2024

There is still a week left in the year 2024.
Is it too soon to make an assessment of the past year?  
Is it too late to make some changes?

Checking back to where we were, assessing where we are, and making adjustments to get where we want to be should probably be something we do more than once per year. Nevertheless, the end of one year or the beginning of the next is as good a time as any to do just that. 

I'm not certain if my self assessment is easy or difficult. There really isn't much to it. 
I don't really have any life goals other than to enjoy each moment as it comes and I seem to do that pretty well. 

Our flowers looked great this past summer and I am looking forward to the coming spring/summer for the beauty of the many flowers. I've been adding flower beds each year and it is beginning to be a lot of work. That's not really a bad thing. It's not like I have loads of pressing things to do other than tend to the gardens. I have some gardening books and there is an abundance of gardening information on the interwebs, plus I am slowly storing away some knowledge in my head. So far, I have sucked at vegetable gardening, but will probably give it a go again this year.

Our small neighborhood is built on what used to be a pasture so there are no trees anywhere near the house. On one hand, I am happy not having to rake leaves in the fall. On the other hand, there is no shade in the summer and there are fewer birds and squirrels around. I've planted a few seedling trees, but those will be for the next homeowner to enjoy.
I'm still hoping to convert some of the field into native meadow grasses and wildflowers, but that appears to be a much larger project than I thought it would be. I have a plan, or at least the concepts of a plan, on how I might do that. I need to do a bit more research on it.

Looking ahead to 2025 I only have a couple goals. The first is to get rid of this extra weight that I've put on and get off the high blood pressure meds. If I'm completely honest with myself, I'm not that concerned with being athletically fit; more just being kind of active fit and healthy.
The second thing is to become conversationally fluent in Spanish. That might be a little bit tougher. I'm going to need to find a fluent Spanish speaking friend that is willing to converse with me on a regular basis (or spend more time in Mexico). It's one thing to learn it online or through an app. It's very different to actually carry on a conversation in another language. 

As you can see,my life is not filled with great ambition. Other than those two things, I plan to read a few books (maybe 50 or so), smoke a few cigars, sip a little tequila and a little bourbon, and just enjoy life. 
Check out my coffee mug in the pic below.

How was your year?
Any plans for '25?

John

 

Untitled Christmas Rant

Is Christmas really worth celebrating?

Perhaps this is one of those posts that you should just scroll past. It's just a John rant and will likely be misunderstood and taken out of context. It's not my intent to go all "Bah, humbug" on the celebrations of the season, but I'm sure that I'll share some judgmental observances that seem that way.

For the curious that don't really want to read my entire rant -- Yes, I still consider myself to be a Christian (as in a follower of Jesus), but no longer feel very religious nor am I tied to a particular religion.

For those that are sticking around -- well, here goes:
I view the Christian celebration of Christmas much the way I view Christianity's pro-life movement -- It's all about the birth of the child and nobody really cares about the life that follows.
In a way, I guess that kind of makes sense and I really shouldn't be surprised by it. Overall, Christians really don't give much time nor effort into observing the sanctity or holiness of the season when compared to the time and effort put into decorating, shopping, planning and partying for the non-religious elements of the season. 
Long before we pack away the decoration for next year, we'll have already boxed up Baby Jesus and returned to ignoring his future teachings or using them to control others and justify our misguided behaviors.

Having said that -- 
I do enjoy the gift giving and receiving. I like that families and friends get together and celebrate friendships and relationships. I like the lights and decorations of the season and am perfectly fine with the more secular Christmas celebrations. At least for a few moments it seems that Christians and non-Christians alike agree that a little peace on earth is a good thing.
The only thing wrong with that is that it only lasts for a short period of time.
 
Would it be a bad thing if we, as Christians, removed Christ and religion from Christmas and let the ancient winter celebrations and festivities return to what they were before the birth of Jesus? 
Is there really anything in life that is made better by adding religion to it?

If you are a Christian -- by all means, celebrate the birth of the Savior!
But for Christ's sake (literally) -- learn what the man Jesus taught and strive to live that kind of life.
And for everybody -- Christian and non-Christian -- celebrate the season with gusto and joy!
Buy your presents, decorate your homes, wear your ugly sweaters!
Yes! Christmas is worth celebrating!

Merry Christmas
Happy Holidays
Enjoy the season, no matter the reason!

John

Paul Harvey ~ A Christmas Story: The Man And The Birds

200

This is post #200 for 2024!
It is only the third time in my 18 years of publishing Out of My Hat that I've reached 200 posts in a year.
Because there really is no theme that ties my posts together, my following is limited to family, friends, and those curious enough to wonder what I might be thinking about on any given day. 
I've tried a couple of themed blogs along the way -- one on healthy living, one on cigars (such is my contradictory lifestyle) -- but mostly I just come back to rambling out thoughts here at Out of My Hat. 

I still look for clicks and comments, but not like I did in the early days. Today, I mostly write as a way of organizing thoughts and it seems to be a therapeutic way of grounding my spirit. I don't expect many views, comments, nor shares, and often think I should just write and publish articles without sharing them on my Facebook or BlueSky accounts (I've dropped X). A lot of my regular readers disappeared (see what I did there?) when I moved away from evangelicalism and my Facebook friends list went from nearly 1000 to fewer than 300 (some I dropped, others dropped me), so I know that most readers come from links to social media and only a few are regular followers of the blog itself.

No matter.
It is said that it is better to write for oneself and have no readers than to write for your readers and have no self -- or something like that.

If you came here for a Wednesday Wisdom post, try this:
Do something for yourself.
Write, walk, run, read, paint, craft, whatever. Do it for you and don't worry about what other people think or say. The hippie mantra of the 60s was -- If it feels good, do it! 
Perhaps, as with most things, moderation is the key.

John

A Poor Practice

It's a rare kind of Monday morning for me.
First of all, I slept much later than I usually do. I'm not sure why, but I did.
And secondly, it is warm enough to have my morning coffee out on the deck today!

Sitting out here, especially on a Monday morning, I am aware of how poor my meditation practice has become. Contemplative time and meditative time can be very different practices. Quiet time and meditative time are different things. 
A purposeful quiet time, a time for contemplation, a practice of meditation -- all are beneficial, but all are quite different. Heck, even relaxing with a good cigar is good for the spirit!

But I have gotten out of the meditation habit since I've moved my morning coffee and quiet time indoors for the cooler season. I'm going to have to find a way to move my practice inside. It's weird how the cawing crows, crowing roosters, and sounds of the outside have become such a part of my meditation that I stopped doing it without them. 

For this week's Monday Meditation post I am going to work on restarting my regular practice of meditating. Maybe you should, too.

John

Third Sunday of Advent

Hmmm...
Well, I have been more thoughtful about being kind and Christ-like this Advent season.
Isn't it the thought that counts?

Actually, having this little exercise in purposeful kindness has been good for me. I have noticed that there are opportunities that I don't really have to look for. I just need to be more aware of others and what they might need or how I might help. I have done better at being more proactive, but that is still unnatural for me. I may need to set up some kind of regular prompt to keep me focused beyond the Christmas season. It does kind of suck to realize that I really am not a naturally nice person.
Is it just me or do others also struggle with being nice? I don't think I'm a mean person. I just rarely think about people or things outside of my relatively small world. I have never really considered the downsides of living in the moment, but perhaps this is one of them.
Hmmm...

