Haikus: December 2014

HAIKUS: December 2014

By Peter Y. Chou
WisdomPortal.com

These haikus were written as exercises in mindfulness—
an attempt to catch the fleeting moment in my daily walks,
while reading, listening to music, and pondering about life.
(Underlined words are not for emphasis but to web links.)
This web page best viewed with Times font size 14.

Monday, December 1, 2014, 1:03-9:30 pm
Palo Alto: Foothill Computer Lab: 5 hours to format
91 photos of 11/27 Thanksgiving Hike on Stevens Creek Trail; Red berries are from Firethorn Tree;
Giant bird looks like Black-Crowned Night Heron

Black-Crowned Night Heron photos
from J.R. Compton and Cornell Lab
resembled giant bird seen by the creek. Monday, December 1, 2014, 1:03-9:30 pm
Palo Alto: Foothill Computer Lab: Format 91 photos
of Thanksgiving Hike on Stevens Creek Trail (11/27);
Favorite photos: Three Mallard Ducks in Creek;
Six Ducks by Fallen Tree; Black Duck Downstream.

Reflection Egret in Creek,
Fuzzy Palm Tree in Sunset,
Baby Bird Tweeting in Tree.

Tuesday, December 2, 2014, 12:34-9:30 pm
Palo Alto: Foothill Computer Lab: "Woman Bites Down On $3,000 Purple Pearl in Clam Shell" (1)
(Virginia Beach woman found a rare 4.5-carat lavender pearl in a littleneck bought at Great Machipongo Clam Shack in Nassawadox.)
(By Rheana Murray, Yahoo! News, 12-2-2014)

One in 5,000 clams grows a pearl;
she found $3000 purple pearl
in $15 bag of clams. Tuesday, December 2, 2014, 12:34-9:30 pm
Palo Alto: Foothill Computer Lab: Two & half hours
to arrange 88 photos from Stevens Creek Trail Hike
(Thanksgiving 11/27/2014); 18 rows of 54 horizontal photos; 8 rows of 32 vertical photos; Favorite tree photos: Giant Eucalyptus; Little "Christmas Tree"; Pepper Tree; "Do Power Cause Cancer?" (1, 2, 3)

If electromagnetic radiation causes cancer,
these potted plants under power lines
seem to be thriving quite well.

Wednesday, December 3, 2014, 12:19-1:30 pm
Mountain View: Rudy picked me up at my apartment;
went shopping at Milk Pail (2585 California Street)
and Sprouts Market (630 San Antonio Road)

Mozarella and Swiss cheese,
black grapes, bananas,
and green onions. Wednesday, December 3, 2014, 1:59-9:30 pm
Palo Alto: Foothill Computer Lab: "Opinionator: Evolution and the American Myth of the Individual"
(By John Edward Terrell, NY Times, 11-30-2014)

Old Testament is about our relationship
with God; New Testament is about
our responsibilities to one another.

Thursday, December 4, 2014, 12:11-6:30 pm
Palo Alto: Foothill Computer Lab: "Saratoga: John Pugh creates 'Tree of Life' for Alameda Family Funeral and Cremation" ("Tree of Life" is a large oak tree with leaves that symbolize the different seasons. Tree is surrounded by a pond with a swan swimming downstream.) John Pugh's Trompe l'Oeil paintings
(By Khalida Sarwari, SJ Mercury News, 12-4-2014)

Plato says the swan's dying
song is sweet because it knows
the afterlife is better than this one. Thursday, December 4, 2014, 7:30-10:00 pm
Stanford University: CEMEX Auditorium
World War I in Film: Discussant: David M. Kennedy;
Howard Hawks directs "Sergeant York" (1941)
starring Gary Cooper, Walter Brennan, Joan Leslie,
George Tobias, Stanley Ridges, Margaret Wycherly,
Ward Bond, Noah Beery, Jr., June Lockhart; (YouTube: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5); (Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4); York

York took machine gun nest,
killed 25 German soldiers,
and captured 132 others.

