What to Do in TIme

one deal i hate about time marching on, is that an obsessive compulsive like me always thinks there's more to be done, "i missed it", i'll never have the chance again, etc.

but in trying to work "with" time i try to stick with the natural time periods (days, seasons, years), not the man made (hours, weeks, Jan to DEC calendar)

• by the day: to reach my goals, become my fullest man etc, there are a few important activities i like to be done daily. not too many, but they take effort: reading up on the news (world and local, and local is New York city, which is a world unto itself), exercise every other day (hard core, some heavy weights, cardio vascular, outdoors in all weather, etc), voice (speaking well, stretching my singing to the limits: pitch, volume, timbre), "career": this blog brilliance haha, trying to advance in the arts is extremely difficult of course etc
• by the season: lots every season, e.g: spring: outdoors, blooms, parks, love (wink) etc; summer: beach, outdoors, friends, family;, fall: foliage, nights, etc; winter: snow, activities, holidays.
• year: more my year (between birthdays) not artificial calendar year: writing, progress, physical achievements (not getting any younger), career etc.

of course this doesn't mention special days, birthdays, holidays etc. hell weeks at job etc. rough weather seasons. sickness.

so lots of pressure i suppose. to get much done in time. have done much but always seems like more of course. and always so many reminders (not even mentioning the man made ones) that time moves on always.

The Man of a Certain Age part 1

i do make some new year resolutions, some of which come true. but i always think that your age is the stronger "iron law" of time for us. since on jan 1 you don't really turn a certain age, but on your birthday, you do.

and that's when i say to myself, more than any time in the year usually, im this age now? what have i done? what have i not done? what the hell have i been doing? why didn't i do more? etc.

so i usually make some kind of list. like what you see in some histories about the 'GOlden age' of a people, like how the height of the Roman empire was known for arches, sanitation, togas etc.

and that list is what should be strived for in that 'age'.

i also try to look into the future. and say to myself, im at this age now and it's time to do the following...because, next year, at that next advanced age, will i really want to still be doing....? now unfortunately as soon as it's written, i figure i have a whole year, so i think i have plenty of time.

Aging Parents, Loved Ones

well i hate to preach (haha), but i do have some advice that doesn't seem to be said enough in our society, where too often we're interested in the new, trendy, strong, etc. i ask more people: pay attention to your loved ones before they get too old, sick, weak, and unfortunately die.


as i've mentioned before my mother has had fading health for many years. after she retired, i asked her to write more down: family history, language (see entry from yesterday), stories. unfortunately she was very sick and weak, didn't get much done.

so i started to interview and film her, and write myself, about what i mentioned above. made some progress. unfortunately her health took a sharp turn for the worse a couple years ago so i think that a lot the past will be lost.

so I'm trying the same with my father, and for yesterday's St Patrick's day, instead of being an Irish stereotype of a walking green intoxicated loudmouth, i interviewed and filmed him in a similar way. .

so think of the future, that some day, maybe your kids will ask about their ancestors, or you may wonder yourself more, so try to take advantage while you can, is my advice.

Our Aging Parents

• it's inevitable of course. we get to an age where our parents get older (hopefully they're still around), aren't' able to do as much for us, themselves, etc.

• today i realized i did another little action that brings me out more independent of my parents, but also is an indication of them slipping into old age more: for my "Emergency Contact" on a form, i don't write down my father now, i write down my sister. wish i could write him down but he's getting older, not as able to do as much etc. i mean he doesn't really know how to fully use a mobile phone for crissake!

i know it's small but it's like for whom the bell tolls another hour on a clock. i know he probably won't read this for a while at least and i don't want to knock him, just part of life moving on i suppose.

Picture Youself in a Bizzaro World

there are a few times that i think i am taking part in some Einstein inspired space time experiment.

one is pretty visual: there are times in the NYC subway system that trains run on tracks next to each other, around the same speed, like express and local. you can see into the other train easily.

seems different than when you pass automobiles i suppose because they are so much more a show of the personal: status symbols, income, who you're with etc.

but trains look pretty similar, so it's more mirror mirror.

and i think to part of Special relativity about 2 rocket ships travelling at the same speed near light speed. it may be part of the twin paradox, one traveling on each.

so when our trains are running, you look over there at times. and i almost expect that to be a parallel universe traveling thru time, where i see myself if i had chosen a different life. like i see some YUPpie, dark suit, slicked hair, reading the Wall Street Journal, disdainfully riding the train amongst the rabble, pissed he can't yell on his phone for once (it's underground, no reception), there because he couldn't get a cab fri nite or something, going to his uptown joint, with his yuppet, drinking wine, living like Charlie Sheen.

maybe time to get off next stop no matter what is is eh?