A Wise Use of Your Time

I find it interesting to consider the topic of whether or not some activity is a “waste of time.”

There are numerous articles on the Internet on the topic of what to do to prevent wasting your time. For example, Theresa Griffith wrote a short article titled "Top 20 Time Wasters and the Top 5 Worthwhile Activities." Dozens of books provide practical suggestions on the topic of 'time management.' The 'time wasters' are important to consider.

Everyone has personal opinions about what, for them, is unpleasant and something they want to avoid. Doing something they dislike is, for them, a “waste of time.” Many other people find the exact same activity pleasurable and not a waste of time. For examples: For many, gardening is not pleasurable and a waste of time; for others, a creative and physical joyfulness. Walking in the woods for hours is a delight for some; and an unpleasant waste of time for others. Some folks want to repair and upgrade automobiles for hours; for many others, that is just a technical and greasy job for the paid local mechanic.  Praying and attending church services are essential activities for many; and yet considered by many others as a waste of their time.  Watching sports for many hours on television is a top priority for many; and a boring waste of time for may others.  The old saying about "one man's meat is another man's poison" applies to more that debates between vegetarians and meat eaters. 

Efficiency is indeed important in many aspects of life and employment. Consistently doing something the wrong way at work would be considered a “waste of time,” and a likely cause for dismissal. Some problems are seemingly impossible to solve, and trying to do so might be considered a waste of time.
However, efficiency should not always be the primary criterion to use in judging. What about effectiveness, aesthetics, goodness, pleasures, etc.

Personal dissatisfaction about “excessive” amounts of time spent on a single activity, and avoiding or neglecting some other more important personal priorities and objectives, might trigger the judgment about that activity being a waste of time. Any activity carried to excess in this fashion is indeed a squandering your limited temporal resources.

Sometimes some of our behaviors are an addiction or compulsion, and of very limited benefit or injurious to us or others. We realize we are wasting and loosing time, but cannot control ourselves.

After our daily work and chores are completed, and we have completed our commitments and responsibilities, then we might relax, enjoy ourselves, and "waste" some time. It was not time wasted, but time used for personal pleasures.  

It is best for us to be very careful in our judgments about what we consider a "waste of time" for ourselves and/or others.  

"I am not an arbiter of taste, and it is not my place to tell you what to read, listen to, or watch.  I just want you to be aware that the decisions you make about all this affect your moods and emotions better and worse.  I urge you to make them mindfully."
-  Dr. Andrew Weil, Spontaneous Happiness, p 155.

Returning to Feeling Better and Training

In May of 2016, I was lifting weights for 45 minutes at the gym 5 days a week.  I walked 2 to 3 miles four days every week.  I taught 3 yoga classes and 3 taijiquan classes each week.  I worked 24 hours a week for the Corning School District.  I was feeling strong, energetic, and positive.  Medical tests were positive.  I was 70 years of age.  

After July of 2017, my health declined.  My 1st degree AV heart block (which I had since 1990) became a 2nd degree AV heart block and Bradycardia (excessively slow heartbeat) caused great concern and distress.  I had a pacemaker inserted in 6/17. 

We sold our home in Red Bluff, CA, and purchased a home in 6/17 in Vancouver WA.  This was challenging and stressful. 

During this period I fell twice and injured both knees and my right hip.  My damaged right rotator cuff tendon continued to limit my motions. 

My Type II diabetes, under reasonable control since 1990, began to worsen.  My new physician, Dr. Anna, switched my medicines in 7/17 and my recent blood sugar AIC was 7.2.  I must improve. 

I was depressed and drugged.  Disheartening!  Little energy!  Lighteaded! 

I smoked cannabis during this period to ease the pain and dull my senses.  This was a mistake.  I stopped smoking! 

I did not write much or research/study much for 14 months. 

I health started to improve in September, 2017.  I am now hoping to resume a more comprehensive physical training program in October, 2017. 

Karen and I are now eating more vegetarian based meals.  We are both greatly reducing our intake of  meats, dairy products, and eggs. 

I am now walking every day for 30 to 40 minutes. 

I garden some everyday at our new home.  

I go to the gym at LA Fitness four days a week. 

Hopefully, this autumn season will bring improved stamina and vitality to my life. 

I know that I have told my recent story before in this blog.  I apologize for the repetition. 

