Aside(*) I am a curious wordsmith and love words with multiple and insightful meaning. Listlessness-an archaic word now replaced by the ever present nonsensical ‘whatever,’ with the Valley Girl accent. It is a buffer or shield that keeps joy out of the present, Yes

AND the word says more-it says a lack of a list.

Translated as not knowing what one wants AND not knowing what to believe AND not taking the action, AND not showing the courage to create life as you want. The solution (soul-it-on) to make a list. To take the next step list the HOW’s. “I want to finish my next book.’ HOW-writing on it daily. Editing what I have written. Read the writing aloud, AND with Aside-courage read it to an audience. (One is an audience).

A psychology professor at the University of Miami knew his students expected a terrifyingly long final exam. To play with their minds a little (what do you expect from a psychology professor?) he only put ONE question on the final exam.

He watched the reactions of the students as they all opened the exams and saw the one question. Initially they all looked relieved, but as the difficulty of the question began to sink in, those relieved faces sagged to confusion and consternation. All, that is, except for one student. He read the question, tapped his pencil into his palm a few times, then jotted something down on the test paper. He walked up to the professor, handed him the final, and walked out.

The professor blinked in surprise, looked at what the student wrote, and smiled. The professor wrote "100%" on the top of that student's test.

The question: What is courage?

The student's answer: This is.

“So long as we can laugh we are not completely under the domination of fear…to be able to laugh in time of danger is a sign of courage…deepening our feeling of self-worth and dignity.”

(*) Aside-To understand how to use the ASIDE when speaking Please see page 11 of How to Own the Stage.. Autographed copies are available-

This from the wisdom of Trent, when he was five years old. He is very into Thomas the Train, Vader from the movie CARS, and Speed Racer. He loves to hide, play tag, get chased, chase, and sanitation. He is a hand washer and toilet seat cover expert. He is cute, & playful with artist talent and moods just like your children, grandkids and all children. He is a player and a gift to the universe.

Recently Trent was asked “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Expectations were train engineer, race car driver, or artist, he replied “I just want to be a regular person.”

Wow, what a surprising & curious answer. It felt like when one notices the first falling leaf of fall, or the first snow flake. It was cool; I wish I had said that.

Grandpa Gary pondered this and began asking questions.

   What does he mean?
   What is a regular person?
How has his experience of life lead him to this moment?
Can he keep this simplicity?

       'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free,
       'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,
       And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
       'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.
       When true simplicity is gain'd,
       To bow and to bend we shan't be ashamed,
       To turn, turn will be our delight,
       Till by turning, turning we come round right.

Will Trent stays this simple? Will life be this easy for him? I don’t know, but I hope so. I hope Trent, and our other grandkids Zoe and Gage and your children, all children can feel, love & enjoy a happy world. There will be suffering, but misery is optional.

There is so much unknown in the mind of a five year old and this soon to be 63 year old.

I know I want, have desires, needs, goals, excuses, and much more.

I know children head down the garden path and will fall in the mud, smell and step on the roses, get lost, get found, cry & laugh & have little pockets of silence and converse with the divine.

I hope the simplicity and magic happens and we share it with each other.

Listless