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