Interview With Brian of WaystationOne

It is my privilege to interview Brian of WaystationOne.  He has so many ardent fans that he and his blog probably need little introduction.  Brian has a way with words that has captured the imaginations of over 600 followers.  His blog is not full of photography or art.  Words are all Brian needs to win your mind and heart.  His words ooze empathy and compassion and always point the way to the next right thing to do.  People read his essays, stories and poems, in my opinion,as much for a little attitude adjustment, a values re-alignment, a simple, silken reminder to live consciously and skillfully, as for the beauty of their construction.  Here is a chance to learn a little more about the fine man behind WaystationOne.  (A link will be provided at the end of the post so that you can visit his blog.)  Enjoy:

Could you give us a brief overview are who you are, where you

live, current interests or preoccupations?

i live in Virginia with my wife and two boys. we also have a cat named Miko, who is really in charge around here. she earned that after surviving an alligator attack.  i work as a counselor for kids that are at risk of removal from their home due to behavior/emotion.  i help the parents build structure and learn to live with and love their children and the children with managing and expressing their emotions.


one of the favorite aspects is that no two cases are alike.  it is like working a puzzle, which i happen to find fun and feel  i am good at. i also do not give up easy. on the other hand i deal with a lot of abuse cases and it can be pretty tough holding ones emotions together.  i struggle with that at times.


i have held numerous jobs; dock worker, interim deputy, counselor, salesman, manager, training director, youth pastor, operations director for several large churches, and now back to counselor. all of these revolve around people in some way.  i  really don't know if i will stay in counseling forever, it was supposed to be a short term stop, but i am enjoying myself.

because of the positions i held, we moved seven times in the 14 years we have been married, to 4 different states. for a while it was fun, changing locations every two years. now that the boys are older though, our priorities are changing and we are looking for stability.


What do you consider your greatest achievement?

Being alive at 37...snicker.  honestly, i look at my family and to me they are what i consider the greatest treasure i have.  we have not always had much, but we have always had each other.


What quality do you value most in your friends?

Honesty...it goes to trust, which is the foundation of any relationship.


If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

i can get a bit too focused at times and can ignore the other things going on around me. Focus is good, but not always the best thing in a given circumstance. Large noses also run in our family, so...


You are an amazing storyteller and wordsmith. How did you get started writing and what is it that you particularly love about it?

when i was in high school.  i had an incredible English teacher that pushed me when it came to writing. After a few years in college, i gave it up and did not write anything for 15 years.  i started my blog two years ago in October and after a couple months, my passion for writing was reawakened. For the last 6 months i have really been working on honing the skill.


until a year ago i had not written poetry and began when i was challenged by a commenter. what i love about writing is taking someone there, helping them feel as if they are in the story, by engaging all of their senses. i like to twist as well, and take people to places they would not go otherwise.


i am learning and part of that is just playing and seeing what works. some days it works, other days not so much.


Which writers inspire you?   Stephen King, Nikki Giovanni, Jodi Picoult, Shaun Tan


What do you consider the most over-rated virtue?

being nice...i know that sounds strange but it is so abused...people play at being nice and then you get to see them in their natural environment...i think we should be nice...but be consistent.


Which living person do you most admire?   Desmond Tutu


Is there a historical figure, or a figure from literature, you identify with?

i like Lewis and Clark. i have their journals and have read quite a few books on their journey.  i think it has to do with exploring the unknown and the adventure.


 How do you play?

too much. smiles. i like to go out into the woods, hiking, mountain climbing, swimming, fishing, camping. i also like doing silly things too i had a pretty intense light saber battle with a bunch of 7 year olds today.


How do you attend to your spiritual needs?

time alone. i go to church and practice being the church in my community. i look at sunsets, sunrises, breathe mountain air. i look for ways to bring love into the world. most times when i can, it affects me as much if not more than the one i helped.


Is there one thing you wish you had learned or discovered earlier in your life?

i try not to look back. even though there have been painful times, i embrace them. they are part of my story and what got me here. if i am forced to answer i would say there was a time i chased success way too hard. you have to know what you are willing to sacrifice.


What do you still want to learn?

how to write. i am just getting started so i need to keep refining. i need good honest crit to smooth out my edges. i have started working with an online crit group that i hope will do just that.


How do you make your life meaningful?

i breath. seriously, everything is meaningful. practice looking for it. open your eyes beyond yourself. give yourself away to a cause bigger than you. know that each time you speak to someone you can touch their life.

What is your greatest fear?   something happening to one of my kids...


What sustains you through difficult times?   coffee. smiles. faith. simple pleasures.


What two or three pieces of advice would you give to a young person just starting out?

*  know what you are passionate about, find a job in that field or a related field if you can.
*  chase your dreams, don't settle, but know it may take time.
*  take time to enjoy life.
*  love the one that is yours. never lose the romance.


What brought you to blogging?   a dare by a friend...


What keeps you blogging?

the people...i have found some of the most amazing friends online. i know more about them, for having never met them, than many people i come in contact IRL.


several months back i joined with several other bloggers to create a place where poets and writers can gather to share their works. (http://www.oneshotpoetry.blogspot.com) i love to read others works and this is a great place to make those new friends and be inspired by some incredibly talented writers.


What have you learned from the experience of blogging?

we live in a very interconnected world...it blows my mind sometimes the trends you see in posts. we all are dealing with junk and its not much different than the next guy. as we come together we can help each other through it.


another thing is that there are some scary people out there. you asked me to speak about this in a subsequent email.   i have been the target of an obsessive woman, on my blog.  it started when i joined her meme.  i started getting 5-6 comments a day from her. some of a more intimate nature.  i asked her to stop.  she started emailing me getting more obscene.  had stopped playing the meme but my posts kept getting signed up.  i was labeled  perfect at everything in her posts.  she took posts and put it on her blog.  she did a really freaky highlight of my anniversary.  eventually i went to the cops and called her out on my blog.  we came to an agreement to keep legal action from continuing.  she went away for 3 months but recently commented again and i outed her in a post.  the moral of this is you don't have to put up with people that are disturbing.  don't try to carry it yourself. there are no police in cyberland...we have to band together to keep it safe.


