Skin and Bruises

I don’t  understand why people have to turn on the news channels the first thing in the morning.  Or the sports channels  so they can commiserate the results of last night’s game. They are just a lot of people making noise. Stirring the pot up. The only pot that should matter  is the coffee pot in the morning.

Over the last five years, I have learned to value starting the day off with music. It helps to get my mind a start and move my body slowly to wake up.  It helps me as I do my Daily Morning Pages writing.  On weekdays,  I stream WFMU’s Wake n Bake Morning Show. https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/WA

I never know what the next song is going to be. And the music styles are not usually anything. I will listen to the rest of the day. This, in a way, gets me out of my own head to start the day off.

I work by myself for the most part of my work day. I had a Wi-Fi signal for time where another business in my building had an open “guest” signal I could use to continue listening to this morning  show.  I could also get my podcast listening in.

It was nice. …. Until….

That office was shut down and left the building. I then got the “cold sweats” like my dad when he lost the free HBO he “enjoyed” for 15-20 years.

I needed to fill my work space with some music. Also to cut back on my podcast listening. I found it hard to focus on my work while listening to the dialogue. Divided attention was an issue. I tried to listen to local music radio stations. However, their “airplay” is mostly talking and commercials interrupted by music from time to time. I liked the local college station but it rarely has DJ’s to tell the song artists and titles. They don’t have an online playlist either. So if I hear something new to me, it becomes a guessing game for me. Honestly, I have enough “Guess Work” in my life. Why submit myself to more.

When I got my new vehicle it came with a 90 day free trial of Sirius XM. I let it lapsed and after a month of local radio, I had to go back. I like music to clear out my head especially when I am doing long drives. And I hated shouting at the radio, “Shut Up! And Play some f-in music!”. Another problem was the radio stations’ playlist is very narrow and repetitive. AKA boring.

So back to Sirius XM and they also had a deal for a home player which I took to my work .

I do Channel Surf my music listening. It is a way for me to work on Creative side by staying Curious and Observant. Now I make a list of every song that really catches my attention. These songs are then entered into my Spotify playlist which I listen to when I have a Wi-Fi connection. So basically when I am home. I have to say as I review the playlist of what has made it so far is truly awesome for myself. I know it would freak out people if I was to reveal it to them. It might be an effective way to filter out those who aren’t so brave. This has been a good way for me to adjust my own time and space around me.

As one of the greatest radio DJ’s, Dr. Demento said at the end of his show,

“Don’t forget to Stay Demented!”

“The unexamined life is not worth living.”

-Socrates

It is hard to believe that it was 5 years ago in which what I call the “Abbey Normal Daze”. And it led me into the Solitude of Art. I tried to fill the days with experiencing art in its various formats. To make more art myself. My Own Private Art School. To make art as a daily habit. This Process has been full of plenty of Ebbs and Flows. Steven Pressfield was right by entitling The War of Art.

“The Turbulence of the Seeking Mind”

I started amassing art supplies. I became basically a self taught artist. As I look back on things, most of my education has truly been myself, alone with a book or two trying to figure It out. I started with a simple box of crayons. And slowly work my way into painting. I found myself going into more abstract art with it. I find the form to be freeing for my mind. Yes, the box exists. What exists inside the box by looking into it. What exists outside the box when I pull back for a wider view. This is contrary to this current society that needs that box to check a specific requirement off. And it has to align with a political bias. So this made me an Outsider.

“Amongst the Anonymous “

I don’t have an exact answer to why abstract art caught my attention. It maybe a by product of my sense of humor. I found this talk about abstract art from the late David Lynch. (I wish I could link to that talk but Instagram acts like an etc ha when I mistakenly hit the refresh button) To paraphrase. He said, that the world does not make sense. So why should art? Abstract art reflects that. By engaging with abstract art a person is building up a their own skill of intuition. And that stirs curiosity. Making a game out of it.

