20190729 SAVERS for MONDAY

SILENCE

Didn't try to do it.  Maybe later today

AFFIRMATIONS

1. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
2. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
3. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
4. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
5. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
6. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
7. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
8. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.

VISUALIZATION

I AM A SAFE AND COURTEOUS DRIVER.

EXERCISE

Did my full base-70 routine for a Monday:

1. ankle/wrist circles 70
2. toe/finger stretches 70
3. bicycle crunches 70
4. shoulder rolls 70
5. inversion table 3 70-second sets
6. push-ups 70

READING, WRITING

Read for 60 seconds in SAPIENS by Yuval Noah Harari.  He says that the preamble to the US Constitution should be re-written as follows:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men evolved differently, that they are born with certain mutable characteristics, and that among these are life and the pursuit of pleasure."

(I'm going to transcribe his next paragraph, because I believe it is the essence of the message of this book, and it's something I comprehend, and with which I agree.)

"Advocates of equality and human rights may be outraged by this line of reasoning.  Their response is likely to be 'We know that people are not equal biologically?  But if we believe that we are all equal in essence, it will enable us to create a stable and prosperous society.'  I have no argument with that.  This is exactly what I mean by 'imagined order'.  We believe in a particular order not because it is objectively true, but because believing in it enables us to cooperate effectively and forge a better society.  Imagined orders are not evil conspiracies or useless mirages.  Rather, they are the only way large numbers of humans can cooperate effectively."

(Not sure how he knows that imagined orders are the "only way....")

(He continues....)

"Bear in mind, though, that Hammurabi might have defended his principle of hierarchy using the same logic:  'I know that superiors, commoners and slaves are not inherently different kinds of people.  But if we believe that they are, it will enable us to create a stable and prosperous society'."

*********

Well, here we are again.  Michael, through David, is yet again promising that the MONEY DAY will be this week.

I've learned over the last 5+ years that it does not matter what feelings of excitement I might feel at a given moment, it does not matter if I do my exercises or not, it does not matter if I'm a courteous driver or not..........

The MONEY DAY will happen when it happens.

This seems obvious, but I had to say it to clarify my thoughts.

Today I promised Dr. Pruitt to come in early, due to his car problems.  So I'm leaving learly, which meant that I had to get up early & do my routine earlier than usual.

So today COULD be the day before the MONEY DAY.

We'll see.

(and it DOES NOT MATTER what I write here; it will have NO EFFECT on whether today is in fact that day, or not.)

But I feel excited anyway.

20190715 SAVERS for MONDAY

SILENCE

Tried to clear my head for 60 seconds; didn't work that well.

AFFIRMATIONS

1. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
2. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
3. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
4. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
5. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
6. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
7. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
8. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
9. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.

Also said aloud for 60 seconds.

VISUALIZATION

I AM A SAFE AND COURTEOUS DRIVER.

EXERCISE

Did my full base-70 routine for a Monday:

1. ankle/wrist circles 70
2. toe/finger stretches 70
3. bicycle crunches 70
4. shoulder rolls 70
5. inversion table 3 70-second sets
6. push-ups 70

READING, WRITING

Read for 60 seconds in SAPIENS by Yuval Noah Harari.  He says the Declaration of Independence should be modified to read:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men evolved differently, that they are born certain mutable characteristics, and that among these are life and the pursuit of pleasure."

I'm guessing that I agree with Harari in general.  But he makes no mention of WHY the DofI wrote what they wrote:  they were under the tyranny of King George, and they were rebelling against unfair treatment (taxation) by him.  SO, they backed out of HIS control, and placed it on themselves as equally as they could.

They were not concerned, at the time, with biological considerations, other than that men are born.

But still, Harari is correct to point out that if you divorce yourself from any religious baggage, you cannot then discuss being created and endowed by God.  So I do like his modified phrases.

Where to go from here?

Don't know, but I need to decide on a theme for Hamilton/Pomona today.

I am SO THOROUGHLY DISGUSTED that I can't play any music.  WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

*sigh*  I do give up.

20190712 SAVERS for FRIDAY

SILENCE

Tried to silence brain for 60 seconds.

