Category: zen

Artists I Love on Instagram

There’s a lot to be said about social media scrolling– both good and bad. Since I am perennially awake in the middle of the night, scrolling happens. Thank god for artists and Instagram. I follow those artists I know, those I like, and those whose work makes me happy. For me, Instagram gives me a…

It’s Just the Weather – #reverb14, Day 3

Just the Weather

It’s all too easy to put off loving where we are until everything is perfect. What can you love about where you are now? Blergh. If I were a weather man, that’s how I would describe the weather today. Cold, damp, rainy, grey. It’s all about the view. I look out my window and what…

If I Were Not Awake

If I were not awake before my alarm, I would have missed this delicate lavender sunrise, which isn’t all that different than any other perfect sunrise I’ve seen in the past, except that today it reminded me that being awake is the point, after all.

Who Do You Love?

I admit it. I have a serious Life-Crush on Tara. It’s Ok. I am sure she doesn’t mind. I mean, after all, her business is to make people want to feel that gorgeous feeling of love… not just for her, but for ourselves. There are just those certain kinds of people in the world, aren’t…

The Day, Stripped Down

If you ask this question, I answer: Wake up, Kiss cheeks, Move sheets up to pillows Move aside blinds. (Daylight must have its way). Eat food. Water from a tap. Frozen bagels scorched In that metal box. Spread plates around the Craigslist table. Brush crumbs from cheeks. Get dressed. Move the hampers to move The…

All Hail the Right Brain!

Or, On the Research of Choosing You. Neuroscientists have been doing a lot of good work for those of us who consider ourselves creative, artistic and “right-brained.” Personally, I think we are all this way! This is fantastic news. Yes, our scientist friends are discovering that the Right Brain– with its power to love, mourn,…

How To Write Around It

Yesterday in class, my student Mike had clearly lost faith. I didn’t know why. But I could see that he was lost. I had asked the entire class to write for a page in response to the question: “Who are you in a group?” followed by “What do you fear about working in  groups?” They…

Other People’s Problems

On Everyday Charity and 9.0 Earthquakes. One day on Facebook I asked my friends: “What can I do to help you?” It was one of those days when I had some unexpected free time. I sincerely hoped that someone would ask me to make dinner for them or watch their kids or juggle their seven…

Stop Everything

Betty cat sidles up Shoves her way in Lolls under my firm pressure Kneading my gut. Telling me with toenails uncut… Stop working, stop everything– Make more… Make more love.

Everyone Eats the Gummy Worm

Here’s my Zen meets Don Draper assessment of life: Everyone Eats the Gummy Worm. I’m thinking about this, because  I’m getting sort of a mish-mash of people on my Twitter Feed with no organization at all. Yes, I know there are list-y things, but I am not where I can use those to my (diss-)advantage…

On Not Walking

Walking is joy. I love walking like I love Ira Glass and peanut butter cups. I am surprised that since I moved back to America from London, that I have given it up. Just basically decided that even though it is one of my favorite things to do in the world, I am not even…

Don’t Make Me Look: Writing, Scorned.

Yeah it’s now 2:30 and I HAVE been awake since 7 a.m. and yes I HAVE thought about this Day 2, #Reverb10 prompt and I suppose I HAVE had at least TWO chances already to write this post, but I HAVEN’T and whose fault is that I’d like to ask but I won’t because if…

Zen and the Art of Tedium

A conversation about boredom at Scoutie Girl yesterday got me thinking again about the daily tasks that constitute part of the  “work” of my life. Not the least of these is feeding a family of six. Not the worst of them is laundry. Some I despise for no particular reason, like emptying the dishwasher. Whenever…

Laundry, and Love

I get to feel superior to socks when I am conquering a load of laundry. That is sort of cool, isn’t it? There’s a swathe of the backyard that is leaf-free. Just one corner. (Well it was yesterday). I did that. I own that. Housework is menial work. Which is to say “humble” or “lowly”…