LESS NEWS MAY BE GOOD NEWS

I have, for at least the past 15 years or so, been disappointed, frustrated, angered, and sometimes simply astonished at some of the current deficiencies in the news media I was once a part of. So many times even national network anchors report on stories which they obviously have not checked and usually have no historical knowledge of from which to place the story in perspective.It's as if they never read newspapers or books on anything happening more than a few months ago.

I enjoy it when Jay Leno does one of his famous Jaywalking bits, where he asks ordinary people very easy questions, like who fought in World War II, who's the Vice President of the United States, and is President Obama a Democrat or Republican? It's shocking and funny how many answer incorrectly, and some of these people are college students or even teachers. But I'm not sure most so-called news people in today's 24/7 media could answer any better.

When I was a newsman for WRVA Radio in Richmond, Virginia; KYW Newsradio in Philadelphia; and NBC and WINS NewsRadio in New York, we were held to much higher standards. We were expected to be well-read, educated in current events and history going back at least 50 years.

I became nostalgic for this bygone era when I tuned in this past weekend to one of my favorite news and information shows, Inside Washington, which originates on the local ABC television station in Washington, D.C., and is carried in selected other markets. I catch it online every week. http://www.insidewashington.tv/

In this particular edition, moderator Gordon Peterson opened by commenting on the controversy surrounding Shirley Sherrod, a black women condemned and fired for making a racist remark during a speech. Except she never made it, the whole story, which started with an edited and doctored video posted on a conservative website, and then was trumpeted by Fox News, was a big lie, as in the kind of Big Lie perpetrated by Hitler's Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels. Even the Obama Administration acted stupidly and prematurely, and followed the herd mentality by firing her. The President has since apologized to Sherrod and offered her a better and bigger job. But it does point out the deficiencies of today's news media in terms of accuracy, diligence, and integrity. Gordon Peterson said:

"Some of you may remember the good old days of newspapers, TV and radio news, when you had hours to work on your story, and your editors and producers had plenty of time to sift through your stuff for accuracy. If you remember that, you're a dinosaur! Welcome to the blogosphere, the burn-out pace of online news, and the 24 hour instant deadline."

Well, call me Tyrannosaurus Rex, because I do remember that time. I remember one story at KYW NewsRadio in which Andrea Mitchell (yes, that Andrea Mitchell) and I worked for a couple of weeks checking out facts before we were allowed to go on the air with our report. I'll admit there have been times over the years when I wondered where I'd be if I had stayed in that career. It was fun and exciting. Andrea still seems to be the hard-working and impeccably prepared reporter she was back then when we were colleagues and friends. But she and a few others are rarities, dinosaurs if you will. And I'm happy to have quit when I was ahead, and the quality of news media was way ahead.

Jerry

(If you haven't discovered it yet, check out my prosperity blog, from which you can download my latest book, an online edition titled The Moneylove Manifesto, and even access a free sample audio from The Moneylove Club. http://www.MoneyloveBlog.com)

BOREDOM CAN BE FASCINATING!

Thinking about this subject of boredom got started with a satirical comment I posted on Facebook:

I hear Apple is working on an app that would send out an electric shock to anyone who posts anything boring or useless on FB. If it's true, are any of us immune?

And this evoked some of the most interesting comments I've ever gotten on Facebook. Which led me to the belief that "boredom" might be an interesting topic to write about (or ironically, I could be boring the life out of you merely by bringing it up!).

Focusing on this subject, which incidentally is the antidote to boredom--focusing with attention on anything intently out of all the things we could be paying attention to--brought me to a major self-realization. I am almost never bored. Even during 12 years in the dreariest, dullest, most tedious and enervating environment of all: prison, I was never bored. Of course, I'm one of those arrogant people who finds his own thoughts profoundly fascinating.

I like what Wikipedia says in its definition of boredom:

"An emotional state experienced during periods lacking activity, or when individuals are uninterested in the opportunities surrounding them."

And some scientists studying the subject seem to agree that it's not that people are bored from the lack of things to do, but from the inability to latch onto any specific activity. This reminds me of the term I recently coined, "Scatterholic," to describe someone who cannot focus on one thing at a time and therefore dilutes his or her creative energy.

I also like what Anna Gosline said in the December, 2007 edition of Scientific American Mind:

"Don't blame your job, the traffic, or your mindless chores. Battling boredom, researchers say, means finding focus, living in the moment, and having something to live for."

