Author: William

I will write more often. I need to unhinge my censoring restraints. I need to let live and allow the torrents of my soul to flow through my finger tips. Imagery of the mind needs to play for others. Who am I to censor my self in fear of failing to communicate fully? I am here as a testament to the universes plan. It’s unfolded and it wishes to unfold more fully. I need to take this potential lurking in my depths and give it life.

I will write daily. I am committed to commenting on my own thoughts for the day, however mundane. I made a commitment not too long ago to write a million words- a thousand words a day for five years. I’m several dozen thousand behind. I need to make up for lost time. I need to learn to express more fully. The content is all the same. There is nothing new under the sun. The context is what changes, like the seasons. There is never a year or day or time like now. I will write about the now as it unfolds before my eyes. My thoughts will carefully select a curious perspective to translate.

I will become curious of all things. I will not settle, but reflect and act, hashing out the details in real time and arrive at a digestible position to sit on.

I yearn for a complement. Not the rhetorical flattery that inflates ones ego. I need one who complements who I am- an encourager. Where is the woman? Show yourself! I’ll confess- I’m not ready to provide the love that person rightfully deserves. There are others for that role in the mean time.

Calculus- Accounting- Economics. Blahhh. Makes be nauseas. These rigid ways of thought. Effective and efficient. Calculating. Precise. Where is the spontaneity! Where is the robust grandeur of chance and beatific risks! I long for these panegyrical displays of a life lived! I am wading through the mires of dry reason. Have I not found what I am looking for? What’s needed to live more fully? I desire a circle of confidants that appreciate the aims I shoot for. They support these lofty dreams I so seriously tackle. They pay no heed to my vain attempts at grabbing at the wind. They know that a gust will come and take me high above those who lay feverishly in the soil and sulk in their misfortune.

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I long to write more. Tomorrow… much much more!

Schools a joke. Gosh. I’ve exerted so little energy lately. I’m just waiting for it to come back and bite me big time but somehow I keep ending up with flawless performances. gosh… tests today. papers due. meetings. ugh. hm. Life is grand. I keep looking forward to the future.

Its beautiful in vermont right now. Absolutely breathtaking. I should take a picture. The weather is heavenly… like soft gentle zephyrs rolling over the hills and flowing through the trees. Its the kind of air that you breath in and want more. I take bid deep breaths and hold it in and it breaths out fresh! The trees are changing all sorts of colors. radiant reds and burning oranges. Yellows and bright greens mottled here and there. the sun shines brightly although its cool. The skies are crisp and light. Very blue and cool.

Class in 5 minutes.

How Modern Liberals Think

I stumbled across these verses and it spoke all my life’s grievances better than I’ve been able to do. Ecclesiastes 3:1-22.

I love life. I am filled with passion from top to bottom. I am excited and joyful. I am looking forward to enjoying my life more thoroughly. I’m pushing myself to be the best I can be. I renewed my life purpose. I am committed to helping people find their purpose. A purpose that fills them with life and spirit and inspires them to be far more than they every thought they could be. My desire is show every person I meet that they are worth loving; that they are valuable and unique and irreplaceable. And that, so long as their dreams and passions are worthy and genuine and good, they can do whatever they set their heart to. I want to open their eyes and show them that they have an almighty, all powerful will– and if they can dream, all they need to do is find the will to succeed within themselves, and their dreams will materialize day by day before their eyes.

Treat a person as he is, and he will remain as he is. Treat him as he could be, and he will become what he should be. (Jimmy Johnson)
Vision: The first step toward creating an improved future is developing the ability to envision it. (Unknown)
Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare.(Japanese Proverb)

No dreams is too great. No one great was remembered because they’re dreams were realistic. You’ll know your dream is worthy when people tell you you can’t. Never let people tell you you cant. The journey is the reward. Every day will be rewarding. No one thought their way to success and a happy life. Happiness and success are achieved by those burning brightly with passionate purpose. Happiness eludes the passionless.

