The past few weeks have been a little chaotic - had a couple of financial challenges, work has been crazy, and we have a potential move back to Lakeland coming up soon as well. In addition, I have been involved in a couple of projects I have been working on, and those have required great investment of time as well. no rest for the weary, and a man's work is never done...but, who's complaining, and who would listen anyway, right?
Our move to Lakeland is an act of divine intervention, as both Barb and I feel it is something we need to do. Although I have been in Pinellas County now for 13 years, things have not gone as smoothly here as they should have, and the conclusion we have both gotten after much prayer and soul-searching is that we just don't belong here. Although Lakeland is a fairly large town (75,000, as I recall reading) it doesn't have all the drama and craziness of Pinellas County or Tampa, and it is also more affordable for us to move back there than to stay here. Of course, that leads to another objective: I have been trying to get my graduate studies done for a long time but with little success, and now my alma mater, Southeastern, is offering graduate programs, which fits perfectly into this whole picture. Granted, Southeastern is obviously not the school I graduated from in 1996 anymore - it has gotten fully on-board with the Rick Warren/"Emerging Church" agenda, things I have no part of personally - but its academics are unequalled, and there is still a spiritual covering over that area that we could use. In short, for the first time in a long time, I feel as if I have a clear directional signal, and that has galvanized me. As we make the move and get settled, I will either keep you abreast here or on my Facebook page.
Graduate school and moving have led me to initiate work on a couple of projects too that have been dormant for a while. As I was doing some packing up in my home office, I rearranged a whole box of large documents I have been wanting to organize, and the lawfirm I work in gave me an idea - I have undertaken a project to do a GBC binding on these docs to make them more accessible and readable. Essentially, the documents are largely the product of one special area of study, and that is the Catholic Apostolic Church movement of the 1830's (wrongly called "Irvingites," after a clergyman involved in the movement in Scotland by the name of Edward Irving). The CAC was a forerunner of the Pentecostal and charismatic movements, and its importance to ecclesiastical history cannot be underestimated. However, for years resources on it were hard to obtain, but thankfully one of my good friends, a German bishop in the surviving remnant of the CAC by the name of Harald Scheffler, sent me a whole library of documents on a disc, and those are the focus of this project. I myself am one in doctrine personally with the CAC, as they believe much of what I believe, and Harald and I have been in discussion for several years now about my potential ordination into the CAC, something I am seriously taking into consideration. Should that happen, I would be the main American representitive of the movement, and it would be my responsibility to disseminate material on the CAC to American colleges and universities, particularly Pentecostal/charismatic institutions. That being said, the focus of my graduate work will be reading and research on the movement, which I will also be doing a series of articles on my other blog, "Sacramental Present Truths," in the coming months on the CAC and its history, beliefs, doctrines, and how they relate to today. It is something I am very excited about personally, and that along with my studies on Appalachian Holiness/Pentecostalism will be two specialty areas of my own teaching and study. More on that to come as well.
Our whole packing experience now - and mind you, this isn't my favorite job, as I hate dismantling my office like that - has been an excursion into some things that have brought back some long-forgotten memories and other things. Looking through old memorabilia has also been used by God, I feel, to bring us back into focus of where we need to be, and there is so much that can be elaborated on with that. Sometimes it is good to go back in order to move forward, because we often forget some of the best and most valuable parts of ourselves as the cares and snares of life get the best of us. Consider this to be God's little reminder to stay on track, and the message has gotten to me loud and clear.
I want to get back on this page with writing some personal history on myself too, speaking of which. There are a lot of amusing anecdotes and stories to share, and I want to begin sharing those with you here. For a couple of years, I did post a lot of those stories on my Facebook page, and they were generally well-received, and people have been asking for these again. So, once I am settled, be looking for more of those!
And, on that note, I bid you all adieu for today, and will visit with you again soon. Have a good week all of you, and hope and pray your needs are met and your lives stay fulfilled.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Big Bands and Other Thoughts Of Interest
Yesterday in the mail I received Jack Behrens' recent book entitled America's Music Makers: Big Bands and Ballrooms 1912-2011, and it has been an interesting read so far. Mr. Behrens has written another book on the subject a couple of years earlier that I have in my library at home, and after reading the first book I got in touch with him. Behrens is a very thoughtful individual, and also has been a joy to talk to, being he both has good taste in music as well as being a fellow Christian as I am too. His books are by no means what you would call a scholarly discourse, but they are good reading and they are well-written, being that Mr. Behrens is also a professional writer. One of my other friends, Joe Enroughty, who has an orchestra in Richmond, VA, alerted me to the new book, and I had just purchased it recently. Reading Behrens' thoughts in the book sort of piqued my own interest in possibly making my interest in big band recordings a little more down-to-earth with a personal twist, which I have already done to some degree with some earlier articles I have written prior to this one. It is a daunting task, because how do you integrate something that you were too young to experience in its heyday into your own life as something that is meaningful? Not saying that it isn't or anything, because a lot of my personal identity is tied into the music I listen to, but putting into an expression by writing has proven to be more of a challenge. However, there are some facts we have established in previous articles about how this music has impacted me, and these are a couple of those:
Gene Beecher was an elderly gentleman I had the privelege of meeting back years ago when I was a security officer at Carpenter's Home in Lakeland, FL. Gene lived in what was called Carpenter's Estates, a large retirement condo adjacent to the old Carpenter's Home Church campus, and when he lived there he was well into his 80's. By the time Gene had moved to Carpenter's, he had more or less taken up a form of painting called "naive art," which was also the style that the late Grandma Moses painted. Although somewhat bizarre and odd pictures, they nevertheless have a following, and this type of painting to this day still has its afficianados. Gene gave me one of his originals a few years before he passed away, a picture of a creature vaguely resembling a cat. I still have that too, as it may be worth something one day. However, although Gene and I got to know each other well, and we spent evenings at the lobby desk talking about a number of topics - Gene was well-read, and although not college-degreed, he nonetheless qualified as an intellectual regardless - come to find out in his heyday (late 1930's) Gene led a dance band in the Cleveland area, and he shared a lot of that with me. Some years later, I actually found one of his old radio programs on CD from a guy in Missouri I purchase old vintage big band radio shows from, and upon listening to it I gathered that Gene, like so many Cleveland-based orchestras (Sammy Kaye, Freddy Martin, and Kay Kyser all come to mind here) was a sweet-oriented bandleader. Later, you wouldn't know that from talking to him, as his tastes were more preferable to Duke Ellington and Stan Kenton than they were toward Lawrence Welk and Guy Lombardo, but that was one of the many things that fascinated me about the man. He later passed away, I believe, in 2001 at the age of 93, and I miss the guy as he became a dear friend. But, his son "Inky" carries on his legacy today, as he manages his dad's artwork - some of those bizarre paintings can fetch as much as $1200 now, I found out!