I think that is the also the secret to battling poverty consciousness and any other obstacle to a creative, loving, healthy and prosperous life.

A lot of people must find this subject interesting, since there are over 12 million results when you Google "boredom."

As you may know, one of the ways I kept my sanity in prison was by writing cartoon gags, some of which major cartoonists then sold to national publications like Saturday Evening Post, Wall Street Journal, and Parade. And I get these snippets of inspiration in the most unlikely places (which is one of the things that keeps me from ever being bored). Even in writing this piece, one just popped into my head:

Scene: Woman to man at party.

Caption: "You're definitely the most interesting man here, and you still bore me silly."

And the saddest fact in all of this is that some of the most boring people on the planet actually believe that they are endlessly interesting.

Jerry

Now, for some really interesting stuff on prosperity, check out my other blog,

www.MoneyloveBlog.com

THE MOST ESSENTIAL FREEDOM OF ALL

So it's Independence Day here in the U.S. I remember how strange it seemed spending the holiday in London back in 1985. I suddenly realized my British friends really didn't care to celebrate the anniversary. This brings to mind the recently released statistic that 20% of U.S. citizens don't know who we won our independence from. One friend, an American, was married to an Englishwoman who was minor royalty...22nd in line to the throne or something like that. So they were invited as special guests to the garden party at the U.S. Embassy to celebrate the 4th, and took me along. A festive event, but certainly surreal.

I've been thinking about personal freedom a lot recently. When I was in prison, I outlined a book that is currently on my famous "back burner," The Great Escape--12 Essential Freedoms.

The most essential one I think is the one offered by Christopher Morley:

"There is only one success--to be able to spend your life in your own way."

That's really what freedom is all about, isn't it? On several occasions I've had the rather arrogant thought that I am more uniquely qualified to expound on freedom than most people, having spent 12 years in prison, and feeling that I hadn't lost my freedom at all--just my freedom of movement through the physical world. Inside my own head, I was as free as the proverbial bird, free to stretch my wings and take off in any direction. Free to think, to reflect, to meditate, to daydream, to imagine, to have any opinion I chose on any subject in the universe. True, there were harsh realities to deal with, but with such an abundance of internal options on which to focus, these were largely insignificant and usually easy to ignore.

But more recently, I had the further realization that we all have that ability to create our own freedom, in prison or out. Some people create their own prisons of limited freedom without ever getting involved with the so-called justice system. All have the ability to escape.

I just posted a comment on my Facebook page about the fact that I was planning to spend July 4th alone at home to celebrate my Personal Independence Day. And then I exercised my personal independence by changing my mind. In about an hour, I am headed for lunch at Red Lobster, where I will order one of my favorites, their seafood gumbo served in a sourdough bread bowl with a salad featuring wood grilled shrimp. I am celebrating a small but very satisfying victory. Some of you know that a continuing interest of mine is poker. And last night I entered an online Razz (7 card lowball stud) tournament for $5.50. There were 55 other players from all over the world, The Netherlands, United Kingdom, Russia, Germany, Australia, Canada, Austria, Italy, Brazil, etc. I came in 2nd and won $112.50. Not a huge amount of money, but certainly worth celebrating with a delicious lunch. And it moves me further along in my education, which I hope will lead me to a slot in the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas next year.

In response to my Facebook item, I got a message from my old friend Gregg Sanderson, whom I first knew in Miami in the 1970s. Marla Sanderson recently took over as minister of the Church of Religious Science in Largo, Florida, so they moved from Nashville back to Florida after some thirty years away in such places as Las Cruces, New Mexico; San Diego; Nevada City, CA. In his message, Gregg sent me a link to their newsletter and an article by Marla on Personal Independence Day, so I decided it would be perfect to share that with my blog readers, as it coincided with so many of my own thoughts on the subject (don't we always adore the writings of people who largely agree with us?).

http://www.consciousliving.org/newsletter.html

Summer is a great time to explore and exercise your personal freedom. I still vividly remember the sense of freedom I would get during summer vacation from school. I was suddenly free to do whatever I wanted with an entire day. Sometimes this was scary, sometimes boring, but always life-affirming. I loved that sense of freedom so much that I became determined to always be able to live as if I was on summer vacation from school. And most of my life I've been able to do that. I wish the same for you.

