Tonight I am going to an event at the newly refurbished, Café Rouge, Edinburgh. I am looking forward to enjoying some food and wine in Parisian Café in the heart of Edinburgh at the end of today's stint in the office. The newly refurbished venue is hosting a tasting event tonight so I will tasting their new menu's selection of food and drink.
Sounds like a good way to end the day.
http://www.caferouge.com/locations/edinburgh
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
Monday, October 5, 2015
No bad self talk
My mantra for this year was pretty straightforward:
No bad self-talk.
Straightforward enough, one might say, but apparently I found this one rather hard. If I talked about someone else the way I far too frequently refer to myself, I would be pulled aside by someone wise (hopefully) and discerning and told to not speak about a human being that way - ever.
We are now into the final quarter of the year and I am attempting to make it through a day without using demeaning language or some negative adjective. I am getting better at catching myself before the thought thinks me and pronounces it's judgment and instead I am being kinder and, probably more truthful.
As I said, pretty straightforward.
No bad self-talk.
Straightforward enough, one might say, but apparently I found this one rather hard. If I talked about someone else the way I far too frequently refer to myself, I would be pulled aside by someone wise (hopefully) and discerning and told to not speak about a human being that way - ever.
We are now into the final quarter of the year and I am attempting to make it through a day without using demeaning language or some negative adjective. I am getting better at catching myself before the thought thinks me and pronounces it's judgment and instead I am being kinder and, probably more truthful.
As I said, pretty straightforward.
Monday, June 1, 2015
I nearly bought a book today
I nearly bought a book while browsing in Waterstones, one of the the only bookstores left in the UK with retail outlets. It's a rare day when in town that I do not seek out one of the company's stores. The founder of Waterstones wanted to provide a place where people would not only buy books, but would also feel welcome to stay in the store for as long as they cared to do. This practice was encouraged by scattering comfy chairs throughout the store. We were there to linger and could take our time in choosing our potential purchases; it's not just some whimsical romantic idea that we can let go of the gas pedal in our lives to lose ourselves in someone else's words. (Starbucks' founder convinced us to do the same with coffee). I have yet to become an owner of a e-reading device and when I do, I will most probably still love the paper copies: the feel of the pages in my hands as well as the weight of the book moving from right to left.
Part of why I love books and bookstores is they remind me of my dad. He loved reading and good writing and usually always bought books he wanted. He rarely thought about going to the library and checking out something he would likely only read one time. Perhaps it was a throw back to his childhood days when the library was a treasure house of imagination and discovery and now as a grown up, he could put away those things of childhood. One of his dreams was to have a room lined with bookshelves where every book in the house was in one easily accessible place. That didn't happen.
Before I moved across the ocean I had shelves lined with books on many subjects: novels, historical, informational, musical and theological. Most of them have long since found new homes having been discarded as unnecessary baggage. That's what comes when one moves over 15 times in 9 years. To nuance a popular phrase, I am learning the art of living lightly; living with less and therefore buying less. I am grateful that Waterstones allows me to dawdle in their stores and make good use of their comfy chairs - and good coffee shop - to check out the latest good writing and writers.
Living lightly at this time in my life is only possible because I have realized I need far less than my buying capacity can potentially fund. If I have been able to give away so many of my belongings or live without those which I stored, I don't need most of what I can buy. I have the choice, that's for sure, but I am far more aware that a more careful and thoughtful re-routing of my resources will mean greater freedom for future purposes; and I am not just talking about books.
Part of why I love books and bookstores is they remind me of my dad. He loved reading and good writing and usually always bought books he wanted. He rarely thought about going to the library and checking out something he would likely only read one time. Perhaps it was a throw back to his childhood days when the library was a treasure house of imagination and discovery and now as a grown up, he could put away those things of childhood. One of his dreams was to have a room lined with bookshelves where every book in the house was in one easily accessible place. That didn't happen.
