The Laughing Wolf

Lost

Something has been bugging me for a couple of days now, in no small measure because it is a way of thinking that baffles me. Recently, in the midst of an otherwise intelligent and enjoyable conversation between members of a group, the statement was made:

"[why go to the stars] We'll just ***k it up there too." Pretty close on the quote, and I think what floored me the most was it came from someone I respect intellectually. In short, this person, and all others taking part (with the exception of myself) feel that humanity is irredeemably and irretrievably lost. That we have "f**ked up" so much and so bad that there is absolutely no hope for us as individuals or as a species. That nothing we do can every be good or right.

If you really and truly believe that, why are you alive? What purpose does your life serve?

Yes, caca occureth. There are wars and people die. There are accidents and people die. Species go extinct. Weather changes affect the world. Bad things happen to good people. Bad things happen to good animals, and even to plants we like.

How incredibly egotistical to think that we, humanity, are responsible for everything bad in the world.

Species went extinct long before mankind arrived on the scene. Yes, we did kill off some out of ignorance and in some cases fear. Yet, we learned from those mistakes and have saved not only species we threatened, but species that nature would have eliminated without our intervention. Research is underway to see if we can restore some of those species that are already gone.

Yes, there are wars, but not all wars are bad. It is not wrong to fight when threatened, and it is not wrong to fight to protect others. Yes, we are at war but it is not one we chose or started, others did that for us. Amidst the gloom and doom, take a look at where freedom blooms: Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, Ukraine, and more.

Yes, there are accidents and bad things happen. There is no such thing as absolute safety, for life is a risk and the only guarantee is that you will eventually die. Reasonable safety has saved and continues to save thousands of lives (and limbs) each year. As technologies improve and as we learn how to do many things better, safety will continue to improve.

Yes, companies do some bad things. Yet, individuals discover what is going on and blow the whistle, so that justice may be served. In a free society you can't prevent such from happening, but you can make sure that such is dealt with in a just and impartial way.

Yes, new drugs and medical treatments are expensive, but look at the hurdles to get them on the market. The average cost for FDA approval is around $800 million, and that is if you make no changes and don't have to start over. Also, almost all treatments are expensive at the start, but look at the cost as a function of time and you will see the cost almost always drop -- and significantly. Look at it again in a historical context, and you might just see that the cost drop has accelerated.

Yes, weather patterns change. They have from time immemorial and will do so until the day the Sol expands to make Earth a cinder. Are we effecting the weather? Yes. How are we doing so? That is a huge question and one to which no one has the answer. Yet.

So, there is no hope for any of us, for we have and will "just f**K it up"

You know what, if that is the way you truly feel, then please just go ahead and curl up and get out of the way. Go into the darkness and have the courage and honesty not to demand that everyone else join you there to die.

As for me, I see the light. I see freedom breaking out around the world. I see people realizing that things can be better everywhere, and taking incredible risks to make it happen. I see scientists and engineers working together to treat diseases that until just a few years ago were guaranteed death sentences. I see good people working together to get those treatments to the people that need them, regardless of wealth, station, or other considerations. I see people working to reintroduce species, to save others threatened by Man or by Nature, and to educate on the importance and benefits of same. I see people doing research to find out exactly what is going on in this big, complex world so that decisions can be made on the basis of fact, not on fear, superstition, or politics. I see many of the best of those using open-source data and analysis, and not trying frantically to hide how they do their research so as to prevent reasonable refutation or verification.

I could go on and on about all that is good in the world, and all the good work done by Man. Caca occureth. Just because one bad thing happened doesn't mean that good things can't, nor does it mean that something good can't come from the bad. People make mistakes or just flat out do bad things -- it does not mean that they can't also learn from the experience and/or do good things as well. If you just sit and kvetch about the bad, roll and revel in it, then nothing good will happen. At least, that is, by your actions.

For those that see a problem, and work to eliminate it, nothing is impossible. If the standard is dropped, another will pick it up and carry it forward. Light will eliminate the dark.

I choose to work for and with those who are making a positive difference, who stand for freedom and individual liberty. If I stumble, no matter how badly, then I know that there are those who will help me get back up. If I die, then I know that another will take the standard on. We will fix mistakes, and work to improve.

What will you do: work for the light, or demand that all join you in the dark. Choose wisely. Choose now.

LW

A Life Well Lived

The last couple of weeks have been far too interesting in some respects, ones that bring back memories good and bad. One friend is fighting the Big C, and the news has been mixed. Another, a very bad diabetic, has had emergency heart surgery and been making their family's life very interesting. Throw in a few acquaintances with similar woes, and life can be downright interesting. Thankfully, both have a sense of humor ("Dear, get pictures of all the secret Army stuff" as the life-flight chopper goes across airspace that can be a bit restricted), which helps the rest of us with things.

