Month: August 2021

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S1 E79 — Can I Keep It Up? For a Year?

“The Tau of Steves: What You Don’t Know Could Fill a Book”

“5”  Steve Zahn, 51: “Focusing on what you can do in the moment is better than worrying about what you have no control over.” Scorpio

Evidence

What’s going on? After yesterday’s manic Saturday sleeping in felt good. Refreshed, but realizing this began a new time-tracking week, I told that part of myself to back off while I casually sipped coffee, read the long-form articles in the Los Angeles Times newspaper and flipped the ones I wanted to save into my Knowledge Bank in Pinboard. 

Hi and welcome to Sunday’s Episode 79 in the first season of ” My 1-Year Experiment” on this eighteenth day of August in the summer of 2019.

Before deciding to work with my hands (performing dead grass removal) I flipped articles about California coastal towns, counties and regions into my magazine, “California Tip to Tip” first, and in step two “cascaded” them from the whole state to personalized magazines.

Emma the Baroness and I wanted to believe everything would work out for her family reunion with cousins she hadn’t seen for a couple of decades.  The potential British Airways strike could leave us stranded in Heathrow with no way out. Our Holiday Tau we share with Henry Winkler and Zahn helped a little as we moved ahead with booking reservations.

“5”  Steve Zahn, 51: “Focusing on what you can do in the moment is better than worrying about what you have no control over.” Scorpio

Random ones that make me want change my sign.

WW&C’s Holiday Tau could apply to what I’m purposefully ignoring today — managing my publishing passion projects in the days following this week.

“4”  Steve Winwood, 71; Stevie Wonder, 69; Stephen Colbert, 56: “This goal you’ve been working on might not bring what you’ve hoped for, but that will probably be its own kind of reward.” Taurus

Let’s hope Howey’s Holiday Tau rings true, the day is young and I’ll be on the look out for them.

“3”  Steve Howey, 42: “The new opportunities will appeal to you far more today than the actions that felt safe.” Cancer

Isn’t this every parent’s worst night mare? Or every teacher’s judgement call? Or, every advisor, coach or consultants dilemma?

“5”  Steve Greene, 34; Steve Guttenberg, 61; Stephen King, 72: “If you help too much, you could be nurturing a dependency that will hinder a person’s ability to develop skills on his or her own.” Virgo

Oh, you’re good.  At least your Holiday Tau perfectly fits me. I’ve become a highlighting fool while reading “Fantasyland: How America Went Haywire: A 500-Year History” just to get a basic understanding of why we “… a fool only sees what he wants to believe and disregards the rest.” And, isn’t this experiment all about me?  Or is it?

“5”  Steve Aoki, 41: “The more you understand how things are, the better you can make them what you want them to be.” Sagittarius

Wow, really? Who’s got time to wait for a new version? Workarounds, it seems like that’s all there is to do as one platform or service you rely on disappoints.

“4”  Steve Nash, 45: “You can either fix what’s broken or wait a few months more for the availability of the new version.” Aquarius

And, if disappointments don’t monopolize your time, little distractions tempt me down rabbit holes until I become aware of all the 1/2 hour time blocks I’ve left blank. 

“3”  Steve Jobs, (1955 – 2011): “What seems like a small distraction simply takes up too much of your time.” Pisces

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Inspired by Holiday Mathis – Creators Syndicate

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S1 E78 — Drag Me to Obsolescence, Clear the Way to the Future

“The Tau of Steves: What You Don’t Know Could Fill a Book”

“5”  Steve Nash, 45: “The cutting edge is cool.  They there’s the bleeding edge, where one works purposefully toward one’s own obsolescence, clearing the way for the future.” Aquarius

Evidence

My Saturday dragged me into laying the foundation for the Volume Two manuscript, the Work portion of “Live. Love. Work. Play. Invest. Leave a Legacy.” 

More complications centered on internal inconsistencies created when I compared my 16 talent profiles to the 16 temperaments of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator — a well-known mainstay in psychological and career development circles. 

