What is it that drives growth?
I've been thinking a lot about that as I've been stumbling -- and failing -- at my personal growth. Laziness? Procrastination? Stupidity?
No matter what it's labeled, it stems from too much "going with the flow" and too little INTENTIONAL PRACTICES. Growth is a byproduct of Intentional positive practices as a daily routine.
I'm writing this today to remind myself to keep learning and growing, realizing that no plan works unless I do. Today I will work a little harder to bridge the gap between inaction and follow through.
Carpe diem Life,
David Kuhn
Wednesday, March 7, 2018
Tuesday, March 6, 2018
Another song . . .
I've been playing around with a Dylanesque song for my portfolio of songs ideas.
Here's a go at one:
Peace of Mind
(to something like Dylan’s "A Long Time Gone" or Walking Down the Line"
I’m walking on my return path
Searching for that which every man seeks
Happiness and love
Tranquility and peace
The words of the sages
Ringing in my ear
If I only stop to listen
I’ll hear it crystal clear:
Live charity
And reduce your wants
Forgive those who hurt us
And trust in Providence
Look things in the face
And know them for what they are
Be glad of life and take the time
To look up at the stars
I’m walking on my return path
Searching for that which every man seeks
Happiness and love
Tranquility and peace
The words of the sages
Ringing in my ear
If I only stop to listen
I’ll hear it crystal clear:
Despise nothing in this world
Except for falsehood and hate
Fear nothing in this world
Except for a coward’s weight
When we can’t find love
Or peace within ourself
It’s useless to seek it
Anywhere else
If there is to be any peace
It won’t come from what fills our begin’ bowls
It doesn’t dwell on outer things
We’ll only find it within our souls
We’re walking on our return path
Searching for that which every man seeks
Happiness and love
Tranquility and peace
There’s an ancient signpost up ahead
“When a man has lost happiness
He’s breathing corpse - the soul dead!
There is no cure for birth or death
Except to enjoy each moment
That you have left!”
We’re walking on our return path
Enjoy each moment
That you have left!
# # #
Carpe diem Life,
David Kuhn
Here's a go at one:
Peace of Mind
(to something like Dylan’s "A Long Time Gone" or Walking Down the Line"
I’m walking on my return path
Searching for that which every man seeks
Happiness and love
Tranquility and peace
The words of the sages
Ringing in my ear
If I only stop to listen
I’ll hear it crystal clear:
Live charity
And reduce your wants
Forgive those who hurt us
And trust in Providence
Look things in the face
And know them for what they are
Be glad of life and take the time
To look up at the stars
I’m walking on my return path
Searching for that which every man seeks
Happiness and love
Tranquility and peace
The words of the sages
Ringing in my ear
If I only stop to listen
I’ll hear it crystal clear:
Despise nothing in this world
Except for falsehood and hate
Fear nothing in this world
Except for a coward’s weight
When we can’t find love
Or peace within ourself
It’s useless to seek it
Anywhere else
If there is to be any peace
It won’t come from what fills our begin’ bowls
It doesn’t dwell on outer things
We’ll only find it within our souls
We’re walking on our return path
Searching for that which every man seeks
Happiness and love
Tranquility and peace
There’s an ancient signpost up ahead
“When a man has lost happiness
He’s breathing corpse - the soul dead!
There is no cure for birth or death
Except to enjoy each moment
That you have left!”
We’re walking on our return path
Enjoy each moment
That you have left!
# # #
Carpe diem Life,
David Kuhn
Monday, March 5, 2018
Paradox Unity
At what point are you what you say you are?
For example, yesterday I wrote about my “I am” experiment and listed a few “I ams.”
I am . . . guitar player, writer, cartoonist, etc. even though I don’t do any of them particularly well.
My point was that if I try, even to the nth degree, then I must be that thing — at least to some degree.
But, at what point can I really call myself that? And, is there a pro or con to labeling myself something?
The 2nd Verse of the ancient Tao Te Ching can be translated, “Under heaven, all can see beauty as beauty, only because there is ugliness. All can know good as good only because there is evil.”
The idea of beauty produces the idea of ugliness and vice versa.
The idea of good produces the idea of bad, and vice versa.
The idea of what is a guitar player, writer, artist, etc. produces the idea of what it is not.
What if we instead perceived all as a piece, glimpse, spark, of the perfection of oneness?
Dr. Wayne W. Dyer writes, “Effort is one piece of the whole; another piece is non-effort. Fuse these dichotomies, and the result is effortless action without attachment to outcome.”
If I understand that correctly, just do it without judgment or fear without being focused on the outcome. To paraphrase the great Nike slogan, Just be.
Carpe diem Life,
David Kuhn
For example, yesterday I wrote about my “I am” experiment and listed a few “I ams.”