My everything-has-a-purpose post will come later. Two things happened to pose a different thought for the day. One was talking with someone about the things they want to do. The second was the birth of a cousin, a timely reminder of the cycle. When that baby is grown and facing its own mortality, what life will it see? What life do you see? What makes a good life?

Have you lived your life? Is it a life well lived?

Have you lived every minute of every day? If not, why not? For the time allotted to us is not known, and each minute is both a boundless future, and the last we may have. Make the most of that time, of your time, to live well and fully.

Also, send a thought, prayer, or whatever you do for the best to all those in need, from those listed here to those unsung.

LW

To Love, Never To Lose

In this post, Michele at Letters from New York City asks us to share first loves. This ties into this post from Christina at Feisty Repartee asking how men show love. Both started some thoughts that I have not had the time to sit down and write about as they deserve to be treated, until now. For one thought that has crossed my mind in thinking on this is that I am not sure I have ever truly lost anything for love.

My first crush was a cute young blonde (at least that is how I remember her) girl in first grade, a fairly innocent thing. At least from our viewpoint, for I still have fond memories of her, but will say that her mother was a piece of work. Alas, it did not last long, but it set the stage for more later and there were some other crushes in grade school, but only one stands out to my mind. I wrote about it as my Blog Cuba entry here. Muchas gracias mi amigo for asking me to take part in that. It brought back many good memories, though I still wonder where she is today.

I think my first case of lust hit at an early age as well, courtesy of The Avengers. Mrs. Peel. Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrroooowwwwwwllllllllllllll! Still hot today too, and back then kick started me into puberty. In looking back with more adult eyes, still think they could have called the show "Emma In Bondage" and not been wrong at all. I wanted to be Steed both because of how suave a character he was, but also because I did not see him and Mrs. Peel letting all that wonderful sexual frission go to waste.

My first college crush was Miss B. I was clueless on many levels, and blew my chances there, but I was in heavy lust with her and kick myself for many missed opportunities because I was such a chowderhead. Was the first in a series of redheads too, thinking back on it.

The first real love of my life was a young woman I met in an English class. She was a graduate student, taking the course or auditing, I can't remember. I asked the professor about her, and he decided to encourage the interest, not to her happiness perhaps, but to mine. The hunt began, and then a relationship. Ups and downs, but a solid core of friendship was built in the process. The fact is, we realized that we did very much love each other, but that we were not right for each other. I helped her to find her true love, and to get them together. It was easy to do in many ways, because I did truly love her and wanted only the best for her, and for her happiness. It was a decision I have never regretted because I see quite often the happiness they have together.

I am not sure if I would consider the person I call my Ex as a crush or what. There was love there at one point, but I think a lot of what brought us together was desperation. She wanted citizenship and to be a spoiled thing. I wanted someone in my life, in some ways for all the wrong reasons. After the stunt she pulled the night of my Father's visitation, I woke up and let her go. I did it gently in many respects, to the point of giving her a special weekend in San Francisco complete with her first visit to a hair salon since, according to her, she was twelve. Come to think of it, her mother was apparently quite a piece of work too. Yet and all, I benefitted from the affair, whatever it truly was. I learned, I grew, I matured, and I did have some fun along the way. She reminded me of things about myself that I had forgotten, and reawakened some dreams.

As for how I show my love to the special women in my life? Sometimes it is in the little things: a note hidden to be found, a special treat of food, a small gift to be found at a time when they were no where near me. Sometimes it is in the holding, for I have held females through a rough night, held and nothing more. Sometimes it was in the touch: a hug for no good reason, or something more in the form of a massage. Sometimes it was in a bit more: a shower, a full-body massage until full relaxation, then a hot bath with bath salts. It was doing something to give them physical pleasure that they liked. It was always the eyes, for I never tired of looking at them, of telling them with my gaze that I found them sexy, wonderful, intelligent, fun, or whatever else was appropriate. It was in the simple fact that with those special people that I would walk hand-in-hand with them, with us never really thinking about it -- it just was. It just is.

The flowers and the showy things were nice, but it was and is the small things that truly count. It was and is the small things that let me know how serious I am, and how serious they are about the relationship.

The loss of the relationship can be and was devastating, and worse yet is losing someone more permanently. Yet, as much as I have been hurt temporarily by such, I have come to question the whole concept of "Losing at Love" as espoused in song and story. The older I have gotten, the more I have realized that hurt, and even harm, are nothing. For love or lust, but particularly love, has left me a far richer person than I was before. Each relationship has brought something new, something special, into my life. I have lived, I have loved, I have learned. Some lessons are bound to be painful in ways we will not enjoy. Yet, are those not the lessons that stick?

Each relationship has brought life and joy into my existence. Each love has brought so much more, and the nice thing is, the ones with love continue to give, even when that person is gone. That love remains with me, and brightens my day. It continues to fill me with those who remain in my life, and fill my life with the love of friendship.

