HEAVEN IN The Real World

And where Heaven fits in
1) The weather
2) The Earth and the Sky meet
3) Heaven -"WHY AM I HERE?"
4) My heart, and yours

1)
My sleeping bag is really warm!!!
How do I know? Because occasionally (like last night) I stayed in one of those less posh albergue's with no heat, and it is absolutely FREEZING here in Spain--and I slept warm so I know!!!!
We are in the mountains at about 3500 feet, so it is chilly in the morning. But, I heard there was SNOW nearby yesterday and if there is any precipitation it could be SNOW!!!

SO, HAPPY HALLOWEEN from Spain!!!!
The big city of Burgos, and it's magnificent Cathedral, are behind me, and the mountain plains of the Meseta's and I will get to know each other for many days.

Did I say we are at 3500 feet? I mean, for one second-- then, of course, we descend, we climb, we descend etc--- all part of the fun--

I bought ski gloves, a head/ear wrap, and a warm fleece type reebok thing, so I am , yes I am , I AM READY
Once again to get moving cold or warm.

Okay, so my new fleece takes up half my sack and weighs a bit, and while I was looking for the ultra-thin and water/windproof biking type gloves, I settled for parka type ski gloves-- which are very BIG but worked great this morning---
2)
We are in the Meseta's, mountain plains, where the "sky touches the earth" as Simona (Italian girl walking the camino for the 2nd time because the scallpp shell saved her ife in a car accident in Italy) says. Simona and I walked today as she did some stuff in Burgos and arrived at the small albergue as well- a nice familiar surprise. It is so pleasant to run into people you are now familiar with--back to that community of pilgrims.. Well, at our peak morning height we almost could- touch the sky, clouds, white (cumuli in Italian)cumulous, not rain, we're above us, the sun found a window to the earth and I took picture of the sun rays piercing through the clouds and reaching down---
3) Heaven
And I wrote that title for today's note before I started, but now I have been lead to a song-- and I put it on--Simona is well ahead of me and while we start together I am back to that familiar "alone and walking" pace-- and sometimes I sing what I want to hear, but this time I pulled out my Ipod and listened to "Heaven", by Bar Scott--i mean, I felt close enough to heaven I might as well--and I've seen this song performed live and she's a friend as well- so it just hit me- and sure enough, it took me back to the Beacon Theatre in 2002, and how Bar just LIFTED us all out of our seats, as if she wouldn't settle for a simple "performance" of the song--
This was an audience participation song---"WE ALL FALL Down, and we get up again, we all get up"--and we all pretty much did get UP!!
And now I'm on the Camino, and I'm listening to "Heaven", and then-
"Why am I here?" Why am I here, ashes to ashes, we all fall down, and we get up again" part of lyrics from the song-- and right there in the song is the question I'm continuing to probe and throw out there-- --" Why am I here". I know the song, but was moved to listen to it today because of the sun, earth and sky, but then this complexity of thought enters into the equation UNEXPECTEDLY-- and so I listened again to hear more of what the song meant to me, but also to think about what Bar was thinking when she wrote it-- it's so much more complex than I thought--and realized that would be hard to know her feelings, I probe more of my own on the "why am I here"?.

So I went back to my thoughts on Heaven, and how blessed I am to think I've had the experience of Heaven in my life on occasion, and thankful for those experiences. Pretty bold statement, since I really don't know "heaven" except for those feelings I have--but if heaven can be as good as I have felt during those moments I identify as heaven, well then I think I'll be pretty happy "if and when" I get there. As I go one foot in front of the other I am in no rush to Santiago or Heaven!!

In the meantime, I get to see, hear (with my music and just nature), and feel heaven in my life through the joy and love I share with my family and friends (includes working colleagues, my buddies, my townies, the whole lot of you). And perhaps a little insight is shining on me like those sunrays peaking through the clouds, and it's telling me !!!

I know why I am here---!!!!!!!

I am here, wherever I am, to create and share whatever piece of heaven I can between me and those I interact with.
That's why I am here!!!!! Or maybe I'm misreading something or not? But that's what I'm feeling, and it seems so simple, and so good, and just about right-- to create those moments for myself and the people I love such that we all feel like HEAVEN is shining down on us, daily, regularly.
I know I fall short, or fall down, but I get up again---
What was that verse from Tracy Chapman-- "I've conquered hills, bit I've got mountains to climb"!!

Wow--- again, WOW!!! And then I think that is way to bold, perhaps I'll just settle for being a good guy and friend and stuff-- but I don't mean create in an architechtural way, like I can just plan it and wish it-- I mean through being myself, and seizing opportunities of connection with those people whom I care about, perhaps the "why I am here" will just appear between us because of the sharing of caring and love--
4)
Kenneth, the danish guy, came AT ( I mean AT) me two or three days ago, after I had an interaction with a Spanish man asking directions, and he made an observation to me that I have yet to share here--- he said "people can see into your (my) heart right away in an easy fashion"--- it was a bit broken english so that's what I remember, but I probed him about what he observed that made him say this--
I hadn't thought I was so "soft", but this 62 year old danish man made a call-- so maybe "I am here" to open my heart wherever I can--to whomever I meet--- and see what comes back!!! I certainly would say I've met a lot of people with open hearts on this Camino--

And perhaps this will lead me back into my non-walking world with a better sense of purpose and caring-- I really think some things in my mind are "changing" on this walk, but it's no time for conclusions or anything like that--- the "why am I here" will evolve, the "what am suppose to do" next will evolve, but I like my thoughts from this morning (yes-- this was all just the morning!!!)

Most importantly--- I don't know how this sounds to the reader, so I'll footnote this that I say what I've said above with the humilty of knowing I, and all of us, have extreme limitations on what we do know and can know, so I humbly submit these thoughts knowing that this is one simple man's thoughts--
Heck, that one song had me fairly well complexed and confused, so I leave with you the knowledge that Heaven above, and the knowledge of it, is fairly safely intact despite my efforts to get closer.
I, for myself at least, have a long way to go before I know more.
Submitted humbly, as all these thoughts are,

From Hormillos del Camino-

Peace,
Tt


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The community of Pilgrims

1&2)- ramblings-
3) Forgiveness-

1&2)
I know what book I will read first when I arrive back home. The "Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy" is second- so no, that's not it.

Paulo Coehlo, "The Pilgrimmage"- will be the first.
PS- it's the only thing I know, other than seeing my family.

I walk and walk, and occasionally I take a wrong turn (poorly marked path today) and walk some more.

I GOOGLE-EARTHED myself- is that a verb yet? TS-check this one!!! Anyway, I had this thought that I was watching myself walk from outside my body, like I went on Google Earth and GPS'd myself-- and was watching the one foot in front of the other. It was, as they say, an out of body experience.

I met a young man from Japan who said he was "navigated" (talking GPS!!) here by God, and thinks his next stop after this is Africa. His view is the world is so unfair to those in the sub-Saharan conntinent and he wants to help.
Many people on this walk seem to have that as a theme-what can they do, personally, to make the world a better place.

Last night I was one of two in the Albergue, tonight I was the last person let in (19th) and will be sleeping on the floor in the biggest city yet, Burgos. I do mean city this time!!!! I went into a cafeteria near the city to get some cafe' and was in SHOCK--- I hadn't seen more than 3 people in one place for weeks, and this diner was PACKED--there were no seats!!! And NOISY!!!
Had my cafe' and I left quickly-- but can't escape the fact that I am going into crowded quarters, at least for a day. It's good timing because the weather has turned cold and my orange sleeveless vest is not going to last much more--so tomorrow it's some shopping for gloves, a warm hat, and a real fleece. Then, some more walking. My right leg above the inside knee muscle didn't feel quite as bad today, so maybe that will subside. But after 8 hours of walking my body is pleased to reach the albergue.

An Australian young man (30yrs old) passed me today (okay, so I'm traveling 3-3 1/2 miles an hour, and he flew by me at 4+mph!!!! Alex, it turns out, is on the Camino as part of his PHD-- his topic? Religious Tourism-- he is walking the camino and spending time in India.

3)
So, occasionally I walk with my IPOD and listen and see what comes on, especially if I'm near a road where the music can take flight and the cars and trucks become truly invisible and silent.

A song that has great meaning to me came on the IPOD, "Carry You to Jesus" by Stephen Curtis Chapman. I associate the song with the difficult and sad terminal illness and death of a dear friend a few years ago. It reminded me of him and our times together and his family and how blessed we were to have him in our lives.

But then something else came over me-- it seemed like something big, that I was being told to reflect on.
And I thought of another friend-

There are many ways we can "carry" people to Jesus, and one of them is through showing FORGIVENESS-
Forgiveness--

And about forgiveness/ or giving way when necessary to a partner/friend.
Sometimes, you just have to let go, and let it go. I was thinking about the times in my life when I received, and when I provided, forgiveness.

And I thought about how much more complicated my life would have been without forgiveness. What IF??
What if I NEVER forgave what needed to be forgiven-- and what if I never had received it?

I see so many issues that could be either resolved or radically improved if one embraces forgiveness. It is as if you don't provide forgiveness, then the seed of that grudge/ax/problem stays with you- forever- and never moves from that point forward. And everytime you think of that person all you can think of is what THEY did- when the alternative is clearly there to MOVE BEYOND. For yourself, not for them. Because withholding forgiveness puts a burden on yourself, and may or may not inflict the revenge you desire/intend-- What if the other person has moved on??!!! "Hey, I made a mistake, and I'm moving on and hope you do to"--But you're sitting at the TOLL BOOTH of LIFE awaiting some payment for that mistake--some people wait their whole lives!! And, simply, we can "Carry people to Jesus", or peace, if we provide forgiveness, even when they don't deserve it, but especially when they do. And that allows us to move on, move beyond, and let it go.
A friend, a partner (or former partner especially), child-- wherever we provide it--
Matthew 18:21-35. The parable on forgiveness. The unmerciful servant on forgiveness. In short form-

Peter to Jesus-- should I forgive my brother 7 times? Jesus to Peter-no, not seven times but seventy times seven!!! 70X7 FOR EMPHASIS
So, Jesus says 7X70, but all you have to do is that once that provides you the peace that is waiting on the other side of that gesture.

And that, my friends, is most of what I thought about yesterday.

