Ok Go, White Knuckles.
Made me miss all my dog friends at home and all my dog loving friends and all my musician friends but ultimately made me happy
that they exist.
This video=joy.

http://www.okgo.net/dogs

Kundalini Yoga

Kundalini yoga is a physical, mental and spiritual discipline which is a consolidation of the highest physical and meditative techniques found in the teachings of Raja yoga, Shakti yoga, Bhakti yoga, tantra, Kriya yoga, Laya-yoga, Nada yoga and the pillars and Yoga Sutra of Patanjali. Kundalini yoga is called the yoga of awareness because it directly affects ones consciousness, develops intuition, increases self knowledge, and unleashes the unlimited creative potential that exists within every human being.

There are for me some interesting coincidences regarding Kundalini yoga.
First, I have been trying for a long time to address my broken tailbone issue and sense that I have a foundation chakra blockage-

According to yogic philosophy, the kundalini is a spiritual energy or life force located at the base of the spine. It is conceptualized as a coiled up serpent (literally, 'kundalini' in Sanskrit is 'that which is coiled.' Sanskrit kund, "to burn"; kunda, "to coil or to spiral").

The yoga that I have been practicing for years now is a form of Kriya yoga and involves a lot of breathing and of course meditation.

There is a woman from Germany who has been living here in Singapore for 10+ years who is a teacher and practitioner of Kundalini, and she is amazing! We have been taking classes from her for over 6 months now and I can't say enough about her class.
So absolutely effective, challenging and bridge building. Meditating after her class is a breeze! And if you know what I am saying, that ain't no meager praise!

I have a student I think is "fantasy poor", which means she can't really picture things. From my experience with her and her ability to remember math facts but inability to imagine how a geometric form might change or to draw a figure from imagination. The goal here is to help her remember. To work on memory.

This form here, (in the picture) I made up with her in mind. It is sort of an angel of form. To help her to remember pictures and images. I know it is hard for her. This form drawing came to me very sweetly and gently. And when I draw it, I feel a deep peace.

Attention! This is a post about the fictional lives of Movie personalities.
Please do not be alarmed.
If you tuned in to hear about more "serious" things than a middle aged expat's rantings regarding her mojo please disregard this silly piece!

The Phenomena of Actors (My husband and Colin Firth)

I don't really watch the current western cinema but that doesn't mean I don't have some sense of it. And I can't help but have an opinion about famous male actors. I am human after all.

I want to talk about the phenomena of attraction. And specifically about two actors, one American and one British. Namely, George Clooney and Colin Firth. Now, you may notice that I am not talking about Brad Pitt, or etc. Because I don't like to talk about people I haven't thought about, or people who just haven't weighed in yet (Javier Bardem ...) ok. Just let me make my point.

Now, I understand many women I respect have a powerful urge to petition George Clooney for at least a meeting. To see him. And honor him. And I understand this, to a degree, because he is, like Jimmy Stewart, the very essence of integrity and uprightness. And I too agree this should be honored. He has got a lovely mind, a gracious and kind manner. And once you see "The Fantastic Mr. Fox" you realize it is the voice too. Please let us not forget that he has a sense of humor, I mean once you have seen"Brother Where Art thou" or "Burn after reading" you know he doesn't take himself too seriously. And this too is an attractive trait. Take into consideration also,"Michael Clayton" and certainly "Good Night and Good Luck". Not that I was ever smitten or whatever you call it with George Clooney. I was more respectful of him. I don't know. I guess I am still trying to understand what it is that keeps Mr. Clooney so desirable. So marketable. Hmmmm.

Ok so I am still thinking through this. Right. So. As you know I don't (can't) watch movies out here in the Land of Culture Kill (Singapore) so I can say in all seriousness that I first rented the tv version of "Pride and Prejudice" And "Brigit Jones'Diary" rather recently. So the whole British phenomena of the C.F. thing never reached me, as I am generally immune to the movements of the masses. But I had seen at the movies, "The Advocate" (and loved it), "Valmont" ( I had previously read the original "Les Liasons dangereuse", and felt Colin Firth was a much more convincing Valmont then J.M., "Love Actually" "Apartment Zero" and of course "The English Patient" and "The Importance of being Ernest" ok ok I know George Clooney has been in more serious films but the latest, "A Single Man" shows the scope of things Colin Firth. But still begs the original question.

