Twitterers: Are you thinking about following me?

[This essay was originally posted to a blog on Weebly. In transferring it I have updated and made corrections where necessary.]

My dear Twitterers,

If you are looking to:

• share what we've learned about happiness
• engage in substantive conversations
• explore the boundaries of spirituality
• talk about life, the universe, and everything

then by all means follow me.

Today is the first day of the next year of your life

[This essay was originally posted to a blog on Weebly. In transferring it I have updated and made corrections where necessary.]

When you're an expat in China, you find that the "New Year season" is exceptionally long.

Anywhere from three to seven weeks after the "real" New Year's Day on Jan. 1 comes Chinese New Year. This year it was on Jan. 26, so from late December until well into February, I was saying "Happy New Year!" In fact, even this week, having just returned to school after a six-week break, I was wishing HNY to people that I hadn't seen since "last year" (Jan. 9).

"The Midas Touch"

[This essay was originally posted to a blog on Weebly. In transferring it I have updated and made corrections where necessary.]

I'm nearing the end of The Devil and Miss Prym by Paulo Coelho, and he's just told the story of King Midas. It's a cautionary tale: Midas was given one wish by the god Dionysus, and in his greed he asked that everything he touch turn to gold. The end is well-known: even his food and drink are turned to gold and, in Coelho's version, he dies of hunger and thirst in a week. (In some versions he learns his lesson and Dionysus restores him to normalcy).

"Your Last Lecture"

[This essay was originally posted to a blog on Weebly. In transferring it I have updated and made corrections where necessary.]

Over on eduFire a member asked: "If you were giving your last lecture, what would you say?"

Here's the answer I posted:

• PAY ATTENTION! Mindful participation in your own life is the key to everything.
• PLAY NICE! Compassionate involvement with others is the key to everything.
• WISE UP! Developing wisdom in any way possible is the key to everything.

Yes, I know: I said they were ALL the key to everything, but only because...THEY ARE!

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Comment(s):

Lisa:

Very well put, and yes, all three are THE KEY to everything,

Peace and smiles to you :)
Lisa

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And the Winner is...

[This essay was originally posted to a blog on Weebly. In transferring it I have updated and made corrections where necessary.]

It's OSCARS time. It seems this year's nominees are heavy on "meaning." Best Picture nominees are:

• The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
• Frost/Nixon
• Milk
• The Reader
• Slumdog Millionaire

Lila and I will do a moviethon this weekend and try to catch up on most of the nominees. We've seen The Reader, and she couldn't find Milk when she went to the DVD town this week. But we'll try to slog through the other three.