Sunset Blvd

"Know what you want to do, hold the thought firmly, and do every day what should be done, and every sunset will see you that much nearer to your goal." ~Elbert Hubbard

When speaking of a sunset, is there anything more obvious then Sunset Boulevard in the Los Angeles, California area. It runs from downtown LA northwest and then turns west running out to the Pacific Ocean near Pacific Palisades.

It is a famed road that offers a wide range of both social and economic variation. As you travel its course, you encounter everyday people, those trying to be famous and the very famous. There are the destitute people living on the street, those trying to survive, the getting by just fine and the super rich that have done amazingly well.

Even the street views give a glimpse into the diversity. In some areas you find the gorgeous trimmed and gated homes. In other areas the shiny glass office and retail entertainment complexes take your breath away. But you also see the rougher areas, broken glass windows and lots of struggle to maintain appearance.

The people along this twenty-two mile stretch tell a tale of dreams being pursued. The similarity carries across all situations. Every morning the poorest to the richest are getting up, getting dressed, getting prepared for the day; all wanting to pursue their dreams. The needs and wants, the visions and dreams, each may be at different levels, but each are still being pursued.

Regardless of that level, hold onto the dream and continue to move towards it. Never let go of what you want to achieve in life. "It is possible" is not just a silly phrase. There is so much proof of it through out history. You might even be surprised by what some people went through to achieve what they have today. One day it will be you with a story that will surprise others when you tell them of how you achieved your success.

What you need to remember is that we all see the sun rise and we all see the sun set. What matters is have you moved towards the dream today? Have you taken one or more steps? If so, then the dream is that much closer. The sunset is also a little more awe inspiring.

Life Is Full Of Surprise

"A story to me means a plot where there is some surprise. Because that is how life is - full of surprises." ~Isaac Bashevis Singer

So where oh where have I been the past couple of days? I have had this question asked of me several times. They say, "its not like you to disappear for a couple of days" and "have you stopped writing?" Which are nice questions to be asked, which means there are people that actually read my blog.

Where I have been is keeping a secret from our daughter Shirin. She lives in L.A. with her husband Dave. This weekend is her birthday and it has been several months since we've seen her. So in a conspiracy of epic proportion, her husband and we have been planning this birthday surprise for a couple of months.

In preparing, we had to ensure many friends back in Atlanta didn't let slip we were coming. Emails and texts between her and us meant we had to be careful what we said. It took her husband being stealthy in planning the big day. And it worked...SURPRISE.

The plot worked as planned. We arrived on Thursday afternoon, staying at a cool little guest house called The Sanborn House, not more then a block or so from their home. A great location very close to a great coffee shop called Intelligentsia to relax and take in the area called Sunset Junction.

Step outside the coffee shop to head back to the Sanborn and a great view of the Hollywood sign. But alas, our timing was such that the sign read Save The Peak. Wow...SURPRISE. Life is really full of them.

The next day, a Friday while Shirin is at work...we work with Dave to set the stage. He sets up the apartment of nearby friends where everyone will meet to surprise Shirin. She and Dave arrive on the idea of a few friends meeting to go out to a few clubs. Wow...SURPRISE. Life has a cool way of doing this. Its actually a party for her. But what about her mother and I? We are not there.

We actually arrive about fifteen minutes late (on purpose) and ring the bell. Dave has tactfully positioned her near the door so that she is the one to open it...SURPRISE. Well we were in the neighborhood and thought we'd drop by. The look of speechless wonder was wonderful. And a great evening of chatting and seeing her with all her friends was great. It was even better seeing her and Dave together enjoying the moment.

But yet another surprise. Our son Jon, in school at the University of Georgia has called. A rare snow storm in the Atlanta area created a perfect setting for playing football outside. And the perfect setting for a broken collarbone and his buddy taking him to the hospital emergency room. Wow...SURPRISE, life never seems to cease in giving them.

But all is well, he will do well and we continue to enjoy time with our daughter and husband. SURPRISE, life will work out one way or another and leave you with more.

Sharing Our Life

"Life is what we make it, always has been, always will be." ~Grandma Moses

We each have a life story to share with others.  It might be imparting the history to a younger generation or to someone in need of direction.  To share with others is a way to teach.  In the following story, a few pictures wrapped in a musical carriage can say so much without a single word.



Do not keep your life to yourself.  Share it with others through connection and feel the wonder of it.

Super Bowl Achievement

"Desire is the starting point of all achievement, not a hope, not a wish, but a keen pulsating desire which transcends everything." ~Napoleon Hill

Another American NFL Football game was completed last night. The 44th Super Bowl in which the winner of the American Football Conference plays the winner of the National Football Conference for bragging rights. Last night it was the Indianapolis Colts (NFC) taking on what for many years were the hapless New Orleans Saints (AFC).

I don't mean to bore you with football statistics and aim to get you excited about American football. World soccer, rugby and many other sports have their own fans. What is interesting is that in each sport, there is always one team that never seems to quite make it.

In American football, one of those teams are...excuse me...were the New Orleans Saints. With their famed "Who Dat" slogan, they kept believing, kept dreaming of achieving one of the greatest rewards in American sports.

Achievement, an overnight success story one might say that was 43 years in the making. During that entire time, a whole lot of dreams were dashed and disappointment seemed to always find its way in. Pretty much like life in general I would say.

Each of us have dreams of achieving some level of greatness. The "journey" can be a spiritual one or a physical one. Either way, the journey is a process leading to some level of achievement that will have dashed dreams and disappointment along the way.

We will change things up, the players we once had in our lives will leave and new ones will enter. The journey will take a team effort of support and guidance as we seek the goal. Our connections to others will be a great force to help achieve the "overnight" success.

