I wish you another strong year of creative achievement

I am thankful for a year of full time employment, having something to write about and the means to do so, and all the people, landscapes and poetry which helped me on another spin ball's journey so I may join the human family while enjoying the food and music in loving yes

You know you've lived in New York a while when seeing crowds gathering for New Year's in Times Square is just another spectacle best avoided on the way to work.  That said, I'm amazed I've been beginning my work days in such an iconic place as long as I have.  Crowds of gawking individuals aren't really my thing.  That is, given the choice, I wouldn't make them part of my daily routine, because they're difficult to get by on the sidewalks when I have some place to be.  I will say though, I really like seeing "Aladdin" and "Amazing Grace" when I exit the underground each work day

On Sunday evening I had this plan to stay upstate with my family, wake up at 7, drive more than 3 hours to New York City, and then go to work from 1:30 to 10 pm.  My cousin had just visited with his wife, friend and baby daughter, and given my afternoon shift the next day, it only made sense to sleep at home.  I forgot about my ancient history with insomnia.

I tossed and turned until 5 am.  I slept until 7, stayed in bed until 8, and thanks to plenty of assistance (breakfast, healthy snacks for the road, absolutely necessary positive encouragement) from my parents, I got on the road at 9:20.  I made it to the city by 12:30, which is when the street cleaning period ends and I can park without worrying about it for more than a day.  I easily got a spot, climbed the hill with all my bags, took a five minute nap, and then went to work.

Now, this may have been the sleep deprivation skewing my perception, but I think I actually did a fantastic job.  I mostly owe that to tea, Excedrin, and the energy you get from people, especially when you've just had four days off and spent time with family.  Even though I had been utterly convinced it was physically impossible for me to fulfill my day's duties, my mother's comment about "men used to stay up for three days straight when they were on a hunt" seemed to ring true.  I not only made it through the day, but I feel as though I excelled.

What's more, I barely had a free moment to myself.  While riding the subway between jobs, I met an ex-con truck driver who had supposedly killed someone thirty years ago (while trying to steal from a truck).  He had a lot of liquor on his breath, so who knows if any of it was true.  Then, when I got above ground, I ran into a Mexican student, so we talked about New Year's and tequila, and then soon we ran into a student from Ukraine, who had just enjoyed copious amounts of vodka for Christmas.

Somehow I made it through the night classes with lots of energy (the students being in a good mood certainly helped), and then slept a really long time.  Today I did not teach as well, because I gave it my all the day before.  It's funny how that works sometimes.

That said, we did learn some interesting things today.  We learned that the world wide web was first available to the public on 8/6/91.  Then I learned from an Iranian blogger that people barely read blogs (or anything of length, for that matter) anymore, and that's something we have to work on if society is to be worth anything truly interesting.  Or something like that.

I'm not sure, I'm still tired.

We'll see how tomorrow goes.

A joyful mini-vacation with the family.  More updates on the way soon...

1st family reunion in 2 years next week...

!

Thank you for the presence

I got home from work after 10 pm Wednesday night, and had a 3 hour drive ahead of me.  It often takes 3 and a half hours with traffic.  I had worked 8 straight hours, as opposed to the split schedule I had been accustomed to since January, so I figured I needed a little turnaround time to get ready for the journey.

That's why I left a little before midnight, and it was great!  Talk about the open road!

When I arrived home, there was a halo around the moon, and scarcely a sound to be heard.  I carried my bags up the stairs, and thankfully, my father waited until I was at the top to say, "Welcome home" from his bedroom.  He was still in bed, but would soon get up to work in his shop for a couple hours, as he has been known to do.

As he's said before (with a smile), "You can be wandering around India or the Grand Canyon or Harlem all by yourself in the middle of the night, but when you're in my jurisdiction, I like to hear the sound of the engine pulling into the driveway."

After saying the necessary "Happy Thanksgiving" I thanked him for waiting to utter his surprise greeting until I got to the top of the stairs, because otherwise I just might have dropped all my bags and fallen down the stairs.  Then I slept a lot.

When I woke up, it was almost time to eat!  It's strange to have wine and turkey so soon after waking...

Thank you, life, for living with us!

I am very thankful that I now report to work at 1:30 pm and finish at 10 pm, giving me ample time to get a normal amount of sleep after several hours of free time where I can focus on the larger writing project.  This is a welcome change from what I did before, which was get up at 7, be at work at 9, teach until 1 or 2, go home, move my car, nap, cook, eat, watch something online while eating, maybe read, write a little something, do any necessary errands which often involved grocery shopping, go back to work at 6, enjoy my time with the students until 10, come home, eat, write something, listen to music, and go to bed, perhaps at 1 or 2 am, and then repeat on 5-6 hours of sleep.  I've met many students who work 12 hour days or only sleep 3 hours per night, and I don't envy them.  I wish them luck in changing their schedules to better suit the need to rejuvenate.  I'm not sure how long this situation will continue, but it's a welcome change.  Now I know what it's like to wake up in the morning and have to go to work without feeling physically and mentally drained and looking forward to the next nap.  The past two mornings I've woken up and thought, "Huh... I'm rested... and I can take my time..."

Even if the schedule hadn't changed, I'd still be thankful for the three day week and being able to see my family for the most meaningful holiday of all.  I hope you enjoy incredible food with incredible people.

Thank you for reading!

A love of life combined with making life worth loving for all lives which could be swayed is the best way to approach the day, emitting love

Good news makes me smile!

We completed class today with a section about creativity.  They gave us four professions and had us discuss why they were creative: chef, surgeon, photographer, and jazz musician.  I must say that any day I get to give my best attempt at explaining improvisation, jazz music and creativity is a good day.

Several minutes ago I decided to look through my journal and other private writings files.  If you've been following this page for a while, you've probably noticed that I've produced much less this year than in the previous two years.  There are many reasons for that.  One of them is that I've been working (with people, mostly on my feet) twice as much this year (and at night, when I usually write).

Even so, even though quality is more important than quantity, I thought I'd been much more creatively productive this year, so I looked through the private writing I've done without posting online, and I've written 331 pages this year, so far.  That's double the amount I'd produced in the same time period last year.

All I'm saying is that just because you haven't read it up here doesn't mean it hasn't been happening somewhere...

Sharing Warm Days

3 people actually made eye contact with me, smiled, and said "Hello!" as I walked on the streets of Manhattan today

I love water, but I also love fire

Apparently, today, we're supposed to light fires to keep our spirits going through the winter.  That makes me wish I had a fire place.  Perhaps that's one reason I write: to one day be able to afford a house with a fireplace.  Yes, that would be a fine reward.  If you have a fireplace, I hope you appreciate it.

Meanwhile, I'll appreciate what I've got, and the spirits will be pleased on this All Hallows Eve.

The most important thing I think I could write about right now is that I was walking on the street and I heard the wind singing softly and sweetly in that indescribable space between the trees that is made of something, which, if I knew what it was, may or may not put my mind at ease… I imagine it would be just another thing, and I wonder if knowing its name or shape or way would be nearly as dazzling as the sound that those green ambassadors of love sometimes bring, that special something...

Whole Oats With Honey

Pizza With Mushrooms

I am graced with the ability to help people enjoy life more, opportunities to do so, and the bliss which comes when they help me, as we smile enthusiastically, working with life for more of whatever beautiful treasures are in store for those who love the worlds we willfully explore

Many thumbs up to you and all the wondrous energy you channel to make creative joy for us!

Stars

8/15 Lake Feast

 I made the stir fry, as usual...

Mushrooms, broccoli, onions, carrots, green and red bell peppers,

red kidney beans, sesame tofu, lemon juice, sage, soy sauce, and so on...

 with some kale and a quinoa/rice blend...

A friend made some chicken...

Another friend added delicious roasted potatoes with olive oil and rosemary...

 And we all ate happily ever after...

...Until we got hungry again

I finally started reading the memoirs of my favorite writer, Mr. Tom Robbins, a couple weeks ago.  Recently, I've been at the parts where he finally publishes a few novels, which has been encouraging. I've also rediscovered what it is to laugh out loud while reading a book.

