I can't believe that it's been eight days since I last posted. I can't put my finger on it but there's something about summer that seems to make the hours pass a little more quickly.   I've decided to take a short break from posting excerpts of the novel and just post a blog of good old-fashioned rambling while listening to Jimmy Buffet here on the porch.  I was hoping to get a little more feedback on the story but I'm sure people are busy with all of their summer activities.

I haven't yet achieved my main goal this year of riding a roller coaster, it's been way too long.  Tomorrow, if the weather cooperates, a friend and I will be heading to a mountain bike park in Eagan.  After seeing pictures of the course maybe this will count towards my goal.

This has been an unusually dark summer and it's high time for some good news. After reading today about the Georgian invasion and the proton collider in Switzlerland (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/15/science/15risk.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss) that may envelop the Earth in a super massive black hole when turned on in less than a month I'm ready for a killer stand-up comedy act or possibly a very long string of them.  This weekend I will be taking a long overdue sabatical from the news.

By taking the "news break" I don't mean to bury my head in the sand but as of late, I often think about the Law of Attraction as explained in The Secret and how powerful this is.  If everyone watches these horribly negative news reports on T.V. it can't help but effect the viewer.  By effecting the viewer it would have to amply the negativity and set off a chain reaction.  This could very well explain the sorry state of the world today.  There is still so much good out there, you don't have to look far to find it, just don't look to the news.

(originally published in the 11/2003 issue of The Edge newspaper)

Patriotism is something to be applauded and I very much agree with the fact that Saddam Hussein needs to be ousted for the good of the world. However, for the American people to blindly believe the two-dimensional reasons we are being given for the "war on terrorism" by our government, we would have to be naive.

This country has tread on very dangerous ground. Americans comprise 6 percent of the world's population but use 36 percent of the world's resources. The events of the past few years have been horrific and inexcusable, but along with pursuing the perpetrators we should consider these events as a wake-up call. We've been forcefully dragged into a horrible reality that the rest of the world has been dealing with upwards of two decades now.

For our great country to survive we must grow to the next stage of our evolution. To grow out of our "adolescence" as a country, where we perform on the world stage with little consideration of anyone else to "adulthood," where we're mindful of the suffering and needs of the rest of the planet. As a nation, we're in a great position right now and the rest of the world is watching, breathless in anticipation. Dig deep; don't always take things at face value for the decisions that are being made now in our behalf will shape our children's destinies.

I'm by no means suggesting that our success is something we should be ashamed of. We are lucky to live in the greatest nation on Earth, but I'm a firm believer that with this privilege comes great responsibility. For great people or great countries to continue their greatness, they must continually examine their strengths and weaknesses, work on these weaknesses and evolve. Our growth-based economy or "model for success" that once made sense and worked so flawlessly should be thoroughly re-examined. This system is based on the American consumer continually buying stuff we don't really need and paying for most of this stuff we don't need with money we don't have (the average American household is $8,000 in credit card debt). An economic system based on insatiable materialism for its health is mathematically set-up for failure.

After close inspection, if the most intelligent among us agree that it's wise to continue a system in which our very survival is based on perpetual growth, so be it. To a simple person like me, it just doesn't make sense anymore. When you examine the facts, this wonderful planet we live on has finite resources. At some point this exponential growth will have to level off and at least become sustainable. Most global conflicts of the last hundred years at the root level have been about financial interests. At its root level this current conflict is no different.

Should we fight terrorists who are bent on using violence to try to destroy us? Of course! But to endanger our children's lives for greater control of an energy source (oil) that's outdated to fuel an economic system that isn't sustainable, no way. For the sake of our futures it's time to look forward instead of suckling at the dinosaur's teat. This has nothing to do with partisan politics and everything to do with the future of humanity. Luckily, we still have time; it's not too late.

Lost in a wonderful way,

here we share a small table

in a nameless teahouse

with nothing but a

steaming pot of Gyokuro

to help ease us into deep

contemplation of the

many faces of Edo.

My future sister-in-law Lilli arrived last night.  We all gathered at Shirley's apartment for a homecoming meal.  During this visit we found out about a certain tea party that will be taking place on Tuesday.  With this in mind I decided to post the following:

Asparagus and Prosciutto Tea Sandwiches

Makes 18 sandwiches

54 medium asparagus spears
18 slices firm-textured bread
8 ounces whipped cream cheese, room temperature
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 pound prosciutto di Parma, thinly sliced
Honey mustard

Cut asparagus spears to fit bread slices.

In a large saucepan fitted with steamer insert, bring 1 inch of water to a boil and steam asparagus until just cooked, about 3 minutes.

Plunge asparagus into bowl of ice water. When chilled, remove and pat dry with paper towels.

Spread bread slices with thin layer of cream cheese, pepper generously and set aside.

Cut each prosciutto slice in half lengthwise, and spread with 1/4 teaspoon or more of mustard. Starting with tip, roll asparagus in prosciutto, spiraling downward as you go. Repeat with each spear.

