Why

"Why" is the most terrible word. In any language. "Pourquoi" in French, "Warum" in German. And why is it a terrible word?

Because it prevents us from "Just take it easy, Man".

All our lifes we are asking ourselves "Why":

- Why do I have to pay income tax?
- Why does she not want to have sex with me?
- Why do I have to go to work?
- Why are my cigarettes becoming more expensive?
- And more "why" this and "why" that.

The solution is easy: Forget about "why" and don't pay your income tax, don't have sex with her, don't go to work and continue to smoke your cigarettes. And no more "why" this and "why" that,

Just take it easy, Man

Hommage to a Great Man: Claude Nobs

This post is a bit serious.

On May 1, 1962 this aircraft, a Swissair Convair 440 Metropolitan, landed early afternoon at Zurich-Kloten Airport in Switzerland.

I was then 20 years old. The passengers got down. There were 16 particular ones: Count Basie and the musicians of his Big Band. They came to give a concert in Zurich. We were about 50 welcoming them from the visitors balcony of the airport. Screaming: "Welcome to Zurich, Count Basie". A music reporter from the Swiss Radio had arranged something great. Whilst Count Basie and his men were looking at us, two luggage carts approached the aircraft. One one was a piano and on the other drums. And right there on the tarmac, the musicians made a jam session. An unforgettable moment.

Jazz has accompanied me throughout my life. I have a collection of about 700 records (vinyl and CD) and now all handy on my iPod, iPhone and iPad. Where I go, I have my jazz (and other music) with me.

In 1986, I moved to a small beautiful town on the shores of Lake Geneva: Montreux. To discover that this town during 2 weeks in July, every year and since almost 50 years, became THE world city. Because of the Montreux Jazz Festival. This festival is renowned in the whole world and attracts a huge crowd of visitors.

This man founded it:

Claude Nobs. During all these years he brought the great names to Montreux. Modern Jazz Quartet, Miles Davis, Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie, Deep Purple, B.B. King, Manhattan Transfer, Tito Puente, Santana, the list is so long.

For me it was like being in Paradise during those two weeks. I was fully in it, not going home (10 minutes to walk from where the concerts took place) for nights and nights. Enjoying the concerts, having chats with the musicians. Wonderful moments of my life and the one of thousands of other people.

On 24th December 2012, Claude made a ski tour above Montreux. He feel and got hurt. Brought to the hospital for surgery, he did not wake up and fell into a coma. He passed away yesterday.

Montreux and the world music scene has lost a Great Man.

It is a moment where it is difficult to "Just Take It Easy, Man".

Fuggedaboutit

The "Abide Guide", in its chapter "Great Dudes in History" mentions Heraclitus and Eipicurius to be part of those. The Abiding Lesson on page 86 says:

Or as the Dude would say: “Life’s too short, man. You can’t worry about that shit.”

And that is exactly the point: Life is to short to worry. And if you worry all the time, you have no time to enjoy. Bowling, sleeping with somebody, smoke (or not), drink other things than water and so one and so forth. We also have a lot of problems to determine what is worthwhile to worry about and what is shit.

I am always late paying my income tax. Because paying that is not on my list of priorities. So, I patiently wait quite some time before I open the tax people's letters. I have received so many in the past years, I know exactly what is written in them. And then, the tax people know that I land up paying. So, why should I worry.

I am not good a paying bills anyway. And why should I pay them immediately. There will be two to three reminders and it will be still time to pay. The rent is the only bill I pay sharp.

And I even don't worry about having money on my account. It comes every month but after a few days (having paid the bills AND some income tax) there is nothing left. I don't worry; next month there will be again.

That was on the material side. Now there are other things to worry about like health. I don't worry about it. I am healthy. My yearly checkup confirms it. I do though not care about what I eat, I smoke like hell and I am 20kg overweight. I don't go to gyms (and why should I when my muscles are so well develop, specially on the stomach side). I simply let it go.I don't worry. Why should I worry that I could get sick because of my lifestyle. Should I get sick, then there is still time to worry. But to be honest, I don't think that I will worry even then.

Other people will worry about their partner leaving them. If a relation comes to that stage, let them go. There is no use of wanting to hold them back. If they don't want you anymore, there is little you can do. The only justified "worrying" here is on how much it is going to cost you. But if you are clever, you declare private bankruptcy and then it is going to cost you nothing. And don't worry: You will find somebody else unless the word is spread that you are an obnoxious SOB.

And then people worry about their job, work and career. Just work, not to hard, you might get sick. And if you are forced to work by necessity, don't worry the day you will retire will come. With a bit of luck with some pre-retirement scheme.

I just gave some ideas about worrying. They are not complete or exhaustive.

Just don't worry about that shit

and

Just take it easy, Man

The bliss of the New Year

Happy New Year to All of you.

I know that many of you have been celebrating. And are now in a state where they need this:

And it might help you to be on "track" again.

But if it does not, this will definitely bring you "back":

And then you will be "clean" and able to do something worthwhile:

Reading "The Abide Guide" and you are all set (starting from January 2) for a great Year 2013.

Just take it easy, Man