Tag Archives: blogging

Past Present Future

21st post for #bloganuary (a WordPress event)

The Prompt: If you could, what year would you time travel to and why?

Ah. A classic topic in the ol’ game of imagination. Time travel! In some ways, I kinda selected a version of time travel as my super power in the previous question (Slo-Mo Man), but let’s explore this a little further from another angle or two.

To the Past…

The past is full of memories. Some comforting. Some regrettable. If I go back in time, either to my own timeline of before my birth, I have the opportunity to change the future for better or worse. While there are many things I wish were better in this world, I do not want to risk changing the course of my life. It’s how I got to be who I am. I’ve worked very hard to overcome my challenges – some imposed by others and many imposed by myself. I finally like myself (mostly) and I love my life and the people in it. So, despite the temptation, I’ll pass on the past.

To the Future…

Ah, this is something that I’ve flirted with so many times in my life. It’s the escapist’s dream. Fast forward through a boring school day. Skip past the heartbreak year after a painful breakup. Or jump all the way to life’s finale for the ultimate release. Even these days, when I’m trying to embrace the present, I can find myself fantasizing about retirement during a particularly annoying zoom meeting at work. But to skip ahead is to miss all the presents in between. I don’t want to miss a moment. A chance to share a laugh with my kids. A hug with my wife. An interesting introspection with my mom. A hot coffee or cold beer with a friend. So, its a firm no on fast forwarding to the future for me.

To the Present…

You might be wondering exactly how “time-traveling” to the present would work. Isn’t it just NOT time-traveling at all? Well, I’d argue that while my body is always in the present, my mind is not. My mind is often reliving the past or fantasizing about the future. While this isn’t inherently bad, it tends to be a negative place for me. Either a place of regret, guilt, and resentment. Or a place of unhealthy escapism that leans toward suicidal ideation. So, my choice is to time-travel to the present. It’s the one version of this fantasy that I can actually work on to achieve.

When Time Stills

Where

nothing

happens,

When 

time

stills,

and

the

world

shrinks

to

now,

I

awaken.

Be well,

Monty

A Photo of a Photo

20th post for #bloganuary (a WordPress event)

The Prompt: What is your favorite photo you’ve ever taken?

Um, “ever”??? Let’s get reasonable. How about my favorite photo that I have on my phone’s camera roll? I mean it’s not reasonable to expect me to remember all the photos from my very first manual camera till now. That would be over four decades. But, if I’m honest, most of those photos will have my thumb in the corner so probably not legitimate candidates. So let’s see, I’ll be back after doing some browsing and trying to remember which photos I personally took.

…

Ah, that was quick, actually. Here is a digital photo of a physical photo that I took back in Nagoya, Japan in 1995 of the girl I had fallen for the moment I met her. When I look at this photo I feel the excited energy of falling in love all over again. Ah, to be 22 again.

Four months after this photo was taken we were married and we celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary last year.

“Intoxicated” – originally published in Monty’s Very Short Shorts

Be well,

Monty

The Night Train

19th post for #bloganuary (a WordPress event)

The Prompt: Write something mysterious.

Well, this is quite the turn. Write something mysterious, huh? No query. Not even a polite “please”. Just a matter of fact statement to write…something…mysterious. Challenge accepted!

The Night Train

It was after midnight. A bit foggy. Like my memory of this night over 40 years ago. Or perhaps it was a dark clear night with no moon? As I said my memory is foggy. But despite the lack of certainty on some of the specifics, this is a true story.

We were sitting in the car, parked at the Brattleboro, Vermont train station lot situated tightly between the long since closed station building and the rails. We were awaiting the arrival of Amtrak’s Montrealer – traveling painfully slowly from New York City to Montreal due to the poor track conditions. The only passenger train serving our rural community. I was 8 or 9 years old. My older brother, about 12, was on the train, which was running late as always.

