Simplicity @ MindSay 
complications
"It's great that we got a larger, faster, supposedly newer copier, but the document feeder doesn't work!"
And it was true! It didn't feed. No activity. Like feeding a fussy baby. You can put food near the mouth, but the mouth wasn't taking any. Nuh uh.
So today, there was one student, and 3 teachers, and the student was taking a test - in other words, occupied. I was tasked with 'copying extra pre- and post-tests' to refill the supplies in my last 15 minutes before leaving early. Therefore, I was using said copier.
This frustrates me! Multiple page documents can't be fed and collated, so I have to hand-collate. Annoying! Why get a refurbished copier that doesn't completely work?
Given
Refurbished copier doesn't completely work
Feeding tray does not work
Annoyed tutors
Solution
Fix copier
Logic
Why does the feeder not work? Why sell a refurbished copier that doesn't completely work?
I stick a few pages in there, and stick them in as far as they go to trip any sensors that are in there.
Copy.
Nothing.
Is there a switch to turn on the feeder?
No. How silly of a design that might be! Two switches? Come on.
Is the feeder not "plugged in"?
See above logic.... wait... there's a cable, but it's not a power cord, hanging from the feeder. It's a 25-pin male serial printer cable. A very short (4") printer cable.
A short computer serial cable? To what, a computer right next to the thing? How idiotic.
Feel around for anything - switches, toggles, buttons... gaps...
Aha! A small pocket, within range of the cable!
Move copier to see pocket... A 25-pin female outlet!
Plug cable in. Feeder makes noise!
Stick sheets in feeder. Hit 'Copy'.
Nothing.
Maybe the document feeder doesn't work, and this was unplugged as a message to not use it.
Give up.
No.
Wait...
Cycle power switch.
Insert pages into feeder.
P: "Hey Holly, we have a document feeder now!"
H: "What did you do to fix it?!"
P: "I plugged it in!"
H: *Laughing* Seriously??
:D
For now, I'm biding my time... trying to enjoy myself as much as possible while dealing with the stresses of living at home and being in high school. None of it's really that bad, I just am yearning for something different.
Anger has a tendency to hold me hostage, sometimes. Sadness too. I'm trying to uproot anger, trying to be more compassionate, trying to live simpler, trying to not hold my surroundings up to any unachievable ideals. I think it's going okay. When you're living your life in a place where you have so little control over what's going on around you, you find it so much harder to control what's going on inside your mind and body.
I'm sober; remarkably so.
I greatly miss my daily rituals of Cannabis consumption, as I haven't been partaking in the last two months or so. That's alright though, as I'm high on life.
I'm starting to see firsthand that life is a trip and I'm in for a great one.
I'm tired. Really tired.
This week has been ridiculous my Caffeine intake has been through the roof.
I just need to be alert, awake and paying attention to everything that's going on throughout my entire day... It's hard to NOT use Caffeine as much as I do. Been trying to ween myself off of it over the last two days... Went from a consistent 500mg+ per day to a half a cup of coffee yesterday and nothing today. I've certainly had worse headaches, but this one is so persistent.
The world is beautiful.
I love our Earth, I love every season and I love spending time in the midst of it all.
We're all connected to each other and every speck of matter that makes up this world and this universe. The universe is everything that exists or has the potential to exist, the symbiotic relationship between space and time. Ideas are as real to me as anything I can hold.
Our environment is deprecating... fast.
As the cause of many of our environmental issues and supposedly the most rational beings inhabiting this planet, we Humans absolutely MUST conserve and be true stewards to this beautiful rock we were lucky enough to gain control of.
People amaze me.
Human nature never ceases to blow my mind. So predictable and yet... so spontaneous. I often zone out when watching people going about their lives, amazed at the complexity of our mind and body.
As much as I'm a fan of the winter, I'm about ready for it to get warmer.
The Sun is really, really nice.
Anyway... this was sort of a big ramble. I'll get more specific once I gather my thoughts.
I've been very busy as of late because of a couple of things in my life that auspiciously occured a few weeks ago. I have been studying Buddhism for some time now and I had come to a junction in my path where I needed to find some guidance, choose direction, go deeper into myself, my studies and my mind than I ever have before. As I meditated I asked to be blessed with a teacher if that was the right way for my path to go.
At the same time my spiritual questions swirled, I also was looking at my work and thinking about life, fragility and waste. There had been a motorcycle accident that left a beautiful young soldier dead, the next day a horrific car / motorcycle accident that left 5 dead, and as an ER we had worked to try to save the lives of several without success. It was so very drastic, so very sad, and one of the few times I have seen the ER come to a standstill as almost everyone had to be involved in the trauma. It also was one of the few times that the sadness, reality, and emptiness hit once the CPR stopped and the machines were turned off. Staff stopped and called home to say they loved their families, some cried then, some later. Usually trauma's don't stop the place cold, they come, they go, but this was big and it was sad.
