Comments for Edge to Center http://edgetocenter.com Tue, 20 Dec 2011 13:18:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.2 Comment on 77 Things That Don’t Completely Suck by Sarah http://edgetocenter.com/2011/11/77-things-that-dont-completely-suck/comment-page-1/#comment-562 Sarah Tue, 20 Dec 2011 13:18:43 +0000 http://edgetocenter.com/?p=314#comment-562 Definitely amnesty! In fact, I owe y'all a post about how much I play this game, because it's at least once a week most weeks. Definitely amnesty! In fact, I owe y’all a post about how much I play this game, because it’s at least once a week most weeks.

]]> Comment on 77 Things That Don’t Completely Suck by VickiB http://edgetocenter.com/2011/11/77-things-that-dont-completely-suck/comment-page-1/#comment-561 VickiB Tue, 20 Dec 2011 04:17:55 +0000 http://edgetocenter.com/?p=314#comment-561 My Thanksgiving toast and New Year's Wish every year: Heat and Light, Food and Drink, Friends and Family, Meaningful Work and Good Health! Things that don't suck, in no particular order: Traveling with my sister and her son and my husband Returning home Warm clothes and dry socks Fresh homemade food My cleaning service The cleaner brings me goodies every week! Sunshine Snuggling with my husband Sparkling wine Having the washer and dryer in the kitchen instead of the basement Blogs like this one Music Recorded books when we're traveling Cruise control My Own Bed! Omelets with cheese and spinach! Good bread (I seem obsessed with food) Pink pants Photographs and memories Being able to read and write! Books -- lots and lots of books Internet access Knowing that there are lots more things I could list Your explanation for why you/we write this list And the assumption that amnesty applies, since I am writing this several weeks after you posted My Thanksgiving toast and New Year’s Wish every year:
Heat and Light, Food and Drink, Friends and Family, Meaningful Work and Good Health!

Things that don’t suck, in no particular order:

Traveling with my sister and her son and my husband
Returning home
Warm clothes and dry socks
Fresh homemade food
My cleaning service
The cleaner brings me goodies every week!
Sunshine
Snuggling with my husband
Sparkling wine
Having the washer and dryer in the kitchen instead of the basement
Blogs like this one
Music
Recorded books when we’re traveling
Cruise control
My Own Bed!
Omelets with cheese and spinach!
Good bread
(I seem obsessed with food)
Pink pants
Photographs and memories
Being able to read and write!
Books — lots and lots of books
Internet access
Knowing that there are lots more things I could list
Your explanation for why you/we write this list
And the assumption that amnesty applies, since I am writing this several weeks after you posted

]]> Comment on Will by Liss http://edgetocenter.com/2011/04/will/comment-page-1/#comment-453 Liss Fri, 29 Jul 2011 17:21:59 +0000 http://edgetocenter.com/?p=299#comment-453 For me, I think it's experimentation. I've experimented with giving in to those momentary rebellions and impulses--sometimes more intentionally than others. And I've discovered that it doesn't actually make me happy to follow them. I know it to be true because I've tried it. I can re-confirm that truth any time I like by repeating the experiment; it's quite reliable. My lifelong detestation of being told what to do also helps, oddly enough; after a while, it starts to feel like I'm being pushed into something by my own mind/brain, rather than choosing to walk toward it, which generally causes me to dig in my heels and refuse on principle :) That, in turn, demands an answer to what I actually desire (beyond "not that!") and how I can align my actions to it. For me, I think it’s experimentation. I’ve experimented with giving in to those momentary rebellions and impulses–sometimes more intentionally than others. And I’ve discovered that it doesn’t actually make me happy to follow them. I know it to be true because I’ve tried it. I can re-confirm that truth any time I like by repeating the experiment; it’s quite reliable. My lifelong detestation of being told what to do also helps, oddly enough; after a while, it starts to feel like I’m being pushed into something by my own mind/brain, rather than choosing to walk toward it, which generally causes me to dig in my heels and refuse on principle :) That, in turn, demands an answer to what I actually desire (beyond “not that!”) and how I can align my actions to it.

