Sunday Music-Igor Krutoy-Sad Angel

The Living Years

Ginger or Mary Ann? The definitive answer!

finally the age old question almost as important as how many licks to the center of a Tootsie Pop..
the answer of course is three and then you bite it

but the real answer to Ginger or Mary Ann is

Ginger you take home for the night
Mary Ann you take home forever

whew, my brain hurts!

beer time

ray

Why Wooden Bikes?

I saw this at Treehugger and watched it spellbound. Beautiful creations that last a lifetime.
It is bringing back hand craftsmanship back, one step at a time

What do you know, I have my own youtube account for the world to see!

Ah yes, the long reach of Google.
I was online (aren't I on line now?) and looked up my name. Now, since I and Denzel Washington have the same name (Denzel), (I had it first!), when I search for it, it is somewhere located maybe 50,000 results later.
I can never find it.

Same thing with my picture. Can't find it.

When I put R jacob Post under images, you get a lot of my drawings, which look nice by the way, but no picture of me.

When I click on the web, my web site shows up and does go on for many pages, I guess because I have been doing this for a long time. It is all very cool.

But one link took me to youtube
http://www.youtube.com/blogs/rjacobpost
and it had all the music I had recently posted and had not yet been removed hate that for one reason or another by youtube.

I have been doing this for over three years that is not so amazing who reads this stuff and had posted a lot of music. But since Google had made changes, it now draws on the music that I want to share.

The long reach of Google, once again It works so I don;t have to.

Coffee and then it is time to retile the tub walls.

ray denzel don't call me washington

Sunday Music Moment VIII-Celtic Woman-Orinoco Flow

I long for my muscle (car)

Car! I meant car all along. 

My first and only muscle car of that by-gone era.

A man will remember his favorite car better then his first girl friend long after both are gone.

A 1967 Chevy Camaro SS (ss stood for super sport, rs stood for rally sport)

I bought it used. I spent every dime I had on it, restoring, add ons, learning. I am still talking about the car!

I could sit down and right down everything about it, an expensive list at the time and still expensive today.

Cars of today are beyond my comprehension, but back then I would work on the carburetor on the kitchen table, rebuilding it, run open headers around the neighborhood just to wake people up!

And then one day, it was gone. Someone had stolen it, stripped it and then burned it. Later on I got a call from the police pound. 

It was there. 

I stopped in to look. It was as bad as I thought. A blackened carcass was all that remained. I sat down on it and cried. All my hopes and dreams were gone.

After awhile, I got up and walked away, not looking back. The good times are forever, the bad times covered over. 

A guy always thinks of a car as a woman. Memories.

Good memories only.

But I guess the hurt never went away.

coffee time

ray

Hey! Could you flush and wash your hands?

As disgusting has public bathrooms are, people go out their way to make them worse. The men's bathroom, as you walk in, has three urinals against the wall. Almost always, the one on the right will have been used but not flushed.

I don't get it.

So of course, I push down on the lever to finish it off. Gosh, that was hard wasn't it.

But wait, there is more.

It would appear that hand washing is becoming a lost art. Granted, our establishment does not go out of its way to make your bathroom experience a pleasant experience, but for the most part, at least there is soap and water.

Hand towels, maybe not. But there is that blower machine thingy on the wall, or even the ever popular air dry method.

But more often then not, they skip that last step. There is a sign that says "employees must wash their hands", but I am starting to think it should include customers too.

If you see me skipping the ritual handshake on the sales floor you will wonder no more.  Mr. Customer, you have been put on notice. And been seen doing the dirty deed.

early morning beer time!

ray

A Father's Day Letter

A repost from last years father's day. 
It made me feel good and showed me that I have done something good as a dad. To my daughters Dana and Kristine and my son Nicholas, thank you for being my children and thank you for letting me be your father.

June 19, 2011

Daddy

Let me just start by saying that I am beyond blessed for the wonderful family that God has given me. My parents are extremely hardworking, honest, genuine, giving, beautiful people. I am Very proud of the woman they have helped me become. I will be forever grateful for all their efforts. It being Father's day and the fact that my dad enjoys writing, this is for you Daddy.

