tag:robspoon.com,2005:/blogs/resistance-is-futile?p=2The Rob Log2022-04-01T15:56:48-04:00Rob WitherspoonfalseRob Witherspoonrobspoon@robspoon.comtag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/69382282022-04-01T15:56:48-04:002024-02-07T16:45:01-05:00Tuesday Live: the Musical!<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/0024bcd27ff7a54f5026421d79835990a800c29f/original/squarewilly.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.png" class="size_s justify_none border_none" alt="" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/1032c6621b1b2ba3e274284009c5a36a97d2a169/original/squaredylan.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.png" class="size_s justify_none border_none" alt="" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/baa0c6657d4cce7de2c194bdca3217d010ba34ac/original/squarerobbie.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.png" class="size_s justify_none border_none" alt="" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/e2b9e61750107a8c5cb1f3b59e5d75a0bfb69fa8/original/squareneil.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_none border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><em>Tuesday Live cast members (L-R) Willy Witherspoon, Rob Dylan, Robbie O'Spoon and Neil Old</em></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Toronto impressario David Mirvish announced today that Mirvish Productions have secured the rights to produce <em>Tuesday Live: the Musical!</em> based on the wildly popular live streaming show <em>Tuesday Live</em>. The show's producer/host Rob Witherspoon joined Mirvish in making the announcement.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Reporters questioned the feasibility of recreating the main rec room stage, Willy's shed, Beatles tribute room and Robbie O'Spoon's living room on a theatre stage, but Mirvish insisted that no expense would be spared in bringing the <em>Tuesday Live </em>vibe to the theatre for every performance.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Andrew Lloyd Webber is slated to develop the musical score and Mel Brooks is coming out of retirement to direct the production. Brooks who appeared by video link from Los Angeles said, "For chrissake! It's a once in a lifetime opportunity."</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">All of the regular Tuesday Live cast members have been signed to recreate their characters on stage with the exception of Lazy Horse who is holding out for more hay.</span></p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/62784052020-04-10T09:13:43-04:002020-04-11T12:01:42-04:00Comfort Food<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/2947dc8be9e792d910c5fc12940e4cc85e6ce57f/original/hotcrossbuns.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>These unusual times have focused attention on the things that are truly important. Health, community safety, care and compassion for our neighbours and of course, food. Food has always been central to our existence from back when we would gather around a fire waiting for our share of the spoils of the hunt. Recent forays to the supermarket have in a strange way restored the challenge and danger of the hunt our ancestors experienced. We are so fortunate to have a reliable food system and I am so grateful for the efforts of farmers, processors, distributors and grocery store staff for getting food to us in these challenging time.</p>
<p>It is a good time to seek comfort in food traditions. Yesterday I baked a big batch of my mom's <a contents="hot cross buns" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://robspoon.com/the-rob-log/blog/hot-cross-buns">hot cross buns</a> using raisins and dried cranberries. Deviating from the tradition of snipping a cross in the buns with scissors, I piped a stiff paste of flour and water on the risen buns to make the cross. To kick them up yet another notch, out of the oven I brushed them with a glaze made with icing sugar, fresh squeezed orange juice and orange zest. As you can see from the picture above, they turned out beautifully and taste even better than they look - I wish I could share one with you over a cup of coffee.</p>
<p>Whether you celebrate Easter or not, this is a good time to pause and reflect on the gifts we have to get us through difficult times. A prosperous society that has the wealth and resources to share with those who have less. Health care workers, first responders, political and community leaders, supply chain workers, grocery store cashiers, social isolationists... everyone contributing to the collective effort to deal with this pandemic.</p>
<p>There is much to be thankful for.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/62711852020-04-06T09:32:52-04:002020-04-06T12:18:21-04:00Pandemic Perspective<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/60e4fc88cb3ec626cd7b9dec8548f8452c739534/original/springbulbs.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>One day on the way home from high school, my father and a couple of his buddies decided to enlist in the Royal Canadian Air Force, hoping to become pilots. Dad became a bomb aimer on a Lancaster bomber based in the United Kingdom. Of the ten crews that started training on heavy bombers, only two survived. Fortunately he came back but over 45,000 of his colleagues didn't.</p>
<p>My grandparents escaped the chaos that was Ukraine during the Russian revolution. Grandma and her family walked out through Poland with only what they could carry. Millions died in the revolution and its aftermath including many of their relatives who elected to stay behind.</p>
<p>I am being asked to stay home for a few months. It's an opportunity to strengthen the relationships with those I love both near and far. I can exercise more, work on my music, learn new skills, read, write and grow more of my own food. I can help others by donating to food banks and other charities that help those who are less fortunate than me.</p>
<p>I can do this.</p>
<p> </p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/62472652020-03-12T20:59:01-04:002020-03-13T10:41:08-04:00Confronting Crisis<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/225ee8afa28e5ea31bf2cbb6167fb54f83446085/original/96px-hanzi-traditional-svg.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.png" class="size_s justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>There is a misconception that the written Chinese symbols for crisis include the symbols of danger and opportunity. Interpretation is skewed by cultural and emotional aspects that language and symbols cannot convey. The combination of symbols is thought to convey danger at a point where things change.</p>
<p>In crisis are many dangers including fear and panic. There is also opportunity to strengthen community, connect with others and create a foundation of humanity. Contract within or support without.</p>
<p>Confronting crisis offers choice.</p>
<p> </p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/60416912019-12-26T05:00:00-05:002019-12-26T05:03:16-05:00Gratitude from A to Z: Zipper<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/dfde8b4fab73b789f7ab55025929136f02685403/original/zippers.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>I am grateful for the zipper. </p>
<p>Where would we be without the zipper? We'd be buttoning up our flies and it would be a little drafty down there at this time of year. Keeping mosquitoes out of your tent would be much more difficult. Little things would probably fall out of our purses, suitcases and backpacks. </p>
<p>The zipper is emblematic of human ingenuity and our ability to find an innovative solution for a practical problem like fastening two pieces of fabric together. </p>
<p>Does a day ever pass that you don't use a zipper?</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/60406532019-12-25T05:00:00-05:002020-07-04T01:58:40-04:00Gratitude from A to Z: You<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/5062ce0840b6912e0310a1b7702e0e5dd73fb3dd/original/you2.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>I am grateful for you. </p>
<p>You who care - who read, watch, listen, support, create, comment, engage and encourage.</p>
<p>Thank you for being with me on this journey. Thank you for caring. </p>
<p>May the joy of the season embrace you and all you love.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/60402522019-12-24T05:00:00-05:002020-08-08T22:02:32-04:00Gratitude from A to Z: Xrays<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/15d2ad5a8b99870404c4a2629a778d392e3aec24/original/xray.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>I am grateful for Xrays.</p>
<p>Several years ago I was skiing on Blackcomb mountain at Whistler, BC. While walking across the icy deck of Horstman Hut halfway up the mountain, I slipped and fell. At the time I thought I had twisted my ankle, a prognosis that was shared by the ski patrol first aid person who checked me out.</p>
<p>My ankle was too tender to ski out so I had an adventurous right down a chair lift followed by a snowmobile ride down the mountain to the main lodge where I waited the rest of the day for my friend Bob who continued skiing. After stopping for a bag of ice for my ankle, Bob drove us back to Vancouver where I caught a plane home the next day, limping through the airport supported by a luggage cart.</p>
<p>Back home the following morning, my ankle was still sore and swollen so I made an appointment to see my family doctor. She sent me to the hospital for an xray and I was surprised to learn that I had a broken ankle. After six weeks in a cast my ankle healed and I've had no problems since. Had it not been for the xray, who knows how much more I would have suffered or what would have become of my ankle.</p>
<p>The medical potential of xrays were discovered by German scientist Wilhelm Röntgen. The first xray image was of his wife's hand. When she saw the image of the bones in her hand, she said "I have seen my death". In fact, she had seen something that would improve life for millions of others in the future, detecting broken bones, dental cavities and other physical abnormalities that lead to pain and suffering.</p>
<p>What do you consider the greatest medical discovery?</p>
<p><span class="font_small"><em>Photo by Umanoide on <a contents="Unsplash" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://unsplash.com/s/photos/x-ray">Unsplash</a></em></span></p>
<p> </p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/60380112019-12-23T05:00:00-05:002019-12-23T05:02:28-05:00Gratitude from A to Z: Water<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/8bfe26dd3602100cdc9f10b7f4cbe9b5c3c817cb/original/water.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>I am grateful for water.</p>
<p>It is more than half of what I physically am. An amazingly simple molecule composed of two hydrogen atoms bonded to a single oxygen but absolutely essential to life.</p>
<p>It is easy to take water for granted. I live in a land of abundant fresh water. I don't have to walk a great distance to find a clean water source. My ancestors would be amazed that I have several places in my home where I can conjure both cold and hot clean water with a simple flick of the wrist.</p>
<p>Is there any substance more important than water?</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/60350502019-12-22T05:00:00-05:002020-05-27T16:06:04-04:00Gratitude from A to Z: Volvo 122s Wagon<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/aabfb3b3e1d6a081c8de8e7162b9699c7f344dc8/original/volvo-1967.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>I am grateful for a Volvo 122s wagon.</p>
<p>A 1967, dark green Volvo 122s station wagon that my Dad bought new. Seat belts were an option that he wisely chose. It hauled our family and tent trailer on epic family road trips to PEI and Vancouver Island. We had the car for almost forty years and drove it over 500,000 miles - that's over 800,000 kilometers - the distance to the moon and back.</p>
<p>Dad loved driving stick and the Volvo had a classic one - a long four speed shifter on the floor that would oscillate at highway speed. It was the first car I ever drove and the inspiration for the lyric in my song <a contents="Minivan Man" data-link-label="" data-link-type="track" href="/track/1607915/minivan-man" target="_blank"><em>Minivan Man</em></a>:</p>
<p><em>When I was young I had a cool car<br>Sixty-seven Volvo with four on the floor<br>It wasn't real fast but it sure sounded good<br>That little four cylinder under the hood</em></p>
<p>I haven't driven a Volvo since we sold that old Volvo that served us so well. I don't think I'll have a car like that again.</p>
<p>Have you had a memorable vehicle?</p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font_small"><em>Image Source: https://www.hagerty.com/articles-videos/articles/2019/11/27/1963-1969-volvo-122-amazon-wagon-remains-solid-dependable-buy</em></span></p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/60349942019-12-21T05:00:00-05:002019-12-21T05:01:27-05:00Gratitude from A to Z: Uncles<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/293bc6e720b65115727d20bdeddf008876865b20/original/uncles.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_small"><em>Uncle Paul enjoying a glass of wine in Madeira</em></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>I am grateful for uncles.</p>
<p>Both Uncle Johns, Uncles Dean, Bud, Don, Erik, Stewart, and Paul. Uncle Bud was a cousin of my Dad's and Uncle Don was close family friend. Not uncles in the true definition of the word, but both more than worthy of the honourary title.</p>
<p>The word "uncle" is derived from the Old French <em>oncle</em> thought to be derived from the Latin <em>avunculus</em> which referred to mother's brother. The original Latin word literally means "little grandfather" which is a good description of the relationship I've had with my uncles. They are much like younger grandfathers.</p>
<p>Uncles fill a father-like role but unlike real fathers, you see them less often and they don't carry the baggage often associated with the challenging aspects of fatherhood. As an uncle myself, I cherish the relationships I have with my nine nieces and nephews.</p>
<p>All of my uncles except one have passed away but I remember each of them fondly and cherish the time we did have together. I am grateful to still have my Uncle Paul - he is only a few years older than me so I rarely call him uncle. In true uncle fashion, he teaches me the merits of fine wine and conversation.</p>
<p>What have you learned from your uncles?</p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font_small"><em>Photo Credit: Krys Klassen</em></span></p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/60307672019-12-20T05:00:00-05:002019-12-20T05:02:54-05:00Gratitude from A to Z: Technology<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/0058ef855578e5258a6210498d77ede947dbde74/original/technology.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>I am grateful for technology. </p>
<p>Technology allows me to be a more effective creator, connects me to others and allows me to easily maintain or renew old friendships over time and distance. Agricultural technology feeds me. Housing technology provides shelter. Medical technology protects my health. </p>
<p>Technology has a dark side. Technology consumes resources, creates waste, disrupts relationships, feeds addiction, manipulates opinion and facilitates powerful weapons. </p>
<p>Technology mirrors the best and worst of human desire. </p>
<p>How has technology affected you?</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/60287842019-12-19T05:00:00-05:002019-12-19T16:02:32-05:00Gratitude from A to Z: Sisters<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/7a86e6f0d801b9e22bb155331cd195f6837d2ec8/original/siblings.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_small"><em>Sporting the centennial plaid at the centennial fountain in the centennial year</em></span></p>
<p>I am grateful for sisters, and one in particular, Mary.</p>
<p>My sister taught me resilience, love and compassion. John and I often picked on our little sister, most famously the time her teddy bear "accidentally" fell out the car window never to be seen again. Big brothers are protective of little sisters but can be unkind. I'm not sure if she'll ever forgive us for the demise of Teddy but we are sorry.</p>
<p>What she lacked in size and strength compared to her older brothers, she made up for with speed and smarts. She became the best athlete of all of us excelling in many sports and being the top female athlete in our high school.</p>
<p>Mary is one of several strong women in my life who have showed me that gender is irrelevant in most things. She has excelled as a parent, daughter, athlete, professional and most definitely as a sister.</p>
<p>Do you have an influential sister?</p>
<p> </p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/60279932019-12-18T05:00:00-05:002019-12-18T05:03:11-05:00Gratitude from A to Z: Rivers<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GpFudDAYqxY" width="560"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p>I am grateful for rivers.</p>
<p>One river in particular stands alone in my memory - the mighty St. Lawrence River. I grew up a quarter mile from the banks of the St. Lawrence at a point where it was seven kilometers across to the opposite shore in the state of New York.</p>
<p>The St. Lawrence figured large in our lives. The reason we moved to the area was for my father's career which involved managing water levels on the river and the rest of the Great Lakes system. We swam, fished, canoed, kayaked and sailed on the river.</p>
<p>Due to the size of the river and current, it was rare to have a smooth surface form on the lake but one Christmas many years ago we had the perfect combination of calm wind, cold temperatures and no snow. The river froze into a glass-like surface and we skated for miles chasing fish swimming beneath our feet.</p>
<p>Do you have a favourite memory that involves a river?</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/60225652019-12-17T05:00:00-05:002019-12-17T05:02:25-05:00Gratitude from A to Z: Quiet<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/200c80a7b45ae6e63b510c435f3bdc39ba64b3db/original/quiet.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>I am grateful for quiet.</p>
<p>Finding quiet has become so elusive. We rarely experience quiet as we are surrounded by sounds most of which are machines - computer cooling fan, furnace motor, dehumidifier, cars, trucks and airplanes. There are very few places where you can pause, listen, and not hear traffic in the distance. It is possible to create a quieter environment with earplugs or noise cancelling headphones but you have to travel far off the beaten path to find a naturally quiet environment, the silence punctuated only by the lapping of waves, sound of the wind in the leaves or bird song.</p>
<p>Where do you find quiet?</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/60225562019-12-16T05:00:00-05:002019-12-16T05:03:36-05:00Gratitude from A to Z: Progress<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/4311a5878970fa9eb303c3a4124197e35f740207/original/progress.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>I am grateful for progress.</p>
<p>We don't always appreciate progress especially when it changes familiar places or experiences. It is easy to lose sight of the amazing progress we have experienced as a species even during our short lifetimes.</p>
<p>Life expectancy has risen steadily. Cancer survival rates continue to increase. Poverty is on a steady decline worldwide. Fewer crimes are being committed. Investment in renewable energy projects is increasing. Global tree cover is expanding. It is easy to focus on the negative but we are making progress.</p>
<p>How has progress improved your life?</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/60038962019-12-15T05:00:00-05:002019-12-15T05:03:51-05:00Gratitude from A to Z: Oranges<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/04fa5296911688c3d812ce43ede090095ed6b06f/original/orangepeeled.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>I am grateful for oranges. </p>
<p>Oranges provide such a wonderful sensory experience. The sharp scent of the oils released into the air as the orange is peeled. Pulling off a segment and enjoying the explosion of sweet juice as you bite into it. </p>
<p>We take oranges for granted as many types are readily available, but not that long ago oranges were a rare treat. My mother recalls oranges as a cherished gift received in her Christmas stocking. How different to enjoy only one orange each year versus the daily opportunity we have now. </p>
<p>What is your favourite winter fruit?</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/60038882019-12-14T05:00:00-05:002019-12-15T04:03:46-05:00Gratitude from A to Z: Nuts<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/74549a992991e52bd47cc6fa6e31cbae1eddd7f3/original/nuts.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>I am grateful for nuts.</p>
<p>Almonds, pecans, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, pistachios, macadamia, chestnuts and brazil nuts - have I missed any? The holiday season at our house always featured a bowl of mixed nuts in the shell - usually pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts (aka filberts) and almonds.</p>
<p>If we were lucky, Dad would share a pecan nutmeat he extracted from the shell whole with the precision of a watchmaker. When we tried ourselves, shards of shell would fly everywhere and we would sift through the debris to find edible bits. Almonds and hazelnuts were the only ones we had any chance of shelling whole.</p>
<p>I prefer nuts in the shell to shelled, roasted and salted mixed nuts. Shelling nuts is a more mindful exercise and the process slows consumption. Nuts are healthy but nutrient dense and it is too easy to eat shelled mixed nuts by the mitt full.</p>
<p>Chestnuts are a completely different nut - soft and starchy instead of crunchy. I plan to buy some chestnuts, grab a handful of sage leaves from the garden and make <a contents="roasted chestnuts with sage and butter" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.twoofakindcooks.com/roasted-chestnuts-with-sage-butter/">roasted chestnuts with sage and butter</a>. I don't have access to an open fire so our Kenmore oven will have to do.</p>
<p>What are your favourite nuts?</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em><span class="font_small">Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/jackmac34-483877/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1118233">jacqueline macou</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1118233">Pixabay</a></span></em></p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/60038732019-12-13T05:00:00-05:002019-12-13T07:38:25-05:00Gratitude from A to Z: Mindfulness<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/c1eeff1ae49e80ea5cb4524051a9cc919b0f695a/original/mindfulness.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>I am grateful for mindfulness.</p>
<p>The ability to be fully in the moment. Silencing the inner voice that yearns to constantly revisit the past or nervously ponder the future. Just being here now. So simple in concept yet so difficult in execution.</p>
<p>How do you stay mindful?</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/59982652019-12-12T05:00:00-05:002019-12-12T05:03:17-05:00Gratitude from A to Z: Loss<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/e3b51bcc9e082bc2ac1445873ec126d00243243a/original/img-6554.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>I am grateful for loss.</p>
<p>Loss is painful. Loss of an investment, cherished belonging, job, friend or loved one.</p>
<p>At first loss leaves only emptiness. But it provides contrast cultivating appreciation of what is, not what once was. Loss stimulates growth and builds resilience. </p>
<p>How do you deal with loss?</p>
<p> </p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/59982322019-12-11T05:00:00-05:002019-12-12T14:22:09-05:00Gratitude from A to Z: Kindness<p><span class="font_large"><em>This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness. </em></span><br><em><span class="font_large"> Dalai Lama</span></em></p>
<p>I am grateful for kindness.</p>
<p>The kindness shown to me by family and friends. Kindness given freely by a stranger, even something as small as a smile from someone in passing.</p>
<p>It is so easy to be kind to others yet too often the opportunity is missed. Imagine a world where everyone made it their purpose to be kind to others.</p>
<p>How will you be kind today?</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/59967912019-12-10T05:00:00-05:002019-12-12T14:21:13-05:00Gratitude from A to Z: Journalists<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/dbf912544109681f3ec6171eb3f356f57840cbff/original/jamal-khashoggi.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>I am grateful for journalists.</p>
<p>Grateful for journalists who bear witness on my behalf to what is happening in the world outside of my limited perspective. Exposing the truth of things often at risk to themselves. Journalists like the late <a contents="Jamal Khashoggi" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamal_Khashoggi" target="_blank">Jamal Khashoggi</a> who paid the ultimate price when he was murdered by Saudis for writing about freedom of expression and equal rights.</p>
<p>Social media has given everyone the opportunity to be an amateur journalist sharing observations and opinions. Unfortunately opinions are too often molded by the media we consume and less by compassionate thought. Social media leads us into echo chambers where we see only what we want to see, squashing empathy, fracturing society and making social discourse a shouting match rather than a civil debate.</p>
<p>I try to choose the media I consume with care and include different points of view. One option is to only read a source like the <a contents="Wikipedia current events portal" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Current_events" target="_blank">Wikipedia current events portal</a> where what is happening in the world is simply listed and described with little judgement or attempt to spin to one point of view or another.</p>
<p>What journalism do you consume?</p>
<p><em><span class="font_small">Image By April Brady / POMED - Mohammed bin Salman's Saudi Arabia: A Deeper Look, CC BY 2.0, </span></em><em><span class="font_small">https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=73742140</span></em></p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/59967872019-12-09T05:00:00-05:002019-12-09T11:25:48-05:00Gratitude from A to Z: Imagination<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/bb19e2081fff101261e66dbfbbd7588959032b4f/original/imagination.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>I am grateful for imagination.</p>
<p>Grateful for the ability in myself and others to conceptualize and conceive that which does not exist. The creation of new thoughts, ideas, actions, images and sounds that bring joy and delight. Imagining solutions to challenges that improve life and the environment.</p>
<p>What do you imagine?</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/59962632019-12-08T05:00:00-05:002019-12-09T11:23:20-05:00Gratitude from A to Z: Humour<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/d7b6e1e921f299271a556be20fdfcf4234449464/original/img-1440.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>I am grateful for humour.</p>
<p>There is joy in making others laugh and there is joy in laughing.</p>
<p>In the later grades of elementary school I sat at the back of the class with my buddy Gerald Togtema. Gerry had a great sense of humour himself but was especially good at amplifying the funny comments I would whisper to him for the whole class to hear. I was grateful that he was willing to take the heat from the teacher.</p>
<p>On the improv stage, failure is funny. We try to do seemingly impossible things like making up a song on the spot. Sometimes there is comedy magic but more often it is falling on our face failure that generates the most laughs. The reality is, the harder you try to be funny, the less funny you are. Funny, not that is, as Yoda would say.</p>
<p>Where do you find funny?</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/59951732019-12-07T05:00:00-05:002019-12-07T09:32:29-05:00Gratitude from A to Z: Grandparents<p>I am grateful for grandparents. Like most of us, I had two pairs - Frank and Jessie Witherspoon and John and Katherine Klassen. Neither lived nearby, so time with my grandparents was precious.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/38483a55880a888b1a4da8dd155521ee62fac6fc/original/grandmagrandpawitherspoon.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>Jessie and Frank Witherspoon</em></p>
<p>I have vague memories of Grandpa Witherspoon. As a young man he left the family farm near Woodbridge and moved to West Toronto where he worked as a mail sorter on trains running from Toronto to Montreal and Toronto and Goderich. In those days, mail was delivered by train. At stations where the train didn't stop, the train would slow and my grandfather would throw the bags of mail for the town off the train and grab a bag handed up to him by a station attendant. Between stations he would sort mail. The Toronto to Goderich line has since been turned into a trail. I walk sections often and think of my grandfather who rode the rails along the same path. Family legend has it that Grandpa knew Walt Disney's father who was the station master at Goderich for a time.</p>
<p>My Grandma Witherspoon was a proper but loving woman of Scottish descent - a McClure of the Cameron Clan to be precise. We visited her in Toronto at Easter most years. She prepared delicious family meals and I can still taste her homemade buns. I recall the smell of the rose scented soaps in a glass bowl in her bathroom. She was proud of her career as a nurse working with wounded veterans of the first world war.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/9019f195af6f47794f4d42be8920752b3c90ce6b/original/grandpaklassen.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>John Klassen</em></p>
<p>I remember Grandpa Klassen well. He was born in the Ukraine and fought the Bolsheviks, was captured, escaped and emigrated to Canada with his family. When I knew him, he managed a fruit farm in Essex County near Leamington. He had a wonderful sense of humour. I remember riding with him through the orchard. He would take his hands off the wheel and, to a young boy, magically steer the truck around a corner hands free. A tall man, he could steer a truck with his knees. Grandpa was an avid fisherman and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to fish with him at my favourite spot on the St. Lawrence River before he passed away.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/aa187008854470c863664083fee8e92f8ab98749/original/grandmaklassen.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>Grandma Klassen as I remember her</em></p>
<p>My memories of Grandma Klassen are the most clear as she was with us the longest - able to meet my children, her great-grandchildren, before she passed. Grandma was an imaginative cook and for a time, maker of homemade wine. Her family, the Schellenbergs, also emigrated from Russia but as a young teen her and her family endured a much more difficult route by foot via Poland encountering many challenges. In later years, she would travel by train to visit us and, if in season, one of her suitcases would be filled with apricots that she and my mother would make into jam. Although she didn't have the opportunity for formal education she was well read and an avid writer and storyteller. She always sent thoughtful notes on important occasions.</p>
<p>What do you recall of your grandparents and the impact have they had on your life?</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/59897822019-12-06T05:00:00-05:002019-12-06T09:55:35-05:00Gratitude from A to Z: Fountain Pens<p><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/y02jEX_B0O0" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/e436dcf462c4468a54ce2804238fbd90cd95ce5c/original/fountainpen.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></a></p>
<p><em>“And fingers yearn for pen, pen for paper. A moment... and verses freely flow.”<br>- Alexander Pushkin</em></p>
<p>I am grateful for fountain pens.</p>
<p>I rediscovered fountain pens when looking for an alternative to the disposable plastic ballpoint pens I was burning through while keeping my daily journal. The solution was a fountain pen with a converter - a piston like mechanism that allows me to refill the pen from a glass bottle of ink. It was perfect! I still have half a bottle of ink left after almost two years with zero waste generated.</p>
<p>An added bonus is that writing with a fountain pen is a far superior experience. Cursive writing may soon become a lost art - it is not even part of the school curriculum having been replaced by keyboarding. As I write in my journal, I often ponder if future generations will even be able to read my words.</p>
<p>Writing with a fountain pen on paper a very satisfying experience. There is something about the feel of the nib as it scribes my thoughts at a pace demanding mindfulness. Keyboarding has its merits, particularly in a world where speed of creation is so valued. But there is joy in crafting something by hand.</p>
<p>Writing with fountain pen recalls an earlier time when writing was an art form in itself. Correspondence was slow, marked by physical exchanges of handwritten letters over time rather than the instantaneous texting of today. But progress marches on. Fountain pens were an innovation in their time. An earlier scribe likely wrote about the pleasure of writing with the fountain pen's predecessor, the dip pen, a pen with no reservoir that required the writer to periodically dip the pen in an inkwell. The earliest were made from feathers. I'm curious to try one.</p>
<p>There is value in cherishing items like fountain pens that still bring pleasure and cultivate creativity. I use a Pilot Metropolitan pen with an optional converter purchased from the brick and mortar <a contents="Phidon Pens" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.phidonpens.com/" target="_blank">Phidon Pens</a> shop in the old Galt district of Cambridge, Ontario.</p>
<p>What is your favourite writing instrument?</p>
<p><em><span class="font_small">Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash</span></em></p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/59897422019-12-05T05:00:00-05:002019-12-05T05:02:23-05:00Gratitude A to Z: Exercise<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/ebeb10d7329ff4f6244329e540f8901b40fbef35/original/img-4354.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>I am grateful for exercise, how it feels to move my body and especially how I feel after exercise is complete.</p>
<p>I know I need to be more active. It is so much easier to play some music, read, write or do anything other than bundle up and head out into the cold or change into exercise clothes and do something indoors. But my body was designed to move and if I don't move it regularly, there is a price that will be eventually paid. Time to log off the computer and go out for a long walk in the cold winter weather. I can't wait until we have enough snow to snowshoe.</p>
<p>How do you motivate yourself to exercise?</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/59892112019-12-04T06:00:00-05:002019-12-04T06:05:55-05:00Gratitude from A to Z: Doctors<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/bda27cb9ac114e28856e16df8c845c77e6e7eca1/original/doctors.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em><span class="font_small">Photo credit: JC Gellidon</span></em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>I am grateful for doctors. Their skills and knowledge but mostly their compassion for others.</p>
<p>Where would we be without doctors to help when we are born and when we die. Doctors to help prevent illness and treat us when we are ill. Operating with compassion and bound by ethical duty that often takes the form of the Hippocratic Oath pledged as part of a doctor's medical studies.</p>
<p>The oath is the earliest expression of medical ethics arising from texts linked to the Greek physician Hippocrates who lived from 460-370 BC. The oath has been modified many times over the centuries. Here is a modern version:</p>
<p><em>I swear to fulfill, to the best of my ability and judgment, this covenant: </em></p>
<p><em>I will respect the hard-won scientific gains of those physicians in whose steps I walk, and gladly share such knowledge as is mine with those who are to follow. </em></p>
<p><em>I will apply, for the benefit of the sick, all measures [that] are required, avoiding those twin traps of overtreatment and therapeutic nihilism. </em></p>
