I was hoping this book would be a nice combination of Zen philosophy and financial management, and that’s what it was, I suppose. He makes some good points about how your attitude toward money is derived from how your parents dealt with money issues, and helps you understand how money can generate thoughts of fear, stress, anxiety, and anger in…
A really fabulous book about the loneliness you can feel when you live in New York City. The book is a very insightful meditation on being alone, with the author discussing New York artists whose work reflects that loneliness. There are great sections on these artists, most of whom I was familiar with (Warhol, Hopper, Basquiat, Klaus Nomi) and some…
I had no pre-set plans for my last day in Chiang Mai. I knew that there was a huge Sunday market, and I planned on going there. I suspected it was an all-day affair, but the woman at the front desk of the hotel told me that it began at 5:00 p.m. I didn’t really want to travel 45 minutes…
The title of this book is much more compelling than the book itself. The author hails from Silicon Valley, and his philosophizing about the evils of social media, while they make sense, ring a bit hollow to me. Really nothing earth shattering about his list of reasons. Too much jargon, too much fake philosophy for me. I do think he’s…
For Day 2, the itinerary was lighter: A visit to another temple (Wat Suthat), and then a local park, and then finish the day strolling through Bangkok’s extensive Chinatown. First, I chowed down at the hotel’s excellent buffet. I took a tuk-tuk to Wat Suthat, just north of Chinatown. Wat Suthat is one of the city’s most beautiful and biggest temples. …
Udi, my Amsterdam buddy for over 20 years, was exceptionally busy, trying to wrap up all of his work assignments and projects before leaving for vacation – a 30-day excursion to Vietnam, Bali, and Malaysia. But he put aside enough time for us to see a hilarious play at the Stadshuistheater (Husbands and Wives, based on the Woody Allen movie…
Nicely summarizes the reasoning behind Buddhist thought, in a clear and concise way, and explains how mindfulness meditation (which I’ve gotten into over the last year) can lead to (potentially) inner peace and harmony, and a clearer understanding of yourself and the world. I think this book explains it better than any other book I’ve read.
Yes, I already did a post about the scenery in Goa, but I guess I just can’t help myself. There’s so much to see. Walking up and down the streets and alleys of Goa really made an impression. There were so many quiet leafy paths, and so much interesting architecture. I’d see shacks and sheds that appear to have been…
The Mission Rabies vaccination drive is exhilarating, but it’s physically taxing work. You wake up early and spend nearly the entire day chasing down dogs, in stifling heat and humidity. Fortunately, the Mission Rabies folks provided us with the opportunity to recharge our batteries after the first week, by arranging a relaxing, meditation retreat for the volunteers. On Saturday morning,…
It’s hard to believe that 17 months have passed since I retired from veterinary medicine. I’m still trying to figure out where the time has gone. I really didn’t know what to expect once I retired. I did a little research on the topic, and many of articles that I read highlighted three primary issues that retirees face soon after…