A work of art needs to be created apart from time. It’s said that time “slows down” when we are being creative. This is a great truth of the universe, time is relative, not fixed.
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What do I know about writing? Nothing really. All I can say for sure is it makes me feel good. Perhaps this is a need I don’t understand. I do know it makes me feel fulfilled. Perhaps that is why I come back to it each day.
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Here is my advice to you (please forgive me for being so bold) write every day. You will learn more by exploring your own thoughts than you will by blindly adopting the thoughts of others.
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Which is better: The “collective intelligence” of society or the whims and desires of “great men?” To my way of thinking, the notion of “a great man” is pure fantasy. It is possible to rise to greatness when called upon, but to do so requires a special quality, not conferred by greatness, it is much more about humility and compassion.
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It’s raining in the mountains again. I’ve had one week of good skiing this winter. I’m not complaining. Wait, yes I am…
Don’t use the top.
Don’t use the trough.
Turn on the bearm.
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To understand the path we are on, we have to understand what drives us. What it is that made us choose this path. We must also ask if this is the right path to be on. There is no disgrace in altering our path if that’s what it takes to remain true to ourselves.
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I should write a poem
for my birthday,
but I don’t know how
to begin.
Perhaps it’s COVID
that brings me this feeling
of not knowing,
maybe it’s just me.
I want to be somewhere else
today, but circumstances
are what they are,
I’m here.
We will fix this
by going out to dinner tonight.
Fuck COVID.
I’ll have a bourbon and some fresh pasta.
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Most Americans are just fucking stupid when it comes to understanding the workings of our democracy. Another sign of someone who falls into this category is how willing they are to be told how to think.
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I discovered this while walking through the Seattle Center fountain courtyard. I would never have known what this was unless I had seen a mouse scamper along this trail, never veering off the path…
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If someone is not giving you the space you need to be yourself there is a question you need to ask: Is that person someone you truly need in your life? Would you be better off If there were more distance between you and that person?
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When it’s time to retire, it’s best to walk away and start a new life. You only get one shot at living, don’t spend the entire time doing the same things over and over again…
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Heraclitus and Parmenides defined the basic conflict that society must continually resolve. The conflict between stasis and flux. You cannot have a society that evolves in a positive direction if you adhere unwaveringly to one or the other of these views and refuse to acknowledge the role of the other.
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I am happy to have firmly held beliefs, but that does not put me above you, that does not give me the right to impose those beliefs on you. As long as we respect the law and our fellow man, we can say we are living justly.
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You should always keep a vision in front of you. No matter how weird or unattainable it may seem, it is the force that drives us and keeps us moving forward.
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Life is short. It’s a shame we tend to realize that so late in the game. It’s time to play catch-up.
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All good thru-hikers have a trail name. I’m not exactly a thru-hiker (maybe a thru-cyclist) even though I haven’t done the AT or the PCT, I’ve done other “thru” like things. I’m going to say that gives me an excuse to adopt a trail name for myself… My friend Terry would probably call me “Postman.” I like that, but the meaning is a bit obtuse (except of course for Terry and me). The truth of the matter is, that you have to be given your trail name by someone else. I haven’t been granted that privilege yet…
I’ll go with “Postman” for now, but I’m leaning toward “B-Rad.”
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My favorite work of art is Albrecht Durer’s Melencolia I. This was the first piece of art to explore perspective visually. It illustrates clearly that what we see is relative to where we stand. All knowledge is gained by altering our perspective. I find this notion uplifting.
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What Dante did not realize (or did he?) when he was describing his journey through Purgatory and Hell to reach Heaven was that he was also describing the journey through a Black Hole to reach a White Hole.
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My Mantra:
Shins on boot tongues
Knees over toes
Edge - to flat - to edge
Chin over the turning ski
Pressure downhill
Turning ski, turning arm
Elbows in front of the body
Shoulders back
The letter “C” is your friend
That’s a lot to remember, but probably the biggest tip of all is to roll from edge to flat to edge. You are only flat momentarily when the skis are perpendicular to the hill. One way to help get on the edge of the turning ski (the new downhill ski) is to remove weight from the free ski at the same time forward pressure is applied to the new turning ski… or just pretend you’re a stork… riding a horse…
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Stress and the circumstances that cause stress are transitory. To recognize that is to give yourself the tools you need to move through the moment. Problems aren’t truly problems, they are just moments that we have difficulty seeing through.
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I admit that writing for me is a compulsion. I hope that it is a good compulsion. It feels good…
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History should never look back and say “We need to return to ‘x’ state of affairs.” History, if it asks any question of the past, should ask what the past moment tells us about where we need to go.
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We are all Americans. Our country is not the total of all individual wants and desires. Our country should be the sum of what is best for everyone.
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“Always start slow and small.”
Pick small goals that are stepping stones to your larger goals. Celebrate each small step. Pace yourself. The adage “It’s not a race, it’s a marathon,” is the key to all success.
“Build a routine.”
Someone recently asked me, “How do you have the discipline to write every day?” You don’t start with discipline, you start by finding enjoyment in what you are doing. Once that enjoyment reaches critical mass, you want that feeling every day. Discipline is just the urge to seek that enjoyment.
“Track your results.”
Using a journal to record progress (and setbacks) is a strong incentive and support. It does not have to be fancy. It provides you the opportunity to look back and correct, as well as look ahead and plan.
“Cut yourself some slack.”
Be gracious to yourself, there are going to be good days and bad days. In the greater scheme of things bad days are nothing more than opportunities to examine what isn’t working and avoid those things going forward. We are not perfect. I know that about myself, but that doesn’t stop me from trying to get better. I’m not worried about reaching perfection.
“Keep going.”
If you don’t feel like pursuing your goal today, that’s okay, but take a step anyway. The result might be shit but that doesn’t matter, what matters is that you took the step. Even if the result is less than satisfactory, you will still feel rewarded by the attempt. There is reward in the doing. The product will take care of itself.
Inspiration for this entry came from an online article I found on the Lochby website.
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Looking back, if I could have pursued any career, I would have chosen to be a historian. I can’t think of any work more rewarding. That’s saying something because the work that I did was very satisfying.
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