Life On A B-I7

Protest

I attended my first protest last Saturday. I stood with several hundred other people on Peace Corner in Bend Oregon to raise awareness of the jeopardy we are facing at the hands of the current administration. Protest is a funny thing. Not everyone agrees with you when they see you standing up for an issue, but it pleases me to note that half or more of the people driving by honked and waved in solidarity. There were many people holding signs of course. I did not have one. I chose to smile and wave at all the passing cars. I tried to make eye contact with the vehicle occupants. The man standing next to me told me he liked my style. He said that smiling and waving probably was as effective as sign waving, perhaps even more. I tend to agree. Many of the signs had very good messages. Some were disappointing. You can tell a lot about the level of love a person carries inside of them by the sign they are waving. That would make for an interesting study. I was only given the middle finger once by a passing motorist. I think that is note worthy. My hope is that those passing by who may not agree with the warning being given, might later realize that the people there were sincere and caring, and that fact might give them pause to examine their position.

Stoic Thought of the Day — Day 9

If things get tough, remember that you would not be here if it weren’t for a long line of ancestors that managed to tough-it-out.

Sound Familiar?

Rule by killing—even if it takes the form of suppression, exile, imprisonment, or (as in business) mere dismissal—affects the sensibilities of those who do it. Unsurprisingly, they hear fewer and fewer dissenting opinions, and long though their reigns may be, their sense of reality becomes increasingly impaired. They become paranoid, not least because they have made themselves more and more enemies. Those around them, acting “only in command, never in love,” may implement their orders mechanically—and on occasion foolishly, as they try to make sure that they will not be the tyrant’s next victim. And the leader himself becomes less imaginative and clever.

This should sound familiar. Cohen is providing us with a cautionary warning here. While the current administration is not using murder in the literal sense (and let’s hope it never descends that far into the abyss) It certainly is employing murder in the business sense, summary dismissal of anyone in service that speaks out or in any way displeases the POTUS. Cohen does not touch on the “murder” of facts, but that is definitely occurring and has become a staple of the administration. It’s difficult for me to understand how anyone can tolerate, let alone support, this type of leadership.

Stoic Thought of the Day — Day 8

Be flexible. If you find the path to your desire blocked, find another path, if that is blocked, try yet another. There is always an opportunity, all we need to do is look for it.

There are as many paths as their are radii of a circle.

—Henry David Thoreau

Daily Routine

I don’t have one, but I should.

If a person puts even one measure of effort into following ritual and standards of righteousness, he will get back twice as much.

—Xunzi

Xunzi was one of the three great classical Confucian philosophers best known for his lessons on how to build self-awareness by engaging in continuous education and practice of ritual activities, in other words, a daily routine.

That probably sounds boring to many people today. After all, we have an endless supply of entertainment and distraction sitting right in our hand. But what is all that distraction buying us? Is it opening our mind and soul to discovery of ourselves? Is it showing us the path to excellence? In most cases it is doing just the opposite.

There are many ways to establish a routine. The important thing is to have one. How does having a routine open our mind and soul to discovery and accomplishment? An orderly routine allows our mind to open up. Chaos only serves to keep us distracted and unfocused. The freedom to go about life differently every day is not freedom, it’s chaos. Good habits, a routine, give us a certainty that allows our mind to focus and opens it to new ideas. Self-discipline means success in our endeavors.

I opened by saying I don’t have a routine. I actually do, I just haven’t given it much thought. I write almost every day, usually in the morning. I read (but not on any particular schedule). I ride my bicycle — I also try to get other forms of exercise. The goal for me is to recognizing the activities that are good for me and make time for them each day, preferable the same amount of time and preferably on the same schedule. That is the difficult part. We get the best performance and satisfaction out of our lives when we are not constantly guessing what to do next.

Stoic Thought of the Day — Day 7

Remember, the higher you are, the smaller things look. Before talking or engaging with others, imagine yourself flying high above and looking down not only at them, but everything around and concerning them. This will give you a perspective that will make you a better negotiator, person, friend.

Excited

I’m planning to go to India with my daughter in December for a yoga retreat. I probably won’t be spending a huge amount of time on the mat since my mobility is a bit limited. I am working on that. I do plan to spend a good bit of time in meditation, probably while everyone else is doing their yoga thing. I am hoping to learn a lot about Buddhism and I’m looking forward to that. I’ve been told that visiting India is as much spiritual as it is cultural. I’m excited to experience both.

Stoic Thought of the Day — Day 6

Always have a backup plan. When things go wrong, and they will, determine to make the best out of the situation.

