An Unexpected Christmas Gift

Yesterday was Christmas (OK, if you looked at the header for the message you know that) and I had the best Christmas I have had in years.

I have always been aware of the fact that we tend to see "outside" us better than inside ourselves. I can look around and see a million people around who are miserable and obviously so very sad without realizing how sad and/or depressed I may be since it has become such a habitual state of mind and being.

It's like the man who has something terrible happen to him and he gets angry. In time, he has been angry for so long that he doesn't even realize that he is always angry and that those around him are quite aware of this. Eventually, most will leave him since who wants to be around an angry person all the time. They may realize why, but many will not, but he will just know this is who and what he "is".

Since leaving the limo company and going to work for myself has been a somewhat stressful and unnerving experience, I have written here before about how disconcerting getting outside my personal comfort zones has been. It has had an interesting effect on my life that I am SOOOO very thankful for.

Yesterday, I went to a party of friends and have to say that I probably had the most enjoyable time that I have ever had, or at least in many years.

Having been so attached to my job for so many years, I had not even realized how much of "life" I was missing out on since it just "was" what I did. May I never get to that place again of bypassing life while trying to survive.

This group of friends and acquaintances are mainly people that I have only known for a few months and they have accepted me and made me feel welcome in ways that you don't find in Los Angeles very often. After the party, I was driving home and became aware of just how full of joy I was and how long it had been since I had been there outside of meditation and teaching.

As much as I loved all the gifts I received for Christmas from my friends and adopted families (K: the "Magic 8-Ball" said that my wish for happiness today was likely, right so far... :-) ) the one that I will cherish forever is the joy and happiness you all have brought into my life and the refuge that you have offered from the difficulties in the day-to-day existences of my life and calling.

May everyone be blessed to have that one person or group of people that let them just relax and enjoy, if not, why would life be worth living?

ॐ शान्ति
Om, shanti (Peace)

Time Travel; fun but not very profitable...

Last weekend, I was working on some questions and supplying answers when the following came up:

How can I let go of others’ problems instead of trying to solve them?

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This is an issue that I have been working of for a while. So far, the best I have been able to accomplish is to become aware of it as it is happening and then I can try to let go of it and begin to regain my peace.The hard part for me is the letting it stay gone, I tend to rehash it after the fact and I can get just as frustrated, if not more so, as I would at the time, time travel can be fun and completely unprofitable.

I find that we all suffer from this to some degree. Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking may not be a big proponents of it, but to a degree, we all do it. When we think about things that have happened to us in the past, imagine or plan things in the future we are practicing time travel in at least one of it's methods.

There is an old expression that says "if you you have one foot in the past and one in the future, you completely miss the present" and the present or now is actually all that we really have. Another expression that I heard on this was "yesterday is a cancelled check, tomorrow is a promissory note, today is the only cash we have."

Learning the lessons of the past is important so that we are not condemned to repeat them as Benjamin Franklin said. Becoming fixated on our past is not healthy for us. Rehashing our past failures or disappointments for the purpose of punishing ourselves is not healthy.

The same goes for the future. We can enjoy an amusement of playing out the future in our heads but thinking that we can plan every detail of the future and expecting it to follow our detailed schema is a fantasy that tends to become painful when it is not realized. As the saying goes, "If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans."

Imagining and fantasy can actually become detrimental to our growth. In the process of fantasizing, we usually tend to tell ourselves how we would like something but define why we are not going to get it or are unworthy of it. For those who are aware of the Law of Attraction, this is a big warning sign to not allow to pass unheeded.

Within reason, all of these time travel experiments can be helpful and fun, but the fact is that if you spend all your time in any of them, you are going to miss the present and it is the present that you change into the future and the past is just a record of how you got to where you are.

Enjoy the now, be the now and live in it. I can guarantee that once you spend the majority of the time thinking about what is, this moment, the past stops being something of sorrow and the future becomes a new landscape that unfolds moment by moment before you.

What are we and Why?

There is an old question that I got asked in philosophy class that is reasonably close to a koan from the world of Zen, "Can God make a stone so large that He cannot move it?"

What if this is the wrong question? What if the right question is, "Can God create a puzzle and/or riddle that is so complex that, as of yet, He has not solved?" And if that is not enough heresy for one day, I would add, "What if we, people as well as creation, are the attempt to solve that puzzle/riddle?"

Generally, I tend to think of the relationship between God and His creation in less than philosophical Gordian knots, along the lines of, as explained so eloquently by Neale Donald Walsch, God knew Himself to be the totality of all that was, is and ever would be, but the knowing of something and experiencing it are completely different. Creation is the attempt of God to turn datum into experience.

Now, to some, this is absolute heresy, I tend to feel sorry for these people since they usually have a view of the relationship of man and God as being nearly diametrically opposed. The view of separation between creator and created seems to manifest in forms of societies that end up bullish and uncaring in their assumed relationship to the creator as "the chosen."

Why is it that we cannot look beyond our little egos (OK, not so little in many cases)? If we take this view of God as a diamond and all the differing ideas about God are just different facets of the same stone, we are left with all our descriptions of God being like the story of the blind men who start fighting over what an elephant is since they all have experienced different pieces and not the whole.

Imagine the joy that would come from the acknowledgement that not only is our view and belief right, but also the plethora of views from the Haitian Vodoun Mambos and Houngans, to the Islamic Imams, through the Hindu Brahmans, to the Buddhist Lamas and Arhats to the Christian Popes and assorted ministers and preachers, wouldn't that just be amazing to experience?

Note:
Thanks to J. Michael Straczynski for reminding me of this with Dr. Franklin in Babylon 5.

a Giving Thanks list

Last Thursday was Thanksgiving and as much as I appreciate the traditional overindulgence in foodstuffs, like Christmas, there is more going on than inducing a L-triptophan overdose of napping.

Where I grew up, the big thing was the annual football game between between my high-school, Kirkwood, and our rivals from across town, Webster Groves, (life was a blast the year I transferred into that school just before the game). From what I hear, Kirkwood won this year which was the 100^th Turkey-day game between them. Congrats to the Kirkwood Pioneers.

But as much as football and food are plentiful on this day, what I try to do every year is make a list of things that I have to give thanks for. It's one thing to set aside a day, but I find it helpful to actually list them out and look at them, cherishing each for a moment so as to actually give some thanks.

• My friends -- more like family...
  
  • * -- my best source of reality slaps when I need one in short order. Gifted by the Gods to be able to see though my self-indulgent BS whenever I need it.
    
  • *-- probably the person in Los Angeles that knows me better and longer than anyone else. Why she puts up with me, I don't know but I love her for it.
  • * -- likely my best friend, we fight on occasion and yet we always are there for each other.
• The learned lessons of the previous year
  • "The difference between a rut and a grave is only a matter of depth."
    My great-grandfather told me this when I was a kid, it has taken until lately to realize the truth of it and be willing to climb out of my rut before it falls in and becomes that grave.
  • Follow your heart and the universe will be there for you.
    I have lived this unintentionally on many occasions, but now I live it on a daily basis with intention.
  • I have finally become truly aware of the fact that what I have is of some value to the world and that it is not wrong to want to share it with those who want it. Follow that small voice inside and it will tell me when and with whom.
• My health
  • My Doctor is always freaking out about my cholesterol levels. This year we have finally gotten it under control and all is well. I am not going to have a heart-attack anytime soon, at least not from cholesterol levels...
  • My other condition is absolutely fantastic and seems to be completely under control.
• My new employment arrangements
  • No longer at the limo company
    As much as I liked my job and loved the people I was meeting at the company, I never realized how much of my life was dedicated to the job to the expense of everything else. I think on some levels, I was hiding from both life and what I really wanted to become. I still love the people I worked for and with, but after several years of 3,000 miles per month in LA traffic, enough is enough.
  • Computer services
    While this is not my final goal in the universe, I have spent years learning skills that have a nice value to them and without having to work for someone else or full time, I can make enough money to work on my true goals and desires. What a blessing this has turned out to be.
  • Life Coaching and Spiritual Teaching
    Not only has the last few months allowed me to create the basic site for this, but I have been inspired in so many ways as to how to proceed with it. Things are starting slowly, but in a way that is a good thing since I have the opportunity to plan the directions in which I and it will go.

This list is nowhere near complete, but it is a beginning.

Everyday, be thankful for the gifts and blessings that show up in your life. By acknowledging them, you not only give blessings, but they tend to grow into greater and greater things to be blessed by. This is one simple way in which the Law of Attraction or "the Secret" can be used to improve our lives in directions we want to go in.