Jerry

By the way, another way I exercise my personal independence is by having another blog, independent from this one, focused mostly on prosperity, but certainly with a similar philosophical view of life, liberty, love, and the pursuit of happiness. Check it out.

http://moneyloveblog.com/

THE TEACHER AND THE STUDENT: The Virtuous Cycle

It all started with a post on my Facebook page that evoked several comments.

I especially was awakened by the one from Dr. Mary Ann Somervill, who in the several decades of our friendship, has constantly informed and enlightened me with her knowledge and insight. After all, what else could you expect from a Wiccan-Unitarian-English Professor?

Jerry Gillies I must be a great teacher. Several of my clients are reporting back to me increases in income far exceeding my own since our sessions together. I remember some years back teasing Jack Canfield about his getting a lot richer than me after attending some Moneylove workshops. And isn't that what teaching and mentoring is all about, having the student surpass you?

Saturday at 1:47pm · Comment ·

MaryAnn Somervill

That and learning from your students. Good for you, Jerry!

Saturday at 2:25pm · ·

And Mary Ann's comment filled in an important piece of it all, certainly a major part of why it feels so good when some you teach or coach or mentor takes in what you have to offer and processes it in his or her own unique way, filtering it through their own experience and turning into their own individual perception. It's the icing on the cake when you then get back from that former student something new that expands your own awareness and knowledge.

And it isn't only what I've termed the virtuous cycle (as opposed to a vicious cycle) involving the teacher and the student. It's also the basic cycle of life--the connection between parent and child. It is part of the natural and organic evolution of the species that the parent teaches the child so that the child will accomplish even greater wisdom and success than the parent--and hopefully pass it on to future generations.

And in the best of these multi-generational connections, the parent also learns from the child. Think how many parents have been depending, in recent years, on their kids to teach them the new technologies--how to master computers, the Internet, smart phones, etc.

And you don't have to be an author or teacher or coach to pass on valuable learning, especially by example. From my mother, Minnie Gillies, I learned to love the magic of books--she was a voracious reader. From my father, Edward Gillies, I learned how time was more important than money. Whenever he had to work overtime in his job as a foreman in a manufacturing plant, and had the choice between an extra day's pay and an extra day off, he always chose the time--even though the extra money would have been a nice addition to his lower middle income level.

Learning by example is still the best kind of learning there is.

Jerry

I also learned some valuable lessons from the popular music of my childhood. I discuss this on my other blog at:

http://moneyloveblog.com/accentuate-the-positive/

SO YOU THINK THAT'S FUNNY, DO YOU?

The title above is the kind of thing someone in authority says to us when we are being funny at inappropriate times or in inappropriate places. In school, for instance, where I was somewhat of a class clown. Or in the army, when a staff sergeant might take offense to laughter in formation, especially when he is citing some ridiculous military practice or rule. Or in prison, where, believe it or not, there is a lot of laughter about the sheer absurdity of a group of mostly neanderthal "correction officers" (that title alone, instead of the old "guard", is silly in the extreme) with little training or education have such total control over the inmates. Remember Hogan's Heroes?

And remember back in 2001, a week after 9/11, when comedian Bill Maher returned to the air with his ABC TV show, Politically Incorrect (one of my favorite shows for several years), and made a comment about how the terrorists flying planes into the World Trade Center buildings were definitely not cowardly, and compared this to the U.S. lobbing cruise missiles at enemies from thousands of miles away. Yes, it was over-the-top, and probably in bad taste. But it was intended satirically, not maliciously--and Maher was quickly fired.

Bill Maher had not paid attention to that famous quote, attributed to Woody Allen, Carole Burnett, and many others, "Comedy is Tragedy plus Time." Not enough time had gone by for most people to be ready to hear 9/11 made light of.

As someone who has written comedy, and thousands of cartoon gags, I am always seeing the humorous side of even very serious events. I do remember one cartoon not too long after 9/11 (certainly more than a week after) in The New Yorker. It showed a woman with a cat in a carrier, and a security guard speaking to her, saying, "I'm sorry, he'll have to have his nails clipped before you can board." I remember thinking I wish I had written that one myself.

One of the favorite ones I did for Bunny Hoest that was published in Parade, and I did it while I was in prison, showed a portly middle-aged man with a pile of prison clothing, obviously a new arrival. One guard said to another, "He says that, as a former CEO, he's entitled to a corner cell."