Hi and welcome to Saturday’s Episode 78 in the first season of ” My 1-Year Experiment” on this seventeenth day of August in the summer of 2019.

My original research identified four basic organization types in which each organization’s talent culture would attract or repel talent profiles — so from your own career perspective you could tell in which organization you would find your best fit.  And, your worst fit.  

And, based on my last ten years of advising hundreds of Executive MBA students, you could identify which stage of growth or decline and reinvention you’d also find your best and worst fits.

Let’s see what the Holiday Tau has in store for Steve Zahn, Henry Winkler, Emma the Baroness and me.  

It’s Saturday, for crying out loud.  This is supposed to be a fun day.  But I get what needs to be considered and it fits. And, by the way, would fit the culture of a Paradox-Moron organization.

“5”  Steve Zahn, 51: “To demand the impossible is to accept striving as the norm, reaching as a resting posture and dreaming as a waking responsibility.” Scorpio

Random ones that make me want change my sign.

Sure, that’s one interpretation of work.  I’m more interested in why work brings out the best in us, or not, for those of us working for someone else as an employee.

“3”  Steve McQueen (1930 – 1980): “Work comes in many forms.  Wherever an outcome is expected and there’s a person responsible, that’s work.” Aries

Haha. Message received.

“3”  Steve Howey, 42: “You’re fascinating, but resist the urge to talk about yourself today.  When you drop ‘I’ from your conversation, magical things will happen.” Cancer

This Holiday Tau for the two comedians and company founder resonates.  In a way earlier version I described how if you climbed The Ridge you changed your perspective and how you might proceed strategically. 

“5”  Steve Carell, 57; Steve Martin, 74; Steve Wozniak, 69: “Seek not escape but refuge in a higher perspective.  There, you can see everything that’s going on and decide where your participation is best applied.” Leo

Ok.  I’ll take GG&K’s Holiday Tau and challenge.  When I’m overworked, I appeal to my muse and ask , “What would Leo da V do?”

“5”  Steve Greene, 34; Steve Guttenberg, 61; Stephen King, 72: “Your imagination is being aloof.  Consider offering your imagination an invitation in the form of a blank page, a white canvas, a lit stage.” Virgo

Only, not just now after a long week of reigning in my instinctual impulses with a self-imposed system of tracking how I spent my time 1/2 hour at a time.

“3”  Steve Aoki, 41: “Anything that stops you from feeling what’s in your heart is blocking you from your power.  You’re brave and ready to face more, feel more and be more.” Sagittarius

Is there a Holiday Tau that describes how I’ve maneuvered my career so far?  Yup. And, it’s the mission, core foundation and purpose of Paradoxy-Moron Organizations everywhere.  Count me in.

“5”  Steve Nash, 45: “The cutting edge is cool.  They there’s the bleeding edge, where one works purposefully toward one’s own obsolescence, clearing the way for the future.” Aquarius

Haha.  Job’s led a Paradox-Moron company in both chapters at Apple and in his third at Pixar.  But, somehow Nash received Job’s Tau for the day.  It’s ok. I’ll swipe it anyway. And twist it slightly to mean, I enjoy helping people pick the best fit in an organization or stage of growth for them.

“4”  Steve Jobs, (1955 – 2011): “People usually choose what they understand to be the best course of action.  Providing better things in any form is saintly work.” Pisces

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons

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S1 E77 — Why This Caper Is Breaking My Mind

“The Tau of Steves: What You Don’t Know Could Fill a Book”

“5”  Steve McQueen (1930 – 1980): “If you take it seriously — this caper you’re planning could change everything.” Aries

Evidence

What’s been going on? I used to monitor how I published drafts to one of my six blogs in a simple spreadsheet.  Over time I learned it took many drafts before I published.  So I included that information. 

Hi and welcome to Friday’s Episode 77 in the first season of ” My 1-Year Experiment” on this sixteenth day of August in the summer of 2019. 

