Thursday, April 24, 2008
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Sincerely,
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poor guy - Thursday Apr. 24, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: -7C/19F; images of tall grass growing out of clear water float in my mind like an early start on a golf course, where night’s dewy remains coat everything, song birds show up for work early to wake everyone . . but it seems we need just a little more winter to bring moisture to this land; overcast, temperature rising as light snow falling cannot decide to melt or accumulate; not enough to shovel, just enough to slip on which meant nothing to Gusta but the melting dimples (like the holes that appear in pancake batter just before you flip them over) in the snow kept her amused while I navigated, I kept wondering what those bubble holes in pancakes might be called
pennies a day pays that poor guy, the grunt laborer in the 3rd world who sews sneakers, harvests shrimp or solders cell phone parts – we don’t much mind, because we are more focused on high gas pump prices, taxes and making ends meet when everything decision seems to end in ‘,000.00’
I’ve struggled with week over week fluctuations in work and reward; my focus in helping others achieve their aims usually helps me achieve a fair living along the way; some people reap excess as reward for taking enormous risk but most of us make a fair living in a fair country from a fair day’s work – we come home to a full fridge, a full cupboard or we stop by a full store or full restaurant – our days focused on playoff hockey schedules, family dynamics, clubs and communities doing their things - but no one in my world worries about starving; I’ve had my share of scrapes, financial ups and downs over the years, but I’ve never missed a meal
headlines bring to our face the plight of the guy who works all day to buy a bowl of rice only to find the price tripled – he can’t start working 3 times the 10 hours a day he already works; he can’t reach into a rice savings account he doesn’t have; he hits our headlines because he riots or marches or starves - not because he is bad or weak or dumb but because no matter how hard he works he cannot catch up to that which is racing away from him
he does not chase luxury or excess, but merely a full bowl of rice at the end of the day; we have it very wrong in this world where countless examples of waste are everywhere; I don’t profess to understand the minutia of the global economy but I understand the helplessness of feeling there is nothing that can be done to solve a problem, the frustration of slipping further from a solution every day
I had a good day yesterday; I closed a deal, got another one under contract, moved a couple more along the continuum - today I’ll move a few more pieces on the board game called work just a little closer to the finish line; I won’t laugh all the way to the bank, but I’ll smile and have a full belly; it is hard to be euphoric when some poor guy can’t feed himself and his family with a day’s labor while a commodity trader half-way round the world reaps plenty; I know these ebbs and flows are part of an efficient marketplace and a working economy, but I feel for the poor guy
there is so much dignity in work, but there is no dignity in not knowing where your next meal is coming from of if you can afford it – which is not just a 3rd world country problem, we have it in every city and town in this country too; I can't help but wonder, of all that money spent by corporations and governments promoting Earth Day, how many bags of rice that might have bought?
I suggested to PB that we go out for dinner this weekend to celebrate my good week – she suggested that she’d rather have me cook her fish, which I will, but I don’t think I’ll serve rice
Mark Kolke
338,512
199.3
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
What do you think? Join the discussion - comments are welcomed - please write.
To subscribe to Mark's Musings daily email distribution, write to mark@markmusing.com
©2008 MaxComm Communications
walk report: -7C/19F; images of tall grass growing out of clear water float in my mind like an early start on a golf course, where night’s dewy remains coat everything, song birds show up for work early to wake everyone . . but it seems we need just a little more winter to bring moisture to this land; overcast, temperature rising as light snow falling cannot decide to melt or accumulate; not enough to shovel, just enough to slip on which meant nothing to Gusta but the melting dimples (like the holes that appear in pancake batter just before you flip them over) in the snow kept her amused while I navigated, I kept wondering what those bubble holes in pancakes might be called
pennies a day pays that poor guy, the grunt laborer in the 3rd world who sews sneakers, harvests shrimp or solders cell phone parts – we don’t much mind, because we are more focused on high gas pump prices, taxes and making ends meet when everything decision seems to end in ‘,000.00’
I’ve struggled with week over week fluctuations in work and reward; my focus in helping others achieve their aims usually helps me achieve a fair living along the way; some people reap excess as reward for taking enormous risk but most of us make a fair living in a fair country from a fair day’s work – we come home to a full fridge, a full cupboard or we stop by a full store or full restaurant – our days focused on playoff hockey schedules, family dynamics, clubs and communities doing their things - but no one in my world worries about starving; I’ve had my share of scrapes, financial ups and downs over the years, but I’ve never missed a meal
headlines bring to our face the plight of the guy who works all day to buy a bowl of rice only to find the price tripled – he can’t start working 3 times the 10 hours a day he already works; he can’t reach into a rice savings account he doesn’t have; he hits our headlines because he riots or marches or starves - not because he is bad or weak or dumb but because no matter how hard he works he cannot catch up to that which is racing away from him
he does not chase luxury or excess, but merely a full bowl of rice at the end of the day; we have it very wrong in this world where countless examples of waste are everywhere; I don’t profess to understand the minutia of the global economy but I understand the helplessness of feeling there is nothing that can be done to solve a problem, the frustration of slipping further from a solution every day
I had a good day yesterday; I closed a deal, got another one under contract, moved a couple more along the continuum - today I’ll move a few more pieces on the board game called work just a little closer to the finish line; I won’t laugh all the way to the bank, but I’ll smile and have a full belly; it is hard to be euphoric when some poor guy can’t feed himself and his family with a day’s labor while a commodity trader half-way round the world reaps plenty; I know these ebbs and flows are part of an efficient marketplace and a working economy, but I feel for the poor guy
there is so much dignity in work, but there is no dignity in not knowing where your next meal is coming from of if you can afford it – which is not just a 3rd world country problem, we have it in every city and town in this country too; I can't help but wonder, of all that money spent by corporations and governments promoting Earth Day, how many bags of rice that might have bought?
I suggested to PB that we go out for dinner this weekend to celebrate my good week – she suggested that she’d rather have me cook her fish, which I will, but I don’t think I’ll serve rice
Mark Kolke
338,512
199.3
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
What do you think? Join the discussion - comments are welcomed - please write.
To subscribe to Mark's Musings daily email distribution, write to mark@markmusing.com
©2008 MaxComm Communications
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
April 23 responses
re: they know - Morning Mark. I will be leaving this place of employment next week so I am going to remove this email address from your list. You still have my home email though so I will still receive your musing. All the best to you, MS, Calgary
...
re: they know - Who knows whether the earth will continue to spin for billions of years more? I believe our sun is expected to go nova at some time then, so that would be the end absolutely. Yes, we 6 billion are in much more immediate peril, but I don't think our destruction is inevitable. Alvin Toffler was far ahead of his time, as was, say, Leonardo Da Vinci, but no one can see farther than so far. It only takes one error, one success, one turn, one unexpected invention to turn the course of history on its ear, EG,Calgary
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re: they know - Hope things are going well, I love WestJet. I’m going to London, ON this weekend to visit my best girlfriend. She was gardening last weekend, so I’m looking forward to some warmer weather. Take care, DL, Calgary
...
Hi...I haven't been getting your musings....everything OK?, KN, Camrose, AB
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Mark: can you kindly get me back on the dailies - somehow they stopped after a couple of years. All the best., JC, Toronto, ON
...
To subscribe to Mark's Musings daily email distribution, write to mark@markmusing.com
©2008 MaxComm Communications
©2008 MaxComm Communications
they know - Wednesday Apr. 23, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: -5C/22F, overcast, quiet, lights are on but few people were moving; sidewalks nearly all bare, the path clear – that gave me confident footing, Gusta found interesting things to nibble where rabbits had been
things show up when least expected while the most anticipated things seem to take forever; that call out of the blue or someone doing something I wanted but did not expect – days lately seem filled with these moments; I heard a promo on CNN yesterday for an upcoming show ‘Earth In Peril’; I don’t think the earth will do anything but spin for many more billions of years, while what might be in peril is the lifestyle of its inhabitants so it might be better stated as ‘6 billion people in peril’
I’m not a squatter on the leading edge, but I have a notion where it is; I’m not geeky or ‘out there’ but part of me wants to try; each time I read about some cool new thing or clever twist on an old theme driven by new technology I am fascinated by the wayfinding exercise as much as what is at the end of that new path; in the 60s Alvin Tofler wrote about exponential increases in knowledge accumulation in his seminal book Future Shock but he made no mention of the internet so it seems we’ve gone way beyond his worst fears
a world gets smarter and smaller through speed (really though, it’s the same world, same size); speed of information flow, idea proliferation, movement of an economy, flowing waves of sentiment are like never before in history; in practical terms, the speed of information and ideas flying my way is incredibly fast; someone clicks somewhere on the planet and (except on days when internet service is down) it shows up in real time – I’m not sure if that is the speed of light or the slightly slower speed of its cousin electricity; a path examined or one not taken - metaphor for so many things Frost could never have imagined; but what of the path I did take; along the way the failures get dissected, but what about the wins, what about the successes; is there software to track that?
I wonder about further acceleration; it seems incomprehensible that we could get things happening ahead of when they actually happen – not that science can’t find a way to do that too, but think of all the forecasters who would be out of work because we could see the future; maybe that is what spyware is all about - some program to analyze my needs and anticipate provided to me before I’ve thought of or asked for it; websense ads is the Google methodology of having things I might be interested in pop up on my screen when I visit a website because software knows who I am; they know what I surf for, my demographic profile and keeps statistics on my online activities (hello big brother)
speaking of that CNN piece - I went to their website but got sidetracked by a video of a six legged kitten (CNN is not the circus, but with stories like that I have to wonder); before the video started a recruiting commercial for the CIA came on my screen; how do they know that as a teenager I secretly wanted to be a spy – was that me or just a byproduct of Bond movies and the Man From U.N.C.L.E. ?
Mark Kolke
338,536
200.1
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
What do you think? Join the discussion - comments are welcomed - please write.
To subscribe to Mark's Musings daily email distribution, write to mark@markmusing.com
©2008 MaxComm Communications
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
April 21 responses
re: one earth and one me - I basically agree with your musings today. We are certainly becoming more concerned with the fate of the planet, and hence our own. However, in the brief research I have done, I'm impressed with the climatic cycles that the earth has undergone in its history, ranging from Ice Ages lasting many millennia to warm periods lasting an equal amount of time with no ice anywhere on the planet. What caused these cycles? The thinking is that it had to do with changes in Earth's orbit, declination and precession, and solar radiation, but no one is sure. I am heartened however by an article on environment in the latest Macleans, showing many instances of evolving technology for harnessing sun, wind and garbage. Human ingenuity and the will to survive may yet prevail, EG, Calgary.
...
re: I hardly ever buy tuna - Hi Mark, PS is not only a Chinese but a mixed between Thai & Chinese, hold the Swiss passport, lives and works in CH more than half of her life now. Have a great day all my best wishes. PS, China
...
To subscribe to Mark's Musings daily email distribution, write to mark@markmusing.com
©2008 MaxComm Communications
one earth and one me - Tuesday Apr. 22, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: -9C/16F, light snow again – just enough to shovel, just enough to cause falls – Gusta strained to meet a tall dark hued Border Collie who was much better behaved (perhaps neutered) than my rambunctious blonde exhibiting primary urges
on the schoolyard, at work or in a family we learn early on that we have to pick our battles; sometimes that is about timing, sometimes it is about the issue, sometimes we are too early, sometimes too late, sometimes we misread the situation
innovation does not usually come from a place like the office of an obscure U.S. Senator, but that is where the germs of the idea for an Earth Day began; but I am sure there are countless people the world over who had the same thoughts in the sixties but most of them were too stoned to do much beyond admiring the buzz they got saying ‘save the planet man!’ or something to that affect
on many fronts, simultaneously, the cleverest of minds have dedicated themselves to gauging which way the parade is going, then sprint to get out in front of it so they might pretend to lead the way because greed and green are so similar these days; information pools are everywhere – sliced, diced, sorted, re-sorted – trends measured like markets and polls that do not accurately measure anything but someone’s guess of what might happen if a set of facts were true at one moment; we swim, perhaps drown, in this ocean of compelling data, rhetoric and marketing that comes in only one flavor - green
the enemy is not P&G (pick your favorite corporate foe), those greedy opportunistic marketers driven by shareholders who want profits; the enemy is not main street or Wall Street because these terms all relate to a struggle against a foe, a battle against and enemy which is being fought without an exit strategy from the war (sorry George W, I couldn’t pass up the analogy) or a definition of what success looks like
so many sell us something better, new, improved, dynamic and – today at least – green, sustainable, bio-degradable and conserving something but we’ll not change the world; whether global warming is real, whether humans caused it or can reverse it, or ought to try, is a fundamental discussion that does not happen across breakfast tables or airwaves; VHS beat Beta – not because it was better or right but because powerful marketers convinced us it was better; VHS is history now, Beta still has its vital places; Al Gore has his Nobel Prize but he’s no more (or less) a prize than anyone else wrapping themselves in green; Earth day = the politics of distraction
Walt Kelly, cartoonist who created Pogo said it: ‘We have met the enemy and he is us.”
a definition found online rings beautifully true: green - hue, portion of visible spectrum between yellow and blue, evoked in the human observer by radiant energy with wavelengths of approximately 490 to 570 nanometers; any of a group of colors that may vary in lightness and saturation whose hue is that of the emerald or somewhat less yellow than that of growing grass; one of the additive or light primaries; one of the psychological primary hues
if we collectively think green, turn off a light, or ‘waste one less’ of anything we CAN stop the price of anything from going up or down or the number of particles per million in our air; the making of green, the saving of green - growing greener every day - soon we’ll all be green, factory smoke-stacks will spill sunshine, tailpipes extinct, water plentiful, air sweet, oceans full of fish, plates piled high with safe food, 6 billion happy non-warring healthy people – sure; OK, time to wake up, that was a fantastic dream
changing the world ‘one earth day at a time’ won’t work one day a year; tides and winds and the spinning of the earth don’t take an hour off let alone a day; sustainability, sustained effort, continuous unrelenting effort is what is needed to make change; a day, a decade, a century - don’t mean much measured against forces at work for thousands of millions of years of water wearing holes in rock, mountains rising up - that sort of thing - if it had a brain would think of earthlings (us) as short term visitors who don’t clean up after themselves, skip without paying and steal the towels to boot
the world’s population is neither passive or ignorant – we’re just busy with other things, like eating, fighting, fleeing or stretching to make ends meet; a world of change will not happen because any one person wants it to be or wills it so; the European Union can’t do it, the United States cannot do it, Bill Gates cannot do it, the hapless United Nations cannot do it and neither can any one of us acting alone but that is all we can do
a silver bullet would be nice, grass greener on the other side of a great breakthrough; I’ve considered political parties called GREEN, considered the Sierra Club, Greenpeace and others where one can join a group, get a newsletter, make a donation and contribute to a group that purports to foster change as if a few thousand good people are battling 6 billion bad people; that does not frame the issue or a strategy for solution in my view
for me there seems to be a clearer, albeit smaller, picture of whether 6 billion can win any battle with the planet – I doubt we can wage any such war that collectively would equal any force of nature or which could reverse it; we’ve only been camping here a short while and, to listen to all the talking heads, it seems we’ve nearly wrecked the place
I don’t think it is too late, I don’t think the battle is very well defined; on Earth Day or any other day the rhetoric is about politics and commerce, about a battle waged by a collective ‘those’ who care against ‘those who pollute and harm the environment’ (sounds like self destructive self-loathing to me) who struggle against those whose actions change the weather as if there is some evil bully we should confront in the alley after school
whether or not I pollute or conserve, waste or desecrate, there is but one earth and one me; I’m overmatched if I consider it a battle with it or with anyone; but, if I consider joining the earth like I am its friend, not so much as a squatter but as a tenant with a life-estate to be here, then I’ll have a better chance of making any difference worth noting or leaving behind; every day can be the ‘first day of_____’ so why can’t this be the first day of that?
Mark Kolke
338,560
199.4
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
What do you think? Join the discussion - comments are welcomed - please write.
To subscribe to Mark's Musings daily email distribution, write to mark@markmusing.com
©2008 MaxComm Communications
walk report: -9C/16F, light snow again – just enough to shovel, just enough to cause falls – Gusta strained to meet a tall dark hued Border Collie who was much better behaved (perhaps neutered) than my rambunctious blonde exhibiting primary urges
on the schoolyard, at work or in a family we learn early on that we have to pick our battles; sometimes that is about timing, sometimes it is about the issue, sometimes we are too early, sometimes too late, sometimes we misread the situation
innovation does not usually come from a place like the office of an obscure U.S. Senator, but that is where the germs of the idea for an Earth Day began; but I am sure there are countless people the world over who had the same thoughts in the sixties but most of them were too stoned to do much beyond admiring the buzz they got saying ‘save the planet man!’ or something to that affect
on many fronts, simultaneously, the cleverest of minds have dedicated themselves to gauging which way the parade is going, then sprint to get out in front of it so they might pretend to lead the way because greed and green are so similar these days; information pools are everywhere – sliced, diced, sorted, re-sorted – trends measured like markets and polls that do not accurately measure anything but someone’s guess of what might happen if a set of facts were true at one moment; we swim, perhaps drown, in this ocean of compelling data, rhetoric and marketing that comes in only one flavor - green
the enemy is not P&G (pick your favorite corporate foe), those greedy opportunistic marketers driven by shareholders who want profits; the enemy is not main street or Wall Street because these terms all relate to a struggle against a foe, a battle against and enemy which is being fought without an exit strategy from the war (sorry George W, I couldn’t pass up the analogy) or a definition of what success looks like
so many sell us something better, new, improved, dynamic and – today at least – green, sustainable, bio-degradable and conserving something but we’ll not change the world; whether global warming is real, whether humans caused it or can reverse it, or ought to try, is a fundamental discussion that does not happen across breakfast tables or airwaves; VHS beat Beta – not because it was better or right but because powerful marketers convinced us it was better; VHS is history now, Beta still has its vital places; Al Gore has his Nobel Prize but he’s no more (or less) a prize than anyone else wrapping themselves in green; Earth day = the politics of distraction
Walt Kelly, cartoonist who created Pogo said it: ‘We have met the enemy and he is us.”
a definition found online rings beautifully true: green - hue, portion of visible spectrum between yellow and blue, evoked in the human observer by radiant energy with wavelengths of approximately 490 to 570 nanometers; any of a group of colors that may vary in lightness and saturation whose hue is that of the emerald or somewhat less yellow than that of growing grass; one of the additive or light primaries; one of the psychological primary hues
if we collectively think green, turn off a light, or ‘waste one less’ of anything we CAN stop the price of anything from going up or down or the number of particles per million in our air; the making of green, the saving of green - growing greener every day - soon we’ll all be green, factory smoke-stacks will spill sunshine, tailpipes extinct, water plentiful, air sweet, oceans full of fish, plates piled high with safe food, 6 billion happy non-warring healthy people – sure; OK, time to wake up, that was a fantastic dream
changing the world ‘one earth day at a time’ won’t work one day a year; tides and winds and the spinning of the earth don’t take an hour off let alone a day; sustainability, sustained effort, continuous unrelenting effort is what is needed to make change; a day, a decade, a century - don’t mean much measured against forces at work for thousands of millions of years of water wearing holes in rock, mountains rising up - that sort of thing - if it had a brain would think of earthlings (us) as short term visitors who don’t clean up after themselves, skip without paying and steal the towels to boot
the world’s population is neither passive or ignorant – we’re just busy with other things, like eating, fighting, fleeing or stretching to make ends meet; a world of change will not happen because any one person wants it to be or wills it so; the European Union can’t do it, the United States cannot do it, Bill Gates cannot do it, the hapless United Nations cannot do it and neither can any one of us acting alone but that is all we can do
a silver bullet would be nice, grass greener on the other side of a great breakthrough; I’ve considered political parties called GREEN, considered the Sierra Club, Greenpeace and others where one can join a group, get a newsletter, make a donation and contribute to a group that purports to foster change as if a few thousand good people are battling 6 billion bad people; that does not frame the issue or a strategy for solution in my view
for me there seems to be a clearer, albeit smaller, picture of whether 6 billion can win any battle with the planet – I doubt we can wage any such war that collectively would equal any force of nature or which could reverse it; we’ve only been camping here a short while and, to listen to all the talking heads, it seems we’ve nearly wrecked the place
I don’t think it is too late, I don’t think the battle is very well defined; on Earth Day or any other day the rhetoric is about politics and commerce, about a battle waged by a collective ‘those’ who care against ‘those who pollute and harm the environment’ (sounds like self destructive self-loathing to me) who struggle against those whose actions change the weather as if there is some evil bully we should confront in the alley after school
whether or not I pollute or conserve, waste or desecrate, there is but one earth and one me; I’m overmatched if I consider it a battle with it or with anyone; but, if I consider joining the earth like I am its friend, not so much as a squatter but as a tenant with a life-estate to be here, then I’ll have a better chance of making any difference worth noting or leaving behind; every day can be the ‘first day of_____’ so why can’t this be the first day of that?
Mark Kolke
338,560
199.4
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
What do you think? Join the discussion - comments are welcomed - please write.
To subscribe to Mark's Musings daily email distribution, write to mark@markmusing.com
©2008 MaxComm Communications
Monday, April 21, 2008
April 21 responses
re: I hardly ever buy tuna - We must each take "green" responsibility and accountability personally; to wait for governments to do anything is ludicrous. On the other hand, there is so much "green" being touted in all forms of advertising for products, services, etc., who is to know what is real and what is lip-service? That's why individual accountability is critical - one person/one step at a time, AK,. Calgary
...
re: I hardly ever buy tuna - I never buy tuna either, prefer salmon. It is indeed interesting to speculate what the world will look like in 300 years. I doubt that we'd recognize it, if present trends in the explosion of knowledge and technology continue, and if or not cataclysms occur in the meantime. The likelihood of that is debatable, of course, but I wouldn't be surprised if, among many other things, our present political boundaries and patterns of commerce will have changed. The earth is changed by ideas initiated by individuals, more so than by overlords, who are swept away by those ideas, and naturally occurring shortages, surfeits, climate changes, etc. The 125 is not out of the question, if we can feed and water and not poison ourselves, EG, Calgary
...
To subscribe to Mark's Musings daily email distribution, write to mark@markmusing.com
©2008 MaxComm Communications
©2008 MaxComm Communications
I hardly ever buy tuna - Monday Apr. 21, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report:-11C/13F, overcast, a trickle of snow dust settling, Gusta pulling hard, I pulled a little harder to maintain the illusion of who is boss
I sort the recycling, I drive it to the depot because PB encourages me, I buy dolphin friendly tuna because my children taught me that long ago but, really, I hardly ever buy tuna; I waste a little less, take a little more care and as I deal with reality of high gas and food prices I do it all because I have no choice; I spend (maybe you do too) some time pondering how to tread more lightly, how to carve out a smaller footprint of space and consumption but not enough time because I (and most people) have not become convinced and active as if it is critical even though there are so many pieces of evidence that we are moved to strong action which is not odd really; we’ve have Darfur, China’s human rights record, smoking and George Bush for quite some time – we’ve not collectively changed any of that so why should we expect to get the world to think green for one day, let alone all year
futility day might be a better name; it’s earth day tomorrow (not today, so no need to think green or turn off a light); thinking people know that it is, yet most of us choose instead to manage our situation by selective listening, modest activism and token initiatives while corporation and government pander to this trend in our thinking with products, green power, conservation initiatives, treaties and protocols; it is easy to argue whether humankind will exist and thrive 300 years from now; harder to guess at what things will be like in 50 or 75
“You forget that the fruit belongs to all and the land belongs to no one.” – Jean-Jacques Rousseau
in Roman mythology, Fortuna, the goddess of fortune, was the personification of luck and also the goddess of fate
every year since 1970, Earth Day, just 1 day of 365.25; perhaps that reflects the ratio of attention the world’s population and its governments have given it; government folks here and in many countries would argue that they are so progressively changing things we ought not worry (in fact, our Government here in Alberta recently recognized Dr. David Schindler as the world class water scientist he is but that rings hollow after they denied every warning he offered for 25 yrs); I have little confidence in established democracies paying more than lip-service to environmental issues and far less confidence in that fuzzy category called ‘3rd world’ or ‘developing countries’
it has been a while since Rousseau shopped for groceries, or real estate; in the 1700’s the world was for the taking and colonialism gave rise to it all being taken; a few generations later there is little on the planet claimed by no one, our material world taking but one day each year (tomorrow is Earth Day) to recognize the fruit and the land won’t be worth having in another 300 years but, if humans are still here, one has to wonder who will own it all, who will control it and what events will lead to real change in how the story unfolds
we can’t do much as an individual or as a group that will make much of a difference; change that makes a difference happens when a lot of unorganized individuals start thinking a new way such that their collective efforts will establish an army of like minded folks who will change the world – I think we need it because we cannot wait for speedy government action (if there is such a thing)
I am not blithely wishing for the days of Rousseau but rather a future day when his words might be true again; sadly I think we risk sporting green skin while breathing through devices installed in our necks (I’ll take the mango flavored one) before that happens; as much as it would be nice to celebrate earth day it seems we treat our planet like a land fill, a nuisance ground, a sewer and a junk yard – rather than celebrating we could mourn what’s been lost forever and take a stab at really changing things so we don’t lose the rest
I wonder if we’ll take better care of the planet when we are 12 billion, when cancer is cured, when oil is back to $60/barrel, when life expectancy grows to 125; I intend to be around so I’ll let you know; today, if I shop for tuna how many cans should I buy in order to save one dolphin? or two?
Mark Kolke
338,584
199.0
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
What do you think? Join the discussion - comments are welcomed - please write.
To subscribe to Mark's Musings daily email distribution, write to mark@markmusing.com
©2008 MaxComm Communications
Sunday, April 20, 2008
April 20 responses
re: a breeze or inclination - Hey there Mark; When passing by one idea for another always note the first idea. A lesson I learned when I first picked up the quill, Its like backing up the object your weary eyes are glued to at this moment in time... Here at Home, "T", WT, Calgary
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re: a breeze or inclination - Wrong date - on purpose? Hope you didn’t do it on purpose!, today’s date is Sun. 20th April 2008. I would rather drop you some lines now as I don’t want to have time pass by too quickly as long as I still appreciate reading all your “Master piece” daily musing. I am one of your great fan. Take best care and all the best plus have a good start of the next coming week, PS, China
...
To subscribe to Mark's Musings daily email distribution, write to mark@markmusing.com
©2008 MaxComm Communications
To subscribe to Mark's Musings daily email distribution, write to mark@markmusing.com
©2008 MaxComm Communications
a breeze or inclination - Sunday Apr. 29, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: -12C/10F, blowing snow, just a little more needed for blizzard conditions; Gusta felt it was a day for demonstrating acceleration, so did the rabbits
wishing and hoping won’t make it nice; often we travel to a place we’ve been or know about with some understanding of what the destination will be like; sometimes we’ve been there before but want a different experience
my next chapter will be different; different than the last, different than what I imagine; any truly exciting venture exists first in my head, sometimes that boat never leaves the dock – because it gave way to a better one or because the courage to pursue it existed only in that fantasy place between my ears
abandon need not be reckless; abandon need not be wanton; abandon is more than slipping away from the dock or leaving the known path; it implies willingness to float where a breeze or inclination take me; the mere thought of breeze on a day like today has me visualizing a windswept beach ( http://www.mauiwindcam.com ) in morning calm
leaping off the precipice is no riskier than sitting at the bus stop on a day the buses don’t run; waiting for a journey that will never start is like talking about one without serious intent - each will fail to lead anywhere pleasant; with butterfly on my shoulder, how can I expect that to continue unless there is venturing, adventuring and freedom to explore the unexplored; untried is not the same as untrue
Mark Kolke
338,608
197.4
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
What do you think? Join the discussion - comments are welcomed - please write.
To subscribe to Mark's Musings daily email distribution, write to mark@markmusing.com
©2008 MaxComm Communications
walk report: -12C/10F, blowing snow, just a little more needed for blizzard conditions; Gusta felt it was a day for demonstrating acceleration, so did the rabbits
wishing and hoping won’t make it nice; often we travel to a place we’ve been or know about with some understanding of what the destination will be like; sometimes we’ve been there before but want a different experience
my next chapter will be different; different than the last, different than what I imagine; any truly exciting venture exists first in my head, sometimes that boat never leaves the dock – because it gave way to a better one or because the courage to pursue it existed only in that fantasy place between my ears
abandon need not be reckless; abandon need not be wanton; abandon is more than slipping away from the dock or leaving the known path; it implies willingness to float where a breeze or inclination take me; the mere thought of breeze on a day like today has me visualizing a windswept beach ( http://www.mauiwindcam.com ) in morning calm
leaping off the precipice is no riskier than sitting at the bus stop on a day the buses don’t run; waiting for a journey that will never start is like talking about one without serious intent - each will fail to lead anywhere pleasant; with butterfly on my shoulder, how can I expect that to continue unless there is venturing, adventuring and freedom to explore the unexplored; untried is not the same as untrue
Mark Kolke
338,608
197.4
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
What do you think? Join the discussion - comments are welcomed - please write.
To subscribe to Mark's Musings daily email distribution, write to mark@markmusing.com
©2008 MaxComm Communications
Saturday, April 19, 2008
April 19 responses
re: better every time - We can get very close to knowing what love is, and I believe that it can be worked at, and if the spark is there, can burst forth like a fire, and we can then keep on fueling it for life, as long as both parties participate. The nuances of that are as close to "loving smart" as we can get, I think, EG, Calgary
...
re: better every time - How did I know that you would incorporate the "jungle" comment into your musing? I guess I just knew.....what I really meant to say.....it was a much too hasty message.....was that if you venture out looking (in the jungle) and try too hard, you will not meet the person you are destined to meet for that person will cross paths with you when you least expect it and only by chance. I've seen it happen to friends of mine. It's more karma than anything. For I believe there is no such thing as "coincidence" Things always happen for a reason. It is our destiny ........ Always enjoy your stories and your wisdom, JP, Surry, BC
...
To subscribe to Mark's Musings daily email distribution, write to mark@markmusing.com
©2008 MaxComm Communications
©2008 MaxComm Communications
better, every time - Saturday Apr. 19, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: -11C/12F, morning silence, gray/brown rabbits stand out, snow still falling and more to come atop yesterday’s big dump; spring in Canada often a calendar delusion – we found best traction on the alley route where gravel-muck barely froze; Gusta’s snow coated coat keeps her warm and happy
maybe e-speed trade and commerce contain real-life lessons for running our emotional lives; surely what is efficient in one area of our lives can be transferred to another; it works when technologies are applied to new facts, new fields, new problems, so why not apply the world of work, the world of commerce to the world of love?
working smart implies tactics, pre-meditation, a plan and a strategy for execution; working smart, to me, involves thinking through low-value things for elimination, involves considering results and the best way to get them, avoiding pitfalls wherever possible
working hard is not always working smart; working smart is better, more efficient, progressive, contributes to good, making things better, every time - right?
examples show up at work every day - carried to another area, that could become ‘loving hard is not always loving smart’, making things better, every time but, whoa - just a minute
I’m not so sure the metaphor or analogy fit; every time we blink it seems someone is marketing a scheme, method, program, way of doing business or making money (or saving it) that invites us all to ‘click here to join’ or ‘click to buy now’
so many organizations in the world of commerce, legitimate and shady, prey upon our desire to have things easy, make it smooth, simple and painless to make a decision, buy or invest, get the world delivered to our door by UPS or to our computer screen in a nano-second
whatever we want is a click or download away; it’s a jungle out there where the fittest survive, efficient markets and competition improves life - that’s good, right ?
if we apply business practice to make our love life better - instead of loving hard, lets love smart, instead of loving wholly, completely and effortlessly with little thought, we could develop a plan; instead of a business plan or business model, a love-plan or love model
if ‘loving smart’ is the way to go, what would it look like as a tactic or strategy? if I did something, said something or tried to make something happen – how giving or caring might that be?
having to think about it somehow might devalue it, while strategizing might help me avoid pitfalls, but how real would that be?
self serving - yes, safe – likely, but would it be real?
someone I met two years ago inquired if I was still hunting (for a mate), lamenting it’s a jungle out there; whether it is or is not a jungle is not the question in my mind as much as how could we possibly make something work with anyone if we see it only that way?