My fellow inmates got a big kick out of that because, even though Bunny and I had never met in person, the prisoner in her drawing looked a lot like me.

Then there's the oil spill, fodder for all sorts of late night talk show humor, and perhaps because after the initial explosion, no human has died from the effects of the massive pollution--yet, it is inspiring lots of satire and comedy. And just as George W. Bush was the butt of many of the jokes after Katrina, British Petroleum is receiving most of the humorous attention--and it's terrible, fumbling CEO just adds to the fuel. Maybe that was why it took a while for anything funny to be inspired by 9/11 and be acceptable: There was no obvious fumbling butt of the joke.

I came up with my contribution in response to a request from my longtime friend and poet Tere Star, who invited people to "Give voice to your feelings about this ecological catastrophe." for the Miami Poets Soiree.

I wrote and posted on FaceBook as well as emailing it to Tere:

Roses are red,

Violets are blue,

My ocean has suddenly

turned to goo.

That's what oil spills

tend to do.

Wildlife is dead,

BP be through.

But thanks to my theatre historian friend and Broadway musical expert, Bonnie Weiss (http://www.curtainup.net/), I found someone who did a much more ambitious tribute, with fantastic production values, great lyrics, and a first-rate musical presentation. Though some of the visuals are a bit hard to take, I consider it a satirical masterpiece in the wake of this continuing tragedy. Let me know what you think.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tj9b90HHq8A

And remember, what we can laugh at--we can survive and triumph over.

Jerry

I also publish another blog, inspired by my bestselling book, Moneylove, and focused on prosperity. http://www.MoneyloveBlog.com

SERENDIPITY IS A STRING QUARTET

Don't even try to figure out the title of this post before you read further. But I wanted to tell you the story of an amazing set of circumstances--though in fact, these kinds of things have been happening in my life with some frequency since my release from prison 21 months ago.

The first event in this series occurred last week. I got a new coaching client, and my favorite kind--someone who already has a lot of prosperity consciousness and a successful career and is living her passion. Her name is Sarah Paul and she is a cellist and the founder of a string quartet in Atlanta www.AmatiMusic.com.

I should mention that in my entire long life, I have never before known or even met a cellist.

The next event was on Friday night, when I at the last minute realized it was the monthly film night in a new series begun last month at Unity San Francisco. I decided to go into the city to attend. It was a double feature, and the first film was a lovely movie with a theme about death being an extension of life, and some other sub-themes, including one that might not be immediately noticed, but was significant for me: How we need to find our own true passion, and not rely on what others think is the best path for us. It was about a young cellist whose symphony orchestra was disbanded. Unemployed, he goes back to his home village from Tokyo and takes a job preparing bodies for burial with a ritualized hands-on bathing staged in front of friends and family. And it is obvious that despite his love of music, this is his true calling.

It is a Japanese film by director Yojiro Takita, starring Masahiro Motoki as the cellist and Ryoko Hirosue as his beautiful wife. I was quite taken with her quiet beauty and the astonishing way she has a repetoire of smiles to illuminate all sorts of emotions.

http://www.imdb.com/media/rm2084276736/tt1069238

The next day, I found out Departures won the 2009 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

And the last serendipitous event (these things usually run in threes, but who knows whether another one may be waiting in the wings?) came about because my theatre historian friend Bonnie Weiss called me yesterday to invite me today to a show she had a couple of tickets to. It's called Opus and is being staged by the acclaimed professional Theatre Works company in Mountain View, just down the road from my home in San Bruno. Imagine my amazed surprise when I Googled the title and discovered this description:

An internationally famous string quartet finds both harmony and dissonance in this smart, funny, and compelling study of artistic passion. Forced to find a new member just days before an appearance at the White House, they are caught in a crescendo of talent and personality, their collaboration tested and their art insecure. A behind-the-scenes look at the world of great music, this intriguing “dramedy” proves that making art and living life have many a measure in common.

And you can be sure there will be a cellist in this string quartet, and probably a lot of cello music during the show itself, which I am headed for in about two hours as Bonnie picks me up.

What is the significance of this string of cello related coincidences? Who knows? And this just brought up the thought that maybe one more such event is in the offing, which would make for a serendipitous string quartet of my own. Serendipity is described as happy accidents of fortunate discovery. I'm not going to spend a lot of time trying to ponder these events, which my dear friend Rupa Cousin prefers calling "synchronicity". Another coincidence related to the first event--my new client Sarah Paul was, while a student at the Manhattan School of Music, a client of Rupa's for her Alexander Technique work, and they have fond memories of each other.

