First out the Gate

Rearranging the shelves

2012-02-26T21:00:00.008-05:00

"Extended travel has a way of re-prioritizing the past."

With time and distance, the details and concerns that once seemed important fade away. What is left are the lasting memories and the moments of timeless value.

Sometimes you need to step away and look in on your life from afar to find where your heart is, and always should have been.

In the coming months, this is what I intend to do.

Freedom

2012-02-19T21:00:00.002-05:00

Observe the precedent dwelling in your mind.
Trace its origin.
Move beyond.

That was pull-up number 12, true. You stopped at 12 yesterday, true.

Are you stopping now because the 13th will kill you, or because you stopped at 12 yesterday?

Deductive assistance

2012-02-12T21:00:00.001-05:00

"Every good book is a self help book- it helps the reader, through seeing his own experiences in the book, to gain new light on his own problems and personal integration."

Forecast

2012-02-05T21:00:00.001-05:00

Some days, clouds of the mind hang densely.
At times they are light and passing.
And there are moments when the skies are clear.

Regardless, the sun shines above- uninvolved, undistrubed.

A free self-consultation

2012-01-29T21:00:00.001-05:00

"Books are for a scholar's idle times. When he can read himself directly, the hour is too precious to be wasted in other men's transcripts of their readings."

A plausible explanation for why I so resent an 8:30 or 9:55 am lecture.

Do you

2012-01-22T21:00:00.004-05:00

This day calls for individuals of courage- those who follow the voice inside rather than what is preached by another.

This day calls for individuals who question and ponder everything, and take nothing as is.

Property, meat consumption, language constraints, shampoo and conditioner, education, clouds, clothing, pet ownership, death, Crest Whitestrips, living arrangements, cell phones, time, grammatical rules, money. Question everything.

This day calls for individuals who take the time to access their own thoughts before logging on.

This day calls for individuals who do not associate neckties with power, but rather with cowardly traditionalism.

This day calls for those who recognize true wisdom, and pay no heed to titles, names, roles.

This day calls for individuals who want to know why Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Dextrose, Sodium Bicarbonate, Calcium Propionate, Fumeric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Monodiglycerides, and Sodium Metabisulfite is in their wheat bread.

This day calls for those who question a question's answer, and continue to do so until all ends meet at, "well, that's just the way it is." And then they question that.

One of endless

2012-01-15T21:00:00.004-05:00

~~Pursuit of happiness.~~

Pursuit of every raw, uncut emotion, even those which the English vocabulary does not accommodate.

The range is expansive.

It seems foolish to chase after but one of the countless, fleeting sensations of the human experience. Define happiness as the pinnacle, and every other internal state feels not quite right.

Is there not as much to be learned from anger and pain as from contentment and fulfillment?

External reflection

2012-01-08T21:00:00.002-05:00

Social situations- parties, classes, interviews, dinners- present many external stimuli simultaneously.

When a number of things call for your attention at once, and when surrounded by others, it is difficult to remain aware of your internal state. Your thoughts and perceptual moods are secondary to the conversations, the laughter, the movements.

Beneath all the noise, unconscious snap judgments and perceptions are being made. Questions are constantly being asked. How do I look? Who is that girl? What’s he drinking? How does she see me? It all happens so fast.

When in these situations, I find myself formulating opinions of what other peoples’ opinions are of me.

I think that he or she thinks that I…

Either they perceive me in a positive regard or a negative one.

What determines what end of the perception scale they see me from? Recently, the answer came to me with striking clarity. How obvious!

It is determined by how I judge myself at that moment in time.

When I have been true to my internal code, and think favorably of myself, everyone in the room thinks the same.

Natural mood

2012-01-01T21:00:00.002-05:00

"And what are you so happy about this morning?"

"I don't have a toothache today."

"Glad to hear it. I wasn't aware that you had had a toothache."

"I didn't."

