Episode 31 - Skunks, "Soliloquizing" and "In-the Clouds/Nebulous" Novels

The Hopeful Humanist Cafe

Welcome to another episode of The Hopeful Humanist Cafe, a "Just Some Guy" production by me, Steve, The Hopeful Humanist. In this episode, after a humourous introductory segment by Woodrow II featuring two silly clips from Captain Jack, I attempt to weave together a novel first sentence from Danielson in Episode 29 and a novel first sentence I shared in Episode 26 (the sentences will be noted below). With that goal in mind, I would like to invite interested listeners to construct "one's own" novel first sentence to bring to this episode as we will attempt to start the beginning discussion of an "In-the-Clouds/Nebulous" novel.

Quote for the day: ¨I believe the very purpose of life is to seek happiness. That is clear.¨ The Dalai Lama

T-shirt Idea - "Mad Thinker"

Creativity Challenge:

After constructing your own novel first sentence, attempt to weave it together with the novel first sentences below -

1) Novel First Sentence by Danielson from Episode 29: "The mirror conjured a new testimony of age: evidence of a deeper parenthesized mouth that launched a regret-flavoured reverie as he scrutinized his disturbingly unrecognizable face."

2) Novel First Sentence by Steve, The Hopeful Humanist from Episode 26: “Janus was a psychonaut who decided to put down his flight plans after a bad trip that woke him up to the dream he had been living. He realized the real business in life was the spiritual journey and he had been living in bad faith.”

Novel first paragraph:

.… Janus decided he was going to mindfully co-author the story of his lived experience. Thirty seconds earlier, he made the life altering choice to change his name to Janus to mark this new beginning. Ironically, from the perspective of any “Other,” the mere passage of 30 seconds would naturally of led anyone to conclude that nothing in fact had changed – he still occupied the same physical space; he was still 25, white; male; 5'6”; Canadian; university educated; homeless; single, and spiritually rudderless. Still, back then when he was – him, he had everything but nothing; now, he had nothing but everything. His transformation while total but not complete was from the inside out. The exercise of this inherent life-altering agency left Janus feeling content and satisfied. With a Mona Lisa smile, he found himself inclined to just sit in the moment, be, breath, and get out of his head and into the world to open up to the surrounding sounds, sights, smells, tastes, and textures while he waited for Sparky and the others to arrive for open-mike reading night.

Showcase Resources:

1. To explore more fully the quote of the day from the Dalai Lama, listen click here to listen to the audio version of the book called "The Art of Happiness Part 1: The inner light mastering mind series" at this link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2akxJSndjA0

About Skunks:

1. Click this YouTube link if you are struggling to get skunks off your property -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DheQbj8_JUQ
2. How to get skunks off your property. This one does not mention the orange peel strategy above so I thought I should offer at least two more alternatives to experiment with ways to get skunks off your property. Click here at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQwFuKj9I9
3. Another one here at - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGGw2vpea94
4. For some general information about skunks, checkout this YouTube link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVlqcrEuGmw&t=70s

As always, this tip of the iceberg conversation is ongoing and continuous. As Blazing Phoenix shared, "Peace and Take Care Everyone!"