Oh yeah!

.
As one who has a degree in archeology, I can appreciate this one.

This could be BrewedFreshDaily's mascot...

.
Sorry George...I couldn't help it.

Well-adjusted means...

A well-adjusted person is one who makes the same mistake twice without getting nervous.

For you fishermen...

"A bad day fishing is better than a good day at work."
--Unknown man who likes fishing no doubt.

Osama bin Laden Caught!

It has been reported that Osama bin Laden was captured this morning at 4:22 AM Pacific Standard Time by U.S. Special Forces.

The main suspect of the attack on the World Trade Center in New York City, bin Laden was captured at gunpoint as he fled an underground tunnel in a deserted mountainside of southern Afghanistan.

Northern Alliance troops, who witnessed the events unfold, explained that moments earlier United States war planes had sprayed liquid Viagra across southern Afghanistan, and the little prick just popped up!

How am I generous?

"We're all generous, but with different things, like time, money, talent -- criticism."
-- Frank A. Clark

Caution: your skills may be hazardous to your learning...

"It is important to do what you don't know how to do. It is important to see your skills as keeping you from learning what is deepest and most mysterious. If you know how to focus, unfocus. If your tendency is to make sense out of chaos, start chaos."
--Carlos Castaneda, Author, "Journey to Ixtlan," "Politics of Experience"

Thank you Carlos. Today I shall work on learning something completely new outside of economic development...

"It is the mark of an educated mind...

to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it."
--Aristotle

I needed reminding of that! How about you?

"Human beings...

who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so."
--Douglas Noel Adams, British author, "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"

"Mistakes are painful...

when they happen, but years later a collection of mistakes is what is called experience."
--Denis Waitley

Day by day...

think not that what happens to you is of importance and grieve not over the actions which others extend to you, but rather think unto yourself: "The wisdom of the spirit lies not in what others do, but in how I react unto what others may do."

Order your life so that your reaction is always one of forgiveness, gentleness, peacefulness, lovingness. So will your spirit become lightened and brightened, and at the end of the journey it will be released, ready to rise into the realm of light where it may enjoy all the happiness, harmony and beauty which I strive so inadequately to clothe in the words of earth, that you may gain some faint understanding of the beauty you may all see one day.

Source: Wisdom of Ramadahn

Charting a course...

The PAST is for evaluating and learning from its memories and lessons;
The PRESENT is for living in accordance with the constructive benefit of the
knowledge and experience gained in the past;
The FUTURE is for the charting of Life's course into new directions, wherever
indications of possible improvement exist.
--Ruth Dyke

10 Reasons You Know You Bought a Bad Computer

1. Lower corner of screen has the words "Etch-a-sketch" on it.
2. It's celebrity spokesman is that "Hey Vern!" guy.
3. In order to start it you need some jumper cables and a friend's car.
4. It's slogan is "Pentium: redefining mathematics".
5. The "quick reference" manual is 120 pages long.
6. Whenever you turn it on, all the dogs in your neighborhood start howling.
7. The screen often displays the message, "Ain't it break time yet?"
8. The manual contains only one sentence: "Good Luck!"
9. The only chip inside is a Dorito.
10. You've decided that your computer is an excellent addition to your fabulous paperweight collection.

Understanding Marketing

You see a fabulous girl/guy at a party. You approach them and say, "I'm fantastic in bed." That's Direct Marketing.

You're at a party with a bunch of friends and see a fabulous girl/guy. You have one of your friends' approach them, point at you and say, "She's/He's fantastic in bed." That's Advertising.

You see a fabulous girl/guy at a party. You approach them to get their telephone number. The next day you call and say, "Hi, I'm fantastic in bed." That's Telemarketing.

You're at a party and see a fabulous girl/guy. You get up, straighten your clothes, walk up and pour them a drink. You open the door, pick up their bag after it drops, offer them a ride, and then say, "By the way, I'm fantastic in bed." That's Public Relations.

You're at a party and see a fabulous girl/guy. They walk up to you and say, "I hear you're fantastic in bed." That's Brand Recognition.

Ok, it's the end of the year and I'm desparate for meaningful things to post to CL.

From Gary Zukav's Seat of the Soul...

"Reverence is an attitude of honoring life. Reverence automatically brings forth patience. Reverence permits non-judgemental justice.Reverence is a perception of the soul."

End of the year thought...

"Reverence invites revelation."
--Unknown

" There are two conditions in life...

accept things as they exist, or accept responsibility for changing them."
--Dr. Denis Waitley

"Develop an attitude of gratitude...

and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation."
--Brian Tracy

" You get in life...

what you have the courage to ask for."
--Oprah Winfrey

Look at everything...

as though you were seeing it either for the first or last time. Then your time on earth will be filled with glory."
--Kendall Hailey

Real freedom...

comes from having peace of mind.
--Unknown

From Around the World: Mery Christmas and a Happy New Year

Afrikaans - Geseknde Kersfees en 'n gelukkige nuwe jaar
Argentine - Feliz Navidad y Feliz Año Nuevo
Bohemian - Vesele Vanoce
Brazilian - Boas Festas e Feliz Ano Novo
Bulgarian - Vesela Koleda i chestita nova godina!
Catalan - Bon Nadal i un Bon Any Nou!
Chinese - Sing Dan Fae Lok. Gung Hai Fat Choi (Cantonese)
Chinese - Shen Dan Kuai Le Xin Nian Yu Kuai (Mandarin)
Chinese - Shen tan jie kuai le. Hsin Nien Kuaile
Croatian - Sretan Bozic
Czech - Stastne a vesele vanoce a stastny novy rok!
Danish - Glaedelig Jul og godt nyter
Dutch - Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuw Jaar
Dutch - Prettige kerstdagen en een gelukkig nieuw jaar
English - Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
Eskimo - (inupik) Jutdlime pivdluarit ukiortame pivdluaritlo!
Esperanto - Felican Kristnaskon kaj Bonan Novjaron!
Estonian - Rõõmusaid jõulupühi ja head uut aastat!
Faeroese - Gledhilig jol og eydnurikt nyggjar!
Filipinos - Maligayang Pasko
Finnish - Hyvää joulua ja onnellista uutta vuotta!
Flemish - Zalig Kerstfeest en Gelukkig nieuw jaar
French - Joyeux Noel et Bonne Année!
Scots Gaelic - Nollaig chridheil agus Bliadhna mhath yr!
Galician - Bo Nadal
German - Frohe Weihnachten und ein gl|ckliches Neues Jahr!
Greek - Hronia polla kai eytyhismenos o kainourios hronos
Greek - Hronia polla ke eftihismenos o kenourios hronos
Hausa - Barka da Kirsimatikuma Barka da Sabuwar Shekara!
Hawaian - Mele Kalikimaka ame Hauoli Makahiki Hou!
Hungarian - Kellemes karacsonyi uennepeket es boldog ujevet!
Icelandic - Gledhileg jsl og farsflt komandi ar!
Indonesian - Selamat Hari Natal dan Selamat Tahun Baru!
Iraqi - Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah
Irish Gaelic - Nollaig Shona duit
Irish Gaelic - Nollaig Shona
Irish Gaelic - Nollaig faoi shean agus faoi shonas duit agus bliain nua faoi mhaise dhuit!
Italian - Buon Natale e Felice Anno Nuovo!
Japanese - Meri Kurisumasu soshite Akemashite Omedeto!
Latin - Natale hilare et Annum Faustum!
Latvian - Priecigus Ziemsvetkus un Laimigu Jaungadu!
Lithuanian - Linksmu Kaledu
Maltese - Nixtieklek Milied tajjeb u is-sena t-tabja!
Modern Greek - Kala Christougenna kai evtichismenos o kainourios chronos!
Norwegian - God Jul Og Godt Nytt Aar
Pennsylvania German - En frehlicher Grischtdaag un en hallich Nei Yaahr!
Polish - Vesowe Boze Narodzenie
Polish - Wesolych Swiat i Szczesliwego Nowego Roku
Portuguese - Boas Festas
Portuguese - Feliz Natal e um Prospero Ano Novo
Romanian - Craciun fericit si un an nou fericit
Russian - S nastupaiushchim Novym godom i s Rozhdestvom Khristovym!
Romanche - (sursilvan dialect): Legreivlas fiastas da Nadal e bien niev onn!
Serbian - Hristos se rodi
Slovakian - Sretan Bozic or Vesele vianoce
Slovak - Vesele Vianoce i na zdravie v novom roku!
Slovenian - Vesele bozicne praznike in srecno novo leto
Spanish - Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo
Swedish - God Jul Och Ett Gott Nytt Ar
Thai - Suk san wan Christmas
Thai - Suk san wan pee mai - Happy New Year
Trukeese - (Micronesian) Neekiriisimas annim oo iyer seefe feyiyeech!
Turkish - Noeliniz kutlu olsun ve yeni yilinis kutlu olsun!
Turkish - Noeliniz Ve Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun
Ukrainian - Srozhdestvom Kristovym
Ukrainan - Z novym rokom i s rizdvom Hrystovym!
Ukrainan - Khrystos Rodevsia
Vietnamese - Chuc mung nam moi va Giang Sinh vui ve
Welsh - Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Da!"
Yoruba - E ku odun, e ku iye'dun!