What is one thing about you that would surprise the readers of your blog?

i really have no idea.  i think i write naked, so there is nothing i think i have hidden.  perhaps someone can ask me a direct question on something in the comments that will jog a memory...

You have acquired an incredible number of Followers of your blog. Can you share a few of your secrets for attracting such a readership?

smiles.  You realise after 9 months i had 35 followers.  i had no idea what i was doing.  The last 15 months it grew by 550...it blows my mind sometimes.  it changes daily though...i lose people left and right and then two days later more show up.


if you want followers, play a meme or two and write something interesting. it has never really been about followers.  don't get me wrong its a nice ego boost, but i would take commenters over followers any day.  its about having a conversation for me. if you follow me, i don't necessarily follow you.  if you comment on me, i will definitely comment on you.


a few good meme's i will recommend:
One Stop Poetry's One Shot Wednesday (shameless self promotion) (http://www.oneshotpoetry.blogspot.com)
Magpie Tales (http://www.magpietales.blogspot.com)
Friday 55 (http://g-man-mrknowitall.blogspot.com)


Can you share the titles of a couple of books that have inspired you?

Miles from Nowhere by Nami Mun
The Spoken Word Revolution by Eeveld & Smith
Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning 


What is your favorite word?   evanescence


What is your least favorite word?

it would have to be ethnic or racial slur...something that demoralizes people.


What turns you on creatively, spiritually, or emotionally?

everything...i try to practice a full range of emotion in my writing...sometimes in the same pieces...if i ever get stuck i go for a walk in the woods to clear my head and listen...this give space and silence for things to happen. another place i like to go is a busy coffee shop and just watch people. that will tell me what people are going through and i write it.


What turns you off?

leg hair...oh wait, i am not sure if that was where that one was going.  lima beans would be the second, its like kryptonite to me.  neither of these i think answer your question.  there is so much out there to inspire us though. perhaps being constrained...unable to affect an outcome and only watch it play out...


What sound or noise do you love?

skritch...it is the sound gravel makes dragging across asphalt under your shoe.


What sound or noise do you hate?   gunshots in the middle of the night


What question have I neglected to ask that would have given readers more insight into who you are?

i think you have asked most everything.  what do i hope to do when i retire? (as if i will get there any time soon, smiles.)


What is the answer to that question?

