http://www.scottsongs.com
Scott Kalechstein's Semi-Occasional Muse-Letter

Hello Everybody!

Welcome to my muse-letter list!

I send this out new and fresh about five or six times a year.

This one is an oldie, first released at the start of 2008, but I am sending it to you because I love to help people have belly laughs. Read on, and you will. And please don't take my travel schedule on the right side of the page seriously. It's all in the past.

About once every two months I send greetings, writings, and news from my corner of the universe.

This issue contains The Seven Habits Of Highly Dramatic People, a playful and provocative parody of The Seven Habits Of Highly Effective People. It includes plenty of humor and reverse psychology as it supports us in having less drama in our lives. I am pondering the idea of expanding it into a book. It could create a whole new category at bookstores, a Self-Helplessness section. What do you think?

WHAT'S NEW

There's a brand new section of my website in town called CD's & Downloads Linked text. You can now listen to samples of all 118 of my recorded tunes there. In addition, you can purchase individual song downloads for 99 cents each. The songs are listed in categories at Scott's Musical Medicine Cabinet, Linked text, where you can stock up on Preventive Melodies & Remedies For Whatever Ails You. (Check out my humorous category desciptions at the bottom of this page as you scroll down past the Drama article.) You would honor me by paying my store a visit. As an incentive for creating an account, you can download two free songs that are not on any of my CD's.

Please take a moment to add scott@scottsongs.com to your address book or white list so that you won't miss any future issues.

You may also enjoy perusing through back issues, which are on the right side of the page as you scroll down past my travel schedule.

Now, kick back, relax, and let the giggles begin….


Spreading The Joy,
Scott Kalechstein
www.scottsongs.com
( Linked text)








The Seven Habits Of Highly Dramatic People

By Scott Kalechstein

Do gratitude, contentment, and inner peace sometimes creep up on you and undermine your ability to indulge your anxiety?

Here's a quick and handy two-step process to make sure you get your M.D.R. (minimum daily requirements) of worry and chaos.

1. Believe and act like your safety, security, and happiness are dependent on people and forces outside of you that you can't control.
2. Try to control them.

For those of you who prefer to keep it complex, here are seven habits to develop that will help you go deeper into your practice and guarantee a daily overdose of adrenaline. Allow me to be your drama director as we shout out the traditional opening words… "Lights! Camera!! RE-ACTION!!!

#1. Harness The Power Of Negative Thinking - Everybody accentuates the negative on occasion. What if I can't pay my bills? What if I lose my house? What if I get sick? What if I'm alone for life? What if I'm in this relationship for life? But as your drama coach, I want to inspire you to master 'The Secret' by focusing all of your attention on the most negative possible outcomes all of the time. When this discipline has been achieved, you can relax into the certainty that you will always find something to freak out about in any situation, and fear will never abandon you again.

#2. Be Busy Till You're Dizzy - Being too busy to still your mind and take good care of your body is essential on the path to drama-realization. Temptation is everywhere these days - health food stores, spas, gyms, yoga studios, meditation classes, and it takes courage to maintain abstinence while the whole world is stretching, sweating, chanting, and going organic. Remember, as our parents tried to warn us, engaging in meditation can lead to blindness, losing sight of all the things right in front of you to worry about. So wake up every morning painfully early, splash cold water on your face, brew up your caffeine, and go, speed racer, go! Have you answered all your emails? Who needs a shoulder to lean on? Is there something on TV? Always make sure your life and your mind are filled with clutter and free of those annoying empty spaces between your thoughts that can disturb your absence of peace.

#3. Have A Swinging Good Time - In the 60's and 70's, a swinger was a person who relieved the monotony of monogamy by attending a variety of extra-curricular relationships. Nowadays, the term swingers has broadened, and is often used to refer to drama majors when they are found swinging like a pendulum from one extreme to another, churning with the thrill of constant crises, skillfully sidestepping the boredom of emotional stability. Would you like to be able to create, at the snap your fingers, a soap opera drenched in drama anytime you want? All you need to do is to stuff your feelings till you can't hold them in any longer, and then explode without restraint or care for anyone, especially the ones you care most about. As a practice, try being 100% nice and sweet. Stretch yourself to accommodate someone as much and as long as you can, and then take the lid off and let the steam out, like Mt. Saint Helens does once in a while. There is nothing as satisfying as having a good eruption after being good and silent for a spell.

#4. Leave Your Inner Child Alone Without Parental Guidance - When the child inside the adult gets scared, some really juicy drama can happen, but only if we withhold our compassion, re-assurance, and loving boundaries. When we can resist such mushy self-help nonsense, our inner children will wreak havoc trying to get those things from others, usually through some very exciting acting out in the drama department. When two or more people abandon their little kids at the same time, oh boy, that's when the fun begins. The adults have left the vehicle, and you can guess who's in the front seat, banging on the horn, flooding the accelerator, yelling out the window, and playing extreme bumper cars. Yippee!