<p><em>I will remember that there is art to medicine as well as science, and that warmth, sympathy, and understanding may outweigh the surgeon's knife or the chemist's drug. </em></p>
<p><em>I will not be ashamed to say "I know not," nor will I fail to call in my colleagues when the skills of another are needed for a patient's recovery. </em></p>
<p><em>I will respect the privacy of my patients, for their problems are not disclosed to me that the world may know. Most especially must I tread with care in matters of life and death. If it is given me to save a life, all thanks. But it may also be within my power to take a life; this awesome responsibility must be faced with great humbleness and awareness of my own frailty. Above all, I must not play at God. </em></p>
<p><em>I will remember that I do not treat a fever chart, a cancerous growth, but a sick human being, whose illness may affect the person's family and economic stability. My responsibility includes these related problems, if I am to care adequately for the sick. </em></p>
<p><em>I will prevent disease whenever I can, for prevention is preferable to cure. </em></p>
<p><em>I will remember that I remain a member of society, with special obligations to all my fellow human beings, those sound of mind and body as well as the infirm. </em></p>
<p><em>If I do not violate this oath, may I enjoy life and art, respected while I live and remembered with affection thereafter. May I always act so as to preserve the finest traditions of my calling and may I long experience the joy of healing those who seek my help.</em></p>
<p><span class="font_small"><em>Source: https://hslmcmaster.libguides.com/c.php?g=306726&p=2044095</em></span></p>
<p> </p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/59891952019-12-02T19:38:32-05:002019-12-03T11:52:12-05:00Gratitude from A to Z: Creativity<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/66792c40c300c882107bd1ddb2a41ce1b9e8d021/original/watercolour.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_small"><em>One of my early attempts at painting with watercolours</em></span></p>
<p><em>“Art isn’t only a painting. Art is anything that’s creative, passionate, and personal. An artists is someone who uses bravery, insight, creativity, and boldness to challenge the status quo. Art is a personal gift that changes the recipient. The medium doesn’t matter. The intent does. Art is a personal act of courage, something one human does that creates change in another.” </em></p>
<p><em>― Seth Godin</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>I am grateful for creativity. The ability to create something new and interesting out of nothing.</p>
<p>There are so many ways that we can express our creativity beyond arts and music - gardening, cooking, brewing, wine making, woodworking - even how we approach and solve practical problems in a creative manner. We are all creative even if we don't think of ourselves as artists.</p>
<p>What are you doing today that is creative?</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/59876082019-12-01T22:10:19-05:002019-12-01T22:10:19-05:00Gratitude from A to Z: Brothers<p>I am grateful for my brothers. Life was generous in granting me two - one older and one younger.</p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/fa21f96c7a925d94b4ea12094d1eb55a407dba18/original/rob-john1962.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>Me and my brother John - a few years back</em></p>
<p>My older brother John taught me resilience and toughened me up a little as all older brothers do. He was my early musical mentor introducing me to the guitar although for the first few years I played his on the sly, watching out the window of our loft to make sure he didn't catch me playing his guitar without permission. Watching him and his pals play House of the Rising Sun at an end of school assembly in 1969 was my own personal Woodstock.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/a37788376cfea59863a796baeaf7f388da7e2669/original/jamie-rob.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>Jamie and I with our old dog Jason</em></p>
<p>My younger brother Jamie was a late addition to our family arriving when I was 13. He taught me to have patience with young children, not to mention how to change diapers, which served me well when I eventually became a father. His enthusiasm when I returned home for visits from university pulled me back into youthful activities - playing ball hockey, making snowmen - that afforded me a brief extension of those magical years before the responsibilities of work and adulthood weighed in.</p>
<p>Families bring together people who might not normally associate with each other if they were not related. If you have brothers, how have they influenced your life?</p>
<p> </p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/59868612019-12-01T12:03:37-05:002019-12-04T08:51:23-05:00Gratitude from A-Z: Aunts<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/20e4c0062b47880bdae897c9198d1211b0742ce0/original/img-1487.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Two of my Aunts with my Mother" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">A<em>unt Helen and Aunt Krys flanking my Mother at her 90th birthday party.</em><br> </p>
<p>I start every day by writing in my journal and the first thing I write is three things I am grateful for.</p>
<p>My gratitude extends to specific people, communities, things, emotions, activities, my environment and, no surprise to those who know me well, specific foods and beverages and the people who provide them. Last December I wrote a series of posts called <em>Gratitude from A to Z</em>. I write about gratitude every day so why not make a more public reflection on gratitude an annual event?</p>
<p>I am grateful for my aunts. My many great aunts who live in the misty memories of childhood with the exception of Great Aunt Agnes, my grandmother's youngest sister who was a central figure in childhood family gatherings. Aunt Nancy who is no longer with us but lives on in our memories. Aunt Mary, Aunt Marg, Aunt Helen and Aunt Krys.</p>
<p>I also have two aunts who are not aunts by the official definition - the late Aunt Agnes who was a close cousin of my father, and "Auntie Ann" who was my mother's university roommate and a close family friend all my life.</p>
<p>Each of my aunts is a very special and unique individual, and they have all had a positive impact on how I view the world. I have been fortunate to have exceptionally strong women as aunts in my life. They model strength of character as well as love, compassion and food as the magical glue that helps hold families together.</p>
<p>How have your aunts affected you?</p>
<p><em><span class="font_small">photo credit: Krys Klassen</span></em></p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/59289572019-10-16T20:53:04-04:002019-10-16T20:59:26-04:00Back in the Saddle<p>I've only ridden a horse once in my life so don't really know what getting back in the saddle feels like, but <em>Back on the Blog</em> sounds less dramatic.</p>
<p>I haven't been completely idle. I write and play music almost daily, work on starting a podcast this fall and dabble in cartooning - more about that in future posts. Since my last blog post in May, I've filled two handwritten journals with thoughts and ideas. Keeping a handwritten journal is cathartic if nothing else and a better accounting of my life than social media posts.</p>
<p><em>The Rob Log</em> has been quiet - time to change that.</p>
<p>Playing two Oktoberfest band gigs this week - Conestoga College on Thursday and Saturday night at the Olde Heidelberg Restaurant & Tavern. Highland bagpipe and Oktoberfest are the only genres of music that involve a costume. But I'm going to buck that trend this year - no lederhosen for me. The poor old cow can keep her pants on, I'll be wearing cotton and an Oktoberfest-ish hat. I don't want to be accused of Bavarian cultural appropriation.</p>
<p>Also developing a new live show with a trial run planned for the Olde Heidelberg Restaurant & Tavern on November 9th. Envisioning something that incorporates improv and stand up comedy along with audience participation and of course, music. Cousin Willy may even show up as it will be cold out in the shed by then.</p>
<p>Returning to the luxurious <a contents="Couples Resort " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.couplesresort.ca/index.php" target="_blank">Couples Resort </a>on November 18th and 20th. Relax by a lake on the edge of Algonquin Park and enjoy a five course meal with your partner while I gently strum and croon in the background... I might serve a little musical improv for dessert.</p>
<p>Check out the <a contents="Shows page" data-link-label="Shows" data-link-type="page" href="/shows">Shows page</a> on my website for details.</p>
<p>Thanks for being here.</p>
<p> </p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/57565942019-05-18T16:30:00-04:002019-08-12T17:35:44-04:00Thoughts of Dad<p><em>My father, David Franklin Witherspoon passed away on April 25th. I did write a post previously about his life and what he meant to me called <a contents="I am my Father's Son" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://robspoon.com/the-rob-log/blog/i-am-my-father-s-son">I am my Father's Son</a> in 2017. This is the text of a more detailed tribute to Dad given at his Celebration of Life on May 18, 2019. </em></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/09ec708b234ada30495b2c06c698f3af9297aaf0/original/dadww2.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Dad World War 2" /></p>
<p>We asked Dad how he wanted us to celebrate his life after he was gone. He answered, “I don’t care, I won’t be there.” So let’s just wrap this up and head over to the Curling Club - drinks on Dave! </p>
<p>Seriously, if Dad were still with is, he probably wouldn’t be here. He’d be at home winding the clocks. Dad never got into the routine of going to church, choosing instead to relax at home and wind the collection of antique clocks he’d inherited from his father. Summer Sundays were for keel boat racing - that was his spiritual practice. </p>
<p>Who was David Franklin Witherspoon? What were some of the highlights of his life? And what did he mean to us? </p>
<p>You don't live to be ninety-five without a combination of excellent genes and good fortune. Dad had both. </p>
<p>He was fortunate to grow up in a strict but loving family, the only son between two sisters who adored him. Dad used to tell the story of having lunch with his Grandfather McClure who had retired to the city to live with his daughter. Our great grandfather, then in his nineties, would fry up a slab of bacon, cook any leftover potatoes from last night’s dinner in the fat then, if there was any fat left, fry up a piece of bread. Those are either some strong genes or the recipe for longevity. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/eb671b39bb90ae6893a3542c76ab06fd9be2789d/original/dadfamilyww2.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Dad didn’t talk much about his war experience until later in his life. As a child I remember asking him why he was bald. He said it was because he stuck his head out the aircraft and his hair blew off.” </p>
<p>That was about it until much later in life. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/feda67c53c611628a8b93f95dd0d6e10d2540357/original/dadpic.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_left border_" />Of the ten crews that started bomber conversion training with him in the UK, only two survived. Black circles on the ground marked the loss of an aircraft and crew. Mid air collisions were common as well - Dad remembers his crew narrowly missing one when they descended out of a cloud bank and another bomber darted underneath them - from his position in the belly of the aircraft Dad could see the surprised expressions on the faces of the other crew.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/3c058f6d3c5d2e9224e40d0a6e4ac8dc6fd6d285/original/queenelizabethship.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" />In January of 1946 he was assigned a berth home on the Queen Elizabeth ocean liner, at the time painted gray and outfitted as a troop transport. It wasn’t exactly a luxury crossing as there were over 12,000 returning Canadians on board. Every corner of the ship was filled with cots - Dad slept in a stack of six cots laid out in rows in the ship’s empty swimming pool. If he rolled over his shoulder hit the bottom of the cot of the man above. </p>
<p>There was another famous passenger on that crossing as well. Dad recalled a somewhat intoxicated Winston Churchill addressing the troops one evening over the ship’s public address system. Through the miracle of Google, I was able to find a snippet of what Dad heard, which spoke to both the rough winter crossing of the Atlantic as well as the newfound hope they carried home: </p>
<p><em>Yesterday, I was on the bridge, watching the mountainous waves and this ship, which is no pup, cutting through them and mocking their anger. I asked myself, why is it that the ship beats the waves, when they are so many and the ship is one? They just flop around, innumerable, tireless, but ineffective. The ship with the purpose takes us where we want to go.</em></p>
<p>Dad returned home with purpose and, supported by post-war veteran funding, studied hydrological engineering at the Ontario Agricultural College in Guelph, beginning a long family association with the OAC and the University of Guelph. </p>
<p>The pinnacle of Dad’s good fortune occurred when he returned to Guelph after graduate studies in Michigan. While bowling with friends he was introduced to Erna Klassen - an intelligent, slim, dark haired young Mennonite woman from Essex County. He mentioned to her that he drove back and forth to Toronto most weekends and to call him if she ever needed a ride. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/56c88db5a954284ff9ed952421abc425075fcb6b/original/img-0008.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_left border_" />Mom didn’t hear from him after that but fortunately for both of them, and us, she called a few weeks later looking for a ride home from her cousin’s wedding in Toronto. He picked her up and the conversation on the ride home led to a date, followed by more dates and eventually a steady relationship. When Erna announced her plan to pursue graduate studies in Forensic Science in the U.S., Dave proposed a plan that involved both of them. They were married in Guelph sixty-five years ago this month. Dad’s advice for a successful marriage was to marry someone you could tolerate and who could tolerate you.</p>
<p>He was such a romantic!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Dad spent his career as a hydraulic engineer managing water levels in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River watershed. As kids, we bragged to our friends that our Dad decided how much water there was in the river. In high school, we’d tell them our Dad was on the International "Joint" Commission. We liked to show them the <em>Dave Wall of Fame</em> in his home office where there was a picture of Dad with US President Ronald Reagan whom he met one year during the annual spring IJC meetings in Washington. Our friends were impressed but I don’t think Dad really was. He liked Reagan more as an actor. </p>
<p>Dad traveled a lot for work leaving Mom to referee at home. When we got too out of hand, Mom could always play the “wait until Dad gets home” card. Dad didn’t get angry often but when he did, you did not want to be the source. </p>
<p>When I was sixteen, I drove the family Volvo into a parked car. Dad was at a meeting in Burlington and I had to meet him at the train station with the bad news. Our elderly next-door neighbours gave us a ride so Dad had some time to cool off before we got home. He was surprisingly calm, perhaps a sign he was starting to mellow into the Father, Grandfather and Great Grandfather we have known for the second half of his life. </p>
<p>Late to arrive on the scene, younger brother Jamie was fortunate to have a more laid back, mellow Dad and an almost only child experience compared to the rest of us. We were shocked that Dad let Jamie sit, eat and do homework in front of the TV - rules were tougher in the early days. But Jamie’s energy and enthusiasm helped keep Dad young and active into his retirement years. </p>
<p>Dave was an enthusiastic hockey dad, ready with comments on how to improve your play but also words of encouragement. My first memory of Dad, and hockey, was in my first season when he carried me off the ice after I fell and broke my front tooth. Dad encouraged me to take up goaltending - perhaps to minimize future dental expenses. Dad would occasionally put on his skates and fire shots at me during practice. He had a wicked wrist shot that stung like no shots I was getting at the time and he could pick the top corner using a straight bladed stick. </p>
<p>Jamie remembers Dad having more time to follow his minor hockey career. Mom and Dad attended most of Jamie’s games as well as team parties. Dad participated in the annual father-son game even though he was at least ten to twenty years older than the other dads. </p>
<p>Dad taught us a lot of things. How to make an ice rink and then fix the windows we broke with pucks and lacrosse balls. How to change the oil and tune a small engine, cut grass, blow snow and burn brush - we had some glorious brush fires back before there were the apartment buildings next door. He taught us how to prune fruit trees, hoe a garden and the worst job of all - rock picking. Spring meant picking rocks from our vegetable garden that seemed to grow a new crop each year. Dad used the opportunity to teach us about glaciation, glacial till and frost heave. </p>
<p>He was a meticulous hoer of weeds and maintained a vegetable garden up until two years ago. His diet of homegrown vegetables and sauerkraut, made with his Dad’s cabbage cutter and crock, were a large part of his healthy lifestyle. </p>
<p>In 1981, Dad and I demolished the old summer kitchen attached to the stone house and he had the solarium built. This allowed for an extended gardening season and the opportunity to grow tender plants year round. </p>
<p>Dad was proud of his fig, orange, kefir lime, lemon, and pomegranate trees - it was mostly about just being able to grow them although he enjoyed his annual harvest of two figs. He religiously maintained the solarium plants and when the night blooming Cereus was in bud, he and Mom would invite friends over for impromptu night blooming cereus parties. The solarium was also the scene of Dad’s never ending battle with scale and spider mites. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/076e6cc7d885dcffe2456291d21767907fbf6c55/original/img-7799.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" />Shortly after moving to eastern Ontario, Dave discovered sailing. It led to his long association with the Stormont Yacht Club, first as a competitive sailor in the Albacore class with John as his helmsman. In 1973, Dad and two other SYC members purchased three C&C 27’s they christened <em>Wynken</em>, <em>Blynken</em> and <em>Nod</em>. Dave and two friends sailed <em>Wynken</em> from Niagara-on-the-Lake around Lake Ontario and down the St. Lawrence to Long Sault on her maiden voyage. </p>
<p>For over forty years Dave occasionally cruised in <em>Wynken</em> but more often raced her aggressively. The pinnacle of his sailing career had to be the year he won the Borland Trophy with his three sons as crew. The Borland was a two-day race to Upper Canada Marina and back. Dad made a key strategic call on the up river leg going below Croil Island while the rest of the fleet took the more traditional Cut F route. Based on the wind direction that day, Dad figured it would be a better way to take on the strong river current. He was correct and we arrived at Upper Canada more than an hour ahead of the rest of the fleet, an insurmountable lead. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/c8e534f1fed9f12e55ff873b5fe36a29242944df/original/img-0796.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_left border_" />Dad pushed the limits when sailing, whether bearing down on a fellow competitor at the starting line or seeing how close he could get to shore before tacking. There were more than a few arguments, protests, and collisions. For a boat skippered by the guy who should know water levels, <em>Wynken</em> was run aground a surprising number of times. </p>
<p>He was fortunate to continue sailing into his nineties thanks to the generous assistance received from his younger yacht club friends. Crane in and crane out were important dates on the calendar - in later years when we’d ask Dad how it went, he would say, “I was there but nobody would let me do anything”.</p>
<p>Sailing was Dad’s passion and he probably would have sailed around the world had he been able to raise a crew. Six years ago my older brother and his wife chartered a boat in the Caribbean with Mom and Dad as well as two of their children. His granddaughter recalls holding on for dear life in the cockpit as the boat was pummeled by a tropical squall on their crossing from St. Vincent to St. Lucia. She looked up through the wind and rain to see her eighty-nine year-old Grandfather clipping his lifeline along the railing as he made his way towards the bow to untangle some ropes.</p>
<p>He was living the dream. </p>
<p>As an anniversary gift Mom made Dad a wall hanging that hung in our downstairs bathroom for years. On it she stitched an image of Wynken and the words “God does not subtract from man’s allotted time, the hours spent in sailing”. I think there’s truth in that. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/14984137bc692c2b381a107c029f602b6e908cda/original/img-0035.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_right border_" />Dave put his navigation and boat handling skills to the test as recently as four years ago when he captained a sixty foot boat along the canals of Scotland with a crew of Mom, her sister, her husband and the daughter of friends from New Zealand. Dad had hired a Scottish genealogist to do some research into the history of the Witherspoon family in Scotland and after the canal cruise, he took Mom and Dad on a private guided tour of our ancestral home and church. </p>
<p>Dad loved travelling. Hauling a tent trailer he ordered from the Eaton’s catalogue, he and Mom took our young family camping to both the East and West coasts of Canada. There was a memorable trip through England, Scotland and Wales aboard a Bedford Dormobile camper before and after a conference Dad was attending at Reading University.</p>
<p>I don’t know how Dad got off an overnight flight and then drove the camper on the left side of the road out of London to our first campground. On the way he clipped mirrors with a milk truck but the driver, finding out we were Canadians, just waved us on our way. It also seemed that anywhere we went Mom and Dad had friends - in the UK we spent a few days with a family who they knew from Dad’s studies in Holland. </p>
<p>Jamie’s later arrival meant that he experienced the more luxurious travel of Dad’s retirement years including a rented barge tour up the Midi Canal in France, where Dad once again took his seamanship to another part of the world. Jamie was exposed to hotel rooms and restaurant meals rather than the tent trailer and meals cooked on a camp stove - although he missed Mom’s creative camp cooking - we ate local before it was trendy including a particularly memorable meal of fresh steamed clams we dug on a Nova Scotia beach. </p>
<p>Dad never had what you would consider an average car. The first car I remember was a DKW he brought back to Canada from Holland - the company was eventually purchased by BMW. There was also the 1967 Volvo wagon that we had for almost twenty years and 500,000 miles.</p>
<p>Once, when Dad left us waiting in the car for too long, John and I figured out if you turned on the left turn signal and the emergency flashers then kept your foot on the brake you could listen to the radio without the ignition key. Not sure we ever shared that secret with Dad but it may have explained some of the electrical problems that car had.</p>
<p>Dad’s last car was a sporty Honda Civic SI six speed. He enjoyed driving and was still shifting a manual transmission up until his final trip behind the wheel last month. In March he was musing about buying an electric car as his apartment building had outlets at each parking spot. </p>
<p>Dad was an optimist. When he was originally admitted to hospital in Cornwall I got a notification the next day that I had a new Instagram follower - Dave Witherspoon. He had set up an account while he was under observation at the hospital. The last photo on his phone was a selfie we assumed he was planning to use as his profile picture. </p>
<p>For a guy born when horses still plied the streets of Toronto, he embraced technology - spending hours flying a Lancaster Bomber on Flight Simulator, sailing online in virtual around the world races or squeezing in one last game of Free Cell before bed. He had an iPad-based wind and navigation system installed on Wynken that he would fasten to the old TV antennae tower at home so he could monitor the wind all winter. He was still doing spreadsheet calculations to form the Senior Curling Draws this past winter. One of the first things that crossed my mind when Dad passed was - who is going to schedule Seniors’ curling now? </p>
<p>He loved the game of curling - playing or watching on TV. A competitive curler as a young man, he gave it up after a few years in Cornwall as it was taking too much time away from his family. Upon retirement, he started playing again and although he gave up active play a few seasons ago, still enjoyed his time at the club. He was proud of being named an honourary member of the Cornwall Curling Club and visiting with the many friends he had made as a senior curler including, as he liked to boast, several of his former paperboys. </p>
<p>One of the real secrets to his longevity is that he only ate what was put on his plate and what wonderful healthy meals Mom prepared for him, our family and friends over the years. Mom and Dad loved to host gatherings around the dining room table in the old stone house. They always featured great food - family dinners, the annual New Years Levy and gourmet group gatherings were particularly memorable. Before each meal Dad would head down to the cellar to select a bottle of wine from his collection. </p>
<p>Dad was a man of routine. He exercised religiously which also contributed to his longevity. Initially it was the Royal Canadian Air Force Five Basic Exercises or 5BX program. Ken Cooper’s book The New Aerobics spurred Mom and Dad to jog out in the Long Sault Parkway every morning before jogging was even a thing. The OPP stopped Mom once to ask her if she was okay because they thought Dad was chasing her. </p>
<p>Dad also started lifting weights - he appeared as a fitness model in a weight training video for seniors when he was in his late seventies. Although eventually slowed by a failing heart, he recently learned to play shuffleboard, did laps of the hall of his apartment building with his walking poles and continued to lift weights right up until he was hospitalized. Dad was also an avid cyclist, competitive runner and cross-country skier. </p>
<p>His morning routine is the stuff of family legend. It always included some form of exercise, stretching and personal grooming. Dad was always clean-shaven and sharp looking although perhaps not always in the latest styles. He had his favourite suit, shirts and hats, especially his trademark grey Ascot winter hat that will forever be known to us as the Dave hat. After breakfast, laid out for him in advance by Mom, he’d read the Citizen and Standard-Freeholder newspapers then complete the Sudoku puzzles from both - there were few that stumped him. He was usually able to wrap up his morning routine by 10:30 or 11:00. </p>
<p>Dad was a gentleman in the truest sense of the word - kind, considerate, interested in others and able to strike up a conversation with anyone. There were very few people he didn't get along with - I can’t remember him ever speaking poorly of anyone save for the occasional politician. Growing up in eastern Ontario, we learned to swear in both official languages but Dad rarely cursed. I remember him overhearing me use the word “Hell” at a hockey practice. On the way home he told me how embarrassed he was hearing his son swear in front of the other Dads. In hindsight, there was probably as much cursing in the stands as on the ice but Dad made his point - he expected better. </p>
<p>His knowledge and interests were broad and always expanding. He enjoyed the CBC, British comedy, live theatre, music and movies. He took great joy in singing along with during music jams at family gatherings. This past June he got up and sang <em>It's a Long Way to Tipperary</em> accompanied by a live band at granddaughter Rachel and her fiancé Travis’s engagement party. When asked why he had never sung before, he said no one had ever asked. We should have asked sooner. </p>
<p>Dave unselfishly served his country, community and others. In the 1980’s, Mom and Dad billeted members of a Polish dance troupe participating in Cornwall’s Worldfest. A few days later they called after their final performance in Montreal asking if Mom and Dad would help them defect to Canada. Mom, Dad and their close circle of friends sprung into action to help these young men, our five Polish brothers, create a new life in Canada. They have all been successful and continue to express their gratitude for the opportunity to settle in Canada that Mom, Dad and the local community helped them realize. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/19a08da71f646a36ab6c5e2b8399a8d75d4e8435/original/img-0142.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" />Dave enjoyed time with family and friends. Whether it was camping across the country, sailing, curling, carving his meticulously de-boned turkey at Christmas, Cousins’ Weekend at Drag Lake or any of the many gatherings over the years, Dad was most happy and content when surrounded by family. In later years at my brother's cottage and at Christmas when we also celebrated his December 27th birthday, he would just sit and take in what he once memorably described as the “fruit of his loins”. </p>
<p>He loved hearing what his grandchildren were up to - their education, careers and adventures in life. They in turn cherished their Grandfather and he was fortunate that many of them were able to visit during his final days in hospital. Dad was also pleased to be able to spend time with and get to know the first three members of the next generation of Witherspoon’s, his great-grandchildren. </p>
<p>We don’t have the time or words today to fully capture the essence of a life as long and rich as Dave Witherspoon’s. There are a thousand more stories to be shared in the hours, days, weeks and months to come. The space he has left in our lives has room for many memories. </p>
<p>Ninety-five years may seem like an unusually generous measure of having this amazing man in our lives but it still doesn’t feel like quite enough. </p>
<p>One night at the Heart Institute as we were leaving for the night Mom asked Dad what he did when we weren’t there. Dad, in his typical Dad way, threw up his arms and said,</p>
<p>“What do you think? I fly around the room.” </p>
<p>The afternoon of the day Dad died we were all sitting in the sunroom of my brother's home when an eagle flew overhead - a bald eagle. It seemed a fitting tribute although somewhat unlikely that Dad had suddenly been transformed into an eagle. </p>
<p>But it was bald! </p>
<p>Somewhere, out in the great beyond, Dad is free and flying.</p>
<p><em><a contents="David Franklin Witherspoon Obituary" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://ottawacitizen.remembering.ca/obituary/david-witherspoon-1923-2019-1074317514" target="_blank">David Franklin Witherspoon Obituary</a></em></p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/57443652019-05-06T09:30:21-04:002020-09-15T06:07:32-04:00Crackers<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/a264fab6652a62f757c80e899ae9b6212f594c4e/original/crackers.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>What's a cracker? Christmas crackers aside, the crackers I'm referring to are basically just twice baked bread. Surprisingly enough, American's claim that crackers were invented in 1792 in New England primarily for the purpose of having a bread-like food that could survive long periods at sea, or in your kitchen cupboard. Eventually the National Biscuit Company was formed which we now know as Nabisco - I'm more partial to their Shreddies than their crackers.</p>
<p>I suspect the concept of drying bread into a cracker-like product goes back much farther. It may debatable as to whether or not they are crackers, but the rusk is a a twice-baked bread common among many cultures and likely dates back to the first human attempts to make bread. Perhaps the first attempts at baking bread where more cracker like than what we would consider bread.</p>
<p>Regardless of their origin, I do like a good cracker. My first memories of eating crackers are the saltines that would come in a sheet of four. After school we would put them in the toaster for a bit then slather them in butter. If anyone knows where you can still find toaster friendly crackers, let me know.</p>
<p>Now crackers come in many shapes, sizes and exotic flavours. The inspiration for this post was a package of Ginger Lemongrass Triscuits - one of 37 Triscuit flavours available. A friend recently introduced me to <a contents="Inés Rosales Olive Oil Tortas" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.inesrosales.com/europe/" target="_blank">Inés Rosales Olive Oil Tortas</a>. Available in a variety of sweet and savoury flavours they are delicious with cheese or a cup of tea. They are quite expensive so I was excited to find a recipe for <a contents="Spanish Olive Oil Tortas" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://leitesculinaria.com/94627/recipes-spanish-olive-oil-tortas-de-aceite.html" target="_blank">Spanish Olive Oil Tortas</a> while doing some research for this post. I'll have to get cracking!</p>
<p>What's your favourite cracker and topping combo?</p>
<p><span class="font_small">Photo by <a contents="Lana Abie" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/lz2PI8Nk5SQ" target="_blank">Lana Abie</a> on Unsplash</span></p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/57351562019-04-28T09:58:26-04:002019-04-28T18:36:01-04:00Transitions<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/e1f42f44ed837bfecb293786eda45f3f837a4551/original/img-0006.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Transitions are times of great danger. The disruption brought on by transitions leaves us vulnerable and exposed. We may fear what lies beyond the transition. Long held routines are torn away leaving us seemingly stranded in an unfamiliar world. We must be cautious with our thoughts, words and actions. </p>
<p>Transitions involve an element of loss or an ending. It takes time to process this, to grieve and accept what is no longer here. It is a very personal process and each of us responds differently. There is no right way or wrong way; there is just a way. </p>
<p>Transitions afford us great opportunity - the opportunity for growth and renewal. While acknowledging what is lost, we can slowly find our way forward. It is a journey that benefits from the support of others but one we must ultimately make on our own. </p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/57303982019-04-24T08:23:44-04:002019-04-24T08:23:44-04:00Cultivating Compassion<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/e015f3b3c1e9a99d2cec618f806122882de17205/original/compassion.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>It is difficult to find compassion in the world. Anger and hatred are everywhere. Compassion does appear in simple gestures, a stranger pausing to allow you into a line of cars or holding the door for you. A smile or wave.</p>
<p>We have evolved to be physically and emotionally protective of ourselves making it difficult to find and express compassion. We are immediately responsive to threats while less aware of opportunities to express compassion to others. Politics and social media are full of the chronically angry. Compassionate people are more difficult to find.</p>
<p>The first step to cultivating compassion is to be more mindful. Mindful of emotions and the actions and reactions of others. Mindful of when anger arises and where it comes from.</p>
<p>Responding to anger with compassion and hatred with love is difficult. It leaves us exposed and vulnerable. But the world is seriously in need of more love and compassion. It is worthy of cultivation.</p>
