Meredith Kendall's Blog, page 107
February 1, 2012
nook tablet
urggh.
Bought it. Still in the bag, in the box. I need more hours in the day.
I bought it so I can read books without adding pounds of paper, stacks of books to my stacks of books. An ethereal library sounds good. I live in a tiny house. I do have piles of books, and I've read them all, but when I search it's usually online, not in a book. I'm so digital.
So. Much as I love paper and print, as reluctantly as I drag myself to the future, I think I will make the switch. Face it. My favorite place to read is the bathtub, and there is no tub in this house. Face it: nook. Now: open that bag and say hello to the future.
Bought it. Still in the bag, in the box. I need more hours in the day.
I bought it so I can read books without adding pounds of paper, stacks of books to my stacks of books. An ethereal library sounds good. I live in a tiny house. I do have piles of books, and I've read them all, but when I search it's usually online, not in a book. I'm so digital.
So. Much as I love paper and print, as reluctantly as I drag myself to the future, I think I will make the switch. Face it. My favorite place to read is the bathtub, and there is no tub in this house. Face it: nook. Now: open that bag and say hello to the future.
January 31, 2012
Norway Library
Memorial Library in Norway, Maine will be an energetic vortex on March 20, 2012. That's a Tuesday, 6 pm.
Energy workers, light beings, and angels will gather. Regular humans too, and humans are pretty amazing. What's up, you ask?
A reading/signing. Please join us.
Looks like a beautiful building. According to their website:
"The Norway Library was established in 1885. For many years it was located above Longley's store, until the present building was completed in 1938. This building was a gift to the Town of Norway from Mrs. Maude Kaemmerling, a summer resident of Norway Lake, whose relatives were some of the early settlers of Norway."
Energy workers, light beings, and angels will gather. Regular humans too, and humans are pretty amazing. What's up, you ask?
A reading/signing. Please join us.
Looks like a beautiful building. According to their website:
"The Norway Library was established in 1885. For many years it was located above Longley's store, until the present building was completed in 1938. This building was a gift to the Town of Norway from Mrs. Maude Kaemmerling, a summer resident of Norway Lake, whose relatives were some of the early settlers of Norway."
live your life by signs
Do you? Do you notice symbols and patterns?
Driving home from work today I saw 2 ravens high up in the bare branches of a maple tree: black silhouettes against a snowy sky. I like ravens.
I notice spirals. I see them in metal grillwork, paintings, and plants. There are spirals in shells, cowlicks, and the cosmos.
Pennies. What do you think of when you see pennies on the ground? They remind me of childhood, surprise gifts, and spirits.
Numbers. Some people notice number patterns. What numbers speak to you, and what do they say?
Sometimes I think these signs are saying to me that I'm in the right place at the right time. I'm on the right path. Sometimes I think they bring me to the present, the now. So I take a deep breath and appreciate the now.
That's all for now.
Driving home from work today I saw 2 ravens high up in the bare branches of a maple tree: black silhouettes against a snowy sky. I like ravens.
I notice spirals. I see them in metal grillwork, paintings, and plants. There are spirals in shells, cowlicks, and the cosmos.
Pennies. What do you think of when you see pennies on the ground? They remind me of childhood, surprise gifts, and spirits.
Numbers. Some people notice number patterns. What numbers speak to you, and what do they say?
Sometimes I think these signs are saying to me that I'm in the right place at the right time. I'm on the right path. Sometimes I think they bring me to the present, the now. So I take a deep breath and appreciate the now.
That's all for now.
January 28, 2012
the night out
I dressed up tonight, forced myself out to a restaurant.
To socialize, it's healthy, right? I have a gift certificate. The place was packed. I was offered an hour wait or a place at the bar, packed between glamourous young couples. Yeah, I came home to schoolwork, box of red, and my laptop.
To socialize, it's healthy, right? I have a gift certificate. The place was packed. I was offered an hour wait or a place at the bar, packed between glamourous young couples. Yeah, I came home to schoolwork, box of red, and my laptop.
the paradox of self-perception
Healing Hands workshop with kids today. The kids ranged in age from 4 to 18.
I taught with Tookie. Tookie is smart, well-educated, brilliant, beautiful, and compassionate.
We sat on the floor, in a circle. I sat cross-legged, blending right in with the shy and solemn children. We introduced ourselves. Tookie started.
"I'm Tookie and I'm 76!" she proclaimed. Then she laughed. Everyone laughed. "No, I'm not 76. I'm 29."