And I knew for each post I needed to select a photo either one I took or from an open source site to add.  And, then I knew I needed to add a title and subheading, so I tracked that information. 

So, after while with practice and discipline I could tell where an essay would end up being published and where it was in the composing and editing process.  

Which brings me to this week.  I’m integrating columns and rows from my blog tracking spread sheet into a “Working on the Business” spreadsheet that will tell me across all my passion projects what has to happen next and when it’s due.

And it’s breaking my mind.

But what a great Holiday Tau for a Friday! Like take the afternoon off, because you stuck with your tracking how you spent your time all week?

“5”  Steve Zahn, 51: “Introspection will be an important part of your care today, and you should give yourself gentle encouragement and time for pondering.” Scorpio

Random ones that make me want change my sign.

Wow, seriously?  I like McQueen’s Holiday Tau. It gives me something to believe in like a light at the end of the long, long tunnel.

“5”  Steve McQueen (1930 – 1980): “If you take it seriously — this caper you’re planning could change everything.” Aries

How did you know I needed to lift your Holiday Tau? Thanks, Steve.

“5”  Steve Smith, 30: “There are surface-level challenges to make and strategies to apply in efforts to improve this scene.” Gemini

Oddly enough this makes perfect sense to me, yet I’m not feeling its energy today.

“3”  Steve Howey, 42: “Sometimes you project the past and remember the future.  It doesn’t make perfect sense, but your imperfect senses are better anyway.” Cancer

Well, it is Friday.  I’ll have to check in later with Emma the Baroness!

“4”  Steve Greene, 34; Steve Guttenberg, 61; Stephen King, 72: “Today brings your favorite kinds of moments — highly amusing and unexpected.  This is partly because you’re observant and curious.” Virgo

Sorry G&G, I’m not totally buying your Holiday Tau.  Some of the work I’ve done drained me and bored me and ultimately drove me to change employment.

“2”  Steve Greene, 34; Steve Guttenberg, 61: “There’s the work that pays the bills and the work that saves your soul.  It’s the same work, actually — same work, different approach.” Libra

I’m closer to buying what Jobs’ Tau is offering — there’s a fundamental message I believe in, but I’m not valuing it as much today.

“3” Steve Jobs, (1955 – 2011): “All effectiveness will come from dealing in what is.  These things siphon your power: escape, distraction and any rejection of the circumstance.” Pisces

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons

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S1 E76 — “The Tau of Steves: What You Don’t Know Could Fill a Book”

Steve Greene, 34; Steve Guttenberg, 61; Stephen King, 72: “Conflict, tension and surprise aren’t just essential elements of drama; they’re needed in real life.” Libra

Evidence

I’m a little freaked out over the complexity and I wish I had implemented some sort of version control like engineers and programmers I used to work with did.  Note to myself.

Hi and welcome to Episode 76 in the first season of ” My 1-Year Experiment” on this fifteenth day of August in the summer of 2019.

What’s been going on? I’ve been walking roughly three miles around our lake a few times a week listening to my iTunes playlist of songs.

When one captures my inner Leo da V I make a note of the singer and title for later reference in my Notes.  What occurred to me lately is beyond the Tau of Steves, shouldn’t there be well rounded input, from say their lovers, friends, wives, sisters and maybe others, to vouch for the value of their Tau?  Just saying. 

And, if so a reminder I’m on the “E’s,” alphabetically.

However comma, as Emma the Baroness loves to say when she shifts gears into a new topic, one of my monumental projects called “Working On the Business” includes

1. Comparing my earliest manuscript for Book One: ”On Your Own Terms: Pack More Meaning and Passion into Your Life” one chapter at a time to blog posts.

2. Consider adding photos.

3. Make edits chapter by chapter including in “The Knowledge Path Volume One”.

4. Identify blog-to-website changes necessary. 

I’m a little freaked out over the complexity and I wish I had implemented some sort of version control like engineers and programmers I used to work with did.  Note to myself. 