In any case, Christmas is getting closer -- fewer than 10 days to go!
I don't feel very Christmassy, but I am okay with that. Culturally, I think celebrating birthdays is a little weird. Picking a made up date to celebrate somebody's birth is even weirder -- even if it is for Jesus! I doubt that Jesus had birthday celebrations as a kid, and I imagine that he would much rather we actually work towards the whole "peace on earth" thing than just sing songs about it once a year.
If we're honest -- Christmas is more for us and satisfying our need to be good, holy, smug about ourselves than it ever was about recognizing the birth of a Savior.

Damn.
Now I've gone all bah, humbug.
I think I'll quit now and just leave you with a reminder to be purposefully kind to someone today.
...or tomorrow.
Whatever
Whenever

sigh
John

Fun Facts for your Friday

Maybe this is what's meant by not seeing the forest for the trees, but on a much grander scale...

At its closest, Uranus is 18.6 AU (Astronomical Unit, the approximate average distance from Earth to the sun) to the planet Earth. 1 AU is about 93 million miles (150 million kilometers) and we found this distant planet before finding an entire continent on our own planet!

     * * * * * 

Here's an interesting map that divides the Earth's population:

I find this truly amazing.
Even being aware of the crowded populations of India and China did not prepare me for this graphic. It's difficult to comprehend.

John

Thursday thoughts

It's Thursday morning and I am really not feeling like a theology/religious post today. I'm sure I could sort through some collected quotes or memes and find something worth posting, but how many times and in how many ways can you express that we need to love one another?

I'm still working on that - being purposefully kind for Advent - thing. As I mentioned earlier, the difficulty is that I just don't have the people encounters that most have. I have managed a few "touches" or contacts via the digital world's text messaging and social platforms, but even find that to be a bit of a stretch when it comes to comfort. I already knew that not being a jerk takes some thought and restraint, but actually being nice is hard work most of the time. 
Fortunately, there is now less than two weeks until Christmas and the end of the Advent season.
Unfortunately, I doubt that purposeful kindness will be a habit by then and I will continue to struggle in being Christ-like in my daily life.
Life would be so much easier if sarcastic assholery was considered a virtue.

Enough about me and my struggles!
Tell me about the nice things you do or nice attitudes you have during the holiday season that are mostly absent the rest of the year.
Are you nicer to people in December than you are in June?
Are you more tolerant of Christmas shoppers than you are of shoppers or crowds at other times?
Are you more generous during the holidays?
And if so ... Why?

It's probably good that we have a season when we are more focused on being nice, but why is it necessary? Are we still trying to make Santa's nice list and stay off the naughty list?

Just wondering...

John

Wednesday Wisdom

 

Did you know ... ?

We are just a scant 11 days away from this year's winter solstice in the northern hemisphere and I am settling into my morning routine of coffee by the fireplace. The living room couch is more comfortable than the deck furniture and the fireplace makes for a cozy atmosphere, but I would much prefer to be sitting outside, listening to the neighbor's roosters crowing and other of nature's morning sounds.

Speaking of crowing roosters, did you know...

According to Greek mythology -- A young soldier was assigned to be a lookout for Ares, the God of war, who was having an affair with the goddess Aphrodite. Unfortunately, the soldier fell asleep and Ares was caught by Helios, the sun god. For his failure, the soldier was turned into a rooster that always crows in the morning to warn of the coming sun!

Now you know.

John

Perspective

It's 50 (10c), cloudy, and between light rain showers in the Ozarks of SWMO. A couple of months ago I would have called it a cold and dreary afternoon. Today I am taking advantage of the warmer weather by sitting on the deck, smoking a cigar, and enjoying the sounds of the rural outdoors. 
Perspective matters.

Because I gravitate towards mindfulness, self-awareness, and the effects of self-talk, the algorithms that control my news feeds often point me to articles that cover the benefits and pitfalls of how we think and how we perceive the world around us. People can live in essentially the same conditions and environments. Some will be peaceful and thrive while others are anxious and struggle. 
At the shelter there are always people that are grateful for a warm, safe place to sleep, and there are always people that complain that it's too warm, too cold, we don't have the oatmeal they like, or something else.
Perspective matters.

So how do we control our perspective?
I guess that really is the key question. I wish I had the answer.
For me, it really is a matter of gratitude. 
However, I've also realized that it is not my place to tell you how you should see things in your world. My way of seeing the world doesn't diminish your way of seeing it from a different vantage point. And while I can try to understand your perspective; I cannot force you to try to understand mine, much less accept it as your own.

In a previous life I was a pretty good salesperson, In the retail world I sold jewelry and building materials and was pretty successful at both. Even as an evangelist (really just a glorified salesperson if you'll pardon the pun) I was pretty good at convincing others to my way of thinking. 
I've found great peace in being able to share my thoughts without the expectation of trying to convince others that they need to convert to my way of thinking. It's unfortunate that I haven't always sold a good product. In fact, I regret that I may have convinced people to believe some things that I now see as loads of horse manure.

I think that "Live and let live" might be too simple of a motto to follow for life, but it's a good beginning.

You may disagree with me, and that's okay.
As for me --
It's 50 (10c), it's December, and it's raining.
And I am grateful that you don't have to shovel rain!

John

It's the Weekend! (or just another day in retirement)

It looks like we are going to get a break from the cold for a couple of days. It won't be a big deal, but I'm all for a little warmer weather. 

Today's kindness will be doing a little housework before Chris gets back home later tonight. It's really not too big of a deal since the house never really gets that messy with just the two of us, and it's only been me for the past few weeks. 
It might seem like a bit of a cop out, but being kind to your spouse or partner should be a pretty regular behavior, don't you think?

As a kindness to myself (self-care is also important), I recently deleted my X (Twitter) account. Since the BlueSky platform is still underdeveloped and I don't think it will be something I really use much, I am saving a lot of time that was once spent on social media platforms. I am now spending that time trying to learn Spanish on a learning platform.
I took advantage of a Black Friday promo to re-subscribe to The Great Courses plus. It has a vast library of educational and informational courses to take and costs less than the monthly ESPN+ subscription that I just cancelled. The only thing I really used the ESPN+ subscription for was to watch the UFC events and I'm sure I can find them elsewhere when I really want to watch them. A little education is a better use of both my time and money. 
With The Great Courses plus app on my phone, I can keep up with the classes on my phone, on my Chromebook, or on the TV via Roku. Maybe I'll end up being a Spanish speaking, ukulele playing, master gardening herbalist by the end of next year! There really is a plethora of courses available.
Chris might find something she wants to learn about, too.

I didn't leave the house yesterday (not even to get the mail!), but I need to run an errand for Chris today, so fair warning, public! John will be on the loose today!

With new stuff to learn, books to read, and cigars to smoke -- who has time to interact with people?
I hope you can understand how being nice to people can be such a challenge.

John

Fun Facts

 Did you know ... ?

John

Thursday Theology

A few years ago I came up with this thought that the further I got from religion, the closer I got to God. 
At that time, I never really considered that Jesus had become my religion, but I would now agree with this statement by Fr Richard Rohr:

By shifting my practice into following the teachings of Jesus and finding God in all things and in the people around me, I have also found the Christ in me. I don't know if it's because it is such a big shift in thinking or because I'm such a slow learner, but I still struggle with it on many days. 

I think I am more gracious than I used to be.
I think I am more compassionate than I used to be.
I think I am more patient than I used to be.
I might even be more loving than I used to be.

