Jim's blog

My newest blog

2006-07-09T11:38:00.000-04:00

Dear friends, I have decided to move on to another blog, called Jim's Mindfulness Blog. It will be very similar, but with a greater emphasis on my Buddhist spiritual practice. At least that is my intention. Please feel free to stop by:
http://jimsmindfulnessblog.blogspot.com/

A different blog

2006-06-06T07:38:00.000-04:00

For the next month, I will be doing most of my posting on Jim's InterCom Blog, which I am creating for a special summer course I am teaching. I am requiring all the studetns in my Internet Communication class to keep a blog, so I will do the same. You can view it at http://jimsintercomblog.blogspot.com/

Memorial Day

2006-05-29T08:15:00.000-04:00

8 a.m. Monday: Last night on "60 Minutes," Andy Rooney presented a commentary that was uncharacteristically serious. He suggested that on Memorial Day we should not remember those who have died in wars but we should remember the children who will die in future wars unless we change our way of thinking and remove war from our vocabulary. It was very powerful. He is a World War II veteran himself, making it all the more meaningful.

Next week I will start teaching a course in "Internet Communication." I want to emphasize the latest technology. I think I will ask every students to keep a blog and post the things they learn. I should do the same. I might switch to a special blog just for that purpose.
145/175
Running 3 miles

Busy, busy week!

2006-05-24T21:52:00.000-04:00

10 p.m. Wednesday: I want to blog more regularly, but I have been extremely busy -- even by my standards. ON the 15th, I gave my last final;. On the 16th I organized a dinner for eight at a restaurant; it was out "newbie" group of professors who began at the college around the same time. On the 17th I went to another dinner party honoring graduates of the Suffolk University program for which I teach. On the 18th, I finished calculating grades and handed them in on the 19th, On the 20th, I went to a party at the college president's house. On the 21st I went hiking in the National Seashore with my old friend Karen. We used to work together in Pennsylvania 26 years ago and hadn't seen each other since. That was fun! On the 22nd, I prepared for a professional day presentation and went to a retirement party. On the 23rd -- here is the biggie -- I started at 8 a.m. finalizing he presentation, and then from 9 to 3 our NCBI team put on a program on civility to three successive groups of faculty members. Then from 4 to 5:30 I had a business meeting of the Interfaith Coalition, followed by another retirement party form 6 to 7, and an Interfaith program and reception from 7 to 9. Then I review entries for a college magazine from 10 to midnight. Whew! And Today -- the 24th -- I had a faculty meeting at 9, an employee recognition brunch at 10 and Evening of Excellence presentation of scholarships and awards from 6:30 to 9. It has just been crazy! The funny thing is, I love it!

155/175

Running: 3 miles

A good week

2006-05-14T14:17:00.000-04:00

Sunday afternoon: I can't believe another week has gone by since I posted to my blog. I would rather do it every day. There are lots of things I want to do every day, including meditation, running, writing, and yoga, but I don't always get to them. We are in the middle of a three-day rainstorm in the Northeast.
Last night we watched The 40-Year-Old Virgin. It was amusing and fun.
Happy Mothers Day to all the moms in the world!

Good Saturday

2006-05-06T21:31:00.000-04:00

9:30 p.m.: I ran twice today. I got up early, and Vivi and I had our regular 7 a.m. run. We did a longer run this time, though, the whole "Playhouse Loop" for about four miles. Then, after a shower, I went into the office and graded my on-line assignments. There were something like 27 of them, so it took me about five hours, but I got them all done. When I was finished Alison asked if I wanted to go for a run with her, which I did. So we did a five-miles down to the boardwalk at Gray's Beach. That was a beautiful run.
In the evening we went out to dinner at Capt. Frosty's, a great seafood place nearby. Then I went to Hyannis and picked up a CD. I heard a song, "Dream Cafe" by Greg Brown, on the radio a couple of days ago, and I couldn't get it out of my mind. I haven't bought a CD in years, but I really wanted this one. It turns out it was recorded in 1992. I drove home and played it and loved it. It is categorized as folk music, but it is heavily influenced by the blues. He is a great songwriter with evocative imagery.

(150/174)

running: 9 miles!

Friday

2006-05-05T22:21:00.000-04:00

10 p.m.: Friday was a good day. I had a very short mass communication class, and then drove to Bedford for a meeting of SNACCIM -- Student Newspaper Advisers at Community Colleges in Massachusetts! I made up the acronym myself several years ago when we started the organization. It reminds me of the frog character on some kids cereal. It was a fun meeting over lunch of six of us. It was a very long drive home. In the evening I went to the college for a modern dance performance. I enjoyed it very much. It was a lot of fun.
(145/175)
Running: 3 miles

I am alive

2006-05-04T09:10:00.000-04:00

Thursday morning, 9 a.m.: It has been a long time since I posted. I have been fine, just very, very busy. I do want to make blogging a priority because I am trying to study blogging and want to participate in it, but life is too complicated.
Today I had a good run and I went to Weight Watchers. Because I have not been counting my posts for two weeks I gained weight. I plan to start counting again today.
There is only a week of classes left in the semester. Whew!
(145/175)
Running: 3 miles

More mindfulness

2006-04-23T11:34:00.000-04:00

I am still processing the lessons I learned at yesterday's Day of Mindfulness. I think the biggest single lesson I learned is that when I feel anger toward someone it may help to look with compassion at the person toward whom I am directing my anger. Last Wednesday I had a big argument with one of my closest friends at the college. It looked like the end of a 20-year friendship. But now I am able to see it as an opportunity to better understand his pain and suffering. He may be a sad and lonely old man covering up his loneliness with a lot of bluster. I am working on converting my anger into compassion. It makes me feel much better.
Thich Nhat Hanh wrote a beautiful book called The Miracle of Mindfulness. http://www.parallax.org/cgi-bin/shopper.cgi?preadd=action&key=BOOKMOM
It truly is a miracle.

Day of Mindfulness

2006-04-22T20:17:00.000-04:00

Our sangha today held a Day of Mindfulness, which is essentially a one-day retreat. People gathered from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. for meditation and related activities. We had walking and sitting meditation, a silent meal, a dharma talk by a wonderful teacher, Joanne Friday, and some singing too.
I had been very concerned and worried that it would not go well. I was worried that nobody would show up, or only a handful of people. I would have been embarrassed to invite Joanne to come all the way from Rhode Island for just a few people. But it turned out just fine. We had about 35 people, and they reported having a very good time. I am so relieved.
The quality and wisdom of the teachings is what make the whole thing work.

Tired Thursday

2006-04-20T21:34:00.000-04:00

9:30 p.m. Thursday: I didn't sleep well last night. I ended up skipping my whole morning routine and sleeping in until 8 a.m. It's funny, but several of my colleagues reported doing similar things. I think Wednesday was emotionally draining for a lot of folks at the college. We had some very contentious meetings. I plan to stay up and watch "Commander in Chief" this evening and go to bed at 11. I know I need my sleep, but I want to see that show.

Back On Track (sort of)

2006-04-19T07:54:00.000-04:00

8 a.m Wednesday: I ran three miles again this morning. It was a little hard for me this morning. I don't know why. But pushing myself has to be good for me. I am proud of myself for running every day. Unfortunately I am not meditating, writing, or doing yoga or weights. So much to do; so little time.

We passed a husband and wife out walking their dogs. She had fluffy white hair and a puffy white coat. She was walking two little poodles with fluffy white hair and puffy white coats. Her husband was very sad and sour looking with big jowls hanging down, he was walking -- you guessed it -- a basset hound. After we passed them Vivi and I looked at each other and burst out laughing. I can't believe how much those dogs looked like their owners. It was hilarious. I hope we see them again.

(148/170)
Running: 3 miles

Back to work

2006-04-18T07:51:00.000-04:00

8 a.m. Tuesday: It's back to work after a long Patriots Day weekend. I have been running almost every day. I did three miles with Vivian on Thursday, Friday, Monday and Tuesday. And I ran about five miles with Alison on Saturday. Of course I overate like a glutton on Sunday, so I need to run even more.
(180/172)
Running 3 miles

Missed Four More

2006-04-15T20:37:00.000-04:00

9 p.m. Saturday: Things have just gotten too darn busy. I know things will settle down a lot when the semester ends in early May. The good news is that I have been running a lot more. I ran with Vivi every morning this week, and then Alison and I did a Saturday morning run. I feel like that bad bout of bronchitis is finally behind me.

Spiritually, I met with the three aspirants who are planning our Day of Mindfulness Saturday, and I feel confident the day will work out fine.

And at work, the president has forwarded my name to the Board of Trustees for tenure. That will be a nice pat on the back.

I wish everyone peace in this time of rebirth and renewal.

Missed four days!

2006-04-10T07:41:00.000-04:00

8 a.m. Monday: For the first time in nearly a year, I missed several days of blogging. Life just got too busy. I have fallen behind in grading papers, and tried to spend every spare minute doing that. I finally got caught up with grading for my on-line class, but not the regular face-to-face classes.
I did go for two-mile runs last Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. That was good. And I have been meditating regularly But the overall stress level in my life is still much too high.
I will go back to counting my blessings. I am grateful for:

My health.
My family.
My job

Running Again!

2006-04-05T08:02:00.000-04:00

Yes! Vivi and I went for a two-mile run at 6:30 a.m. That felt wonderful. Even though my bronchitis is still not completely gone, I cannot wait another day to run. The rest of the day was filled with more peacekeeping at the college. It seemed like I spent the who day trying to resolve conflicts between warring parties. I also wrote the school newspaper budget proposal for next year. By the end of the day I felt stretched thin.
I am thankful for:

Running! Yes!
The trust people show in me.
My wife, who is patient with me when I get overtired, over-stressed and grumpy.

(135/169)
Running: 2 miles

Taxing Tuesday

2006-04-04T21:42:00.000-04:00

10 p.m. Today was a pretty good day. I did get up at 6, which is terrific. But it was pouring rain, so we didn't run. Instead I wrote yesterday's blog and I had a good long meditation. Things were calming down a little at work, and I got a lot of things accomplished. In the evening Barbara and I pulled together our tax information. I am a little embarrassed to admit that I do not do my own taxes. I gather the facts and send it all off to my friend Rick, who always does a good job for us. I am willing to pay him to make sure I am not doing anything foolish on my tax returns.

Three things I am grateful for today:

My financial security. We sure aren't rich, but I am not in dire straits by any means. I can sleep well not wondering where our next meal is coming from. On a global perspective I (like most Americans) am richer than about 99 percent of the world's population. I saw that on a Web site somewhere. It was amazing.
My bed. It is comfortable. Isn't that nice?
My spiritual perspective. I had lunch with my friend Steve, who is a minister, and we discussed the benefits of seeing things through a spiritual perspective. I am blessed to be able to do that sometimes.

