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Yesterday, I got up early, and as I couldn't play the piano, pulled out the guitar. It's been a while; it felt good.

I made it to synagogue and back before the children were up; so Sharleen and I had some time together alone. Then I made us breakfast, and we ended up going separate ways. I went to the office and later Landmark as Sharleen headed into Tiberias with the boys. Yakov went to get his Social Security file squared away (everything is a process here), and Sharleen took Uri and Manu to Aqua Fun, a water based activity park along the Sea of Galilee.

I arrived home about 10:30. Ilan had a friend over who seems to be as much of a night owl as he. I think it was the first time I felt our house is small. I just wanted them to get to bed to get out from under foot. I guess it didn't help that one of our showers is out again; so we were stuck with everyone showering on our side.

The architect's computer has been down, but should be back on line by now. She's one who needs a bit of a nudge to keep moving. We're going back and forth about the roof with her, and the windows with the window guy.

I listened to the Tony Robbin's piece I suggested a few days ago in the car again, and a few others, and I'll listen to it one more time at least in the next few days. He has this great distinction about life; you are either in a beautiful state or a suffering state, there is nothing else. So anything that isn't a beautiful state is a form of suffering. It parallels a Landmark conversation about possibility and breakdowns.

So I'm getting better at noticing the beauty. Inside that, I got how special it is that Sharleen and I still get up to make breakfast for each other, and be there to see each other off in the morning. And I noticed it's something that's grown. I don't remember us being this great with each other back at the beginning, and it's nice to see how we seem every day more comfortable with who we are and who we are for each other, and how we're still looking to up our game and the difference we make in the world.

Sharleen was in Kfar Bloom this morning, and I made it to the office, and met with Keren, a businesswoman and lecturer who shares space here, and we talked about marketing and set a time to talk more once the kids are in school.

And I have a new neighbor, SNE Israel National ITC. I had no idea what they do, so I've reached out to them to say hello.

I mapped out the flow of my sitesthatwin.com website, then spent a bunch of time reacquainting myself with bootstrap, the framework on which it's built, and a bit in the back office of my blogs, built on a different framework, trying to figure out how to get the stylings to match better.

Sharleen's leading in Nahariya tonight. Back to you when there's more to share.

So we've had a good day.

Sharleen started a bit later and on a good night's sleep. She wasn't excited about working and fasting, but felt she'd missed too many Sundays recently to skip another.

I received a promising response from someone I'd reached out to yesterday, and we began a conversation about his website's development. Along the way, I visited a number of other websites in his space, consulting, and listened to an amazing Tim Ferris interview of Tony Robbins. I got into Tony recently as his book on Money came out. It is sitting in the states awaiting my visit. I found the best part of this interview his take on suffering. Very much worth the listen, it's one of the best podcasts I've ever heard, and I expect to listen to it a few more times now and then it will get a spot in the regular rotation. It's an hour and 37 minutes, so make sure you give yourself the time when you go to listen.

I also received a call from one of my Open Valley neighbors to help him in framing a pitch his company is making.

The younger boys were spending too much time in front of a screen; so I gave them an assignment to do a report on what they were watching. The report was never written, but we had a wonderful conversation about plot, genre, backstory, and spent some time comparing the instant superhero, The Flash, to others: Batman, Superman, Maxwell Smart. We took some time along the way to ponder the background against which our superheroes were formed and the message to the guy watching: “Is it in every one to be a superhero, or do we create superheroes in the face of our perceived inability to right the wrongs of our world?”

The idea of course is to bring an intentionality to the things we do in the world, and I love that my boys are game to do that.

Sharleen came home feeling fine, though a bit thirsty. She spent some time on Tisha b'Av learning with the boys, brought a greater order to our bedroom, watched a few episodes of Bones with the boys, while I reached back out to a few more people, another one of whom I'll be talking to this week (a patent attorney looking to up her on-line game.)

Dahlia called from Norway, where she appears to be having a capital time. She also regaled us with a bit of Yakov and her adventures. Apparently, Yakov has been reported to be a Satanist. For the full story, you'll have to call.

A few fail videos and we got to eat. Then Sharleen and I got out to walk and came back to review a study guide in preparation for a lead she has in Nahariya later this week, and create some new possibilities.

Yakov and I got the dishes done as Sharleen went to bed.

