portraiture

He goes by the name of D-Rock. And if you guessed a stage name, you are correct.

His story is heard of often. We had a band and went to Los Angeles to seek fame and fortune. A claim that many have made and many have only dreamed of.

For D-Rock… it is a reality. One that after he and his band “Later Days” pooled their tour money from filled auditoriums in the Florida music scene, pulled their home roots in making the exodus the LA.

But more than an amazingly gifted drummer is D-Rock. Unlike the usual artist, he has the mind of an entrepreneur. Don’t misunderstand me; I’m not underselling D-Rocks musical talents. He is a crazy good drummer, check out this campy little video from a House of Blues show.

And for that matter, and absolutely, music has been good to him; winning competition after competition, being featured at some of the must prestigious music festivals and touting a loyal following of a fan base. Yet, even with this, D-Rock is a realist in evaluating his fill of performing successes and band shake-ups. Experiences that in sum whole are the kind of stuff that sucks the very spirit out of many a young musician.

D-Rock and I have grabbed thirty minutes of shade in talking about his transition from the stage to that of a culinary business owner. “I’ve always given one-hundred percent of myself to everything that I do. In high school I was an exceptionally good baseball player. I played second base and made the all-star team every year. Then I got into drumming to deal with the frustrations of playing ball. I excelled in that and my band has done very well. I picked up cooking and became a really good chef. Everyone I know has suggested that I open a restaurant. And now I have found the perfect way to do that.”

Readers, I can’t announce D-Rocks new business venture, I’m sworn to secrecy.

But as charmed as D-Rock’s introduction sounds, he has dealt with the expected series of disillusioning entertainment industry blows, his band has not hit it to the big leagues and has struggled with the dysfunctions resulting from a series of member losses. All of which leaned to D-Rock as the stable one in leading the resolves of all the typical rock and roll issues. In the final analysis, D-Rock has with the maturity of a seasoned CEO, taken stock in following his business mind in leaving the taste of LA band coordinating behind for the time being.

“I’m a musician, will always be. It’s just time for me to take a break and build a different business.” D-Rock summarizes.

Now that you know who D-Rock is, here is what he has to say in regards to 365.

Question One:
If you could give the people of the world any advice, council, or pass on any wisdom, what would you tell them?

“’There are a lot of great things that we learn at a young age that I personally feel that a lot of society loses site of. ‘The Golden Rule’ or ‘Pay It Forward’ for example.

I think that as we grow older and we learn to take on stress and struggles in our daily lives. Trying to make our own lives better, we stop thinking about the people around us. Everything becomes so fast paced and we forget something so simple as the Golden Rule.

‘Treat People the way you want to be treated.’ We get in this mentality of taking short cuts or getting in to the juggling act of life and sometimes we end up making sacrifices or short cuts that are not always good for everyone around.

Sometimes we even hurt others. So in my young twenty-six years I have learned to do my best in being good. Every day we have the opportunity to make choices (another thing we learn very young) and it’s those choices that affect the next.

Every person you meet could be a person that could in some way shape or form change your life.  As long as you use the ‘Golden Rule’ you will never ‘Burn a Bridge,’ and you will be rewarded with the opportunity to ‘Pay It Forward.’

I even saw a quote by Richard Branson that he has basically based his Virgin enterprise on, ‘Do Good Business.’ Meaning if you’re going to do business… make sure it’s for good and not for evil.

Find a way to give back.’” 

Question Two:
Looking ahead five, ten, fifteen, twenty… even one hundred years and beyond, where do you see the planet, or the people being? Or how, or what, do you advise us regarding the future?

“’Looking ahead… first you have to look back. The time and space between change has become smaller. Now a new apple product comes out every six months or less. I hope for the sake of humanity and the generations to come that not just for the people in our own country, but also for all the people on our tiny blue dot, that we can learn to work together. There is so much on our planet we still have to learn about. And I feel that time is being wasted fighting over it. In one hundred years I think we will be in a better state. Like they say, ‘It gets worse before it gets better.’ I’m hoping we have seen the worst and in the next five, ten, fifteen and twenty years it gets better and we learn to work together!’”

D-Rock has spoken, the lights have dimmed, and the gear is packed. Although the stage is cleared of band, there is still one star remaining to be placed on the Hollywood Boulevard.

And after watching D-Rock’s campy You-Tube, I will make a prediction. D-Rock will be back… And next time he hits the stage, we better watch out. The dude can drum!

“When I was a kid I was raised in a real wild scary environment – Germany during World War Two.

And when the war was over, I was barely 11 years old. All I remember is that my dad went away and never came back. He got killed.”

