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Float, Sting, Sizzle
January 1, 2017
— 1 Comment
the watcher
I have joined Chris Brogan for several years in pronouncing three theme words for the year as it begins. I have had some random success with this method, but sometimes I completely forget the words. I could look them up, but I don’t know what the words I chose were last year, so it did little good to decide on them. Ironically, I usually have a word on my inspiration list that reminds me to practice regularly, or stay consistent. I believe I have not been specific enough about exactly what I would consistently do or practice. My approach to this year’s words, which I almost did not even do, relate to my wellness and creativity goals. Both wellness and creativity are the summation of small but consistent practices. This year I want to put in minimal effort for maximal results. I want to waste no time, money or effort on anything that does not serve me. If what I find myself doing does not pass the three word test in 2016 I will change my actions. I want to do exclusively three things:
- Float- An efficient swimmer uses glide to stay on top of the water. Getting the most out of each stroke is an art and a strategy for endurance. If I want to live a better life I need to make use of my leisure time to truly fully relax and glide. Meditation, time in nature, yoga, joyous communion with friends, and similar practices feed the soul and allow the mind to center and restore. The float can be active or passive, but in order to qualify as a float it cannot be distracted. We all need the restorative antidote to active lives. This includes sleep and dreams.
- Sting-In an obvious tribute to Mohamed Ali, I plan to sting like a bee in 2017. This represents clean, clear planning and targeted actions. If I am not floating like a butterfly I need to direct my full attention to the task at hand to make it work. I am forever flying by the seat of my pants. This has worked well (??) for me, so I am lazy as hell when it comes to planning. I have so much faith in my own ability to wing it that I do so. Planning and executing a bullet journal to foster ideas for fiction writing I plan to do is an example. I have thought about trying fiction for years, but have taken no action to begin. A sting can be active or passive, but to qualify it must have a target. Stinging involves hitting a predetermined bullseye. It can be a health or a creativity goal, but it is specifically planned to create a desired outcome.
- Sizzle- In order to make any project worth the time it will consume in my schedule it needs to shine. I have plenty of mundane tasks I need to accomplish without adding to the list. This is related to stinging, but is about how the outside world receives my work. If I am to write poetry or fiction worth reading I need to be much more discriminating. In planning what and how to sting I will look beyond my ego and ask the question, “How does this serve the world?” Maybe this will be the year I start to do comedy, which I think I am so good at doing all the time. If I really did comedy on purpose, and actually wrote some material, I could find out if the world would be amused. To sizzle means to score somehow with others to enrich their lives. It can be strangers or people I know, but it has to benefit somebody somewhere.
I think this year I will print the list of words and keep it in my office where I will see it. That is probably the easiest and best way to stick to it. I wish all my gentle readers a healthy and fortunate year.
#WeekendCoffeeShare No Regrets
December 31, 2016
— 4 Comments
fairy duster
Welcome to my home this 31 December, 2016. May I offer you some coffee, tea, or a cocktail? We have a lavish buffet of fruits and nuts to tickle your taste buds while you tickle my imagination. Do tell what your Christmas, or last week, was like for you. If you are visiting Tucson from a cold climate you will enjoy seeing all the flowers still blooming in my yard, and the grapefruit tree loaded with fruit. We had a good rain storm last night so the air is clear and fresh. Stay for a while before you have to go back to winter.
Our holiday decorations have been taken down and stored in the barn. I keep it simple, so striking the set takes little effort and time. The days are quickly lengthening again, and the narcissus is blooming in my garden. In a way we have a two-phase spring, and not much of a winter here. It is almost always sunny, a blessing and a curse. I went to my dermatologist for a light treatment for all my sun damage. This painless procedure requires 3 days in darkness to recover. I fully indulged in my 3 dark days, which fell between 18 and 21 Dec, the darkest days of the year. I hibernated, emerged for a party weekend, then went back in my hobbit hole at home this week. I have been at the gym or at home all week, and it has been divine. I have been reading a lot of new books and generally soaking in the season. I may have also watched a little too much TV, since we have a few free trial channels going now.
