The Advantages of Being a Gimp - and other clouds with silver linings

Being a natural-born Gimp has it's obvious downfalls, but occasionally, there is a silver lining around that cloud.  I get to go to stores, the Zoo, and other venues, when there are absolutely no crowds, because kids are in school, and adults are at work.  Another example would be that yesterday, I decided to leisurely lay out in my back yard in my Hammock and read Dr. Pepperberg's book, "Alex & Me" (about her life with Alex The grey Parrot, and their intelligence and abilities). I will have to admit, however, that 'laying around' is a rare activity for me, and that I have spent less than 3 hours in my hammock all summer.

Here are a few more samples of the hidden benefits of being a Gimp :

I was born with an oddly clubbed foot. I still have a brace, and I SHOULD wear it often, but I don't!  

The brace that I wore as a child was the metal bars that extend up the calf to a thick leather strap.  On the 'foot end', the bars are permanently attached to a rather unattractive, utilitarian shoe.

This is my  current custom-fitted, custom-made $2,200 brace from the Arizona Brace Company. My brace, in particular, is a combination of both pictures below.  It has the exact same shape and laces as the top picture (with the exception that it is black leather, rather than beige), including the open-toed design, but it also has the straps that are included in the bottom  picture.

 +



Anywho....When I was a mere tot, my mother would lock me in a high-chair, and forget about me.  I had about enough of her crap one day, and I squirmed in my chair until I could align my metal brace with a 1 gallon jug of pickling vinegar that sat next to that damned high chair.  WHACK!  The entire house smelled strongly of pickles for several months, and I don't think I ever 'did time' in that chair again! (This could lead me to another story of when I was strapped into a hospital bed that involved someone - NOT ME! - accidentally ingesting urine, but for now, I will digress!) 


I also had to wait long hours on a weekly basis - for YEARS - in the waiting room of an orthopedic surgeon's office (the Dr. that tried to put my foot back together again - many times).  I never was a patient soul.  Once again, the brace came to my rescue again!  I reached over and whacked a standing sand-filled floor ashtray over.  A loud noise followed, and sand went flying everywhere.  We were rushed in immediately, and I don't ever remember waiting more than 5 minutes to see that Dr. again!  :)

In reference to the fact that I have taught myself advanced knitting and that I have taught myself how to read music in 2 years, most people say, "You must be a very patient person!"

Anybody that knows me well will readily tell you that I am the most impatient person they have ever met.

I will also say:

"Patience are for lazy people who sit around and wait for something to happen. PERSEVERANCE is for people to get things done!"
- Michael

A few of my favorite....St. Louis Art Fair artists! (Besty Yongquist, Micheal Cole, etc)

PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO VISIT THIS SITE FOR A COMPLETE LISTING OF ALL ARTISTS, ENTERTAINMENT ON ALL STAGES AND THE VENDORS IN THE FOOD COURT!:

http://anchorinternet.com/culturalfestivals/ArtFair_2011.pdf
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Good musicians should despise having to label their "favorite song'.  Likewise, a good chef will avoid naming a favorite recipe, a favorite food or a favorite ingredient.  I find the practice of naming a favorite song - or a favorite artist distasteful and quite impossible, actually.  As a musician, I like thousands of songs, and each for what they offer individually. One is not on a pedestal higher than the other.  They all have attributes and they shine when placed in the appropriate spotlight.  In my mind's eye, artists live in a parallel universe to musicians.

Each person that takes the time and energy to **MASTER** his or her own art and craft deserves the highest level of recognition.   Their passion, attention to detail and workmanship should never be ignored, bypassed or taken for granted.  These fine people are using their resources to the best of their ability (Are you using yours in the same manner?)

With that being said, there are a few artists at this year's St. Louis Art Fair that I keep tucked away in special little places in my heart in a safe, yet always accessible place.

