MAX @ School - November 21, 2002 journal

November 21, 2002
Manchester, Connecticut, USA
12:16am Carrie, Anni and I read beat poems on the back porch by candle light tonight, then walked through the forest on the edge of Union Pond inspired by the full moon. "Look! There are diamonds all over the ground," Carrie directed our attention to the sparkling treasure she discovered. The value of precious treasure is not held in the hand, but in the mind of those who appreciate it's beauty. They are richest who enjoy the simplest of things, such as droplets capturing moonbeams.
...Which inspired me to write this:

Prism in prison window
Rainbow on death row
Colors radiating bright
Sunshine's healing light

GOOD MORNING GREAT ONE!!!
Just a little humor to start your day. Max, I will not send significant information over the air. You are in for a big surprise though, especially if, in fact, you are truly searching for knowledge of self. You have made a quality contact. I am only one of many Jaimes has helped. he assists individuals according to their specific needs and desires. energetically speaking of course. due to the extreme lack of appreciation jaimes has been shown in the past, he is quite selective now. i did inform him of the contact i made with you, and he has agreed to speak with you, for you. jaimes does not socialize with anyone. he is a teacher with a one way speech which is always spirit, energy, power, awareness, strength, courage, wisdom, telepathy, health, happiness, beauty. I am sure you get the idea. i would venture to say that as yet, you have never met anyone like jaimes. he is the only man that has ever impressed me. we did not, and do not speak of hot cars, sports, women, sex, money, guns etc. just giving you a little information so you will know what to expect upon meeting jaimes, and myself. my only hope is that what you said on your site about seeking your soul purpose is more important than anything else. Without that, people are lost. unless you know certain things, you will be back to do it all over again without the memory. don't let me scare you away. let me intrigue you even more as to your forgotten abilities and powers. the synchronicity of spirit is an accurate thing for those who are aware of it and take action. keep in touch max, this is all about you and what you say you want. looking forward to a positive response. we are all connected. create a day of wonder full of good energy!
here to help----------------David

Again... I'm with you! I know there is great power in spirit... and some people know how to tune into it. Jaimes sounds great and I am open to what he has to offer. So... again... Thank you. I'm off now to find a place to do my show; maybe at the community college. What I do is share the spirit of adventure and encourage self empowerment. It is my soul purpose... but I know greater things are to come!
Have fun!
-MAX

DO IT MAX! LET PEOPLE KNOW THERE IS MORE TO LIFE THAN DRUDGERY AND PUNCHING A TIME CLOCK FOR SOMEONE ELSE. Please be advised that I have a tendency to give too much information to quick for most people to digest! I have found that the majority of humans have no faith in themselves, especially when it comes to their latent abilities. I will make an honest attempt to be patient until we meet. Jaimes is in Sedona, Arizona at this moment in time assisting several women who were traumatized and did not know the source. I perceive you are just now at the beginning of your initial intended PURPOSE. EVERY ATOM OF MY BEING 'KNOWS' there is more to come, and it truly is 'AN EXTREME ADVENTURE'! Just had to put it that way. Jaimes will either contact you through me for now, or from this site. The frequency computers emanate do not agree with him. You are in for a real awakening My Friend. CREATE A MOST WONDERFUL DAY MAX. DAVID

