Balance

Frank Chimero is an exceptional graphic designer and I am totally in love with both his blog and tumblr.  This bit from today was needed...

And I’m not sure, but it seems busted to beat yourself up over not achieving balance. What is it about thinking so much is in our control that makes us so profoundly sad when things don’t go our way? Does the precept of “balance” as a satisfactory, desirable, possible default throw things even more out of balance when we worry as we don’t achieve it? Is that on us? Are we just unskilled or are we merely unfortunate? Just… human? I prefer the latter. We are more at the whims of others than we may realize. We may act, but even acting isn’t always enough to get what we want. (Cue Rolling Stones.)

Good point Frank.

Picasso

These are stunning.

source.

Looking for an interesting read?

This article did a fine job of shaking me up...

Condemned to joy, we must be happy or lose all standing in society. It is not a question of knowing whether we are more or less happy than our ancestors; our conception of the thing itself has changed, and we are probably the first society in history to make people unhappy for not being happy.

Hodgepodge

I'm sitting on the top floor of the library, looking through the picture window onto our gorgeous quad.  Feeling one part content and two parts overwhelmed, but leaning into the content sounds like a good plan right now.  Shall we?

Have you ever read what Sarah Wilson has said about your "inside people"?  It's quite good and has been helping me out a bit.

This song says less "content" and more "I will proceed to boogie in the stacks"...


I'm down for that.

A last little something for the frantically overwhelmed piece: "Chill the Eff Out" from Yes and Yes. Always a winner.

Happy First Day of Spring!

i thank You God for most this amazing day

for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky;and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes

(i who have died am alive again today,
and this is the sun's birthday;this is the birth
day of life and love and wings:and of the gay
great happening illimitably earth)

how should tasting touching hearing seeing
breathing any--lifted from the no
of all nothing--human merely being
doubt unimaginable You?

(now the ears of my ears awake and
now the eyes of my eyes are opened)

-e.e. cummings

(That's one of my e.e.'s for sure. Especially that first stanza)

The Sciences Sing a Lullaby

Physics says: go to sleep. Of course
you’re tired. Every atom in you
has been dancing the shimmy in silver shoes
nonstop from mitosis to now.
Quit tapping your feet. They’ll dance
inside themselves without you. Go to sleep.

Geology says: it will be all right. Slow inch
by inch America is giving itself
to the ocean. Go to sleep. Let darkness
lap at your sides. Give darkness an inch.
You aren’t alone. All of the continents used to be
one body. You aren’t alone. Go to sleep.

Astronomy says: the sun will rise tomorrow,
Zoology says: on rainbow-fish and lithe gazelle,
Psychology says: but first it has to be night, so
Biology says: the body-clocks are stopped all over town
and
History says: here are the blankets, layer on layer, down and down.

 

-Albert Goldbarth

Life has loveliness to sell, all beautiful and splendid things, blue waves whitened on a cliff, soaring fire that sways and sings, and children’s faces looking up, holding wonder like a cup

Back from the beach and feeling simultaneously refreshed and exhausted.  Why does vacation always do that?

I never consider myself much of an outdoorswoman, but I have to say that nothing sets my mood right like some quality outside-time (especially after all the hours in the library of late!).  Reading on the sand, diving into the waves, sleeping out on the balcony, searching for seashells, letting the sun shine on my shoulders and finding freckles on my face the next morning.  I miss it already!

Find something new today
to love and enjoy
like the rest of those familiar loves
that have topped your list for years.
It doesn’t have to come close
and likely it won’t
but it might
and if it did
boy, that’d sure make this a day to remember-
the day you set about
turning over rocks
and shaking the neighborhood trees
only to discover
exactly what it was
you didn’t even know you were looking for.

-Dallas Clayton

The blues have been a more consistent companion of mine lately, but it seems one key to turning my mood around is spending that extra bit of time appreciating the details.  The small things that I usually breeze by during the day-to-day routine.  Noticing the arch of a flower's stem or focusing on the tingle that rushes over my skin when it hits the cold water.  Watching the sunset and counting the stars.  Making space for these moments makes me feel both grounded and connected to something much much larger than me.  To sum it up in a word, alive!  Combine that with a constant search for new experiences and I become a much happier lady.  No more feeling like I'm just skimming the surface of my life, letting the days slip away unaccounted for.

In that spirit, I've tried out a few new things in addition to all that glorious beach bumming.  Nothing monumental, but just enough to shake things up and keep me on my toes:
-My first henna tattoo (it's a mandala on my foot. No interest in a real tattoo, so a three-week long marking is perfect)
-I ate dinner alone in a restaurant for the first time tonight.  It was actually a rather peaceful experience.  Especially with a Michael Ondaatje (love!) book as a side to my grilled fish and baked potato. yum.
-I gave up instant messaging/gchat for Lent.  I'm not sure if this is 100% new because I can't remember if I ever successfully gave anything up in grade school.  I certainly haven't tried since then.  So I'm counting it as my first real Lenten sacrifice.  Rather jazzed about it actually.

Now to start doing more of the new things on my 22 by 22 list!

Spring Break!

I'm off for a week at the beach!  7 days of reading, long walks and dozing in the sand should be just what the doctor ordered.  Be back soon!