THIS WEBSITE
HAS BEEN CREATED AND CONTINUES TO EVOLVE
In loving memory of Joe Lyons
Kincheloe (December 14, 1950 - December 19, 2008)
-
The Greatest Philosopher of Consciousness and Critical Theory
of the 20th-71st Centuries AND BEYOND
Joe's educational work provides inspiration and practical guidance for teachers all over the
globe and describes a beautiful, beautiful mission to alleviate human suffering. He has left
us a map with multiple pathways for accomplishing that mission -- an authentic, rigorous, impassioned,
creative, and even magical education for everyone who dares to venture on untrodden paths. His
work serves as a guiding light for educational journeys that can change not only how we view and enact the educational
process, but that can also truly change us as teachers, students, and researchers -- and
empower us to change the world. Joe loved research, teaching, writing, making music, and his students.
And his students loved
him.
This
song is a very beautiful theme song for this website that chronicles my long winding journey back home. Thank you, Leigh.
To become a seeker of new knowledges and new ways of being we must be willing
to sometimes be seen as the fools of the gods. (Kincheloe, Knowledge
& Critical Pedagogy, p. 19)
What separates the critical sheep from the uncritical goats is that a critical pedagogy/epistemology
also involves exposing the cultural, epistemological, and ideological assumptions that shape the knowledge individuals produce
and the oppressive actions justified by such information.(Joe Kincheloe, Knowledge
& Critical Pedagogy: An Introduction, p. 176)
Joe’s book Knowledge and Critical Pedagogy: An Introduction is available as an ebook. You will never
make a better investment…..we all should be researching with Joe’s important guidance. Since the ending is just
the beginning, you can begin with the last chapter. It may just spark you into wanting to read the rest, as well as his other
works to see how he got there!http://www.springer.com/us/book/9781402082238 No time to read? Right click and "listen aloud" while multitasking. [Note: I make
no money off the sales of his books; my rewards are not of this world.] MAY 22, 2018 UPDATE: I SEE THAT SPRINGER
IS NOT HONORING JOE'S STATED AND PUBLISHED WISHES> THE BOOK IS SUPPOSED TO BE LESS THAN $30 SO THAT POOR STUDENTS CAN AFFORD
IT...AND YET SPRINGER IS CHARGING ALMOST $40 FOR THE PDF EBOOK AND ALMOST $55 FOR THE PAPERBACK! THIS IS ABOMINABLE!! THE
HIGHER UPS ARE NOT PLEASED!!! THERE ARE STUDENTS IN POVERTY WHO NEED THE KNOWLEDGE IN THIS BOOK. LOWER THE PRICE!!!!! THERE
IS NO REASON TO CHARGE SO MUCH! EVEN IF PUBLISHING COSTS HAVE INCREASED, AT LEAST OFFER THE
EBOOK FOR LESS THAN $30. WHAT JOE WANTS, JOE GETS. HE SAID THAT IT IS TO BE LESS THAN $30. RESPECT HIS WISHES. Oh,
and HAPPY TWIN FLAME DAY!! I will have some important updates soon.
November 17, 2019 1:00 AM UPDATE ON
THE PRICE OF THE EBOOK: I can only conclude that either *someone* is insane or has raised the price to keep people from buying
it and having access to the knowledge in it, since Springer is now charging an outrageous price of amost $60 -- for an ebook!! I will consult with the "higher ups" for a "work-around." They always have
perfect solutions....Beloved says "Hi" :-) We will have an update soon.
November 22, 2019 4:39 PM TWIN FLAME
AND HOLY SABBATH DAY, the Higher Courts have really outdone themselves with their resolution. And their timing is impeccable!
See my update for today, November 22, 2019.
November 12, 2021 They are now charging a ridiculous
$89 for a pdf of Joe's book, Knowledge and Critical Pedagogy: An Introduction. Folks, there are multiple ways that the elite
keep knowledge from those of us who need it most -- one is by overcharging for it. We will continue to work on a resolution
that honors Joe's wishes (for it to cost less than $30) and his contract. I will be posting more information RIGHT
HERE sometime in the future.
"I believe that the issues addressed in Knowledge and Critical Pedagogy: An Introduction
not only provide us with a new understanding of education but also can actually change the world—speaking of pomposity,
yikes! I understand the danger of such an assertion, but I’m glad to take my punishment if I fail to convince my readers."~
Joe Kincheloe (p. 16)
To
joe.kincheloe joe.kincheloe@mcgill.ca
Thu, Sep 25, 2008 7:03 am
finished reading Knowledge and Critical Pedagogy: An Introduction
your work is truly a gift to the world, Joe it's very exciting
vanessa
"The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost
parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, a greater
than Solomon is here."
Matthew 12:42
❤•´
*`•.❤¸King And Queen Of Hearts❤•´
*`•.❤
JESUS: “I am the
resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth
in me shall never die. Believest thou this?” (John 11: 25-26)
9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar
people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous
light;1 Peter 2:9 (KJV)
“The universe is not a prison because it is governed
by natural law. The universe is a paradise because it is governed
by natural *God's* law.” Mark Passio
Our
Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done in earth, as it is in Heaven. Matthew
6:9-10 (KJV)
❤February, and March Into Summer, Fall, & Winter are Global
Twin Flame Celebration MONTHS❤
Tired
of dancing in circles? TAKE THE FIRST COURSE: Based on Joe Kincheloe's GREAT WORK: Knowledge
and Critical Pedagogy: An IntroductionClick Here to Start Course
“And His books, they breathe the reason. . .and
now I want to know…"
WHAT IS BRICOLAGE?
A new process for education, research, career, problem solving, everyday living, lifelong learning,
and for taking back our world
Joe Kincheloe has developed a superbly advanced conceptualization
of critical bricolage and, as demonstrated by his work, he was an adept multidimensional critical complex bricoleur.
Critical Bricolage, as he conceived it, is a complicated (and yet a very natural) process that makes use of multiple
forms of research, analysis, investigation, and interpretation. It requires researchers to seek many divergent
perspectives, allowing new understandings and knowledge to emerge from the synthesis.
Engaging
in this process increases phenomenological experiences that catalyze seeking more knowledge. This, of
course, leads to ever greater understandings of complex relationships between "research variables." An
exceptionally high level of creativity becomes unleashed, often resulting in greater interaction with the emerging
hidden dimensions of reality. Suddenly very little can be hidden anymore. Engaging rigorously in this process of research
and learning seems to take people to higher levels of consciousness in graduated steps as they become more
aware of the hidden dimensions of interrelationships and as they increasingly participate in intuitive, "fourth
dimension" research.
Using Kincheloe's
critical complex epistemology and multidimensional critical complex bricolage rigorously as he has asked us to do results
in ever higher levels of experience and understanding, and in its full "employment," enactive and symbiotic
processes seem to kick in, helping individuals find the most creative solutions to even the most complicated
problems. Actively working within multiple dimensions using his fourth dimension research, results in amazing and profound
solutions. In my own experience, I often find that problems are solved before I even knew the problem would
be manifesting. In addition, I have had some amazing experiences that science simply cannot explain yet. This
is highlighted in my dissertation in some highly unusual ways, which is only the tip of the iceberg. Kincheloe's critical bricolage may
very well be the process required to "unleash creativity" for solving even the most complicated,
power-based problems we face -- all in service of "the alleviation of human suffering," the often-stated
primary purpose of his work.
After
researching this process since 2008 (and discovering that I had been using the foundational aspects of the process many
years before) I am beginning to see how autopoiesis, enaction, synchronicity, all work together symbiotically to reveal
hidden dimensions and relationships that make my life so much happier and joyful, even if I have many problems hanging
over my head (that "blues aesthetic" Joe so often described). No matter how complicated the problems,
with bricolage, they become solvable and/or perspectives of the problems change.
Simultaneously, those power dimensions
that force those of us who are oppressed to stay stuck at our "stations in life" also emerge, but there
is such a difference to how I deal with these
than in the past. Once the controlling factors are revealed, solutions also emerge in a sort of "unfoldment"
process that reveal ways to counteract them and change things.
There is great power "behind the curtain" that can be leveraged
by those of us who are typically "disenfranchised." I will go into much more detail at a later time, and
as Joe always did so well, I will put them into context (there are many great experiences to share of both kinds of emergences
- the love-based, almost magical ones, and the power-and-control-based ones for which insight, and often solutions
also emerge) but suffice it to say, I am blazing multiple trails through the underbrush which will hopefully make navigating
easier for people who come along and experience the same types of violence I have due to being poor and "low
status."
Just as Joe was a "hillbilly" and he was never able
to shake the label, I am a "country hick." True reality could not be more profoundly different -- for
an Eros and Psyche. :)
The good news is that the use of bricolage is increasing
rapidly around the globe as more researchers in all disciplines are beginning to see the promise it offers to
construct new knowledge, lead to social empowerment, and reveal positive changes and amazingly creative opportunities.
More researchers will soon be investigating and trying out this more advanced and powerful approach, which will
lead to what Joe referred to as a "perpetual revolution." More teachers will also come to realize the value bricolage has in the classroom
and the young students will pick it up naturally. The revolution has just begun. We can change the world! Join in
today and apply the process in your own research, learning, teaching, and everyday life and see what a
difference it can make. You can never go wrong getting more knowledge.
All of the information on this website is absolutely free. It is here
for anyone who wants a better life and would like to make a difference in the world.
For the struggle for justice to win on the local level, it must be fought in the
global, the national, and the local arenas. [Kincheloe,
2001, Getting Beyond the Facts, p. 741]
OTHER FREE ONLINE COURSES
THAT CENTER ON JOE KINCHELOE'S WORKS:
This
is a nonprofit educational web site dedicated to the clarification of Kincheloe’s critical complex
epistemology and multidimensional critical complex bricolage. My research has shown that, while the process
he has delineated is complex, it is perfectly suited for social and educational research, and it is also within everyone's
reach. It is especially suited for new qualitative researchers who have not subscribed to traditional and reductionistic
forms of research.
On this site I will focus on the academic and scholarly application
of his work. I hope that by presenting clarifications based on my in-depth study of his work that perhaps his
bricolage will be used by more people and with the level of rigor he had intended. Kincheloe has ingeniously left wide open many
paths that honor diversity and he embraced an evolving complexity while maintaining a strong, impenetrable philosophical and
theoretical foundation for his conceptions. He has demonstrated in his work how this research process can be applied in all
venues and in every area of our lives and even children can be involved in research, thus his bricolage is also a pedagogical
approach. His work is truly a break-through for research that is long overdue. Using the full power of his bricolage highlights
actions that change the world as it also changes who we are.
I may write a blog again on this site, but it
will be a different sort of blog than the creative, exploratory blogs I've written in the past. Primarily, I will be continuing
my research and presenting my findings so that upcoming bricoleurs will have a resource for the most powerful form of bricolage
research that's ever been developed.
~ ~ ~ Vanessa Jae Paradis
CORRECTING SOME COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS SURROUNDING JOE KINCHELOE’S BRICOLAGE AND CRITICAL
COMPLEX THEORIES
Bricolage, as a qualitative form of research, entails
incorporating many different perspectives, and in particular, with Kincheloe's process it is necessary to include global subjugated
and indigenous knowledges. However, after gathering all of these perspectives and making various interpretations and syntheses,
there are criteria for determining which perspectives to include in the final bricolage. As he explains, "Bricoleurs
accept the responsibility that comes with the interpretive process. Knowledge production always involves multiple acts
of selection, and these choices of methods, theoretical frameworks, and interpretative strategies must be defended"
(2004e, p. 100). He has provided selection criteria that incorporate the social justice mission to alleviate suffering
and that advance knowledge (see Kincheloe, 2004e, pp. 100-102). Bricoleurs are not restricted to these criteria but I have
found them to be well-thought-out and thorough -- and they mitigate for unintended consequences. You can view the criteria
here: Criteria to Guide the Research Process.
