I bought a credit card holder today for less than five dollars. That was exciting. I felt I got a bargain.

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Snuggie

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June 5, 2010

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Wildest Dream

Wildest Dreams
Dolly Parton

Let’s drink a toast to what might’ve been
To all that we were but can’t be again
And let’s just be thankful we parted as friends
Here’s to the past, let the future begin

Oh, and here’s to your wildest dreams
And here’s to your everything
May your life be blest with sweet happiness
Baby, here’s to your wildest dreams,

I made a promise that I wouldn’t cry
You go and chase your rainbows, go on reach for the sky
But come hold me close now, look deep in my eyes
Tell me you love me then kiss me goodbye

Oh, and here’s to your wildest dreams
And here’s to your everything
May your life be blest with sweet happiness
Baby, here’s to your wildest dreams,

I’ll always love you and I’m on your side
In whatever you do, I will take pride

And here’s to your wildest dreams, baby
And here’s to your everything
May your life be blest with sweet happiness
Baby, here’s to your wildest dreams,
Baby, here’s to your wildest dreams,
Dream on, baby

Champs

Potomac Valley Track Meet May 2010

Soar

May 6, 2010

"A mother wants her daughter to soar and she's watching her as she soars, but that also means she's receding in the sky."

— Deborah Tannen, author

Leader of the Band

Leader of the Band
Dan Fogleberg
A lonely child, alone and wild
a cabinet maker's son
His hands were meant for different work
and his heart was known to none
He left his home
and went his lone and solitary way
And he gave to me
a gift I know I never can repay.

A quiet man of music
denied a simpler fate
He tried to be a soldier once
but his music wouldn't wait
He earned his love through discipline
a thundering velvet hand
His gentle means of sculpting souls
took me years to understand

The leader of the band is tired
and his eyes are growing old
But his blood runs through my instrument
and his song is in my soul
My life has been a poor attempt
to imitate the man
I'm just the living legacy
to the leader of the band.

My brother's lives were different
for they heard another call
One went to Chicago
and the other to St. Paul
And I'm in Colorado
when I'm not in some hotel
Living out this life I've chosen
And grown to know so well.

I thank you for the music
and your stories of the road
I thank you for the freedom
when it came my time to go
I thank you for the kindness
and the times when you got tough
And papa I dont think I've said
I love you near enough.

The leader of the band is tired
and his eyes are growing old
But his blood runs through my instrument
and his song is in my soul
My life has been a poor attempt
to imitate the man
I'm just the living legacy
to the leader of the band.
I am the living legacy
to the leader of the band...

Daily Words of the Buddha for February 09, 2010

Wonderful it is to train the mind,
so swiftly moving, seizing whatever it wants.
Good is it to have a well-trained mind,
for a well-trained mind brings happiness.

Dhammapada 3.35

Feed a cold?

Feed a cold, except nothing tastes right. My teeth are furry from eating cough drops. Enough of those little lounges can set your stomach sour. When I know sleep is what I need, the hacking shakes me out of bed. Funny when I worked full time and had paid sick leave, I would go stalwartly march in with a cold. Now that I am part-time and have no paid sick leave, I don't see any reason to go in. Where, oh, where is the sense in that?

Oh, John

Almost heaven, west virginia
Blue ridge mountains, shenandoah river
Life is old there, older than the trees
Younger than the mountains, blowing like a breeze

Country roads, take me home
To the place, I be-long
West virginia, mountain momma
Take me home, country roads

All my memries, gather round her
Miners lady, stranger to blue water
Dark and dusty, painted on the sky
Misty taste of moonshine, teardrop in my eye

Country roads, take me home
To the place, I be-long
West virginia, mountain momma
Take me home, country roads

I hear her voice, in the mornin hours she calls to me
The radio reminds me of my home far a-way
And drivin down the road I get a feeling
That I should have been home yesterday, yesterday

Country roads, take me home
To the place, I be-long
West virginia, mountain momma
Take me home, country roads

"Take Me Home, Country Roads" is a song written by John Denver, Bill Danoff and Taffy Nivert, and initially recorded by John Denver. It was included on his 1971 breakout album Poems, Prayers and Promises; the single went to #2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.

After many other hit singles, "Take Me Home, Country Roads" remains Denver's signature song.

Who knew? Chile still loves KC. Chille & KC know.

I had energy in 1974

This is the kind of music that rocked me in 1974. Dance we did.

Power of an apron

Yesterday was the funeral of a prominent elder in the town of Davis. We expected a goodly crowd at meal afterward. Of the women that were there to put out the food and watch the tables, I was the only one to don an apron. As out of town folks left, many came to me to thank us for the delicious and abundant food and for tending to the family. I hadn't cooked a thing, but realized the apron signaled an authority. Evidently it was enough of a uniform to give me temporary power. I graciously accepted the thanks, told folks it was a honor to serve them, and would pass their thanks on. The power of the apron.

Dream

I awoke from a vivid dream of 2401. I knew I was only there for a visit, but I was glad to be there because I know it no longer existed as such except in my memory. I felt closer to Mom & Dad as if they were just out of the house. I sat in Dad's recliner. I was doing laundry so I will go tend to that in the now.

Friend

If for company you find a wise and prudent friend
who leads a good life,
you should, overcoming all impediments,
keep their company joyously and mindfully.

Dhammapada 23.328

Delight in heedfulness!
Guard well your thoughts!
Draw yourself out of this bog of evil,
even as an elephant draws itself out of the mud.

Dhammapada 23.327

Strong as an elephant

Delight in heedfulness!
Guard well your thoughts!
Draw yourself out of this bog of evil,
even as an elephant draws itself out of the mud.

Dhammapada 23.327

Day four of the retreat

The fourth day of the retreat is the day one learns the vipissana part of the meditation. It is the head to toe scanning of the body. It is a day of determination about the sitting. The first head to toe sitting takes about two hours. Talk about determination. My legs were screaming with pain. I was in tears and so relieved when the session ended. It is a good thing we were silent. I couldn't have stood to hear my self complaining outloud. It was ugly enough inside my head.

Any sensual bliss in the world,
any heavenly bliss,
isn't worth one sixteenth-sixteenth
of the bliss of the ending of craving.

Udāna 2.12

A month in

A month after starting the newest phase in my spirituality journey, I have one note for this morning: It is difficult to have a calm and equanimous mind the morning after watching the movie Milk last night.

To avoid all evil,
to cultivate good,
and to purify one's mind -
this is the teaching of the Buddhas.

Dhammapada 14.183

East meets West Virginia

'Just as a solid rock is not shaken by the storm,
even so the wise are not affected by praise or blame.'
Daily Words of the Buddha for October 15, 2009

Equanimity, equipoise, equilibrium...

On September 23, I rode with friends from the Wheeling book club to Camp Fairlee at Chestertown, MD to attend a 10 day Vipassana retreat. I must admit that I had done some research into what I was getting into, but had not done more than scratch the surface. Partly I was going on trust in my friend's research. My trust was well placed. The 10 days were vibrant and exciting. Some moments were challenging past my expectations, but challenge is the push I often need to step out in faith.

The reading I have done through the years and the focus the reading group had prepared me to richly dive into the retreat. What a blessing. What a blessing.

I am just one of many westerners who have been exploring eastern thinking and meditation. Nothing really new here. Just my journey.