Friday, December 5, 2014, 10:46 am-12:11 pm
Mountain View Senior Center Technology Room
Printouts @ 5¢— Poems: "Home Is The Centre"
and "Why Creation Begins at the Centre?";
Coast-to-Coast.am Schedule 12/5-12/12/2014

Is the giant bird on hike
the same as J.R. Compton's—
Black-Crowned Night Heron? Friday, December 5, 2014, 1:00-5:35 pm
Los Altos Hills: Foothill College Krause Center
"Famous Hubble star explosion is expanding"
(Astronomy Picture of the Day 12-2-2014)
(By Elizabeth Howell, Phys.org, 12-3-2014)

Homunculus Nebula Eta Carinae
getting bigger and bigger
between 1995 & 2008.

Friday, December 5, 2014, 7:45-9:30 pm
Palo Alto: 957 Colorado Ave (Friend's House)
Waverley Writers Poetry: Tom "Bubbles" Digby
reads "The Birthday of the Light"

Let us all look into the light together
To see opportunities for new beginnings
For a world of freedom and healing and love. Friday, December 5, 2014, 7:45-9:30 pm
Palo Alto: 957 Colorado Ave (Friend's House)
Waverley Writers Open Poetry Reading;
Muriel Karr gave me a ride home

I read two poems tonight:
"Why Creation Begins at the Centre?"
and "Home Is The Centre".

Saturday, December 6, 2014, 9:00 am-3:00 pm
Los Altos Hills: Foothill College Krause Center
Arrived 8:26 am for "Multimedia in the Classroom";
Steve Caringella: "Multimedia & Common Core"
(17 students in class, most were K-12 teachers

Registered for Blendspace and
WeVideo but not Google Draw
for teaching in the classroom. Saturday, December 6, 2014, 9:00 am-3:00 pm
Los Altos Hills: Foothill College Krause Center
"Multimedia & Common Core": After Steve told
of students' project "How to Change the World",
I decided on "Ho'oponopono: Cleansing Oneself"

"World's Most Unusual Therapist"—
Dr. Ihaleakala Hew Len
used Ho'oponopono.

Saturday, December 6, 2014, 9:00 am-3:00 pm
Los Altos Hills: Foothill College Krause Center
"Multimedia & Common Core": Students' Project: "Ho'oponopono: First Cleansing Oneself"
Confucius, "The Great Learning" (500 BC)

Rectify yourself to regulate
your family, then your community,
until the whole kingdom is happy. Saturday, December 6, 2014, 9:00 am-3:00 pm
Los Altos Hills: Foothill College Krause Center
"Multimedia & Common Core": Students' Project: "Ho'oponopono: First Cleansing Oneself"
Prof. Jean-Pierre Dupuy's Class on Evil

Pablo Casals plays Bach
as benediction for his home
and experience joy in his life.

Sunday, December 7, 2014, 4:34-5:45 pm
Los Altos Library— Book Sale Shelves: Ken Auletta,
"Googled: The End of the World as We Know It" (2009) 338.761Auletta; ($27.95 for $1), p. 336—

No other company has
swept so swiftly across
the media horizon as Google. Sunday, December 7, 2014, 4:34-5:45 pm
Los Altos Library— Book Sale: Jan Heller Levi (Ed.),
"A Muriel Rukeyser Reader" (1994); ($25.00 for $3), p. 196: "The Sixth Night: Waking" (1958) Reading—

That first green light of their dreaming,
asleep beneath the Tree, God said,
"Let meanings move," and there was poetry.