To be or not to be (insane that is)

I am sitting in the Grounded Cybercafe having a mocha and trying to get some things done. I've managed to invoice a computer client and get that on it's way and decided to write a blog entry as well as try to get some writing done on at least one of the several projects that I am working on.

I have been thinking about the incarnation of Spiritgeek.com as far as how I want it to go. I am torn between extremes, at least from my perspective. I am trying to decide between two different forms.

1. A Traditional model -- the calm and mellow teacher
   This is the image most people seem to have of a spiritual teacher, Mr. Miyagi from "The Karate Kid", someone who is basically unfazed by anything that happens around him. Lets be honest, nice but kinda dull and boring.
2. Less Traditional -- more actual "living"
   

As much as I appreciate and respect the more sedate, traditional teacher, I tend to lean more toward the more "active" type teacher.

I'm not sure I want to be part of the "crazy" school, but if the universe is perfect and all things are perfect for their time and place and if life was meant to be an entertainment, it just seems wrong to be bored with it all. No matter where you are on the spiritual evolutionary spectrum, I would think that boredom is a sign that you either "want" to be bored or you are missing something (at least that is what seems to be the case when I get bored, I usually find I have missed something).

So, I guess now that I have been thinking about it to write this, I have my answer, be true to who and what God made me to be and if there are those who don't like it, well, screw them!

Why did I have to write this bit to determine that? Probably since it is a way in which I put my thoughts in order and analyze them. I could easily erase this and never let anyone know this thought pattern ever existed, but part of the reason for the blog is the documentation of the mental and spiritual musings of a soul in this universe.

Om Shanti

...it ain't for sissies

I have been out of the limo company now for nearly 2½ months and while being quite busy, I have also become aware of several things to be looked into and learned about and/or from.

Change, it ain't for sissies
A friend of mine watched me have some toaster waffles a while back and thought it a touch odd that I would cut them into 8 pieces before I would eat them, 4 bisecting cuts into a circle. From my perspective, it seemed logical in that I tend to read while eating and cut my food for easy access while staring at my book. My friend found it of interest and commented that my life had been so out of control for so long that this was possibly a small routine that gave me the feeling of control.

At the time I did not really think about it much, but since leaving the limo company, I have begun to be confronted with the fact of just how much of a creature of habit I really have allowed myself to become.

Another friend commented recently that they thought it would be good for me to "step out of my comfort zone." Let me tell you, when you go from being a slave to a job for 10 - 16 hours a day and 6 or 7 days a week to self-employed and completely responsible for nearly every dime you make, I am so far out of my comfort zone that I would be surprised if they are in the same dimension.

After taking a break for a couple of weeks, I became nearly paralyzed with fear and anxiety about what I was going to be doing. I am still dealing with these to an extent, but at least I am not feeling physically ill every morning.

Blazing an Independent Path, it ain't for sissies
I have always been reasonably comfortable that the Life and Spiritual paths I have followed were off the beaten track but have become aware of just how difficult it can become when a philosophy goes from something you believe in and is tested by actually living it. Some philosophies come along as easier than others to follow but mine is not easy, but once I realized that I was missing my previous patterns more than actually fearing the "process", it got easier.

I am a firm believer in the Law of Attraction, but I still find myself limiting it by trying to dictate how it will manifest. As an example, with this change in work from employed to "gainfully unemployed," I have set certain goals that I want to reach regarding the amounts of cash I want to make. The first few weeks, nothing happened and I was starting to freak-out about my finances, or apparent lack there-of.

I tried to meditate, but I was such a nervous wreck that I wouldn't have heard Gabriel blow his trumpet, little less the quiet still voice of inspiration. I had to relax as much as I could and realize that all was actually perfect and would come unto itself. It took a little longer and I resigned myself to the idea that I was going to have to take a job, at least temporarily, and suddenly I received a few calls for computer services and a short-term contract that not only paid my bills in a week, but next months as well.

It reminds me of an old Indian story, told many ways, but here's how I tell it.

Narada, the musician of the gods, was walking along a path when he came upon a swami that had quite obviously been sitting and meditating in this spot for many years.

The swami noticed Narada and asked what he was up to.

"I am on my way to see Krishna and play a beautiful song for His enjoyment."

The swami asked for the following favor, "When you see Krishna, would you please ask Him how much longer I must sit in meditation before I find Realization and need not return to this world of sorrows again?"

Narada agreed and continued on his way. A little later, he came upon a young neophyte who was having some difficulty holding his concentration and when he saw Narada also asked for the favor of how long he must meditate before finding enlightenment.

Once again, Narada agreed and went on his way.

Much time passed and Narada was again on the road when he came upon the aged swami.

The swami asked if Narada has spoken to Krishna and asked his question.

Narada responded, "My Lord Krishna says that in 4 lifetimes you will reach Realization and return home to Him, never to return."

This answer infuriated the swami who thought it grossly unfair that after his many lifetimes of devotion and meditation that he would still have to bear 4 more lives.

Narada continued on his way and after a while came upon the neophyte monk who also asked if Narada had finished his previous journey and what Krishna's response was to his inquiry.

Narada looked up into the tree over the young monk and said, "My Lord Krishna says that a lifetime for every leaf in this tree it will take for you to reach enlightenment."

The young monk looked into the tree and said, "Well at least it is a finite number and there are not that many leaves in this tree." At this point the young monk started to return to his meditations when The Lord Krishna appeared with his eagle, Garuda, and asks the young monk to join Him in heaven.

The young monk, surprised at such a glorious offer, asks "how could this be? I thought I had many lives to go first."

Krishna is pleased at the question and tells him, "To sit in meditation and ponder upon Me would take you many lifetimes to reach enlightenment, but in your heart of hearts, you were so surrendered to My will that you were willing to submit, and for this, you may return home now."

This ancient story reminds us that of our own will and efforts, we will eventually learn the simple fact that it is through surrender that we find our goals put before us, we cannot make them on "our" schedule and when we try, we make the wait even longer by the delaying that which is already waiting to come to us.

Traveling Life Alone, it ain't for Sissies
Like most people, I have the wish for someone to share my life with as a partner and friend. A spouse, life-partner or at least a significant other.

In those times when we forget that we are never truly alone, it is so easy to become lost in the appearance that there is no one to share it all with. When we become aware that we are never truly alone, unless you believe that God is not omni-present, it becomes obvious that "aloneness" is only an illusion of our forgetfulness.

When I get lonely, all I have to do is remember that since I am a small spark of God, I can never truly be alone unless I want to project the illusion. Remember this simple fact and know that aloneness will never be a problem again if you are willing to see the truth.

Re: Time - "You Are Not My Friend" Essay

I have been house/cat sitting for a friend of mine and along with the fact that I love her cats, I get the added bonus of getting to look at her Time Magazine when it comes in (I don't usually read enough of it every week to make it worth subscribing to). Today, the October 15^th, 2007 issue came and on the back page (pg 82) there is an Essay by Joel Stein entitled "You Are Not My Friend" which got me thinking about a few things.

As you know, I recently finished getting Spiritgeek.com up and running. One of the first things I did was send out a notice on MySpace using their "Post a Bulletin" to all my "friends" asking them to take a look at the site and give me their comments and suggestions.

Well, either my "friends" are not friends or no-one actually reads the bulletins, I'm guess the latter since everyone I talk to directly did not remember getting the post, including the great goddess of my received bulletins since she sometimes sends 2 or 3 a day.

So, back to Time magazine. The essay goes into how all these online "social" networks after a while can take up an awful lot of time and energy trying to keep up on. What really caught my interest was the following:

But really, these sites aren't about connecting and reconnecting. They're a platform for self-branding. Old people are always worrying that r blogging and personal websites and MySpace profiles are taking away our privacy, but they clearly don't understand the word privacy. We're not sharing things we don't want other people to know. We're showing you our best posed, retouched photos. We're listing the Pynchon books we want you to think we've read all the way through. We're allowing other people to write whatever they want us on our walls, unless we don't like it, in which case we just erase it. If we had that much privacy in real life, the bathrooms at that Minnesota airport would be empty.

Joel Stein

It makes me wonder if I have been going about MySpace and such the wrong way,. I don't expect these people that I meet to invite me to Sunday brunch the next time I am in town, but unless "friends" are strictly about the numbers then is there a real point?

I cannot speak for anyone else, but the start of the final paragraph is more about how I choose my "friends":

Until we can build some kind of social network where we can present our true, flawed selves--perhaps some genius can invent something that takes place in a house over dinner with wine--I say we strip down our online communities to just the important parts.