I’ve watched, listened and read lots of self-help ‘peel-my-onion’ relationship books and I’m thinking seriously about writing one; most illustrate new ways of approaching issues with strategy, learning, ‘working smart’ to get it that much better, every time as if there is some end point of having learned enough to get it right; I’ve come to the happy conclusion that love works or it doesn’t; while I think tactics and strategies are great for adversarial sports like business, sales, athletics and board games – competitive and combative – but relationships, love and the pursuit of love – are filled with too much of that and not enough ease, not enough simple, not enough generosity of spirit and of self
the structure could be tactical, the diagrams would look like a football telecast drawing of what happened on the last play or, better yet, we could watch films the next day or have a team meeting to review how badly we did, where we missed closing the sale or scoring the touchdown – so we could go out and do better the next time or the time after that until we get it better, every time; what then? . . do we get a ‘working smart at love’ merit badge, do we pick that person, or do we THEN figure we are prepared to pick the right person?
with our without jungle-think, whatever we want will show up substantially as ordered, complete with an owner’s manual; that’s fine if I want an appliance, but I would never want that in a butterfly, because not knowing what nuances will unfold or when or why makes each day better, every time
Mark Kolke
338,632
197.8
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
What do you think? Join the discussion - comments are welcomed - please write.
To subscribe to Mark's Musings daily email distribution, write to mark@markmusing.com
©2008 MaxComm Communications
walk report: -11C/12F, morning silence, gray/brown rabbits stand out, snow still falling and more to come atop yesterday’s big dump; spring in Canada often a calendar delusion – we found best traction on the alley route where gravel-muck barely froze; Gusta’s snow coated coat keeps her warm and happy
maybe e-speed trade and commerce contain real-life lessons for running our emotional lives; surely what is efficient in one area of our lives can be transferred to another; it works when technologies are applied to new facts, new fields, new problems, so why not apply the world of work, the world of commerce to the world of love?
working smart implies tactics, pre-meditation, a plan and a strategy for execution; working smart, to me, involves thinking through low-value things for elimination, involves considering results and the best way to get them, avoiding pitfalls wherever possible
working hard is not always working smart; working smart is better, more efficient, progressive, contributes to good, making things better, every time - right?
examples show up at work every day - carried to another area, that could become ‘loving hard is not always loving smart’, making things better, every time but, whoa - just a minute
I’m not so sure the metaphor or analogy fit; every time we blink it seems someone is marketing a scheme, method, program, way of doing business or making money (or saving it) that invites us all to ‘click here to join’ or ‘click to buy now’
so many organizations in the world of commerce, legitimate and shady, prey upon our desire to have things easy, make it smooth, simple and painless to make a decision, buy or invest, get the world delivered to our door by UPS or to our computer screen in a nano-second
whatever we want is a click or download away; it’s a jungle out there where the fittest survive, efficient markets and competition improves life - that’s good, right ?
if we apply business practice to make our love life better - instead of loving hard, lets love smart, instead of loving wholly, completely and effortlessly with little thought, we could develop a plan; instead of a business plan or business model, a love-plan or love model
if ‘loving smart’ is the way to go, what would it look like as a tactic or strategy? if I did something, said something or tried to make something happen – how giving or caring might that be?
having to think about it somehow might devalue it, while strategizing might help me avoid pitfalls, but how real would that be?
self serving - yes, safe – likely, but would it be real?
someone I met two years ago inquired if I was still hunting (for a mate), lamenting it’s a jungle out there; whether it is or is not a jungle is not the question in my mind as much as how could we possibly make something work with anyone if we see it only that way?
I’ve watched, listened and read lots of self-help ‘peel-my-onion’ relationship books and I’m thinking seriously about writing one; most illustrate new ways of approaching issues with strategy, learning, ‘working smart’ to get it that much better, every time as if there is some end point of having learned enough to get it right; I’ve come to the happy conclusion that love works or it doesn’t; while I think tactics and strategies are great for adversarial sports like business, sales, athletics and board games – competitive and combative – but relationships, love and the pursuit of love – are filled with too much of that and not enough ease, not enough simple, not enough generosity of spirit and of self
the structure could be tactical, the diagrams would look like a football telecast drawing of what happened on the last play or, better yet, we could watch films the next day or have a team meeting to review how badly we did, where we missed closing the sale or scoring the touchdown – so we could go out and do better the next time or the time after that until we get it better, every time; what then? . . do we get a ‘working smart at love’ merit badge, do we pick that person, or do we THEN figure we are prepared to pick the right person?
with our without jungle-think, whatever we want will show up substantially as ordered, complete with an owner’s manual; that’s fine if I want an appliance, but I would never want that in a butterfly, because not knowing what nuances will unfold or when or why makes each day better, every time
Mark Kolke
338,632
197.8
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
What do you think? Join the discussion - comments are welcomed - please write.
To subscribe to Mark's Musings daily email distribution, write to mark@markmusing.com
©2008 MaxComm Communications
Friday, April 18, 2008
April 18 responses
Re: footprints - Hafiz's poem is indeed beautiful! I think that things do not make me happy per se, but they are necessary for my comfort. And there is something uplifting about living in a beautiful house and driving a great car (neither of which apply to me.), EG, Calgary
...
RE: never stop trying - Thank you for putting me up to bat. It's past time I started swinging again, more publicly now, TF, Calgary
...
To subscribe to Mark's Musings daily email distribution, write to mark@markmusing.com
©2008 MaxComm Communications
footprints - Friday Apr. 18, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: -1C/30F, overcast, runny nose (mine not Gusta’s) and brisk NE wind contributed to lots of hustle on a short walk, Gusta traded hellos with a Scottie, Schnauzer and Newfoundland while witnessing a daily conference of rabbits ringing the soccer fields
I don’t know much about chicken/egg scenarios, but we certainly live in a world where we are conditioned by society, if not by Madison Avenue, to believe that things are the source of happiness, things are needed, we all need those things and we cannot survive without them or the economy that provides them
Hafiz, the Rumi poet of 13th century ancient Persia wrote this which somehow is so beautiful in English the mind boggles at how something poetic in one language could be poetic and beautiful in another but it is:
‘I can think of no greater devotion
Than to be shore to your ocean.’
walking beaches, our footprints of any depth quickly vanish in the surf of life, as if we were never there – but then, in a way, we’ve left no scar or evidence of being there if we tread gently on the earth
I could probably survive on a deserted island without much; I could find a way to do the things I need to do, to make do with what I had at my disposal – but doing them without a purpose would be empty; survival of course, but beyond survival, what do I need?
recent months have been time for thinking over choices - consolidation time, preparing for change, eliminating duplication - seeing many things in my pool of possession as ‘no longer required’, obsolete or redundant; so many accumulations that are just not no longer important, many never were; the best treasures have been saved or given away to a good home so someone else can benefit from them as much as I have
I’ve wondered how many spatulas I need, how many PB needs – surely we need many, but how many; how many plates or spoons or chairs or gardening gloves do we need?
I sat yesterday in my dad’s condo/apartment, looking around at the remains of his lifetime of consumerism, his keepsakes, his critical necessities – I realize we are going through exactly the same processes as different points on the continuum; just as doing his tax return gets simpler every year, so does his footprint in terms of needs for things, needs for a place to put them – his place needs a purge too
I’m aware of ‘reducing carbon footprint’ issues – recycling, burning less fuel, wasting less, making different purchase choices – but most of my thinking has been focused more on ‘my physical footprint’, my amount of required space for my things; I like things, I like comfort - but what do I really need beyond internet access, a computer, shorts, t-shirts, golf clubs and a place in Maui to cook?
cleaning – yard, closet or purging our system – common thread of ridding unwanted debris, leftover and worn out goods, cleansing ourselves of choices gone wrong – the thing we bought but never wore, gadget we never used, trendy things long gone out of fashion; for me it is more than spring cleaning - reducing my baggage, lessening the footprint
spring yard clean up debris greets the garbage truck this morning; like me, moving a little slow – it has been a busy week for both of us - each street and cul-de-sac laneway rife with green bags bulging with leaves and clippings as crews have been aerating, fertilizing and sprucing up in hopes warm soil rebirthing of spring greenery will make it all worthwhile – it overwhelms routine household garbage and kitty litter dispositions, it swamps the norm in a large dump – no doubt this will continue for weeks as the garage cleanings, basement purges and closet routings take place
I imagine creating shelter from weather, making some paths, finding a good place to write with a view to the world around me; I imagine t-shirts and shorts will keep me warm enough, something to cover my head and companions, a dog and butterfly, to walk the beach with; some people leave their footprints on the sand, some leave them on our hearts; I like footprints, imprints, shores and oceans
Mark Kolke
338,656
198.0
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
What do you think? Join the discussion - comments are welcomed - please write.
To subscribe to Mark's Musings daily email distribution, write to mark@markmusing.com
©2008 MaxComm Communications
Thursday, April 17, 2008
April 17 responses
re: never stop trying - I'm not a Boomer, born too early. I do agree however, that one has to be one's own number one fan, but that doesn't exclude all of the other people for whom I can be one. I don't think I will ever reach the stage where I've seen enough; I will savor my last glimpse. And I will keep on swinging, EG, Calgary
...
Hey Mark..........I have been in the middle of moving and just realized that I have not gotten one musing from you since the 3rd of April. What's up with that?? Did you take me off your list? Could you reinstate me? Thanks! , AS, Oklahoma City, OK
...
To subscribe to Mark's Musings daily email distribution, write to mark@markmusing.com
©2008 MaxComm Communications
©2008 MaxComm Communications
April 17 responses
re: never stop trying - I'm not a Boomer, born too early. I do agree however, that one has to be one's own number one fan, but that doesn't exclude all of the other people for whom I can be one. I don't think I will ever reach the stage where I've seen enough; I will savor my last glimpse. And I will keep on swinging, EG, Calgary
...
Hey Mark..........I have been in the middle of moving and just realized that I have not gotten one musing from you since the 3rd of April. What's up with that?? Did you take me off your list? Could you reinstate me? Thanks! , AS, Oklahoma City, OK
...
To subscribe to Mark's Musings daily email distribution, write to mark@markmusing.com
©2008 MaxComm Communications
©2008 MaxComm Communications
never stop trying - Thursday Apr. 17, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: 5C/40F, calm, clear, our path to the soccer fields punctuated by bursts of speed and sound; cars, birds, rabbit filled yards – Gusta taunts the rabbits too which is perverse because she’ll never catch one even if she isn’t leashed – frustration she’ll learn to live with but never enjoy – but she’ll never stop trying
here we are, me + those others who are, at the same place, or maybe many different places with a common experience; this place, this point in time, this place on the roadmap of existence, where crossroads navigate like a crossword puzzle when cross words show us forks in the road, paths diverging in the yellow wood shed light on this spot, this malaise, this rage point
aging, a spectacular period for enlightenment, satisfaction, accomplishment or, we boom-agers reconciling misspent youth and the young adult life, the fast life, the good life – that passed us by, that slipped through our fingers, that evaporated, that has been used up, empty, exhausted
I need to stick up for me; you for you, the other guy for the other guy – we can each be supportive and often collectively strong speaking with a united voice – but most of the time we do our best advocacy by speaking clearly, speak strongly to the right party at the right time, making the obscure point clear – and never stop trying
if aging is a process of viewing the scenery, at what point have we seen enough, at what point do we change the scenery, change our view, start saying words like STOP, WHOA or hey, whadyamean I have to do it your way?
most organizations, society, government – their dictates - not so much protection of status quo, as ease with which ‘this is the way we do it’ keeps them comfortably not examining how they do it unless there is an articulate and forceful complaint from someone they are willing to listen to – otherwise, ‘that’s our process, policy, procedure . . etc.’ is all we get; if we sit silent, it is what we deserve, what we get and nothing will change
I got angry yesterday; angry with someone about something, some indignity of how that company made up of those people do something that impacts me; they are good people, nice people, people I like, company I respect – but like most companies they do things their way without a lot of regard for anyone who is not powerful, with regard for themselves, with regard for their bottom line; but they pay slowly and arduously – they don’t lie, they don’t cheat; they are fair, fair minded, have great product and I like to do business with them – but, like most large organizations they see things from only their side, their way, their perspective
was it rude of me? . . without doubt; will it hurt me? . . maybe, maybe I’ll lose a relationship, maybe I’ll muddy the water for future dealings – I doubt it
will it change anything?
that’s the better question; will my complaint, my speaking up, speaking out – will it change the world, that company, that person I complained to, will it change them or how they deal with me or anyone else? will it change me?
my rant/vent did two things - I vented some frustration to someone who might listen, I recognized how little affect that action may have for anyone else but also how important it was for me; my action/inaction ratio is something only I am accountable for; I’m not talking about road-rage antics applied to life, but taking it upon myself (our ourselves) to take a step, take a stand, do something and never stop trying
why that issue, why that company, why yesterday, why indeed?
as I questioned the nurse at the cardiac clinic (another great check-up for my dad) about the tenuous relationship between heart-kidneys-meds-everything else for my dad’s frail old body I was watching him, watching his body language – and saw myself (Dickens would love my ‘future vision’), my future of being old and vulnerable, without control over ‘the system’, how things are done - unable to articulate concerns that ought to be raised, needing someone to stick up for me, someone to advocate for me – knowing full well that my right to expect a system or a family member or a caregiver is not a right any of us have, or an expectation any of us should expect to count on; for our generation, more than ever before simply because of numbers, we need to stick up for ourselves
that rant with a landlord over some process issues of how/when I get paid on a transaction was real and serious, but I recognize it was largely symbolic in terms of recognizing each time I let something go by it is like a baseball player letting one more pitch come across the plate without swinging; the chance of hitting a pitch he doesn’t swing at is zero so he will never stop trying
Mark Kolke
338,680
196.7
walk report: 5C/40F, calm, clear, our path to the soccer fields punctuated by bursts of speed and sound; cars, birds, rabbit filled yards – Gusta taunts the rabbits too which is perverse because she’ll never catch one even if she isn’t leashed – frustration she’ll learn to live with but never enjoy – but she’ll never stop trying
here we are, me + those others who are, at the same place, or maybe many different places with a common experience; this place, this point in time, this place on the roadmap of existence, where crossroads navigate like a crossword puzzle when cross words show us forks in the road, paths diverging in the yellow wood shed light on this spot, this malaise, this rage point
aging, a spectacular period for enlightenment, satisfaction, accomplishment or, we boom-agers reconciling misspent youth and the young adult life, the fast life, the good life – that passed us by, that slipped through our fingers, that evaporated, that has been used up, empty, exhausted
I need to stick up for me; you for you, the other guy for the other guy – we can each be supportive and often collectively strong speaking with a united voice – but most of the time we do our best advocacy by speaking clearly, speak strongly to the right party at the right time, making the obscure point clear – and never stop trying
if aging is a process of viewing the scenery, at what point have we seen enough, at what point do we change the scenery, change our view, start saying words like STOP, WHOA or hey, whadyamean I have to do it your way?
most organizations, society, government – their dictates - not so much protection of status quo, as ease with which ‘this is the way we do it’ keeps them comfortably not examining how they do it unless there is an articulate and forceful complaint from someone they are willing to listen to – otherwise, ‘that’s our process, policy, procedure . . etc.’ is all we get; if we sit silent, it is what we deserve, what we get and nothing will change
I got angry yesterday; angry with someone about something, some indignity of how that company made up of those people do something that impacts me; they are good people, nice people, people I like, company I respect – but like most companies they do things their way without a lot of regard for anyone who is not powerful, with regard for themselves, with regard for their bottom line; but they pay slowly and arduously – they don’t lie, they don’t cheat; they are fair, fair minded, have great product and I like to do business with them – but, like most large organizations they see things from only their side, their way, their perspective
was it rude of me? . . without doubt; will it hurt me? . . maybe, maybe I’ll lose a relationship, maybe I’ll muddy the water for future dealings – I doubt it
will it change anything?
that’s the better question; will my complaint, my speaking up, speaking out – will it change the world, that company, that person I complained to, will it change them or how they deal with me or anyone else? will it change me?
my rant/vent did two things - I vented some frustration to someone who might listen, I recognized how little affect that action may have for anyone else but also how important it was for me; my action/inaction ratio is something only I am accountable for; I’m not talking about road-rage antics applied to life, but taking it upon myself (our ourselves) to take a step, take a stand, do something and never stop trying
why that issue, why that company, why yesterday, why indeed?
as I questioned the nurse at the cardiac clinic (another great check-up for my dad) about the tenuous relationship between heart-kidneys-meds-everything else for my dad’s frail old body I was watching him, watching his body language – and saw myself (Dickens would love my ‘future vision’), my future of being old and vulnerable, without control over ‘the system’, how things are done - unable to articulate concerns that ought to be raised, needing someone to stick up for me, someone to advocate for me – knowing full well that my right to expect a system or a family member or a caregiver is not a right any of us have, or an expectation any of us should expect to count on; for our generation, more than ever before simply because of numbers, we need to stick up for ourselves
that rant with a landlord over some process issues of how/when I get paid on a transaction was real and serious, but I recognize it was largely symbolic in terms of recognizing each time I let something go by it is like a baseball player letting one more pitch come across the plate without swinging; the chance of hitting a pitch he doesn’t swing at is zero so he will never stop trying
Mark Kolke
338,680
196.7
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
What do you think? Join the discussion - comments are welcomed - please write.
To subscribe to Mark's Musings daily email distribution, write to mark@markmusing.com
©2008 MaxComm Communications
What do you think? Join the discussion - comments are welcomed - please write.
To subscribe to Mark's Musings daily email distribution, write to mark@markmusing.com
©2008 MaxComm Communications
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
April 16 responses
Thanks so much for remembering my birthday... How are you?? Sorry, I haven't written back sooner but you know, sometimes life gets in the way.. I couldn't possibly be that busy.(this seems to be a bit of a disconnected narrative) . I did notice you took me off your musing list a long time ago. I'll try to catch you up. About a 18 months ago I was over visiting my Daughter in the Seattle area and was changing the baby (18 months old) She has 4 kids now (3 adopted) I pulled off the baby's wet shirt handed it to his sister (4) She was helpfully standing right next to me observing. "Ashley, honey, please put this in the laundry". She looked me straight in the eyes and in her high pitched little 4 year old voice, said "No". Well I was floored (she had no idea, who she was talking too, I used to spank her Mother after all). I explained to her that if she didn't do it she would get a "time out" and if that didn't work I would spank her. She immediately complied. Well about 3 hours later (same scenario) I was changing the Baby again and called on her older brother ( 8 ) to do the laundry run (that baby is always wet it seems). "Xavier, please run this to the laundry". He looks me full in the face and says "No". I am once again stunned. These small people have no idea who I am. With Xavier, I skip over the "time out" part and go immediately to the larger threat of ‘do this, or I will spank you’. He complied immediately. What this made me realize was that if I wanted to have any kind of relationship with these kids, I needed to be closer.. I couldn't be just "the bossy lady that visits a couple of times a year" So last summer my spousal equivalent and I (we've been together 3 years now) started looking at property over here. After 18 years in Idaho, we bought a house jointly and moved last November. So we now live in Rockport Washington, in the foothills of the Cascade mountains. We're about an hour from my daughter (just the right distance). All my kids except the youngest (he's finishing up some college) are over here. They're all doing well. I'm really enjoying getting to see the kids more. It's wonderful. So enough about me - how are you and the kids?? Your Dad?? Your Love life? Gusta?? I know I could go back through the blog but this is more personal. Looking forward to hearing back from you , IA, Rockport, WA
...
re: discovery - Wow! What a feast! First of all, in my view the human learning curve is not asymptotic, where we are approaching the limits of human understanding, but exponential; the more answers we reach the many more questions arise, but answers to some of these are also found. For example, after Newton's Principia, it was thought that nothing new was left to discover in physics; and after Einstein's General Theory of Relativity punched major holes into Newton's Laws, and quantum mechanics became known, we were faced with a barrage of questions that have not yet been answered. And certainly the above holds true in the medical field, with which I am more familiar. I disagree with you; the journey IS all it's about. Many people will not agree with me on this I'm sure. Good luck in your passion for discovery. I share it, EG,Calgary
...
Reply to EG - Sure there are lots of blogs and email responses. But as Mark noted, actions are few. Somehow in the past people were able to form a critical mass of support for change and heroes emerged and/or politicians were forced to listen etc. Or sometimes a group learned that too many people disagreed with them and they could not get the change that they wanted. There are many opinions about why a critical mass of support so seldom happens today. But whatever the reason(s), my point was that the critical mass of support for change is not emerging in today's culture, LHE, Calgary
...
To subscribe to Mark's Musings daily email distribution, write to mark@markmusing.com
©2008 MaxComm Communications
©2008 MaxComm Communications
discovery - Wednesday Apr. 16, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: -4C/24F, bird songs roused me before the alarm; sunny, calm; lawns decorated with white frosting afford footprint art opportunities for Gusta, I stuck to the bare sidewalks; my pace is quickened these last few days in part because my ankle is getting so much better, in part because I am trying to walk more distance (illusion of exercise) in a shorter time (so much to do); my blood is moving faster, my body is moving faster, my head is racing and my waist line is steady-as-it-goes
citizens of the world, we swagger in collective arrogance that we know it all, have it all, need and want it all – yet, consider that we are civilization still in the starting gate, 50,000 years of learning got us to this moment; the next 50 just another split-second in time which, depending on your view, makes life wholly insignificant or the most powerful force
clichés dot our vernacular describing JOL not being destination - the journey is what is all about – poppycock; as surely as Wal-mart’s ‘reducing prices every day’ will never get them to zero, we (the collective 6 billion) will never know it all or reach a point of all knowing
looking around at a world of technology, medical breakthroughs and the leading edge of so many leading edges, one must wonder what’s left to discover, what’s left to be learned about reality or about dreams when we think we know so much; sadly, I think we know so little but sit complacent that ‘so much is known’ that we each can only contribute our collective insignificance, like a grain of sand in the Sahara; each year’s exponential increase in the world’s body of knowledge must surely be getting us to some penultimate level beyond which we cannot go, soon the increases will be in minute increments of learning some nuance or beating a world record by 1/100th of a second, eventually there must be a maximum, right?
most JOL are littered with unplanned, unexpected and often unfulfilling side trips to destinations never imagined or known about before landing there; before you roll your eyes and speculate I’ve ingested too much caffeine this morning, consider that the JOL is not from Calgary to Vancouver or London to Frankfurt; consider that the JOL is from birth to death or from ignorance to enlightenment
the JOL could last a second of epiphany or a lifetime of hum drum; things that change the world and life on this planet fall into two groups (doesn’t everything?) the first being things about the planet’s behavior (like spinning every 24 hours, revolving around the sun every 364.25 years, wobbling to create seasons, grinding away a new mountain range every few million years) and our behavior, our JOL
our JOL is full of discoveries; these fall into two groups, those we were looking (chemists in a lab trying till something works) for and those of us who look up now and then to say ‘ah+ha, look what I found!’
I am sure many great things have been discovered by people who were not looking for anything, but I suspect the overwhelming statistic would be that anything worthy of making life more valuable for our world, anything worth knowing that improves the human condition and the development of civilization was discovered by someone or some group of people who were looking for something, open to discovering anything that showed up wherever it showed up
loving discovery, I sit on the edge of my seat in anticipation of what happens next – my journey of life (JOL) is neither destination or trip; it takes place in many destinations and along the pathways between them, but for me the discovery of something new on purpose or by accident, is the beverage I thirst for, crave and chase every day; some days it involves learning new things about a butterfly, some days it involves learning something about the world – every day it involves learning something about myself
Mark Kolke
338,704
197.8
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
What do you think? Join the discussion - comments are welcomed - please write.
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
walk report: -4C/24F, bird songs roused me before the alarm; sunny, calm; lawns decorated with white frosting afford footprint art opportunities for Gusta, I stuck to the bare sidewalks; my pace is quickened these last few days in part because my ankle is getting so much better, in part because I am trying to walk more distance (illusion of exercise) in a shorter time (so much to do); my blood is moving faster, my body is moving faster, my head is racing and my waist line is steady-as-it-goes
citizens of the world, we swagger in collective arrogance that we know it all, have it all, need and want it all – yet, consider that we are civilization still in the starting gate, 50,000 years of learning got us to this moment; the next 50 just another split-second in time which, depending on your view, makes life wholly insignificant or the most powerful force
clichés dot our vernacular describing JOL not being destination - the journey is what is all about – poppycock; as surely as Wal-mart’s ‘reducing prices every day’ will never get them to zero, we (the collective 6 billion) will never know it all or reach a point of all knowing
looking around at a world of technology, medical breakthroughs and the leading edge of so many leading edges, one must wonder what’s left to discover, what’s left to be learned about reality or about dreams when we think we know so much; sadly, I think we know so little but sit complacent that ‘so much is known’ that we each can only contribute our collective insignificance, like a grain of sand in the Sahara; each year’s exponential increase in the world’s body of knowledge must surely be getting us to some penultimate level beyond which we cannot go, soon the increases will be in minute increments of learning some nuance or beating a world record by 1/100th of a second, eventually there must be a maximum, right?
most JOL are littered with unplanned, unexpected and often unfulfilling side trips to destinations never imagined or known about before landing there; before you roll your eyes and speculate I’ve ingested too much caffeine this morning, consider that the JOL is not from Calgary to Vancouver or London to Frankfurt; consider that the JOL is from birth to death or from ignorance to enlightenment
the JOL could last a second of epiphany or a lifetime of hum drum; things that change the world and life on this planet fall into two groups (doesn’t everything?) the first being things about the planet’s behavior (like spinning every 24 hours, revolving around the sun every 364.25 years, wobbling to create seasons, grinding away a new mountain range every few million years) and our behavior, our JOL
our JOL is full of discoveries; these fall into two groups, those we were looking (chemists in a lab trying till something works) for and those of us who look up now and then to say ‘ah+ha, look what I found!’
I am sure many great things have been discovered by people who were not looking for anything, but I suspect the overwhelming statistic would be that anything worthy of making life more valuable for our world, anything worth knowing that improves the human condition and the development of civilization was discovered by someone or some group of people who were looking for something, open to discovering anything that showed up wherever it showed up
loving discovery, I sit on the edge of my seat in anticipation of what happens next – my journey of life (JOL) is neither destination or trip; it takes place in many destinations and along the pathways between them, but for me the discovery of something new on purpose or by accident, is the beverage I thirst for, crave and chase every day; some days it involves learning new things about a butterfly, some days it involves learning something about the world – every day it involves learning something about myself
Mark Kolke
338,704
197.8
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
What do you think? Join the discussion - comments are welcomed - please write.
To subscribe to Mark's Musings daily email distribution, write to mark@markmusing.com
©2008 MaxComm Communications
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
April 15 responses
Re: doing it anyway - This morning in your rambling of words you use the phrase, "not me"
Out of five children my mother could never find her child, "not me" For whenever the question of "Who did it?" she would hear five answer "Not me" If she ever found that child it was going to get a good lickin'. "T", WT, Calgary
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RE: on a hillside somewhere - I loved this line – “whichever way wind blows, governments tout consolidating or restructuring or de-centralizing as key to better service delivery, economy for tax payers and better democracy for all; this equates to that which exits the north end of southbound male cattle as my provincial government goes back into session today”. The use of language here is magical! So many wonderful words to so eloquently describe BS!!! I love it. Thanks for the chuckle!, Cheers, KDK, Calgary
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Re: doing it anyway - Where is LHE coming from? Doesn't he/she read blogs and email responses involving various important and timely topics? Certainly most express a lot of daring thinking. If we have something to say, let's say it....Only in that way can eaningful communication evolve, and new ways of living together develop, EG, Calgary
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
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doing it anyway - Tuesday Apr. 15, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: 1C/34F, clearing, steady north breeze; ‘early light’ delivered by daylight saving allows me to walk earlier each week without fear of tripping in the shadows; bird songs filled the pre-dawn void, Gusta seems restless (to say nothing of her walk/bathroom demands at midnight and 1AM) this morning
I’ve considered the question of whether I am ‘fully developed’, a term I first heard as a teenage boy when it was used to describe teenage girls I wanted to make time with, but now it seems to have taken on new meaning
researching ‘adulthood and maturity’, I found them defined as ‘the period of time in your life after your physical growth has stopped and you are fully developed’
I hope not
if I write an idea I might be seen the fool to those who don’t agree, the idiot to those who don’t know me but I will be doing it anyway and don’t care whether it is fully developed because throwing pixels, bits and bytes of ideas around sounds like a food fight I want to be in, after which I don’t have to clean up debris of dangling participles and spelling errors that were deleted or ‘sent to trash’ . . . come to think of it, where do deleted words go?
like energy, maybe they never disappear, reincarnated as a text book somewhere else in the world or shipped via RSS feed to some far away planet’s landfill site
I can’t make time – on a good day I scarcely manage to think about managing it – so it often appears to manage me; yesterday a new project took 5 hours (I was robbed at mouse-point), then Gusta took an hour I’d not counted on losing as time taken must come from the same 24 I was given – no borrowing past wasted time or leveraging my future waste; of course each choice is mine but when choices build on choices built on a choice foundation it gets me doing auto-responses to things that appear urgent, hopefully, without losing track of what is truly important
if, for arguments sake, the smartest thing (lets pretend there is indisputable proof) was to do something or to not do something, would we all do the smart thing? . . or, if it was a danger, would we all avoid it?
that seems so easy, we should all be the school kid with arm stretched high begging to be called on because we know ALL know the answer to that one; to say nothing of the dangers, just imagine the volume of time we waste on these destructive activities
smoking, living in an earthquake zone, taking drugs, drunk driving, hang-gliding, appearing on a reality show, eating fries with gravy - to name but a few; these seem to be unquestioned dangers yet we (not me, but lots of you) do these crazy things in crazy numbers which is just crazy, which seems to help prove that living leads to death, but we go on doing it anyway
thinking is dangerous but not so dangerous as not thinking, living is dangerous too but not so dangerous as not living
I’ve no time to think about this more right now so I am done
Mark Kolke
338,728
199.2
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
What do you think? Join the discussion - comments are welcomed - please write.
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
walk report: 1C/34F, clearing, steady north breeze; ‘early light’ delivered by daylight saving allows me to walk earlier each week without fear of tripping in the shadows; bird songs filled the pre-dawn void, Gusta seems restless (to say nothing of her walk/bathroom demands at midnight and 1AM) this morning
I’ve considered the question of whether I am ‘fully developed’, a term I first heard as a teenage boy when it was used to describe teenage girls I wanted to make time with, but now it seems to have taken on new meaning
researching ‘adulthood and maturity’, I found them defined as ‘the period of time in your life after your physical growth has stopped and you are fully developed’
I hope not
if I write an idea I might be seen the fool to those who don’t agree, the idiot to those who don’t know me but I will be doing it anyway and don’t care whether it is fully developed because throwing pixels, bits and bytes of ideas around sounds like a food fight I want to be in, after which I don’t have to clean up debris of dangling participles and spelling errors that were deleted or ‘sent to trash’ . . . come to think of it, where do deleted words go?
like energy, maybe they never disappear, reincarnated as a text book somewhere else in the world or shipped via RSS feed to some far away planet’s landfill site
I can’t make time – on a good day I scarcely manage to think about managing it – so it often appears to manage me; yesterday a new project took 5 hours (I was robbed at mouse-point), then Gusta took an hour I’d not counted on losing as time taken must come from the same 24 I was given – no borrowing past wasted time or leveraging my future waste; of course each choice is mine but when choices build on choices built on a choice foundation it gets me doing auto-responses to things that appear urgent, hopefully, without losing track of what is truly important
if, for arguments sake, the smartest thing (lets pretend there is indisputable proof) was to do something or to not do something, would we all do the smart thing? . . or, if it was a danger, would we all avoid it?
that seems so easy, we should all be the school kid with arm stretched high begging to be called on because we know ALL know the answer to that one; to say nothing of the dangers, just imagine the volume of time we waste on these destructive activities
smoking, living in an earthquake zone, taking drugs, drunk driving, hang-gliding, appearing on a reality show, eating fries with gravy - to name but a few; these seem to be unquestioned dangers yet we (not me, but lots of you) do these crazy things in crazy numbers which is just crazy, which seems to help prove that living leads to death, but we go on doing it anyway
thinking is dangerous but not so dangerous as not thinking, living is dangerous too but not so dangerous as not living
I’ve no time to think about this more right now so I am done
Mark Kolke
338,728
199.2
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
What do you think? Join the discussion - comments are welcomed - please write.
