It's only 3 days until Christmas, and the shortest day of the year. That means every day after today will have more sunlight. And that is a very good thing.
This holiday season has been an exceedingly mellow one for me. Almost no gift shopping, few parties, lots of talking on the phone to loved ones, lots of warm visits. It's nice to be rested, clear-headed, and calm.
In a few minutes I jump in my car, laden with food gifts, snacks, and outfits for every occasion, and drive to Weed, California. There I'll be staying at Stewart Mineral Springs, and completing the drive to Portland on Sunday, where friends await. It should be a mellow holiday with overeating, basement soccer, and excellent conversations with dear friends.
Happy holidays, and a peaceful week of rest to folks everywhere.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Sunday, December 09, 2007
What do you love?
I just made myself a spectacular lunch. The secret is to spread out the work: marketing one day, prep in the morning, then a reheat/wrap up just before you eat. On today's menu was potato leek soup, braised swiss chard with shitake mushrooms, and fresh ravioli with butternut squash filling.
I am considering vanilla ice cream with homemade chocolate sauce and cashews for dessert. Just as soon as I can move.
It's been a wonderful weekend. Last week it was rainy in San Francisco, and I was down for the count with a flu bug. Three days of doing very little in my apartment was remarkably restorative, and I've recovered well enough to make it to the gym today, primarily to use the hot tub and schvitz (steam bath), but got a few laps in there.
It's sunny, crisp, and lovely outside. The Christmas/Hannukah spirit is in the air, and I'm thinking of treating myself to new window shades.
Last night I went to a Shuso ceremony. At the end of a practice period at Zen Center, the head student has a formal stepping ceremony in which everyone asks him or her a question. I asked: "What did you learn as a Shuso that you did not expect to?" Zackery (for that is his name) answered: "I learned I need a lot more care and nurturing that I thought I did."
So it's the time of year to think about that: what sustains us, from the network of farmers, grocers, truckers, laborers who deliver food to our local markets, to the people, places, and activities that humanize us, and bring to each day the possibility of pleasure and real joy.
Another questioner asked the Shuso some heady question about dharma. Zackery replied, "What do you love?" The questioner was caught off guard, looked down in intense concentration, then bunted, replying, "I'm asking the questions here." Everyone laughed.
But it's a good question. What do you love? You can make lists of things: a walk on a fine day, a dear friend, your mother, a new window shade that fits exactly right. Your home, the smell of pine tree boughs in your living room. Cooking beautiful food. But somehow none of these things quite captures the What. Is it life? Being of service? Accomplishing what you feel only you can do? Maybe it's the pep, or verve inside each of us that makes us grasp new experiences, extend our minds to new ideas, open our hearts to people and their intimate thoughts and habits.
Speaking of new experiences, I've discovered Netflix on demand. There had been these "free" hours on my account to "watch instantly", but I'd ignored them. No more. I'm hooked. The first night I watched, amazing, as a Morgan Freeman movie started right when I pushed play on my laptop. Cool! The next night, things got out of hand. Turns out Sense and Sensibility, the British version, is 3.5 hours long. 7 episodes. I couldn't stop. My friend Peggy says Pride and Prejudice is even better -- all 7 hours of it. I can't wait until January.
Get out there and take in some holiday cheer. The lights are out, the decorations festive. If you're not out shopping, you might just have yourself a nice night.
Love to all, in all the towns and cities and treelined streets where you may find yourselves for the holidays.
I am considering vanilla ice cream with homemade chocolate sauce and cashews for dessert. Just as soon as I can move.
It's been a wonderful weekend. Last week it was rainy in San Francisco, and I was down for the count with a flu bug. Three days of doing very little in my apartment was remarkably restorative, and I've recovered well enough to make it to the gym today, primarily to use the hot tub and schvitz (steam bath), but got a few laps in there.
It's sunny, crisp, and lovely outside. The Christmas/Hannukah spirit is in the air, and I'm thinking of treating myself to new window shades.
Last night I went to a Shuso ceremony. At the end of a practice period at Zen Center, the head student has a formal stepping ceremony in which everyone asks him or her a question. I asked: "What did you learn as a Shuso that you did not expect to?" Zackery (for that is his name) answered: "I learned I need a lot more care and nurturing that I thought I did."
So it's the time of year to think about that: what sustains us, from the network of farmers, grocers, truckers, laborers who deliver food to our local markets, to the people, places, and activities that humanize us, and bring to each day the possibility of pleasure and real joy.
