photo by M.A.D.
photo by M.A.D.
photo by M.A.D.
photo by M.A.D.
As promised, here are a few pics of tonight’s SuperMoon – absolutely amazing! I took these a little more than an hour ago. The view from Cliffwood Beach in New Jersey (USA). Enjoy!
A trashcan at a food court in Salt Lake City, Utah (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The more I think about our kind, I see the complexity of our being. This morning for example, I went for my early walk, and saw this complexity unfolding. I am a hello, good morning person, so when I am walking and happen to see another of my species, I usually say the words. Many times, I get some kind of response – a smile, a gesture of a head tilted sideways with a subtle up movement, a hello or a good morning. Other times, I get nothing, a stern look, or a head down, avoiding eye contact. This has puzzled me for so long – why do people do this? Even animals, acknowledge other species, and theirs. This morning, I said Good Morning to a woman who was cutting some flowers, and who politely answered with a short and quick good morning, the kind with the absence of a smile. Later on, I said good morning to a man who had come out of his home and was ready to collect his garbage cans. He looked at me, as if I had just insulted him, and said nothing. As I walked further, I spotted a crossing guard who was walking to reach her morning post. I smiled, but instead met with the quick head down to avoid eye contact. Later on, I encountered two neighbors driving to their destination flashing smiles and waving. Thank God I’d just reached home and that was the last image I had on my mind – my happy neighbors – because I was beginning to feel a bit uninspired and yes, puzzled, about why people behave that way so early in the morning. I understand when people have had a rotten day, but so early?
It is true that we are living in a fast technologically “challenged?” society, and that we seem to “need more hours” to keep up the pace. However, we seem to have forgotten good manners while we spend the 24 hours we have. It seems to me that two very important words/phrases are almost nonexistent these days – GOOD MORNING (or Hello) and THANK YOU.
It may be my perception, but I seem to hear them less these days. It was very important to say Thank You or Good Morning, not too long ago, although it may seem another century, or as if these words have been relegated to retail pleasantries status. It puzzles me when a door is held or opened for someone, something is given, or someone takes the time or effort to do something for someone, even for a stranger, and these words are never said. As if the person at the other end was a ghost.
What has happened to us? Why are these words less important today than a few decades ago? I am not sure if the speed we live our lives has to do anything with it, or is it that our values have changed, and good manners are not important any more? Sometimes I get more thank you’s from automated systems/services or machinery than from human beings. It is not that I want to be thanked all the time, but more of a concern about “where is our kind headed.” A world where everything is taken for granted? One without gratitude? One where machines seem to have better manners than humans? Or are we there?
We all have our slip-offs and moments of “zombie awareness,” but when our hurried steps/lives become more significant than the generous acts of others (who happen to have the same 24 hours that we have), maybe it is time to stop the purposeless frenzy and think about how long has it been since we said the Ghost Words. By the way, Thank You for reading this.
It may seem as a contradiction but it has been my experience. Maybe, I over think stuff, maybe I am over-committed to stuff (and I don’t mean material stuff), but for many, the pursue of a simple life has started by abandoning all that is, and starting fresh; not my case. I love to hear stories about people who have made radical changes and quickly left their jobs, old life, material ties, and abandoned themselves to the pursuit of a meaningful and simple life, whether traveling the world, or doing something totally different – careers … Yes, I love those stories and deep inside, I wish I could do the same.
However, when I started the pursuit of a simple life, life got in the way of it. How it happens? To each its own, and circumstances are individual, that is the only explanation I have. It has taken work, time, and effort to start this pursuit – it almost takes all the fun out of it, right?
For me, the simple life goes beyond the abandonment of the current – it has taken the path of learning a new lifestyle, of changing career, understanding spirituality, and the attempt of moving physical locations, along with the systematic purging of the material, and the fulfillment of some material commitments as well. All that takes time, and it will take as much time as you are deep in it. Somehow, the simple becomes slow, systematic, complicated … far.