“2”  Steve Zahn, 51: “Power comes from knowing what others want, which requires listening well.  Listening is the power move.” Scorpio

Random ones that make me want change my sign.

Leave it to G&G’s Holiday Tau to resonate with my predicament today.  Thanks fellas.

“5”  Steve Greene, 34; Steve Guttenberg, 61; Stephen King, 72: “Conflict, tension and surprise aren’t just essential elements of drama; they’re needed in real life.” Libra

Hmm.  Is this some sort of trust-the-force-Luke reminder? 

“4”  Steve Harvey, 62: “There is a primal beast inside you, barely detectable in the hum of the modern world. In the wilderness (actual or metaphorical) it syncs with all that is.” Capricorn

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons

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S1 E75 — Dreams and Schemes and Workarounds

“The Tau of Steves: What You Don’t Know Could Fill a Book”

Steve Howey, 42: “You need to see your plan on actual paper today.  The physical copy brings forth a reality you won’t argue with.” Cancer

Maybe unconsciously or subconsciously I’ve fallen again for Leo da V. 

Hi and welcome to Episode 75 in the first season of ” My 1-Year Experiment” on this tenth day of August in the summer of 2019.

Evidence

I spend an hour on the scope of my passion project, The Knowledge Path: Volume Three – Notes to My Future Self . I added notes from “Homo Deus” and “21 Lessons” by Yuval Noah Harai to my Inspiration document for extending and broadening the scope of Fantasyland’s first 500 years of the United States. 

And, as if on a mission impossible, I began tying in what I had learned about Florence, Italy as the birthplace of the Renaissance.  But, that’s not all.   What about what I’ve drafted already from notes on the Roman Empire which precedes Kurt Anderson’s “Part I, The Conjuring of America: 1517 – 1789”?

But, where Emma the Baroness and I spent most of our worrying time was on the news her sorority sister told her that would threaten to disrupt our Norwegian vacation — our carrier, British Airways announced that they may be involved in a potential strike.  

What other options would we have if it materialized?  A more expensive Norwegian Air reservation? A different non-British Airways flight out of Heathrow to Oslo?

“5”  Steve Zahn, 51: “You can love a person very much and still not fully understand the pressures that person is under.  You’ll try though.” Scorpio

Random ones that make me want change my sign.

How do you sleep with a busy brain looping you endlessly in a spiral of what can go wrong? You try out WW&C’s Holiday Tau.

“5”  Steve Winwood, 71; Stevie Wonder, 69; Stephen Colbert, 56: “Forget about all the small things that can and do go wrong.  Step back for a bigger picture.” Taurus

Here’s what my scheme consisted of — creating indelible habits before the trip towards my goals.  Hoping they will be easily picked up like riding a bike when you haven’t since you were a kid

“5”  Steve Smith, 30: “Put the goals of your personal life front and center.  This is what it takes to realize a dream.” Gemini

I put together foundational plans for each passion project, so that jumping back on the bike wouldn’t be so difficult.

“5”  Steve Howey, 42: “You need to see your plan on actual paper today.  The physical copy brings forth a reality you won’t argue with.” Cancer

With a little twist, can I say CC&S’s Holiday Tau means you can only do what’s in your control? Quickly acknowledge what you can’t and anticipate how things will play out? Still this potential strike looms large on the horizon.

“4”  Steve Carell, 57; Steve Martin, 74; Steve Wozniak, 69: “While full responsibility is the way of winners, sometimes it’s not you; it’s them.  Avoid those who bring out a lesser side of you.” Leo

What if you start four or five new things? How doe GG&K’s Holiday Tau assist?

“3  Steve Greene, 34; Steve Guttenberg, 61; Stephen King, 72: “The excitement of starting a new thing can cause you to see only a small part of it. Your attention is carefully guided.” Virgo

How am I doing so far? Can you tell what’s important to me and Emma the Baroness?