I have been asked more tan a few times who my role model is/was and why? Without any thought or hesitation, my answer is always "my daddy". So why? My dad is one of my favorite people!

My Dad...

Taught me how to throw a baseball, shoot a basketball, and catch a football. Never missed a violin recital, softball or basketball game or practice. He made sure to call me "nanie" in front of everyone ( when little she couldn't say Dana, came out nanie ) and then buy me a "marlin" slushie ( meaning it was teal in color ).

He made sure I saw the simple beauty of nature by watching the sun come up, even if that meant waking me up at 5 a.m.

He taught me how to tile a floor, paint a wall and plant a flower. He taught me how to ride a bike, tie my shoes, swim and drive a car.

He taught me how to spell by making me look up everything in the dictionary. ( I am not sure if that was for his benefit or mine ).

He defended my intelligence in elementary school by saying I wasn't too stupid to read. I just needed glasses. ( I was too stupid to read ).

He taught me not to gamble. But if I do, how to keep a straight face.

He taught me how to beat "Doom" on the computer And Nintendo!

My dad taught me how to play the drums on the dashboard and not to be afraid to dance and sing in public.

My dad taught me how to give me the last dollar in my pocket to someone in need. That there will be always be someone worse off than me.

My dad has shown me the power of love by offering a helping hand, a compliment, a hug, or even just a smile.

My dad has taught me that even though I was brought up Catholic, that it is important to make my own decisions and follow my own beliefs and what is in my heart.

My dad taught me how to judge someone by their actions. Not by their skin color or ethnicity.

My dad taught me the power of imagination and to keep reading, no matter how old I get.

My dad encourages me to run faster. Work harder. Be stronger. Mentally, physically.

My dad taught me through tough love and how to fend for myself.

My dad taught me to give everything my all.

Then he taught me how to pick myself up when I fall.

He taught me that it is okay that big girls do cry.

So Day. thank you for doing everything from eating my salad creations to building me a strong foundation in life.

Thank you for the fact that you have Never stopped believing in me. In return,I will Never stop believing in you!

Love,

Dana

The sky looked like "The War Of The Worlds"

I was watching TV last night, watching my favorite NCIS, and over the sounds of the show I heard something. I lowered the sound, nothing.

A few minutes later, there it was again. Outside. Getting louder. I opened the front door expecting rain. No not yet. But the wind was quickly picking up.

But it was a lighting storm up of epic proportions that loomed nearby. The sky was bright enough at times to read at night. It was fascinating to watch but I knew it was dangerous too. If you have seen the old movie War of the Worlds, off in the distance the people could see the bright lights of the invaders reining down their destruction, yea, it looked like that. It could have been 10-30 miles away from me but it looked like it was right next door. The wind grew stronger and I ran around the house and the patio gathering anything breakable in anticipation of the storm.

I felt naked and exposed to the upcoming storm and huge flashes of lightning as I scurried around. Satisfied I went in to wait it out as the last quick storm had wind bursts of 60 miles an hour and rain so strong it came down sideways.

But suddenly as fast as it came , it went away. As if it was never there.
and all was well once again.

the calm after the storm

coffee time

ray

I have moved on, maybe I should look like Arnold

Obviously perception is reality. Maybe I am old and feeble. Then again maybe not. I do admit that I have to be more selective on what I do. Maybe I can be stronger and in better shape or at least look the part. On the side of the page I have put, for all the world to see, my weight goals.

Just maybe I should put in some exercise goals. It couldn't hurt. Oh wait, it probably will.

Maybe I should do something rash, unexpected, and stupid! Yes!! That is what I do best...

having a positive thinking cup of coffee
followed later by many beers...
day off..

ray

Want to piss me off, tell me you think I am too old to move something!

One of our outside garden women came in looking for help moving a heavy shed for a customer. I knew what she was talking about as I had helped move the same shed three times before, not with her.
It is very heavy and one has to be careful. It weighs as much as a refrigerator, a bit taller but about 8 inches wide by 4 foot by 7 foot high.

But it can be done.