For 2017 I look forward to by every day life, which I find to be very pleasurable. I make no resolutions, and so far have not chosen three words for next year, as I have done for a while. I may choose three before the end of the day, but my basic philosophy is to be as helpful to others as I can with the talents I have. In order to be of service I need to accurately assess by own self efficacy, then improve on it. I am going to try writing fiction in 2017. I see a lot of flash fiction that fascinates me, and I have not given fiction much focus. I think if I use a journal to stimulate fictional stories I can get that engine started. I will do NaPoWriMo in April, writing a poem a day for 30 days. This gets easier each year, but I wonder when I will turn into a poet.
I appreciate the coffee sharing community and the diverse cultures and views we represent. May we all party on in good health in 2017 and release all our petty regrets from the past. To join this weekly party check in with Diana. Comment, read, or add your own two cents. Thanks for being such good company, my coffee sharing friends. May the force be with us. I wish you all health and happiness.
pyracantha
red chiles
New Year’s Foods For Good Luck
December 30, 2016
— 1 Comment
Glückschwien
The tradition of eating black eyed peas on New Year’s Day is common in the south. Strict traditionalists eat collard greens and pork with the peas (in a dish known as Hoppin’ John)to symbolize wealth, folding money and coins. The use of black eyed peas in a ceremonial meal to assure good fortune and fertility dates back to Sephardic Jews who have eaten them at Rosh Hashanah for centuries. The Sephardic tribes believe that eating symbolic foods like pomegranate, squash, and dates on the new year will usher in good fortune and abundance for the year. The black eyed pea has been cultivated for over 5,000 years. They arrived in America with African slaves and were grown in the new world as food for slaves and animals. Eventually they made it onto the master’s table.
Some say that the symbolic meal eaten on New Year’s Day is the one eaten by emancipated slaves on January 1, 1863. There are many variations on the proper way to serve and eat this fortune enhancing meal. Some say that the peas eaten without pork and greens will backfire and ruin your year. I hope this is not true because I am a nice vegetarian girl who will always skip the pig part. There are other cultures where pigs are symbols good luck and abundance. In Germany a traditional gift of a Glückschwein or marzipan pig is gifted and eaten on the new year to keep the money flowing. Some say this is because a pig roots forward. Some folks think the eating chicken or lobster on New Year’s Day will bring ill fortune due to the fact that these animals scratch or feed going backwards. Why take a chance? If you really feel like lobster or chicken you can wait for January 2nd. Lobsters aren’r kosher anyhow.
There are a few specific beliefs which may take the superstition too far:
- You cook them with a new dime or penny, or add it to the pot before serving. The person who receives the coin in their portion will be extra lucky.
- You need to eat exactly 365 peas on New Year’s day. If you eat any less, you’ll only be lucky for that many days. I guess on leap years, you need to eat an extra one. If you eat any more than 365 peas, it turns those extra days into bad luck.
- Some say you should leave one pea on your plate, to share your luck with someone else (more of the humbleness that peas seems to represent).
- Others believe if you don’t eat every pea on your plate, your luck will be bad.
I don’t eat the greens or count the beans, but I do like to make Texas caviar for the occasion. My mother was from Texas and this was the dish she used to make. I think she put bacon in it. It is served cold, and does go well with cornbread, another good luck food. Cornbread represents gold. You can choose the tradition that suits your tastebuds and your beliefs. Just skip the chicken and lobster for a day, gentle readers. You never know..
Texas Caviar
Ritual vs Habit
December 29, 2016
— 2 Comments
Hygge
I have started to read about the Danish version of minimalism known as hygge. I purchased a few books on sale and have started to read Hygge: A Danish Concept of Cozy Simple Living, by Noah Neilsen. This simple but elegant lifestyle is core value centered as opposed to consumer centric. Keeping a mindful ritualistic pace as well as a clean clear space leads to happiness and contentment with life. This Danish version of minimalism is more multi dimensional than the similar Spark Joy book about tidying up, Japanese style. I believe the lessons and the system proposed by Marie Kondo in her joy through tidying books, but I have not yet managed to follow through with the whole system. Her books have guided me to vastly improve my tidying and set a long term goal of carrying out the system from the first step to the last. She has outlined what I know will be the final solution to clutter in the space and on the schedule.