for a few years i would like to travel the world, then settle down in a log cabin in the mountains with my wife...

~~~~~~~

thanks a bunch for doing this bonnie, it was a lot of fun and i am honored to be selected to participate.

The honor was mine Brian.  Thank you SO much. 
To visit Brian at WaystationOne click here.  Brian has agreed to answer any questions you may have for him.

An Interview With Meri of Meri's Musings

Our fifth interview in this series showcasing fellow bloggers is Meri of Meri's Musings.  Meri is an amazing photographer, writer, mixed media artist, digital artist and social advocate.  The stunning images on her blog are often accompanied by a haiku or personal reflection that leave me wanting to know more about this intriguing woman.  Thus this feature interview.  I encourage you to visit Meri at Meri's Musings - a link is provided at the end of this post.  All of the photographs and digital art images in this post are the product of Meri's imagination and talent.  Let's move on now to the interview:

Meri could you give us a brief overview are who you are, where you live, current interests or preoccupations?

I'm basically a creative, intuitive type but also logical and goal-directed. Interested in collaborative, generative projects. Grew up mostly in the Pacific Northwest and find peace and solace in the natural environment: the boundary edges of land and water, the heights of the mountains, quiet forest spaces. Interests? Writing, photography, mixed media art. I'm rarely reading only one book at a time.


Could you name a couple of your strengths?

Creative vision. Intuition. A sense of humor or ability to ping on the absurdities of life, perhaps.


 How about sharing one weakness.

Only one? There are many! I've never learned to love exercise. I stress if there is significant conflict in my personal life (funny for a lawyer, eh?). I tend to over-function emotionally in some relationships.


I believe I read in your blog that you are a lawyer. Can you tell us a bit about that?

I gravitated to law school as an extension of my women's movement activism. I saw it as a means of achieving social justice systemically. Unfortunately, the practice of law quickly disillusioned me; change was incremental at best and maddeningly slow. My practice eventually centered around family law. My favorite clients were women and children (though representing my male clients was more lucrative).

I loved the writing, the problem-solving aspects of law and creating outside-the-box individualized solutions. I also spent some time as a "substitute" judge and particularly enjoyed presiding in hearings because of the fast pace. Also, since I still had kids at home then -- preteens or teens -- it was gratifying knowing that the litigants, unlike my children, were legally compelled to obey my commands.


What do you consider your greatest achievement?

My adult children are wonderful, vibrant, caring human beings. Besides that, I'm proud of my advocacy for causes I believe in (including starting one of the first rape crisis centers in the U.S.).


 Have you always lived in the Pacific NorthWest of the USA?

Nope. Born here, then spent preschool years in Indiana while my father was in graduate school. Moved back to the Northwest at the beginning of kindergarten. Went through public schools and university in Washington. Spent my early adulthood wandering a bit. Have lived in Mississippi, Colorado, and Maryland (went to law school in the latter). Then came home to where my heart had always been. My parents, my brothers, and my sons all live in the state. My daughter is just over the border in Oregon.

What quality do you value most in your friends?   Big hearts, sharp minds.


If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?   Metabolism.


You display amazing digital art on your blog. What is it about digital art that appeals to you?

Digital art is a creative playground, not unlike mixed media art. You can layer things, move things around, and constantly wonder, "What if?" Possibilities are endless.

You are a stellar photographer. What camera(s) do you use? What is your favourite lens?

I'm a Nikon woman. I've got a Nikon Coolpix P90 that I call Baby Camera that I take when I want something really lightweight and non-obtrusive. I've also got a D5000 that is larger but still lightweight. Both Baby Camera and the D5000 will shoot video if the need arises. I've also got a D200 -- a workhorse. Lenses are interchangeable on the D5000 and D200.

My preferred lens is an 18 - 200 mm with a polarizing filter. I've also got an 18 - 24 mm wide angle that's a lot of fun and great for capturing narrow European streets with sky and cobblestones. Plus a micro/macro lens.

What is the best tip you could offer a freshman photographer?

Don't leave the house without your camera. Besides that (and learning to use manual settings).

I would tell you to shoot a lot and study things like the portfolio or single image contest winners in magazines like Color, my favorite photography magazine. Figure out what makes an image stand out. Analyze what appeals to you: portraits, landscapes, abstractions, surreal manipulated photos. Use those resonance cues to push yourself toward your passion. If you love taking photos of something particular --- shadows, reflections, people's hands, color -- then those photos will sing. Oh yeah. . . one more thing: the light is incredible as the sun comes up. Sometimes you've got to fight the urge to hit the snooze alarm and just get yourself outside to dance with the light.

You have more than one blog. Tell us about the others.

Besides Meri's Musings, there's Playing Along (memeplay.blogspot.com) and Tacoma Photo. Playing Along is where you'll find things like my genealogical/historical pieces for Sepia Saturday and my photo montage pieces for Mosaic Monday. Tacoma Photo is being a bit neglected right now because I'm so busy with projects that I'm not shooting new material, but its format is one photo a day of the city and surrounding areas. The photos tend to be a bit quirky on that site.

Who are your favourite writers, poets?

There is a little-known poet named Pit Pinegar whose two volumes of poetry I bought when she did a reading locally. I'm a fan of Ellen Bass as well. I also like David Waggoner, Carlos Reyes and David Whyte's work. Hafiz and Rumi speak to me. Mary Oliver and Marge Piercy.

For Fiction - that's a hard one. I've like some of Elizabeth Berg and Barbara Kingsolver's novels, but not all. I surprised myself by loving the Steig Larsson trilogy. When I was in my 20s, I think I'd read every Joyce Carol Oates novel written, but got over that phase because I got tired of how broken her characters all were. It was tiresome. Besides fiction, I read a lot of psychology, sociology, history, and spirituality literature as well.

What do you consider the most over-rated virtue?

Predictability. (Though I also like Expat from Hell's answer -- humility.)

How do you play?

Being silly; photography; art; writing. Laughing loudly! Getting my hands dirty with acrylics or glue or garden soil.

How do you attend to your spiritual needs?
Cultivating silence. Being in community with members of "my spiritual tribe." Grounding myself by communing with nature.


Is there one thing you wish you had learned or discovered earlier in your life?

That just by being authentically myself, I make a difference in the world and that no one, including me, is "ordinary."


What do you still want to learn?

How to more effectively bring potential to fruition in my projects and visions. To really believe that I can have more than I dream possible if I don't demand a certain outcome.


 How do you make your life meaningful?   By owning and expressing my gifts.


What is your greatest fear?

That I will succumb to fear instead of allowing and embodying abundance.


Meri what sustains you through difficult times?

The example of other survivors; meditation; looking for meaning, no matter how meager it might seem at first.


What two or three pieces of advice would you give to a young person just starting out?

a.  Eliminate the word "should" from your self-talk and be gentle with yourself.
b.  Figure out what makes you excited and fully alive and make that your work.
c.  Love like there's no tomorrow.


What brought you to blogging?

The discipline of writing regularly and a place to put my images and words out into the world.

What keeps you blogging?

The friendships I've made in the blogging community, the gratification of writing and learning that my words make a difference, having people love my images.