Source

"Christmas Eve was...

a night of song that wrapped itself about you like a shawl. But it warmed more than your body. It warmed your heart... filled it, too, with a melody that would last forever. "
--Bess Streeter Aldrich

A little Christmas humor...

Why does Scrooge love Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer? Because every buck is dear to him.
--Unknown

A holiday musical recommendation...

to those who like meditative music: Ancient Echoes, by Chorovaya Akademia, Alexander Sedov, RCA Victor Red Seal Productions. (It's ancient Russian vocals from the Spiritualist tradition.)

You are intuitive...just listen...

"If you feel you're not naturally intuitive, or if you've lost touch with your inner voice, learning to listen will be a great aid in helping you achieve inner simplicity." Elaine St. James, Inner Simplicity.

This is a good one...

Never put anyone out of your heart.
--Neem Karoli Baba

What is love?

Love is not a feeling, it's a behavior.
--Unknown author

Let your life lightly dance...

on the edges of time like
dew on the tip of a leaf.
--Rabindranath Tagore

People you meet...

Many people will walk in and out of your life,
but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.
To handle yourself, use your head;
To handle others, use your heart.
Anger is only one letter short of danger.
Great minds discuss ideas;
Average minds discuss events;
Small minds discuss people.
God gives every bird its food,
But He does not throw it into its nest.
He who loses money, loses much;
He who loses a friend, loses more;
He who loses faith, loses all.

Beautiful young people are acts of nature,
But beautiful old people are works of art.
Learn from the mistakes of others.
You can't live long enough to make them all yourself.
The tongue weighs practically nothing,
But so few people can hold it.
Friends, you and me....
you brought another friend...
and then there were 3...
we started our group...
Our circle of friends...
and like that circle...
there is no beginning or end..
--Author unknown

Beyond reactionary politics...

Tired of the endless tirades by the reactionaries? I am. Stop being counterdependent. Go here to read what at least one blogger has to say about national reactionary politics.

Ancient mystery unveiled...

Speaking of occupational hazards...

Feline Physics Laws

If you own a cat, you know this is all true...

Law of Cat Inertia
A cat at rest will tend to remain at rest, unless acted upon by some outside force - such as the opening of cat food, or a nearby scurrying mouse.

Law of Cat Motion
A cat will move in a straight line, unless there is a really good reason to change direction.

Law of Cat Magnetism
All blue blazers and black sweaters attract cat hair in direct proportion to the darkness of the fabric.

Law of Cat Thermodynamics
Heat flows from a warmer to a cooler body, except in the case of a cat, in which case all heat flows to the cat.

Law of Cat Stretching
A cat will stretch to a distance proportional to the length of the nap just taken.

Law of Cat Sleeping
All cats must sleep with people whenever possible, in a position as uncomfortable for the people involved, and as comfortable as possible for the cat.

Law of Cat Elongation
A cat can make her body long enough to reach just about any counter top that has anything remotely interesting on it.

Law of Cat Obstruction
A cat must lay on the floor in such a position to obstruct the maximum amount of human foot traffic.

Law of Cat Acceleration
A cat will accelerate at a constant rate, until he gets good and ready to stop.

Law of Dinner Table Attendance
Cats must attend all meals when anything good is served.

Law of Rug Configuration
No rug may remain in its naturally flat state for very long.

Law of Obedience Resistance
A cat's resistance varies in proportion to a human's desire for her to do something.

First Law of Energy Conservation
Cats know that energy can neither be created nor destroyed and will, therefore, use as little energy as possible.

Second Law of Energy Conservation
Cats also know that energy can only be stored by a lot of napping.

Law of Refrigerator Observation
If a cat watches a refrigerator long enough, someone will come along and take out something good to eat.

Law of Electric Blanket Attraction
Turn on an electric blanket and a cat will jump into bed at the speed of light.

Law of Random Comfort Seeking
A cat will always seek, and usually take over, the most comfortable spot in any given room.

Law of Bag/Box Occupancy
All bags and boxes in a given room must contain a cat within the earliest possible nanosecond.

Law of Cat Embarrassment
A cat's irritation rises in direct proportion to her embarrassment times the amount of human laughter.

Law of Milk Consumption
A cat will drink his weight in milk, squared, just to show you he can.

Law of Furniture Replacement
A cat's desire to scratch furniture is directly proportional to the cost of the furniture.

Law of Cat Landing
A cat will always land in the softest place possible; often the mid- section of an unsuspecting, reclining human.

Law of Fluid Displacement
A cat immersed in milk will displace her own volume, minus the amount of milk consumed.

Law of Cat Disinterest
A cat's interest level will vary in inverse proportion to the amount of effort a human expends in trying to interest him.

Law of Pill Rejection
Any pill given to a cat has the potential energy to reach escape velocity.

Law of Cat Composition
A cat is composed of Matter + Anti-Matter + It Doesn't Matter

Father Murphy's Donkey...

Father Murphy was a very poor priest in a very poor parish and he needed money. He bought a horse to enter in a local race, but the horse turned out to be a donkey. Still, Father Murphy took it as God's will and entered the donkey in the race anyway. The donkey came in third and the newspaper said, "FATHER MURPHY'S ASS SHOWS!"
Encouraged, Father Murphy entered the donkey in another race. The donkey came in first and the papers said, "FATHER MURPHY'S ASS UP FRONT!" He entered the animal in yet another race. This time it came in second and the papers read, "FATHER MURPHY'S ASS BACK IN PLACE!".

The archbishop heard of the priest's activities and decided the church didn't approve of gambling. He ordered Father Murphy to pull the donkey out of all future races. The papers announced, "ARCHBISHOP SCRATCHES FATHER MURPHY'S ASS!"

The Father gaves the donkey to one of the nuns, Sister Agatha and the papers said, "NUN OWNS BEST ASS IN TOWN!"But eventually Sister Agatha got tired of tending the donkey, and sold it to a children's home for only ten dollars. And the newspapers blared, "NUN PEDDLES ASS FOR $10!"

I want to know which of these is Father Murphy's ass...

Selection #1


Selection #2


Oh yeah!!!!

Today I have been feeling like this...

.
Maybe that is because I put the Christmas tree up this morning (Boy, does it look great!) and just ran 5 miles at the Fitness Center, and wrapped forty-eleven presents.

Cleveland: Finding the Spirit of Place

Rene Dubos wrote in A God Within that "cities, landscapes, regions and places in general derive their uniqueness from hidden forces. Places and persons acquire their distinctiveness from the interplay between their inherent characteristics and the external forces that act upon them. Since places and persons continuously evolve as they age and as conditions change, one might expect that, with time, they would be transformed beyond recognition, but this is not the case." Dubos goes on to describe how the ancient Greeks described the hidden aspect of both people and place as "entheos," or a god within.

Perhaps we would know better what to do to help Cleveland develop at this juncture in its history if we re-discovered the godlike quality within the city and its surrounding region that gives it a unique essence that we call Cleveland. I would suggest that a part of that re-discovery process would involve designing our city and region more in line with Nature in the future. We are more likely to intersect God there than in more high rises, shopping centers and housing developments.

What do you think? Does this prompt any ideas in your head that you would like to share?

Six Step Recipe for Success

Jerry Thomas from Ohio State's Cooperative Extention Service passed this one on to me. Thanks Jerry.

