more normal than not

I love that “you are what you think about all day” idea.

Maybe the quote is “you become what you think about all day”.

Anyway, it’s a good truth.

I woke up thinking about that this morning, and something came through a little clearer than it has in the past.

We don’t become what we focus on….we become what we think about.

The quote never meant that we can struggle to focus on the “right things”….and that through our power of intention, we’d manifest what we concentrated on SO HARD.

We are not that accomplished at manipulating ourselves.

I don’t think that it’s that easy.

I don’t think that it works like that.

I wondered if it wasn’t those things that we let intrude on our thoughts, those things that lurk at the corner of our mind’s stage, that we don’t even pay attention to when we’re giving the thoughts our….inattention, that really set the tone of our lives?

It’s like eating a delicious bowl of beef stew.

The main ingredients are pretty basic.

There’s no real surprises there.

What makes it good are the spices.

When you look into your bowl, you see the meal and understand that you’re eating a bowl of beef stew….but the thing that really sets the tone of the experience are the elements that are harder to see.

You don’t see the spice….you experience it….and that’s what makes the experience either good or bad….depending on the choices we make when we add things to the mix.

I don’t think that it’s necessarily even our core beliefs that set the tone of our lives.

They might steer us towards good decisions.

No….they do steer us towards good decisions.

It’s something else….

I guess that what I’m thinking is that it’s the silly diversions or the things that “just don’t really matter” that we waste time with that really build who we become.

Core beliefs are like a beautiful foundation….but if the house you build on top of that foundation is an awkward glom of a weird situation, it doesn’t mean much when you point out what everything is resting on.

It can be a strong house, but….it could be a wrong house…at the same time.

And…if you live in a weird house long enough….even a house that could stand for centuries because of that strong, strong foundation….someday you might forget what you’re standing on, distracted by all the funk and noise and bad angles you walk around in all day.

I use to run.

When I run, I feel good.

When I don’t run, I don’t necessarily feel bad…I just don’t feel “as good”.

When you stop running, it takes a while to change from a runner to a non-runner….it’s a gradual thing, that lessening.

It’s not jarring….you wouldn’t even notice if you didn’t think about it.

All these things that shape us, good and bad, are like that.

They creep in over a long time….and then….all of a sudden (!), we become who “we are”.

Those spices are hard choices when you don’t know what or how much to add to the meal.

I don’t want to ruin the meal.

I need to learn how to cook.

And….I need some coffee.

It’s pretty early, still.

 

 

I don’t have a bunch of heroes.

I don’t watch sports much anymore.

Who wants some sports dude to be a hero, anyway?

My Dad took good care of my Mother….so I guess that he’s a hero to me.

No….he’s a hero. No guesswork there…..

There’s not a whole lot of folks who’d stand up to “hero scrutiny”.

Jesus is a hero and so much more (think about it some….who’s more heroic than Jesus?)

IF I was going to pick folks roaming around to be a hero, though, it would be somebody like this guy.

At least, from what I saw in the video, it would be someone like this guy.

He’s no Jesus….but….he’s pretty darn cool and seems to have his heart in a good place.

A dude with skills and a good heart makes for a good hero.

Even if he doesn’t have a truth lasso and bullet deflecting bracelets, he’s a good hero.

And….if calling him a hero is just hyperbole….he’s got some good skills and I admire the philosophy behind the “free tea bus”.

So….Guisepe! GO GUISEPE!

Guiseppe’s full name is Guisepi Spadafora….and he travels in his converted bus and gives away tea (and so much more) to foster interraction with people….to show that people can relate to each other in a way that doesn’t always have commerce at its center.

Dylan Magaster’s video content is so consistently good that picking a favorite would be kind of tough….but I think that this one might be….the one.

Thanks, Dylan!

Thanks, Guisepe!

Here’s a link to Guisepe’s website,  www.freeteaparty.org 

Nice video from Deek Diedricksen.

Here’s the YouTube description:

Scout Wilkins offers up a guest-tour video of her self-built (when she was 22!) tiny house on wheels. This simple sheep wagon (gypsy wagon), is an effective little house on wheels complete with a wood stove, storage, a skylight, and some rather unusual self-installed windows- all built a top a salvaged/burned-out trailer.

Check out Deek’s other videos….they’re all good.

Here’s a link to his channel….. relaxshacksDOTcom

Out in the wild….roaming around.

Jenny and I watched a performance that Corrine Bailey Rae did at the Grammy awards early on in her career.

We both commented on how relaxed she was.

I don’t know how you can do that under all those bright lights.

I’d have some butterflies.

My face would be doing weird things if I was under that much pressure.

Awwwww….who knows? I might be cool, too.

Anyway….she’s pretty chill.

I love music that’s quiet enough to let the spirit come through.

This is some good stuff….and…it’s another Tiny Desk Concert from NPR.

If you don’t know about those Tiny Desk Concerts, look them up.

They’re great.

Here’s that earlier Grammy performance with some weird background conversation.

It’s the best I could find.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvPKNKZs_H0