One

Just one thing: Love

“I’ll tell you the secret to life. This one thing. Just this one thing. You stick to that and everything else don’t mean sh**,” said Curly

“What’s the one thing?” asked Mitch.

“That’s what you’ve got to figure out.” replied Curly.

TAPS

I generally watch very little television. Several months ago, however, I stumbled upon an episode of Ghost Hunters and I've been hooked on the weekly show ever since. That all paranormal activity is not evil is perhaps the one interesting and unexpected bit of data I've learned.

The image above is dedicated to all those "good" spirits out there and to my Wednesday night addiction. Peace to everyone on this holiday weekend. Be safe and please visit Helen as to why that is so important.

Update: This Saturday I go on my first official investigation. I couldn't be more excited.

Mercy

In the image above I see a bird's nest and two baby birds, eyes not open, trusting, needing, their mother or father to fill their hungry bellies. Who among us does not hunger to be held, to know that when we ask it shall be given?

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Quote of the Day

Teach me to feel another's woe, To hide the fault I see: That mercy I to others show, That mercy show to me.

Alexander Pope

Livestrong: L'Alpe d'Huez

Lance Armstrong returned to one of the most revered climbs in the Tour de France, the Alpe d'Huez, to help celebrate the 50th birthday of his close friend, Joe Aragona.

If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be? Outside the obvious, "be where you are," I could think of few places better than, as OB said the other day, letting my soul settle in the saddle of a long climb in the Alps while raising awareness in the fight against cancer.

Kudos to my good friend Lee McCroskey for surpassing 100,000 points on our fabulous cancer fighting team. Thanks Lee for your quiet dedication to this cause.

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Quote of the Day

What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.

Emerson

FLG

Flying Lump of Garlic

Props to Autumn for giving this one the name. :-D

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Quote of the Day

Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those that matter don't mind.

Dr. Seuss

Purpose

What's your purpose? No, not for your life, career, family nor this year, month, week, day or even the next hour. What is your purpose in this moment, right here, right now?

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Quote of the Day

"People are like stained glass windows. They sparkle when the sun is out, but when it gets dark they only shine if there is a light from within."

Unknown

where is my mind?

Stripped (5 videos, interview and behind the scenes)

June 2nd. Atlanta, Tabernacle. Unplugged. James Blunt will perform six of his songs. I'm driving five hours one-way to hear six songs. I've thrown logic and reason out the window since they thought I was an idiot and I've embraced unbridled enthusiasm as my new best friend. I think we are going to have a good time. :-D

The link below will take you to twenty one minutes of James Blunt and his band in concert. I take my hat off to RTÉ Television for posting the video. Next to the DVD chasing time: the bedlam sessions this is the best video of James singing several of his songs I can find. Enjoy.

The RTÉ performance.

Now, for the necessary eye candy

Mischa Barton (Goodbye My Lover video)

Windows

If I open the window to my soul would you look with eyes of compassion? Would you could you see without judgment or projection? Would you look to see what is authentically there, or would you have your own agenda? "Of course," you say. "Show me what you got."

Now, my dear, tell me what you saw. Did you see me? Or did you see your idea of me. Did you see to see or did you see to find an answer? Can you see me with your heart, see me with your soul, or does your mind take over and take control? I am here. I am open. Tell me what you see baby.

Default

A couple months ago I came upon a blog post that asked the question, "What is your default position?" Simple question and not anything new or earth shattering, yet somehow, phrased in this way it struck a chord with me and I've been unable to let it go.

The fractal above reminds me of the internal workings of a lock, an x-ray view so to speak. It's not quite lined up and the lock, not in alignment, will not open. A correctly aligned default position opens the world to us. An incorrectly aligned default position invites frustration, anger and eventual bitterness. Do you know your default position? Is it aligned?

Passion

How many times in your life have you felt absolutely, positively alive? How many times have you felt an energy about yourself that you could neither explain nor wish away, an energy outside of time and place, an energy that reverberated in the depths of your soul, an energy beyond excitement, beyond infatuation, beyond words to describe?