But then somebody says something or does something that pisses me off and I have to collect myself and remember that they are a part of God's creation and I am supposed to be gracious, compassionate, patient, and loving towards them, too.
The struggle is real.
The transformation is slow.

It's only December 5th and I'm already thinking this Advent challenge of mine is going to be too difficult to maintain until Christmas. Most of the difficulty comes from the fact that I just don't interact with people as often as most. I did have several good people interactions yesterday and am thinking I might give myself a pass today and just stay home. I have plenty to eat and drink and I really don't have anything important that needs to be done that requires me to venture out.
And I have library books that need to be read before their due date.

Maybe today will be one of those days when the kind thing that I do will be to stay away from people. 

How does your religion or life philosophy guide you to deal with people?
I really want to know.

John

Advent - Day 4

I was glad to make contact and check in on a couple of friends yesterday. For one of them the contact was just a text for coffee today before a couple of morning appointments. 

I am a little surprised at the number of people that want friends but don't feel like they have any -- especially people my age. Most of you know that I'm okay with not getting together with people often. Apparently getting together with others is an often unmet need for people. It would appear that a simple text or call is helpful in reminding people that they are not alone. A "howdy" and a hug can make somebody's day.

I'm going to combine my Advent goal and my Wednesday Wisdom post with this simple encouragement:
Find someone that needs a "howdy" and a hug (and maybe a hamburger) and give it to them. Or maybe a handshake or first bump for those that are not huggers.
And if you are one of those people that wants friends but feels like you don't have any -- be the one to reach out and say "hi." Invite someone out for coffee or a meal. Be the friend you want.

Honestly, it's a bit of a stretch for me. When I'm sitting alone, reading a book, listening to music, or smoking a cigar -- it's never going to cross my mind to call somebody and see if they want to meet for a drink or something. This purposeful kindness stuff is an exercise in growth for me. I don't think that I am purposefully unkind, but neither am I typically the person that is naturally kind to others.
 
Personally, I do recognize a subtle difference between being polite and being kind. I think that having good manners and holding a door open for someone is being polite rather than an act of kindness. I do think that fewer and fewer people seem to have good manners, but I don't think that the civil act of being polite is the same as being kind.

That's too simple.
People say that being nice doesn't cost anything.
I don't know if that's true.
Not being mean doesn't cost anything, but that's not the same as being nice.
I think being nice takes effort, but maybe that's because I'm not a naturally nice person.
Ugly John is a pretty sarcastic, condescending asshole. It has taken a lot of time and a lot of effort to build a mental dungeon strong enough to keep him away from public view. I can occasionally hear the sarcastic shouts from the depths of my mind, but can usually ignore them. Sometimes, however, he manages a breakthrough. That's never a good thing. 

Be nice today.
Make the effort.
Make it cost you something -- time, energy, love.
Let's see if it's worth it.

John

Advent and being kind -- the challenge continues

Yesterday ended a 35 day posting streak. I was out of my usual morning routine and didn't really feel like writing anything later in the day. I didn't even have a set aside meditation time, although the day was a quiet and thoughtful kind of day. I also didn't have a set aside medication time and almost forgot to take my daily blood pressure pill (now a part of my morning routine).

In keeping with my 24 days of purposeful kindness for Advent -- I did get some volunteer time in and managed to thank and compliment the workers at Subway on their fine crafting of my sandwiches (for last night and for today) and friendly service. I don't know if today will hold any actual people interactions, so I'm definitely going to have to be purposeful about finding some way to be Christ-like while sitting alone at home. (Personally, I think keeping this sarcastic, condescending, grumpy old man at home is an act of kindness to the general public, but...that's just me.)

The gospels do tell us that Jesus got away to pray on a regular basis.
Matthew 17:17 tells of Jesus' frustration with people -- "How long must I endure you people?"
But I really don't see Jesus as an introvert. I'm not even certain that an introvert can read the gospels and think, "Jesus gets me." 

I mean I certainly believe that God understands us and loves us, but I also think that serving, helping, and loving others is a particularly big ask of some of us. I don't know, maybe it's a big ask for all of us. 
For now, I'm just going to enjoy my morning coffee and quiet time and share the fire with Groucho, the cat.

Be well, my friends
John

December 1st: Making kindness a habit

Today is Sunday, December 1st, 2024.
If you follow the Liturgical Calendar, it is the first day of Advent and Christians around the world begin preparing to celebrate the birth of the Christ child.

As a kid, I never really got the Advent season. I mean -- why would we prepare for something that happened 2000 years ago?
As a jaded adult, I still don't get it. Why celebrate the birth of a Savior whose teachings about caring for your fellow human beings you choose to ignore? 
Let's face it -- as a jaded adult, there isn't much about religion that I find valuable anymore. 

But I do value the teachings of Jesus, even as I sometimes struggle to value and care for the people around me.
I think I'm going to spend my Advent being purposeful about emulating a behavior or practice of Jesus daily. I'm not going to write about it daily. Although I may write to encourage others to do kind things in the coming days. I really haven't thought this out and I don't know what things I'll wind up doing. I do know that I am already dreading that I'll probably have to spend more time with people and am considering deleting this part and writing something else. 
I'm already on the schedule to work at the shelter tonight, so Day 1 is taken care of. Who knows what Days 2-24 might bring?

I welcome your suggestions and invite you to be purposefully kind and Christ-like in the days leading up to Christmas. The 3+ weeks might be enough to make daily kindness a habitual thing.

John

Cold brew

It's a brisk morning in the Ozarks for the final day of November. I decided it was time to light the pilot on the vent-less gas fireplace. Tonight's low of 16f (-9c) will be the lowest of the season so far. Even with the flame set low, the vent-less log puts out a lot of heat and so I don't leave it on for very long. It warms the main area of the house from 60 to 70 (15-21c) pretty quickly on cold mornings.

This is my morning coffee view today --

Speaking of coffee...
let's talk about brew methods.
Typically, I use a pour over brew, using 50g of coffee at a medium grind per liter of hot water.
I rarely use my French press, but would use the same ratio of coffee to water, but at a coarse grind.
It's been a long time since I've used my stove-top espresso moka pot. Although it used to be my daily go-to, I now find it a little more bitter than I like.
I haven't owned a drip coffee maker in a couple of decades.

Today's coffee is made from a cold brew concentrate.
I use 1.5 liters of water to 150g of coarsely ground coffee and let it steep or cold brew (room temp) in a two liter jar for about 12 hrs (overnight). After filtering out the grounds, I'm left with around 1.35 liters of cold brew concentrate. 
For hot coffee I use a 1:1 ratio of cold brew and water and I heat it in the microwave.
For iced coffee I fill a glass halfway with the cold brew, add a little heavy cream, and then fill the glass the rest of the way with ice.

The benefits of using cold brew are that it's pretty easy to adjust the strength by adding more or less water based on personal preference, it's typically less bitter, and you really get to taste the flavor subtleties of the coffee.

How do you like your coffee brewed?
Do you have a favorite origin for your beans? (I'm partial to Ethiopian coffees)
If you are in the Springfield/Ozark/Nixa area and want to visit over a cup of coffee, hit me up. Let's do it.

John

Black Friday

It is Friday the 29th of November!
If I can get this published and manage to remember to post again tomorrow I will have successfully completed another insignificant goal of posting daily in the long forgotten National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo).

