Eversource: WTF

 Let's talk about Eversource.  Last month my power bill was what I would consider way out there at over 500.00 dollars.  I thought that was astronomical a month ago, until I received this months power bill.  The words, Oh My God!, and other non-speakable lingo.  My present Bill is 663 dollars and some change.  Holy shnikies.  How can a utility charge such prices to the average customer.  If you Google the rate for Eversource NH. you will find that starting in February they will be charging about 20 cents per kilowatt hour.  I looked at my bill, I am presently being charged 23 cents, give or take, per kilowatt hour.  So why 663 dollars?

They claim I've used over 2000 kilowatt hours of juice.  There are only 2 people living in my house.  Granted I like my electronic gadgets, and I use space heaters in places to keep down the oil usage, but **it.  How can they justify what's happening?  Are we to blame Covid for this as well?  Hell No, I say!

The last reasonable power bill I had was about 125 dollars just before the holidays.  Then the hammer dropped.  So, what I'll do in the near future is pay my bill and search out a more reasonable company to do business with.  Somewhere deep in the recesses of my befuddled mind there is the sensation that someone, somewhere is profiting from, mine and other's like me lack of political clout, and that just pisses me off.

Peace and Balance,

John

Purple Rain | Prince | funk cover ft. Mario Jose

All Funk'd Up.

 

I'm a bass player.  I've been beatin on the strings since I was a kid.  I like all sorts of music.  I've played everything from Classical to modern Fusion forms of Rock and Jazz.  I like music in general.  A couple of my favorite forms of music are Blues and Funk.  They both build off the standard 12 bars and go from there.  Blues is obviously, bluesy, and Funk is Funky.  Sometime they mix and you have some pretty cool sounding stuff.

There is a big movement where bands will take a standard Rock, Classical, or even a Country Western song and Funk it up.  They'll take the song and re-write the melodies with some new rhythm and Funky Bass lines recreating a whole new genre of Funk Rock, Jazz, and Country.  I like the stuff.  It makes you want to get up and move.  The heart palpitates just a bit and the feet start moving.  Funk music has the after effect of making the listener suddenly forget any pains and ails he/she may be suffering and the Happy takes over.  Good work ladies and gentlemen, your work is not going un-noticed or un-appreciated.  

I may even take up my Bass and start Funkin up some stuff my own self and create some new from the old.  I might even take some of the old Blues I used to play and sing and turn it into a perpetual Funkalishous movement of vibratory giggles the whole body will enjoy.  

Go to Youtube  and type in "Funk it up" and see what happens.  If you enjoy what your listening to leave a message let me know, if not, well...  

Peace and Balance,

John

Crash Into Me - Dave Matthews Band FUNKy cover

The Final Exam

 Today I gave my science class it's Final Exam.  We don't call tests, "Tests" anymore because it creates anxiety and morose in students with an over abundance of sensibilities.  These may include anxiety disorders, emotional difficulties, behavior problems, and the occasional mental illness.  This list includes the teachers and staff of today's modern educational experience.  I speak from somewhat of an authoritarian point of view since I myself am part of this experience.   I am a full time Special Education Professional and a Part Time Science Teacher.  

We instead call tests by their new label, Assessments.  So, what we have accomplished by changing the moniker  of the test to assessment is creating a new form of angst in the teacher.  Now, we have to retrain ourselves to use a whole different verbiage to describe something that should be called what it is, a test.  Some of my students, not the brighter ones mind you, but just some of them give me that sideways glance and ask, "Huh, what's that?"

As you can imagine that can lead to a whole different set of explanations.   A Test is: a procedure intended to establish the quality, performance, or reliability of something, especially before it is taken into widespread use. So, we can see that using the word Test would make everything easy.  It's the thing that tells you how a student is doing academically.

Well an Assessment on the other hand is: the evaluation or estimation of the nature, quality, or ability of someone or something.  Ok, that one is a little more "New Agey".  Now we're evaluating the "Nature" of something.  Let's get down to the metaphysics of the process.  Let's test the True Nature of our student's. How are they handling the information presented.  Are they absorbing it, or faking it?  The Hippy's are taking over and taking a test is becoming a love fest.  What's next gauging the, "Want to do something"?  I want  a million bucks, does that make it happen?

So, I gave my students their Final Exam.  The operative adjective is, "Final".  Meaning, done, no more, no mas, and that's all folks.  Final, geez.  That one makes it sound so, "Final"  What's at the end of this exam, a tall boney fellow wearing a long black hooded cloak?  

Fortunately all of my students passes the exam, another word for test, the lowest grade was an 80%, so I guess all's good.  Next time I'll use the word Assessment, smile more, and think about giving everyone a big hug.  Not gonna do it, just think about it.  After all I have that stoic persona to keep up.

Peace and Balance,

John

Johan, Joakim, And The Creator

 Many, many moons ago there were two brothers, Johan and Joakim.  Johan was the eldest by several million years, but since they were immortal beings you would have never guessed.  Each sat beside their father the Creator, one on the right hand and one on the left hand.  The positions did not matter back then as there was no difference between the right and left, man did not exist yet.  

