With thunder, lightning and rain brewing outside and chaos and confusion in the world at large, wearing in pajamas at Tsuchida Cottage, i reflect about Billy Bragg’s “I Keep Faith” song about thwarting cynicism when all seems for naught, and my fellow Evergreener Rachel Corrie (and her mother pouring the sand from the boots in which she died for what she believed in) before banging out a decidedly mediocre version of a song which so many have sung so well so many times: Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” before finishing with a few more thoughts about hopes that the greater goodness of humanity comes out in the end (and that the cottage doesn’t collapse).
Tag Archives: kindness
Diary: sparking tiny fires
Diary notes:
Saturday included: new orthotic inserts, made on site to order, plus reviewed/evaluated big bag of shoes for sturdiness and arch support / very diligent and serious practitioner
had ramen with my duo after shoes dealio / such kind folks + Ichi was charming (also hit up a park & community centre in wife’s childhood neighbourhood)
Also recently:
mixed CD arrived by post, looking forward to enjoying
packet mailed to Kentucky river region came back with “address not found“ hmmm
postcard from India received, my attempts to reply have been denied so far
did I mention that 2 Canadian passport with middle name “Thorvald“ arrived?
Mac the goat farmer came for oden dinner couple nights back /he forgot his pickles gift but remembered signed/stamped poetry book
expecting a pleasant guest from Vancouver on Nov 28
read Tintin books, watched Country Bears, practiced English with Ichiro
previewed a pod im a guest on taking about writing “early sht” {oh my!}
limited project on the #Circumnavigation book this week as interrupted by medical appointments and recovery but still, 90+ pages drafted in so far
Re: books
finished Tanizaki’s Makioka Sisters (making a note to watch the movie adaptation during New Year’s)
now working through:
- Alex Kerr, Heart Sutra
- Murakami Ryu, 69
- e.e. cummings, 100 selected poems
- (sorta) DT Suzuki, Zen & Japanese Culture
- Deep Kyoto Walks, various (ed. Ted)
- Tokyo Van Nuys Express, Rick Lupert
- various others
tomorrow (probably):
hanging family photo corner, bringing in some firewood, maybe harvesting some persimmons, and making ginger/turmeric syrup
Carrying on:
“yesterday’s tomorrow, is right now”
And I love waking up to the sound of rain / I live in the sunniest prefecture in all of Japan (really!) but still, I’m (partially) a #cascadia human/Sasquatch
Did some tasks:
- Recycling (plastic food trays) done (mostly) // As “rebellious“ as I get these days is overfilling the plastic recycling bin at the grocery store that we don’t necessarily always shop at (90% of our groceries are delivered through the Co Op) / Yep, it’s a wild lifestyle
- Hung buncha great family photos / more to say & the location, lighting & wall are hardly ideal, but we’ve made a start!
Further annotations:
For the record: im never sarcastic, very rarely cynical, mostly sincere, often enthusiastic, frequently curious, enjoy offering compliments, and always (try to be) kind
Also noting it’s great seeing more kids/toddler/babies out and about… The first couple years of our kiddos life, we hardly saw any other parents out with their kids that we could do that “I know what’s up with this“ nod with
Asked darling wife what she would like for a Christmas present(s). The answer “a chainsaw and/or a sewing machine“. Sums her up. (Oddly enough, you could maybe buy both of those from the same brand but seems Husqvarna doesn’t make sewing machines anymore)
A trio of great poems by Jason Emde (of Gifu rock city and creator of the “writers read their early shit“ podcast) in “hole in the head review”. High-quality writing (and yes, I’m a guest on his next episode in which I reveal *way too much*) mentioned above
{While not as well known and heralded as some others}, “Ken Sanders Rare Books“ in Salt Lake City is one of all-time favorites book shops. Sometimes, i browse around and fill up carts but then again my nemesis: shipping fees comes to thwart the plan :( kensandersbooks.com
Ahead:
Monday Morning is grocery delivery & order + garbage out.
Backing up twtr in case, locked down to be tight & tidy, security hygiene.
(Hopefully) back to barn to finish packet to Gary S. & notes for The Matinée, more poems & stories for book. Tuesday meeting at pre-school + wife’s band comes to rehearse. No scheduled medical appts! Oh order something for festive dinner & work plan for card (design, quantity, production).
Signs in the Wild, vol. 1: Actions, Beauty, Kindness, Love, Grace, Celebrate, Hugs
Oftentimes, I come across signs which are interesting, amusing or occasionally useful, or maybe just aesthetically curious or intriguing. Not funny *per se* but mildly amusing, accidentally inspiring, or possibly crafty.