1. Be Passionate
Love what you do.

2. The Greatest Wealth is Family and Friends
Enjoy their love.

3. Every Day is Special
Make it the best it can be.

4. 'No' is Unacceptable
Don't stop there. Go for 'yes.'

5. Celebrate Excellence
Make people feel important.

6. The Greatest Failure is Not to Try
When you dream, wake up and do determination.

The circle of understanding...

"To understand the whole, it is necessary to understand the parts. To understand the parts, it is necessary to understand the whole. Such is the circle of understanding. We move from whole to part and back again, and in that dance of comprehension, in that amazing circle of understanding, we come alive to meaning, to value, and to vision: the very circle of understanding guides our way, weaving the pieces, healing the fractures, mending the torn and tortured fragments, lighting the way ahead--this extraordinary movement from part to whole and back again, with healing the hallmark of each and every step, and grace the tender reward."

Ken Wilber, The Eye of the Spirit.

This is one of my favorites. Could anyone say it more beautifully?

Go here to read the thought that prompted me to post this.

Capitalism for dummies...

I find there is a great deal of confusion within the NE Ohio region about what capitalism is and how it relates to economic development. I did an exhaustive study and here are my major findings.

Traditional Capitalism: You have two cows. You sell one and buy a bull. Your herd multiplies, and the economy grows. You sell them and retire on the income.

American Capitalism: You have two cows. You sell one, and force the other to produce the milk of four cows. You are surprised when the cow drops dead.

French Capitalism: You have two cows. You go on strike because you want three cows.

Japanese Capitalism: You have two cows. You redesign them so they are one-tenth the size of an ordinary cow and produce twenty times the milk. You then create cow cartoon images called Cowkimon and market them World-Wide.

German Capitalism: You have two cows. You reengineer them so they live for 100 years, eat once a month, and milk themselves.

Italian Capitalism: You have two cows, but you don't know where they are. You break for lunch.

British Capitalism: You have two cows. Both are mad.

Russian Capitalism: You have two cows. You count them and learn you have five cows. You count them again and learn you have 42 cows. You count them again and learn you have 12 cows. You stop counting cows and open another bottle of vodka.

Arkansas Capitalism: You have two cows. That one on the left is kinda cute...

Hindu Capitalism: You have two cows. You worship them.

Swiss Capitalism: You have 5000 cows, none of which belong to you. You charge others for storing them.

Canadian Capitalism: You have two cows. Let’s make a hockey team, eh?

Chinese Capitalism: You have two cows. You have 300 people milking them. You claim full employment, high bovine productivity, and arrest the newsman who reported the numbers.

Irish Capitalism: You have two cows. You feed them potatoes and wonder why they emigrate.

Israeli Capitalism: So, there are these two Jewish cows, right? They open a milk factory, an ice cream store, and then sell the movie rights. They send their calves to Harvard to become doctors. So, who needs people?

Enron Capitalism: You have two cows. You sell three of them to your publicly listed company, using letters of credit opened by your brother-in-law at the bank, then execute a debt/equity swap with an associated general offer so that you get all four cows back, with a tax exemption for five cows. The milk rights of the six cows are transferred via an intermediary to a Cayman Island company secretly owned by the majority shareholder who sells the rights to all seven cows back to your listed company. The annual report says the company owns eight cows, with an option on one more. Sell one cow to buy a new president of the United States, leaving you with nine cows. No balance sheet provided with the release. The public buys your bull.

Cuban Capitalism: You have two cows. They try to swim to Florida.

Politically Correct Capitalism: You are associated with (the concept of "ownership" is a symbol of the phallo centric, war mongering, intolerant past) two differently - aged (but no less valuable to society) bovines of non-specified gender.

Disney Capitalism: You have two cows. They dance & sing.

Microsoft Capitalism: You have two cows. You patent them and sue anyone else who has them.

Hollywood Capitalism: You have two cows. You give them utter implants and also teach them to bullet-dodge, wall climb and shoot milk out of their utters on command.

Clinton Capitalism: You have two cows. You deny any knowledge of them.

Bureaucratic Capitalism: You have two cows. They are cared for by ex-chicken farmers. You have to take care of the chickens the government took from the chicken farmers. The government gives you as much milk and eggs the regulations say you should need.

Gore Capitalism: You have two cows. You claim you invented them.

Real-World Capitalism: You have two cows. You share two cows with your neighbors. You and your neighbors bicker about who has the most "ability" and who has the most "need". Meanwhile, no one works, no one gets any milk, and the cows drop dead of starvation.

Australian Capitalism: You have two cows. You try to wrestle them.

Iraqi Capitalism: You have two cows. They are biochemical weapons.

Perestroika Capitalism: You have two cows. You have to take care of them, but the government takes all the milk. You steal back as much milk as you can and sell it on the black market.

Jewish Capitalism: You have two cows. You set them on fire and they burn for 8 days.

Cambodian Capitalism: You have two cows. The government takes both and shoots you.

Mormon Capitalism: You have two cows. You tell everyone that they should as well.

Military Capitalism: You have two cows. The government takes both and drafts you.

Texan Capitalism: You have two cows. You teach them to fire guns.

Totalitarian Capitalism: You have two cows. The government takes them and denies they ever existed. Milk is banned.

Nevadan Capitalism: You have two cows. You charge lonely men from Arkansas to spend the night with them.

Jehovah’s Witness Capitalism: You have two cows. You go door to door telling people that you do.

Bureaucrat Capitalism: You have two cows. At first the government regulates what you can feed them and when you can milk them. Then it pays you not to milk them. Then it takes both, shoots one, milks the other and pours the milk down the drain. Then it requires you to fill out forms accounting for the missing cows.

Real Capitalism: You don't have any cows. The bank will not lend you money to buy cows, because you don't have any cows to put up as collateral.

Environmental Capitalism: You have two cows. The government bans you from milking them.

Surreal Capitalism: You have two giraffes. The government requires you to take harmonica lessons.

Californian Capitalism: You have two cows. They are happy.

Bush Capitalism: You have two cows. You think that cows and humans can coexist peacefully. You give all of the milk to the upper class when they have cows of their own, and the lower class needs milk.

Martha Stewart Capitalism: You have two cows. After decorating them, you sell them because a farmer told you the price of milk might go down.

Ayn Rand Capitalism: You have two cows. You sell both so that you can invest in a new dairy company. After it does well, you sell you stock and buy a cow farm. After that does well, you take out a loan using cows as capitol and build a milk manufacturing factory. After making your milk the most sold, you sell the company and retire to Hawaii with your millions of dollars.

Source: Jokes.com

5 presidents are on a plane ...

Five presidents are on a plane: George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton. George Washington says, "I will make someone happy!" and throws a dollar bill off the plane.

Then Abraham Lincoln says, "I will make five people happy!" and throws 5 one dollar bills off the plane.

Then Thomas Jefferson says, "I will make 500 people happy!" and throws 500 one dollar bills off the plane.

Then George W. Bush says, "I will make the whole world happy!" and throws Bill Clinton off the plane.

Here is a challenge to my Cleveland area readers...

Let's say you're David Letterman for a night and you had to prepare a top ten list of things about Cleveland, what would your list include? Be as jaded, outrageous, cynical, insightful as you like...

Counterdependence...

This is where someone overcompensates for feeling very dependent and subconsciously goes in the opposing direction. They become extremely independent wanting no close connections with others.

I remember first encountering the term during my studies in Organizational Behavior a long time ago. Organizations and communities are filled with counterdependent attitudes and behavior; that is people who are still dependent and have no idea that they are.

What is the solution? Certainly greater self-awareness, and also "autonomous interdependence," where we are able to be who we are in peaceful coexistence with others.

Jack Ricchiuto has made several helpful insights on his blog about self-discovery and finding the path to greater personal meaning. Musing on his blog has reminded of the need for greater awareness of counterdependent behavior in the Greater Cleveland community.

Celtic Christmas II...

is well worth a listen. Sweet moving music that stirs the soul. Get it here.

Leave it to Letterman...

