This Cat can flat out ride…
and…it’s a perfect song for a tribute to Craig Kelly.
MEDITATE LIKE A ZEN MONK AT THE PUSH OF A BUTTON – CLICK FOR A FREE DEMO CD
(Please keep the Manifesto going)
Good Things: Why We Deserve Them
January 29th, 2010 by Joeclark 3 comments »
- Image by Louise – Paisley via Flickr
Lately, something big and beautiful has happened to me. It’s quite possibly something that only happens once in a lifetime. It’s something that has helped me through this midlife transition that I’ve undertaken. Yep, it’s nothing less than a miracle in my life.
Good things, Midlifers. Why is it that sometimes, not all the time, but sometimes when good things happen to us we seem to do everything we can to sabotage, subvert, and flat out undermine them? I’ve found myself culpable in one very important area of my life in recent weeks. The okay part is that I seem to be much wiser at the ripe old age of 39 and if you’ve been reading the Manifesto for a while then you may recall that I periodically talk about the importance of curiosity in our lives. You might also recall that I’ve discussed the importance of being authentic; being my true self.
The biggest life lesson that I am working through in my midlife is knowing that I’m “okay” just being me. I’m learning that I’m a fine person when I’m just myself; my true self. I don’t need to play a role, act a different way, pretend to be something that I’m not because I’m just fine the way I am. This change in attitude is one that I undertook about a year ago now but I’m still working my way through the transition. I’m still working my way through the process.
See, I think the feeling that “I’m not enough” is the reason why we sometimes undermine our own good fortune. We sometimes, even subconsciously, feel we don’t deserve the good things that are happening to us. Because we feel we aren’t good enough or don’t deserve these good things we tend to unleash adverse and possibly destructive behaviors and actions into our days. Then, oftentimes, the good things that are happening to us slowly work their way out of our lives. When that happens we say to ourselves, “see, I knew I didn’t deserve that good thing.”
Does this make sense to you fellow Midlifers? Has this happened to you? How do you change it?
The only way that I know to alter this habit is to get curious about it. I pulled out my journal the other day and reread all the entries where I wrote about the type of person I am and the type of person I want to continue to become. I added some elements to a few entries and recommitted myself to some others. They served as a reminder that I am doing the best I can, that I’m growing, that I’m getting stronger and wiser each day, and ultimately that I deserve good things because I AM a good thing.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=0d4a9cfb-9cde-4f0f-ad83-9752846efd43)
MEDITATE LIKE A ZEN MONK AT THE PUSH OF A BUTTON – CLICK FOR A FREE DEMO CD
(Please keep the Manifesto going)
Breaking News: No More Krispy Kremes!
January 29th, 2010 by Joeclark 1 comment »
Okay! Don’t panic. I just meant no more for me. For a while. This morning I dropped my daughter off at school and immediately headed over to the neighborhood store for the best $2 breakfast in Boulder. It consists of a large gourmet coffee and one Krispy Kreme donut. Serious Yum! Anyway, today was my last feast for a while; probably 6 months or so. Why? Because February 1st means cycling training officially begins.
Yep, it’s time to dust off the ride and prepare for many hours on the bike trainer. Last season I was in the best racing shape of my life. I had dropped 12 pounds; down to a lean 138 lbs. And, I had increased my power output, which in cycling is measured in watts. I was on form and ready to finally produce some solid results in Colorado. The numbers were there. Then the changes I’d made in my personal life had taken their toll and I wound up in a different direction, which was exactly what I needed at the time.
This year I’m expecting to have some fun with my training. Although, I will take it seriously I think it’s best to keep some balance. I still plan to:
- Drink blended salads
- Take lots of B vitamins
- Have smaller meal portion sizes
- Do 90% climbing
- Attend many team rides
- Live up to my nickname: T-bone
And this year, I will unleash a new secret weapon into my training: Italian music! Yep, I figured some of the best cyclists in the world are from Italy so perhaps their music will add some magic to the legs and lungs. Plus, I’m tired of riding with the Beastie Boys pounding in my ears.
(T-Bone)
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=3a9d73c8-22c6-43eb-9287-a03daa054b85)
MEDITATE LIKE A ZEN MONK AT THE PUSH OF A BUTTON – CLICK FOR A FREE DEMO CD
(Please keep the Manifesto going)
My Bird Feeder; My Reminder
January 28th, 2010 by Joeclark 1 comment »
- Image via Wikipedia
I’m lucky. You know why? I’m lucky because I’ve run across a number of people in the last year or so of my life that have taught me the importance of the ‘present moment.’ What a trip this midlife takes us on, huh? It’s taken me through the most profound personal journey that I could ever imagine. One that has involved hurting a few people, navigating a divorce with my daughter, attempting to avoid depression, meeting some new friends, but most importantly…a journey that has allowed me to understand my true-self.
