Journal – Hopeful Humanist Cafe

Episode 83 – Pickleball Etiquette as an Allegory for Life

Posted on December 16, 2023 by The Hopeful Humanist

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-rhbj9-151eb38

In this episode, I provide articles for listeners to access who might be interested in learning the unwritten rules of etiquette for Pickleball. I then suggest that pickleball itself might be the meaning of life and offer ideas about what might constitute the good life.

Quote:

1) “Pickleball is cheaper than therapy” – unknown

2) “Pickleball is the meaning of life — why not?” – Hopeful Humanist

3) Here are some from Pickleball Peeps. Click here: Pickleball Quotes – Pickleball Peeps (pickleball-peeps.com)

Resources:

1) Pickleball in Canada – January 2023 Survey: PICKLEBALL IN CANADA – JANUARY 2023 SURVEY – Pickleball Canada

2) Pickleball Canada: Pickleball Canada – Advancing Pickleball for All, for Life!

3) What is rally point? Pickleball Rally Scoring: How It Works & Why To Give It a Try! – Pickle Geeks

4) What is Mortimer Pickleball? Can More Than Four Play Pickleball At Once? – Monmouth Area Pickleball (monmouthpickleball.org)

About the rules

1) The Unwritten Rules of Pickleball – Selkirk Sport

2) Pickleball Etiquette: 19 Unspoken Rules for Newcomers – Paddletek Pickleball

3) Sportsmanship Guide | USA Pickleball

Thank-you:

Thank you so much for joining me once again for another tip-of-the-iceberg conversation about the good life, ideas in flow, and resources for mental and physical wellness.

I hope these discussions leave you feeling inspired, thoughtful, and ready to embrace the world with a positive mindset. Your company on this journey means the world to me, and I appreciate each and every one of you who tunes in.

If you have any feedback, suggestions, or know of any online resources that could benefit your community, please feel free to share them with me. You can reach out to me at athopefulhumanist@gmail.com. Your input is invaluable, and I’m always eager to hear your thoughts.

Looking ahead, I’ve got some exciting episodes in the pipeline, covering a variety of topics aimed at enhancing our understanding of the world, ourselves, and how we can cultivate a fulfilling and balanced life.

As we wrap up today’s episode, I encourage you to keep the conversation going. Share any newfound insights with friends, family, or anyone you think might enjoy the podcast. Let’s create a ripple effect of positivity and thoughtful discussions.

Peace, take care, be well, and share!

Episode 82 – Getting right with being wrong

Posted on November 18, 2023 by The Hopeful Humanist

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-htsbx-14f619b

How well do you do with managing being wrong? Are you able to recognize internally when you are wrong? Are you able to acknowledge being wrong and take ownership for your thoughts and actions? Is there a difference between being wrong and making a mistake? Join me in this tip-of-the-iceberg conversation about one thread of the so many conversations that could take place on being wrong. At the end of the main podcast discussion, I have included some bonus material. First, a quick poem by William Blake recited by Danielson and then a thought about a way of making the conversation about being wrong relevant to Dawn (See episode 79 – Locating Dawn).

Quotes:

“People who care more about being right than ending right prove just how wrong they were all along.” (Lysa Terkeurst)

“When Frog got up one morning, he realised at once that something was wrong with the world. Something had changed.” (Max Velthuijs, Frog in Winter)

Resources:

1) Do you agree with Scott – Is there a difference between making a mistake and being wrong? Read this short article and see what you think: “I Was Wrong” vs “I Made a Mistake” – Scott Cochrane

2) Here is an additional thought from a person named Steve. Read his short article and see where you land: Wrong or a mistake? — The Steven Thompson Experience

Novel First Sentences & Journal Prompts:

This part of the show notes is non-sequitur in nature. It has nothing to do with the topic addressed in this episode. It is part of project to inspire creativity for aspiring writers. I offer these sentences as possible points of inspiration for others to take and make their own for either a novel or a prompt for a journal entry. Below, Banksy captures the spirit in a quote:

“I still encourage anyone to copy, borrow, steal and amend my art for amusement, academic research or activism.” Banksy

1) My papa was the unpublished author of the unwritten book, “Not a fairy tale at the branches of bliss.” In its substance, it was …………………elusive!

2) It was the Black Friday before the Black Friday of the American Black Friday. Everyone was tickled dizzy with thoughts about how much green they would save. Can’t wait for Cyber Monday.

3) Barry’s painful pickle-ball groin injury turned going to the toilet into a very crappy experience.

4) I decided to play hooky today and go fishing with my son. All we caught was the sunrise. That was enough.

