Welcome To
ZENECIST®
and
Zenecist Chronicles
A Podcast
Stories From An OG* In Search of Tomorrow
A Music, Life, & Travelog
Hosted & Produced by Tom Lanen—Spiritual Adventurer, Musical Opportunist, Aspiring Zenecist & Actively-Aging Old Guy*
A Time To Reassess
Me with Fern Man, on a back mountain road of Ocho Rios, Jamaica, a port on my recent cruise. The actor makes this costume daily as part of his ‘hustle,” a way of life for most islanders needing to sustain their families—minimum wage on the island is about $95 for 40 hours; yet the cost of living is among the highest in the Caribbean.
March 10, 2026 Hi & welcome! Those of you who’ve been following along know it’s been a rather disjointed 20-month period of wandering, first in my teardrop trailer and now in my Airstream, replete with 7 mailing address changes, and 3 primary residences. In short, it’s been an uncertain period of my life as I work to regain my equilibrium and maintain any sense of balance as fairly recently divorced man of age. Well, after wintering a little more than 5 months in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, I’m again getting ready to move, this time back to my native Massachusetts where I’ll be taking up my primary residence in the woods of the north central part of the state.
And despite my best intentions, production of Zenecist Chronicles has faltered. It’s not that I don’t have lots of fodder for the mill, I do, including lots on my recent cruise. Rather It’s that I’ve been lacking the discipline and rigour it takes to do it right. And the will. (Then there’s the matter of my online talent. Oy.)
But by far and away the biggest obstacle I’m facing is time itself. As in, what is it I want to do with my (remaining) time? All your life you hear about not wasting time, and that it’s your most precious commodity. But you never believe it. I mean, It’s free right?
Today, I believe it. And time is only free until it isn’t. Being taken out 4 days with the nasty flu reminded me.
To be sure, I’m not giving up. Not by any means. But my goals have changed.
So I’m going to drop back 10 and punt on the podcast until I get myself more situated. I’ll also be returning to my roots as an essayist, having been inspired by E. B. White, who to the mid-century 1900s was to America what Mark Twain was to the century prior, a fact of which I was ridiculously unaware until just 2 weeks ago.
You see, it’s my very nature to create. But as I discovered over my vacation, there are times when I I actually do NOT have “more important things to do than read a book.” I mean it so enriched my very sense of being.
My mission however is unfaltering. And it’s just to encourage anyone with whom I come in contact to keep trying. I once thought it was a mission of hope, because that’s what so many young people have said to me. But along with being preachy, hope is not mine to give.
No, hope is the Divine’s greatest gift, and theirs alone. It’s what keeps us together. And I’m grateful to have been given some recently.
See you when I see you. Peace, T-
Zenecist Trading
NEW!
An evolving eclectic mix of Books, Gear, Accessories & Resources for the curious cosmic adventurer
AN IDEA THAT CAME OUT OF 118 CONCERTS IN 4 YEARS.
The summer of 2022 was first year I had my lawn seat season pass at the Xfinity Center, a 20,000 seat outdoor concert venue in Mansfield, MA, I went to 34 shows that season, each one giving me the sense of a week’s vacation. I was 70.
As great as the music was, the real joy I’ve had in my 3, now 4 seasons (22 shows in 2025) has been the eclectic mix of young show-goers and staff pals, most often from Gen Z, who engaged me not as an old guy but as a friend.
Very importantly, they came from a place of love. And they gave me the first hints of the meaning of a word I coined, Zenecist™.
A being whom, in the moment, is light.
They shared many chill sensibilities, and were intensely curious and passionate seekers. And they all had what David Bryne and the Talking Heads once called “a face with a view,” to me the epitome of beauty. Rarely model beautiful, but always interesting and with a clear and caring presence—and sparkling eyes that confirmed someone is home.
ZENECIST Chronicles are my stories as an older adult and former ad agency owner and creative director, sailor, and family man. I’ve been fortunate and have my successes building a home, a family, and a business. But I’ve also taken some brutally steep falls.
Here’s the thing: show me a group of 12 people and I’ll show you 12 people, each of whom has something very fucked up in their lives. My recent (2025) divorce after 42 years of marriage is case in point.
Nobody escapes these pitfalls: rich, poor, young or old. But it’s how you get back up that’s the measure of your character.
My simple mission is one of encouragement. My goal is simple too: to live an active and independent life as long as I can. And maybe find a new partner-in-crime with whom to share it and to be free.
Zenecist Chronicles has no advice, just stories and ideas I’ve discovered that’ve helped me and others find a path to happiness and self-respect in this confusing and divisive world.
It’s about friends, good company, and great music. And mindful strategies to help us find our way.
You see, happiness is a choice. But it requires you to pay attention. And when it comes, to accept it.
Maybe you can find some ideas and happiness here. Because at any moment, anyone can be a Zenecist.
The Youngest Zenecist Yet!
One August night I returned to my Airstream, home from a concert to find a little bag saying “Open Me” on my doorstep, written in crayon in a child’s writing.
To my absolute delight, in it was a note of welcome along with a beautifully decorated clam shell with pink flamingos. I did some research and found out pink flamingos have been embraced by the Airstream community, reflecting a shared appreciation of retro design, a carefree, adventurous spirit, and camaraderie.
The next day I walked to another Airstream in the park and sure enough, it was 8-year old Hudson who had planned and created this wonderful act of kindness, surely making her one of this years’ “Zenecist 100 Points of Light.” I gave her one of my pins and the joy and light in her eyes was simply beautiful.
I can tell you, my heart soared with this sweet kindness. It’s ultimately all about feeling welcome!
You’re A Zenecist.
If you come from a place of love, kindness, and understanding, you’re a Zenecist. And yeah, enthusiasm matters too—it’s infectious! At any given moment anyone has it in them. And being one brings a chance at happiness.
The idea is simply to encourage each other as we proceed on our life paths. Just imagine a world where everyone extends a simple kindness to another, even just once a day, but every day. A smile. A nod of recognition. A wave. A simple acknowledgment. A kind word.
It never takes much. But it’s local. it’s where we are. A simple welcome.
Were this to happen, we might not feel so alone on this planet. Or in this country. Even within our families. The beauty is kindness is a two-way-street. You get what you give.
The Zenecist movement of kindness. Welcome.