My First Video Blog

Hi Friends,

It has been a while since I've blogged and today decided to do a video blog. In the video, I talk about an afghan I knitted for my brother. Here is a photo of the afghan.


And here is the video. (I feel like I don't look my best and will wear a colored shirt next time, instead of a beige one, and more makeup. Plus, I will hopefully not have a cold and look so pale! I guess it's true that we are all our own worst critics...LOL) Enjoy!

Cheers,
Jun-ri

Busy Being Fabulous

Hi Buddies,

You may notice I like to title my blogs with a reference to a song title or lyrics. Today's song is Busy Being Fabulous by the Eagles. Love the song and the title was too good to pass up today. Click here to watch the video.

I've had a fabulous day, sitting on the deck in an Adirondack chair, next to the creek with my laptop and a glass of raspberry tea, just busily working away on work projects. I like to do that this time of year. It was a beautiful, warm and sunny day until about a half hour ago when some clouds came over the sky and a cool breeze started breezing by. It's still a beautiful day, but I'll have to wear a jacket when I go running in a half hour!

So you can experience this joy with me, here is a photo of my deck from last year. I don't have one from this year, though I just put out flowers and will take photos soon. I will post one of the creek when I take one, as well.



The other day I signed up to do a 5k, the first one I've ever done! I'm really, really excited. I haven't been able to find anyone who can go to Sacramento (where the race is) with me that weekend, but I'm sure I will be able to get someone to take a pic of me while I'm there. Click here to know more.

WooHoo the sun just came out! So, here is a spur of the moment haiku.

The creek runs past me
Babbling, running, singing song
Melted mountain snow

I've had some really nice meditations lately. They've been very mellow and it's been easy for me to get to a good head-space. When I'm in the midst of such a place in my meditation practice it can be easy to take it for granted. But, I'm feeling very grateful. I was reminded of a quote I read recently by Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche from his book Creation and Completion. "Everything depends upon your mind." For any of us who enjoy delving into spiritual or self-help topics, or who appreciate introspection, that is hardly a new revelation. But sometimes I forget that whenever I get something of value, it is usually because I've done something to bring it about. Of course, sometimes I just get lucky. And then there is the fact that when I don't get what I want I've probably done something to bring about THAT result! So,when it comes down to it, it's all a matter of accepting my own responsibility, for the good and the not-so-good. It all starts in my mind and snowballs from there. (Picture me making a mental note to be extra vigilant in watching my mind. Can you hear the wheels turning??? LOL)

I had the opportunity to introduce a new meditator to the practice a few days ago. It was an honor to be there to help him out and set him on a useful path.

Night before last I was in Reno at the Whole Foods store. I bought the coolest thing, a hanging basket with a trailing tomato plant, a basil plant and a parsley plant! I hung it in the roof eave, over my deck. I'm so excited because the bunnies and squirrels eat everything you plant unless it is already established, and sometimes they eat that, too, or it is out of reach, aka hanging up. The tomato plant is flowering, so I look forward to fresh, 2" tomatoes.

Before I went to Whole Foods, I bought some new running shoes that are so comfortable I feel like flying and running faster than my heart rate zone will allow me. My trainer, Norman, has to hold me back, reminding me that when I go out of my training zone I burn calories but I don't burn as much fat. I'm really loving having good shoes! I also went to a singles potluck. It was a nice time with nice people, good food and we played board games after we ate. A good time was had by all.

Well, it's time for me to get ready to meet Tina, my running partner. I hope you had as nice a day as I did, and that tomorrow is even better.

Cheers,
Jun-ri

I Wish I Had My Camera With Me!

Well friends, I'm back home from a week of training and have recuperated some. I had a great time and one thing that was really special was the Spring flowers in the desert. The Arizona state flower is the saguaro blossom, and the saguaros were blooming. It was beautiful and here are some pictures.

I love the saguaro blossoms. It was difficult to find a cactus bloom that was close enough to the ground, but I did my best!



While I was gone, I also wrote some haikus, but I have momentarily misplaced my journal. I think there are four of them.

While I was gone I gained a few pounds on the dessert that was served at every lunch and dinner! It will go away quickly, since I very seldom have any dessert at home. I went hiking twice while I was in Tucson, too.

Yesterday I went for a 5-mile walk with my friend, Tina. It was a nice walk; I stayed in my training zone nearly the whole time. But what was really special was the two coyote pups we saw! They were so sweet! They were so young and so small with such big, pointy ears they looked like little kittens. One of them was really quite brave and was very curious about us. He got quite close to us. That could be hazardous to the little pup if he isn't afraid of humans! I just feel so blessed to have been able to see them. Yep, I wish I had had my camera with me.

Anyway, the evening has slipped away and it's time to get ready for tomorrow....So, have a fantastic tomorrow!

Jun-ri

And, please, don't forget those animals!

