WEDNESDAY-THURSDAY-FRIDAY

There's sun at 9 a.m. WEDNESDAY, but its not made it up over the buildings yet. Sad times in the news as usual lately and hard times too.

7 p.m. I spent a half hour trying to get in to my Zendo Zoom Wesdnesday session with the cell phone gift set to do just that-failed and frustrated I've been using the phone just for Zen meetings for months and most of the time it works. Because it loses it's charge, Ive been turning off entirely at the end of each session and last time I signed off was Monday. Who knows. It is beyond me tonight. Now watching the storm damage in Florida and Alabama. Winds up to 105 mph, bridges collapsing and high water beyond bearing and the fires are still burning in the West. Meanwhile, I am safe and still careful regarding protections from the Virus-masks, gloves, hand washing and staying close to home-I have no problems to speak of even though I am speaking. BLAH-BL-BLAH-SIGH. Meanwhile THURSDAY arrived chilly and grey.

Neighborhood Walk Tiny dog, desperate for attention is ignored by her caretaker in favor of his cell phone.

Another house with wisteria vine and Ivy.

Bravo Bob Woodward.

1:30 a.m. FRIDAY entered after an hour long talk, well, more like a listen to my dear friend Michaels entertaining and amazing memories and despite my suggestion he get a tape recorder so that later when he has peace and time he might write them up. I reatlly think he might have a book worth reading. Last bit, we spoke of the resurrection and his sisters beautiful photographs of her emerging butterfly, which he said he would post. It's a potent metaphor-So then I told him about process-How does a caterpillar rearrange itself into a butterfly? What happens inside a chrysalis or cocoon? First, the caterpillar digests itself, releasing enzymes to dissolve all of its tissues. If you were to cut open a cocoon or chrysalis at just the right time, caterpillar soup would ooze out. But the contents of the pupa are not entirely an amorphous mess. Certain highly organized groups of cells known as imaginal discs survive the digestive process. Before hatching, when a caterpillar is still developing inside its egg, it grows an imaginal disc for each of the adult body parts it will need as a mature butterfly or moth—discs for its eyes, for its wings, its legs and so on. In some species, these imaginal discs remain dormant throughout the caterpillar's life; in other species, the discs begin to take the shape of adult body parts even before the caterpillar forms a chrysalis or cocoon. Some caterpillars walk around with tiny rudimentary wings tucked inside their bodies, though you would never know it by looking at them. WATCH (10 minute Video)

2 p.m. What was one has become 5. They fight. Sadly, I have stopped leaving sunflower seeds. The screen is closed. Four of them now occupy the window sills of an empty apartment for rent across the alley

"Connie" stands guard on my sill.

This is hard for me, but I know what happens. If I feed her, they fly over and a fight ensues with flapping wings and threat chortles and all the seed falls into the alley. Eventually neighbors will complain and the super will have to get rid of them. Pigeons are hated in this city by landlords and many other people. Not by me (((sigh))) After several days they will fly away and begin to look elsewhere. I'll carry seed in my poscket when I go out and descretely drop some when I see them in the neighborhood. "Pigeons are as ubiquitous in the world’s cities as bad traffic, buskers, and late-night takeaways. London alone is estimated to contain more than a million pigeons, inhabiting the many parks and gardens that crisscross its 1,000 square miles. Given these vast numbers – and the fact that an urban pigeon seldom lives for more than three or four years – it’s a wonder why they are not strewn across city streets. There are several possible reasons for this.'-READ https://theconversation.com/where-are-all-the-dead-pigeons-98874 "There is no spiritual practice more profound than being kind to one's family, neighbors, the cashier at the grocery store, an unexpected visitor, the con in the next cell, a stray cat or dog, or any other of the usually 'irrelevant' or 'invisible' beings who may cross our paths in the course of a normal day. Certainly there are spiritual mysteries beyond description to explore, but as we mature, it becomes clear that those special experiences are only meaningful when they arise from and return to a life of ordinary kindness." -Bo Lozoff-

Watching the BBC News and none of it is good. Meanwhile the setting sun is reflected on buildings in the East of my Manhattan Window View.