]]> Comment on The Trouble with Tribbles by Liss http://edgetocenter.com/2011/02/the-trouble-with-tribbles/comment-page-1/#comment-452 Liss Fri, 29 Jul 2011 16:50:13 +0000 http://edgetocenter.com/?p=270#comment-452 I also really liked this post. It articulates exactly how I, in the form of a legion of tribbles, apparently, talk myself out of figuring out what I actually want and how I might be able to do/get/try/experience that. Also, I love you extra for using the phrase "going all Fight Club on yourself" :-) I also really liked this post. It articulates exactly how I, in the form of a legion of tribbles, apparently, talk myself out of figuring out what I actually want and how I might be able to do/get/try/experience that.

Also, I love you extra for using the phrase “going all Fight Club on yourself” :-)

]]> Comment on The Trouble with Tribbles by Tribble secrets! | Edge to Center http://edgetocenter.com/2011/02/the-trouble-with-tribbles/comment-page-1/#comment-451 Tribble secrets! | Edge to Center Tue, 26 Jul 2011 01:23:56 +0000 http://edgetocenter.com/?p=270#comment-451 [...] secrets! I am going to tell you a secret about tribbles: they often travel in groups. Or, more precisely, in lines. You think you’ve sorted a tribble [...] [...] secrets! I am going to tell you a secret about tribbles: they often travel in groups. Or, more precisely, in lines. You think you’ve sorted a tribble [...]

]]> Comment on Ways to listen: writing by Yes we can, the inside edition | Edge to Center http://edgetocenter.com/2010/10/ways-to-listen-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-450 Yes we can, the inside edition | Edge to Center Sat, 16 Jul 2011 18:17:10 +0000 http://edgetocenter.com/?p=156#comment-450 [...] we can, the inside edition We’ve talked a lot about different ways to listen, to try to pick your own wise voice out of the crowd of other things clamoring for [...] [...] we can, the inside edition We’ve talked a lot about different ways to listen, to try to pick your own wise voice out of the crowd of other things clamoring for [...]

]]> Comment on Will by Kitty Cunningham http://edgetocenter.com/2011/04/will/comment-page-1/#comment-443 Kitty Cunningham Sat, 02 Apr 2011 02:23:07 +0000 http://edgetocenter.com/?p=299#comment-443 I totally get that. I would rather put dishes in the dishwasher than have a cluttered kitchen. Likewise, I'd rather clean as I cook. I like having bills paid so there used to be great satisfaction in having a stack of stamped envelopes ready to go in the mail. Now, I have them paid via direct withdrawal so I don't have that little satisfaction, but I don't really have to think about it either. I have 3 hampers so I sort laundry as I take it off and when it is time to do a load, it is easy peasy. Having a washer and dryer in those instead of using a laundromat makes a huge difference, too. The washer and dryer were the biggest indicators to myself that I was a real grown up. OMG How frustrating to finally grow up enough to realize that so man things my mother nagged me about are true. If I tend to the little things as they crop up, they never have opportunity to become overwhelming. My desire for a tidy, comfortable space inspires me to pick up as I go instead of waiting for everything to be a major effort. My desire for a happy relationship has me checking in with my husband frequently, too. "Are you getting what you need? Do you have enough space, enough attention, enough what-ever-makes-you-happy?". AND telling him, constantly, "I'm thinking this or that or whatever.". So that happiness happens because we are aiming for it. I totally get that. I would rather put dishes in the dishwasher than have a cluttered kitchen. Likewise, I’d rather clean as I cook. I like having bills paid so there used to be great satisfaction in having a stack of stamped envelopes ready to go in the mail. Now, I have them paid via direct withdrawal so I don’t have that little satisfaction, but I don’t really have to think about it either.

I have 3 hampers so I sort laundry as I take it off and when it is time to do a load, it is easy peasy. Having a washer and dryer in those instead of using a laundromat makes a huge difference, too.

The washer and dryer were the biggest indicators to myself that I was a real grown up. OMG

How frustrating to finally grow up enough to realize that so man things my mother nagged me about are true. If I tend to the little things as they crop up, they never have opportunity to become overwhelming.

My desire for a tidy, comfortable space inspires me to pick up as I go instead of waiting for everything to be a major effort.

