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Thursday's Essay Preview

The first paragraph of the essay, "New Year's Jokes," reads as follows: "What greater way to prepare for the New Year than by sharing with my readers, my favorite New Year’s jokes.  There is no order here.  Some are clearly better than others, but I thought all of them had merit—or they wouldn’t be included.  Most give quick and sufficient testimony to what happened to me: When I thought about the evils of drinking in the New Year. I gave up thinking.  Let’s begin with a letter to the lord.   
    Dear Lord
    So far this year I've done well.
    I haven't gossiped, I haven't lost my temper, I haven't been greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish, or overindulgent. I'm very thankful for that.  But in a few minutes, Lord, I'm going to get out of bed, and from then on I'm probably going to need a lot more help.
    Amen"
                                                                                                                                             

Thursday's Essay Excerpt - from the last paragraph of the essay

"It was Oscar Wilde who said, “Good resolutions are simply checks that men draw on a bank where they have no account.”  May the new year bring you health, wealth, and prosperity.  Of course, that’s the same toast someone made at your wedding, and where did that get you?"                                       



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Thursday's Essay Preview

The first paragraph of the essay, "Christmas ambience," reads as follows: "It’s true, we work at creating a Christmas ambience.  It is a warm, delightful, memorable environment that is created not just by one or two special features but with at least five elements that, together, make a difference."                                                  
                                                                                                                                                                                                      

Thursday's Essay Excerpt - from the last paragraph of the essay

"You can claim that all of this —everything designed to celebrate Christmas — is designed with the express purpose of proclaiming the birth of Jesus, but I would contend otherwise.  That may explain some of the etymology of Christmas, but in no way does that need to explain how it has evolved.  I believe that everything that is Christmas — all of the ambience and spirit — can be clearly seen and enjoyed without the haze of religion clouding the topic.  That is, indeed, the point of this essay: how easy it is to enjoy everything that is Christmas for the sheer joy of the lights, appreciation of the decorations, delight in the music, acknowledge the scents, and take in the special events that mark the annual event."

        




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Thursday's Essay Preview

The first paragraph of the essay, "Self-discipline can change your life in any way you want it to," reads as follows: "During my early years, I heard from my parents about the Puritan work ethic, but every time I heard the phrase it was connected with working hard.  Never did I know that it was a Biblically based teaching on the necessity of hard work, perfection, and the goodness of labor.
                                      
                                                                                                                                                                                                      

Thursday's Essay Excerpt - from the last paragraph of the essay

"If you tend to be undisciplined, use the little discipline you have to build more.  The more disciplined you become, the easier life gets.  Challenges once impossible will seem like child’s play as you learn new skills, overcome difficulty and hardships, and improve your life.  Because we are what we repeatedly do, self-discipline will not be an act, but a habit."
      




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Thursday's Essay Preview

The first paragraph of the essay, "One of the best things to have up your sleeve," reads as follows: "You can hear our table at almost any function we attend as a group.  It is the loudest because of the laughter and joy being shared.  There were eight of us at the table in a Chinese buffet, and each time there was an outburst of laughter, I looked around to notice that we caught the eye of almost everyone else in the restaurant.  After awhile it became accepted and understood: we were having a great deal of fun."
                
                                                                                                                                                                                                      

Thursday's Essay Excerpt - from the last paragraph of the essay

"When I gave a speech some years ago I used the phrase, “One of the best things people can have up their sleeves is a funny bone.”  That phrase from my speech was discovered and used in an issue of Reader’s Digest and still later, as a result of publication in the Digest it was picked up by Garborg’s (Bloomington, MN) and published in their perpetual calendar, “Cherished Thoughts,” where it appears with my name attached, on April 24th.  Having a funny bone up your sleeve is something that can be taught, and if parents were smart, it can be begun early and carried through a lifetime."





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Thursday's Essay Preview

The first paragraph of the essay, "Must-have Christmas presents," reads as follows: "If you are a regular reader of my blog (posted, too, on Facebook) there are several things you know about me (maybe even more!).  First, you know that I am a reader of a wide range of non-fiction books, since I have now posted more than 200 book reviews on the blog.  Second, you know that I love quotations and aphorisms and thoughts, which I have collected in a book entitled SMOERs -Self Motivation, Optimism, Encourage Rules: Daily Reminders for Outstanding Living, which has a website all of its own."
                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
Thursday's Essay Excerpt - from the last paragraph of the essay

"Some of my fondest Christmas memories can be traced back to those times when I unwrapped books.  They are wonderful Christmas presents and they create dual memories — one set of memories when they are opened and another set of memories when they are read.  Please think about the books in this essay — especially if you have people on your list who are difficult to please, hard to buy for, or just enjoy good books."





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Thursday's Essay Preview

The first paragraph of the essay, "How long should you hold a grudge?," reads as follows: "Asked how long he holds a grudge, one fellow replied, 'Until hell freezes over.'  Another said, it depends on two things: 1) the intent, and 2) the gravity of the situation.  Yet another person said, 'If the person is an idiot, I simply consider the source and dismiss both the person and the comment or situation.'  And the final person asked, said, 'I turn the other cheek.'”
                                      
                                                                                                                                                                Thursday's Essay Excerpt - from the last paragraph of the essay

"Now, all this information comes a little late for my father-in-law mentioned in the opening examples.  There is no doubt he will take his grudges to the grave.  But, that makes me wonder.  He is 97-years-old!  Perhaps holding grudges is the key to longevity."           