#5. Set Huge Goals, Maintain Unrealistic Expectations -There is nothing more beneficial to your lifestyle than the habit of reaching for the stars, falling short of your lofty goals, and feeling like a colossal failure. Taking big leaps and falling flat on your face is paramount for maintaining healthy low self-esteem, which is the foundation of all good drama. Go for the mountaintop, and don't look down at your feet on your way. One step at a time is for people satisfied with proceeding at a snail's pace, always leaving behind a slime trail of serenity, gentleness, balance, and other dismal downers that drama kings and queens take royal pains to avoid. You can do better than that!

#6. Judge Your Judgments - Every human being judges, but only the ones who have learned the art of judging their own judgments excel in creating melodrama. Have you ever been known to shame and blame yourself for feeling afraid and stuck, telling yourself that there is something really wrong with you for not moving forward? Good! You are on the right track. Now, take your next step. Judge your judgments! Tell yourself that you should know better than to shame and blame yourself. Heap truckloads of guilt on yourself for stooping so low to the curb of self-criticism, yet again. This will make you quite an energetic downer that can't help but suck energy from those around you. You'll be the lifelessness of the party!

#7. Get Grounded In The 3 B's...Blame, Blame, & Blame! - Blaming yourself has already been covered. But don't rest there. Blame everyone else too. Life's not going the way you want? Blame, blame, blame! Blame first, ask questions and take responsibility later, if at all. Appropriate targets are Mom and Dad, friends (if you still have any), your mate (if they are still around), the Bush administration, the Clinton administration, big corporations, small minds, and, of course, God. Self-responsibility can lead to issues finding solutions, which flushes good drama right down the drain. Instead, be generous with the blame dispenser, letting it overflow on everyone, uncontained, uncensored, unedited. Blame, Blame, Blame!

Affirmations For Good Drama

Every day in every way I am stressing out over everything, real or imagined.

Everything is working together to conspire to bring the worst possible outcome to my doorstep.

Life is against me and I am doomed.

This, or something worse, is now manifesting for the highest cost to all concerned.

I no longer have to work to create drama. Drama happens effortlessly and naturally, all around me.

Whatever calamity I can conceive, I can achieve.

I always have everything I need to manifest everything I don't want, and all is hell in my world.

Copyright 2008 Scott Kalechstein, All Rights Reserved

Scott Kalechstein is an inspirational speaker, a transformational humorist, a life coach, and a modern day troubadour. He makes his home in Marin, California and loves presenting at conferences, giving talks, concerts and workshops. In his phone counseling practice, he is a relationship specialist, helping both individuals and couples heal, manifest, and awaken into conscious relationship. Call 415-721-2954 to schedule a session, or email him at scott@scottsongs.com. You can visit www.scottsongs.com to read more about his workshops, to hear his talks or to sample songs from his nine CD's. Sign up for his free muse-letters to receive writings like this one on a semi-occasional basis.


SCOTT'S 2008 SCHEDULE


TAMPA, FLORIDA

March 7 - I will be singing at a private dinner for Corporate Fitness Works.

COTATI, CA

March 9 - I will be giving the talk, sharing my music, and leading a workshop on learning to love yourself at the Church of the Oaks. Call (707) 795-8624 or you can email info@churchoftheoaks.org or visit Linked text


MARIN, CA

March 14 - I will be a featured comic at a comedy night in Novato. Visit
Linked text for the scoop.

April 6 - I'll be the guest musical artist at the Golden Gate Center For Spiritual Living. Visit Linked text for the details.

FREMONT, CA

May 11 - I'll be singing at the services at the Tri City Church of Religious Science. Visit Linked text for more info.

ALBANY, NY

May 18 - I'll be singing at the Unity Church in Albany. Following the services I'll be giving a concert. Visit Linked text for more details.

ROWE, MASSACHUSETTS

May 25-28 - Every Memorial Day Weekend I offer my music to complement the love and wisdom of Joyce and Barry Vissell at a lovely Couples Retreat. Committed relationships are supported, renewed, and often healed. Contact Rowe at retreat@RoweCenter.org or call: (413) 339-4954 or visit Linked text

ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA

May 31 - I'll be giving a concert at the Unity Center in Fletcher, North Carolina, near Asheville. Visit Linked text for the details.

June 1 - I'll be speaking and singing and leading a workshop at the Unity Center in Fletcher, North Carolina, near Asheville. Visit Linked text for the details.


RENO, NEVADA

June 6 - I'll be singing at a private retreat at Lake Tahoe.

June 8- I'll be speaking and singing at the Lakeside Community Church. Visit Linked text for detaiils.

SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO

July 24 through 27 - I'll be the troubadour at a Bread For The Journey Retreat, clsoed to the public.

NEVADA CITY, CA

August 2 - A lovely house concert at the lovely home of Jill and Jon Fox. Call them at 530 265 3802 for the details.

August 3 - I'll be the guest speaker and singer at the Sierra Center For Positive Living. Following the service I'll be offering a workshop.. Call Jill at 530 265 3802 or visit Linked text for the details.