______________________________________
BESTY YOUNGQUIST:

Her home page:
http://byart.com/

Betsy's mediums include cast-away doll parts, including heads, limbs and eyes, and seed beads, among a host of other materials.  The creatures she creates are both captivating and mythical:

______________________________________________________________________

Micheal Paul Cole

Even though artists that enter this show are from all over the USA and all over the world (the process of entry is more than grueling!), this artist has his studio in my hometown of Hannibal, MO.  The similarities doesn't stop there. His studio is in the same building as the Pentecostal (!!) church that I was raised in from my birth until I was 11 yrs. old.  It was in this building that I heard my first Hammond organ / Leslie speaker. BLAME THEM FOR MY ADDITION!  :)
The church has moved to a new building on Terrell Ave. in Hannibal, and this building has since been a Day Care, and now a fabulous studio for a few artists.
Mr. Cole's work is as much about the frames as it is the images. Both are fine works of art:

Micheal Paul Cole's website (with a pic of the church / studio!):

http://michealpaulcole.com/Welcome.html
_________________________________________________________

THOMAS WARGIN

Part man?  Part machine?  You decide:


Many more photos available on his website:
http://wargin.com/index_gallery.php
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THE FOOD!

Alexander’s in the Sheraton

(Clayton Plaza)

Style: American

The Menu:
From Lobster bisque to spinach

artichoke dip, Alexander’s modern

dishes are sure to leave Saint Louis

Art Fair guests fulfilled with an

“mmmm” experience.

Bella Catering

Style: American

The Menu:
Make this year’s Saint Louis Art Fair

memorable with favorites like the Kick

Ass Fries, portabella sandwich and

cheeseburger sliders.

Café Manhattan

Style: American

The Menu:
Enjoy Saint Louis Art Fair

performances with Café Manhattan’s

hand-breaded dishes and delectably

seasoned waffle fries.

Drunken Fish

Style:Japanese

The Menu:
Drunken Fish defines the paramount

dining experience through an

extensive Japanese menu that goes

beyond the ordinary.

Hank’s Cheesecakes

Style: Bakery/Desserts

The Menu:
With savory cakes, cookies, and brownies

as well as a ravishing array of flavors of

cheesecake, Hank’s Cheesecakes offers

desserts that will tempt the angels.

McCormick & Schmick’s

Style: Seafood Restaurant

The Menu:
Seafood

With its unwavering commitment to

the freshest seafood, McCormick &

Schmick’s comes to the Saint Louis Art

Fair this year with dishes sure to please.

The Pasta House Catering Co.

Style: Italian

The Menu:
Enjoy classic Italian cuisine with The Pasta

House’s delicious offerings this year.

Rearn Thai

Style: Thai

The Menu:
Excellence is the standard when it

comes to Rearn Thai dishes. Visit

its booth for delicious pad thai and

chicken satay dishes.

Russell’s Café and Bakery

Style: Café/Bakery

The Menu:
Russell’s brings pride and quality to the

Saint Louis Art Fair with its handcrafted

pastries, cakes, pies, and sandwiches.

Ruth’s Chris Steak House

Style: Steak House

The Menu:
A St. Louis treasure, Ruth’s Chris serves

its steak sliders and seared ahi-tuna.

Tivanov Catering

Style: Variety

The Menu:
Tempt your taste buds with smoked

salmon and goat cheese quesadillas,

teriyaki pork loin skewers, chocolate

covered bananas, and bread pudding
.

Uptown Café

Style: American

The Menu:
Featuring authentic Manhattan-style

beer-battered fries and marinated beef

kabobs, Uptown’s dishes bring the taste of

New York directly to the heart of Clayton.

For food near the Creative Castle, please visit:

Pam’s Chicago-style Dogs & More

Style: American

The Menu:
Satisfy children and adult tastes alike

with Pam’s refreshments and Windy

City-style beef hot dogs.

MAGGIE MOO’S

Style: Ice Cream

The Menu:
Treat the entire family to soothing, cooling

Maggie Moo’s ice cream as you explore

The Hare Krishnas are keeping me fed! (The Indians & Me!)

