This is a Test.

 I'm thinking it's time to blog again.

Pic by: Prasad Ambati

Nothing's Wrong Again

This is the 100th night in a row that Clarise has stepped out of her world and into her bath. She's having a bit of a celebration. One hundred and one days ago this was not possible since she had not yet realized what was wrong with her until that fateful, and wondrous day when she did realize what was wrong with her. It was quite a shock. But since that wondrous day when she did have that realization about what was wrong, things have been really really good. And a big part of that goodness is a bit of time in the bath each night. She undresses in her most elegant bath attire, makes some bubbles, and slips into the warm water. She then starts to tell herself everything that is wonderful in her life, everything that is right. Because about 100 days ago today, she figured out there was nothing wrong with her life!

Pic found here:  http://artodyssey1.blogspot.com/search/label/Vitaly%20Ermolaev

October Wrap

Best October ever. It's been sweet here in the Sonoran Desert since the big heat let up. It happened over night. Cathy and I got 8 nights and days along the Blue River again this year. We stayed in the cabin at the Blue River Wilderness Retreat. We were fortunate to met Don and Jane, the owners of this little part of paradise.  You should book some time there, if you're into peace and quiet and beauty and rest and stuff like that.   According to Don, we were there during the peak of this year's fall color show.  Just doing a little aren't we special type braggin right there.

While we were there my buddy kevJuan came up for a couple days.  We climbed Escudilla, Az's 3rd highest peak.  We put some of our favorite pics here.
And videos here, here and here.

The desert hiking season is here.  I'll be posting pics during the year here.  Today we're heading back over to the McDowells to do a loop hike with kevJuan and Jeannie Moore.   I sprang my ankle 6 weeks ago.  Finally, yesterday I was back on Camelback.  Left most of my problems on that hill again yesterday.   What they say about it taking longer to heal (for us old guys) is a truality.

Coming up this month (actually this week) we got Andy Junior coming for 5 nites.  He and I are scheduled to hike West Clear Creek on Friday, then maybe do a couple days around Young Arizona late next weekend.  They'll be more to come.

Alright, let's get this started:

The whole we/them thing ends with me.

I keep telling Cathy it's not a disorder, it's a syndrome, maybe even just a condition.

Sometimes my wanting things to be different gets out of control.

This is the moment you are waiting for.

If you can't be happy with the money you have, why would you want more?

The insanity of "this is not it"
are you kidding me? this is not it?

And now from some real people:

A man is rich in proportion to the number of things which he can afford to let alone. --Henry David Thoreau

Not a shred of evidence exists in favor of the idea that life is serious. Brendan Gill

The Unteller:
It instantly gets a lot better when you quit thinking how it's supposed to be.

Why are you not tickled by what's going on? by now, you should know better.

Why do you care where you are going when you don't even know where you are?


Rumi:

There is a way between voice and presence
where information flows.
In disciplined silence it opens.
With wandering talk it closes.

Let the lover be disgraceful, crazy,
absentminded. Someone sober
will worry about things going badly.
Let the lover be.

We have a huge barrel of wine, but no cups.
That's fine with us. Every morning
we glow and in the evening we glow again.
They say there's no future for us. They're right.
Which is fine with us.

Tao Te Ching - Stephen Mitchell.


If you realize that you have enough,
you are truly rich.

The great way is easy,
yet people prefer the side paths.
Be aware when things are out of balance.
Stay centered within the Tao.

The Master's power is like this.
He lets all things come and go
effortlessly, without desire.
He never expects results;
thus he is never disappointed.
He is never disappointed;
thus his spirit never grows old.


Issa:

Cricket!
Although it was next door you
sang-
I heard you here.

There's a cool breeze!
Now, Grasshoppers, sing,
Sing with all your might!

Red dragon-fly -
He's one too that likes the evening,
Or so it seems.

That's it for this month.  All my best.
your bobJuan.

July Wrap

We had a fantastic July this year. Cathy and I spent about 10 days in southern California visiting some great friends. My girls turned 35 years gorgeous! I put some of our favorite pics from the month here.

Here's what I got for the month:

This whole pursuing pleasure and avoiding pain thing really keeps me busy.

Don't let her wardrobe fool you, she's hip, thru and thru.

This morning while laying in bed I realized that anything more than a face full is a waste.

Every thought I have
Every sound I hear
Happiness, streaming @ me
1,000 miles per hour!

I go down a lot quicker than I get up.

There is no baseline.

And now from some real people:

A Zen student approached his teacher. "I have a problem," he said. "I would like to start a business, but unfortunately, I don't have any money. What shall I do?". "That's simple," said the Zen master. "Why don't you stop thinking about starting a business?". Dainin Katagiri from You Have To Say Something.

Unless we are willing to give up our attachments, we cannot appreciate the priceless jewel of our true nature. Introduction to the Blue Cliff Record.

I've been reading Huston Smith's The World's Religions. Here's some goody I got from there:

Finally my brethren, for well-conducted people life presents no problems (p. 177)

Only those are worthy to govern who would rather be excused. (p. 178)
H.G. Wells once said that God and sex were the only two things that really interested him. (p. 141).

