Sunday 17 January 2010

Things I've been doing when I'm not blogging...

So even though my energy level is at somewhat of an ebb these (many) days, I have managed to do a couple things. Today for example I finally collected seed from the snack pea and radish plants I've had drying on a laundry rack in the basement since September. I have a new appreciation for seed savers and collectors, because what you see in the picture here is the sum total of seed I collected from three radish plants, and about six pea plants. Now I know why good seeds seem 'expensive' and why you sometimes get what seems like a tiny amount in each seed packet.

I had also collected bean seeds from my 3' by 5' patch of Golden Rocky Beans in September, and I shelled those about a month ago. After setting aside the best of these gorgeous indigo blue beans for seed, I had enough left over to make one pot of soup. Again, a good realization of how much time, effort, and resources (human and earth-given) go into the making of one seed. The soup was delicious by the way - it was almost an entirely local soup with dried kale from the CSA farm, dried thyme from my herb garden, and potatoes from my garden as well.

I've also been corresponding with my local MP's office via email about my unhappiness with PM Harper's decision to prorogue parliament AGAIN! My MP, Brian Storseth, doesn't want to converse with me via email however -- his office staff says this is because email correspondence could be "altered" and then forwarded, and because they can't be sure I actually reside in the riding if I don't give a mailing address. Never mind that if they checked their files they would see that they already have my address because I've corresponded with them in the past. I was hoping for a bit more of a spontaneous and personal exchange with my elected representative this time, but I guess I will have to settle for another delayed regurgitation of Stephen Harper's talking points, AGAIN.

I've been reading a number of books as well - Gord and I signed up for library cards last summer, and we've been enjoying the benefits ever since. I've been soaking up all sorts of Buddhist books, some of which include: "Waking Up: A week in a Zen monastery," "Joyful Wisdom: Embracing change and finding wisdom", "Sit Down and Shut Up," "Finding the Still Point: A beginner's guide to meditation," and I've just started reading "Zen Mind, Beginners' Mind."

I've been getting better at working in a 10 minute meditation period into almost every day - it doesn't sound like much, but from what I've read, meditating for a short period every day is better than longer periods one or two times a week. Both my butt and my brain are slowly getting used to this meditation thing, which is like a whole lotta nothing and absolutely everything at the same time. Who knew that sitting still and breathing could be so profound?

And I think I may have taken the first step out of my depressive funk today, after catching a few minutes of one of my all time favorite TV shows no less: Northern Exposure. In it, there was a scene where one character (Ed) is lying prone on a general store counter top lamenting the soon-to-be end of the world as we know it, and another character (Ruth Anne), the 'wise-woman' proprietor of the general store, tells Ed to just shoo, get out of her store and do something, anything: read a book, go for a walk, make a movie, anything. That advice makes sense: when you're mired in lamentation, just pick something and do it. And I know that of course. But the thing that struck me was how silly the character wailing and moping on the counter looked. That's been me. I've been moping and wailing. And it's time to stop.

So thanks Ruth Anne, I'll get off the counter now and get back to it.

10 comments:

hadv said...

I hear that since prana (or sun energy) is lesser during the winter, it's common for people there to feel the slump during those times. Same during rainy days. I suggest you breathe in as much prana as you can during the daytime, outdoors of course.. it'll help uplift your mood.

Nice seeds btw.

Theresa said...

Thank you hadv. I do tend to stay indoors a lot during the late Fall and Winter, since it is so dark and cold. There are days when I get to work in the dark and leave in the dark, and haven't been outside at all in the light. The light is starting to come back at last, which is a welcome sight.

Eco Yogini said...

YES!~!!!

Also- what the eff with not corresponding with you via email? sigh. politics evade me. proroguing parlement is a terrible idea, but then it never occurred to me that i could send a letter to my MLA.... Thanks :)

Theresa said...

Thanks EcoY! The scene from that show pretty much slapped me in the face and woke me up, so that is a good thing!

I don't know why they won't correspond by email - I mean, as if they wouldn't be keeping copies of their original emails, and so would I. Probably it's because Stephen Harper can't oversee email exchanges in his usual dictatorial fashion, and that is just not allowed. That's what the cynic in me says, anyway!

Liz said...

Happy new year! Glad to hear you're coming around Theresa. Maybe you could give me a swift kick in the butt now...

Theresa said...

Hi Liz, Happy New Year to you too! I don't know if any 'butt kicking' is in order...it seems to just happen when it's supposed to...:)

Robj98168 said...

LOL Politicians seem the same no matter what country they are from. I had a simular peoblem with my congressman- pretty much the same as yours- one day his office called me to ask for support for a bill and I said- THat's nice, but just a damn minute I wrote to Congressman Mc Fartypants and he said I can't talk about it, blah blah blah national security blah blah. I said I support the bill but I can't talk about it blah blah et.al.
Like those seeds!

Simply Authentic said...

Love it. Everyone needs a break and needs time to re-evaluate/rejuvenate. I'm glad you've been taking time for you. Definitely good insights that you got from the show....hope you continue to be well. :-)

Theresa said...

Thanks SA - the feeling hasn't left me, and I've decided that it's time to plow ahead even if it does. The scene from that show really impacted me - I was just telling Gord as we were watching it how profound of a show it was, and how I really liked watching it back in my University days in the '90s, and lo and behold, that scene came on an my jaw nearly dropped to the floor. :)

Theresa said...

Robj - love it that you told your congressman you couldn't talk about it!