Do you want to know the best way to find out your true-self; who you really are deep at the core? I’ll tell you my experience. The best way is to spend some time alone while really paying attention to the present minute that your in.
I was recently given a gift. It’s a bird feeder that I’ve hung on a branch just outside of my window. It’s filled with sunflower seeds, which I was told wouldn’t work up here in the mountains. I guess the birds that I’ve attracted are just hungry enough that they don’t mind because my feeder is the hit of the county. There are birds all over that thing.
I’m so glad I have it. Although I’ve never been much of a bird guy, lately I find that I can just sit at my kitchen table and watch them for long periods of time. It’s a great way to enjoy the peace and quiet that nature brings. And, it’s an amazing way to access “the now.”
Noticing the present instead of immersing myself in the past or dreaming of the future has been my personal ticket to an incredible amount of individual and spiritual growth in the last twelve months. Slowing myself down during the day, stopping to really look at things (smell the roses as they say), listening to my friends as they tell me stories, yoga, and music are are among the tools I consistenly use to be here; here filling my shoes in this perfect moment.
MEDITATE LIKE A ZEN MONK AT THE PUSH OF A BUTTON – CLICK FOR A FREE DEMO CD
(Please keep the Manifesto going)
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=fdf4aa9e-cacf-4586-aa6d-17dbe4b84033)
One Cool Thing about Our Midlife – We Can Have an Impact!
January 27th, 2010 by Joeclark No comments »I’ve found that one way to turn a Midlife Crisis into a period of positive change is to have some purpose well beyond making money and acquiring things.
As you may know, the Manifesto supports the Picken’s Plan as a way to reduce and ultimately eliminate our use of foriegn oil, and someday eliminate all-together our use of depletable energy sources, such as fossil fuels. In fact I just wrote a post about this a few weeks ago.
I saw this short article from Planet Green on Twitter today:
It’s happened again: An oil spill, this time near Port Arthur, Texas. According to the U.S. Coastguard, 462,000 gallons of oil spilled into the water when a tanker collided with a towing barge on Saturday. According to an AP article on msnbc.com, crews scrambled to protect two “sensitive wildlife areas” — a lake that is prime breeding ground, and a wildlife management area.If this latest oil spill has you thinking we need to look for alternatives to oil, get ready to make some changes to do your part to reduce America’s addiction to oil. Whether you go for a big change or keep it simple, every little thing you do sends a message. 20 Ways to Reduce Your Oil Consumption
- Switch to a push mower that is powered by none other than you.
- Plant gardens to reduce the amount of lawn that needs cutting.
- Park the car; walk, bike, and take public transit whenever possible.
- Avoid buying plastic toys and goods when an alternative is available.
- Don’t use plastic bags; stick to cloth reusable bags that can be washed frequently.
- Putting on a new roof this spring? Avoid tar in favor of a tile product (metal or clay).
- Switch to soy-based printing inks (most are petroleum-based).
- Avoid life vests, umbrellas, luggage, and other products made from nylon, a petroleum-based material. Instead, look for alternatives, such as luggage made from recycled plastic (better to reuse what we’ve already processed).
- Ditch nylon and polyester clothing; buy natural fibers instead.
- Wax the floors with beeswax instead of a petroleum-based commercial wax.
- Beware of perfumes made with petrochemicals; look for all-natural scents made with essential oils.
- Next time you have a headache, try a couple of big glasses of water before popping an Aspirin (yep, it too is made with oil products); most headaches are caused by dehydration.
- Craft with natural fibers such as cotton, wool or alpaca rather than polyester yarn.
- Purchase all-natural lip tints or lipstick; typical lipstick and lipgloss are made with oil products.
- Remodeling the bathroom? Glass in your shower and you won’t need a plastic shower curtain.
- Buy beeswax crayons; those Crayolas (and other brands) are made from oil.
- Wear eyeglasses; soft contact lenses are made with petroleum products. (Plastic eyeglass lenses and frame are made with oil, but you’ll wear them a lot longer than mot contacts, and you can donate them to charity when you upgrade.)
- Stick with a wood deck. Plastic wood (like all plastics) is made from oil.
- Embrace your natural hair color, or choose an all-natural hair color alternative such as henna.
- Make boo-boos better with natural plant antiseptics, such as St. John’s Wort, lavender, tea tree oil, or eucalyptus; many commercial brands contain oil products.