Top Ten Secrets Learned From Saddam Hussein's Papers

10. "Saddam" is Kurdish for "Duane"

9. Had just acquired a New York City cabdriver's license

8. Surprisingly, dots his "I"s with hearts

7. You won't find a bigger Clay Aiken fan

6. Four of clubs? Gay

5. His "divine plan for world domination" was written on back of Blimpie's coupon

4. Continued to name himself "Iraqi of the Month" right through November

3. Was working on a book of "You Might Be a Dictator If..." jokes

2. Funneled money to ABC to throw Trista and Ryan a fabulous wedding

1. He wrote letters to "Penthouse" under name "Sexy in Spider Hole"

Angels from upon high...

This story was told to me by a camel driver during a recent caravan across the Sahara Desert. I believe it to be true.

Not long ago and far away, Santa was getting ready for his annual trip...but there were problems everywhere. Four of his elves were sick, and the trainee elves did not produce the toys as fast as the regular ones so Santa was beginning to feel the pressure of being behind schedule.

Then Mrs. Claus told Santa that her mom was coming to visit. This stressed Santa even more. When he went to harness the reindeer, he found that three of them were about to give birth and two had jumped the fence and were out, heaven knows where. More Stress. Then when he began to load the sleigh, one of the boards cracked and the toy bag fell to the ground and scattered the toys. So, frustrated, Santa went into the house for a cup of coffee and a shot of whiskey.

When he went to the cupboard, he found the elves had hidden the liquor and there was nothing to drink. In his frustration, he dropped the coffee pot and it broke into hundreds of little pieces all over the he kitchen floor.
He went to get the broom and found that mice had eaten the straw it was made from.

Just then the doorbell rang and Santa cussed on his way to the door. He opened the door and there was a little angel with a great big Christmas tree. The angel said: "Where would you like to put this tree Santa?" And that my friends, is how the little angel came to be on top of the Christmas tree.

Now you know the rest of the story...

Don't EVER give up...

You just can't beat the person who never gives up.
-–Babe Ruth

I think I heard this as a youngster...

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
-–Proverbs 15:1

Kids...

Having children is like having a bowling ally installed in your brain.
-–Martin Mull

When...

meditation is mastered, the mind is unwavering like the flame of a lamp in a windless place."
--Bhagavad Gita

On education...

There are two educations. One should teach us how to make a living and the other how to live.
--John Adams

Stick to your heart...

Originality can be lonely for a while but there are always people out there who will find value in your abilities and ideas. The strength of self-faith comes from understanding that, despite what others may say, you have something of value.

True genius...

"When a true genius appears in the World, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are all in confederacy against him."
--Jonathan Swift, 17th Century author of Gulliver's Travels

Learning from mistakes...

" We learn wisdom from failure much more than from success. We often discover what will do, by finding out what will not do; and probably he who never made a mistake never made a discovery."
--- Samuel Smiles

" It's not what you do to make a living...

It is who you are while you're living,
Who you reach by your living,
And the memory of your living."
--Letia Nichols

Interesting...

" Promotion should not be more important than accomplishment, or avoiding instability more important than taking the right risk."
--Peter F. Drucker

Discipline versus regret...

" The pain of discipline is nothing like the pain of regret."
--Unknown

Be kind...

" Three things in human life are important: The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. And the third is to be kind."
--Henry James

"Nothing is by chance...

There is a perfect pattern and plan running through the whole life, and you're part of that wholeness and therefore part of that perfect pattern & plan. When you see strange things happening in your life and wonder why they should happen to you, take time to see how it all fits in, and you will see a reason for everything. The reason may not be always what you expected, but nevertheless be willing to accept them and to learn by them, and do not fight against them. Life should be effortless. A flower does not struggle to unfold in the rays of the sun, so why should you struggle to unfold in the rays of My limitless love? If you do, it's your own doing, and it is not part of My perfect pattern and plan your. Simplicity is My hallmark, so keep life simple. Keep in constant contact with me and watch yourself unfold in My love."
-- Eileen Caddy

Gandhi's seven sins...

- Wealth without work
- Pleasure without conscience
- Knowledge without character
- Commerce without morality
- Science without humanity
- Worship without sacrifice
- Politics without principles.

Truth and silence...

It has often occured to me that a seeker after truth has to be silent.
--Gandhi

Read this...

We sow our thoughts, and we reap our actions;
We sow our actions, and we reap our habits;
We sow our habits, and we reap our characters;
We sow our characters, and we reap our destiny.
-Unknown

Necessity is...

the mother of taking chances.
-Mark Twain

On change...

Every new adjustment is a crisis in self-esteem.
-Eric Hoffer

Every man (and woman)...

is said to have his (her) own peculiar ambition.
-Abraham Lincoln

Strong lives...

are motivated by dynamic purposes.
-Kenneth Hildebrand

He who...

wants to do everything will never do anything.
-Andre Maurois

This will make you chuckle...

.

C-L is Changin': New Links and Voices

Check out the new links and voices listed on Conscious Living...Look closely and find the scandalous revelations. You might be amazed at what you find.