How many times have you worn the cloak of passion, worn a look in your eye, a bounce in your step that was instantly recognized by all who came in contact with you? How many times have you touched, have you swam in this sacred harmony with the flow of life?

The image above brings back many fond memories of those moments. I see the red of passion covered in a bright flash of electricity and the two together taking flight in defiance of the laws of gravity, spreading wings and lifting me up to places and heights I never knew existed, places that once visited forever change the landscape of your mind.

Slideshow from Blunt's performance at the Ryman. Photos taken at the Ryman Auditorium, Nashville thanks to Heather, aka babe!

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On a side note, little Maria, had to have several teeth pulled this afternoon. Poor little baby is on pain meds and antibiotics for the next few days. She was shaking like a leaf when I dropped her off this morning. And you don't even want to know how much having a handful of teeth pulled in a Yorkie costs. She wasn't the only one saying ouch. :-D

Autumn eclipes 100k

Congratulations to my dear friend Autumn Storm.

With 961 molecules completed she has exceeded 100,000 points on our fabulous cancer fighting team. Autumn joined team Andrax last August and has over 213 days of total CPU time devoted to the project. Running just a single computer, that total time should give you some idea of her dedication and commitment to this cause.

Autumn, thanks so much for your consistent and rock steady support of this research. You have been a fabulous teammate both in your online crunching and offline support of our mates who are fighting this terrible disease. I take my hat off to you dear. When you joined our team, you made everyone around you better by your example. I don't have enough kudos to send your way.

Tonight at the Ryman

James Blunt plays tonight at the Ryman, a small (capacity 2362) and superbly built hall. Tickets were sold out before I had a chance to purchase. Over the weeks I checked back frequently to no avail. What I lack in talent I make up for in persistence. Less than 24 hours before the event a single ticket became available online. I purchased it. This will be my first concert and I couldn't be more excited it will be at the famed Ryman.

Click link for my similar tribute to High

Update: Review

I touched passion tonight in a way rare enough to remind one how precious it is. From the moment Blunt came on stage, there was a look in his eye, a bounce in his step, simply a certain way he carried himself, his guitar and his lyrics that spoke a language seldom heard. Blunt doesn't sing as much as he embodies, personifies, or manifests his music. One senses no separation between his music and himself and one also senses there is no other place he would rather be than on that stage singing those songs.

The band also introduced several new songs, which continue to touch and move one in their sincere integrity. Again, one loses sense of where the song ends or James begins. I have a strong feeling his fans will continue their bluntfest with the new material.

Unexpected highlight of the night, without a doubt since I had not heard it sung before, James' rendition of I Really Want You. Oh how I wish this one was on the DVD. For those that are familiar with the song and familiar with James singing it, imagine being at his concert, never having heard him sing it, and then-BAM-there it is--a moment where my mind began to swim in timelessness. How does one put such an experience in words?

In fitting tribute, the evening was capped off with You're Beautiful. I've listened to every recorded version and watched the DVD (Chasing Time: The Bedlam Sessions) more times than I care to admit--let's just say my play count on this song is in three digits. Yet, tonight, to end the concert, I don't believe I've heard it sung better. Then again, when the entire audience sings along, there is a certain power and energy that has a tendency to move one. I was moved.

Thanks James for adding Nashville to your Tour. So Long, Jimmy. And you will be missed. See you at the bar.

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Feb. 10, 2006) – Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium will vie for its third consecutive win in the Theatre of the Year category at this week’s Pollstar Concert Industry Awards. Several Ryman staff members will attend the awards ceremony held February 15 at The Theatre at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

“Just being nominated for this award is an honor for us,” emphasizes Ryman General Manager, Pam Matthews, “Only six venues in the entire country were nominated, and we are very pleased to again be recognized in this way and to be in such impressive company. If we win the award for a third consecutive year, we will of course be thrilled, but the nomination alone is high praise indeed.”