Is it really that ability to look into the camera? And be real? Or embody something that is real? Integrity. Compassion. Tenderness. Humanity. Possibly.

(Lately, the actor Jeremy Renner has been able to scoop that kind of feeling in his performances, "The Hurt Locker")

But I have to say every time I see a picture of Colin Firth, I just feel a "Oh look at that sweet, lovely man!" I just want to see him protected and happy. I have come to the conclusion that women from New England probably find more in his performances because we go more for the "dark, silent, intense, loyal types" than the flashy, charming, blue-eyed and smooth types. But my dear sisters, I should not speak for you.

Actually, come to think of it. My husband fits into the Colin Firth model!
Cool.

Still hammering away at the Waldorf Singapore website. I had the hardest time trying to changed the background color from black (depressing) to a watercolor painting. It would post just fine but when I would go back to it another day it would be back to black. Still not sure if the community actually likes it but you know people are busy and if they don't work on a project like this they don't know. I should just s.u.



I like to be able to keep to my word. One quote I continue to repeat, (to my H's dismay) is one from the bible, Jesus said, "It is not what man puts into his mouth but what comes out" that is important. This is sort of my personal motto. So, I finally made good with the promise to try to keep our house seasonal regardless of the lack of any discernible season here. Above, Booty and I felted some wool batting in fall colors and hung them from (the remains of) a local branch.



And yes it is Lantern Walk season. Here is my new pentatonic solid lantern. I just need to add a handle. The Kinder lantern walk is being held at the Botanic garden this Friday.



Finally finished my part in the Red Tent project which I wrote about a few months ago, (see labels).

Lots going on with the community. Yoga class started back up again today. I am trying to coordinate a new group of Playgroup facilitators. And H has been traveling out of Singapore every week now so I don't know how long this can go on. But since things change every day, (except my temper) we shall see what the great creator of all things funny and all things funny to others has in mind.

Thank you for posting this Ben.
Oh yeah. My sentiments exactly!

"Imagine that hundreds of black protesters were to descend upon Washington DC and Northern Virginia, just a few miles from the Capitol and White House, armed with AK-47s, assorted handguns, and ammunition. And imagine that some of these protesters —the black protesters — spoke of the need for political revolution, and possibly even armed conflict in the event that laws they didn’t like were enforced by the government? Would these protester — these black protesters with guns — be seen as brave defenders of the Second Amendment, or would they be viewed by most whites as a danger to the republic? What if they were Arab-Americans? Because, after all, that’s what happened recently when white gun enthusiasts descended upon the nation’s capital, arms in hand, and verbally announced their readiness to make war on the country’s political leaders if the need arose." Tim Wise

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Every day that rains in Singapore is a good day!
Original music by 50 foot Queenie (that would be me)!

Since Friday I have been a bit obsessive about the new website that Eric helped me put up for the Waldorf school. I can't stop tinkering with it and I don't think I will be able to "let go" for a while.

This upcoming week-end is a bit crazy. I have classes all day on Saturday, a workshop for parents in the late afternoon and I am hosting our Waldorf Steiner information table at the Love and Light Festival all day on Sunday. My part-time schedule has spoiled me a bit so don't think for a moment I am complaining.

I guess what I enjoy about my job is I am able to work with the very young child and the grade school child and their parents. But then also adults from other walks of life. Living in Singapore has really forced me to break out of my comfort zone and into areas I generally don't have a great deal of confidence. But when I look back at the end of the day, I think, How lucky I am!

My mother lives near Gainesville, Florida. She used to live in Gainesville before she and my step dad bought a home in a nearby town. My mother was brought up in Massachusetts and until I was fully grown and out of the house she espoused liberal views and instilled in me a feeling of respect toward all people. This all changed when she moved to Florida in the 80's. Now she comes out east only in summer and we argue about things like how a large latino population has redefined language in the US. She seems to believe that our language is dying because of all the non-english speaking immigrants. I believe it has been transformed by texting and emailing and all things conversation atrophying. "What about Europe?" I said to her one morning in my brother's back yard, "They speak several languages and no one language has suffered from it."

Gainesville, Florida has come under fire lately because of the planned Quran burning.