I have found that my art is not a good conversation starter with others for the most part. That’s O.k. It reminds be to embrace stillness. Quietly to just keep going on.

During the Abbey Normal I found the relief of taking hikes in nature. Or simply going for a walk. I read various books by Creatives and Thinkers that told how they too benefited from the act of walking. For example, Nietzsche didn’t fully trust any idea that didn’t come to him while he was walking. Frederick Gros’ A Philosophy of Walking was a guide for me to see walking as a form of meditation. So when I need to step back from my creative work in order to think about I go for a walk. My Stuck Mode needs a chance to breath. This brings back a memory of my youth. When ever I said I was Stuck and wanted to take a walk. Only to be told, “Sit down. Shut up. And do your work. And I don’t care about it”.

When I go on these hikes, I take my camera with me. I use the camera to frame a snapshot of how the world is in that moment of time. This is just another form of creative work for myself. It becomes another way for me to meditate. Some days, I leave the camera behind and to take pause and just observe the place around me. To just be still. For myself.

As I was putting this post together I came across this.

I wish I could get away with doing this. I am so jealous he got away with it.

Andy Warhol is another artist I find myself intrigued by. He too did art work in various different mediums. This reminder is on my wall.

Additional Reading

​“Assiduity is the sin against the holy spirit. Only ideas won by walking have any value.” Nietzsche

The last few years have taught me the importance of just taking a hike. And the Stillness that can be found by just going on a hike. It has also helped me fine tune my observation skills. 

I am hoping that one day on such a hike that I hear coming out from amongst the trees the call of the elusive The Gen X Flute Call 

I also find myself doing some “hiking about” in reading and film watching lately. And it is a Wormhole Ride that has been taking me all over the place. How I am finding that such things are connected in ways I have never considered before.

Currently, I am reading for the first time since college Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes. A book I have not read since college. I find the that with my achieving of age that the text is taking on a.completely new context for myself. Life and experience shapes this book differently than from the walls of a classroom.

The Netflix documentary “Sly”the documentary about Slyvester Stallone as he reflects on the Ups and Downs of his life. Choosing Himself and the toll it took. I also had to do another watch of Rocky I & 2. Watch and meditate on why these two movies had their impact.However, the scene that I have been repeated watching is from Rocky Balboa (The Sixth film in the series)

In this film, he has to fight a various people in order to be allowed to fight once again. His The Pursuit of Happiness Speech is resonating loudly in me these days.

I am going to not mention the organization. But the part that I was involved with has been pretty much eliminated by them here locally. Plus, my part of the program was not a mandatory requirement.Did Not Check Any Boxes. Personally, I have found the most impactful experiences for myself to be the Unexpected Moments that were not the list of boxes to check. But That’s Me. I had written a long piece about the “Why’s” of it all. But it will not do any side, any good. It is what is. And no longer at this point what it was. That’s Life. The Obstacle is The Way. I just don’t have the energy to fight the committees and the lawyers behind the curtain there. In this “Glengarry, Glen Ross” scenario I found myself in.

So I have just done …..

My Own Quiet. Exit. Stage Left. 

It may come back. But that’s in the Hands of Time. 

I had made it to 42 there. And I found that number to be prophetic one. (Hopefully, you get the reference) 

I am going to take what I know and my experiences. They are the parts I still need to have for Myself. I am trying to figure my plan and right now the pieces are in a notebook. And Some Assembly is Being Required.

So …..

“I am putting out my Thumb and going for some  Hitchhiking .” And I have My Towel.

Which leads me into  repeated listening of Jocko Willink’s “Good”

I have also been reading the philosophical writings of Bruce Lee. He was as much of Thinking Man as he was as fighter. His “Be like Water”should be taught in the schools. But I made this reminder for myself.

My Wormhole continues on. As my To Be Read Pile of books has been strongly spitting out titles to read. I have also been finding other creative works that I had forgotten about. But their time has returned.

