I am 59 years old; I am well over four feet.
I started blogging in February 2006. My pen name is “UrSpo”. “Ur” suggests something ancient and primordial while “Spo” is a funny-sounding word I remember from my youth. Suddenly saying ‘Spo!’ made me smile.”UrSpo” sounds like the start of a joke, or something archetypal and comic. It is a rather lofty pen name for someone who writes mostly dribble.
My real name is Michael Charles.
I have a spouse whom I refer to as “Someone”. This is a reference/homage/rip-off to one of my favorite authors, the late Alice Thomas Ellis. In her ‘Home Life’ series she referred to her spouse as Someone.
I write about my daily doings and what is on my mind. My blog is my way of scratching an itch to write. I suppose I’m not very good, I enjoy it so. I regularly evoke The Muses or somebody like them (The Norns; The Fates; The Furies; The Skanks) to help me.
‘Spo-reflections’ is managed by The Board of Directors Here at Spo-reflections. They are a boisterous bunch of busy-body Viking-types. They keep me on my toes and ascertain I am not writing anything political, dirty, or using dangling participles.
Writing is my hobby; my profession is medicine. I am a psychiatrist, trained in the Jungian school of psychology. I sometimes write about Jungian concepts and sometimes I write about the life of a physician.
Categories you will see here:
Randoms Thoughts
Walking the dog
Notes from the Office
World of mine Wednesday’s Ws.
Curious Things about the House
Spo-Reflections on (insert topic here)
I am open to new ideas and growth of the Self – but I would like a cup of tea, please.
I meet many bright and friendly souls along the way. I thank you for dropping by; it is an honor for me. Please leave a comment if you like something – and to tell me who you are. I like it when folks say hi.
I hope our time together is something marvelous.
Spo-Reflections 
30 comments
Comments feed for this article
January 2, 2012 at 4:16 PM
marylouise
ur precious. i’m interested in all things jung and i stumbled upon your blog.
HNY! marylouise
February 29, 2012 at 7:37 PM
Nick
Young gay art school student. Having a cosmic connections kind of day.Stumbled upon your blog while searching “gay fetish wear made out of licorce” on Google images to see if anybody has done it yet so I can do it for a school project. The picture came up of you and your fetish gingerbread men.You are beautiful in the face I must say and you seen interesting too. I hope to meet a man as perfect as my imagination is making you to be. Gonna bookmark your blog and check it now and then. Thanx for sharen thoughts. Peace out man.
February 29, 2012 at 8:07 PM
Urspo
Thank you for your compliments; I have been writing this blog for six years; I hope you find the posting (past and present) entertaining. Michael
________________________________
March 13, 2012 at 2:28 PM
John
Dear Spo,
Over many, many months I’ve enjoyed your blog (I started to write the word “column” because it’s as entertaining as any that I read in the major newspapers.)
I had a dream two nights ago — and, no, I’m not going to impose upon you for your interpretation, but I thought that you might find it interesting. I’ve never had a dream like this before.
First, I need to tell you that I’m 60 years old, and that my mom passed away three months ago. She was the light of my life, and I’m taking her death as hard as anybody who’s lost someone they love very much.
In the dream I’ve just turned away some “bad men” who came to my front door saying I owed them money. And just to get them gone, I put in one man’s hand about four or five quarters that I just picked up from the carpet in my living room. Surprisingly, the bad men are delighted to get that little bit of loose change, and away they go.
Then I close the door and turn around to see that my father is standing in my living room, and I’m aware that he’s come here from the afterlife. Dad died 30 years ago. And now here he is: well dressed, he looks neither happy nor unhappy; he looks younger than when he died at 73.
Our relationship when he was living was kind of awkward. I know he loved me, and I loved him, but I can’t remember him ever putting his arm around me.
In the dream my father doesn’t say a word, but slowly walks around the room, taking it in. He stops when he sees my cat at his feet. He looks a little puzzled. “This is Casper,” I say. And because I sense that he came here for a reason, I ask, “Daddy, is there something you want to tell me?” But he doesn’t answer.
Then he leaves through the front door and approaches my sister Anita, who is gardening outside. He stands a few feet in front of her, but Anita looks right through him. I take hold of my father’s right arm, and I’m feeling very excited, and I say, “Anita, Daddy’s here!” And that’s how the dream ends.
Recently when she interviewed Whitney Houston’s daughter, Oprah used the word “visitation” in this same context as my experience. I’ve heard about visitations before, but never experienced one until now.
Thanks so much for reading my note.
I wish you well in all your endeavors.
John
March 14, 2012 at 9:26 PM
Urspo
I want to reply to this with a proper response – I will do so this weekend Michael
November 2, 2012 at 3:28 PM
Ron
You dreamboat you. 🙂
December 8, 2012 at 5:59 PM
Anonymous Coward
I’ve enjoyed reading your blog. You’re a very interesting person. “Someone” is very blessed to have you.
April 10, 2013 at 6:09 AM
Laurent
I do not know if there are psychiatrists who are trained in another school other than Jung. There probably are its just that I never met one.
April 10, 2013 at 6:18 AM
Urspo
Must are not trained in Jung. All psychiatrists are aware of him and know one of two ‘take home messages” but othewise see him as a branch of psychology that died out other than for those into New-Age and dungeons and dragons. The majority of shrinks – if they are dynamically trained at all – are in schools of a) Freud b) Object relations c) Self-psychology. Which are the ‘big ones’. Nowadays most psychiatrists are not trained in any psychology, other than a footnote history class. If people do therapy it is primarily cognitive behavioral therapy and not at all dynamic oriented – and not done by psychiatrists. I am an anachronism, ‘last of the Mohicans” as it were, having been trained to be a true shrink. 21st century will not see the likes of me anymore.
