On this page I summarize those activities in which I especially involve myself these days. I hope my maintaining this page will help you to catch up on what I'm involved in now - for example, as background for making my daily blog entries more intelligible.
I keep an online journal. I've often posted photos that I've taken on the same day as my post's displayed date. (Sometimes I also post others taken by Cherita and/or Aliana.) Typically, I've also included mention of some of what I've done on the posted date.
I enjoy doing this in part because I like to spend time with the photos that I take. Frequently I include photos of loved ones such as Cherita and Aliana. I find that preparing the photos helps me meditate, reflect on my values and purposes, and celebrate what's wonderful in my life. Via my blog I also like to let visiting guests know when I add new material elsewhere on this site. Sometimes I mention some of what I've been reading and/or reflecting about, as well.
If you would like to view my blog entries, I would welcome your clicking here.
In light of how (from my perspective! ) I'm rapidly developing spiritually, intellectually and in terms of what I value, to keep my Living Action website as current as I can, I also like to update its content. I find that this process also helps satisfy my needs for meditation and reflection. Recently, I posted my most up-to-date worldview summary, here.
Given this background, if you haven't recently, you might like to visit my Home Page, on which I offer a brief self-introduction and spell out the passion, mission, and meaning with which I choose to develop this site.
Both for individuals and for groups, I'm even available for and have offered independent consultation in the process of Communicating Across Differences.
I've written more about my interest in this process in the root of my About Me area of this website, specifically here.
These days I exercise using the new treadmill that Dad acquired earlier this year. I've added weight training again, too, which I'm really enjoying. I've been wanting to increase the kinds and intensity of my exercise. In December 2007, my youngest brother, a friend and I re-assembled the full Smith Machine/Free Weight home gym system that Cherita and I share which had remained largely disassembled for more than two years (since we moved to our present location). We aim to make still more improvements as we rename the garage a Fitness Annex.
I'm convinced that exercise can help me keep happy and healthy!
I provide care for my elderly father (Dad) - who suffered a stroke on December 3, 2007 - and young daughter (Aliana).
In the root of my About Me area, specifically here, I've provided more detail about how Cherita and I arrived at our decision to move with the Axel family back into my childhood home with my Dad in order to enable me to provide elder care for him. I'm delighted that Aliana and her Grandpa adore each other and delight (er... most of the time! ) in living under the same roof.
Following December 3, 2007, when Dad suffered from a stroke, he remained hospitalized until December 27. Since then, he has undergone rehabilitation (involving speech, occupational and physical therapies) at home. During February, he graduated to outpatient therapy, still needing much assistance, including with walking.
Since Cherita, Aliana and I live with Dad, this has created many challenges for us and has consumed much of our time. Cherita and I haven't yet managed to leave the house, just the two of us, since December 27, 2007, when Dad returned home from the hospital.
For still more about Aliana, please see the root of my About Me area, specifically here.
Until mid-2007, of those in our household, only I drove, and I provided automotive transportation for Dad, Cherita and Aliana. Sometimes, in relation to this, I felt overwhelm!
Even so, following medical testing and approval, Dad started driving again in 2007, for six months.
Separately, Cherita obtained her driving permit and wants to practice with me beside her. Given the complexities ensuing since Dad's December 3, 2007 stroke, my assistance teaching Cherita how to drive has stalled.
I do much of the
housecleaning and housework for our family, including the dishes, running the laundry,
converting my Dad's living space for daytime use, scooping out our cat Zen'r's litter box, trimming his claws and much organizing.
I've got several organizing projects underway. One involved (in part) moving many boxes into attic space, especially to free up room in the garage so that we could finally use our Smith Machine/Free Weight home gym system and related equipment, which we used heavily while we lived in Raleigh. Over time I installed additional insulation and numerous boards to increase storage space in two attics. By now I've moved the boxes out of the garage into one attic; recently, my youngest brother moved more boxes from a crawlspace to that same attic. Fortunately, I've now cleared space enough in the garage to do some weight training exercise, which I've also written about here.
I used to find that I built up agitation and resentment in relation to my homemaking efforts. Now I find myself learning new ways to make such activities more playful and enjoyable. I attribute this change to the inspiration of the work of Marshall B. Rosenberg, Ph.D., author of the book, Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life. I've not yet discovered a more helpful (for me) form of self-help.
