understanding Heisenberg, real estate in NY, food & our attitude towards animals.

whew!

a lot in this week's Times that i find interesting. no time to finish reading or write, but i wanted to share the highlights.

Brooklyn Flea, brought to you by the makers of Brownstoner.

Can We See Our Hypocrisy to Animals? by Nicholas Kristof

Chicken with Cardamom from "Jerusalem"

Millet with Corn, Mango & Shrimp

Chilled Cucumber Soup with Avocado Toast

Nothing to See Here: Demoting the Uncertainty Principle from The Stone

Manifesto, in process

About politics, social issues, logistics- be loud, be strong, be willing to offend & look foolish to get what you want.

With loved ones, be gentle, listen, be kind, be your most generous self. When they act badly, know it comes from a place of pain, insecurity or hurt, and they need your compassion.

With yourself, listen. Above all else, listen. Give yourself the compassion you more easily give to others. Be strict, be fair. Know that you are in charge. No matter what happens, you are the boss of your life. No one else is responsible for your life, your decisions but you, even when things happen that are out of your control. Don't borrow trouble.

On fear, tremble. Pay enough attention to know when to be afraid and when to dismiss foolish thoughts of neuroses. Be afraid, feel the adrenalin and the clarity of fear. Then do what you're afraid of with your limbs shaking. Later you will know how courageous you were.

On dreams. Never give up, try not to get distracted. When you need a break, take one. Then get back to work. Never give up. Never listen to those who tell you all the reasons why your dreams won't work. It's just noise. Focus, take a step towards your dream each day, no matter how small.

On loss. It will consume you. Trust that the great current of nature will once again lift you up to the surface so you can breathe. When you need help, ask for it and know you are never alone.

quiet moment

yesterday i did a great yoga/stretching workout dvd and at the end i was able to lie on my back, allowing my muscles to relax into the floor and my mind wander.

it was a beautiful moment. i don't have many moments like that and when i have them, they are precious.

i lay there feeling the burn in my muscles and the endorphins course through my body and pictured my chest cavity opening up to the world, the sky, beyond our atmosphere. this thought went through my mind, "i hope death is an orgiastic experience with the universe. i will go back to from where i came and i hope i am reabsorbed into everything."

echo

yesterday, as i was reading my son a picture book that we read a lot something exciting happened. he's 10 1/2 months old now. he was really, really tired when i was reading it with him, it was almost bath and bed time. (we have 3 cats, this is important.) i was flipping through the pages identifying what was on each page, "apple, balloon, clock, rabbit, keyhole, hill..."etc. and he was silently, but attentively, flipping the pages. and when we got to the page of a cat he said, "mwarrrahhahaam!" and flipped the page. i think it was his version of "meow". yay! he can tell what representations of real things are! he knows what a cat is!

and just now i was looking at photos of wellfleet, ma on cape cod where i went growing up with my parents. i have very fond memories of wellfleet and would love a summer house there. it's a *little* pricey but i still dream. there was a photo of a beach near where we used to stay, and a photo of the water close up.

and all of a sudden- SO CLEARLY i could see my parents. on the beach. dad getting ready to take the boat out to go fishing. mom reading a book, feet in the sand. i could FEEL them. as though those things are still happening...just happening very, very far away.

clear as a damn bell. i see you, mom and dad. i hear you, i feel you. a part of us is still on that beach. enjoying life together.