For what [...]]]> One person surveyed, the question is: “If the interior discussion in your head were indexed by category, what would the five most recurring subjects be?” Top five answers are:

1. Unfulfilled dreams and aspirations
2. Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt (FUD)
3. Quieting the voices in my head
4. The quest for well-being, balance, focus and inner peace (Samadhi)
5. Attaining and maintaining good health

For what it’s worth…

Family. That’s what gives my life meaning and purpose. That includes past, present and future family.

I don’t think it’s important to leave a lasting mark [...]]]> What gives your life special meaning and purpose? Do you think it’s important to leave a lasting mark on the world? If so, what form do you think this will take?

Family. That’s what gives my life meaning and purpose. That includes past, present and future family.

I don’t think it’s important to leave a lasting mark on the world, only to lovingly touch the lives of those in your world and make that bit of the world a better place to live. If I leave any kind of a lasting mark I hope I will be remembered by my descendants for whatever good I did, that I was a kind and loving husband, father, and grandfather, and that I was a good man who thought for himself and found inner peace in his own way.

What is your favorite place in the world? What makes it so meaningful to you? How often do you visit or imagine being there?

My dad’s place. It’s a peaceful sanctuary surrounded by nature where I can get away from nearly everything. And it’s home. I always feel at peace there.

I try to visit at least a couple of times a year. I’d love to visit more often.

For what it’s worth…

Most of my travel experiences have been pretty good although I detest hanging around airports and air terminals. I’ve generally taken it as a necessary evil to be endured in order to travel. I’ve had a number of less than enjoyable travel experiences but by far the [...]]]> What was your worst travel experience ever, and why?

Most of my travel experiences have been pretty good although I detest hanging around airports and air terminals. I’ve generally taken it as a necessary evil to be endured in order to travel. I’ve had a number of less than enjoyable travel experiences but by far the worst would have to be my family’s last journey from Germany back to the States when I finished my “tour from Hell” at Sembach. It’s a long story, so get comfortable.

Nearly everything associated with this move was Murphy’s Law carried to the nth power. The first sign that things were not going well occurred when I was waiting at home for the movers to pack up our household goods. When no one had showed up by noon, I called the base Transportation Management Office (TMO) and learned that my packing out date had been rescheduled and they seemed to be as surprised as I was that I hadn’t been notified. My new packing date? The day before our flight out.

Talk about cutting it close. We didn’t vacate our quarters until after midnight the morning of our flight and I had to give someone power of attorney to clear housing for me and take care of my second car.

We had an early morning flight so we didn’t get much sleep. We flew out of Rhein Main Air Base in Frankfurt and had a stop over at RAF Mildenhall where we were quarantined to the terminal for several hours during the hottest English summer in several years. Finally, we reboarded and flew on to Philadelphia where we went through customs and immigration. How anyone expected a whole 747 full of people to be processed in 30 minutes is beyond me. Naturally, we missed our connecting flight to Cleveland. I was able to book us on a later flight. When we arrived at the folks’ place, I was never so glad for a trip to be over.

This particular journey was the first thing that came to my when, during my Wright State University placement exams, I was asked to write the infamous A Day that Ended too Soon essay. All I could think of was the day that didn’t end nearly soon enough.

For what it’s worth…

“Once again I’m missing the person I used to be—young, attractive, and had a better outlook for the future.”

I think that’s kind of sad. I would guess that she has self-esteem issues and is clinging to the past, trying to hold on to the illusion [...]]]> This was posted on Facebook by someone in my Friend List:

“Once again I’m missing the person I used to be—young, attractive, and had a better outlook for the future.”

I think that’s kind of sad. I would guess that she has self-esteem issues and is clinging to the past, trying to hold on to the illusion that it was really better in some way.

While I certainly have fond memories of my younger days, I don’t really miss them or the person I was then. Those days were different, not necessarily any better. Lookng back, I sometimes find myself disappointed in the person that I used to be. I’d like to think that over the years I’ve matured, gained a bit of knowledge and wisdom, become a better person, and positively influenced a few lives along the way.

For the most part, I’m really liking the person I’m becoming—healthier, more open and honest, more compassionate, more optimistic, more content with what I have and more at peace with myself.

No, it’s not all sunshine and roses but I’m taking more responsibility for my own life, my own soul, my own happiness, and my own peace of mind. There is only one person I have control over and that’s me. I can’t blame anyone else and no one else can move me forward. Change comes from within. We have to be the change we want to see.

For what it’s worth…

For what it’s worth…

I certainly don’t seek attention. I prefer to work quietly in the background. A-type personalities have trouble understanding that.

I’d like promession after I die. It’s a process where the body is freeze-dried in liquid nitrogen to remove all moisture. The body is shaken into a power which is placed in a small biodegradable coffin. The coffin is then place in a shallow grave [...]]]> What do you want done with your body after you die?

I’d like promession after I die. It’s a process where the body is freeze-dried in liquid nitrogen to remove all moisture. The body is shaken into a power which is placed in a small biodegradable coffin. The coffin is then place in a shallow grave and a tree is planted on top of me. I like the idea that my remains would be serving a practical purpose.

I probably won’t look back on 2008 and remember it with a great degree of fondness. It [...]]]> Song: Year Of The Cat
Artist: Al Stewart
Album: Year Of The Cat
Released: 1976

I probably won’t look back on 2008 and remember it with a great degree of fondness. It was just another year in my personal Hell. It wasn’t all bad, there were some bright spots and some good to come out of it. So, it wasn’t a total loss.

I went through some changes last year, mostly for the better. My views on a lot of things — politics religion, naturism, health — changed. I won’t go into it here. There were also some positive physical changes as well. Since April, I’ve lost two stone and I’m confident I can lose another stone by April and reach my target weight of 12 stone. Of course, there were many things that remained more or less constant and unchanged. Maybe some of these things are unchangeable.