Michael

I was talking to my friend Barbara tonight who is currently living in London. Barbara is an artist among other creative pursuits. She was on a train traveling across the city and left a bundled package of her original art drawings on the seat of the train. She didn’t realize it until it was too late. The train had left.

She was initially devastated as these drawings were not replaceable, but she had a strong feeling that everything would work out; i.e. someone would call her and return her prints. Well, later that evening a lady called stating that she had the prints and would like to return them. (Note: Barbara’s name and address were on the prints.) Barbara was elated. She traveled on a train to meet the lady who graciously returned her precious drawings. Barbara was so happy she gave the lady a bouquet of pink flowers.

I like this story for two reasons. First is the fact that Barbara had a very positive attitude about getting her drawings back. Secondly, there are lots of good people in the world. This lady is one more example of people doing the small things, the right things and helping other people out. I love it!

Have a great day!

Michael

I’ve been working on learning a new song on the guitar for many days now. It hasn’t helped that I’ve been traveling a lot and haven’t had a guitar to practice on. Even so, I was having a difficult time getting the rhythm part which included a lot of single string picking. The more I tried, the more frustrated I got. I decided to take about a week off from playing that part. I wanted to let my frustration cool down.

Tonight, I picked up the guitar and tried the part again. No luck. I was not getting it. My determination only increased. There was no reason I couldn’t get this. So, I played the song several times on my stereo trying to play along with it. I then turned off the stereo and played the part at about half speed.

Viola! I finally saw/felt the pattern of play that I was reaching for. I practiced for about 30 minutes on this one piece. I continually improved over that time. It was a great feeling.

Every time I reach an impasse with my music, I give myself some leeway to make a bunch of mistakes, stay relaxed but focused, believe that I can figure it out and remember that I’m doing this to have fun. Sometimes I have to release my frustration and replace it with some patience, but generally speaking my four part formula works. I use it for other aspects of my life also.

If you are working on something new, just remember my four steps and maybe you will have the breakthrough you are looking for.

Have a great day!

Michael

Next to the Convention Center in downtown Philadelphia is a wonderfully diverse place called the Reading Terminal Market. It began in 1892 and has survived the Depression and the two world wars. Currently, over 80 vendors sell their wares daily. There is a dizzying array of merchandise; ethnic foods, poultry, fish, vegetables, fruit, baked goods, cheese, Amish wares, restaurants, spices, flowers, seafood, jewelry and etc.

I love these kinds of markets not only because of the variety but for the interesting aromas and goods that abound at every turn. We ate at a great diner each morning for breakfast. It was a fast paced environment complete with music playing from an old jukebox but that didn’t distract from having a relaxing breakfast.

I enjoyed walking around, exploring the different shops and watching the people interact with each other. Markets like these are gems. It’s one of the main reasons I love to travel. I love finding places like this as it is a great way to explore the local culture. You can get a good feel for how life runs in a particular place. Plus it’s just a lot of fun seeing new things for the first time.

How about getting out and exploring a little bit today? Go somewhere you haven’t been. You don’t have to go far.

Hope you are having a great day!

Michael

Anger is a wind which blows out the lamp of the mind. – Robert G. Ingersoll

It was a really challenging week at work; lots of politics, multiple priorities, too many people working on the same thing and what I like to refer to as work silliness.

By Friday, I had actually lost my patience, my stress level was high and I was feeling anger and frustration. It takes me quite some time to get to this point as I usually am able to bleed off and transmute any kind of negative feelings. But this week, I was mostly unsuccessfully.

I remember an episode of Seinfeld where George’s father was learning to deal with his uncontrollable anger. His anger coach had told him to say out loud the phrase, Serenity Now. Except George’s father would scream the phrase instead of peaceful speaking it. I was feeling the same way.

As I had left early (mid-day) to fly to Philadelphia, I decided to take the extra time I had at the airport and reduce or eliminate my anger and frustration. I started walking from one end of the T.F. Green airport terminal to the other as fast as I could, pulling my computer bag behind me. 43 minutes later I was feeling much better. I felt more relaxed and the crazy week I had just endured seemed to melt away.