The New Orleans Saints could have settled for winning a couple of games each year. But they kept dreaming and striving for even greater achievement. And you need to keep dreaming and striving for greater achievement.

Battle the disappointment, battle the dashed hopes, battle those things that will get in the way. You will get there and the feeling will be astounding.

The New Soap Box

“Do all the good you can,

By all the means you can,

In all the ways you can,

In all the places you can,

At all the times you can,

To all the people you can,

As long as ever you can.”

~John Wesley

Each of us will at various times get up on our 'soap box' and evangelize our thoughts. It might be in a meeting at work, at the dinner table or in a crowded room filled with party guests. An opinion or belief will get expressed to the masses.

There have been great speakers going way back in time. Well before the biblical time of Jesus up until today, many have spoken from their own pulpit. And you may have been speaking from a pulpit and not even realized it. They come in all shapes and forms, but are real regardless of what they look like.

The above quote by John Wesley is one that I learned many years ago. Now while John Wesley was a a co-founder with his brother of the Methodist movement. But he 'evangelized' in open-air places. To bring good works to the community outside the church walls.

In today's world, I stand on my 'soap box' called a blog that reaches a fair amount of people through BLOGGER, TWITTER, FACEBOOK and other sources. I do what I can to bring goodness to others and to encourage them to do the same.

My soap box is much different then the old wooden one...

The Certainty Of Possibility

"When nothing is sure, everything is possible." ~Margaret Drabble

While in New York on business recently the above quote was used in a presentation at one of my meetings. It was used in the vision being presented for this year. It was meant to inspire and push people to excellence in their pursuit of success.

It stuck with me as the day wore on and had me thinking about how it can be applied to everything we do. "When nothing is sure", pretty much describes what life can be like. A birth, school, marriage, divorce, job, money and even with death, nothing is sure.

One could think back to the days of the Cold War when a concrete barrier called the Berlin Wall was erected not to keep people out, but to keep them in. The uncertainty of ones life and would this wall ever come down. People dreamed of the day it would happen and it did eventually. Many thought it never would, but the dreams overpowered the uncertainty. Today the German people are no longer seperated by a wall, today they live with greater possibility.

We can spend all of our time concentrating on these uncertainties. Will my baby be healthy and smart? Will our marriage be all that I dreamed it would be? Will a divorce be the end to all that my life was ever going to be? Will I achieve my full potential in my job and have enough money to live a comfortable life? Will the death of someone close change everything.

The answer to these questions is yes and no. The answer to these questions is that "everything is possible" when everything is unsure. Events and circumstance will occur in your life. One aspect of your life may end or be radically changed. But it also means that a new chapter is beginning and you have limitless possibility.

So instead of worrying about the uncertainty, focus on possibility and see your life expand.

New Game Or Continue

“When you are in the valley, keep your goal firmly in view and you will get the renewed energy to continue the climb.” ~Denis Waitley

The game is played and you reach a point in which failure occurs. Mario couldn't jump the deep gorge; the race car veered off course; maybe the wall of Tetris bricks fell down around you. When this happens, you get two choices presented. One selection is to start a "NEW GAME", while the other option is to "CONTINUE".

Similarly in the game of golf, if you flub a swing, you have the opportunity for what is called a mulligan. Some call it a do-over or something that allows you to take another swing at the ball.

Yet when it comes to life, we only get this one to live. We can't start over our lives in order to avoid mistakes made. What we have is the ability to continue on with our life. All we have to do is make changes in how or what we are doing and then press the "CONTINUE" button.

Keep your eye ahead of you, towards the road further on. Find a different path, find a different way and continue on with your life. A NEW GAME may not be possible, but a NEW WAY is.

Build A Life

"Life is a process. We are a process. The universe is a process." ~Anne Wilson Schaef

You have heard it before. It was either directed at you or someone else. The phrase "get a life" is tossed around by many folks. It is usually directed at those that are lazy or wasting their days. It is also meant to describe a process of achieving more.

But I contend that the phrase "get a life" is a misstatement. My belief is that you "build a life". There is no reaching up on a shelf to choose or find the life you want. I can not look up the keyword "life" on the Amazon website and all is well. It takes change on my part to help "build" the life you want.

Whether we are building a life from the ruins of a death, divorce or disaster, we do the work necessary to create something new for ourselves. We read stories of how others built a new life. We search for inspiration to keep us moving in the direction of a new life. We construct a life that will be great.

And when this life you are building begins to take shape, others will take notice. Your life will be that much greater when you "build a life".

Looking Beyond

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." ~Matthew 3:24

Its amazing what can happen when our path becomes blocked by trouble or pain. Some will look and simply sit down on the side of the road. So many of these roads are littered with the shanty buildings of those that have given up.

Others though will see the mountain and have the ability to believe in something beyond it. They can see what lay beyond the obstacle and use faith to guide them past it.

With the recent earthquake in Haiti, as with any major disaster; people will see the devastation around them and simply give up. But there will be many that can see the vision of a new country. Of rebuilding a hospital or a grocery store. They see their new home where now only a pile of rubble exists.

Your problems could be simply finding that job, someone to love or getting beyond whatever troubles you. It is your own personal mountain; your own personal boulder on the road to where you want to be. See beyond the obstacle and believe in it.

Then begin your trek across, around, over or through it. There are many different ways to achieve success. All you have to do is keep trying. Pretty soon you'll leave those shacks built by others along the road. A clear and wonderful path will lay before you.

Take today and work through what you have. Tomorrow will present greater opportunity for you and yesterday is gone...so let it go. Overcome your obstacles and achieve.

