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

 

How I know it's Tuesday (and random other crap)

I know it's Tuesday because I just checked the day/date on my Chromebook calendar. 
Checking my phone or Chromebook is how I generally know what day it is. I don't know if it is a good thing or not that retirement has made every day pretty much the same. If I didn't already know it was Tuesday, I would realize it later this evening when the neighbors start to put their garbage dumpsters out at the street for early morning (Wed) pick-up.

I'm trying to be a little productive these days. I have found my old Pimsleur Listen and Learn Spanish Lessons stored in my Google Drive and just finished day 2. I have started this several times in the past, but I don't think I've ever made it halfway. I am going to try to be more purposeful about learning this time.
If you've taken on learning a second language, how did you do it?
Did you have an app that proved to be successful?
Did you use a program like Rosetta Stone, Babbel, or something else?
Did you take an actual in person Spanish class?
What was/is the cost?
Where did you find the most success?

I'm on day 4 of walking, thanks to my younger sister that talked me into walking daily along with her (except she's in Indiana). After sharing day 3 with her, she let me know that she's taking a few days off due to -- blah, blah, blah. I think I've been had!
I did walk a mile (twice around our lot) barefoot yesterday. I picked up a tiny splinter of something in the bottom of my foot that was a little bothersome and difficult to find and remove. I hate to quit walking barefoot. I guess my feet need to toughen up a bit.

I need to find a learning program for the ukulele that I bought earlier in the year. It's been collecting dust on the mantle for the past few months. 
Suggestions?

It is two weeks until election day. I've avoided the political posts because I honestly don't believe that I can say anything to sway undecided voters one way or the other. 
I expect the presidential election to be very close.
I expect that the House of Representatives and the Senate will remain closely divided.
What I really don't understand is how a party with the smallest majority can say they have been mandated by Americans to do whatever the hell they want to do. In my way of thinking a narrow majority would suggest that they should be working together for all of us, not ruling as if we all agree with their particular party platform or policy.

I'm on book 3 of the 11 book fantasy series I'm reading.
I probably need to add some serious reading to that. Werewolves and wizards, demons and other beings from the immortal realm are entertaining, but not very enlightening.

It's past time to make a trip to the recycling center.
Damn, we use a lot of plastic! I wonder how much of this actually gets recycled.
Plastic, aluminum cans, glass -- which is better for the environment, both from the perspective of production and recycle ability?

Have a good day.
Do something nice for the world.

John

Gratitude

Gratitude.
More and more, my meditation/reflection times turn to gratitude. Honestly, I'm not sure if it's this attitude of gratitude that gives me peace or if it's having found an inner peace that gives me gratitude. Either way, they seem to go hand-in-hand.

I'd really like to say that I have no worries in life, but there are a few things that occupy my thoughts in troubling ways from time to time. I am fortunate that my privileged status brings me back to this place of peace and the worries tend to dissipate or at least, regain some perspective on a solution or acceptance. There really aren't any big issues in my life at this time.

I do think that I need to change my meditative time to something more active. Perhaps a meditative walk rather than sitting on my ever widening ass while meditating would be a good thing. I've walked our property line a few times this past week. It's just short of a half mile -- .47 miles. 
If I begin by going down the deck stairs at the back of the house and walk around to the street it gives me the additional distance to make it a half mile. A second lap around and back to the deck stairs makes 1 mile of up and down, hilly terrain. It's not much in the way of exercise, but it is a starting place for a fat, old man. 
Walking the field doesn't seem very adventurous, but it is pretty mindless and there are no worries about traffic or other distractions. And there is a natural connection to the earth that doesn't always come when walking on the road. Maybe I'll try it barefooted and see how that goes. I know it will be slower, but the retired guy has the time for slower. 

Mobile meditation.
Thinking about better health.
And I'm grateful to be able to enjoy the mobility.

