TGIF

Perhaps you have experienced this video. I love love love it. Don't we all deserve to feel this way? Here's something I read recently about happiness (nine ways to achieve it): 1. Start each day with expectation. If there's any big truth about life, it's that it usually lives up to (or down to) your expectations. Therefore, when you rise from bed, make your first thought: "something wonderful is going to happen today." Guess what? You're probably right. 2. Take time to plan and prioritize. The most common source of stress is the perception that you've got too much work to do. Rather than obsess about it, pick one thing that, if you get it done today, will move you closer to your highest goal and purpose in life. Then do that first. 3. Give a gift to everyone you meet. I'm not talking about a formal, wrapped-up present. Your gift can be your smile, a word of thanks or encouragement, a gesture of politeness, even a friendly nod. And never pass beggars without leaving them something. Peace of mind is worth the spare change. 4. Deflect partisan conversations. Arguments about politics and religion never have a "right" answer but they definitely get people all riled up over things they can't control. When such topics surface, bow out by saying something like: "Thinking about that stuff makes my head hurt." 5. Assume people have good intentions. Since you can't read minds, you don't really know the "why" behind the "what" that people do. Imputing evil motives to other people's weird behaviors adds extra misery to life, while assuming good intentions leaves you open to reconciliation. 6. Eat high quality food slowly. Sometimes we can't avoid scarfing something quick to keep us up and running. Even so, at least once a day try to eat something really delicious, like a small chunk of fine cheese or an imported chocolate. Focus on it; taste it; savor it. 7. Let go of your results. The big enemy of happiness is worry, which comes from focusing on events that are outside your control. Once you've taken action, there's usually nothing more you can do. Focus on the job at hand rather than some weird fantasy of what might happen. 8. Turn off "background" TV. Many households leave their TVs on as "background noise" while they're doing other things. The entire point of broadcast TV is to make you dissatisfied with your life so that you'll buy more stuff. Why subliminally program yourself to be a mindless consumer? 9. End each day with gratitude. Just before you go to bed, write down at least one wonderful thing that happened. It might be something as small as a making a child laugh or something as huge as a million dollar deal. Whatever it is, be grateful for that day because it will never come again. I also read recently about taking a 24 hour break from the connected world of electronics: computers, t.v., (phone?) starting at sundown on Friday and going until sundown Saturday. I'm going to try that, though probably not this week, as I am on-call for the SPCA and need to make phone calls this evening. But I can, and will, unplug from everything else. Of course, this is an idea born directly from the practice of Shabbat. Rest, contemplation, refraining from work. No need to go to a fancy spa or religious retreat, just do it where you are, in your life, and reap the benefits. Because I want to keep this "happy" groove going and going. It's just that simple. And that radical.

Wordless Wednesday

Woke up this morning with this lil' ditty on my mind:

I once had a friend named Joe
who had a terrible ache in his toe.
I was inspired, and so I inquired,
"How is your Tojo?"

I do indeed have a friend who has a bothersome toe, but his name ain't Joe.  So, a little artistic license. 

I have not been moved to post much lately, but that doesn't mean a lot hasn't been going on.  I'm healthy, happy and busy.  How is it that life is so good right now?  I count my blessings.

Waaayyyy back when I moved to Sacramento (2 years) I asked my readers if I was going to love this new life or not.  The answer is unequivocally "yes!"

A recent hike to the Sutter Buttes brought out the photographers, and how.  There I am, on the far left. A great trip, wonderful, interesting people.  Sponsored by the Sutter Buttes Land Trust.  A group of farmers and ranchers who open up their private land for guided hikes around the buttes -- the smallest mountain range in the U.S.

And last night, at Sacramento State college, a divine concert by Jordi Savall.  He chose Sacramento for his one and only U.S. performance this year.  How in the world did that happen?  He plays the viola da gamba, an instrument that died out for about 250 years, as the transmission from teacher to student was lost.  It is a terrific instrument, and I'd love to know the history of the particular one he used last night.  He took us through the history of music written for the viola da gamba, and treated us to various tunings, percussion, plucking, and bowing.