From the right side of the Creator to the left side of the Creator and back again the brothers learned the power of the Sing.  Johan's voice was low and melodious. He reverberated all things when he sang, his harmonies spread to creation and vibrated into existence dark things, planets, and bodies of all astral creatures.  Life was stirring in the stone.

From the left side sang Joakim, his voice pitched much higher and had the sound of birds singing on the wind.  He would vibrate the gas itself and the Sun's were created. Light spread upon the Darkness and Merged with it.  For the dark things was given the light things to see.  The stars took on life of their very own.  

The Creator, who has no name, was pleased.  Joy began mixing with the darkness and the light forever binding them together one with the other.  The Creator added his own voice to those of his sons, Johan and Joakim, and a great swirling was created.  From this whirl was born Order.  

The Creator placed each of his sons on one side of Order and gave them one final task, as he knew all things. This task was to walk the perimeter of Order and sing into the Hearth of the abyss there.  The brother's Johan and Joakim began their trek each singing into the void.  From the center of the abyss a new world was created as the great Hearth began pulsating and breathing as the Song grew within it's center.  From the Hearth the world for the Creator was created, Earth was her name.  She would be the home of the Great Creator for all time, his consort. 

As things go, time progressed and the brothers continued to walk and sing.  Then early one morning the brother's came upon each other each facing the other traveling opposite directions on the same path.  Johan the eldest spoke first.  His long grey hair and beard reaching to the ground from under a tall pointed hat, his eyes pierced Joakim like fire and he said, "Give way brother, I am the eldest and you must show me the path."

Joakim looked deep into his brothers eye, his presence was stoic, his black hair and beard reaching the ground, atop his head was a black pointed hat.  His black cloak flowed in a breeze that was beginning to rise under the conversation of the brothers.  His reply was simple and curt, "No" was all he said.   

Johan began his sing and the terrible vibrations reverberated like great wave from his center to all things.  Joakim replied with his own song.  It could be heard above that of Johan's song and the winds began vibrating in rhythm to the song's mixing.  The two sang for time that can not be counted.  

From where Johan was standing his feet became the depths of a great mountain that grew and grew the longer he sang.  He was transforming into that of the mother the Earth.  Joakim's song vibrated along the ground and his legs and trunk became the trunk of a great tree and vibrated all trees and plants upon the mountain.  

Time became time and the Brother's Johan and Joakim melded into one who's song was greater than either was alone.  They had become the life that populated the Mother, the Consort Earth.  There was a Great Laughter that came from the Center of all things, the Joy of the Creator could be heard and felt within all things.  He was pleased with his sons, as he knew that neither could give way to the other.  He knew that they would bring Order to Chaos.  The Great Creator's laughter and joy brought the breath of life from the songs of his sons Johan, and Joakim.  His sons became the son's of the Earth and she was pleased.  Johan and Joakim had become the song of joy, and life, and they understood and where also pleased.  

There Father the Great Creator was Wu the Lord of Chaos, Order, and Creation... OM

Peace and Balance,

John

Delusion or Reality?

 What is reality?  We're taught that reality has to do with the ability to touch, smell, hear, taste, and see something.  Our senses are supposed to be the predeterminer of what is real or not real.  But, what is reality, really?  

A scientist is going to tell you something is real if there in empirical evidence that it exists, and if that evidence exists can it be tested and retested to make the realness concrete.  Assuming the test passes and your existence becomes real, what about the things you, "think" are real verses what you have just tested?  Let's say you have a memory of something that happened in childhood.  It happened you remember it.  It's formed the synapsis in your brain that tell you it was real, but it doesn't fit the perimeters we learned as we grew up.  You just, "know" it was real because you remember the experience, you have that tactile recall that say's Its real.  Can it be tested scientifically?  I'm not so sure it would pass the scientific method.  After all, it's all in your head.

We have the ability to create things.  We are artists, engineers, and a multitude of others,  Who's to say we can't create with our mind the perimeters for the memories stored there.  Wouldn't that make us gods?

I recently watched a Ted Talk with a philosopher that has determined that our realities are our own self created perception of the universe around us.  We create reality as we see fit to fit the mold that we have programed into our own process.  He was saying that we are all hallucinating to a certain extent, that reality was a self created delusion from our mind to make sense of the stimulus we are receiving from outside our perception.   Boy that's a scary thought.  That would make us all 100% responsible for everything we do, and or anything that is done to us.  Therefor Karma is not what comes around, but the energy we actually put into the event causing the Karma.  Karma is the reflection of our self created realities.  Could be...

So, what is reality, really?  I guess in order to truthfully and completely answer that question an amount of concentrated practice in the art of thinking is in order.

Peace and Balance,

John

More Cross Training.

 Sometimes you walk outside and say unpleasant things.  Often you anticipate imaginary outcomes from things that you're expecting to happen verses what actually transpires.  The final results are usually unexpected and not what you thought was going to happen.

This morning the universe in her infinite wisdom decided to throw at us another one of life's exotic lessons.  I woke at about 3:30 in the AM. and put on a pair of boots and wandered forth to my driveway to check out the weather situation.  At that time the fallen snow was manageable all was good in the world, I went back inside.  

