May 17, 2008 I’m Back!

A vacation in Cape Cod – the only bad things were getting there and returning — a normal 5+ hour drive took over 8 hours each way.  Was it the rain?  Was it Friday? Both?  Nancy and I loved even the travel.  It’s rare to spend that much time together, but really — together.  Enough to have us overjoyed at arriving there…when plain joyed would have been enough

My favorite was finding this organic farm a few miles outside of Falmouth.  What got me was their collection of field greens, including edible flowers…Flowers!!  Who knew??  Nasturtiums…Spicy and wonderful.  Owned by a couple from Ghana.

It was cold, ridiculous for mid-May; never wore short sleeves all week.  Cold; don’t think of a wine-tasting as being for warmth.  ’nuff.  My inbox has well over 500 emails and I have to readjust to being here.

March 30, 2008 ‘ere We Go

Baseball is gearing up.  I didn’t know that there was a Civil Rights Game (this was the 2nd annual)… And I found out that Memphis has a Civil Rights Museum…never thought I would learn about America from a spring baseball game.  And if this educates you as well…great.

Last night was “turn off the lights” for an hour to acknowledge Earth Hour.   Of course, they didn’t recognize this in the baseball game — Unfortunate, because a living planet is essential for civil rights.  I confess, I kept the television on, sort of intentionally not knowing I should have kept it off…found it on the front page of CNN’s website, but – strangely, not the NY Times – the Times has it – but not featured.

Did anyone in Washington pay attention? Many cities in the world paid attention.  No one on my block did.  My commitment is for a sustainable environment, social justice ans spiritual fulfillment for the planet.  So I care and intend that we paid attention.

March 19, 2008 To the Gym

It’s been weeks since I’ve been to the gym.  And at my age I lose my conditioning faster than ever, so I pay the price.  But it’s a price worth paying. 

I’ve learned much growing up, but I have few regrets.  And one of them is that I let participating in sports fade away.  So I’m left with exercising in the gym.  I don’t mind the boredom and I enjoy the constant result of a workout.  But I regret not playing.

My best friend Sherm never stopped playing.  He’s climbed mountains, biked through Europe and has played basketball and for the last 10 -15 years reacketball, religiously.  At 72 he outplays kids and sets a standard that we can all aspire to.

When I came home from ROTC summer camp in 1956, I was able to do push ups with my kid brother (now 63) on my back.  I loved it and me doing that.  Why did I ever stop?

March 10, 2008 Consistency

Emerson said, “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.”  Ir’s a quote I learned completely wrong.  First, I thought it was Mark Twain.  But more importantly, I learned it as, “Consistency is the hobgoblin…”  Funny what one word will do.  It’s a foolish consistency… 

I looked it up:  One definition is “Reliability or uniformity of successive results or events”
Another is “Correspondence among related aspects; compatibility”  Seems to me that the assumption of consistency might well be foolish. 

Anyhow, today is another day.  The wind has died down.  The climate has not demonstrated consistency.  Night and day still follow one another.  The seasons seem a little mixed up.  But not all of them:  We’re moving to the end of the basketball and hockey seasons, while baseball is warming up – only a few weeks away.

There’s no point to this – it’s inconsistent.  I just want to say something about commitment.  The trappings of commitment change like the weather and the seasons.  It’s up to each of us to dance with them, to dance with the circumstances, but be consistent with our commitments.  I am committed to making a difference, to bringing joy and satisfaction into people’s lives.  I’m committed to environmental sustainability, dpiritual fulfillment and social justice for all of us.  That’s a big mouthful.  There’s bound to be a lot of dancing.  Dancing is fun.

March 7, 2008 Sockies

Since Sadie died this summer, Socks is the Alpha animal.  She has been consciously training us in these last months.  She is over 14 years old, but looks like a large kitten.

Last week my daughter’s dogs (Aliya lives downstairs) came up to visit.  They each weigh over 100 pounds.  Socks chased them out – first making herself as large as possible (you know, becoming 2-dimensional, with all hair raised) — and she scream-moaned.  Ebony & Goldie fought to be first down the stairs.

She started by tentativel taking one corner of the bed, which she now owns.  She meditates with us.  And makes it very clear that she allows us to show affection, but always remains aloof and rarely purrs.

She makes her demands known.  Recently she tells us that she needs a quarter pound of butter on the table that she can lick at leisure…insisting that it be put out in the morning.  She checks that it’s there and then leaves.  We don’t know if she comes back to it.  She’s the same way with going up to the attic (which is hers!!)  We open the door; she goes in and 6 seconds later comes out.  This is why cat doors were invented.

Her evolution is fascinating.

