Becoming a Lay Buddhist

Today, I officially became a Buddhist. It is not that today I became a much better person. I feel I have lived my life with good intentions and through good deeds. I do the best I can and try to help others when possible. But today I made it "official."

Being a Buddhist may not be very different from being a person of other faiths and beliefs. We all share certain "sacred" values that bind us. In Buddhism we call these values The Precepts. We believe in the Three Pure Precepts:

• Cease from evil
• Do only good
  
• Do good for others

We also follow the Ten Great Precepts:

• Do not kill
• Do not steal
• Do not covet
• Do not say which is not true
• Do not sell the wine of delusion
• Do not speak against others
• Do not be proud of yourself and devalue others
• Do not be mean in giving either Dharma or wealth
• Do not be angry
• Do not defame the Three Treasures

Many of these are familiar to most people; they are the common rules most humans follow to be good members of society.

The greatest change for me today is becoming a vegetarian. This is not a requirement for becoming a Buddhist, but it is a choice I am making for many reasons, not the least being that this will (even in a small way) reduce the demand for meat and make a small impact on the cruelty suffered by farmed animals.

My biggest challenge over the last few years has been anger. I have had a lot to be angry about, and I was not dealing with these issues in a healthy manner. Through Buddhism and meditation I have gained tools to deal with this aspect of my humanity. It is not perfect but it is a lot better.

I am grateful everyday  for all I have.

The Year of Money

I received the following from a friend through an email. Take it for what is worth:

"This is the year of Money! This year has four unusual dates: 1/1/11, 1/11/11, 11/1/11, and 11/11/11. That's not all. Take the last two digits of the year in which you were born; now add the age you will be this year, and the result will be 111 for everyone! This year October will have 5 Sundays, 5 Mondays and 5 Saturdays. This happens only every 823 years."

Book Review: "Last to Leave" by Clare Curzon

I read this book a few weeks ago. It is a great mystery novel with excellent descriptions of places and people. It is a bit slow at first and the British police ranks are confusing for an American reader, but the twists and turns each character takes are worth the time reading each page. I loved the end -- very unexpected. I recommend the book.

A talented rendition of an oldie

A beautiful rendition of "A Whiter Shade of Pale" by Procol Harum

My HIIT Plan

HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) has been proven to increase metabolism and improve fitness. Today I started a HIIT program to help with weight loss and fitness. Here is my plan:

Week 1: three times per week
* walk at 3.6 mph for 2 minutes
* run at 7 mph for 1 minute
* 10 cycles (about 40 minutes with a 3 minute warm up and 3 minute cool-down)

Week 2: three times per week
* walk at 3.6 mph for 90 seconds
* run at 7 mph for 1 minute
* 10 cycles

Week 3: three times per week
* walk at 3.4 mph for 1 minute
* run at 7.2 mph for 1 minute
* 10 cycles

Week 4: three times per week
* walk at 3.4 mph for 1 minute
* run at 7.2 mph for 1 minute
* 12 cycles

Week 5: three times per week
* walk at 3.2 mph for 1 minute
* run at 7.4 mph for 1 minute
* 12 cycles

Week 6: three times per week
* walk at 3.2 mph for 1 minute
* run at 7.4 mph for 1 minute
* 14 cycles

Week 6: three times per week
* walk at 3.2 mph for 1 minute
* run at 7.4 mph for 1 minute
* 16 cycles

Week 7: three times per week
* walk at 3.0 mph for 1 minute
* run at 7.4 mph for 1 minute
* 18 cycles

Week 8: three times per week
* walk at 3.0 mph for 1 minute
* run at 7.4 mph for 1 minute
* 20 cycles

1/3/11: Week 1, Day 1 has been done. More updates as available.

Happy New Year! Let 2011 be the best year ever!

It has been a while since I wrote on this blog. The absence was due to many factors, not less the lack of time. Or, better yet, the lack of time management. It is my intention to manage this finite resource wisely from now on.

I write about my intention and not my resolution. I believe the latter are easy to abandon because they lack an anchor into something deeper. Resolutions are similar to goals without a vision; they lack the deep foundation needed to make them happen. I came across the concept of intentions in 2009. I encourage you to visit the Intenders website; specifically, you may want to visit The Code page for a great example of some worthy intentions.

As of today, I am going to dedicate this blog to personal reflections. I am starting a new blog dealing strictly with technology. The address is http://vgascontech.blogspot.com. Among the things I will publish there is a copy of the newsletter I publish every week for the protonic.com website.

And speaking of personal reflections. the kids and I spent part of our New Year's Eve evening at Finlay Park for the City of Columbia New Year's Eve Carnival and Fireworks. We got there a little late for the carnival portion; at $10 per person, it might have been worthwhile had we arrived earlier. The kids and I definitely enjoyed the fireworks sitting on a bench on the high end of the park. We then went home and watched two episodes of "Bones" (season 1, which we got from Netflix). And just around 11 PM both kids fell asleep on the couches. At 11:55 I woke them up and we celebrated New Year's with some healthy OJ. There were plenty of fireworks in our neighborhood. You should see the mess on the streets! I am sure it will all be cleaned up later today.

May your 2011 be filled with health, happiness and prosperity!

Remembering Poppa

Last Thursday we lost one of the kindest men I have ever met. He was famous and yet never showed it. He was brilliant and always down to earth.

Ben Viccari was Tracey's grandfather and my kids' great-grandfather. I only met him twice -- once in 1998 and once when we visited him two years ago to celebrate his 90th birthday. Poppa had a warm, friendly smile that set you at ease, and a sparkle in his eye that told you he was full of life. He was kind to the kids and made everyone around him feel important. We will miss Poppa.

Here is a link to his obituary.