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And Then Some News

Thursday's Essay Preview

The first paragraph of the essay, "How long should you hold a grudge?," reads as follows: "Asked how long he holds a grudge, one fellow replied, 'Until hell freezes over.'  Another said, it depends on two things: 1) the intent, and 2) the gravity of the situation.  Yet another person said, 'If the person is an idiot, I simply consider the source and dismiss both the person and the comment or situation.'  And the final person asked, said, 'I turn the other cheek.'”
                                      
                                                                                                                                                                Thursday's Essay Excerpt - from the last paragraph of the essay

"Now, all this information comes a little late for my father-in-law mentioned in the opening examples.  There is no doubt he will take his grudges to the grave.  But, that makes me wonder.  He is 97-years-old!  Perhaps holding grudges is the key to longevity."           





And Then Some News

"Exotic Destinations" book has been released

This book is so new that Amazon has not added the front cover yet!   

Richard L. Weaver II has just released his new travel book Exotic Destinations... And Then Some! Share in Richard “Dick” Weaver’s experiences as he guides you through preparation for camping as well as taking cruises. Insights from South East Asia from a seasoned traveler who started in his teens with a trip around world. Dr. Weaver offers stories and tips from the Caribbean, Europe, Mediterranean, Australia, and Hawaii. To help prepare you for adventure get...  Exotic Destinations... And Then Some!   

The new book is available now at Amazon.com:  Exotic Destinations... And Then Some! by Richard L. Weaver II 

Thursday's Essay Preview

The first paragraph of the essay, "The need for patience," reads as follows: "When I instructed students in how to prepare for job interviews, I told them to turn a negative into a desired positive.  For example, when asked the question (as interviewees often are), what would you say is your biggest negative trait?  I told them to use their impatience positively.  That is, interviewees could say, 'I am an impatient person.  I have trouble waiting in line.  I have difficulty waiting for results to come in.  I don’t like wasting time.  I prefer solving a problem myself rather than waiting for it to be solved by others.'”
 
Thursday's Essay Excerpt - from the last paragraph of the essay
 
"Of the eleven steps above for achieving patience, I have found that number seven, “reminding yourself that things take time,” is (at least for me) the most important one.  I am, indeed, an impatient person, and I am often giving myself internal messages to calm me down: 'I do not need to be in a hurry,' 'I have the time,' 'Everyone does not operate at the same speed as I do,' and Cato the Elder’s phrase, 'Patience is the greatest of all virtues.'  It also helps to know, as Saint Augustine said, 'Patience is the companion of wisdom.'"
 
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Thursday's Essay Preview

The first paragraph of the essay, "The value of the journal," reads as follows: "When I was typing into my computer the handwritten essays I wrote on our Southeast Asia cruise, the experience brought back all the wonderful memories of our trip.  To reinforce and accentuate the notes I took, my wife received hard copies of the 400 digital pictures she took, and combined with my notes, the brochures, and ship information, we have a fairly complete representation of our trip."
                 
                                                                                                                                                                Thursday's Essay Excerpt - from the last paragraph of the essay

"Whether it is reflecting and understanding, motivation, an emotional outlet, tracking progress, a mental activity, responsibility, or all of these combined, I find writing a journal to be enormously satisfying — a major contribution to my health and well-being — and, for those who have never tried it, I highly recommend it."           




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Thursday's Essay Preview

The first paragraph of the essay, "The storms of life," reads as follows: "I remember vividly the circumstances surrounding my father’s death just about 16 years ago.  I remember divorces, retirement, and dealing with my wife’s mother’s death.  These are some of “the storms of life” that have affected my life.  Fortunately, in all the cases, I seemed to have (a judgment I am making in retrospect) the resources necessary to face and survive the storms.  It is only in retrospect now that I am able to look back and analyze how I survived."
         
                                                                                                                                                                Thursday's Essay Excerpt - from the last paragraph of the essay

Thinking at your best may mean seeking professional medical, psychological, financial, legal, or spiritual help when you realize they may be your best resource.  When you are in doubt, you should never endanger yourself by relying only on yourself and neglecting such experts.  In these cases, too, it is important to remember that it is how you go about choosing the experts and how you use what they have to offer that counts.




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Thursday's Essay Preview

The first paragraph of the essay, "The true meaning of birthdays: Developing a receptivity to and capacity for wisdom," reads as follows: "As I was getting dressed for church, the call came in on my cell phone, and when I answered, a chorus of youthful, cheerful, and well-prompted singers broke into their rendition of “Happy Birthday” to grandpa.  What a great way to begin the day — actually, any day — but particularly this one.

That alone could be the true meaning of birthdays, and this would be a very short essay!"

                                                                                                                                                               

Thursday's Essay Excerpt - from the last paragraph of the essay

The true meaning of birthdays is the growth, development, and change we experience as we acquire the history and knowledge that wisdom requires.  Wisdom doesn’t automatically come with age, but with determination, persistence, patience, and observation we can make good use of the history and knowledge we acquire and thus develop a receptivity to and capacity for wisdom.