Joel Stein

I get tons of requests for my "friendship" from girls who want me to look at their sexy photos which tells me they haven't actually looked at my profile, it plainly states that I am gay, so I refuse them and on many occasions mark them as "spam."

If you want to be my friend, it's actually really simple, have something, anything of value to say or do. Write something of interest, have a thought or two bouncing around in that skull of yours or write and sing a new song with your band, just be something other than cyber-waste.

Any takers? You show me your flaws and I'll show you mine...

It is done...

After more work then I expected it to be, the new Spiritgeek.com website is finally up and running.

It came out absolutely beautifully. We still have a few issues to work out regarding the lack of standard compliance that a few browsers have, but it is workable and can be read until I get a chance to address them.

Enjoy!

Morality, What or Why?

The following is a post I made this morning on InterfaithForums। I thought you might like to comment on it as well.

Enjoy the holiday!

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I was reading another thread here earlier today and ran into one of those arguments that just makes my blood boil sometimes. Maybe it was just a touch too close to home, but as much as part of it had to do with closed-mindedness regarding something that is an integrated part of my life, it brought up a question that I run into on a regular basis.

Morality, is it about What or Why?

In the dictionary, Webster defines morality as:

1. a : a moral discourse, statement, or lesson b : a literary or other imaginative work teaching a moral lesson
2. a : a doctrine or system of moral conduct b plural : particular moral principles or rules of conduct
3. : conformity to ideals of right human conduct
4. : moral conduct : VIRTUE

Merriam-Webster

Most moralists claim to believe that morality is some combination of 2 through 4 but they tend to be most closely tied to definition #3. Traditionally, moralists think that they have a set of rules, divinely inspired or otherwise, and as long as you abide by them you are a good and moral person. I seriously question that since if that were the case, it would seem that the act that is immoral in one situation would be immoral in all situations.

Lets start with the example of killing another person. If my nation-state or recognized group is at war with your nation-state and I kill you in the execution of that war, I am not only moral, I may well be a hero, unless I break some rule of engagement. On the other hand, if I kill you because you looked at me the wrong way and I felt you had slighted (dissed) me, I am not only immoral, but likely to become incarcerated if I am found out. So the morality is not about the act of killing, but in the why I performed it.

We run into similar arguments regarding sexual orientation which is a much stickier subject. Some feel that if you are attracted to someone of the same gender as yourself, that you are by definition an immoral person. Somehow I suspect that God, who has been claimed to have chimed in with agreement to this position depending on whose interpretation you follow, is likely to be more concerned with why I am sleeping with someone rather than if they have an X or Y chromosome.

If I, a male, go to a bar and pick up another guy and we go home to get it on, am I immoral? If so, would I still be immoral if I had picked up a girl instead? I tend to think the morality come in the why. If I use you as a life-sized 98.6 degree sex toy for the purpose of getting my rocks off, I would say their are likely to be moral issues there, especially if I have alluded to having something more than a hook-up in mind as my intention.

So the questions I am putting out there are these:

1. Is morality about what or why?
2. If morality is about what, how can something be moral in one sense but immoral in another?
3. If Why, by what basis do you determine the morality of a situation

Examples to show your case would be appreciated...

Life Update #2

Well, it has been a productive week. 1st, I decided that I hated the way the Spiritgeek.com site was looking and decided to scrap it and redo the imagery and color scheme. I have been working in Photoshop and have a design that I am much happier with.

I finally set a job change date in that I gave notice to the limo company last Monday that Friday, August 31, would be my last day. My boss took it surprisingly well and seems to be quite supportive of what I am planning on doing.

Things are getting better on a day to day basis and I should be quite ready to go full-time on Spiritgeek.com by the beginning of September.

Narcism, Einstein and a Little Extra

The other day, a friend sent me a joke that goes as follows:

Q: How many narcissists does it take to change a light-bulb?

A: One, he holds the bulb while the world revolves around him.

Narcism is defined basically as "inordinate fascination with oneself; excessive self-love; vanity." Now anyone who has seen Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt's movie "Se7en" knows that vanity, as pride, is one of the "Seven Deadly Sins" along with lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath and envy.

I read a few ears ago about a respected child psychologist that believed that children should never be reprimanded since it could, and likely would, damage their little egos. When we look around us at some of the stories that inundate us on the news about young and pretty people who seem to think that they are above the standards that are required of the rest of us. Some say it has to do with their celebrity, or as Stephanie Miller puts it "Celebu-tard", status.

We have created a world in Western Culture that cannot sustain itself without learning to become aware that the selfish, vain and single-minded view will lead to our destruction. We praise and adore those who are basically distract us from what we need to become aware of, truth and Truth. It's not hard to understand, but we can only run for so long. Like an alcoholic or drug addict, we can sedate ourselves into forgetfulness but eventually we have to deal with what issues were there in the first place.

The good news is that we, as the children of God, have the ability to change the reality when we are truly ready. Our Father created us in His image or so scripture says, unless we are not his children but just a toy, part of our birthright is the ability to create.

Einstein once said that if we learned to use our complete capacity of mind, we would no longer require physical bodies to interact with.

Let's learn to find the Truth that lies within and truly make the promises of the Messiahs a reality, Jesus reminded us by quoting Isaiah when he said, "Do you not know that ye are Gods?" but he also commanded us to "be ye perfect as your Father in Heaven is Perfect." I happen to believe he meant this, not as some lofty and unattainable goal but as a literal idea.

Being in fascination with ones self only becomes a problem when we forget that it's not our outer self, the body and position within society, that should be the subject of that fascination, but that which outlives the body it manifests that we are to look toward. In finding our REAL self, do we find Truth.

---

And now for something completely strange and different.

As many know, I am a Star Trek geek as well as a huge fan of the "Rocky Horror Picture Show" and when I saw this this afternoon, I just had to put it on here as an s&g (for those who don't know, s&g is S@!ts and Giggles). As I have said on many occasions, life is supposed to be fun, so have some! Here's a little something to start you off on the right foot.

"Who Are You?" and "What Do You Want?"

There have been a few posts as of late where I have been whining a bit about my life and certain things within it. I got a good smacking today from Richard Bach. I am just finishing re-reading his "Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah" when I came to pages 110 and 130 which say the following as excerpts from the "Messiah's Handbook: Reminders for the Advanced Soul"

Every person, all the events of your life are there because you have drawn them there.
What you choose to do with them is up to you.

---

In order to live free and happily, you must sacrifice boredom.
It is not always an easy sacrifice.

There is a person with whom I currently do business that has truly become completely toxic for me. I really needed this slap in the face to remind me that I am the creator of my reality and if I want it to change, that's up to me to decide as well as put into action and whining about it is a complete waste of time and energy.

A few years ago, J. Michael Straczynski created a 5 year epic television series called "Babylon 5" that I have been a fan of since the original pilot was shown on TV. Personally, I found the idea of a series that had a long term story in mind from its inception to be a great one.

One of the ongoing story arcs involved two of the ancient races called the Vorlons and the Shadows. The Vorlons seemed to be about a strongly spiritual path and they appeared as beings of light when we finally get to see one without their encounter suits (though someone really needs to tell them that even Krystle Carrington wouldn't wear that much shoulder padding during the early 80's). The Shadows on the other hand were not as pleasant and the conflict between the two races was basically our religious idea of the battle between good and evil. As many of our religions would agree with, the Vorlons are always asking "Who are you?" while the Shadows ask "What do you want?"

As simple as these questions appear to be, they are actually quite profound in their scope and complexity. Depending on how you view and relate to them, they could be as simple as "I am Robert and I want a peanut-butter and jelly sandwich." My life has NEVER been that straightforward and I suspect it would be pretty boring if it were.

As to the Vorlon's question of "Who are You?" I would answer:

• I am an eternal spiritual entity that is currently referenced as Robert and am currently manifesting in this world to learn from and help those around me as a part and parcel of the totality that many refer to as God.

As to the Shadow's question of "What do you want?":

• I want many things depending on how the question is meant:
  
  1. I want to spend my life doing what brings me joy and that seems to be passing on what knowledge I have while learning from others both directly and indirectly.
  2. I want to be the joyful entity that God keeps dropping me glimpses of.
  3. As far as what I want from this world, since I am inclined to believe that it is all an illusion of perception, the majority of "things" that those around me think will give them joy I find to be entertaining but not a "want." The only thing in this world that I would say that I honestly want would be to have someone to share it all with. Someone to share my life with, have companionship and love.