I was struggling after the event with the people that then came in to see me in Psych with the " I'm going to kill myself because my boy/girl left me". I don't mean those suffering from a real depression, psychosis, or other serious mental health problem - for those the trauma was as equal as the accident. But for just a moment my compassion waned for those using life and death as manipulation - and I thought - " you want to see dead - come with me". Of course I quickly caught the thought and my compassion returned but I was distressed that it was there.
The other thing that concerned me was the brutality of what is done to save a life that is so very gone. I know how often we do save lives with what we do, but sometimes it is so harsh to see what happens as the efforts go on and on. As part of my faith when one dies they should be given dignity and peace, time to transition to the next life. What I see is so far from dignified, and there is little peace as the curtain is closed and the work goes on around them. In all of this I wondered how I might bring just a small amount of quiet to the person, and a bit of dignity. I try to sneak in and cover the person, fix hair, turn off a light, some little thing.
Suddenly I had a phone call that there was a Lama, Rinpoche and Monk from Tibet in town for several weeks. They were looking for people to help cook, clean the house, serve meals, meal clean up, etc. for them as well as teach a little English when possible. They were here to teach as well as to work with a Translation Committee to translate into English precious texts that had been smuggled out of Tibet with the Dalai Lama and others in 1959. I offered up my time and limited cooking talents to the task and it has proved to be interesting, fascinating, precious, spiritual, humbling, and honourable. If you had told me 7 years ago that I'd be cleaning the toilet of some man from Tibet and honoured to do so I'd have laughed at you!!
I am honoured, and so very humbled. To be in the presence of people that own only 2 sets of robes, toothbrush and comb. Who smile and are so very happy in life, and whose energy, and soul radiates from their faces so strongly I am blessed to simply be in the same house as they are. Their simplicity and graciousness is nothing I have ever seen in my own culture and I am shocked at how rude we in North America are compared to these beautiful people.
I was granted an audience with both the Rinpoche and Lama, and I talk often to the Monk, also Rinpoche's Nephew. I asked Rinpoche to be my teacher and have discussed visiting the Lama to help him set up a medical clinic. I got to ask my questions, and was given simple and beautiful answers om how to deal with my questions. I was given blessings on my work to build my 50 acres healing garden, and offered a visit to bless it once complete. (In Tibet Rinpoche is like a Phd, but also with a spiritual component like a Pope might be to a Catholic. While it is a Title, it is also used as a name).
And then ... my puppy found me and her name was apparent - Teshe Dechen - Lucky Joy in Tibetan.
I go tomorrow and spend the day again with Rinpoche and Sange his nephew. One of daughters comes (19) and she helps teach English to Sanje who is only 23 and likes to talk to her. Tomorrow she is going to show him her iPod, music, and a few other modern things he might find interesting. I'm cooking meatloaf, and making some homemade fries with Gingerbread & Caramel sauce - LOL - some real old home cooking. I look forward to it and to a day of positive energy and calm abiding.
I wonder if gets a lot better!!
Namaste'
Simplify, simplify, simplify. We have read this somehow. When I read it, I thought, can't the writer just say simplify? To say it three times, defeat the purpose.
Often times, I am guilty of making the same mistake. Instead of loving or being contended with what I have, I tend to long for something that is not there. And it makes my life complicated.
Before, I would always work so hard that I would forget about the people who are important to me. I can never forget what my three and half year old niece told me, when I brought work at home. I was busy typing some report when I heard a gentle tap at my door. When I opened the door, my niece was standing there and in all seriousness said, uncle don't work too hard, ok.
That experience was enlightening to say the least. Now, I am learning to appreciate the simple pleasures of life, and most of them are free. Eating out is no longer a drag. Conversations with loved ones, however silly are now always meaningful. Holding my girlfriend's hand while walking in the park, brings joy. Every moment is so important that I no longer treat it as passing time. I just learned how to simplify.
Subject: FW: Canadian Border Alert
Canadian Border Alert
Manitoba Herald
The flood of American liberals sneaking across the border into Canada has intensified in the past week, sparking calls for increased patrols to stop the illegal immigration. The actions of President Bush are prompting the exodus among left-leaning citizens who fear they'll soon be required to hunt, pray, and agree with Bill O'Reilly.
Canadian border farmers say it's not uncommon to see dozens of sociology professors, animal-rights activists and Unitarians crossing their fields at night.
"I went out to milk the cows the other day, and there was a Hollywood producer huddled in the barn," said Manitoba farmer Red Greenfield, whose acreage borders North Dakota. The producer was cold, exhausted and hungry. "He asked me if I could spare a latte and some free-range chicken.
When I said I didn't have any, he left. Didn't even get a chance to show him my screenplay, eh?"
In an effort to stop the illegal aliens, Greenfield erected higher fences, but the liberals scaled them. So he tried installing speakers that blare Rush Limbaugh across the fields. "Not real effective," he said. "The liberals still got through, and Rush annoyed the cows so much they wouldn't give milk."
