Category Archives: Personal goals

Farewell, Kitty

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Posted by on in Assistance, collaborating, Community, impediments, Personal goals, Personal Values, Service Activities, Social, Striving

March 31, 2023- The lion of March roared its best today- across a wide swath of the country. As I was readying myself to deploy for the Red Cross to San Jose, on Monday, dozens of cities in the South and Midwest were being battered by tornadoes, hailstorms and, in the northeast corner of Oklahoma City, grass fires. The worst hit, so far, are Metro Little Rock, Wynne (AR), Coralville (IA) Covington (TN) and Belvidere (IL). In the northern Illinois city, the roof of the Apollo Theater collapsed, in the midst of a Heavy Metal concert, killing 1 and injuring 28 of the 260 people who were inside the venue. This was believed to have been tornado-caused.

The month to come is likely to start out, by Tuesday, with more of the same. So, while I will start out working to help keep flood victims in the San Joaquin Delta safe, and hope to be back to honour commitments here in Prescott, in mid-to- late April, the nation’s bleeding may upend those plans and countless other people’s- victims and disaster workers alike. A great many will face the fury, regardless of the cause of this super-charged tornado season. We can only stick together and make whatever adjustments are needed.

Thus far, the official response to the devastation has been swift, level-headed and non-partisan, as it should always be. This will make our work easier, and the climate in which victims recover far more encouraging. I will be keeping in touch, on this medium and elsewhere, as best I can, over the next two weeks. The main focus, though, will be bringing relief.

Goodbye, lion and a guarded hello to the beasts of April.

The Atmosphere Delivers

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Posted by on in animal and plant life, Assistance, collaborating, Community, Family, impediments, Inspiration, Personal goals, Personal Values, Service Activities, Social, Striving

March 22, 2023- Dad would have been 96 today. He grew up with a love of flowing water, especially salt water, which soothed his psoriasis somewhat. We inherited that love, though something in my physical make-up has hampered my swimming skills. Nevertheless, being around water is soothing. Aram picked up that love of water and is a top notch swimmer and diver. He has translated that into success so far in the U.S. Navy-nowadays in the Naval Reserves.

I thought, when moving to Arizona, from Maine, in 1978, that I might miss the ocean. California, as it happens, is not far away-and on occasion, I have visited seaside resorts in Mexico’s northwest corner. The desert, however, is an ocean in itself-just storing its water safely, in pockets-oases, tanks and the storage components of trees, cacti and succulents. There are also plenty of mountains, which in northern Arizona are quite similar in vegetation to the mountains of New England, albeit with cacti thrown in for good measure.

The atmosphere has delivered copious amounts of precipitation this Winter-and into the first days of Spring. Most people are aware of the mixed blessings this has brought to California and Nevada. Arizona has had the same experience as its western neighbours. So, as mentioned in the earlier post, the rivers and creeks of our area, as well as near Flagstaff and parts of the Navajo and Hopi Nations , have assumed monsoon-level flows. This has opened shelters, as those living near the overflowing banks have had to be evacuated. Some have headed down to the Phoenix area or further afield. A few have stayed with us, in the Red Cross facilities.

Thus, my tentative schedule has set me to working nights, possibly through Friday, and doing minimal activities during the daylight hours, the rest of this week. I have, however, kept my basic exercise routine-and in the event of an empty, “stand-by” shelter, I can walk many laps around the gym, without bothering anyone. Life goes on nicely.

Springing Forward

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Posted by on in collaborating, Community, Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Personal goals, Personal Values, Service Activities, Social, Spiritual, Striving

March 20, 2023- My weight reduction coach gave me some abdominal fitness exercises, and foresaw that I may need three more weeks of the current dietary regimen, after which he will provide maintenance instructions and send me on my merry way.

He has helped me make permanent adjustments to both diet and exercise regimen, so whether I go to his club, after mid-April, is superfluous. The last big tendencies to gorge on certain foods are gone. A dietary shake will take the place of at least one meal each day and the solid meals themselves will be smaller. The digital scale can help in that vein.

Around town, the weather did not seem to know what it wanted to do, so the clouds just hung, grey and almost in grief, over the passage of winter. I, though, am not sad to see the destructive season go-and for the sake of those in saturated areas, may there be a benign period of drying out-with any rain falling on the places that have had too much aridity these past three months.