(132/169)

A Day of Healing

2006-04-03T06:30:00.000-04:00

It is early Tuesday morning now, and I will try to catch up on Monday's blog.
I had a terrible case of insomnia Sunday night. Just before bedtime I drafted a proposed message to the entire faculty and staff urging restraint and calm. Perhaps the tension about that situation kept me up all night. It might have been other personal problems. My sleep patterns has been getting worse and worse, but Sunday night was the worse in years. I was still wise awake at 4:30 a.m.

After a brief nap I got up, took Jesse to school and met with her to plan her fall class schedule. Then I taught my mass communication class. I also met with another students in that class and answered some questions for her. I had sent my proposed message to other members of the NCBI team (We are the National Coalition Building Institute -- a conflict resolution group. ) It was well received, and I forwarded the message to the whole college community. For the most part the response was good. This is what it said:

To the college community:

The five of us, as students of the National Coalition Building Institute, hope to promote civil discourse, reconciliation, and an awareness of what we all have in common. The last 10 days have been difficult at Cape Cod Community College. A very divisive issue has separated members of the administration from members of the faculty. In small meetings, large eetings, personal conversations, and e-mail exchanges, there have been some harsh personal attacks. Several people feel deeply hurt. There is a natural human tendency to want to strike back in such situations. We believe any ontinuation down the road of animosity and attack will hurt our students and the college in general. None of us wants that.

We believe it would be helpful if we all refrained from taking any precipitous action for at least a week. Let's put a hold on this disagreement until cooler heads can prevail and it can be discussed in a manner that won't threaten to tear the college apart? We strongly urge everyone to refrain from making any personal attacks on any other member of the college community. We are not asking people to compromise their principles, we are just asking people to stop, think and then look for ways to advance those principles in a constructive,collegial manner.

It was generally well received, and I think it did some good. There were several more meeting that day, analthoughht eh conflict remains, it appears that both sides have backed down a little bit. I am pleased about that.

I missed the union meetinbecauseue I went to my doctor's for a follow-uappointmentnt about my diabetes. The new medicine is working well, and we are both very pleased about that. She also gave me some medicine to help with the insomnia, and we had a wonderful long talk about my life in general -- what a terrific doctor.

A friend who read my blog made a wonderful suggestion of something she thought I must be thankful for, and she is absolutely right!

I am thankful that Jill Carroll, The Christian Science Monitor reporter who was held captive for three months, was released unharmed Friday. She ian excellentnt, dedicated journalist working for the benefit of all of us. And that newspaper, The ChristiaSciencene Monitor, is -- I believe -- the best newspaper itheeh world. It is not a religious publication. It is an excellent, fair, objective, independent newspaper. www.csmonitor.com.
I am thank foor my physician, Dr Carol Topolewski, who itheeh best doctor I have ever met. She is a family physician who treats our whole family with compassion, care and skill.
I am thankful for my friends. I havsomeoe wonderful friends -- too many to name -- but I hold them in my heart and value them.

(177/179)

Mindful money management

2006-04-02T21:28:00.000-04:00

9 p.m.: Sunday is my day of mindfulness. Unfortunately I also had to take care of business today. Barbara and I have both been too ill or too busy to pay much attention to our finances for far too long, and we both realized we desperately needed to get a handle on it today. So we spent several hours in the middle of the day going through bills and checks and organizing everything. Fortunately, everything is OK, and we won't end up in the poor house. Unfortunately, it was not a very spiritual enterprise.
But I did get to go lead the sangha in the afternoon, and that was very spiritual, mindful and fulfilling. I also got to talk to good friends there about spiritual matters.
Then, in the evening, I watched West Wing, which I enjoy. I am sorry they are canceling it.
I talked to Vivi today, and we are going to resume our morning runs Tuesday. I think I am finally bealthy enough to run.
Three things I am grateful for:

My health. I am particularly grateful that I am usually able to go for a nice run. I love running, and I am blessed to be able to do that.
My neighborhood. I live in a beautiful, peaceful, quiet neighborhood that is a lovely place to go running.
Trees. I am grateful for trees. I love trees.
(150/169)

Radio Conference

2006-04-01T20:33:00.000-05:00

9 p.m.: Our college holds an annual radio conference, where students get to meet professionals form the radio industry. Although I have never worked in radio myself, the conference organizer, Lisa Zinsius, asked me to be on a panel about news writing, since much of what I teach does apply to broadcast news writing. It was a very interesting conference. It got off to a slow start, but our panel went well, and more and more people arrived as the day went on. The keynote speaker, Bob Seay, is a highly respected broadcast professional who was a news director and station manager on Cape Cod for many years. His talk was especially interesting.

I also managed to carve out some time in my office to get some work done for the Cape Cod Interfaith Coalition.

In the evening, I watched the NCAA basketball semifinal game between George Mason and Florida. I was sad that George Mason's Cinderella story came to an end. They almost made it, but Florida just outplayed them. But at least people have finally learned a little about George Mason University, where my friend Steve Klein teaches journalism.

I will see how long I can think of things for which I am thankful. Tonight, I am thankful for:

My profession and my career. I have been lucky, and I have worked hard, and I have enjoyed my work most of the time. I have had a good time as a journalism, and it was obvious at the conference today that I have made a lot of good connections, and I am respected in the field. I am very grateful for that, and I should remember to appreciate it.
Thich Nhat Hanh. I am grateful and thankful to be living at a time when I can benefit from the teachings of such an enlightened master. His teachings, and his interpretations of the teachings of the Buddha have changed my life.
Food. Yes, I am grateful and thankful for the abundance of delicious food that is so readily available to me. May I learn to eat in moderation and appreciate what I receive.

Once I wrote a little blessing I like to say before meals:

Aware that some people are starving, I will consume no more than I need.
Aware that not all food is healthful, I will be mindful of what I select.
Aware that this food is a blessing, I will be thankful for what I receive.

Tired Friday

2006-03-31T21:33:00.000-05:00

It's 9:30 p.m., and I am too tired to write much. It was a hard day. I tried to calm things down on campus, and it looks like we will be able to move forward with a more constructive attitude and less bitterness. I hope so. Tomorrow I am speaking at a radio workshop. I am on a panel about radio news writing. Tonight, I am grateful for:

My friends. I have many friends who help and support me. When I criticized something my friend Dan said today, he thanked me. Now that's a good friend.
My sangha. The group of friends I practice with spiritually. Even when I make mistakes, I know they will help and support me too.
My health. Although I have been under the weather lately, I am still basically healthy, and that is a true blessing.

What happened to Thursday?

2006-03-31T03:13:00.000-05:00

Whew! It is 3 a.m. Friday, and I couldn't sleep, so I am posting a blog for Thursday. I was too busy to blog all day. It started early and went on until very late. I had three classes, a couple meetings and tons of campus e-mail about the current uproar on campus over a reorganization. I am trying to concentrate on teaching and learning and stay out of the fray.
In my evening class on media history, we watched Good Night and Good Luck, which, of course, is about animportant episode i media history. I think it is a fine film, but I wish it had told a little more about Edward R. Murrow, who almost singlehandedly invented broadcast journaism. It jsut concentrated on one brief episode in his career, but I suppose it was a very telling episode. It certainly told the students a lot about television inteh 1950s.

Three things I am grateful for today:

My home: I have a lovely, safe and comfortable home that my wife and I designed ourselves. How lucky can a person get?
My laptop. This Dell Inspiron is working just fine. It sure is handy.
My students. I learn more from them than they learn from me. It is a wonderful relationship.

(144/169)

Division Wednesday

2006-03-29T21:16:00.000-05:00

9 p.m.: Today at work we had a "Division meeting." It was a meeting of the faculty members of the Division of Arts and Sciences called by the dean of arts and sciences. Unfortunately the operative word was "division." We fell into a classic "us-against-them" mode, and I was no better than the rest. Even though it is my spiritual calling to resolve conflicts and be a peacemaker, I just couldn't do it today. The administration announced a reorganization plan that the faculty does not like, and the result was hostility and bitterness. It was not a fun day.

The important thing for me to focus on is teaching and learning. No amount of administrative reorganization is going to affect the way I teach my classes and the way I interact with my students. I just need to focus on that and try not to let the other stuff bother me.

I remember recently reading a blog where the blogger consistently wrote a list of things for which she was grateful. (I think it was a female writer, although I am not sure.) If anyone reads this and also remembers the gratitude blogger, please let me know. I think it is a terrific idea. I'll try for three things.

I am grateful for my practice. By that I mean my Buddhist spiritual practice, which gives me peace, solidity, tranquility and happiness.
I am grateful for my job. Even though I had a terrible day at work in some respects today, I also know I helped some students. It is a joy to get paid for doing something you love.
I am grateful for my family. I am blessed to have a wonderful wife and to have two sons who are good men. I have a terrific mother in law and daughter in law, both of whom are not at all like the cliche jokes about in-laws. I am particularly thrilled to have a wonderful little grandson, who I love more than I ever could have imagined. My brother and his family are important to me. And My wife's siblings and their families are wonderful too. I love being a part of my wife's extended family, including some cousins who are closer to me than my own cousins. I am a lucky guy.

(155/172)

Tough Tuesday

2006-03-28T21:29:00.000-05:00

9:30 p.m.: It's been a long day. I dropped off shirts at the cleaners and got to work before 9. I taught a class at 10 and another at 2:30. I stayed at work until 7 p.m., entering grades and taking care of business like that. Now I am exhausted.

I had a nice e-mail exchange with my friend Steve Klein, who teaches journalism at George Mason University. I congratulated him on his school's amazing unexpected success in the NCAA basketball tournament. Nobody ever expected George Mason to make it to the Final Four. It's a real Cinderella story. I thanked him for the green "MASON" T-shirt he gave me last summer. He sent me this picture of the university president with the team mascot -- Gunston. I happen to know that Gunston Hall is the name of George Mason's home on the Potomac River. You could see it from my childhood summer home on the Maryland side of the river. But I have no idea what kind of creature Gunston is supposed to be! Anyway I hope George Mason University continues its winning streak, even at the expense of Florida, where my brother teaches. Those Florida Gators have plenty of trophies already. It's time to let an underdog win. Maybe that's what Gunston is -- an underdog!
(210/172)

Monday, Monday

2006-03-27T21:48:00.000-05:00

10 p.m.: I'm too tired to write much, but it was quite a day. I decided to call in sick today for several reasons. First of all, I am still feeling lingering effects from my bronchitis, and have a very low energy level. Secondly, I needed to get a whole lot of papers graded, and I know that doesn't happen in my campus office. Also my wife and her mother and even more seriously ill than me, so I thought it best to stay home and take care of them.

Early in the morning we were hit with a crisis, in that Mom was very weak and unwell. She seemed to be declining quickly. At 87 in a person with congestive heart failure, that is not a good thing. We called her doctor, who recommended getting in-home oxygen delivered to our home. We all agreed that taking her to the hospital might be too upsetting to her. It might do more harm than good. Fortunately the oxygen truck came by early afternoon, and she improved quickly after that. Actually, she had started to improve a little before it arrived. We don't know what the morning crisis was all about, but fortunately it passed.