The Christian minister organizing the Quran burning, Pastor Terry Jones, has said he plans to go ahead in spite of concerns. He is part of the Dove World Outreach Center, a tiny, evangelical Christian church in Gainesville, Florida, with an anti-Islam philosophy.

I want to know what is happening in these retirement states (like Arizona and Florida)? Why are these elderly people so intolerant of other folks? Will the next generation of Arizonians and Floridians be more accepting?

I want to tell them all, in the words of my wise sister Rebecca, "different is not bad mom. It is just different."

Perhaps one of the tests of adulthood is the way in which we cope when we realize life isn't turning out the way we planned. I have, I confess, clearly failed this test of adulthood. However, as I realize it is a test, I am willing to keep my humor bone tuned to the obvious pratfall that my life has become. Rudolf Steiner, philosopher, once suggested that adulthood contains many moments where it seems we have personally placed an object on our own roof that will fall on our own heads!

For me this falling debris takes the form of people. These people continue to "behave" in ways that inspire me to "misbehave".
Some of these humans persist in the notion that I will not explode in fury when they continue to wave around the knife of irresponsibility. Some of them pat me on the back as I weep and then when the tears have duly evaporated begin anew their petition for the walking unconscious.

It is all a bit too much for a firebrand like myself. And living in Singapore doesn't help when all one needs is a break from the smithy's furnace.

This Post may be a downer but I am smiling:

And just when you thought the water was safe, from Tuesday’s International Herald Tribune,
“In a remote reach of the Gulf of Mexico, nearly 200 miles from shore, a floating oil platform thrusts its tentacles deep into the ocean like a giant steel octopus.
The $3 billion rig, called *Perdido, can pump oil from dozens of wells nearly two miles, or about three kilometers, under the sea while simultaneously drilling new ones.
It is part of a wave of ultra deep platforms-all far more sophisticated than the rig that was used to drill the ill-fated BP well that blew up in April.”

And about the thousands of Iraqis who worked on behalf of the US and whose lives are threatened as we end operations in Iraq in the article, “Abandoned in Baghdad”.

It seems to me today that in addition to not trusting the corporate greed machine, it is also hard to trust the governing powers that be. And although it is disheartening to note that Wall Street is increasingly reluctant to work with the current administration it is true that until we can govern ourselves (our own personal greed, and selfishness) we will never be able to govern others. And this is the hardest nut to crack.

My husband is the biggest pessimist I know and I am constantly reminding him about “having a YES mind”. But he has a point. No one is willing to make the sacrifice that is necessary to pull it together. So we wait. Until it all falls apart. And we start over.

*Perdido means lost or hopeless.

Or you could think about it this way, the game just got harder. We are now being asked to choose,
"Easy convenient life-and eventual decrease of quality of life"
or
"Consciousness and service without thanks- and true evolution"

HAHAHA! I am laughing because I totally go for the first option while screaming at everyone else for avoiding the second one.

I just embarrassed our housekeeper by yelling (over the wall) at our neighbor's housekeeper,
"G**! You've got to stop the dogs barking! Every night when I sit down to eat they go at it! (pause) Take them for a walk for gosh sakes!"

Our housekeeper told me her whole face blushed when she heard me. But really. The neighbor's housekeeper is a nice young woman but she rarely takes the two dogs out for a walk and because of this, they bark when they are let outside in the yard. And we are all right next to each other so it is easy to hear the dogs Woofing away. To be fair, most of the dogs in the neighborhood are neglected in this way. They are lucky to get out of the house to go relieve themselves. And this is because one can't expect the housekeeper to cherish a dog the way an owner does (or should).

It is not a very nice detail of expat life.

No sir. I don't like it. Not one bit.

The Youth Olympic Games are over and I am afraid I don't have anything to say about it. I wasn't really interested partly because the focus here in Singapore always seems to be about children performing, competing and "winning" instead of being children. That said, when I was working as a teacher in my homeland, every year in spring marked our school's annual Greek Olympic Games, a Fifth Grade event.

As part of their study of ancient Greek history and mythology, the entire class organizes a pentathlon of events and has the opportunity to spend the day with their counterparts from Waldorf’s sister schools. The 5th graders from the schools mix into Greek city states and offer music, poetry and dance in addition to the athletic events. Recognition in these events is given for grace and form as well as for speed or distance.

