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Post by Tipi on Sept 26, 2004 11:25:49 GMT -5
Hello all! I have begun a new thread so that it will be easy to ignore for those so inclined. So that if something REALLY bothers anyone ... all they have to do is post on a different topic. Anyone who DOES enjoy what they read can find it easily. Even AFTER someone bounces it. Who are we kidding? ALOT of people will enjoy bouncing it!  Feel free to post here any thoughts good or bad, flame or praise! That is all, Peace, Todd |
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Post by Tipi on Sept 26, 2004 11:29:53 GMT -5
Counter productive
Good morning campers! I feel obliged to share what I’m thinking this morning. I know that probably makes you all groan … agree with me or not … but I can’t help it! I can’t help it because I really do spend hours every day trying to figure out answers. To figure out how we can reach that place that I’m fairly confident is in the hearts of us all.
<<One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dream
Now in this dream universal love was the theme of the day
Peace and understanding and it happened this way
The sick & the hungry had smiles on their faces
The tired and homeless had family all around
The streets & the cities were all beautiful places
And the walls came tumbling down
People of the world had it all together
Had it all together for the boys & the girls
And the children of the world look forward to a future>>
Thanks Jimmy! And thanks Mike for bringin’ these beautiful words here. I’m not apologizing for reposting them. I believe words are incredibly powerful things … songs or speeches can move us to tears or action. Beyond that IMHO when spoken out loud they help to create the world we are choosing.
In That light … I decided this morning that I am going to stop using the word insane (“Well … that’s convenient!”) I hear you moan. Instead I am going to say “Counter productive”. See … like many of you … I see & hear things every day to which I reactively reply … “That’s Insane!” I regret now how often I reach for that word. Scream that word. Put it out there in the ether we call home. From this day forward, in my effort to keep evolving in spite of myself, those things will get no more response from me than … “That’s counter productive”
I agree that ‘politics up in here’ is a home for political comments … but it also seems that the topic of the latest post changes what we see when we hit the “10 most recent…” button. So I’m gonna post this as a reply to the lyrics page … see what happens.
As a dear friend of mine (who also believes in the power of words) says to her children as she sends them to school every morning …<br>Make it a great day!
Peace,
T
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Post by Tipi on Sept 26, 2004 11:30:42 GMT -5
Step 2
Ok this might seem like a cop out because I’ve made this promise to myself before (strike that … to all of us. I’ve made this promise to all of us before) … my belief in the power of words (repetition of a good thing IS a good thing) combined with an obvious need to remind myself (it still doesn’t always work) has me repeating a previous promise.
Today’s attempt to evolve is this. Every time something hurts me or offends me I should stop myself. Breathe … remember my commitment to be a better person. Ask myself “do I have to feel hurt? Must I be offended? Or is it not only possible, but in everyone’s best interest to choose again. Choose not only too not be hurt offended; to believe that that was not the desired effect of what ever word or deed has so injured me.
Even if it WAS the desired effect, I still have the ability to believe otherwise! That IMHO is the best thing about perspective. We all have the option to believe whatever works for us. I understand that the same reality is exactly what gets us into trouble in the first place; as long as we remember the golden rule, MY prime directive, “First do no harm”, I believe it is all for the good.
That’s it. Baby steps up the evolutionary ladder. I WILL reach the top … or die trying. These things I promise you.
Make it a beautiful day!
Peace,
Todd
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Post by Tipi on Sept 26, 2004 22:22:31 GMT -5
TEXT Listen with the night falling we are saying thank you we are stopping on the bridge to bow from the railings we are running out of the glass rooms with our mouths full of food to look at the sky and say thank you we are standing by the water looking out in different directions back from a series of hospitals back from a mugging after funerals we are saying thank you after the news of the dead whether or not we knew them we are saying thank you in a culture up to its chin in shame living in the stench it has chosen we are saying thank you over telephones we are saying thank you in doorways and in the backs of cars and in elevators remembering wars and the police at the back door and the beatings on stairs we are saying thank you in the banks that use us we are saying thank you with the crooks in office with the rich and fashionable unchanged we go on saying thank you thank you with the animals dying around us our lost feelings we are saying thank you with the forests falling faster than the minutes of our lives we are saying thank you with the words going out like cells of a brain with the cities growing over us like the earth we are saying thank you faster and faster with nobody listening we are saying thank you we are saying thank you and waving dark though it is W.S. Merwin |
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Post by Tipi on Oct 9, 2004 0:28:08 GMT -5
You are right to be afraid of this post. I am right now, at this instant more afraid than I hav ever been in my life. I am sorry that you find yourselves the recipients of these feelings, but so it is. I have dined in palaces, drunk wine with kings and queens (literally) but the best thing I've ever seen is poised to go the way of Lowell. I am writing because I have to do something. And yet I can do nothing. I watched my parents die as a child, I have had guns pointed at me quite sure that my death was the only desired effect. I have never been more scared than I am right now. This instant. And yes, I am crying like a bitch. Sorry to bitches everywhere. I need all the thoughts and prayers you all have it in you to offer. Not for me, or I wouldn't ask, for the finest woman it's been my priveledge to know. That's all I can say, because most of you don't know her. Those who do, it's not my story to tell. But only my pride could keep me from begging you relative strangers for prayer and good thoughts, fuck my pride. Please pray, please think good thoughts for my dear friend who, I just found out, has unlearned the wisdom god gave her and is trying to choose to die. I am sorry that I take up so much space here, I am not sorry for asking for any help you can offer. God bless us all. God help me, help us.
