...and Moonrise

Yesterday I wrote about waking early and watching the full moon set in the west. Later that day I was driving east at about 5:30 p.m., and I watched the moon rise. It always looks immense when it is full and near the horizon.

Later I was at a party and read a chapter of my book aloud. It sounded overwritten to me. I am thinking I should shorten it significantly. It will not be book-length if I shorten it, but who cares? I just want it to be good writing. I'll spend the weekend thinking about that and tackle it in the new year.

I do know that shorter is better in writing. Almost any piece of writing can be improved by shortening it. Possible exception: The Gettysburg Address.

Moonset

It is now 6:40 a.m. on Friday, December 28, 2012. Looking west through the sliding glass door in my room I see the full moon approaching the horizon beyond the pond. There is a large pine tree near the house, and if I lean to the right, the moon just fits behind the tree. If I lean to the left I see it large and full. It is a creamy off-white color, similar to the Cheerios in my breakfast bowl.

I just walked over to the east-facing window behind me, and the sun is not quite up, but the eastern sky is glowing a yellow-orange color at the horizon, with light blue above. It is 6:50 now, and the moon has touched the western horizon. In a few minutes it will be out of sight, and the sun will be within view to the east.

I feel fortunate to have witnessed this miracle. Through the interaction of the moon, the sun, and the Earth, you and I are alive and we have all the conditions necessary for happiness. I like getting up at 6. This morning I awoke at 5 and could not get back to sleep. After a few minutes of feeling frustrated in my desire to sleep, I decided to relax and enjoy my wakefulness by meditating. My mind wandered all over the place, but I kept returning to my breath and relaxing. After a while I decided to do a progressive-relaxation body scan, and that was delightful.

Yesterday I did my daily writing from 7:30 to 12:30, and I plan to do that again today. Now it is 7 a.m. and the moon is completely out of sight. The western sky is baby blue, and the pine trees have lightened to their typical green color, instead of the black shadows I saw 20 minutes ago. In the east, the sun is still obscured behind trees and houses, but I know it must be up because the sky is light and bright. I just noticed a light dusting of snow on a few patches of ground. My thermometer says it is 30 degrees outside, just below freezing. Soon the sun will melt the snow.

Afternoon update: I did do sabbatical work and writing from 7:30 to 12:30 or so. Mostly I worked on identifying a potential agent and writing a snappy pitch letter. I'll let it sit on the table for a few days before deciding whether it is ready for prime time.  So I did get writing and meditation done, but sill no running. I would like to work that in too.

Getting Started

OK. Here we go.
It is Thursday, Dec. 27, 2012, and I am starting my sabbatical in earnest now. I have done some preparatory work before now, and I will take some days off in the future--including New Years Eve, New Years Day, and most weekends, but this feels like the right day to start. My grades from the fall semester are turned in, and Christmas is over, so I have no more excuses.

My plan is to write every morning from 7:30 to 12:30. Of course I will need to allow myself some time for brief distractions and interruptions, but writing must be my first priority. I also have to decide what counts as writing. Does writing in this blog count? I think it should, although I am writing now at 7:02, so it is an early start. Does cleaning our my bookcase and desk count? I think not. I'll have to do that in the afternoon or evening.

One of the first things on my list is to apply to be a speaker at writers conferences. I think writing that e-mail will be my first project today. I am particularly interested in the Wildacres Workshop near Asheville, N.C., and the Chesapeake Writers Workshop in St Mary's City, Md.



Wood Turtle by Olena Nebuchadnezzar

Speaking of Christmas, Brenda gave me a beautiful tapestry, or art quilt, by Olena Nebuchadnezzar for Christmas. I admired it at a shop in Cambridge, and Brenda went back and bought it for me. The quilt depicts a beautiful tortoise--a wood turtle--looking froward among wildflowers in a forest. It reminds me of Tom, a beautiful box turtle who lived with me for 25 years. Looking at Tom, or at the tortoise in the tapestry, I see patience, determination, equanimity and wisdom. It inspires me.


