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  • Here it is .... 15 days before Christmas. 2003 has been a pretty good year for me. One important point of notice is I haven't fallen victim to the "Holiday Blues." These usually kick in right before Thanksgiving and don't let up until after the New Year. I'm actually feeling really good about the holidays and the people I'll be spending it with. So what was this year different? What was the shift?


    I think it's because I spent most of my time serving other people.


    Strange concept. Since I was busy focusing on others, I didn't have time to sit and think about myself and the things I lack (or perceived to lack) in my life. So without that in place, my tendency to throw a 2.5 month "pity party" has been thrown out the window. This is very exciting for me. Not only is it exciting, it opens up a world of new possibilities for the situations and people around me.


    Funny ... you always hear about the positive benefits of "doing unto others," but this is the first year I've really put that into practice and actually seen tangible results in the physical world.


    There was a time in my life that I'd hope for hope. Now I can actually say I have hope. And in that is tremendous freedom.


    DG

  • Okay .... now I'm pissed! I saw the final "Average Joe." tonight and thought. Hey, she really might pick the decent, nice guy over the pretty boy. I had hopes that the underdog would win out in the end. 


    She didn't.


    Now the way the editing played out, it looked like she had a huge connection with the "Average Joe," but in the end, she took off with the guy she slept with on the overnight date.


    Why does this piss me off?


    I guess because I've been the "Average Joe," before. I hated that feeling of rejection and of being foolish when women used me to get what they wanted and then kick you to the curb. I felt really bad for this guy who was lead to believe that there was a huge connnection to this beautiful girl, that seemed really down to earth.


    Perhaps .... just maybe ... I should stop watching reality shows.


    DG


     


  • Once again, the last four days were incredible. I think my favorite part of the Breakthrough Training is seeing the freedom people experience when they finally put aside the things and beliefs in their life that hold them back and take a risk in seeing what's possible in their life.


    We had 51 people in the training .... from 20 year old kids all the way up to 71 year old grand parents. The change in their life was phenomenal. People who thought their lives were over found a new sense of purpose and direction in life, as well as reconciled families, marriages and restored relationships. Not to mention freedom from the things in their past that haunt them. 


    The long days (14 + hours) during the training are SO worth it to see lives changed. I'm really tired, but it's a good kinda tired.


    Thanks for keeping the place clean while I was gone.


    DG

  • Okay kids ... I'll be out of the loop for the next four days doing the Breakthrough Training.


    Here's the keys to Xanga .... don't break anything or burn the place down.


    And no parties while I'm gone!


    See you on Monday!


    DG


  • My brush with greatness ....


    During the late 70's early 80's I was going to a junior college in Stockton, California. to make ends meet, I was working at a local movie theater and dating a gal who was the manager of the Swenson's Ice Cream Parlor next door (hey, those ice cream sundaes came in handy when payday seems soooooo long away).


    Anyway, being the funny kinda guy I am, I found out that Henny Youngman was going to be performing at our college. Sadly, I wasn't able to attend because of work, and my manager didn't see the importance of this event on my life.


    So I was stuck at work, the night of the show.


    Around 10:00PM, some friends came by and told me that they saw Henny after the show getting hammered at a local bar, nd that he had left to go to his hotel. Well, there was only one semi-nice hotel in town, so I too a chance and called it from the pay phone.


    "Hello, such-and-such Hotel?"


    "Uh, yes, may I have Mr. Youngman's room, please?" I said, using my best adult voice I could muster at 20 years old.


    "Certainly, please hold."


    Holy shit! I was being patched in to Henny Youngman ... live on the phone. The phone rang twice and then was picked up.


    "Hello?"


    "Is this Henny Youngman?"


    "Yes, yes it is."


    Oh my god. I'm actually talking to THE Henny Youngman ... one of the oldest king of the one-liners. And here I was babbling like I had a school girl crush.


    "Mr. Youngman, I'm a huge fan of yours and I couldn't make it to the show tonight because I couldn't get off work. But I just want you to know how much I love your comedy and how much you've made me laugh over the years. And since I couldn't come to the show, I was wondering if you could say, "Take my wife, please?"


    "(laughter) Sure thing kid. "Take my wife .....please!"


    "Mr. Youngman, you just made my life complete."


    "No problem, kid. Goodnight."


    That was 1981, and I still remember it like it was yesterday. It did make my life, and it's one of those fond memories that makes you feel all warm inside. I was sad when he passed away in 1998. but that phone call will live with me forever.


    DG

  • Well the weekend is just about gone .... I never got around to doing my Ebaying ... perhaps I'll get to do some in the AM. Tonight we're having some friends over for dinner. I did get to clean my office, so that's nice.


    Next week it's three days of work and then I'm off to another Breakthrough training. It'll be a great 4 days .... it always is ... I've never been to one that wasn't.


    Enjoy the rest of your weekend!


    DG

  • I hope you all have a safe and happy Thanksgiving weekend.


    Be thankful you are not a turkey.


    DG


  • So I watched the finale of The Next Joe Millionaire. I gotta tell you, I really liked this one better than the first. For one, the guy seemed really genuine (as did the girl), and the relationship seemed ... well .... real. At least as rel as you can get with reality TV. I hope the best for them, I really do.


    Seems like there's not a whole lot of TV worth watching these days. Caught a rerun of an old Sienfeld last night .... there's nothing out there today that even compares.to the smartness and complexity of the humor. I think that's why I like watching HBO ...


    Speaking of HBO, they sure have been on a roll over the last few years. With shows like "Larry Sanders," "The Sopranos," "Six Feet Under," and now "Carnivale," they have really taken the lead in Sunday night programming. I'll tell you what, I can't remember a sunday night when we didn't watch one of those shows.


    And speaking of TV, can I tell you how much I love having the east coast feed on DirecTV? I can be done watching all the sunday night shows by 7:00pm, leaving the whole night open. Did I also mention just how much Tivo has changed my life?


    You know after reading this, I feel the need to go outside and get some fresh air.


    DG


  • Sorry I've been so sparatic in my blogs ... I've been cheating on Xanga .... actually I've been involved in an absinthe discussion board over at www.louchedlounge.com. They are a fun bunch, a bit rowdy ... unconventional, sometimes rude and always very informative.


    Anyway, I'm back now. Today is Ebay day .... I'll be putting up a bunch of crap and see what sells. I'll post more tomorrow.


    DG  

  • Thanks for all the well wishing yesterday .... around noon the pain went away thanks to lots of coffee and a couple of Advil. So to thank all of you, please accept the following as my way of saying, "Thanks!"


    **THE CIRCLE OF LIFE**


    At age 4 success is not peeing in your pants.
    At age 12 success is having friends.
    At age 16 success is having a drivers license.
    At age 20 success is having sex.
    At age 35 success is having money.
    At age 50 success is having money.
    At age 60 success is having sex.
    At age 70 success is having a drivers license.
    At age 75 success is having friends.
    At age 80 success is not peeing in your pants.


     


    Have a great Thursday folks!


    DG