thelerner

I hope we get to see some pictures Michael

Winning the rat race. Hmmn, my families success was in finding value in other peoples garbage. My grandfather, a russian immigrant in the 20's, found corrugated boxes, would tie them up and resell them. He started out in alleys, finding them, tying them up w/ twine and reselling them to stores. Later he found companies that would throw them out. Ultimately he rented the first floor of a warehouse, he'd send a small pick up truck around to local factories to pick up the boxes they'd emptied. As time went on he bought bigger trucks, hired people to sort the good from the bad and reselling them. The boxes weren't new or perfect, but held what you needed and shipped the same. As decades went on, he rented the whole building, and ultimately bought the three story warehouse in the 50's. Thus my grandfather coming to the U.S. w/ no language or money become a successful business man in the tiny nitch industry of selling used boxes. After a succession of heart attacks, my dad who had worked at the business since high school took over. My dad was a master sales person, finding sources for boxes, offering more then scrap rates and finding newer larger corporate sources to sell to. Instead of wrapping boxes in 25's w/ twine, he introduced pallets and banding wire selling them by 225's. He found new markets in obsolete boxes that were misprints that companies would otherwise throw out. How good a sales person was he? He once flew from Chicago to Florida and met without an appointment buyers from a Dollar Store corporation and sold them trailor loads of boxes. Right on the spot. What made him more successful then his dad was his ability to find really Big clients and find ways to get more cheap boxes. Essentially we would buy used boxes by the ton, sell them by the box. After his two heart attacks I took over the business. My dad is thankfully still around, happily retired(though currently evacuated) in florida. I computerized the business, didn't really expand it much. We had 12 to 14 employees. Like my parents I did everything, buying, selling, managing. Selling would still mean, walking the beat. Going to Industrial parks, walking miles through them, passing out business cards and fliers, calling them back later to solicit orders. Finding sources was similar. No particular magic, just walking and phoning, hours each day. Dealing w/ dozens of no's for every yes. As management you dealt w/ everything from equiptment failure to employee conflicts, problems with each other, there families etc. There were dozens of govenrment taxes and insurance needs etc. eating up lots of time. Ya da yada. Last year, I sold the business to a competitor, sold the building to a developer. The time was right, the offers were good. I've been playing house husband to the 3 kids this year. My wife works 3 days a week. I'm happy, but I'll need to find some challenges. short answer to leaving the rat race: Own a business where you can find value in other peoples garbage(very taoish). Find the Big customers. Live well but cheaply. Best business advice, The best business deal is not the one that gets you the most. Its the one where both parties leave happy. Thats the way to long term deals and relationships. Best Sales advice. Candy, keep halloween type candy in your pockets. Hand it out liberally to secretaries as well as decision makers. Accepting food has much deeper connotations then you might assume. Decision makers will buy from friends all things being equal or slightly inequal, be friendly. Best Management, be lavish w/ the little things, buying lunches, snacks, extra time off, while keeping the big things (salary & benefits) under control. No one will ever think they are being paid enough, but they will remember the lunches provided, free small loans, ability to come and leave early when needed. Michael

Here's a wild and crazy idea. What about a collaborative book effort here. The subject that gets the longest and most interesting threads is lets face it sex. I wonder if we (collectively) would be able to create The Taobums manual on sex, w/ sections on retention, romance, refraction etc. Anything that starts with the letter R would be fair game. (just kidding, other letters welcome). Anyone would be able to edit it. At some point we would need a final editor. What do you think? Should we put it up for a vote as a poll? If it worked (a big if) we could start ones on active meditations, esoteric practices etc. Then let them free as e-books. Michael

Here's a wild and crazy idea. What about a collaborative book effort here. The subject that gets the longest and most interesting threads is lets face it sex. I wonder if we (collectively) would be able to create The Taobums manual on sex, w/ sections on retention, romance, refraction etc. Anything that starts with the letter R would be fair game. (just kidding, other letters welcome). Anyone would be able to edit it. At some point we would need a final editor. What do you think? Should we put it up for a vote as a poll? If it worked (a big if) we could start ones on active meditations, esoteric practices etc. Then let them free as e-books. Michael

