The Big East: A tragically sad ending

I want to start this out by saying that you guys know I don't follow sports like I used to. Pro sports are pretty much out altogether for me and I've distanced myself from the college game too. What I'm about to lay down comes from my heart and a piece of my heart is given to Louisville Cardinal athletics, even if I'm not a hard core fan any longer. I've been asked about twenty times in the last couple of weeks what I thought about Louisville's situation and the Big East. I'd rather address how I feel about the Big East coming undone than talk about Louisville. The Cardinals are not in a great position right now. The fate of the schools sports programs hangs in the balance. I don't think things will ever be the same. 

So, here are my thoughts on the Big East athletic conference being torn apart;

This has probably been said a couple of thousand times, but what a shame it is to see this conference crumble from the inside. It's always been a really good, bordering on great, conference, so I don't mean just since UL came on board. This is one of the final nails in the coffin for college athletics as we know it, in my opinion.  Everything is about getting bigger to grab more revenue. I guess that's OK, but what about the college game? What about rivalries? What about the ability of the fans to travel to far away schools to attend games? Shouldn't that sort of thing matter in college athletics. We hear all sorts of talking heads, coaches, and league officials carry on about the integrity of college athletics, but rarely will they display that or loyalty when it comes to the almighty dollar. And we expect the players to show class, integrity and loyalty? Ha! Absurd. Get all you can get kids, because they are making their bones off your backs. 

Imagine if the SEC started breaking up in football. I think it would be awful if Alabama and Florida, pulled out of the SEC. What if Duke and North Carolina State left the ACC? Tradition is supposed to mean something in college athletics, isn't it? Pitt and Syracuse are Big East schools. It's their identity and their identities were built in a tough, exciting Big East conference that has seen greatness and actually was still going strong. The Big East was not unraveling. It was plundered and those who were plucked, rolled over with greenbacks dancing in their heads. And they did so, without a hint to anyone. Shady people, make shady deals.  

Since Louisville has been in the Big East, I have felt like it was a privilege as a fan to get to be a part of watching college history.   Now, we are on a path of super conferences that have no allegiance from one school to the next, nor is their any regard for geography, or their fans.  These conferences are going to generate a great amount of money from new TV deals and the mid-level conferences are going to suffer for respect and attention even more than they do now. 

I'll liken this to the take over of our culture by huge, multi-national corporations. Just swallow up the competition and leave just a few big entities to eat the whole fucking pie. The mom and pop stores are dying and so are the traditions and structure of college athletics as we remember it.  It'll be OK, I'm sure. Louisville may well get into the Big 12, which is a fine conference. But the Big East was something special and only in the last couple of years, did I feel like Louisville had finally arrived and was a true part of Big East tradition. Now, it seems as though the Big East will be either a glorified mid-level C-USA type of league, or it will crumble, leaving the football schools scrambling for a new home and a way to take on a new identity. 

I say shame on the school presidents and league leadership that goes out and plunders and make decisions behind closed doors, that will cheapen the college game. Let's just call it what it is. Professional sports. If the schools are not going to retain loyalty to tradition, why should anyone else? Let's just call it a spade America, we are right smack in the middle of the "bad ol' days". Nothing is sacred in the face of getting a larger piece of a finite pie.

Link to Josh Pennock article on sports and greed: CLICK ME

Rock N Roll Comics!

*disclaimer, if you click on any of the videos, you may hear "bad" language. if you are offended by "bad" language, you are probably at my blog by mistake, try here: Lost? Click Me Now

     I just love listening to stand up comedy. There is quite a bit of really good stand up going on right now, and yes, there is some bad stand up....but you gotta know what to look for. It's no secret to anyone who has ever read this blog before, that I am a big fan of Bill Hicks. You can read what I have to say about him, if you just click the link to an earlier blog post.

