Passion Priorities

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Have you ever had a day when everything looks more beautiful, and you feel higher than usual (naturally, of course) ?. This is one of those days, for me.

I woke up this morning with my Inner Wisdom telling me that my title for my next book should be PASSION PRIORITIES, Three Ways to Living Purposefully. Don’t count on that title, just yet, though. I’ve changed the thought a number of times over the last few months. At this rate I will get to the first chapter by my 80th birthday.

I feel good about moving away from using the words Love Priorities to using Passion Priorities. I feel so good about it that I changed my blog title to Passion Priorities. Chris Ryba-Tures, sometimes known as Chris Fischtaur, the family professional wordsmith, who edited ADVOCATE PLANNING, To Do What You Love To Do for me, frequently said to me - FOCUS Uncle Mike. After years of writing my Love Priorities Blog (un-edited), I’ve decided, this day, that Love, is too big of an idea - I need to focus - Passion is now my focus. What pops up, in my Inner Wisdom, will likely not change, but the word passion is more likely to connect.

I am convinced that my Protirement (a positive period where one is free to play and produce as one pleases) is the most wonderful period, for me. I believe I am learning more meaningful lessons than in any other period of my life. Don’t tell me you can’t teach old dogs new tricks!

Highly prioritizing one’s passions is the path to SCG - Self-realizing, Connecting, and Giving. I introduced SCG activities in ADVOCATE PLANNING. The ideas were derived over ten years ago, and are, more than ever, cemented in my life ideals. I am determined to connect my personal passion priorities planning ideas with me, prior clients, friends, family and even others. ADVOCATE PLANNING was a start, PASSION PRIORITIES will be the finishing touch.

I’ve been reviewing my image data base and love this image that I reworked using my latest tools. I think there are more to rework and love - Covid is not going to keep me down.

Adirondack Sunset Sail

Golden Pond

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Thanks to many, we are publishing 1000, public version, copies of OUR BASIN OF RELATIONS, The Art and Science of Living with Water. The more money we raise, the more free copies we can provide to students and other interested people, who appreciate the no or low cost. We believe the palatable price point is $25 per book. If we can, we will make the price lower. We will be eliminating the ‘middle man’ to keep the price low. Please direct any interest, to have a copy before Christmas, to me at mike@mesipe.com. I plan on having a preorder page on www.MikeSipe.com within a couple weeks. The book is targeted to be available by December 15th.

Only a few copies of the Contributor’s edition are remaining. Thanks to all involved. You can still contribute and receive a book by ordering at www.MikeSipe.com/buyprints.

My involvement with OUR BASIN has been wonderful. It has evolved my interest in concentrating my photography on minamalistic large canvas water images. I am presenting reviewing, previously captured, images in my data base to revisit and rework. I love it.

Golden Pond

Sharing a good Love Priorities message

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Eagles Pond

This is not my normal blog, but I am compelled to pass on the timely message anyway. Enjoy!

Richard Rohr's Daily Meditation

From the Center for Action and Contemplation

Week Forty-five

The Transforming Power of Love

A Love Ethic
Wednesday,  November 11, 2020

Because of my background, my language about love is often biblical, theological, psychological, and personal. While these are necessary and helpful frames, they certainly aren’t the only ones we should use. bell hooks (sic), a Black feminist scholar and activist, suggests how truly living by a “love ethic” could bring about much needed societal change. 

Culturally, all spheres of American life—politics, religion, the workplace, domestic households, intimate relations—should and could have as their foundation a love ethic. The underlying values of a culture and its ethics shape and inform the way we speak and act. A love ethic presupposes that everyone has the right to be free, to live fully and well. . . . Individuals who choose to love can and do alter our lives in ways that honor the primacy of a love ethic. We do this by choosing to work with individuals we admire and respect; by committing to give our all to relationships; by embracing a global vision wherein we see our lives and our fate as intimately connected to those of everyone else on the planet.

