we fight over gay marriage, but we all get taxed on our income and again when we spend… boy would those oldtime bostonians be MAD>>>

In difficult times humor is a good way to help us stay positive. Times are tough and stressful for most of us. Laughing and smiling is an excellent way to let off some of the pressure and help keep us sane (somewhat sane). Thank you again.

I think we need to all examine the information we read with a skeptical eye, and perhaps a grain of salt. We don’t need to be “blind followers”–but should find out as much as we can before we choose sides in any debate.

I like the humorous touches you added to this touchy subject!

I suffer the same anxieties, which cause me not to use the phone. At all. For example, what if I call when that person is not there and then I am in phone tag hell? What if I call but I don’t end up having the extended amount of time needed for the call? Will getting off the phone “early” make that person feel like they aren’t important? The sad truth is that both action AND inaction cause these anxieties to come true, and it ends up being a self fulfilling prophecy.

I am busy, but that is no excuse to avoid returning people’s phone calls. I am truly ashamed of myself, and I apologize. I just don’t make people a priority on a daily basis, and then things get backed up. A week passes and I realize that I never replied to the phone call I received the previous week, and I am too embarrassed to respond. Vicious cycle. Ick.

Digital media makes things so much easier for me. I can write responses on my schedule and take as long as I need. I get to multi-task without offending anyone, which allows me to keep a high energy lifestyle. On the other hand, digital communication makes things harder, because now I am in touch with HUNDREDS of people instead of just dozens. And everyone expects responses to be returned immediately, and much of the time I just don’t have the energy to engage that often. Even worse, digital technology has allowed me to hide from the phone and let that interpersonal anxiety fester.

Maybe I would be better off without email, and Facebook, and blogs, and texting, because then I would be forced to use more personal communication to relate to others. It would mean that I would have to limit the quantity of friendships I maintain. But each friendship would have more investment. I have been grappling with these thoughts for a while, so thanks for blogging about this and allowing me to express them (I think I am going to post this on my blog too- see link above…)

As a PostScript- Today is the 25th and I am just now getting to my RSS feeds (which is how I found this blog- I subscribe! So, in some ways I am paying attention…)

Yes. To me it was worth the time, the money and the effort.

There were people at my weekend that seemed to have arrived (and left with) an argument in their hearts. I couldn’t say that they got what I got. That you are searching online for answers and that you asked me for my opinion implies to me that you are the other kind of person. Like me, you’ll probably go in with an open mind to get your investment worth. You’ll likely find parts difficult. You may struggle like I did and wonder if there’s something more that you’re not getting.

I don’t believe that Landmark Education has something that is all that original or unique, but it is conveniently packaged and presented in a way that the modern person is well adept at absorbing. If the unique vocabulary makes them seem silly or off putting, I can share my opinion on it. Unique vocabulary makes it convenient to copy write and own.

People do have life altering paradigm shifts on their own for various reasons at various times. It’s rather nice to be able to schedule into my day planner, “transform life this weekend.”

After my Landmark Forum there are still the same amount of minutes in every day – I just live in more of them. I document here so that I can honestly share the short and long term ripples. Please except my humble short term views and good luck.