In 2004, I met another famous icon of the era, more so than Mr. Beecher was. I was working on Clearwater Beach as an administrative assistant for a title company when I found out one of the residents at the condo we were conducting closings on was none other than Connie Haines. As some of my fellow big band afficianados will be aware, Connie Haines was the girl singer with Tommy Dorsey's orchestra back in the early 1940's, and she share vocal duties with Dorsey's then-youthful featured boy singer, one Francis Albert Sinatra of Hoboken, NJ. Meeting this great lady in person, who then was 84 years old and in declining health but still very active, was the highlight of my week. My boss, knowing my interest in the music, arranged for me to assist in her title closing, and we did that at her condo, which was a treat. Her place was like a museum, with all the gold records, pictures with celebs, and other memorabilia. It was good I got to see her then, because less than 3 years later she had passed away, but not before she blessed me with a copy of her biography, written by Richard Grudens and entitled Snooty Little Cutie. It was a fond experience though all the way around.
I have thought about doing my own history of the big dance bands, but to be honest it would be complicated. Reason is, it is just overwhelming the history and information I have learned from my 30-plus years of collecting this great stuff. I have read the "canonical" big band books, things such as George T. Simon's The Big Bands, Leo Walker's Wonderful Era of the Great Dance Bands, and Albert McCarthy's The Dance Band Era, all of which are part of my library as well as of course Brian Rust's monumental American Dance Band Discography, a valuable - albeit expensive! - but rare resource that chronicles practically every record of every big band that ever existed up to about 1942 or so. Recording-wise, I have in my possession the "Holy Grail" of big band collections too, the Franklin Mint Greatest Recordings of the Big Band Era, a monster collection that was released in the early 1980's consisting of 100 red-vinyl LP's featuring about 250 orchestras. Thank God for EBay with that one! That, along with my collection of around 900 other LP's and about 1100 CD's, gives me a rare perspective on the music. In all my listening and research, I have seen various theories as to who was the first actual dance band. Some writers say Art Hickman deserves the title, while others say Wilbur Sweatman, and still others say James Reese Europe. However, as it turns out, there were big dance bands long before any of these were making records, and the one person who sticks out to me is Will Marion Cook, an African-American composer/bandleader/playwright who had one of the first touring big bands back in the 1880's. It is quite unfortunate that he was around too early for recordings (although cylinders did exist, and that would be some find to have Will Marion Cook's original music on one!), but he is the guy I personally feel from whom evolved the whole big band genre. And, good reason for it - he groomed and developed the musicianship of both Sydney Bichet and Duke Ellington, which in itself is fascinating. I would go as far as to say that without a Will Marion Cook, there would have been no Duke Ellington. Cook's impact on the style that would later make Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller, and Lawrence Welk (along with hundreds of others) household names is one of the most understated footnotes in American popular music, yet it is something that I feel is vital. Some may disagree with my hypothesis on that, and that is OK - we all appreciate good music enough to debate the fact, so that is cool - but it just makes sense to me to trace the evolution of big dance bands back to Will Marion Cook.
Another thing that I feel has been under-documented is the ethnic contribution to the big bands. Klezmer, polkas, etc., have contributed richly to the big band experience, and although purists on both sides of the fence differ with that somewhat, the fact cannot be denied. Polka, in particular, has been oft-overlooked, and this despite the fact that "Whoopie John" Wilfahrt and Harold Loeffelmacher's Six Fat Dutchmen, both of New Ulm, MN, had for all intents and purposes big bands that played polkas! Then, there is German-born Will Glahe, as well as my fellow Tucker County native Frankie Yankovic - not to mention modern "polka king" Jimmy Sturr, who has in my estimation done more to preserve big band music than many today have. Polkas have been an integral part of big bands for a long time (Lawrence Welk come to mind? Remember, he was a polka musician before he was a sweet bandleader!) and being polkas are a dance, and orchestras play them for dance music, it is only logical to conclude that polka bands - especially those of the 1920's-1950's - were big bands for all intents and purposes. And, personally, polka music is what introduced me to the big bands, and they have always been intertwined as far as I am concerned. Again, some may respectfully disagree, and that's fine - again, people can appreciate good music from different perspectives on it.
I honestly need to address something else too - I hate rock music, and to me anyone who has good taste and a discerning ear cannot take that crap seriously. I know some will disagree with that too, but in that case I don't give a rat's behind - it's chaotic noise with no form, no substance to it, and also is spiritually detrimental, and a person with the sense God gave a goose would have nothing to do with it, I am sorry. I have said many times that God gave me a love of the big bands to protect me, and seeing what rock music creates in the way of values, I feel very blessed to have been shielded from its influence. And now, they want to bring it in churches as "worship" music - please, if I didn't listen to it before I was a Christian, then why would I want my senses subjected to that garbage as a Christian?? I have dealt with the theological aspects of that on my other page, so I won't do that here. However, I will say this - I am too good for rock music, and am not ashamed to say it. God gave us better creativity and sensitivity to aesthetics, and we should have the good sense to exercise that gifting and tell rock music and its creators and performers to stick it where the sun don't shines. Just my humble opinion, so take it for what you want.
That being said, I will stop rambling for today, and hopefully will see you all again soon. Take care and God bless.
- I view it as an important part of my personal testimony, because I feel God has given me a taste for this great music to protect me from some of the ills and mindsets of my generation
- My record collection has provided me with a lot of memorable stories too, as certain items in it have proven to stimulate certain memories for me
Gene Beecher was an elderly gentleman I had the privelege of meeting back years ago when I was a security officer at Carpenter's Home in Lakeland, FL. Gene lived in what was called Carpenter's Estates, a large retirement condo adjacent to the old Carpenter's Home Church campus, and when he lived there he was well into his 80's. By the time Gene had moved to Carpenter's, he had more or less taken up a form of painting called "naive art," which was also the style that the late Grandma Moses painted. Although somewhat bizarre and odd pictures, they nevertheless have a following, and this type of painting to this day still has its afficianados. Gene gave me one of his originals a few years before he passed away, a picture of a creature vaguely resembling a cat. I still have that too, as it may be worth something one day. However, although Gene and I got to know each other well, and we spent evenings at the lobby desk talking about a number of topics - Gene was well-read, and although not college-degreed, he nonetheless qualified as an intellectual regardless - come to find out in his heyday (late 1930's) Gene led a dance band in the Cleveland area, and he shared a lot of that with me. Some years later, I actually found one of his old radio programs on CD from a guy in Missouri I purchase old vintage big band radio shows from, and upon listening to it I gathered that Gene, like so many Cleveland-based orchestras (Sammy Kaye, Freddy Martin, and Kay Kyser all come to mind here) was a sweet-oriented bandleader. Later, you wouldn't know that from talking to him, as his tastes were more preferable to Duke Ellington and Stan Kenton than they were toward Lawrence Welk and Guy Lombardo, but that was one of the many things that fascinated me about the man. He later passed away, I believe, in 2001 at the age of 93, and I miss the guy as he became a dear friend. But, his son "Inky" carries on his legacy today, as he manages his dad's artwork - some of those bizarre paintings can fetch as much as $1200 now, I found out!