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
Monday, April 14, 2008
April 14 responses
re: on a hillside somewhere - I have been on your mailing list for about a year. I have reminisced over many of your writings because I spent my honeymoon in Alberta thirty one years ago. Living in South Florida, Alberta was an unusual place to choosefor a honeymoon but it could not have worked out better for my wife and for me. Sometimes your writings are inspiring, sometimes they are thought-provokingand sometimes they are a bit boring. Today's writing was exceptional. Anyone who reads your article with an open mind will inevitably have to give some thought to what you have written. If that is not what every writer strives to do, then I do not know what it is that they are attempting to accomplish. Unfortunately, like you, I don't have an answer but like you, I am also aware that nothing that exists today is working. Something else needs to come along to change these erroneous mindframes that have been created over the years. As you said, in the United States only Barack Obama offers the hope of something different. We can only hope and pray that he will get elected and that he will be able to make changes that will bebeneficial for the greater good. Thank you for sharing your mind with us. Like many others I look forward to hearing from you every day. Best regards, AS, Miami, FL
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re: on a hillside somewhere - Where I share your pessimism is that so few people today care to even try. Some people were also greedy when the heroes did their work. In past times Ghandi was supported by a political movement, Martin Luther King by churches and the civil right movement, and Mother Teresa by the Catholic church. I'm sure that today potential heroes exist. From your comments I see that today there are forward thinking people, the present day version of the past US civil rights workers and the Baptists who hired Tommy Douglas' while he was developing political support. The question is where today is the groundswell of public support for changes? Where is the public that is prepared to tell the environmental lobby that food comes before biofuel from corn (note that other biofuels don't threaten food supply). Where is the public that is prepared to tell the civil service that the services the public wants are important and to transfer nurses into the hospitals and out of hand holding programs in doctors offices? In the past days of the heroes you mention, people felt enough freedom of speech and thought to allow them to protest and to campaign for change. Today there seems to be a pervasive fear of thinking and/or saying that seems to paralyze most people. Possibly the best that we can do now is to protect freedom of speech and thought. Then maybe people will feel free to be the groundswell of public support that provided a deciding factor in the past. Until then, any protest may be too much to ask, LHE, Calgary
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on a hillside somewhere - Monday Apr. 14, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: -1C/31F, light clouds, generous sunshine, nippy air sharp contrast with last evening’s balmy – Gusta found too many squirrels, too many magpies, too many robins and a duck on a roof collectively too distracting for woofs/barks
governments of the world virtually ignore the Darfurs yet endorse live-aid concerts, send troops to hunt down terror when food would go further, support despots only to have those dogs bite back with the very teeth they’ve been given; people riot in 3rd world countries because food costs leapt 75% in 2 months; outrage is too mild a word
I cannot imagine the outrage of starving people who work hard for a pittance sewing the goods we buy whose pittance no longer buys enough rice to sustain a meager existence; it would be such a breath of fresh air, billions blown daily, if keepers of our collective purse who shore up Wall Street or Bay Street or who are so often telling us they’ll fix it (subprime crisis, recession, healthcare costs, crisis du jour) would admit ‘the system’s beyond fixing so lets invent a new system’
while steps for saving banks, corporations and industries may have widespread implications I’d be loath to be without, I can’t help wondering about the other day - when those IMF and World Bank leaders met with G-7 finance ministers to address the economy and the price of rice – I wonder what they ate, if they all had dessert, about the price and who paid?
as a teen I was neither activist or anarchist, in my twenties neither fascist or socialist – but I wondered about so many angry people who were – they believed that leaders lie as they lead , that we want it that way, that we’d rather hear promises of a fix for a problem that won’t fix than to hear realistic dialogue about why this or that gets this or that
as youngster I was told, ‘you’ll understand better when you grow up’; as a student, told some things were very complicated, I should get an education in ways of the world and experience before criticizing; as novice politico I was told to work hard, gain experience and learn how things are done, how shakers shake and movers move
whichever way wind blows, governments tout consolidating or restructuring or de-centralizing as key to better service delivery, economy for tax payers and better democracy for all; this equates to that which exits the north end of southbound male cattle as my provincial government goes back into session today; their role and my cynicism are local, my mood is not; leaders who won votes tell us that what is wrong with our health care service delivery system is administrative in nature and can be solved by streamlining authority and moving money around - shell-game decisions made by people without first clue experience on giving or receiving care in its various watered down forms – I thought we elected these people for wisdom and judgment; why didn’t we elect smarter people?
at a meeting last week a question of ‘most admired leader’ produced answers around the table like Mother Theresa, Mahatma Ghandi, Martin Luther King and sport heroes; oddly, no one mentioned a President, Prime Minister, corporate icon, great writer or restaurant chain; icons long dead, few glimpses of their mantle on the horizon; little wonder Obama causes such a stir - the notion of an inspired leadership/charisma combo is so exciting
my best learning, over dinner one night with someone who had Policy in their job description, taught me nothing in the world happens unless there is a policy (often not written anywhere) that permits it, nothing changes unless there is a change in policy and everything bad in the world happens because there is a policy permitting it
I’m grown up, I get it and I’m outraged that we citizens of the world cannot set aside greed for money, territory and power to safely feed our hungry, care for our sick; it seems we have not been able to do it with socialism, fascism, communism, democracy or anarchy – maybe it is time someone sat on a hillside somewhere to devise something that works for everyone; now, go have a good week and think about what you can do about it
Mark Kolke
338,752
198.0
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Apr. 13 responses
Re: write some more - There are serious researchers who believe we are on the verge of extending life spans to 150 years or longer this century. Think for a moment what this means in terms of education, work, retirement and general health of the nation and world. Today with even a life span of 80-100 years we have the following stages 1. growth to maturity and education, 2. find work and establishing a family unit, 3. Maturity and perhaps management style work, 4. retirement and leisure pursuits and 5. declining health and death. Researchers tell us we do not have to age and decay that we can create exercises that keep our bodies and minds alert. If I told you this morning you could live to be 150 years of age or more would you take it? How would you spend these new years? After all we do not want standing room only on planet Earth. Many of us make false steps in the various stages of life as it is today, FW, Stafford, VA
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RE: egg might have come first - No, No you silly duck – the rooster always comes first!, kk, Calgary
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Re: write some more - Yes, we all get to dream for ourselves, and then to pursue the dream if we so desire. Henry Ford said, "The man who thinks he can do it and the one who thinks he can't are both usually right." The one right we have had throughout human history is the right to dream, EG, Calgary
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
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write some more - Sunday Apr. 13, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: 4C/40F, light overcast being pushed away by a monster Chinook arch, it was zoo like this morning on Lake Mead Green as rabbits held the island and a Mallard pair patrolled the alley, a Magpie perched on the highest point of a weeping willow tree – Gusta paid them no heed, preferring instead to stroll to the soccer fields and back, the lone critter getting all my attention
if I don’t like the day, I can make one up – make a better one, a longer one, a day full of laughs or tears or both; a day of work and play 31 hours long – all I have to do is think it and it is so; so I will, so I can, so can anyone; that may sound bizarre to some, but given the world today will not look anything like the world 100 years from now, I think by taking off on some new path my chance of flourishing is not so bad because sitting still has zero chance of being anywhere I’d want to be in the future
many times I’ve thought I must be missing something – an ability to figure out what I need to figure out, the skill to make everything I want to happen, for dreams to come true and fantasies too – what could it be?
I read a piece by someone (a writer) lamenting he had to get a real job because writing wasn’t paying much; he expressed in very poor taste (no wonder no one hired him) that he really didn’t want to work and couldn’t understand why they wouldn’t want him
I grew up in the world of my parent’s generation when most people most often had only one career, often only one employer their whole life; today expectations of employment on a full time basis - a career path with one employer – is unheard of; it seems the notion of wanting anything has evolved to where it is generally available in whatever slice, place or terms we might want it provided we want it badly enough to do what needs to be done
its not the time or who it’s spent with, the trick is to think like mad, and imagine madness so no one knows the moments when I think I’m quite mad – or completely bonkers – to imagine what I imagine, to live this charmed lucky life; I fantasize about idleness, but not long, I can’t do idle well, or wild; instead I work at dreams and dream at work and write and work some more so one day I can just write and write and write some more
I’ve figured out that no one has it figured out; each time I write some more I seem to figure out a little more – might be mad - I prefer to let it make me glad that I can think and write and work and play and no one has to give me permission, no one has to hire me, no one has to do anything at all; I do, I’m the one, I’m the guy who has to think for me, dream for me, write for me – not you; you get to do for you, you get to dream for you – not me
Mark Kolke
338,776
197.6
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
What do you think? Join the discussion - comments are welcomed - please write.
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Apr. 12 responses
re: egg might have come first - Your subject title titillates me, many doctors and friends/family have asked me that all too often. The scariest part if that I do know of which you speak!! Of course though the egg came first, guess for all of us the egg came first!! I do know however why the chicken crossed the road - answer to follow!, WR, Calgary
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egg might have come first - Saturday Apr. 12, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: 0C/32F, sunny and calm; Gusta saw a retriever on the other side of the soccer field and nearly ripped my shoulder apart pulling – I gather he was a handsome dude sporting just the right scent; morning calm along lawn rows still framed in receding snow cover
what is the prerequisite of thought?
is it feeling, or does thought just need a good breakfast to start the day?
preparation – breakfast for the day, clean slate for the week or clear head for a meeting – are all pre-start activities; prerequisites for doing something; clearly the chicken came before the egg, but does the thought always precede the action – in other words, does the physical activity trigger demonstrative thought or does thought just splurge forth in its own right, unconnected to any event or action?
yesterday thoughts/actions; consolidation, spring cleaning and re-ordering priorities going on and this question bounces around my head: before the chicken crossed the road, did he/she have thoughts or feelings about taking such a bold step?
in this regard I think the egg might have come first because there had to be some gestation period of thought or of chicken going on
if we search for meaning, should we first begin with an absence of it or will looking blankly out a window on a quiet day do the trick, or, if we can’t see ourselves clearly, should we always have a mirror (or two) standing by?
I’ve been pondering starts; a venture, a project, a new chapter - wondering what works best, what is proven, what is proven wrong; I wouldn’t think of planting something without first preparing the soil, I wouldn’t think of placing freshly cooked food on a soiled or ill chosen plate, I would not consider finishing wood that had not been sanded smooth first or doing a presentation without planning or rehearsal not unlike children playing house is a rehearsal for life followed by a sufficient gestation period
smoked salmon cream cheese on a bagel, poached eggs, steaming coffee was the meal – but sleeping in, reading papers with PB – that made it breakfast; sometimes we talk a lot, sometimes scarcely at all, but sleep-in mornings wouldn’t start right without breakfast
as I embark on a new chapter in the story of the butterfly and the grasshopper, my grasshopper brain can only conclude that eating eggs prevents chicken
Mark Kolke
338,800
197.4
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
What do you think? Join the discussion - comments are welcomed - please write.
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Friday, April 11, 2008
Apr. 11 responses
Re: obsessed or merely determined - Obsessed or determined, eccentric or weird, what does it matter? You are who you are and today’s musing rocked! And don’t ever lower your expectations! Here is a quote that I read over twenty years ago and have never forgotten: “Far better it is, to dare mighty things, than to take rank with those poor, timid spirits who never know victory, nor defeat.” Theodore Roosevelt, SF, Calgary
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Re: obsessed or merely determined - I have three thoughts on Obsession or determination. #1 Obsessed is what the lazy call the dedicated –don’t know who said it but I like it #2 In life you get what you want. Otherwise you never really wanted it, you just liked it. I said it and totally agree. #3 is a story about a man called Dan Gable arguably one of the best wrestlers in American history his High School and College record combined was 182 wins with just 1 loss. That loss came in the last match of his senior year of college in the NCAA Division 1 National Championship Finals, ouch! Dan, with whom I have met personally described to me that he was devastated by the loss, but in fact he detailed it was one of the best things that ever happened to him. According to him it made him “refocus” (by the way this is one focused man, to begin with). So, Dan takes that loss and soon after begins to train for the 1972 Olympics in which through the entire trial process and the entire Olympic tournament only one opponent score one point on him and he goes on to win the gold medal utterly dominating the competition. The next day in the Olympic village Dan Gable’s roommate Ben Peterson awakes early that morning to find Dan gone. Around 7:45 am Dan comes in dripping in sweat and Ben says to Dan “hey where the heck have you been”. Dan replies oh “I got up early and ran 6 miles”. Ben says “wow, Dan you just won the Olympic Gold Medal last night why don’t you give yourself a break.” “Nah nah, I can’t”, replies Gable “I have to start training for world games!” Dan Gable never made it to world games because of an injury, but instead went on to Coach Iowa and become the greatest coach in college history. Winning 15 Division 1 National Championships in 20 years. I am sure everyone called him a mad man and when you meet him he is quite mild mannered. Personally, I think one is mad not to want that type of level of success in their life regardless of their pursuit. Lastly, it is often said that the sane man appears to be twice as insane in the insane society. Take for example Copernicus and that whole the sun is the center of the universe theory - has to be out of his mind let’s kill him. Only took 600 years for everyone else to catch up, but eventually the sheep always do. Best wishes always, AN, Largo, FL
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Re: obsessed or merely determined - Hi Mark - It might help if you defined "obsession" as being concerned with "it" to the exclusion of all else. There, now you don't have to worry anymore. ch, Chimacum, WA
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Re: obsessed or merely determined - The terms "passion" and "obsession" illustrate the complexities and fine nuances of the English language (although they may have exact equivalences in others). That this subject has been laid on my doorstep today arouses my response, since my experience as a physician gives me a little insight into clinical psychology. I think in the truest sense, the only difference between what the two terms describe is one of degree only, unless one wants to go on to Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Another distinction is that passion can be momentary, while obsession is more permanent. As for me, I have experienced both. I have been passionate about chess, my vocation and other things. I continue to be obsessed about whether my debit card is in my wallet (I've lost it twice), and keep checking. Madness? Not quite, in my case at least. Henry Moore seems to have been a fortunate man indeed, EG, Calgary
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
obsessed or merely determined - Friday Apr. 11, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: -7C/20F, overcast, Gusta loved that ‘break through the crunch’ feel romping through remnants of yesterday’s big dump/thaw (23 centimetres); popcorn snow and mini-rivers of ice artfully decorate every street; yesterday’s chaos to traffic was simply a case of ease, grace, beauty and determination to this water in so many forms
I believe we too often attribute obsession to out-of-kilter folk whose passion runs too far, too hot or too late into night dominating their entire life; yet, I am certain the likes of Einstein, Churchill or Magellan, the sorts like Newton, Galileo, Van Gogh and Mozart, the Babe, Kareem, Keno, Fisher or Brooks Robinson or Henry Ford or Thomas Edison – in minds of many they were simply and positively obsessed mad men, but perhaps in their own minds, not quite mad enough
obsession, joy, torment – burning pre-occupation, disease, addiction, fascination, absurdity, fate - at moment’s notice a thought fuels its flame or douses it to rubble; to get it right – obsessing, trying everything that might work in order to find what would not only work, or work best but, rather, to work like nothing has ever worked before is no doubt an unfamiliar driving force to many, but it was clearly standard operating procedure to their genius of discovery and achievement
“The creative habit is like a drug. The particular obsession changes, but the excitement, the thrill of your creation lasts.” – Henry Moore
in considering things/issues/people where I deposit passionate (and sometimes obsessive) effort, do I give too much to the unworthy, too little to the most deserving?
I expect many people go their whole life without strong or lasting obsessions; I am blessed/cursed with several examples of determination gone over the dotted line and they seem to be getting a little bit better and worse every day; clarity does not equal quality, nor strong equate to smart or worthy; sorting healthy vs. unhealthy pursuits is a time wasting debate my brain feels too full to address
I feel the way I feel about something – some things more strongly than I could imagine, others I don’t care at all, a chasm between them littered with things that got too little attention and, obviously, they got what they deserved; recent experiences (56 yrs worth) cause me to question whether things I say I want are desires, passions or obsessions; do I want them badly enough, do I desire/crave them beyond all other things or do I want them enough to sacrifice greatly?
too often I know I’ve done a project, written something or done a task where I said ‘I care about this a lot and have done my best’ only to reflect later that it was not my best effort, I didn’t give it the time it deserved – my frail excuse being that it was competing for attention with too many other items draining energy and attention
Henry Moore was right, reading his words (maybe he was a madman) give me comfort and a degree of validation; obsession and passion are surely kissin’ cousins; we praise passion as a feeling, admire people who passionately pursue a cause, a career, a talent or pursuit of a goal while obsession is something you ‘seek professional help’ for; I am not sure I understand the difference or agree with either premise
I’m not sure if I am obsessed or merely determined; perhaps too many dreams and desires for one person to have or reconcile - perhaps I should lower my expectations; I think the better course of action, for me, is to raise them higher - then higher still - until there can be no topping them, and then, try to top them anyway
Mark Kolke
338,824
196.6
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
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Thursday, April 10, 2008
Apr. 10 responses
RE: separation point - Hello there! A good morning read that touched very close to home. Those tenuous moments with father and decisions to be made are tough, I know. Trust, that when the moment comes you will know the right decision. Life, seemingly endless, some days/ months, others so quick, you wonder, what, did I miss it? Love him, talk with him and cherish every moment, but know in your heart, he will always be there. Some days, it’s a melody that brings forth a spectacular smile or perhaps a tear that reminds me not only of him but the important moments in my life. I still talk with my Pop, wear his cufflinks when I have a very important meeting (perhaps his guidance and self assurance) and cry, when I hear a certain song. Take care my friend, and know I am always hear(here), if you need to talk, kk, Calgary
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Re: separation point - Sounds more like the "tipping point"- its a good read from Malcolm Gladwell, KK, Calgary
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Re: separation point - Surely Pythagorus was referring to our observations here on earth, since on many planets there is no warmth or fluid, only cold and solid, and in the stars only hot gases, and on the dark side of the moon, only darkness, but I get his drift. I presently am looking at the possibilities of running eBay auctions, so was asked for homework to list 10 things in my home to sell. Most were books, but a couple of articles also for which I have no further use. You're right, our priorities do change, and will continue to change, as our lives evolve. No doubt Pythagorus was not immune from this. but his famous theorem will endure forever, EG, Calgary
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separation point - Thursday Apr. 10, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: 0C/32F, but for a degree or two, would be a steady rain shower; instead, on the fine line of freeze/thaw, deluge of sticky-white; Gusta chased rabbit tracks and came back wearing a thick white carpet – she, like me, found extremely good traction in what could easily be treachery; a glimpse of beauty I’d not seen before as streetlight cast a shadow of branches with buds, now snow coated, the shadow dancing on the fresh white ground, light breeze moving it slightly - what was a dull, dirty and bare branch starkly wishing for leaves yesterday, coated white this morning, casts a spectacular shadow
this snow, this wet snow, offers winter grunge a spring cleaning and fresh moisture for parched soil, but it brings calm too
‘If there be light, then there is darkness; if cold, heat; if height, depth; if solid, fluid; if hard, soft; if rough, smooth; if calm, tempest; if prosperity, adversity; if life, death.” – Pythagoras
day ahead an errand, task and purging blur – day behind, resolved that I need more than spring cleaning and culling (ah, the by-product joy of tax season) of things not fit for keeping, selling or giving away; thoughts roll in my head about the notion of not starting anything new unless I first end two things; I am starting something new which deserves an investment of new-time – the challenge then, is what two things will I discard from my attention, omit from routine or purge in a green trash bag?
of all things I do, a good portion matter a lot, some matter less, some far far less – but, as I review the ones that matter far less, nixing them seems easy; with each file tossed, each ‘once upon a time great purchase’ discarded, there seems to be some ponder time; in some cases, it is just an instant – quick mix logic/nostalgia collision - I debate whether an old shirt or rarely worn tie deserve the same or less deliberation than a 2 inch thick file I’ve not done anything with for over a year; sometimes just recognition of wasted decision, sometimes reflection on opportunity squandered
like this morning’s weather, many things in my life rest a moment on the cusp of the separation point - rain/snow, keep/throw, do/avoid, spend/save, work/play, wake/sleep, save/delete, forward/back . .
I sat yesterday with my dad meeting with his physician, discussion and paperwork of choices (and what to do if circumstance leaves one unconscious in need of a decision) I saw a picture of how delicate is that cusp, separation point between well/unwell, breathe/DNR; I wonder, when Pythagoras wrote his brilliant words if he was watching the fragile health of his father, I wonder if he was having a good day or a bad one, I wonder if he was keeping treasures or throwing out wasted trash, I wonder if he was looking back on what he’d done with contempt for some stupid moves or optimism about brilliant ones just ahead – I am certain the answer is ‘all of the above’
Mark Kolke
338,848
196.2
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
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walk report: 0C/32F, but for a degree or two, would be a steady rain shower; instead, on the fine line of freeze/thaw, deluge of sticky-white; Gusta chased rabbit tracks and came back wearing a thick white carpet – she, like me, found extremely good traction in what could easily be treachery; a glimpse of beauty I’d not seen before as streetlight cast a shadow of branches with buds, now snow coated, the shadow dancing on the fresh white ground, light breeze moving it slightly - what was a dull, dirty and bare branch starkly wishing for leaves yesterday, coated white this morning, casts a spectacular shadow
this snow, this wet snow, offers winter grunge a spring cleaning and fresh moisture for parched soil, but it brings calm too
‘If there be light, then there is darkness; if cold, heat; if height, depth; if solid, fluid; if hard, soft; if rough, smooth; if calm, tempest; if prosperity, adversity; if life, death.” – Pythagoras
day ahead an errand, task and purging blur – day behind, resolved that I need more than spring cleaning and culling (ah, the by-product joy of tax season) of things not fit for keeping, selling or giving away; thoughts roll in my head about the notion of not starting anything new unless I first end two things; I am starting something new which deserves an investment of new-time – the challenge then, is what two things will I discard from my attention, omit from routine or purge in a green trash bag?
of all things I do, a good portion matter a lot, some matter less, some far far less – but, as I review the ones that matter far less, nixing them seems easy; with each file tossed, each ‘once upon a time great purchase’ discarded, there seems to be some ponder time; in some cases, it is just an instant – quick mix logic/nostalgia collision - I debate whether an old shirt or rarely worn tie deserve the same or less deliberation than a 2 inch thick file I’ve not done anything with for over a year; sometimes just recognition of wasted decision, sometimes reflection on opportunity squandered
like this morning’s weather, many things in my life rest a moment on the cusp of the separation point - rain/snow, keep/throw, do/avoid, spend/save, work/play, wake/sleep, save/delete, forward/back . .
I sat yesterday with my dad meeting with his physician, discussion and paperwork of choices (and what to do if circumstance leaves one unconscious in need of a decision) I saw a picture of how delicate is that cusp, separation point between well/unwell, breathe/DNR; I wonder, when Pythagoras wrote his brilliant words if he was watching the fragile health of his father, I wonder if he was having a good day or a bad one, I wonder if he was keeping treasures or throwing out wasted trash, I wonder if he was looking back on what he’d done with contempt for some stupid moves or optimism about brilliant ones just ahead – I am certain the answer is ‘all of the above’
Mark Kolke
338,848
196.2
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
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Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Apr. 9 responses
Re: seem to be
What a feast for discussion you have prepared today! The wheels of history grind slowly as a rule, but occasionally catastrophic events do occur, or threaten. Giant tsunamis, Hiroshima and Krakatoa have occurred. Nuclear annihilation has been a threat for 50 years, but is hardly ever mentioned any more.....The threat of global warming has now taken over as our chief preoccupation, with it's possibility of snuffing out hundreds of millions of us. But happenings quiet at the time, like Gutenburg's printing press circa 1439, and more recently Tomlinson's email in 1972, and capped off by Berners-Lee and Cailliau's World Wide Web in 1990, have and will make the biggest differences in human history in my estimation. They are the developments which give the best chance to mankind for adapting world-wide democracy. Communication is what it's all about. EG, Calgary
What a feast for discussion you have prepared today! The wheels of history grind slowly as a rule, but occasionally catastrophic events do occur, or threaten. Giant tsunamis, Hiroshima and Krakatoa have occurred. Nuclear annihilation has been a threat for 50 years, but is hardly ever mentioned any more.....The threat of global warming has now taken over as our chief preoccupation, with it's possibility of snuffing out hundreds of millions of us. But happenings quiet at the time, like Gutenburg's printing press circa 1439, and more recently Tomlinson's email in 1972, and capped off by Berners-Lee and Cailliau's World Wide Web in 1990, have and will make the biggest differences in human history in my estimation. They are the developments which give the best chance to mankind for adapting world-wide democracy. Communication is what it's all about. EG, Calgary
...
I've been a subscriber to Mark Kolke's Daily Musings for some time now, but haven't been receiving them lately--say for the past two weeks. I just tried to re-subscribe and was prompted that I am already a subscriber. Any ideas as to what may serve as a remedy? Thanks, DT, ?
...
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seem to be - Wednesday Apr. 9, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: -5C/23F, fresh, clear, quiet, trees seem to be proudly bud-ready yet leafing out is still weeks off; Mallard drake meeting in middle of a street – Gusta’s invitation to play was declined in favor his flight to a higher point, stoic head high as if to answer ‘we’ll see’
separating dreams from delusion is difficult for dogs, ducks and most of us; world changes - plate moving against plate, occasional earthquakes, some tidal waves and volcanic eruptions dot geology – evidence of inexorable slow pace of change, every epoch, epoch in and epoch out over thousands of millennia with little large scale drama in the shorter term
most of us, I believe, hold to the notion we can defy this natural order; chief among these seem to be the pace of societal behavior; we push information/ideas through glass, air or space so fast it seem instantaneous or even faster with scant (we’ll see) evidence ubiquitous information flow changes anything on a grand scale in this world very quickly
whether China’s democratization is inevitable is debatable; I see Olympic Torch Relay protests as a much less galvanizing moment of change than they seem to be a a footnote on a slow turning page of a long old book (Tiananmen Square is on that page and, a few pages before, there were dynasties and a long wall construction project) which, sadly, will soon pass from our daily thoughts as mass attention shifts to some other cause du jour; in a year or ten Tibet will sit where it always has been where mountains move millimeters each millennia
two quotes from Mao Tse-Tung seem appropriate to recall:
“The people, and the people alone, are the motive force in the making of world history.”
“In waking a tiger, use a long stick.”
I remember a story about when Charles de Gualle asked Mao what he thought of France three hundred years after its revolution; Mao answered, ‘we’ll see’
seasons change – varying by a day or two but generally they arrive and leave on time, each year, every year throughout the years no different than that tree wanting to leaf-out or the drake wanting to pounce on a great hen after she chooses him (for idle-time fun, do some research on mating habits of ducks; the literature suggests ducks have a process we humans would reject because males seem to be brutes and ultimately female choice would seem to be what wins the day – clearly, no correlation to humans)
we mix what is real and what we wish for leaving ourselves as confused as Ponce de Leon searching for gold and power – not youth as lore indicates; driven by news of water that would give more pounce to his ounce (if you know what I mean) he explored and developed Florida in a fruitless search for the fountain of youth (he should have Googled Bimini) but then maybe he got to visit with some wintering Mallards instead
change takes time – its pace is something we crave to control, accelerate and impact in terms of direction but there seem to be a set of lessons found in nature to suggest that just won’t happen quickly because we want it to or because we become better at searching for it or better communicating with each other
we’ll see
Mark Kolke
338,872
196.4
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
What do you think? Join the discussion - comments are welcomed - please write.
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
walk report: -5C/23F, fresh, clear, quiet, trees seem to be proudly bud-ready yet leafing out is still weeks off; Mallard drake meeting in middle of a street – Gusta’s invitation to play was declined in favor his flight to a higher point, stoic head high as if to answer ‘we’ll see’
separating dreams from delusion is difficult for dogs, ducks and most of us; world changes - plate moving against plate, occasional earthquakes, some tidal waves and volcanic eruptions dot geology – evidence of inexorable slow pace of change, every epoch, epoch in and epoch out over thousands of millennia with little large scale drama in the shorter term
most of us, I believe, hold to the notion we can defy this natural order; chief among these seem to be the pace of societal behavior; we push information/ideas through glass, air or space so fast it seem instantaneous or even faster with scant (we’ll see) evidence ubiquitous information flow changes anything on a grand scale in this world very quickly
whether China’s democratization is inevitable is debatable; I see Olympic Torch Relay protests as a much less galvanizing moment of change than they seem to be a a footnote on a slow turning page of a long old book (Tiananmen Square is on that page and, a few pages before, there were dynasties and a long wall construction project) which, sadly, will soon pass from our daily thoughts as mass attention shifts to some other cause du jour; in a year or ten Tibet will sit where it always has been where mountains move millimeters each millennia
two quotes from Mao Tse-Tung seem appropriate to recall:
“The people, and the people alone, are the motive force in the making of world history.”
“In waking a tiger, use a long stick.”
I remember a story about when Charles de Gualle asked Mao what he thought of France three hundred years after its revolution; Mao answered, ‘we’ll see’
seasons change – varying by a day or two but generally they arrive and leave on time, each year, every year throughout the years no different than that tree wanting to leaf-out or the drake wanting to pounce on a great hen after she chooses him (for idle-time fun, do some research on mating habits of ducks; the literature suggests ducks have a process we humans would reject because males seem to be brutes and ultimately female choice would seem to be what wins the day – clearly, no correlation to humans)
we mix what is real and what we wish for leaving ourselves as confused as Ponce de Leon searching for gold and power – not youth as lore indicates; driven by news of water that would give more pounce to his ounce (if you know what I mean) he explored and developed Florida in a fruitless search for the fountain of youth (he should have Googled Bimini) but then maybe he got to visit with some wintering Mallards instead
change takes time – its pace is something we crave to control, accelerate and impact in terms of direction but there seem to be a set of lessons found in nature to suggest that just won’t happen quickly because we want it to or because we become better at searching for it or better communicating with each other
we’ll see
Mark Kolke
338,872
196.4
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
What do you think? Join the discussion - comments are welcomed - please write.
To subscribe to Mark's Musings daily email distribution, write to mark@markmusing.com
©2008 MaxComm Communications
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Apr. 8 responses
Re: place in time - Once again, your “musing” has hit home… seem to be having a bit of a time getting some close to me (specifically, spouse) to “get me.” Seems he is becoming somewhat chauvinistic in his old age… only thing… he isn’t old! So, I guess it evens out, as I am having a hard time “getting” him! Will definitely have to work on it!! Mainly just wanted to say… thanks again for the daily musings… I continue to be in awe of your daily musing and how you can come up with the great topics you do… I am never disappointed. I don’t always “get you”, but “Mark’s musings” surely does provide me with a daily challenge... and more often than not, it keeps my mind in gear, CT/Houston, TX
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Re: misty days - A couple of weeks back you spoke of the morning mist. As you know I walk each morning by the mighty Bow river. I am attaching a picture of 2 of Muse's companions (Ruby & Willow) emerging from the mist. The coyote was calling and it was quite eerie but beautiful at the same time. I meant to send this at the time but....... time runs on. Have a good one!, KS, Calgary
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change anything for a while - Tuesday Apr. 7, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: -4C/24F, crisp and sunny, rabbits around but Gusta was in too much of a hurry for chasing that – or maybe I was in too much of a hurry – we did our usual stroll as street after street was waking up, people like ants in a hill, off to work, off to school, off to one thing or another while the street and its houses decide to remain where they are, the hub of their lives, the place they all come back to at day’s end
interesting, sometimes embarrassing, just as often a thud to forehead or a solar-plexus jab; when I re-read things I wrote a long time ago or a minute ago, it seems that the most unlikely errors leap off the page as I notice alternate meanings change perspective of the thought, and then my perspective changes - that’s another dissertation for another day
case in point was this vignette yesterday – notwithstanding care, spell-checking and normal proof reading before I dispatch a memo or e-mail, sometimes it seems Freudian, how typos are reflections of inner feelings
yesterday, in the body of a note to a colleague describing a new adventure and the website I am creating - I meant to end the description of how relevant the site is to my lifestyle and work-style plans over the next few years with: ‘this new site is the hub of my wheel’ but instead I typed ‘this new site is the hub of my while’
that got be thinking about short while vs. long while, in Hawaii while, at home while – it seems the mind could have many whiles, for a while
about my while - certainly worth my while, for a while
naked thought, wrapped in sheets, works with its hands; naked feelings, wrapped in polite conversation, are still raw; raw feelings, wrapped in history, gut tangled a while
so easily - gut becomes get, tangled gets untangled; if a couple of keystrokes make my wheel a while, they can change anything for a while
Mark Kolke
338,896
196.4
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
What do you think? Join the discussion - comments are welcomed - please write.