There were gasps. Tookie gasped at the gasps. "Oh, you think I'm old?" she asked. The children nodded. Tookie turned to 18 year-old Wren. "Do you think I'm old?" she asked.
"Oh no," Wren said. "29 isn't old. Old is like, 55."
Now it was my turn to gasp. I did it silently, internally. Pretty sure it was silent.
We went around the circle as the children introduced themselves, prancing and writhing as children do. They were feeling more comfortable. They did cartwheels and flopped flat on the floor. There were a lot of young energetic children. Then it was my turn.
"I'm Meredith and I'm old."
The little girl beside me leaned over and whispered, "We already figured that out."
Then it was time for an activity. Everyone got up. Wren came over to me and solemnly offered her hand. "Let me help you get up," she offered.
How is it that others see one as elderly and decrepit; while one sees oneself as vibrant, lithe, strong, curious, and flexible? How is it that the body ages while the mind retains a youthful perspective? I feel wiser, but not older.
I taught with Tookie. Tookie is smart, well-educated, brilliant, beautiful, and compassionate.
We sat on the floor, in a circle. I sat cross-legged, blending right in with the shy and solemn children. We introduced ourselves. Tookie started.
"I'm Tookie and I'm 76!" she proclaimed. Then she laughed. Everyone laughed. "No, I'm not 76. I'm 29."
There were gasps. Tookie gasped at the gasps. "Oh, you think I'm old?" she asked. The children nodded. Tookie turned to 18 year-old Wren. "Do you think I'm old?" she asked.
"Oh no," Wren said. "29 isn't old. Old is like, 55."
Now it was my turn to gasp. I did it silently, internally. Pretty sure it was silent.
We went around the circle as the children introduced themselves, prancing and writhing as children do. They were feeling more comfortable. They did cartwheels and flopped flat on the floor. There were a lot of young energetic children. Then it was my turn.
"I'm Meredith and I'm old."
The little girl beside me leaned over and whispered, "We already figured that out."
Then it was time for an activity. Everyone got up. Wren came over to me and solemnly offered her hand. "Let me help you get up," she offered.
How is it that others see one as elderly and decrepit; while one sees oneself as vibrant, lithe, strong, curious, and flexible? How is it that the body ages while the mind retains a youthful perspective? I feel wiser, but not older.
Kale fritatta
Wash one large bunch of kale.
Cut into thin strips, I use scissors.Saute in olive oil, cover.
Add chopped celery, onion, and pepper.Add diced garlic and ginger, maybe some cooked tempeh.Cover and cook low for 10 min.
Pour a glass of red wine. Take the dog out and look up at the starry sky.Breathe in the cold dark air.
Add 2 beaten eggs.Cook another 5 min, covered, on low.
Contemplate the pleasure of silence and solitude.Take the dog out again. Ice chunks crunch beneath boots.
Kale Fritatta.
Cut into thin strips, I use scissors.Saute in olive oil, cover.
Add chopped celery, onion, and pepper.Add diced garlic and ginger, maybe some cooked tempeh.Cover and cook low for 10 min.
Pour a glass of red wine. Take the dog out and look up at the starry sky.Breathe in the cold dark air.
Add 2 beaten eggs.Cook another 5 min, covered, on low.
Contemplate the pleasure of silence and solitude.Take the dog out again. Ice chunks crunch beneath boots.
Kale Fritatta.
January 26, 2012
writing and speaking
are important facets of being an excellent nurse.
The nurse must know how to assess the patient, how to recognize changes, and what to do when changes occur. So the nurse must be able to write and speak: communicate and collaborate. One must be able to work with others to facilitate the patient's progress to his or her best health.
The nurse must know how to assess the patient, how to recognize changes, and what to do when changes occur. So the nurse must be able to write and speak: communicate and collaborate. One must be able to work with others to facilitate the patient's progress to his or her best health.
corn rows
Used to go on long car trips when I was a kid. Sat in the back seat and watched the rows of corn flip past the window. Corn, corn, and more corn.
We lived in Illinois. The land was flat, the air was hot, and there was lots of corn.
We lived in Illinois. The land was flat, the air was hot, and there was lots of corn.
January 25, 2012
the smallest things...
... add up to being a great nurse. Like being gentle, caring for a grandma with dementia or the young person who is developmentally delayed, and focusing your entire day on helping that person be clean and comfortable, well-fed, and connected with the world.
This is why I love teaching. I get to see these marvelous adults: intelligent, educated, and compassionate adults, turn their attention to helping one person, in one day, achieve his or her best health.
numerology
Patterns of numbers tell me I'm in the right place at the right time.