100 Things About Me

1. I'm 52 and counting. (I don't feel 52 though.)
2. I am wildly passionate about life.
3. I believe everyone basically creates their own reality.
4. Mayfield Village (Eastern suburb of Cleveland) is home.
5. Mary is the love of my life. She keeps me focused on what matters in life.
6. Mary is a health care administrator at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. She would like to be a professional volunteer with animals in need in her next career. (Maybe that is why she likes me?)
7. Jeff, my oldest son, is an EMT and is studying at Hiram University. Jeff has my sense of humor.
8. Jason, my youngest son, works at Fed-Ex and is a student at the University of Toledo. Jason has my curiosity about how things work.
9. Evan, my grandson, is eight and goes to Fairfax Elementary School in Cleveland Heights. He is both athletic and creative.
10. I am more physically fit now than I was as a grid-iron star in high school. (Thanks to the Progressive Fitness Center and Mary.)
11. Our house is a Nature preserve, or as close to it as you can get.
12. Music is a passion, especially fast and energetic stuff that you can run and dance to.
13. I won the Arizona Air Guitar Championship in 1969. Lost the Western Regional Championship to Eric Clapton.
14. Dad is 82, writes poetry daily, heads the Lions Club in Mississippi, and is an active community volunteer in Tupelo. He taught me the importance of doing the best with whatever assets and resources you have, and that life starts over everyday of your life.
15. Doug, my younger brother lives in OK City, works for Yale Material-Handling, and he and I are tied as the best-looking guys in our family.
16. Diana, my younger sister, lives in Tupelo, MS, has a heart of gold, and has some special powers that I do not claim to understand.
17. Mom departed Planet Earth in 1986. She taught me to laugh at myself, take risks in life, and not to forget who I really am. She visits every Christmas.
18. Christmas is my favorite time of the year. I wish everyday was Christmas.
19. Derk is my best friend. We were college roommates at the UA in Tucson in the late 60s and early 70s. Derk is one of the most creative and fun-loving people I have ever known. He lives in Prescott, Arizona.
20. I started getting gray hair when I was 18 years old. Now I am just working on keeping my hair.
21. I have always been a maverick...that is an "unbranded range animal."
22. My leading strength is my passion for life. My leading weakness is my passion for life.
23. We have 11 bird feeders and spend more on bird seed each year than the gross domestic product of some small countries.
24. I have three blogs, which is a sign of my craziness.
25. I am one of the few people you know who accidently dragged a stuffed chair on the back of a red VW for three miles before noticing that the damn thing was attached to my rear bumper. (Now you know why I need Conscious Living).
26. As a child, I couldn't decide if I wanted to be a missionary, world explorer, or a comedian. I became an economic developer instead because it combined the best of all three worlds.
27. I love to travel and have had the good fortune to see much of North America, Asia, and Europe. I just returned from a trip to Mars. It was great, but wow what a long trip.
28. The Southwest has been a special place for me since my college days. Arizona is great. Nothing like Arizona sunsets. It's magical.
29. Reading is a daily habit for me. I need to read more fiction to offset all the business and other nonfiction stuff that I consume.
30. Ice cream is the food of the gods because it is effortless to eat.
31. I blog because I can't help it. It's like eating potato chips.
32. Deep down inside I feel exactly like I did when I was 20 years old.
33. Growing up I had too much religious training, which caused my hair to turn gray, drove me to drink, and led to my maverick and rebellious personality.
34. I got back on the spiritual growth wagon in the early 1990s. Pluto flew through my 11th house, or was that Saturn collided with Mars. I know there is an astrological answer for all this.
35. The older I get, the more comfortable I am with myself. Why the hell can't other people share my comfort with myself?
36. In 1969 I gave up a college football scholarship at a Midwestern church college to go to the University of Arizona and hang out in the desert.
37. I have a vivid imagination and can entertain myself for hours on end with my imagination. (Am I nuts or what?)
38. My grandmothers had a huge influence on me growing up. They were two of my best life teachers.
39. I believe in lifelong learning. I don't have a choice because I am such a slow learner.
40. I've published almost 50 academic and professional articles in the economic development field and co-authored an ED book in 1999. I enjoy writing.
41. I remain optimistic that I will win the Mega Lottery and retire early in Arizona.
42. My in-laws Ginny and Ken are like second parents to me. Ken departed Planet Earth four years ago. He always said that I was his favorite bartender. Ginny just celebrated her 80th birthday.
43. I love blazing fires in the fireplace. As a child, I was a borderline pyromaniac.
44. I love parties, meeting new people, telling stories and having fun.
45. In 1970, I won the Yavapai Hall fart-lighting contest at the UA. (Must have been a carryover from my pyromaniac youth.)
46. I think it's fun to be outrageous at times. I like people who are not afraid to "let it rip" and do outrageous things.
47. Many people say I am a born teacher. I love teaching because it's fun to watch and help other people learn new things.
48. I could never work for anyone else. I guess that is why I am in business for myself. (Must have something to do with rebellious and independent sides.)
49. Life gets funnier the older I get. More and more I am finding that a good laugh is the only solution to some of our worst problems.
50. I hate people who complain about stupid things in life. Whiners are dead meat in my company.
51. Sometimes I have so much fun in life that I forget what I am really supposed to be doing.
52. I researched and wrote my family history. It took four years to finish. It reads like a Michner novel. No long-lost rich relatives in the family. Everybody in the family tree was "out of their tree," poor and ugly.
53. Sometimes I drive people crazy because I am too f_ _ _ ing intense.
54. I collect "old" baseball cards. We're talking cards before 1960. My oldest card is a tobacco series card from 1914.
55. I grew up in the Ohio Valley along the Ohio River (Martins Ferry and St. Clairsville.) For some reason, we were called "river rats."
56. As a kid, I was surrounded by lots of family who loved me and encouraged me to grab the brass ring in life.
57. There is nothing prettier than a decorated Christmas tree...well, except Mary when she is dressed for a big night out.
58. There is nothing better than that first cup of hazelnut coffee in the morning.
59. The older I get the more I like my blue jeans, tee shirts and running shoes.
60. Mary has the green thumb in our house. The only thing I grow is paper in my office.
61. I do most of the cooking in our house. I love food...sometimes too much.
62. Life is a gift! I really believe that.
63. Star-lit nights are a real inspiration to me.
64. I procrastinate on things that I don't like to do. Mary uses the whip on me to get these things done.
65. My philosophy of life is simply "make it happen."
66. I can be very competitive at times, but I have learned to work with other talented people. It feels good to connect with other creative "make it happen" people.
67. I hate whiners...did I say that already?
68. I get nostalgic at times...it's a cyclical thing with me.
69. Freedom is VERY important to me.
70. I can't decide if I am a liberal conservative or a conservative liberal. No, I'm a liberal conservative!
71. Many of my friends have tried to convince me to run for political office over the years. I'm smart enough to know that people who throw stones should not live in glass houses.
72. I need to finish this half-written book that I have been looking at for the past 2 years. It's about my encounter with aliens, or something like that.
73. I subscribe to the "new sciences" (quantum physics, complexity theory, etc.) and think they are changing every aspect of our lives.
74. Ego is my worst enemy at times.
75. I love butterflies because of their grace and beauty.
76. Life is transformational if you just let it happen.
77. We are not our work, as much as we think we are at times.
78. I have a love-hate relationship with my computers. I love them when they overlook my mistakes and hate them when they don't.
79. I think we have a lot to learn from young and old people alike. Lately I have been learning a lot from young people in my life.
80. We need to be concerned about the long term. We are too short-term oriented in how we live our lives.
81. I believe in karma. Even writing this list of 100 things as a karmic trail to it...so watch out.
82. We need to reinvent ourselves on a regular basis. People unwilling to change really bug me.
83. I hate spending too much money for a car. What a waste of money. I'd rather spend money on nice vacations, great dinners out with friends, our home, and other people.
84. I love flying. Sometimes I wish I had become a pilot.
85. Archeology is one of my secret passions. One of my undergraduate degrees was in the field.
86. One of my favorite work projects was working with Indian tribes for three years. I learned many things about patience, how perceive life, and how interconnected everything and everyone is in life. My best friend Derk was my co-pilot on the project.
87. I spent 15 years at the university. I was smart enough to get out while I was still ahead. What I miss most is the contact with young people.
88. Cleveland has been a great home for me. It has brought out the best of me, even though it pisses me off at times.
89. I enjoy public speaking and giving seminars. I tell more stories now and engage the audience more fully.
90. I want to do some really innovative things in the economic development field in the future. I have worked in the field for 27 years and see the need for new ideas in how we create and sustain local economies.
91. I am thankful for the people who have shaped my life. I would have screwed up royally if it were not for others' guidance and support.
92. I have always felt a need to give something back to the community.
93. I used to worry more about acceptance by others. Now I worry about not being outrageous enough.
94. The older you get the faster time goes. That is really true.
95. Writing 100 things about youself takes a long time. I might need to change this list tomorrow.
96. I believe there is a reason for everything in life. If there isn't one, I believe we make them up.
97. A picture is worth a thousand words.
98. I love baseball but was a lousy player as a kid.
99. Life is a lot simpler when we just take it one day at a time. That is not so simple.
100. I am glad that I am done with this list so I can have a glass of wine.

Important tech terms to survive...

486
The average IQ needed to understand a PC.

State of the Art
Any computer you can't afford.

Obsolete
Any computer you own.

Microsecond
The time it takes for your state-of-the-art computer to
become obsolete.

G3
Apple's new Macs that make you say "Gee, three times
faster than the computer I bought for the same price a
Microsecond ago."

Syntax Error
Walking into a computer store and saying "Hi, I want to
buy a computer and money is no object."

Hard Drive
The sales technique employed by computer salesmen,
esp. after a Syntax Error.

GUI
What your computer becomes after spilling your coffee
on it. (pronounced "gooey")

Keyboard
The standard way to generate computer errors.

Mouse
An advanced input device to make computer errors
easier to generate.

Floppy
The state of your wallet after purchasing a computer.

Portable Computer
A device invented to force businessmen to work at
home, on vacation, and on business trips.

Disk Crash
A typical computer response to any critical deadline.

Power User
Anyone who can format a disk from DOS.

System Update
A quick method of trashing ALL of your software.

Source.

Conscious Living has changed...

One of my readers wrote: "Don, there seems to be a fundamental shift in your Conscious-Living website in the past week. I nearly peed my pants last night when I logged onto your site for my daily fix of spiritual wisdoms, and low and behold I discovered that Second City Comedy didn't really close in Cleveland.

Hey, speaking of blogging, you might enjoy this joke:

Question: How many bloggers does it take to change a light bulb?

Answer: Three. One to change the light bulb. One to remark how much brighter the room is now that there is a new light bulb and a third one to say Indeed.

As a non-blogger, Don, I have to admit that bloggers spend too much time either arguing amongst themselves or sucking up to each other and stating the obvious. Too much reverberation about nothing on the blogs out there. I'll keep coming back to Conscious Living because you make me laugh and cry.

Special News Bulletin...

President Bush approved of a new method of testing ready-to-eat meat for the potentially lethal Listeria bacteria found in factories. According to the legislation, ready-to-eat meat will have to pass standardized tests as part of Bush's "leave no hot dog behind," campaign.

And yes, there is a new Republican Party seal too...

Source.

For some, no challenge is too big...

Democrats release new party seal...

.
Source.

Now what was Colin thinking?

.
"This ain't even Denmark and something is rotten."

Source

Don't let a little criticism deter your out-of-the-box thinking...

Source: gaspirtz.com

What we do to our pets...

