Say "no" to the good things...

For those of you who don't know this, the Landmark Forum (see www.landmarkeducation.com) is the latest version of Werner Ehrhard's "est" (Erhard Seminar Training) program. It was pretty popular in the 1970's, but had a lot of bad press. Like - you would sit there all day and couldn't leave to go to the bathroom. It's truly not like that anymore. It's transformed into several new programs that start with the Forum. They also offer Communications training and Leadership training.

I'm mentioning this because a friend of mine is involved in the program and had invited me to attend a free introductory event last November. Now it's February and with the next FOrum offered in my area in March, he asked me if I intended to go.

I tried really hard to consider it. I watched the videos, read the syllabus, but no matter how hard I tried to keep an open mind, I just couldn't bring myself to enroll.

If seems that I have different understandings about life and relationships, and that although I could attempt to suspend my attitudes for the two days and one evening so that I might gain some insight, it would be two days and one evening of suffering. Oh, not like physical torture, starvation or pain but emotional and mental suffering.

So when he called me back two days later and asked if I would enroll, I said no. And that was something!

I've been listening to "motivational" CDs lately, and one guideline I've taken to heart is: Say "no" to the good things and "yes" to the great things.

Well, this opportunity may be good but I'm still saying no.

I think putting this guideline to use in my life will be a good thing, as I tend to say "yes" to so many things, that I tend to get little done with the things that are priorities.

I've heard that we all have 168 hours per week, so how we choose to spend them is an indication of our character and core values. So why do I spend so much time in front of my HD TV?? I'll save the answer to that for another post...

Hello World!

In case you didn't know this, but back in the day the first program that people would write would be to display that text - as a paper print-out or as a screen display. So it's only fitting that I would start this blog with those famous words.

However, I'm not a programmer. In fact, I've made an IT career out of not knowing how to code, not knowing UNIX(r), or ever having to do anything that required touching a computer. Well, the keyboard of a PC doesn't count, not really.

So why is this not my journal, you may ask? Well, I'll tell you.

Over the years I'd buy beautiful journals - each a promise that I would chronicle my life, release the inner-writer, confess my darkest secrets, have adventures in fantasy, and unleash the creative flow. I'd write a few pages, break for a few days, write another page then stop for a few months. I'd make sporadic attempts, realize it was either trash or embarrassing. So out the window went my good intentions and into the trash went the pages!

But this is NOT my journal! It's my blog. So let's see where this leads us...

My promise to you, kind reader, is not to delete my posts.