In 2004, I met another famous icon of the era, more so than Mr. Beecher was. I was working on Clearwater Beach as an administrative assistant for a title company when I found out one of the residents at the condo we were conducting closings on was none other than Connie Haines. As some of my fellow big band afficianados will be aware, Connie Haines was the girl singer with Tommy Dorsey's orchestra back in the early 1940's, and she share vocal duties with Dorsey's then-youthful featured boy singer, one Francis Albert Sinatra of Hoboken, NJ. Meeting this great lady in person, who then was 84 years old and in declining health but still very active, was the highlight of my week. My boss, knowing my interest in the music, arranged for me to assist in her title closing, and we did that at her condo, which was a treat. Her place was like a museum, with all the gold records, pictures with celebs, and other memorabilia. It was good I got to see her then, because less than 3 years later she had passed away, but not before she blessed me with a copy of her biography, written by Richard Grudens and entitled Snooty Little Cutie. It was a fond experience though all the way around.
I have thought about doing my own history of the big dance bands, but to be honest it would be complicated. Reason is, it is just overwhelming the history and information I have learned from my 30-plus years of collecting this great stuff. I have read the "canonical" big band books, things such as George T. Simon's The Big Bands, Leo Walker's Wonderful Era of the Great Dance Bands, and Albert McCarthy's The Dance Band Era, all of which are part of my library as well as of course Brian Rust's monumental American Dance Band Discography, a valuable - albeit expensive! - but rare resource that chronicles practically every record of every big band that ever existed up to about 1942 or so. Recording-wise, I have in my possession the "Holy Grail" of big band collections too, the Franklin Mint Greatest Recordings of the Big Band Era, a monster collection that was released in the early 1980's consisting of 100 red-vinyl LP's featuring about 250 orchestras. Thank God for EBay with that one! That, along with my collection of around 900 other LP's and about 1100 CD's, gives me a rare perspective on the music. In all my listening and research, I have seen various theories as to who was the first actual dance band. Some writers say Art Hickman deserves the title, while others say Wilbur Sweatman, and still others say James Reese Europe. However, as it turns out, there were big dance bands long before any of these were making records, and the one person who sticks out to me is Will Marion Cook, an African-American composer/bandleader/playwright who had one of the first touring big bands back in the 1880's. It is quite unfortunate that he was around too early for recordings (although cylinders did exist, and that would be some find to have Will Marion Cook's original music on one!), but he is the guy I personally feel from whom evolved the whole big band genre. And, good reason for it - he groomed and developed the musicianship of both Sydney Bichet and Duke Ellington, which in itself is fascinating. I would go as far as to say that without a Will Marion Cook, there would have been no Duke Ellington. Cook's impact on the style that would later make Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller, and Lawrence Welk (along with hundreds of others) household names is one of the most understated footnotes in American popular music, yet it is something that I feel is vital. Some may disagree with my hypothesis on that, and that is OK - we all appreciate good music enough to debate the fact, so that is cool - but it just makes sense to me to trace the evolution of big dance bands back to Will Marion Cook.
Another thing that I feel has been under-documented is the ethnic contribution to the big bands. Klezmer, polkas, etc., have contributed richly to the big band experience, and although purists on both sides of the fence differ with that somewhat, the fact cannot be denied. Polka, in particular, has been oft-overlooked, and this despite the fact that "Whoopie John" Wilfahrt and Harold Loeffelmacher's Six Fat Dutchmen, both of New Ulm, MN, had for all intents and purposes big bands that played polkas! Then, there is German-born Will Glahe, as well as my fellow Tucker County native Frankie Yankovic - not to mention modern "polka king" Jimmy Sturr, who has in my estimation done more to preserve big band music than many today have. Polkas have been an integral part of big bands for a long time (Lawrence Welk come to mind? Remember, he was a polka musician before he was a sweet bandleader!) and being polkas are a dance, and orchestras play them for dance music, it is only logical to conclude that polka bands - especially those of the 1920's-1950's - were big bands for all intents and purposes. And, personally, polka music is what introduced me to the big bands, and they have always been intertwined as far as I am concerned. Again, some may respectfully disagree, and that's fine - again, people can appreciate good music from different perspectives on it.
I honestly need to address something else too - I hate rock music, and to me anyone who has good taste and a discerning ear cannot take that crap seriously. I know some will disagree with that too, but in that case I don't give a rat's behind - it's chaotic noise with no form, no substance to it, and also is spiritually detrimental, and a person with the sense God gave a goose would have nothing to do with it, I am sorry. I have said many times that God gave me a love of the big bands to protect me, and seeing what rock music creates in the way of values, I feel very blessed to have been shielded from its influence. And now, they want to bring it in churches as "worship" music - please, if I didn't listen to it before I was a Christian, then why would I want my senses subjected to that garbage as a Christian?? I have dealt with the theological aspects of that on my other page, so I won't do that here. However, I will say this - I am too good for rock music, and am not ashamed to say it. God gave us better creativity and sensitivity to aesthetics, and we should have the good sense to exercise that gifting and tell rock music and its creators and performers to stick it where the sun don't shines. Just my humble opinion, so take it for what you want.
That being said, I will stop rambling for today, and hopefully will see you all again soon. Take care and God bless.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Who Are The Real Barbarians??
Over the past few weeks, I have taken a time of abstinence from cable television (something all thinking people should do, honestly) to catch up on watching some DVD's in my library that I have accumulated over the past couple of years. Some of these - actually, most! - are documentaries, while others are actual movies. It has been an educational experience doing this, as a lot of times the garbage we watch on TV is totally devoid of any intellectual stimulation and too many waste their time watching it. Think about it - with cable TV, most of what is offered is deviant sex, radical politics, and anti-Christian bias, all of which I find both repulsive and alarming. The more "sophisticated" we think we are, in reality the more stupid and barbaric our society is getting. That being said, it's an ancilliary supporting point to the premise of this article.
Of what I have recently watched, one included a History Channel documentary series entitled Rome: Rise and Fall of an Empire, which deals almost exclusively with the declining centuries of Roman imperial power in impressively extensive detail. One thing I noted with great interest was how barbaric the supposedly "civilized" Romans were in contrast to those they labeled "Barbarians." The example that really stood out to me as I watched this series was Stilicho, the half-Vandal general and advisor to the Roman emperor in the 4th century. Stilicho, devoutly Christian and with a characteristic humility and sense of honor that many of us would do good to emulate, was executed unjustly and barbarically by full-blooded "civilized" Romans because he was simply that, a "Barbarian." Yet, Caligula, another Roman Emperor from a couple of centuries earlier, was in reality more barbaric than Stilicho ever was. Caligula, as a matter of fact, was one of the most brutal, perverted, and barbaric individuals ever to exist - he was, next to Hitler, perhaps the most wicked man ever to lead a nation. Lest you think this was limited to ancient Rome, I would advise you take a closer look at 21st-century America today. We West Virginians, for instance, have become the modern-day Stilichos in many cases - despite the fact many of our people are hard-working, decent people and we have produced a high caliber of intellectuals, we are still called "backward hillbillies" who are supposedly products of "inbreeding" and other such media-perpetrated lies. Yet, our detractors - the media elite of New York and other places in many cases - have been documented to live debauched lifestyles and have indulged in such sick pasttimes that even Caligula would blush. And, many of these "intellectual elite" are so clueless that they cannot even carry on an intellectual conversation. At the office I work at in downtown Tampa, I see this all the time - there are some people in my office who, at lunch, sit around the table espousing radical politics, and discussing more of what Justin Bieber's hair looks like or the recent 'wisdom' of Charlie Sheen or Oprah rather than discussing real issues, and most of them are clueless when it comes to Shakespeare or Stravinsky (Ironically, when I was in grade school in small-town WV, we learned more about classical literature than most high-schoolers in Tampa learn in four years, if that says anything. In high school, I had Latin and German; here, kids learn how to speak "gangsta"). Yet, the Sheenistas claim to be "sophisticated" due to what they read in a local liberal rag published here called tbt, a paper noted for showcasing sex perverts, acceptance of illicit drugs, and radical left-wing politics. Popular culture today is scary, and personally I only keep informed enough about it so that I can accurately observe how absurd most of it is.