What have you learned from the experience of blogging?

You can't predict what will grab people's attention. So write close to the bone, post interesting images, and keep writing to please yourself.

What is one thing about you that would surprise the readers of your blog?

I don't know. Perhaps that I'd be able to entertain myself inside a paper bag? Or maybe that I've never felt capable of writing fiction, but just finished my first and second short stories?

What is your favorite word?   Love


What is your least favorite word?   Can't


What turns you off?

 Political conservatism and religious zealotry. Racism. Sexism.

Oh yeah. . . and dating. Who knew there were so many men for whom I'd have so little time?
I once had coffee with a man who told me his ex had left him up to his eyeballs in debt and he was still rescuing her financially. And then he turned the conversation to crankshafts and drive shafts. Such a romantic. Now I know the cure for insomnia!



What sound or noise do you hate?   Someone verbally abusing a child or spouse.


What sound or noise do you love?   Laughter.

Thank you Meri for taking time out of your busy, creative life to do this feature.  The images you shared will surely inspire some to try their hand at at photography and/or digital manipulations of photographs. 

To enjoy more of Meri's many artistic talents and reflections, visit her at Meri's Musings by clicking here.

An Interview With George of Transit Notes

The next  interviewee in this feature series is George of Transit Notes.  As you will discover, George is a man of extraordinary talent,  gentle wisdom, a strong intellect and a generous spirit.  Every one of his posts is a tour-de-force.  Mere descriptions cannot not do his blog justice, you must experience it for yourself.  You will find a link enabling you to do just that, at the end of the interview.

Just to change things up a bit, George has agreed to opening the questions up to YOU the readers, after you read the interview.  If there is something in particular you would like to ask him when you comment, he will answer questions in the comment section here.

(Images that accompany this interview were photographed and/or painted by George.  You will find titles and details of his works on his blog.)

I invite you now to read and enjoy:

George, could you give us a brief overview of who you are, where you live, current interests or preoccupations?

Prior to retiring in my early fifties, I was a practicing lawyer in Washington, D.C., where I lived for twenty-five years. After retirement, my wife and I moved to an area known as the Eastern Shore of Maryland, which is part of the Delmarva Peninsula, just east of the Chesapeake Bay. My current interests are essentially the great passions that have always driven my life, even during my years of practicing law — reading, philosophy, the creative arts, travel, spiritual growth, and physical challenges.

Could you name a couple of your strengths?

My principal strength is the self-discipline to to whatever is required to achieve the goals I establish for myself. Secondly, I think I have what Keats called "negative capability," which is the essentially the ability to move forward in one's life, confidently and creatively, without being paralyzed by uncertainties, doubts, and fears.

And how about one weakness.

Thanks for limiting your request to just one. I would say it's the inability to enjoy myself in the company of people with whom I have nothing in common.


What do you consider your greatest achievement?

Overcoming the conditioning of my childhood in the American South and discovering that the world holds wonderful and infinite possibilities for the questing heart.

In your sidebar you reveal that you are a lawyer. What can you tell us about your lawyering days?

For most of my legal career, I specialized in energy law, working out of my own small law firm in Washington. I have nothing but gratitude for the opportunities I was given and the support I received during that phase of my life. The great joys of my life, however, have always been found outside of the trappings of my chosen profession.


When did you first become interested in Zen? Would you share a bit about how your Zen training manifests in your everyday life?

At some point in the late sixties, I came across a mind-shifting book, titled "The Wisdom of Insecurity," by the Zen philosopher, Alan Watts. The thrust of the book is that all insecurity and anxiety is based upon the false premise that there is something that we can do in this world to make ourselves secure. Everything we value, however — our status, our possessions, our achievements, and ultimately our lives and the lives of those we love — is impermanent. When this is accepted, argued Watts, the insecurity vanishes. It was one of those paradoxes that resonated with me in the sixties, and continues to do so.

I have not had any formal Zen training. My knowledge of Zen has come from books and observations of those who seem to embody the essence of Zen, whether they are aware of it or not. As for the impact of Zen in my everyday life, I can only say that I am still a work in progress. Compared to earlier years, however, I feel that I am now more capable of living in the present moment without the mind-numbing need to judge everything as either good or bad. To some extent — and, again, I'm still working on it — I have developed the ability to step away from my ego, which I regard as highly untrustworthy, and to simply be a witness to what is happening in my life. I no longer feel the need to resist everything that offends my ego. "Let it be, let it be," as John Lennon reminded us.

Please tell us about your Zen Master?

That would be my yellow lab, Derry, and, facetious though it may seem, dogs have much to teach us about the best way to encounter life. They eat, they play, they rest, they do not become preoccupied with thought — and most importantly, they live in neither the past of the future. They are always living in the present moment — in the here and now — as, indeed, we should all be.

What quality do you value most in your human friends?

Intimacy and honesty — the ability to be forthcoming about the truth of one's own life, and the ability to listen to, and be compassionate with, the truth of other lives.


If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

It's difficult for me to answer this question by identifying a particular trait that I would like to change. I am primarily concerned with the ongoing process of changing the way that I see things — breaking through the conditioning of my childhood and my culture, breaking through the illusions that a terrified mankind has created to avoid an encounter with reality.


You are clearly a lover of poetry. Please tell us about the origins of that love.

Like others, I studied poetry in high school and college, but processed it through my mind as nothing more than an academic requirement. At some point in my early twenties, however, I discovered that poetry relieved the loneliness I was feeling as I attempted to sort through a wide array of existential questions on the path to adulthood. The voices of poetry became my friends, my confidants, my trusted advisors. Poetry reassured me then, as it reassures me now, that I am not alone in this sometimes perilous journey, where the ground is always shifting, and where we are always, as T.E. Eliot says, "wavering between the profit and the loss in this brief transit where dreams cross."

George, your sidebar is lined with your own stunning abstract paintings. When did you start painting and have any been featured publicly apart from on your blog?

I began painting — and studying painting intensely — about thirteen or fourteen years ago. Until fairly recently, I painted three or four days per week, maintained a rented art studio, and displayed my paintings at a few galleries, the most important of which was a co-op gallery in which I was an active participant. While I will return to painting soon, I am now spending relatively more time with writing and photography.

You are also an excellent photographer. Does photography rank up there with your love of painting?

Thank you being so kind. I'm not inclined to rank one over the other. My passion is for expression through the creative process. Sometimes I am called to painting; sometimes I am called to photography; sometimes I am called to writing. I just try to dance with it, avoiding any need to establish myself exclusively as "a painter," "a photographer," "a writer," or anything else. Again, it's all about creative expression for me — nothing more and nothing less.

