--- Day 220

Walk: JCC, Mindful Body
Distance:  3 miles, take yoga class, teach yoga class

What to write about today?  Took a yoga class, taught/demoed one then had tea with students after, and honestly am feeling kind of emptied out.  Not a bad feeling actually; sort of where yoga is meant to go; some call it zen mind; worth staying with...

Hanging in while tossing out --- Day 219

Walk: Yoga Tree Hayes
Distance:  3 miles and take yoga class



Getting rid of 1,000 things around the house necessitates opening every drawer, every cabinet under every sink, looking under beds, couches, chairs and thus encountering virtually every bit of your past.  As this happens and the movie I go to (Beasts of the Southern Wild) is metaphorically about the end of the planet, and the person I hear interviewed on Fresh Air (Peter Heller) is talking about his new novel (The Dog Stars) on the same subject I admit to small waves of terror.  In my small way, 1,000 parts of life as I know it is disappearing. 

Instead of dreading my next Dr.'s appointment - whenever that is - I try to think instead of friends of mine who 3 or so years ago did an even more serious weed out.  Like me, they had no idea where they were headed with it, just that somehow the time had come to Pare Down.  Then, toward the end of that process, a beautiful houseboat came on the market at an incredible price.  So, they ended up moving from their large house with many rooms and closets to a gorgeous, serene home on the water with virtually no closet space.  So, these things do go on for positive reasons.  I tell myself....

Ooooh, just realized, if I let every empty hanger count for one item and can find a dry cleaner to take them......!

Impossible Ingredients/Great Movie --- Day 218

Walk: Bridge Theater
Distance: 3 Miles

Hearing there is a prescient child in a movie usually sets my teeth a bit on edge.  And same when a film is an admixture of 'magic realism' and the story telling has huge gaps that are 'filled' by mystical 'coherence.'  Then there is the business of spending a whole movie looking at poverty, unbridled drinking, random abusiveness and child abandonment/endangerment, and animal death.  Plus more.

As it turns out, old dogs can learn new tricks. This movie is riveting, deeply touching, and non-sentimental (mostly). Given the voodoo and myth saturated Bayou culture, the magical realism  seemed to me a wholly fitting element of the story telling.

But, all this is secondary to the acting of a now 7 year old girl.  She was 5 when she was selected from a throng of 3,500 candidates.  I can imagine she was absolutely stunning from the moment she delivered her audition lines.  As Roger Ebert writes: She is so uniquely and particularly herself that I wonder if the movie would have been possible without her.

So what's the movie, and who is she?  The Beasts of the Southern Wild, and Quvenzhané Wallis.

I say see it, and then read what critics say on Rotten Tomatoes if you like.  (That's my usual routine - see the movie, check out how 'other' critics felt).  The review I like because I've gained respect for him over the years and because it is linked with a whole slew of video interviews is Roger Ebert's.

http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120704/REVIEWS/120709994



PS - I'm at about 500 toward my goal of getting rid of 1,000 things.

1,000 Points of Lighter --- Day 217

Walk: Mindful Body, around the house
Distance: 1 mile and teach yoga

While listening to Outside Lands* on Tune In and even hearing a dim bit of it wafting in on the ocean breeze (wind I should say) I've been working on my goal of getting rid of 1,000 things.  Have finally had enough of the sounds of either Explosions in the Sky or Gene Hunt - although the name of the first band pretty much describes the experience.  Also probably enough clearing for now.  You try not to have it happen, but even when you're tossing things as mundane as bandaids or toothpicks, your life has a way of passing in front of you - so these weed outs are at least as emotionally draining as they are physical. With a good night's rest, back at it tomorrow.





*So, what is Outside Lands?  A three-day outdoor music festival featuring many current performers and bands I've never heard of as well as a few I have this year: Stevie Wonder, Neil Young, Norah Jones, Two Gallants (I know their parents!).  Tickets start at $165 for the day, and are sold out for all 3 days.  (Not to be confused with another 3-day festival: Not Strictly Bluegrass which is free, a gift to San Francisco from the late Warren Hellman).

http://lineup.sfoutsidelands.com/     See below for why you might be glad there are no more tickets - The howling wind isn't visible but you can see the fog coming in in the background.  Yay for being 20-something!!



Ed Brown --- Day 216

Walk: Mindful Body, Rose's Gift Gallery, Hayes Street Timbuktu, Sports Basement
Distance: 3+ miles and teach class

Today's entry is dedicated to my old boss and friend, Ed Brown.  A special man with a prescient eye.  He had an art gallery - mini-museum really - on Hayes Street where his eye was so exacting he was able to discern quilts so excellent that the famous Esprit Collection is comprised almost solely of quilts from Ed's Gallery.  Same goes for African, Indonesian and South American artifacts and textiles.  Traders from all over the world made their first stop Miller/Brown Gallery and most considered Ed a friend.  And so he was, helping many contemporary artists by supporting them and placing their works in as many corporate and private collections as he could.  That was the third prong of Ed's 'museum' - this prong earning its first class distinction by the contribution of Michael Miller who had taught at Cranbrook and had vast connections in the craft world attracting the finest weavers, basket makers, ceramicists, sculptors, and other fiber and metal artists.  I was incredibly lucky to have worked for Ed and Michael and have the opportunity to know them as well as get to know in depth many aspects of arts and crafts - as well as many of the actual artists and traders.  More perhaps in another entry.

