Friday, December 31, 2010

Passion Party #319 - The Optimist

I don't know if it because of Christmas
or this artificial demarcation we cam The New Year
of the fact that we are finally past the winter solstice,
but there is something in human nature
that makes this an optimistic time of year.

Someone told me that human beings have a fundamental belief system that,
regardless of past experience,
tomorrow will be better.
It is what keeps our society moving.
If tomorrow was going to be worse,
why would I go out and buy that new TV?

Our selective memory
allows our brain to forget the pain of childbirth
and gives us the willingness to have a second child
or allows us to forget the pain of carrying a 45 pound backpack and sleeping on rocks
and gives us the willingness to climb another mountain.

And if everything does begin with a thought
I would rather be an optimist.

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Passion Party #318 - The Computer Whisperer

We each have our own talents and expertise.
A lot of what we do in life
involves finding that place
where passion and ability intersect
where we create what we want to be.

My son and his wife came to visit the other weekend, flying down from Oregon to celebrate the holidays and to help me set up a new wireless sound system.
Ben has always had a brain that works like a Windows operating system.
He reads owner's manuals for fun.

The first day he got here we started in on setting up the units, getting the correct connecting cables.
We got it about half-way connected, when the system stopped recognizing the remote units.
At that point I got frustrated, and my wife and I went out for an errand.

When we returned a couple of hours later, the whole system was working perfectly. Ben said it had something to do with "wireless channels" and "IP Address settings". Something I would have NEVER figured out without hours and days of helplines and frustration.

I am so grateful for my son,
the computer whisperer.

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Passion Party #317 - A Rampage of Gratitude

Today
I have to let go of my troubles
and start the day
with a rampage of gratitude,
writing 50+ things I am grateful for.

All the love in my life
All the support I get
All of the blessings given to me
Life is good when it starts from gratitude
and then
I just put one foot in front of the other
and walk through the day.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Passion Party #316 - If Love Somebody, Set Them Free

The hardest thing is to let go of a child.
You invest 17 - 18 years
into helping them grow and learn
giving visible and invisible support
love and understanding
And then
you have to let them fly.

I thought of this literally
as I put my son on a plane
for his first college audition
his blue whale of a cello travel bag
being dragged across the airport to the oversize luggage screening area.

This is my second time letting go of a child
and perhaps this time is easier
having experienced the pain and joy once before.

But no, it is not easier
knowing it is the right thing
doesn't stop the tears or the ache in my heart
and this is good
the tears let me know
I am doing the right thing.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Passion Party #315 - Reciprocity

I believe in the Law of Reciprocity:
When you give something to someone
they feel a need to return the favor.

I guess there are those narcissists out there
for whom this is not true.
There are people that will spend hours talking about themselves, and when they are done say,
"Well, enough about me. How about you?
What do you think about me?"

But for most people
leading with the giving hand
creates a relationship based on friendship,
not on "I owe you".
I believe in the willingness to watch out for the other guy.
In doing that, my interests will always be taken care of.

Kindness and generosity will be returned in kind
it is human nature
it is the law of reciprocity.

Monday, December 20, 2010

Passion Party #314 - Receptivity

Sometimes we are so busy giving
that we forget to stay open to receive.

It is a two way street
and the street is called "Give and receive"
not "Give and take".

The more I stay open to what the Universe has to offer me
the greater my ability to receive the gifts.

The more I let go
the more space I create.
The more space I create
the more room there is.
The more room there is
the more I can receive my heart's desire.
The more I receive my heart's desire
the happier I am.
The happier I am
the more I let go.

Receiving is the natural result of giving and
the key to effective giving
is to stay open to receiving.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Passion Party #313 - Difficult Communication

It is hard to admit I was wrong.
I felt so sure.
It had always worked out before.
This had never been a problem.
But now it is.
This time is different
We are in a different environment
with different rules.
I have to admit that I don't know everything,
even when I act like I do.

I hate to disappoint you.
I hate when I over-promise,
when I work from belief
instead of facts.

I was wrong
but I will work with you to find a solution
I will continue
looking for alternative ways
to get to yes.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Passion Party #312 - Cleaning House

I love the thought
of sitting at a clean desk with a blank piece of paper
ready to start the day.

I love the thought
of a clean desk at work
where, by the end of the day, everything is put away
all the files are back where they belong
and my voice mail is empty, as I have returned all my calls.

I love the thought of my bedroom being a sanctuary
where there is no clutter
and I can feel peace.

