Progress is not a matter of far or near.

"Progress is not a matter of far or near,
But if you are confused, mountains and rivers block your way." –Merging of Difference and Unity

...may this cup be taken from me.

"If it is possible, may this cup be taken from me.
Yet not as I will, but as You will." –Matt 26:39
(Click here for full text.)

Below is the sketch for the painting:

Its use removes all pain.

"It is bright just at midnight; it doesn't appear at dawn. It acts as a guide for beings. Its use removes all pain." –Song of the Jewel Mirror

Click here for another translation of the entire song.

And an animation of the above picture:

Stone Circle

This circle seemed to say it all.

...not all those who wander are lost.

"All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost." J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring

Dead and Beautiful

This stump reminded me of the fiber work by Jane Sauer, who now runs a gallery in Sante Fe.

Family Dentistry

So this man named Jim Stinks asks the judge for a name change. "To what do you want to change it," the judge asked. "James Stinks, the man answered."

...infinity is right before your eyes....

"There is no here, no there; infinity is right before your eyes. The tiny is as large as the vast when objective boundaries have disappeared." –Trust in Mind

It was the best of times.... (v.2)

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way...." Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities

A man has to know his limitations.

"A man has to know his limitations." –Clint Eastwood as "Dirty Harry"

If you don't understand the path....

"If you don't understand the path as it meets your eyes, how can you know the way as you walk?" –Merging of Difference and Unity

Instead of the cross....

"Ah! well-a-day! what evil looks
Had I from old and young!
Instead of the cross, the Albatross
About my neck was hung!"
–Samuel Taylor Coleridge, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

3 Photo Trip

There seemed to be a relationship between these two geishas.
I liked the way three dimensions came out of two.

She said she wasn't a good dog trainer,
but they loved her just the same.

Some of the dogs had favorites.
Some each other, and others, Jim.

I can't get no satisfaction.

"I can't get no satisfaction. I try and try." –Mick Jagger

When I was a child... (v.2)

"When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became an [adult], I put an end to childish things." –Cor 13:11

Dirty Santa

I found this dirty santa on my walk today. I wondered how long he had been there.

A minister serves the lord.... (v.2)

"A minister serves the lord, a son obeys the father; not obeying is not filial, and not serving is no help." –Song of the Jewel Mirror

Two Contrasts

I like to see the influence
of human emotion and
natural decay
on the best laid plans.

Someone collected old dolls
and stuck them in their front yard.
I'm not sure what to think of this activity.

We want the world.... (v.2)

"We want the world and we want it now." –Jim Morrison The Doors

The Last Lunch

Linda and Dash.
He looks bored,
but really is just showing
what kind of interesting shape
he can make with his mouth.

This time,
lunch at Banzai,
but without Gary and Gail
who took off back to LA.


My first iphone to imovie.
Jasper is not quite Olympic material yet.
But he is just a day over 3.

Hearing the words.... (v.2)

"Hearing the words you should understand the source." –Merging of Difference and Unity

Jumping In

Yesterday at the pool there was a 17 month old girl with goggles who jumped into the water over and over again, tiring her poor mother out. Today Jasper decided he was not to be outdone, so he jumped in over and over again too. It was a great day, except Eric hurt his ankle, Josh lost the keys (and finally found them), Kim's iphone got very sick (and he lost stuff on it). Oh, why was it a great day??? because it was Jasper's 3 year old birthday, and we all got to celebrate it with him.

My brother-in-law is a journalist always looking for the unusual. I'm more struck by the usual. He thinks I'm silly wishing for a newspaper that would report on small ordinary events... like Jasper jumping off the couch to show his family what he so bravely did at the pool.

Here's breakfast with the gang at our favorite local dive. Great food, and we had the whole side porch to ourselves.

Jasper got a telescope for his birthday. It came from a garage sale and he loved it. The people who sold it said they had also gotten it from a garage sale.

Photos from a party day

My son and I went to Central Market to get some food for breakfast. It was Saturday morning so we got lots of free samples. We weren't very hungry by the time we were through shopping.

Then we went to Saltlick for lunch. I was really anxious to have great bbq. But now I'm not sure. Maybe I'll become a vegetarian again.

Oh... here's the food. Between the slaughtering of pigs and cows, and the fat and sugar that is causing so much pain and sickness we have something that looks darn good, especially before you eat it.

Here's a guy at SaltLick from the "CutnShoot" motorcycle club. I don't know who they cut and shoot. My son Josh is also sitting on the stone fence.

Here's the gang at SaltLick, ready to order. Our waiter had a sign on his lapel that said "last day to wait on tables." I asked what was next for him, and he said that tomorrow he starts a PhD program in nanotechnology. Group pics are hard... always some people look terrible. Low light pics are terrible. The combination makes an Ensor crowd scene.

So this was the dinner. Only salad, bread, cheese, ice cream, (and wine). I couldn't get everyone in the picture. Should have brought in the 8' ladder.

Not one of those days.

So I was going to do some stuff with my daughter and wife pretty early... so I woke up super early (for going to bed at midnight) and walked my hour walk. Yesterday I whistled while I walked. Today I was too tired. I saw this gravestone celebrating the planting of this great pecan tree. 1927 is my favorite year. Lindbergh flew the Atlantic, Babe hit 60 home runs, Nellie Fox was born. And the list goes on and on. Even Erma Bombeck was born. And to come back to the tree, Max Ernst painted "The Wood" during that same year.

At 5pm we went to my daughter's house to pick her up for dinner. I thought it was strange that she asked to have dinner with us on Friday and Saturday night. She never wants to have dinner with us two nights in a row. When we got there, she wheeled out a suitcase onto her front porch... and voila, our grandson appeared from inside the suitcase. Not only had my son and his family come from Phili, but my sister and her husband from Los Angeles came, all to celebrate our 40th anniversary (actually it is 8/4). This is a very special day.

Let one not be submerged....

"Let one not be submerged by the things of the world.... Let one not take upon oneself the burden of riches; let one not desire great possessions even for one's family." –Metta Sutta

123 Calories: Two Roads

It was starting to get hot, and humid, especially after the rare occasion of a rain, however brief. I came to this fork in the road. To the left was the hot longer path, the one I had originally intended to follow. On the right, the shady shorter path... which also meant I'd be able to eat lunch sooner. What flashed in front of my eyes was that I had a choice... and I could probably lie about which road I took... and no one would know the difference. How many times have I been at a fork in the road and not realized the luxury of being able to make a choice (undetected).

For where your treasure is...

"For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." –Luke 12:34

123 Calories: Breakfast

What was supposed to be 174 calories is actually 123 because of my snail's pace. Found a new route that has almost no traffic so I can go a little faster. Anyway, I first photographed a couple of guys at my favorite breakfast taco place... but it wasn't very decisive. Then as I was putting my iphone down I saw my empty plate as an Edward Weston (for you photo people) seashell.

When I was a child...

"When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became an [adult], I put an end to childish things." –Cor 13:11

174 Calories: Two Decisive Moments

Today I helped cook a zen meal for a 5 day sit (I wasn't doing the sit). Sweet potato and miso soup, short grain brown rice ((with a mixture of sesame seeds and salt (1:16) that people put on it)), and a salad with romaine lettuce, cucumbers and tomato. I was under suspicion of mis-measuring the rice and water, but it turned out fine. Seeing the fine lunch ready for the sitters was a good moment, though maybe not decisive.


Stupidly the second half of my walk today was when it was 101 degrees. Shade and a breeze were my best friends. And then I saw this sign. As confused and tired as I was, it seemed to define the moment.