I also managed to watch for the first time in many years Herman Wouk's The Winds of War and War and Remembrance. These two movies came out as mini-series in the mid-1980's, and personally I consider them two of the best films ever made. Both films are based in World War II, and deal with the lives of the Henry family, an American military household headed by the battle-hardened Navy captain Victor "Pug" Henry (portrayed by legendary actor Robert Mitchum, who fit the role brilliantly) and a Polish-Jewish family, the Jastrows, represented by the elderly author/scholar Dr. Aron Jastrow (portrayed first by John Houseman, and later in the second movie by Sir John Gielgud, both of whom did an outstanding job in the role). Henry's son Byron, the bohemian adventurer, lands a job with Dr. Jastrow in Italy as a researcher, and later falls for and eventually marries Jastrow's beautiful niece, Natalie (portrayed first by Ali McGraw, and later by Jane Seymour). As WWII breaks out, the Henrys are plunged into Naval service while the Jastrows become increasingly endangered by the approaching Gestapo, and in the end Aaron ends up in the gas chamber at Auschwitz while Natalie survives the camp. One thing that really struck me personally was how Aaron Jastrow, supposedly a secular Jew and intellectual, eventually finds the God of his fathers as the Nazis plot his destruction, and as he breathes his last in the hellish gas chamber in Auschwitz, the eternal words of Psalm 23 are on his lips as he goes to his eternal reward. That was a powerful scene, and just seeing that adds to this point - the "civilized" Germans, demonically possessed by the racist hatred of the Nazis, become barbarians as they debase and destroy a man of brilliant mind and great prestige like Dr. Aaron Jastrow. Yet, today in America we see this stuff repeating itself - people of brilliant intellect and noble bearing are often persecuted and despised because they are people of faith. And, our respect for life and decency in this nation has waned considerably since we allowed certain elements to shove sexual deviancy, evolutionary philosophy, and cultural illiteracy down our throats just because some airheads in Hollywood or some self-serving politician in Washington thinks Marxism, evolution, and eugenics are "sophisticated." We abort millions of babies in cold blood, and some for stupid reasons - we consider them "subhuman" because they may have Down's Syndrome, cerebral palsy, or may be autistic. Not only that, but respect for elders has waned as well as Obamacare wants to kill off the elderly too. Not much these days separates us from the Nazis, to be honest. A return to solid values, common decency, and intellectual encouragement would easily eliminate the barbaric "culture of death" we are sinking into, and unless we turn it around, we will end up following Rome into decline. So, maybe Rome's example should be an example to us.
That is my humble opinion, despite some stones that may be cast at me for it, this week, and we'll see you again soon.
Of what I have recently watched, one included a History Channel documentary series entitled Rome: Rise and Fall of an Empire, which deals almost exclusively with the declining centuries of Roman imperial power in impressively extensive detail. One thing I noted with great interest was how barbaric the supposedly "civilized" Romans were in contrast to those they labeled "Barbarians." The example that really stood out to me as I watched this series was Stilicho, the half-Vandal general and advisor to the Roman emperor in the 4th century. Stilicho, devoutly Christian and with a characteristic humility and sense of honor that many of us would do good to emulate, was executed unjustly and barbarically by full-blooded "civilized" Romans because he was simply that, a "Barbarian." Yet, Caligula, another Roman Emperor from a couple of centuries earlier, was in reality more barbaric than Stilicho ever was. Caligula, as a matter of fact, was one of the most brutal, perverted, and barbaric individuals ever to exist - he was, next to Hitler, perhaps the most wicked man ever to lead a nation. Lest you think this was limited to ancient Rome, I would advise you take a closer look at 21st-century America today. We West Virginians, for instance, have become the modern-day Stilichos in many cases - despite the fact many of our people are hard-working, decent people and we have produced a high caliber of intellectuals, we are still called "backward hillbillies" who are supposedly products of "inbreeding" and other such media-perpetrated lies. Yet, our detractors - the media elite of New York and other places in many cases - have been documented to live debauched lifestyles and have indulged in such sick pasttimes that even Caligula would blush. And, many of these "intellectual elite" are so clueless that they cannot even carry on an intellectual conversation. At the office I work at in downtown Tampa, I see this all the time - there are some people in my office who, at lunch, sit around the table espousing radical politics, and discussing more of what Justin Bieber's hair looks like or the recent 'wisdom' of Charlie Sheen or Oprah rather than discussing real issues, and most of them are clueless when it comes to Shakespeare or Stravinsky (Ironically, when I was in grade school in small-town WV, we learned more about classical literature than most high-schoolers in Tampa learn in four years, if that says anything. In high school, I had Latin and German; here, kids learn how to speak "gangsta"). Yet, the Sheenistas claim to be "sophisticated" due to what they read in a local liberal rag published here called tbt, a paper noted for showcasing sex perverts, acceptance of illicit drugs, and radical left-wing politics. Popular culture today is scary, and personally I only keep informed enough about it so that I can accurately observe how absurd most of it is.
