The Ramblings of the Titanium Don
Ramblings

Category: Pathwalking

Why Didn’t You Know What I Thought You Should/Would Know?

Communication is the key to everything in all relationships. Have you ever thought that you told someone something or held a conversation that you didn’t? Did you ever go through – in your head – a whole discussion, then forgot that it never truly occurred?  And then, have you gotten mad at the other party because they didn’t know what you thought that they should and/or would know? Odds are, either you’ve experienced this – or been on the receiving

Do Your Inactions Speak Louder Than Words?

The intersection of words, actions, and inactions gives us control over our lives and the paths we choose. One of the greatest failings of many politicians is their lack of actions. They talk, and talk, and talk a whole lot about the wonderful things they do or will do – but do nothing actually useful. Frankly, in many cases, their real profession is lying. Hence, inactions speak louder than words. This doesn’t apply to only politicians, business leaders, religious leaders,

Do You Need to Do Impressive Things to Make a Difference in the World?

No. You just need to do the best and be the best you can. I’m a big fan of audiobooks. When I recently came across Chris Hadfield’s An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth and saw he was also the narrator, I had to download it. If you’re unfamiliar with Colonel Chris Hadfield, he’s a Canadian Astronaut who’s been to space 3 times, the last as commander of the International Space Station (ISS). He’s also an excellent singer, songwriter, and

I’m a Human Being – Sitting at My Desk, Fingers on My Keyboard

A new mindfulness realization dawns on marble head. My therapist told me about a book called Clinical Dharma: A Path for Healers and Helpers by Dr. Stephen Dansiger. She said it had been helpful to her, and she thought it would be helpful to me. In this book, the author talks about applying Buddhist principles to clinical practices – and beyond. Specifically, this relates to the Noble Eightfold Path. Some of it has resonated with me, some not as much.

When You Get to the End, Will You Celebrate or Regret?

Life is full of choices both made and not made. No matter what happens between now and tomorrow, your life will come to an end. Sorry if that’s a very downer statement. But it’s a simple truth for everyone everywhere. It doesn’t matter who you are, where you come from, your social status, wealth or lack, or any other factor you can think of. Life ends for everyone. You can look at this as a real bummer. You may also

What Is a Cost Analysis of Life Choices?

Every choice you make has a cost. This is highly variable and subjective. Sir Isaac Newton’s Third Law of Motion states, “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” This is applicable, however, beyond the laws of motion. For anything and everything that you do – literal or figurative – there will be a reaction. Some approach this from the notion that actions have consequences. I look at it as every choice you make is an action you

When the People Who Share My Heart Don’t Get Me?

How do I handle this along life’s paths? My family largely doesn’t get me. They love me, I know that. But they don’t get me. What does that mean? I do things, take approaches to matters, and live in ways that cause them to scratch their heads, wonder how I can possibly be content or happy this way, and probably question my sanity. My dating habits and relationship choices in my 20s and 30s made no sense to them. That

Should You Open Yourself Up and Share With More People?

You alone have the answer – but here’s why I think it’s YES. Secrets can be useful in many ways. When it comes to national security, for example, certain secrets keep people from hacking into various systems and shutting down the power grid or something equally bad. Secrets also can make room for surprises. You can’t throw a good surprise party for someone if you don’t make secret plans and keep that someone out of the loop. But secret-keeping can

Have I Really Got This or Am I Just Fooling Myself?

The answer is yes – and wholly dependent on me and my actions. As I’m writing this, I’m preparing to take my annual trip to the gargantuan medieval event in SW Pennsylvania. However, leading up to this point has been quite probably one of the craziest years I’ve experienced in a long time. Let me sum up 2023: At the start of the year, I was recovering from COVID; we learned my mother-in-law had a terminal brain tumor; and my

Changing Your Life Is Only as Difficult as You Make It

How difficult do you make it? When it comes to finding the best ways to complicate my life, I’m an expert. This tends to come from overthinking things, overanalyzing, self-doubt, uncertainty, fear, and similar factors. Why? Sometimes it’s because of the idea that if it looks too good to be true (or too easy) it probably is. Other times because I’ve long believed that nothing worth having is ever easy. Then there are external factors like the opinions of others,

1 2 3 4 5 6 … 65