As long as there is an understanding of this reality, the pursuit of a simple life becomes a dream, a goal, an aspiration. You learn to ditch, you learn to do, you learn, and you learn, and at one point you get tired of learning and doing, and you want to learn to ditch more, but life becomes reality, and simplicity becomes a place down the road, and the wheels suffer wear and tear. It makes you think of the one who have jumped in the pursuit with no regrets and no second thoughts of what is behind – have they? I will never know – to each, its own.
One thing is for sure, the simple life does require other than a simplistic approach, at least, in my understanding. I have ditched, learned to do things different, to wait for the right time to be able to change physical locations, to change careers and to learn all needed to do that in the process, to deal with the close-minded, to deal with consequences, learned to accept time, and learned to let go of what doesn’t suit the simple life anymore – whether material, spiritual, or human. In the meantime, I hope that time does not morph into lassitude, and pray that I don’t end up with broken wings.
Those of you who have followed this blog for some time have read some posts about the proposed uranium mining in Virginia, where I will be moving soon to start a farmette. Well I have been very concerned about this for many reasons – health, Virginia unsuitable climate for mining, a possible scenario for great contamination, and other issues, including our proximity to the proposed site, at only a few miles.
Well, today I am sharing the good news and that is – THE PROPOSAL WAS DEFEATED! At least for now, but this is great news. Here is where you can read about it – Uranium Mining Proposal Suffers Major Defeat/Keep the Ban. I am extremely happy about this, and I am thanking again all of you who voted to keep the ban in uranium mining in Virginia. I will keep you informed on the latest developments. If you want to read more on this important issue that affects other states such as North Carolina, since its supply of water comes from Virginia, in part, you can visit the Keep the Ban website.
I think that we all need a little bid of this today, so I am sharing you this wonderful youtube video by yuoaya. Enjoy and many blessings to you and yours.
I had wished for two things and I got them for my birthday. To me, a birthday should be about celebration, but also about the things you love or wish. It is the day that you go all me-me-me, and you are entitled to it, simply because it is your special day, a celebration of the day you came to be on this planet. That is big! It is the day that you should take off from work, sleep late, and indulge yourself with all your favorites. It is a day to pamper and spoil yourself rotten – it is all about you. If nobody remembers it, you did, and you were good to yourself, and that counts too. Make your day count, you are not an amoeba (not that there is anything wrong with being an amoeba) you are special, so start treating yourself that way.
For my birthday, two wishes came true – a copy of The Grievers from author Marc Schuster and a Maneki Neko sculpture from artist Christina Colwell of Helix Art and Glass. Both things, I have coveted for a while and finally got them on the perfect day. Here is a picture of them.
Now, I have plans for my anniversary, which is coming soon 🙂 but that my friends, is another post.
Here I leave you with this blog post from thoughtsontheatre – http://thoughtsontheatre.wordpress.com/2012/06/21/how-to-be-kind-to-yourself/
and an expression from a fellow blogger Eric Wang – Healthdemystified that I read and love – “I’m gonna live my life in constant beta.”
Image via Wikipedia
This morning, as I scanned the FB comments, I stopped at one made by Paolo Coelho – “What other people think of you is none of your business.” I thought, excellent words of wisdom, but not easy to follow them. The truth is that doing that is really very difficult because it goes against our human nature. As a social species, we want to be liked by others, and we love to be accepted and celebrated by others. We want to share our wisdom with others, wether blogging, writing a book, talking to family or friends, thru a painting exposition … We want to achieve but we also want those achievements to be recognized. We do mind what other people think and say of us, and maybe we give too much importance on what others think of us. That is why I thought that those words were such an epiphany – “What other people think of you is none of your business.”
If we lived that way we would be so much happier with the world around us and with the world within us. We would be less critical of others and of ourselves. We would spend less time worrying and sulking and more time dreaming and doing. Ever tried to talk to someone who refutes or challenges every word that comes from your mouth – even if you are talking about laundry? Well, I have, and let me tell you that it is the hardest thing to do, because it is impossible to have a normal conversation with that person. This is when those words work well and instead of forcing a conversation or defending mine, I choose to mind my fabulous business and shut up, and in the way to happy land, I realize that Paolo Coelho is right – what other people think of me is none of my fabulous business.