In accordance to one of their core beliefs (you are doing good by feeding others), the Hare Krishnas have provided me with a fabulous lunch. They often bring food to the flower market, and Mark and I share it for supper. Last night, we had something different for supper, and he gave it to me today for my lunch.  
(It is basically 100% vegetarian Indian food, and we all know about my addiction to those Indians! :)

Some recipes and general info:

http://harekrsna.com/practice/prasadam/recipes/recipes.htm
I love restaurant Indian food, but when I get home cooked Indian meals, the taste is turned up a couple notches. They are cooking for individuals, rather than a general American group, and they will cook and flavor the food as they would eat it, rather than "bland-ur-lize" it for the weak, American public.

You should see the shocked looks on their faces when I go to a festival or a bazaar, and I order food, and they tell me, "just a minute", and start to "Americanize" it for me. I stop them with, "Wait a minute...I want what YOU are eating, and as YOU eat it. If I wanted McDonalds, I would stop by there on the way home!" It takes them a second or two to switch gears, and to realize that I am different than how they are accustomed to serving the food to our public. THEN... I get a surprised, pleasant smile, an acknowledging nob, and and the food served to me the way it was originally intended.

I have an Indian friend (Prathibah Vasudevan - CALL ME!), and she had been in this country 12 years, but eats only Indian food. When I go over to her house, I can't hug her, because in her customs, hugging is reserved for small children or OLD people. Just for shits 'n' grins, as a joke (I'm telling her that she is getting old!), I sometimes chase her around the yard, with my arms outstretched yelling, "Come on, give MOMMA a hug!" While I am chasing her, she is trying desperately to outrun me. Then she beats up on me a little - to ensure that I am properly punished. he he he

However, hospitality is also a big part of her culture, and that includes cooking small, quick meals for guests. While I will always love restaurant Indian food, Prathibah has taught me the difference between restaurant and home cooked Indian food. I will readily admit that knowing the difference makes me spoiled!

- Michael

Does everything have a price?

So far, I have sold:
* two vintage synthesizers
* two short Leslie speakers
* one MIDI controller (keyboard)
* two accordions

(seven musical instruments)

I still have for sale:

* two entry level guitars
* one Hammond Composer 146 Series spinet organ
* one hand-pumped Indian Harmonium

The good thing about these sales is that these items are going to people who want them, and will get good use out of them.  These instruments have been taking up space in my home, and I might turn them on once a year.  I view such inactivity as a waste of space, a waste of an instrument, and a waste of money.  I HATE to waste anything at all.

The bad thing about these sales:

The uninitiated person that peeks into my music studio wouldn't notice anything missing!

I have one Hammond organ to sell, and 3 guitars. If I get those sold,  people that have visited my studio *might* notice 'something missing', but I wouldn't guarantee it.

Anybody that knows me well will testify to the fact that I am not one of those "buy and sell" types.  I have a lot of possessions, including many instruments, that somebody will have to pry out of my cold dead hands before I part with them.  I am friends with people who till buy a (car, house, instrument, and the list could go on forever!), and they will brag and crow over their new 'love' - their new 'favorite'.  As soon as the next item of interest comes along, that new 'favorite' is an immediate 'has been', and it is kicked to the curb.  Next!  They will then rant and rave about the latest find until...yep.... you guessed it:  NEXT comes along!  That new favorite is immediately replaced, and the vicious cycle continues.

Let's consider my late friend, Dale (God rest his soul!)  Dale was as sweet as any person you would want to meet, even if he was a bit of a perv!  He was outrageously creative in rebuilding and fabricating - from scratch - many instruments, including reed organs and band organs.  If you wanted to know how to make, from scratch,  a Bose-like bass speaker that could kick your ass across the room, you should have asked Dale while he was still with us.  In addition, he was one of the best Gospel Hammond organists I ever had the privilege of knowing.

