Some more words, and thoughts...

I am amazed at how many words there are, crazy! Sometimes I see them and have used them, like traipse, but would not have known how to spell them, or in some cases, like euphemism, would not choose to use it, due to a lack of real understanding, though in context I kinda get it. Anyway, was reading George Will's editorial this past Sunday in the paper, and I'm completely convinced that this guy reads the dictionary instead of his Bible at nite! Within two or three paragraphs I'm starting to run out of ink in my pen, writing down the words. So, here's the words I've written down in the past two days, some of the crazier ones, up front, from George.

• brio - enthusiastic vigor : VIVACITY, VERVE
• rout - (Remember this from Gulf War 1) - 1 : a state of wild confusion or disorderly retreat 2 a : a disastrous defeat (There's several definitions here.)
• panache - 1 : an ornamental tuft (as of feathers) especially on a helmet 2 : dash or flamboyance in style and action
• anarchy - 1 a : absence of government b : a state of lawlessness or political disorder due to the absence of governmental authority c : a Utopian society of individuals who enjoy complete freedom without government
• ennui - a feeling of weariness and dissatisfaction : BOREDOM
• Utopian - of, relating to, or having the characteristics of a utopia; especially : having impossibly ideal conditions especially of social organization
• ukase - 1 : a proclamation by a Russian emperor or government having the force of law2 : EDICT
• untenable - 1 : not able to be defended 2 : not able to be occupied
• ostensibly - 2 : to all outward appearances
• suzerain - a superior feudal lord to whom fealty is due : OVERLORD
• euphemism - the substitution of an agreeable or inoffensive expression for one that may offend or suggest something unpleasant
• cacophony - harsh or discordant sound
• macabre - having death as a subject
• eviscerated - to take out the entrails of (guess which book below I'm reading this came from!)
• pincer - 1 : an instrument having two short handles and two grasping jaws working on a pivot and used for gripping things2 : a claw (as of a lobster) resembling a pair of pincers
• petulant - 1 : insolent or rude in speech or behavior2 : characterized by temporary or capricious ill humor : PEEVISH (Kind of reminds me of someone I know ;^)
• panoply - a : a full suit of armor b : ceremonial attire
• immutable - not capable of or susceptible to change
• surfeit - an overabundant supply
• ineluctably - not to be avoided, changed, or resisted

I'm re-reading The Tibetan Book of The Living & Dying. I love this book. I will give you some of it as I go through it again. Here's some passages I took from it the past couple of days:

• Life & Death are in the mind, and nowhere else.
• Perhaps the deepest reason why we are afraid of death is because we do not know who we are.
• Whatever we have done with our lives makes us what we are when we die. And everything, absolutely everything counts.

And a note I wrote after reading some yesterday: The more time I spend meditating, on my purpose, my source, the more time I seem to have for everything else, since my purpose seems to be to serve, and there's nothing that can keep me from serving all the time, right now. The rush is gone.

And then, a couple quotes from Diet for a New America (by John Robbins). Again, on my second read. This is the book that will make you very, very, very serious about becoming a vegetarian, at least to think twice about the choices you make when you order your next meal. You can stick your head in the sand, at the expense of much suffering!

• Each act of denial, conscious or inconscious, is an abdication of our power to respond. Joanna Rogers Macy.
• Custom will reconcile people to any atrocity. George Bernard Shaw.

Back to getting old (from yesterday's post). Hard to believe that this picture was taken of the person now known as your bobJuan:

Cathy and I joined the gym today, so watch out, younger next year! No really, we're gonna start tomorrow! Cathy has signed up for the Breast Cancer 3-Day walk for this November. About 60 miles in three days. Expect to hear more from us about this as we move along (like the way I use we and us here?). Anyway, she's got some walking to do, and I'm gonna help! We are looking forward to getting in shape, and helping with the cause!