Fixed

It only cost me $8 for a CR1620 battery and $17 for a set of precision Torx screwdrivers at Home Depot. It would have been a bit more at my local bike shop. I’m not opposed to spending money at the shop, and I do.

Stoic Thought of the Day — Day 5

Our primary job on this earth is to be a good human. Look around you, if you see someone that is not being a good human, don’t be like him.

Gender Assigned at Birth

My gender is male. It was not “assigned” at birth. It was biologically determined and was not given to me by someone with “magical assignment authority.”

We are seeing “gender assigned at birth” more and more on all manner of intake forms and documents. To put it simply, this phrase is an affront to science. We do not need more science denial.

I hesitate to use the term “woke” because that is such a trigger for so many people. But frankly “gender assigned at birth” is woke. It is a phrase that obfuscates instead of clarifies. We are what we are, not what we were assigned by some magical power. If we choose to alter what we are in some fashion then we become what we have chosen. Finito. Nothing more, nothing less. We don’t need to be concerned about what was, all the matters is what is now. Special phrases like “gender assigned at birth” only lead to inter-generational division, not understanding.

My intent here is not to alienate, but merely to point out that besides words having meaning, they also evoke feelings, and can impact people’s attitude in negative ways. Yes, if you view something negatively, that’s on you. No, it’s not a good idea to ignore that fact if what you are seeking is understanding and acceptance.

Stoic Thought of the Day — Day 4

Choose a form of work and go do it. But always ask yourself why you are doing it and where it will take you. If you don’t have a good answer for those, the work is not good.

Debt of Gratitude

Keep strong. If possible. In any case, keep cool. Have unlimited patience. Never corner an opponent, and always assist him to save face. Put yourself in his shoes—so as to see things through his eyes. Avoid self-righteousness like the devil—nothing is so self-blinding.

Hart is the noted author of “History of the Second World War,” and “Strategy.” Two books that should be required reading for everyone engaged in diplomacy or military planning. (Probably not on the bookshelves of those serving in the current administration.) President John F. Kennedy studied these works and the knowledge gained was instrumental in helping Kennedy to resolve the Cuban Missile Crisis using a blockade of Cuba rather then taking the advice of his many advisors who wanted him to bomb then invade Cuba. The world owes President John F. Kennedy a debt of gratitude that can’t be fully appreciated.

Stoic Thought of the Day — Day 3

Do not leave your potential unfulfilled. The answer is work. Choose a form of work and go do it.

Joy Ride by Kristen Jokinen
Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts
Stuck by Yoni Appelbaum
How Emotionally Mature Are You? by The School of Life
Turning to Stone by Marcia Bjornerud
Greek Philosophy by Helen Gagatsu
Merlins Tour of the Universe by Neil DeGrasse Tyson
The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday
The Traveling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa
The Creative Act by Rick Rubin
The Cat Who Taught Zen by James Norbury
My Friends by Fredrik Backman
Beartown by Fredrik Backman
Stillness is the Key by Ryan Holiday
The Hollow Crown by Eliot A. Cohen
Walking in Wonder by Adam Segel-Moss (Cliff Dancer)
Raising Hare A Memoir by Chloe Dalton
The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles
On Quality by Robert M. Pirsig
How to Write a Sentence and How to Read One by Stanley Fish
Abbey in America Edited by John A. Murray
Shadows on the Koyukuk by Sidney Huntington
Flaubert A Life by Geoffrey Wall

Currently Reading:
A Wilder Shore by Camille Peri

Not Your Mother’s Rice Pudding

• 3/4 C white rice
• 1-1/2 C water
• 2 C coconut milk (Unsweetened)
• 1/3 C (or less) Muscovado brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 egg beaten
• 2/3 C golden raisins
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Cook rice until tender. Add 1-1/2 C coconut milk, brown sugar, and salt. Continue cooking over medium heat until thick and creamy. Remove from stove. Stir in remaining coconut milk. Temper egg and add to pudding mixture stirring constantly. Stir in butter and vanilla until combined.

The secret to this recipe is the coconut milk and the Muscovado brown sugar. Muscovado brown sugar is less refined than normal brown sugar and has more molasses in it. Along with the coconut milk, It adds a unique flavor to the pudding. These two ingredients arguably make this recipe healthier than your mother’s rice pudding.

Try not to eat it all in one sitting…

Stoic Thought of the Day — Day 2

There two things you should aways do before acting. 1) Don’t get upset, stay calm. 2) Recall what you value most, make sure the action you are about to take does not run counter to those values.

