First Poem- Ever

The Past

I want to change what happened
I don't want the same outcome
I keep trying but in vain
It will keep being the same

I know now that what happened happened
We do not have the power to change once written down
Unless we learn from the lesson before
Don't keep doing the same old same

So change the words and the meaning
Make it so it cannot be the way you regret
Stop the mistakes and errors
Fix them before it becomes too late

Better yet change the focus
Go from it was to it is
Dwell not on yesterday
Rather focus on the now

Keep present for the time being
Let it flow and don't let it stop
Don't accept the way it always was
Change it now to it is

Organization

So, I have amassed a great number of music Cd's since their creation and the fade out of vinyl. After having replaced all of my vinyl LP's with their equivalent in CD format I have also continued collecting en mass at a hectic pace. Now I have the dilemma of where and how to store them. Initially I had a couple of IKEA "Billy" bookcases which seemed to do the trick. Then they were moved to some built in bookcases when we built the new house seven years ago. Now they are spilling out all over and take a lot of time to re adjust every time a new title appears on the shelf. So long, in fact, that it takes a whole day to sort them because I cannot just slip one onto the shelf. They are filed by artist last name first, first name last and were grouped from newest to oldest in relation to release date. With it being such an endeavour (almost like preparing to climb Mount Everest I am sure) they task gets put off until today when I started sorting and swapping and filing and whew I only got through the A's and barely into the B's.
The solution will be a media server which is like a hard drive with capacity in the terabyte range. At this pace I will probably need three or four to hold the 3000 to 4000 music Cd's (this is to hold the music and album art, liner details, etc.) I think I can do it along with iTunes to have a complete audio catalogue. I don't have the same rampant problem with DVDs but I do with books which will be another challenge and post. So, back to the media server. All is not over once the choice is mad3e. The next challenge is to load all of this data onto the server (task is to develop an estimate of man hours for this) which is somewhere around 3000 hours (rough estimate, eyeball, thumbnail). And then, what to do with the stuff once all is loaded and no longer required. I guess sell "the collection" to a used CD store, recycle somehow or advertise the collection on eBay. The other question is of course around cataloguing them all. There is software that uses scanning or bar code technology to scan them into a database so that a listing can be effected versus a manual load into MS Excel or MS Access (very labour intensive).
So, challenges and future posts!
If you have any comments, suggestions, ideas or want to help me with this momentous task- let me know. Drop a note, send a response or comment. I need all of the help I can get....

Time Flies

Wow! It is June already. There are moments when it feels like time drags on and when time goes by so fast it feels like everything is out of control. What to do? Well, one can look at it like you have to get your arms around all of it all of the time- won't happen. It will be a continual frustration because one will never catch up or get your arms around it all and touch your fingers. It is impossible because there is too much and it is all moving too quickly.
So, what to do? Decide what you have control over and what is worthwhile expending the energy on. What are the priorities? What is important today and tomorrow? Start by chunking it down to smaller pieces so it is more manageable and you will start to see progress.
This is all great advice- now why can't I follow it myself? I need help and support on this journey so I can get out of the tangled mess that I keep mulling around in. I need help and a boost to get on top of it and work my way forward to achieve success- where are you? Please, contact me and help me. I will acknowledge and support you in your endeavors too. Isn't this what we are supposed to do? Help one another get over the rough spots? Help me and help you- call or contact me so we can work through this. Please.


On this day in:
1967 - In the U.S., "Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" was released by the Beatles. It was released on June first in Britain.

Birthdays
Charlie Watts (The Rolling Stones) 1941
Marvin Hamlisch 1944
Stacy Keach 1941
Johnny Weissmuller 1904
Henry VIII (England) 1491
Marquis de Sade 1740

Side Cars

Well, side cars are typically used with motorcycles as a means to sometimes accommodate a passenger. This was typically seen during WWII and to a much lesser extent in more modern times. An aside to side cars is the action of side swipe side swiping or being side swiped. This is an unexpected but probable effect caused by someone or something that is totally not anticipated, foreseen or "out of the blue". This happened to me this morning and I have been devastated by the occurrence while trying to resolve it and not react. This has not been a minor happening but rather a major event that is having a far greater impact on my life and my thought processes than what I wanted it to. There is also a very large component which is having an impact on my career- present and future. By dwelling and ruminating about it, I am only directing energy towards it which allows it to feed and thus, grow.
Okay, I have had enough and want it to stop. Now. There has been enough punishment and suffering why can it not end. Is it malice? Who is feeding this and encouraging it to thrive? Why not end it and move on? What do I have to do to stop the pain and suffering? Why does it seem that others are avoiding me- not taking calls, not returning messages and practicing avoidance?
This is not me or what I deserve. Whomever is behind this, stop- please. Call me and let's understand each other and agree on a truce and a resolution so we can bury this. You win.

Today- Thursday May 28

Today is also a down day for me- I have been unemployed since March 2 of this year and the struggle has been like a roller coaster with today being down in the trough. The news has not been positive or the outcome that I wanted when discussions with two prospective employers resulted in comments that I was overqualified for the position and we are looking at someone with more experience in another area. So, with insanity, feelings of being unwanted, not having the right skills or a degree, not knowing someone in my networking web that could be influential in getting me into something so I don't go crazy or as some would say crazier.

What do I do, where do I go? At this point in time I keep plugging away by checking monster.ca, saskjobs.ca, abjobs.ca, following up with previous submissions, renewing contacts, networking, staying busy with writing, poetry, cleaning house, checking the website, making phone calls and taking time to nurture my relationship with Wendy and me. I have a pork roast and some pork chops on the smoker using hickory chips so it should make for a yummy meal today, tomorrow or later.

Help, support, ideas, suggestions are all helpful. None will be refused and all will be reviewed and considered. Opportunities are always welcome along with a kick in the bum.

The following significant events occurred on this date in history:

1934 The Dionne quintuplets were born in Ontario Canada.

1957 Baseball owners voted to allow the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants to move to Los Angeles and San Francisco, respectively. Many New Yorkers still haven’t recovered.

1997 Linda Finch completed Amelia Earhart's attempted around-the-world flight.

First- Start- Beginning

May 26, 2009

Today is the day- create a blog. This is my start to the journey that I will call writing. I wanted to start but did not know where, whence, or any of the other wh words. So, with the recommendation of Simon and indirect answer to my question of where does one start when one knows that he wants to write I took the plunge and created this blog. I have known about them for years having first learned about them at the Banff Centre from one Jon Husband. I, like many, have finally come around to the new way of thinking and not mamas.
Today or rather tonight, I also attend a workshop titled "Inspiration, Imagination and Invent" hosted by noted children's author Simon Rose (www,simon-rose.com). The seminar will examine the writing process from initial concept through to the finished manuscript, including how to turn ideas into stories, the creation of outlines, story structure, character development, the role of research and the importance of editing and revision. These are the instructions that I have been searching for in order to begin exploring what to write and where to put for others to enjoy. I can also explore the idea I have (rather a book title for a childrens story and a title for a documentary about an aboriginal man who has a very interested and cryptic journey). I also found a resource in a local artist who teaches painting to students who are interested in finding their form whether oil, water, acrylic, etc. I will post more on these discoveries as I start my journey and wind my way down the gravel road.