Mental tune ups

Transitioning to retired life is having its challenges. Where there were weekly deliverables, milestones to meet, colleagues to collaborate with and lots of new information to read and edit and absorb, now the inflow has slowed to a dribble, the community included, and what comes in is self-directed. I'm finding out what it takes to keep a mind in good order, focused in a positive direction. Not so easy. 

My coffee dates with friends, weekly chores (which I've taken on as a sort of structure item) and Saturday morning Sangha are helping add in some of the framework of my life that evaporated last September.

One remedy to my mental turmoil is Rajiv Surendra. Some people may remember him from Mean Girls, though he's far more than an ex-movie star. He paints, he sculpts, plays the harp, makes pottery with Guy Wolff no less, has a way with interiors and space planning, arranges flowers, cooks, and does calligraphy. There's more; you'll have to check out his channel. All his videos are great, but I like these two quite a bit for the purposes described above:

How to become a positive thinker: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTCN2hzhxcI

Tidying up your mind: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-cyLX2eAn0

Walter's key holder

The purge continues, until I hit a payload like that depicted above. 

So many estate sales, many with Mrs Foziewisp, and I have always been a sucker for the remaining sewing hordes of little German ladies. Hence, this one, and I wonder if Walter was her husband.

It was a strange day, full of foggy wanderings in the garage, piling things into the car for the thrift store. 

A couple times now this older woman comes by in her wheel chair, pushed by a caretaker. I've started a little conversation with her both times. I explained how I was doing a bit of Swedish Death Cleaning, and that it really means just getting rid of your stuff so it's not someone else's burden, however long you have, because we never know. She liked the idea. I told her about taking my other Elna sewing machine to the thrift shop and how they treated it like the Hope diamond. She liked this story. Her caretaker asked if I had another sewing machine, and I said yes, would you like it? She's coming by this evening to pick it up. It's a newer model, not an Elna. I have Mary's Elna, which I will cherish and use for whatever needs sewing.

Yes, quite a day. 

A day of sunshine

The scene in this picture is my garage. It contains generations of family 'stuff' that has settled here. There was actually more in this space than this picture shows. But I am chipping away at it. Wish me well.

I talked with a friend today about how sad the world is in so many places. Hunger, war, hunger caused by war; animals, people and children suffering because of all these things. It’s easy to go down the rabbit hole of the world’s suffering, but we have to make sure we don’t let it take us completely down. On days like these I am so incredibly grateful for the simplest things:

A roof over my head, food in the fridge. Friends I can talk to. Friends who will help me if I reach out and say I’m not okay. Family members: some people have no one. The standards: arms, legs, eyes, the strength to go and do things. While these things seem like the bare minimum, to me, it all starts here. And I am grateful for these simple things.

Today I had the privilege of making coffee and sitting in my side yard and listening to birds chirping. The sun is out and it’s a miracle of a day.

Sending warm thoughts to Paige, who lost her dog today. And healing thoughts to a friend who is dealing with a ‘situation’ as she calls it. May she already be or soon be free of all illness and restored to perfect health.

Tonight: dinner with a friend. I am very much looking forward to this.

Peace to all beings – a daily intention, and hello to anyone who happens by my blog.

Question: should I start a slow living YouTube channel? A friend of mine thinks so.

Thoughts on a Tuesday

These boxwoods are growing in Summerland, CA at botanik, a great garden store. They are perfect, aren't they?

Do you write out a daily agenda? I do not, but maybe the time has come. This idea is more pertinent now since my weeks no longer involve 40 hours at a desk. While there are so many great things to do, motivation is key and the ability to enjoy the regular old day to day is also important; though I tend to rate activities as fun/not fun. Wait, be grateful. Any day alive is a gift and as the saying goes, nothing is interesting if you’re not interested. (Credit for that one goes to Alice.)

A recent foray into Buddhism is helping me realize that the ‘self’ I’m so often thinking about really doesn’t exist. We’re just rambling through thoughts in our head that are being randomly generated by who knows what. Body temperature? Pain level; ouch my aching back…here come the thoughts of mortality.

Looking around my living room, I see so many things. Each one has a memory or some energy attached to it. My early interest in minimalism is worth reviving. I would like to pare way down. I started the process in the garage last Friday. I threw away fabric that was never going to be used and too musty to donate. I separated cards: the ones given to me, and the blank ones. Realized I simply have too many. I do think those can be donated.

Had a nice long chat yesterday with an old work colleague who recently found out he has nine siblings. His dad apparently was quite prolific in the child-generation business. Happily for him, all the siblings are wonderful and they all got together over in the UK to meet and connect. What a cool story.

Ok, I'll leave this right here; a little life update.