Evidence of Our Human Seasons

My little bamboo tree stretches for the Sun.
Its leaves are candy to my black & white "Panda" cat.

"As trees have leaves that are nicked and eaten, human beings have feelings that are just as worn by the act of living. We have a right to these. They are evidence of our human seasons." -- Mark Nepo

Leaves from this stately Dumbarton Oaks tree  now mulch the forest floor .
There, they will provide nourishment for next Spring's new leaves.  

Dream Big and Believe!

Photo from http://rivervalleyrockford.org/

Despite my skepticism regarding the Law of Attraction (LOA), sometimes cynically referred to as the fLaw of Attraction, I am a proponent of certain things which sound an awful lot like LOA, namely:

• Thoughts become things
• Attitude is everything
• Dream big and believe

And that's why I was drawn to this quote attributed to W.H. Murray on page 382 of Mark Nepo's amazing day book, Awakening

"The moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision which no one could have dreamed would have come their way." 

I found this quote evocative, Pantheistic, and ennobling--and not the least bit flaky. It immediately reminded me of the best aspects of the LOA. I had never even heard of W.H. Murray. Googling, I discovered William Hutchison Murray (18 March 1913 – 19 March 1996) was a Scottish mountaineer and writer.


Notice how differently Murray's quote appears in the original (emphasis added)!

"Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back-- Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth that ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. I have learned deep respect for one of Goethe's couplets: Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now."

The foregoing passage occurs near the beginning of Murray's The Scottish Himalayan Expedition published in 1951. Two things jump out at me. I am interested in just how Nepo modified the original when he republished it in his book. I am not just talking about the reshuffling and recrafting of words. Notice how Nepo capitalized Providence, and made the statement gender-neutral. That's interesting. Providence is personified, and all people are included.

The second aspect of the passage that attracts me is the couplet attributed to Goethe. I wondered, "When and under what circumstances did Goethe say that?" Come to find out, Goethe did not actually say this at all! According to the Goethe Society of North America, what Goethe actually wrote (Faust, 214-30) was this:  

Was heute nicht geschieht, ist morgen nicht getan,
Und keinen Tag soll man verpassen,
Das Mögliche soll der Entschluß
Beherzt sogleich beim Schopfe fassen,
Er will es dann nicht fahren lassen
Und wirket weiter, weil er muß.

OK, my German is a little rusty. In Stuart Atkins' translation (Goethe. The Collected Works. Vol. 2: Faust I & II. Ed. and trans. Stuart Atkins. Princeton, NJ: Princeton UP, 1994. 7), those lines read:

What's left undone today, is still not done tomorrow;
to every day there is a use and purpose;
let Resoluteness promptly seize
the forelock of the Possible,
and then, reluctant to let go again,
she's forced to carry on and be productive.

The lines Murray attributed to Goethe actually come from John Anster's "very free translation" of Faust from 1835. The lines in question are spoken by the "Manager" in the "Prelude at the Theatre":

          

Then indecision brings its own delays,
And days are lost lamenting over lost days.
Are you in earnest? Seize this very minute;
What you can do, or dream you can do, begin it;
Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.

The point, and at long last I do have one, is this: 

• Truth is universal--and independent of human construction. 
• Our human minds are imperfect, transmitting and receiving only a small portion of the full spectrum of reality.
• When some image or some words or some feeling resonates with us, it's because we recognize a glimpse of universal truth it both the thing observed and in us.
• The words Nepo attributed to Murray resonate with me (and maybe with you?). The value of Nepo's words do not come from the accuracy of his attribution, but from the glimpse of universal truth in them.
• The words Murray attributed to Goethe are valuable, too. Goethe's words and the accurate translation left me cold. Anster's version connects deeply.

Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it.

Boldness has genius, power and magic in it!

We all have just this one life to live. Nothing holds us back but our own perceptions of reality. Maybe Goethe did not write these words, but he could have. And you could have, too!

Dream Big and Believe! 

===+++===

At the outset, I referred to my skepticism of the Law of Attraction (LOA).

I am not a proponent of the so-called "Law" of Attraction, as it is very often a merely means for unscrupulous people to make money off the misery of others. The idea of manifesting a parking space (or a fat bank account) by simply expressing this wish to the Universe is absurd. If you don't get that parking space, you obviously were not clear enough in your intention, since the Universe always responds to clear signals.

Ri-i-i-i-i-i-ght.

The Secret is a deeply flawed film and book, even though (or perhaps because) it has made Rhonda Byrne a very rich lady.

For a decidedly practical and "un-woo-woo" book about LOA, see Deanna Davis, The Law of Attraction in Action.

For a more scientific look at the benefits of positive thinking, look into the Positive Psychology movement led by such pioneers as Donald O. Clifton,  Martin Seligman, and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi.

If you want to study and examine a "Law" of another sort which explains how the universe really works, I recommend Design in Nature: How the Constructal Law Governs Evolution in Biology, Physics, Technology, and Social Organization, by Adrian Bejan and J. Peder Zane.

Health, happiness, and prosperity to all!