When Disaster Strikes

From Getty Images on Financial Times

"Sometimes it takes a natural disaster to reveal a social disaster." ~Jim Wallis

Disaster can strike anywhere at anytime in this world. The devastation in Haiti caused by a 7.0 magnitude earthquake is astounding to see. This occurred about 10 miles from the center of Port au Prince which has a population of nearly one million people. Think of similar sized cities any where around the world;

1,200,000 - Glasgow UK
1,200,000 - Lumumbashi Congo
1,177,000 - Perth Australia
1,157,000 - Orlando USA
1,075,000 - Dublin Ireland
1,050,000 - Auckland New Zealand
1,050,000 - Lille France
1,035,000 - Porto Portugal
1,002,000 - Adelaide Australia
1,000,000 - Helsinki Finland
972,000 --- Memphis USA
915,000 --- Antwerp Belgium
900,000 --- Port Elizabeth South Africa

Think of your own community. A town of 615 people like Cedar Bluffs, Nebraska can suffer as much as a city of nearly 34 million people like Tokyo, Japan. Disaster effects people on an individual basis. It could happen to any of us and when it does, others will come to your aide similar to what is happening in Haiti.

Yet we can not live in fear of the next disaster. We simply need to be prepared in ways that make sense. And when a disaster occurs, 'just breathe'. We will work through the pain and sorrow that a disaster brings. Greatness and better times exist on the other side of it. Just maintain faith in yourself and those around you. The people of Haiti will pull through with the help of themselves and those around the world.

Help in what ways you can today; not only in Haiti but in support of those that assist people in need around the world and within your own community.

Haiti - Treating The Injured

Treating those hurt by the Haiti earthquake, medical doctors are needed and here is another organization that is helping in relief efforts

DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS (also known as Médecins Sans Frontières) has already treated more than 1,000 people on the ground in Haiti following Tuesday's earthquake, but the needs are huge. An inflatable hospital with operating theatres is expected to arrive in the next 24 hours.

Haiti Disaster Relief

Haiti Relief and Development

On January 12, a series of earthquakes measuring 6.5 to 7.3 on the Richter scale devastated Haiti. The AMERICAN RED CROSS is working with its partners in the global Red Cross and Red Crescent network, including the Haitian Red Cross, and other partners to assist those affected by this disaster.

Happy Birthday Dan

“It takes a long time to grow young.” ~Pablo Picasso

A very happy birthday to my son Dan.

Make It A Beautiful Day

"For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone." ~Audrey Hepburn

The song you are listening to is probably more cynical about the reality of life then it may first appear. We each get up in the morning and see that wonderful sun rising in the east. Our hopes are that when it sets in the west, a great day will have happened.

The reality is that life throws a lot of different things at us. What starts great may get interrupted by circumstance. What may have been a wish for blue skies could turn into a rainy day.

What we can expect is how 'we' walk through our day. It is 'we' that determine our attitude in response to life. The ability that 'we' have to overcome anything in our way is what makes it a beautiful day.

mr es beautiful eyes mp3 | lyrics

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Time Begins Now

Soft Watch At Moment of First Explosion ~by Salvador Dali

"Until you value yourself, you won't value your time. Until you value your time, you will not do anything with it." ~M. Scott Peck

Yes, the painting by Dali represents the last few moments before the end of time. But the representation could be what happens to time as it passes us. Or maybe it is the idea that time is slowly melting away from us. In many instances, where does time really go?

The start of a new year such as 2010 is the marking of time only. Some use it as the beginning of something different and the end to something old. For others it is a continuation of both. Either way, time is a resource and what we do with it matters greatly.

Time unused can be considered in some ways, time wasted. Does this mean one has to be productive with every waking moment? Not at all. There are things you want to do in your life. You want more 'things', you want more 'accomplishment', you want a 'greater life'. Yet if all you do is 'want', then time slips away and is wasted.

Eventually time is gone, melted away and lost forever.

But if you believe in yourself, if you respect your ability and worth to the short time we actually have, then time becomes meaningful. It will become a valued part of your life. Use time in the benefit of the life you live. It will create a much greater life.

Time is on your side more then it is against you. Use the time you have. Do not wait until tomorrow. Begin now...

New Year Of Possibility

"The Old Year has gone. Let the dead past bury its own dead. The New Year has taken possession of the clock of time. All hail the duties and possibilities of the coming twelve months!" ~Edward Payson Powell

We have the ability to make 2010 anything we want it to be. You have the ability to create the face of this new year. Believe in you, believe in possibility.

Have a happy and prosperous new year!!

So Late So Soon

“How did it get so late so soon? Its night before its afternoon. December is here before its June. My goodness how the time has flewn. How did it get so late so soon?” ~Dr. Seuss

If you haven't noticed the clock on the wall or extremely thin desk calendar; it is now December 31st, 2009. The year has gone by so fast for many, so slow for others but gone by exactly in the amount of time it always has.

The work day will have ended sooner then normal. The rush to prepare for the evening parties will begin. And the night will be over before it seems to have begun.

The clock will strike midnight, the horns will sound and the confetti will fly. People will hug and give passionate kisses of happiness to one another. A final dance, a final auld lang syne and the new year will have begun.

Before you realize it, you will wonder "how did it get so late so soon?"

So take a moment to reflect on 2009 and a few more moments to reflect on 2010. Then get started loving more, sharing more and moving forward with your life. Time will proceed with or without us and before you know it, 2011 will be upon us.

Year End Resolution

"Character is the ability to carry out a good resolution long after the excitement of the moment has passed." ~Cavett Robertngs

We are nearing the end of calendar year 2009. The resolutions we made on January 1st seem a distant memory. Some may even fret over the fact that they never accomplished those resolutions. The fear is that a year is coming to an end and nothing more can be done.

