Underground profile. A. “Rusty” Rustebakke

Attainments: Having survived 85 years without ever bcoming a “finished product.”
Ph. D., Columbia U.
Early retirement.
24 year relationship with first wife, ending in failure
28 year relationship with second wife, nearing its end. Wife is in home hospice.
Raising 2 kids who seem well able to manage on their own. Continuing relationship with both.
Accessing TCJOB (the causeless joy of being) while sitting meditating some 6-7 years ago. I am now able to accesss it deliberately.
Some evidence I have been able to be helpful to a few people other than family.
Navy “Wings of Gold.”
Experience of “just this” which convinces me that rendering Tat Twam Asi as Thou Are That must be a mistranslation.
Long ago realizing that like everyone else “I am the final authority,” and that the only difficulty is how aware I can be of that and how willing I am to take responsibility for it.
Being quite clear that I create my world, but am still learning how I do so with my choices, beliefs, perceptions, attention, habits,language (esp. evaluative adjectives) etc.

Enuf to give some slight idea…..

You are a finished product already - and you didn't need to do anything. Getting a PHD or a successful marriage, or achieving some great state of meditation does not make you more or less finished.
If I think you are a genius or an ape on legs, does it really change you or are you changing without it?
My thoughts ..