No, I have never lost at love. I have only gained from it.

LW

A Thought For The Day

For some this is a holiday, for others it is not. For some, the day is about the man, while for others it is about a dream. My own thoughts are to set aside the man, for man is fallible and full of foibles. Instead, think about this:

Do you judge by race, gender, religion, or other; or, do you look at and judge the individual?

For me, I try to get past the trappings and look at the colour of the soul. Not always easy to do, but what you get for the effort is well worth it. If all you can see is the label, then perhaps you might go to the eye doctor as a start.

LW

A Very Good Question

Perry de Havilland at Samizdata asks a very good question. Is it rationalism and spread of the secular tenents of the Enlightenment, a loss of abstract reasoning ability, or something else? It is worth pondering a bit in the days ahead.

LW

Something I Have Never Understood

My parents were children of the Great Depression, and as such grew up without a lot in many respects. This meant that they both treasured what they did have, and showed great respect for the property of others. For, by the rules of that day, if you damaged the property of another, great or small, you repaired it or replaced it.

I was raised that way, and as a result I never did understand the love some people had for destroying things belonging to others. I encountered it, both by having some things of mine destroyed and through watching other kids go the destructive route. The fact is that then and now I have trouble with understanding or getting into such a mindset.

This is especially true for the creative process. I can’t paint, but I love to see others do so. I don’t always like what I see and in fact feel that some of it is pure crap, but that does not give me the right to destroy such pieces of art. I am not compelled to deface it in any way, by drawing a mustache upon it or throwing mud. Writing is something I love, both doing and reading. I’ve taken part in various workshops and groups where we review the works of others, and the fundamental rule is to offer constructive suggestions. It is the easy way, the coward’s way, to say that something is dreck without specifying the problem or problems. I suppose it makes the person feel good to attack the work of another, but what purpose does it serve?

As an editor, reviewer, and writer it is much harder but much better to point out specific problems and possibilities for fixing them. In that way, you offer an honest critique with a means to improve. For anyone wanting to write, I suggest strongly reading, reading, and reading. Look at what you like, and then figure out why you like it. That can be the best help you can get to improving your own efforts.

The same is true for discourse. It is easy to say a position or exposition is dreck. Quite often, this is done deliberately because the person making the attack truly has nothing in mind more than attacking. Generalities do nothing constructive, for the devil and salvation are in the details.

That is one reason this site is devoted to discourse, not to debate or argument. I am extremely fortunate that most who come here take part in that spirit and with a sense of intellectual adventure. Like any human, I like it when people agree with me, but I have been delighted at some of the well-reasoned disagreements for they force me to think and to learn. A post long delayed comes from just such an event, and I do hope I have the time soon to finish the research and writing involved. Yes, I have delinked some people, a sad thing which I try to avoid and only do when a matter of honor is involved, and I will delete any post that violates the rules of posting.

What is not discourse, but random destruction, are those who offer up attacks without substance, generalities so vague as to defy proof or disproof, and ad homenim attacks that serve no purpose. I remain somewhat curious as to what drives such people, for they are the type that would destroy a painting, tear down the physical works of another, and delight in defacing another’s efforts. Does it really make them feel good? Is that what it takes for them to feel like something or someone? Is their life so empty and adrift that they can only feed on the negative? How sad they must be to choose to live such a life.

The recent posts in regards Steven Den Beste have brought this to the fore. Such sad, pitiful creatures helped rob us of his insights. No matter if you agreed with him or not, his posts were well documented, well reasoned, and there as a feast of food for thought within them. Yet, those who create nothing and add little or nothing to the world attacked, and a great voice was silenced. We all lost when that happened.

There is little that can be done in some ways, other than to do what I strive to do here: keep it reasoned and to refuse to reward any who openly defy rules of civilized discourse. This little bit of reality is mine, and I will do what I can to keep it civil. Mayhaps if we as individuals and a society stop rewarding those destructive forces, much good can result. It may not bring us back those gone, but it can make for a brighter world. Think on that a bit today.

LW

What Is Your Level Of Service?

Last week, I discovered that mail going to the old temporary lair had been thrown away or returned instead of being held. The assistant manager was surprised, as she had been holding it for me, but someone decided that such was no longer necessary. Now the fact is that there were some checks in the pipeline that I need, and that there were other things coming in that I wanted to get so that I could change the address. Yet, because it had been more than three weeks someone decided on their own that holding or forwarding would no longer be done.

As p.o.'d as it did make me with the Suburban Lodge, especially after the delight of finding other peoples hair in my brushes and such, it also made me think a bit. The person who did this did so apparently because a minimum time had passed. A minimum. A minimum level of service had been provided so they no longer had to provide it.

