{"id":393,"date":"2008-11-15T02:10:00","date_gmt":"2008-11-15T02:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.bluetablepainting.com\/blog\/?p=393"},"modified":"2008-11-15T02:10:00","modified_gmt":"2008-11-15T02:10:00","slug":"thought-soup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.bluetablepainting.com\/blog\/2008\/11\/thought-soup\/","title":{"rendered":"Thought Soup"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

“Come on you apes, you wanna live forever?”<\/div>\n
http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=z3reIYsrvvI<\/a><\/div>\n
First off, I go off quite a bit about delicate topics. I am only a fellow-journeyer. I am very much in the formulative process, at least with politics.. If you have something to say, I am open to hearing other views, and may very well post them on the blog. If you are courteous and thoughtful, I would love to hear it.<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

About a year ago, I decided to make almost anything an open topic on this blog. I knew this would alienate some people, but I decided that I really didn’t care. I’m going somewhere with this. What’s the point of owning a business if it’s not personally fulfilling. I found myself coming to work and dreading it. Stupid, huh? So, I re-tooled the operation. Smaller and simpler.<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

Life is too short. Follow your dreams.<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

I’ve been expanding on that idea recently. I realized that I really don’t want any assets. In business I have given away the idea of Empire. And in my personal life I have decided that I want to divest myself of almost all assets. I don’t want to own anything substantive. I will be perfectly happy to drive a used putt-putt car.<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

I call it “The Happy Peasant”. Only the Will of God could make me change my mind. Owning material things is a burden. I do think, though, that sometimes people can use wealth as a way to bless the lives of their fellow man. But for me, I think I’m going to figure out how to live with security, frugality and peace. What is the minimum needed for that?<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
I have a good marriage and three (soon to be four) lovely children. I have a sure testimony of the goodness and reality of Diety. I know that God lives. If I die, I get to be with HIM, and if it is His will, I will stay and perform any duty that is asked of me. And I care not for my own life. Other than that, just need food, shelter, and fuel. I think I’m golden.<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

The problem with owning things is that the sharks start circling. I won’t belabour the Reader with the list of non-producers in society who have managed somehow to affix themselves like barb-toothed ticks to the life and labor of others.<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

I started thinking about the times I was happiest in life, and I realized they were proportionately INVERSE to how much money I had. For example: when I was 13 and we lived in Ashland we had an enormous black walnut tree out front. I climbed up there and nailed in a board as a backrest in the crook of a tall branch, nailed in a small box to keep my penny candy in, and spent many an afternoon just reading books. So simple.<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

As an adult, I experienced complete Peace in my Soul as a missionary. All my possessions fit into two suitcases.<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

Life as a young married man was idyllic even though we ate on the coffee table in our little apartment.<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

Less things more life.<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

Credit Cards are evil. And I don’t say that with any reservation. I think that Usury is a blight on humanity. Life doesnt’ take Visa. Visa takes away life. <\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

The fruits of your labor is the manifestation of your life.<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

So, I’m in the process of simplifying. A lot. First order of business is to get rid of debts. This dovetails nicely with the process of divesting myself of material goods. Which reminds me: I put up more new stuff for sale:<\/div>\n
http:\/\/www.bluetablepainting.com\/for_sale.php<\/a><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

My new retirement plan: have a massive coronary at age 65. Hopefully I can finish my mortal mission by that time. The human body was designed to run out. Death is part of the journey.<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

“Come on you apes, you wanna live forever?” http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=z3reIYsrvvI First off, I go off quite a bit about delicate topics. I am only a fellow-journeyer. I am very much in the formulative process, at least with politics.. If you have something to say, I am open to hearing other views, and may very well post […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-393","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.bluetablepainting.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/393","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.bluetablepainting.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.bluetablepainting.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.bluetablepainting.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.bluetablepainting.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=393"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.bluetablepainting.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/393\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.bluetablepainting.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=393"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.bluetablepainting.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=393"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.bluetablepainting.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=393"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}