During intermission I had to use the restroom, as we are wont to do, and was stuck in a long line of women because there were only TWO stalls in the restroom!  My line companions and I had a good laugh about that, and I explained why there probably was no accessible stalls - 40 year old building with no appreciable renovation to kick in ADA code.  I was transported back to my days of a construction project manager, and then looked around with those old eyes and saw all kinds of code violations!  Gosh, retirement is a good thing.  I don't have to be the building code policewoman anymore.

Enjoy some Jordi Savall, won't you?

Wordless Wednesday

Tara Crowley 2014

Wordless Wednesday

Plymouth, CA

Tara Crowley 2014

TGIF - On St. Valentine's Day

[i carry your heart with me(i carry it in]

By E. E. Cummings

 

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in

my heart)i am never without it(anywhere

i go you go,my dear;and whatever is done

by only me is your doing,my darling)

                                                      i fear

no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want

no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)

and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant

and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows

(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud

and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows

higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)

and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)

Wordless Wednesday

For my dearest 'Bonsai', Free at Last

“When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence.”    Ansel Adams

Tragique et Sublim

 

 

S.O.S. of a Man in Distress

Why do I live, why do I die?
Why do I live, why do I cry?
Here is the SOS of a man in distress
I've never had both feet upon the ground
I'd rather be a bird
I don't fit into this skin
I'd like to see the world turned upside down
If ever it were beautiful
It's lovelier from above, from above
I've always confused life
with the comic strips
Even wished I could transform
I feel something
That draws me
That draws me
That draws me up
Into the great lotto of the universe
I don't have the right numbers
I don't fit into this skin
I don't want to be a robot
Eating, working, sleeping
Why do I live, why do I die
Why do I live, why do I cry
I think I'm catching waves
From another world
I've never had both feet upon the ground
I'd rather be a bird
I'd like to see the world turned upside down
I'd rather be a bird
Sleep, child, sleep

This song is ever more poignant because the young man died in 2007, at 23 years of age, from cystic fibrosis. I have never heard of him before, but heard him this morning on a playlist of a friend. His story emerged, and I have watched several videos of his work on You Tube. How sad his passing, how grand that he lived on earth and shared his love and talent. Tragic and sublime.

Wordless Wednesday

Tara Crowley

Enjoying the Jam

My friend S. and I stopped by M.'s for their weekly music jam session.  I had no idea what to expect, but S. assured me I would have a great time.  And that I did.  After being instructed by M. to "Grab an egg!" I realized there were little wood eggs filled with beads, or seeds, or something, to make rythm to the music.  I had a great time shakin' that egg.

 This lil' guy showed up with his mom, to provide some age diversity to a room full of oldsters.  He was delightful.  He knew his way around, and let the fellas play away, happily eating crackers and drawing on stickies.

Eva, our singer, was a true songbird.  She also knew her way around several African rhythm instruments.

One fella brought along his new toy - a synthesized drum. Yeah, we got down.  Drumming on cardboard boxes and the coffee table to an old rock tune which escapes me now.  Chalk it up to the wine.

And here, our host, jams on with his rum and coke, a most gracious gentleman artist who provided us with food and beverages, and later had a pizza delivered which we simply inhaled.

I came away from the evening simply enlivened by the music, the colorful characters, the stories, and the generosity of our host.  The last time I had such a grand experience was on my last night in North Carolina, when I attended a jam session by some old-timey musicians who blew my mind.  That was a couple of years ago...and the memory still makes me giddy.

What memories I have of practicing with my old band, going over songs until we got everything just right.  Until we were sick of them, but knew we had them down.  I am long past the guitar playing stage -- a distant memory -- but these folks inspired me.  Damn, but they did.