Category Archives: Be not idle
‘Our Daily Bread’
This programme has been on Radio 4 all week. I only caught episode 3, but it was worth it for this introduction which I have transcribed. I thought it was beautiful. If this is it, then life is far more simple than we like to make it.
When you are holding bread… you are holding the cosmos in your hands.
Bread is a microcosm of the macrocosm.
In the bread, is the sun; if there is no sun, there is no bread. In the bread is the moon. In the bread is the rain. In the bread is the soil. In the bread is the farmer. In the bread is the baker. In the bread is the eater. In the bread are all the elements because the bread is made, only, by all the elements put together. So, when you make the bread, bread makes you.
This complete non-duality and complete wholeness of life is represented by bread. Therefore, in Buddhist tradition, also in Hindu and Jain tradition, annam (food), which is bread, is very holy, very sacred, very precious; and through bread you can find your salvation, your nirvana, and your moksha.
Satish Kumar, Editor, Resurgence Magazine and former Jain monk.
‘Now spit!’
Got to go see this guy later; I’ll be the patient who’s stuck to the ceiling…
Still find this song highly amusing – the raising of a smile as a therapeutic approach to crippling anxiety and panic? We’ll see…
My worst nightmare would be a dentist, on a transatlantic night flight, with snakes *shudders*
The going to score walk
I’ve seen it so many times I don’t even stop short when I see it anymore.
It’s a gait with purpose, entwined with intent. It’s not altogether fast, but it’s not slow either.
If those eyes aren’t aleady dilated in anticipation, you might still catch sight of them: dark and empty, yet filled with want.
One thing, one thing on your mind; until the point, the point, when you can leave it all behind.
On the walk.
Quirky Birthday Maths for 2012
My sister, closest in age to me, is now four times older than my eldest daughter.
In twenty years time, the age difference will have halved and my sister will only be twice as old as my eldest daughter. It’s made me wonder what the minimum age multiple would be between them.
Go figure…
My second sleep
I read a while ago that there is a lot of documentary evidence that our ancestors used to take their night’s sleep in two chunks: the first a few hours after dusk and the second after an hour or two of waking activity.
Tonight, I’m giving their system a go.
I went to bed about 8 p.m. and I’ve had a productive few hours between 12.30 and 2.30 a.m., so productive in fact that I don’t have time to write any more because I need to go back to sleep.
I won’t be able to review the effects of this until tomorrow. Let’s see. It never really worked out too well when the children were babies, waking in the night…
Voysey Owl Wallpaper
Keeping it Real: Cruising with Saga Louts
A dear member of the family is off on a Mediterranean cruise at the moment, although it has been noted that the numbers of days at sea, sailing from Southampton, have been rather more than I would like for myself, were I to take to the waves.
I asked where they were in their schedule, the answer, ‘Casablanca.’ I asked what it was like? I was told, ‘I don’t know, but she (the dear member) has bought a Real Madrid strip…’
Good girl.
I thought I’d look up Casablanca for myself, being curious. I got rather distracted by this rather marvellous street art rendition of a cat.
Cruising makes me want to sing this, although I appreciate the sentiment is all wrong.
You start with a bit of recreational pigeon haikuery…
And, before you know it, you are onto the hard seagull seventeen-syllable gear, imported from Japan.
A seagull pimp rolls
the street, glares at pigeons. Then,
stops, to window shop.
Free epamphlet for labrador lovers (and terrapins)
I have a free download this Grand National weekend for my latest bitesize memoir, about walking dogs in the East End of London.
This story includes my close encounter with terrapins in the ‘hood.
Click on the cover to download.