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Thursday's Essay Preview

The first paragraph of the essay, "When the day is done," reads as follows: "It doesn’t take that much to convince me that I’ve had a successful day.  One day I repaired a hole in the side of my daughter’s house.  Although it was only 3-inches by 3-inches by 1 1/2-inches deep, it took a couple of hours to cut a block of wood to fit into the hole, shape a piece of aluminum flashing to cover the wood piece and more of the rotting wood, screw the flashing to the wood behind one of her gutters with treated screws so they wouldn’t rust, and then seal the area with silicon to protect it from further water penetration."
                                       
                                                                                                                                                               

Thursday's Essay Excerpt - from the last paragraph of the essay

For me, it is as Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote in the final four lines of his famous poem, “The Day is Done”:                            
                                     And the night shall be filled with music

                                     And the cares, that infest the day,

                                     Shall fold their tents, like the Arabs,

                                     And as silently steal away.

And Then Some News

Thursday's Essay Preview

The first paragraph of the essay, "Lake Superior (Gitchigoomie)," reads as follows: "Our confusion was not whether or not we wanted to take this trip around the north side of Lake Superior, it was, rather, which way to go.  We could start from the east and proceed west and then farther west through Canada, or we could travel west first (north through Michigan, then west through Wisconsin and Minnesota) then east along the north side of Lake Superior.  The latter was our choice."
                             
                                                                                                                                                               

Thursday's Essay Excerpt - from the last paragraph of the essay

What was interesting after our two weeks in Canada is that when we crossed the border into Maine, the skies cleared, there was no more rain, and with the exception of a single thunderstorm and heavy rain, we had clear skies and no more rain for the remaining two weeks of our vacation in Bar Harbor, Maine, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, and Woodstock, Vermont.



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Thursday's Essay Preview

The first paragraph of the essay, "Well-defined routines," reads as follows: "We (my wife and myself) have often asked ourselves what it is that draws people to camping.  We’ve done no surveys, however, we think (for some) it is a sense of adventure, finding a more “inexpensive” way to see the world, “change,” and, perhaps, a safer way to travel (as opposed to staying in motels).  The reason we even ask this question is that camping — especially if people regularly move from one campground to another — is not easy.  It takes work.  We have discovered, however, that with well-established, well-defined routines, it takes some of the work out of the process.  Maybe the word “thinking” can be substituted for the word “work” in this context."
                   
                                                                                                                                                               

Thursday's Essay Excerpt - from the last paragraph of the essay

Now, these are some of our routines that make traveling in a fifth-wheel enjoyable.  I am certain others have different sets of routines, but it seems clear that well-defined routines make the whole process easier and more efficient — especially considering the fact that traveling requires a good bit of work.  In trying to answer the question, what draws people to this form of camping (or even, what draws them back to it year-after-year!), there have to be a number or routines that help reduce the stresses and strains of this form of travel.  These are some of ours.

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Thursday's Essay Preview

The first paragraph of the fourth anniversary essay, "What qualifies me to write essays---The bricks and mortar of my edifice," reads as follows: "I am not a mover and shaker, a politician, captain of industry, government official, or on the social registry.  I am not the director of a prestigious firm, the favorite son of the community, or on the board of directors of a business, board of education of a local school district, or on any board of trustees.  I am not an adviser to the local parish priest, church ministers, rabbi, or mullah, and my name is not synonymous with power, influence, and accomplishment.  So, why would anyone want to know my opinion on the issues of the day or accept any advice, suggestions, or direction I would choose to give?  Because I have asked myself this question, let me share with you how I have come to justify it — and, believe me, I have struggled with it before."
         
                                                                                                                                                               

Thursday's Essay Excerpt - from the last paragraph of the essay

It is the family of teachers into which I was born, my own academic credentials, my career as a teacher, my writing and publications, my reading and viewing, my experience, history, and background, as well as my own family that surrounds me with love and affection that form the bricks and mortar of the edifice known as me.  It may not seem like much, but it’s certainly a great deal more than the credentials of many people who give advice, and whether or not it truly qualifies me to give advice, the foundation is there, and I make use of it often.

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Thursday's Essay Preview

The first two paragraphs of the essay, "Self-concept is the single, most-important component that offers clear distinctions between good communicators and poor communicators," read as follows: "In my experience, those communicators whom I most admired, or those whom I considered most effective, all had strong self-concepts—at least, strong self-concepts from what I could determine.  Although there is no study to affirm the following conclusion, in all of my years of teaching speech-communication, I can report a direct, positive correlation between students with a strong self-concept and success in the basic course.
   
"Why is a strong self-concept necessary to have healthy, satisfying, ongoing interactions with others?  "
         
                                                                                                                                                     

Thursday's Essay Excerpt - from the last paragraph of the essay

To gain a positive self-concept is a continual, ongoing activity, but the benefits are worth it.  Through belonging, competency, and feelings of worth, we can clearly and accurately delineate our likes and dislikes, make preferences, observe with a critical eye, and polish awkward pieces of ourselves.  When we feel confident in our judgments and feelings, we begin to trust our interpretation of reality.  As we learn to trust our interpretation of reality, our self-concept improves.  After all, it is the single, most-important component that offers a clear distinction between good communicators and poor communicators.