I am successful at keeping my time to myself and my schedule light and easy to accomplish. I begin early on most chores, like filing taxes. I have certain ritualistic practices at the end of the year designed to make the first of the next year run smoothly. I clear my desk and clean out my files. There is always a pile of paper I can use for starting first in my wood stove. I keep an IRS pertinent file which I carefully fill for my trip to the accountant. I file as soon as possible in order to experience the great feeling of relief from having finished it. I never let it slide because the reward is to be basically finished with the year in taxes until my property taxes are due in November. That is a wonderful vacation from concern. I don’t make resolutions. I work for an early tax return in order to liberate myself from that drudgery for an extended period.
I like the elements of Hygge that go beyond cleaning and clearing clutter. Meditation, simple hospitality, and artistic self expression are part of the Danish happiness template. Dedicating time to pleasurable shareable activities is stressed over using time to consume things. A monk like attention to the meditative qualities of daily work and life creates a person who is fully present. Yoga is designed to train the mind to focus in spite of distractions. There are other practical ways to unplug from the constant clammer of commercial interests to be closer to nature and to friends and family. Any chore can become a source of pride and contentment. The satisfaction in doing little things adds up to a content way of living.
I practice a few rituals upon which I can build my hygge. My gym time, followed by steam room is a part of my life that reward me directly and over time. I also exercise at home in my community hot tub. Few others use it, so I virtually always have the pool deck to myself for a morning or evening stretch and relax in the water. In summer I enjoy using the big pool as well. This lifts my spirits and keeps me flexible. I incubate ideas, but do not allow any worry or distress to enter my work out time. The movement is a remedy which needs to be applied in a pure state. The steam room and personal grooming time that follows the gym time is part of my daily ritual that makes me feel good as well as look a little better. I leave refreshed, relaxed, and ready to face any task. The gym love is probably my strongest positive practice.
I believe the key to happiness is to find contentment in every moment, the face of God wherever one looks. In 2017 I plan to hone and perfect some rituals I love, as well as find some new helpful ways to be present and find joy. I believe that less is more and that simple pleasures are always abundantly available. Here are some examples I find very pleasurable:
- Bathing
- Skin care
- Journaling
- Mediation
- Food sharing
- Writing
- Gardening
- Art
- Poetry
- Exercise
The Danes are some of the happiest people on earth. I had heard that this was because they have low expectations. Now that I am intrigued by the hygge concept I see that they have very high expectations for presence, for authenticity, and for intimacy. I have a couple of other books to read on the subject, but I have already embraced this idea. I believe that coziness and simple abundance are much overlooked sourced of fulfillment in our society. It is no wonder these Danish writers are all the rage now. We need a big dose of it in the United States. How is your own hygge situation, gentle reader? Can you think of ways to leave bad habits in the dust by taking up purposeful happiness?
rest awhile
The Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly
December 28, 2016
— 1 Comment
My father used to play this on his guitar, and sing it to me throughout my childhood. Burl Ives made the song popular. I vividly remember both my dad and Burl on television, singing the song. I knew all the words and sang along with gusto. I thought it was funny, but now I know it is also ironic. This is a story about dependent arising. One thing leads to another. It may be a metaphor in a children’s story, but it applies to many circumstances in real life.
Many are suggesting that by unraveling the election and the campaign we will learn something to liberate ourselves. I think not. If we would, however, review the path taken to arrive at this political point in our national life we would have to admit that we, the people, are apathetic. If the population pays no attention, and allows the much despised congress to have its way with us, they will surely continue to serve themselves more than they serve us. There is an established trajectory now of the congressional mission. They are allowed to campaign full time and serve the citizens very little. They have been able to use lobbyists to write the legislation they will pass with little input for constituents at home. Everyone complains about this, but nobody has voted it out of office. How do you think this ends?
The latest warning I have heard about was a big family argument over the holiday at my friend’s dinner table. Her sister-in-law is Venezuelan, which is close to my heart because I lived there in the 60’s. The Venezuelan lady was at odds with her own husband about how dangerous it is to normalize what seems to be extreme fascism. She has lived in Tucson for a long time, but is still connected to her home. My friend said the topic provided grist for the family anger mill all evening. I relate to this because I still know some friends from my youth who are living in Caracas today. Some have moved to the states to live a safe life. What was once a prosperous country is completely out of toilet paper and food. There is little security. The position in which they find themselves now was the result of a series of actions taken in the distant past. I agree with my friend’s sister-in-law, who is much younger than I am, and witnessed the demise of the economy in person. Perhaps Venezuela will swallow a horse and end the madness. It would be very sad. It would also be sad if we learn nothing from their history. We have swallowed a fly…….what shall we do about it, gentle reader?