Sometimes I can’t work through an emotionally challenging time with my mind only. There are times that simple physical exertion is the only answer. In fact, it’s a real good reason to exercise regularly; for stress reduction, emotional well-being, mental clarity and not to mention all of the physical benefits.

Another lesson I always learn from these times is a refinement of what I truly desire. As anyone goes through difficult times the contrast (e.g. between what you don’t like and like) becomes very clear. I take a moment to always enforce what I do enjoy and not what I don’t enjoy. It’s a small shift in thinking but it has long term benefits.

Have a great day!

Michael

I flew into Philadelphia today. I’ve never really spent any time here. I’ve only flown into the airport for some meetings in New Jersey. So, it was nice to fly in and meet Erica while she is exhibiting at a show in the convention center.

Since we couldn’t spend Valentine’s Day together, we decided to celebrate the day after. After the show ended at 6:00 p.m., we walked down Market Street to a restaurant called Tangerine. We really liked this place. It had a Moroccan edge to it. The decorations inside were lovely. There was a long wall; maybe 50 feet long and 8 feet tall full of indentations holding lit candles. The feeling was like walking into a grotto. Quite spectacular.

For appetizers, we ordered the crunchy calamari (red pepper aioli, kalamata olives, argula salad), shortrib spanikopita (shredded beef, spinach, feta, almond sugar) and the chopped Mediterranean salad (crispy rock shrimp, feta, artichoke confit). We split the Mediterranean spiced whole bronzino (a type of bass) for the main course. It was topped with a cucumber-tomato salad and cilantro basmati rice. Desert was a banana creme brule which was heavenly and a dish of coconut and tangerine sorbet.

There were lots of new flavors to experience. I really enjoy trying new dishes when I travel. It adds to the adventure. One of the things I like about Erica is that she loves to experience new things, travel and try out new restaurants

Overall, tonight was one of those perfect evenings.

Michael

The best thing you can do is find a person who loves you for exactly what you are. Good mood, bad mood, ugly, pretty, handsome, what have you, the right person will still think the sun shines out your ass. That’s the kind of person that’s worth sticking with. – From the movie, Juno

Couldn’t really find anything to add.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Michael

P.S. Thanks to Lindsay for the quote

Enthusiasm is the greatest asset in the world. It beats money and power and influence. – Henry Chester

Enthusiasm can be like a knife that cuts through bad attitudes, sadness, struggle, difficult times and all other “negative” events and thoughts. I’m sure you know someone who is genuinely enthusiastic about something; a hobby, passion, belief system, life in general, sunsets, dancing, coffee and etc. Have you found that their enthusiasm is contagious? You feel better being around them. It can make you feel enthusiastic about things in your own life.

First and foremost, cultivating enthusiasm should be a selfish act. Be enthusiastic to help yourself first. As your level of enthusiasm increases making your “cup” overflow, you will be able to help others directly and indirectly. But, it all starts with you.

I generate and show a lot of enthusiasm when I do anything about photography. That’s I how I started cultivating enthusiasm in my life overall. I started with something I loved; i.e. photography. I used that passion to help my through times where I wasn’t particularly enthusiastic. So, when I was feeling low, I thought about photography. I played around in Photoshop. I went out and took some photographs. I read articles and books about photography. Doing this helped my get out of times of feeling bad.

As I practiced this simple technique, I started noticing that I was enthusiastic for no reason other than I was alive and enjoying life. As you practice cultivating enthusiasm it becomes a feedback loop. The more enthusiasm you generate, the more you will experience, and on and on.

As your optimism level grows, you will find that you can get through tough times much easier and find creative ways to conquer all that comes your way.

Have a great day!

Michael

I have been watching this show because I’m fascinated with people who are pursuing their dreams. I’m interested in how they respond to challenges presented to them, how they feel about their dreams and how they react if their dreams are shattered.