I am . . . guitar player, writer, cartoonist, etc. even though I don’t do any of them particularly well.
My point was that if I try, even to the nth degree, then I must be that thing — at least to some degree.
But, at what point can I really call myself that? And, is there a pro or con to labeling myself something?
The 2nd Verse of the ancient Tao Te Ching can be translated, “Under heaven, all can see beauty as beauty, only because there is ugliness. All can know good as good only because there is evil.”
The idea of beauty produces the idea of ugliness and vice versa.
The idea of good produces the idea of bad, and vice versa.
The idea of what is a guitar player, writer, artist, etc. produces the idea of what it is not.
What if we instead perceived all as a piece, glimpse, spark, of the perfection of oneness?
Dr. Wayne W. Dyer writes, “Effort is one piece of the whole; another piece is non-effort. Fuse these dichotomies, and the result is effortless action without attachment to outcome.”
If I understand that correctly, just do it without judgment or fear without being focused on the outcome. To paraphrase the great Nike slogan, Just be.
Carpe diem Life,
David Kuhn
Sunday, March 4, 2018
I Am . . .
I’ve been thinking a lot lately (about the past 30 years) about why I’m just a great list maker — but a lousy list doer. I make my “To-Do” lists, I knock out one or two items, then fall into old inaction mode. Perhaps it’s fear of criticism, fear of failure, or hell, even fear of success. I don’t know. But for some reason, all these To-Dos just hang out on paper and mock me.
So, yesterday I decided to instead write an “I Am” list first. Yes, I know that I need to cut the grass, but that’s just another chore I need “to-do.” However, if I do it because it’s under the heading of “I am a good steward of what I own,” then perhaps the task will be more personal and I’ll be more engaged.
In no particular order, here are a few of the “I am” categories I've come up with so far. Note that this list does not include negatives such as lazy, stubborn, unfocused, etc. I’m hoping that this exercise will cure some of those.
I am:
guitarist (Even though I’ve only picked it up and started to teach myself. More on that below)
creative
husband
father
Grandfather
sibling
cousin
writer
video producer
problem solver
outdoorsman
fisherman
canoeist
woodworker
curious
healthy
happy
alive
joyful
grateful
magician
cartoonist
comedian
Taoist
intentional
friend
grammarian
writer
poet
lyricist
good steward
employee
humanitarian
Buick man
chef
frugal
family historian
explorer
gardener
artist
teacher
student
euchre player
lantern builder
loving
compassionate
Admittedly, some of these are categories that many people — including myself — would judge me and say, "NO you’re not!” For example, “You’re not a guitarist, you just picked it up!” Or, “You’re not a writer, you don’t know proper syntax and you can’t spell!” Or . . . well, you get the picture.
I thought about that yesterday and here is what I wrote:
Am I “I am”
When "I am not" -- or at least people, including myself, judge as “Am not”?
Am I not always, to some degree, a certain degree of “Am”?
Aren’t we all, to some degree? Why label, compare, judge ourselves against other “I am” sentient beings?
When we do, we don’t even begin. Or we being and stop because we believe the label we give ourselves or we believe the label that others attach to us -- like a label on a food box -- that says, "This man/woman does not contain enough of a certain ingredient to be worthy of the title of _____________!"
I call bullshit.
It’s bold to say, “I am!”
Today, I choose to be bold and see what happens.
Oh, and just to tie all this into yesterday's post, listen to Harry Chapin's Flowers Are Red.
Carpe diem Life,
David Kuhn
So, yesterday I decided to instead write an “I Am” list first. Yes, I know that I need to cut the grass, but that’s just another chore I need “to-do.” However, if I do it because it’s under the heading of “I am a good steward of what I own,” then perhaps the task will be more personal and I’ll be more engaged.
In no particular order, here are a few of the “I am” categories I've come up with so far. Note that this list does not include negatives such as lazy, stubborn, unfocused, etc. I’m hoping that this exercise will cure some of those.
I am:
guitarist (Even though I’ve only picked it up and started to teach myself. More on that below)
creative
husband
father
Grandfather
sibling
cousin
writer
video producer
problem solver
outdoorsman
fisherman
canoeist
woodworker
curious
healthy
happy
alive
joyful
grateful
magician
cartoonist
comedian
Taoist
intentional
friend
grammarian
writer
poet
lyricist
good steward
employee
humanitarian
Buick man
chef
frugal
family historian
explorer
gardener
artist
teacher
student
euchre player
lantern builder
loving
compassionate
Admittedly, some of these are categories that many people — including myself — would judge me and say, "NO you’re not!” For example, “You’re not a guitarist, you just picked it up!” Or, “You’re not a writer, you don’t know proper syntax and you can’t spell!” Or . . . well, you get the picture.