It is Black Friday in the US -- the unofficial beginning to the Christmas shopping season. Today is the day that many of those that have declared the gloom and doom of the American economy and couldn't afford to buy a dozen eggs at the beginning of the month will spend millions of dollars on those people that have managed to make their "nice" list.
It's also the busiest travel weekend of the year, which is odd in such a terrible economy.

No travel nor shopping for me today. I do plan to venture out into public to visit the library and check out a book or two. I just finished an 11 book fantasy series, The Realm of False Gods by Steve Higgs. It was free with my Kindle Unlimited subscription. 
I have several other books in my Kindle library, but think I'll go for an old school, actual book for a change.

Some interesting stats:
54% of adult Americans read at least one book last year.
If you read 5 books, you are in the top 33%.
If you read 10 books, you are in the top 21%.
If you managed to read 50 books, you are in the top 1%, reading more than 99% of all American adults.

What are you reading?

John

Thanksgiving as a Theology

It's Thanksgiving morning here in the US. For the rest of the world it is just another Thursday. It's pretty much just another Thursday for me, too.

Don't get me wrong. I am thankful for my life and willing to celebrate the holiday, it just has less of an impact than it once had. I think that living with gratitude as a part of my daily life has diminished the significance of a day dedicated to gratitude. 
That and the childhood image of pilgrims celebrating with the natives that we would end up treating so goddamn awful in the coming years doesn't sit so well with me anymore.

Nowadays I find it difficult to ignore the exploitation of the holidays. There seems to be so much money to be made that commercialism has taken over many of our once simple, once sacred special days. Typing that into words makes me feel all bah-humbug and I don't really feel that way. But I do wonder what it would be like if life and holidays were without the stress brought on by our exaggerated expectations.

I'm going to smoke a turkey breast today. I have a couple of ears of corn on the cob, and I'll probably wrap a potato in foil and throw it in the smoker, as well. A couple of little individual pecan pies will complete my simple Thanksgiving meal. 
I truly am thankful for my simple life. I recognize the great privilege that I have and am sometimes a little ashamed of how well I have it.  

Does being thankful for things -- life, family, friends, etc. -- require us to have someone or something to be thankful to?
Are we thankful for our family to our family?
Are we grateful for our friendships to our friends?
I suppose we can be, but for me -- it's more than that.

Maybe you have no God/god. 
Maybe you recognize no force greater than humanity.
Maybe you have no one to be thankful to.

Somehow I believe that gratitude is its own kind of theology.
These simple blessings of my life have to come from somewhere or something or someone.
It may be kind of mystical. Some may call it superstition or fantasy. I really don't understand it, but I do believe that I am created by and guided by a force or being that is far beyond cognitive ability. I no longer see God (my name for this force or being) as an outside force that demands followship, worship, or specific behaviors to gain favor, but as a source of love and energy that flows from within me and all of us. Yeah, I know -- sometimes love is hard to see in people. But I still believe it's in there.

This theology of gratitude is important to me. It really is who I am and who I am becoming. I know how heretical this would sound to my evangelical or conservative Catholic friends. I suppose their God would condemn me to hell and eternal torment for sharing such thoughts. Perhaps they'll offer prayers or acts of contrition on my behalf. 

Whether my simple day is a day of celebration or not, know this -- I am thankful for my life, my family, my friends, and for the few of you that have taken the time to read my posts. 
Whether you are in the US and celebrating Thanksgiving or somewhere else in the world, I truly hope that today is just another day of living a life filled with gratitude.

Happy Thanksgiving!

John

Aging gracefully or just getting old

It's early Wednesday morning after a lazy day of recovery from working an overnight shift at the shelter. I slept well even after dozing off during the afternoon and evening yesterday. The recovery was more difficult than I remember it being in the past. I don't know if it's just been too long or if it's a matter of getting old. It might be both.

Maybe aging gracefully is simply a matter of recognizing that as things become more difficult you have to adjust differently or stop doing them. I'm going to have to see how that plays out in the coming months. For today, I'm just going to be grateful to be.

It looks like this may be the last 50 (10c) degree day for a few weeks, so even though it will be overcast and might rain I am going to enjoy it. If the rain isn't blowing in onto the deck, I'll be enjoying a cigar and maybe I'll switch it up to a nice warm mug of Mexican coffee (coffee with chocolate, cinnamon, cream, a little Mexican vanilla, and tequila). 
Damn, that sounds good! Right now I'm thinking an Oliva Hellion cigar would be a perfect pairing.

One of the benefits of getting older is having another day to enjoy the simple things of life, and face it -- we're all getting older. 
I hope you take a moment to be thankful and to enjoy being a day older, and perhaps a little wiser.

John 

Interesting and innovative marketing

It's a late day posting as I managed a few hours of sleep after working overnight. 
Just an interesting bit of history and innovative marketing to share today.
Only four more days to complete another NABloPoMo!

John

Introvert Gratitude

It's Monday of Thanksgiving week in the US, so it seems appropriate to focus on gratitude for my weekly meditation post. This past week has reminded me that there are some pretty special people in my life. It kind of sucks that we are at a point where we see each other at family funerals more than on more happy occasions, but it is also comforting to witness the love and share comfort and memories in those difficult times.

I know that I often write about my aversion to being around people and my preference to be alone. There are many people that have known me for a long time that challenge my claim to be an introvert. In truth, it's not that I don't like people -- I just don't like being around them (most of the time, anyway).
I understand socializing with others and enjoy conversing one-on-one or in small groups. I recognize that some people need and thrive on social interaction. There are people that I really look forward to seeing, even if it means having to be in a larger group to see them. 

Just because I don't really like being around people doesn't make me anti-social, or does it?
I see it as more of a personal preference than an anti-social behavior. I'm not at all uncomfortable around people and sometimes find it enjoyable. I like hearing what other people are doing in their lives, but really dislike meaningless small talk. Being around people is a bit like going to work -- you can like your job, but it's still work.
I am grateful that our society operates with lots of different people, doing lots of different jobs, so that we  can all live our different lives in the same community. Just don't expect me to want to hang around with everybody.

So I don't hate people.
I like people.
I am grateful for people.
I just don't usually want to be around them. 

I am also grateful for my alone time.
Yeah, I am really grateful for that.

John

The Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand

I suppose there is nothing like the death of someone to get you to think about the afterlife or if there even is something beyond our human existence.
According to the gospels, this is what Jesus taught -- The kingdom of heaven is here; it's right now. It's at hand.
It's a little odd that we westerners tend to look at the teachings of an ancient middle eastern man from a western perspective rather than from an eastern or middle eastern one. Eastern religions and philosophies teach us to be present; to live in the moment. It seems like quite a shift for us westerners to grasp this idea of mindfulness, but could this be what Jesus was talking about? What if heaven isn't a place we go when we die, but it is where and how we are living now?
And is the same thing true for hell?

The simple truth that I've come to in my own personal journey of faith is that I really don't know and am not equipped to tell you what you should believe. That's a huge shift from being a Southern Baptist Evangelist or even just from being an evangelical Christian that believes he has all the answers about your eternal salvation. 
I'm interested in your beliefs and philosophies on life, death, heaven and hell, but I can promise you I will have questions if we discuss them. My questions aren't to contradict nor criticize, but rather to understand how you have arrived at your beliefs.

I realize this is a short and unfulfilling post about religion or religious beliefs, but it's all I can weave together this morning. There are lots of thoughts in my head that I just don't know how to write in words or if there really are words to adequately share them. 