I provide homeschooling instruction for my daughter, Aliana, who was born in March of 2002. This I find hugely exciting; sometimes scary and overwhelming; and most often, passionately engaging. Homeschooling stretches me and in a big way helps me to meet my need to contribute. I love reading to Aliana. And when I help her in her process of learning to read, I feel amazement.
Cherita and I have enjoyed happiness in our marriage since April 1999; we've involved one another romantically since more than a year before that; and, as dear and close friends, we remained non-romantically involved for more than two years before we ever began dating in 1997.
Opening a new and exciting chapter in our lives together, in March 2007, Cherita, who for years has provided the Axel family's sole source of income, boldly quit her day job to focus her income-generating efforts exclusively within her web and print design business. She initially launched this business years ago and until recently supported it part-time. She calls this exciting venture Axel Designs.
Now she's growing her business with full-time entrepreneurial energy!
Right now, in addition to working on Axel Designs, I am also working on starting up a Writer's group locally, getting my Driver's license (yes, I said Driver's license), and still without much success, getting physically fit... AGAIN! My life is full and I am happy.
As I mentioned here, Cherita and I participated from 2003-2004 in a Writers' Group in Raleigh, North Carolina. Cherita now aims to start another, similar one, here in Illinois.
facilitate and moderate for the Open Forum Discussion current issues discussion group (which meets weekly - I post the upcoming Sunday's topic and readings here)
co-chair the Membership Committee (which meets every other month plus also at other times)
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typically attend worship services (weekly)
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have been elected by the congregation to serve for two years on a Compassionate Communication for the Resolution of Conflict panel (which now meets twice monthly)
For more information about the church in which I enthusiastically participate and to learn more about Unitarian Universalism, please see the root of my About Me area, specifically here.
A. Communication Workshop Series; Double and Single Session Introductions
My friend and colleague, Fran Hill, and I presented together our 3-part Assertive Communication workshop series (plus two, optional and complementary Participant Sponsored Sessions) at the 2007 TASSummer Seminar in July. We based this on the process of Nonviolent Communication (NVC) developed by Marshall B. Rosenberg, Ph.D., author of the book, Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life. (For more information about my involvement learning, teaching and putting into action the process of Communicating Across Differences, please see the section, above, that I've devoted to this.) I'm very happy with all the grateful and celebratory energy I've experienced in connection with this.
Fran, a native of the UK, lives in Cyprus. Long distance, Fran and I maintain our close friendship, for which I feel grateful.
Related to this, I now facilitate for a new Communicating Compassionately Support and Practice group, which meets monthly. I've written more about my current participation and activities at CCUU in an earlier section of this webpage.
Related to this, on Saturday 22 September 2007, I addressed the New Intellectual Forum (NIF) in Chicago with my presentation, "Communicating Across Differences: Is There Another Way?" This material drew on my teaching of the process of Communicating Compassionately. A version (plus supplementary material) for self-described Objectivists appears here; for a general audience, here.
multiple presentations by certified NVC trainers from the subscription-based NVC Live! part of the NVC Academy
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"Seminar" recordings of Nathaniel Branden made monthly starting perhaps in 1969 and continuing through the early 1970s, which were distributed on LP records; in this series, he answered questions on many subjects including psychology and philosophy
Based on my recent spiritual, intellectual and philosophical development, in writing, I'm refining and integrating various aspects of my vision, ideas and worldview. In this process, recently, I posted the most detailed worldview summary that I've yet displayed on this website.
In relation to this, on May 8, I located my 312 page, 160,000 word manuscript for my unpublished, systematic exposition of my personal worldview, which I wrote during the years 2001-2002 while Cherita was pregnant with Aliana. I then called it Beyond Ayn Rand: Toward a Biocentric and Practical Philosophy of Life. I also located my 77 page, 43,000 word summary of it. To update my views on several issues, including my conception of responsible choice, I completely rewrote my worldview summary.
I've written about my process of writing all the foregoing in my About Me area, here.
At about the same time that I located my 312 page, 160,000 word manuscript for my unpublished, systematic exposition of my personal worldview, I located my 271 page, 130,000 word manuscript for the unpublished, co-authored science fiction novel that I completed prior to writing the 312 page manuscript. (I've written about my process of writing this in my About Me area, here.)
In addition, each year for the past three years I've written a new, unpublished novel. I've described that process in more detail here.
