The Ministry of Happiness

Happiness is Las Vegas & Monty Python

Posted on November 21, 2016 by Michael Kane

Happiness is Las Vegas & Monty Python

It’s a helluva start, being able to know what makes you happy ~ Lucille Ball

As a teenager I discovered Monty Python’s Flying Circus on PBS, it was a revelation. Utter and complete silliness, dead parrots and fish fights and Terry Gilliam’s amazing illustrations. As promised it was always something different.

So this weekend I went to Las Vegas to see John Cleese and Eric Idle reminisce about their careers in comedy. It was an amazing show, their stories were amazing, the clips spectacular, and the skits very funny.

I have a number of friends in Las Vegas and it was great to get a chance to hang out with them, eat a few great meals and have a bit of fun. Of course, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, so I’m not going to say anything else, but we may have had an impact on gravity.

So go have some fun, it’s only a flesh wound after all and have a happy day my friends ~ Rev Kane

Happiness and the Election

Posted on November 8, 2016 by Michael Kane

Happiness and the Election

A smile is the light in your window that tells others that there is a caring, sharing person inside. ~ Denis Waitley

Ok, tomorrow is going to be a very interesting day in the US. There will be lots of anxiety of course, lot’s of false things posted on social media about, how somebody’s uncle’s cousin saw this or that while voting. Don’t fall for any of it, regardless of who you are supporting tomorrow, the day after the election we need to support each other. We all need to remember that we are all Americans, even more importantly, we are all humans and that bond has to be greater than any party you may support, any candidate you support, any story you’ve heard on cable news, or any post you read on social media.

We need to come together after the election and as the public, the owners of our government, we need to hold our leaders to a higher standard than we have in the past. We need to get them to take care of our immigrants AND our veterans, our economy AND our environment, our minority communities AND our police, our children AND our elderly. We can actually do all of that regardless of what your politicians or party tells you. We need to be strong leaders in the world without using our military as our primary form of “diplomacy.” We can do this by having caring and understanding being our first tools of choice, our weapons the tool of last resort.

So the day after the election, elated, angry or indifferent, I’m asking you to do one thing, not for me, but for all of us. Just smile at three strangers over the course of the day. Why? Because a smile is an act of kindness, the antithesis of all the mistrust and anger we have shown each other during this election cycle. It might just be the thing that gets us started on the right path and who knows, maybe a few people will smile back. All that smiling will make us feel better, more trustful, maybe, just maybe we’ll start listening instead of talking at each other. Maybe we’ll decide that the way to solve problems is the best idea, regardless of what party or ideology the idea came from. Who knows, maybe a sophisticated approach of taking the best conservative, liberal, communist, socialist, capitalist, Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist and Taoist ideas and mixing and matching them will actually produce some amazing insights and better all of our lives.

Then again, I think John Lennon had it pretty right in the song imagine. So the day after tomorrow, the day after the election, let’s try to be helpful, kind and grateful and just see what happens. As always though, be good to yourselves, kind to others and have a happy day my friends ~ Rev Kane

Posted in personal happiness | Tagged america, clinton, democrat, election, happiness, hillary, republican, the donald, trump | Leave a comment

Happiness and Losing Weight

Posted on September 12, 2016 by Michael Kane

Happiness and Losing Weight

a pair of female feet standing on a bathroom scale looking shy about the weight
To keep the body in good health is a duty… otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear. ~ Buddha

So as regular readers know I’ve settled in a new job, new place, new house and after two years of traveling and having not great health insurance I’ve also been setting about getting all of my routine health screenings done. I went to the eye doctor and in to get a physical. I expected that I was in ok condition, I was working out regularly, had lost a couple of pounds and was getting back to eating right after not paying much attention for some time. I was wrong. I had been taking a supplement that it turns out was impacting my high blood pressure medication and the day of my appointment was the middle of an incredibly stressful week at work. So I sat down and they took my blood pressure and it was 170/90, the highest it has been since before I began taking medication 15 years ago.

We did all of the standard blood tests and there would be more bad news, my blood sugar was once again about the line to qualify me as a Type II diabetic, my triglycerides were a little high and my thyroid numbers were low. I would be lying if I said it wasn’t quite depressing, however like I said, I had already started eating a bit better, I was working out regularly so it is a matter of making more changes. Part of that of course is losing weight. I once weighed 250 pounds and when I moved to California in 2002 I lost 40 pounds and got down to around 210. I have floated between 210 and 220 for the last 15 years, I came of the Appalachian Trail last year at around 207 but had gotten back to about 210 when I reached my new home.

