On this New Year’s Eve morning I spent some time reading the blog entry I wrote exactly one year ago today, “Mindfulness in 2015: A Silver Bullet Resolution.” I liked what I read. That’s a nice blog post, I said to myself. I was proud of it, proud of the writing and of the sentimentContinue reading “Mindfulness in 2016: A Silver Bullet Resolution?”
Monthly Archives: December 2015
T@B Diaries #1: Champoeg St. Park
in which Michael Jarmer begins a new blog series; in which Michael Jarmer provides a brief history of his life as a camper; in which his somewhat checkered RV history is revealed; in which an experience camping solo at Champoeg State Park is described; in which funny and archaic subtitles are used to arouse readerContinue reading “T@B Diaries #1: Champoeg St. Park”
Notes Toward A Musical Autobiography: Volume IX, Letter E
Here we are with volume IX of a series of blogs about my attempt to listen to at least one compact disc from every artist in my music collection in alphabetical order. That is a mouthful. A mouthful for an earful. I’ve been at it almost a year and I have worked my way throughContinue reading “Notes Toward A Musical Autobiography: Volume IX, Letter E”
Against a Wall: A Teacher’s Manifesto
It has been coming on for a year or two, maybe longer, but I feel it now in my 28th year of teaching more keenly than ever: I have come up against a wall. This is the condition in which I find myself professionally. It may be that things have always been this way andContinue reading “Against a Wall: A Teacher’s Manifesto”
#188: On A Birthday Weekend Alone
“Why should I feel lonely? is not our planet in the Milky Way?”—Henry David Thoreau My brother asked me through a facebook comment, are you spending the weekend alone? And I wasn’t sure what the question meant, whether or not it contained a sub-text of surprise or dis-belief: really, on your birthday, you wantContinue reading “#188: On A Birthday Weekend Alone”
#187: On the Difficulty of Getting Here
Friday afternoon, trying to prepare for a cabin retreat, a birthday weekend of solitude and reflection and writing, I stepped in a pile of leaf camouflaged dog shit in the driveway. I didn’t realize I had done this until I proceeded to go into the house with shit all over my shoe. I removed theContinue reading “#187: On the Difficulty of Getting Here”
#186: On Writing Retreat
On Writing Retreat, December 5, 2015, L. L. Stub Stewart State Park, Buxton, Oregon It’s raining so hard here, it would be unthinkable to go outside for a walk. So I am stuck in this cabin without internet access and there’s only a few things to do: listen to music, meditate, read, eat, or, theContinue reading “#186: On Writing Retreat”