Now couldn't the Youth Olympics do something like this? Offer a world view of cultures? Recognize grace, good sportsmanship and form?

Oh mean mommy why do you come here?

Because I am the doer and the sayer of all things "baby".
But I just wanted to stay up later.
Yes and I just wanted another sangria but
some things are just fine
to wait for another time.

Today was a day that Booty decided to "get angry".
She was angry because she didn't want to go to bed.
So she kicked me and started screaming "NO!"
So I decided maybe she was too tired for a bath.

Oh ho! Not fair! More screaming and fit pitching.
Are you ready for story?
Anger.No!!!!! I want a bath!

Oh ok no story.
Upsetness all around.
Yes we are very cruel indeed.
Oh mean mommy why do you come?
To sit with you in the dark while we calm down
and talk about the things that concern us.
That is, all things "baby".

Oh mommy you are the monster I love.

Everybody is a star
Who can rain, chase the dust away
Everybody wants to shine
Ooh, come out on a cloudy day
'Til the sun that loves you proud
When the system tries to bring you down
Every hand to shine tonight
You don't need darkness to do what you think is right

Ba pa-pa-pa ba pa-pa ba ba ba pa-pa ba pa-pa ba pa-pa ba ba ba,
ba-pa ba-pa ba ba, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh

Everybody is a star
I can feel it when you shine on me
I love you for who you are
Not the one you feel you need to be
Ever catch a falling star
Ain't no stopping 'til it's in the ground
Everybody is a star
One big circle going round and round

Introduction to Form Drawing

What is Form Drawing? It is the expression of an inner movement. The drawing itself is an echo of our own inner process of movement. At times when our thinking is mobile the forms metamorphose. If we can teach ourselves how to draw forms that represent the human being in the cosmos we can keep our thinking transformative and create solutions and harmony in the world.
We can start out simple like in this drawing of a circle turning inside out.



Move on to patterns and knots (above)



And Perspective (differing views of the same pattern)

Hungry Ghost Again!

It is Hungry ghost season again.
I realized this when I looked out behind our house to see these men burning stacks of funny paper. Later I realized this is called Joss paper, or ghost money. Good for the ghosts of our ancestors who need this particular currency to be able to go out and buy an ice cream or something in the afterworld.

WHAT A PITY KULULA DOESN'T FLY INTERNATIONALLY - WE SHOULD SUPPORT THEM IF ONLY FOR THEIR HUMOUR - SO TYPICALLY SOUTH AFRICAN.


Kulula is an Airline with head office situated in Johannesburg ...Kulula airline attendants make an effort to make the in-flight "safety lecture" and announcements a bit more entertaining. Here are some real examples that have been heard or reported:

On a Kulula flight, (there is no assigned seating, you just sit where you want) passengers were apparently having a hard time choosing, when a flight attendant announced, "People, people we're not picking out furniture here, find a seat and get in it!"

---o0o---

On another flight with a very "senior" flight attendant crew, the pilot said, "Ladies and gentlemen, we've reached cruising altitude and will be turning down the cabin lights. This is for your comfort and to enhance the appearance of your flight attendants."

----o0o---

On landing, the stewardess said, "Please be sure to take all of your belongings.. If you're going to leave anything, please make sure it's something we'd like to have."

----o0o---

"There may be 50 ways to leave your lover, but there are only 4 ways out of this airplane."

---o0o---

"Thank you for flying Kulula. We hope you enjoyed giving us the business as much as we enjoyed taking you for a ride."

---o0o---

As the plane landed and was coming to a stop at Durban Airport , a lone voice came over the loudspeaker: "Whoa, big fella. WHOA!"

---o0o---

After a particularly rough landing during thunderstorms in the Karoo , a flight attendant on a flight announced, "Please take care when opening the overhead compartments because, after a landing like that, sure as hell everything has shifted."

---o0o---

From a Kulula employee: " Welcome aboard Kulula 271 to Port Elizabeth...To operate your seat belt, insert the metal tab into the buckle, and pull tight. It works just like every other seat belt; and, if you don't know how to operate one, you probably shouldn't be out in public unsupervised."

---o0o---

"In the event of a sudden loss of cabin pressure, masks will descend from the ceiling. Stop screaming, grab the mask, and pull it over your face. If you have a small child travelling with you, secure your mask before assisting with theirs. If you are travelling with more than one small child, pick your favourite."