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Thursday's Essay Preview

The first paragraph of the essay, "Focusing on the negative: And it is contagious!," reads as follows: ""Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us,” said the comic-strip character, Calvin.  "The chief obstacle to the progress of the human race is the human race,” Don Marquis is quoted as saying.  "A great many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices,” said William James.  Doesn’t it seem sometimes like everyone’s complaining?  Everyone is negative.  All you hear about is difficulty, failure, and disaster?  Those with whom you converse all share the negative news they see on television or read on the Internet or in the newspaper?"
             
                                                                                                                                                     

Thursday's Essay Excerpt - from the last paragraph of the essay

'"As long as [you] are aware of [your] own negative attitude and are willing to adopt a more positive attitude towards life, change can and will occur. Once [you] realize that a negative attitude is the biggest obstacle to [your] happiness, [you] can make a conscious choice to help [yourself]. There will be obstacles and setbacks on the road to personal change but [you] must remain focused on the bigger picture: [your] success and happiness.'  This is the tenth item in an essay, 'Ten Ways to Overcome a Negative Attitude,' by Thich Nhat Hanh, at the web site, InTek Online.  There are no guarantees, of course, but this is a solid, productive, and potentially rewarding way to change both negative thinking and a negative attitude.  The great thing is you can begin at once—and it is contagious!"


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Thursday's Essay Preview

The first two paragraphs of the essay, "Aphorisms to live by," (I could have called it "Motivation by Quotation!") read as follows: "There is no rhyme or reason for the order of aphorisms in this essay.  The single criteria I used for selecting the aphorisms is that they touched me in some way.  My addition in each paragraph is designed to explain the value of the aphorism to me—or the lesson I learned.  The paragraphs are not connected, and there is no relationship between the various choices.  Each paragraph stands alone.
   
People need to learn when to abandon pursuit, give up the race, and turn their attention to other matters.  It was Norman Thomas who said, 'I am not a champion of lost causes, but of causes not yet won.'"
                                                              
                                                                                      

Thursday's Essay Excerpt - from the last paragraph of the essay

And your challenge to grow, develop, and change can take place at any time in your life.  “You are never too old,” said George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans), “to be what you might have been.”  H. L. Mencken said, “You can't do anything about the length of your life, but you can do something about its width and depth.”  Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Aim above the mark to hit the mark.” And, to end on a light note, it was W. C. Fields who said, “Start every day off with a smile and get it over with.”  This essay is now “over with.”


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Thursday's Essay Preview

The first paragraph of the essay, "Living a Balanced Life," reads as follows: "In 1964 (46 years ago), I was inspired, encouraged, even energized by a book by M. C. Richards entitled, Centering: In Pottery, Poetry, and the Person (Wesleyan University Press, 1962, 1964).  The book is philosophical in nature, and it was Richards’ theme as much as her language (writing style) that roused and stirred me.  'Centering is the image I use,' Richards writes, 'for the process of balance which will enable us to step along that thread feeling it not as a thread but a sphere.  It will, it is hoped,' she continues, 'help us to walk through extremes with an incorruptible instinct for wholeness, finding our way continuous, self-completing' (p. 6)."
         
                                          
                                                                                      

Thursday's Essay Excerpt - from the last paragraph of the essay

If you chose to live a balanced life, and you decided that the elements listed above were even some of those for which you wanted to strive, then the book, You Rules!, includes a wide range of useful and immediate recommendations for beginning at once on such a project!  Indeed, You Rules! will help each of us to, as M. C. Richards says, “walk through extremes with an incorruptible instinct for wholeness.”






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Thursday's Essay Preview

The first paragraph of the essay, "Bright-Sided," reads as follows: "Not very often do I make an essay into a book review, but it happens occasionally.  I reviewed the book, Bright-sided: How the relentless promotion of positive thinking has undermined America (Metropolitan Books/Henry Holt and Company, 2009), for our BookClubandthensome.com web site, and I had no intention of using it for an essay until I read this in a column by John Swartzberg, M.D., Chair of the editorial board for the UC Berkeley Wellness Letter, “As Barbara Ehrenreich points out in her new book, Bright-Sided, women with breast cancer are often assaulted with the idea that negative thinking brought on their cancer and that positive thinking will cure it” (p. 3, January, 2010).  Suddenly, his reference to the book gave it new attention and credibility, and I thought readers of my essays might like to hear more about her book.  It is a wonderful book full of insights."
                                          
                                                                                      

Thursday's Essay Excerpt - from the last paragraph of the essay

My attention to Ehrenreich’s book was drawn to Chapter 6, “Positive Psychology: The Science of Happiness,” simply because I have cited Martin Seligman a number of times in my books and articles, and I own his book, Learned Optimism.  I knew that “academics tended to dismiss the ideas of his successors as pop cultural ephemera and the stuff of cheap hucksterism” (p. 147).  How the new positive psychology became mainstream, the benefits it offered to nonacademic motivational speakers, coaches, and self-help entrepreneurs, the influence positive psychologists have had in the corporate world and on therapy, and the interview Ehrenreich had with him are fascinating revelations that, by themselves, make this book worth reading.