So, it is time to lose weight again and honestly it feels like 2002 again, I’m committed to it and have been taking it very seriously. So far I’ve dropped from 210 to 194, what I weighed this morning. My first goal was to be under 200 by my birthday in August and I made it. My next goal is to make 193 by October 1st and it looks like I’ll make that as well. My final goal is to make 180 by the end of the year. I haven’t weighed 180 probably since I was in high school.

People naturally want to know how I’m doing it and I’d love to tell you all that I’ve discovered some magical way to do it. Heck, I’d be a billionaire if I’d figured out an easy way to lose weight, I haven’t. The thing with me is that I LOVE food, I love to eat, I love to cook and I typically eat for three. Throw in an absolute addictive love of Coca-cola and pizza and well, it’s quite easy for me to consume 2500 – 3000 calories in a day. So for me to lose weight it comes down to a few things, reducing portion size, cutting down to one coke and a slice of pizza a week, and really cutting back on carbs. It’s funny how things slip in, I thought I was actually eating ok, but once I started thinking about it, I had to change my mind.

When I get ice before the gym at a fast food place I’d do a little shot of coke prior to just filling the cup with ice. Then of course there would be a day or two where I would end up drinking a whole coke. I was eating a lot of chicken wings and of course they were breaded, there was a cookie or three here or there, the occasional chicken sandwich at the fast food place. Even the pot of soup I made each week had barley, rice, carrots so all of that had to change. So the fast food places are ice only and the occasionally taco salad without rice and I don’t eat the shell. My soups, beyond the carbs contained in vegetables are carb-free, no carrots, rice, or barley. My dinners are now meat and vegetables, a lot more salads. But it’s not boring food, I make a mean funky chicken salad, cucumber bean salads, no-pasta lasagna, chilli and lots of stir fries. Water and the occasional cup of tea are all that I drink and although I usually allow myself a cheat day each week, I really haven’t been using them. Although I did for my birthday weekend and after going super low-carb for two weeks after that, I took a cheat day this past Friday. However, I am proud to say I haven’t had a coke in over four weeks. I continue to workout five days a week. It’s working, it takes some willpower and discipline but all in all it hasn’t been terribly hard.

I handled the blood pressure issue by getting off the supplement and returning to my daily meditations in the morning and evening. I’ve adjusted my attitude at work a bit and in fact the other morning, pre-meds I was 127/72 so things are back on track there. I have an appointment this week to get put on thyroid medicine, this one might be big. There have been some things I’ve been dealing with over the last year that make a lot of sense in light of the thyroid issue. Some skin issues, sleep disruption, needing some extra sleep and I’ve been fighting off my mood dips a lot more than I should be given what’s going on my life and how happy I legitimately am. So after a few weeks hopefully my body and brain chemistries we’ll be back in line. One upside, higher thyroxin levels should also increase my metabolism a bit an maybe make it a little easier to make my goals.

So that’s all well and good my friends but what’s the lesson here related to happiness? The lesson comes from how I’ve been dealing with all of this. It always comes back to the basics, taking care of yourself and your attitude. I’ve been tired so I go to bed earlier, working out and eating better help all of this. For me, as I’ve written about before, I write away the darkness, so in my poetry I rage or explore the pain in my heart and my head, if I write it out I feel better. Also, I make the decision to try and stay positive, I write this blog, I express gratitude for what I have and I remember to both give myself a break, and some downtime every day. It’s a simple formula but it works and it can work for you my friends and help you have happier days. ~ Rev Kane

Looking Forward

Posted on August 15, 2016 by Michael Kane

Looking Forward

I shouldn’t say I’m looking forward to leading a normal life, because I don’t know what normal is. ~ Martina Navratilova

It was a very stressful week my friends, several weeks into a new job and lots of deadlines converging at once. Several problems also popped up, I made my first mistake, a minor one, but still one that caused a bit of stress. In the end, everything was resolved and nothing terrible happened. It’s education after all, no one dies when we have issues. Of course right in the middle of all of this I had my first doctor’s appointment now that I’m back on health insurance. Things have been going well for me physically, I’m working out regularly and eating right, I’ve lost a little weight. So I expected things would be fine but my blood pressure was 170/90, and would rise as much as 210/90 before the week was over and I had to double up my medication. It’s currently high, 145/77 but has been dropping the last few days while back to my normal dosage.

So now it’s time to figure out how to reduce my stress level at work. You see one of the things that makes me good at my job is that I truly care about doing a good job, about getting things done. Of course, that also means that when things don’t well, it impacts me, I take it too much to heart. So, for my own good, I have to learn to not let it impact me. Of course that also means caring a bit less about what I do, a bit of catch-22.

