Would You Be Willing To...

Everybody is busy doing something, and it isn't just my imagination.  People working for a living have the vast majority of their time allocated to their profession.  Time away from their professional pursuits is precious to them and they jealously guard against intrusion.  Those that aren’t are equally jealous of their time if they are engaged in any sort of endeavor.

There are plenty of people out there whose time is not structured and the commitment level they have is self imposed or they have nothing to do all day.  They may sleep late, watch TV, and piddle with little chores and errands all day long until it is time to go out for a game or meeting of some kind or another.  I’d venture to guess that a lot of people who aren’t working are like this, and either they do or don’t want to be imposed upon; to be asked for a commitment of any kind.  They can be so set in the pattern of spending their time that they don’t want to break it for any reason especially to commit to do s.t. that will require psychic and physical energy.  I can even see that tendency developing in me. 

I make up a plan for the week on Sunday that is based on my dreams and desires for the present and I don’t necessarily want someone calling me to get me involved in s.t. that is not on that list.  The problem is I don’t necessarily stay on track to finish that list of things and this leads to all sorts of angst but that is the subject of another essay.

The way to get me involved in anything is to (1) make it something profitable for me in terms of money or experience and (2) to allow me enough time, more than a few days, to put it on my schedule so that I can work it in.  The first part of the equation, making it profitable, requires that the other knows what I want, in what I’m interested, what piques my interest.  If someone I knew called and said they needed me to work for a short stint at the track or around the horses, for example, I’d probably say ok but if it was to work at the raceway around the cars I’d probably say no.

This brings me to proposition number 1: when asking someone to participate in an activity it would make sense to find out if the activity is s.t. that they would find profitable.  How to do this?  Well, asking them would be the common sense answer and put the onus on them to say that it doesn't fit their portfolio of activities.  Another may be to use the innerview process that is in the class for leadership training.

For example, a female member of our club told me that she demurs from projects that require physical labor, such as house construction or repair, because it just isn’t s.t. with which she feels comfortable and when she has participated in the past she found herself standing around not able to do s.t. to help.  There is a downside to s.o. saying yes to a query and not really wanting to do that sort of thing.  When left on their own to bring it about, it falls flat because in their heart they aren't suited  for it.

Then too it has to be perceived to be a task and not a commitment to large blocks of time and energy.  That could come later, after the person is convinced that this is s.t. for which he/she wants to take responsibility.

Then there’s the question of schedule.  How much advance notice is enough?  It is a matter of judgment and one may never get it right.  I started notifying the club in July of the October 28 Halloween party and the president of the club, bless his heart, went ahead and scheduled something else in the interim for that night without giving it a second thought.  

I think there is a sliding scale of notice for requested service dates.    If it is s.t. that would take place at a meeting, the notice could be made during the week of that meeting; or if it is s.t. that would occur after the meeting and require less than an hour and a half extra time, then calling to schedule it for a meeting two weeks out should do it.

It if is to occur on an evening, say after dinner, then scheduling for three weeks to a month out would probably get it on the calendar. 

 If it involves the person to schedule s.t. for a weekend, or with his/her spouse, then at least three weeks would be optimal, with six weeks being preferred.  This amount of time usually gets on the planning horizon of most people and if what they have is already there, six weeks out, it is a significant event that they won’t be able to change.

This schedule of notice seems logical to me and should work in most cases.  It has to be remembered that we may be dealing with volunteers who have rather full lives, either professionally or personally, and there is a limit to the amount of inconvenience they will abide.  If it is something for which we are paying, then the other should be more amenable and flexible in their schedule.
 

Simply putting out a call for volunteers seems to work well for the routine projects/events with which people are familiar.  The more formal approach for help is required when they aren’t familiar with what’s going to happen and they don’t want to get wrung into s.t. that is going to be an excess burden to them.

While these considerations are germane to volunteer efforts in, say a club, they are likewise to almost any pursuit that needs extra effort, efforts above and beyond what the individual can be paid to provide.  The value and payback question has to be answered in the heart of the one being asked.  If it is consistent with the desired results that the individual is seeking, the response will be positive; if they say no, it is better than a false “yes.”

Our Daily Bread, The 100th Posting

 This is the 100^th post and I want it to be s.t. that can be useful.  The most significant thing I can express to anyone who might even be thinking about asking is to build on what works for you.  


