Let You Be You

“I want to speak. . .This is more important than re-election. . .I want to speak now. . .Take them off the leashes. . .Let You Be You. . .I serve at the pleasure of the President. . .We  are going to lose some of these battle. We are going to raise the bar. . .Let that be our legacy.”—West Wing (Let Bartlett Be Bartlett)

Things Amiss
Been waking up late. Not the way I like it. Barely missing the sunrise. Been late on the sunsets, too. Not knowing where any of this coming from. My promises have not changed, but I've been slipping. Maybe its because I am going to church more. Maybe its because the sunrises and sunsets are happening sooner and later. Maybe its because sleeping later. Whatever, it is. Need to re-adjust and step right. 

Events Ahead. . .
Jill’s last performance as lead in Our Town is Saturday. Manny’s fight is the same time. Plus, I have to give a ride at the same time. I really want to do all three, but I am left with a quandary. Three days to do something about it. Not sure what I can do. Nothing looks it will change, except time to event gets shorter and shorter. Couple of birthdays are coming up and I haven’t heard from D yet about lunch today. Beds a mess with all this junk that I need and want to clean. Put it all here knowing that I'd deal with it or sleep in messy circumstances.

Feeling Low, Needs Some Juice
Gym time last night forced me to leave early. Feeling the sweats coming on and a bit light headed. Blood sugar turned out to be in the low 50’s. Not good. I left early to get something to eat. I left my money and meal replacement in the car. Going out and getting back meant losing my bike and leaving 20 minutes left for the workout. I’m off pace for 300 miles. It would take some effort to pull it off at the stage I’m at.

Morning mass starts in an hour and I am not sure if I will go. It would be a good, too. I am on a road. So many possibilities. So many obligations. So what? Actually, its all stuff. Nothing. All of its important. All of it has purpose and meaning. All of it will effect who I am big and small, long and short. It all matters.

Good Intentions. Good Results
Sleep early. Attend church more. Enjoy performances with family. Exercise. Blog. All these things matters. All things. You reading the post matter. You not reading this post matters. You spending time with loved ones matter. You spending time later on with loved one matters. Watching the fight. Watching the my cousin’s last performance. Making time to visit my new-found family on there only weekend down matters. Working out 5 days a week. Working out 7 days a week matters.

This weekend is a juxtaposition. Dad’s family side meeting Friday, Saturday, Sunday. Mom’s family side meeting is Saturday. Kev’s and his in-laws are down the street watching the Pacquiao fight the same night. I'm sure there is many more important events and it is a critical time. Yet, I have no fear nor worries. Putting Faith in the process, I integrated this belief in my core. “Trust In the Universe, She’ll Take Care of You.”

Paradigm Shifts
All of us have stuff to do. All of us have a finite time to do them in. Sure, a little finagling must be done here and there. Yet, at times like these one wishes that we can be at multiple places at once. I am reminded that scientist took pictures of an atom in several different places at the same time.  Can we do that? Be many places at once. Being two—three, four, five--things at the same time. We are universe in itself. We are a multi-verse. Radical thinking. Yet a skill that would be much appreciated.

Observation plays a decisive role in the event and . . . the reality varies, depending upon

whether we observe it or not. —Werner Heisenberg

This quote comes from a DVD that stirred many questions and answered many of them, too. What the Bleep Do We Know? I have only watched and pay attention to portions of it, but I suspect it will be one of my favorites. 

Huh? Where Did This Leap Come From?

Where’s the connection? From daily life events to quantum theory, it’s there. It’s the duality. Light as a particle; Light as a wave. It’s the acts of synchronicities discussed by Carl Jung. It’s the act of observing the particle with scientific objectivity to later learn the very act of observing skews the objectivity. It’s the power of intentions by Emoto’s water crystal. It’s all these metaphysical occasions and scientific discoveries that lends itself to big and small of things. Miyamato Musashi said learning just that. The Big and small of it all

Life is more than the randomness of personal events. Like balls on a billiard table, cause and effect. Yet there is purpose-ness amongst this chaos. There is a logic to it. The Universe speaks to us all. As we ask questions about the meaning of it all, we discover--we get answers.

Not since very recently did I become Faith-follower, I won’t say which aspect because I am still on this visionquest. I am learning that I am a very spiritual and intuitive person. My word for myself in my new found group is “Faith.”

