on food...

Simple foods. Holy foods. Wholly-foods. They're all the same thing, and they're all around us. They are all naturally occuring! Doy, says you. They need nothing else, aside from a little cooking, maybe, if it's called for. Something has been bothering me for a while. See, when I enjoy foods that are simple, having only their selves as the ingredient, I feel quite good. Not particularly physically, as I (with all graciousness) typically feel fine, no matter what I happen to eat. No, it is mentally, and dare I say spiritually nourishing when I consume a vegetable, root, fruit, egg, etcetera.

That isn't what bothers me. What bothers me is whatever it is that distracts me (and a great many others) from ever eating any other way?

Here is a brief list of the noble qualities that the humble vegetable posesses:

• The vegetable knows itself. That apple, that pear? It knows what it is, and it is it, presumably without giving it a second thought, or none at all!
• The vegetable is honest. To the best of it's ability. We intellects may tamper with pesticides and other chemicals, but the vegetable has no interest in tricking you into eating it for its own gain, aside from spreading its own seeds.
• The vegetable knows what to do, and when.
• The vegetable lives so it can give. In doing this, it expresses itself freely and becomes one with everything else.

I'm pretty lucky to have ears and eyes to learn from such quiet teachers.

What does one say?

It's true. What does one say when discussing September 11th? I'm surely not one for copying and pasting generic and nationalist rememberance paragraphs. All that I may say is that my hope is for humanity to use this day to inspire themselves to do away with acting on hatred. We should neither fear nor hate those we would call against us, nor should we glorify and empower those who would "protect" us.

Responsibility falls to us all as individuals and as one whole, as we are all both.

There's still time...

I hope this inspires you. It has me.

summergoals.

Shirtfolders: Practitioners of a Simple, Satisfying Art

Imagine your ideal wardrobe, if you will. Do you have it? How do you dream of obtaining it, if you aren't satisfied? All of these questions could be tackled in an entirely different post, of course... However, you might find that you already have your ideal wardrobe, right under your nose! Paring down my clothing inventory is a topic I think of now and then, and I always seem to return to the same conclusion:

• stick to the basics
• choose quality
• keep just enough
• care for what you do have

There is something to be said about the satisfaction of imagining yourself opening up the drawers of your bureau and seeing your shirts neatly folded, stacked, and ready to grab and just put on. Thinking of keeping my shirts in such order, while knowing much else in my life is somewhat a special kind of chaos, brings me back down to the earth and causes me to marvel at the easiness of it all. As such, this video that I'm posting below ought to inspire you to make your way to your drawer and do a mindful shirt storing meditation. It's almost as fun and aesthetically pleasing as it is simple!

folding shirts, the "japanese way". So they say.

World's Smallest Sushi

Here in our western world, we typically tend to find meaning in money, and more money. Oh, and gold. Essentially, more in general. But, perhaps... suppose one could find meaning in less? What if meaning could be found in the smallest amount possible? Truly, in this post from Junkculture, more might be found in less.

baking bread and learning to dance, today.

the art of story.

Also, remember that good stories can come in the smallest packages. Telling stories is a hobby and passion of mine. I don't claim to tell very good ones, but I do enjoy it, and enjoy trying to make it interesting. I'll elaborate more on that sometime. Here is am example of pretty good storytelling in only a matter of minutes.

My apologies as it asks you to head to youtube to watch.

A Saturday Reminder

...of the joy of waking up. 

do, make, say, think September.

September is here! Our nights will soon be cooler, followed by our days. Here's what I'm going to do this month:

• Browse for mushrooms in the forest.
• Help two friends move into their new Portland apartment.
• Brew a new batch of beer, and my first batch of cider.
• Enjoy padding across the city by foot.
• Behold the marvelous start of the harvest bounty at the local farmer's markets.
• Slowly bicycling across town, feeling the fresh air.
• Sip hot green tea each morning and night. (Maybe some mushroom teas if I manage to acquire some fruiting bodies.)

I certainly hope you take the time to really focus and enjoy school, if that's where you're going to be this month. If not, I hope you'll consider waking up early each day and educating yourself with books.

Just because you aren't scheduled for any classes at the moment doesn't mean you don't need to learn new things! Might I recommend a book about mushrooms (this is the season for picking!), or about trees? You might just want to lose yourself in a good fantasy. September is perfect for that! Whatever you chose, few things can be as comforting as beginning your day with a few turned pages and a hot drink. Leave your windows open, still, New England!