Bill Hicks: A Man Ahead Of His Time

     Discovering Hicks led me backwards a bit. I learned some tid bits about Lenny Bruce, which led me back to George Carlin, which led me to Richard Pryor. Those three broke down barriers. They said things, in public, that used to be taboo.....even illegal. Imagine that. Telling a joke in a club, using certain language could get you arrested in the not too distant past. You can watch their acts and get the feeling that they were just saying those things for shock value. Or, you could think about it from the other side and know that they were really trying to free us from ourselves. They were all about freedom of speech and expression. Carlin, in particular, loved to show that a word is just a word. It's the intent behind the word and the mind of the person hearing it, that gives it power. Take a word like "fuck" for instance. The word itself has no power. It's our judgement of the word that gives it power. I happen to use that word quite often. Why? Because I like it and it carries no more meaning to me than if I were to say "fudge" instead....or "darn"....or "shoot". Just words and "fuck" is a strong word and can pull emotion and attention out of people who hear it. Carlin, Bruce, and Pryor were pioneers and I don't feel like they get their due from the average American. Just like there may not have been a wide open rock n roll scene without Chuck Berry, Elvis, Fats Domino, and the Beatles, there may not have been Eddie Murphy or Robin Williams without the greats before them.

     Anyhow, back to the topic. There are some great comedians out there today who are following in the footsteps of the greats. Bill Hicks deserves to be among the "Holy Trinity" of early stand up. Although he died in 1994, his influence is felt more today than ever. He is more popular now than ever. Before his death, he was a major star in the U.K., but in America, he was just too far ahead. He was talking about world politics, war, the poor, and social taboos in the 90's, and some of those things people are still not that comfortable with today. The fear and the barriers created by fear are broken down by edgy comedians. Not just for shock value. But to give us the ability to see the absurdity of the culture under the protection of comedy. The comics that are taking Hicks mantle and running with it are what I call "Rock N Roll" comics. These guys are not scared to address issues of the day. They are not scared to break away from routine and riff on current events and they really are not scared of the "sacred cows".

     The best comedians working today are the guys who are real. The guys who don't care about who may have their sensibility offended. Jokes are jokes and almost anything.......maybe EVERYTHING.....can be funny. Doug Stanhope, Bill Burr and Joe Rogan stick out like sore thumbs against the average comedian. They don't do a "shtick" like Larry The Cable Guy or Frank Caliendo. These guys address real issues and the most private parts of our lives, and they make it funny. They show us the absurdity of life and how it's OK to take that life and absurdity head on.

     Bill Burr may be the most open and overwhelmingly funny comedian working. His bits on relationships, pets, growing old, and the emergence of "do it yourself" consumerism are pure comedy gold. I dare anyone to get relaxed and watch a Bill Burr special and not have to hit pause 15 times because you are afraid you are going to miss something while you are crying with laughter. The man is a great.





Bill Burr: Let It Go NETFLIX  <<<< Click Here For Bill Burr On Netflix

     Doug Stanhope is another great comedian. He flies just below the radar. Mainstream audiences don't know him that well, but people who follow comedy very much, realize that this guy is a fantastic stand up. He gives off the impression that he is doing everything off the cuff (yeah, most great comics do that, but he FEELS like he's actually making the shit up as he goes) and isn't afraid at all to take a swipe at himself, as well as our society and even his own audience. If you are in the building to be entertained and Doug Stanhope is who you are going to see......you will get your money's worth! He tackles drug use and alcoholism with no restraint and when he lectures on societal ills, it's hard to determine whether the guy should be president or you should just laugh.




     Stanhope has a reputation for really not caring what he says. If it's funny, the man will lay it on ya. I'm linking up to an archive page from his website called "Bobbie Barnett & Baseball". He has a bit he does on "Bobbie Barnett" a girl he had sex with years ago. He tells the story of her losing a bet on a Twins/Red Sox game and having to sleep with him. It's a part of his act. Then, years later, she emails him and asks him to stop telling the story. And he posts the email and his reply. It's just a good ol' time! Oh, and if you get the chance, look for his stand up video on Netflix or Amazon or wherever called "No Refunds". Hysterical.

Bobbie Barnett & Baseball: CLICK ME FOR AMUSEMENT!

     The last but certainly not the least, is Joe Rogan. Rogan is mostly known for being a commentator on UFC matches and for hosting "Fear Factor", a show he said he didn't think would last past the first episode. Well, it did and Rogan seemed to learn a lot about humanity from hosting that terribly great "game" show. Rogan, like Burr and Stanhope, doesn't seem to be much of a bullshit artist. What you see is what you get. He even opens up the mic at the end of his shows to take questions from the audience. He loves to interact with people and there is a certain humanity to him that is really lacking in many celebrity types today. Rogan is not scared of the truth and if you hang with him long enough, his stories always pay off. And hell, if you are not careful, you might learn something.