<p><a contents="Photo by Matt Collamer on Unsplash" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/8UG90AYPDW4" target="_blank"><span class="font_small">Photo by Matt Collamer on Unsplash</span></a></p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/57265862019-04-21T06:00:00-04:002019-04-21T06:00:48-04:00The Joy of Impermanence<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/e9c6efdef99cb3f8273e0072a5339c82921b4c0e/original/impermanence.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Nothing is permanent. A permanent hairdo, a perm, is not permanent. It only adds or removes curls for a few weeks before you have to get a new one. Perhaps that's why the perm has fallen out of favour, it's not really permanent.</p>
<p>There are many things we consider permanent. The constant state of frozen ground in the north known as permafrost appears to be not so permanent in the face of climate change. The builders who constructed the roof and spire of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris likely thought it would be permanent. Fortunately they were not around to see their work go up in flames and smoke last week.</p>
<p>Everything is impermanent. Even plastic straws, bags and bottles will eventually weather and decay although the fact it can take a thousand years makes plastic permanent in the time frame of our existence. If we just continue to allow plastics to pile up we will eventually bury ourselves before all the plastics can decay.</p>
<p>Earth is impermanent. There are a myriad of natural and extraterrestrial phenomena that could render the earth inhabitable. That is assuming we don't do the job ourselves which is the more likely end of life as we know it scenario.</p>
<p>At first glance, contemplating impermanence might seem a pathway to depression. But there is joy to be found in impermanence. How dull our days would be if everything was the same. We would live our lives like Bill Murray's character in the movie <em>Groundhog Day</em>, repeating the same routines over and over and over again into infinity. A life of permanence would be inherently dull as nothing would ever change.</p>
<p>Happiness can only be found within the narrow boundaries of the impermanent nature of life. The changes we experience from birth and death provide us with moments of joy and sorrow. Within the precious time afforded us between these two events, we have the opportunity to seek and experience great joy and happiness.</p>
<p>Suffering, loss and sorrow are unavoidable - they are the price of living a loving life, of experiencing joy and happiness. Acceptance that everything will one day be dust provides freedom from worry and opens our hearts to joy and happiness.</p>
<p><span class="font_small">Photo by <a contents="Stephanie LeBlanc " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/m9YGDDW6Q_4" target="_blank">Stephanie LeBlanc </a>on Unsplash </span></p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/57179422019-04-14T06:00:00-04:002019-04-14T10:35:56-04:00Hot Cross Buns<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/a75bcf0f4c34350fcef496a413fd844309698673/original/hotcrossbuns.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Food has always been an important part of family celebrations. Each holiday had it's traditional foods that have their origin partly in my Scottish heritage but perhaps even more strongly in my mother's Mennonite background since she did all of the cooking in our house. Food was such a central part of family life that even the threat of punishment for childhood misdeeds was to be swatted with a wooden spoon.</p>
<p>The kitchen was the centre of my childhood home and where my mother, a university trained chemist, experimented in culinary science. She combined the traditional recipes her Mennonite ancestors had collected as they fled persecution across Europe to the new world and combined these traditions with cuisines she discovered in magazines and newspapers to create her own unique culinary style. Had she been born a generation later, she would have no doubt been a successful recipe blogger or maybe even a Food Network star. Now that she has passed the wooden spoon on to the next generation, I feel obliged to try to share more widely the joy that food brought to our family celebrations.</p>
<p>Easter in our house meant two things, paska and hot cross buns. Paska was a sweet yeast bread that my Mennonite ancestors likely adopted during their stay in the Ukraine before the Russian Revolution drove them out of Europe to Canada. Although delicious, especially when toasted and slathered in butter, hot cross buns were the perennial Easter favourite in our house. We even modified the nursery rhyme "Hot cross buns, hot cross buns, one a penny, two a penny, hot cross buns" to more accurately reflect our love of hot cross buns:</p>
<p><em>Hot cross buns<br>Eat them by the tons<br>One a penny, two a penny<br>Hot cross buns!</em></p>
<p>I'm sure if you added up the mass of hot cross buns we consumed, it would be in the tons. At some point prior to Easter, there would be a day at our house when every flat surface in the kitchen was covered in hot cross buns rising or cooling. Always best consumed fresh out of the oven, I enjoyed them at all times of the day. Split and toasted with butter and marmalade for breakfast or stuffed into my pocket for a snack while doing some early spring fishing for St. Lawrence River perch. Not sure I ever tried making a perch roll with a hot cross bun, but I can almost taste it.</p>
<p>If the Internet is to be trusted, hot cross buns are of English origin and represent the end of Lent - the cross obviously being the symbol of the crucifixion of Christ. They were traditionally made on Good Friday and it as claimed they would not mold and could cure illness and prevent shipwreck. The cheeky Aussies produced a "not cross" bun that substitutes the cross on the top of the bun with a smiley face.</p>
<p>Regardless of history and traditions, they are delicious. Here is our family recipe for hot cross buns both traditional and my adaptation for bread maker in case you have one of those languishing in the back of your pantry. I'm going for traditional this year so follow me on <a contents="Instagram" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.instagram.com/robspoonmusic/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> or <a contents="Twitter " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://twitter.com/robspoonmusic/" target="_blank">Twitter </a>to see how it goes.</p>
<p><strong>Hot Cross Buns </strong></p>
<p>2 medium potatoes - peeled and diced, cook until tender and mash<br>1 ½ cup water </p>
<p>Mix:<br>1/3 cup skim milk powder<br>½ cup sugar<br>2 tsp salt<br>¾ cup butter </p>
<p>Add hot potatoes and cool to lukewarm - add two beaten eggs. </p>
<p>Meanwhile, in small bowl add ½ cup water, 1 tsp sugar and 2 tbsp dry yeast (one envelop). Let stand until bubbly. </p>
<p>Mix:<br>5 cups flour<br>3 tsp cinnamon<br>1 tsp nutmeg<br>¼ tsp clove </p>
<p>Mix with potato and yeast starter plus dried fruit to taste - at least 1 ½ cup of raisins, currants, candied peel, etc. </p>
<p>Turn out on to a floured surface and knead adding flour as needed to make a soft, not too sticky dough. Let rise then punch down and shape into as many buns as desired. For shiny top, brush with beaten egg. For cross snip with scissors before rising. </p>
<p>Bake at 400F for 10-15 minutes until nicely browned. </p>
<p><strong>Bread Maker Adaptation: </strong></p>
<p>1 potato peeled, diced, cooked and mashed with ¾ cup water<br>1 egg beaten<br>2 ½ tbsp skim milk powder<br>¼ cup sugar<br>1 tsp salt<br>3/8 cup butter<br>2 ½ cup four<br>1 ½ tsp cinnamon<br>½ tsp nutmeg<br>1/8 tsp cloves<br>¾ cup mixed fruit<br>2 tsp dry yeast </p>
<p>Run on dough cycle. Divide into 8-12 buns and brush/ snip as indicated above. Let rise and bake at 400F for 10-15 minutes until nicely browned.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/57128682019-04-12T19:34:10-04:002019-04-12T19:34:10-04:00Understanding Ethics<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/system/ec31cf278207681d9af2678794d2d2a47d1a6ed5/original/unsplash-bsmkli4otiy.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>I'm working on a project exploring professional ethics and hope you'll come along for the journey. It will be helpful for my thought process to share ideas in the supportive environment of my blog community. I would welcome your thoughts in the form of comments below or if you would prefer anonymity, reply to the email I send out with my blog content and your comments will come directly to me.</p>
<p>What exactly is ethics? According to the English Oxford Dictionary, ethics is the "moral principles that govern a person's behaviour or the conducting of an activity". The challenge in any discussion of ethics is that we all have different moral principles. These moral principles are conceived internally but develop primarily from our earliest observations of the actions of others around us.</p>
<p>Moral principles are further developed through some form of spiritual belief. Moral principles lie within each of us. How else can you explain the criminal behaviour often observed in priests, teachers and others in positions of moral authority who should in principle adhere to the moral standards of their religion or profession but act otherwise?</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/57100882019-04-07T06:00:00-04:002019-04-07T06:00:43-04:00Dyngus Day<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/0173bcc0944419d26df3de2f3ad530c5b0faa26c/original/babka.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>Chocolate Babka</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>For several years now a small group of friends and neighbours have celebrated Dyngus Day.</p>
<p>It began when my wife and I were in Buffalo and saw a poster at our hotel promoting Dyngus Day celebrations. Further investigation revealed that Buffalo hosts the largest Dyngus Day outside of Poland. I mentioned it to a good friend and it turns out he had a Polish grandmother and her pierogy recipe. In the 1980's my parents helped a group of five Polish dancers defect to Canada who I refer to as my "Polish brothers". From these tenuous links to the Mother Poland our small Dyngus Day celebration was born.</p>
<p>Dyngus Day, or Śmigus-dyngus as it is called in the homeland, is celebrated on Easter Monday called Wet Monday in Poland. The festival has its origins in the pagan past of eastern Europe but the <a contents="Polish version" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://culture.pl/en/article/smigus-dyngus-polands-national-water-fight-day" target="_blank">Polish version</a> is particularly unique. Young men wake young girls they fancy in the morning and either throw water on them or toss them into a nearby pond. Afterwards the girls are whipped with pussy willow twigs. There are many extensions and alternative practices found throughout Poland. The American versions include parades, polka bands, Polish food and liquor and for some reason, the singing of patriotic American songs.</p>
<p>In our Canadianized celebration the water dousing and pussy willow whipping has been replaced by a celebration involving Polish beer, vodka, perogies, meat sticks and chocolate babka. The chocolate babka is more of a Jewish thing but we like it better than the traditional dried fruit Polish version. Polish history is rich with politics and foreign invasion, but at one point Poland was ruled by the Swedish Vasa dynasty. Perhaps related to Canada's Junior and Olympic hockey rivalry with Sweden, we have grasped on to this historical inequity and let's just say the Swedes are not spoken of in a positive manner during our celebrations. </p>
<p>Polish food, drink and music are featured along with attempts to learn the Polish language - at least enough to make a few toasts and decry the injustice of the Swedish occupation of the homeland. We pay homage to the gender traditions of the festival by having a Polish trivia competition between men and women. The men prevailed in last year's competition that came down to a tiebreaker. The tie breaking question was to draw a map showing the outline of Poland which is essentially a square.</p>
<p>I would encourage you to celebrate Polish heritage and history by frying up some perogies, raising a Tyskie beer or Krypnic liquor and saluting this country that has endured though the ages and produced so many great people - Copernicus, Marie Curie, Frederic Chopin, Joseph Conrad and Pope John Paul II.</p>
<p>Śmigus-dyngus!</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/57067572019-04-04T10:34:15-04:002019-04-04T10:34:15-04:00Political Theatre<p><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.samaracanada.com/samarablog/blog-post/samara-main-blog/2015/08/10/canadian-democracy-needs-a-check-up-for-the-future-of-citizen-health" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/9ad4cde9126d7da99d719c24eac1a4e4ae171318/original/mercer-meme.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></a></p>
<p>That's really all politics is... theatre, and bad theatre at that. The actors vie for our emotional engagement, rarely appealing to any intellectual or rational reasoning. They bombard us with scripted dialogue designed to arouse our most base emotions. Truth is buried under steaming piles of ideology and outright lies. Social media undermines thoughtful analysis and media outlets only amplify political messaging. Small screen conditioned attention spans prevent in depth analysis.</p>
<p>Politics has become a bad reality TV show taking place in the coliseum of public opinion fueled by money, power and ego. We audition the actors every four years then sit back and watch the show. Anger and outrage is viewed as a strength in the gladiator pit of modern politics. The howling mob cries for blood and the players gladly oblige swinging their blades with abandon.</p>
<p>We need to change the channel on this farce. Replace hatred with love. Criticism with compassion. Ideology with truth.</p>
<p>The responsibility lies with each of us.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/57006682019-03-31T06:00:00-04:002024-02-07T16:45:01-05:00Remote Parenting<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/caf2ebf14a280428a7af7bea219338d9b0314f58/original/7b3ec096-5225-497a-b964-933d8e5a8493.jpeg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>It’s difficult to make generalities about generations but our involvement in our children’s lives has gone on for a much longer period than our parents were involved with us. I’m not saying this is a good or bad thing, it is just a thing. </p>
<p>We were raised in a different time. Many of us had stay-at-home mothers who were dedicated to us during early childhood. Living close to our elementary school, Mom always had lunch ready for us at home. Taking a bag lunch to school was a rare treat. There are likely few children who go home for lunch these days. In spite of this level of parental care, as we grew into adults we seemed more motivated to flee the nest and our parents seemed more likely to give us the gentle push we needed to leave. </p>
<p>I wonder if the fact that now both parents work we have tried to compensate by being more engaged with our children in terms of providing them with extracurricular activities when they were young but also being available to them 24/7 as they become young adults. Has the fact we were separated by work from our young made both parent and child more anxious and this anxiety has led both parties to seek a stronger and longer bond? </p>
<p>When we were young adults, if we were at a distance and wanted to contact our parents we had to find a phone and hope they were at home to receive the call. Now we can send texts instantaneously allowing us to be connected at all times to our children. This provides a direct connection that sustains our daily relationship with our children into their adulthood. </p>
<p>A large part of it is the financial support that young adults need these days to make it on their own in a challenging job and home ownership/rental environment. The transfer of wealth from generation to generation is often taking place while both parties are still alive as parents help their adult children find their financial footing. </p>
<p>Is this a bad thing? Anything that sustains a loving relationship between a parent and child is good. Inevitably the relationship will evolve into one of equals - it may just take a little longer with our generation due to the social and economic pressures of the modern world. If we are fortunate to live long enough, our children may even take on a parental role with us, insuring we are safe and cared for in our later years. </p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/56964202019-03-27T10:56:14-04:002019-03-27T10:56:14-04:00Finding Our Place<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/c68beb5204d7a4679dff6aeaeaaf81c3b1de7d68/original/de5a8914-ec1f-4cf8-9902-dd6b619e9919.jpeg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Walking along a 16 km beach on the west coast of Vancouver Island, breakers pounding the sand to your right and evergreens rising to the mountains on your left, you can begin to appreciate the strong connection aboriginal people have with the land. While cities make it easier to support and service our never ending quest for economic growth and the so-called prosperity it provides, urbanization also severes the relationship our ancestors had with the natural environment.</p>
<p>We really need to listen closer to our aboriginal brothers and sisters, learn to listen closer to the land and the other living things we share this planet with. We must find a way to better harmony with the waves, the sea, the sun and the trees.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/56844562019-03-24T06:00:00-04:002019-03-24T07:14:03-04:00The Joy of Insignificance<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/85576ab9fc4f7a6be0ea51c8bd0dd14b01f02a06/original/milkyway.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>On occasion I find it helpful to take stock of where I stand in the universe.</p>
<p>I am one of 7.5 billion <em>Homo sapiens</em>. We collectively reside on the fourth smallest planet of eight that orbit a star that is one of hundreds of billions in our galaxy. Beyond that is an ever expanding universe comprised of an infinite number of cosmic bodies that is beyond what my small human brain can really even conceptualize. <a contents="This video" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/X-3Oq_82XNA" target="_blank">This video</a> attempts to provide a visual perspective of the scale of both our internal and external universe.</p>
<p>We are all just sub-atomic specks in this glorious expanse. I find some comfort in that idea. It grants me the freedom to take nothing too seriously especially myself. The universe is, for the most part, indifferent to my plight so perhaps I should seek out that same level of indifference.</p>
<p><span class="font_small"><a contents="Photo by Denis Degioanni on Unsplash" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/9wH624ALFQA" target="_blank">Photo by Denis Degioanni on Unsplash</a></span></p>
<p> </p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/56830252019-03-20T06:00:00-04:002019-03-20T11:32:31-04:00Accounting for Taste<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/33f8a46cfc48ed7632724d09482b512c3d46ec39/original/taste.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>My ninety-five year old Dad's cardiologist recently put him on a low salt diet. He's finding that without salt his food has lost its taste and he's lost his appetite. He suggested I write something about taste.</p>
<p>How do we develop taste? If you ever fed a baby, you've witnessed a human discovering taste - the expression of shock or delight when a new food is introduced - even something like pureed carrots that the average adult would consider pretty mundane. Our taste evolves over time depending upon our exposure to foods as well as our genetic makeup. </p>
<p>Some of our preferences are related to the foods we associate with comfort and celebration, which would have a distinct relationship to the culture in which we are raised. There is scientific evidence that infants who are breastfed grow up to have more varied tastes than those fed formula due to the different flavours they experience in breast milk which is related to the mother's diet. I don't personally recall. </p>
<p>Why are some cuisines fairly bland whereas others are heavily spiced? It is interesting that most spicy cuisines originate in tropical climates. There are three theories as to why this is. In tropical climates foods will spoil more quickly and spices help either delay spoilage or mask the off flavour of spoiled food. The plants species that provide heat to food, primarily the <em>Capsicum</em> genus of hot peppers is native to tropical areas. The third theory is that eating hot foods causes you to sweat which provides a cooling effect in a hot climate. Looking for some shade might be a little less painful. </p>
<p>We have the ability to sense five types of taste - sweet, salty, bitter, sour and savoury or umami. Sweet is believed to be important as it helps us to identify calorie-rich sugary foods that at one time were important for energy. When we were hunter-gatherers, sweet foods were relatively rare and likely mostly seasonal. Agriculture production brought sugar to the masses and we now eat more sugary foods than we should to the detriment of our health. </p>
<p>Bitter and sour tastes are thought to have evolved, in part, to help us identify potentially toxic plants or spoiled foods, which would be dangerous to consume. That said, I enjoy many bitter and sour foods like bitterly hoppy India Pale Ale, grapefruits and sauerkraut. The infamous childhood candy Sweet Tarts lured us with a sweet and sour taste that is very appealing. Umami is the most recently identified taste - the savoury flavour we most often associate with soups and broths. </p>
<p>Salt is a paradox. Our bodies need the ions salt provides to regulate physiological processes within our body. But too much can cause problems - high blood pressure, heart failure, stroke and death. At one time in human existence, salt was relatively scarce which perhaps caused us to crave salt so we would be sure to consume sufficient quantities when we found it. At one time salt was so valuable it was considered a currency. Now we dump it on our roads so we can avoid driving on ice. The salt content of our ground and surface water is slowly increasing to the detriment of our drinking water quality.</p>
<p>Our taste for salt is universal and most of us consume far more than our bodies need. Unfortunately when we try to reduce salt consumption, food can lose its taste. The good news is that, although we have to go through a difficult period as our taste buds adapt to a lower salt diet, we can eventually learn to enjoy a low salt diet. When previously enjoyed salt-rich foods are given to people who have adapted to a low salt diet, they find that they taste too salty. </p>
<p>We would all be healthier joining my Dad in reducing dietary salt. We can ramp up the taste of our food using some of the other taste sensations, especially spicy. My Dad has been using Chipotle pepper powder instead of salt with some success. As with any change in diet or habit, there will be a period of adjustment and adaptation. Patience and persistence is the key.</p>
<p><span class="font_small">Photo by <a contents="Calum Lewis" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://unsplash.com/@calumlewis" target="_blank">Calum Lewis</a></span></p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/56832932019-03-17T10:24:09-04:002019-03-17T12:49:04-04:00Luck of the Irish<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/512fbc63cb63f26f2337de89afcd829d0eaf4803/original/img-0639.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Looking back at Irish history, the luck of the Irish hardly seems like luck at all. The island faced repeated invasions from the Vikings followed by the Normans with resistance to offshore domination a centuries old fact of life. The English Crown had the longest run at dominating the Irish but the terrain of the countryside and tenacity of the Celtic inhabitants made it a difficult and bloody task. Ireland was also central to attempts by the English to impose the Protestant faith on others. It was one of several battlegrounds during the Protestant-Catholic wars that raged across Europe in the 14th and 15th centuries. In Ireland, conflict between Protestants and Catholics continued to modern times.</p>
<p>As if political unrest was not enough, Ireland experienced the Great Famine from 1845 to 1849. Although not native to Ireland, the potato had become an important food to sustain poor Irish tenant farmers through the spare winter months. As potatoes are propagated by sprouting plants from leftover spuds from the previous crop, the species had little genetic diversity and when the potato blight disease came to Ireland, it decimated the crop. British landowners had pushed the Irish tenant farmers off the best pasture land which was used to raise beef for English consumption. Indifference from the British to the plight of their tenant farmers when the blight struck resulted in the loss of over a million lives with an additional million Irish leaving the country, mostly to America.</p>
<p>The famine fueled nationalism which led to the 20th century being a turbulent time in Ireland with civil war and eventual division of Ireland into the independent Republic of Ireland and the British governed Northern Ireland. Trouble persisted in the north and spilled into England as the Irish Republican Army carried out a violent campaign to unite Ireland. Some of the financial support for the IRA was thought to have come from Irish immigrants and their descendants who had found success in America. An uneasy peace was realized with the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. The violence killed nearly two percent of the population of Northern Ireland during the later half of the 20th century.</p>
<p>The luck of the Irish has not been so lucky. The phrase itself is believed to have originated in America during the gold and silver rush years when Irish miners were thought to have had a disproportionate amount of success. It certainly doesn't describe the challenges the Irish faced in their home country.</p>
<p>Just something to think about as you sip your pint of Guinness - Happy St. Patrick's Day!</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/56707702019-03-12T09:04:39-04:002019-03-13T21:51:18-04:00The Reluctant Animal<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/dfc1882e7049d6cbda339fba7f39fa56501298ea/original/humananimal.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>As humans, we are reluctant to consider ourselves as just another animal. We are far superior to all other living things on this planet. Our ability to think and plan has made us Lords of the Earth granting us permission to use the land, sea and all living beings for sustenance, profit and pleasure. The rest of the planet suffers for the so-called intelligence of <em>Homo sapiens</em>.</p>
<p>Evolution connects us to the apes but in the process we learned to conceptualize and execute - in all expressions of that word. At the same time we never really lost our animal instincts - pack mentality, fear of the unknown, male aggression and the like. We tread a precarious path between the reality of our biological existence and the often fictitious world of human perception and ideology.</p>
<p>But Mother Nature is the ultimate disciplinarian. She has a way of putting every animal in its place and humans are no exception. We are animals and without a doubt the most destructive pests ever unleashed on this world. The sooner we accept that and learn to live within the limits of our environment, the better off we'll be.</p>
<p> </p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/56745982019-03-10T06:00:00-04:002019-03-10T06:00:42-04:00Time Buffet<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/b02ce4b49c9172c9d4df6c2d35604a22aaa1596b/original/timebuffetconcept.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>I've always enjoyed a good buffet. My ultimate experience was the Carnival Seafood Buffet in Las Vegas. Seeing their massive live tanks on television caused me to venture off the strip in search of the ultimate seafood eating experience. I was greeted by a crowd milling about the steam tables carrying plates heaped with every type of seafood imaginable. Fueling up before heading into the casino to play some slots and watch the free Mardi Gras show. The pinnacle of citizen experience in the modern American Empire! </p>
<p>I have my own, more practical idea for a buffet restaurant I would call Time Buffet. Located in a busy urban location, it would be a modest space with a sunken open kitchen where chefs prepared a range of fresh dishes. Food would be served by a heated conveyor running along a circular countertop. The countertop has dish-like depressions and is surrounded by a row of stools. </p>
<p>Customers enter Time Buffet, grab their utensils and head for the buffet belt. The stools contain a sensor that activates a timer linked to an LED screen on the countertop. The meal begins when they are seated and help themselves from the many pleasures of the buffet belt. Final meal cost is based on time in the chair. Turnover would be quick and a staff member or autonomous table cleaner would clean and sanitize the counter for the next customer. </p>
<p>The benefits of Time Buffet? A quick meal during your busy day - really quick! Minimal food waste - sensors under the counter dish would charge additional for anything left on the plate. Efficient as the entire floor area could be staffed by one person although the concept could be expanded to larger buffets. A phone app would allow direct to customer billing eliminating the cash register. </p>
<p>Patrons could be encouraged from overindulging by having the customer's weight gain relayed to the countertop screen or phone app. In addition to time, the meal cost calculation could include the weight of food consumed - go easy on those heavy meat and potatoes and fill up on the light weight leafy vegetables! </p>
<p>Feel free to use this concept to start your own Time Buffet - just don't forget to invite me to the grand opening.</p>
<p> </p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/56707912019-03-06T10:19:31-05:002019-03-06T10:23:14-05:00Finding my Funny<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/4c9893eaaa6b3315f58fc857c2ffec27ffedff30/original/andyopieandme.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>I really don't want to write seriously all the time. There is more joy and happiness in laughter than there is in deep contemplation of the human experience. Not that I shouldn't spend time in contemplation but what value is there in attachment to worry, pain and suffering? I need to lighten things up. </p>
<p>Humour often arises from a place of suffering but can provide comfort. Humour shines the light of awareness on the truth of things. It examines from all perspectives and exposes an unexpected observation that changes perspective. Humour challenges us but in ways that make us laugh. </p>
<p>We love to laugh and we love to make people laugh. It is good for us. It brings us closer together. </p>
<p>I'm going to find more funny.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/56672002019-03-03T09:23:42-05:002019-03-03T20:30:12-05:00Lonely and Alone<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/2848ad97a772daff29d1bd6ee66bf1e7abf9a1ae/original/img-0193.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>It is surprising that there is still loneliness in the world. There has never been a time when humans have had the ability to interact widely with others every waking moment of our lives. But this level of communication has only spread our attention and awareness thinner. Instead of being part of a physical community many of us are more active members of virtual communities that rarely have any physical form beyond a shimmering array of images on a screen. While virtual communities can expand our understanding of others and keep us connected over great distances, they cannot substitute for physical community. The lack of real community results in isolation and loneliness that can lead to anxiety and depression. Lonely people living in a virtual world can become angry, aggressive and behave abnormally towards others in society. </p>
<p>But we also need time alone. Time in quiet contemplation striving to know ourselves better and, for those seeking creative expression, the opportunity to find and give form to the thoughts and ideas that well up within us. The virtual world conspires to keep us from being truly alone, from being our own creative self, the never ending digital stream of words and images constantly competing with the words and images of our own creation for our attention. </p>
<p>The challenge is being alone without becoming lonely.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/56615532019-02-27T08:23:30-05:002019-03-01T07:47:23-05:00Our Shared Experience<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/087118b5048f19d3790f18becf5b03f5692c8d8b/original/bluemarble.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>We tend to relate only to those who have similar shared experiences to our own - the culture within which we were born and raised. We fear the unknown including people from other communities who may speak, look, dress, think and act differently than us. What seems uncertain is whether the Internet, ease of travel and immigration is making us more culturally homogeneous or more suspicious and fearful of those who have had a different experience than us. </p>
<p>It takes effort to understand others who are not like us. The path of least resistance is to simply remain within the shelter of our immediate shared experience. If you have never experienced civil unrest, war, political corruption, lack of infrastructure or famine, it is difficult to relate to those who have. It is easier to be fearful than empathetic - easier to ignore than engage.</p>
<p>We all share the experience of living on this planet as it spins through the cosmos. When can we recognize that as our shared experience?</p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font_small">Image Source: https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/565/earth-the-blue-marble</span></p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/56563942019-02-24T06:00:00-05:002019-02-24T06:00:44-05:00We are all Storytellers<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/620bce872396420be545cf7bfc8dcd65175de7fe/original/stories.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>We are all storytellers living the story we tell. We tell our story mostly to our self - an internal narrative casting our experiences in an endlessly looping documentary. If we dare to share our story with others, it is usually carefully curated to present what we wish them to think of us. </p>
<p>It is more challenging to be truly authentic with our story. We often allow our story to be dictated by others - following the easy path of filling the mold cast for us by parents, teachers, partners and politicians. </p>
<p>Better to seek out the truth of our own story. Find what really lies within, live it and bravely project it outward. </p>
<p>That is our real story. </p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font_small">Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash</span></p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/56500822019-02-20T06:00:00-05:002019-02-20T06:00:41-05:00Brain Calcification<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/251bcf1d61f6fbea1169936f01f15e14d2fdf3a6/original/polar-baer.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>I sometimes feel as if my creative neural pathways are starting to calcify. I have a theory that our brains "calcify" as we age if we are not mindful. Perhaps not in terms of actual calcium deposits, but in that we lose the flexibility of thought required to adapt to new situations or think in new and creative ways. We become rigid and "set in our ways" unable to change or adapt.</p>
<p>One of the saddest things I ever witnessed was the behaviour of a polar bear in Vancouver's Stanley Park zoo. The bear slowly completed a circuit around the enclosure, jumping into the water, swimming to the other side, pulling itself out, sauntering back around to the other side over and over and over again in an almost trance like state.</p>
<p>I can become mentally confined and fall into repetitive patterns. Just like I need to move to maintain flexibility in my body, I need to keep my brain active to maintain flexibility in thinking. I can do this by reading, writing, conversation and playing - games and music. That's how I can avoid creative calcification.</p>