I had the good fortune to sit in the audience in Houston Texas, in 1987 or so, among about 1000 others and listen to Og Mandino tell his story.  I went because his Greatest Salesman in the World book was an inspiration to me; a book that brought tears of sympathetic joy to my eyes when I read it but then I am such a sentimental schmuck that some would say that’s easy.

To the best of my knowledge Og Mandino and I had only one thing in common, we were both members of the human race; we could have been sympathetic beings, we could both have been searching for permanence, we could have been a lot of things but the only fact is that we were both human beings.  He died in 1996. 

Several years ago, and I think it must have been at least ten; I revisited his book and saw the wisdom of it.  A series of statements, self-talk, reminders, desired attributes, things for which to strive, or whatever you would call them repeated daily until they are as much a part of you as the "Our Father” or other prayers we learned and never forgot.  After listing his, I reformatted them to more be more suitable to my needs, listed about 10 of them, and decided to commit them to memory.

That began what I now call my dailies.  There are thirty-seven of them, all committed to memory and recited aloud every day of my life.  When the occasion is such that I can’t say them aloud, I find ways to get them said internally so as not to miss a day. They remind me of the thought processes and behaviors that are part of my daily activities, attitudes, expressions, interactions with others, aspirations, dreams, and desired states.

They derived from a simple list and are said in a certain order because some grew out of another but expressed a nuance that was missing.  I suppose I could list them all for you, that could be viewed as vain but let’s go beyond vain and try to see the wisdom of what is being said here.  


Religions use this method to reinforce beliefs; RC priests read, at least they used to, from a breviary every day, a book of prayers that keeps them in mind of what they are about and the Islamists likewise pray five times a day to keep reminded of their faith.  If it’s good enough for the two biggest religions in the world, it’s good enough for me.

The list from Mandino is short, a book would not have supported many more, but our lives and aspirations go beyond the basics that he put forth.  In my heart of hearts I believe he was showing us the way, giving us a starting point, letting us decide for ourselves what is important enough in our lives to distill into a daily statement of desire.  So I will share mine with you and hope that they too will inspire you to put together your own list of “Dailies” that will keep you on courses relative to behavior, sentiments, moods, and desired results.

The typical daily is a two part statement: the assertion and the result.  The assertion is typically an action, thought, or mood and the result is the state of being that is engendered by the assertion.  Exceptions prove the rule, so yes there are a few that don’t fit this pattern but the result is the same.  In listing them I have put them in groups that are somehow related but haven’t made the analysis of that relationship.

So here they are:

Greeting this day with love in my heart, I am nicer

Forming good habits and becoming their slave, I am involved

Setting goals, I am proud

Working on Aim, I am productive

Imagining this day as I wish it to unfold, I exercise imagination

Enjoying the moment, I pay attention to what I am doing now

Doing it now, I am determined

Using my time wisely, I am aware

Staying on task, I am disciplined

Doing it now, I am determined

Recognizing distractions, I am cognizant

Avoiding mistakes, I am alert

Making mistakes, I recover

Asking others to do with me, I associate

Forgiving and forgetting, I relate more easily

Maintaining a favorable opinion, I remain enthused and constructive

Unaware of the other's situation, I remain neutral in my opinions

Internalizing the human relations principles, I am more likable

Utilizing my assets, personal and physical, I can get what I want
To get what I want, I ask

Proud of my accomplishments and aware of my capabilities, I am confident

Pleased with the way I am wending, I am happier

Initiating and participating in conversation, I am worthy

Confronting others appropriately, I am strong

Expressing my feelings forthrightly, I am assertive

Controlling myself during conversation, I achieve my purpose

Understanding fatigue to be the father of much negativity, I am rested

Aware that emotional response is irrational, I am more objective

Comparing myself, I see that I am energetically doing the best I can under the circumstances

Aware of my power on stage and platform, I dream extravagantly, audition routinely, learn my lines completely, rehearse rigorously, and perform spontaneously

In a conspicuous or competitive situation, I keep my mind on my objective and stay aware of my surroundings

When competing, I do it win

Oblivious to my image, I have more fun

Laughing at the world, I am fearless—the world is my playground

Getting out more,  I make myself available

Persisting until I succeed, I persevere stubbornly

Being the womb of essence, I am humble

Making the difference with a kind word, a good question, a helping hand, goals according to dream, plans and strategies to meet the goals, every move made intentionally, I deliver.


Now make your own.