Thank God Christmas comes just once a year...

News from the White House...

Conversation between Condolezza Rice and George Bush...

(We take you now to the Oval Office.)

George: Condi! Nice to see you. What's happening?

Condi: Sir, I have the report here about the new leader of China.

George: Great. Lay it on me.

Condi: Hu is the new leader of China.

George: That's what I want to know.

Condi: That's what I'm telling you.

George: That's what I'm asking you. Who is the new leader of China?

Condi: Yes.

George: I mean the fellow's name.

Condi: Hu.

George: The guy in China.

Condi: Hu.

George: The new leader of China.

Condi: Hu.

George: The Chinaman!

Condi: Hu is leading China.

George: Now whaddya' asking me for?

Condi: I'm telling you Hu is leading China.

George: Well, I'm asking you. Who is leading China?

Condi: That's the man's name.

George: That's who's name?

Condi: Yes.

George: Will you or will you not tell me the name of the new leader of China?

Condi: Yes, sir.

George: Yassir? Yassir Arafat is in China? I thought he was in the Middle East.

Condi: That's correct.

George: Then who is in China?

Condi: Yes, sir.

George: Yassir is in China?

Condi: No, sir.

George: Then who is?

Condi: Yes, sir.

George: Yassir?

Condi: No, sir.

George: Look, Condi. I need to know the name of the new leader of China.

Get me the Secretary General of the U.N. on the phone.

Condi: Kofi?

George: No, thanks.

Condi: You want Kofi?

George: No.

Condi: You don't want Kofi.

George: No. But now that you mention it, I could use a glass of milk.And then get me the U.N.

Condi: Yes, sir.

George: Not Yassir! The guy at the U.N.

Condi: Kofi?

George: Milk! Will you please make the call?

Condi: And call who?

George: Who is the guy at the U.N?

Condi: Hu is the guy in China.

George: Will you stay out of China?!

Condi: Yes, sir.

George: And stay out of the Middle East! Just get me the guy at the U.N.

Condi: Kofi.

George: All right! With cream and two sugars. Now get on the phone.

(Condi picks up the phone.)

Condi: Rice, here.

George: Rice? Good idea. And a couple of egg rolls, too. Maybe we should send some to the guy in China. And the Middle East. Can you get Chinese food in the Middle East?

The search for Mrs. Kucinich...

A friend of mine from Sedona recently told me that Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich was advised by his favorite astrologer that he would meet the woman of his dreams in a sweat lodge in northern Wyoming.


Note: HUD-eligible housing

Check out the competition.

Pull my finger...

When asked about his chances of getting Issue 1 (3rd Frontier Bill) passed before he leaves office, Ohio Governor Bob Taft had this to say: "Pull my finger and find out what I really think."

Source: photoj.com

Howard Dean's Vision for America...

Source: politicalhumor.com

What is President Bush reading?

Source: jokesandhumor.com

I couldn't resist...

Source: Funny Post Card.

How geo savvy are you?

What city is located at 39 o, 55 ' N ,and 116 o, 25 ' E?

Oh yeah...

Some days you're the dog, and some days you're the hydrant.
-Unknown

Outside of a dog...

a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.
-Groucho Marx

Christmas is...

the season for kindling the fire of hospitality in the hall, the genial flame of charity in the heart.
-Washington Irving

What is Christmas?

Until one feels the spirit of Christmas, there is no Christmas. All else is outward display--so much tinsel and decorations. For it isn't the holly, it isn't the snow. It isn't the tree. It's not the firelight's glow. It's the warmth that comes to the hearts of men when the Christmas spirit returns again.
-Unknown

Said of Christmas...

Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.
-Hamilton Wright Mabi

Did you know that...

2004 will be a year of the monkey on the Chinese calendar. 1992 was the last year of the monkey and 2016 will be the next one after 2004. January 22,2004 is the first day in the Year of the Monkey. It is the Year 4701 by Chinese calendar.

What should you know about the monkey? Monkeys are fun-loving people who are always cheerful and energetic. They are very clever. Give a monkey a boring book to read and he'll turn it into a Musical. Better yet, he'll invite everyone to see it free! That's how talented, creative and generous monkeys usually are.

2004 will be a good year to "monkey-around."

Where were you on this day in 1969?

I was finishing my last Fall semester exam at the University of Arizona--an Anthropology exam--and getting ready for a long car ride back to Southern Ohio for the Christmas Holiday. Three days with four guys in a blue Camero owned by my friend Steve Van Daele from Moline, Illinois.

Happiness...

Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.
-Buddha

In the vain laughter of folly...

wisdom hears half its applause.
-T.S. Eliot

A wise man...

is superior to any insults which can be put upon him, and the best reply to unseemly behavior is patience and moderation.
-Moliere

The Tree of Christmas Songs

.
Click here to enjoy a favorite Christmas song.

Click here to hear Don Iannone sing In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida with the Boston Pops.

Ho, ho, ho...

.
'What were the words to that Christmas song I like so well? Oh yeah...hark, hark, the dogs do bite, the beggars are coming to town. Was that it? Or maybe it was...dog we now our gay apparel. Whatever! Merry Christmas from your favorite 4-legged friend."

The beauty of the Christmas card...

.
How many times have you been struck by the beauty of Christmas cards you receive?

Remembering...

It's a poor sort of memory that only works backward.
-Lewis Carroll

Penmanship...

A signature always reveals a man's character - and sometimes even his name.
-Evan Esar

Architecture...

is the art of how to waste space.
-Philip Johnson

Feeling nostalgic?

People who get nostalgic about childhood were obviously never children.
Bill Watterson, Calvin and Hobbes

Attention parents...

The thing that impresses me the most about America is the way parents obey their children.
-King Edward VIII

Politics...

The word 'politics' is derived from the word 'poly', meaning 'many', and the word 'ticks', meaning 'blood sucking parasites'.
-Larry Hardiman

Christmas song favorites...

Christmas has always occupied a special place in my heart. As a young child, I started playing Christmas carols in late October. It's a magical time of the year. May the season touch you deeply. Allow the music of Christmas speak to you.

Deck the Halls.

Little Drummer Boy.

Let It Snow.

Silent Night.

Dreaming of a White Christmas.

Silver Bells.

Carol of the Bells.

Let It Snow.

Hark the Herald.

We Three Kings.

Children...

are all foreigners.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Do not be too moral...

You may cheat yourself out of much life. Aim above morality. Be not simply good; be good for something.
-Henry David Thoreau

Act...

Be great in act, as you have been in thought.
-William Shakespeare

Keep it simple...

There is a certain majesty in simplicity which is far above all the quaintness of wit.
-Alexander Pope

Leaders must be...

close enough to relate to others, but far enough ahead to motivate them.
-John Maxwell

A leader is...

the wave pushed ahead by the ship.
-Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoy

Lessons from the Southwest...

Spending the better part of the last two weeks in the Southwest has helped to remind me of what is truly most important in life...that is to focus on my own inner labyrinth and the journey it has in store for me.

I forgot how really simple life is when that becomes my focus. Life is only complicated when we veer from our path, which is easy to do. Sometimes it takes a trip to Albuqerque, Santa Fe, Carefree, and Sedona to remind me of what I really should be doing with my life.

The path...

to greatness is along with others
-Baltasar Gracian

What am I?

I am a part of all that I have met.
-Lord Alfred Tennyson

Even spiritual things...

Attachment to spiritual things is.. just as much an attachment as inordinate love of anything else.
-Thomas Merton

Happiness...

is not in our circumstances, but in ourselves. It is not something we see, like a rainbow, or feel, like the heat of a fire. Happiness is something we are.
-Anonymous

Letting go through silence...

I had the good fortune this morning to meditate before a wonderful sunrise that illuminated the mountains surrounding Santa Fe. I was struck my the "silent elegance" of the event. It reminded me of the power of silently letting go of whatever we hold onto out of desperation. That can be anything in our life...our work, our family and friends, our views and attitudes, and yes even our blogs. I celebrate the simple elegance of silence this morning.

Greetings from Santa Fe

I have had the good fortune to spend most of last week in Arizona (Phoenix, Carefree, Sedona), and most of this week I will be in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The Southwest has always occupied a place place in my heart since the late 1960s when I attended the University of Arizona in Tucson.