She walked by me, did not acknowledge my answer and went to ask some younger guys instead. They all agreed that I could do it. I did not want them to stop unloading our night truck. Reluctantly she agreed and off we went, she doubting my ability to get things done. Bt the time we got out there a few people managed to move it so my help was not needed.

But as I walked away, I was furious. Is that is what people think of me? I know what I can do and how to do it. I know what I can move and lift. Not by the weight and size but I just know how.

But instead I must look like a doddering old fool
If I want to have someone give me no respect, I can get that from the wife at home.

But not from my fellow workers, that was not expected.

I try not to be surprised at things in life, but sometimes I am caught unaware.
Another bitter lesson learned.

coffee time for this real old man

ray

Sunday Music Moment VII-The Standells-Dirty Water

Mom would be so happy, Soups on!

I went on a soup quest after last Thanksgiving. Having plenty of turkey around I decided to make soup. Now I haven't attempted this for many years, have fallen victim to the convenience of Campbells and Progressive soups.

But as time went on, I decided it was time to make my own, and the timing couldn't be better.

With the un-natural additives and chemicals in the can lining, it was time to go home made. It has been surprisingly easy. Most of the time it has been a vegetable style, a mixture of maybe cabbage, celery, carrots, tomato, potato, sometimes the on hand noodle and sometimes dumping a package of frozen vegetables for a change of pace. A bit of seasoning to taste and that is it. I like because I control what goes in and how much.

And then wait. Bringing it to a boil and then simmer for an hour or so. 

I make at least two big pots a week. Mostly for lunch. Working retail has its own strange hours so soup is the perfect meal. I change it up a bit to keep from getting bored but so far after eight months of soup everyday, I still look forward to it.

But I am the only one that eats it. Even though the family all agrees it smells good, none will eat it. Or taste it.

oh well. 

More for me. 

Mom would be proud.

coffee time and eying the pot of soup on the stove...

ray

Ten lbs down!

Just a quick morning post. I have lost 10 lbs so far! A happy man. I will give 10 lb updates as I go along.

I am never hungry, I eat what I want, and I drink my beer!

The difference is you think about what you are eating.

coffee time
and shower time

ray

From Russia With Love-Igor Krutoy - A Sad Angel

I saw this at What a life-run by Falcon Dawn

life and love unfolding right before your eyes
did you miss it?



coffee time

ray

Sunday Music Moment VI-The Beatles-Golden Slumber

“7 Ways to Tell If You’re Not Currently Living Your Highest Purpose in Life”

“7 Ways to Tell If You’re Not Currently 

Living Your Highest Purpose in Life”
By Jacob Sokol

1. You’re not waking up excited in the morning. If you’re not excited (or at least enthusiastic) in the morning – then you’re most likely not living your highest purpose. If you’re waking up a couple of days each week with a monotonous feeling of having to do this again today – that’s probably a sign that you’re “off purpose.” When you’re Living On Purpose, you wake up excited in the morning because a personally exciting life awaits you.

“For the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?” And whenever the answer has been “No” for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.” - Steve Jobs

2. You have really “high highs” and really “low lows.” If you can’t seem to break the phenomenon of feeling absolutely phenomenal for a few days, but then kind of crappy afterwords – then you’re most likely not living your highest purpose. If you can notice a pattern of thinking how amazing life is one week, and how shitty it is the next – that’s probably a sign that you’re “off purpose.” When you’re Living On Purpose, you still have the really high highs but you also have much higher lows (and your happiness becomes sustainable).

“I’d always believed that a life of quality, enjoyment, and wisdom were my human birthright and would be automatically bestowed upon me as time passed. I never suspected that I would have to learn how to live – that there were specific disciplines and ways of seeing the world I had to master before I could awaken to a simple, happy, uncomplicated life.” - Dan Millman

3. Your life isn’t entirely fulfilling you anymore. If despite knowing that you have SO much to be grateful for, deep inside there’s a feeling that something missing in your life- then you’re most likely not living your highest purpose. If you’re doing a lot of the things that society suggests are “right,” but you still feel that something is wrong – that’s probably a sign that you’re “off purpose.” When you’re Living On Purpose, you’re entirely fulfilled because you’re living a life engulfed in personal meaning.

