Blog Challenge

I forgot to mention that yesterday, LJ and I created a blog challenge between us. It was originally her idea to post a list of things to do in our day and do them. We started out good, but both slacked. Now, we HAVE to. Things for today:

*Finish cleaning other half of kitchen (did 1st half yesterday and that wasn't even on my list!)
*Meditate (after I blog)
*Clean my self up (this does NOT count as shoving dirty hair under hat and going out in a hoodie and jeans), and meet a friend for a drink (she's buying!)
*Throw down coat of paint that I didn't do yesterday (but I cleaned 1/2 kitchen, so that's counts as a cancel out)
*Send out at least 3 more resumes
*Knit during prime time to finish sister in law's very tardy Xmas gift

This morning, two interesting things happened to me. On TBS, the movie "American Beauty" was on. I had never seen it. Watching the characters change, grow, and become aware of their own realities rather struck a chord in me. Especially Kevin Spacey's character. I also finished the book "Hardcore Zen, Punk Rock, Monster Movies and the Truth About Reality" by Brad Warner. This, in the acknowledgments (yes, I read that part of the book), smacked me right between the eyes...

"Don't ever be disappointed with what happens in life because sometimes you don't know when someone is doing you a tremendous favor. Seriously."

Also the following quotes from the chapter "The Great Heart of Wisdom Sutra", which sounds all deep and meaningful, but you have to understand, this chapter begins with a quote from Bart Simpson. Yes, that cartoon kid on tv, where he talks to Milhouse about how there is no thing as a soul. But I'm leaving that quote out. I'm sure everyone out there is fully familiar with that episode.

"Compassion is the ability to see what needs doing right now and the willingness to do it right now. Sometimes compassion may even mean doing nothing at all...stupid helpfulness is not compassion either."

"...I'll sit there and wonder, 'Will I regret it later if I don't buy this now?' Of course, you can't answer that question. People stress themselves out all the time over variations of the same question...don't get too hung up on the future. The future is out of your control. Enjoy what's happening right now. Do what is appropriate, what is right, in the present moment and let the future be the future."

I could go on, but then you wouldn't buy the damn book. And I think you should at least check it out from the library.

In the past few days, I have also started (very shakily) attempting mindfulness. Rather than my old routime of waking up, stumbling to the kitchen to put on the coffee, turning on the news and sitting in a fog staring that the super wonderfully cute Matt Lauer, I've taken a different path. I wake up. I stretch out the creaks. I sit lotus and try and remember my dreams for a few minutes (I don't really recall my dreams, but if I can't, I focus on my day). I go to the kitchen and wait for the really cold water to come out of the tap. I smell the coffee when I open the bag. I more carefully judge how much coffee to put in the filter. While I wait for it to brew, then I turn on Mr. Matt Lauer and actually listen to what he is saying about world events and whatever propaganda is du jour, rather than gazing emptily at the tube. When the coffee is ready, I take the time to smell it and give a little thanks for this amazing thing that is called COFFEE. I've always loved coffee, but now I appreciate it. All of that only takes me an extra 5-10 minutes (depending on how long I reflect), and the difference in my day has been amazing. And rather than sitting on the couch with Mr. Lauer and having my breakfast with him, I turned off the tv and sat at the kitchen table and ate carefully. I remembered what food tastes like, rather than something to fill my belly and give me energy. Once again, it's the difference between "liking" something to growing to "appreciate" it and what role it plays.

Yesterday, on my way home from my job interview on the bus, I met the most amazing man named John. I shall tell this tale tomorrow, as this blog is now very long. "It is what it is".

God, this sounded all very woo.