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Girlyfight Accomplishments Worksheet

noreply@blogger.com (TMC) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:08:00 +0000

Learn to nurture your creativity at Girlyfight.

In Which Me and My Discomfort Have Words

noreply@blogger.com (TMC) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 07:37:00 +0000

This month I'm participating in a detox challenge. Today was my first full day. This week we're focusing on cutting out sugar and caffeine. I'll let you guess how it went.

*glares sarcastically in your general direction*

I am addicted to Excedrin Migraine. I've said this before. Caffeine alone doesn't take the edge off my craving... it's got to be the precious combo of ingredients found in those special, special pills. I am afraid of head pain... any twinge or twitch in my temples and I go running for pills. I suffered from severe migraines as a child and though I haven't had a proper migraine in years (thank goodness I ran out of that karma), I still fear the pain. As a matter of fact, I don't deal well with discomfort of an sort, really. The previous times I've tried to kick my Excedrin habit I was quite shocked with the amount of discomfort I had. Mental and physical. Today I had 2 pills. Normally I might have 4 or 5. Tomorrow I'll have 1. After that I may start pulling out my hair and barking.

Sugar's a bit easier for me to avoid because I'm more of a salty snacker. Still, I skipped my usual Rice Krispies this morning because the second ingredient is pure sugar. I opted for oatmeal instead. Quick cook oatmeal made with water. I don't recommend it AT ALL. I'll be heading to the market in the morning sometime to find a better choice. I'm told steel cut oats taste much better. I heard about a way to soak the oats overnight in milk in the refrigerator. I think that's the only way you'll get me to try them. I'm not a warm cereal fan. Still, I know oats are a good choice for a hearty breakfast so I'll do my best to find a way that I'll eat them.

So now let's discuss why it was that around dinnertime today (I was still at work) broke my positive momentum and not only popped Excedrin but started eating chocolate and kettle corn. And Jack in the Box tacos. And 1/2 an orange.

Mental discomfort. I had a project I wanted to do but I was at work and I didn't have all the tools I needed, nor the time, to start the project. I was feeling indecisive about some weekend plans, and was displeased with the outcome of a letter I'd started. I was unhappy that the USPS website kept giving me an error when I was placing my stamp order. My own dissatisfaction with menial, unimportant things toppled my motivation and down I fell. I'm not making excuses. It took some contemplation to recognize the dissatisfaction as the trigger. It was as if I just threw my hands up and shouted "Well, so what?!" At the time I feel very distracted and outside of the situation, like I'm watching it. Logically I'm aware that I'm making poor choices but I seem to just stand aside and judge while I watch myself do that which I ought not be doing. This is very interesting to me. This is something to examine and skillfully address.

Card Making Idiot makes Cards

noreply@blogger.com (TMC) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 21:10:00 +0000

Well, I haven't made any cards yet, but I'm going to.

I signed up at work to be a "virtual volunteer" for the palliative care division of my company, to make birthday cards for patients in hospice care. I recall the bright expression on my grandmother's face when she saw the birthday cards she received last June. She couldn't recall who the people were who sent them but she appreciated the colours and designs and messages of the cards.

I'm not really a card maker, per se. It just sounded like a fun and caring thing to do, so I said ok. I need to learn how to make pretty and creative cards stat! Somebody point me to a good card making site or blog!

I considered going to my local craft store and wandering the aisles. I know there are all kinds of pretty papers and card stocks and stickers and things I could turn into cards. But I worried that I'd go over-board if I went in without a plan so I decided to make a list of card ideas and then flesh-out what materials I'll need based on the list.

What are some themes that would be appropriate? Balloons? Cake? Candles? Maybe happy things like birds and ladybugs? Colourful lettering?

I really could use some help with ideas, y'all.

Girlyfight Creativity Prompt: A Day without Obligations

noreply@blogger.com (TMC) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 02:58:00 +0000

This week's creativity prompt from Girlyfight:

Pretend you have the day off from all obligations. The only thing on your to do list is to spend the time on those creative pursuits you always want to enjoy but can’t for whatever reason. That reason doesn’t exist today, so what will you do?