<p><span class="font_small">(Photo by DAVIDCOHEN on <a contents="Unsplash" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/bjDS1w21nzU" target="_blank">Unsplash</a>)</span></p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/56473262019-02-17T11:58:49-05:002019-02-20T13:34:01-05:00Truth and Suffering<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/50993e75e76e1c5c7f6a03adcd5e4944340829b3/original/truthandsuffering.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>To find the truth of things look for suffering. Determine the cause of suffering and you will find the truth. We often construct a fictional reality for our self and others but rarely understand the truth in suffering.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/56411762019-02-13T11:07:19-05:002019-02-13T16:00:20-05:00Vacation or Travel<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/b2dad34451c0b03164e93cbda653ad4e3b2d267d/original/jamaica.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p><em>Travel isn't always pretty. It isn't always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that's okay. The journey changes you; it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind.</em> - Anthony Bourdain</p>
<p>Landed last night in the middle of a snow/ice storm from the sunny island of Jamaica after spending a week there at an all-inclusive resort. It was everything we expected it to be - hot weather, sand and ocean breezes, great food and drink, friendly staff, entertainment, luxury accommodations and beautifully landscaped grounds. But there was something missing that I really didn't experience until I ventured off property to meet with a former student who was working in Jamaica.</p>
<p>As we sat on the deck of a quiet outdoor bar enjoying a cold Red Stripe and the cool breeze blowing in off the turquoise waters of Discovery Bay, I realized that the resort vacation reveals very little of the real country. The staff of the resort are fantastic - fun, friendly and working hard to make sure everyone is having a great time. The resorts provide career opportunities and an economic boost to the local population, but it really just a vacation and not travel.</p>
<p>Resorts are like the Walmart of travel working with the economies of scale to provide a carefully curated safe and sanitized version of a travel experience within the guarded walls of the resort. A few carefully screened local characters are allowed to hang along the corners of the beach providing a few crafts and ganja to the hard partying vacationers. You get on your bus at the airport, go to the resort and then return by the same route at the end of your vacation. Perhaps you venture off resort but most likely as part of a guided excursion. Few seek the opportunity to really see the country and meet the people preferring the cold beer, piña coladas and bountiful buffets.</p>
<p>Most fear the dangers thought to be lurking beyond the resort. While crime and danger exist, there are many precautions you can take to avoid it beginning with common sense - enlisting local knowledge, avoiding known areas of crime and paying attention to your gut feelings. Resorts may exaggerate the danger in an attempt to keep you as a returning resort customer using their paid services to tour outside the gates.</p>
<p>What if I stepped outside of my comfort zone and connected more closely with the locals. I would have a more meaningful relationship with someone renting out an apartment or house, a hired driver, a local shopkeeper or the staff of a local bar or restaurant than I would with the bartender serving hundreds of thirsty resort revelers. My travel dollars would have greater impact with less going out of the country to the foreign owned corporate resort chains.</p>
<p>It is more uncomfortable and unpredictable stepping outside of the resort experience. I will see and meet people living in very difficult situations. The greatest benefit is that it provides the opportunity to use travel as a means to change my heart and cultivate compassion and understanding.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/56230332019-02-10T06:00:00-05:002019-02-10T13:43:39-05:00Truth Post Truth<p>Truth has become an elusive commodity - we are living in the era of post truth. To be completely truthful, for all of human existence facts have always teetered on the edge of extinction in the world of power and politics. There may have been more public integrity and honesty in the past but recent politicians and the advent of open, unmediated social media have opened the floodgates of fake news with truth difficult to discern among the steaming piles of lies and deception.</p>
<p>Many of us have come to expect that news is free but everything has a price. Free news manipulates emotion, fuels outrage and allows our opinions to be manipulated by others seeking power, influence and ultimately wealth. Easily manipulated images are combined with simple but effective phrases to ignite emotions of fear and anger. We flock like sheep to news sources that support our opinions. Our worldview is rarely influenced by thoughtful analysis but more often based on how we were raised, positive and negative life experiences, and the opinions of those in immediate community.</p>
<p>Few of us read widely or deeply but we need to read more now than ever. We need to financially support news sources that truly investigate, analyze and report all sides of an issue. With things we truly care about, we may need to look for the truth on our own - peer reviewed journal articles if they are available. If they are not available, we have to learn to understand that what we are seeing, reading or hearing is just opinion - interesting but not factual.</p>
<p>The truth will always be elusive but we need to do the hard work of looking for it.</p>
<p> </p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/56257092019-02-06T06:00:00-05:002022-01-20T08:25:50-05:00Let the Games Begin!<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/535d007be5fc7810b7077704d6e1a60158cf640b/original/mouse-trap.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>I've noticed from spending time with the young creative folks who are the core demographic of my improv group is that they are avid gamers. I don't mean video games, although they certainly know their console games too, but card, board and role playing games. If you haven't checked out these games recently, they are not ones grandma would have ever pulled out of the blanket chest when you came to visit.</p>
<p>Probably the most popular is <em>Cards Against Humanity</em>, the self described "party game for horrible people". <a contents="The rules" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://s3.amazonaws.com/cah/CAH_Rules.pdf" target="_blank">The rules</a>, like the game, border on the absurd beginning with "the person who most recently pooped begins as the Card Czar". There are hundreds of other games that may be more or less offensive depending on your taste, but all stimulate creative, outside-of-the-box thinking. Many are also extremely hilarious to play and is there anything more joyful than laughing with a group of people?</p>
<p>This is the great appeal of gaming. The opportunity to stretch our minds, have fun and share a few laughs with friends new and old. Gaming is a revelation in a world of increasingly rigid thought, depressing news and personal isolation.</p>
<p>The same joy is found in the games of old. We recently rediscovered Scrabble and Mexican train dominoes, which are creatively stimulating, social and just plain fun. Dig out your old games, call up some friends, chill some beverages and have a games night. Not everyone enjoys all games but there is most certainly a game out there for everyone.</p>
<p>If you're interested in checking out some of the newer games along with all the classics, visit one of the game cafes that are popping up in many cities. A fellow improver runs <a contents="The Adventurers Guild &amp; Tavern" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.adventurersguildcafe.com/"><em>T</em></a><em><a contents="he Adventurers Guild &amp; Tavern" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.adventurersguildcafe.com/" target="_blank">he Adventurers Guild & Tavern</a></em> in downtown Kitchener. It is a very cool space where you can try a myriad of games including some old video game consoles all while enjoying food and beverages.</p>
<p>Let the games begin!</p>
<p> </p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/56245332019-02-02T09:19:00-05:002019-02-02T10:15:01-05:00Groundhog Day<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/eaf836df62ace604c9d0b2dd39e93ddab0852c49/original/bill-murray-groundhog-day.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Sometimes life feels like Groundhog Day. Not the popping up out of a hole looking for your shadow Groundhog Day but the Bill Murray every day just repeats itself plot of <a contents="Groundhog Day" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/OVt3fjIF3AI" target="_blank">Groundhog Day</a> the movie.</p>
<p>It is easy to fall into a life of comfortable routine. Comfortable but not creative. Time passes rapidly by with the only trace of existence consumption and waste. The challenge is getting out of the routine, doing the difficult and challenging work that will leave a trail of discovery and creation.</p>
<p> </p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/56165342019-01-30T06:00:00-05:002019-02-01T08:01:48-05:00Seeking Discomfort<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/ae513f8bcd78fa1d537f578e3aaf9bc2e842c74a/original/discomfort.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>When we are cold, we put on a sweater. When we are hungry, we eat and when we are thirsty, we drink. We actively seek to minimize or eliminate discomfort in our lives but can value be found within the feeling of discomfort?</p>
<p>Discomfort is the feeling of change so if we are seeking positive change, perhaps we should actively seek discomfort. The benefits of exercise cannot be realized without some level of discomfort. The same can be said for creative pursuits - we have to move out of comfort to find the words, sounds, actions or images that lie within. Exposing our inner world to others is very uncomfortable with the added and inevitable danger of being subject to criticism. The world is infested with critics and one will find us and our work - social media is full of them. But criticism is a price of being our authentic self. Take it as a measure of success - someone is paying attention. Someone cares.</p>
<p>One of my favourite quotes is by the late poet Mary Oliver...</p>
<p><em>The most regretful people on earth are those who felt the call to creative work, who felt their own creative power restive and uprising, and gave to it neither power nor time.</em></p>
<p>Don't let discomfort get in the way of your desire to pursue a creative life. A bright and brave new world lies on the other side.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/56120032019-01-27T06:00:00-05:002019-01-27T09:37:11-05:00Finding Your Brand<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/8f2336d487fc9434581fe868aa4de930da93cbd9/original/branding.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Like it or not, we all have a brand. How we look, sound and feel to others. Maybe it's crass and commercial to consider it a "brand" so use another word - personality or character - if that makes you more comfortable. We naturally project our brand but there is value in reflecting on what it is to build stronger relationships with others.</p>
<p>Your brand should reflect what you are passionate about - what gets you out of bed every morning. Most of us migrate towards things we are good at and the things we are good at are usually the things we are passionate about. Unless your passion is living off the land, it is also helpful if people are willing to support what you do. If your passion is making snowman and you want others to support your passion, you may need to up your snowman making game and become a snow sculptor.</p>
<p>A successful brand is unique, it stands out among others. As humans, we are innately tribal and seek conformity with those in our community. If we accept membership in a religious, political or other community with externally dictated principles, our brand will be that of the herd. There may be a sense of security and comfort in having your personal brand created by external forces but it stifles creativity and authenticity. Successful brands are unique and authentic.</p>
<p>Can I provide my world with something that no one else offers? What makes me unique? Those are the questions we have to answer to define our brand. Once we know what that is, we can focus our efforts in support of our brand. Clarity of brand provides clarity of action.</p>
<p>What's your brand look, sound and feel like to others?</p>
<p> </p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/56086372019-01-23T10:04:48-05:002019-01-23T10:04:48-05:00Finding Your Rhythm<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/7daa0b01501f8552012b4ec3d281c1b3f30db76e/original/rhythm.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><span class="font_small"> Photo by Lee Pigott on Unsplash</span></p>
<p>Rhythm is an essential part of music - finding the groove, laying down a beat. We all have an innate sense of rhythm - just watch a child when music starts playing or the audience at a big concert. Rhythm can be sensed within or with a group of others. I've never participated in a drum circle but I suspect it would be a fun way to explore group rhythm. I have been in a group of musicians as well as an improv troupe where we've found the groove of a song or a scene - it is a transcendent experience.</p>
<p>Rhythm is key to leading a productive and creative life - finding the rhythm that moves me forward. It is too easy to just follow someone else's rhythm allowing it to drag me along, wear me out, beat me down. Finding my own creative rhythm requires a large measure of self awareness and discipline but the place it reveals is worth the effort.</p>
<p>How do you find your groove?</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55694022018-12-28T05:30:00-05:002018-12-28T08:43:26-05:00Gratitude from A to Z: Zone<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/e1ddd21b975e4f2e1adf4e2f7d99f144ec2ada59/original/zone.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Sun setting over a rural scene" /></p>
<p>I'm grateful for the zone. The elusive place where performance flows without effort. Easy to imagine but so difficult to find.</p>
<p>The zone is commonly referred to in terms of athletic performance but any of us can find the zone while engaged in any activity. If you want to see an athlete in the zone, check out the documentary <a contents="Free Solo" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/urRVZ4SW7WU" target="_blank">Free Solo</a>. It is the story of professional rock climber Alex Hannold's quest to become the first person to climb legendary Yosemite rock face El Capitan by himself without ropes. The film documents his journey to find the zone so he can take on the rock face with laser focus and precise climbing. He does this by spending two years learning every hand and toe hold on his planned route and rehearsing each move over and over again.</p>
<p>That is the secret of the zone - preparation and focus. I can't find the zone every day but I can dedicate time to writing and music, honing my craft to the point where the zone becomes more easily accessible.</p>
<p>The zone is available to anyone doing any activity. Practice your craft, rehearse your performance, then just get our of your own way and let it happen. I'm grateful for the moments when it does.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55694002018-12-27T05:35:00-05:002018-12-27T06:23:01-05:00Gratitude from A to Z: Yoga<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/2b568529d71ad79550df68d504f2c47023c15a3b/original/yoga.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Man doing yoga pose on the seashore" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_small">Photo by <a contents="Marion Michele" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/hOj3-0lTK8E" target="_blank">Marion Michele</a> on Unsplash</span></p>
<p>I am grateful for yoga. Grateful that my body is still able to move, stretch and balance. Grateful for the focus that yoga provides, the mat a refuge from the busy-ness of life - a time to pause, breathe, move and meditate mindfully. A time just to be.</p>
<p>It can be difficult to fit yoga into my day. I'm not sure why that is - why am I often unable to make time to do things like yoga that have such a positive impact? Procrastination is certainly part of it - easier to sit and read or write rather than get up and move. But the benefits of movement are so many.</p>
<p>I am grateful for yoga and the ability to move. My intention is to make yoga and movement part of every day.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55666872018-12-26T05:45:00-05:002018-12-26T09:12:38-05:00Gratitude from A to Z: Xylem<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/544834d1d2fca7e3178dc639939132bb572e96d0/original/xylem.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>Xylem cells in a cucumber stem</em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_small">Image Credit: Spike Walker (2011) CIL:38928, Cucurbita, plant cell, xylem, phloem. CIL. Dataset. https://doi.org/doi:10.7295/W9CIL38928</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font_regular">I'm grateful for xylem - the water and nutrient conducting cells of plants.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">Plant anatomy has fascinated me since I first took a course in the subject from Dr. Larry Peterson many years ago. Dr. Peterson's passion for the subject and the amazing images he shared on screen or through the lens of a microscope introduced me to the internal world of plants. He and his wife have published a book on plants and plant anatomy for the non-botanist called <a contents="When is a Flower not a Flower." data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.volumesdirect.com/detail.aspx?ID=5384" target="_blank">When is a Flower not a Flower.</a></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">In trees, xylem cells form wood to give the plant strength and structure. Wood is an amazing natural material - we can work it into a variety of shapes that can be aesthetic or functional. We can burn it for heat. All this and completely renewable and biodegradable.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">Xylem is essential for the cycling of water from the soil, through plants and back to the atmosphere where is can fall as rain back to the soil. It is also involved in the sweet springtime flow of sap in maple trees that is captured and boiled to make maple syrup.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">When I pour syrup on my pancakes I should give thanks for xylem.</span></p>
<p> </p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55660912018-12-25T05:15:00-05:002018-12-27T06:45:13-05:00Gratitude from A to Z: Winter<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/1e5c13414ef6154852479ba3c196e609e83031c0/original/winter.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>I'm grateful for the seasons but particularly winter.</p>
<p>Winter was a magical time when I was a child. The slow wait for Christmas then the day finally dawning and descending the stairs to see what Santa had left. Memorable gifts like a table hockey game, reel to reel tape recorder and one year cross country skis - initially a great disappointment as I had been lobbying heavily that year for a family snowmobile.</p>
<p>In his great wisdom, Santa brought the skis instead knowing they would be better for my health and safety as well as the environment. It only took a few adventures into the woods to realize that cross country skiing was a superior way to experience winter. </p>
<p>Outdoor hockey was another great pleasure of winter. Games on the river or pond would run until dusk when we would come home, have dinner, then go back out to take shots under the single spotlight of the rink we built each winter on our driveway.</p>
<p>Other days we'd hike out across the windy causeway to the Big Hill - our town was full of practically named places like the Big Hill, the Big Rock and the Little Beach. A good run down the Big Hill on a toboggan or magic carpet would take you out onto the river ice. There was always open water by the bridge, but we'd never glide that far.</p>
<p>The magic of Christmas and winter activities may be dulled by the passage of time, but there still is something special about a crisp clear winter's day. I'm grateful for these moments.</p>
<p> </p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55656492018-12-24T05:15:00-05:002018-12-24T05:15:15-05:00Gratitude from A to Z: Vision<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/3d773504cefd505951a718f8868344ab6fe07ea8/original/vision.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>I am grateful for vision. The ability to see what is as well as what might be.</p>
<p>Reflecting on my previous post on gratitude for silence, I realized many people live in silence due to hearing loss or deafness. Gratitude for silence should be balanced by gratitude for the ability to hear. I cannot imagine seeking a lack of vision or blindness except to avoid seeing the suffering of others.</p>
<p>I am grateful for my vision. The expressions on the faces of friends and loved ones, a sunrise or a sunset, a beautiful painting or photograph, a flower or dramatic landscape. Every morning I open my eyes to the possibility of a new day.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55641962018-12-23T05:30:00-05:002018-12-23T13:51:27-05:00Gratitude from A to Z: Universities<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/e1a4ff95f5a87cda5aa7f099f6dafcb48ca2c5f8/original/universities.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Gryph statue at University of Guelph campus" /></p>
<p>I'm grateful for universities and one university in particular, the University of Guelph.</p>
<p>The U of G has been a touchstone throughout my life. My parents are Guelph alumni along with two of my siblings, my wife, daughter and many other members of my extended family. I spent my career as an educator and administrator employed by the university. Friendships I cultivated as a student and employee continue to enrich my life.</p>
<p>Universities are not perfect places. They struggle with bureaucracy and funding issues that impede creativity and progress. Universities operate on a medieval faculty and everyone else hierarchy that is dated. While the tenure system protects academic freedom, it also shelters incompetence and laziness.</p>
<p>A university education is not for everyone. I have witnessed first hand the waste of time and money when uninspired students enrol in programs of study they had little or no interest in. But I also witnessed the tremendous personal, professional and intellectual growth that the university environment provides to students who are passionate about seeking knowledge and understanding of things.</p>
<p>Universities are centres of innovation and discovery critical to society being able to face challenges like climate change, environmental degradation, population growth and hunger. They are islands of free thinking and creative collaboration in a world that seems to becoming more and more anti-intellectual and ignorant.</p>
<p>I am grateful for universities and the intellectual ideal they represent.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55641632018-12-22T05:30:00-05:002018-12-22T08:53:07-05:00Gratitude from A to Z: Travel<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/2270fc15f1ec56ffdc2b63e25a14c65c89e9d1c6/original/travel.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>I'm grateful for the opportunity to travel. The opportunity to remove myself completely from my usual environment can be very relaxing and restorative. Travel gives me an expanded world view that I would never experience in my normal daily routine.</p>
<p>Travel is often restricted to wineries, resorts, gated vacation communities and other areas built to attract me and my dollars. These places do not always provide a deeper understanding of an area and the people who live there. It can be much more meaningful to spend longer periods in one place, drinking in the local culture and really getting to know the locals.</p>
<p>Travel is a luxury that, from a global perspective, very few can afford. Many have travel forced upon them to escape difficult and dangerous living conditions.</p>
<p>I am grateful for the opportunity to travel by choice rather than circumstance.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55625682018-12-21T05:20:00-05:002018-12-21T05:20:14-05:00Gratitude from A to Z: Silence<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/d3f4ac817a7f70f9ec6bea53d4b622cff6de756f/original/silence.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Beaver pond in Algonquin Park" /></p>
<p>I'm grateful for silence. The opportunity to be mindful of silence when it occurs, allowing it to quiet my mind. If just for a moment.</p>
<p>Silence is elusive. Try to find a place in your day where you can't hear a machine - a truck in the distance, computer fan or fridge motor. In many places it is virtually impossible to find silence. Silence exists only behind earplugs or headphones.</p>
<p>Why do I intentionally fill my world with sound - to actively avoid silence? Every moment doesn't need to be filled with thoughts, words or music. Silent pauses can be very powerful.</p>
<p>Today I will be mindful of silence and be grateful for any moments I find.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55605852018-12-20T05:35:00-05:002018-12-20T09:21:55-05:00Gratitude from A to Z: Relatives<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/8df631d5ec6a6ef38e7cbe6132ea6e20f7374efd/original/img-6584.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Group of young cousins on the couch." />I am grateful for relatives. The opportunity they provide to cultivate meaningful relationships. The connection and cohesiveness they provide to extended family.</p>
<p>I am grateful for the time spent with relatives. The comfort and joy found in the presence of people I have known all my life. I recently reconnected with two of my mother's cousins - my first cousins once removed. We walk, laugh, share family stories and discuss politics and social justice.</p>
<p>It takes time and effort to cultivate relationships with relatives but the rewards are many.</p>
<p> </p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55589302018-12-19T05:20:00-05:002018-12-20T09:19:14-05:00Gratitude from A to Z: Questions<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/13856c4840bbd9e8cd93f4b47b8b0b73b1d2121c/original/questions.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="wilderness pond" /></p>
<p>I'm grateful for questions. Too often I find myself accepting the status quo when I know much more is possible. Questioning myself stirs my curiosity and motivates me to seek the truth of things. Truth can be an elusive quarry - questions help reveal where it lies.</p>
<p>Questions lead me down the pathway to new discovery expanding my knowledge and understanding of things. Questions give me the opportunity to better know and understand others. We all have different perspectives - questions give us the opportunity to explore and challenge those perspectives.</p>
<p>Any questions?</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55583862018-12-18T05:30:00-05:002018-12-20T09:18:10-05:00Gratitude from A to Z: Plants<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/dbc883810c8f5967c00bfc7a3f79fc45268636db/original/plants.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Tree in fall" /></p>
<p>I'm grateful for plants. They are critical in producing the oxygen I require to breath as well as acting as a sink for carbon dioxide. Plants provide me with food, shelter, warmth, recreation and beauty. Plants help cool the environment, protect groundwater by filtering out pollutants while preventing soil erosion and sustaining wildlife. Many important medications have botanical origins. </p>
<p>Plants teach persistence and resilience in the face of adversity. I have studied plants most of my life but there is still so much more to learn.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55564092018-12-17T05:56:18-05:002018-12-20T09:16:10-05:00Gratitude from A to Z: Oxygen<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/dd66d5a008ccde6f53445252498ef0fedf8e3d57/original/oxygen.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>I am grateful for oxygen. Grateful for the first breath I took out of the womb and my most recent inhalation. Breath is the fundamental action of my life and oxygen the reason for the breath. Is there anything else that can be considered more important?</p>
<p>At Plum Village, the retreat in France established by the Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh, a bell rings every five minutes to remind participants to be mindful. Today, I am going to be mindful of my breath and each time I catch myself breathing, express gratitude for oxygen.</p>
<p> </p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55553682018-12-16T06:30:00-05:002018-12-20T09:14:52-05:00Gratitude from A to Z: Numbers<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/3c5f0dbdbb1584c6b05028d418e0574587ce1da4/original/numberarabic.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>I'm grateful for numbers. Numbers help me to describe, measure, predict and design many aspects of my world. The numerical measure of time reminds me to make the most out of the limited time I have in this life. I've always enjoyed mathematics and working with numbers. Numeracy doesn't come easy to everyone so I am grateful of my ability to understand and use numbers.</p>
<p>Prior to this moment, I hadn't thought much about how numbers originated. I know they are called Arabic numbers so assume they were crafted by ancient scholars in the middle east but that was about it. Further research revealed that the number system we use originated around 700 AD when Indian mathematician Brahmagupta developed rules to compute with zero which allowed description of numbers greater than ten, and less than one. The system was further developed by mathematicians in the middle east. A mathematician named Al Khawarizmi developed the numeric symbols we recognize by crafting them with the same number of angles in the symbol as in the number itself - 1 has one angle, 2 has two angles and so on (see the image above). Not true of modern fonts and methods of writing numbers but an interesting tidbit of numerical history.</p>
<p>Numbers are fascinating. I'm grateful for the ability to understand and work with them.</p>
<p><span class="font_small">Image Source: https://www.lexiophiles.com/english/what-is-the-origin-of-numbers</span></p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55550042018-12-15T06:30:00-05:002020-10-04T15:49:25-04:00Gratitude from A to Z: Music<p>I'm grateful for music. The creative space it gives me, the friendships and the opportunity to spread happiness to others. My maybe cousin Willy Witherspoon joins me to explore the topic further in a holiday way.</p>
<p><a contents="Click to Listen" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://robspoon.com/track/1613995/gratitude-from-a-to-z-music" target="_blank">Click to Listen to Gratitutde from A to Z: Music</a></p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55532092018-12-14T06:30:00-05:002020-10-04T15:44:36-04:00Gratitude from A to Z: Love<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/00adbbb6195b25d31d2d2742e6a770f82eeea33b/original/justlove.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />I'm grateful for love... and I wrote a song about it.</p>
<p><a contents="Click to Listen to Gratitude from A to Z: Love" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://robspoon.com/track/1613113/gratitude-for-just-love">Click to Listen to Gratitude from A to Z: Love</a></p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55512152018-12-13T06:00:00-05:002018-12-16T12:32:07-05:00Gratitude from A to Z: Kindling<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/52767a995b8530c643bf59534beb8f79dcf7eaae/original/img-6783.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" />I'm grateful for kindling and I wrote a song about it...</p>
<p><a contents="Click to Listen to Gratitude from A to Z: Kindling" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://robspoon.com/track/1611949/gratitude-for-kindling">Click to Listen to Gratitude from A to Z: Kindling</a></p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55490272018-12-12T06:30:00-05:002018-12-12T16:49:13-05:00Gratitude from A to Z: Journal<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/6a39f2008c7811d2d2d7700c84cf07584d05d233/original/journal.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>I am grateful for my journal. After a few false starts over the course of my life, last November I began a daily journal. I am now on my sixth journal having filled more than 800 pages with handwritten meanderings. Many have turned into <a contents="The Rob Log" data-link-label="The Rob Log" data-link-type="page" href="/the-rob-log"><em>The Rob Log</em></a> posts but most of the content is random thoughts, ideas and observations. </p>
<p>The power of my daily journal is the ability to record thoughts and ideas in a more concrete form than a passing thought. Writing shines a brighter light of awareness on my thoughts. Negative thoughts are contemplated with greater ease and tend not to compound as much on paper as they can in my mind. I capture ideas, giving them the opportunity to become reality. </p>
<p>I love writing in cursive. My handwriting is far from elegant and requires a mindful approach to legibly move words from mind to pen to paper. I recently bought a good fountain pen to reduce waste. It has elevated the level of enjoyment I get from my journal. </p>
<p>I don't journal every day but it is rare for more than a single day to pass without picking up my pen and journal. First thing in the morning I make a cup of hot tea and write while it steeps. Not every day is prolific but more often than not I can tap into a flow of words. </p>
<p>At the end of each entry I draft a list of tasks I want to accomplish under the heading TODAY. The next day I revisit the list checking off completed tasks and moving any important tasks forward. It gives focus to my actions. </p>
<p>I am grateful for my journal and all it provides.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55481282018-12-11T06:30:00-05:002018-12-12T07:00:52-05:00Gratitude from A to Z: Improv<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/0435d694bd613dda6016642507a612dd66e48a41/original/improv.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Improv Troupe" /> <span class="font_small">Photo Credit: <a contents="The Making Box" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.themakingbox.ca/" target="_blank">The Making Box</a></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">I'm grateful for improv. The way it teaches me to cherish failure. The way it exercises my ability to think quickly, listen closely and stay in the moment. Most of all I'm grateful for the laughter it generates. Improv erases seriousness and replaces it with joy.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">The mantra of improv is "yes, and...". Accept what you are given by others and build on it. Draw energy and inspiration from your improv partners and shine it right back at them. </span></p>
<p>If you're interested in what it looks like at the amateur level, here's our Level Two class showcase facilitated by <a contents="The Making Box" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.themakingbox.ca/">The Making Box</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="z8xgo3aEhTo" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/z8xgo3aEhTo/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/z8xgo3aEhTo?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="315" width="560" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55463672018-12-10T06:30:00-05:002020-09-16T08:58:10-04:00Gratitude from A to Z: Health<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/3dac532fd01b33d9e2511f420a706a79cff1acc4/original/health.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="Rock Climbing" /></p>
<p>I am grateful for my health. Health is something that I take for granted but I am fortunate to have not experienced any major health issues so far in my life. </p>