Mark Nepo Talks about The Book of Awakening

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Mark: the Man and the Message

Mark Nepo survived a difficult "first half" of life: abusive parents, the untimely end of a career, the loss of dear friends and family members, cancer (twice), divorce (twice),  and more. Not only did he survive all this, but in the process he transformed himself into a Philosopher-Poet whose day book has inspired millions.

I am grateful to Mark for all the many ways he has helped me. Life is such a great gift. Might you also benefit from learning how to be more present to the life you have? If you would like more information about this book, please leave a message in the comments.

110th Anniversary | Harley-Davidson USA

Worldwide and year long – Harley-Davidson is celebrating 110 years of freedom in a big way!

My goal is to attend 25% of the 16 worldwide events, and I'm already 25% there.

• Sturgis (August 2012--Done!)
• Daytona (March 2013)
• Rome (June 2013)
• Milwaukee (August 2013)

Are you planning to attend any of these events? Let me know in the comments, and let's meet up!

MOnday MOrning MOustache MOment

Greetings and Welcome to the Third MOnday in MOvember! Ladies and gentlemen, it's time for our weekly feature, the...

MOnday MOrning MOustache MOment

One more week to go! Please visit my MO site and drop some coins in the coffer: http://mobro.co/FoamFan 

I'm hairy high and low

Please ask me why so

We talk about my MO!

Gimme a face with MO

Long beautiful MO

Shining, gleaming,

Streaming, flaxen, waxen

Give me down to there MO

Shoulder length or longer

Here baby, there mama

Everywhere daddy daddy

MO, MO, MO, MO, MO, MO, MO

Flow it, show it

Long as God can grow it

My MO

Let it fly in the breeze

And get caught in the trees

Give a home to the fleas in my hair

A home for fleas

A hive for bees

A nest for birds

There ain't no words

For the beauty, the splendor, the wonder

Of my...

MO, MO, MO, MO, MO, MO, MO

Flow it, show it

Long as God can grow it

My MO

I want it long, straight, curly, fuzzy

Snaggy, shaggy, ratty, matty

Oily, greasy, fleecy

Shining, gleaming, streaming

Flaxen, waxen

Knotted, polka-dotted

Twisted, beaded, braided

Powdered, flowered, and confettied

Bangled, tangled, spangled, and spaghettied!

MO, MO, MO, MO, MO, MO, MO

Flow it, show it

Long as God can grow it

My MO, MO, MO, MO, MO, MO, MO

Flow it, show it

Long as God can grow it

My MO

Hair song lyrics from soundtrack cf "Hair" are property & copyright of their owners and are provided in lightly edited form for educational purposes only. Visit Hair page to find more, or use search.

Perfect Crime: the Movie

"It was a dark and stormy night...."

"Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts and minds of men? The Shadow knows...."

It's late at night. You are reading a detective novel in bed. Wouldn't a nice glass of dark ale be the perfect accompaniment? A whispered warning comes from the shadows, "A dark and stormy brew is about to steal your palate." 

This Perfect Crime is the product of three shadowy collaborators: Evil Twin Brewing / Stillwater Artisanal Brewery / Stone Brewing. The mysterious concoction was conceived in Copenhagen and born months later in San Diego. It is said to be slowly, quietly taking over the country, one palate at a time.

While you are waiting for this potent brew to sneak up to a shelf or tap near you, watch this Film Noir-style detective movie, "Perfect Crime.'" You may learn more about how this criminally inclined beer came to life. 

As it turns out, the Perfect Crime may very well be a Smoked Black Saison.  So far, our gumshoe-shod Private Investigator has sleuthed out these tantalizing tidbits:

Stats: 6.8% ABV, 60 IBUs

Availability: Limited 12-ounce bottles and draft, beginning November 12

Hops bill: East Kent Goldings, Chinook and Cluster

Distribution: AZ, CA, CO, FL, IL, MA, NC, NM, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA., SC TX, VT, WA, and (lucky me) VA.

So Much More than a MO

Check out how we’re helping to change the face of men’s health around the world.



Movember started with a conversation between mates, so there’s a nice synergy to the fact that, today, it’s conversation that is central to everything we do; it’s just a bigger conversation.

That single conversation in 2003 about growing a moustache, has grown into millions of conversations taking place each Movember and it’s the impact of all this talk that we want to tell you about. All too often it’s only the funds raised by a charity that are remembered but equally important, especially at Movember, is the awareness raised.

It’s awareness that educates and prompts people to change behavior and take action, it’s awareness which in our case can ultimately save lives. 

As you know, we raise awareness for men’s health by using the growth of a moustache to prompt conversation. But does this actually work? Is all the talk actually making a difference? These are questions we constantly ask ourselves and I’m sure you might have stopped to think about it, too. The answer is without doubt, yes. And we want to take this opportunity to show you how each of you, as part of the Movember community is making a difference through the awareness you spread during your personal Movember journey. The facts and stats featured in this short video-clip come from a recent piece of research we did, something that we do each year to ensure that our Awareness & Education program is delivering in line with our objectives. 

Get the full scoop here http://us.movember.com/news/view/id/3027/category/local/

REAL MOUSTACHES + CONVERSATIONS = REAL OUTCOMES