Barbara, of course, rallied and ignored her own bronchitis to take care of her mother. I pitched in with chores like dishes and laundry, in addition to grading a ton of papers. Late in the evening, Barbara helped me with the papers. It was not a fun day for anyone, but we all made it through.

One bright spot was hearing from our son Brandon who reported that he has moved into employee housing at the Pisgah Inn, where he and his brother both work. He sounded happy, and that makes us happy. He has a steady job that he enjoys, and he even got a raise for this season. Who could ask for anything more?
(177/172)

Sunny Sunday

2006-03-26T10:40:00.000-05:00

11 a.m.: Yippee! Yahoo! Oh boy-oh-boy!
This morning Barbara picked up the mail that was delivered yesterday. It included a royalty check for sales of my textbook from July through December. I was astonished. They sold another 1,544 books, so I got a check for $4,251! It is like found money, since I never expected to make money off of the book. I am overjoyed. I wish I could go buy something extravagant, but I had better just pay off some bills. Anyway, it is an unexpected delight.

10 p.m.: The day continued to go well. I concentrated on the Cape Sangha, our meditation group. We are planning a Day of Mindfulness on April 22, and I spend much of the afternoon planning, organizing and writing a press release. Then at 3 we had out discussion group, followed by the regular sangha sitting at 4:30. Both went very well. Although I have a lot of things on my plate, it certainly helps when I concentrate on one subject at a time.

Tomorrow the subject of the day of grading papers.
(192/172)

Clean-up Day

2006-03-25T22:44:00.000-05:00

11 p.m.: I should be asleep by now.
I did a lot of cleaning today. We cleaned up the cat box area and collected all the trash form the house and I took a whole load to the dump -- which, of course, is a recycling and transfer station. Then I met some students in the student newspaper office and we cleaned out that office. We removed all the back issues, saved out five copies of each, and took the rest down to a big recycling dumpster. It was actually fun. We had food and music, and the students seemed to really enjoy it.

In the evening we watched the film Crash. I really like it. I saw it first last Thursday night when one of the students brought it in to out mass media class. Movies are part of the mass media, and we had been discussing the Oscars, so it was relevant to the class. I was very impressed with it then and even more impressed the second time. The characters seem simple at first, but they just keep getting more and more complex -- just like real people. Just when you think you understand someone in the film, there is another complication. The film has many layers, and I want to see it a third time to see even more. I agree that it was the best film of the year.
(177/172)

TGIF

2006-03-24T20:46:00.000-05:00

9 p.m.: At least I get to sleep in tomorrow!
Ideally, I like to get up at 6 a.m. every morning, but I have been so tired and run down from this lingering illness, that I just want more sleep. This morning I slept until 6:30, and then had breakfast and spent a little time on chores like laundry and dishes. Barbara and her mom are still very sick with the same bronchitis I had last week. It's tough.
At work, I had a good class and a couple of good meetings with students. I got a few items checked off my to do list, including finally getting the Blackboard Web site for my on-line class all updated through May. If my current students looked ahead to the last few weeks they would have seen references to last semester's dates. I finally got that all corrected. I also rewrote parts with fewer references to dates, so that it will be easier to update next semester. And I graded some more papers.
I also deleted a couple items from my list by simply deciding not to do them I had wanted to apply to go to the U.S. Peace Institute this summer. But I do not have the time to apply this week, and I don't really have the time to go to the institute over the summer if I were selected. I recognize that I am trying to do too many things, and I have to start eliminating some of them.
I need to prioritize and let some things go. But I can't let go of my family, my sangha, my work, and so I still have a very full life. It will seem easier when I am healthier.
(155/172)

Long, Hard Thursday

2006-03-23T17:52:00.000-05:00

6 p.m.: It's been a long day, and I still have my evening class to teach. I shouldn't complain though. The two day classes were fun and games. I took both classes on a "haiku hike." We went for a silent walk around campus and then returned to the classroom to write haiku. I even pretended it had something to do with the curriculum! Actually the skill of writing short succinct messages is very important for both English Composition and Journalism, so it is relevant. But mostly it was a lot of fun.
But now I have a night class, and I am very tired.
I'll make it.

Weary Wednesday

2006-03-22T21:49:00.000-05:00

10 p.m.: Wow! Another rough day: My wife and her mother now officially have the same combination I had: bronchitis and sinusitis. I worked all day and then came home to take care of them. Whew!

Tired Tuesday

2006-03-21T20:30:00.000-05:00

Too tired to blog today.
I taught two classes and went to a Trustees Meeting.
Barbara and Mom got home about 7 p.m.
They were tired. I was tired. We all went to bed early.

Very Busy Monday

2006-03-21T07:33:00.000-05:00

Monday was amazingly busy. I didn't even have time to write in my blog.
Let's see. I got up at 6 and meditated (good for me). Then I took Justin to work and Jessi to school. I got ready for my mass communication class, and then updated the online class, went to the school newspaper meeting, and then prepared for College meeting. At the meeting I had to make three different committee reports since I serve on three different committees.
During the presentation for the NCBI (National Coalition Building Institute), I added a spontaneous tribute to my colleague and teammate Jeanmarie that stimulated a round of applause for her from the whole group. That was a special moment, and I think it made us all feel very good.
I had to leave the meeting before it ended to pick up Justin so we could both go pick up Mom's car, which is finally out of the shop. It cost $900 to buy her a used transmission. Yikes!
Today (Tuesday) I need to continue my focus on the on-line update)

Mindful Sunday

2006-03-19T10:27:00.000-05:00

10 a.m.: I want so much to be completely healthy, but something is still not quite right. This morning the conjunctivitis had spread from my right eye to my left eye, and I had a cough. Uh oh. I used alcohol swabs to wipe down my keyboard and the doorknobs. I have been washing my hands frequently.

I will relax and take it easy today and see how I feel tomorrow.

noon: Just thinking... I need to get back on track. I need to get more productive to accomplish the things on my to do list. The best way to do that is to roll out of bed at 6 a.m. and get right on my cushion and meditate. Then I can hit the ground mindfully and accomplish more. I think I should check my list of things to do each evening and set one top priority for the next day. Maybe I should start thinking of tomorrow's top priority.

11 p.m.: I have figured out tomorrow's top priority. It is my on-line class. I need to update the Web site and send the class another message. But before I get to that I need to start off the morning by preparing for my morning class. I will need to print out the lesson plan and weekly quiz for the mass communication class. And, of course, I have a long list of things to do. But tomorrow I will focus on updating the on-line class.

The sangha this afternoon was beautiful. We had a large group -- 20 people, but it was the quality, rather than the quantity that pleased me most. I think it was a period of deep and profound practice. I was happy to be there.

Bright Saturday

2006-03-18T13:15:00.000-05:00

1 p.m.: The sun seems unusually clear and bright today. Perhaps it is because I am finally feeling better.
Last night I went to an excellent lecture about Buddhism. It was part of a weekly lecture series sponsored by the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) in Woods Hole. The speaker was Dr. David Eckel, associate professor of religion, Boston University. He has degrees from Oxford and Harvard and has traveled throughout the Buddhist world. His talk was illustrated with very interesting slides of Buddhist art. HE presented "Four Ways to Tell the Story of the Buddha," in a very interesting way.

OK, to be honest, maybe I am not completely better. During the talk Friday night I did have trouble with my eyes clouding over. This morning my eyes were crusted over when I awoke (yuk). So I looked up conjunctivitis on the Web and got the idea I should see a doctor. Another substitute was covering for my regular doctor, it being Saturday. He said secondary infections were common with sinus infections and bronchitis, but not usually after a week on antibiotics. He gave me some antiniotic eyedrops and said to check in with Dr. T. if things don't improve in a few days.

All better! St. Patrick's Day

2006-03-17T11:00:00.000-05:00

11 a.m.: I am feeling much better today, so I think I will just declare myself well. It is a beautiful sunny day on Cape Cod. Today is a state holiday in Massachusetts. One might think it is because of St. Patrick's Day, but the anti-Irish crowd in the statehouse apparently balked at teh idea of making it a state holiday, so they compromised and made March 17 "Evacuation Day," in honor of the day the British evacuated Boston in the Revolutionary War.
(157/172)

Bronchitis Day Seven (On the Radio)

2006-03-16T11:36:00.000-05:00

11:30 a.m.: After gargling with salt water and drinking tea with honey, I did my bit on the radio talk show this morning, and I think it went fine. The half hour went by very quickly. The host, Mindy Todd, and the other guest, Linda Corcoran, Sunday editor of the Cape Cod Times, were both friendly and well-informed. We talked about the importance of public access to public records not just for journalists, but for the general public. It was fun.
I heard from my wife, Barbara, who is still stranded in Virginia, trying to make her way to North Carolina. This morning they are replacing the wheel bearings and master brake cylinder in the van. Then she hopes to be on her way for the last three hours to Asheville. I feel so helpless up here unable to do anything to assist her.
My blood sugar was high this morning, but that is because I drank tea with honey last night to try to rehabilitate my voice.
(210/172)

Bronchitis Day Six (almost better)

2006-03-15T15:55:00.000-05:00

4 p.m.: I worked for a couple of hours in the office today, and I am feeling much better. Unfortunately Barbara is stuck with a bad cold getting the car repaired halfway to North Carolina. I wish I could help.
I heard from Karen, and old friend who used to work with me at the Carliele Evening Sentinel newspaper in 1979. It brought back a flood of good memories.
(134/172)

Bronchitis Day Five (Tuesday)

2006-03-14T14:36:00.000-05:00

2:30 p.m.: I am feeling a little better. I took Justin to work and went to my office to grade some papers. I got a couple of hours work done there, but I felt mighty tired, so I came home at lunchtime.
I stopped my Trader Joe's and picked up some soy yogurt and good healthy food.
When I got home there was a message form my poor wife, whose voice now sounds like mine. She is on a 1,000-mile trip and apparently is just as sick as me. I knew I was too sick to make the trip, but she is a few days behind me. I hope she can fight off this bug quickly.
I find I have a very hard time doing nothing. Just resting is difficult for me. I feel this compulsion to be constructive. The only time I can do nothing is when I am meditating. I guess I should meditate a whole lot in the next couple of days.
I also got a message from Mindy Todd, host of the local public radio station inviting me to be on her talk show Thursday. http://www.wgbh.org/cainan/ She wants to chat about the Sunshine law and freedom of information. I hope my voice is back in shape by then. Here is the blurb on her web site:
"March 16: Access to Public Records Linda Corcoran, Sunday Editor at the Cape Cod Times and James Kershner, Professor of Journalism at Cape Cod Community College discuss the Freedom of Information Act and public records."
The show is at 9:30 a.m. Thursday. The frequencies are: WCAI 90.1 fm, WNAN 91.1 fm and WZAI 94.3 fm, or you can listen online at www.capeandislands.org, which takes you to the same site as the link above.
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Bronchitis: Day Four

2006-03-13T15:23:00.000-05:00

3:30 p.m.: I am taking the antibiotics and using the sprays and inhalers, but I still don't feel any better. I did get up and do some errands this morning, including taking Mom's car to the transmission shop, but then I was pretty much exhausted. I guess it takes a while. It is so similar to what happened in October. I guess I just have to keep resting. I am such a Type-A driven kind of guy I find it hard to do nothing.