Hmmm, firstly, if I had no obligations (and presumably no one around telling me what to do), I'd make a mess. My creativity of choice being letter writing, I'd take out every pen, pencil, eraser, sticker, note card, stationery, envelope, rubber stamp, glue stick and postage stamp I owned and lay them all out in an organized fashion all over the living room floor, just to do an assessment and really see what I've got. Or more importantly, to see what else I need! I'd shuffle and reshuffle everything, enjoying seeing things I forgot I had, and recognizing the go-to goods I use too often. I'd make random stationery "care packages" for some of my pen pals and set aside some of the good stuff for use with my closest friends.

For lunch I'd make garlic and parmesan angel hair pasta. I'd eat while I wrote so some of my letters might have little spots of olive oil on them. Gross? Or charming?

If I have no obligations today, could I also have unlimited dollars today? I'd hit up Etsy and the USPS online store as well as a craft store or two for card making supplies. Though it technically is an obligation, I recently volunteered through work to make cheerful birthday cards for hospice patients. On this, my day without obligations, I'd take some time out to carefully craft beautifully colourful cards and simple messages of wishes for a wonderful day.

At the end of my day I'd have a basket full of cards and notes and letters ready to be sent out. I will have touched base with everyone I think about so often, and they will be all caught up on what's going on with me lately. I often forget to whom I write what so I'll have carefully logged all my correspondence. I'll gather up my mess and re-store it in the drawers and baskets it all calls home.

The Story of a Blazer

noreply@blogger.com (TMC) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 20:06:00 +0000

For many a year, my friend Sarah and I enjoyed chatting at length about professional development and how to comfortably pull off business casual. Sarah wins at professionalism, hands down, being that she's been with the same company at which we met oh-so-many years ago and has gone from a lowly CSR to a certified trainer in a mere five or so years. Maybe longer. But anyway, she always did business casual much better and I did... I know the principles but am unwilling to fork over the dollars for the nicer clothes, and/or what I'm attracted to isn't necessarily the things I should be wearing. I also tend to be rather simple and repetitive. At one point, Sarah's mom was offering to make me skirts because they always saw me wearing the same one (I got rid of it a long time ago though I admit I still think of it now and then) so often. Anyway, with Sarah's influence from afar, my mother's suggestions, and my own wherewithal, I've crafted a professional wardrobe that's maybe 80% ok: modest skirts in black and grey, 3/4 and full sleeve blouses in muted colours, grey sweaters (I have FOUR!), stuff like that. I have a nice pair of black boots and a sparkly pair of black Toms. On casual Fridays and weekends we can wear denim and t-shirts. And then we have the kicker that is the black. knit. blazer.

I probably acquired my black knit blazer sometime last year while I was job hunting. I got a pair of black trousers (at my mother's insistence despite the fact that I don't wear pants) and this nicely cut, multi-buttoned knit blazer. Both of these items sat in the back of my car for probably 6 months or more. Even after I started working, it just didn't occur to me to wear the darn thing. And then I got a new job and moved into a part of the building that needs to be kept cool 24/7 because the servers are there. I needed something nicer than a stained navy blue sweatshirt to keep bundled up in my cube. And though I'm a swaddler in terms of scarves, I don't believe in wearing blankets at work. Enter the wonder that is the black knit blazer.

It's perfect. It keeps me warm. It makes me look professional and pulled together when really I'm a good-natured scatterbrained mess. I can add a touch of personality to the ensemble with a colourful or sparkly scarf, whimsical brooch or rhinestone barrette. It's shocking to me that I let my blazer hang in my closet for so long. Now I'd like to get a couple more blazers (in grey, of course!) to keep it company. I feel silly going on for so long about a jacket but it really was a case of duh.

Perhaps next time we can analyze why I like grey so much and why I felt like 2 grey sweaters was too few while 5 may be too many but for some reason 4 is just right. Does it matter that they're different shades of grey?

Six Word Saturday: Tailored

noreply@blogger.com (TMC) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 19:28:00 +0000

A fine blazer sharpens you up!

