Riding to the country and back yesterday with one of New Orleans’ prominent musicians reminded me of how rich and wonderful is our life here in New Orleans. Deacon John was regaling us with musical history (The College Inn in Thibodeaux) as well as musician jokes (what is the difference between a drummer and an extra large pizza? The pizza can feed a family of four) and also musical awe (“I played with Bo Diddley!”).…
It has been almost a year since my mother died (11-30-09) and we held a small memorial for her to dedicate her headstone yesterday. Since I started thinking about these things when mom went into the hospital, it’s been an unconventional tying together of different faiths, cultures and traditions and along the way making tradition as we went along. But that is fitting for a woman who embodied an unconventional life. My mom wanted to…
We were driving across the lake yesterday when T got a text that there is a boil your water advisory in the city. Apparently on Friday night a power outage caused a drop in water pressure at the water purification plant and so as a precaution the city issued this warning. Although it is supposed to have been restored rather quickly the delay is they need to test the water extensively before we can safely…
I was driving across the lake yesterday with Deacon John and he said happiness is composed of three things: 1) having something to do, 2) having someone to love, and 3) having something to look forward to.
I was speaking to a friend today who is in the throes of trying to decided whether to go back to her ex of ten years. I said well you need to evaluate what the deal breakers were in that relationship and put those on the table (I said E had told me this a long while ago and it was the right thing to do even though my deal breakers were deal breakers). She…
The Fringe festival arrived in New Orleans and it is mind blowing to view the schedule of events happening around town, not to mention, excuse me, but yes there is a Gumbo Festival going on in Treme I heard on WWOZ – good grief, do we not lack for things to do around here? Jon Cleary is also playing solo piano at DBA and that is a show that shouldn’t be missed but today, after…
I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy. -Rabindranath Tagore, philosopher, author, songwriter, painter, educator, composer, Nobel laureate (1861-1941).
My cyber friend underwent a cancer scare and stayed away from her writing for a time, but she came back to it, bit by bit. I always think that you have to keep writing every day and through it all will come the nuggets, with the daily practice of your craft. As the saying goes the fool who persist in her folly, grows wise. Or as Flannery O’Connor said, you need to develop the habit…
I showed up at meditation today after a long day that started at the hospital and Aaron wasn’t there to lead the class instead we had a sub and at first, I was saying “harumph” under my breath but it turned out to be this fabulous journey into compassion. For 20 minutes we picked someone who we wanted to heal and remove their troubles, and I picked my sister who must hurt so much physically…
I went in today for my CT scan to have one more test run on my ticker. I swear sometimes the cure is worse than the disease as lying on the plank with my hands above my head, an IV in one arm and a blood pressure cuff on the other arm, as a mechanical voice told me to breath and quit breathing, and then a flush of iodine injected into me which made my…