* When the physical pain dissipates, I choose to forget about the incident that caused it ( Read more... )

Buddhism teaches cultivating cheerfulness as opposed to happiness. Happiness is an imposed, lofty ideal. But cheefulness is something you can add to a situation, build up in layers comfortably. ... As the Tibetan monk Rinpoche taught, cheer is inherent in us all and we can choose to turn to it ... In choosing to do so, we access our true nature.

Every day think of a way to delight yourself, and a way to delight someone else.

“As I’ve gone through life, I’ve found that your chances for happiness are increased if you wind up doing something that is a reflection of what you loved most when you were somewhere between nine and eleven years old…At that age, you know enough of the world to have opinions about things, but you’re not old enough yet to be overly influenced by ( Read more... )

Best thing(s):
1. The sun is shining
2. Packages! I got my Corporate Zombie shirt *and* a gift from Craig last night!

Worst thing(s):
1. I have done ZERO holiday shopping, and rather than standing firm in my anti-consumerist, we-all-have-enough-crap-already, I-don't-even-believe-in-the-baby-Jesus stance, I am going to CAVE. I am trying to figure ( Read more... )

I wonder what people thought I would be (and be like) when I grew up. What did my parents want me to do and to be? Where did my teachers think I'd end up? It's unlikely that I've fulfilled their expectations, unless my assumptions about their assumptions are wildly inaccurate (and in that case I'm unlikely to ever learn the truth, because I'm ( Read more... )

My Jack Purcells. They have smiles on the toes. :)

Also: oatmeal.

New words! Today I picked up hibernaculum, which I'm sure will come in handy ...

Squirrels! I just saw one on the sidewalk at Westside struggling with a plastic sack that seemed to contain the remnants of a grande burrito. He was trying to pull it off the path, but then a 'blader spooked him and he scampered off.

Daffodils and snowdrops. The bulbs are waking up and thrusting the first green stalks through the earth. It's ( Read more... )

Hawks! I saw at least three of them perched along the highway on my way to Farmer City ( Read more... )