Back to reading Haiku - the sacred art by Margaret D. McGee, I read the following Haiku:

my bed companions:
gray cat, hot water bottle,
dreams of long-lost loves
            - Barbara Gibson

As I am settling in for the night, I had a poem in response:

my bed companions:
comfy blankets, TV remote
dreams of Comcast connection

Not a Haiku. But I have learned of another type of Japanese poetry that is a closer fit: senryu. Here's the example of that style Margaret gives in her book:

Stumbling in the dark
then fumbling for the light switch,
which turns on the fan.
                 - Gregory Frederick

"A senryu is similar in structure to a haiku but focused more closely on human nature. . . Often a senryu will poke fun at the human condition."

Cool. I may have written a senryu.

Look At Oron & Rahab Up In The Shamayim(sky)

"At night, when the sky is full of stars and the sea is still you get the wonderful sensation that you are floating in space." - Natalie Wood

 ancient wanderers saw them not
luminaries too distant be held by name
our gaze extended we welcome them now

I am enjoying the end of Gregorian year learning the ruling planet of my astrological sign. Aquarius, now has a hebrew name: Oron. I found it interesting and exciting that while experts from the Hebrew Language Academy were involved the final vote was left to the Israeli citizens.

From Haaretz.com and the article "Uranus and Neptune get Hebrew names" at last by Yair Ettinger

Call it Star Wars. In the end, Oron defeated Shahak and Rahab prevailed over Tarshish as the Hebrew Language Academy on Wednesday unveiled the new names of two planets referred to until now by non-Hebrew names. Henceforth, Uranus will be known as "Oron" and Neptune as "Rahab."

Astronomy and language experts selected the four proposed names, but the general public was allowed to make the final decision.

The initiative to find Hebrew names for planets was first launched by Harel Ben-Ami and Lev Tal-Or, two instructors at the Unit for Science-Oriented Youth, which is part of Tel Aviv University's School of Education. The project was part of UNESCO's International Year of Astronomy.

Both Hebrew names were inspired by their Greek and Latin equivalents. Rahab, like Neptune, comes from the nautical world: It is the name of a sea monster in the Bible and Talmud. A source at the Academy said Oron was chosen partly because of its phonetic similarity to the word Uranus and partly because "Oron means small light - hinting at the pale light the planet emits when seen from Earth because of its great distance from the sun."

"A certain recluse, I know not who, once said that no bonds attached him to this life, and the only thing he would regret leaving was the sky." Kenko Yoshida

Now, I think I shall to visit with the stars.

May you enjoy the night sky

Ah, Work And Lines

 "There can be no doubt that the average man blames much more than he praises. His instinct is to blame. If he is satisfied he says nothing; if he is not, he most illogically kicks up a row." - Arnold Bennett

a voice informs me of a day to pull your hair our
another chimes in her happiness is below zero
a welcome to our new sort of working time clock

Another week of being understaffed. Ok, I reached the point of wondering about the intrinsic value of being the one who shows up to end with extra work. I have to admit to being suspicious about a few of the call-ins as we have until the end of the year to use "sick" time. I reached the point of, personally, pleading with co-workers to stay for some of the offered overtime. Alas, unsuccessful. However, with just a little less conscience or a little less fear, I could be one of those not showing up tomorrow.

My friend Jan shared an observation early in our friendship that everyone has lines they will or won't cross, but everyone's line is different. Ah, so true.

So proud of myself was I for not having such a negative attitude about the time clock or the fact that my new job title on the time card is Acquisition Employee (actually I was very amused by it) as the "others". Then I noticed another young co-worker who was pleasant to all her customers, all of us, and from whom I never heard a discouraging word the whole day. Wow, did I sound negative to myself when I used her as a point of reference. Bless us all.

There has been quite a bit if banter about naps from those of us who are working. That added to my enjoyment of a cute bit of writing I saw on the blog Disposable Writing:

Email to the coworkers
January29

Team,

I will be enjoying a sandwich tomorrow around lunchtime. I predict this sandwich will be as delicious as it is filling. I am willing to field questions regarding the tastiness of the sandwich following my lunchtime eating session. Please be advised I will be unable to take calls whilst eating the aforementioned sandwich; which, depending on the size of the meal, make take several hours. There is a significant possibility that I shall follow this delicious sandwich with a refreshing nap.

Thanks,
Gavin

And just as I was about to sign off I heard another, different, "line" story

A Chinese provincial shopping center is opening a special parking lot soon exclusively for women drivers that will  include extra lighting and wider spaces to keep down the number of collisions,  the Global Times reports.

