I like how Zen talks about the need for a "great ball of doubt." It seems like I should have enjoyed a satori by now, my doubt is so balled up. Some days more than others. This was a good doubting day. I just had an interview with my Zen master, who, conveniently, is myself (makes it easy to get appointments). He reviewed the enigmatic koans that life presented me on this Sunday, along with my...

There is a woman who never forgets anything. I watched her recall events, what people said, what day of the week, and what was on tv from every day of her life since she was a child. And I was thankful for the grace of forgetfulness like how many times I raise my voice or sigh in exasperation or feel discouraged. Our ability to forget, especially for mothers, is what keeps us sane and helps us...

The Stages of a Woman's Life 1. To Grow Up 2. To Fill Out 3. To Slim Down 4. To Hold It In And 5. To Hell With It + + + + + + + + Aw, shucks, you know I'm just funnin'. How about these instead: Rejected International Sports Teams Names 1. Brussels Sprouts 2. Cannes Openers 3. Amsterdam Yankees 4....

Nothing like eating in your car!

Today is the 100th Anniversary of the 'American' Mother's Day. While the holiday affectionately celebrating mothers has been celebrated since ancient times, and continues to be celebrated in nations around the world, our particular Mother's Day has a different origin. The 'original' mother's day, is most likely linked to the ancient customs of mother worship in Greece. Mother worship involved the...

I have a headache. I think it is caused by the pollen that is being blown around by the wind. When I get these headaches it seems like anything the kids do gets blown out of proportion. Sometimes the littlest things bugs me. I've been trying to teach my daughter the value of working for and saving money. She's young and so far has managed to save about five dollars. She knows I have a five dollar...

Steph: I bought some more Forever Stamps since postage is going up on Monday. Yay me. Jason: Why would anyone buy anything other than Forever Stamps? S: Well, I'm not sending out party invitations with the Liberty Bell on them. Bleh. I have to have other stamps around too. J: The Liberty Bell is symbolic and very important to our country. What did Tiffany stained glass ever do to deserve a...

Good legal news for those who love the naturalness of Oregon, rather than unneeded subdivisions on prime farm and forest land. Last Thursday the state Supreme Court ruled on the Corey case. The decision affirmed that Measure 49, voted in last November by a wide margin, trumps Measure 37 – which Measure 49 fixed. Oregonians in Action, plus others who favor the rights of a few Measure 37...

IT was going to be one of Rabbit's busy days. As soon as he woke up he felt important, as if everything depended upon him. It was just the day for Organizing Something, or for Writing a Notice Signed Rabbit, or for Seeing What Everybody Else Thought About It. It was a perfect morning for hurrying round to Pooh, and saying, "Very well, then, I'll tell Piglet," and then going to Piglet, and saying,...

This article in the Washington Post explains it all. Republicans were for motherhood before they voted against it. Its time for The Greatest Generation and their Baby Boomer offspring to stand aside and stand down. Here's a snippet: It was already shaping up to be a difficult year for congressional Republicans. Now, on the cusp of Mother's Day, comes this: A majority of the House GOP has voted...

The Mt. Hood/Columbia River Gorge is an excellent location for outdoor adventures, even if you don't quite think you're outdoorsy! From biking to hiking and dune buggy rides, there is an activity for all ages, all skill levels and for those who simply appreciate great scenery. CNN's Beth J. Harpaz recently traveled to Hood River with her husband and two sons, and they visited Multnomah Falls,...

70% Geek.

You can't have "right" without "wrong." So if what you say is absolutely 100% certain, no doubt about it – that can't be true. The Taoists figured this out a long time ago. Yin requires yang. Up needs down. Truth depends on falsity. Much more recently, Karl Popper made falsifiability the cornerstone of what distinguishes a scientific theory. I echoed his ideas in "If a religion can't be wrong,...

A few random items... : stamps : Postage stamps are going up in price on Monday, so you should do as I did and stock up on those terribly un-pretty Forever Stamps (seriously. would it kill them to put a flower on the Forever Stamps? the Liberty Bell is so not great). If you get them now, they're *only* 41 cents a piece. Starting Monday, they'll cost you 42 cents. Consider this your friendly...

McCain's wife won't reveal her income taxes. The R's ripped Kerry because his wife attempted the same. I guess Republican brains only have one side. For more, read...

Famous Painting Stolen A thief in Paris planned to steal some paintings from the Louvre. After careful planning, he got past security, stole the paintings, and made it safely to his van. However, he was captured only two blocks away when he ran out of gas. When asked how he could mastermind such a crime and then make such an obvious error, he replied, "Monsieur, that is the reason I...

