Journal Entry Date: 11 Jan 2004
Thought for the Day: "The eight-fold path is the sure way."
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/sacca4.html
http://www.thebigview.com/buddhism/eightfoldpath.html
http://www.teknozen.com/tekfiles/8.html
Thank you, Lord, for scalloped corn.
Brought to eye/mind today: One of my 2004 calendars features paintings by Van Gogh. This month it's "Church at Auvers." I look at it and see a ghostly flame against a dark blue sky. There seems to be another image incorporated into the depiction of the church, but I can't seem to lock onto it. Knowing Van Gogh was a cleric for a while, gave up all his wordly possessions to work among his flock and was excised from the church (which one I can't remember), I wonder if this has flavored his painting. I also want to see it as a comment on the Catholic religion, perhaps because of my own experience. But in the end what I see is a solitary, ghostly building that seems to writhe.
Journal:
>Changing my business designation to 7115, it seems I must change the name. Like DolphinMoon Media.
>No time for artwork today, again.
Journal Entry Date: 10 Jan 2004
Thought for the Day: "The object of mind's--or the body's-- journey through life is NOT comfort."
Thank you, Lord, for shopping spree at Pier 1 with MLF.
Brought to eye/mind today: At the grocery store encountered, K.M./mms and his wife. They appear to be locked in some kind of power struggle. I would guess his tactics are subtlety, hers are force.
Journal:
>Working on HP Pavilion again--still in limbo
>Exchanged Christmas gifts with D.R.
>Asked MLF for help with getting blog to work.
>Went shopping with MLF at Pier 1 to use the gift certificate he gave me. What fun finding enough things I want to use up the certificate.
Journal Entry Date: 9 Jan 2004
Thought for the Day: "I accept, enjoy and employ my gifts."
Thank you, Lord, for jobs completed.
Brought to eye/mind today: Often we see life as a competition (why else envy?) But at least two conditions, maybe more, are needed to compete:
1. Both "competitors" must be playing the same game and agree that they are.
2. Their skill levels must be approximately equal.
Otherwise it's some private mental exercise.
Journal:
>Decided I want to put beads on the fringe of D.R.'s scarf (a late Christmas present). Went to Black Elk Leather and found just the right faceted glass beads (like crystal), bought them, then left them at the store. Felt it to be too cold to go back out for them. Finished the scarf without them.
Journal Entry Date: 8 Jan 2004
Thought for the Day: "It is better to die in battle against temptation than to live as its slave." --Padhama via BUDDHIST WISDOM: DAILY REFLECTIONS (see 2Jan04)
(Does this mean you should give in to the temptation; or give up your life to be released from temptation?)
Thank you, Lord, for the opportunity to use my skills.
Brought to eye/mind today: Bright, sharp new moon
Journal:
>minus 15 degrees F. today
>HP floppy still n/working; system may not be working as desired, but it's alive.
Daily Journal Entry: 7 Jan 2004
Thought for the Day: "Be happiness itself--free of hatred and antipathy"
Thank you, Lord, for this warm house.
Brought to eye/mind today: Power of phrase "I will help you."
Journal:
>Took van to Herbie's Auto Body to initiate repair of the fender. This decision took time--van is getting old, cost of repair nearly equals value of vehicle. But replacing the van is too expensive right now. Found Herbie to be a nice guy, who said repeatedly "I will help you." A good thing to hear and warming when dealing with cleaning up after an accident.
>Temperatures have been below zero for several days, colder than those in previous four years. Some time ago I hired a chimneysweep to check whether chimney was leaking around exit point. His response was inconclusive, but he did tell me the damper doesn't close all the way. Put a piece of foam board in the fireplace and now the house is much warmer. How sweet it is.
Thought for the Day: "Who ranks the highest? No one--it's not a contest.
Thank you, Lord, for windows in my office.
Brought to eye/mind today: Office envy
Journal:
>What a great eye Yann Arthus-Bertrand has (EARTH FROM ABOVE, Abrams, N.Y., 2002). Yes, bought the book.
>Not feeling well today. Went to bed early.
Thought for the Day: "A wise person avoids damaging his/her environ."
Journal:
>Fighting with my girlfriend D.R. in my head.
>At work we move to our new location tomorrow.
>Called American Tire about getting car checked. After going into a snowbank it vibrates at 40-50mph. Rich, the person recommended to me, answered the phone. He says it might be impacted snow and suggested I wash it out first, before putting it on the rack. Will have to wait for warmer weather; don't want to introduce water right now and have it freeze.
Thought for the Day: "Find the eternal by learning and practicing wisdom."
Thank you, Lord, the images in EARTH FROM ABOVE.
Brought to eye/mind today: It's Sunday and the grocery store is crowded with shoppers.
Journal:
>Planned to make chili, but found no kidney beans in the cupboard. So made a rare, extra trip to the store for them.
>Finishing "Light Occulted" (a work with organza, automirrors and torn paper), stretched the organza to cover the piece. Makes a muted effect, but colors show through and mirrors shine. But cloth loses its stretched tautness when gel medium is applied. Looks ruined, will try again.
>Spent some time taking pictures from 2003 calendars and saving them. Some photos from the calendar Earth from Above have given me ideas for paintings and effects.
Thought for the Day: "Seek the way of higher good and be free of doubt and fear."
Thank you, Lord, for Freecell
Brought to eye/mind today: Life in America during the Great Depression.
Journal:
>Trying to install a new motherboard in an HP Pavilion body. It's not going well. Thought I had it but the floppy still doesn't work. Need the floppy to boot the machine. Could try booting from the hard drive--after I pull it, format it in another machine and reinstall it. Either the floppy is bad (a new one) or it's the power supply. If the power supply, should probably buy a new case. So, costs mount on what looked like a freebie.
>Watched Seabiscuit. Very enjoyable. Reminded me of the big social changes that occurred in the Thirties.
Thought for the Day: A single step on the path of enlightenment is greater than being ruler of the universe." (Crosweller, David; BUDDHIST WISDOM: DAILY REFLECTIONS; Tuttle Publishing, Boston, 2003)
Thank you, Lord, for Friday.
Brought to eye/mind today: What may make humans different from the other animals is consciousness of consciousness--I am and know that I am. Self-awareness, it sometimes works out as living in a hall of mirrors. Holding a mirror in front of a larger mirror, one sees the smaller mirror reflected in ever smaller versions of itself as infinitum.
Daily Journal:
>During meditation saw a figure standing with its face and shoulders in shadow. This applies to the painting I'm working on, "Orange Gift."
>Passed on First Friday (Art galleries in the area host mini-receptions and feature artists on the first Friday of each month.) this time. It's too cold and the air of "art for art's sake" (Kandinsky) is getting stale.
Thought for the Day: "Know thyself"
http://www.powertoshare.com/sharing/essays/jf_knowthyself.htm
http://seattle.simerson.net/personal/psych/know.thyself.shtml
http://user.tninet.se/~hao062h/delphi.html
Thank you, Lord, for holiday christmas lights
Brought to eye/mind today: It occurs to me that for the soul to be born into the body is stuffing the infinite into a small container. How frustrating it may be to operate a vehicle so small, undeveloped. With a brain that is only developing, how much can the soul express. Yet by the time the brain is developed enough, the ego and biological demands vie for precedence.
Daily Journal:
>Fixing Freecell downloaded games from Microsoft and new drivers from HP and Logitech. Something worked. Freecell is back!
>Whole right side of car broken--sliding door frozen shut and passenger door barely opens because of being sideswiped.
>Enjoyed shopping at Pier 1 with MLF. With my gift certificate bought a number of sweet things.