(You know there is a 'but'.... coming along, don't ya?)

Here's your butt....er...but!  :)

Dale had a Hammond C2 organ with a Leslie 122.  He traded it for (God only knows what!).  

Say this without any D's:

To his dying day, Dale regretted parting with that organ.


Hammond C2

When I last spoke with him, Dale's last Hammond was an R-124:


Hammond R-124

Personally, I have a Hammond A-100 / Leslie 122 and a Hammond E-100 / Leslie 122. Many 'purists' consider the Hammond E-100 nothing but a 'boat anchor' - worthless, dead weight.  I play the Hammond E-100 combo as much, if not more, than I play the Hammond A-100 combo.  I like them BOTH.

My point is that Dale's 'favorite' was whatever came along next.  Nothing was sacred enough to him that he could say, "I can sell this (Item #1).... I can sell that (Item #2), but you can't touch THIS (Item# 3) - because it will never be for sale.

I have a new Kawai upright piano (2 months old.). I have my two Hammond combos, a digital piano and a 1966 Wurlitzer piano.  Even though I want both, a Wurlitzer piano AND a Rhodes piano, for the present time, I would consider trading this Wurli for a Rhodes in good condition, and I would buy another Wurli piano at a later date to complete my collection.    I would also love to have a Clavinet!

I still have a 5 MIDI keyboard set-up with a dedicated music computer, 3 functioning toy player pianos and toy pianos without player mechanisms, and 1 reed organ.  That leaves me with 17 instruments in my collection.

HOWEVER...  My new piano, my digital piano, and both of my Hammond consoles are off limits to deals.  Their final disposition will be somebody else's problem - after I am dead.

I firmly believe that **everybody** should have 'untouchables', instead of being a sell-out, don't you think?

- Michael

St. Louis Festival of Nations 2011

We found one tub of the African Black Soap that I was looking for to replenish our stock!  One of the African countries' booths (from Mali) had one tub left out of the stock that he brought to the festival.  That should last us a few weeks, but it won't hold me over until the next African Festival in July.

Mali:



This afternoon, Mark and I attended the 11th Annual St. Louis Festival of Nations.  (August 27 - 28, 2011)

I am pleased to announce that since the first St. Louis Festival of Nations in 2000, this venue has grown by leaps and bounds.  Actually, in just the past 3 years, this festival has quadrupled in size.

They have 3 entertainment stages that are each booked with a separate act every hour that they are in operation. That is 45 different groups of singing, dancing, bands and other ethnic entertainment running continuously.  Running hourly, there are also many demonstrations for arts and crafts from several countries, usually several per hour, and scattered throughout the park.

We walked through the park, from booth to booth.

When we explored booths from Peru and Bolivia, for example, I could feel the warm sun on my skin from an August day in St. Louis, but the sun also warmed the hand knit wool items from Alpaca.  I could also smell the lanolin in the wool.   Mentally, I went on a mini-vacation to the hills in Bolivia and to the Andes mountains.

The next booth was Moroccan.  All aboard the Marrakesh Express!  I paused for a moment.  The items that I saw instantly took me to a Moroccan Souq.

Next stop: India!

The fine clothing, fabrics and other textiles are simply beautiful.  I got a welcome whiff of the food that a couple that were sitting in the next booth was eating.  That booth was Pakistani.  Many St. Louis local restaurants combine Pakistani / Indian food on the same buffets.  The combination of an Indian bazaar (souq!) and a whiff of Pakistani food took me to the streets of Delhi.   