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Thursday's Essay Preview

The first paragraph of the essay, "Managing Conflict," reads as follows: "When I read the reviews of the ninth edition of my college textbook, Communicating Effectively (McGraw-Hill, 2009), it was clear from several of the twenty I received, that students had a real concern about managing conflict.  Being an author who takes the reviews of his textbooks seriously (between just two of my textbooks, I have prepared 16 new editions), and tries—to the extent possible—to satisfy the concerns and incorporate the changes recommended, I drew together the three main areas where conflict, as a topic, was discussed in the ninth edition, and I created a new chapter for the tenth edition entitled, 'Conflict and Conflict Management.'"                                       
                                                                                      

Thursday's Essay Excerpt - from the last paragraph of the essay

With these fundamentals in place, it will not only be far easier to think about facing conflict situations (as opposed to retreating from them) but managing conflict, too, will take on a whole new dimension that will promote mutual understanding, reciprocated trust and respect, and jointly shared resolutions.




And Then Some News

And Then Some News - Who Wrote William Shakespeare Part 2 Video

The video production site for And Then Some Publishing, LLC, ANTworkstudio.com has just released Who Wrote William Shakespeare? Part 2, by Edgar E. Willis.

Part 2 discusses questions about William Shakespeare. Is it mad house chatter? Is it ridiculous? Heretics or as described, Anti-Stratfordians who subscribe to the notion that William Shakespeare did not write the volume of material associated with him. In this video many questions are answered for the numerous reasons he is questioned about his writing, including a history of the postcard of information that is truly fact about William Shakespeare.

Can't see the video?
- Watch Part 1 here
- Watch Part 2 here




See more Books and Videos including How to Be Funny on Purpose and Edgar's account of World War II at EdgarEWillis.com

Thursday's Essay Preview

The first paragraph of the essay, "Losing Control," reads as follows: "When we took my father-in-law for a regularly scheduled doctor’s appointment, it was clear that he had symptoms that merited the appointment although he was only slightly aware of his degenerating condition.  His shuffling around had become more pronounced, his loss of balance was happening more often, just walking across a room created shortness of breath, fatigue increased, and his ankles and feet had swollen to such a degree that he had to put on old shoes, but he could not lace them.  The doctor came outside the examining room to talk with my wife and me, and his diagnosis was clear and distinct: acute congestive heart failure.  Edgar needed to be hospitalized at once so that treatment could begin immediately."
                                                                                              

Thursday's Essay Excerpt - from the last paragraph of the essay
Losing control is a frightening prospect but one most people will have to face.  Rather than lamenting the loss, one can only change his or her attitude.  It is not easy to do, and some would rather die than change.  But, unfortunately, that is the only recourse, because those who say, “I’d rather die than change,” often do.

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Thursday's Essay Preview

The first paragraph of the essay, "Finding time to relax," reads as follows: "It’s easy to get caught up in the helter-skelter of everyday life, community activities, job-related responsibilities, family happenings, etc.  It can be, too, workaholism—the compulsive and unrelenting need to work.  I tend to be a workaholic.  I’ve been one all my life.  When one project is complete I immediately proceed to the next one.  Sometimes, too, I am involved in a number of projects at the same time."
 

Thursday's Essay Excerpt - from the last two paragraphs of the essay

What I have discovered regarding “finding time to relax,” is that you must purposely work relaxation into your schedule.  If you just plan to relax when you find the time—especially if you are a workaholic—it is unlikely you will do much relaxing, if any at all.  I am not suggesting that the way I relax will work for everyone (perhaps no one!), but it offers two important lessons: First, different strokes for different folks!  You need to work out a system or plan that purposefully and specifically incorporates relaxation.  
    
The second lesson, and although I have not mentioned it thus far in this essay, relaxation will help you work better and more efficiently.  For me, it improves my energy level, sleep, concentration, and creative ability.  Doctors, too, will tell you relaxation gives the heart a rest by slowing the heart rate, reduces blood pressure, slows the rate of breathing, which reduces the need for oxygen, increases blood flow to the muscles, and decreases muscle tension.*   Personally, there need be no more justification for working relaxation into my life.

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Thursday's Essay Preview

The first paragraph of the essay, "Keys to overcoming boredom: Entering the room of choices," reads as follows: "As I prepared for church this morning, it seemed to me I had just done it, even though it was a full week ago.  When I pulled down all the Christmas decorations from the attic, it seemed as if I just put them up there the day before. Time flies, the routines become repetitive, and there seems to be little that is new and different.  It is easy to get caught up in the every day, become drugged by the nausea and din of life, and “go with the flow” because it requires no thought, satisfies our comfort zone, and permits nothing but our base survival instincts — routines that are deeply entrenched."                                                                             
                                                                                      

Thursday's Essay Excerpt - from the last paragraph of the essay

Now is the time to combat boredom more directly.  You are now in the room of choices.  Surround yourself with positive people, keep active, read new, interesting, positive material on the Internet, eat healthy food, begin a regular exercise routine, and get enough sleep.  With a more positive and optimistic outlook, you need to accept that some boredom in life is inevitable.  Do what has to be done as quickly as possible, and get on with it.  Life can’t be all fun and games.  Pat Riley, the basketball coach said, “If you have a positive attitude and constantly strive to give your best effort, eventually you will overcome your immediate problems and find you are ready for greater challenges” — the challenges offered in the room of choices.

