March is usually the time of year when I take a review at all the projects I want to accomplish through the year -- and recognize my failings. Old procrastinating habits are strong dragons to slay.
Yesterday I was listening to some John Mellencamp (an Indiana boy). I had forgotten how much I love his music. Great guitar licks, driving drums, occasional fiddle to give it a southern Indiana folk sound.
Synchronicity event: This morning I pick up a reference book and open it to a random page. And here's a quote used:
What is there to be afraid of? The worst thing that can happen is you fail. So what? I failed at a lot of things. My first record was horrible. -- John Mellencamp
The "P" in Carpe diem Life stands for Persistence. I think after 40-plus years and 22 other albums, Mr. Mellencamp would agree.
Carpe diem Life,
David Kuhn
Wednesday, March 14, 2018
Tuesday, March 13, 2018
F'in F Chord
As I mentioned a few posts ago, one of my newest hobbies is teaching myself to play guitar. Most of the basic chords have come pretty easily for me so far -- except one important one!
I didn't believe the books and on-line courses at first. For example, from JustinGuitar.com: Being able to play F is a really important step and one that might take a month or more of frustration. I found it really hard when I first learnt it—really hard.
How hard can it be?
Well, let's just say that it's really frustrated me to the point of almost quitting. But, that's not what the Carpe diem Life model is all about. "P" stands for "Persistent Action" and that's what I'm going to do -- or at least wear my fingers down to the bone trying.
One "E" stands for "Enjoy the Process."
"Be of good cheer. Do not think of today's failures, but of the success that may come tomorrow. You have set yourself a difficult task, but you will succeed if you persevere; and you will find a joy in overcoming obstacles. Remember, no effort that we make to attain something beautiful is ever lost." -- Helen Keller
The good news is that the F'in F chord leads later to playing something called barre chords, which is the point at which a player will ascend from being a beginner to an intermediate to an advanced guitar player.
Today I will get back at it, suffer through the making of calluses, and enjoy the process.
Carpe diem Life,
David Kuhn
I didn't believe the books and on-line courses at first. For example, from JustinGuitar.com: Being able to play F is a really important step and one that might take a month or more of frustration. I found it really hard when I first learnt it—really hard.
How hard can it be?
Well, let's just say that it's really frustrated me to the point of almost quitting. But, that's not what the Carpe diem Life model is all about. "P" stands for "Persistent Action" and that's what I'm going to do -- or at least wear my fingers down to the bone trying.
One "E" stands for "Enjoy the Process."
"Be of good cheer. Do not think of today's failures, but of the success that may come tomorrow. You have set yourself a difficult task, but you will succeed if you persevere; and you will find a joy in overcoming obstacles. Remember, no effort that we make to attain something beautiful is ever lost." -- Helen Keller
The good news is that the F'in F chord leads later to playing something called barre chords, which is the point at which a player will ascend from being a beginner to an intermediate to an advanced guitar player.
Today I will get back at it, suffer through the making of calluses, and enjoy the process.
Carpe diem Life,
David Kuhn
Monday, March 12, 2018
Changing Directions
We went to visit our daughter, son-in-law, and grandkids yesterday. They live about 180 north of us in central Indiana. A wonderful few hours visiting and playing Grandpa!
I would have loved to stay a few hours longer; however, the weather report from Evansville was 1 to 3 inches of snow, so we bugged out early. About an hour into the trip we drove into rain, then rain mixed with snow, then snow. That's when we started to see multiple slide-off on both sides of the road!
As I start to notice all the slide-offs, I drop my speed from 70 to 60.
So far, so good. But, within a couple of minutes, I noticed headlights in my rearview mirror very quickly growing larger. Before I knew it there was Jeep Liberty up on my side and within a split second, he/she starts to fishtail. I brace for impact. Fortunately for us, it takes a quick dive toward my door and then jets down in the deep, muddy median -- another victim of the treacherous road conditions.
What's all this have to do with Carpe diem Life?
The "d" in Carpe diem Life stands for "direction." As in, after evaluating the direction you're going you see that you're no longer heading toward your goal, you might need to change direction. But, last night revealed another definition: Sometimes, after evaluating your progress, you find that you are in fact heading down the right road in the right direction -- you just need to slow down.
It's not all smooth sailing on the road to your goals. You will occasionally encounter some treacherous conditions. Choose to slow down and take it one step (or mile) at a time.
"Most people would succeed in small things if they were not troubled with great ambition." Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Next time you find yourself in the middle of a snow storm on the road to your goal, slow down. You might not reach your goal as soon as you'd like, but you won't end up in a ditch, either!
Carpe diem Life,
David Kuhn
I would have loved to stay a few hours longer; however, the weather report from Evansville was 1 to 3 inches of snow, so we bugged out early. About an hour into the trip we drove into rain, then rain mixed with snow, then snow. That's when we started to see multiple slide-off on both sides of the road!