So why is the title of tonight’s post looking forward, because that’s what you do my friends. You stay positive, you solve your problems and you keep heading toward what makes you happy. For me that means continuing what I’ve been doing, and working towards my goals. It also means remaining grateful for what I currently have in my life. That’s the secret friends, move forward, stay positive, be grateful for what you have, work toward your goals and you’ll have many happy days ~ Rev Kane

Happiness on Facebook

Posted on August 1, 2016 by Michael Kane

So tonight Facebook blocked my post on being happy at work, perhaps by embedding it they will let it post. ~ Rev Kane

https://revkane.com/2016/08/01/how-to-be-happy-at-work/

Posted in personal happiness | Leave a comment

Happiness is Living in the High Desert

Posted on June 6, 2016 by Michael Kane

Happiness is Living in the High Desert

Water, water, water….There is no shortage of water in the desert but exactly the right amount , a perfect ratio of water to rock, water to sand, insuring that wide free open, generous spacing among plants and animals, homes and towns and cities, which makes the arid West so different from any other part of the nation. There is no lack of water here unless you try to establish a city where no city should be. ~ Edward Abbey

I have recently moved to the high desert, at about 3000 feet in the Mojave Desert of California. I’m lucky to live on a five acre lot with a beautiful view of the mountains, it’s a fantastic spot.

The funny this is that I really don’t like the heat, I grew up in the Northeastern US and so I grew up in humidity, green forests and four seasons. It was a surprise to me when I first encountered the desert years ago that I didn’t hate it. The more time I spent in the high desert the more I began to love it. I have attended the Burning Man festival several times in the Black Rock Desert and I loved being out in the desert. However, there is a difference between visiting for a couple of weeks and actually living in the Mojave.

For those who know, this next part will even make less sense, I’m not a morning person, but what I love most about the desert are the mornings. There is something about the dry morning breeze in the desert that is absolute perfection. As much as any quiet morning is great, there is something truly special about desert mornings. Maybe, because of the heat, you know how fleeting and therefor precious that cool morning air is to you.

Summer will be brutal, it already has been, it was above 105 the last couple of days. But I’m really excited about clear fall nights, particular meteor shower viewing in October, Although even with the hot days, the Perseid meteor shower in August should be great. The combination of very little light pollution and clear dry air should make for an amazing show.

The desert is not void of life, there are lots of critters wandering around, some that you get to see and some that are a lot more secretive. I’ve recently bought a UV flashlight to go scorpion spotting. I currently have a property full of bunny rabbits, chipmunks and Helen and George, two gopher snakes who are obviously quite fond of each other.

The other thing is that the desert and in particular the view from my house over the mountains at sunset have been spectacular. So I’ve been photographing it each day, have a look at a couple and have a happy day my friends ~ Rev Kane

Happy News: Memorial Day Version

Posted on May 30, 2016 by Michael Kane

Happy News: Memorial Day Version

In the end, we will not remember the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends. ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

US Airmen in South Korea organize rescue of women and children from burning building

Four Marines reunite after 50 years to recreate beach photo

D-Day Veteran set to marry his love 70 years after they were torn apart by war

Wounded veteran to open restaurant to help and employ other veterans

Vacation is over, time to leave the real world

Posted on May 23, 2016 by Michael Kane

Vacation is over, time to leave the real world

Nothing in the universe can stop you from letting go and starting over ~ Guy Finley

So it’s finally happened, my 18 month vacation is finally coming to an end. This week I’ll move into my new rental house, officially and finally leave Sacramento. Next Wednesday I’ll start my new job. People keep saying to be ma, “back to the real world.” I keep correcting them, back to the default world. The term “default world” is a term I picked up in the Burning Man Community, it refers to the world we all spend most of our life in, the world of the script. You know where society has scripted what you should look, act and be like. I can tell you friends that this is not the real world, why would the real world be a place where we are the most stressed out, the most contained, controlled a world where we are least able to be our true selves all of the time. No, that world is the default world.

I am sure of this because over the last year I have absolutely been in the real world. Over the last year I’ve been more relaxed, happier and freer than I’ve ever been before. My time on the Appalachian Trail was heavenly. I checked off bucket list items with Polar Bears, Whale Sharks and Manta Rays. I got to see an active volcano, wrote a book, traveled all over North America, see an amazing Northern Lights display and visit a lot of people I hadn’t seen in many years.

The biggest thing however are the changes that have occurred within me. I find myself really, really relaxed, I don’t drive as fast as I used to, I’m far more patient with folks and even when I’m frustrated I come back to normal much faster than before. I have a greater appreciation for being happy, I’ve spent a year exclusively pursuing things that make me happy and it has been wonderful. One thing that I noticed was time moved much more slowly over the last 18 months, that time seems to have stretched on for years. I also have a much greater desire to do even more than I have before. I’ve worked out skipping out every few years to get big adventures, now the goal is working smaller adventures into everyday life.