I also managed to watch for the first time in many years Herman Wouk's The Winds of War and War and Remembrance. These two movies came out as mini-series in the mid-1980's, and personally I consider them two of the best films ever made. Both films are based in World War II, and deal with the lives of the Henry family, an American military household headed by the battle-hardened Navy captain Victor "Pug" Henry (portrayed by legendary actor Robert Mitchum, who fit the role brilliantly) and a Polish-Jewish family, the Jastrows, represented by the elderly author/scholar Dr. Aron Jastrow (portrayed first by John Houseman, and later in the second movie by Sir John Gielgud, both of whom did an outstanding job in the role). Henry's son Byron, the bohemian adventurer, lands a job with Dr. Jastrow in Italy as a researcher, and later falls for and eventually marries Jastrow's beautiful niece, Natalie (portrayed first by Ali McGraw, and later by Jane Seymour). As WWII breaks out, the Henrys are plunged into Naval service while the Jastrows become increasingly endangered by the approaching Gestapo, and in the end Aaron ends up in the gas chamber at Auschwitz while Natalie survives the camp. One thing that really struck me personally was how Aaron Jastrow, supposedly a secular Jew and intellectual, eventually finds the God of his fathers as the Nazis plot his destruction, and as he breathes his last in the hellish gas chamber in Auschwitz, the eternal words of Psalm 23 are on his lips as he goes to his eternal reward. That was a powerful scene, and just seeing that adds to this point - the "civilized" Germans, demonically possessed by the racist hatred of the Nazis, become barbarians as they debase and destroy a man of brilliant mind and great prestige like Dr. Aaron Jastrow. Yet, today in America we see this stuff repeating itself - people of brilliant intellect and noble bearing are often persecuted and despised because they are people of faith. And, our respect for life and decency in this nation has waned considerably since we allowed certain elements to shove sexual deviancy, evolutionary philosophy, and cultural illiteracy down our throats just because some airheads in Hollywood or some self-serving politician in Washington thinks Marxism, evolution, and eugenics are "sophisticated." We abort millions of babies in cold blood, and some for stupid reasons - we consider them "subhuman" because they may have Down's Syndrome, cerebral palsy, or may be autistic. Not only that, but respect for elders has waned as well as Obamacare wants to kill off the elderly too. Not much these days separates us from the Nazis, to be honest. A return to solid values, common decency, and intellectual encouragement would easily eliminate the barbaric "culture of death" we are sinking into, and unless we turn it around, we will end up following Rome into decline. So, maybe Rome's example should be an example to us.
That is my humble opinion, despite some stones that may be cast at me for it, this week, and we'll see you again soon.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
The Thrower Philosophical Code - Part II
42. BRAIN TRANSPLANTS NOT POSSIBLE. Learn to think and reason for yourself, and examine and follow your own convictions. It will help you to be more solid on ideological grounds. Purge conditioned thinking if you have doubts, and don't believe everything you're told until you discern it is acceptable.
43. DO-IT-YOURSELF OR LEARN. Be as self-sufficient as possible, and learn things that will aid in self-sufficiency. You can never learn too much, but you can know too little. The latter will be to your disadvantage.
44. BE A HURRICANE, STAY AT SEA. It is quite valid and realistic to lose your temper on occasion, but avoid embarrassment doing so. Vent out of range, cool off, and after doing so, you can think more rationally to deal with the situation in a more civil manner.
45. GOOD WORKS GET GOOD RESULTS. Know how to account for your actions and explain yourself. If you are wrong, be quick to admit it; if you are justified, know why and how to back it up. The goal is not to argue to win, but arguing to convince, and should the situation require stress your point repeatedly.
46. ZIP YOUR LIP. Don't divulge what you are told in confidence. Also, observe situations, and one day this will provide you with the information you need ifyou stay quiet enough until necessity deems otherwise.
47. DON'T BE LEFT HOLDING THE BAG. If you are given an unnecessary expense by someone and you do not feel liable for it, don't pay it because it is not yours to be concerned about.
48. A CLOSED EYE IS A WINDOW INTO THE SOUL. Take your dreams seriously, write them down, and reflect on them - they could tell you something about yourself should you be open to finding it out.
49. RECLAIM LOST TERRITORY. If something has impacted you in a mjor way, track it down and procure it. It can be a stimuli to awaken a memory or desire you may have that could be buried in the deepest recesses of your mind. This could include a book, object, poem, song, etc.
50. ATMOSPHERE BIRTHS INSPIRATION EQUALS CREATIVITY. To be creative in the written word, the arts, etc., it is often necessary to have the proper atmosphere. Certain music, the color of a room, a profound television show, etc., could aid in this. As a result, what you produce will be a more quality product.
51. CONCEPT IS PARAMOUNT! When learning some new discipline, association via key words, etc., is essential. You will learn better, but it will require good listening. If developed properly, little study is necessary. Also, learn to listen while performing another task, such as listening and watching television at the same time.
52. FIND THE MISSING LINK. Associate, make comparisons, and fit things you acquire into your overall world view.
53. HONOR WORTHY ANCESTORS. Know your heritage, stress its good points, and be realistic about its flaws. Remember, you have nothing to be ashamed of, and your forebears' mistakes are theirs and not yours to worry about, but make life applications from them regardless.
54. ACCEPT ADVICE, IGNORE CONDESCENSION. It is a fundamental difference in motivation. Know motivation, and you will know the difference.
55. DIG ROOTS. For any interest, go as far back as you can; it makes the whole spectrum much more interesting.
56. KNOW YOUR ABILITIES BUT DO NOT ACCEPT FLATTERY. People who flatter have ulterior motives. One who truly acknowledges your abilities will seek to contribute to them.
57. PREPARE FOR THE WORST, BUT COUNT ON THE BEST. Do not worry about outcome, but have good outlook. You are prepared either way.
58. EACH PIGEON HAS ITS OWN HOLE. Classify, organize, and have a place for everything.
59. IT IS FINE TO BE WOUNDED BUT DON'T BE A CASUALTY. In adverse circumstance, give time for recovery and move on.
60. ALL DOUGHNUTS HAVE THE SAME HOLE, BUT SOME AND/OR TOO MANY WILL MAKE YOU ILL. Stay faithful to your mate, and a monogamous, heterosexual sacramental union of marriage is the divine order of things, and the only appropriate setting for such relations. Infidelity, perversion, and other deviations from that are destructive and cost much.
61. THOSE WHO CANNOT SEARCH THINGS OUT FOR THEMSELVES WILL NEVER LEARN.
Do not cheat or help others do so. Seek to learn by searching things out rather than having them dished out to you. It is a timely process, but better to find out slowly on your own rather than having the "quick fix".
62. A PRINCE IS NOT TO BE HELPED BY A PAUPER. Do not allow assistance to be rendered unto you by the indigent - he may know better in certain areas, but there is always a more credible source of aid.
63. THE BUSH IS BEATEN WHEN THE TRAIL IS NOT. It is sometimes more necessary to find the path of purpose rather than go about it blindly. You could be led in the wrong direction if not careful.
64. A MURKY WELL IS UNFIT TO DRINK. In areas of philosophical, political, and theological disciplines, caution must be taken as to whom you choose to listen - dangerous ideology is easily accessed, but fatal if swallowed. A discerning mind and spirit in these areas is essential. Being informed is a must.
65. PRINCES AND PRESIDENTS - POPULARITY IS NOT INTEGRITY!! Fallible humanity makes for fallible government, and a completely honest leadership does not exist. Indeed, a certain amount of dishonesty may be essential in those disciplines. However, a leader must not make promises he cannot deliver on, as this is failure's embryo. And, he must not indulge information if it hinders the sanctity of his constituency, nor should he cause unnecessary panic. At the same time, he should not keep from the people what benefits them.
66. AVOID CONFLICT, OPPOSE CIVILLY. Though it is often necessary to address concerns, if the opposing party appears to be beyond reason, it is best to not argue with ignorance and handle in a more constructive manner. Vocalizing to such people will only waste valuable time and result in unnecessary conflict that could have been avoided.