I Left on a Jet Plane

Hello Friends,

I meant to write before I left, but I didn't! I'm just glad there is a computer I can use at the retreat center where I am! I am in Tucson, Arizona for the second half of LifeForce yoga training. I will learn more about how to use yoga techniques that help people with depression, anxiety and related issues. It starts tonight. The first half was in January.

I had a nice flight yesterday. I got the whole row to myself on both segments of the flight. I was able to stretch out a bit, read and take a nap.

Tonight, since it is the official start of the training, there will be more vegetarian food offered. The food hasn't been bad last night and breakfast and lunch today, but there hasn't been much for me to eat. They are feeding me three meals a day, but they are feeding other people, who aren't vegetarians, too. So...I've had a nice salad bar experience and some fruit. I had oatmeal this morning, with soy milk, so that was fine. I just had lunch a couple hours ago, though, and I'm pretty hungry now. I have some fruit and trail mix to eat, so I'll be okay. I am going to go take a nice walk before I have to register for the training at 4:00. I have a 3-hour break every day, and will try to get some cardio and strength-training exercise in. The temperature will be about 100 degrees the whole time I'm here, so I'll have to be careful I don't get too much heat. I'll be doing lots of yoga, though, so have some exercise already built into my week!

I'll write again if I get another chance. I'll be pretty busy, though, sooooo...maybe not. I'll be getting home on May 14, and will talk to you then for sure.

Love and hugs to you all,
Jun-ri

Everything is Blurry

Hello Buddies,

You may have noticed I've had a serious lapse in my commitment to daily blogging. It seems like once you let yourself go to bed without blogging, it becomes easier and easier. Just like cheating on your diet, or anything else, for that matter.

I've been unfocused the last few weeks. I've not been too bad with eating and have been keeping up the exercising. I've had a few lapses on the eating end, but it hasn't had too negative of a result, other than not losing any more weight.

I just haven't felt myself lately, and I've felt overwhelmed. It seems I still have one more mouse that likes to eat my cereal, unless it is bait in the live trap I put in my pantry last week. This mouse must have a bigger head than normal, since he (she, more likely LOL) is smart enough to not take the bait. I've just felt like there are too many things to do and not nearly enough time to do them. When I feel like that, I have to set a timer for 15 minutes several times a day, to prod me into doing things, or I will just do nothing but feel overwhelmed. Procrastination is an art and I am a procrastination artiste! Just give me a chance and nothing will get done!

I went to my Zen meditation group in Carson City this evening. It was great. The dharma talk is always good, but tonight Roshi's talk was really funny, in addition to being informative. I went right into a good meditative state and didn't want to come out of it at the end of the 30 minutes. It was fantastic!

I took Roscoe to the vet Saturday. It was time for his regular 6-month checkup, and he has a "thing" in his eye. The vet numbed his eye and took a sample. Turns out it is a fat deposit, probably because he is too fat. He's been on a diet this week and is really, really unhappy about it. I completely understand his feelings, but his whining would be really annoying if it wasn't so funny. I am soooo not starving him. He has plenty of hay and pellets in his cage. But he doesn't have extra dandelion greens, Italian parsley, carrots, strawberries, cherry tomatoes, or tangerine slices, which is what he REALLY wants. He woke me up at 7:00 this morning. THAT was not funny. LOL Squeak Squeak Squeak!!! LOUD. Did he run out of food? No. He had plenty of food.

Considering it is midnight, I am going to go to bed. But...I blogged before going to bed. So... I fulfilled today's commitment!

Cheers,
Jun-ri

It's Alive It's ALIVE

Hello Friends,

I'm sorry it has been such a long time since my last blog. I haven't felt well, have been dealing with a lung infection, etc., and really haven't felt at all creative. When you have Fibromyalgia, you just do the basic things to keep you going. That is particularly so when you aren't feeling well. You just don't have any energy for extras.

Other than my not feeling well, it has been a good week and a half! I have been busy, too, with working, various appointments and such. One nice thing, the lovelife has returned. I had a feeling it would, though, just in case, I was prepared for the event that it wouldn't. Picture me with a big smile.

This past Saturday I had to take Roscoe (my guinea pig) to the vet to check out a growth on his eyeball, and it was time for his 6-month check-up. I was worried about him. The vet numbed his eyeball and took a sample to be sent out to a cytology lab. Luckily, the vet called today to say it was just fat and isn't anything to worry about. He has to lose some weight (he's on a diet) and she thinks that as he does lose weight the fat on his eyeball will go away, too. Roscoe is very unhappy about the diet and peed in his pellets bowl twice yesterday because he wanted to eat something like a cherry tomato instead. That made the vet laugh! (He accidentally pees in his pellets maybe once a year, so I know it was intentional.)

I've been exercising the best I can with not being able to breathe. I missed a whole week of exercise, and was only able to do a small bit of yoga. I'm back at it today, with my trainer's help, and got in a full workout.

Tonight I went to the theater and saw "State of Play," the new Russell Crowe, et al., flick. I was pleased with the film and the mystery in the plot. I enjoyed myself immensely and would give it an A-. (My A's and A+'s are reserved for the best of the best.) If you like to be on the edge of your seat and involved in the nature of a plot, this is a good movie for you to see. Also, there wasn't a lot of graphic violence or language, and no sex or nudity, if that is important to you.

