Meditation, Heavy Thinking!

  Memorable Automobiles from The Past:

 

If your weather is bad, concentrate very hard......

For today:

*1-Meditation is a mental exercise that trains attention and awareness. Its purpose is often to curb reactivity to one's negative thoughts and feelings, which, though they may be disturbing can be placed in a place for them in the mind.

It seems human nature reacts negatively too many times to life’s situation. (Finding fault with things and people constantly)

And:

**2-Meditation is a practice where an individual uses a technique – such as mindfulness, or focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity – to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state. Scholars have found meditation elusive to define, as practices vary both between traditions and within them.

 

I am NO scholar by any stretch of the imagination, but I too have had a problem meditating.  My mind goes a mile a minute and is hard to harness. When I meditate it is only THINKING, but concentrating on one subject, situation or ‘problem’.

Meditation doesn’t have to be religious, as a matter of fact my meditating is more personal, to control my thoughts or settle my mind.

The reason for this post is WHERE I ‘try’ to transport myself when I am meditating or ‘doing my internal thinking’.  There is a spot on the Appalachian Trail. I am not sure what state it is in. But it is a small waterfall. (Pics  are from Maine, cannot find MINE! LOL) Sherry and I came to it and with all water falls stopped to just take in the beauty and serenity of the site. WE often walked separately on the trail. Sherry left first and I stayed for a few more minutes.

To meditate I like to place myself, mentally, in a spot of calm and beauty. So I try to return to that site in my mind when I need to meditate on something.

It works with private prayer time (that may be my prayer closet, LOL)

The longest I have been able to ‘meditate’ is probably 15 minutes, and that was years ago. I should have improved by now. However, my average now is less than 5 minutes.

It would probably help me if I had some training in controlling my ‘crazy’ mind.  Jilda, blogger and wife of Rick (RIP), taught for a while and one subject I think she taught was ‘Meditation’, it is a practice that aids a lot of addicts, I think.

It pays to THINK! Meditation is concentrated THINKING!

NiteShipslog

PS:

*1 & **2   are selected from defections on the net.

How did they do that, MAGIC??

 The magic car:

 
Many parents cannot get the kids this magic car...

For today:

I can enjoy a lot of things in movies, wax, CD and on Television (Now here on the internet) such as:  Stories, news, travel and weather.  Many things I would like to be there to enjoy it but can still get a kick out of it on some media.

Growing up I was always thrilled when a Magician would appear in a school auditorium. FOR ME the magician MUST be seen in person.  I have watched a couple on TV, but as I tell folks  anything can be done on TV, they make mice and ducks talk.

But watching a great sleight of hand trick and trying to ‘see’ the trick, is what magic is all about.  When we  performed a little bit for seniors and especially kids. I always gave the ‘disclaimer’ “We all know this is not real magic I do. God and Nature does Magic such as when a seed truly becomes a flower. FOR real magic you should watch as an ugly worm that can only climb and crawl as it encloses its self in a cocoon and later emerges as a beautiful butterfly that can truly fly.

What I do is magic tricks, I try not to let you in on the secret. When you learn the secret, it isn’t as much fun. BUT we all must try.

I love to see those young eyes come alive in awe when something seems to appear out of thin air. My mentor, Rev. Ray Campbell (in chalk art and magic), taught me how to draw two pictures at once. One is hidden and done in fluorescent chalk, it is seen only when Sherry remotely turned on the black light.

Professional Magicians are bound by a rule to ‘never’ expose the ‘trick’ of any magic act. I have been guilty of showing the ‘trick’ to a kid or two who had been bullied and needed something to give them a ‘one-up’ on the bully. The same for the kid with no self-confidence who needed that ‘little boost.’

Now for REAL MAGIC…… that anonymous gift to the needy. That sign to the cashier that says add that person’s bill to mine. Getting fuel for the stranded motorist. I like the term ‘Random Act Of Kindness’, the ones done when the VOICE inside says, “DO IT!”

BUT ALWAYS REMEMBER……. YOU can be a Magician because a SMILE given at the right time can be MAGIC!

