Christmas Carol

In my youth every year on Thanksgiving Day in Detroit the J.L. Hudson Company parade concluded with Santa dismounting from his sleigh to address the crowd from the awning platform at Hudson's on Woodward Avenue. 

And, reliably, his beautiful helper, Christmas Carol.

 

I loved Christmas Carol. The perfect girl. Jet black hair. Bright red coat. Black patent leather shoes. Sweet as sweet could be.

Here's the whole story on this beautiful lady. Click to read.

From then until Christmas Eve Santa and his helpers could be found at the special, and magical, Santa Land on the twelfth floor near — as you might guess — the Toy Department. This was retail, after all.

As a boy I was hugely and ardently attracted to the whole scene. But, the meet up with Santa, Mano-a-Mano, was a bit intimidating. I may have demurred a few times from actually going all the way to see him.

Later, I keenly remember, after getting a little too old for Santa, visiting the elaborately decorated room leading to the Big Man himself, and wistfully longing for those earlier days of magic and fantasy.

Nobody told me Santa was a fantasy. It just dawned slowly. 

Now, however, with some maturity, I'm not so sure.

Please Watch Your Words in Front of the Food!

Taken from Cooky Cat ...

We think it's high time, now that your culinary borders are so all-encompassing, to also extend your vocabulary whilst in the kitchen.

There are myriad verbal options for the various chores even the average cook will do on an everyday basis.

This is not a new idea. Why ... Mario Batali is famous for his "Anointing" of things with Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Our heart throb Nigella Lawson is practically synonymous with flowery language in describing her methods. Sometimes, even saucy. Pun, and not pun, intended.

Then there's Rachel Ray. We won't elaborate. You either get it; or, you don't. (Just to say ... too contrived. "EVOO" ... really! And, "Sammy"!)

Here we go ...

Take, for instance, pressing a crumb crust into a pie plate or square baking pan. From now on instead of "pressing" let's say we're "convincing". As in, convince the moist crumb crust evenly around the pan".

Now you don't have to peel potatoes, you coax them from their jackets.

That sauce you're seducing on the stove top for hours, be sure to titillate it every so often.

Why not compel those ingredients into the pot.

Roughly savage the vegetables for the stock.

Whip Cream wants to be thrilled.

Instead of "drizzle" why not to Jackson Pollock.

From the British TV show Posh Nosh we now annoy the vegetables instead of boiling.

Also from the latter, we embarrass our vegetables rather than peel.

Rembrandt a fire under the skillet.

That roast, disable it in its own jus.

Spank that Chicken Breast into a thin cutlet.

Terrify the potatoes in butter until golden brown.

Slash the carrots into bite sized pieces.

Add a finalized Bay Leaf.

Picasso the arrangement for your Antipasto.

Bring the pot to a self-bubble and lower the heat and undersell it until it develops an attitude.

Baffle the steak with Bearnaise Sauce.

Gather the salad ingredients into a bowl.

Van Gogh the mixture on the toasted rounds for a Goldilocks Crostini.

___________________________________

Here's a look at how it works in the real world ...

The Path of Aloneness

Dokkōdō — "The Path of Aloneness", "The Way to Go Forth Alone", or "The Way of Walking Alone". 

Musashi, the greatest Samurai, later a deeply feeling student of the Buddha … set down 21 Rules to Live by:

1. Accept everything just the way it is.

2. Do not seek pleasure for its own sake.

3. Do not, under any circumstances, depend on a partial feeling.

4. Think lightly of yourself and deeply of the world.

5. Be detached from desire your whole life long.

6. Do not regret what you have done.

7. Never be jealous.

8. Never let yourself be saddened by a separation.

9. Resentment and complaint are appropriate neither for oneself nor others.

10. Do not let yourself be guided by the feeling of lust or love.

11. In all things have no preferences.

12. Be indifferent to where you live.

13. Do not pursue the taste of good food.

14. Do not hold on to possessions you no longer need.

15. Do not act following customary beliefs.

16. Do not collect weapons or practice with weapons beyond what is useful.

17. Do not fear death.

18. Do not seek to possess either goods or fiefs for your old age.

19. Respect Buddha and the gods without counting on their help.

20. You may abandon your own body but you must preserve your honour.

21. Never stray from the Way.”

~ Miyamoto Musashi 1645

Cousin Jake (The Wrake) Wronski

That would be our beloved Cousin Jake Wronski. Aka, "Jake the Wrake."

He insisted on telling his own story ...

His words ... "Hey, Girl. How ya doin'. See anything you like? Do you? Well, that's just the tip of the iceberg. And, by "tip" I would be referring to ... "

Whoa! OK. OK. I have to interject. That was going to go way out of line. 

Let's just say if that's where you want to go, Girl, Jake is your ticket.

Wread About Some Other Wronski's Here

Gravity We Hardly Know Ye

I've been making a lot of a case for the fact that we ignore Gravity in a significant way. And, for doing so, we live in default of our birthright for true balance, below of our inborn natural potential for sound health, top performance, and full creativity. 

Our bodies are segmented and articulating structures. Standing erect and moving about presents particular challenges. All those parts have to fit and move in a coordinated way. Just like it is for any structure on this Earth, the dictates of Gravity apply to the human structure too.

In terms of the dictates of Gravity the human body works best when it is nicely stacked up, all even and level. In architecture and the building trades the term it's called, "Plumb and Square".