Yet with this tragic account, today’s neighbors… now endeared friends, Horst and his beloved wife Elizabeth, show no signs of contempt towards humanity.

Up the street they live from me, always private, always smiling and always receptive to a passing greeting. But after ten years of living in the area in addition to the thirty my wife has spent here. We really do not know Horst and Elizabeth all that well, other than our occasional strolling nods of recognition.

In fact my wife used to play with their children when she was young. But even with this past, we are still complete strangers to our community sharing couple.

Today that has all changed when I knock at their door to invite them to 365.

Funny thing, that at my initial knock, I find myself a bit anxious in not wanting to encroach on my neighbor’s private time in intruding at the sanctity of their home front.

But the instant Horst opens his home and his history; the more I am endeared to call he and Elizabeth new and totally amazing friends.

Both are survivors of the grandest scale, living through the ravages of a devastating war and bearing the blessings of forty-nine years of successful marriage.

Elizabeth welcomes us with an engaging comment, “Now that I am ageing, I realize how wise my mother was. That’s for me the biggest, biggest thing. Especially when my grand-daughter comes over about twice a week. I keep telling her little quips that my mom always used to say that totally annoyed me, and, of course embarrassed me when I was young. But now I can see that she was really wise.”

Takes me about a nanosecond to understand what she is saying. And, although my dear old Mum is still alive and kicking. I remember the words of my Grandfather, “Take care of your teeth.”

At the time I thought he was a little off the rocker. Teeth? Sure they are important, but don’t you have any grand spiritual enlightenment to depart on your most handsome grandson?

But now that I look back at the pain he endured, even in the simple act of eating, visualize his frail physique and reflect on the esteem issues he must have bore due to his deteriorating smile, I feel a latent empathy for his life and a deeper respect for his council.

Elizabeth is a surgical nurse and confirms of his wisdom in telling us that off all the cases she has worked on, and in every instance, the healthiest patients, both mentally and physically are the one with good teeth. And many of the sickest are the ones with poor dental hygiene.

Enough said, I’m stocking up on the Fluoride and floss today.

I mentioned history in introducing you to Horst and Elizabeth. History, that during a pleasant living room chat overwhelms me with accounts of the strength of character these two special people hold.

Horst recounts his childhood, “I recall a lot of bombings, and being scared all the time… really scared.

But I understand, The Germans bombed London and they bombed us… well that’s war.

There is no pity taken on anybody, war is horrible, and it’s the most horrible thing in the world as far as I’m concerned.”

Horst holds no biases, no patriotic gleam for battles won, or lost… and certainly no attack directed towards any one group of people. Horst is a humanitarian.

He furthers his account, “Then the war was over and all of a sudden the Russians came. They were mostly nice people. They didn’t do anything that bad.

We’d sit in the basement… everyone was scared…and then a Russian came in there all by himself. It was amazing. He must have been a very brave guy. He had a big tommy gun and the center scope, a magazine – 72 rounds.

He gave my step Grandfather a cigarette, and my step Grandfather could speak Polish, which is very close to Russian. So, they could understand each other. Then he left. It wasn’t too bad.

Then some other guys came in. They were not that nice. They were people that I had never seen before in my life. They were Mongols. One of them poked me with a bayonet and I wet myself. I was really just a kid and the rifle and bayonet was this long (Horst parts the width of his arms to illustrate).”

Wow…! All I can do is listen… Amazed in trying to put myself in the situation, a situation that is so far out of my sensory understanding: Dad gone, no idea if I am about to be murdered or not. Alone in a basement filled with what I can assume are equally frightened people and families.

Sitting, shaking at age eleven with a bayonet pressed against my chest. And Horst speaks of it with humor, humility and forgiveness. Makes me wonder what any one of us would take away from the same. Not that I wish it on any human, but Horst’s story is a sobering testimony of survival of the mind and of spirit… One that I hope will enlighten us to a charitable outlook towards the citizens trapped in the backgrounds of any battle.

The closet I can get to empathize is to relate the stories of my parents, survivors of the German Blitz; and, of their stories of fear, courage, heroes and carnage. Tales of brave citizens and of undetonated buzz bombs.

Horst recounts, “We found so many ammunitions it was unbelievable. It was a bazaar heaven for young boys. I mean thousands of rounds of ammunitions, all just lying around. Guns, knifes, bayonets, everything you can imagine. Dead people too… Lots of dead people…” He pauses. “They took away the dead Russians, but not the dead Germans.”

Again, I listen.

“We were just very lucky that our house did not get hit. It was just like plain luck if you did not get hit. They open up the bomb bays and the bombs are indiscriminate.

