Friday, August 24, 2018

Dye Your Thoughts


Did you ever wash a load of laundry, say a load of whites, and a stray something or other that’s bright red or blue or green gets thrown in by mistake?

Recently, we had some guests and I did the laundry. Towels, mostly, but I decided to save a little time by throwing in a table cloth. The towels were snow white. The table cloth was mostly red. And . . . I ended up with nice pink towels. I found out when Kim said with a groan, “Oh, Joe!”
Yup, I had some ‘splainin’ to do.

Over the years, there have been faded this or that, oddly colored undies, mostly by my hand, I’m afraid. I learn from it or try to learn from it and move on.

Then there are those things we intend to dye. Every Easter, we dyed eggs. Sometimes fingers and hands take on a nice shade of blue or purple that has nothing whatsoever to do with cold or circulation. We make sure newspaper covers the table, but every now and then, the wooden table top picks up a stray color.

And when the kids decided they needed to tie-dye shirts, they did so. Our backyard took on the look of a cheap sweatshop. All in good fun.

From his book, Meditations, Marcus Aurelius writes, “The soul becomes dyed with the colour [sic] of its thoughts.”

Lots of different meanings for that quote, I think. Each of us might take something different from it.

For me, I believe it means that what I dwell on, I become. If I choose to see only the negative, the nasty, the bad luck, and the heartbreak, my view of the world . . . my world, becomes as I think it. If, on the other hand, I choose to see the beauty, be it in struggle, in the attempt, in the effort, my view of the world . . . my world, becomes as I think it.

It all comes down to perception and perspective.

I can choose to see a “no” or “not interested” as an affront, as a setback or even as a dead end. Or I can see “no” or “not interested” as an opportunity, as a “not yet.”

I might spill the coffee or juice. I might spill something on my shirt or slacks. I might get stuck in traffic on the way to work. Any inconvenience, annoyance or any disruption from what you or I might have planned can be cause for negativity, might be cause for proclaiming loudly once again, “This always happens to me!” And indeed, it might because we sometimes expect it to happen.

In the same book, Aurelius writes, “The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.”

I might add the “constancy” and the “consistency” of your thoughts.

And lastly, Aurelius writes, “When you arise in the morning think of what a privilege it is to be alive, to think, to enjoy, to love ...”

My nephew, Jared, in his short life taken way too early, listened to the song, Play That Funky Music because in his own words and with a smile that would light up the darkest room . . . the darkest heart, “You can’t possibly listen to that song and not smile!” A pretty cool philosophy on life! Might want to give it a try.

You see, there will always be those who have less than we do, just as there will always be those who have more than we do. Always. There will be those who seem to have all the breaks, while others, perhaps ourselves, who seem to get swallowed up by each break. But if we take good ol’ Marcus at face value, perhaps it is our perception, our own thinking that sets us up for a rise just as our own thinking sets us up for a fall. Perhaps.  

Take solace in the fact that we were able to get out of bed, breathe, shower, and drive off to pursue a job, a dream, an opportunity . . . life. That’s always a good thing, isn’t it? Perhaps check what it is we choose to use to Dye Our Thoughts. Something to think about . . .

Live Your Life, and Make A Difference!

To My Readers:

My book, Caught in a Web has picked up some terrific reviews recently. “…cruelty of bullying, unfairness of dying young, horror of drug addiction; a writer who has seen what he writes about.” Authors Favorites “. . .probes the worlds of teens and gang members...precise, staccato details . . . the right blend of tension and intrigue . . .” Midwest Book Review "Important, nail-biting . . . one of the year's best conspiracy thrillers" Best Thrillers. “An epic journey through the quagmire that teenagers are subjected to in today’s schools . . . focuses on inexplicable issues where there are no neat answers as to why these things happen or how to eradicate the scourge.” AuthorsReading

In fact, for the last Eight Months, Caught in a Web has been on the Best Thrillers of the Year List by Best Thrillers! And, it is #28 on the Online Book Club Best Books of the Year List, and #4 in Crime-Thriller-Mystery on that same list!

If you are interested in finding out more about who I am or why I write what I do, I had the great opportunity to have been interviewed recently on two video shows. You can find them one hosted by Joseph Carrabis titled Author Plunge at http://www.josephcarrabis.com/2018/08/08/joseph-lewis-teens-drugs-and-gangs-o-my/#more-1443  The other is Author's Corner Live! Here is the link for the interview! https://www.facebook.com/Bridgetti.Live/videos/741588262840014/

So thanks to them and to all who have taken a chance on reading Caught in a Web. If you are interested in a copy on either Kindle or in Paperback, you can find it on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CKF7696  or on Barnes and Noble at https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/caught-in-a-web-joseph-lewis/1128250923?ean=9781684330249

And if you do give Caught in a Web a shot, please leave a rating and a review. I would appreciate it. Thanks for this consideration!

I have some exciting news:

Black Rose Writing, the company that published Caught in a Web has accepted for publication another of my books, Spiral into Darkness and it will be out in January 2019. On my author page on Facebook, I will post passages and snippets from time to time and keep you updated on the publishing progress. It is currently in the editing process.

Connect with me on Social Media:

Twitter at @jrlewisauthor


Amazon at: http://www.amazon.com/Joseph-Lewis/e/B01FWB9AOI /

Friday, August 10, 2018

A Matter of Perspective





Way back, I had the opportunity to coach high school and college basketball. I was fortunate to land a head coaching position right out of college at the second smallest school in the state of Wyoming. At that time, the entire high school had 72 kids. Total. That’s it. Yes, seriously. But I loved it and I have to admit I learned so much more from them than they ever learned from me.

