Wednesday, November 9, 2016
Yinyang Election Results
Watching this year’s elections results got me thinking about an ancient “Zen” story:
One day in late summer, an old farmer was working in his field with his old sick horse. The farmer felt compassion for the horse and desired to lift its burden. So he left his horse loose to go the mountains and live out the rest of its life.
Soon after, neighbors from the nearby village visited, offering their condolences and said, "How unfortunate you are!. How will you live, work the land, and prosper?" The farmer replied: "Who knows? We shall see".
Two days later the old horse came back now rejuvenated after meandering in the mountainsides while eating the wild grasses. He came back with twelve new younger and healthy horses which followed the old horse into the corral.
Word got out in the village of the old farmer's good fortune and it wasn't long before people stopped by to congratulate the farmer on his good luck. "How fortunate you are!" they exclaimed. You must be very happy!" Again, the farmer softly said, "Who knows? We shall see."
At daybreak on the next morning, the farmer's only son set off to attempt to train the new wild horses, but the farmer's son was thrown to the ground and broke his leg. One by one villagers arrived during the day to bemoan the farmer's latest misfortune. "Oh, what a tragedy! Your son won't be able to help you farm with a broken leg. You'll have to do all the work yourself, How will you survive? You must be very sad". they said. Calmly going about his usual business the farmer answered, "Who knows? We shall see"
Several days later a war broke out. The Emperor's men arrived in the village demanding that young men come with them to be conscripted into the Emperor's army. As it happened the farmer's son was deemed unfit because of his broken leg. "What very good fortune you have!" the villagers exclaimed as their own young sons were marched away. "You must be very happy." "Who knows? We shall see!", replied the old farmer as he headed off to work his field alone.
As time went on the broken leg healed but the son was left with a slight limp. Again the neighbors came to pay their condolences. "Oh what bad luck. Too bad for you"! But the old farmer simply replied; "Who knows? We shall see."
As it turned out the other young village boys had died in the war and the old farmer and his son were the only able bodied men capable of working the village lands. The old farmer became wealthy and was very generous to the villagers. They said: "Oh how fortunate we are, you must be very happy", to which the old farmer replied, "Who knows? We shall see!"
_ _ _
Another election cycle. How fortunate are we? How unfortunate are we? In the end, we do what we have to do to live our everyday lives; we should not be attached to the outcome, or spend so much time and emotion trying to control a future that can't be controlled. Do your best. Who knows? We shall see!
Carpe Diem Life,
David Kuhn
CarpeDiem-Life.com
Tuesday, November 8, 2016
Elections Cause Weight Problems!?
Check out these ads:
Page 3A
“Re-Elect Stephen Melcher, County Commissioner”
“Re-Elect Ed Bessemer, County Council”
“Votes Are In. . . It’s Official@ Metabolic Research Center voted Readers’ Choice Gold Winner for Best Weight Loss!”
Wait, there’s more.
Page 6A
“Mike Goebel for County Council At-Large.”
“Vote Alvin Holder for Warrick County School Board!”
“Ryan Hatfield for State Representative.”
“Cellulite Fat Blast Wrap! Only $129.00 by Head To Toe Salon and Spa"
Page 10A
“Dan Ashley for Warrick County Recorder.”
"Cheryl Musgrave, Commissioner.”
“Lockyaer for Coroner.”“Re-Elect Angela Koehler Lindsey, County Council”
“Non-Surgical Fat Removal offered by Medical Cosmetic Center.”
Hmmm. Fat Removal! Blast cellulite fat from bust, midriff and back fat! Overweight? Not anymore!
So, the good news? Unhappy with our current government officials and your body? Fortunately, there seems to be plenty of solutions. Says so right there in there in the paper.
Carpe Diem Life,
David Kuhn
CarpeDiem-Life.com
Monday, November 7, 2016
A Simple Prayer
Received a card from our 5-year old granddaughter this weekend that reads (written by her mom):
As the last part of [earning] my Grandparent Badge, I need to exchange prayer requests with you. Here is my prayer request. I filled a shoe box to send to a little girl. Please pray for this girl because she may not have any toys. Pray that she likes what I sent — even a doll in there.
Please let me know how I can pray about something important to you. Love, Annabeth
A lot of thoughts went through my head. I remember a quote from Neale Donald Walsh’s book Conversations with God: “The correct prayer is therefore never a prayer of supplication, but a prayer of gratitude.”
Gratitude. Yes, I am so grateful for all that I have, especially family.
But if I were to ask for something earnestly, it would be this:
Annabeth, I pray that you and your little brother keep a shoe box in your hearts marked “Grandpa.” I pray that you allow me to fill it will beautiful memories. I pray that this box is limitless. I pray that I have a long, long time before it’s closed. Amen.
We each have shoe boxes in our hearts accepting beautiful memories.
