“The simple process of focusing on the breath in a relaxed manner, in a way that teaches you to regulate your emotions by raising one’s awareness of mental processes as they’re happening is like working out a bicep, but you are doing it to your brain. Mindfulness meditation teaches you to release sensory events that would easily distract, whether it is your own thoughts or an external noise, in an emotion-regulating fashion. This can lead to better, more efficient performance on the intended task.”

Be mindful. Be smart.

British Library, London

The British Library is stunning. You can sit in one place for hours and just stare. Saw the table where Ian Fleming wrote Goldfinger and toured the extraordinary behind-the-scene inner workings of the library.

Trinity Library, Dublin

The Trinity Library in Dublin is where the Book of Kells lives. It’s actually in the Old Library, shown here.

The Book of Kells

My favorite shot from the Antarctica trip. I’d like to go back one day. Maybe go a little further south to catch a glimpse of Emperor Penguins.  It’s hard to explain the allure of the place. There’s just something about the ice.  And the complete sense of isolation and pureness.

Dunning-Kruger Effect

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Dunning-Kruger effect is an example of cognitive bias in which “…people reach erroneous conclusions and make unfortunate choices but their incompetence robs them of the metacognitive ability to realize it”. They therefore suffer an illusory superiority, rating their own ability as above average. This leads to a perverse result where people with less competence will rate their ability more highly than people with relatively more competence.

If you’ve been as confused but interested in black holes as I have, here’s a great great graphical presentation from Think Technologies that is well worth the time to take a look at. It’s not overly long, and it’s fun to watch.

Artist’s conception of a black hole. Credit: NASA

We lost our boy Bill on Tuesday. The tumor got him in such a short time. He was one of the best cats I’ve ever known and was adored by Stella.

We were convinced that Bill thought he was a dog. Fearless, social, and insistent upon his share of treats, he came when he was called even when he was out doors and he was totally content in front of a warm fire into which he’d sit and stare for the longest time.

It’s amazing how a critter so small can leave such a huge mark. Goodbye, Bill. Rest in peace.

Received a note today from an old classmate who asked, “Remember these?” I almost tripped while walking down memory lane. I recall many afternoons thumbing through pattern after pattern and then bolt after bolt of material whenever mom decided it was time for a new shift or skirt.

Mostly I remember trying on the item many, many, many times as it took shape at mom’s sewing machine.

Good times, good times.

A few days late. Normally I’m a little nostalgic at the close of the year. Not this time. Could be done with it soon enough. Stella didn’t even wake up when the fireworks went off this year at midnight.

2009 should be interesting.  On all fronts.

Due to the mega amounts of snow and ice up in Portland these past couple of weeks, the family Christmas was postponed. Hopefully, we’ll make it up there Saturday. Here in Blugene, we only had a little snow, a little ice, and a little bit of hassle. Overall, it was great.

Here are a couple of shots from our snow days.

Unlike Blugene, which only received about four inches of snow, at last report, Portland was at abut two feet! Family and friends, especially those who live in the hills, have been house-bound for several many days now. Tomorrow, it’s all supposed to let up. For them, it won’t be one minute too soon. At least they had a white Christmas…..