Image via Wikipedia
If you are human, you have a set of beliefs. Those beliefs form as you grow up and are highly influenced by culture, family, country … and many other things. In a way, you identify with those beliefs, in a way, they are you, part of you. I know people who are so set in their beliefs that refuse to explore beyond their horizon or entertain another point of view. These people may fear that by opening their mind to receive information that may or may not contradict their belief system, they might cheat on that same system or worst, lose themselves – I pity them. Why? Because opening your mind to try to understand something and exploring information does not in any way diminish what you think, or believe; on the contrary, if you truly respect your beliefs, there is no need to fear new information. What would have happened if all the explorers and scientists of the past had not stepped one foot pass their comfort zone (beliefs) and try to expand what they already knew or believed? You answer that question, since the answer is obvious.
I used to write for a site and the community there seemed very friendly and loved commenting on each other’s work. There was only one thing that drove me nuts, especially when I wrote a piece of poetry. I write about many things, true or fictional, and many times, I love to imagine things poetically. What drove me nuts? That most times, people thought that the piece of poetry was directly related to me, as in true life. I was too lazy to explain that it was just a piece of writing, many times fictional.
Don’t believe everything you read or are told; expand your horizon, move one step over the flat ocean’s edge and refresh your mind and spirit. Think for yourself, believe what you must but after you consider the opposite point of view, there is no harm in that; who knows, it may even strengthen your beliefs. As a writer, you owe it to yourself, and your readers … believe and expand your horizon.
Image via Wikipedia
The other day, I was pondering on this adage (yes, I ponder a lot – even as a toddler, according to my Mom) – “Use it up, Make do, Do without.” I don’t know if you are familiar with it, but it has been thrown around from time to time. I realized that these words have been forgotten in today’s society. Although, some people are turning their lives around and embracing these words (many times they are called “greenies”) most people live the opposite to this, at least that is what I’ve observed. I was there once.
Use it Up – Most people throw away things before they even finish their contents, many times, unused items that they never got to open, spoiled food, and so on.
Make Do – That has become an insult in today’s society. To some, Make Do is synonym to being a loser, or being poor. I’ve known people with lots of money that live by the Make Do rule; it doesn’t have to do with how much money you have. Some people choose this way of living, but this is the minority.
Do Without – This is unheard these days, especially since the invention of credit cards. It is the source of many tantrums at stores or at home, and I am not talking about kids. People become miserable if they cannot have stuff NOW! Do Without? – But that is impossible!
The New Rules of the Game
1. Use it Halfway, if ever.
2. Get the newest and latest.
3. Get it Now before it becomes old.
Disclaimer: Some people will hate me for this post. After the Zombies invade, nothing will matter, so old goods will become new again, and the old rules will become survival techniques.
I love Turkish Delight; it is my weakness and I will succumb to it just as Edmund did in the movie The Chronicles of Narnia – The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. This is one of my favorite books, too. If you have not tried this delicacy you are missing on a Treat of the Gods. My sister gave me a box for Christmas once and since then I have been hooked. Yesterday, I got a surprise from them – yes, you guessed it, a box of the most tempting and scrumptious Turkish Delight. Why I love it so much? – well, I guess that since I love powder sugar, gummy bears, nuts, and rose water, it was my dream come true when these ingredients came together as the tantalizing treat that it is. Of course, there is more to it than that, but I leave it up to you to try it and find out for yourself.
Turkish Delight originated in Istanbul, invented by Bekir Effendi, who opened a confectionary store in 1776. It is called Lokum, and it was a Briton who got hooked on it (in the 19th century) who gave it the name of Turkish Delight. The man got boxes of it shipped to England under this name. I guess it stuck and since then it has been called that. In Australia is has been known as Tom Bee, since this serviceman, Tom Bradfield, was the one introducing it after the war – another poor soul hooked on it. It has been called many names around the world, Greek Delight, Delicia Turca, Bala de Goma … and so on.
If you decide to try it, don’t blame me if your soul is captured
Image via Wikipedia
by this tantalizing and delicious gooey confection – I warned you.
Inkspeare 