Actually, when you were outside you could see it. You know, because the Americans used to come during the day. The English used to come at night. The sirens would start, and wherever you could go, you would go. We did not have great big bunkers like they show in the movies where hundreds and hundreds of people could go. We’d just run to the basement, you know, with reinforcement, big wooden pieces, but that doesn’t really mean anything.

You could hear the flack shooting like crazy, the searchlights going like that all over. You could see it, right through the basement windows. A lot of people did not make it. It is just a draw… that’s all.”

We talk about the good and bad in people and how war draws the best and the worst out of man.

“We are all human…” Horst proposes, “…. We are all the same. Cut me… Cut you… The same blood comes out. We all have different upbringings, different beliefs, different prejudices or whatever, but basically we are all very-very much the same. No matter what color or creed.”

Horst is now retired from his life as a commercial painter. He reviews his life, “There were some pretty tough times and after, good times. After all who enjoys a good time more than those who have had bad times.

If you were born with a silver spoon and you have always gotten all that you wanted. You can buy the nicest clothes, the best food… you don’t get too much excited about anything.

I’ve worked for people like that, and that is not who I am.”

“People are basically good…” Horst accounts, “’… It all depends on what type of environment they are brought up in. Not necessarily in what country, but the environment. They are formed from about age zero to fifteen, sixteen, seventeen. That totally shapes you.

I was in an environment that was very toxic. It was very dangerous. You could have got killed the next day. So you don’t put that much emphasis anymore about you and are not that much worried about getting there; the final stages in life, like a lot of people do. It’s very simple to say, ‘I can be friends with anybody, but sometimes they are beyond my influence.’”

Elizabeth has a history that matches that of Horst. They did not meet in Europe. They met years later while residing in Canada. Born in Germany, then to Yugoslavia, Elizabeth tells me of her childhood. “After the war Yugoslavia threw me out and I was placed in a relocation camp. I was there for nine years and began working at age fourteen.”

Elizabeth chooses not to overly talk of the past, Horst has been their spokesperson, but she does make a set of forward thinking remarks.

“We must continue to make the greatest effort to conserve our natural resources. And to not rip our Earth apart as we are doing now. Oh my gosh! If we don’t we are heading towards disaster.”

Horst contributes, “You know there is a word for it – It is called Armageddon.”

Elizabeth resumes, “I truly believe the younger people have the ability to do something about it. I just hope that they will be able to conserve, not destroy our natural resources. That would be my biggest wish.”

Horst looks forward, “’There are people in every country that will use any means to enrich themselves materialistically. You can go to Russia or whatever country. We have those people in America too. In German they say, ‘Sie werden auf alle Schrittmotoren um dorthin zu gelangen,’ which means, ‘They are stepping on all to get there.’

I’m not really surprised, like I said; ‘We are all basically the same.’ For one thing, we will do anything to survive. That’s human nature.

But some people will do anything to enrich themselves. And because of this, I can see that there will always be a great big divide between what they call the left and the right. There will always be the people who are the haves and the not haves. And sooner or later the people who have things get so greedy, that they will hurt all the other people tremendously… To the extent that the other people get together and they will become commune – Communism. The poor people do not create Communism. The rich people create Communism.

If you are so greedy that you do not let anybody else make a decent living. Then the people will commune. Never forget 1917, you know… the Russian revolution.

I’ve talked to people who lived through it. If you don’t let an animal make a decent living, sooner or later it will bite you. It happens, Capitalism against Socialism, it goes on… and on… and on. It goes on forever. It will always be. There are certain people who just don’t care if anybody else makes a decent living or not, all that matters is that they do.

I can see the handwriting on the wall in America. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer. I’m not a bloody Communist or anything. I just see things different as the average America sees it.

We have lived in three different countries and I am old. I’m seventy-eight years old this year. I see things different. I don’t put much money in monetary value. We are not rich. Our house is paid for. We worked very hard for it and that’s about it.

For a short time I lived with a stepfather who was rich and he wasn’t happy. I’ve also worked for a lot of rich people. I could name you hundreds of rich people, all of who are not happy (Horst recites a who’s who list of names). None of them were happy. I’ve worked with rich people all of my life. You know, poor people cannot afford me to paint their house. I didn’t charge that much, but I’ve got to make a living.

Most of the rich are kind of OK, but some of them…?’”

I kick in, “The way I see it…  The humble rich and the humble poor and all those in the middle are coming together, and perhaps there is a revolution of awareness and information coming, maybe we are in it now.”

Elizabeth speaks, “I do believe since we have global communication we are all more aware. Everything with this instant communication feels very-very close. Which is good, but it does prevent us from a lot of personal interaction and that is what worries me.”