I'm really eager to write more fiction. I look forward to applying the principles of my evolving worldview to my fiction writing. I anticipate posting material related to that work here, too.
My mind has been popping like popcorn lately with all sorts of questions and ideas, often of a philosophical nature, with many of these questions and ideas bearing on the evolution of my worldview. Lately I've wanted to keep track of these questions and ideas more than I sometimes have.
Even with daily blogging, often I've let thoughts of this kind remain in my mind without writing about them. I feel grateful to Cherita for listening and commenting on my sometimes almost daily rambling about these sorts of questions and ideas!
By adding this segment to my Current Activities section, as such popcorn pops, I hope both to record more of what I'm developing and to share more with my readers about what I've noticed bouncing in my mind.
Recently, I posted the most detailed worldview summary that I've yet displayed on this website. In that summary I directly address some though not all of what I've listed below. As of Friday 21 September 2007 I've added some hyperlinks to several items in this list that lead to specific, related text within my worldview summary.
encouraging authentic open-mindedness in oneself and others by distinguishing clearly between authentic, human needs on the one hand and strategies for meeting them on the other
doctrines of free will and determinism, as I understand and interpret them: 1) as embodying authoritarian assumptions; 2) by contrast with my principles of responsible choice, which principles I believe far more fully honor both human autonomy and interdependence
romantic art as implicitly authoritarian (given its embrace of free will and moralistic judgment) vs. - by contrast - a new approach to art embodying both responsible choice and life-enriching value judgment
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distinguishing between violence-provocative and conflict-engaging drama
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distinguishing between violence-provocative and life-enriching myth, symbolism and storytelling
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quotable quotations from my recent reading
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indifference to feelings as "good" as an authoritarian strategy aimed at domination and "power over" others
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feelings as harmless in themselves
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much antagonism to feelings as rooted in a dislike of specific thoughts, which thoughts (with human help) masquerade as "feelings"
the explanatory power of its use and endorsement of moralistic judgment in undermining Objectivism as a philosophy, in its practice, and in terms of its influence
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encouraging open-mindedness by modeling it; letting go of attachment to beliefs and remaining willing to change them by keeping one's focus on needs
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life-enriching vs. life-alienating concept-formation and system-building; the central roles of open-endedness, open-mindedness and strategic flexibility
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relevance to social change of cultural as contrasted with political and economic factors
Lately, I've continued to recognize that I want to keep track of my concerns about those needs of mine that I've not yet met. I want to do so in a form that will help me keep some of my attention on my unmet needs. I want to do that even while appreciating the beauty of those needs. In addition, I want to creatively conceive of strategies by means of which to meet those needs more fully than sometimes I have lately.
For this reason, starting Sunday 29 July 2007, after having originally created such a thing as part of a blog entry, I've begun developing this new section for this Current Activities part of my About Me area. (I didn't first post it until Wednesday 8 August 2007, however.)
As a preliminary effort in this direction, some such ideas which have occurred to me recently (which I may revise) include the following. (Often these start as strategies which I then strive to relate to underlying needs; I've highlighted my references to needs by using bold text.)
enjoying quiet time alone; needs:peace, rejuvenation
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meditating more; needs:peace, rejuvenation, renewal, relaxation, immersion in the now
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expressing myself more in writing (examples: essays on my latest thoughts; my own, original fiction to read to Aliana - perhaps inspired by that with which I feel unsatisfied in other sources; other fiction; introductory material relating to Communicating Compassionately); needs:self-expression, contribution, awareness, challenge, meaning, clarity, competence, celebration of life, creativity, discovery, efficacy, growth, hope, learning, discovery, progress
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connecting more by contacting friends (started); needs: connection, visibility, communication, companionship, belonging
enjoying more art (including literature [short stories, novels, poetry], music, dance, painting, sculpture, film, architecture); needs: celebration of life, inspiration, stimulation
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reading more nonfiction; needs:contemplation, reflection, learning, progress, inspiration, stimulation
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spending more one-on-one time with Cherita; needs: connection, visibility, communication, companionship, contribution, belonging, intimacy, closeness, love
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elaborating - especially keeping in mind self-described Objectivists who visit this site - how the church in which I participate and Unitarian Universalism distinguish themselves - examining in what respects these resemble and differ from conventional, organized religion, especially with respect to the welcoming and inclusion of self-described "atheists," "freethinkers" and "heretics;" needs:honesty, authenticity, integrity, clarity, contribution
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possibly adding material or even a dedicated area to this site focused on "Reflections for Self-Described Current and Former Objectivists" needs:honesty, authenticity, integrity, clarity, connection, visibility, communication, contribution
creating various restricted-access webpages on my site for keeping notes and for communicating with select individuals; needs:communication, privacy, reflection
F. Before and After: Authoritarian vs. Life Honoring Expressions
Lately, I've wanted to keep track of and process some of those expressions that I encounter day-to-day that I would classify as "authoritarian." So I've added this section.