I hope my future writing and posts help me recover.  Productive work of this kind is uplifting for me.  Maybe, in addition, it might help others in some way.

Best wishes, 

Mike

Films about Vegetarianism

Karen and I have recently watched a number of "documentary" films on Netflix dealing with the impact of excessive meat eating on individuals, communities, and our environment.  Also, we have read a number of books on the subject.  In addition, my cardiologist recommends a change in my own eating habits. 

East Region Library Managers, Los Angeles County Public Library System, 1996

A hard working group of branch library managers and regional staff.  Great colleagues, and some fine friends.  We accomplished a lot with our 20 libraries in East Region.  Fond memories!  

I was the Regional Administrator for East Region, in the San Gabriel Valley, 20 libraries, from 1980-1998.  My office was at the West Covina Regional Library.  

At the time the above photograph was taken we were all at the Rowland Heights library attending the monthly Branch Managers meeting.  Back then, Mike McClintock and Billie Frierson were  assistant administrators.  Judy Valcho, Linda Siggins and Kay Simonetti were regional coordinators; and Elizabeth Koller was the office manager.  

From my memory in 2018. The top back row standing, left to right, Chuck Kaufman (Hacienda Heights), reference librarian Diamond Bar, John McClellan (Claremont), Tony Ramirez (El Monte), library assistant at Rowland Heights, Peter Rosenwald (Duarte), Elizabeth Koller (Region), Pat Libbry (Norwood), Robert Marquez (South El Monte), Sherna Cowan (Rowland), Mary Noonan (San Dimas), Dottie Nichols (Charter Oak).  Sitting, left to right, Stuart Rosenberg (La Verne), Billie Frierson (Region), Linda Siggins (Region), Mike Garofalo (Region), Sandra Novoa (Sunkist), Wilbert Hunt (Baldwin Park), Mike McClintock (Region).  Missing: Joan Livingston (West Covina), Bryan Trygstad (library), Librarian (Walnut), Judy Valcho (Region).  

As of 2018, Chuck Kaufman, Mary Miller, Claudia Moiseve, Cathy, Susanna Morneau, and John McClellan have all passed away.  

Los Angeles County Public Library System, 1998, Administrative Council

The top management group of the second largest public library system in the United States.  A very creative group of dedicated professionals, and a fine team.  I retired in 1998, and have not met with these good people again.  

Camping at Horseshoe Lake

Last weekend we camped for three nights at Horseshoe Lake. It is on the western side of Mt. Adams (12,200 feet). The glaciers on Mt. Adams were the largest I have ever seen, other than in documentaries.

The views of Mt. Adams were spectacular. Next summer, I hope to camp at Takhlakh Lake.  We visited four different small lakes in the area.  This was the last week for camping in this area which will be closed from around September 22 to July 1st of next year due to the heavy snowfall.  

Mick fished. Since nobody was in this campground, Mick and April could let their two dogs roam around more.

Everyone enjoyed themselves.

The campground was under strict fire prevention rules. We could not have a campfire - which was missed in the morning at evening.

Karen and I still had problems with poor sleeping pads. We will solve this problem before our next trip.

The 47 mile drive down dirt/gravel Forest Service road 21 to Horseshoe Lake was a bit difficult for us. We are not used to the challenges of driving on this kind of road. Our old 2003 Ford Explorer did just fine.

I purchased a Washington fishing licence on 9/20. Mick and I plan to go to Battleground Lake next Monday.

Labor Day 2017

A number of my neighbors are working in their yards today.  I've heard hammering, sawing, and loading sounds.
I went shopping at my local ACE and Orchards Feed hardware store on Rosewood and 94th Ave.
Karen painted all the wood ready for the final section of our new green trellis for the vertical garden of wisteria, honeysuckle, clematis, and one evergreen vine.
In the last four days, Karen and I have planted in the ground 4 English laurel, 5 Pieris Andromeda low shrubs, 1 medium and 1 small Japanese maple trees, 2 Bay laurel, and 5 small ground covers.

Today, I, laborer, carpenter, gardener, landscaper ...

Finished installing the final right angle section of the green trellis.

Installed 16 feet of the brown/cedar plastic lath lattice pattern 1" cross hatch 4'x8' panel.  This will divide our sitting area from our nursery area.