67. UNDERDOGS PREFERABLE TO OVERLORDS. It is honorable to come to the aid of those who are oppressed and persecuted, especially for those who suffer in obscurity. Public opinion ignores their plight, and your advocacy will impact them for the better and they will be encouraged by your interest.
___________________________________________________________________________________
These are some of my "pearls" of wisdom I have come to learn over the years, and Lord knows I have much more to go. A combination of my various roots - as an Appalachian-American of Swiss Anabaptist, French Huguenot, and Spanish Anusim descent - has shaped much of what you have just read, as I have seen these beliefs and values reflected in the legacy of many of my forebears. Also, I continue to assert the lost art of
nobless oblige as well, and this has shaped what I hold true today also. Take what I say for what it's worth, because it is a personal code that is not meant to be enforced on others but rather I live by it personally. If you benefit from it too, that is good as well, but it is mostly just to share and help people understand better how I personally communicate. Thanks for reading.
43. DO-IT-YOURSELF OR LEARN. Be as self-sufficient as possible, and learn things that will aid in self-sufficiency. You can never learn too much, but you can know too little. The latter will be to your disadvantage.
44. BE A HURRICANE, STAY AT SEA. It is quite valid and realistic to lose your temper on occasion, but avoid embarrassment doing so. Vent out of range, cool off, and after doing so, you can think more rationally to deal with the situation in a more civil manner.
45. GOOD WORKS GET GOOD RESULTS. Know how to account for your actions and explain yourself. If you are wrong, be quick to admit it; if you are justified, know why and how to back it up. The goal is not to argue to win, but arguing to convince, and should the situation require stress your point repeatedly.
46. ZIP YOUR LIP. Don't divulge what you are told in confidence. Also, observe situations, and one day this will provide you with the information you need ifyou stay quiet enough until necessity deems otherwise.
47. DON'T BE LEFT HOLDING THE BAG. If you are given an unnecessary expense by someone and you do not feel liable for it, don't pay it because it is not yours to be concerned about.
48. A CLOSED EYE IS A WINDOW INTO THE SOUL. Take your dreams seriously, write them down, and reflect on them - they could tell you something about yourself should you be open to finding it out.
49. RECLAIM LOST TERRITORY. If something has impacted you in a mjor way, track it down and procure it. It can be a stimuli to awaken a memory or desire you may have that could be buried in the deepest recesses of your mind. This could include a book, object, poem, song, etc.
50. ATMOSPHERE BIRTHS INSPIRATION EQUALS CREATIVITY. To be creative in the written word, the arts, etc., it is often necessary to have the proper atmosphere. Certain music, the color of a room, a profound television show, etc., could aid in this. As a result, what you produce will be a more quality product.
51. CONCEPT IS PARAMOUNT! When learning some new discipline, association via key words, etc., is essential. You will learn better, but it will require good listening. If developed properly, little study is necessary. Also, learn to listen while performing another task, such as listening and watching television at the same time.
52. FIND THE MISSING LINK. Associate, make comparisons, and fit things you acquire into your overall world view.
53. HONOR WORTHY ANCESTORS. Know your heritage, stress its good points, and be realistic about its flaws. Remember, you have nothing to be ashamed of, and your forebears' mistakes are theirs and not yours to worry about, but make life applications from them regardless.
54. ACCEPT ADVICE, IGNORE CONDESCENSION. It is a fundamental difference in motivation. Know motivation, and you will know the difference.
55. DIG ROOTS. For any interest, go as far back as you can; it makes the whole spectrum much more interesting.
56. KNOW YOUR ABILITIES BUT DO NOT ACCEPT FLATTERY. People who flatter have ulterior motives. One who truly acknowledges your abilities will seek to contribute to them.
57. PREPARE FOR THE WORST, BUT COUNT ON THE BEST. Do not worry about outcome, but have good outlook. You are prepared either way.
58. EACH PIGEON HAS ITS OWN HOLE. Classify, organize, and have a place for everything.
59. IT IS FINE TO BE WOUNDED BUT DON'T BE A CASUALTY. In adverse circumstance, give time for recovery and move on.
60. ALL DOUGHNUTS HAVE THE SAME HOLE, BUT SOME AND/OR TOO MANY WILL MAKE YOU ILL. Stay faithful to your mate, and a monogamous, heterosexual sacramental union of marriage is the divine order of things, and the only appropriate setting for such relations. Infidelity, perversion, and other deviations from that are destructive and cost much.
61. THOSE WHO CANNOT SEARCH THINGS OUT FOR THEMSELVES WILL NEVER LEARN.
Do not cheat or help others do so. Seek to learn by searching things out rather than having them dished out to you. It is a timely process, but better to find out slowly on your own rather than having the "quick fix".
62. A PRINCE IS NOT TO BE HELPED BY A PAUPER. Do not allow assistance to be rendered unto you by the indigent - he may know better in certain areas, but there is always a more credible source of aid.
63. THE BUSH IS BEATEN WHEN THE TRAIL IS NOT. It is sometimes more necessary to find the path of purpose rather than go about it blindly. You could be led in the wrong direction if not careful.
64. A MURKY WELL IS UNFIT TO DRINK. In areas of philosophical, political, and theological disciplines, caution must be taken as to whom you choose to listen - dangerous ideology is easily accessed, but fatal if swallowed. A discerning mind and spirit in these areas is essential. Being informed is a must.
65. PRINCES AND PRESIDENTS - POPULARITY IS NOT INTEGRITY!! Fallible humanity makes for fallible government, and a completely honest leadership does not exist. Indeed, a certain amount of dishonesty may be essential in those disciplines. However, a leader must not make promises he cannot deliver on, as this is failure's embryo. And, he must not indulge information if it hinders the sanctity of his constituency, nor should he cause unnecessary panic. At the same time, he should not keep from the people what benefits them.
66. AVOID CONFLICT, OPPOSE CIVILLY. Though it is often necessary to address concerns, if the opposing party appears to be beyond reason, it is best to not argue with ignorance and handle in a more constructive manner. Vocalizing to such people will only waste valuable time and result in unnecessary conflict that could have been avoided.
67. UNDERDOGS PREFERABLE TO OVERLORDS. It is honorable to come to the aid of those who are oppressed and persecuted, especially for those who suffer in obscurity. Public opinion ignores their plight, and your advocacy will impact them for the better and they will be encouraged by your interest.
___________________________________________________________________________________
These are some of my "pearls" of wisdom I have come to learn over the years, and Lord knows I have much more to go. A combination of my various roots - as an Appalachian-American of Swiss Anabaptist, French Huguenot, and Spanish Anusim descent - has shaped much of what you have just read, as I have seen these beliefs and values reflected in the legacy of many of my forebears. Also, I continue to assert the lost art of
nobless oblige as well, and this has shaped what I hold true today also. Take what I say for what it's worth, because it is a personal code that is not meant to be enforced on others but rather I live by it personally. If you benefit from it too, that is good as well, but it is mostly just to share and help people understand better how I personally communicate. Thanks for reading.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
The Thrower Philosophical Code - Part I
This is something I came up with some years ago, expressing my beliefs and convictions in the form of proverbs. I got the idea from my good friend and literary mentor Robert Newton Peck, who was noted for doing extemporaneous proverbial thoughts as part of his writing technique. This is a little more organized, but along the same lines.