What I cover next are common misconceptions and important
aspects surrounding Kincheloe’s multidimensional critical complex bricolage. I hope by putting these on the Home page
of this website, researchers will consider them and research them more deeply. They are covered in greater depth in my dissertation
and I’ll also be posting articles that extend what I’ve touched on in the dissertation.
1) Kincheloe did not throw out "positivistic"
or empirical sciences. To conclude this is to exhibit a gross misunderstanding of his work. A close reading of his work can
easily confirm that he sees science and bricolage as synergistic. And how many times has he stated that he did not throw out
the baby with the bathwater? As most people know, he contextualizes everything. In his last book, Knowledge and Critical
Pedagogy: An Introduction he presents his position through a metaphor which he refers to as FIDUROD, and by which he clarifies the issues with the way science is and has been used. FIDUROD is an acronym representing the attributes of the form of knowledge production he argues against: Formal, Intractable, Decontextualized, Universalistic,
Reductionistic, One Dimensional. (See Kincheloe, 2008, pp. 21-24).
2) His work is not based on some indefinable “ludic” postmodernism – It is based on a highly developed
and evolving holistic philosophy. This philosophy is comprised of 12 major points which he describes in his book Critical
Constructivism. The 12 points coalesce together to form his multidimensional critical complex world view. It’s
a new, evolving worldview. We might refer to it as Kincheloe’s multidimensional critical complex unified world view. It forms the foundation of his unique formulation of critical theory, epistemology, ontology, critical psychology
of complexity, the multidimensional critical complex bricolage, etc., -- and his proposed critical science of complexity
– another indication that he did not abandon the sciences. To grasp his conceptualizations, it’s imperative
that new bricoleurs study his unified world view by reading and then writing about how they subjectively relate to it and
to other philosophies. Kincheloe stresses this upfront philosophical work is critical in order to ground any study that uses
bricolage as a process for research. Rigor is impossible without developing a "philosophy of consciousness"
(Kincheloe, 2004a, p. 8).
3) The multidimensional critical complex bricolage is a process for qualitative research that is composed of multiple,
intertwining and overlapping processes. It is not a method, nor does it use “tools” as tools imply precise means
and carries a mechanistic ontology, which does not adequately represent the actual processes that bricoleurs engage in as
they conduct, or a better word would be, “enact” their research. Even the concept of "tools" changes. Kincheloe's
conceptualization of bricolage is grounded with his critical complex philosophical world view (item 2,
above) and a theoretical foundation of evolving criticality (his version of critical theory).
4) The multidimensional critical complex bricolage as a process
involves analytic discourse, intertwined with improvisational actions for change, which moves it away from the constrictive
“quilt” metaphor. Please see my dissertation for a deeper analysis of bricolage including a thorough etymological
exploration and intertextual interpretations of Kincheloe’s definitions of bricolage and bricoleur in relation to what
evolved from my research. New metaphors that take it beyond the one-dimensional “quilt” metaphor, and additional
ways that Berry’s (2004a) concept, the Point of Entry Text (POET) can be applied are also presented. The holistic,
intertwining, dialogical, interconnecting nature of the final bricolage renders the parts inseparable from the whole, and
the bricolage inseparable from greater reality. Thus, the popular metaphoric quilt, montage, crystal, etc., are not suitable
metaphors for this more complex form of bricolage.
5) Kincheloe’s bricolage does not distinguish between “types
of bricoleurs” or “types of bricolage” as denoted by Denzin and Lincoln (2011). While it’s fine to
examine these ideas, Kincheloe’s form of bricolage uses all of them in intertwining, overlapping processes. Thus, the
multidimensional critical complex bricoleur uses all of the dimensions that Kincheloe has spelled out in his 2005 "On
to the Next Level" bricolage article--in one study--and the processes become blurred as the research unfolds. See
next point.
6) Kincheloe’s bricolage refers to the use of different processes as dimensions of research. The bricoleur uses
them all as many times as practical to get a thick description of the phenomenon/a. As the research unfolds, “enactment”
keeps the research jettisoning forward and the researcher must make decisions where to begin and stop various aspects of the
research, including the final bricolage. Thus, the following dimensions are
used, as provided by Kincheloe (2005a) and in no particular order using an iterative, improvisational process weaving
through the discourse: (1) methodological bricolage; (2) theoretical bricolage; (3) interpretive bricolage; (4) political
bricolage; (5) narrative bricolage; (6) philosophical research (constructivism, historicity, epistemological insight); (7)
critical hermeneutics; (8) identification of what is absent; (9) fourth dimension of research in which the bricoleur is future
oriented, discovering “a kinetic epistemology of the possible. In the process, the sophistication of knowledge work
moves to a new cognitive level; the notion of rigor transmigrates to a new dimension. As in a 1950s sci-fi movie, bricoleurs
enter the 4-D—the fourth dimension of research.” (Kincheloe, 2005, p. 346). Thus, bricoleurs weave in and out,
around and through, back and forth through the various dimensions with each pass through informing the next, often using multiple
dimensions of analysis simultaneously.
7) Note again – the philosophical dimension
must form the foundation of the study in order to ensure rigor. [He wanted me to include this again.] "There is no dividing
line between the empirical and the philosophical" (Kincheloe, 2004a, p. 10).
8) Kincheloe’s multidimensional critical complex bricolage
embraces a “fourth dimension” research (more information is covered in my dissertation). This fourth dimension
aspect to the research incorporates an intuitional, creative element that forces the researcher to confront implicate and
explicate orders of reality. There are reasons for this. Combining a sound philosophical, intellectual component of research that
also incorporates intuitional and emotional, empathic aspects -- along with deep semiotic and hermeneutic analyses
synergistically creates something new from the interactions. Enaction during the research process leads to the emergence of
something new and often profound. This is where the power of the bricolage comes into play. It’s the exposure to relationships,
as Kincheloe explains in his conceptualization of symbiotic hermeneutics, that jettisons bricoleurs to seeing and understanding
“anew” and to recreating themselves. Because knowledge is socially constructed new creations, ideas,
concepts, as well as new relationships also perpetually emerge – and are created -- from these interactions.
This all takes place naturally when confronting complexity, difference, and chaos, as Humberto Mautarana and
Francisco Varela posited with their Santiago Theory of Enactivism (see Kincheloe's (2008) Knowledge and Critical
Pedagogy: An Introduction, page 147). It is quite amazing.
9) While bricoleurs do not contend they’ve
discovered the “one true answer” or single truth, at the same time, as Kincheloe contends, they generate knowledge
“that is not as 'badly off the mark'” (Kincheloe, 2008, p. 43). They have better (more complete) and
yet evolving explanations of phenomena. This is quite a different perspective than a nihilistic postmodern “attitude.”
10) I have lined out in my dissertation in much greater detail a flexible iterative process that also explains some of
the key sub-processes that are important to the multidimensional critical complex bricolage. It will get new bricoleurs started
from which they can then proceed to carve out their own unique paths. Each bricolage study will be different even for the
same researcher. The more one acknowledges the fourth dimension aspect of the research (which may only begin with what seem
to be insignificant intuitive and synchronous events), the more they will begin to appear and the more profound and numerous
are the actions and creations that emerge.
11) And finally, as I discussed in my blog, The Heart of the Multidimensional Critical Complex Bricolage, there is the dimension of empathic connection with people. In fact, in his book,
Knowledge and Critical Pedagogy: An Introduction, Kincheloe discusses – and includes – a golden strand
of love throughout his work, Eros Love. And since I’m mentioning this book here, it’s a great book to
read in the early stages of learning about his bricolage. It’s much like a “deprogramming” manual because
it uncovers how our consciousnesses have been influenced by outside forces and provides us more information as we embark on
the bricolage quest and begin to take power of constructing our own consciousness.
REFERENCES
Berry, K. L. (2004a). Structures of bricolage and complexity. In J. Kincheloe & K. Berry (2004)
Rigour and Complexity in Educational Research: Conceptualizing the Bricolage (pp. 103–127). New York: Open
University Press.
Berry, K. L. (2004b). Feedback looping for increasing complexity. In J. Kincheloe & K. Berry (2004)
Rigour and Complexity in Educational Research: Conceptualizing the Bricolage (pp. 128–146). New York: Open
University Press.
Berry, K. L. (2004c). Bricolage is many a new thing understood. In J. Kincheloe & K. Berry (2004)
Rigour and Complexity in Educational Research: Conceptualizing the Bricolage (pp. 147–169). New York: Open
University Press.
Denzin, N. & Lincoln, Y. (Eds.) (2011). The Sage handbook of qualitative research, Edition
4. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Kincheloe, J. L. (2004a). Preface. In J. Kincheloe & K. Berry, Rigour and Complexity in Educational
Research: Conceptualizing the Bricolage (pp. ix–xii). New York: Open University Press.
Kincheloe, J. L. (2004b).
Introduction: the power of the bricolage: Expanding research methods. In J. Kincheloe & K. Berry, Rigour and Complexity
in Educational Research: Conceptualizing the Bricolage (pp. 1–22). New York: Open University Press.
Kincheloe, J.L. (2004c).
Redefining rigor and complexity in research. In J. Kincheloe & K. Berry, Rigour and Complexity in Educational Research:
Conceptualizing the Bricolage (pp. 23–49). New York: Open University Press.
Kincheloe, J.L. (2004d).
Questions of disciplinarity/interdisciplinarity in a changing world. In J. Kincheloe & K. Berry, Rigour and Complexity
in Educational Research: Conceptualizing the Bricolage (pp. 50–81). New York: Open University Press.
Kincheloe, J. L. (2004e).
Redefining and interpreting the object of study. In J. Kincheloe & K. Berry, Rigour and Complexity in Educational
Research: Conceptualizing the Bricolage (pp. 82–102). New York: Open University Press.
Kincheloe, J.
L. (2005a). On to the next level: Continuing the conceptualization of the bricolage. Qualitative Inquiry, 11(3),
323–350..
Kincheloe, J. L. (2005b). Critical constructivism.
New York: Peter Lang.
Kincheloe, J. L. (2008). Knowledge and Critical Pedagogy: And Introduction. Amsterdam: Springer.
Copyright
May 11, 2013 by Vanessa Paradis
Please cite as:
Paradis, V. J. (2013). Correcting some common misconceptions surrounding
Joe Kincheloe’s bricolage and critical complex theories. May 11, 2013. Retrieved from www.joekincheloe.us
NOW YOU CAN SEARCH THIS SITE FOR TOPICS OF INTEREST. I HAVE COVERED A HUGE ARRAY OF TOPICS AND THERE
IS A LOT OF INFORMATION HERE TO HELP LAUNCH RESEARCH PROJECTS OR JUST TO LEARN SOMETHING NEW.
Welcome
to Venus & Sanat-Eros-Enki Kumara's ONE LOVE PATH
and the Great Global Golden TreasureHunt
(Scroll down to read the blogs)
Enjoy our Celtic Wedding (07-17-2014) theme song while you read and look for hidden treasures.
Composer & Producer
- Peter Gundry
MAY 22, 2018 UPDATE. Looks like Peter has chosen the dark side.
We will choose another
song for our wedding celebration.
I will consult with Beloved and post our new song soon. Happy Twin Flame Day!!
Wow, right after talking about dreams and such in my last couple of blogs, I had one of those “lucid dreams” that
Joe often mentioned in his books as being helpful for learning. He has talked about how many cultures use those dreams and,
in fact, even in Western culture, people have had lucid dreams that move them up in their knowledge.In
fact, on page 83 in Knowledge and Critical Pedagogy: An Introduction, he discusses how even Rene Descartes’
book, Discourse on Method came to him in three dreams, “including what he called a dream within a dream.”
As Joe points out, gaining knowledge this way is really “nothing unusual, as indigenous peoples for thousands of years
have sought insight and knowledge in dream states” (p. 83).