Two life philosophies that I am willing to share --
Live in the moment (be present)
Love your neighbor (everyone is your neighbor)

John

Saturday

It's pretty early in the AM. I've been up watching the UFC Fights that are in China this weekend. The prelims started at 2 AM and the main card at 5 here in the Midwest. I had a short sleep after my drive home and will probably call it an early and easy day today. 
Lunch with a friend and then an easy and reflective afternoon.

Driving home gave me plenty of time to think about the events of the past week. It's interesting to hear the memories and stories at funeral gatherings. It does kind of make one wonder what people will remember about me when that time comes. 
I also got to spend a few hours with some old friends. Even though we have very different lives and different situations, we have managed to reconnect and re-establish the friendships we had as kids. In truth, these two guys are among my favorite people in the world and getting to spend even a few moments with them is so energizing and uplifting that the effects will last for days. I need to make it back home more often.

After some good people days with relatives and friends, maybe I'll venture into church tomorrow.
Then again, why press my luck? Maybe not.

John

Did you know ... ?

It's about that time of year when we gather for gift exchanges with friends, coworkers, and relatives.
If your exchange is of the "White elephant" variety, you'll be prepared with this interesting fact:

John

So long, old friend.

I'm on the road this morning and sharing from my Mom's place in central Illinois. I made the journey to be with family at the funeral of a cousin's spouse. Jim was my friend. He was always ready with a smile and always pleasant to be around. We (Chris and I) stayed with them on different occasions when we were in the area for family gatherings and truly enjoyed our late night conversations.

I know there are people from different faith backgrounds among my readers. It's a little weird that the most conservative Christians have quit following me from being offended, while I still have a couple of atheists that regularly read Out of My Hat. 
Or maybe it's not so weird.
In general, I've found atheists to be much more likely to allow varying faith beliefs as long as you're not trying to force your beliefs on them. In truth, many of them know more about different faiths than the adherents of those particular beliefs.

For my friends that believe there is more to our existence than our relatively short span as humans, perhaps you will find comfort in this simple statement from CS Lewis.

John

Wednesday Wisdom

I'm going to have to get my quiet time on the road today, but wanted to keep the November streak going with today's Wednesday Wisdom post.

Who are you?
Are you the person that society has crafted?
Or are you the person you were born to be?

John

Researchers Needed!

Researchers sounds better than testers.
I'm going to accept the protein and omega 3 numbers from the fact site, but am especially interested in the "reportedly taste like bacon" part.

Let me know.
I'm already thinking of a compost to kitchen marketing for the ELT -- Earthworm, lettuce, tomato sandwich! I think sourdough should be the bread of choice.
Are you in?

John

Rain

It's cool and damp this morning after last night's rain. The overcast layer of clouds will be with us all day and there will be periodic showers and maybe a thunderstorm late in the evening with more rain likely tonight.

I'm thinking about how my thoughts on rain have changed throughout my life. As a kid, I never understood when adults would say that we needed rain. I was a kid and I needed the sun to be shining so that I could be outside playing. Summer showers meant baseball games getting rained out or playing on muddy fields. We weren't farmers and I didn't worry about the cost of produce. 

As an adult, I recognize the near drought conditions we've been experiencing this year and the need for rain. I don't like having to water the flower beds during the hot, dry summer and I am much more appreciative of the cooling effects of a summer shower.
I still believe that if you are going to pray for rain, you should pray for it to rain at night. That way the earth gets the water it needs, and we get nice, sunny days to enjoy.

I love sitting on the covered deck and enjoying a nice steady rainfall. The sound of the rain has a peaceful, calming effect on my soul. Sometimes I wonder how far this water (rain) has traveled. Maybe it evaporated in the tropics, was carried here by the Coriolis effect, cooled by the colder air from the northwest, and then dropped on the Ozarks of Southwest Missouri. If raindrops could tell the story of their travels, what would those stories be?

I should probably mention that while I still enjoy nighttime rain showers, I am now very aware of the unsheltered population and the problems they face with inclement weather. That knowledge has somewhat dampened (pardon the pun) my enjoyment.

Sun, rain, flowers, food -- it's all a part of the cycle of life.
A little rain is good for this morning's meditation.

John 

Just stuff in my head today...

Most of you know that I don't care much for always being around people. I think it needs to be said that it's not that I don't like people -- I just don't want to be around them much. Even so, there are some people that it feels good to be around. Their very presence can be an uplifting experience. Even their social media posts tend to make the virtual world a brighter place. I am always grateful for the moments I get to spend with them, the life energy they are willing to share with me, and the hugs. 

The hugs are a big deal.
As I have become more contemplative and self-aware of my own life force, energy, frequency, or whatever you want to call it -- I have also become more aware of frequencies that other people put out. Just like in music, some frequencies are more pleasing on their own, some harmonize and go together especially well with my frequency, while others make an uncomfortable sound, either on their own or when put together with mine. 
Although that harmony can be sensed by mere presence, I believe that it is best shared by physical touch -- a handshake, a pat on the back, an arm across the shoulders, a hug. 

Hugs are the best.
You can give energy (strength, comfort, love) to someone that needs it.
You can receive energy when you are in need of strength or restoration.
You can share energy and both be recharged and uplifted.

This morning I'm wondering about what happens to a person's life energy when their physical body is no longer alive. 
Does it go somewhere?
Is it given to loved ones to exist with their own energies?
Is it reclaimed by the universe?
Does it cease to exist?

I don't think it's the same as our soul, but I really don't know.

Hmmm...
Just stuff in my head this morning.

John

Just Another Saturday

It is most of the way through the day and I'm just realizing that I haven't posted and am about to miss my goal of posting for every day in November.
Taking Chris to the airport this morning was a change to my regular morning routine that includes my blog reading and writing time. I did manage to read a couple of my regular favorites, but my coffee drinking time and Chromebook time was cut short, so -- no blogging. Now that I'm enjoying the nice afternoon with a short robusto smoke and a bit of tequila, I just realized that I need to post.

It's a little depressing at how quickly the day passes and darkness swallows the Midwestern sky this time of year. It'll be dark around the time the UFC prelims start. I'll watch the early prelims on the deck, but will probably move inside for the rest of them. I don't know if I'll go out for the PPV, try to find a good stream at home, or just skip them. I'd say early money is on going out, but that may change. Staying home is always a safe bet.
The UFC and other MMA events are about the only sports I watch on TV anymore and I don't know too many people here that are big fans. I'm not even sure that I'd say I'm a big fan, but I do enjoy watching. It's probably strange that an old, fat guy is a fan of a sport that takes pretty extreme conditioning. Being a spectator doesn't take much conditioning at all.

There is a part of me that feels bad about contributing to a culture that idolizes entertainers and athletes with huge salaries while other more necessary professions are greatly undervalued. People need to be well compensated for being the best in their fields, but maybe teachers, mechanics, waiters, etc., need to have agents or better unions looking out for their interests as well.

Sorry for the late post today.
I'll work on being better in the remaining two weeks of November.

John

Is it a difference of opinion?

An interesting perspective on opinions and why opinions don't really matter.

John

Post-deconstruction Remodeling

I've never been a real fan of the term deconstruction to describe the evolution of my faith.
I get it. I certainly had to tear down and remove much of the bullshit that was nothing more than the rules of men and the control of religion. But I didn't just bulldoze everything and rebuild a faith or belief from scratch. It was (and still is) more of a remodeling project. Certain underpinnings of my previous faith remain foundational in my current beliefs and are what I am rebuilding upon. 