As I start to notice all the slide-offs, I drop my speed from 70 to 60.
So far, so good. But, within a couple of minutes, I noticed headlights in my rearview mirror very quickly growing larger. Before I knew it there was Jeep Liberty up on my side and within a split second, he/she starts to fishtail. I brace for impact. Fortunately for us, it takes a quick dive toward my door and then jets down in the deep, muddy median -- another victim of the treacherous road conditions.
What's all this have to do with Carpe diem Life?
The "d" in Carpe diem Life stands for "direction." As in, after evaluating the direction you're going you see that you're no longer heading toward your goal, you might need to change direction. But, last night revealed another definition: Sometimes, after evaluating your progress, you find that you are in fact heading down the right road in the right direction -- you just need to slow down.
It's not all smooth sailing on the road to your goals. You will occasionally encounter some treacherous conditions. Choose to slow down and take it one step (or mile) at a time.
"Most people would succeed in small things if they were not troubled with great ambition." Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Next time you find yourself in the middle of a snow storm on the road to your goal, slow down. You might not reach your goal as soon as you'd like, but you won't end up in a ditch, either!
Carpe diem Life,
David Kuhn
Sunday, March 11, 2018
Spring Forward!
Today is the day we "Spring Forward." I hear a lot of people complaining about "losing as an hour." Of course, we don't actually lose an hour, unless we spend an hour complaining about it.
We all have good thoughts, good ideas, and good intentions, but, if you're like me, you have not translated those into ACTION.
"Putting off the easy thing makes it hard. Putting off a hard thing makes it impossible."
-- George Claude Lorimer
Don't think of today as losing as an hour; instead, think of today as gaining the courage to take spring forward into ACTION. The time is now! Spring forward into action before we lose another hour!
Carpe diem Life,
David Kuhn
We all have good thoughts, good ideas, and good intentions, but, if you're like me, you have not translated those into ACTION.
"Putting off the easy thing makes it hard. Putting off a hard thing makes it impossible."
-- George Claude Lorimer
Don't think of today as losing as an hour; instead, think of today as gaining the courage to take spring forward into ACTION. The time is now! Spring forward into action before we lose another hour!
Carpe diem Life,
David Kuhn
Saturday, March 10, 2018
A place for . . .
Though not exactly part of the Carpe diem Life acronym, one bit of old advice that I’ve been working on — and far from mastering — is: A place for everything and everything in its place. You know, everything should have a place to be stored and that it should be tidily returned there when not in use.
From what I’ve read, this proverb is associated with several old-timers including Benjamin Franklin.
I’ve taken it one step further by adding “Reducing stuff” to the list.
“Reduce stuff, live simply, a place for what I choose to keep, and everything in its place.”
It’s the “reduce” and “simply” part that’s giving me fits. Oh, and I’m not doing too well on the “everything in its place” either.
Today, I’m going to CHOOSE to focus on that phrase and take ACTION.
“In the beginning, you just need to get MOVING. Try different things. It’s much easier to start doing something RIGHT if you’ve already started doing SOMETHING.” John Maxwell
Carpe diem Life,
David Kuhn
From what I’ve read, this proverb is associated with several old-timers including Benjamin Franklin.
I’ve taken it one step further by adding “Reducing stuff” to the list.
“Reduce stuff, live simply, a place for what I choose to keep, and everything in its place.”
It’s the “reduce” and “simply” part that’s giving me fits. Oh, and I’m not doing too well on the “everything in its place” either.
Today, I’m going to CHOOSE to focus on that phrase and take ACTION.
“In the beginning, you just need to get MOVING. Try different things. It’s much easier to start doing something RIGHT if you’ve already started doing SOMETHING.” John Maxwell
Carpe diem Life,
David Kuhn
Friday, March 9, 2018
Lead Dog!
"If you ain't the lead dog, then the view never changes!" -- Lewis Grizzard
I've never been one to want to lead; however, I do recognize that if I want circumstances to change in my life, I do need to be the lead dog in MY life. That's the purpose of Carpe diem Life: Make MY own CHOICES, take MY own ACTIONS, etc.
Leadership is important no matter who you are or where you lead. Being the leader of your own life will move you to the head of the pack. You will have earned the changing view.
Carpe diem Life,
David Kuhn
I've never been one to want to lead; however, I do recognize that if I want circumstances to change in my life, I do need to be the lead dog in MY life. That's the purpose of Carpe diem Life: Make MY own CHOICES, take MY own ACTIONS, etc.
Leadership is important no matter who you are or where you lead. Being the leader of your own life will move you to the head of the pack. You will have earned the changing view.
Carpe diem Life,
David Kuhn
If you ain't the lead dog, the view never changes. Lewis Grizzard
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/lewis_grizzard_471561
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/lewis_grizzard_471561
If you ain't the lead dog, the view never changes. Lewis Grizzard
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/lewis_grizzard_471561
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/lewis_grizzard_471561
If you ain't the lead dog, the view never changes. Lewis Grizzard
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/lewis_grizzard_471561
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/lewis_grizzard_471561
Thursday, March 8, 2018
Revisiting my first post . . .