Planted a wisteria, a Blue Moon Kentucky Wisteria.  Tied to lattice.

View from One Window

Steady Progress

Karen and I have been busy working on making our new house our home.

We have improved the back yard with new plants, trellis, pots, fencing, steps, pavers, etc.  

There are still some boxes remaining in our garage waiting to be unboxed, sorted, and moved.  We want to park one of our cars in the garage for easy loading and unloading in the garage, especially during our coming wet autumn-winter season.  With 45 inches of rain per year average, a sheltered place for our car will be useful.  

I joined the local LA Fitness gym.  It is 2.8 miles from my new home.  It has all the facilities, equipment, and amenities I will need for exercising.  It also has a very nice heated lap pool.  I will try their yoga classes.  

Walking for 30 minutes in the morning and/or evening.  Beautiful summer weather here in Vancouver for pleasant walks.  

My new (6/6/17) pacemaker seems to be working OK.  My sprained right hand and broken right ring finger are steadily healing.  I now have a team of physicians and good health care support here in Vancouver.  

I had hoped to study Tai Chi Chuan and Qigong here in Vancouver with Sifu Brian Knack. However, unfortunately, he retired and moved from the area.  I am researching Tai Chi Chuan training options in Vancouver.  There are many options in nearby Portland.  However, commuting from Vancouver to Portland and back to Vancouver is very time consuming and inefficient considering typical traffic patterns.   

Family Reunion

We returned yesterday afternoon from six days in Southern California.  We stayed at my brother Paul and Janet's home in Lake Arrowhead, at my brother Phil and Margaret's home in Carlsbad, and in Ontario.  We flew on Southwest Airlines from Portland to Ontario, and back from Ontario to Sacramento to Portland.

We visited with my mother's family (Blaize/Ast) side.  About 35 people of all ages met up at Lake Arrowhead for the reunion.

My brother Phil, still recovering from brain tumor surgery, was feeling a little better, could move about with a walker, eat, chat, and rest.  He had went through 10 weeks of severe illness.

Back now in Vancouver.  Our task is to continue to move into our new home and property.

Tao Te Ching, Chapter 6

Dao De Jing, Laozi
Chapter 6

"The manifestations of Infinity never cease manifesting.
Infinity is the primal creator, the oneness of male and female.
Infinity is the gate though which heaven and earth manifested.
It is invisible to the senses, yet totally permeates all things.
It is inexhaustible and eternally available for any purpose."
-  Translated by John Worldpeace, Chapter 6

"The Tao is called the Great Mother:

empty yet never-ending,
it gives birth to unlimited worlds.
It is always at hand within you.
Use it gently, and without force."
-   Translated by Rivenrock, Chapter 6 


"The spiritual valley can never be extinguished.
It is correctly referred to as the mysteries of the receptive.
The entrance to mysterious receptivity is correctly referred to as
the origin of the whole universe.  
It is continuous and unbroken!
Its usefulness seems to persevere without effort."
-  Translated by Nina Correa, 2005, Chapter 6


"The valley spirit not expires,
Mysterious woman ’tis called by the sires.
The mysterious woman’s door, to boot,
Is called of heaven and earth the root.
Forever and aye it seems to endure
And its use is without effort sure.”
-  Translated by D. T. Suzuki and Paul Carus, 1913, Chapter 6 



"Like the sheltered, fertile valley,
the meditative mind is still,
yet retains its energy.
Since both energy and stillness,
of themselves, do not have form,
it is not through the senses
that they may be found,
nor understood by intellect alone,
although, in nature, both abound.
In the meditative state,
the mind ceases to differentiate
between existences,
and that which may or may not be.
It leaves them well alone,
for they exist,
not differentiated, but as one,
within the meditative mind."
-  Translated by Stan Rosenthal, Chapter 6   


"The concept of Yin is ever present.
It is the Mystic Female from whom
the heavens and the earth originate.
Constantly, continuously, enduring always.
Use her!"
-  Translated by C. Ganson, Chapter 6    

"The valley spirit dies not, aye the same;

The female mystery thus do we name.
Its gate, from which at first they issued forth,
Is called the root from which grew heaven and earth.
Long and unbroken does its power remain,
Used gently, and without the touch of pain."
-  Translated by James Legge, 1891, Chapter 6    