Another questioner asked the Shuso some heady question about dharma. Zackery replied, "What do you love?" The questioner was caught off guard, looked down in intense concentration, then bunted, replying, "I'm asking the questions here." Everyone laughed.
But it's a good question. What do you love? You can make lists of things: a walk on a fine day, a dear friend, your mother, a new window shade that fits exactly right. Your home, the smell of pine tree boughs in your living room. Cooking beautiful food. But somehow none of these things quite captures the What. Is it life? Being of service? Accomplishing what you feel only you can do? Maybe it's the pep, or verve inside each of us that makes us grasp new experiences, extend our minds to new ideas, open our hearts to people and their intimate thoughts and habits.
Speaking of new experiences, I've discovered Netflix on demand. There had been these "free" hours on my account to "watch instantly", but I'd ignored them. No more. I'm hooked. The first night I watched, amazing, as a Morgan Freeman movie started right when I pushed play on my laptop. Cool! The next night, things got out of hand. Turns out Sense and Sensibility, the British version, is 3.5 hours long. 7 episodes. I couldn't stop. My friend Peggy says Pride and Prejudice is even better -- all 7 hours of it. I can't wait until January.
Get out there and take in some holiday cheer. The lights are out, the decorations festive. If you're not out shopping, you might just have yourself a nice night.
Love to all, in all the towns and cities and treelined streets where you may find yourselves for the holidays.
Sunday, December 02, 2007
Green Festival
A few weeks ago I went to the San Francisco Green Festival, on a date. It was interesting.
First of all, the nice young man invited me to the keynote, Deepak Chopra. Now, I'm not a big Deepak Chopra fan, but I figured maybe there was something I had missed here, so agreed.
We stayed 4 minutes. There was Mr. Chopra, talking about how humans are the only species to wage war on our own kind, to murder, to poison the earth. I said to Guy D: "That's not exactly true," and he replied "Nothing he's said so far is actually true." So we left. Nearly a thousand slack-jawed neo-hippies folks stayed behind.
The exhibition floor was very interesting. Did you know you can buy a mattress made from ("natural") rubber? It's pretty comfy, too. There are small group eco-vacation outfits like Gap Adventures, and resorts like Maui Retreat. I learned about the chemicals in common makeup like formaldehydes and parabens, which "may play a role in decreased sperm count and increased breast cancer." Recommended are the usual natural cosmetic suspects: Weleda, Aubrey Organics, Dr. Hauschka, and Jane Iredale. You can buy purses made from truck inner tubes (English Retreads), tote bags made from recycled billboards (Reusable Bags), and organic cotton underwear (EnvironGentle).
Want to be a little greener? Here are resouce websites for the rest of us.
www.idealbite.com
www.greenmaven.com
thedailygreen.com
grist.org
treehugger.com
greencar.com
greatgreengadgets.com
Me? I get excited about organic bedding (A Happy Planet), Print Raw and Design Action Collective eco-printing services, and the guy in San Rafael who makes furniture out of recycled lumber, Bill Callahan.
First of all, the nice young man invited me to the keynote, Deepak Chopra. Now, I'm not a big Deepak Chopra fan, but I figured maybe there was something I had missed here, so agreed.
We stayed 4 minutes. There was Mr. Chopra, talking about how humans are the only species to wage war on our own kind, to murder, to poison the earth. I said to Guy D: "That's not exactly true," and he replied "Nothing he's said so far is actually true." So we left. Nearly a thousand slack-jawed neo-hippies folks stayed behind.
The exhibition floor was very interesting. Did you know you can buy a mattress made from ("natural") rubber? It's pretty comfy, too. There are small group eco-vacation outfits like Gap Adventures, and resorts like Maui Retreat. I learned about the chemicals in common makeup like formaldehydes and parabens, which "may play a role in decreased sperm count and increased breast cancer." Recommended are the usual natural cosmetic suspects: Weleda, Aubrey Organics, Dr. Hauschka, and Jane Iredale. You can buy purses made from truck inner tubes (English Retreads), tote bags made from recycled billboards (Reusable Bags), and organic cotton underwear (EnvironGentle).
Want to be a little greener? Here are resouce websites for the rest of us.
www.idealbite.com
www.greenmaven.com
thedailygreen.com
grist.org
treehugger.com
greencar.com
greatgreengadgets.com
Me? I get excited about organic bedding (A Happy Planet), Print Raw and Design Action Collective eco-printing services, and the guy in San Rafael who makes furniture out of recycled lumber, Bill Callahan.
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