Changing topics again, what do you consider the most over-rated virtue?

There are so many that it's hard to choose. Perhaps it would be something like success or achievement. Somewhere in the dusty bins of my memory is a quote to this effect: "I would rather be a man of value than a man of success." That's something I have always agreed with.


Which living person do you most admire?

The first name that comes to mind in the Dalai Lama. I'm sure I could think of others, but they would all be people who have resisted cultural materialism and conducted their lives with a higher consciousness.

 Is there a historical figure, or a figure from literature, you identify with?

I've always identified with the character of Larry Darrell in W. Somerset Maugham's excellent novel, "The Razor's Edge."

How do you play?

I try to bring a spirit of play to everything I do. I also find play in just wandering through cities or countrysides with curious eyes and a receptive heart — no agenda — just being "at play in the fields of the Lord," to use the title of a book by Peter Matthiessen, another Zen practitioner.


How do you attend to your spiritual needs?

Solitude, stillness, and listening — finding a quiet, beautiful place that keeps me anchored in gratitude.


Is there one thing you wish you had learned or discovered earlier in your life?

This is difficult to answer because I don't dwell too much on what might have been in the past. More to the point, it seems to me that what is truly important could not have been learned or discovered earlier in life. I needed the ignorance, the inexperience, the pain, and the fear. These were the conditions that energized me, the conditions that launched the quest. Everything plays a role, doesn't it? At this point, it seems to me that the comforting fullness of age could not be experienced without the emptiness of youth.

What do you still want to learn?

I just want to learn — learn, learn, learn — period! Learn about others, learn about myself, learn about the weaknesses and strengths of human beings, learn how to keep my ego under control, learn what things are beyond learning . . . the list is endless. Mainly, I want to continue to break through the myriad layers of cultural conditioning that limit true sight. I want to see what a human being is capable of seeing — and then accept the ineffable mystery of everything that lies beyond our grasp.

In the midst of so much mystery, how do you make your life meaningful?

While I can be as cynical as anyone, I can't escape the belief that my life is — and always has been — meaningful. I simply believe that my little bag of cells is making a small but meaningful contribution in the larger scheme of things — in the slow but certain evolution of life. My task, as I see it, is to live authentically, to be me and no one else, and to evolve in some small way that could possibly improve the future of those who follow us.

What is your greatest fear?

Gorillas. I've never recovered from my childhood experience with "King Kong." More seriously, I guess that my greatest fear would be some type of incapacity that would threaten my ability to fully experience the joys of life. Consistent with my philosophy of life, I certainly hope that I will be able to gracefully accept whatever comes my way, even if it severely limits my external abilities. On the whole, however, I think that I am relatively free of fear — assuming, of course, that I am within striking distance of a good bistro that does not permit gorillas.

So I take it we should not come knocking on your door October 31st costumed in a gorilla suit!
 
George, what sustains you through difficult times?

Gratitude and the knowledge that I have always made it through difficult times in the past. Without being too theological about it, I walk through life with a core feeling that my life is unfolding in the way that it should, a way that is written on the wind, through what is written is often incomprehensible to me. I feel somehow that all will be well — eventually, all will be well. My challenge is simply to ignore the ego, which is always trying to persuade me otherwise.

What two or three pieces of advice would you give to a young person just starting out?

First, understand that the greatest enemy you will face in the world is your conditioned mind. Conquer the conditioned mind and you will able to conquer everything else in life. Second, live an authentic life and live it passionately. There is no other voice like yours, and the universe wants to hear it sing. Finally, don't be afraid to be an iconoclast. We live in a world of illusions — illusions about power, illusions about money, illusions about the nature of the divine, and myriad other illusions. Feel free to cast stones at those illusions. That which is false in life will collapse; that which is true will applaud you for your courage and audacity.

What brought you to blogging?

While doing research on a coast-to-coast trek across England, which I completed in June of this year, I came across our friend Robert's blog, "The Solitary Walker," and found myself delighted by Robert's intelligence, the scope of his interests, the quality of his writing, and the types of things he was writing about. That prompted me to follow through by checking out some of the blogs he read on a regular basis, and that, in turn, led to the discovery of a community of like-minded friends who I have been searching for all of my life. I never expected to place so much importance on electronic communications, but blogging, I'm forced to admit, has turned out to be a great and unadulterated joy.

What keeps you blogging?

People like you — people who are growing, people who reach out to others, people who love to play with words, images, and ideas, people who are willing to express their lives honestly and creatively. Underpinning all of this are the friendships among fellow bloggers, friendships that, in my case, are as valuable as any I have ever had in my life.


It IS the people we encounter that really make this blogging endeavor worthwhile! 
What have you learned from the experience of blogging?

The most important thing I've learned from blogging is that there are more interesting people in the world than I knew previously. I've also learned that one can find friendship and sustenance outside of one's own local community.

What is the one thing about you that would surprise readers of your blog?

I haven't the faintest idea. Perhaps it would be that George — the forceful advocate of breaking free of cultural restraints and other types of mental conditioning — does not like sushi.
OMG, I'm not sure we can be BFF if you don't like sushi  :-)  ... but back to our questions:
 
What two books would you recommend to readers of your blog?

Off the top of my head, I would say, first, the "Tao Te Ching." Read it now and regularly for the rest of one's life. Second, I would recommend the novel mentioned earlier, "The Razor's Edge," by W. Somerset Maugham. The Maugham novel is not only a beautifully written book; it is also a novel of deep philosophical questioning. One cannot read it without having profound questions about the relationship between the spirit and the material seductions of the modern world.

What is your favorite word?

The first words that come to mind are "transcendent," "mystical," "iconoclastic" — all for obvious symbolic reasons. I also like some words for their musical value — "bistro" and "trattoria," for example. Having just said that, I can see that these words also have symbolic value for me. I'm suddenly experiencing the onset of hunger.


What is your least favorite word?

This is the easiest question to answer thus far. It would be that word — shall we say the other "f" word — that is often used to describe flatulence and older people. Where this comes from, I don't know, but I really recoil from this word. As a runner-up in this category, I would suggest "blog," which, to my ear, is a harsh-sounding, hard-edged word for what is basically an online journal or scrapbook. 

What sound or noise do you love?

Small wind chimes, perhaps, with their mystical tinkling. I also love the deep moan of my Zen Master, Derry, as she roles over on her side and goes to sleep at my feet.


What sound or noise to you hate? 

It's the monotonous sound of unwatched televisions that are left on in gyms, bars, and many homes.


What question have I neglected to ask that would have given readers more insight into who you are?