We talk of the importance of education and of family values; both topics that are at the top of the 365 list of reoccurring conversations, questioning, “How many of us choose the materialistic, focusing on the work it takes to get it, and paying the price of a devalued family or other values.”

Horst and Elizabeth come from a generation of survivors. Like my mother and father, they came to America in the early sixties. As many others at the time quested similar journeys in locating wherever they did post war and beyond, they were searching for a better life for their families.

Our new society in moving fast, the economy is all screwed up and the media, hidden politics, unsubstantiated judgments and materialistic comparisons are the compass for far too many an individual.

Have we gotten soft in the wrong ways and as a result become thoughtlessly powerful? For in what we are learning from Horst and Elizabeth a case is proposed before the court of humanity. Horst opens with his comparative evidence, “We are all the same. Cut me… Cut you… The same blood comes out.”

I examine his plea and come to a question of a conclusion, “Are we living with expectations of what we deserve… or are we preparing for what we can contribute?

“We are very liberal people. Not like the average German. Most of the Germans in this area are very conservative for some unexplainable reason. But for us… Everybody is welcome,” Horst concludes.

We ready ourselves to take a few pictures, when Horst shows his remarkable sense of humor in pointing at himself, “All we have given you is Henry Kissinger.” He smiles.

I’ve stumbled upon yet another Starbucks think tank group, lovingly titled by charter member Bing, “The Old Takaka’s.”

But Takaka’s they are not. I sit with them and chat for about an hour. All have great stories, wise advice and more combined enthusiasm than that of a collegiate fraternity.

Among them is peer of similar age to myself, Rick, son of group veteran Cara. Seems that today Rick is crowned campus chancellor. And without hesitation he nobly steps to the front of room (well, less the theatrics, front and center of the our umbrella covered study table).

My attention kicks in as Rick jumps into a passionate set of life recommendations.

“’Take care of your kids. Our future depends on today’s youth… bottom line.

Make sure your kids are cared for and educated. That is the hugest thing we can do for our future.

We’ve got a couple of generations of kids that are lost and disconnected. They think they are connected with this device, (He points to his smart phone). But the really are disconnected.

My wife and I are in the foster program. We don’t have our own children, but we feel blessed. Through this, we see a lot of the other side of what can happen if you don’t take care of your kids. We see that direct impact of what can happen if parents get sidetracked as adults.

It’s like this, you get to be a certain age and you learn how to tie you shoes… Then you get to a certain age and you can maybe take care of your little brother or sister…. Then you get to a certain age and you’re big enough, and you’re old enough to drive a car. But are you responsible enough to be doing that…?

Then you get to an age where you can have a baby, certainly you’re capable of having a baby, capable of producing a baby, but are you capable of raising a child. I think that’s where we look at people and say, ‘Well… That person looks like an adult.’ But in reality, inside they may be a child themselves. And whoever they are, I think that their self-worth goes back to how they were brought up and raised. And I think rebuilding the family is where we need to start in wanting a better future.

It’s all about rebuilding the family back to a very strong foundation. From there we will see a different set of values, values that will be a lot more proactive and progressive in interaction with society and community.

So the fact that my wife and I cannot have children does not mean that I can’t be a parent in trying to make some of that change happen within my own life. I think it was Gandhi that said, ‘Be the change.’ At least that is where I am starting.

It’s a funny thing about the word individual; the actual root of the word, means undivided.

It’s kind of cool that we can actually make that effort on an individual basis, which really is a collective effort.

The future is going to have to become more simplistic.

Life is very complicated right now. It’s full of distraction and chaff and too busy.

I think that’s part of the reason we lose sight of the important things in life. We are pulled in so many directions. I think that the natural course of evolution is that life is going to have to simplify. It can only get so complex before it falls down for a simpler world.

A life where we can all focus on what is important.

Right now we are pulled towards the consumerism. I think that’s going to crash in on itself at some point. From there, we will have to start over.

Then after the chaos that will ensue during that sort of a transition period, maybe a ten or twenty year period, perhaps even longer; we’ll literally see people say, ‘What can we take away from this experience? And let’s leave all the rest behind!’

And I think it will be more of a simplistic approach to life. We’ll have more values as to what we know to be important.

It’s incredible that we have gotten so far off track.

One of the questions I ask my clients (Rick is a financial advisor), ‘If something that you thought was true… was not true…when would you want to know?’

If everyone were to answer that question and take action in looking at their lives… At the things that they believe… And at the things that are really not true.’”

Rick holds the conference to attention. His presentation is sound and secure. And his perspective is well founded with reason and life experience. There are many powerful points made in speaking with him. Points that present problems that cannot be solved with wholly academic solutions.