It was cold and dark. Just a single dim lamp lighting the parking lot. Mom was sitting next to me in the driver’s seat. A shiver came over me as we sat there. Not from the cold (the car was running with the heat on), but from a sudden vision. I knew (not thought, knew!) that the next car that arrived in the lot was going to fall off the sharp edge of the parking lot and onto the tracks. I didn’t just have the feeling…I told my Mom what I was so sure I knew was going to happen. She didn’t say anything as far as I recall, but she listened and still remembers that night and my prediction.

So when the next car came crawling in we watched it carefully. It was a small passenger car. And, as I’m sure you already suspect, it slid off the parking lot surface and hung over the edge onto the tracks. Exactly as I had predicted. There was a moment of excited panic across the lot as some folks rushed over to the stranded vehicle. The train was already late so it could arrive at anytime with its loud horn and slow rumble. But the night was still silent, and the car was light enough to be lifted to safety by the group of burly Vermonters. And all was well.

I can rationalize this “premonition” as just being a logical fear due to the narrow driving lane between the parked cars and the tracks and the dim light of the night. But, I’m inclined to think I saw the future. Why not? It makes for a cooler story.

Hope you enjoyed that little true story.

Unrelated, but in the spirit of “mysterious”, here is a bonus illustrated poem.

“The Poetess” – originally published in Monty’ Very Short Shorts

Be well,

Monty

To Be (Read) or Not to Be (Read)

18th post for #bloganuary (a WordPress event)

The Prompt: What book is next on your reading list?

I’ve been a bit slow on reading ever since I took up writing. I find myself more often putting my energy into creating and it leaves less time and energy for my original and beloved pastime of casual reading. Growing-up and all through my student years I was a ferocious reader and it was torturous when I moved overseas in my early 20’s and lost access to books. Now, with e-books, it’s so much better and I do love the fact that I have access to virtually any book that I desire. While I may not be reading as much these days, I’m still reading. Here is my current reads in progress and what’s up next.

My Current Kindle Library

Younger Next Year – Henry S. Lodge & Chris Crowley (currently reading @82%)

This book was recommended to me by a recently acquired friend who is about a decade ahead of me and just retired. He is in great physical and mental shape and he suggested this book to me as it was transformational for him.

I’ll admit that I struggled significantly when starting this book due to one of the author’s (Chris Crowley) voice. Although the books title doesn’t include any indication that it’s directed toward men (and much of the scientific content is relevant to both women and men), the author is clearly directing his message toward men. I found this a bit off putting, personally, but based on the strong recommendation I decided to push through.

The other author’s writing, Dr. Henry S. Lodge, is much more accessible to me (although it’s scientific content may be a challenge for non-scientist types). I love science so his content really works for me and I found it very compelling.

In a nutshell, this book lays out the science for why physical exercise and social engagement is fundamental to our holistic health and can allow us to live our lives vibrantly into our retirement years. It also provides some very practical advice on how to start.

As a overweight middle-aged man looking to retire in about a decade this book’s message has resonated strongly with me and I would recommend it to other’s like me (including women if you can get over the overly macho writing of the 2nd author).

Mating in Captivity: Unlocking Erotic Intelligence – Esther Perel (currently reading @19%)

Another recommendation, this one coming from my therapist. I’m not sure if admitting this shares too much information about me, but *shrug*.

I don’t have too much to say about this book. I’m unlikely to continue to read it further. Not because it doesn’t provide a valuable message and insights. It does. It explores the areas of passion and sex within a committed marriage. However, it is very repetitive and not sure if I’ve much more to gain for the effort required to finish the book.

How Al-Anon Works for Families and Friends of Alcoholics (currently reading @8%)

Another recommendation! I had no idea that my reading list had completely shifted from self-identified pleasure reading to more self-help recommendations. While I appreciate life-long learning, I do think I need to find something to read for pure fun.

This books title says it all and let’s just say that I qualify from multiple perspectives and I will definitely continue to read.

When Breath Becomes Air – Paul Kalanithi (TBR)

This is highly reviewed memoir of a neurosurgeon contemplating the meaning of life. I’m writing my own memoir and if I recall correctly I came across this title while I was researching memoirs for inspiration. While I don’t consider my blog as a place I will do too much book reviewing, I will see if I’m inspired by this book and share my thoughts as they come up.

