Friday, July 31, 2009
Nipples of Fire
Today was the first day I've surfed in about a month, and the first time in 3 or 4 years that I paddled out in trunks only. The waves weren't much, but the temps felt like the proverbial bathwater. I'd forgotten how liberating it is to be out in trunks in warm water, feeling free and unencumbered by a neoprene straitjacket. I'd also forgotten the exquisite joy of nipple rash, and the zing you get afterward in the shower when soap and hot water rush to the synapses the same way that lemon juice loves a paper cut. All day, rushing from task to task, the reminder of the morning's waves was right there, and with every tender rub against the inside of my shirt, I was reminded that it's a special treat to be a surfer.
Monday, July 13, 2009
DC Redux
I forgot to post after finishing Deepak Chopra's "The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success."
In an earlier post, titled "The Tao of Dean Martin," I questioned whether Chopra was providing original insights or simply regurgitating fortune cookie wisdom. Perhaps I shouldn't be too judgmental since I generally prefer fortune cookies to most forms of spirituality, but I was not impressed. While there were some worthwhile sentiments, I came away from that book feeling like it was a watered-down, easily-accessible version of genuine spirituality and self-reflection.
So I'll leave a question for DC and/or the universe to try to answer, as it's one I've been struggling with of late:
What should you do when the high road keeps taking you someplace you don't want to go, but the low road is just too low?
The late, great Douglas Adams, who knew a thing our two about Life, the Universe, and Everything, and who I suspect might have been able to offer Mr. Chopra some fresh insights on spirituality, probably would have offered me the absurdly cryptic answer "42." That answer, it turns out, is about as practically applicable to me as I found Chopra's book to be. So from now on, when faced with a difficult choice, I'll imagine Douglas Adams and Dean Martin are in the room with me, looking over my shoulder, and I'll do my best to make them proud. For now though, I'm not too worried about impressing Deepak Chopra.
In an earlier post, titled "The Tao of Dean Martin," I questioned whether Chopra was providing original insights or simply regurgitating fortune cookie wisdom. Perhaps I shouldn't be too judgmental since I generally prefer fortune cookies to most forms of spirituality, but I was not impressed. While there were some worthwhile sentiments, I came away from that book feeling like it was a watered-down, easily-accessible version of genuine spirituality and self-reflection.
So I'll leave a question for DC and/or the universe to try to answer, as it's one I've been struggling with of late:
What should you do when the high road keeps taking you someplace you don't want to go, but the low road is just too low?
The late, great Douglas Adams, who knew a thing our two about Life, the Universe, and Everything, and who I suspect might have been able to offer Mr. Chopra some fresh insights on spirituality, probably would have offered me the absurdly cryptic answer "42." That answer, it turns out, is about as practically applicable to me as I found Chopra's book to be. So from now on, when faced with a difficult choice, I'll imagine Douglas Adams and Dean Martin are in the room with me, looking over my shoulder, and I'll do my best to make them proud. For now though, I'm not too worried about impressing Deepak Chopra.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
4 x 1
"Independence" Day has a whole new meaning this year, and it's not exactly what I'd hoped for.
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