Peace,
TT

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1) The view and "sunshine"
2) The history
3) My shoes

General interest note-
What a country!!!!!!!! Matt (that's my son) asked me "what's the view like?
Wheat fields and already harvested wheat, hills, more hills, no flowers (it's October, not May), and mountains to the north!!!!! I haven't seen leaves, but walked through my first forest today (sunday). And, about every 5 or 10 miles I walk into a town/village/pueblo. I am not here for sightseeing, but there is some opportunity in each town to see the church. All my new friends seem to have either gone ahead of me or finished their trip. Most of the last few days I am walking alone, with intermittent interaction with pilgrims on the path. My sightseeing on this trip is focused on my heart and my soul, and occasionally the hearts of others.

What a country, still!!!! Today we saw the first frost, and after the clocks turned back--- Tomorrow I will arrive in the largest city so far, Burgos. There I will buy GLOVES, although my extra pair of socks have worked just great in the early morning before it warms up.

We started walking yesterday after spending the night in Granon on the church attic floor. After dinner, which was prepared by the couple who volunteered to be "innkeepers" of the church for 2 weeks, we went into the church through the upper entrance, and there I heard my first songs of the trip, one in Spanish and one in French. They were peregrino (pilgrim) songs, or prayers, "Ultreia" and "Sur de pereginos". Songs, softly sung, in a these languages in an empty 450 year old church were beautiful.

Next morning, with a very grey sky and cold air, I started my walk with Anapie (the youngest) and Theirry-- and we practiced singing the songs--

After 30 minutes they thought in unfair to sing french and spanish without an English language song. They asked for me to teach them one, which I did. Again, cold and grey, I chose John Denver's "Sunshine on my Shoulders"!!!!! Pretty corny, but simple to sing with absolutely beautiful themes--!!!! And JD sings it very well--- and TODAY--- GUESS WHAT?--- it was SPECTACULAR (after the frost subsided). Sunshine all day. I saw Anapia and Thierry at the end of the day and sang it again!!!! They learned it well, and enjoyed the message followed by the actual weather.

2) History lesson-
WHAT A COUNTRY!!!!!! Did you know?
Ok, short history lesson on Spain-

When did the million people die in Spain for freedom??
Oh, only 70 years ago (1936-1939)!!!!! Not the 15th century!!! And then they endured nearly 40 years of dictatorship before the King, Juan Carlos, fulfilled his father's exiled desire to introduce democracy to Spain.

The Spanish civil was glorified in my history class, something the Spanish barely acknowledge due to its pain.

Franco-- 1939- took over Madrid, and ruled until "Saturday Night Live" officiallyl declared him dead- for one whole season in 1975 and occasionally for seasons beyond-- it was a good line on the show "Gen Franco is now, officially, dead!!!

And now, 30yrs + after, they have wiped the memory of Franco and those years from their history!! And Spain has a dynamic economy-- oh, and they survived a Coup D'etat in 1981 because King Juan Carlos didn't back down from the democratic ideals he embraced in 1975 (he made a choice!!).

Okay, so that's my short history. Spain is a very young democracy, and Juan Carlos is a decendant of King Louis XIV (ala French Revolution King!!)

3)
Okay, back to my walk-
I am sporting New Balance 816s, the all black version, on most days (I've already reviewed the sizes for you). They are great--- and I also am wearing my Teva sandals, except they can be a pain with the rocks getting under my feet. My feet, to date, are doing well. Anything can happen, and I have seen a few pilrgrims suffering some sever pain issues, which will effect their ability to finish the walk--
My only problem is end of day feet pad pain (normal), and middle of day on muscle pain in one muscle, above the inside left side of my right kneez. It's like a vicegrip grabs and squeezes it. Hope it doesn't stay with me.

4). Forgiveness-

Okay, have to continue this one--
So much to say on my thoughts that I came into on this it will be a separate note

Peace
TT
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I'm staying in Griffendor tonight

1) The attic
2) food/ saturday night live
3) stories
4) Answers to that song/artist quiz

1)
It seems like that, but its an attic of a beautiful church in Granon-- The host is preparing a community dinner for the 9 of us here, and we will all sleep in an open loft attic above the church. It's right out of the Harry Potter movie, but it's the Iglesia de San Juan Baptiste, about 800 years old. It's a muggle village now, so no magic EXCEPT for the PILGRIMS YOU MEET!!!

2)
Okay, so I've adjusted to my new daytime diet. Dinners are great, as the restaurants have perigrinos menu's that are 3 course meals (pasta, meat and desert). Lunch/breakfast are a different matter.

Remember Saturday Night Live- Dan Akroyd/John Belushi era--

Well, here's my version--

Breakfast-
Ola, I'd llike egg whites with some fruit, yogurt and granola

Jamon (ham), de pain (more bread than you can eat in a day), and cafe!!

He/she repeats-
Jamon, de pain, cafe!!!!!
Si, I say, I just have the ham on bread!

Chee burgr chee brgr chee brgr chips- coke, no pepsi!!!!!!!!!!

Lunch-

Jamon!!! Jamon!!!! Jamon!!! Coke, no pepsi!!!

So I go in looking for a salad or something lunchlike and I walk out with a ham sandwich!!!

Chee burger chee burger chee burger chips!!!

3)
Stories;

Simona, from italy (28 yrs old)-
First italian I've met. She's here in the church attic tonight.

TT-Why are doing the camino for the 2nd time in a year? (Last oct-nov as well).

Simona- Because i had the camino shell in my car and as far as Simona's concerned it saved her life--
So this is her way of saying thanks to St James for protecting her and allowing her to survive a horrible car accident!!

The Scallop Shell is the symbol for the Camino de Santiago and for St James, and everyone carries one on their backpack/somewhere. Simona just happened to have one in her car that day when she was creamed by a truck. Just a walk, but tell that to any of the people you meet!!! Not after you hear their stories.!

Walking thru the bustling city of Logrono-- elderly man with one eye, a cane, stops me as i am walking--
Pulls out his wallet and tells me of something he ALWAYS has carried with ever since he walked the camino (all in spanish, mind you)--- and he pulls out this beautiful Camino shells and Cross small bracelet-silver, about 6 inches round with small shells every 1/2 inch and a larger Cross centering the piece.--- and he just wanted to wish me the bueno blessings he has had having the shells with him. I mean, he enthusiastically HALTED me !!!

Today-- walked with kenneth-- danish snorer. We are two of the slower walkers, but I'm a bit faster than him. But we had a great walk together and conversation as he spoke very acceptable english. He also took the pix of me and the Georgetown hat.

Told me of his sister passing away from cancer about 7 years ago, but now he's telling me he found his brother after 48 yrs (parents-father/didn't want a 3rd child)-- he got family papers from his uncle- saw he had a brother-- and after some time started a search--
And found him about 3 years before his sister died.
He never confronted his parents, but he found him on his own and he is very happy he did. Retired teacher-
Parents still alive, and it's a bit awkward with his dad because he went and found the brother his dad didn't want
- he is an existentialist- which he explains means "no one controls my life but me"-.

He's doing the Camino for cultural reasons, and detests established religions. He will learn italian and aslo thinks he might want to learn the piano upon returning to Denmark.
We walked for hours and there is so much more you can't imagine, but you'll have to-

Religion as an institution is "NOT" very popular on the camino-- but spirit and spirituality is HUGE.

It's kinda like I've got Whoopi Goldberg and the "Sister Act" choir in my head, and there just singing, real soft

Oh happy days
Oh happy day

Oh happy days
Oh happy day
When Jesus washed,
Washed my sins away

And then the 12 year old (okay, very young man by voice age) lead singer starts just taking over

HE TAUGHT ME HOW!!!

And then, In the middle of wheat fields, vineyards, farms, a herd of lambs, the 12 year old singer steps back, and....

I get to sing lead for a few verses...

And it's a happy day.

4) Answers to the quiz
The artists and songs-refer back for the whole quote (can't do the cut/paste thing well on bbery)

A) Conquered hills-
Tracy Chapman, "at this point in my life"

B) my souls expanding-
Bob dylan, "Thunder on the mountain"

C) this was easy, Bruce walk like a man

D) this was easier- U2 walk on

And the verse was
"Packing our bags for a place
None of us has seen,
A place that has to believed,
To be seen"

Peace
Tt

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The picture

Is of a farmer i met on the road and his wife. We are in the middle of the Rioja wine country and i am walking with the danish guy kenneth--

And i'm walking a bit elevated from the field below, which gave me a view of the farmer's baseball cap--

Unfortunately i don't think this photo shows the name-- but, in the middle of northern spain, wouldn't you know it that this guy had on a GEORGETOWN HOYAS hat!!!!!!!!!!

Well, i explained to him my connection to the school, and then he told me about the hat, but he spoke so fast i didn't get it.

Anyway, quite a coincidence in a field in Spain. Only to me, here, on this day, MY CAMINO!!!

So much more, so many stories--
Enjoy your busy day and i'll pick a few to tell you tomorrow

From Azofra,
Peace
TT

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PIX:Can you see the team on this hat this farmer in Rioja is wearing? WE ARE!!!!!!!!!!! Even in Spain!!!!

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NOT short, but in organized sections

Organized for you today---

A) Today on the trail--Grapes, my Spanish amigos, and CHOCOLATE!!!

B) MY WIFE-

C) Musings/song verses, and Bertrand Russell vs Mother Theresa

It's all here, in this blog note--hope you find it --whatever it is that might be here for you!!

A)--
Okay, i'll try to organize when i can--

Well, the Spanish guys (mainly Felix) have taken a liking to me and are pleased that an American has learning capabilities and desire to explore (that was not their general sentiment). Apparently one of them went across the USA once and people were asking him where Spain was in relation to Mexico!!! Wow, he met some geographically challenged people. I'm "new jerwsey" to the Spanish guys (they all work together in the casino in the Canary Islands). Whenever they are talking to me they say "hey, new jerwsey,"-- they've taught me two songs!!!! So now i have right, left, front, back 123 down and also, you'll be impressed;

"La illueva en seville es pura maravilla"

This is the spanish version of that famous line in My Fair Lady (it's a play-go see it!!) The spanish movie used Seville because it sounded better in the spanish language!!.
From My Fair Lady:
"The rain in spain falls mainly on the plain"

On the walk over the last few days--
Fig trees, grape trees (vineyards), fuente's (fountains) that spout water, and one special fountain on the trail through a bodegas that had one spicket for water and one for vino tinto (red wine)!!!!! One of the french guys filled his "camelback" water sack with the red wine and he arrived a bit later at the albergue than the average pilgrim that day!!!!! But the wine here is great!!!and i haven't seen a bottle for more than €4 !!!! So, were not only seeing fig trees and grapes, we're eating them right on the trail!!!
There are water fountains in every town and on the trail and the water is superb!!!