Official Wang Zheng told AFP news agency the car park was meant to cater to women's "strong sense of colour and different sense of distance".


May you enjoy a wonderful nap

Pondering The Bigger Picture

 winter night foraging through foreign aisles
i have captured  & caged butter & cheese
tired i return home from a successful hunt

Thanks to my friend Sandy for making me a little more curious what Nasa has on the internet.

Did you know the Nasa's Imagine The Universe site has an Ask an Astrophysist feature? From their site:

This is the "Ask an Astrophysicist" service of the Imagine the Universe! web site. We specialize in cosmic-ray, gamma-ray, and X-ray astrophysics, and other satellite based astronomical observations. Our research subjects are often exotic, like black holes, quasars and dark matter.

So when I heard a quick news story about the number of visible galaxies I was able to see the answer there on the Nasa's Imagine The Universe site:

Your inquiry is definitely in the minds of many scientists who are trying to obtain a good estimate for the number of galaxies in the universe. The methods used to achieve such number varies, and therefore, the results would vary, too. Also, as new and improved technology becomes available, astronomers can detect fainter objects that were not seen before. These objects that have come into view will in turn change the estimated number of galaxies.

For example, in 1999 the Hubble Space Telescope estimated that there were 125 billion galaxies in the universe, and recently with the new camera HST has observed 3,000 visible galaxies, which is twice as much as they observed before with the old camera. We're emphasizing "visible" because observations with radio telescopes, infrared cameras, x-ray cameras, etc. would detect other galaxies that are not detected by Hubble. As observations keep on going and astronomers explore more of our universe, the number of galaxies detected will increase. For more about the Hubble Space Telescope, check out this web site:

http://www.stsci.edu/hst/

Hope this helps,
Georgia & Veronica
For "Ask an Astrophysicist"

The CBS news story I only caught a fragment of said there was 361 galaxies that could support intelligent. Should I ask an astrophysicist how they would know that? Cause I sure don't know. But I do find it fascinating.

May we keep our sense of wonder

Christmas Eve

tender time of kids dreams &; wishes
hot bakery smells &; tasty crumbs
sights of tantalizing plumped stockings

A Blessing I enjoyed From Rhonda Britten's blog:

May peace prevail this holiday season.

May you give up worrying what others think.

May you let go of living anything less than your truth.

May you accept the fearless spirit you are and know

all of this, every minute of your life, is adding up

to something that will inspire and delight you.

May you fall in love with your life again and again.

This I wish for you this holiday season.

Fearless Blessings,

Rhonda

May your enjoy the promise

Lithuanian Prayer

 long feathered roots reaching down
absorbing many facts,fates, and facets
ah, such myriad of ones who came before

 
From the website druidry on Lithuanian Paganism:

A Lithuanian Prayer

In 1938, Pranas Antalkis recorded the following prayer, recited by Elzbieta and Marija Palubenskaite. The informants had smuggled Lithuanian books into Lithuania during the Czarist prohibition of Lithuanian language press in the latter half of the 19th century. The prayers stems from those times. Jonas Trinkunas, Seniunas of the Vilnius Romuva in Lithuania, edited the text.

That I may love and respect my mother, father and old people; that I may protect their graves from rending and destruction; that I may plant oaks, junipers, wormwoods and silverweed for their rest in cemeteries. Those who do not love and respect their bearers will await hardship in their old age or will not grow old at all.

That my hands may never become bloody from human blood. That the blood of animals, fish or birds may not soil my hands, if I might kill them satiated and not hungry. Those who today kill animals with delight will tomorrow drink human blood. The more hunters live in Lithuania, the further fortune and a happy life escapes us.

That I may not fell a single tree without holy need; that I may not step on a blooming field; that I may always plant trees.

That I may love and respect Bread. If a crumb should accidentally fall, I will lift it, kiss it and apologize. If we all respect bread, there will be no starvation or hardship.

That I may never hurt anyone; that I may always give the correct change; that I may not mistakenly steal even the smallest coin. The Gods punish for offences.

That I may not denigrate foreign beliefs and may not poke fun at my own faith. The Gods look with grace upon those who plant trees along roads, in homesteads, at holy places, at crossroads, and by houses. If you wed, plant a wedding tree. If a child is born, plant a tree. If someone beloved dies, plant a tree for the Vele.

At all holidays, during all important events, visit trees. Prayers will attain holiness through trees of thanks.

