Mr. Besilly

The Price of Free At Starbucks

Starbucks gave me a free grande latte today for the right reason. It was free but it still cost me. Since Howard Schultz has recaptured the helm at Starbucks a lot of sweeping changes have been put into effect. Here's the deal. If you use a registered Starbucks card like I do, you gain a few extra privileges. One privilege that I benefit from is free soy milk that typically costs me forty cents extra per cup. That's a great deal since everyone seems to charge extra when choosing soy milk.

Saying The Right Things To Depressed People

I must admit, it's very difficult to know exactly the right things to say when you're talking to people who are depressed. Especially if they're your close friends living in the Northwest. Non-psychologist Steven Blum, a Seattle blogger in residence compiled an insightful list of tips on "How To Talk To Depressed People" lumping them into a kind of subculture. I instantly recognized that I could not have written a better list myself. One of my favorites is;

"Don't tell them to write on a blog. Depression blogs are depressing and cause more people to suffer from depression blogging." - Steven Blum

I realize that depression is not a subject to joke about. A few friends of my own recently contacted me and asked if I've been depressed, citing that they found many of my recent posts totally depressing. Nice! They're now off my friends list for at least two weeks until I fully recover from depression caused by their honest and refreshingly candid banter. Read Steven's entire post and prepare to laugh out loud. He's good! 

When We Dare To Dream

“If you make the world a little better, then you have accomplished a great deal.”

When our deepest desire is to leave the world something that makes it a better place than when we found it, the possibilities are endless. It's these kinds of dreams that come true everyday. You'll be surprised how often the resources reveal themselves when the goal is aimed outward. John Kanzius set out to cure cancer in his garage using hot dogs, his knowledge of radio waves and his wife's pie tins. John is not a doctor of medicine but he is turning the medical world upside down with his discovery. Funding is coming in from places John never imagined possible.

Turning Hindsight Into Foresight

It's always in times of personal struggle and pain that I look back and long for those moments when I was most content    but failed to realize it.

Hindsight is a reliable teacher but an unforgiving friend. The trick is turning hindsight into foresight without allowing fear to be our rudder.

Photo by Christopher Drost

Why Choose If You Can Combine?

According to a new Gallup poll 55 percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents surveyed think Obama should offer running mate Hillary Clinton a spot on his ticket. CNN

Why can't they both win? It's only fair since they've both worked so hard. We're a country obsessed with being fair. Maybe Clinton and Obama would be two great tastes that taste great together, just like a Reese's peanut butter cup. A little tired old school politics mixed in with the new.

No true Obamaist would ever approve such a vile idea. Though some Democratic leaders would be shrieking like Dr. Frankenstein if they could successfully sew together such a monster. It's Alive! Stop it... you're scaring the kids. The popular vote confirms it's an Obama-nation.

A Unity Ticket Mistake

The Fragile Bonds of Forever

When we wield the powerful sword of "I'm leaving you" the fragile bonds of forever are tested. Sometimes beyond repair. Those words cut, creating distrust, anger, and vulnerability. That's not fighting fair.

What happened to the sacred oath that included 'til death do us part? Commitment is sacrifice over convenience and true love's secret code.

"I wanted to see you walking away from me without the sensation of you leaving me alone."  Counting Crows song - Time And Time Again

Who On Earth Is Phil Tramdack?

A photographer named Joey Kennedy immortalized Philip Tramdack in the striking portrait seen above describing Phil as; "A great man with unique vision". I have no clue who mister Tramdack is. Joey's caption said that Phil loves his couch and fought hard to preserve it, which appears to be inspiration for the portrait. There's a whole lot of couch and very little Phil.

Free From Living The Good Life

There is no greater darkness than that which causes us to go numb, stop giving of ourselves and cease caring. There is no greater death than living with apathy, a choice that has rendered many of us dead already.

When we can give away more than we take and strip ourselves from the pursuit of wealth, we become alive with endless potential to make a difference. Filled with compassion we become free and fearless, no longer content with being reckless in our quest for living the good life. Are you willing to take that leap?

“He who gives when he is asked has waited too long.” Lucius Annaeus Seneca 

Photo by Zach Anderson

Children's Story of Marijuana Teaches "It's Just A Plant"

A new children's book authored by Ricardo Cortes teaches kids all about marijuana conveying that "It's Just a Plant". The book chronicles a child's path to learning about marijuana from a host of colorful characters including a group of street thugs, a farmer and an unfortunately timed cameo appearance by Bill "I never inhaled" Clinton as himself.

"It's Just A Plant" (a children's story of marijuana) could possibly be the modern hippie version of "Are You My Mother?" Cortes may be an undiscovered literary genius of a different kind destined for his rightful place atop Oprah's Book Club.

10 Life Lessons I Learned Playing Grown-Up

For me, growing up has been more difficult than I had ever anticipated. It appears that I may not be as far along as I had originally thought. Some of the first things to go when I started playing grown up was riding a bike, jumping on a trampoline and running down hills. I've realized that complaining more, forgiving less and focusing on making money over making friends are all worse things than having cooties.

I've chosen to start reversing those errors in the past two years, though I'll admit I have used our trampoline more for afternoon naps than I have for jumping. That makes me happy.