<p>I know that my health will not last forever. Old age can be a poor reward for a life well lived but I know that some pain and suffering is inevitable in passing from this life. I trust that when my time comes to face the inevitable suffering that will come with dying that I am able to face it stoically and appreciate the fact that it is the price we pay for the gift of life. </p>
<p>While I can in no way fully appreciate the struggles they face, I admire those who face adversity on a daily basis as the result of disability or chronic illness. Life, while fragile, is also amazingly resilient.</p>
<p> </p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55454222018-12-09T06:30:00-05:002018-12-11T08:12:39-05:00Gratitude from A to Z: Golf<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/301fdfcb23af6ac1f019dca3e6c6cc74b84e69bf/original/golf-in-standrews.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">I'm grateful for golf. My passion for the game has given me so much. Golf led me to my career working in education. Golf has provided thousands of hours of enjoyment - fresh air, exercise, the opportunity to spend time with old friends and meet new ones. As the late teaching professional Harvey Penick titled one of his instructional books, <em>And If You Play Golf, You're My Friend</em>.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">I started playing the game as a boy when I discovered my Dad's old Spalding Bobby Jones golf clubs in the back of the shed. An older neighbour saw me hitting balls around the yard and invited me out to play nine holes on a local golf course. I immediately fell in love with the game. The glory of striking a ball and watching it fly through the air towards the target. There is satisfaction to be found just in making good contact regardless of where the ball ends up.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">Golf is a humbling game. In many ways, it is a microcosm of life itself offering adversity and achievement, frustration and joy. There is a saying that you learn more about a person's character in eighteen holes of golf than working with them for a year. I've learned to find joy in the simple pleasure of playing the game rather than worrying too much about my score. Often I don't even bother to keep score.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">I'm grateful to have golf as part of my life.</span></p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55439842018-12-07T09:54:44-05:002018-12-09T19:07:29-05:00Gratitude from A to Z: Family<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/70f1c26fc7ec612ea748d0d4f27698fdbadfde69/original/family.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Family Photo" /></p>
<p><span class="font_large">I am grateful for my family. My point of origin. The foundation of my personality and world view. Nurturing and supporting me. Grateful for the love of my family. A safe port on the stormy sea of life. My family provided a model for me to eventually cultivate my own version of the family.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">I've often thought that the family unit was somewhat unusual in that it is a group of people you probably wouldn't hang around with if they were not your family. Maybe there is something in our genetic makeup that compels us to form families for the purpose of procreation and survival of our species. We are not the only species that form lifelong family connections - other primate species, elephants, killer whales, dolphins, wolves, and lions also form family units. Some probably do a better job of supporting their elderly members than many human families.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Not everyone has a positive family experience. No families are perfect. They reflect both the good and evil of human nature. Many social problems can likely be traced back to family issues. We can do a better job of supporting families in our community and helping others overcome the challenges of having been raised in a dysfunctional family.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_large">Families take many forms but the common element of a functional family is love. I am grateful to have been born into a loving family.</span></p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55422982018-12-07T06:30:00-05:002018-12-10T17:19:40-05:00Gratitude from A to Z: Education<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/cdeaadeb048395e6b935e60ca85d97f20d753a54/original/education.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><span class="font_small"> Photo by Feliphe Schiarolli on Unsplash</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>I am grateful for my education. For the transformative teachers I've had - Mrs. Baxter, Mrs. Morrison and Mrs. Raymond in elementary school - Mr. Chan, Mr. Tomita and Miss Morrison in high school - Joe Cunsolo, Larry Peterson, John Proctor, Herm Tiessen and Jim Tsujita in university. My graduate supervisor Glen Lumis who taught me how to think beyond the boundaries of knowledge. My career-long mentor Jack Eggens who generously shared his passion for teaching and observation-based, non-judgemental method of problem solving. </p>
<p>Every teacher I've encountered had an impact on my life and I am grateful for each of them. Having stood at the front of the classroom for most of my career, I appreciate the effort that goes into preparing for class each day. It is much harder than it looks and I wish I'd appreciated my teachers more when I was sitting at the back of the class. </p>
<p>Our education system was originally designed for socialization and to manufacture workers. What we consider work is undergoing a radical transformation and we need to reassess how we educate our children and ourselves. We don't need an education system that produces graduates conforming to a set standard. We need to design a system that reflects the challenges we face as a society and develops passionate, self directed citizens who have the confidence and skills to learn and think passionately and creatively. </p>
<p>Computers, the Internet and social media provide us with incredible resources at our fingertip but also makes us intellectually lazy and subjects our thoughts and opinions to manipulation by those who seek or hold power. We are losing our ability to read beyond a screen's worth of information. Fear, anger and hatred stifle empathetic thought. </p>
<p>The great teachers I had did much more than transfer facts from their brain to mine. They shared a passion that instilled an emotional change in how I think and view the world. They lit a flame that continues to burn. They gave me the skills and confidence to deal with the things in life they don't teach in school, which is just about everything. </p>
<p>I am grateful for the education I have received, grateful for my teachers and grateful for the opportunity to share what I have learned with others.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55396052018-12-05T21:31:53-05:002018-12-06T20:37:24-05:00Gratitude from A to Z: Dogs<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/9c323b0b696e05ea55e68a4519d7be5ee461a161/original/img-6656.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />I'm grateful for dogs and in particular this noble fellow, my childhood dog Jason. I still remember the day we picked him up in our our Volvo station wagon. Looking over the back of the seat at this excited pup who seemed a little unsure about being separated from his mother but excited about the possibilities that laid ahead. Jason grew to become a gentle giant of a dog with a curiosity expressed by his deep bark at the slightest sign of anything different or new in his environment. He was a constant companion through my childhood always excited to welcome me home from school and, like a typical golden retriever, coating our world in hair.</p>
<p>More recently I've pondered whether we prevent dogs from just being dogs by subverting them to our will. But then again, dogs have evolved in lock step with humans. The ancestors of our beloved pets perhaps lingered on the edge of the campfires of our ancestors, looking for a scrap of meat and as we learned to live with them, they learned to live with us - a symbiotic relationship of sorts.</p>
<p>Dogs provide us with companionship and expressions of what we perceive as non-judgmental love. Dogs also serve in law enforcement, search and rescue, as guide dogs for the disabled and therapy dogs for the sick and elderly. Sadly dogs also experience the dark side of human nature through abuse and abandonment. If you are considering a dog, save a life and consider adopting a dog from your <a contents="local Humane Society" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.humanecanada.ca/save_a_life_adopt_your_dog" target="_blank">local Humane Society</a>. </p>
<p>I'm grateful for our canine companions.</p>
<p> </p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55387362018-12-05T06:45:00-05:002018-12-05T10:29:28-05:00Gratitude from A to Z: Colonoscopies<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/e3b51bcc9e082bc2ac1445873ec126d00243243a/original/img-6554.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="Fish skull on rocks" /></p>
<p>I'm grateful for colonoscopies. The doctor who performs the procedure, the nurses who assist, hospital staff and volunteers, and my loving wife who supports me throughout. I'm thankful for the efforts of the researchers and graduate students who developed and tested the process. Greatly appreciative that I live in a society where the only cost to me is $30 for the preparation materials and some mild discomfort. If I lived on the other side of the Great Lakes, it would cost $1500 or more... US$!</p>
<p>I was initially fearful of having a colonoscopy and after my initial experience had a minor complication that resulted in a return visit to the hospital. I still had to consider the alternative. Colon cancer would be far more difficult - I have great empathy for those who are suffering or have suffered. A colonoscopy gives me an opportunity to exchange a small amount of discomfort and risk for a much lower risk of experiencing a life threatening disease.</p>
<p>Not everyone needs a colonoscopy but it is important to know <a contents="when you need it and when you don't" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://choosingwiselycanada.org/colonoscopy/" target="_blank">when you need it and when you don't</a>. </p>
<p>I'm grateful for mine.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55377142018-12-04T07:30:00-05:002018-12-05T10:09:33-05:00Gratitude from A to Z: Beer<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/ea0b2a94ad9f0192c8407b2c3267fc7bee0ece1f/original/img-4068.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>I'm grateful for beer. Especially hearty, hoppy India Pale Ales. I'm grateful for the friends new and old that I enjoy them with, the people who serve my beer, the brewers who brew it, the farmers that grow the grains and hops and everyone else involved in getting the beer from grain to my glass.</p>
<p>The connection between humans and beer goes back more than 5,000 years and some anthropologists have theorized that early hunter-gatherers settled to grow grain with the express purpose of making beer. At one time, brewing was carried out in almost every household as a way of producing a nutritious and mildly intoxicating beverage that was consumed with every meal. In more recent years, the explosive growth of small craft breweries has made the early 21st century perhaps the greatest time in all of human existence to be a beer drinker.</p>
<p>I'm just starting my annual <a contents="Craft Beer Advent Calendar" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://robspoon.com/the-rob-log/blog/my-beer-advent-jar">Craft Beer Advent Calendar</a> - you can follow along on <a contents="Instagram" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://instagram.com/robspoonmusic" target="_blank">Instagram</a>, <a contents="Facebook" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.facebook.com/robspoonmusic" target="_blank">Facebook</a> or <a contents="Twitter." data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.facebook.com/robspoonmusic" target="_blank">Twitter.</a> It's a great way to share the love of beer with others.</p>
<p>Cheers to Beer!</p>
<p> </p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55376022018-12-03T16:44:14-05:002018-12-05T10:20:14-05:00Gratitude from A to Z: Audience<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/5accda09930fd0c8259a938a91c3ba64f5f6a38f/original/image6.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Taking on a personal challenge this December that I'm calling <em>Gratitude from A to Z</em>. Each of the next 26 days I am riffing on one thing that I am grateful for. My purpose is to exercise a sense of gratitude for what I have and revive my regular blogging habit. The final month of the year is an appropriate time for thoughtful reflection.</p>
<p>Today I am grateful for my audience - individuals like you who care enough to pay attention to my creative work. The energy I receive from my audience drives my creative process and inspires me forward. Not all audiences are engaged - there was that time my old band played a gig in a bowling alley - but it is still an honour to have the opportunity to entertain and engage others.</p>
<p>Sometimes the audience is large and sometimes the audience is small. Sometimes the audience is engaged and sometimes the audience is distracted. But every time there is an audience, it provides an opportunity to touch a heart, spread love and cultivate joy.</p>
<p>I am grateful for the opportunity.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55112082018-11-01T08:15:00-04:002018-12-05T10:32:24-05:00Resistance is Futile<p>Technology is supposed to be our friend. It will break the chains of labour and free us to pursue lives of creative freedom. Technology is going to open up a brave new world of equality and opportunity. It has provided revolutionary benefits in areas like agriculture and medicine but is failing miserably in many others. </p>
<p>Technology is used to manipulate public opinion, turning public debate and policy away from truth, logic, love and compassion towards lies, fear, hatred and selfishness. We spend time feeding our screen addictions at the expense of those around us. Relationships suffer. What little social conversation exists veers towards the latest series we've binged watched rather than exploration of topics rooted in the reality of our lives. </p>
<p>Technology is not some ominous, amorphous unknown. We have created it. We allow it into our lives. We are technology. </p>
<p>But is resistance futile?</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55112072018-10-18T08:10:00-04:002018-12-05T10:26:01-05:00Fear and Procrastination<p>I am a master of procrastination. It is one of a few things I do really well. Is procrastination just laziness or is there more to it? </p>
<p>Much of it is rooted in fear - fear of the unknown, fear of failure... fear of what others will think, judge or criticize. The future is unknown. What the next moment brings cannot always be accurately predicted. How is it possible to fear something that is unknown, that does not even exist? </p>
<p>The experience of failure plays a role. Somewhere in the distant past our ancestors failed in many spectacular ways to leave us with communal knowledge of dangers to our biological existence. I could apply the scientific method to approaching the future and move in a logical progression but that sounds tedious and uninspiring. Acceptance of inevitable failure is the only way to move forward in satisfying my creative desires. </p>
<p>It is difficult to let go of the judgement and criticism of others. Some never do. A child raised in a harshly critical environment may never break free of the invisible chains that tie them to their past and prevents them from experiencing the full potential of their future. It is difficult to consider the words and actions of others within the broader context of the situation, free of emotional interference. It's that last part that's so difficult. </p>
<p>Fear itself is just an emotion. An important emotion that is grounded in the notion of keeping us safe from harm. We fear dangerous situations and thus avoid them. But where is the danger in fear that prevents me from moving forward, the fear that fuels procrastination? </p>
<p>It is grounded in my own emotional reaction. I can focus my awareness on the fear that stands in my way, just experience it and get to know it better. Understanding the root of my fears will unveil the pathway to what lies beyond.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55112062018-10-02T08:10:00-04:002018-11-13T11:07:35-05:00Practicing Performance<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oKMTnBGwmWY" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="560"></iframe></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">I spilled a lot of words on this blog earlier this year and then suddenly in June, the carafe appeared empty. Other muses called my name - music performance and improv training. I've spent a lot of time the last few months working on my live show and playing a series of live music gigs. Still lots of work to do to make my live show more engaging but slowly making progress.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">It took me a long time to realize performance is radically different from practicing. It's like the difference between having a conversation and public speaking. When I was with the Speed River Valley Boys we used to meet at a friend's place in Guelph on Thursdays after work and just play in a circle either inside or out on the back porch if the weather was nice. It was lots of fun and there were occasional moments of brilliance. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Then we would do a live show, stand in a line at the front of room or on stage, amplify or plug in our instruments and voices then wonder why it was so hard to find the back porch magic. We slowly got better as a live act but never rehearsed in a performance environment. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">I write almost every day but only in my journal. It is writing but not the same as sharing words with an audience which requires more thought, effort and vulnerability. I have a list of over thirty blog post ideas in the back of my journal - time to stop practicing and get back to performing.</span></p>
<p> </p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55112032018-06-06T08:05:00-04:002018-11-13T11:04:47-05:00How to Vote<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><img src="http://www.robspoon.com/img/VoteHere.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Want to Vote?" height="480" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="480" /></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Go to your polling station, get a ballot and mark an X beside one of the names. Voting day is this Thursday. Given the fact that a little over half of the population voted in the last provincial election, many people may not be aware there even is an election or may not care. In my mind, that is irresponsible and how we have created a political system where personalities and special interests rule over more consensus based governance.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">I hate mentioning generational differences, but older folks tend to vote more reliably than younger folks. Given that most of decisions made at Queens Park over the next four years will have significant future impacts, it would be nice to see more participation from those born after the post war baby boom. I am surprised the political parties don't do more to engage young voters. It is interesting to note that the youngest voter in our household didn't even receive a voter card in the mail, probably because she last voted where she had been going to school. There is certainly not a lot of effort on anyone's part to engage and motivate the youth vote.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Elections appear to becoming more about who we don't want elected versus actually choosing a party with a platform that represents our interests. It is difficult to find a party that you can agree with 100% - it's too bad we can't vote for policies instead of parties. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">An American friend once told me that if you want to understand U.S. politics, follow the money - Americans tend to vote from the perspective of what is best for their pocketbook. I don't think we're that much different although we may have a slightly better understanding, and possibly a deeper level of compassion, when it comes to making the relationship between taxes and the value they provide society through healthcare, education, social services, transportation and the justice system. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">As citizens, we have a responsibility to vote and to make an informed choices based on facts and analysis not just a desire for change. There are many places you can find detailed outlines of each party's platform including:</span></p>
<p><a href="https://www.macleans.ca/politics/ontario-election-2018-party-platforms/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Ontario Election 2018 Platform Guide (Macleans)</span></a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-ontario-election-guide/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Ontario Election Guide (Globe & Mail)</span></a></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Politicians represent and reflect our society. If there are no choices that represent your interests, maybe we all need to take a more active interest in politics and get involved with a political party that best represents our interest or create a new party. There are currently <a href="https://www.elections.on.ca/en/political-entities-in-ontario/political-parties/registered-political-parties-in-ontario.html" target="_blank">28 political parties registered with Elections Ontario</a>. Surely we can all find one that reflects our interests.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">So who should you vote for in this election? Maybe there is a single issue that concerns you - find where the parties and local candidates stand on that issue. Perhaps you make the decision on where the polls are headed - just make sure they're headed in a direction you can live with for the next four years. Then there is strategic voting where you don't vote for someone but for the person with the best chance of defeating someone you don't want elected. I'm not sure that is what true democracy is all about.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">On analysis, there appears to be no really clear and easy way to decide how to vote. But as they say, all politics are local. I tend to assess the local candidates and pick the one that best represents the interests of our community but with an eye to the premier who will be represent our province nationally and internationally as well as party politics that I can at least tolerate. Sadly, there is no clear path for the engaged compassionate voter. Western democracy is messy and getting messier.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Hold your nose if you have to, but give it some thought and just vote.</span></p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55112022018-06-03T08:05:00-04:002018-11-13T11:03:30-05:00Contemplating Just Love<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ioFmSJsgkYc" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="560"></iframe></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">I been trying to adopt the mantra of "just love".</span> I think it reduces the human experience to its purest and most simple level. Just love myself, just love my situation, just love those around me... just love. So simple but so difficult. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Why is that?</span></p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55112012018-06-02T08:05:00-04:002018-11-13T11:02:16-05:00Saturday Song - Peace Within<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">This has always been one of the favourite songs I have written. It was inspired midway through the reign of Mike Harris as Premier of Ontario when I realized the common sense revolution didn't have a lot of common sense. It was just a front for the rich to get richer and an opportunity for politicians to destroy the social and educational services that made Ontario such a caring and compassionate place for people from all socio-economic backgrounds. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Now seemed like an appropriate time to bring it back.</span></p>
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<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/H7KGUg7UhTI" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="560"></iframe></p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55111772018-05-30T08:00:00-04:002018-11-13T11:00:05-05:00Improvising for Fun and Profit<p>I've always had an interest in comedy. My earliest comedic performances took place in elementary school classrooms where I was quick with a zinger in response to what was happening around me. It often got me into trouble with the authorities but it was worth the warm feeling that comes from bringing joy and laughter to others. </p>
<p>I recently signed up for an Intro to Improv course. I was actually looking for some kind of standup comedy course but all I could find locally was this improv course. My plan is to develop the skills to incorporate more humour into my writing and live performances. In the back of my mind I have a vision of an engaging and entertaining live show that combines music and comedy. </p>
<p>So far the experience has been energizing. Improv draws on and develops a range of skills including listening, mental focus, problem solving, and quick thinking as well as social skills including the ability to understand and appreciate the perspective and ideas of others. Above all, improv cultivates mindful creativity. You can't be anywhere else but in the moment and ready to react to others. </p>
<p>Improv also requires you to pre-accept failure because you will fail. Joyful failure is how the facilitator describes it. Not every improvisational skit or exercise is successful from a comedic standpoint but sometimes the humour reveals itself in the failure. </p>
<p>I'd still like to try stand up comedy in the future but it involves much more thoughtful writing, rehearsal and fine tuning. Trying my hand at improv is a start.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55111762018-05-20T07:55:00-04:002018-11-13T10:57:05-05:00Contemplating Joy<p>I should awaken each day and fully breathe in the joy of being alive. Certainly there is suffering, my own suffering, suffering among those I love and all living things. But there is also great joy and beauty. The green grass, silent flowers, singing birds and laughing children. Goodness is what I should look for each day and happiness is the state I should seek. Look for goodness, that is where happiness lies. </p>
<p>Death will come. It is inevitable in all living things - to live is also to die. I imagine death can be joyful as well especially at the end of a life well lived. More often death brings an end to suffering. I know not what, if anything, lies beyond death. I will find out in time but for now just breathe in the joy of being alive.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55111752018-05-19T07:55:00-04:002018-11-13T10:56:18-05:00Saturday Song - Seeds of Love<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">An original song recorded in my childhood home that we are vacating after 55 years of continuous occupancy. It is difficult to leave but we take with us a lifetime of memories.</span></p>
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<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8ZB-1IyDXqY" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="560"></iframe></p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55111742018-05-16T07:55:00-04:002018-11-13T10:53:27-05:00This Machine Kills Fascists<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/2c5c17076cfaf15754a2d81b71473b9a128c10a1/original/woodyguthrie.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>As citizens, we have given up ownership of our democratic system. It has been taken over by special interest groups and the friends and financial supporters of those in power. Wealthy men clothe themselves in the trappings of populism claiming to represent the average voter. Slogans have replaced thoughtfully planned policy. Public opinion is swayed by social media campaigns that appeal to our most basic fears and emotions. </p>
<p>Is there anything we can do to restore a compassionate democratic process that serves citizens as opposed to corporations and special interests? </p>
<p>Seek depth of understanding and speak out. Read about issues in depth and from a wide perspective. When something shows up on your social media feed or is relayed to you by a friend, look into it beyond the surface that usually bubbles with anger. Don't let false information stand unchallenged. </p>
<p>Broaden your perspective. We live in a broadly multicultural society but still tend to socialize and interact with people like ourselves. Get to know your neighbour who may be different. Learn their history and share yours. Communicate with the goal of understanding. </p>
<p>Be an active participant in democracy. Engage candidates to understand their perspective and share your thoughts and concerns. Too many citizens feel so disenfranchised that they don't even bother to vote, thinking that it doesn't matter. Imagine how accurately our government could reflect our communities if everyone voted. Compulsory voting may not be the answer but perhaps there should be an incentive to vote. A coupon for a free lunch when you vote or a perhaps a tax credit for being an active participant in democracy. </p>
<p>If we stand in the wings and do nothing, we will most certainly have a government that does not reflect our values and aspirations. We have a responsibility to be a better than what we are becoming.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55111732018-05-13T07:50:00-04:002018-11-13T10:50:39-05:00Contemplating Mothers<p>Mothers. Where would we be without them? Nowhere. Who else carries us day after day for nine months having no idea who we are or might become? Then after we're born, mothers attend to our every need for at least the first decade of our lives and for many of us, several decades afterwards. </p>
<p>As a young boy, I thought my mother never slept. If I awoke in the middle of the night suffering from some ailment, she would be at my bedside mere moments after my first tear or groan of discomfort. My mother was always there when I needed her and sometimes when I thought I didn't need her but I really did. </p>
<p>Mothers care, comfort and nurture us through our early years then provide supportive encouragement as we leave the nest to find our own way in the world. But they are always there should we need to return for the powerfully restorative elixir that is motherly love. </p>
<p>Mother's Day is a good day if you are in the greeting card, flower or brunch business but we should be thankful for our mothers every day of the year. If you lose your mother, I am sure that it leaves a hole in your life that never disappears. If you still have a mother, show her your gratitude and tell her you love her every chance you get. If you are a mother, thank you for your tireless work in nurturing your children and through them our very existence as a species. </p>
<p>If you are my mother, I love you very much and can really only repay what you have given me by reflecting your love to others.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55111722018-05-09T07:50:00-04:002018-11-13T10:48:54-05:00Why Do We Love Music?<p>Why do we love music? Why can music move us to tears or arouse us to a state of euphoria? </p>
<p>According to scientists, listening to music stimulates the same areas of the brain that are stimulated by good food or sex - the same areas involved with reward, emotion and arousal. We tend to consider our biological responses to external stimuli in terms of conveying an evolutionary advantage. </p>
<p>So why would we respond to a series of sounds in the same way we might respond to nourishment or engaging in the act required to perpetuate the species? Did we link melodic bird song to a tasty skewer of fire grilled squab? Was the gentle babble of a brook linked to the pleasurable sensation of a refreshing drink of cool water? </p>
<p>Maybe it has more of a socio-emotional link. Perhaps after a particularly enjoyable feast of wild beast our buddy Thog started banging a couple sticks together, the men began a low rhythmic chant and the cave ladies chirped in with a lovely high warble of pleasure in the food, the community... the moment. Song has also been used as a method of storytelling over the years bringing to life the actions and emotions of past moments of pleasure, pain and glory. </p>
<p>Different styles of music affect each of us differently likely as a result of the music that was the soundtrack to emotional moments of our lives. What kind of music moves you and why?</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55111712018-05-05T07:50:00-04:002018-11-13T10:48:03-05:00Saturday Cover - Willy Plays Driving My Life Away<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Cousin Willy takes over the YouTube channel again this week with his rendition of the Eddie Rabbitt trucker's anthem <em>Driving My Life Away</em>.</span></p>
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<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8Plef4osNsA" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="560"></iframe></p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55111512018-05-02T07:45:00-04:002018-11-13T10:44:53-05:00Moving Towards Minimalism<p>It's difficult to let go of things. </p>
<p>You've probably noticed this if you've ever moved, decluttered or had to deal with decommissioning an estate. Objects and items retain deep emotional attachments even when their functional value has long passed. How many of us still have boxes from our last move waiting to be unpacked? </p>
<p>I am fascinated by the concept of minimalism - reducing the objects you own to a bare minimum. Minimalism means different things to different people but what do we really need to live a rich and fulfilling life? It will vary depending upon your concept of what constitutes a rich and fulfilling life. I know that I would need my music gear but do I really need more than one guitar? I currently have five guitars plus a mandolin, fiddle, a set of bagpipes, small pipes, electronic bagpipe chanter, a recorder, tin whistle, kazoo and juice harp. Most of them I never play but in the back of my mind I think that maybe someday I'll work them into the show. Maybe someday can also mean maybe never. Our capacity for self deceit is unlimited. </p>
<p>With time, we accumulate more things and the sorting through these things becomes difficult and time consuming. Objects that have laid dormant and unconsidered for decades trigger buried memories. We hesitate to let go of the object perhaps because we fear we will discard the memory as well. The process moves slowly and very few items are re-purposed or discarded. Is there a better way? </p>
<p>Japanese organizing guru Marie Kondo suggests working through categories of things from clothing to books to paper to miscellaneous items and saving personal memorabilia for last. Sorting by location just gets us bogged down in the memorabilia. Each item is considered with the decision to keep only objects that immediately "spark joy". If objects spur a happy memory, retain the memory, be grateful for the object's role in that memory, but let it go. Memorabilia is left to the last so you can exercise your perception of joy before getting to the items that are often most difficult to discard. </p>
<p>A good example is plaques. The very fact we use the same word to describe the sticky deposit we pay a hygienist to scrape off our teeth should spur us to question why we let a commemorative plaque stick around as well. We can recall the pleasure of recognition or achievement that the plaque represents but do we really need the object to do that? </p>
<p>Discarding the detritus accumulated over a lifetime is difficult and time consuming but we owe it to those who come after us to do it while we are still able. I'm nowhere near where I want to be in terms of sifting through my own collection of objects and mementos but I can envision a clean, uncluttered space that will allow me to be fully creative. A place from where I can craft a future unburdened by the past.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55111502018-04-29T07:45:00-04:002018-11-13T10:42:14-05:00Contemplating the Past<p><em>Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That's why it is called the present. </em></p>