Prioritize

2011-12-25T21:00:00.000-05:00

I do not claim to be wise.

Perhaps I know nothing. Perhaps everything that I do know is only a false illusion.

Philosophical disclaimers aside, I have identified two “things” that have greatly improved the quality of my life.

A focus upon health and physical well being.

An understanding of the mind and its cycles.

I believe that nearly everyone stands to benefit from an understanding of these two “things.”

I'll teach it

2011-12-18T21:00:00.003-05:00

The other night I had a dream. It was an early morning dream. You know, a dream that strikes as the conscious mind is slowly coming to. You feel as if you have partial control over its content and your movements and words. It’s a lucid movie, and you’re the director and lead role.

It was the first day of the spring semester and I was rushing about searching for the lecture hall.

Introductory Thinking 101

Monday, Wednesday 9:55 – 11:10

Andrews Hall, Auditorium C

Professor Marcus Smith

I took a seat someplace in the middle of the sloped auditorium, and found myself surrounded by 50 or so other students.

A man, presumably Professor Smith, was standing at the center stage behind an oak podium with an attached reading lamp. There were no papers in front of him to read, however. He stood in silence, gazing out at the class’ attendees.

I watched as the minute hand on the clock above his head inched towards the 11. Without a word, or any sign of having noted the time, he turned slightly and pointed to the whiteboard that had been concealed behind him.

The board read:

“One Rule: Silence”

…The semester progressed and I continued to attend Introductory Thinking 101 with Professor Smith every Monday and Wednesday for an hour and fifteen minutes. Every class was the same. I would arrive, take my seat, and sit in stillness. Professor Smith simply stood behind the podium, maintaining an outward and level stare. He never said a word, yet attendance was remarkably consistent for such an early class period. When the clock hit 11:10, my classmates and I would stand and exit the auditorium, in silence. Not much was said outside of the auditorium doors…

… September turned into October. Attendance remained consistent. October became November. Silence ensued. December...

…During the final class of the semester, at 11:09, Professor Smith asked, “Now, what have you all learned?”

It was the first time that I had heard his voice.

Every hand in the auditorium shot up.

In a nut shell

2011-12-11T21:00:00.001-05:00

For the past few years, I've been travelling the world.

I have traveled to dozens of major metropolitan areas, mostly just to check out what's going on there.

And if I've learned one thing, it's that no one really knows what the hell we're doing here.

A writer, you say?

2011-12-04T21:00:00.000-05:00

“And what is it that you do?”

“Well, I am a writer.”

“Oh my! How fascinating! What do you write? Novels, poems?”

“Well, these days I mostly dabble in emails. Oh, and the occasional tweet or status update when creativity permits.”

747

2011-11-27T21:00:00.002-05:00

Drop off, check-in, security, terminal, gate, aircraft.

I locate my seat, stuff my pack into the overhead, and I sit. I greet my neighbor, click my seatbelt, and I slip off my slip-ons.

I wait- patiently, nervously- for the moment. I wait for it.

Announcements, demonstrations, and I’m pushed back in my seat. The speed and vibrations shake my cells to life. Wake up, be alive.

I feel it.

Physical, psychological.

Weightless, quiet.

The moment has come.

A millimeter of altitude strips away an old life, and leaves nothing more than blankness.

On vegetarianism

2011-11-20T21:00:00.002-05:00

My choices and opinions are my own. I do not know if they are “right.” I do not intend to push them on you, nor do I insist that you need to go out and change your ways.

I simply ask that you take the time to consider the choices within your willpower.

Over the past three months, I have adopted a vegetarian diet. I did not wake up one day and declare myself to be a vegetarian, but it has been a rather gradual process.

I began to open my eyes to my choices regarding consumption. I began to consider the role that man has assumed on Earth- the throne that he has voluntarily ascended to.

We live in an age where the variety, quality, and availability of food is absolutely astounding. We no longer need to rely solely on what can be gathered, herded, or grown in our immediate surroundings.