John

Sunday

It's early on Sunday morning and I decided to sit on the deck in spite of the cool morning temperature. Although the sun isn't up quite yet, the coming time change (2 weeks) will bring an earlier sunrise and way too early sunset. You may recall that although I'm not a fan of early sunsets, I am less of a fan of the twice yearly time changes. 
sigh

It appears that we will have some beautiful days this week. It will be comfortable temps to be working or playing outside. I'm not a fan of the evening need for long sleeves or sweaters and I find myself wearing sweatpants instead of shorts and have even had to put on socks a few times. Ugh!

This will be another Sunday morning that finds me absent from church -- no communion, no community, and no complaints. 
Just my quiet, peaceful, life.

However you choose to spend your day, I hope that it is enjoyable.

John

What was the point of Jesus becoming human?

It is late in the day (again) and I'm here wondering about this Thursday Theology thing.
I recently finished Fr Richard Rohr's Jesus' Alternative Plan: The Sermon on the Mount. It was typical Rohr in that it challenges what you've learned and the perspective from which you view things -- in this case, the teaching of Jesus.

If you know me at all or have been following along here for a few years, you already know that my own perspectives on religion, Christianity, and God have changed quite a bit. The Pope recently came under fire for saying that all religions are paths to God and are like languages that are different ways to express the divine.
Yeah, I like that.
And it makes me wonder about Jesus and Christianity.

I really don't think Jesus ever meant for us to follow a religion with himself as the focal point. It seems to me that what he taught was to help us to connect with God; to find God in the world and the people around us. He didn't point us to himself. He pointed us to the Father.
I understand that he had to use the culture of the day and the understanding of the Jewish people. I understand that it is sometimes difficult to translate words across languages, culture, and time. I understand that there is probably a lot of what he taught that I am not going to understand well.
And I understand that much of what he taught wasn't understood by the religious leaders of his time and culture.

One of the great problems of religion is that religious leaders act like they've got it all figured out and too often they are wrong or wrongly motivated to actually lead us to a relationship with or understanding of God.
What if being a Christian isn't about waving a Jesus banner or walking an aisle and saying a magical prayer?
What if Jesus never meant for us to worship him, but just wanted to point us to God and teach us how and where to find him?
What if the Pope is right and people from all over the globe find The Divine (God) in their own language, culture, and religion?
What if Jesus doesn't want to be worshiped by people that stopped at him and never truly found God in the people and world that God created?

You don't have to come at me as if I'm a heretic and spewing blasphemous thoughts and ideas. I'm just sharing the questions that I have. I already know that I don't have things all figured out.
Having said that -- I like the teachings of Jesus as far as I understand them, and I think I have a decent relationship with God.
Finding God in nature is easy.
I do need to work on that people thing, though.

John

Books

It's Wednesday evening, near sunset. The Hunter Moon (October's full moon and this year's largest super moon) will be making its appearance shortly. The outside air temperature is just above 50 (10 for my non-US friends). The deck thermometer still reads 60 (15c) but I think the wall where it is mounted holds a little of the heat from the evening sun. I'm wearing my sweatpants, a t-shirt, jacket, and I'm even wearing socks!
My libation of choice is a simple tequila blanco, neat. I may or may not fire up a cigar when I'm finished typing.

Today I finished the audio book Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI.
Damn. That's some messed up shit.

Deep down I'd like to believe that humanity is basically good, that we are created in the image of God and have a longing to belong together and thrive together as a species. But after finishing the audio book Where Wolves Don't Die that mentioned some of the atrocities committed upon the Ojibwe peoples, and now this treatment of the Osage -- I just don't know.

The colonization of the West by our European ancestors was brutal. I know that this comfortable home and life of mine are fruits of that brutality, but it is difficult to take pride in how it was obtained. The treatment of the Native American Nations that were here and the peoples that we enslaved and exploited along the way is something all of humanity should be ashamed of.
Sadly, given the hatred and vitriol that I've seen and read about recently, I'm not certain that it would be any different if it were to have happened in our time.

Both were good books but I need something more uplifting, so I just finished the first book in an eleven book fantasy series called The Realm of False Gods. I'm on to book 2.

What are you reading?

John

Thoughts from an Old Guy

Not me...
Willie Nelson!

