Birthday Poster #5: Read any MORE good books?

At my party on Saturday, I put up a few posters with headings such as: Seen any good movies? Good News! and What are you making? I shoved markers into people's hands and set them to work. I'll post one from time to time. If you didn't make it to the party, or you did but you have a new thought, please add it in the comments.
Here's the second page of books- we filled up the first!

Fairest and Ever by Gail Carson Levin
The Wonderful Flight to the Mushroom Planet by Eleanor Cameron
Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
Under the Wheel by Herman Hesse
Los Hombres son de venus, las mujeres son de marte -Brenda
The History of Love- Rebecca
Memoirs of a Geisha- Barb
The Theatre of the Oppressed- Augusto Boal
Kirby (!)- Bryan
Howards End by E. M. Forster
Bellwether by Connie Willis (hilarious!)
1491
The Island of the Day Before- Ecu
Cash by Johnny Cash
Forward the Foundation (asimov's posthumous novel - miriam)
Bulgakov's Master and Margarita <- or you can watch the movie!
Non-Violent Communication: the Language of Compassion
The Bible
The Art to Loving by Erich Fromm
The Blithedale Romance; The Conjure Woman, L'Eve Future <-cyborgs!; ok, I'm teaching these.
Lying Awake, Mark Saltzman; Peace Like a River; Mountains Beyond Mountains, Tracy Kidder - Linda

Birthday Poster #7: What inspires you?

At my party on Saturday, I put up a few posters with headings such as: Seen any good movies? Good News! and What are you making? I shoved markers into people's hands and set them to work. I'll post one from time to time. If you didn't make it to the party, or you did but you have a new thought, please add it in the comments.

Persistence on issues that take decades or more ; clarity of speech and writing - Carl

great theatre and history - miriam

punk rock and comic books - Jen

Productive people - John E.

Stimulating conversation- Biliana

The water in the pool, the Redwoods, worhsip, mercy, jokes, laughing. - Susan S.

Alternatives to Violence Project. Barb

People (conflict and peace)- Biliana

Perseverance, silence... taking a deep breath. Moving forward... Silence... Steve

Dark chocolate, warm water swimming, and triking. -Mariana

I do my own breathing. N

Freight and Salvage; music festivals; The idea of writing a to-do list, then praying and meditating on the day -Lisa

Most music.- Connie

Silent meeting - Marie

Great art and my amazing friends! Bryan

Beauty - Carl

Good music, God, and praying twice by singing for him. -Libia

Music, especially Sacred Harp; Quaker gatherings; farmers markets; public libraries; art museums; gardens; yarn stores. Linda

Birthday Poster #6: What are your (hidden?) talents?

At my party on July 12, I put up a few posters with headings such as: Seen any good movies? Good News! and What are you making? I shoved markers into people's hands and set them to work. I'll post one from time to time. If you didn't make it to the party, or you did but you have a new thought, please add it in the comments.

music, calligraphy- miriam

I know a lot of facts -Carl

writing and organizing- mariana

index making- Marie

I'm trying not to let them be hidden- Bryan

Thinking about chainsaws

salsa dancing, singing, imitating people's speaking and manners - Biliana

Tap dancing- well, let's say not talent but avocation? I do play flute.-Susan

Nunchucks -Jen

pet skunk judge- Catherine

Memory to recall all sort of small details - Libia

I can fix vacuum cleaners. ( Not dog training, that's for sure!) -Inder

snarking. (OK, not that hidden.)

Painting ceramics. -Brenda

Introversion.

Digestion.

Making something from nothing. -Linda

Birthday Poster #4: Read any good books?

At my party on Saturday, I put up a few posters with headings such as: Seen any good movies? Good News! and What are you making? I shoved markers into people's hands and set them to work. I'll post one from time to time. If you didn't make it to the party, or you did but you have a new thought, please add it in the comments.

Growing Wings by Laurel Winter - Hannah

The Book of Job, translated by Stephen Mitchell- Carl

Pantoms of the Brain, V. Ramachadram

Trader, and Someplace to be Flying by Charles de Lint (Urban fantasy with music)

Prodigal Summer, Barbara Kingsolver

Dancing in the Dragon's Den: Creativity and the Shadow workbook by Suzanne Bane

Tale of Two Cities

Les Miserables (56 years ago- miriam) <- one of my faves -Jen

Quakers and Nazis

Charlotte's Web

Amazing Grace, by Steve Turner (about the song and its history)

Raids n the Unspeakable, Thomas Merton- Susan S.