CLICK ME: Netflix Link To Joe Rogan Live!

     Don't get me wrong, there are other great comics out there. I just happen to think that these three guys are carrying the torch that they picked up when Bill Hicks dropped it. They are realists and they are funny. They push the boundaries of what is funny and for the most part, I've found that anything they feel like talking about is funny. So, if you really dig laughing your ass off on a consistent basis, I highly recommend you checking out stand up acts from these guys. They are also included (along with Bill Hicks) in CoEdMagazine.com's, 24 Most Underrated Comedians.

24 Most Underrated Comics: CLICK ME!!


By the way:  I am deeply apologetic to Louis C.K. for not including him. He is another great comedian and in no way did I mean to disparage his greatness by not putting him in this blog. Now I have!! Louie, you rock, my man!

Still Bill: The Story Of Bill Withers

I have to admit it......I have a man crush on Bill Withers. Yeah, he's 30 years older than I am, but maybe he'll wait?  

How is it that I have just found out over the past six months or so, how great Bill Withers and his music are? I've been a lover of music since I was moving into my teenage years. Sure, I had a handle on the classics, "Lean On Me" and "Ain't No Sunshine". Plus, "Use Me" along with "Just The Two Of Us" were also on my radar. But he has done much more than that. He has crafted out some soulful tunes that can pick at your emotional heartstrings as well as prompting your brain to understand how valuable relationships with others are. He brings you a story and dares you to not care. The mans voice has such richness and earnest that it's most difficult to not feel his music as well as hear it. 

A song like "Grandma's Hands" is a one in a million. A very short tune that is devoted to one of the most iconic characters in our young life. Often times there is a reverence, almost a mystical connection between a grandmother and the offspring of her children. Withers allows you to pull out the file in your mind.....the one that houses the memories of your grandmother and let's you appreciate her without becoming overly sappy or emotional. You know it just feels good to think about grandma's love and care.

In listening to some interviews with Bill Withers, it hasn't been difficult for me to pick up on his want to be at peace with those in his life. Pride is usually a big obstacle when two friends have a rift between them. Nobody wants to be in the wrong and sometimes, it's really easy to hurt the ones you love. Withers wants to put that away and focus on using the time we have left in the world on making connections and spreading love. Isn't that a better way to spend time with the people we care about? Isn't sharing much better than withholding? 

When Withers was making his first marks in the music world back in the late 60's and early 70's, the insanity surrounding the nations feelings about the Vietnam War triggered quite a bit of commentary from our artists, whether it be in the form of a television show, a song, a film, photography, or painting. With the grand scope of the war and our reactions to it, there were many great pieces of art that didn't quite touch all the way down to the bone.....all the way down to a personal level. This great song is about a young person who had his arm taken in the war and how he sees his life and the world in the aftermath of his injury. 

These are just a few of Withers more culturally significant songs. Withers also does the "love" songs well too. Many times focusing on the dynamics of a relationship that are not always topical. Mistrust. Paranoia. Doubt. Forgiveness. Admiration. Dedication. This is his last "hit" song, but it's certainly not among the least of his work. It's sweet and mellow Withers begs that we not "hesitate" or "wait too late" to enjoy the love in our life. I barely remember this song from the early 80's, because back then I was too hopped up on MTV and Top 40 radio to understand that R & B and soul had just as much, if not more, to offer a confused, love torn, and frustrated teenager. 

Finally, I want to pimp a documentary (Still Bill) that I have BEGGED people to watch. Even if you don't like his music, there is a wisdom and patience to the man when you listen to him talk about the things he went through in his life and how he has shaped his life the way he wants it to be with little influence from those outside of his family. He is his own man. Withers has a lot of wisdom in him and it probably wouldn't hurt any of us to stop and see the world from the outside from time to time. Withers jumped off the "world go 'round" and is enjoying his life. The documentary, if nothing else, reveals a man who knows where he's been, where he's at, and where he is going. His life is lived on his terms and he doesn't say or do anything that isn't who Bill Withers is. How rare a trait that is, in our culture. To hear him talk about how he wouldn't change himself for the music industry is awesome. Withers said he had a job at a toilet factory and if he couldn't make his music, his way, he'd just stick with that. No compromise. You can find "Still Bill" on Netflix, IFC, Hulu, and you may be able to watch it on You Tube.