Star gazing

It's just before sunrise and a brisk 45 degrees (7c) out here on the deck. 
Brrrrr....

I was pretty excited to see comet C-2023 last night. If you haven't seen it yet it is still visible in the western sky just after sunset. I started looking for it a little bit too early, when the sky was still too bright with the fading light. I guess I'd suggest about an hour after sunset. The comet is pretty low to the horizon so you won't have a lot of time once the sky is dark enough.

Here's John's quick guide to finding it:
Once nearly all of the sunlight has faded from the horizon, locate Venus. It will be the bright "star" in the western sky. You'll be able to see it well before the sky is completely dark and it might be a good idea to find it early. Once you've found Venus, look to the right (north) about two spread hand's widths and slightly higher -- 2 o'clockish if Venus is the clock center. There you'll find the next brightest stars on the horizon (Arcturus). At the halfway point between Venus and Arcturus is where you'll find the comet. 
The comet and relatively long tail are pretty faint but still visible to the naked eye. The comet will be closest to the horizon and the tail will be up and to the left (11 0'clock).
Good luck!

I also saw a shooter (meteor) last night. We're just after the Taurids and just before the Orionids so you may see a stray while you are star gazing this week. The Orionids peak between midnight and 4 am on Monday morning. The moon will be bright and inhibit viewing but it should still be a good shower.

I hate watching the summer constellations fade and the winter constellations appearing in the night sky. The winter sky is magnificent, but it is often too cold to enjoy. The Scorpion is setting just after sunset and it is taking the Milky Way with it. 
Sacrebleu!
The winter sky points us away from the center of the galaxy and looks to its outer regions. There are bright stars, magnificent constellations, and other galaxies to view in the winter sky. I sometimes think I should get a better telescope than the beginner scope I bought more than three decades ago. The cosmos are simply fascinating to me.
To be honest, I also find the earth and its slowly changing landscape and not so slowly changing atmosphere and climate to be equally as fascinating. I probably should have stayed in school and studied the earth and the cosmos, but then I would have had a very different life and I'm pretty happy with the way this one has turned out, so...
I guess I'll keep reading and learning and simply enjoying life as it is.

Let me know if you see the comet. If you miss it this time around, you can catch it again in about 80,000 years!

John

Thursday Theology

 

... And yet, here we are.

John

Wednesday Wisdom

 

The simple art of doing nothing and doing it well.

Celebrity Influence

I've been thinking about how we tend to celebrate or demonize celebrities. It appears that we tend to celebrate the celebrities that agree with us and demonize the ones that don't. 
The real question should be -- Why do we give them any credibility at all on subjects that they know very little about?

Taylor Swift should be a go-to person if you are talking about success in music or entertainment. 
When it comes to politics, you might as well listen to Kid Rock or Ted Nugent.
If you want to know about acting or showbiz - sure, Tom Hanks or Meryl Streep would be great sources of info. But why would you consider their opinion for addressing climate change?
Haliey Welch (hawk tuah girl) might know something about capitalizing on random fame from YouTube videos, but I don't think she's well qualified to address the national economy.

I suppose it is good that many celebrities use the platforms they have to sway public opinions to match their own. Maybe I would do the same. But it seems that social media and streaming platforms like TikTok and YouTube have become equal to news sources for information when they are nothing more than opinion peddlers. 

I like that there are professional athletes that create charitable foundations that give back to the communities that support them. I think that is important and shows their character over those that don't give back in some way. But does giving millions of available dollars to homeless people vs buying a luxury lot make one more or less of an expert on whether or not we should wear masks during a pandemic?

I'm not big on idolizing those that do well in their chosen field.
Like you, I've known people that have had many different jobs -- firefighters, police officers, healthcare professionals, military service, auto mechanics, janitors, fastfood workers, etc. All of those are important jobs. In truth, I rarely thank a veteran or first responder for their service. It's their job and I hope they do it well.
There are many professions that I believe are undervalued which means they are under-appreciated and underpaid. Teachers are probably at the top of my list.