(post forthcoming)

Busy, busy

noreply@blogger.com (TMC) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 22:38:00 +0000

Currently, Possibly, Futurish, Eventually

noreply@blogger.com (TMC) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 04:08:00 +0000

I've been participating in a 30 Day Reinvention Project since 10 January. The project has posed many questions that've taken a lot of thought, and provided me with some new healthy information to integrate into my life. One of the lessons posed was about crafting your "ideal day" and "ideal life." I was a touch stumped by the exercise. I'm not entirely sure what my ideal day would look like but I think I have an idea of what I'd like my life to be. But does the exercise mean my ideal day in my current life? Or my ideal day ideally, without restrictions? Either way, I'm having a hard time differentiating between what I think I'd like to do and what I think I should do. Hmmm.

To be honest, I feel sort of limited in what I can "craft" because I have family to consider. If it was just me (no husband, no pets), my crafted life would be a lot different. But because I have responsibilities (let's call them blessings), a certain amount of realism is required.

Currently, we're full time squatters with family, all our possessions in storage. My husband is gone 99% of the time, out on the road with his truck. I work down the freeway in the OC. I am unhealthy, poor and have a bad hair-twirling habit. Everything needs fixing.*

If I could tweak my current situation, I'd like to live within blocks of Gaden Shartse Thubten Dhargye Ling, in a little breezy (affordable) cottage with lots of windows. I'd work from home and putter around with my pets. My husband would be home whenever possible, and we'd do little home improvement projects and visit my family on the east side on Saturdays. Every once in a while, we'd have family and friends over for supper and conversation. I would walk regularly (circuambulating the gompa) and home-cook all our meals. My health would improve, my 401K would grow, and everything would be on-track.

Monkey wrench: My husband's place of work is in San Gabriel Valley. That's about 30 minutes north of where we are now. He wants to live near his workplace. It's an hour from my work. Though I just started the job, I know I have a goal of working from home. Once I qualify, living in SGV won't be a problem. It's more affordable than staying in the South Bay and it's more likely we'll be able to find a place to rent that'll accept my dog.

What'll probably happen for the time being: We'll stay bunkered down here while I work to qualify to work from home. Then we'll find a small house to rent in SGV somewhere that'll accept us and my pets. I'll work from home, my husband will continue to work and be home maybe 1 week a month. I'll come down to the south bay about once a month to attend teachings at GSTDL (I'll also try to attend at LCB) and see the family.

What'll probably eventually happen: I predict we'll end up in a trailer in San Gabriel Valley. Me, him, the pets. Me working from home, him on the road. I'll do my best to make a trailer a home, knowing its value will never appreciate. It'll have a little patch of grass in the back for Lala's potty, and an astro-turf covered deck that I'll fill with houseplants and plastic patio furniture. There'll probably be a Yuban can ashtray filled with sand and incense sticks.

What I'd prefer: I'd like to have a nice, sturdy house with a secure yard in West Covina, near Land of Compassion Buddha. I'd work from home (somehow miraculously making a good living), and my husband could sell the trucks and retire. I'd like him to return to doing art. We'd have a guest room and I'd have an office where I'd do all my high-tech, eagle-eye auditing.

What I dream: We'd own the little cottage near GSTDL, and we'd be independently wealthy. I would work full-time on the behalf of the Tibetan Nuns Project and other Buddhist monastic support groups, rescue and foster rabbits & guinea pigs and generally do whatever I could to help other folks.

So... where's the middle ground?

*Don't misunderstand these statements for ingratitude. I'm VERY grateful for everything I have.

Year of the Dragon!

noreply@blogger.com (TMC) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 20:18:00 +0000

How nice of the USPS to recognize that the Lunar New Year doesn't belong solely to the Chinese! The new Lunar New Year stamp is quite the looker! It's the year of the Dragon. May it be prosperous and filled with growth for each and every one of you! There'll be more info on Losar, or Tibetan New Year, coming up in the next couple of weeks both here and over at The Buddhist Home. Losar falls on February 22nd this year.