This is a trait the extends well beyond customer service. How often do we provide the minimum in all things, from service to relationships? We do the minimum to get by, rather than try do do things right. Think on this a bit today, and consider going for the maximum instead. The rewards can be staggering on many levels.

LW

Food For Thought: Thanksgiving Edition II

This began last year and I want to continue the tradition. For we too often forget all that we have, and all for which we should give thanks.

It can be easy to get lost. We are at war with an enemy that wants us dead or as slaves, and our young men and women fight both in open combat and in ways far from view. The economy is okay, but things are not what we would like. Some are not happy with the last election, there are a host of personal and professional problems and distractions, and many other things that we can let rob the joy from life. The point is, they can only do so if we let them.

Think about what you have and what is truly important in your life. Think for a bit, and it may just change your outlook. For example, I know for a fact that I have some damn good friends, a lot of good acquaintances, and have met some wonderful people who are no longer strangers. My health is better than it has been, with the shoulder problem much reduced. The problems I had with hypoglycemia seem to be gone and steps are being taken to keep it that way. There are some good things apparently coming in my life, and while they present challenges in their own right, they also have brightened things immeasurably. In short, the following remain true from last year:

• I may not have made as much money this year as I did last year, but that is a temporary thing. I have the opportunity to make as much as I want, if I will avail myself of all the opportunities that come my way and will work. For I am guaranteed the right of the pursuit of happiness, not that everything will be handed to me on a silver platter. Equality of outcome is not anywhere in the promise, only the chance to work hard to achieve that of which I dream.

• I give thanks for those that are gone. Some I knew well, some I truly knew not at all, but each of them touched my life. In touching my life, they altered it. For some, it was a ray of light, a touch of joy, a pure delight in all they did. In others, that which happened may not have been pleasurable, but it was for the good. Each of these people has caused me to stop, to think, to consider my own life and my own actions, and to take actions to better my life. For each of these has made a difference in my life, and in the lives of others, and I am grateful for it. I also want to give thanks for those who died whom I did not know personally, who died defending me and mine. Some died alone in the dark, some died in that shadow world that will never be recognized officially, and some died on the field of battle. For all of them, I give thanks, and I ask the light to shine on them and their families this day, and in the days ahead. To all who are gone, I bid you peace.

• I give thanks for those I know who are dying. I wish that you were not, that the fates would be kinder to you. Yet, you are the fortunate ones for you know what is coming and have the time to set right that which is wrong or needs fixing; you have the time to touch the lives of others for the better; you have the opportunity to set an example for others; you can help others by your suffering, by testing new treatments and breaking new ground; you have the opportunity to grow on a personal and spiritual level; and, you can say your goodbyes.

• I must admit being thankful for my health not being perfect. It never truly has been, but the aches and pains remind me that I am alive and that I am not some superbeing.

• I am thankful that I did not marry foolishly, and make my life a hell.

• I am thankful for the freedoms I have. In my life, I have been lucky enough to travel to many parts of the world, and I know for a fact that most Americans are spoiled brats who have no idea how lucky they have it. I am thankful for that too, for what does it say about us, about our country, that we have it so well and are so insulated that we are not even aware of it?

This year, I especially want to be thankful for the new places I have been, the new people I have met, and the new opportunities that have come my way. I am especially thankful for my friends. I am even thankful for Clara, though I don’t plan to tell her that. Besides, I think she knows.

It really is a wonderful life. Give thanks for it. Take some time today and list all for which you have to be thankful. We have so many blessings in our lives. Savor them. Appreciate them. Delight in them. Revel in them. Today, I give thanks for the infinity of riches in my life. Go thou, and do likewise.

LW

Roadside Shrines

No, I am not talking the old shrines of the crossroads and such, but rather the crosses and more that now line our roads. Should something happen to me on my journeys, allow me to ask a question to my executors or anyone else tempted to put up something to mark the spot.

Why in the name of all that is good are you celebrating my death?

What you are doing focuses in on my death, and ignores my life. You are ignoring all that I have been, said, and done in order to dwell on the manner of my passing. Indeed, what you are saying is that all that matters is the spot where, most likely, either I or someone else has royally screwed the pooch. Do you hate me so much that you must focus on that, and not on anything else?

What matters is not where I died, but how I lived. If you must have a shrine, complete with graven images, make it my burial place. Make it something that focuses on whatever little bit of good I’ve managed to do in the world. Celebrate the life in joy and laughter. Do not reduce me to the singularity that is my death.

LW

What Is Civilization To You?

This is actually a much longer post, but for today I wanted to consider what is one of the most defining things for a civilization to you. For myself, there are many factors but right up at the top of the list is bathing and sewage. Maybe it is because I have spent a lot of time camping and such, but these are major things for me.

