Conversations with Calliope- Knowledge and Wisdom

(Monastery Pulpit)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. What's on your mind this morning?
JOE: Just thinking about knowledge and wisdom.
CALLIOPE: What about them?
JOE: As I see it, knowledge is a collection of facts and procedures.
CALLIOPE: And wisdom?
JOE: A much larger question. I think it means knowing what knowledge is important, knowing what to do with what you know and acting in a well informed way for the benefit of all of us.
CALLIOPE: I can't say I've ever heard it put that way, but it makes sense.
JOE: Thanks. Since I'm working on a project related to wisdom, it seemed like a natural train of thought.
CALLIOPE: Speaking of which, how's the project coming?
JOE: I finished my editing yesterday and created a demo CD. I decided to let it rest and listen to it today to see if it's ready for distribution.
CALLIOPE: Sounds exciting. How about the technology?
JOE: All seems under control. I was able to see what the CD would look and sound like. I'm impressed.
CALLIOPE: Don't let it go to your head.
JOE: I think I will always stay humble no matter what happens. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Progress on my CD

(Fishing Nets)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Happy Saturday. How are you doing today?
JOE: Pretty well. I finished editing selections for my CD yesterday.
CALLIOPE: What CD?
JOE: I decided to record an audio CD of some of my writing selections.
CALLIOPE: What's the theme?
JOE: My articles on topics related to Spiritual Wisdom.
CALLIOPE: Sounds like an interesting area. Do you have a title for the CD yet?
JOE: I might just call it Spiritual Wisdom but I'm not sure yet.
CALLIOPE: How will you choose a title?
JOE: I'm doing a little keyword research on related phrases. Perhaps one will emerge from the process.
CALLIOPE: Any other avenues?
JOE: I have mentioned the project to a few people. Perhaps one of them will have a good suggestion.
CALLIOPE: You never know.
JOE: I have been fortunate to have good suggestions for my work in the past. Talk with you on Monday.

Conversations with Calliope- Spiritual Wisdom

(Boston Twilight)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How was your weekend?
JOE: Excellent. I spent it communing with nature and with people I enjoy being with.
CALLIOPE: Taking a break?
JOE: Not really. It's my way of refreshing myself and reconnecting with what really matters.
CALLIOPE: How does that affect your writing?
JOE: It gives me a sense of perspective on why I do what I do.
CALLIOPE: Could you be more specific?
JOE: Without a larger perspective it is easy to become lost in details and spin my wheels.
CALLIOPE: Tell me about your perspective.
JOE: I think we might have talked about it before. It has to do with my spiritual focus or context for living my life as well as for my writing.
CALLIOPE: I see.
JOE: My focus is on understanding life, my own and that of others, and sharing insights which occur to me.
CALLIOPE: Is that what you mean by wisdom.
JOE: Precisely. Now back to work. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Wisdom Project

(Cabin in Oramel)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. What's up today?
JOE: I'm resting from all I did yesterday and plan a day trip to the Southern Tier of New York after I finish this post.
CALLIOPE: Sounds like fun. What did you get done yesterday?
JOE: I am working on becoming more familiar with the recording technology including my microphone and the editing software I found. I am beginning to feel more comfortable with it.
CALLIOPE: What else?
JOE: I found a source of free royalty free music I can use on my CD's at the beginning and end. I was able to download some clips successfully.
CALLIOPE: What about content?
JOE: Ah. The crux of the matter. I started brainstorming about the content and decided on a number of CD's for various age ranges.
CALLIOPE: Where will you start?
JOE; With seniors. They have had the most time to become wise.
CALLIOPE: What will you offer them?
JOE: Stories about wise seniors, definitions of wisdom, quotes through the ages, and some of the writings I already have. I will supplement these with thoughts of other writers.
CALLIOPE: Sounds like more than you can fit on one CD.
JOE: I realize that. I will start with one and then develop others depending on the response to the first. Talk with you on Monday.

Conversations with Calliope- Wisdom Project

(Allison and Joey)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. I've been scratching my head all weekend.
JOE: About what?
CALLIOPE: About the new project you alluded to.
JOE: Oh, yes. It's about wisdom.
CALLIOPE: You mentioned that Saturday. Tell me more.
JOE: I haven't settled on a title yet although that might be better to decide later anyway.
CALLIOPE: And the focus?
JOE: It seems to me that each time of life has a store of wisdom.
CALLIOPE: Do you mean from childhood on through old age?
JOE: Exactly. Although our culture tends to focus on immediate gratification, Each season of life also has its own perspective and contribution to make to better ways to live.
CALLIOPE: I can't argue with that. How do you plan to go about it?
JOE: I have begun searching what has been written so far. Books on the subject don't look overdone.
CALLIOPE: So that's where you are now?
JOE: I am. After my research I will plan my strategy and develop an outline. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- New Project

(Apple Umpkin)

JOE: Good evening Calliope.
CALLIOPE: I had just about given up on you for today.
JOE: We expect rain here for the rest of the week. I made hay while the sun shone.
CALLIOPE: Doing what?
JOE: Visiting the Apple Umpkin Festival in Wyoming.
CALLIOPE: I'm glad you finally got here. You said something about a new project.
JOE: Indeed I did.
CALLIOPE: And?
JOE: I have been trying to find a way to integrate marketing and writing. I think I may have found one.
CALLIOPE: Go on.
JOE: I am exploring the possibility of a series of books on wisdom, building on a theme I have followed for years.
CALLIOPE: So you will not be starting from scratch.
JOE: No. I already know my theme and also have become associated with it through my previous writings.
CALLIOPE: A kind of platform.
JOE: You guessed it. It's still in the infancy stage but I have started doing some research into what has been written in this area and will continue exploring it next week. Talk with you on Monday.

Conversations with Calliope- Golden Sexuality

Key West Sunset

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: I thought you took the day off.
JOE: Actually I was up before five, read the paper and went back to bed. I got back up and went shopping. Now I'm here.
CALLIOPE: Okay. I'll let it slide for today. Catchy title for today's blog. Care to explain it?
JOE: Okay. In my travels yesterday, I ended up at Preferred Care (health insurance) in Rochester yesterday afternoon for a presentation on the topic.
CALLIOPE: Tell me about it.
JOE: Eileen Merges, a psychologist from St. John Fisher College presided over a presentation and discussion of myths, perceptions and enhancements regarding sex for seniors.
CALLIOPE: Did you learn anything new?
JOE: I mostly confirmed what I had already learned in my psychology practice with couples, some of them older. We discussed the importance of communication critical to the success of any sexual relationship and expanding our definition of what constitutes sexual activity as well as hindrances and enhancements of senior sexuality.
CALLIOPE: What else?
JOE: I was surprised to see the rate of sexually transmitted diseases among seniors. Current patterns suggest that two and a half million people over 40 will contract an STD.
CALLIOPE: Sounds like a worthwhile presentation. Have you been concerned about aging lately?
JOE: Of course. I'm not getting any younger.
CALLIOPE: Have you run across any good books on the topic.
JOE: I have found some not so good. One I thought was excellent was Joan Chittister's book, The Gift of Years: Growing Old Gracefully. She stresses the wisdom, freedom and prosperity of old age. She also sees this as "the time in which a whole new life is in the making again. The gift of these years is not merely being alive, it is the gift of becoming more fully alive than ever." I would recommend it to anyone facing older age or who has older relatives facing it. Talk with you tomorrow.