And now that all are asleep, I've sent an e-mail over to the Marvin window guy, I'm upgrading my blog software, and getting an update out to you all, that is, once we get the software loaded up again.

Have a Great Week!

I moved it to August 11, 2016. It made more sense there.

or “Why I am a Landmark Junkie ”

Landmark Worldwide is a company committed to reliably delivering that which makes a real difference in people's lives. It accomplishes this through its transformational courses, the foundation of which is the Landmark Forum.

Landmark has been big part of my life, and especially of the things that work in my life for more than 21 years. Most anyone who spends more than a token amount of time with me will hear me talk about the Landmark Forum. So I thought I'd explain a little bit about why. Now I can point you here instead of trying to come up with it over and over again.

The main reason: I'm with the same woman, Sharleen, twenty years on, and Landmark has given us the ability to play with each other, to laugh with—and at—each other, to not take ourselves too seriously, and to see how damned big we are in the world.

We have four amazing kids, and who we are with and for them comes from what we have learned at Landmark. From Landmark, we have taken on practices of acknowledging our children, and learned to listen for what is truly important.

I get to be with myself. Twenty one years in, and I am still noticing where the little voice in my head (others might call them internal dialogues or hidden scripts) are keeping me from creating the world I want. And when I notice them, I can deny them their power.

For instance, less than two weeks ago, I noticed I've got one about how “I've got to do it alone. ” Noticing it let me give it up. For the first time, I created a team around a goal in my life I've been pursuing for 20 years. Also out of that, I met with someone about forming a pretty neat partnership. These would not have happened without this work.

For the new year, I created the possibility of being Active, Present, and Alive. By the end of January, I'd been to Germany and visited with my cancer-stricken Aunt and Uncle (he's now dead), five first cousins, and five more of their family, most of whom I hadn't seen this millenium.

I get to forgive myself. This one is the hardest for me. I often feel that—except for my family—my past is a sea of mistakes, lost chances and missed opportunities.

From Landmark, I see that my playing the victim of this past robs me of my future. It's a place I easily go, but I have the tools, and the partners, to notice this sick game. When I do that, I can actually create bold new futures.

I can lean into my fear. The first thing that I notice when I create a new future is the gap between where I am and that which I am inventing. The next thing I want to do is throw my hands up and walk away.

But I get that's only the little voice in my head, the child who was embarrassed, who failed, who wasn't enough, trying to keep me safe.

And I notice I am 47 and I don't need the conversations of my naive and scared younger to run my life today. I can say “I am scared, ” and act anyway.

In short, I can give myself Permission to Be the great person that I always suspected was inside there somewhere, but was too afraid to let out. He's actually far more powerful than I ever imagined.

So I share because I think a world of empowered, present people, people who are up to big things, people who lean into their fear, people who are willing to create the world they want to see, to borrow a phrase “to be the change they'd like to see in the world ” (M. Ghandi), would be a great world to live in.

I share because I know anyone who wants to be this has it available to him.

It's worth it. That's all. If you see yourself in this, and can find a way to afford it, it's a gift you really should give yourself.

All My Best,

As my other post of today also came from a comment I made, I share this one as well. This was in response to a person feeling stuck about her work and future.

For those who feel stuck at work, I invite you to do what another of my muses, James Altucher suggests: keep finding ways to add value. I'd suggest that work sucks for most of us because we see a lot of limits there that often are of our own creation.

And then there is the notion of the entre-ployee, and I think it's a good one. Come up with ten ideas a day that could make your workplace better, or your job more appealing. Think of ten ways that would be of value to your employer. And then go ahead and do (there are those who suggest it's better to apologize afterward than ask permission), or suggest, as is appropriate.

But if that's not your direction, then find a way to bring your true self out in the world outside of work, and do that when you are not at work, and then find a way to monetize that.

Or be creative in other ways. Maybe you could launch a house-sitting service, and then rent wouldn't be an issue. Or you could try to go live somewhere else just for helping out while you “find” yourself. Maybe create yourself as an airBNB concierge (I don't know if that's a real thing), where you help people run their homes as airBNB sites, and offer connections to local services to boot.

It's a new world, and a new economy. If you exercise your idea muscle, start making a list of ten ideas a day, and then allow idea sex to occur, you might find some great ways to express your inner self, and make some money at the same time.

And, as always, if you'd like some help doing it, reach out and schedule a consultation. We'll take a look if it's appropriate for us to work together, and then set up a structure to start you on your way.