Here in central Arizona, we anticipate a couple more days of wetness, followed by a lamb-like end of March and a dry April. This may lead to my covering a shelter, for a day or two. It could be a benign fire season, and we could very well see Pacific hurricanes that take the place of fire as a source of concern. After May’s journey, I will be closer to Home Base for the summer, so will be in the thick of whatever disaster response comes to call.

As many of you know, Arizona-outside of the Navajo Nation, does not observe Daylight Savings Time. We do, though, have to time our actions in sync with the places which do-so any calls to the east coast will be made earlier in the morning and those to LA or the Pacific Northwest-or Nevada, for that matter, will be made later in the day. This is the stretch of year where, if I do go over to Texas, figuring in a two-hour leap ahead, in any planning, is de rigueur.

As this first day of Spring draws to a close, I am off to celebrate a Baha’i Spiritual Feast, our first in-person event in several months. COVID still affects a couple of people here, but it is nowhere near the menace it was, not so long ago. As always, humanity is making its way, springing ahead-even in the Southern Hemisphere, where time has fallen back.

When Agreeable

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Posted by on in Assistance, collaborating, Community, impediments, Inspiration, Personal goals, Personal Values, Service Activities, Social, Spiritual, Striving

March 13, 2023- A call came to me, whilst I was sipping coffee and reading the Monday newspaper-a small affair most days. Seeing the name of the caller, I figured it was an urgent call to action and I was prepared to answer the call. These two weeks have activities planned, but none that couldn’t be cleared for the sake of an emergency.

It turned out that the situation was “kinda, sorta”. I would be on stand-by, for three weeks, not two, and would thus have to cancel a few more long-standing commitments, for the sake of an iffy situation. There may yet be a call back, over the next few days, but I am moving forward with what is in front of me.

I had a weight reduction check, about an hour later. Progress is generally solid and consistent, but one area has plateaued. It’ll get going again, with a few tweaks of my own, and with due consideration of the suggestions made by the coach. I am not buying into the catalog of this company, lock, stock and barrel, nor am I going to join the regimen of outside activity scheduled by the club. I may participate, every so often, in an early morning activity, but my early a.m.s have generally been “ease into things”, with more vigourous actions from late morning onward. I am not the cookie-cutter all-American Macho Man.

That last thought set me to looking back, on just how much of a solo act I have been, activity-wise and schedule-wise, since Penny died. Hiking Buddy, when she feels up to it, has provided an exception-and there are people with whom I enjoy spending time, in other areas. Mostly, though, I have returned to marching to that drummer who set my pace, before I was married. The beat is a lot more spiritual now, and Penny’s soul, along with others, has a good deal to do with how the beat plays out, but I don’t consult all that many humans about things that impact only yours truly. Visits and joint activities, of course, are agreed upon-but my solo act, otherwise, follows those spirit guides.

That leads to the rest of the week-and a long-overdue visit with some old friends will be Stop One, tomorrow, and a few other places and people lie on the short itinerary. It’ll all happen, when agreeable.

The Don’t Blink Emergency

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Posted by on in Assistance, children, collaborating, Community, distraction issues, Education, impediments, Inspiration, Personal goals, Personal Values, Service Activities, Social, Spiritual, Striving

March 10, 2023- The alert came on my phone, warning of a possible need for me to go over to California, due to imminent flooding. An hour later, the Red Cross sent out an “all-clear” e-mail. This puzzled me, as there was still a weather alert for the state. Oh, well-there’s plenty to do around here-and in the north of AZ, next week and the week after. Then again, things could change, emergency-wise, on a dime.

Spring Break is coming, and with it a respite from working for wages. I did, though, get in two days this week-both among students who welcome my presence and assistance. I spoke earlier of Wednesday’s work; today’s was more upbeat, with a birthday party for one of the students, a fire drill that occurred just as I had retrieved a broom and dustpan for cleanup after a class project and the project itself-making “Leprechaun Traps”. Collaring imaginary humanoids is tricky, according to legend-but the students’ imaginations and systematic planning skills were given free rein. It will remain in the annals of the school, that “Mr. B.” walked down to the fire evacuation area, carrying a broom and dustpan.