Venezuela
Venezuela
Take The Compassionate Meal Challenge
December 27, 2016
— 1 Comment
I am excited about this excellent promotion to share compassionate meals. The idea of going vegan has spread like wildfire for many good reasons. I agree with all the reasons, including the animal cruelty problem, but I still eat some dairy and eggs. Many folks are trying it for weight loss and finding it to be effective for that purpose. Once they embark on a meatless diet they feel lighter and usually are cured of a few chronic healthy issues.
I personally know how very unpopular it is to tell other people what to eat. Nobody wants to hear someone else control their diet unless they have paid a nutritionalist to do so. It is my opinion that the best way to convert the meat eaters to my way of thinking is to introduce them to foods that are delicious and easy to prepare. If they like the way it tastes they will be motivated to make it and eat it frequently. If it does not suit their tastebuds it will be difficult to stay on any prescribed eating regime. I never try to change anyone’s food choices, but do work on expanding them. I relate because when I became a vegetarian at the age of 19 my own diet was “American teen” minus the meat. I ate fries, potato chips, Dr Pepper, biscuits, bread, hush puppies, and a few vegetables. I did like spinach, but my palette was very immature and limited. It was a nutritional nightmare, but I learned to prepare a wider variety of dishes, and my horizons expanded. I think we can all benefit from learning to make healthy foods, and try new ones available on the market. I like ethnic restaurants a lot for this purpose. If I find something good I knock it off at home.
I like this challenge out of all the bazillion challenges being thrown down at the end of the year because it is about sharing. The sharing is intended to convert, but it starts as sharing. When I invite friends out to eat I choose places with good vegetarian food that I really like, for obvious reasons. This often results in new discoveries for my dining companions whether they order a vegetarian meal or not. They see what I order and how much bang one gets for a buck compared to a meat based cuisine.
I plan to participate in this challenge often because I will also learn from the other participants. If you have any resolutions or aspirations to lean into a more vegan style of eating this is an excellent way to find out how to do it. It is probably easier and tastier than you might imagine. You can follow the action on twitter at CompassionateMeals or search using the hashtag #compassionatemeal to find out what others are eating and sharing. Like #MeatlessMonday, it will have an endless treat of good ideas and recipes, no doubt. Get behind this delicious campaign, gentle readers.
spring rolls to share
Sagittarius Moon boosts the fiery tone to the day 12-26-2016 — Libra Seeking Balance
December 26, 2016
— 2 Comments
With the Sagittarius Moon squaring Mars in Pisces first thing in the morning and Neptune in Pisces during the afternoon, we could find ourselves going in circles today. Be patient and do allow extra time even when doing basic, routines tasks today. If you are traveling home from spending Christmas with family or friends, you […]
via Sagittarius Moon boosts the fiery tone to the day 12-26-2016 — Libra Seeking Balance
Listen To Mikhail Baryshnikov
December 26, 2016
— 2 Comments
Bryshnikov speaks
I was at the Metropolitan Opera on the 4th of July, 1986, the day after Misha became an American citizen. He danced in the ballet Giselle, and leapt into the air with what appeared to be the greatest of ease, but was the result of a lifetime of training. He was young and stunningly talented. American Ballet Theater gave the people an outstanding show, starring the rock star, movie star, ballet star who came to us as a gift from Russia “with love”. The crowd went wild and threw hundreds of roses while giving a standing ovation after the performance. The audience showed how deeply his presence, and now his citizenship, was appreciated in New York. It was an exquisite moment in history to witness. He made his stage debut at the Mariinsky Theatre in 1967, featuring in a production of Giselle. He was born in Riga, present day Latvia. He was trained in ballet in Riga and St. Petersburg in his youth. He defected from the Soviet Union in 1974 after a performance of the Kirov Ballet in Toronto. He moved to New York and became the director of American Ballet Theater.
I was also lucky enough to see him on stage in Paris in the 1990’s when he was dancing to his own choreography in the White Oak Project. His leaping had been somewhat subdued, but he chose younger dancers for his company who could still hit the very high leaps. His own style had only mellowed and perfected itself then dancing his own creations. He has performed around the world with many different troupes. His talents and achievements are legendary. His training by and defection from the former Soviet Union made his gift even sweeter. Now his birth land of Latvia is voting to confer Latvian citizenship on their famous son. He has applied for it and the parliament is scheduled to take it under consideration. It would be ironic and odd if he were to need to defect to Latvia once his dual citizenship has been conferred.