Dear letter writer friends, do you like pens and pencils and other office supply stuff?
The Well-Appointed Desk is offering a give-away for a $25 Jet Pens gift certificate!

And hey, Melissa over at Craftgasm has coined a word for us lovers of mail:

Phil*e*pist*list (fil-ih-pis-list)
noun
One who enjoys writing and receiving letters & postal mail.

January Update

noreply@blogger.com (TMC) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 19:06:00 +0000

Hello, friends.

I survived my first week at work and successfully graduated with a certificate in Quality Auditing. It's just the beginning! Today's my first real day of work following training. It's a Sunday so I imagine things will be pretty laid back. I'm bringing a few personal items for my desk... not much, just a few things that make me smile and will make being there more comfortable. Like a big orange plush flower for my pencil cup. And a rabbit-shaped calendar. And a popcorn-scented air freshener. And a mini Tara thangkha. You know, just the essentials.

I work from noon to nine with Thursdays and Saturdays off. I prefer the later shift since the earliest available one didn't start early enough for me. The shifts have to do with when reports come in that need to be worked.

I learned that working from home is definitely an option with this position. Huzzah! So besides focusing on just generally kicking ass and getting good numbers, I'll be learning about what it'll take to qualify to work from home. After that, we can look into finally moving. We are interested in moving north of our current location. The area's a bit more affordable and we could possibly rent a small house for what we could get an apartment for nearer to the beach. We're not beach people, anyway.

I also learned this week that through my employer I could request a free membership with the National Bone Marrow Donors registry, and get a free kit to send in a donation sample. So I did that. But there's a catch. I'm too heavy. I'm over the maximum weight for my height to qualify as a donor. This really disappointed me. So I now have a firm goal to qualify as a donor. I would be horrified to learn that I was someone's match but couldn't donate because I'm too heavy/not healthy enough. Can you imagine the heartbreak? So there's that. I'm jumping back into My Fitness Pal this week. Come join me!

Monday's outgoing

noreply@blogger.com (TMC) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 03:57:00 +0000

Six Word Saturday: All the Facts are In

noreply@blogger.com (TMC) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 09:00:00 +0000

Facts in hand: Time to plan

Six Word Saturday: Time to Set my Alarm

noreply@blogger.com (TMC) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 09:00:00 +0000

My new job starts next Tuesday!

Can I Schedule my Way Out of a Rut?

noreply@blogger.com (TMC) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 02:21:00 +0000

I'm in a little bit of a rut. And while I'm not enjoying said rut, I'm thankful for some quiet time before the storm that begins next week.

I'm in my last week of being unemployed and I've reached a boredom threshold I didn't expect. An impasse, if you will. That is, I've done all the planning I can do with the facts that are available. There are more things in the air than I can possibly juggle and yet for some reason my mind just won't set them down. They are future things, things on which other things hinge, but being future things, there's little I could do with the information but write it down somewhere until its time comes. I seem to think that having them written down would assuage my anxiety about them but I know from experience that it isn't so. I have lots of things written down in my planner but they're future things that have no immediate relevance to whatever it is I'm doing now. Which is not much. Until Friday. Friday I'm going to go rescue some guinea pigs from a high-kill shelter and deliver them to a foster home up north. Priorities, people.

But for right now I'm just enjoying the quiet, watching the birds, watching a little tv, staying hydrated, looking forward to the mail arriving each day. I'm a little old lady and a big-rig widow.

Taking a cue from my friend Cate at Show My Face, I decided to institute a posting schedule. Thing is, the specifics are up in the air (see the trend?!) until I learn my schedule at work. Could be that I have Wednesdays and Sundays off. Or Tuesdays and Sundays (at any rate, I'll be doing my darnedest to make sure I get Sundays off). I'll be posting here on my days off and Saturdays, and probably over at my other blog two days a week at random.

We'll see.
We'll see.

Things to do Differently this Time Around

noreply@blogger.com (TMC) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 02:14:00 +0000

Hmmm, looks like I missed a few days here and have defaulted on NaBloPoMo for this month. I took the badge down but couldn't care less about still being on the blogroll... I don't think I get any traffic from Blogher anyway. Makes sense, since I don't participate with them.