Before I moved across the ocean I had shelves lined with books on many subjects: novels, historical, informational, musical and theological. Most of them have long since found new homes having been discarded as unnecessary baggage. That's what comes when one moves over 15 times in 9 years. To nuance a popular phrase, I am learning the art of living lightly; living with less and therefore buying less. I am grateful that Waterstones allows me to dawdle in their stores and make good use of their comfy chairs - and good coffee shop - to check out the latest good writing and writers.
Living lightly at this time in my life is only possible because I have realized I need far less than my buying capacity can potentially fund. If I have been able to give away so many of my belongings or live without those which I stored, I don't need most of what I can buy. I have the choice, that's for sure, but I am far more aware that a more careful and thoughtful re-routing of my resources will mean greater freedom for future purposes; and I am not just talking about books.
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
Momentum is crucial....no matter how slow
In other words, keep going...
Recently, I was sitting passenger side in a jeep (maybe it's an SUV, but as cars are not my thing and I am not good at getting the details right, let's call this one a jeep with a gear box, which probably all jeeps have.) The 20 year old driver of the vehicle had, from his birth to present day, lived in a beautiful home nestled in the Colorado mountains. On this particular day, the two of us had reason to drive into town which was after a recent snow fall and as he negotiated the reasonably narrow road, I was keeping a close watch on his driving technique, especially as he used the lower gears. There was a strong possibility that I would be borrowing the car within the next few days (and that happened) and, as I not accustomed to driving in wintery conditions down a narrow curving road, I wanted to ensure that I knew what I was doing (as much as that was possible). Most people, he commented, do not know how to drive well in snow. They usually go too fast and then have to use their brakes too often and that makes it difficult to keep control of the car (as well as avoiding crashing into fellow road users). When they do that, their wheels stop and that can be a crucial mistake even through brakes are for slowing us down, in snow, that's not a good thing, and use them sparingly.
The trick, he told me, was to keep the wheels going. As we drove I was asking him questions as borrowing a car always comes with responsibility, perhaps more so than driving one's own vehicle and I wanted to get it right, especially so in these unfamiliar (to me) conditions. According to him, most people, when navigating snow and ice, drive in too high a gear and therefore don't have good control over their speed. Keep it in first or maybe second gear will give the driver so much more control and that's what we need while maneuvering down a steep incline.
It's all about momentum. Keep going. It's fine to go slowly as keeping the wheels turning is what's needed with minimal brake use than to allow the car to go too fast. That would inevitably panic the driver and force a slower speed somewhere down the road with perhaps dangerous results. Move with the snow and use it as a natural breaker if the speed seems to be getting too much.
I think that's what I am doing in my life right now. Nothing is going fast and yet, I am continuing to move. I am keeping my spiritual wheels going by reading around topics and current issues that somewhere down the road I will need. There is a nagging inclination inside of me to allow fear and anxiety to take over and yet, forward momentum, however slow, is what's needed, however much I long to go faster. Perhaps going slower without having to use the brakes is what keeps fear and anxiety away from my path.
Keep the wheels going. Keep going, however slowly because forward momentum is crucial.
Recently, I was sitting passenger side in a jeep (maybe it's an SUV, but as cars are not my thing and I am not good at getting the details right, let's call this one a jeep with a gear box, which probably all jeeps have.) The 20 year old driver of the vehicle had, from his birth to present day, lived in a beautiful home nestled in the Colorado mountains. On this particular day, the two of us had reason to drive into town which was after a recent snow fall and as he negotiated the reasonably narrow road, I was keeping a close watch on his driving technique, especially as he used the lower gears. There was a strong possibility that I would be borrowing the car within the next few days (and that happened) and, as I not accustomed to driving in wintery conditions down a narrow curving road, I wanted to ensure that I knew what I was doing (as much as that was possible). Most people, he commented, do not know how to drive well in snow. They usually go too fast and then have to use their brakes too often and that makes it difficult to keep control of the car (as well as avoiding crashing into fellow road users). When they do that, their wheels stop and that can be a crucial mistake even through brakes are for slowing us down, in snow, that's not a good thing, and use them sparingly.