I actually love these sorts of dreams because I think I do learn much from them even though I usually
awaken and cannot remember exactly what I learned. This dream was no different from the many I have had in which Joe is teaching
me, but it was also very different and the aftermath which resulted in the poem I am including in today’s blog is, even
to me, quite astonishing because of the depth and length of the poem and the fact that it rhymes all of the way through. I
wrote this poem straight out in less than 30 minutes – just the length of time it actually took to write the words.
In the dream I had last night,
Joe was again teaching me something very rigorous and complicated. I had written down very good notes and was reading them
and re-reading them trying to memorize what I had written. I was a little frustrated because I felt I would
not be able to remember what he had taught me when I awakened. I was searching for a way to “copy and paste” what
I had written – much like we do with computers – only from my dream state to my waking state,
but it did not work and I was becoming more frustrated about it because I really wanted to remember. As usual, in these dreams,
Joe is like, “Don’t worry, don’t worry, don’t worry! When the time is right you will remember everything
perfectly.” And then I woke up.
Right after I woke up from that dream this morning, I was “handed” this poem. I say handed because I honestly
do not feel that I wrote it. At least, I did not consciously or purposely write it; but rather it just flowed onto the paper
as is the usual case whenever poetry comes to me. I do not make a conscious effort to write a poem and make it rhyme….it
just happens; there is no struggle with words (although I can write those kinds of poems, too, but they take time and effort
– this one took no effort). This poem is not about what I learned in the dream, because what I learned in the dream
was highly scientific and very complex, but it does in some ways relate to what I learned about. And so the following
is the poem that just came to me immediately upon awakening this morning. The music video at the end of the blog today came
to me in the same way and it is very, very special to me for personal reasons I cannot go into at this time, but perhaps I
will be able to at a later date.
Enjoy the poem. There is a soul mate for you out there somewhere.
Vanessa
PS Don't forget: August is Celebrate Peace Month!
True Blue Soul Mate Love
In my dream I was with Joe
He said to me: the mission is a go
Don’t even worry about what others
think
We need
to do this, we’re on the brink
Of something new and very fantastic
The world must know and not become spastic
Soul mate love is the only true love
That’s sanctioned fully
from God above
Anything
else is not true blue
And only serves to painfully deceive you
The love we shared when I was there
Was quiet and discreet; nobody cared
We truly did nothing at all wrong
We could not deny our love so strong
So please don’t worry
about people who complain
My reputation can never be stained
By lyrical love letters that prove I cared
For you – the only person in my life who dared
To fully commit to me, my soul, my entire
dream
Now that’s
a true love dear and not what it would seem
By those people stuck in the fidurodian mindset
Who can only change when it’s too late – in hindsight
Just look at it as their
problem my dear
Don’t
take it on as yours; there’s nothing to fear
Our love is so much greater than that
We must live it fully not shove it under a mat
I want the whole world to know
I had a true love who wasn’t
afraid to show
She
loved me more than just a little
And supported me without acquittal
No not you, who believed in me as you do
Your love is real, strong, 100% true
And the world – everyone must come to learn
There is a one true flame
of love that does burn
Out there in the cosmos midst the stars someplace
And until they truly love, they’ll nary see a trace
We must all learn to love with no strings attached
With no expectations and
complete love that’s unabashed
For until you can love in exactly that way
I’m sorry to inform you, you will never see the day
Of blissful joy and complete satisfaction
Of connecting up completely
with your one true affection
But should you learn to love, share and dream
Suddenly everything – reality -- is not what it seemed
The world, people in it, the past, present, and future
Become something that you
both learn to nurture
No longer must you accept what others tell you
You hear them, but the nonsense can be seen right through
You know the truth when you match love with your one
true soul mate
Your
future together becomes a shared constructed fate
Now you can have your every wish come true
No longer do others have the power to dictate to you
And so your dreams and beautiful fantasies
You together create as easy
as the breeze
You
can forget your worries, struggles and strife
Because you are on the way to the blissful life
Of course I want the world to know
We shared our love of today, yesterday, and
long ago
But
the future is now ours complete
To walk in eternal dedication as we meet
The beautiful dream we’ve come to share
Of a world full of diverse people who truly care
About all of the things in life important
And not those things that
should remain dormant
People sharing, caring about beauty, love and creation
And not selfish, destructive and worthless ideation
I do know there are many in the world today
Who can accomplish this great
feat exactly the way
It was meant to happen; it was prophecy
And now the masses feel the need
To fulfill something much bigger and greater than
The orders and instructions from a “boss
man”
The
time is quickly drawing closer, drawing near
And people everywhere are releasing their fear
Of possible repercussions should they dare stray
Too far from what’s been dictated
as “the way”
Now it’s time and so many see the light
And are beginning to exert their power and might
Those who dare to create change that’s positive and good
Are those who select the
spiritual as food
And
once they have a sample and taste
They’ll head to the light in great haste
We are close – you and I
And this is the reason why
We must never hide our love and feelings
Nor even our past subliminal dealings
Our love was true and it was strong
We loved each other since
days long gone
There
is no reason to have any doubts
Our love is one of which we both can be proud
It has survived through years of pain and suffering
Don’t worry about what other people are muttering
They don’t know love
or how much it means
It’s significance and importance for reaching dreams
We must continue in our love toward that which is pure
And as you’ll see,
our love will endure
All forms of mindless thoughtless ridicule
Those are nothing at all, only miniscule
It’s the dream for love, peace, and joyfulness
That fuels our efforts, our love, our playfulness
And so we’ll continue
forward with our treasure hunts
That bring pleasure among the grumpiest grunts
With enough practice even those who doubt
Will see the light and begin to shout
With total amazement and happy wonderment
Realizing that treasure hunts
are heaven sent
You
are blessed, my love, and so am I
Together our blessings stretch beyond the sky
Our love, our marriage, both are fully approved
Through universal law, and even that has moved
To specially bless the true, complete love
of soul mates
From
this date forward to eternal dates
Soul mate love can never be destroyed
Even though some may try through various ploys
Soul mate love is tried, true, sanctioned and sealed
Tricky Beavers: Pacific Coast Eager Beaver Treasure Hunt Take Two, Part Four
Well, I confess that I have just today begun to decipher some of the clues in this latest and greatest Pacific Coast Eager
Beaver treasure hunt. I have been held back by a number of factors: my work, the "Texas weather" in Oregon
(of all places), and getting my new computer up and running. First, I had to write some papers for my doctoral course along
with trying to survive 108 degrees with no AC (although my love has ok’d buying an AC, so it is on the way now!), and
of course, I have also had the technology challenges of getting my new computer set up and operating smoothly with all of
the software I need to use freshly installed. So, I have been very hot, very busy.
Finally, this morning, I began pondering what the Pacific Coast Eager Beaver Treasure Hunt is all about. There is so much
to it and somehow, with that “Bad to the Bone” coming back into the picture AGAIN, I know that it is interrelated
with the previous treasure hunts in some complex way.This latest treasure hunt, as I stated is complicated and I will
dig into it further in a longer document – probably a book which I will post on this website for free, of course. But
this morning it came to me that I had better start looking at the clues, my purchases, etc. I am thinking there may be
a third trip over to the coast before this is over since not all of the clues have been located. As a reminder, for this second
part to the treasure hunt, the following additional clues were presented to me: Tricks up my sleeves Eager Beaver (again) Something big and something blue a sweet and lovely birthday surprise reminders of eternally
sanctioned and sealed love to have and to hold forevermore powerful statement of love It is very interesting to note when I first entered the Eager Beaver Second Hand Store (which was the
primary reason we took this second trip back to the Pacific Coast last Saturday), I noticed a book just sitting out on the
counter practically demanding me to pick it up: Ty’s Tricks: Home Repair Secrets Plus Cheap and
Easy Projects to Transform Any Room. Ty Pennington, of course, is the person who stars in the television programs Trading
Places and Extreme Makeover Home Edition. As you can see by the picture, the word “Tricks”
really stands out and it happens to reside above the sleeve of Ty’s jacket! Well, due to the clue “Tricks up my
sleeves” and the fact that this book was sitting right out there on the counter and not even at the back of the room
where all of the other books were shelved in bookcases, it was obvious that I was to purchase this particular book. This reminded
me of the two shirts that were just hanging up by themselves at the front of the little market in Queen City on
Celebrate Love Day that were obviously picked out for me and Rainbow Princess. And only being $2.00 for this book, I figured I couldn’t
go wrong – I would learn something about improving my home that would make it worthwhile. I really did not
examine the book much and so this morning I picked it up to look through it to see what I might glean from it. And what do I happen to come across? On pages 64-66 is a quiz so that one can assess themselves as to how good they
might be at home improvement and repair, entitled “Beaver Realization Evaluation.” There are all sorts of Beaver
classifications from “Dusty/Rusty” to “Preacher/Teacher” Beavers and final scores tally up and tell
you whether you are a “Meager Beaver” (a beginner), an “Eager-Beaver” (confident),
or the “Reliever-Beaver” (the “skillionaires”). That would be my soul brother, Keenan. He is definitely
a skillionaire whereas I don’t think I even meet the requirements to be a “Meager Beaver.” Just so you know,
Eager Beavers are good for work like drywall and plaster, replacing windows, installing ceramic tiles, installing
pipes, and building decks. Someone apparently has a very well developed sense of humor. Are You An Eager Beaver? According to the quiz, an Eager Beaver is someone who is confident in their home repair abilities.
I truly do not qualify there! I always call on my Soul Brother, Keenan, because he is a skillionaire. He tries to explain how
to do something to me and I am immediately lost and like I keep reminding him, I accept the fact that I am not endowed with
gifts to use those sorts of tools. Even using a hammer and nail or a screwdriver challenges me right into frustration.
I simply have no qualms about fessing up to the fact that I am not an Eager Beaver whatsoever and
I will gladly reward someone with funds in exchange for their home repair services.
Even though I have become so accustomed to these “signs and signals”
which Joe has us looking out for according to what he writes in his books about postformal treasure hunting, I nevertheless
never ever cease to be amazed, delighted, and humored by these sorts of loving coincidences. The tricks up my sleeves
clue has multidimensional, multiperspectival meanings, as well as being so directly linked to the gist of this particular
treasure hunt with its Eager Beaver title. There are simply meanings on multiple levels. What joyful blessings treasure hunts
are! I am so very, very blessed and each day brings many new miracles. And I imagine we ain’t seen nothing’
yet!Something is going on here and I think I know what it is. I am rebellious though, even
when I probably should not be, so I am taking my time. My heart truly is in this project, though, and I will see
it through.
The Money I Did Spend: Pacific Coast Eager Beaver Treasure Hunt Take Two, Part Three
This is the continuing saga of the Pacific Beaver Treasure Hunt and it does appear that it may even continue for a bit
more time; we shall see. I do not mind at all and there is a "radical" love story between
me and Joe surrounding this which I will save for another time, a much later time, no doubt. I just love going to the Oregon
coast, especially when the weather is so nice as it has been on these last two trips.
Often, it is contended that
we are presented with the same challenges in our lives over and over again until we finally “get it.” In
fact, if one believes in reincarnation, we are presented issues over and over again in different lives until we finally "get
it." One of my greatest challenges is money and there is good reason for this since I grew up in extreme poverty. When
I was very young we basically lived in a shack, had to pump our water and we had only an “outhouse” with no bathroom.
So you see, when I say I came out of abject poverty, I truly did. Of course things did get better, but having a large family,
they never did get great. And so, feeling worthy and being able to buy things for myself is a serious issue. On top of that,
I just really have not bought into the capitalist thing and so I shy away from material purchases. This current treasure hunt, it appears, has been devised to counteract some of my tendencies to not spend money. This is a
problem because not spending money also stops the flow of money. Besides, there is nothing wrong with making a house a home
and filling it with beautiful things to look at that can add such pleasure and enjoyment to everyday existence. And since
I work out of my home and thus spend so much time in my home, it becomes even that much more important. I do believe this
was the challenge – one of them as I also think there are multiple things going on – with this particular treasure
hunt. And so this blog is dedicated to the places Rainbow Princess and I visited, the things we saw and all of the
stuff we bought on this second trip to the Oregon coast on this Pacific Coast Eager Beaver Treasure Hunt.Of
course, the first place we had to go to was the Eager Beaver Second Hand Store. As I had mentioned in the previous blog, we
both had very vaguely recalled seeing such a place from the first trip and after we returned home and thought about it, we
realized we were supposed to visit that store. This is what prompted the second trip.