Money and fame are tools that can be interesting diversions, but they can also be a major pain in the backside. I grew up in an middle-class family that was fairly miserable, especially where money was concerned. I have had friends who had more cash than God would know what to do with and yet they were always so busy acquiring more that they usually didn't seem to be very happy. I can honestly say that the happiest times of my life have usually been when I either had nothing or was barely squeaking by. Not that money unto itself is bad, but their are so many more important things to pursue and enjoy in life. Personally, I'll take happiness and joy over wealth any day.

"The Secret" and "What God Wants" from me...

A friend of mine, whose opinions I have found to be quite worthy of my respect, was telling me about how much she really enjoyed reading the book for "The Secret". I had previously been told by others that it was basically a written version of the film and that there was not much more to it, hence I was not planning to purchase it. She was right and I am so glad to have listened.

I could go through several parts of the book and discuss how wonderfully it expands upon the the themes of the film and in some places goes into things that didn't make it in, beyond a cursory mention. One that really spoke (read yelled, screamed and made a general nuisance of itself) was the final chapter.

On many occasions, I have tried to find the will of God for my life. In the Southern Baptist world we are told that God has a plan and it is our job to fulfill whatever role He put us here for. Now this works really well as a philosophy for people who don't wish to take any particular responsibility for their lives and pass it all off on God. Now don't get me wrong, I understand completely why the majority of peoples would prefer to be at the whim of a distant and all powerful deity, but when I look around me and see what that mindset has created in the majority of mankind, I just find it questionable at best and obviously misguided at most. The first section of Neale Donald Walsch's book "What God Wants" goes into this with amazing clarity and brutal honesty.

I have never found a difficulty in asking God if something is right or wrong, guidance has never been lacking when I'm willing to hear it. But when I have asked what it is that God wishes of me, there has always been a distinct silence. I have been known to become a bit annoyed and sometimes testy with God over this lack of communication. If He has some wish for me, I would think it only polite to make me aware of it... How can I be help responsible on the day of Judgment if He won't speak up, especially when asked?

My parents and the common logic is that we are to race on this treadmill of sleep, work and television with the weekly visits on Sunday and Wednesday to Church to give my soul it's injection of Salvation. Now I am the first to admit that maybe I am just pig-headed about this, but I cannot imagine a more depressing. You might as well pull out the gun and blow my head off, talk about a hellish existence.

Others say that I should lock myself into an ascetic community or cloister of monks and like-minded individuals. Now maybe I am just a touch cynical, but somehow I suspect that is more for their satisfaction than mine. I have thought about it and would be open to it. My biggest stumbling block to date on this score has to do with where the previous is so far to one extreme of the spectrum, most ascetic communities are just as extreme on the other. Like the Buddha, I seek a balanced path down the center, the path between all extremes.

While there are many variants to the above paths, about the only true alternative is the "Follow you Bliss" path. Misery may satisfy the "original sin" crowd, but I just can't get my heart to believe in a deity that has nothing but spite for his creation and wishes them to live in eternal dread and toil.

Some say that to follow your bliss is to seek a hedonistic lifestyle, thinking only of oneself and taking little interest in the repercussions of those actions. Taken in a selfish way, it can be a slippery slope but through inspiration and perseverance we can keep our perspectives and hearts clear and true.

The simple fact is that all ideas, philosophies and theologies taken one way can bring true joy and just as easily taken the other direction tends to bring pain and suffering in the long run. St. Francis showed a path of simplicity and poverty and yet many found such things to be the source of pride and vanity in their personal experiences. This is also shown in some of the ascetic paths in the Indian traditions. We tend to feel raised by "our" sacrifices "for" God, how our ego's love to stroke themselves.

So what does God want from you? Listen to your heart and find the answer, if you truly listen it cannot be missed.

What does God want from me? The things that make me happiest are finishing pieces like this and sharing with others the joy I get from a view of life on this planet that I once thought was only allowed for greater people than I would ever be. My friends have giggled at me at times when I talk about my teeth humming. When I am "in the groove" I get the sensation that my teeth are humming along and a warmth runs up and down my spine and eventually explodes out from the sack of skin that I think of as "me".

Do I ever doubt myself and this whole thing? Of course I do at times and that is when I ask for guidance all the more fervently. We tend, in Western Christianity, to deify Jesus and put him completely outside our frame of reference, but as the Gospels tell us, even he doubted himself at times and the things he was called to do. We all have our moments where we are in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Since I know someone will ask, no, I have no delusions of such things, but use it as an example that if even the greatest of us can have doubts about what we are doing, then the least of us can't really be condemned as long as we are listening to that voice of inspiration that brought us here in the first place.

Gay Pride and Sour Grapes (maybe...)

WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING
Some harsh language is in this post

Last weekend was the Christopher Street West Pride Festival in West Hollywood. I skipped the parade and only went to the festival for a couple of hours which also means that I skipped the annual attack of the "fundies" aka Christian Fundamentalists.

I just wasn't in the mood to be swamped by, a reported, 300,000 people. On top of that, I have really felt a bit out of sync with the WeHo gay community the last few years.

As much as I enjoy having it there and available for those infrequent occasions that I feel like drinking and dancing, the fact is that is that as far as WeHo is concerned, I have been categorized as completely un-fuckable. Since I am over 30, don't have a perfect body and/or more money than God, the boys want to play with with other little playthings like themselves.

As much as I like to stick it to the Christian Right in this country about their judgemental bullshit, their argument of homosexuality and immorality has a basis in fact, though not in the way they think of and some of it is their own fault as well.

If there is an inherent immorality in being gay, it's not in the gender of whom you sleep with, but why. With the fundie fight to deny gay people the right of marriage and in many places the attempts to deny them even the rights of a civil-union, the fundamentalists leave gay people with no way to be anything but fornicators. With the laws being what they currently are, there is no solution except to maybe be celibate (I don't think so).

If anyone has any doubts that heterosexuals would be just as sexually promiscuous if they didn't have to worry about pregnancy, well they are just kidding themselves. Straight or Gay, men are men and as someone once said, "A stiff prick hath no morals."

Back when President Clinton was attempting to open military service to openly gay and lesbian people, I heard a radio talk show where someone called in and asked why straights hated gays so much. No I can't remember who it was that said it, but their response was amazing, it went like this:

Straight men are afraid that Gay men will do to them,
what Straight men have been doing to women for the past 10,000 years.

Now, I know no straight men that would admit it, but I do know a few who have commented that gays have it lucky to get laid and not have to worry about creating the proverbial "bun in the oven."

I chat with many people on the internet and amongst the gay ones, they nearly always tell me that they would love a long-term, committed relationship with that someone special. The sad part is when you meet them in person, they fall back into the trappings of gay cultural ideas such as needing to get laid on the first date or there is no second one. Too bad, I rarely sleep with someone I don't know.

Such things kind of remind me of a scene from the movie "Latter Days". One of the characters, a pretty party-boy named Christian has brought some guy, named Mort, home and Mort started rimming him and Christian asks if they could talk a bit. Mort misunderstands and starts talking dirty. Christian tells him that isn't what he meant and explains that he wants some conversation. Mort seems to think that would be a bit to intimate to which Christian responds; "a moment ago you were practically tonguing my spleen, but a little conversation is too intimate?" Mort thinks Christian is too kinky and leaves, as strange as that sounds, it's not that far from the truth in a strange sort of way.

Now don't get me wrong, I couldn't care less what others choose to do in the privacy of their own lives, but if we are going to fight for the rights and privileges of marriage, wouldn't it be a good idea to show some personal responsibility in our community?

There are some who say that part of it has to do with our stunted sexual growth as gay people in a predominantly straight world. Straight guys just can't seem to get the idea that while they were changing from girls being gross and vulgar "things" to something of attraction, they could stare, flirt and work their way through whatever personal issues they may have had and work their way to asking them out. At the same time, gay youth are going through much the same, but they are quickly finding out that those unlike themselves are potentially dangerous to them socially if not in some cases physically. They learn to hide and do not get to grow through the "awkward" stages. When they finally get to the point where they come out and find a community of like people, they tend to act out with a vengeance. Sadly, many never really grow out of it and end up feeling like an outcast amongst the young and beautiful.

Let us as gay, lesbian and trans-gendered people start to grow beyond what we have been and grow into what we may be. In many cultures, homosexuality was not only accepted, but celebrated. In some cultures, the trans-gendered were celebrated and considered to be an omen of goodness. Let us remember we don't have to be the stereotypical "gay" anymore than we were the expectation of heterosexuality.

Life Update #1

Table of Contents

1. SpiritGeek Website Update


2. Business Card Booboo


3. Robert turns "8"


4. New eyes on the world

SpiritGeek Website Update

It has been a busy time for me and I am running behind on the schedule for getting the site up and changing jobs.