NiteShipslog

PS: Laughter Magic for a child (maybe a dog too!) (if you  have a minute)

Lawn decorations…

 Memorable Automobiles from The Past:

 

For today:

We have never had a large yard, you know the ones with a circular drive and a grounds keeper. BUT  if I did I would want something like these in my yard (Yeah the girl too!).

The above pickup is in Brownwood of the Villages, Florida 

 

I have seen some old cars placed artistically and loved them.

  I remember seeing a petrified log in a yard (New Mexico methinks).

This one was sent to me by good friend Bonnie (RIP) a few years ago. This used in Eastern North Carolina.

Smaller stuff I love the ‘spilled flowers.’

Or out of a tube?

I think some blogger here has a rusty bicycle decorated. Sorta like this:

I like these:

My sister Shirl (RIP) could keep a yard up. She could compete for yard of the month, but not me.  HOWEVER I think if I had room for an old junk car out front I could decorate it. LOL

 NiteShipslog

PS:

Music to your ears?

 Memorable Automobiles from The Past:

 

                                Duisenberg 

For today:

Now I am not much for singers and singing groups except for the groups in our courting years and our Grandchildren, several of which are VERY talented. BUT with my hearing, singing is not as much fun as it used to be.

I played the trumpet in school and was pretty good I thought. I was even first trumpet in the last school band I was in.  However even a teen ager can learn how good they really are if they pay attention to the Professionals.

So I listened to Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis and Dizzy Gillespie. Whoa, what a lip! (That is trumpet talk for GREAT) I listened to them because I played the trumpet.

BUT two instruments made my mind jump and rejoice.  The guitar (Chet Atkins’ style) but the reed instrument and the sound of that SAXAPHONE! It makes me upset at myself too because that is the instrument dad picked out for me in the third grade. I saw all those buttons (keys) and remembered a trumpet had ‘3’, I begged for the trumpet so he returned the sax that he had bought from a friend and got me an old beat up silver trumpet. I knew I could handle 3 keys. LOL ……BUT did you  ever hear Coltrane, Hawkins, Lester Young etc.

Here is Parker and Hawkins the whole thing is about 5 minutes, but it gives an idea and no one is really showing off here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-ZoZ3BeQ2U

Anyway the sax yanks my chain. When I think of sax now I think of Myra's Tom, who flies high with planes and gets down with the sax. Any particular instrument especially grab you?

 

NiteShipslog

Ouch, look at those dirty tennis shoes?

 

 Memorable Automobiles from The Past:

 

I know it probably wasn't good for the environment, but I loved the smell of the smoke from those old steam engines, (my opinion).

For today:

Uniforms are a good thing. In the military your daily clothes are decided by someone up the food chain, it is called: “The Uniform of the Day!” The condition matters ONLY to the inspectors, i.e. Dirty or wrinkled? You are in trouble.

When it comes to civilian life for some reason, what I (or others) wear matters to my peers. Some appoint themselves as inspectors. Men as a rule wear something comfortable. Generally boys don’t care what the other guy wears or it it matches. However the female gender seem to be OVERLY CONCERNED about what they choose to wear on a daily basis. They want it to match, as a general rule it should not be what they wore yesterday and prefer it be in style. No problem.

However it matters to the self-appointed inspectors what YOU wear.

The above is a good thought, but you cannot direct what others actually think.

I and many men, have always wondered why someone would care what others wear, it can’t effect my life, can it?

I have noticed that some men ‘miss’ spots while shaving or wear eyeglasses that are dirty. Things like that don’t bother me, I am just glad to see them if they are friends of mine.  I surely would not embarrass them and point it out.

Then a man said publically concerning the incident, “When I get old I hope my wife won’t let me out in public like that. That is so embarrassing.”

That was said after a very good friend, who was 90+ yrs old and blind approached where we were and had missed a big section on his neck when shaving. It was obvious, but it did not cause any concern for me nor him. I was just glad to see him.

If someone cannot accept a few flaws that an OLD blind man might have, they have a problem. The blind guy was lucky not to cut himself,  LOL.

