MaryAlice Musings and More

Today was the first and only day in January where the temperature went above 32 degrees fahrenheit....January thaw, but not official because it has to be more than 2 days, and we are only get in one in January and the next day in February is not supposed to get above freezing.  Minnesotans in masse and me in particular went out to Medicine Lake (very urban ring of the twin cities) and visited the art shanty  projects... 20 plus "shanties" on the ice.. check it out. One of my highlights was teaching this gay guy how to knit in the knitting shanty (it was a yurt).  The entire experience is totally minnesota,  an acquired taste, and I went with a native - so all the better.  artshantyproject.org   So after being just jazzed up on the life on the ice.  I went to my neighborhood bar for a fundraiser for Kevin Reich.  I have known Kevin since shortly after I moved "nordeast"  he was born here, is a died in the wool community organizer, and is running for city council....I...

I am off to an evening of great music. Having just had a Five-Element Acupuncture treatment, I feel tuned up, refined, and ready to let in this music experience that I am sure will be heart opener and soul sustainer. January is almost done, there has been no thaw. The light of the day is longer. The sun is higher in the sky. The earth rotation keeps moving, keeps beating. I am breathing deep and glad that it is the end of the work week. That I have a wonderful plan for the evening. Tomorrow is tax preparation and Art Shanties. The world of paying attention to what needs to be done, making the ice and snow a friend, enjoying creativity, and having some fun.... Say Yes. Breathe it in.

There is such a huge range of what is real at this time.  Such hope and trust and appreciation of President Obama actually talking to Arab world with respect.  The tears of a mother who can no longer help her son to attend college and he has to leave, her lifetime dreamed seemingly dashed.  So as I knit, as I use my needle and turn wool into felt I hold it all in my heart.  That this divine creative spark I am manifesting acts as a pray a wish for the pain to be lessened, reconciliation to become a reality.  It is all right here right now.   "In everything is the hidden wholeness".  Thomas Merton

This morning very early I had a dream about days of January thaw.  At least I think I was dreaming, or it might have been that time when one is just awakening.  I was remembering that we have not had a January thaw, and maybe one will happen on the last day of the month but so far NO thaw.  I then went back some 30+ years ago when I was living in southwest Wisconsin in Vernon County.  They grow tobacco in Vernon County, it is not a high grade tobacco, it is one that is used as outside wrapper on what must be really bad cigars, or who knows what.  When I lived there in the early 70's, getting a tobacco allotment (there was a tobacco cooperative) was a valued commodity, you could grow on a very small parcel land enough tobacco to pay your taxes and other baseline expenses.  I planted and weeded and topped and harvested the tobacco-I did not "strip" it.  That is when you take the "cured" dried tobacco off the lathe and put into tobacco boxes for shipment and sale. ...

For a few moments this morning, the sky looked like a negative.  Pretty soon there will be people who do not know what a negative in, but I think I am safe now with the metaphor.  I was watching the sky, which is something that I spend time during almost every morning.  It is a morning meditation, a way for me to more slowly become awake.  A thank you for the our planet, the universe, to enjoy the majesty that is right here outside of my sliding doors.  Then there are moments like this morning when it's just amazing what is in the sky,  the clouds were all dark gray, some almost black, and the rest of the sky was white and light gray.  It did not last long, but it was a great picture.  I am glad my eye got to see it and my heart got to feel it.  A little gift at the beginning of another below zero day!  Happy Winter.

In 1992, the Americans with Disabilities Act went into effect.   Today is also, the first day of the Chinese New Year.  This year is the year of the Ox.  The Ox symbolized strength, stability and prosperity.  President Obama was born under the year of the Ox,  they believe that people born under this sign are born to lead, and are able to speak with great clarity and impact.   Here's to the continued effects of the landmark ADA legislation, and to this New Year and to our President who was born under this sign that we celebrate today.

Today was a recharge day.  I decided to not go out of the house.  I just had a completed whimp out day about the cold.  It's 2 degrees or so as I write, and it has been colder today, then there's the wind, and I had a pile of mail that has gotten larger and larger - so I decided it was "stay inside" day.  I had basketball on much of the day, it was background noise, except when the gopher's women's game was on!  It was ugly, they won, and I was glad to be home.  The pile of mail has been reduced substantially.  There is now a stack of envelopes, bills, letters, replies - finished.  Recharging, completion, finishing up - these are good things to do before Monday brings a new work week, a week when the Governor announces his budget,  we will hear (maybe) who will be the interim Deputy Commissioner and Medicaid Director - the current one will be gone on Friday,  and there will be countless meetings, contract negotiations, and more.  So it is good to have a day wh...