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
walk report: -4C/24F, crisp and sunny, rabbits around but Gusta was in too much of a hurry for chasing that – or maybe I was in too much of a hurry – we did our usual stroll as street after street was waking up, people like ants in a hill, off to work, off to school, off to one thing or another while the street and its houses decide to remain where they are, the hub of their lives, the place they all come back to at day’s end
interesting, sometimes embarrassing, just as often a thud to forehead or a solar-plexus jab; when I re-read things I wrote a long time ago or a minute ago, it seems that the most unlikely errors leap off the page as I notice alternate meanings change perspective of the thought, and then my perspective changes - that’s another dissertation for another day
case in point was this vignette yesterday – notwithstanding care, spell-checking and normal proof reading before I dispatch a memo or e-mail, sometimes it seems Freudian, how typos are reflections of inner feelings
yesterday, in the body of a note to a colleague describing a new adventure and the website I am creating - I meant to end the description of how relevant the site is to my lifestyle and work-style plans over the next few years with: ‘this new site is the hub of my wheel’ but instead I typed ‘this new site is the hub of my while’
that got be thinking about short while vs. long while, in Hawaii while, at home while – it seems the mind could have many whiles, for a while
about my while - certainly worth my while, for a while
naked thought, wrapped in sheets, works with its hands; naked feelings, wrapped in polite conversation, are still raw; raw feelings, wrapped in history, gut tangled a while
so easily - gut becomes get, tangled gets untangled; if a couple of keystrokes make my wheel a while, they can change anything for a while
Mark Kolke
338,896
196.4
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
What do you think? Join the discussion - comments are welcomed - please write.
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
Monday, April 07, 2008
Apr. 7 responses to: place in time
Leaps of understanding and sometimes leaps of growth can come from finally "getting" where someone else is coming from. Sometimes we aren't going in the same direction, or someone is dismayed that "getting it" doesn't lead to agreeing on it, but the gained understanding is worth it. Well put. LHE, Calgary
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Feeling sure and safe is a useful mindset from which to launch our daily activities, like a desk and chair in a comfortable room. Runs of bad luck and of good luck are common, emanating from mindsets, I think, EG, Calgary
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We changed email servers and I don’t get this email anymore. Can you re-subscribe me? Thanks!, JT, Alexandria, VA.
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place in time - Monday Apr. 6, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: -4C/25F, calm and brilliant, Gusta oblivious to everything beyond the routine of route and animal toileting; my mind oblivious to her; short walk cool-down of a busy head, working since 4:30AM as opposed to my usual ‘start your engines’ motivation
most people don’t get me on most things, some people don’t get me at all, ever; someone (clearly in the last group) wrote the other day indicating he didn’t want to hear from me again unless I’d discovered a cure for cancer .. I’ll have to get back to him on that
feeling sure, feelings safe – not needing to worry – a ridiculous mind set that does not equate to reality or to randomness in life; while it seems that when things are going poorly they continue to happen poorly, and when good luck is rolling along there seems to be an abundance of good luck that follows in sequence
I doubt numbers or logic support this in any way, but most of us know it to be true because we’ve had or having that kind of experience; I’ve had a run of difficulty which feels like its over, my run of ‘good things’ seems to have traction, but what does that mean?
I sense in many people I meet that they want people/me to ‘get them’; as in ‘he gets me’, or ‘she got me’ which seems far removed from catching a butterfly in a net, far more like being captured and captioned in a room without a lock on the door – a sense of belonging but not of ‘belonging to’, a sense of safety and security without a ball or a chain – a sense of belonging to a place in time with someone as my witness
so far today, things seem to be going well; PB tries to get me, Gusta seems to get me, clients and friends seem to get me - not sure why, but I am feeling a lot like that Easter ham - cured
Mark Kolke
338,920
196.0
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
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Sunday, April 06, 2008
Apr. 6 responses to: does not require sunlight to grow
The weather is still cool here and though the plums have bloomed, the willow across the lane is just coming out about a month behind. Lots of fresh snow on the mountains too. Happy spring, PD, Vancouver, BC
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Requiring, or not requiring sunlight to grow does not concern me; just growing does. I am contained in my body and my mind from birth to death, and there are choices in every situation, except to be born and to die. Between those parentheses, the possible varieties of experience are infinite, EG, Calgary
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does not require sunlight to grow - Sunday Apr. 6, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: -3C/26F, clear and calm, a chorus of birds singing, streets otherwise quiet – or maybe the birds are quiet and my head is noisy – either way, something is going on
I can walk the same route, same street, same time of day – any day and never have the same experience or quality of living; what is on my mind mixed with what I see mixes a million permutations – maybe more – of what thoughts will course through my mind or what energy will flow through my extremities
we saw the movie Leatherheads last night – an entertaining hit to be sure – and I’ve been wondering about its metaphors of roadblocks, struggle, wrestling in the mud, pains and pleasures; some things happen on purpose for a purpose, so many more happen by accident or as by-product of something that did not work out
I’ve been thinking about preparation – a spot of readiness that sits somewhere on the spectrum between stepping into deep murky water (I can’t swim) with both feet at the same time and that place of absolute certainty of firm ground and fair weather; I’ve decided that no escape route is my best way – stay in it, explore it, figure my way around and never leave; that is true of my planet so why can’t it be the way in every other element of my life?
from birth to death I am contained in my body but everything else – where to live, how to live, who to live with . . these are all choices; sometimes they are commitments, sometimes they are choices until replaced by another choice
the path, any route, is not a thing in itself - it is an experience using some sidewalks and roads but at the end they are only sidewalks and roads with no understanding or interest in the experiences we’ve had while traveling them; it seems water running downhill has some secret because it follows the path of least resistance and when it hits an obstacle, it goes around to find another way as if guided by Frost’s poem – which is something I’d like to try if I can ever stop butting up against the roadblocks
life’s series of concurrent activities start, stop, pause and rewind like our brain is a perverse VCR – sometimes it feels like I watch an old movie one too many times; every spot along the continuum is a risk package waiting to erupt – just opening eyes in the morning exposes me to its risks while I chase its rewards; when a roadblock lands in my path I am just as likely to bump into it repeatedly as if I might knock a hole in it instead of seeking an alternate route; in traffic this is obvious, in every other aspect of life I am not so sure I get it right – ever
plan or plan-less, wandering aimlessly or following a map – alternatives are a mix of dead ends and escape routes that leaves me wondering where things might lead if left alone while knowing I am not so good at leaving things alone; I think sometimes that if my life were a loaf of bread, I’d always want to be the yeast – a source of energy that does not require sunlight to grow . . .
Mark Kolke
338,944
195.9
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
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Saturday, April 05, 2008
Apr. 5 responses to: heart rate
It is interesting to realize how sometimes whole directions in history and in life are changed by a chance incident, or catalyst as you put it, e.g. the loss of a kingdom because of the lack of the nail in the horse's shoe in the old children's story, or turning to pick up one's cap while running across a street, as that poor chap did recently with irrevocable consequences. In my own case, my whole die was cast by picking up a booklet in a news shop many years ago, EG, Calgary
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Re: served by a stingy light - Hi Mark, I haven’t written in a while, but I was caught by the question posed by “MP from T.O.” regarding”dis-trust” and “mis-understanding”. The use of the prefixes are interesting and imply negative views or at least the opposite of the positive views. I think understanding leads to earning of trust and I believe that trust is one of the few things on earth that is both given and earned Quite often trust has to be given first before someone has your permission to earn it. Trust is mine to give and yours to earn. In order to dis-trust it seems to me that you must first give trust and then take it away – probably because the person you gave it to did not earn it after it was given. Understanding is an active process involving effort on both sides. To mis-understand to me means that the effort has not been equally applied in order for understanding to occur. This is likely the result of the withdrawal of trust. After this lengthy homily, my conclusion is that dis-trust is trust not earned and therefore taken away which leads to unequal effort toward understanding. Trust is given in order for understanding to occur. Understanding leads to earning of trust. Trust not earned is taken away. Distrust leads to lack of effort toward understanding which creates misunderstanding. Chicken or egg????????, KDK, Calgary
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heart rate - Saturday Apr. 5, 2008
Mark’s Musing today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: -2C/29F, wet snow falling, lawns blanketed but sidewalks wet (just enough icy spots to frighten any human), Gusta’s snowy snout proves she loved it, the urge to chase rabbits and that Schnauzer who was - best postponed for another day, though it was a catalyst to raise her heart rate and my ‘fear of falling’ reflex too
little things can have a huge impact on the rest of my life or, in some cases, only for a precious moment; a bee inside a moving car heightens senses, as does a breathtaking view of an extraordinary natural phenomenal but the breathtaking view does usually not stimulate urgent action or leaping heart rate
pivotal moments need not shake firmament - catalysts for change or simply a nothing best left alone - that depends on what I do with the insight, what I do about the occurrence and whether or not I tell another person
as much as anything – they can disturb familiar habits, creative destruction process of sorts, reconstituting something along the way; discussion of old ‘hot button’ issues does not mean examination then equates to a requirement for change, but it does mean something is important enough for dialogue
the term ‘catalyst for change’ is often used; I like the converse notion of ‘catalyst for not changing’ - just as valid a thought process
having a butterfly in my car moves me - more like that breathtaking view thing, catalyst that always stimulates my heart rate
Mark Kolke
338,968
195.3
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
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Friday, April 04, 2008
Apr. 4 responses to: smiling and sad meet
Thanks again for dinner last night; it was really great to see you, and I’m glad everything is going so well. Again, I’m really sorry to hear about your friend. Love you, CK, Edmonton, AB
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smiling and sad meet - Friday Apr. 4, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: -6C/21F, clear and calm, Gusta seems no more disciplined than usual notwithstanding PB’s training efforts and romps at the off-leash park; lots of dogs out walking their owners, escorting children to where buses open their doors to swallow them up for another day
easy to take yesterday; it began with a sunrise light show, I drove to Edmonton, it closed in a star lit trip back after a full day of meetings capped by dinner with my daughters - a few things went very well and very few things didn’t, the day punctuated with a short but so meaningful conversation I am at a loss to describe in any adequate fashion
I have a new curse word; the word is not new but the feeling is fresh, the word is metastasize; one would think word inventors could choose some other ancient Greek derivation that might somehow have kinder sounding syllables to describe the horror blow they are to everyone impacted by their dread; surely disease is cruel enough on its own without having such a mean spirited word to describe the unkind cut of the reapers sentence
if I were a fisher, I would wish for fish but I sit at the shore on the edge of my keyboard, at the edge of life’s stream angling my dotted line . . . . . to haul out some magic ‘life sentence’ describing how I felt – how I still feel – in a moment, a glimpse of what I saw when I saw it, what I felt when I felt it, what I experienced when I felt it wash over me
the chat with one of my oldest and dearest friends, our visits have been too few and too long apart the last few years
each day I pursue possibility notwithstanding it often seem unattainable from an often unwilling and uncooperative world - I retain hope a solution to this challenge is wrapped up simply in my inability or lack of preparation for that to which I am unaccustomed; that somehow a mental windex bottle would appear to clean my lens or to wipe away shmuts to glimpse what no one sees, and then to describe it but 26 letters and 10 characters of punctuation give only a few billion word combinations - they seem so inadequate to capture a moment of appreciation for both the moment and for a life lived with such incredible valor, a sadness deftly deflected by stories of someone else’s kindness and humanity
she had no time to meet - we caught up by phone - a short yet perhaps the most meaningful conversation in twenty-two years of friendship; we didn’t talk so much about chemo as we did about cope, we didn’t talk about time running out as we did full days - without hesitation, with elegance, grace and clear thinking – one of the most sincere and effective people I’ve ever met
smiling and sad meet as do friends – not often enough, not long enough
Mark Kolke
338,992
197.4
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
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walk report: -6C/21F, clear and calm, Gusta seems no more disciplined than usual notwithstanding PB’s training efforts and romps at the off-leash park; lots of dogs out walking their owners, escorting children to where buses open their doors to swallow them up for another day
easy to take yesterday; it began with a sunrise light show, I drove to Edmonton, it closed in a star lit trip back after a full day of meetings capped by dinner with my daughters - a few things went very well and very few things didn’t, the day punctuated with a short but so meaningful conversation I am at a loss to describe in any adequate fashion
I have a new curse word; the word is not new but the feeling is fresh, the word is metastasize; one would think word inventors could choose some other ancient Greek derivation that might somehow have kinder sounding syllables to describe the horror blow they are to everyone impacted by their dread; surely disease is cruel enough on its own without having such a mean spirited word to describe the unkind cut of the reapers sentence
if I were a fisher, I would wish for fish but I sit at the shore on the edge of my keyboard, at the edge of life’s stream angling my dotted line . . . . . to haul out some magic ‘life sentence’ describing how I felt – how I still feel – in a moment, a glimpse of what I saw when I saw it, what I felt when I felt it, what I experienced when I felt it wash over me
the chat with one of my oldest and dearest friends, our visits have been too few and too long apart the last few years
each day I pursue possibility notwithstanding it often seem unattainable from an often unwilling and uncooperative world - I retain hope a solution to this challenge is wrapped up simply in my inability or lack of preparation for that to which I am unaccustomed; that somehow a mental windex bottle would appear to clean my lens or to wipe away shmuts to glimpse what no one sees, and then to describe it but 26 letters and 10 characters of punctuation give only a few billion word combinations - they seem so inadequate to capture a moment of appreciation for both the moment and for a life lived with such incredible valor, a sadness deftly deflected by stories of someone else’s kindness and humanity
she had no time to meet - we caught up by phone - a short yet perhaps the most meaningful conversation in twenty-two years of friendship; we didn’t talk so much about chemo as we did about cope, we didn’t talk about time running out as we did full days - without hesitation, with elegance, grace and clear thinking – one of the most sincere and effective people I’ve ever met
smiling and sad meet as do friends – not often enough, not long enough
Mark Kolke
338,992
197.4
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
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Thursday, April 03, 2008
Apr. 3 responses to: served by a stingy light
I stand in the blistering heat of noon hour peering into darkness. Late in the evening I stand in its coolness and sense the darkness, but now it comforts me // knowing I am like millions of others watching the starlight and enjoying its majesty. Life remains good. "T" Grounded once again, WT, Calgary
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You are not the only one up early this morning. Daughter number 1 Amanda age 5 ½ decided to snuggle in somewhere north of 12 am. Of course she was back to sleep in two minutes. Dad fresh off being stepped on several times was not as fortunate. I tossed and turned a bit and caught a few extra winks, however her repeated “sleep kickboxing routine” had me up at 3:20 and into the Gym by 4am. A full set of shoulder exercises then right into a triceps and biceps routine, shower, shave and a wheat grass juice at my buddy’s deli I was at work by 8am. It’s all good. Best wishes always, AN, Largo, FL.
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Hi Mark: somehow I was taken off your fine thoughts - Mark just returned from Florida and any vendor hasn't had a bid in over a year and prices are dropping like a stone as the credit markets tighten, jobs lost and people turning over keys to the institutions - can this happen in Canada? - possibly and probably not as severely - nothing continues to go to moon forever. all the finest, JC, Toronto, ON
...
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served by a stingy light - Thursday Apr. 3, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: 1C/34F, a full sky of stars, moonless night – Gusta found the silent mid-night eery, I found it warm and calming; an early start to this day, I slept fast, departing shortly for an early meeting in Edmonton; today’s photo attachment from Simon (SB) from his recent trip to Kaui, HI . . thank you
there is no better place in life or time anywhere else under any of the stars than where I am right now; there are shadows in the middle of the night but they seem just like shades of the dark inadequately served by a stingy light - still it lights the path, leads to morning
“You never have to change anything you got up in the middle of the night to write.” – Saul Bellow
emerging from darkness, as someone pointed out yesterday, is sometimes a slow process; for me, it requires an early start
no amount of sleep lost or stored up, can match the silence and majesty of walking under the stars in the middle of the night; at 4AM I curse getting up, by 4:30 I believe sleep is over-rated, by 5:00 I wonder why not; no amount of sleep or caffeine can compete with the energy boost that comes with knowing that everything is as it should be
Mark Kolke
339,016
195.2
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
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Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Apr. 2 responses to: without pattern
I hope it will be all better sooner rather than later. Smiles and hugs!, JB, Klamath Falls, Oregon
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Hey Mark....as they say in Ireland, "you gotta keep the faith, my son!" Enjoy your day!, TL, Calgary
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trouble in paradise? , DL, Calgary
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Here's a question for you and your readers: What comes first? Distrust or misunderstanding? Do you distrust and therefore misunderstand? Or do you misunderstand and therefore end up distrusting? Or could it be either or? - MP from T.O.
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RE: without pattern; You may require a tailor's intervention on this one!!! Hopefully the alteration mends the tears!!! RE: bearing check; Perception is strictly subjective so that no two people will ever see the same things. There will always be slight variation and therein lies the uniqueness of human individuals...and that is my vision, JH, Kelowna, BC
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Re: Hawaii - We had a great time! I can truly understand why you love it so much. The attached is of Waimea Canyon. Views like I’ve never seen before!!!, SB, Calgary
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without pattern - Wednesday Apr. 2, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: -6C/21F, clear, frozen alley’s offered great traction, sights (dogs through the fence slats) and smells got Gusta’s morning off to its sniffing best
does understanding vs. misunderstanding mean not understanding, ‘not on the same page’ or does it mean understanding yet failing to communicate the understanding clearly?
I don’t hold the brass ring, but I can see it from here; what I see, what someone else sees, through a different lens of experience, a different vantage point – concepts easy to understand when the other party is across town or around the world, but when that person is right next to you, it is harder to grasp
dreams paint a picture; while there is a pretty butterfly in it, I can’t lose sight of the fact the picture is mine, fits me, doesn’t necessarily fit anyone else should not be a big deal, really - if thousands misunderstand me it’s just another ordinary day, yet if one butterfly misunderstands me, why is that a big deal?
misunderstanding is manufactured, failed communication is a poorly tailored garment – its cut pieces sewn without pattern, without plan, more often yielding a mess than a thing of beauty; the laws of physics or math or logic seem to not apply – to say nothing of what happens when fatigue comes into the equation
my sleeve is near my heart – that seems to be the way shirts are made
Mark Kolke
339,040
196.2
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
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walk report: -6C/21F, clear, frozen alley’s offered great traction, sights (dogs through the fence slats) and smells got Gusta’s morning off to its sniffing best
does understanding vs. misunderstanding mean not understanding, ‘not on the same page’ or does it mean understanding yet failing to communicate the understanding clearly?
I don’t hold the brass ring, but I can see it from here; what I see, what someone else sees, through a different lens of experience, a different vantage point – concepts easy to understand when the other party is across town or around the world, but when that person is right next to you, it is harder to grasp
dreams paint a picture; while there is a pretty butterfly in it, I can’t lose sight of the fact the picture is mine, fits me, doesn’t necessarily fit anyone else should not be a big deal, really - if thousands misunderstand me it’s just another ordinary day, yet if one butterfly misunderstands me, why is that a big deal?
misunderstanding is manufactured, failed communication is a poorly tailored garment – its cut pieces sewn without pattern, without plan, more often yielding a mess than a thing of beauty; the laws of physics or math or logic seem to not apply – to say nothing of what happens when fatigue comes into the equation
my sleeve is near my heart – that seems to be the way shirts are made
Mark Kolke
339,040
196.2
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
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Tuesday, April 01, 2008
Apr. 1 responses to: how I began it
If you always do what you have always done. Then you will always get what you have always got. AN, Largo, FL
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Please add me back onto your email distribution list; I was dropped off. Thanks! MJ, Nampa, ID
...
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how I began it - Tuesday Apr. 1, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: -8C/17F, Gusta was keen to sniff a new street, all clear - après fog - every shingle on every roof along an east running street painted with frost the morning sun will soon burn away, it will be gone by noon
no fooling - it would be nice if today the rent suddenly wasn’t due or if it was a tax holiday - something like that, then I could really get into fooling around on this day when (since 1700) pranks and jokes, of fools, fooling and foolishness are de rigueur; hot coffee in hand, I began it, sun streaming in – beginning with a question; will it be a day of moving forward, backward or just standing still – will it be a day I won’t remember or one I’ll never forget, one where I’ll feel like a king or a fool?
‘Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving.” – Albert Einstein
I did some research once about Einstein – his personal life not a picture most of us would want to emulate; clearly he found satisfaction in his work but he struggled on the other side of that coin – he longed for, but failed, to find a happy equation of life/work balance; my bike is overdue for repairs . . maybe today is a good day to take it to the shop
slo-mo déjà vu collage of past errors in judgment, opportunities missed and memories of feeling the fool, of feeling foolish, of boldly going or not so boldly staying put
or snail’s pace; no way to be sure if today will be slug-race or a foot-race - the latter I suspect, motivated by the strong desire to be strongly desired at the end of it, not just for fooling around but to end it how I began it, resting easy, resting my head in a place where butterflies and grasshoppers gasp deep sounds long into the night, no fooling
Mark Kolke
339,064
197.4
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
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walk report: -8C/17F, Gusta was keen to sniff a new street, all clear - après fog - every shingle on every roof along an east running street painted with frost the morning sun will soon burn away, it will be gone by noon
no fooling - it would be nice if today the rent suddenly wasn’t due or if it was a tax holiday - something like that, then I could really get into fooling around on this day when (since 1700) pranks and jokes, of fools, fooling and foolishness are de rigueur; hot coffee in hand, I began it, sun streaming in – beginning with a question; will it be a day of moving forward, backward or just standing still – will it be a day I won’t remember or one I’ll never forget, one where I’ll feel like a king or a fool?
‘Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving.” – Albert Einstein
I did some research once about Einstein – his personal life not a picture most of us would want to emulate; clearly he found satisfaction in his work but he struggled on the other side of that coin – he longed for, but failed, to find a happy equation of life/work balance; my bike is overdue for repairs . . maybe today is a good day to take it to the shop
slo-mo déjà vu collage of past errors in judgment, opportunities missed and memories of feeling the fool, of feeling foolish, of boldly going or not so boldly staying put
or snail’s pace; no way to be sure if today will be slug-race or a foot-race - the latter I suspect, motivated by the strong desire to be strongly desired at the end of it, not just for fooling around but to end it how I began it, resting easy, resting my head in a place where butterflies and grasshoppers gasp deep sounds long into the night, no fooling
Mark Kolke
339,064
197.4
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
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Monday, March 31, 2008
March 31 responses to: bearing check
Hello Mark – I seem to having fallen off your distribution list. Can you re-add me? Thanks, MK, Calgary
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RE: keep the change – Couldn’t help thinking that this http://video.stumbleupon.com/#p=ithct48cqw is tied to the musing before this one. It is a very interesting speech that Everyone should see, and practice. Speaking of change,,, I have moved to Century 21 to be with some. Old friends in the business, and further my quest of doing better at real estate. Blessings to you and all your readers. DM, Red Deer, AB
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And don't forget the bearing of a beautiful woman with a well-balanced hat (or distinctive man), or child-bearing or bearing guilt....I could go on....The versatility of our language is amazing. Even if two people are looking in the same direction they will not necessarily see the same things; sometimes preconceived ideas have influences on what we see. I remember hearing the story many years ago of an observer and a scientist looking at a flock of sheep. "Look at that flock of white sheep," said the observer. "Yes," the scientist replied, "They appear to be, from this side." EG, Calgary
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bearing check - Monday Mar. 31, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: -11C/12F, overcast, fog with a few snow flakes falling; walks melted yesterday so walking was easy – eerie feeling knowing the entire world is bathed in sunshine yet a layer or warm air meeting cold air can keep everything from view, make it hard to get one’s bearings
“Last week the candle factory burned down. Everyone just stood around and sang Happy Birthday.” – Stephen Wright
seeing the butterfly is easy, but looking in the same direction the butterfly is going remains a mystery to be discovered, albeit slowly; seeing what I want, wanting what I see; the fog analogy fits too for that situation when one can see clearly looking forward, another seeing clearly looking back – but not until two people are looking in the same direction can they determine if they see the same things
“Vision is the art of seeing what is invisible to others.” – Jonathan Swift
seeing, having vision – parts of discovery – like bearings we never see in a car, by no means the whole experience but an incredibly important part of enjoying a smooth ride; bearing gifts, bearing burdens . .
I may lose my way but certainly I’ll not lose my bearings; happy b-day PB
Mark Kolke
339,088
199.0
Sunday, March 30, 2008
March 30 responses to: dips, turns and paths
Hi Mark: Hope all is well with you & yours. One of the things I enjoy most about your writing is your clever use of analogy. You have literary magic. Fondly, JH, Kelowna, BC
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Being caught in the centre of the story and sensing the ending without having completed the journey// could lead to a sharp downfall, something you seem to have a problem with. Are you being to literal in your thought process of the butterfly?//Ease back on that accelerator you don't leap from the hopper to the butterfly and back to the hopper too quickly without a fear of capture by a predator. "T" Here at Home, WT, Calgary
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Grasshoppers turn into butterflies?? (They wish) For a butterfly, as for us, there is yesterday and today, but not necessarily tomorrow. We do our best to survive and enjoy, but can we ever be sure? In life, stand-still does not last very long, only for humming-birds; we go forward or back, if just within a range. Our stories are all interesting, EG, Calgary
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dips, turns and paths - Sunday Mar. 30, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: -9C/16F, overcast, lots of damp fresh snow – still falling – everything pure and clean; footing uncertainty my top priority, while Gusta felt everything needed a sniff because stuff could be anywhere - sharp contrast to yesterday’s sojourn at the off-leash area of interesting terrain, of dips, turns and paths
I empathize with the plight of the male butterfly; he knows but does not fully understand the beautiful creature he is pursuing – but his life is short, no idea when weather or seasons will change – but, for a short while in the life of this planet, he wants to wake up every morning knowing that he will bed down next to her that night; I think it is a small thing to grant the butterfly – he works hard, cares, makes genuine effort to be a good butterfly (yet he makes no apology for having lived a checkered life of a grasshopper too); he brings diversification and variety that make him a little goofy but sometimes fun to be with (I am wondering too if the ‘Flight of the Bumblebee’ was really intended to be the ‘Plight of the Bumblebee’ for I am sure all frisky species must have this in common
my destination is not a place or places or many places – it is a province of peace, a state of mind, of being found and found out and where we are is right here right now and nothing else matters anywhere close to this anywhere in life in any place (mind you, everything’s nicer in Maui)
I think it matters as much to men and women, but in my experience it seems women talk about it more; being sure of a big thing or of the many tiny things that make up its whole seems to be something worthy of thought and consideration – it seems logical, thoughtful and worthy - that is the process called ‘being sure’
emotion, feeling, wishing and desiring must have a place amongst the details – there has to be time for wanting, space for randomness and room for error; old thoughts and new thoughts collide, ideas interfere with issues – the conundrum of figuring out what comes next, what comes after that and where that leads
simply put, with a definable destination and a choice of traveling companion, the consternation is in finding the combination of dips, turns and paths to get there; so it would seem, in relationships there is a familiar process – a discussing of issues, making plans to be sure but there is the part that comes before the making of the plans
in recent days, and coming ones too, discussion will take place in my life not unlike discussions in many relationships - that point of go forward, go backward or stand-still – when those seem to be the three available options; confounding a bit for me because I feel like a story teller, writing it down, where I’ve found my happy ending - but it’s only the middle of the story
Mark Kolke
339,112
196.8
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
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Saturday, March 29, 2008
March 29 responses to: save a tree or kill-a-watt
On March 29th, 2008, the impact of this single hour won’t be mind blowing, it really isn’t that radical but like most change, it is a seed, an idea, a belief. When we were kids in the 60’s, would you have believed the Berlin Wall would come down or an African American would be president of the US? Would you believed that smoking would be outlawed in a bar? These changes didn’t happen in one hour! I’m looking forward to March 29th, 2018/2028…... Have to go, need to turn my lights off, DL, Calgary
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When a tree falls and no one is in the forest, there is no sound. Sound is a sensory response in the brain to a neurological stimulant received through the vibration of the eardrum, caused by the sound wave transmitted via the energy emitted during the fall of the tree. No newspaper does not mean no news, even with newspaper, it does not necessarily cover news. Turning off the light does not imply no power, but that the power is not delivered to your light. Events can have very simplistic explanations. Life can be as simple as being born, breathing, eating, metabolizing, then "drop dead". JT, Calgary
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I think that turning off the lights, computer and TV for an hour WILL make a difference, if only to cause us to ponder what it would be like without these conveniences, and causing us to contemplate our energy use, its finiteness in present modalities, and what our use of it might affect our future (I'm not yet convinced that our contribution to global warming is that significant, as some renegade scientists aren't, but I know that oil and gas, coal and uranium supplies are finite), EG, Calgary
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save a tree or kill-a-watt - Saturday Mar. 29, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: -6C/22F, streets absent activity, dull, overcast, some snow flakes blowing about, Gusta happy and hungry
if a tree falls in a forest when no one is there, does it make a noise? . . if the paper doesn’t show up, was there any news? . . if the lights go out, does that mean we have no power?
big things make a difference – so some folks think – but I don’t agree; little things get me up, get me down, inspire me, frustrate me or act as catalysts for change - thinking about change does little; changing thinking has a better chance
media are hyping an idea (must be a slow news day) about an hour of darkness this evening – promoted worldwide, more energy will likely be used planning and promoting than will be saved by turning off lights for an hour
while those of us with a romantic bent may plan dinner by candlelight, power plan operators will cringe to see consumption drop suddenly while they keep producing; while the notion of reduced consumption and a reduced carbon footprint should be on all our minds I don’t think a media event or mass action for 1 hour will change much – because the entire developed world does not think about how to save a tree or kill-a-watt, we expect lights to come on when we flip a switch; we don’t deposit a quarter or spare a thought – we just count on it to always be there, like water in the tap or an appliance the works when we need it; when it doesn’t we freak out a little
what changes the way we behave are events and emotions; fear, joy, tragedy, hope – motivate us to change our actions but do those changes take? . . are the motivating factors temporary, are the affects lasting?
I’m not sure if our day will involve hunkering down under a good light to read a book, a drive in the country, dining by candlelight or turning down the thermostat – but for now we’ll just grit our teeth (and I’ll go out to get one) because the Saturday morning paper (&!@%+!%*)did not show up
Mark Kolke
339,136
194.3
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
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Friday, March 28, 2008
March 28 responses to: keep the change
Hey Mark, I work in Largo not Key largo big difference. It just outside Tampa, Florida and borders Clearwater - not way south in the Keys. Come for a visit sunny and 79 again today. Can Gusta swim, LOL I live on the gulf of Mexico, AN, Largo, FL
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Hi Mark, One of your readers has been forwarding your musings to me and I would appreciate being added to your distribution list. XXXXX Thanks, JD, ?
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You touch upon the whole of human experience in a poetic manner; isn't that what people like Chaucer, Shakespeare, Whitman and Frost have tried to do? The perpetual spinning of the world and our experiences in it, and the unfolding of the universe are taking place no matter what we do, whether it's nothing, lying on our backs in a warm meadow contemplating the clouds, or our most strenuous efforts at success or bare survival. We are not conscious of every thing that is, or happens, EG, Calgary
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keep the change - Mark’s Musing Friday Mar. 28, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: -7C/19F, clear, half-moon remnant hangs awkwardly as sunrise light bounces off rooftops, old-route by the school revisited today; Gusta behaving better on-leash and upon returning – waiting at the door for her paws to be wiped, still shedding profusely
be prepared to stop, be prepared to pause, be prepared to go, be prepared for anything,
be prepared for something, be prepared for nothing - life is flying without a net, it is a mix of reality and imagination, a mix of luck and planning, of actions and reactions, of help and of helplessness
someone joked that in the case of a falling elevator it was not the ride you worry about but the sudden stop – amusing quip, unless you are getting into an elevator at the time; this Friday, today – week’s end, weekend’s beginning - first or last day of an incalculable number of things when millions will ride elevators safely through many stops; what are you prepared for - a sudden stop, a sprint for fun or an opportunity to change something?
sometimes traffic signs are just traffic signs; sometimes they arrest attention and divert thought; yesterday as I drove home from a meeting I came upon one that said ‘be prepared to stop’ – impact - not just to slow me to avoid a construction crew collision, but rather a collision of ideas in my head, semiotics in action
yesterday several people helped me in ways I didn’t expect and I helped some people in ways they were unprepared for; pleasant surprises are so much easier than scary ones but looking back on this handful of happenings, a collection of unconnected events I ought to have known, I ought to have been prepared to know that these chance moments – choice moments – were worth stopping for, not to slow me down or speed me up, but to remind me that I always need to be prepared to stop
depending on how I see change, or sea-change, making change can be conclusion of a store purchase or something else entirely depending on what I want to see and depending on whether I am prepared to stop
either way, I’ll keep the change
Mark Kolke
339,160
194.4
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
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What do you think? Join the discussion - comments are welcomed - please write.
