2020-11-07 06:39 pm
Entry tags:

Early

In the early hours of the morning the cat vomited up a hairball in the corridor next to the bedroom. Its retching didn't wake me up. I was already awake, thinking things were not starting well today.

Tried finishing a novella about a man who had, through enchantment, become the guardian of a forest. Through his own choice, he helped to break the spell that kept him alive, and returned, after centuries, to life as an almost normal man.

The thought of Jung suggesting that the only way out was through seemed fairly hollow in my fretful insomnia. Or to go all the way through might take more than one lifetime.

I try not to listen to the inner voice of despair that gets louder as the waking night hours pass. The voice that says things are not going to improve, and that no matter how one looks at the situation, it is getting worse. The voice does not work with logical argument, though it surely has tried. It works with whispering and repetition. It seeps in as I toss and turn, as my back segues from uncomfortable to painful, as the bed becomes a rack.

Breath and ritual exercises can banish it. Easier to do out of bed and out of the bedroom. First job is to clean the cat's vomit in the hall.

The morning is still half dark when I carry the chair outside, a cup with sand and a stick of incense in the other hand. A star has risen in the east, and the sun will rise soon enough. Start by banishing, central ray, breathing, meditation. Keeping the thoughts focused on the topic for meditation is, once again, like trying to steer the wind. If I could calm the mind, I would have fallen back asleep earlier.

Somewhat recharged, at least physically calmed, I being the long day.
2020-11-04 08:47 pm
Entry tags:

Conscious vs. habit

Conscious attention
  • Concerns and expectations of the other writers.
  • Tired feeling, and desire for something easy to read.
  • Smells: incense, damp ground.
  • Cool of morning, sounds of falling leaves.
  • How an expand all button might work.
  • How the trusted replicas feature works.
Conscious action
  • Presenting the DS docs conversion.
  • Enjoying a family meal.
  • Exercises, then doodling on guitar.
  • Reading.
  • Meditation, ritual, throwing the wands.
  • Removing unused code.
  • Diagnosing IG docs conversion problems.
  • Documenting the trusted replicas feature.
  • Trying to understand the docs UI code, and how to test it.
  • Pulling back, riding on the trainer, and cleaning up.
  • Having a drink and dinner.
  • Reading.
  • Trying a creative writing exercise.
Unconscious/habitual attention
  • The comfortable feeling of falling asleep.
  • Tension and a few aches waking up, but feeling ready to go.
  • Feeling the pull of the radio or television.
Unconscious/habitual action
  • Eating breakfast too fast while reading.
2020-11-03 05:28 pm
Entry tags:

Conscious vs. habit

Conscious attention
  • Smells: bananas, prunes, some very damp air, incense.
Conscious action
  • Reading.
  • Dinner, chewing thoroughly.
  • Guitar exercises.
  • Meditation, ritual, throwing the wands.
  • Counterclockwise round the house.
  • Finishing the Antora migration.
  • Breaking to walk, read, shave shower.
  • Preparing for the docs meeting.
Unconscious/habitual attention
  • Totally focused on the computer, and on work. Forgetting to take breaks.
Unconscious/habitual action
  • Flopping on the couch after dinner and taking it easy.
  • Sometimes I so want to finish something that I forget to pay attention to what I'm doing.
2020-11-02 05:28 pm
Entry tags:

Conscious vs. habit

Conscious attention
  • The energy left in the evening can go to good use. Rather than let it go to waste, do something small.
  • Reading.
  • Feeling some recovery in my back.
  • The almost full moon.
  • The smells of incense and horses.
  • The sign of Bendith Fawr.
  • The puzzling signals of failing pipeline code.
  • The flavor of cold leftovers.
  • The tension struggling at a problem.
  • How soon it starts to get dark.
Conscious action
  • Meditation, throwing the wands, writing.
  • Counterclockwise round the house.
  • Getting started early.
  • Stuggling with Jenkins pipeline refactoring, but finally hacking through it.
Unconscious/habitual attention
  • Not paying close attention in a meeting.
Unconscious/habitual action
  • Tensing up instead of accepting the work.
  • Not taking breaks.
2020-11-01 05:29 pm
Entry tags:

Conscious vs. habit

Conscious attention
  • Listening to Dana recovering his mobility and his feet
  • Watching the full moon to see the man with the cauldron (not yet)
  • Taste of risotto, of ice cream
  • Feeling the diminishing pain
  • Smells: fall damp, sage... later, burning camomile
Conscious action
  • Cooking risotto
  • Stopping by at A & L's show
  • Playing guitar, including Brouwer's studies
  • Waiting for Nathalie
  • Relaxing to fall asleep again
  • Pathworking
  • Counterclockwise round the house
  • Burning camomile
  • Cooking vegetable curry, hummus
  • Taking a family walk
  • Listening to a podcast about retrocausality
Unconscious/habitual attention
  • Forgetting to focus on the stories
Unconscious/habitual action
  • Watching a silly movie with Nathalie
  • Scrolling on the phone
2020-10-31 05:21 pm
Entry tags:

Conscious vs. habit

Conscious attention
  • Odor of wine, and pleasure of sharing a moment with Nath
  • The Candler story
  • Back pain, letting me sleep until 5:30 AM
  • The healing of the central ray
  • Smells: damp, earth, unidentifiable autumn odors
  • Sun, the cats
  • The feel of kiwis as they are picked
  • The taste of spaghetti squash with bacon, onion, and cream
  • The sounds of music
  • The feeling of gentle exercise
  • The story of the earthworm
Conscious action
  • Reading
  • Ritual, meditation
  • Walking counterclockwise around the house
  • Throwing the wands
  • Picking kiwis after reading the lunar situation
  • Speaking with Dad
  • Napping with headphones and the cat on my lap
  • Making and drinking matcha tea
  • Raking
  • Playing guitar outside, staying outside in the nice autumn weather
  • Riding
  • Imagining the story of the earthworms
Unconscious/habitual attention
  • Pain, tension
  • The taste of fruit and other foods
Unconscious/habitual action
  • Email
  • Walking, breathing, cleaning
2020-10-30 05:34 pm
Entry tags:

Conscious vs. habit

Conscious attention
  • The tastes of dinner, especially onions and cheese
  • Back pain, especially in the early morning
  • Sounds: an owl, my footsteps
  • The pain diminishing out the central ray
  • A Candler story
  • Jenkins pipeline code
  • DS *rate tools examples
  • Regular expression code
Conscious action
  • Making dinner
  • Staying away from television, reading instead
  • Ritual, meditation
  • Walking counterclockwise around the house
  • Throwing the wands
  • Developing slides
  • Developing pipelines
  • Developing an Antora extensions to generate full-text index data
  • Fixing DS *rate tools examples
Unconscious/habitual attention
  • Pain, tension
  • Feeling worn out
Unconscious/habitual action
  • Serving the cats
  • Eating leftovers
2020-10-29 05:15 pm
Entry tags:

Conscious vs. habit

Conscious attention
  • Back pain, especially at night
  • Sounds: coffee, rain and wet
  • Maven structures in opendj-docs
Conscious action
  • Relaxing my back
  • Ritual, meditation
  • Walking counterclockwise around the house
  • Throwing the wands
  • Fixing Maven POMs and doc tests
  • Developing slides
  • Riding a bit
Unconscious/habitual attention
  • Pain, tension
Unconscious/habitual action
  • Breathing, typing
  • Keeping at it until I'm exhausted
2020-10-28 06:38 pm
Entry tags:

Conscious vs. habit

Conscious attention
  • Back pain, especially at night
  • Sounds: birds, cars, bells
  • Structures in the IG docs
Conscious action
  • Relaxing my back, and my attitude
  • Ritual, meditation
  • Walking clockwise around the house
  • Throwing the wands
  • Fixing Asciidoc
  • Riding a bit
Unconscious/habitual attention
  • Pain, tension
  • Cats, interruptions
Unconscious/habitual action
  • Breathing, typing
  • Stressing over work I might have to do
2020-10-27 05:50 pm
Entry tags:

Conscious vs. habit

Conscious attention
  • Back pain and tension especially at night
  • Sounds: birds, cars and low rumble, rain drops
  • Listening to a JHK podcast
Conscious action
  • Relaxing my back
  • Ritual, meditation
  • Walking clockwise around the house
  • Throwing the wands
  • Fixing Asciidoc! and asking questions about Antora
Unconscious/habitual attention
  • Pain, tension
  • Cats, interruptions
Unconscious/habitual action
  • Breathing, typing, reading blog entries
2020-10-26 05:46 pm
Entry tags:

Conscious vs. habit

Conscious attention
  • Family speaking about their lives
  • Back pain and tension
  • Story of Siddhartha
  • Sounds: cat, appliances, typing
Conscious action
  • Relaxing my back
  • Ritual, meditation
  • Walking clockwise around the house
  • Throwing the wands
  • Fixing Asciidoc!
Unconscious/habitual attention
  • Pain, tension
Unconscious/habitual action
  • Some eating (then I noticed myself)
2020-10-25 05:24 pm
Entry tags:

Conscious vs. habit

Conscious attention
  • Back pain and tension
  • Guide driving a blue and gold car
  • Story of Siddhartha
  • Sounds: toilet, clocks ticking, a car
  • Tastes of good food and wine, then cheesecake
  • Trees with colored leaves, moss, mushrooms, water flowing in a stream, soft mist
  • Taking photos
Conscious action
  • Relaxing my back
  • Arranging the family meeting
  • Pathwork, listening to Fred (the characters are in there?)
  • Walking clockwise around the house
  • Throwing the wands
  • Restringing the PRS guitar
  • Playing the guitar
  • Preparing roasted root vegetables, slowly chewing
Unconscious/habitual attention
  • Pain, tension
Unconscious/habitual action
  • Following the cats around
2020-10-24 05:23 pm
Entry tags:

Conscious vs. habit

Conscious attention
  • Back pain and tension
  • Story of Siddhartha
  • Sounds: kitchen appliances, clock ticking, cars, a bird or two
  • Trees turning colors
  • Walnuts, mushrooms
  • Elasticity of pizza dough
Conscious action
  • Looking to help Tim choose a guitar
  • Banishing, relaxing, meditating, throwing and reading the wands
  • Playing guitar
  • Holding myself relaxed while walking
  • Cooking cordons bleu, preparing pizza dough
Unconscious/habitual attention
  • Sense of hunger even when I'm not really hungry
  • Concern, self-pity
Unconscious/habitual action
  • Looking at the television when others turn it on
  • Tensing up when the pain is there, or even when I think it will come
  • Not thinking of the stories I have to tell
2020-10-23 05:03 pm
Entry tags:

Conscious vs. habit

Conscious attention
  • Pain, tension, relaxation
  • Sounds: birds, raining draining away, cars, a sort of low hum (plane? highway?)
  • Code, both in docs and in DS
Conscious action
  • Rituals, including meditation
  • Guitar exercises
  • Trying to relax my back
  • Walking clockwise around the house
  • Fixing code
Unconscious/habitual attention
  • Back pain
Unconscious/habitual action
  • Some browsing. Amazing how quickly the mind wanders when in front of a computer.
2020-10-22 05:43 pm
Entry tags:

Conscious vs. habit

Conscious attention
  • Pain, tension, relaxation
  • Sounds: cars, birds, appliances, clock ticking
  • Broken links, build failures
Conscious action
  • Guitar exercises
  • Trying to relax my back
  • Finishing reading a short story
  • Walking clockwise around the house
  • Fixing links and formatting
  • Going for a walk
Unconscious/habitual attention
  • Back pain
  • Feel of walking in a light rain
Unconscious/habitual action
  • Some eating
  • Unproductive thinking
2020-10-21 05:26 pm
Entry tags:

Conscious vs. habit

Conscious attention
  • Saxophone
  • Pain, tension, relaxation
  • Sounds: hard drive, appliances, a few bird calls, a car or two
  • Build failures
Conscious action
  • Guitar exercises
  • Trying to relax my back
  • Reading to take my mind off things
  • Walking clockwise around the house
  • Fixing images, formatting
  • Learning Antora, Jenkins pipelines
Unconscious/habitual attention
  • Ruminating pain again at night
  • Cats
Unconscious/habitual action
  • Eating, tensing upWincing
  • Cycling, affirmations
2020-10-20 07:11 pm
Entry tags:

Conscious vs. habit

Day 7
Conscious attention
  • Pain and the result of osteopathy (partial fix)
  • Piano music
  • Sounds of grinding chamomile
Conscious action
  • Trying not to get attached to work
  • Trying to relax my back
  • Fixing images, formatting
Unconscious/habitual attention
  • Back pain
  • Ruminating pain again at night
Unconscious/habitual action
  • Eating, tensing up
2020-10-19 06:27 pm
Entry tags:

Conscious vs. habit

Day 6
Conscious attention
  • Trying not to make a false move
  • Job output
Conscious action
  • Fixing Antora builds and pipelines
  • Calming my back
Unconscious/habitual attention
  • Back pain
  • Ruminating pain after waking up
Unconscious/habitual action
  • Eating, tensing up
2020-10-18 06:24 pm
Entry tags:

Conscious vs. habit

Day 5
Conscious attention
  • Staying awake, waiting for Nathalie
  • Pathwork images
  • The sound of piano music
  • The taste of pancakes, squash, eggs, brownies
  • The smells of the garden, of burning rosemary
  • The calls of the birds in the afternoon
  • The sounds of the hunt
  • The gray rosemary ash
  • The dry leaves of the easternmost rose and the walnut tree
Conscious action
  • Pathwork, divination
  • Planting onions, borage
  • Cooking brownies, squash, hard-boiled eggs
  • Sheet composing
  • Seeing Big Foot's son as a musician
  • Preparing tincture of rosemary
Unconscious/habitual attention
  • Where's the story?
  • There is a story inside. Many stories.
  • Imagine it hard enough and it becomes real.
Unconscious/habitual action
  • Breathing, balancing, sleeping,
  • Walking around
2020-10-17 08:42 pm
Entry tags:

Conscious vs. habit

Day 4
Conscious attention
  •     The central rays
  •     The smell and feel of good earth in the garden
  •     The sound of perfect fourth intervals on the guitar
  •     The sound of the 200 Motels music
  •     Glenn Gould playing an arrangement of part of Beethoven's 6th
  •     The taste of food, including smoked cheese, potato peels, lentil burgers, ice cream, apricots
  •     The feeling of anticipation mingled with concern about telling the story of Big Foot's son
  •     The blackberries are so dry; will they recover next year?
Conscious action
  •     Morning ritual, mediation and divination
  •     Preparing the garden spots for lavender, onions, borage, potatoes
  •     Trying to pick out melodies from 200 Motels on guitar
  •     Mulching, cutting the underbrush above the blackberry vines
  •     Helping Diane figure out a program to convert base 16 numbers to base 10
  •     Cleaning
  •     Shaving
  •     Sitting down with the paper to think about the story of Big Foot's son
  •     Repeating the affirmations
  •     Cooking
Unconscious/habitual attention
  •     Dreams (none that I recall)
Unconscious/habitual action
  •     Breathing, balancing, sleeping,
  •     Still too much of my eating