Thought control

Sometimes our thoughts can be overwhelming 

We are bombarded with information from so many sources

There are pressures from work, family, finances and unfinished tasks lining up

Its hard to focus on one thing when other thoughts keep rushing in

Fortunately I was taught a relaxation technique more than thirty years ago

It involves deep breathing and focussing on a specific image

I have used it often to de-stress my mind and body

At first it took a lot of concentration to get it to work at all

But now I can do it at will by just thinking about it

And my random thoughts dare not step in then 

They line up outside my mind patiently waiting 

I have found it to be a great way to solve a problem or make a difficult decision

Especially when I have been wrestling with one for a long while

Once I banish those thoughts for a while they seem to solve themselves

I only let them back in if they bring a solution with them

Are you in charge of your thoughts or do they rule you?

What does it mean to be in control?

If you steer a cruise ship are you in control?

In control of the speed and direction

But not of the destination and itinerary

Somebody else controls that

If you are a farmer are you in control?

In control of the seeds you sow and harvest

But not in control of the weather

Somebody else controls that

If you conduct the orchestra are you in control? 

In control of the musicians actions on the stage

But not in control of how well the listeners appreciate the music

Somebody else controls that

If you hold the TV remote are you in control

In control of selecting the buttons to press

But not of the programs being broadcast

Somebody else controls that

If you are in love are you in control

In control of your own feelings and actions

But not the feelings and actions of your partner

Somebody else controls that 

If you call a press conference are you in control?

In control of the statements you make

But not of the resulting press reports

Somebody else controls that

If you are the Commander In Chief are you in control?

In control of the world’s most powerful military 

But not the actions of your advisories or political opponents

Somebody else controls that

If you eat well and exercise are you in control?