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
Thursday, March 27, 2008
March 27 responses to: subject to change
RE: subject to change/I'm percolating; Hi Mark – your message is very appropriate today for me (as indeed they are on many days). Tonight I will be presenting my vision for long-term housing for adults who live with autism. I am percolating with ideas, as I have been for many years, but now the first draft is on paper; people are listening; a small group of interested parties are meeting tonight. However, I need to be aware that my “perfect” vision will be subject to change by the end of the evening. Collaboration is good – as the “I” changes to “we”. I too travel from fright to euphoria…hoping to land somewhere safe in between. Once details are more formalized, I’ll want your reliable input, as I have asked for over the last 20 years. Cheers, S #3, SA, Edmonton, AB
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Please change my e-mail address to XXXXX Thank you, MH, ?
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How true! Live life as it comes, with its infinite variety without prior notice. Regarding the inconvenience you refer to, it is only that, an inconvenience, not a threat like "The Inconvenient Truth." I like the idea of emotional states represented by towns. I wonder what the people living in them feel like. Perhaps they have adapted; it's possible to do. EG, Calgary
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subject to change - Thursday Mar. 27, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: -6C/21F, overcast, no snow but that could be subject to change; frozen gravel was good traction for me as we alley-walked this morning - sniffing winter’s residue was entertaining for Gusta plus she found several new friends, safely on their side of the fence, barking wildly - walking quickly past fences provides a slo-mo movie of every backyard
I’m charged up this morning – fresh ideas percolating, building something, re-inventing something, writing something, deals-on-the-go, hectic morning schedule dictates brevity – all of which could be subject to change in a heartbeat
I have a dream life which could all change without notice as does anything I think is certain; but who wants a life without dreamy stimulation, who wants slo-mo? I have more problems and issues in the fire than most people I know – but compared to the alternatives of life, death, health, sickness – I’ll take what I have and love it because it is all subject to change without notice; this morning I am inconvenienced by the need to take my vehicle for a repair estimate (I got rear-ended a couple of weeks ago) – this is a royal pain of inconvenience, but considering some people suffer horrid injuries in car crashes while they were just minding their own business, I don’t mind so much having this inconvenience
that which does not serve to connect us, serves to divide us - life as we know it, dream it, wish it, love it or hate it is subject to change without notice; the certainty we knew only moments ago might evaporate moments from now; when I put my head around that idea, depending on my mood or emotional state at the time, I travel in a heartbeat from fright to euphoria – like they are towns by those names
I prefer to live between them
Mark Kolke
339,184
195.8
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
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walk report: -6C/21F, overcast, no snow but that could be subject to change; frozen gravel was good traction for me as we alley-walked this morning - sniffing winter’s residue was entertaining for Gusta plus she found several new friends, safely on their side of the fence, barking wildly - walking quickly past fences provides a slo-mo movie of every backyard
I’m charged up this morning – fresh ideas percolating, building something, re-inventing something, writing something, deals-on-the-go, hectic morning schedule dictates brevity – all of which could be subject to change in a heartbeat
I have a dream life which could all change without notice as does anything I think is certain; but who wants a life without dreamy stimulation, who wants slo-mo? I have more problems and issues in the fire than most people I know – but compared to the alternatives of life, death, health, sickness – I’ll take what I have and love it because it is all subject to change without notice; this morning I am inconvenienced by the need to take my vehicle for a repair estimate (I got rear-ended a couple of weeks ago) – this is a royal pain of inconvenience, but considering some people suffer horrid injuries in car crashes while they were just minding their own business, I don’t mind so much having this inconvenience
that which does not serve to connect us, serves to divide us - life as we know it, dream it, wish it, love it or hate it is subject to change without notice; the certainty we knew only moments ago might evaporate moments from now; when I put my head around that idea, depending on my mood or emotional state at the time, I travel in a heartbeat from fright to euphoria – like they are towns by those names
I prefer to live between them
Mark Kolke
339,184
195.8
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
What do you think? Join the discussion - comments are welcomed - please write.
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
March 26 responses to: pivotal moments
You are having a carnal relationship with words; They explain every thing they describe every thing they're what you live for, they are your true love. "T", WT, Calgary
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One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well that the farmer had accidentally left uncovered. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally, he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway, so it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey. He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement he quieted down. A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well. He was astonished at what he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up. As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily trotted off! Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a steppingstone. We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping, never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up, AN, Key Largo, FL
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Re: peaceful moments - There is a saying, that I generally respect, about going where angels fear to tread....... but having been in distress myself with a different generation.....here is another idea, if old hat just forget it. As an adult I found that looking at the pressures on me at the time provided some insight into my evaluations of my parents as a teen and pre-teen. Part of my evaluations of parents were a product of pressures from environments out of the home. I was too young to realize that my parents were not aware of the pressures. My parents had a rude awakening about those pressures some 6-7 years later, and as a young adult I found that very entertaining, and enlightening too since they were largely unaware of how my environment evaluated people. But that was in a context of a good relationship with my parents overall, and in the context that the general community around me believed that my parents were successes, LHE, Calgary
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pivotal moments - Wednesday Mar. 26, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: -9C/17F, clear, sun rising - chilled cheeks pressed into the breeze at a quickened pace (Gusta welcomed that) as my ankle recovery progresses; a Mallard got a grip on a high spot to roost, guard-like atop a steep roof, waiting for some potential mate to communicate I suppose
no more a day of ‘new approach’ as it is one of ‘old approach’ - issues need to be tackled and solutions found; I tend to push hard to get things done for clients while at the same time I often push aside troublesome issues, to be dealt with later of course, and later, and later still when later arrives, sometimes with a thud; business is steady, some ‘sure things’ that never were did not come to fruition and some great things are just taking a lot longer than expected – couple that with more optimism than I ought to have sometimes and it makes for difficult challenges; chickens (or maybe ducks) come home to roost
today, as they all are, is a choice day; choice as in primo-fantastico, choice as in a series of decisions on how to move forward, backward or just to stand still; I’ve made a lot of changes in activity/focus/goals over the last year - clearly I need more; taking time for things I’ve been postponing/neglecting has been a focus these last few months; teeth, health and the condition of my feet for starters but also re-focusing on core business, reducing the breadth of focus to concentrate more effectively on those things which generate the best opportunities, best revenue and cutting costs of things I cannot afford – maybe it is the weather – maybe it is facing challenging elements of reality
I get impatient when things do not come to fruition as quickly as I want, frustrated when things I’ve counted on fail to materialize and the knocking on the door is not a new opportunity but a chicken coming home to roost; some things get me up, others beat me down – abundant obstacles, whirl-of-day easily creates a mirage to confuse the mix of best opportunities, best route to go, right thing to do – of owning truth and its consequences
the inexorable pace of nature teaches a steady relentless unwavering consistent pace is the way the world works – notwithstanding the pace of nano-seconds flying around – the stage of life I am at, if I listen to advertising, ought to be for slowing down; whether or not this is an ‘unfortunate’ circumstance, I need to work, work hard, go hard and not give up because I don’t have a pile of money or pile of plans to get some . . so working rather than easy retirement is my next phase of life; in many respects I believe this is good but not without its problems, choices and consequences – this is truth
in writing a speech recently I made reference to ‘pivotal moments’ in life as ones we often see clearly, but only in retrospect; sometimes though I think we can see and feel them happening; today feels like one of those, not for solving everything or anything, but for pivoting
Mark Kolke
339,208
197.4
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
What do you think? Join the discussion - comments are welcomed - please write.
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
walk report: -9C/17F, clear, sun rising - chilled cheeks pressed into the breeze at a quickened pace (Gusta welcomed that) as my ankle recovery progresses; a Mallard got a grip on a high spot to roost, guard-like atop a steep roof, waiting for some potential mate to communicate I suppose
no more a day of ‘new approach’ as it is one of ‘old approach’ - issues need to be tackled and solutions found; I tend to push hard to get things done for clients while at the same time I often push aside troublesome issues, to be dealt with later of course, and later, and later still when later arrives, sometimes with a thud; business is steady, some ‘sure things’ that never were did not come to fruition and some great things are just taking a lot longer than expected – couple that with more optimism than I ought to have sometimes and it makes for difficult challenges; chickens (or maybe ducks) come home to roost
today, as they all are, is a choice day; choice as in primo-fantastico, choice as in a series of decisions on how to move forward, backward or just to stand still; I’ve made a lot of changes in activity/focus/goals over the last year - clearly I need more; taking time for things I’ve been postponing/neglecting has been a focus these last few months; teeth, health and the condition of my feet for starters but also re-focusing on core business, reducing the breadth of focus to concentrate more effectively on those things which generate the best opportunities, best revenue and cutting costs of things I cannot afford – maybe it is the weather – maybe it is facing challenging elements of reality
I get impatient when things do not come to fruition as quickly as I want, frustrated when things I’ve counted on fail to materialize and the knocking on the door is not a new opportunity but a chicken coming home to roost; some things get me up, others beat me down – abundant obstacles, whirl-of-day easily creates a mirage to confuse the mix of best opportunities, best route to go, right thing to do – of owning truth and its consequences
the inexorable pace of nature teaches a steady relentless unwavering consistent pace is the way the world works – notwithstanding the pace of nano-seconds flying around – the stage of life I am at, if I listen to advertising, ought to be for slowing down; whether or not this is an ‘unfortunate’ circumstance, I need to work, work hard, go hard and not give up because I don’t have a pile of money or pile of plans to get some . . so working rather than easy retirement is my next phase of life; in many respects I believe this is good but not without its problems, choices and consequences – this is truth
in writing a speech recently I made reference to ‘pivotal moments’ in life as ones we often see clearly, but only in retrospect; sometimes though I think we can see and feel them happening; today feels like one of those, not for solving everything or anything, but for pivoting
Mark Kolke
339,208
197.4
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
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Tuesday, March 25, 2008
March 25 responses to: get ready
Finally I have managed to make my time to drop you some lines today and say, all your “wonderful master piece” of daily musing has been highly appreciated personally by me. I do enjoy reading them and believe in your talent (you are gifted from God). Please continue doing so and I will continue being your good fan. All my best wishes, PS, China
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Hi Mark, I seem to have fallen off your list (assuming you have been issuing daily) Thanx in advance for reinstatement, HB, Calgary
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Mark, I enjoy your daily musings...always good food for thought! A while ago, my email ID was dropped from your Facility Calgary weekly report. I would really appreciate if you could put me back on you d-list. Thanks, BM, Palm Desert, CA
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peaceful moments - Tuesday Mar. 25, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: -2C/28F, light cloud in the east, otherwise clear, calm; Gusta anxious to run, feeling restrained . . anxious to meet that Scottie off in the distance – my mind is somewhere else, I’m not paying attention to the roofer separating old shingles from their roof or the complexities of life in the houses on these streets – surely none are like mine
most things in life are choices, but we get the mother we get – no baby has a choice; safe to say that on the ‘respect and adore your mother’ scale of 1-10 that I would register minus-3; my experiences and feelings have always been far removed from what people say or write about their mothers – not that she was inhumane or neglectful in my formative years, but she left me with a legacy of being more like her than I can easily acknowledge
difficult things don’t scare me, near-impossible challenges intrigue me, but this one I find impossible to extricate myself from its clutches; like fingerprints or snowflakes, there are no two mothers alike and probably no two mother-child relationships alike
two kinds of mothers populate the world – our own and everyone else’s; mine - peculiar, unique and yet probably not that different from her genre; born in the 20s, experienced a depression, a world war, product of her homesteading family, raising kids in the 50s; unread, unschooled and unprepared – but was she truly unprepared for motherhood or just unprepared for someone like me?
elements of me are like her, others - I am absolutely opposite, revelations of how much I wanted to be different – but wait, what I really wanted was for her to be different; so few peaceful moments – angst and argument would not let them in; I’ve examined my inventory of failed relationships – wondering if I have too often mixed unresolved ‘mother’ issues with the process, looking too hard for someone unlike her enough to be ‘great by definition’ or someone more like her so I can toil in futility to ‘get it right’ with someone else - hopeless question with no hope of a satisfying answer
a counselor coached me to work things out myself as it become clear I could not work things out ‘with her’; that worked in a perverse way for a couple of years but we would still get into a hissing match now and then – then we had an uneasy truce for a few years, but for the last nine years it has become more one-sided (as the counselor encouraged)
I’ve worked on this relationship alone; at times enlightening when I’ve had some very productive conversations with my dad that have added perspective – we’ve talked lots – but mostly it has been a perverse mix of understanding some things better mixed with ‘never understanding’ others; some are questions I could never ask her or, when I have, I can never get a satisfying answer – none have produced a peaceful moment
nine years ago this morning I saw her laying there – oxygen tube gone, room quiet, chest motionless – not breathing, talking or railing against life, her body surrendered to silence of death; I don’t remember – ever – a more peaceful moment with her; certainly there have not been any between us since
Mark Kolke
339,232
196.8
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
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Monday, March 24, 2008
March 24 responses to: get ready
Hello Mark, I do enjoy reading your daily musings, although I wish to only receive one per day. It appears I am on two lists. Thank you kindly, DP, Waltham, MA
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You're right, no one can be prepared for everything that drops on their plate. That fact makes life far more interesting. In children it's the answer to the problem: "Mommy, I'm bored.", EG, Calgary
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I go into St. Mike's tomorrow to have a new hip made. I will be out of touch for a while. I hope you all miss me. By the way, there have been very few comments on my postings. Is it because you can't find them or just that you have nothing to say. Log in to larrysolway.blogspot.com While I am lying on my bed of pain I will give more thought to being productive and involved when retired. A lot of it is in my book Blind Sided By Retirement. It is supposed to be available at Chapters. If not, Amazon is listing it. Meanwhile - ciao for now, LS, Toronto
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
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get ready - Mark’s Musing Monday Mar. 24, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: -3C/24F, low overcast, a damp snowy blanket stopped short of being offensive – a push back – nature reminds me summer is still three months away; we walked the alleys to find traction, Gusta turning up a little gravel doing wind sprints
Get Ready – is more than a song title (Temptations did it, Rare Earth did it better)- but that beat plays in my head when I think about it; I like the building tempo or is that tempo building?
I’ve spent my entire life hurrying – rushing – just to get to today, getting ready for today, prepared for today – so I think I can handle anything today might bring - all I can do is to be prepared to be unprepared; being ready to be sharp is not the same as being sharp – it is more like being an intellectual Maytag man . . sitting around, waiting to be ready with a solution if the phone rings; I try to use something I’ve learned (and taught) in my Toastmasters life with respect to impromptu speaking – that of being ready to react to something I’m not expecting
Monday morning is the beginning for some, the end for some; like the ambience in a room before a special dinner, before an occasion, is very similar – mood has direct impact on outcome, on whether or not desired results are achieved
a week is like that – the beginning of a good day deserves a good breakfast and the beginning of a good day/week deserves an inspired beginning; I can’t recall the last time a work day did not provide a ringing phone with a stranger on the other end of the line asking me if I could help with something I’d not done before or presenting a new problem
you can’t prepare for that – just be ready to enjoy it when it happens – the choice to be ready or not automatic; it is a conscious awareness, a preparedness, anticipating whatever might come (hopefully with a broad grin), so get ready
Mark Kolke
339,256
199.0
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
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Sunday, March 23, 2008
March 23 responses to: find equilibrium
Albeit a bit late, Happy Easter to you and PB. Wishing both of happiness along your crooked path but a deserved togetherness, CB, Calgary
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I haven't received any Musings for a few days now. Have you forgotten me? Regards, HV, Toronto, ON
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You have outdone yourself today! Great thoughts and feelings laid brilliantly on canvas! The people I want to spend time with are always my kin in thought, feeling, expression or curiosity. It's all in the perspective, EG, Calgary
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
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find equilibrium - Sunday Mar. 23, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: -8C/17F Chinook arch looming, early light wraps light clouds in a layer of dusty soft orange/pink; Gusta pulling less hard it seems – it must be the new heavy-duty leash that lessens the pull on my infrastructure
how do you find the people you spend time with?
I want clarity, I want thought, I want something stimulating to think about or I want lots of laughter to balance it out, I want to find equilibrium - otherwise I probably appear disinterested (because I am) which can alienate people or make them hard to get to know – sometimes precluding getting to know them at all well, ever
“Although our intellect always longs for clarity and certainty, our nature often finds uncertainty fascinating.” – Karl von Clausewitz
day of preparation, 4-5 hours of grazing/visiting, 20something was the headcount; my dad got to meet many of PB’s extended family for the first time – fun to witness - lots of smiles, laughs, great food contributions added to the mix; roasted pork loin was good, ham was better (my ham glaze rocked), cream corn (recipe from Lawry’s in Las Vegas) sold well, the braided bread and baked apples garnered smiles + 4 birthday cakes were set ablaze; then, just as swiftly as yesterday’s family Easter-feaster/birthday dinner came together, it went
getting to know people I see little of in rather artificial situations (ie: the family gathering) is difficult; lots to observe - no history, no idea, no warning labels, no way to know who I’ll like in time, or who I won’t, no idea who will grow close, no idea who will be unreachable or impossible – for now I’ll stay with ‘herding cats’ as most apropos label; there is no depth, no discussion that intrigues, superficial pleasantries, laughter, food, a sense of occasion – but little deep learning - though observing interactions is often educational, enlightening or downright bizarre
yesterday capped a year that began (this day a year ago) when I met PB for the first time; a year ago I thought I saw a butterfly, a pretty butterfly - then I wasn’t so sure for a long while; I attended a morning presentation and luncheon where we chatted and I got her card – I called the following day but it would be three months of stalling before she would actually have a date with me; intermittent communication over time, we each had other business to finish I suppose, but in time we got it together . . so much to reflect upon
a year is both a long time or short time – it depends on perspective; a year to live sounds tragic, but ‘a year of finding clarity amid fascinating uncertainty’ is a year of living gloriously
To: PB, clarity is something I still seek – after a year I’m getting to know you – the path will surely be crooked and long, too hard to see the length and breadth of it yet but I know we have a shared desire to find equilibrium, to have clarity, to laugh, to be stimulated – I find the uncertainty both fascinating and stimulating
Mark Kolke
339,280
198.5
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
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Saturday, March 22, 2008
March 22 responses to: kneaded
Each of us makes our daily bread – glad to have you as one of my ingredients! A bit of yeast, perhaps?, BL, Great Falls, MT
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Our cat Murphy kneads our bed, and sometimes whatever material is spread across our laps....What feeling motivates this I do not know, but there seems to be something loving about it, like your crafting your bread. Creativity is as you say a living, but also a loving, thing. It is an exercise of the psyche, mediated through the physical functions, EG, Calgary
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kneaded - Saturday Mar. 22, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: -3C/26F, clear, calm; a full moon hung on in the west, like a picture askew on a wall waiting to be taken down as first light lifted the east horizon to our view; Gusta spent an hour trying to sever my left rotator cuff while I acted as a stumbling anchor on our first really long walk in weeks, all we saw is drab but anticipating change, in need of a cold spring shower
winter marches to an end in search of its enchanted April so that May will follow, as spring shades winter’s grime away– drabness of reality aside - I see brightness, light and sizzle for what they might compose – new season’s sinewy muscles wrestling, wildly abandoning a grimy winter palate, aching to romp between sheets of rain when it comes – carnal and raw
“Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we oft might win, by fearing to attempt.” – William Shakespeare
working for dough took on new meaning; a Challah recipe on cooks.com and U-tube tutorial on 6-strand braiding were my inspiration, ingredients at hand, spatulas and bowls were simply accessories; working dough is for the hands, dough is a live thing in knead of form, I kneaded it yesterday; first loaf (all 3 dogs liked it) was tasty but under-baked and doughy while the second loaf is firm, its rich darker color looks great – it rests in anticipation of being spread apart and devoured at dinner this evening
not too late I suppose to be student of this craft – or maybe I’m doing OK without the confines of ‘how things should be done’ - art of prose, mechanics of poetry, learning of form, scholarship of literature – have not eluded me as much as I avoided them – not that I steered away, I was never steered toward it; like yeast laden dough I am a live thing, in search of new form, addictively drinking creative juice I crave from life’s fruit
I wasn’t steered at all; not pointed – maybe there is value in that, to go in many directions without a map, without purpose – in time, finding a way, finding a purpose, like water, sugar and flour find their way into dough, put together – then taken apart in lumps to be shaped into a new form for baking; along the path, something alive and rising, time to knead like bread when needed, punching it down, letting it rise up and then forming it carefully before baking
creativity, like dough, is a living thing; notes on paper, notations on screen, on paper or floating in head swirl – eddy-like for me, the same water in and out, forth and back again – juicy mess massaged and made whole or splashed spectacularly on this canvas, a loaf made of life slices
Mark Kolke
339,304
198.4
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
Friday, March 21, 2008
March 21 responses to: thanks for that
You know how you've impacted my life, Mark, and I'm privileged to count myself among your legions of "witnesses." Keep on writing - and I'll expect a signed copy of the book (I'll buy it!), when it's on the shelves, CB, Calgary
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Keep the musings coming. I may be silent but the musings still valuable to me internally, BT, Calgary . . P.S: It’s my way of staying in touch with you as you were there for me when we needed your services.
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Happy Easter Mark, Cheers, NB, Calgary
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In the interest of not staying silent, here’s a simple (and impressive) bread recipe! http://www.motherearthnews.com/Easy-No-Knead-Bread-Video.aspx , SF, Philadelphia, PA
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I have thoroughly enjoyed your musings for a year and a half now. Your insights to life as one voice have echoed many of my own experiences but I am not a writer so for me to write something it takes me a while. Keep up the excellent work, and I always look forward to your “Musings”, MN, Edmonton
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Thank you for continuing to send your 'musings'. I admit to being one of 'the silent ones'. Sometimes I don't take the time to read each, sometimes I don't allow myself time for this kind of reflection. Your words do reach me when I do take the time. Please keep on writing, TF, Calgary
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Mark, as one of those silent ones I would like to thank you. Your daily pop up on my computer screen at the beginning of my day often causes me to put on hold the regular routine of going thru, sorting, deleting, saving, responding to emails and spend a few minutes looking at your thoughts, picturing your dog by the edge of the reservoir running and playing with the other dogs and often gives my day a different perspective than I originally had. There are some days with people lined up at my door I have to file the email into your folder but I generally do come back to read it at some point thru the day and it does seem relevant to me. We met at my office many years ago in our boardroom. My boss was looking for some exposure for our newly built terminal and he asked my to join him in a meeting with you. I don't believe much came out of that as we all get busy and there is always a new priority but the addition of me to your musings has been something that I value. I will keep an eye open and give you a tap on that car window when I see you as Woodbine is just up the road in this small world. . All the best. Happy Easter & keep an eye on that bread, AG, Calgary
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In the spirit of Easter and renewal, refreshement and regeneration I offer this from a few years back.: Please don’t regret a thing you’ve done nor words that slipped around your tongue.
Take back no steps that made your way
Or acts that led you toward today.
This is the place to stop and stand
Now is the only time at hand.
Upon this moment focus your will
To the present time when you still
Know each second is new and true
And in this minute forgiveness renewed.
Pause to experience each heartbeat
And know your innocence is complete.
Happy spring, CH, Chimacum, WA
Take back no steps that made your way
Or acts that led you toward today.
This is the place to stop and stand
Now is the only time at hand.
Upon this moment focus your will
To the present time when you still
Know each second is new and true
And in this minute forgiveness renewed.
Pause to experience each heartbeat
And know your innocence is complete.
Happy spring, CH, Chimacum, WA
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Hey Mark..... It's your "day off" so here's a brief diversion for you while you're making bread. Test your reaction time with this special test. Click: http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/sleep/sheep/
Not easy but it is fun. Enjoy your day!, TL, Calgary
Not easy but it is fun. Enjoy your day!, TL, Calgary
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I haven't had home-baked bread since childhood, but remember how great it tastes when fresh. My favorite these days is Cob's farmer's coarse loaf (also bought some chocolate hot cross buns and my usual blueberry Danish yesterday). Acquaintances, and sometimes friends, do come and go for all kinds of reasons; they change, we change; they move, we move; or we simply no longer have time for each other, which is the most unfortunate. Lives shared are lives enriched and better understood, EG, Calgary
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When a question is thrown out there into cyber space; only those in tune with the cosmos will attempt a reply. Weird Dude. "T" Here at Home, WT, Calgary
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
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thanks for that - Friday Mar. 21, 2008
Mark’s Musing today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
distribution of Musings through our list-service provider has resumed, glitches sorted out, still much to re-work rebuilding the data and re-sorting lists but ‘resumption’ of publication today makes me happy
walk report: -1/30F, brilliant sun crept over rooftops while we walked; not-working-today types sleeping in, bird chirps and garbage truck machinery the only sound, Gusta was calm for a change
good day, good Friday and - for many - a Good Friday; my project du jour is to bake bread (I’ve never done that before) for a dinner PB and I are hosting tomorrow (20 hungry people) - little silence
to those who remain silent, who never write, never call, never come by to visit – please, on this day, do this: if musings has meant something to you, if any of the spokes on our marvelous wheel of conversation has engaged your brain more productively, touched your funny bone or your heart, please don’t always be silent
my experience, five years now, spilling this ink on paper daily has taught me more than the previous fifty-one; it has built me up, knocked me down to size, amazed, enlightened, shocked, disappointed, hurt, angered and brought joy – to me and to readers – as we’ve shared our collective energy around thoughts, issues and experiences many of us share
most readers remain silent most of the time, many communicate back with me by wink, nod, phone or face-to-face - often when least expected; many times the hand of a stranger has come out of a crowd to shake mine or tap on my car window, to say ‘hey, I’m a muser’ - some have just come and gone, some have become extraordinary friends, colleagues, clients; some have become co-conspirators on projects too; others open an email each day and just come along for the ride
today begins commencement of my 6th year writing this daily column, another day of speaking my mind, asking questions, creative juice, spirited discussion and life-altering experience for me; this day six years ago there were only 8 of us – the initial group of musers – 7 of you and one of me; that day I got responses from KK, JJ, KF, MP, SC, MdP - the 7th . my daughter CK responded verbally from the next room; 100% response that first day was heartening . .and it’s been all downhill from there (too many others to thank directly today but special thanks to KT and FD for your support, mentoring and friendship)
seriously, though many hundreds have come and gone, many have stayed . . witnesses to my life, friends and supporters – your responses, feedback, critique, blasts and rebuttal have been anything but silent, have pushed me, helped me, thrilled me and, far more often than any writer ought to have, gave me a gift I could never have asked for – one I’ve been regularly and awesomely amazed by
many of you I’ve gotten to know well, others – we are new or we’ve just scratched the surface of what may become fantastic friendships, collaboration .. or spirited conflict
your gift to me has gone beyond feedback; sometimes in words typed and sent, sometimes on the phone and more often in person .. some of you have conveyed something incredible to me by telling me something I wrote, or some thinking I provoked, made a difference in your life – in that you’ve given me a gift I cannot give away or lose – perhaps some learning I re-gift from time to time with a smile on my face because you gave it to me - you had the right to remain silent but you didn’t
thanks for that
Mark Kolke
339,328
197.6
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
What do you think? Join the discussion - comments are welcomed - please write.
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Comments Mar. 20 – re: a bunch
Re: Smooth and enduring - ever get some of that sand in your shorts// often people you enjoy and admire can provide that same feeling; re: a bunch: that 29th day in February can set the earth off its access but only when we forget it, "T" Here at Home, WT, Calgary
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Somehow, I didn't receive the musings on March 19th, nor 20th. Please put my name back on the list, thank you, SWT,?
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Molehills do become mountains if left to fester. You should speak up (as diplomatically as possible) if something bothers you or hurts you. Sometimes, people don’t even realize that they’re doing it and it’s up to you to set them straight. If it doesn’t work out, at least you’ve spoken your mind and usually when a person does that, they don’t harbor resentment. Resentment – bad for the health. Hugs, SF, Calgary
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Re: Smooth and enduring - A beautiful thought, the oyster coating the unwelcome intruder with beautiful material. How much better would it be if we would also, when confronted with something we don't want, either reject it outright or embrace it and create something wonderful, like an improvement of our personality and understanding; re: a bunch - I read your musings every day (except yesterday when I didn't get one). As for today, I might comment that a life as a butterfly would be beautiful but brief....I know little more than that about it. I'm glad that four years ago you decided to continue with Musings, since if you hadn't I would not have had the pleasure. And it is a valuable learning experience, both in added understanding and practice in expression. The first day of Spring varies from the 20th to the 22nd. EG, Calgary
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I've missed your Musings the last two days. I'm not sure if I was removed by accident but I'd like to be added back! I thoroughly enjoy the Musings. Take care, KG, ?
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Easter this year is: Sunday March 23, 2008- As you may know, Easter is always the 1st Sunday after the 1st full moon after the Spring Equinox (which is March 20 this year). This dating of Easter is based on the lunar calendar that Hebrew people used to identify Passover, which is why it moves around on our Roman calendar. Found out a couple of things you might be interested in! Based on the above, Easter can actually be one day earlier (March 22) but that is rare. This year is the earliest Easter any of us will ever see the rest of our lives! And only the most elderly of our population have ever seen it this early (95 years old or above!). And none of us have ever, or will ever, see it a day earlier! Here's the facts: The next time Easter will be this early (March 23) will be the year 2228 (22 0 years from now). The last time it was this early was 1913 (so if you're 95 or older, you are the only ones that were around for that!). The next time it will be a day earlier, March 22, will be in the year 2285 (277 years from now). The last time it was on March 22 was 1818. So, no one alive today has or will ever see it any earlier than this year! So Have a Wonderful Easter 2008!!!, LMT, ?
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This shouldn’t be a high priority for you while you are rebuilding your mail list, but as of yesterday, your musings are full of this symbol �, from arial unicorn MS. It appears wherever you used quotes or comma or apostrophe. Somewhat disconcerting to read, but your words are worth the effort. Happy Spring! AR, Calgary
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
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a bunch - Thursday Mar. 20, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: -4C/25F, overcast, light breeze; faster pace than in recent days, ankle holding its own - geese and a yappy poodle heckling from a car window our audience
according the website of the North American butterfly association, a frequent question is “what is a group of butterflies called?" – the answer "a bunch"
not everyone cares, not everyone listens – what we each have to say is relevant to us but not necessarily to anyone else; that is of course until someone says ‘hey, you are that musing guy’ or words to that effect, or someone who writes to say something mattered to them or altered their experience in a meaningful way
looking back a day, a year or five years there are unquestionably too many forks in the road to mention, each contributed to my being where I am right now both physically and in this frame of mind; my experience continues to be rich and driving, my connections with spectacular people who light up rooms and my life
the first year of writing musings ended with me wrestling with ‘continue or not?’ but that silly thinking seems well in the past; as another year passes I am so grateful for those who care to read what I write which is to share what I think about; many readers write to add valuable perspective to the discussion – I still very much enjoy that
yesterday and today - thought provoking days, of new people met, of auld acquaintance not forgot; days of pondering some future directions for this daily column, of other issues too; thanks BT for your note; I enjoyed evaluating your presentation last night
unplanned forks in yesterday’s road, will alter (positively I believe) my future; others, disconcerting in the moment, won’t be important two weeks from now let alone a year from now – some are life altering events, most are not – daily circumstances and chance perversely conspire to cook up change, thoughts and creativity - the brain my cauldron, belly my thermometer
today, not tomorrow as I thought, is the first day of spring; I always thought it was the 21st; for me today is end of my winter, last day of my writing year - conclusion of 5 years of writing musings; every day I’ve walked, written and published these musings (yesterday, auspiciously, my first time not publishing the email distribution the same day thanks to some unexpected actions of my list-service provider – my list re-building starts today!)
reconstructing a mailing list is front and centre for me over the next few days – already that review is reminding me of so many people who have connected with me, people I don’t connect with as often as I should because I leave these daily missives as my primary communication vehicle with them; you are spread virtually everywhere on this planet, you have given me strength when I needed it, levity when I’ve been too full of myself and you’ve given me praise and encouragement beyond my wildest dreams – you are a bunch of butterflies . . and I thank everyone of you for coming along on my shoulder for a daily ride
Mark Kolke
339,352
196.6
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
What do you think? Join the discussion - comments are welcomed - please write.