Well, if you have made it this far down the blog, then I am guessing you have enjoyed hearing about Bill Withers. So, I'm going to give you a treat for sticking with me......

Clear your mind and let Bill Withers lay down some rays of sunshine for you. Damn, there are certain songs in this world that just make you happy to be able to breathe the air!!!  Thanks for checking out my blog.

Change Yourself, Change The World pt. 2

Well, I said I would follow up my last blog with more of the same, so here I am. Being mindful of your moment to moment existence can be a wonderful thing. I have a friend who is making great strides in his personal and day to day life by practicing meditation and mindfulness. He is much more confident, patient, and clear. Often times, when someone hears "meditation" they immediately think of the Beatles sitting around with the Maharishi or some dude like the Dali Llama sitting lotus for 38 consecutive hours. But that's just not reality for the regular human being who has a lot to do on any given day.  The five minutes of turning yourself inwards I talked about in the last blog? That is meditation. If you start it and you find that you like the re-focus it brings, try upping the amount of time you spend on it by just a little bit, or try doing it 2 or 4 times a day, as time allows. But, you have to make time. If you really want to gain some focus and start living in the present, it takes practice.

I guess today, I want to touch on finding out who we are. Before I write about that, I want to add my usual disclaimer; I don't know shit. I only know what I know and I have just a basic understanding of some of the stuff I talk about. Anything I suggest or whatever might not be for everyone. I just know what is working for me. I slip up and bust my ass sometimes, but for the most part this stuff has helped me develop insight into the nature of our society and culture. It has also helped me get a better understanding of who I am and how I need to treat others. Old patterns are hard to break (hell, I spent an hour yesterday arguing on an internet thread......bad Freddy......bad Freddy), but a good first step is to recognize when you fall back and get right back to moving forward again. 

Who are we? Who knows? Most of us define ourselves by our race, nationality, body type, job, political affiliation, and our sports or pop culture "fandom". If I AM "Freddy, the white warehouse manager" then I don't have much to live for other than pleasing an idea of myself and not developing who I really am or want to be. A good first step after attempting the mindfulness thing is to try to get inside your own head. That voice in there, try to think around it. Don't let it carry you off, focus on how you are living your life. How do you see other people? Are you worried about how they see you? How do you perceive the lives of others? 

As an example of what I'm getting at, I'll use myself. Freddy has more times than not, been a person who was quick to be aggravated, was (still am) selfish, didn't (still don't) deal with failure well, disregarded those he didn't know personally, had a short attention span for those he loved at times, as well as worrying a lot about the future. Now, I'm sure I have some good traits too, but those are not what I saw (or see) very often. If I see all of the aforementioned as negative traits and I don't want to be that person, then I have to change my thought patterns. I have to keep my reactions from becoming automatic. I have to gain control of my thoughts to become the person I should be (or want to be). 

My goals are to be more like this (in no order of importance);

1) awake to how the world around me (society/culture) works

2) be more patient and understanding when dealing with other people

3) react to each situation and live from the standpoint of love

4) be "in the moment" when talking with my kids

5) help other people (who want it) to remove obstacles in their lives, if I'm capable

6) deal with the truth and the reality of our world and our minds

7) give back as much as I take

8) live in the moment

9) looking at other living things with respect, compassion, and love

All those things are attainable for me (and for anyone else). But, I have to work on it. Those are things, that if I correct and put in to action, I can be happy with. I would love for that to be me. When I talk to that inner voice, that's what I want going on. I am making strides in these areas. I slip up constantly, but there are some areas that I have changed in my "personhood" that may never come back....and that makes me hap-hap-happy. Hell, I'm ashamed when I tell someone to "have a great day" and they look at me like an alien ate me up and I'm just a pod person now. I know they don't expect me to be pleasant or care about how their day goes. Again, I'm ashamed of myself for being that way for soooo long. So long that it's become how other people see and define me.