But a year is only the marking of time, not the end of it. We use it to measure only the passing of time and events. So anything not accomplished yet, still can be pursued.

It also means the end of a year is not really the end of our journey. The things we wanted to accomplish can still be accomplished. The dreams we put on paper twelve months ago can still be dreamt.

The end is only a marking of the final day of a year. It is the continuance of our life's journey. Let the end be only the end of inaction. Let the end be only the end of procrastination.

Let the end be the start of moving forward in life.

New Year Faith

"Faith is courage; it is creative while despair is always destructive." ~David S. Muzzey

Do you have faith to overcome anything? When life comes and tears apart everything you have, will you be able to rebuild it?

It was during a private "fly-in" fishing excursion in the Alaskan wilderness, a charter pilot and fisherman left a cooler and bait in the plane. A bear smelled it and this is what the bear did to the plane.


The pilot used his radio and had another pilot bring him 2 new tires, 3 cases of duct tape, and a supply of sheet plastic. He patched the plane together, and FLEW IT HOME!


Each of us will encounter what the bear has destroyed. Each of us require the faith to rebuild. A Bible verse (Isaiah 9:10) says, "the bricks have fallen down, but we will rebuild with dressed stone; the fig trees have been felled, but we will replace them with cedars."

Have faith in what was put inside each of us and you will fly out from the wilderness. The bear that tried to destroy you will be left defeated once again.

Can I verify the story above? Did he really fly it out? I guess that is what faith is all about.

A Greater New You

"Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us." ~Hal Borland

The countdown has begun for many. The preparations for a new year are beginning. People are writing down their New Year's resolutions. The plans for 2010 are taking shape as we speak. The last day of 2009 will ring out in festive fashion. The first day of 2010 will be rung in with wild exhuberance for all to come.

As we prepare, take stock in what was accomplished in 2009. Look back to all those that you have made a difference to. Look back at all those people that made a difference in your life.

We do not forget all that we lost or learned during 2009. We continue on into the new year with greater expectation to accomplish even more. Take this week to prepare for a countdown to a greater you.

Christmas Day

Christmas Day - Enjoy the holiday and thank you for a great year.

Christmas, Yes Virginia

Yes, Virginia, There Is A Santa Claus: The Classic Edition

“Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exists, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy.” -Francis Pharcellus Church

As we enter into the Christian holiday of Christmas, the spirit of Christmas that can be felt by people of all religions is embodied in this letter.

~~~~~

Yes Virginia, There Is A Santa Claus

Eight-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon wrote a letter to the editor of New York's Sun, and the quick response was printed as an unsigned editorial Sept. 21, 1897. The work of veteran newsman Francis Pharcellus Church has since become history's most reprinted newspaper editorial, appearing in part or whole in dozens of languages in books, movies, and other editorials, and on posters and stamps.

~~~~~THE LETTER~~~~~

Dear Editor,

I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, 'If you see it in THE SUN it's so.' Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?