I thought about that yesterday and here is what I wrote:
Am I “I am”
When "I am not" -- or at least people, including myself, judge as “Am not”?
Am I not always, to some degree, a certain degree of “Am”?
Aren’t we all, to some degree? Why label, compare, judge ourselves against other “I am” sentient beings?
When we do, we don’t even begin. Or we being and stop because we believe the label we give ourselves or we believe the label that others attach to us -- like a label on a food box -- that says, "This man/woman does not contain enough of a certain ingredient to be worthy of the title of _____________!"
I call bullshit.
It’s bold to say, “I am!”
Today, I choose to be bold and see what happens.
Oh, and just to tie all this into yesterday's post, listen to Harry Chapin's Flowers Are Red.
Carpe diem Life,
David Kuhn
Saturday, March 3, 2018
Calluses
Yesterday I wrote about working A/V at our sports arena for the Ohio Valley Conference basketball tournament. One of the positions I ran was technical director. A TD is the person who physically pushes all the button on a switcher to send the video and graphics to the big board.
It’s been a month or so since I’ve run that position and when I set down to get reacquainted the switcher I immediately noticed something very strange: The buttons all “felt” different. I couldn’t put my finger on it at first (please don’t pardon the pun). Turns out, it was all due to calluses. Calluses on the tips of my fingers from practicing the guitar for the past month (see my previous post on my newest hobby).
It was the first time that I was conscious of having earned a few calluses on the tips of my fingers. I thought, Wow, calluses. cool!
Calluses reminded me of one of my early music heroes: Harry Chapin. Chapin was a masterful storyteller and also an outspoken leader on social issues such as working to solve world hunger.
After concerts, he would stick around and sign as many autographs as he could and talk to you for a little bit. After one concert I mentioned that I had been working on some sequel lyrics to one of his biggest hits, Taxi. He said, “That’s great! Just don’t make any money off it!”
I guess what I’m trying to tie together is that, in the past couple of months, I've chosen to: take up the guitar . . . which has reawakened my love of rhymes/poetry . . . which has led me to the writing of new “songs” . . . which has led me to start writing this blog up again . . . which as all led to some physical and mental calluses.
Yes, there is a lot of tenderness and pain at first, but so far it’s been a hell of a ride.
To sum it all up, this is what Harry Chapin once said:
I could tell you that I get asked a lot of times how I can change the world. I've also have been asked a lot of times how I can be a rock and roll singer. And do you see what's on the end of my fingers? Calluses. And what that means is if you're willing to play the guitar night in, night out, for audiences of three people when you're coming up and finding that even your mother says, "Pbbb, it doesn't sound very good." The point is very simple - if you care enough, you can have an impact, because in the long run we're not sure about a prior life or an after life, we're all hoping for that. But what we can do is maximize what we have in this brief flicker of time in the infinity and, and try to milk that and be hungry in a different kind of way, hungry for experience, hungry for meaning. And you can be terribly, terribly effective if you want to be!
Carpe diem Life,
David Kuhn
It’s been a month or so since I’ve run that position and when I set down to get reacquainted the switcher I immediately noticed something very strange: The buttons all “felt” different. I couldn’t put my finger on it at first (please don’t pardon the pun). Turns out, it was all due to calluses. Calluses on the tips of my fingers from practicing the guitar for the past month (see my previous post on my newest hobby).
It was the first time that I was conscious of having earned a few calluses on the tips of my fingers. I thought, Wow, calluses. cool!
Calluses reminded me of one of my early music heroes: Harry Chapin. Chapin was a masterful storyteller and also an outspoken leader on social issues such as working to solve world hunger.
After concerts, he would stick around and sign as many autographs as he could and talk to you for a little bit. After one concert I mentioned that I had been working on some sequel lyrics to one of his biggest hits, Taxi. He said, “That’s great! Just don’t make any money off it!”
I guess what I’m trying to tie together is that, in the past couple of months, I've chosen to: take up the guitar . . . which has reawakened my love of rhymes/poetry . . . which has led me to the writing of new “songs” . . . which has led me to start writing this blog up again . . . which as all led to some physical and mental calluses.
Yes, there is a lot of tenderness and pain at first, but so far it’s been a hell of a ride.
To sum it all up, this is what Harry Chapin once said:
I could tell you that I get asked a lot of times how I can change the world. I've also have been asked a lot of times how I can be a rock and roll singer. And do you see what's on the end of my fingers? Calluses. And what that means is if you're willing to play the guitar night in, night out, for audiences of three people when you're coming up and finding that even your mother says, "Pbbb, it doesn't sound very good." The point is very simple - if you care enough, you can have an impact, because in the long run we're not sure about a prior life or an after life, we're all hoping for that. But what we can do is maximize what we have in this brief flicker of time in the infinity and, and try to milk that and be hungry in a different kind of way, hungry for experience, hungry for meaning. And you can be terribly, terribly effective if you want to be!