While indoors I progressed through my normal morning thing complete with sacred coffee and deep breathing.  When the voice in my head told me I had, had enough that my brain was adequately oxygenated I made my wife and I some breakfast as I just received a notice of a two hour delay for school.   Considering I had already walked out and checked the drive way out, I decided that another look was warranted, and a good thing I did to.  Boot's back on I wandered out the door to take a look see.  "Oh My.." was all I could say.

Shovel in hand I attacked the rather large gift the snow plow guy had left at the front of my drive.  Knocking it half way back I then focused on my vehicle.  I started  up the pony, turned on the heater, and started sweeping her off.  That actually took some time there was a tad bit of snow on board.  

Backing out of my parking spot I then dug out the area around the steps to the door.  That was fun, I was enjoying the pushing of white stuff around.  The temp was not cold, not hot, just right, the air was crisp and had that feel you get maybe once a season.  The thought crossed my mind that I could call in sick and play in the snow all day, but alas I am a diligent educator and would suffer the ills of guilt.  So, I didn't.  

After I cleaned up as much snow as I was going to in the time I'd given myself, I crawled back into the cab of the pony and began 4 wheeling all over the driveway.  My pony thinks she's a snow machine. It was great fun.  I parked and returned to the interior of my abode.  

Driving to school was interesting.  Snow had piled up and was beginning to fall again.  I made it to school this morning unscathed, rested, and fed, all was good in the world.  It's snowing harder now.  

I wonder what's it's going to look like after that last bell of the day?

Peace and Balance,

John

Blues Brothers - Ghost riders in the sky

Cross Train

 Cross training is doing a different task than the once your body is programed to perform on a daily basis.  Cross training comes in many forms.  Runners for instance might decide to go cross country skiing for a few miles, weight trainers might decide to go for a run just for the cardio connection, wrestlers believe it or not often play basket ball, it's weird.  However, basket ball players don't usually crawl onto a wrestling mat and roll.  Possibly to physical.  

Most of the time athletes make conscious decisions about when and how they might enjoy some cross training.  It is a way to sharpen latent skills and keep the whole body in the game because you're now engaging different muscle groups making the athletic experience much more holistic. 

Occasionally the Universal Forces intervein and cross training is thrust upon you without a moments notice. When this happens you have no choice in the manner in which the training presents itself.  It just happens, and usually in response to an outside stimulus that you have absolutely no control over.  For example you  might be on a cruise ship doing a few laps around the deck when a big wind grabs you and deposits you in the drink.  Now, you're faced with the possibility of drowning in the ocean, being eaten by sharks, or being left behind by the cruise ship.  In this instance the universe has sent you the gift of an exercise in cross training.  You either swim or sink, out swim a shark or two, ya never know.  

I slept pretty well last night.  All things were in balance and I felt rested when waking at 3:30 AM.  That's until I looked out the window in the direction of my vehicle.  Mother Nature had deposited a fair amount of snow upon it and the driveway.  The Universal Forces had given me the gift of cross training with a snow shovel.  It is good exercise after all and works out the entire body.  What a wonderful benefit.

I have a rather large driveway.  Depending on the amount of snow determines the intensity of my Cross Training.  This morning I would say, "Moderate".

What will be thrown in my direction next?

Peace and Balance,

John

 

The Sacred Cup

 We are creatures of habit.  We get used to certain behaviors and patterns that can be predictable in our everyday lives.  We use these patterns to guide us through our days as guide posts from one event to another, sort of like the little starred towns on a map leading down US Highway 2 across the northern reaches of our great country. 

As habitual creatures we also get comfortable with certain objects.  We sit in the same chair because it has that special butt shaped spot that has been formed from years of use.  We watch the same news channel and get out of sorts when there is a substitute news caster, and we tend to travel the same routes every morning to get to work.  This gives us an extra few minutes of nap time as the body is operating on automatic.  

Coffee is a sacred substance.  It is made from the holy bean and goes through a ritual that we also habitually do every morning, and often into the night.  With the holy bean we also tend to use the same receptacle, the same cup of comfort to hold our liquid delight.  One cup, one drink, yes there is balance in the world.

When a good coffee cup breaks, one that you've used for many years gaining comfort from, one that has formed a certain bond with your upper lip it's like loosing a good friend.  And the death of a good friend can be devastating.  Your sense of reality gets twisted, things feel off kilter until the norm returns again.  The process of breaking in another holder of the sacred juice.  

From Wakaliapi we create Pejuta Sapa, from the holy bean is created the black medicine, and not just any cup will do.  

So, the search begins.  

Peace and Balance,

John

Thunder Being

 

A howl was heard over the roar of the wind.

The trees were bent low and the light was dim.

I don't know what noise that was,

but the hair stood up on the back of my neck cuz

a memory was being laid like brick

a black cloaked shadow

eyes as red as fire

stood staring

when I realized the howl was me

then, a crack as loud as thunder

lightning on the floor

IBOM, WakanInyan is walking.   