Gravity is so constant and ever present we become inured to its effects. We know well enough from childhood the first time we learned to stack blocks. Things have to stack up to balance. Not so much an idea at first; just an observable fact.

Yet, in the makeup of our bodies we live below our potential for such simple, natural balance.  What's more, it's so commonplace we fail to recognize it as such.

We don't do anything about it until problems surface. Maybe if we are athletes or performers we understand that our performance and creativity have to do with the "tuning" of our bodies. Then, maybe we engage the prospect of bodily balance directly. But, once the wolf is at the door, bodily balance as such isn't an idea we really care much about. It's just, "Fix it!"

Part of the contract I have as a professional is to make an earnest attempt to explain to those I work with that symptom relief and improvements are by-products of the global balancing of the body along the lines of Gravity.

This concept was clear to me when I first went to get Rolfed. The results were, in fact, so impressive I chose this field when I decided to make a career shift to a life of human service.

So now I continue to promote the "shift" in the culture at large to that of transforming our relationship with Gravity from being a mere concept, to being a percept. That is, awakening my fellows to the benefits of living in structural balance. Having an active, conscious and constructive relationship to the energy field of the Earth.

After all, it's not just a very good idea. It's huge, in fact. And, what's really "huge", Mr. Trump, is that you feel it. Plain as day. It feels right. It feels at home.

Halloween 2015
With friends at their annual Halloween theme extravaganza in Glen Ridge, New Jersey. 

For 2015 its ...

"The Seven Deadly Sins"


Greetings. Relax. Stay Awhile.

Vintage Scarry

 

Jerry, The Prince of that Darkness ... and His Minions

America's Got Talent

She's Got a Leg Up!

Woof!

"Oh ... this old thing?"

Just Tossed Something On at the Last Minute

Donald ... Build That Wall!

Kids Today!

Horsing Around

Be Patient ... Everyone Will be Served

Never Trust a Skinny Chef

One Genuine 100% American Boy

200% American Boy

Two Scaredy Cats

One Scary Cat

"Walt-cula"

"You Want Some Candy ... Do Ya, Kid?"

High Concept

Good Night ... Now Go to Confess Your Sins

2021

2019

2018

2017

2016

2014

2013

Good Physics

In the culture at present the approach to health is very much centered on Bio-Chemistry.
Read ... Pharmaceutical Industry. You got something wrong, we got a pill for that. As time goes on, it seems that there are more and more things that can be wrong, and — thankfully — drugs to ease the way. 

Problem is, as Chris Rock said, "There ain't no money in the cure. The money is in the medicine." So much for Chemistry.

When we turn to Physics for insight into questions of health and wellness ... now you're talking.

The simple idea is that physical alignment in respect to the dictates of Gravity may be an important contribution to the discussion.

GM 1958

Ah, GM 1958 

50th Anniversary 

They pulled out all the stops 

(All the chrome)

Why Folks Don't Wanna Get Rolfed

It's been 34 years since I first put up my shingle as a Rolf Practitioner. 

Rolf Structural Integration was originated by Dr. Ida P. Rolf. It is the peerless and definitive training to raise the level of human balance according to the dictates Gravity. In physical terms, this means fostering an arrangement in the makeup of the body structure where the major segments stack up neatly and comfortably, everything nice and even and level.

Not this ...

Like this ...

Part of the challenge for practitioners in our profession has to do with our pioneer status. Even though living with a body balanced to cooperate with the action of Gravity may make sense on paper, it is a new idea for most people. Add to that the observable fact that living with imbalances in the makeup of our bodies is so commonplace it goes unrecognized. It passes for "normal".

It seems that one reason people don't come in droves for Structural Integration is that the very idea of "structural body balance/imbalance" itself. This is not a familiar concept. Part of the contract with new clients who come to see me is getting it clearly across up front that the main goal of Structural Integration is to balance the body along the lines of Gravity. Relief of stress and pains is a by-product. Not to mention improved physical performance and creative expressiveness. Once the work begins, however, the actual experience of living in a more balanced body arrangement becomes palpably clear. It feels good. It feels right. 

The other reason people don't rush to Structural Integration is that it involves making some real changes. We don't seem to opt for making such a shift until the wolf is at the proverbial door, and the painful signals of imbalance just can't be ignored. Until then, though, we seem to be content to make do. Maybe this is human nature. But, the problem can be, that when the pains reporting that something needs to be done, Structural Integration may not be the first best option. 

If there's a lesson here, it's this: Don't wait for something to happen.

I agree ... don't fix it if it ain't broke. But, just like if you own a home. Certainly the car your drive. Maintenance as a part of ongoing ownership is the best approach. 

Consider making Structural Integration part of your regimen ... now.

Gravity ... Just Because You Can't See It

The force of Gravity is an ineluctable fact. Just because you can't see it, failing to live up to its demands has consequences. In our dwellings. And ... in our bodies. 

In our bodies, living at odds with the dictates of Gravity looks like stress and pain. Also, this means living below our potential for top performance and creativity. Living under the literal "spell" of imbalances fixed in our very flesh; which also color our outlook and slant our perspective.

Your body, just like it is for any other physical structure on Earth, has to deal with the constant and ever-present pull of Gravity. 

In this respect "Plumb & Square" is the rule. That is, structures need to be stacked up neatly, all level and even to endure. The human body too. 

Now, at this point, someone will probably point out how all those new-fangled architectures look so off kilter. 

On the surface, yes. Call it aesthetics. At their core, you gotta know there's that old Plumb & Square to be sure all the forces balance. 

The human body too.