“3”  Steve Kerr, 54; Steve Miller, 77: “The way to tell a story shows what you care about.  It’s not so much the facts of what happened, but how you prioritize them that lets everyone know what’s important to you.” Libra

If I can may I defer Aoki’s Holiday Tau?  Yes, I’m sure it’s true for me, but my plate’s too full to pause and consider.

“2”  Steve Aoki, 41: “You’ve tried to make something happen for so long that you don’t even notice how it’s come to fruition.  Treat this like the big deal that it is.” Sagittarius

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons

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S1 E74 — You Know What To Do, Yeah Right!

“The Tau of Steves: What You Don’t Know Could Fill a Book”

Steve McQueen (1930 – 1980): “You’ve been through trying times, and this isn’t one of them.  You already know the right action. Take it.” Aries

Evidence

Hi and welcome to Episode 74 in the first season of ” My 1-Year Experiment” on this ninth day of August in the summer of 2019.

What’s been going on? So far I’ve kept up with the first full week of tracking 30 minute blocks of time starting last Wednesday. 

Recently I solved what had been a long-term work around for extracting ideas and concepts I needed to rearrange, reframe, and repackage.  

Yes, with photos of pages you did record the exact page for attribution, but let’s say you photoed a gazillion pages and then wanted to find that one passage you needed to quote for your passion project.  

I couldn’t search like in text to find it.  But, Shaggy showed me how he used Kindle to highlight passages and convert them into searchable documents.  

So, I can’t tell you how many pages of Fantasyland I’d photoed the old way.  I could, but what’s the point?  The point is I felt ecstatic when my local library offered Kurt Anderson’s book in Kindle.  

Random ones that make me want change my sign.

Armed with my Kindle, it’s so easy to see how relevant McQueen’s Tau is for me today.

“5”  Steve McQueen (1930 – 1980): “You’ve been through trying times, and this isn’t one of them.  You already know the right action. Take it.” Aries

Mr. Howey I presume.  May I swipe your TauBit of wisdom?  You see I’ve been skipping around all my life learning things — hell, even at the end of last week and by color code this week. There may not be a way to skip ahead, but you can anticipate years ahead, play if that, then this and wait for signals that today is the day to pull the trigger on a decision or opportunity that does accelerate you.

“5”  Steve Howey, 42: “People may skip around learning different things at different stages, but there really is no skipping ahead.  So don’t be jealous when you notice someone is at a stage that’s foreign to you.” Cancer

I’m suggesting this Holiday Tau for Aoki isn’t quite right for me.  Don’t take me wrong.  I don’t assume everyone is like me.  But this might turn out to be more helpful for you.

“3”  Steve Aoki, 41: “You assume that everyone is like you, but it’s not true.  Many aren’t paying such close attention.  All the more reason you should.” Sagittarius

Haha.  Now, this resonates with me.  It’s my Obama syndrome.  Sometimes I can’t help myself as the shear amount of information that automatically flows out of my mouth is nearly unstoppable. In fact, as a trainer I’ve had to train myself to stop and ask a question, like “Does that make sense?” or very closely look for signals like rolling of the eyes or popping up their smartphones until I’ve concluded. 

“5”  Steve Harvey, 62: “New people are interested in you.  Don’t let them get confused by too much information.” Capricorn

Kids, don’t try this at home.  But if you try tracking your 1/2 hour blocks of time because you really, really want to change a habit, then make sure you follow Job’s Holiday Tau.

“4”  Steve Jobs, (1955 – 2011): “Not celebrating your success would be a mistake.  The small wins especially need acknowledgement.” Pisces

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S1 E73 — Do You Need a Little Leo da V Time Too?

“The Tau of Steves: What You Don’t Know Could Fill a Book”

Steve Zahn, 51: “The thing you do in the moment might be impulsive or awkward or might lack a certain amount of emotional control that you wish you could claim.  Who cares?” Scorpio

Evidence

Hi and welcome to Episode 73 in the first season of ” My 1-Year Experiment” on this eighth day of August in the summer of 2019.

What’s been going on? My goal for this week was to make good on dividing my time among my four passion projects.  