“Many persons have a wrong idea of what constitutes true happiness. It is not attained through self-gratification but through fidelity to a worthy purpose.” - Helen Keller

4. You’re surrounded by people who are bringing you down. If you find yourself surrounded by people who are bitching, nagging, criticizing, complaining, and condemning – then you’re most likely not living your highest purpose. If you don’t have a group of people in your life who’s qualities you admire – that’s probably a sign that you’re “off purpose.” When you’re Living On Purpose, you’re spending the majority of your time with people who inspire, empower, and encourage you to be a better person.

“You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” - Jim Rohn

5. You’re ignoring your dreams because you’re scared to move on. If a couple times each month you start to fantasize about what you would do if you had more free time – then you’re most likely not living your highest purpose. If there are a ton of things you’d rather be doing with your life, but haven’t yet found a way to muster up the courage and tell your family and friends – that’s probably a sign that you’re “off purpose.” When you’re Living On Purpose, you’re spending your time doing the things that you love most in life (whether your family and friends understand/agree with your or not).

“If you deliberately plan on being less than you are capable of being, then I warn you that you’ll be unhappy for the rest of your life.” - Abraham Maslow

6. You’re working in a job that depletes you of energy. If the primary purpose of your job is to get a paycheck and there’s not much personal meaning in what you do – then you’re most likely not living your highest purpose. If you’re counting the days until the next three-day weekend or six-day vacation – that’s probably a sign that you’re “off purpose.” When you’re Living On Purpose, you don’t just have a job but you have a calling (one of the many differences between a “job” and a “calling” is that a job depletes you and a calling energizes you).

“The master of the art of living makes little distinction between his work and his play, his labor and his leisure, his mind and his body, his education and his recreation, his love and his religion. He hardly knows which is which; he simply pursues his vision of excellence in whatever he does, leaving others to decide whether he is working or playing. To him he is always doing both.” - Buddha

7. You feel stuck in the “rat race” but don’t know the next step. If you’re in a perpetual state of thinking that you’ll be “happier when” the next good thing happens and you’re not enjoying the journey – then you’re most likely not living your highest purpose. If you’re so focused on getting “there” that you’ve accepted being submerged in stress and anxiety as normal – that’s probably a sign that you’re “off purpose.” When you’re Living On Purpose, you’ve embraced that the priceless pleasure of life comes from enjoying the journey on your way to a destination deemed meaningful.

“For a master, the rewards gained along the way are fine, but they are not the main reason for the journey. Ultimately the master and the master’s path are one. And if the traveler is fortunate – that is, if the path is complex and profound enough – the destination is two miles farther away for every mile he or she travels.” - George Leonard

If any of the above resonated with you, you’re not alone. It wasn’t too long ago that I was the poster-child for embodying all 7 of these above mistakes (plus a dozen more). My life was the quintessential example of being “off purpose.” It’s precisely because I’ve felt that pain – and was able to escape it, find my purpose, and create an extraordinary life – that I’m so passionate about helping you do the same. I’m here for ya homey!
․

7 Tips and Tricks that You Can Use to Help Find Your Purpose:

1. Make your motivations intrinsic:
Untold Truth: As privileged and lucky as we are, society sets us up for failure because it motivates us with extrinsic incentives like fame, wealthy, and beauty. Chasing these things are flashy and fun for a short time but ultimately unfulfilling. They’re like drinking salt-water when you’re thristy.
What To Do: To remove those “low low” feelings, focus on intrinsic incentives like relationships, contribution, and personal growth. Create a life around them and you’ll be super On Purpose.

“Focusing your life solely on making a buck shows a certain poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself. Because it’s only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realize your true potential.” - Barack Obama

2. Live in integrity with your values:
Untold Truth: If you want to find and live your purpose, you’re gonna need to know what you stand for. I’ve found that the best way to know what you stand for is to get clarity on what it is that you value. What’s important to you? What do you give a shit about? If you were running for the toilet and had no time to think, could you tell me what your top five values are without stopping and soiling yourself?
What To Do: To help find your values, questions thing. Try stuff out. Experiment. Do the opposite of what you were told. Step outside of the box. CRACK YOUR COMFORT ZONE! And then *reflect on what’s important to you.* (This worksheet will help.) Once you know what’s important to you, the more that you act in accordance with those values, the better you’re gonna feel about yourself.