Anyway, this week is National Letter Writing Week! I'm not sure where I learned about it but I'm all for an occasion that calls for letter writing. That said, I've got about 8 letters sitting here waiting for my reply. I feel like all I'm talking about is my new job (which I haven't started yet) and my hopes for moving (which isn't likely to happen anytime soon since we haven't all the facts available to make a decision). Haven't I told you all this before? Yes, yes I have. So I apologize if you get a me-centric letter detailing anything about work or moving. Come the week of the 17th I'll have a lot more information and hopefully be able to stop being so repetitive. Or at least not be as repetitive so often.

I need to be more cautious this time around with this job. I tend to get really involved in my workplace to the point of having no energy at all to get things done at home on a daily basis. This causes the dreaded weekend-pile-up wherein you have to work harder on your day off to catch up on chores and errands than you do on a normal workday. It's unlikely I'll have 2 days off in a row anyway, so I need to learn how to use my time more wisely.

This time around I'll pack and take my lunch every day.
This time around I'll do a better job of introducing myself to my co-workers sooner rather than later.
This time around I'll keep my desk area bare-bones practical with a very limited amount of personal items. I do not need to be the person who has everything for everyone else (aspirin, tape, glue, hole punch, 1000 pens, etc).
This time around I'll make my development goals clear to my supervisor from the beginning, including my intention to work-from-home, if that's available for my position. I'm really hoping it is an option, and that I can qualify quickly (minimum time to qualify is probably 6 months).
This time around I'll aim to exceed the expected numbers, percentages, whathaveyous right from the beginning and not rely on any so-called "grace period." A grace-period is simply time to make doing sub-par work a habit.
This time around I'll be more professional. I have some blouses that are alright but they would look 100% better if I had them professionally tailored. Also, I remember seeing other employees wearing Toms around the building and I just didn't think they looked the professional part. Maybe they're ok for casual Fridays and weekends, but not Monday through Thursday. Even the sparkly ones. Lesson learned. What do we think about satin ballet slippers?

(Joyfully) Planning without all the Pieces

noreply@blogger.com (TMC) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 09:00:00 +0000

I have a habit of trying to build plans on the foundations of perhaps and maybe. I get a small piece of good information and my mind just runs wild trying to construct plans and a future based on that pebble. Getting a new job is the slimy bit of clay I've got so far. Finding a new place to live is the proverbial adobe casa I'm trying to create. There's a lot of stomping and brick-making that needs to be done before I book the moving van.

My point is that I'm trying to create a clear picture of this year. I'm hung up on whether or not this new position for which I was hired has a work-at-home option. If it has, that'll be my goal. If I could work from home, it'd make finding a place to live a lot easier. But where we'd end up living is pretty far from our Dharma center and that troubles me. I wonder if I'll be able to swing paying for an online class or two. I wonder if the days I need off in April and September will be available. I wonder if I'll find a way to balance everything that needs balancing. I wonder if I'll be able to do it all with grace and joy in my heart. The following scene from the spectacular film Gandhi pops into my head quite often when I'm caught up among doing what I want to do and doing what I need to do. In this clip, The Mahatma tells his wife that she should do her work (which she doesn't want to do) "with joy, or not do it at all." I hear this phrase in my own head quite frequently. Do it with joy, or don't do it at all. Obviously not doing the work isn't an option, as Mrs. Gandhi finally comes to realize.

So there are things for which I can't plan right now because I haven't all the facts. I need to learn to stop obsessing and just do what I can do now with what I do know, and wait patiently for the other facts to come in. And of course, what I can do, I should do with joy. And there are some things that need doing that I don't want to do at all. Not doing them isn't an option.

Six Word Saturday: No Quick Moves

noreply@blogger.com (TMC) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 16:50:00 +0000

Remember to keep things in perspective.

Girlyfight Creativity: Creative Resolutions

noreply@blogger.com (TMC) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 23:20:00 +0000

Here's the prompt for this week's exercise:

For this week’s prompt, we’d like you to think about the ways you intend to free your imagination and create beautiful things in 2012. Write yourself a note about the commitments you will make this year to honor your creativity. Click HERE to jump to the Creative Resolutions post and to share your own post with the Girlyfight community.