And Then Some News

And Then Some News

Thursday's Essay Preview

The first paragraph of the essay, "Is it nostalgia or is it music? Maybe both." reads as follows: "My wife gave me a “Wooden Music Center with Recordable CD Player” for Christmas year.  Not particularly liking modern technology, I waited eleven days to open the box.  It sat in my study until I could muster the stamina (the sheer determination) to open it, pull the Center from its foam protection, and read the instructions.  My lack of technical expertise caused me to read with great care, but I was resolved to make this work."

                                                                   
                                                                                      

Thursday's Essay Excerpt - from the last paragraph of the essay

Then I wondered if it was the nostalgia or the music having the positive effect?  Perhaps it was a little of both.  Whatever the cause, the effect was positive, encouraging, and revitalizing.

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And Then Some News

Thursday's Essay Preview

This is second of two essays that not only prove "the power of small," but show, too, the power of a personal letter.  The first two paragraphs of this second essay reads: "I had just picked up a copy of Linda Kaplan Thaler and Robin Koval’s book, The power of small: Why little things make all the difference (Boradway Books, 2009) as a small item occurred that may make a big difference in some people’s lives.  This story is what their book is about.
   
"On May 20, 2009, at the request of my granddaughter, Mckenzie, I donated blood at Woodland School in Perrysburg, Ohio.  For me, donating is a regular thing, and I donate as often as I can.  While donating, I signaled the woman in charge of the donation to come to my donation site."
                                                                   
                                                                                      

Thursday's Essay Excerpt - from the last paragraph of the essay

From all that I read, it was my single letter that prompted this change.  Now when you donate blood, please don’t just notice the hand sanitizer in the canteen area, having just squeezed a dirty sponge ball as you donated, please use it before having your cookies or leaving the donation site.  Thaler and Robin Koval’s book, The power of small, offers hundreds more examples about how small things can make a big difference.

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And Then Some News

Thursday's Essay Preview

This is one of two essays that not only prove "the power of small," but show, too, the power of a personal letter.  The first part of this essay reads: I really didn’t think anything about it when it happened because her action fit into a pleasing matrix of supportive, encouraging, positive behavior; however, it was such a treat that I decided to write a letter describing her actions.  This is the letter I wrote:

Mr. Anthony Sprenger, Branch Manager
Key Bank
1088 Louisiana Avenue
Perrysburg, OH 43551

Dear Mr. Sprenger:

This unsolicited letter is designed specifically to extol the virtues of Monica Kernahan — an outstanding Key Bank client-service representative.

Thursday's Essay Excerpt - from the last paragraph of the essay

When I asked Monica if I could see the certificate, she immediately asked me if I wanted a copy of it.  Naturally, I said, “Yes,” and she took it off the wall, proceeded immediately to the copy machine, and I have a copy of her certificate here at my computer as I am writing this essay—just one more example of the “friendliness and generosity she has displayed [that] are truly representative of outstanding service.”

And Then Some News

And Then Some News

Thursday's Essay Preview

This is the seventeenth of 17 essays that cover our Southeast Asia cruise (March, 2010).  The first paragraph of the seventeenth essay reads as follows:  "We are touring the best-preserved imperial palace in all of China, the five-century-old Forbidden City located in the center of Beijing.  Our guidebook, Beijing Encounter (by Lonely Planet), says that the 14 Ming emperors and 10 Qing emperors “became absorbed in the splendor of life inside the palace.  The royal mealtime took up much of the day.  By the time Empress Cixi took power, she was getting twice-daily meals consisting of over 100 dishes” (p. 11)."

Thursday's Essay Excerpt - from the last paragraph of the essay

Princess cruise line provided the shuttle to the airport, and we discovered that Beijing has one of the most attractive, tourist-friendly airports in the world.  It is clean, toilets are spotless, airport personnel are helpful and friendly, and the methods used for boarding the aircraft are efficient and effective.  What a delightful way to end our Southeast Asian experience!

And Then Some News

And Then Some News

And Then Some Publishing has just released a new video via ANTworkstudio YouTube Channel!

Who Wrote William Shakespeare? Part 2, by Edgar E. Willis

Part 2 discusses questions about William Shakespeare. Is it mad house chatter? Is it ridiculous? Heretics or as described, Anti-Stratfordians who subscribe to the notion that William Shakespeare did not write the volume of material associated with him. In this video many questions are answered for the numerous reasons he is questioned about his writing, including a history of the postcard of information that is truly fact about William Shakespeare.

Can't see the video?
- Watch Part 1 here
- Watch Part 2 here



See more Books and Videos including How to Be Funny on Purpose and Edgar's account of World War II at EdgarEWillis.com

Thursday's Essay Preview

This is the sixteenth of 17 essays that cover our Southeast Asia cruise (March, 2010).  The first paragraph of the sixteenth essay reads as follows:  "On our third day in Beijing, we took a taxi to Tiananman Square and the Forbidden City.  When you take a taxi you must have your present location as well as your destination written in Chinese so you can get to where you are going and return to your hotel. (Hotels provide this information as a regular and necessary part of their service.)  Taxi drivers speak no English at all!  Even with it written in Chinese, some drivers will refuse the fare because it is not enough.  That is, they would prefer waiting for customers going a longer distance so they can make more money.  For example, at the Silk Market, we were refused service back to our Beijing Marriott City Wall Hotel by six taxi drivers before we found a seventh to return us to the hotel."