Go make some today.
Carpe Diem Life,
David Kuhn
CarpeDiem-Life.com
Friday, November 4, 2016
Serendipity Country
Yesterday, I wrote about pondering about coffee mugs, which led me to a box on a shelf labeled old mugs, which lead me to a cache of "14 Country” coffee mugs, which led me to think about my old “14 Country” friends. Serendipity.
Later, during my lunch break, I turned to the next chapter of a book I'm reading. The topic? The power of serendipity. Serendipity means a fortunate happenstance or pleasant surprise. It was coined by Horace Walpole in 1754. It’s a fine word to describe making discoveries of things which you are not even in quest of.
The article stated that when you value the power of serendipity, you start noticing it at work in all sorts of ways. Sort of like the coffee mugs leading to reminiscing about old Channel 14 friends. That and serendipity reminded me of the philosophy of my old and super-talented Channel 14 friend David K. Wells. Hook (as he's affectionately known in Channel 14 circles) practices what he calls “Endeavor to Engage.” He's always on a quest to make connections with strangers. In part, because he just loves interacting with all sorts of people. But, he also knows those connections can lead to “fortunate happenstances.”
I know, that's a lot to digest over a quick lunch break.
So, I get back into the store and who is the first person to walk through the door? None other than Mr. David K. Wells — first time to the store. Serendipity?
“I was just thinking of you,” say I, shocked.
It turns out that he's recently accepted the position of manager of Evansville’s premier cigar shop, Cigar Cigar – which is just down the street. Serendipity?
“How did you get that gig?” I asked.
The story he told was a typical Hook tale which started with “endeavor to engage” and lead to the fortunate discovery that he was not even in quest of. (I’m always amazed by just how much creation and opportunity is the creation of serendipity.)
Of course, these chance opportunities start with being open to serendipity and then engaging them. We are, after all, stewards of our own potential.
This weekend’s Carpe Diem Life challenge: To be open to the possibilities of serendipity, and endeavor to engage with people, ideas, or even mistakes that lead to unexpected pleasant surprises.
Just something to ponder as your
Carpe Diem Life,
David Kuhn
CarpeDiem-Life.com
drink coffee from your favorite mug.
Later, during my lunch break, I turned to the next chapter of a book I'm reading. The topic? The power of serendipity. Serendipity means a fortunate happenstance or pleasant surprise. It was coined by Horace Walpole in 1754. It’s a fine word to describe making discoveries of things which you are not even in quest of.
The article stated that when you value the power of serendipity, you start noticing it at work in all sorts of ways. Sort of like the coffee mugs leading to reminiscing about old Channel 14 friends. That and serendipity reminded me of the philosophy of my old and super-talented Channel 14 friend David K. Wells. Hook (as he's affectionately known in Channel 14 circles) practices what he calls “Endeavor to Engage.” He's always on a quest to make connections with strangers. In part, because he just loves interacting with all sorts of people. But, he also knows those connections can lead to “fortunate happenstances.”
I know, that's a lot to digest over a quick lunch break.
So, I get back into the store and who is the first person to walk through the door? None other than Mr. David K. Wells — first time to the store. Serendipity?
“I was just thinking of you,” say I, shocked.
It turns out that he's recently accepted the position of manager of Evansville’s premier cigar shop, Cigar Cigar – which is just down the street. Serendipity?
“How did you get that gig?” I asked.
The story he told was a typical Hook tale which started with “endeavor to engage” and lead to the fortunate discovery that he was not even in quest of. (I’m always amazed by just how much creation and opportunity is the creation of serendipity.)
Of course, these chance opportunities start with being open to serendipity and then engaging them. We are, after all, stewards of our own potential.
This weekend’s Carpe Diem Life challenge: To be open to the possibilities of serendipity, and endeavor to engage with people, ideas, or even mistakes that lead to unexpected pleasant surprises.
Just something to ponder as your
Carpe Diem Life,
David Kuhn
CarpeDiem-Life.com
Thursday, November 3, 2016
Pondering Coffee Mugs and "14 Country"
I was sitting here this morning pondering. Do you ever ponder?
I was pondering the answer to, “Why do men who believe in the Bible always make the coffee?” when I noticed my coffee mug.
Coffee mugs. Something else to ponder.
Why do many people have such a fond attachment to their coffee mug(s)? In fact, one survey (by the Heinz company) found that nearly 60% of people said they had a strong attachment to their favorite coffee mug. About 40% said their special mug was irreplaceable, and about one-third said they would be devastated if it broke.
But I bet that you don’t need a survey or a multi-million dollar research study done at the expense of your tax dollars to tell you that many of us have favorite mugs that we’re attached to. What are some of your favorite mugs? Mugs remind us of happy places we've visited. Mugs remind us of special times and events in our lives. Mugs remind us of special places we've worked. Mugs remind us of special people we’ve known. I have many of those mugs, including “It’s a girl” mugs I received when my daughters were born, Happy Father’s Day mugs, “Mind the Gap” from our trip to England, one from my Mom's kitchen when we cleaned her house out, etc.