The Duel by Eugene Field (1850-1895) The gingham dog and the calico cat Side by side on the table sat; 'T was half-past twelve, and (what do you think!) Nor one nor t' other had slept a wink! The old Dutch clock and the Chinese plate Appeared to know as sure as fate There was going to be a terrible spat. (I wasn't there; I simply state What was told to me by the Chinese plate!) The gingham dog...

Beauty. Artistry. Color. Diversity. Energy. Passion. Not words usually associated with downtown Salem, Oregon. But yesterday Silverton's Raks Sarama belly dancing troupe, performing at a First Wednesday celebration, showed that this sleepy city has potential to wake up. In my You Tube video (embedded below) you can hear a conversation between me and a fellow progressive friend, Frances, where I...

About Mother's Day... Here's my confession: I bought my own present. And while it was more than what Jason would have spent on me, and I perhaps didn't consult him about it as much as I should have, I'm feeling pretty good about it. And if you hand me the microphone on Mother's Day and ask me, "What are you going to do now that you're a mom?!" I'd raise my fist into the air and yell...

Clinton and McCain both propose what they cannot deliver and then accuse Obama of lacking the experience necessary for the job. A gas tax holiday? Promise the moon, but it takes Congress to implement the proposal. In this case, instead of substantive proposals they offer ploys that amount to chump change. When these two propose the moon (no matter how dim in this case), why should I find...

downtown Salem.

If you love Portland, it's most likely because of its unique and slightly off-kilter style. If you've ever visited the Velveteria or Voodoo Doughnut, you know that Portland truly does have something to offer everyone. CNN recently described Portland as "one of the nation's more livable cities, listed among the best places to have a baby, grow old, go for a walk, ride a bike, take a jog, breathe...

Food poisoning. Perhaps the guacamole at lunch that tasted a bit off. I'm never eating again.

The other day a young person asked me how I felt about being old. I was taken aback, for I do not think of myself as old. Upon seeing my reaction, she was immediately embarrassed, but I explained that it was an interesting question, that I would entertain it, and let her know. Old Age, I have decided, is a gift. I am now, probably for the first time in my life, the person I have...

T-Mobile customers have been waiting for what seems like years for the cell service provider to give us a 3G data network. Verizon Wireless, Sprint, and AT&T have had 3G networks for quite some time, giving us mobile broadband access to the Internet. T-Mobile has finally started the rollout of the 3G network, starting with New York City. The new UMTS/HSDPA network will appear in other...

Ooh! It feels so good to have my view of life confirmed. Today someone sent me a link to "On Being Certain," which talks about a book with the same name by Robert Burton, M.D. It's subtitle is believing you are right even when you're not. Nice! Not that it applies to me. Because I know I'm right about uncertainty. Why, I've read marvelous blog posts about this subject, each of which, I'm pleased...

Brand Logo Option 1. Nothing helps me to get into the creative zone and focus more then listening to something while I work. Be it music, audio books or as is the case this past weekend a cool lecture by biblical scholar Michael S. Heiser. He went in depth regarding ancient Semitic Languages and dissected some very controversial verses in the Old Testament. The guy is amazing and has a pretty...

grew convinc'd that truth, sincerity and integrity in dealings between man and man were of the utmost importance to the felicity of life; and I form'd written resolutions, which still remain in my journal book, to practice them ever while I lived. Revelation had indeed no weight with me, as such; but I entertain'd an opinion that, though certain actions might not be bad because they were forbidden...

I figure I'd better write this now, a few minutes before the Indiana and North Carolina polls begin to close, because later on I might be too depressed. I'm a grumpy new Democrat, having changed my registration to "D" from non-affiliated a few months ago so I could vote for Obama in the Oregon primary. I felt good back then. Now Obama v. Clinton is a game that's feeling way tired, way repetitive,...

Today, CAUSA debuted a music video highlighting scenes from last Thursday’s May Day March for Immigrant Rights. The video features a performance by Chris Meza, a new, up and coming Latino composer, producer and vocal artist. Included in the video are clips from the May Day March and Rally in Salem where 2,500 immigrant rights supporters gathered to call for a restoration of drivers...

By Ashley Moran Now that the sun has finally begun to poke through the clouds, the weather is just about perfect for an afternoon hike. And I've found that even if the weather is unpredictable, Silver Falls is still worth the trip. I hadn't been back to Silver Falls for a number of years, but I had many fond memories of family bbq's and hikes with my cousins in the summer time. I also remember...