Sunday, December 7, 2014, 7:30-9:25 pm
Palo Alto: Stanford Theatre: George Cukor directs
"Little Women" (1933) based on Louisa May Alcott's
book (1868-1869): Katharine Hepburn, Joan Bennett,
Paul Lukas, Edna May Oliver, Jean Parker,
Frances Dee, Henry Stephenson, Douglass Montgomery, John Davis Lodge, Spring Byington;
(YouTube: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5); (Film Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4)

Sketches of four daughters
in Concord, Massachusetts
when father is in Civil War. Sunday, December 7, 2014, 9:35-11:07 pm
Stanford Theatre: Fred M. Wilcox directs
"The Secret Garden" (1949) based on F.H. Burnett's novel (1911): Margaret O'Brien, Herbert Marshall,
Dean Stockwell, Brian Roper, Gladys Cooper,
Elsa Lanchester, Reginald Owen, Isobel Elsom, Aubrey Mather, George Zucco; (YouTube: 1, 2, 3, 4); (Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4); Marni Nixon dubbed singing

Orphan Mary helps ill-behaved,
bedridden cousin Colin to walk
when she discovers a secret garden.

Monday, December 8, 2014, 12:02-9:30 pm
Palo Alto: Foothill Computer Lab: "BOOKS:
Claudia Emerson, Pulitzer-Winning Poet, Dies at 57"
(By Douglas Martin, NY Times, 12-6-2014)
2013 Interview; "An Absence Finished: Claudia Emerson's "Late Wife: Poems" (By Gary Anderson, What's Not Wrong? Blog, 12-5-2014); First poem "Natural History: Exhibits" in "Late Wife" (2005)—

I was young, / New in my marriage bed,
but regret was already / Sunk sharp in me.
Like any blade, it would grow / Dull slowly. Monday, December 8, 2014, 12:02-9:30 pm
Palo Alto: Foothill Computer Lab: "BOOKS: Mark Strand, 80, Dies; Pulitzer-Winning Poet Laureate"
(By William Grimes, NY Times, 11-30-2014);
Poet Laureate 1990-1991; Paris Review Interview #77, Fall 1998; Poem "Keeping Things Whole"
in "Sleeping With One Eye Open" (1964)—

When I walk / I part the air / and always /
the air moves in / to fill the spaces /
where my body's been. / We all have reasons /
for moving. / I move / to keep things whole.

Monday, December 8, 2014, 12:02-9:30 pm
Palo Alto: Foothill Computer Lab: "Giant Alien Face
or Indian Chief Found on Google Earth Canada"
(UFO Sighting Daily, 2-19-2011); Location: Medicine
Hat, Canada; Description: Alien Royal Prince Face
400 meters (437 yards) across, millions of years old;
Coordinates: 50^o 0'38.76"N, 110^o 6'47.94"W
Cf: "Chief Crow Eagle"; "Chief Pretty Voice Eagle"

Google Earth discovery—
Giant Alien Indian Chief
making Canadian mountains. Monday, December 8, 2014, 12:02-9:30 pm
Palo Alto: Foothill Computer Lab: "Squirrel Discovered In NASA Curiosity Rover Photo"
(By Scott Waring, UFO Sighting Daily, 12-4-2012); NASA: Rocknest from Sol 52 Location; Is there a rodent or squirrel living on Mars? or Was a squirrel sent there by NASA in 2012 for experimentation?
NASA's Squirrel on Mars (io9.com, 5-13-2013)

Did NASA put a squirrel
in hiberation & sent to Mars
to test how long it'll live there?

Tuesday, December 9, 2014, 12:02-9:30 pm
Palo Alto: Foothill Computer Lab: "Interview with Dr Hew Len" (Saul Maraney, Johannesburg, SA, 2008);
"How Dr. Hew Len healed a ward of mentally ill criminals with Ho'oponopono" (Rosario Montenegro, HubPages, 3-27-2011); "Christmas Ho'oponopono"
(Jillian Jones, WorkMoneyBliss.com, 12-21-2013)

Dr. Hew Len healed that part of himself
by Ho'oponopono prayer, and in doing so,
he healed entire criminally insane ward. Tuesday, December 9, 2014, 12:02-9:30 pm
Palo Alto: Foothill Lab: Compose "Ho'oponopono: To Change the World: First Change Yourself"
Quotes from Sages: "Bringing Peace to the World":
Buddha; Lao Tzu; Confucius; Marcus Aurelius;
Rilke's Letters to a Young Poet #1 (All 10 Letters);
Rilke's "Archaic Torso of Apollo" (1, 2, 3)

Apollo, God of the Sun & Poetry
can change your life from ego self
to Cosmic Self of awakened vision.