The Party Analogy

When you go to the party:
You'll want to be appropriately dressed,
Know what you want to do while there,
Know how to relate to others there,
And know how to dance.
____________________________
As you participate in daily life:

Set your mental environment (your mood and level of self- esteem) so you can relate to situations in a way that allows good results. Auto-suggestion: A script repeated/heard daily that reinforces core beliefs and specifies your mien, e.g., happy, positive, sensitive, and enthused.

Get desired end results. Plans: Any method that defines what is desired, the current situation, goals, steps to be taken, schedule, resources required, an implementation plan, identifies others involved, and a way to follow-up.

Relate to others in a friendly and enthusiastic way. Human Relations: Know and practice behaviors that help you relate to others in a friendly and constructive manner.

Perform the motions of life well. Train your body to achieve proper movement for all aspects of motion required for daily activities including walking around, moving about, work, games, dance, and art. As with horses, the rider (intellectual center) specifies and then is quiet as the horse (moving center) does it.

The Team

There are two ideas on my mind, one relates to team and the other to integrating into a new community, or at least the way I do/did it. I’m not sure which to pursue so I’ll do both but one at a time. But wait just a moment, the two are related so I’ll do both together.

The French word for team is équipe. Because it is a language that we are not using every day, the word has a more profound meaning than what we think of as a team. Yet our word team, when stripped of connotations, means exactly the same thing. It is a group of people with disparate skills that work together to achieve a purpose (this is the fourth definition in the Merriam Webster dictionary after three that refer to animals.)

I worked in the shipyard for twenty-two years and like to think that I achieved a certain level of success and I did by any objective measure. Yet it only dawned on me recently that I was one member of a team of more than 20,000 people who were engaged in the building of ships. This concept didn’t dawn on me when I was working there, although I did feel that way even if I didn’t realize it.

When I went to Tenneco in Houston, Case in Racine, Case at LePlessis, or even in my own business, the realization was not there nor the feeling. I just didn’t see myself that way after NNS. Things may have worked out completely differently if I had but that is conjecture.

I seem to have always felt a need to belong to something bigger than myself, to identify with it and feel like I belonged in/to it. This is a need that has been with me since I can remember; Holy Cross, Scouting, my high school, college, the fraternity, and in a very a big way NNS & DD Co. It has also been fed by delving into the communities where we have lived because the more I knew about the place and/or the organization and the more I participated in local activities, the more of an understanding I developed and the more at home I felt.

This delving in to the community was, now that I think about it, something that was taught to me by my father, much like the parents of a baby robin teach it to find worms by showing them how; he would take me with him to various places in Saint Louis and see the history of the place. We went through neighborhoods where he would recount the way it was, to museums to see the artifacts of the past, to the “backsides” of many buildings, restaurants, theaters, and businesses, even the streets on which we rode had stories of how they got thataway.

When I went to Newport News, I took with me this idea of delving into the past and did the same thing there that he’d shown me in Saint Louis. Because NN was smaller by far than St. Louis, I expanded my view to include the entire peninsula, from Williamsburg and Jamestown, to Yorktown, Poquoson, Phoebus, Old Point Comfort, and Hampton. I spent quite a bit of time crawling the area finding gems of history, especially the old houses. Wherever I am, old houses and neighborhoods hold a fascination for me.

Then when I went to Houston, perhaps because it is so much larger, I made a science out of it. I found photography studios and went to see historical photos then went to the present locations to see how they now looked. I read history and tracked down the locations of events, I talked to people to hear how the area developed. I made plans weekly to see something new and unique to the city. In four years I knew as much as anyone who’d lived there much longer but certainly not the details necessary to put it into perspective.

I repeated some of this in Racine but quickly soured on it; it just didn’t hold my interest very long. Then when we went to England and France and Europe in general, my interest was piqued. I was lucky enough to find “A Literary Guide to Paris” and tracked down many locations that were referenced by the authors who lived there, for example Victor Hugo’s elephant in Les Miserables, and the burial location in the Hunchback of Notre Dame.

I have likewise done this in Louisville. The UofL Archives are a rich storehouse of photos and I’ve driven the wheels off the car traipsing around the old City of Louisville to see neighborhoods, cinemas, parks, thoroughfares, and buildings. Like most other places I’ve been, the old houses and neighborhoods are particularly fun to see.