Most of the stories are new to me, but some of them I've heard before.  Then again, he's revealed a few new delightful details in this book.  When he became one of the first people in Seattle to open the doors of perception through an observed study with a university professional, the scientist had suggested he bring a musical album with him that he might enjoy during the experience.  I was surprised to learn that Tom was a huge fan of Errol Garner, and had brought Concert by the Sea with him.  He also went inside of a daisy.  A big fan of metaphors, he emphasized that he literally went inside the flower:

When my eyes reached the end/beginning of the spiral, reached the very most pinpoint center of the yellow crown, I abruptly went inside the daisy!  That is, my consciousness entered the daisy.  Obviously, my cowboy/banker body remained slouched in the armchair, but for an indeterminate number of seconds or even minutes, my entire conscious being was literally--literally--inside that flower.

I've seldom told this story, all too aware that even a friendly listener was likely to judge me either dishonest or nuts.  Those I have trusted to accept the account at face value have invariably asked, "What was it like in there?  Inside a daisy?"  My answer: "Like a cathedral made of mathematics and honey."  Ambiguous, I know, but that's the best I can do.  I cautioned you, remember, that the psychedelic experience does not readily lend itself to verbal communication.  It was voluminous in there, a kind of parallel universe flooded with sweet golden light enlivened by vaporous progressions of abstract symbols that seemed to assign numerical value to the various magnitudes, tones, and patterns of chi, the energy that courses through all living things.  See what I mean?  A cathedral made of mathematics and honey seems to best sum it up.

At any rate, a physical description is not what really matters here.  The important thing is the knowledge I took away from the event, namely the realization that every daisy that exists--every single daisy in every single field--has an identity just as strong as my own!  I assure you a revelation such as that cannot help but change one's life.  It altered my view of the natural world and my place within it, top to bottom, and for weeks thereafter I could not see a daisy in a window box or someone's yard without getting tears in my eyes.  The reader is free, of course, to ridicule, scoff, or try to explain it away, but that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

He would produce his first novel about half a decade after worshiping at the church of math honey.  He's been making people like me feel very happy and more connected to the generating mystery of the universe ever since.  That's a spectacular reason for jumping into the publishing lake

I've been standing on the edge of this publishing dock for ages, and all I want to do is jump in... or is that all I want to do?  Yes, I think so.  I've always thought so.  It's been somewhere near the front of my mind, if not in the front of my mind, just about every waking moment since I got off the road three years ago.

So why don't I just do it?  I mean, I've already published online for free and on Amazon for a buck or three, so why not finally introduce myself to the agent or the publishing company?  Well, one of themes I write about is developing one's intuition, and trusting it once you've become familiar with it and learned it yields positive results.  So whenever I say, "That's it, I'm doing it!" the same intuition which has successfully and safely guided me around the globe, again and again, pipes in with, "Whoa... just wait, trust me. Trust me, it will happen when you want it to.  I know, I know, you've been waiting forever, and you know this is the only logical next step in your journey, and that the people you've been telling about it who probably don't even care anymore are probably getting tired of hearing you say 'I just gotta start getting a wider distribution...'  I know, I know, I know... but you have to trust me on this one and keep living the life you're supposed to until then.  There is much before you to improve you and prepare you for the right moment when it does come."  Sometimes I smile and accept, and other times I rage and throw a fit (inside my mind).  But that can only go on so long.  Arguing with something no one can see and no one else can communicate with (that is, unless they've found their own personal channel) is, well, frustrating.

You see, if this water jump thingy weren't a metaphor, I would easily, speedily, and enthusiastically jump in.  I do it all the time... with real water.  The water might be cold sometimes, but I know it's going to be cold, so it isn't a problem.  But with this metaphor, I have no idea what the temperature is going to be.  Or whether or not there's a six inch layer of ice awaiting me.

Just about every hero I know has warned me that the reception is probably going to be frigid, or at best, lukewarm, and will slowly get better through time and repeated jumps.  Yes, reality, but not exciting after ten years of practice.

Were this a real body of water, I also would know whether or not the waters are shallow or deep; whether I'll be able to swim gracefully with the waves... or will be nursing some broken bones for months to come.

And when I'm jumping into a real lake and not just a figurative one, I know if people are watching me or not.  I know if people are going to celebrate if I make a huge cannonball splash, or laugh if I cry out in pain at the water's temperature or the zebra mussel slicing my toe.

Scariest of all, when I jump in the water, I don't hang in the air for three weeks to six months, depending on just what kind of jump I'm attempting.

On top of all of that, when I can see the water right there in front, as a physical entity, I'm aware that this is the correct body of water in which I should be jumping.  I know I want to be jumping into a lake, or river, or running into the ocean, as the case may be.

My final reservation about this whole business is, well, the business.  If I want to exchange money for goods and services, I have to sell the things I produce.  Once that gets going, fine, but temporarily becoming my own agent and businessman and marketer and so on is a role I have never had to play.  Thinking and writing is a completely different pursuit.  And then there are the results of the jump: what if my life changes drastically with success, or worse, what if nobody notices?

Having read the above, I've concluded several things.  1st, I've decided that jumping off the dock isn't a great metaphor if I can find plenty of reasons for why the metaphor isn't apt.  More importantly, I've realized that all of these fears are pretty much the same fears I've had before traveling, or making any large life decisions: I don't know what is going to happen, so I must trust my judgment, and if that doesn't work the first time, keep trying, and trust the creativity of the universe to bring about a pleasing publication.... that is, once I've jumped in

I wake up to a world that gives me the life I love, even if I have to work hard at enjoying life by helping others enjoy life

Thanks, Cap'n

Well, I never used to cry while listening to "Born to Run," but I guess that's going to be a thing now

If I had kept a journal back then, I would know if it was actually the exact same day...

You see, in the year 2006, I was living in Brooklyn, one of the five boroughs of New York City, that place everybody knows wherever you happen to go.  I had just moved into my first official apartment, making me a resident of the city, that is, if you don't count the month I'd spent in my friend's apartment before we all got evicted because they were all behind on rent and utilities.

Anyway, we'd had to move during a heat wave, when the temperature exceeded 100 degrees several days in a row.  On top of that, I'd moved into this place with my friend's roommate, and I didn't know her that well.  The pressure and immediacy of needing to move found us sharing a railroad apartment together.  That meant we had to walk through each other's rooms to get to the living room, kitchen and bathroom.

Obviously it would be awkward, but she had a boyfriend, and I'd had a female roommate in New Zealand, just as part of a larger group, so I thought it would be alright for the foreseeable future.  Then again, I didn't have a job or really know anyone in the city since my friend had left.  I just knew I wanted an adventure and I wanted to tell a story about it later.  Well, I got a good start for any poetic adventure: in a powerless apartment on a hot night in a noisy, dirty city.  I say powerless because the previous tenants had been so far behind on their electric and gas payments that the power company had actually had their meters removed.  Thus, we couldn't just call up, sign up and flip a switch.  They were going to have to come in a few days to install new meters, and since Queens had been experiencing brownouts for about a week, it was going to take longer than usual.  I remember after we'd moved the final boxes inside and we were standing in the kitchen.  She was looking out the window, smoking a cigarette.  I realized I didn't know who she was at all.  I looked around.  Our new apartment was much smaller than I'd remembered.  And it was dark. And I didn't know anybody else.

So I went to visit relatives on Long Island for a few days.  That's where I'd grown up, made friends, became obsessed with sports, and worshiped the New York Mets and various other teams, before moving to upstate New York when I was eleven.

When I returned, the power was on, and I happily took a shower.  If I remember correctly, it was the next day that I got an email or a call from my former girlfriend's new boyfriend (and future husband).  We were all friends, and that turned out to be a very good thing on that day, because her future husband offered me four tickets to a taping of The Daily Show the next day.  They had entered some lottery to get seats a long time before, but it turned out they wouldn't be able to use them, and knew that I'd just moved to the city.  I was happy to oblige, but I didn't know who I could share them with.  My roommate had to work, and her boyfriend wasn't my cup of tea.  I offered him the ticket, and he said he'd rather see The Colbert Report, which... what?  Yeah, that's a great show too, but if someone offers you a free trip to Hawaii, you don't say you prefer the Bahamas.  Anyway, he had to work also.  So I got a hold of some friends of my friend, whom I had met a few weeks before, and they said they could go.  Then I learned a fellow comedy writer from college was in town for the summer, so I texted him and he accepted as well.