“If you want to be faithful to someone, start by being faithful to yourself.” - Paulo Coelho

3. Become comfortable with feeling uncomfortable:
Untold Truth: Our lives are limited within the confines of our “comfort zone.” When we get out of our comfort zone, and become uncomfortable, WE WIN LIFE! The cool thing about comfort zones is that when we step outta them, they grow! That’s right — by being momentarily uncomfortable, we own our fear, and in the future, the things that scared us aren’t so intimidating anymore. If you want to find your purpose, you’re probably going to have to do things that you’ve never done before – and in order to do them, you’re going to need to get outside of your comfort zone.
What To Do: Feel that discomfort, and despite it’s presence, go do what you need to do. The more you do that, the less uncomfortable you’ll feel in the future. Make it a game to become comfortable being uncomfortable and you’ll find your purpose much sooner.

“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” -Nelson Mandela

4. Embark on the “Hero’s Journey.“
Untold Truth: This “Hero’s Journey” is the a common thread amongst all great characters (and stories) in life. Your soul is calling to you. It’s trying to tell you that you have a unique path that only you can take. Your mind can rationalize all sorts of award-winning reasons why you shouldn’t take the untraveled trail. But to deny that call from your soul is to deny yourself the life that you deserve to live. It’s the difference between being fully ALIVE and cruising aimlessly on auto-pilot all your life.
What To Do: In order to create an extraordinary life, you’re going to need to walk away from what you know. You’re going to have to face your fears, improve your conditioning, and create your own unique path. You’re going to feel scared, excited, and alive!

“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” -Anais Nin

5. Combine your strengths with your passions:
Untold Truth: People who are Living On Purpose are continuously using their strengths while doing work that matters to them on a daily basis.
What To Do: Science is suggesting that instead of focusing on your weaknesses, get them to the point when they won’t harm you, and then cultivate the crap outta your strengths. This is what will make you extraordinary. Then use your strengths to do things that make you excited and watch a sense of confidence and fulfillment appear within you (and if you mix service to other people in the mix, your purpose will appear before you know it!)

“I do not believe that you should devote overly much effort to correcting your weaknesses. Rather, I believe that the highest success in living and the deepest emotional satisfaction comes from building and using your signature strengths.” -Martin Seligman

6. Avoid the trap of validation:
Untold Truth: As a baby, we need love. So from a young age we create images of ourselves, pretending to be what we think other people want us to be. Then we project these images into our relationships and try our best to actually be the images. But of course, we can’t ever completely conform to someone else’s vision. And this is how inner conflict originates. When people start to feel a discrepancy between the image they’re projecting, and their authentic selves, MAJOR conflict arises within them.
What To Do: In order to find and live your purpose, you’re gonna need to become indifferent of other people’s opinions of you. This goes for both the good and the bad opinions of other people – they can both be used as forms of validation if unchecked. Here’s a counter-intuitive tidbit of wisdom: The less you look for other people’s approval, the more of it they’ll give to you.
․

“It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society.”
- Jiddu Krishnamurti

7. Start Living On Purpose!
Untold Truth: If you want to be fulfilled in life, finding and living your purpose is not only something you can do, it’s something you must do. You can continue to live a boring life without sustained happiness, and you can pretend like you don’t know there’s more to life, but one day – maybe in a few months, or maybe in a few decades – you may wake up miserable and resenting yourself for not doing something about it when you had the chance.
What To Do: Start Living On Purpose! I want to make sure that you don’t get stuck living a life that’s not extraordinary so I’ve created a package called Living On Purpose. It aims to help you find, live, and rock your purpose in life! Start “Living on Purpose!”
․

“The purpose of life is a life of purpose.”

 -Robin Sharma

- http://experiencelife.com/

from the website of

Running Cause I can't Fly