Carpe diem Life,
David Kuhn
Friday, March 2, 2018
Basketball, Egos, Leadership
One of my jobs is working Audio/Video at our Sporting Arena, The Ford Center.
This weekend is the big Ohio Valley Conference Championships -- 14 basketball games in four days. Brutal work schedule, but rewarding and fun.
This is a new converence for us and we, as a production team, seem to be having problems undertanding many of the limitations that league officials are putting on us. In an attempt to keep the "on-air" as neautral as possible, they are really limiting our story telling ability during the game. I won't go into details, but I'll just say that the demands are counterintuitive to what we usually do during a production. The result: A lot of egos on headsets trying to fight the system. Myself included.
All of this has reminded me of a couple of lessons:
1) The need to let go of your ego. Great leaders are not in the game for personal gain, they lead in order to SERVE people.
2) They great John Wooden was a hall-of-fame leader long before he was a hall-of-fame coach.
Two more days of basketball. Today I vow to let my ego go and be a better leader. After all, mine is not a better way, mine is merely a different way.
Carpe diem Life,
David Kuhn
This weekend is the big Ohio Valley Conference Championships -- 14 basketball games in four days. Brutal work schedule, but rewarding and fun.
This is a new converence for us and we, as a production team, seem to be having problems undertanding many of the limitations that league officials are putting on us. In an attempt to keep the "on-air" as neautral as possible, they are really limiting our story telling ability during the game. I won't go into details, but I'll just say that the demands are counterintuitive to what we usually do during a production. The result: A lot of egos on headsets trying to fight the system. Myself included.
All of this has reminded me of a couple of lessons:
1) The need to let go of your ego. Great leaders are not in the game for personal gain, they lead in order to SERVE people.
2) They great John Wooden was a hall-of-fame leader long before he was a hall-of-fame coach.
Two more days of basketball. Today I vow to let my ego go and be a better leader. After all, mine is not a better way, mine is merely a different way.
Carpe diem Life,
David Kuhn
Thursday, March 1, 2018
Songs and "Fake News"
I wrote yesterday about my newest hobby: Learning to play guitar.
This exercise has also sparked my interest in expressing myself in writing. Not essays, but lyrics (okay, poems set to music). As a gift back to Tim, I've been writing a song a month to create a fictitious album titled Celery Road. So far we have:
"Celery Road"
"Rest Tight Citizens"
"The Great Onyx Cave"
"Fake News"
The first few are more personal odysseys. But, because every album needs some sort of social protest piece, I give you "Fake News"
Time to turn on the media and Carpe diem Life
David Kuhn
This exercise has also sparked my interest in expressing myself in writing. Not essays, but lyrics (okay, poems set to music). As a gift back to Tim, I've been writing a song a month to create a fictitious album titled Celery Road. So far we have:
"Celery Road"
"Rest Tight Citizens"
"The Great Onyx Cave"
"Fake News"
The first few are more personal odysseys. But, because every album needs some sort of social protest piece, I give you "Fake News"
They all say “We’re on your side”
We feed them profits
Yet they feed us lies
Nothing you can believe
On the web, radio,
Print or TV
Satan has gotten to them
Spinning the truth
We’re all condemned
Fox Reports, you decide?
Is it the true
Or is it lies?
CNN: The most trusted name in news?
Well if that’s the truth
Then we’re all screwed!
Special Reports and Breaking News
A ratings win
But we all lose
These are claims politicians make
But we can’t trust them either
For the truth’s sake
Truth be told we’re all on trial
Just look at social media
We’re guilty, too, of spreading this vile!
What’s this world coming to
Media’s got me singing
The Fake News Blues
Got me singing
The Fake News Blues
What’s this world coming to?
I’ve finally learned the truth . . .
it’s time to quit . . . Exposing myself . . .
TO ALL THIS SHIT!
***We feed them profits
Yet they feed us lies
Nothing you can believe
On the web, radio,
Print or TV
Satan has gotten to them
Spinning the truth
We’re all condemned
Fox Reports, you decide?
Is it the true
Or is it lies?
CNN: The most trusted name in news?
Well if that’s the truth
Then we’re all screwed!
Special Reports and Breaking News
A ratings win
But we all lose
These are claims politicians make
But we can’t trust them either
For the truth’s sake
Truth be told we’re all on trial
Just look at social media
We’re guilty, too, of spreading this vile!
What’s this world coming to
Media’s got me singing
The Fake News Blues
Got me singing
The Fake News Blues
What’s this world coming to?
I’ve finally learned the truth . . .
it’s time to quit . . . Exposing myself . . .
TO ALL THIS SHIT!
Time to turn on the media and Carpe diem Life
David Kuhn
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