It would seem that the thing we value the most is entertainment. Our professional athletes, actors, musical entertainers, etc., are the ones we greatly value. We devote much of our lives to watching and following them and give them much of our money, as well.

Where do you spend your entertainment time and money?
I've started spending way less time on sports in the past few years. I think it's mostly due to spending less on television packages that include local broadcasts for Cardinal baseball and Blues hockey, but it may also be that those things have become less important to me.
I do enjoy watching MMA fighting and generally spend Saturday afternoon/evenings watching the fights. I have favorite fighters, but none that I would put on a pedestal to give credence to outside of fighting. 
I do wonder why celebrities (or even businesses) would take a chance on putting off half of their fans or customers by making political statements, but to each their own. 

I know I'm cheap. I don't pay for streaming music. I'll listen to Pandora with the ads. I don't pay the additional cost to watch Amazon Prime ad free. I don't have a cable or satellite subscription that includes ESPN or some subscription only news sources.
I do have online subscriptions to The Washington Post and the NY Times. I follow several news sources on X, but don't have the premium ad free version of X.
I'm okay with not listening to anything other than the outdoor sounds around the deck or the gentle wind chimes that hang where the hummingbird feeder once did.

I generally view most other than news sources as having suspect credibility, and am even careful about trusting some journalists and dedicated news sources.

How much news do you believe when it comes from people on streaming services or social media?
What news sources do you trust?
What friends do you trust to check their sources before sharing info on their pages or platforms?
How much misinformation do you have to sort through to find any truth?

John

Monday Morning

It's cool on the deck this morning -- 50ish (10c). I don't mind the sweatpants and sweater. This will be the normal attire as we move forward towards winter. I'm not typically up before the sun breaks the eastern horizon, but Chris had an early appointment so I was awake and decided to enjoy the sunrise.

With last night's temperature reaching below 50 and several more sub 50 nights in the forecast, I guess it is time to bring in some of the warm weather plants. Truthfully, I kind of hate this part of fall gardening. It's not that it is difficult work. It just means that winter is way closer than I care to think about. 
But also -- I'm not really looking forward to the work. 
I think I'll probably take down the zinnias in the picket fence flower bed. I'll leave the downspout beds for the wintering bugs to use. 
I was reading about fall seeding for zinnias and think I'll give that a go in the fence bed. I'll harvest the seeds from this year's flowers, clear the stems and roots, rake up some of the mulch, furrow the soil beneath, plant, cover, and re-mulch. Nothing to it. It's only 110 lineal feet (33m)! 
That'll be a week's (maybe more) worth of work!

Since I have been getting a late start on spring planting the past couple of years, this should give me some much earlier flowers next year. Plus all of the work will be already finished. 
I doubt that a fall/winter greenhouse will happen this year, but I will try to get an early start to planting with some basement pots in February. I'd start earlier, but I hope to be in the tropics for January.

Sometimes (like now) I just sit here and close my eyes. I can feel the warmth of the early morning sun on my face and breathe in the still cool morning air.
Eyes closed; ears opened.
The birds are particularly loud this morning and the Monday morning traffic on the nearby highway tells me the work week is beginning for most of the community around me. The roosters are also letting everyone know that it's morning.
I've just poured a second cup of coffee and I'm going to take some time to contemplate my place in the universe before getting busy with the gardening. Maybe it's simply my place to add a little color to the world in the spring. Planting seeds is such an act of hope and promise.

John

See -- I can people!

Thursday evening I met with The Venues' mid week group at Mother's Brewery in Springfield.
Today we're having company over to the house. 
Tuesday I'm having lunch with a friend.
Thursday is a Clergy Appreciation lunch and volunteer chaplain meeting at Mercy Hospital, Aurora.
Plus I went out for my morning coffee (solo) one day and have run several errands that involved people encounters.
Actually, I feel like I'm doing quite well in the people-ing thing. 