Lohan 1 (Xianglong Louhan)

 Lohan 1 is the title I have given my first form, (a routine group of movements that depict a physical conflict).  Lohan 1 was not it's first name.  I learned this group of movements originally from my father sometime during the mid to late 60's back home in Montana.  It's original name was Pinan Shodan. This form, to my understanding came from a very old style of Okinawan Te that had only one form.  It's original origin is not 100% certain, however it may have it's roots from Anko Itosu around 1895.  Pinan is a group of movements, and Shodan is the first advanced rank in Okinawan Karatedo, 1st black belt.  Therefore this would be the first black belts form, and it's at the beginning, isn't that neat?

I have changed the movements of this form from a linear straight block, punch, kick idea to a more circular flow of block, grab, punch, grapple, kick, and finish.  I have changed it back into a Chinese conception of movements, thus I call it a Lohan and put it up front as it is my first form. 

In Lohan 1 we begin by working on footwork.  We learn to pick up the ankles and feet and keep the leg aligned from the hip knee to feet.  Then we begin walking.  The walking comes in the form of a flat walk that concentrates on every movement of the step.  What looks like a straight step has hidden within it subtle circular movements as the step glides from one position to the other.  

With the feet follow the hands.  As the feet and ankles move so do the wrists and fingers.  As the knees flow so do the elbows.  As the hip glides so do the shoulders.  From the top of the head through the spine is a rotation that guides all movement from the center, (Dantien) out to the rest of the body.  One free flowing machine that works together in unison.  

What used to be a straight form of a capital letter I, is now more akin to the shape of the kanji (Chinese written letters), (平安) .  My students will recognize the footwork in these letters.  Thus Lohan 1 is written. 

From beginning to end the practitioner should focus from the ground up through the top of the head and back down again to the end.  And, every time one performs this routine should be a little different from the last.  This is how we grow and progress in our Gong Fu.  

Peace and Balance,

John

  

I Have a Dream speech by Martin Luther King .Jr HD (subtitled)

Lohan

 The question has occasionally been asked, "Why, John do you call your routines of practice, Lohan?" Here is a possible answer, you can formulate your own.

A Lohan is an individual who has attained a state of Enlightenment and was a true follower of the Buddha. There is a story that has followed Buddhism from it's inception in Deli to it's eventual home in Sil Lum (Shaolin).  

In it's early beginnings there were 18 of the original monks of the Buddha that deviated from his original teachings and became solitary wanderers of the wilderness.  These were the original 18 Lohan.  The original 18 first enlightened monks of Buddha.  Bodhidharma was one of these monks.  

The story loosely goes that in or about 520 AD Bodhidharma traveled from India south into the regions of south central Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam.  At this point he turned north and headed up into the regions of the mountains of China.  Bodhidharma was an aristocrat and physician.  He became a follower of Gautama the Buddha after listening to his liturgy in front of the city wall of Deli, or what would become Deli in India.  It is said that Bodhidharma was instantly struck with enlightenment after hearing the talk and walked away from his material life and became one of the original 18 Lohan. He finely found the Monks in the small forest above the mountains of Shantung in China in the province of Hunan.  

The Monks there called themselves Sil Lum (Shaolin), The Monks of the Small Forest and devoted most of their time to the pursuits of meditation, contemplation, and chanting.  In hoping to attain their own levels of enlightenment.  At this point they were not Buddhist yet.  They were a sect of Cha and Taoism. The birthplace of Zen. 

The monks recognized Bodhidharma as an enlightened one and bestowed upon him the title name, Tamo, Great Teacher, or more specific, "Great Giver of Knowledge." 

Tamo found the Sil Lum in a state of disrepair, and slovenly state of body.  They did not care for themselves only spent time trying to achieve the states of enlightenment that they could not achieve in their present state of being.  Tamo was angry. 

He retreated to a cave that was poised in the mountain above the temple and began meditating.  He thought of himself, he thought of the monks, he thought of the mountain, and he contemplated his cave.  For 9 years Tamo meditated and contemplated his existence and his place in the universe and observed all he could from nature and his surroundings and began creating his original 18 Lohan.  These were 18 exercises designed to strengthen, lengthen, and create levels of awareness and focus.  He then left his cave and presented the Lohan to the monks.  After 9 years he began teaching the monks and 9 years from that time he had his own 18 original students.  This was the birth of the warrior monks of Sil Lum.  

From that point forward when a Monk attains a certain level of expertise and has walked through the room of a thousand tests he can choose to stay in the monetary and become a religious monk or he can travel and become a Lohan, a wandering monk.  One who gains knowledge and experience from the world around him, and teaches that knowledge to those around him.  This is Shaolin. 

To answer the question, Why Lohan?  To pay homage to all Lohan before me, to all the Masters of the arts that have come before, from which I teach my students.

Peace and Balance,

John  

They Called The Wind Myriah.

 

When I was young the Northern Desert of Montana was a source of comfort.  Late on a summer evening I could go out onto a bluff, sit, and listen to the wind.  It would blow warm and comfortable upon my face, and if I listened real hard I would hear my name blowing in on the wind.  In Northern Montana at the height of summer the sun stays out for quiet a long time compared to the latitudes of New Hampshire.  If you draw a line along the latitudes of my home town of Havre following the proper curve of the globe, you will find yourself at a little higher up than Quebec city in Montreal.  That's because of the angular alignment of our continental shelf, and the simple curve of the Earth.  

