https://www.health.harvard.edu/mental-health/4-ways-to-boost-your-self-compassion
great article from the Harvard Medical Newsletter
Saturday, December 29, 2018
Monday, December 24, 2018
Skipping Christmas
So tomorrow will be the first Christmas I've not been with family or a boyfriend. So, I decided to skip it. Just imagine, no presents to unwrap, no messy papers to toss, ribbons to save, and best of all, no stuff!
So...what to do. Develop a plan. Get up early for a change. I've decided not to sleep in. How about a visit to Saxapaha. How I love the name!!!
Tonight is Christmas Eve, and Duke Chapel announced that there will be a community chorus -- anyone who wants can show up by 9:00 p.m. and be part of it!!! Before that, I might attend the Love Feast at Farm Church (since Durham Pres. won't be having its Christmas Eve service this year. (Franklin is on Sabbatical, and Alex is in Nantucket.).
Farm Church is a new church that has a huge garden and harvests for the entire community. I actually came across it a couple of years ago while walking around Trinity Park after a concert. There were several people working, planting, and turning the soil. I chatted with one of the men who is a minister. He told me the story of Farm Church and how the founders traveled around the country to find the right site. And they chose Durham!
Yesterday, I dropped by the Carolina Inn to buy a few gifts at the Holiday Market. Last year, I spent Christmas there and what an experience!!! In fact, I wrote a poem about it, in the spirit of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas. I sent it their Marketing Department, so who knows what they'll do with it. I copyrighted it, so they will need to compensate me for it. I'd definitely take $500, or a week at the Inn, sometime after Christmas when the University is open. That way, I could visit Wilson Library, and research George Moses Horton. His papers are there.
I'm so glad I didn't get a job during the holidays at Barnes and Noble. Probably my age -- who knows? Who cares? A couple of health issues distracted me a bit, like a breast cancer scare. I feel like I have a new lease on life after Friday when my visit to the Duke Cancer Center was over. I must say that the radiologist, Dr. Lucy Lu (can you believe that?), rock! She had to do ultrasound. We talked up a storm the whole time and I was going to read her my poem. (She would have listened!) But she was called out. That's ok.
Plenty of opportunities to volunteer around here. My favorite is the one that involves helping with farm animals at a refuge. Pigs are there, and who knows what else.
Also, there's ice skating at Bright Leaf. That would be fun. And I absolutely MUST give to my favorite causes, like:
- the Southern Poverty Law Center
- volunteering my time at Communities in Schools
- the American Dance Festival
Thursday, December 20, 2018
The Yoke
https://www.christiancourier.com/articles/1570-yoke-of-christ-the
I love this idea of the yoke of Christ. Even when the people of Jesus' time rebuked him, he invited them to be united with him in kindness, for His yoke was gentle, and his burden, light.
This morning I read Wayne Jackson's article on this concept. So probing, so insightful. Gave me a lot to think about.
I have to go back to have an x-ray done tomorrow. These kinds of things always get one's attention but I'll do the right and healthy thing.
I love this idea of the yoke of Christ. Even when the people of Jesus' time rebuked him, he invited them to be united with him in kindness, for His yoke was gentle, and his burden, light.
This morning I read Wayne Jackson's article on this concept. So probing, so insightful. Gave me a lot to think about.
I have to go back to have an x-ray done tomorrow. These kinds of things always get one's attention but I'll do the right and healthy thing.
Sunday, December 9, 2018
Klansman at Heart
Klansman at Heart
no excuse that you were
raised at a different time
in a different generation
that people your age make
mistakes occasionally
your repeated racial slurs
portray who you really are
a Klansman at heart.
Friday, December 7, 2018
A Hundred Things
1. the Friday Noon Poets holiday luncheon at Mangionnes
2. sitting next to julian waller and hearing about his medical work to help curb the rate of death on the highways due to drunk driving.
3. sharing my experience with ASAP in Virginia and the controversies therein, especially with a certain judge (Snidow) who was easy on drunk drivers. Being an alcoholic himself, he refused to take their licenses.
4. buying make-up at Sephora today -- fun!
5. leftovers from the restaurant
6. walking for an hour and a half, including doing chores
7. getting home in time to go to the gym
8. lenox baker tomorrow -- yay, heated pool!
9. makings for pumpkin soup
10. picking up a few things at Aldi
11. new spa, Flawless, where i'd like to get my hair cut and colored
12. refraining from watching the news
13. had a Diet Coke at the bar in Mangionnes, which was refreshing!
