R E F L E C T I O N S

I've frequently heard that it's best to be aware of the present moment but sometimes it seems a little too difficult to remember.  When I do remember, I feel so alive.  Life turns into a sort of "High Definition" experience. To help me remember I wrote "Here, Now, Enjoy Life" on an index card and set it on my desktop. I made up a simple chart for myself: Present Moment: Here (Location) Now (time) Enjoy Life --Body (food, sleep, pleasures...) --Mind ( Hobbies, Learn, Experience...) --Meaningful (Spiritual, Purpose ...) Other people can set up a chart better suited to themselves if they like. It is impossible for anyone to be happy all the time.  Life can be hard.  But it is a very interesting concept, even though I only remember to do it about ten percent of the time. Just a few thoughts.

  Popeye in his quest to be authentic -  to act from his values and principles,  and remain loyal to himself, his friends and community. "I yam what I yam and that's all what I yam," declared the existential philosopher, Popeye the Sailor Man.  "The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are." - C.G. Jung Self-acceptance that you have to embrace who you are.  Who am I really?  Who am I at the core of my being?  What do I really want to do with my life?  What will make me happy? Psychologist Erich From wrote: "Modern man lives under the illusion that he knows what he wants, while he actually wants what he is supposed to want."  From:  Fast-Pitch-9517   He's a stereotype of a sailor from the time. They had big forearms from handling tensioned ropes on deck all the time, which required (and continues to require) exceptional forearm strength and endurance. The sailor stereotype is also the ...

Several days ago I found the Liar's Paradox on the web. It seemed vaguely familiar, but I'm not sure where I first saw it. The site made me want to explore similar sites for some sort of answer. At the end I was still confused but I found a way to sort of understand what could be done.  This video explains what the Liar's Paradox is about: Here is another:   This last video satisfies me: This as an everyday possibility:  

(click on YouTube for video) Would this series of simulations work its way back to God?  If it did, wouldn't God just make it a series of realities instead of simulations? <><><> If every effect has a cause, how did everything begin? Thomas Aquinas argued that there couldn’t be an infinite regression of cause and effect without any fixed starting point. He posited that God was the First Mover, who was able to set the universe in motion without any prior cause. But why can't there be an infinite series of cause and effect?

  (from Amazon) A few days ago an old friend called me. It was a great and pleasant surprise. We've sent Christmas cards to each other but nothing else.  This has been going on for about 30 years now! He invited me to come up to visit him. Maybe we can be better in touch now.  The problem is that I can't drive the three hours to get there. It's not safe. My neurological condition is worse. Instead of CIDP I have involvement of the axon not just the nerve myelin cover of the nerves in my lower legs.  I can't control my feet very well while driving. Sometimes moving my foot from the gas to the break pedal is difficult. It doesn't always happen but I can't predict it. Most recently I had to put the car in Park to stop it.  Luckily I was going very slowly. I don't want to hurt anyone or myself so I have not been driving. Asking someone to take me places is difficult. Using Uber or Lyft taxi service is very expensive.  Doctor visits, going to the pharmacy, getti...

  Not Yet (maybe someday?)

  I couldn't let Earth Day pass without a post. Here's a short video I found on Youtube: My neurologist's office called yesterday.   He wants me to set up a second opinion for my treatment.  Wish me luck.  

 

 I've been so tired the last two weeks. My autoimmune disease CIDP is acting up again. My Physical Therapist told me he's never seen me so tired and to speak with my doctor. I left a message at his office. Maybe the problem will heal itself. I'll keep up with exercise and my blog. Sorry I skipped posting or reading your blogs last week. The CIDP that's coming after me:

I wonder if our kids know about this?   100% sure our grandkids never have It has a classic look to it. Which type of watch should you buy?   Should you get several in order to take advantage of special features?  They must be good but they seem a bit expensive.

Simulated Reality I came across this idea a short while ago and began to wonder if it actually can be true. Are we living in a simulated world? Is what we experience only a representation of reality and not the original thing? Sometimes a person can find small errors in the simulation that are corrected or that are left as is. An example that I had many years ago: My daughter took a bus to visit us one day and I offered her some of my orange flavored Tic Tac candy. She told me a man on the bus she just left also offered her some orange flavored Tic Tacs. Was it only a coincidence? Another example: At 911 I'm sure I saw on TV the terrorist planes as they crashed into the World Trade Center buildings. Later I learned the event was not shown on TV at the time I saw it. Was it only a video I was confused about? The Monopoly game man is a common example experienced by many people. He never had a monocle. Anyway here's a video that explains it much better: Do you have any experiences...