Commitment to a love ethic transforms our lives by offering us a different set of values to live by. In large and small ways, we make choices based on a belief that honesty, openness, and personal integrity need to be expressed in public and private decisions. . . . Living by a love ethic we learn to value loyalty and a commitment to sustained bonds over material advancement. While careers and making money remain important agendas, they never take precedence over valuing and nurturing human life and well-being. . . .

Embracing a love ethic means that we utilize all the dimensions of love—“care, commitment, trust, responsibility, respect, and knowledge”—in our everyday lives. We can successfully do this only by cultivating awareness. Being aware enables us to critically examine our actions to see what is needed so that we can give care, be responsible, show respect, and indicate a willingness to learn. . . .

Domination cannot exist in any social situation where a love ethic prevails. . . . When love is present the desire to dominate and exercise power cannot rule the day. All the great social movements for freedom and justice in our society have promoted a love ethic. Concern for the collective good of our nation, city, or neighbor rooted in the values of love makes us all seek to nurture and protect that good. If all public policy was created in the spirit of love, we would not have to worry about unemployment, homelessness, schools failing to teach children, or addiction. . . .

To live our lives based on the principles of a love ethic (showing care, respect, knowledge, integrity, and the will to cooperate), we have to be courageous. Learning how to face our fears is one way we embrace love. Our fear may not go away, but it will not stand in the way.

Don't Ask. Don't Tell.

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Congratulations Joe - I knew you could do it.

I am beginning to understand my mother’s position - Don’t say who you voted for, or ask others who they voted for - It’s their private business - that way you don’t get sideway looks, or requests for reparation.

For me, I’ve grown to Independence - I mean I am an Independent. This feeling has become stronger in recent years. Although, I have long struggled with the idea that any ‘Party member’ could possibly be in agreement with the full party’s platform. For me, it comes down to who lines up best with my present priorities.

I decided to limit (try to) my discussions with others to policies and not personalities. Unfortunately, I have not been very successful in finding many friends and family to discuss in detail their positions on various possible public policies. I take personal responsibility for this - I really haven’t tried that hard. It’s unfortunate, because it is always nice to hone my fifth agreement with myself - listen to others to understand separate realities.

Here is a list of my present public positions, in no particular order. Guess which Presidential candidate I voted for - I won’t tell though.

I BELIEVE IN: Clean Water, Clean Air, Pro-life, no walls, legal immigration, path to citizenship, strong military for defense only ( kind of a pacifist myself), law and order, deficit reduction with strong GDP (say 4%), strong incentive to private sector for self-realization and the public good, low taxes, capital gains incentive, investment incentives, small government - with strong (and maybe only) mandate for protecting public, all nature’s lives matter, truth and consequences, integrity. And more, but I don’t want to bore you. Well, that feels good, I got it off my chest.

I also feel good about my newest canvas Moon Over Rock Duder, even though, truth be told, I did a little photoshopping that you may notice if you remember my post of June 8th, of the same image, not photoshopped.

Moon Over Rock Duder


I AM GOING TO GO WITH WHAT I'VE GOT

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I admit it - I’ve been a bit of a Pollyanna my first three quarters of a century. It hits me, with a wave of depression - I am not so much that way now. Maybe contributing to it is I am now helping Patty put on clothes, while I used to help her take off her clothes.

I feel betrayed - I have always known there are stained souls, that earn their eventual penalty - maybe I was taught that realty by the institutions that betray me. I guess my institutions’ power play helped me tow the line (a little Pollyanna-ism coming out!).

I believed that institutions were pure. That’s what I was told growing up as a Catholic. And, it was insisted, in regard to all authorities, starting with parents and including local and federal “authorities” - all authorities -elders - were to be heeded. I don’t blame my teachers. I do have a mind of my own - I take personal responsibility - I am just a little slow. I mean, come-on man, I am nearly 75 years old.

Truth be told, my come to Jesus reality check has been happening slowly over the last half century. The straw (maybe not so much) weight that currently depresses is a result of watching too much political news - or should I say opinions. There is no such thing as news any more - As they say - opinions are like assholes - everyone has one.

I now have no faith in the press, local and federal government, even the ‘untouchables”- federal agencies above reproach.

