An Alice and Ben cemetery story.
Alice and Ben were enjoying their wedding anniversary while lounging under the trees behind the mausoleum in their favorite memorial park. This is their old time preferred retreat. They were enjoying each other’s company in the peace and silence of the park.
Suddenly, Agatha Christie came over out of the nowhere. She carried two books of murder mysteries that she wrote. Agatha waved hello.
“Hello,” she said. “I hope you don’t mind me interrupting, but I saw you sitting here and I thought I would introduce myself. I’m Agatha Christie.”
Alice and Ben were stunned. They had never met Agatha before, and they couldn’t believe that she was just standing there, talking to them.
“It’s an honor to meet you,” Alice said. “We’re big fans of your work.”
“Thank you,” Agatha said. “It’s always nice to meet people who enjoy my books.”
“What are you doing here?” asked Alice.
“I’m just taking a walk,” said Agatha. “I saw you sitting here and I thought I would walk over and say Hi.”
She sat down next to them, and they all started talking. Agatha told them about her life as a writer, and Alice and Ben told her about their wedding story and how they first met at the funeral home.
“It’s nice to meet you,” said Ben. “We’re celebrating our wedding anniversary.”
“Congratulations,” said Agatha. “That’s wonderful.”
“Thank you,” said Alice. “We’ve been married for two years.”
“I’m sure you have a lot of stories to tell.” said Agatha.
“We do,” said Ben. “But we’ll save them for another time.”
Alice and Ben made room for Agatha on the bench. Agatha sat down and handed them the books.
“Yes, thank you,” said Agatha. “I thought you’ll like these,” she said. “They’re my latest murder mysteries.”
“Thank you,” said Alice. “We sure like your page turners.”
“I hope you enjoy them,” said Agatha.
“We sure do,” said Ben.
They chatted for a while longer, and then Agatha said, “My chief dislikes are crowds, loud noises, gramophones and cinemas. I dislike the taste of alcohol and do not like smoking.
I do like sun, sea, flowers, travelling, strange foods, sports, concerts, theatres, pianos, and doing embroidery.”
Then Alice asked, “But what really brought you here?”
Agatha was silent for a long moment.
Then she said as an afterthought, “You know that right here, Cain murdered Abel, don’t you?”
Alice and Ben were stunned in silence. It never crossed their mind.
They chatted for some more, and by the end of the conversation, they felt like they had known each other for years. Agatha was a kind and gracious woman, and Alice and Ben were grateful for the opportunity to meet her. It was like a wedding anniversary gift for them.
“It was nice meeting you,” she said. “And congratulations again on your anniversary.”
Agatha smiled, waved goodbye, and faded away.
Vanished.
Just like that.
Alice and Ben watched her gone, and then turned to each other.
“Can you believe what just happened?” said Alice.
“I know,” said Ben. “It’s something out of our common fantasy.”
“I’m so glad we met her,” Alice repeated.
They sat in silence for a while, savoring the moment. Then they picked up the books that Agatha had given them and started to read.
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THE BIG DENALI
I woke up early on a clear June day in Anchorage, Alaska, excited for my upcoming tour flight with a bush pilot. I had always wanted to see Mount McKinley, and this was my chance to get up close and personal with the tallest mountain in North America.
I arrived at Lake Hood near Anchorage airport, eager for my tour flight around the glaciers and granite walls of Mount McKinley.
I met the bush pilot, a grizzled man with a thick mustache and a twinkle in his eye. He introduced himself and showed me to his plane, a small floatplane that was moored to the edge of a pier at the lake.
Lake Hood is near Anchorage airport is home to a fleet of floatplanes. We loaded up into a small Cessna, and my pilot gave me a quick safety briefing.
But not before taking my weight… The pilot started the engine. The plane sputtered to life and we taxied out onto the lake. He gave me thumbs up and we took off into the air.
We flew over the sprawling Anchorage. Left behind the Chugach mountains and headed north over Talkeetna and out towards the wilderness of the Alaska Range. The landscape below us was stunning. Snow-capped mountains, glaciers, shallow rivers and some forests.
Seated next to the pilot the pilot he spotted and pointed to me wildlife roaming freely down in the wild – bears, bison and deer. I had the best view with windows to the front and to the side and shot the best pictures I knew how.
I was struck by the awesomeness of the landscape. Mostly barren land. The snow-capped mountains, some forests, and sparkling lakes were a feast for the eyes.
We flew for over an hour at relatively low altitude. Eventually we reached our destination: Mount McKinley. The mountain was more impressive than I had imagined. It is so big that it seemed to fill the entire sky.
We winged around the mountain. I was amazed by the sheer size and beauty of the white glaciers and the black granite walls. It was hard to believe that I was actually flying above one of the most remote and inaccessible places on Earth.
