Today me and my family have much to be grateful for in spite of so many recent events in our lives and country. Hence, on this day we enjoy the company of loved ones, laughing together, remembering all the good shared, missing those who in leaving this life took a part of our hearts with them. Together in gratitude we listen to music (two songs) befitting our mood and fortunes.
And…
Happy Thanksgiving to you all with warmest wishes from the Miller-Strange family.
Live Well — Love Much — Laugh Often — Learn Always
Anyone who has had to deal with manifested psychiatric-psychological disorders like manic bipolar disorder as well as/or clinical addiction, which often go hand-in-hand, then like me you can probably relate to and empathize about why this particular song* speaks volumes to me. It captures the intensity. It covers ALL of the mental and emotional ups and downs, successes and failures, that seem to be a never-ending saga of love, hope, destruction, beauty, anger, disappointment, joy, and most of all perseverance. I sometimes wonder if staying isn’t abnormal.
I live a chemical life I’m on a mission to try You went insane for a day I’ll have to shove it away My only option is gone Smile as they break and they fall You want a simpler life You can’t erase what was mine
Even though it is human nature to often seek perfection and expect perfection, we eventually find that in seeking and expecting perfection, we find imperfection. The more perfection desired, the more imperfection found. Sounds quite insane, quite a formula for cyclical chaos doesn’t it?
[Pre-Chorus:] You must be out of your mind! This was a simple design! You fuck it up every time How could you leave me behind
Yes, there have been many times over the decades where I thought I was going out of my mind! But many times I felt denying or running from the problem(s) wouldn’t solve anything or teach me/us anything either! But everyone doesn’t think or feel like I do, so some do indeed “run”… and leave me behind. Some truly want immediate satisfaction and relief!
[Chorus:] It’s alright, it’s alright ’cause I know what you want but you’ll just have to wait If I had it to give I would give it away I’m living it up while I’m falling from grace There’s no way, there’s no way that I’m running away
And in my years of employment in the Psych/A&D field helping others, I eventually found that if I don’t remain disciplined with my own mental-emotional health, rest, and recreation, I too can fall from grace. I am just as human as the next and I am reminded of that, dancing that edge sometimes as I must, as long as I remain truly human insidehumanity. Make sense?
How many thousands of times I have heard this rationale and events play out…
I’m used to making it worse Made up of four letter words You wanna know what it was Now isolated and gone You fall apart at the seams I’ll never know what it means Try not to pull it apart You’re anger’s straight from the heart
[Pre-chorus]
[Chorus]
There were numerous times when my patience and will were exhausted, done. All I wanted was to be selfish, left alone in solitude, or to do one of my favourite therapies: dancing. And yes, even dancing and screaming energetically angry too… at first, maybe. (wink)
But then…
It had to be the worst for me I don’t know what to say so let me be And now I find you left me behind** I don’t know what to say so nevermind!
You’re mine!
I still belong here, there… with my human family, with my tribe, with my soul mates… through the good times and the bad. Together.
’cause I know what you want but you’ll just have to wait If I had it to give I would give it away I’m living it up while I’m falling from grace There’s no way, there’s no way that I’m running away
I don’t have all the answers, nor can I guarantee immediate results — you’ll just have to wait… be patient. If I had it to give, I would give it away! But in the meantime, I’ll be here with you. I might get frustrated, even angry, but I will celebrate successes just as pumped and just as excited as you do! “You’re mine.” You’re ours.
You know, maybe we don’t need such super high expectations of perfection. Since perfection always accompanies imperfection, let’s find all the beauty in imperfection and embrace it along with perfection. Let’s learn to screw up better each time! But do not fear…
There’s no way that I’m running away.
(paragraph break)
* “Simple Design” by Breaking Benjamin (2004)
** This line refers to my Dad who in July 1990 took his own life without reaching out.
Live Well — Love Much — Laugh Often — Learn Always
Too often this life, planet, and all of us living on it can get overwhelmingly serious and downright depressing, right? With the circus that has been our 2016 U.S. Presidential campaign and our two Keystone Cops political parties, I thought it was now time to laugh. In general laugh more at all the utter ridiculousness that makes up this paradoxical existence some struggle to embrace. It is said that “a picture is worth a thousand words.” Therefore, without further ado I give you a slide show of some of my favourite images and memes that always remind me of what a funny wonderful life we have — they also pander shamelessly to my Bohemian decadence. I hope a few make you laugh.
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Did you find one or two that you liked most? Comment about it/them below or share one of your own favorites! I’d love to see them. 😉
Live Well — Love Much — Laugh Often — Learn Always
As part of the Alternative Lifestyles blog-posts migration over to the new blog The Professor’s Lifestyles Memoirs, this post has been moved there. To read this post please click the link to the blog.
I am more a cocktail sort of guy, but this red Zinfandel not only grabbed my pocket-book, it enslaved my palette too. And if you enjoy a good laugh along with good friends, food and wine, then read their back label, written below. I plan to try as many of their wines as possible and become a zinful wine-O myself (wink). Oh, and I am also a big fan of anything that mocks or makes a parody of orthodox religions; pick any one of them!
I’m raging with ire, an ocean of fire,
My Wrath is the path to all I desire. Oh Lord, forgive me my Zins.
I’m inflated with pride, near-bursting inside,
A self-centered repenter, Vanity’s bride. Oh Lord, forgive me my Zins.
I’m mired in mud, inert as a slug, Sloth is the cloth that’s woven my rug. Oh Lord, forgive me my Zins.
I eat day and night, consuming all in my sight,
A Glutton with nothing but a huge appetite. Oh Lord, forgive me my Zins.
My will I ignore, my Envy’s a chore,
Over-zealous and jealous, I want so much more. Oh Lord, forgive me my Zins.
I’m ravenous to feast, an insatiable beast,
I concede to the Greed demanding release. Oh Lord, forgive me my Zins.
I hunger for trust, my cravings a must,
My sin is the Zin enslaving my Lust. Oh Lord, forgive me my Zins.
If you are interested in learning more about this fine, reasonably priced wine and their winery, then please visit their website: http://www.michaeldavidwinery.com/
Light thinks it travels faster than anything but it is wrong. No matter how fast light travels, it finds the darkness has always got there first, and is waiting for it
The Professor's Convatorium 