Cover 9 bread slices with 6 wrapped spears each, then top with remaining slices. With a serrated knife, trim crusts. Cut each sandwich in half across spears. Cover with plastic wrap until ready to serve.

Even in the midst of abundance, we are hungry. We will go to great lengths to try to fill the void; violence, overeating, insatiable consumerism. Minds much brighter than my own have pondered the ills and misdeeds of mankind and have wondered what could possibly be done to better our circumstances. In my heart I believe the key is right before us, echoing down through the ages in the wisdom of the sages. Lasting Peace can and will never be brought about on Earth by violence. Violence only begets suffering. Each person must make and effort to change themselves and I believe the key is what I call the "perfect pause", the practice of meditation.

Science is catching up with the sages. Today we don't have to look far to learn of meditation's well-documented benefits; stress reduction, aids the healing process, it can even help you recover from addiction. Meditation can help with all of these conditions and so much more. You may begin to practice meditation for a specific reason but if you make it a part of your daily routine you will start to experience untold benefits in all areas of your life. I know this first-hand.

Those who knew me as a child would describe me as the stereotypical bully magnet; very shy, thin and sporting the trademark coke-bottle glasses. But I also had an insatiable curiosity and people seemed to like me so I got along just fine. My grades were stellar, practically straight A's until the ninth grade. In the fall of 1985 I entered Eastmoor High School and everything changed. The school at that time was conducive to almost every illegal activity imaginable but definitely not to academics. It was overrun with gangs, drugs were sold openly in the hallways and violence was rampant.

By my sophomore year the situation worsened and the adults had lost nearly all control. Point blank, if gang members saw something that they wanted they took it. That included jackets in the wintertime or even the very shoes off of your feet. For the students it became the survival of the fittest. In the summer of 1986 I was determined that next year things would be different, I got contacts and started lifting weights. By my sophomore year I had gained about 30 lbs of muscle and in an attempt to fit in decided to adopt the "if you can't beat them join them" philosophy. People I knew didn't recognize me. By my Junior year, I could bench-press nearly 300lbs and was fully assimilated. I had become a product of my environment.

Those last three years of High School I tread a treacherous path and could seem to find no way back. Towards the end of my senior year I began to experience depression and panic attacks for seemingly no reason. I began to feel heavy and macabre. A coldness had me in its grasp and I felt paralyzed, watching the world pass by. That year, I cut classes a total of 112 days and somehow still managed to graduate towards the top of my class. In my heart, I knew if something didn't change my future would be bleak at best. So the search began. I spent countless hours reading self-help books, some of which were slightly beneficial but they were only a temporary fix. After almost a year of searching I came across a small book on meditation and started the practice that changed my life absolutely.

In the beginning the changes were almost imperceptible. The very first thing I remember was the desire to take long walks in the woods. Since I was a product of the inner city, this wasn't easy but I got into my car and drove forty-five minutes to the nearest nature trail. It was the only place that offered me solace. Next came only what I can describe as a softening of the heart. I started feeling empathy towards others, writing poetry and devouring any book I could get my hands on. Slowly and steadily my situation began to improve.

Twelve years later, honestly, the change in me is so complete that the person I once was is a stranger. Although my life is far from a fairy-tale, I realize now that every moment is a thing to be cherished and a chance to evolve. The only thing that haunts me now, is to see how the world suffers and to know that there's a simple solution. It costs nothing and asks not a thing of you but a few minutes of your day and a little practice.

Meditation doesn't belong to any one sect or religion, it is for everyone. What would you attempt in life if you knew, in your heart, that you could accomplish anything? How would you live each day if you had no fear of failure? We as humans, have forgotten how awesomely powerful we are. Through the gift of imagination and the intelligence to bring our ideas to fruition, there is literally nothing that we can't accomplish.

The problem is that there have been many roadblocks put in our path to relearning. Belief systems and patterns of thought have been put in place down through the ages as a means of controlling us. Some roadblocks are even self-imposed. These roadblocks continually loop in our heads day after day as self-limiting thoughts. By continually thinking negative internal thoughts and comparing ourselves to others, many of us become our own worst enemies. "I'm not smart enough", "I'm not as good looking or successful as they are", "This certain person doesn't like me". We can really get quite creative with our negative thoughts!

Most of us have heard of the word "institutionalized" and know its meaning but few of us realize that we have in a way become institutionalized ourselves. As unbelievable as it seems it is common for prisoners who have been incarcerated for decades, upon their release, to find themselves unable to deal with the realities of freedom. Freedom terrifies them. Some even end up breaking the law to get back into prison. These people, who at first grieve because their freedom has been taken from them, strangely begin to find security and comfort behind bars.

