On smiling, happiness and dignity

I have recently reaffirmed my commitment to smiling less. Maybe I am always reaffirming that commitment when it occurs to me, but I was thinking about it in relation to a few things recently.

Last Saturday K and I went to see LHO's Candide, and not only was it a fantastic production (singing, acting, set, orchestra, supertitles, were all right on), the opera itself (or "operetta," perhaps) is quite a moving and fantastic piece of art. Credit is perhaps foremost due to old Voltaire, who wrote the original story of Candide. But its power would have been significantly less without the brilliantly clever and articulate rhymes of Richard Wilbur (and a number of other collaborators, as well, apparently) and the stunning composition of Leonard Bernstein. I was particularly fascinated with the music

Important things

Last night I was reminded and provoked to really get down to doing what's important. I only have so long, you know.

I met Lai-yan and Meghan for dinner last night. We had been meeting weekly for a few weeks there, until spring break and some other things made us take a 3-week hiatus. Our custom was to eat (after they said a brief prayer of thanks), chat about life and random things, and then read aloud some Bible verses selected by Lai-yan and discuss their possible meaning, with me offering an uncertain conjecture, and then them providing a more certain conjecture.

Peacewaves

I was just about to post on another topic, but first I realized I should explain the inspiration behind this blog's title.

This might be sufficient explanation:
http://www.professor-world-band.blogspot.com/.

I hate to describe him in words, cuz they mess up my meaning a bit, but Professor World is a joyful and inspiring presence around Harvard Square (and, apparently, around the world!), and he's the first person I ever heard talk about sending peace waves out into the world with his Peace Wave Generator. I'd like to make my own Peace Wave Generator - I imagine everybody probly would, if they think about it. Of course I don't mean it has to be the kind like Prof. World has - it could take many physical and non-physical forms, and you (and I) might want to make a whole bunch of different kinds, too.

Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto

Just got out of dress rehearsal for the Japan benefit concert with Ryu Goto, and wow, he is fabulous.

I feel like it's so rare these days that I truly enjoy listening to other people's music, especially instrumental music.

First Post

Hi! I haven't settled on exactly what this blog will be for, but I recently felt I wanted to keep more track of my life and what happens in it, so that I can remember things I've done, seen, thought, felt, or otherwise experienced, and possibly so that others can learn from those things - be inspired or get ideas.

I've recently been quite inspired by the blog ZenHabits. It has lots of simple yet powerful ideas for living a better life. Leo Babauta, the blog's author, tells about really impressive changes he made in his life, like quitting smoking, training for and successfully running a marathon (at the beginning he couldn't run more than half a mile), and going vegan.

I heard about ZenHabits from the president of the Meditation Club, during one of its wonderful meditation/discussions. I've gone to a few of those this semester, and they are quite uplifting. Even just meeting new and old kindred people there and hearing them share a couple usually illuminating thoughts about mindfulness, compassion, or whatever, usually brightens my weekend. Plus the meditation sessions, of course, which are relaxing and help with my mindfulness.

Speaking of mindfulness, I just have to put in a plug for mindfulness-focused psychotherapy techniques, like Internal Family Systems as practiced by Matthew Czaplinski. I can say from experience that that kind of therapy can be so transformative -- in almost every session it banishes confusion, anxiety and depression with the utmost gentleness and comfort, and welcomes in their place clarity, peace and joy. I pretty much always leave bubbling with positive energy and a peaceful, accepting, yet hopeful perspective on things.

Further on the subject of mindfulness, the season of Lent is upon us, and I have printed and posted on my closet door a number of goals. I will post the full list here later, but one thing I am abstaining from is using my computer in my room. I have done this in the past for Lent, and it has always been a wonderful feeling when my room is transformed from an arbitrary station for stressful and/or mindless internet browsing to a spacious, sunlit (or moonlit! or cozily lamp-lit), warm and humidified sanctuary full of creative possibilities.

Therefore at this moment I am sitting in the hallway typing on my computer, which is about to run out of battery since there is no power outlet here.

Another thing I've given up for Lent is using big dishes in the dining hall. So now I get little servings of food in tiny bowls or on small plates, slowly, luxuriantly eat from them, savoring and chewing thoroughly, and then if I am still hungry I get some more. Today at dinner I ate a fair bit less than usual but felt just as full and content, if not more so, than normal. I had a delicious little bowl of seven bean soup, a piece of rustic whole grain bread with roasted red pepper-hummus and olives, and a cereal bowl-sized salad of mixed greens, onions, hummus, cucumber, tomato, carrot, croutons, cooked (still hot) peppered turnips, and dressed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

I was already feeling so happy about my meal, but recounting it here makes it feel even more wonderful!

Another thing I'm giving up is dessert from the dining halls.

Eating less (the natural result of slower eating and abstaining from desserts), and not having the computer to distract me, leads me to want to drink more tea in my room (usually herbal, e.g. yogi tea for the immune system), as a comforting way to soothe any anxious feelings that might arise.

Tea, a nice jar of honey (the dining hall honey tastes gross in drinks), plus my new baritone uke ($80 at Sandy's music!) make my room feel like even more of a healing oasis.

And on that note, I think it's time to retire there. I want to get a good night's sleep to help recover from a late night yesterday and get back in the swing of school after a solid spring break vacation with blockmates!