---o0o---

Weather at our destination is 50 degrees with some broken clouds, but we'll try to have them fixed before we arrive. Thank you, and remember, nobody loves you, or your money, more than Kulula Airlines."

----o0o---

"Your seats cushions can be used for flotation; and in the event of an emergency water landing, please paddle to shore and take them with ourncompliments."

---o0o---

"As you exit the plane, make sure to gather all of your belongings. Anything left behind will be distributed evenly among the flight attendants. Please do not leave children or spouses." ---o0o---

And from the pilot during his welcome message: "Kulula Airlines is pleased to announce that we have some of the best flight attendants in the industry. Unfortunately, none of them are on this flight!"

---o0o---

Heard on Kulula 255 just after a very hard landing in Cape Town : The flight attendant came on the intercom and said, "That was quite a bump and I know what y'all are thinking. I'm here to tell you it wasn't the airline's fault, it wasn't the pilot's fault, it wasn't the flight attendant's fault, it was the asphalt."

---o0o---

Overheard on a Kulula flight into Cape Town , on a particularly windy and bumpy day: During the final approach, the Captain really had to fight it. After an extremely hard landing, the Flight Attendant said, "Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to The Mother City. Please remain in your seats with your seat belts fastened while the Captain taxis what's left of our airplane to the gate!"

---o0o---

Another flight attendant's comment on a less than perfect landing: "We ask you to please remain seated as Captain Kangaroo bounces us to the terminal."

---o0o---

An airline pilot wrote that on this particular flight he had hammered his ship into the runway really hard. The airline had a policy which required the first officer to stand at the door while the passengers exited, smile, and give them a "Thanks for flying our airline. He said that, in light of his bad landing, he had a hard time looking the passengers in the eye, thinking that someone would have a smart comment.

Finally everyone had gotten off except for a little old lady walking with a cane. She said, "Sir, do you mind if I ask you a question?" "Why, no Ma'am," said the pilot. "What is it?" The little old lady said, "Did we land, or were we shot down?"

---o0o---

After a real crusher of a landing in Johannesburg , the attendant came on with, "Ladies and Gentlemen, please remain in your seats until Captain Crash and the Crew have brought the aircraft to a screeching halt against the gate. And, once the tire smoke has cleared and the warning bells are silenced, we will open the door and you can pick your way through the wreckage to the terminal.."

---o0o---

Part of a flight attendant's arrival announcement: "We'd like to thank you folks for flying with us today.. And, the next time you get the insane urge to go blasting through the skies in a pressurized metal tube, we hope you'll think of Kulula Airways."

---o0o---

Heard on a Kulula flight. "Ladies and gentlemen, if you wish to smoke, the smoking section on this airplane is on the wing.. If you can light 'em, you can smoke 'em."

I have a letter from one of the parents of a student (now graduated) I have kept for almost ten years now. This student was one of my favorites. A real sweet boy. This letter from his lovely mother helps to remind me to stay humble. And positive. It isn't easy to read but I do it from time to time not to get down on myself but to avoid making the same mistake again. Or at least if I do, to try to see it in the moment and balance the situation.

Hi Miss H,
Just a quick note to share some recent observations that I got from Lief's view (not directly observed by me!)-

Comment: "So you guys (to his sister) get root beer floats after your play- all we do is get yelled at."
Comment: "Well, Miss H told Deklan and Jon she would put duct tape on their mouths if they didn't stop talking. That stuff is hard to rip off!"

I share this as a snapshot of my sense that Lief (and perhaps others in the class) is experiencing an increasing vulnerability and need for your assurance. I support your high standards and expectations and believe they are important. My only hope is that lightness and joy do not get sacrificed. Lief for one, really benefits when he hears someone say he's done something well... So just a reminder, humbly offered- please try to catch them doing something right- I think it will make it easier to hear the constructive feedback.

Sincerely,
Augustine

Note* Names have been changed.

I am really happy I took the job to work with the two homeschooling girls from England. They are so brilliant and I feel so lucky to have them as students. It is such a joy to teach them and in a way I feel I am not such a good teacher as it is the students I have who are guided by very (in my perception) conscious parents that I seem to connect with the most. The easy ones!