Canadee-I-O

Many years ago, in the summer of 1999, Tracey and I drove to Sumter, SC, for the annual July 4th air show at Shaw Air Force base. After the show we walked to a tent where a band was setting up; we had no idea what was in store for us. The band playing that day was "Seven Nations." From the first note we heard, Tracey and I were captivated by this Celtic rock group. After all these years, after many changes, they are still going strong. SCIWAY News wrote an excellent review of the band and the event.

One of my favorite songs from their "Old Ground" album is "Canadee-I-O," a song written by Nic Jones (former Seven Nations member).

It's of a fair and handsome girl, she's all in her tender years
She fell in love with a sailor boy and it's true that she loved him well
For to go off to sea with him, like she did not know how
She longed to see that seaport town, called Canadee-I-O 

So she bargained with a young sailor boy, it's all for a piece of gold
Straighway he led her all down into the hold
Saying I'll dress you up in sailor's clothes, your jacket shall be blue
You'll see that seaport town, called Canadee-I-O 

Now, when the other sailors heard the news, they fell into a rage
And with all the whole ship's company, they were willing to engage
Saying "We'll tie her hands and feet me boys, overboard we'll throw her
And she'll never see that seaport town, called Canadee-I-O." 

Now, when the captain he's heard the news, well he too fell into a rage
And with his whole ship's company he was willing to engage
Saying "She'll stay all in sailor's clothes, her collar shall be blue
She'll see that seaport town, called Canadee-I-O." 

Now when they came down to Canada, scarcely above half a year
She's married this bold captain, who called her his dear
She's dressed in silks and satins now, and she cuts a gallant show
She's the finest of the ladies down in Canadee-I-O 

Come all you fair and tender girls, wheresoever you may be
I'd have you follow your own true love when he goes out on the sea
For if the sailors prove false to you, well the captain he might prove true
To see the honour that I have gained by the wearing of the blue.

Here is the version I have listened to for many years:

Here is a video of them performing live:

Enjoy!

"Jerusalem"

On this date in 1757, William Blake, the English poet and artist, was born. Among his many now famous works was one called "And did those feet in ancient time."

In 1916, Sir Hubert Parry set music to the poem, which is widely known as "Jerusalem," and considered England's unofficial anthem.

You can find more information on the poem, including a beautiful classical version of the musical rendition, at this page from genius.com.

The first time I was exposed to "Jerusalem" was through Emerson, Lake & Palmer's "Brain Salad Surgery" album. Here is that rendition:

Delivery Costs

In this time of near instant-delivery of all sorts of things, do we have any idea of the cost of instant gratification? Setting aside the cost of credit (which is extremely expensive), what is the human cost of this unreasonable expectation of having everything in our hands right now, today, the sooner the better?

Listen to the NY Times report on "The Human Toll of Instant Delivery."

Of Joy, Happiness and Success

Yesterday, I gave my first sermon ever. It could only had happened at a Unitarian Universalist church, of course. The sermon was titled "Living a Life of Passion" — some may think that as false advertisement, but that is their opinion and they can have their opinion, of course. After all, it is theirs, they own it, and who am I to argue with them?

But I digress. I won't bore you with the whole speech here. Suffice it to reflect on the closing words, which I though were pretty OK:

"If I may, don't go chasing after happiness, or after success. Go after the things that bring you joy. In those joyful things you will find what you are passionate about, and then you will find happiness, and success, and all of that. Joy is the nectar that puts more life into your years, and more great years into your life."

See? I just saved you 20 minutes of a sermon … although it was a good sermon, as sermons go.

Being black and armed is not a crime

Yet another black man is killed in what appears to be, at best, a case of mistaken identity.

Links to Alabama Mall Killing

Commentary about the killing:

Indeed, being black and armed is not a crime; moving away from a dangerous situation is not a crime either. We need to be honest with ourselves and confront our biases. Until we all do that innocent people will continue to be murdered by the same people that are supposed to serve and protect ALL citizens.

For All That Is Our Life

Last Sunday at church we sang this beautiful hymn, one that I have sung before, one that has moved me every time, and last Sunday was no exception. I wanted to share it with you all.

For all that is our life we sing our thanks and praise;
for all life is a gift which we are called to use
to build the common good and make our own days glad. 