Man has the resources available to consume a balanced and nutritious diet, without having to harm his fellow species.

Perhaps we ought to take off our crowns and learn to be one of many, rather than ruler of many.

Domestic detail

2011-11-13T21:00:00.001-05:00

I find it to be amusing that nearly every sink in Dublin has two faucets- one for hot water and another for cold. This may appear to be a minor domestic detail, but trust that it does pose a challenge.

The hot faucet always pumps out piping hot water, while the cold one dispenses a frigid, icy stream. Every time I rinse my hands in the kitchen or in the restroom I am faced with a choice: Shall I opt for a third degree burn or can I afford to forego the feeling of my fingers for a time?

Thankfully, I have devised a crafty strategy to void this faucet dilemma. After approaching the sink, I turn on both faucets and run my hands under the hot faucet for a few seconds before the water becomes too hot. I then switch to the cold faucet for a second or two. I then swap back to the hot faucet for as long as I can stand it, and again counter the burning sensation with the cold stream.

I never thought an act as minute as washing one’s hands could be a dance, or an art form.

A photograph from my travels

2011-11-06T21:00:00.000-05:00

Back of the book

2011-10-30T21:00:00.002-04:00

My journal is one of my most prized possessions. I don't often leave home without it.

I use it for a multitude of purposes. I scratch down reminders of minor tasks, I write lengthy contemplation pieces, I jot notes on daily events that I am grateful for.

I sketch the occasional picture and make lists of the thoughts traversing my mind. My journal allows for me to empty my thoughts. In doing so, I find that reality becomes more real. It's as though the clouds of the mind simply need to be released.

In the back of my journal, I have taken to writing down short mantras or quotes that I come up with as a I go about life. They stem from things that I see and sensations that I feel.

At times, I consult these mantras for direction. Other times I just laugh at them. I hope you are able to gain something- be it wisdom or confusion.

Here are my first ten:

"The first step in any effective morning routine is the cultivation of a mindset to be carried forth until evening's final breathe."

"Do, act, speak, move- remain constantly employed. We find ourselves in the constant conflict of having to distract ourselves from our selves."

"For me, philosophy has long been a love - hate relationship. I love philosophy for its insistence on deep contemplation. I hate it for precisely the same reason."

"Peace is in the present. Calm in the breath. Serenity is in the stillness. Peace, calm, serenity."

"Sit down for a lengthy and leisurely cup of tea with your mind. Few other guests will leave you with such feelings of refreshment."

"Imitate the birds and everything around you that doesn't appear to think much."

"We each take refuge in the idea of a shack on the beach or a log cabin in the deep woods. We each hear Mother Nature's call. But to have been delivered in a sterilized hospital room and raised on a diet of Gerber's and Cheerios is to have strayed long ago."

"To connect with a work of art is to uncover a though, image, or perception already within. To truly connect is to light a formerly idle candle."

"Mornings like these, I despise all objects with sharp corners and condemn anyone associated with their design or the oversight of their production."

"Voluntary deprivation is a road to genuine gratitude. To deprive thyself of a sight, a sound, a person, or an object, is to experience anew at reunion. At reunion, appreciation is genuine."

Undertones

2011-10-23T21:00:00.000-04:00

One lesson to accept from Ireland and the city of Dublin, is the fact that it can be be quite sunny, while a light mist is falling.

These events are not exclusive.

Of course, this has much wider implications.

Quelque part dans le louvre

2011-10-16T21:00:00.002-04:00

A time for cultivation

2011-10-09T21:00:00.000-04:00

The essential step in any "effective" morning routine is the cultivation of a mindset.

This mindset is to be maintained throughout the day, until evening's final conscious breath.

This mindset will transform your day- everything that you do, everything that you think, everything that you say, is an outward reflection.

Everything is an uncensored manifestation.

