Sunni's blog

As well as more reason for me not to sell candy any more ...

Recently I spent some time in a much sunnier clime, and noticed a very curious, and entirely unexpected, benefit. Somewhat serendipitously, I think I’ve found an explanation for what happened.

I ask the question with solemn seriousness. No, I haven’t been smoking or otherwise ingesting anything to make my brain go wonky. I have actually been thinking about the issue—from a very different context—for some time now, and trying to find a way to gather my thoughts for presentation here. I’ve not yet accomplished that, but a news article I just read crystallized the above question out of my mind.

What a fitting set of ideas to contemplate now—well, for those who are attached to the Gregorian calendar, anyway. Be warned: this isn’t a typical “bucket list” or similar set of externally–driven “achievements”—the short essay Joshua Zader posted may have most individuals squirming uncomfortably a few times. But it brims with the stuff that is most important in living a conscious life.

I am not a pagan of any formal variety; and partly because it can be hard to separate out the capital-P Pagans from little-p pagans (much like libertarians, I suppose), I do not feel comfortable applying either label variant to myself. But as my desires grow to commemorate and celebrate days that actually mean something in the natural world, I find a sense of communion with at least part of part of their formal celebrations. Thus I was entranced by the video below, which came to my attention courtesy of my massage therapist.


(Direct link for those who prefer to watch it at YouTube)

And now I have my own musical program for the rest of the evening, as I enjoy the candlelight and do some knitting: piano pieces from Edvard Grieg. I hope you enjoy your celebrations, whatever form they may take—and whenever (and whyever) you choose them!

I have been too much a post–and–run Snake these days; and for that I apologize. It will get worse—or this place will fall entirely silent, mayhaps—before it gets better; but before those days descend, I would like to share some joy—a recipe for a celebratory frugal indulgence. Don’t believe me? Step into my kitchen and behold!

At least it was for a while in a Philadelphia restaurant.

Bill St. Clair very kindly emailed me this morning, bringing my attention to an addition to one of his web sites that he thought I would particularly appreciate. Even though we’ve not yet met in person, he knows me well.

Anyone who thinks the USSA gov—and govs the world around—don’t massage their statistics in some way must have a photo of themselves in the dictionary under “naïve”. Of late, some knowledgeable folks have been looking with suspicion at the unemployment figures, and with very good reason.

But for those of us who aren’t interested in the intricacies of the birth–death model, a video has been made to help sort out how our beneficent state currently defines “unemployed”:

(Or, watch it at YouTube if you prefer)

This is quite accurate, including the statistic cited at the end. At least as far as gov numbers go ...

Some of you might think I mean this site; and indeed, my quietude has again continued for longer than I wanted. I continue to be busy offline and mostly happy with all that’s going on; and I am frustrated by my efforts to try to organize and express some thoughts on substantive matters for sharing here.

I know today is the obligatory day here in the USSA for giving thanks; and while I am commemorating it in offering mine, I want it to be clear that my gratitude runs deeper and wider than simple holiday offerings.

I’m as close to settled on the recipe as I’ll ever be; and if I wait for pictures, I’ll probably never post the recipe. Those who like the crunchy–style granola bars will probably like these ... and they’re easy and inexpensive to make, to boot.

Joss Whedon addresses that question at the end of this talk. Most of what leads up to it is pretty good, as well.

(Direct link to vid on YouTube)

He’s reminded me why I used to think of myself as a humanist in my undergrad days ...

David Gumpert has become something of a hero to me—not because his blog focuses on the healthful properties of raw milk, but rather because he actively seeks to understand, and to present, all the players’ perspectives in the complicated regulatory dance that has developed around it. Recently, he’s focused on challenges in Wisconsin—an area that doesn’t make the news frequently, but which is suffering economically along with much of this country.

The deeper I get into Barzun’s biography, titled A Stroll With William James, the more tempted I am to come to that conclusion. For those uncertain as to what I mean by ecological psychology, it is a radical departure from the information processing theories that currently dominate the field. Too many—both layperson and academic alike—have let the brain–as–computer metaphor become the only way they can conceptualize what goes on in our wetware (see?); but of course, before computers (and even earlier, before machines), there were other ways of approaching this most intriguing set of questions. William James apparently did so in a way that presaged much of the ecological approach.