In control of your nutrition and fitness

But not of the timing and nature of your own (non-suicidal) death

Somebody else controls that

Serenity

Serenity

Calm still water

A windless bay

Suddenly disturbed

A small passing boat

Leaving a wake

Bumping into moored boats

Bouncing back towards other boats

Creating multiple ripples

In all directions

Waves of ripples

Passing through each other

Slowly diminishing

Calm returns

Serenity 

Be real

Be real

Don’t gossip

Help others

Be kind

Recognize success

Welcome strangers

Be sincere

No cheating

Be honest

Embrace generosity

Deliver promises

Be authentic

Admit mistakes

No lies

be enthusiastic

Help others

Smile always

Be passionate

Be nice

Forgive first

Be patient

Stay positive

Show interest

Remain thoughtful

Display gratitude

Treasure friends

Stay consistent

Remain humble

Be accepting

Never selfish

forgive always

Always caring

Aim true

Steadfastly authentic

No cheating

Welcome strangers

Volunteer often

laugh uncontrollably

cry quietly

Love unconditionally

Be real

Be honest

Embrace generosity

Deliver promises

Honest intentions

Admit mistakes

No lies

Help others

Smile always

Be passionate

Be nice

Forgive first

Be patient

Stay positive

Show interest

Remain thoughtful

Display gratitude

Treasure friends

Stay consistent

Remain humble

Be accepting

Never selfish

Always caring

Steadfastly authentic

No cheating

Volunteer often

Love unconditionally

Be real

Miami 2023

A village on wheels

There is something romantic about a long train journey

If a cruise ship is a town floating on water

Then a long distance sleeper train is a village traveling on rails

A village that starts empty late on day 1

Becoming fully inhabited just before the train departs

The village comes to life instantly

Have a drink at a bar and make new friends

Move to the dining car for dinner

Swapping stories as the scenery rolls by

The clicking of the rails is rhythmic

Waiters sway and lurch as they carry plates

Listen to life stories of people you just met

Retire to your sleeping car for the night

Rock to sleep as the train moves at speed

Wake up on day 2 to new scenery flashing by the window

Meet some new people at breakfast

Take a stroll from one end of the train to the other and back

Walk through the village with one narrow street

Nobody drives a car or rides a bicycle in this village

You smile at everybody you pass along the way

It’s a very friendly little village

Relax in the lounge car with a good book

Its hard to read when people keep asking what you are reading

More conversations and learning about others

By dinner time you know virtually everybody in this village

Stay up late talking to new friends at the bar

Sing along merrily to favorite songs fueled by alcohol

Swap contact information with people you will never see again

Wake up on day 3 having covered thousands of miles

Soon the moving village will arrive at its destination

Its inhabitants disperse and move on

The end of this short lived community on wheels

Dark clouds matter

Photo by Josh Sorenson on Pexels.com

Oh dark clouds creeping in

You are such party spoilers

I was having fun with the white fluffy clouds

They gave me some welcome shade from the hot Miami sun

Whilst leaving me plenty of nice blue sky to look at

I could play outside all day with white fluffy clouds above me

Now I must run inside quickly

Take shelter from the impending rain shower

Which you indiscriminately scatter below you

As you slowly drift by looking for more victims

I wonder if you were born fluffy white

Then got fat collecting so much water vapor and became darker

After dumping all your rain will you get paler

Maybe you were born dark and doomed to rain on parades forever

You probably chase down fluffy white clouds and eat them up

Cannibalistic party spoiling sinister dark clouds

I bet you have no friends at all

Other than farmers

Maybe flowers, plants, lawns and trees, 

Also reservoirs, and water companies

Plus hydroelectric power plants

Not forgetting streams, rivers, lakes, fish and rain dancers

Come to think of it you are really quite popular

Black clouds matter

Are you nuts about nuts

Photo by Mehran B on Pexels.com

People are probably passionate about phenomenal pistachios

Cats crave to calmly chew charming cashews

An armadillo always ate adequate almonds

Be brave before brazenly biting basic bold Brazil nuts

Hop into a hilarious haze with happy hazelnuts

Maybe munch on marvelous magical medicinal macadamias

Plan a party preferably with plenty of persuasive pecans

Peter pines for Penelope’s precocious pretty pine nuts

We would wait a while for wonderful wild wacky walnuts

Pop in a pile of pesky pivotal persistant peanuts

But peanuts are really lazy laidback lavish legumes

Not nutritious naughty native nut nibbles

Its only a cold

Its only a cold

Starts with a sniffle

Then a scratchy throat

Its not so bad

Its only a cold

Now your throat is on fire

Your limbs are aching

Its not so bad

Its only a cold

You are completely congested

Your sinus cavities hurt a lot

Its not so bad

Its only a cold

Now you have that tickling cough

It keeps you awake all night

Its not so bad

Its only a cold

Your nose is red from blowing

Your voice is all croaky

Its not bad

Its only a cold

Three days sick and low energy

You want to feel better

Yes its officially bad now

Its only cold

But it makes your life miserable for a week or so

There is no cure

Try not to infect others

The Cheeky Monkey now has over 600 poems

You can browse through more than 600 poems, short stories and blogs on the website

Its been a long journey since the summer of 2021 and for most of that time we have put out a daily piece of writing

Many thanks for your feedback and kind comments, we hope you are all enjoying these posts

In troubled times its good to escape from the news and social media and spend a few minutes each day exploring the imagination of the Cheeky Monkey

A big shout to Addison and Abby for maintaining Cheekymonkeypoetry.com

Stay Cheeky!

Follow the money – Part 6 Finale

Mike sent a coded message to Igor telling him to stay away from the yacht and meet him at the safe house which was actually a penthouse overlooking the bay.  Mike had a telescope in the window looking down at the marina.

Igor arrived and said what is going on Mike?

The broker contacted me about the hotel sale, the buyer wants to meet with me and he knew my name.  There is no way the broker gave that away, I pay him a huge sum to keep my name off all the transactions.  This is a setup and somebody is feeding information to the Feds, take a look down there

Igor looked through the telescope and saw a black van with tinted windows 

That van has been there for the last two days, its most likely the FBI, they are waiting for me to get on the yacht said Mike.   Fortunately I wiped all the computers clean on the yacht last time I was there so they will find nothing.  

I bet its Ivan who is working with the Feds, he has given us a lot of leads but has started to complain that we were not giving him a big enough payout for each deal, he has probably cut a deal with the Feds to get a new identity and immunity.   Have your boys take him out as soon as possible

Consider it done said Igor, they will be waiting for him when he leaves for work in the morning.  So what’s the plan for the rest of the operation Mike?

We need to shut everything down and arrange for Mike Mason to disappear forever, you know the drill we rehearsed  said Mike as he handed Igor his wallet, passport, briefcase and some clothes

I’ll get these to your stunt double, when would you like it to happen? asked Igor

Later this month , the day before I am supposed to meet the buyer with the broker because the Feds will have all their teams in town that day.  I want the Feds to consider they have shut us down by seizing my yacht and a string of commercial properties.  I have already transferred a lot of assets to a new company in the Cayman Islands, we can start up again in 12 months when the heat has died down but we will have new identities.  

That will give me time to get plastic surgery in Switzerland said Igor, I might even get some liposuction on this said Igor with a chuckle clutching his belly

Who will we be this time asked Igor?  

Well I am going to be businessman called Trevor Evans from England, I will have plenty of time to brush up on my English accent before we go live again said Mike who handed Igor a bunch of passports, which one of them would you like to be?

Igor sifted through the passports and picked out Hans Shmidt from Switzerland. I always wanted to be Swiss and I can perfect my accent while recuperating from plastic surgery with a handsome young Swiss boyfriend.  

Not much more we can do today so how about we break open a few bottles said Mike

Sure thing Mike said Igor or should I start calling you Trevor?

They drank late into the night swapping tales of their exploits and planning schemes for the future.

The next day Igor got word that his boys had shot Ivan outside his apartment in Moscow.  

Good work said Mike lets get everything set up today and get the hell out of Miami before it all hits the fan

Igor made a few calls and said goodbye to Mike

See you in the Cayman Islands next year my friend

Once he was alone, Mike looked into the mirror and said its time for you to disappear now Mike, thanks for all the good times.   He took off his wig and fake beard and took a shower.  He picked up his cellphone and made a call. 

Mellissa answered saying hi Peter will you be flying back to DC today?

Absolutely, I will not be traveling again until the end of the month, plenty of time for me to hang out with young David.  Lets plan our next vacation in England, you have always wanted to visit London.

Later that month, Peter met with the FBI in Miami a few hours before the meeting with the broker, they fitted him with the wire and rehearsed everything to make sure he knew the code words to let them know if he felt in danger.

Peter showed up at the broker’s office early but there was no sign of Mike Mason.  They chatted for a long time before the broker stepped out to try and reach Mike.  He returned saying that he had called, sent texts and emails to Mike but there was no reply. After two hours Peter said it looks like Mike is a no show and he left the office.  He met the FBI across the street.

We think we know why he did not show up said the FBI agent.  Key Biscayne State Park rangers found a briefcase on the beach.   Witnesses recall a man undressing and entering the water naked but nobody saw him return.  His rental car was found nearby, Mike Mason’s wallet and passport were in the briefcase together with a suicide note.  

Oh so that the end of the case then?  asked Peter

Perhaps said the FBI agent, we will keep looking for him but you can go back to DC now, thank  you for helping us, you are a fine outstanding citizen.

Peter flew home to his family, he started to watch a lot of English TV and hired a voice coach to perfect his English accent