The Body and Mind

I often question how far can we go....as human beings. It was never really a thought when I was younger. When you are young you are invincible, untreatable, immortal. The older you get the more you realize that was the most stupid thing you could have ever imagined.

So at age 50, I think.....I wonder.....how far can my body still go. Physically and mentally. I'd like to think I'm still Superman. I have a tshirt to prove it! How far will my body bend under the pressure?Where is the breaking point? Do really want to know these answers? Or will I only find out these answers after I've passed the threshold of "Too Far"?

I look at my hands and they are no longer the strong hands of young man but rather those of maybe one that has seen life....experienced life. There are scars where I've been tested. History shows my battle wounds. My hands appear thinner now, full of veins and coloration of an aging man. It is interesting to see them in this light while my mind remembers a time when they could grip over 600 pounds. They cannot do that anymore. I tire more easily now....quicker.

With all this recent marathon running I've put my legs and feet to the test. While as a young man they were thick and full of muscle they are much thinner now. I've got to say myself that they are pretty well defined. Not bad for a 50 year old dude. But they do tire easily too. Sure they can go the 26.2 when put to the test....maybe even more. But the daily grind becomes weary.

I wonder how far my mind can go? Well it keep up with my body or give out long before? Will it remain sharp or dull like a well used favorite kitchen knife. I fear that the most. Fear the unknown. Fear that I will find that "Wall" at mile 18 or 22 and won't be able to get past it. I don't like getting older. I'd prefer to stay young forever. I suppose that won't happen. I do dream though. I like science fiction like that.

How far will I bend? Physically, Mentally and Emotionally. These things I'm not sure of. I feel like an explorer going to discover a distant unknown territory. Traipsing through the jungle in search of the fountain of youth. Eager at first as the adventure starts, more wearisome as mileage or days compound day after day. Mile after mile. Each new turn is a new adventure. Each new place becomes my new favorite. Everything is in bright brilliant colors like on the jumbo scene before my eyes. More determined than ever to see more than ever. How far will I be allowed to go?

For now I will continue to pretend. I will continue to dream about being invincible. About seeing new sights never imagined, never thought, never would I have ever. Why? Well because that's who I am. I don't want to lay down and quit. To stop short of what I have imagined. Stop short because it isn't practical? Most things I done in life probably aren't practical. That never stopped be before.....maybe it should have. For now.....I will live my life......explore my bucket list (there is a lot to accomplish....no more waiting)....enjoy my blessings that God has granted me......see his creations......become part of something that is......UNIMAGINABLE.

Remember my friends...Dreams are meant to Lived

Eugene Thompson

ET This I Believe

Renewed Wedding Vows

Ok, I have had my share of weird dreams but this one goes to the top. Not sure where all of this came from but when I woke up in the middle of the night, I had to tell my wife immediately for fear of forgetting any of it.

Now, I have thought for a long time about doing something special for my wife that involves renewing our wedding vows. Maybe on a special anniversary date like 30 or something. And she has always thought about being married with a halo of flowers on her head and white dress and barefoot. Maybe in a castle in Ireland or something. So that has been the thought.

What comes of the following....I have no clue. We weren't even thinking of it.

We had this big event with a lot of people.....many I didn't know. Apparently they were in the entertainment business and knew my wife. Singers, actors etc. It wasn't a casual get together...it was pretty formal and in some sort of an outdoor venue with a big tent on a beach.

So the weirdness begins......we had Aerosmith sing a love song to us at the beginning of the event. Everybody loved it. Many people coming up to congratulate us and talk. I got up to give a speech, thank everyone who came. The crowd looked like a who's who among the stars......have no clue why. 

I thanked Steven Tyler for the song and joked that he needed to sing us another song after we come out of our honeymoon suite..."Walk this way"...in regards to a bow legged stagger. Everyone laughed at the joke and I continued...."Steven's thinking yeah right....another song? Your crazy....DREAM ON!" The laughs continued.

And then for more weirdness. For some unknown reason I had this lipstick smeared on my face in the manner of The Joker or something and was wearing a wedding dress.....no body else could see me but a female singer paying us tribute later on in the evening....I think it was Behance. She had a hard time singing her song because she was laughing too much.

So what in the world did I eat that evening that caused this?

For your continued amusement my friends!

ET this I beleive

Eugene Thompson

A Master of a Dream

You will find out out soon enough if you don't know me very well, that I have the wildest and most vivid dreams of anyone. Last night I dreamed of returning to Oklahoma State to obtain my Masters of Architecture. What a crazy thought! Really though.....I have had this dream several times before.  I recall moving back into the old duplex dump after being gone for so many years. That is a a crazy thought too. This dream last night was a bit different.  Most of the time I go through my dream trying to figure out where my desk is in the studio or wondering the halls of the library.....(by the way it never is really the "true" studio or "true" library.  Somewhere else)......by the way I have a design in my head for a very cool library stair that winds its way up several layers of a university library if anyone is in the need!)

I digress.....Sorry!

In this particular dream I was walking through the studios with Professor Bryant (RIP) as he was helping me find someone to escort me through the registration process and which classes I was going to need to take. My masters was going to be a bit different.  As with all the previous dreams about this subject, I still had my business and somehow it still continued to operate. However this one had more specifics on what my master's thesis would be about.  I had convinced the school to work with me to allow for a "custom" program where I could develop a building that was dedicated to an industry or trade or something that allowed for a state of the art building with the highest technological structure built right there on the OSU campus.  Better yet....full funding for the project was paid for by T. Boone Pickens - the sugardaddy of Oklahoma State. So not only would I get my masters, but I would get to use a fantastical project  - real project - to use as the thesis.  The masters would include the facilitation of construction documents and of course contract administration during the building phase. The thesis would be based on the principles of taking a project (as a business) all the way from conceptual, fund raising, approvals, construction documents and construction.  A sort of how-to-book for the future OSU students (add others) to use as a guide for real life application. Everything would be documented.

And another great perk......my office and other students at Oklahoma State would join me in the production documents.  HA HA HA I didn't even have to draw it! Just manage the thing. Only bad part was it was a year away from home in Virginia Beach so I also had to fly back and forth every week to continue doings of the office.  The home team is awesome though.  They took care of everything, continued the work, managed the accounting, worked with all the clients, we set up video conferencing for the repeat clients and long term ones. Most of our clients were so pleased to work with us, they didn't mind the slight inconvenience of working around my schedule......now that sounded arrogant! Meetings were planned few days in advance and I had a small office in the architecture building to continue my office work as well. It worked pretty smooth.

Yep DREAM  DREAM DREAM.........

Okay now for the inspirational part.  First not sure that my school would be so kind to alter their program that much for one person; two, not sure I would get a lifetime project so far away from VB with T. Boone......pretty far fetched......and third, to keep my business running while I ran off for this fantasy......hey, just thought about eating at Eskimo Joe's everyday! SO back to reality. What did come out of the dream is the thought of writing a book for the small business development for a design firm. The practical application of how-to and what not-to-do. A design manual for the all of those individuals who just want their own thing.  Or maybe a reminder to some of the architects that forgot what it was like to care about design and client personal service. The book would take a while.  Not only gathering the thoughts but to orchestrate it into an organized thought process and step-by-step procedure.  But just think.....what if it did happen and if say....someone like.....AIA published it. and say.....a portion of the sales went to OSU Architecture......and say......they gave me a honorary Master's anyway!

It could happen my friends!
Dreams.....they keep us going.