Last Week

The Daily Stoic

The Practicing Stoic

Meditations

How to Be a Stoic

I really liked this one, H/T mindyourbusiness:

The Stoic Challenge

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

March 26

“How does your ruling reason manage itself? For in that is the key to everything. Whatever else remains, be it in the power of your choice or not, is but a corpse and smoke.”
—MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONS, 12.33

Just because I now what I am trying to do with my perceptions, doesn’t mean I will always do it. How I act on my own is a true test of my ability to control my anger or frustration. I can control it better than before, but I have found it’s easier when my wife is with me. I have improved a great deal, but I did notice a little more frustration creeping in while I was by myself.

 

March 27

“Diogenes of Sinope said we sell things of great value for things of very little, and vice versa.”
—DIOGENES LAERTIUS, LIVES OF THE EMINENT PHILOSOPHERS, 6.2.35b

I I try not to waste what is important to me. If I let a work issue bother me while I am home, that is selling my time at home for very cheap, since I get nothing out of it except stress. I also trade my happiness for anger when I am working on my truck, an activity I claim to enjoy. If I keep control of myself, it is a much more enjoyable experience and worth the time and effort I put into it.

 

March 28

“Life without a design is erratic. As soon as one is in place, principles become necessary. I think you’ll concede that nothing is more shameful than uncertain and wavering conduct, and beating a cowardly retreat. This will happen in all our affairs unless we remove the faults that seize and detain our spirits, preventing them from pushing forward and making an all-out effort.”
—SENECA, MORAL LETTERS, 95.46

I never had a plan for my life. I joined the Marines at 18 and after I got out I bounced from factory work to mechanic, to roofing, and then I got married and was a framing carpenter for a long time. I do much better as a married man than I did as a single person. This is because my wife gave me a reason to have principles and make sure that my family was taken care of.

 

March 29

“If you should ever turn your will to things outside your control in order to impress someone, be sure that you have wrecked your whole purpose in life. Be content, then, to be a philosopher in all that you do, and if you wish also to be seen as one, show yourself first that you are and you will succeed.”
—EPICTETUS, ENCHIRIDION, 23

I wish I could say nothing I do is to impress other people. I do not do things for the express purpose of impressing people, but I do enjoy it when someone notices my truck or my house and I was very happy to show off my new tool box. I try not to, but am not in total control of that impulse yet.

 

March 30

“Hurry to your own ruling reason, to the reason of the Whole, and to your neighbor’s. To your own mind to make it just; to the mind of the Whole to remember your place in it; and to your neighbor’s
mind to learn whether it’s ignorant or of sound knowledge—while recognizing it’s like yours.”
—MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONS, 9.22

In making a decision, I should consult outside of myself or my bubble. It is important to remember that while I can be misled, so can others. I try very hard to be correct and follow my principles. Right now, there are very few people that I can trust to be honest and principled, so I’m not sure how much value I get from the people I work with or even my family if I bounce an opinion off of them.

 

March 31

“Chasing what can’t be done is madness. But the base person is unable to do anything else.”
—MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONS, 5.17

It is important to maintain a sense of reality when I make plans or set goals. I am 50 and running is still something I enjoy. I used to be able to run 3 miles in 19-20 minutes. Realistically I know that will never happen again, but it is still frustrating when I run steadily and the improvement is so small. I hurt my foot this week (smashed my toes into a corner wall) and am not running, so I am trying to be a good worker and husband on 5 hours sleep, this is not going well. I need to get back on schedule and not use the excuse of “I’m not running, so I can stay up later to read”.

 

April 1

Your mind will take the shape of what you frequently hold in thought, for the human spirit is colored by such impressions.”
—MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONS, 5.16

If I am grumpy from lack of sleep all day, it is easy to get angry after I get to work. If I have been angry at work, it is easy to be angry at my wife for no reason. It is easy for these moods to snowball. It is also true that if I am an i good mood at work, it is much easier to greet my wife with a smile when I get home. If I control my mood, it can snowball in a good way for me.

 

 

This week’s music is from the second of The Dead South’s two new albums.

Easy Listening for Jerks Pt. 2 has interesting covers:

We Used to Vacation

People Are Strange