Can someone please tell me

zblair · Post by **zblair** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 5:46 pm

Hambone, the short answer for me is to "be in the moment"

No expectations = no disappointments

When I have been where you are now and feeling stuck, it is generally just before a sea change or a new discovery about my life/our life. Kind of like the uphill trek before I become intrigued by the downhill skate.

I try to be grateful on a daily basis for things, and I also try not to take anything for granted.

Elwood · Post by **Elwood** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 8:52 pm

Oh Bob you are so full of joy and good input on this forum, it really makes me sad that you are troubled. I think it must be the winter. I've been working extra hours of late to get the fun tickets for my bus and new glasses, computer ect. I hit a low today and have been watching vhs movies to take me away from the blues. Chick flicks like Dirty Dancing, When Harry met Sally, Shakespere in Love ect. We all hit those times and do what we must to get thru. I still feel lost but the hours went by in a kinda blur. Not proud that they were wasted on such trivia but just something I had to do to get thru. You are not alone~ever~ Barb

ps-what does the floor of your cargo area have on it?

DjEep · Post by **DjEep** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 7:03 am

Keeping up that sense of humor, Ham-on-a-roll.

Without it, life is bleak. Laugh it off.

hambone · Post by **hambone** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 9:37 am

You're all very sweet. I'm not as bleak as I sound, I'm always a heavy dude, can't help it I guess. I was born dissatisfied with the status quo; I want answers!!!
Hey, I'm 38 in April. Just want to make sure I'm pointing the ship in the right direction. But that sure is a sticky definition....
There's this Emerald City vision, and "reality" cooperates a lot of the time, but there is too damn much empty drudgery. I've had enough with comfortably numb!
The reason I asked here is because I've been really impressed with the powerful ideas floating around this forum, and I was curious to see how you all are coping with the cycle of birth and death, and the concept of Right Livelihood.
G Em7

Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery

C (½) C/B (½) Am

none but ourselves can free our minds.

G Em

Have no fear for atomic energy

C (½) C/B (½) D

'cause none of them can stop the time.

(P.S. Barb, my interior is all original, with the gray tile under snap-in brown carpet. )

dingo · Post by **dingo** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 9:54 am

thanks for the chords...what does the (1/2) signify ?>

hambone · Post by **hambone** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 10:00 am

Not sure...
here's a link: http://www.heartwoodguitar.com/Guitar%2 ... 20Song.htm

Birdibus · Post by **Birdibus** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 10:03 am

Oops, HamB, you beat me to it. Here's another version:
http://www.thirdfield.com/new/tabs.html

glasseye · Post by **glasseye** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 10:31 am

This rilly sounds like a late-January thread

My perspective at 60: Life is SHORT. Time passes exponentially faster the older you get.

Whatever your gig, there are times when it's boring, unsatisfying. But if that's the norm, that's bad.
If you're permaently not having fun, change. Whatever it takes. Life is too short to waste doing things that make you feel bad.

covelo · Post by **covelo** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 11:57 am

My advice is to avoid false choices. Doing nothing always seems like the safe choice, and often it seems to be the only choice, but you only live once.

In the past 18 years there have been three distinct occasions where I felt like you described for any significant amount of time. In all three of these cases I decided to make a major change in my life: a move from Holland to New York in 1989, a move from New York to San Francisco in 1997, and a move from a steady safe job to a crazy small business in 2002. Everytime, it would have been easier and safer to stay put. I gave up a good job and a comfortable life in Holland to become an illegal worker in New York. I gave up a teaching career in New York because I wanted to live in California and not be confined indoors during the winters. And then I gave up job security and peace of mind because I was tired of being bored at work. I was never completely confident when I made these decisions and I certainly regretted them from time to time afterwards, but in the end I didn't let false choices determine my future.

Just my two cents. I really admire everyone's willingness on this forum to open up and share their experiences!