So far I can view the first three days and see by color code how much time I actually spent on each activity.  

In preparation for our Norwegian vacation we scheduled interviews with TSA at the airport with four names to qualify for our pre-screening security treatment at the gate. 

I’d actually spent one whole day figuring out what was required to upload ebooks to Apple Books and how to market them.  I concluded there were lots and lots of moving parts before I could close the gap on that project. 

And, today while listening to Marc Maron’s podcast interview with Kurt Anderson my passion rekindled.  But my Inspiration software crashed as I sketched out how insights in my notes from Fantasyland fit my Volume Three time line.

I’ve been so over structured, that I needed a Leo da Va time.  Wait, do I schedule in time for that?  Or risk becoming distracted by just letting him flow in the moment?

“5”  Steve Zahn, 51: “The thing you do in the moment might be impulsive or awkward or might lack a certain amount of emotional control that you wish you could claim.  Who cares?” Scorpio

Random ones that make me want change my sign.

Nash’s Holiday Tau is a cautionary tale for all of us introverts who just love them some solitude to concentrate on their (my) mega-projects.

“4”  Steve Nash, 45: “The same structure that protects us and brings shelter in our day-to-day life can also be a cage.” Aquarius

Harvey’s Holiday Tau describes my weakness, especially with timelines and deadlines attached to mega-projects.

“5”  Steve Harvey, 62: “With goal setting, getting the scale right is tricky.  You probably won’t nail this on the first try, so keep going until you do.” Capricorn

What is the definition of “if”?  I fell back on time-tracking frequently in my past when my natural instincts had to be redirected, so yeah Jobs’ Holiday Tau is just as pertinent at Harvey’s.

“5”  Steve Jobs, (1955 – 2011): “It’s as though you’ve been through this scenario already in some kind of stimulated drill.  There’s a gut feeling left over that you can trust.” Pisces

Of course it would take the Holiday Tau for two comedians and a company founder to point out how this iterative tracking process actually plays out.

“4”  Steve Carell, 57; Steve Martin, 74; Steve Wozniak, 69: “Whatever your weakness, that’s part of the design that can be worked with, the part that draws people in.” Leo

I don’t think so.

“2”  Steve McQueen (1930 – 1980): “Today you’ll see people move away from overly controlling influences and toward those who comfort and assure.” Aries

Haha.  This reminds me of the time I attended a networking event where the guest motivational speaker handed out paperback copies of his book, and I’m paraphrasing here, “Help Me Help You” and I politely listened wondering if I had to become him to make a living as a consultant and advisor promoting myself with “knowledge products”?

“4”  Steve Greene, 34; Steve Guttenberg, 61; Stephen King, 72: “There are people in the business of helping others who only really help themselves.  Don’t buy into a model that shows sign of greed.” Virgo

Wait, isn’t kind of projection on display first in the election runoff among republican candidates, then again in the 2016 election, and yet again currently on Twitter?

“5”  Steve Aoki, 41: “Pointing fingers will be a temptation.  Of course, it wouldn’t bother you about another person if you didn’t notice the quality somewhere in yourself.” Sagittarius

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S1 E72 — It’s Taken so Long, I Could be Wrong

“The Tau of Steves: What You Don’t Know Could Fill a Book”

Steve Jobs, (1955 – 2011): “Self-esteem is tricky.  It’s not based on what you do.  It’s a matter of evaluation.” Pisces

Hi and welcome to Episode 72 in the first season of ” My 1-Year Experiment” on this fourth day of August in the summer of 2019 .

Evidence

What’s been going on? So this is becoming the first full week of following Peter Drucker’s Effective Executive tool for tracking your time.  

I actually began it on 7/31/19 by just getting used to filling in 1/2 hour blocks of time. Then, I began color coding activities.  Tan for Working on the Business; blue for Volume Three Manuscript about a Legacy Memoir; green for Volume Two Manuscript about Work; and red for freeing up time for free flowing creativity — What Would Leo da V do?

