Michael, “Did you call your Mother Today?” is priceless to me. Thank you for that beautiful gift.
dansko shoes
Alicia and I went shopping at Triangle Center in Raleigh. I bought a pair of Dansko shoes because for two years she wouldn’t stop talking about how comfortable they are. Alicia was right; they’re comfortable, and good looking, too. That’s always a bonus with comfortable shoes. When buying a pair of Dansko you need to know that they’re hand-made. Therefore, every pair fits differently. You won’t want to rush this purchase. If the first pair you try is not extraordinarily comfortable, try another. If the second pair you try is not extraordinarily comfortable, try another. That’s the way it has to be until the salesperson brings out a pair that, when you try them on, the first words that come to mind are, “Yes, these are them.”
www.dansko.com
here and there
Lately I find myself here and there. It’s wonderful; the older I get the less I stay put. It’s a big world. We say it’s getting smaller and smaller, but that’s when we’re trying to make a point in a discussion. The reality is that there is so much to see, so many adventures to have, people to meet, things to learn. Ah, yes, when I look at a map I can visualize myself here and there. Notice how that can mean anything. Sitting and anchored in silence at here and there is wonderful too. You just need a different kind of map for the silent adventures. Either way I can be on board in a jiffy. You also?
have you been to nc?
Tonight it’s quiet in Raleigh. It’s a bit chilly. I like visiting here to see family, and, at the same time, to observe all the changes that have taken place since the last time I was here. Always there are many developments in a short span of time. Highways are being expanded, high-rise luxury buildings are going up, big beautiful homes are being built, small speciality shops and restaurants are opening, and more people coming in to live. I always wonder how the natives feel about all the changes.
www.rdu.com
www.angusbarn.com
Have you been thinking about moving? It seems people from different parts of the world are choosing North Carolina. Your next door neighbor could be from a country you’ve been planning to visit, and suddenly you have a personal guide. Raleigh’s a really clean city. It’s refreshing to get off the plane and find yourself in a friendly, clean, easy-to-navigate-around-airport. Public transportation will have to be revved up if Raleigh’s population continues to increase.
Do you enjoy sports? Whether you’re a player or a spectator you’ll participate because the enthusiasm for sports is contagious here. People are friendly, too. You can depend on old southern charm. There’s more, the Blue Ridge Mountains, a quaint town called Asheville, Black Mountain, the Biltmore Estate and Inn, the wonderful seacoast, Charlotte, and all the towns in between.
www.ncsu.edu
www.meredith.edu
www.biltmore.com
www.blackmountain.org
www.visitblackmountain.com
another train ride
On a mid-evening train ride last friday, I couldn’t help noticing the look of tiredness on the faces of fellow passengers. Maybe I looked that way, too, but I don’t really think that was the case since I’d just come from having a delicious seafood dinner at Avra Estiatorio at 141 East 48th Street with a few very special people. www.avrany.com
However, as tired as my fellow passengers seemed, I also noticed how quickly they sprung to attention when help was needed. Whether they were reading, or in conversation, when someone struggled with getting belongings on or off the overhead rack, or removing a winter coat, or older couples wanted seating together, there was someone offering to help. There doesn’t seem to be a feeling of stress on trains. It can almost feel like you’re with friends on a train. And sometimes someone you’re sitting with turns to you and the two of you have a discussion that you remember long after departing. Trains promote a kind of support that’s not likely to occur on planes or buses. Why is that? Is that true for you, too?
all this and more
There once was a time when flying as a passenger on a commercial airline was more than you could ever imagine in the flying world of today. And people who are old enough to remember those days can only sigh. However, what is wonderful is to have once experienced that quality of service, in the style it once was. There were the efficiently-trained and lovely “stewadesses” and the manner in which passesgers were treated from beginning to end. Becoming a “stewardess” was not easy. They were expected to be professional at all times. The elderly and children could fly in the care of “stewardesses” and be assured they’d be put in the hands of the right person at the end of the trip.
In those days, traveling to Japan on JAL meant you were in the best of care. Menus for all three meals were placed on trays, and passenges could choose whether to eat American or Japanese foods. The food was very good. And every passenger received a kit with the necessary things needed for the very long trip-toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, razor, soap, towel, slippers, personal blanket and pillow, blinders for sleeping, etc.