The mountains, deserts, sunsets and Native culture of the Southwest is rejuvenating for me. Santa Fe is a beautiful community, which has done an effective job of balancing growth and environmental preservation--not an easy challenge in a high-demand place like this where lots of people want to be here.

As I was running yesterday along the streets of Santa Fe, I was captivated by the city's smells, sounds, shapes and colors. Santa Fe awakens the spirit on various levels simultaneously. By the way, running at an elevation of 7,000 feet is not easy challenge.

The past two weeks have been good for my soul. I am thankful for the opportunity to be here and experience the best of what Santa Fe has to offer us on an intimate personal level. I have re-discovered some important pieces of myself that got lost in the shuffle over the past several months.

Reality is...

a staircase going neither up nor down, we don't move; today is today, always is today.
-Octavio Paz

Time is...

the arbitrary division of eternity.
-Anonymous

An hour of pain...

is as long as a day of pleasure.
-Anonymous, or anyone who has been there.

Never...

bend your head, Hold it high. Look the world straight in the eye.
-Helen Keller

Confidence...

is contagious. So is the lack of it.
-Vince Lombardi

Finding my center and leaving it all behind...

That is exactly what I did today as I walked the labyrinth at the Boulders in Carefree, Arizona this morning. It was a wonderful sunny morning. When our hearts become too full, there is only one thing to do. Find the center of our inner labyrinth and leave our pain and suffering behind. I am thankful for this special place in the foothills of Phoenix and for its special power in helping me to find my center.

I believe life is constantly testing us...

for our level of commitment, and life's greatest rewards are reserved for those who demonstrate a never-ending commitment to act until they achieve. This level of resolve can move mountains, but it must be constant and consistent. As simplistic as this may sound, it is still the common denominator separating those who live their dreams from those who live in regret.
-Anthony Robbins

To achieve the impossible...

one must think the absurd; to look where everyone else has looked, but to see what no one else has seen."
-Unknown

Anger...

doesn't win games.
-Gary Beban

If I could reach up and hold a star for every time...

you've made me smile, the entire evening sky
would be in the palm of my hand.
-Author Unknown

Kindness...

is wisdom.
-Phillip Brantley

People are like stained-glass windows...

They sparkle and shine when the sun is out,
but when the darkness sets in,
their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.
-Elizabeth Kübler-Ross

Each time anyone comes into contact with us...

they must become different and better people
because of having met us.
We must radiate God’s love.
We must know that we have been created for greater things,
not just to be a number in the world,
not just to go for diplomas and degrees,
this work and that work.
We have been created in order to love and to be loved.
Love does not measure. . . it just gives.
-Mother Teresa

Let us give thanks...

for our memories of what has come before and for our visions of what lies ahead.

Life is truly a blessing. I wish each and every one of you good fortune, happiness, love and peace as you continue your sacred journey through life.

A friend...

is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words.
-Anonymous

Art...

washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.
-Pablo Picasso

The master and the combat...

The aikidô master demanded intensive training but never allowed his pupils to compete with other martial-arts academies. They all complained among themselves but no-one ever had the nerve to bring up the subject in class.

And then one day one of the boys dared to ask: We have dedicated ourselves wholeheartedly to the study of aikidô, but we shall never know whether we are good or bad fighters because we cannot compete with anyone from outside here.

And may you never need to know that - was the master's answer. - He who wants to fight loses his bond with the Universe. Here we study the art of resolving conflicts, not starting them.

Source: Warrior of the Light

True religion is...

real living; living with all one's soul, with all one's goodness and righteousness.
-Mark Twain

Pencils in the Hand of God

We are all pencils in the hand of God.
-Mother Teresa

Travel is...

fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.
-Mark Twain

Genius and Madness...

There is no great genius free from some tincture of madness.
-Seneca

Courage...

One man with courage is a majority.
-Thomas Jefferson

Faith is...

an oasis in the heart which will never be reached by the caravan of thinking.
-Kahlil Gibran

Keep your faith...

in all beautiful things; in the sun when it is hidden, in the Spring when it is gone.
-Roy R. Gilson

Faith is...

to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe.
-St. Augustine

To every disadvantage...

there is a corresponding advantage.
-W. Clement Stone

God brings men...

into deep waters not to drown them, but to cleanse them.
-Aughey

Each day...

comes bearing its own gifts. Untie the ribbons.
-Ruth Ann Schabacker

Seeing from Egypt

Source: Baciar

Bryce Canyon, Utah

Source: Marv Mickelson Photography

People who wait...

for conditions to be perfect before acting, never act.
-Anonymous

A turn in the road...

is not the end of the road unless you fail to make the turn.
-Anonymous

Attitude...

-one of lifes choices.
-Anonymous

What the future holds for us...

depends on what we hold for the future. Hardworking "todays" make high-winning "tomorrows."
-Philosopher William E. Haller

Do not follow where the path may lead...

Go, instead, where there is no path and leave a trail." .....when you look back, it's always the stuff that was most difficult that forced you to rise up and use the gifts you've been given to succeed!! We have what it takes, we've just gotta believe in ourselves!
-Joe Fermano, Positive Attitude Institute

The destiny of man...

is in his own soul.
-Herodotus

He who...

despises himself esteems himself as a self-despiser.
-Susan Sontag

Your problem is...

that you are too busy holding onto your unworthiness.
-Ram Dass

The Snow of November 1950, Martins Ferry, Ohio

Just two months before I entered this world...

Source: Martins Ferry Times Leader

White Christmas, 1954

Click hear and listen. (Turn your computer speakers on.)

Holiday drink for the health-conscious...

Christmas Float

1 can coke or Dr Pepper
3 scoops of ice cream - chocolate or vanilla
4 cherries
2 red and green gum drops
red and green M&M's
whipped cream topping

Put ice cream in cup. pour soda on it. then add the whipped cream,
cherries and candy.

WARNING: Does your doctor know you are considering this?

My grandparents' world...

Source: Weirton Public Library.

This is what my grandparents saw when they shopped on Market Street in downtown Wheeling, WV back in the early 1900s.

Magical downtown moment...

Sterling-Lindner Christmas Tree, 1960s

Source: Cleveland Press Photo Collection

If you grew up in Cleveland, a trip to see the Sterling-Lindner Department Store christmas tree was a definite part of your holiday journey. This is a memorable downtown experience that we have lost and cannot be found at your local Wal-Mart. Revive those memories. They are a part of you.

All leaders...

announce themselves as servants of those they lead.
-Anonymous

Beyond the thinking machine...systems

1. Learn to be comfortable with contradictions. See your own life as a movie.

2. Learn to look at problems as possible opportunities. If you want to improve processes and systems, look in the very places where the problems appear. Use beyond-tangible and beyond-linear ways.

3. Learn to focus on people's "better sides." Use win/win, not win/lose. See the beyond-tangible elements. Make new relationships with beyond-linear reasoning.

4. Pause to look for connections in the "big picture." Things get done in the white space in between.

5. Look for systems and develop an appreciation of them, e.g., anthills, baseball fields, etc. Look for systems everywhere. The effect will be logarithmic.

Source: Bringing the Soul Into the Workplace, Naomi Rose

Noetic...

The word "noetic" comes from the ancient Greek word "nous", for which there is no exact equivalent in English. It refers to "inner knowing," a kind of intuitive consciousness—direct and immediate access to knowledge beyond what is available to our normal senses and the power of reason.

Institute for Noetic Sciences

Friends...

So long as we are loved by others I should say that we are almost indispensable; and no man is useless while he has a friend.
-Robert Louis Stevenson

Wise men...

A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds.
-Francis Bacon, Sr.

The discovery of truth...

All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them.
-Galileo Galilei

Love me...

Flatter me, and I may not believe you. Criticize me, and I may not like you. Ignore me, and I may not forgive you. Encourage me, and I will not forget you. Love me and I may be forced to love you.
-William Arthur Ward

How life seems at times...

.
Source

The trouble...

with the rat-race is that even if you win, you're still a rat.
-Lily Tomlin

The best ideas...

come as jokes. Make your thinking as funny as possible.
-David Ogilvy

If there is a soul...

it is a mistake to believe that it is given to us fully created. It is created here, throughout a whole life. And living is nothing else but that long and painful bringing forth.
-Albert Camus

Wow...