The Northern Desert, that's High Plains to those in the know, sits almost dead center in the grain belt of the United States and Canada, the High Desert.  Some have called the wind Mariah, makes a good song lyric, my grandmother's folk would say Tate the wind, or Topa Tate, the four winds. I'll just say Grandpa Wind. 

Sitting up high on a bluff and listening to the wind used to be a thing.  Today people just look at you weirdly.  Of course if you do things right, there's no one around to look at you in the first place.  

Solitude is a great teacher, and a great council.  Practicing solitude as part of our thing from time to time can bring us that much closer to a possible beginning, a possible enlightenment.  Listening for answers from sources outside those of standard normality is a practice of great patience and reverence.  If a person is a believer in otherworldly things, that listening becomes the beginnings of faith a path to the spirit.  I'm not talking about religion, I'm speaking of spirituality and enlightenment, the Great Awakening.  

When it comes to you, you won't be expecting it, it will just appear in you and the knowing will be.  And all this writing will only be an exercise of tossing words to those who will catch.  

I used to sit on the bluff and listen to the wind, I heard it calling my name, I had learned to listen.

Peace and Balance,

John

Correctness, Political or Not?

 

Political correctness is getting old.   The last posting is an example.  I was watching the "Adventures of Underdog" during my planning block at school.  The Science dept. shares an office so all sorts and manners of goings on are happening in the inner office from actual planning, to eating lunch.  While I was doing my not so planning time, Underdog was saving the day from the evil Over Cat.  Sort of a play on words there and I enjoy that sort of thing.  As episodes of Underdog go there are always in-between periods  of alternative programing  involved.   One of these moments was a funny if not to comfortable, Gopher Tribe cartoon that was not politically correct at all.  

Funny for one, may not be funny for another.  Some of the folks I work with are like myself and have a over proportion of Native American Blood flowing through their veins.   I was watching the Gophers do what Native Gophers do, a real funny as hell parody of Custer's demise, However the blatant incorrectness of the cartoon threw me back to my own childhood.

When I was a young Gopher we accepted things that would not fly today.  We accepted that White man was an ignorant creature and spoke with a forked tongue.  We accepted that his ignorance led to the creation of some pretty lame video both animated and non-animated.  We accepted that fine fact that the Pale Face sitting beside you in the theatre was rooting for the bad guy.  These things did not phase us in the least.  Why, because our culture is above such irrational states of mind that would lead to scalping the asshole for opening the ignorance hole.  We have evolved beyond that state of development, right?  

As my friend and colleague Ray pointed out them Gophers are pesky critters.  I cannot disagree, as both he and I each have a tribe of pesky Gophers of our very own.  

So, the next time I'm sitting in a theatre and one of them ignorant types opens that particular orifice, be afraid, be very afraid

Peace and Balance,

John

Underdog - "Underdog vs. Overcat" pts. 3&4 - 1966 If at first you Don't Succeed Again you try indeed.

Vasovagal Syncope

 Yesterday I had an appointment with the Lab Tech to have blood drawn so my Thyroid levels could be checked.  All I had to drink all day was coffee, the holy drink, and I hadn't had anything to eat of any value all day.  Anywho, I reported to the clinic down the road from home to have the professional junior vampire take a sample of my bodily fluids. 

This did not turn out at well as I would have hoped.  The young lady poke a 3 inch needle into my arm and got, nadda, then began moving it around and digging in more.  I tell you what, that hurt lots.  I gripped my hand then held tight on the arm rest, she didn't stop.  The pain got worse.  

I remember telling her that I was getting woozy.  She pulled the needle out and checked my brow.  At that point I was sweating and not feeling well at all.  The other lady across the room hit the magic bell and I was surrounded my nursing staff.  All giving me things like juice, crackers, water, and a cold pack.  I had suffered a Vagal Response.  Vasovagal syncope is the bodies response to immediate stress.  For instance having a sharp pointy object digging around in your arm hurting like hell.  My blood pressure dropped, I broke out into a cold sweat, and I got very nauseous.  The nurses thought I might be having a heart attack, nope just a wimp.  Wasn't so bad, I got lots of attention from a room full of ladies.  

So from now on when I get blood drawn I get to lay back and relax just in case I do the pass out thing.  Seems that once you go, your body is prone to such things.  I was asked if that has ever happened before.  Yes it has, when I had eye surgery the tech almost killed me the same way.  Then there was that annoying being shot in the service, but who want's to remember that stuff?  

Peace and Balance,

John

Speak your Mind

 I spend a goodly portion of my day communicating with people.  I either speak, or write, or nod a head, what have you.  People have many ways of getting information across to each other.  We even have developed rather intelligent rational ways of communicating to the flora and fauna.  We communicate to our plants in subtle ways, via a kind voice, playing music, or how our moods imprint upon the plant.  We communicate with our pets in much the same ways we communicate with each other.  Most of the time there are greater misunderstandings between us than there is with our pets.  Our pets take everything at face value.  We tend to obscure our conversations with each other. When we learn how to communicate with each other directly and conscientiously we are on our way to a more rational, saner speak that both parties understand and potentially grow from.   

