A Mindful Life

You put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now water can crash, drip, flow…be water my friend. –Bruce Lee

Recently Husband and I saw Children of Men. It’s a brilliant movie, both depressing as hell but with a glimmer of hope. For me, the grimness outweighed the glimmer. Toward the end of the movie during a scene of momentary calm saturated with hope and wonder, I lost control and broke down into loud sobs [...]

Houston, we have Internet access at home! Whee! I’ve been sick since yesterday with stomach problems. It’s an on-again-off-again thing. At the moment, Husband is securing an 8-foot bookcase in the office to the wall with earthquake straps. Tomorrow we’ll unpack boxes in there. Some observations: I made beef stock for soup. Nothing smells more [...]

In my many years I have come to a conclusion that one useless man is a shame, two is a law firm, and three or more is a congress. –John Adams Still no Internet at home! It’s coming, I’m told. AT&T said we should have it by end of business on Friday. We’ll see. Meanwhile, [...]

Creative people, take heart. Restrain your self-pity. You don’t have a choice. How else would you live? If you could conform, you already would have. Keep your eyes glistening and your intelligence white-hot (as Rumi advises). Nurture yourself with relations with like minded people, beware the impulse for self-medication, cultivate elders who have cut trail [...]

The trouble with our times is that the future is not what it used to be. –Paul Valery

I’ve not much to write at the moment, at least, nothing scintillating. The kitchen is entirely unpacked, and a huge grocery run has filled the fridge and pantry. I cooked at home last night with Husband. I found my digital camera and just need to charge the batteries. And finally, we’ve ordered DSL for home, [...]

The cable service is on. The repairman comes tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. to fix the small niggling problems. Husband plans to wash down the kitchen tonight so we can unpack our stuff and enjoy a home cooked meal. I met with my literacy learner today, and I believe we are getting into the groove of [...]

I’m still out of the house. I met Husband at his work, where there is free wifi access for guests. I also ate dinner with him at one of the cafeterias that his company is famous for providing. No wonder some people eat all three daily meals here; it’s good (and free)! But now, Husband [...]

Molly Ivins has died. I admired her spark and wit, her astute political commentary delivered with a Texas twang. In January 1994 I read her first book, Molly Ivins Can’t Say That, Can She?; it was so funny there were laugh-out-loud moments, and it was this book that inspired me to consider moving from Syracuse, [...]