This is from a random blog I found called, "Things that go .. wrrrr wrrrr bonk bonk" http://jacobrepp.blogspot.com/

Something to try

1. Grab the nearest book.

2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the 5th sentence.
4. Post the text of the sentence in your journal...along with these instructions.
5. Don't search around for the "coolest" book you can find. Do what's actually next to you.
(His sentence was, "Neither the cashier nor the customer would be able to leave until the "transaction" is completed." From The Best Software Writing I
My sentence was:

"When I go to the courthouse, I consider anybody who talks as a source -- from the janitor to the people who sell coffee."

From Writing and Reporting News (3rd edition) by Carole Rich. That was the closest book. (Well, actually The Elements of Style was right next to it, but it doesn't have 123 pages.)

(124/172)

Mindfully ailing

2006-03-12T15:11:00.000-05:00

3 p.m.: Sunday is my day of mindfulness, so I will try to apply my Buddhist practice to my day today. In the present moment, I still feel very weak, but I think I am getting stronger. My family has been packing up and getting ready for their trip. I feel bad that I cannot go along, but I am also looking forward to the solitude.
9 p.m.: The peace and quiet is nice, but a little lonely. I'm going to get a good night's sleep tonight
(115/172)

Still Under the Weather

2006-03-11T19:27:00.000-05:00

7:30 p.m.: I tried to rally this afternoon. I had an appointment for a haircut, so I got up, got dressed and drove to the barber shop. By the time I got home, I was completely exhausted and wheezing. So I went back to bed. I guess I won't be able to do much of anything for a few days.

The biggest disappointment is that I had planned to going down to North Carolina to visit my grandson (and his parents) this week, but I am definitely not well enough to travel. I'll need to stay home and rest. Barbara and her mom will drive Brandon down there and return in a week while I rest up. I am trying hard to just go with the flow and not get angry about being sick. That doesn't help with recovery.

11 p.m.: Before retiring for the night I checked my blog again. For no particular reason I wondered if anyone had left a comment, and there, to my surprise, was the lovely note from So Daiho Hilbert-roshi, a Zen abbot I have never met. What a wonderful gift for a person who is a stranger to me to wish me well and remind me of the importance of our practice in our health. I had already posted the earlier note about truing not to get angry, but now I am reminded of the importance of "watering the good seeds," as Thich Nhat Hanh would say. I will do my evening practice with great joy tonight. May all beings be well and free from suffering.
(176/172)

Uh oh. I'm sick

2006-03-10T21:18:00.000-05:00

I knew something was wrong when I was too weak to go for my morning run. When I got to work I was too weak to walk up the stairs. After I had a coughing fit, my colleague Cindy said if I didn't call my doctor, she would. So I did. My regular doctor was out, but her very able colleague heard my cough and said he didn't even need a stethoscope "to hear that bronchitis." But he did use his stethoscope and lots of other tools before deciding I had both bronchitis and a sinus infection. He proscribed an antibiotic and some bronchio-dilators. I went home finally feeling justified in feeling bad. I'll try to get a lot of rest.
(104/174)

Too much to do Thursday

2006-03-09T11:25:00.000-05:00

11:30 a.m.: This morning I had another good run. Unfortunately, my Weight Watchers weigh-in did not go well. I gained weight again, despite my best efforts. I think it is because I had to get up at 11 p.m. and have a bowl of cereal and two oranges. My blood sugar was too low. So my plan is to reduce the medication I take with dinner, so that I don't get that recurring problem in the late evenings. My doctor already suggested that, but I thought I still needed it. Sometimes adjusting the diabetes medication take some trial and error.
(104/175) Running: 3 miles

Weary Wednesday

2006-03-08T20:45:00.000-05:00

9 p.m.: I was too busy to write anything today. I did get up and run with Vivian, which was great! The sky was a beautiful blue with soem red and yellow clouds in the east. As we ran past the marsh there was a flock of redwing blackbirds singing. I am so glad I went for a run. But then I was flat out all day long with classes, meetings and grading. I feel like I am coming down with a cold. I had a couple cups of Echinacea tea. I hope that staves it off. I am very tired this evening.
(210/171) Running: 3 miles

Busy Tuesday

2006-03-07T09:21:00.000-05:00

9 a.m.: I had hoped to get an early start this morning, but I was very, very tired, so I just slept in and dashed off to work. I guess I'll get caught up eventually. It seems I can get caught up on sleep or get caught up on work, but not both!
9 p.m.: Whew! It was a long day at work. I did get a lot of work done. In addition to teaching two classes, I got a memo written for my committee work, and I got some grades recorded and papers graded. There is still a lot to do before spring break next week, but I made a dent in it.
(178/170)

Sunny Monday

2006-03-06T13:43:00.000-05:00

2 p.m.: Another good and busy day. I got up at 6 and meditated. Then I went to an early morning appointment and headed for school. The morning class went well. I have a ton of paperwork to get caught up on.
(123/170)
8 p.m.: Here are three new photographs of our grandson Nathaniel taken by my wife Barbara during his recent visit to Grandma and Grandpa's house:

Nathaniel Alexander Kershner at eight months, February 2006.

Photos by Barbara J. Kershner

I'm a newspaperman like my grandfather.

I like the feel of this rug.

My green buddy and I are ready for a car ride.

Living in the Present Moment

2006-03-05T20:56:00.000-05:00

9 p.m.: Today was a day for me to be mindful and practice mindfulness. I graded some papers in the morning and then conducted the sangha in the afternoon. A reporter from The Register newspaper attended the sangha and interviewed me and several other members. I am looking forward to his story. This evening I am watching the Academy Awards. I hope Brokeback Mountain wins the best film, although I have not seen any of the other nominated films.
Thanks to my practice of mindfulness I have felt calm and peaceful all day.
(189/171)

...And I Ran!

2006-03-04T13:50:00.000-05:00

2 p.m.: Yes!
This morning I went for a good run. Alison called around 10 and suggested a run. We met at 11 and ran from her house to Johnny Kelley Park and back -- about five miles. The park is named for the late Johnny Kelley, who lived in Dennis for many years before his death in 2004. He was a great runner and a very nice man. This photo shows him in front of the statue honoring him at Heartbreak Hill on the Boston Marathon course. The statue depicts him as a young man winning it and as an old man who continued to run it into his 80s. I ran in a few races on Cape Cod with him, and he was always friendly and kind. After I ran the Johnny Kelley Road Race in 2002 I asked him to autograph my race number, and it is hanging on my bulletin board right beside me now. Anyway, I had a terrific run today. Actually it is cheating to say I ran five miles because I had to stop and run a couple of times. That is not like me, but I guess I am woefully out of shape compared to "usually." But the important thing is that I am back on the road again. I know I will get stronger and faster each time I run, as long as I keep it up. I feel confident I can do it. The weather should be improving too. We still have a few inches of snow on the ground, but Alison and I ran along a nice sidewalk/bike path that had been cleared pretty well. The temperature was above freezing, so the footing was good. I feel terrific about running.
After the run we went to Buckie's Biscotti, http://www.buckiesbiscotti.com/ a wonderful little bakery in Dennis, Mass., where they have a great chai tea latte with soy milk. I also splurged and had a cinnamon roll.

10 p.m.: Barbara and I went to the movies tonight. On the way, I measured the run I did this morning, and it was more than five miles, so I don't feel bad at all. We went to see Brokeback Mountain, which was very powerful. I thought the acting, directing, cinematiography and screenplay were all excellent. I also found it extremely disturbing personally. I don't think any heterosexual man can sit comfortably and watch such a credible and sensitive love story between two men without feeling a little uncomfortable. It is a powerful look at the attitudes we all have deep in our psyches about sexuality. I also loved the short story by Annie Proulx. I remember reading it in the New Yorker years ago, when it was first published. I was so impressed with her writing that I made copies of it and gave it to my fellow writing professors. I think the film honored the short story.
(120/171) Running 5 miles

I Meditated!

2006-03-03T22:05:00.000-05:00

10 p.m.: I had a wonderful day today, and I am convinced it is because I did my morning practice today. I got up and sat in silent sitting meditation for half an hour. It was wonderful. It felt wonderful at the time, and it felt wonderful all day long.
I shoveled my car out, with Barbara's help, and picked up Jesse and went in to school and taught my morning class. The students were not very responsive, but that didn't bother me. I had a lot of work to catch up on, but that didn't bother me. After class, two students were waiting for me, and that didn't bother me. I was able to help them both. I had a lunch meeting of the NCBI team, and that was delightful. The college president sat with us and that was nice too. After that I worked on the financial statement for the college newspaper, and that is not my strong point. But because of my practice I was patient enough to work it out. I came home for dinner and then went to the synagogue for our interfaith service. That was delightful. It is amazing how much we all have in common.
(210/171)

Meditate!

2006-03-02T11:15:00.000-05:00

11:15: What is wrong with me? I know I am happier if I meditate every day. I teach people they will be happier if they meditate every day. I tell my students they will be happier if they meditate every day. And yet I felt like I was behind schedule and needed to save time this week, so I skipped meditation Monday and Tuesday. Then I just got lazy and skipped it for no reason Wednesday and Thursday. So at 9:30 this morning, while my colleague Cindy and I were talking about meeting times for various committees I found myself saying, "I feel like throwing myself down on the floor, holding my breath and kicking my feet and fists." She asked if she could take a photograph of that. But the point is that I start feeling stressed out if I do not meditate. So I shall do it every morning form now on. I will also take a few minutes to do it right now.
I just repeated the story above to Lora Ziemba, a wonderful yoga teacher who also teaches reading here.
"Sometimes we are humbled," she said, "Into taking our own advice."
6:30 p.m.: The snow started falling around noon, and we have about six inches by now. The campus shut down at 3:30, so my evening class was canceled. I went to an Interfaith Coalition council meeting, and the drive home, which should have taken 20 minutes, took about an hour the roads were icy and treacherous. Another reason I was upset this morning was probably because the Weight Watchers weigh in said I was up three pounds again. Up and down. Up and down.
(140/172)

Even Busier Wednesday

2006-03-01T21:53:00.000-05:00

9:30: Yikes! What a day. I definitely have to resume my morning routine of running and meditation. When i skip it, I seem to get less accomplished. I slept until 7:30 and then had breakfast, picked up Jessi, picked up my shirts, got to school at 9 and taught mass comm. Then i had a department meeting, followed by a lunch meeting of us adjuncts for the Suffolk University program. I barely made it back in time for Journalism 2. After that I tried to get all my on-line papers corrected, but only got through four or five of them and it was after 7 p.m. So I came home, had dinner and then played a fun game of "Gimme Five" with my son, wife and mother-in-law. The women beat the men two games to zip, but they were close games. I didn't realize that the grilled cheese sandwiches I ordered for lunch would be 13 points on the Weight Watchers scale. That put me five points over my weekly allowance. I'll probably record a weight gain, instead of loss on the scale tomorrow morning, but that's OK. I know the long-range trend is still down. I'll do better next week.