After seeing proof beyond a doubt, I knew there was sexual abuse by priests and monks, but it took me too many years to see the ‘Spotlight’ on the horrific systemic abuse by the powerful authorities in the Catholic Church. Now, fifty years or so after the barrage of ‘mortal’ sins it has come home to roust a huge, ‘holy’ institution.

Unfortunately, it’s not just the Catholic Church who abuse their power. For God-sake, even the Boy Scouts. Sexual abuse is a symptom; the real sin, I feel now, after listening too much this political season, is the abuse of power.

Is power so pulling, like gravity, that those who have it, can’t rise above the fray, and really be righteous? Power is the Apple. Who can avoid the bite? Few, I am afraid. May God forgive the weak powerful.

Personally, I am going to go with what I’ve got - ATTITUDE - my new inner compass. With authorities I may ‘trust, but verify’ - cynical I know. My focus is to my Inner World, and not so much to my Outer world - what I can control, not the uncontrollable. I choose to thrive and be happy with what I have…. and that is good.

Presently, I am sleeping during the Golden hour, not nature inspired imaging, When I desire a click of a camera, I shoot with my compact, not my PhaseOne. This will be the first year in ten that I don’t have a dozen or so of new favorite images to share on www.MikeSipe.com. However, I am excited about my current focus of printing old favorites as large canvas images. I love it! I am focusing my interest to large canvas water images - this is a nice compliment to my strong interest in clean water and our public release of OUR BASIN OF RELATIONS, The Art and Science of Living with Water.

Three Clouds

By the way, I did vote….. hope, for something better, I guess.


Which Way Now?

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‘Which way now’? - A phrase I adopted for Alzheimer’s walks a few years ago - The ‘Whichwayers’ team. I used the phrase because I heard the question from Patty while walking in nature, or on unfamiliar paths. I hear the question less frequently, if ever, now - our walks together are short, slow and a on common paths. I am grateful we have them.

However, I am now able to have some personal time since Ashley, our new caregiver, is here for 6 hours, on Wednesdays and Fridays. Ashley is the first caregiver that Patty accepts. I hope to increase her time to Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. I am realizing that the personal contemplative time is important to my sanity.

Yesterday I ventured a walk in the woods out our front door - I loved it - indescribably wonderful - images apart from Sunrise - a new experience for me that delights. I walked and walked and walked on a wonderful marked trail in the Green Mountain foothills, with clear site of Camel’s Hump, a well known Vermont mountain marker.

Green Mountain Foothills - home

The trail ended. I must be close to an outlet near home. I wasn't going to back-track on the trail - it was too far. Which way now? I took out my iPhone (thank God for technology) and checked the compass and map. I pointed the blue dot to the red home marker and started trail blazing. I encountered downed trees, deep ravines and Johnny Brook, which borders our land. It would be hard to follow the brook, because it meanders too much. I found a place to cross the brook and go like a crow. My last hurdle before reaching my neighbors property was a large (for me) ravine.

I made it home just in time for Patty’s Bone Density Infusion and meeting with Rheumatologist. I was right, Patty’s PMR is showing up again - the doctor prescribes steroids - Patty won’t take, unless it hurts enough. When the hurt is gone, she needs to slowly reduce the steroids. Of course, she won’t want to continue to take anything. Well, ……

Which way now?

Patty is down to 108 lbs (Don’t tell her I told you). The Rheumatologist says I should talk with the Primary about putting on weight. She does have a meeting in November. I have been offering a lot of ice cream, chocolate chip cookies and hot chocolate. I eat a lot of her meals and am gaining the weight she is loosing. I figure what’s important is Patty eats when she is hungry and she has enjoyment, to the extent possible. I would not be surprised if she breaks 100 pounds soon. No feeding tubes. Nature will take it’s course.

Which way now?




Which Way Now

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The Alzheimer's walk is the 27th of September in the Champlain Valley, and at different times elsewhere, all through out the beginning of the beautiful Fall season. Virtual programs. Private walks. Weird times - stressful for many. I look forward to the walk with Patty, actually, any walk these days, albeit, shorter and shorter - precious times and simple pleasures.