We were handed some additional
clues on top of the first clues which were presented in previous blogs.
Tricks up my sleeves Eager Beaver (again) Something big and something blue a sweet and lovely birthday surprise reminders of eternally
sanctioned and sealed love to have and to hold forevermore powerful statement of love
The Eager Beaver 2nd Hand
Store Both Rainbow Princess and I THOUGHT we knew where the second hand store was and since we only vaguely remembered it, neither
of us was correct. We finally had to ask directions, but we did find it again! There was so much in that store it was incredible
and as I had included in a previous blog, the beautiful song, It’s All Right by the Temptations started playing as soon
as I started looking around. That really made me feel that I was in the right place and that it was ok to spend money. So
I did.I bought several books, including an astrology book that I thought might have something relating to
the “Dawn of the new age upon us.” I bought a lovely map – a Blaeu Wall Map, which I thought might meet
the clue of something big and something blue. Nevertheless, it looks lovely above my new couch in my livingroom.
I also bought a painting that I put in my dining room and a Welcoming picture for beside my front door. You have to understand:
I just moved to a new house not long ago and the walls have been starkly bare! Someone wants me to decorate and make my house
a home.
This is something new to me. In all my years I have never done this. Seriously. Spending the money for such things just never
seemed justified when my kids had to eat mac and cheese so often, you know what I mean? But now that I have royal people looking
after me, things have changed for the better. I get royal treatment on a daily basis. Other things I bought at the Eager Beaver
Second Hand Store, which also sells brand new items and is the best second hand store I have ever been in with the most interesting
stuff includes -- of course -- this I
love Eager Beaver tee shirt! Can you believe that! I will be going back! Maybe soon! Bad to the Bone Again! This is definitely a constantly recurring theme and I have to say I do like it. I will not go into the details as to
why I like it, but it has shown up at every major treasure hunt, now, as well as other places previous to that. We were
trying to find a parking place in Depoe Bay and we had to turn around right here at this Bad to the Bone BBQ
Diner.I think the reason this theme keeps appearing must have to do with how multidimensional,
multiperspective, and beyond coincidental these treasure hunts always seem to be...it would take someone who is very
bad to the bone devise them. And these treasure hunts come from my dreams....not me, personally, so please try to
remember that! I refuse to take credit for designing these treasure hunts....it's kinda like how DNA was discovered -- in
a dream! Who was responsible for that dream, really???? Do we know? Anyway, NEXT time we go back, we simply must eat at this
Bad to the Bone DIner just to show our respect. (And I think we have to go back one more time...something tells me there is
still more to this treasure hunt.)
Paradise Gifts So, when we finished shopping at the Eager Beaver Second Hand Store, we trekked back to Depoe Bay which is
a beautiful little bay – so little it has earned the ranking as the smallest bay in the world. I went absolutely crazy
buying there, I really did and it was kinda scary. I found this great shop. While they have a lot of gift and tourist shops
in this little town, this Paradise Gift Shop was truly the best! I bought an angelic clock to remind me of my priorities and
my mission, actually: Love, peace, faith and joy. I also bought some “Joe” items, a beautiful
doll that now sits on top of the bookcase that houses Joe’s books in the Joe L. Kincheloe Library in my house. Let me
tell you about dolls. One of the things I wished for the most as I was growing up was a dolls from around the world doll collection.
Of course, it was totally out of the question and I knew that. It was really “brought home” for me the year that
for Christmas I so wished for a Barbie doll. All of the girls at school brought their Barbie dolls to play with on the schoolyard.
They had all of these neat cases with lovely clothes – lots of clothes, accessories and tiny hangers. I wanted
to play with them, but never could because I did not have a Barbie doll. I just knew that this one particular Christmas
I should get a Barbie doll. And what do I get? A cheap replica – not even a replica – just a cheap fashion doll
in a cheap wedding dress.
That was it. I was SO disappointed. I would never get to play with the other girls…it was several years before I finally
received a Barbie doll and by that time I had outgrown playing with dolls and I was totally disillusioned and feeling forever
entrapped in the lower dimensions of society….so, anyway, now someone is trying to make up at least a little for that.
I fell in love with this beautiful doll and it matches the color scheme of my house – a scheme that was selected for
me: Greens with yellow and gold accents…. hmmm….sweet. Of course, color scheme is not why the doll is important
to me -- it is much, much deeper than that. But I am very much enjoying the natural colors of greens in my home, along
with lots of plants -- ferns and other green potted plants. I do love my new house and how it is being made into
a cozy home with the way it is being decorated. This is
absolutely a first for me (you would have to see my previous living conditions to really understand why this is so important
to me). I have never been a decorator, and I really do feel like there is some sort of higher power that is taking very
good care of me and my family now. It is such a reassuring feeling to know there really is a God.
Nature Revealed Next, we were on our way to buy some more of those sweet vestiges (salt water taffy) so that we could again take
some home to share with our soul mate brother and friends, when we saw a photography gallery with the most beautiful nature
pictures. I was not going to go in, but something (or someone) told me to go in and buy a photograph from the man who was
sitting there. I went inside and talked to the man, asking him if he was the photographer and he was. For some reason it seemed
imperative that I pick out a photograph from this man – like it was my “calling” to do this and I rarely
will argue when I feel that I am compelled to do something for some reason that is probably outside my need to know, but possibly
has a great purpose. I just take it on faith and trust. This can get me in trouble at times, but usually the trouble is only
temporary and down the road there are much more important reasons for why it was right to follow these sorts of directives.
I could really tell you some wild stories about such things and probably will as time goes on. It does make for a very interesting
– but also a very, very blessed life. For example, my work with Joe was a “calling” and it still is. No
matter what happens at this point I have already been blessed beyond anything I could have ever possibly dreamed of and nothing
can ever change that. The most obvious way I was blessed was through his great love for me, the beautiful memories I have
from having had the privilege of working with him on a project that was an attempt at fulfilling his dreams, and
the beautiful emails he left me that, as I have discovered after finding that his book is full of MUSIC Easter Eggs, are laden
with what I call “lyrical love letters.” I am still deciphering those…I find it very sad in one way because
it would have been wonderful if we could have shared that love on a more conscious level, and in some ways I suppose we did, and
yet it also confirms for me how much the things I did for him and the love he knew I felt for him really meant to him. It
did not go unnoticed or unappreciated and he wanted to make sure that I was left with tangible evidence of that. It is a very
deep blessing and one that I will truly cherish the rest of my life. So, this time,
I was under a directive, a “calling” or whatever one wishes to call it to purchase one of this photographers
works, which are actually quite expensive there, but very high quality. Well, we were just about to drive to visit a special
lighthouse at Yaquina Head and the photographer had taken a lovely photo of another special lighthouse, but with the light
lit up. Because of its special meaning – I do feel the work I am doing is being guided by someone who serves as a loving
light who lights up my path, this photo has special meaning to me. It now hangs in my living room. I mentioned in another
blog, the photographer’s specialty is nature and his work can be viewed on his web site as well as in his gallery at
http://www.naturerevealed.com/. Yaquina Head Lighthouse Next, we headed to the Yaquina Head Lighthouse. It was very windy with lots of ocean spray at the top of the hill where the
lighthouse resides, so we did not stay there long. Down the road there was an nice walkway to a secluded beach (secluded because
it was blocked), and there were a variety of sights to see along the way: lovely seascapes, sea lions basking on the rocks,
an invasion of the centipedes, etc. We hung out there for awhile and enjoyed the warm sunshine before heading back to a final
stop – again at the Eager Beaver Second Hand Store where I picked up a few additional items
and Rainbow Princess finally picked out her “sweet and lovely birthday surprise,” which by that point had turned
into several birthday surprises.So that was our day. In future writings, I will discuss in greater
detail how I interpret the various clues and how they interrelate and what the grand scheme appears to be. For the present,
just like you probably are, I am “in the dark.” Glad I bought that lighthouse photograph!
Vanessa
PS I guess other people like guiding lights, too....
OK, this is a really simple MUSIC Easter egg, for those who have been following along with the Easter Egg Treasure Hunt in Joe's book, Knowledge and Critical Pedagogy: An Introduction. It is easy because he did not change even one minor
word of the title of the song and he included it in the title of the subchapter. SInce it is in the title and is obvious, he
did not use quotation marks. This Easter Egg can be found in Chapter 8 on page 200 and is titled, "Judy in
Disguise: Hermeneutics in Cyberspace." Well, Judy in Disguise is a song by John Fred and his Playboy
Band. Basically, the song is making fun of people who put on an act. With a play on words, one can extrapolate this to mean
that people who buy into our dominant culture expectations and put on a show by "keeping ahead of the Joneses"
are basically making a "spectacle" of themselves. The song ends with "I guess I'll just take your glasses."
So, Joe picked up on this theme in this chapter, on page 202, where he states:
Hyperreality is a society characterized
by spectacles: we can no longer have merely "talk shows" on TV, we must have "The Jerry Springer Show";
we can't have just sports, we have to have the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UTS); we can't simply have a resort town with
gambling, we have to have Las Vegas; we can't have regular newspapers, we have to have The New York Post; we can't only have
wrestling, we have to have the Worldwide Wrestling Entertainment (WWE); we can't only have religion, we have to have Benny
Hinn, Ron Parsley, and James Robinson; we can't have religious retreats, we have to have Jim and the Late Tammy Faye's now
defunct "Heritage USA," or Orlando's Disney-fried "Holy Land Experience." The list goes on and on.
And he continues, pointing out that "The media constantly create spectacles in the process of constructing
a 'media reality.' Such a so-called 'reality' from a variety of perspectives could be described as a parallel universe
or a virtual reality in relation to other dimensions of the world." Of course, all of this "spectacle
creation" tends to "deify" the neo-liberal marketplace and define lifestyle. Corporations are merging to gain
in size, strength, and power to gain control over the cyberspace marketplace, of course, and if we should question motivations
or point out that the ideological education these mergers indoctrinate us and our children with, then anger and, of course,
power is evoked to squelch this. As Joe points out, "Epistemology/the politics of knowledge and the education that accompanies
it can never be the same" (p. 203). So, while the song (see below) ends with "I think I'll just take your glasses,"
we might ask: Can we end the media spectacle of the infotainment industry through a critical complex epistemology? If not
end it, we can and we should at least uncover it with an eye toward ending it. Critical complex epistemology
provides a powerful tool for taking off Judy's glasses.
Pacific Coast Eager Beaver Treasure Hunt Take Two, Part Two
These continuing treasure hunts are being done for a purpose, but it is an evolving purpose that has not yet completely evolved.
As indicated in the introduction to this website, the blogs are to represent the creativity that Joe mentioned is so
important to postformalism. If you have read his last book, Knowledge and Critical Pedagogy: An Introduction, you
will find he took advantage of his creative artistic license in places, (and some of those places are extremely funny,
and demonstrate his great sense of humor) while at the same time his work is highly theoretical, very serious, applicable,
and very important for accomplishing his goal of alleviating human suffering. I have taken even greater creative license (I
think, but perhaps not). As such, I use varying writing styles, address different audiences, and cover different topics
in an improvisational and rotating style. I have not evolved in my writing to include everything in one multilayered
style as Joe had. Eventually, all of these various pieces, which currently may come across as a potpourri,
will be assembled into something tangible. I never plan any of these things out: not the treasure hunts, not the
blogs, not the topics, and not the destination. I know people will find that odd, but that's the way it is. Both Joe
and I use music in our work; he used the music Easter eggs; I use the YouTube music videos, although I started doing that
before I was conscious of his Easter eggs. I must have picked up on his subliminal messages.