Added later: I am going to try to change the photo in my profile to a more recent one. If I understand it correctly, I have to post it here first, so it has a URL. Here goes my attempt:

Well, It changed the photo if you go to "View my complete profile," but it didn't update the one that appears at the top of the blog. What's that about?
OK, a few minutes later, it did. I got my new photo!

(147/170)

Busy Tuesday

2006-02-28T17:39:00.000-05:00

5:30: Another busy day. I slept in a little. Then I came to work, taught English, went to a baby shower for a colleague, taught journalism and had an hour-long phone conversation with my mentor in the Buddhist order. We discussed some aspirants whom I, in turn, am now mentoring.
9 p.m.: On the way home from work I picked up a pizza for the family, but I didn't eat that. I had a weight watchers shrimp marinara and a big salad. Then I had some Kashi Puffs cereal for dessert. We watched some dumb TV and then headed to bed. I have been putting off a little job of printing up "Sangha Cards" on my computer. They are little business cards that have contact information for the Cape Sangha. They are handy if someone asks me about the meditation group. This task has been on my "To Do" list for months. Finally, this evening, I was complaining to Barbara about how I have such a backlog of things to do, and she looked at the list and said,"Why don't you just go up and print the Sangha cards now?" So I did it, and it took less than 10 minutes. Wow! I can cross that off my list now!
(123/170)

Very cold Monday

2006-02-27T19:26:00.000-05:00

7:30 p.m.: It was about 12 degrees this morning, and there was a high wind, making the wind-chill below zero. We skipped our run. Work was extremely busy. I had a class, gave a talk about meditation to the learning-disabilities group, met with the chair of the business department and spent a long time recording grades onto a spreadsheet and answering 44 e-mails. I came home exhausted. I did not do a good job of keeping to my diet, so I used up a lot of "flex-points" today. I'll have to be more careful tomorrow.
(157/170)

Cold and Mindful Sunday

2006-02-26T12:55:00.000-05:00

1 p.m.: This morning was a lazy day. I did not get up early, meditate, run or go to church. I just slept in and had a slow breakfast. I even forgot to take my morning injection of Byetta. Oops. I also forgot to test my blood sugar this morning, so I won't have those little numbers at the foot of my entry that indicate glucose level and weight.

This afternoon I have the regular sangha meeting at 4:30, preceded by our discussion group at 3, preceded by a meeting with an aspirant at 2:30, so I have to leave the house around 2. I guess I'll have to get lunch soon and get ready to go to that.

I will try to be as mindful as possible all day. I am glad Barbara and I got almost all my grading done yesterday, so that is not hanging over my head today. There is a light dusting of snow on the ground today, but the sun is shining.

About running: My little three-miles runs with Vivi in the morning are nice, but I want to take it to the next level. I want to get back into running thsi spring and summer. I used to run a lot of road races, and I think this is a good year to do that. I want to do more long runs and see if I can get in good enough shape to run another marathon in the fall. The Cape Cod Marathon is Sunday, Oct. 29, 2006. That's three days before my 58th birthday. If I aim for a long run once a month to build up to it, that should work :

March: 6 miles
April: 8 miles
May: 10 miles
June: 12 miles
July: 14 miles
August: 16 miles
September: 18 miles
October: 22 miles (early in the month)
October 29, 2006 : 26.2 mile Marathon

Busy Saturday

2006-02-25T18:18:00.000-05:00

6 p.m.: I slept in until about 8 a.m., and then had a slow leisurely breakfast. I also spent some time cleaning up the kitchen. Having a lot of family and friends visiting sure messes up the house! Then I spent a few hours correcting papers. In the afternoon Barbara and I decided to go to Trader Joe's, which is a store I love. It is a specialty store that carried a lot of organic, natural and vegetarian foods at a very low price. The Kashi cereal I eat every day is much cheaper at Trader Joe's, as is the soy yogurt. We stocked up on things there that would have cost us more elsewhere. On the way home we decided to stop at BJ's wholesale club to see if they had the Fresca I like. They didn't have that, but we found a lot of other bargains. These things cost us a lot of money today, but I honestly believe it will save us money in the long run. Since Brandon was home with his grandmother, Barbara had the rare opportunity to go out together. It started to snow while we were out shopping. This evening I will have to grade more papers.
(129/169)

Frigid Friday

2006-02-24T20:40:00.000-05:00

9 p.m.: It didn't start out frigid, but it sure got cold in the evening. I slept in a little because Vivi didn't want to run this morning. Then I had a nice breakfast and headed for work. Barbara and I dropped off the little car at the service station so Steve could replace the thermostat. Then I dropped her off back at home, picked up Jessi and went to the college. I gave a test in mass communication, met with several students and updated the web site for the on-line class. I dealt with a whole lot of e-mail and reports and paperwork like that.
IN the late afternoon I came home in time to say goodbye to Ben and Wolf and little Nathaniel, who are heading out to Western Massachusetts to visit their friends and then home to North Carolina. After they left, my running buddy Alison came over for a run. She drove me to the service station, and we both went for a run from there. It is one of our favorite runs down to Gray's Beach and back. But it was getting colder and colder, and the wind was really picking up. The whole way down to the beach, the wind was in our faces, and we almost froze. But when we turned around and headed back the wind was at our back, and it practically carried us along. That was nice. From there I was able to drive my own car home again -- see how nicely that all worked out? I got the car fixed, for work done and got a good run in too.
The Weather Channel's Web site says it is 29 degrees, but with a 25 mph wind, it feels like 15. Frankly, I think the winds are more like 50 mph here, but I am not really sure.
(180/169) Running: 3 miles

Great Thursday

2006-02-23T21:06:00.000-05:00

9 p.m.: Today started out great because I went to my Weight Watchers weigh-in, and they said I had lost 5.6 pounds. Of course the previous week I had gained 2 pounds, but all in all, I have lost a total of 10 pounds in the seven weeks on the program. That feels great. First thing in the morning I did my three-mile run with Vivian.
I had some good classes, too, and at dinner time my whole family came in to meet me for dinner at Subway. (I sound like Jared the Subway spokesman, I suppose. I had their Veggie D'Lite sub.
My night class went well, too, and I got home before 9 p.m.
(160/169) Running: 3 miles

Busy Wednesday

2006-02-22T17:05:00.000-05:00

5 p.m.: I have been too busy to fill in my blog. Let's see -- up at 6 to meditate and run at 6:30. Then I took Jessi to school and got ready for my 10 o'clock class, give a make-up test, chaired a committee meeting, had an evaluation meeting with my dean, prepared for my afternoon class, taught that, and now it's 5 already. I'm just a busy guy, I guess.
(166/172) Running: 3 miles

Family Reunion

2006-02-21T20:17:00.000-05:00

In the morning I meditated and ran, which was great. Then I had a full day at the college, with two classes. I also had lunch with my friend Alicia, and I enjoyed that very much.
After work, I cam home to a big reunion. Our son Ben, his wife Wolf, their baby Nathaniel, our son Brandon, Barbara's brother Steve and his wife Janet were all there, not to mention my wife Barbara and her mother, Vee, plus Brandon's friend Justin, who is living with us. It was quite a houseful. It was great to see everyone together at once.
(156/174) Running: two miles

Family coming!

2006-02-20T10:35:00.000-05:00

10 a.m.: Today is the big day! My son's Ben and Brandon, pllus Ben's wife Wolf and their son Nathaniel, are all arriving sometime this afternoon. We are very excited about it. Between now and then I will need to get a lot of papers graded.
(166/172)

Mindful Sunday

2006-02-19T13:12:00.000-05:00

1 p.m.: I got off to a good start today by going to church. I have been attending the Unity Church of the Light, and I recommended it to my running buddy Alison. Today she took me up on the idea, so we went together. It was a good service, with a guest speaker who gave an inspiring sermon.
9 p.m.: The afternoon and evening were wonderful too. The sangha went very well. A nice young man who has been coming to the sangha called me before hand and asked if I could read something by Thich Nhat Hanh. I found a new magazine interview with him, and it made an excellent reading. Everyone said it was terrific. Also I spoke with two other members before and after the sangha and helped them with some questions they had. All in all, I felt like it was a genuine day of mindfulness.
(117/172)

Lazy Saturday

2006-02-18T11:51:00.000-05:00

noon: I can't believe I slept until nearly 10 a.m. this morning. Then I had a long, slow beakfast and read the paper.
4:30 p.m.: Well, it didn't turn out to be so lazy after all. Barbara and I spent most of the afternoon doing laundry and housecleaning. We're getting ready for lot's of company starting Monday.
(137/174)

TGIF

2006-02-17T07:00:00.000-05:00

7 a.m.: I skipped my morning run today because Vivi couldn't make it. Of course I could have run alone, but I was feeling lazy. It is mild outside and most of the snow has melted. They say it is going to turn colder this weekend. Although I have only one class, I have several appointments that will keep me very busy all day.
10 p.m.: Yes, those appointments did keep me busy all day, but I got through them all. The one I enjoyed the most was lunch with my friend David, who is the rabbi of the Cape Cod Synagogue. We had wanted to open a bank account for the Cape Cod Interfaith Coalition, but it turns out we have to get a taxpayer Identification Number first. That will delay things a bit. So we went out to lunch and enjoyed ourselves thoroughly getting to know each other better.
In the evening, Barbara and I watch "A League of Their Own" with Geena David and Tom Hanks. It was amusing, but I won't put it on my favorite movies list.
(164/174)

Thawing Thursday

2006-02-16T07:12:00.000-05:00

7:15 a.m.: We had another good three-mile run this morning amid melting snow.
Last night, around 11 p.m., I had another incident of low blood sugar. I had to get up and eat. I guess it is a sign of the effectiveness of the new medicine I am taking. It has brought down my chronic high blood sugar, and now I will have to reduce some of my medication to avoid it going too low. I think I will cut back on the glucophage with dinner and see how that goes. My physical already suggested I would be able to reduce the oral medication when I started the Byetta.
My night class tonight is canceled. That will make this a much easier Thursday than usual.
7:15 p.m.: Well, no it still wasn't an easy day. I got discouraged becasue I gained two pounds at Weight Watchers, instead of losing weight, as I should have. That kind of soured my outlook. But I made it through the day, and I know I have it a lot better than most people. I'll try to remember that when I have a hard day.
(126/174) Running: 3 miles

Warmer Wednesday

2006-02-15T07:33:00.000-05:00

7:30 a.m.: We had another nice run this morning. It is up to about 33 degrees this morning -- almost balmy. The snow is starting to melt. Mom woke up with a severe pain in her hand. Barbara put a call into the doctor. ON the way to work, I stopped by the Shell station and picked up Mom's car, which got a new alternator. Justin took it from there to his job. Jessi and I continued on to the college. Cindy had asked me to pick up donuts for the office, so I bought a dozen donuts, but I won't eat any. What a good boy am I!
8 p.m.: At midday I saw Dr. Slater, the pulmonologist who examined me last August, when I had a scare with some nodules in my lungs. It turned out to be nothing, but they wanted me to get a follow-up exam six months later. Once again, I got a clean bill of health. That felt good. My afternoon class went well, and I got a little more work done on the e-mail address book for the Cape Cod interfaith Coalition.
(145/173) Running: 3 miles

Valentine's Day

2006-02-14T07:20:00.000-05:00

7:30 a.m.: Happy Valentine's Day, everyone.
Vivi and I got back on the roads and did a three-mile run this morning. The roads have been plowed, so it wasn't bad at all. It was a little cold (25 degrees), but we pressed on. I always feel better after running.