Virginia O'Hanlon
115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET.

~~~~~EDITORS RESPONSE~~~~~

VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except [what] they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no VIRGINIAS. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.

You may tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Have a safe and merry Christmas! To all have a happy holiday season and new year!

Christmas Quiet

"The joy of brightening other lives, bearing each others' burdens, easing other's loads and supplanting empty hearts and lives with generous gifts becomes for us the magic of Christmas." -WC Jones

Here we are, the day before the day of the eve of "THE" day. Another day in the week you might think. But each day is special and wonderful if you think about it. There will of course be last minute shopping. The patience of people will be tested. The problems in your life will not magically disappear.

But like a gentle snow fall in the forest, for a short time we can enjoy the 'coming home' this holiday season brings to us. If you take the time to listen to the gentle rush of a breeze through that forest of new fallen snow. If you take the time to enjoy the moments of this season. It will be very much like coming home to mother.

The words to a song by Ben Lee that kind of resonate this time of year read;

Sweet mother I'm comin' home
Tell me mother can you hear me sing?
Your love is everything
Heart and soul
Breath and skin
Your love is everything

They come from Song For The Divine Mother Of The Universe. The link is to the song on Amazon...so no surprises.

What I like is that we each can find a song in our hearts to sing. And that no matter how it is sung, we are not alone during this season. If we simply take time to hear that quiet gentle song inside, we'll be prepared for most anything.

Christmas Travel

"Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

It is that time of year when people will travel all over to celebrate the season. There will be short car drives to Grandmother's home. There will be people travelling by bus, boat, airplanes and trains. In all, we each will travel with wishes of a happy and wonderful time.

We save our good heart for those at the far end of our travel plans. What we tend to forget is to carry that good heart in the open as we travel. If we fret and fuss at people along the path of our journey, it effects the end result. The destination will be clouded by your trip.

Everyone along the way is striving to have a happy holiday. But many along the way are either working or travelling such as yourself. There are frustrations each of us carry; the crowds, the delays, the weather and the attitude. Many of those frustrations are out of our control.

What is under our control is the attitude. We can each control our attitude when facing the inevitable obstacles. By knowing that 'life' happens ahead of time, we can better handle the circumstances that might befall us. A better attitude, a smile or carrying the beautiful feeling on the outside will spread to others. You can not change them, but you can help change the atmosphere.

In a more beautiful travel atmosphere, the possibilities are endless. The time spent travelling becomes a greater experience. It allows you to start the time at your destination on a positive note. The stories you will tell bring out the greater stories in others.

Travel in a better mood by carrying your heart on the outside. It will cause you to be a better person while spreading the beauty to those around you.

Christmas Presents

"The magi, as you know, were wise men - wonderfully wise men who brought gifts to the Babe in the manger. They invented the art of giving Christmas presents." -Unknown

People are out and about, buying those last presents for those that are special in their lives. The buying frenzy will come to an end early in the evening of December 24th. The gifts will be wrapped in wonderful colors of paper. The bows will be tied with care. And the Christmas tree will seem to float on top of so many presents.

The gifts we give each year are thought out and well intentioned. That sweater or tie for Dad which looked so perfect in the store. Maybe it is perfume or jewelry that Mom is sure to wear once or twice. A train set for your son or a doll house for your daughter will brighten their eyes on Christmas morning.

But the gifts you can give each and everyday are within you as well. A simple kiss for your wife in the morning. Encouraging words to your children each day. The smile you give to people passing by. All of these things hold the idea of Christmas in their giving to another.

As this Christmas week proceeds, try a new habit of giving from the heart just a little more. Before you know it, the gifts will flow from you each and everyday. And as these gifts flow from your heart, they will be re-gifted to you along the way.

Have a happy holiday week to all my friends. To those that celebrate the religious significance of Christmas, a very merry and blessed holiday to you. It is a joyous end to another great year of life.

Christmas Life

"The ripple of a stone dropped in the water creates a wave which washes a sea shell upon the shore that brightens a childs day when found." -Joseph Primm

I have this Christmas wish that fills my head lately. It isn't the old traditional, good will and peace towards all men. There are plenty of people wishing that each and every year. It isn't the "chicken in every pot and a car in every garage", while that would be a great thing it isn't my wish.

There are many things we can and do wish for during this time of year. My wish falls more into wanting people to understand how important they each are individually. There are so many people that get the idea that they have no purpose or meaning to life. A life that would not matter to the greater events of life around them.

One could call this my revelation wish of "Its A Wonderful Life", that 1946 film by Frank Capra. It remains one of my favorite movies to watch during the Christmas season. The idea that your life would have meant nothing had it never occurred is furthest from reality. We have an impact throughout our life whether we realize it or not. The pebble dropped in the water seems insignificant, but the results are tremendous.

There is the idea called the 'Butterfly Effect' that has a part in all of this. A butterfly flapping its wings contributes to the conditions that can create a tornado, a gust of wind or other weather conditions. It seems so small and insignificant, but the flapping of its wings remains a piece to something greater that happens.

The same can be said for each of our lives. Without one of us, many things get altered, many things never happen. And when you take your life and try to diminish it to something meaningless, then you are diminishing the lives of others. You are important to what happens around you. You are important to life and the impact is has on others.

You may not realize it, but the ripple of a stone dropped in the water creates a wave which washes a sea shell upon the shore that brightens a childs day when found. That child is filled with excitement and wonderment. The child is spurred to discover more about the ocean, becoming a famous marine biologist such as Jacques-Yves Cousteau.

During this Christmas, my wish is for each of you, my family, siblings and anyone that questions themselves. You are important to those you may not know, you are important to those you do know. You are important to this 'wonderful life'.

Christmas Party

"There is a remarkable breakdown of taste and intelligence at Christmastime. Mature, responsible grown men wear neckties made of holly leaves and drink alcoholic beverages with raw egg yolks and cottage cheese in them." -P.J. O'Rourke

Wow, the bright and colorful lights strung from house to house, down numerous city streets and across all of earth. The world becomes a cheerful and wonderful site with all of the decorations this time of year.

We spend more money then we have, we smile more often then other times and we get a generally good feeling. We may tire of the many parties but we attend each of them and celebrate with family and friends.

