Catching up

Jamal (Beauty), 3 Ayyám-i-Há (The Days of Há), 172 BE - Sunday, February 28, 2016 about 10:26 AM Pacific Standard Time

I'm catching up
I'm finishing what I started
before going to the emergency room

On Friday, February 19, I attempted some early morning writing. I had to get offline because of stomach pain and the dry heaves. I went to the Emergency Room sometime between 11:00 AM and Noon. I don't remember when I had my friend drive me because I was in too much pain to care about the time.

On the morning of Saturday, February 20, I had an umbilical hernia repaired and was out of it the rest of the day. On Sunday, February 21, I was conscious of what was going on around me, but I didn't care. I got out of the hospital on Monday afternoon, February 22, and begin the recovery process. I wasn't able to sit at the computer or go online for any amount of time unit Wednesday, February 24, since then I've been attempting to catch up on my on line commitments.

Friday Rant

Istiqlal (Independence), 13 Mulk (Dominion), 172 BE - Friday, February 19, 2016 about 8:30 AM Pacific Standard Time

I suppose I should get up from the keyboard and lay down on the couch or in bed for a short nap. However, I'm going to attempt to write and post this before I fall asleep. I'm not sure it would do any good to lay down anyway because once my head hits the pillow or the arm of the couch I will be wide awake. As usual I didn't sleep all the way through the night, but I did sleep better on Thursday night then I did on Wednesday.

I didn't sleep good Wednesday night because I was in pain and had the dry heaves. I think the problem is my gallbladder. I'm supposed to consult with a specialist sometime in the next month or so (I hope). I've been trying to consult with one since January 24, but every time I talk to the surgery specialist office they need a specific referral. I called my primary care doctor's office yesterday and left a message about the referral. They haven't gotten back to me yet, so I'll have to call them again after they open at 9:00 AM.

If I have to go into the hospital for gallbladder surgery, I want to get it done and over with so that I can get on with my writing and my life. I am going to post this and then set on the couch so that I can say the Long Healing Prayer before I decide whether to nap on the couch or in my bed.

Midweek Reflections on a Wednesday Afternoon in February

'Idal (Justice), 11 Mulk (Dominion), 172 BE - Wednesday, February 17, 2016 about 4:51 PM Pacific Standard Time

Wednesday afternoon
third week of February 2016
my mind has gone blank.

I'm attempting to write,
but my muse has just walked out
the open door.

I listen to the wail
of distant sirens,
I wonder what is going down.

I listen to the neighborhood
children playing
outside in the pleasant weather.

This morning
there were high thin clouds
flowing across the blue sky.

This afternoon cloudy,
with temperatures
in the high 70s.

Wednesday afternoon,
hump day
and the week is half over.

Valentine's Day Thoughts on Love and Romance

Jamal (Beauty), 8 Mulk (Dominion), 172 BE - Sunday, February 14, 2016 about 10:04 AM Pacific Standard Time

It's Valentine's Day!
It's the day to celebrate love
And for lovers to give each other gifts.

I'm single. I'm not in a romantic relationship. I'm not looking for a romantic relationship. However, at 69 years young, I believe that I do have some experience with love and romantic relationships. I'm not an expert, but then I don't think anyone is an expert on either of these subjects. I have learned one thing from my romantic lesions which is that each romantic relationship and romance is different. It doesn't matter how many relationships a person is involved over the course of his or her life each one is different from the one before.

The best Valentine's Day Gift
Contrary to what the Valentine's Day ads say
Has very little to do with the price of the gift.

Love flows from one heart to another Therefore, the best gift is one given from the heart of the lover to the beloved. Give something meaningful between the lover and the beloved on Valentine's Day. Give something that says "I love you" in actions rather then words because this is the most romantic gift anyone can give or receive.

Friday at Last

Istiqlal (Independence), 6 Mulk (Dominion), 172 BE - Friday, February 12, 2016 about 4:44 PM Pacific Standard Time

It's Friday at last
school is out for the weekend
children are playing.

All right, there are probably a lot of people happy that it's Friday. There are also quite a few people happy that it's Presidents' Day. I'm just happy that it is warm and the sun is shining. I'm tired of the cold weather, so the warmth of the past few days is a blessing and something to be thankful for.

Pleasant afternoon
Las Vegas is warming up
winter almost past.

As I sit here composing this entry my front door is open and I'm listening to the neighborhood noises. I hear children and young people playing outside while making happy noises. I hear a fighter jet, from Nellis Air Force Base, flying over. The jet momentarily drowns out the voices of the young people playing in the apartment complexes up and down the street.

Tuesday's Accomplishments and my new Motorola 4G Smartphone

Fidal (Grace), 3 Mulk (Dominion), 172 BE - Tuesday, February 9, 2016 about 4:40 AM Pacific Standard Time

I still have two things left to accomplish today. I have to check my To Do List to see what they are. The most important thing I accomplished was to active my new 4G Motorola smartphone. I also managed to make two telephone calls with it, three it you count setting up the voice mail, but I'm not sure that counts since I'm don't know whether I sit it up properly or not. I'll worry about that tomorrow because the phone history will show me if anyone called.

The next task on the phone is to make sure the voice mail is set up properly and put all my phone number in my contact list. I'm not going to do that today, instead I'll print the contact number off and figure out which ones I want to put back into the phone. There are a couple I'm not sure about because I haven't talked to the people in at least three years. I guess I could call the numbers to see if their still active, but I don't want to take the minutes to do that. As it is, I'm sure I'll have to purchase more minutes or more data time for this phone. I don't mind using the minutes of the time since I can now take and upload both photos and videos with this phone.

