Moving day is just around the corner. Next Tuesday to be exact. I am sitting here or more appropriately hiding here behind stacks of boxes. Honey do ain’t a melon in this house. It’s kind of crazy when you see all you are cracked up to be in corrugated rectangles and squares of all sorts. It’s really bizarre when you put together an Allied Van Lines cardboard puzzle that has scars from a few moves back. Are we crazy? Please don’t answer that.

I packed the office myself. In the back of a drawer I came upon a list of questions that I wrote down somewhere in our wanderings. It happened during one of those seminal moments where I was trying to find the meaning of life or something like that. I can’t guarantee a sip of scotch didn’t affect my thinking but it was fun to look back and see what I had on my mind.

One of the first ones on the list was, “Should I worry about others or just myself?” I still revisit this one a lot without any prodding. I somehow have this weird feeling I can make the world a better place. I see things that are wrong and want to fix them. I want to help people out.It’s not really egotistical or at least I hope not. I think I have empathy for my fellow man. I am lucky to be in a pretty good place and know that not every one can get there. But I just want somehow to make each person feel special because they are.

I am constantly intrigued by people. I love to know what makes them tick. Not nosy but inquisitive. If you have a problem I want to help in any way. Not to interfere or pry but just to be there. I have been through some crap in my life and maybe I can just give you a little tip here and there. But that gets dangerous because I am not the authority on anything. I used to think I was pretty smart but I have had my comeuppances. Bruised but nor broken. Must be my age talking.

I had bunch of questions about religion. What is God really like? Should I jettison the Catholic church? That was before Francis I am sure. Why aren’t there women priests ? I asked if I was a religious person? I think somehow spiritual fits the bill better. Where is heaven? Probably not sure if it is a thing or a concept. Why is God or at least one’s belief in God the source of so much violence?

I guess that last thought has to do with the superiority of one religion over another. We are all out to save the world just in a different way. Why does my way have to be right? Does the current state of affairs have its roots in religion? You know fair and balanced as long as you lean my way. I really would have a hard time telling a devoted Bhuddist or Hindu that he is way out of line. Jews, Atheists, and Muslims all have their own axe to grind. I just wish they wouldn’t try to hold it to my throat.

Next was something that obviously has been emblazoned in my subconscious. Are all politicians bums? Are any of them honest? Is there any way to get a consensus? Should you just accept bad people? If you see something that is wrong should you call it out or look the other way? How do you get people excited? How can you get them to learn?

I didn’t have the answer then nor do I have it now for some of these beauties. It is good to believe in something. Maybe you have to admire this faction or that? At least they are getting off their butts and trying to do something. Unfortunately it is a take no prisoners approach. Zero tolerance but not for drugs or guns. It is for anyone who doesn’t think the way I do. Comforting but not practical.

The last ones involve me directly. Do I dare to be great? Whoa! That must have been years ago. Am I really creative or full of shit? Should I become a speaker? Should I be a teacher? A film maker? Can I jam more things into my day? Do I have the power to change? Boy a lot of unanswered ones. Oh oh! Now I am really letting you in. Got to be careful. Kathy says I should be more mysterious. I would never be a good spy. I talk too much.

I have put these questions down for both me and you. My to do list doesn’t exactly coincide with Kathy’s or for that matter any of yours. We all have hundreds of thoughts and feelings and enigmas that keep us up at night. But that is also what it means to be alive. It is why even the best super computers can’t outdo us. At least not yet. We have thoughts and aspirations. We have heartbreak and indecision. All these things above are part of Ted’s Head. I hope I just jostled your Head a little bit too.

As always
Ted The Great

Factoids:
There are at last count were about 4200 religions in the world. Those can be categorized into 12 majors. Of course every one believes they have the right answer. Maybe they do?

There is an interesting interview by Bill Moyers this week with Sherry Turkle who is the leading professor of psychology at MIT. She discusses the affect of social networking on every aspect of our lives. Very interesting.

The Chairman and major stockholder of Quicken Loans has invested $1 billion of his own money in downtown Detroit. He is joined by a fellow who is razing homes in blighted areas. He has already torn down 300 falling down buildings. These are guys who are reaching out and walking the walk.

There is a 15 year old in Baltimore that has come up with a test for pancreatic cancer on his own. He was chastised in class for reading scientific journals and very few people gave him the time of day. A professor of oncology at Johns Hopkins did and now he is speaking to scientific forums throughout the world. Dare to be great? This kid does.