For needs which others serve, for services we give,
for work and its rewards, for hours of rest and love;
we come with praise and thanks for all that is our life. 

For sorrow we must bear, for failures, pain, and loss,
for each new thing we learn, for fearful hours that pass:
we come with praise and thanks for all that is our life. 

For all that is our life we sing our thanks and praise;
for all life is a gift which we are called to use
to build the common good and make our own days glad.

If you are interested in an even more detailed review of the hymn, please visit this link:

http://farfringe.com/stlt128-for-all-that-is-our-life/#comment-7190

For a recorded version, please go here: http://www.koober.org/16Sept12/hymn_128.mp3

Five basic skills to develop

I recently came across this video that quickly details five basic skills (and related skill sets) that could be useful under many circumstances:

When things are not normal

Things are not right. There is a person in Washington, DC/Manhattan/Florida trying to become something we cannot tolerate. The following video explains it perfectly, especially the last sentence. Please pay special attention at the end: we are seeing clear evidence of that in #45's actions.

The End of the World

Some are predicting that the world will come to an end soon … like in January 2019 … just as the Democratic Party takes over the House of Representatives in the USA. I am not sure about this. Watch this video and you will get a good glimpse as to why I am not sure the end of the world is coming in 2019.

Speaking of the States

Watch this hilarious and highly-entertaining video and learn all about the many states that have been and those that have not been and those that almost were … just watch the video!

We need to listen

Tomorrow, Tuesday, November 6, 2018, Americans will go to the polls for the midterm elections, elections that many believe are the most critical elections in recent history.

Tomorrow is a critical day for the country we know as the United State of America.

Between now and tomorrow, many minds will be made up for one candidate or another.

For those that are still undecided, and for any future elections, I encourage you to listen to those you agree with … and to those you may not agree with.

Elections are opportunities for all of us to learn about the issues that all of us have, and then use that knowledge to work together to find workable solutions. A workable solution is not a perfect solution. A workable solution is arrived at through compromise and negotiation, through seeking a win-win situation for all, by gaining agreement based on solid values and objectives.

A workable solution is not achieved through fear of any kind. A workable solution is not achieved through lies. A workable solution is not achieved by force.

During this election and during future elections, as was so eloquently stated by Dr. Steven Covey, "seek to understand, then to be understood." It starts by listening to the other side.

More importantly, it requires that we drop the "us versus them" mentality, it demands that we become "us" and that we resist the constant efforts of politicians to divide us, to demonize one group, to belittle another group. Unity makes a country great. Diversity makes a country great. Freedom for all makes a country great. Prosperity for all makes a country great. Respect for all makes a country great.

Anything that attempts to divide us is not in our best interest as a nation. Anything that negates the power of diversity is not in the best interest of our nation. Anything that attempts to deny our freedoms, to prevent people from voting, to mass incarcerate people to silence them, to make/keep people sick, that designs an economy that hurts the poor and middle class — anything that does such terrible things is not in the best interest of our country.

So, tomorrow, Tuesday, November 6, 2018, please vote. Vote for the candidate that will help solve problems that affect all, that will help bring people together, that will be truthful and honest. even when the truth is hard to take; pick candidates not just because of the party they are running under, but because they have a plan and they can address the issues without fear-mongering and lying; pick a candidate that you have researched and that you think is capable of representing the whole of the people and not just a few privileged. Vote with your mind and not your gut.

And when all is said and done, let's all set a goal to listen to all sides of an issue, to become better citizens, to be better human beings. It is not an easy path; it is the worthwhile path.

Adventures of a Lifetime

I have been captivated by the adventures of a young lady that has recorded what I considered adventures of a lifetime. Her name is Jessica, but her trail name is Dixie. She is from Alabama, and you can tell when you listen to her. From what I have gathered, she was working in Colorado at some point and decided that she wanted to hike the Appalachian Trail; she recorded every bit of it for the world to see. The Appalachian Trail (also know as the AT) is a 2200 mile trail that runs from Georgia to Maine.

Then she embarked in the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), running from the Mexican border in southern California to the border with Canada in Washington State for a total of 2650 miles.

She finally did the Continental Divide Trail (CDT), which runs for 3100 miles from the border with Mexico in New Mexico to the border with Canada in Montana.