Seize the day, put no trust in tomorrow.(Horace)

Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.(Hellen Keller)

I was transformed a few years ago by the book “As a Man Thinketh” by James Allen. Since then I’ve taken control of myself and my thoughts, choosing and employing the very best to maximize my potential and reach my goals.

I began reading voraciously and consumed mountains of the classic self-help, philosophy. and psychology books. Eventually I found myself reading about the teachings and philosophies of NLP. The more I read the more I realized that NLP is nothing more than the philosophy of employing the fundamental principles of success and excellence. The more I read into NLP the more I realized I was already practicing much of what NLP teaches. I had already programmed myself with a variety of virtues and tools I never had prior to my commitment to excellence by reading the philosophies and thoughts of the greatest achievers who lived.

I also noticed parallels within psychology and NLP. Recently I’ve studied the findings of Schachter and Singer and their two factor theory of emotion. I think this theory illustrates an essential part in understanding why/how NLP works. (To sum it up: We choose our response to stimulus based on a cognitively labeled state of arousal. Whether this arousal is strong or weak doesn’t matter- we cognitively decide how react and feel about the stimulation and response.) Whenever I mention NLP who’s had no personal experience with the teachings I’m often met with criticism that its a pseudo scientific cult. Anything can be taken too far, but NLP seems to be to be such a fundamental approach to employing positive philosophies and patterns of thinking in every and any area of ones life.

tbc…

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”
– Aristotle

The first and last thing required of genius is the love of truth.”- Goethe

” I believe in Christianity as I believe the sun has risen, not only because I see it but by it I see everything else.”
C.S. Lewis

“The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather in a lack of will.” Vincent T. Lombardi

“What I must do is all that concerns me, not what people think.” -Emerson

“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”-Romans

“You see things; and you say, ‘Why?’ But I dream things that never were; and I say, ‘Why not?’”
-George Bernard Shaw

“I would rather be ashes than dust! I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry rot. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet. The proper function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use my time.”
-Jack London

“Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.”- Epicurus

“Humility is only doubt
And does the sun and moon blot out,
Rooting over with thorns and stems
The buried soul and all its gems.
This life’s dim windows of the soul
Distorts the heavens from pole to pole
And leads you to believe a lie
When you see with not through the eye.”
-William Blake

“On a long enough time-line, I always Win.”

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LIFE IS BUT A DREAM

by: Lewis Carroll (1832-1898)

BOAT, beneath a sunny sky

Lingering onward dreamily

In an evening of July–

 

Children three that nestle near,

Eager eye and willing ear,

Pleased a simple tale to hear–

 

Long has paled that sunny sky;

Echoes fade and memories die;

Autumn frosts have slain July.

 

Still she haunts me, phantomwise,

Alice moving under skies

Never seen by waking eyes.

 

Children yet, the tale to hear,

Eager eye and willing ear,

Lovingly shall nestle near.

 

In a Wonderland they lie,

Dreaming as the days go by,

Dreaming as the summers die;

 

Ever drifting down the stream–

Lingering in the golden gleam–

Life, what is it but a dream?

An awesome book published in response to the positive psychology movement:

