It was a good day

Spent time with Stacey that wasn't exactly planned. We were meeting people who were an hour late. In that hour, we discovered we adored some of the same authors (especially Tom Robbins), some of the same books and some of the same music. That was cool. Suddenly I didn't feel as ignorant of "culture" as I had.

Had a great meeting with Raquel and Ruby.

Then rushed home and back again to the same general area for Little Shop rehearsals. I was disappointed by the low turnout! And it's the same faces each time. Rehearsals went well, though. I have some studying to do for timing in the musical numbers.

Tomorrow I find out (I hope) about the ILP. At this point, I'm starting to like the "lack" of Landmark commitment, though. I'll go with it either way. If they accept the condition, I'll have a new problem. I won't have the $100 I need in two weeks. I have all week to decide to pull the plug anyway if I want. And, I'll tell you, the SELP leaders aren't fairing well right now. I don't know why I think I'm going to do so much better! I might step into Eileen's course though. She just lost three coaches in the middle of her course. Bad news!

Dan gave me a book when I was in Venice on Saturday. It's called The Lazy Man's Guide to Enlightenment. Very interesting book written in the early 70s. Thaddius Golas, the author, has a model model of the universe isn't one that would work for me, but I like some of his key points:

• No resistance.
• Love it the way it is.
• Love as much as you can from wherever you are.
• Whether I feel it or not, I am one with all the love in the universe.
• Go beyond reason to love: it is safe. It is the only safety.
• All states of consciousness are available right now.
• There is nothing you need do first to be enlightened.
• Whatever you are doing, love yourself for doing it.
• When you learn to love hell, you will be in heaven.

Love.

It's a very soft moment

which will be followed by bedtime.

I was just "scanning" my various communities.

The nature of a community and it's dynamics is distinct from a group and it's dynamics. Communities are large enough to include people you don't know well and other people you might think you know too well. There will be people you like and people you aren't all that fond off. But there will be something that holds the community together. It might be geography, heritage, profession or a hobby. it might any of a million things.

A group is tighter. It's members all like each other and there is more in common that some accident of alignment that creates a community.

That said, I have many groups to which I belong within my communities. For this I am well pleased. I love the folks in my groups.

I also have many communities. The ones I enjoy the most are the ones I give my time to.

What I am present to is that some of my communities operate as if they are groups on the level of love and friendship while maintaining the diversity that comes with community dynamics.

Take RHPS, for instance. I like everyone in cast. It is just big enough to slip into the community category. Add the regulars and it is definitely a community. With the regulars, there is only one person whose behavior I actively dislike.

I love a lot of people. And I love them in all their humanity -- the parts that are easy to love and the parts that are harder to love.

There's just a lot of love in my life.

Once upon a time

Around 1996 or so, I participated in Landmark Education's Commitment Seminar. I don't remember the fine points of the distinctions provided by that course, but I remember this: If you are committed to some result but you are making no progress toward it, there is a hidden commitment pulling you in a different direction.

I've been interested, off and on, for more than 20 years in getting a job as a UNIX or, now, Linux systems administrator. I've trained up. I've even administered, as a hobby, installations of Linux and networks of Linux/Microsoft machines.

But I could never get passed that stage. Something always ground me to a stop. I couldn't get a resume written such that anyone would higher me.

uncovering the hidden commitment is usually enough to have it disappear into thin air. So it is in this example.

This morning I have written my resume. It was simple to complete. And more than that, I didn't blanch at any of the descriptions of my qualifications and experience. I wrote a resume that in all particulars I feel capable. Who would have thought!

Damn, I'm having a fine day.

Love.

Off to Rehearsal

I'm in a jolly fine mood. Don't know why it should be so. I've sneezing and wheezing all day and my eyes burn as I type. Yet with all this physical annoyance, there is a bounce in my mental step.

Here are some reasons for it:
1. Spending time with CI people on a night that isn't Friday.
2. Resume that I'm actually proud of. The Resume itself, but also to be the person it reflects. I had forgotten that this, too, was a long standing dream. I am the person I wanted to be. When did that happen?
3. My words affect people's lives in great and positive ways. How wonderful is that!
4. My daughter loves me.
5. My friends whom I see only occasionally always tell me they miss having me around. And they, too, love me.
6. I know how to say no, have it heard and respected. Wasn't always the case. And I can say it without having to then kill off the person I'm saying it to. :)

And all in all, there are all the people I love and who I adore with my whole being. Life just keeps getting better.

Off now for fun and frolic.

Love.

Networking

Once upon a time I was "intellectually" and "philosophically" opposed to networking as a way to get ahead. That was my nice way of saying I didn't know anybody and I didn't know how to network.

Now days things are different. :) I mention that I'm looking for work as a Linux Systems Administrator and someone I know just happens to work for Qualcomm. Qualcomm is committed to Linux and is building it's IT staff with Linux folks.

I don't know if it will generate anything -- I hope it does -- but it doesn't matter. I just "networked."

Life is interesting. :)