This is just a reminder: I am still substituting over at Tisha's Place in case you wanna put in a look-see. + + + + + + + + This moose needs to see his local opthalmologist. Not only is that a buffalo (bison for purists) he is trying to play games with, but it is a BRASS buffalo, located, no doubt, somewhere near Moosejaw. + + + + + + + + Here's how to fix up the airlines, which...

It's always tough finding the perfect restaurant to take your mother on her special day. We should all be thankful to those in the restaurant industry who take time out of their personal lives to enrich our lives. Working on holidays can be a thankless task but the Eat Salem blog is appreciative of your dedication. Please let us know if your restaurant is open on Mother's Day and we will post it...

I had a nightmare last week that we built our house and then there was no place to put my sewing machine. There I was, moving things into the finished house, standing in the hallway, crying, holding my sewing machine that didn't have a place to be. As if it really needs a place to be. Right now it sits on the floor of our closet. But right now--as we are waiting for the final draft of the house...

I've been enjoying recent Church of the Churchless comment conversations, here, here, and here (plus a few other post places). In this regard, I want to mention that I keep on telling TypePad, which hosts this blog, that they need to improve their comment features. It bugs me that only the ten most recent comments are shown on the left sidebar, and that it isn't possible for visitors to search...

So says, Marion Nestle who was the forum speaker at Grace Cathedral yesterday. She also pointed to a great article on the current farm bill in the San Francisco Chronicle. Her site and the article are worth a second look....

On Saturday, Oregon's very own Anti-immigrant organization, Oregonians for Immigration Reform threw their support behind State Democratic Senator Rick Metsger for Oregon Secretary of State. In OFIR's email to their members, they boasted of Metsger's introduction and vote in favor of Senate Bill 1080, which put into law the requirment that all Oregon Residents to prove their legal status before...

The Battle of Puebla, fought on May 5, 1862, was waged as a result of 7,000 French soldiers (the best equipped army in the world) attacking a Mexican fort,whose troops consisted almost entirely of indigenous soldiers. With Mexican troops that numbered half those of the French and severely under-equipped,they faced a battle that might have been seen as totally improbable or even impossible. As fate...

A couple minor changes that are probably not that noticeable. But I'm pretty happy about the new rotating header images. You can just click on my header image, or refresh the page to see what I'm talking about....

Like making sausage, if people knew more about how many newspaper editorial boards go about deciding on endorsements, they'd be disgusted. Today Salem's Statesman Journal, the newspaper in Oregon's capital, endorsed Hillary Clinton. That's no big deal. Here's why. I have a better understanding than most of how this paper's editorial board works, because last fall I got hot and heavy into...

I have been busy making the sweetest and tiniest of quilts...those intended for premature infants in hospital neo-natal units. A dear friend was making several to bring along with her as she headed south to Arizona to visit family...intending to drop them off a local quilt shop there that she frequents. It turned out that they participate in the AZ Blankets for Kids project and my quilting friend...

I know that gear is probably one of the least important things in creating a picture, provided the gear is reasonably decent. I have been futzing with pen and tablet sets forever, using an 8x6 Wacom until it got jittery. I got another brand, and it was really crappy. Right clicking was virtually impossible, and then it developed some strange double click behavior. Anyway, this new tablet is...

I admit I haven't even been to one yet myself, bu I intend to go this week to see Uncounted: The New Math of American Elections. To everyone in Salem looking to find/build/support thinking community in our town... let's all go and check it out! Not just this film, but the series itself. It's at the Grand Theater. http://salemprogressivefil ms....

The worst thing about belief? In one way or another, it's always unbelievable. The best thing about belief? When the unbelievable is stripped away, you're likely to be pointed toward truth. So strippers – no, not that kind (sadly) – are all-important on a spiritual journey. Without them, religious or other sorts of dogma are accepted uncritically, leaving us wandering in a maze...

We have created a new YouTube channel for posting videos created by Capital Press staff (and perhaps even freelancers). Up to this point, the members of our staff you have been experimenting with video have all created their own channels to get videos online to our readers could see them. But moving forward, to try to keep the videos together, we opted to create a channel we could give all...

Great hot dogs, great home made fries, great atmosphere is what you'll find at Casey's Cafe on Court Street downtown. For mid week lunch, few places in town are as popular with the locals as Casey's. That's partly due to their location which is within walking distance from anywhere downtown including the capitol and partly due to the friendly service. Even with a large lunch crowd, by your second...

I found this meter on my friend 3T's blog, so I decided to check it out. She had this Cuss-O-Meter on her blog that showed an 18.2 percent swear rate on her blog, with the needle just about reaching the red. So, being the perverse f--- I am, I figured I needed to rate my blog. At times I pride myself on being a foul-mouthed son of a bitch, capable of swearing enough to make sailors, marines...