I have lots of goals for the next adventure, learning spanish, more photography and painting, given I’ll be in the desert new hiking trails and even some astronomy to make use of the clear, dark skies I’ll have at my disposal. More time in nature above all and doing a better job of meditating more.

I’m excited about my new job. The folks I’ve met so far have been wonderful, the job is really the type of job I was hoping to land and I’m looking forward to doing good work and maintaining a good work/life balance. I’m not looking forward to “blister weather” in July and August. I heard this term for the first time the other day, “weather so hot you blister your forehead just walkin outside.” My new hometown is small and rural and for that reason the pace is a bit slower, I’m looking forward to it. I’m also looking forward to pushing myself to be a bit more social than I normally am. Challenges abound, but we don’t grow unless we stress ourselves a bit, we don’t get happier without growth. So I’m looking forward to the next chapter and many happy days my friends ~ Rev Kane

Rev Kane relaxing in the arctic snow flurries

Happiness is Aloha Friday

Posted on May 14, 2016 by Michael Kane

Happiness is Aloha Friday

Whereever you go, go with all of your heart ~ Confucius

So I recently got back from a week in Hawaii on the Big Island. Tonight a little teaser, there were messages on a green sand beach.

Angry visages of Pele in her lair.

Pretty trees.

Ducklings on black sand beaches.

Sunsets and sail boats.

Waterfalls and flowers.

Beautiful blue waters.

Aquamarine seas in an old cinder cone.

A wonderful Luaus.

Manta Ray snorkeling.

And a walk across a steaming volcanic crater

Stay tuned for more soon my friends and have a happy day ~ Rev Kane

Posted in Happiness on the Road, personal happiness | Tagged adventure, dving, happiness, hawaii, manta ray, photography, snorkeling, the big island, travel, volcano | 4 Comments

Happiness & The Need to Win

Posted on April 26, 2016 by Michael Kane

Happiness & The Need to Win

Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength. ~ Arnold Schwarzenegger

In the United States, part of the script we are fed from birth is how important winning is, to be American we are told is to never be bested. It leads to a concept called American Exceptionalism which is a blind belief that whatever America does is best? This of course is ridiculous, no person, no ideology, no country is always best or right, all are human creations and to my knowledge there has never been a perfect human.

We are fed on quotes like, “Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing – Vince Lombardi” or “Winning is the most important thing in my life, after breathing. Breathing first, winning second ~ George Steinbrenner.” Of course, Donald Trump has said, “My whole life is about winning. I don’t lose often. I almost never lose.” Now I used these quotes in a particular order. Lombardi was a great coach and he was talking about football. Steinbrenner was the owner of the Yankees and not known as the most ethical of owners, who symbolized buying his way to championships. Few people would hold up Donald Trump as a model of ethics, integrity or happiness. Finally the image I use tonight, Charlie Sheen and his insistence in the middle of a drug and alcohol fueled meltdown that he was “winning!” He has recently been diagnosed HIV positive and I feel for him but I don’t think I’d consider that winning.

Now this idea of winning has consequences in our everyday life that assault our happiness. People come to believe that winning at all costs is the most important thing. It shows up in the person who steals a parking spot you are quite obviously waiting on. Drivers who tailgate and whip through traffic risking injury to all of us, even in the way whenever you pass someone on the highway they suddenly speed up as you go by. This attitude leads to behaviors that create stress for all of us. This focus on winning teaches us to be less empathetic and compassionate to our fellow humans.

Lack of empathy and compassion toward others has consequences for the self. We get back what we give, when we are empathetic and compassionate, those are the type of emotions and actions that come back to us. Is winning so important? I’m all in favor of keeping score at kids games and in life, in fact we will win and lose and we need to know how to deal with that, but we also need perspective. Do you have to win at getting a parking spot, a spot in line at the grocery store, is it really losing getting passed on the highway? We need to keep perspective on what’s really important in life. To me, being happy is what I consider winning, whether I’m first or fourth or last. So my friends, slow down, take it easy and have a happy day my friends ~ Rev Kane

The Ministry of Happiness

Happiness is Las Vegas & Monty Python

Happiness is Las Vegas & Monty Python

Other Posts You Might Enjoy!

Happiness and the Election

Happiness and the Election

Happiness and Losing Weight

Happiness and Losing Weight

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Looking Forward

Looking Forward

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Happiness on Facebook

Happiness is Living in the High Desert

Happiness is Living in the High Desert

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Happy News: Memorial Day Version

Happy News: Memorial Day Version

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Vacation is over, time to leave the real world

Vacation is over, time to leave the real world

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Happiness is Aloha Friday

Happiness is Aloha Friday

Happiness & The Need to Win

Happiness & The Need to Win

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