There is also good news about the situation I mentioned in the last post. The school has hired a capable worker, who is keeping the troubled student I mentioned on track. Human ingenuity can, as a friend said in a post of her own, reduce the most severe of worst case scenarios to puffs of smoke.

So many “emergencies” tend to end up being “Don’t Blink” affairs.

Inklings

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Posted by on in Assistance, collaborating, Community, Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Personal goals, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

March 7, 2023- A few weeks ago, I made reservations for a train & chartered bus combination, from Flagstaff to Sacramento, for April 26-7. This was as springboard to the Carson City/Pacific Northwest/Alaska journey that is coming up. There was one sticking point: The Baha’i Festival of Ridvan, commemorating Baha’u’llah’s Declaration of His Mission and His departure from Baghdad, en route to Constantinople (Istanbul) falls during that time. Of course, there are observances in each of the cities on my itinerary, but supporting my home Faith community matters.

For several days, I attempted to change the date of the train ticket,with no success. I had the inspiration to try again, this evening-and met with success. So, the journey will take place on May 3-4. From there, after three or four days in Carson, the route northwestward will continue. The next inkling I had was to return to Southeast Alaska and continue what I last did eight years ago, then make further stops along the south coast of British Columbia.

It struck me that there is more to postponing the journey than being present for local Ridvan observances. It may be that there is a dermatology procedure that needs to be done soon. I will probably hear about that, tomorrow or another day this week. Inklings and guidance always seem to be covering several bases at once.

Stay tuned.

Taking Ownership

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Posted by on in Assistance, collaborating, Community, impediments, Inspiration, Personal goals, Personal Values, Service Activities, Social, Striving

March 6, 2023- One of my fellow servers, in the Monday dinner line, asked why I was not putting shredded Parmesan cheese on a small snack of meatballs and sauce that I had taken for myself. I explained about the no dairy and limited grains that are part of my weight reduction plan.

He pointed to his belly, and said, “Not me. I paid for this and I own it!” The implication was: “Come on! Let it go and enjoy life!!” For years, maybe too many, I had the same attitude. I’m tired of it, though. Being of smaller girth actually appeals to me-for the sake of my heart health, if nothing else. So, I will continue the tight regimen, for as long as is necessary-probably another month or two. After that, maintenance will require a modified discipline.

Each of us gets to own our behaviours, as well as our statements. I have, thankfully, been called to account, at first by my parents and other adults, growing up; then by various people, in the years since. Mostly, though, I have been blessed with a very active conscience-which thankfully lets me rest, once I have made any amends that have been necessary, following transgressions great and small.

Taking ownership of life means being consistent, with a fair dose of flexibility-in the sense that plans can be made, while knowing that life can, and does, get in the way. The consistency lies in intent, in a sense of fairness and in communication. Taking ownership of life is also showing the force of example.

So, I enjoyed my snack of a few meatballs, in tomato sauce, cleaned the tables after serving and went back to the apartment, joining an online ecstatic dance group, for an hour or so. No one said an owned life had to be a burden.

A Dozen Years

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Posted by on in Assistance, collaborating, Community, Family, Hiking and Nature, impediments, Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Personal goals, Personal Values, Service Activities, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

March 5, 2023- Last night, an extended family member took her last breath and left behind many years of suffering. Hers was a voice of truth, at times hard to hear-but a voice that needed to be heard, nonetheless. Her passing was a bookend to Penny’s transition, twelve years ago today.

I’ve taken stock, a fair number of times since, of my “solo” journey-that hasn’t actually been taken alone. It’s worth looking back, though, every so often. Since bidding her adieu, I have sold a house, on my in-law’s behalf, settled into a solid one-bedroom apartment, gone through five cars, seen the marriage of our son to a strong, confident and beautiful woman, visited forty-eight states (only Montana and North Dakota remain unvisited) and six countries, completed two long local hiking trails (albeit in sections) and volunteered with five organizations, besides my Faith Community.

Most important, though, are the friendships made-both long-lasting and fleeting. Some have also gone on to the next level of existence. A couple have been lost, through miscommunication and the interference of those who saw me as some sort of threat. A few others have turned out to be nefarious, and had to be cast aside. Most, though, will be in my circle until death separates us, albeit temporarily. They will always be in my heart.