Rick is an optimistic and realistic thinker. He considers not only at the now, but also at the past in empowering his words to actions. I consider him an actualized inhabitant of community Earth, a citizen of humanity who is seemingly doing his part in bettering the planet.

In his thoughts he has posed quite a few topics for our consideration. All with their own unique resolves that can be adopted into our individual situations.

Some of us have come from charmed histories; others of us have fought tooth and nail for our literal existences. But whatever the circumstance, Rick has forced us to access our issues in prompting us with his short query, “If something that you thought was true… was not true…when would you want to know?”

The solution may be riddled with variables or shrouded in fear. But in the end, and with heartfelt consideration, might we act on the answer and have the courage to persevere.

Now I’ve lived in my neighborhood for quite some years, and often, as I walk the streets only houses away from my own residence, I walk past the face of a man who day in and day out parks his truck in arriving home. His eyes are accepting and his countenance is kind.

Many times I have passed him, and in all have recognized his consistency of outreached presence. For so many years, I have accepted him as part of the neighborhood, but until recently, and inspired by 365, I’ve decided to reach out a little further in getting to know him. So for the last several weeks I’ve been inviting him to be part of 365.

In all invites, my reserved neighbor has been humbly pleasant, “Not right now, maybe later.”

Every time I see him I wish my signature hello, and basically, it makes no difference to me if my still not known neighbor interviews or not. What is important is that we have at least have grown to respect each other enough to share first names and the unity that brings to a neighborhood.

Sam is his given. And with first names in mind we have managed to stay connected through a series of daily pleasantries. Pleasantries that after weeks of sharing Sam has finally agreed to interview.

So today we meet in Sam’s living room, where I am warmly invited by not only him, but by his wife and his grandmother to partake of a relaxing day’s end conversation.

Sam is a hard-working guy, as seen by the wear on his hands after a long day of breaking concrete at a construction job.

“I work a lot,” Sam tells me.

I work a lot… In some way, it resonates with me as a tremendous understatement. For every day… seven days a week his truck is absent from our neighborhood. Seven days a week I see him returning home close to sunset, and Seven days a week he can be found watering his yard in a last act of work before reclining into his home for rest.

“We all need work, I’m just lucky,” Sam respectfully declares as he opens up regarding his self-purpose.

“We have grandkids. For me… maybe I’ll die in ten years. We need to think about the kids and their futures.

I dream about buying property in Mexico. Maybe save money for retirement. But I want my kids to have something.

I came to this country for one year. Now I’ve been here for 20 and need to look out for my family.”

Sam’s English is broken, but even with our struggling to share our words; we connect on universal common ground.

“We need more communication… or something like that,” Sam wishes for the people of the planet.

To support his point of reason, Sam advises us with a hint regarding a plausible first step, “You have to be a good neighbor.”

“What about all of Los Angeles and beyond our neighborhood?” I ask.

“Oh… Lots of trouble… Lots of people sleeping in the streets.”

“If you had any words to tell to the politicians, what would you tell them?” I second.

“Find more ways to house the homeless, even apartments so they don’t have to live on the streets,” Sam compassionately platforms as he looks those who are struggling greater than he.

“What about the world and the future of it?” I up the reach of our conversation.

“Economically, I don’t know… But looking ahead, in fifteen years we’ll need more food in California and around the world. Things like buying property in Africa for agriculture and in other countries for rice or anything like that. And water, we have water trouble too. All around the world people are needing clean water to drink and food to eat.”

Sam is a hard-working man. A man who works to feed his family, and a man who has hope for a fed world and a housed people.

It’s written, “The meek shall inherit the earth.” Not that I am calling Sam meek by any means. I’m saying the extreme opposite. For in his work worn hands a story is told.

Sam is a strong man… a man of honesty, integrity and greatest of all, gratitude for that which he has; and a man of true concern for those less fortunate for himself.

In other words, Sam is an example to us all.

“Go with your own heart, go with your own soul.

 Trust people… people are good. All over the planet people are the same, but government is trying to keep us apart… Don’t trust the government.”

A great “We the people,” perspective, delivered to us today by new friend, comedian and entertainer, Pijman.

I run into him in purchasing two small Dell monitors at his moving sale. Pijman tells me he is moving to Vegas. “There is way more opportunity there than in Los Angeles,” he further explains.

I get it, I’m an X-Vegas resident and know of the many comedy clubs and showroom opportunities that the city of neon houses. Plus, LV boasts great local community once you get off the strip.

In jest, I suggest to Pijman, “You are the comic of the future and the superstar of tomorrow.”

He smiles at my compliment, but quickly shakes it off. It is here I notice the greatness of depth possessed by this man of humor.