Wednesday, December 10, 2014, 11:30 am-12:40 pm
Mountain View: Rudy picked me up at my apartment;
Brought Mercury News TV Guide & comics to friend;
Went shopping at Milk Pail (2585 California Street)
and Sprouts Market (630 San Antonio Road)

Organic Sansa apples, Brie cheese,
black grapes, bananas, carrots,
tomatoes, and wheat germ. Wednesday, December 10, 2014, 1:15-9:30 pm
Palo Alto: Foothill Middlefield Computer Lab:
"This one uberskill will always keep you employed"
(By Rick Newman, Yahoo! News, 12-10-2014)

Skill is conceptualization: ability to see
how elements of an abstract whole fit
together & identify problems that need
to be addressed before others do.

Thursday, December 11, 2014, 1:10-9:30 pm
Palo Alto: Foothill Middlefield Computer Lab:
Sally McNees at Stanford; Ray Cowan: Sally Photos;
Sally's Obituary (Los Altos Town Crier, 12-8-2014)
Poem: "Sally"; For Sally's Dad: Sterling McNees;
Poems for Sterling; Einstein Quote; Sally's Backyard

She brightens your day
with her warm sweet smile—
Such is She— Sunshine Sally. Thursday, December 11, 2014, 1:10-9:30 pm
Palo Alto: Foothill Middlefield Computer Lab:
"Ho'oponopono: To Change the World: First Change Yourself"; Listening to Ruth Montgomery's Dr. Hew Len Interview (1:18); Dr. Len was humble: "I didn't heal the criminally insane. I only took care of me."

Your enemy is anger,
hatred, resentment,
that needs to be erased.

Friday, December 12, 2014, 5:40-7:20 pm
Palo Alto: Stanford Theatre: George Seaton
directs "Apartment for Peggy" (1948)
with Jeanne Crain, William Holden,
Edmund Gwenn, Gene Lockhart,
(YouTube: 1, 2, 3), (Film Reviews: 1, 2)

George Seaton casts Edmund Gwenn
in this film after his performance
in "Miracle on 34th Street". Friday, December 12, 2014, 7:30-9:05 pm
Stanford Theatre: George Seaton directs "Miracle on 34th Street" (1947): Maureen O'Hara, John Payne,
Edmund Gwenn, Natalie Wood, Porter Hall,
Gene Lockhart, Alvin Greeman, Thelma Ritter;
(YouTube: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5); (Film Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4)

Little Susan's eyes
full of skepticism of Santa
until she gets her dream house.

Saturday, December 13, 2014, 1:00-3:30 pm
San Jose: Ann gives me 20-minutes ride to
Crossroads Bible Church (1670 Moorpark Ave);
Sally Ann McNees Memorial Service Church Sign; Church Front; Church Stage; Stage Center;
Ann Signing; Signing Table; Sally at Piano

They stopped Sally's Photo Montage
to let me share some of my stories
"Remembering Sally" with audience. Saturday, December 13, 2014, 7:00-11:55 pm
Mountain View: Didn't go ballroom dancing tonight;
On March 13, 2009 (Stanford Theatre) after seeing the 1927 7th Heaven and 1937 Seventh Heaven films, Sally told me, "I'm going straight home instead of ballroom dancing because these films are so deep."

I honor Dad who died
on December 13, 2000,
a sonnet of years ago.

