It’s Only 7 Weeks: I used to get fairly discouraged when daylight savings time ended. It was actually very foolish of me considering 1) I have no control over daylight savings time ending 2) due to the tilt of the earth there are only so many hours of sunlight in the winter days 3) it …
Things to know about Prison: (from someone who has been in prison for five months) If you have less than a five year sentence people will actually laugh and tell you how quick the time will go by – you will not find humor in this. That chair in the TV room – it probably …
I have some mountains in front of me that I must climb. They’re figurative mountains, of course, but they’re mountains nonetheless. We all have our challenges and each of us must decide how we’re going to respond to those challenges. The way we respond may define who and what we become in the months, years, …
This is a short post because this one quote says it all and I don’t want to take away from it. I feel that the study of philosophy and Zen are quite different – one takes place in the mind utilizing theories, concepts and ideas while the other is about moving outside of your mind, …
The first Monday in November was a gray, dreary, Midwest early winter day. Blustery and chilly. There’s been a nasty head cold making it’s way around the unit and I had successfully fended it off for several weeks. I get enough rest, hydrate, take vitamin-C and try to limit my sugar intake…but I couldn’t escape …
Sunday night was the premier of the new season of Yellowstone and the TV room was going wild. People have been talking about this for several weeks and the seats began filling up hours before the start. I’ve never seen it this packed down there. Everyone gets settled and it begins. The intro starts to …
Greetings from the Culinary Institute of Yankton (CIOY) pronounced “Chow”. I made my first bowl of Gumbo Saturday night and after much debate we decided that the texture and flavor profile of mackerel was better suited to the dish than tuna. Tuna is usually the go to choice because a) it is more delicious b) …
Two themes I frequently see surface in my reading are being present and managing emotions. There is a Lao Tzu quote that eloquently sums up the the beauty in being present and the futility of anything else: “Depression is in the past, anxiety is in the future, peace is in the present. We can be …
Last week, Monday morning was my day to shop at commissary. In standard commissary day fashion I woke up at 5:30am and waited in the entrance to our unit starting at 5:40. A controlled move was called at 6:02 am and we walked to the building in which the “store” is located. It’s not much …