I love the thought of a clean kitchen
with all the equipment ready to make a great cup of coffee.

Today is a day to clean house
and prepare to give thanks.

Monday, December 13, 2010

Passion Party #311 - My Posse

The more I surround myself
with competent people
the more successful I become.
The more I surround myself
with enlightened people
the more brilliant I become.
The more I surround myself
with active people
the more healthy I become.
The more I support the people I work with
to get what they want
the more I get what I want.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Passion Party #310 - Prioritize

There is just too much stuff now
the layers get deeper
the demands get bigger
life gets tougher
the "fun quotient" is shrinking.

What can I do to make my life simpler?
First make a list
Then prioritize:
What needs to be done today?
What needs to be done this week?
What needs to be done this month?
What needs to be done in the next 90 days?

Then I can look at the list and see
which items are self-imposed deadlines?
Which items are "shoulds"?
Which items will feel better OFF the list,
and do I have the choice to remove them?
And how does that feel?

You've beaten yourself up enough already,
it is time to simplify
and prioritize joy and passion.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Still some seats left for the Holiday Jazz Party December 16

Reservations are filling up, but there are still some seats left. If you want to attend the Holiday Jazz Party for the Homeless, please call the Catalina Jazz Club today - tickets start at $25 ($15 for students) call (323) 466-2210

JAZZ PIANIST, GEORGE KAHN HOLDS 5th ANNUAL FUNDRAISER ASSISTING THE HOMELESS
 at CATALINA BAR & GRILL
Thursday EVENING, DECEMBER 16TH, 2010


Let the holiday season begin…with an evening of great Jazz that’s also a benefit for the Los Angeles homeless community. For the 5th consecutive year, Jazz Pianist, George Kahn, returns to the CATALINA JAZZ CLUB with a performance benefiting PATH (People Assisting The Homeless) VENTURES on Thursday evening, December 16th. Path Ventures, a community development corporation created by PATH in 2005, focuses on the construction of affordable housing for individuals and families in the Los Angeles area.

The George Kahn “Jazz And Blues Revue” will feature George on piano with an all-star band of LA studio musicians. Special guests include: John Fumo on trumpet, Chuck Manning on sax, Karl Vincent on bass, and M. B. Gordy on drums. Adding to the night’s entertainment will be vocalists Courtney Lemmon, Kelsea Cire and Dianne Wright.

The George Kahn “West Coast Jazz” Quintet is currently touring to support the new album, Secrets From The Jazz Ghetto. The 2-CD collection was released in June 2010 to outstanding reviews and national radio airplay.

The doors open at 7 PM for dinner and the show will begin at 8:30 PM. There is a $25.00 cover plus Minimum. (Students with ID, $15.00).
Special Dinner/show tickets are available in advance for a $100 donation to PATH VENTURES. Please contact Emily at 310-996-1171 or emilyr@pathventures.org for this special package.
All profits from the evening will go directly to PATH VENTURES
The Catalina Jazz Club is located at 6725 Sunset Blvd. (just east of Highland Avenue - parking on N. McCadden Place). Dinner reservations suggested. (323) 466-2210.

This concert is generously sponsored by Mortgage Capital Partners.

Come see for yourself why Alfredo Cruz calls George Kahn “…creative, entertaining, intelligent, sophisticated and stimulating.”
www.GeorgeKahn.com

Passion Party #309 - What I Want

Today I will focus on what I want
instead of what I don't want.

I want to work with responsive clients
I want to work with competent people
I want to be of service
I want to be in supportive relationships
with my clients, my co-workers, my family and friends
I want a prosperous level of of business easily and effortlessly
I want to leave the office each day with a clear mind
I want to feel physically strong
I want to be working on a big project that fills my desire to create
I want to be respected
I want to be loved
I want a joyful life
I want to live in financial abundance
I want to remember that I can create money whenever I want
I want to know that what I have is enough
I want to navigate with wisdom
I want to spend time with my family and those I love
I want to wake up in the morning refreshed and renewed
I want my positive energy to influence those around me
I want to be a beacon of light in the darkness.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Passion Party #308 - Competence - Excellence - Brilliance

They say that practice makes perfect
I say practice makes you competent.

There are thousands of young violinists in the world
that have the facility to play the instrument
but lack the musicality
to get from competence to excellence.

I want to be
more than competent
more than excellent
I want to find
that place in me where I shine
where intellect, talent and quality intersect
where the result is one of exultation
of creativity
of conspicuous talent
where I bring every aspect of myself together
and the result is brilliance.