Clarence Thomson

Well,phew,just got a shock! I was googling you, T...

2011-11-26T22:24:41.991-08:00

Well,phew,just got a shock! I was googling you, Thomas, and read in the script above that you reckon Clarence THOMAS is a sociopath, and I confused your name with his, thought then that I must be on some other guys web-page- ( a guy called Coach Merlin)- and that my googling had brought up an article calling you a sociopath, and I got scared. Because- I'm half way through your book 'Parables and the Enneagram' and finding it fascinating, a bit hopeful too-(though tentatively)- regarding god, because I have such an awful view/ fear/ resentment/ confusion/ whatever re god. and your book is loving, strong yet kind and is challenging my ideas of God, by showing me the differeent ideas about God's love that the different enneagram types-including myself- hold. it is very touching- your book. So, at a time when I feel so desolate and untrusting and etc, to think -briefly though it was- that "maybe this guy is crazy too, and he made somuch sense,oh no!" was a horrible feeling. Anyway Im deciding to read the whole book- not just the intro's and my type- because I've noticed the ideas that different types hold re life/love/God/freedom are revealing to me. And making me get -a least a little more- the possibility that its the THINKING, the IDEAs that are in the way- maybe not an evil God after all. I am in a desperate way in my life, seeking, "depressed"-(to use the I think often silly, complicated yet reductionist-at-the-same-time language of the modern psychatric diagnoses of life and it's pains), and frightened by the life I have led, God and life itself, and finding it next to impossible to not believe what I believe- which is very dark and scary by the way. So thank you, for what I've read so far, All the best, From Sooz, Australia

Maybe E.E. Cummings was a Four? I'm thinking o...

2010-11-23T17:16:34.022-08:00

Maybe E.E. Cummings was a Four? I'm thinking of his poem "voices to voices, lips to lips" with this splendid stanza:
(While you and i have lips and voices which
are for kissing and to sing with
who cares if some oneyed son of a bitch
invents an instrument to measure Spring with?

III Trivia.... Oprah telling Kristin Stewart &quo...

2010-10-11T07:34:13.603-07:00

III Trivia....

Oprah telling Kristin Stewart "Be Yourself":

"We just want you to be whoever you want us to know you to be, because I understand that being in front of the camera, a person can’t know your whole life, but I don’t think anybody’s waiting for anything other than for you just to sort of be yourself."

whoops, that is WITH a Hy-Vee cupcake...and that h...

2010-10-07T12:16:46.842-07:00

whoops, that is WITH a Hy-Vee cupcake...and that has got to be a III-wing thing... Don't III's often go showerless, unshaven and grungy at home where "no one" will see?

Hmmmm...wondering what this might be for a IV, the...

2010-10-07T12:13:51.110-07:00

Hmmmm...wondering what this might be for a IV, then realized maybe I unknowingly wrote all about it (or always/often do?). Get a big charge out of creating "unique" self with avante-garde thrift-store original combinations, then sit down in front of the tv (with everyone else in America)in velour sweatpants and a Hy-Vee cupcake.

Very funny.....if you have not yet watched Michael...

2010-08-01T12:02:54.743-07:00

Very funny.....if you have not yet watched Michael Moore's documentary, "Capitalism: A Love Story", you may find more to laugh about.

Beautiful. Thank you.

2010-06-05T17:52:50.118-07:00

Beautiful. Thank you.

Interesting. I can see the argument that rewarding...

2010-05-19T06:36:27.055-07:00

Interesting. I can see the argument that rewarding achievement puts the reward system in the arena of "stuff you can affect." But I have to admit that my first thought was of my own experiences.

My parents shared the "praise effort, not talent" mindset. I was naturally talented at schoolwork, so I was rarely praised, because they assumed academic success didn't require any effort from me.

That wasn't true--I have attention-deficit issues, and my efforts were applied to maintaining focus in the classroom. And sometimes I failed! But because I rarely brought work home, my parents assumed I didn't have to work as hard to succeed. This was exacerbated when teachers would interpret my lack of focus as lack of effort, and write helpful comments like "Should try harder" on my report cards... Oh, well.

Hard work and effort looks different in different people, and people who lack talent in a certain area sometimes have a hard time seeing genuine level of effort from people who have that talent.

Just my $.02.

I love the Buckminster Fuller quote! The more I h...

2010-05-04T14:10:46.046-07:00

I love the Buckminster Fuller quote! The more I hear about him, the more there is to respect; e.g., the story I overheard about his way of greeting others: http://practicesinpresence.blogspot.com/2009/12/i-see-you.html

Coach, about 4's-shouldn't we examine what...

2010-03-17T13:05:27.429-07:00

Coach, about 4's-shouldn't we examine what those structures are? If those aren't healthy, is any sort of creativity possible, not to mention just living beyond coping?

I really like Ayn Rand's work, though I agree ...

2010-03-01T21:33:52.301-08:00

I really like Ayn Rand's work, though I agree w/ the thoughts in this post.

The lead characters in her fictional work make excellent reference points. Objectivism is a solid foundation for growth , as long as the student understands the difference between theory and application.

It's a pleasure to be working w/ you, Clarence. You are a truly gifted coach and the insights you are helping me to make are already having an impact on my life.

Wow! Are you sure you don't want to write this...

2010-03-01T10:01:41.232-08:00

Wow! Are you sure you don't want to write this anonymously? Just kidding, sort of. I've never been brave enough to voice my true opinion of Ayn Rand; seeing her as a self-preservation One (and a sociopath) really helps.

Thanks for this! You've encouraged me to blog ...

2009-12-29T08:35:39.447-08:00

Thanks for this! You've encouraged me to blog about New Year's resolutions, as well (http://outoftheboxcoaching.blogspot.com/2009/12/tips-for-new-years-goals.html)and then a friend pointed me to something called "urge surfing" (link at end of my blog entry).

I like your new blog and will read it daily.

2009-12-14T05:34:27.078-08:00

I like your new blog and will read it daily.