The food just seems tastier and more enjoyable. The eggnog flows as do the spirits. We tend to overindulge and blame it on the season. We gain weight from the food and we drive after too much alcohol. The roads become a danger to others with the increased number of drunk drivers on the road. People lose their lives before they can see the new year. The joy and happiness gets replaced by sorrow and pain from the loss of a loved one.

There will likely be close to 37,000 traffic deaths this holiday season in the United States alone. Of which 37% of them or 13,690 will be alcohol related. The numbers have been decreasing with awareness, but so many remain avoidable. Even with this steady decline in fatalities, the number of drivers with drunk driving arrests is on the rise.

It is estimated that there are as many as two million drunk drivers with three or more convictions and more than 400,000 with five or more drunk driving convictions still behind the wheel.

Here are steps drivers can take to help avoid becoming a statistic:

1. If they drink, they shouldn’t drive no matter how little they think they’ve had.
2. Don’t let someone get behind the wheel if they’ve been drinking.
3. Avoid driving during early and late evening hours on holidays.

The Christmas parties at work and the celebrations at the home of friends will be a joyous occasion each and every time. With care, moderation and common sense there will be many more years of celebrating each of us can have.

Enjoy the holiday season, be of good cheer and spread happiness wherever you go. The time we have gives us an opportunity to make it a little better not only for ourselves, but for those around us.

Christmas Love

"Love begins at home, and it is not how much we do... but how much love we put in that action." -Mother Teresa

The scene of a perfect Christmas made even more special by a Currier & Ives painting. The view we want to have of a gentle snow outside and a warm nestling fire inside fills our mind. Crisply wrapped gifts glisten under the wonderfully decorated tree draws our eye. So many times we have searched for the idyllic setting.

The perfect Christmas setting from these pictures and advertisement is hardly attainable. The wind will likely be blowing outside and the cold will still seep inside. The level of Christmas we attain is not the gifts nor the picture perfect setting.

The level of Christmas we achieve is the love we attach to all that we do. At this time of the year we have a little more grace in our hearts. At this time of year we have a little more giving in our pocket books. At this time, we simply love more.

Christmas Gifts

"A book is the only place in which you can examine a fragile thought without breaking it, or explore an explosive idea without fear it will go off in your face. It is one of the few havens remaining where a man's mind can get both provocation and privacy." ~Edward P. Morgan

Tis the season to be jolly. A season when each of us can stop and ponder what is important in our lives. Whether it be the religious observances or simple celebrations, it affords us a time to gather with those we love.

It also gives us an opportunity to do something good for another person. There are many ways to do this and it doesn't have to be a large expensive effort. Small things can impact people in large ways.

Today, I'm promoting my books which are meant to inspire and motivate others. They give each of us hope and encouragement to do greater things in our lives. You can purchase through LULU.COM or search the Internet.

CHANGED LIVES and ATTITUDE IN WORDS are books that I wrote in order to provide a bit of inspiration. A way to show others that there is a path to a greater life, to change your circumstance and move forward.

Now there is the question I get asked, what happens to the money I make? Any money I make goes to different charities. Recipients such as Crohns & Colitis Foundation of America, the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, my church The C3 Church and other various organizations that do great things for both individuals and communities.

Heck, if I were getting rich on this there would be publishing companies knocking on my door (they are not, but eventually they will) and Oprah would have me listed in her book club (she has not, but I'm waiting for their phone call).

So get online and order a book to give someone for Christmas. Maybe buy it for yourself. And then drop me an email at josephprimm@bellsouth.net and tell me what changes you have made in life. Give me your story or the story of someone you know that either lifts someone or was lifted them self.

If I get enough of these stories, I will have another book with your story available for sharing next Christmas. Tis the season to be jolly. Spread the joy with others and see it impact your own life.

Faith and Fact

“Faith is the great cop-out, the great excuse to evade the need to think and evaluate evidence. Faith is belief in spite of, even perhaps because of, the lack of evidence.” -Richard Dawkins

Well here it goes, I'm venturing off into an area in which I will likely disgruntle a few people. The quote I'm using today is meant to spur a conversation and Richard Dawkins, a biological theorist and well publicized atheist, may just start one.

My use of the quote came to mind after spending some time with a friend whom is in the hospital. An accident at home left him with a bum shoulder that was not getting better with physical therapy. The medical specialist made a decision that based upon the continued symptoms, shoulder arthroscopic surgery would fix the issue. It seemed to me that the doctor was going based on faith in his experience only.

No MRI, no further tests, just go in and see what we can find. I call that exploratory as opposed to having a fact-based plan. It was simple faith in his ability to explore and discover which drove his surgical plan.

Once in the shoulder, more invasive steps were needed to open up the shoulder to try and repair. As the surgery proceeded, it became clear that no repair could occur and shoulder reconstruction would be required. So my friend will wait for this most current surgery to heal and have faith that a future surgery will resolve the injury.

His faith or belief will sustain him and push him towards having that reconstructive surgery. Only then will fact come into reality with either success or failure of the surgical repairs. Both faith and fact enter into the decisions made. This is where I believe the connection exists between faith and fact.

People take many different paths to resolving the story of their life. Some take a route of faith for all answers and resolution. When those answers do not come to realization, then they either flounder or question their belief.

Others will take a pure fact based approach to everything. They depend only upon the science of the question to provide an answer. When fact can not explain something, there is nothing for them to lean on for a decision.

To me, life is a mixture of both faith and fact. While depending solely upon faith could be considered a 'cop-out', depending upon fact only can result in never having the urge to try anything new. There has to be a certain level of faith in the unknown. Some may call it "exploratory surgery" or a "search for facts". Faith gives you the drive to keep moving forward while you investigate the facts.

Religion or science, we are all searching for a truth. It is our human nature to reach for understanding in everything we are. Faith drives my willingness to continue that pursuit. It satisfies for now my wonderment of the unknown, the reason for our existence, how we developed to the point we are. Fact gives me pieces to that puzzle that I'm assembling for my life.

Together, fact and faith will guide me through my natural existence. Together they will help me live a life that I want to live.

Am I Cranky

“There will be good days and bad, which means that some days I may be cranky and some days really cranky!” ~ Peter Jennings

So I fully admit it, I get cranky from time to time and my wife is probably still trying to figure it out. Guys will tend to crawl off into a 'man cave' and I'm no exception. But I will for no apparent or good reason simply become cranky.

Have I figured it out yet? No and not sure that I ever will. I sit back and try to review what started the mood but never find the source. With patience the mood swings away from me. Patience on the part of others and mostly my wife means I am lucky not to be living alone.