We had to wait in line for a very long time before the show, which was strange, because we were supposedly guaranteed tickets.  Luckily, since it was in the upper 90's, they gave us red, white and blue ice pops while we stood in a roped area mostly in the shade.  Thank you, Jon.  'Twas delicious.

Before that, the friend of my friend's friend had ridiculed my other meal in line, which was a piece of admittedly lacking lemonish cake I'd quickly purchased at a nearby bodega because I was in a hurry.  I admit it hadn't tasted good at all and wasn't good for me, but I was new in the city and didn't know where to get anything, let alone cook healthy meals for myself.  He went on and on about the evils of high fructose corn syrup, and really wouldn't let it go for a long time.

We got halfway through the ice pops when I pointed out to him that the thing he was sucking on was practically pure high fructose corn syrup, which promptly caused him to freak out, offering the rest to us.  We did not oblige him, so he threw it away.  Then he asked us to hold his place in line while he went to smoke a cigarette.  Ya gotta love Williamsburg.  Soon after that they finally let us in to get seated, and there it was, the studio I'd seen on television so many times...

Since I'd grown up on a farm without cable or satellite television, it wasn't until the spring of 2003 that I first watched The Daily Show, which also happened to be the beginning of "Operation Iraqi Freedom," which they accomplished very quickly, and everything has been going swimmingly in that area ever since.

I was a freshman at Cornell, and I was the only one in my group of friends who was openly against the war.  I remember the first time I'd even heard of the idea on network news, the previous summer, and I'd thought, "Seriously?"  I'm sure a few others might have entertained doubts about the mission quietly, but they didn't care enough to make their opinions known.  That's how I found myself debating the issue with several other people playing Mario Kart 64.  Yes, that's who's gonna run your future, world: people who discuss politics while racing plumbers against giant apes, talking mushrooms, smiley dinosaurs, fire breathing dragons and princesses.  The strange thing is, that game had made all of them more passionate than they'd ever be about politics.  On this night, though, everyone had ganged up on me, even the ones who claimed to be Democrats, and soon I was being attacked with eventual name calling.  That's when I walked out of the room.  They could disagree with me, but I wasn't going to have my intelligence insulted by people who were getting their information from a cable news station on in the background while they played more video games.  And yes, I know The Daily Show is on cable, but I was getting my news from about 100 sources at the time, because I cared, and I loved that other people could share their opinions by writing and making me feel less alone because my heart was alive and others were helping my mind learn how to keep that going.

We didn't talk much about the war after that, but within half a year, at least the ones I remain friends with to this day, conceded what the war had turned out to be just what you would expect war to be, and mostly for the same exact reasons I had given them during the epic Mario Kart debate of aught three.  And none of them had been any of the name callers to begin with anyway.  That is, during the political debate.  We called each other all sorts of names because of Mario Kart 64.

That's when Jon came in.  Well, not into the room, literally, but he was on the TV.  At the time, I just thought he was another comedian with a television show.  He wasn't the obvious leftist he openly describes himself as now, so the other guys, even the conservatives, would sometimes watch him, as long as he was funny.  But for me, I felt like I was finally hearing someone doubt America's actions in public for the first time since that day in September.  I love this country, so that's why I didn't want us to stir up a region that might create a larger anti-western organization in the future and yeah, yeah, you know the rest.  That, and I didn't want people to kill each other or bombs to be dropped on children.

After that, Jon became one of my major lifelines for sanity.  At the time I was pretty depressed about the college adjustment, being away from my family and friends, and the stuff I was learning about politics wasn't exactly making me optimistic either.  The Daily Show, with ace hosting by Jon Stewart and impeccable support from Stephen Colbert, Ed Helms, and Rob Corddry, not only helped me laugh it off, but also enlightened me.  They brought me stories I would never see on the network news.  Best of all, as time went on, Jon found ways to put some of the ideas I'd had in my head into words.  Not only that, but he had the courage and skill to say it on TV.  The knowledge that other people were seeing him and mostly agreeing with him seemed to make the world a better place in and of itself.

I think it was a pretty steady bet that during the four years I spent in college, a large majority of us would be watching The Daily Show at 11 pm on any given week night, whether or not we were studying, writing a paper, drunk or stoned.  I kept it up until I graduated and moved to New York City, because I didn't have cable, and wouldn't buy my first TV until several months ago (I still don't have cable).

Thus, it was pretty special to start my journey in New York City by seeing one of the great masters do his thing in front of us.  I have no idea what the theme was that day, but it was worth the wait in line.

I somehow survived that year, and moved to Queens with some friends.  They had a huge TV and wanted cable so they could at least watch The Daily Show live.  I was into it for a little while, but I had a lot going on in my mind at the time, and politics wasn't doing it for me at that time.  I was in love with a new girl, I had a new job, and I was looking for some answers to some pretty lofty cosmic questions.  On top of that, I was feeling disillusioned about the political process, having spent four years learning many of the systemic patterns which drive history and just how much compromise is needed by even the most goodhearted and well-meaning politicians to get anything done to actually make life better for most people.  Also, while in college, I'd met certain liberal representatives in the student assembly who were completely full of it.  They would pretend to be your best friend the moment they met you, and then organize people to help them put up banners and flyers for their campaigns, and then act like they didn't know you as soon as they got elected or joined a rich fraternity.  There's one in particular I can think of who wouldn't even give me a look of recognition when we had government classes together junior year, and he had been roommates with someone who is still one of the best friends I know.  He eventually got ousted for some sort of scandal involving misconduct in the elections, or something to that effect.  People like that made me wonder about the kinds of humans who run for office, regardless of their platforms.  And on top of all of that, the Bush administration was winding down, so we wondered where Jon Stewart would get his material.

To make a long story short, it was years before I began watching the show again.  In fact, I haven't really watched any TV consistently in the past nine years except for The Daily Show, South Park, and Louis.

I started watching again in 2013 because I lived in a pretty bare room near the 101 freeway in San Francisco, having spent the better part of three years traveling.  I didn't know many people in the city, and the few I did know had flaked on me.  I just had a job teaching foreign students to speak English.  My mattress sat on the floor, and I had a coffee table I'd found on the street, but no desk, and only a camping chair in which to rest.  For some reason, watching Jon Stewart each morning made me feel connected somehow.  When all those cars were racing by in the morning, I remembered the world out there was real and alive, and his reporting of the news of the day helped me keep going.

You see, even though I had just done a pretty thorough job of getting to know America's landscapes and the people who enjoyed them, I felt like a stranger in this country.  Whatever I saw on TV or read in a paper made me feel disconnected from the mass.  I could do fine with anyone if I met them in real life and had a conversation, but as for the zeitgeist, I was out of the loop.  So when I finally stopped running and got myself my first apartment in the states in four years, I felt like I needed to hear a familiar voice.

After all, someone had to explain to me why I'd read a news article about the "outrage" of the supposed "Tea" Party (few who truly drink tea express outrage, at least, that is, soon after having consumed this gift from the Gods) over the amount of taxes they had to pay, and how most of them were reasonably affluent.  That is, at least in comparison to the limbless orphans I'd been encountering in southern Asia.  Someone had to call them out in public.  I knew he was doing it anyway, but I really needed him to, and I'll always be thankful that he did.

----------------------

I had ten pages left in this book when I got off the subway on the way to work last night.  The last sentence I read before entering the classroom was about Boston's "86 year championship drought."  That made me think of '86, when the New York Mets defeated the Boston Red Sox to win their most recent World Series, forcing the Sox to wait another 18 years to win it all.  I had been 2 at the time, so as far back as I can remember, I entered a world where the Mets were the best team in baseball... even if they would be the worst team in baseball when I actually started watching their games in 1993.

Part of the lesson involved asking embarrassing questions so that the students could practice avoiding questions by responding, "I prefer not to answer that."  I playfully picked on something about each student so they could answer, and then they got a chance to say the same to me.  One of them, a Dominican student, was wearing a Mets hat, so I asked him why he was wearing a Mets hat, hoping that the "I'd rather not say" response would be comical somehow.  I actually got a serious answer.  Thus, I soon found myself teaching baseball terms ("front runner," "underdog," "favorite," and "fair weather fan," i.e. me with the Mets lately) and the story of Game 6 of the '86 World Series to the Dominican student in the Mets hat.  It turned out he really loved the Red Sox, because of David Ortiz.  The Mets hat was actually an All-Star Game hat from the year the Mets hosted.  When I learned this, I informed him that as long as he didn't like the Yankees, we would still have harmony between us.  If you like the Yankees, though, we can still enjoy each other's company.  They're hitting a ball, after all.