So, once a person becomes comfortable with starting to figure out who they are on a moment to moment basis, it probably won't hurt to start reviewing your beliefs. Not just religious beliefs, but your world view. How do you see strangers? When you see a young kid with his pants drooping off  his ass and hat on backwards, do you immediately think "idiot, loser"? Yeah, me too. But, that's the very thing that we need to guard against. Maybe the kid is not an idiot loser. Maybe the kid really is smart, he is just a slave to the culture he is being brought up in. Perhaps he is socially awkward and the only group at his school that seems to accept him are the "droopy drawer" kids? Try to remember how you felt as a young person and some of the "rebellious territory" you staked out as you conformed to your peers or the culture of the moment. I've hired quite a few kids that other places wouldn't. Young men with tattoos all over them, earrings, nose rings, and that sort of thing. Often times they work out. Sometimes they do not. But, it's about the person and our attitude towards them that will bring about reality and not a preconceived, stereotypical vision of someone.  Honestly, we tell ourselves we are not bigots or racists, or we're not prejudiced, but sometimes we sure act like it. A woman cuts you off in traffic and you think....or even worse, yell, "fucking dumb ass woman driver!" Or if you are approached by a panhandler, you  think "get a job you piece of shit". Is that who you are? Is that who you want to be? Is that making you a happier human being? Is that how you want the world to be? It's moments like those when you can practice mindfulness and not judge the situation or the person. Maybe that woman has problems on her mind and wasn't even trying to cut you off? Maybe she was in a hurry because her father had been taken to the hospital? Maybe she's just a bitch? But what does that have to do with you and your sense of being? Perhaps that "lousy bum" was a war vet? Perhaps he is a person who lost his family and now doesn't have a choice but to live on the street. How are you improving your "soul" or mind by judging him right out of the pocket? How do you feel when that happens to you?

Working on how you see our culture and society is tough. I won't go into my religious stuff, simply because I've done that here before. If you want to know how that has changed me, do a search of my past blogs. The thing is, I started examining what I believed from the other side of the table. I took a look at my former flag waving, war supporting, self righteous self and compared it to the person I wanted to be. It didn't add up. I love the USA.........but I never stopped to examine our policies and how we just might be wrong on some things. Am I OK with my government killing and injuring hundreds of thousands of men, women, and children in countries that have no ability to run us off or fight back? Is that something we should feel GOOD about? The hand over the heart and the flag on the car patriotism, which is manufactured by our psyche at the want of the media, isn't real. We think of the idea of America and what it stands for and transfer it on to what is really happening and it makes it very easy for us to lose perspective, and more importantly, lose compassion for people with other points of view. 

Can we be OK with ourselves if we support killing children and destroying countries? What are we doing for humanity? When does justice stop and spiteful revenge take over? When will we take a look at large corporations and how they control our government and how we think, feel, and consume? When will we see that over the course of decades these corporations have bought off politicians and those politicians have passed laws that allowed for our country to be one big pile of steaming commercialism that has sucked our manufacturing jobs out of country, allowed companies like G.E. to pay less federal taxes than you and I (yep...that's the truth), and provided them with the means to exploit middle and lower class Americans? Can you see it? It's in front of your nose, if you will only think about what you believe differently. Can we be a "Christian" nation if we allow our government to kill and torture people without accountability? Can we be so if we have kids living in the streets and even the ones who have a roof over their head are going hungry? Where is our compassion for other human beings? Is a starving African kid less important than a starving American kid? Can we be a country of equality, freedom, and promise, if we fight tooth and nail to keep two people who love each other, but happen to be of the same sex, from having the same benefits to the American dream as the rest of us? It's not a matter of whether you like it or agree with it....it's a matter of you thinking in the moment and allowing yourself to stand in their shoes. To see the world their way. To see the world with love.

I want to put this video up as another recommendation. This film was done by several middle class kids who wanted to see how other people lived. They wanted to get a feel for what it was like to be a human being from a different plane of existence. It's not the best documentary I've ever seen, but it is one of the most important that I have ever watched. It's called "The Human Experience". You can also find it on Netflix. Here is the trailer....if it doesn't spur your interest, you probably shouldn't be reading this blog anyhow. 

