Life Update

I haven't blogged much lately, largely because I haven't had much to say. I have also started working again, so I have less time to spend in front of the computer, which isn't such a bad thing, really.

Gross factor warning/If you are squeamish, do not read this paragraph: My dog is having surgery this week to remove a mole that grew too large. It got infected and was nasty and scabby and bloody and gooey. Before he has the surgery, we have to clear out the infection and keep the area clean. This isn't a fun activity, cleaning his open tumor clean. Yes, it's an exposed tumor. YUCK! I'm actually looking forward to the surgery so that we can get this thing off his face and I can go back to not being eewed out every day.

A few years ago he had this neurological problem that he recovered from but that left him deaf and crooked. Literally crooked. His head is crooked and he can't walk in a straight line. Add to that the fact that he isn't the brightest dog, and this whole cone thing has been silly. He walks too close to doorways when passing from one room to another and therefore bumps his cone onto the door sill. But he doesn't realize what's happened, so he backs up and does it again. And again. And again. And again. He continues to do it until I move him over a half inch and he can move through the doorway with no problem.

Poor, old, sweet dog. I love him.

Recycling

We have curb-side recycling here in Carson. I always thought that as long as the item had a triangle with a number on the bottom that that meant the item could go into the recycling bin. Recently someone told that I should check with my city to see what numbers they accept, that the city only takes certain numbers. So I did. After much searching, I found this:

Acceptable Items
Notes
Aluminum Cans
Glass Bottles & Jars
Magazines
Newspapers
Plastic Bottles
Steel Cans

Not exactly helpful. So I guess I'll call to be sure that I'm not putting items into the bin that don't belong there. It seems that this info should be readily available on the Internet. Or maybe I just expect too much from my local sanitation department.

Shakespeare (abridged)

Going to see hubby in The Complete Works of Shakespeare (abridged) tonight. I'm taking my 5 y/o. Not sure how that's going to work out. We'll see. Daddy thinks she'll stay interested. At least it's outside, so the chances of her disturbing other theater goers is less likely.

Metta!

Think!

It's getting to be the season of political ads, which gives me, a teacher of rhetoric and persuasion, a great deal of fodder. Anyway, I think this is a not-so-subtle form of manipulation:

http://www.usmagazine.com/britney-spears-paris-hilton-featured-in-new-john-mccain-ad

The sad part is that for many Americans, who don't think about the information that is fed to them on a daily basis, this ad will actually be convincing. They might not think about it consciously, but they will respond to Obama being related to Paris Hilton and Brittany Spears.

A neighbor of mine has a bumper sticker with an American flag on it. Above the flag it says Think. Below the flag it says It's patriotic. Whether you're liberal or conservative, I think we can all agree that many Americans are non-thinkers. We eat up the media like it's candy and never question its validity.

But it's our responsibility as voters, as consumers, as societal members to think.

I'm off to watch a movie, eye candy of sorts. No, the irony is not lost on me.

The Engaged Spiritual Life

I've finished Hunger of Memory by Richard Rodriquez, which I enjoyed, and am now reading Donald Rothberg's book The Engaged Spiritual Life: A Buddhist Approach to Transforming Ourselves and the World. I'm not very far along, but am loving it. I only wish I had someone to read it with, as Rothberg gives exercises that he suggests you do with another person or a group.

He explains that this book is about "both inner and outer transformation." He explains that "our real work is the same whether we attend to ourselves, to our families, to our communities, or to a larger society and ecosystems."

Right now I'm reading the section on the Five Precepts. He focuses first on three of the precepts: the first (non-harming), the second (not taking what is not given), and the fourth (wise speech). Then he groups together the third (not abusing sexuality) and the fifth (not abusing substances).

His approach is systematic in that he takes the precepts and looks at them in three different domains: the personal, the relational, and the collective domains. So for the first precept, he asks us to take three steps that are taking inventory of our patterns, paying attention to these patterns, and then making changes to these patterns in how we live our lives.

Although I'm reading on, I am going to take the exercises one week at a time, which means that this week I will focus on the first precept of nonharming. The actual precept is avoiding killing, but as Rothberg suggests, all the precepts have an implied positive action, not just a negative pattern to avoid. This means that the first precept is about not only not killing and not harming, but also working to assure others are not harmed, in short, taking action to prevent others from harming others.

So I'm off to take inventory.

Metta.

Take Refuge in the Sangha

I've been thinking lately about how grateful I am that I have the local sangha that I have. The people are wonderful, and having the community to share a set of beliefs and discuss practice with is invaluable. I know there are those out there who do not have that luxury, that books and web pages and podcasts are the closest they can get to a sangha. I'm sure that is better than nothing and suffices quite well. Nevertheless, I feel quite lucky and am very grateful for having these good people in my world.

John Travis retreat

I went to a day-long retreat yesterday that was taught by John Travis from Mountain Stream. I loved the retreat and really enjoyed John's teachings. His approach to meditation teaching is a lot less prescriptive. Instead of telling us to use this technique or that technique, he simply said to try to stay present and relax. (He expanded on this, of course.) As a result, even though we meditated for a large part of the day, I never once felt that good-God!-when-will-the-bell-chime? panic I sometimes feel when a meditation has gone beyond what I am accustomed to.

The topic for the day was The Liberation Teachings. The day was mostly meditation, not as much verbal instruction. He'd give us some small tidbits and then have us meditate. Then at the end of the day, he talked for about an hour. By the end of the day, I felt a lot more at peace, a lot happier, and definitely ready to meditate some more.

If you get a chance to attend a John Travis retreat, I highly recommend it. He is a gentle spirit.