One of the biggest differences between the religious John of the past and the more spiritual John of the present is that I am now more concerned about my own faith and relationship with my Creator than I am about the relationships of others. In fact, I really feel like your relationship (or lack of one), or your faith is none of my business.
I am more than willing to share my thoughts, beliefs, and life philosophies with you. And I am equally willing to hear your thoughts, beliefs, and life philosophies. I just no longer feel it is important to me that you convert to my way of thinking.

Growing, changing, evolving as a spiritual being is a full-time gig for me. Being nice is a daily struggle when my natural tendency is to be a snarky, sarcastic asshole. 
Trying to understand and follow the teachings of Jesus seems to work for me, but it is an ongoing project. I have to admit, it's a little bit disheartening to think that I'm going to be changing constantly and never really complete the remodeling project of becoming the John that I need to be, but the work continues. Maybe I need a sign -- Please excuse my mess. Remodeling in progress.

John

 

Wednesday Wisdom

I wasn't sure if I should post this today or save it for tomorrow's Thursday theology. It works pretty well for both.

John

Twitter/X; Should I Stay or Should I Go?

I've been considering leaving X for some time now, but haven't yet. I get a lot of my news from the sources I follow there. It has become such a platform for misinformation and there are just so many ads that I spend most of my time scrolling rather than reading.

+ I like that I can follow accounts without being followed back or that individuals can follow me and I don't have to follow them. 
+ I like that there are many sources and varieties of sources available.
+ I like that it is a popular social media platform.
+ It's free

- I don't like the ad targeting, but realize that I'm going to get that (to some degree) anywhere.
- I don't like that I'm seeing fewer posts from accounts I follow and more targeted posts that seem to be aggressively opposite to my tastes.
- I am not a fan of Elon Musk.

I don't know if Blue Sky will be the social media platform that people switch to, or if it will be something else. Blue Sky began in Twitter, before Twitter was bought by Musk, and has since separated. I've done a little reading about it and have opened an account there. I decided to stick with the  magicianary handle even though it really isn't me anymore. Look me up if you are on Blue Sky.

I have been working on spending less time on social media. I do like using Facebook to stay in touch with friends and family, especially since I never actually see many of them in person. Maybe I'll just drop X and not replace it with anything.
Facebook, Instagram, X, etc., can be good connections to news sources, but it's easy enough to go direct to the news sites or get links to breaking stories sent to your phone. The social platforms can be entertaining if you are entertained by the stories, experiences, and stupidity of other people's lives. They can also be educational if you choose to follow sites that share science, history, art, etc.

Since I only have a couple dozen direct followers to Out of My Hat, chances are good that you are here from a social media link. I don't think that people read or follow blogs as much as they once did. Both Facebook and Twitter were pretty much in their infancy when I started blogging and personal blogs like mine were popular. As more and more people turned to those platforms for expression, most of the blogs I followed just disappeared.

I suppose I have continued publishing Out of My Hat because writing helps me to organize the thoughts in my head. I don't expect to be a great influence in the world, nor do I think that my thoughts and ideas are particularly brilliant.
Mostly writing just gives me something to do.

Admittedly, I like when people read my words and feel moved to respond or leave a comment. I miss some of the bloggers that I once followed and that followed me. I wonder what they are doing and why they decided to quit blogging.
Some of us have kept at it, perhaps because we are set in our ways and unwilling to adapt to the changing world. We're like the group of old people you might find gathered for coffee and breakfast at any given McDonald's in any small town in the US. We often have different perspectives of the world around us, but the blogger community seems more reasonable about our areas of disagreement than other social platforms.

For now, I'm just going to leave this here. Maybe the only change I'll make is to spend less time on my social media accounts. 

John

Thinking of Spring

I know it isn't even winter yet, but this morning finds me thinking of spring and some spring gardening plans. It's another cool morning for sitting on the deck and the low southern sun shines on my face making typing on the Chromebook visually challenging. I don't complain about the bright sun because the sun is my friend. Sometimes it just makes it difficult to see.

Back to spring planning and spring planting.
I'm looking at another area for a long flower bed that I plan to fill with mixed zinnias. 
I recently read a story of a guy that owned a field next to a country highway. He planted the field with zinnias (and maybe some other flowers) and made them available to anybody that wanted freshly cut flowers for their home. There were paths to walk through the field. There were pruning shears to cut flowers, even vases to put them in. People stopped along the highway to cut flowers for themselves or for their friends. Some even left vases for others to use.
I don't have the traffic to really do that kind of thing, but I think I will make my flowers available to my neighbors and friends next year.

That story doesn't really have anything to do with planting another big flower bed in the back yard, other than to say that I'd like more flowers. Although zinnias are annuals, they are so pretty that I just want more of them!
I should probably work on my gardening for food game, but I currently find much more pleasure in the gardening for beauty game and just providing food for the birds, bees, and butterflies.

That is where my morning thoughts are taking me this morning.
I would like to add more perennials into my flower mix. I'm pretty much limited to full-sun flowers and plants because there is very little shade. The east side of the house only gets a few hours of morning sun, but everything else gets far too much sun for even partial-shade plants.

In my head -- it's always summer. 
I might be making plans for spring planting, but I'm really thinking about the summer beauty.
It might be cool on the deck this fall morning, but every once in a while I sit back, close my eyes and feel the sun on my face. With my eyes closed the sun is still so bright that all I can see is the brilliant yellow-red of the inside of my eyelids. 

Warm sun on my face  
Bright red glow in my eyes
Cool air inhaled through the nose
Neighbor's rooster crowing and birds singing
An occasional sip of my Ethiopian cold brew
Peaceful thoughts of summer in my head

Morning meditations should be simple sensory (or at least, sense aware) experiences.
In this moment there is no strife, there is no stress, there is peace.
I am aware that this peace is a privilege that not many will have today.
Work, money, family needs, health, food, shelter -- all things that will rob us of peace -- crowd into our heads and into our days.

I hope you have a moment today when you can pause, lift your face to the sun, breathe deeply for a few breaths, still your mind, slow your heart, and find a moment of peace.

Be well, my friends.

John

Sunday

 

How you doin'?

It's another cool and rainy day in the Ozarks, but it is November so I remind myself that you don't have to shovel rain. In the mountains west of Denver, my daughter has had plenty of snow already. The two big dogs (husky/shepherd/wolf) love the snow. The little pit mix, not so much.

Weather-wise, today will be a good day to stay home. Plus it is Saturday so there are more people out in public places and that is always a good reason to stay home. The deck is dry (mostly) and comfortable in sweatpants and a sweater. My feet are a little cold this morning and I may have to put on some socks. It's 50 (10c) now and it should make it up to 60 (15c) by this afternoon. 

I feel I need to check on friends to see how they are doing in the post election week. I have many that have some legitimate reasons to be fearful of the future. 
While my privileged life will go on without much change in the day-to-day routine, others are facing fears over losing health insurance and healthcare provided by the Affordable Care Act. 
Some are facing fears over their status as members of the queer community. Will they lose rights to live where they live, work where they work, and love whom they love? Will violence against them be ignored or tolerated?
Will legit citizens be harassed and deported? Will their families be divided? Will legal immigrants be denied work or housing?