<p>Must I always be defined by my past? </p>
<p>Does tomorrow have to be the same as today which was similar to yesterday? </p>
<p>Can I build on the positive experiences of the past that lifted me up and let go of the experiences that pulled me down? </p>
<p>Is there anything I can do today to change the past? </p>
<p>I'll find out tomorrow.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55111482018-04-28T07:40:00-04:002018-11-13T10:40:59-05:00Saturday Cover - Willy Plays Fishing in the Dark<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Changing it up a bit this week with cousin Willy Witherspoon playing a cover of one of his favourite songs<em> Fishin' in the Dark</em>. If you are unfamiliar with Willy, follow the link to check out how he ended up living in Rob's garden shed.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>Fishin' in the Dark</em> was originally recorded by the Nitty Gritty Dirtband who also recorded one of the great country music albums of all time <em>Will the Circle be Unbroken</em>. If you are unfamiliar with it but enjoy classic country and bluegrass music, its worth checking out.</span></p>
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<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iwgLDbc4CQI" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="560"></iframe></p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55111472018-04-25T07:40:00-04:002018-12-05T10:37:37-05:00Creating a Creative Environment<p>I'm easily distracted. Distracted by everything - screens, social media notifications, burrowing animals and the daily news. A guy riding by on a bicycle carrying a two by four on his shoulder. Distraction tends to lead me down unproductive pathways. </p>
<p>One way to be more creative is to find a creative environment. A space free of distractions containing only the essential elements you need. For a writer a notepad and a pen. Add an instrument if you're a musician. Visual artist? Some form of media. Cook - a kitchen and ingredients. Sometimes just a quiet place to sit and think. </p>
<p>What's your creative environment?</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55111462018-04-22T07:35:00-04:002018-11-13T10:34:11-05:00Contemplating Mindfulness<p>I recently watched the documentary film <a contents="Walk With Me" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://walkwithmefilm.com/">Walk With Me</a>. It was a very meditative rendering of the activities of the Plum Village monastery and mindfulness practice centre in France led by Thich Nhat Hanh. A couple things captured my attention. One was the popularity of mindfulness in modern culture as reflected by attendance at retreats offered to the public. The other was the monastery's practice of having chimes ring every fifteen minutes to remind practitioners to pause and return to the moment, to be mindful at all times. </p>
<p>We can all benefit from being more mindful. Mindful of our thoughts. Mindful of our actions. But most of all, mindful of every moment. It is so easy to be distracted by what has happened or may happen and to distract ourselves with social media, television and other distractions. I think we all yearn to be more mindful but struggle to put it into practice. </p>
<p>The film opens with a lengthy scene of Thich Nhat Hanh leading a group through the woods on a meditative walk. I found this poem of his on Walking Meditation for your contemplation. </p>
<p><em>Take my hand. <br>We will walk. <br>We will only walk. <br>We will enjoy our walk <br>without thinking of arriving anywhere. <br>Walk peacefully. <br>Walk happily. <br>Our walk is a peace walk. <br>Our walk is a happiness walk. <br>Then we learn <br>that there is no peace walk; <br>that peace is the walk; <br>that there is no happiness walk; <br>that happiness is the walk. <br>We walk for ourselves. <br>We walk for everyone <br>always hand in hand. <br>Walk and touch peace every moment. <br>Walk and touch happiness every moment. <br>Each step brings a fresh breeze. <br>Each step makes a flower bloom under our feet. <br>Kiss the Earth with your feet. <br>Print on Earth your love and happiness. <br>Earth will be safe <br>when we feel in us enough safety.</em></p>
<p><span class="font_small">(from “Call me by My True Names – The Collected Poems of Thich Nhat Hanh”, Parallax Press, 2005.)</span></p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55111442018-04-21T07:35:00-04:002018-11-13T10:31:44-05:00Saturday Cover - Bruised Orange (Chain of Sorrow)<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">John Prine was the first singer/songwriter who caught my attention when I was just starting out as a musician. I had the opportunity to see him play live at War Memorial Hall at the University of Guelph in the late seventies. He is one of the great lyric writing storytellers of our generation and continues to write and record great music releasing his latest album <em>Tree of Forgiveness</em> just last week.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's my rendition of <em>Bruised Orange (Chain of Sorrow)</em> from his <em>Bruised Orange</em> album released in 1978.</span></p>
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<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ErAYRiUSKjg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="560"></iframe></p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55111332018-04-18T07:30:00-04:002018-11-13T10:29:21-05:00We Need a New Face-to-Facebook<p>The fact that social media channels like Facebook are being used to manipulate our thoughts and opinions shows that current social media is failing us. By association, the Internet is failing us. A communication tool that many of us thought would pull us together is tearing us apart. Instead of fostering compassion and understanding across our diverse planet it is serving to fuel the fires of hatred and division. </p>
<p>We share reams of personal data over social media channels that we would never provide to strangers or even many friends. These companies use it to manipulate our buying habits, voting decisions, music preferences, thoughts and opinions. Our view of and experiences on the web are filtered and curated by algorithms. We need to break away, take charge and start thinking for ourselves again. </p>
<p>There are ways we can broaden our information experience. Take breaks from the digital world. Magazines and books are still being printed - bookstores and libraries are full of them. Explore your chosen social media sources to force the algorithms to feed you a broader buffet of information. </p>
<p>We need a new form of social media. One that is not driven by advertising and conflict, not focused on profit but on creating real human connections. Something that connects us to a broader diversity of thoughts and opinions. A format that more closely mimics the reality and responsibility of human to human communication encouraging discourse while discouraging trolls, bots and bullying. A medium that allows us to build communities and craft relationships that bring us closer together, not pull us apart. </p>
<p>Maybe we should just put down our phones and start talking again.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55111322018-04-15T07:30:00-04:002018-11-13T10:27:07-05:00Contemplating Growth and Renewal<p><em>"We must always change, renew, rejuvenate ourselves; otherwise, we harden"</em> <br> Johann Wolfgang von Goethe </p>
<p>Whether guided by faith or internal desire for change, personal growth and renewal is a worthwhile, lifelong pursuit. There is much to learn from the natural world. In spite of being stationary, trees have the ability to adapt to their environment, growing and proliferating in areas of optimum sunlight, moisture and nutrients. </p>
<p>We just need to find the environment that provides the best conditions for our own growth and renewal.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55111302018-04-14T08:30:00-04:002018-11-13T10:26:01-05:00Saturday Cover - I'm Just Dreaming<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">After a break to travel and relax, I'm working my way back into writing and making music.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">On the suggestion of a wise old friend thought I'd mix it up and start introducing a few cover songs into my online repertoire. The first is I'm Just Dreamin' written by <a href="https://www.fredeaglesmith.com/">Fred Eaglesmith</a>. Fred has had a major influence on my music over the years. I have a lot of respect for his ability to forge his own creative road. If you are unfamiliar with his work, I'd encourage you to check him out.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">I hope you enjoy this week's song.</span></p>
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<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XCcacgOTV4o" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="560"></iframe></p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55111282018-04-11T08:25:00-04:002018-11-13T10:23:49-05:00Endings and Beginnings<p>It is easy to end something that requires effort. Especially when faced with an indifferent world that values shallow insight, social approval and immediate gratification over deeper analysis, individualism and positive change. It is easier to fill the day with meaningless activities rather than make a determined effort to create real value. </p>
<p>But endings also provide opportunity for change. The opportunity to craft an energizing new beginning that fosters purpose and meaning. The challenge lies in avoiding the danger that lurks in the transition between endings and beginnings - rejecting the black hole of empty routine to seek the light of relevance.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55111272018-03-07T08:25:00-05:002018-11-13T10:21:20-05:00On the Road Again<p>Heading out in the next few days to do some traveling south of the border looking for spring, lassoing it, and hauling it kicking and screaming back to Canada. Along the way I'll do a little exploring, some bass fishing and play a little music... hopefully with some of my Appalachian friends. </p>
<p>Blog posts may be more sporadic than usual but I will provide a travelogue as I fraternize with our southern cousins and try to decipher the current state of affairs in the good old U.S. of A. Also planning to spend part of the trip doing some genealogical research in the ancestral home of my long lost cousin Willy Witherspoon. </p>
<p>New song posts will happen depend on access to technology but I may try to do it by posting videos to Facebook or maybe even playing live on Facebook. If you are a Facebook user and have yet to check out and like my <a contents="Facebook Page" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.facebook.com/RobSpoonMusic/" target="_blank">Facebook Page</a>, please do so and you'll receive notification when I go live or post videos. </p>
<p>Thanks for being a loyal reader of my blog. Stay healthy, keep warm and I'll try to reflect some sunshine back at you.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55111262018-03-04T08:20:00-05:002018-11-13T10:17:51-05:00Contemplating Perception<p>We each perceive the world differently. Editing experiences to craft a unique narrated documentary that plays out in our mind - perhaps less of a documentary and more of a somewhat fictionalized account of our experiences. There is no such thing as true perception as it is inevitably filtered by our previous experiences, biases, fears, dreams and desires. </p>
<p>Perception turns reality into fiction.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55111252018-03-02T08:20:00-05:002021-03-27T14:00:24-04:00Saturday Song - One on to Ourself<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">New song reflecting the inherent loneliness of our existence. I'd encourage you to take a moment to call or visit someone you know who my be living their days in isolation.</span></p>
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<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UnVEO0Yj3fg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="560"></iframe></p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55111082018-02-28T08:15:00-05:002018-11-13T10:14:42-05:00Finding Your Audience<p>There are over seven billion people on the planet right now. If you are creating something, you should be able to find an audience for your work somewhere. </p>
<p>Audience building depends largely on your reasons for producing creative work in the first place. It is fine to be creative for yourself as personal expression but there are also many good reasons to build an audience. An audience can becomes patrons, purchasing or financially supporting your creative efforts. Creating work that engenders thought, emotion or action can have a powerful impact on both the audience and the artist. Like the proverbial tree falling in the forest, creative output needs an audience to be fully expressed. </p>
<p>Public space is too crowded, noisy and competitive to take a "build it and they will come" approach to finding an audience. What exactly are you creating and who might be interested? A good starting point is with people who are like you. Family, friends and friends of family and friends can help find those who may engage with your work as a result of common experience. Consider audiences of similar artists and audiences of common themes in your work. If you make paintings of tractors, you might find an audience in the farming community. </p>
<p>It really boils down to doing the work, getting content into the public realm, being consistent in your creative output and creating real human connections with audience members. In a world that is becoming more virtual and less real each day, there is an appetite for authenticity and connection. If you can deliver it as an artist, you'll find your audience.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55111072018-02-25T08:15:00-05:002018-11-13T10:12:38-05:00Contemplating Snowboarding<p>I love watching snowboarders. The fearlessness, awareness, athleticism... the creativity. Superhuman effort edging towards recklessness and then crossing the edge with air to spare. What would it be like to live like that?</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55111062018-02-24T08:15:00-05:002018-11-13T10:11:42-05:00Saturday Song - I'd Do It For You<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2_Yib-Jj6Gg" width="560"></iframe></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Recorded in the solarium of my 150+ year old childhood home in eastern Ontario. A beautiful old stone house that has stood for several generations and has housed Witherspoons for a third of its existence. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Originally I was going to call this song <em>Always on My Mind</em> but didn't want to create any confusion between Willie Nelson and myself.</span></p>
<p><em><span style="font-size: medium;"><strong><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">I'd Do It for You</span></strong></span></em></p>
<p><em><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">You are always on my mind</span></em><br><em><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">I think about you all the time</span></em><br><em><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">I could never let you go</span></em><br><em><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">and I just wanted to let you know</span></em><br><br><em><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">If it's alright with you</span></em><br><em><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">it's alright with me</span></em><br><em><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">if there's anything you want me to do</span></em><br><em><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">you know I'd do it for you</span></em><br><br><em><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">The sun shines softly through the leaves</span></em><br><em><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">casting patterns with the breeze</span></em><br><em><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">like our time they come and go</span></em><br><em><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">where we'll end up nobody knows</span></em><br><br><em><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">But if it's alright with you</span></em><br><em><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">it's alright with me</span></em><br><em><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">if there's anything you want me to do</span></em><br><em><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">you know I'd do it for you</span></em><br><br><em><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">I don't know why you lie and cry alone late at night</span></em><br><em><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">all I know is I try and try but I just can't get it right</span></em><br><em><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">is there no end to this spiral that we're in</span></em><br><em><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">must we go down and down or can we start back up again</span></em><br><br><em><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">You are always on my mind</span></em><br><em><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">I think about you all the time</span></em><br><em><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">I could never let you go</span></em><br><em><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">and I just wanted to let you know</span></em><br><br><em><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">if it's alright with you</span></em><br><em><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">it's alright with me</span></em><br><em><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">if there's anything you want me to do</span></em><br><em><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">you know I'd do it for you</span></em><br><br><em><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">If there's anything you want me to do</span></em><br><em><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">you know I'd do it for you</span></em></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"> </p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55111052018-02-21T08:10:00-05:002020-07-30T06:50:18-04:00Simply Focused<p>I am easily distracted. Distracted by technology. Distracted by desire for acceptance. Distracted by culture that drives me to ignorance instead of understanding, competition instead of compassion, rejection instead of acceptance. Hatred not love. Distraction not awareness. </p>
<p>I am distracted. I bend to the will of others instead of forging myself to the will of my own creation. I fear purposefully moving into a beautiful unknown more than lingering in the darkness of anxiety, anger and hatred. </p>
<p>There is one thing I can focus on. One thing you can focus on. One thing we all can focus on. All different but each crafted from awareness, compassion and intent. </p>
<p>What's your one thing?</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55111032018-02-18T08:10:00-05:002018-11-13T10:06:54-05:00Contemplating Love<p>Love seemed an appropriate topic to contemplate at the end of Valentine's Day week although the day seems more about selling flowers, cards, chocolate and restaurant reservations than love. I tried chasing down love in my recent song Just Love. Openly expressing love can be difficult. There is a vulnerability that the expression of love elicits. Love may not be returned or worse yet, rejected. Perhaps it is an oversimplification to just love. Just love yourself. Just love those around you. Not an end but maybe a start. </p>
<p><strong>just love </strong></p>
<p><em>everybody needs a place to go <br>everybody needs a way to know <br>that they're just loved </em></p>
<p><em>why do we hurt the ones we love <br>why can't we lift them up <br>instead of putting them down <br>and just love </em></p>
<p><em>we'll only be here for a very short time <br>to lie in the sun and drink sweet wine <br>and just love </em></p>
<p><em>it will all be here and then be gone <br>instead of harsh words <br>and singing sad songs <br>let's just love </em></p>
<p><em>you can find it in your heart <br>if you look deep enough <br>you'll find the only thing <br>that we really need now <br>it's just love </em></p>
<p><em>it's hard to just love <br>in a world full of hate <br>but if we just start now <br>it won't be too late <br>to just love </em></p>
<p><em>i'm not going to try <br>i'm just going to do <br>if you joined with me <br>then we would make two <br>we need more giving <br>less taking away <br>if we start right now <br>we'll get there someday <br>to just love </em></p>
<p><em>because deep inside every one of us <br>there's something brighter than gold <br>waiting to shine out <br>we keep it covered up in a layer of clay <br>we've got to start washing it off some day <br>with just love</em></p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55111012018-02-17T11:05:00-05:002018-11-13T10:05:21-05:00Saturday Song - Life on Social Media<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">I tried my hand at a Facebook Live broadcast on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/RobSpoonMusic/" target="_blank">Rob Witherspoon Facebook page </a>yesterday morning. I was just trying to figure out the technology but it attracted twenty-one views before I deleted it. The microphone didn't work for the first five minutes which would be a bit of deterrent for most viewers. According to Facebook, in the short time it was up it performed better than 85% of my posts. I'm thinking of maybe doing a weekly Facebook Live to introduce new music as it was fun to interact with folks.<br><br>Ironically, this week's Saturday Song is called Life on Social Media. It was inspired by the sometimes addictive nature of social media and how it could possibly become a substitute for real social interaction leaving us alone, staring at our screens and living our lives on social media...</span></p>
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<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ytrHCppezEk" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="560"></iframe></p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55111002018-02-14T08:05:00-05:002018-11-13T10:02:44-05:00The Performance of Art<p>It's difficult to get up in front of people. I think we all experience some level of anxiety when faced with speaking, performing or even large social gatherings. I struggled with stage fright for many years when I first started playing music in public as well as when I had to get up in front of a class in my day job as an educator. You need to be an entertaining performer to be successful at both. </p>
<p>The audience wants you to succeed, they want to be engaged and entertained. The challenge is to establish and cultivate a relationship with your audience. You can't just jump up there and play your best material right from the start. The relationship between the performer and the audience is akin to going on a date. You have to feel out the audience and guage how they are responding to your material and adjust accordingly. You also want to take them on a bit of a journey, mixing things in terms of the sound, energy and movement. The hardest part of this is letting of go of your self consciousness and being fully in the moment. </p>
<p>Some artists have established relationships with their audiences and can forego a lot of the above. I saw James Taylor perform a few years ago and he received a standing ovation when he walked out on stage. He had clearly built a warm relationship with his audience and one he continued to cultivate by spending the entire intermission signing autographs and talking to fans at the front of the stage. </p>
<p>Those of us without a James Taylorish reputation and relationship with our audience have to work harder. Often you find yourself in a space where people came not for the entertainment but to have a drink or meal and visit with friends. In that case you can't expect them to be quiet and listen but you can still work your entire arsenal of songs, words and actions to engage and entertain them. </p>
<p>I'm still learning how to be a better entertainer. I've been giving more thought to how to structure the show and rearrange songs to find moments that create more effective audience engagement. I don't want to just get up there, bang out a bunch of songs and expect the audience to react. I want to build a relationship with my audience. It starts with being more creative, mindful and authentic.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55110932018-02-11T08:00:00-05:002018-11-13T10:00:49-05:00Contemplating Kindness<p>I should be more kind to others. Life would be much better if we were more kind to one another, but sadly kindness is a rare commodity. </p>
<p>The lack of kindness has many causes. When we are hurt by the actions of others we often react in kind instead of reacting in kindness. Emotional scars accumulated over a lifetime can make it difficult to express kindness to ourselves let alone to others. We may fear the vulnerability kindness evokes. </p>
<p>What if we just began each day with the intention to be kind in our encounters with others? A smile and thank you to the grumpy cashier at the coffee shop. A gentle wave to an aggressive, impatient fellow driver. A caring response to an upset partner or child. </p>
<p>Easy to contemplate but difficult to practice.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55110832018-02-10T07:55:00-05:002018-11-13T09:59:39-05:00Saturday Song - Too Many Moments<p><span class="font_regular"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">The most meaningful art comes from a place of emotion whether it's writing, visual art or music. </span></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">This particular song has it's origins in a very dark period in 2000 when we suddenly lost my late friend and band mate David Duke's son Jesse in a car accident when he was only 12 years old. Jesse was a beautiful young soul and we can only imagine what a fine young man he would have become. His loss was devastating to David, his family and friends as well as Jesse's mother Jenny and her family. </span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">I originally started writing the song shortly after Jesse died but never finished it as I knew it would have been very difficult to play it with Dave while he was alive. </span></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Time never fully heals us from a loss like this but it has softened the blow and I thought it was time I honoured the memory of Jesse and Dave by finishing the song. In my original notes I only had the two verses and chorus. This week I added the bridge after the second time through the chorus as well as the instrumental intro and outro which, in a nod to Dave and Jesse's Scottish heritage, was inspired by the mournful wail of highland bagpipes.</span></span></p>
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<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5BlZ-a2pr-k" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="560"></iframe></p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55110822018-02-07T07:55:00-05:002018-11-13T09:57:23-05:00Confidence... or the Lack Thereof<p>I was excessively shy as a youngster and would also instantaneously blush beet red at the slightest social provocation. There were many awkward moments when I probably looked like I'd been out in the sun too long. </p>
<p>It took time to find the confidence to perform or speak in front of an audience. I gained some experience in my high school concert band but as the second french horn player, I sat deep in the brass section and any misfired notes were usually drowned out by the tubas. </p>
<p>One thing I have found helpful in gaining confidence in performing is to pause and find space within the moment. In my first experiences in a bluegrass band, our collective nerves would often translate into playing at an adrenaline fired tempo such that anyone tapping along risked dislocating their toe. Now I always start with a song I could play backwards in my sleep and really focus on projecting myself outward and ignoring the inner dialogue of fear and doubt. </p>
<p>On stage I try to focus externally, gathering the attention of the audience and working on building a relationship with them. The intensity and intimacy of that relationship varies depending whether it's a small group around a lakeside campfire or a raucous bar crowd but you can almost always make a connection with at least one person and build from there. </p>
<p>Building confidence and stage presence is still a work in progress and I need to find more opportunities. The biggest step is letting go of the inner fear and focusing outward to make a human connection. The same process would work whether it is overcoming a fear of one on one social interaction or getting up on stage in front of thousands. </p>
<p>Like most worthy adventures, it just takes intent and practice..... I think.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55110812018-02-04T07:55:00-05:002021-04-18T09:39:28-04:00Contemplating Language<p>I only speak one fluently but I find languages fascinating. Not so much the speaking of them but the concept and origin. How did what appears to a non-native speaker to be a collection of random sounds become a method of communication across a community and in some instances, far beyond? There is no consensus on the origin of language in humans. In the 19th century the Royal Linguistic Society in London actually banned discussion of the origin of language as they felt the theories proposed and ensuing debate was so outlandish that it would be a waste of time. </p>
<p>The most peculiar aspect of language, and one that I struggled with throughout elementary school, is grammar - the arrangement of vocalizations into complex patterns to convey different meanings and contexts. Did all of this arise from a single grunt by one of our ancestors that evolved to a grunt of pleasure that eventually gave rise to a series of vocalizations that somehow conveyed the pleasure of eating a particular piece of ripe fruit? </p>
<p>I am thankful we have language to communicate although we could learn to do it more effectively within our families, communities, among countries and across the planet. </p>
<p>Esperanto anyone?</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55110802018-02-03T07:55:00-05:002018-11-13T09:54:31-05:00Saturday Song - Cars Rust<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">A brand new song completed just before it was recorded. Not sure I'm entirely happy with the bridge - the different part that pops up after the second verse/chorus. A work in progress so I'd welcome your thoughts.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Thanks for watching!</span></p>
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<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HiG5j4-h9Qk" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="560"></iframe></p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55110782018-01-31T07:50:00-05:002018-11-13T09:47:11-05:00Blogs I Read<p>The Internet can be a dangerous place for an inquisitive mind. I have to restrain myself sometimes or risk wasting a lot of time chasing information. I'll go online to quickly look something up and an hour later I'm watching funny cat videos. </p>
<p>That said, the Internet is a rich source of information and inspiration. I'd like to share the blogs I read on a regular basis along with an example from each. I hope you find something of value to you. </p>
<p><a contents="Seth Godin" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://sethgodin.typepad.com" target="_blank">Seth Godin</a> </p>
<p>Godin is an influential business thinker who writes about a broad range of subjects with a focus on self improvement through change, marketing and customer service. He blogs daily but most of his posts are short, thought stimulating articles. Here is a recent example of one of his brief but insightful posts - <a contents="Beginning is underrated" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2018/01/beginning-is-underrated.html" target="_blank">Beginning is underrated</a>. </p>
<p><a contents="James Altucher " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://jamesaltucher.com/" target="_blank">James Altucher </a></p>
<p>James is one of the more interesting and some would say unusual bloggers out there. He has a background in hedge fund management and you'll receive a lot of information and offers about investing if you subscribe to his blog but you can sift out many insightful articles written in his unique vulnerable yet confident style. His best work pushes the boundaries and challenges conformity - read this for an example - <a contents="What Happens When You Decide to Change" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://jamesaltucher.com/2016/11/happens-decide-change" target="_blank">What Happens When You Decide to Change</a>. </p>
<p><a contents="Benjamin Hardy" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.benjaminhardy.com" target="_blank">Benjamin Hardy</a> </p>
<p>Hardy is a student pursuing his Ph.D. in organization psychology. He writes articles based on current psychological and behavioral science that drill to the very core of what we should be doing to get the most out of our careers and lives. His work is full of practical advice and techniques to embrace positive change. A good example is <a contents="30 Behaviors That Will Make You Unstoppable" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/30-behaviors-make-you-unstoppable-benjamin-hardy-1" target="_blank">30 Behaviors That Will Make You Unstoppable</a>. </p>
<p><a contents="Maria Popova " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.brainpickings.org/" target="_blank">Maria Popova </a></p>
<p>This one is a little different and may not be for everyone. Popova's blog Brain Pickings is a wide ranging collection of articles on "what matters in the world and why." I subscribe to the weekly newsletter which arrives in my email early every Sunday morning. Popova provides insightful commentaries on the work of many of the world's greatest thinkers past and present making their work more accessible for those of us lacking the time and stamina to read as deeply and broadly as we might like. A good introduction to her work is <a contents="9 Learnings from 9 Years of Brain Pickings" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.brainpickings.org/2015/10/23/nine-years-of-brain-pickings" target="_blank">9 Learnings from 9 Years of Brain Pickings</a>. </p>
<p>It can be overwhelming to save and recall everything of value you come across on the Internet. Keeping a personal journal to make note of ideas and actions is very helpful. When I find an article or information that I want to be able to recall in its entirety, I use <a contents="Pocket" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://getpocket.com" target="_blank">Pocket</a> to save it for future reference. It allows you to set up your own tags so you can classify the article by subject and easily pull it up for future reading. </p>
<p>Please use the comments section to share any blogs that you read regularly. Thanks for reading!</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55110702018-01-28T08:00:00-05:002018-11-13T09:39:32-05:00Contemplating Change<p>Change has many faces. Sometimes we seek it out - travel, new experiences, novel food, beverages, and the latest technology. Other times we abhor change, particularly when things change for the worst - health, finances and the weather. Radical change is often limited to a handful of moments in life - birth, leaving home as a young adult, starting a job, entering a long term relationship, getting fired, retiring and dying. </p>
<p>Everything is impermanent. The only thing consistent about change is that things will never be the same. We have little choice in accepting change whether it is good or bad. It reminds me of one of my favorite parables about facing change. </p>
<p>A farmer wakes up one day to find that his prize stallion has escaped. His neighbours lament about his bad luck. The farmer just shrugs his shoulders and says, "Who knows what's good and what's bad?" </p>
<p>A few days later the stallion returns with four wild mares. His neighbours praise his good luck as he will be able to breed, train and sell the horses. The farmer just shrugs his shoulders and says, "Who knows what's good and what's bad?" </p>
<p>The following day the farmer's son, while training the horses, falls off and breaks his leg. His neighbours console him on his bad luck as it was his only son and now he will have to do all the farm work on his own. The farmer just shrugs his shoulders and says, "Who knows what's good and what's bad?" </p>