But I am ready for a break before this week's meeting/lunch.
And I have some fall work to do in the yard. It should all work out quite well.
Having said that -- I am usually available for a morning coffee, a midday lunch, or an afternoon drink/cigar. So feel free to text or call me. 

While Sunday morning might seem to be a people-ing day, this former church guy is skipping (again) the weekly gathering. I still struggle (a little) that church gatherings no longer suit me. Funny, but in this case it is not the people part -- it's the church part.
Listening to the morning birds, the distant roosters, and even the highway traffic is a fine way to spend Sunday morning. 

Weather disasters in our country make one very aware of the fragility of both life and lifestyle. It is encouraging to see the outpouring of help to the affected areas. There will always be those that abuse these situations to create profit or to benefit themselves in some way, but for the most part, people are generous and helpful. 
That gives me hope and makes me smile.

John

Kaprekar's Constant

The four digit number - 6174 is known as Kaprekar's constant.

Take any four digits with at least two different numbers.
Arrange them into the highest number and the lowest number.
Subtract the lower number from the higher number.
Using the difference, repeat the process.

You will always eventually wind up at 6174.

Example:
9445
9544 - 4459 = 5085
8550 - 0558 = 7992
9972 - 2799 = 7173
7731 - 1377 = 6354
6543 - 3456 = 3087
8730 - 0378 = 8352     
8532 - 2358 = 6174

And the 6174 will repeat.
7641 - 1467 = 6174

Try it!

John

Thursday Theology

I'm doing coffee out at a little coffee shop that seems to be a gathering place for church people or small groups. It's interesting listening to some of the conversations. I'm not really eavesdropping; they're just not quiet conversations. One of the things that is striking to me is that many of them are very certain of what they believe to be true -- certain enough that an opposing view would be squashed with an abundance of words based on their faith in spite of actual contradictory evidence.

There were also some good open minded questions and thoughtful answers.

I do find people's thoughts on faith to be interesting. I am interested in listening to different thoughts without feeling the need to correct or to interject my thoughts and beliefs into the conversation unless asked to do so.
I haven't always been like this.
I wonder how the thoughts and faiths of these relatively young people will change over time. Giving people the grace to grow and evolve in their faith can be difficult. It is easy to forget the changes that we went through and expect people to get to where we are without the necessary life experience.

I think it's also a little foolish of us to expect someone to adopt our beliefs when their experience and perhaps cultural background is much different than ours.
Is it possible that we each find our own way to the Creator?
Is it even necessary that we find our way to the Creator?
I'm no longer certain that I believe it is.

Just some simple thoughts from a simple man for your Thursday morning consideration.

John

Wednesday Wisdom -- Travel

It is good to be home.
There are so many simple things that just make being home wonderful:
  sleeping in your own bed
  sitting in a familiar chair
  drinking your morning coffee from one of your favorite mugs
  even using your own bathroom!

It was a short visit with Hannah, Jason, and the pups, but we had a good time. This was our first fall trip to the mountains and the brilliance of the yellow aspens against the dark green conifers is truly something to see.
It was unseasonably warm this past week -- upper 80s everyday, so it remained shorts and t-shirt weather. We walked through downtown CO Springs on Friday night and had dinner at a Mexican restaurant. Saturday we drove up to around 9500' and had a campfire dinner that was tasty and enjoyable. On Sunday afternoon we went to one of my favorite places -- Manitou Springs. It has a bit of the feel of Eureka Springs, AR. It's kind of artsy and hippie-ish with a little mountain man vibe thrown in for good measure.

Although mountain life wouldn't be my personal choice for everyday, I can certainly see the attraction. The wilderness has its own spirituality and way of connecting to the soul. If there was a Venn diagram of urban life, wilderness, and hippie life -- Colorado would be right in the center! I am happy to have someone there to visit and to have a reason to make regular trips to the mountains. This was really an ideal time of year to go.

But it is also good to be home.
Travel.
Go to some different places.
Appreciate the beauty of each place.
Return home better for having seen and experienced a little more of life.

John

This formation is called The Cathedral and was near where we had our campfire dinner. The second pic is from our dinner site. There was a cold stream that ran right next to where we set up our campfire.