1^st there is the car service. What a well of drama that has been and I can't help but wonder if I might be witnessing the beginning of the end of the company. First we had a driver who had given notice but then had some family problems and has changed it to a leave of absence. Then for other reasons, another driver decided to quit. Let's just say that it means that I have been busy.

A few entries ago, I discussed my experiences with inspiration as a function of my level of peace and calm. I still find what I wrote to be accurate, but I have kind of stalled for a time. Partially, I am sure, is due to the fact that I have been working so much and haven't the heart to quit while my boss is in such a situation. On that front, I have decided to take advantage of the fewer drivers and try to build up my financial war-chest until the leave of absence is over then start by cutting down to 4 or 5 days a week and schedule my clients on those days.

I have been very fortunate that my current client appointments have not collided with passenger pick-ups, the universe does seem to like me.

2^nd as I mentioned above, is that I have stalled a bit on the inspiration front. I finished the cards and got them, but the site is coming along really slowly. Part of it, I am sure, is just my fear of stepping out, but part of it is likely to be my level of exhaustion. I have been putting in a fair number of long days and varied hours which tends to make me drag. I have a fair idea of what it is I want and just need to get it written out. The content has been coming along fairly well, it's getting the base structure down that I am not completing as of yet.

---

Business Card Booboo

I pulled a blond move with the business cards. On the back of the cards is a line in Sanskrit from the Yoga Sutras as well as a transliteration and translation. I can apparently spell in Sanskrit flawlessly, my English though seems to leave a bit to be desired. Photoshop 5.0 doesn't have a spell checker for the text fields and I either neglected to use another method or I just missed it. So, we now have a translation that reads:

"By cultivating attitudes of friendliness toward the happy, compassion for the unhappy, delight in the virtuous (was vituous) and disregard (was disredard) towards the wicked, the mind-stuff (citta) retains its undisturbed calmness."

Yoga Sutras 1:33

So what can I do, it was my fault, so I've decided to just make a joke out of it. Like I said, my Sanskrit seems to be perfect but I can't spell English. I have already corrected the master file for the next batch, so I guess these are a limited run of cards that will be a collectors value, like the upside-down plane on the stamp. Very rare and worth something someday. ;-)

---

Robert turns "8"

Saturday the 19^th of May was my birthday and my friends through a bash for me. I was so touched. I was asked a few weeks ago about what I wanted to do for the birthday and I really had no clue. In the last several years I have just tried to take it off and sleep or rest with everything turned off. When the idea of the party came up, I commented that I hadn't had a party since I was 7 years ago, so the theme was "Robert's 8^th Birthday", at least I didn't get any beanie hats or short-pants.

The party was help over at a friend's house and a good time was had by all as far as I could tell. I charred large quantities of dead chickens and was treated to a Fillet Mignon. Several of the attendees are somewhat musically inclined (like most have been recording artists for years) and they did a wonderful rendition of Happy Birthday to a Beatles tune.

After being an outcast for as long as I have in my life, it was heartwarming to see how much these people love and care for me. That probably sounds really stupid, but most of my life I have been a loner with few true friends and many fair-weathered friends and more orbiting users than I care to think about. I love them all, but not all of them love me. The people at the party truly made me realize that they love me and in many ways, it was one of the moments I will likely cherish for the rest of my life.

---

New eyes on the world

I went to the eye doctor and now have a new prescription for contact lenses. While I was at it, I also ordered 2 pair of glasses. I think they look pretty cool and neither of them is like anything I've had before. Gotta cut this short and go pick them up.

Later!

Mixed Feelings...

It may be a mistake to put this online since many will find it disturbing to read and might question how I could feel this way, but after thinking about it, I wanted to be honest about things.

Many years ago, I was watching Joyce Meyer when she commented that people in the public eye only show their good side. I decided that if I ever was in the position that people wanted to know me, they would know all of me and that includes things like this and these feelings, to only show the nice and pleasant side would make me a hypocrite in the highest manner and I don't want that.

---

I was driving earlier today when I heard about the passing of Jerry Falwell this morning. I must admit that it has really made me pause as I have REALLY disliked this man for over 20 years.

When I first came out to California in 1981 and was in a religious half-way house off Hollywood Blvd, he was one of the many people we were allowed to watch on television, only the local TBN (Trinity Broadcasting) and Dr euGene Scott on whatever station he was on at the time.

I became a fan of Scott when the infamous "Amazing Grace" scandal took place and Falwell was one of the many ministers that blasted Scott for not being able to sing worth a darn. I always got the feeling that Falwell was a stick in the mud and a few years later became convinced that my original opinion had been correct. Around late 1983 to early 1984, the AIDS epidemic was taking hold and Falwell in his usually tactless fashion stood in his pulpit and declared AIDS to be "God's judgement on homosexuality" while claiming it was due to Gay people's flaunting the will of God. Two of my personal favorites that are attributed to him are:

AIDS is not just God's punishment for homosexuals; it is God's punishment for the society that tolerates homosexuals.

AIDS is the wrath of a just God against homosexuals. To oppose it would be like an Israelite jumping in the Red Sea to save one of Pharaoh's charioteers.

After he said such things, I became part of the collection of people who would request his information and then stuff it full of junk mail or paper shreds and send it back to him so that he would have to pay the postage. It must have worked since not long after, he stopped sending postage paid envelopes.

My first car had a bumper sticker on it that read:
The Moral Majority
is neither
I have been trying to think of something nice to say since I have always felt you should say something kind of the dead and the only thing I can think of is that he died quickly and didn't linger.

As much as I feel for his family and those who will miss him, I find it nearly impossible to find any sorrow for him. The fact is that he made his bed of hatred and will spend some time dealing with the repercussions that will have upon his soul and its karmas. It is apparent to me that I have been infected with his hatred and will have to work on that and make sure that I never fall into the trap of it that he seems to have.

As much as this bothers me to write this, I find it amazing to know that I really have that much animosity towards him. I would never have wished him harm, but that doesn't mean I'm going to miss him in the slightest. I heard a little while ago that former President Jimmy Carter once said of Jerry Falwell that "he could, in a most Christian manner, go to hell." Jimmy Carter is such a kind man that it really tells you what kind of man this must have been to elicit such a comment. The sickening part is that in the name of "political correctness" everyone will be saying such nice things about someone that many despised so heavily.

The saddest part is that this man had the opportunity to lead many souls to God and instead, though I'm sure he would have thought otherwise, he damaged many and I know a few that he and those like him have basically killed with their hatred and closed-mindedness, if there is anything that I am sad about, these lost chances would be it.

Spiritgeek.com Update and 24-7 Job Realization

The other day I was at the market checking out with my purchases when the computer just wouldn't allow me to purchase my Fuji Apples. Try as he would, the young man behind the counter couldn't get the computer to accept that I wanted apples. Being in a fun state of mind, the following conversation ensued... (at least as well as I remember the details...)

I: So, does that mean they are free?
S: Originally they were, except for that first one, it was pretty expensive.
I: Huh?
S: That first one at the fall...
I: Oh, good one, yes that was an expensive one wasn't it? I should have caught that since I'm a student of comparative religion...
S: OH? If you don't mind me asking, which one do you find to be the most respectful in presenting the Creator?
I: Personally, I find them all to be basically saying the same thing.
S: Which do you practice?
I: My friends call me a Hindu-Buddhi-Christ since I study them all and find them to be true.
S: Do you teach? Is there somewhere I can hear you?
I: Funny you should say that, I'\m just setting up a business for that very thing. I don't have any business cards, but you can check out the web site shortly at SpiritGeek.com.

Ever since I made the decision to start the web site and truly dedicate myself to helping others, I have been having similar situations appearing on a regular basis.

It has made me realize that this new ideal isn't just a job that I get to go to and return home to my mundane life after 8 hours a day Monday thru Friday, but something that will become the basis of a whole new existence for me (just slightly unnerving but exhilarating at the same time).

I have been working on the business cards and placed the order for them yesterday. The mobile number is up and working, but the answering system on the land-line is not quite ready as of yet, but here are the card images...

Front of Card

Back of Card

Now I just have to finish the web-site... It's coming along and should be up shortly.

No "How" Worries...

Sometimes, no matter how much you do things, you sometimes need an object lesson in how you don't know it all. Wasn't it Socrates that said "Wisest is he who knows he does not know" and trust me, that makes me a bloomin' genius (at least some of the time...).

Yesterday contained a perfect example of my occasional blundering, especially in what has recently come to be called "The Secret" or The Law of Attraction. My latest week at work has not been overflowing with tips and since I try to live on them predominantly, that means I have been a touch short of cash the last few days. Sure, I could pull a few bucks out of the local ATM but that's not the point.