________________________________
May 1, 2013 at 6:43 PM
Laurent
Thank you for the clarification I had no idea. BTW love your new icon photo of clear and obscure shadows very dramatic.
October 12, 2013 at 8:03 PM
Jay Murphy (@jaygeemmm)
I hope you remember me from the blogger gathering last april. Another blogger friend, 23 years old, is moving to Phoenix to start a new job. Could I give him your contact info here so he can start making new friends in Phoenix?
Thanks, and Peace ❤
Jay
October 12, 2013 at 9:15 PM
Urspo
Of course I rember !! I comment on your blog silly man ! 🙂 Yes please to the referral !
Sent from nowhere in particular.
>
January 1, 2014 at 2:41 PM
David
I appreciate and offer thanks for your perspective on Jung and Psychology as it is practiced in the 21st century . I have been involved in the “mental health community” in a variety of roles for some time now . Although the only credential I have is B.S. in Psychology I have skated very close to the edge in terms of engagement .
It’s very easy to get discouraged by this work and I think 2014 will see me step back – say no – as you suggest to demanding life of a volunteer .
Happy New Year to you and your partner . I’m glad there a still a few Indians out there – must feel like your rowing upstream sometimes .
I have been reading a lot about Jung recently . I especially like James Hollis as he makes Jung comprehensible for me .
Just another quick thought . You mentioned that you like to write and I wonder if /or what you think about Irving Yalom . I couldn’t get through the Spinoza book but liked his idea about spirituality as expressed through that character .
January 2, 2014 at 8:37 AM
Urspo
Thank you for leaving meyour thoughts and comments! Iwant to give you a good response to your questions; I will be writing out soon when there is a ‘breather’ at work or perhaps this weekend!
Michael
May 18, 2014 at 4:56 PM
joe
Could you provide professional help to get over being pee shy?
September 24, 2014 at 8:46 AM
Tavis
I just discovered your blog and absolutely love it. I’m doing my PhD in LGBTQ Cross-cultural Psychology in London. I love it, but I am a not-so-secret analysis fan that just eventually got turned off from the idea after years of dealing with Lacanian mysogyny and simply not being independently wealthy enough to train.
I’m definitely following the blog now. Love the articles.
January 30, 2015 at 12:01 AM
Robert
I look forward to reading more about you 🙂
February 9, 2015 at 2:23 PM
justino
Michael,
“The Eve of St. Agnes” is also one of my favorite poems.. Thank you for your blog. A sunny day comes my way when I open your thoughts.
July 29, 2018 at 3:41 AM
Practical Parsimony
“The Eve of St. Agnes” is absolutely one of my favorite poems. I even wrote a paper on it in grad school.
May 9, 2015 at 9:48 PM
Kato
Hi Michael. I showed your photo to my family. My husband said you looked interesting. My 11yo said you looked like you were really good at pulling faces. My 9yo said nothing. And my 8yo thinks I shouldn’t be messaging you. Kato
September 6, 2015 at 9:43 AM
Walter
I’m so very happy and glad I found your blog. I only just started blogging myself again and I’m always on the look-out for worthy, erudite reads. Please keep writing; I’m reading.
September 6, 2015 at 9:48 AM
Urspo
I am delighted to meet you; I will drop by your blog today during my readings.
October 4, 2015 at 9:02 AM
vinnieh
I’m happy I stumbled upon your blog.
February 1, 2016 at 5:50 PM
Rick
I recently saw the movie The Danish Girl. I was intending to see The Revenant but I was a few minutes late and I’m not paying for a movie and missing any of it. At any rate, there’s an art dealer character in The Danish Girl that looks quite similar to you. I was watching and wondering where had I seen this guy. Then it came to me that it was you I was thinking about. I can’t recommend the movie but if you see it you will know what I mean.
February 3, 2016 at 6:02 AM
Urspo
Thank you for the comment.
I mentioned this to Someone, who is likely to see the movie. I will have him look out for this.
May 22, 2016 at 10:40 PM
Enrique T
I heart Spo!!! I love the blog and have been enjoying it for a few years now. I don’t remember when it was I came across your blog but I have been a fan ever since. Your like a character in a book one can easily fall in love with, as weird as that may sound. I thank you for sharing your thoughts and feelings and look forward to many more post.
November 22, 2016 at 10:00 PM
callmetrav
I’m glad I finally found your intro. I have learned more about you and I finally know your name now. Lol
July 17, 2019 at 11:39 AM
Richard Bell
I found this page looking up Hot Puppies! Can I send you a pdf of my book Life Seemed Good, But… A collection of short quirky stories. (?) I think you’d enjoy it.
July 18, 2019 at 7:35 AM
Urspo
I thank you for the kind offer. I am up to my ears in things to read right now. Are you selling such at Amazon?
February 11, 2024 at 6:33 PM
Anonymous
I thought I had commented before, but I guess I did not? Oh well. Here I am, a newish reader. I find your blog to be entertaining and I always stop and read a post when I see it in my email box. I write two blogs of my own. But not because I have anything of importance to tell everyone. I just look at it as journaling. Keeps me from being hugely bored, helps me remember things. Cannaryfamily.blogspot.com (The Cannary Family) and cannarymom.blogspot.com (Its just Me, Gina).