<p>A week later, the King's guards sweep through the countryside forcefully recruiting all the young man to fight in a war that will result in near certain death or serious injury. They don't take the farmer's son due to his broken leg. </p>
<p>Who knows what's good and what's bad.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55067402018-01-27T08:00:00-05:002018-11-09T14:24:22-05:00Saturday Song: Alibi<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">This song was originally recorded with the Speed River Valley Mountain Boys but has been rearranged for solo performance with support from my digital drummer Chip. Enjoy!</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kmOZgVLx4gc" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="560"></iframe></p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55067392018-01-24T08:00:00-05:002018-11-09T14:22:42-05:00Professional or Amateur?<p>How do you define being professional? Is it simply that professionals share their skills for money and an amateur does it for love and/or pleasure? Do professionals not love what they do? Can an amateur not accept money for something they have created? </p>
<p>Is there a clear distinction between the two? The word amateur is often used condescendingly to dismiss lower quality work. But there are many examples of work by amateur musicians, writers, artists or photographers that are equal or better than that produced by so-called professionals. What makes a professional then? </p>
<p>A professional is someone who is fully committed to their creative process. Pros don't wait to be inspired to create, they work at it on a daily basis. They don't allow themselves to be defined by failure and criticism but use it strategically to hone their craft. Professionals know there will be times when they want to quit but they maintain the discipline and commitment to move forward. Amateurs make excuses, professionals make plans. </p>
<p>Professionals decide what they want to be good at and have a deep understanding of why. They are committed to their process, develop creative routines and stick to them. Professionals aren't trying to be a musician, writer, artist or photographer, they are a musician, writer, artist or photographer. It permeates their total being and informs their every action and decision. They are fully committed to their craft. </p>
<p>That's a professional.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55067382018-01-21T08:00:00-05:002018-11-09T14:20:44-05:00Contemplating Memory<p>As we become experienced in this business of life, we start to spend more time reflecting on memories of the past. </p>
<p>People of a certain age, you know who we are, grew up in an era where video of our early life is virtually non-existent. Some still photographs may exist that are mostly limited to vacations, family gatherings and school or sports team pictures. They play like a highlight reel of our lives and afford us the opportunity to filter out the less attractive moments and embellish the memories that shine a more positive light on our youth. </p>
<p>I'm not sure how digital media will impact memory. There was a short period, and a box of tapes in the basement as proof, when family life was often thoroughly documented on video but most of us no longer have the technology or time to view the tapes. Life highlights are now captured by phone cameras and posted on social media in the form of short video snippets, selfies and pictures. We tend to curate, edit and self filter what we keep and share to put ourselves and our experiences in the most positive light. </p>
<p>What will become of the digital mass of videos and images we are collecting? Many are already locked and lost on floppy disks, CD's, old hard drives and other media that most of us lack the ability or technology to access. I suspect many of us only maintain an inventory of images that are on our currently active devices. Future historians may mine old storage devices and social media memory banks for information about how we lived in the not so distant past but I wonder how accurately those images will depict our real lives. </p>
<p>Perhaps we are managing technology in a way that is really no different from generations past to support our desire to create an idealized personal and public perception of our memories.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55067372018-01-20T08:00:00-05:002018-11-09T14:19:25-05:00Saturday Song: Can't Let Go<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">A new original song that reveals my roots as a bluegrass musician with the Speed River Valley Mountain Boys. I hope you enjoy it and always welcome your comments. Dancing is optional!</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/j6SmH-n-z7Q" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="560"></iframe></p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55067362018-01-17T08:00:00-05:002018-11-09T14:17:42-05:00Countering Criticism<p><em>Criticism is something we can avoid easily by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing. <br> - Aristotle </em></p>
<p>It is inevitable that if you are a creator of any sort, you will encounter criticism. The reality is that we all face criticism in our lives in some form from family, friends, neighbours, employers, clients... even a cat will give you a critical look once in a while, usually around food delivery or attention. What's the best way to respond to criticism? </p>
<p>Our natural response is usually to go on the defensive with arguments rationalizing our behaviour or work. Perhaps a more effective initial response would be to pause and create the time and space to evaluate criticism in a more detached manner. Is the criticism valid? Can the comments be used in a constructive manner to improve or change? </p>
<p>Direct criticism opens up a pathway of communication. We should be thankful that someone is reading, listening and paying attention to what we are doing. Take advantage of the opportunity to communicate and seek clarification. What can be done to better serve their needs? They may not always respond, but seeking clarity and addressing their concerns shows respect for their perspective and can turn a critic into an ally. </p>
<p>There will be situations when criticism is simply destructive and hurtful. Consider the source. It may arise from a condition of stress, bullying, self doubt or lack of self compassion. Responding in kind is never effective. A compassionate response thanking them for their comments and seeking clarification may help but if the criticism continues or escalates it may be best to just avoid or ignore the source. </p>
<p>The most pervasive criticism comes from our internal, self critic. That voice in our head that raises doubt about our worth, abilities and appearance. Self criticism can be the most difficult to deal with as it is deeply rooted in past experience. However, self criticism also opens a pathway to greater self awareness. Reflect on where critical thoughts originate and what you can do to counter them. This is hard work that takes commitment, time and may benefit from outside professional help, but it is well worth the effort. </p>
<p>Responding to critics of all types is an ongoing challenge but as Aristotle so wisely observed, the only way to avoid criticism is to say, do and be nothing.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55067352018-01-14T08:00:00-05:002018-11-09T14:15:32-05:00Contemplating Death and Life<p><em>If you are mindful of death, it will not come as a surprise - you will not be anxious. You will feel that death is merely like changing clothes. Consequently, at that point you will be able to maintain your calmness of mind. <br>- Dalai Lama </em></p>
<p>Death and dying. We rarely talk about them except when forced to but the inevitability of it is something we all have in common. </p>
<p>Like many people, my first close up exposure to death was the loss of a grandparent. While I mourned the loss, I was very young and don't think I fully comprehended the nature of death. My awareness of death struck in my early teen years when two young men from our community drove their pickup truck into the side of train at a level crossing. </p>
<p>One of the victims younger brother was a fellow scout so we were asked to don our uniforms and pay our respects as a troop at the visitation. It was my first exposure to both an open coffin and the death of someone who was only a few years older than I. The enormity and finality of death hit me like a brick wall. I realized there was no way out of this one - the very fact I was living meant that at some point in the future, I was dying. </p>
<p>Western civilization does a poor job of dealing with death. We joke about it (death and taxes) but we rarely face it head on, discuss it or come to an understanding and open acceptance of death. Over time, I have come to the conclusion that is important to be mindful of death if for no other reason than for the sense of urgency and importance it gives to my limited time on the planet. </p>
<p>It is still difficult, and no doubt it will become even more challenging when death has its hand on my shoulder. But perhaps accepting that the hand of death is already there will motivate me to live with greater intention and purpose.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55067102018-01-13T08:00:00-05:002018-11-09T14:14:24-05:00Saturday Song: Far Too Long Ago<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">A song that arose from reflection on the little decisions we make that guide our path in life. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Experimenting with using my live stage setup for video production. Videoed on a dull winters day - I've used natural lighting up to this point but may need to look into better lighting for video production.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Thanks for watching and always welcome your comments.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-5OFOkoXK-Y" width="560"></iframe></p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55067092018-01-11T08:00:00-05:002018-11-09T14:12:26-05:00A Sense of Wonder<p>Time and familiarity anesthetizes our sense of wonder. You only have to observe a young child to see what looking at a world full of wonder is really like. As time passes we fall into familiar routines in familiar places that dulls our sense of wonder and denies us the joy of just how amazing our existence is. </p>
<p>Just think about it for a minute. We're riding a big ball that's spinning around a giant ball of fire in a universe that is so expansive, our little planet is smaller than the smallest thing we can even imagine. I've often wondered if we are not just on an atom that's part of a molecule that's part of something so large and expansive that it exists far beyond even our wildest imagining. </p>
<p>It's never too late to rediscover your sense of wonder.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55067072018-01-07T08:00:00-05:002018-11-09T14:10:48-05:00Contemplating Anger<p>I've often wondered what the evolutionary purpose of anger is as a human emotion. Was it meant to incite us to defend ourselves more effectively against a real physical threat? Anger can, although not always, result in hostility and violence. Often the products of anger are pain and anxiety in yourself and others. Chronic anger about a person or situation only really hurts us. As John Prine so eloquently put it in his song Bruised Orange (Chain of Sorrow): </p>
<p>For a heart stained in anger grows weak and grows bitter. <br>You become your own prisoner as you watch yourself sit there <br>Wrapped up in a trap of your very own <br>Chain of sorrow </p>
<p>Perhaps anger is a mechanism to shield us against our own anxieties and insecurities, to make us feel more powerful in situations where we feel relatively powerless. It is also an emotion that others can incite in us to gain support for their agenda. Social media provides a powerful tool to fan the flames of anger. </p>
<p>The very existence of anger as an emotion infers that it has some value - perhaps to direct us towards change. I think the first step is to develop an awareness of situations that incite anger and try to view them with a sense of detachment. Why am I angry? Is my anger a valid response to the situation? Is my anger caused by my own fear or the actions of others? </p>
<p>I think it's best to try to counter anger with compassion. Compassion for others and perhaps most importantly, compassion for myself. </p>
<p>How do you deal with anger?</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55067062018-01-06T08:00:00-05:002018-11-09T14:08:52-05:00Saturday Song: Once the Rapids Roared<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">A song inspired by the relocation and flooding of the ancestral lands of early settlers along the St. Lawrence River. For more information check out the <a href="http://lostvillages.ca/" target="_blank">Lost Villages Historical Society</a>.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YUE19bVVtY4" width="560"></iframe></p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55067032018-01-03T08:00:00-05:002018-11-09T14:05:19-05:00Time<p>Time is a funny thing. When you are young, you feel like you have an endless supply of it. Time can pass excruciatingly slow, especially when you are awaiting Christmas or summer vacation. It can pass by like the speed of light, during exciting trips, time with good friends or watching a great movie. As time passes, you slowly come to realize that time is extremely limited. It soon becomes the most valuable commodity we have. There are many ways we can spend time. </p>
<p>We can exchange time for money, trading it along with our skills to an employer who pays us so we can support ourselves and our families. This is probably the most common use of time and the one society considers the most normal investment of time. It is helpful in acquiring the necessities of life - food and shelter along with the lesser necessities like a nice vehicle, flat screen television and the latest smartphone. But where else can we invest our time? </p>
<p>We can invest time in our self. Understanding who we are and how best to spend our time in support of our core values. Taking the time to reveal what truly inspires us. Identifying the skills and knowledge we need to fully develop this potential. Investing time in acquiring those skills and knowledge and finding ways to monetize our time most effectively in a manner that aligns with our values and aspirations. </p>
<p>We can invest time in others. In some ways, this is the most rewarding use of time. Giving time to family members and friends builds and strengthens relationships that will sustain us throughout life. Giving time to others in our community and beyond creates a healthier community and world. We also reap the personal reward of the positive feeling that comes from freely giving our time to others. </p>
<p>There are many ways we can invest the limited time we have in life. How are you spending yours?</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55067022018-01-01T02:00:00-05:002018-11-09T14:03:32-05:00The Human Rebooted<p>Over time computers slow down and operate less effectively. Fortunately they can just be rebooted. Rebooting removes all the unnecessary processes that accumulate over time and loads a fresh copy of the operating system. Can we do the same to ourselves? </p>
<p>As time passes, we accumulate processes (habits) that disrupt our core operating system. Failure, frustration and doubt interfere with our ability to function effectively. We respond by developing ineffective and often self destructive processes. These processes bog us down and slow our progress towards realizing our true potential. Maybe a reboot could help us restore or create a more effective core operating system. </p>
<p>Computers can simply discard all active processes and start over with a cleaner, mission focused operating system. We don't let go of ingrained, unproductive processes as easily but what if we directed our attention to what is working and build around that? What is our mission and what are our mission critical core processes? Certainly we can find at least one thing we are doing well towards achieving our mission even if it is just getting out of bed in the morning. </p>
<p>Rather than fighting to eliminate negative processes that are slowing down our operating system maybe it would be more effective to focus on what we are doing well. Trying to discard negative processes through shear willpower is rarely successful. It is more productive to build confidence and self esteem through developing new processes that pull us towards what we really aspire to be and do. </p>
<p>Take a few moments and think about what you do well. What inspires you to action? What actions are you most proud of? Consider this your core operating system. Make some notes and commit a few moments at the start of each day to determine what you can do that day to build and reinforce this core. At the end of the day, review how you did and start to build and reinforce the new processes around your core operating system. </p>
<p>Building from a positive foundation will allow you to slowly reboot yourself and create a refreshed core operating system that guides you towards realizing your true and authentic potential. All you have to do is press the button of commitment to get it started.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55066602017-12-31T08:00:00-05:002018-11-09T14:00:34-05:00Contemplating Now<p>It's difficult to just be here now. Not dwelling on what's happened or fretting about what's going to happen but to just fully absorb this moment. The reality of life, if I can ever get a grip on it, is that right now is the only thing I'll ever really have. What's past is past and what will be has yet to come. Imagine if we could live our lives fully in the moment, not regretting where we've been or where we may yet go. We'd be better drivers but might miss a few appointments.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55066482017-12-30T08:00:00-05:002018-11-09T13:59:45-05:00Saturday Song - Try Not to Worry<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Wm-Pl0h_eRM?rel=0" width="560"></iframe></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">It's a rare fiddle tune with words! Thanks for watching.</span></p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55066472017-12-29T08:00:00-05:002018-11-09T13:57:56-05:00Choices<p>We sometimes forget that we have choices. </p>
<p>We choose to stay where we are or seek change. </p>
<p>We choose to respond in anger or compassion. </p>
<p>We choose to hold a grudge and seek revenge or let go of the past and seek reconciliation. </p>
<p>We choose awareness or distraction. </p>
<p>We choose to criticize or accept. </p>
<p>We choose the comfortable known or the difficult unknown. </p>
<p>We choose carelessness or purpose. </p>
<p>We choose to hate or love. </p>
<p>We have choices.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55066462017-12-28T08:00:00-05:002018-11-09T13:56:26-05:00Branding Resistance<p>A number of experts on promoting yourself as an independent artist recommend establishing a personal brand. A look, sound and feel that represents who you are that extends from your creative output to social media. Presenting yourself and your craft in a consistent and attractive package. </p>
<p>While some degree of consistency may be important, many artists are interesting and inspiring as a direct result of their inconsistency and unpredictability. The only consistency you really need is to be consistent to who you really are. I don't want to be constrained by being just a "folk singer" or "singer/songwriter". Maybe someday I'll want to be a comedic singing inspiration speaker. How would I brand that?</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55066442017-12-27T08:00:00-05:002019-05-13T12:47:24-04:00I am my Father's Son<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/feda67c53c611628a8b93f95dd0d6e10d2540357/original/dadpic.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>My father was born ninety-four years ago today and our family has the pleasure of celebrating his birthday with him. To mark the occasion, I'd like to share his story and touch on the significant impact he has had on my life. </p>
<p>David Franklin Witherspoon was born and raised in Toronto to parents who were the first of their families to leave farming. They moved into the city where his father worked as a postal clerk on railway mail cars and his mother was a nurse. Dad grew up in West Toronto at a time when horse drawn delivery vehicles still traversed the city. The summers of his youth were spent on his uncle's farm north of the city or at the family cottage in Woodbridge until it was washed away by Hurricane Hazel. </p>
<p>He worked odd jobs from a young age and one of his first was at a butcher shop where he delivered meat by bicycle to customers including Maple Leafs goaltending legend Turk Broda. He also delivered newspapers to Busher Jackson, one third of the Leafs' Kid Line, who had grown up in the area and still lived nearby. Busher grew up poor in Toronto and after Leafs' practices would often drop off pucks for the neighbourhood shinny game as well as provide equipment for, and organize, summer lacrosse games. In this environment Dad couldn't avoid being a Leafs' fan and attended games with his friends, riding the streetcar downtown and paying $2.50 for a standing room ticket behind the blues in the newly built Maple Leaf Gardens. He has witnessed all eleven Leaf Stanley Cup victories.</p>
<p>Near the end of high school he'd had his fill of formal education and on the way home from school one day decided to enlist with the Royal Canadian Air Force. It must of been an interesting conversation when he got home and told his parents. His mother had worked as a nurse supervisor at a home for shell shocked veterans of the first world war and seen first hand the effects of war on young men. She was not pleased that her only son was headed off to join in the second great war. </p>
<p>Dad hoped to become a pilot but ended up being trained as a bomb aimer joining a Lancaster bomber crew. Deployed to the United Kingdom towards the end of the war a bout of scarlet fever left him hospitalized and unable to participate in the final bombing campaign over Germany - given the nearly 50% fatality rate for bomber crews, this was probably a good thing. When he recovered, he participated in Operation Manna from Heaven dropping emergency food packages to starving citizens of Nazi occupied Holland. </p>
<p>Returning home after the war he took advantage of education funding for veterans and enrolled in the engineering program at the Ontario Agricultural College in Guelph where he studied hydraulic engineering. He completed graduate work in the United States then returned to Guelph where he met and married my mother and started a family. </p>
<p>After further study in Holland followed by more teaching at Guelph, he left the academic world to take a job with the federal government in eastern Ontario. He spent most of his professional career as a member of the U.S.- Canada International Joint Commission managing water levels throughout the Great Lakes - St. Lawrence River system. He retired in 1986 and is still enjoying a retirement that has lasted longer than his career, gardening, traveling, sailing and curling. His greatest pleasure is spending time with his family that now includes two great-grandchildren. </p>
<p>Father and son relationships can be challenging for both parties. There were times in our relationship when we both questioned the other's competence in their role, but in hindsight I have to admit that he generally had the more accurate assessment given his wisdom and experience. My father modeled a level of personal and professional integrity that I still aspire to. One incident in particular from my childhood remains embedded in my memory. </p>
<p>I was a goaltender through most of my minor hockey career. At a practice scrimmage when I was in my early teens, I had stopped a couple shots before the puck finally went in the net. My defenceman showed up in time to fish the puck out of the net and I asked him "Where the hell were you?" </p>
<p>On the drive home from the rink, Dad told how embarrassed he was to have his son swear in front of the other fathers. Reflecting on the community we lived in, the language in the stands was probably at least as crude as any on the ice but nonetheless, this incident reflects his character and desire to develop the same level of integrity in his son. </p>
<p>No one gets to choose their father but I am extremely grateful for the father that was assigned to me. I know that everyone has not been as fortunate. Not all fathers are present or positive influences in their children's lives. Some father and son conflict is inevitable and perhaps in some ways it is a biological imperative to insure that young men leave home and find their own path in life. </p>
<p>I see reflections of my father every day of my life. Not just when I look in the mirror but also when I interact with others and in my view of the world. I can say with love and pride that I am my father's son.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55066412017-12-26T08:00:00-05:002018-11-09T13:51:02-05:00What was That?<p>Most of us are not very good listeners. Our listening skills are being eroded by the constant distraction of smartphones and other Internet connected devices. We may be here physically but our attention is often elsewhere. This is unfortunate as effective listening is a critical skill in building and maintaining healthy relationships. </p>
<p>The key to listening is staying in the moment. How many times have you been introduced to someone and immediately forgotten their name? You haven't actually forgotten their name, you probably never heard it in the first place. Maybe you were thinking of what you were going to say or whether you had a piece of lettuce stuck in your teeth. Our own self interest gets in the way of our ability to connect. </p>
<p>One way to become a better listener is to cultivate a genuine interest in people. There is tremendous value in learning about others, particularly those that we want to build a relationship with. The challenge is letting go of our own egocentric need to continuously promote and express our own thoughts and opinions. The challenge is to really focus our attention on, understand and appreciate, the thoughts and opinions of others. </p>
<p>I'm not writing about listening as an expert on the subject but more from the perspective of having a desire to become a better listener myself. It isn't easy. It requires an active commitment to eliminate internal and external distractions that prevent effective listening. Turn off notifications on your phone, or turn it off completely, when you are in social situations where you wish to listen intently. We cannot as easily switch our internal distractions off but we can commit to listening in a more attentive and non-judgemental manner. </p>
<p>There is no greater gift we can give to others than our attention. It is the foundation upon which all successful relationships are built.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55066392017-12-25T08:00:00-05:002018-11-09T13:48:24-05:00Reflecting on Christmas<p>Christmas is a bittersweet time of year. It brings to mind the nostalgic joy of childhood Christmases past but also the hollow absence of family and friends who are no longer with us. </p>
<p>I grew up in a small eastern Ontario village on the shore of the St. Lawrence River. Our extended family was in southern Ontario so Christmas Days were fairly sedate affairs spent in the company of immediate family. The anticipation always seemed more exciting than the day itself. I do recall a few memorable gifts received in my youth. </p>
<p>The first I remember was an early table hockey game with stationary players. It hosted many hard fought Leafs-Canadiens games over the years. When we figured out that we could curve the metal player's sticks, there was the added danger of taking a hoisted marble in the eye. </p>
<p>Another year we received an early version of the snowboard called a banana board. It was a smooth yellow board you stood on without any bindings just holding a rope for balance. We'd take it to the big hill in the park near our home and in all the years we had it, I don't think anyone ever rode it all the way to bottom without falling. </p>
<p>Snowmobiling was a popular winter activity among many of my friends. I thought our family should have one and did a lot of research and lobbying leading up to Christmas. On Christmas morning instead of a snowmobile in the front yard there were cross country skis under the tree - probably the first pair ever in our town. Although initially disappointed, I quickly learned to love cross country skiing and abhor the stench of exhaust and noise of snow machines disrupting a crisp, quiet glide through winter woods. </p>
<p>The transition from childhood to adulthood can be measured by the lead up to Christmas. As a child, it seemed to take forever for Christmas to come and Christmas Eve was the longest night of the year. As an adult, Christmas comes and goes more quickly with each passing year. I've come to appreciate that the day is less about gifts given and received but more about cherishing what is really important. </p>
<p>I hope you are basking in the glow of family and friends this Christmas Day and wish you the very best of the season.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55066382017-12-24T08:00:00-05:002018-11-09T13:45:58-05:00Contemplating the Family<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/be848c73c8b573b49a9d17bf197ce577da5a6a44/original/family.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55066292017-12-23T08:00:00-05:002018-11-09T13:44:27-05:00Saturday Song - Holiday Edition<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/389zaHl_zIE?rel=0" width="560"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">I'm having some issues with the audio dropping out so please don't adjust your set. Hopefully have it corrected in the future.</span></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Thanks for watching and I welcome any comments you may have.</span></span></p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55066282017-12-22T08:00:00-05:002018-11-09T13:42:12-05:00Computing Craft<p>Ned Ludd was reportedly an English weaver who in 1779 destroyed two weaving frames in a fit of rage against the introduction of weaving machines. His action inspired a group of skilled craftsmen who rebelled against the industrial revolution that was spreading across the world in the wake of the Napoleonic Wars. They feared the loss of skilled work with humans becoming nothing more than slaves to machines. Over the past three hundred years the term Luddites has been applied to anyone who opposes new technologies in general. The battle still rages. </p>
<p>Computer intelligence is evolving rapidly and is not restricted to industrial design, manufacturing or playing chess. Computers are composing music, creating visual art and even writing stories. Most of it is of poor quality right now but who knows what we will see in the future. </p>
<p>Will human crafted art always have a place and be a sustainable occupation? Will computer generated music take over the charts, ever changing digitally generated art panels hang on our walls and computer crafted novels dominate the bestsellers lists? </p>
<p>The best way to cultivate craft is for the artist to build a relationship with their audience. If there is no real human element to art, highly refined machine generated art forms may be indistinguishable from those generated by humans. But will the machines be able to generate an artist persona that interacts over social media and perhaps even have a robotic humanoid form that can perform on stage or show up at book signings? </p>
<p>I should refrain from writing after watching the new Star Wars movie but perhaps it's time to start thinking about reviving Ned's movement.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55066272017-12-21T08:00:00-05:002018-11-09T13:40:15-05:00Action Inaction<p>You need action to get from here to there. A simple concept but challenging in execution. Some actions we can't avoid when a life crisis strikes. But most actions require a conscious decision, especially those that lead us to positive change. </p>
<p>It's easy to rationalize not taking action. I don't have the resources. I need to plan more. I might fail. When I worked in a large organization, I dreaded strategic planning sessions - the place where our actions for the coming years were to be forged. It often seemed the place where dreams went to die and nothing more than group procrastination. Get the flip charts out, brainstorm a bunch of ideas, distill them into a few motherhood and apple pie statements, then go back to what we were doing yesterday. When the plan goes off track, which it inevitably did, do it all again. Positive action would sometimes come out of these sessions but more often than not it was like the difference between a hockey practice and a game. Once we got back out into the action, everything was reaction with little thought and a lot of people didn't really know where the net was. </p>
<p>Most organizations and individuals have a basic understanding of who they are and what lies at the core of what they do. If I'm a musician, I need to create music. If I'm a writer, I need to write. Why do we often struggle to take action? </p>
<p>Fear is a huge part of it. Large organizations are especially adept at creating a culture of risk aversion and not empowering people to take risks in the pursuit of finding new ways to do things. It is much easier to just do what we've always done rather than step outside of our comfort zone and try something different. </p>
<p>I think and write a lot about self improvement and personal development but I think it all really boils down to this. Don't overthink and over analyze. Just take action. Trust your instincts. Take Risks. Make mistakes. Accept the outcome and if needed, regroup and do it all again. Embrace the discomfort of venturing into unknown territory. Nothing is gained without first taking action. </p>
<p>I hesitate to quote the gospel according to Nike, but just do it.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55066262017-12-20T08:00:00-05:002018-11-09T13:37:37-05:00Social Media: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly<p>Social media provides an opportunity to connect unfettered by time or distance. We can rekindle old friendships and discover new communities of like minded people. It's a medium for people to reach out and help each other beyond their immediate physical community. </p>
<p>Social media is a powerful communication tool for businesses and especially those of us engaged in creative ventures. Having a social media presence is essential for the modern musician to find and build a community to consume and support their music. The old music business model of signing with a record label and having them build and control the fan relationship is all but dead. </p>
<p>For better or worse, social media is becoming the primary source of news about what is happening in our community and beyond. Citizen journalism provides an unfiltered immediacy to news but is destroying traditional journalism and eliminating fact checking and balance in reporting. It is increasingly difficult to determine what is real and what is fabricated to try to influence our thoughts and opinions. Social media provides an easier opportunity for special interest groups and individuals to influence public opinion. </p>
<p>To view the dark, ugly side of social media, look at the comments on a post by a leading political figure. Insult trolling is becoming an art form and ideological battles are waged continuously on social media. Most discussions degenerate to insult and name calling. There is little room for the subtleties of face to face human conversation as people hide anonymously behind their avatar. </p>
<p>The most insidious aspect of social media is it's appetite for our time and attention. A moment consuming social media can quickly becomes minutes and hours. Engagement in the virtual world interferes steals our time and attention from family and friends. </p>
<p>I'm working at being more strategic with social media strategy. Compartmentalizing the time I spend on the various platforms, learning tools to be more efficient with my engagement and trying to be more of a content creator rather than just a content consumer. I utilize Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Soundcloud but this almost feels like too many. </p>