Yesterday I found a West Virginia commemorative quarter, and I love it. I have gotten interested in the New River, which flows form the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia, through West Virginia and into the Ohio. We cross the headwaters of it when we drive down to Asheville, and I would like to explore it. There is a stretch in West Virginia called the New River Gorge that is supposed to be particularly beautiful. It is a popular area for white-water rafting. I was thrilled to see that the New River Gorge is depicted on the West Virginia quarter. Now I really have to go see it.
According to the U.S. Mint site:

The design chosen to represent West Virginia is one that combines the natural physical beauty of the State and the triumph of the human intellect exemplified by the engineering wonder that is the New River Gorge Bridge. At 3,030 feet long and 69 feet wide, the bridge is the world’s largest steel span and the second highest ridge in the United States, rising 876 feet above the New River Gorge in southern West Virginia. In 1978, 53 miles of the New River was added to the National Park System as the New River Gorge National River. For years, crossing the New River Gorge meant long detours along narrow, winding mountain roads. The completion of the bridge in 1977 reduced this dangerous 40-minute trip to a smooth and scenic one-minute drive.

Photograph provided by the National Parks Service

Running: 3 miles

Digging Out

2006-02-13T07:07:00.000-05:00

7 a.m.: It's cold and clear this morning. We decided to skip our morning run because the roads are still snow-covered. It wouldn't be safe to try to dodge cars when the snow banks cover the shoulders. This morning I am going to drop Justin off at his job, since Mom's car is still in the shop. Actually it is probably buried under eight inches of snow behind the shop!
(148/175)

Snowy Sunday

2006-02-12T10:26:00.000-05:00

10 a.m.: I awoke to true blizzard conditions. We have only about five inches so far, but it is coming down quickly, and it is blowing and drifting in high winds -- what fun! We still have power, so we are quite comfortable, so far!

4 p.m.: It has been snowing all day, but we seem to be missing the most intense bands of snow. I just measured an average of eight inches of snow in our yard. I canceled the sangha, and I wonder whether or not we will have school tomorrow. There is no word yet on that.

(150/172)

The Calm Before the Storm

2006-02-11T10:43:00.000-05:00

11 a.m.: The weather service is predicting a big blizzard for tonight. We'll see. I slept until 9 a.m. and had a nice leisurely breakfast.
11 p.m.: I graded some papers this afternoon, and then we had a fun evening with our friends Ned and Glenda. We had Chinese Food and talked all evening. It was a lot of fun. I ate all my bonus "flex points" from Weight Watchers, so i have to be on a very strict diet form now until next Thursday. OK I deserve that, but I had fun tonight. The snow hasn't started, but there are predictions for 10 to 14 inches of snow here during the day Sunday.
(140/172)

Frigid Friday

2006-02-10T07:41:00.000-05:00

8 a.m.: Brrrrr!
It was so cold I didn't even want to get out of bed this morning. But I skipped my run yesterday and felt guilty. So I dragged myself out of bed at 6. The thermometer said 22 degrees. With the wind chill, it felt like about 7 degrees, according to weather.com -- http://www.weather.com/outlook/recreation/outdoors/hourbyhour/02638?locid=02638&from=36hr_topnav_outdoors -- but we ran anyway. After a mile I suggested to Vivi that we turn back early. My lips were so cold I could barely get the wrds out. I know my friends in New Hampshire will say it was a balmy day here, compared to there, but it was plenty cold enough for me.

10 p.m.: The day is ending as it began -- cold! I can't seem to get warm, so I am going to take a hot bath. But in the middle of the day I got a CAT scan, sorted through about 90 e-mails, organized a lot of papers, gave a talk to some young students with developmental disabilities, got a flu shot and plenty of other things to keep busy. I tried to watch the Winter Olympics on TV, but NBC is stretching it out to maximize the number of commercials. The opening ceremonies had already occurred, and yet they are making us hang on for three hours to watch them. I am giving up and going to bed.

(128/172)

Running: 2 miles

Very long Thursday

2006-02-09T06:56:00.000-05:00

7 a.m.: skipped running and meditation this morning to try to get to work early. I can't believe how much I have to do! The e-mails are piling up, and so are the papers to grade.
10 p.m.: Well, I got through the day and taught three good classes. We got excellent feedback from last night's program on race. The Cape Cod Times gave it front-page coverage. I let my night class out after two hours, instead of keeping them until 9:30. We covered the material, and everyone (including me) was tired. I'll sleep well tonight.
(132/173)

Very full Wednesday

2006-02-08T22:17:00.000-05:00

10 p.m.: It is after 10 p.m., and I am only now finding time to write in my blog. I went for a short run at 6:30, picked up Jessi and headed for school. We stopped at the Sangha sitting room to pick up a book I wanted to show in mass communication class. We were discussing books as the first mass medium. So I showed them the children's book The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton and The Miracle of Mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh, and talked about how they were two of my favorite books. They have very similar lessons, one I learned at age 5 and one at age 50. I hope the class got the idea. Then I chaired the meeting of the committee on Curriculum and Programs ("C&P"). Unfortunately there was some conflict, and I had to break a tie on a controversial issue. That was stressful. Later a student came to me asking to be added into my English class because she had a dispute with her other English teacher. i urged her to try to workout the conflict with the other professor. That was stressful too. Then I had a good Journalism 2 class, and returned to do some preparation for the evening program. That was a "town meeting on race" presented by the Cape Cod Interfaith Coalition. I just made some very brief remarks at the event, but I wanted them to be the right words. It went from 7 to 9, but I stayed to thank folks for coming, so I didn't get home until after 9:30. It was an excellent program, and I felt like I learned a lot. I am glad to be part of the coalition, even if it is a lot of work.
(120/173)
Running: 1 mile

Cold Tuesday

2006-02-07T07:15:00.000-05:00

7 a.m.: It was cold on our morning run today. The puddle at the corner was frozen solid, so I know it was below freezing. But once we got running, it didn't feel too bad. Back home sipping green tea, I can feel noble about having gone for a run.

Mom has a bad cough. My wife's 87-year-old mother lives with us. She is like a mother to me too, so I call her "Mom." We'll have to get her some medicine for that cough.

The college e-mail server was down yesterday. I just tried to access it remotely a few minutes ago, and it says "unavailable." uh oh. That does not look good. It is amazing how much of the college's work is done with e-mail these days.

9 p.m.: The college's e-mail service was finally restored about 2 p.m. Whew! It was a very busy day, and I still have not gotten caught up. I wonder if I ever will. But I had a wonderful lunch with my friend Steve, and then I had a nice visit with my friend Gael after work. She is a loyal member of the sangha, and I performerd her wedding ceremony 13 months ago.
( 124/173)
Running: 3 miles

Monday Monday

2006-02-06T07:19:00.000-05:00

7:20 a.m.: I see the Blogger status site acknowledged that Blogger had major problems over the weekend. I was not able to access it during the troubles, of course. http://status.blogger.com/.

I had a good run with Vivi at 6:30. We did our regular run, which is about 2.5 or 3 miles. I was feeling a little stiff and sore, but it went fine once we got going.

For our one national shared experience, the Super Bowl was a little disappointing to me. The ball game was OK, but I didn't see any players who impressed me as being exceptionally good. Both teams made plenty of mistakes. The advertising was good, but -- again -- not spectacular. And I was embarrassed for Mick Jagger. At least when Paul McCartney gets out of breath, he can sit down at the piano and sing "Yesterday." Mick just looked too old to carry on like that. For god's sake, he's even older than ME!

I had a good morning class and meeting with the student newspaper folks. I had an afternoon meeting at Massasoit Community College. The meeting was good but not the drive home. It should have been an hour, but it took me nearly two because of traffic.

( 128/174)
Running: 3 miles)

Super Bowl Sunday

2006-02-05T11:30:00.000-05:00

11 a.m.: Hey, bloggers -- Last night (Saturday, Feb. 4) I could not access any sites on blogger.com between about 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. (Eastern time), and this morning it seems to be loading very slowly. Is anyone else having the same problems? I wonder if blogger.com got hit with a virus or some sort of cyber attack.

This morning I slept until 9 a.m., which is unusual for me. I must have needed the sleep. I was awakened by a call from my running buddy Alison, who wanted to go for a run. We went for a nice three-mile run around the neighborhood, but ended up stopping three times to chat with friends. That made it more social than athletic, but it was lots of fun. I hope to get more school work done before the sangha and Super Bowl.

Sundays should be days of mindfulness for me. I wonder if it is possible to watch the Super Bowl "mindfully."? Anyone out there have ideas on a Buddhist approach to professional football?

(122/172)
Running: three miles

Too much to do!

2006-02-04T09:13:00.000-05:00

9 a.m.: I slept until about 8 a.m. because I really needed my sleep. I had a good breakfast, and now I had better figure out how to set up my grade book on Excel Spreadsheets.
I just learned that an old friend, Frank Delear, died last week. His obituary was in the Cape Cod Times. Frank was 92. Starting about 20 years ago, when I was 37 and he was 72, we ran a lot of road races together. We discovered we had many things in common; he was also a journalist and writer. I have a copy of a book we wrote -- a biography of aviation pioneer Igor Sikorsky -- which Frank inscribed to me. I hadn't seen Frank in about 10 years. I wish I had kept in touch.
7 p.m.: I have set up digital grade books for three classes so far, and I have also graded a lot of papers and put in information about attendance, quiz grades and so forth. That gives me a feeling of accomplishment.
(143/172)

Finally Friday

2006-02-03T07:13:00.000-05:00

7 a.m.: Vivi and I went for our run in spite of the fact that it was raining. She was so apologetic about missing yesterday that she decided to get up today no matter what! We compromised and did a shorter two-mile loop. Since I have only one class and no meetings today, perhaps I can get caught up on some of the things on my list -- like filling in my grade book and fixing the online assignments.