I don't feel like I accomplished a lot with this blog. As usual, I think this may be more for me than for anyone who may read it. I hope some of that stuff made sense. I simply believe we can't continue to stand in concrete in regards to our personal beliefs and move forward. We have to be willing to change how we see things. I can give you quite a list of bullshit that we are fed each and every day that is meant to pull on our pro-capitalist, pro-war machine, pro-producer, and pro-consumer heart strings........that all sound good going in the ears, but when you put them to the test of reality, they suddenly turn very ugly and distorted. 

Maybe I'll write more on this stuff later. I just feel sort of self-righteous telling people they need to sit across the table from their beliefs and take those beliefs on. I know that's how I sorted out my own beliefs. For me, it's now all about people, as much as it can be, in regards to where I am at in my "evolution". Regardless of race, religion, or nationality.....we have to be on the side of people. Not on the side of a government, a big chain store, a religion, or a false set of ideas of who we are supposed to be. 

Before I go, I think I will touch on religion, but not in a way to bash it or whatever, but in a way to get to the bottom level. All religions talk about the love of "God". How "God" loves everyone. How "God" has mercy and compassion. Well, if that is so (and in my beliefs I think that is true, though I have no use for practicing religion), then how can we be on the side of anyone or anything that isn't for helping people? Strip away all the  stuff that is on the surface of a religion and get down to what the creator of our universe (whether its' consciousness, nature, or a living creator god) may have had in mind for us. Does anyone believe that a creator would want us destroying each other and the planet we live on?  

Think on it. Be in the present in your mind. If you do these things, you can change yourself. If you change yourself, then you will change how you see the world. And if others notice it in you, they may be curious as to how they can start taking control of their own mind. We pass it on. We raise consciousness. We make the world a better place with the truth, love, and compassion........not just for Americans, but for everyone. 

Fever, breathe in your own cool, blue air

Look for eyes that hypnotize and sparkle

Look for eyes that hypnotize and sparkle, everywhere

Brother, brother, don't you care?

Brother, brother, don't you care?

My Morning Jacket

"Sec Walking"

Change Yourself, Change The World Part 1

This blog is specifically for a friend (Jere') who asked "Please tell me how we can do this?" to a post I made on Facebook. Yeah, I really showed Facebook didn't I?  Never mind that post from a couple of weeks back.  

Here is what I posted:

Truth isn't specific to any religion or political ideology. The truth just is and no amount of twisting it or ignoring it will make it go away. Let's wake up and take our world and country back from those who control us with fear and the promise of a happiness that can be bought. 

Now, I'm not talking about day to day things that people are involved in that may work for them and not for others. In those regards, truth can be held by the individual and not necessarily a truth for another individual. But ultimately, there is a truth to our existence, and the way our culture and society work. That's what I'm talking about. 

Before I even get going, I want to make this clear.....

I am as full of shit as anyone else. I don't believe I'm any smarter than anyone else. I don't have any secrets that others don't have access to. Really, seeing the world differently is a choice. But it's a tough one. 

Our brains were cultural blank slates when we were babies and even a little older. We didn't recognize sound, sight, noise, or smell as being separate things like we know they are now. Everything was stimulus for us. We were wide eyed, taking in everything, with no way to really process it. We were without ego. But, then as our brains developed a sense of self, we started developing our minds and who we are. All of things we have encountered, been taught, seen, listened to, etc., started forming paths in our mind. These paths would eventually map out our personality and soon after that, our world view. We even started functioning on "auto pilot". We started responding to things automatically based on our experiences. Think about how you react to a situation. Sometimes we overreact to something and then later we think back and wonder why we got so bent. Why did we react the way we did? Because it has become automatic. We were not in control of the moment. We let our unconscious mind respond the way that it had calculated we should, based on our past. That is the very thing a person has to start working on changing, if they want to start understanding themselves and who they are a little better. It's the way to change how you feel about people and our world. Most people really do want to live a life that is controlled by love....not fear, hate, or anger. Easier said than done. It takes practice and self awareness to begin controlling your mind and not allowing your brain to function on "auto pilot".

