MindWindow

By the way… this is a note from the “editor”… if you have a chance to click and visit the places of the folk who advertise, it would be appreciated. Nothing to buy… just visit as appreciation for “sponsoring” these entries. Premonitions… don’t scoff; they are real and although not present all the time, should be listened to whenever possible. Have you ever heard that one that says… “When your time comes… You will go.” Or, “I was born again on that day” ( and I do not refer to a spiritual rebirth ) I must assume that the corollary to the first is that when it is not yet your time, you will not go. And this is what the post is about. Despite what you may think due to the travel entries, we had fairly strict development requirements and a lot of work to get done in every trip. However, during those trips which would keep me at my destination through a week end, it was a defined objective to spend from Friday afternoon until Monday morning doing nothing that had to do with work. Hence, t...

This must be the weekend travelogue. I am sitting here and a literal flood of memories are coming in about all these places which meant something to visit, for reasons other than just being there; Japan was one such place. Had the privilege to go there several times, but this first time in particular was special (so was the red district karaoke during my next visit, but… we’ll leave that one alone for now) As an island nation, Japan is a big country; big in history and achievements. Very rigid in its cultural hierarchy but, by virtue of being physically a relatively small island, the concept of inward looking has become an ingrained part of the culture and of the upbringing of most people. The space around you on the physical plane is very restricted; there are just too many people sharing the same space. So, the alternate option is to restrict access to the interior space, and to meditation in a little deeper level than that which we normally attain in the west. Yes, this is an overs...

During those years I  traveled  with the association, truly some beautiful places were visited; all in the name of propagating knowledge about our chosen field of endeavors: life insurance. Let’s go back to one of them… That Monday morning we were given our marching orders for the following week: two of us (my usual travel partner at the beginning of my tenure, Bill, and I) would be leaving on Saturday morning, via Miami, with our final destination being the island of Tobago, next to Trinidad (actually, both part of one island nation) and very close to the Venezuelan coast. We would go to Trinidad, then hop on the local interisland air service and go to Tobago , arriving there late afternoon. All well until we came to Trinidad and were transferred to the interisland “hangar’… a WWII vintage Quonset hut, in front of which was parked a nondescript 727. Now, this was not a bad plane, you say. You are right, I answered. However, this was to be the first ( and only I will add ) t...

There were times in Argentina which were truly special. This weekend was one such moment. It started as a would-be routine visit to one of our member banks; it ended up being a weekend with friends. A slice of life in a then smaller (than today) city in the Argentinean Pampas called Rio Cuarto … -“Tenemos que ir a Rio Cuarto este jueves; hay una reunión importante el Viernes en la mañana…” -“We have to go to Rio Cuarto this Thursday; there is an important meeting Friday morning”. I was greeted with these words as I walked into my office one Tuesday morning, some 3-4 months after we had started the actual sales of our product.   The bank in Rio Cuarto had become an important point of sales as well as an important ally with our board of directors. The bank representative on our board, we’ll call him Francisco, had proven to be a very helpful, down to earth person. He understood the synergy necessary to make our project work and had his people at the bank fully committed to cooper...

This is somewhat of a living post card. I say this because this lake in central Guatemala became a magnet for me, as it had become a magnet for others over the years. Legend has it that some of the more renowned fiction/paranormal writers came here for inspiration. After having been bewitched by it, I can understand why. This is mid 1983, during one of my many trips to Guatemala , C.A . I had already visited this country about three times and had fallen in love with its people and wild passages; some of the few who are still called good friends are from this land. My side trips, in the little time I had been allotted to this point, had been mainly to Antigua (the old capital city, dating to the 1700’s) which is about one hour from the capital, and where I had been delighted by the early colonial buildings and the even older ruins. Not to mention great food and wine… This trip was to be different. First of all, we were to have two weeks of seminars –including the weekend in the middl...