Then again, what they do with that ball can make even my heroes cry with joy.  When I got to work today, I knew I was going to make my "Raise the Issues" class watch a few Daily Show clips.  I pulled up the website on the desktop and saw that the thumbnail for the previous night's episode was of the New York Mets and the National League East baseball standings.  The Mets are in 1st place.  Yes, you read that correctly.  Mr. Stewart was very happy about that.  I also heard he's moving to a farm in New Jersey, the Garden State, supposedly the arch rival of my homeland New York... I'm happy for him.

Speaking of which, Jon is taping his final show as I write.  Either that or he just finished.  Whatever he's doing right now, today is 8/6, and I hope he knows that, whether he feels this way, he's been hitting walk-off homers on a daily basis for far longer than any human could be asked to, and he's been doing it for all of us blessed enough to understand why he's worked so hard to make laughter, and learn to love learning about the world in which we all have to live with each other

Good things that happened today:

I met my new class of students in the morning, having completed two months of business before vacation.  I am once again with students of the highest level, but now I am teaching a class called "Raise the Issues" with listening's from NPR.  I was happy to learn that the class is overbooked, with 23 students, and five already on the waiting list.

When I returned to my evening classes, I was greeted upon arrival in the hallway with plenty of, "Teacher!  How was your vacation?" from many a warm, familiar face.

As I arrived at my apartment in Harlem, I heard someone say from behind me, "Hey Ben!"  I turned around, very confused, and recognized one of my old students from the evening classes, a music producer from Ecuador.  He was with a smiling girl.  This was actually the second time he'd walked by as I'd entered my apartment, the other being upon return from a visit upstate.  That time he had invited me to a free meal at the restaurant he manages up the street.  He reminded me, and I think I will soon

When I spend a lot of time in nature for so long, I start to wonder why I live in such a crowded city, especially since the Newport Jazz Festival just showed me how you can have a funky yet sophisticated music fest in a gorgeous outdoor setting.  There is so much space out there!  Then again, as I have learned, people stand in subway doors all over the world, and they drive slowly in the passing lane when there are only two lanes on busy weekends, and they somehow fit in real human conversation and meetings of eyes in between all the attention spent on those small screens... and I feel blessed when these true humans make me feel welcome, wherever I am

Thank you, musicians, and thank you landscapes, for a perfect vacation

festival!

I woke up and could see grass and trees everywhere, so I ran down the path and walked among the wildflowers near the frog pond, and a bullfrog jumped across the path and into the water.  After some green tea, black tea, guayusa and white tea, I had a conversation with the people who own this place, as they hadn't arrived until 5.  I know them because they gave life to me.  I told them I'd had an amazing evening walking around looking at the stars and the moon, standing silently in the forest watching fireflies with stars peeking through the leaves.  They asked if I'd seen any animals, which is a rarity at night, unless it's on the trail camera, which they have posted on a path.  A few years ago a bear knocked it over, because it makes a little sound when it senses a motion and takes a picture.  They've mostly seen bobcats, deer and coyotes in recent years, but the story about the bear amazed me, mostly because I'd spent many an evening strolling the grounds in preparation for my adventures in the western territories known for ginormous bears, when I could have run into one in my back yard!  So of course, I walked through the forest tonight, but after a fire and some more fireflies, moonlight among clouds, wind through the trees and the occasional sounds of fireworks from the neighbors' yard.  I will travel somewhere else tomorrow.  Mountains are calling to me, as are waters.  Thank you, vacation.

Enjoy your day!

I have a very large class at the end of the week, about 20 people crammed together in a small room in the corner of the school.  The students have been changing quite a bit.  When 5 of them move on, 5 more arrive.

We talked about dating, relationships and marriage in class today.  Going into class, I was somewhat relieved, because for the first three classes I'd had a brother-sister pair who were in their early teens, and I thought the subject might be a little adult for them.  Luckily, they'd recently gone home, so I thought I would avoid that situation.

So of course, when I walked in today, I saw there were five new students in the classroom, and one of them was sitting in the front row, and she was very young, that is, at least for this classroom of mostly 20 and 30 year old's.  She later told us she was 12.  I had taught a 10 year old boy the summer before, so I was used to the occasional middle school student learning with people mostly two, three, and even five times their age (ah language, the great equalizer), but that's different from a group discussion.  Especially about dating, love, marriage, relationships, and all that jazz.  Then again, she was very mature for her age, and surprised us all with her occasional thoughtful, relevant and cogent contributions to the conversation.  She was perhaps more well-spoken and reasonable than anyone else in the room, and she had some grand competition.

Along with the mix of 20 and 30 something's I'm used to just about every day of work, there were about five 16- and 17-year old's.  Some of them hadn't any dating experience, and some of them had very impressive yet still very young romantic careers.  (Did you know that you can get arrested in Tunisia for kissing in public?  Would you imagine that most police will offer to be your friend online after trying to scare you for several hours of intimidating questioning?  The world is always challenging love, yet I think that's made love incredibly stronger)

The long and short of it is that the class went well enough, the students talked a lot, which is always good, and there wasn't anything particularly offensive said (that is, of which I'm aware... you never know with so many cultures and individuals in one room, and all sorts of language and communication barriers).

I think the only controversial moment came when a pair of students on opposite sides of the horizontal room got into a heated debate about who should pay on the first date.  To be honest, I must say I am not really sure exactly what their positions were.  The man had suggested offering to pay and then expecting them to try to refuse the offer and then insisting and ultimately paying, or perhaps offering to pay and then cleverly suggesting that the "next time" (i.e. second date) the woman could pay.  That seemed to rouse the woman on the other side of the room, who made it clear that a man should definitely pay on the first date to show that he cares about her and that he's not cheap, but that in general, she can pay for herself because she's independent and doesn't need any man's (expletive) money.  I think some personal experiences were being vented in the midst of this minor debate.  Even so, they kept walking circles while going toe to toe, and most of us in the class were amused and confused by their ever-changing arguments.

Eventually I piped in with something about a free activity on the first date so as to avoid confusion, but they ignored me.  Then the woman claimed that the man should pay because women are paid less.  The one with more money should pay, and therefore, that's the man.  Before I bring up how I stepped into the conversation, I should mention that I enjoy this student and have taught her in different classes for several months.  But she doesn't always make sense.

When I started to respond to her claim, a male student in the front row said, "No, it's true.  Women really are paid less than men for the same work..." while everyone else was yelling.  I told him I was very much aware of that, and if you, the reader, are not, you should be.  In the US, the most recent study shows that women are paid 78 cents on the dollar for doing the same job as men.  But that doesn't mean that every man who goes on a date with a woman automatically makes more money than she does.  Especially in a place like New York City.  I tried to point this out, and she said, "You don't know what it's like to be a woman!"

To which I replied, "You're right.  Of course I don't.  But you also don't know what it's like to be a man.  And I don't know what it's like to be anyone but myself, and you don't know what it's like to be anyone but yourself, because you're a unique individual with your own experience of life.  You don't know what it's like to be a woman from Congo or Japan or Tunisia, or a man from Spain or the US or Brazil.  You don't know what it's like to be an animal, or your own mother, or best friend.  You may be able to share better understandings with people with whom you also share some sort of demographic connection, but when it comes down to one-on-one experiences of life, everyone has been traveling a separate journey.  One might have it better than the other, but something as large as sex or race or religion or location or your number one fascination are each one factor of many that affect whether or not one enjoys one's life."  Most of the women said they respected honesty, so to be honest, I actually did say all of that up to the "best friend" part and then some more about everyone being on their own adventure, but the rest I added just now because I can say it to you.

I felt I needed to say that because she had been saying things like, "Women want stability, so when a man pays she knows that he's confident enough."  A younger woman said, "But you're 30 years old!  You're not speaking for younger women who might want the exact opposite!"  And she's engaged.  I also didn't understand why she thought she could speak for other individuals about what they wanted.