Don't think, don't try

2011-10-02T21:00:00.001-04:00

Only Dubliners- or perhaps only Europeans- look completely at ease at a sidewalk café.

The café culture is embraced throughout Europe. The sidewalk table is a place to converse and to connect. An hour at the café is a time to sit, to reflect, to observe. And the Europeans look so right doing just that. It’s as though they were made for that exact moment, as though they would rather be no place other than that table. Absolute peace of mind.

I’ve had the pleasure of sitting at a number of cafes in the past month, as I do enjoy a heady caffeine buzz from time to time. But something never feels quite right.

I question my posture- legs crossed and slouched or upright and proper? How do I look in the eyes of those passing by? What’s a “respected” order- single shot or double shot? And does skim milk defeat the purpose of a cappuccino? Plus I don’t smoke and question what my friends would think if I wore a tweed cap, so neither of those things is working for me.

I think too much and I try too hard to look the part. As the locals know, if you have to try or pay it any mind, you’re missing the point.

On the fringe

2011-09-25T21:00:00.002-04:00

Last evening, I had an urge to step outside of the city's center. I had the urge to step out, look in, and refresh myself while the buzz buzzed on.

So that is precisely what I did.

From the corner stool of the bar on the corner at the corner of town, a thought floated from the corner of my mind to the forefront.

It stuck me with absolute clarity that the city and its folks continued about their agendas with or without me. This grandiose play went on, whether I was on stage or off.

The detachment was sensational. That breath was deep.

I was outside and looking in on everything, even me.

Look, it's there

2011-09-18T21:00:00.004-04:00

Converse with a Dubliner, and it is immediately apparent that he or she not only has great pride for Dublin, but also for the country of Ireland.

The Irish folk are deeply connected with their ancestors and their nation’s history. They know who they are and where they come from; they embrace their cultural identity and carry forth the traditions of the land. Such traditions are evident in the national cuisine, the conversation style and word choice, and the leisurely pace of life. The Irish folk are cultured, and rather than trying to define their national identity or living rigidly so as to not step over a cultural tenet, they simply go about living. For the Irish, culture is life and their lives need not be defined.

It has come to me not as a sudden shock, but as an unfolding realization, that I find myself hesitant to state my American nationality. Somewhere along the lines, I picked up the notion that it’s unhip to be an American- we’re uptight, prefer quantity over quality, and above all else, we don’t know how to live. I’ve been told that Americans lack culture.

Yet as I go about in the city of Dublin, and my eyes become less dull of my own tendencies, routines, and preferences, I realize that these habits are my culture. Everything from my wardrobe selections to my manners in handling silverware is a reflection of the American tradition.

This American culture is not something to be ashamed of or claim is non-existent. But rather, our culture is something to value and to embrace, just as the Irish folk do. The realization of my own cultural anxieties is something that I aim to move beyond in the months to come. When asked of my origins, I will confidently state that I am a Bostonian, an American, and that I embody everything that goes along with such titles.

Wanderlust

2011-09-11T21:00:00.003-04:00

Humans have many instinctual desires. Some of them are artificial. They lie on the surface and are exploited by the media and marketing campaigns. Some are drummed up by the ego (new car, new clothes, new house!)

But perhaps some of our desires lie deeper. Maybe some of our desires have weathered the processes of evolution and modernization, and are rooted deeply within the nature of humanity.

We are naturally drawn to the sun; our body craves it.

We are naturally drawn to our fellows and social gatherings; just like the wolves, who travel in packs.

We are natural wanderers.

We naturally love to explore, to take each step as it comes and bear no specific destination in mind. We love to move, to get up, to hit the road, to just get away. Not as a way to run from what's real, but to greet it head on. No explanation needed.

In the words of Tolkien, "Simply because we wander, does not mean that we are lost."

I love to shake it up, embrace the new, drop the old routine, and wander.

And that's damn well what I'm doing.

Greetings Ole Dirty Dublin!