slowing down

Some clue-taps, large and small, that it's time to slow down, simplify again, do less, and rebalance:

1. For coffee this morning, I chose to use the electric grinder instead of the hand-crank one, because the five minutes spent grinding would have made me late to get my son to his school bus. I got my coffee, but I missed my daily sensual bean-grinding ritual.

2. Because we got a little bit of a late start, and then had to hunt around for his shoes (a not-uncommon occurrence), my son and I had to hurry up our morning walk along our road to make sure we didn't miss his bus. I had to literally tell him not to stop and smell the flowers. Oi.

3. While doing some scheduling for a project last night, I discovered that the next completely unplanned weekend I have is in mid-August sometime.

4. Four and a half hours of sleep each of the last two nights. Not sustainable.

5. I've been writing an email reply to a request for advice from a friend that I've been trying to finish for a week and a half now.

6. After a lovely evening out last night with the rest of the household at Margaritas (whose margaritas were actually rather disappointing -- I'm such a margarita snob, would really rather just make my own...), one of my housemates noted that it was too rare that we all just hung out on weeknights together, and I have to agree. When you don't feel that you can take time to spend with the people you choose to live with under the same roof, something's out of whack.

7. I haven't had a haircut since December, am starting to look a bit like Carlos the International Terrorist (times are tough for Carlos, who apparently can't afford a haircut)

8. More of the same, all of them clue-taps, best attended to before they become clue-shoves and clue-bricks...

It's simplicity itself, living more simply. If you want to have more time, you have to take more time, and spend more time doing less.

So it's time for another round of simplifying.

And now I'm going to go actually cook something for lunch, instead of foraging for leftovers. And I'll eat it at the table or on the back deck while listening to some music or birdsong outside, instead of wolfing it down at my desk. After several days of sweltering (for New England) mid-80-degree days, it's actually only 53 degrees outside right now. Glorious. Perhaps I'll even put on a sweatshirt :> And then hand-grind some beans for another pot of coffee.

Wicked Fun in Vermont

This is the draft path description for the path I'll be co-teaching at Vermont Camp in July.

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Shadow-path Of The Wicked Trickster
with Chelidon and Janel

Come play with the dangerous, wicked wisdom of cunning foolishness, with our unspoken truths, and with each other!

The Celtic bards were feared by kings for their awesome and even fatal power to satirize -- the ability to deflate unspoken assumptions and cleverly change our perceptions of truth through skillful use of ridicule, laughter and humor. The tricksters of myth, and those of our time, such as Arlo Guthrie, George Carlin, Gary Trudeau, all show us paths to wisdom through foolish, cunning acts, wicked fun, and subversively radical truths. We will call upon these trickster allies, working with the Cheshire Cat, Coyote, Raven and other foolish guides, to pierce the veils of illusion and expose our deepest unspoken assumptions. We will delve into the realm of shadows, of edges and boundaries and that which lies beneath and is hidden. We will explore the truths of our selves and our communities through the mirrors and lenses of laughter and wit.

Laughing at ourselves can be the first step to wisdom. This is serious work, which will not be taken seriously. This is playful, foolish work, which will carry us into the depths of our deepest painful shadows. At times the most constructive and healing way to grapple with overwhelming anger, hurt, and loss, is to laugh. At times, the best way to confront power is through trickery, foolishness and humor. At times, the Joker is the only card which can beat the King, and the trickster-fool is the only one who can speak the truth that our emperors are buck naked.

Come join our trixy band of shadow-warriors, the Wicked Wits of the East, and wield the wisdom of cunning foolishness, learning to confront our demons by laughing at them, and at ourselves.

a positive step

A good thing, and further sign that Bush's power is eroding somewhat in his second term...

House limits Patriot Act rules on library records