February 24, 2008 Play Dates

Nancy has taken Diamond over to play with Shayla, kind of nice, my 2 granddaughters getting together.  We never had play dates when I was a kid; we just went outside and played.  Sometimes we would have to round up a few to get a game, but mostly there were enough.  But that was my neighborhood and that was Brooklyn in the 1940s. 

I guess the whole notion of gathering in the streets – even playing in the streets is very different today.  The shifting of culture fascinates me, particularly our seemless flow from one thing to the next.  Our awareness of the shift is rare, punctuated now by internet quizzes or new versions of Trivial Pursuit.

The Oscars is also a venue for cultural shifts – certainly the ‘in memoriam’ segment is.  I rarely see any of the movies up for awards; I confess to not even waiting for DVDs, but for cable TV to see any, by which time rewards are long gone; the lesser awards completely forgotten. 

I watched the Spirit awards yesterday for independent films.  They’re wonderful.  They try so hard to cut out the glamor, the arrogance, to come off as human beings.  What’s interestin is the simultaneous blending of films with the Oscars – like Juno and the complete disconnect like the films about abortion and films like The Savages.  And I loved their song parodies and the gags with the MC.  I’ve seen him and don’t know who he is, but I truly loved his sketch segments. I should say The whole event was green.

Anyhow, this is my play date with you.  But, as always, my context is Social Justice, Sustainable Environment and Spiritual Fulfillment. 

February 16, 2008 Chuck E Cheese

Today was my grandson’s 7th birthday.  We decided to bring the family to Chucky Cheese.  That place actually scares me… a horde of kids running like crazy with occasional parents searching, following or yelling for them… no sense of expense… It reminds me of Pleasure Island and I keep expecting that we’re all slowly turning into donkeys.

But they all had a good time and I did survive, I hope. 

And my grandaughter is a baby sittee in about an hour.  My daughter is taking her husband to see The Fantasticks playing in Philadelphia.  I’ve seen it, taken my wife and all my children to see it.  When we thought it was closing – 25 years ago – I went to see it again.  I hope it runs forever… I’d love to take my grandchildren when they’re old enough.  It’s the essence of an off-off broadway play.  And it’s so simplistic…There should always be a wall.  At any rate, Ariel is taking Steven and he is ‘above it all’ – He’ll be very surprised.

February 2, 2008 Today is just 2-2 much

I can never remember which way we have 6 more weeks of winter – And I’m not sure when they count from – March 21?  Doesn’t matter much, anyhow – getting up to 50 on February 2 – we come close to quitting winter already.

I am slowly recovering from a persistent bronchial cough – haven’t done squat – Writing this leaves me tired…grumble, grumble.  I’m just going to sign off.  Feeling sick is inconsistent with my commitment to spiritual fulfillment, social justice and environmental sustainability.

January 28, 2008 To the Gym

I interrupted this journal to go to the gym.  Used to be a habit – but it’s the kind of habit that disappears quickly… And it is a habit again–I have 3 goals, though the sthird isn’t a true goal:  The first is to go no fewer than 3 x a week.  Last week was 5.  I will do 45 minutes on the treadmill. 5 warm up, 35 at 3.5mph, 5 cool down  (so far I’m at 5 warm up, 20 at 3.2 , including 5 at 3.5, and 5 min cool down.  The non-goal is to do other machines in the circuit at my limit.  Today I did 15 stomach crunces, 12 leg curls, 10 weight pull downs.

Doesn’t take that long.  Week days are pretty much the same – I wake, have fruit & coffee.  Handle my treeth and shaving.  Then Nancy & I meditate, using a Paraliminal CD (new one each week.) Then I handle email until Phil leaves me Camron while he takes Diamond to school.  Then I go to the gym & my ‘real’ day starts.  Wednesdays Nancy works home so the time is different, but the same.

I find this ritual spiritually fulfilling and the real day is fully comitted to social justice and environmental sustainability.

January 22, 2008 Rhythym

There’s an uncanny rhythym to each life, even though every day is different and does not resonate with continuity – particularly when you’re ‘in charge.’  Similar things happen – in different order, with little or no consequence – even ignoring stuff like brushing your teeth.

I know I’m the same as you, but in different ways — I take care of my grandson while my granddaughter goes to sachool.  Then I go to the gym and run one or two errands.  I catch up on my email (I only get about 100/day) and I write this.  That still leaves a good chunk of day for meditation, work and other play.

When I think of it all as rhythymic, the context changes – I can listen for the melodies, hear the poetry, wonder where it’s going.

I captureand deepen what’s in line with my commitment to spiritual fulfillment, social justice and environmental sustainability.

I am offering a new, free, 6-session teleseminar -Successful Relationships -
February 18, 25, March 5, 12, 19, 26 – Sign up by emailing me (michael@michaellipp.com) — Comments/Questions welcome.