Here are some, i have others, suppose this means *yet another series*. Here we go:
I don’t remember where any of were seen/photographed, well maybe I do for some… but then i’d face a problem of incompleteness and inconsistency, so… what follows is an un-annotated, non-geo-located, and un-credited assortment and purely for archival amusement purposes.
Your enjoyment is important to me. Remix as desired.
Rest in Peace to Ayurveda Dr Rishi in Nepal
My heart aches at this shocking news. Dear Dr. Rishi was such an instrumental part in changing my life for which I will be forever grateful. In his presence, I felt a very rare and powerful and graceful energy which I will always remember.
His credentials and accomplishments are endless as he travelled the world bridging cultures and sharing his knowledge of Ayurveda as well as other healing modalities with scholars and practitioners. He kept up quite a schedule but also was the chief medical man of this highly efficient and effective group of clinics in Nepal.
I remember sitting with him at lunch as he gently ate and kindly answered my questions (building about the differences between traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda, and the importance of being present and doing the most minor activities with intention – including eating and cleaning.
Importantly for my healing journey though, he travelled from Katmandu to Pokhara specifically for my intake at the hospital – along with his luminescent colleague Dr Rumee. After *losing* so many years of my life to chronic and complex illness I was so discouraged as doctors never seem to take the time to listen to me and thoroughly examine and inspect me. He listen to all aspects of my life, physical, emotional, spiritual and so on with a deep well of empathy and acknowledgment.
Wishing every blessing my wee heart can muster for his family, friends, colleagues and other patients. I will light incense in your honour from Japan and remember you always so very fondly.
In gracious remembrance of a wonderful human.
Note: much more to share about my time to Ayurveda Health Home in Pokhara and later a visit with Dr Rishi in Kathmandu.
Continue reading Rest in Peace to Ayurveda Dr Rishi in NepalEffectuating positive change from heart (with ukulele)
Just back from cleaning the grandparents’ graves and regrouping in century+ old barn studio, i riff a few things in my head about communities, hubris, restitution, sincerity, safety, life and death, empathy, seeds, cycles and children and everything.
As well as attempt a few chords on ukulele and talk about an air conditioner.
Gentle Advice: Roll slow, be gentle, eat healthy (read War and Peace)
Roll slow, be gentle, eat healthy, look out for your vulnerable friends and neighbours, minimize TV, start a novel, watch all the foreign films you’ve always meant to, crack open War & Peace like you should’ve years ago / hit me up if you need some podcasts or train videos #hugs
More: commentary on this topic on a popular social networking software place.
“What i learned making #daveo50” / excerpt from “The Breaker” podcast
I was recently a guest on (my occasional co-conspirator) Bob Mackin’s excellent PC/Pacific Rim/Cascadia news podcast called “The Breaker” talking about the postponed/cancelled Tokyo 2020 Olympics as well as riffing about personal archiving project, life lessons at 50, and birth of Ichiro Stanley Thorvald Olson.
In this 6-ish min. trimmed excerpt, i offer a few audio annotations about what i learned about myself, life as we know it etc whilst curating #daveo50, i.e.: how we really are who we are at a young age (in my case anyway), the importance of being kind, fostering and nurturing long-term relationships, that hobbies are the real thing, and the Internet is for communication not just a business construct.
Bob and I both celebrated birthdays this week so that came into the conversation as well. This episode – theBreaker.news Podcast: Socially distant birthday fun – I appeared in also featured Burnaby city councillor and punk rock legend, DOA’s Joe “Shithead” Keithley and other guests and riffs in Bob’s unique style.
Consider listening to the whole episode and subscribing to Bob’s great podcast plus show him support especially if you live/vote in British Columbia.
Also available as: “DaveO Personal Archive Project on The Breaker on Soundcloud“
Listen also: Oly-nomics and Goodtimes w/ Hammer Bob – Olympic Outsider #24
Note: Be kind and grateful and helpful
Note: Roll slow, be gentle, eat healthy, look out for your vulnerable friends
Roll slow, be gentle, eat healthy, look out for your vulnerable friends and neighbours, minimize TV, start a novel, watch all the foreign films you’ve always meant to, crack open War & Peace like you should’ve years ago / hit me up if you need some podcasts or train videos #hugs
I add: If anyone makes interesting things or needs a bit of encouragement or even maybe advice about their projects, or has just made something they want to share and want someone to click on something and share them along, I got you, Im yer dude #InstantFanClub