Time travel has always been the stuff of fantasy and science fiction. Some recent developments tell us that this is not possible… at least for now, with what we know. Haven’t you ever thought as to how great it would be to be able to actually go back in time and live again certain moments, even as someone who only watches events unfold? Sort of a cosmic peeping tom. Most of us have at one time or another wished it could be so, especially those of us who enjoy reading the works of Fantasy/Science Fiction masters. This is a concept which has been dominant in the genre; I guess because it is one which brings with it jeopardy, mystery, possibilities of righting a wrong (can’t do too much unless you are willing to risk a current lifeline which is totally different ) or simply to visit with those whom we loved and are gone. From Jules Verne’s “Time Machine” to Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” (a perennial favorite); the movie “Time Cop” and all the way to the “Back to the Future” series and hun...

Writing is definitely one demanding hobby. When this blog was started, I was convalescing from a number of physical issues, now long past. I had a lot of time and the number of entries then posted reflects this. As the months passed and part time work started, the entries were limited in size and number, to the point that there were a few months along the way that saw only about 2 posts per month .  Then, the purpose was firmly established to post no less than two per week and, during the last 2-3 weeks, these numbers have increased again to about 3-4 per week.  It is not about being prolific; many people who can sit at a computer today, will probably be able to write a worthwhile blog. However, when a commitment is made (to oneself) to post no less than three entries per week, then this becomes work in earnest. No matter; it is enjoyable to the utmost… Today, it is an entry of the “cleaning house” sort. What is the meaning of this? Well, it means I will try to answer some com...

Just a “to catch your eyes” title… During my travels in the eighties, there were many situations which were mentally recorded for later life. This is later life, and some of these happenings are coming back to me as these entries multiply. Comments are far from judgmental; they mostly reflect the individual goodness or the, I guess, “badness” we encounter along the way. Luckily for me, I can honestly say I have been given far much more “goodness” than “badness”. A 1983 snapshot follows. -“Apúrate que ya voy tarde para el aeropuerto”   -“Hurry up… I’m already late for the airport” The above was not a rare exchange at home. After all, there were usually two - three one week trips per month, sometimes even four if these outings were 2-3 days short. Once one becomes accustomed to the hassle of being “The Traveling Guy”, a lot of habits become ingrained. On this particular outing, I was to go to Honduras and Guatemala (one day/night each) then arriving in Panamá on Tuesday evening ...

What does it take to put an impossible project on the boards? It takes a concerted effort by a group of people who came to believe and who committed themselves to get it done in the face of adversity and swimming against the current, as it were. These were, perhaps, my most committed months (and years) of my professional career. Truly, I consider this project a personal triumph, but it was a triumph for all who gave the utmost of themselves to see it through. It is a longer than usual entry, but worth the read. -“PORAMORDEDIOS!!!!”-“TENEMOSCUANTOTIEMPOPARAHACER ESTO??!! - “FortheLoveofGod!!! Howmuchtimeyousaidwehavetodothis??” This gentle question was posed by our own Maddy, during one of our Monday morning meetings, after we had just reviewed the revised timetable given us by our friendly banking associates( read: owners ). This was now late September/early October and there were only 45 days left before the summer / Christmas / year end break. Originally, we were to have until the ...

Remember an entry several months ago? A “postcard” from my childhood called “Black and White?” I re-read it this morning and, as this was being done, a very strong, unidentifiable feeling came over me. There was one time (of some 6-7 times I witnessed one of these sessions) when an unwanted visitor came through the young medium and it became a “search and rescue” operation for the mother and the sisters, just to get to the core of the medium and bring her back.  This is what I remember… We, my grandfather and I, had come again to visit this family of “sensitives” who would act as portals to other entities who wished to communicate with this physical plane. This was my 6 th or 7 th visit and, because of what transpired, would be my last. My memories are fairly clear, even being this an event that took place some 58 years ago. It was a summer afternoon, the sun out and clear, a soft breeze coming in from the bay. My grandfather had come by the house where he knew I would be, ...