The next part of the My Wormhole Wandering is that I am a fan of the Buffalo Bills. There is whole tangent on how being a Bills fan has an effect on one’s own psyche. This season has truly been a lesson on that. However, it has made me take the time to examine. Win or Lose. I have no effect on either outcome. 

Which leads me to this Life Reminder

The take away is that I have to keep reminding myself of where I am in the given moment. In other words, Check Myself.

For I am in a Wilderness of My Own Making

This “My Own Private Idaho Walking the Road to Damascus” Moment in Time.

” Here is a test to find out whether your mission in life is complete. If you’re alive, it isn’t. “

               Lauren Bacall 

Music

Twisted Sister “The Price”

These days, I like to take solo hikes about. Think about my creative ideas. Doing this helps to allow those ideas a chance at some Oxygen.

See how these ideas rank on …..

The Roger Smart Scale 

Fuck Around. Find Out.

I find this approach a way to have fun. However, I did too many people these days find this idea to be an unproductive way to operate. And demand that I should be serious or I am wasting time.

So for an  Inside Joke for myself. I refer to this time and its ideas as I am spending time working in Muppet Labs

I like weird ideas being worked on with a sense of chaotic action. It just fits my sense of humor.

I take my Curiosities. I put various ideas down on paper. Wander the art supply store. Take some photos. Do more than enough Internet searching. 

And from there….

A Lego Astronaut. My take on Superman Spiff from Calvin and Hobbes.   The Monolith Scene from 2001: A Space Odyssey.  Some manikins from the art supply store. Memories from my hikes around Griffis Sculpture Park.  My camera. Another hike into the woods to find a spot I can work at without people around. 

Take all of these things.

And make this happen.

I look back on this Project. I have to find my notepad.

I am getting some Ideas.

What is Next? With this.

Music:

Jane’s Addiction – “Just Because”

Faith No More – “Epic”

Iron Maiden – “The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner”

Additional Reading

“Play It Away” by Charlie Hoehn

“Calvin and Hobbes:The Tenth Anniversary” by Bill Watterson 

“Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative” by Austin Klein 

as stated in Alfred Lord Tennyson’s poem Ulysses. A semi daily mantra for myself.
“Keep reminding yourself of the way things are connected, of their relatedness. All things are implicated in one another and in sympathy with each other. This event is the consequence of some other one. Things push and pull on each other, and breathe together and are one.”
Marcus Aurelius
As I go about doing my Daily Creative Work….
I also need to remind myself…..
“How beautiful it is to get up and go out and do something. We are on Earth to fart around. Don’t let anybody tell you any different.”
Kurt Vonnegut

I also keep coming back to Bruce Lee’s writing and his concept of “Be Water”. I think it is a mental antidote for these days. I have been calling them the Abbey Normal Hazy Days. For me it covers the time from 2020 through to the present moment. It is also a way to use my “sense of humor” to deal with the world around me. Because many of the people I have to deal with have practically lost their ability to laugh.


Now, I find myself at Unexpected Crossroad. It may have been part my fault. I didn’t read the signs and benchmarks that were happening around me. I am not going to spell it out here either. As Henry Rollins said “It will destroy you if you try to make it mean anything to anyone but yourself.” And what James Altucher repeatedly reminds people. “Explaining is draining”.
This all leads into another concept source I have been contemplating along with “Be Water”
And that is “Oxygen”…

I never thought about this. And I forgot where I heard this idea from.
You have to put the oxygen mask on yourself first. Before you can help others.
Every day, as I try to do my Daily Creative Work. I ask myself.”Is this giving me the ‘Oxygen’ I need?”
It is my Internal Question. And I ask it to No One but Myself. Because the Abbey Normal Days made too many people into hypercriticals that seem to want to test apart the efforts of others. Plus it is more about them than me. So why fuel an argument with them? Also I never realized that there were so many people who seem to make an effort to rip off the “Oxygen Masks” of other people.
Why?
To What End?
As I was making the notes I came back to this clip from the late comedian Patrice O’Neal about trying to being “Righteous”.
And secretly admit that there are times when no one is looking that I sound like “Vic” too.