Yesterday, I had only two runs booked and I basically programmed the universe that I wanted to make $40 in tips today. I figured this would not be a big problem as both clients could give me a $20 and problem solved, I don't think so. Imagine my temporary dismay when I got nada from both of them. I was beginning to doubt myself when my dispatcher called me and gave me another run for later in the evening, a regular customer who usually tips $40 on an airport pickup, which he did.

The problem wasn't the intention of making $40 in tips for the day (though maybe I should start using substantially larger numbers), but in my determination of HOW the intention would come to fruition. Thinking about it later, I tend to do this to myself and have much better success with LoA when I just say what and accept the gift and let the universe figure out the how.

A while back, I was talking to someone who is a healer and I asked how it was done. They said that for say, a broken leg. "One visualized the patient running around on the leg as if it were whole and complete. You don't worry about all the intermediate steps, the universe will take care of that, so don't worry about telling it how you want it done by trying to picture the bones knitting themselves together." What a great piece of advice, and so true as a general axiom for life.

Joy Begats Inspiration

It's Easter and I am working while the majority are having fun finding eggs and getting together with family and friends for dinner. I just had dinner, Pad-Kee-Mow, at this little place near the airport called "Thai Dishes". Quite tasty and the staff was very nice and helpful.

While I was eating and reading "The Secret," I realized something that has been happening in my experience as of late. I'm quite sure it's been happening forever, but I just took notice of it while I was sitting there relaxing.

I have recently made the decision to leave my job as a driver and go independent as a "life coach" and/or spiritual teacher. I've come up with a schedule and am currently working on creating the web pages I want, as well as creating my business cards and getting them printed.

I've been having a lovely time trying to learn Photoshop in short order and creating a logo for SpiritGeek.com (I purchased the hosting and domain name the other day--YEAH!!!!) which is a festive event if you have ever seen the graphically challenged draw (Not for the faint of heart...).

I have noticed the last week or so that I have been a touch lacking in the inspiration department and had begun to wonder if maybe I either needed to extend my original calendar, about 2 weeks to go before we give my current employer 30 days notice, or maybe just stay put. Not exactly where I want to be or what I want to be doing. At the same time this has been going on, I have been having a bit of bickering with my boss as well as several people who I am sure mean well, but are raising just about every fear known to mankind.

While reading, I started to reconnect to the happiness that I spend my life in, more or less, when I suddenly had an inspiration as to what it was missing in my logo project and why I seemed to be having conflicting ideas. One was to implemented into the other, but I needed to see it separately so I could get the details of the idea.

It was while this was all coming together that I realized the pattern in my level of inspiration, it was directly linked to my level of joy and my "attitude of gratitude." When I am in a state of joy, the ideas come out of nowhere and are great and while in that state, the ability to make them happen just appears as well. What a great way to live!

GodHatesShrimp.com

My friend Michelle has no idea what she has leashed out onto the the Christian Right next June.

Here in Los Angeles, we have several Gay Pride celebrations, Long Beach (which is usually right around my birthday), West Hollywood, LA Leather Week (I may have to check this one out...), LA Valley Pride & Pasadena's San Gabriel Pride.

Every year there is a contingent of (self proclaimed) Christians, aka "fundies", who show up to protest and generally make a nuisance of themselves. If you look at the entries from last June, you will see my usual trend to either ignore them or see if it is possible to have a conversation that doesn't degrade into a shouting match or something as ludicrous..

This year, I think we should play their game the same way they do, that's where GodHatesShrimp.com comes in. On their site, they had the following photo, as well as a few others...

In one of the other images, the sign can be read better... Is says the following:

STOP THE SHRIMP-EATERS AGENDA
If we allow Shrimp, we allow Crab
If we allow Crab, we allow Lobster
If we allow Lobster, we allow Clams
and then Oysters...And then
Mussels... and Crayfish
STOP THE INSANITY

What a great idea... In another picture, someone else is holding a sign that references the appropriate scripture:

These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat. And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you: They shall be even an abomination unto you; ye shall not eat of their flesh, but ye shall have their carcases in abomination. Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that shall be an abomination unto you.

Leviticus 11:9-12 (KJV)

These ye shall eat of all that are in the waters: all that have fins and scales shall ye eat: And whatsoever hath not fins and scales ye may not eat; it is unclean unto you.

Deuteronomy 14:9-10 (KJV)

What a fantastic idea, either infiltrate them as this guy did, or have a segment where everyone has signs of different Levitican law that Christians ignore and make a point of passing them in the parades or other events and show their hypocrisy.

Another idea would be to have a large entry banner that says something like "Leviticus may say God hates Homosexuals, but what about..." and have each sign carry something and it's scriptural reference(s)... A thought in it's early stages, but it would be SOOO much fun.

Penn & Teller on Environmental Hysteria "Bullshit": A Response

Someone sent me this program and after watching it, I sent back the following comments...

BTW: there is some language in here that some may find objectionable, it's from cable, what can I say?


As usual, Penn & Teller do what they do on this show, go to extreme opposites and present it as a complete picture. What makes the show worth watching is that you get both sides, though they tend to be a bit extreme on their presentations, fortunately the truth is rarely neither side, but somewhere in between.

The show also tends to skew their story for whatever position they are in support for, not that different than Michael Moore, though at least Michael is honest about what position he is taking. Here are a few examples of where their presented "facts" and proofs are in dispute (for size and time, I stopped the commentary after the first 10 minutes of the show).

• Patrick Moore -- Ecologist
  
  1. Moore is paid by the British Columbia Forest Alliance: an (accused) industry-front group set up by public relations firm Burson-Marsteller (the same PR firm that represented Exxon after the Valdez oil spill and Union Carbide after the Bhopal chemical disaster). The BC Forest Alliance is funded primarily by the logging industry.
  2. Large openings do occur naturally in some forest ecosystems, but not with any frequency in coastal temperate rainforest. Furthermore, clearcuts remove a considerable amount of the biomass, whereas natural openings caused by wind leave all the bio-mass on site and openings caused by fire leave 20% to70% of the biomass on site.
  3. There are many other statements that he is known for that are of questionable scientific integrity.
• Some one comments, "their [Corporations] bottom line is how much money is in the bank by the end of the day." to which Penn comments that is the definition of "bottom line, moron." In context, what she is referring to is what's most important to them, not a financial definition as she clarifies immediately after when the rest of her statement is played.
  
  • People forget the Corporations have one and only one fiduciary responsibility at the end of the day, to make profit for the shareholders, being a good or responsible neighbor is not in the equation since this responsibility is in the short term and tends not to see the long term in many cases.
• I can't help but wonder how many students and protesters they had to interview to find this motley collection of speakers who don't come across as that bright.
• As far as the Dihydrogen Monoxide petition:
  
  1. These kinds of rallies are not exactly brain trusts and the descriptions that the petition taker is full of reaction-causing terms in an grouping as this one. Far from what would be considered a scientific survey with it's targeted phrasing of the uses of H₂O. The questioning and arguments were specifically targeted to elicit a response in one direction, not exactly an impartial sampling. Penn even states this is the case by saying it would be using the terminology of "environmental hysteria."
  2. How many people signed it verses how many didn't? Since they don't give us any numbers, it's not possible to make any conclusions except that there were at least some gullible people out there.
• Rainforest Action Network (RAN)
  I don't know the specifics of this organization, but from a cursory look at their website, I think their "representation" was poor to say the least and while the website uses all the "buzz" words, their main goals seem to be reasonable:
  • Global Finance:
    • "...works to redirect the global economic system away from environmentally and socially destructive activities and into clean, sustainable, and socially just alternatives."
    • "...create an imperative for concerned citizens to demand an end to destructive investments from the world’s largest financial institutions and help to chart a new course towards a sane and sustainable global economy."
  • Old Growth Forest Preservation:
    • "...works to protect endangered forests, promote sustainable and democratic economies and protect indigenous rights."
  • Freedom From Oil:
    • "...working to end America’s oil dependence, reduce oil related conflicts, and stop global climate change by convincing the auto industry to dramatically improve fuel efficiency and eliminate vehicle greenhouse gas emissions."
• Penn: "No one can agree on what causes Global Warming or even how bad it is, there are some that say that it's not happening at all."
  • Interesting that Al Gore in "An Inconvenient Truth" mentions the very same thing. I'm not going to pull it out and get an exact quote, but he says that out of a fair and random sample of the scientific peer-reviewed literature, there was somewhere near complete support for the idea of global warming. It was only in the corporate owned media that the debate came down to around 50% agreement. So, the scientists appear to be in predominant agreement, but the corporations that don't want change show a different picture, makes me think of Upton Sinclair's line: "It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it." (It is amazing how much of the world around me falls into this in one way or another)
• Ross Gelbspan - Journalist:
  1. Has written 2 books on the subject of global warming, "The Heat is On: The High Stakes Battle Over Earth's Threatened Climate" and "Boiling Point: How Politicians, Big Oil and Coal, Journalists, and Activists Are Fueling the Climate Crisis—and What We Can Do to Avoid Disaster"
  2. General information is that he believes in a concerted effort between government and business to keep things as is and fight any changes in energy or fossil fuel usage or technologies. While he does come off as a bit of an alarmist, I can't fault a man for being passionate.
  3. Strange that the only real complaint about the guy I found in a cursory look on Google was an article calling into question if he could use the phrase "Pulitzer Prize winning" since a series of articles that he participated as an editor won but he wasn't a writer specifically.