Today I went down to Hayes Street, one of the most actively developing and thriving neighborhoods in the city.  Young, Hip, Cool, and coming to have more and more depth.  Ed's gallery was 30 years ahead of its time.  He saw what was going to happen - when others thought it impossible at best.  There was only one 'safe' block then; the rest abutted the projects where meth, crack and gangs abounded.  It was dark, noisy with the freeway overhead.

Ed kept saying "The freeway will be torn down.  This will be a really popular neighborhood." He said it over and over for years.  Then he died of AIDS.  Young, beautiful, sensitive, cultured, kind, generous, a Renaissance Man.

And 10 years later, the freeway came down and the boutiques began to arrive.

Teeny things that go bump in the night -- Day 215

Walk: Mindful Body, Corte Madera Shopping
Distance: 1+ miles 

Just subbed a class after coming back from Marin and Trader Joe's.  But before all that I got back into the great purse caper.  This time it entails emptying everything out of every purse, handbag, tote.  All those little receipts, Kleenexes, pills, bandaids, little organized bags of lipstick, mints, nail clippers that you never opened or used and same with those organized little sacks of combs, brushes and hair stuff you also never used.  Keys, notebooks, pens, business cards (yours and others'), scraps of notes, gum, power bars.  And now they are all over my bedroom floor, and I know they will crawl all over me as I sleep if I don't organize or throw them.  It's the same as those piles of papers that go deeper and deeper as you work through them.  Only, not being a purse person, I don't clean them our/ do this very often - like years.

So, no more time to say hello/goodbye until the leetle things are corralled. 




Ahhh: 

Bear of Littl(er) Brain -- Day 214

Walk: Fillmore and Sacramento Streets
Distance:  1 mile

A day of indulgence (like every day, face it).  But this time in the hands of friends who treated me to lunch and conversation.  Really it has reached the point where I totally forget my birthday unless kind friends remind me.  (So, those of you who forgot or are as unconscious as I am about birthdays, No Guilt).  As much as you poo poo it, it is nice to feel special for a day.    PS - My actual birthday was yesterday, but who can function on the actual day?



Did I mention one of my nicknames growing up was Pooh?

The Moon's a Balloon --- Day 213

Walk: Laurel Village, Mindful Body, Laurel Village
Distance: 3 miles and teach yoga class


A few weeks ago The Chronicle ran an article on two men (?) who were attempting a 100 mile plus lawn-chair 'flight' from Oregon to somewhere in Montana. Surprisingly it didn't last more than a few hours (actually I am  surprised it lasted that long) before the balloons and lawn chairs came crashing down, ejected the two astronauts, and rose back up to sail away on their own.

The readers' Comments thread that ran after the article was the funniest I've seen. Here are a few excerpts; I'm with the guys who say "Best thread ever!" and there are more threads. Maybe read the article and all the comments if you have the time/inclination.

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BEND, Ore. (AP) — Hours into their lawn-chair balloon flight, two men made a hard landing after they were hit by hail and snow as thunderstorms swept into central Oregon. But their back-yard aircraft floated away.

Kent Couch and Fareed Lafta were about seven hours into their flight Saturday when they descended, coming down near the community of Post, about 30 miles east of their starting point. But after they scrambled out of the contraption, it floated away, flight organizer Mark Knowles said.

"They came down hard," Knowles said by cellphone. "The craft went back up. It's sitting up in the sky right above us."

A flight website tracker showed it continuing east across Oregon.......

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Weather-stops-tandem-lawn-chair-balloon-flight-3706893.php#ixzz22tiI4Pal

Readers' Comments (Excerpts)  ---------

ninerkev

11:26 AM on July 14, 2012

Debate amongst yourselves:
Who has more free time? These two or the guy who taught his goats how to surf?

brotherbuzz

12:40 PM on July 14, 2012

At least the balloon guys and the goat guy are getting outdoors.

We're all sitting inside eating Bon-bons, dispensing our wisdom to like minded shut-ins.

unclebunk

12:45 PM on July 14, 2012

 I'm not eating bon bons, I'm eating a grilled cheese sandwich. 

brotherbuzz

12:52 PM on July 14, 2012

Grilled cheese. God, I'd love one, but no cheese in the house and I can't leave the keyboard to go buy some. Else I might miss a opportunity to post some wisdom.

unclebunk

1:03 PM on July 14, 2012

Can you buy cheese on Amazon?

brotherbuzz

1:50 PM on July 14, 2012

Hey there ain't no taxes on Cheese in California.
But on Amazon you have so many choices. From Velveeta to Parmigiano Reggiano, Bonati Riserva Cheese (Whole Wheel) Approximately 80 Lbs
$2,128.60

dewane

2:04 PM on July 14, 2012

If you're looking for Lou, as in Lou Zerr, you've come to the right place. Where can a body get bon bons around here?

 

ninerkev

4:54 PM on July 14, 2012

Hey, now, I'd be outside if I wasn't loafing it at work.

doubledecker163

5:56 PM on July 14, 2012

Everyone knows the answer to that question is: Vitale

AlSwearengen

6:14 PM on July 14, 2012

@towngrier, brotherbuzz wrote, "there ain't no taxes on Cheese in California."

rancholovelazer

9:25 PM on July 14, 2012

Surfing goats...amazon cheese...balloon dude?
This thread is pretty awesome.

 

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Weather-stops-tandem-lawn-chair-balloon-flight-3706893.php#ixzz22tmuhs1K