AFFIRMATIONS

1. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
2. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
3. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
4. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
5. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
6. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
7. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
8. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.

Also said aloud for 60 seconds.

VISUALIZATION

I AM A SAFE AND COURTEOUS DRIVER.

EXERCISE

Did my full base 70 routine for a Friday

1. ankle/wrist circles 70
2. toe/finger stretches 70
3. bicycle crunches 70
4. shoulder rolls 70
5. inversion table 3 70-second sets
6. push-ups 70

READING, WRITING

Read for 60 seconds in SAPIENS by Yuval Noah Harari.  He says, and I quote below,

"Just as people were never created, neither, according to the science of biology, is there a 'Creator' who 'endows' them with anything.  There is only a blind evolutionary process, devoid of any purpose, leading to the birth of individuals.  'Endowed by their Creator' should be translated simply into 'born'.

"Equally, there are no such things as rights in biology.  There are only organs, abilities and characteristics.  Birds fly no because they have a right to fly, but because they have wings.  And it's not true that these organs, abilities and characteristics are 'unalienable.'  Many of them undergo constant mutations, and may well be completely lost over time.  The ostrich is a bird that has lost its ability to fly.  So 'unalienable rights' should be translated into 'mutable characteristics'."

Well, there's a lot to digest in what Harari wrote above.  I'm not ready to give up the idea that human beings are more than simply evolved organisms, and that some superior force was able to allow human beings to live in this environment.

It's quite a bleak thought to say "devoid of any purpose."  To me, it is, anyway.  I, who was raised with believing that there IS a Creator, still acknowledge that possibility, and in fact often wonder what she/he/it could have in mind with, for example, so many varieties of each organism on this planet.

DEF:  unalienable

(I always thought they got it wrong & it should be INalienable)

Iphone says "unalienable" IS, in fact, an alternative spelling for "inalienable."  And "inalienable" means 

(when used in the phrase "inalienable right")

.... refers to rights that cannot be surrendered, sold or transferred to someone else, especially a natural right such as the right to own property.

20190709 SAVERS for TUESDAY, DAD & MOM'S 88TH ANNIVERSARY

SILENCE

Tried to silence my brain for 60 seconds

AFFIRMATIONS

1. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
2. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
3. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
4. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
5. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
6. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
7. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
8. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.

Also said aloud for 60 seconds.

VISUALIZATION

I AM A SAFE AND COURTEOUS DRIVER.

EXERCISE

Did my full base-70 routine for a Tuesday:

1. ankle/wrist circles 70
2. toe/finger stretches 70
3. bicycle crunches 70
4. shoulder rolls 70
5. inversion table 3 70-second sets
6. squats 70

READING, WRITING

Read for 60 seconds in SAPIENS by Yuval Noah Harari.  He explores the ideas that Americans adopted in 1776 about who we are:  he says we were not "created equally" by a creator.  Rather, we "evolved differently" over time.  Our genetic make-ups are all at least slightly different.

But my thoughts are based on this idea:  "We" - meaning the sepcies Homo Sapiens - can, in fact, define useful similarities among us.  "We" are alive.  "We" are human.  "We" eat, sleep, live, die.

So why can't we adopt some beliefs that might help us get along?  We CAN, and we DID, and we DO still today.

What are the beliefs?  No longer religious.  No longer mythological.  We are now aware that our evolution - whatever it's ultimate source - has led us to who we are today.  And we as a collective have reasoned that there is common good to be had, hopefully by all.

If that reasoning has been weak, or failed along the way, then it could still be valid.

And that "could still be valid" characteristic keeps me going.

20190708 SAVERS for MONDAY

SILENCE

Tried to silence brain for 60 seconds.  Tried.

AFFIRMATIONS

1. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
2. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
3. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
4. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
5. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
6. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
7. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
8. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.

Also said aloud for 60 seconds.

VISUALIZATION

I AM A SAFE AND COURTEOUS DRIVER.

EXERCISE

Did my full base-70 routine for a Monday - yay!

1. ankle/wrist circles 70
2. toe/finger stretches 70
3. bicycle crunches 70
4. shoulder rolls 70
5. inversion table 3 70-second sets
6. push-ups 70  (YAY!)

