Perfection of Happiness

So, here it is...question number 1

If you could spend one year in perfect happiness but afterward would remember nothing of the experience would you do so? If not, why not?

- I think so, yes. I like to live for the moment. Its good to reflect on the past but, "Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. And today? Today is a gift. That's why we call it the present." ~Babatunde Olatunji If you have memories of this such experience I think you will be unhappy for the rest of your life since this is "perfect" happiness. Why would you want to live yearning for what you have done in the past because that means you are not getting anything done today or striving for a future. If you have no recolection of this then you can' t "expect" anything. You then will make many changes in your life before you are happy. It may not be perfect happiness but I think that would be a little boring, yeah?

Second part which is more important: actual experiences, or the memories that remain when the experiences are over?

- This is an awkward questions to me. If you have no memory of an experience...is it still an experience because technically in your psyche you have never done it if there is no memory of it. So, if you do it again its a brand new experience but hey what do I know. At any rate getting to the point..one of my life mottoes is do it once. So, I am obligated to answer experiences are more important than memories. I am all about doing most things once.

All the Best,

MRA

So, ask yourself one question...do ya feel lucky...well do ya, punk?

One for all and all for one? By the people, for the people? No, I think not. It seems to me over the course of the history of developing the United States culture and society we have gone from a "one big family" to I do this for me and only me, I got here by doing what "I" had to do mentality. "If you want something done right then you have to do it yourself." We have become a society of individuals living as neighbors rather than a society of people living together.

I ask, what in the course of events happened to get us here? What defines who we are and why do we do the things we do? Where are we going and how did we get here?

Well, everyday...or nearly everyday...okay okay let us just go with every post from here on out will be of questions. I implore you to answer these yourself and leave them as feedback for me as a form of comment. If not...just answer them for "you."

These are question of a non-trivial sort. They are about your values, your beliefs, and your life; love, money, sex, integrity, generosity, pride, and death are all here. To respond to these questions, you will need to examine and interpret your past, project yourself into hypothetical situations, face difficult dilemmas, and make painful choices. I intend for these questions to expose issues that warrant deep, solitary reflection.

There will be no correct or incorrect answers of course...but only honest and dishonest ones. Try not and simply answer "yes" or "no" to these questions but rather probe and explain your responses and pursue interesting tangents.

All the Best

MRA

Such is Life.

It seems to me that I far too often write about life and living and it breaking you down in times of joy and stealing your crown of happiness. Well, let us remember what goes up must come down. WE don't have to stay grounded though. Remember there is a point at which down is no longer down anymore but solid ground on which we all stand on and gets us level again. We can relate to one another getting "caught up in life" happens.

Someone once asked me why is it that doing what is best always feels the worst? Well, I guess it isn't a once upon a time story, it was actually today (see date).

Outside of context I said to her, "Well, you can fix this but there will be something else and then something else and something else. There is always something (and I'll come back to this statement). There comes a juncture where you have to look at history and ask yourself when do I stop finding temporary solutions to permanent problems?" I then think she understood what she must do. As most of you have probably figured out...relationship issues.

Coming back to "there is always something" Its true and it will never change. We will make many changes before settling down happily. Still, that happiness will be challenged...and probably challenged daily. It then comes down to you...do you let it win? Are you a quitter? No, I think not. If you say you are...then stop it!

Life's challenges are not supposed to paralyze you, but help you to discover who you are.

I mean, let's face it anyone in the world can give up. Its the easiest thing in the world to do. But to hold it together when everyone else would understand that you gave up is true strength.

Don't Stop Believin'

MRA

Rocky

"Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It is a very mean and nasty place and it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't how hard you hit; it's about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward. How much you can take, and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done.Now, if you know what you're worth, then go out and get what you're worth. But you gotta be willing to take the hit, and not pointing fingers saying you ain't where you are because of him, or her, or anybody. Cowards do that and that ain't you. You're better than that!"

A long Absence brings about Suprise

Well, here we are again or I guess I shouldn't assume you have visited before. Its been quite sometime since I have taken a serious approach to "my" blog. I am going to attempt it once more. The plan is to follow up with a daily entry. Now, there is a possibility that weekends may get the best of me but let us be honest with each other...I am sure they get the best of all of us in due time.

I have no clue where to start...I need an adult.

To begin things off I will let my fortunes entertain you. As the Chinese tell me, "A new relationship is about to blossom. You will be blessed." I called shenanigans on this one. I would like to know with what or whom I am going to have a relationship. Also, I am going to be showered with good luck before my next birthday and this is while I am making many changes before settling down. Tell me almighty fortune teller...if I am to make many changes before settling down how the hell am I supposed to have a new, blessed relationship? That doesn't sound like a whole lot of good luck to meeeeeee. Jerks. Continuing on with "fate" Most of you who read this know I am a basketball player of a numerous amount of years that I lost count of. I was at my place of work and had a small cap in my hand. There was a beaker on the counter with what I would consider a small opening for the mouth. I was standing across the room. Its a rather large room. I looked at a co-worker and said the first thing that came to my mind..."if I make this I will meet my soul mate by the end of the day...I shot. Yes, to our astonishment it went in. I immediately dropped my jaw and my shoulders went limp. Now, some of you may be wondering...did I meet them? I say no but I did talk to some people I hadn't talked to in a very long time, saw a rather attractive lady at the gym that night, and well sparked new conversation with someone I didn't talk to on a regular basis. Some say fate...I say coincidence. I guess time will tell.