Thursday in Kansas

I didn't bring my Chromebook with me this week so there isn't going to be a long, well thought out post today. I'm doing the thumb tappy thing on my phone this morning while Chris catches a few more zzzzzs.

You can't really get to Colorado Springs from southwest MO. You have to go to Kansas City or Wichita first, then you can get to CO Springs from there. We chose the southern route through Wichita and spent the afternoon driving through ... pretty much nothing. There were very few places to stop along the two lane highway and I was grateful for the hybrid truck and good gas mileage. We could've gone a little farther, but decided to stop in Wichita for the night after stopping here for dinner.

I think we'll continue on the country highway today and approach CO Springs from the south this trip. We'll pick up some snacks before we leave Wichita and we'll be fine. Plus we'll see parts of Kansas and Colorado that we haven't seen before.

Here's a simple trick to looking great:

Maybe that's what God was doing with Kansas. The grandeur of the mountains looks even better after driving through the simple plains of Kansas.

We are looking forward to seeing the kids and their pups this evening.

Happy Thursday!

John

Wednesday Wisdom

 

Opting Out

I wish it was possible to opt out of all of the political ads and nonsense once you've voted. Missouri doesn't really have early voting, just absentee ballots for those that are or will be unable to vote on election day. I'm pretty sure that will include us this year and I'm wishing that also meant an end to the political junk mail, endless social media ads, and constant blah, blah, blah on the news sources.

Perhaps we (the US) need to revamp our election system to a much shorter time frame. VP Harris has only been a candidate for President for two months and has managed to mount an impressive campaign in that short period of time. Our party primaries extend the campaign season significantly, but that could change if every state held their primary elections on the same day or even in the same month -- say July. Then primary winners would have all of August, September, and October to convince voters of their value to be elected and we vote the first week of November like always.

I know this is a weird subject when my typical Monday morning posts are more contemplative or meditative, so let me explain how I got here.
I was considering whether or not I should share my thoughts on the upcoming election and explain why I will be voting the way I will be voting. It's still not real contemplative other than I hope that there is a lot of thought going into each vote rather than simply voting for the party one has always voted for or simply following the same media sources one as always followed.

I know that politicians have always cherry picked the statistics to favor their talking points and even told outright lies or made impossible to keep promises, but the pure hatred and vitriol now being spewed in campaigns is really too much and that kind of behavior and character is unfit for national office. 

If I set all of the campaigning aside and just answer the question that is posed by the GOP -- Are you better off now than you were four years ago? -- the answer is Yes, I am.
I know that the post-COVID global inflation has taken its toll on many Americans. I also know that the US recovery has led the rest of the world and the World Bank has recently said that the strong US economy is helping to stabilize other economies, as well.

Statistics show that inflation has cost the average American an additional $28,000 over the past three years. They also show that wages are up and the same average American made $1200 dollars more in the month of August this year than they did in August three years ago.
I don't make a wage. Most of you know that I am retired. Due to the rise in the stock market, my savings is doing quite well, thank you. And with the Social Security adjustment a couple of years ago, that also increased to a more reasonable level.

But that's just me, and I realize that I am privileged beyond many others. It's said that you shouldn't ask a question that you don't want to hear the answer to -- I am better off than I was four years ago. 
And I want the majority of my fellow Americans to be better off four years from now than they are today. I truly believe that won't be likely under a Trump/Vance administration and will be much more likely under a Harris/Walz administration.

I also believe that a shorter campaign period will be easier on friendships and family relationships. This year long fighting over political shit becomes nearly irreconcilable for far too many people. Political differences shouldn't be this divisive. 

That's it for my Monday morning rant. 
Sorry if you came here for something thoughtful and meditative. It's just what was on my mind this morning. I'm going to go downstairs and put in 30 minutes on the exercise bike and get my mind back into a more peaceful state.

sigh

John

So long, Summer!

