The latest addition to the tea house are the walls and ceiling.The ceiling is made of wood paneling with a beautiful mahogany grain. Installing it requires two people, one to hold the wood up in place and the other to swear and grunt while screwing it in place. Fortunately I know some tall people. Dennis was recruited to be the brute strength of the month. He fulfilled the job very well. The ceiling is only six and half feet clearance but that's not my problem. You tall mutants will have to watch your head.
The walls I did myself, awkward to wrestle four by eight foot sheets of plywood even by a short chick like me but manageable.I even cut the holes for the window out with a skill saw not an easy trick. It requires a certain measure of courage to set a fast moving spinning blade into wood in the middle instead of at the edge. Don't try this at home kids, it should only be done by professionals.
I got the light for the alcove wired in and a shoji style windows in place so it's beginning to look habitable. I've even spent some meditation time there.
If only my life could show the same kind of progress but that needs a lot more work.
Stay tuned kids.
Tuesday, February 24
Monday, February 16
Tactless
Recently I had an emotional meltdown when I bemoaned to a friend about my lack of progress in my life. She informed me that I had indeed improved; when we first met she couldn’t stand me. I was, in a word, insufferable. Now I’m nice to be around most of the time. I’m not sure that makes me feel better but I see her point. However I’m still oblivious to this tactlessness when someone stalks off in offense (at least they were taught to be discreet). What have I done wrong I wonder as I re-examine the encounter in minute detail. Mortified, I retreat in panic causing more misunderstanding.
I’ve also realized this tactlessness runs in my family. I love my siblings -truly- but they are just as guilty as I am of uttering blunt, insensitive and unvarnished opinions. (In an attempt at diplomacy I will not mention them by name to protect them from embarrassment and me from a slander law suit.) For example, older sister will call me on the phone and launch into conversation without preamble.
“Who is this?” I retort irritably.
“It’s me, don’t you have caller ID?”
“No I figured the caller would introduce themselves when I answered the phone. You know, an introductory hello, how are you?” I suggest to her.
“Yeah, whatever.”
Nice talking to you too.
We do know how to behave in public and God knows mother tried to teach her children manners, but she often regarded our tasteless lapses with an exasperated sigh. Poor mom. Admittedly these lapses are mostly in private, to the rest of the world we are a witty, clever and entertaining bunch.
After enduring years of self absorbed monologues, volcanic tantrums, and a certain sibling’s gift for saying exactly the wrong thing at exactly the wrong time, I realize I am not the only one devoid of social skills. Not to mention the embarrassing scenes of high drama involving drunkenness, promiscuity and paranoia. No wonder I felt like my family never understood or liked me- and the feeling was mutual.
The siblings and I do have many finer traits and I’m flattered to have been called “the smartest person” by friends and family. I go out of my way to genuinely complement others. That’s a hopeful sign. I’m still working on my flaws. Instead of spending weeks or months stewing over some imagined slight, my black moods last about an hour. I am learning to keep my bitchy tirades to myself rather than bore and annoy friends. Most of all I am learning to be kind and forgiving of past experiences of family members including the one I see in the mirror.
I’ve also realized this tactlessness runs in my family. I love my siblings -truly- but they are just as guilty as I am of uttering blunt, insensitive and unvarnished opinions. (In an attempt at diplomacy I will not mention them by name to protect them from embarrassment and me from a slander law suit.) For example, older sister will call me on the phone and launch into conversation without preamble.
“Who is this?” I retort irritably.
“It’s me, don’t you have caller ID?”
“No I figured the caller would introduce themselves when I answered the phone. You know, an introductory hello, how are you?” I suggest to her.
“Yeah, whatever.”
Nice talking to you too.
We do know how to behave in public and God knows mother tried to teach her children manners, but she often regarded our tasteless lapses with an exasperated sigh. Poor mom. Admittedly these lapses are mostly in private, to the rest of the world we are a witty, clever and entertaining bunch.
After enduring years of self absorbed monologues, volcanic tantrums, and a certain sibling’s gift for saying exactly the wrong thing at exactly the wrong time, I realize I am not the only one devoid of social skills. Not to mention the embarrassing scenes of high drama involving drunkenness, promiscuity and paranoia. No wonder I felt like my family never understood or liked me- and the feeling was mutual.
The siblings and I do have many finer traits and I’m flattered to have been called “the smartest person” by friends and family. I go out of my way to genuinely complement others. That’s a hopeful sign. I’m still working on my flaws. Instead of spending weeks or months stewing over some imagined slight, my black moods last about an hour. I am learning to keep my bitchy tirades to myself rather than bore and annoy friends. Most of all I am learning to be kind and forgiving of past experiences of family members including the one I see in the mirror.
Tuesday, January 27
Lost in Translation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaJBr96x0S8
As mentioned before I posted my rondori on YouTube for all to see.
I thought it turned out pretty well and it looks spectacular but there is problem with video. As one viewer commented on the video: “I'm sure you can kick my butt, but this was 99% fake....they didnt even wanna touch you”(sic) .