I went to Temple Sunday before last. The dharma talk was about how everything is impermanent and transitory, like the blossoms on the cherry trees, and the seasons. Our priest was speaking from his home temple in Japan (we see him on a big-screen TV with the help of Skype-it's quite amazing!). He spoke about some of the things he's seeing in Japan that remind him of the transitory, impermanent nature of life, like the white swans flying to their summer home in Siberia. He also talked about how this transitory, impermanent nature of life is natural and that we need to be natural with it, realizing it is the true nature of existence. I got an idea for a haiku and started taking notes during the dharma talk. (Bad Buddhist!)

Seasons of life change
Swans fly to Siberia
It's just natural

The natural, transitory and impermanent nature of life could fuel hundreds of haikus. Of course, for you Christians, and fans of The Byrds (and the song Turn Turn Turn), you may be thinking of the scripture in Ecclesiastes, which says that for everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven. Since I don't have a Bible handy, I'm paraphrasing, but you undoubtedly know to what I am referring. I don't know if every religion or philosphy addresses this naturalness of impermanence, but I'll bet most do. It is a fundamental reality. It is such a simple concept, but it is so deep and powerful at the same time. It is the basis of so much truth and not accepting this truth causes soooooo much suffering! We try sooooo hard to hold on to things that cannot possibly be permanent, things that are, by their very nature, transitory and impermanent. We have so many unhealthy attachments. Here is a quote from the Diamond Sutra.

By detachment from appearances, abide in Real Truth.
So I tell you, thus shall you think of all this fleeting world,
A star at dawn, a bubble in a stream;
A flash of lightning in a summer cloud,
A flickering lamp, a phantom, a dream.

So now I leave you to dream my dreams of this night...

In gassho,
Jun-ri

Started Training for a 5k!!!

Hello Buddies,

On Monday, I started training for a 5k that I will run on May 10. It's a short time away, for training, but since the event is not timed and is a run/walk event, it is okay. I am excited! There are three events in May and June that I am thinking of running/jogging/walking. I used to run a looooooong time ago, and am excited about getting into it again. I want to be able to run (slowly/jog) a 10k in September before my trip in October. I'd like to be my goal weight by then, as well, but I seem to be losing weight slower than necessary to do that. It will be okay either way.

I really need to buy some good running shoes. I'm torn about that. I have some good vegan athletic shoes, but they wouldn't be the best "running shoes." I haven't found any vegan ones. That bums me out. If any of you know of some good quality running shoes that are vegan, let me know! Please! I need some that would be supportive and comfortable for running miles and miles.

As for a haiku, hmmm, I'm not certain what I want to write about! It has been snowing off and on since yesterday afternoon and has been colder than it had been the last couple of weeks. I hope tomorrow is nice; I'm going to the hot springs with my friend, Melodi. The sunburn I got last time I went, about 2 1/2 weeks ago, has healed. I'm ready for another trip! I'm still not thinking of a haiku topic. Maybe tomorrow.

The quote for yesterday, in my favorite book, is from Matthew Bortolin in The Dharma of Star Wars.

The only way to balance within one's self and peace in the world is to face the dark side with openness and courage - and to come to terms with the truth of reality as it is.

That one was too good to pass up on passing along to you. It goes so well with my most recent post on my Awareness Village Blog on satya, or truthfulness. The following paragraph and quote is from that blog and says all I really need to say about this quote.

I believe, most importantly, satya applies to your relationship with yourself. Everything, satya included, starts with you, moving from our inside world to the outside world. When you are honest with yourself, you remove delusion and the filters through which you see your own behavior and your world. Sometimes it isn't easy to be honest with ourselves. We have had years of practicing habits, patterns of perception, and beliefs which work together to color our understanding of ourselves at any given moment. These are our filters. By practicing satya, we, over time, eliminate our filters and increase actions which arise from the truth in our relationships with ourselves and others. We act from a place of truth, not from a place of the fears and assumptions we learned through using our filters. Then we can think, speak and act from truth and in accordance with our highest goals and beliefs. When we consistently practice satya, we have no reason to fear our behavior and we have no regrets. In his book "Raja Yoga," Swami Kriyananda says it all.

An attitude of truthfulness means to try always to see things as they are, to accept the possibility that one may be mistaken in his most cherished opinions, to entertain no likes and dislikes that might prejudice his perception of reality as it is.

Today was a bit of a stressful day just because it was "tax day." But I was able to get my extension filed this morning and go on with my day. I don't know why I felt stressed, but I did. I'm over that, though, and now and I'm just tired.

Since I need some rest, I'm going to meditate for a bit, knit for a bit, read for a bit, then sleep for a much longer bit.

Many blessings to all of you,
Jun-ri

P.S. The animals still need some help. Won't you help me meet my donation goal? Thanks!