Thanks a lot Abbey.

Music:
The Reds, The Pinks, The Purples – “Too Late For an Early Grave”

“Man the Problem Solver is only that because He is the Idea Keeper”

  Ray Bradbury

 On the Shoulders of Giant

This quote comes from his book Zen and the Art of Writing.A book I have had on my shelf for years. I have read the book a few times I decided to read one chapter a day. And this time reading it I finally understood what he was trying convey. My own experiences and time is what I needed to have in order to come to understanding this book.

If you can’t read and write, you can’t think. Your thoughts are dispersed if you don’t know how to read and write. You’ve got to be able to look at your thoughts on paper and discover what a fool you were.”
Ray Bradbury

I like Ideas. But the last three years of what I refer to as the “Abbey Normal Hazy Days” . It seemed that too often people were (and still are) trying to force ideas to conform to their ideology. And myself identifying in political terms as being an agnostic atheist. In other words, I don’t appear in any polling data. Oh well. And so what. I don’t have a tribe these days.

It took me along time in this life for me to recognize the Virtue of Being Curious. And exploring Ideas is a Daily Habit. It is A Stream of Consciousness for me. That has made for myself what I call the Some Assembly Required Mindset.

 This is how it tries to function on daily basis. And it became a lesson  on dealing with Ebbs and Flows.

Every Morning starts about the same. I am not a morning person. But it was the card I got dealt to play. 5:37 AM and the Snooze Alarm Game. And I swear. Snooze Alarm time and actual time are two total separate constructs. Must take its cues from the timing of microwave ovens  and yellow lights. 5:52 Alarm wins. 

Drink One Bottle of Water. Get breakfast and lunch set to take to work. Make Coffee. (On the weekend I have been enjoying Black Rifle Coffee ‘Tactisquatch’ Blend)

I don’t turn on the TV first thing. And local morning radio is pretty much repetition and commercials. Luckily,I have an Internet connection. And I tune in to ‘The Wake n Bake’ Morning Show with Clay Pigeon /WFMU. It is unique show because I never know what I will hear next.How do people attempt to wake up by listening to same repetitive music every day? I do tend to be drawn to the Unusual. 

A few years ago, I came upon the book The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. It was a book that was recommended by several people and they are in various fields. 

Her first major exercise is the Daily Habit of Morning Pages. Three pages written by hand. Aboutut anything and everything. It is My Choice. During the Abbey Normal days this became a struggle for me. Many days I could only get a half page or nothing. I think it was fallout of time and space seeming not to matter with the mandates. I don’t know what My Switch was. This year so far My Morning Pages are just flowing three pages that seem impossible to doand yet I am making them happen. 

My other main take aways from The Artist Way is the Artist Date which lead to my ongoing Instagram Project. And going on Walks.

I put the notebook in my backpack to take to work. And I do my own take on James Altucher’s ‘Becoming an Idea Machine ‘. I try to write at least one page in that notebook. It could be an idea, an observation,  a question to ponder, a song title, movie or a book. Whatever. It just has to be something that makes me Curious. Something that I might expand on.

I don’t know where any of this goes but I know I can’t edit a blank page. And my Some Assembly Required Mindset needs a fuel source to go with. I do though take a cue from Julia Cameron about the Morning Pages exercise. DO NOT SHOW THEM TO ANYONE. This will come off as being anti-social. But I no longer talk to anyone about what is in my notebooks or on my notepads. It is not until I hit the button to SEND/PUBLISH/POST that I will have the conversation over what came from my notes. Too often I found that others just want to interject themselves and their ideas. Crazymakers. And hypercritical.

I don’t believe every Idea I have comes out fully formed. And all my notes are for plantings the seeds into my brain for later use. I will keep saying that at best I can hope to be .250 Hitter with my ideas. A Solo Home Run is One Point. But the Bases Fully Loaded makes that Home Run worth 4 Points. I call this The Moneyball Factor.