Confronting a granite wall
The pilot flew us around the mountain. Then he flew between ice covered granite peaks. I had a too close of a look at the glaciers below and the granite side walls. The walls are steep. I was afraid. I was scared we would crash into them.
I was scared. I prayed wishing to get out of this wild and bizarre mountain trap. I wanted out of that suspended reality.
Glacier below in between granite walls
After a while, we landed on a small lake in the shadow of Mount McKinley. We got out of the plane and took a short walk around. The air was crisp and clean, and the only sound was the wind rustling through the trees.
We then took a break to relieve ourselves. There are no bathrooms, so we had to step over the wing of the plane. It was a bit of a challenge, but it was worth it to be able to experience the beauty of this remote wilderness.
Taking a leak over the wing.
After our break, we got back in the plane and flew back to Anchorage. The flight back was just as beautiful as the flight out. I couldn’t believe how lucky I was to have had this opportunity to see Mount McKinley from the air.
The entire trip took about five hours, It is an unforgettable experience. I would highly recommend a tour flight with a bush pilot to anyone who is visiting Alaska. It is an amazing way to see the beauty of this state and to get up close and personal with Mount McKinley.
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Tags: #Alaska #MountMcKinley #glacier #granite #Talkeetna #Anchorage #ChugachMountains #AlaskaRange #BushPilot #Denali #LakeHood
I’M A BIBLIOBIBULI
That’s great! Bibliobibuli are people who love to read. Are you one?
In fact, it’s a great thing. Reading can open up new worlds and perspectives, and it can help us learn and grow. It can also be a lot of fun.
If you’re a bibliobibuli, I encourage you to keep reading. There are so many great books out there, and you never know what you might discover. You might find your new favorite author, or you might learn something new about the world. And who knows, you might even inspire someone else to become a bibliobibuli too.
So here’s to all the bibliobibuli out there. Keep reading, and keep sharing your love of books with the world.
Bibiliobibuli is a portmanteau of two words: Biblio – book; Bibuli – drinking a lot… Cheers !
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Tags: #bibliobibuli #booklovers #bookreaders #bookhoarders
Lewis Carroll was a genius polymath, a writer, a photographer, a mathematician, inventor and a philosopher.
His observation on the nature of human progress was simple and is immortalized in his children book Through the Looking Glass.
“Now here you see, it takes all the running you do, to keep in the same place.”
“If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that.”
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If you still need an explanation, here it is:
In order to stay where we are we need to keep running at the same place, because our world is always in the state of change.
Riding a stationary bike gets us further to nowhere. If we want to make progress we have to run twice faster than we do now.
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Tags: #LewisCarroll #throughthelookingglass #running #progress,
The man looked at the bowl of soup in front of him with suspicion. He had just asked his wife if she had poisoned it, but she had refused to answer. Now he was starting to feel sick. His stomach was churning and his head was pounding. He knew he had to do something, but he was afraid to move. He didn’t want to startle the snake that he was sure was lurking under his bed.
He slowly reached for his phone and dialed 911. As he waited for the police to arrive, he tried to focus on his breathing. He took deep, slow breaths in and out. He told himself that he was going to be okay.
The police arrived a few minutes later. They took one look at the man and knew that something was wrong. He was pale and sweating, and his eyes were wide with fear. The police asked the man what had happened, and he told them about the soup.
The police went into the bedroom and looked under the bed. Sure enough, there was a rattlesnake coiled up there. The police carefully removed the snake and took it away.
The man was taken to the hospital, where he was treated for his injuries. He made a full recovery, but he was never the same after that day. He was always afraid that he was going to be poisoned again.
The police never found out who poisoned the man’s soup. They suspected that it was his wife, but she denied it. She said that she had no reason to want to hurt her husband.
The man and his wife eventually divorced. He never remarried, and he never lived in that house again. He was too afraid of the snake that had almost killed him.
IN PRAISE OF EMPTY MIND
The benefits of a blank brain. Boredom has its rewards.
In today’s world, we are constantly bombarded with stimuli. From the moment we wake up to the moment we go to sleep, we are inundated with information, from our phones, our computers, our TVs, highway traffic and our family and friends. It’s no wonder that we often feel like our mind is constantly on overload.
But what if I told you that there is a benefit to having an empty-headed mind? That sometimes, the best way to be creative is to simply let your mind wander?
It may seem counterintuitive, but boredom may be a powerful source of inspiration. When we’re not constantly stimulated, our brains have a chance to relax and recharge. This can lead to new ideas and insights that we might not have otherwise had.
It’s not always easy to find time to be bored. But if you can make the effort, you might be surprised at how much you enjoy it. Here are a few tips for embracing boredom:
* Go for a walk in nature.
* Read a fun book.
* Take a nap.
* Spend time chatting with friends.
