From the Aging (Haiku)

 

My autonomy

The  value of my money

These are what I want

Take either of them

And I am marginalized

Why would you do that?

It is much easier

For me to take care of me

Than for someone else

My Friend Skip Hatfield

 

Mount Washington was, and still in many ways is, a small town in Kentucky.  William Henry Hatfield was born there 81 years ago, raised there, and lived out most of his adult life there until last Friday, when he died.  Now his earthly remains will be interred there on Monday, May 3, 2021.

He was known to the world as Skip because when his grandfather first laid eyes on him, shortly after his birth, he said, "There's my little Skipper!"  Ever after that was his name and only a few family members called him Henry, his grandfather's name.

Skip was a good human being.  He was pleasant, kind, trusting to a fault, and had extremely good eye-hand coordination, which allowed him to be good at almost any sport he tried.  He excelled in woodworking and construction; well, at most everything he did.  He was "a natural."

I knew Skip for more than 25 years, socially through the association that our wives had with Epsilon Sigma Alpha sorority.  They came over for parties often and Skip ruled the pool table.  He could play better than any of the rest of us.  Aside from the socials, we didn't see much of each other.

I have no business writing about him, other than I knew him and liked him.

Into the Wilderness 2021

For the period of Lent, I will, again, go into the wilderness.  Moses did it and came out to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt, Jesus did it and came out with the basis of a new religion, and Muhammad did it with the same result.  Thoreau did it for a year in a cabin at Walden Pond.  There must be something about isolating oneself for a period of time that brings about a significant change.  My idea is to get as close to isolation as possible; in other words, to eliminate external influences on my thinking.

 

The rules:

1.    1.  Socialization and association only in response mode; i.e., initiating no contact but responding directly to contact when it's made.  This also precludes prolonging the contact beyond that for which it was initiated.   Contact to advance my acting career is not included in this prohibition.

2.      2  No electronics, including radio, television, and phonograph.

3.      3.  Telephone only to answer it and then according to Rule 1.

4.      4.  Email and Facebook checked twice daily; no social replies, comments, or posts.

5.      5.  Reading for the daily study of voice and acting books, is allowed.

6.      6.  Continue the development and use of self-hypnosis scripts.

7.     7.  Going out only to get groceries, necessities, or to exercise, play pool, or golf, and adhere to Rule Number 1  when out.

8.      8.  Reduce or eliminate snacking between meals, otherwise no changes for eating habits.

9.      Physical exercise is be allowed to any extent, even going to the fitness center and golf courses; remembering Rule 1 when there

10     9. Writing thoughts and impressions as much, and as often, as desired. 

11.   10. Keep up with finances; bills, budgets, deposits, taxes.

12.   11. Continue the journal to capture the daily thoughts.

 

Sorting out and purging belongings, such as books and files, tools and materials, clothes and accouterments, is encouraged in order to get rid of that which is no longer of use.  Construction, repair, and maintenance of whatever is allowed; always in accordance with Rule 1.

 

TV is allowed after 9 PM for news and movies with Carola since this is the only together time that we have.  There may be difficulty filling other time with some sort of productive activity. 

 

According to my rules, above, anything that is not electronic or social is fine.  So, I can cook, bake, go out for necessities, exercise, answer Voice jobs, audition, rehearse, shoot pool, play golf, or walk but always according to Rule 1. 

 

I can clean, fix, construct, purge, sort, and donate to my heart's content.  I can think, and write to get thoughts on paper, but I realize that the important thoughts, the life changing thoughts, will be with me, written or not.

 

This is not quite the same as being isolated, as were the principals mentioned above, but it brings about an introspection not otherwise possible.  This will again be a challenge.  Doing without electronics will be especially difficult; the second most difficult will be Rule 1.

 

 

Score the Game of Politics

 

Plausibility

It's not what you do but how

So goes politics

Similarity

The world of reproduction

Rape and seduction

Thinking (Haiku)

As we go through life

Two modes of analysis

Support our actions.

One looks at events

Investigates what happened

Blame needs to be laid

One reflects on dreams

Determining what we want

Plans are made from this

The former is fun

The latter is our future

There is time for both

A Fact of Life (Haiku)

 

It's the way it is

Because someone said something

To the right someone

Harley At Christmas (Haiku)

                      

         

                              An angel on Earth

                       Telling how the angels sang

                            The night of His birth