I like the idea of being able to relieve myself in a clean, warm, and safe environment. Even better, I like knowing that the facilities are the tip of the iceberg if you will. There is no sewage in the street, I don’t have to worry about my clothes, and disease is under control. Even better, I don’t have to use a prescribed number of rocks or a bunch of leaves to clean up afterwards. The former is rough, on several levels and the latter can lead to interesting times if the wrong leaves are grabbed. Nope, it did not happen to me but did to someone I knew.

Even more, I love being able to have the resources to get clean. It is a mark of how good things are that one has bathing. It is water and energy intensive, and it means that you have both in abundance. It is a relative measure of the safety available that one can take the time to be without weapons and relax.

Using bathing as a criteria, there are three great civilizations through history: the Greeks, the Romans, and the Japanese. They were quite wealthy and could afford the diversion of labor, water, and energy to develop bathing as a grand art. Indeed, bathing was a social occasion as well, and the great public baths of each were a social center. That too is a mark of a true civilization in my book, for reasons I may have to go into one day.

So, what are the things that make a civilization for you?

LW

Staying In Touch

Yesterday, I had the unexpected pleasure of hearing from my supervisor at Playboy. We had stayed in touch for a while after my internship, but had lost touch when he left that job. Yesterday's e-mail was a delight, even if tinged with a bit of sadness at news of some deaths.

How good are you at staying in touch with those from your past? If there are people out there that you liked, respected, or enjoyed, why not do a little searching and drop them a line. The effort is minimal, and the rewards great.

Just a thought for the day.

LW

Some Thoughts From The Way Of Peace

I realized this morning that it has been quite some time since I pulled anything from either the Tao Te Ching or The Way of Peace and decided that I would do so. In The Way of Peace (translated by John Stevens) I found a passage almost immediately that seems very appropriate for the times.

Left and right,
Avoid all
Cuts and parries.
Seize your opponents' minds
And scatter them all!

Think on this a bit today, and in the days ahead.

LW

Moral & Ethical Question

Let's say that for the last year or two you have been getting e-mail for another individual. That person seems nice, and you even "talk" with them a bit, yet their friends and comrades still -- despite nice notes and even some not nice notes -- continue to send you mail intended for the other person. Suppose they send you their plan to promote a certain candidate for President, one you loathe. Are you legally, morally, ethically, or otherwise obligated to keep confidential the material they sent?

Discuss!

LW

Building A Team

Yesterday, Boudicca wrote an excellent post, that then sparked Tammi to pursue an avenue of thought as well. The tag-team effort has prompted me to give some thoughts I have as a manager.

And Yet Another

Is right here. May the light shine on you, guard you and yours, and see you safely home again.

LW

The War Of Enlightenment

I had planned for this to be a much longer post, but things are a bit hectic here at the lair. So, I am going to lay out a quick framework to which I hope to return in time and flesh out a bit.

Yesterday was a day for those murdered by terrorists on 9-11, and to my mind a day for all the victims in this latest battle. Today is my day. If anyone is truly interested in my memories and catharsis, go for it. I will not spend today on just one part of the past, but a broader sweep, and on the future.

What we are in is not a War on Terror. The campaign against terrorism is just one part of a much larger war. For what we are in is the penultimate battle for the Enlightenment of our generation. For what is at stake are the ideals and the accomplisments of the Enlightenment that are the true achievement of our civilization.

That is the cornerstone of all we have. It is capitalism, which is one function, that gives us our advanced and strong economy. It is the concepts of individual worth, liberty, freedom, and responsibility that drive the economic and social engines. It is the combination, the serendipitous workings of the various aspects, that have literally begun to take humanity to the stars.

These functions also are a threat to those who either live in, or want to return to, “simpler” times. Times where the strong ruled, peasants did as they were told, and the vast majority of individuals had no value other than as workers. There are many such people and groups, and they range from the radical Islamicists to radical socialists. It is not our culture or strong economy that they hate, for they are just symptomatic to the greater threat to them: freedom and the concepts of same that taking root throughout the world.

We are now in the middle of a war that will determine if the ideals of the Enlightenment will continue to spread and grow, or if humanity as a whole will drop back into barbarism of the worst stripe. The campaign on terror is a part; the coming war between radical and “moderate” Islam is a part; the struggles and wars between fundamentalists and “moderates” in Christianity and other religions is a part; the current Presidential campaign is a part; and, the war between socialism and other radical thought and the original ideals of the Enlightenment is yet another. All of these are going on now, and the decisions made in one part shape the fight and affect the others.

The lines in each are reaching a point where they can be clearly drawn. The enemies of the Enlightenment and freedom are clearly defined. “Let’s Roll” was a good start for the first part in the campaign on terror. It defined the immediate needs and responsibilities. For the larger fight it is time to toggle the selector, define the broader War and its needs and responsibilities, and deal with it as a whole. Let’s Rock.