The same phenomena occurs everyday in this physical world. When we're young, most of us have lofty dreams and aspirations but if we're not mindful, as the ocean erodes the sand, the routines of life will slowly wear our dreams away. After a few years the dreams, if remembered at all, are pushed back into the farthest reaches of our minds. As our daily routines become etched into our brains, even though we may be miserably unhappy, we lose our ability to even imagine a different way of living. We become so dependant upon the routine itself that we forget that other options that would make us far happier exist and are just a decision away!

As you will experience, meditation is many wonderful things but first and foremost it is a process of relearning who we really are and the awesome power that each and every one of us possess. In many ways it is very sad, we are like sleeping giants that merely have to be awakened.

This modern life is like a double-edged sword. The average person enjoys a reasonable amount of leisure time and we have more information at our fingertips than any other generation in history, yet we have countless distractions. Our senses are assaulted from the time our alarm clocks wake us in the morning to the time we lie down to go to sleep at night. Almost continually television, radio, cell phones, and a plethora of other things are volleying for our valuable attention.

This makes the first step of meditation probably the most work. It is what I refer to as the "physical step" and requires you to do nothing more than quiet your mind. In a way, meditation can be viewed as us connecting to their inner-selves in much the same way that your computer connects to the internet. For us to make this "connection" we must first be able to attain a certain level of peace within ourselves.

Once the mind is still, the second step or "psychological step" begins. This is a chance to release the baggage that we've acquired throughout the years. We begin to gradually break free from all of the misconceptions and self-limiting thoughts and behaviors that we've taken on in our lives. The third and final step is the "spiritual step". This is deep meditation.

The important thing to remember is that the constant practice of meditation itself will engage a natural trinity of healing processes: physical, psychological and spiritual. Meditation must be experienced to be fully believed and it's never too late.

This article was reprinted from a 2004 issue of "EdgeLife Magazine" and was the inspiration for my beginner's guide to meditation entitled, "The Perfect Pause" which is available for $12.95 by clicking this link:  http://my.lulu.com/content/103257

Drinking three or more cups of tea a day is as good for you as drinking plenty of water and may even have extra health benefits, say researchers.

The work in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition dispels the common belief that tea dehydrates.

Tea not only rehydrates as well as water does, but it can also protect against heart disease and some cancers, UK nutritionists found.

Experts believe flavonoids are the key ingredient in tea that promote health.

Healthy cuppa

These polyphenol antioxidants are found in many foods and plants, including tea leaves, and have been shown to help prevent cell damage.  Public health nutritionist Dr Carrie Ruxton, and colleagues at Kings College London, looked at published studies on the health effects of tea consumption. They found clear evidence that drinking three to four cups of tea a day can cut the chances of having a heart attack.

Some studies suggested tea consumption protected against cancer, although this effect was less clear-cut.

Other health benefits seen included protection against tooth plaque and potentially tooth decay, plus bone strengthening.

Dr Ruxton said: "Drinking tea is actually better for you than drinking water. Water is essentially replacing fluid. Tea replaces fluids and contains antioxidants so it's got two things going for it."

Rehydrating

She said it was an urban myth that tea is dehydrating.

"Studies on caffeine have found very high doses dehydrate and everyone assumes that caffeine-containing beverages dehydrate. But even if you had a really, really strong cup of tea or coffee, which is quite hard to make, you would still have a net gain of fluid.

"Also, a cup of tea contains fluoride, which is good for the teeth," she added.

There was no evidence that tea consumption was harmful to health. However, research suggests that tea can impair the body's ability to absorb iron from food, meaning people at risk of anaemia should avoid drinking tea around mealtimes.

Dr Ruxton's team found average tea consumption was just under three cups per day.

She said the increasing popularity of soft drinks meant many people were not drinking as much tea as before.

Tea drinking is most common in older people, the 40 plus age range. In older people, tea sometimes made up about 70% of fluid intake so it is a really important contributor," she said.

Claire Williamson of the British Nutrition Foundation said: "Studies in the laboratory have shown potential health benefits.

"The evidence in humans is not as strong and more studies need to be done. But there are definite potential health benefits from the polyphenols in terms of reducing the risk of diseases such as heart disease and cancers.

"In terms of fluid intake, we recommend 1.5-2 litres per day and that can include tea. Tea is not dehydrating. It is a healthy drink."

The Tea Council provided funding for the work. Dr Ruxton stressed that the work was independent.

Reprinted from BBC NEWS article (24, AUG 2006)

Steep yourself in the culture of tea at:
http://www.theperfectpause.com/

 

As the sun's rays

illuminate your being

and warm your face

pause to take a nice

long drink of life,

close your eyes and smile.

know that this moment

in time is real and

all there is,

really all there ever was

and will be

Nothing else matters.

People will feel how they feel

and will believe 

what they want to believe

it is our only job to be

Fall leaves will continue

to dance in the crisp wind,

the squirrels will continue to

play and the wood smoke will

wisp long after we are gone. 

But now, there is the sun

and the earth beneath our feet

and our breath

time is still

and nothing else matters.