Honestly, I have concerns about things like democracy and the economy, but they pale in comparison to my concern for the injustices that I fear will increase in our communities across the nation. I think this is why I'm not surprised at the results of the election -- I believe that most people will always do what they believe is best for themselves at the time. Our fear of what might happen to us or our loved ones will always be greater than our concern for the rights and needs of others.
Yes, I know plenty of people that are greatly concerned for others and work against the injustices of the world, but I believe they are the extraordinary exceptions to the majority of humanity. "Looking out for #1" is the way of the world and a base survival instinct. It is how we function without reason.

So...
How you doin'? (You have to say it like Joey on Friends)
Need a friend?
Need a hug?
Let me know.

John

Friday Fun Fact

 Hmmm...

I've got nothin'

It's Thursday and the day I usually post some religious or spiritual kind of thing, but today I really am not feeling it.
I'm not sure why. I do not believe it has anything to do with the election results. I don't feel particularly down about that to the point that I think it impacts my spiritual well being. 
I'm not feeling anger towards people, nor do I feel like lashing out with some word-salad rant.

I do recognize two things about myself in this moment--
     1) I do not feel like I have love to give
     2) I feel drained of energy or positive life force

I need to recharge.
Typically I recharge alone. There are a few people that give off that life giving energy and I am lifted up by their presence, but they are rare and being alone is relatively easy for this retired guy living in a rural area.
I have started taking walks around our 5-acre lot. Once around the perimeter is just under a half mile -- .48 miles (.78km). There isn't anything interesting about it. It's just an old fescue pasture. There are a couple of rolling hills to navigate with a 31' (9.4m) difference between the high point and low point, but that's about it. But it is a nice walk and being outside brings its own energy into the picture. I've walked it barefoot once and may do that today. Touching the earth is another good source of energy.

Nature's energy -- being outside, the sunlight, the ground contact, breathing the air around the trees at the back property line -- offers more than just its life giving spirit; it also comes with a calming peaceful aura. Feeling connected to nature makes me feel connected with nature's Creator.
And that's a good thing.
It has been a long time since I've taken a purposefully, meditative walk. Maybe I'll grab my mala today and use it to keep me focused. I haven't used it in quite sometime, either.

These are things I do to reconnect with God.
How do you connect or reconnect with God/the Universe/your true self/whatever you call that higher power?
What do you do when you feel like your prayers are lost in the void?
Where do you find peace in the chaos?
Is it a place?
Is it a person?
Is it a thing?
How do you recharge?

Find your peace
Be well
Come back next week and maybe I'll have something more spiritual to share.

John

Living in the Moment

While I am disappointed in last night's election results, I can't say I am too surprised.
While I am concerned about the future, I am not going to spend a great deal of energy on what is out of my control.
I am going to continue my self education in mindfulness and living in the moment.

In many ways, this Wednesday morning is no different than it would be if the election results had been different. It's cool enough outside that I am having my coffee and writing inside today. I'm still fat (something in my control) and need to eat better today, and I need to go downstairs and get on the exercise cycle for a little while.
I'll spend most of the day reading and enjoying the quiet of our home and then we will have dinner with some friends tonight.
I may or may not sit and enjoy a cigar today.
Tomorrow evening is the holiday dinner for the volunteer chaplains and spouses, but otherwise, tomorrow will be much like today.

Maybe it seems too simple and an unreasonable way to live, but it keeps me sane and in control of my inner peace. It helps me to be aware of the good things and good people in my life and reminds me to be grateful for what I have, where I am, and who I am becoming.

Living in the moment takes practice. We (in the West) could learn much from our Eastern friends about mindfulness and self-care.

Do not worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow can worry about itself. Concern yourself with today.
(my paraphrase of Jesus from The Sermon on the Mount, Matt 6:34)

John

Self Care, Check on your friends

It's going to be a stressful couple of days in the US. 
Election day is finally here. 

Truthfully, I don't expect to know the final results today. Even with all of the available technology, I expect that tomorrow will be the very earliest a reliable call will be made on the presidential election. Other national and local elections may have pretty accurate projections before the night is over and there are some significant Senate races and state amendments on several ballots.

Personally, I don't do stress. 
I rarely feel anxious about things.
I do not worry about things out of my control.
I'm not a big faith kind of guy that puts everything in God's hands, either. 
I just do what I can do, control what I can control, and find a way to deal with what I can't.

I know that it's not that easy for most people.

Find a safe place for your well-being today. 
Do something to distract yourself from the stress of not knowing what tomorrow holds.
Take a walk or go for a run.
Have a taco.  
And call a friend that might be stressing and be a calming influence.
Facing uncertain times together is better than facing them alone.

The sun will rise tomorrow.

John

Coming Together -- Is it a Possibility?

Tomorrow the US goes to the polls and elects our government for the coming years -- the entire House of Representatives for the next two years, 1/3 of the Senate for the next six, and the President for the next four years.
I expect both houses of Congress to be narrowly divided and the Presidential race appears to be a statistical coin toss.

And yet whichever party wins control will likely declare that America has voted and given them a mandate to steamroll over the opposing party and do whatever the hell they want to do. 
It's rather nauseating. 
That's not the way government is supposed to work.

Last night I was at a fundraising concert for several organizations that provide help and care for marginalized people in our community. The various groups provide permanent shelter for the chronically homeless, overnight shelter during the coming cold weather, aid to endangered teens, safety and help for abused women and children. and food for the hungry.
Area music groups donated their time and talent to provide entertainment, businesses donated items for a silent auction, and people gave generously to the cause of helping our neighbors -- people that live in our community.

The people that sponsored, provided for, and attended this event weren't doing it for themselves. They were doing it to make life better for others. 
Nobody cared about political affiliation. Nobody cared about sex or gender. Nobody cared about religion. 
Everybody cared about neighbors in need.

It was an uplifting experience for me.
I got to see some of the volunteers and organizers that I've worked with over the past four years and was reminded of the great people that exist and don't even know that they are great and inspiring people.
We were just a few hundred people that came together to do something simple for some friends. I wish our elected officials could see what people can do when they actually work together instead of opposing one another. 
Maybe that's something we should insist on.

For all of its faults, the USA is still a place where many people want to live. 
The US economy and recovery from global inflation is the envy of many countries.
Our privilege and potential is well known in the world.
I know it's not a very capitalistic view, but maybe we can be better about sharing what we have. 

Just a thought

John

Healthy Habits

At 60 (15c) degrees outside it is comfortable on the deck this morning. It has been raining overnight and cloudy skies with rain is the forecast for the next couple of days. I didn't venture out yesterday, nor did I watch any news. It was a nice, quiet day in isolation.
Maybe I'll make it out of the house today. Maybe I won't. I'm comfortable either way.
There is a fundraiser concert for the cold weather shelters this evening and my favorite local band is playing. Maybe we'll go.

I've gone a couple of days in a row without any walking or exercise so I need to get that taken care of today. The daily walk thing isn't a habit yet (obviously) and I really need to make it one. A few years and a few pounds makes a difference in the motivation to get out and do something. While there isn't much I can do about the years, I can certainly attack the extra pounds. The diet/exercise motivation is just tougher than it used to be. There seems to be an inertia about exercise and motivation. An old friend used to tell me that motion is motivation -- just get moving!
The light rain will keep me from taking a long walk, but I do have the exercise cycle in the basement and should probably put it to good use.