_____________________

This link is the full schedule, festival map and other information.
(after the link loads, scroll down:  This brochure has 11 pages.):

http://www.festivalofnationsstl.org/pdf/Festival-of-Nations-Program-2011.pdf

As an example, these countries were represented by booths in the food court:

Bengali
Congolese
Bolivian
Indian
Moroccan
Burmese
Russian
Canadian
Kenyan
Nepalese
Guatemalan
Chinese
Malian
Bhutanese
Ghanaian
Thai
Zimbabwean
Mexican
Iranian
Zambian
Ugandan
Senegalese
West African
Ecuadorian
American
Afghan
Hawaiian
Haitian
Vietnamese
Native American
Kurdish
Bulgarian
Argentine
Turkish
Jamaican
Ethiopian
Soul
Israeli
Bosnian
Cajun
Greek
Peruvian
Eritrean
Polish
Romanian
Filipino
Caribbean
Scottish
Malaysian
Nigerian
German

(...and there were 'multiples' of each cuisine!  For example, there were 3 Peruvian, 3 Russian, 4 Mexican, 3 Polish food booths, and many multiples of others.)

Considering these choices, and that I am of the adventuresome persuasion,  the task of selecting only one cuisine was daunting.  I didn't want to choose Indian as our lunch, because we have Indian food at least once a week at one of the many local Indian restaurants.  I also use Indian spices in my daily cooking.

We choose:

Eritean!

You ask, "HUH?"  What the Hell is that?

I am thrilled to have the opportunity to explain!  :)

"Eritean" is anything from the country of Eritrea.  Eritrea is officially the State of Eritrea, and is a country in the Horn of Africa. The capital is Asmara. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast. The northeast and east of the country has an extensive coastline on the Red Sea, directly across from Saudi Arabia and Yemen. The Dahlak Archipelago and several of the Hanish Islands are part of Eritrea. Eritrea's size is approximately 45,406 square miles with an estimated population of 6 million.

Eritrea is located here:




I never knew this country existed, so I have definitely never heard of this cuisine.

Now that I stop and think about it, I want you to do a little test.  I want you to count the number of people that you know that would readily approach a booth that served food from a country that they had never heard of, and blindly order a plate full of food from the menu, then eat every bite with great gusto. Do you have spare fingers left on that hand?

I have lived as "me" for so long that I don't often stop to realize that I am blessed to be in that minority.  "That minority" is a small group of people that have never lost the curiosity of a child, and have never developed the self-induced calluses of adulthood and old age.

I have also come to the conclusion that the fact that I am an advanced level knitter and that I have taught myself to read music (Scott Joplin, Bach, Beethoven, as well as a LOT of popular music) in a short 2 years time are not gifts.  Nobody "gave" them to me.  Both of those accomplishments are the result of hard work and determination - pure and simple.  The gifts that I have been given are not so apparent.

The curiosity that I have to constantly explore the world around me, and to do so with a strong sense of urgency:  Now, that is a gift!

I learned from a very young age that the world is exponentially larger than the acreage that I occupy during my daily existence.   That, too is a gift!

 I have been spared the "jackals fighting over a bone" interaction that occurs between members of a family that serves to do nothing more than to provide the ego boost that they cannot otherwise provide for their psyches, and to fulfill the need to occupy themselves because they are too lazy to learn and master a serious hobby or skill.  That is another gift.

These are not really 'gifts'. They are a part of a complicated bartering system that I have discussed in previous blogs.  Whatever initiated that chain reaction, I am thankful for it, and I am ready for that 'next great adventure'.

You know.... There is one more day left to explore this festival.  Which cuisine are you going to try?
____________________

Overheard while walking through the park (one guy talking to another):

"If you want to be adventuresome, go to a booth where the line is the SHORTEST!" (the food is least known by the general population)

_____________________

Things that I will not allow you to eat in my presence at such a gathering:

Corned beef & cabbage, spring rolls, crab rangoon.  Well. Hell. As far as that goes - anything Americanized.  The purpose of this adventure is to eat ANYTHING purely non-American.  You can eat at McDonalds any other day!

Go forth, and live likewise.  Time is a non-renewable resource.  You aren't getting any younger, you know, and "I'll take time to do that (insert unknown date in the future)." is a form of lousy procrastination, and probably general laziness.  For many of us, there won't be a (insert unknown date in the future).

