Oh the places I went

 At the museum this weekend and I ran into Dr. Seuss
Didn’t look where I was going cuz I was drinking my juice.

Like all dr.’s he knew there was something immediately wrong
My jingle didn’t jangle, my sing didn’t song.

The book fell from the top of a carefully balanced stack
It landed at my feet, like it was about to attack.

 Jolted awake out of my selfish malaise
I saw a glimmer of light, through the dark inner haze.

There it was in the dark corner of me
My pozitoodinal light growing that I had longed to see

The book was the key to opening that door
It helped get this lazy tired ass, up off the floor.

So I grabbed the book and started on page one
Before I knew it, I was practically done.

Like the old Grinch from Christmas,  I felt it inside
The warmth of a love, a love that won’t ever subside.

I’ve included a few lines, a few lines from the book
Read them carefully please, just don’t give’em a look.

The name of the book, for those who want to know
Is simply called, “Oh the Places You’ll Go.”

“I’m afraid that some  times
you’ll play lonely games too.
Games you can’t win
’cause you’ll play against you.

All  Alone!
Whether you like it or not,
Alone will be something
you’ll be quite a lot.

And when you’re alone, there’s a very good chance
you’ll meet things that scare you right out of your pants.
There are some, down the road between hither and yon,
that can scare you so much you won’t want to go on.

But on you will go
though the weather be foul
On you will go
though your enemies prowl
On you will go
though the Hakken-Kraks howl
Onward up many
a frightening creek,
though your arms may get sore
and your sneakers may leak.

On and on you will hike
and I know you’ll hike far
and face up to your problems
whatever they are.

You’ll get mixed up, of course,
as you already know.
You’ll get mixed up
with many strange birds as you go.
So be sure when you step.
Step with care and great tact
and remember that Life’s
a Great Balancing Act.
Just never forget to be dexterous and deft.
And never  mix up your right foot with your left.

And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and 3 / 4 percent guaranteed.) KID, YOU’LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!So…
be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray
or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O’Shea,
you’re off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So…get on your way!”

—Dr. Seuss

Color my world with pozitood

What color is the music of your personal soundtrack?

Veterans Day

Veterans Day.  This is a “holiday” that we should celebrate more than any other.  Fuck christmas and fourth of july.  Veterans day should be the grand daddy of them all.

I couldn’t ever be a soldier so I couldn’t ever be a veteran.  Me, I don’t take orders very well.  As a matter of fact I may be allergic to orders.  Give me an order and I’ll do just the opposite, just to fuck with ya.  I don’t do that follow the leader regardless of the cause thing very well.  I know that once I started I would have no problem killing people, good thing that killing is one of those things that I don’t believe in.

We don’t belong in Iraq and I believe the war is fucking wrong.  Strongly believe the war is wrong.  That said, I need to do a better job to support our soldiers who have been put into this scenario by our government.  Stupid fucking government.

I am embarrassed at how we have historically treated our veterans and continue to treat our veterans.  I am embarrassed at how I have treated our veterans.

A couple facts for y’all to ponder.  To date over 3,700 soldiers have been killed in Irag.  Over 27,000 have been injured.

Apathy is the first word that comes to mind.  These folks come back from serving their country and rather than treat them to the best of everything and anything we file them away.  Afraid to make eye contact, afraid to engage them, afraid to deal with them.  Them, it’s so fucking wrong.  They need to be made part of us.

The system needs to be overhauled.  The system needs to make these folks a priority, not an afterthought.  The system needs to be fixed. 

First step is I’d close every VA hospital in the country.  These folks deserve the best.  They deserve to be treated at the best hospitals and rehab centers our country has to offer - no cost.  They don’t need to be shuttled away to stand alone facilities that are at best sub-par.

Second - from a financial perspective we need to figure out how to take care of the disabled veterans for life.  Training, counselling, financial aid, whatever it takes we need to support these folks and make it possible for them to live as full a life as possible.

Third - as we start evaluating our choices for president over the coming year, let’s ask them what their plans are to support our veterans and our soldiers still in harms way.  What’s their plan to make these folks “Whole.”

My first step is I have a couple restaurants and I am going to ensure there will be no hungry veterans next week.  While we are all giving Thanks for family, friends and bountiful food and drink, I am going to ensure every veteran I can reach will feel that same gift of thanks.  Feel that same bountiful food and drink. 

Chortle On!

He, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he

Come on, try it with me -

He, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he

Come on, one more time, this time laugh like you mean it -

He, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he

You ain’t even trying…come on folks we’re talking a good laugh here -

he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he

No, really, give it your all, you need to step it up a notch now -

He, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he

That’s more like it - now time to hit another gear and let’s have us a real good chortle -

He, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he - more - He, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he

A chortle? 

What the fuck is a chortle?

What’s a chortle?  Well, according to the dictionary, chortle means to chuckle gleefully

“Chuckle Gleefully”

Now there’s a fucking definition.  You know the word is good when they use the adverb gleefully in the definition.

I love to chortle.  I make it a point to chortle a number of times everyday.  How about you?

Chortling is such a pozitoodinal thing to do cuz it comes from your belly.  In my opinion, you ain’t chortling unless it comes from your belly.  You know, that laughter that makes your belly jiggle all around…you know  like that dude born on Jeebus’ birthday - Santy Clause.  Santy Clause chortles alot. 

Chortle, chortle, chortle.  He, he, he, he, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha,

Big finish now….

He, he, he, he, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha,

Don’t be Afraid to Ask

Again the power of pozitood was demonstrated to me over the past couple days.

Here’s the story -

I came up with a great idea to take Princess L to see Dr. Oliver Sacks back in early October.  Dr. Sacks was going to be participating in a free public forum in Cambridge to discuss his new book “Musicophilia.”  A free public forum sponsored by, who else, but the Cambridge Forum (www.cambridgeforum.org). 

Dr. Sacks, who the NY Times referred to as, “the poet laureate of medicine,” is a US based British Neurologist.  Most people know him from his work with patients suffering from encephalitis lethargica as documented in the film “Awakenings.”  For more on Dr. Sacks I’d refer you to his web site:  www.oliversacks.com . 

So last Saturday, while I am up to my neck in pizza dough I get a call from a very irrate Princess L.  At that point she had turned into Evil Princess L.

It seems that they had decided to issue tickets for the forum.  The tickets were free so I guess it was more about managing the size of the crowd based on the capacity of the venue.  The bad news was that all the tickets were gone.  Yep, the event was sold out and Evil Princess L was none to happy about it.

Somehow, Princess L had determined that it was a conspiracy of one (me) to ruin her weekend and her life.  Yep, that was my plan the whole time - tell her about the event, ge her psyched to go see it and then at the last minute ruin it by not getting tickets that no one, no where had indicated were needed.  Yep, that was my plan.  I am an evil genius that way…..Ughhhh.

So standing there after I hung up the phone I was thinking….what the fuck….how do I turn this bad thing into something good…..enter Patty Pozitood.

Up the stairs I ran and I got on-line.  Someone must be scalping tickets to see Dr. Sacks.  So I hit all the websites and all I found were people LOOKING for tickets.  Ughhh.  Free tickets that people were willing to pay $30 - $50 for.  Double ughh.

So, what to do.  I sat there for a good 15 minutes before a bolt of pozitood rained down from the sky and burst forth in my skull. 

Email Dr. Sacks and beg him for two tickets.

Huh, sure, if anyone would have access to tickets he would.

So off I went.  I typed a note describing my plight.  I clearly explained that without tickets I would forced into eternal damnation at the hands of Princess L for screwing up what should have been a great day/night for her in Cambridge.

I finished the email and pressed send.  Funny, at that point I was pozitood that he’d come through for me.  I am still not sure why I was so confident.  Actually I know why I was so confident - pozitood.

Fifteen minutes later, to my shock and surprise I get an email from Kate Edgar.  Kate is Dr. Sacks long time assistant and I believe editor.  In her email she explains that in fact it is my lucky day.  She has two tickets she is not going to use and I can have them.

I wrote her back, thanking her profusely and letting her know that I thought she was an angel.

Again folks - it’s all about pozitood!

So a very contrite Princess L and I went last night to hear Dr. Sacks. 

Dr. Sacks was, in one word, amazing.

I’d encourage everyone to check out his website and to simply enter his name into a search engine and read about his contributions to neuroscience and the world.  Truly amazing.  Dr. Sacks described himself as, ‘an incontinent story teller and a Jewish atheist”…..brilliant.  Simply brilliant.

 Cheers and remember - it’s all about pozitoodinal energy - baby….even Princess L can’t resist it.  hehehehehehehehehehe

A Color of Convenience

First let me say that this is America and we need more people like Al Sharpton. 