11:18pm Monday morning I went to Manchester Community College seeking space to do a show. Renting a room costs $100, I was told, and $500,000 insurance is mandatory. The administration personnel were very nice, but it is pathetic how bureaucratic BS and politics can keep good things from happening. I ended up doing a free show as a guest speaker for Andrew Paterna, professor of Sport and Exercise Studies, in his recreation therapy class on Tuesday night. It was a large class and they were all stoked, so I chalked it up to good karma. I felt drained afterward, but I never know how the ripple effect will work and maybe bring back good vibes down the line when these students have their own practices or helpful info to share. And if I'm really serious about this mission... I gotta keep the faith and do what needs to be done to get the good word out no matter what.
Today I did two shows in the Manchester High auditorium, each with an audience of a few hundred students. The second session was disruptive, causing the show to be halted a couple times until students calmed down. Lights where turned on during the show so teachers could to see who was being loud, but being able to see everyone else distracted even more from the show. I had to convince both teachers and students that we all needed to be cool and quiet so it could be enjoyed, then it was all good.
Mr. Cooper, the action-hero staff member who made the show happen, kindly took Carrie and I out to eat for lunch, and after the shows handed me an envelope containing $250($50 more than what I asked for). I need money to fuel the spaceship and fuel my flesh, but my reward is the feedback. I'm attracting good spirits. And the more I know... the more I have to share. Mr. Pfeifer, a teacher at MHS, offered very insightful information. I'll pull out the video camera and type it out for you word for word:
"The truth is so big... it is so One. It speaks to you in silence. You know... the silence you encourage the kids to get involved in. I'm always telling them to shut off the TV, clam up... see if you can stand yourself for a half hour without reading, listening to something, or with the head phones on, or with out the computer on. It is in silence that God speaks. You know that. I know you know that. Its on those quiet mountaintops and when the sun is going down... you know that it is better than the natural reality itself. There is stuff beyond the natural reality that makes all the natural reality occur-- moment-by-moment, day in and day out; that is the ultimate discovery. I try to pray for a day in contemplative mystic prayer, beyond thought, beyond imagination; it is the spaces between thoughts. Our heads are like monkey's... just thoughts... a bazillion. And it is getting beyond that where my pure spirit is getting in touch with God's pure spirit... without thought... without imagination... without conscience... and he works on your subconscious even... on your total being. The only way you know you have been in touch with the eternal is by the fruit. You feel the peace, the feel the joy, you feel the wholeness, and you are able to recognize that you are swimming in this reality all day long."
"I just catch glimpse of it." I returned. "I can't say that I have felt that."
"I can feel that..." he answered, "...that you still have not gotten to that spot. Say open to it, because your heart is a mystical heart. Its a heart filled with the possibilities for wild contemplation. Ask for that gift. Not just contemplation that comes from the ability to churn up all of your natural talents or to enjoy all of the natural spiritual realties around you... but it is sheer gift. Its a quantum leap and you cannot get it by any effort or human activity. You can prepare for it."
"How do you prepare?" I asked.
"By quiet. By simplicity. By going inside and recognizing that God... by decision... by preference... dwells in your heart. He is there. And to spend time with your spirit... that has no parts... in touch with his spirit... that has no parts... which means there's no feelings... that is frustrating sometimes... there's no feelings... no emotion... no awareness in a certain sense... when you are in touch at the deepest of levels. It is pure faith. It is marvelous."
"You say, He, as in a separate entity?" I question.
"As God. It is truly the God person... he... she... you really can't speak in terms..."
"Is it a separate entity?" I repeat.
"Oh yes. Yeah, but it is separate but at the same time one... because we are swimming in it. We share in his reality. We are father, son and spirit inside of us. When you read the books of the great mystics, like John of the Cross... their poetry is... they are stumbling over words to describe this inner spiritual experience... a reality. John of the Cross in his magnificent poetry comes closest that I've seen any words come close to being able to describe. Oh yeah, he's a giant of the 14th century. Marvelously stuff. The more you read of the people who have been to this place, the more you know you are called to that place, and it is happening all around, but it's just that you are not aware that it is happening. These kids just aren't aware... like you were saying... but some of them picked it up. I teach Latin, and some of the kids I have are really marvelous kids with beautiful hearts... they will... or did understand what you are saying... beyond words... they feel it... experience it. A lot of the other kids couldn't because we live in a soulless society, truly. These kids are lacking spirit in so many ways, and it needs to be churned up. There is a battle going on for their minds and hearts and we are losing them at a rate that is phenomenal."
"So this battle... do you think that there is a separate entity that is a negative force?"
"Oh absolutely! The society itself provides enough negativity that you don't even have to have it be an extra entity; the society itself is so negative, and the social structure... and we live in a failing culture. So much of that is already a negative force."
"What is a failing culture?"
"We live in a failing culture at the moment. I mean... the kids that we see... "
"You mean people feel hopeless?"
"Yeah, lack of spirit. The only thing that matters is the next physical experience... weather it be eating, drinking, driving or noise... you can't even go to a restaurant... there is always music blaring at you... and someone screaming and yelling. We've taken away all the quietness that is essential. It is an essential environment within which to learn. You can't learn ultimate things without being quiet and silent. I spoke here to the night school last night, two ninety-minute sessions and I take them through a focusing exercise which I do with my kids, having them for twenty minutes concentrate on the place where their hair is meeting their scalp ...to center them. They come out of it feeling like... ahhh... I really am here and I don't have to be involved in all kinds of noise or whatever. They feel that I am alive; that it is the inner life that matters. My wife and I started a retreat center. We started caring for pregnant girls, battered wives and abused children many years ago. I have six kids of my own now. It evolved into a retreat center where I do marriage and family counseling, spiritual direction and that type of thing-- marriage enrichment and so on. But it's all about the spirit-- its all about the spirit. You're on the search. I can feel your heart being drawn to deeper and deeper spiritual realities, a part of which is the mystical relationship with the ultimate, the divine, which is God.
"What do you mean when you say mystical?"
"Mystical is a term that we toss around and you simply need to define it as to be in touch with the ultimate which is God, without thought, without imagination. Pure spirit to pure spirit. That takes some real work to get to that spot, but you are doing all of the preparation stuff. Keep on going. All the wisdom that you have about the corporations and the environment is just true. I've been saying the same stuff for forty years... but no one wants to listen."
"Do you write for the papers?"
"I write about two or three times a year... the local newspaper puts things in that I write about education, life or whatever. I put out a newsletter, in fact I did a couple about education, but the latest one is a reflection on "Affection or sex? Which comes first?" ...not my thoughts, but my experience in dealing with married couples. So once a month I do that, and I share with my class all the time."