When she brought up that paying on the first date exhibits confidence, I asked her if there weren't plenty of other opportunities for a man to demonstrate his confidence during a date, to which she conceded.  Nobody actually got angry, which, in this kind of territory, could easily happen.  Afterward she said that the first date should probably be some fun free activity that involves walking anyway.  If only people would listen to me (when I'm right).  I should speak up more.

Speaking of which, I want to go on the record as completely supporting any equal rights legislation, but that's a different thing from two people getting to know each other.  Besides, the first date shouldn't be that expensive anyway, so either person should be capable of covering the check with a single piece of paper.

When I could finally give my two cents on the "who pays" non-issue to the class, I said that you should treat the situation like you would with any individual: be generous.  When with a friend, male or female, we usually get separate checks, but if I haven't seen the friend in a while, or if it's a special occasion for some reason, then sometimes we both feel obligated to offer to pay.  I know this, because ever since I started traveling, much more often than not, the friend I'm with has more money, and either tries to be kind to me by offering to pay, or playfully, supposedly, emasculate me.  Now that I'm not the "weary traveler," I've been able to stand my ground on that issue much more lately, although I usually cook with friends more than going out to eat anyway.

I really think the generosity aspect is important here, that is, if you want to date someone generous, so I would think it would be just fine for either to offer to pay.  If either of them insists on paying for themselves, then they should.  If the recipient of the offer to pay is offended that the one making the offer would ever think of breaking from whatever tradition the former person was raised with by actually offering to do something nice for them, then they should get with the 21st century and just go with it.  The last thing I am thinking about on a date is who makes more money.  If the date went well I would continue to work on ways to make enough money to make her journey more joyful, but I'm doing that anyway for myself, and hope to continue to improve in many ways.

I prefer to work hard, be creative, challenge myself and share joys with others.  If someone else wants to pay for me, they can, and if I can pay for someone else, I would like to.  That sums it up.

I thought dating was about enjoying the discovery of your similarities which strengthen your bond and make you feel less alone in the world, and your exciting differences that help you complement each other and expand your understanding, enjoyment and love.  And of course, the possibility of pleasing each other with affection.  But perhaps I was supposed to be thinking about money the whole time...

I just read this again, and had another thought.  1 of the most valuable gifts of dating is learning more about being a man and/or a woman, whether you're a woman or a man and dating a man or a woman, and you can interpret that any way you like, just like the rest of your life, as do all of us who are alive and play for love

I am happy that I write these memories for posterity.

This afternoon I read some entries to see where I was on this day in recent years.  I was hoping I could justify sleeping in and being a home body most of the day, save for doing some laundry and walking to the river.  I've got plans with family tomorrow, and I'm tired from working, so today seemed as good a day as any to take it easy, but reading about recent years made me feel even better.

A year ago I worked a really long day.  That's nothing new.  All I wrote in my journal was that it was a "great day" and that I had "new classes next week."  All I remember is that I taught in the morning, part of the afternoon, and late in the evening, until 10 pm.

2 years ago I was sitting in traffic for more than an hour, trying to go across the bridge from Oakland to San Francisco, which is usually a 25 minute commute on the train, but thanks to the train strike, I had to drive, along with everyone else driving who would normally take the train, and it took 80 minutes to get to work.  Afterward, I went to my old home in San Francisco, cleaned it up, and got my security deposit from my landlord.  Then I said one last good bye to the 101 highway I had lived alongside for six months.  Broadway is noisy, but I feel good about it in comparison.

3 years ago I woke up in an empty field.  In Nebraska.  I once met a girl from Nebraska.  The last time I had talked to her, she'd royally chewed me out.  As you can imagine, I didn't really want to be in Nebraska very long, and especially not completely alone in a deserted field.  I swear there was nothing there, except for my car, that is.  I had spent the previous evening being hassled by park police for filling up my water in a free picnic area, driving around after 1 am looking for an entrance to a federal grassland surrounded by barbed wire fencing along the highway, and trying to get just far enough away from the wildfires I saw burning in the distance.  I slept in the car, because I felt strange sleeping in a field outdoors so close to a highway.

I eventually drove to Denver, but because my friend had been fighting with her boyfriend and couldn't offer me a place to stay, I once again found myself driving around after midnight, up into the mountains near Boulder, searching for a place to park.  I almost tore up the bottom of my car driving over large rocks.  Soon it became scarily steep, as I was driving mostly downward at a snail's pace because the bumpy rocks were so large, and searching for a spot in vain because everybody had snatched one up for the holiday weekend.  It was yet another one of those nights just wishing I could lay my head down, but instead I had to be more focused than ever, or who knows... I finally decided to sleep in an area that said no parking but seemed remote enough.  It was the third straight night I'd slept behind the wheel of my car.

Tonight I'm happy to have a room and a bed, and to be able to see family tomorrow.

If you've had a tough, hard or rough experience today, my thoughts are with you, and I encourage you to remember a brand new day is on the way!

You've got stamina!

5 years ago, I took a train north from New York City, and several hours later I returned home to celebrate seven months of a journey with magic and poetic spirituality, although asceticism could, did, would and will always take a back seat to anything that would make a heart pound faster, a brain light up and a spirit fly with joy.

Adventures await admirers who love when mystery presents vivacious experiences intensely moving with treasures of passion, awe, peace, aesthetics and joy of existence

Speaking of which, I also celebrated meeting with my family

Years later I’m in New York City again, with plenty of adventures in between then and now.  If you had asked me what I thought I was qualified to do when I returned from that voyage, that is, besides moving and telling stories, I would say I was getting much better at talking to people, especially people from a diverse array of cultures.  I suppose that’s why I reported to work today as an English teacher.  I wouldn't have thought I would be teaching business English though.  That was a surprise.

I have a vacation coming up toward the end of July.  The spirit is alive, and often the body feels fine, but I must say that I think my biggest health crime is depriving my body of sleep.  I'm getting positive energy consistently from people, foods, liquids, nature and moving around, but I need to revitalize here and there, as do we all.  I need to take some time to complete this stage of the project, and I look forward to the time and place where I am uninterrupted.

Specifically, I will choose when to distribute this summer, preferably August.  This means giving some amount of editorial, financial, and other powers to strangers, which, in a way, is far different from sharing a ride or a conversation.  That’s why I have to give the proper attention, focus, and above all, respect that the process deserves.  My whole life has been leading to this point, wherever this point leads, so I imagine you can understand what this step means to me.  I know I can't control how it goes, and I have to leave that to the universe once I share, but I have to do it my way.  This means I continue to write every day, and improve the art.  I've learned what I have to do to move forward, but now I just have to make a choice about which ones, of the many, will be sent on those journeys, when the larger story is ready for them to take their places.  31 sounds like a year for publishing

Vacation comes in a few weeks, in the new month.  While I move forward, producing, learning and practicing each date with the sun, when the ten days arrive, I plan to enjoy nature with plenty of pages, submission guidelines, memories, music, ideas, enthusiasms and aesthetic awareness of anything worthy of awe.

A miracle in the moment will be enjoyed while working well into the future of believing in the magical mystery tour of joy, adventure, poetry, and the thrill of being alive, thanking this for life, with vigor

You enjoy your life as you move forward into being a better warrior of bliss, in a world working with people of miraculous love imagination creation knowledge which we are wonderfully blessed to experience, as we fly on the edge of all we understand, every alive aware assembly of energy intimately engaging this here now whenever forever as we grow with the show and share what we know to make each other glow

A very special day, that June 29th.  I'm going to share what I've written with you tomorrow.  That is, for it to be better, I must express these ideas once again, with some energetic eyes.

Summer began in a field of fireflies with a light rain kissing the grasses, trees and humanity

Will

Hunger

Love

Creativity

Connection

Travel
Music

Art

Poetry

Sex

Expression

Seeing

Imagination

Movement

Joy

I have many treasures inside, which the world has given and gives, and there are many valuable treasures provided on the outside, which the world also gives, using the inside to bathe the outside with all the imaginative emotion available which the present avails our live awesome performance, consistent collaboration with divine sensation

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Yes, there are differences on the outside, but inside, there is this one, and that one... and 1

Thank you, today

I love witnessing the beauty, that's why

There is always room for improving

People can be frustrating and confusing, but the good ones help you keep moving

A woman from San Francisco had joyful water running on her face.  She was sorting through the stunning emotions, hugging the woman next to her, and thanking her for sharing the experience, as this was the first of its kind she had seen.  The woman next to her happened to be named Hiromi as well, and yes, she also had tears of happiness.