Plus, My Process is Ugly and Odd as anybody else trying to make art. And anyone telling you their process is perfect. Is Lying. I also like reading about the Artist Process and the actual Process involved I in the making of. I allow my Some Assembly Required Mindset to sift through the books to pull out what may be of help in my own work. Make Notes. Find source material.

Mad Max: Fury Road and the John Wick series were very successful and changed up the Action Movie Genre. However, in the early stages of making these movies those involved in their production had no idea that they would even work. There was a lot of Trial and Error involved. Ideas, Effort and Success are Three Separate Things. I am glad I can find books about that. To do some deep diving. I learn more from story than from textbooks. Tap into their experiences. Learn the parts that don’t get taught.The stuff not in the brochures. 

Process is Personal. Process is Weird. Process is Unique to the Person. Have Fun with That .

Plot it out on the Roger Skaer Chart.

Stuck? Remember to refer to Steven Pressfield.And the benefits of having a sandwich break from time to time.

Finally, the various works of Nick Cave. His blog The Red Hand Files. His book written with Sean O’Hogan Faith, Hope and Carnage. And rewatching 20,000 Days. As example of what do you do with an idea and where do you take it.

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds –‘We Call Upon the Author ‘

As the days of the Abbey Normal continue to March on. And over every one.

There is a demand for Sweeping Changes in almost everything. The odds of getting all of those done is almost impossible. That’s Life. And that is how it will be.

As I look about the various ideas that I am working on and trying to get worked out. I came across this quote from the late tennis star Arthur Ashe.

 “Start where you are, use what you have,                do what you can.”

 

For years, I have been saving my coffee cans and planting silver maple seeds. And when they got to be 2-3 feet high I would take them out to camp to be planted. But the camp got sold this year. I have about 20-30 trees sitting in my driveway. I don’t know where to go with them yet. And I have no room left on my property for them. I have planted about 15 at my place. But as I continue to collect coffee cans. I will continue to grow the tree seeds. Trees take time. And it best to grow them knowing I may never sit under their shade. 

Do I have enough to make a forest? No.

But every idea has a starting point. 

Not every idea is going to be a home run. I just want to be at .250 Hitter with my own Creative Projects. Work on getting more in the “singles and doubles”. 

GET ON BASE.

A solo home run hit is 1 Point. 

A home run hit with the bases loaded is 4 Points.

I am taking the approach of trying to move my own Needle going  forward on. Make the Space that I need to breathe and keep making.

As I meditate each day on these ideas. 

I keep coming back to Rocky’s Pursuit of Happiness

And at the same moment My Sense of Humor reminds me of this…..

Music

“Desiderata”- Les Crane (optimistic song)

“Deteriorata – Fluke of the Universe          (pessimistic parody song)

“Thrill of It All” – Black Sabbath                                (My Long Distance Dedication)

I like taking Deep Dives. And that is why I read.

I read through about 3 different books a week. A nonfiction book to learn about something new. What I call a “Process Book”. This is a book that takes a look on some form of the Creative Process of some art form. And a fiction novel.

We are bombarded by information. News is everywhere and it comes fast. Most of it is just Click Bait. Without value. Only meant to Enrage not Engage. The people around me that follow the news on almost minute by minute basis do very little in terms of going deep on thinking about it.

I am finding the better way for me to see current events in terms of past historical events. When the Lockdown and social isolation started. I read Valley Forge by Bob Drury and Tom Clavin. I found quite a few parallels between the events of now with the events then.

Now it seems disaster is everywhere and could happen at any moment. Dan Carlin the host of the podcast series Hardcore History takes the Deep Dive into history in ways that are never taught in school. This is not for people who are mentally faint of heart.And his book The End is Always Near tells that humanity has a long reoccurring history that “The End is Here. That’s it!” I found this book to be the equivalent of a college level course. However, this only cost me $15. And I got more from this book.