Fellow Midlifers, I’ll be honest…there’s a few of these that I can do. I think I’ll start with number five. How about you?
MEDITATE LIKE A ZEN MONK AT THE PUSH OF A BUTTON – CLICK FOR A FREE DEMO CD
(Please keep the Manifesto going)
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=cd8a7138-07c0-4b81-ae86-7d009926f739)
How Many Friends Do You Have?
January 26th, 2010 by Joeclark 1 comment »
Wow! Here is a blog post from CNET that I ran across today. Apparently, we are capable of keeping track of 150 friends even with such tools as Facebook. I don’t know about you but I only keep track of about 15 at the most.
Robin Dunbar, a professor of evolutionary anthropology at Oxford University, developed a theory in the 1990s dubbed Dunbar’s Number. The theory contends that the human brain is only capable of managing relationships–staying in contact at least once per year and knowing how friends relate to others–with about 150 people.
Until recently, it was believed that that only pertained to “offline” relationships.
Dunbar has now decided to shift focus to see whether Facebook has changed the number.
It hasn’t.
“The interesting thing is that you can have 1,500 friends, but when you actually look at traffic on sites, you see people maintain the same inner circle of around 150 people that we observe in the real world,” Dunbar told the London-based Sunday Times. “People obviously like the kudos of having hundreds of friends but the reality is that they’re unlikely to be bigger than anyone else’s.”
For now, Dunbar’s study is in its preliminary stages, meaning more testing needs to be done. Regardless, Dunbar doesn’t believe that anything will change: no matter how many thousands of friends we might have on Facebook, we can’t manage relationships with more than 150 of them.
Dunbar’s study will be released later this year.
Really, Midlifers? 150 friends!? No wonder we’re all stressed out.
MEDITATE LIKE A ZEN MONK AT THE PUSH OF A BUTTON – CLICK FOR A FREE DEMO CD
(Please keep the Manifesto going)
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=8bc27de0-0c22-4166-bf49-894e9f96a59d)
Truth
January 25th, 2010 by Joeclark 1 comment »
- Image via Wikipedia
I received this short blog post from YogaMint in my Inbox today.
These days more and more people understand the simple fact that “Truth” is almost always relative. Each person has a truth within them that affects their life in terms of career, health, habits, and so much more. But it’s not always easy to see where the course of true action lies. The situation is further complicated since, in the information age, the acknowledgment of personal truths is misinterpreted to mean there is no larger “Truth.”
Meditation provides the link between the two. It is a time and space to investigate without necessarily thinking. Rather, you begin to experience to what degree a potential choice feels true. When it’s just you and the mirror of your soul, personal truth crosses the divide, merging with the universal. When you weigh an action, that little voice inside you – the “Yes I will do that” or “No I won’t do that” – is your soul speaking. Cultivate this relationship. Trust that straightforward, quiet voice. If you do, all your actions will be true for you, and for everyone else.
Really, my fellow Midlifers, I think I’m a “dude” just like most guys my age. I enjoy a good micro-brew, scotch with an icecube, racing my bike, listening to Pearl Jam, etc. However, I must say, I’m very serious about meditation as well. It’s the first thing I do just about every day. It has allowed me to navigate this personal journey called my Midlife in a way that I can be proud of.
I’ve just about lost my business that I worked for years to build, along with it just about every cent that I made. I detonated an emotional weapon of mass destruction on my family when I decided to leave my wife. I’ve been through serious depression and considered throwing in the preverbial towel on occassion. At the same time, when I sit quietly even just for a few moments, when I just observe my own lungs filling with air, then I know my trueness, my sat nam. I know that I’ve made the right decisions. I know TRUTH.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=91f7b1dd-0c17-4e12-a92f-c14206668f06)
(Please keep the Manifesto going)
MEDITATE LIKE A ZEN MONK AT THE PUSH OF A BUTTON – CLICK FOR A FREE DEMO CD
Alone, then All-One
January 23rd, 2010 by Joeclark 2 comments »
- Image via Wikipedia
Yesterday I drove down from Nederland, my little hometown in the Rockies, into Boulder. It’s about a 30 minute drive through stunning Boulder Canyon. I was heading in to pick up my daughter, Lily, at her Mom’s house. She is in first grade. She’s special. I know every Dad says that so I guess I’m no different.
On the way back up the canyon to our little mountain house things turned strange. Lily suddenly started crying and she became very angry with me. See, about a year ago my wife and I decided to split up for good. It was my decision, which you can read about in earlier posts. She looked directly at me and said, “Daddy, you made a bad decision to divorce Mommy and now you have ruined my life.” At that moment my heart broke. Broke. Broke. Broke. For the next few minutes of the drive home I felt completely and totally ALONE. I don’t know that I’ve ever felt that alone before. It was like I had been beamed to a distant planet. One that is covered in ice and is dark all the time.
