10/365

This was the view when I left work tonight.

To me the cloud looked like a dog on a surfboard.  What do you see?

9/365

Those tulips I bought last night that I thought were purple.....

are actually a gorgeous red!

8/365

I have to admit that when I awoke this morning, I was disappointed it was a work day.  I could have used several hours more sleep.  After I was in the shower, I remembered that it is Tuesday, and that meant the local Farmer's Market would be back this afternoon/evening.  Heaven!  Since savor is my word this year, the Farmer's Market is a boon....great food, interesting people and great conversations with my favorite vendors.

Three pics for today.....

Every week I buy flowers from the lovely Lisa (left).  I got a bonus tonight when I found my friend Phil (right) at the flower stall when I arrived.  Lisa is from Skyline Flowers and they have a beautiful selection every week, at reasonable prices.  My purchase tonight...lovely purple tulips.

This is the brick oven where Olivewood Wood Fired Catering makes wonderful pizzas.  Ian, Katy and Adam thrill me nearly every Tuesday night.  Tonight I savored two pieces of Pesto Pizza with ricotta, pesto, roasted red peppers, kalamata olives, and strips of basil.  Yummmmy!

Believe me, this picture taken with my phone does not do this gorgeous creation justice.  I am so looking forward to a slice of this for lunch tomorrow!

I'm going to have to break out the real camera more for 365.  The good thing about phones with cameras is that they're usually available, but some subjects demand a better instrument.

It's only January 8, but doing the 365 project is really helping me savor my days.

7/365

I owe....I owe.....so off to work I go!

365 Jan 1 - Jan 6

Happy New Year!

New ferns decorating my living room.

My adorable friend Hannah, holding a jar of homemade pickles I gave her to celebrate the new year.

On Friday, I hit Mosher's for lunch.  A Long Beach institution that serves a fabulous hot pastrami sandwich!

Outside on a beautiful January day, waiting to see Zero Dark Thirty.

After a day of cleaning and organizing, enjoying the yet-to-open orchid blossoms on the table next to my sofa.

"Bear in mind that you should conduct yourself in life as at a feast."  ~Epictetus

Happy New Year!  As 2012 wound to a close, I thought about what I want my life to be like in 2013.  I chose to do two things.

First, a word for the year.  It came to me in a flash:  Savor.  I want to give myself to the enjoyment of my life every day.  I've already cooked more in the past week than in previous six months, so that's one aspect.  

The second thing is to do a 365 project, and it's January 4th, and I've taken a picture each day so far!  I will start posting the pics this weekend, and then decide if this is the place, and how often to post them.

These two simple things, choosing a word and documenting a moment of my daily life, have made 2013 very enjoyable thus far, and I'm savoring the joy of simple daily activities that make me happy.

Now that I've previewed this post, I can see that I can savor the mystery of the white shading in the first two paragraphs!

We can write Manifestos. Can we live them?

I am feeling frustrated by some things.  A few minutes ago, I thought, "I should write a manifesto!"  Maybe it would have made me feel better.  Maybe it would have helped someone else.  The reality is, though, we have to LIVE the manifesto.  Writing it, reading it, thinking about it aren't enough.


What has me upset?  How difficult it seems to be for many human beings to just do the right thing, focus on the work, be kind, act from love.  I believe in those things, rather fiercely in fact.  I still have trouble not getting caught up in the politics of things, the cycle of negative thinking that is so easy to fall into.  Who is right?  Who is wrong?  


I have trouble with forgiving myself for the times I haven't done the right thing.  That is, no doubt, the reason I sometimes have trouble forgiving others whom I perceive haven't done the right thing.  I know, however, that how we define the right thing is dependent on a lot of factors.  Some would say that I'm espousing situational ethics; I'm not.  I simply know that I cannot see or know what's happening in situations where I am not fully immersed but am watching from the edges.


Be kind.  Act from love.  Do the right thing.  Simple words.  Simple actions.  Simply what I will focus on as I choose how I want to be in the world.  I hope some people will join me.