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Preface

This is my second run at some introductory comments. My introduction was written at an earlier date. I wrote my introduction before I wrote the book. I then read a book that explained that you don't do it that way because you don't know where the book will take you. Yes, the book takes you rather than the other way around.

Where did the book take me? Well, I can clearly tell you where the book didn't take me. The book took me away from the land of Carl Gustav Jung (my hero) and his "depth psychology." I enjoyed my time in the land of the deep but I was unable to explain Jung's concepts with the written word. In any event, Carl simply took me too far afield from the main theme of this book stopping or slowing down the mindless celebrity worship with a goal to get our own lives.

I'm in a "stadium bar" redoing my "introduction." The giant televisions are featuring the various injures of so-called professional football players. Some of them have damaged their faces and are saying how wonderful it is to have a severely damaged face. There is now an interview with a former head coach who is wearing a ring from coaching a college team to an imagined national championship and explaining the merits of a severely damaged face and other fractured body parts. We are essentially told that those of us with intact faces should feel bad because we are missing out in some manner.

I'm going for a second Miller (MGD) and will be back in a moment. I told the woman at the bar that beer is better for me than food. She wants to "know why." This surprised me and I ran back to my table.

We need to focus. I say we because Carl tells me all is one. I feel your power, anyway. I don't want my face smashed. I need my face to complete my book and also to complete my life. I'm getting a life just like you because getting a life is of course a process, and the late 20th century is all about process. Actually, I think we need a little less process and a lot more substance. Too much process has brought us to where we are today - the point where they have put a piece of turf from a local stadium in this bar and this is supposed to mean something to somebody. We now need to talk about "meaning." Meaning is why we get out of bed. Meaning is why we need not listen to the fired football coach, but of course can still watch an occasional game on the tube or in person during the coming season.

Meaning is your domain. Manhattan and Hollywood don't necessarily have to run the show. By the way, I did not play football in high school due to a lack of interest, lack of size, no muscles and I couldn't afford the gas to drive back to the institution. Maybe I'm a better person for it. Who knows?

The book ends with my explanation that I have found meaning primarily in Madison. Recent trips to Miami and Montana have convinced me that I function best here. You of course may find meaning elsewhere.

It is now time to get started. We will spend some vacation time in New Mexico during the book's journey. You won't be bored. Let's find some meaning together.