There is still one more day to get to that festival.

(And if you miss it, the Japanese Fest at the Missouri Botanical Gardens and the Greek Fest at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church are both next weekend!  You betcha - we will be in attendance.)

- Michael

Jimmy (Smith) & Me

Jimmy Smith was one of the best damned Jazz organists to grace the face of the planet, and he is widely known as the "King" of that genre.


HOWEVER.... he was also known among all of his rivals, peers, fans and followers as having a - putting it mildly - 'slightly' abrasive personality. You ask, "Why did we put up with his irritability? "

The answer: "Quite frankly - for the music!"

The quality of the music was worth the quantity of crap that we had to wade through to get to it!


I knew him - and his antics - all too well. I saw him live at a local Jazz club / listening room, "Jazz At The Bistro". sadly, he is no longer 'live'.


During the intermission between sets, going back to my table from using the upstairs bathrooms, and I was going down the wide staircase while Mr. Smith was coming up the steps. I knew exactly what he was all about, and I knew how to 'get his goat'.

I gently nudged the old man with my elbow and said:

"Hey - I saw you playing in Chicago a few weeks ago!"

In the style which is so characteristic of Jimmy, he started to snap at me, and scolded, "Where the f*ck is Chicago?"

I looked him dead in the eye and cheerfully said, "Ya know what? I know of a little place down the street that sells the best fried clams!" He had a twinkle in his eye, threw back his head and gave a hearty laugh, and said, "Alright, lil biddy! Just what the hell do you know about it?"  I broke the ice, and I was in his circle!


Here's the deal:

Jimmy wanted his fans to know more about him than the scraps that they could pick up off the ground as they were passing by. He wanted those fans to care enough to apply themselves, and to put forth a bit more energy than the average, generic person. He was well pleased with my antics!


Jimmy pulled the crap that he pulled partly because that was nothing more than "his style", he was old, bored - and cranky.

Once in a while, you have to reach through the thorns to pick a rose, but I would admonish all to make sure the rose is worth the trouble! :)

It was this same show that caused me to get a little Jazz religion - right then and there, in front of the master who was holding court (Jimmy Smith!), and all the folks enjoying their wine and fine food at this venue.

Two weeks before this show, I had my 14 upper teeth surgically removed, the bone trimmed from ear-to-ear, and had my stitches out just 5 days.  I was politely trying to gum a $50 meal, which had already taken me an hour to eat half of the food on the plate. My mouth was swollen, and I was in some serious pain, but I wasn't about to let that food win!  My main mission, however, was to enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: to see one of my 'Hammond organ Gods', Jimmy Smith play a great show.

It was this same show that caused me to get a little Jazz religion - right then and there, in front of the master who was holding court (Jimmy Smith!), and all the folks enjoying their wine and fine food at this venue.

Two weeks before this show, I had my 14 upper teeth surgically removed, the bone trimmed from ear-to-ear, and had my stitches out just 5 days.  I was politely trying to gum a $50 meal, which had already taken me an hour to eat half of the food on the plate. My mouth was swollen, and I was in some serious pain, but I wasn't about to let that food win!  My main mission, however, was to enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: to see one of my 'Hammond organ Gods', Jimmy Smith play a great show.

Jimmy was in the midde of "The Cat".  An aural and visual aid:

It was precisely at 1:18 in this video...

(You can find a lot more Jimmy Smith videos on YouTube. You might also want to look up Joey DeFrancesco and Tony Monaco, Jack McDuff....Jimmy McGriff....Shirley Scott... Rhoda Scott...  Barbara Dennerlein, and many more)

I was dressed in a formal shirt and tie, and trying to behave myself as best as I could.

At precisely 1:18 in the above video, I had my fill.  I couldn't take another second of it!  Every nerve in my body was on fire.

