Happenin'

“Some people make things happen. Some people watch things happen. And then there are those who wonder, 'What the hell just happened?'” 

-Carroll Bryant

I'm using Carroll's version of the notion brought forth in Nicholas Murray Butler's speech on Charter Day at the University of California, March 1931

This month I think I've been all three of these people at one time or another, and sometimes (exhaustingly) all at once. Okay, so where do I start? Where did we leave off? Well ... How 'bout I jump into it by putting it this way: If the month of June and I had a conversation, it would look a bit like this.

The Cup Runneth Over

"My father told me something when I was very small to instill confidence in me, 'Nobody in the world is worth more than you, but nobody's worth less,' it is an egalitarian view that I've carried around in my life. That's why I am for free schools, free universities, free healthcare, and free babysitting. Because our society could afford it.

In America, people think social democracy is some kind of communism. They think capitalism is freedom. It's not. It's only freedom to exploit people."

-Stellan Skarsgård

Dutch Masters

Still Life with Golden Goblet, Pieter de Ring (1655 - 1660)

FTC Affiliate Disclosure
Ok, so after burning down my life to implement The 12 Week Year this Spring, I decided this Summer I'd look into a little something the Dutch call, niksen, with the help of the book by, Olga Mecking, Niksen: Embracing the Dutch Art of Doing Nothing. I mean, so far so good, right? I'm digging that title already, it sounds exactly like how I want to spend my Summer! 

Proper Education

“An educated man is not, necessarily, one who has an abundance of general or specialized knowledge. An educated man is one who has so developed the faculties of his mind that he may acquire anything he wants, or its equivalent, without violating the rights of others.”

― Napoleon Hill, Think and Grow Rich 

DUCK!

Monsieur et Madame

June is comin' in hot, folks, and I'm not talking about the weather, though my most excellent tan (circa 1986, minus the body stickers) might suggest otherwise! It's just that I've got a lot of things coming up, or rather coming to an end this month that if I'm not exactly excited about, I'm at least excited to get through, or maybe just excited for what's next? All I know is that what follows is going to be different from what was, and that is the most wonderful feeling. This year is flying (galloping?), and for the first time in many, many years I feel like I'm ... Well, if not keeping up, I'm at least not drowning, and THAT is a huge level up! 

Life is Short, Be Cool to Each Other

"Gays are not interested in making other people gay. But homophobes are interested in making other people homophobic."

-Stephen Fry 

The Power of Goodbye

Girl With Balloon - Original Stencil by, Banksy

A significant amount of my life has been shaped by death, and divorce ... Which is particularly strange when you consider, I'm neither dead, nor divorced. Dead inside? Maybe. Dead to 1 or 2 people? Sure, even more than that, probably (if I'm completely honest)! Divorced? Perhaps from reality now and then, depending on who you ask ... But as of this posting I'm still currently untethered, and topside, and yet, if I had to describe what has, without a doubt, influenced my life the absolute most, it can always be distilled down to death and divorce. I remember knowing, as a young child, that my existence differed greatly from the other children around me. I experienced, and witnessed things that, even now with two feet firmly planted in middle age, my friends are just now beginning to experience themselves, and still more things most of them never will. Is it just a Scorpio thing ... Death, transformation, rebirth, a curious compatibility with the dark underbelly, or even unexplainable aspects of life? Was I born a little too late into a family of malcontents? A little of both probably, but who really knows?

'Round Here

Counting Crows:
One for sorrow,
Two for joy,
Three for a girl,
Four for a boy,
Five for silver,
Six for gold,
Seven for a secret, never to be told,
Eight for a wish,
Nine for a kiss,
Ten for a time of joyous bliss.