Do you know what you wore to church last Sunday? WAIT……. you were in your house coat (ZOOMING!). Sorry about that.

I am not completely oblivious of the dress of others. However their dress is NOTHING compared to their friendship and camaraderie.

I can see where school uniforms grades 1-8 possibly 1-12 would hold down a lot of peer pressure for those who cannot afford ‘designer’ clothes.

NiteShipslog

PS:  The above are my opinions, I cannot and will not fault you for your opinions.....................................  BUT in my opinion the below graphics are funny!

BE SAFE!!!!!!  Nice weather here in Florida...

Curosity, Time Travel.. YOU?

 Memorable Automobiles from The Future:

For today:

I saw clips from the movie where someone went to the future and returned. I don’t remember seeing the whole movie.  But I have thought about that many times, just looking back over my life.

Now I see those same towns with all paved streets many with sidewalks. In 1948 playing in a dirt road, I could not imagine them being paved.

 

When I was a kid there were a lot of dirt roads, even in town. It was a time when most people did not have a phone and if a neighbor had one, many many people shared it with those who did not.

Now ‘bout them phones. In the 1940s we were the only people on the block with a phone. Mama would answer the phone and call to me, “Jackie ride down the street and tell Mrs. Brown she has a phone call.”  There was no way I could EVER have seen everyone with a personal phone, even kids on bicycles with a phone.

Those things I mentioned in the 40’s, were 70 years ago. They did not change over night, BUT THEY CHANGED.

 

NOW think with me, will someone speed up crop growth to two even three crops a year, to feed the planet.

Will someone develop a ‘fruit picker’ that can completely  pick a citrus or apple tree in 3 to 5 minutes?  Then have engineered the tree to put out blooms within a week?

Cars that hover?  One problem with those is the fans that suspend them today stir up too much debris/dust and is dangerous to the eyes, like a helicopter landing. Will someone develop vehicles that hover and NEVER cause road damage and do not dispel dangerous little missiles?

Hey, are we still wearing cloth for clothes?

Don’t even tell me that everyone is fully tattooed and going nekkid or wearing a loin cloth!

YOU have been chosen to be sent into the future, you will only go ahead 50 years.  What are you gonna see and tell us on your return?

Let your mind go wild, what will you see?

 

Shipslog

What would you do?

 Memorable Automobiles from The Past:

 Not sure what,  but am sure it is a '39-40. But I loved the rumble seat!

For today:

In life many people are told, “Your health is at risk, xxx is your favorite food. You need to never eat that again!”

Now not considering it will kill you to eat or not eat, what food would be the hardest, or even impossible to give up?

I have thought of that a lot There are a few I would hate to give up. Apples would be one.  I have a crazy habit, many think. I love plain saltine crackers crumbled into a glass then covered with cold milk. It would be hard to give those up.

 Have you ever been up in a hot air balloon?  I haven’t but I have always wanted to. At a festival once I had a chance to go up in one, but not to travel, it would have been a tethered up and down. That did not appeal to me, I would like to travel a few miles in one.

If you like Hot Air Balloons, and you had a choice of any city in the world, what city would you like to see from a slow moving Balloon?

ME? I think I would like to fly over Venus  but hard to decide, wait, I love Tulips. Holland Michigan is beautiful, BUT Imma thinking Keukenhof, Holland during tulip season or festival.

 

It is hard to imagine viewing the colors and millions of flowers from the sky in a slow moving Balloon. 

NiteShipslog

In the end, Junior

 Memorable Automobiles from The Past:

 This model T Ford was new when Junior was born. 1925

For today:

B.F. Darnell Jr. April 28, 1925 --1999

Junior saw the first house I built, it was small. He called me and said he was retiring would I build them a house. I did not have any license to build, but being a little ignorant I said, “OF course.” 

Sorry I cannot find a finished shot of the house they picked:

The finished product was the finest house I ever built.

 

Junior was amazing, he could cut and wield any metal and then work beautifully with flowers. He loved working with and grafting cacti. It was fascinating watching those big hands work on the small delicate growths. He could create beautiful flower arrangements. Earl Owensby actor and  Movie producer used many of Junior’s concrete and flower creations as props in his movies.