Hi, i'm a junior at MHS, I attended your early presentation today and I wanted to tell you that it was extraordinary. As you know, i'm sure, highschool drains you of everything, speaking with you gave me the extra inspiration I needed to stick to so i can one day, enjoy and complete an extreme soul-grooving adventure as you are undertaking now. Goodluck with all that you encounter, and live it up.
peace and love
Whitney

Dear Max,
I was truly touched by your performance at my school today. I believe your words. They mean so much to me. I agree that you must search for your purpose here on this earth. I wanted to let you know that I share the passion of photography, and I too, would like to someday travel a long distance to find myself. I like what you are doing in the worldly community and hope to do that someday too. Good luck, Max and God Bless.
David Goodwin
(Manchester High, CT, USA)

Hi, my name is Jen and I attended your presentation at Manchester High School in Manchester CT, on November 21. I would just like to say that I think what you are doing is really cool and I totally support you 100%. Your presentation has inspired me to really want to find the real me. I went into your presentation not knowing what to expect, really it was just an easy way to get out of class, but what I got out of your presentation was so much more than I ever expected. I now have the desire to want to see the world and what opportunities are out there for me. I want to find my super hero! Thank You so much Corey, or should I say MAX!
Jen~

hi....just wanted to let you know that your presentation was awesome. I really enjoyed it. i've always wanted to do somehting like that and it was the extra bit of inspiration I needed to do something that I want to do with my life. I also just wanted to know what the songs were that you played throughout the slide show.
it was amazing!
thanks!
-Stef, Jr @ MHS.

