Name change?

If you had to change your name, what would your new name be?

Have actually thought about this one a lot. But i had to think also why, for what reasons. Why do people change their names?

Professional… Ie actor or celebrity to avoid confusion with other thespians. Possibly to avoid past life, a new birth so to speak in cases where ones past haunts them, and in todays society where gender change seems to be the new craze (but that is a whole other topic on its own)

Decidedly i will keep my name, and use my pseudonym of choice in situations where i want to separate mundane life with other situations.

Story of the Man Tree and Maple Syrup

Interesting things you find out I was looking at street names in a local town today and decided to look one up to see what it means and it lead me to an Anishinaabe story of the discovery of Maple Syrop. So I thought I might share that story here … The Original source may be found here https://zhaawanart.blogspot.com/2019/04/giigidowag-mitigoog-trees-speak-part-1.html



In the beginning when the world was still young, GICHI-MANIDOO, the Great Mystery, decided to make life easier for the Anishinaabeg, who were starving. One day a man stood at the lake gazing across when he heard a voice behind him. It was the spirit of the Man Tree who addressed him saying that the Great Mystery pitied the starving Anishinaabeg and that from now on the trees would gift them with their stories and nutritious sap. The voice gave the Anishinaabe inini at the lake instructions on how to tap the trees. The maple trees were full of thick, sweet syrup that dripped out easily when a branch was broken from the tree and the Anishinaabeg knew they would never have to grow hungry again after the hardships of winter.

One day, Wenabozho, the supernatural hero and friend of the People, decided to visit the Anishinaabeg, but they were not in the village. No one was hunting, fishing, or working in the fields. Finally he found them in a forest of man-trees, lying around on the ground, catching syrup in their open mouths from the dripping maples.

Wenabozho decided that after all the hardships in the past, life had become too convenient for his People; they would all grow fat and lazy because they would never had to work anymore. So he made a basket out of birch bark, filled it with water, went to the top of the man trees and poured the water down their trunks. Suddenly, the thick syrup turned thin and watery, just barely sweet. From now on, Wenabozho said, the Anishinaabeg will have to work for their syrup by collecting it in great amounts in a birch basket like mine, and then boil off the water by heating the sap with hot stones. In this way, people will appreciate their hard earned syrup. But Wenabozho made it so that maples only produced the sap during certain times of the year, at the end of winter, so the Anishinaabeg would spend the rest of the year working in the fields and hunting and catching fish. And this is how it has been ever since.

Three books.

List three books that have had an impact on you. Why?

First and foremost John Wyndhams ‘Rebirth’ aka ‘the Chrysalids’. The characters, ideologies, setting and storyline all were intriguing. It sparked my interest in the post apocalyptic genre.

Second. ‘The Steven Truscott Story’. But i shall not delve into the why’s on social media.

Pierres Anthonys ‘Planet Tarot’ it posed rather interesting views on Christianity.

Fears and overcoming them

What fears have you overcome and how?

The only real fear i have is water.. particularly swimming. I to this day really have not beaten this one. I panic if i cannot touch the bottom. Being tall and slender with little body fat i sink like a stone and cannot tread water worth beans. So i do not swim in deep water. The hilarious part is I somehow passed the swimming test for military basic training which is still baffling to me.

One interesting thing

Describe one simple thing you do that brings joy to your life.

Simple… I wake up… It is kind of difficult to have joy in your life if you do not do this on a daily basis. But seriously i cannot pinpoint one specific thing.that i do daily my life is pretty basic. Eat, sleep, work, rinse and repeat.

Life before starting my company was a lot different. I had a lot more time for myself. I work on average 12 to 16 hours a day. Sleep for 7 and a halfish hours. I don’t really have much time for anything else. That being said i find myself incredibly bored when i have down time, I don’t know what to do. So i have begun taking online courses. I start psychology in a few weeks, last winter i took Sociology. So i guess the closest correct answer would be education of self.

When do you know it is time to unplug.

How do you know when it’s time to unplug? What do you do to make it happen?

When the get and go has gotten up and went without you. If you are losing track of little things, and the days are blurring together. Its is time.

And lets be real it is not unplugging that you are doing, actually it is the exact opposite. It is time to plug in, recharge those batteries, refocus energy and revitalize yourself.

How you ask, depends on what it is you need to take a break from, what your role in it all is. If it is a relationship, or work situation. If it is work Are you an employee or manager, or a business owner/operator?

Simply put the solution is greatly on the situation. Vacation, delegation, change of status for relationships

The first step though to recharging is identifying and working towards a solution to a situation that needs work.

Practice of Religion

Do you practice religion?

Simple answer, not really, but yes at the same time. And I guess this begs another question what do you consider religion? In my opinion religion does not equal spiritual paractice. Religion to me equals a set way of doing thingd, where as Spituality is not.

Many people often confuse religion with spirituality, which leads to a lot of misunderstandings. Religion is a set of organized beliefs, doctrines, and practices that are followed by people as a way of expressing their faith and achieving a connection with a higher power. On the other hand, spirituality is a personal journey that involves exploring and finding meaning, purpose, and connection in life.

Religion can be seen as a structured system, with specific rules, rituals, and practices that must be followed. It often has a central text, a hierarchy, and a certain set of beliefs that followers must adhere to. There are specific ways to pray, worship, and conduct oneself in religious activities.

Spirituality, on the other hand, is not bound by any rules or doctrines. It is a personal journey that involves exploring one’s own beliefs, values, and experiences. Spiritual practice can take many forms, from meditation and yoga to prayer and nature walks.

It’s also important to note that spirituality is not necessarily associated with any particular religious belief. People can be spiritual without following any particular religion or dogma. In essence, spirituality is a way of being that is personal and unique to each individual.

Therefore, religion and spirituality are not the same. While religion can provide structure and guidance for those seeking a connection with the divine, spirituality allows individuals to explore their own unique understanding of the world and their place in it.