The Pursuit of Happiness

By David G. Myers

1. Realize that enduring happiness doesn’t come from success. People adapt to changing circumstances—even to wealth or a disability. Thus, wealth is like health: its utter absence breeds misery, but having it (or any circumstance we long for) doesn’t guarantee happiness.
2. Take control of your time. Happy people feel in control of their lives. To master your use of time, set goals and break them into daily aims. Although we often overestimate how much we will accomplish in any given day (leaving us frustrated), we generally underestimate how much we can accomplish in a year, given just a little progress every day.
3. Act happy. We can sometimes act ourselves into a happier frame of mind. Manipulated into a smiling expression, people feel better; when they scowl, the whole world seems to scowl back. So put on a happy face. Talk as if you feel positive self-esteem, are optimistic, and are outgoing. Going through the motions can trigger the emotions.
4. Seek work and leisure that engages your skills. Happy people often are in a zone called “flow”—absorbed in tasks that challenge but don’t overwhelm them. The most expensive forms of leisure (sitting on a yacht) often provide less flow experience than gardening, socializing, or craft work.
5. Join the “movement” movement. An avalanche of research reveals that aerobic exercise can relieve mild depression and anxiety as it promotes health and energy. Sound minds reside in sound bodies. Off your duffs, couch potatoes.
6. Give your body the sleep it wants. Happy people live active vigorous lives yet reserve time for renewing sleep and solitude. Many people suffer from a sleep debt, with resulting fatigue, diminished alertness, and gloomy moods.
7. Give priority to close relationships. Intimate friendships with those who care deeply about you can help you weather difficult times. Confiding is good for soul and body. Resolve to nurture your closest relationship by not taking your loved ones for granted, by displaying to them the sort of kindness you display to others, by affirming them, by playing together and sharing together. To rejuvenate your affections, resolve in such ways to act lovingly.
8. Focus beyond the self. Reach out to those in need. Happiness increases helpfulness (those who feel good do good). But doing good also makes one feel good.
9. Keep a gratitude journal. Those who pause each day to reflect on some positive aspect of their lives (their health, friends, family, freedom, education, senses, natural surroundings, and so on) experience heightened well-being.
10. Nurture your spiritual self. For many people, faith provides a support community, a reason to focus beyond self, and a sense of purpose and hope. Study after study finds that actively religious people are happier and that they cope better with crises.

Life… I’m wary of talking in absolutes. My initial inclination is to use words such as hate and always or never when talking about things I feel strongly about. I restrain these inclinations. It’s a bad habit to talk in such polarized statements.

My feelings. I feel animosity toward myself. It’s odd. I’m not where I mentally want to be. I want to be making some kind of progress. I feel that I’m not striving or pursuing with the kind of eagerness I should. I am totally losing my mind. Color. Where is the fucking color. Where is the clarity. Its up and down and all around. Where is life. Where is the depth. Where is it. I am getting angry. I’m getting upset with myself. I want to be good.

Most commencement speeches are predictably safe and boring. But this one
from Neal Boortz to the graduating class at Texas A&M was far from what
either the students or the faculty expected!

Neal Boortz commencement speech:

Some things occurred to me as I was outlining some notes for microeconomics. I was busy thinking about the two things we charge people for an exchange. These two things are called ‘goods and services’. I was contemplating what those terms meant and how they’ve changed over time to what we now see in our modern culture. Goods… these tangible things. Things that were once raw before human hands and creativity shaped and molded the molecules into something valuable to another person. And these goods… before they were labeled as valuable were nothing more than matter. We buy the idea that these goods improve the quality of our life in some way. By working hours for value in return… aka a paycheck…we exchange our time… for these goods. Do they improve the quality of our life? I wonder. I then was thinking about services… how necessary services are in our culture. I then started thinking how unnecessary they are in our culture. How the goods we buy often are too expensive for us to spend our time maintaining. We buy a car… no one maintenances their car. No one re-roofs their house. People much prefer eating out and being served than servicing the food themselves and eating at home… even though money makes this difficult as an everyday occurrence. No one services their computer. They haven’t the time to learn. They would rather spend their time working for more money that they can exchange for more goods that need to be serviced. anyway.

I don’t even know where i was going with that. It’s like people are brainwashed to think that they need things. This culture makes it seem impossible to survive without these ‘things’. These goods and services. America is a HUGE business/money making machine. Advertisements flood our airwaves and conversations day and night. Spend spend spend. People are living to generate income for these banal desires.

You are not the collection of past or present behaviors. You are a being. You exist, here, now, and into the future. You will be whatever you decide to be. Choose wisely. Your choices will increase or decrease your chances for future choices. You never are. You are always being. Be what it is that calls you. Follow those choices and stick to them valiantly.

I’m ready to engage. Any moment now. I will live in the present. I will see past all reservations… all tendencies to hold back. I will break free. I will laugh loudly. I will do and be with all that can be called of me. I will smile and stare in the face of the world. They will fumble and cower in their own confusion. I dictate this world. This reality is mine. The web of fabricated norms can no longer hold the fire inside. It burns and it is ready to absorb and engulf anything in its way.

