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.

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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. ;-)

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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.

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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.

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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!