The Fox channel seemed to focus on the despair and agony of the contestants that didn’t make it compared to the ones that did. But, there were clearly two distinct reactions to the message that they had not made the cut. The first group was devastated, cried profusely and stated that their life was ruined or something along those lines. These people had definitely put all their eggs (hopes and dreams) into one basket and were having difficulty dealing with the removal of their dream. Did they have realistic dreams to begin with? Did they want something so much that it blocked out all other items? Did they fail to have backup plans if this didn’t work out? Were they there to have fun or only to have some moments of fleeting fame?

The second group had a completely different attitude when told they had not been picked for the show. Their reactions went something like this: I gave it my best shot, even though that wasn’t good enough to be on the show. I’ll continue to follow this dream. I’ll continue to follow other dreams. I had fun trying. My daughter is the most important part of my life, not being on American Idol. I still have my friends. I still have other parts of my life that are fulfilling to me.

I think we can learn a lot from the second group’s reactions. I believe that these people had developed an inner core of “happiness”, self-esteem and confidence which gave them the strength to deal with any situation that could come their way. All of these people are inspirational in my opinion. It was a pleasure to watch them work through the ups and downs of the competition.

Michael

Your success and happiness lie in you… Resolve to keep happy‚ and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties. – Helen Keller

Most of us were taught from a very young age that being happy was based on what desires were fulfilled, what requests were granted and how we were treated by others. Unfortunately, as children, we also learned very quickly that these times were fleeting moments. This caused us to continue to ask for things, persuade others to act the way we needed and to continually search for external sources of happiness. Very few of us were taught to find happiness within ourselves.

I know from personal experience that depending on external events and other people is fraught with frustration. In fact, this external dependence on happiness can be a huge factor in mood swings, feelings of sadness, loneliness and in some people, depression. For the majority of my life, most of my happiness depended on other things. I did not feel in control of my life much less my happiness. These feelings created a circle of negative feelings that was hard to break out of.

When we cultivate our happiness from within, external forces have little to no effect on our state of happiness. It’s like being at the center of massive tornado. You’re at the center of the storm, happy, at peace and in complete control, while the world outside seems to swirl chaotically around you. What you will find as you work on being happy within is that the world around you begins to change. Your external world will start to reflect your inner feelings of happiness and contentment. It may be subtle at first, but will grow as your state of being becomes flooded with an increased level of happiness. Additionally, when “things” happen that cause difficulties or challenges, you will have a reservoir of strength to deal with anything that comes your way.

Resolve to be happy now. It’s a simple choice, an attitude shift. Your life will never be the same again.

Have a great day!

Michael

For all the toll the desert takes of a man it gives compensations, deep breaths, deep sleep, and the communion of the stars. – Mary Austin

A desert is a place without expectation. – Nadine Gordimer

We started the morning off with a drive through Saguaro National Park East. I’ve always loved desert forms and shapes. They are endlessly fascinating. The strange shapes of the desert plants give clues to their unique ability to survive in the harsh environment of the desert. The amount of life in the southwestern U.S. deserts is staggering.

The Rincon Mountain District, which is where we were driving and walking, is home to 1,162 species of plants. Simply amazing! 25 of those plant species are cactus.

Today, we saw many birds and a jack rabbit. There were signs showing that wild pigs or javelinas roamed the area, but we didn’t see any on this trip. Maybe next time.

The Giant Saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea) is one of my favorites and is an icon of the west. Within the Saguaro National Park there are 1.6 million of them. It is one of my favorite forms in the southwest. The Giant Saguaro lives on the average about 150 years but some live to be 200 years old. During the rainy season, they are able to absorb 200 gallons of water, store it and then use the water throughout the remainder of the year. A 20 foot Saguaro specimen can weigh up to 2000 pounds.

Many species of birds use the Saguaro including the gilded flicker, gila woodpecker, elf owls, screech owls, purple martins, finches, harris hawk, red-tailed hawk and sparrows. Other animals like the bat and many rodents eat the Saguaro fruit.

I’ve always found walking around the desert to be both relaxing and invigorating at the same time. I’m not sure what causes that dual feeling, so I tend to just enjoy it instead of questioning it.

If you’re interested, please view my other photos from this morning’s shoot.

Have a great day!

Michael