WHAT!

No, I am serious, we need more people who are passionate about a cause and are not afraid to speak their mind.

I’ll be the first to admit I don’t agree with much that Mr. Sharpton brings to the table.  

I am on the record with my disagreement with the treatment that was brought down on Imus for his racially insensitive remarks about the Rutgers women’s hoop team.  He was appropriately punished with a suspension and ultimately lost his job.  Hey, his employers have the right to do whatever they want.

Mr. Sharpton was vociferous in his attacks and condemnation on Imus.  Imus if you don’t know is a white man who had a morning radio show on MSNBC and WFAN in NY.

Recently Isiah Thomas, President, Head Coach of the New York Knicks and a hall of fame player was convicted by a jury of sexual harassment of a female employee.  He has appealed his conviction as well as the $11M damages awarded to Anucha Brown Sanders.

I read today that after meeting with Mr. Thomas, Mr. Sharpton has decided not to hold any form of protest related to Mr. Thomas’ conviction.   Hmmmm, how is it that Mr. Sharpton feels it not necessary to bring the same wrath on Mr. Thomas ( guilty via jury) that he brought on Mr. Imus.

Hmmmm, one man makes an off color comment during a radio show and is shown the door for it.

Another man sexually harasses a female employee and is found guilty by a jury and Mr. Sharpton holds his tongue.  He also is still the head coach and president of the NY Knicks.  Then again he’s ruined that team in concert with the owner Mr. Dolan…but that’s another story.

Me thinks Mr. Sharpton is a hypocrite.  I think that Mr. Sharpton’s silence is one based on a color of convenience. 

Funny thing is that no one has done anything about Mr. Thomas’s conviction.  His employer - nothing.  The National Basketball Association - nothing.  Then again, the NBA may have more to worry about with their gambling referees.

I guess we’ll wait and see how Mr. Thomas’ appeal goes.  Make a note here folks - for some it’s seems it is far worse to be tried and prosecuted in the court of public opinion than in a court within our judicial system today.

Good luck Mr. Thomas on your appeal - I am sure the Sharpton vote of confidence will help you sleep well at night.

 Cheers

Pozitoodinally lounging with Godzilla on the green grass of the other side

A righteously pozitoodinal Friday to y’all.

Another beautiful, crisp morning here in the Pioneer Valley.

Got Pozitood?

I do, I do.

I woke up smiling and that’s how I is gonna be all day!

So all you negative fuckers - bring it on, I’ll do a godzilla on your ass.  Ever have someone go godzilla on ya?  Didn’t think so. 

I love tests, don’t you.

I especially love it when people test me.  You know, it goes back to that predictability thing.  That, I am gonna push your buttons thing cuz you look too fucking happy.

People really are funny.  Not in the hahaha sense of the word.  More in the funny I didn’t think you are really that stupid sense of the word. 

Well I can tell you that every test I’ve had today and I’ve had more than you’d think, I aced.  Totally screwed up any chance of a curve for the rest of you folks.  Granted I have bite marks on my tongue, but why promote the negativity to a higher level.

You know what I love doing?  I love when someone is all pissed off and spewing venom at ya, I like to wait till they look away and then make the funniest face I can right at them.  You know, the thumbs in the ears wiggling fingers kind of funny face.

Ya gotta be quick cuz if they catch you it’s gonna get ugly.  Do it a couple times and you’ll see how good you feel.

There is more to green grass than smoking it. 

You know the saying, the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence?  I think that’s how it goes.  I think there are a lot of people who really believe that saying.  I am not one of those.

Not me, I like the saying, the devil you know is better than the devil you don’t know.  Sort of like keeping your friends close and your enemies closer.  Enemies?  That’s an interesting word.  I think the world would be a better place if we struck that word from the dictionary.  Do we really need enemies are there really such thing as enemies?  Unless your in the government and are trying to justify a military budget that is sooooo outta control.

How much is too much?  I’ve been asking myself that question for the past couple days.  I watched a movie the other day, Ten Questions with the Dalai Lama, and in one of the answers he talked about the “West’s” greed and “need to have” as a source of great unhappiness.

I think he’s right.  You get so caught up in wanting more there is no way you can ever be satisfied and feel good about what you have.  I need to practice this more.  I need to make it a priority.  Have less, enjoy more.

Peace