 May we remember to love our trees

It's The Way You Do It

 Another wonderful quote from the quotegarden.com:

As the bus slowed down at the crowded bus stop, the Pakistani bus conductor leaned from the platform and called out, "Six only!"  The bus stopped.  He counted on six passengers, rang the bell, and then, as the bus moved off, called to those left behind:  "So sorry, plenty of room in my heart - but the bus is full."  He left behind a row of smiling faces.  It's not what you do, it's the way that you do it.  - The Friendship Book of Francis Gay, 1977
 

work large cascading pool of wonder
striving to meet the challenges alone
victory of the thorough over the swift

May we be merciful

More Amazing & Easy Philanthropy

soft, furry, snuggly, warm & loving
my dogs sniffed, wagged & befriended
bless the kind and caring 4 legged's

 "We give dogs time we can spare, space we can spare and love we can spare. And in return, dogs give us their all. It's the best deal man has ever made." M. Acklam

At 7 years old Mimi started volunteering at a local animal shelter, and at age 11 she createD the website Freekibble.com "Every dog deserves a decent dinner!". The passage below is right off their site:

Mimi Ausland, a 12 year old girl from Bend, Oregon, wanted to help feed the hungry animals at her local animal shelter. “There are 10’s of thousands of dogs and cats in animal shelters across the country, all needing to be fed a good meal.” Say hello to freekibble.com and freekibblekat.com!

Freekibble.com's primary mission is to provide good, healthy food to dogs and cats to those shelters who are working so hard to see that none of them go hungry - they need our help. In addition to providing free kibble to  the Humane Society of Central Oregon, we've added 13 new shelters to the program (from Oregon to Florida!) and plan to expand the program to many more! Thanks to everyone for supporting freekibble by playing the trivia game - every piece of kibble counts!

You can, also, find a link to the Freekibble.com site through their badge at the right side of my page. Proving again how much one caring person can make a difference. I have added a trip to her sites Freekibble and Freekatkibble to my day. Thank you, Mimi, for helping our dog and cat friends. Thank you for giving me an easy way to make a contribution.

"My goal in life is to be as good of a person as my dog already thinks I am" - Anonymous

May we share with our animal friends

Mimi's sites have raised over 137 tons of dog and cat kibble since April of 2008

When I first noticed on December 10 Yahoo's Spread Kindness site there were 3,210 acts posted on the site. This morning it's showing 139,298.

Social media at it's best.

God, Work & Midnight

watching twinkling in clear midnight ink sky
soft breeze suddenly brings lofting giant clouds
a feeling arises inside me like god is saying hello

Found on the site Garden Digest:

"The sky and the strong wind have moved the spirit inside me
till I am carried away trembling with joy." -  Uvavnuk

I am feeling tired, declining overtime at work today. Someone's programming error crashed an important engine. Peoples fears are showing more as lax procedures tightened. Ignored rules now become must do or die propositions. I am thankful for my rule following nature as I need not change to comply. Whew. Very short staffed at a frantic time. Next week will be a six day week again.

Yes, I am gratefully employed. And I enjoy my daily work task and the difference I can make in people's lives in many small ways. I can still feel the uneasiness all around and inside me as we are slowly assimilated into a new corporate culture. Our name will change, but no one knows what it will be. Oddly unsettling and exciting.

Some moments I am missing the random roadtrips I am foregoing, some I am remembering winter, almost here, as the traditional time to hibernate.

More lofty philosophical thoughts another time. Time for a little trip to the store, and another peek at my sky.

May you enjoy the sky

Yesterday's Poem

winter water wending it's way through
i pray my parking lot will not become ice ink
she prays for falling of soft fluffy snow

"Winter must be cold for those with no warm memories."  - From the movie An Affair to Remember (found on the site Quote Garden)

May we have warm memories to enfold us

More Mother Thoughts

late into the night she worked
rose early to feed those in her care
her sacrifice of self for love - mother

"A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie." - Tenneva Jordan


May we remember she who gave us life

Loss - Healing Wishes For Lisa & Julie

“The death of a mother is the first sorrow wept without her” - Anonymous

death comes always as a surprise to most
unprepared we are for permanent loss
sadness first comes to fill the empty space

The beloved mother of two of my co-workers, Lisa & Julie, died after a long bout of illness. I heart and prayers go out to them and their family. I admire them greatly for giving priority to spending time with her before she died. I know by listening to them she will be very deeply missed.

“The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new.” - Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh

Mrs. McConnachie, your kind, thoughtful, humorous, considerate and wise  daughters are evidence of a job well done.

