Last night, I was watching Ken Burns’ newest documentary on Country Music. If you missed it, you missed out. This was right up there with Jazz, one of the best. In the latter episodes, he tells the story of Willie Nelson, who originally became known in Nashville as a songwriter. His songs build in popularity …
Month: September 2019
On Confidence & Whipped Cream
When I was a child, I had trouble learning the difference between my left and my right. This is not uncommon, I am sure. When one of my best friends navigates, I always turn left when she says right, because I know she meant left. Another friend and I get into knock-down, drag-out arguments about …
Come In and Have a Cup of Tea
In one of my favorite Zen stories, a traveling Zen master stops at a temple, where he is invited to speak to the congregation. As the Zen master greets people entering the temple to study, he is joined by the temple’s proctor, the person in charge of admitting people to the temple and maintaining order. …
Off the Shelf: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck
I have been thinking this morning about Orpheus. Orpheus is, I believe, the ancient Greek musician whose beloved wife died. Orpheus loved her so much that he journeyed to hell. There he so moved Hades – the god of hell – with the beauty of his music, that Hades allowed Orpheus to lead his wife …
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Your Nightly Hour of Screaming
Each evening, after work, my husband yells at his mom for an hour. My mother-in-law is over 90 years old and has gradually increased her inactivity over the last 10 years until she has reached the point where she can’t get out of chair easily or walk – even with her walker – or use …