One reason I am drawn to acting is being a player on a team. The thing about acting that attracts me is to be in a cast, work cooperatively during rehearsals with almost no politics, developing friendships that are mutually satisfying and beneficial but not relationships that get in the way. The cast is together; we all have a script and a part to play, rehearse, perform, and then go on about our lives. The team is formed for the production and then goes away and yet there is a feeling of belonging to a larger community of performing artists who are of one mind, and on some level part of “the Theater.”

There is a history of the theater much like that of an area, an allure that includes famous actors and actresses. Yet even when associated with it in as small a way as I am, my perception of them has changed. Instead of seeing them as somehow apart from the rest of us, I see them for what they are, people engaged in a profession much the same as any other. Some are more involved in marketing efforts, taking advantage of the public persona they have. Others are quietly working at their craft to become as good at it as they can. The Leonardo Da Vinci movie at the Frazier yesterday is a good example. None of the actors was a recognized name but each was remarkably cast and performed the character with remarkable sensitivity. I am pleased to belong to it.

A Window In My Head

There is a cartoon, depicting two buzzards sitting in a tree in the desert. One is saying to the other, “Let’s just go kill something.” That is the mood I am getting into, not murderous but rather a mood to go out and precipitate some action.

This blog entry is going to be stream of consciousness; you will be hearing in your mind's ear as you read it the various and sundry thoughts that are running through my head as I write. They will be as they come up; some will be expanded, others may be simple statements, none will be edited. So here goes.
The morning is almost gone and I have done scant little of a productive nature. I’m seeing the difference between being productive and being busy, or wasting time.

The French lessons by Michael Thomas are effective, I’ll keep doing them. And the golf tips from David Leadbetter are worth their weight in strokes. Too bad the weather isn’t cooperating. I could go to the pool hall and see what, if anything is happening there. Talk about wasting time.

I’ll listen to France2 in a little while; I don’t know why I do that because I understand so little of what is said. On the other hand I get a word or two more each time I listen to it. This, the audio programs, and TV are all so passive in their nature that I don’t like them; yet I like the results they are getting for me. It’s like overhead, necessary but not productive.

There isn’t much of a future involved with this current set of activities. I didn’t go to the French Meetup last night because I wanted to stay home; yet staying home, alone, is probably the least productive thing I could have done. But OTOH, Johnny called and we had a nice chat. So that wasn’t so bad after all.
Sure would like to get a horse.

There are a dozen things I could be doing but none of them grabs me. I’m not going to make a list of them because I’ll wind up doing them. OTOH I should make a list and do them and then they wouldn’t be hanging around like derelict bums waiting for a handout.

I was bummed out because a Rotarian didn’t get back to me; then he did and when I looked at the calendar it was within a day of my message to him. I just don’t have enough on my plate. But if it ain’t acting, riding, pool, or golf, then I’m not in the mood. But there are a lot of other things on my Endeavors list and I could do any of them, it’s just that the big four are what I really want to do.

I need to memorize the Brother Orchid monolog. That’s a good one for a serious minute and my Guinness Book of Records is fine for the comedy minute.

If I had a horse I’d have to go take care of it; that has been a long standing strategy of mine, get an animal that requires care to stay active.

I suppose if I knew what to do I could stay busy on any and all of my endeavors but a horse would give back; in their own way they do. All of my endeavors, at least all but a few of them don’t require me to do with others.

My dailies are likewise focused on my own behavior and desired actions /reactions with others. So my prescriptions are more self oriented than out there doing with others. And when they are, I’m reluctant to do so.

Any sphere of association takes time to develop, or at least I think it does. When a new group is approached there is a required inuring that has to take place because the first reaction of a group, most of the time, is adverse to the newcomer or at least wary.

My sister called this morning to wish us a happy anniversary; that was nice. It’s the first time she’s called me since mom died two years ago this month. Not that that means anything, she probably has other stuff on her mind. I seem to think that everything is about me; when people don’t call it’s because they don’t like me, don’t want to be around me. That’s how I feel generally. This is stupid thinking on my part but just because it’s stupid doesn’t mean I don’t do it.

I think about going to Midland Trail club house and seeing what’s going on. Well, I’ll find a bunch of guys there who all seem to know each other and who will put up a wall to prevent me from participating; or maybe it is I who puts up the wall. How do I know, it’s happened. So I immediately think it’s something that I look like, or act like, or whatever that is inscribed on my forehead.