LW

A Reminder On The Need For Mental Flexibility

My friends know that I am a creature of habits (mostly bad) and that I have a tendency to make plans and try to stick with them no matter what. Yesterday gave me a good reminder of making the most of things. I had to go meet with some people on a deal, one that would give me money. I like such things, but right now my schedule is incredibly tight and was being made even tighter by the fact that this meeting, if it went off at planned, would require some immediate and intensive travel. Already nervous and unhappy enough as it was, I was far less than amused when the lawyer's office called yesterday morning to report a problem. Bleep. Payment problem. Bleep. Can we handle the paperwork this way? Yes. Bleep.

Me being me, I immediately began formulating contingency plans and had four worked out by the time I finished driving over for the meeting. These ranged from the worst case (I'm Frelled) to best case (No intensive travel and can manage things from the temporary lair). As it turns out, the payment issue became a non-issue and I could implement the best-case contingency plan. It means a busy morning and day, but makes the rest of this week much, much better.

Reminder taken: things do work out for the best in the end, if we are prepared to be flexible enough to take advantage and make it so.

LW

A Must Read Post

Especially in light of all the SA action going on to eliminate the free exchange of ideas, you really do need to read this post. Some very good food for thought here.

LW

Food For Thought, Olympic Style

I’m watching, finally, one of those “blood” sports that doesn’t rate serious coverage. In this case, it is some of the judo competition. Now, judo was the first martial art I formally studied though I had received some other training before that which was not part of a formal martial art. I remember well my first true judo match because I still have permanent reminders of it. My very first opponent was a very good brown belt, whom I managed to take down and pin very quickly. The problem was, my surprise at doing such was so great I froze and let him go. Bad mistake. Never embarrass a brown or black belt in front of a crowd, they get cranky. So much so that they clocked me at about 60 when I hit the mat because he was not messing around. I was so surprised and never saw it coming, so much so I did not do everything proper and have a chipped tooth to this day to remind me of it. Lesson of the day: don’t be surprised at how well you do, just keep on and don’t ever let go or give up. Surprise and pleasure can wait until the job is done.

LW

The Essential Books

One thing the temporary lair has encouraged is to figure out what are the essentials in life. Those who know me in real life know that I have a fair collection of cookbooks as a part of the library. I did bring several over, but if I had to go to just one I know what it would be: The James Beard Cookbook. I had to trim my reference materials as well, and know that the absolutely essential books for writing for me are the Oxford Concise Dictionary, the Oxford Thesaurus, the Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, the Oxford Concise Science Dictionary, and the AP Style Guide. I could go on with this, and go into several different types of books, but the throught for today is as follows:

If you had to get rid of all but ten books in your life, which ten would you keep? If you could only carry three books on a bugout, what would they be? Think on this a bit, as it may tell you more about yourself than you realize.

LW

What Is Truly Important

Think of this: there is a disaster and you have just a few minutes in which to evacuate. Quickly, you must decide what – other than emergency supplies – you will save. What items hold the most value for you? Why do they hold that value for you? How far will you go to save them?

What people mean the most to you? How far will you go to save them? If it came to a choice between people or things in an emergency, which would you choose and why?

Just some food for thought on this moving day,

LW

Decisions and Respect

Some conversations of late, along with some posts such as this one, remind me that I need to expand a point of order and philosophy. Each of us has the right to make decisions about and for ourselves, good or bad, just as each of us has a right to an opinion.

What is not guaranteed, just as it is not for opinions, is the acceptance and approval of that decision. Yes, you and you alone have the right to make decisions for yourself. You have the right to make good decisions, ones that will benefit you, your family, your friends, and the greater whole of civilizations. You also have the unqualified right to make stupid, bad, or even evil decisions. That is your right and no one and no thing should prevent you from so choosing.

This does not mean that the decision will have no consequences, for every decision does for good or ill. This does not mean that I have to approve of the decision you make nor support it or you. Respect for your right to choose does not grant an automatic acceptance, nor does it place any burden on me to respect the decision itself. No individual, no government, and no societal grouping is required to fund or promote – directly or indirectly – your choice, nor are they required to shield you from the consequences of that choice. I most especially do not incur any burden because of your choice – you made it, you pay the full and complete price for it, just as I must bear the price of my decisions.

As with free speech and as with opinions, the right does not mean freedom from consequences.

LW

Playboy (And Naked Girls!)

The one question that almost invariably arises from my resume is some variant of “How did you get a photographic internship at Playboy?

The quick answer is that I took a dare. The longer answer makes this a good Saturday post. I had started out in engineering before discovering that I had a far better talent at explaining science and technology than in creating it. The process of discovery included assignments covering the first Shuttle launches and more, so by the time I formally changed my degree – and college – I already had a fair portfolio of articles and broadcasts to my name.

