Hi Friends and Family!  A friend in Denver asked what was new with me this year and since I have a lot to say (unexpectedly this decade has started with a BANG) I thought I would make it all a blog post.  The rest is serious growth oriented stuff - so if you want to start with a lighter note - click on the video (have to follow the readmore link) - Little Lord Peter at 10 months is learning to play catch - with him throwing it back to me!

Tracesea and I are participating in Philosophers Notes 50 Day Challenge.  This means that we will read or listen to the synopsis of philosophical and practical self-help texts for the next 50 days.  The outcome of immersing ourselves in other people's ideas will be increased mindfulness as to the gaps between those ideas and the quality of our lives.  Some people might say that this is a set up for discouragement, but we believe it will be invigorating as it helps us redefine the direction of our lives and this work.

The first two philosophers were Don Miquel Ruiz and Stephen Covey.  Together they form a foundation for mindfulness.  The first through keeping agreements with ourselves, and the second building on those agreements with habits of outlook and action. Ruiz suggests we build the integrity of Self in our words, center on our own track refusing to take personally how others react, forgo making assumptions and playing hard and with commitment to whatever we do (he calls this one "doing our best").  The gap for me here was the idea that I did not have to kowtow or pay lots of attention to others reactions