Pondering all that reminded me of a box I’ve had in the closet. Simply titled
I opened them up to discover
Channel 14 mugs from the early 80s. Channel 14 is where I spent the first five or so years of my career. In addition to some unbelievable experiences, I made some of my best friends there. Sadly, like my mugs, I now realize that I somehow put them away in a box and haven’t seen them for years. I guess you can say that I find myself missing a lot of those ugly mugs.
I think I’ll use one of my new-found old mugs this morning while I drink coffee . . . and ponder. Ponder the good old “14 Country” days. And ponder why I ever put them in a box in the first place.
Carpe Diem Life,
David Kuhn
Oh, It says right in the Bible . . . HEBREW.
I was pondering the answer to, “Why do men who believe in the Bible always make the coffee?” when I noticed my coffee mug.
Coffee mugs. Something else to ponder.
Why do many people have such a fond attachment to their coffee mug(s)? In fact, one survey (by the Heinz company) found that nearly 60% of people said they had a strong attachment to their favorite coffee mug. About 40% said their special mug was irreplaceable, and about one-third said they would be devastated if it broke.
But I bet that you don’t need a survey or a multi-million dollar research study done at the expense of your tax dollars to tell you that many of us have favorite mugs that we’re attached to. What are some of your favorite mugs? Mugs remind us of happy places we've visited. Mugs remind us of special times and events in our lives. Mugs remind us of special places we've worked. Mugs remind us of special people we’ve known. I have many of those mugs, including “It’s a girl” mugs I received when my daughters were born, Happy Father’s Day mugs, “Mind the Gap” from our trip to England, one from my Mom's kitchen when we cleaned her house out, etc.
Pondering all that reminded me of a box I’ve had in the closet. Simply titled
I opened them up to discover
I think I’ll use one of my new-found old mugs this morning while I drink coffee . . . and ponder. Ponder the good old “14 Country” days. And ponder why I ever put them in a box in the first place.
Carpe Diem Life,
David Kuhn
Oh, It says right in the Bible . . . HEBREW.
Wednesday, November 2, 2016
Big Hairy . . .
Came across a term yesterday that I’ve never heard before, but absolutely love: Big Hairy Audacious Goals (BHAGs).
Authors Jim Collins and Jerry Porras coined the phrase back in 1994 for their book Built to Last.
They wanted a term that vividly conveyed the excitement, energy, and envelope-pushing boldness stirred by very ambitious goals. BHAGs help build a great organization by:
Getting you out of thinking too small.
Creating a sense of urgency.
Making people loyal to the goal and not the leader.
Becoming the beacon and inspiration that makes a business more durable.
“If you thinking standing at the top of the cliff is where the joy is,” Jim Collins told Inc. Magazine, “you don’t understand [BHAGs]. The real joy is in all the pain and growth and suffering and creativity required long before you get to the summit.”
So, that is what I learned yesterday. Today, the BHAG idea is reinforced with an example from this date in history. It’s the story of one of the most successful, eccentric, and mysterious men in American History. A man who lived Big Hairy Audacious Goals: Howard Hughes.
Howard Hughes was a successful Hollywood movie producer when he founded the Hughes Aircraft Company in 1932. This guy was bad-ass. He personally tested cutting-edge aircraft of his own design and in 1937 broke the transcontinental flight-time record. In 1938, he flew around the world in a record three days, 19 hours, and 14 minutes.
Following the U.S. entrance into World War II in 1941, the U.S. government challenged the Hughes Aircraft Company with the mother of all Big Hairy Audacious Aviation goals: to build a large flying boat capable of carrying men and materials over long distances. There was just one big hairy problem — a lack of war-time steel. So what does Hughes do? He evaluates the situation, checks all his resources, and takes a different direction. He decides to build his aircraft out of wood laminated with plastic and covered with fabric. Although it was constructed mainly of birch, the use of spruce (along with its white-gray color) would later earn the aircraft the nickname Spruce Goose.
This behemoth was SO massive (wingspan of 320 feet and was powered by eight giant propeller engines) and took SO long to build, the war had ended by the time the Spruce Goose was completed. Still, Congress that Hughes prove the plane airworthy. So, on this date in 1947, Hughes obliged by taking the prototype out on the historic test flight. It flew, sort of. But in the eyes of Congress, the Spruce Goose laid an egg.
Howard Hughes refused to neglect what he saw as his greatest achievement in the aviation field (after all, it was built to last). It’s reported that until his death in 1976, he kept the Spruce Goose prototype ready for flight in an enormous, climate-controlled hangar at a cost of $1 million per year.