Speaking of working through fear. I was working on falling from a standing position straight and stiffly forward and down into the push up position. (Batman Begins had it I think) I was surprised at how much fear it engendered. So started off on the knees, then crouching, etc til it was done. Beware of throbbing hands for a day or two. Its kind of a sexy macho way to start push ups. Michael

Stangely enough when I was at the Tao Mountain for a retreat last year I roomed w/ someone who had done a lot of wing chun. It seemed excellent for close quarters. He had very fast arm motions designed to deflect, entrap and open the opponent up for a counter blows. I bought the the target focused System a while back. Very keep it simple. Pick one target. Hit it, nothing else matters. No psychology, or defense, hit your target and understand the reflex of what comes from that strike and use it to follow up. Don't all martial artists have favorate 'emergency' moves? I've spent years practicing a relaxed arm swinging open handed uppper cut aimed at the nose(w/ hip movement on contact) followed by 2 light very fast tags to the eyes. That and stpepping to the side, relaxed front kick to oppoenents inside knee then immediate stomping side kick into the other knee. Actually thats from Glenn Morris's Book, 'Path notes..". A book that should be up your alleys. Michael

I Used to take that royal bee stuff. I had a really nice ceramic spoon I'd use just for it. Then the spoon broke and it went the way of so many supplements, long forgotten. Michael

I like it. I just wonder if the laughing man will show up in my dreams. Laughing is a great practice. One of those holistic natural things good for mind body and soul. I wonder if we can find more of these? There are lots of laughing meditations out there from Osho to Winn. I remember Raven had one that had specifics on ha ha, hee hees and ho ho's and where they worked you out from belly to heart. Peace Michael

I like the name and connotation of bums, in the best sense of the word that is. The sense of being relaxed, not following the tic toc world. Not masters, not servants, just looking for a path and a smile. Taking the world as it is, maybe peering a bit beneath it. Nothing special, just bumming around w/ this time we have on the earth. Michael

I was thinking of starting a discussion topic on Children. A number of us have kids. I wonder where the best place would be. Off Topic or a special place in Personal Discussion? What do you think? Michael

Daniel Reid writes about the Taoist who lived to 252. Even if you believe it(and I don't). The report is he was married many times, had many children. So if you believe it, then he let them die. No 200 year old juniors or celebrating the 100th wedding anniversaries. If his kids and wives who could see it w/ there own eyes couldn't accomplish it, even w/ Boji juice and all, there little chance that such over priced remedies will be the way for us. Thats not to throw out the baby w/ the bath water though. Herbs have a valid place in daily health. Michael

Hmmn, Furey says he makes 10k on the internet and can show YOU how do the same. I get the feeling its heavy into 'Best Spin' and lighter on ethics and quality control. I could well be wrong. But its hard to move in two such major directions at once, ethically. Michael

No such thing as bad chi, remember, chi doesn't hurt people, people hurt themselves Nice site on Seans post. Going to give some blood at Life Source. Peas Michael

Speaking of biological/chemical enlightenment has anyone tried or gotten the Amygdallah biofeed back training at a web site that I can't remember. It was about 'clicking' the amygdallah and the wonderous things that happen because of it. If no one here has it, I'd volunteer to try it out and report. Yoda did you first mention it? I think I have the site name saved on my other computer, some persons name I think. Thoughts.

From Yoda's post, the phrase, "in touch w/ his feet", is an important concept that should be remembered. I was reading in Seans link in AYP and since it somewhat deals w/ kundalini energies, the keeping in touch w/ our feet is very poignant. I've read and have Glenn Morriss first 2 books. I really like them, particularly the first. I've paged through his third. I have his Meditative Mastery tape series, which like his books, wandered a lot, but when they're good, they're brilliant. I'd buy him 2 beers at least. Michael

Great story Michael

Question is, if the helmets work too well, will you still need MRs. Y around? Shades of Woody Allens movie Sleeper. Glen Morris felt that enlightenment was a biochemical process, and gave you a larger and more robust aura. As well as greater health. Peas Michael