Completing all three earned her the thru-hiker triple crown. For many of us that may never be able to do this type of hiking, it has earned her our gratitude and love for her dedication and hard work, not just to hike that many miles (about 8000 trail miles), but to record it and offer her experiences for free so that we can all enjoy the journey and destinations. Along the way she brings amazing photography and video, humorous and interesting commentary, and a warm reflection on the nature of humans, on having and achieving goals, on being scared and being mesmerized … in short, reflections on the beauty of being alive and doing what you love to do.

Dixie's playlist on her AT thru-hike in 2015

Dixie's playlist on her AT thru-hike Tips & Tricks

The PCT playlist for 2017

And the triple-crown CDT playlist in 2018

Spoiler alert: from time to time you will get some amazing drone views.

Go hike with Dixie; you will not regret it.

I had the fortune of hiking a tiny bit of the AT in 2016:

Appalachian Trail - Starting group near the trail head, Salem, VA, on the way to McAfee Knob

Appalachian Trail - With My Kids, McAfee Knob

Appalachian Trail - McAfee Knob

Another chapter in the book of life

Friday, MacKenzie and I went to the DMV near our home for her road test. It was a no go due to rain. 

This morning we went to the only DMV office that is open on Saturdays, which is way on the other side of town. MacKenzie is now fully licensed and has earned her independence

And with that, we close one more chapter in our family life and start a new one. It will be so weird not having to take either of my kids places like I have for the last 18 years.

I am so proud of both of my kids for all they have achieved so far and for the bright future they have ahead.

When at the mechanic, jog

I took my daughter's car to the mechanic this morning to fix an oil leak. The shop said it would take about two hours. What to do while they worked on "Baby"?

Go jog!

I missed this morning's run, so this was my opportunity to make that up. I used the same Podrunner track that I listened to yesterday, with which I jogged at a 19 minute mile pace. Today, however, with similar weather conditions, I logged a 3.3 mile circuit at a 17:30 minute mile.

Yesterday's Jog

Today's Jog #1


My plan was to jog all around the shopping center near our mechanic until I reached Starbucks. After claiming my free drink and taking an appropriate break to give the mechanic time to finish the work, I would then jogged back to the shop to get the car. I am writing this first draft as I enjoy my latte and feel great joy for the first 3.37 miles of the day.

After a nice break at Starbucks, I jogged the rest of the way back to the mechanic, about 1.47 miles at a slightly slower pace (17:49 minute mile):

Today's Jog #2

So, when you are waiting for something, consider going for a walk instead of sitting around.

Priming

In a recent episode of the "Provocative Enlightenment" podcast, the hosts talked with Professor John Bargh about the effects of "priming" an dhow it affects our behavior and actions.

In one example, a group of individuals were asked to complete a questionnaire and their answers were evaluated. They were then returned to the test room after bottles of hand sanitizer had been placed on the tables. A similar questionnaire was administered, and the results were considered much more "conservative" the second tiime around. The inference made was that the hand sanitizer shown elevated the respondents' alertness to danger and thus shifted their perspectives.

The podcats highlights the myriad of stimuli that, unbeknown to us, affects our life, what we think, how we think, what we buy, when we buy, how we vote, etc. It encourages us to become more aware of these stimuli and mindful of how they affect us.

For more information on the podcast please visit http://www.provocativeenlightenment.com and look for the episode titled "Before You Know It."

Speeding Gains (and Losses)

How often have we experienced the joy of being passed by some jerk doing 50 MPH in a 35 MPH zone just to catch up with them at the next light? In my case, it is a daily phenomena.

I often wonder what the big attraction is to speeding. Of course, I admit going fast can be fun. By nature I like going fast, I enjoy the thrill of speed, of quick maneuvers, and the rush of taking a curve as fast as I possibly can. But those things are not meant for the often-congested streets and roads we drive on.

So let's approach this from a logical, scientific view. How much time does a driver save by driving faster? The short answer: not much, definitely not enough to justify the risks and penalties.

Here is an example using my daily commute to work which is about 35 miles each way. About two-thirds of my driving is on interstates with a speed limit of 60 MPH, the rest on streets/roads with an average speed of 40 MPH. That means I drive 23 highway miles and 12 street miles.