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Comments Mar. 19 – re: smooth, beautiful and enduring
Hi Mark, Thanks for your insight tonight. I am sure I shall take your comments to heart when I revisit the presentation I did this evening. I will probably rework much of the piece before I do it again in public. When the rewrite has progressed would you be willing to take a look at it? I didn't say finished because that's something I find so hard. Saying "it is done". Except for cooking, then I can tell the difference between done and overdone. What I did tonight was on the rare side. Thanks also for the musings. They frequently strike a chord. I am blessed by a daily ramble with Casey the wonder dog. Usually for me in the evening. She often navigates, while I use the quiet to cogitate. Cheers, BT, Calgary
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
smooth, beautiful and enduring - Wednesday Mar. 19, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: -1C/30F, stillness everywhere – quiet, dark - early walk, ankle feeling ready for a gym visit; Gusta having difficulty seeing rabbits, their white coats now dirty beige
when irritation builds, grain of sand in an oyster shell, the oyster produces a pearl by coating that grain with something smooth, beautiful and enduring
but when irritation or conflict builds with people it is rarely pretty – swept aside or ignored, but never far from reach so the issue can be brought out to irritate some more; why is that?
a thousand tiny things – mostly pleasant, people being nice – slip from view or memory without acknowledgement, quickly forgotten, but, a slight, a hurt, an irritation . . these can take on a life of their own
time goes by, things people do (or fail to do) irritate, infuriate and downright confound; set aside or swept aside these things are put on ignore until the next occurrence, and so on – until time has passed, a hundred tiny cuts have piled onto an old wound – a mountain of resentment forms simply from an unresolved repetition of that irritation; perhaps an issue that needs resolve, that begs confrontation, or, better left in the past like a stranger ignored as we pass by
relationships - in a group, club or family – can range from comic to bizarre and back again in a single day; newcomers lack context while others have ingrained views - difficult to separate so they can catch an unfettered glimpse of a situation or person
my time spent at home, work, organization or group – more than physical sanctuary from the noisy crowd of life is less about ‘place’ than it is about a state of mind - a place of safe and warm, a place where relationships are easy and kind, irritation absent – smooth, beautiful and enduring
Mark Kolke
339,376
196.2
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
What do you think? Join the discussion - comments are welcomed - please write.
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Comments Mar. 18 – re: out of whack
On our morning perambulation Muse and I met a very large coyote nose to nose - very "whack" to use the current vernacular. I am not sure if the world is particularly out of "whack" because is it not just part of the evolving pattern of life? Then there is that current expression "whack" that seems to crop up in conversation with younger people i have met. It seems to have a connotation/definition (crazy) much the same as the sentences you are using it in. But is it indeed "whack" or are we just all indulging our natural tendency to be "wacky". I recognize certain influences (media info) that create this feeling that we are off - kilter (now is that a word?) and it certainly is un-settling to read/see some of the crazy news out there. Today I am out of "whack". putting the coyote aside I have a meeting at 10:30 and I promised myself I would write 500 words before I left instead I am joining in a discussion ...... that interests me at a personal level as I ponder "wacky" most days, KS, Calgary
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So, Mark, tell us....what time do you get up and head out the door with Gusta? Enjoy your day!, TL, Calgary
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Is the world out of whack, or is it not? Who knows? By whose standards? We cannot set, or alter the laws that govern the universe; the best we can do is to interpret them to guide our decisions. That means that we can write on the blank page of life, simply put, what we can best create with the wisdom we accumulate and the inspiration we may experience. EG, Calgary
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out of whack - Tuesday Mar. 18, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: -4C/23F, clear, calm, warming; critters out of whack - low flying pair of Canada geese nearly clipped a rooftop; Gusta tested my patience and my ankle - pulling hard to meet a fat waddling black lab, then home in time to raid someone else’s dish – she’s gold but not golden this morning
I’m not an early riser because I dislike sleep or want to avoid languishing in bed - I’m an early riser because there is too much to do and because I might miss something - if the world comes to an abrupt end, I want to be up to see it - every day, news always breaks before the dawn
complex ‘clear solutions’ where nano-speed life leaves no time for discussion, cogitation – decisions made by leaders of dubious intellect in hastily called meetings with advisors of dubious vision offer a fix often far worse than any problem - then the fix of the fixes are neither clear or solutions
imbalance sounds like a miss-spelling or something buried deep in an escrow agreement – 6 billion survivalists confront imbalance as daily norm; epicenter of tremors in New York where the term ground zero takes on new dimensions for those who measure worth by earnings, value by yield, potential by growth and lift
I need/try to get a handle on my center of gravity - I mix a few comments with the collective wisdom of 14,000 minds every morning which is well worth getting up for; once in a while a brilliant breakthrough in communication, some enlightenment – more often the result is a subtle though important pause; one must wonder, with so many smart people since the beginning of discussion on some Greek hilltop many centuries ago, why is the world so out of whack?
or, is it not out of whack at all?
I’m up to discuss that
Mark Kolke
339,400
198.6
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
What do you think? Join the discussion - comments are welcomed - please write.
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
Monday, March 17, 2008
Comments Mar. 17 – re: value is what you have
Mark: What a lovely blessing/wish you sent our way. "May the value of you shine through in everything you choose to do." Wow, now that is neat. Blessings on you and your's too this day, week, month, year. MP from Toronto
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You need no more luck than opening up one eye and know you are alive. Life is luck on its own, life is what YOU make of it"T" Here at Home, WT, Calgary
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Hi Mark: I am having huge problems with the yahoo site so please change my Musings to: XXXX I really enjoy my daily dose but have not been getting them so please switch addressees for me, Thank you, JM, Salmon Arm, BC
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And may you be in heaven at least an hour before the devil knows you're dead! (another old Irish blessing.) Too bad it would be if investing in myself and others yielded little or nothing. I am not a religious believer, but I have faith in one Biblical dictum: "Cast your bread upon the waters......" Value is relative, depending on what is being measured, and who is measuring it, EG,Calgary
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you are reaching so many people in a profound way, Mark. Though readers make what they will of it, you are, and have always been, the catalyst. I know you don't do it for us, but it's nice to benefit just the same!, LR, Irvine, CA
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
value is what you have - Monday Mar. 17, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: 1C/34F, charcoal colored tree silhouettes against a pale yellow/blue sky emerged from twilight as we walked to the soccer field and back; two frisky pups were out walking their owners, Gusta somewhat contrite following yesterday’s leash breaking – pace quickened as my ankle seemed able to handle it, as I needed it to be
“For each petal on the shamrock this brings a wish your way. Good health, good luck, and happiness for today and every day.”- Irish blessing
good luck, good management and good times ought to go together I suppose, but so often that is not the case - I’ve had times of plenty and plenty of the opposite . . this day, when the Irish are supposed to be lucky, what’s for the rest of us?
a couple of things happened last week that could, I suppose, be attributed to luck or coincidence – or maybe they were just situations where preparation wanted to meet up with opportunity; I used to think having was more important than giving, that having would make me feel better, that showing what I have would bring what I wanted rushing to my door – spending when I had it and investing in myself showed mixed results, investing in others fared no better – I am at a point in my life where having, getting and proving anything holds only a fraction of the value I perceived at 30
to everyone, both Irish and those who wish they were, may you have a very lucky day, may looking forward be better for you than looking back or wanting to, and the value of you shine through in everything you choose to do
value is what you have left when the worth is spent, it is what remains standing when all other means of support are gone – it is the measure of us, the only measure that really counts
Mark Kolke
339,424
198.4
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
What do you think? Join the discussion - comments are welcomed - please write.
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
walk report: 1C/34F, charcoal colored tree silhouettes against a pale yellow/blue sky emerged from twilight as we walked to the soccer field and back; two frisky pups were out walking their owners, Gusta somewhat contrite following yesterday’s leash breaking – pace quickened as my ankle seemed able to handle it, as I needed it to be
“For each petal on the shamrock this brings a wish your way. Good health, good luck, and happiness for today and every day.”- Irish blessing
good luck, good management and good times ought to go together I suppose, but so often that is not the case - I’ve had times of plenty and plenty of the opposite . . this day, when the Irish are supposed to be lucky, what’s for the rest of us?
a couple of things happened last week that could, I suppose, be attributed to luck or coincidence – or maybe they were just situations where preparation wanted to meet up with opportunity; I used to think having was more important than giving, that having would make me feel better, that showing what I have would bring what I wanted rushing to my door – spending when I had it and investing in myself showed mixed results, investing in others fared no better – I am at a point in my life where having, getting and proving anything holds only a fraction of the value I perceived at 30
to everyone, both Irish and those who wish they were, may you have a very lucky day, may looking forward be better for you than looking back or wanting to, and the value of you shine through in everything you choose to do
value is what you have left when the worth is spent, it is what remains standing when all other means of support are gone – it is the measure of us, the only measure that really counts
Mark Kolke
339,424
198.4
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
What do you think? Join the discussion - comments are welcomed - please write.
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Comments Mar. 16 – re: satisfaction
DNA research will undoubtedly some day reveal the answers to all those questions, but that is many years in the future, perhaps centuries, since personal feelings and predilections are so complex. For now, studying it from the standpoint of behavioral science is much more rewarding. Indeed, I agree that existentialist reverie and discussion in a relaxing and intimate setting is probably most satisfying, EG, Calgary
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Dear Mark: I would be very pleased if you would send me the daily newsletter. Thank you, DB, Saskatchewan
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
To subscribe to Mark's Musings daily email distribution, write to mark@markmusing.com
©2008 MaxComm Communications
satisfaction - Sunday Mar. 15, 2008
Mark’s Musing today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: -13C/9F, stiff wind in our face coming back, surprisingly good traction, Gusta found a fresh blanket of snow is a roadmap maze, all tracks, no rabbit
Saturday was a day of great satisfaction and relaxation; last night we saw The Bank Job (much better than the reviews) to cap a day of hangin’ with Carla and PB, dinner with my dad and smiling at my situation; existential discussion, shopping, casual conversation, deep, shallow, deep again; child of mine Carla will always be, but child no more - already far more grounded a woman than I might have reasonably expected or wished for, which swells me with pride, satisfaction and peace of mind
fueled by intention, innovation is ‘new way to do something’ or new way to use a tool – not invention but practical inventiveness; relationships of people, events, ideas and how things connect confound me; perhaps DNA research will one day reveal why some people and ideas connect as others languish, explain myself to me - or yourself to you, so we can all understand how zeal to create magical experience is formed
things that relate and connect to one another, like dominoes tip over, create Rube Goldberg-like chain reactions, completing as if there was some master plan, even when there was no plan at all – not so often with actions as they do with ideas, completing when feelings rest comfortably in appropriate corners of my mind
infectious innovation and creativity infect us when they spread, virus-like; some people get them, some don’t, no rhyme, no reason, no easy explanation; some people respond to invitation, rise to challenge, step over dotted-lines or slip comfortably into new roles – make room for more in any mind
antidote to the ‘could have, would have, should have’ of life - reveling in how exciting it has been and how powerful it yet can be - innovation is all about risking; risking success, risking failure, risking new experience, risking being dissatisfied with what arrives instead of standing still where the far greater risk is dissatisfaction with sameness
innovation is to creativity as pleasure is to satisfaction, as value is to worth – close, yes, but no comparison; early morning solitude, time for quiet reflection, is mostly about being alone, yet alone does not equal lonely
reflecting on experiences past or passed by, on problems solved, on ill-logic of challenges and life itself – as I sip coffee in the dark - I am sitting on a mountainside or walking a beach somewhere, re-hashing some tangent of thought without resolution – with a smile, with pride, satisfaction and peace of mind
Mark Kolke
339,448
197.6
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
What do you think? Join the discussion - comments are welcomed - please write.
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Comments Mar. 15 – re: tuned in
You can spend a lot of time looking back over your shoulder and second-guessing the decision you have made. I think one of the most sinister traps are the "If I had only..." The current expressions like: get on with it, suck it up, get a life - all of them unfortunately coined by our post-literate society, but actually expressing impatience with anything but the future. It becomes especially hard for people like me with a significant past - at least in terms of minor celebrity - but I have long ago learned to face the reality that they all grew up without me and seem to be surviving. 80th birthday party last night. 80 friends and family. Realized that the difference between family whom you love and who sprung from the union of you and your wife - and friends. I defined friends as people who have let us into their lives. We all go back a long way together but time is not wasted on nostalgia, LS, Toronto
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Hey there Mark: I wish to attend the contest, where do you go next. Watch out for that Z.
"T", WT, Calgary
"T", WT, Calgary
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Re: intense feelings - Hi Mark, It seems like you're working around a lot of things these days which are making you write about ideas that are close to the actual situations but not the situations directly. It's like putting an object into a gunny sack and trying to guess what it is. Intriguing. My guess is that GH an PB are sorting out next steps and there aresome up in the air feelings. Good for you. Best wishes. It's really blowing here tonight, spring is on the way. PD, Vancouver
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
tuned in - Saturday Mar. 15, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: -4C/26F, overcast, light sleet (snowflakes trying to grow up) falling, everything covered by a film - as thick as and looking like a dryer-sheet; Gusta looking every way but up for those honking geese; we had a good stretch around the neighborhood; there is surely a connection between a rash on my scalp and that new shampoo, between my daughter coming through the door last night and my big smile, or between Gusta’s whining - slumped in a lump at the door waiting for Carla’s return from a run
complex connect-the-dots relationships in individual and collective lives bear watching, but no analysts write columns on it Saturday mornings so I’ll take a stab, trying to decipher relationships where none appear to exist
understanding, or illusion of it, is possible when looking in the rear-view mirror to see what we just passed through - I try hard to decipher relationships between events – not to paint a path of what to do next, but to get smart about what just happened; did I choose the most appropriate ones, did I miss the boat on others – did I make a colossal blunder or lay the groundwork for a glorious unfolding? . . will my choices bring a future filled only with joy, absence of pain, a full belly, a full smile, a full mind?
I understand how radio waves and TV signals behave – hundreds, perhaps thousands of them, flying around but if I am not tuned in I miss them all; when I tune in I hear or see only one at a time (males are more developed in this regard – we perfected the technique of rapid channel clicking so as to give us the illusion we are tuned in to many at once)
when I tune in to signals sent me by events, opportunities, friends, families, animals, the outdoors, nature, the weather and the actions of others I am receiving many signals at once (maybe Cisco could invent a router for that) - but what connects wishes, hopes, dreams, ideals, values with adventure, spunk and ideas; does it all happen by accident?
consequences rarely relate logically to plans because incidents, coincidence and opportunity are swirling always; some opportunities came my way this week which I acted on, others I didn’t . . . and I wonder why; writing on an issue or idea or a problem is my way of scribbling on a blackboard – using the brush to swish away chalk in wide swinging motions often – then I can start over and over, looking for a logical plausible result – trying to be tuned in to that which connects us
[I paused before finishing this - fried egg sandwiches needed to be cooked]
now, a day half-planned will soon be half-over so there is not time to waste . . signals to be received, things to watch for . . stay tuned; more important still are the signals we send – we have no idea who will receive them but, like radio and TV stations, no one will if we are not broadcasting; I have nothing sappy to say about ‘sending your message to the world’ or anything spiritual to add on the subject – just a recognition that thoughts tossed out in conversation or over the airwaves have thousands of permutations of consequences just waiting to happen
at this time 5 years ago Carla came to Calgary for a few days – in a conversation about exercising and writing I was smug, arrogant and pushy; that was the impetus for Musings which began on March 21, 2003; I’m still smug, arrogant and pushy but along the way some really interesting and life-altering signals have been sent and received – from a conversation of 2, to a circulation of 8, to an audience of tens of thousands
the lesson is this: when my daughter is around, I have my receiver set to ‘all channels’ because I know there will be interesting conversation; experience has taught me that I don’t get to know in advance which signals will just float by and which ones will alter my path but I do trust that some of them will and I want to see where they lead
Mark Kolke
339,472
198.5
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
What do you think? Join the discussion - comments are welcomed - please write.
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
walk report: -4C/26F, overcast, light sleet (snowflakes trying to grow up) falling, everything covered by a film - as thick as and looking like a dryer-sheet; Gusta looking every way but up for those honking geese; we had a good stretch around the neighborhood; there is surely a connection between a rash on my scalp and that new shampoo, between my daughter coming through the door last night and my big smile, or between Gusta’s whining - slumped in a lump at the door waiting for Carla’s return from a run
complex connect-the-dots relationships in individual and collective lives bear watching, but no analysts write columns on it Saturday mornings so I’ll take a stab, trying to decipher relationships where none appear to exist
understanding, or illusion of it, is possible when looking in the rear-view mirror to see what we just passed through - I try hard to decipher relationships between events – not to paint a path of what to do next, but to get smart about what just happened; did I choose the most appropriate ones, did I miss the boat on others – did I make a colossal blunder or lay the groundwork for a glorious unfolding? . . will my choices bring a future filled only with joy, absence of pain, a full belly, a full smile, a full mind?
I understand how radio waves and TV signals behave – hundreds, perhaps thousands of them, flying around but if I am not tuned in I miss them all; when I tune in I hear or see only one at a time (males are more developed in this regard – we perfected the technique of rapid channel clicking so as to give us the illusion we are tuned in to many at once)
when I tune in to signals sent me by events, opportunities, friends, families, animals, the outdoors, nature, the weather and the actions of others I am receiving many signals at once (maybe Cisco could invent a router for that) - but what connects wishes, hopes, dreams, ideals, values with adventure, spunk and ideas; does it all happen by accident?
consequences rarely relate logically to plans because incidents, coincidence and opportunity are swirling always; some opportunities came my way this week which I acted on, others I didn’t . . . and I wonder why; writing on an issue or idea or a problem is my way of scribbling on a blackboard – using the brush to swish away chalk in wide swinging motions often – then I can start over and over, looking for a logical plausible result – trying to be tuned in to that which connects us
[I paused before finishing this - fried egg sandwiches needed to be cooked]
now, a day half-planned will soon be half-over so there is not time to waste . . signals to be received, things to watch for . . stay tuned; more important still are the signals we send – we have no idea who will receive them but, like radio and TV stations, no one will if we are not broadcasting; I have nothing sappy to say about ‘sending your message to the world’ or anything spiritual to add on the subject – just a recognition that thoughts tossed out in conversation or over the airwaves have thousands of permutations of consequences just waiting to happen
at this time 5 years ago Carla came to Calgary for a few days – in a conversation about exercising and writing I was smug, arrogant and pushy; that was the impetus for Musings which began on March 21, 2003; I’m still smug, arrogant and pushy but along the way some really interesting and life-altering signals have been sent and received – from a conversation of 2, to a circulation of 8, to an audience of tens of thousands
the lesson is this: when my daughter is around, I have my receiver set to ‘all channels’ because I know there will be interesting conversation; experience has taught me that I don’t get to know in advance which signals will just float by and which ones will alter my path but I do trust that some of them will and I want to see where they lead
Mark Kolke
339,472
198.5
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
What do you think? Join the discussion - comments are welcomed - please write.
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
Friday, March 14, 2008
Comments Mar. 14 – re: I am always surprised
Ultimately, it is ALL great fun! I, “who cannot even control [my]self should hardly aspire to control the universe.” A Course in Miracles. Congrats on your winning speech! BL, Great Falls, MT
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Re: intense feelings - Hello Mark, I found this Day's Musings quite interesting. I don't know you or your family but found your musings very insightful and I think you really believe in what you wrote. None of us are perfect and if only we would really think before we speak it would solve many problems that speaking rashly creates. I think you were spot on when you said, "I'm sorry and I love you," to your 'dot ' (daughter). Way to go Mark!, B, Regina, Sask
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
I am always surprised - Friday Mar. 14, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: -6C/20F, we ventured out cautiously, predictions of significant morning flurries had me nervous about footing but we found bare and dry under a mostly empty sky – unexpected conditions while Gusta was not sure if she saw 14 rabbits or the same rabbit 14 times - unexpected stimulation to be sure
getting what I expect - achieving work-life balance is as likely as a lottery win, possible, but highly improbable on any given day; how then, if I seek a work-life balance that puts a smile on my face, can I plan, do, work, play, live . . with any expectations at all?
consequences can be predicted to some degree: being unprepared rarely produces a winning result, making assumptions is always a wild card, people tend to behave the way they have before if circumstances are the same, things that are dropped often get damaged in some way and, delaying a decision rarely alters the ultimate decision but the delay often alters the outcome significantly
unexpected consequences, unexpected events, unexpected feelings – each arrives unexpected and I am always surprised; beautiful surprises, unmitigated disasters – each arrive under the unexpected label; when I look at the troubles on my plate – I have to ask which ones were unexpected; when I look at the unexpected consequences of events – few could have been predicted; however, the beautiful surprises were all the result of good efforts, well intentioned deeds and genuine interest in the issue, person, project etc. - there is a lesson in that if nothing more than realizing it
I was expecting a client to take a step they said they would – they didn’t (after 28 years I am used to this phenomenon but always perplexed by the unique direction it takes, often far more intriguing than my initial wildest expectations) which often produces a chuckle, once in a while roll-on-the-floor laughter; I was expecting a different response from my daughter in conversation – she didn’t, but when we talked yesterday it was productive and healthy – what I didn’t realize was that she’d not seen my offending e-mail or my apology . . . laughter followed, stubborn genes intact; I was expecting support and hoped for success with a speech I gave in a contest last night against formidable competition – I got it and I did win, but the unexpected consequences were the laughter I never expected; I’d planned it seriously and expected it to produce a serious reaction (I believe it did) but I had no idea it would produce laughter . . or the win
‘Nearly all the best things that came to me in life have been unexpected, unplanned by me.’ – Carl Sandburg
each time I get an unexpected consequence I smile and recognize I should have been expecting it – then time passes and I get another one and I am always surprised; each time I get a surprise, fair or foul, I find that when I try to dissect it there is clear evidence to me there is direct connect between the quality of the effort I put in relative to the quality of the surprise; sometimes I deservedly land on my tush, sometimes a butterfly lands on me
Mark Kolke
339,496
197.4
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
What do you think? Join the discussion - comments are welcomed - please write.
To subscribe to Mark's Musings daily email distribution, write to mark@markmusing.com
©2008 MaxComm Communications
walk report: -6C/20F, we ventured out cautiously, predictions of significant morning flurries had me nervous about footing but we found bare and dry under a mostly empty sky – unexpected conditions while Gusta was not sure if she saw 14 rabbits or the same rabbit 14 times - unexpected stimulation to be sure
getting what I expect - achieving work-life balance is as likely as a lottery win, possible, but highly improbable on any given day; how then, if I seek a work-life balance that puts a smile on my face, can I plan, do, work, play, live . . with any expectations at all?
consequences can be predicted to some degree: being unprepared rarely produces a winning result, making assumptions is always a wild card, people tend to behave the way they have before if circumstances are the same, things that are dropped often get damaged in some way and, delaying a decision rarely alters the ultimate decision but the delay often alters the outcome significantly
unexpected consequences, unexpected events, unexpected feelings – each arrives unexpected and I am always surprised; beautiful surprises, unmitigated disasters – each arrive under the unexpected label; when I look at the troubles on my plate – I have to ask which ones were unexpected; when I look at the unexpected consequences of events – few could have been predicted; however, the beautiful surprises were all the result of good efforts, well intentioned deeds and genuine interest in the issue, person, project etc. - there is a lesson in that if nothing more than realizing it
I was expecting a client to take a step they said they would – they didn’t (after 28 years I am used to this phenomenon but always perplexed by the unique direction it takes, often far more intriguing than my initial wildest expectations) which often produces a chuckle, once in a while roll-on-the-floor laughter; I was expecting a different response from my daughter in conversation – she didn’t, but when we talked yesterday it was productive and healthy – what I didn’t realize was that she’d not seen my offending e-mail or my apology . . . laughter followed, stubborn genes intact; I was expecting support and hoped for success with a speech I gave in a contest last night against formidable competition – I got it and I did win, but the unexpected consequences were the laughter I never expected; I’d planned it seriously and expected it to produce a serious reaction (I believe it did) but I had no idea it would produce laughter . . or the win
‘Nearly all the best things that came to me in life have been unexpected, unplanned by me.’ – Carl Sandburg
each time I get an unexpected consequence I smile and recognize I should have been expecting it – then time passes and I get another one and I am always surprised; each time I get a surprise, fair or foul, I find that when I try to dissect it there is clear evidence to me there is direct connect between the quality of the effort I put in relative to the quality of the surprise; sometimes I deservedly land on my tush, sometimes a butterfly lands on me
Mark Kolke
339,496
197.4
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
What do you think? Join the discussion - comments are welcomed - please write.
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Comments Mar. 13 – re: intense feelings
Often my good friend; I find you circle those wagons for little reason. You said it; you passed on the DNA you can't take it back. If you know you are stubborn, then why do you get upset when your girls follow in your pattern? Slow the tense emotions down by accepting they are you."T" Here at home, WT, Calgary
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Hello Mark, A good bit of advice to listen to, Google Randy Pausch. He makes sense at every level, MB, Calgary
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Hi Mark, Pls add XXXXXX to your list. Thx., DB, Calgary
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Very cool today Mark. Don’t know how I got on your email. I haven’t read all too often. But today I did and loved what you had to say. The Truman quote is brilliant and dead on…and I am not a parent. Regardless, I appreciated today’s message, MA, Seal Beach, CA
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I enjoy reading your daily journal every day, though i feel frustrated and intrigued that i don't know the columnist or author. Not to the point of gossip but if you could answer 2 questions below that would ease my anxious curiosity. 1/ How long have you been writing? 2/ So you are a commercial realtor? I am planning to visit your TM Single Club next week with a friend, can you kindly advise the time and place? Best, ZN, Calgary
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g'hoppa.......sometimes being stubborn is being tenacious, sometimes it is being obstinate, or sometimes its is hanging in there...either way it may be the quality that gets us through some challenge. b'fly, PB, Calgary
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
intense feelings -Thursday Mar. 13, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report:-8C/17F, quiet, early light bathes the sky implying it will be another mild day, Gusta wanted to keep going but my schedule required I cut it short
I find it flattering and daunting - when someone asks me for advice; each time that happens it begs the question of ‘what do I have to give?’
I see clearly when things don’t matter to me, I see clearly when it is ‘someone else’s stuff’, I see clearly when it is someone else’s family, life, problems . .
when I view my own situation, sometimes I can’t find myself with both hands especially when I try to give unsolicited advice to my children; I don’t try it often, I’ve always done it in a way I thought was right but I don’t recall a single time when they thought so
it seems, in my experience, that people ask for advice they usually know the answer already but don’t like it, so asking advice is a way of being magnanimous while, on the other hand, giving unsolicited advice is like feeding cash to an investment gone bad – it hurts a little each time and the hopes of a favorable return are figments of imagination
I passed along many characteristics = I’m happy to have given them a work ethic, pride, compassion, humor, good teeth and empathy for those who cannot help themselves while, to my chagrin, I also passed along my ‘stubborn gene’
the legacy we leave children is not calculated numerically – it isn’t about things - we leave them a set of DNA driven characteristics coupled with experiences we share, good and bad; the legacy we leave is a basket filled with, hopefully, more joys than pain, more laughter than conflict, longer life, better life and a set of skills to help them along their way; the legacy we leave is pride in their successes and our own failure – a failure to be more, to have done better, to undo what cannot be undone
when my children were adolescents I came across a fantastic quote from Harry Truman I used to great advantage and tout as the single best piece of advice I’ve ever encountered on parenting: ‘I have found the best way to give advice to your children is to find out what they want and then advise them to do it.’
I did, I have, they have; now and then I trip over myself being me, when I forget Harry’s advice and mess things up a bit – so far it seems not to be a fatal but it is best embodied in another of his great quotes: ‘Intense feeling too often obscures the truth.’
To my daughter Krista: I’ll always think I am right and you will think you are right; what matters is not that we are stubborn or that we have a stalemate over something small but rather that we have intense feelings; as for our chat last night and my snot-o-gram e-mail sent earlier this morning, I’m sorry and I love you
Mark Kolke
339,520
197.2
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Comments Mar. 12 – re: writing slowly settles me
It's when relationships fall apart that we come to the realization that all the 'money and things' we have in life have very little value. Life without meaningful relationships is empty. SL, Calgary
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Hi Mark, Do you give advice? I’m having some marital problems and would like your opinion, JC, Houston, TX
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Dear Mark, I haven’t received any Musings for a couple of weeks now. Did I get deleted from the mailing list? Hope everything is OK with you, KS, Netherlands
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So refreshing that you've found your priorities. As Winston Churhill put it, "I have reached the broad, sunny uplands....." I find this daily communication a help in focusing.
EG, Calgary
So refreshing that you've found your priorities. As Winston Churhill put it, "I have reached the broad, sunny uplands....." I find this daily communication a help in focusing.
EG, Calgary
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
©2008 MaxComm Communications
writing slowly settles me - Wednesday Mar. 12, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: 4C/39F, clearing sky, sliver of moon gone with the night; early walk pushes the caffeine to my extremities, Gusta pulls just enough to remind my ankle it cannot walk briskly yet
recently I’ve had momentum in my work unlike I’ve seen in a long while; good luck, good management, timing and strong support from many corners account for much of it
at its core - state of mind - beyond being grasshopper to a pretty butterfly, magic (not spring fever) is in the air; reflecting on meetings and speaking to a luncheon yesterday I feel a relaxed comfort, calm at centre of the whirl, not a vortex to swallow me, but more like a merry-go-round spun too fast, when the only safe place to avoid being dizzy is in the middle; waking early, waking slowly – walking early, writing slowly settles me
examining what matters most easily falls into three categories for me; relationships, experiences and things - in that order; most of my life the things and experiences led the list with relationships trailing which seems so silly now
wrapped tightly with ego, they appeared as one; my need for things and money seemed so important then - in part to provide security but more significantly as a measuring tool of how well I was doing, had done and measurement of my worth; priorities shift from stage to stage – project, career, relationship, business, life – each shift teaches, in each shift – as teacher and student - both strong and not, clear and not, open and not
facilitating a group ‘workshop style’ is something I am good at, but working through things by myself for myself is often a tug-o-war struggle - questions to pose, organizing thoughts, trusting process – each valuable tools when I trust them, but I tend to resist
Q. why do I resist?
A. afraid of outcome, anxious about direction, afraid of losing what is dearest to me mixed with elements of ‘giving up control’ by surrendering to process
when on the tear, in the middle of a busy dizzying day it has easy to lose focus on what matters most, but writing slowly settles me
Mark Kolke
339,544
198.6
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
What do you think? Join the discussion - comments are welcomed - please write.
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Comments Mar. 11 – re: a state of mind, not a place
I very much enjoyed your email. I'm an old veteran of fear and doubt so I especially enjoyed your refreshing perspective on fear as an opportunity to flip it over or spin it around - get another look at it. The new viewpoint usually results in wondering how we could have ever fallen for it in the first place, CC, Calgary
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Hi Mark, Great stuff lately! Could you change my email address to XXXX please? Very best regards, SB, Calgary
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
Comments Mar. 11 – re: a state of mind, not a place
I very much enjoyed your email. I'm an old veteran of fear and doubt so I especially enjoyed your refreshing perspective on fear as an opportunity to flip it over or spin it around - get another look at it. The new viewpoint usually results in wondering how we could have ever fallen for it in the first place, CC, Calgary
...
Hi Mark, Great stuff lately! Could you change my email address to XXXX please? Very best regards, SB, Calgary
...
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
a state of mind, not a place - Tuesday Mar. 11, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: 8C/46F, warm dawn, enormous Chinook arch blanket was the only remnants of a moonless night; we walked the ridge path for the first time in several weeks, Gusta, looking ‘grooming salon’ gorgeous (minus her winter coat clipped and combed away yesterday), visited familiar haunts
a reader I’ve never talked to before called yesterday to chat: as too often happens, a call worth continuing but cut short because one party (me) had to sprint to a meeting – thank you WR for time taken to reach out and your kind words - please write for us sometime
too often, opportunity is wasted because it flits by, dashes in and out of our continuum – around when we don’t need it, missing when we do, so it seems; but, I don’t think there is a case for that – opportunity is always there, the choice of when to pursue it rests within each of us – blocked by fear
‘Courage is not the absence of fear, but the mastery of it.’ - unknown
newborns are not afraid; they crave warmth, nourishment and to be held by someone loving (I guess that makes me a perpetual newborn) but they do not harbor fear
looking forward - wide eyes, clean slate and an open mind is the privilege of youth, something worthy of revisiting; too often I know that when I try to anticipate the future, predict a course of action or pursue an opportunity I filter it through my experience, compare a situation to conditions I’ve experienced; on one hand this sounds like experience tempering enthusiasm, while on the other it places roadblocks where none are required – the barriers representing fear, uncertainty and doubt of repeating memories of past disasters when fear, uncertainty and doubt were not given their due
fear the handcuffs, uncertainty the jail, doubt the prison – incarcerate the spirit, imagination and opportunities; fear is a state of mind, not a place; fear understood is usually not fear - fear is something we are taught, perhaps with some good reasons, by our experiences – but fear is not a requirement; lately I’ve been seeing fear (dealing with it is what I mean) as an opportunity, every fear a new opportunity to turn it over, turn it around, turn it on its ear – the worst that can happen is that I make no difference but experience has taught me that every effort makes some difference
Mark Kolke
339,568
199.6
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
Monday, March 10, 2008
Comments Mar. 10 – re: big shed
Thanks for the info, it helped. Rubbermaid make a convenient shed to store all those items you wish to shed, simply place it in the holding pattern see if you miss it!! "T" Here under the bridge, WT, Calgary
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Isn't that process called molting? It's inevitable, depending on the seasons. But if it's mental molting, it can be done as slowly and deliberately as necessary in order to prepare for the new, and can be a matter of integration with the old, tried and true. There is no need to repudiate what I have come to know, but it's always necessary to learn something new, EG, Calgary
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How profound, yes you are still in the zone. Thanks, DS, Calgary
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
big shed - Monday Mar. 10, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: 3C/38F, light overcast, Gusta ignored plentiful rabbits but found a terrier and male retriever to her liking, the big shed continues; walking on bare dry sidewalks in early light – transition to spring, to day – seems unfair considering most of the country is digging out of a snow drift . .
every day I get a chance to start over, start new, start something . . or not
shedding old thinking is like Gusta shedding her winter coat, no longer useful it is discarded one tuft at a time; the problem with shedding old things, old ways and old clothes is so time consuming because we (I do anyway) need to stop long enough to think it through, to make a decision . . rather than just shedding it/them
today can be a beginning or a Monday - a continuation of everything that has gone before or a beginning of everything that is ahead of me; this could be the case any day that I want it to be, but few days feel that pivotal – so much so that they should represent a hinge, a turning point, a mid point, a change of direction – a point that identifies the middle
from zero to 56 I can’t start anything – it’s done, over, past, passed by and complete; from 56 to 112 can start any time I want to; I can shed the entire past or just the parts I choose, I can do it today and I can start now - flamboyance and drama would be OK, but are not required . . . I’ll just do it without telling anyone
Mark Kolke
339,592
199.8
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
What do you think? Join the discussion - comments are welcomed - please write.