In the first column, I record such an expression that I've encountered. In the second column, I jot down the "jackal" response that the original expression might trigger in me (or that I imagine it might trigger in some listener). In the third column, I "translate" both the jackal response and the "authoritarian" expression into "giraffe" language.
For more information about my involvement learning, teaching and putting into action the process of Communicating Compassionately, please see the section, above, that I've devoted to this.
"You should be aware of this from the first months of her life on." p. 30, Montessori Read and Write: A Parent’s Guide to Literacy for Children by Lynne Lawrence (I read this sentence 8/06/07; as of this date, so far, I love this book, so I don't mean to nitpick; instead I want to illustrate how even a source which by my standards shows deep respect for the human need for autonomy can slip into authoritarian expression)
"How dare you tell me what I should be aware of!"
from my jackal reaction: "When you say that, I feel disappointment because I need acknowledgment of my autonomy and of my commitment to always aim for the fulfillment of my needs - including my need to contribute."
fromthe original expression: "I predict that it will really help you meet your need to contribute if you maintain awareness of this principle starting from the first months of her life."
"You can't do that..." (I overheard this said by Bill O'Reilly on The O'Reilly Factor on TV as Dad watched on 8/07/07 and I walked past)
"What do you mean, 'can't'? Of course I can! I just did! Why deny that I can? I'm betting you mean 'shouldn't'! Pure domination nonsense! Aw, you make me sick!"
from my jackal reaction: "When you say that, I feel dismay because I need awareness that human beings a) embody the power to make their own choices b) need consideration for such power."
fromthe original expression: "I don't like it when you do that and I wish passionately that you wouldn't because I'm needing..."
"'Prisonization' is only the latest rationalization to mask the Excuse-Makers' visceral hostility to punishment and prisons as such." p. 281, Criminal Justice?: The Legal System Versus Individual Responsibility by Robert James Bidinotto (Editor) (read 8/07/07; although I dislike various aspects of Bidinotto's opinions and rhetoric in this book, including his endorsement of punishment, nevertheless, I'm grateful for this book's existence, because it brings into focus for me aspects of what others think about "criminal justice" and I very much want to be aware of those aspects - and I feel confident that he authored his contributions to this book with the deepest sincerity)
1. "'[L]atest rationalization'? That's your diagnosis!"
2. "'Excuse-Makers'! That's your diagnostic label!"
3. "'[V]isceral hostility'! That's your psychologistic judgment!"
4. "'[H]ostility to punishment'! You favor punishment, don't you!"
from my jackal reaction: 1-4. "When you say that, I feel sadness, because I need clarity, awareness and consideration. Specifically, I want awareness of what I'm convinced are the limitations of diagnostic, psychologistic and moralistic judgments - their authoritarian implications, and their tendency to provoke defensiveness."
fromthe original expression: "When I see the term 'prisonization' I feel deeply suspicious and dissatisfied because my need for trust isn't getting met. I also feel suspicious because my needs for integrity and openness aren't getting met. I'm telling myself that advocates of 'prisonization' wish to hide the hostility they feel in relation to punishment and prisons."
"She doesn't do what she's told!" (heard 8/13/07 said by a grandfather about a granddaughter)
"So you want her to grow up learning to act like an obedient slave?!"
from my jackal reaction: "When you say that, I feel sadness, because I need autonomy, and I want to honor every human being's need for autonomy."
fromthe original expression: "When she does that, I feel irritation, because I need peace, understanding and consideration."
) I'm rapidly developing spiritually, intellectually and in terms of what I value, to keep my Living Action website as current as I can, I also like to update its content. I find that this process also helps satisfy my needs for meditation and reflection. Recently, I posted my most up-to-date 
) in living under the same roof.