Well, I have met a few Hiromi's and am aware of a few more artists named Hiromi, and they are all beautiful humans worthy of celebration, with something unique to share with us.  Hiromi Uehara, who plays piano, in this opinion, gives the most amazing show.  All you need to know is she will make your spirit grow

Everywhere I walk, I feel positive energy... very genki

I am pleased to have met intelligent people today.  We will learn

Your music still dances with the world

I sat at a table with Japanese people.  Some were from Tokyo, and some were studying on Long Island.

After I sat at a table with people from Long Island.

One man at a nearby table was commenting on how the three people in the group were from three cultures, and I noticed they were from three islands: Japan, England, and New York.

Hiromi!

If you enjoy energetic, masterful, cutting edge, complex and moving music, I highly recommend seeing Hiromi at the Blue Note Jazz Club on West 3rd Street tonight or tomorrow.  She's playing two sets a night.  The club is in one of my favorite parts of town, a couple blocks from Sullivan Street, where I buy my tea, and next door to Benjamin Moore and Ace Hardware, where I buy my Mason jars to store the tea.  There's also an excellent Asian Fusion restaurant across the street, and a famous park nearby as well.

I have been to many Hiromi shows, and, as I've said before, one of the extra benefits besides the music is all the interesting people I meet.  Getting the conversation started is always easy because we're united by a shared love of Hiromi's music.  Often I've been seated next to people who were seeing their first Hiromi show, and they always tell me afterward that they completely understand why I come back for more.

This year I was seated next to a girl who had seen her 7 times already, and clapped her hands in ecstasy about five songs in a row upon hearing the first note.  "Oh my God, she's playing ____!" she would say.  I'm used to sitting next to people who have recently heard of her and don't even know the names of any of the songs, so it was fun to share the joy with someone else who had prior knowledge of her greatness.  An added bonus was I got to sit next to the drum set for the first time, and Simon Phillips (Toto, The Who, David Gilmour of Pink Floyd) broke his drumstick on the first song and grabbed another from his stash without missing a beat.  I looked and saw that he had 14 more waiting for him, and the set list said there were 14 songs, so I was hoping he would have to use all of them, but I guess the next two were sturdier because he didn't need any more after the first one.  Anthony Jackson (Simon & Garfunkel, Steely Dan, Chick Corea, Dizzy Gillespie, Michel Camilo) didn't break his bass at all, which is probably a good thing.

Last night I went with my friend, who had originally introduced me to her work, and she cured him of a stressful day.  Hiromi's music has a way of doing that.  Then again, we were seated next to very strange people.  In short, their manners were lacking, but at the same time they were completely into the show.  They just couldn't restrain themselves from shouting across the table in some foreign language I couldn't quite identify in order to remark on every song, and one of them kept pounding on the table and clapping her hands offbeat.  We conceded her enthusiasm was overall a positive thing, but we kind of wanted to hear the music as well, since this little restaurant isn't a large concert hall with loud amplifiers.  If you're near the stage you're set, but we were a little further up in the back, so their constant commentary, along with that of some people several tables away, often made it difficult to hear the music.  Then again, it's hard to be annoyed with others when Hiromi is playing her piano.

When she played the second set, I was blessed to sit immediately next to the stage and the piano, and see her fingers play every key.  I also had some insanely excited Hiromi fans sitting next to me.  They were very friendly musicians and math students from Pennsylvania, and had just driven several hours to see their first ever Hiromi and Blue Note shows, although they had been worshiping her for years.  They also warned me that they would find it very hard to control themselves.  I found these guys more humorous than annoying, probably because they had been so friendly and enthusiastic before the show.  Also, they bought me a Tequila shot, which is always fun.  The guy even looked a lot like me, that is, if I never trimmed my beard and had brown hair.

I will admit though, I sometimes wished the guy would cease counting off the beat ("1-2-3-4, 1-2-3-4, 1-2-3-4") every song, even though he was doing it as if this number sequence were the greatest miracle ever gifted by God.  Once or twice I had to smile and put my finger in front of his lips, usually when Hiromi was about to give a small speech in between songs or had transitioned to a softer piece.  He later thanked me after the show for keeping him under control, giving me hugs and insisting on pictures with everyone at the table.  All I had really done was share many awed stares, laugh at his orgasmic reactions, give him a thumbs up or occasionally, and smile while also making a motion for him to calm his voice, but most of his shouts and yips added energy to the atmosphere.  His girlfriend could hardly contain herself as well, and often had to hold her face in her elbow, as if she were at an evangelical church meeting and wanted to scream, "Hallelujah!"  She said that all of her friends, upon finding out how close she had sat to Hiromi, would tell her that she could leave the Earth happily after such an experience.

There was also another man with us, a huge jazz fan from Poland.  He and the talkative musician commented on the wonders of her technical ability before, during, and after the show.  I appreciated their new perspective, as I was aware she was doing all sorts of mathematical magic on the keys, and that if she hadn't mastered such complexity she wouldn't be able to express what was inside of her so magnificently.  On the other hand, I kind of wished I hadn't heard most of their deciphering, since I'm happy not to know how she's doing it.  In one interview Hiromi said, "I want my music to go from heart to heart and not from fingers to ears."  I know they clearly felt the music in their hearts, but they were definitely immersed in the latter approach as well.  As they were musicians, I know they couldn't help it, and I'm sure Hiromi gets many of those fans at her shows.  I'm different though.  Seeing as how I know nothing about music theory or composition or arranging, every song is a glorious mystery to me, shining with beauty and fantastic energy.

If you're far from the New York area, I suggest watching an online video of her performances, and if you like what you see, buy one of her many CD's.

Peace!

We talked about beauty and fashion in class today.  As I am a human, I think I have a sense of beauty, and although my knowledge of fashion is lacking, I inherently express some form of it simply through being here.

Seeing as how the school is in the fashion district, I have several students who are here to either study fashion or are in the fashion world.  When you have many insights into and opinions about the world, and are eager to share them, especially when given an audience, one major challenge faced is tempering the expression of your own ideas, because you must focus on the fact that you can only do so much in the service of edification because your real objective is to stimulate conversation.  And you aren't just serving the students this way.  You're serving yourself, because you learn from them.  I point that out more as a reminder to myself, but if this is useful to you in some way or someday, so much the better.

The class commenced with discussions of everyone's definition of the word "fashion," and what they considered important, and what they noticed on other people.  Then we moved more toward the beauty side of things, which encompasses fashion and goes well beyond.  My favorite part was when I asked everyone to name something beautiful, and most people named positive human qualities.

At the conclusion of the class, I read them some quotes that I thought were beautiful.  I tried to show movie clips, but the sound wasn't high enough, and one of them I couldn't even find online, so I had to recite it from memory.  Afterward I asked for any comments, and they said, “Thank you,” but differently from how they usually say it, and I could see they meant it.  I responded with, "Thank YOU," which I said in all sincerity, because they are constantly teaching me as well.

On Monday I'll have new classes.  I'll be teaching business English to post-advanced students.  I'm sure we'll all learn plenty.  Hopefully it will help me to shine a light on what I'm getting into as I continue to organize, edit, and, if all goes according to the initial plan, send some works for publication this month.  Although dollars will be welcome if they come, because they have the ability to feed the body and provide pathways which grow the soul, I am making myself remember such gifts of BEAUTY IN SPIRIT ARE THE HIGHEST GOAL

Welcome the new day

An opportunity for expressing yourself

Be good to people

Get yourself some fun

Improve your skills, learn something, give your mind a chance to play

A heart beating fast is a beautiful experience

Life, your miracle, swims in your spirit

I love walking around and seeing beauty in nature and people’s faces, actions, moves and smiles

Today I support you, and myself, in working toward our dreams with love, enthusiasm, imagination, courage, and patience

Teacher Appreciation Week is May 4 through 8.  I became aware of that today, when our school honored us by giving us free pizza and teaching equipment.  I appreciate that.

I read my journal the other night.

What did I learn?  That I gave my first lesson as a teacher four years ago, on this very date, in Tokyo, Japan

Beautiful fun!

More new smiles!