READING, WRITING

Read for 60 seconds in SAPIENS by Yuval Noah Harari.  He says that the Code of Hammurabi and the USA Declaration of Independence would call their opposite "wrong."  And yet on the surface, establishing equality seems to be fairer.  Harari says that they're both "wrong," and that the only place either could be "right" is in the Sapiens' imagination.

We shall see, I hope, why Harari dismisses both "equally."  Or will he?

This July 4th, I was quite disturbed by the antics of Daffy Donald, and would LOVE to know that once he's gone, we can return to the way American democracy used to be:  an experiment in equality, one that has succeeded in great measure for 200+ years.

I'm guessing that Harari will argue with me on that.  But I have a longing for the pre-Daffy Donald days that will not go away.  The longing, I mean.

20190707 SAVERS for SUNDAY, ELLIOT'S BIRTHDAY

NOTE:
I took 3 days off from doing my routine.  I guess it's because I had a "4-day weekend" and it's close to my birthday, and I "deserve some time off" - or something like that.

Anyway, here I am again.  And I'm glad.

SILENCE

Tried to silence my brain for 60 seconds.  Did not completely work.

AFFIRMATIONS

1. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
2. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
3. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
4. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
5. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
6. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
7. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
8. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human bieng.
9. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.

Also said aloud for 60 seconds.

VISUALIZATION

I AM A SAFE AND COURTEOUS DRIVER.

EXERCISE

Did my full base-70 routine for a Sunday:

1. ankle/wrist circles 70
2. toe/finger stretches 70
3. bicycle crunches 70
4. shoulder rolls 70
5. inversion table 3 70-second sets
6. squats 35
7. push-ups 35

READING, WRITING

Read 60 seconds in SAPIENS by Yuval Noah Harari.  He says that 3,500 years after Hammurabi's death, (i.e., between 1776 BC and 1776 AD),  Americans declared their independence from England's tyranny, and adopted a new code based on the idea that "all men are created equal."  Harari says that both codes were inspired by gods, but the American god did not classify Sapiens into social groups; rather, people were declared "created equal."

We'll see how soon Harari acknowledges that the Americans did not, in fact, practice "created equal" in that some were slaves, and half were women.

Meanwhile, I'm going to write to Bill Laursen.

20190703 SAVERS for WEDNESDAY

SILENCE

Did 60 seconds of attempting to block out all sounds, sights, and thoughts.  Did better today.

AFFIRMATIONS

1. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
2. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
3. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
4. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
5. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
6. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
7. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
8. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.

Also said aloud for 60 seconds.

VISUALIZATION

I AM A SAFE AND COURTEOUS DRIVER.

EXERCISE

Did my base-70 routine for a Wednesday:

1. ankle/wrist circles 70
2. toe/finger stretches 70
3. bicycle crunches 70
4. shoulder rolls 70
5. inversion table 3 70-second sets
6. push-ups 70

(struggled with the last few push-ups, so I did one extra)

READING, WRITING

Read for 60 seconds in SAPIENS by Yuval Noah Harari.  He says  that in the time of Hammurabi, his code established society in 2 genders & 3 classes (superior, commoner, slave).  He assigned values to each, in silver sheckles.  When all were cooperative, they were able to live, provide food, provide security, and even expand their empire.  Hammurabi believed that this "order" was established by the gods, through him.

Harari rightly says that the values and punishments assigned to the classes & genders seem strange and unjust to us today:  they favored the superiors and the males.

Today, feminists would have NONE of this!!

*********

This morning, after 2+ weeks of silence from David, I received a text, asking for a talk later this morning.

I had gone through the usual anger and frustration about David's handling of me during this "mine project" process.  I mean, I called him, I called Jeannie, I texted him a few times...... and nothing.  No response.  Not even a "I can't talk right now" text.

