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2012 hit me in the head with an iron skillet, and I've ascended. It's great up here, but a lot of back-breaking work. These mayans ain't no joke... work, work, work... hurry, we have to get these pyramids built ASAP...

Hang-on... my foreman, Mr Quetzacoat-a-something just informed us we're working on a new calendar... geez... 

I will send a post card on my first break, which I've been informed is in 126 baktun, however long that is.

Every couple years or so I make a thread asking people to list their top 10 favorite movies - I think you can learn a lot about a person by the types of films they gravitate towards. My top 10 constantly changes, though there are always a few that never leave. As of now:

1 - Easy Rider
2 - Chungking Express
3 - Resurrect Dead
4 - Fight Club
5 - Last Tango in Paris
6 - Dawn of the Dead (original Romero version)
7 - Exit through the Gift Shop
8 - Kikujiro
9 - Vanishing Point (original version)
10 - Brazil

These are just the first 10 favorites to come to mind in no particular order.

I watched this earlier today and was fascinated. I've never seen video of light traveling before. I think he said they capture it at over a billion frames per second. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_9vd4HWlVA

Here's a summary of a dream I had last night:

I was with a group of people who was coming back from a long trip. We came back to our "headquarters" or whatever it was, where a lady presented me with a piece of paper that was a list of things they were accusing me of screwing up, and it was a big list. So while I was going over it I realized it was stuff that out of my control and they just needed someone to blame. So as the lady was walking away I balled up the paper and threw it at her while yelling obscenities about how BS it was, and when the paper hit the ground it burst into flames and everyone else started getting mad and yelling too. So then I stood up and kicked over the table I was sitting at, and everyone else took cue, and the riot was on.

Then it spilled outside the room, then outside the building. So while we're running around, the swat team comes in, full riot gear and AK-47's. I'm doing my best to get away, but they surround me and eventually tackle and cuff me... and I feel great. I mean I feel spectacularly happy with what just happened. And I go limp as they are dragging me away and enter a meditative state, literally to a point where I lose all physical sensation and thought and go into deep meditation.

And I woke up from that just feeling amazing. It felt like a great release and a feeling of extreme confidence.

So here's my current interpretation: This is not literal, I have no inclination to start any riots over anything. I work in a seasonal business, and this is the season. It lasts for about 10-12 weeks in the spring-summer, and during that time I have to deal with lots of work, very little thanks, never being able to fully satisfy anyone, and customer complaints. And I always get very stressed around this time, but this year I've been maintaining a very good and relaxed attitude, even when customers are yelling at me for something that wasn't my fault.

I've also had recurring dreams for years of getting stuck in strange places and losing my wallet and ID and money, and no one will help me. I would always wake with a feeling of helplessness. But about a week ago I had this dream, and when I got stuck, it didn't bother me a bit. I was just like "oh well, I'll get home somehow". It just wasn't worth stressing over. Woke up from that feeling great too. I think I'm not just dealing with my stress just on a physical level (which I've always been decent at), but really incorporating it on a subconscious level too. Feels good.

I watched an episode of Parks & Recreation from a couple weeks ago last night, and one of the characters was trying to get another to come to a meditation center with him, and the guy really didn't want to go, but did to please the first guy. He ended up just standing there waiting for the session to end. So when they were done with the session, he says:

"I didn't do anything when we were in there. I just breathed softly and didn't think about anything. My mind was completely blank. I don't know what the rest of those crackpots are doing."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgBr1pt9r44

When it first started I was about to close it, but then I ended up watching the whole thing.
(To give credit where it's due, I found this on Whitley Strieber's homepage.)

I haven't been around the past week, but I don't see where anyone has posted this yet. (forgive me if I missed it, I figured someone would have posted it here).

Basically, a kid with a heart condition posted a video shortly before he passed away about an NDE he recently had. You can find a lot of articles and links to the videos (2 parts), here's just one I found:

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/kid-cudi-responds-ben-breedlove-video-farewell-shortly-teen-fan-died-heart-condition-article-1.998401

I had a weird dream a few nights ago about a store that anyone could buy stuff at, but you had to weigh within a certain limit to be able to return items. What jerks.