"The valley spirit dies not, aye the same;
The female mystery thus do we name.
Its gate, from which at first they issued forth,
Is called the root from which grew heaven and earth.
Long and unbroken does its power remain,
Used gently, and without the touch of pain."
-  Translated by Stephen McIntyre, 2009, Chapter 6 

谷神不死, 是謂玄牝.
玄牝之門.
是謂天地根.
綿綿若存.
用之不勤. -  Chinese characters, Chapter 6, Tao Te Ching


ku shên pu ssu, shih wei hsüan p'in.
hsüan p'in chih mên.
shih wei t'ien ti kên.
mien mien jo ts'un.
yung chih pu ch'in.
-  Wade-Giles Romanization, Chapter 6, Tao Te Ching  


"The valley spirit that doesn't die we call the dark womb
as real as gossamer silk and yet we can't exhaust it.
The valley spirit that doesn't die we call the dark womb the dark womb's mouth
we call the source of creation as real as gossamer silk and yet we can't exhaust it."
-  Translated by Red Pine, Chapter 6


"The spirit of the valley does not die
It may be known as the mysterious feminine
The gateway of the mysterious feminine
May be known as the source of heaven and earth
Endless, continuous, seeming to exist
To practice this is not effort."
-  Translated by Bradford Hatcher, 2005, Chapter 6  

"The unlimited capacity of valleys;
the unbelievable power of Spirits;
and the unending life of immortality are called the Profound Origin Mother.
The beginning of the Profound Origin Mother is the root of Heaven and Earth.
Endlessly, endlessly!
It is existing.
Yet its usefulness is invisible."
-  Translated by Tang Zi-Chang, Chapter 6

"The Tao never dies;
It is a deep womb.
And the opening of the womb
Is called the root of heaven and earth.
It exists for ever,
And its use can never be exhausted."
-  Translated by Gu Zengkun, Chapter 6

"The mystery of the valley is immortal;
It is known as the Subtle Female.
The gateway of the Subtle Female
Is the source of Heaven and Earth.
Everlasting, endless, it appears to exist.
Its usefulness comes with no effort."
-  Translated by R. L. Wing, 1986, Chapter 6

"La Esencia del Todo no muere.
Es la Mujer Misteriosa, Madre del Universo.
El camino de la Mujer Misteriosa
es la raíz del Cielo y de la Tierra.
Su duración es perenne, su eficiencia infatigable."
-  Translation from Wikisource, 2013, Capítulo 6  


Valley Spirit, Gu Shen, Concept, Chapter 6 

"Der Geist des Tals stirbt nicht,

das heißt das dunkle Weib.
Das Tor des dunklen Weibs,
das heißt die Wurzel von Himmel und Erde.
Ununterbrochen wie beharrend
wirkt es ohne Mühe."-  Translated by Richard Wilhelm, 1911, Chapter 6

"The spirit of the valley never dies. 
It is called the subtle and profound female. 
The gate of the subtle and profound female 
Is the root of Heaven and Earth. 
It is continuous, and seems to be always existing. 
Use it and you will never wear it out."
-  Translated by Chan Wing-Tsit, 1963, Chapter 6   

"The spirit of emptiness is immortal.
It is called the Great Mother
because it gives birth to Heaven and Earth.
It is like a vapor,
barely seen but always present.
Use it effortlessly."
-  Translated by John H. McDonald, Chapter 6 

A typical webpage created by Mike Garofalo for each one of the 81 Chapters (Verses, Sections) of the Tao Te Ching (Daodejing) by Lao Tzu (Laozi) includes 25 different English language translations or interpolations for that Chapter, 5 Spanish language translations for that Chapter, the Chinese characters for that Chapter, the Wade-Giles and Hanyu Pinyin transliterations (Romanization) of the Mandarin Chinese words for that Chapter, and 2 German and 1 French translation of that Chapter.  Each webpage for each one of the 81 Chapters of the Tao Te Ching includes extensive indexing by key words, phrases, and terms for that Chapter in English, Spanish, and the Wade-Giles Romanization.  Each webpage on a Chapter of the Daodejing includes recommended reading in books and websites, a detailed bibliography, some commentary, research leads, translation sources, a Google Translate drop down menu, and other resources for that Chapter.  These are hypertext documents, and available online under Creative Commons 4.

  
Chapter 6, Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu.  Complied by Mike Garofalo.  