There is no real Master Plan to any of this-three of the cars were wrecked by the actions of other people and one just wore out; the house was sold because of a double-taxation scheme, in another state; the travel is a combination of who I am as a person and urges to see people who live far from here. The hikes are also a reflection of who I am, besides being a good way to help with one of my current focuses-weight reduction.

Yet, in another sense, I do follow a Master Plan-one which all of us follow, either wittingly or unwittingly: The Major Plan of the Creator. I am in awe of all that has happened in my life, particularly over the past forty years, and especially over the past twelve. Much, I know, remains to be rolled out, and I look forward to it all, the easy and the hard alike.

Shifting and Turning

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Posted by on in Assistance, collaborating, Community, impediments, Inspiration, Personal goals, Personal Values, Service Activities, Social, Spiritual, Striving

March 2, 2023- Jennifer Lawrence looked me over, finding only a small spot of concern, on my face, and a few freezable spots on my scalp and right temple. My new Physician’s Assistant for dermatology very closely resembles the actress, and is pleasant but businesslike. She was not happy about having her work delayed by the aftermath of last night’s storm. It can’t be easy, being a thorough medical professional and having to cram several clients together. I am grateful that she got me in, this afternoon.

Jupiter and Venus are converging. The two have made a fine pair, in the western night sky, last night (not visible) and tonight (very striking). The event has no outward astrological significance, but it is pleasing to see.

Venus (top) and Jupiter (bottom) in the western night sky.
Venus and Jupiter, shifting focus

Between the skin scan and the sky scan, my Red Cross group came to a meeting of the minds, with regard to scheduling and filling disaster response slots. It turns out, I am one of the few who are presently qualified to supervise a shelter, in this region. Thus, there is hair-pulling, when I happen to be out of town. The solution, in such a case, is to partner with other agencies, which are also committed to disaster response. They can provide a supervisor, in a pinch.

The energy, at least this month, is shifting a bit, though. I will have two brief journeys, that will not interfere with any activities here. The second and third quarters of the year are also up in the air, with the route as far as Sacramento and western Nevada the only set pieces, at the end of April. The Northwest, Anchorage to Fairbanks OR a return to the Southeast of Alaska, and Vancouver Island are still possibilities for the first part of May. June and July will find me mostly helping manage camps, at a property near Flagstaff-so long as the Wildfire Season is not intense.

Everything is just more fluid, and localized, now-and that’s okay. I will be doing things as they feel right, even more than in previous years.

Trade-offs

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Posted by on in collaborating, Community, distraction issues, impediments, Inner Struggles, Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Personal goals, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving

February 28, 2023- “There are no solutions, only trade-offs.”- Thomas Sowell

One of the more provocative conservatives in our midst, Dr. Sowell has made a good many outrageous statements about “the passing scene”, but he is correct about a great generality of this life: Everything has a cost, as well as a benefit. The value of things great and small lies in the balance between the two.

My thoughts:

Further, all choices we make have immediate and long terms costs and benefits. Those things which cost us, with fleeting benefits, may be viewed as expenses. Those which have long-term benefits may be cast as investments. For example, a meal in a restaurant has mostly fleeting benefits, unless it also includes the generating or enhancement of a friendship or business deal. The deposit of funds towards the education of one’s child or grandchild should, one hopes, result in both the offspring’s well-being and prosperity, and benefits to society, stemming from the person’s expertise.

The same observations may be made, with regard to social movements. Fascism and the Divine Right of Kings benefit elitist claques, and oligarchies, whilst leaving out the vast majority of a country’s citizens, aside from cosmetic and superfluous economic and social trinkets-including insipid entertainment media. Democracies, which INCLUDE republics, are far messier, but have the potential to benefit all citizens, long-term. Everyone has to GIVE, in the form of taxes, or exercising the vote, or allowing those whom one might not like the same rights as one has. Of course, opposed to both of the aforementioned systems is anarchy, chaos, which adheres to no overt rules, save vengeance, self-aggrandizement and short-term personal satisfaction.

I have seen all three, in this short span of seventy-two years, and can only see the most beneficial trade-offs coming from the patience, perseverance and resolve that come from being an active participant in a democracy-and allowing everyone else the same, including-especially, those whose viewpoints differ from my own.

Yes, everything is a trade-off. This, friends, is why we are given free will, combined with intellect and a moral compass, that we may know what to keep and what to give away.