Thursday, August 21, 2008

THE TRUTH ABOUT LOVE..................



O Tell Me The Truth About Love

Some say love's a little boy,
And some say it's a bird,
Some say it makes the world go around,
Some say that's absurd,
And when I asked the man next-door,
Who looked as if he knew,
His wife got very cross indeed,
And said it wouldn't do.

Does it look like a pair of pyjamas,
Or the ham in a temperance hotel?
Does its odour remind one of llamas,
Or has it a comforting smell?
Is it prickly to touch as a hedge is,
Or soft as eiderdown fluff?
Is it sharp or quite smooth at the edges?
O tell me the truth about love.

Our history books refer to it
In cryptic little notes,
It's quite a common topic on
The Transatlantic boats;
I've found the subject mentioned in
Accounts of suicides,
And even seen it scribbled on
The backs of railway guides.

Does it howl like a hungry Alsatian,
Or boom like a military band?
Could one give a first-rate imitation
On a saw or a Steinway Grand?
Is its singing at parties a riot?
Does it only like Classical stuff?
Will it stop when one wants to be quiet?
O tell me the truth about love.

I looked inside the summer-house;
It wasn't over there;
I tried the Thames at Maidenhead,
And Brighton's bracing air.
I don't know what the blackbird sang,
Or what the tulip said;
But it wasn't in the chicken-run,
Or underneath the bed.

Can it pull extraordinary faces?
Is it usually sick on a swing?
Does it spend all its time at the races,
or fiddling with pieces of string?
Has it views of its own about money?
Does it think Patriotism enough?
Are its stories vulgar but funny?
O tell me the truth about love.

When it comes, will it come without warning
Just as I'm picking my nose?
Will it knock on my door in the morning,
Or tread in the bus on my toes?
Will it come like a change in the weather?
Will its greeting be courteous or rough?
Will it alter my life altogether?
O tell me the truth about love.

WH Auden

Monday, August 18, 2008

DECLUTTERING # 2

2) WRITE IT DOWN

"If you have a bunch of things on your mind, get them on paper and off your mind."

Journaling puts you in touch with yourself. I remember many years ago when I was first advised to journal. I was told write down how I feel. "I don't know how I feel" I replied. I was so lost and so far away from myself at that time. So my mentor told me to write down my physical feelings each day. That tightness in my shoulders, those nerves in my stomach, the headaches, etc. etc. etc. and in time she explained, I would excavate through the physical to the emotional. The very act of taking a pen in hand and writing on paper is cleansing. Write it down and begin the process of letting go, making space for the blessings and gratitude waiting for me in each day. Write it down, open the door, and let the light in........

Sunday, August 17, 2008

SUCCESS SORT OF....



After some time spent emptying my mind, today I decided it was time to focus......in a different way. I am learning how to operate my new Nikon SLR. My last camera was a Nikon 8080, a long way away from digital imaging. So, the learning curve, for me, is steep. After fiddling for the past two weeks with menus, buttons, instruction manuals that require a PhD. to decipher, a modicum of success this afternoon.

I saw the bee, the bee saw me.....I managed to focus and voila......my first successful shot. Oh joy....onward into the digital universe of Adobe, Light Shop, lenses, cards, flash slaves, etc. etc. etc. A new world awaits, this old dog!

Friday, August 8, 2008

DECLUTTERING # 1


Maybe I should begin my decluttering with my mind. I am not having much success in letting go of my "stuff". I am too steeped in the George Carlin definition of "My Stuff".

So by happenstance (or not?), Dr. Mercola an internet health guru emailed me this info in the last week or so:

" You may have read articles about decluttering your home or your desk."
I have read many articles and even purchased a few books on the subject, now part of the clutter!
Back to Dr. M. "but if anything needs decluttering, it's your mind." Okay let's begin there!

1) "BREATHE:
Take a few deep breaths, and then just focus on your breathing for a few minutes. It has a calming effect, and allows other thoughts just to float by."

I have never maintained a great effort meditating. Oh, I have attempted it over the years but always stopped. This week, I shall practice changing one thing and take a few minutes each day to simply BREATHE.........

There are 10 suggestions in all, who knows where I will end up!

Dr. M. suggests: "You can sort through your mind, even getting past the scar tissue of old hurts and traumas with these simple suggestions." Stay tuned........