What is the What- Jen

Water for Elephants- Mariana

The Rolling Stones and Red Planet by Robert A. Heinlein

The Squire's Tale by Gerald Morris

Watership Down By Richard Adams

The Two Princesses of Bamarre by Gail Carsou Levine

Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede

Becoming Naomi Leon by Pam Munoz Ryan

The Saturdays by Elizabeth Enright

The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander

Frida Kahlo: The Paintings by Hayden Herrera

The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett

Beauty by Robin McKinley

Marting Luther King: A Biography

The Enchanted Castle by E. Nesbit

The Story of the Treasure Seekers by E. Nesbit

Sarah Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan

LIttle Women by Louisa May Alcott

Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortensen -Connie

Birthday Poster #3: What are you making?

*

At my party on Saturday, I put up a few posters with headings such as: Seen any good movies? Good News! and What are you making? I shoved markers into people's hands and set them to work. I'll post one from time to time. If you didn't make it to the party, or you did but you have a new thought, please add it in the comments.

Writing a sci-fi novel. -Mariana

Various shelves - John E.

Music, stories, and wonderful memories! Bryan 

An afghan for Afghanis. - Connie

Jam!

my website (folksongcollector.com)

a "type set" of coins - Carl

a purse- Jen

A scarf for next winer. -Libia

Painting a mural at Children's Fairyland; made my first banana bread this morning; new friends -Biliana

trouble. -N

A Fair Isle sweater- Lisa

new musical friends

Knitting a washcloth, also a blanket and a baby hat for Afghans for Afghans; little boxes for stitch markers or buttons; lots of food for various potlucks -Linda

*I realize the picture is actually of a different poster, but I uploaded it on dial-up and do not have the patience to change it.

Birthday Poster #2: Good News!

At my party on Saturday, I put up a few posters with headings such as: Seen any good movies? Good News! and What are you making? I shoved markers into people's hands and set them to work. I'll post one from time to time. If you didn't make it to the party, or you did but you have a new thought, please add it in the comments.
I'm enjoying M&O and I liked FGC. -Mariana

FCL is $olvent!

I'm at a party! -John E.

There are always options; Every day is a new chance to create, participate in, receive goodness - Biliana

My senators are supporting an end to the war!!

Linda was born!- Barb

Marc reached El Salvador, alive, will visit Perguin; Worship for peace at the War Requiem.- Susan S.

Parts of my garden are surviving the drought.-Connie

Rapid buses on Telegraph Ave. - Carl (They scare me- miriam).

Julia and Penni's wedding

It's summer

I'm getting married!- Libia

Bancroft Library is gonna re-open! Special collections for all.

Brooke and Issa's son Kouli born 7/10/2008

Hannah's sunflower has many blossoms and is attracting bees

Quaker Peace Cluster- next Sunday July 20th 5:30- HERE!

Our new school had a successful first year. Linda

Birthday Poster #1: Seen Any good movies?

At my party on Saturday, I put up a few posters with headings such as: Seen any good movies? Good News! and What are you making? I shoved markers into people's hands and set them to work. I'll post one from time to time. If you didn't make it to the party, or you did but you have a new thought, please add it in the comments.

Amazing Grace; Sense and Sensibility; Red Shoes; Cyrano De Bergerac- miriam

Under the Moon- Mariana

Dead Man Walking; Festival Express- Bryan

Young at Heart- Connie

Freedom Writers- Susan

The Gospel Road w/ Johnny Cash

No! -Steve

A Hard Day's Night

I'm Not There (Cate Blanchett gets and A+)- Barb

Back to the Future- miriam

Still Crazy- Sarah

Children of Heaven- Brenda (i want to see this- miriam)

Wall E- Libia

XXY- Anna

Life is Beautiful

Night Nurse- Barbara Stanwyck, Joan Blondell and craziness

The 40 year old Bachelor- Carl

Lisa: Into the West (Irish, 1990's?) Shut Up and Sing (Dixie Chicks); The Ploughman's Lunch (Eng. 1984); Ghost World (1990s); Tremors (1980s goofy horror); Pete Seeger: The Power of Song; The Last Waltz

The Station Agent, Opal Dream, Enchanted April, City of Hope- Linda

Give Me the Roses While I Live

I had my belated birthday party Saturday at my meeting's education building, a potluck and singing that brought out 39 guests, one for each year of my life so far.
I realized at some point that there were more people in the room that I loved than out of it- a rare and precious thing. And they all talked to each other: my teaching friends and singing friends and Quaker friends from four meetings (Berkeley, Strawberry Creek, San Francisco, and Oakland Worship Group). We ate, made birthday posters (more about that in another post) and were drenched with music: miriam played the piano, Bryan stopped by to sing and play guitar, and some brave souls stayed on until the end to sing with us or listen to us sing from the Sacred Harp.