Thanks for the space.
Always Love,
Todd
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Post by chadgumbo on Oct 9, 2004 14:22:24 GMT -5
Todd,
I'm sorry that this posting finds you in such pain. I noted the hour of your posting and can imagine that the night was long, worrisome, and sleepless. Whatever it is that has occurred please know that the "relative strangers" you are entreating for prayers and good thoughts are really "friends you haven't had the opportunity to shake hands with yet." Of course we care, and of course we wish your friend and you to be well. I certainly will remember the two of you in my prayers. I wish I could do more.
You needn't apologize for anything. It 's alright to ask for prayers for your friend, and it's alright to ask for prayers for yourself. As for taking up so much space... I hope that your writings helped put your mind at ease. Write all you like and know that we (those of us who have come to know a little about you through this forum) will support you from afar with our best wishes.
- May God's blessings be upon you and your friend,
Chad
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Post by Mike on Oct 11, 2004 0:33:17 GMT -5
Since he does it so well, I'll just let Chad speak for me as well.  You know we're here Tipi! PEACE Mike |
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Post by Tipi on Oct 27, 2004 12:57:46 GMT -5
Last night I played a game of cards with my Sister and her family: her transsexual partner Jenny, sons Zachary age 9, and Sean age 6. Sean is brilliant, a natural card player, and a definite right brain thinker. In spite of all these things the cards just weren’t with him last night. He is also 6 years old. It wasn’t losing that broke the damn of his emotional self-control, he played a card he needed by mistake, and began to cry.
“Hang in there” My sister (also brilliant), offered as she stroked his shoulder as only a mother can do. I wanted very much to help the situation, but as we are still feeling out each other (I have until recently been regretfully absent in their lives), so I convinced myself it was best to not react strongly and let the lesson be learned by it’s natural velocity. I have just written this letter to him, I hope he can hear me without being offended.
Dear Sean,
Thanks for teaching me how to play 5 crowns last night! That’s a great game. I had a lot of fun being included in your family. I always do, and I’m sorry I haven’t taken the opportunity more often. You guys are awesome.
I am really sorry that you got so upset last night; I hate it when I make a mistake playing cards too. It’s so frustrating isn’t it? Just today it occurred to me that I knew something you haven’t learned yet. I thought I’d write and tell you, and then you WILL know!
Now, I’m a really smart guy. I’m really good at cards. It’s like I have an unfair advantage sometimes because I was born being good at cards, almost like that’s just the way it is and I don’t have to try as hard as other people.
You are a really smart guy too Sean! You are obviously really good at cards, last night Maddy couldn’t even remember the last time she beat you! I think it’s because you are so good with numbers that cards make more sense to you than other people.
But you know what? Even as smart as I am, even being so good at cards, sometimes I lose! That sounds really stupid to say I bet, but it really is a great lesson! When I finally learned it (I was much older than you!), I became better not just at cards but at ALL THE GAMES I ever played!
The reason they are called “Games” is because no matter how much we practice, no matter how smart we are or good we are there is luck involved! Sometimes you win & sometimes you lose. Sometimes we make mistakes and lose, but sometimes even when you don’t make ANY mistakes, you are still going to lose.
When I was young this would make me so mad! I would get all upset; sometimes I would decide, “This game is stupid!” and never play again.
Now here’s the secret, every time you get upset playing any game you get worse! You are more likely to make mistakes because you are so busy being upset you can’t help it. BUT if you really learn that, it becomes a secret weapon! If you can remind yourself when something bad happens in a game that getting mad or upset makes you play worse, you are instantly better! Armed with that power (remember the super power I said I wish I had? The power to not be annoyed by anything!), you become almost invincible. You definitely get better.
That’s all. I just realized if I could teach you this one thing it will help you get better at everything. Then you’ll win more 8*)
I would probably stop playing games altogether if I always won. When I lose, I know I can get better! Getting better at anything is my very favorite thing. I know I haven’t been a very good uncle for example. I am sorry for that Sean, but instead of letting it make me upset (which I know makes me not as good at everything), instead I am excited because that means I can be better! Woohoo! Look out buddy! I am going to try so hard to be a better uncle that you’ll probably get sick of me!