So, what’s your Big Hairy Audacious Goal? What are you doing to see it take flight? On this date in history, Howard Hughes piloted one of his —the largest aircraft ever built— on its first and only flight.
Today, the Spruce Goose is housed at the Evergreen Aviation Museum in McMinnville, Oregon.
Authors Jim Collins and Jerry Porras coined the phrase back in 1994 for their book Built to Last.
Creating a sense of urgency.
Making people loyal to the goal and not the leader.
Becoming the beacon and inspiration that makes a business more durable.
“If you thinking standing at the top of the cliff is where the joy is,” Jim Collins told Inc. Magazine, “you don’t understand [BHAGs]. The real joy is in all the pain and growth and suffering and creativity required long before you get to the summit.”
So, that is what I learned yesterday. Today, the BHAG idea is reinforced with an example from this date in history. It’s the story of one of the most successful, eccentric, and mysterious men in American History. A man who lived Big Hairy Audacious Goals: Howard Hughes.
Howard Hughes was a successful Hollywood movie producer when he founded the Hughes Aircraft Company in 1932. This guy was bad-ass. He personally tested cutting-edge aircraft of his own design and in 1937 broke the transcontinental flight-time record. In 1938, he flew around the world in a record three days, 19 hours, and 14 minutes.
Following the U.S. entrance into World War II in 1941, the U.S. government challenged the Hughes Aircraft Company with the mother of all Big Hairy Audacious Aviation goals: to build a large flying boat capable of carrying men and materials over long distances. There was just one big hairy problem — a lack of war-time steel. So what does Hughes do? He evaluates the situation, checks all his resources, and takes a different direction. He decides to build his aircraft out of wood laminated with plastic and covered with fabric. Although it was constructed mainly of birch, the use of spruce (along with its white-gray color) would later earn the aircraft the nickname Spruce Goose.
This behemoth was SO massive (wingspan of 320 feet and was powered by eight giant propeller engines) and took SO long to build, the war had ended by the time the Spruce Goose was completed. Still, Congress that Hughes prove the plane airworthy. So, on this date in 1947, Hughes obliged by taking the prototype out on the historic test flight. It flew, sort of. But in the eyes of Congress, the Spruce Goose laid an egg.
Howard Hughes refused to neglect what he saw as his greatest achievement in the aviation field (after all, it was built to last). It’s reported that until his death in 1976, he kept the Spruce Goose prototype ready for flight in an enormous, climate-controlled hangar at a cost of $1 million per year.
So, what’s your Big Hairy Audacious Goal? What are you doing to see it take flight? On this date in history, Howard Hughes piloted one of his —the largest aircraft ever built— on its first and only flight.
Today, the Spruce Goose is housed at the Evergreen Aviation Museum in McMinnville, Oregon.
Tuesday, November 1, 2016
Leaves and Little Feet
EXTERIOR KUHN HOME — DUSK
SOUND: CRUNCH, CRUNCH, CRUNCH AS TINY FEET RUN THROUGH A THICK BLANKET OF LEAVES ON THE FRONT YARD.
CHILDREN DRESSED IN HALLOWEEN COSTUMES APPROACH DOOR. KNOCK.
SOUND: HEAVY WOODEN DOOR CREEKS ON RUSTY HINGE.
DOOR OPENS.
CHILDREN
Trick or Treat!?
OLD MAN
(smiles)
Why, those are the best costumes
I’ve seen all night.
SOUND: PLOP! AS CANDY HITS THE BOTTOM OF THE TRICK OR TREAT BAGS.
CHILDREN
Thank you!
THE CHILDREN RUN OFF TO THE NEXT "HAUNTED" HOUSE.
AND REPEAT
# # #
I don’t rake leaves until AFTER Halloween. It’s my tradition. I believe that the sound of children traversing through front yards (the only day it’s really permissible), and kicking a patch through leaves is part of the ritual that is Trick or Treating.
"Crunch, crunch, crunch. Knock, knock. Creak of old door opening. Trick or Treat!?”
Treat, of course. Repeat.
I also love all the costumes. Sure, I’ll give a kid a piece of candy for just showing up (don't want to tempt the tricks), but the kids who make the effort, they get an extra piece or two. Kids (and adults, too) dress is everything from super heroes to villains.
Before the Trick or Treaters showed up, I started a new tradition: Early voting!
The voting room floor at the library wasn’t covered in autumn leaves — more like egg shells. Polite conversation. Crunch, crunch, crunch. Vote. Given an “I voted” sticker. What? No candy? Not even Circus Peanuts or AirHeads?
Candidates: Super Heroes? Villains? Trick or Treat!?
We shall see.
No matter what happens, I hope we keep in mind that what we do today will alter the lives of those little feet who trampled through our leaves last night.
Carpe Diem Life,
David Kuhn
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