Revisiting my first post:
I guess it's safe to say that this blog was started nearly 2000 years ago by a man named Quintus Horatius Flaccus, better known as Horace.
Carpe diem is Latin and usually translated "seize the day." It's taken from book 1 of the Roman poet's work Odes (23 BC).
Carpe translates "pick or pluck" used by our blogger friend Horace to mean "enjoy, seize, use, make use of". Diem means "day".
Now, let's turn the page to 1989 when I was first introduced to Carpe diem. It was in a darkened movie theater watching Dead Poet's Society (written by Tom Schulman). It's about English teacher John Keating (played by Robin Williams) who inspires his students at the fictional elite conservative boarding school Welton Academy to look at poetry with a different perspective.
On the first day of school, he invites his students out of the classroom and to an unorthodox place -- the trophy cases in the halls. After reading from a few selected poems, he has the boys peer into the cases and makes eye contact with the photos of past students long gone.
John Keating: They're not that different from you, are they? Same haircuts. Full of hormones, just like you. Invincible, just like you feel. The world is their oyster. They believe they're destined for great things, just like many of you, their eyes are full of hope, just like you. Did they wait until it was too late to make from their lives even one iota of what they were capable? Because, you see gentlemen, these boys are now fertilizing daffodils. But if you listen real close, you can hear them whisper their legacy to you. Go on, lean in. Listen, you hear it? - - Carpe - - hear it? - - Carpe, carpe diem, seize the day boys, make your lives extraordinary.
"Carpe diem" echoed in my soul for weeks. I bought the movie poster, a "Carpe diem" coffee mug, I even bought a "Carpe diem" ring.
Unfortunately, like many mountaintop experiences and echoes, it faded away -- and I lost the ring last year.
Where do echoes go? Every once in awhile, mine would whisper to me again, "Carpe diem." Perhaps it was always there and I just wasn't listening. Or perhaps I wasn't using the phrase and taking action.
Which brings me to today (again, a year or so later from this original post).
I've always found acronyms to be a terrific tool for remembering more complex thoughts and ideas. What about an acronym for CARPE DIEM? What about a tool for seizing the day and turning whispers into extraordinary experiences?
I invite you along for the journey, to listen to your whispers, to share, to be encouraged, and to encourage others, to Carpe, carpe diem, seize the day, make your lives extraordinary.
Carpe diem Life,
David Kuhn
I guess it's safe to say that this blog was started nearly 2000 years ago by a man named Quintus Horatius Flaccus, better known as Horace.
Carpe diem is Latin and usually translated "seize the day." It's taken from book 1 of the Roman poet's work Odes (23 BC).
Carpe translates "pick or pluck" used by our blogger friend Horace to mean "enjoy, seize, use, make use of". Diem means "day".
Now, let's turn the page to 1989 when I was first introduced to Carpe diem. It was in a darkened movie theater watching Dead Poet's Society (written by Tom Schulman). It's about English teacher John Keating (played by Robin Williams) who inspires his students at the fictional elite conservative boarding school Welton Academy to look at poetry with a different perspective.
On the first day of school, he invites his students out of the classroom and to an unorthodox place -- the trophy cases in the halls. After reading from a few selected poems, he has the boys peer into the cases and makes eye contact with the photos of past students long gone.
John Keating: They're not that different from you, are they? Same haircuts. Full of hormones, just like you. Invincible, just like you feel. The world is their oyster. They believe they're destined for great things, just like many of you, their eyes are full of hope, just like you. Did they wait until it was too late to make from their lives even one iota of what they were capable? Because, you see gentlemen, these boys are now fertilizing daffodils. But if you listen real close, you can hear them whisper their legacy to you. Go on, lean in. Listen, you hear it? - - Carpe - - hear it? - - Carpe, carpe diem, seize the day boys, make your lives extraordinary.
"Carpe diem" echoed in my soul for weeks. I bought the movie poster, a "Carpe diem" coffee mug, I even bought a "Carpe diem" ring.
Unfortunately, like many mountaintop experiences and echoes, it faded away -- and I lost the ring last year.
Where do echoes go? Every once in awhile, mine would whisper to me again, "Carpe diem." Perhaps it was always there and I just wasn't listening. Or perhaps I wasn't using the phrase and taking action.
Which brings me to today (again, a year or so later from this original post).
I've always found acronyms to be a terrific tool for remembering more complex thoughts and ideas. What about an acronym for CARPE DIEM? What about a tool for seizing the day and turning whispers into extraordinary experiences?
I invite you along for the journey, to listen to your whispers, to share, to be encouraged, and to encourage others, to Carpe, carpe diem, seize the day, make your lives extraordinary.
Carpe diem Life,
David Kuhn
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