Here is a link to Olena's blog: http://www.olenaartquilting.blogspot.com/

Update: It is almost 1 p.m., and I did write from 7:30 to 12:30. Mostly I wrote applications to speak at three writing conferences, which is sabbatical-related, but not very creative. I also worked a little on revising my poem "Missing Link," with will probably be called "Evolution" in its new form.

If Not Now

I sent e-mails to all my state and national legislators urging them to support swift and effective gun-safety measures. It is becoming obvious that this is the time. Please contact your legislators. In the words of the beautiful Carrie Newcomer song, "If Not Now, Tell Me When."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7lFBZasjsQ

If Not Now

Inspiration

Last month I received my artwork muse at the Mutual Muses potluck. I received a photograph of a beautiful assemblage by Cape artist Heather Blume. Today I went to the Cahoon Museum of Art, expecting to hear her give a gallery talk. Unfortunately I was mistaken about the date; it was yesterday.

So I went into the gallery anyway and viewed the original assemblage that was my muse. I had gotten a few ideas by looking at the photograph, but the original art itself was much more inspiring. I could feel the emotion with which the two figures in the sculpture are looking skyward. It is a beautiful mixed-media piece with two figures covered in rice paper looking up. They are beside an abstract tree-like screen. It is lovely and expressive.

I stood and gazed at it for a while. I crouched down and looked at it from below. I was reminded of the time, in 1957 -- 55 years ago -- that my father pointed out to me the first artificial satellite, Sputnik. He said it would change my life, and it did. I went back to my office and wrote a poem about it. I think that is exactly how Mutual Muses is supposed to work. Art inspired poetry. I won't post the poem here yet because I am not sure it is done. It is still shifting a little in my mind. However it ends up. I love the feeling of being inspired by a work of art to write a poem.

Dec. 12 evening check-in:

Writing: Yes I wrote a poem!

Running: No. Maybe tomorrow

Meditation: Yes, I did sitting meditation briefly in my office.

Caught a cold

Thich Nhat Hanh teaches us that "Pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional." I am trying to remember that as I endure this cold. If I let it defeat me, I may lapse into feeling miserable. On the other hand, I can just move through it, drinking plenty of liquids, getting enough rest and moving forward.

I slept in this morning, rather than doing my morning meditation and run. I hope get to those later.

Missed days

I want to write in this blog every day, but sometimes the days just slip by. Oh well, let it go and smile.

As a teacher, the greatest joy comes form helping students. In the last couple of days I have had the honor of helping one student work on a personal problem. And I also got a message form a student I helped a few years ago. In the past she has thanked me, but now she is expressing resentment and hostility. That hurts. I think she is relapsing into a negative state of mind. Life certainly is complicated.

I try to keep my sanity in balance by meditating, running and writing. Yesterday I was able to do all three, although I did not write in this blog. I will do the same today. Life is good.

My sabbatical officially starts on the 19th, so that is only 15 days away. Woo hoo!

Dec. 4 evening check-in:

Writing: Yes I wrote this entry

Running: Yes, I ran on the treadmill this morning

Meditation: Yes, I did sitting meditation briefly in my office.

200-word spiritual biography

I am part of a group that holds conference calls once a month to deepen our Buddhist spiritual practice. One member sent an e-mail to the group outlining the history of his practice in less than 200 words, so I took up the challenge to explain my path is less than 200 words:

I was born in 1948 in Maryland to a scientist and an artist, both of whom were alcoholics. At Marietta College in 1966 learned Zen meditation and fell in love with it. Then I went to Haight-Ashbury in 1968 and fell into the world of “sex, drugs, and rock ’n’ roll.”

I managed to get through grad school and most of a 30-year career in journalism, while abusing drugs and alcohol. I hit bottom in 1989. I saw my parents in myself and realized I had to stop. My doctor suggested meditation and I remembered my early love for the practice, so I gave up all drugs and alcohol and resumed my meditation practice in 1990.

Then, in 1996 I found The Miracle of Mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh. I attended my first retreat with Thich Nhat Hanh in 1997 and knew I had found my teacher. I founded The Cape Sangha that year. With the help of Jack Lawlor, Joanne Friday, and my sangha, I was ordained in 2002 at Stonehill College. In June of 2012 I had the overwhelming joy of attending the 21-day retreat at Plum Village. I have never been so happy.