Even a soul submerged in sleep is hard at work and helps make something of the world.
Heraclitus
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Tags: Quoting
Happy Saturday!
How are you? Enjoying fall? It’s been a pretty terrific one here,so far, lots of dry days and beautiful evenings, with enough rain to keep it interesting and moist. “The night was moist.” Do you remember that from Throw Momma from the Train? I love that movie. Danny DeVito, you are wack-a-doodle and make me laugh.
So, to happenings as of late. Thank you, thank you, thank you for your lovely comments and support during my campaign to be a guest on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. You guys are beyond terrific. Truly. As for Mr. Fallon, he isn’t banging down my door, but it’s out there, as they say, and I just feel in my bones that something marvelous will come of it all. Indeed I do. If anything, I certainly have a great appreciation for anyone who writes and directs. Those one minute films take a lot of effort!
The first four photos, as you are likely to have surmised, are from Halloween (if not, maybe you should put down that cocktail!). The hubster is, you guessed it, a crow! Aren’t his wings lovely? I am water and definitely drawn to the abstract. We had a grand time at our friends Satan (Stan the Insurance Man) and the Bar Wench’s party. There were many fine costumes, yummy drinks, and good food, like sausages wrapped in Pillsbury croissant dough. I kid you not, those are the height of splendor in party fare! I ate more than my fair share.
We also spent a lovely rooftop evening at a fund raiser for one of our new favorite places, Opal Creek Ancient Forest Center. There was an awesome band called Stumbleweed (traditional bluegrass for all your high lonesome needs), cocktails served up from the stellar and local House Spirits (the Bees Knees!), and lots of delicious food prepared by Opal Creek’s uber-chef Rebekah. Not surprisingly, we met some very fine folks just as interested in keeping this gem of a place intact for the ages, including the architect for the rather deluxe and tallest building in the the blurry photo below. How cool to be engaged in conversation and ask, “Would I know any of your work?” and have her grin and say, “Well, yes, that building right there.” Huzzah!
Finally, a little update on the Subaru. After some reflection, we’ve decided to donate it to charity. The hubster is a happy bicycle commuter three days a week, rain or shine, and we just don’t need it. Besides, the Portland Rescue Mission has what looks like a pretty terrific program that trains people to work on cars like ours before selling them to benefit their charity. It’s a pretty sweet deal all around. I am even slightly grateful to the thug who stole our car for bringing this about. Life is pretty sweet.
Be well!
Tags: Jimmy Fallon, Oregon, Portland
Hello friends –
I hope your morning is as sunshiney and lovely as mine. Portland is experiencing the most stellar fall weather, I must say! Though, even if it weren’t gorgeous out, I think the warmth I’m feeling from your friendship and support could light the world. You are awesome and make me smile! Thank you!
But, I must lament here, too, for our sad little Subaru. As I mentioned in Monday’s post, it was stolen last week, and though it has been returned, it caused some pretty awful stirrings in me. People are thoughtless and cruel sometimes, seriously.
Also, a shout out to anyone driving an older Subaru, get a club and actually use it. Had we used ours, our car would still be intact (they took the stereo), for the thieves used a key from another Subaru to enter ours, soundlessly, in the still of the night. They then broke the key off in the ignition, so we don’t have the luxury of actually driving it without some serious repairs. Again, thoughtless and cruel. Sigh.
There is a silver lining, however, and this being me, you knew it was coming, right? The hubster had been wanting to ride his bike more often, but it seemed there was never enough time with everything else that keeps him busy. Well, having one remaining car and a wife with appointments to keep, he decided that he would join the legions of Portlanders who bike to work. We made a trip to REI this past weekend and got him everything we could think of to make this happen – a pannier, warm and wicking base layers, waterproof pants, safety glasses, and enough lights to make him look like Christmas on a bicycle. Yesterday was his first time out. He came home sweaty and enthusiastic last night and plans to keep it up, rain or shine, three days a week, until the cows come home, so to speak.
So, life is grand. We have one car that works, another car we probably no longer need, and a handsome hubster getting a healthy dose of fresh air, flashing lights, and exercise! I love my life. I really and truly do.
Thanks for reading!
I’ve thought about writing a list like this for a long time yet always worried that it meant that what I’m doing right now is lacking in merit. A shift occurred, however, when I had that moment of realization that there is no THERE without HERE. The future doesn’t exist without today. So thank you, Andrea at Superhero Journal, for inspiring me to voice my dreams to the world.
1. Be a successfully published novelist.
2. Win an award for my work.
3. Be interviewed by Tavis, Terry, and Charlie.
4. Be paid handsomely for work that I love.
4. Visit Cambodia and India.
5. Really know America.
6. Be financially independent.
7. Master the Yoga Shakti DVD and meet Shiva Rea.
8. Love myself, inside and out (and tell my thirteen year old self, “It’s okay”).
Tags: Yoga
As many of you know, from this space and my life in the physical world, I practice yoga. What initially began as neat way to get exercise has become a deeply invigorating physical and spiritual practice. By God’s (or maybe Buddha’s or Shiva Nataraja’s) grace, I have the privilege to be led through asanas that bring me closer to what I believe is most important in this world: body, mind, and spirit connecting and strengthening, not just within me, but to human consciousness, and all that lives, breathes, and moves. As a result, I have changed. I am more integrated, physically stronger yet softer, more understanding, caring, and connected. I still have a long way to go, but the journey, with yoga, is far more joyous and centered.
At the center of this is Shiva Rea. I have had other teachers, but none has inspired me or encouraged me to continue as she has (despite never having met!). Were it not for the discovery of the brilliant Yoga Shakti DVD more than five years ago, I don’t know that I would still be practicing. It’s not only Shiva’s way of teaching, of leading, but the steady evolution of her yoga, rooted in the ebb and flow of life, not to mention those fabulous matrices that allow me to mix it up according to my needs and time.
These four DVDs are my favorites and are the foundation of my practice. They are challenging, fun, beautiful, and as ever changing as I am. Difficult one day, a breeze the next, they enable me to be exactly where I am and embrace it.
As for each video – Yoga Shakti is closest to what I would call a traditional vinyasa practice. I think, too, if you are new to yoga, it is the best place to start, as she offers some basic postures and forms. As you progress, it can be very challenging, too. Even after more than five years, I can, by no means, complete all the postures as shown. Shiva is strong and incredibly flexible! My goal is to have this video mastered in 2013. The body and mind open slowly, over time.
Trance Dance – I’ve written about this before, and my love for it is simple. Dance! Invigorating, fluid, sacred, and totally fun!
Daily Energy – I was so jazzed when she made this DVD! Sometimes I don’t have a lot of time. With this video, I can have a complete practice in as little as twenty minutes, which is pretty awesome. Since it also has a yoga matrix, I can make it a whole lot longer, add some core work, forward bends, and a complete shavasana, too.
Creative Core + Upper Body – Though the practice is centered around 108 push-ups (not all at once – thank goodness!), it is definitely not just for the upper body. The legs and core get a terrific workout, too. Speaking of the core – in all of the DVDs except Trance, she offers core cultivation in very creative and fun ways. I’d never seen or felt anything like it – very good! Oh, and this one is also pretty short, running at 35 minutes.