The nominations and awards are voted on by members of the Concert Industry Consortium (CIC), an organization comprised of concert touring professionals and executives from major booking agencies, concert promotion, facility management and record companies. The Pollstar awards are regarded as the most prestigious in the industry. The list of nominees in this category includes the famed Radio City Music Hall, the Gibson (formerly Universal) Amphitheatre in Los Angeles, and the all-new 6,350 seat NOKIA Theatre Grand Prairie. If the Ryman were to win its third consecutive Theatre of the Year award, Pollstar regulations dictate that the venue would have to remove itself from consideration for the following year.

122. Recon

"Rog, get your crew in the Pod. Food is running low. See what you can find," said Kyra.

Rog didn't hesitate. "Snazzle, set the coordinates and fire up a little Mari Boine. Reagákeahtes would be a good choice."

"Rog, damnit, could you fly straight for once," snapped Em.

"Sorry Em, sometimes I just get a little carried away. Nice [censored] by the way."

"Rog! Keep your eyes on the horizon."

Planet Alex

121. Nova Rise

Super bright Nova forced the Bravo-Four-Zero crew to lower their anti-radiation shields.

"Never saw anything like it," said Rog.

"I have," winked Yul. "Meet me in my quarters and I'll tell you all about it."

Rog gave his best quaidesque grin. "Be right there."

Father and Son--a View

The power of view. The image above inspires--reminds me of a father or mother giving flight to their child, lifting them up into to the world to fly on their own.

The image below, simply rotated, has a completely different feel. I would call this one Pursuit, as it looks like the smaller object is fleeing from it's larger pursuer.

The power of view, from where we stand and how a simple angle can completely change how we see. Do you, my friend, know? Know from where you stand? Know how that angle of view colors everything you see?

Tator Tango

120. Hynerian Snowflake

M81

Credit & Copyright: Johannes Schedler

Blue Corona

119. Out of the Vortex

"I think it's time someone woke sleeping beauty," said Rog. "This place ain't on any of the charts the Metalunans gave us."

118. So Long Lil' Bro

Rog closed his eyes as the vortex pulled Bravo-Four-Zero into its center. The physical sensation of artificial gravity and unexpected g-forces brought back a flood of memories both good and bad.

Rog and his younger brother had spent many hours blasting through the canyons just south of their father's ranch. Skirting the canyons in their hopper at high speed was not without danger and required absolute trust from your co-pilot. Those times, Rog often thought, brought him and his younger brother closer together than anything else they had done.

"Rog, which gate is ours? asked Chaz. Chaz was five years younger than Rog and had always tried to live up to Rog's expectations and earn his respect. The age gap eliminated any sort of sibling rivalry and instead created more of a mentor relationship between the brothers.

"Look for gate nine. That's ours." said Rog.

“Are you nervous Rog?”

“That feeling in your gut Chaz, that’s excitement. This is going to be no different than a ride through the canyons on our hopper. Besides, we always talked about what space travel would be like. This is our chance.”

“Hey, Rog, there it is, our gate.”

“Wait here Chaz.” Rog walked over to the Hynerian with the data slate. What should have been a rather short conversation became quite animated. Chaz couldn’t hear what was being said, but he had seen his brother’s indignation on many occasions. There seemed to be a problem. Chaz was more amused than concerned and couldn’t wait to hear how Rog had handled the apparent dispute.

“Everything okay Rog,” said Chaz, looking a little more worried now that he could take the measure of Rog’s demeanor.

“Seems they only have one of us listed on the flight manifest. You’ve got a ticket to ride brother,” lied Rog, trying to smile as if everything would be okay.

Chaz stood silent, a thousand thoughts running through his head, trying to comprehend what he had just heard. “Well, you are going to work that out aren’t you. I mean, we were promised we would be on the same vessel.”

Rog looked forlorn, a look Chaz had never seen before. “I’m afraid this is one fight I can’t win. But you’ve got a seat and that is one mighty fine ship. Now I don’t want to hear no back talk. You know I can take care of myself. I know where you are and once I find my passage I will track you down like a wayward pampus,” said Rog with a forced grin.

Rog reached out to tussle Chaz’s hair in part to break the mood and in part to hide the look of falsehood he was sure Chaz would pick up on. Once separated, the chances of a reunion were about nil and Rog knew it.