So what am I to think this morning?  A couple thoughts:

• If DT had any actual MONEY news, he would CALL (as he has promised to do countless times)
• If DT wants to update me, with no real progress, then it can wait.  If this is the case, I do not want to go down the path of "that's great, David!" and "I can wait a little longer," etc.  It's too emotionally draining on me.
• I have an image of DT inside a warm house, and me outside in the muddy darkness looking in (when he calls); he has the shades open, but I have no way of going inside.  He says, "Look at what we're going to have soon."  I say, "Yes, I see it.  Looks great!"  But after a while, I realize that the shades are closed, and thjere is nothing to see.  I look away, and there is nothing but darkness, cold, and endless mud.  I stand immobilized, not knowing what to do.  In a few weeks, or a month, I'll look again and see that the shades are open, and DT is inside, "welcoming me" to what the future might bring.  BIG *SIGH*
• Of course, the image above does not describe my entire life.  I have wonderful kids and grandkids.  I have a job, a place to live, enough to eat, George who loves me...... I have good health.  I have many things to be grateful for.  So I try to avoid going back to the David Dilemma.

20190702 SAVERS for TUESDAY

SILENCE

Tried all night; didn't really try upon waking up.  Oh well.

AFFIRMATIONS

1. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
2. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
3. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
4. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
5. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
6. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
7. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
8. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.

Also, said aloud for 60 seconds.

VISUALIZATION

I AM A SAFE AND  COURTEOUS DRIVER.

EXERCISE

Did my base-70 routine for a full month Tuesday - squat day.

1. ankle/wrist circles 70
2. toe/finger stretches 70
3. bicycle crunches 70
4. shoulder rolls 70
5. inversion table 3 70-second sets
6. squats 70

READING, WRITING

Read for 60 seconds in SAPIENS by Yuval Noah Harari.  He says the Code of Hammurabi was/is the first social order code to be found, and which spells out the responsibilities of a just king.

The code is based on "eye for eye, tooth for tooth" among the equals of the society, but also unjustly punishes certain people when they commited crimes to "lesser people" such as slaves and fetuses.

It was a start, I suppose.  But if does give us an outline of how these relationships and responses evolved over time.

******

Regarding David's deal:

I am incrementally giving up on both the mine deal, and David's friendship.  I suppose I'll "cave" if he should call me or text me.  But right now, it seems like his idea of friendship is pretty shitty (his word; he used it a while back).

*sigh*

At least, yesterday, I was able to identify and fix the problem with my cell phone charger.  Now, it works great!

And George is so very supportive.

And I am blessed to have income (from Dr. Pruitt), and potential more interesting income from Joe.

Life isn't perfect, but it could be a WHOLE lot worser!  :-)

20190701 SAVERS for MONDAY, CANADA DAY

SILENCE

Didn't really try, but it's hard to do, esp when you don't sleep well.

AFFIRMATIONS

1. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
2. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
3. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
4. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
5. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
6. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
7. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
8. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.
9. I, Ken Taylor, am a loving human being.

Also said aloud for 60 seconds.

VISUALIZATION

I AM A SAFE AND COURTEOUS DRIVER.

EXERCISE

Did my full base-70 routine this morning; amazing since I didn't sleep too well.  But I did it ALL.  YAY!

1. ankle/wrist circles 70
2. toe/finger stretches 70
3. bicycle crunches 70
4. shoulder rolls 70
5. inversion table 3 70-second sets
6. push-ups 70

READING, WRITING

Read 60 seconds in SAPIENS by Yuval Noah Harari.  He says that in 1776 BC, there lived a king called Hammurabi.  He ruled what is today Iraq, part of Iran, and part of Syria.  He established a CODE which lay out the best components of a just king.  He lived in Babylon, and ruled over approx. 1 MM subjects in ancient Mesopotamia.

The Code of Hammurabi caught on with the Mesopotamian intellectual and cultural elite, and was often used to show how a monarch COULD rule, if he/she chose to adopt it.

NOTE:  I'm getting incrementally better and better at reading, remembering correctly, and then writing correctly about what I just read.  Shows my brain is not dead, and that it can learn new things.

Today is CANADA DAY.  Happy Birthday, O Canada.

It will soon be JULY 4TH.  And then July 7th (Elliot's 8th birthday).  And then July 10th (My 69th birthday).  And then July 14th & July 16th (Jack & Alicia's birthdays).