five songs to learn

day 1

wonder - - -

kindness - -

allah allah - -

forever young - - -

something beautiful - - -

winter storm - -

the journey

Today is full of rivers to ford, mountains to climb, valleys to traverse

The rivers run swift, the mountains leave you breathless and the valleys may cloud your eyes

The parking lots run rampant

The roads are engaging (if not enraging)

Our mind lead us to deception, indifference and intolerance while a focus from our hearts will forever lead to a level of understanding 

The mountains are steep

The rivers ice cold

The valleys are tiring
(and somewhere along the way there may be a swarm of green heads that descend upon you) 

The checkout line works my patience
The incompetence of the world tries me

Yet my heart longs for differences

My heart sees the love - the beauty - the positive - the good - the right - the joy - the happiness

But I must pursue these feelings, these emotions - I must work for them, despite the depression, the failures and inadequacies I posses, I must focus my heart on what is good and right

I love those who can smile in trouble, who can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. 'Tis the business of little minds to shrink, but they whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves their conduct, will pursue their principles unto death. Leonardo da Vinci

"Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things" God

"Those who look to him are radiant" God

Roger's Wisdom

It was just about 10 years ago that I bumped into Roger on what was a typical work day.

Roger and his wife Punni have owned Liberty Chicken in the Bourse Food Court for some 30 years and they always ask how my family is with the most genuine sincerity that one cannot help but answer them.

Roger had watched all three of my children work for me in my corporate retail job at one time or another.

Roger - How's the family Tate?

Me - good Roger.......it's just Sean. 

Roger looks at me for a further explanation as if I needed prodding to continue. 

Me - Well......Sean called in December to say he was dropping out of college and going to live on someone's couch off campus.

I look at Roger for approval of my discomfort of this statement and find none so I continue.

Me - Here it is February Roger and he hasn't had a job since he dropped out and Sean called me today to tell me he got a job.

Roger smiles. 

Me - Sean got a job delivering pizzas' five days a week from 11:30 - 1:00 PM.....that's 1.5 hours of work per day!!

Roger smiles with his knowing eyes. 

Me - Like what does he think! He hasn't worked for months. He's living on someones couch! He got a job for like 2 hours a day delivering pizzas!! Really!!!

Roger - Where do you think Sean will be in ten years?

Me - I don't know

Roger - Do you think any of this you describe will matter in ten years with Sean?

Me -  .......no, I don't think it will matter Roger.


It's been ten years since that conversation. On that day I encountered wisdom. Roger was right; ten years have gone by and none of that stuff really mattered.  Sean is a wonderful son with a good job, is married to a wonderful woman and they are expecting.

I share Roger's wisdom often.

My faith in 20+ seconds

 - - I believe we should not judge others for any reason. I believe God is the judge and has the final "call" on our souls, not me.

 - - We are called to love others whenever and however and most especially to love those we are inclined to judge. 

The people I judge most are not like me, the people who piss me off, the people who do not look or act like me and these are the people I need to love. 

and that, in a nutshell, is my biblical Jesus based faith. 


"There's a little more faith and grace to help me run this race, that's all I need" - Lucinda Williams

For SP

hold them

everyday a new chapter 

a story to be told 

a life to be lived

a smile to be given

a hello

a nod

eye contact

the beauty of us all

so beautiful 

so wonderful 

today

the moments are fleeting

the moments fly

hold them

the self-portrait doesn't really work, 

but does art really work?

enjoy the moments

they are but few

Lyrical Bowie Thoughts

Some thoughts on lyrics. Please feel free to share yours.

"And he was alright the band was altogether, and he was alright the song went on forever" Lady Stardust
When we bring people together, as in a band, and we're clicking on all cylinders, running like a machine, everything is "alright" and that's when you hope the song goes on forever. 'Cause when we're all together, everything is alright,

"Come on, come on, we've really got a good thing going, Well come on, well come on if you think we're going to make it...you better hang onto yourself"  Hang Onto Yourself
This is just a song that spells out living life in so many ways. All we have is ourselves and we had better hang onto that and that's how you make it....by hanging onto yourself.

"I could fall asleep at night as a rock and roll star, I could fall in love alright as a rock and roll star" Star
Well....if "I could fall asleep at night as a rock and roll star." 'nuff said.

"And all the fat-skinny people, and all the tall short people, and the the nobody people, and all the somebody people, I never thought I'd need so many people"   Five Years
I don't know much about David, I've always felt he was a bit of a recluse and I understand Ziggy Stardust is a concept album, but I guess it's interesting, as stubborn as I can be, that I find more inspiration from other people, all people, than anywhere else....maybe that's what he's saying.

"Don't fake it baby, lay the real thing on me. The church of man, love is such a holy place to be. Make me baby, make me know you really care. Make me jump into the air"  Moonage Daydream
When people give you truth and by that truth there is love, well it make me jump into the air because I know you really care.

"Sailors fighting in the dance hall, Oh man! Look at those cavemen go. It's the freakiest show. Take a look at the lawman. Beating up the wrong guy. Oh man! I wonder if he'll ever know He's in the best selling show. Is there life on Mars?  Life on Mars
The first sentences sum up our lives on earth and the last sentence is a plea for something/somewhere to be better, to be honest and to be love.

"So I turned myself to face me, but I've never caught a glimpse. Of how the others must see the faker. I'm much to fast to take that test" Changes
I've got a lot of thoughts on this one, but I'm going to let it be.

'Cause love's such an old-fashioned word. And love dares you to care for the people on the edge of the night and love dares you to change our way of caring about ourselves."  Under Pressure
I love how he says that love dares us to care about ourselves. I love this song and the arrangement of it.


and when all is said and done....my fave of his lyrics could be the simply put...
"LET'S DANCE"

wood shop lessons

It was either last year or the year before on the Atlantic City Expressway that we hit a deer, or as Margaret says, a deer ran into us.
I remember the hot coffee splashing all over me during the impact and thinking it was blood.
The anxiety carried over from that accident lasted for months whenever driving at night.
Blog on the deer accident - - http://njtate.blogspot.com/2014/01/hit-deer.html


Yesterday I ran a board over the joiner in the wood shop, it was a short board, to short The joiner grabbed, gouged the board while simultaneously taking the push board (used for safety), breaking it and winging it about 20" behind me.

Angry!  Nervous!! Embarrassed!!!  Yes to all of the above, but more scared than anything else.
It took me all day, night and a full nights sleep to regain some posture.

"Are you alright" was shouted from across the shop. Reaction by the shop owner and the retired wood shop school teacher that happened to be present was more reassuring than I deserved despite my self-inflicted anger and embarrassment.

Within minutes, Tommy (shop owner), made the best suggestion ever - - "first thing we need to do; repair the push block"

We worked on it together. I finished it. Made a 2nd different one and now have another in the works. 

Later in the afternoon I got back on the proverbial horse and nervously joined a few boards on both joiners (testing the new push block) and ended up calling it a day shortly thereafter. 

It was sometime in the middle of the night. 

I awoke and heard the local owl whooting followed by a baby owl (?) with a softer, gentler whoot 

It was then I realized what I had done the day before:

1. I was in a rush

2. I was running a board to small for the machine

3. I was feeling a bit overtly confident/arrogant about working in the shop of late

4. I was working under a time restriction and this did not allow me to stay focused

I don't believe in luck or coincidences. 

Now to learn from all of this. To take the experience and strengthen my core being. I also want to assess my initial reaction to this and all of this will take time, precious oh so precious time. 

Maybe therin lies the answers?