Thought For The Day: Rest and Sleep

One of the things most often missed by many in regards Sabbath days of varying types is that it is to be a day of rest. You take time away from labor to sit, to rest, to recharge, and perhaps to think. The human mind and body need this, just as they need a good night’s sleep each night.

To that end, I would also recommend you go read this post on sleep and put it to practice in your life. Then, take a look at your daily life: do you have a day of rest, a day for fun, a day to step back so that you can recharge, refresh, and see things in a new light? If not, why not?

LW

What Are You For?

All of us have things we are against, and that is the frequent topic of many a blog post. This post at Ith’s brought something into focus for me that was touched on in my posts here and here about hate. So, for today I want to ask a simple question:

What are you really and truly for?

LW

What Makes You Feel Old?

The last couple of weeks have been all too interesting, but what I am ready to process and share are some things that have conspired to make me feel old. There are things in life that make us feel young, full of vim and vigor, ready to take on the world and convinced we can do it. Then there are the things that make us feel old beyond our years.

Are You A Reasonable Person, Or Unreasonable ?

George Bernard Shaw said “The reasonable man adapts himself to the world: the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.

So, which are you: reasonable, or unreasonable?

LW

Legacy

This has been an interesting week, not the least because we lost two people who influenced millions, if not billions. Both of these gentlemen came not from proud families of wealth, power and prestige, but rather from far more humble beginnings. Despite this, they overcame adversity and more to dare great things. They leave a legacy behind that is rich with success.

So, what legacy do you leave behind?

What Do You Do When Someone Dies?

I have just been asked one of the most profound questions, and I am not sure if it was for real or not. I thought not, but checked some of the referrer logs and found that the person found this site through the search terms “died (prays).” I have responded, but in case it was a bogus addy but a real request, this is what I think you do when someone dies:

1. Pray for them, simply ask God or whatever you choose to call that which is watching over us to take care of them, and to look after those left behind. Ask that what is best and right take place, and that whatever comfort can be provided to those left behind be given.

2. Remember them. Think of all the good things, the fun things, the funny things that they said and did. Look not at the end, but at the life they lived. Honor it and them. Cherish it and them. Celebrate their life.

3. Find something to do for them. Did they have a project to complete, something they did nice for someone on a regular basis? Something they wanted to do? If so, and if it will not consume your life, then do it and do it for them and for you. Think of them as you do it, and they will be there with you.

4. Live. The best thing you can do for them, to honor them, is to live your life well and to the fullest extent possible. Have as large a positive impact on those you meet and those around you as you can. This does not mean be a saint and give up your life to a cause, it means what it says, for we dishonor the dead if we use them as an excuse to quit living our own.

There are no easy answers, but this is a start and a guide. Be there for their parents, friends, and family. Help them take care of themselves, and make sure you take care of yourself too. May the light shine on you all, and may it welcome home your cousin.

LW

No Greater Love

At different times in our lives, we all provide service to others. We look after the members of our immediate family when they are sick or otherwise need assistance. We help with the chores around the house as children, and more involved or onerous bits of repair and expansion when older. The day-to-day cleaning and operation is a part of what we do for others on a continuing basis.

This also gets done to some extent for extended family, friends, and good neighbors. When something bad happens, we take over food, take over some chores, drive them to the doctor, or otherwise pitch in and help them a bit.

This service is something we do not merely because we have to do so, but because we feel it is the right thing to do. Duty alone does not bind us to it: love for our fellow man, stronger love for the special people in our lives, and respect for ourselves drive us to do it.

Go Read Bill Whittle

Take some time today to go read Strength Part I and Strength Part II. The time you take will be worth it, and I will go ahead and recommend buying his book as soon as it comes out. Go on, things here will wait.

LW

Food For Thought: Meeting/Interview Prep

Since I talked a bit about dressing for success last week, there is another way to prepare for success. Be it a meeting to discuss possible business, or a meeting about employment, the one thing they have in common is that it is an interview. Successful preparation is the way to mentally dress for success in any interview. Having been on both sides of the interview process, I will testify that good preparation can make a difference, and that poor preparation will cost you.

Take the time to ask around about the company/organization/whatever. Find out what the “word on the street” is about them. Google them, and read some or all of their web site. Find out who would be your boss and co-workers, and research them as well. Do be sure to get the right one though: I know of a case where one of the people up the food chain had the same name as a gay porn actor…

If the work/job involves sales, finance, or upper management, do some financial research as well. For the right job, it is well worth doing a Dun and Bradstreet on them. Study their reports, and also check stock sites to see what their experts say about them.

In short, know your enemy. The more knowledge you have about the organization and people, the better the impression you are going to make. If the preparation scares them, then you will probably be very glad later not to have gotten the situation. The preparation will also allow you to negotiate the best deal possible for you, because you will – of course – have researched what similar jobs are paying and providing as benefits elsewhere…

Preparation pays in all things. So, take the time and prepare for that which will shape the future of your career.