Pijman, is an optimist for a better world, a self-reflected realist who has faith for what man can be.

“If you look at history, we’ve just gotten better… with racial equality… with everything… we are just getting wiser and wiser.

I’m an optimistic person. I believe humanity will jump on its feet no matter what happens. No matter what government does to us… humanity will rise to the challenge,” Pijman proposes as he cites his view of the world ahead.

“I agree with your perspective,” I confirm to Pijman. But as I do, I tell him of several instances in which the people I have approached have attacked me for one reason or another.

I’ve been personally blamed for many of the problems of the world, simply because I’m American. I’ve been accused of blasphemy and of controlling the lives of people because of my baptism to Christianity, and I have been condemned for my Jewish background. I’ve been categorized for my race and repelled for my gender. You name it, it has been pointed at me… personally.

I’ve been called a hypocrite, an intruder, and just yesterday an evil spirit when, as sitting silently in a coffee-house, a stranger walks up to me, silently pointing at his handwritten note, “Why are you throwing negative energy at me?”

That one floored me.

Maybe I am an evil spirit… But I really hope not… Yet, I’m willing to explore the accusation and will get on my knees to ask from a higher power if I am off track.

Pijman, gives me his perspectives regarding judgments on the individual, and unintentionally, also talks me off the ledge of my self-plunder in rebounding to the above-mentioned accusation of being a negative energy.

“’I don’t blame Americans for anything… I am an American… A Persian American. I was born under the Shaw, which was a puppet regime. A fake regime, and there I was… witnessing people dying for nothing in the Iraq war. And it just made it clearer about what George Carlin taught. ‘Don’t trust the government.’

Weapons of mass destruction… that war that was obviously on false basis… The Shaw of Iran, which was a total sham… Not real… You can come down on the government, but I can’t blame you because you are an American. I would not blame you personally for weapons of mass destruction; you had as much say in that war as I did… None.’”

The summation: We can’t be liked by everyone, or are expected to be best friends with the world. But we can look at each other in a positive light until we have all the facts. It’s about recognizing the humanity of the human being, not at the circumstances they live, are governed by or our own fears of self-projections. Life is more about that golden rule thing we have so often spoken of.

“I love Buddhist thinking…” Pijman reveal of his beliefs, “…There is a mystical branch of Buddhism, which is called Zen Buddhism. And there is a mystical branch of Islam, which is called Sufi Islam, or Dervish.

And they’re beliefs parallel so much. It’s like these two ancient people who came from different cultures, speaking different languages, both arriving at the same conclusion about us being one. Destruction of the ego, being in the moment, being in the now, and the level of what they call perfection in Islam, and enlightenment in Zen Buddhism. When I found two cultures that meditated, and were spiritual, coming to the same conclusion… I was sold. That was my religion, I became a Dervish at that moment.”

Earlier I titled Pijman, “A man of great depth.”

A claim that even in only knowing him for twenty short minutes, I am willing to make.

He honestly allowed me into his world without reservation, and opened up with the greatest of trust. Pijman is evidence of our 365 statement, “We are all in this thing together.”

An endorsement that he bears in his concluding words, “God bless everybody. I’m a really faithful person. I believe God is in all of our hearts somewhere, regardless of what faith we are.”

I pack my bag and ready to leave, when Pijman reaches out to me one last time, “Peace to you brother!” he bids.

Pijmam… good luck in Vegas! I’m sure we will all see you under the big lights one day.

I’ve succumbed to the land of retail. Yep, I’ve left behind my aversion of the shopping center. And, although it still radiates in my mind as one of America’s cultural downfalls, as well as the kingdom of big business enterprise, I have to humble up in also acknowledging that… if entering its boarders with a correct perspective… it can also be viewed as a melting pot of humanity and individual expression.

In this analysis, I come to a generalized conclusion in proposing a different approach to the mall shopping experience, “We just have to be willing to drop our humanity isolating walls and shopping agendas to take breath in occasionally looking away from the window displays and eating options. And as we do, grant ourselves permission to change our point of reasoning. From time to time allowing a spontaneous gaze away from the climate controlled land of plenty. Redirecting our interest towards the people who are co-travelers in navigating the ambient noise and consistency of shopping center air.”

So yes, I am now OK with the occasional mall visit, and have adapted a new mantra for entering any shopping center, “I do not shop… I wander.”

And with the new weekly reoccurrence of my daughter’s art class on floor one of the Promenade Plaza, you may be reading a few more entries from my shopping center strangers turned friends.

Yes… I have succumbed, but it is not with regrets. It is with full acceptance, for in the midst of the homogenization of consumerism, can be found genius.