I think you have done a masterful job, Bonnie, so masterful that I may be forced to leave the country after this is published. Speaking of another country, however, it occurs to me that one question that might have been asked is whether there is any country or region other than my own where I might be more comfortable living, given my temperament, interests, and passions?"


And the answer to that question?

Since first traveling to Europe forty-seven years ago, I have felt that I would be more comfortable philosophically and culturally living in a European country, with France and Italy being at the top of my list. Perhaps it's just the romantic in me, but I suspect it goes deeper.

Thank you George for sharing so much about your life and philosophy, as well as a few pieces of your artistic creations with us.  To discover even more about George, visit his blog Transit Notes by clicking here.

George has agreed to grace us with some responses to your comments and questions.

Stay tuned, more interviews on the way!

An Interview With Friko, of Friko's Musings

Welcome to the third in this set of interviews.  If you do not already know and love Friko, please let me introduce her - confident that a fascinating relationship will result from the meeting. 

Upon visiting her blog, Friko's Musings you will discover Friko is a talented, forthright, no-nonsense woman.  If I did not know the story, I would be sure it was Friko who exposed the emperor with no clothes.  Friko's short vignettes, keen observations of human nature, uncanny wit and way with words will leave you entranced.  (Her command of what is a second language for her is astounding!!!)  In her brief time blogging Friko has amassed a large group of devoted followers, of which I am one.   Do visit her blog, Friko's Musings, by clicking on the link at the bottom of this post.  All of the  images in this post are the photography of Friko.  Let's begin the interview: 

Friko, please give us a brief overview of who you are, where you live, current interests or preoccupations?

My current preoccupation is how to complete this questionnaire, which Bonnie has kindly (?) sent me all the way from Montreal, across the big pond, to reach me here in the beautiful backwater of the South Shropshire Hills, where I have ended up, to my great surprise, after years of living and working in London.

As we gaze at the incredible South Shropshire countryside, could you name a couple of your strengths?



What springs to mind immediately is that I am a great survivor. Nothing that’s happened to me has ever really destroyed the essential core, the essential me.

How about naming one weakness.

A tendency towards melancholy, which I find wholly enjoyable.

Apart from wrestling with this questionnaire, Friko what do you consider your greatest achievement?  :-) 

Survival until now.


What quality do you value most in a friend?  A sense of humour.


If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

Become more patient with other people, perhaps even like them better.


You are a lover of poetry. Could you tell us about the origins of that love?

I have read poetry since I was in my mid-teens and possibly even earlier; it comes with being solitary. I had a teacher whom nobody much liked except me, not even the other teachers at my school, yet she spoke to me directly, in a way nobody else has. She liked and taught poetry; perhaps I am her only convert.


When did you begin to write poetry yourself? Tell us a bit about your writing process.

Bonnie, I have never written poetry. My pitiful attempts are NOT poetry. Even these attempts have only started very recently, maybe two months ago. There is enough embarrassingly bad ‘poetry’ about, I really don’t want to add to it. What I do is to write shorter sentences and start each one on a new line.


And maybe wax a little more lyrical than in my prose.


But they read like lyrical phrases of poetry to me!  :-)
What do you consider the most over-rated virtue?

To be a very hard worker. Diligence in what one does, yes, always, flogging yourself to death, no. No matter how much people might praise you for it.


Which living person do you most admire?

I have never thought about it, so can’t give you the name of an individual. I admire people who struggle against the odds to make ends meet, to bring up a family, to fight injustice wherever they meet it. I really admire people who have the courage to stand up for their beliefs. What is called ‘Zivilcourage’ in German.


Is there a historical figure, or a figure from literature, you identify with?

Can’t think of anyone, unless it is one of the suffragettes.


Friko, how do you play?

By listening to music, gardening, walking in isolated places, writing, reading, entertaining, eating and drinking good food and wine. Arguing with Beloved and anyone who will join in about the meaning of the Universe and Everything. I also blog.

How do you attend to your spiritual needs?

By doing all of the above. My spiritual well-being is closely allied to my physical well-being. Perhaps eating and drinking and blogging do not necessarily come under this heading, but walking and feeling one with creation is my way of giving thanks.


Is there one thing you wish you had learned or discovered earlier in your life?

Yes, and not just one: but valuing myself is chief among them.


What do you still want to learn?

Easy: everything I don’t know and would like to know. Could I please have another 1000 life times? And then another 1000.


 How do you make your life meaningful?

Not so easy. A question that needs qualifying: meaningful to whom? In the great scheme of things my life is meaningless; to me it is meaningful because I exist, I am here; I cannot make it any more meaningful than that. If you mean making my life pleasant or useful, well, by the usual means: I try to live consciously and I try to help others in my small way.


What is your greatest fear?

I faced my greatest fear, which made it disappear. Now I fear being overly afraid.


What sustains you through difficult times?

Sheer bloody-minded determination for one, and a strong belief that things must and will change. Everything always does, particularly if you do all in your power towards that end.


What two or three pieces of other advice would you give to a young person just starting out?

Do what you can. Try again if it hasn’t worked. Be as kind to yourself as you are towards others (I hope you are kind to others). Allow balance and humour into your life and don’t take yourself too seriously.

What brought you to blogging?
 Curiosity.

What keeps you blogging?
 Addiction.

What have you learned from the experience of blogging? 
That we are all different, yet basically all the same.


What is one thing about you that would surprise the readers of your blog?

My kind heart and sweet nature.


Your kind heart and sweet nature have created a few blogs. Can you tell us about them?

I have created two other blogs myself and contribute to a third – other than my main blog - . Poetry and Pictures is sheer self-indulgence. The blog follows no other blogs. I have few comments and am rather surprised that it has a few followers.


Fridge Soup is/was my baby but has acquired a life of its own. It is a communal blog. It was supposed to be a site for small posts, funny or sad, serious or amusing; it has become a site a bit like a ping pong game,
one contributor starts the match by adding a post and comments ping back and forth from all comers. Not quite what I had in mind but quite witty sometimes.


The third blog is access for members only. I only contribute.


What two books would you recommend to readers of your blog?

A dictionary and a Thesaurus. (Presumably my readers are also writers).    Alrighty then ....

What is your favorite word?

Weltanschauung, which means world-philosophy and is untranslatable. It means "a personal view of the world in a philosophical sense".


Or "Heimat", which is equally untranslatable and means "that pain we all carry around with us for a place which no longer exists".


Or simply "nostalgia" which at least comes close to the last and maybe even the first.




What is your least favorite word?   Strife

What sound or noise do you love?   The wind in the trees.


What sound or noise do you hate?   Shrill, angry voices shouting.

What question have I neglected to ask that would have given readers more insight into who you are?

Would you be happy to stop flitting from subject to subject in your blog? Or your life?

What is the answer to that question?   No.