Sunday, December 14, 2014, 9:00 am-12:00 pm
San Jose: Sweet Tomatoes (625 Coleman Avenue)
Al Guzman picked up Rudy in Sunnyvale and me
in Mountain View (8:30 am) for breakfast and film;
Dave Huseman wanted to see "Fury" because his Dad drove a Sherman tank in WWII, but couldn't make it as he was in Sacramento with daughter who gave birth

Two plates of spinach salad,
Curry Lobster Bisque soup,
and chunky scrambled eggs. Sunday, December 14, 2014, 12:50-3:00 pm
AMC Cupertino Square 16 (10123 N. Wolfe Rd.)
John Beck joins us to see "Fury" (2014) directed by
David Ayer; starring Brad Pitt, Logan Lerman, Shia LaBeouf, Michael Peña, Jon Bernthal, Anamaria Marinca, Alicia von Rittberg; (YouTube: 1, 2, 3, 4); (Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4)

Dramatic battle combats
between Sherman tank against
superior German anti-tanks.

Monday, December 15, 2014, 5:10-9:30 pm
Palo Alto: Foothill Middlefield Computer Lab:
Al Guzman says Lab is closed until 1/5/2015
even though Dec, 15-16 was scheduled to be open

Corrected typo in "Man of Value" quote
and in To Change the World web page;
also updated Nature Walks 2014. Monday, December 15, 2014, 5:10-9:30 pm
Palo Alto: Foothill Middlefield Computer Lab:
After 1927 7th Heaven and 1937 Seventh Heaven films (3-13-2009), Sally didn't go ballroom dancing

Seventh Heaven films moved
Sally deeply because their
theme is faithfulness.

Tuesday, December 16, 2014, 2:39-7:00 pm
Palo Alto: Foothill College Middlefield Campus C2:
Director of EMT, Dave Huseman let me use his Mac
Computer in C2 (no BBEdit, Photoshop, Fugu)

Typed "Poems 2014-Preface"
on creation of 21 poems and
saved in Yahoo Email Drafts. Tuesday, December 16, 2014, 7:06-9:30 pm
Palo Alto: Foothill Middlefield Computer Lab:
Al let me use Lab; "Poems 2014-Preface" in HTML using BBEdit; Format 7 photos from Sally's Memorial.

Crossroads Bible Church Sign,
Church Front Facade,
Guest Signing Table.

Wednesday, December 17, 2014, 3:30-5:45 pm
Mountain View Senior Center Multipurpose Room
George Lucas directs "Star Wars IV: A New Hope"
(1977): starring Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford,
Carrie Fisher, Peter Cushing, Alec Guinness,
Peter Mayhew, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker,
David Prowse, (voiced by James Earl Jones);
(YouTube: 1, 2, 3, 4); (Reviews: 1, 2, 3 4)

Rudy had not seen any
Star War films, so it's nice
to see this first episode with him. Wednesday, December 17, 2014, 3:04-9:00 pm
Mountain View Senior Center Technology Room
After composing Photos: Sally's Backyard from her Thanksgiving Party (11-25-2010), Sally sent me email (11-30-2010): "The big big big oak is a Live Oak; I remember when my Mother found it in the yard and made the decision to keep it and protect it. At the time it was not even as big as a pencil... 50+ years ago."

Bird of Paradise Plant in Sally's Yard,
Ford Model T under Heritage Oak,
Star Leaves in Sweet Gum Tree.

Thursday, December 18, 2014, 1:00-2:30 pm
Mountain View Senior Center— W. S. Van Dyke directs "The Thin Man" (1934): William Powell,
Myrna Loy, Asta the dog, Maureen O'Sullivan,
Nat Pendleton, Minna Gombell, Porter Hall,
William Henry, Harold Huber, Cesar Romero, Natalie Moorhead; (YouTube: 1, 2, 3, 4); (Reviews: 1, 2, 3 4)

Asta the wire fox terrier
discovers the body and
helps solving the crime. Thursday, December 18, 2014, 6:00-9:00 pm
Mountain View Senior Center— Valerie (LA) sent
Astronomy Picture of the Day (12-1-2014) with Christmas Greetings; My favorite galactic photos-- Astronomy Picture of the Day (Dec. 13, 2014); Astronomy Picture of the Day (Dec. 16, 2014); Astronomy Picture of the Day (Dec. 17, 2014)

Astronomy Picture of the Day (Dec. 18, 2014):
NGC 7331— 50 million light-years away
in Pegasus looks like a cosmic frisbee.