Does this song mean that when she gets "low" (sad, depressed), she gets the strength to pull herself up and get "high". Or, does it mean she feels better by taking alcohol and drugs?  Newer video:  Try full screen. "Original" version:  Chick Webb & his Orchestra Ella Fitzgerald - When I Get Low I Get High 1936

  What if the simulated reality went back in a series until it reached the primary creator? Would it be God? Here's an interesting video:

How can we know if what we see, hear, etc. is actually real?  All of our senses are dependent on  our brain to interpret the data. Light, sound, touch are all converted into electrical signals.  We are living inside a simulation of the world that our brain creates.  But is it a close interpretation?  Is it all delusional?  Can it be altered by someone else? Any thoughts?

  No Radio, No Cell Phone, No GPS etc. What often amazes me is how the old time sailors navigated the oceans. In fact they were even more alone than the astronauts of today. That was bravery! Here are some videos you may enjoy.    Here's a song about how emotionally close the men of these ships became. I often think about my old friend from 40 years ago who for some reason only sends me a Christmas card once a year but never keeps in touch the rest of the year no matter how much I try to write or phone him. It's a real mystery to me. Here's one more:  

 I still get some magazine sized catalogs to order from. like The Vermont Country Store.  So the internet has not wiped out the paper catalogs yet. Here's the article:   NATIONAL MAIL ORDER CATALOG DAY  What was once one of the most popular ways of shopping is remembered each year on August 18th as it is National Mail Order Catalog Day. This day marks the anniversary of the first Montgomery Wards mail order catalog. On this day in 1872, Aaron Montgomery Ward of Chicago produced a catalog designed for direct order via mail. He aimed to remove the middleman from the business of buying and selling. As a result, he also drastically lowered prices.   The very first catalog consisted of an 8 by 12-inch single sheet of paper. On it, Ward included the merchandise for sale, price list, and ordering instructions. Before long, the Montgomery Wards single-page list of products grew into a 540 page illustrated book selling over 20,000 items.  It didn’t take long fo...

I saw my ophthalmologist today. The exam was fine, almost didn't make it, just so tired.  My CIDP  is acting up. It was fine a couple of weeks ago, then last week I felt it coming back. Now I'm so weak and both my calves ache when I rest in bed. I'll have to be patient. It should improve. If it gets much worse I'll have to call my doctor.

Why? So I won't miss out on enjoyable activities. So I'll be able to take care of myself (groceries, dump, exercise, etc) How I avoid doing it: -Spend too much time looking for the ideal to do list on paper and also computer application, instead of doing what I need to do. -Being too vague about what I want and the steps I need to take. I use Microsoft to do: It's free and seems to be as good as any other. And I use paper calendar, paper weekly schedule, Google email reminders, and an index card for what needs to be done right now today. Here is an article I find very useful:    How to Make Your To-Do List Doable I've been feeling very woozy and weak the past few days, It's my sickness CIDP.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDSWrMkvnn0&t=48s Tomorrow I have an IVIG treatment, the last intravenous one before I restart doing subcutaneous treatments on my own at home. Hopefully it will help. I keep typing in the wrong letters s...

Never mind being half full or empty.  Maybe it's the wrong glass to start with. Remember the best seller from decades ago The Power of Positive Thinking?  I came across this video of some philosophical ideas that seem to go the other way, like "The Power of Negative Thinking". I have a relative who always complains about how bad the world is.  After a short while with him my mood begins to drop. That's why I try to limit my time with him. He looks at you as if you are crazy if you try to say anything positive about life. Sometimes I can make him change for a few seconds before he returns to his old self. I made my daughter laugh when I told her that he belongs to a society of negative thinkers. I raise my eyebrows to give her a sign about what is coming next when we get together and he begins his negative discussions. Anyway, this video seems to go for what is a negative view of life. What do you think? (Click on image to start the video.)