~~~~~~~

Thank you Friko for sharing this personal information about yourself.  As ever, it is a delight to connect and interact with you!  Of course, there is so much more to discover about this renaissance woman.  You can do so by visiting her blog Friko's Musings.  Simply click here.

I am hoping that Friko will respond to some of your comments in the Comment Section here.  Her first comment will probably be to deny some of my accolades, but don't you believe her!  :-)

More interviews are in production.  So many wonderful people to showcase, and so little time!

Expat From Hell tells all...well, almost all

The second in this series of interview features is with Expat From Hell.  I know, it makes him sound rather intimidating, but he is one of the nicest people I've met in the blogosphere.

 If you have not already visited his blog, prepare yourself for a fun and often unpredictable 'ride'.  Every post is a story and you are immediately swept up in the hypnotic rhythm of his words.  The signs and symbols along the way seem to mark the ultimate destination ... ah, but don't jump too fast to your conclusions ... Without knowing quite when it happened along the read/ride, a turn will be taken that you didn't notice.  And oooops, you end up scratching your head saying how did he take me from there to here - finding that 'here' is always an interesting place to be. 

You would think that knowing this, I would not get swept up by the ride ... every single time ... but I do.  I hope you will use the link provided at the end of this post to climb aboard the Expat From Hell express.  He will, no doubt, capture and hypnotize you too.

Okay Expat, could you give us a brief overview are who you are, where you live, current interests or preoccupations?

My name is Kent, and I currently live in Dallas, Texas. My present-day interests seem focused and intent upon reflection of the world around me - at least as it appears now that I have repatriated to the USA, as well as in re-entering the world of work and productivity once more.


Could you name a couple of your strengths?

I am extremely perceptive. I have an innate ability to read a person fairly well and fairly quickly, and can develop grounds for good and honest communication with a wide range of personalities.


Name one weakness.

Again, I am - also unfortunately - extremely perceptive. It also allows me to see hate, prejudice, and antagonism just as quickly. The process is often painful, damaging, and crippling as I attempt to move forward from these encounters. The weakness is that I have often in the past gone ahead - in spite of these perceptions - and engaged these types of people as friends, colleagues, and acquaintances - with disastrous results.


What do you consider your greatest achievement?

Taking my dear wife and two children (ages 7 and 11 at the time) to Japan - cold turkey - in mid-1991. Sold my interest in the family business, leased our home in Los Angeles, sold our cars, took the kids out of their schools, and just got on the plane. The rest, as they say, is history. For which I remain eternally content and pleased.


What a daring adventure!  Can you share a bit of what you learned from that experience?

Japan gave all four of us some valuable perspective that has not waned over the passing years. First, as Americans, we saw how the world views our home country. It isn't nearly as important - nor is it the center of the Earth - as we once believed. In fact, the rest of the world seems to get on just fine without us. More often than not, actually! The second most important lesson was - as white people - we were in a tiny minority in the part of Japan where we lived. It helped us gain some understanding - and lasting empathy - for the plight of those who come to our country as minorities - either racial, cultural, or religions - and then try to assimilate. Lasting and searing impressions.


 Do you speak Japanese? Are you conversant in any other languages?

Yes, I do. Also read and write (with the help of a computer program, of course). I have a natural inclination toward languages, and have plodded along in Spanish, Korean, Mandarin, Portuguese, and French (my mother is Canadian) in past years.


What quality do you value most in your friends?

Loyalty and honesty. To that end, I have done a rather poor job in finding those souls who possess these virtues. My list of long-time friendships (that haven't ended in physical or emotional tragedy) is intolerably short.


If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

To flick that guy off of my shoulder, the one who keeps whispering in my ear that I am stupid, without merit, and have nothing to offer others.


You are a natural storyteller with a unique ironic style. Were you always a writer of wry social and political commentary?

Not always a writer, to be sure. My view of life, political and social commentary, and even employment has been from a rather wry and critical (even self-critical) point of view.


In your blog you often make references to popular music and sports. Tell us about the role of music in your life.

My mother is an accomplished pianist, and got me into music at a very early age. It has been something that has helped me - I guess you could call it my musical soul - through times of difficulty, of isolation, and of challenge. I was the lead guitarist in a 50's and 60's rock and roll band for twelve years - from college until I was in my mid-30's - so I still live much of my life with the background music of Chuck Berry, Dion and the Belmonts, and Franki Valli coursing through my sub-conscious.


What do you consider the most over-rated virtue?

Humility. Having had this beaten into me through my Evangelical-Fundamentalist childhood, I frequently saw that it was not only ridiculously over-rated, but often not even present as a virtue among those who prided themselves - such irony there - as being humble. I can feel the bile welling up inside of me as I recall these silly people, even now.


Which living person do you most admire?

The American (former) President, Jimmy Carter. He was unabashed in expressing his faith (even though most American Fundamentalists hated him anyway - another reason I like him), not afraid to proclaim that which he truly believed in, regardless of the popularity or consequence. His views on human rights, the environment, and managing global conflicts were horribly unpopular at the time, but seemingly have gained traction over the past decades. He lived these concepts anyway (even had solar panels installed in the White House!), and was hated, eventually voted out of office, and excoriated for years thereafter. He remains my #1 hero.

Along with Sandy Koufax, of course.


Is there a historical figure, or a figure from literature, you identify with?

Thomas Jefferson. Extremely intellectual, very solitary, creative, knew the limitations of the "faithful" that were all around him, daring, yet compassionate all at the same time. Also, an Expat. To France! There's a man after my own heart.


How do you play?

It used to be physical - being in a band, playing softball. Now it's vicarious - I have always liked smoky night clubs - single malt scotches and draft beers alongside, of course - mostly jazz and piano bars nowadays. Funny enough, I also find some solace in the blogosphere, including social networking sites. It is intellectually stimulating to express myself in these venues, or - better yet - be the gadfly with the contrarian opinions out there.