Thursday, December 18, 2014, 6:00-9:00 pm
Los Altos Library— Louise DeSalvo, "The Art of Slow Writing: Reflections on Time, Craft, and Creativity" (2014) 808.0201DeSalvo; p. 35— Samuel Beckett's
"Molloy""A Clean Well-Lighted Place" (1933)
consisted of short lines interspersed with
white space and appeared airy.

Lucy Corin analyzed
physical layout of pages
to achieve the desired effect. Thursday, December 18, 2014, 6:00-9:00 pm
Los Altos Library— Louise DeSalvo, "Art of Slow
Writing: Reflections on Time, Craft, and Creativity"
(2014) p. xvii— Salmon Rushdie took 13 years to write
memoir "Joseph Anton""Midnight's Children (1981);
Vincent van Gogh took long to perfect his drawing
talent: "If he couldn't do it, he tried it 50 more times."

We live in a world that values speed.
Back & forth e-mailing or texting
rob us of our precious writing time.

Friday, December 19, 2014, 7:30-9:10 pm
Palo Alto: Stanford Theatre: Ernst Lubitsch
directs "The Shop Around the Corner" (1940)
starring Margaret Sullavan, James Stewart,
Frank Morgan, Joseph Schildkraut, Felix Bressart,
Sara Haden, William Tracy, Inez Courtneyn;
(YouTube: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6), (Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4)

This Lubitsch touch brought
lots of laughter in the audience—
"You'll get the wallet." Friday, December 19, 2014, 9:20-11:12 pm
Palo Alto: Stanford Theatre: Ernst Lubitsch
directs "Heaven Can Wait" (1943): starring
Don Ameche, Gene Tierney, Charles Coburn,
Marjorie Main, Laird Cregar, Spring Byington,
Allyn Joslyn, Eugene Pallette, igne Hasso;
(YouTube: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5); (Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4)

Don Ameche thought he'll go
to hell for his philandering
but the Devil decides otherwise.

Saturday, December 20, 2014, 2:05-5:30 pm
Los Altos Library— Robert & Nena Thurman's
12-19 email "Happy Holidays and best wishes
and happiness in the Wood Sheep Year"

Nice photo holiday greetings
under the Rockefeller Center
giant Christmas Tree. Saturday, December 20, 2014, 2:05-5:30 pm
Los Altos Library— After typing Professor Thurman's Stanford Tibetan Buddhism lecture (3-3-2006), was lucky to get on his mailing list for holiday greetings

Sheep Year People: Michelangelo,
Kepler, Columbus, Cervantes,
Yo-Yo Ma, and Bill Gates.

Sunday, December 21, 2014, 2:20-3:00 pm
Mountain View: Friend takes me shopping
at Safeway (570 North Shoreline Boulevard);
Researchers Name a Deep Sea Spiky Shelled Snail
A. strummeri after Joe Strummer of The Clash
(By Lori Dorn, Laughing Squid, 12-15-2014)

French fried onions, yogurt,
dairy creamers, potato chips,
potato tots, pear gorgonzola salad,
Chow Mein noodles, grilled salmon,
Sunday, December 21, 2014, 6:20-8:30 pm
Cupertino: Bluelight Cinema (21275 Stevens Creek);
Rudy & I see "Guardians of the Galaxy" (2014)
directed by James Gunn; starring Chris Pratt,
Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Lee Pace, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan; (YouTube: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6); (Reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4)

My favorite guardian warriors
are the Rocket Raccoon & Groot
in this Marvel superheroes film.