One hitch-- the restaurants in some towns typically don't open till 8:30pm, last night that was just too late as i was tired. So i shopped and was going to cook spaghetti!!!! Upon returning, the spanish guys were so happy to see "new jerwsey" (me) they insisted i eat their pasta (excellent!!!) And i insisted they drink my wine!!!!

I shared my desert--CHOCOLATE BAR- nestle's crunch-- everyone likes chocolate as a good energy provider!!!!!holy cow, how perfect is this-- i get to eat my favorite food every day as a "necessary" item as fuel for my walk!!!! Today i had a kitkat bar a core part of my lunch.

And as today's picture suggests, the Spanish guys and Chous(zeus) finished their Camino walk today and i kept going, so that picture was our goodbye. I walked alone for the rest of the day and arrived rather late at today's albergue. Tom, what's up with the ORANGE vest???? That's my fleece-- Eastern Mountain Sports has had it on the clearance rack for TWO YEARS, and i snapped it up for $19 bucks!!!! It's been perfect as the weather starts out cold and usually (not yesterday) the vest is off by 11am. And i am visible in case i fall into a ravine or something!!!

It's just a perfect time of year to do this walk--and yes, the weather has helped. I think the fact that the crowds are light is an even bigger bonus-- and there's no rush to get to the albergue or worry they will be full with no bed for me. Tonight their are 17 people here.

Speaking about RUSH-rushing, hurrying-

B)- WIFE
So i looked over the walk and timing and knew before i started that it would be a stretch to make the whole trip walking and get home for thanksgiving. I didn't want to leave earlier as i wanted to attend Allie's (Camy's too, but it was Allie's first) parents weekend at GTown. So i left on that monday, the 15th. Well, i was walking yesterday and my mind was filling up with these thoughts about
1) I can't take a day off or i won't finish 2) i'll have to take a bus and skip a few towns - 3) maybe i can double up and do 40-50km a few days in order to finish!!!!!! And i was driving myself a little nuts.

So, I did it!!!!!!!

Did what, you ask?

I asked my wife permission to miss thanksgiving, if needed. I told her i didn't know what the next 20-30 days would bring, but i wanted to be free to do whatever CALLING the Camino has for me. If i'm meant to be home for THXGVG I'll be there (although missing that meal would be a benefit on my physical objective!!). If i am healthy and growing phys/mental/spiritual such that i just can't leave, and in fact i'm going to walk an extra 3 days to Finisterre (the former end of the world until Columbus sailed the Ocean!!), then i'll do that. AND, if it all works out that MY CAMINO puts me in Santiago, Finisterre, and all is good, perhaps I'll just have to return through BILBOA, where BRUCE happens to be playing on Monday, 11/26th.
ANYTHING could happen, and my request to my wife was to allow me to "let it". Liz, being her usual giving self, told me that whatever i decided was fine-- fine, "you stay in Spain and i'll host the 35 people/family for THXGVG"!!!!! My wife is a pretty special lady, and she had a good idea of what she was getting into when she married me, but i have taken it to extremes (like this Camino thing!). I mean, c'mon, she said yes to this whole sabbatical thing to begin with-- and originally I was taking SIX MONTHS OFF!!!!! Now, we're empty nester's with 2 in college and one loving boarding school ( type of school a first for us) so much he barely wants to come home on his "off" weekends!!! AND THEN I GO AWAY for a month (and now 1 1/2 mo's).

Well, I am very thankful for this woman, this Liz Thees, who has said yes to practically everything I've ever thrown her way, especially that first yes on ME!!! She even said YES to Moose (choc lab dog), who arrived as a surprise at THKSGVG 2003!!!! Boy, she wasn't happy that day-- I was in the DOGHOUSE like you read about!!! She had said NO to a second DOG ever since XMAS 2001 because she was doing all the real work. And this was real DOGS!!!! But three days later in 2003 LIZ came home and said YES!!!! And Allie stopped crying.

Well, anything can happen, and now i am free to get this camino thing fully explored with no limitations!!!!! And, i could be home next week because I hurt myself-(65 yr old German man was said to have passed away last night in an albergue on the Camino, and it was said he was trying to finish quickly and do 25-30 miles day)-or i could have a finale to top all finale's--- with a BRUCE in SPAIN show to follow hugging St. James in Compostella (the statue!!!)
For now, I am pleased to say that I am back to taking it one step at a time, one foot in front of the other.
Whatever the Camino has in store for me, guess what?

"I'M READY" ( i hope you listened to that song!!!).

And i feel that river of blessing washing over me!!!!

And occasionally on this Camino, among the many thoughts i have, I come across the thought that i am very, very lucky to call Liz my wife!!!!
And I sing or pray or just thank God for that most significant blessing.

C). Musings
Went to mass at a great church in Los Arcos--and received the special pelligrinos blessing from the priest. It's a community on the Camino, but you just don't know who will be there with you tomorrow or next week.

Song verses that i reflected on today---

"Conquered hills, but i've got mountains to climb"

"Feel like my soul is beginning to expand,
look into my heart and you'll understand"

"I pray for the strength to,
walk like a Man"

"Packing a suitcase for a place, none of us has been,
A place that has to be believed,
to be seen"

Okay, whats songs and artists?

Now, for my musing--
Last verse above had me thinking (okay, they all did)-
So a few nights ago i wanted to lose a bit more baggage so i read the essays I took with me-- Mother Theresa's 1979 Nobel Peace prize acceptance speech, and Bertrand Russell's - "Why I Am Not A Christian"---

I am not afraid to read, digest, and accept other's point of view on matters of politics or faith, and have a vibrant dialogue and exploration on any aspect of a faith tradition that can assist me in getting where I'm going. So, Mr Russell, using that awfully strict tautoligical (how's that, TS?) rationalization, has made some conclusions summed up in his title.

Me, I don't know who's right/wrong on most things- life doesn't seem to have gotten easier in this respect. The "two-sides to every story" keeps complicating things, especially when one rushes to judgement. I know what makes the world a better place as opposed to a smarter place -- and that's the behavior of Mother Theresa, in our hearts and homes and communities, as opposed to the debate and a rationalized view of the world.

I've (and you have too) seen enough irrational behavior in this world to not worry about a fulfilling, rational approach to daily life. Instead, for the "Magis", the greater good, and the greater glory, I'll just believe in the place that "has to be believed to be seen"!!!!!!

Peace, from Navarette, Spain
TT
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Spanish Teachers and me-their last day walking so we say goodbye

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WHAT? is passe; it's the WHY that matters, so WHY aren't we asking WHY?

Life on the camino has it's up's and downs-- and that's MANY ups and MANY downs-- i have stopped thinking in feet and now realize when I see 300m on the map showing an elevation climb it means METERS, so i'm climbing a 1000+ feet, not 300. The third or fourth time i suspected i had gone a bit more than 300 feet I looked harder at the elevations-- so now i know meters-- and i know KILOMETERS--- i should, i've been doing enough of them, but not so bad-- 22-26 kms a day/ 13-16 miles so far, but i'm sure my distances will be increasing over time.

All in all, it's been a good start. I appreciate that i should write these words realizing that someone besides me might want to understand what the heck i'm saying, so i'll be a bit more attentive to that-- a bit, but I am more of a stream of consciousness writer so there just might be some passages that weren't for you -- so move on--or maybe when i reread some of this i will be saying WHAT the hell was I thinking!!!!

Go with it for now, and i'll do my best-- MY BEST--- returning momentarily-- to PHILOSOPHY--
I think my treatise statement MIGHT be interpreted as TOO ONE-Dimensional-- like it's meant only for concerts, or jobs, or whatever--

So, TREATISE #2-- multi-dimensional-
ALWAYS DO YOUR BEST, especially for and when SERVING (in service of) OTHERS-- and "do your best" means with the gifts, talents, and capabilities/resources at your disposal--your God given YOU!!

Okay, that clarifies philosophy, so maybe when i get to a computer i'll revise that other essay--

Do your best??? What's that mean on the camino? Well, i think the key on the Camino is to BE YOUR BEST, as in TRUE SELF-- there are no pre-conditions, no social status, everyone pays €5 to stay in the albergue (there is no "suite presidential", per se)--,
But then again, people are always evolving and their "self" is too-- The Camino lets you get a bit more thoughtful on it. How?, you ask?
Well, for one, no one asks me WHAT I DO? A lot of people ask WHY AM I doing the Camino!!!!

How about we all just start over and instead of using the word WHAT all the time we go a bit deeper and start with WHY? Like this;

1)Hi, how are you?!!!
2)Good, and you?
1) I'm fine. WHY are you on the EARTH?
2) Hold on a minute-- i haven't really EVER ANSWERED THAT question before?? REALLY TRULY--so, let me tell you WHAT I DO and WHAT I WANT and WHAT I NEED, and i'll get to this WHY thing in a little while.

Well, i'm throwing that out there all over the place here--and i'm asking myself that question too!!!! WHY, not WHAT.

68 years old, two guys (one from england with his wife who is walking for a week, and one from Spain who is going all the way to Santiago) are the oldest people i've met.
The Canadian "save the world" girl (and i DO NOT mean that in ANY way derogatory, to be clear--she's just a really nice sincere 'caring about the world' person) was the youngest at 21, TILL TODAY, when 19 yr old Anipia
From Austria showed up midway through the day.

TT : "Anipia, WHY are you walking the Camino?"
A : "i really don't know, but i know i do not know what i want to do with my life so i am walking, hoping it will help guide me"!!!!

Sounded good to me!! Then i started to ask about her parents and stuff and how they felt, and then, since i have kids her age, i started to think about what I WOULD DO? If one of my kids suddenly got off their path and wanted a new one, like the CAMINO? I "think" i would try and convince them to do it in the summer. But that's just a GUESS--
And kid's DO NOT TEST this guess anytime soon, thank you!!!!

Okay, so we moved beyond the WHY for now (she spoke french and english well enough,so that was good for communication)

Next question? HOW did you hear about the Camino?

Anipia : her aunt did it starting in AUSTRIA

TT : and where did she walk to?

Anipia : She walked the Camino

TT: FROM AUSTRIA?????

A : YES

TT: Anipia, where did you start your walk?

A : "i started in El Puy, France, on Sept 2nd, 2007 as i didn't think i could make it all the way from AUSTRIA before the snow.

