What’s a personal mantra or philosophy you live by?

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To be totally honest, if I were to still live by my personal mantra or philosophy, I would be dead.  

It was an utter calamity, driven by numerous factors spanning years of poor choices and uncharacteristic behavior driven by an absence of self-worth, value and understanding. It got to a point that if my number was called, I was ready to go.  Being a mess living in a mess made me an exhausted mess. 

Yet, in many respects, my life as it appeared from the outside and perhaps a few layers in, looked grand. No apparent disasters from the outside looking in.  Just a lifelong one from the inside out. So to employ my second favorite piece of business jargon,  I did a deeper dive.  

Then, reality set in. 

Wonder if the creator of that stellar nugget of office prose is being compensated with some PTO.  Alas, I have fallen into the clutches of a digression, and taken you with.

And since we are all family now, I can now use my single most favorite corporate colloquialism, and open the kimono. 

Sorry.  

My digression still gets the best of me.  I will forever be ensnared by my fatherly jocularity.  Perhaps that one will make bank some day. 

One day, going on eighteen months ago, I chose to ignore my self and listen to someone with far more wisdom than I. For once, my mantra became obsolete.  My philosophy? It simply passed.  I found fellowship.  And with it, healing found me.  

So to make this long story somewhat shorter, here is what I try to live by now.  

“God, grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change
the courage to change the things I can
and the wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time,
enjoying one moment at a time.
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace.
Taking, as he did, the sinful world as it is,
not as I would have it.
Trusting that he will make all things right
if I surrender to His will;
that I may be reasonably happy in this life,
and supremely happy with Him forever.”

—Reinhold Niebuhr, 1892-1971

Thank you for your loving and inspiring words Pastor Niebuhr.  

So to close the loop on the idea of a personal mantra, how ’bout we do this and remove the “man” component of it. Considering that being the one I was intended to be has been a stumbling block for so long, my focus needs to reflect what was changed and redirected.  From above. 

Save for one more action item, featuring some truly lame dad humor. 

I now live by my personal Godtra.  

Makes me smile.  

Maybe Him too.  

The genie grants you a wish. What is it?

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No question, fiction has its place.  

Rather, places, plural, as it goes these days.  Many , many places. Many.  And yet folks, I digress once more.  

I do enjoy the well crafted variety.  Science.  Comedic.  Historic.  Cartoonic.  Not so much pulpic. That one tends to leave me with fiction burns.  

But having lived a sadly fictional existence for far too long. I am not sure I can honestly entertain the thought of asking a genie to grant me one more wish.  

This one did have his moments.  

Robin,  especially. 

It is just that these days, I am entirely focused on making myself more of a non-fictional character.  Not one born of a bottle.  

Perhaps some time down the road, I will do something so well, so profound and so in good character,  that others – and myself – won’t believe it. A conundrum never thought  possible.  

Huh. 

Perhaps that might fulfill today’s assignment. 

Let’s make that my genuine and only wish. 

No genie, nor bottle, needed.  

To finally just be Mark. 

A truth stranger than fiction. 

What are your favorite side-hustle ideas?

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Here is one tried and true side hustle. 

Need some speed, picking up your room?

Waited too long on laundry? 

The washer and dryer won’t know what hit them. 

Pretty much covers my side of things. 

Just like to hustle you. 

What are five simple exercises to do at home?

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So, for the safety and well being of all, I have broken these down into two categories; high rep/low weight and low rep/high weight.  This is largely based on the cycle inherent in each group. 

Hidden within this regimen are the personal affirmation, accomplishment and serenity endorphins that are released during and upon completion of each workout.  

High rep/low weight: 

Making the bed – core and upper torso stretching through out. 

Washing/drying the dishes – upper extremity and hand deterity, followed by core during the putting away process.

Raking – excellent core workout especially if done so from left to right one pass, followed by right to left on the return

Low rep/heavy weight:

Laundry – excellent leg and core work during basket phase down the stairs, core throghout dryer placement and removal, followed by an additional basket phase back up the stairs.  

Taking out the garbage – upper body lifting and core pulling out, followed by core and legs pushing out to street. 

Come winter, I can add this one.  It can fall into either category, contingent on the weather patterns. Regardless, it can become a great aerobic workout. 

Shoveling snow – full body workout with aerobic, core, leg and upper body benefits. 

Dress appropriately. 

Which relationship has taught you the most about yourself?

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Two have done so.

The second, of which I fell into a little over a year ago.  A sincere and genuine fellowship, fully intermeshed within my higher power. 

One into the other.

Looking back, I am confident that He urged me to put on the blinker so I could make that turn toward the better. And as I get to know them more each day, I can tell they heard a similar voice of concern and love. In short, I am finding that they too are all one into the other with Him as well.

And as time goes by, in both relationships, I too am growing more as a person.  One into the other with each of them. 

Now I cannot speak at all whatsoever to Mr. Keaton’s faith, but his expression here says it all to me.  

He knows he fell into something too.  And what I do know of him, more likely leapt. 

I see something in him that doesn’t bespeak fear.  Not even the phrase immemorial “…oh crap, what did I just do?”  It isn’t a look of bravado either.  In his own strange way, he appears calm.  Like he’s got this.  Again, I cannot speak to his beliefs. But in some fashion,  he knows he’s got this. Because He’s got this.  

Just as He did for me.

Being one into the other has brought and taught me so much so that regardless of what I give away, more is destined to come back. In a perpetual loop of grace. Ad infinitum.

Simply put, despite my tendency to conduct myself otherwise, words will never do it justice.

It just has.