I’ll point a finger at myself for the unfair judgment that I have been bearing in my aversion in consumer central. And after today’s meeting I will reframe my outlook. (A note of clarification: I’m not calling myself a genius. The genius is in those I meet).

All people are fascinating – no matter who or where the are. And in every meeting we have shared over the last 259 days, there has been no comment, or point of view that has been mundane.

We’re at the tail end of 365, almost to the two-digit countdown. With this realization, comes the acknowledgement of the eventual end of this first year of 365. In this, one thought keeps looming over my head, “Have we done any good?”

My hope is that we have… And my dream is that we all continue to come together in whatever way we can and wherever we are able to do so.

With this lowering of my emotional curtain, I leave us all another challenge. A challenge that is bearing hard on me to facilitate as I see that 365 year-one will soon be over.

Hear it is… simply, “Readers, we need each other more now than ever… please reach out in getting to know, or at least trying to understand your neighbors. Whenever, wherever and however you can.” And if you accept, I promise you will be pleasantly enlightened.

The world is shrinking, and technology is helping that to happen. But it is not a replacement for human interaction. Never forget, and I ask you that in your own way and however deep you want to reach into your comfort zone, that you help in carrying on the mission of 365, “We are all in this thing together.”

Why am I so pumped up this day? I give credit to the highly educated and compassionate words of single mother of two, Maya. She quotes,

“I’ll share some wisdom I shared with my son recently – The greatest power that we can attain is when let go of the illusion that we are separate from anyone, or even ourselves, or the world… but, that in actuality, we are all connected. There is no separation. All is one in the universe, and that’s a source of great power.

What that means for the world is we’re in a time of enormous change. The world has limited resources, it has real constrains, and we need to be able to respect and honor those resources. And as we respect those limits and constraints, may we be able to change our ways of interacting socially and environmentally in order to promote growth of natural resources and equitable distribution, so that we can all enjoy the abundance that this world has to offer.

Because I predict that in the future… the second part of your question… we’re going to see what is means to be human rapidly change. There will be long term ramifications for technology becoming more living, and for humans becoming more technological.

I see that the world can either benefit from this shift in what it means to be human… or it can suffer. And, that perhaps we will seek other ways of living. But, we should remember that the earth is unique in all of our galaxy as far a we can see, and the universe as a whole.

 Yes… there is slight probabilities that there is life or intelligence elsewhere, but the fact is that life is existing here. It’s precious, and it’s diverse and it’s dynamic. And as much as it can be influenced by our technological advancements as a species, we should also embrace what is natural and what is living. That type of balance I see as going to be one of the major impacts of the future. Our consciousness can evolve as not just a species human, but to a higher conscious of what it means to be part of the living world.”

Maya is fascinating; her thoughts are deep and provoking. Who would have thought that I would meet such a mind in the mall?

In the words of Arnold, “I’ll be back!”

Thanks Maya!

Last night was a terrible night of sleep, when at 2:00am my daughter gets up and says, “Daddy… there is someone in the backyard! Can you call the police? I want to go to a hotel to sleep.”

“Hotel…” I groggily question, “Why a hotel?”

Got to love the imagination of childhood, “It’s safe there,” she says.

To the window I go, and with the support of barks from our intimidating Yorkshire and Scottish Terriers, I yell to our well-walled yard and vacant yard, “Go away!”

No reaction… the yard is clear. I even pause for a careful listen and a study of our people conscience K-9’s. Thirty-minutes down, the backyard is absolutely void of man. The coast is clear, time for sleep.

“We’re OK kiddo… go to sleep,” I comfort.

“No daddy… someone is really there!” she whispers, not wanting to be heard by our unseen assailant.

“I tell you what… I’ll go look outside and if there is no one there, can we go to sleep,” I plea.

“OK daddy.”

Oh, by the way, my wife is now awake, so this incident is starting becoming a family engagement.

To the stairs I go, and after tripping over a laundry basket that is strategically place at the base of the steps, quite possibly with the intent to kill, I begin my underwear wielding exploration of land’s known.

There is not a living being in sight, and other that the sleep deprived ramblings of the Radstone militia, my 2:45am barefoot romp over dog doo infested grasslands is generally uninterrupted (It is now that I very much regret my not living up to my shoveling commitment).

Again… “No one in the backyard,” I report in returning from my recon mission. And other that the organic land mines that somehow my bare feet have managed to safely circumvent, the field is safe.

I debrief commander daughter. “All safe, dogs accounted for, area secure, may we return to sleep General.”

“Daddy, stay calm…” the whispering memo resumes, “… really, there is really someone out there, can we go to a hotel!?”

