Create the habit of taking action right away. To make anything a habit, you keep doing something many times. The wise person doesn’t wait until a new habit becomes a habit. He acts the way he would act if he already had the habit. And then automatically his actions become a habit.
-from Rabbi Zelig Pliskin’s book: “Taking Action” – page 38
Found at thecompanion.in – No image credit listed
Based on my blog post called More on Social Media and University Radio Show “Echo Chambers” and my conversation in the comments section of that post, I felt it necessary to write this one. Let me explain.
I had a twitter “conversation” with someone from the radio show Scene on Radio (possibly producer and co-host John Biewen, but since the twitter “handle” was @SceneOnRadio, it’s impossible to know for sure).
Marleen, one of the readers of this blog, wanted me to listen to Episode 53: Himpathy (MEN, Part 7), originally broadcast in October of this year, because in her words:
I’ve gone and listened to four episodes. I’d recommend the 53rd one. I would hope that if something like that happened to your granddaughter or daughter your response would be that it ma mattered rather than that the thing people should be doing is telling “good” stories (defined as not bothersome).
Since I’ve expressed somewhat of an oppositional viewpoint relative to how the show’s content is presented, and specifically their misuse of Biblical interpretation, Marleen suggested (at least as I understand it) that listening to this episode might help me realize that I don’t necessarily have to “lock horns” with the show or its co-hosts (the other co-host being Celeste Headlee).
If you presently find it difficult to believe that you can become an action-oriented person, you will benefit greatly from a teacher, mentor, friend, or coach who believes in you and your abilities. Having someone you respect believe in you is inspiring and motivating. You will gain a stronger and deeper belief in yourself.
-from Rabbi Zelig Pliskin’s book: “Taking Action” – page 35
Desktop background for “vampire”.
Chapter 9: “The trouble with being legendary is that it is very difficult for me to remain anonymous, at least for very long.” The infamous vampire, King of the Undead, Dracula stood before the seventeen-year-old wizard with a smirk on his face, just faintly revealing his twin, elongated fangs.
“So what happens now?” Landon had faced foes as powerful as the vampire liege before, but never without allies, especially his mentor and friend, the golden dragon. Now, on this half of a mysterious world forever in night, he was alone.
“Why whatever you want, my young magician.” Dracula clapped his hands twice and then sat back on his obsidian throne. Presently, a score of servants, all appearing as human as the teen, came out from behind curtains left and right, quickly supplying a table and chair in front of the sorcerer, and then producing platters of beef, chicken, assorted vegetables, and a flagon of ale.
“Having not partaken in a meal such as this in so long, it was difficult for me to decide how to serve you, so I selected a variety of food stuffs.”
People who are lazy and habitually procrastinate lose out in all areas of their life. They ignore their health. They don’t take care of their financial obligations on time. They don’t study when they should study. They waste a lot of time. They tend to be late to things.
The antidote is to become a person who consistently takes action with joyful zrizus. You gain tremendously in all areas of your life when you make and reach goals, when you do what you say you will do, when you take care of things on time, and when others are counting on you. You gain spiritually and materially.
-from Rabbi Zelig Pliskin’s book: “Taking Action” – pages 30-1
Every hour on the hour, create an inner mental cheer for being alive. Hear an inner enthusiastic voice shouting, “It’s great to be alive!” Imagine a stadium crowd cheering for your being alive.
When you control your anger or other character trait you’re working on, see and hear the same immense crowd cheering for you!
-from Rabbi Zelig Pliskin’s “Anger: The Inner Teacher,” p.342
Screen capture of Campus Reform article title
This is a (sort of) continuation of yesterday’s blog post Which “Echo Chamber” Should I Choose?, since I’ve had a rather “interesting” encounter on twitter this afternoon.
Actually, it began this morning when I read a Campus Reform article called Duke Univ produces ‘himpathy,’ ‘himpunity’ podcast. Having no idea what “himpathy” and “himpunity” were, I clicked the link I found at twitter and began to read.
Marissa Gentry’s article began with:
Duke University’s Peabody-nominated “Scene on Radio” podcast, titled “MEN,” is currently in the middle of its third season, and it revolves around the issues of misogyny and patriarchy.