I love you more than Ice Cream and I really like you too,
Your uncle Todd
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Post by chadgumbo on Nov 7, 2004 12:37:05 GMT -5
Tipi wrote,
Thanks for the forum Todd. With all that's happening in Fallujah right now, my thoughts have been with our troops. I support our troops even if I don't agree with our administration's reasons for being there. With that mind, these thoughts have come to me over the past couple of days...
PROMISED WIVES
The enemy is in Fallujah
So far from my homeland.
I once played soldier amongst the trees
Here there is only sand.
The reserves, it seems so long ago
When I trod upon American loam.
Active duty now, two tours later
Marie and the boys, they just want me home.
From this company none shall stray
The insurgents wish us dead.
I can’t let myself be captured
For their prize would be my head.
Tonight Angus rocks my iPod
The day will bring mortars and shells
The enemy is in Fallujah
It’s not Angus ringing hells’s bells
The enemies are in Fallujah
For jihad they offer their lives.
Can't they see we only want them free?
They go now to their promised wives.
- chadgumbo
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Post by jashley on Nov 8, 2004 15:00:30 GMT -5
Tipi,
Sorry I have missed this thread up until now. If I had I would have tried to do my feeble best to help on the night you were in such pain. I hope everything has become better for your friend. I of course have never meet you in person but I do feel like I know something of your personality from this forum and I know that you did and are doing everything possible for your friend. Don't ever apoligize for asking for support here, I think there are a lot of good people here, even the hard headed ones like BillL, who consider you a friend and will do everything they can to help. I know that I consider you a friend and whatever I can do in good times or bad don't hesitate to ask.
Speaking of card players, the best I ever knew was my dad. If you've ever played 2 handed pinochle you know that it is a very difficult game to remember cards because there are three phases to each hand. When you got to you last 8 or 9 cards Dad would look at you and tell you what you had, I would throw them down and tell him to play them. I'm pretty good and he used to beat me like a drum. My Uncle Russell, not real dumb because he went from an orphanage to being a millionaire, lost 18 games in a row to my dad at $100 a throw and left the house P.O. You would have loved my dad, I called him the world oldest teenager and he kept a sense of fun until he passed away.
Now do you know that there is one very famous man that believed in the power of words like you do? This was John Lennon. He felt that if you said a word you sent the power of that word out into the world. That was why he used the words love and peace so often in his songs. That's why I sign all my post peace, cause we need all the peace we can get in this world. I'm going to sign this one a little different cause I think you just might need it now.
Love and Peace
j
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Post by jashley on Nov 12, 2004 16:15:43 GMT -5
Just ran across a great saying
If we could work like we don't need the money
If we could love like we've never been hurt
If we could dance like no one was watching
Wouldn't this make a better world
Peace
j
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Post by jashley on Jan 5, 2005 16:51:17 GMT -5
Stolen From a Ken Kesey book, "Sailors Song". Yea another novel from Kesey.
Alix de Torqueville, "A democracy that has an uninformed or uncaring electorate is capable of being much worse than any despot or tyrant could ever think of being" from "Democracy in America"
Peace
j
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Post by jashley on Jan 12, 2005 18:30:52 GMT -5
Hoy Hoy All,
Just read Bob Dylan's new book "Chronicles Vol. 1". Even if you're not a Dylan fan this is a must read for any fan of music and the culture surrounding music. This is the best accounting of Dylan's "mystery" early days in NYC, so realistic and detailed it gives you an almost uncomfortable feeling, like you might be learning things about this most private man that you don't deserve or need to know, even though you do want to know. Also, a great insight into why the crush of fame can be so hard to deal with. A great chapter about working with producer Daniel Lanois (other credits: Robbie Robertson, Neville Brothers, Peter Gabriel), no sugar coating, and very useful for any artists working in a collaborative situation.
If you looking for a complete picture of Dylan's life this is not it, it doesn't try to be, but it is a great and in depth look at some pivotal moments in one of our truly great artist's life.
Highly Recommend
Peace
j ashley
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Post by Mike on Jan 20, 2005 23:51:17 GMT -5
I'm not sure where to put this, but it deserves repeating, so I think I'll put it here. I'm pretty sure Tipi won't mind.
I was making a sales call on an orphanage out in W. Texas, and in brass letters across the front wall was
"a person never stands taller than when they stoop to help a child"
I thought it was cool.
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Post by jashley on Jan 24, 2005 16:59:58 GMT -5
Mike,
Yes your right I love that saying.
Just finished "Will in the World, How Shakespeare became Shakespeare". This book is absolutlely fascinating. Not so much a biography as an examination of how a boy from a small country town could become the greatest literary genius of all time. Even if you think that Shakespeare is boring (I don't) this book is still not a bit dull or dry. Try it, highly recommend.
Peace
j
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