Which Way Now-.jpg

I got to believe the Alzheimer's Association is going to have a stretch to reach their goal this year, considering these screwed up, pandemic and politically charged, times. Unfortunate, because the Alzheimer’s Association is a great support to people like me, a loving, and struggling Alzheimer’s care-giver. Help if you can - it’s needed and worth your time and money.

One of my go-to advisors, Richard Rohr, advises limiting your time agonizing with listening to strong dualistic political pandering, to just one hour a day, while using the freed up time to meditate about soul building values - caring, for instance - not soul sucking activities like futile, stressing, dualistic barbs with people that ‘freely’ (thank God for the freedom) think differently than the person on ‘the other side’. Reduce your ‘news’ view time and take a nice walk with love ones, for Alzheimer's. Pass on the good word about the power of caring.

The High Court Ginsburg - Scalia friendship and love of each other example, while fiercely disagreeing on major life and death issues, is now in the spotlight with RBG’s death. What a great legacy - loving and living together while arguing big life issues, listening with respect and knowledge, and acceptance, of separate realities - knowing that diversity of opinion is good, as is all diversity, with us imperfect people - we are all in this wonderful natural world together. “Why can’t we all just get along” and care about and respect all the living…. and dying!

Alzheimer's Care

Alzheimer's - which way now? I have no idea. We are moving into the tenth year of Patty’s Alzheimer's. I’ve heard it is a seven to ten year certain journey. Now, I believe it is a seven to twelve year journey. I can’t imagine the end - can’t think about it now.

I do know, my care counts, and I feel good as I give it. It’s changed life for us. Although, the closest Patty has got to recognition of the change is, “something is not right”.

The changes seem more frequent now - more help dressing, showering (if we are lucky, once a month), and she doesn't even make the bed - something I thought she would never stop. The bed was the last house-help remaining!

The walks are short and slow. There is joint or muscle pain - I hope it is not PMR coming back. Patty has kicked out (literally) two care givers. Thankfully she is well connected and reliant on me. “Where’s Mike?” In the office. “Where’s the office?” Across the hall. The other day she tried to dry her fleece using the stove top.

The need for constant care is clear. It’s not destructive to me, to the contrary, I am benefiting by feeling my caring and loving the moment - each precious moment.

OUR BASIN book excerpt -Stowe Stream

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Splendor in nature is wonder forthcoming. Follow the flow, portage the passions. Open to Love and Love will be there - certain as Springtime streams snow-covered mountains.

We are Nature’s gifted souls. Hear Inner Wisdom - Love abounds. All is precious and pristine - Reflect…. Respect and Protect.

We are bestowed free-will to love in nature. Marvel in the moods of the sky. Feel the touch of love from all that is provided from above.

Light, Heat, Water, Air - All are life’s essentials. What’s to happen if we do not care?

Stowe Stream

eBook of OUR BASIN OF RELATION available now!

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Book Cover

OUR BASIN OF RELATIONS, The Art and Science of Living with water is published. 

 

Thank you for your contribution in making this happen. Over fifty people have contributed. You will soon receive your copy of the book. 

 

I love it. The coffee table 13”x 11” book looks and reads better than I originally imaged. The excellence comes largely from the curation of great articles by informed experts, and writings, by Trevien Stanger. I refer to Trevien as Thoreau-like. You can’t put his prose down. And, he is clearly a passionate environmentalist, as are the seventeen people he gathered for articles in OUR BASIN.

 

We self-published, with Blurb, just 100 Contributor’s Edition books – that’s all we could afford.  Our cost was $70 a book – a single book order costs you $135 at Blurb – way out of line. I put the ‘shelf value’ of the book at $40. The reason for the high cost is the low number of books published.

 

But the good news is, the eBook with Blurb is just $10. I love it – the low cost, accessibility, mobility, zoomability – how can the hard cover compete? You can order the eBook at www.Blurb.com bookstore. 