I had to take some time to think about my creative resolutions. I don't generally consider myself very creative (I often joke that my only artistic ability is legible handwriting) so I had to think long and hard about what creative activities I'd like to develop that I could 1. maintain interest and 2. practice with some success. Here are my choices.

1. Some time ago I used to write semi-regular posts called Learning To Cook Tibetan. It was just a little endeavour by which I could share Tibetan dishes from my husband's recipe collection (it's in his head! I'm just trying to write it all down) and from Tibetan cookbooks. I'd like to get back to sharing these posts, and get back in the kitchen. Since it also contains cultural tid-bits, I think we'll try to cook through Tibetan Cooking by Elizabeth Esther Kelly. I am familiar with a lot of aspects of Tibetan cooking, but I'm not skilled... I can't form a momo (dumpling) to save my life! Every time my husband tries to teach me, I get to try one or two and then his laughing drives me away with red cheeks. After eight years of marriage, it's time to move beyond noodle dishes and boiled meat.

2. I'm going to write more letters, and to more people. I'm a proud member of the Letter Writers Alliance and should be doing more for the art form (click the button to the right to link to the site).I'd like to learn more about envelope making and making mail art too. I read somewhere that next Sunday begins National Letter Writing week. Though I'm pretty good about replying to my correspondence, I'd like to do it more thoughtfully and personally. And artistically!

3. I'm working on my Tibetan language skills. Language is creative, right? I used to know the main dialect (Lhasa) fairly well to read, write and understand it. My husband's dialect is something totally different and I've never done a good job of catching on. I have a text book, and my husband's helping with pronunciation.

My real concern is finding time to do everything I want to do. I'm starting a new job in a few weeks, and I'm not sure what my shift will be but I know I'll be there at least 40 hours a week. I'm not particularly skilled in juggling doing many different things in one day. I'll need to work on this and make sure I'm honouring my commitments to myself and others.

Simple Woman's Daybook for January

noreply@blogger.com (TMC) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 03:44:00 +0000

Outside my window... the dark night sky and coastal fog.

I am thinking... of all the ways I want to do things differently and wondering why I'm so hesitant to act.

I am thankful... that positive actions and thinking result in positive outcomes.

In the kitchen... not me, and not often enough! I used to do a series on Learning to Cook Tibetan where I'd feature different Tibetan dishes based on my Husband's recipes and other Tibetan cookbooks I've collected. I'd like to start that series again, even if it's only once a month. I'll share a recipe and maybe some cultural info if there's a particular holiday or special occasion to discuss.

I am wearing... a hot pink barrette, red Mayan calendar t-shirt, blue denim calf-length skirt (shorter than that and I consider it a mini... and I don't do minis), no shoes, silver hoop earrings, red blessed cord, white gold wedding band, turquoise and malachite silver ring, blue-framed glasses, appropriate unmentionables, blue fleece lap-blanket.

I am creating... my 2012 Creative Resolutions based on this Girlyfight creative prompt. In what ways do I want to express my creativity in 2012? What do I want to create, and why?

I am going... back to work on January 17th! New year, new job, new opportunities.

I am wondering... about the life and times of the Tibetan nun that I've recently sponsored. I received the letter with her name, story and picture in the post today.

I am reading... my own junk notebook. It's the notebook where I keep all my random notes, ideas, thoughts, to do lists, those kinds of things. It's sort of like a cross between a journal, diary, scrapbook, planner and catch-all. I almost exclusively use Book Journals. They're just the right size, the paper's unlined and heavy, they're affordable and they're made out of old books. Each one includes pages from the original book. I've gotten some real strange ones based on the covers I chose!

I am hoping... my family will forgive me for fibbing about "losing" my last job. Truth is, I left. They all know that now and I'm afraid my deception has resulted in hurt feelings. Much apologizing and purification will be required to mend this mistake.