Thursday's Essay Excerpt - from the last two paragraphs of the essay

All of the 800 buildings (originally built between 1406 and 1420) have been rebuilt more than six times throughout the centuries because of fires.  They are decorated in bright, clean colors of yellow, red, green, and blue often with gold-plated highlights, however, as pointed out at the AsianArtMall.com website, “With the color yellow being the symbol for the royal family, you will find it to be dominant throughout the City.  For example, the roofs have yellow glazed tiles, palace decorations are painted yellow, and the bricks found outside are yellow.”  All the buildings that can be seen today are post-18th-century.
    
The Forbidden City was home to 24 different Chinese emperors, and it is the best-preserved collection of ancient architecture in China.  Because of its place in history, importance, impressiveness, and my memories of our time there, I will continue my discussion of it in Beijing IV — my fourth Beijing essay.

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And Then Some News

Thursday's Essay Preview

This is the fifteenth of 17 essays that cover our Southeast Asia cruise (March, 2010).  The first paragraph of the fifteenth essay reads as follows:  "We are taking a private tour with our tour guide, Michael Ye.  We also have a driver who speaks no English and has a small picture of Mao and a jade Buddha hanging from the rear-view mirror for good luck.  We have already toured the Great Wall (discussed in Beijing I).  From the Great Wall, Michael continued to educate us about China and Beijing.  He told us, for example, that whereas the U.S. has a big middle class (45-50%), China’s middle class amounts to only 15%.  These are mainly young, educated, and sophisticated Chinese who are likely to help forge a new direction for China.  He explained that the “new” China is similar to 'capitalistic communism,' and all land in China is still owned by the government.  There is no private ownership; people only rent it."

Thursday's Essay Excerpt - from the last paragraph of the essay

In the third Beijing essay I will discuss Tiananiman Square and the Forbidden City.  I will also mention taxi-cab pirates.  If there was a fifth problem Beijing needs to solve with respect to making the city more “user/tourist friendly,” it would be the problem they have with pirates.  You cannot have tourists being subjected to even the possibility (or merely the thought of) price-gouging by uncontrolled, rogue pirates.  It is not a pleasant thought, but it is a real and pervasive threat.

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And Then Some News

Thursday's Essay Preview

This is the fourteenth of 17 essays that cover our Southeast Asia cruise (March, 2010).  The first paragraph of the fourteenth essay reads as follows:  "With three days in Beijing, we really had a good chance to get to know the city, and there is no doubt the city has a great deal to offer tourists.  After visiting eight other large Asian cities, you might think we had seen enough or that our views might be slightly jaundiced, and there is something to that perspective.  We feel we had been in Beijing one day too long by the afternoon of the second full day, and we felt we had seen everything we wanted to see — but this does not have anything to do with what this city has to offer tourists."

Thursday's Essay Excerpt - from the last two paragraphs of the essay

The Great Wall is impressive in its size, but that is precisely what makes it one of the eight wonders of the world.  It is 3,889.5 miles long (we didn’t walk the whole length!), and it was begun in 221 BC.  It was only in the Ming Dynasty when the Ming constructed walls along the northern border of China designed specifically to keep the Manchurian and Mongolian nomadic tribes out of China.  Also, the Great Wall helped defend the empire against the Manchu invasions of 1600, even though the Manchus crossed the Great Wall in 1644 and seized Beijing, defeated the Shun Dynasty, and established the Qing Dynasty.  Obviously, the decision to construct the wall as part of a defense system was a good idea, even though at times it didn’t work as effectively as planned.
    
I want to talk about our continuing tour with Michael Ye.  In the second Beijing essay, I will continue from the Great Wall forward.

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And Then Some News

Thursday's Essay Preview

This is the thirteenth of 17 essays that cover our Southeast Asia cruise (March, 2010).  The first paragraph of the thirteenth essay reads as follows:  "We are walking through the Yu Garden in Old Shanghai.  The buildings of the Yu Garden were all of vintage Chinese style with dark brown tile-like, fancy roofs, white sides, and perched on stones.  Most overlooked small pools of large, golden carp, and the pools were outlined in rocks of various sizes and shapes, brought down from the surrounding mountains.  Some rocks, our tour guide said, were taken from the mountains then put into lakes for 200-300 years so that the weaker soil and rock would be eroded away and an artistic limestone shape was left that revealed holes and crevices that made them especially attractive and unique.  Some of these were massive in size, and the garden area was absolutely, breathtakingly beautiful — a clear reason why the crowds of tourists were there."
                                       

Thursday's Essay Excerpt - from the last paragraph of the essay

Even though we missed a great deal, we had a valuable and worthwhile opportunity to see downtown Shanghai and where it is heading as well as various parts of Old Town.  This was not just an adventure but a real look at contrasting cultures where a city treasures and preserves its past while moving rapidly into the future.

