Category Archives: Random Thoughts

YEAR OF THE MONKEY – 2016

Under the Oriental lunar calendar, the Year of the Monkey begins with the new moon on February 8, 2016 and lasts until January 27, 2017.  Different cultures have slightly different interpretations of the various years, and in this post I will refer primarily to the so-called “Chinese zodiac.” Most people know that the years inContinue reading “YEAR OF THE MONKEY – 2016”

FOR THE NEW YEAR: HEALING CHANT

For those of us temporally tied to the Gregorian Calendar, the new year of 2016 will begin in just a few days.  This is the first of three posts leading to that event. The whole world probably has some tie to that Gregorian Calendar today, but it was not always so.  In earlier times, humansContinue reading “FOR THE NEW YEAR: HEALING CHANT”

SONG OF THE WEEK – HYMN

Now thank we all our God With heart and hands and voices, Who wondrous things has done, In whom his world rejoices1 ———————————————————— Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.2 —————————————————————— Good and bad men differ radically.  Bad men neverContinue reading “SONG OF THE WEEK – HYMN”

SONG OF THE WEEK – PRINCE OF DARKNESS

I Earlier this week, I was doing a meditation with some friends.  It was suggested that whenever an extraneous thought came along we should acknowledge, “I created that,” and let it pass. How far beyond the mind and meditation should that acknowledgement be extended? II Some of the news headlines from the past few days:Continue reading “SONG OF THE WEEK – PRINCE OF DARKNESS”

LEILA (OR “LAYLA,” AS ERIC CLAPTON WOULD SAY)

We are extremely pleased to announce that Leila Catherine Koskimaki was born at about 9:42 a.m. on Monday, November 2, 2015.  At her birth, she weighed 6 pounds, 15 ounces; and she was 19 inches long. Not only was this baby once the youngest person in the world, she is my granddaughter.  Here is aContinue reading “LEILA (OR “LAYLA,” AS ERIC CLAPTON WOULD SAY)”

SONG OF THE WEEK – MOTHER’S LITTLE HELPER

I have led a pretty sheltered life; and it is probably better that way.  Last night a kid came to the door selling some cleaning solution and telling me how my purchase would help him get into nursing school and away from the drug scene in inner-city Jacksonville, Florida.  Who knew?  I bought an overpricedContinue reading “SONG OF THE WEEK – MOTHER’S LITTLE HELPER”

HEALTH OF THE DALAI LAMA

I recently received an email from the Tibetan Association of Colorado informing me of the following statement issued by the Office of Tibet in Washington, D.C., on September 25, 2015: “His Holiness arrived in the United States earlier this week for a medical evaluation. Upon completion of the evaluation, the doctors have advised that HisContinue reading “HEALTH OF THE DALAI LAMA”

SONG OF THE WEEK – HIGHWAYMAN

“You don’t have a soul.  You are a soul.  You have a body.” We start with a famous quotation – one that I received in an email just a few days ago1 – which is often attributed to C. S. Lewis.  It appears, though, that Lewis never publicly wrote or said those words.  He probablyContinue reading “SONG OF THE WEEK – HIGHWAYMAN”