Chu The Cud

By design.

What are 5 everyday things that bring you happiness?

There are many things that bring me happiness everyday.

But the top five are my three kids, waking up and going to sleep.

c Chu The Cud

Took away from high school.

Describe something you learned in high school.

That the principal had total control over us until we walked out the front door of the building.

Then he was powerless.

c 2024 Chu The Cud

Positivity

Describe one positive change you have made in your life.

Being positive.

Disconnecting from social media and main stream media by limiting my time on.

Finding books without ego to read that influence positive thinking.

Taking negative energy and negative people out of my life as much as possible.

Being positive and propelling a positive outlook when challenged.

Being positive even when it seems infeasible.

Being me.

c 2024 Chu The Cud

Happiness.

When did happiness become a commodity? When was just “being” enough?

Finding happiness was created over 200 years ago. It is created with capitalism in mind. A marketing tool.

Finding happiness keeps you in that eternal loop of consumerism that never stops. Happiness is in the sky, water, trees, flowers, dirt and grass. Happiness is in all of nature. It’s free.

Finding happiness is in the love you feel for another human or creature.

It’s free.

Finding happiness is tasting food that you cooked. It’s free.

How did finding happiness become so costly?

Finding happiness now creates anxiety and a cycle of consumption and discontentment. This is sold as happiness.

Happiness itself is a state of mind and being that transcends material wealth, status, validation or possessions.

Look out the window.

c 2024 Chu The Cud

Tao Te Ching

What book could you read over and over again?

The Tao Te Ching is a classical Chinese text attributed to Laozi (Lao Tzu) a philosopher believed to have lived in the 6th century BCE. It’s a fundamental text in Taoism, exploring themes such as nature, balance, and the Tao (the Way). The text consists of 81 short chapters or verses, each offering wisdom and guidance on living in harmony with the Tao.

Laozi is considered the founder of Taoism and is revered for his teachings on the Tao.

I particularly find Stephen Mitchell’s transition to be the best for me. Straightforward and to the point without any of the fringe (decorative borders) found in other translations.

c 2024 Chu the Cud

Dogs vs Humans

What animals make the best/worst pets?

I feel dogs that are properly trained, make the best pets. They are always happy to see us and will fight to the death to protect us. Great companions.

I feel humans make the worst pets. Even properly trained. They’re very unpredictable and opinionated and many change opinions like shoes.

c 2024 Chu The Cud

Done for free.

What job would you do for free?

I use to perform in Musical Theatre for free. After a while I started getting paid.

I worked on film and TV productions for free. After a while I started getting paid.

I participate in charity for free and still do it for free.

I give advice for free and still do.

c 2024 Chu The Cud

Paradox of a dream.

To break free within a dream.

Is it fight or flight?

When confronted with a dire circumstance, how do you react?

It is a dream of course.

Do you run and hide until you see an opening for an escape?

It is a dream of course.

Your every movement slowing down, muscles cramping to a crawl, as you navigate over the busy wet street trying to avoid oncoming traffic, unresponsive, screaming in silence. Will you wake before the termination?

It is a dream of course.

Or do you gather yourself together in order to fight back with the sweat of rapid eye movement?

Instinctively performing on a subconscious canvas of dreamscapes, until the awakening.

The impulse that incorporates into your consciousness of awokeness.

It is a dream of course.

Dissipating into a reality.

c 2024 Chu The Cud

Autonomy

How have you adapted to the changes brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic?

By not taking life’s freedoms for granted.

Cherishing the simple pleasures in life.

A leisurely promenade, a conversation at a sidewalk cafe, a long hug, smiling back at an infectious smile, watching the sunsets on the beach, hanging with friends and laughing from the belly and most of all freedom to move to and from.

c 2024 Chu The Cud

Imaginary bliss

When you were five, what did you want to be when you grew up?

The only thing I can remember from that time was I loved playing with my toy, Big Jim. Later he would have a Kung-Fu grip. Maybe I wanted to be like him. My parents were able to get me many of his accessories and even the Big Jim Camper.

Comic books came soon after and I wanted to be the Hulk.

Then came the Happy Days television show and I wanted to be the Fonz.

My piano teacher asked me for a nickname, I said Hulk. A little later I changed it to Fonz. He would call me Fonzo.

It was always changing.

c 2024 Chu The Cud