I told her that was a good decision as she would "FREEZE her BUTT off"-- she had never heard of that expression and practiced it a few times--

So she is taking a friendly, leisurely, 3 month WALK-- and she has parents just like me!!!

Alll stripes on the Camino-- so far Japanese, Korean, Slovakian, French, austrian, belgique, austalian, Spanish, English, Danish, Brazil(Atonio!!!!), Hungary,Swiss, and a few Canadians-- these are the original countries of the people i've met--so far. Some started in their home and have been walking for months, some will only walk a week--all kinds.

MY Spanish-- i can get you any food (although it seems that ham is always on special), i have all the basics to be able to survive, as ZEUS (that's how i spelled it) has allowed me to intermittenly walk with her and then leave her alone--she is "me professeura", CHUS is the correct spelling but it sounds like ZEUS ---
CHUS is on the Camino for only a few more days, but she is happy with my progress!!! As are the spanish guys who all work together in a casino but are now walking for a week of vacation-- TOGETHER--
Oh, i forgot to tell you i saw my first family-- father, mother and it looked like 14-15yr old daughter--from Hungary--truly all kinds on this walk.

Bueno!!!!

Okay--
ROUTINE
1)Wake up 7am (although today in Los Arcos the bells of the Church(beautiful) literally THREW us out of bed at 6am, and 6:30, and 7am--i guess the townspeople really like the bells!!!)
2) Dress/breakfast
3) Start walking 8:15-8:30
4) 8:35- stop and stretch (this repeats regularly
5) 1pm- lunch, somewhere, and you know what's on the menu??? Ham on bread!!! And it's very good
6) 4/5pm arrive at next Albergue
7) 1st/ prep clothes for tomorrow (only have two sets
8) shower (they've been great!!! )
9) Wash clothes, by hand and then hang to dry
10) WRITE JOURNAL!!!!!
11) EAT dinner. €10 pelligrino (pilgrim)dinner inclusive of wine
12) Bed

Okay, so that's the routine-- but to be clear, the substance of this Camino is that there is NO ROUTINE!!
Everyday is different, with different conversations, different people (new or old) different feelings, emotions, SONGS, and pains.

Pain: my walking poles have done me wonders in making sure through all the ups and downs i don't fall, but i have to give some credit to my knee brace-- i saw that the seams on one side have partly ripped, which means on one of my downhill ALMOST "falls" that my sticks kept me up but my brace kept my knee intact--thank you!! My body is adjusting to walking 6+ hours a day, and i am shocked to realize when i walk to dinner i am wondering why i DON'T have my backpack on!!!!! It's as if my body thinks the backpack on my back is NORMAL, and wonders why the hell would i go anywhere w/out it!!!

Lastly

YEAH JOHNNY had a comment-- and i thought "Johnny" was too one dimensional as well as i wrote it. Why?, you ask?
Appropriately--

It is because I knew, as did my colleagues know, so many who didn't get out of the building. I was that night in 2001 at U2 with my good buddy at Madison Square Garden looking for a bunch of names, like Danny, Joe, David, Mike, Mike, Todd, Tim, Chris, John, JOHNNY, Joey, Kaleen, Don, Ted, and it goes on and on---and i couldn't see most of the names because my eyes were just covered in tears-- sad about what had happened, but to be sharing this moment with people who had lost so much seemed like i was in the right place.
As Bono said, "We'll SEE them all when we get home".

Peace
TT


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Hello Jamaica!!! YA MAN ESTHELLA, Spain

So, i looked in my ipod to see my list of Reggae, and was slightly disappointed i only had bob marley and ziggy.



The best i know, but "everyone" knows them and i always like to get "outside" the box



Esthella, Spain, in the Albergue, and coming downstairs for breakfast with my backpack al ready to start the day (dio!!)



This albergue has a nice foyer and eating room where all the pilgrims are eating breakfast (bread and jelly and cafe), and wouldn't you know it but the albergue keeper has his mini-stereo on, and i find my self entering the foyer from the stairs bouncing to "Get Up, Stand Up"--



And now my last night "on fire" feet are feeling light as air as i walk out the door to another song-



This song always makes me dance(hence the light feet that were previously on fire), and now, literally, it's making me cry too!!!!!

I don't want to wait in vain for you love--And i'm bouncing on the Camino......... I don't wanna i don't wanna i don't wanna WAIT in vain



I'm quite sure we're not(waiting in vain)



Peace and good morning (especially you, OA)



Tt

"I don't want to

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Into the mystic

And we sailed "IntoThe Mystic"

Van Morrison

"We were born before the wind
But so younger than the sun"

WHO WRITES STUFF LIKE THIS--???

Well, that's where i was today--- exhausted, and sailing "into the mystic"!!!!!! My feet wish i was already there, but my mind senses that this experience is just beginning to evolve.

Jesus, Bhudda, Allah, Yahweh, "finding" the "self", inter-religious connectivity-- it was all part of my walk today--- it goes very deep and challenges me to ask myself questions that i have time for on the Camino!!!! Mystical......

I find trying connect myself, with my limited but growing spanish vocabulary, and the folks who speak a little french, a little english, a lot of spanish, some danish---it's kinda like putting all the world's religions in one basket and expecting them to "get it" and understand one another right away. Well, that's where we are on the Camino!!! The walk is good, although late in the day my age starts to show, but one of the girls from Korea said i look "smaller"!!!! Totally unsolicited, so that felt good after sweating for 5/6/7 days straight.. I have lost track of time, but my watch has "days"-- again, change my way of thinking-- running marathons i had every mile "indexed" with it's time!!!!! Now i can't even clock a kilometer!!!

I'm on the Camino as a pilgrim, student, father, husband, music fan extraordinaire, world citizen!!!!and my conversations involve each one of these roles!!! And more. It's fascinating, at least to me-- I understand it's not for everyone, or "not everyone's cup of tea, but for some unexplainable reason i am very comfortable on the Camino.
I lived on the metro in Paris for four days in 1981, and I searched for housing in Seattle in 1979 for two days, so this is a longer and more developed version of those experiences. As i am older, it might be more challenging mentally, but i am just going with the flow!!!!

It's amazing, it is. To think had I started a day earlier, or a month earlier, my experience, my dialogue, the people i've met, the thoughts i've had--- they would all be totally different but for the one day i did start!!!!!! I'll never meet the people who did this in July, and they'll never meet me--- and i feel that i have met some very special, sincere, caring, and thoughtful people!!! But no two people's experience on this trip can possibly be the same----as Jean-Pierre said, you are never lost, as it is your own path, no one else's.

Back to world religions--- this is a historically "catholic" walk (1200 years historic), but there all walks of life here, and many are in "search" of their "self" , or "deeper self", to know themselves better--- what better way to do that than to travel, walk, and reflect. I find the spiritual conversation stimulating, as i'm getting perspectives from the young (so far) and i'm sure i will from the old..... The "truck" that snores is danish and older and speaks english well so that should be interesting--his nephews live in Cincinnati!!!

I walk alone, with people, alone, rest, catch up with people--- etc--- we're all heading the same way--some of us are here for a week and will come back, some of us here to go to Santiago, and some have no particular destination---and you reading this have your own path you're following as well, your "camino"-

It's a "potpourri" (french-- what's the spanish word for that??)

Potpourri of:

Spiritual dialogue
Religious tradition
National heritage
Pace of walk

I'm one of the slower ones, which allows me to.....

Sail into the mystic, quite peacefully

Peace
Tt

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Short- I promise!!!!

First, last night in the albergue there was a TRUCK parked in one of the beds not far from mine. It was Pamplona so the albergue was larger and comfortable, and lights were out at 10:30. At 10:35 the TRUCK started blowing it's loud HORN....+HONK....HOONNKKK......HONNJNKKKKTTTJJHHK---RRRUGHOOONKKK-- i don't know the truck's name, but i got out of my top bunk (which was painful to do with my stiff legs), retrieved my IPOD and put on a friends "Walk" playlist tailored made for me to SILENCE the truck. 3am and a good sleep later i notice the playlist is over and i've been sleeping like a baby (thanks MM!!!!).
So, the IPOD got some use, and ear plugs are a MUST.

Today on the trail-
My body is asking my mind a question--WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON DOWN THERE IN THEM LEGS---

We're use to soft treadmills for 45 minutos max!!!!!!

And My thumbs (their typing this) have a question too---

"So, Tom, what's up? For over one year you use us sparingly on a plane for hours straight, but the rest of the time it's hunky dory--- NOW four days straight of constant typing--Tom, What's UP??? We're going to have to go to thumb exercise class if this keeps up-

Well, me, myself and I held a meeting today on my 8 hour walk and the thumbs will be getting a break, but not the legs.

I guess i had a bunch of pent up capacity that my free time on the Camino tapped into--- but now, as somewhat expected, it's the inward me that's getting more focus. It's not for words, so i can't really say what i mean (or you'd get a much longer note!!!). Perhaps I will be better able to express it later, or after, in some summary form.

For now, know that I am well, the weather is very, very good (for which I am thankful and blessed) and the walk is peaceful and, although there are a few pilgrims every now and then, we all seem to be going at our own pace and our own PATH, so most of today has been alone and contemplative--

Know also that I am thinking of you among the many thoughts I have.

And, alas, song for the day---

I've had Bob Dylan and "change my way of thinking" (the one with Mavis Staples singing) on my mind.

And today was a first---
I took a "LONG CUT" (aka Porky's the movie "short cut!!!").

Yup, i went an extra two miles out of the way to see a 12th century church that was OPEN---

And that, my friends, is a different way of thinking!!!!! For me, at least.

Happy sabedo!!!!!
Peace

TT
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YEAH JOHHNY

YEAH JOHNNY-
It was just ONE of those day's where the only RIGHT thing to say, and all the SIGNS POINT to is "YEAH JOHNNY"!!!!!

Okay, so 4 Korean's, 2 Canadian's, 2 French, one German, and me for a traditional Korean dinner. I ran into Yeung, who is staying at the same Albergue in Pamplona--

Albergue's-- what's that mean? Well, last night I was 1 of 5 people in a pretty big room in Zirubi?, but tonight in Pamplona was #15-- and they have great showers where the water turns off every 20 seconds and you need to push it to get it back-- and YES, it's every man or woman for themselves and you best not be shy.
They have laundry facilities too!!!!!! For 1 euro you can dry your clothes too--
Which i did today since i had to hang yesterday's clothes on the outside of my backpack since they were wet--which weighed more for the morning at least!!!!