This past year, 2022, I have noticed an uptrend in conversations, both verbal and nonverbal, that are leading me to believe that people are loosing the ability to be truthful with one another.  There is allot of misleading and misrepresented talking happening everywhere.  In short a whole lot of BS going on.  

I guess I must be a little old fashioned.  I have been living under the assumption that we are supposed to tell each other truthful things instead of lies.  However, the more I listen, and the more I read, the more disingenuous I'm finding the conversations I'm either participating in or observing.  This is not a good sign.  

When the majority of the people accept the lie as the fact, then those who are speaking the truth are no longer going to be accepted as rational.  This will flip the meanings of things up on it's end, nothing worth discussing will hold any true meaning, and as Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel refrained, We will be deafened by the Sounds of Silence.  

So, if we want to be a society of antitheoretical speakers keep up the good work, the path is clear.  If we want to be a society of truth seekers, there may be some long term rehab in the works.   I am hopeful. 

Peace and Balance,

John

Illness or Not

 

There are few things more painful than watching a loved one suffer, and there is nothing more hopeless than an undiagnosed disease that the medical community has no way of dealing with. This has been my past three days. 

Witnessing things happening on a human level that defy understanding or science leaves little left for speculation.  The art of gathering information and intelligence is very much related to the scientific method.  The difference is in the experimentation and testing phase.  This stage is replaced with observation and supposition based on experience, training, and education.  The gatherer of the intelligence must use known examples of the information to make an intelligent guess, and weigh with past experience to come up with  rational decisions that lead to answers to said and unsaid questions.  The art of the spy. This to breaks down when the observations defy the understanding. 

There are many types of illness.  First is physical illness when the physical body and the self aren't communicating in balance and something goes awry in the body.  This could be anything that causes a physical injury, a little owie to a real big booboo.  Then there are diseases where something either bacterial or viral that change the operations of the physical being and interject itself into the body in one way or another.  This is when the body gets ill and tries fighting back.  Sometimes successfully, other times not and we either die or we survive. 

Second are non physical illnesses.  These include mental and emotional illnesses as well as psychic and non intelligible illness. This is when the unknown interjects it's sneaky attack upon  our realities and sensibilities. These illnesses would include attacks from nonphysical entities.  Examples of which might be your standard Vampire, and other psychic parasites that may wander into your space.  

There are many cures, reliefs, and methods to create balance back into the being of the patient. These potions and elixirs may include anything from an aspirin to an iron stake pounded into the Vampires heart grounding it forever into the act of creation and destruction permanently binding the Vampire to the void illuminating it from material existence.  A secret not normally taught about a Vampire is that it is a paranoid creature that fears it's own unknown demise.  It will read an implication as blatant as it can be and still be afraid.  Then be sent away fearing grounding at the end of iron. 

As illnesses go, there are few things that are as painful as witnessing the pain of a loved one.  Finding the cure can be as troublesome as killing a Vampire.

Peace and Balance,

John 

Speaker of the Shack

At the turn of the hour late last evening congress finely made a decision on who they want to be the Speaker of the House.   Kevin MacCarthy is now the elected 55th Speaker of the House Of Representatives.  MacCarthy was a strong supporter of the Fallen One, Donald Trump.  I don't mean to Diafy The Donald, rather to make a comparison to he and another fallen foe of human kind, Lucifer.  I know, I know that may be way out there, but hey it sounded good.  

MacCarthy may have changed his ways?  I'm not convinced, but we'll see what comes from this election.  Others are already talking about passing laws that would give Congress more power to unseat the Speaker if need be, so maybe he hasn't gotten the following he'd hoped.  The process that it took to get him elected, 15 failed and 1 passed set of votes, hasn't happened in generations.  I'm not sure this bodes well for our process of government.

What I witnessed via a combination of ABC and CNN news looked very much like a debating British Parliament, or even a Japanese voting process.  Either one of these governments tend to get very boisterous within the confines of their closed chambers.  What was shown on TV was, I'm sure, only a small picture of the reality.  

So, here's a picture for you, In the Office of the President is Joe Biden our dually elected Chief Democrat, and in the House we have a supporter of the foe, he who is responsible for the potential coup of January 6th, Kevin McCarthy a Republican.  The House and Senate are both controlled by the Democrats and a Republican Speaker is now in office.  Playing the Devils Advocate this might not be an entirely bad thing.  After all our government is based on checks and balances, is it not?  

So, my advice to you the reader, Keep a bug out bag handy, gas up a vehicle for ready escape, keep your powder dry, and sharpen all important blades, learn to travel light and keep a supply of light rations always available.  You never know when the zombies will walk.

Peace and Balance,

John

This is My Universe.

 I would like to discuss the power of creation. Human beings have been giving a sacred gift.  We are all born with the ability to manifest reality through the power of our minds.  The human condition is a three layered or triune experience that starts within the physical body, extends outwardly to the non-physical realms that we call spiritual, then opens up in our thinking mind, what we call our conscience.  Each one of these parts of our being are intermingled with each of the other parts of our being.  We are a Holistic being that has the power to re-create and re-do our own experience.   We are our own gods.

