With all of the various transformations taking place here on the Steem blockchain, I thought I’d take the opportunity to share one such transformation that’s nearest and dearest to my heart – my own!

First and foremost, I’m just an ordinary average guy by most measures. Rather than going on about it in writing, before scrolling down to continue this ^read, please sit back, relax, and allow Sir Joe Walsh a few minutes to explain in this rather cool and dreamy composition of humble self-admission… (^I hope there are some real people reading this, anyway - I guess I'll find out in the comment section in due course... ha-ha)

“Ordinary” is a character description none of us aspires to; however, it’s a classification that the majority of us fall under nonetheless. I consider myself no exception to such statistical tendency.

That said, I believe it is incumbent upon each and every one of us to do the very best that we can in striving toward journeying “beyond ordinary.” This post shares one of many stages in my life, - my final one, to do just that - transcend beyond the ordinary in both body and mind.

We all realize that Mr. Walsh is no ordinary average guy – but at the same time, on many levels, he is – and the same holds true for each and every one of us too!

I believe that there is a birthright dose of “extraordinary” hard-coded into our DNA, and it’s up to each of us to continually and relentlessly work toward unlocking and realizing our full potential at every stage in life - right up until the end.

For those who know and follow me, you may have noticed that my profile picture has changed. This is but a mere sneak preview into the massive transformation I’ve undergone in mind, body, and spirit over the past few months.

Feeling Strong, YUP! --- Already Gone? NOT YET!

Strength is a virtue and a reaffirming, vibrant aspect of life. With the life-saving exception of my involvement with music and the #openmic venue since May of 2017, following several previous years of getting weaker and weaker on every front - I had no choice but face my harsh reality - and make a firm commitment to change it. And that I did! Since doing so, for the very first time in decades, I am now truly strong again in every imaginable way - BOOM-FINALLY!

To digress somewhat, with regard to the “Already Gone” reference – I sense this tangent is a fitting reflection of how many may be feeling with regard to all of the uncertainty surrounding the fate of Steemit.

It would be totally worthwhile to take another 5-minute break here - and listen to "Already Gone" within the context of how many of us might be feeling about Steemit of late.

The inference being that like the rest of us diehards - I hope with all of my heart that the community as a whole will indeed be able to figure out a way to thrive and survive in virtual perpetuity. If it can’t, and somehow falls short - a remnant beaten-down part of me is hesitantly preparing for any outcome, and in some sense - is “already gone.”

It’s Always Darkest Before Dawn

I’ve seen this line or various iterations thereof quite a lot over the past several months – and it’s TRUE! One way or the other – darkness leads to light - and thereafter, the endless cycles of life and death continue beating their perpetual drums.

There is always something to look forward to, be it in this life or the next. As we look forward in such manner – it’s preferable to do so from a position of strength, wisdom, humility, and understanding vs. one of weakness, ill-preparedness, self-destruction, or flat-out ignorance and stupidity.

Not too long ago, I took a recent dive…

Amid winding down 3-months of intense focus on producing the 2-year Anniversary Mash-UP performance for the Open-Mic venue this past September, I found myself deeply submerged in a rather dark place of physical & mental stagnation. This mindset brought with it extreme levels of lethargy, and the sense that "this was all there was" - and I'm just withering away and waiting for a fast-approaching and rather pathetic final-exit to this otherwise glorious and sacred life.

My Secret Passion

Those who know me know that I have at least two passions in life, Music and Financial Markets. I have another long-standing passion that I’ve only shared with @steemmatt during the course of a conversation while in the process of recruiting him as one of the many excellent drummers who played on the Mash-UP.

In short, this third passion of mine seeks out strong, healthy, vibrant, and majestic physical forms of human grace, beauty, and performance – in both males and females alike.

It is rare that genetics alone elevates one to such an admirable stature. Even rarer, is when such strength, beauty, and grace are coupled with wisdom, sensitivity, intellect, and humility.

Literally and physically transforming one’s physiology with such manner of hard work and discipline often brings with it a great sense of purpose, accomplishment, and an extremely heightened sense of well-being and awareness.

Upon getting dragged by the ankles along the dark jagged edge of my personal abyss following the Mash-Up – I turned back to this early passion of mine for salvation and redemption. The following are the results harvested from my rise out of the darkness, my testament and short story describing such, and what I’m now doing on a daily basis to affect change in my life and the life of others:

PASSION TRANSFORMED

Believe me; I’m way too old to harbor any grand delusions of becoming an overnight YouTube sensation. This endeavor is meant to be fun, keep me focused, entertained, occupied, publically accountable, and on task. If I can inspire just one other person the same way that my brother Ed Cook inspired me; well, that would simply be icing on the cake and make it all worthwhile. Ed’s stunning transformation is featured at the 4:00-minute mark.

If anyone would like to follow me on this journey, they can do so by subscribing to my newly birthed YouTube Channel at OAG-tv, and by following my blog at OAG-tv.

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In the meantime, I am totally geared up and stoked for the Holiday’s and readying myself for some traveling, family, and fun! I’ll be checking in throughout the Holiday Season but I won’t be back to judging Open-Mic’s until after the New Year.

In closing, I’d like to wish the entire Steemit and Open-Mic communities a Happy, Healthy, and Prosperous Holiday Season!

I was lucky – I got myself back - and I’m singin’ my old songs again, and…

…I FEEL GOOD

…And so should you!

PEACE-OUT,

@passion-ground