I was so hoping the Holiday Tau for Zahn, Winkler, Emma the Baroness and me would reflect what I’m up to.  Not so much for today.

“2”  Steve Zahn, 51: “Storms are named after people.  You know first hand why this is so.” Scorpio

Random ones that make me want change my sign.

I’m not proud of myself when I’m forced to lift a Holiday Tau from the other Steves, but sometimes you just can’t help it. If not you, then what? Jobs and Howey to the rescue.

And it’s a matter of who does the evaluation. 

“5”  Steve Jobs, (1955 – 2011): “Self-esteem is tricky.  It’s not based on what you do.  It’s a matter of evaluation.” Pisces

So, if I don’t harness my muse, Leo da V, then yes I’ll flow from thing to thing like what happens when you dump quicksilver onto a surface.  There’s a time for it. And Howey’s Holiday Tau can be my curse or blessing.

“5”  Steve Howey, 42: “Like the tide, you roll in here and you roll in there, seeing many a distant shore.  Yet none can keep you.” Cancer

McQueen’s requires quite a contortion for me to twist it to fit.  Exposure — if I fill in time blocks after if finish a task, maybe that helps to face the fear?

“2”  Steve McQueen (1930 – 1980): “Fears are overcome with exposure.  Relax first and then face the fear.” Aries

So confidence and ignorance is bliss, or am I miss-reading this?  I’d rather be a Man of Knowledge instead.

“2”  Steve Carell, 57; Steve Martin, 74; Steve Wozniak, 69: “Confidence is more easily obtained through ignorance than it is through knowledge.” Leo

Sure, but …

“2”  Steve Harvey, 62: “There’s no place for regret in today’s discourse except to use it as a signal to stop to find something that will get you back to ‘now’” Capricorn

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S1 E71 — Isn’t There a Placebo for This?

“The Tau of Steves: What You Don’t Know Could Fill a Book”

Steve McQueen (1930 – 1980): “You don’t have to believe in a thing for it to help you.  Being respectful of the ways other people believe puts in a receptive attitude that attracts maximum assistance.” Aries

Hi and welcome to  Episode 71 in the first season of ” My 1-Year Experiment” on this third day of August in the summer of 2019 .

Evidence

What’s been going on?  One of my strengths and weaknesses is my associative thinking.  This is a time of weakness when I feel the need to organize, prioritize and develop new habits towards progress.

Random ones that make me want change my sign.

Will the Holiday Tau for McQueen point me in the right direction?  Not entirely, but why does it remind me of Peter Drucker?

Wasn’t he the management guru who said you can’t manage executives if you can’t manage yourself? 

As, in keep track of how you actually spend your time first so you can bend it towards your goals incrementally.

“2” Steve McQueen (1930 – 1980): “You don’t have to believe in a thing for it to help you.  Being respectful of the ways other people believe puts in a receptive attitude that attracts maximum assistance.” Aries

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S1 E70 — Lingering Fear My Cover Was Blown

“The Tau of Steves: What You Don’t Know Could Fill a Book”

Summer  August 2019

Steve Harvey, 62: “Following through on an impulse takes courage.  Not following through takes self-control.  Knowing which choice to make in this regard takes wisdom.” Capricorn

What’s been going on?  Truth be known, many years ago when Emma the Baroness and I were twenty-somethings and rented an apartment in Corona del Mar, California I recorded this in one of my journals I just transcribed: 

“Scorpio (October 24 – November 22) You are capable of getting whatever you want most, so go after it now.  Be charming with those you love and admire.”

And, then I went on to illustrate how well my day played out.

Hi and welcome to this second day of August and Episode 70 in the first season of My 1-Year Experiment.

“ … P.S. Thanx for reminding me — I have to go to the bank.”

At 11:30 — back from my scenic down Pacific Coast Highway.Noticed MacDonald’s across from the Balboa Bay Club has a help wanted banner. A medium-sized nondescript imitation Cadillac pulls out in front of me as I approach the Bay Club.