Chapter and Thematic Index (Concordance) to the Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu

English Language Daodejing Translators' Source Index

Spanish Language Daodejing Translators' Source Index

Ripening Peaches: Taoist Studies and Practices

Taoism: A Selected Reading List

A Solitary Daoist Neopagan's Final Journey  

An Old Philosopher's Notebooks

How to Live a Good Life: Advice from Wise Persons

One Broken Finger at a Time

Yesterday, unfortunately, I broke my right ring finger and bruised the end of that finger.   

We taped it to my right middle finger.  We have been applying ice to the finger.  

I will go to a local Urgent Care clinic today for an examination, X-rays as needed, and a recommendation.  

A unhandy setback that will slow me down.    

Even the Ring Finger Remembers

“The body uses its skin and deeper fascia and flesh to record all that goes on around it.  Like the Rosetta stone, for those who know how to read it, the body is a living record of life given, life taken, life hoped for, life healed.  It is valued for its articulate ability to register immediate reaction, to feel profoundly, to sense ahead.
        
     The body is a multilingual being.  It speaks through its color and its temperature, the flush of recognition, the glow of love, the ash of pain, the heart of arousal, the coldness of non-conviction.  It speaks through its constant tiny dance, sometimes swaying, sometimes a-jitter, sometimes trembling.  It speaks through the leaping of the heart, the falling of the spirit, the pit at the center, and rising of hope.

     The body remembers, the bones remember, the joints remember, even the little finger remembers.  Memory is lodged in pictures and feelings in the cells themselves.  Like a sponge filled with water, anywhere the flesh is pressed, wrung, even touched slightly, a memory may flow out in a stream.

     To confine the beauty and the value of the body to anything less than this magnificence is to force the body to live without its rightful spirit, its rightful form, its right to exultation.  To be thought ugly or unacceptable because one’s beauty is outside the current fashion is deeply wounding to the natural joy that belongs to the wild nature.”

-      By Clarissa Pinkola Estés,  Women Who Run with the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype, 1996  


Body-Mind Practices, Somaesthetics

The Five Senses

Touch, Skin, Feeling, Hands, Tactile

Why Walking Helps Us Think

"What is it about walking, in particular, that makes it so amenable to thinking and writing? The answer begins with changes to our chemistry. When we go for a walk, the heart pumps faster, circulating more blood and oxygen not just to the muscles but to all the organs—including the brain. Many experiments have shown that after or during exercise, even very mild exertion, people perform better on tests of memory and attention. Walking on a regular basis also promotes new connections between brain cells, staves off the usual withering of brain tissue that comes with age, increases the volume of the hippocampus (a brain region crucial for memory), and elevates levels of molecules that both stimulate the growth of new neurons and transmit messages between them.

The way we move our bodies further changes the nature of our thoughts, and vice versa. Psychologists who specialize in exercise music have quantified what many of us already know: listening to songs with high tempos motivates us to run faster, and the swifter we move, the quicker we prefer our music. Likewise, when drivers hear loud, fast music, they unconsciously step a bit harder on the gas pedal. Walking at our own pace creates an unadulterated feedback loop between the rhythm of our bodies and our mental state that we cannot experience as easily when we’re jogging at the gym, steering a car, biking, or during any other kind of locomotion. When we stroll, the pace of our feet naturally vacillates with our moods and the cadence of our inner speech; at the same time, we can actively change the pace of our thoughts by deliberately walking more briskly or by slowing down."
-  Ferris Jabr, Why Walking Helps Us Think

Walking - Quotations, Sayings, Comments

Work Completed: Phase One

We define "Phase One Completed" as when a room in our new home has no storage boxes in it, most of our current belongings fill the room in a relatively normal manner, the room is functionally useful, and we are both satisfied with the progress.

We have completed Phase One for the front entrance living room, the main large bedroom, and Karen's office in the first small bedroom, and the two bathrooms.

The golden retriever dog is my daughter's dog.  This is the front entrance living room.

Karen's office in the first small bedroom.  This is her main "communications" center.  A comfortable rocking chair behind her makes for a good place to stay in touch with others with the phone, texting, or social media; and, a nice place for reading books or her Kindle.  She is the family business manager.

We are now working on our large family room that we call the "Wood Room."  Not near Phase One Completed.