Velokid1 · Post by **Velokid1** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 12:09 pm

covelo wrote:
In the past 18 years there have been three distinct occasions where I felt like you described for any significant amount of time. In all three of these cases I decided to make a major change in my life: a move from Holland to New York in 1989, a move from New York to San Francisco in 1997, and a move from a steady safe job to a crazy small business in 2002. Everytime, it would have been easier and safer to stay put. I gave up a good job and a comfortable life in Holland to become an illegal worker in New York. I gave up a teaching career in New York because I wanted to live in California and not be confined indoors during the winters. And then I gave up job security and peace of mind because I was tired of being bored at work. I was never completely confident when I made these decisions and I certainly regretted them from time to time afterwards, but in the end I didn't let false choices determine my future.

Bravo, Covelo. This is one of the big keys to enjoying life. Having that internal locus of control. Some people are born with it or taught it at an early age. Others have to really, really work at it to make it happen. Like myself. But I do believe that literally 90% of the obstacles or challenges that I see between my life and the life I want are fabricated in my own mind. I think our Shadow selves try to sabotage us. Anyway... Thanks for the inspiration.

amishman · Post by **amishman** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 1:23 pm

I get like this all the time.... Been wanting to get out of the rat race, sell my home here in Cali and use whatever I have left and buy a home straight out in like Oregon on some property and have no mortgage. Wife likes Cali so that is not an option.

I think these days many of us get into way too much. Whether it be too many hobbies or anything that spreads our lives too thin like too little butter over toast.

I need to find a life long focus and put all my time into that one barrel and not get too many things going on. Whether it be working on VWs or something spiritual, where all my energy can be devoted.

Kinda of like the amish (or many of them), they have one major focus in life, and that is to dedicated their lifes to God. The work from their home based jobs working for themselves rather than others. Work the land and created a life where they rely on family and less on outside entertainments.

I would love to go back to the basics, find my small plot of land that I am in love with, and work it until the day I am called to heaven. Tired of having to buy my happiness with the toys we must all have these days. I think I would be much happier if I had much less stuff and would be happier if I shared a much closer relationship with my wife and our little plot we call home. tj

RussellK · Post by **RussellK** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 1:44 pm

I propose we pool our resources and start a commune together. We all seem to be sharing a common feeling of needing to get off the wheel. I have a box of used Bay Parts and $1.49. Anyone else? Oh. And a phone card, but I don't know whats left on it.

Adventurewagen · Post by **Adventurewagen** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 1:47 pm

amishman wrote: I think these days many of us get into way too much. Whether it be too many hobbies or anything that spreads our lives too thin like too little butter over toast.

I've been trying to simplify for years. Still having troubles with that.

but, I will say that sometimes my VW gives me all the hope and satisfaction I need without even driving it. Sometimes I feel like I will one day know and understand my bus down to every single nut and bolt, its like an attainable goal in the search for the meaning of life, instead its learning the meaning or inner workings of our bus. I may have too many things going on at once, but sometimes just understanding another simple item about my bus gives me the feeling I am in control.

I think everyone needs something along those lines in their life, whether its knowing you can sit down and play a new book of music on the piano or understanding how to grow a plant, knit or anything else like that. I think simply understanding something ordinary can give you the same feeling or satisfaction of many of lifes unanswerable questions.

amishman · Post by **amishman** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 1:55 pm

And don't wait for retirement to come to do what you want in live. It is like everyone saves for retired but the average age of a man or woman is in the 70s so if you retire at 65, you don't have much time to enjoy. Achieve what you want now whether it be living off your own homestead or whatever rocks your boat and enjoy your whole life, not just the golden years when you have every ache and pain in the book.

tj

amishman · Post by **amishman** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 1:59 pm

Adventurewagen wrote: I think simply understanding something ordinary can give you the same feeling or satisfaction of many of lifes unanswerable questions.

Yes, I think some of the small things we take for granite can be very pleasing if we slow down and check them out. Like going out on a super cold morning right as the sun starts shining. You are all cold and shivering but then the hot sun hits your face. Ya sit back with your eyes closed facing the hot sun, nice silence outside, animals scurying around, and enjoy a few minutes of peace and solitude.

Hail The Sunshine!

tj

Itinerant Air-Cooled

Itinerant Air-Cooled

Can someone please tell me