I remember the short flights from NYC to Manchester, NH and the ham sandwiches served. People in that part of New England enjoyed sandwiches with ham. No, not any ham sandwich. It was a slice from a big baked ham to which chopped pickles were added with just the right amount of mayonnaise, then it was all blended together. That’s the ham sandwich served on those flights once upon a time. Okay, it’s true, it wasn’t the height of fine cuisine, but if that was a childhood memory, well, you just had to smile when it was served. I’m not stuck in the past. I know Life is about moving forward. But once in a great while I remember certain things. Thirty years from now, I wonder what people will choose to remember.
alone, with ourselves
What is the use of being busy just to be busy? I know it’s difficult for many people to slow down, to sit, relax and simply enjoy quiet time. However, alone, with ourselves, we begin to understand things about Life that were once puzzling. Quiet time can bring answers to questions that are being pondered. Quiet time allows us to feel comfortable with ourselves, and when we’re comfortable with ourselves we don’t go searching for things in all the wrong places. Once we get used to quiet time, we’ll find that those times we spend with ourselves have their own big rewards. Also, quiet time brings wonderful, new energy to us. And clarity, too. Life is meant to be savoured, to be meaningful, to be enjoyed and appreciated. When we’re anxious about anything, quiet time restores us, and gently nudges us to know Life differently.
the lemonade diet
Food’s important. One way to find out just how much influence food has over one’s life is to go on a fast. A fast teaches many things, mainly about one’s self. One day in a bookshop I noticed a little yellow book, more like a booklet. It was called The Master Cleanser by Stanley Burroughs. I bought it, and the book stared at me from my bookcase for one year. Then this holiday 2006 Stanley Burroughs and his lemonade diet was mentioned, and my daughter-in-law, Alicia, with eyes wide open, decided then and there to do that cleanse. So, of course, not to be left in the dust, I seconded the decision, as in, me, too, -both of us.
To prepare for the lemonade diet I went over to Fairway at 2127 Broadway in Manhattan for supplies, and there I saw the biggest, juiciest organic lemons. I put thirty-two of them in three plastic bags. Then I got the best quality Grade B organic maple syrup, and organic cayenne pepper. Hopefully, I had enough of these three items to last the length of the cleanse. A woman nearby asked what I was going to do with all the lemons. I told her; she continued asking questions. Finally I had to take my book out and show it to her. She copied the name and author and thanked me with much gusto. I think she was the right person at the right place getting information that was important to her. www.fairwaymarket.com
And that was the beginning of a new understanding for Alicia and me. The new understanding being the influence food plays in one’s life. Alicia and I had very wonderful and different experiences while on this Master Cleanser lemonade diet for two weeks. However, after all was said and done, the one thing we’re both clear on is that we have great respect for food, and the enjoyment of eating.
Try it; you’ll see.
a place
Living in a place that resonates with who you are can change your life dramatically. I’ve read this, and from experience believe it. It makes complete sense. Do you know anyone who has moved to another state, or a different country, and was changed by the new surroundings? It could be a combination of factors. Perhaps some are:
The land
The people
The friendliness
The energy
The layout
The shops
The view
The arts
The surrounding areas
The weather
The beauty
The learning centers
The time the streets fold up
The proximity to an international airport
The song in your heart that says it’s right
A place that does this has the power to grab your attention and make you take notice. It feels right, and it doesn’t take long to know this feeling. If you’re one of these people, take heart, you’re not alone, as you’ll discover when you reach your destination. Ah, yes, there are many, many different, wonderful ways of living in this fascinating world.
2007-what will it bring?
What will you be doing to welcome the New Year? Will you welcome it quietly listening to your favorite music? Spend the evening playing Scrabble with family or friends? Invite a crowd over for dinner? Go north with skiis or snowboard? Go south for fun in the sun? Travel around the world till 2008? Spend a weekend at a monastery or meditation retreat? Hang out at your favorite spot? Will you welcome the New Year sipping orange juice and eating popcorn with your children.
Those twelve months in the year 2007- what will they bring us on a global scale?
And on a personal note- what do you want 2007 to be for you?