Its one of those things that life throws at us. Things that come at us in unexplainable ways. Things that we just have to deal with and move on from. Maybe it isn't being cranky, maybe its being wreckless, maybe its being depressed or maybe its being one of a thousand other things. Each one of these vary in frequency, length and level of intensity.

For some of these there are explanations and ways of eliminating them from your life. Others remain a mystery and become a part of our lives. What we need to make sure is that they do not take over our lives. With understanding people around us, we work through the 'cranky' period. With those same people around, you too will work through whatever it is you may be experiencing.

The Vision of Mission X

"Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world." -Joel Barker

All of us have a vision in our minds. A goal or a dream of what or where we want to be in life. For some of us, the picture is still cloudy and developing. For others that picture is crystal clear.

Acknowledging the vision is a good start towards it. You must then study it to understand it more clearly. But once you have a hold of it, the power of that vision becomes stronger. It is that power which causes you to start moving towards the goal.

A 'friend' of mine, which is odd as we only know each other slightly through Twitter, is an independent film maker. I say odd because in some definitions, a friend is someone you know quite well. For us, we have a mutual liking, a friendly discourse of conversation and we both support the others efforts.

His Twitter name is @indiemoviemaker, but his real name is David Baker. An actor, writer, director and nice guy. As an independent film maker, that can not be an easy task. I have to catch myself in that I keep referring to him as a film maker. I would guess in the new technological age it is really movie making as film may be a thing of the past.

But to get back to my point, he has a vision of what he wants to accomplish in life. May that be great films, opening the way for hundreds of other independent film makers and maybe make a little bit of money along the way. He has a recent movie release called MISSION X. It is a movie about a documentary student who gets to interview a mercenary, then he gets to film a revenge attack. The trailer appears below.

The movie is great example of what one can do with limited resources, but a great idea and mind to complete it. David has so much more to do and offer. I don't know what his true vision is to accomplish in life, but he does have one.

And each of us have a vision hidden inside as well. And each of us have to develop that vision. It needs to become your "MISSION" in life to reach it. Find that piece of you that wants to do more. Then start moving towards it. The closer you get, the more clear it will become. Grab hold of your "mission" and pursue it with all of your heart.

MISSION X



To purchase this film, go to the MISSION X website. Well worth the money.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving !!

Calm Before The Storm

Steen Doessing - Calm Before The Storm

"Look for me in the whirlwind or the storm." -Marcus Garvey

The idioms "lull before the storm" and "calm before the storm" are terms for a quiet period just before a period of great activity or excitement. The literal reference being to weather. Today is one of those days that I would refer to as the calm before the storm of the holidays.

Halloween was a bit of a primer but Thanksgiving in the United States is the starting point of a nearly five week flurry. The gathering of families and friends for a large meal. The shopping madness, football games, decorating, more family and friends. The travelling, wrapping of presents, unwrapping of presents, more food and drink. All ending up with a celebration of a new year, family, friends and the end of what was a storm of activity.

What happens is that some people get a thrill from riding the waves of a storm while others get frightened by the noise. We sometimes forget that it is a rather long period of time in which we will ride high on the waves of enjoyment. While there will be other possible moments of disappointment. Some will want perfection in sailing through all of the celebration. Some will want it to just end.

While each of us will experience the holiday storm differently, be aware of two things; the storm will pass and that others will be weathering it with you. When you get too high or too low, look for a friend "in the whirlwind".

Enjoy your holiday season, enjoy the madness of it all and sail on to a great new year.

Maze Of Opportunity

"The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." -Winston Churchill

Life can seem very much like a maze that has thousands of turns and dead ends. We find a promising path to take, only to find it ends abruptly at nothing. Other paths we take give us new adventure and experience while never getting us to the final destination.

All of these paths teach us more about our life and the world around us. If we pay attention close enough, we will not repeat some of the old paths that failed before. We begin to map out our life and what we did to get where we currently are.

Many people find it too difficult and reach a wall, only to stay there. Giving up is the only solution for their life. What they fail to understand is that each failed path is an opportunity to learn. It is in that learning where we build the chart that enables us to reach our goals.

Kierkegaard said, "Life must be lived forwards, but can only be understood backwards." We learn from our past with the vision of where we want to be. Without understanding the failed paths of our life, we are nearly doomed to constantly repeat them. The frustration will build until we either choose to give up or change our attitude.

Look forward to the life you want and learn from the path already taken. Keep searching and the correct path will eventually present itself.

Marjorie's Music

Back from a great, but short vacation down to the beach in Panama City, Florida. Great time to reflect, rest, relax and recharge our lives before the holidays.

While I was gone, a friend sent me her latest music video that I wanted to share. She is an independent singer/songwriter by the name Marjorie Whitley. Odd that I've never asked her if she is related in any fashion to the (now deceased) singer Keith Whitley. But Marjorie's talent is not to be overshadowed by anyone else.

There are thousands of independent artists that are singers, songwriters, painters, photographers and movie makers. Each of them deserve our attention and support. Huge fame and fortune may not be the end result. But creating great music or whatever it is you create in life is what matters.

Each of us have talents; artistic, business, community or any of a number of things. You may not realize it but living life takes a certain amount of talent. Nurture your talents and live a great life. If we support each other along the way, then life gets lived a little better.

Enjoy Marjorie's music and if you feel inclined, support her and buy one of her music CDs. Or write her a note on Facebook of support and to find out more.



Enjoy the talent that surrounds us.

Is The Sky Blue

“There must be a positive and negative in everything in the universe in order to complete a circuit or circle, without which there would be no activity, no motion.” -John McDonald

So maybe I should let that sink in a little bit or let people wonder just what a quote like that is doing on a blog like this.

This blog is a positive, motivational, self improvement website that people can get a little bit of inspiration from. It is a way of helping you find some goodness to help you get through whatever it is you might be going through.

Yet I fully understand the reality of life, that you can not always live in the happy Neverland. There will be periods of the "not-so-happy". Even I have been called (in a nice way) a cynical b@$tard. Although I much prefer the term "centered contrarian".

My view is much more positive then not, but I find that I have to keep my life centered. So when I start approaching the starry, "pie-in-the-sky"; my instinct is to ensure I step back and view the other side.

The reason why?