I'm up at sunrise on this last day of summer. sigh
By this time tomorrow morning the sun will have reached the equator in its southward journey and it will be fall in the northern hemisphere. The equinox -- when there is equal night and day at the equator -- is different than the equilux -- when night and day are equal wherever you are. Tomorrow there will be 12 hours and 8 minutes of daylight here in Highlandville MO. Our equilux, where there are 12 hours of both day and night won't occur until Wednesday.

While I may lament the beginning of fall, it isn't like this catches me by surprise or will change my life in any great way. It isn't like I have to build fires earlier or burn more oil in my lanterns. I'll just flip the lights on a little earlier in the evening. Living in rural Missouri doesn't have the active nightlife that life in a city might bring so the only real difference is more dark.
I know that more dark/less light does have an impact on many people. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) can impact physical health as well as mental well-being. I am fortunate that I don't suffer from SAD in any profound ways, but by the midpoint of winter I am truly longing for spring and summer.

Enough with the stuff out of my control!
Something I do have control over is meeting with people. I do manage my people contact pretty well, maybe too well. I am trying to be more purposeful about that and have recently been adding occasional meetings with people. I've always sort of known that men have problems with friendships, but I am just realizing that it is more of a problem for quite a few guys. 

"I don't really have any friends," is a lament I hear quite often. 
Truthfully, I don't either, but I don't know that it's something to lament about. Sure, it would be nice to have a buddy to go watch the fights with, but I'm also okay with watching alone or skipping an event all together. 
I do know a group of young men (40ish) that meet weekly and have developed good friendship bonds in doing so. I've been invited into the group and have gone a few times, but I'm pretty sure I'm more like the age of their dads. It's cool, but the relationships they have between one another is much more organic than one they might have with me.
The thing about this group is that it is quite purposeful. Maybe that's something my generation never really learned. So I'm learning from these young guys.
I doubt that I'm going to ever host a weekly fire pit gathering, but if I meet with a few different men for an occasional coffee/breakfast/lunch/beer/cigar that might be a good thing for me and for them.

I already have a coffee connection for this coming week, so I should be good for the rest of the month. I'll start working on October later.

John

Friday Funnies

 

Thursday...questions

What are your questions about religion/theology/God/heaven/hell/etc.?

Don't expect any answers from me. I'm just wondering what you're thinking about.
A couple of the things that I have struggled with are the two very different Gods portrayed in the Old and New Testaments of the Bible -- the angry, judgmental God of the Old Testament vs the loving, merciful God of the New Testament.
These two very different distinctions of God are incompatible in my way of thinking.

I've kind of reconciled it in my head that the Old Testament God is a god of man's design (religion) and the New Testament God is the real deal that Jesus came to help us understand. I'm not sure if that makes any sense or not because it is difficult for me to explain it in my head, much less try to share it in words. Sometimes I sort of think in feelings instead of in words. Does anyone else do that?

Most of Christianity seems to use Jesus as a kind of get out of jail free card to the Old Testament God's wrath and eternal condemnation, but that doesn't work for me anymore. I'm not sure that it ever really made sense to me. I guess I accepted it because I trusted others that taught it to have understood it better than I did. I think we were all believing and teaching a misunderstanding or perhaps a known falsehood without really knowing what we were doing.

I saw this meme recently...

...and thought to myself, "See? The whole evangelical thing makes no sense when you put it like that!"

What would Jesus say about that?
I think he would fall into his Sermon on the Mount rhythm with something like, "You've heard it said that God is going kick your butt if you don't follow all of the rules, but I'm telling you that's just religious manipulation and your leaders trying to control you. God loves you!"

What if people actually knew Jesus followers by their love rather than by their hate?
What if people stopped using religion to control and manipulate people?
What if we worked to bring love and understanding to our community instead of striving for personal wealth and power?

Does God really love me?
Does God love everyone?

I have questions.
Do you?

John

Wednesday Wisdom

 

Audio books

I just finished my second audio book through the Libby app. I can see getting used to listening to books while I'm driving or working in the yard. I think that I prefer music while working, though. Music seems to make the work more enjoyable. If I actually exercised, I'm sure that I would rather listen to some classic rock to keep motivated.
But for driving, or even for chilling on the deck, an audio book is nice.