KINDA PERSONAL

Saturday
August 1st 2020

Manhattan Window View
Looking East

5:30 a.m.

“Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.”

Mark Twain

I am in need of kindness. My chronic digestive condition has gotten a grip on my equanimity and I've been under the weather through Saturday.
(https://badgut.org/information-centre/a-z-digestive-topics/collagenous-colitis/)

8 p.m
Looking West

 Midnight
Calmer now with over the counter medication and stomach soothing tea.

Sunday
August 2nd
semi-sleepless night
6 a.m. Looking East

 77 degrees, humid, rain expected.
Looking West

Spent the last hour in tedious monthly bill paying preparation. Then made watery white basmati rice for breakfast. I'm out of 'cream of rice' and it's actually hard to find, especially these pandemic days (((sigh))). The push to open up has resulted in a surge of positive cases beginning to be evident. I knew it was wrong, but unfortunately the politicians are not yet willing to go into lock-down. I am already in virtual lock down and will only go out for food, post office and bank.
Meanwhile
A Nap
<<<>>>

STEPPING from 2016 into 2017

 Amtrak from Springfield Massachusetts to New York City

Friday
30th December 2016

Home

New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care

One Hundred and Eight strikings of the Bell

Saturday
31st December 2016

Tibet House New York City
Sunday

1st January 2017

 One Hundred and Eight Hanuman Chalisas

Walked Home with a Friend
and One Perfect Rose

Intention
MONDAY
2nd January 2017

BLANK PAGES

Living
A single page for every day

Every page a single day

Wednesday
Kindness is a gift from a friend

Thursday
Huge tragedy explodes in the East Village

Friday
East Village Update

Do not despair

Ted the bear is always there

A willing comfort pillow

Saturday
5AM
Hoping to see the eaglets near dawn

5PM
Yikes - A suspected gas leak where I live

 Fifteen fireman and two trucks responded
They went up and down both our buildings
Into basements, out back and up to the roofs

The Fire department is on high alert

I waited till they had cleared their search

Then traveled on to a friend's for supper

 

Sunday

Sitting quietly
Doing nothing
Spring comes
Grass grows

Matsuo Bashō (1644-1694)

'TWAS ONE TRULY PERFECT MONDAY

I mean, everything and every one was just so kind, so civil, so surprising in the best way, I had visions of a lightning bolt striking me down--it was all so too pleasant.  But, home now, unsinged, and channel 13 is showing  a 'special' about Lou Reed that comes close to doing him some kind of justice.  A you tube sample at the bottom of this post

This perfect day started with breakfast--one of those organic apples I got yesterday at the after-the-marathon-party, with walnuts, honey and cottage cheese

 Delicious

Then out to my cataract clinic appointment, and I was offered a seat on the subway by two people.  Had a friendly conversation with the woman I sat next to about noticing others.

Grand Central Station and Met Life 

At the clinic, owing $145 dollars for the previous exam that medicare had said they would pay zero on...I was dreading the fact I'd have to say I couldn't pay the whole thing, and hoping for a liberal payment plan...when I was told that the University paid $130 of the fee and I only owed $10, which I paid with no strain!

The Grace Building and SUNY vision Center

The exam was painless.
AND
I was informed that the surgery would be fully paid by medicare and medicaid, and that the doctor could perform it at a facility on West 23rd street a short bus trip from my home!

Retail Window With A Message

Reeling with joy and gratitude, I left.
On the crosstown bus a funny seat giving number again, and the speed bus was there on 2nd Avenue almost immediately, where, believe it or not, yet another seat was offered!  I arrived an hour early so, was able to catch a glimpse of laughing kids in the classroom where we meet as they were leaving.

 
I had time to myself to unwind, let the blurry eyes clear a bit before we started.  The session was great...it happens like that sometimes...all seven of us wrote and read wonderful pieces 

  ~

 Night fell gently.

 Could it get any better and gravity still hold sway?
I think that lightning bolt must have struck some other poor sucker, or maybe it just changed it's mind, cooled off, turned to a gentle rain before moving off to elsewhere.

Here's Lou

1998

http://youtu.be/Uri6LLCZVjg