I put a message out there for my riding buddy and she hasn’t returned it for more than a week. My conclusion is negative about me. Yet the truth is that it isn’t about me, nobody really cares about me. Now that’s a negative attitude too. It is true, however, that no one calls me; since I don’t call anyone either—you see where that puts me, right here in isolation.

Now that I think about it, this whole entry is about me but then that’s how I get off the dime and start doing again. I sit and complain to me, then do something. Most of the time I do because I feel like I have to; this isn’t always true but mostly. There are some things I do because I like to, they usually relate to my endeavors, even those beyond the big four.

Generally I’m in a foul mood. Have been for several days and I think it must be because I am not doing with others. I pursue my list of things to do but they are somewhat insignificant. Participating with others to achieve a worthy goal; that’s what I’m missing. I need a part in a play.

Another Step Down the Road

So here we are, into the month of September and I haven’t written for quite some time. About what will I write? Well, I’ve used the same strategy often in the past, sit down and start keying and we’ll see what develops.

There are several thoughts that may be worth expanding, one is career oriented and that is tempting; to say the least. Another is on life and living as we close in on older age but that is not as tempting because I don’t think my status is going to change that much for another 15 years or so; I’ve pretty much decided to let the chips fall where they may in the game of life and living unless a curable disease develops.

We just came back from our trip to California and then Las Vegas and that was after a three week sojourn in Virginia Beach, which included some high drama. These and this could lead to all kinds of trouble if I wrote about the details so I’ll just leave them alone.

Where am I at the moment vis-a-vis my chosen career of acting? I’m hanging out; not in class, not involved with a project involving others be it movie, play, or business and I don’t have a clear plan or idea of what to do next.

I believe in me. While away, the idea of being on the top team came into my thinking and I accepted it. I put myself on the “A” team, those who are privileged to be successful in what they do, how they look, and how they behave. I was then turned down for two roles and unsuccessfully auditioned for two paying spots. This doesn’t deter me but it does keep me grounded and realistic.

Then there is the sport that teaches me much about life, golf. My golf game took a turn for the better. It started with a putting strategy and that extended to all the other types of strokes, i.e. tee shots, long and short irons, pitching, and chipping. The extension wasn’t a great leap but natural. It came to me just a month or so ago, either before or during my trip to Virginia Beach and it has made the difference.

It became clear to me that I have studied the game with two superior DVD programs, lessons from professionals; have practiced untold hours and have been playing for a number of years. At one time or another I made par on every hole at Midland Trail and at Long Run Golf Courses, both of which I play regularly. All of a sudden it dawned on me that I know how to play the game except for the really arcane nuances. Yet I was approaching every shot from tee to hole-out as if it was new and different and required cognitive analysis.

The idea came to me to qualitatively examine the putt for slope and distance; take a stance, and simply say to myself, “There’s the hole, here’s the ball; put the ball in the hole,” and then make the stroke. The results were astounding. My putts either go in or get to within one or two feet of the hole. It takes a little discipline to stay calm and keep from over-analyzing the putt; a little more to remember the mantra; and a little more to look from the hole to the ball only once or at most twice after taking my stance. As faith in my previous hard work on the game increases I will make the putt with one look after taking my stance.

This is not to say that there won’t be a generous amount of time taken before addressing the ball, and another increment taken before stroking. I’m saying the look at the hole and back to the ball to hole will be once.

It must have been the next time out when I decided to extend this method to the tee shot. Here I said to myself, “There’s the target, here’s the ball. Hit the ball to the target.” The target is picked before addressing the ball and thinking about all of the other aspects of the swing; then just before the swing take another look at the target, then the ball, and then say it; then hit the ball and see the result. Without recrimination, evaluating the result and calmly requesting adjustments to be made the next time up.

All of this rests on the foundation of grip, stance, and swing characteristics; none of which is abandoned nor forgotten before making the swing. It’s just that the last thing to do is say the mantra. Sounds corny but after six weeks of it and fifteen rounds of golf and many buckets of balls on the range, the results have been most encouraging. Yet I realize it is but another step along the path.

I remember now that I was doing the same in riding. I told myself, I know how to ride, let it go. This extends into pool as well. Pool requires a lot more discipline than golf; at least I find that to be true at this point in time.

It was also used for my last management workshop when we uncovered 100 ideas for fundraising for my local Rotary club. I put the workshop together and wasted no effort in mentally rehearsing it; “I know the material and the procedure; do the workshop.” It is almost like acting, you learn the script, rehearse, and then perform spontaneously—again and again.