It's a screwy concept. I don't know where it came from, but thought it was silly enough to share.

This is amazing:

http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/2011/09/22/breakthrough-could-enable-others-to-watch-your-dreams-and-memories-video/

Be sure to watch the video. If it's what it really appears to be, this technology could do some amazing things.

I've had a reoccurring dream a few times a year for the last few years, and while it's always a little different, the theme is always the same: I get my wallet stolen and it leaves me stuck with no ID or money, and no one around will help me. It's like I lose something very important, and everyone is like "good luck with that, now get out of here". I know what it's telling me too, which on one level is obvious, and another level I won't get into.

Anyways, about 2 weeks ago I went jogging at the park, and while I NEVER do this, first time ever, I left my wallet & cellphone in the glove box. And guess what happened?... Smash & Grab!

The nice surprise: People were SO VERY NICE AND HELPFUL. It was almost worth going through the experience just to learn that there are some very nice people out there willing to help a stranger in dire need. And the officer that came out was very compassionate (no joke).

I'm hoping there will be no reason for that dream to come up ever again. We'll see.

I've gotten a few e-mails recently with people asking me what I did for a living that allowed me to live a spiritual life, so I thought I would answer the question here as well.

1st off, I don't think it matters what you do, but I think it's important to do something you can enjoy. I work a regular 9-5, monday - friday, 40 hour work week, so it's nothing out of the ordinary.

I believe one of keys to living a spiritual life is discipline. I meditate every morning, and sometimes in the evening. It's not only the act of meditating, but putting myself in the correct mental state before starting my day, and carrying that into my day.

After meditating for several years, experience grows, and ways of thinking and perception changes. OBE'ing just for fun and flying around is one thing, but I don't think any of it is worth it if you're not having experiences that are opening your eyes and changing your being.

When that begins to happen, that's when your life changes, and being a spiritual person isn't something you just do with meditation and certain actions and attitudes, but every action and thought is influenced from what rises up inside you and guides you. Physical life becomes one big spiritual experience 24-7, even at work. Because it is, we just tend to not notice it.

And I do graphic design and engraving at an awards company.

[in]

Everyone should take at least a small moment in every day to enjoy being alive. Sometimes it can be as simple as relaxing while you drink your cup of coffee in the morning, to going out and experiencing something exciting and brand new. Many of us here are trying to make accomplishments in the "non-physical", but the physical is just as important. Having a balanced life in all areas and attempting to succeed in all areas will make you more confident and realization of goals more achievable, both physical and non-physical.

I try to find new stuff to experience quite often, but am also guilty of getting into a routine and schedule because it's comfortable. But sometimes you just have to force yourself break your mold every once in a while. I like to take a vacation to somewhere I've never been at least once a year. It's a general rule, as I don't always pull it off. (I am heading to Seattle this weekend though... never been there before. Yay!)

So what do you do (physically) to break the routine and catch a glimpse of the beauty behind the madness? Or the beauty in the madness?

It's over now, but I didn't see a post for it, and wanted to post something in chat that actually fit chat and wasn't being taken seriously.

I had an awesome 3 day weekend and just relaxed (other than a little yard work) and saw the Hangover 2 (for $5, in this day and age, $5!...) and ate some BBQ and drank some beer. Fun times for everyone. Suck it, death-trap!

For the past several weeks, every Thursday morning before work (and right after meditation), this show comes on PBS, and I've been loving it. You don't see stuff like this on TV much. It's called "Closer to Truth - Cosmos. Consciousness. God." It's basically this guy who goes around the world philosophizing with scientists and professors and theologians about... cosmos, consciousness, and god. What I like is that they never postulate any conclusions, but always leave it wide open. He sometimes plays devils advocate with whoever he's interviewing. So much of it is what we debate here. You can watch it online:

http://www.closertotruth.com/