Monday, December 22, 2014, 12:47-5:00 pm
Mountain View: Paulson Park Computer Room— Snail Mail Season's Greetings Photo Card 2014
from Hanauer Family & 2014 Family Newsletter

College friend Richard & Arlene
went to Peruvian Amazon,
Machu Picchu & Galapagos. Monday, December 22, 2014, 5:40-9:00 pm
Los Altos Library— Anita's 12/22 email holiday
greetings; recommends "Intersellar" film;
I wrote poem "NGC 7822: Galactic Birth"—

Amazed that NGC 7822 Galaxy
matches the 78 cards of the Tarot
and 22 cards of the Major Arcana.

Tuesday, December 23, 2014, 3:30-5:15, 7:50-9 pm
Mountain View Senior Center Technology Room— 12/23 Email from Denise: Photo of "Solstice Meal"

Lit candle in glass bowl,
red grapes, cubes of melon,
long-stem white roses in vase,
red cabbage sliced as crescent moons,
bagels, cheese, chocolates, and cookies. Tuesday, December 23, 2014, 5:30-7:30 pm
Mountain View: Sweet Tomatoes (1040 Grant Road);
Cathy & Larry from Las Vegas treated friend & me
for dinner; Gave Cathy "Selected Poems 2014",
Stanford Theatre brochures, "Common Ground"

Two plates of spinach salad,
Curry Lobster Bisque soup,
Cauliflower & Cheese soup.

Wednesday, December 24, 2014, 1:00-4:45 pm
Mountain View Senior Center Technology Room— Parick McDonnell's Mutts (12-24-2014)
"To kids from one to ninety-two"

Elements 1 to 92—
Hydrogen to Uranium
making everything else. Wednesday, December 24, 2014, 1:00-4:45 pm
Mountain View Senior Center Technology Room— Winter Solstice greetings and "Selected Poems 2014"
to Jon B. Applequist, Stuart Edelstein, John Vournakis

Have not been in touch
with these professors
and friends for 28 to 40 years.

Thursday, December 25, 2014, 1:11-1:15 am
KKSF 910 am: Coast-to-CoastAM, George Noory's favorite Christmas Carol— "Scarlet Ribbons" (1949)
Jack Segal (lyrics) & Evelyn Danzig (music)

If I live to be a hundred—
I'll never know from where
came those scarlet ribbons for her hair. Thursday, December 25, 2014, 4:00-5:00 pm
Mountain View: Neighborhood walk— Sierra Vista,
Silverwood Ave, Central Expressway, Rengstorff Ave
(Can't find Nutcracker Suite Christmas display house).

Leaning Tower Tree,
Y-Tree, Sunflare & Young Redwood,
Λ-shaped Seventh-Day Adventist Church.

Thursday, December 25, 2014, 7:00-8:00 pm
Mountain View: Home reading Lu K'uan Yü's
"Practical Buddhism" (1971), Part II: "The Ch'an Shout" by Ch'an Master Chi Ch'eng (pp. 39-42); One shout can pass through all 5 stages of Hua Yen School

Shout passes thru existence & non-existence,
neither existence nor non-existence,
identity of existence & non-existence. Thursday, December 25, 2014, 7:00-8:00 pm
Mountain View: Home cooking pan-fried noodles;
Vegetarian chop-suey, quail eggs, water chestnuts,
carrots, green onions, broccoli, chunk crab meat,
sunflower seeds, cashews, almonds, scrambled eggs.

Stir fry with sesame oil, Basil leaves,
Balsamic vinaigrett dressing, tumeric,
ginger, onion, and garlic powder.

Friday, December 26, 2014, 4:17-5:55 pm
Los Altos Library— 12/25 Holiday Greetings from Teeb; 12/24 Email & Holiday Card "Poinsettia & Holly" from ballroom dancers Susan & AC,
who enjoyed whale watching and hiking

Susan recommends CD book
by Stephen & Lucy Hawking—
George's Secret Key to the Universe. Friday, December 26, 2014, 4:17-5:55 pm
Los Altos Library— Such joy to get 12/25 email from
old friend John Vournakis whom I've not seen since Scheraga's 65th Birthday Symposium (10-25-1986);
He and Karen have been married for 53 years—

They've lived in Charleston, SC for
past 19 years, son Christopher lives in
Huntington Beach, CA with 3-year-old son.