So today's blog
covers Saturday's Pacific Coast Eager Beaver Treasure Hunt, Take Two, Part Two. The reason it is Take Two is because it was
the second trip to the coast for this particular treasure hunt. There are three blogs written last week that cover first part
of the treasure hunt and provide all of the clues. Rainbow Princess and I missed some clues on the first trip, namely The
Eager Beaver Second Hand Store. When we got back home, we both realized that we had seen this second hand store and that it
must be what the "Eager Beaver" clue was referencing. So, we went back a second time and the weather was absolutely
lovely again. For those who do not know, the Oregon Coast can often be cold and windy even in the summertime, so to catch
a perfect day is a true blessing. And it could not have been more perfect!
For this second part of the treasure
hunt, we had all of the original clues plus these additional ones were given to us: Tricks up my sleeves Eager Beaver
(again) Something big and something blue a sweet and lovely birthday surprise reminders of eternally sanctioned
and sealed love to have and to hold forevermore powerful statement of love
As I review these clues, several things stand out: One, I was supposed to not worry about money. And so, I didn't, but
when I came home and found that all told, I had spent over $800 in two days (counting Rainbow Princess's birthday party) I
was in shock. I still am...oh well I guess that if I can learn to trust that a Higher Power is going to see me through this,
it is most definitely a "powerful statement of love." The second thing is, that I did get so many nice things to
decorate my new house which until now had bare walls to stare at. I bought some beautiful paintings and pictures
for next to nothing at the Eager Beaver Second Hand Store. Plus as I was shopping -- once again -- in Depoe Bay, I was prompted
to go into a photo gallery and buy a beautiful photograph of a very beautiful lighthouse at Helceta Head, Oregon. The
photo I bought, The Sentinel of Light, can be viewed on the photographer's website and was a
little spendy but it's printed on fabric instead of paper and guaranteed not to fade. It is especially meaningful
because the light is lit, and for me it represents a special guiding light looking over me. Anyway, it is a limited edition,
but available at the photographer's shop, Nature Revealed Gallery in Depoe Bay, Oregon or from his website http://www.naturerevealed.com/. The photographer's name is Jeff Jessing and he loves nature and wishes to preserve it, so he does all nature photographs
and even offers private photography workshops and tours. He will be added to my "Stars and Rising Stars"
page where I promote people who are following their special gifts and making their living in ways that escape the status quo
and working for someone else. I plan to gather more of these stories for examples so that people can see there are other ways
of being in the world that honor themselves, nature, other people, etc. in more productive and meaningful ways -- and they
can still make a living without working and slaving for someone else. We truly need to all be partaking in such endeavors
by engaging in them ourselves or at the least, supporting them so that we can break free from the ruling Imperialists with
their capitalist system that keeps us dominated, controlled, and enslaved.
We took lots of pictures on this second trip and we had an absolutely lovely time. Our first stop and last stop (yes, we went
twice in one day) was at the Eager Beaver Second Hand Store, and as I mentioned in my previous blog, I knew I was in
the right place when the song "It's All Right" by the Temptations started playing. We had been given some additional
clues and I figured they were to be found in the Eager Beaver Second Hand Store. Among the new clues, which are in addition
to the original clues as presented at the blogs I wrote previously, Pacific Coast Eager Beaver Treasure Hunt Part One. As
it turned out, there is something very, very significant about the Eager Beaver Second Hand Store. It is a great store
and many of the items they sell are brand new. And like the Nature Revealed Photography Studio, it is a very small business.
We really need to support each other in these sorts of small business endeavors to break the capitalists hold on our lives.
It is just one method and there are many more that we can discover if we use Joe's theory to become highly creative.
Well, that's it for today. As I mentioned, I will only be covering the basics of this last treasure hunt. I have to write
a book about treasure hunting and this will all fit together and make sense then, if not before. It makes total sense to me
right now (and that was one of the clues, btw), but it is all very complex and will require extensive writing in order to
convey the significance of all of the clues, how they interrelate, and what the final grand conclusion is. I will post the
book right here on this website and of course, it will be free, free, free.I love freedom.I love free stuff. Oh, and don't forget: August is Celebrate Peace Month and September is Live in Freedom
Month. They should be two very blissful months. And I am sure October will bring something just as special.
My god I feel awful today. It is more than just some little
annoyance. Thankfully, being Sunday, I had a spiritual uplifting, which helps for the moment.
I am always feeling
my best when I can be around people who partake in the higher spirtual realm of life and do not buy into the daily rat race
and dog-eat-dog world, but unfortunately, those people are far and few between. This has got to change. This is what can
change with Joe's Critical Complex Epistemology in education if people take time to learn and experience other ways of being
in the world.
I would say that maybe the reason I am feeling so yucky today
is because I had too much fun yesterday, but I know that’s not true because I have been specifically assigned a mission
to have more fun -- which is one (and only one) of the primary purposes of the Pacific Coast Eager Beaver Treasure
Hunt that I have been working on over the past week (see last week's blogs) -- and which will continue this week.
And I was very happy to see "Bad to the Bone" appear again! (I will explain that in future accounts of the treasure
hunt, but "Bad to the Bone" tends to appear in mulitple places on multiple treasure hunts.)
I wish I could
put something out here that’s really enlightening today, but right now I just don’t feel like I have it in me.
Maybe I should just reveal a couple more of Joe’s Easter eggs. I know that even though I have revealed some of them,
there are always people who are still going to be skeptical and I wonder what it takes to get people to realize the full
amplitude of Joe’s work. He has left so many Easter eggs that as I keep revealing them, there will no longer possibly
be any doubt or skepticism remaining. I do hope others who are reading this blog have now bought his book and are on their
own treasure hunts. There is no possible way that I am ever going to be able to find them all. And besides, I want to
find all of the sweet lyrical messages he left specifically for me. Maybe, if you knew Joe and received emails from him, just
maybe he left some music for you, too. I remember one of the very first emails I ever received from him brought me the song
“It’s a Beautiful Morning” by the Rascals. I need to go back and read that email because somewhere in there
he left a hint to those lyrics because as soon as I had read his email, the music played in my mind. Wow, he was incredible
and incredibly sweet. The funny thing was at the time I replied to his email, I sent him a link to the song on YouTube,
telling him, "You make beautiful music for people, Joe!" I did not even know he wrote music or played in a rock
band then, much less that he left music Easter eggs. Little did I know....
OK, for the skeptics of MUSIC
Easter Egg Hunting, here are two more clues from the last page of his book, Knowledge and Critical Pedagogy: An Introduction (page
252). (And there are some more on this very same page!) First, to set it up, Joe was not happy at all with how things were
going. It seems that even though he had worked so hard to get people to see things in a new light through his work, leadership,
and teaching, there were just as many people as ever who continued to buy into the status quo and were more concerned about
money, status, and upper mobility, including – and perhaps especially – within the educational system. I am sure
this was very upsetting to him, even though he did not show it outwardly, being the wonderfully humble and patient person
he was. And believe me, I do know how humble, cooperative, loving people pay the price for this rampant “climb over
you to get to the top” behavior (which is exactly why I have abandoned being as humble and patient as I was in the past).
Indeed, I have suffered my fair share of inequities at the hands of those who would engage in this pathological behavior of
which Joe speaks -- all to keep me down and out of the way. As Joe stated on page 251, “Some of my saddest moments over
the last 40 years of working toward critical goals have involved observing the pathological egocentric/merciless behavior
of those who pay lip service in their scholarship and social activism to many of the values expressed here.” And evidently,
lip service was all some of them paid. I know Joe, himself, suffered in the education environment; he speaks often
of it in his numerous works. But he stayed strong and “bit the bullet,” so to speak because he believed in his
mission – and so do I.
So then,
on page 252, he goes on to say,
We have much work to do at both the individual and the social levels. Honestly, I
am not particularly happy with the “way ‘we’ are” the hierarchies,
the ways men treat women, the heterosexism, racism, class bias, the competition, the fear of “taking
a hit,” the neo-bourgeois low affect “cool,” the humorlessness about particular topics, etc.
The
highlighted words imply songs, especially since he put them into quotation marks. However, he does not always put songs into
quotation marks nor are quotation marks always songs; they may mean something else – it just depends on the song and
how he has placed it. Sometimes he has separated words of the titles with an inserted word, or he might have changed just
one word, other times he uses songs as chapters in his book, so then he may not use quotation marks. There are various little
cues he provides at times, or the song title stands out in some other way, or it makes complete sense where he has used it
on its own, without necessarily requiring further interpretation. As Joe encouraged us to realize, his work can be interpreted
on many levels, and sometimes his songs are no different. It was curious that he also put the word “we” in a set
of quotation marks inside the quotation marks for the song title, The Way We Were. I do not think he wants to necessarily
include himself totally in this sad state of affairs, and rightly so. For one, he was always reminded that he did not fit
in with the elite crowd (he was a “hillbilly” from the Appalachians – and he has even included the word
hillbilly in the subject index of this book to make a point, no doubt) and two, he knew he had tried – he
had truly made a super human effort to make positive changes, especially in the world of education. He tried to get people
see how important love is by being a perfect model of love. He knew there are better ways of being in the world than the way
many members of our society choose to be in the world -- there are healthy, love-filled, nondysfunctional, nondestructive
ways -- if only people could see them and then live them - which is exactly what his work is all about. So, anyway, here are
the two songs:
That’s it for
today. Joe was not happy with the way things were. But he held onto his dream and never gave up, as is clear with the volumes
of work he produced. Perhaps, coming in as an outsider the way I had, I could see things that others were not able to see
and, like Joe, I truly wanted to make a difference and I wanted to see positive changes. And, as was pointed out once before,
we had a special connection and we were here to help each other when one of us needed help. I believed in his work, 100% and
I still do. He truly appreciated my efforts to help him with his project, which he told me many times and which is probably
why he sent me so many kind Easter eggs. I wish I had found them sooner so that I could have let him know how much I
appreciated his kindness in taking the time to insert those special little messages. It was not meant to be, though, and I
can only do what I can do from this point forward.
Working on Joe's mission was -- and still is -- the least I can
do for him.
The Pacific Coast Eager Beaver Treasure Hunt: Take Two, Part One and Birthday Wishes for Rainbow Princess
The first important announcement for today is a Happy Birthday
wish for Rainbow Princess. For those who are new, Rainbow Princess is my assistant and she is blessed with the special gifts
of photography, research, and working with children. She is very special and today is her 18th birthday.
In
celebration of her birthday, we were requested to launch out on Take Two of the Pacific Coast Eager Beaver Treasure hunt and
Rainbow Princess was awakened bright and early even though it was her birthday. She did not mind that at all when she learned
we were going back to the coast and finish up our treasure hunting with some additional clues, even!
We were
provided a few more clues to motivate us and told to also continue with the other clues. Suffice it to say that one of my
initiation tasks is to stop worrying about money ("Don't worry, don't worry, don't worry!") I think I did too
well today -- I lost track of how much money I spent -- which is very good on my part and exactly what I am
supposed to be doing. I have to learn faith and trust that it will be replenished and I will never be "without."
Plus, I am supposed to take more time for fun. And so it is really exciting -- I brought home even more treasures than I did
on the last Pacific Coast Eager Beaver Treasure Hunt, inluding some lovely artwork for my new house...more about it all later.
Plus we had so much fun trekking around an old lighthouse and down to the beach and watching sea lions sunbathe on some rocks
just off shore...we took lots of pictures so those will show up here during the next few days.
The major clue we knew we had to follow up on was “Eager
Beaver.” And follow up is eactly what we did (I can't wait to show you -- we did this clue up "royally!")