Looking just at the highway miles, it normally takes me 23 minutes to drive that portion of the trip at 60 MPH; at 65 MPH it would potentially save me two minutes, and at 70 MPH it would save me a total of four minutes. That would be true in ideal conditions (little or not traffic, no roadwork, etc.). I suspect the actual time savings would be slightly lower. For the sake of argument, let's say I save two minutes on the highway portion of my commute.

For the street portion of my commute, it normally takes 18 minutes at 40 MPH, and it would take 16 minutes at 45 MPH and 14.4 at 50 MPH, not considering traffic, stop lights, etc. So let us assume I save another two minutes by speeding on this part of the trip.

Normally, my drive to work takes me 40-45 minutes by obeying the speed limit. If I chose to speed 5-10 MPH I could save as much as eight minutes, but more likely it would be closer to five minutes.

Is it worth it?

Disadvantages of Speeding

• Increased Stress: even when having fun, speeding increases our stress levels because we have to manage so much more information at a much faster pace. Stress damages our health.
• Increased Wear and Tear on Vehicle: faster acceleration and harder braking will take a toll on the vehicle, not to mention a significant loss in fuel efficiency.
• Speeding Tickets: from time to time speeders get caught, and the penalties can be substantial, not only in the ticket itself, but also in increased insurance premiums.
• Increased Accident Probability: excess speed contributes to significant number of accidents, and fatalities are much higher in accidents in which speeding was a factor.

Here is a quick chart I created to visualize how much time one would save in varying distances and speeds:

Speeders and Speeding

To all speeders on the road:

Let's get something straight: I don't routinely speed. This is my choice and it is based on the fact that there are laws that dictate how fast we are supposed to drive, and the speed limit is set, most often than not, based on safety considerations.

I have the right to obey the speed limit. I have the obligation to obey the speed limit, and so do you. You have the right to disobey the speed limit and live with the consequences.

What you don't have is the right to harass and try to intimidate me or any other driver that chooses to obey the law and stay within the speed limits. You do not have the right to tailgate me, cut me off, or do any other kind of aggressive maneuver to express your displeasure with me obeying the speed limit.

In this matter, speeders are wrong and the rest of us are right. It is as simple as that.

mindful actions

this post is written in all lowercase letters. this is done on purpose and not as an act of laziness. it is an act in mindfulness.

how many times have you performed an action without paying attention to it? did you do it well? did you finish what you started? were you present throughout?

buddhists have a saying: "when you wash dishes, wash dishes." it means, be present in what you are doing. work on not getting lost in thoughts such as "i don't like doing dishes," "i wish i was doing something else," etc. just do the dishes!

btw, i cannot tell you how many times i have had to go back and change capitalized words to just lowercase words; my fingers naturally gravitate to pressing the shift key whenever a capital letter is supposed to be typed. doing this post in lowercase text is forcing me to be mindful of the exercise i am involved in, mindful of the activity, mindful of the muscle memory i have developed over the years, mindful of bad habits i may have acquired.

some bloggers refuse to use capitalization. it is their way to push back against norms, against what is expected. more power to them. i think we need more disruptors in life.

and we can apply this mindfulness exercise to other areas of life. my yoga teacher, juliett, once challenged the class to try brushing their teeth with their non-dominant hand. this, she said, would help us become more mindful of the things we do, of how we do them, and what would happen if we had to change.

can you brush your teeth with your weaker hand? can you write legibly with your non-dominant hand?

are you mindful in other aspects of life, such as eating and breathing? do you chew each bite carefully and enjoy each flavor from your food, or do you rush through the meal just to get to the next task on your list?

do you pay attention to your breath? is it shallow or deep? slow or fast? into the belly or into the chest? do you inhale as much as you exhale?

do you ever pay attention to your heart as it beats in your chest?

are you fully mindful and aware when you walk? when you talk with someone? when you read a book, magazine, or web page? when you listen to a song, a podcast, a news report?

do you go out in nature? do you listen to the birds? do you hear the sound of your steps? do you feel the wind blow?

one of the benefits of contra dancing is that it helps each dancer become more aware of each movement. and when you get to the end of the line, sequences are repeated almost in a mirrored way as you come back. contra dancing is one of the most mindful forms of action i know of. not only do you need to be in the here and now so that you can be on time to the moves, you also gain a pleasurable sense of your body movement and space, and you get to sense the energy of all those you dance with. it is a miracle in mindfulness.

my page is now screaming with little red squiggly lines indicating my words are not properly capitalized. i am smiling at all the "red ink" knowing that the writing and typing was done mindfully that way.

may you always be aware.