14. got the 5 poems to Doug Stubbier
15. talking with the mgr of Mangionnes about how much our group enjoyed our experience.
17. Aruna for making the arrangements for the restaurant today
18. buying 2 of Aruna's books -- hope they are in the car!!!
19. the secretary is closed up
20. a trip to the Carolina Inn to meet Savannah in marketing
21. hearing Thich Naht Kanh's book on audio
22. nice chat w larry and molly in the library
23. going to raleigh on Monday
24. nick and blair's children
25. my dad's WWI letters
26. Mike Tyus
27. the phrase "Movement is the Movement"
28. maybe getting a tee shirt made with that phrase w Mike's photo underneath
29. remembering i gotta get a new printer
30. my phone working again
31. not taking pain meds
32. jogging in the pool yesterday and being sore today
33. moving slowly and being ok w that
34. john harmon stone (john has his daguerreotype)
35. archives
36. my poem about george moses horton
37. my poet friends -- all of 'em!
38. the sundance now channel
39. diana at the Y
40. hazel also
41.
42. my jazz poems
43. determination
44. hillcrest
45. friend bill jones there
46. not rushing
47. beverly
48. history
49. tim tyson
50. the lessons of grief
51. the lessons of suffering
52. doing the best i can
53. on Saturday i need to apply for the AF grant to travel to d.c. for the cause
54. new books
55. the Daily Tar Heel -- outstanding student newspaper
56. the Carolina Inn
57. stopping
58. this phrase -- the courage to change the things i can
59. neil not calling me
60. Kathy T and I are going to see Mary Queen of Scots
61. Canada and New Zealand
62. Ireland
63. Dr. Murano
64. ShaLeigh Fairbanks
65. letting go of the job of Barnes & Noble since i don't want to work in retail
66. moderate dinner
67. the book The Mindful Diet
68. the Duke Center for Integrative Medicine
69. already have 69 things!
70. George Harrison
71. a fantastic son
72. reading The Blood of Emmett Till
73. Dorothy -- Duke student at Hillcrest.
74. Robert Frost
75. participating in Toys for Tots this year
76. talking to my bro this morning
77. Cousin Andy
78. the WWI Hell Fighter and jazz musician by the name of Europe
79. the gym up the hill
80. Thich Naht Hahn's book that I'm reading
81. the dancer Mike Tyus
82. really good night's sleep last night
83. roasted brussel sprouts
84. dinner almost ready
85. a walk in the wintry air
86. snowfall tonite
87. Durham Museum of History
88. chill'n for the rest of the night
89. Stagville Plantation
90. Not having to go to the store
91. relaxing
92. Sundance Channel
93. Magionnes for a holiday luncheon
94. quinoa pasta
95. the idea of the Yoke of Christ
96. NPR
97. my galoshes
98. nice new neighbors
99. letting go
100. Kim Stafford
2. sitting next to julian waller and hearing about his medical work to help curb the rate of death on the highways due to drunk driving.
3. sharing my experience with ASAP in Virginia and the controversies therein, especially with a certain judge (Snidow) who was easy on drunk drivers. Being an alcoholic himself, he refused to take their licenses.
4. buying make-up at Sephora today -- fun!
5. leftovers from the restaurant
6. walking for an hour and a half, including doing chores
7. getting home in time to go to the gym
8. lenox baker tomorrow -- yay, heated pool!
9. makings for pumpkin soup
10. picking up a few things at Aldi
11. new spa, Flawless, where i'd like to get my hair cut and colored
12. refraining from watching the news
13. had a Diet Coke at the bar in Mangionnes, which was refreshing!
14. got the 5 poems to Doug Stubbier
15. talking with the mgr of Mangionnes about how much our group enjoyed our experience.
17. Aruna for making the arrangements for the restaurant today
18. buying 2 of Aruna's books -- hope they are in the car!!!
19. the secretary is closed up
20. a trip to the Carolina Inn to meet Savannah in marketing
21. hearing Thich Naht Kanh's book on audio
22. nice chat w larry and molly in the library
23. going to raleigh on Monday
24. nick and blair's children
25. my dad's WWI letters
26. Mike Tyus
27. the phrase "Movement is the Movement"
28. maybe getting a tee shirt made with that phrase w Mike's photo underneath
29. remembering i gotta get a new printer
30. my phone working again
31. not taking pain meds
32. jogging in the pool yesterday and being sore today
33. moving slowly and being ok w that
34. john harmon stone (john has his daguerreotype)
35. archives
36. my poem about george moses horton
37. my poet friends -- all of 'em!
