Daydreams

When I was a child, daydreaming was a delightful habit.  My mind would just take off for the hinterlands and I could construct my own internal novel at will.  Indeed, I at times would construct a fantasy story line that I would essentially pause when my attention was needed for the "real" world and then restarted at that point as I returned to it.

Those internal stories had super heroes and I was, oddly enough, an observer, almost as though it was a movie.  It made me an easy child to take places, because I didn't need my parents or other adults keep me entertained.

Don't get me wrong, I was not a withdrawn child and I only enjoyed my inner landscape in this way when there was nothing of interest for involvement at the time.  Now, I don't daydream in that manner at all, but that doesn't mean that I don't use the same inner tools for adult purposes.  I am involved in a project that requires me to imagine lighting fixtures oriented in space and what it takes to turn this into an input system for a salesperson and an output system for a manufacturing facility.  Different use, same tools.

I also use a more freeform version of this for my spiritual questing.  Instead of directing inner imagery, I try to present an inner medium awaiting spontaneous "projection" as it were.

I'm sure all of us have some version of this.  I am curious.  What is your version?

Check out the other writers of our Loose Blogger Consortium to see what they have produced for this topic.

My Favorite Book

This topic brought to the LBC this morning by shackman.  It seemed impossible at first, but with a little thought and consideration …

It was 50 years ago today.  It seems so long ago and yet it seems like yesterday.  Every American can remember where they were.

It was in June of 2011 when word came to me that my father had fallen and would not recover.  It seems so long ago and it seems like yesterday.

It was about 4 1/2 years or so ago.  An idea came into my head that sprouted into the Loose Blogger Consortium.  It seems so … well, you know the rest.

What ties these together?  Emotion, caring and personal impact.  Jack Kennedy’s assassination is etched in every American’s psyche indelibly because we embraced him.  He had impact just by being and acting out who he was.  His charisma and his family’s ushered in a new vision of America.

My father and I shared many memories and reflections on JFK over the decades just as we shared so much else.  Both of their losses impacted me deeply, not to speak of the impact on my mother, who shared 63 loving years with my dad.

Now let’s close this circle.  Along with the LBC came relationships of a type that I would never have anticipated at the time.  We were few at the beginning, but we were very much into the idea of trying an experiment where each blogger would simultaneously write on a single topic and THEN go see what the others had written.  The core group was really Ramana, myself – and this long legged lass from the Emerald Isle.

Well, over time and over sharing and over caring, we all became closer and began communication on the side in a variety of ways.  We have had a surprising number of ups and downs over this period, for that is the lot of mortals.  And the loss of my father to me and my mother was no exception.

What most don’t realize is that one of the true stabilizing forces for my mother at that time was this lady that I became acquainted with on the Internet, this charter member of the LBC.  Marie – Grannymar – talked on many occasions through those early days on Skype with my mother and helped her through.  And helped me through.

Now, this lady of Ireland who has become what we think of as our cousin for we are almost half Irish, is hanging up her LBC pen on this the 50th anniversary of the death of our Irish President.  There is a poignancy to that, and I want to deeply and humbly thank my friend for all that she has done and all that she has meant.

And that brings me back to our original topic with this choice as my favorite book:

When I Was Young ...

... this baseball uniform actually fit!  Now, you can see that the only thing allowing me to keep the pants on was to use a belt at Halloween.

... I had hair.

... I had many friends and I had my parents ... but I still felt lonely in some ways.

Who needs to be young?  I am happy right as I am.

This topic was brought to us by the ever youngun, Grannymar!  May her eternal youth serve her well for a long time!

Road Rage

Of all the people who might bring this topic for the LBC consideration, Padmini Natarajan seems one of the least likely to suffer from the aflliction of any of the people I know.  Then again, people get behind the wheel and you don't know them ...

You go out, get in your car, take a simple ride to work or a granddaughter's soccer game or for groceries.   You've done it a thousand other times, but this time!!! This time, a fool is driving about 40 mph over the speed limit, cuts you off and almost causes you to crash, then goes off weaving through traffic like there is no tomorrow.

Your blood starts to boil and adrenalin is shooting through your system as the body responds for fight or flight.  Nothing would please you more than to see the two-bit SOB bite the guardrail on a tight curve.  Where is a cop when you need one!

The truth is, most of us have experienced this.  It is a primitive response, which, of course, means that it is one of the harder ones to control.  I'm sure it comes out of the reptilian complex, somewhere deep and dark where dastardly potential lurks.  Part of you is glad you don't have a gun right now.  But, if intent encourages reality, this person is definitely not destined for Heaven!  Not after the invective you just hurled at him.

Well, the bad news is that some people ARE carrying guns and are willing to stop and use them.  Short of that, many people are willing to do things in a car that they would never think of in another setting.  I mean, what is the last time you saw someone pushing through the line waiting to get in to a movie?  But, get that same person in a car and all social niceties fly right out the window.

Oddly enough, I've read that studies show that people who personalize their cars the most are the most likely to be abusive on the roadways.  So, is it an ego thing or a sense of entitlement?  Please tell me what you think.

In the meantime, I will try to tame this stupid reptile that lives in my head.  He's a pretty crappy driver.

Into the Night

This topic was brought to us by Will Knott.  I am late to the party and will probably be posting on Saturdays for awhile, since I am just that busy.  It is good busy, though. :)

We have just celebrated All Hallows' Eve (Halloween) in many of our cultures.  In Mexico, Dia de Los Muertes is celebrated.  It is a visit to the night of our psyche, the dark side that fascinates and frightens us.

As children, many want a light on in the room at certain ages, because in the dark our imaginations fill in the gaps, quite often with our fears.  The mystic, on the other hand, embraces the night for much the same reason with wonder substituted for fear.

In the same manner, we confront the penultimate trip into the night.  Death!  We wrap it in the nightlight of religion and philosophy, but ultimately we get to experience it in fact.  Some go to it as children fearing the dark and others go as mystics embracing the wonder.

I'm thinking the mystic has less difficulty going to sleep.  And better dreams!