All posts by Cognitive Dissonance

A Change of Seasons

I have noticed how much more emotionally impacted I am by the change of season now then when I was a younger man. As the leaves begin to turn and the first crisp wisps of cool autumn descend from the north, all kinds of memories flood the mind and overload the emotions. In fact the other day while walking to the neighbor’s house I found myself tearing up a bit as I drank in the fall spectacular and thoughts of my younger years flooded in.

Much of our perception of ‘now’ is so heavily influenced by what ‘was’ that I am no longer certain if we ever truly know what ‘reality’ is. It is one of the reasons we are so effectively controlled and manipulated by advertising, education, government and politics as well as our ever evolving culture. As I like to say “Where we stand depends upon where we sit”.

We launched Two Ice Floes in February of this year, on Valentine’s Day to be exact, and have watched our baby grow and evolve over the last eight months. The life blood of Two Ice Floes is our membership and its heart can be found in the forums. While the ongoing conversation slowed a bit during the summer months as everyone enjoyed the warmth and activities that come with the season, now that fall has arrived and the kids are back in school with household routines re-established, as expected, we have noticed a distinct uptick in activity.

Essentially five or ten years from now these next few years will be looked upon as Two Ice Floes’s youth, when we were all trying to find our place within the growing community. How we perceive Two Ice Floes then will be heavily influence by what we are doing now. I for one am very excited to be a part of this little experiment. How about you? Please consider joining the crew today and become a founding member.

Cognitive Dissonance

Image is of the Mabry Mill on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia.

9/11 – The Ultimate Litmus Test

By

Cognitive Dissonance

 

Thirteen years ago the world changed; though it is only with the benefit of perspective may we clearly see the extent and duration of that change. But change it did and remarkably so after perspective is found and the world is seen for what it really is rather than what we are told it is. Or what we want it to be based upon our own cultural conditioning and personally biased worldview.

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Dispatches from Occupied Territory – Awakening Alone While in a Relationship

By

Cognitive Dissonance

 

This is the fourth in a series of fictional explorations into an individual’s awakening to the suddenly unfamiliar world around and within her while still engulfed by the day to day insanity. These short stories in letter form are intended for the more sensitive and inquisitive reader who wishes to look more deeply within and explore in depth their beliefs and perceptions as well as how to cope with a world gone frighteningly mad. It is the author’s hope to accomplish this by way of an intimate and revealing first person correspondence between two long time friends as they discuss her ongoing awakening. The first three chapters may be found here.

Continue reading Dispatches from Occupied Territory – Awakening Alone While in a Relationship