My face had to have been 8 shades of red, and my eyes were probably bugging out.  In good ex-church boy fashion, I jumped to my feet, "Hallelujah Style", and my chair went flying straight out the back. I was doing a good wide-open, Pentecostal-style slap / clap.  Seconds before, my soul left the building, and I was "ALL ABOARD" the Jimmy train!  I know my head was thrown back, my toothless mouth was wide open, and I was screaming like a banshee.  Nobody else was on their feet. Nobody else felt the vibe.  Those things couldn't be farther from the center of my conscious.  I didn't care.   I was taking Communion with Mr. Jimmy Smith, and nobody was going to come between me and my moment.

Somewhere in a lucid moment, I did notice that Jimmy threw his head back and laughed as he was playing.  He put the gas pedal to the floor, and pushed the "Higher Octane" button!

Like the Wave, I could see the people in the front left-hand corner of this venue hit their feet.  There was screaming, yelling, clapping, stomping going on throughout that building.  Chairs and tables were moving. Before the song ended, the establishment was in a 'bit' of a disarray.  I had tears running down my face, shirt sleeves were rolled up, and collar and tie were hanging loose.

Jimmy Smith, you old bastard!  I know that even though you were absolute Hell-on-Wheels, you are in Music Heaven.  When "The Devil Went Down to Georgia", fire flew from his bow.  When you sit down on the bench of that Heavenly Hammond, the angels are going to be taken a bit back:  The only time fire will be visible in Heaven is when you hit "4 up" on the perc rocker tabs, and do one of those famous runs down that keyboard!  Play on, and GOD SPEED to you!

- Michael 

Life Managers

Since I will never be wealthy enough - or stupid or trusting enough - to hire somebody else to completely run my life, the job falls on my shoulders.  When I say 'run my life', I am talking about each and every aspect of doing so:

(1) What time I get out of bed in the morning...
(2) What time I go to bed at night...
3) My selected occupation....
4) The home I live in....
5) The city I live in....
6) The friends (and family!) that I surround myself with....
7) My particular hobbies...
8) The food that I eat...and when I choose to eat it.
9) Whether I choose to exercise on a regular basis - or not.
10) The clothing and style(s) that I choose to wear....

and the list could go on for quite some length.

It is, indeed, my job to run my life.  I am, in essence, my own "Life Manager".

(It is an unfortunate fact, but those individuals that desperately need to read this blog, and take it to heart will be the same individuals to not do so.)

I will let you in on a secret, because you are my favorite reader!

YOU ARE YOUR OWN LIFE MANAGER, TOO!

That isn't an opinion, or a general rule.  It is a Life Law.

Opinions are just that - opinions.  They vary widely from person to person.  Rules can be broken.

Please consider the Law of Gravity.  If you think you can defeat the Law of Gravity without any type of assistive devise, then you need to be on medication, and if you are already on medication, your physician needs to increase your dose!  Absolutely no normal, rational person would go to the top of a 20 story building, and jump off the top thinking, "Maybe this is my lucky day, and for some unknown reason, the Law of Gravity will not be applied to my body that is plummeting towards the Earth!"  Somebody will be scraping your flattened body off the sidewalk with a squeegee!

A law is...a law!

Now that you are armed with the knowledge that YOU are the one in charge of YOU, how would you rate the job you are doing?  Would you fire yourself as the manager of your life, or would you tell yourself, "Hey!  You are doing a damned good job!  You need a raise!"  Please be honest with yourself, and try not to delude yourself into believing something that might be other than the truth.

Since you are the only one that can do this job, replacing yourself is not an option. You have no other option than to do a good job of managing your own life. From my own personal past, I can point out specific examples of individuals who have been piss-poor Life Managers, and the results of 'sleeping on the job'.  The alternative to being a good Life Manager is not an venture that you want to pursue:  It's not pretty, and it has grotesque effects on any individuals that are unfortunate to be in the vicinity of poor Life Managers.

Are you doing a good job of being your "Life Manager", or would you fire yourself? (If you're not, then what the hell are you waiting for?  Time is **not** on your side!)

- Michael