As a Buddhist, I should learn to be content with things as they are, yet I feel compelled to work to change things. I want the Interfaith Coalition to become a force for change on Cape Cod. I want the National Coalition Building Institute team to resolve conflicts. I want my college committee to help standardize and improve teaching standards, I want my sangha to help people find their own spiritual path, and, of course, I want to help my students become better writers and happier people. I am even trying to strengthen my family and help us all get along better. And I am working on my regime of diet and exercise to improve my physical health. Then there are these darn words and images on this blog -- why am I doing this? With all those things going on in my life I am too busy to figure out what it all means.
( 136/173)
Running: 2 miles

Busy Thursday

2006-02-02T07:05:00.000-05:00

7 a.m.: I got up and ran this morning, although Vivi was not there. She must have slept in because she did not have to work today. So I cheated too and cut the run short. I did about a mile and a half, instead of our usual three. I think I can still feel noble.
Today I have a class at 10, a class at 2:30 a meeting at 4 and a class at 6:30. That ought to keep me busy. I need to make use of the time between classes. Part of that will be preparing for the next class, but I might be able to slip in another task or two. I need to get my grade books filled in. I start off with Weight Watchers at 8:15. I hope I lost a pound or two.
9:30 a.m.: Woo-hoo! Weight Watchers said I lost another three pounds. That's a total of 6.4 pounds in four weeks. I feel good about that.
10:30 p.m.: This is the day I should have labeled as "Wonderful"! It was busy, but now that it is over, I feel terrific.
8 to 9: Breakfast and Weight Watchers -- lost three pounds!
9 to 10: Prep for English Class
10 to 11: Good English Class. They learned the difference between it's and its.
11 to 12: Work on online class. I also got a visit from a colleague who said some of her students had praised my online class. She wanted me to show her how I do it. She is someone I respect as a mentor, and now I have a chance to help her. There isn't much in the world that makes me happier than that.
12-1: MainSheet (student newspaper) meeting.
1 to 2:30 Prep for journalism class.
2:30 to 4: Terrific journalism class -- they wrote leads on the board and learned a lot.
4 to 5: Meeting of Cape Cod Interfaith Coalition, at which I was elected secretary. My good friends Steve, Larry and David were elected chairman, vice chair and treasurer. We will have an excellent group.
5 to 6:30: Barbara brought me dinner while I prepared for the evening class.
6:30 to 9: Somehow I pulled together an excellent history of mass communication class, including a virtual tour of the French cave drawings that represent human being's first attempts at mass communication. I found it on the Internet and had the equipment to project it on a big screen in the class. http://www.culture.gouv.fr/culture/arcnat/chauvet/en/index.html We also had some insightful conversations. It all came together much better than I had envisioned. I feel like I am doing a good job as a teacher.
(150/173)
Running: 1.5

Wonderful Wednesday

2006-02-01T06:19:00.001-05:00

6:20 a.m.: I named this entry at 6:20 a.m. because I am determined to make this a wonderful day. I got up early to run, which is always a good start.
7:20 a.m.: Yes!!! It is going to be a wonderful day. Vivi and I had a terrific three-mile run. It was a little faster than I would have gone by myself, so I feel like I really pushed myself and got a good workout. Now I need to work hard all day and get caught up on my work.
2 p.m.: Yikes! So busy!
9-10 check email and prep for COM 105
10-11 teach COM 105
11-11:30 help student who missed earlier class
11:30-12: meet with Marybeth about plans for C&P committee, which I chair, (but she runs.)
12-1:30: Department meeting
1:30-2 gobble lunch at my desk (Jello and yogurt)
When will I ever get caught up?
8 p.m.: Well, the rest of the day was just as busy. More meetings and more classes. I did get a lot accomplished, including a note to my online students about writing blogs. I brought home a textbook to read in bed.
Whew!
(138/175)
Running: 3 miles

Back to School Again

2006-01-31T07:14:00.000-05:00

7 a.m.: It's good to get back into the old routine. I got up at 6 and went for a run with Vivi again. She found it a little hard because she is recovering from running a half marathon in New York Sunday. I found it hard because I an old and out of shape. We're a perfect match!

6 p.m.: Wow! The time flew by. I just had time to prepare for and teach my two classes. There wasn't much time to get caught up o other things. Oh, I did prepare copies of my syllabi for the department and little things like that, but I have a lot more to do. Maybe I can get caught up tomorrow.
10 p.m.: I have a huge steel desk in my office. The new desktop I made myself sits at a 90 degree angle to it, forming an L. Today I noticed the big desk is jammed right against the wall heater, which is not a good idea. I pushed and pulled the desk to move it an inch away from the wall. That worked OK, except that I think I strained a muscle in my back. It is bothering me tonight. Uh oh! I hope a good night's sleep takes care of that. Barbara and I went though bills tonight and figured out how much we could afford to pay on each. That is never fun. I still can't figure out how much the raise from the state is going to be. It is incredibly complicated.

(130/175)
Running: 3 miles

Carlisle to Dennis

2006-01-30T20:21:00.000-05:00

8 p.m.: It was an even longer 500 mile drive back home today. There was a lot of fog along the way, which made for more stressful driving. But I made it safely, and it is great to be home.

Sunday in Carlisle

2006-01-29T10:12:00.000-05:00

9 a.m.: I slept in and enjoyed the free Continental breakfast in the lobby. It is cool and cloudy here.

6:30 p.m. The ordination ceremony was beautiful. The First Lutheran Church is a large Gothic stone church w ith a big dome above. There were two bishops and several other clergy involved. We did a lot of singing and praying, and they offered communion, which I respectfully declined. The bishop of the synod offered an inspiring sermon about being a good shepherd.
After that I attended a small reception in the church social hall, where I met Rob's parents and brother and sister. I also spoke with the minister who supervised Rob during his internship. It turns out it is Paddy Rooney, who is married to my wife's best friend from their high school 40 years ago. I had no idea he was going to be there.

As a Buddhist, I didn't expect I would be putting any crosses on my blog, but on Friday I did so in honor of my Roman Catholic friend who lost her son. The crosses in the Lutheran Church today were much plainer, without the crucifix. I'll try to find one of those for Rob.

(176/175)

Dennis to Carlisle

2006-01-28T17:29:00.000-05:00

5:30 p.m.: Today I drove from Dennis, Mass., to Carlisle, Pa. It is a drive I know well, having made it many, many times. Still it is tiring. It is almost exactly 500 miles, and took me nine and a half hours today. I left at 7 a.m. and got in at 4:30. I am staying at the Days Inn, where we usually stay. They have a nice continental breakfast and a wireless Internet connection. I usually take a run in the park and jump in the motel pool, but I won't be doing that this time.
I am looking forward to seeing my friend Rob's ordination tomorrow.
(121/175)

Busy Friday

2006-01-27T12:49:00.000-05:00

1 p.m.: I'm even too busy to write in my blog.
Didn't run or meditate. Dashed off to school. Had a good mass comm class, but the classroom is too small. I set up my new desktop in my office, and it looks good. It's not perfect. I'll have to live with it and make some changes later.
The orientation meeting for the online class is this afternoon, followed by the wake for my friend's son.

7 p.m.: Visiting hours at the funeral home are always difficult, but when the deceased is a 25-year-old man, it is unimaginably hard. I expected my friend's colleagues from the college would be there to console her on the loss of her son. Most of the faculty and staff was there, and that was nice because we comforted each other as best we could with hugs. But what I was not prepared for was the fact that we were outnumbered by Andrew's young friends. There were dozens of "20-something" folks -- strong healthy young men and beautiful young women. They reminded me so of my own sons and their friends. They would try to be strong and stoic. Some of the guys punched each other with a fist to the shoulder and mumbled "How's it goin'?" But then they would lose it and start crying, hugging each other. Whenever I saw something like that I would lose it myself.

The family belongs to a Roman Catholic Church, where the funeral mass will be celebrated tomorrow. May God bless them all and give them strength.

(129/176)

Snowy run

2006-01-26T08:01:00.000-05:00

8 a.m.: Vivi and I went for a run this morning in the snow. It was not actually snowing when we started out, but it started snowing along the way. By the time I got home, it was coming down so hard that it coated my glasses. She is going to be out of town Friday, Saturday and Sunday. She plans to run a half marathon in New York. Ah to be young again! I am going to be out of town Saturday, Sunday and Monday to attend rob;s ordination in Pennsylvania. So we will run together again on Tuesday morning.

I felt a little shaky when I awoke at 6, so I checked my blood sugar, and it was only 89. I quickly ate breakfast before the run, and felt fine.

Today is my long day. I have the night class from 6:30 until 9. I had better get to work planning it.
9:30 p.m.: The night class went very well. The students jump right into substantial discussions of the topics at hand. They are a rewarding group to work with.

The Weight Watchers meeting this morning was good. I lost one pound. That's not much, but it is in the right direction. The official scale said 175.6.
(89/176)
Running: 3 miles

Wet Wednesday

2006-01-25T07:07:00.000-05:00

7 a.m.: Well I tried to go for a run, I really did. I was pouring down rain this morning, and I really didn't feel like going for a run, but I knew Vivi would be waiting for me, so I put on lots of layers and trudged out the door. But when I got to Vivi's house (two blocks away) her house was completely dark. I jogged back and forth in front of her house for a few minutes in the rain, feeling like a fool, and then realized she was being sensible. So I did a little loop around the block and headed back home. Maybe it was about a mile altogether. I kind of wish I had just stayed in bed.

I am still devastated by the death of my friend's son. I sent her a note in which I said I hope her faith can give her some comfort. I know she is a Roman Catholic. A mutual friend said her parish priest is a very good man who will be very comforting. But how can anyone provide comfort in the face of such a tragedy? I also mentioned in my note the Buddhist teaching that has most meaning to me.

The Buddha taught that there is no birth and no death, only continuation in different forms.
We are all like waves on the ocean. When conditions are sufficient, a wave may appear. When conditions are no longer sufficient, a wave may return to the ocean from whence it came. Nothing is lost. Everything continues in another form.

(159/175)
Running: 1 mile

First Day of Classes

2006-01-24T18:15:00.000-05:00

6 p.m.: I got up at 6 and ran 2 1/2 miles with Vivi today. That felt good.
Classes started today, and they went well. The only hitch was that I got mixed up about the times and dismissed one class half an hour early, but I am sure they didn't mind.
One other nice thing that happened is that our campus psychologist asked if I would participate in a workshop on stress reduction, teaching meditation. I said I would be delighted.
But the whole day was saddened by some tragic news. The 25-year-old son of one of my friends died, and the news was devastating to all of us. I don't have the words to express my sympathy to my friend, but I will have to try.
(161/175
Running: 2.5 miles

Back to School

2006-01-23T19:21:00.000-05:00

8 p.m.:
It was back to school after the winter break today.
I got up at 6 and went for a run with Vivi. That was no easy feat, since it was cold, dark and sleeting. But we went anyway! We kept congratulating each other on how dedicated we are. This was the day we decided to resume our morning runs, and we didn't want a little bad weather to get in our way.
I also ran despite a toothache that had been bothering me for two days. When I finally got to the dentist at 2 p.m. this afternoon, he said it was not the tooth at all, but probably the sinus right above it that was inflamed. After he explained it, it made sense. The pain has been subsiding all day, so I guess the pressure is lessening.
We had faculty workshops and meetings all day at work. It was very nice to get together with my colleagues again. At the meeting of the Committee on Curriculum and Programs I was elected chair, but it's a dubious honor. Nobody else really wanted to do the work.
Classes start tomorrow. I hope I get a good night's sleep tonight.
(181/175)
Running: 2 miles

Day of Mindfulness

2006-01-22T08:23:00.000-05:00

8 a.m.: As a member of the Order of Interbeing, (http://www.iamhome.org/oi.htm) , I am determined to spend at least 60 days a year in mindfulness. Ideally, my whole life should be lived mindfully, but that is unrealistic for me at this point. But I try to make Sundays as mindful as possible.