38. the sundance now channel
39. diana at the Y
40. hazel also
41.
42. my jazz poems
43. determination
44. hillcrest
45. friend bill jones there
46. not rushing
47. beverly
48. history
49. tim tyson
50. the lessons of grief
51. the lessons of suffering
52. doing the best i can
53. on Saturday i need to apply for the AF grant to travel to d.c. for the cause
54. new books
55. the Daily Tar Heel -- outstanding student newspaper
56. the Carolina Inn
57. stopping
58. this phrase -- the courage to change the things i can
59. neil not calling me
60. Kathy T and I are going to see Mary Queen of Scots
61. Canada and New Zealand
62. Ireland
63. Dr. Murano
64. ShaLeigh Fairbanks
65. letting go of the job of Barnes & Noble since i don't want to work in retail
66. moderate dinner
67. the book The Mindful Diet
68. the Duke Center for Integrative Medicine
69. already have 69 things!
70. George Harrison
71. a fantastic son
72. reading The Blood of Emmett Till
73. Dorothy -- Duke student at Hillcrest.
74. Robert Frost
75. participating in Toys for Tots this year
76. talking to my bro this morning
77. Cousin Andy
78. the WWI Hell Fighter and jazz musician by the name of Europe
79. the gym up the hill
80. Thich Naht Hahn's book that I'm reading
81. the dancer Mike Tyus
82. really good night's sleep last night
83. roasted brussel sprouts
84. dinner almost ready
85. a walk in the wintry air
86. snowfall tonite
87. Durham Museum of History
88. chill'n for the rest of the night
89. Stagville Plantation
90. Not having to go to the store
91. relaxing
92. Sundance Channel
93. Magionnes for a holiday luncheon
94. quinoa pasta
95. the idea of the Yoke of Christ
96. NPR
97. my galoshes
98. nice new neighbors
99. letting go
100. Kim Stafford
Monday, December 3, 2018
Gratitude for Today
1. Hearing a lecture by Tim Tyson yesterday and getting his book.
2. The On Display performance went well tonight and Beth's husband took photos.
3 I found my keys, left at Pleides.
4. Seeing the mural on the wall near DAC.
5. Pleisdes has a painting of the shoe shine artist I spoke with several years ago.
6. I hope he's ok.
7. I walked for 30 min.
8. Made yummy guacamole.
9. Saw a gorgeous hawk -- spotted underbelly (red tail hawk?) Must call Piedmont WC to find out.
10. Kept moving today even thru pain.
11. Mild weather today.
12. Ted's home!
13. The hawk posed for me.
14. Faye Mayo -- thought of her today. Must call her.
15. Alternatives to that sweet milk i put in my coffee. Christine sent the link.
16. the New Zealand Prayerbook
2. The On Display performance went well tonight and Beth's husband took photos.
3 I found my keys, left at Pleides.
4. Seeing the mural on the wall near DAC.
5. Pleisdes has a painting of the shoe shine artist I spoke with several years ago.
6. I hope he's ok.
7. I walked for 30 min.
8. Made yummy guacamole.
9. Saw a gorgeous hawk -- spotted underbelly (red tail hawk?) Must call Piedmont WC to find out.
10. Kept moving today even thru pain.
11. Mild weather today.
12. Ted's home!
13. The hawk posed for me.
14. Faye Mayo -- thought of her today. Must call her.
15. Alternatives to that sweet milk i put in my coffee. Christine sent the link.
16. the New Zealand Prayerbook
Saturday, December 1, 2018
"Getting Unglued"
from p. 128 of Jeff Brantley's book: 5 good minutes
"Spend 5 minutes working on getting unstuck from pressures. Even if there are no simple solutions to your immediate situation, imagine that there are alternatives just around the corner if you are patient and open to receiving them...consider these questions:
"Spend 5 minutes working on getting unstuck from pressures. Even if there are no simple solutions to your immediate situation, imagine that there are alternatives just around the corner if you are patient and open to receiving them...consider these questions:
- Do I really need these things in order to be happy?
- What small changes can I make right now that might slowly give me the space I need to find more contentment in my life?"
I'm feeling overwhelmed with clutter right now. For example, the big chest is filled with photographs. Many of them are framed. I feel "antsy" just knowing they are in there.
Solution: invest in a scrapbook album for the photographs, and donate the frames they were in.
Hummm...keeping the kitchen clean is hard....
Solution: Make sure the kitchen is clean before I go to bed. Clean as I go along. Keep kitchen counters clean and invest in new sponges.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)