“The heights by great men reached and kept
Were not attained by sudden flight,
But they, while their companions slept,
Were toiling upward in the night.” –Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

”Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan ‘Press On’ has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.” –Calvin Coolidge

”An invincible determination can accomplish almost anything and in this lies the great distinction between great men and little men.” –Thomas Fuller

”Knowing trees, I understand the meaning of patience. Knowing grass, I can appreciate persistence.” –Hal Borland

“The rewards for those who persevere far exceed the pain that must precede the victory.” –Ted W. Engstrom

”Persistence is to the character of man as carbon is to steel.” –Napoleon Hill

“Enter every activity without giving mental recognition to the possibility of defeat. Concentrate on your strengths, instead of your weaknesses… on your powers, instead of your problems.” –Paul J. Meyer

“The majority of men meet with failure because of their lack of persistence in creating new plans to take the place of those which fail.” –Napoleon Hill

“Success is almost totally dependent upon drive and persistence. The extra energy required to make another effort or try another approach is the secret of winning.” –Dennis Waitley

”Morale is the state of mind. It is steadfastness and courage and hope. It is confidence and zeal and loyalty. It is elan, esprit de corps and determination.” –Gen. George C. Marshall

”We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort.” –Jesse Owens

William Blake, "The Everlasting Gospel" in 1818:

"Humility is only doubt And does the sun and moon blot out, Rooting over with thorns and stems The buried soul and all its gems. This life’s dim windows of the soul Distorts the heavens from pole to pole And leads you to believe a lie When you see with not through the eye."

“The most terrible thing about materialism, even more terrible than its proneness to violence, is its boredom, from which sex, alcohol, drugs, all devices for putting out the accusing light of reason and suppressing the unrealizable aspirations of love, offer a prospect of deliverance.”

Malcolm Muggeridge quote

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Simply AMAZING… Imbibe what you can from this timeless poem. There is much to be gleaned. Give it thought and it will burgeon with idiosyncratic perspicuity and sagacity.

Auguries of Innocence by William Blake

As to their studies, it would be well if they could be taught everything that is useful and everything that is ornamental: But art is long and their time is short. It is therefore proposed that they learn those things that are the most useful and the most ornamental.
– Benjamin Franklin

“Man is an exception, whatever else he is. If he is not the image of God, then he is a disease of the dust. If it is not true that a divine being fell, then we can only say that one of the animals went entirely off its head.” G.K. Chesterton

Very interesting…
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More recently I’ve fallen in love with British poets, playwrights, and philosophers. G.K Chesterton, Malcolm Muggeridge, George Bernard Shaw, T.S. Eliot and the likes. They have been endowed with a true gift of igniting the imagination of another.

The Strange Music by G. K. Chesterton
Other loves may sink and settle, other loves may loose and slack,
But I wander like a minstrel with a harp upon his back,
Though the harp be on my bosom, though I finger and I fret,
Still, my hope is all before me: for I cannot play it yet.

In your strings is hid a music that no hand hath e’er let fall,
In your soul is sealed a pleasure that you have not known at all;
Pleasure subtle as your spirit, strange and slender as your frame,
Fiercer than the pain that folds you, softer than your sorrow’s name.

Not as mine, my soul’s annointed, not as mine the rude and light
Easy mirth of many faces, swaggering pride of song and fight;
Something stranger, something sweeter, something waiting you afar,
Secret as your stricken senses, magic as your sorrows are.

But on this, God’s harp supernal, stretched but to be stricken once,
Hoary time is a beginner, Life a bungler, Death a dunce.
But I will not fear to match them-no, by God, I will not fear,
I will learn you, I will play you and the stars stand still to hear.

If you have built castles in the sky, you need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put foundations underneath them. -Henry David Thoreau

“Do you know the land where the lemon trees flower,
Golden oranges glow in the dark leaved bower,
Where a gentle wind blows from an azure sky,
Unruffled the myrtle grows and the laurels rise high-
Do you know the land?
There, only there with you, my beloved, I long to go.”

Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
The Mignon Songs
from the novel “Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre, 1783-1796”