For the practitioners of the quasi Hawaiian teachings of Huna, the secret knowledge coined by Max Freedom Long, the living experience is in the states of the Subconscious, the low self housed in the physical body, the conscience or middle self, the thinking self that is connected from the mind to the body, and the Spiritual or High Self that is the outward expression of the self that contains everything else non-physical, also called the God Self.  If we practice a Holistic form of communication with our three selves we will be able to tap into the Akashic record.  The Akashic record is the spiritual recording of all events that have passed, will pass, and are possible within our perception of the universe.  This understanding changes constantly with our changing understanding of our own perceptions.  We grow from a universal understanding to a multi-universal understanding and back again as our experiences come and go.   Mathematically if we charted this progress it would resemble the breathing in and out of a great organism, a living universe.  Huna is the Hawaiian word for Secret.

During my personal practices with the Martial Arts, Taiji Quan, Reiki, Dowsing, Huna, and my Native American heritage, I have discovered that we all have the abilities to manifest or create our own experiences.  Each one of our experiences like a Ven diagram interconnects with every experience we come in contact with.  Interconnecting us with every person we come in contact is the root to the creation of the many universal experience we can call the Multiverse. Each individual is an Universe within themselves.   

Because we are the root of our own universe and have the inherited abilities to manifest our realities as we see fit, we are responsible for the disposition of each of our own experiences.  We are responsible for the way the universal energies translate into our realities.  That being said, the universe as we experience it is a very literal creature and takes everything you ask of it at face value, so be very, very careful what you ask for and how you manifest your experience, for what you receive may or may not be what you "Thought" you asked for.   That is the difference between an enlightened adult God verses an adolescent "Newbie" to the biz.  

Peace and Balance,

John

The Man Bat

 

Michael Keaton's Bat Man for me is by far the coolest Bat Man I've seen to date, that includes all incarnations I've been exposed to since childhood.  Since I'm an old fart that started with Lewis Wilson, who played the Bat from 1943 to the 50's and in reruns until the role was reprised by Adam West in 1966.  

When I was first introduced to the Bat Man he was generally considered a vigilante and through the magic of black and white television, implied that he may or may not have mortally dispatched more than a few of his nemesis.  I remember Lewis Wilson having a touch of a gravely voice, probably due to cigar smoking, that would send terror into the heart of the bad guys.  

As I got a little older Adam West and Burt Ward played the Dynamic Duo, Bat Man and Robin.  This version of the hero was the pinacol of campy.  Since I was at the age of developing the ability to think, Adam West wasn't my favorite Bat Man.  As a matter of fact when Bat Man and Robin crossed swords with the Green Lantern and Kato, my money was on Bruce.  My father was appalled that I was rooting on the bad guy of that episode, the Green Hornet just cause I wanted Bat Man to get his ass kicked.  Ain't I a  stinker?  

Finely in 1989 Michael Keaton took up the cowl of the Bat.  His first reappearance in 89 was a lone vigilante that again was doing mortal battle with some really crazy and bad dudes.  Jack Nicholson is the prime example of a perfect Joker, which Bat Man dispatched at the end of the film.  I figure it's old enough as a movie that this is not a spoiler alert so I don't care.  My vision of the Bat was back, yeah!  

My favorite all time scene is from Keaton's first time at Bat.  Bat Man appears on a rooftop suddenly after doing some impressive damage to bad guys at the bottom, grabs the final bad guy by the throat and dangles him over the edge of a building.  The criminal asks, "Who are you man?"  

Bat Man replies in Keaton's perfect hoarse whisper, "I'm Bat Man." then drops him.  Wonderful.  That line has epitomized the Bat for generations since.  I am and will forever be a Michael Keaton Bat Man fan.  

I have enjoyed the other versions since, but his is the best.  Live on Man Bat, your immortality will forever remain in my memory.

Peace and Balance,

John  

They Call him Mr. Freeze

 Ice is wonderful thing.  We use it to cool our drinks, play our games on, and in the northern reaches of New Hampshire's hinter land, a source of testosterone filled chase the puck around the rink thing. Ice can be used to contract the the size of metal objects, or temper hot steel for fine tuning very sharp implements. Ice the other Fire.

Ice is good until is becomes bad.  Later this evening we are supposed to begin experiencing the effects of an evil form of ice, Freezing Rain. Freezing rain is the product of a real sadistic sky god who for all practical purposes has decided to pee partially frozen stuff all over the roads, wires, windshields, and sometimes freezing the car doors shut.  How do I know this being is sadistic?  I hear the laughter from the sky and screams of chaos from the ground.  That's proof enough.

As I said later this evening we are supposed to start experiencing the effects of freezing rain.  The kid next door will be skating down the streets just for giggles, and I'll be tippy toeing across my drive way to keep from landing on my ass.  I have high hopes that the forecast will change to snow.

AccuWeather and NOAH never agree on their forecasting.  One predicts doom and gloom while the other tends to be a little more positively reinforced.  AccuWeather is telling us that the pending ice storm is being upgraded to a couple inches of snow followed by a warming trend.  I like that forecast much better than NOAH's prediction of a coating of ice over everything making it impossible to drive, walk, or possibly get into the vehicle.  I'm not a fan of ice.  Where is the Heat Mizer when you need him?

So, at this point in time, I have my fingers crossed in hopes that things will change by the time the evening news comes on at ten.  After all we of the North Country are used to, "Wait a minute and things will change."