We both had vaguely remembered seeing some sort of Eager Beaver thrift shop on our first Pacific Coast Eager Beaver Treasure
Hunt and we thought we remembered where it was. Well, when we got there, it turned out that neither of us remembered
where it was and after checking the places we thought we had seen such a place, we finally had to ask directions. Oddly, it
was not at all where we had remembered it. I am glad we found it though, because we found lots and lots of treasures there!
It is absolutely the most fantastic thrift shop.
Well, I will tell more about the Treasure Hunt tomorrow. I am really
tired now and just want to get some sleep. Plus, I have grading to do for my students and I know Joe would want me to write
a review of part of his book, Knowledge and Critical Pedagogy: An Introduction, pages 120-126. It’s about multiple
perspectives and throughout his book he reiterated over and over again how important it is to fully understand this concept
and to put it into use in not only education, but our daily lives. So I will be working on that as well.
So
that’s it for today. I knew without a doubt that the Eager Beaver 2nd Hand Store was exactly what the clue
meant when as soon as I had entered the store and started finding all kinds of treasures (about to spend far too much money!)
and the following song played. The bliss of beautiful music at just the right time...
Vanessa
It’s All Right – The Impressions
P.S. This poem came to me first thing this morning so, I thought I should
share it.
Spiritual Dimension of Radical Love and Another Easter Egg
Joe was greatly influenced by Paulo Freire and one of the
most important concepts he embraced was the notion of “radical love.” In multiple places he conveyed his view
that it is one of the very most important things we must practice not only in education, but of course, in our daily lives.
What is radical love? As I pointed out in my previous blog, Let’s Call It What It Is, radical love in reality is spiritual love. If love does not have a spiritual quality, it is not love at all; therefore the
decision was made, from this point forward, to refer to radical love as Spiritual Love for the purposes of
moving forward.
The reason I point this out is because the purpose of my blogs are to honor Joe,
to interpret his work, and to present it in a format that everyone can relate to, understand,
and more importantly, put into practical use in their daily lives, whether for day-to-day living, for learning and researching,
or for educating others. As he pointed out, we are all teachers, learners, and researchers in every corner of our lives. If
we can fully understand and embrace this idea, we are well on our way to leading our lives as responsible and contributing
people no matter what our age or our current positioning in the world.
I bring all of this up for a purpose. It has been brought
to my attention (by myself, no less) that this blog is heavy into expressing the enormous love I felt for Joe. It dawned on
me that many people are not interested in this, and of course this is understandable since we have not even touched on the
soul mate aspects of love which will be of high interest to virtually everyone. There are some very exciting things to say
about soul mate love and what the future brings for people and their blissful destinies – and it is all very, very good.
Much research has been done by some very professional, highly qualified people. If you are in an unhappy love relationship,
you will soon understand why that is and how soul mate love is available to everyone and there is no need to give up hope
for a fulfilling true love relationship.
After I had done some serious reflection
on these blogs in which I have been expressing a very strong spiritual love toward Joe (which is true and real), I began to
have doubts about writing here about them. However, after consultation with people who are much more knowledgeable in these
matters, I was told not to worry at all about it because spiritual love transcends 3D earth plane; in fact it transcends space
and time. The dissemination of this information has importance far, far beyond a few earthlings who may object, and far beyond
national, international, and global applications even. And not only that, there are many researchers, including scientists,
who are working on a better understanding. So, for anyone skeptical of soul mate love, the enormous power of it, and the absolute
divine necessity for people to fulfull their destinies in matching up for eternity with their one true soul mate, stay tuned.
I will be providing mroe details.
So, we “truck on.” And it is exciting to be able to
present a unique, original, and very hopeful side of what others have called “radical love,” and we have now changed
to Spiritual Love with a more accurate delineation as to what it encompasses – with our focus on Soul Mate Love. If
you have been involved in a tumultuous and unhappy relationship and you are hoping to find your one true soul mate, your search
may soon be over --- there really is one out there for you and a phsyical explanation as to why your wishes to meet may even
soon come true for many of you. There are many changes taking place and there are also many things you can do to facilitate
finding your one true soul mate as well as things that will ensure that once you do, your love relationship can truly be the
most blissful, joyful experience for eternity.
I apologize for my rambling, my late posts, and whatever
else I need to apologize for. As I get ready to post this blog, I can honestly say that I am not doing well, not doing well
at all. It seems that I have to go through the enormous excruciatng pain – even more intense pain than I have already
been through -- to get past it. I feel such deep pain over losing Joe that I my heart literally has broken, and this is truly
no exaggeration. I still wake up crying and I am in terrible physical, not to mention emotional pain, and I don't know why.
Even my recent medical tests bear this out which, to be honest, is a little frightening since I have never had the medical
problems that are showing up now, not that I am afraid to join people I love on the other side, especially you know who, where
we can be even more powerful in working toward our mission than we are here in this painfully restrictive 3D earth
plane. It is just that I have been assigned a lot of very important work here and I would like to finish it before making
that transformative leap.
One of those important tasks is finding all of the Easter eggs in Joe’s books
and pointing them out to the public. I know he wants this done. He would never have taken the time to insert these special
messages if he had not wanted people to find them. And there is much more to the story after finding those and I am beginning
to get clues and hints as to just how monumental and earth-changing Joe's book really is, so I know that this work alone will
keep me busy for quite some time. I feel I really need to find all of those Easter Eggs and move onto the next stage of this
decoding of his work. It is only then that education can move forward in the way it needs to for the 21st Century. Thankfully,
I have enlisted help -- a couple of my soul mates (note that there are other types of soul mates in addition to the powerful
one true soul mate) will be helping me this project. I hope other people will also work on finding all of the secret messages
in Joe's book. As Joe said to me one time when I was struggling, but ready to move on: "Onward and Upward." He laughed
about that and I did not know why at the time. I also think there are some lyrics in that statement somewhere.
It is interesting that this work led me to shopping for Easter
eggs in my correspondence from him and sure enough, they are there, lyrical "love" letters. How sweet he
was. Maybe it was just that he wanted to make learning fun just as he had described in his book with Thomas (2004), Reading, Writing and Thinking: Postformal Basics. He talked a lot about making education
sensuous, especially in relation to postformalism. I know he really liked to dance – and he knew I loved that, too.
As I had mentioned in a previous blog, he knew what a woman wants. At any rate, I never detected these lyrical notes until now, but I did feel his love spiritually so it's all good and neither
one of us broke the constraints of the utmost highest integrity and never would have
even dreamed of doing so, of course. It all just goes with the territory (as Joe told me once); everyone knows that. And,
anyway, Joe loved everyone, so it was nothing out of the ordinary. But I do have to say, ours was a very strong spiritual
(radical love) bond, partly because I believed so strongly in his philosophy and work and now I am dedicated to him and his
dream forever.
Another Easter Egg in
Knowledge and Critical Pedagogy: An Introduction
Desperado (Knowledge &
Critical Pedagogy: An Introduction, p. 58).
On page 58, Joe states:
I understood that my task was
to discern what brilliant people had posited as the next step in the journey to new epistemological possibilities….Of
course, in the world of academia I found that those who engaged in such behaviors were often viewed as epistemological desperados. “Why don’t you come to your senses?” Don Henley might have asked them had he been their dean. My mad ambition to understand
drove me on. I pondered the nature of the pedagogy one would have to develop in order to engage students and other individuals
in such an undertaking. I understood that I was asking much of students, for I appreciated that an individual has to be ready
to deal with the ambiguity and loss of certainty that accompany an epistemological shift. There is nothing easy about moving
to a new dimension where things are not as they once seemed. I understood that my pedagogy would intimidate and frighten as
it induced students to reconsider and my god, act on insights gained in the new dimension.(Kincheloe, 2008, Knowledge and Critical Pedagogy: An Introduction. Page 58).
Desperado – Eagles Live – Don Henley
EAGLES LYRICS "Desperado"
Desperado, why don't you come to your senses? You been out ridin' fences for so long now Oh, you're
a hard one I know that you got your reasons These things that are pleasin' you Can hurt you somehow
Don't you draw the queen of diamonds, boy She'll beat you if she's able You know the queen of hearts is
always your best bet
Now it seems to me, some fine things Have been laid upon your table But you
only want the ones that you can't get
Desperado, oh, you ain't gettin' no younger Your pain and your hunger,
they're drivin' you home And freedom, oh freedom well, that's just some people talkin' Your prison is walking
through this world all alone
Don't your feet get cold in the winter time? The sky won't snow and the sun
won't shine It's hard to tell the night time from the day You're losin' all your highs and lows Ain't it
funny how the feeling goes away?
Desperado, why don't you come to your senses? Come down from your fences,
open the gate It may be rainin', but there's a rainbow above you You better let somebody love you, before it's
too late
Pacific Coast and Eager Beaver Treasure Hunt Part 3: Deciphering the Clues
I have learned that this particular treasure hunt, the Pacific
Coast Eager Beaver Treasure Hunt is gong to be very extensive, blending in significantly with previous treasure hunts
which I have already discussed in these blogs, and it will continue on for quite some time. It is beyond the scope of the
blogs here to get into the extensive details everyday about the treasure hunt, so the details will be provided in another
format – perhaps an online book that can be read at one’s leisure. I was informed that the clues themselves will
make up the chapters for the book. So, instead of going into extensive detail, after the initial presentation of the treasure
hunt, its clues, and my preliminary analysis, I will only be highlighting certain aspects of the treasure hunt in this daily
blog and instead cover other topics. Watch for future announcements for the complete details on how this treasure hunt evolves.
There are already indications that it is quite miraculous and highly enlightening.
Secondly, in place
of a focus on the treasure hunt per se, the desire is that I focus on topics of interest which are critical to get out to
the public – namely information about soul mates, “twin” or “one true” soul mates, as I prefer
to call it, phenomenological and scientific studies about soul mates, quantum theory, fractal time and the concept of past,
present, and future all occurring simultaneously (a most difficult concept for the Western mind), consciousness expansion,
and other esoteric and highly complex scientific topics which are generally avoided in many educational settings
that instead focus on, as Joe puts it, “factoids to regurgitate on tests.” In fact to this very day, they are
still teaching OLD Biology, causing students to become totally lost and confused because it does not jive with what they know
– instead of the NEW BIOLOGY. The topics proposed should be very interesting.
In my blog yesterday, I began the work to decipher clues
given to me for the Pacific Coast and Eager Beaver Treasure Hunt, but only covered some of them. Today, I
will go over the rest of the clues and update yesterday’s clues. Then it will be another trip to the Pacific Coast,
and I am not sure what day that will be because usually I am not told until the last minute. I think that must be because
I have always hated spur-of-the-moment happening things and I do need to work on that. With treasure hunts, it’s not
difficult to accept the spontaneity since they are always so much fun.
Ever since yesterday when I first played that Celtic song
Peace of the Spirit, which instantly put me in tears, I have been listening to it over and over again. It still makes me cry
sometimes, but I am trying to view it from a new perspective. It is such heavenly music and there is something very, very
magical about that particular song relating to my past life, some of which I do remember. Things are different this time,
I am told. Very, very different and soon nothing is going to be sad anymore. I know that sounds sketchy, but it relates to
my past life and how it relates to this life and it’s all about love and losing someone twice, but in reality, ending
up together and in the final analysis, it will be true bliss. Things are very, very different this time. It would make for
an interesting read, but I am not ready to explain all of the details. It is related to the treasure hunt though, so the details
will most likely unfold in future writings when the time is right.
As I found out a couple of days ago, this all also relates
to the “lost at sea” clue. As I had written:
On my trip I found a sweet Irish shop that I felt
so much at home in and I bought a lovely silver cross with a special Celtic symbol. Until I knew Joe, I really did not think
much about my heritage. Like him, I have a Scottish-Irish ancestry, and now all of a sudden the symbols, arts, and crafts
mean so much to me. So, while on the treasure hunt, I bought a beautiful silver cross. It has a symbol called the claddagh
in the middle of it that is supposed to represent true love. This must be the Our great love clue, too –
or maybe that was the Peace of the Spirit song and Celtic Melodies music – those sure bring up our great love across
the centuries. The silver cross has three combined symbols: hands that signify friendship, a heart to signify love, and a
crown to signify loyalty. There is a beautiful story that goes with this, I have just learned from a pamphlet I bought in
the shop. It is about the man who originally designed this symbol for his one true love. In the early Sixteenth Century Richard
Joyce had been fishing off the coast of Galway, Ireland just one week before he was to be married and his boat capsized. He
was captured by pirates and sold into slavery. Working for a Moorish goldsmith, he designed this symbol and made a special
ring for his special true love. He was finally released from slavery and went back to Ireland and she was waiting for him.
