Failing Up

I think that our planet Earth is a living breathing entity, and we are like fleas on dog living on her.  Just like bad habits effect our health they also impact Earth's.  Smoking cigarettes is bad for our health, unregulated emissions are bad for earths.

We all need healthy plasma, Earth needs the oceans. We need healthy lungs Earth needs trees.  Once we have symptoms of an illness we go the doctor.  Who takes care of earth?  Not us. 

timothymahar.org

"Hello Muddah, hello Fadduh, take me home from camp Granada."  This song released in 1963 and sung by Alan Sherman summed up how I felt about summer camp.  To me summer meant freedom, no schedules, endless days and nights with friends on bicycles, swimming in the lake and at my aunt Helen's camp.  Not forced summer day camp filled with "fun" activities and teenage camp counselor more interested in summer "fun" than anything else.  They thought they were so cool 17 and 18yrs treating us like kids. It was not a good situation for someone like myself who had issues with real authority figures, let along some hormone raging teen counselor.   Then there was my two week sentence to Boy Scout camp in the Adirondacks.  A two week sentence of hikes, swimming lessons, morning and evening assembly and bears!  I was trapped now way out. Hello Mudda, hello Fadduh get me out of the Adirondacks!!  

timothymahar.org

July 10, 1969 the #1 song on the charts was 'In The Year 2525" by Zager & Evans a cautionary scene-fiction tale about humanity's over dependence of technology and  progressive dehumanization.  That descriptive comes from AI, how ironic! The song takes place over 7000 years, predicting that machines will eventually replace human thoughts and movements, leading to our extinction.  This one hit wonder is as applicable now as it was then.  2525 may come early this year.   

timothymahar.org

The 1976 Bicentennial celebration of America's 200th birthday was designed as a unifying healing event.  The nation was healing after, the Vietnam War, Watergate, and economic struggles.  I was 17 years old in 1976 and about to enter my senior year in high school.  The top songs on July 4th were. "Silly Little Love Song" by Wings,  "Afternoon Delight" by The Starland Vocal Band, "Misty Blue" by Dorothy Moore. On the television the programs were, Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley, MASH, Charlies Angels and the Six Million Dollar Man.  Rocky, A Star is Born, Taxi Driver and Carrie were the hot films.  There were 16 tall ships and 200 vessels from around the world cruising the Hudson River, Freedom Train went to 48 States stopping to display historical artifacts,  The Wagon Train Pilgrimage traveled from various states all ending up at Valley Forge, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip visited our cities, including Boston, DC, Philadelphia. A nation celebrated and came together after being divided on several fronts on our 200th.  I believe again we can heal and come together like July 4th, 1976.  Well, maybe without the Starland Vocal Band.

timothymahar.org

To begin with I must say, I do not believe the elections in the United States are rigged at all.  How can a political party complain when they won the House, the Senate, the White House and Supreme Court, drop the mic. That is not what I am talking about here anyway.  I just love to vote. I love the entire day, the experience  of going to the local polling location the feel of community.  There are spaghetti  dinners, bake sales, just an energy throughout the day.  I feel it is a day where we are truly united regardless of who you are voting for.  On that day the entire country comes together in a unified act of democracy. No matter if you are Red, Blue, or Purple, on election day we are all Red White and Blue. 

timothymahar.org

It's a given that I have many issues that can keep a therapist occupied for eternity, and one of them is my aversion to the dreaded  Pot Luck dinner or event.  To be clear this disinclination does not apply to events involving family, or friends  holiday parties or celebrations.  What  I am talking about is that large community event where your "luck" is placed in the unwashed hands of strangers.  I just don't know what went on behind the scenes with that potato, macaroni or Jell-O salad. Ziti is safe if you get there first while the cheese topping has not been destroyed, you can find a safe spot to dig into.  I will also include my distaste for buffet tables with the cheese mountains and meat trays.  No one uses tooth pick or tongs!!  Don't even get me started on the bread bowl! 

timothymahar.org

Art began as an accidental theme in my life back in high school when chose it as a major.  Little did I know the important role it would play in my life, through college and into my professional career. I was fortunate to have leadership roles at Syracuse University at the College of Visual and Performing Arts and Alumni Office that involved the arts.  I was in a similar role at Cornell University at the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning, and have spent over 30 years performing and teaching improv.  We need art in all it's forms, especially now to live.  It is like breathing, you don't think about it until you need to.  With constant restraints and restrictions trying to be force on us.  Art is our true freedom in all its forms.  You cannot restrict imagination and creativity.  "I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important then knowledge.  Knowledge is limited imagination encircles the world." Albert Einstein. 1929 Saturday Evening Post interview. 

timothymahar.org

Almost every city or town, urban or rural has a Farmers Market.  I have been to them from New York, all the way to Santa Monica California. I will include its cousin the Flea Market as well, which I have been to from the Big Apple to Santa Fe New Mexico.  These are places where people go to without an agenda, no rush and interact.  There is no AI at the farmers market, no push button service, you interact with those selling their produce and items.  People interact with each other. No labels no screaming, just flowers, fruit cool stuff and fresh honey.  Maybe this model is something to look at on a larger scale. 

timothymahar.org

In June 5th 1968 Robert Francis Kennedy was shot in the kitchen at the Ambassadors Hotel in Los Angles after winning the California primary.  He was my first hero who was not a relative, he was the torch JFK mentioned in his inauguration. He was the new generation, and in a year of turmoil, violence, division and extreme change, he was also the change agent steering into a horizon of hope.  That all ended 25 hours later at 1:44am on June 6th, 1968, he died.  A simple grave in Arlington Cemetery next to his brothers and at the foot of the hill of Robert Lee's mansion.  The world did change after his death, I would argue not for the better. 

timothymahar.org

I took a vacation recently to relax and regroup.  My attempt to escape from the chaotic events of the world.  What a great unexpected day!  First I took bottles and cans to the recycle place and made some new friends as they sorted through my $34.00 of returns.  I got a hug and bottle of water before I left.  Then, I loaded up my vehicle and was off to the dump.  I have not been to a dump in over 30 years.  The size, the purging, the people I met, the satisfaction of just tossing stuff into a large pile in very large open building exceeded my expectations.  Again, I made some new friends!  It was just a perfect day!  It's so true you do not have to look far to find happiness! 

timothymahar.org