Dan the man

I can remember as a child being very creative, my imagination was constantly running at 100%. As I grew older and I focused more on being a responsible adult I lost a lot of my creativity, the art teacher I had in middle school was very supportive, but my parents were not. They told me to work, that was it just earn money anyway possible and you’ll be fine. Terrible advice, that’s all I ever did throughout my life was earn money and not a lot of money just make money without passion or excitement. Now I’m on the verge of retirement most of the money I earned is gone, but at this point I feel as creative as ever, I write, draw, paint in an effort to hone skills I thought were lost. I strive to create some good in a bad society, to smile when all I want to do is scream, to hug someone when all I want to do is slap them. Being creative definitely has its challenges, but totally worth it.

I think happiness is relative and brief, just like pain or sorrow. The key is to recognize that we’re happy whether it’s with a person or an event or time alone. Knowing you’re happy is everything.

At 63 I have fun everyday even though I’m working at a job I don’t like it does suit my needs and I do work outside which for me is where I’m at my best. When I get home from work I have a little lunch then go for a walk or bike ride. I enjoy my time awake and try to smile as much as possible and bring happiness into everyday.

My dad was a huge influence in my childhood and into adulthood when I started working for him. That was my first experience seeing two sides of one person, there was my father, who I went to church with every weekend until I was in my early twenties, never swore at us and didn’t take a lot of interest in what I was doing. Then there was my father the boss who cursed like a sailor would yell at you for screwing up and had to know what you were doing on the job. I did have a couple of other bosses that were very influential in my life and one I’m still very good friends with forty years later. People come in and out of our lives some just pass through others leave a permanent mark.

They say opinions are like butt holes, everybody has one. I believe if we’re living a genuine life that people’s opinion will change because we as humans go through hundreds if not thousands of changes in our lifetime. For the most part I do know what people say about me now, he’s a nice guy. I hear that a lot more than anything else. I also remember what people said about me 20-30 years ago, but I am not the same person now that I was then. I didn’t just grow into being a nice guy it was a learning process. My parents did instill good values, ethics and morals into us so we did have a good foundation, but I can tell you I lost my way for a few years and nobody was calling me nice. At this point in my life I feel grateful I have a lot of love I carry with me people see it in me feel it from me, but more importantly I feel it. It took many years to feel fulfilled in my life, but here I am all smiles all the time.

Eat, think or eating too much when I’m over thinking. They say the mind is a beautiful thing and I couldn’t agree more, this past year and looking ahead to the coming year I have been working on my brain. My thoughts actually and I know a lot of things cannot be explained I’m working to control the things I can. Those thoughts that pop in my head that I question as soon as I get them. Mostly though I’m gaining control of the thoughts of over indulgence weather it’s food, TV, exercise, every aspect of my life I’m creating a balanced thought process and behavior.

I’m a total morning person. I also can stay out to the wee hours if need be, I am a huge fan of naps I take a nap almost everyday and go to bed somewhere between 10:30-11:00 o’clock at night. I usually wake up around 4:00 am every morning, for me it’s the best time of my day, I get out of bed start the coffee maker walk to the end of the driveway to get the paper take a deep breath and give thanks that I’m able to live another day. Back in the house I fill a big stainless steel mixing bowl with water and ice and submerge my face in it 3-4 times, usually until my face is numb, I then do both of my hands one at a time. I then drink a tall glass of ice water by then the coffee is ready I clean the bowl,coffee pot and basket put honey in my cup of coffee separate the newspaper sections sit down and read the paper which the very best part of the paper are the comics and puzzles and get my day moving in a forward direction.

Having to get a divorce. After 14 years our marriage was broken and divorce was the logical solution but with two children it made it impossible to cope with. She was vindictive and badmouthed me all the time . Now 26 years later my sons still want nothing to do with me.