I think my favorite part of giving final exams to students is that I get to talk to them one-on-one, however briefly.  Even though I call on all of them individually in class, they seem to tell me much more about their lives when I'm the only audience.  Best of all, they smile in these ways that are truly genuine, especially when they're talking about something that makes them happy.  Sometimes I learn we have more in common than I thought.  Sometimes not, but I still learn.  A few students talked about playing soccer or volleyball, and although I'd never played seriously, I did have fond memories of both from my childhood.  All it really took was a few leading questions, and they would talk forever if I didn't have to stop them for time.  Then again, some students are from countries with violent conflicts, and I cannot relate to their experiences or fears.  This is the only job I've had where I will read something in the news about some far off distant land and think it has nothing to do with me and then go to work and meet someone from that same place.  I wish I had more time to talk to them individually, as opposed to the quick tests.  Even so, the exercise gives them a chance to talk, and it gives me a chance to listen.  I know that some of them have improved their skills thanks to me, and I know that some of them haven't.  But all of them have improved my listening skills, and I thank them for that.  I have learned from experience that doing things with some effort and exertion will often help you later on in some unforeseeable way, even if you think those skills weren't useful.  Climbing ladders to paint houses built my courage to travel, and taught me about focus while living a careful balancing act.  Traveling taught me courage when faced with constant uncertainty, and how to talk to people I didn't know.  That helped me get a job.  Teaching this language helps me employ it on my own time.  Doing that helps me do all of this

I asked the class why people travel, and they said:


romantic search

meet people

confidence

inspiration

travel bug

stories

language

sex

broaden your horizons

cultural enrichment

experience

stir crazy

open your mind

discover yourself

joy

relaxation

challenge

shopping

contribute to economies

food

perspective

spread DNA

new eyes

feels good

knowledge

education

work

business

adventure

relationships

vacation

honeymoon

wisdom

photography

make memories

escape reality

overcome fear

we can

Up and down and round and round

I had a great time with people today and was happy to learn I am always learning something new, whichever wondrous way I go through, and somehow I, whatever we do, am teaching something with u

I really love travel, people, words, language, especially music, art, nature and beauty in many creative unique special ways when we enjoy life's love

I am happy to be here.  I am happy to teach people and learn from them.  I usually learn that I am not the best at many things or, when faced with the universe, the best at anything other than what I do, which is living the life I am.  Even if we sometimes do, we don’t always have to be the best, which makes life very fun.  We work together to share what we experience with languages we make

Colors are growing

I am thankful for this heavenly fortune of being alive, and the freedoms I have to pursue happiness while enjoying this miracle.

There is much to be said for today's date.  I've said it in my journal.  I say plenty in my journal every day.  I write, I write, I write.

Most importantly, you don't have to "do what you love" (i.e. perfect job) but you should do things that you love while you are alive.  And hey, if it presents itself, go for that dream!

Where is mine leading?  Actually distributing pieces of writing in widely read publications, as long as they accept them.  I will be sending work for approval in June, a beautiful time of year for commencements.  I hope the doors will open where I didn't know they would be...

Where is yours leading?  Wherever you would like, so long as you remember to be brave, kind and curiously creative with your "God" given universal imagination.

Play with elation.

Your existence is a sensation

Update on the way...

Love and laughter with friends, family and gorgeous spring scenery pleasing the eye as far as this I can see

I am very lucky to have recently met so many people, and their smiles, and more come with a new day

You live brave journeys

I am thankful I have speaking, reading, writing, intuitive, listening, looking, seeing, and skills for loving life

Today the students in my first class finished their final exam.  They are Level 8, which is an advanced level.  I have been teaching them for two months.  Then again, before this I taught Level 7, and two of the students were in that class as well.  Those same two students were in my Friday lab class the previous two months, so I have been teaching them for half a year now.  One of them is moving on, but the other I will still teach, yet again on Friday's, as I have been given the most advanced Friday class again too.  Since I had been teaching Level 4 (very enjoyable students, but very limited capability for discussion of the kinds of things that swirl around this brain) for four months previously, I've been very happy to be teaching much higher level students recently.

Although I met the requirements of the job and taught them all the necessary grammar, vocabulary, readings and exercises from the assigned text, they had plenty of supplementary material from me.  Today they joked that I was really a philosophy professor.  It wasn't my fault though!  The book would give us some deep topic such as the future and robots, climate change, art, comedy, mysteries and so on, but there was only so much content in the book to cover four hours each morning, so I had to give them more materials, which I am encouraged to do by the school.  As you might imagine, I've been very happy to oblige.  On top of that, there are 6 units in the book and 8 weeks of class, so I get to teach them whatever I think is useful and will stimulate discussion for the final two weeks.

They're great people.  I really feel lucky to have had such a motivated, interested group.  I'm definitely heaping exorbitant praise on them.  They also felt tired and lackadaisical on certain days, but I could always count on someone to express their opinion or share an experience.  Most of all, I appreciate their smiles, insights and laughs making each morning brighter.

That's all for tonight.  I've been running up an incredible sleep debt (despite a 3-4 hour break in the afternoon, my day does not end until 10).

I can see many smiles when I am looking

Working, enjoying the show

Light the candle in the universe with smiling vibrant energy exciting electricity in intricate complicity with every destiny, you and me and everybody we see with whom we live, from whom we take, and to whom we give vivacity, veracity, voracious, herbaceous, tenacious, gracious, with imagination and generation of divine sensation

Yum

I love eating food and listening to stories with family, these friends extended as far as we love

Today

I, somewhere, move ways, every day, and we live the treasure of beautiful vibes, smiles, eyes, taste, scents, insights and magical feelings which come from everywhere we dare stare, fully aware of the glorious creation with which we pair our various joys which energy employs excellent emphasis enthusing artistic spirit as soulful as necessary for we to hear this adventurous mind that loves kind light in star bright given focus with shadows of night, a flight and fight to live life, that's right, with all your might, emitting imagination because journeys of elation, our universal station, brave unknown creation, constant salvation

What's up?

U!

U

SEA,

ASTONISH

Yes!  We alive!  U are alive and I am alive, and awed, and anxiously awaiting while saying what will wow our way helping us play every awesome creative experience, webbing every day

Hero U

Today, in the learning place, we discussed humor.  Previously we've expressed our understanding and enjoyment of art, creativity and expression of our energy.  Tomorrow, for the lab class, we will talk about animals and pets.

I remember my first pet.  He was a fish.  A gold fish.  His name was "Speedy."  We bought him at the pet store.  He swam in a small tank in my room.  After a couple years we brought him to our friend's house because she had a little fish pond in her backyard.  I wasn't happy to part with him, but I remember going back to see him a few years later, and he was much bigger, so I was content.  He had to follow his own bliss, and that small cage in my room wasn't doing his life justice.

That reminds me of events on this very day three years ago.  I woke up in a small tank in Osaka, Japan.  That is, I woke up in a capsule hotel.  I had been traveling on vacation for seven days after completing a year of teaching, and was due back in Tokyo that night.  First I had a few more things to do in the city.  One of them involved visiting the Osaka Aquarium.  I hadn't been to an aquarium in years.  I don't particularly enjoy seeing animals caged in zoos and aquariums, but I was going to reap the benefits of firsthand wonder anyway by seeing something I had never seen before.  Although we're all alive in one, we are still living variety expressed with words conveying experiences as animals and plants and fish and mammals and bird amphibian lizards and so on.  The word humans put on this particular life is "whale shark," a fish that is almost as large as some whales, which aren't fish but instead mammals.  That means although there are much larger creatures in the sweet mystery of the sea, whale sharks' growth is superlative for the moving life that represents the initial experience of advanced magical intelligence

The best part about whale sharks is they are generally safe to be around.  They are peaceful and will even permit swimmers to hitch rides on their fins from time to time.  I figured it was my only chance to see one, so I found the way in that foreign city and made that my Osaka plan for the ultimate day of that specific journey in that particular country.  However, there was one issue: I didn't have a camera.  I hadn't been able to find my camera at the very beginning of the journey, and had foolishly balked at buying a new one.  I even visited a big electronics store and decided against it because I didn't like some hidden costs or foreigner's tax or something like that.