How do you attend to your spiritual needs?

I actually don't these days. I used to write in a journal, spend time in some form of self-adulating prayer, meditation. Recently I am so pained and anxious when I am in touch with my deeper levels that I don't like to tend to those demons, as it were.


 Is there one thing you wish you had learned or discovered earlier in your life?

I wish I had become bi-lingual as a teenager. It opened up so many doors for me when I finally gained that skill, and I can only wonder how my life's trajectory would have changed if I had acquired that earlier in my life. Frankly, I am almost happy I didn't. Going to the Christian college that I eventually graduated from, I probably would have become a missionary - or a preacher. Can you imagine that? The Missionary From Hell. Sheesh.


What do you still want to learn?

More languages. I am fiddling with the idea that I want to take on yet another. Korean intrigues me, as does Chinese. Plenty of folks out there with whom to practice!



How do you make your life meaningful?

I have to write. There is so little else in the form of edifying communication for me these days. I love to read, love to watch political dramas on the television and on the Internet. But the writing - I hung up my guitar some years ago - is the only thing that gives me a sense of release and true expression any more.



What is your greatest fear?

That I have become what the demons tell me I am. They are often loud, insistent, and very demeaning.


What sustains you through difficult times?

I have some strange inner strength that keeps me going - getting back on my feet after yet another knock-down. Maybe it's self-abuse, maybe it's masochism, but it seems to remain with me - regardless of my situation. Plus I am married to an incredible woman, and she seems to have even more inner strength than I do. It's a good example to live around, to observe. To be encouraged by.


What two or three pieces of advice would you give to a young person just starting out?

Get - the hell - out of your local environment. If you're American, get the hell out of the USA as quickly as you can. Otherwise, you will be doomed to this self-indulgent mind-set that is so prevalent here. It will ruin your life; or, worse yet, make you an "American". If you can gain perspective - really, from anywhere but here - it will be something you will treasure forever. I have seen this in others, even those who took the leap for a relatively short time. Exchange students, Peace Corp volunteers, even back-pack travelers.


What brought you to blogging?

My repatriation to the US and subsequent unemployment. I knew I had something to say, something frankly to simply whine about. Once I found this particular venue, it was rather easy to get started.


What keeps you blogging?

Actually, it seems to be getting more difficult these days. I used to get inspired and motivated on a daily basis. That seems to have slowed down of late. Sometimes I find myself trying to conjure things up - almost mental masturbation - to see if I can get something out there that's worthwhile. It rarely works. I am not a very patient person.


What have you learned from the experience of blogging?

That there are others out there - at least a few - who can relate, who can understand, who can come alongside and be supportive and encourage. It actually has sustained me through some very dark months - you and your work included, good friend.

Oh, that's good to hear.  What is one thing about you, Kent, that would surprise the readers of your blog?

I think if you met me in person, it wouldn't be a very good match with the image I portray when I post blogs. I have a physical demeanor and a way of carrying myself that seems starkly different with the way I write. It's probably better that you just read on, and maintain that nice image of me carrying those Greek beers to your table.

What two books would you recommend to readers of your blog?

Robert Bly's "The Sibling Society" changed me forever.
Thomas Merton's "Seeds of Contemplation" helped me get free of my Christian shackles and into a more meaningful spiritual life.


Kent, what is the significance of the title of your blog, "Expat From Hell"?

I had always - from childhood - wanted to be an Expat. Wanted to live, work, and function overseas. When I had the (second) chance recently, I was sent first to Japan, then Portugal, then Latvia - by a company that I thought was the perfect match for me and my skill set. I couldn't have been more wrong. It was a mismatch from the get-go. I hated the philosophy, the culture, and many of the personalities in this company - it has scarred me very deeply as a result. I found the whole experience horrible and regrettable. Even though, in spite of this, I made some lifelong friends during those years in those places. After a while, it was preferable to be somewhere - anywhere - else, even if it meant extended unemployment. So that's what I chose to do, and I truly don't regret that. Although there has certainly been plenty to supplant that anxiety, now that I'm back home and looking for work in this economy.


What is your favorite word?

Yatta. It's Japanese for "I did it". As you can see from the phonetic arrangement, you can really bite this off when the sense of accomplishment and success is compelling. I hope I have the opportunity to use it more frequently in the future.


What is your least favorite word?

Misandry. I learned it recently when I found that I was encountering more than my share of females who seemed to have a penchant against men. The more I explored that concept, of course, I found that there were often very legitimate reasons for this mind-set. Needless to say, however, I didn't like being the object of said emotion - I have had a couple of female bosses who were really quite abusive - and it made me worry that I somehow was a lightning rod for this type of personality.


It makes me want to just stay home at times.


What sound or noise do you love?

The crack of the baseball bat. When you know you hit the ball with the right spot on that wooden bat, and this one is going to the parking lot.


What sound or noise do you hate?

Anything off key. I have a very refined sense of tune, and can't stand to hear anything that isn't right on pitch. I think that's why I don't like live choral music - choirs, choruses, etc. I can usually tell pretty quickly if someone in the group isn't right on the money. It is almost painful to me to hear - also amateur bands where the guitarist or bassist has let one or two strings get away - I guess that's why I prefer recorded (and engineered) music most of the time.


What question have I neglected to ask that would have given readers more insight into who you are?

What makes you come alive? What is your passion, in other words?


And finally Kent, what is the answer to that question?

Reaching out. Going where no one else wants to go. Making a bridge, developing a line of communication with another - one who is maybe difficult to reach. Making a difference, and coming back to tell about it, even if the audience is small. Going against the grain; being the nail that sticks up - sticks out. Doing what needs to be done, especially when no one else wants to do it.

~~~~~~~

Thank you Expat for being so candid.  To visit Expat From Hell click here.

More interviews will appear soon.  In the meantime leave a comment about this post and maybe Expat will respond to you here.