Apologies from the author; It's been a while since I last posted anything on the website blog.
I have been dealing with personal issues that I won't share here. That kind of talk is meant to be had face to face with a good friend or few, while sipping whiskey and smoking a cigar. Suffice it to say that I have had a different view on one of my favorite sayings as of late... "being burned is advantageous in the sense that it is your worse day, it won't get worse, and if it does you'll be six feet under and won't care anyway". Haven't given up on the saying in broad principal but fact of the matter is it can always get worse and you will still remain above ground. So you do care, but in comparison those days are miniscule in number, if they ever show at all. A friend of mine once wrote 'never consider a permanent solution for a temporary problem' (something that he surely stole or paraphrased as I am doing now). Most associate that statement with sucide, rightly so...but I would also associate it with making decisions that may burn bridges or put you in a position of difficulty when the tough times need no help with their foundations. Sometimes you might strengthen what you seek to weaken if actions occur on impulse.
If you are living life, there will always be something physical (I keep loosing pieces...a toe here and there...due to my agressive way of living). Not best policy to attmept to push limits but it is what got me where I am today so I take the scrapes of the thorns to get to the really good roses I want in life. The man upstairs or the woman down stairs can't handle all of me at once so he or she is taking me in pieces. (It's all good, but it is getting harder to count past 17 these days.)
And there will always be something mental. The mental questions, in my opinion, have always been more complex because the yes or no physical question of surviving is taken to what now?, and how do we move on? levels.
It's been a while since World Burn Congress in Indianapolis. But with the above in mind, here I come with burntguy thoughts as I gear up to travel to Dallas to visit some relatives and to watch my Carolina Panthers play in their first eva Thanksgiving game.
Although the speakers and breakouts are good, the main advantage of WBC is that it facilitates a gathering of hundreds of individuals with similar situations at similar stages in the burn world whether they be survivor, family, or friend. For the first timer it can be overwhelming. Have you ever seen so many burnt guys and gals in one place. Can be overwhelming when that age old reality of 'you're not the only one' is reinforced. Think how we could overwhelm the host city if we ever chose to gather in one place at the mall (ooo, and start dancin'). For some who have been going for a while it is a family reunion. A chance to see those we haven't seen in a year. For some it rejuvenates your batteries which may only last until the next WBC. For others it brings up issues, and it can help you discover ways of dealing with those very issues if you look. No one will ever walk your path, but at WBC you can find someone if not a few who walk paths pretty damn close to yours. There you can learn, take what you like and what you think will work for you. You can do this by starting up conversation or by just watching. The audience can illuminate as much as the speaker in this gathering. Thievery is highly encouraged in this arena of ideas.
I hope you had a wonderful WBC, and I look forward to seeing you next year in Rhode Island. If you can't find me among the attendees, you can find me at the cigar bar attached to the hotel where I will be equalizing with at least one smoke stick each night.
I have been dealing with personal issues that I won't share here. That kind of talk is meant to be had face to face with a good friend or few, while sipping whiskey and smoking a cigar. Suffice it to say that I have had a different view on one of my favorite sayings as of late... "being burned is advantageous in the sense that it is your worse day, it won't get worse, and if it does you'll be six feet under and won't care anyway". Haven't given up on the saying in broad principal but fact of the matter is it can always get worse and you will still remain above ground. So you do care, but in comparison those days are miniscule in number, if they ever show at all. A friend of mine once wrote 'never consider a permanent solution for a temporary problem' (something that he surely stole or paraphrased as I am doing now). Most associate that statement with sucide, rightly so...but I would also associate it with making decisions that may burn bridges or put you in a position of difficulty when the tough times need no help with their foundations. Sometimes you might strengthen what you seek to weaken if actions occur on impulse.
If you are living life, there will always be something physical (I keep loosing pieces...a toe here and there...due to my agressive way of living). Not best policy to attmept to push limits but it is what got me where I am today so I take the scrapes of the thorns to get to the really good roses I want in life. The man upstairs or the woman down stairs can't handle all of me at once so he or she is taking me in pieces. (It's all good, but it is getting harder to count past 17 these days.)
And there will always be something mental. The mental questions, in my opinion, have always been more complex because the yes or no physical question of surviving is taken to what now?, and how do we move on? levels.
It's been a while since World Burn Congress in Indianapolis. But with the above in mind, here I come with burntguy thoughts as I gear up to travel to Dallas to visit some relatives and to watch my Carolina Panthers play in their first eva Thanksgiving game.
Although the speakers and breakouts are good, the main advantage of WBC is that it facilitates a gathering of hundreds of individuals with similar situations at similar stages in the burn world whether they be survivor, family, or friend. For the first timer it can be overwhelming. Have you ever seen so many burnt guys and gals in one place. Can be overwhelming when that age old reality of 'you're not the only one' is reinforced. Think how we could overwhelm the host city if we ever chose to gather in one place at the mall (ooo, and start dancin'). For some who have been going for a while it is a family reunion. A chance to see those we haven't seen in a year. For some it rejuvenates your batteries which may only last until the next WBC. For others it brings up issues, and it can help you discover ways of dealing with those very issues if you look. No one will ever walk your path, but at WBC you can find someone if not a few who walk paths pretty damn close to yours. There you can learn, take what you like and what you think will work for you. You can do this by starting up conversation or by just watching. The audience can illuminate as much as the speaker in this gathering. Thievery is highly encouraged in this arena of ideas.
I hope you had a wonderful WBC, and I look forward to seeing you next year in Rhode Island. If you can't find me among the attendees, you can find me at the cigar bar attached to the hotel where I will be equalizing with at least one smoke stick each night.
RSS Feed