Let me ask you this; moment to moment, what are you thinking about? Are you in the moment most of the time, or are you thinking about the past? Are you thinking about the future? People spend most of their time somewhere other than the present. There is a saying almost all of us have surely heard; "there is no use in crying over spilled milk.". Think about that. It's telling you that it's nothing to sweat. It's just spilled milk. Why be upset? That saying is about mindfulness. Realizing there is nothing to be gained from being upset or angry over something that is beyond our control. Each moment SHOULD be like that. Realistically, we are not likely to get to that place. But, we can get to a level where most of our time is spent surrounding the present and reacting to situations with a "here and now" approach. Trying to be mindful of the present has helped me quite a bit in my interaction with my wife, kids, friends, and co-workers. I don't get near as many people coming to me at work saying "Let me tell you what happened....you're gonna be pissed.". I am doing my best to take each situation and approach it from the present and use the following mindset:  There are no problems, only solutions. (thanks John Lennon)  What can I do to change any situation that has happened? What can I do to "unbreak" something? Nothing. All I have is what I can do in the present to make the situation better or fix it. 

Every time that a person takes control of the moment and reacts differently than their immediate, emotional reaction wants to, they are creating a new pathway in their brain. A different approach. The old way is still there. And it will be for quite some time. But, the less you use it, and the more you use the new path, the better things will become. The "new" way will replace the "old" way. You will slip. You will fall back into your usual patterns. But, you have to immediately change that as soon as you bring yourself back to the moment. It's work. But if you want to change your world and how you feel about it, you should be willing to work on it. 

I'm going to have to break this blog up some, because this is something I could write a book on. So, I'll leave this little exercise for you as a closing point for what I'll call part one of this "Change Yourself, Change The World" blog. 

Take five minutes every day and find a place where you can just sit by yourself without any stimulus going on. No radio. No TV. No kids hollering at you. Do this with that five minutes; focus entirely on your breathing. Feel the air coming in and going out. No effort. Just feel yourself breathing and try to only think of your breathing. When you start to float away and think about something else (your day, dinner, plans)........and you will......don't be upset or beat yourself up mentally. Just come right back to the breathing and focus on it. Just keep pulling yourself back. Start doing this every day and you'll get better and better at it. Then, throughout your day, when you think about that five minutes or this blog (and hopefully you will) stop and bring your mind to the moment. If you are doing your job, be in the present and have your mind only on what you are doing, without thinking of what you are gonna do when you get home, who will win the game, how you are gonna pay the mortgage.....just push that out of your mind and focus on what you are doing. Bring your mind into the moment. Even if it's while you are washing dishes or some little task. It matters. It's practice. Even if you can only do it for a few seconds at a time. You are retraining your mind. 

Devote your mind to the moment. Because really, that's all we have. We can't go back to the past. We can't instantly be in the future. All we are and all we will ever be is the present. The past is gone and the future is an illusion....it's just an idea. NOW is the most important time of your life. Live in it. 

I realize that most people are not going take the time to watch and focus on an hour of You Tube, but if you ever get the time, I recommend this video...........

The speaker is Jon Kabat-Zinn and this video is from a class he did for Google on mindfulness. Sitting with total focus on his words and putting myself in that class room, doing everything he asked, has had a significant impact on my life. Being in the present as much as possible is the most important thing we can do for ourselves. It really is. It allows you to deal with your life on a moment to moment basis instead of concentrating on what has happened and what MIGHT happen. 

Our lives are happening right now. There is no starting gun. If you are waiting for you life to begin or waiting to be an idea of yourself, you are going to look back with some confusion at the end of your life. How many of us ask, what the hell happened to the last 10 years? They happened while we were busy thinking about other shit, like the previous ten years or the next ten years. Chances are, most of us are doing that right now. 

My next blog will focus on taking this a bit further. Trying to find out who we are. I'm not talking about our name, our body, or how others see us. I'm talking about......who the hell is that voice in my head. If you took your mind out and put it in someone else's body, would you cease to be you? No.....what is in your mind IS who you are. Don't define yourself by a job, body type, skin color, religion, political affiliation, or favorite ball team. Who are you? 

People asking questions lost in confusion,
Well I tell them there's no problem,
Only solutions,
Well they shake their heads and they look at me as if I've lost my mind,
I tell them there's no hurry...
I'm just sitting here doing time,

John Lennon

 "Watching The Wheels"