Some of my views of course have evolved and changed since those days, but I still want to present and preserve the best of them, as well as adding some new ones, so this is a work in progress.
1. CONVICTION IS CROWNED OVER CURRENCY. Careers are based on interest and not on income. One's happiness at doing what he likes is reward enough.
2. BOAST ABILITY AND NOT PROBABILITY. Do not make commitments in haste, but look at a situation from all angles. Announce intentions before you execute them.
3. THE PROBLEM IS INDIVIDUAL AND NOT GROUP. A disagreement with another must be taken up with the offending party as an individual and not with the ethnicity, religion, etc., with which he identifies.
4. Admit your faults, and no one will condemn you for them.
5. OPEN EARS, CLOSE MOUTH, NOURISH BRAIN. Wisdom comes from listening not talking.
6. UNITY OF MIND AND SPIRIT A MUST! A man's intellect will shape his views of spiritual things. The better the intellect, the more focused one's faith.
7. CRYPTIC CRITICISM CURBS COMMUNAL CURSE. Keep quiet about others in public, and take your offenses to the offender. That way, no retaliation will befall you. Also, a trusted confidante will prove a valuable asset when such issues arise.
8. WHEN IN DOUBT, SPEAK OUT! If you have a serious concern, let your feelings be known to the appropriate parties, showing them they cannot walk over you. If they attempt to tread on your back, they will have their day to come.
9. MORE THAN ONE SLEEVE HOLDS MORE TRICKS. Plan ahead, but provide alternatives in case the first plan is unsuccessful.
10. DON'T GIVE WHAT YOU DESIRE TO KEEP. Never loan anyone anything that you cherish or have value for, because you may never see them again.
11. PASS ON MORE THAN YOUR GENES AND FORTUNE. WRITE down your memoirs, save everything, and leave a legacy for your children. It is the most valued possession you can leave to them.
12. DON'T GIVE TILL IT HURTS. Never give to others if it deprives your own fundamental needs, for those you extend charity to may not do the same for you when you lack.
13. DIVERSION PREVENTS DIVISION. Spend time alone on occasion for a stronger marriage. Absence indeed makes the heart grow fonder.
14. KNOW YOURSELF TO BE KNOWN.
15. ACCEPT YOURSELF TO BE ACCEPTED.
16. DON'T MESH, DON'T TALK. If you find little in common talking with someone, and do not feel you can connect, do not press the issue.
17. COMMON GROUND IS NOT CONQUERED TERRITORY. Share and be enthusiastic about who you are as an individual with an unique identity, but do not impose your interests on the person you are sharing with. Common things are better discovered at mutual will.
18. DON'T KNOW, DON'T TALK. If your knowledge does not extend to a certain area, don't act like you know what you are talking about.
19. IF YOU KNOW DO NOT FLAUNT. A person who truly has knowledge of something does not have to advertise it. Their expertise in the field will speak for itself.
20. SUBTLE IS POLITE. Argue your point discreetly if possible. If this doesn't work, go back to #8.
21. WAIT, DO NOT IMPOSE. If you have a really pressing need someone will see it and assist you. If they do not, then ask and offer something in return.
22. REAL RELIGION IS MORE THAN "MONKEY SEE, MONKEY DO." God expects individuals to be as they are created to be, and therefore we are not to do anythinhg in His house out of our characters, despite the peer pressure of the crowd.
23. IGNORANCE NOT DESERVING OF BEING EXCUSED OR TOLERATED. People whom you encounter who are beyond reason are to be disregarded, as it is a waste of time to debate your virtues and their shortcomings anyway.
24. EVERY DOG HAS ITS DAY. If revenge is out of your means, then do not worry about it; if the person who wronged you is guilty, then that individual will be dealt with justly by higher authorities.
25. MENTORING IS A MUST. It is eternally essential to be guided by one who is older and wiser as you proceed on life's pilgrimage. Let this individual impart to you the precious gift of their wisdom, as it is a high honor.
26. REMEMBER THE PRICK OF A BYGONE THORN. Learn from, analyze, and evaluate your mistakes, as error can be a competent teacher if you listen to it the first time.
27. A CRAB APPLE AND A WASHINGTON RED ARE APPLES IN NAME ONLY. Two things may seem alike on the surface, but are vastly different when you get beyond externals.
28. TRADITION IS PARAMOUNT IF IT IS ORTHODOX. Do not disregard traditions of the past, and only do away with them if they are more harm than good.
29. SILENCE IS GOLDEN WHERE EXPRESSION IS RIDICULED. Do not share your dreams and desires with those who won't appreciate them, as you will only cheapen yourself by doing so.
30. HOLD IT, DON'T BLUDGEON! If you have done a good favor for someone who does you wrong later, politely remind them of the fact without beating them over the head with it.
31. DUCKS IN A ROW ARE BETTER THAN STRAY GOATS. Organizing, documenting, and ordering your life's activities should always be paramount. Always know what everything is and where it is at.
32. PACE DON'T PUSH. Mindset is important in concentration. Do not attempt a task if distraction is immanent. Do your best, and do not try to exceed your limits.
33. DO NOT IMPOSE YOUR WELCOME. When a guest in someone's home, do not help yourself to their amenities unless invited to do so. Further, treat your guests in the same manner, as they should not impose themselves on your home either.
34. SEE THE ROSES AS WELL AS THE THORNS. Despite individual shortcomings we all have, everyone has good qualities. Give credit where credit is due, despite personal feelings.
35. DISCRIMINATE AGAINST THE PREJUDICED. Be prejudiced against racism and racists, and in a desperate circumstance, and ONLY if necessary, use violence if a bigot's actions prove serious enough to warrant such extremes.
36. STEP AHEAD, AND YOU WILL NOT BE LEFT IN YOUR OWN TRACKS. Prepare for problems, and protect yourself from people or circumstances that prove threatening.
37. REWARD YOUR MENTORS. Keep in touch with influential people, as your accomplishments will be a reward to them as well as yourself. Likewise, make an effort to keep in contact with those you teach, influence, and guide.
38. BE EXTREME BUT NOT CRAZY. It is fine to be a radical, as long as you stay within societal norms. It is fine to be eccentric, but not psychotic. Eccentrism can add color to your persona soli.
39. TASTE A LOT OF PIES, BUT FAVOR ONLY ONE. Learn as much as possible about a number of disciplines, but master only one. All the rest will find their application as life's pilgrimage progresses.
40. HAVE SOLITUDE WITHOUT BEING SOLITARY. Everyone needs time to themselves without distraction, and it is recommended to allow for this practice of self-reflection for a specified period of time daily - it helps one to be more focused.