I decided i won't be sending anymore pix even though it's easy with this bbery. Bottom line, i will look the same everyday except my beard (no razor to keep my backpack as light as possible) so you've got enough pix since i have two sets of clothes that are the same-- no mauve or BRIGHT RED this time.

I'm moving inward, but my writing inspiration continues. I guess i should apologize for the basic run-on's, but i figure if you're showing up here you know #1) it's your choice and #2) i can't edit on this bbery-- yes, those emails were edited!!!!!! Slightly.
Be Clear--- i am not looking for things to write---it's just hitting me one after the other-

So--i'm the 2nd oldest at dinner, one of the korean girls is the youngest at 20, and one of the Canadian girls really has a PASSION for just being a good world citizen!!!!! The reasons for finding themselves here vary, but a number of them lean on a life-altering event (girlfriend breakups, other undescribed etc--). me, i tell them I am just blessed to be here and share the moment).

I had my first conversation in english today (the Canadian world citizen), and my languages alternates between french/english/spanish so much i find it hard to think straight. Okay, i'm in spain, and i'm focused on espanol, but then i meet the frenchmen and oohh lala--- i've got frenglespanol going!!!

TODAY on the TRAIL NOTES--
Life on the camino today was so peaceful-- awake 7am outside and it was still dark at the other foot (eastern) of the mountains and the North Star was above very bright, and an hour later the sun was barely peaking as we started our walk. Antonio (brasil), Zues (barcelona) and i commenced our walk to Pamplona. And a pleasant, enjoyable, peaceful, and moderate hills trail it was (thank you GOD!!!!- ("TO THE MORNING" by Dan Fogelberg, with full symphony is playing in my mind). Zues is helping me enormously with my spanish, and we go at it for 15 minutes then silence for an hour as everyone goes at their own pace--unplanned, unscheduled, and relaxed.

Pamplona--- our destination, will take us from radically unspoiled almost medieval pueblo's to a bustling Spanish city-- but when i get here i remember the pictures of the bulls in the streets every July, and i know that the city within the city is still here--small cavernous type streets walled in--

Pamplona, during my walk, knowing that's the destination, the first thing that comes to mind is that i am familiar with someone who was severely hurt "running with the bulls" a few summers ago. Accidents, tragedies, innocent human error-- it's all part of life.

I'm thinking of those people who i know have been affected/afflicted by these things (that individual as well)and have had to react and respond to these unfortunate wrong place/wrong time bad events. Life is what you make it, but life is truly what you make it when you've almost lost it and now what you knew before is gone and what's to come is unknown---- i know many who've responded to circumstances of life with a degree of phenomenal human spirit that belies the mind!!!!!! YOU know who you are!!!!!

I pray, in Pamplona, for those who are in that predicament, that they continue to have that strength and I am thinking of them today on my walk.. I also pray I never have to face those challenges and burdens, but should they fall I upon me I ask God for the strength these stricken people have shown.
I prayed the rosary today while thinking this. THE ROSARY!!! My Grandmother on my Mom's side use to sit in her room at night (our house in Toms River, it's 1968) and have a stack of prayer cards and rosary beads. Hours, and then she'd' go to sleep.
So, remembering that, and also remembering to bring the Rosary beads blessed by the Pope in Rome that i bought last December (dropping names-- Fr. Kev would have been just fine for me) --So i've got two "relics" or whatever secular term you would like-- I've got rosary beads, and I've got my WWJD bracelet
So, the beads came in handy because i brought a sheet to remind me how to do the rosary!!!! OH, i forgot i've got the St Christopher (traveler's guide) medal that was a gift!! And the bracelet came in timely because.....another DIGRESSION

Story
--- coincidental that Ihave my WWJD bracelet with me, as i haven't worn it in a few years--but wore it for 10+ years-who knows why?
Anyway, maybe it's because someone sent me a note with very similar letters in it just last week--or maybe not? my wife let on through her super-secret email to me that WWTD (HER WORDS and her note-- the T for TOMMY) had something to do with her deciding to go to the concert, for her, at least, "what would tommy do" had a kinda "guilt" affect, but in the end she made her choice-- and i learned that the other two friends aslo had plenty of excuses NOT to go-- but now they will be talking about wednesday for the rest of their lives!!!!!

Much like me and the boys from St. Joe's in Toms River think about Birmingham (England, not Alabama) in May, 1999.

Memories, MAKE THEM OR MISS THEM!!!

So, i can't wear the bracelet as it would be pure sweat!! So it hangs in the backpack with the beads and St. Christopher-- how bout him-- responsible for getting everyone traveling everywhere yet he doesn't have a country or a Camino like St James--rough allocation policy up there in Heaven!!!---

I am eating like a horse, and sweating like a pig!!!!!!!(Only animal i haven't seen so far is a pig!!)

And that brings me to James Michener-- he did the Camino in 1965 for the 2nd time after he had a severe heart attack, and decided that before he died he'd' like, if he got out of that hospital room, to go back to Santiago, Spain. And he did-- it's all in his book, last chapter, Iberia.
Writers galore here.

And that brings me to YEAH JOHNNY.
And seeing the signs.
Life is always talking to us--- we just need to be good listeners.

My head has WALK ON by U2 spinning, but not the whole song, just the ending the way U2 did it in the MSGarden in late 2001, when they scrolled the names of the 9/11 victims--
"ALLE ALLE--- ALLE ALLELULIA"!!!

YEAH JOHNNY !!! About 5 people know what/who i'm refering to---
And it hits me--- i was trying to see all the names i knew at that concert---- but I only saw one--and missed the rest-- and at the time it was just my angle etc---and now i think no, THEY were all busy making sure someone saw!!!!! And i just got lucky-or did I?

You have to see the signs-- (natalie merchant-"These are Days")

They'll be something in here for you if you're here--- how can i be sure???
I'm not--

But's it like "you're never lost" on the Camino--

And THESE ARE DAYS to remember

And Bono's last words are....

"I'll see you when I get home"

Yes you will, says Johnny!!!
And I pray I, and all of you, do just that.

Peace
Tt


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From the bridge into Arre, near Pamplona

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Philosophy

Bold title, huh?
Sorry, but i'm at it again-- wish i could control this-- my guess is a more inward me will evolve as i get "into" the walk-- but for now i continue to overflow with things to share----

Written now without a backpack on, so i'm light on my feet!!! Watch out!!!!
Okay, so i have my own life philosophy, i was thinking. You know, yesterday, when i was totally lost in the mountains of Spain!!!!!! I didn't feel LOST. I had so much emotion and feeling going into that first day, and it kinda all poured out, both in my note and on the mountain. Why? Who knows? That's like asking WHY ARE YOU Walking 500+ Miles in Spain!!! I just am.
Anyway, i never felt lost, and i had a great, great first day-- fortunately ended by a nice farmer bringing us all the way back to where we started.
I forgot to tell you when i arrived back my host Jean-Pierre asked me what happened? I said "perdu", i got lost and so did the guy from Brasilia, and we found each other and came back here via auto.

He said something that struck me, as i think it might strike you-- "on the Camino you are NEVER lost, just on the road to wherever you go toward Santiago!!!!!! You are NEVER lost!!!!!

Thought that was a pretty cool ending to my first day--- a great day it was. It got me to thinking whe i was walking today about how i was totally lost, yet all was fine. Yes, i'd have eventually, had i not run into antonio, prayed a car came by and took me anywhere but that mountain. And also about how we all, sometimes, feel lost-- but we are never really lost, or alone. But the day itself felt pretty good.

And then philosophy, the word, came into my mind. I was on Socrates, Plato, Jon Stuart Mill (On Liberty), Thoreau, and of course Emerson's "Self-Reliance"---- and i thought why hadn't i ever written a treatise on my own "philosophy'"?? I've clearly have one--
So why don't i put it into a simple phrase/words-- yeah, just like those other guys who are so easy to understand, i'll just espouse it out and it will be there for all to know.
Okay, here it goes---

TT TREATISE; "Never, ever, miss an opportunity"!!!!!

Shall i elaborate or end it right here? Let me digress-- so you all know Bruce played the Garden last night (wednesday, 10/17-- i finally feel like i know what day it is, although that is the least important thing in my world right now).
Anyway, digression continued--
Story goes-- you know Allie was going with her boyfriend Jack to see Bruce, and he won tix to be backstage and meet Little Steven--Liz also had tickets, but was tired and weary and out at Matt's soccer game (since I'm in Spain walking) and thinking about BAGGING it-- and then, merely by the knowledge she would be telling me she had "bagged it", or maybe just because she decided for herself, she determined that she shouldn't miss this!!!! And she went with some good friends.
NEXT THING YOU KNOW!!!!! Okay, so, one choice she's home in her comfy bed hanging out watching whatever on TV (not sports since I'm in SPAIN), and the other choice is, seemingly, a BRUCE concert. Heck, she was just at one in Philly on 10/5th, whats the big deal???---most people would say.-- Go ahead BAG it!!! It's like the angel and the devil in Animal House!!!
"D'" Don't go, you're tired.
"A" What are you, kidding me, get you're but into NYC right this minute.

ANGEL WON!!!!! WELL, she's in the front pit with two of her friends exactly five people from the stage, and of course Tony aka Soprano is off tot the right+-oh, and is that BONO in the 4th row right? and guess who's next to the stage???? Her daughter (and mine) Allie, as Jack had worked his radio winnings into front pit tickets..

SO, how does BORN TO RUN feel from 6 or 12 feet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Priceless--- THAT's the COST of opportunity LOST!!!! You can't put a price on that night!!!!! I can't!!!!!
One minute your driving on route 80 going straight into night, and the next!!!!!!!!

And that's what i think. Everyday, there is ENORMOUS OPPORTUNITY to have a fulfilling, gratifying day, right there for the taking.

What??? Money's the issue? Time's the issue? Responsibilitie's the issue??
Take a walk in spain-- the hostel i'm in tonight is 6 euros!!!! Time??? More on that in a minute--and yes, we have responsibilities and all i'm saying is blend them INTO your passion.
I'm not saying there aren't choices to make--- THERE ARE, and my TREATISE is YOU (AND I) need to make them-- daily.

DIGRESSION ENDS!!!!