Is it any wonder I find life infinitely interesting and continue to awake each morning with robust expectations?

Everything is really connected. Even to the extent that I got my whole life theme of "Robust Expectations" from Rupa's illustrious cousin, Norman Cousins.

Jerry

And don't forget to also check out my prosperity blog, where you can also download my free ebook, The Moneylove Manifesto.

http://www.MoneyloveBlog.com

WE LOVE OUR TOYS, BOYS

A man and his toys. Oh, they might get more complicated, or bigger, or certainly more expensive, but no matter what else he has going for him, a man has a special place in his heart for his toys. They might consist of cars, like Jay Leno and a few hundred classic models he has to have a staff to maintain--but he can easily afford this and his wife Mavis probably says what most wives say about their guy's toys, "It keeps him out of trouble."

Obviously, there is a toy gene missing in such men as Tiger Woods, John Edwards, and Elliot Spitzer--they don't seem to have had any toys that could keep them out of trouble. Okay women, here's the bottom line, I wouldn't trust any man who doesn't have at least one category of toy he is passionate about. Cars, electronics, any kind of collectibles except living, breathing specimens.

One of the exercises I often give coaching clients is to spend a specified amount of money frivolously on toys. Men seem to find this easier than women. I think it's one of the main differences between the genders. I'll go out on a limb here, and say, in my opinion, men like to indulge in some kind of play with some kind of object. Women like to indulge in themselves. They amount of energy men put into their toys, women more than equal in pampering themselves with potions and products designed to make them more attractive to men. Which most men, at least the ones with any brains, greatly appreciate.

Let's face it, the things women obsess about are much more beneficial and pleasing to men than any of the mens' toys are to the women in their lives. Not that men want to hear about that new hand cream or bikini wax, but they definitely want to admire the result. The results of their hours spent playing with toys, not so visible, not so easily appreciated. On the other hand, men who play wholeheartedly with toys tend to be calmer, more fun-oriented, and more tactile--in other words, more likely to pleasingly play with their women in mutually satisfying ways.

One of the sites I send clients to for choosing some of these frivolous items for their homework assignment, is

www.ThinkGeek.com--and maintaining my position from on high on top of Mount Integrity, I wouldn't dare ask someone to do something I wouldn't do myself. So I consider it my duty to regularly make frivolous purchases from this website. I felt validated the other day when I was at the San Francisco Apple Store for my one-to-one session with one of their geniuses and asked him if he knew about ThinkGeek. His face lit up, and he exclaimed, "That is such a neat place!"

And what kind of toys do I get for myself--what guilty pleasures am I about to admit to here? Well, my latest is a desktop finger drum set, five mini drums that light up and make actual drum sounds when you hit them with your fingertips. http://www.thinkgeek.com/geektoys/cubegoodies/922f/

Check out the short, silly video to see them in action.

The also have edible items, and this gives me a chance to explore "Things I would be unlikely to ever put into my mouth if I had more sense." The latest of these, and the jury is still out, are Caffeinated Maple Bacon lollipops. I'm only about halfway through my first one. Starting out, it's mostly the flavor of maple syrup, and with my weird tastebuds, I've never liked syrup on anything...butter only for me on pancakes, waffles, french toast. I was despairing of ever discovering any bacon flavor, when about a third of the way through the big lollipop, little shards of something I assume to be bacon bits began to appear. Tickling the tongue, but definitely tasting more bacony than maply (or is that mapely?).

And if you can go through the thinkgeek online catalog, or that of

http://www.perpetualkid.com/, or www.ThingsYouNeverKnew.com

and not even be tempted, you might want to have your testosterone levels checked. Or you might just be one of my beautiful female readers, too busy to waste your time on such nonsense as you head for the spa.

Jerry

And by the way, one of my other toys is my other blog, focused on prosperity, at:

www.MoneyloveBlog.com. You can also download my free ebook there, The Moneylove Manifesto--in which the Appendix features the most revealing stuff a motivational teacher has ever shared about himself. And if that doesn't rouse your curiosity, you probably don't like toys either--or kittens, puppies, and bacon lollipops.