* Do some creative work, like painting, sculpting or writing.
* Simply sit and do nothing. Zazen.
Boredom is often perceived as a negative thing, but it can actually be a powerful tool for learning, growth and creativity. When we are bored, we are forced to turn inward and explore our own thoughts and feelings. We may also be more open to new experiences and ideas.
Boredom is not the most exciting thing in the world, but it can be a valuable tool for creativity and inspiration.
So next time you’re feeling bored, don’t fight it. Embrace it!
Here are more rewards of having a hollow mind:
* Improved focus and concentration
* Increased productivity
* Reduced stress and anxiety
* Enhanced creativity and problem-solving skills
* Greater appreciation for the present moment
If you’re looking for a way to improve your mental health and well-being, give yourself some time to be bored. You might be surprised at how much you enjoy it!
There is a joy to be found in a vacuous brain. When we take the time to unplug and let our thoughts flow freely, we can often find inspiration and creativity that we never knew we had.
Studies, found that people who spend time in nature are more likely to have creative ideas. The researchers believe that being in nature helps to clear our minds and allow us to think more freely.
Neuroscientists described in recent years a neuronal system in the brain that is called the ‘brain’s default mode network’. This ‘default mode network’ is always active, even at sleep, busily processing memories and information, or daydreaming. It is supposed that this neuronal default network is coordinating other parts of the brain and preparing it to get its tasks accomplished in alignment with the person’s conscious thoughts of objectives and intentions.
Here are more tips for enjoying the joy of mindlessness:
* Go for a walk in nature.
* Make and enjoy a cup of relaxing chamomile tea.
* Meditate or do yoga.
* Ride a bike.
* Take a nap.
* Do creative work, like pottery crocheting, or embroidary.
* Just sit and do nothing.
The next time you feel your mind racing, try one of these tips to slow down and enjoy the peace of an empty brain. You may be surprised at how much you enjoy it.
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Tags: #blankmind #boredom #emptymind #creativity #growth #satisfaction #zazen #meditation #yoga
IRS got from Congress $80 Billons in new added funding.
The IRS is looking to hire 30,000 new employees over the next two years. Including are data scientists, data miners, CPAs, finance MBAs, and tax lawyers. The new hires will be used to improve tax enforcement and customer service.
AI came to the rescue just in time. The IRS is also expected to invest in new technology (AI), to help with these efforts.
The new IRS employees will come from a variety of sources. Some of these employees may be poached from private tax preparation companies, such as H&R Block, Jackson Hewitt, Ernest & Young and Turbo Tax. However, others – the IRS is expecting to hire new graduates and experienced professionals from additional fields.
The hiring of 30,000 new IRS employees is likely to have a significant impact on the private tax preparation industry. Some companies may be forced to lay off employees or close down altogether. Other companies may be able to adapt to the new environment by offering new services or expanding into new markets.
So who is left to do our tax returns next year?
Wait and see. Overall, the hiring of 30,000 new IRS employees is likely to have an unknown impact on the private tax preparation industry. Some companies may be negatively affected, while others may be able to benefit from the new opportunities.
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Tags: #IRS #IRShiring #taxpreparation #attractome #accountants #CPAs #lawyers #dataminers #AI #H&RBlock #Turbotax #JacksonHewitt #EY
CURIOSITY AND WISDOM ARE TIED TOGETHER
Curiosity is a strange kind of hunger. The more you feed it, the hungrier you get.
Nature is the real source of wisdom. The people who carry it on are still here.
The ancient knowledge is in our soul.
It is agreed that curiosity is a strange kind of hunger. The more you learn, the more you realize you don’t know. And the more you don’t know, the more curious you become. It’s a never-ending cycle of discovery and learning.
I believe that nature is the real source of wisdom. All of the knowledge that we have today comes from nature, either directly or indirectly.
We learned how to build houses from watching birds build nests. We learned how to make fire from watching lightning strike trees. We learned how to grow crops from watching plants grow.
The people who carry on the wisdom of nature are still here. They are the farmers, the hunters, the fishermen, the herbalists, and the indigenous peoples who have lived in harmony with nature for centuries. They have a deep understanding of the natural world, and they can teach us a great deal about how to live in a sustainable way.
The ancient knowledge is in our soul. It is the wisdom that we have inherited from our ancestors. It is the knowledge of the seasons, the stars, the plants, and the animals. It is the knowledge of how to live in harmony with nature.
Let’s stay connected with nature and with the ancient knowledge that is in our soul. We need to learn from the people who carry on the wisdom of nature. And we need to use this knowledge to create a more sustainable and harmonious world.
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Tags: #Curiosity #Wisdom #soul #Knowledge #hunger #sustainability #Nature
I met this young man at the Chicago Exposition of Modern Art in Navy Pier.
He stood out and up of the crowd.
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