August 27, 2009

• Work
  

  For the most part I suppose I'm one of those cerebral types. More often than not you will find me sitting on my ass reading a book, writing at the computer or talking to someone or a group of someones. It's not that I don't like physical activity, it's more like physical activity is cyclical for me. Maybe everyone is like that but I don't pay as much attention to everyone as I do to myself. Yeah, it's all about me. That may be the one big thing that makes me different from you. Just kidding. That may be the one big thing we have in common. See? That's what I mean. I'm not a practical joker. I'm more of a facetious or sarcastic cerebrum kind of guy where the practical joker is more a cerebellum type. The cerebellum is the part of the brain at the back of the skull in vertebrates, that's us. Its function is to coordinate and regulate muscular activity. My friend of well over twenty years, Rex, is a cerebellum guy. He puts phone books under your mattress while you're in the shower if you're sharing a hotel room with him. If you're married to him, which I'm not, he puts pennies in the freezer and then tosses a handful of them on your side of the bed while you're in the bathroom. If you've ever asked yourself, Who thinks of shit like that? I'm here to tell you. Rex.

  About half a dozen of us were bicycle touring Napa Valley one year, camping out. One night skunks invaded the camp. I've never seen an animal that didn't like Rex. All my dogs have loved him. Alfie was a nut job Dalmatian who got busted twice for biting people. They have a three strikes law here. The third strike they send them to the gas chamber. No appeals. He had one strike left when he died and that was only because his third bite didn't report him or go to the doctor's office. Doctors are mandatory reporters. Rex used to draw a circle around Alfie's eye with a carpenter's crayon. Alfie loved Rex and would let him do anything. Anyway, the skunk went right into Rex' tent and tried to get into the sleeping bag with him. Rex had to shoo him away several times. Finally the skunk left and went to another tent. Rex got his flashlight to see what was going on out there. The skunk was visiting another friend's tent. Steve thinks all animals are either for eating or hunting so he was not fond of the skunk. Probably thought the skunk was an animal totem come to balance his karmic debt with the animal kingdom. Scary. Steve got upset when the light from Rex' flashlight woke him up and he saw the skunk. Rex couln't let it be and told Steve that he made the skunk go over there by shining the light. Who thinks of shit like that? Rex. Steve believed him. Rex doesn't do stuff like that to me. I just tell him I'll shove the flashlight up his ass and he laughs, makes a silly Laurel and Hardy face and stops screwing with me.

  All this to say I've spent about every day the past couple of months working in the yard. Must be the physical work cycle. It didn't really occur to me until Connie and I were out to lunch yesterday. Yesterday was Wednesday here in our part of the world. On Wednesday night I have a class where we're studying the Tao-Te-Ching. It was after noon and I still had to meditate and get back out in the yard and finish a big list of things I wanted to (needed to) do. When Connie told me it was Wednesday I groaned, Oh, man, I've got a class tonight. I don't have time for that crap! Connie and I have been married over twenty-seven years. It's probably the first time she's ever heard me say I didn't have time for a class. My usually soft hands look like I've been juggling broken bottles. It takes me about twenty steps to straighten up when I get up out of a chair. The back of my neck is so toasted I've gone beyond redneck to brown neck and I now take a shower at night instead of in the morning. Last night one of the chapters of the Tao we read was speaking directly to me:

  Keep still.
  Don't work so hard.
  Learn to appreciate everyday life.
  Pay attention to details.
  Start small and work your way up.
  When people give you trouble, let it slide.

  Break everything down to its essentials.
  Get the job done before it becomes a chore.

  With the right preparation,
  difficult tasks can be completed with ease;
  every major project consists of simple steps.

  The Masters don't take on more than they can handle,
  which is why they can do just about anything.

  Don't promise more than you can deliver,
  and don't underestimate the task:
  You'll only make things harder for yourself.

  The Masters are always aware of the difficulties involved,
  which is why they never have to deal with them.

  • 11:37 am
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