Okay, so Mill "on liberty"-- cool enough and freedom is great!!!!!
Emerson--- think i'm weird, don't spend any time on this guy!!!! But read "self-reliance" for fun.
All these great thinkers, all the thoughts in the world---

It all comes down to you and your passion, ZEST for life. 524,600 minutes a year!!!!! 86,000+ seconds a day!!!!!!! What's the commercial say??? This is YOUR BRAIN ATTACKING LIFE at every opportunity ( as opposed to THIS is your brain on drugs or "THIS" is your brain missing opportunities!!!)

Look!!!! over there!!!!! Someone just got married, someone just had a baby, YOU just changed jobs (or your really, really thinking you need to and just dropped fear off at the parking garage)!!!!!

Passion.
If you found it, great.
Passion to seize opportunities when they present themselves.
If your searching-- many are, as i am now in search of my NEXT place to professionally apply my passion-- don't let anything except your loyalty to your loved ones get in the way.
UNIT CORE GOD COUNTRY

Rock on!!!
Song for tomorrow for me-- I'm Gonna (walk 500 miles, and i will walk 500 more)-- some Scottish group ripped this one, and i'm sure you've heard it---

"When i wake up"--
Well, i've applied the song literally, although i'm NOT quite sure i am on board for the "and i will walk 500 more"

But, if the OPPORTUNITY presents itself, you never know.

See you tomorrow from PAMPLONA!!!
Adios
Peace
Tt

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Photo tt & antonio

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Espana!!!

Okay, so it was only 20 miles so i made it to Spain--something i failed to do yesterday.

Mountains, mountains, mountains. Up, down, up, down, and the up takes your breath away and the down for anyone over 25 is trecherous (wet rocks/mud) and with my knee(s) i take more time going down than up!!!!
Up is physical, down is mental--incredible mental focus to not fall and tumble. Only one fall so far (on flat lands), and my walking sticks (like ski poles) have basically saved my life a few times....
Unlike yesterday, when i was on paved road/path (even when i wasn't suppose to be there!!!), today's walk is mostly on the pathways/woods/ farms. The cows moo-ing suggested to that the girl from RENT should have these cow's help "elsie" fly over the moon--"only thing to do is fly over the moon!!!!). So cow's moo-ing is mostly what i heard, and occasionally Antonio says something and i repeat something so that each of us can try to communicate-- he and i started walking today given we both saved each other last night. It's different walking with someone than alone, but not so bad for this stretch of trek of ups and downs.

Ohh!!! Almost forgot, got my picture taken outside the somewhat famous Hostal Burguette, where Hemingway hung out and apparently wrote some/most of "The Sun Also Rises". I brought the book, but there is noi time for reading, and my ipod is buried in the backpack--- it's just me, my 12.5 4XWidth right foot and my 8D left going one step at a time.... Very carefully. Yeah, 4 sizes different. How many people in the thousand years the Camino has been walked, how many people did it with two totally different size feet???? Yeah, the doctor told my mother I was one of a kind, too.

I'll leave you with that to ponder-

Peace
Tt
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Tired and lost-

I'm sitting down at dinner in the same town on the same street having dinner with a glass of bordeau as oppose to Spanish Rioja!!!!

Why, you ask, would i still be in France?? Good question, as that was not the plan when i left lunch. I think i mentioned missing a turn in Green Lake, Wisconsin and riding a bike an extra 10 or 20 miles..

Well, first day, in mountains, i missed a turn off the road onto the PATH, THE WAY, and the only reason i even knew it was because Antonio from Brazil, age 61, was backtracking toward the Cross that we saw about 5 kilometers ago. He insisted i was going the wrong way, in Portuguese, mind you, after enormous effort on both our parts we turned around. After 1 1/2 hours we saw the one car that we knew would come, and flagged him down-- again, thankful that i can communicate in french, disappointed i can't in portugeuse, as i think Antonio us he can't speak english,---- i speak to the driver and he tells me he'll be back in 15 mins and take us down the mountain--

And back we went-- because it was 7pm and we we're in complete fog and it was cold and this is what THEY WARN YOU OF in the guide book!!!! Thrilled we are safe, we watch this driver caroom down the mountain!!!!! NOW i'm really scarred!!!! I'm not kidding-- i can't see 5 feet in front of me and he's going like it's sunny out--- and now i'm thinking, unlike last time i wrote, i really, REALLY am going to die, in this petite mini-truck as we fly off this one lane 'wide enough for a cow' mountain road. But he's a farmer, right here, and although i didn't know it based on how he drove, he knew the roads like the back of his hand!!!! And j'arrive in St Jean again!!!
And i'm thrilled to be here.

Well, what happened this afternoon before i got lost?

Cows!!!! And Lambs!!!!! And horses/ Chevaux!! That is basically all i heard.
On the path/road that i was on all day. I was thinking, as i was walking alongside each of these animals for many kilometers, that i was really glad Jake and Moose were not with me. J&M are my labrodor retriever dogs, and if they were here i wouldn't have travelled a kilomtr. They would have had a field day with all these farm animals and i would have had my arsm pulled out of my socket trying to hold onto them.
And that got me to thinking about how Jake arrived in our life and what a night that was-- it was Xmas Eve, 2001, and Liz (my wife) did the unthinkable- she broke her own rule and surprised me and the three kids with a dog. We named him that night before we went to sleep and before the parents got to work on the presents. Then i thought i had a bit more to think about--- given Liz had given in on "getting a dog""-- life's too short to fight the little things, even if they grow up to be 100 pounds!!!

Nothing like 9/11 to remind us of that.
And each step i took i tried to have a face and name in mind, and when i did i said a prayer for them. That was a very, very painful period in general, but it also brought out the best in people in a way ordinary days do not. I knew, as i know many of you did, so many people that just did,kt come home from work that day. And i've on occasion thought of them, but not for two hours straight with the silence and peace of a farm road. Not where i live, in the life American's have grown into routine. Busy, busy, busy. Well, it felt right to be having those thoughts, and being thankful for all the joys, despite the enormous loss, that life has brought families who have survived that tragedy. I don't want to go and name those i thought of, as although this is a personal journal that you're invited to read, those who know me and know the people know i am thinking of them. And for you, why don't you take a minute or TEN and give some thought to thinking about the families left behind--no, REALLY THINK!! Okay, my guess is it might feel good because most of what i thought of was the joy-- i didn't think of the day and the planes, i thought if the individuals and going to concerts with them, and going to baseball games, and dinners, and riding the boat commuting, and i thought of them smiling and being happy. And me happy with them. And that gets me back to HOPE and FAITH.. Which is where i left you at lunch.

I was going to tell you about the way the clouds parted ways as i approached the next leg of the mountain, which really did happen, and i thought that it was somewhat God's gift to me for starting on the Camino, but then i met Antonio and he convinced me we were totally lost and had to turn around, and the rest of the day was history.

The LOST PART KINDA BROKE my concertration and mediation, and now i was for the first time walking near someone (antonio from Brazil)--but that didn't matter much because he nor i could barely communicatei-- sign language without the deaf part-- we tried mightily, and we got back to the albergue, so that's good enough!!!!!

Okay, i won't bore you what hurts or any of that--- i chose the path so i'll only include stuff if it's a story, not a complaint.
Ps. No spell checking (yeah, i know, spellcheck can't help what i write anyway) anything, no spell check on bbery, so just go with it-- and if you have a question on something i'll get back to you when i return--should i find the way.

Good night
Peace
Tt

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Walk On---walking begins

Where to begin?

I'm at lunch, it's 1pm or so, and i've finished the morning walk up -- oh, did i say 1500 feet-- i think i did--oops, that was 1500 METERs!!!!!!! So, backpack weigh's too much (12 kilos), and i left the camera home because the cool internet connect feature only worked stateside and the charger weighed 2 lbs on its own. So i bght a disposable here.
St Jean is behind me, and i've experienced walking in France like never before!!! And it's only my first morning---

So why am i writing NOW???? I stopped for lunch so i wouldn't forget all that i thought about.
Maybe i'm wrong, but i think, based on small feedback, that a number of you are anxious to hear about this "adventure". My family and relatives are here by obligation!!! Okay, so maybe they really like me enough to want to hear my updates. But the rest of you who took the time to find the blog and are here now reading this!!! Why, i asked myself? And what, if anything, do i owe those who come here, looking, seeking?? Whatever?

I can't say i know, nor can i say i will be writing a lot, but this morning's experience left me with a lot of different thoughts---so i'm sharing and if this is meant for you, then i guess you'll know it and i'll have done my task of connecting things that need to be connected.

Okay
I'M READY!!!!

That's a song- by Tracy Chapman-- and it's in my head the whole morning!!

I'M READY, to have the rivers wash over me,
I'M Ready---
I wanna go, where the rivers aree overflowing,
I'M READY
Go to itunes and listen to the 15 second preview to get my gist.

And that song just keeps on playing in my head, and at time's i just sing it outloud, because there isn't a person for miles(kilometers)!!!!!!

I left the albergue after paying Jean-Pierre the 12 euros, and after saying goodbye to mike and mary (canada, going home tomorrow after walking in france for 6 weeks), meaghan (been walking from BRUSSELS and will be going to Santiago but reating for a few days in St. Jean), and another woman who had walked from GeNEVA, and she's resting a few days too. I'd' say they've earned a few days rest!!
And I'm a morning into it!!! But what is behind me is the steepest and toughest part of the Camino, they say. The rest of the residents have already left for their walk.

I'm READY--- this is a very slow song in Tracy Chapman's deep, bring you down voice!!!!! And -i'm on top of this hill (MOUNTAIN!!!) Looking over the valley below, and the view is spectacular-- there, i just checked-YUP, i'm here and the cheese and saucison and pain' (bread in french) are here--wow.
The view of the valley and mountains is all i can see, and i'll fait beau!!! It is a great day, a little hot and i was dripping wet when i sat down!!
Probably lost 10lbs on the walk up.

Ready? I'm READY for what??? And a river washes over me-- and -I'm thinking the sweat was almost like a river--and it sure washed over me--

And i'm an hour in and it's "okay, and i'm thinking "I'm ready" for this walk--
Maybe not in a physical way (but i bet i'll be ready physically when i'm finished)

"I'm ready" is a mental, in a spiritual, in a existential way. Wow, going deep.
I figure if you're here you don't want to hear about just the sights-- you want to know what else is happening inside-- again, can't promise i'll be able to articulate--- but at least today "I'm Ready"...

