Steven Barnes's Blog, page 37

Complexity and connection

http://www.cnn.com/2017/12/04/us/south-carolina-ex-officer-sentencing-walter-scott/index.html

 

We don’t know what will happen in this case, yet, but fingers crossed.  All my life, I’ve known of these cases, and the denial was rampant before the Rodney King event, which was the first major case I remember caught on video.  Within days, the push back claiming that there was secret footage showing how scared the officers were of him were flowing.  I noticed which side of the political spectrum...

The Power of Love

The quality of your life is the quality of your relationships–beginning with your connection to your own heart. Shame-filled people project their guilt onto others. Those who don’t treasure themselves treat their bodies like garbage bags. Those who don’t think they are lovable have contempt and mistrust for anyone who loves them. People who have lost contact with their childlike wonder cannot access their creativity, and those who have sacrificed their dreams for money or relationship securit...

What was the last movie that taught you something?

“All That Jazz”  may be the last film that ever taught me.   Perhaps.   The story of a man addicted to sex, drugs, and musical theater (line stolen from the great Robert McKee) I walked out of the movie stunned, realizing that that could be my story if I was not very careful.  I decided that very day that the secret to success was obsession, but obsession creates imbalance, and imbalance destroys and denies you the chance to enjoy your success.

 

So I decided to become obsessive about being b...

On experience, understanding, and making rapid decisions.

 

The mental short cuts I use are not 100% foolproof or fail-safe.  They are intended to increase the speed of decision making, which leads to getting more information. You then sort that information and adjust.  Information is sorted by asking “is it useful” and “is it true?”  As much as possible is applied to real-world scenarios like relationship, peace of mind, success, health, and so forth.

 

To that end, looking at a potential role model, mentor, or ally and judging them by those standa...

Politics, Facebook, and “Awakening the Kundalini backward”

(Those who admire  the way I think seem to enjoy my explanations of how it works. Those who find my thinking flawed might be interested in the origin of those flaws.  In either case, as Rod Serling used to say, “submitted for your approval…”)

 

 

One of my greatest teachers warned of “awakening the kundalini backwards”.    I’ve spoken on this before, but it has an interesting political and philosophical aspect worth unpacking (yeah, I like that word. Sue me).

 

The “Kundalini” is said to be t...

The Life You Save

 

I recently had a conversation with a guy who, in rapid-fire fashion, went through a litany of issues, problems.  Health issues were of a concern because they couldn’t afford better treatment.    Career options were limited because of financial squeeze, inability to travel due to lack of a car, difficulty financing educational opportunities.  This and that and the other were problems…and the cause was the same 80% of the time: lack of finances.

 

I said that he needed to make money a focus o...

It takes courage to care

 

Yesterday at one of Loscon’s room parties,  I met a guy whose attitude is that people suck, including himself.    He claimed to have no ambitions, not for love, or money, or even a healthy body.  His explanation is that people with no expectations can’t be disappointed.

 

That…is so sad. He has no sweetheart.  Works at no job that does more than “pay the bill”.  His body was…shapeless.   If he doesn’t find some balance or foundation within himself, doesn’t find a way to care about life, som...

Seize every cubic inch of happiness

 

I have a friend who is an adopted Apache, raised more or less on the Rez.  Very sensitive to those issues.  He celebrates Thanksgiving.   I asked him about that, and he smiled.  “I take every opportunity I can get to be grateful.”

 

Amen.

 

The M.A.G.I.C. formula is to be used EVERY day.   Every single day, as part of your Morning Ritual.  It is a lifesaver, because ANY major goal will force you through the “Dark Night of the Soul” to get to the next level.  This is where the weak and frigh...

The “What” and “Why” of Tribe

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Yesterday, Charles Johnson asked me what I meant by “find your tribe.”  The same question popped up on my thread this morning, so I’ll take that as a sign that I should talk about this a bit.

 

Love yourself Love one other person Understand human history without guilt, blame, or shame Find and support your tribe Win with integrity and compassion

 

 

Three (understand human history) is important because so many people want to believe that human beings, or our leaders, are some kinds of scum...

Finding Your Tribe

I’m doing the next “Hotseat” story analysis next Thursday, November 30th, at 6pm PST.  More information to come.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=7&v=vKbyfdJXoDg

Here’s the “Late Show” clip of Jordan Peele talking about “Get Out” and sneaking into T’s class. It is instructive to study his history, the road he took to this massive success. All the twists and turns and successes and failures and more than anything, the degree to which he was willing to dig into his own emotions t...