Okay. Fine and dandy as far as it goes.
Scene on Radio is produced by John Biewen and co-hosted with Celeste Headlee. They each come with an impressive set of credentials, but given the content of Ms. Gentry’s article, it wasn’t exactly a secret what perspective they probably held regarding the topic of their podcast.
The Campus Reform article quotes the show’s content:
Image credit: Tom Smart, Deseret News, – 2011
“So Gray Eagle and Norita were like Romeo and Juliet.” Gola looked up at the frozen Falls, her partner Ash having convinced her to make the frigid hike.
“That’s what the legends say.”
She looked up, the mist of her breath wafting toward the fur around his eyes. “I love you when your romantic, but I’m freezing my tail off. Couldn’t you have told me the story at home?”
“With the clan living with us for the winter, I wanted to be alone with you.”
“That’s sweet,” she murmured, nuzzling against his warm neck. Then she nipped the tip of his ear making him yelp. “But I’m freezing my tail off.”
“You win. We’ll go. I’ll have to speak to the Evolutionary about making the next generation more resistant to cold. Let’s go home, Ms. Fox.”
“Whatever you say, Mr. Fox.” Then the orange-furred pair trotted down from the Falls.
I wrote this for the What Pegman Saw photo writing challenge. The idea is to use a Google Maps location/image as the prompt for crafting a piece of flash fiction no more than 150 words long. My word count is 150.
Today, the Pegman takes us to Bridal Veil Falls, Utah (which I visited many years ago). I looked up the history of the Falls which told me, among other things, that it can be dangerous to hike there, particularly in winter.
I also found a legend about the falls which included the tale of two ill-fated lovers Norita and Gray Eagle. Click the link to learn more.
I didn’t want to write an “ordinary” romantic scene, so I made Gola’s expression about her tail more literal. Mankind has become nearly extinct, and after many ages, the climate of the Earth has returned to a pre-humanity state. To re-populate the planet, a human scientist known as the “Evolutionary” (which I shamelessly stole from the Marvel Comics character the High Evolutionary) has artificially evolved, among other species, a clan of foxes, making them more humanoid and giving them a much higher intelligence, along with, we can only hope, greater wisdom.
To read other stories based on the prompt, visit InLinkz.com (and submit something since it seems I’m the only one in the “room” so far).
Everything that you have ever done in the past, you did in a present moment. Everything that you will ever do in the future, you will only be able to do in a present moment.
All your thoughts are thought in a present moment. All your feelings are felt in a present moment. And everything you actually say or do is said or done in a present moment.
Since you live your whole life in the present, moment by moment, it is wise to consider the wise thing to say and do in the present moment, in the here and now of that moment. It is also wise to prepare the wise thing to say or do in the future.
Someone who tends not to have zrizus (alacrity) might be thinking about how challenging it is to have zrizus. It’s actually not difficult to have zrizus. Rather, it might appear difficult when you are not in a zrizus state, or when you are thinking about having future zrizus that you don’t now have. But all moments of zrizus are just present moments, and when you are in that present moment of zrizus, it isn’t difficult. Someone with a tendency to do things with zrizus will tend to look at zrizus as something he only needs to have one moment at a time.
-from Rabbi Zelig Pliskin”s book: “Taking Action” – pages 26-7
Laura Loomer
Disclaimer/Trigger Warning/Whatever: This is a rant. Feel free not to read it.
I’ve got time on my hands so, I decided to “get political” again. I just read a Daily Wire story (yes, they’re conservative) called WATCH: Laura Loomer Banned From Twitter For Criticizing Rep. Ilhan Omar, Islam. Here’s Her Response.
Up until a few minutes ago, I had no idea who Laura Loomer was, and I’m a little surprised that both twitter and Facebook banned her for life for criticizing Ilhan Omar. After all, political figures are criticized on social media all the time without such a drastic result. I myself have criticized Ms. Omar for her anti-Israel and antisemitic positions, and yet I am allowed to remain on social media.
Apparently even political scientist and columnist Ian Bremmer, though not a supporter of Loomer, commented on twitter that banning her seemed a little harsh. Of course there were many others, including The Jewish Voice who were more critical of twitter’s and Facebook’s actions.
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