I am looking forward to... January 10th when the 30 Day Reinvention project begins. It'll be 30 days of guided ideas and exercises on reinventing my routine, my creativity, my health. The program is free and I think registration is still available if you're interested.

I am learning... how my actions impact and influence others. In short, interdependence.

Around the house... Seinfeld's on the tv, my planner and other papers sit on the table awaiting my attention, laundry needs to be done. I have correspondence to answer!

I am pondering... whether to buy birthday cards for folks this month or just use the cards and stationery I have and personalize it for each person.

A favorite quote for today... "Cherishing others is the right thing to do. Since we depend on sentient beings for our daily food and drink, they are like a field that grows magnificent crops, or like wish-granting gems. Not only have all sentient beings shown us great kindness when they were our mothers, but also even when they were not our mothers, we stayed alive only through their kindness." - Pabongka Rinpoche

One of my favorite things... an adorable little Avalokiteshvara cell phone charm that I picked up yesterday when we visited Hsi Lai Temple in Hacienda Heights. Also the joy and enthusiasm of my friend's son when I handed him my skull and crossbones change purse at the temple so he could pitch coins at a bell in a fountain for luck.

A few plans for the rest of the week... digging out my old work paperwork (since the new job I just got is with the same company I worked out a few months ago) and re-examining my career plan for this year, doing laundry, answering my correspondence, prepping for the 30 Day Reinvention project with the pre-work worksheet I received.

A peek into my day... my old man.

Game Changer: A Turn in the Right Direction

noreply@blogger.com (TMC) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 22:03:00 +0000

New year, new job!

Just got word this morning that I was extended a job offer (which I of course accepted) for a position I'd applied to and interviewed far in November and December respectively. A little bit of background on the situation might be helpful.

I got a job at Company X in September. I went through the training and did the job for several weeks but I knew it wasn't a position I wanted to do every day, and I knew that by staying in that position I was negatively impacting my mental health and that I had no opportunity to move to another position while still doing that job. The mandatory time-in-grade was a year. So I left. I just picked up one day and said goodbye. Then I went home and started applying for other positions with that same company. The company is fine and good, I liked it there, but that first position was not a good fit for me. I took a calculated risk. I wasn't sure that I'd be eligible since some companies have a no-return policy if you don't give notice before leaving a position. Thankfully, this company doesn't have such a policy.

There was a particular job in which I was interested. I'd learned of it while on the job, saw people scrambling to do this project that was so important it had senior staff there working on the weekends. I knew they were going to be hiring specifically for a new unit that would be dedicated to this new particular federal process and I knew it was under the category of auditing and quality assurance, which was where I wanted to be. As I say, I took a calculated risk. There was no guarantee that I'd be called for an interview but I took a leap of faith.

I interviewed for the position at the end of December and was called and offered the job this morning. No more risk-taking for me anytime soon! I feel lucky that this gamble paid off but I know better than to push my luck. Friends and family were upset with me that I'd quit, I have a track record of doing that, so it was hard to ask them to trust me and have a little faith in my plan. But now I hope everyone's over the hurt or disappointment they experienced on my account.

I start my new job on the 17th. You can bet after this few months of "downtime," I'm ready to be actively engaged in doing something beneficial. I have plenty of time to continue to plan, and to set my motivation so I get off to a good start.

Celestial Garden

noreply@blogger.com (TMC) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 21:21:00 +0000

We visited the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas at Hsi
Lai temple.

Wholesome habit #1: A Day of Rest

noreply@blogger.com (TMC) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Since deciding on Wholesome as my 2012 word of the year, I was wondering about how I might return to that word regularly, to keep it in mind and keep the motivation behind it going. I thought of a series of 12 habits, one to focus on each month (or rather build upon the previous month). January's habit is having a day of rest. At the moment my day of rest will be Sundays. I attend Dharma Teachings in the mornings and the rest of the day will be devoted to doing not much other than pondering the teachings of the day, catching up on correspondence, reading, resting, and generally avoiding electronics. I'll write and schedule any blog posts (I signed up for January's NaBloPoMo... call me crazy), avoid my computer and television entirely and keep cell phone use to a minimum.* The idea is to unplug and limit the amount of stuff, of information, of fluff, that finds its way into my mind even for just one day. I chose Sunday because it's a day that I need to get up and get going to make it to teachings. If I chose Saturday or some other day off, I'd be quick to sleep too late and lose my motivation to stay tv- and computer-free. I'd skip breakfast and overdo it for lunch, then feel crappy the rest of the day, popping pills to try to feel better again. I know this because I know myself to be a lazy cretin. So Sunday is a wiser choice. Sunday posts during January will be devoted to chronicling my attempt at keeping this quasi-Sabbath and about what I learn from "unplugging."