My desire for a happy relationship has me checking in with my husband frequently, too. “Are you getting what you need? Do you have enough space, enough attention, enough what-ever-makes-you-happy?”. AND telling him, constantly, “I’m thinking this or that or whatever.”. So that happiness happens because we are aiming for it.

]]> Comment on Goals and me by Kitty Cunningham http://edgetocenter.com/2011/02/goals-and-me/comment-page-1/#comment-441 Kitty Cunningham Sun, 27 Mar 2011 12:53:55 +0000 http://edgetocenter.com/?p=56#comment-441 I don't care for "goals" either. That word is fraught with the sound of impending failure, to me. I tend to use "aims" and "hopes" and "intentions". Goals are things one has to work on. I aim for things I would like to include in my world but don't have on a timetable. Right now, I am aiming for walking 3 17-minute miles with my friend 3 times a week. We are at slightly more than 2 in 20 minutes. This small thing gives us an impetus to push just a little harder when we are walking so that the underlying intention (getting our heart rates up for long enough to help keep our bodies healthy) is accomplished. Today, we are painting my son's old room as the last step in turning it into a guest room. My intention with that is to create a place where my friends and family will enjoy visiting. And to eradicate the space that inspires him to adolescent behaviors rather than the adult ones he has been developing while he is serving in AmeriCorp for 10 months before beginning college. These are small accomplishments that I expect to help me have a general satisfaction with the ife I am creating for myself. I am fortunate. I don't have large travails or impediments to joy. I don’t care for “goals” either. That word is fraught with the sound of impending failure, to me. I tend to use “aims” and “hopes” and “intentions”. Goals are things one has to work on. I aim for things I would like to include in my world but don’t have on a timetable.

Right now, I am aiming for walking 3 17-minute miles with my friend 3 times a week. We are at slightly more than 2 in 20 minutes. This small thing gives us an impetus to push just a little harder when we are walking so that the underlying intention (getting our heart rates up for long enough to help keep our bodies healthy) is accomplished.

Today, we are painting my son’s old room as the last step in turning it into a guest room. My intention with that is to create a place where my friends and family will enjoy visiting. And to eradicate the space that inspires him to adolescent behaviors rather than the adult ones he has been developing while he is serving in AmeriCorp for 10 months before beginning college.

These are small accomplishments that I expect to help me have a general satisfaction with the ife I am creating for myself.

I am fortunate. I don’t have large travails or impediments to joy.

]]> Comment on The Trouble with Tribbles by Kelly Parkinson http://edgetocenter.com/2011/02/the-trouble-with-tribbles/comment-page-1/#comment-427 Kelly Parkinson Thu, 24 Feb 2011 16:53:47 +0000 http://edgetocenter.com/?p=270#comment-427 I love the word "tribbles." Just saying it makes me happy, which in some strange way actually pleases my tribbles. They keep wanting to alert me to some tragedy that will befall if I don't check email right now, but when they hear themselves called tribbles they get all blushy and shy and giggly. Tribbles! I love the word “tribbles.” Just saying it makes me happy, which in some strange way actually pleases my tribbles. They keep wanting to alert me to some tragedy that will befall if I don’t check email right now, but when they hear themselves called tribbles they get all blushy and shy and giggly. Tribbles!

]]> Comment on The Trouble with Tribbles by Cat http://edgetocenter.com/2011/02/the-trouble-with-tribbles/comment-page-1/#comment-425 Cat Thu, 24 Feb 2011 13:23:38 +0000 http://edgetocenter.com/?p=270#comment-425 I like this piece. For me, the most powerful of these is "I can't do that" around physical things that might trigger the fibro to reach out and squash me. My relationship with fibro, pain, my body, etc, is complicated at best, and this is one piece of it. There's another one around my co-parenting relationship, but i'm not articulate enough about it to write anything before the second cup of coffee. I like this piece.

For me, the most powerful of these is “I can’t do that” around physical things that might trigger the fibro to reach out and squash me. My relationship with fibro, pain, my body, etc, is complicated at best, and this is one piece of it.

There’s another one around my co-parenting relationship, but i’m not articulate enough about it to write anything before the second cup of coffee.

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