So, now that I have given preface I will tell you what has been on my mind lately and those of you who know me may in fact drop dead. I will just come out and say it, El Oh, Vee, eeeEEE. In otherwords, L-o-v-e. Yes I, Michael R. Athey, has had love on my mind. Now I am gonna stop you right there. You may be thinking Oh Em Gee he is thinking about love. I am just thinking about love in a generality and not being in it or wanting to be in it yada yada yada.

I would like to say that what I am going to blog about is not typical of me but...life with go on.

So here it is. Love.

A many of my friends come to me for advice. I am a good listener and I guess I give pretty decent advice. At the least, I am a wide shouldered individual and have a warm body to rest on. I guess that counts. Anyway, I have this friend who is deathly afraid of giving into love. Of course, they don't know it. It seems to me that they let their head tell their heart no far too often and never let the heart do the talking. I am am man of logic and reason but sometimes, just sometimes you have to let the heart do the guiding. Sure, you put your neck on the line or well for this instance why don't we use the phrase...wearing your heart on your sleeve. We live in these bodies of ours and we will die in them. If you live your life in fear then it would appear to be that you do not have a life worth living for (no, do not go commit suicide). I know that where you invest your love you invest your life as well but you cannot go without taking some risk. Love for sure as hell is not certain. As a matter of fact, I guess anything intangible or without, what mathematicians like to call proof, isn't either. Continuing on, I would like to pose the question; How lucky is someone to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard? How lucky is someone to have somebody to take them the way they are? It seems to me that it is always nice knowing no matter how rough your day is, not matter how much $H!T can be thrown your way, no matter what happens in the course of your day...that when you make it to your humble abode that someone will be waiting with open arms and a warm heart to make it all better. I'm not bitter I don't have love, honestly. There is no expiration date on love either...thats always nice to know.

Okay, I am going to stop this here. This isn't my cup o tea post. I am on a tangent I can't get out of my head. I am all over the place and I will be back on track manana with something worth while to read. I guess this just needed "an out"

In case I don't see you Good Morning, Good Afternoon, and Goodnight.

~M.R.A

:)

I LOVE YOU!

Someone

What someone sees as imperfect someone else may see as absolutely perfect. Therefore, everyone was, is and always will be perfect in every single way to someone, somewhere.

Scenery

The scenery in your life should never stay the same. Live.

The Ugly Truth

From Women:
- The big strong brave men, that we've all been reading about in novels and watching in movies since we've been nine years old, - -that's a fallacy. They don't exist. Men are not strong. Men are not brave. Men, are afraid. Even if they have a moment in a hotel elevator and it's totally romantic and full of potential, men are incapable of copping to it because, why? Men are weak.

From Men:
- Let me tell you something about women. Women would have us believe that they are the victims; That we break their hearts for sport. That's crap. They say they want romance, they say they want true love, but all they want is a check list. Is he perfect? Is he handsome? Is he a doctor? For you men who fit the criteria, don't kid yourselves. Cuz if they're not sleeping with you, they're sleeping with a carefully calculated set of venal choices. Money over substance, looks over soul, polished over principles. No gesture, no matter how real or romantic will ever compensate for a really impressive list of credentials.

For You; from Me

It can always be sunny in your heart no matter the weather conditions.

:)

Vulnerability, Fragility, the part of life where you are afraid of being a lone and hurt. Those things. The things that are apart of your past…the things you don’t want to last but will always stare you in the face in every situation. Things you can’t really figure out how to get around. You worry and stress how to cope with these things. Here is the answer….don’t try to get rid of them. For one it’s impossible. They will always be there to more or less say haunt you. However, that isn’t what they are doing. They are taking your character, your strength, your sanity and making them stronger. I know the toll is tough to take at first and for a while. There is a breaking point, believe me there is! You realize it and then you are in the clear. Keep in mind that it is always dark before it is light. Things will come around. They always do. Life is a series of tests and these are components making up life. No need at the end of the beaten path lay a meadow of flowers where you can rest your head. Its just the will it takes to get there to see this heavenly site. If you are willing to give what you aren’t going to get out then we need a new direction. A direction that can guide you to the light at the end of the tunnel. If what you are doing isn’t just for you then take a different path at the fork in the road. Seize the opportunity. If you look in your life at the certain things you keep going back to…incorporate that in your life…because whether you get it or not…that is what makes you happy and if you can produce happiness…then you are already smelling the scent of wildflowers!