I can not speak to those going through bad times with out understanding what they are facing. The 'positive' means nothing to them if it isn't relevant. So my cynicism for things can peek through from time to time. But again, that cynicism can come off sounding like I don't believe in having a great attitude.

Having a great attitude and leaning to the positive is what dreams are made of. Without it, we would never move forward. We would never try anything new or even want to for that matter. My contrarian ways are in some ways left over attributes but in no way do they diminish my belief in living life in a positive fashion.

You have to choose the way you want to live your life. That is the great thing about it. We get to choose it, we get to also change it. We can pull ourselves out of misery and choose happiness. No one else, no artificial thing, no magic potion can make that change...only you.

And if you say the sky is blue and I happen to say its not; then its just the cynic in me dreaming of a great sunrise.

Flower Bed Of Color

“It matters not what goal you seek; its secret here reposes: You've got to dig from week to week, to get Results or Roses” -Edgar Guest

A new week is upon us and you have the opportunity to put a small 'dent in the universe' with your actions. To work hard and advance your life each and everyday is possible when we allow ourselves the effort.

Many will sit and wonder why there are no flowers to smell. They yearn for all that is good yet are unwilling to work for it. They want to swing from a tree branch yet will never plant the tree. It is said "when is the best time to plant a tree?" The answer is twenty years ago. The second best time is today.

To achieve anything, we must start now and begin the process. Waiting will never accomplish the goal. Waiting will forever keep your dreams at a distance. A young girl grows up to raise a wonderful family. Life complete, the years of nurturing results in a flower bed of wonderful colors.

Pick yourself up today, this week and tend to the rose bushes. Nurture your life until one day you can 'stop and smell the roses' of success.

Sunrise

Taking the day off from writing. Yet a great sunrise should never go unseen, which is the power of the internet. Enjoy your weekend.

A Sore Knee

"Life's real failure is when you do not realize how close you were to success when you gave up." -Unknown

I was listening to Jill Sweetman speak the other day and she related a story I found interesting. She was speaking about having worked out in our new fitness center. Afterwards, she was talking with some folks and indicated that her knee was quite sore. A physical therapist was in the group and told her that it was very likely not the knee but a muscle above the knee causing her pain.

It was interesting to me because when we have a complaint in our life, it is likely not the complaint but something else that is the real cause of the issue. What we see at the surface is not the root cause. You need to look beyond and find what the source is.

To look at where the complaint or failure originates will allow us to see just how close we are to success. Success is just beyond complaint or giving up. The source of failing may not be what you think it is. Resolving the source of the complaint may require change on your part.

Whatever it is that causes your complaint should be the focus of your attention. If the knee is sore, concentrate on the muscles associated with it. If you are annoyed by others driving on the road, concentrate more on your behavior and attitude towards it. Focus on the source and make changes which will place you closer to success.

Until you deal with the real cause, the knee will remain sore. Boldly resolve to get beyond the complaint and closer to your dreams.

Trust By Faith

"We're never so vulnerable than when we trust someone - but paradoxically, if we cannot trust, neither can we find love or joy" -Walter Anderson

Yesterday I was listening to a local radio station and thought I had heard incorrectly. It was a advertisement for a security firm that effectively proposed that to trust someone, you need to spy on them. The wife was suspicious of her husband. As the commercial has it, she buys their equipment and finds out her husband was being truthful all along. She can now trust him, all is well.

Isn't the definition of trust; "a charge or duty imposed in faith or confidence or as a condition of some relationship." The whole concept of the commercial kind of amazed me. I assume this 'couple' would now have a long and wonderful relationship. As you may not notice, but I state that with full sarcasm. Additionally this is not meant to call out or criticize a radio station or it advertisers.

The mind set behind coming up with such a commercial does exist in people. There are those that have an inability to trust. It is likely that they have been hurt in the past or had people dishonor their trust. But how does one build trust without having faith?

Religion gets accused of promoting a blind faith in a God that can not be verified. It could be that some would like to have spy equipment to prove or disprove God's existence. Yet faith is what those believers, one I call myself, have in that existence and trust in that relationship. Again, I'm not here to debate God's existence.

What I do wish to state is that 'today' you build a relationship based upon faith in the other. You are opening yourself to the possibility of pain most certainly. But a deeper and more lasting relationship exists when trust is built on faith in the other person. Not by spying and tearing down that faith. Once you begin that process of verifying trust, the relationship is in big trouble.

The song you are listening to has a lyric which says, "I'm trusting You with all that I am." Do you trust your loved one based on faith or on some spy gadget? As I've said, the risk of getting hurt exists when the other person abuses that trust. But life is full of risk and when you get hurt, you get back up and keep moving. I know from experience about losing trust in someone, losing a love.

After dealing with the pain and working on my own issues, I opened up my heart again to trust another. Life did get better. Your life will get better.

Allow faith in another to be your guiding hand when it comes to trust. There will be signs when trust is broken, but lead with faith.

Joe - Happy Birthday To You

So its your birthday? Last one in your twenties. The thirties become even better.



Happy Birthday to you!!

Stand Against The Wind

Two Trees Diptych by Christina Goodman

“Stand together, yet not too near together; For the pillars of the temple stand apart, And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other’s shadow.” -Khalil Gibran

Each of us go through seasons in our life. The good ones which spring forth promise of joy and great things. All that happens is good and we seem to float along without a care.

We also have those cold and wintery times when we want to crawl under a blanket and shiver from the seemingly bad that encompasses us. We long for greater things but the darkness of winter never seems to abate.

It is during both the good and the bad that we should never stand alone. As different as we are from one another, we can stand firm for someone in need. And while we wilt against the bad, someone will be there for us.

Women have a very intense understanding of this. But men have a built in belief that it makes them less of a man not to stand alone. We fail to see that other men are going through the same types of issues. We fail to see that it is okay to lean on a brother.

The one which stands alone becomes the easy prey while the ones which stand together are a more imposing force. The Spartans knew this lesson and used it very effectively. When being attacked, they stood together in close formation and their shields became one impenetrable shield.

Then as one they moved against the enemy, one force, one unbroken force that no enemy could stand against. Doing more then one single man could do alone, brother to brother, shoulder to shoulder.

Each of us are different as the trees of a forest can be. But together we can become a wall which breaks the force of the wind. A wind that would try to bend and break us individually can be beaten back together.

Stand with your brother through both the good and the bad. Stand in support of the other when the winds try to break you apart.