In 1970, Joni Mitchell gave us the song Big Yellow Taxi. She did it all. She wrote the lyrics, composed the music, and then recorded the song. This song never actually made it to the number one position anywhere on the charts, instead it went on to become the second most “covered” song with 228 covers of it out in the world. Incidentally, the most covered song is Both Sides Now, also by Joni Mitchel. My best cover of Both Sides Now was done by Paul Young & Clannad. Having said that, I am talking about actual recorded covers. There are many versions of Hey Jude out there, belted out by a squiffy band to a raucous crowd of drunkards. Granted, it is a requisite for a person to be rather tipsy and shed of all inhibitions, to do justice to Hey Jude. Unless of course, you are the Beatles. We are not going to expand on that now, I am looking to have a meaningful conversation here. But before I get to telling you about my very own parking lot – yes, I have one of those, I first want to dwell on another topic.

Colin and I have this morning routine, where we wake up, I shower while Coin makes coffee, we then both hop back into bed, and we then read the news of the day. Being modern people, we do so on our cell phones. Colin reads BBC and I read News 24. Frankly, I do not know which is worse, hence every now and again I snoop elsewhere. This morning, my snooping took me to an article on Protopia. Indeed, there is a word like that. It was coined by Kevin Kelly in a book he wrote in 2010. I am going to help you out here. It is the opposite of Dystopia. This rather gloomy word (dystopia) relates to or denotes an imagined state or society where there is great suffering or injustice. Think along the lines of The Handmaids’ Tale. Or The Hunger Games. Or BBC. Or News 24.

A good example of Protopia is Star Trek. Apart from pointed plastic ears, tin foil covered boots and bad hairdos, Star Trek made us dream about a better future. It made us think of Live Long and Prosper. It gave us: Things are only impossible until they are not. Live now, make now always the most precious time. Confidence is faith in oneself. How much more protopia do you want? Makes me think we should spend less time with Life Coaches, Mentors and Psychologists, and more time watching Star Trek.

But now, back to my parking lot. I alluded in some of my previous writings that I have had to deal with all sorts of every things. On one of those days, where I was trying to discern the white noise from wisdom, I came up with this little mental game. Any dystopian thoughts, Crazy Makers (those, according to Julia Cameron, are the personalities that create storm centers, drama, and if left unchecked, can take over your whole life) Time Wasters, Habitual Complainers, Hypochondriacs- here you can add a descriptions or name list of your own. I take them, I place them in a little pretend car, and then I take that car and go park it in my very own pretend parking lot. True to nature, these characters do not stay in their parked cars. Every now and then, one gets out and comes knocking on my door. But I have learnt how easy it is to put them back in their little car in the parking lot. Apart from being rather amusing (I do take time to choose a suitable car), it actually works. Many Years ago, I had a friend, he would always say: time to go park them outside. Now I know what he meant. Life does feel so much more protopian.

Of course, there is always an easier and more visual way of dealing with your gremlins. We visited our younger son and his fiancé this weekend. It is the first time that I was a sleep over guest in his space. I spotted a chart on his fridge. On the left, descending, he listed all his chores/goals/wannahaves, and to the right was a grid of blocks. As he achieved the task, he would colour a block until his chart was filled up. We have a bit of a reminiscent giggle about this, as it smacked of the charts we did for them as children. Just back then, we did not have items such as “upskill” on it. Instead, we had “used the potty”, but the principle is the same. I have parked cars, he has a coloured grid. I guess, do what works for you. As long as it drowns out the noise.

Apart from going to rewatch Star Trek, I would also not mind to rewatch The Yes Man. The moral of this films’ story? Just say yes, and see what opportunities open up for you.

Chances are, if you are reading this, you are not parked in a dinky plastic car, in my parking lot. But should the white noise drown out your favourite music, do as my friend advised all those years ago: go park them outside. And then Google a few more Start Trek quotes. Aunty Google has quite a lot of them to share. I will leave you with this last one.

To be alive is a responsibility, as well as a right.

OK, lastest one. The past is written, but the future is left for us to write.