NEW WINDSOR, MARYLAND

August 8, 2008 - August 10, 2008 - I'll be leading workshops, speaking and sharing my music at a weekend called Be the Love, just outside of Baltimore. Visit Linked text for more info.

GAITHERSBURG, MARYLAND
(near Washington DC)

August 17- I will be the guest minister and singer and follow that up with a workshop at Christ Church Unity of Gaithersburg. Call (301) 947 3626 for more information or visit Linked text.

SEDONA, ARIZONA

September 12 through 14 - I will be a troubadour and speaker at the Raw Spirit Festival. Visit Linked text for more info.

PHOENIX, AZ

September 17 - A concert at the Spiritual Enrichment Center in Peoria. Call (623) 972-3205 or visit Linked text for more info.

September 18 - A house concert in Scottsdale with yours truly at the home of Jodi Floyd, sponsored by Harmonizing With Humanity. Contact Jodi at her cell at 407-529-4301 or e-mail jodifloydfl@hotmail.com.

September 19 through 21 - I will be at the Temple Emanuel of Tempe giving concerts, workshops, and a talk. Visit Linked text for more info.

DENVER, COLORADO

October 1- I will be offering a workshop/concert called A Course In Miracles- THE MUSICAL! at the Rocky Mountain Miracle Center. Call 303-759-3409 or visit
Linked text for the scoop.

October 2 through 5 - I'll be serving as troubadour for a private gathering of the Renaissance Business Associates.

LONDON, ENGLAND

October 18,19 - I will be the troubadour at Being The Light, A Course In Miracles Conference in London. Visit Linked text for more info.

TORONTO, CANADA

October 22 - An evening of healing songs to support, empower and celebrate women. Email Katia at katiaboom@hotmail.com

October 24 - 27 - I'll be the conference troubadour at the tenth annual Energy Psychology Conference in Toronto. Visit Linked text

SPOKANE, WASHINGTON

November 1 - I will be leading a one day workshop for the Eastern Washington Family Child Care Association (closed to the public).

November 1 - A Saturday evening concert with yours truly, truly open to the public. Call Barbara at 509-228-9211 for the scoop.

FREMONT, CA

November 16 - I'll be singing at the services at the Tri City Church of Religious Science. Visit Linked text for more info. Following the second service I will be offering a concert.


If you would like to discuss how easy it is to bring me to your neck of the woods and set me loose on your community, church, friends, etc., please call me at 415 721 2954 to talk about it. Or email me at scott@scottsongs.com if you prefer typing over chatting.



Back Articles From Previous Muse-Letters

April 2004: Linked text

July 2004: Linked text

December 2004: Linked text

January 2005: Linked text

April 2005: Linked text

May 2005: Linked text

July 2005: Linked text

September 2005: Linked text

November 2005: Linked text

January 2006: Linked text

March 2006: Linked text

June 2006: Linked text

August 2006: Linked text

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December 2006: Linked text

March 2007: Linked text

May 2007: Linked text

June 2007: Linked text

September 2007: Linked text

November 2007: Linked text

January 2008: Linked text

February 2008: Linked text

April 2008: Linked text

July 2008: Linked text


Scott's Musical Medicine Cabinet ( Linked text)

Preventive Melodies & Remedies For Whatever Ails You

Funny Tunes( Linked text): A collection of songs that are scientifically documented to increase funny bone density, preventing chronic seriousness that can lead to humorrhoids.

Joy Songs( Linked text): These tunes, also known as Prozac Busters, keep gloom and doom in check and cure the hardening of the attitudes. Side effects may include uncontrollable smiling and unreasonable happiness.

Love Songs( Linked text): For increased intimacy and strengthening of the heart. Four out of five music doctors recommend using these songs as open heart therapy to prevent the need for open heart surgery.

Motivational & Transformational Tunes( Linked text): Songs that support a healthy transition from caterpillar to butterfly; music for letting go, moving forward, and trusting the process. Caution: repetitive listening may cause outbreaks of courage and risk taking, and could lead to actually being excited by change. Not recommended for people who are committed to sitting on their assets.

Mellow & Meditative Devotional Songs( Linked text): Space and time release tunes that work instantly to dissolve a sense of separation from God. Side effects may include an acute awareness of Divine Love, as well as pronounced feelings of peace and comfort.

Upbeat & Rousing Devotional Tunes( Linked text): Sacred sing-alongs that perk thing up, get things moving, and successfully eliminate spiritual constipation.

Children's Songs( Linked text): Tunes for the prevention of P.M.S. (Premature Maturity Syndrome). Side effects can include contagious bouts of silliness and playfulness; not suitable for adults over twelve unless accompanied by a child.

Twelve Step Recovery Tunes( Linked text): Songs that can support sobriety, balance, and freedom from addictive cravings, but only while listening to one song at a time.


scott@scottsongs.com •  Scott Kalechstein