The trick, he told me, was to keep the wheels going. As we drove I was asking him questions as borrowing a car always comes with responsibility, perhaps more so than driving one's own vehicle and I wanted to get it right, especially so in these unfamiliar (to me) conditions. According to him, most people, when navigating snow and ice, drive in too high a gear and therefore don't have good control over their speed. Keep it in first or maybe second gear will give the driver so much more control and that's what we need while maneuvering down a steep incline.
It's all about momentum. Keep going. It's fine to go slowly as keeping the wheels turning is what's needed with minimal brake use than to allow the car to go too fast. That would inevitably panic the driver and force a slower speed somewhere down the road with perhaps dangerous results. Move with the snow and use it as a natural breaker if the speed seems to be getting too much.
I think that's what I am doing in my life right now. Nothing is going fast and yet, I am continuing to move. I am keeping my spiritual wheels going by reading around topics and current issues that somewhere down the road I will need. There is a nagging inclination inside of me to allow fear and anxiety to take over and yet, forward momentum, however slow, is what's needed, however much I long to go faster. Perhaps going slower without having to use the brakes is what keeps fear and anxiety away from my path.
Keep the wheels going. Keep going, however slowly because forward momentum is crucial.
Saturday, May 10, 2014
Watching pain
Grief is pain. Pain means hurt. Hurt means something is sore. And sore bits require attention. Sometimes it's too hard to give attention to the sore bits but they keep nagging us telling us that we are hurting. The realization that something hurts means there is pain and we are reminded that the pain is because of the grief.
On December 25, 2013, I witnessed my dad take his final few breaths and by doing so, lose his need for the earthly body he had occupied for a week shy of 83 years. He was no longer part of the world in which his family still lives though we often wish he was still around; as long as he could be around in no pain and struggle. We meet people who want to make things seem easier than they are say things that are somewhat unhelpful. They do not mean to, but they do. Perhaps it's because we all have too many words to say and instead of just listening and letting the silence between us do it's thing, we fill it will well meaning but unnecessary words. Everyone tells me that from now on, that day will be significant as we will always remember it being the day on which my father died. It will be more significant because it's already a significant day. But the reality is that no matter the day on which he left us, a woman lost her husband and best friend, children lost their father, a man lost his brother and others lost an uncle, a friend, a neighbor, a co-worker, and we were reminded that we are not around forever, much as we wish it for each other. And there will be all more. We can't see that yet and that's a good thing.
On December 25, 2013, I witnessed my dad take his final few breaths and by doing so, lose his need for the earthly body he had occupied for a week shy of 83 years. He was no longer part of the world in which his family still lives though we often wish he was still around; as long as he could be around in no pain and struggle. We meet people who want to make things seem easier than they are say things that are somewhat unhelpful. They do not mean to, but they do. Perhaps it's because we all have too many words to say and instead of just listening and letting the silence between us do it's thing, we fill it will well meaning but unnecessary words. Everyone tells me that from now on, that day will be significant as we will always remember it being the day on which my father died. It will be more significant because it's already a significant day. But the reality is that no matter the day on which he left us, a woman lost her husband and best friend, children lost their father, a man lost his brother and others lost an uncle, a friend, a neighbor, a co-worker, and we were reminded that we are not around forever, much as we wish it for each other. And there will be all more. We can't see that yet and that's a good thing.
Thursday, May 8, 2014
There is a future beyond that you can't see.... but that's faith
Through the keyhole...
This picture was taken while on a hike in Loveland, Colorado. On one of the wildest and windiest of days I climbed the trail leading to this spot. The thing I like about this picture, apart from the obvios beauty, is what we expect to see through the space is not always obvious. The eye can only see so much and of course one could ascertain that with the given evidence what's beyond the rock will also be beautiful and good. However what's unseen is still unknown and what's unknown is still uncertain and what's uncertain still requires the faith to move forward into what we can't see.
We live by faith, not by sight...
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