During the day I am mostly reading to learn for myself. At night, I end the day with a fiction novel.I am reading again The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. And sometimes storytelling is a better way to interpret the human experience. And spread the knowledge in the form of a story. 

I have this X-Files Mulder/Scully Approach with my reading in life. Like the show it is the believer vs the skeptic. Mythology vs science. And both sides can have a co-existence with each other. This is what balances out my book reading. Keeping my curiosity fueled. My library card in use.

Music : Peter Gabriel – Secret World (Back to Front)

Now What ?!

This has been my never ending  question of the last two years.

I realised that the terms of my own story has been changed. And many of those terms were by forces and circumstances beyond my control.

And here I am.

But where?

I started back into listening to The Moth podcast. And their book “How to Tell a Story” is my current slow read book to absorb. And we are all just story.

The Camp that was a major part of my life is gone.  

Time to study the maps. And find new spots to explore. And revisit others that I haven’t been to in a while.

Solvitur Ambulando.

It is solved by walking.

For myself. Does this always work? 

No. But it helps.

I needed to get into some motion for myself.

And I came upon this word. And it struck me as to what I need to do. And I need to have in my life.

I really like this word and its definition.

Last weekend, I decided to hike the Sprague Brook Trail. An 8-9 mile hike seem like a good way to spend 3-5 hours away from all the noise I had been experiencing.

There are a couple of writing projects that I have been very stuck on. And the hike may shake some thoughts lose. I also have two different outdoor mini art ideas to do. Find my spark to jump start.

I printed off a trail map to record any observations I may make while hiking. I loaded the backpack. And off I went.

I got there. Parked my truck. I was going to use the All Trail app on my cellphone to guide to the specific start point for the trail.

Problem. 

My cellphone got no signal there. 

Thinking. 

There is a map back at the entrance parking lot. 

I will just take a photo of that map and figure it out from there.

Turned the key in my ignition.  

Nothing!!!

An hour of trying to figure it out. And nothing. I had to call AAA. But I had to find a phone. Luckily, a couple came by and had a cellphone that worked. And were kind and patient to wait as it took me 20 some minutes to get service sent to me. 

45 minutes the flatbed came. The service tech was able to get my truck running. And told me what I needed to do if it should happen again. 

Again. Now what?

Giving where I was and time. I couldn’t take the chance and home I went. Hiking was cancelled for the day.

Next time, I am going to have to pray that the proverbial “monkeywrench” is not packed. And inspect for Gremlins before heading out.

Post Script.

As I was making my notes for this post. The radio played a song that kind of fit my mindset at that moment with my writing.

 “Constantinople” – Echo and the Bunnymen

Looking at the shifted pieces of my own story.

“Schism” – Tool 

 “Man’s task is to become conscious of the contents that press up from the subconscious”

                            – — Carl Jung —

“The Cave you fear to enter holds the treasure to seek.                

                        —Joseph Campbell —

( NOTE: The following post is meant as a commentary about myself. Critical thoughts that are a reflection on myself. And are not meant as a criticism towards any group or individual.)

This post has been on my notepad for several weeks. It has been on the forefront of my mind for a while now. And I can no longer avoid it.

It is tale  of what drives my Creative Endeavors.

I was going to post this on Facebook page. But I did not want it flagged by them. I have had enough of them doing it to me over the last year. And don’t want to do anymore time on Double Secret Probation that restricts my account.

I refuse to call the last two years by its real cause. 

For me, It was and still is…….

The Abbey Normal Hodge Podge.

During this time, I have killed plenty of trees and a long with time on notepads trying to figure out how to get back on track. Only to have things shift. Again.

And this blog is about my Process. 

Almost every morning, I read a passage or two from The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations for Clarity, Effectiveness, and Serenity by Ryan Holiday. I got into Stoic Philosophy a few years ago. And I try to incorporate it into my everyday life. Am I perfect doing this?  NO! For me it is about attempting To Move the Needle. It also recognizing that the Needle goes up and there are days when it goes down. There are Ebbs and Flows. Peaks and Valleys.