 

 

We need your help! Trevien and I wish to raise enough money to publish a smaller version of OUR BASIN, in sufficient quantity, to offer to the general public, in bookstores all over, at an attractive cost – say $30. We feel the message of clean water, as cultural behavior, is particularly important… now.

 

Please do what you can to contribute and promote the book to others. We don’t have sufficient first edition Contributor’s Edition books (about 30) to raise the needed money, without major sponsors. 

 

We will publish another 100 Contributor’s Edition books at Blurb to help. However, it would be nice to go directly to publishing the smaller (10x8), low cost, public version. Accordingly, any leads you have for sponsorship, beyond the $100 book contribution is appreciated.

 

Contributions and Contributor’s Edition book orders can be made by payments to Clean Water Advocates, 60 Wolf Lane, Richmond, VT., 05477. Or, you and your contacts can order the book online for $100 at www.MySCGpriorities.com/buy-prints. After clicking on the link, you click on the book image and you will be taken through the purchase click by click.

 

Thank you again for your help. And, here’s to clean water!

Water's Long Run

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Water is everywhere and, for some, no where clean. Our effort to make a difference with OUR BASIN OF RELATIONS, The Art and Science of Living with Water, seems unimportant, but if people come together, for clean water, we can make waves - progress - lasting impact..

In the long-run we are all dead, and water remains. In fact, we live short lives - nearly, a mere hundred years for Kay Myles Hartley. The image Ripple, below, is dedicated to her life. Her daughter Eileen chose the image to represent her mother’s constant and consistent positive impact on many people.

Think about it - a hundred years on earth is nothing - compared to the mind boggling billions of years of earth’s existence, water. We are stewards, responsible for such a short time.

I reflect - Love as if there is no tomorrow, and know that there are probably billions of tomorrows, for heirs, and heirs and heirs, to be stewards - be responsible.

Ripple

From ripples comes waves. Individually we are able to start a momentum. Together, going in the same direction, we impact greatly. Caring - in unison, is powerful.

I invite you to join our Clean Water Advocates and enjoy our book on clean water - OUR BASIN OF RELATIONS, The Art and Science of Living with Water - www.MySCGpriorities.com/buy-prints

Light Wave

Sailing Clean

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Water touches me. You?

I love sailing Lake Champlain, drinking ice water on a hot day, washing my hands - more now than ever. Water is most important to me. I would die with none.

Trevien Sanger, curating inspirational and educational relevant water messages, and I, exhibiting water images I like, advocate for clean water in OUR BASIN OF RELATIONS, The Art and Science of Living with Water.

We wish to connect with you. Will you be a Clean Water Advocate and encourage others to treat water with care? We are asking for pre-orders for our Contributor’s edition of OUR BASIN - the Proof looks great, and the book is in printing - only 100 copies of the Contributor’s first edition will be available - Sixty are spoken for - thank you to those who have contributed..

We hope to raise enough money with the first edition of contributors donations to do a second contributor’s edition. With sufficient contributions (or large sponsorships) we will do a long run of books to be sold at our cost to inspire and educate as much as possible. We will also have a nominal cost ebook available.

If our efforts end with this first edition it will feel like our project was just a vanity project. I hope not. Clean water is too important. And now, the public needs to participate to do the job that environmentalists and public water agencies aren’t able to get done on their own.

You can contribute $100 or more to Clean Water Advocates (a 501(c)(3) Vermont non-profit) and receive a copy of OUR BASIN (shelf value of $40) at www.MySCGpriorities.com/buy-prints .

We will also send you a CLEAN WATER ADVOCATE face mask to encourage others to participate in this worthwhile effort. And….. doesn't it look great, as modeled by Patty and me?

Sailing Clean


KINDNESS

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What a great word - KINDNESS - What a great thing - Love - if you will.

Believe it or not - they say - nearly 50% of all deaths with the great pandemic of the century are people in nursing homes or assisted living.

Love is God. Is this death Love’s euthanasia? Is there a message to slowdown, appreciate more, smell the roses? Do we know we are not in control - only do what we can do, given our humanity’s limitations?