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
Sunday, March 09, 2008
Comments Mar. 9 – re: night saving time
Mark - - I would be interested to read the information “Largo, FL” may send you regarding a handicapped person in his gym. Susan #3, SA, Edmonton
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I think Charles M. Shultz's observation is quite insightful, EG, Calgary
I think Charles M. Shultz's observation is quite insightful, EG, Calgary
...
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
night saving time - Sunday Mar. 9, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: -3C/27F, calm empty sky, glorious sunrise, Gusta routed a cat from a bush, otherwise our walk uneventful - community still asleep, trying to figure our daylight saving time; getting used to the change is always odd, it will probably take more than one night
daylight saving time arrived - the concept of saving time is, I suppose, to spend more daylight hours on work or play than on night time pursuits; I always thought that had more to do with when I got up than anything else – so, if we use daylight better and benefit, why do we not try to using our night time hours more effectively too .. possibly ‘saving’ them as well?
‘night time saving time’ might be fun; we could save a few hours here and there to then spend on a great long night of play, or knitting, or to invest in extra flossing time ; imagine an investment bank might start trading in daylight futures and night futures – I could develop a hedging strategy so I could take a nap whenever I want; save the day, save the night, snore when you can, cause the least disruption to movie patrons
yesterday’s personal and dental time were each less fearsome than expected; my dentist defers to a periodontist (a long word for ‘dental actuary’, someone who predicts how to remove the fewest teeth while generating lots of fees over the longest possible time during the life of my wallet); personal issues meeting went far better than expected - first chapter included a few hours drive south, taking in the immenseness of open space and foothills around Longview, the day capped by a movie with friends (‘In Bruges’, a hit ‘hit-man’ farcical drama), superb laughter and dessert at Sugo followed
“Sometimes I lie awake at night, and ask, ‘where have I gone wrong?’ Then a voice says to me, ‘This is going to take more than one night.’” – Charles M. Schulz
Mark Kolke
339,616
198.7
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
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Saturday, March 08, 2008
Comments Mar. 8 – re: could be life altering
Mark; I am looking for some info. Have you heard of a Calgary company called Q'max. It is important to me. Thanks for any help you might offer. "T", WT, Calgary
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Hey Mark been reading more and more of your stuff lately and I like its enlightened nature. Recently, I wrote a long text to my friend about going out of my way to befriend a mentally challenged person at my gym and the ensuing joy it caused with the finishing thought being spreading Joy cost me nothing and the cost of fostering negative or adverse feeling was perhaps so costly it was unquantifiable. I was wondering if you would want a glimpse at it. BWA (best wishes always), BA, Largo, FL
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Sounds like me standing on the end of the diving board!, EG, Calgary
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could be life altering - Saturday Mar. 8, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: -3C/27F, calm, sunny, our walk short as Gusta (a.k.a. shedding machine) had too much pulling power for my ankle’s liking this morning, as if a ‘treatment meeting’ with the dentist and a scheduled serious meeting later in the day were not keeping my conscious, a sharp bite of pain shooting through a body part that is normally quiet got my attention
‘danger thin ice’ on signs near lakes and rivers across the country warn to not step where it might not be safe - consequences could be life altering
newness, new things, new people and change can be invigorating – consequences could be life altering - but does it mask things we ought to see, push aside things that deserve and beg work; am I fit to be as good as I would like to be?
five years ago I was occasional writer, frequent walker, curious, frustrated, confused, seeking; five years ago I was looking for answers, trying not to repeat a past that – in retrospect – seemed repetition of patterns more unhealthy than wise
a year ago I thought I was in a far better state (mentally and Hawaii) than in all my past, more ready for embarking on creative adventures and altering my lifestyle; a year later I have done a lot of little things to point me toward my goal, to propel me on my journey but the path has not been straight, the pace not even
the past year has brought brilliant surprises on so many fronts it is hard to count them – but challenging to sort ‘fresh’ from ‘new’ or ‘changing’ from ‘changed’ – my journey has not been interrupted or altered, but the path, routing, and mode of getting there seems less clear, the speed with which I advance elements of ‘the plan’ leaves me unhappy that I have not done more faster – but from a standing start, I’ve really come a long way
pain, fear of pain, fear of doing the wrong thing to prevent pain – so many options; dangers, treading on any surface, when we are uncertain brings risk; risk of adventuring out, risk of staying at the starting point; at first it seems simple, the choice to go forward or stand still, to venture out or not, to move or not, to change or not . . . as if inaction keeps one safe, as if standing still protects us in any way
writing is surgery or dissection – it depends on the day; sometimes it seems to be about repair, sometimes about discovery after the fact – like any painful procedure it always hurts far less later on when we remember it than at the time of it happening, but in the moment, on the day it is a dizzying combo of exciting and scary because consequences could be life altering
Mark Kolke
339,640
198.4
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
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Friday, March 07, 2008
Comments Mar. 7 – re: loss is meant to humble
Thanks Mark, words I wanted/needed to hear today, SdV, Edmonton, AB
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Cooler in Houston today than Calgary was 38f when I got to work this morning, LMT, Houston, TX
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From the sound of your musings, you are working well and playing hard. A good combination any day of the week. Things around here are as good as they can be with an inquisitive two-year old! After starting a load of laundry, I rounded the corner yesterday to find Delaney up on the kitchen counter...when I asked how she got up there, she replied that "Riley the dog gave me a wift". Uh huh. I know the two of them are in cahoots; when D is somewhere she's not supposed to be, Riley barks like crazy .. and at no other time. But she didn't when Delaney climbed up onto the counter. Riley must have thought there was something in it for her. They make quite a team. And my sweet husband is patiently teaching our daughter to dribble a basketball. I have to say, she's quite good at it, though her lay-up needs a little work. The museum is progressing nicely; we are on target to open early next year. Demo in the building starts in a few weeks, then I get to wear my hardhat! My health continues to be good, though there was a hiccup early in January. I had a small tumor removed from my right knee, a weird place for something to show up, but it was benign and didn't require any follow up...other than I am back on a 90 check-up cycle with the hematologist. It's amazing how fast one's body can heal when forced to by a pre-schooler! Happy birthday to Gusta and Carla, hugs to PB, and you too. Have a nice weekend! Warmly, LR, Irvine, CA
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Please add me to your mailing list; I inadvertently was removed and have been catching up on them via your Web site. Very insightful! Thank you! MJ, IA, Nampa, IA
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loss is meant to humble - Friday Mar. 7, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: 7C/43F, warm north breeze, light overcast, refreshing hints of Calgary spring – Gusta strained to meet the schnauzer who strained to catch the rabbit – the rabbit with a different soccer field agenda took off like he was late for a meeting
clarity and wisdom seem to show up when it pleases them, never around when I need them most; sometimes they just drop into my brain for a visit, sometimes it is a long stay, sometimes fleeting moments of joy . . .
I wrote today’s column, then I lost it – it was a good one (I thought); I’d saved it with each edit so, when it evaporated, I needed to go for a walk to find a better one to replace my misfire – perhaps a loss meant to humble
I don’t envy their life, but I envy a quality I’ve seen; I’ve read it in Helen Keller’s work, seen when I spend time with friends MI and WT – I’ve felt it in powerful writings of all three; the blind seem to see better than the rest of us though they have as much or more on their plate as anyone else, their field of view unencumbered by what their eyes might see, with their minds they have heightened acuity, clarity and wisdom
clarity follows confusion, success rises, a phoenix, from the ashes of failure; as I walked this morning I set aside one problem to a corner of my plate – then thoughts turned to plates - by the time I was back from my walk I had the gist of a new message (3 kinds of plates, 2 kinds of people) sorted - a speech half-writ for next Thursday’s competition to replace my misfire the other night
moral of my story: when feeling lost, go for a walk – if still lost, ask a blind man (or woman) for help, then you may see the way home
1970’s and 80’s Canadian TV viewers might remember Flashback, This is the Law and Front Page Challenge; if you do you will likely recall Larry Solway – writer, broadcaster, actor, curmudgeon in the making; recently I wrote him after seeing his rant on aging (he just turned 80) in the Globle & Mail – we wrote back! . . welcome LS to our musing community (LS comments below)
Mark Kolke
339,664
198.6
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
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Thursday, March 06, 2008
Comments Mar. 6 – re: won one, lost one
Regarding losing - As I see it you were way out ahead in the fact that you put yourself on the line to compete at all... That takes courage (and generous amounts of positive ego) to even commit. No way you couldn't have gained by just being there. Way to go! CH Chimacum
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Losing is frequently the biggest win of all. TD, Calgary
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The spirit of competition is to have losers and one winner. A loss is a learning experience worth going through. It will make your next win even sweeter. The loss is meant to humble those who feel they should always win // call it a reality check. "T", WT, Calgary
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Re: daily "blog" - I enjoy reading it. It is not at all unlike what I want to do, except it would be directed specifically to about-to or already retired. My return to print (although I have periodically been able to sell stuff) has emboldened me. I am waiting for my copy of Writer's Market. In the past I have sent items to newspapers who, unfortunately for me, have their own staff, and are reluctant to use free-lancers unless they happen to be celebrated or titled. But still, every so often I break through. My credentials as an authority are self-endowed - so if I write a piece about - say - the truth about the sub prime crisis, it doesn't have the cachet it might have if I were a renowned economist. In fact, I see a sad dearth of understanding from most media. When they report on the "hit" being taken by major banks they simply do not understand. They seem to think all the banks were stuck with bad mortgages. Whether they don't understand, or they think their viewers/readers won't understand. I may yet, in cooperation with an economist with a reputation, go ahead and write a piece informing people that the big problem is not the default, it is the fact that these mortgages were bundled as class A instruments and re-sold as mortgage-backed securities. Everyone had a hand in this mess: the regulators who allowed unregulated mortgage companies to re-sell their "assets", financial institutions that actually accepted the assets as having value, underwriters who then took the items and foisted them on the investment public as legitimate investments etc. The crisis worse than the Teapot Dome scandal, The South Sea Bubble and the Tulip speculation of the 18th century - all put together! You may remember the scandal associated with the bankruptcy of the old Royal Trust after it turned out that many of the "assets" on their books were uncollectible or stale receivables. The accountants were complicit. The holding company - Edper among others - should have been prosecuted. They kept dragging huge dividends from Royal because Royal kept up the fraud that the assets were real Due diligence did not seem to apply. Since then accounting rules have changed. Anyway - now that I've unburdened myself, I feel better - especially since I own no mortgage-backed securities. Wait - I do have some High Yield Income Trust - which only got hurt because the name sounds like it is vulnerable. Thanks for having me on your "musings" list. You'll be on mine, LS, Toronto
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
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won one, lost one - Thursday Mar. 6, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: -4C/25F, morning light arrives in waves; first the absence of dark, then the street lights go off, sky fills with nothing, darkness remnants swirls down the drain of night to reveal an unspoiled day – calm enjoyment of my daily repetition interrupted by Gusta pulling, unrelenting, intent on disrupting bunny bunch conversation
routine, same, easy, comfortable – things I don’t examine much though maybe I should; I tend to spend more brain time on the non-routine, the different, the difficult, the uncomfortable, looking for answers to what makes me squirm, what confuses me, what eludes me - these calm thoughts are great theory but go out the window when my competitive nature comes out to play
morning after analysis of what went wrong gobbles, pac-manlike, that which was good, ‘I shouldn’t have done that’ thoughts defeating ‘yes, that was right, that worked, those were my thoughts and how I wanted to express them thoughts’
winning is great but it doesn’t push me to analyze very deeply what went into that win – I take the prize, win the day, triumph, beam, glow, effuse and gloat just a tiny bit – but I don’t dissect it to examine mistakes or missed opportunity - I just revel in the victory
losing, on the other hand, is the starting point of ‘beat-yourself-up’ time; losing is the trigger point of analysis in both its best and worst forms – a challenge to understand what caused it; in part, the urge to critique the winner seeps out too; de-brief in my head; trying to reconcile two demons - first is the smug demon, proud of winning a competition; the second self-defeatist demon is busy re-hashing the competition I lost
I look for change, try to observe what is interesting with particular interest focused on the tips of many icebergs, curious about what is beneath the surface; my attention span is often less than my dog’s brain flitting from point to counter-point
losing is not losing, it is failing to win at one moment in time – it is as fleeting as the victory announcement but it seems to stick around longer; overcoming self-sabotage, taking inventory, breaking through to a point where I can embrace losing an illusion is not delusion; losing expectation is not a loss at all
Mark Kolke
338,688
198.5
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
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Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Comments Mar. 5 – re: get a dog
Love my dogs - they make my day as you say! And have gotten me through some pretty tough spots! Lots of birthdays in your household lately. Regards, SE, Toronto
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Mark, whoever came up with the "2-3 year settling down" timeframe, obviously only experienced 1 dog's perspective. I have learned too many lessons from my dogs to share here, but the one lesson has been...don't believe what other people tell you about "dogs in general". I had a purebred Keeshond ... my vet said he had never known one to live past 11 ... she had a little hiccup at 11 (had her spleen removed), got a second wind and lived to 15. We also have a Malamute/Lab cross who "according to the experts" should have settled down a long time ago. She is 10 and can still out run many of the other much young dogs in the park and she jumps, plays and likes to have a good rousing game of catch me if you can before she goes to bed at night. My dogs have been a constant reminder to me that "you're only as old as you feel....age is just the number of years you have existed in this life...not necessary aligned with how many years you will remain in this life". I love my dogs, MW, Calgary
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I hope your ankle is better, but remember (as I noticed you never talked about this), don't forget to raise your ankle up above your heart if, God forbid, you ever do that to your ankle or any other part of your body again. It reduces the swelling. I really like the way you use this litte forum to express your appreciation of your children, among other things. More people should use this as an example of that, MB, Calgary
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Re: Deepest Impression - A well crafted tribute to your offspring , and an awesome reflection of yourself…well done! (double entendre intended) Happy Birthday Carla !! (belatedly and unmet) HBB, Calgary
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Muse & I meant to send birthday greetings to Gusta last night but my flight was late so Happy Birthday Gusta! Muse missed me and greeted me by sticking her nose in my coat sleeve at the dog sitter's. (it isn't hat she doesn't like the sitter she just misses me). I know what you mean about a "dog gets you". My 'old thing' has made me the center of her universe and it is quite wondrous each and every day. Sorry to hear about your accident, KS, Calgary
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
get a dog - Wednesday Mar. 5, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: -5C/22F, clear, calm; sidewalks clear, ankle feeling stronger, we walked to the soccer fields and back; Gusta (I got her when she was 6 weeks old) was born on this day 3 years ago – that’s 21 in human years – a coming of age perhaps, but it seems any ‘settling down’ predicted at 2 or 3 was clearly a misrepresentation – she vacuumed her birthday breakfast bowl of Breyers double churned extra creamy French vanilla ice-cream, then went directly to her kibble bowl, ravenous . . a high energy day awaits I suppose
when dogs gather, when they woof to each other, I expect they are very discreet - telling little of their human’s business – content in their role as part sidekick and confidante, part butler/assistant, part psychiatrist, part personal trainer, part nurse-maid for the tired and the weary; they probably swap stories of when they first got their human
somewhere between sidelines and headlines most of us seek something more than ordinary but less than greatness, a state of being that does not stay the same – we’d be bored with that – a state of being that brings surprises we like, problems we can solve, challenges we can rise to that bring neither failure or disaster – unrealistic perhaps, but we dream it anyway – but, no matter what disappointment landed in the middle of our day, a dog brings tail-wags and licks to cure every ailment that lift my deflated spirit on the toughest of days
reality tends to bring me wake-up call tests instead of disasters, small accidents (got rear-ended yesterday) as opposed to big ones, set-backs that do not break my spirit but rather ones that cause me to dig deeper; my dog offers balance, greets me with licks and tail wagging no matter what I’ve done, no matter how hard a day she might have had (barking at rabbits and kids walking by, getting up to turn around to go sleep in another spot, repeat, repeat – sometimes getting through the day to quitting time is such a dog’s life!), no matter how tired or hungry or thirsty she might be, she puts her human first
when I gather with new people, I get more excited by those who are themselves excited inside - ones who, if they had a tail, would be wagging constantly; I’ve often suggested to people I meet the merits of having a dog in their life – so much value and companionship, the genuine settling of self that a relationship with a dog brings
most people, I am convinced, don’t fully get it - have it the wrong way ‘round – because you don’t get a dog, a dog gets you
Mark Kolke
338,712
199.6
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
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Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Comments Mar. 4 – re: deepest impression
I really love the fact that as a "man" (instead of a mother) you have such feelings of love for your daughter. In my experience (my dad and my ex-husband) all the loving comes from the mother. It's good to know there are men out there who feel as I do about their child. MT, Toronto
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Mark: Your heartfelt & beautifully worded expressions about your daughter brought tears to my eyes. It made me realize how deep & enduring my love is for my three boys. How wonderful for both you & your daughter that your bond is so very unique & special, JH, Kelowna, BC
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deepest impression - Tuesday Mar. 4, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: -5C/22F, overcast, light snow overnight, Gusta treading gingerly following in my footsteps - her impression deepest when walking at my side; I marvel at how she has grown (she’ll be 3 tomorrow)
few people have left such an impression of humility and kindness as she did; she built her relationships and reputation on hard work, genuine affection for people, understated humility, classy generosity of spirit and an ability to forgive most flaws in most people; she arrived on Canadian soil thirty years ago this day – intrepid explorer, soft, gentle, feminine, smart, hard-working, quietly stubborn, creative, musical – she sought no approvals, made few requests – unique, one-of-a-kind, inspiring, unforgettable
‘The greatest event for the world is the arrival of a new and wise person.’ – Thomas Carlyle
it is difficult to know what was taught, what was learned, what was environmental, what has been her own initiative – lots of overlap; becoming a father and being one are two vastly different concepts; contributing DNA is an important first step,in long journey that began with me wondering if that gestating life form could become a personal statement of unconditional love; it has and she is
people who design things use the term ‘a sense of place’ to describe the impression you get when standing in a location they designed which fills you with a great feeling of belonging, a sense that they’ve done their job well; I like the term ‘a sense of knowing her’ to describe a feeling of knowing, despite my incredible lack of ability or training for the task, a sense I’ve done my job well, a sense that I got it very right with her
30 years have passed since my first born daughter Carla arrived, destined to make her unique mark on this world; so far she’s left her fingerprints and footprints on many things but her deepest impression has been the one she has made on me
Mark Kolke
338,736
199.8
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
walk report: -5C/22F, overcast, light snow overnight, Gusta treading gingerly following in my footsteps - her impression deepest when walking at my side; I marvel at how she has grown (she’ll be 3 tomorrow)
few people have left such an impression of humility and kindness as she did; she built her relationships and reputation on hard work, genuine affection for people, understated humility, classy generosity of spirit and an ability to forgive most flaws in most people; she arrived on Canadian soil thirty years ago this day – intrepid explorer, soft, gentle, feminine, smart, hard-working, quietly stubborn, creative, musical – she sought no approvals, made few requests – unique, one-of-a-kind, inspiring, unforgettable
‘The greatest event for the world is the arrival of a new and wise person.’ – Thomas Carlyle
it is difficult to know what was taught, what was learned, what was environmental, what has been her own initiative – lots of overlap; becoming a father and being one are two vastly different concepts; contributing DNA is an important first step,in long journey that began with me wondering if that gestating life form could become a personal statement of unconditional love; it has and she is
people who design things use the term ‘a sense of place’ to describe the impression you get when standing in a location they designed which fills you with a great feeling of belonging, a sense that they’ve done their job well; I like the term ‘a sense of knowing her’ to describe a feeling of knowing, despite my incredible lack of ability or training for the task, a sense I’ve done my job well, a sense that I got it very right with her
30 years have passed since my first born daughter Carla arrived, destined to make her unique mark on this world; so far she’s left her fingerprints and footprints on many things but her deepest impression has been the one she has made on me
Mark Kolke
338,736
199.8
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
Monday, March 03, 2008
Comments Mar. 3 – re: a case for quiet
Oh - The judging thing. It really isn't rational at all - How one can judge another when you can't possibly know all of their motives, pressures, history... it goes on. When in doubt leave it to a higher power. When not in doubt remember that you are still making a lot of assumptions. CH, Chimacum, WA
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Yes, the tide turns subtly, but irrevocably. The media is a chatter, with mixed motives and mixed results. And for it and us, ben Judah's pronouncement is wise indeed, EG, Calgary
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a case for quiet - Monday Mar. 3, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: 2C/35F, light overcast, steady breeze, tug-o-war, Gusta pulled hard, I walked slow, not sure who won; walk was short, injury avoided; she insisted on doing her business in the centre of Luke’s (male retriever who lives across the crescent) lawn like she was advertising or something; she picked the most awkward spot in the midst of snow bank and ice for her owner to retrieve the deposit
darkness moved toward light as silence drifted by my ear, but sound of night cannot be retrieved, early morn nearly gone now too – a city abuzz with biz, households in motion
when tide turns, when tipping point reached, reversal of direction follows – trend toward something is a trend away from something; not so much that anyone notices at the time of the shift – subtle – silent
a day for electing politicians, de-electing some too, airwaves weary from the blather and bashing, ears tire of hearing pretenders pretending to tell us, we the governed, that they know what we are thinking while media, with a similar lack of taste, subtlety and intellect do the same with an approach similar to putting droppings back inside the goose while swimming upstream in it – each proving what the plumber always knew, some things just won’t flow uphill
‘As long as a word remains unspoken, you are its master; once you utter it, you are its slave.” – Solomn Ibn Gabirol ben Judah
a case for quiet, but unspoken thoughts cannot unfold a plan
Mark Kolke
338,760
201.8
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
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Sunday, March 02, 2008
Comments Mar. 2 – re: why we stay
Wow. Your "why we stay" piece scored a direct hit with me. Stopped me in my tracks on a busy day and brought me immediately back to an inky black night in the late fall of 1997 when I stood alone on the front lawn of my apartment and looked up at Hale-Bop comet, which was streaking by overhead at that time, though its movement was imperceptible from where I stood in the universe. That night, I quietly wept as I contemplated by beloved father's impending passing from this life. He had terminal cancer and, as it turned out, would be gone in a matter of a few short weeks. Hale-Bop was metaphor for so many things in my mind that night--not the least of which was the fleeting, yet glorious, nature of life on earth. I think of my father every day and am grateful for having had the privilege of seeing, and being some part of, his blazing, unforgettable, joyful, and inspiring light. Thank you for that reminder, Mark, and for the opportunity to share these thoughts with others. Keep on doing what you do, SB, Pennsylvania
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I haven't anything for some weeks, and wondered if you were still publishing, DBW, Calgary
RE: the common mistake - Hi Mark, Your musing about thinking “everyone else is flawed” triggered a memory of a discussion I had recently. We reached the conclusion that we tend to judge others by their actions but we tend to judge ourselves by our intentions. I strive now to cut others some slack and to examine more closely whether I have done what I intended or not.. AR Calgary
RE: the common mistake - Hi Mark, Your musing about thinking “everyone else is flawed” triggered a memory of a discussion I had recently. We reached the conclusion that we tend to judge others by their actions but we tend to judge ourselves by our intentions. I strive now to cut others some slack and to examine more closely whether I have done what I intended or not.. AR Calgary
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
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why we stay - Sunday Mar. 2, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: -7C/18F, overcast, breezy, a long slow walk, Gusta reigned in, this black and blue lump at the end of my leg starting to function again, albeit slowly; winter’s drab dusty sea of twigs and green-black boughs silhouetted against a deep gray sky, fog thick but not fog, cloud reaches down, earth reaches up
center of gravity is usually a physical description of an object’s point at which mass behaves as if it were concentrated; mine, I suppose, is at center – above waist (seems to be the most spherical spot), below ribcage, sandwiched between ossobuco alla milanese and chocolate cake (an OK movie, good company and we had to eat!) is where things are concentrated; we all have one, we’ve all heard the term - as though our bodies have this physical property – an object spinning on a gyro-something, evaluated for its place where balance and equilibrium meet
I wonder if similar properties relate to our emotional side – when gravity is seriousness, solemn and dignified – I saw some yesterday; I saw it in my feelings as I wheeled by dad out of hospital, took him home, got him settled at home - his center of gravity; a place where learnedness takes over from learning, where knowing takes over from not knowing, where sleep drifts back to wait-less-ness; I think he is somewhere very special, a state of mind and peace I envy but do not fully understand – somewhere between a spiritual place, a place of readiness and a state of completeness
low slung sports car hugs road, its center of gravity low to the ground; someone designed it that way – maybe we can design our emotional or spiritual center to better hug the earth, or someone or something; I know he has found his; I wonder if I have found mine – it seems to me that it should be a pace of depth, perception of depth, deepness, drilling down inside to find a bottom, there must be one place where things level off, where there is nothing beneath – nothing more to be unearthed
mostly I think it is a state of wait-less-ness, a lightness of being that comes with a soft smile and gentle hug – his wispy white hair floating weightlessly
gravity makes us stay on earth, even if we are down under, gravity makes the apple fall from the tree rather than floating weightlessly away; gravity does more than make us stay on earth, it is why we stay on earth
Mark Kolke
338,784
201.6
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
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Saturday, March 01, 2008
Comments Mar. 1 – re: the common mistake
Mind telling me how I got on this list? I haven’t killed it yet and I'm not mad but did we meet or something are u even in a biz related to mine? Heck u may end up being useful to me. Please let me know, AN, Largo, FL
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Have been receiving your musing email, and I am enjoying it. I forgot how or who sent you my email address... but I am glad you found me. I know now that you enjoy writing, do you enjoy speaking as well? I am a member of the Toastmasters Int'l, we meet every Tuesday. If you're free, would love to meet you in person, so will my club, next Tuesday, Best, ZN, Calgary
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Missed your musing today - everything ok?, SB, Calgary
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
the common mistake - Saturday Mar. 1, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: 1C/34F, overcast, stiff north breeze brought sleet and threat of snow; I managed a 4-block round trip under my own power, then a loop around the crescent with Gusta which went pretty well until a rabbit leapt out from a tree which triggered Gusta to pull me out of my equilibrium; ankle better, foot still swollen - ice helps – but putting a shoe on is an excruciating reminder of a mis-step mistake; reading papers, great sleep, well rested, so fortunate – some leftover work to do, lots of chores done for me by PB (thanks), lots to be grateful for; expecting to take my dad home from hospital today . . we are all so lucky
the biggest mistake we make, is underestimating others – the preconceived notion that everyone is flawed, mis-directed and hopelessly on the wrong track; I see this often as people (me too) say ‘I always try to look for the best in everyone’ yet our actions appear contrary to that
I don’t hear of anyone advocating the development of wrong ways to do things (maybe we should); when I look around, it seems every organization, government or individual (me too) try to do something right we get parts of it wrong
we western world types, it seems to me, are bent on finding the right way to do everything – the right way to talk, to listen, to learn, to teach, to consume, to produce, to make something more efficiently, to cure things, to create and/or fix relationships of every kind, to solve things – as if each problem of people or countries has a simple, elegant and ideal solution; all we have to do is buy the right book, see the right flick or vote the right way and all will be fine . . . cough, cough, sputter
in mistake comes learning, in mistake comes discovery, in mistake comes a reason to think harder, work harder, do better, do different
whether I have my foot on the ice or in my mouth, whether I work hard or take a day off – the biggest mistake I make is in having expectations of anything or anyone because I am so often so very wrong; my surprise is most often positive, but not always; make no mistake, there is no way to avoid making a mistake
moving less, sitting more – time to think, to stare out a window at the dreary drabness knowing spring will be along soon, brain busy, body idle; I need to start being less surprised when people disappoint, perhaps funneling that energy into greater appreciation for those who so greatly, grandly and beautifully exceed my expectations
imagine, instead of the common cold, someone inventing a cure for the common mistake – but if they did, we would miss out on so much worth learning
Mark Kolke
338,808
199.8
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
What do you think? Join the discussion - comments are welcomed - please write.
To subscribe to Mark's Musings daily email distribution, write to mark@markmusing.com
©2008 MaxComm Communications
walk report: 1C/34F, overcast, stiff north breeze brought sleet and threat of snow; I managed a 4-block round trip under my own power, then a loop around the crescent with Gusta which went pretty well until a rabbit leapt out from a tree which triggered Gusta to pull me out of my equilibrium; ankle better, foot still swollen - ice helps – but putting a shoe on is an excruciating reminder of a mis-step mistake; reading papers, great sleep, well rested, so fortunate – some leftover work to do, lots of chores done for me by PB (thanks), lots to be grateful for; expecting to take my dad home from hospital today . . we are all so lucky
the biggest mistake we make, is underestimating others – the preconceived notion that everyone is flawed, mis-directed and hopelessly on the wrong track; I see this often as people (me too) say ‘I always try to look for the best in everyone’ yet our actions appear contrary to that
I don’t hear of anyone advocating the development of wrong ways to do things (maybe we should); when I look around, it seems every organization, government or individual (me too) try to do something right we get parts of it wrong
we western world types, it seems to me, are bent on finding the right way to do everything – the right way to talk, to listen, to learn, to teach, to consume, to produce, to make something more efficiently, to cure things, to create and/or fix relationships of every kind, to solve things – as if each problem of people or countries has a simple, elegant and ideal solution; all we have to do is buy the right book, see the right flick or vote the right way and all will be fine . . . cough, cough, sputter
in mistake comes learning, in mistake comes discovery, in mistake comes a reason to think harder, work harder, do better, do different
whether I have my foot on the ice or in my mouth, whether I work hard or take a day off – the biggest mistake I make is in having expectations of anything or anyone because I am so often so very wrong; my surprise is most often positive, but not always; make no mistake, there is no way to avoid making a mistake
moving less, sitting more – time to think, to stare out a window at the dreary drabness knowing spring will be along soon, brain busy, body idle; I need to start being less surprised when people disappoint, perhaps funneling that energy into greater appreciation for those who so greatly, grandly and beautifully exceed my expectations
imagine, instead of the common cold, someone inventing a cure for the common mistake – but if they did, we would miss out on so much worth learning
Mark Kolke
338,808
199.8
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
What do you think? Join the discussion - comments are welcomed - please write.
To subscribe to Mark's Musings daily email distribution, write to mark@markmusing.com
©2008 MaxComm Communications
Friday, February 29, 2008
Comments Feb. 29 – re: observing leap day
Look at this, the extra day and Mark has no opinion, just observing. Are we witness to change? "T", WT, Calgary
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Hey Mark, I used to receive your email but some how fell off the list. Hope things are going well. Regards, KR, Airdrie, AB
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In regards to your ankle try this old remedy that worked wonders for me back in my soccer playing days in England. Get a bucket of cold water and fill it up. Then fill the bath tub up, to the required depth, with hot water and stick your foot in the tub for 30 seconds, before transferring it to the bucket for 30 seconds. Alternate between the hot and cold, for about 10 minutes or so. It is important to try and get the water as hot and as cold as you can bear. Trust me it works, heck you will be kicking a ball by Monday !! Regards, PT, Calgary
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Hey Mark - You forgot the BIG DEAL about leap day - this is the traditional day when the woman gets to ask the man to marry... So here it goes! Nah, I guess I'll stay single another 4 years. Aside to PB... This is your big chance! CH, Chimacum, WA
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Yes observing is nice, the holiday for it is a different thing I think!! Too much I suppose!! Your musings are great to read and a lot of how I think. Hope your ankle gets better, keep the peas on all the time!! Good thing it did not break, that REALLY hurts, RW, ?