Officials are particularly concerned about smugglers who meet liberals near the Canadian border, pack them into Volvo station wagons, drive them across the border and leave them to fend for themselves.
"A lot of these people are not prepared for rugged conditions," an Ontario border patrolman said. "I found one carload without a drop of drinking water. "They did have a nice little Napa Valley cabernet, though."
When liberals are caught, they're sent back across the border, often wailing loudly that they fear retribution from conservatives. Rumors have been circulating about the Bush administration establishing re-education camps in which liberals will be forced to drink domestic beer and watch NASCAR races.
In recent days, liberals have turned to sometimes-ingenious ways of crossing the border. Some have taken to posing as senior citizens on bus trips to buy cheap Canadian prescription drugs. After catching a half-dozen young vegans disguised in powdered wigs, Canadian immigration authorities began stopping buses and quizzing the supposed senior-citizen passengers on Perry Como and Rosemary Clooney hits to prove they were alive in the '50s.
"If they can't identify the accordion player on The Lawrence Welk Show, we get suspicious about their age," an official said.
Canadian citizens have complained that the illegal immigrants are creating an organic-broccoli shortage and renting all the good Susan Sarandon movies. "I feel sorry for American liberals, but the Canadian economy just can't support them," an Ottawa resident said. "How many art-history majors does one country need?"
In an effort to ease tensions between the United States and Canada, Vice President Dick Cheney met with the Canadian ambassador and pledged that the administration would take steps to reassure liberals, a source close to Cheney said. "We're going to have some Peter, Paul & Mary concerts. And we might put some endangered species on postage stamps. The President is determined to reach out," he said.
(This was sent to me from one of my Conservative American Friend, and yes it is supposed to be a joke to chuckle over, he said he was pretty sure laughter was still OK even for him.)
On another note;
As I have been packing up a few things to take on vacation, I have also started purging my home of the absolutely, rediculous, shameful, embarrassing, and hideous amounts of STUFF around my house. Now mind you I have lived there for 26 years, brought up 3 daughters, still have a 22 year old with 25 year old boyfriend living there, an 18 year old, a 13 year old, 2cats, 1 dog, 1 turtle. For a time there was another cat and 2 rat-like creatures I couldn't stand that my oldest had for awhile. I also parented a nephew there for 1 year, took care of 2 of my oldests daughters friends their last year of high school (they had been kicked out of home), and I live with a handsome, totally adored, but pack rat husband. All of that adds up to S-T-U-F-F!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have actually found projects of my husbands from highschool, (he's 56), and I have a slide projector with table, various 8-tracks, and 8-track machine, a lamp I had when I was a child, thousands of pairs of shoes tucked in the back of closets, and hundreds of mittens that don't match. I have winter coats of all sizes, styles and shapes, old paint cans, thousands of tools that do I don't know what, a chain saw that's never been used, stereo's that no longer work. That gives you just a small idea of it all. Truly, it would be easier to burn the place than empty it out, but emptied it must be some day, and that day is coming.
I have done some sorting, what I want to do is just pile it in boxes and over a few sunny Saturdays, take it to a busy street corner with several FREE signs on it. There are lots of very good items of clothes (coats) and shoes/boots never worn that will be particularly useful to those who need them. That will be my post-vacation project. I want my house as empty as possible with only the absolutely neccessary furniture in it. It will work well with my oldest daughter and fiancee moving out the end of August. My 18 year old is a good person to help throw things out, and my 13 year old, while a bit of a pack rat with her own things, is a good organizer.
I no longer want to be bound to my home or anything in it, I don't require the sentimental attachments to many objects that just take up space in the back of a closet. The reality is if my house was blown away tomorrow, as long as all my children and animals were ok, that would be just fine, I'd start over simply and happily.
I found this out when I bought my place in Prince Edward Island. I didn't have extra money to furnish it but know that somehow I'd get what I needed, no more, no less. Sure enough, people started to offer things, and within 3 months the place was completely furnished and had more towels, dishes, utensils, sheets, blankets and cleaning products than I could need. It was amazing. I work hard at keeping that place as simple as I can because it is easy to start to collect clutter. Simplicity to me does not mean stark, but it means I do not have too much, or that I don't own anything I wouldn't gladly give away to someone that needed or wanted it.
Today I had a little practice session with just this thing. I like dragon flies and have 3 dragon fly broaches my kids gave me at different times. I also have a dear friend that loves dragon flies. They have meant much in her life during troubled times and we had a broach the same. Two month ago she gave her aunt her dragon fly broach. Her aunt is suffering from cancer, was beginning chemo, and with the broach was given the story of what the dragon fly means. (It means ascendence over situations, pain, etc.) Right now my friend is struggling with some issues and as I looked at my broaches I realized that it was now more than ever that my friend needed it, and that I needed to give it away. So I did, I just left it on her desk with a little dragonfly candle, and that makes today a very good day.
Namaste'
Showing 1 - 5. [ Next ]
