Summer 2013 September 9

79/82 degrees this morning.  Oddly enough, it almost feel cool.  Daylight is getting much shorter, still (at 6:40 a.m.) almost too dark to sit on the patio this morning.  

Day 5 after dental surgery.  Not doing as well as I expected, to be honest.  Still feel a lot of discomfort, which is ok and somewhat expected, but I didn't expect my mouth to still be numb.  A little concerned and will call the dentist.

Haven't exercised much since the surgery (I'm concerned about cracking the scab and bleeding starting again), but I still lost almost 4 lbs, I guess because eating is uncomfortable and I don't really feel like eating.  However, I hadn't noticed that I ate any less.  I'll take it anyway of course!  Hope to get back to my bike riding soon.  

Felt better yesterday than Saturday.  Caught up on some work, did some reading etc. 

Out on the patio now, and it still seems relatively cool.  I'm sure that will change as the day goes on.  

Still listening to "The Willpower Instinct"  (I received my copy of the book), and this morning was a discussion on how reminding yourself NOT to do something may just help you do it.  Rather than trying not to think about not doing something (such as over eating), the author suggests you "surf" the matter and accept the fact you will have thoughts about it and don't (at least subconsciously) that you are a bad person that you can't not think about it.  Obviously the book explains it a lot better than I do!  

I learn by explaining something so I may try to explain one small thought each day!  

My poem today from "The World Without End is Ending" is "Melancholy".  I'm not quite sure why I wrote this, I"m sure it was an assignment.  In a way I like it, but I also am a little disturbed by an attitude of distrust or anger at a certain segment of society, since I don't feel like anyone is defined by their stereotype.  Perhaps I'll think about this a little, which is one reason for poetry in the first place.

MELANCHOLY

 Nothing blossoms

 I stare

Half in malice

At their accurate lives

Proper style, proper language

 Their ignorant elegance

In the formal accents

 A little madness

A southern drawl

 Trendy slang nonsense is rewarded

 The language alters

Sweet notes

Of sufficient length

Proper words, proper grammar

 Visual repetition of an earlier era

But the moment is gone

 No rewards

The sky is still cloudless

 And the uncomfortable sound

of the ordinary note

 and the endless silence

Of a missing song

Continues

Summer 2013 August 29

74/77 degrees this morning.  Relatively coolish, almost too cool to sit out on my patio (but not quite).

The book "The Willpower Instinct" reviewed this morning the technique of "surfing the urge" as a way of willpower, either the "will" or the "won't".  Interesting concept, I have actually used it myself and it is effective.  I finished listening to the book and started listening again, although I will probably get the book to read and listen to something else.

I like my quiet time in the morning when I sit down to write this Blog.  I feel a sense of being unhurried.  It doesn't really matter how much or what I write, but it is the opportunity to do so, the fact I make the time to be able to write something if I want.

I think that is also why my walk is so important (I can think what I want and think through problems etc.) and my cycling.  My stationary bike riding gives me the chance to catch up on my reading (especially the daily newspapers) and my nap provides the opportunity to meditate and escape for 27 minutes (or whatever!).  

What is great about writing this is that I can write about anything I please, and as much or as little as I want!

3-day weekend coming up.  I am looking forward to just hanging out.