May you rest in peace and tenderly in their hearts

Waiting

I do not believe that sheer suffering teaches. If suffering alone taught, all the world would be wise, since everyone suffers. To suffering must be added mourning, understanding, patience, love, openness and the willingness to remain vulnerable. - Joseph Addison

computer catastrophes ensue

 for now we are impatiently waiting

soon the miraculous will resume

"If you would know strength and patience, welcome the company of trees." - Hal Borland

Silent Downtown

"The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself." - Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche

dark night empty multi-floored giants

bright lights shining for no one

downtown waiting for Monday

May we enjoy the light

Missing Mother

"i want my mommie", she said
looking at me she said, "not really."
why not sometimes I do, too

"I look back on my childhood and thank the stars above.
For everything you gave me, but mostly for your love."
Wayne F. Winters, from Ode to Mom

Yesterday, December 10, I came home tired and little grumpy and randomly picked up the book noted below, and opened to the poem. When Mom Leaves. I was intending to post this yesterday, but I spent most of the day napping and in bed.

I didn't remember until today that yesterday is anniversary date of my mother's death well over a decade ago. What a beautiful synchronicity in randomly selecting this poem I'd hever seen on this anniversary date, and equally sweet what I guess to be my body's response of self-nuturing.

The following poem and the passage it undeer are from a wonderful book I recommend to everyone Healing Conversations by Nance Guilmartin:

When Mom Leaves

When she is gone
in a flash,
unbidden,
there is a loss
like no other.
You see
when Mom leaves
there is a center missing
as if the universe
has lost its gravity.

Everything,
everything falls apart
for awhile
until the universe
of our lives
finds a way
back to center.
And somehow
while there is no force
holding it together
the way it was --
somehow
we are
whole again
in
the
middle
of
it
all.

Grief Unburied

"Grief is like a wave," the counselor said to the television audience. "It comes and goes in its own time."

All gone many years ago. When incident reminds us of our loss, we say to ourselves, You'd think the grief would be over by now. The memorial service was one more reminder that grief isn't something you bury like a casket or something you scatter like ashes. It is, like the television commentator described, something that comes in waves. Sometimes those waves tumble you about, leaving you disoriented. Sometimes those waves of grief pull you down like a surging undertow when you least expect it. Sometimes they throw you up on the shore exhausted. And sometimes they hold you in the cradle of their force, gently carrying you toward the sand.

May we allow ourselves to grieve

over 28,000 have affirmed the Charter for Compassion
over 1,800,000 now have joined me to be citizens of Hopenhagen

Wow, now 10,902 people have posted acts of kindness on Yahoo's Spread Kindness page while I was typing my post it jumped to 12,188 acts. Inspiring.

Testify To Love - Avalon

I was listening to a sweet song, Joseph's Lullaby, on my friend Sandy's blog, Life is Beautiful. Life Is Crazy. I was reminded that I do have a favorite song by the group Avalon - Testify To Love.

"What you yourself hate, don't do to your neighbor. This is the whole law; the rest is commentary." - Rabbi Hillel

Over 26,000 people have affirmed the Charter For Compassion. It makes me happy hat the seedling continues to grow nurtured by great souls.

"Born of our deep interdependence, compassion is essential to human relationships and to a fulfilled humanity." 9th line of the Charter For Compassion

connected by rivers interwoven with seas
sharing the star filled sky, moon and sun
the same air, same hearts, same love

May we recognize the power of love

Finding Warmth

shivering cold icy toes
missing southern winters
sipping warm ginger tea

"The color of springtime is in the flowers, the color of winter is in the imagination."  - Ward Elliot Hour

Opening Up To Compassion

one mind at a time waking
shaking loose bits of indifference
trying on moments of kindness

"Rooted in a principled determination to transcend selfishness, compassion can break down political, dogmatic, ideological and religious boundaries." 8th line of Charter for Compassion

"Compassion is the radicalism of our time." - Dalai Lama

Soft Morning

waking slowly on a foggy day
hazlenut gorgonzola scone
a delicious beginning with tea

"The natural world is the larger sacred community to which we belong." Thomas Berry

May we be grateful for the food we receive

Potential

“Each difficult moment has the potential to open my eyes and open my heart” - Myla Kabat-Zinn

who are we who will we become
touchstones hope love compassion
continue expanding the possibilities

“We are all gifted. That is our inheritance.” - Ethel Waters

May we enjoy the quantum quandaries of life