So I went to the aquarium with what I had, and there it was: the whale shark.  It swam peacefully in spiraling circles, up and down, while a large school of fish trailed its every move.  There were other scarier creatures in there, such as sharks and sting rays and so forth, but they left it alone, and didn't try to eat its followers either.  I also noticed a scary looking eel-like creature in the large cylindrical tank where most of the sea life swam, but upon closer inspection it was really just a tube that had been placed there with the purpose of cleaning the tank so the fish could breathe more easily.

While watching the whale shark swim around I decided that having a camera was a huge part of my art, even if I was a writer first.  So I went back to the electronics store, decided I wouldn't remember the cost years later anyway, and bought the camera and data cards and all the extra things I had to pay for, because that's what you do if your enjoyment says you have to travel and translate what you experience into art.  If you want to start a family, you need skills which support other humans as soon as you think you are ready to handle such responsibility.  The accumulation of green papers is welcomed, but they will come along the way anyway if you learn, care, and work with your body and mind.  Whatever you do, make sure you are paying plenty of attention to exerting while accumulating valuable experiences and skills, which can be transformed into any colors of ink on paper and moments in artful images, with the knowledge that the payoff will be worth it in the long run.  I can't speak for all of my actions yet, and although that camera is long gone, it more than served its purpose all around America.  After purchasing the camera, I raced back to an area near my hotel and took pictures of all sorts of crazy shops, shirts, jackets, socks and hats with interesting messages, and book covers and so forth, as well as the glorious canals.

Then I raced to the train, barely making it in time, and headed back toward Tokyo.  I visited Hamamatsu on the way, because it's the birth place of my favorite musician and the most energetic artist I've ever seen, Hiromi Uehara.  She is the complete package, because she can express every emotion with her music, whether its excitement, solemnity, ecstasy, intensity, playfulness, mind-blowing creativity, "and so on" as she would say.  Anyway, her birthday is March 26th.  Happy Birthday, Hiromi!  Thank you for your loving positive energy you so graciously share with everybody!

After a short while in Hamamatsu and taking a picture that says "Your Alive" I barely made the train to Tokyo, very thankful that I had finally been able to go on a journey in Japan.

The memories continue though.  Later that year I was moving across the US, and on the way I camped many places.  The first place I really did back country wilderness camping without any other campers around was in Minnesota, in an area known as the Boundary Waters Canoe Area.  I had been given a canoe by my father and had tied it to the roof of the car handed down to me by my mother.  Upon arrival at the launching point, I packed the canoe with several days of supplies and canoed several miles until I saw an American flag flying from a tree in a secluded cove.  I was in bear and moose country, and I'm pretty sure I saw a bear cub swimming near my campsite for about ten seconds before it went underwater and around the corner.  I went swimming myself the next day, canoed on completely placid water with sunlight and rainbows, and then later stars above.  That's where I figured out how to perfectly position myself on the seats of the canoe so that I could lay on my back and stare at the stars in serene silence.  If that's not the highest bliss I know, it's in the top three.

I canoed back after a couple nights, just in time to get shelter before one of the biggest thunderstorms in Northeast Minnesota history (at least according to a local in the parking lot the next day).

Anyway, this didn't happen on March 26th, but there is still poetry to be seen: the only road leading into the lake which had been recommended to me by a park ranger was Route 326.

I suppose in Japan that might not mean anything because they would write the date as 26/3, but in America, that's Hiromi's birthday!

Guess who else's birthday it is today?  I JUST discovered this an hour ago.  I might have known this at one time, but apparently it hadn't registered in my mind permanently.  Today is Joseph Campbell's birthday!  You know, JC?!  "Follow Your Bliss."  The Hero With a Thousand Faces.  The Power of Myth.  Read them!

Guess what else I discovered once again?  Joe is a graduate of Columbia University, the only Ivy League in New York City.  I had seen that information before, but I suppose it hadn't registered.  Whenever I thought of his "initiation into the mysteries of life," I thought of the part where he talked of his early adulthood in the 30's, a time in which he explained that those who identified as "counter-culture," as he did, simply had nothing to do in the society because there wasn't any work.  So he spent five years studying the wisdom of worlds in a place without running water in the forest near Woodstock, New York, reading books and enjoying a life he loved.  I've done my own version of that in my own way, because of his words and the words of all heroes who help us enjoy

I am writing these words twenty blocks north of where he used to learn about the world, and I go past it on the 1 train every morning, afternoon, early evening and night on my way to and from and to and from work.  Sometimes I walk through there when I'm strolling around uptown, seeing faces and places and words and art all around Broadway and Amsterdam.  I'm always happy to see beauty, and their campus meets this description, that is, according to the beholder known as me.  That being said, I think I've had enough of paying people for degrees.  I can clearly see more firmly now that after the individual has been given twelve to seventeen years of specific guidance in skills, knowledge and learning techniques, one has the power to find education throughout one's life, especially in this golden age of information.  With resourcefulness and enthusiasm, you will discover knowledge, transform it to wisdom from experience, and apply awesome imagination you tune in with your universal station.  I see universities more as facilities which offer materials, advisers and intellectually stimulating companionship than as necessities for happiness and success in life.  Then again, Joe Campbell spent the majority of his adulthood spreading wisdom an hour north of the city, and found plenty of time for adventures in between.  I think he would agree that your joy depends on your unique situation in the universe and the creative path to your bliss currently glowing everywhere u look.  I'm more interested in that than being further in debt to the higher educational system.  That being said, the campus is close enough to my daily activities, so I welcome the spectacular architecture and inspirational alumni as a much needed change of scenery from the grittier surroundings further uptown.

I wrote a post a year or so ago about running up the steps to the library of "King's College" one February evening and feeling like Rocky.  When I reached the top I could see that there was actually a social event for their graduate program writers and literary agents, who, as I understand, are mostly necessary for one to have a writing career with any sort of meaningful distribution or any expectation of making a living from one's writing.  Things are changing with the internet and digital publishing, but I want to see my words on wood pulp, you feel me?  I didn't have a name tag at the time, so I walked away.  My original piece might have seemed dismissive of academia mixing with the arts, because, at the time, I was and had been interacting with a very different stratum of society, and all the fancy clothes and champagne glasses had me feeling out of place.  They had a right to their ritual; I had just wandered by in a different state of mind.

Eventually I clarified my ideas about studying art, specifically the art of writing, at a university, with respect to my personal experience.  I have nothing against Columbia, or places of higher learning (I went to their in-state companion, Cornell), or people with champagne glasses and fancy clothes.  I love awesome parties, as does everyone.  I just want to make sure I can be myself and have my kind of fun.  If I've learned anything from journeys, it's to explore more of the world's experiential diversity.  I am thankful to have a reminder to follow bliss anywhere on the Earth when I see the words "Columbia University" written on the wall of the station when I'm in my bleary eyed morning mindset

Speaking of Columbia, President Barack Obama is also an alumnus.  Today I closed the comedy section with several video clips of his more humorous endeavors, such as appearances on buzzfeed.com, "Between Two Ferns" and The Colbert Report.  I applaud his sense of humor.  As heroic as we would like our deeds to be, we can only survive and succeed if we keep in mind that very often life is funny, and that we will enjoy ourselves more when we lighten up and laugh amidst all the heavy seriousness of survival in the ocean of life.

Mr. Obama is one of my heroes, I'm sure for many reasons, but most immediately because it recently came to my attention that several years after graduating from Columbia he had protested the condition of the city's subway system and demanded improvements.  Thank you, Mr. President.  I rely on that subway system every day, and although I'm constantly shaken from my bliss by its wild inconsistencies and its riders' dizzying lack of common courtesy, I understand that, from what I've read about NYC in the 80's, it has come a tremendously long way.  Now if only he could tell people to move away from the entrance when people leave and enter the train, and I will further enjoy moving about New York society.

I suppose the message of all of this is that we would all love to be considered heroes by some, if not one, but we're never the only one.  We have to share the stage with others.  That's the way this works.  Besides, who would want to always be in the spotlight alone?  As long as your contribution makes the experience of being alive more enjoyable for some, then your victory is won.  If you think that your aquarium is limiting your growth and that you could make the world even happier by living your bliss and sharing the potentially inspirational, informative and entertaining results with your fellow humans, then by all means, MOVE US!  You can be as slow and steady or as speedy as you like while you live and seek happiness.  Just keep "moving forward" on the path of your bliss

3/26, Japan