41. BEWARE OF STATIC KLINGONS!! When people latch onto you too closely, and you feel sapped by them and their presence, back away to prevent future issues from arising, as they surely will!
More to come on Part II....
Some of my views of course have evolved and changed since those days, but I still want to present and preserve the best of them, as well as adding some new ones, so this is a work in progress.
1. CONVICTION IS CROWNED OVER CURRENCY. Careers are based on interest and not on income. One's happiness at doing what he likes is reward enough.
2. BOAST ABILITY AND NOT PROBABILITY. Do not make commitments in haste, but look at a situation from all angles. Announce intentions before you execute them.
3. THE PROBLEM IS INDIVIDUAL AND NOT GROUP. A disagreement with another must be taken up with the offending party as an individual and not with the ethnicity, religion, etc., with which he identifies.
4. Admit your faults, and no one will condemn you for them.
5. OPEN EARS, CLOSE MOUTH, NOURISH BRAIN. Wisdom comes from listening not talking.
6. UNITY OF MIND AND SPIRIT A MUST! A man's intellect will shape his views of spiritual things. The better the intellect, the more focused one's faith.
7. CRYPTIC CRITICISM CURBS COMMUNAL CURSE. Keep quiet about others in public, and take your offenses to the offender. That way, no retaliation will befall you. Also, a trusted confidante will prove a valuable asset when such issues arise.
8. WHEN IN DOUBT, SPEAK OUT! If you have a serious concern, let your feelings be known to the appropriate parties, showing them they cannot walk over you. If they attempt to tread on your back, they will have their day to come.
9. MORE THAN ONE SLEEVE HOLDS MORE TRICKS. Plan ahead, but provide alternatives in case the first plan is unsuccessful.
10. DON'T GIVE WHAT YOU DESIRE TO KEEP. Never loan anyone anything that you cherish or have value for, because you may never see them again.
11. PASS ON MORE THAN YOUR GENES AND FORTUNE. WRITE down your memoirs, save everything, and leave a legacy for your children. It is the most valued possession you can leave to them.
12. DON'T GIVE TILL IT HURTS. Never give to others if it deprives your own fundamental needs, for those you extend charity to may not do the same for you when you lack.
13. DIVERSION PREVENTS DIVISION. Spend time alone on occasion for a stronger marriage. Absence indeed makes the heart grow fonder.
14. KNOW YOURSELF TO BE KNOWN.
15. ACCEPT YOURSELF TO BE ACCEPTED.
16. DON'T MESH, DON'T TALK. If you find little in common talking with someone, and do not feel you can connect, do not press the issue.
17. COMMON GROUND IS NOT CONQUERED TERRITORY. Share and be enthusiastic about who you are as an individual with an unique identity, but do not impose your interests on the person you are sharing with. Common things are better discovered at mutual will.
18. DON'T KNOW, DON'T TALK. If your knowledge does not extend to a certain area, don't act like you know what you are talking about.
19. IF YOU KNOW DO NOT FLAUNT. A person who truly has knowledge of something does not have to advertise it. Their expertise in the field will speak for itself.
20. SUBTLE IS POLITE. Argue your point discreetly if possible. If this doesn't work, go back to #8.
21. WAIT, DO NOT IMPOSE. If you have a really pressing need someone will see it and assist you. If they do not, then ask and offer something in return.
22. REAL RELIGION IS MORE THAN "MONKEY SEE, MONKEY DO." God expects individuals to be as they are created to be, and therefore we are not to do anythinhg in His house out of our characters, despite the peer pressure of the crowd.
23. IGNORANCE NOT DESERVING OF BEING EXCUSED OR TOLERATED. People whom you encounter who are beyond reason are to be disregarded, as it is a waste of time to debate your virtues and their shortcomings anyway.
24. EVERY DOG HAS ITS DAY. If revenge is out of your means, then do not worry about it; if the person who wronged you is guilty, then that individual will be dealt with justly by higher authorities.
25. MENTORING IS A MUST. It is eternally essential to be guided by one who is older and wiser as you proceed on life's pilgrimage. Let this individual impart to you the precious gift of their wisdom, as it is a high honor.
26. REMEMBER THE PRICK OF A BYGONE THORN. Learn from, analyze, and evaluate your mistakes, as error can be a competent teacher if you listen to it the first time.
27. A CRAB APPLE AND A WASHINGTON RED ARE APPLES IN NAME ONLY. Two things may seem alike on the surface, but are vastly different when you get beyond externals.
28. TRADITION IS PARAMOUNT IF IT IS ORTHODOX. Do not disregard traditions of the past, and only do away with them if they are more harm than good.
29. SILENCE IS GOLDEN WHERE EXPRESSION IS RIDICULED. Do not share your dreams and desires with those who won't appreciate them, as you will only cheapen yourself by doing so.
30. HOLD IT, DON'T BLUDGEON! If you have done a good favor for someone who does you wrong later, politely remind them of the fact without beating them over the head with it.
31. DUCKS IN A ROW ARE BETTER THAN STRAY GOATS. Organizing, documenting, and ordering your life's activities should always be paramount. Always know what everything is and where it is at.
32. PACE DON'T PUSH. Mindset is important in concentration. Do not attempt a task if distraction is immanent. Do your best, and do not try to exceed your limits.
33. DO NOT IMPOSE YOUR WELCOME. When a guest in someone's home, do not help yourself to their amenities unless invited to do so. Further, treat your guests in the same manner, as they should not impose themselves on your home either.
34. SEE THE ROSES AS WELL AS THE THORNS. Despite individual shortcomings we all have, everyone has good qualities. Give credit where credit is due, despite personal feelings.
35. DISCRIMINATE AGAINST THE PREJUDICED. Be prejudiced against racism and racists, and in a desperate circumstance, and ONLY if necessary, use violence if a bigot's actions prove serious enough to warrant such extremes.
36. STEP AHEAD, AND YOU WILL NOT BE LEFT IN YOUR OWN TRACKS. Prepare for problems, and protect yourself from people or circumstances that prove threatening.
37. REWARD YOUR MENTORS. Keep in touch with influential people, as your accomplishments will be a reward to them as well as yourself. Likewise, make an effort to keep in contact with those you teach, influence, and guide.
38. BE EXTREME BUT NOT CRAZY. It is fine to be a radical, as long as you stay within societal norms. It is fine to be eccentric, but not psychotic. Eccentrism can add color to your persona soli.
39. TASTE A LOT OF PIES, BUT FAVOR ONLY ONE. Learn as much as possible about a number of disciplines, but master only one. All the rest will find their application as life's pilgrimage progresses.
40. HAVE SOLITUDE WITHOUT BEING SOLITARY. Everyone needs time to themselves without distraction, and it is recommended to allow for this practice of self-reflection for a specified period of time daily - it helps one to be more focused.
41. BEWARE OF STATIC KLINGONS!! When people latch onto you too closely, and you feel sapped by them and their presence, back away to prevent future issues from arising, as they surely will!
More to come on Part II....
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)