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This was sent to me by one of my co-workers. It is good to read. Of course we would all agree: When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 glasses of wine... A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was. The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it in to the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with an unanimous "yes." The professor then produced two glasses of wine from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand The students laughed. "Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things; your family, your children, your health, your friends, and your favorite passions; things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full." The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, and your car. The sand is everything else; the small stuff. "If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "There's no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you." "Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. Play another 18. Do one more run down the ski slope. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first; the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand." One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the wine represented. The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of glasses of wine with a friend." Share this with a friend. I JUST DID! Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds discuss people.; BB, Vancouver, BC
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
observing leap day - Friday Feb. 29, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: -4C/25F, clear, Gusta breakfasting after backyard romp-a-round; my ankle tightly taped, then tightly wrapped in frozen gel-pack, I took a walk-without-dog around the crescent, sidewalks bare and dry, no leaping for me, local rabbits observed me, puzzled to see me walking (shuffling is walking) without rambunctious yellow dog pulling me off balance; examining my first severely sprained ankle by twisting it in every painful direction possible, the doctor observed it would have hurt far less if I’d just broken it – now, 25 years and many sprains later, doctors are similarly unsympathetic and they hurt (the sprain, not the comments) just as much
we leap to conclusions, take leaps of faith, leap (some folks) over icy patches . .
‘Oh the wild joys of living! The leaping from rock to rock . . . the cool silver shock of the plunge in a pool’s living waters.’ – Robert Browning
in hospital for observation, my dad is observing the nurses, doctors, equipment and rules while they observe him, standing by waiting for a reoccurrence of severe abdominal pain they can’t figure out; meanwhile, I’m observing my amazing dad; he’s not rich in monetary terms but he regularly shows me a wealth of skills and grace I will likely never match
retired working guy – he never had grand ambitions, never leapt to conclusions or radical action; his recipe for success was just his work ethic, integrity as taught by his dad’s example, a smile, and a tendency to keep things to himself – I’ve been observing him do that consistently for the 56 years I’ve known him
when I called to check on his condition an emergency room nurse effusively launched into a testimonial about what a sweetheart of a guy he is and what a pleasure it is to take care of him; no caregiver has ever said that about me
a leap day holiday would be a nice idea – one day every 4 years, a holiday for observing leaping in its many forms; no leaping today, I’m just observing - maybe I’ll find a way to be nicer
Mark Kolke
338,832
198.9
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
What do you think? Join the discussion - comments are welcomed - please write.
To subscribe to Mark's Musings daily email distribution, write to mark@markmusing.com
©2008 MaxComm Communications
walk report: -4C/25F, clear, Gusta breakfasting after backyard romp-a-round; my ankle tightly taped, then tightly wrapped in frozen gel-pack, I took a walk-without-dog around the crescent, sidewalks bare and dry, no leaping for me, local rabbits observed me, puzzled to see me walking (shuffling is walking) without rambunctious yellow dog pulling me off balance; examining my first severely sprained ankle by twisting it in every painful direction possible, the doctor observed it would have hurt far less if I’d just broken it – now, 25 years and many sprains later, doctors are similarly unsympathetic and they hurt (the sprain, not the comments) just as much
we leap to conclusions, take leaps of faith, leap (some folks) over icy patches . .
‘Oh the wild joys of living! The leaping from rock to rock . . . the cool silver shock of the plunge in a pool’s living waters.’ – Robert Browning
in hospital for observation, my dad is observing the nurses, doctors, equipment and rules while they observe him, standing by waiting for a reoccurrence of severe abdominal pain they can’t figure out; meanwhile, I’m observing my amazing dad; he’s not rich in monetary terms but he regularly shows me a wealth of skills and grace I will likely never match
retired working guy – he never had grand ambitions, never leapt to conclusions or radical action; his recipe for success was just his work ethic, integrity as taught by his dad’s example, a smile, and a tendency to keep things to himself – I’ve been observing him do that consistently for the 56 years I’ve known him
when I called to check on his condition an emergency room nurse effusively launched into a testimonial about what a sweetheart of a guy he is and what a pleasure it is to take care of him; no caregiver has ever said that about me
a leap day holiday would be a nice idea – one day every 4 years, a holiday for observing leaping in its many forms; no leaping today, I’m just observing - maybe I’ll find a way to be nicer
Mark Kolke
338,832
198.9
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
What do you think? Join the discussion - comments are welcomed - please write.
To subscribe to Mark's Musings daily email distribution, write to mark@markmusing.com
©2008 MaxComm Communications
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Comments Feb. 28 – re: praise for frozen peas and PB
Hi Mark, I hope the ankle recovers quickly. I wiped out on some ice a few weeks ago and tore the hamstring in my left leg. Ouch!, SB, Calgary
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A timely musing. I too had some adventures while walking our Golden this AM but survived intact and in one piece. My wife on the other hand managed to break her ankle on the 16th while taking the dog out for a walk. Unfortunately, no one was home and she had to hop and crawl the three blocks back, BH, Calgary
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I hope your ankle isn't too bad...definitely a slippery morning today. I parked my car and got out and observed a vehicle sliding down the hill into the curb, flipping onto it's side then back upright. I ran across the road to check on the driver and call 911. I didn't leave until all the emergency responders had arrived and I had filled out the police report. I wouldn't have thought of not responding, or of not staying until I had done everything I could. I have had others do the same for me in the past. What goes around, comes around. SL, Calgary
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Having a dog who needs walks makes me vulnerable to these kind of spills as well. I thank my trainers at the gym when I hit an ice patch and I am able to avoid hitting the pavement. Those balancing exercises do have a purpose! In the past I have suffered a broken shoulder and a broken wrist, thanks to the ice under the snow. Hope your ankle feels better, Mark. You are lucky to have a PB, AW, Calgary
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Shall we nickname you KLUTZ? I could give up the moniker that used to be so familiar to moi!? Truly sorry you had a tumble, but more so ~ very disappointed in the people near by who obviously hadn’t a moment of kindness in their souls to ask such a simple question as “do you need help?”. It says an awful lot about our city and the people, so consumed with self, that not a moment is spared for others. I pity them! AHHH, those bags of peas, aren’t they a wonderful invention. I hate peas, but I always have a bag in the freezer, so at least, in my mind, they have a purpose. So when I down and blue, don’t, PLEASE, don’t make me a Comfort Casserole with peas! Take care my friend!, kk, Calgary
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As an addicted walker you badly need to purchase some aids. Check with your nearest shoe store or repair shop and find the rubber slip on devices with the steel sole grips. These change a troublesome weather situation into no issue at all, DR, ?
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Mark, do you have a musing that talks about how proud you are of your daughters? If so please forward it to me. I am glad that all is working so beautifully with PB. I am also in a very special relationship with a wonderful partner. Thanks, VL, Englewood, CO
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You spoke up when I needed assistance – thank you for that. I'm doing much better now, but I do keep in mind that it is all a process and it doesn't always go in a straight line or even in just one direction, SH, Calgary
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Mark, hope your ankle is not too badly damaged. Your prose is as enthralling as ever though, so I imagine you avoided bumping your noggin (at least too hard). Regards, DA, Vancouver, BC
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
©2008 MaxComm Communications
praise for frozen peas and PB - Thursday Feb. 28, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: -3C/28F, Gusta owns no responsibility for pulling at the wrong moment, fresh wet snow (still falling) blanket obscuring ice beneath, still falling, would still have brought me down – slow-mo calamity inevitable (a guy fell on the same spot 5 minutes later notwithstanding my warning) – crumpled my carcass to earth but only after propeller-like leg movements moved some air around, one pound at a time, starting with my right ankle, stranded by a soccer field 3 blocks from this keyboard where I awaited PB’s rescue (thank you!) ; we witnessed two falls on the short drive back from the fall scene
rehearsing is repetition, hopefully with modifications for improvement each time; I remember three years ago, in similar conditions, flat on my back wondering why I didn’t have my cell phone with me in case I couldn’t get up or make my way home
frozen pea ice-pack clutching my ankle, I know stumbles and falls aren’t planned or fate – falls and lessons, like most things in life, come when they come – whiz by and are easily missed, so what am I meant to pause on, think on, write on now?
I’ll buy tape and truss the ankle, otherwise I doubt I’ll lose productivity today – doubt I’ll reschedule much - but I know for sure I’ll be thinking differently than if I hadn’t fallen
walking can be hazardous to health, as can not walking; today’s ego-ectomy could only have been prevented by not going out because a different route had the same risks laid out before me, waiting for my arrival and fall; sprawled helpless in the gutter, traffic going by – another walker falling – dog anxious to romp; drivers did not stop, driveway shoveling folks couldn’t spare time to say ‘hey you there, you - on the ground - are you OK?’
I’ve learned from my dad’s experiences in recent years, falls are not something to take as lightly at this stage of life as I did when toddler-hood morphed through sports and countless other tumbles toward maturity - but it seems I’m still falling
rehearsal is great if we know what we are preparing for but most of life is not done according to plan or a schedule – it seems that way every day, but every day it seems everyday things alter the course, mess with the schedule and bring new things into focus
today’s lesson for me may be about staying inside in cold weather, but I think not; not about walking or falling or rehearsing, I think more about noticing others not noticing, wondering how often that was me walking by or staying silent when someone was having trouble, in need of assistance
Mark Kolke
338,856
199.8
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
What do you think? Join the discussion - comments are welcomed - please write.
To subscribe to Mark's Musings daily email distribution, write to mark@markmusing.com
©2008 MaxComm Communications
walk report: -3C/28F, Gusta owns no responsibility for pulling at the wrong moment, fresh wet snow (still falling) blanket obscuring ice beneath, still falling, would still have brought me down – slow-mo calamity inevitable (a guy fell on the same spot 5 minutes later notwithstanding my warning) – crumpled my carcass to earth but only after propeller-like leg movements moved some air around, one pound at a time, starting with my right ankle, stranded by a soccer field 3 blocks from this keyboard where I awaited PB’s rescue (thank you!) ; we witnessed two falls on the short drive back from the fall scene
rehearsing is repetition, hopefully with modifications for improvement each time; I remember three years ago, in similar conditions, flat on my back wondering why I didn’t have my cell phone with me in case I couldn’t get up or make my way home
frozen pea ice-pack clutching my ankle, I know stumbles and falls aren’t planned or fate – falls and lessons, like most things in life, come when they come – whiz by and are easily missed, so what am I meant to pause on, think on, write on now?
I’ll buy tape and truss the ankle, otherwise I doubt I’ll lose productivity today – doubt I’ll reschedule much - but I know for sure I’ll be thinking differently than if I hadn’t fallen
walking can be hazardous to health, as can not walking; today’s ego-ectomy could only have been prevented by not going out because a different route had the same risks laid out before me, waiting for my arrival and fall; sprawled helpless in the gutter, traffic going by – another walker falling – dog anxious to romp; drivers did not stop, driveway shoveling folks couldn’t spare time to say ‘hey you there, you - on the ground - are you OK?’
I’ve learned from my dad’s experiences in recent years, falls are not something to take as lightly at this stage of life as I did when toddler-hood morphed through sports and countless other tumbles toward maturity - but it seems I’m still falling
rehearsal is great if we know what we are preparing for but most of life is not done according to plan or a schedule – it seems that way every day, but every day it seems everyday things alter the course, mess with the schedule and bring new things into focus
today’s lesson for me may be about staying inside in cold weather, but I think not; not about walking or falling or rehearsing, I think more about noticing others not noticing, wondering how often that was me walking by or staying silent when someone was having trouble, in need of assistance
Mark Kolke
338,856
199.8
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
What do you think? Join the discussion - comments are welcomed - please write.
To subscribe to Mark's Musings daily email distribution, write to mark@markmusing.com
©2008 MaxComm Communications
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Comments Feb. 27 – re: news overload
How true. If the reading public stood up for itself and insisted on better research and more information, at least including the wording of the question, then better information would be available. Or are many people happier when the media edits out anything that might challenge widely held, but erroneous, understandings?, LHE, Calgary
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Well...thanks for staying in touch. I enjoy your excellent & insightful writings...& I am delighted that you have found someone so special to share your love & life. Fondly, JH, Kelowna, BC
...
To subscribe to Mark's Musings daily email distribution, write to mark@markmusing.com
©2008 MaxComm Communications
©2008 MaxComm Communications
news overload - Wednesday Feb. 27, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: 7C/44F, overcast, Chinook arch, steady light breeze; bare lawns expand reach, snow banks on north sides of houses hold their ground, Gusta not caring about the weather change or which way the wind is blowing, keen to romp (as I write this she is doing sprints in the back yard oblivious to me watching); is it Chinook time or spring time?
too many questions, too many polls, too many messages, not enough understanding, too little feedback from too narrow a point of view; opinion pollsters gauging winds of change seem less intent on knowing views, more focused on testing theories by way of how they craft questions, skewing answers to support some trend imagined; I read (or listen to) the daily collage barrage volume of ‘message’ trends (John Naisbitt would cringe); is the budget right, is a campaign promise affordable, is some notion better than another?
when answers don’t support their view, they consider the research incomplete and go on to ask more questions while media adversaries tend to skew things the opposite way - in theory - to ensure contrary views are heard, unpopular trends are exposed and charlatans pilloried, too often they become makers of news rather than reporters of it
budgets, campaigns, issues – dominate my news horizon; it occurs to me that leaders, wannabe leader and pretenders to the throne are just like us as children; they, at their core, exhibit traits no different than our childish ways of avoiding consequences of acts, avoiding exposure of what we failed to do, of what we failed to do well, of what we forgot to do, of what we are bound to be in trouble for if found out – media presume we crave to know about every microscopic piece of dust, analysis far from objective or insightful such that advertising hype for a new movie seems more credible to me
politicians, economists and stock pickers alike - less concerned knowing which way the wind is blowing or how hard, they know which answers serve their purpose – then organize their data, theories and questions to generate the answers they want to hear
evaluating effectiveness is not about truth objectively viewed any more than saying ‘it is windy today’ tells me El Niño or La Niña are at work or taking a holiday; if questions are created for the sole purpose of generating a particular type of answer, it become hard to know if the wind is blowing at all or which way
Mark Kolke
338,980
199.7
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
What do you think? Join the discussion - comments are welcomed - please write.
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Comments Feb. 26 – re: I got change coming
My question to you is…who is they?…SS, Calgary
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Thanks. Check out our new blog hosted by yours truly at www.sony.com/electronicsblog , Best regards, RC, California
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Even though I enjoy reading you, I must ask that you remove me from your distribution list. The email address is my work address and this kind of email contravenes our Company policy. Thanks for your understanding, ND, Toronto, ON
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
I got change - Tuesday Feb. 26, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: -5C/22F, clear, sidewalks bare, blood and adrenalin flowing, we walked twice our usual distance, a change of habit - Gusta rolling on her back in the frozen yard, wiggling like she’s trying to molt - massage effects a byproduct I suppose
I paid for something the other day with cash (they didn’t take cheques or credit or debit cards) – I got change
‘All human actions have one or more of these seven causes: chance, nature, compulsions, habit, reason, passion and desire.’ - Aristotle
‘Habit is stronger than reason.’ – George Santayana
they say - habits once begun rarely change; I’m not talking about smoking or drinking or another vice; habits, norms, how we do stuff, how we treat people rarely change; what we started with stays with us – in part from the comfort of feeling ‘normal’ but more from the discomfort that comes with efforts to change
they say - habits change as much as people do – not much, habits are so ingrained they are auto-response things we have our minds and bodies trained to do; changing is not difficult intellectually, but changing habit is a huge mountain to climb
they say - acceptance of things as they are, especially ones we cannot change, is a good thing; simple in theory when it involves others, but acceptance in self and in our children (seems appropriate to struggle with nonetheless) can easily be described as futile because clear thinking and clear vision get twisted up somehow as we deal with confluence of tasks, plans, objectives and things labeled GOAL - constantly obscuring our view of our true goal
they say - youth is wasted on the young; reading that or saying it rings more true as each year goes by, not because I see talent wasted more or less than before but because I see reflected in others so many examples of how I squandered opportunities, so many examples of how habit kept me on tracks different than those leading to what I wanted
that’s what they say . . .
hard to separate, I’m reviewing my habits and routines – measuring how they connect to my goal
I got change coming
Mark Kolke
339,004
199.4
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
What do you think? Join the discussion - comments are welcomed - please write.
To subscribe to Mark's Musings daily email distribution, write to mark@markmusing.com
walk report: -5C/22F, clear, sidewalks bare, blood and adrenalin flowing, we walked twice our usual distance, a change of habit - Gusta rolling on her back in the frozen yard, wiggling like she’s trying to molt - massage effects a byproduct I suppose
I paid for something the other day with cash (they didn’t take cheques or credit or debit cards) – I got change
‘All human actions have one or more of these seven causes: chance, nature, compulsions, habit, reason, passion and desire.’ - Aristotle
‘Habit is stronger than reason.’ – George Santayana
they say - habits once begun rarely change; I’m not talking about smoking or drinking or another vice; habits, norms, how we do stuff, how we treat people rarely change; what we started with stays with us – in part from the comfort of feeling ‘normal’ but more from the discomfort that comes with efforts to change
they say - habits change as much as people do – not much, habits are so ingrained they are auto-response things we have our minds and bodies trained to do; changing is not difficult intellectually, but changing habit is a huge mountain to climb
they say - acceptance of things as they are, especially ones we cannot change, is a good thing; simple in theory when it involves others, but acceptance in self and in our children (seems appropriate to struggle with nonetheless) can easily be described as futile because clear thinking and clear vision get twisted up somehow as we deal with confluence of tasks, plans, objectives and things labeled GOAL - constantly obscuring our view of our true goal
they say - youth is wasted on the young; reading that or saying it rings more true as each year goes by, not because I see talent wasted more or less than before but because I see reflected in others so many examples of how I squandered opportunities, so many examples of how habit kept me on tracks different than those leading to what I wanted
that’s what they say . . .
hard to separate, I’m reviewing my habits and routines – measuring how they connect to my goal
I got change coming
Mark Kolke
339,004
199.4
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
What do you think? Join the discussion - comments are welcomed - please write.
To subscribe to Mark's Musings daily email distribution, write to mark@markmusing.com
Monday, February 25, 2008
fresh original - Monday Feb. 25, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: -6C/20F, overcast/ice-fog, light dusting of snow, just enough to obscure every icy patch, but we found them anyway; Gusta happy romping in the yard, munching a frozen bone when she takes a break, then repeating wind-sprints like they are first time events
so often a new day or week brings so much opportunity for draining dull repetition, reminding us that fresh original is more exciting than an old copy; fresh idea, fresh thought – rarely fresh or original - just new to me in their current form; thoughts to dwell on, thoughts arrive fresh at brain’s door – not so much fresh as they are survivors
I sold a short ‘survivor’ piece last week – an old piece re-worked, pasted together with a new beginning and end – ideas now renewed, freshness substituted for originality
thoughts we’ve not encountered before have likely been run through the strainer of thousands of better minds many thousands of times, not new, quite old really - tried though not necessarily true, until tried by you and me, until worn through by you and me they are fresh . . as fresh as Monday morning though Monday morning seems to be as old as the concept of a week which makes it pretty hold, so I wonder how it could be fresh
fresh means new days, unspoiled hours - fresh is new, the opposite of stale, tired, old, used etc.; fresh foods, fresh air, fresh start, fresh adventure, fresh conflict, fresh challenge, fresh ideas
like a recipe or a morning walk, each something I start - with my fingerprint on it - is as truly original and likely to be fresh as each snowflake, many thousands of times, every Monday, every day, fresh whenever I want it to be
Mark Kolke
339,028
199.5
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
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Sunday, February 24, 2008
Comments Feb. 24 – re: balance shifts
I haven't seen "Vantage Point," but have read an on-line critique, which is almost identical to yours. "Neglected issues come back with a vengeance, neglect prevention is its own reward;" how true. Perhaps thinking on its own is over-rated, and indeed purposeful creativity is to be exalted. How else the great philosophies and art of history, with their rewards? But do not underestimate the worth of the spontaneous thought. That is, I believe , how Einstein discovered the principle of equivalence, and rumoured to be how Newton discovered gravity. I will treasure each thought of mine; it is all mine and no one else's, and will be filed away in my memory banks to be drawn on at will at some future time for use or embellishment as the case may require, EG,Calgary
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balance shifts - Sunday Feb. 24, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: -6C/21F, overcast, lots of fresh scent at the soccer fields kept Gusta occupied until she spied a frisky pup a block away – each of them straining up on hind legs stretching their leash to maximum tension, still more snow/ice than turf, the balance shifting
PB and I saw Vantage Point last night - action, repetition, action, repetition, car chase scene, repetition – too many undeveloped stories and unexplored characters thrust together in a cash production movie - reservoir of ideas run dry, too much content, not enough technique; I came away not really knowing any of the characters well at all, the plot never explained (perhaps the plot was to get my cash and park me in a seat based on slick marketing and a big name cast)
any scene on screen or off, same old recipe every day, or on a walk or at work, on top of the world or under the gun, in good times and in bad weather – balance shifting alternate views, new vantage points, refresh pleasures, squeeze dull out of routine, add spice and a new rub because reacting to a disruption in our equilibrium gets our attention, brings us up to account to the person we see in the mirror – made better if hugged by someone friendly – neglected issues come back with a vengeance, neglect prevention is its own reward
on its own, thinking is over-rated, but thinking while doing something worthy gets the entire mind-body rig equipped, powerful and drilling for the pay zone, gets the balance shifting - technique applied to a cause, fresh ideas introduced to understanding offer deeper meaning, not content with sensation alone . . drilling deeper; dried prairie landscape, a place where water wells and oil wells dry up, their reservoirs drained of life – but imagine rejuvenation, stimulating flow and pressure and extraction again, long after wind dried, long after rusting machinery ground arthritically to a halt
machinery of mind and body creak too – like implements left too long in the yard, they need more than fresh paint and pumping to give them life - stimulating conversation brings flesh and bone, muscle and tendon back to life, a derailed train of thought placed back on its tracks can haul the load home - action, repetition, action, repetition - balance shifts
Mark Kolke
339,052
197.8
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
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Saturday, February 23, 2008
Feb 23 Comments re: truth and politics
I belong to a union 367,000 strong, we are the disabled of Alberta, imagine if we all voted as one. "T", WT, Calgary
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truth and politics - Saturday Feb. 23, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: -7C/20F, clear, calm; yard snow recedes daily, encourages spring thinking, Gusta, used to being harassed one magpie at a time, found a raucous caucus of them disconcerting – they seem to be disorganized, leaderless, not focused in any direction or purpose other than surviving while sniping at others – difficult to tell if they are discussing magpie politics or when spring will arrive
collectively we have abdicated thinking for ourselves, given up wanting freedom to participate in how we are governed, instead leaving it to TV and blogs to inform us of what is important or who to vote for; fact and opinion matter but we’ve been numbed into some state of not caring because it doesn’t matter, not getting involved because we cannot affect the outcome, not engaging because ‘things are pretty good’
leadership deserves followership – we crave the first, participate abysmally in the second; ‘first world’ countries have freedom won on the backs and blood of those gone before, taking as a given something so precious it is ‘to die for’ as many millions have while we content ourselves in channel surfing apathy, scoffing at those in the arena; right now, I ponder if the people of Kosovo understand participation in democracy better than Canadians or Americans
choosing leaders, we seem to want a popularity contest to produce a clear, articulate and charismatic winner – to be able to say ‘I voted for him/her’ while dismissing yesterday’s man as worthless, someone who never got it right – little wonder great men and women choose other fields to succeed and prosper; using the words truth and politics in the same sentence generates giggles instead of respect, gratitude and reverence
good government will prevail, democratic rights, fair play, opportunity and freedom will always be protected - we assume they will, just as we assume they are now, in spite of so much contrary evidence; armchair judgment always shifting; change is good, right? change is bad, right? that depends; sound bites don’t make change or confirm anyone has the skill to affect change any more than ideas proposed will really affect change at all
this silly season unfolds, I wonder to what degree we, the pandered to, truly thirst to follow anything or anyone, how strongly we feel both need and responsibility to cast votes, contribute to decisions and truly affect change with our vote
media coverage doesn’t make it true any more than a house full of tulips makes it spring
Mark Kolke
339,076
199.3
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
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Friday, February 22, 2008
Feb 22 Comments re: hoping for a breakthrough
I watched the Austin, Texas debate last night (I didn't think our local production would have any impact on our future) I actually think the "Obama Movement" just could galvanize the American people enough to make a positive impact on the future of democracy, and could reverse the decline of American influence in the world. This is a man I consider to be the potential equal of the great ones before him, eg Lincoln, FDR and JFK. In general, those individuals who have made the most lasting difference in world history have not been politicians, but rather the founders of religions and ideologies the great scientists and inventors and explorers. That's my take, EG, Calgary
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hoping for a breakthrough - Friday Feb. 22, 2008
today's column written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: -5C/23F, joggers on sidewalks still patchy with snowmelt risk leg breakage, back pack laden boys hustling to school bus take time to jump on yesterday’s puddles hoping for a breakthrough, Gusta their eager witness; Edmonton trip-end ritual visit to the BonTon for pecan rolls yesterday produced encounter with AH – great to see you - he made Gusta’s day or, perhaps, the other way round – decompress drive back aided by mountain backlit rosy glow, like a worn crosscut blade laid on the prairie, glint on metal, shining through the missing teeth
last night Alberta and US political debates - reality shows, teach, instruct and expose shortcomings without explanation proving little; debate it was not, but that is what they call it, political rivals duke it out like gladiators from ancient ruins, hastily crafted words their weapons – like that child trying to break through ice, entertaining to watch the futility for a few minutes – no substance to the outcome
parties and media think we are stupid and lazy all at the same time – that we cannot understand complexity, that we will believe solutions to long standing problems can be solved with a sound-bite or a single decisive action
I’m hoping for a breakthrough but my optimism is waning - I sometimes wonder if the leaders who purport to lead us are really chosen by the collective ‘us’ or if it is really a random result driven by when we got tired of thinking because we forget that process does not trump a great idea, routine dismissal never stopped a flood, rhetoric neither fixes the world or makes it go faster
Mark Kolke
339,100
199.4
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
What do you think? Join the discussion - comments are welcomed - please write.To subscribe to Mark's Musings daily email distribution, write to mark@markmusing.com©2008 MaxComm Communications
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Feb 21 Comments re: those who won’t
Mark, thank you for allowing yourself to be revealed in your vignettes of daily musings. I don’t get to read all of them….but when I do I can acknowledge, reflect and feel connected to the web and flow of life that brings together our similarities. Thank you for sharing, MTM, Calgary
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Thanks, Mark. I really appreciate your posting my info on St. Baldrick’s. Be exceptionally well, SW, New Orleans, Louisiana
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I watched the eclipse, since it could be done from my balcony. However, I suddenly realized that I didn't know why the moon turns red, and decided I needed to know that there and then. So, on a website called something like "Eclipses for Beginners" I found that it comes from sunlight being refracted by our atmosphere bathing the moon in red. Again, a comparison of those who question and those who don't, those who grow and those who don't. To question and find answers is to grow, as it is equivalent to growing from experience. May I never lose that capacity, EG, Calgary
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Maui was, as always, beautiful, soul restoring, and calming. And the snorkeling was great too. Dad was clear, calm and serene to the end. Another victim, in many ways, to the dual daggers of Parkenson’s and the Alberta “who” Cares (not the Alberta Health Care) system. I’m at a new job. Feels like fun so far. Beautiful ring, hopeful future and August is a good month, SB, Calgary
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To subscribe to Mark's Musings daily email distribution, write to mark@markmusing.com©2008 MaxComm Communications
those who don’t - Thursday Feb. 21, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from an internet café on Jasper Avenue in downtown Edmonton
walk report: -9C/16 F, clear, full moon led us, Calder rail yard shuffles bounced through the stillness like a steady jazz beat, Gusta found a rabbit less interesting than a snowman family complete with scarves, carrot noses and hats – she couldn’t understand why they wouldn’t pet her no matter how wildly her tail wagged
27 of my 56 years lived here – precious friends, children and memories still do – belated birthday dinner with Krista (we opted for awesome pasta at Il Pasticcio in favor of watching the lunar eclipse), her issues, interests and dialogue delight me more and more - followed by a too brief visit/catch-up with my inn-keeper MM (longer visit needed) followed by restless night reflecting on how much I am like my kid – or the other way round – amazing what happens when cells divide in two
twists of my non-logical mind using intuition and emotion - sorting goal from tasks from wishes from dreams - twists of choice, of chance, twists and turns proving the world is divided in two – those who change and those who don’t, those who grow and those who don’t, those who settle and those who don’t, those who question and those who don’t, those who have some Edmonton in them and those who don’t
Mark Kolke
339,124
199.2
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
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Wednesday, February 20, 2008
February 20 Comments - re: 676 on my way
Love that musical - Paint Your Wagon - thanks for the recollection. And I am on my way too - heading west young? wo_man! Take care, SE, Toronto, ON
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You were only out by 10 clubs. (667) Kudu's to Ocean side life is a great place when you have experienced the alternative, best of luck. again Mark you can make it work, WT, Calgary
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Cute! So what was your speech about?, kk, Calgary
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Lucky you got to 676 and that experience. I was so fortunate yesterday as to have my speech evaluated by a District Governor, John Snelson, who happened to be visiting Nex-To-Speak. (He even liked it, made my day.) I don't know "Paint Your Wagon" although have certainly heard about it. I'm not quite sure where I'm going either, and probably won't until I get there, EG, Calgary
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Hi, Mark. I’ll keep this short and sweet. I believe in this cause and this organization enough to shave my head and volunteer my time to help organize an event. Their network is designed to all but eliminate administrative costs, passing nearly 100 percent of donations on to research and treatment institutions focused on fighting children’s cancer. Feel free to laugh at me when I’m bald … I really don’t mind at all (I’ll post an “after” photo on the St. Baldrick’s site). I figure I’m in brave company when I look at the kids on the St. Baldrick’s site. I want you to give me a hard time about it, really … especially if you do so after contributing to the cause. So please go to the link below and contribute to the impending delinquency of my hair. And please pass this link along to a friend (maybe all your Musings friends?), if you like the cause. http://www.stbaldricks.org/participants/shavee_info.html?ParticipantKey=200830687 Thanks for your time and your contribution, CW, Fla?
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©2008 MaxComm Communications
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676 on my way - Wednesday Feb. 20, 2008
today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park
walk report: -6C/20F, clear and calm as morning rose, icy patches continue to dictate the walk/nimble/leap world I walk on – Gusta struggled to race ahead at the sight of a retriever jogging too fast the other way for catching up today, no doubt dreaming of future tries with better results
so much of life is fast, instant and disposable - things we’ve done before get done the same old way we’ve done them before whether 10 times or 10 thousand times - reflecting on last night’s experience I’ve been humming an old tune this morning, but somehow it seems new
things I’ve done a first time are experiment – too often I think, new things got discarded after too few tries because they didn’t work; if it doesn’t work, toss it aside, replace it and move on with strong emphasis on the ‘move on’ part
parts of it worked, parts will be tossed aside, some parts need fixing, some parts need realignment, somehow I’ll get that joke in the middle to work - I am trying to weave some concepts, connect, motivate, grip, grab, inform, entertain and be effective in delivering my message – so I’ve taken my goal stick on a road trip, working my 7 minute speech for upcoming competition
humbling - putting it mildly – but I had a good time, I really did; I attended 676 as a guest last night; 676 (Twin Rivers Club) was the 676th Toastmasters Club founded; started in 1948, this one is an experience every Toastmaster should share, to say nothing of having your speech evaluated by someone who has been at it for 41 years - the membership is diverse, eclectic and dynamic; I got feedback I was seeking, support and harsh critique too, coming away with a reinforced respect for process – many thanks to SS for inviting me, congrats to WT for masterful chairing
the tune I can’t get out of my head – from Frederick Loewe’s Paint Your Wagon -
Where am I goin'?I don't knowWhere am I headin'?I ain't certainAll I know Is I am on my way
Mark Kolke
339,148
199.5
... with your voice, teach in order to learn
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