.
Source.

From Texas...

.
Source.

Beauty...

.
Source.

Winnie was ahead of his time...

The empires of the future are the empires of the mind.
-Winston Churchill

How we know the future...we don't

There are many methods for predicting the future. For example, you can read horoscopes, tea leaves, tarot cards, or crystal balls. Collectively, these methods are known as "nutty methods." Or you can put well-researched facts into sophisticated computer models, more commonly referred to as "a complete waste of time."
-Scott Adams

Look back, look forward...

A generation which ignores history has no past and no future.
-Robert Heinlein

Future...

We should all be concerned about the future because we will have to live the rest of our lives there.
-Charles F. Kettering

The truth...

of a theory is in your mind, not in your eyes.
-Albert Einstein

The most beautiful things in life...

cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart.
-Hellen Keller

Life is...

no brief candle to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got a hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it onto future generations.
-George Bernard Shaw

Pablo Picasso on Art...

- Art is a lie that makes us realize truth.

- Everything you can imagine is real.

- Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.

- Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.

I think of myself as an intelligent...

sensitive human being with the soul of a clown which always forces me to blow it at the most important moments.
-Jim Morrison (The Doors)

Don't walk in front of me...

I may not follow. Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Just walk beside me and be my friend.
-Albert Camus

The truth will set you free...

but first it will make you miserable.
-James A. Garfield

Whatever...

you are trying to avoid will not go away until you confront it.
-Anonymous

None are so blind...

as those who will not see.
-Anonymous

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

A free bird leaps on the back of the wind
and floats downstream till the current ends
and dips his wing in the orange suns rays and dares to claim the sky.

But a bird that stalks down his narrow cage
can seldom see through his bars of rage
his wings are clipped and his feet are tied so he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings with a fearful trill
of things unknown but longed for still
and his tune is heard on the distant hill
for the caged bird sings of freedom.

The free bird thinks of another breeze
and the trade winds soft through the sighing trees
and the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright lawn and he names the sky his own.

But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams
his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream
his wings are clipped and his feet are tied so he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings with a fearful trill
of things unknown but longed for still
and his tune is heard on the distant hill
for the caged bird sings of freedom.

-Maya Angelou

It is preoccupation...

with possession, more than anything else, that prevents man from living freely and nobly.
-Bertrand Russell

Remember...

that there's a big difference between kneeling down and bending over.
-Frank Zappa

I believe...

that imagination is stronger than knowledge.
That myth is more potent than history.
That dreams are more powerful than facts.
That hope always triumphs over experience.
That laughter is the only cure for grief.
And I believe that love is stronger than death.

Source: Robert Fulghum

Hear The Mountains Calling

Heart of Mine
Hear the Mountains calling
For Peace and
Solitude

Mind of Mine
Hear the Mountains calling
For Insight and
Wisdom

Spirit of Mine
Hear the Mountains calling
For Courage and
Strength

Randy Guess
©1988-2001

TGIF...

That's right...one day closer to the weekend. Get with your weekend attitude. Smile!

In-Bound Flight at Denver International Airport...

Talk about an exhilirating feeling. Wow!

Source

Nell's Mountain, Montana

Click here for an absolutely breath-taking view of Nell's Mountain in Montana in the dead of winter.

How invigorating this must feel...

Source

Lennon on knowing...

People think the Beatles know what's going on. We don't. We're just doing it.
-John Lennon

Listen up...

Dare to be naive.
-R. Buckminster Fuller

Sometimes...

it proves the highest understanding not to understand.
-Baltasar Gracian

If God...

adds another day to our life, let us give thanks for it.
-Marcus Annaeus Seneca

Everyone...

needs help from everyone.
-Bertolt Brecht

Live for others...

the entire population of the universe, with one trifling exception, is composed of others.
-John Andrew Holmes

You...

can't be envious and happy at the same time.
-Frank Tyger

Nothing is enough...

to the man for whom enough is too little.
-Epicurus

What have you missed?

For everything you have missed, you have gained something else.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Better...

a little fire to warm us than a great one to burn us.
-Thomas Fuller

Lately, I can really relate to this.

Anonymously Decorated Christmas Tree

Source: Declan McCullagh

Mountain pass near Jerome, Arizona.

Kaibab Forest Snowfall

Source: Kaibab National Forest

Yes, it does snow in Arizona!

St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow

Source: Declan McCullagh

Wow!

Walking on a snowy afternoon...

Source: Gábor Koscsó

This is very good for the soul.

Remember not only to say...

the right thing in the right place, but far more difficult still, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.
-Benjamin Franklin

India's Temples of Khajuraho

Source: CultureFocus

Meditation...

I shut my eyes in order to see.
-Paul Gauguin

My Halloween Pictures

Just got my photos developed from Halloween. I think I looked pretty good this year. What do you think?

TGIF...

Be kind to yourself and adopt a weekend state of mind early. Do something that makes yourself and another person happy today.

Success...

is a journey and not a destination.
-Ben Sweetland

I remind myself of that often...

Heroes...

We can't all be heroes, because someone has to sit on the curb and clap as they go by.
-Will Rogers

And you thought your Mom was in good shape...

Mom showing her stuff...

Source: Portal Mix

Is this your cat when you introduce a new brand of cat food?

Source: John Lund

The butterfly...

counts not months but moments and has time enough.
-Rabindranath Tagore

Your burden in life...

Pray not for lighter burdens, but for stronger backs.
-Theodore Roosevelt

Charity...

In necessary things, unity; in doubtful things, liberty; in all things, charity.
-Richard Baxter

Try landing this baby on the head of a pin...

Source: C.W. Cook

So, how about a name for this picture...

This really cracks me up...

Ok, so what would you title this picture?

Source: Zyga's Photo Page

History of Michael Jackson's face...Oh my...

Click here and be entertained.

Some guys have all the luck...

I knew this guy in high school. Today he is the CEO of a multi-billion dollar company in Redmond, Washington.

Curve ball for the day...

Don's Grandpa Grappo Marconi

Grandpa started the very first barbershop in Hollerstown in 1932. Unfortunately men were into wearing their hair long back then and Grandpa had to file for personal bankrupcy. He lived in a cave in southern Ohio for 6 years before joining the French Foreign Legion where he served in Dononga, Rebeast, Slambamastan and Robomanuche.

My father was the second of nineteen children. Grandpa's older brother, Guglielmo Marconi, invented the predecessor to the radio. Guglielmo was the black sheep of the family because, as Grandpa used to say: "Il figlio di una femmina ha parlato giù a tutti nella famiglia." (I'll leave this translation to you.)

Grandpa always said: "Il segreto di un lungo e felice vita è un attivo sesso." (The secret of a long and happy life is an active sex life.) The man had a wonderful sense of humor. For that, all of us are thankful.

Finding your Civil War connection...

My great-great grandfather, John C. Barrett fought in the Civil War.

John C. Barrett, Private
184th Regiment, Ohio Infantry

Organized at Camp Chase, Ohio, and mustered in February 21, 1865. Left State for Nashville, Tenn., February 21; thence moved to Chattanooga and to Bridgeport, Ala., March 21. Guard railroad bridge over Tennessee River at Bridgeport, Ala., also railroad between Bridgeport, Ala., and Chattanooga, Tenn., with frequent skirmishing with Rebel Cavalry and guerrillas, March 21 to July 25. Garrison duty at Edgefield, Tenn., July 25 to September 20, 1865. Mustered out September 20, and discharged at Camp Chase, Ohio, September 27, 1865. Regiment lost during service 1 Enlisted man killed and 1 Officer and 58 Enlisted men by disease. Total 60.

Source: Civil War Soldiers and Sailors Database

Did you have a relative in the Civil War? You can locate that relative using this search engine.

Ohio Civil War Memories

Camp Anderson, Civil War Camp, Baltimore, Ohio

Source: Ohio Exploration Society

Ancient echoes

Source: Ohio Exploration Society (Cool Site!)

Shrum Mound is located in Campbell Park on the west side of Columbus along McKinley Avenue, it is one of the last remaining conical burial mounds in Columbus. Believed to have been built nearly 2,000 years ago by the Adena people, it stands 20 feet tall with a diameter of 100 feet.

Cleveland by Night

This is a city worth keeping alive.

Source