Nirvana: Etymologically it means "to blow out," or "to extinguish," not transitively, but as a fire ceases to draw. Deprived of fuel, the fire goes out, and this is nirvana. Nirvana is the highest destiny of the human spirit and its literal meaning is extinction, but we must be precise as to what is to be extinguished. It is the boundaries of the finite self. It does not follow that what is left will be nothing. Negatively, nirvana is the state in which the faggots of private desire had been completely consumed and everything that restricts the boundless life has died.

That's it for this month.
My best,
your bobJuan.

June Wrap...

We got some mountain time in this month. Cathy stayed @ her dad's mountain home in Pinetop for almost 3 weeks. I got up there two weekends in a row. We were able to spend some time in and around Alpine and another new hike around Poll Knoll near Greer with our friend the kevJuan. I'm glad she's back, we were almost out of clean dishes. Life keeps giving us exactly what we need in harmoniously glorious and sweet proportions!

Here's what I got for June.

As long as there is still something to do, boy oh boy.

This whole wanting thing, what a doozey.

Perfection awaits my presence

endlessly......

If it weren't for women or TV

when was the last time I showered?

Would I be wearing these clothes?

That's one pot

this kettle is not gonna call black.

I gave my personality the day off.

This is the situation I've been looking for.

I've said NO enough, long enough.

Repeat after me. Happiness is not circumstantial.

How much vanity is involved in thinking

THIS is not it.

So, we had a falling out

let's have a falling in.

My day is really simple when I ask myself what it is I really want.

The good life is not having enough money so I can quit participating.

I've seen where that goes.

Give me the ball coach, put me in!

I'm not going to rush this, it's taken me my entire life to get here.

I am responsible for how interesting my life is.

If you want peace, accept your life without conditions.

How can buying something be described as saving money?

It doesn't matter how many chances you get really. It's this one that matters.

And now from some real people:

One, seven, three, five.

The truth you search for cannot be grasped.

As night advances, a bright moon

illuminates the whole ocean;

The dragon's jewels are found in every wave.

Looking for the moon, it is here,

in this wave, in the next. - The Blue Cliff Record.

I did not want to live what was not life. Living is so dear. Henry David Thoreau

The mountain isn't going to climb itself. Bobby Royal. June 28th, 2010.

How much pain they have cost us, the evils which have never happened. --Thomas Jefferson

Inside the Great Mystery that is, we don't really own anything. What is this competition we feel then, before we go, one at a time, through the same gate? Rumi.

I always wondered why somebody doesn’t do something about that. Then I realized I was somebody. Lily Tomlin

They say that every snowflake is different. If that were true, how could the world go on? How could we ever get up off our knees? How could we ever recover from the wonder of it? Jeanette Winterson

Not a shred of evidence exists in favor of the idea that life is serious. Brendan Gill

You’re only given a little spark of madness. You mustn’t lose it. Robin Williams

Maintaining a complicated life is a great way to avoid changing it. Elaine St. James

There is not any memory with less satisfaction in it than the memory of some temptation we resisted. James Branch Cabell

That's it for this time.

My best, your bobJuan.

Dave Sabino, Where are you?

I sure would like to find my friend Dave Sabino.

May Wrap

I got so many great pics in May. But, here's the one we're going with. Aaryn. You are a beauty. I am looking forward to the day we can talk! I want to know what you're thinking about.

It's been a beautiful month for us here in Phoenix. Lots of time on the Mountain. We celebrated the Droll family birthday in Rocky Point. My life keeps getting better and better. Oh my. Here's what I got for this month:

I just figured it out, we are 100% compatible.

I can really relax when I let go of my version of how things are supposed to be.

it's the love of this. love has no opposite. it includes everything.

Everything = What I love about you.

We can only do so much but man, oh man, let's go ahead and do it.

the generation that said how it's supposed to be is being replaced by the generation that says how it is.

one thing about the dead
they remind us to live.
every single one of them
told me the same thing.

when was the last time you liked everything?

to love everything
it helps to still the mind.

my personality really has a hold on me.

there might be more to discuss
but there's nothing more to do.

i don't get the point of a shot glass.

more often than not, my take on the situation is wrong.

I can dig myself in deeper and deeper by the minute.

if you feel any tension, let it go. don't believe it. all tension begins in the mind where stories are told.

Once again, I'm convinced, this is Angel's last life in the animal kingdom. you're almost here baby!

isn't it called too much, once you get beyond enough?

karma = your next thought or action = karma

there's variety in every bite of that cat food.

i've been trying to get out of it for years, now, i'm doing my best to get into it.

At the liquor store tonite, on my way home, picking up a 5th of Black Velvet. My guy behind the counter responds to my question about how things are going, saying things are going great. I got a good job, I got nothing to complain about. I said, I know, I got a great job too, a wife that loves me, money in my pocket, things are wonderful. I just need something to wash it all down with every now and again.

you don't become different by staying the same

we behave like we must live at all costs this will certainly be our end.

you don't get better by pressing the snooze button

some folks celebrate a government contract, easy big money there are others who complain about government waste and taxes just leave my slice alone will ya? it takes all of us to make this world go 'round.

i'm doing remarkably well considering i hardly do anything i'm supposed to

So, you think things should be going a certain way. How's that working for ya?

And one from a real person:

You are not here merely to make a living. You are here in order to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world, and you impoverish yourself if you forget the errand. Woodrow T. Wilson

That's it for this time. My best, your bobJuan.