Saturday, December 27, 2014, 2:05-5:30 pm
Los Altos Library— "Warren Buffett and Bill Gates Agree: This Factor Was Most Important for their Success" (Dan Dzombak, Motley Fool, 12-27-2014)
(In life & investing, need to be focused on your goals)

Warren Buffett, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates
all attributed their success
to one factor— FOCUS. Saturday, December 27, 2014, 10:00 pm-3:00 am
Mountain View: Too cold for 45-minutes walk to
ballroom dancing; Stayed home to read Lu K'uan Yü's
"Practical Buddhism" (1971), Part V: Autobiography of Ch'an Master Han Shan (1546-1623); pp. 57-162

When meeting rioters,
Han Shan blamed himself and read
Diamond Sutra to calm things down.

Sunday, December 28, 2014, 2:20-3:09 pm
Mountain View: Friend takes me shopping
at Safeway (570 North Shoreline Boulevard);
afterwards drives me to Los Altos Library

Smoked salmon, supreme pizza,
instant oatmeals, orange juice
French fried onions, spinach,
dairy creamers, and yogurt. Sunday, December 28, 2014, 4:53-5:55 pm
Los Altos Library— Laurance Wieder (Ed.)
"King Solomon's Garden: Poems & Art Inspired
by The Old Testament" ($23.75 Bought for $3);
p. 98: Marianne Moore, "O To Be A Dragon"—

If I, like Solomon,...
could have my wish—
my wish... O to be a dragon.

Monday, December 29, 2014, 4:27-8:55 pm
Los Altos Library— "Sir Gawain & Green Knight"
(2010); Edited by Marie Borroff (translator) & Laura L. Howes; ($16 bought for $1); p. 40: lines 1504-1507

The lady lightly bends
And graciously gives him a kiss;
The two convese as friends
Of true love's trials and bliss. Monday, December 29, 2014, 4:27-8:55 pm
Los Altos Library— Susan Goldsmith Wooldridge, "poemcrazy: freeing our life with words" (1997)
($13 bought for $2); p. 180: Quotes Donald Hall's "Remembering Poets"—

Poetry exists to extend human consciousness,
to bring materials & insights from the
unconscious dark into the light of language.

Tuesday, December 30, 2014, 3:00-6:12 pm
Mountain View— Surprised that Paulson Park
Computer Room is open today; Tamara let us stay
after 5 pm; Typed up 3 poems in Microsoft Word &
saved in Yahoo Draft; Bus #40 to Los Altos Library

"Easter Eve at Stanford Memorial Church",
"Children's Christmas Lists for Santa",
"If I Were Santa Claus". Tuesday, December 30, 2014, 7:30-8:55 pm
Los Altos Library— Checked out Mary Oliver's
"Blue Horses: Poems" (2014) 811.54Oliver;
p. 7: "First Yoga Lesson"—

I lay on the floor, exhausted.
But to be a lotus in the pond
opening slowly, and very slowly rising—
that I could do.

Wednesday, December 31, 2014, 3:00-5:00 pm
Los Altos Library— C.S. Lewis, "Mere Christianity"
(2001) 239Lewis; Devin Brown, "A Life Observed:
A Spiritual Biography of C.S. Lewis" (2013) 230.09;
Alister McGrath, "If I Had Lunch with C. S. Lewis: Exploring the Ideas of C. S. Lewis" (2014); p. 201—

To be in heaven is to step outside
a world of space and time
into eternity— a timeless place. Wednesday, December 31, 2014, 8:00-11:55 pm
Mountain View: Didn't go to Cubberley Pavilion
New Year's Eve Party for ballroom dancing;
Stayed home to finish reading Mary Oliver's
"Blue Horses: Poems" (2014) 811.54Oliver;
p. 17: "What We Want"—

In a poem / people want / something fancy /
but even more / they want something /
inexplicable / made plain.