What else do I need to be ready for???
Death?? LIFE??? PRAYER? A WALK?
Yes, this is known to be a religious pilgrimmage, and my intentions are both sacremental and secular (lose weight and be healthy being my main secular objectives!!!)

I'm Praying that all those that need it- to BE READY, to know that an illness, an affliction, or a known event seems very likely to be causing their end (death) to be near--I'm Praying that they are READY!!! And that they are at peace in this world and that, should it come, that they, and the loved ones they are going to leave behind, will find peace when they are in the next world.

So that is what first came into my mind. People on this list have people who have cancer, who are suffering from ALS, who have ailments that take away from life's enjoyment, and I'M praying for them and theirs. I'm praying that we are all READY for whatever RIVERS will wash over us.

And then i took out my prayer list (not that long, actually,) and i prayed for those on it. And their families.

I'm READY---for the rivers to wash over me-- i wanna go where the rivers are overflowing--

I'm READY---

And i'm thinking that I just prayed for all the people i was going to pray for!!!!! So NOW what do i do for the next 29 1/2 days!!!!!

I know most of us don't have an illness that tells us we're going to die soon, and i'm praying WE'Re RIGHT!!!!
And i'm praying that we take time to comfort those who need it.

"Reflections on my life", a song by, of all groups, the Marmalades ( i think), a one-hit wonder--itunes it for 15 seconds if you're over 35, buy it if you're under 35 because you've never heard it--

"The changing of sunlight, to moonlight"
"People in trouble", oh "how they fill my eyes"
"All my sorrows, sad tomorrows, take me back, to my own ....
All my crying, feel like dying"

Or something like that--

And it's an awfully sad song, with a catchy tune, and a cool meaningful title, but awfully sad, as if the author's wrote it knowing they would only have one hit their whole life!!!!!
Anyway, one line sticks in there---

I'm changing everything, everything around me--the world is a bad place, bad place, BUT I DON'T WANT TO DIE"

Okay, so -I'm writing and crying and all now myself, and the words "all my crying" keep coming to me--- and i can't say why i'm crying except i feel the words flow like poetry and i can't type them fast enough-- and this is just using my thumbs on my bbery!!!!!

Okay, sweat and tears gone--

-- you're gonna get extra credit for spending some time with this, so feel free to listen to this song and you'll get the picture, or maybe you'll just say TOM HAS COMPLETELY LOST HIS MIND and left for outer space!!!

But that, through "all my sorrows"
, Tears, and how "bad the world is, and i'm thinking that , you know, IRAQ, illness, death, hate, bigotry, discrimination, injustice, divorce, AIDS, poverty, accidental deaths--teenage driving deaths--child custody!!!! These things are the headlines!!!

Well, through all THAT, I'm thinking the world is a place for HOPE
And FAITH. It just is, and those that lean more heavily on faith and hope and TRUST might be able to enjoy life more, and know more of it, than those who spend their energy despising the current circumstances.

Wow, how's that for starters??? Who knows where this is going, and i've just ordered un autre coca cola, so lets keep going.

LOVE!

You can't LOVE without TRUST. How's that for pontification!!!!

Sadly, one of the last things i saw before i left NewJersey was Monday's (10/15th)Today show. The DONALD was on touting his new book (yes, he has one)

Can't spend a lot of time on this but it just popped into my head--- when i used the word TRUST-- i remember that Donald said in his interview that he "trusts" very few people, and he's learned that it doesn't pay to trust people, and that is one of the reaons he is so successful is because he doesn't trust many people.

Tautologically, then, Donald doesn't LOVE many people if he doesn't trust many people--- maybe that's whats wrong with the world???
More LOVE, more TRUST, and a better world we will have. Simple as that. Donald, have fun with your untrusting success, and i'll stick to finding more people to love. Trying to think who i wouldn't trust with my kids??? Trying??? But it's hard-- most people i know are loving, and worthy of trust-- even with my kids.
Yeah, i've been burned a little here and there not being political and being TOO TRUSTING--- oh well, that's me!!!
And -i'm by myself for the next month so i'll keep me !!

Okay, back to songs--

2nd half of the morning, and i'm walking and "long walk home" by BRUCE comes in to play in my head-- new song, everybody i know is going to the show tomorrow night at MSG, and now Allie's (my 18 yr old college frosh)boyfriend Jack won backstage tickets to be with Little Steven from the radio ( i know this because allie asked permission to go through our topsecret family only email, the one i am reading on this trip--i will read all the email, but when i get home-- you can always post a comment to the blog, and i have to approve those so i'll see them when i am stopped at night and have internet--)
Okay, "Long Walk Home"
So it goes off in my head from last wednesday's' show at continental ( i see the stage and everything, even though on a lonely road in France)
And i think on how much fun Allie and Jack will have tomorrow (today, actually)
And i think about the song--

"Everybody has a reason to begin again"!!!!

Yes, that says it all---back to that HOPE thing!!!!
And i'm looking out over this magnificent countryside, this one lane road, and the fact that there is no Suburban or extra large Escalade running me off the road (they wouldn't fit), and how everyone i've met today is at a pace of life that seems quieter, and i think this song is saying something to me about how we've made all this progress and all, yet somehow we're leaving behind the most important part of who we are, and what we are called to be, and what we should be doing with the gifts and blessings that God has given us..... And, for me, this walk, "long walk home" that it is, is my chance to reconnect with that something i might have left behind--what??? I don't know??not sure?? But it's my chance to reconnect it in a permanent way so i don't leave it behind again--

And there,.... Back to the song-- with "Sal's Barber Shop" and my "father showing me the flag and how where WE LIVE is a beautiful place to be born" ---knowing that it is something to be proud of, i'm hoping we all can make that long walk home, or back to, that place of inner peace, outer peace (as in no wars), back to that place that we stood for and stand for in idealistic terms---and make it a real part of our daily life

Okay, so now i've got something wonderful to pray for inny 2nd half of the day---

I trust that, no matter how long you walk "home" might be, you can see where it is and know that with hope, faith, TRUST and love that you, and, we, can get there.

Okay, lunch place is closing, and it's time for me to get a moving on!!!

Walk On
Peace
Tt
I've got a Long Walk Home!!!!

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Day One -trip

The planes are done(Dublin, then Biarritiz, France, the bus ride is behind me and i can see the hills of the Pryenees ahead as i am engulfed by how "lush" everything is he in the la cote basque.

I'm on a one car train from Bayonne, (France, not New Jersey!!!) On my way to the point of embarkation, St. Jean Pied de Port, St. John at the foot fo the hills.
The bus was 1€, the train 8€, so all is pretty cheap.

Train has about 7 other apparent pilgrims, 2 older women, a couple from Korea/Japan?, and what looks like a brother and sister, and me.

Back to the view and the mountains, they don't look like 1500 feet, which is tomorrow's vertical climb to the town of Roncesvalles.

The weather is perfect for 7pm on an autumn night, coolong down from the 75 degree sunlit day.

Depart the train, walk into town and claim my "pilgrim's passport, which allows me to stay at the various hostels (they're called albergue's), and proceed to my resting place for the night. Jean Pierre is our host, and i'm in a room that is nice size, with 8 single bed's and it looks like the place is full based on the hiking stuff next to each bed.

J'ai faim!!!!! Oh, i forgot. I'm so glad i started this trip in France because at least i can commnicate as that's a language i know, as opposed to spanish, which despite my ITunes "coffee break spanish" podcast i still have yet to speak a word!!!! So, J'ai Faima et manitainant j'allez au restaurante. I have dinner with Yeoung, who is from Korea (not Japan), and the girl i thought he was with is someone he met on the plane/bus/train trip he took from Seoul!!!!! How cool is that????
Dinner was outstanding!!! The "pilgrim's plate" special, chicken with pomme frittes, but i think anything would have done me just fine.

Now, exhausted and seemingly on schedule --- oh, i forgot!!! I don't have a SCHEDULE!!!!! Time for sleep-- ear plugs in so you don't hear the noise of 7 other people, and hopefully they have their's in because i'm told i'm not the quitest sleeper.
Good night day 1.


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MAP OF THE CAMINO de SANTIAGO

the link to the map of the route---should you wish to know more...

The map shows the basic route I am taking, called the Camino Frances, which starts in the eastern portion of the map in a town called St. Jean Pied de Port, St. John at the foot of the mountain pass(Pyrenees) in France and continues through the Basque country in Spain ending a little over 500 miles west in Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

ANNOUNCING EL GRAND FINAL 10/10/07

YOU MADE IT!!!!!!!!! To my blog!!

If you’re reading this then you’ve made it to the TommyT Freedom Tour Blog, and thanks for coming.

I appreciate the feedback and engagement I've received since my sabbatical and accompanying update write-up's commenced over one year ago, and I hate to see it come NEAR an end, so I am prolonging it some more. My one year anniversary was 9/12/07, and it looks like my plans will tie me up till mid-December, so those of you interested in discussing my work plans in the credit markets please allow a little more patience and know that a REFRESHED, RENEWED, REJUVINATED (not that I needed any), REVIVED, REVITALIZED, REGENERATED candidate for employment is coming your way!!!! That's right, another way of saying I'm on sabbatical is "UNEMPLOYED". I use sabbatical, my kids use RETIRED, and MY WIFE uses UNEMPLOYED!!!!!!!

Well, not for LONG. But a little LONGER. So I returned home from Baja Cali in one piece, and my injured knee seems to have healed pretty well, and I realized that one of these days I would commence searching for the next new thing professionally. I didn't know where or what, I just knew it was a lot closer than it was on 9/13/06.
BUT, I also knew that I had something more to do in order to truly finish this fine sabbatical time in my life.

AND THEN IT HIT ME!!!!! Bruce was going on tour and I would be a roadie!!!!! Nah, that would be too cool and I'm not that cool and my wife wouldn't want to fly to every city in the country for three months, so that was out. No working "MAGIC" for me!!!

AND THEN IT HIT ME AGAIN--- I would go join the JVC, the Jesuit Volunteer Corp, in South America for a month. So I dutifully applied my good knowledge of Jesuits and was told it's a ONE YEAR, not ONE MONTH, commitment!!!!!!! Well, I actually have a year to give, but not without my wife, my kids, my dogs, and WOW; my life's slightly more complicated than I thought! ----AND I'm NOT WORKING!!!!!!!!! Okay, so not right now for that.