Be well,

Monty

Slo-Mo Man

17th post for #bloganuary (a WordPress event)

The Prompt: What is a superpower you’d love to have?

When I saw this prompt come in I was a bit confused as I thought we already had this one earlier in the month. Turns out I had written a post on a very similar theme last December. I had to laugh when I realized. Since that was posted on my old blog site, I figure I can repurpose it here. It’s still 100% valid. Enjoy!

Slo-Mo Man

Originally Posted: 20 December 2021 on MontysScribbles.com

If you could have any superpower what would you choose? Super strength? Invisibility? X-ray vision? How many times have you played this game of imagination growing up? More than I can count, for me. I’ve answered differently throughout the years. Weighing the pros and cons of each choice.  Debating the finer points with whomever would listen.

My youngest fantasy was to fly. I dreamed both day an night about flying away. An escape in more ways then one. X-ray vision was a favorite during puberty, but it always required some special fine tuning to avoid very disturbing results. I spent many a night trying my way to think that one through. Oh, the not so innocent innocence of pre-internet pubescence. Later in life, I would discuss the same question with my kids. No matter what I chose they always had an argument as to why I was wrong. They made some pretty good points.

I’m not exactly sure how I came to consider this question again this morning. It was a meandering thought process with a murky beginning and the final conclusion that from now on my super power is going slow. When the world is spinning out of control and life gets unruly, I take it slow. 

Here’s the logic: When I slow down, life slows down too. In fact, life slows down exponentially in relation to the pace I live it. By going slow, the world around me pauses. Suddenly time gets vertical. Urgency, with all of its stresses, fades away. Life becomes calm. I transform from impatient to compassionate. From insensitive to kind. From selfish to giving. The slow me is grateful. The slow me is my best self. 

I’m Slo-Mo Man!

Be well,

Monty

A Call for Humanity

16th post for #bloganuary (a WordPress event)

The Prompt: What is a cause that you are passionate about and why?

Humanity: Compassion, Empathy and Kindness.

“Anew” (originally published in Monty’s Very Short Shorts)

Perhaps this answer doesn’t address the prompt as it was originally intended, but I’d like to use this opportunity to make a call for humanity. There are many causes in this world that I’m aligned to. At the center of every worthy cause, there is a core value of humanity. We may chose to direct our efforts towards various causes from saving the earth to fighting for greater justice or racial equality. Either way we are tapping into the fundamental values of humanity: Compassion, Empathy, and Kindness. If we guide our actions and behaviors with these values, we will be living up to our species name.

“Motherland” (originally published in Monty’s Very Short Shorts)

Be well,

Monty

1001 Life Lessons…

15th post for #bloganuary (a WordPress event)

The Prompt: What is a life lesson you feel everyone can benefit from learning?

The Answer: Always include a number in your blog title.

Ok, I’m being just a pinch sarcastic on this one, but tell me it isn’t true. No, please tell me. It feels like so many blog titles are following a recipe that calls for a numbered list. All this math is exhausting. Anyway…

I shared my perspective on this topic already in the very first post of this series, however it received very few reads as I was just newly onboard this WordPress platform and hadn’t built up an audience yet. So I highly encourage you (beg of you), to check out Dear Monty (1st post for #bloganuary). Don’t miss out on this life lesson!

Be well,

Monty

The 6am Job Interview

14th post for #bloganuary (a WordPress event)

The Prompt: Write about a challenge you faced and overcame.

Facing challenges, overcoming some, learning from all, has been a central theme in my writing. Earlier this month, I wrote about my journey of recovery from chronic pain and living with depression (Discovering Hope). I won’t repeat myself. So, I’ll share with a you a simple story about the challenge I faced this morning and how I approached it. Life is not always about the big challenges and events, sometimes its just about meeting the little challenges of the day.