I am learning the power of prayer. I am learning “Ask and You Shall Receive” maxim is very true. Recent scientific discoveries are finding this to be truer. My own experiences have borne this out. Maybe not in the time-line we like. I still have doubts. I think this a good thing tact to take. Fact is this may be just a bunch of hoo-haa brouhaha haha haha. (Sorry, I got the hahas) Maybe I am being sold a proverbial bill of goods. Maybe I am having medication induced fog. 

However, maybe its right.

I fall back to this saying, “Some things are true whether you believe or not.” Never had a problem with science and religion. Always thought both were just searching for the truth. Learned awhile back people argue all the time. People often don't listen. Just want to hear themselves talk. Just want you to buy into their dream, their own reality. Despite all the babbling and bluster, one discovers they are saying and searching for the same thing: Meaning.

Hope that you, too, with all the activities oh-so important activities in your life, you will learn that it all counts. And most importantly, it all matters. Nothing is not-nothing. There is never nothing going-on. The Universe will provide. Meaning is everywhere. Just got to decide to do—or not do. You got to decided to accept or reject. Messages are being sent. Just got to listen to your own personal message. You go to Decide what that Special Meaning is. 

I will leave at that. 

Namaste

Seth, Spawn, Songs, Starfish, and SOTU

State of the Union Speech: Does It Really Matter?
State of the Union (SOTU). Haven't read any of the politicos comments on the speech. Don't know if I will. It tends to be a lot of cock and bull. One side says this and the other side says that. Defend and Attack. It gets old. To me, it is just the sales rebuttals that I have heard a millions times over, simply an exercise in bashing and futility. Whenever talking heads appear on CNN or CSPAN, blah blah blah-ing, I just hit mute, click the guide button on Dish Network control, and change the channel.

Heard most of Obama's speech while on the Life fitness bike. Liked what heard. My first time speaking in front of people, almost fainted. Definitely blacked out for a second. I was told that I lost my balance and it looked like I was going to take header. So whenever a good speech being delivered by a seasoned orator, I just marvel. Now, I'm good. Speaking in front of a Super Bowl stadium full of people, I got it covered.

The President's State of the Union, honestly, don't know if it will make a difference. Hope it does. When a State of the Union speech comes up, I think of the West Wing TV series. My favorites West Wing shows were the State of the Union episodes. One of my favorite SOTU show is "Season 6, Episode 12: 365 Days" It is the last year of the President second term, his last year. Leo, the ex-Chief of Staff gathers all of Bartlett, SOTU speeches. He reviews them and takes to task the entire staff. He tells them re-focus. He reminds them the great words, the moving State of the Union speeches, the reasons the why they are there is getting lost. Various political realities have stifled their agenda. They have been reacting to crises, instead of shaping events. Leo emphasizes this is the team's last hurrah and its time to let out all stops.

Can't help, but think the grandiose plan each and everyone of us makes. Resolutions I call them. They are promises to ourselves to be better. How many of your resolutions are not being followed through? What are the gamut of reasons? Compromise here,compromise there. Excuses here, "I will do it tomorrow" there. No need to beat yourself. This is just a reminder to stop reacting and think big picture. In the end, does it really matter?

Throwing Starfishes Can't say yes, but I also can't say no, either. I think of the Starfish story, by Loren Eiseley. http://muttcats.com/starfish.htm Moral of story is ". . .Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, "But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can't possibly make a difference! At this, the young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water, he said, "It made a difference for that one."

Started writing this blog because I needed to explore and examine Inspiration. My hope for this blog is to examine, learn, and incorporate Heroism in our daily lives. I suspect there are others that have same yearning. Some time ago, I read an article on modern mythology and comic-dom. This was a time when collecting comics was the cool thing to do. Lines for comic signing were a block long,i.e., Todd McFarlane and Spawn. The article made sense.

People need to be continually inspired. Think Bible, Aesop's Fable, Koran, any management book. Read any comic book. People in the absence of meaning need a shot of feel good,a dose of purpose. Some turn to religion. Some to romance novels. Others, spy books. Music, too. Sporting events. Yet others--many others--catch the latest flic.

Spanish guitar is playing overhead. Sitting in the middle of Barnes and Noble at 10:17 pm, I am surrounded and bombard with inspiration. I now understand the appeal of books stores. Often there no places to sit, its so crowded. They are a place to be entertained, a place to enjoy, a place to find inspiration.