SO, I played Golf with a great friend who I never, ever see. He's a great friend because he's a great person, quite simply. The fact that we had a connection professionally 25 years ago has continued to connect us, as happens on Wall Street and Main Street when "trying to be good" people (me) meet GREAT people. So I was playing golf (quite poorly, mind you) with this friend and he shared with me the story of his daughter's recent trip to Spain. WHAT? WHERE? HOW? were among the questions I peppered off at him in rapid fire. And three minutes later I was done---I was going to Spain with a backpack and not much else!!!!!

And now, a little over two months after that golf round, I am on my way to Spain to my El Grand Final!!!!

George Martin has his walk (a worthy walk it is, a 3200 mile, 6 month cross country trek raising money for the 9/11 workers), Bruce has a new song called "A Long Walk Home", and now I'm crashing the party by going to Spain and backpacking the "Camino de Santiago”, the 500+ mile path known as the "Way of St. James" in Northern Spain. Just a walk, but one people have been doing for over 1200 years.

Why, Tom, are you going to Spain to backpack and sleep in hostels and basically be alone (many people walk this path every year, but most do it in the summer)?
Well, I can't really give you a good answer except for I think I can do it, and I have the time, and I wouldn't mind finding a few things on the road less traveled!!!!!
What? those things are I have no idea.

I was at Bruce last night (10/10, yes I was there the 9th too but this happened on the 10th) in the Meadowlands, and he started playing "Sandy", and I looked up at this crowd of 20k+ and just wondered if anyone else in the building would be walking the Camino de Santiago next week????!!!!! Probably not, I thought!!! Anyone on my email list ever do it???? Anyone on my email list ever HEARD OF IT?? Heck, maybe, since I was suppose to know it as it's a "famous Catholic Pilgrimage", but I never heard of it either. Till now, that is. I guess that is what has attracted me to this trek!!!! It sound's exciting, independent, and adventurous, and I didn't know anyone who'd ever did it. I know plenty of people who’ve run marathons, so when I did the New York Marathon it was fun despite the fact that 20,000 out of the 35,000 beat me (but NOT YOU, CHARLIE C!!!!). I know a few people who have bicycled the cross-country route!!!!! These are great, exhilarating events. As I see it, the Camino cannot be described, it's a personal journey and each individual journey cannot to be replicated by any other human being on the planet. EVER~~~~!!!!! And that is what excites and entices me to walk the Camino.

So, I have my backpack all packed with my sleeping bag, my two sets of clothes, my Spanish dictionary, and my flight through Dublin to Biarritz booked for Monday, 10/15th (my flight back is open but don't tell my wife!!!!--She expects me home for Thanksgiving --as do I), and yes, I'll be missing most of Bruce's US tour, and no I don’t’ have a portable Sirius radio to get the E Street Channel, and I will be just returning to the US when he gets to Spain (or will I???)

And I'm off---and this is it, El Grand Final. I don't know what to expect, but I am excited and anxious to get started and commence my journey. I have a great guidebook to tell me where to go, and the path is well marked, so that shouldn't be a problem. But, I remember taking a wrong turn riding a 100 mile bike ride around Green Lake in Wisconsin once in the 90's and the extra 20 miles wasn't fun, especially with how slow I go. So, I'll do my best to take the right path, knowing that on a journey like this one you kinda have to let it just GO----and Go where it leads. And that is what I will do.

INSTRUCTIONS--for the reader
#1) subscribe
I can't promise I will be moved to write or not, but given the history of the last year I'm sure somewhere on the path something will come to me to want to share with you.
If that happens, you'll be updated that I've posted if you "SUBSCRIBE" to the blog feed
A) GO TO THE BLOG (YOUR HERE IF YOU'RE READING THIS)
B) HIT ALT C (FAVORITES MENU COMES UP)
C) FEEDS BUTTON---FIND THE SUBSCRIBE TO FEED AND HIT IT!!!!!!

I will not have email so post to the blog if you want to say something to me--- I should be near an internet café every three or four days so I’ll check the blog then. If you really need me –REALLy, call my wife Liz.

#2) I'll have some time, so if you have a special request for me on my journey feel free to share it with me---or just say "special request" and I'll put it on my list of things to think of and reflect on during my travels.

No, I'm not fundraising or anything so if you're so moved and very disappointed that you don't have to pledge $1 a mile feel free to make a donation to your favorite charity!!! better yet, go down there and ask them what your hands can do to help (that was my January request!!!- hope you did it)---

Okay, the end of the least exciting email I’ve written in a year, but on the verge of the trip that I know will be exceptional and special, even if it is in a very simple way.

WALK ON
PEACE
TT

ONENESS 9/1/2003

ONENESS ISN'T SOMETHING YOU START WITH---IT'S AN END RESULT OF EFFORT AND DEDICATION---

I spent a lot of time answering questions as to what ONENESS will mean, when ONENESS will start, and how are we defining ONENESS.

ONENESS starts and ends with EVERYONE on the TEAM.

ONENESS cannot happen unless YOU are pulling for your, and raising the game of your, TEAMMATES.

ONENESS isn't about SOMENESS, or ME-NESS, its about the whole TEAM realizing our overall potential to be the BEST in the business--together.


ONENESS isn't something that ONE person can define, or set objectives for, or create for the whole community of our trading floor. Each of us, in our own way, will be responsible for defining and refining ONENESS as we go through this fourth quarter.

I DO KNOW that you will know ONENESS when you see it.

We are commencing a quarter that will ultimately define the year we have had---knowing that the first three quarters have put us EXACTLY where we want to be --on the verge of ONENESS.

There are many forms of ONENESS --in various disciplines--

In basketball, its KNOWING the pass is coming from your teammate without seeing it and moving to it.

Some people refer to it as playing on a team and being "in the zone".

In ONENESS, the assists compliment the score.
In ONENESS, the off the court support counts as much as the score.
In ONENESS, coaching seems to flow effortlessly as an additive booster rocket to our creative thought.
In ONENESS, we don't have followers, we are all responsible for leading--there is NO "THEY" - "THEM",
--WE control our destiny and we take responsibility for achieving the outcome we have set--together.

DEFINING CENTRICITY was easy.

DEFINING ONENESS is not hard, but no ONE person can take responsibility for its definition.


EVERYONE IS EITHER ADDING TO, OR DETRACTING FROM, OUR ONENESS.
IN ORDER FOR ONENESS TO EXIST, WE NEED EVERYONE TO COMMIT TO CONTRIBUTING TO ONENESS AND ITS DEFINITION.
TO BE THE BEST: TO HAVE THE BEST YEAR:
TO BE THE BEST IN IDEA CREATION, IN PROBLEM SOLVING, IN ANALYSIS, IN STRATEGY, IN RECOMMENDATIONS, IN MARKET CALLS, IN EXECUTION, IN SERVICE, IN CLIENT CENTRICITY---

WE WILL KNOW IT WHEN WE SEE IT---IT IS A HIGH CALLING---
AND IN THE FOURTH QUARTER OF 2003, MY GOAL IS TO SEE IT ---- OVERFLOW--

BE PART OF ONENESS, AND BE PART OF DEFINING IT, FOR 4TH QTR 2003 AND BEYOND--
Make this the BEST YEAR EVER in BOTH CLIENT STATURE AND P&L--

BE THE BEST--

TT

WALL STREET/LIFE READING LIST

Over the years I've enjoyed many books and I've interviewed many people who suggest they have the desire to work on Wall Street. So many of them failed my two favorite questions that I thought I would create my own "recommended reading" list. (below)

My two favorite questions to those people, immediately after they annunciate their intense desire to work on Wall Street, are:

1) Okay, what are your three favorite Wall Street type books?? You know, that intense desire thing must have driven you to voraciously read up on the "street"!!!!

2) The second question has nothing to do with Wall Street, but merely wakes the person up to use their brain and figure out if they know anything about American History or not?
"When was the Civil War"?

More times than not in the decade of the 90's and 2000's most people were clueless to this answer!!!! To this day I think I am the only one who ever asks this question to students who are interviewing for a Wall Street job. It isn't a be all, end all question, it's just a little something that only I would ask and only I can take something away from it that will tell me we have a gem interviewing today, or a dud. The RIGHT answer is nice, but the discussion that follows the fact that one doesn’t know the answer is even more valuable. It’s not like the math questions that many of my colleague’s ask, but it gets a lot of comments nonetheless.
THE BOOK LIST



I) Wall Street primer's and the ways of the street

Stories in the order I would read them----
Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
· Liar's Poker: Rising Through the Wreckage on Wall Street by Michael Lewis
· Barbarians at the Gate: The Fall of RJR Nabisco by Bryan Burrough
· When Genius Failed: The Rise and Fall of Long-Term Capital Management by Roger Lowenstein
· The Predators' Ball: The Inside Story of Drexel Burnham and the Rise of the Junk Bond Raiders by Connie Bruck
Financier: The Biography of André Meyer: A Story of Money, Power, and the Reshaping of American Business by Cary Reich
· Den of Thieves by James Brewer Stewart
· Hedgehogging by Barton Biggs
The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable by Nassim Nicholas Taleb


II) Applications---
· Against the Gods: The Remarkable Story of Risk Paperback by Peter L. Bernstein
· Inside the Yield Book: The Classic That Created the Science of Bond Analysis, New Edition by Sidney Homer and Martin L. Leibowitz
· Just One Thing: Twelve of the World's Best Investors Reveal the One Strategy You Can't Overlook by John F. Mauldin
· Analysis of Financial Statements by Leopold A. Bernstein and John J. Wild
· Security Analysis by Benjamin Graham


III) Five Books that have impacted me-
The Greatest Salesman in the World by Og Mandino—The Scroll’s have power

Halftime: Changing Your Game Plan from Success to Significance by Bob Buford

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Franklin

When Pride Still Mattered : A Life Of Vince Lombardi by David Maraniss

Next Generation Leader: 5 Essentials for Those Who Will Shape the Future by Andy Stanley

Okay, so said five but this list is a lot longer but these came to mind first so here they are.
I'M ON RECORD!!!!!!!!

UPDATES/ ADDITIONS 2010

Once in Golconda: A True Drama of Wall Street 1920-1928 , by John Brooks

Reminiscences of a Stock Operator (First Edition) ,

Edwin Lefèvre (Author),

The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine by Michael Lewis

Too Big to Fail

Too Big to Fail: The Inside Story of How Wall Street and Washington Fought to Save the Financial System---and Themselves [Hardcover]

Andrew Ross Sorkin (Author)

MORE UPDATES 2013
Dark Pools; Scott Patterson
Crossing the Chasm