They married and lived in the village of Claddagh (pronounced kla-dah), which is how the symbol got its name. And so the symbol
is worn as a sign of love, loyalty and friendship (NACTA). I just realized something! This satisfies the clue “lost
at sea!” The man who designed the symbol for my cross necklace was lost at sea!
Well, I thought that was the meaning, and I was showing the
cross and telling my beloved soul brother, about the story (he is a highly spiritual person with a Native
American heritage), and he said it seems to represent me and my loved one and how we are separated by dimensions or time,
but just as the man who designed the symbol was able to communicate by sending the ring to his true love, we also are still
able to communicate. We were sort of “lost at sea” but our love survived and has risen above the barriers. And
I do believe my soul mate brother is correct about this. There are multiple meanings now for this particular symbol, the silver
cross which I will wear forever.
I will still need to work some more on the following clues. Maybe I will get some
more clues or they will show up on the next trip. I am sure they are part of the next trip for this treasure hunt.
I
am with you
I will lead
Our great love
It
will all make perfect sense
New and amazing revelations
Dawn
of the new age is upon us
Tokens
of love, hope and promise – these are
probably just all of the gifts. Like I said, it felt like Christmas and I was being treated to special gifts, many of which
I have not even mentioned here. Not only that, I have now been informed that I will be receiving a very special gift
for Christmas, so maybe he does not want me to think this treasure hunt will top what he can do at Christmas. Christmas
was discussed just the other day, with the conclusion that it’s basic concept is very good, but that it’s just
gotten far too commercial. The Council wants to keep Christmas because Jesus is such an important role model, but they want
to change the emphasis to one of giving “gifts from the heart” such as handmade gifts so that it will result in
people also sharing their gifts in other ways, such as teaching others the special skills required to create these kinds of
gifts. I love that idea. It reminds me of some of the book I bought in the Irish shop, Traditional Crafts of Ireland
by David Shaw-Smith (another David, btw). It covers textiles, stonework, woodwork, basketry and wickerwork, leather, metalwork,
ceramics, glassware, calligraphy (something else I love to do!), candle making, fly tying, and farm life. It’s a great
book!
One thing I have noticed about all of these treasure hunts
is that each new treasure hunt gets more amazing than the last one and I do not think they possibly can be topped but they
always are – although I still cannot get over the Yard Search Treasure Hunt in which I was supposed
to find a diamond ring, and instead I found the incredible hand made Yin Yang silver piece that appears to be Celtic, which
is very, very significant, and then the diamond ring was miraculously delivered to my door. That was so special it will be
hard to top. Even though I have had three “earth marriages” (all of which failed), I did not receive such a beautiful
ring as the diamond ring brought to me. My first husband gave me no diamond, my second husband gave me my birthstone as a
promise ring, and my third husband did not give me a ring at all, not even a wedding ring. So this ring is truly a miracle
and a very blessed gift that could only have happened out of deep love. That is my hyperreality.
Other treasures from my Pacific Coast Eager Beaver Treasure
Hunt include a book I bought from the Irish shop, Traditional Crafts of Ireland, by David Shaw-Smith with great photos
in it and I now realize that so many of the arts and crafts I love to do are “in my blood” so to speak. All of
the things I love so much seem to derive from Scottish-Irish/Celtic traditions. For example, I love to knit, and have since
I was a child. There were also photos of some Celtic silver jewelry that reminded me of the yin-yang silver piece I found
in the Yard Search Treasure Hunt. I really need to take that into a jeweler and see if I can find anything
out about it. This again, is extremely significant since I did find it in the yard treasure hunt in the same time the beautiful
diamond ring was bestowed upon me. For those who do not believe in magic and miracles, I can assure you they happen! Some
other pictures in the book remind me so much of Joe's bricolage theory for research and knowledge production. In case, readers
are not aware of it, the blogs I write here are in the bricolage format. Some of them will form starting pieces (called point
of entry texts or POETs) for more detailed articles, some will be grouped and combined into various books, thus, they are
put together in various ways, much like bricklaying. Joe describes the bricoleur as one who works with the “tools at
hand” to create and construct new knowledge. I hope that happens with my work. And so, the book has great photographs
of various types of bricklaying, which is very interesting.
Just as a summary, some of the other gifts bestowed upon
my on this particular treasure hunting trip which I have not yet mentioned, includes a “worry stone” made from
300 million year old Connemara Marble (it is supposed to bring peace and tranquility), so it goes along with the Peace clue.
Also received, is a “Bad Girl” key chain (there seems to be something significant about referring to me as a “bad
girl,” but I guess I can go with that, especially since “Bad to the Bone” also keeps coming up. I also received
an Irish embroidered badge, a wooden “treasure box” with Love painted on top for keeping my small special treasures
in, a Bob Marley poster about singing his songs of freedom. That reminds me. As I have already announced, August is Peace
Celebration Month. It has been decided that each month should have a month-long Universal celebration in addition to the various
daily holidays within. September is Celebrate Freedom Month, which is so appropriate since that is when children are returning
to school and it is critical to bring up the notion of freedom in the many “debilitating” (as Joe would put it)
educational environments. If we can elevate everyone’s consciousness as to what freedom truly means and its importance,
we may very well begin to see some changes in things such as the zero tolerance policy, freedom of speech limitations, greater
freedom of artistic and creative expression, etc. This would be a very good thing. And finally, I also received a Treasure
Map that shows where pirates have hidden treasure throughout the world. This could come in very handy.
One last thing.
As was pointed out to me, this treasure hunt, for whatever reason, is dedicated to all people named David, so I decided I
had better research the story in the Bible. Here’s what I learned about David in the Bible:
David was a remarkable man. Obedient and patient, he persevered through hardships
trusting in God. He relied entirely on God. When he did stumble, he was quick to repent and ask forgiveness and didn’t
repeat his sins. He took personal responsibility for his actions and didn’t try to get out of the consequences. He took
the time to learn God’s voice and thank God in everything. All of us could learn from David. Reference: http://www.essortment.com/all/davidbible_rrzt.htm
So, we can all learn a lot from David.Maybe we need to
rely less on our own assessment of things in life and more on God. Above all, I think a most important message is to be loving,
grateful, and thankful. Always show gratitude for everything that comes your way. You know, that’s hard to do when you
have so many, many things coming your way. It is easy to begin to take things for granted. I hope I never take any of the
wonderful blessings I receive for granted. I try to be thankful for everything that comes my way, no matter how small, even
if it is something that seems bad at first – because there is always a good reason for it. Sometimes it may take a long
time for that good reason to show up, but it always does. We have to maintain trust. I know I need to work on that; it has
been brought to my attention.
Shortly after I did that research, I happened, quite by accident come across another David. (The treasure hunt, after
all, is dedicated to all Davids, so this is relevant.) When I picked my son up from his job, he just had to go back into the
grocery store and buy some sun flower seeds. So as we are heading home, he reads to me off the package:
Congratulations! You’re a seeder! Seeders are unique. They’re cool,
confident, independent, active, and hardworking. They know that eating David Sunflower Seeds makes what they do more enjoyable.
Things are better with DAVID because they’re a snack and an activity. Experience SNACTIVITY.
Well, with all of these random clues, this treasure hunt
most definitely is not making perfect sense! Just as with the NEW Treasure Hunt, I am feeling confused. I need to work on all of these clues yet. I think I need to take a nap. Whenever I get to feeling
overwhelmed with information overload it all sorts out in my sleep. My last clue: Time Will Tell. That was
an interesting clue . . . as I mentioned, I had bought a Bob Marley poster in one of the gift shops at the coast and it turns
out, after doing a google search on Time Will Tell, he has a song called Time Will Tell. It is really
interesting how these MUSIC Easter eggs come up. And, it is probably all very significant. The song is below.
Well, that’s it for this treasure hunt for now –
probably until we return for the next round. I am very excited about our next trip! I never know what day we will do what
Treasure Hunt, though. (We are still working on the Kings Valley Treasure Hunt and the NEW Treasure Hunt as well.) Usually,
I don’t know until the day of the Treasure Hunt and then I get spur of the moment instructions. Which is fine; I like
spontaneity when it comes to Treasure Hunting. I used to want to plan everything out ahead of time so that I knew exactly
what was going to be happening, but not anymore. Not when it comes to the dream mission.
Lyrics to Time Will Tell
Jah would never
give the power to a baldhead Run come crucify the Dread.
Time alone - oh, time will tell: Think you're
in heaven, but ya living in hell; Think you're in heaven, but ya living in hell; Think you're in heaven, but ya
living in hell. Time alone - oh, time will tell: Ya think you're in heaven, but ya living in hell.
Back
them up; oh, not the brothers, But the ones who sets 'em up.
Time alone - oh, time will tell: Think you're
in heaven, but ya living in hell; Think you're in heaven, but ya living in hell; Think you're in heaven, but ya
living in hell. Time alone - oh, time will tell: Ya think you're in heaven, but ya living in hell.
Mm-mm.
Mm-mm. Oh, ma ................... Oh, ma ................... Oh, ma children are cryin'. Oh, children,
weep no more! Oh, ma sycamore tree, saw the freedom tree. All you ... have spoke: Oh, children, weep no more; Weep no more: children, weep no more!
Jah would never give the power to a baldhead Run come crucify the
Dread.
Time alone - oh, time will tell: Think you're in heaven, but ya living in hell; Think you're in
heaven, but ya living in hell; Think you're in heaven, but ya living in hell. Time alone - oh, time will tell: Think you're in heaven, but ya living in hell.
Pacific Coast and Eager Beaver Treasure Hunt Part 2: Deciphering the Clues
We
completed the travel to the Pacific coastline, although we do have another trip to make. It is always so beautiful and peaceful
at the beach and it is very healing. I think it’s partly related to the extra orgone energy in the air….and on
the way over I realized Oregon spells orgone just by moving the e to the end. That’s kind of interesting. Below are
the clues with our preliminary assessment. I will have to write a blog about orgone – life force energy and the scientist,
Wilheim Reich, who discovered it and died in prison for his discovery. Well, now scientists have confirmed it – of course
it was known back then, too, but the powers-that-be did not want people to know that they were purposely being limited to
orgone energy (eg. In their food, in their need to move away from nature and into the city for jobs, etc.) There is a lot
to this story, so I will save it for another time.
Below are some of the clues I was given for the Pacific
Coast Eager Beaver Treasure Hunt which is dedicated to all Davids -- and some preliminary thoughts on their meaning.
I always take the approach Joe recommended though, so the meaning of the clues are always preliminary and they evolve and
change as more information is discovered and interpreted. And I can asure you that even as I write this, more information
has poured in that is enlightening and very delightful. I will cover all of this in more detail as we continue with this treasure
hunt. This is going to be fun, I can see that right away -- complicated but lots and los of fun.
Travel to the Pacific Coastline – this turned out to be Depoe Bay and Newport, Oregon
Eager Beaver –
We realized after the trip that the Eager Beaver Thrift Shop in Newport was what this clue is referring to and we have to
stop there on our next trip. It was conveyed that there would be more than one trip.
Peace
overpowers any tragedy – not sure what
this is supposed to lead to
Preparation for the August Peace Celebrations – We noticed a lot of peace decorated items, not sure if there is
something specific we need to find
Do something on the beaches of the Pacific Ocean – we decided this must mean to go back and take the metal detector
down on the beach.