The Point:

---

From my perspective the whole argument true or not is something of a Mass Distraction. I happen to believe that the evidence that I have found and read myself supports the idea that the planet is going through a warming trend and that it is quite likely that it is related to the burning of fossil fuels and the release of large amounts or CO₂ and other so-called "greenhouse gasses."

Agree with me or not is not important, but there are 3 questions that are imperative to ask;

1. Oil and Coal, though fairly abundant at this time, are limited resources and will eventually run out, if these corporations that are accused by some of being resistant to changing their business wish to be profitable when that happens, wouldn't it be prudent for them to be looking into alternatives so they can continue being profitable when their market is harvested out? (or is my conspiracy theory friend right when he says they [corporations and government] intend to reap the benefits of an inverse function of supply and demand by reaping higher and higher profits as demand increases on diminishing supplies?)
2. What sense is there in pouring toxins into the atmosphere that we all depend upon? Other than it is likely cheaper and easier to use centuries old technologies than to find cleaner alternatives, even my cat has more sense than to defecate in his food dish.
3. Are we making a planet that we would (or could) live on in 100 or 1000 years if we continue the path we are on? What we do or don't do today will have repercussions on the children of today and beyond, are we making a place they would be happy to live in, judged by quality of life, not quantity of "things"?

At least the title tells you their specific perspective, and I would agree that hysteria is not helpful, but neither is ignoring what may or may not, depending on perspective, be a looming problem.

Oh, one last thing after the 10 minutes into the show, I don't know of anyone other than the conservative minded that would call the CATO Institute a "libertarian" think-tank. They tend to be more "traditionally conservative" (as compared to neo-conservative) than otherwise.


PS
I know someone will accuse me of being anti-corporation, not at all. I do think that if corporations want the legal rights and privileges to match that of common citizens, they should also be held to the same level of controls within the common-welfare. The pursuit of the all-mighty dollar shouldn't be a valid excuse for the wanton destruction of everything else around it. The fact is that it may be necessary for corporations to make less profit today if the wish to still be financially viable tomorrow.

The Law of (Negative) Attraction

The other day, I was talking to someone about the Law of Attraction and “The Secret”. In particular, what it is and how I have been using it in my life. They asked me an interesting question, “Why is it that everyone who tells me about 'The Secret' only talks about the positive, doesn’t it work in the negative as well?”

At the time I took the question to be in the vein of a “don’t want” like an Anti-War protest to end war. I explained that the universe tends to be a bit dense in this area as it does not understand the concept of “No” and “Not”. I explained that the universe gives us what we focus upon and does not understand why would spend our energy, time & thought on something we did not want.

Later I started to think about the question again and realized they may have been asking about an example of the universe manifesting something I did not want. Right now in my life, I have a wonderful example of this in action.

On my job, I have a boss that I love to death, but sometimes, I would not be to upset if he just disappeared into the ether on his own volition. It is not that he is a bad person or evil in any way, but several of his habits in business work to my detriment in many ways. Someone once said “That which you resist, persists.” This is definitely showing itself in my life…

I am not going to go into details, because they are not important to the discussion, but let us just say that I have been fighting with them so much that they have become nearly toxic for me. Is this his fault? Well, it would be easy to say yes, but the truth is that I am quite aware of the fact that he can only annoy me as much as I let him. The truth is that whatever he may be, only I can be annoyed (OK, read infuriated at times) with him and if I wish it to cease and desist, I just need to stop trying to bend him to my will.

Now this has not necessarily been a bad thing, which is something we learn in time. As much as it has been inharmonious in my day-to-day existence, it has also been of help in that it has helped push me out of what would otherwise be a very nice “comfort” zone and back into the world of self-employment. James Redfield, in his “Celestine Prophecy”, makes the comment in one of his insights that we become aware of the positive aspect in everything that happens to us. For me, that lining is continuing on my journey to self-fulfillment and pursuit of my dreams. In addition, even my boss’s annoying behaviors might just be worth it if I make something good out of it, as someone once wrote, “If life hands you lemons, make lemonade!”

Why Religions Hate?

The other day, I received a response from Rev. Don Spitz who was not happy about my previous entry where I mentioned the "Army of God." I put down a bit of a flippant comment of my own to his, but I did go check out his blog and see what he has to say.

There is currently just one entry where he has a single entry where he expresses his disgust for PETA (People for Ethical Treatment of Animals ). They seem to have a couple of campaigns where they use a bit of tongue in cheek humor to put forth the idea that we should not eat meat which he feels is worshipping the created over the creator by quoting:

Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

Romans 1:25(KJV)

Cute choice since the verse is talking about the people who worship animal forms as gods as in idols and such forms. He seems to think that to respect life is to disrespect God. Sad...

After reading the entry and the article it points to, on the Army of God website, I sent him the following comment:

I am sure you found my blog by searching for the, oh so Christian, "Army of God" reference in my latest entry. Other than throwing accusations that I am refusing Jesus, based on what? I have no clue... I may not agree with your theologies, interpretations and dogmas, but I have no denial of Jesus, just the deified idol that people like yourself have turned him into.

As far as the Army of God is concerned, do you really think killing abortionists is any morally higher than being a "baby killer" yourself? Personally, I think it just makes you sound like a complete hypocrite, one reason to kill is immoral, but your reasoning is an acceptable reason... NOT!!!

In the context of the entry that you commented on: I do believe that Radical Christianity, such as groups like yours, are far more dangerous to this country than Radical Islam, which was the question (“Do you believe that Radical Islam is any threat to the world or us?”).

Your PETA complaints regarding their ads show that you are definitely in need of cultivating a sense of humor. I bet Jesus would have found them quite cute and humorous. Strange that his wrath in the Gospels was always aimed at people like yourself, Pharisees and Sadducees, who are so full of themselves and their holiness, that they had forgotten the spirit of the law for the letter (which brings death, if I remember correctly).

I am sure you mean well, but I will pray that some love for your fellow man might work its way into your heart sometime. If Jesus is nothing but a validation to justify your sense of superiority and judgment, I feel sorry for you.

Sadly, to many people the Reverend, and those like him, are what they believe Christianity is about. The word Christian means to be Christlike. Unfortunately, to most who use this title, it has become a badge of their superiority over their neighbors and others.

Why must we use God and religion to tear ourselves apart? The word religion originally meant "to bind fast" as in the "bond between humans and gods." Some have defined Religion as originally meaning "to re-link with God." I have always been tickled that the word "yoga" is Sanskrit for basically the same thing, "to join God."


I tend to be tough on Religions and Religionists since they have a tendency of turning religion into a justification for self-superiority and degradation of their fellow people, or worse; the local social club. Where this seems to have come in is via personal ego. When we follow one religious path or another, we tend to say "We have THE Truth" instead of saying, more properly, "We have an expression of the Truth." I have spent nearly two decades studying the scripture and teachings from as many religions as I can get my hands on, and after a while, you see direct correlations between them all. Religion is like a well cut diamond, each facet is another expression of the whole, no single facet entails the whole. When used properly, diamonds can be useful and beautiful, misused it can hurt, damage and in some cases even kill.

When we realize that we are all not separate, but part and parcel of God, that we are all encompassed by the totality of God, we loose the need to be in a seat of judgement over our neighbors. If you believe in the supremacy of and the omnipotence of God, the idea includes that God must be able to determine His/Her will and doesn't need us to go around killing our fellow humans, physically of spiritually.

A Restoration of Faith...

I just finished breakfast and was thinking about last night. For those who are not familiar, I work for a small car service in Los Angeles as a driver and though we don't do much in the way of "industry" business, we do some directly and via "farm outs" from other companies, going to the Spirit Awards.

