The Patchwork of Our Potential

Parking On the Back Forty

Yesterday, two events occurred which rarely do. First, a woman honked at us for taking “her” space in a busy parking lot and I waved my hand at her in a mocking way. Second, just a couple of hours later, I mouthed the words “A-hole”, as a young gentleman cut us off when we were … Continue reading Parking On the Back Forty →

Skip All The Dogma

Make me one with everything,” said the Buddhist to the hot dog vendor. (Buddhist humor, I understand. I like my Buddhism with as few of the fixin’s as possible. And that would be a breath of fresh air – in and out.)

The Profound Bartender

Over the last few years I have been exploring contemplation and ever-so-slowly developing an ever more contemplative life, one working toward having a more direct connection with the divine. Seeking the absolute in that way is what I believe is called “mysticism”. Dogma and belief systems in general have been sticking points for me in the past, and contemplation – daily kenosis, emptying, receptivity, being totally in the present moment – has been a way that has taken me a few steps down the path. So at one point I wrote these lyrics.

Seeking or believing in a direct relationship with the divine, the absolute – God – has gotten a lot of humble, devout people into trouble over the years, and usually with a church or church leaders who thought folks needed to go through them. But it is true that dogma, certainly ritual, belief systems, professional and called…

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Sprinklers

Some mornings I reflect on what would seem to be innocuous matters, but which are not. The ordinary proves often to be the most humbling and thus, in the ordinary is often found the profound. Take sprinklers. In our former home, the sprinkler system was not, shall we say, up to par. Of course, we … Continue reading Sprinklers →

Up At Five

(This was written circa 2014, while living in our house on Caper here in Boise.) Morning It’s just a few minutes after 5:00 a.m. Outside on my tiny, barely-holds-two-chairs-and-a-mini-table front porch I breathe in the smell of last night’s rain. It was just a short spate, just Mother Nature spitting last night, but enough … Continue reading Up At Five →

Backing Into Social Security

Yesterday, we visited the local Social Security office. It is hard to imagine, though I have been imagining it now in recent years, that I will turn 66 in less than two months. Retirement age. Gold watch phase. Couch-sitting page. Hard to believe it’s all coming to an end. I’ve been in the full-time workforce … Continue reading Backing Into Social Security →

It Was A Sage Hen Kinda Day

“The great obstacle to discovering the shape of the earth, the continents, and the ocean was not ignorance but the illusion of knowledge.” ~Daniel Boorstin, The Discoverers, p. 86 Yesterday I took a day trip to Sage Hen Reservoir. I had asked my friend Kevin Laughlin for recommendations and he gave me his top three. … Continue reading It Was A Sage Hen Kinda Day →

From My Journal – 10-23-13

From My Journal - 10-20-13 Torino, Italy Sitting in my apartment looking through the window, opaque by fog, buses going by, last night the neighbors were running up and down, loud talk, outside the world walked by and I wonder why. Why am I here, why I must question why. My wife lies … Continue reading From My Journal – 10-23-13 →

RBG: My Review

My Review: Don’t Miss It! That is, if you are interested in learning about one the most influential people of our times. If you are interested in learning about the strange bond of friendship and respect between her and her anti-her, the equally brilliant Justice Antonin Scalia. You’ll smile when you see her appearing as a … Continue reading RBG: My Review →

Don’t Love You Like Anything

Don’t Love You Like Anything (song lyrics) Don’t love you like no bumblin’ bee Don’t love you like the ocean Like a tree with leaves in motion Or any kind of simile Don’t love you like any-other-thing You’re just you I love you More than any metaphor More than poetical expression More than … Continue reading Don’t Love You Like Anything →