LW

Food For Thought: Dress For Success

To most people, this phrase means dress expensively and fancy. Certainly Madison Avenue has contributed to that correlation, but is that really what it means?

Take Time For What Is Truly Important

Today’s food for thought post is inspired by and dedicated to my Blogfather, Joe Katzman, who has got his priorities straight. It is easy to get wrapped up in work, free ice cream, and other demands placed on your life by others. Take the time to keep firmly in mind what is truly important and make the time for it, even if it means telling others, most especially those who would use you, where to get off. Think on it a bit, and decide if you are putting your time in on what is truly important to you, or to that which is truly important to others.

LW

A Point Of No Small Consideration

Here. By Baldilocks, of course. Read it, and think.

LW

Some Food For Thought

Be glad for what you do have, for it can go away. Look around you, I mean truly look around. Take the time to sit and really look at your family, friends, plants, pets, and all the other things in your life. Take the time to spend time with them, and enjoy them. Make the most of everything in your life. I posted this in October as part of the Way of the Wolf, but it bears repeating:

Savor each moment given to you as if a ripe peach:
Grasp the firmness in your fingers
Feel the fuzz on your fingertips
Let the scent fill your nose
Explore its taste with your tongue
Take its flesh with passion
Let its juices flood you and run down your chin in abandon

LW

Disproving A Negative

Yesterday, I was informed that I had lost out on a job I wanted very much. It would have been fun, challenging, and with a very good company. It was the type of job and the type of company where you could stay for years, or even an entire career. In short, it was everything I could have wanted in a job. The kick in the teeth, however, is that I may have lost it because I could not disprove a negative.

The Choosing Of Heroes

Reading Bill Whittle’s latest has caused a lot of thought. One of the more interesting trains of thought to follow on a Saturday has to do with heroes. Take a moment and think about who were your heroes growing up. I’m not talking movie or television heroes, but the real historical figures that you admired, studied, and emulated. For purposes of discussion, I am going to allow consideration of semi-mythical figures such as Arthur, Gilgamesh, etc. in on this.

Bill Whittle Has A New One Up

And as usual, it is well worth the read. This second chapter is quite interesting, and there is a lot more than one meal’s worth of food for thought here. Go read it, think about it, and then go read it again. Quite a bit to try and take in all at once, but well worth the effort.

LW

Some Food For Thought: Neighbors

Last night a bit after one in the morning, I was awakened by flashing lights in the window. After some slightly fuzzy wondering if you could be raided for excessive non-sex live, I got up to check on things. Outside was a fire truck, but it was also clear that fire was not an issue, which meant medical. Sure enough, here came the ambulance.

A Post You Need To Read

Read it entire, and then think on it a bit. I intend to give it a great deal of thought, and hope you will as well.

LW

A Good Question

The question is raised: If I believe so much in the power of the individual, and in individual liberty, why then did I have a “slave” even for a short term? This, in turn, leads to many other questions, but let us take it as it goes.

Yes, I Do Believe In Right And Wrong

I simply do not think they are the sole province and determination of any one sect of Christianity. It never ceases to amaze me how some people can twist things around. The fact that I refuse to label myself a Christian seems to really set some people off, and to others it also means that I can have no concept of right and wrong, or morality in general.

For what it is worth, I do believe in right and wrong. I think there are certain moral precepts that transcend religions and most definitely political posturing by those claiming to or actually practicing a given religion. I think there are certain things that almost all religious and spiritual practices can agree are wrong. In fact, I will go so far as to say that it can be very simple.

Enforcing The Social Contract: Some Additional Thoughts

In A Defense Of Dueling, I touched on several things requiring more thought and more explanation. Today, I want to expand a bit upon one aspect of enforcement and some of what lies behind it. For what is going on is not simply an assault on enforcement of the Social Contract/Compact, but an overwhelming assault on the Contract.

Tao Te Ching

Before the crackers earned my ire and set forth a much stronger bit of food for thought today, I had been planning on dealing with a very interesting book: the Tao Te Ching. Pronounced (close enough) Dow De Jing, this book is a must read for anyone studying Taoism, Chinese/Asian philosophy, the martial arts, or even a good comparative religion course. The version I have is the pocket edition of the New English Version by Stephen Mitchell. I highly recommend it as he as done an outstanding job of translation and has tried to be faithful to what lies behind. This includes a gender neutral status, since there is no gender distinction in the original language.

Fate was working when I picked it up Thursday to select a passage. For what I opened the book to was:

“Express yourself completely,
then keep quiet.
Be like the forces of nature:
when it blows, there is only wind;
when it rains, there is only rain;
when the clouds pass, the sun shines through.”

Profound advice for pundits, politicians, and most everyone I think, but I found it particularly apt given what I d