train was as important as it was. Yes it was only a dance show on Saturday mornings, but the hidden meaning was more than that. The show said basically, "Look at us..Hear our music, see our style. We are sexy people who have love in our hearts, and we create beautiful art." Don knew this, and the show brought Black people and that style into the homes of millions, some who had never even seen a Black person in their lives let alone see one dance, move, and be sexy on Television. This was not 'The Ed Sullivan Show" where a black artist comes on does a song, gets interviewed briefly then goes away. This show had Black style, Black dialect and slang, and Black heart and soul attached to it, and within it. And the rest of America couldn't look away because it was so foreign to them, yet so cool it was like looking at Jupiter through a telescope. You know it's there, and you are looking at it, yet it seems impossible to be what it is.
. Black style and music had always been copied, but now with the widening number of Televisions in homes, it was inescapable. The lingo, the clothes, the dance moves, and the music, all contribute to the admiration and humanizing of a race of people. And when you admire a people, and their culture, you see them in a different light. You want to know more about them and their history. As you dig into their history, you see all of the important things that took place that they were a part of..And when that happens, you realize that they are human beings just like you, and therefore you relate, and can call them friend..That is believe it or not, just such a thing that a little dance show on Saturdays did for race relations, and showing the world that we are people of great emotional content. Once again, music is the bridge that brings people together.
So today you have people of all colors and of all races saying thank you, and goodbye to Don Cornelius because they get it. They understand what he did by having a show such as that during a time such as that. It was needed badly, and he did it with style, and a deep Baritone voice. He put a great deal of the music that you and I love in our minds, while showing us part of the revolution is in fact televised.
I remember watching Soul Train as a kid, and thinking to myself "I am so proud to be a part of that in some way". And in some strange way, the rest of America at some point may have said that very same thing..Because for even a brief minute, they may have said to themselves things like, "Boy those kids can sure dance", or "Wow that was a great song", or "That show looks like it's fun to be on". And not once during one of those sentences did the word "Black" ever pop up. It was people..And that's what Soul Train will be remembered for within the nuances of Black history. Showing us as people.
Thank you Mr. Cornelius. Rest in Peace.
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