A Year of Living Stoically

Today is day one of my most recent challenge, namely, to post a stoic thought every day for the next year. If I had to choose a religion (read here a philosophy) I would choose Stoicism. Of course Buddhism, Taoism, Christianity, Epicureanism, and the myriad other “isms” designed to lead us to right-living are all worthy of study, Stoicism speaks most clearly to me at this stage in my evolution.

I started this project back in May, but I have decided to restart today so that each entry will appear as its own separate post and be compiled into a separate category. This will allow for easy access in the future (as well as boosting my page count… smile). All of the entries are inspired by the book “The Daily Stoic,” by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman. I can in no way take credit for these thoughts, for that you have to look to those authors and the Stoics themselves. What I can take credit for (nominally) is the presentation. I have tried to shape each entry in my own words, and with an eye towards that portion of the teaching the speaks to me personally.

The struggle is great, the task divine—to gain mastery, freedom, happiness, and tranquility.

To paraphrase: The struggle is great, the task divine—to gain happiness and mastery of a life sublime… Let the journey begin.

Stoic Thought of the Day — Day 1

Little things add up. Your life is the summation of your individual choices and how you learn from them.

In Session

If you want to hear some classic electric blues, you gotta dig into the “In Session” album. Albert King does his thing with Stevie Ray Vaughan sitting in. This is the only known recording of the two virtuosos playing together. Grab the remastered version from 2024. Every track is a classic. My two favorites are “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” and “Blues at Sunrise.” Mary is an example of a song that doesn’t need any words, or maybe better yet, a song with words that don’t make sense, but work anyway. In “Blues at Sunrise,” Albert reprises a song he did with Jimmy Hendricks and Janis Joplin at the Filmore West. Stevie sits in on Jimmy’s part. The track knocks me over. I like to put the headphones on and let myself be carried away. It’s great driving music too. It’ll make you forget how far you’ve gone and how far you have left to go.

Happy Birthday Sister!

Guedelon Castle

I would like to visit Guedelon Castle in France. Twenty-Five years ago, Michel Guyot decided to build an authentic 13th century medieval castle using only period tools and construction techniques. Craftsmen and volunteers from all over France have participated in the project. The project is now nearing completion.

The castle gets 300,000 visitors a year. It’s a step back in time that even Disneyland could not replicate.

Kingdom of God

We recently received a very nice hand-written letter addressed “Dear Neighbor.” The letter focused on all that is wrong in the world today and suggested that the solution has been written in the Bible and can be explained by visiting the jw.org website. While ultimately the second coming and establishment of a new religious order on earth led by God’s Son might be a solution (recall the argument two twins were having in the womb) I believe we have a responsibility to do more than wait for a solution that does nothing to make things better in the here and now. I believe there are things we can do to change the world. To be clear, I’m not talking about this political party or that political party, this particular religion or that particular religion. I’m not talking about violence or punishment for those you don’t agree with and I’m certainly not talking about blaming people that look different than you. I believe it comes down to how we treat each other. The answer is kindness and respect, a willingness to listen, and a willingness to compromise. These things do seem to be in short supply at times, it’s difficult to argue they don’t, but each one of us can make a difference if we take the time to ask ourselves what we can do to make things better.

Inner Compass

I remember my first year of college. I took an introductory class in geology and I found it fascinating. Indeed, I found many subjects fascinating. That did not change the fact that eventually I would have to choose one subject. When I graduated I had no idea what I was going to do next. Not surprisingly, I took a couple of jobs that had nothing to do with my studies in school. I did not seem to have any real direction. Finally on my third attempt at employment, I found work that was satisfying. I’ve asked myself how did I arrive there, the only answer I have for that is I followed my inner compass as best I could and kept trying different things until I found the answer. For those of us not born with knowledge of what we are going to do with our lives, that is probably the best approach we can take. I’m fortunate, it worked for me.

The Quality of Your Thoughts

One of the beautiful observations I picked up from Cliff Dancer’s book is that the quality of our thought determines the quality of our life. Think about it. Always complaining? Don’t have enough? You probably aren’t happy. Self-talk that is not positive only leads to an unhappy life experience. We are in charge of our lives and we have responsibility for shaping our experience, first and foremost by whether we view it positively or negatively. Thank you Cliff Dancer for this beautiful observation. You are a Stoic Master.

30 Years Compiling Code

I spent the better part of 30 years writing software. I’m happy to report I’m proud of that, even though it damaged me for life. The problem is, you spend that much time worrying about spelling and punctuation, you lose the ability to understand what people are saying to you. You see, no one speaks in complete sentences. At this stage in my life I find myself lost unless people are using complete sentences, including, and most importantly, a subject, a verb, and a noun. I often find myself replying to someone, “could you put that in a complete sentence for me, I have a vocationally acquired lexical disability…”