Fortunately, there were hard-working ranch and farm kids who were uber talented. No kidding. In my three years there, we went 52-17, went to the state tournament three times, won the state consolation championship my first year, played for and lost the state championship my second year, and won the state championship my third year. Went on to be a graduate assistant at a university, but other than obtaining my master’s degree in counseling, didn’t like the experience. Went back to high school coaching at a Waukesha North in Wisconsin (one of the settings for my crime thriller novels) and eventually got out of coaching altogether. A good run. Lots of fun and fond memories. Lots of stories and great young men I was honored to coach along the way.

I had a coaching philosophy that was a tough sell. I believed the two most important players were the point guard, because he had to be me on the court. He had to be the coach, the cheerleader, and he had to keep his head when everyone else, including me, lost theirs. Gene, Dave, Steve, great point guards. Wouldn’t trade them for any other guys.

The other most important player wasn’t a starter. He was my sixth man. He came off the bench when I needed a fire put out or when we needed a fire started.

Do you know how hard a sell that is? To tell a kid, you’re one of the most important players on the team, but you aren’t going to start? The kid didn’t necessarily buy into it. His parents didn’t buy into it. A real tough, hard sell.

But . . .

Ronny and Tim ended up all-conference in that role. So did Scott. Mike was invaluable and accounted for turning more than one or two games around.

It was A Matter of Perspective.

That formula worked for the teams I coached. The kids had success. I played a lot of kids in each game. Some for a lot of minutes, feeling that I couldn’t take them out of the game. Others, a few minutes here and there, but there were a lot of kids who played in each game. They practiced, they played. Kind of simple for me.

There are two perspectives that have to be taken into account.

The first is the perspective of the starter. Sometimes a star, sometimes a role player, but both start. They join the circle at half-court for the opening tip and both will play a lot of minutes. Accolades accompany their roles. Pats on the back. Fan chants. You get the picture, I’m sure. You probably know a few of those kids back in your own school experience, right?
The second is the perspective of the kid on the bench. Quietly waiting for his or her turn, his or her time to play. Maybe just happy to be on the team and excepting his or her role. Maybe silently brooding and wondering what he or she has to do to be a starter, what he or she has to do to get into the game, what he or she has to do to get a few more minutes.

Pick the sport and pick the gender. In basketball, there are only five guys at any one time on the court. Only five. 32 minutes total, 8 minutes each quarter. Not a lot of time to distribute, is it?

But each kid, each player works hard to his or her ability. Talent is equally distributed, but opportunity not so much. Sort of like life, isn’t it?

Each of us has a talent. Some of us have many talents. Each of us knows someone who we admire and perhaps secretly wish we were more like because he or she can do this and that so well. And then there is that person who has that one thing he or she can do well. Maybe two things, who knows? But the opportunity to display it isn’t there. The right time, the right moment, the right place doesn’t arrive. We seek it, but can’t find it. Other times, we’re denied, unfairly, of an opportunity to shine.

As I said before, a lot like life, isn’t it?

Perhaps each of us can take a little time today, tomorrow, next week or month, to create an opportunity for someone to shine, if even for one moment. To encourage. To lift up. To build up. To take ourselves out of the spotlight in order for the light to shine on someone else. I’m willing to give it a shot. How about you? Something to think about . . .

Live Your Life, and Make A Difference!

To My Readers:

My book, Caught in a Web has picked up some terrific reviews recently. “…cruelty of bullying, unfairness of dying young, horror of drug addiction; a writer who has seen what he writes about.” Authors Favorites “. . .probes the worlds of teens and gang members...precise, staccato details . . . the right blend of tension and intrigue . . .” Midwest Book Review "Important, nail-biting . . . one of the year's best conspiracy thrillers" Best Thrillers. “An epic journey through the quagmire that teenagers are subjected to in today’s schools . . . focuses on inexplicable issues where there are no neat answers as to why these things happen or how to eradicate the scourge.” AuthorsReading

If you are interested in finding out more about who I am or why I write what I do, I had the great opportunity to have been interviewed recently on two video shows. You can find them one hosted by Joseph Carrabis titled Author Plunge at http://www.josephcarrabis.com/2018/08/08/joseph-lewis-teens-drugs-and-gangs-o-my/#more-1443 The other is Author's Corner Live! Here is the link for the interview! https://www.facebook.com/Bridgetti.Live/videos/741588262840014/

So thanks to them and to all who have taken a chance on reading Caught in a Web. If you are interested in a copy on either Kindle or in Paperback, you can find it on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CKF7696  or on Barnes and Noble at https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/caught-in-a-web-joseph-lewis/1128250923?ean=9781684330249

And if you do give Caught in a Web a shot, please leave a rating and a review. I would appreciate it. Thanks for this consideration!

I have some exciting news:

Black Rose Writing, the company that published Caught in a Web has accepted for publication another of my books, Spiral into Darkness and it will be out in January 2019. On my author page on Facebook, I will post passages and snippets from time to time and keep you updated on the publishing progress. It is currently in the editing process.

Connect with me on Social Media:

Twitter at @jrlewisauthor


Amazon at: http://www.amazon.com/Joseph-Lewis/e/B01FWB9AOI /

*The photo is courtesy of Mikito Tateisi and Unsplash*