<p>I'm interested to hear how you manage your engagement with social media - what platforms you use and how you use them.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55066252017-12-19T08:00:00-05:002018-11-09T13:35:01-05:00Personalized Development<p>I planned to write something today about personal development. Nobody can really write about anyone's personal development other than their own because it is personal. What I desire to change in myself is probably not the same change you desire because we are two different people. We are at different points in life, interact with different people, have different habits, ideas, interests and obligations. What do we have in common regarding personal development? </p>
<p>To make change there has to be motivation. If there is no reason to change, to improve, why bother? Perhaps you are already at a place in life where you are fully satisfied with who you are and how you are living each day. That's great but if not, what's missing? What are the gaps between where you are now and where you want to be? Often we are not motivated to change until we face a life crisis that forces change upon us. </p>
<p>Is there value in being more proactive and exploring areas where we can seek improvement? Developing your physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual well being is the key to having a satisfying life. A good exercise is to write each of these headings down on a sheet of paper then list where you are and where you want to be in each area of personal well being. As a starting point I've listed some self analysis questions below that I developed to help with my own reflection on where I am and where I want to be. </p>
<p><strong>Physical </strong></p>
<ul> <li>What can I do to eat healthier? </li> <li>Do I need to lose weight or I am just short for my weight? </li> <li>Does my level of fitness negatively affect my health or ability to do things that I would like to do? </li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Emotional </strong></p>
<ul> <li>Am I aware of my emotions and how they affect myself and others? </li> <li>Do I surround myself with people who energize me or with people who drain my energy? </li> <li>What do I do to cultivate new relationships and strengthen those I already have? </li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Intellectual </strong></p>
<ul> <li>Are there any skills I need to develop or improve? </li> <li>What actions can I take on a daily basis to enhance my knowledge and creativity? </li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Spiritual </strong></p>
<ul> <li>Do I express gratitude regularly for what I have? </li> <li>Is life satisfying? </li> <li>What can I do to help others? </li>
</ul>
<p>I'm certain that you can come up with more questions that will lead to greater self awareness and help identify areas where you can improve your life and value to others - please share in the comments section.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55066242017-12-18T08:00:00-05:002018-11-09T13:31:31-05:00The Morning Routine<p>For most of my career my morning routine was pretty simple. Jump out of bed, take a quick shower, grab something for breakfast, make some coffee to fill my travel mug and hit the road. The rest of the day was spent reacting to administration or student demands with the occasional moment or two where I could move my own agenda forward. </p>
<p>Having left that job two years ago I have more freedom in my schedule but a strong desire to use time more effectively in crafting music and words. Discipline is needed to keep the day from slipping away with nothing created but an empty coffee cup, crumpled newspapers and a dead iPad battery. </p>
<p>A regular morning routine is the solution. There is no "one size fits all" approach to crafting a morning routine but here are some of the actions I am trying to incorporate into my morning - it's a work in progress. </p>
<p>Hydration - as soon as I get up I drink a glass of water and start to make a cup of tea. </p>
<p>Journal Writing - while the kettle is boiling, I starting writing in my journal and only pause to prepare a cup of tea. At first I write whatever comes to mind but eventually my focus comes to what I want to accomplish that day and I use the journal to plot a strategy. </p>
<p>Draft Tomorrow's Blog - so far during this thirty day blogging challenge (it's day 18 if you're keeping track) I've maintained the discipline to write at least a rough draft of the following day's post. Some days, like today, it flows smoothly. Other day's it doesn't or I have to cut my time short due to other demands and return to it later in the day. </p>
<p>Exercise - some form of physical activity. I downhill ski in the winter and golf in the summer so I try to have a strength building routine I do 2-3 times a week. I don't use a lot of equipment beyond a mat, my not insignificant body weight and occasionally a suspension trainer. I'm trying to do yoga daily, after I do some strength training or as a stand alone routine. </p>
<p>Mindfulness - at the end of my yoga practice, the final shavashana pose provides an opportunity to lie quietly, fully relax and observe my thoughts in a non-judgemental, non-reactive manner. It's the hardest of all yoga positions. I'm not sure if there is an ideal length of time but currently I try to do at least 10 minutes. I also try to be mindful throughout exercise and yoga as well as throughout the day. The morning practice helps. </p>
<p>At this point my routine starts to disintegrate. Usually I'll shower and have some breakfast followed by a cup of coffee. This would be an ideal time to work on my music - skills and performance practice as well as song writing. I'm trying to break myself of the habit of drinking coffee, reading the newspaper and spending time with email and social media. </p>
<p>That's where I'm at right now - I'd be curious how you manage your day.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55066102017-12-17T08:00:00-05:002018-11-09T13:29:15-05:00Contemplating Faith<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/fa21430fff8d1ea89e7d227132e652d73262d51a/original/faith.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55066092017-12-16T08:00:00-05:002018-11-09T13:27:29-05:00Introducing the Saturday Song<p> </p>
<p>I thought I should have something musical on my blog so would like to introduce a new feature I'm simply calling the Saturday Song. Every Saturday, I'm going to share a song I'm currently working on. I'd really appreciate your comments and suggestions. Click on the video to play.</p>
<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ioFmSJsgkYc" width="560"></iframe></p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55065912017-12-15T08:00:00-05:002018-11-09T13:12:15-05:00The Anatomy of Laughter<p>I read that scientists discovered what they believe is the evolutionary origin of human laughter. While observing primates hanging around in trees, scientists observed individuals that were startled by a sudden movement of wind in the leaves of the tree. When the animal realized it was just the wind and not a real danger, it made a sound of relief that the scientists found was similar to human laughter. They theorized that laughter has its origins as an expression of relief after having experienced momentary fear. </p>
<p>I am interested in finding ways to inject more humour into my writing, music and live performance. However, I’m not sure using non-threatening fear to elicit a laugh of relief would be an effective comedic method - I’d need a prop like a roller coaster or zombie costume. I can’t think of a punch line that works with the U.S. and North Korea nuclear shootout scenario although I could come up with some funny tweets. </p>
<p>My primary comedic technique has been using humorous insults to generate laughs - the roast approach. I don't think this sustainable. Not all people react well to being insulted, even in what I consider a humorous manner. I also tend to go for one more laugh than I probably should. Family is tolerant but public use of this technique could get me punched in the nose. It can come off as being hurtful and mean. Self deprecating humour can be effective to the point where you want to punch yourself in the nose. </p>
<p>When trying to write something humorous, how do you even know the reader will laugh? It’s like performing in an empty room. At least with live performance, you can gauge audience reaction building on what works and what doesn't. </p>
<p>I've performed in some funny places. When I was with the band, a friend got us a gig at his brother's bar. It was a small place that didn't usually have live music and they had to push the pool table out of the way to make room for us. That didn't stop a game from starting so we had to play music and dodge pool cues. When someone fired up the jukebox in the middle of our first set, we knew were in trouble. Another time, we played to the backs of bowlers at a thirty-two lane ten pin bowling alley. It was challenging to time our songs with the beat of the pins falling and we were never sure if the audience was cheering for us or a strike. We did get our shoe rental and a couple games for free. </p>
<p>It's good to go looking for humour on a regular basis. Where do you find it?</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55065892017-12-14T08:00:00-05:002018-11-09T13:09:42-05:00Don't Feed the Fears<p>As a human emotion, fear has a purpose. It keeps us from standing too close to the edge of a cliff. Then there's fear of criticism, rejection and failure. These fears prevent us from seeking new experiences, meeting new people, trying new things and optimizing our true potential. </p>
<p>Fear stems from uncertainty about the future and lack of confidence in the ability to respond effectively. Fear feeds the hungry dog that is procrastination. Fear prevents the pursuit of challenging tasks. Fear is the door to achieving what we truly desire. </p>
<p>Self-awareness is a powerful tool to examine fear and foster fearlessness. It discerns between fears that are truly dangerous and fears that are difficult, uncomfortable but necessary pathways through life transitions. </p>
<p>Shine the light of self-awareness on worries and concerns. What are they? Are there specific actions that are being avoided out of fear? What is creating the fear? Is the fear real and is there anything that can be done about it? </p>
<p>We can't control the actions and reactions of other people, the economy or the weather so be aware of them, but don't let them fuel your fears. Focus on what you can change and needs to change to find your path through the fears that are standing between where you are and where you want to be.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55065872017-12-13T08:00:00-05:002021-04-16T08:08:11-04:00Writer's Block and Getting Started<p>I guess I should have known it was going to happen. A day would dawn when, in spite of whatever topic I was trying to write about, the words just wouldn't flow. I just didn't think it would happen so soon. I started today trying write about the process of learning and how to be a better learner but I just couldn't get it going for some reason. Maybe I have writer's block. Maybe I should write about writer's block and leave learning for another day. </p>
<p>I'm not sure if writer's block is even actually a thing - maybe the more experienced writers reading can comment. In my case, I think it is more related to my confidence with the subject I am writing about. I've been involved in education most of my life but some the emerging concepts in brain science are new to me and I need some more time to understand them better before becoming so bold as to write about them. </p>
<p>I thought the best approach to the problem would be to just start writing about anything and writer's block came to mind. This approach applies to anything you're trying to start although I have the luxury of just randomly going off in another direction. If you are an auto mechanic having trouble getting started on a transmission repair, you can't just go change the tires. If you are an author working on a specific book that has a deadline, you can't just start writing another book. </p>
<p>When you are required to work in a focused direction, you just have to accept there will be days when the work doesn't flow easily. If those days start to stack up, it may be time to question whether or not you are doing the work you were meant to do. Planning, organization and committing to your schedule will help but you still need to have the passion and desire to push yourself forward. </p>
<p>I'm working on it.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55065842017-12-12T08:00:00-05:002018-11-09T13:05:51-05:00Optimizing Your Value<p>Success in life is generally defined by the value we provide to others. How can we optimize that value to have a more fulfilling life? </p>
<p>It is difficult to shed the burden of self-absorption that seems to be the default state of human existence. It is hard to put our ego aside and find ways to increase our value to others. But if we want to create value beyond ourselves, we have build a habit of giving freely to others. </p>
<p>Reflect on those who have supported you to this point - parents, teachers, mentors, family and friends. The people who positively impact your life, who provide you with the most value, are all individuals who give their time and experience freely to you. They are truly interested in you and measure their success by your success. </p>
<p>Acknowledge and regularly show gratitude to those who have supported you in your life. Draw inspiration from them and look for opportunities to support others on a daily basis. Approach each personal interaction in your day with the attitude of what you can do to help that person not what they can do to help you. </p>
<p>Contributing to the success of those around you will automatically and rapidly increase your value. Focus on giving to support others and you may be surprised at what you receive in return.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55065822017-12-11T08:00:00-05:002018-11-09T13:02:36-05:00Things<p>What is it with our attachment to things? </p>
<p>I spent most of Sunday afternoon sorting through the last thirty years of my music career contained in boxes, books and a bookshelf in our basement. Guitar flat picking books, Neil Young, Bruce Cockburn and Jim Croce songbooks and (maybe) a rare collection of the late Canadian East Coast, via Hamilton, singer songwriter Stan Rogers' music. There's that attachment thing - thinking that it might be "rare and valuable". </p>
<p>As an aside, I also found a dozen Titleist Pro V1 golf balls that are now in my golf bag and will give me some joy, and possibly a measure of frustration, in the new year. At least with golf balls, when I lose them they will hopefully provide some future joy to whoever finds them. </p>
<p>How little do we really need? What if you had ten minutes to grab what was important to you? What would you take? I'd probably grab my guitar but in reality could get by with a harmonica or maybe just my voice.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55065332017-12-10T08:00:00-05:002018-11-09T12:57:25-05:00Contemplating Ego<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/327239/d3972e70847e10f8100ca7dbd26dcb8edf8f4a4f/original/ego.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55065322017-12-09T08:00:00-05:002020-08-13T12:03:01-04:00Personal Persuasion<p>I will not pull Cathy's braids. I will not talk in class. I will not throw paper airplanes. My elementary education involved a lot of forced affirmations. Stuck inside at recess, writing out fifty or a hundred times on a black board a negative affirmation as penance for my latest classroom sin. </p>
<p>I was reminded of my earlier experience with affirmations while reading Dilbert cartoonist Scott Adams' autobiography How to Fail at Everything and Still Win Big. He believes in the power of affirmations and provides examples from his life where affirmations brought positive change. If you are not familiar with the concept of affirmations, it basically is a process of daily repeated writing, speaking or contemplating a phrase with the format, I, your name here, will your desired outcome. </p>
<p>While I wouldn't attribute magical powers to affirmations, I suspect they may increase your confidence around a desired outcome. The daily repetition could plant a seed in your subconscious mind that strengthens your discipline and commitment to do what you need to do in order to realize an outcome. You may also become more aware of opportunities and make better decisions that lead you there. </p>
<p>As an experiment, I'm trying a few affirmations and will report back or at least make mention of it during my Grammy award acceptance speech. What are your experiences or thoughts of affirmations?</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55065312017-12-08T08:00:00-05:002018-11-09T12:52:59-05:00Accumulating Skills<p>It is not those with the most skill who are successful, it is those with the most skills. Perfecting a single skill, such as the ability to hit a golf ball with great accuracy and consistency or shoot a hockey puck past a goalie, can lead to success but only for a very limited few. A more reliable strategy for success is to combine a variety of skills rather than just focusing on one skill. Know how to put the puck in the net but be a good defensive player as well. </p>
<p>Certainly the skill, such as singing and playing an instrument, that is central to your craft is important. But you can be a very successful musician without being an outstanding singer and guitarist if you possess other skills. </p>
<p>The combination of synergistic skills that lead to success will vary from occupation to occupation but there are a group of core skills that support success across many fields. These include: </p>
<p>Communication - basic writing skills, conversation, public speaking and social media <br>Financial accounting - the language of business <br>Time management and personal productivity - using your time effectively <br>Psychology - understanding how the human brain perceives the world helps you understand why other people do the often irrational things they do and what motivates them <br>Technology - is changing everything - seek out new technologies and figure out how they can positively impact your work </p>
<p>Cultivating a diversity of skills not only improves your opportunity for success, the process of committing to continuous learning and skill development opens your mind to new ideas and opportunities you might have never thought of if you are focused only on a specific skill set within a single occupation or trade. </p>
<p>What skills beyond the obvious have positively impacted your pathway to success?</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55065302017-12-07T08:00:00-05:002018-11-09T12:50:56-05:00Distracted Awareness<p>Are smartphones really making us smarter or are they making us dumber and more distracted? Distracted driving has overtaken drunk driving as the number one cause of accidents, including walking in to telephone poles. It is not unusual to go to a restaurant or coffee shop and see a group of people sitting together but all on their phones. Are they texting each other instead of talking? </p>
<p>Our Internet connected devices are fraught with distracting rabbit holes. You pick up your device to check the weather or send a text and twenty minutes later you're watching cat videos. Reading the endless string of articles dissecting the latest example of democratic dysfunction isn't much better. At the end of the day, the day has ended and what do you have to show for it? </p>
<p>The Internet is a powerful tool, a seemingly endless resource of information to inform and inspire. Social media provides a forum for anyone to share their ideas, their art and make connections beyond their immediate physical community. The danger is in allowing it to control you as opposed to manipulating your access to serve your purpose. </p>
<p>I'm working on better managing my online access and interaction to support my creative enterprise. Using a pen and paper journal to formulate ideas and carrying out actions in the absence of devices with distracting alerts and notifications. Building a social media presence but keeping it compartmentalized and focused. Most importantly, and sometimes most difficult, not allowing my smart devices to become a distraction from my awareness of the moment and real social engagement. It's a work in progress. </p>
<p>I'd love to hear how you manage digital distraction in your day.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55065292017-12-06T08:00:00-05:002018-11-09T12:49:02-05:00Cultivating Creativity<p><em>The most regretful people on earth are those who felt the call to creative work, who felt their own creative power restive and uprising, and gave it neither power nor time. <br>- Mary Oliver </em></p>
<p>We tend to think of creativity as the domain of musicians and artists but creativity is a characteristic of every successful individual and organization. How can we cultivate creativity in ourselves and/or our organization? </p>
<p>The impediments to creativity are many with the greatest being fear. Fear of criticism, fear of wasting time and resources, fear of failure. Artists may fear what people will think of their work. Organizations often fear change. The "we've always done it this way" culture held by many organizations crushes creative innovation. Individuals often impede their creative efforts in the search of perfection. </p>
<p>Rarely do creative ideas pop up like a light bulb above your head. Being creative is work. Being creative is getting up every day and starting the process. Organizations that cultivate creativity have a positive and energetic environment where innovation is celebrated and failure accepted as part of the process. They are committed to creativity and provide staff with the environment, time and tools needed to be creative. </p>
<p>Productive individual creativity is driven by having an effective environment and process. An environment that is free of distractions and disciplined process that pushes you to create every day. </p>
<p>What did you do today to be more creative?</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55065282017-12-05T08:00:00-05:002018-11-09T12:47:18-05:00The Fading Art of Handwriting<p>My recollection of learning how to write by hand is vague. I'm not sure if we had workbooks or gestetnered sheets we followed but suspect that the teacher simply modeled each letter on the chalkboard and we repeatedly copied them in our notebook until we got them right. </p>
<p>I was shocked although not really surprised to learn that cursive writing has all but disappeared from the curriculum. Keyboarding is the thing now which causes one to wonder how people sign their names? Perhaps our fingerprint or a retinal scan are replacing signatures in the digital world. </p>
<p>There is something satisfying about writing on a good quality paper with a nice pen. The speed of handwriting paces nicely with a slower, more deliberate thought process that helps bring thoughts and ideas in to a clearer focus. </p>
<p>I looked a little more deeply into the handwriting to brain connection and was not surprised to find that there is evidence that writing stimulates brain activity significantly more than the act of keyboarding. Hand writing may even help our brain learn better overall, not just how to express ourselves by making squiggly lines on a piece of paper. </p>
<p>Handwritten notes of congratulations or condolence are much more meaningful than a text, email or Facebook like. When was the last time you wrote something of any length by hand?</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55065272017-12-04T08:00:00-05:002018-11-09T12:46:06-05:00Journalling... or is it Journaling?<p>A pen has no spellcheck function but I think it's journaling. As a young boy I started writing in a notebook for something other than what was required in school. Much like school, the effort and outcome was a little spotty. A brief but witty twelve year old's account of campmobiling with his family across the United Kingdom, a few first pages filled in a variety of notebooks including a very cool Illustrated <em>Hobbit's Journal</em> Santa brought and more recently some apps cluttering my phone with few reflections recorded. </p>
<p>As an educator, I guided students through an internship program. They were encouraged with thirty marks to keep a journal during their work term. Not all jobs require the keeping of records but many, like growing plants, certainly benefit from being able to reflect and plan using a journal. </p>
<p>The main argument against keeping a personal journal or diary is time but it doesn't take as much time as you may think. Like most new habits, you just need to start small and fit it in to your day. You may be surprised to find that once you commit to writing daily by scheduling a short five minute time slot, you may start looking for more time to write. </p>
<p>The greatest benefit that I have realized is clarity of thought and purpose. It helps to capture my thoughts and ideas, plan and execute better. I have found greater benefit in writing by hand in a notebook rather than using a computer or phone. There are no notifications or messages that pop up in my notebook and the act of taking a pen in hand and writing just feels right. </p>
<p>My journal is a combination of written paragraphs, point form, starred action items and the occasional sketch. While wandering around the Internet looking for information on journaling, I stumbled across the bullet journal. It is a simple yet focused, action oriented approach to keeping a journal that helps to guide you forward.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55065242017-12-03T08:00:00-05:002018-11-09T12:44:31-05:00Contemplating Perfection<p>Perfection is not possible. No matter what I think, say, do or play, someone is going to reject, question or criticize. Usually the harshest critic of my work is that sometimes mean spirited little voice inside my own head. It is best to let go, follow my heart and just keep creating. Not totally ignoring the critics, myself included, but not granting criticism the power to discourage and defeat. </p>
<p>That might be perfection.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55065232017-12-02T08:00:00-05:002018-11-09T12:43:01-05:00My Beer Advent Jar<p>I didn't like beer when I first tasted one - probably a slightly warm Molson Canadian that was fuzzy and bitter to my young taste buds. With time and exposure I developed a taste but soon became bored with beers that all tasted like someone wanted me to drink a lot of them. Just as I was about to give up on beer, craft breweries started to appear and beer started to taste very different from that first Canadian. </p>
<p>To celebrate both the season and diversity of beers available, I'm in the process of assembling a beer advent calendar. Advent calendars have their origin in Christian rituals leading up to Christmas. You may remember advent calendars that had a candy or chocolate hidden behind a paper door you opened each day of December before Christmas. I had heard of an adult version using beer and decided to give it a try. </p>
<p>In the craft beer community there are various premade beer advent packages and kits available - the 24 days of December preceding Christmas corresponds well with traditional beer packaging sizes. I already had a dozen different beers in my fridge so only needed 12 more to celebrate my own beer advent this month. </p>
<p>I could have asked someone to randomly wrap and number each beer but decided to make it a little simplier, hence the beer advent jar. I wrote the names of each beer on a slip of paper, put them all in a jar, and will pull out one a day. I also thought rather than just drink it, I would make it more of a ritual, looking up the beer style and ingredients. If there is someone available to share, we can compare our impressions to make it even more fun. Each day would provide an opportunity to reflect on the beer, reflect on the year and start to reconnect with the spirit, or spirits, of the season. </p>
<p>If I was better organized, I would get a friend or a group of friends and do a beer advent calendar as a group. Each person would prepare 24 wrapped and numbered beers. We'd meet at the end of November to exchange the calendars. Next year! </p>
<p>It's not too late to start your own beer advent calendar or jar. Pick up a variety of beers with an emphasis on different breweries and styles - be sure to check out your local breweries. Enjoy some delicious beer and savour everything that is important during the holiday season and in to the new year. </p>
<p>Cheers!</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55065222017-12-01T13:45:00-05:002018-11-09T12:41:13-05:00The Thirty-Day Challenge<p>Thinking of ways to develop the habit of regular blogging, I decided to challenge myself to post every day for thirty days. The thirty day challenge is not an original idea. It is reported to be a method of ingraining a new habit by committing to perform a new action or activity for a thirty day period. The theory is that if you do it for thirty days, it will become an ingrained behaviour. </p>
<p>December is perhaps not the best month to start as it has the most external demands for social and family engagements. But better now than never. If I put it off, it would likely become one of many things in life that if not grasped, pass by and are lost forever. I have no expectations as to the outcome of this exercise other than to improve my writing skills and give some substance to the thoughts and ideas floating about in my mind. </p>
<p>I've started a list of topics I'd like to cover. Some readers may recall a series of posts I started on the seven characteristics of successful people that stalled on number three. I'm going to finish those. The rest are subjects of interest including the creative process, music and personal development. </p>
<p>Habits, good or bad, generally require a trigger to initiate and some form of reward either immediate or deferred to reinforce. My plan is to start my day with a hot cup of tea, write in my personal journal (a previous thirty day challenge and a future blog topic) and then craft and post the day's blog. I know there will be days when the world conspires to prevent this process so I'm going to jump ahead and have a few blogs queued up for posting. My reward will be my beer advent calendar (details in tomorrow's post). </p>
<p>If you're reading this, I'd challenge you to take on a thirty day challenge of your own, something that will improve your life and/or that of those around you. It could be anything from getting out for a daily walk, drinking more water or committing to compliment one person every day - the possibilities are endless. Make your intention known publicly directly to family and friends, on social media or if you're really brave, in the comments section below. I hope you'll join me on this trek. </p>
<p>One day down, twenty-nine to go!</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55065212017-04-09T08:00:00-04:002018-11-09T12:40:16-05:00The Power of Curiosity<p>If you want to see curiosity in its purest form, watch a young child carefully - everything is new and full of wonder. As we move through our lives, our innate curiosity can stagnate under the weight of experience and routine. </p>
<p>Everything we achieve in life is a product of curiosity. If it wasn't for curiosity we would all be floating in the ocean staring longingly at the shore or still hanging out in the Garden of Eden, depending on your perspective. </p>
<p>Do you do things the same way you've always done them or do you examine what you do on a regular basis and consider ways it could be done differently? When you encounter a new challenge , do you embrace the opportunity to learn something new or do you try to ignore it or deal with it using only what you already know? Innovative individuals and organizations cultivate curiosity. </p>
<p>One of the best ways to develop your own curiosity is to read. </p>
<p>Research shows that as a society, our attention spans are being continually shortened by our use of social media and the small screen landscape of the digital age. It has never been easier to develop your competitive advantage simply by committing to read more. Reading exercises your brain increasing your ability to think creatively while expanding your knowledge and vocabulary. </p>
<p>Consider that each of us, if we are fortunate, have maybe 70-90 years of life experience to draw upon. Each book you read gives you the perspective and experience of another person's life experience. Reading can exponentially expand your perspective. </p>
<p>Read books related to your profession. Read books related to your interests. Read biographies of people you admire or find interesting. Read fiction for entertainment. Just read. If you struggle with reading start small with blogs, magazine articles and work your way up to books. If you struggle with reading, download some audiobooks and listen to them while driving or, if appropriate, while you are working. There are also podcasts on a variety of subjects that you can download. </p>
<p>Read to exercise your mind, cultivate your curiosity and watch your abilities and opportunities expand.</p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55065202017-03-10T08:00:00-05:002018-11-09T12:38:56-05:00On Being Aware<p><span class="font_regular">Have you ever been blindsided? Surprised by something you didn’t see coming but in reflection realized that the signs were there, you just missed them. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">Successful individuals and organizations are aware. Awareness can be clouded by many things – ego, expectations, biases and the media – perception of the way we think things should be as opposed to the way they actually are. Developing awareness brings clarity and focus. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">Awareness begins within. Often the person we know the very least is ourself – we are so busy reacting and doing that we spend very little time just being. Distractions are everywhere, from the demands and expectations of others to the constant pull of social contact from smartphones and social media. Developing and focussing awareness is a challenge. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">Start a mindful awareness practice. Spending a small amount of time each day focussing on awareness will reprogram your brain to be more logical and less reactive. Rather than grabbing your phone and checking your messages and social media, try starting your day with a short mindfulness exercise. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">If you are unsure of how to start, check out this article on mindful awareness. It includes details on the benefits of mindful awareness, tips on adding an awareness practice to your day and includes a link to a free app you can use to get started. Let me know how it goes.</span></p>Rob Witherspoontag:robspoon.com,2005:Post/55065192017-02-27T08:00:00-05:002018-11-09T12:37:51-05:00Defining Success<p><span class="font_regular">I'm giving a presentation this week at the Canadian Golf Course Management Conference called the Seven Characteristics of Successful Superintendents. One of the challenging components is simply defining success. The Oxford dictionary offers two definitions “the accomplishment of an aim or purpose” and “the attainment of fame, wealth or social status”. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">What is your definition of success? Have you even considered what success looks or feels like in your career and life? </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">In considering the success of others, fame, wealth or social status are the common indicators of success. Of these three, wealth is probably what would most often be found in personal definitions of success as society demands we have sufficient income for the basic components of survival – food, warmth and shelter. But there has to be more to it than just money. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">Author Stephen Covey suggests that if you carefully consider what you want to be said of you at your funeral, you will find your personal definition of success. This implies that your values, family, relationships, career accomplishments and contributions to society would all factor in to a personal definition of success. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">Over the next few months I plan to expand on some of the characteristics of successful people. My goal is to better understand the actions we can take to have richer and more more fulfilling careers and lives. I hope you’ll join my community receive notice of future postings. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">Please share your thoughts and comments.</span></p>Rob Witherspoon