whats up Max!!! my name is mike, i am a student at manchester high school, i was one of the kids talking to you after everybody left... your presentation was amazing! I feel that what you are doing and have done is awesome. i feel i am very much like you with the A.D.D (adventure deficit disorder). what you have is courage. i want to see the world and travel as much as possible. i am an outdoor person as well... my favorite hobby being HIKING/exploring!!! i am planning on going to college at johnson state college in Vermont for environmental studies. i think your photography is incredible, giving me chills just watching your slides. i just wanted to let you know that your presentation definetly has a positive effect on people. your experiences are incredible and i hope to experience many similar breathtaking moments which i'm sure you have encountered countless times along your trip. it is so true how you say that being in those environments, on a mountain or whatever makes you realize so many things about yourself and just everything. well max , i hope to trip as hard as you have along my travels, hahahhaha. thanx for everything, GOOD LUCK
Mike

Max,
I'm writing to you in regards to the slide show you presented at MHS today. I attended the seventh period presentation, and the first thing I would like to say is that I'm sorry the students were being so disrespectful. Once the noise died down and your speaking was actually audible (I was way back, in the last row), I found your photos and your journey fascinating. I am what is commonly referred to as a global nomad--one who travelled frequently as a child growing up. For a while now, I've wanted to be a cultural anthropologist. I need something more exhilerating, more stimulating than sitting inside a cubicle 9-5 with the same people every day. I want to have the same experiences I had as a kid in different cultures, ones like you are having now. I want to write, and I want to take pictures, and I want to experience things first-hand. I guess it sounds strange, but I enjoy that feeling of immersing yourself into something completely foreign to you--it forces you to learn and experience. I find myself doing this because I don't take the risks to do it willingly. But I learn.
To me, knowledge and understanding are most important. I don't think I can ever really be satisfied with myself unless I know I've tried my best and learned all I've wanted to. Understanding is a different story. I think it's one thing to learn about a culture, but to understand why and how people live the way they do really makes the difference.
I daydream about walking the length of Route 66 and going on roadtrips and such before I can finally graduate and go off to bigger and better things. One of these summers coming up, I'm going to do one. Being so accustomed to moving every couple years, it's hard for me to accept the fact I'm here in Manchester for a while. My dad and some of my teachers tell me to calm down and 'don't be in such a rush to grow up,' but I don't think they really understand.
I thought your speech today had a lot of valid points. For instance, writing journals. I've kept one regularly since about second grade. Like you said, it helps me clarify my thoughts better. It's almost therapeutic, you could say. One of the things I thought was best about your slide show was that you also incorporated music into the first half. Music has a huge impact on my life, and I think it has the same impact of self expression as journal writing. Music can contain overwhelming emotion that is otherwise inexpressible, especially with just words. I thought your selection was felicitous to the photography.
Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that even though it didn't seem like you were too welcome among the majority of students in the auditorium, I was happy to have been there.
Sincerely,
Sarah

to max,
I was at your presentation/slideshow today at machester highschool in Connecticut.I was extremely inspired by your story, and it made me refleft upon my life. The part that particurally struck me was that u yourself wanted to be a pilot and that is one of my career choices/pathways that i am exploring and extremely interested in. Then i began to think about what it must be like to be out on that clear blue ocean all by yourself, because i myself am a very outdoorsy person. I am always biking 50 miles out for hours to get out or running 10 miles to the next few towns to feel that sense of accomplishment. And i would just like to thank you for comming to my school and telling us about your experiences.
But as i was leaving i was left with one question. I was just wondering, because you didnt go to college what do you plan to do after your trip is over? Do you plan to stick with photography and keep your journey going? What lies ahead of in your path?
Sincerely,
-Matt

Hi Max,
I'm the kid in the brown leather jacket and the heavy metal t-shirt from Manchester High School. We spoke briefly in the auditorium, but I tend to get my deeper thoughts out better in writing when I don't know someone, so that's what this is about. For the past year or so I've been planning on a trip very similar to yours, but overseas. I want to travel throughout the British Isles, visiting all the historical and natural sites I can find and getting to know the people and land in the process. It was really inspiring to see that a goal like this can be accomplished. Some people I know tended to pass it off as that "Road Trip" fantasy every kid gets at some point in high school. I hope you enjoy your time in Manchester. I'll be following your travels through your website from now on. Best of luck!
Regards,
Joe Skelding