At 6am this morning I had a job interview. I’ve got a good job already, and this company had reached out to me, so it wasn’t a high pressure situation. However, this was my second interview with them and the during the first interview I kinda started to get my hopes up about the potential opportunity. I really liked the line manager and, if there is one thing I’ve learned after a quarter century of working in industry, a line manager can make or break a job experience. There is nothing worse than having to go to work everyday and face someone that doesn’t trust you (or you them). Anyway, I started to get excited about working for this new company/line manager and it got my mind speeding up, building up expectations, and stress.

Last night I tried to calm my mind by jotting down a few key points that I wanted to make during the interview, but I still slept restlessly and awoke at 5am tired. What to do?

I did the same thing I’ve done every day for the past 30 days and off-and-on for the past few years. First, I rolled out the mat and did a simple 20-minute yoga session to wake my body up. Starting the day with a self-care activity is the best way for me to remind myself about my priorities. Starting off today, like any other day, helped remind myself to keep the day ahead in perspective.

Following the yoga session, I sat for a 10-minute guided meditation to get my mind in synch with my body (doing the yoga first is key for me as otherwise I’ll tend to fall back asleep when I try to meditate first thing in the morning). This morning, my mind was on fast-forward and I really struggled with staying present. I was so fidgety that I laughed out loud at myself at one point. But I sat and did my practice. It’s more important for me to do the work, than how well it goes on any given day. In fact, I would say that the practices that are more rough tend to be the most valuable for building my emotional resilience.

At this point, it was about 5:40am and I only had a bit of time before my interview. Not enough time to take my coffee, but too much time to just wait. I decided to try something to release my nerves. There was an exercise offered on my meditation app (Calm) called “Daily Move” and today’s movement was focused on dealing with strong emotions such as anger and fear. While I wasn’t feeling these emotions, I thought it could still release some of my nervous energy. The guide had me in horse position punching the air. I really got into it. Maybe I was feeling a bit of anger after all? Haha. Not sure, but it felt great.

With 10 minutes left, I needed to get set up and take a quick look at my notes. I logged onto the video conference at 5:59am. I felt energized. I felt calm. I felt confident. While it will be some time before I know the results of the interview, it doesn’t really matter for today. Today, I took care of myself. Today, I’m feeling good. I’m ready to face the next challenge of the day.

“Namaste” by Monty Vern

Be well,

Monty

Aging Grey-fully (a Paint Chip Poem)

No Love For Fatties invites us to join in on her Paint Chip Poetry by creating our own poem inspired by the paint chip colors of the week. I think this is a really creative and fun idea so I’m giving it a try. Check out her original post and join in too if you feel inspired.

Paint Chip Poetry

Aging Grey-fully

I never planned to age gracefully;

I never planned to age at all;

But with every attempt to abort a failure,

I’m still here;

Well, most of me;

I find myself disappearing top down;

Almost nothing left on my crown;

So, it’s a shopping day;

What shall I go with?

There are so many choices:

Silver Ash?

Whitewash Oak?

Arid Plains?

Something more macho,

Battleship Grey?

Or, perhaps one for each day?

A day-of-the-week toupee?

Yes, that’s it!

I’ve gotta take a pee, but I’ll be right back;

And I’ll take the multi-pack!

Be well,

Monty

Weird Science

13th post for #bloganuary (a WordPress event)

The Prompt: What does your ideal day look like.

The Answer: Frictionless.

I dedicate this post to all of my fellow science nerds.

Originally Published on MontysScribbles.com

WORK

If: Work = Force x Distance
Then: Work = Effort × Progress
Therefore: All Effort plus no Progress equals no Work


However, without work there is no progress
Therefore: No Work = Effort × 0 or Effort = No Work / 0 = 0/0 = 0
Therefore: Effort is worthless


Reality check:
“Work” (i.e. this here poem) is clearly worthless yet took a lot of effort
Therefore: Conclusion confirmed!


Implications:
1) I made an ASS(umption) of myself and /or
2) Physics is bullshit and /or
3) What the %$&@?


I’m gonna go with all three…I’ve discovered three new natural laws!


Wait?! Then evidently this poem is not worthless.
It must be priceLESS…oh no…not again.
Therefore:

Be well,

Monty