I Can Hear You What You Are Thinking
Watching a lady in a gray hoodie right. She's smiling as she reads her story. I wonder what she is saying to herself to make her smile like so. If I were Seth, the fallen angel, who fell for love, in the "City of Angels" my favorite ability would be able to hear the internal dialogue of every day people. Right now, listen to your own internal dialogue. What is it saying?

Today caught myself trying to be my own inspiration. Sat on Life Fitness cycle earlier. Head down. Eyes closed. Zoning on my breathing. Listening to my legs pump those pedals, I kept repeating "Stronger Heart. Stronger Heart. Stronger Heart" When I shoot pool, after each shot, I shout in my head, "Damn, I am good." Miss or make, I still ring out, "Damn, I am good." I've developed a shooter's mentality. What do you say? Whats your internal dialogue? Why shouldn't you be your own cheerleader?

Movies and Music Lift Spirits
When feeling lazy, when feeling mentally and physically drained, I go get a dose of "feel good." Saw Lebron James basketball yesterday afternoon, "More Than A Game." Afterwords, I finished 10 miles of cardio. Even now, I get still get pumped whenever the Rocky theme song plays. Do you have a movie that fires you up? Think Rudy, Invincible, Miracle, When We We're Kings, Invictus, Without Limits, PreFontaine, Remember the Titans, Cool Runnings, Tallageda Nights. (just kidding on last one)

How about a song? Richard Wagner's Flight of the Valkyrie does it for me. Chariots of Fire soundtrack. Some Naughty by Nature, Feel Me Flow or Hip Hop Hooray. Eminem, Ice Cube, Black Eyed Pea. Can't forget the original Rocky's theme song. If you have more, please put it on comment.

My point is this, many need that "feel good", always have. My proof are the millions of movie-goers, novel readers, music lovers, Church goers, sport fans. They attend to events to seek entertainment, seek inspiration, seek that "feel good." When we listen to the State of the Union speech, we get disappointed when there is no stirring in the soul. When we attend a football game, a boxing match, or basketball game, if our heart does not race, than we feel a bit let down. This blogs will explore the ways people get inspired. It will create awareness how the heroism manifests itself. Lastly, it will perpetuate that "feel good" that many seek.

Comment on what inspires you. I would like to use it for a future blog post.

West Wing Episode Synopsis can be found on the following http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0200276/episodes

State of the Union episodes listed below:
Season 2, Episode 13: Bartlet's Third State of the Union
Original Air Date—7 February 2001
While a live TV show is broadcast from the West Wing following the State of the Union, the staff must covertly deal with a hostage situation in Columbia. CJ learns that a special guest at the state of the union has a black mark on his record that could taint the administration. Ainsley Hayes is afraid to meet the President in person.


Season 3, Episode 12: 100,000 Airplanes
Original Air Date—16 January 2002
On the night of the State of the Union, Sam has to explain the process of writing the speech and grading reaction to it to a magazine reporter (Traylor Howard) throughout the evening; C.J. arranged the coverage unaware that the reporter, Lisa Sherbourn, is Sam's ex-fiancée; flashing back to the speechwriting process, we see the president dining with several of Abbey's medical colleagues, and they ponder the future of cancer research, motivating Bartlet to ask that a section be added to the SOTU in which he calls for U.S. scientists to find a cancer cure by 2010; the staff, convinced that the Congressional censure is weighing heavily on the president, tries to talk him out of this bold but risky proposal.

Season 5, Episode 11: The Benign Prerogative
Original Air Date—14 January 2004
In inexplicably finishing the speech early Toby is left with nothing to do. However, the State of the Union speech needs testing, so Toby flies out to meet Joey Lucas to perform mall tests.

Season 6, Episode 12: 365 Days
Original Air Date—19 January 2005
Leo returns to the White House to help bolster the administration, which is suffering from the loss of Josh, Donna, Will, and the Vice President to the next election campaign. Leo's first day back follows President Bartlet's last State of the Union address, and unlike in previous years there appears to be little momentum on bold, large-scale initiatives. Amidst numerous distractions that dilute the focus of the staff (kidnappings in Colombia, the First Lady's appearance at a NASCAR race, and petulant Congressmen), he challenges the administration on their agenda for their remaining year in office.