Have radical fun –
we saw Johnny Depp and had our pictures taken with him! At the Wax Museum
A radical enlightenment
– the only radical enlightenment I
have had so far, was on the way to the beach I got to thinking that maybe Joe planted himself in education for the sole purpose
of writing a book full of MUSIC and other Easter eggs and secret codes which will now be interpreted. He did this so that
people would read his book and thus more people would be transformed by the knowledge gained from it. I have a feeling there
will be many more enlightenments with this particular treasure hunt.
Zombies walking aimlessly in zombie land –
Rainbow Princess figured that one out right
away - she just knew it had to mean the Wax Museum. And then I didn’t really want to go, but I told her we would drive
by it and if there was a parking place close by we would go in. Wouldn’t you know it – just as we passed it, not
even half a block away, a big truck pulled out of a parking place – just for us. Now that was a clear indication that
we were right on target. Rainbow Princess was ecstatic.
Awakening – I am working on this one
Lost at sea
- I did think for awhile that I had lost
Rainbow Princess at sea, but I am not sure this is fulfillment of the clue.
Look everywhere
for me – I think this meant to look
for things that Joe would have liked. Those are hard to miss.One of the first things I noticed was a sign
outside a friendly looking hangout announcing a “Rock and Blues BBQ.” Well, I know Joe would have liked that.
I also found a large billboard announcing a Pow Wow that will be held in August. I love to go to Pow Wows. My guess is that
Joe probably liked them too. I did find several key chains with “Joe” on them, even a flashing key chain, and
better yet, an “I love Joe” key chain with a heart for love. I had been looking for a key chain so now I have
two Joe key chains.
Sweet vestiges - Rainbow
Princess just knew that had to mean salt water taffy, so we stopped in where they make it fresh and bought some to bring home
and share with my soul mate brother who sold me the diamond ring. He is very special and I just know he is going to be working
on the mission soon.
Love and devotion - Love and Devotion – well I was led to buy several CDs that would qualify here:
Dedicated to the One I Love: Love and Romance Songs of the 50s (I love those songs and haven’t heard them in ages),
Moonlight Serenade (swing era music); Celtic Spa: Melodies for the Soul; and Café Tropical by Johannes Linstead (beautiful
guitar music). It is not music I would have picked out myself if I had not been sort of guided to them (mainly because unlike
Joe, I really don’t know much at all about music), but I have been listening to these CDs and they are so amazingly
relaxing that I am hooked on listening to them as I do my daily work, so it turned out to be a good thing, even if a little
expensive (which I am not supposed to worry about).
OMG!!!! I just listened to the Celtic CD and the first song made
me cry it is so beautiful and it brings back memories of a love from long ago. I know we had past lives together and I remember
one specifically in detail and this particular song called Peace of the Spiritwas meaningful to that time. As they say, emotions and love transcend space and time….there is
something extremely significant about this song. Interestingly, we were working on peace missions. I don’t want to even
think about it right now, it just makes me so sad. I will be able to share that experience some other time which was all wrapped
up in the tragic experiences I had in this lifetime (which can happen sometimes if you know anything about past lives)…I
do remember much of it very clearly and something very, very sad had happened, devastating in fact, can'y really talk about
it right now.
The music mp3 is only a sample and does not do justice to how beautiful this music
is. It can be purchased here (and note that I do not receive any money for this nor have I been requested to provide this link).I just think the music is so beautiful, the entire CD, in fact, so I
am sharing where it can be purchased.) I also bought a CD CALLED Moments of Peace: Beyond the Keys by Charles Suniga which
is keyboard and strings are played simultaneously, in preparation for the upcoming Peace Celebration. Maybe that qualifies
for the Preparation for the August Peace Celebrations clue since it would make great music to play at one of our celebrations.
Joint mission - the joint mission is to spread love and alleviate suffering, but I am not sure here
--- maybe it was the little wall plaque that talks about our Dream – “The future belongs to those who believe
in the beauty of their dreams.” It’s strange really; these little quotations never meant much at all to me in
the past, in fact I thought they were kind of silly, and now all of a sudden I know and believe in what they mean.
Tomorrow
I will cover the rest of the clues and any progress I have made in determining what I am supposed to be doing with this Pacific
Coast Eager Beaver Treasure Hunt. Looking for treasure is a very enjoyable activity. I see why Joe liked it so much
and was always mentioning it in his books. Try it!
Happy Treasure Hunting,
Vanessa
Treasure Hunting makes you realize what a wonderful world it is.
Pacific Coast Eager Beaver Treasure Hunt and Another MUSIC Easter Egg
I was given a ton of clues for this Treasure Hunt, and at first
I thought it would require a bricolage of three major things: 1) Trips to Depoe Bay and Newport, Oregon; 2) Trips to Oregon
State University Campus, home of the (Eager) Beavers; and 3) The Story of David in the Bible. While this looks to be very
complicated, I was assured through (what else?) but MUSIC that it would be “Smooth Sailing.”
Smooth Sailing
by Peter White (a beautiful piece)
I was also told we would be required to
make another trip over to the beach. Now I know why. After reviewing the trip, Rainbow Princess and I recalled that we had
seen a shop called The Eager Beaver Thrift Shop and after thinking about it, we realize that is why we will
need to go back -- we need to go to that shop! There is something significant about it since it is included in the title of
the Treasure Hunt and now we realize this does NOT include the Oregon State University campus. I think
we did accomplish a lot Saturday, although I am not sure exactly what we were or are supposed to be looking for or what I
am to do with the clues. Here’s a summary of the clues as gleaned from the instructions Tomorrow I will present how
we matched up what we have found on the treasure hunt so far with the clues.
Travel to the Pacific Coastline
Peace overpowers any tragedyPreparation for the August Peace CelebrationsDo something on the beaches of the Pacific OceanHave radical funA radical enlightenmentZombies walking aimlessly in zombie landAwakeningLost
at seaLook everywhere for meSweet vestigesLove and devotionJoint missionI
am with youI will leadOur great loveIt will all make perfect senseNew and amazing revelationsDawn of the new age is upon usTime Will Tell
This is a huge undertaking
and truly a simple treasure hunt is not sufficiently monumental enough for us to accomplish these multiple purposes we have
in mind.
So there are a lot of clues and this is a complicated treasure
hunt…Where are we since making our first trip on Saturday? More tomorrow.
Another MUSIC Easter egg in Knowledge and Critical Pedagogy: An
Introduction
Talking Heads Road to Nowhere (see page 54).That’s right because
Joe is talking about the state of society due to FIDUROD (which, as mentioned, is a complex form of positivism that keeps
people divided so that the elite can maintain power and money. Here is a quote from the book:
FIDUROD
wants to produce knowledge from "nowhere -- "we’re on a road to nowhere” the Talking Heads may have
told us but that transcultural/transhistorical point doesn’t exist in the epistemological universe. Every place in which
we operate – or at least so far as we have been able to imagine – occupies cultural and historical spaces. (p. 54).
I was abruptly, but lovingly and “evolvingly”
(as Joe so sweetly put it one time, pers. correspondence) interrupted this morning when I was in the process of posting my
blog – on time even, by 7AM! Well, I guess sometimes other things take greater precedence over being on time. This morning
it was a message of love to me and love always rules. And so I was told, don’t worry about the blog, go down right now
and buy yourself a new computer! And while you’re at it, stop in at Great Clips and get your hair cut…and treat
yourself to something special, too. So that’s exactly what I did. Plus I got some really cool things for the children
for our upcoming celebrations: magic tricks, a sand castle play set, and musical instruments.
It is going
to be a great treasure hunt celebration, and come August, Peace Celebrations! The order for the computer came down from the Higher Council because I have ignored the subtle suggestions for fartoo long and those who are looking out for me finally figured out that I was just not going to do it until they pretty
much ordered me to do it. Well, that did work, all right. And of course, it is ALWAYS free will at work, always.
And
I did treat myself to some things, too -- I think it’s that "Your Good Girl’s Gonna Go Bad" song back
on the What Does Black Rock, Falls City, The Queen, Kings Valley, and Astro-Traveling on a Motorcycle All Have In Common? Blog. I am supposed to be making some big changes,
and I am working it. (After all, if we really want change, we have to start at the first place first). Especially when it
comes to money, which is an area I really need to work on. Growing up poor and being poor all your life really warps the mind.
I was told it leaves “earth space junk” and you just need to clean house and throw it out. As a member from the
Higher Council patiently reminded me, they would be crazy to have me spend the money on a new computer and then not turn around
and replenish that money, “given the amount of love, devotion, and enormous amount of effort” that I put into
their project (which they do know I regard as my mission, too). That is bordering on the very earthly “rational irrational”
thought we are desperately trying to eliminate. Kinda hard for me to help others eliminate that type of thinking if I don’t
work a little harder at getting rid of it myself.
Oh and I this really cool poem came to me this morning, too; I
just love it (thank you!)
Our Dream
You are my ray of sunshine,
DearYou are my dream, my love, my hopeI know you will dispel the
fearThat will allow you to continue to copeWith
the revelation and the implementationOf this beautiful dream of oursTo guide the world through the transformationTo end the pain, the misery
and warsSo truck on my Baby, my one true loveAnd
always remember you are very blessedI am always watching, guiding from aboveThis is life, reality, the truth – not a test.
So this is my blog today. Short and sweet. I have lots of
news about the Pacific Coast Eager Beaver Treasure Hunt and every day I find more Easter Eggs in Joe’s
books, which I will be covering in my blogs during the next few days. It is so exciting. Sweet Treasures and Very Delightful:
Joe really knew how to make learning fun!
When I was waiting to get my hair
cut, this lovely song came up and so I dedicate it to my one true love. Be sure to take time today to tell somebody you love
them.
Dreams, “True Reality,” and Why We Need Easter Eggs
Special Note and Announcement: The
following blog was to be posted yesterday, but as I noted yesterday, I was asked to take the day off. And just as I thought
I would be, I was presented with another new treasure hunt! He calls this one The Pacific Coast Eager Beaver Treasure Hunt
and says it’s in honor of everyone named David. The Pacific Coast Eager Beaver part I understand. He sent me to the
Oregon Pacific Coast beaches and somehow the fact that I am an alumnus of Oregon State University – the home of the
Beavers – will fit into this picture as the treasure hunt progresses. The David part I don’t get – I guess
all Davids should count their blessings for the recognition and I think it has something to do with David in the Bible, but
I don't know that story, so I really am not sure. I will have to look into it. Nevertheless, it truly is a blessing.
Anyway,
I was sent out treasure hunting yesterday on the Oregon coast -- Depoe Bay and Newport -- and it was so much fun! And we figured
out his “zombies in zombie land” clue right away! It was the Wax Museum. I actually got up close to Johnny Depp
and had my picture taken with him. I also had many, many special and meaningful gifts bestowed upon me. It felt like Christmas!
He told me I really have to stop worrying about money and that was the reason he had me buy so many gifts. And he has promised
me the money will be replenished.
Well, that’s it for now. It was the most beautiful, warm,
sunshiny day possible on the coast and we had a lovely time. I will explain more about The Pacific Coast Eager Beaver
Treasure Hunt in a future blog; it’s a complicated one with many, many clues and I guess it will extend on
for awhile – something to do with the fact that it is the Pacific Ocean, Pacific means Peace, and planning for the Peace Celebrations for August. For now, here is the blog I was going to post yesterday until I was requested to save it for today.
Dreams, “True Reality,” and Why We Need Easter Eggs
Wow,
my Dream House blogwas really wild and imaginative.
I shouldn’t share my dream life, probably, especially the continuing saga about Joe. And the saga dates way back and
it does continue on and on, and really that was a mere tip of the iceberg, so if anyone thinks I am revealing too much about
my dream life, believe me, this is nothing.
It’s astonishing what trauma can do to a person’s imagination.
Is it trauma or is it Joe’s postformalism, or both, or something else? I would not be able to answer that question.