“Hey Rog,” teased Yul, “closing your eyes ain’t gonna make this ride any easier.”

“Yeah, um, about that . . .”

Before Rog could finish, their little vessel began to shake violently. No one was smiling or teasing now.


Categories: Story, Rog, Chaz, Yul.

117. Mountains of the Moon

Southern reaches of Silus.

116. Into the Vortex

“Rog, thank Janus you’re here,” said Yul. “This vortex, or whatever it is, is sucking us right into it.”

Rog stared out the main window. The view intoxicated as much as the snoot in his system and he felt himself transfixed at the incredible beauty and power of nature.

“Rog! Did you hear me?” shouted Yul. “Snap out of it.” Rog instinctively ducked, still smarting from the blow from Von.

“I hear you darlin’. Full reverse.”

“Already tried that. It’s still pulling us in.”

“Full auxiliary then, redline if you have to with blast shields in retro.”

“Rog, I don’t think you are listening. We’ve done that. It ain’t working darlin’.

“Okay, okay, I’m open for suggestions.”

“We were kinda hoping you had a few,” interjected Emy.

Rog looked at Emy and back to Yul. “Sound the general alarm and strap in and I hope no one is wearing new underwear today. Oh, and buzz Von, I think we are all gonna need a little of his private reserve.”

115. Dawn and Dusk

Silus was not a completely barren world. Near the polar caps, at the right time of the year, assuming one knew where to go and Von did, lush mountains and pristine lakes could be found.

Von would often sit from dawn to dusk watching the change in light and the beauty of nature unfolding in perfect solitude. Stillness calmed the soul and soothed the mind. Most Zing Tao would tell you after day fourteen, the mind and body settled on a new level as if reaching the floor of the ocean after gently floating down from the choppy surface above. The metaphor made sense. The feeling of isolation and peace seemed most like being underwater, floating in soundlessness within the great expanse of interconnectiveness.

In these moments, called by experienced Zing Tao, third-week insights, Von saw most clearly the mind as tool—an instrument to be used when needed and set aside when it was the wrong tool. Finding the off button, well, that was the challenge.

When he entered the order, Von never saw himself as anything other than one and the same with his mind and his thoughts. On Silus, however, the gap between the two, especially in the third week, became most discernible. It had always been there, much like the Milky Way does not disappear in the city, but time on Silus was like seeing the sky in complete darkness, or in this case the mind, from a place of absolute stillness.

In these moments of stillness Von swam in direct experience, a sense of no separation between himself and the experience before him—no filters, no layers, no opinions, no judgments, no concepts, no words or ideas. As soon as words appeared in his mind to describe what was happening, he immediately saw and felt separation and falseness. Learning to let the words drop, as if falling from the sky of his mind, he saw clearly again.

Von’s first reaction to this third-week insight led again to false view, or unskillful reaction as Zeke called it. He judged it and in the judging created the very separation he thought he had overcome. Quickly, he realized his folly; yet again the mind wormed its way in the backdoor in the guise of pride. Von saw that too and neither resisting nor judging allowed the mind to dance its dance. As often the case, the mind became bored and grew weary. And Von returned to the stillness of direct experience.

To know a matter, was one thing. To be able to assimilate the knowledge and apply it was quite another. What Dauculus had been for the order as a whole, the Javalina inquisitors had been for Von himself; namely, the opportunity to put into practice the lessons from the classroom. Without Silus, Von felt he would neither have survived his torture nor recovered after the event. As strange as it sounded to the average Hynerian, Von forever thanked his inquisitors, sending them as much compassion and love as he could. He truly had no hate, no bitterness in his heart.

Opening the door, Von walked into Kyra’s room and took a seat right next to her bed. She still slept, looking as peaceful as the mountain lakes in his memory. General alarm sounded. Von heard it and let it go. Rog would handle whatever the emergency was. He was needed here now; each to their own, in time and place, unfolding in the natural order. His time was now, and his place was here.

As if on queue, Kyra opened her eyes. “Where am I?” she asked.

“Exactly where you should be,” smiled Von.