What does that mean?

Well, I try to be aware of what I am doing. I try to use one-pointed concentration to be truly aware of what is happening in the present moment. When I do that, I am more likely to do things that are beneficial and less likely to do things that are harmful to myself or others. That's what make is a spiritual pursuit.

Photograph of the Buddha and the sky by Vicki Dodge from Stan Wood Gallery (http://www.stanwoodarts.com/gallery.htm).

So today I have planned to attend a church service led by my good friend Steve, who is a minister at the Unity church.( http://www.yeahgod.org/) Although I am a Buddhist, I feel very welcome and comfortable there. Then I will visit another friend who is a Christian minister, David, who recently had a heart attack. In the afternoon, of course, I will lead our own Buddhist sangha (www.capesangha.org) so this promises to be a very spiritual day.
I hope I can accomplish some practical work, like putting another coat on the new desk top I am making. And I need to set aside some quality time with my wife. But all in all, I hope I can practice mindfulness as much as possible.

2 p.m.: The church service and visit with David were both very nice. Steve reminded me that we may live under the illusion that we are alone and separate, but in reality, we are all one.

7 p.m.: The sangha meeting this afternoon was awesome. I was surprised last week when 17 people showed up. I told Jeff I thought that was a fluke, and I suggested he put out 10 chairs. We ended up with 19 people. It is not about the numbers, but we must be doing something right. It is gratifying that so many people find it useful.

(149/176)

Day off?

2006-01-21T07:26:00.000-05:00

7:30 a.m.: I got up this morning to run with Alison at 7, but she overslept. She just called and said she would be along soon. That's OK.

9 a.m.: What a terrific run! We did about three miles at a nice easy pace, and it felt wonderful. This time is wasn't so much like a meditation because we were talking. It was fun catching up with an old friend. We asked about each other's families and things like that. She has a new boyfriend -- also named Jim -- and they seem very happy, so I am happy for her. She has had some unhappy relationships lately, and she deserves better. Meanwhile it was mile (about 45 degrees) and bright and sunny. It felt more like April than January. I felt refreshed and energized when I got back. It reminded me of why I love running so much. I hope I can do a lot more running. (That's not me in the photo, just a shot off the Web that captures the feel.)

7 p.m.: In the morning, we had a visit from a Realtor who looked over our house for an appraisal. She is going to do some more research and call us back when she has some figures. Then, after lunch, I went into the office and updated my syllabus for English Composition I and started updating the Web site for the online section of the class. I worked solidly from noon to 5 and got a lot done. It's amazing how much more I get accomplished when nobody else is around.

Barbara made a delicious stir-fry for dinner. We plan to play Scrabble this evening.

(The score of the Scrabble game was a tie! I can't believe it. Barbara made a fantastic playt early in the game. She used all seven tiles to spell "altruism." and got 73 points for it, putting her far in the lead. but I slowly crept up on her and we ended up with a 219-to-119 tie. Mon came in third with 141 points. We all had a good time.
(149/177)
Running: 3 miles

Busy Friday

2006-01-20T23:02:00.000-05:00

11 p.m.: It is late at night, and this is the first time I got to write in my blog. Suffice it to say it was a busy day. I got up at 6 and went for a run and then meditated. (Way to go, Jim, good job!) Barbara and I had an appointment in the morning, and then I headed into the office. I had intended up update my online class, but got caught up "putting out fires" all afternoon. Then I had dinner with two aspirants I am mentoring in my Buddhist order. When I got home I put another coat of paint on the desktop I am making. It was a non-stop day.
(179/176)
Running: 2 miles

Here we go again

2006-01-19T10:09:00.000-05:00

10 a.m.: My first class of the semester is tonight. I had not realized the semester started a week earlier for Suffolk University's program. So I will spend some time today preparing for it.
At my Weight Watchers meeting this morning my weigh-in went well. I am down 3.4 pounds from last week to 176.6. That makes me feel good.
5 p.m.: Whew! I got a lot accomplished at the office today. Most importantly, I am prepared for my class this evening. I knew I could do it.
(148/177)

Windy Wednesday

2006-01-18T09:15:00.000-05:00

9:30 a.m.: I overslept this morning and just barely made it into the dentist's office for my regular cleaning at 8 a.m. Lots of work at the office today.

7 p.m.: I accomplished a lot today. I advised a student (Alex) and wrote two recommendations. I also finished preparation for my mass communication class and sent the syllabi to the copy center. I had lunch with colleagues from the Suffolk University program on Cape Cod. I am teaching a class in media history for them. I had thought it started next week, but I discovered it starts tomorrow -- surprise! That's OK, I can get ready for it easily.

(150/179)

Back to Work

2006-01-17T06:37:00.000-05:00

7:40 a.m.: I have only one week to get ready for the new semester. That does not seem like enough time for all the things I want to do. I am teaching six classes, all of which require advance preparation, especially the online section of English Composition. This morning I need to prepare a letter to be mailed to the online students. I also have an appointment to meet with the incoming student newspaper editor. I have to teacher her how to be an editor. And I have plenty of other things to do, including finishing the move back into my new office. I feel a lot of stress about the whole situation. Perhaps that is why I had a headache last night that persists this morning, Nevertheless, I seemed to get a good night's sleep last night.

I had a good morning meditation at 6, and that helps. I want to get back to exercising too.

( 168/179)

MLK Day

2006-01-16T07:49:00.000-05:00

8 a.m.: I have been invited to lead a walking meditation in Wellfleet today in honor of The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It is an honor.

My blood sugar was only 107 this morning. That is ideal! I am very pleased. I think the best readings are between 95 and 115. I wonder if it is the new medicine (Byetta) the new diet (Weight Watchers) or just a fluke. I had a very light supper last night and my blood sugar went too low. I felt weak and tested it. It was down to 88 at 9 p.m., which is too low, so I had some orange juice and an English muffin with peanut butter. I will have to keep checking it regularly to see what is going on, but I think this is very good news.

7 p.m. :The walking meditation in Wellfleet for Dr. King today was beautiful. It was sunny and frigid, but we all bundled up and smiled at the day. I included excerpts from Joanne Friday's moving tribute in my remarks before the walk, and my friend Joe DaLuz of the NAACP echoed similar sentiments back at the library after the walk. His wife Delores has sat with our sangha occasionally, and she seemed very pleased to see the connection between the two traditions. I also saw my old friend Barb Stineau, who used to sit with the sangha, along with her late husband Mort. Joe mentioned that Mort had been very active in the NAACP, and we all miss him.

In the late afternoon Barbara and I did "dump and groceries" -- we took all our trash to the town transfer station and did a week's worth of shopping. We bought much to much stuff. Just before dinner we got a call from our son Brandon. It was great to hear from him. It sounds like he is doing well down in Asheville.
(107/178)

Snow and Mindfulness

2006-01-15T13:43:00.000-05:00

2 p.m.: I stayed up last night to watch the Patriots get eliminated from the playoffs, and then I slept in until 9 a.m. this morning. I read in the paper that the Cape Cod Times is looking for an ombudsman. I think that would be a perfect job for me.

I put a third coat on the first side of my desk top. It still doesn't look as good as I like. Tomorrow I will try the third coat on the second side, and see how that looks.

This afternoon we have both the discussion group and the regular sangha sitting for the Cape Sangha. I am looking forward to that.

9:30 p.m.: It sure got cold quickly. The car doors were frozen shut. But I managed to get it, get it started and get to the sangha. The discussion group was excellent. We had 12 people there. Then the regular sangha started and there were 17 people -- that includes some of the same people, but not all. It was a gratifying turnout on such a cold and snowy day.

In the evening I watched West Wing.
(169/178)

Rain and wind

2006-01-14T10:50:00.000-05:00

11 a.m.: I slept in again this morning, but -- with Barbara's encouragement -- I returned to my cushion and did my morning meditation at 10:30. It is a cold rainy day, which got me a little discourages. Fortunately the meditation cheered m up, as it always does.

I was wondering what to say at the Martin Luther King Day observance in Wellfleet. Then I received a message from Joanne Friday, my Buddhist mentor, and she included a copy of remarks she made at a similar event last year. I hope to use some excerpts from it in my own talk. I asked for Joanne's permission.

6 p.m.: I am still working on painting the new desk top I made for my college office. I am putting high-gloss enamel on composition board. Unfortunately, the uneven surface of the board is still showing through. Today I put the second coat on the first side. I think I will need to sand it thoroughly and add a third coat until it is smooth enough to be a desk top. We also took care of business today, going over all our bills and checking to see where we stand. As usual, we need to spend less or earn more, The good news is that I just got a raise, although I am not sure how much it will end up being.
(154/179)

Friday the 13th

2006-01-13T08:56:00.000-05:00

9 a.m.: Fortunately I am not a victim of Paraskevidekatriaphobia. That's fear of Friday the 13th.
http://www.wordspy.com/words/paraskevidekatriaphobia.asp

I had a nightmare last night and had a hard time sleeping. So I ended up sleeping in this morning until after 8 a.m. So much for my 6 a.m. routine. Oh well. I do the best I can.

I checked the sales of my book on Amazon.com, and it is climbing up the best-seller list. It's not exactly in the top 10, but it has made it into the top 100,000. It has been anywhere from 240,000 to over 1,000,000. But today it is down to 81,966, which is the lowest it has ever been, indicating that a lot more people are buying it this semester. That makes me very happy.

(158 /179)

Busy Thursday

2006-01-12T19:10:00.000-05:00

7 p.m.: I got up and did my morning meditation at 6. Good for me.
Weight Watchers was a big disappointment. I gained one pound. I followed the diet well, but still did not lose. The only way I can do better, the leader said, was to be sure to drink all the water and milk they recommend. After that, I went to work and had some advising appointments. My office is still being fixed up, and they just waxed the floor, so I could not move back yet. I worked out of a different office. I had lunch with Alison and Jessi, and returned to do more work. I met with a former student, Pam, who is applying to grad school . Then at 4 I attended a meeting of the Cape Cod Interfaith Coalition. It was a very successful meeting.

The Weight Watchers scale said I was 180, although my home scale has been saying 175. I think I'll adjust my home scale to match theirs.

(161/180)

Weary Wednesday

2006-01-11T21:37:00.000-05:00

10 p.m.: I was very tired this morning, rolled over and slept until 10 a.m.
In the afternoon, I went to my office and made some measurements for a new desk top I am building. I came home and sawed the wood and put on a first coat of enamel. It should be pretty good looking when it is done. In the evening we watched The Wedding Crashers, which has to be the worst movie I have ever seen. It sounded like it was written by second graders.
(157/174)