Happy New Year ! (A Bit Late)

Yes the new year's festivities have come and gone, and with 2012 have come resolutions, reflection on the events of 2011, and more importantly the NFL playoffs. How 'bout those Giants !!!! And of course, the personal commitment to bettering ourselves (resolutions) presents great fodder for bloggers like me who are usually clueless about a topic. So at the risk of being corny, and prompting reader's eylids to flutter and shut, here we go:

Positively 4th Street: Such a cliche that most people disregard it, thinking positively is the most magical trick in the human psychology bag. Always look for the best in a situation, person or vampire, and results will be optimum. In the work place I have found that being positive in most every action and statment convinces others that anything is possible. Caveat: be a realist, but express realism in a positive way.

That's the Spirit: Regardless of your religious or spiritual ilk, it is important to realize that there is more to life than the here and now, your debit card balance, and what flavor ice cream you are having for dessert. Plus, when things go terribly wrong, don't you want a higher power to blame? Honestly, there are too many circumstances that occur in all of our lives that illustrate the fact that we are being helped, Protected and educated by a higher or collective power. Once you open your mind to that possibility, your potential for success and happiness increases exponentially. Gary Zukav, in "The Seat of the Soul" explains that our soul is connected to all other souls, past and present, former family members, friends, etc. Ask them for help, guidance and , perhaps, winning lotto numbers. Whether your god is Christ, Allah, lightning, Vishnu, or Justin Bieber, take time each day to "worship", and reap the rewards.

Please Humor Me: Yes, I am churning out the cliches today, so why stop now. Laughter truly is the best medecine, but don't think you need to wait for sickness to use it. That being said, being a tad mentally ill certainly helps in becoming a quality comedian. There are very few situations and venues that do not lend themselves to jokes and laughter. Of course, each moment in life is unique, and the appropriate form and level of humor must be considered and supplied. In the work place, stress often fosters extreme, non-sensical situations that warrant absurd, side splitting humor. In more formal, or serious situations, humor may need to be witty, subtle and high-brow. With the proper delivery, intelligence and sensitivity, a good zinger or pun brings insight, relaxation and unity. Look for humor, and you will find it.

I think You're Crazy..Like Me: They say that there is a fine line between insanity and genius, but that doesn't mean you have to be a genius to be a little nuts. This is definitely the case for me. At times I am downright stupid, but I am always (and always will be) disturbed. Not disturbed to the point that I need a straight jacket (I am very happy with my leisure suit, thank you) , but just unconventional enough to see the world differently than most. The masses think that you are crazy if you don't think like them, so to distinguish yourself creatively, philiosophically or otherwise, you do need to be a bit "crazy". Interpret situations as nobody else, find the good when the mood is starkly negative, embrace the mundane tasks of daily life with vigor, and you are in fact crazy. And someone I would certainly admire.

A Penny for Yor Thoughts: You will truly go where your thoughts lead you. Think of your self as a failure, ordinary person or unqualified success, and this is the persona that you will project to your co-workers, friends, classmates and pet reptiles. Whether it is through meditation, visualization, or reading your favorite motivational authors, feed your brain with the fertilizer that is best for you, and realize that you are truly special, as my home-boy Mr. Rogers once said.

Look Ma, No Brakes: When I was a kid in the 60's, the "Look Ma No " jokes were very popular. They were visual jokes that were a take off  on the kid riding a bike not holding the handlebar and stating "look ma no hands" . The jokes were more gory and depicted a deformed or de-limbed kid .... you get the rest. Pertaining to the self-imposed limits on our success or potential due to what our friends, family or society tell us, there is a lesson here: don't use the brakes.  When Linda and I bought the Prius, we learned about "hyper-miling", a concept of driving that hybrid owners adopt to maximize the MPG they get. It involves breaking as little as possible, coasting wherever you can, and slowing when needed to avoid a full stop. The only hard and fast rule is that you never do something to put yourself or others in danger. That should be our motto in life: stay off the brakes, keep going forward, slow but don't stop, but be wary if you will hurt yourslf or others. Oh yeah, and whether it's food, coffee, love, or a silent prayer, don't forget to fuel up. 

Happy New Year!!