The book that I just finished is Where Wolves Don't Die by Anton Treuer (pronounced troy-er). It's a Native American novel that includes much of the history and culture of the Ojibwe people in the Northern US and Canada. It was pretty good.

Audio books take a lot longer to get through since it's more about speech rate than reading speed, but they work well for time in the car. I guess it's time to look for another one. One downside to the Libby app is that you have to be connected through a library and our rural Christian County Library doesn't have a large selection of e-books and audio books. I am going to have to browse a few other resources for audio books.

What are you reading/listening to?
Do you have a favorite free source for audio books?

John

Monday, mid-September

The temperatures this coming week will be back to the mid 80s to 90f (30-32c), a typical fall in the Ozarks. I should have taken advantage of the lower temps this past week to tend to the fall needs of our flower beds. I know I have time, but if I don't get started soon -- well, then I won't have time.

It's an easy Monday morning for me (aren't they all?). There is an unusual amount of noise coming from the nearby lumber yard. They specialize in larger timbers and mostly just receive and deliver loads of timbers. They must have a large custom order since both chains saws and the large mill saw fill the area with their distinctive sounds.
But my coffee is good, the deck is comfortable, and the sounds fade into background noises as I settle into my quiet time.

I've been thinking about the things we (in the US) value as a society and how that fits with my own personal values. There were a couple of social media posts or comments that started this line of thought. The first was this meme--

The second was a comment praising our system of capitalism and free market reign over socialism or any other type of societal structure.

As to the first...
We are very willing to pay lots of money for the privilege of luxury. With that, we create a class of people and elevate them to the level of the wealthiest among us. Two young musical superstars have topped $1 BILLION in net worth this year and many professional athletes make more in a single day than the average worker makes in a year.
We watch movies and TV shows via paid subscriptions to streaming services, cheer on our favorite sports teams or athletes, and listen to our favorite musical artists. 
What is it we need? 
Is it the entertainment or is it the status of being able to afford the luxury of being entertained?

As for capitalism...
The comment itself was interesting and out of context where it was used. It was really used by a conservative person making an irrelevant point and challenging a more liberal person's view on ... I don't know, like I said, it was irrelevant.
I'm not anti-capitalism. The free-market has its place. But a market that is largely controlled by a few isn't really free. And when the few that control the market gain control in government the system of capitalism starts to breakdown the fabric of a strong society.
Also, I find capitalism to be in opposition to the teaching of Jesus. Jesus teaches so much about caring for the poor, the widows, the orphans, really anyone in need. He got angry with the free-market crowd that was taking advantage of people at the temple. He told a rich man to sell what he had and give the money to the poor. He teaches us to take care of our society, our community. I don't think Jesus was a capitalist. I think it would be fair to say that his teachings are definitely anti-capitalism.

Where do I fit into this?
I do recognize my privilege. Spending a couple of hours of morning quiet time and not having to work or worry about food and shelter is an incredible privilege. I am not very good at, nor consistent with my giving to or volunteering to help those that are not so privileged. I should probably work on that. I don't really produce anything to benefit my community. My contribution to society is simply that I am a consumer -- and not a very big one, at that. 
My rural home and retirement lifestyle is not very conducive to contributing to society. There is great comfort in not having to do anything other than decide if we're going out for dinner (and where) or eating at home (and what). Most other decisions in my day are pretty insignificant. 
I'm not sure what I should be doing to add something to the fabric of society. Today I'm just going to see if I can do a little yard work. 

What do you think about how we value entertainment and entertainers?
What do you think about capitalism and religion?
What do you add to the fabric of society?
How do you determine a persons value -- by necessity or luxury?

Just wondering...

John

Optical Illusion

Sometimes it's scary how easily our brains can be fooled.
Once you see this it is hard not to see it.
You can squint, look at it from a distance, or close your eyes then open them very slowly.
Whatever way you choose, it's more than a couple of girls eating pizza.

John