5) Brad (cursing): That guy makes me so angry I could punch the wall!!!

Sue the therapist (in a kind voice): What if you could do something to make your button smaller?

6) I never used to like fried eggs and now I have an iPhone 12.

7) The book felt happy. How could it be otherwise? – another dog-eared page, another scribbled thought in the margin, and another sentence highlighted in yellow!

8) 2080, virtual library, 40 degrees C

Avatar-j (Jacob): Can I get Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau?

AI Assistant: Sorry, it is not currently in circulation.

Avatar-j (Jacob): It’s not circulation? Since when? It is an America Classic! Is it banned because of the protests?

A.I. Assistant: Absolutely not! It’s just not published anymore for circulation.

9) Brook thought, ‘With both sides of the aisle taking books permanently off the shelves, what will be left to read?’

10) The thought took hold of Jack and then he had something to say.

Related Episodes:

1. Episode 79 – Locating Dawn, Activating Empathy | The Hopeful Humanist Cafe

2. Episode 44 – “What if …” – The Optimist Edition | The Hopeful Humanist Cafe

3. Episode 13 – Ingredients of an Apology: Valuing Relationships | The Hopeful Humanist Cafe

4. Episode 12 – Difficult Conversations | The Hopeful Humanist Cafe

Salutations:

Thank you so much for joining me once again for another tip-of-the-iceberg conversation about the good life, ideas in flow, and resources for mental and physical wellness.

Peace, take care, be well, and share!

Episode 81 – The Novel First Sentence & Journal Prompt Project

Posted on October 25, 2023 by The Hopeful Humanist

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-9n9yp-14bc31d

Welcome to another unedited, blithering episode of the Hopeful Humanist Cafe. In this episode, I share with you a leisure project I have been experimenting with on X (formerly Twitter) and Minds. I believe that everyone has within them one book to write. Having said that, however, it should be noted that writing is something that requires time, energy and talent. It is hard work. Reluctantly, I have arrived at the realization that writing is not my wheelhouse. I have a number of friends, Danielson included, that I think are very capable writers and I look forward to the possibility one day of reading a published work. Although I am not able to bring to life a coherent book of sorts, I do have moments where I am struck by what I think could be a fairly decent first sentence for a book – perhaps your book.

Quote: “I still encourage anyone to copy, borrow, steal and amend my art for amusement, academic research or activism.” Banksy

Novel First Sentences/Journal Prompts to share:

1. Sage desperately scrambled for some paper and a pen as she did not want to lose the thought. It was fading fast.

2. Bob thinks with the entirety of his body. Every thought pops with a gesticulation of accentuation.

3. “What was is no longer; what is has just begun.”

4. Francis Luddite was the most avant-garde thinker in our group. We could not wait to see his new invention.

5. Looking up into the infinite night, Teri felt small but not alone. She realized: ‘i am the cosmos. i and God are ONE.’

6. Passing by Janus, the man flicked his cigarette butt onto the sidewalk as if the world was his ashtray. Janus shook his head and thought: ‘The crown of creation; the apex of evolution – sure.’

7. “Darius was feeling apoplectic with himself. He thought he should’ve known better.”

8. Guy was an undiagnosed romantic of the provocateur type where life was exalted and mucky all at once.

9. “In his youth, Darius championed the truth – at all cost! When that became costly, he pursued peace. Now, years later, he just looks forward to a little kindness each and everyday.”

10. “Life is not a fairy tale, but it is full of everything that makes one.”

Resource links:

1) Link for “The Banksy Museum” in Barcelona located on Carrer Trafalgar, 34, 08010 Barcelona. Note in the Podcast, I suggested the permanent exhibit does not direct connection to the Banksy enterprise. This is an assumption, and as it has been hard to garner any information about who is operating the venue, I am inclined to think I may be incorrect. Below, I have included a link for more information about the Banksy exhibit in Barcelona and a link to Wikipedia as a first step (and only a first step) to learn more about the artist.

Museu Banksy Museum : Banksy Exhibition in Spain (museobanksy.es)

Banksy – Wikipedia

Social Media Platforms:

1) X (Twitter) – Go to The Hopeful Humanist Cafe @HopefulCafe – For those interested, at an earlier point and time, I experimented with a personal project to write a story or short tweets called, “Off-Script Living.” It was an attempt to create a piece of Twitterature. For now, it sits on the backburner.

2) Minds – Got to: The HopefulHumanist – I am not convinced about this platform. Currently, I have stopped posting.

Thank-you for joining me for another tip of the iceberg conversation.

Peace, take care, be well & share!