"Get Smart About Credit" Day

Disclaimer: I am not a financial planner/adviser nor do I claim this commentary as financial advice. I am a widower and single parent of two teenagers, and I have experienced financial hardships and continue to struggle with managing finances in an effective and responsible manner.

Today, we celebrate "National Get Smart About Credit" day. I think it is an important celebration, perhaps one we should observe every three months, a call for all of us to become more informed about the credit industry and how it affects (some would say, destroys) our finances and our lives.

Let me be blunt: credit is evil.

One more time: credit is evil.

It really is worth repeating: credit is evil.

Credit is evil in many ways. First, it makes it easier for us to be irresponsible. That is, it makes us less able to respond to our long-term financial needs. Why? Because it makes us incredibly dependent on others for our needs and wants.

Second, credit has made it possible to bypass the process of saving for something that we need or want, and we have lost the willpower, discipline and skill to work, save and plan for those things.

Third, getting things quickly and easily has diminished the value of those items, and has lessen our enjoyment from acquiring them.

Finally, credit has enslaved us financially, turning our present pleasure into future suffering.

Credit is used in many scenarios:

• The poor use credit to get things they need. Using credit ensures they remain poor and/or makes it harder for them to get out of poverty. This is financial/economical slavery. This is what slave/plantation owners and early industrialists used to do: force workers to buy from them on credit so that they were forever indebted and could not leave. Slavery. 
• People use credit to get things they want. We all fall into this trap. 
• We want a new phone: sign the credit contract and it is yours. Except we pay a lot for that new phone in charges that we otherwise would not. 
• We want a new car: get a loan. If we look at the terms (especially the things that they try to hide from us) we can quickly see that loans can be very expensive. For example, when I bought my latest car (back in December 2012) I got tricked into buying an extended warranty that I normally would have not opted for. How? The finance manager altered the interest rate to make the payment stay "about" the same. Except he could have given me that better interest rate to begin with and not add the extended warranty (which is, as many of you know, pretty useless and pretty expensive). Extended warranties are free money for car dealers, so they always try to sell you one. And so does BestBuy and Walmart and everybody else.
• We want a new home: get a loan (with no money down) that includes much more than just the home (IE., appliances, fences, etc.). Since the 2008 financial woes, the minimum down payment has been enforced more closely, but many builders still lure buyers with "no money down" deals. I have fallen twice for that. The first time was a total disaster, and the second time could have turned out poorly if not for extenuating circumstances.
• We want to go to (or send our kids to) college: this is one of my pet peeves: another form of modern financial slavery. So many fall for the false paradigm that we have to start college immediately after high school, pay for college with loans and finish our college education in x number of years. None of those are true. Don't fall for that story line. High schools and colleges try to sell you on their plan, the one that is in sync with banks and lending organizations, so that they can slave you for decades. Just say no. Do it some other way. Work part time and go part time to school; find a trade and have fun with it — you can make lots of money and be debt free. A good carpenter, plumber or electrician can have a much higher net income than that of a surgeon over their lifetime. Look into it and think about it. Don't buy into false promises and lies.
• The wealthy use credit to finance projects with other people's money, promising better returns on investment than they would get from other sources (such as the stock market).
• The government (at all levels) uses credit to finance projects, which most of us end up paying in the form of increased taxes — unless you are wealthy or a corporation because then you can get away with paying no taxes and forcing the middle class to foot the entire bill.

I am sure there are other scenarios in which credit is used, rarely responsibly, mostly carelessly. And in almost all ways I can think of using credit, I think we are better of saving the money and being disciplined to live within our means and only buy what we can afford, what we can pay for right now, not next month or next year.

Shakespeare said it best: "Neither a borrower nor a lender be." 

I Miss You

I miss looking into your eyes;
I miss you looking at me.
I miss your hand in mine;
I miss our fingers intertwined.

I miss your arms around my waist;
I miss your body in mine.
I miss your fragrance,
I miss your smile.

Until I see you again;
Until we touch once more;
Until I can feel your warmth,
I miss you.