Yeah when the Gods of War rumble the ground shakes scaring everything, including them. But just think, if they were together they'd probably take over the earth! Its can be useful to break down peoples writings into quotes and argue w/ it. But, ;it gets nit picky. The whole issue of how far we should we should trust and apply science is good one. It should probably be thrown to the main discussion board. Here's what I picked up at a yeshiva, science tells us what a thing is, religion tells us how to use it. My wife works for the AMA, though shes not a huge supporter of it. Last year they had a huge bill board on quackery and the AMA's fight against it. They had on the board a famous womans Tonic for woman named for Mrs. (I forget the name, indian origin) and dissed it for having such a high alcohol content. But the herbs it used and combined were solid. Self interest too often blinds us. We can use any method or religion to Prove ourselves right and superior. Man is more a rationalizing animal then a rational one. Damn these soap boxes are slippery Later Michael

In his book 'The Tao of Health Sex and Longevity' Reid has an extensive section on detoxing. Its older but wildly available, you may want to see if your local book mart has it and page through it. I did his detox w/ the old book a couple of times a few years ago. He's into fasting, pure water w/ lemon juice, psyllium seed, and bentonite. The Bentonite can make it hideous, but the psyllium seed is just plain old metamucil. It also contained maple syrup. You fast, only drinking that mixture for a few days up to 10. As I recall, there was a real high to it the last few days. It really reset how you'd think about food and time. Like all extreme fasts it will make you weak, and is done at your own risk. His new book must have more details and more to it then his older ones though. Michael

It kinda reminds me of the Immortality Rings. We actually had one or two people order them. You know what, they work, the people (yoda?) is still alive Though I don't think he sprang for the new Improved slightly more expensive Super Immortality Rings. Seriously, keep us informed. Michael

That brings to mind the irony that its Iranian w/ an iranian poets quote on the oneness of mankind. Meanwhile Iran is the birthplace of the Bahai religion, a very peaceful one that stresses the oneness of mankind and ofcourse they've been persecuted in there homeland for years. Michael

OOOoo psychoanalyzing the Lozen creature, be careful what you wish for . You're a bit of an exhibitionist. More thern most, you write honestly, openly, and diaretically (I'm not confined to normal english). Open, allowing people into your life, trying new things. Yet closed, no significant others, actively and purposely celibate. Just as we rebell and conform to our parents, we do the same to our stereotypes. As a modern liberal Jew (who hates to be labeled) you seem to be in the seeker mode. Looking .. searching.. as if you were a piece of puzzle looking for the spot you fit. I think you're in a good spot. You've studied the questions, you know the answers. You are where you are, because that is where you have put yourself. As a modern feminist you are fiercely independent but yearning to connect. Too often seeing your ideal man in the ones you can't have. You have talent and drive. You can feel the earth beneath your feet. yawn, its late 1:17, this is the kind of post, written as preconscious drivel that I'd ususually write and then delete. I'll let this one stay. Peace and peas Michael

I think I've seen this story mentioned w/ the same names in both Jewish and Zen mystical stories. The student Joshu is told he is enlightened. Others students gather around Joshu and ask, "How do you feel?" "Miserable as ever". Matt says taoist enlightenment is stripped off all trappings. Thats good. You don't see Jesus, or Buddha or Blue Skinned 6 armed women. You see .. I don't know? whats in front of you? Hmmmn, Winn in his dream tape series has an affirmation something like to see, bravely, what ever just is. No fudge factor, no heaven or hell, no coloration. Just see what is. If tao is just path, then we just walk, step by step, no heaven, hell, nothing special. Just step by step, walk smoothly with no projections as the future arrives all by itself. Michael

I ditto Daowaoditty Experimentation is good. Michael

Being in management means introducing ideas that create no work for you, but tons for others. Since I used to be in management here goes: Bring video chat to the site. Work out a protocol. Then maybe get a hold of 4 cameras and have those circulate on rotating basis. Those who want to could purchase there own. Then we could have Live Visual Chats. Whoa! The next level in communication and almost as good as being there. One day perhaps. Well back to my flying car Yours Michael