Why I have to do a monthly re-reading of Bruce Lee’s Be Water .

I never could.understand anyone who read something just Once and then proclaimed, “I read that book and I 100% completely understand it.” To me these types of people are more full of themselves than they are of any real Knowledge and Wisdom.

For Me Moving the Needle is about engaging My Curiousities, My Imagination and Coming Up with Possiblities  So I have to keep going back to my books and notes.

Going layout My Various Pieces to my Process. 

Last fall, I was hiking Griffin Sculpture Park and started to think about the idea of my own workshop and workspace. 

I walk into the Woods seeking the Ever Elusive Muse. It is one of the sculptures I spend time meditating with. Every time I go there I notice  something new about some of the sculptures. The place satisfies my need for being outdoors and being amongst art. Explore to create.

Also around this time I was reading Shop Class as Soulcraft by Matthew B. Crawford. He shares how in this Digital Age that taking time to use one’s own hands to make is just as important mental knowledge. And a person these days needs a Mind and Body exercise to be balanced.

I found this show on T.V. called Brojects about two brothers who build these crazy ideas at their cottage property. And I was starting to get some ideas of my own.

How could I get my outdoor time and work on my various skills and art endeavors at the same time?

During the Abbey Normal I got tired and worn down by the distancing, restrictions, phone calls and Zoom meetings that always seemed to bring more bad news. And further postponements.

But there was a small glimmer of light coming last fall that things are going open up again.

Once again, I went to my notepad to get my ideas down on to paper.

Abbey Normal shut down the camp where I have been for many years a part of the Project COPE program there. The outdoors rope course design to instruct the skills of teamwork,tust,  communication,problem solving,planning,decision making,leadership and esteem. It had also been closed down due the distancing requirements. What I like about the program that is also about Working on Moving the Needle. 

So what was next for me?

In the coming Spring, I was going to go to camp on Fridays after work. Set up my tent on the course. And then on Saturday do something on the course. Whether it be course instruction or maintenance work. I was going to do something.

This area of camp was going to be my Workshop.

I had not been camping during this time because of the restrictions. Many of the places had limited capacity. I just wanted to camp with some sense of seclusion that the course had.

I also miss having a campfire under a clear, starry night sky. I can have a fire in my yard. But I don’t get to see many stars.

There were some other things I wanted to do at camp.

I had some Outdoor Art Project Ideas for my Instagram Art Project

Take an exercise of Solvitur Ambulando. (Latin. “It is solved by walking”.) And some cues from the book The Wander Society by Keri L. Smith. I found a topographical map of the camp and wanted to use a more detailed exploration of the area known as the North Woods.

I got a hammock that fits in my backpack. I was going to hang it up by the creek. Do some reading. Maybe spend some time trying to assemble the ideas in my various notebooks into something. 

Spend some time being Analog. Get away from the Digital habit I fell into during Abbey Normal. I was just trying to keep myself “amused” while I work my job all day by myself. 

These were the things I was going to attempt to accomplish for myself.

That was the plan to restart my 2022.

Then came…….The Monkeywrench !!!!

It was announced that Camp Schoellkopf was being sold to cover the costs required for the National Bankruptcy Settlement. Shortly, after this announcement the camp was sold off.

So now……

I have to keep these goals for myself. And find another path. I am just not seeing That Path at the moment.

So I am going to be taking some cues from Rolf Potts and do some Vagabonding

Read Don Quixote. Again. 

Just finished reading No Country for Old  by Cormac McCarthy. It made even more sense this time for me. Also I should be reading even more Cormac McCarthy.

And finally, I just need to keep referring back to Austin Kleon’s books.

Move the Needle(s). 

Somehow.

Someway.

Try to find the “The Good” (as told by Jocko Willink)

This is now a matter of…..

It is what it is.

And was what it was.

Closing Credit Song.

 Jane’s Addiction “Just Because”