I pray to be kind…. as humanly possible as I can be.

kindness


A Drop in the Bucket

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Trevien Stanger and my effort to inspire clean water, using words and images, with the production of OUR BASIN OF RELATIONS, The Art and Science of Living with Water is now at Press - ready for orders. The proof of the 11x13 inch coffee table book looks great. It was five years in the making. Nearly twenty informed and inspirational writers were crafty curated by Trevien for short pieces in the book. Trevien also has three articles in OBOR.

I fell in love with Trevien’s writing when I was first exposed to his artfully delivered message about ‘Thinking like a Watershed’, published in the Burlington Free Press five plus years ago. He is very Thoreau like - I believe his words will some day be widely read - like Thoreau.

There will be 100 contributor edition books published now. All proceeds from contributions of $100 or more to CLEAN WATER ADVOCATES, INC. will receive a copy of the book and be a clean water advocate, assisting, in our little way, to inspire, educate and restore water ways.

Our plan is to raise $20,000 or more to produce an affordable book with about 1000 copies to be distributed to the general public. We will also be making available, at a nominal cost, probably $10, an ebook version.

Please consider a $100 donation to Clean Water Advocates, Inc and, in addition to helping the cause, receive a copy of, what I think, is a priceless book. Click here to order.

OBORcover-.jpg

I feel better now

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It’s been an unusual 4th of July for me - lonely, but good - no family, no lake, no fireworks (in person, that is), but an introspective, inspirational day, none the less.

I watched TV - a lot of which I do these days. I see a lot of bad stuff on TV, but the two 4th of July specials I watched brought reflection, resulting in a real good feel about the good growth, and good people, that I have been fortunate to benefit from, over my 74 years.

244 years of freedom - maybe a little less - seemingly - this century.

I dream there is no police, no military, no need for government to protect me. I wonder what the last 244 years would have been like without ‘the fight’! We would not have anything to to talk about, to see on TV. Maybe love experiences would be our discussion.

Maybe Biden was right, “there are 10% to 15% bad people”! I hope not. I know we are born good. It’s our environment, I suspect, that influences our goodness. I am grateful for my environs, and I give me credit, too, for the goodness I am….. albeit, not perfect, I know. Humans are just not able to be perfect - I’m resigned to that reality.

We’ll have to work on dealing with that ‘Bad Element’ - a mere billion people or so, world wide, at 10% to 15%. “Love is the Answer”, with a sprinkle of education. I suggest celebrating the good, in the meanwhile, and not let the “tail wag the dog” or “ throw out the baby with the bath water”.

Hero

Raptor

Trees for Granted

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We’ve planted 125 trees at our new home in the foothills of the Green Mountains, Vermont. I frequently call the fifteen acres of bliss, Walnut Woods, due to the 65 Black Walnut tree saplings I.m nurturing. I love it. I’ve taken trees for granted - they are so valuable.

The following passage from the wonderful photo art book, Sacred Earth, by Ernest L King, says the truth about the value of trees:

“Trees are vital to life on earth. They help regulate planetary climate , while renewing the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the soil that grows our food.

Down through the ages, trees have provided us with shelter from the elements, fruits, and nuts for food, wood to make weapons and tools, and fuel to keep us warm. They have given us materials to build homes and villages, valuable medicinal drugs and herbs, ships to sail the seven seas, and paper to record our exploits and ideas.

Without the tree, civilization as we know it would not have been possible.”

Tree Evolution

Double Duty

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I’ve been watching the series Monk. I love it. One episode made a point of a double rainbow. Solving the murder mystery paused, to make a note of the rare occurrence. The ones that could, wowed.

Double Duty

“We do not see things as they are, we see things as we are” The Talmud, a collection of ancient jewish law and tradition, from the wonderful book - SACRED EARTH, by Ernest L. King.

Steptoe

“The only real society is the complete society of the natural world… The refusal of human beings to become intimate members of the community of Earth is leading to their own destruction.'“ Thomas Berry, christian theologian and cultural historian.

Just saying.