I wrecked a couple cars in my time and Jr. felt sorry for me and bought the wrecks. I appreciated him tolerating his little brother. One wreck was a Nash Metropolitan. He and his boys took the little MG engine out and mounted a V8 in it and took it to the drag strip I heard.

He also built and sold small utility trailers. I noticed everything he sold was at a reasonable price. He said once a man kept trying to get him lower than his price . June said, “I handed him a card with a phone # and told him he should call this for a good deal.”  It was the local welfare office.

Jr was always tinkering. He had a lot of ideas. There was a time when changing channels on your TV you had to go outside and turn the antenna mast by hand. Jr. developed a way by using a hand crank inside the house you could turn it from the inside of the house!

He hired an attorney to check on a patent.  He didn’t hear back for a few months. When he checked, the Atty said “OH someone has a patent on that already.”

Checking later he found out the atty had patented the device. He had a building, had bought the machines to produce the hand cranked device. I don’t think Jr. even went back to see the atty

BUT before any were produced the ‘Tenna-rotar’ came out. It was a device that you could electrically rotate the antenna, it was a giant hit. The Atty lost many thousands of $$$ for being a crook.

Jr & Mo at the last family reunion at their home.

All Junior said, “Better him than me.”  That was my big brother, a hero, good dad and husband.

 

NiteShipslog

PS:

Junior, con’t

 Memorable Automobiles from The Past:

Imagine HYDROMATIC, THE NEW OLDS HAD NO CLUTCH, Injured military as well as civilians with use of only one leg could drive.

For today:

Junior’s final business was concrete yard decorations. Bears, chickens and ducks plus bird baths.  He expanded into planters, etc. He was very successful. Later he built “Jerry-Joe China Shop.” He and his beautiful wife Mozelle ran that shop for years.

Jun and Mo in front of their shop.

Junior said that once Mo (Mozelle) had called out to everyone in the shop, “Some gypsies just pulled up in front of the store, keep an eye out because they will steal us blind!”

Every one watched the front door and were all disappointed when Sherry & I walked in, passing thru on our way from Missouri, we did look a little scruffy with a one wheel trailer behind our station wagon, both loaded. 

When he saw me in my USMC uniform he said, “Jackie I saw hundreds of Marines die in the South Pacific landing on those islands.” His sons also served, Ted was a Marine and Joe was a soldier.

He told me of nervous nights as he sat at his gun, strapped in; the eerie quietness with only the sound of the waves lapping lightly at the hull of the ship. The  CO or XO had announced,” ’GENERAL QUARTERS’… a squadron of ‘Jap’ planes headed our way, all they could do was watch and pray, straining to hear the roar of the fighter and kamikaze planes coming to try to sink the carriers and battle ships they were there to protect.

As a kid, living in Shelby, NC, I remembered the blackouts. Those nights and many others I heard my mama praying for Junior.

I mentioned here before that mama could follow Jr. because he had named the islands girls names. When he mentioned a girl’s name in a letter mama would go to her world map and find where he was in the South Pacific.

I was near my brothers when they passed. Odis fought to the last. He was restrained, because when his hands were loose he intentionally pulled ALL the life support lines loose. I guess that was back before we had a choice, I don’t know.

Jr. and I stood by his bed, Od’s eyes begging to be cut loose.

Later Junior said, “Jackie, one thing I regret is not taking out my knife and cutting the binders on Od’s arms and let him pull everything out so he could die. That is what he wanted!”

I felt the same way. Odis was a very talented but hot headed man. He had knocked many men out with one blow in the ring. Junior was also a man’s man, but a business man, he was calm in a storm. Anyway that is how their baby brother saw them. Both of them men to be proud of.

When Junior passed, he was calm at the end. It is bad when brothers do not like each other. There was something not right between my older brothers. AS June was dying I asked him that very thing. He smiled, gave me a general answer and died with that secret. He knew I adored both my brothers, he knew I did not need to know, I guess.

Shipslog