And Then Some News

And Then Some News

Thursday's Essay Preview

This is the twelfth of 17 essays that cover our Southeast Asia cruise (March, 2010).  The first paragraph of the twelfth essay reads as follows:  "This essay on Shanghai could just as easily be two completely different essays about the same city, because Shanghai is cut in half by the Huangpu River (a tributary of the Yangtze), and on one side is Puxi, the old area lying on the west side, and on the other, Pudong, the new development zone lying on the east side.  The contrast between these two sides is not just a “conversation piece”; it is real, dramatic, and startling — the obviously modern versus the clearly traditional.  (I have written two essays on Shanghai; however, they don’t divide the city into two parts.  The essays simply divide the information on Shanghai into two parts.)"

Thursday's Essay Excerpt - from the last two paragraphs of the essay

Yu Garden is considered landscape art.  It is meant, throughout, to perfectly balance the yin and the yang.  Each garden within the walls “must have several elements, the main ones being plants, rock, water, and pavillions, in order to make it harmonious,” says our Beijing Encounter guidebook — which includes information on Shanghai.  Our guidebook pointed it out: “To make it harmonious, the gardens are built . . . for promoting the flow of qi [energy flow] as they are to be an aesthetic pleasure.  The hardness of the rock (yang) should balance out the softness of the water (yin)” (p. 124).

The gardens within the Yu Garden are stunning in their beauty, and I will continue my discussion of them (briefly) in the second essay on Shanghai.

And Then Some News

And Then Some News

Thursday's Essay Preview

This is the eleventh of 17 essays that cover our Southeast Asia cruise (March, 2010).  The first paragraph of the eleventh essay reads as follows:  "You do not get a fair view of the main island of the Okinawa Prefecture, Okinawa, with just a half-day stay and no excursion, but that is what we did.  Some could probably argue that you can’t even get a fair view of anywhere without an extended stay — and that is probably an accurate point of view.  We did not exchange enough money (we had just 2,000 Japanese yen — $22.6 U.S.) which was not enough for a taxi ride to and from Shuri Castle or the World War II Memorial.  They are both a fair distance from the downtown area of Naha, the capital, where our shuttle from the ship dropped us off (a mere 15-20-minute drive), and the time to get there (to the castle or the memorial) and back could have prevented a walk down the main shopping street.

Thursday's Essay Excerpt - from the last two paragraphs of the essay

For all of the immigration papers we had to fill out, the fingerprinting, pictures, and thermal scanning (all before going ashore), you would think we had planned to stay on the island for some time.  It is too bad that we did not have a chance to see their pottery, textiles, or glass making (products they are known for).
    
Even though we got but a meager glimpse of Okinawa, the lack of big high-rise buildings, the palms along the streets, the modern bridge connecting the port with the city, made this an interesting place to visit, but for us, it remains undiscovered, unexplored, and unexperienced.

And Then Some News

And Then Some News

Thursday's Essay Preview

This is the tenth of 17 essays that cover our Southeast Asia cruise (March, 2010).  The first two paragraphs of the tenth essay reads as follows:  "We’re in Taipei, Taiwan, the capital of the country.  TAIPEI is mnemonic for Technology, Art, Innovation, People, Environment — something I only discovered after I Googled it when I was writing this essay back at home.

Tour with me for a moment.  Pretend you are standing in the middle of a large esplanade (courtyard) — open space.  At one end there are massive white gates, and if you’re looking at those, behind you there is the white and blue mausoleum containing a bronze statue of Chiang Kai Shek..  The mausoleum stands like a modern block-house on a huge raised pedestal.  The pictures at the Taiwan Taipei website , “Chiang Kai Shek Memorial,” are outstanding."

Thursday's Essay Excerpt - from the last paragraph of the essay

There is no question that Taiwan is a jewel just waiting for greater discovery.  It’s especially nice, too, when you get a proud, knowledgeable, well-informed excursion guide who not only points out the sights along a walking tour of the city but, too, talks about all the other things that make Taiwan the jewel that it is.


And Then Some News

And Then Some News

Thursday's Essay Preview

This is the ninth of 17 essays that cover our Southeast Asia cruise (March, 2010).  The first paragraph of the ninth essay reads as follows:  "“Undiscovered jewel” is how our tour guide, Jan de Vries, described “his” island.  Married to an extroverted, lovely, Taiwanese woman, Jan, with his Dutch ancestry, is an assistant Professor and Lecturer in Aviation, Travel, and Tourism, and he loves his island.  Even with its earthquakes, cyclones, tornadoes, tsunamis, and storms (driven to the island from mainland China), and potential volcanic eruptions, it is truly “his” jewel.  Having been connected with the airline industry and traveling extensively (especially with the airline, KLM), he tried to promote “his” island wherever and whenever he could."

Thursday's Essay Excerpt - from the last two paragraphs of the essay

The expansive esplanade separates the white gates at one end from the large memorial building — sitting like a modern block-house on a pedestal, topped by another royal-blue, tiled roof with a red doorknob-like structure on top.  See a picture of it at the Sinotour.com website, and read the essay there entitled, “Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall.”
   
As I wrote this essay I was unaware of its length; thus, I continue it in my Taiwan Essay 2.  In the second part of the essay I discuss my seven reasons why Taiwan is a jewel — an undiscovered jewel.


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