Motivation on dieting is a little tougher. I don't want to wait on a heart attack or stroke or other malady due to being overweight to do something about it. Self-motivated weight management might be harder than forced weight management, but it certainly has the benefit of preventing many health issues. The pay me now or pay me later maxim should be enough to keep us healthy.
Why isn't it?
Is it because we feel we are invincible?
Yeah, here's a news flash -- we're not!

How do you stay healthy?
What are your eating habits that are beneficial?
What are your healthy lifestyle activities?

John

Cloudy and cool

It's a little chilly out in the deck this morning. It won't be long before my morning coffee will be inside the house and eventually next to the fireplace. 
Nope. I'm really not a fan of the colder weather. But I recognize that it is a part of the annual cycles of life when you live at the mid latitudes in the US. 

It's weird to me that climates at this latitude vary so much. I never really think that we at the same latitude as the southern tip of Spain or the northern part of Africa. The Mediterranean climates of northern Africa, southern Italy and Greece are much more moderate than the winter climate here in Southwest MO. And they have beaches!

As Midwestern climates go, life in the Ozarks isn't too bad. We get to experience four distinct seasons, the winters are not brutally cold, there are plenty of lakes, forests and outdoor activities to enjoy in the summers, the springs are pretty ideal, and the falls can be quite beautiful.
Personally, I wouldn't mind a little less distinction between seasons. The two seasons (rainy and not rainy) of the tropics would be fine with me. I much prefer too hot over too cold.
I do plan to spend a few weeks of the coming winter in the northern tropics of Mexico. That will be a nice break from the winter cold of the Ozarks. I am looking forward to it.

For now I will endure and do my best to enjoy the time and temperature of where I am. Today I will spend some time reading on the deck, smoking a good cigar, sipping an adult beverage, and just enjoying the experience of life.

John

NaBloPoMo

It doesn't appear that National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo) is a thing anymore. It used to be an organized deal to encourage blog posters to post daily for the entire month and even had awards for posting. I never entered into any organized push, but I have participated in daily writing several times over the past 18 years. There is a pretty good chance that I will not complete the task this year, but I figured I'd at least give it a chance by beginning on November 1st.

Out of My Hat isn't really a themed blog and I basically write whatever is on my mind at the time I pull out the Chromebook keyboard. While I have plenty on my mind, I don't always feel like organizing it into writable thoughts or think it is something that needs to be publicly shared. For me, daily writing is made most difficult by the simple question -- What should I write about today?

November is also National Diabetes Awareness Month and No-shave November is now a global cancer awareness thing. For some of us pogonophiles, not shaving is just a way of life. My winter face began in September and is well on its way at this point. Not doing something (shaving) every day is way easier than having to do something (writing) every day. Perhaps I can manage to do both for thirty days.

November has also been a month when people daily post the things for which they are thankful. That's been a Facebook trend for several years. While remembering to be grateful is a good practice, I think I'll pass on that one -- both here and on Facebook.

Are there any topics that you think I should write about?
I could use some help.

John

Thursday Theology and Barchurch

In this past week I met with a couple of different people that were familiar with the original or first modification to Downtown Venues, later referred to as Barchurch -- back when it was actually held in a bar and still brought a simple form of church with it.

Over the years, The Venues' Thursday night gathering has gone through many changes -- leadership, location, lesson format, and community. We won't be meeting tonight. Our current leader said the most holy thing you can do this week is stay home and pass out candy to those that come to your house on Thursday night. Making others (especially children) feel as a welcomed part of our community is a pretty Jesus thing to do.

My early barchurch friends miss the vibe and energy of that generation of what was Downtown Venues. So do I. But when I think of clinging to things of the past I sometimes chastise myself for being a selfish conservative, unwilling to change and adapt to the needs of others.
Maybe we need a support group for us old school barchurch people.
Or maybe we just need to adapt and change with the community around us.
Is there any reason why we can't have both?

That original, organic form of barchurch was such a rare find for me (and apparently several others) that I doubt it could be duplicated. What made it strange was that it was a gathering of people that fed my energy rather than drained it. I could sit at the back bar and just observe and absorb the positive energy of the place. The only thing I ever had to contribute was my presence. 
I'm just realizing that others may have felt that same kind of vibe -- that just being there was enough.

I felt that way about one of the shelters where I volunteered. It also had that good welcoming kind of energy. I wish I knew the formula to bring that feeling about. 
How do you create a place that has such a positive energy that it reaches out and welcomes everybody to enter and offer their presence to the community?

I wish I knew.

John

Wednesday Wisdom

It's a little late in the day for my Wednesday Wisdom post.
I met with a friend for my morning coffee. We had a nice visit and it was good to spend some time together. 
I followed that up by going to see another old friend and order some new eyeglasses. It's been several years since I've ordered new glasses and it was a bonus to be able to order them from a friend.

My Wednesday Wisdom to share is -- contact an old friend. 
Send a text
Make a call
Even go old school and drop a card or letter in the mail.
You'll be glad you did.
So will they.

John

Time for a Cool Change

Today will be the last 80+ (27c) degree day of the year for us in the Ozarks of SWMO. 
In my head, I just said a bad word.

The seasonal changes are just a part of life in the Ozarks.
Tonight is the night for volunteer training for the Crisis Cold Weather Shelters in Springfield. I am going back to being a volunteer rather than working as an overnight staff at one of the shelters. Volunteering will give me a little more control of when I work and allow me to vacate the Ozarks to a warmer climate during part of the winter. And it might provide an opportunity for income for somebody that really needs it.
There are a lot of different volunteer positions that are needed throughout the cold weather season. 
Each night that shelters are open, The Fairbanks shelter needs people for:
Sign-up
Set up/check-in (3)
Overnight 
Check-out (3)
Cleaning crew (2)
Pet transport (3 evening, 3 morning)
Laundry runner
Plus there is a designated staff person and a coordinator for each night.

That's a lot of people for just one of the shelters that is open on nights when the temperature falls below freezing. There are additional shelters that open on nights when temps fall below 20 (-7c).
Other than the overnight workers, no job takes a lot of time,
Other than setting up and breaking down, no job is a lot of work.
But every job is important and needed.
If you can help and would like to volunteer, let me know or check out the Facebook page.
Winter is coming.
Ugh!

John

Find Your True Self

It's hard to believe it, but the long 2024 election cycle is finally coming to an end in just one week.
Politics isn't much of a relaxing, calming topic for meditation, but it is also difficult to avoid thinking about it at this point in time. Reminders of the local, state, and national races are all around us. 

It's been said that we don't have elections; we have auctions.
Given the BILLIONS of dollars that have been spent this election cycle that would seem to be true. Advertising to spread your message is one thing. The hateful bullshit is another.
And the lies! The false advertising is out of control. 
Even the news media is captured by the lies and seems to have no control over confining candidates to address actual facts and policies.

I don't mean to start your week off with a political rant.
My purpose is to remind you to find a place of peace.
Whatever happens in the US elections, the world will go on. 
There will always be good people and not so good people.
Elections have consequences and we will deal with that when the time comes.
We should not look at those on the other side of the political divide as our enemies as is often suggested. Just because some politicians choose to be divisive assholes doesn't mean that we all have to be that way. We can still help one another, serve one another, and be kind to each other. 

Don't let the actions of others change who you are.
Find your true self and be true to yourself.

One week.

John

Thursday Theology

Christianity, as it often is vs Christianity, as it should be

Wednesday Wisdom