It meant so much to me to have my singing friends there, singing the music that has brought healing to my heart over these four years since I discovered it. Our meeting has had a rough few months, and I feel like going to memorials has become a way of life. So this music that acknowledges so honestly the presence of death was a much needed balm, as much as we joked about the appropriateness of so much "gloom and doom" at a birthday celebration. It didn't feel gloomy to me at all, but rather, deeply joyful.
blurry, I know, but I couldn't resist this shot of altos from 3 quaker meetings and the UCB Sacred Harp group.

I opened our little sing with a few words of explanation, and then led 49t Old Hundred as a relatively easy and familiar tune to get us started. Then David explained all the crucial information I had forgotten to say (thanks, David!) and we kept going around the circle, with people sometimes choosing songs that made them think of me, and sometimes something that they just particularly enjoyed. When it came to Susan's second turn to lead a song, she asked me if I had a request, to which I replied, "No, just pick something you love." So she had us sing 475 A Thankful Heart, saying that seemed a fitting song for me.

Give me a calm, a thankful heart
From ev'ry murmur free;
The blessing of Thy grace impart,
and make me live to Thee.

Let the sweet hope that Thou art mine
My life and death attend;
Thy presence through my journey shine,
And crown my journey's end.

I was touched because it is a song that has special significance for me. It was a song that I called a lot when Carol was dying. A friend said that there are Friends in meeting that we all know when they die that they will leave a big hole, but that she didn't think that anyone realized what a big hole Carol would leave. Of all the Friends I am mourning these days, I think I mourn Carol the most, and she certainly was most on my mind as I planned this party. She used whatever activity or event in her life to draw others into community, whether that community was our meeting, her workplace, or her neighborhood.

All in all, a lovely, simple evening. Ooh, and presents:


The perfect assortment of presents, I would add: flowers, cards, a couple books, a booklight, homegrown zucchini, homemade jam, chocolate, a foldable bag, a tee shirt (I am flattered, Denise, but we'll definitely need to exchange that for another size!), a Sacred Harp CD, and a Peets gift card. Enough stuff to make me feel celebrated, not so much that I felt weighed down with clutter, and all of it useful, interesting and/or pretty. Lucky, lucky me.

A Blessing of Birds Redux

There were so many blessings from Friends General Conference Gathering that I may never post about them all.  The most important was the opportunity to see my life in the Light: those things I need more of, the things I need less of, my areas of struggle and of joy and nourishment. Among the things in the "more of" column were birds, walking, and meditation. In a word, mindfulness. I've had a big drift towards mindlessness, particularly as I tried to muster the energy to get through the school year. "Pace yourself" is great advice that I spectacularly ignored this year, and so there's quite a bit of sludge to clear out: lack of resilience, disconnection, anxiety, incipient depression and impending chaos. Ooh, seeing that all in print in one sentence is a bit alarming! Well, better to be aware of the edge of the cliff before I've stepped off. Much less messy that way.

I have the intention of retraining myself in these three weeks before I am back to work full time, and daily meditation and walking are priorities, which bring me back to birds. Birds, those feathered bits of common and uncommon beauty, are my connection to the Divine in nature. In the rose garden I saw a pair of either cooper's or sharp-shinned hawks through the trees, spotted robins and a black phoebe, heard a red-breasted nuthatch, and watched an as-yet unidentified sparrow hunt for bugs beside the path. The best was yet to come, though.

I came home, moved the drying rack to the laundry room porch, and was hanging up the wash when into the morning glories swooped a pair of hooded orioles. 

Sadly, I had no camera in hand, but here's a picture of a male hooded oriole I got from Google image search. You'll have to imagine him next to the blue-violet blossoms:

picture courtesy of James Ownby, copyright 2008. Check out his site, he's awesome!
A blessing of birds, indeed.

Reasons Why JFK Airport is the Seventh Circle of Hell

• Somehow the metal detector was deemed insufficient to reveal whatever secret terrorist devices I might be carrying down my loose pant legs, so the TSA agent felt compelled to feel me up. But wait, it gets better.
• JFK Airport is filthy. Dirty. Gross. The picture really doesn't capture the stains, trash, crumbs, and worse. In the entire five hours I was trapped here, I saw one person half-heartedly sweeping the larger pieces of trash. Ugh.
  

• The bathrooms were worse. Much, much worse.
  

• The view, or lack thereof. 
  

•  It was crazy loud, even for an airport: shouting gate agents and horrid muzak that were louder than my iPod. As if I needed any more reasons to avoid airplanes and airports like the scourge they are.
  

My Very Own Wordle

 

Thanks, Will!