So why didn't I start today, you ask? Because I didn't think of this "wholesome habit" idea until almost 8:00 p.m.! We'll give it a go next week, ok?

*My husband is often on the road so I'm "on call" 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for his calls.

Happy New Year 2012!

noreply@blogger.com (TMC) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 05:13:00 +0000

Wishing everyone a

prosperous and blessed new year!

-the Return to Rural family:

tm & s c, lala, pig a & pig b

#999: Local Museums, and a Day of Rest

noreply@blogger.com (TMC) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 04:29:00 +0000

I'm tapped out. Yesterday I spent most of the day with my mother and sister walking around the Audubon Center at Debs Park, Heritage Square, and the L.A. National History Museum. Today we toured the Skirball Center.

We found the Audubon Center by accident since we were early and Heritage Square wasn't open yet. Debs Park is a large nature area with many walking trails and gardens. You can rent binoculars from the Audubon Center and head out in any direction in search of wildlife, most notably birds. I sat for quite some time just watching a hawk make circles in the air above me. A tiny flick of its tail would send it sailing in a new direction. There were some crows also circling, keeping an eye on the hawk. I wondered if they all were looking for food or just enjoying the winds.

Heritage Square is a collection of period houses and buildings that they've lovingly restored. The "square" is at the end of a narrow road... you're greeted with grand brick and iron gates. They offer a tour of the homes periodically through the day. On the tour you'll learn about where the houses originally sat and who lived there. In the houses you can enter you see period furnishings and get an idea of turn of the century decor and social practices. Some of the houses look great on the outside but the inside is still in need of renovation. Even that is sort of interesting, if you like seeing the "bones" of the house. The tour guide told us that they hold special events during holidays, like staging a mourning family in period clothing and a burial procession during Halloween.

After Heritage Square we headed back down the freeway to the Natural History Museum. We've been visiting the museums at exposition park since we were children and we're familiar with their exhibits. We stopped and had lunch of peanut butter and boysenberry or blueberry jam sandwiches. It was very pleasant outside. This summer the museum opened a new dinosaur exhibit with adult, juvenile, and baby T-Rex fossils among others. They also have an impressive fin whale skeleton suspended from the ceiling in a gallery all by itself. The room is kept dark and blue and there are ocean-like sounds piped in. It's very effective.

This morning we headed back north to visit the Skirball Center. It's a Jewish cultural center and museum. They had a few special exhibits but my favourite was their regular exhibit showing Jewish life across the ages and across the world. They have many artifacts from Jewish life in the synagogue and in the home. There are many ritual items like menorahs and kiddush cups and seder plates. There are bridal gowns from exotic areas like Tunisia and even contemporary embroidered linens. There is a small, dark section of exhibit representing the Holocaust... there are 6 photos and a sign on the wall that says "Six of Six Million." Just think about that. It's staggering. You then turn into a dark alcove with an eternal flame burning. It's quite poignant without being gut-wrenchingly overwhelming. (For gut-wrenchingly touching in the LA area, try the Museum of Tolerance. Bring your hankies and don't be afraid for strangers to see you cry.)

We're taking a break tomorrow from all the touristy running around. It's New Year's Day so nothing will be open anyway. I perfect day to stay in, sip cocoa and take it easy.

Six Word Saturday: A week of adventures

noreply@blogger.com (TMC) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 09:00:00 +0000

Sister visiting, lots of sight seeing.

and sight seeing means museums, and museums mean GIFT SHOPS!