lost and found

today i am grateful for many things.
i am grateful that i did not burn any of the pies that i am bringing to my brother's house too badly.
i am grateful for the ice cream and whipped cream that will cover up any minor imperfections in the pies.
i am grateful that this week i found my favorite shirt when i was pretty sure it had vanished off the face of the earth.
i am grateful for moments of lightness, and peace.
happy thanksgiving!

making lists and checking them twice

i love lists.
not just "to do" lists...although they rank high on my list of lists that
i create most frequently.
there are short lists, like :people i can actually imagine driving cross country with
without killing before making it to Iowa.
there are long lists, like: funny people that also happen to be jewish.
there are medium sized lists, like: things i would do differently if given the chance.
now for us listaholics there is a place to go to indulge this soft addiction.
www.gubb.net.
you can compile an infinite number of lists..each with it's own color scheme..and you never have to wonder where you put the darn thing. the coolest part is the little pencil icon that crosses items off when they are accomplished. it's astonishingly gratifying.
i'm on vacation right now.
on the morning of my first day off, i ran down to my computer full of energy, purpose and optimism as i created list after list of what i was going to do with all of my vacation time.
unfortunately i have spent so much time on Gubb monkeying around with my lists that i have only completed 4 or 5 items.
should have put "play with Gubb lists" at the top of my list.
i definitely could have checked that one off!

things i tell myself though they ain't really true

we tell ourselves stories don't we?
i realized this this morning after eating a huge bowl of postal cafeteria oatmeal, which i do on most mornings.
the story i tell myself about my oatmeal is that after i eat it, i can then eat as much crap as i want
because somehow the oatmeal will act as a homeopathic Drain-o and purge my body of all the hydrogenated, sugar-filled cookies, brownies, muffins, and little debbies that i also consume nearly every morning.
oatmeal is rightfully touted as one of those majorly healthy power foods.
but i'm thinking i may just be better off without it.

the things we'd save from a fire

With the recent wildfires in southern california,
i have been thinking about
which material possessions i would grab
as i dashed from my flaming abode.
the kids, husband and bunny are safe.
i guess i would throw my fireproof strongbox out the window
knowing full well that it's not really fireproof
and that only half of the important papers that should be in it, are in fact, in there.
family photos, of course..(if i only knew where they were.)
john menihan's art work
my journals
the kids' artwork and writing
my curious george purse ( with my wallet in it hopefully..it would be a drag to have to get a new license).
and my red sneakers.
i find that i can deal with any difficult life situation more easily
when wearing the red sneakers.
i really don't feel attached to too many "things".
not that i don't want lots of stuff.
i just don't have lots of stuff.
i think i like looking at stuff and wanting stuff
more than actually owning it.
owning stuff is a pain because you have to put it somewhere
and then remember where you put it.
and you have to USE it or else you feel guilty for
buying it and not USING it.
the other day i was looking at a catalog
filled with items to help with meditation practice.
i showed jonah a zen clock that bongs a nice chime throughout the day to remind you to be mindful.
i also showed him a neat meditation mat.
then i reminded him that my birthday was swiftly approaching.
he shook his head and said "Mom, did Buddha sit on a mat and have a meditation clock?"
"No, Jonah, he probably did not".
"Then I really think that you don't need one either".
guess he gave me a little lesson on non-attachment!
Did I mention that Jonah was born on Dec.8, the day of Buddha's enlightenment?
So Buddha didn't have a clock or a mat , but i bet, if he could have, he would've had red sneakers.