We’re one hour into the search, at first, I’m patient and understanding, but as we align for round four of “there is no one there,” I can’t help to disperse to visions of the film, “The Sixth Sense,” where Cole says to his dad, “Daddy, I see dead people.”

Contrasting that reference, the only dead person I see is the one about to pass out from lack of REM time, namely me. I prepare for what I am assured is to be a sleepless night of epic proportion. And it is.

I wake this morning, and trust me; wake is a glorified understatement. The actuality is much less glorified; full mind fatigue, a family of moody reactors… all twitchy, and all just looking for a reason. The beginnings of an outstanding day are starting to disolve.

Better yet, the ringing in my ears has transitioned to a shifting dance of eye flare at the sight of the rising sun. So as I mind travel into an apprehensive tiredness in approaching the today, I am halted from my own sleep selfishness when I realize the clock is ticking and I have not yet met my friend for the last twenty-four hour period.

“I’ve got to go on a 365 drive,” I stammer, announcing to the General of sleep torture and her other victim – my equally shell-shocked wife.

I’m telling you, that at times the sanctuary of my car is a hallowed space, and today it gives me a second wind of inspiration as to where to go. “To the business district!” Corporal Honda charges.

Wow! I’m really sleep deprived; my auto is now speaking to me. “Hey baggy eyed dude! How about you get over your post invisible man issues by going on a scouting mission? And why not revisit the original motivator to the beginning of 365 – the humanity lacking CEO that got you reaching out for a better humanity?”

I’m already feeling crappy, now I’m hallucinating. But, what the heck, let’s go for it and see if we can scout out a stressed executive who is just looking for a target. Maybe I’ll be luck and take a verbal arrow. “All for one and one for all! Hip Hip Cheerio and all that!”

The day is beginning a bit dizzy, so I’m in, bring on the battle of wits, I’m ready.

Into the jungle of glass towers car and I deploy, reading to become a casualty of the 8:30am start-up pace. But as I walk towards the black towers of enterprise, I come across Canon Business Solutions expert Luis, who is check listing his equipment and supplies in readying himself for a siege on the front lines.

I approach, and prying on my shell-shocked personality, I reach out with a handshake in inviting him into our world.

Quickly, Luis joins our ranks, and with and equally open handshake, reaches out a hand friendship saying, “I’d be glad to answer your questions. It would be a pleasure, and kind of an honor to be able to be part of your project.”

Luis’ words hit home fast, and humble me to review the attitude brought upon me from a sleepless night. He states, “Always be patient to another person… always respect that other person…”

It’s not that I did not respect my daughter. In fact, I listened to her worries, not discounting the possibility of an intruder to our property. But was I patient and fully respectful of her fears? A question that I am examining as I write this post.

Luis expands, “…and if you are able to do anything for your community, always share something that everybody in your community can look to as way to at least be happy where they live.”

I’m humbled again. I’ll be the first to admit that I have a corporate America chip on my shoulder. But is it fair of me that because of an abusive treatment I received way back in September, that I should place a general assessment on a whole culture? I think not!

So… I write corrected. And although I will no lie in telling you that I shall still stand to the front of the fight in bearing arms for the rights of the individual. As well as challenging your acceptance in carrying forward my call in championing the power of the one. I must step away from myself long enough to listen to Luis in opening my eyes a little wider. To see the good works of corporate America, and to push myself in not reflecting too heavily on the corrupters and money mongers.

Lois addresses his counsel for what is to come.

“’God willing… hopefully we will still be here, and for our children, hopefully it will be a cleaner world. This green thing is a good idea… ‘Going Green…’ Hopefully by then I can make it to my eighty years old. I’m only forty-six. That will be forty years from now, but having tolerance, and hopefully having peace… everybody could get along with each other.

And I wish everybody in the world would have a little patience with each other so that everybody can get alone.”

Lois has experienced a lot of life, “I had a couple of things happen to me, and believe me, it really humbles a person, when you have an experience or tragedy that affects you personally, or when you see a person that doesn’t have a home and can’t even eat, it makes you think.

I had a medical the experience that happened to me. I was like an hour away from dying, I thought that would never happen to me, but it did. And because of that I will never look at the world the same again.”

Lois… you say, “If you are able to do anything for your community, always share something that everybody in your community can look to as way to at least be happy where they live.”

I get it… And I think I understand why you are so open with me this day. And even though you are journeying into the corporate jungle, I can understand your mission. Sure you are repairing machines, but after speaking with you, might I be presumptuous enough to comment that I think you are also repairing communities.

Per your words Lois, “And I wish everybody in the world would have a little patience with each other so that everybody can get alone.”

Thanks Lois!