Here is a link to his Wikipedia page.

Brilliant!

Asereje - opera singers version :) - watch in high quality

From the Heart

My friend and Yoga teacher Juliet wrote this great insight for our internal newsletter:

Happy 2010 everyone!  As we move through the early part of the year, passing Valentine’s Day and the SCANA promoted events for the Heart Association, I have been contemplating the symbolism of the heart and the unlimited nature of love.  Although Valentine’s Day typically is associated with “romantic love”, this is only one of the many types of love that we experience.  Other types of love are:

·         Loving Kindness – sending out love and happiness to all beings.  Including loving ourselves.

·         Compassion – wishing love and happiness to others through the end of all suffering.

·         Sympathetic Joy – feeling love and happiness for the good luck and success of others.

·         Equanimity – Loving others because you see their qualities in yourself and your qualities in them.

The beauty of love is that the more generous we are in giving it, the more we are able to receive it.  Perhaps the most important type of love we must cultivate is self love.  It is difficult to give and receive love if we don’t feel worthy of it.

Most dogs have the concept of love down pat.  They approach their owners expecting affection, and in receiving it, give it back unconditionally.  They don’t question if they are lovable or not.  They know that they are, just as we should know that each of us is lovable and worthy of love.

This year, let’s exercise our heart by building loving relationships with ourselves and others.  It is through relationships that we experience the greatest joy.

Movement Against Unsolicited Phone Book Delivery

The EPA estimates that 650,000 tons of phonebooks are delivered annually to 100 million households in the United States. Producing those 650,000 tons of phone books uses 11.6 billion gallons of water and sends 1,650,880 tons of Carbon Dioxide into the air (CO2 is a greenhouse gas and contributes to global warming). The EPA estimates that only 18% of the phone books that are discarded in the United States each year are recycled. That leaves 533,000 tons to take up 1,758,900 cubic yards of landfill space.

Opt Out
If you are among the 54% of Americans that use the internet or a cell phone to search for phone numbers, you can opt out of receiving your annual phone book (or books).

I think this is the only responsible thing to do — if you do not want a phone book next time around, then please opt out at this web page:

YellowPageGoesGreen.org

There is no need to be a PC victim!

The Thin Line Between "Victim" and "Idiot"

From outer space and from beautiful Earth

It's amazing what we learn about cosmical bodies: APOD: 2010 January 4 - Comet Halleys Nucleus: An Orbiting Iceberg

And yet there is so much wonder right here in our own planet: APOD: 2010 January 5 - A Roll Cloud Over Uruguay

The future of computers?

Here is a neat look at what is coming:

I cannot wait for these to come out (at a reasonable price, of course!).

Think, Focus, Feel, Attract

Andy Dooley not only creates amazing artwork, he is a great teacher and a fantastic speaker. I think you will definitely enjoy and benefit from this very short but very powerful lesson:

Andy Dooley ART - Think, Focus, Feel, Attract

Interestingly, something similar happened to me last night. I could not find the dog's leash anywhere. I stopped and focused, felt as I had found it, and within seconds knew where to look for it. My intention was clear (to have the leash in my hand). And it happened. The leash was outside on our BBQ cart -- a place I would have never thought of looking. But the location came to me easily as soon as I allowed the feeling of finding to happen.

Enjoy!

We should never allow this to happen again!

Warning: very graphical images at this page:

Shame to Humanity....!!!!

Why Aren't My Abs Toned?

Excellent, short article on how to have more toned abs: Why Aren't My Abs Toned? - Specialist Q&A - Fitness Team - Fitness Basics

Speed Reading Techniques

I have been, lately, very interested in improving my reading efficiency (not just speed, but also comprehension). Here is a nice clip that summarizes many accepted speed-reading techniques:

Enjoy!

Clear Out the Clutter

The following is from Denise Austin's newsletter:

Keeping your home clean and free of clutter is a key component to healthy living. Clutter builds up quickly; most people don't even realize that they're pack rats until they start going through closets and realize they have shoes they haven't worn in a decade or piles of newspapers dating back to 2000!

If this is you, it's time to declutter your home. Remember the old adage "Cluttered home, cluttered mind"? Rejuvenate your peace and well-being by vowing to clear up the clutter. To decide whether something is worth keeping or not:

• Go room by room, tidying each room completely before moving on.
• Establish zones or boxes for trash, recycling, charity, sentimental or monetary value, and undecided items.
• If an item is going into the sentimental box, ask yourself what you plan to do with it. Will you give it to your children or a friend? Is it really worth keeping? For example, do you think your child will want your fifth-grade report card?
• If you think an item has monetary value, consider having it appraised. You may learn it has none, or you might decide to sell it for some extra green!
• For items in the undecided box, give yourself a deadline. If you do nothing with the items by your next decluttering session (say, in three to six months), consider tossing or donating them to charity.

Remember, coming home to a clean and clutter-free space will leave you feeling calm and relaxed. Embrace the concept — you'll be glad you did.

This will be our project for this weekend: clear lots of clutter from our house!

World Record Worth Striving For

One of the nicest, craziest persons I have met online is Andy Dooley. Actually, he is quite an inspirational person. He recently went after the world record for giving hugs. Watch his video:

Free hugs -- what an awesome idea!

Solid suggestions to help kids stay healthy

Here is a great, short, article on what we all can do to help prevent childhood obesity:

The Growing Problem of Childhood Obesity - Weight Center - Everyday Health

I know it is a difficult thing to do. Society bombards us (especially kids) with all types of junk-food temptation. I battle this with my kids and, most of the time, I steer them in the direction of healthier choices.

But diet is not the only problem -- lack of exercise is a huge factor in childhood obesity.

Enjoy the article!