Idyllic Time

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According to Abenaki mythology, Lake Champlain was created by the great being, Okzihozo. So pleased with the masterpiece, he changed himself into the mighty rock Dunder, quietly enjoying his masterpiece for all eternity.

Moon Over Rock Dunder

The Abenaki, and other native Americans revered nature, and probably, whomever remain, still do. They became one with nature and, I am sure, were blessed with bliss by It’s being. Much of their life of connection with natural loving healing power is unimaginable to me. To the extent they connected with nature seems something special, lost because of human nature - greed - self absorption - naivety. If we could only break the stupidity and understand that love of others, not taking anything personally, would give us peace - able to defund police, defund military.

Realistic? No. We are too human, stupid, to all love all others and love ourselves in the process..

Sundowning

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Sundowning has new meaning, for me. I learned about Sundowning from Patty, as she desires the shades down at 3pm winter and and 6pm summer - common for the Alzheimer's crowd.

I got my kind of Sundowning, for the first time, this spring, in my newly appointed Birch Bowl. I love it.

Sundowning

Sundowning is last light. We awake to new light. We awake to another Spring - Unless you are nursing home bound.

You go to a nursing home to die. You go to a nursing home because you can’t take care of yourself. You go to a nursing home because no one else is able to take care of you. No one wants to go. I can’t imagine. Shades down. Last light.

For most that go to a nursing home, it should be a loving hospice. Extending life, at all costs, should not be the objective. A short stay is a blessing. Pneumonia (DNR in place) is the elders friend. Life is not meant to extend beyond what is meant to naturally be. I wish to respect the transition to everlasting Light.

I am getting in line - there may be a need with Alzheimer’s. I am looking at 2022. It’s hard to believe but waiting lists are long, even though costs are six figures a year. A local home says it will cost about $10,000 a month, and you will receive up to an hour of nursing care a day. You’ve got to be kidding. I want around the clock care. Who will be there to work the remote, find the bath room and frig, lay out the cloths, scoop the ice cream?

I’m opting for home care - to the max!

Five Years of The Love Priorities Blog

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I started THE LOVE PRIORITIES blog in the middle of 2015. It seems like just yesterday, and yet, a lot has happened with me and my love priorities over the last five years - Images captured in wonderful places, family happenings, Alzheimer’s, stroke, multigenerational home completion, books published, life events, grandkids, and more. I would not have imagined so many feelings, if I hadn’t journaled. I am grateful it came to be.

 Thanks to my brother Richard and our shared involvement in his third book of poems, SMELL THE ROSES, feel the soil, reach the sky, I have grown as a contemplative photographer, or what I call the process of image reflecting. It is Zen, for me.

 It is fun for me to blog, and share my Self-realizing, Connecting and Giving (The Love Priority Principles). As a Life-Wealth planner, I encouraged clients to record their life story and ‘Transferring’ (one of the nine activities of daily loving) them to family and friends – It is a process that benefits both the giver and the beneficiary.

 I would not have started blogging if I hadn’t discovered The Love Priorities. Discovered, late in my planning career, was unfortunate for my Clients, because I lacked the SCG understanding while practicing. However, the ‘never too late’ idea prevails. Consequently, I wrote ADVOCATE PLANNING, To Do What You Love To Do and make available free, at www.MikeSipe.com. And, I stay in front of interested former clients, family, and non-client friends, with my love priorities blog.

 I posted 150 blogs between 2015 and 2020 - 100 will be reproduced in a book - the first printed volume, of hopefully four planned books, for the next three, five-year increments. This may be my most treasured gift to family and friends. It is me, as I discover and share my feelings, at the moment. Nothing planned. 

 One of my favorite fifty images www.MikeSipe.com/buy-prints was captured in 2011, while on a wonderful week with Elizabeth and John McGinty in Tuscany, Italy. Castellina was captured with a very long lens, and dramatically cropped. Consequently, I can only enlarge to about 13x16 before it breaks down. At 13x16 it has a nice impressionistic affect. This was unplanned, and I’ll accept as a gift - pleasing me.

Castellina