I started writing this blog back in August as a way to journal my experience as I move through a period that we typically call a midlife crisis. The way I see it is that individuals tend to take one of a few different possible paths during this particular time in their lives. Some people, I think, try to reach out to their youth. They perhaps find themselves attempting to gain fulfillment through material things, constant social activities, sex, and maybe alchohol, etc. Some, however, choose a slightly different path. One that involves a lot of reflection and curiosity about the decisions they’ve made so far. A path that requires self-scrutiny and maybe self-realization. This path may take these Midlifers on a personal journey that is a good bit healthier both physically and spiritually.
I believe the latter is the path that I seem to be on. I’m not writing this to impress anyone or brag about how enlightened I am but rather to state my experience and hopefully provide some insight to other fellow Midlifers. This period of my life has led me to a deeper understanding of our humanity. Not because I’m wise but simply because I’ve injected some serious curiosity into each day and each emotion that I find myself immersed in. This introspection has allowed me to really see what my life is all about. It’s allowed me a chance to realize that I am never really alone. See, I have engaged in a full-blown knowing that we come directly from an energy that is far greater; a Source. We can label this Source anything we want; God, Buddha, Allah, Elvis, whatever. I personally don’t care what we call it.
This Midlife Manifesto isn’t meant to be religious in any way but it seems impossible for me to fully define what’s been happening to me without making some connection to our spirit. Although maybe a bit cliche, my midlife introspection has led me to believe that we are all-one. We are simply, at our very essence, God. And, God is experiencing itself through us; through each one of us as individuals. I am Joe and at the same time I’m not Joe. God is experiencing itself through the role of Joe; me.
Why do I bring this belief up now? Well, because after my sweet little first-grade daughter hit me with her anger yesterday I had to call upon everything that I know to be true. I could have allowed the “aloneness” of that specific moment to over-run me. I could have allowed it to take me down a mutlitude of paths that may have been destructive. But, honestly, the first thing that came to mind was to settle myself down, return to my breath, and the perfect stillness that surrounded me. This allowed me to escape the lonely feeling that engulfed me. I literally went from a feeling of being “alone” to a peaceful understanding that we are “all-one.” This made me a better Daddy in the moments that followed our torrid conversation. I’m certain that Lily was feeling alone as well. We sat quietly. We allowed the angry moment to pass and then we had a beautiful talk and an even more beautiful evening together.
It truly helps to know that I’m never really alone. I can always find the stillness in the situation. That stillness sometimes actually feels like an embrace.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=7207c796-3cde-42d5-9dbb-a085dbeff1ad)
MEDITATE LIKE A ZEN MONK AT THE PUSH OF A BUTTON – CLICK FOR A FREE DEMO CD
(Please Keep the Manifesto Going! Thank you!)
What Kids Want the Most…You
January 21st, 2010 by Joeclark 1 comment »
- Image via Wikipedia
I’ve been through quite a lot in the past year or so; divorce, depression, career indecision, lifestyle changes, etc. My midlife period has prompted me to get down to the core of who I really am. At the very core of “me” is my ability to be a Daddy. This is one of the most important roles I play, especially at this difficult but exciting time in my life.
Here is a short and helpful article from Dr. Mercola about the Top 10 Things Children Really Want From Their Parents.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=3ca978b0-593e-4024-988e-21ffab444aaf)
MEDITATE LIKE A ZEN MONK AT THE PUSH OF A BUTTON – CLICK FOR A FREE DEMO CD
I am a wave. No, I am the Ocean.
January 13th, 2010 by Joeclark 1 comment »
- Image via Wikipedia
There were two waves moving steadily toward the beach. One wave looked over to the second wave and said, “aren’t you afraid?” The other wave replied, “afraid of what?” The first wave said, “aren’t you afraid to go crashing into the beach? After all we are waves and once we crash into the beach that’s it.” The second wave calmly replied, “We are not waves. We are the ocean.”
In the beginning
There was neither existence nor non-existence,
All this world was unmanifest energy…
The One breathed, without breath, by Its own power
Nothing else was there…
- Hymn of Creation, The Rig Veda
(Please Keep the Manifesto Going! Thank you!)
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=c3a0a8b4-4144-4778-b292-d530b31ff38c)
MEDITATE LIKE A ZEN MONK AT THE PUSH OF A BUTTON – CLICK FOR A FREE DEMO CD
