40 Days of Posts that Make Life Better, #8-A

40 Days of Posts that Make Life Better, #8-A: (woops, I made two number 8s!) When we're patient and observant, we can find out really neat stuff:

40 Days of Posts that Make Life Better, #8

40 Days of Posts that Make Life Better, #8: Take a moment to appreciate the building blocks of life, whether they be amino acids, proteins, or legos:



Lego Dance by Annette Jung from Talking Animals on Vimeo.

40 Days of Posts that Make Life Better, #7

40 Days of Posts that Make Life Better, #7: Every thought, rushing, careening, crashing nagging vying for attention and even forgetting what they want can be allowed to rest from time to time. It's a luxury to enjoy some moments with only the responsibility of breathing.  I love this meditation from the Center for Mindfulness in Fresno, California. Lori Granger:

40 Days of Posts that Make Life Better, #6

40 Days of Posts that Make Life Better, #6: We can face hard realities, even the problems we've created for ourselves out of short sighted fascination with how clever we might be. We can admit our mistakes, seek balance, and begin any mad creative scientific or spiritual scramble possible begin to UNDO UNDO UNDO!!!!  Method cleaning products company is using plastic recycled from the Giant Pacific Garbage Patch to draw attention to how dire it is that we stop throwing plastic "away".

http://methodhome.com/ocean-plastic/

40 Days of Posts that Make Life Better, #5

40 Days of Posts that Make Life Better, #5: Logic helps us make sure facts add up properly.

40 Days of Posts that Make Life Better, #4

40 Days of Posts that Make Life Better, #4: We can always reconsider:

40 Days of Posts that Make Life Better, #3

40 Days of Posts that Make Life Better, #3: Of course there is such a thing as "try." It's on the way to being able to "do."

40 Days of Posts that Make Life Better, #2

40 Days of Posts that Make Life Better, #2: We can take matters into our own hands and accept help at the same time: 

Slow: Present Moment Passing

Tired may call for

a variety of responses:

a nap, a walk, a bird that sings

and as you listen

the sky gets more blue

and the trees more green

as your soul comes to you

then a melody to mind

and a knot may unwind

and a burden unbind

a notion

like an ocean

lets a wave

come to shore

to chill your toes to wiggle

and rush refreshment through your bones

and along with it the present

interrupts the complexity of frayed nerves' machination

and thusly in this instance

begins

rejuvenation.

40 Days of Posts that Make Life Better, #1:

Mardi Gras and Ash Wednesday have come and gone, that means today is the start of another installment of "40 Days of Posts that Make Life Better" (Sundays excluded, as is with Lent). 

Post #1: Sometimes you go outside and surprise: you get to see the blimp!

Intermittent God

Like an intermittent sound tone
or light through intermittent fog
we pray intermittently
to an intermittent god.
Sometimes he is in our corner
and sometimes far away
so sometimes he says nothing
and at others, says "Okay!"
We claim he knows what's good for us
or swear he doesn't care
but what if he travels all over,
and can't be everywhere?
Neitzsche said that "God is dead,"
others swear by free will
but maybe all along he's been intermittent.
              That would explain a few things.

Where the Grass is Greener

Deer image by a photographer named Deb, I found it when I Googled "deer grazing."  Here's her flickr page: http://www.flickriver.com/photos/kywoody/201299871/

O deer, grazing as the
flies named in your honor do the same upon you
chomp and step
gently tugging at the grasses
twitch an ear unsettle a bug to buzz
and re-approach inches over.
Suggest to disturb their activity
with the little wind whistling swishes of your
tiny tail
listen for predators
(larger than the flies that is)
and continue.
Over a fence
in a corral
a horse sees you, snorts,
thinks he's got it so much better
than you, for he can outright swat!
Step, step tug,
you found
clover.

We Humans, I Mean

This is not
rocket
science:
This is about
how much longer
we will entertain
a primal fear:
Kill or be killed!
Obsolescent
vicious behaviors
reveal
a deeper conflict
within us, we humans I mean:
to be
or not
to be?
That
is the question
at the
heart of our
collective
decisions,
we humans, I mean.

Today's Poem: On Food Pictures

Photo by FranLa

O food pictures
taken in super high definition close up
early morning sun casting a breakfasty light on the plate
fresh new day of hope and possibility
and garnishes
of grated something savory,
fatty, salt to the sweet, sweet to the salt
making results of fine recipes appear much more distinctly than they ever could
to last far longer than they ever, ever, ever would.

A Democracy is Not a Business

A democracy can't be run like a business because a business is a dictatorship. Businesses are at the mercy of their presidents and CEO's. If they're humane, good. If they're not, well, that's why employees unionize. Banding together makes a louder voice to insist on respect for civil rights. A democracy is not a business and people are not products or pawns.

The Potato Poem

The staff of life for my ancestors who had to escape the famine

imposed by their would-be masters who forced the choice

to stay home and die or go elsewhere,

potatoes are in a mesh bag in the lower cabinet

a cool dark dry place, protected.

I will too easily forget them if I don’t eat them soon.

I was handed down a hunger for the flavor and sustenance

the sense of a comfort and safety that warms the body

lifts and evens mood

nourishment with butter, salt

and the character of music and hearty laughter

I was handed down a hunger

for love and kindness that makes life fulfilling.

So here’s to the Irish

and a background to be thankful for

and here’s to the success of the migration

and wishes for good health and happiness 

to friends and loved ones now from every walk and way.

And if I do forget the potatoes in the cabinet

As it is with the deepening of love they will grow roots, not rot;

As it is with the watchful and wise they will grow eyes, not moldy spots.

Unless I leave them there just too darn long.

Of the People, By the People, For the People: doing our homework

Someone complained that there was too much political stuff on facebook lately. Someone responded, "'tis the season!" I've been thinking about that: It is the season. 

This is part where we adults do our homework, a little soul searching and research, make sure we're comfortable with our decisions and their ramifications. Read. Get mad. Read, get reassurance. Have discussions that make social bridges and choose your best approach to solving the world's problems. Get ready to vote, and vote with your best presence of mind and benefit of experience - represent yourself as you select your representatives! Tis the season, right now!

We're All In This Together

Private funding is fleeting because private interests are personal at heart - and limited to a subjective funding source (i.e., those considered important by "the rich guy in town" and/or his board who rely on him for whatever perqs come with their service). That's why projects that affect all of us, such as fire and police departments, garbage collection, road infrastructure, equitable healthcare, call for civic collaboration (also known as tax payer support) - we are all responsible to each other!

Permanence Lost

There was a
beautiful idea
a
perfect notion of
the confluence of all good
and everything
peaceful being con-
nected.  A sigh, warm, smooth, inspired,
inner dawn;
urge to action
but my cellphone
jingled a text had come.
I had to write
"ha ha"
(I don't say "LOL").

Now:
What was I about
to

do?

What "Back on Track" means to RXR

Romney and Ryan were on  60 Minutes last night.  They kept saying they wanted to "Get America back on track," but wouldn't explain what that meant or how they'd do it.  Then this image popped into my head so I drew it.