My old phone would access the internet, but I didn't use that feature because I couldn't take videos with that phone. In fact about the only thing I used the old phone for was text, phone calls, wake up alarm, and calculator. I stopped using the alarm on the old phone a couple of months ago and found out that I didn't need it. I don't really need to use a calculator, so I won't use the calculator on the new phone. What I have to do is download some apps.

I suppose the first app I need to down load is from my bank. This phone will allow me to take a photo of a check and deposit it. I'll have to think about that for a couple of months. The truth is I enjoy making the trip to the bank to deposit a check. I don't get out of the house a lot, so trips to the bank and medical appointments are something to look forward to. I might be getting out a lot more since I have easy access to the internet and a real keyboard to use when I'm typing.

Eventually I plan to use the phone to compose blog entries. I think I might need to download an app for that. I have to make a list of the apps I want to download, so that I don't forget which ones. I'm going to have fun learning to use my new phone. Getting a new piece of technology is fun. The two problem I foresee when it comes to posting to my blog from my smartphone is (1) my atrocious spelling and (2) my grammar issues.

On the First Day of Dominion

Jamal (Beauty), 1 Mulk (Dominion), 172 BE - Sunday, February 7, 2016 about 12:21 PM Pacific Standard Time

Beautiful Sunday
The first day of Dominion
The Feast Day of Mulk

As I sit here listening to the neighborhood noises, I realize that I'm feeling better for the first time since Thursday. Apparently it's taken me that long to recover from the outpatient surgery I had on Thursday, February 4. I'm having peanut butter on English muffins, scones, orange slices, chocolate milk, and ice tea for breakfast this afternoon. It took me half a day to wake up, feel better, and get myself moving today.

Sunday awakening
at 2:30 AM to change positions
for my morning meditations
went back to sleep while I was setting up.

I should know better then to go back to sleep when I'm setting up because that's when I have my weirdest and most memorable dreams. I'm not getting into the dream here because I may want to use it in a story or poem in the coming week. I know why I had the dream now all I have to do is figure what to do about it (other then putting it in my dream journal). Maybe I'll just let it rest for a while. I have more important things to deal with right now then a weird dream.

Friday Afternoon

Istiqlal (Independence), 18 Sulṭán (Sovereignty), 172 BE - Friday, February 5, 2016 about 2:46 PM Pacific Standard Time

It's Friday afternoon and I'm back online, but I think I still having a bit of difficulty focusing because I've noticed that I'm making more spelling mistakes then normal. Since I spent Thursday sleeping that may be the reason. I'm grateful for spell checkers because they help when I misspell a word. I'm grateful that the biopsy came back negative. I'm grateful to be back online. I grateful to be back writing again after yesterday's outpatient surgery.

I am grateful for
so many blessings
I cannot list all of them.

 

Midweek Reflections on Positive Thinking and Depression

'Idal (Justice), 16 Sulṭán (Sovereignty), 172 BE - Wednesday, February 3, 2016 about 9:39 AM Pacific Standard Time

Sometimes blue Monday
hides the joy of a new week
with despair's dark clouds.

I don't mind starting a new workweek in a brown study looking at the dark clouds hiding the sun because I know that on Tuesday or Wednesday I will again be in the sun. I know that something will happen, usually half way through Monday or early Tuesday morning to brighten my outlook and bring back my positive mood. I can always find something to brighten my mood and chase away the negatives. Sometimes it's just knowing that darkness or clouds don't last forever and that sun the sun will come shining through changing my sadness to joy.

Wednesday morning blues
Usually sneaks up on me:
A shadow across the sun.

Wednesday blues can be more difficult to deal with because I'm at the top of the week's mountain. On the mountain top the sun is shining down while below me is spread the valleys of past and future. Behind me the Valley of the past is uncovered by clouds, but in front of me the Valley of the Future is hidden beneath a layer of dark clouds that let beams of light penetrate them to reveal small sections of the landscape.

It's the sections of the landscape I can't see
that depresses me.

I try to think positive, but positive thinking doesn't always scatter depression. This used to worry me; however, at 69 I've come to realize that positive thinking isn't facing reality. Life is full of ups and downs, of dark clouds and sunshine. In nature dark clouds usually foretell rain which is necessary to help crops grow. Crops need sunshine as well because if it rained all the time then it would wash out the crops and nothing would grow.

In order to grow
the human soul
need both joy and sorrow.

It's Wednesday. I'm dealing with Wednesday depression therefore I place the day in God's hands knowing that everything will work out according to Divine will. I do the same thing when I encounter the Monday blues. Everything always works out according to God's will. Each day I have to move forward into the darkness and the clouds knowing that eventually the sun will shine. This is a positive thought because I am looking for the sunlight rather then looking at the clouds or the darkness.

Questions about spring

Kamal (Perfection), 14 Sulṭán (Sovereignty), 172 BE - Monday, February 1, 2016 about 4:20 PM Pacific Standard Time

The wind chill
penetrates my bones
winter cold
sends ice cycles up my spine:
When will spring arrive?

Will Punxsutawney Phil
be frightened by his shadow?

When will Mojave Max
come out of emerge
for his burrow
looking for Mojave Maxine?

When will this frigid wind
transform into spring's
warm breeze?