I suppose I should be pissed when people say “ Oh that’s so fake” I understand that the rush and energy does not translate through the camera but I can tell you and the anonymous poster that what you see in the video is quite real. I know, I was there and those young guys were trying very hard to grab hold of me. This is not aikido as Tabata Sensei has pointed out many times, it is an exercise in extending ki no matter what is happening. You try staying calm while five guys come at you.
“Why would you let someone grab you if you were walking down the street?” Tabata Sensei, the senior instructor often said when training us for this exercise. We are trained to lead them by before they can touch you . If someone comes at you, you better not wait until they grab hold of your coat before reacting or you’re done for.
The real life application is there in every play in a football game or dealing with a class room full of first graders. I once had to take a timed typing exam and was so stressed by it until I reminded myself it was rondori. I aced it. I used the same feeling when I was stage manager at the Lord Leebrick Theater corralling a dozen people back stage and make sure they were ready for their cues.
Think about this the next time you have four things that need to be done now. Think about this when you have to drive in heavy traffic in bad weather. Think about this the next time you feel overwhelmed with stress. Relax , extend ki and let it go by.
As mentioned before I posted my rondori on YouTube for all to see.
I thought it turned out pretty well and it looks spectacular but there is problem with video. As one viewer commented on the video: “I'm sure you can kick my butt, but this was 99% fake....they didnt even wanna touch you”(sic) .
I suppose I should be pissed when people say “ Oh that’s so fake” I understand that the rush and energy does not translate through the camera but I can tell you and the anonymous poster that what you see in the video is quite real. I know, I was there and those young guys were trying very hard to grab hold of me. This is not aikido as Tabata Sensei has pointed out many times, it is an exercise in extending ki no matter what is happening. You try staying calm while five guys come at you.
“Why would you let someone grab you if you were walking down the street?” Tabata Sensei, the senior instructor often said when training us for this exercise. We are trained to lead them by before they can touch you . If someone comes at you, you better not wait until they grab hold of your coat before reacting or you’re done for.
The real life application is there in every play in a football game or dealing with a class room full of first graders. I once had to take a timed typing exam and was so stressed by it until I reminded myself it was rondori. I aced it. I used the same feeling when I was stage manager at the Lord Leebrick Theater corralling a dozen people back stage and make sure they were ready for their cues.
Think about this the next time you have four things that need to be done now. Think about this when you have to drive in heavy traffic in bad weather. Think about this the next time you feel overwhelmed with stress. Relax , extend ki and let it go by.
Thursday, January 22
Adventures at the Library
"Touche, you little monster."
I come to the library to do my thing in tech service polishing DVD’s and CDs. I have a routine: put my bag on a chair, crank up the polishing machne and check the supplies. I look at the to do pile and -wait a minute ! I cleaned those DVD’s last week, what is this? I seem to be doing the same ones over and over like some Sisyphian task with no end. Sigh. I pass the time doing the daily crossword puzzle and trading bon mots with the Techman, Gene.
“What are you going to do with the rest of your life? “ he asks out of the blue. His philosophical question knocks me off my feet. What provokes him to ask this I wonder as I mentally scramble to to my feet.
This is a the kind of “meaning of life” question I try to dodge on a daily basis. It can wake me from a sound sleep drenched in flop sweat . The kind of question that paralyzes me with dread, panic, horror. Quick think of something clever and meaningful before he realizes you au are a complete slacker, loser, dweeb- my mind screams.
“Um, I don’t know. What about you smart guy?” hah, good retort I think smugly.
“I’ll get smart.” he replies. Is that a rim shot I hear?
“It’s never too late to dream of being rich and famous.” he later wonders out loud. Man, what is it with Mr. Milquetoast and his existentialism today? Is he having a mid life crisis he needs to unloads on to others? Ok get a grip here if we’re going to spar.
“ I don’t know about famous but I can handle being rich. After all, fame is fleeting but money always talks.” score one for the fat chick. The work here may be mundane but the repartee never is.
Tuesday, January 6
A Better idea
The three big auto companies have come to Washington asking for a hand out. How nice. Only in America can you run a company into the ground with bad business practices then beg the government to give you money you lost on your lousy products. Sign me up for that.
The Ford Motor Company that invented the assemble line, making cars affordable turned into a company that made the pinto knowing it was a dud with a potentially fatal gas tank design. The profits outweighed the cost of a human life a memo insisted.
GMC made an efficient electric car years ago then turned around and killed it at considerable expense. The CEO thinks they are a dumb idea but now because of the rising price of gas must produce them again.
Chrysler isn’t even an American company anymore -it’s owned by a consortium of European investors when even Daimler couldn’t save it.
Here’s an idea. Let’s give every employee of the big three making less than say $100,000 a full years salary and let the companies fail. Then have the government offer a prize and healthy tax incentive to any new company that can design and build an affordable, fuel efficient car. Innovation is what American engineers and business have always been good at in the past, let’s bring that back.
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