Peace and Balance,

John 

Surviving the Return

 

So we've survived the return to school, and in retrospect survived the holiday break.  Not to many complaints from students about the nature of the Claus.  No one received a lump of coal even though they may have deserved one or more.  Lends me to believe the Claus is a softy and has a big heart.  The children were amused and happy, assuming that's their thing.  

Now we have a few weeks before a break at the end of February, then again in April.  Ya know, teaching is a good gig.  We deal with crazy kids, wigged out administration, and stressed peers for a few short weeks at a time and have breaks of comfort that lead into three months of summertime, yes indeed a good gig.  

However, many of us in this profession are looking to congress at this time wondering if they will get their heads out of a proverbial uncomfortable spot and let pass President Biden's education loan forgiveness bill.  In my situation it would completely clear up the rest of my student loans and let the funds that have been flowing in and out of my bank account continue to do so in the manner it is.  I can pay my bills without worrying to dang much and I like it that way.  

Problem is, the, "Haves" don't like the idea of giving to those that fit into the, "Have Not" crowd.  If the Have Nots suddenly had the ability to be somewhat independent of the Haves, then who would be in power?  That is a question the Moral Majority fears.  That represents freedom for the Have Nots from them, and who would mow their lawns?

I mow my own lawn, and I generally don't let a few power hungry folk lean on me to much.  I generally keep the ear buds in and listen to my classic rock as I mow, and ignore the Have's.  Yep, teaching is a good gig.  Thing is I haven't really been teaching long enough to have any kind of saved up retirement.  I started kinda late in the game and will have to rely on Social Security, and my past skills to maintain independence.   Also another good gig.  

Peace and Balance,

John

Global Weatherizing.

 It's the second day in the year 2023, and all's well.  The temperature in Northern New Hampshire is in the 40's a very mild beginning of winter.  The unpredictability of the weather is getting stranger as time progresses leaving me to wonder how we can ignore the warming global temperatures.  As temps. raise the weather gets more and more volatile making storms bigger and bigger.  Is it to late to change, or is human existence on Momma Earth coming to an end?  

Global warming's scientific explanations have been scrutinized and argued for years.  Weather or not the reader believes in the causes or effects of global warming doesn't effect the facts that global temperatures are on the rise and the weather is Funky everywhere.

Green houses are nice to have when you're growing vegetables and other plants that don't like snow and ice.  In the winter we can create a nice cozy place for your flowers and other pretty goodies to flourish and mature.  They are pleasant places to visit and actually create a little tiny envelope of oxygen to enjoy and breath deep into starving lungs.  However, a global Greenhouse isn't necessarily the happy place you'd think it to be. 

Green House gases collect as temps rise letting sunshine in but not letting the heat escape. Over time that sends the temperature world wide up incrementally.  According to the Paris accords with acceptation of the United States, the major green house creating countries of the world have agreed to keep the rise in global temps. to less than 2 degrees Celsius, that's approximately 35.6 degrees Fahrenheit. The world has reached a 1 degree change already and is closing on 1.5 degrees and we are already beginning to see global adverse effects. A rise of over 2 degrees could be the point of no going back.  

 The thing about rising temperatures is that they don't rise all in one smooth pattern. There is a swing in temps and energies.  We'll have a warm year or two, then will have a cold year or two.  The temps. go up exponentially which causes an exponential drop that balances out the swing of energy.  So, we might have two or three years of real warm weather then two or three years of real cold weather.  Yuck.

The creation of an ice age is when the temp. in the summer stays below the freezing point for an extended period, and if the world experiences temps. that stay in that range for more than a couple years we're in the throws of an ice age.  So, we have an ice age, hopefully we all survive, probably not, but one can be hopeful. Then we have a few years of uncomfortably warm to hot weather as the energies swing back.  That can cause more mayhem than the previous.  Suddenly the planet is in a swing process that is uncontrollable and becomes unable to maintain life and everything dies.  Unless we've figured out how to leave and find another place to poison.  Doesn't sound real plausible does it?  

One of Elon Musk's secret plans for his space craft is just that, to escape.  Thing is, escaping before you've found a place to go might not be the best idea.  So Elon is actually a Super Villain in disguise?  Ya never know.  

I would rather just get on with it and save our own little piece of Heaven, clean her up, and learn to get along, but hey what do I know?  

Peace and Balance,

John

I AM, Who Are You?

   

 Eventually I require my students, when they gain a certain amount of martial expertise, to write a short paper telling me what they have learned after years of martial and philosophical study.  Each is unique and insightful, and gives me an understanding of the personality of the individual writing the paper. This is when the students become the instructors.  The following is the last paragraph of one of my personal philosophies of Martial Thought, I have written a few.                                                           

                                         What we make of ourselves.

A Philosophy of Martial Thought: A Holistic Approach to Physical Health, Mental Health, and Self defense in which we learn a path that leads us ultimately to the metaphysical looking glass where we see ourselves with all our wonderful flaws, and strengths, giving us the tools to change our own images to fit the one we see in our minds eye. When we can look at ourselves and say with ultimate authority, “I Am.”

Peace and Balance,

John