Last Week

This is the book I am following.

Another good read.

I like this one also.

Working on this book currently.

Disclaimer: I’m not your Supervisor. These are my opinions after reading through these books a few times.

Jan 29

“At every moment keep a sturdy mind on the task at hand, as a Roman and human being, doing it with strict and simple dignity, affection, freedom, and justice—giving yourself a break from all other considerations. You can do this if you approach each task as if it is your last, giving up every distraction, emotional subversion of reason, and all drama, vanity, and complaint over your fair share. You can see how mastery over a few things makes it possible to live an abundant and devout life—for, if you keep
watch over these things, the gods won’t ask for more.”
—MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONS, 2.5

 

Focus on what you’re doing. I try to be a good husband and can’t do that if I’m always distracted. My wife was talking to me the other day and we both realized that I was not listening. In my defense, the mechanic’s video I was watching started first, but I cannot pay attention to both. Same thing at work, if I have to do something and at the same time I try to listen to my coworkers gossip about whoever isn’t there that day, I end up losing my place and retracing my steps.

Jan 30

“If you wish to improve, be content to appear clueless or stupid in extraneous matters—don’t wish to seem knowledgeable. And if some regard you as important, distrust yourself.”
—EPICTETUS, ENCHIRIDION, 13a

 

I am good at this one. I hear people talking all the time about what some celebrity did or recapping 90 Day Fiancée and there were some intense debates about The Masked Singer and they all know I could not care less about any of it. Does that mean I have no extraneous knowledge? Far from it, I still can name every member of Led Zeppelin, Queensrÿche, Iron Maiden, and many others along with a million song lyrics. If I meet someone who wants to talk about history or economics, I can hold my own. Which of these are extraneous? “Don’t Know.”

As an inspector/trainer, it is really easy to think you know the answers without distrusting yourself and verifying it. People usually take what I tell them as correct and for the most part I am, but it’s important to me that I don’t lose that credibility because I didn’t admit I don’t know and look it up.

Jan 31

“Don’t return to philosophy as a task-master, but as patients seek out relief in a treatment of sore eyes, or a dressing for a burn, or from an ointment. Regarding it this way, you’ll obey reason without putting it on display and rest easy in its care.”
—MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONS, 5.9

I try to follow the guiding principles of Stoicism. I had drifted really far away from it last year as a reaction to the COVID madness. I wasn’t sleeping enough, or working out and was generally unhappy. I picked up Meditations, and reading it really did help my self inflicted injuries and bad behavior.

 

Feb 1

“Keep this thought handy when you feel a fit of rage coming on—it isn’t manly to be enraged. Rather, gentleness and civility are more human, and therefore manlier. A real man doesn’t give way to
anger and discontent, and such a person has strength, courage, and endurance—unlike the angry and complaining. The nearer a man comes to a calm mind, the closer he is to strength.”
—MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONS, 11.18.5b

This one hurt my feelings. I consider myself to be a manly man. I did 20 years in the Marine Corps, 12 in artillery. I’ve been in a few fights, and have handled myself well in combat. I have endured physical hardships, but have trouble finding the strength , courage, and endurance to keep the rage down. Getting better, but still a work in progress.

 

Feb 2

“Frame your thoughts like this—you are an old person, you won’t let yourself be enslaved by this any longer, no longer pulled like a puppet by every impulse, and you’ll stop complaining about your present fortune or dreading the future.”
—MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONS, 2.2

It’s easier to do this now, I am 50. I try not to let other things run my life. Just because I feel like going to Sonic for a milkshake, I don’t have to, it’s in my control. Conversely, as I try to get back into shape, just because my leg muscles are sore, doesn’t mean I give into that impulse and not go running.

 

Feb 3

“When I see an anxious person, I ask myself, what do they want? For if a person wasn’t wanting something outside of their own control, why would they be stricken by anxiety?”
—EPICTETUS, DISCOURSES, 2.13.1

 

I used to be anxious about getting promoted to E-7 while I was on active duty. I was damn good at my job, but numbers were always against me. In my four years of being eligible, 4 Marines in my MOS got promoted to E-7. Looking back, I had nothing to be anxious about. I had done everything I could, but I was not a “perfect” Marine like the ones who got promoted. I am much better at this now, it is easier to say to myself that if there is nothing I can do about it, there is nothing to be anxious about. My mother was amazed that I had no trouble sleeping the night before I had a scan to show I had no cancer, and just needed surgery.

 

Feb 4

“Who then is invincible? The one who cannot be upset by anything outside their reasoned choice.”
—EPICTETUS, DISCOURSES, 1.18.21

I am working on this one, if the government decides boosters are mandatory in order to be a contractor, and they follow through with it, I will lose my job. This sucks because I have a very good resume for this kind of work, but nothing in the private sector. I would probably end up doing a paid apprenticeship for diesel mechanics. I have to remind myself the decision not to get the booster was mine, so the consequences of that decision should not stress me out.

 

Here is a cheesy video from one of the bands I mentioned in the article.

I think their first four albums are some of the best metal albums ever made. Not so much the ones after those.