Snapped this photo today of the underside of a raven on the wing

     Hello Dear Readers!  Well, this has been a good week so far.  I apologize to any 7th day Adventists out there, but I like to think a week begins on Monday, but it can be useful to think of Sunday being the first day of the week.  Personally I can go to church on Saturday or Sunday though I usually like to catch the early mass Sunday mornings.  As per usual though, I didn’t get to church this week.  I feel a bit bad about it because we have an amazing Priest, he is both American born and a convert to Catholicism and he is an incredible person.  Yesterday I went over to celebrate father’s day with my Dad and brother, I put a few photos on my Facebook page, which anyone is welcome to go and view, just look up Leif Gregersen and make sure you get me and not my Dad who has the exact same first middle and last name as I do.  Then after that I worked the Cirque De Soleil concert load-out which was mostly uneventful if you aren’t my poor aching back.  Today, Monday was pretty eventful.  I went out for an early lunch with a friend and we have been discussing several writing projects involving the community I live in and I also found out that I am being featured in a poetry exhibit of some kind at a local festival.  The most fun part though was going to the park with my new telephoto lens and my new-ish Nikon camera and taking a whole whack of pictures.  It is a bit of work to swap lenses all the time, but I sure can get some amazing photos, especially now that I have been learning more about my Nikon.  After supper I had no desire to sit in the house and lament my sore muscles so I picked up my stuff and headed for the swimming pool.  I borrowed some flippers and a flutter board and did some slow laps then hit the steam room and then dove into the cool water.  All in all it felt very relaxing and refreshing.  Now I don’t know how I’m going to get to sleep.

The other thing I did was stop procrastinating and I got to work on a magazine assignment I was assigned by the Tribal College Journal.  It was interesting to learn some of the facts about the Tribal College I was showcasing in words and pictures today, the student body is 75% female and of the average age of 30-35.  It almost makes me think it isn’t too late for me to go back to school, which could be highly beneficial to my career as a writer, but I have decided a long time ago that I know enough to make a living, and I do have a good job and lots of prospects, but also that going back to school would likely be too much pressure on me.  It is sad to think, but in my entire life I have never held a steady full time job.  I have been working with the Union I am in for a long time, but it is at best part-time and at worst not at all.  I can recall times when I worked for a few days in a row or a few weeks, but something about me and my ability to handle stress and sleep deprivation just won’t allow it.  It is funny because when I was a teen I would go to school all week, pull down decent grades and still work 20-40 hours a week, even more at times.  I recall a teacher in elementary having a talk with my parents about working me too hard.  Sometimes I wonder if my first serious mental collapse had to do with burnout.  For years afterwards I would sleep sometimes 12 hours a day on average.  It was hell really, living in an apartment with no contact to the outside world.  Sometimes I had no phone, I certainly didn’t have my front door buzzer connected.  I had no computer, I would just sit in my apartment sometimes in dizzying depths of depression and loneliness watching my small black and white TV, typing on my electric typewriter and reading my books.  At one point I took in a roommate just to ease the loneliness, but he ended up taking severe advantage of me.  Soon after he moved in he seemingly took over the place and invited all of his street friends in to live in my apartment and it took me months to get rid of them, not to mention an $800 phone bill I had no means of paying.  Things are so much better now, but I have to admit that even today I entertained thoughts of moving out on my own.  I really would like to go back to cooking for myself, I used to enjoy fiddling around with a budget and trying to eat healthy and all that.  Anyhow, now this has become a long rant, I will cut things off there.  As always, everyone who visits is free to email me at viking3082000@yahoo.com or join me on Facebook at Leif Gregersen.   Anyone in Edmonton or area can now order my books from Chapters, I have six in the system now, I am going to try soon to get copies placed in stores.  All the best Dear Readers, enjoy the poem below today’s 2nd photo!

 

Hear Wisdom Cry Out, See It In The Sky

 

Will you celebrate your own happiness

Will you sing out words of joy

Do you understand the love that binds all of us

Young or old, man, girl or boy

 

Oh, when I was younger the world was such a perfect place to be

Savoring each moment like a ruby red glass of finest wine

I had so much love and wonder for the world around me

But soon that joy was no longer mine

 

The whole world was not enough for me

Neither was my own fair share

Somehow I couldn’t go on living simply

It was as if I was deathly scared

 

I would look at those with money

Lament I didn’t have enough

And then life became no fun for me

And I began to work harder and far too much

 

And then came more than my share of con artists

Who fleeced me for every dime

They knew how to exploit my own greediness

In truth the fault was mine

 

I believed all the lies they told me

How they would make me rich

And somehow things just didn’t come to be

One time I was left hungry in a ditch

 

There is no easy road to wealth

The streets are not simply paved with gold

I traded happiness and health

And I will regret it soon when I get old

 

But I will tell you if there is a thing of perfection

It would be admiring the gentle flocks of geese

They can always find the right direction

As they soar through the air with ease

 

Take the bird’s lesson, follow where your heart takes you

My friend, follow your heart when you are young

There really is a loving God and it really is true

There are songs not written that can be sung by you

 

 

As you journey forth to find your own way

You will always find a place to rest your head

Remember a miracle on a far off day

Where a few loaves fed thousands bread

 

Work hard and love your family

Always do what you think seems right

Prepare for the time that you are free

In a perfect world of light

 

Write great wisdom’s teachings deep inside

And you will always find a way

Put away hatred, addiction, anger, pride

And for you there will be perfect peace one day

 

 

Leif Gregersen

June 23, 2015