Down Bayside past the Reuben E. Lee paddle-wheel floating restaurant going the back way into Corona del Mar again. Stopping off at Bayside — where we had done our laundry on Saturday.

Remembering Friday — running late at work (Roger and I were learning how to operate the Auto Clinic Commercial biofeedback machine until 5 pm) anxious to get to the bank to deposit my sum total wages into Emma the Baroness’ account to pay the bills. And then that, “Ah-it’s-Friday” drive down the coast to Laguna Beach and to my P.O. Box.”

“… Hi, how are you today?” the drive up teller stated matter of factly. I deposited $5 into Emma the Baroness’ account and $5 into my checking account.

Waiting for the receipts I recalled a funny question asked of me by an inside teller a couple of days ago.

As he was processing my transaction — he asked, “Have you been getting your mail?” out of the clear blue sky (actually grey overcast sky).

“Yeah, I think so why?”

“I don’t know — your name sounds familiar — like maybe I saw it in the backroom on the table of things to mail.”

“Well, I just got my last statement and checks,” I replied as I had turned to walk away.

“Must have been it,” he said. And added, “Have a nice day!”

I slid out into the south bound traffic. As I approached the left turn into Ocean Avenue on my way to Box 580 — I suffered a mild anxiety attack.

“I’ve got to go through with it,” I thought as I pulled into a space marked for compact cars.

“I’ve got to sign. So what if they know I’m here? All my debts are discharged, over a year ago. Maybe I’d better mail that VA change in before i sign, just in case that phone call asking for D Marie was a check-up on my current status. Oh hell. Here I go.”

… “Well, I (my heart rate picked up and my face changed temperatures with my feet) found this waiting for me in my PO box over the weekend.”

He left.

He returned.

“Sign here and here”

I was handed a green cart attached to the fateful letter (“Oh my God, I’ve signed and it’s too late”).

“Where?”

“Here.”

I signed the original pink slip and turned the envelope over as I was walking away on my way out side. Not wanting to know who had sealed my doom and yet wanting to, I couldn’t bring my eyes to focus on the return address in the corner.

For a second, I was distracted by another smile and hello from a blonde going in the opposite direction.

“Hmm. I know her — what are all these friendly smiles today?”

My hand felt the envelop’s unbalance. Something hard, the size of one half of a business envelop was inside.

It was blue, “Oh My God —my savings pass book — I didn’t know it was missing.

Oh right.  The address read, “California 1st Bank, Post Office Box 345, Newport Beach, California 92662.”

“But who was that last blonde?”

Hmm!?

But, that was then and this is today.  I’m guessing this has more to do with getting all of us heading shortly to Norway for a vacation to get it together.

“5”  Steve Zahn, 51:“There will be many people and personalities to contend with, each with their own agenda.  Settle on an itinerary you can all agree to.” Scorpio

Random ones that make me want change my sign.

Now, let’s turn to the list of Steves from which I can steal their Holiday Tau, if I need it.  Hmm.  Maybe the better play here is similar to past attempt as rolling them together to tell a story better than the individual TauBits.  Shall we?

Does the answer lie somewhere between impulse and self-control?

“4”  Steve Harvey, 62: “Following through on an impulse takes courage.  Not following through takes self-control.  Knowing which choice to make in this regard takes wisdom.” Capricorn

Wait, what did my mother say about curiosity?

“3”  Steve McQueen (1930 – 1980): “Following your curiosity will get you close to understanding a person’s feelings, passions and drives.” Aries

I’m not a cat, but …

“3”  Steve Winwood, 71; Stevie Wonder, 69; Stephen Colbert, 56: “Doubts set in.  Does what you’re doing matter? Is it adding up the way you wanted it to? Avoid.  March right past it.” Taurus

Will my imagination wipe out my focus or …

“3” Steve Greene, 34; Steve Guttenberg, 61: “With your incredibly opulent powers of imagination surging today, you can apply yourself in any number of directions.” Libra

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Inspired by Holiday Mathis – Creators Syndicate

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