Yesterday, I spent the day on one such farm out. I went to one of the Hotels on West Hollywood to pick up someone I had never heard of, a "Suzanne Davis" (not really, but it was something similar, we must protect the innocent). I called up to let them know that I was downstairs and waiting, to which I was told they were running a bit behind and would be down in about 30 minutes. Something about that voice sounded familiar, hmmm.....

About 30 minutes later, a young couple came down and came over to my car, God, they sure looked familiar. I asked, "Ms. Davis?" and she smiled and said "yes" and they got into my car. As they got in, Ms Davis said "Hi, my name is Neve and this is my brother Christian."


We drove to Santa Monica Beach where a collection of large white tents had been set up and I dropped them off and found a parking spot a short distance away. As I got out of the car, I ran into someone I hadn't seen in a few years as well as received an invite to lunch from one of our other drivers at the event.

I'm not going to go into exhaustive details on the day and everything that happened, but after the end of the show and the after party at the Shutters Hotel, we were joined by Alan Cumming and his partner Grant Shaffer. Alan had helped produce and acted in "Sweet Land", which won the Best First Feature award.

When we left the party, we went back to the hotel in West Hollywood so Neve could get something a little warmer to wear. They decided to grab some dinner in the restaurant and Christian came out to move his car, a good idea in West Hollywood with the "Parking Nazis".

While he was out, we chatted for a bit and I just knew that I knew him from somewhere. I mean, he's an actor, so I'm sure I've seen him before but this was something more, either it's on a personal level or something he was in that I truly loved. I had felt familiar since I picked them up and it was REALLY starting to get under my skin and bug me.

I called a friend and asked her to help me since she had a computer handy with an Internet connection. It didn't take long for me to feel like a complete ass. It turns out that Christian was in one of my favorite gay films of all time, "Trick".

It's the story of a young musical theatre writer who meets a gogo-boy and spends the rest of the night looking for a place to trick (catch a quickie). Needless to say, they don't have an easy time of it, between bitchy drag queens, broken hearted piano bar singers and a best friend who is completely clueless and self absorbed (played beautifully by Tori Spelling). Definitely worth seeing in my personal opinion.

I really wish I had gotten an opportunity to tell Christian just how much that film has meant to me over the years and that it will always hold a special place in my heart.

As a driver in Los Angeles, you meet a lot of people, some rich and famous and some just regular people who need to get somewhere. Most are decent people who couldn't care less. Of those who are famous or quite wealthy, they tend to be a bit wrapped up in their own little worlds and a bit dismissive of those they perceive to be their inferiors, like anyone not worth what they are or outside their circle of "special People". It's not just actors in this town, but it kind of like high school with all it's little cliques and such.

The funny thing is it kind of reminds me of when I lived in Long Beach many years ago. A friend and I would go to this club full of snotty, ego-centric pretty boys who wouldn't spit on me if I was on fire in the parking lot. The funny part was that when we would go to the bath-house and I would run into the same little stinkers who would practically drag me into their rooms to make out, fun if slightly bewildering, it was the early 80's.

When I have found myself past the guard gates, people assume that you belong there and accept you as an equal. If they only knew...

This was not an issue of any kind for me yesterday with the Campbells and Mr. Cumming and his partner, they were all so very nice and pleasant and made me feel glad to be spending the evening with them. If I were to try to describe the situation from a movie, I would guess that "54" would have the right scene, in the New Jersey coffee house on Christmas day, watch it and see what I mean.

After seeing so much of the vile and nasty behavior that many people do toward each other in the name of greed, selfishness and ego, it was an amazing breath of fresh air to spend an evening with such nice, real and authentic people that it truly helped to restore my faith that under all our silly nastiness as people, we can still be civil human beings and some of the best can still be famous at the same time.

A Response to My Dad.... Pt 2

OK, I admit to being surprised, my Dad actually wrote back shortly after that last message, about 4 hours later, according to the timestamps.

Instead of writing them separately, like I did in the previous entry, I am going to just put my second response. I accidentally lost the first one and had to write it out a second time. I liked the first version better, but didn't get a chance to spend enough time to replace it in its entirety.

This was mailed on February 4th, I have yet to get any comments...

---

Dear Robert,
I am not sure exactly what your reply has to do with my email.

Sorry about that, I get so many of these pseudo-patriotic e-mails that I may have unloaded my irritation and frustration onto you. Sorry about that.

I understand from it why you would like to change our leadership. However, your reply does give me reason to ask two questions.

Putting politics aside:

Do you believe that Radical Islam is any threat to the world or us?

Radical Islam unto itself, No. Al-Qaeda is a different subject, they have been a threat in the past and if we don't finish the mission in Afghanistan, they will likely be again. That war I am in complete agreement with and just wish the Administration would put a bit more attention to.

In my opinion, radical Islam is no more a threat than radical Zionists in Israel or radical Hindus in India. Personally, as far as this country goes, I am more concerned with radical Christians like the "Army of God" who have no qualms with committing murder, fire bombings and arson in their crusades to purge America of what they disagree with, in this case abortion and the doctors who perform them.

I am personally more concerned about the sect of Christians who believe that they can hurry the second coming by destroying the world around us. Talk about an arrogant state of being. Some have accused the administration to be part of or pandering to this group, I doubt it, I think it's just greed and power lust myself, always looks good until you project it into the future.

Strange that in a nation that prides itself on its freedoms and finds theocracies to be such terrible things (personally I agree completely with the last), we are trying to create a Christian theocracy in this nation. We call it "family values" or some other nice name, but look into history and see how people like Hitler used the common belief and fears of the people to get them to do what they never would have if brought out directly. If there is one thing that can be learned during the Third Reich, it's that it only takes a small percentage of people to manipulate the masses into allowing horrible acts in the name of power, tradition and/or purity.

If so, what efforts would you like to see our government implement to defeat that threat............in other words, what should be our strategy?

I think a re-evaluation of our foreign policy's tendency to bully people should be looked at as it seems to be detrimental to our stated goals. I have felt for the longest time that our tendency to act as if we are the only country who knows what's going on and to strong arm everyone into playing by our rules, no matter what the consequences doesn't help us, it makes us look like thugs on the world stage. Like it or not, our usual practice is still very much a colonialism technique that has become reviled outside our nation since many nations have been on the wrong end of that in the past.

It's about time we started talking with, not at, other nations, started taking into account that other cultures are valid and may need to be addressed when trying to work together and most of all, have respect for those who are different.

What would happen if we actually started following our proclaimed Christian values and treated others as we would want to be treated? Some people are not particularly honest in how they deal with things, but why should they feel like it is in their own best interest when we don't always present the truth ourselves?

I'm sure you think that nations would take advantage of any trusts that were put before them and I'll be the first to admit that there is difficulty, especially initially. But we are the sole big boy on the block, if we set a bad example, what's to make anyone want to trust us? We need to treat the rest of the world as younger siblings who need guidance, not threats and beatings, so that they may grow.

For example on the current world stage: Iran. The majority of people in Iran are fairly moderate and progressive and was working its way clear of the rule of the Ayatollahs until we scared the daylights out of them in Iraq and they voted Ahmadinejad into office to balance what they saw in the world (all my Iranian friend claim it was our country's policies and actions that got him elected). I have worked with and for many from Iran and other than feeling that we had meddled in their country with the Shah, basically like us a lot. They have become an Islamic Theocracy, but are surprisingly open to ideas. From our perspective, their President has been quite inflammatory, but from their perspective, he's actually been fairly tame. We can continue on our current path, to ignore their culture and government, making our demands and playing by our rule-book, and it will probably amount to nothing going forward. What if we were to sit down with all the involved parties and try to work out a solution that would address our concerns while at the same time be something presentable to the people he has to answer to back home in Tehran?

If I know you, you think this is quite simplistic and naive. Maybe. But I will tell you this, I am a firm believer that world is what we make of it, if we don't like what we have made, redo it. It takes work but nothing is impossible. The fact is that the world has gotten too small for squabbling children who would rather beat each other up than share their toys.

As far as on the domestic front, quit with the playing to fear and paranoia of the masses, it's counterproductive. The big problem with playing the fear card is that after awhile the people are afraid of everything, including the ones playing the card, it truly is a two edged sword.

I could go on and on, but I think I will stop here. The facts are not always clear and the dangers are great, but to change nothing and continue down our current path doesn't seem to bode well either. As to your quote from Blair, if we keep outsourcing all the manufacturing and industrial jobs to where the labor is substantially cheaper and replace those jobs with Starbucks, how long will more people want in than out?