Last week it was Prince Charles of the British monarchy warning us that he feels a 1930’s vibe. Now Misha tells us he is feeling a cold war. We should take heed, gentle readers. Experience and history are talking to us.
#WeekendCoffeeShare, Yuletide Edition
December 24, 2016
— 8 Comments
Inn of Gingerbread
Arizona Inn Dining Room
If we were having coffee today I would invite you to quench your thirst with some fresh grapefruit juice. Our ruby-red grapefruit tree is yielding fruit that we will harvest from now until March. It is bright red in the spirit of Christmas, and delightfully tart. Citrus season is generous, bright and cheerful. We have a calamondin tree which bears heavily all winter too. It is a very tart lime flavored small fruit. I am going to town by scenting the air with mandarin and lime oils in the gingerbread house diffuser. I am serving a selection hot teas and coffee for your drinking pleasure. I am even on a citrus jag with tea, loving the roiboos lemon cloud flavor. It does make me feel like I am on a cloud for a few minutes when I drink it. Help yourself to your favorite beverage, and you can feel free to add a splash of alcohol if you are arriving at happy hour in your time zone.
Here in Tucson it is 7:45 am and 46 degrees F. It will be warm and sunny all day, so soak up some rays and the beauty of the desert before you leave. We are going to the Arizona Inn, very close to home, for our Christmas Eve lunch. Our 1:30 reservation for the main dining room is the perfect plan for this couple. I am vegetarian and Bob is not. At home he has to keep kosher, which means no meat in the house. When he dines out he likes to have super excellent carnivore cuts. The Arizona Inn has fabulous selections for me, and outstanding dishes for him. He might eat a duck today, and that is fine with me. We are going there for the elegance, the service, and the superb cuisine. They will prepare and serve our dinner in a highly sophisticated style we just can’t replicate at home in our condo. We have no chef at home, and more importantly, no dishwashers. They never disappoint. They go over the top so we don’t have to make such an effort. I look forward to this traditional lazy holiday.
They will have a glorious flower arrangement in the center of the room, and a fire in the adobe fireplace. The Inn has all the trimmings for a fancy over the top holiday experience. All we have to do is Uber on over and enjoy the day. We take Uber when we want to cocktail, and we do plan to cocktail this afternoon. The car service adds an element of luxury our daily lives do not normally include, and that is fun too. Our driver will deliver us to the front door of the Inn, where the doormen (plural) will welcome us. We will take our traditional photos next to the decorated tree in the library before taking our table in the dining room. For me it is the best no fuss no muss way to celebrate this holiday weekend.
I have plenty of time this morning to hear about your holiday (or not) plans. What kind of celebration will happen where you live? Drop in on Diana to share your comments or a post of your own. Diana keeps the party going from New Orleans, but this is a world wide event. Share coffee with some very cool writers from all over the world. Cheers, all!
Inn of Gingerbread
Jolly Jolly Jingles
December 23, 2016
— 1 Comment
Santa horse
holiday decorating
holiday decorating
holiday decorating
I am taking this time so easy I can’t even believe it myself. We do not stress ourselves by including obligatory events in December, so our home life is without strain to complete or compete. We decorate a little, and I like to burn candles this time of year because the dark begins in the afternoon and seems like a cheery flicker in the dark. We celebrate not exactly any holiday other than the winter solstice, but are happy to join in the whole festive season. I drive less and shop very little because the crowds and traffic are not on my list of jolly things to experience. I buy a little more than usual in the specialty foods and booze category, but in general our consumption is normal in December. We certainly do not go wild. We like it quiet.
I am very lucky that the Tucson Botanical Gardens is right around the corner from home, so I zip over there for some outdoor nature time. It is also a winter treat to have the butterfly and tropical frog show at the gardens in the greenhouse. It is a gift the year around to be able to take a beautiful botanical break away from traffic and shopping and work. This is my idea of a jolly good time.
I consider my life to be blessed with ease and good health. I wish all my gentle readers a holiday week of gladness and good fortune. May you all be the merriest of readers in the jolliest of good company. God bless us every one.
orchid wreath
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