Now for the leap; is it possible that this will work for realizing dreams? My life experiences are such that I know how to—whatever. It is a matter of allowing the personae involved to “do it.”

The French Cook

Carola and I decided to have lunch at the Chateau one fine day. We went there, found our way to the café, and sat down. As we sat there, I was aware of heat coming from a source to the left of and behind Carola. As I looked at what I thought was the wall, I began to make out what it was; the massive kitchen cook stove of the Chateau from when it was a going concern. It was painted over with the same color as the rest of the room and almost indistinguishable. It had been cold for a very long time, not used for more than 180 years. Yet, as we sat there I felt the heat of it. Not that it was unbearable, it was tolerable heat but more than warmth; it was the heat of a cook stove.

Floods of visions went through my imagination, there were spectral figures bustling about, all on a culinary mission of some sort, and this went on for some time. Carola called me back to reality but in the background there was this frenetic activity all the while we were there. I didn’t feel threatened or even uncomfortable, as it was I felt quite at home there; as if I was supposed to be there.

This feeling of belonging wasn’t new to me; I’d felt it from the day I made the right turn out of the forest and voila! There was the Chateau du Chantilly staring me in the face. It was larger than life, an apparition. After that, I made that trip frequently, it was one of a variety of ways I could get home from work in Leplessis-Belleville, but this was the only time the Chateau loomed larger than life before me.

Then I could never be without knowing my way around the ville. Although the grounds of the Chateau were strange to me, I was not a stranger in the city and felt even more at home in the older parts than on Avenue de Montmorency where we lived. In the forest and at the Grand Ecuries, there was never a time that I felt in a strange place.

There have been other familiarities for me. One that was also strongly felt was on Maui in Hawaii. I went to a little whaling museum and it was the same type of experience as was Chantilly, especially when I read some authentic log entries and heard “Thar she blows!” with the inflection that was undoubtedly authentic. Then later that night, when walking down the main street of the little tourist trap, I had the feeling that I was there 150 years before and the crowd was not modern day tourists but ships’ crews making a night of it ashore. The feeling was very strong.

I’ve been to hundreds of places throughout the world and have had these feelings only a few times. Others that I can recall as I sit here are: on the Great North Road at the Mount Pleasant Hotel near Doncaster in England, the roadside graves at a location in France on the way to St. Dizier, in Pompeii, at the Harbor in Sydney Australia, on the Newport News Point railroad dock at the foot of 23rd Street, sailing on the Chesapeake Bay off of Old Point Comfort, and generally in San Francisco to name most of them. One can see that the number is small by comparison to my travels. The Chantilly, Pompeii, and Maui experiences were the most significant, although the others were strong enough to get my attention. The question is; what’s going on?

One explanation was that these represent for me some previous existence/ lifetime but now I’m not so sure. Could it be that there are unfinished lifetimes hanging around out here waiting for a sympathetic being to allow them in for completion of a sort? I say hanging around because when I saw the roadside graveyard in France, I was aware of a group of soldiers sort of hanging around in a desultory fashion as if they had nowhere to go. I got the impression that they were lost in despair. So too could other unfinished lives be hanging around the vicinity of their untimely death and when a vulnerable or even cooperative Master chances by they can jump on and work their way to some sort of completion.

Completion for me means permanency. That is to say the Master that inhabits this brain-body works to develop himself to the point that when the brain-body dies, he moves on to another higher plane of existence in the spiritual world. I don’t know if this is a possibility for all the brain-bodies I see walking about but I firmly believe it is for this one and for numerous others.

This Master seems to have more than a modicum of strength/power over this brain-body. He is confident in what he does and it is possible that there is room in here for more than one; i.e. the Chantilly cook may have hooked on and is here for the ride. I don’t feel like the others are. Yet the Master is going about his business of becoming permanent without regard to his little French friend or maybe in spite of or even in addition to him.

In order for an inhabitation to take place there may be some prerequisites. It would seem that there have to be some sympathetic qualities existing between the one needing a ride and the Master. How many of these hitch hikers can one Master abide? At some point the hitch hiker may opt to get off and anywhere along the line another might be picked up. Yet there is a Master working on permanency who may have inhabited this brain-body early on, or who at least is the strongest to have climbed aboard thus far. I am close to concluding that inhabitation can take place at any time during the brain-body lifetime and not necessarily inspiration at first breath as I have previously thought.