Five Things on a Sunday

Five things that have my attention today:

1. Great list of things to do this fall from WSJ can be found here. Images caught my eye.
2. A new site of good-for-me recipes at this location. I found it looking for a quinoa burger recipe.
3. I was thinking about Psalms this morning and did a quick search. Found this and started with 123.
4. The catch, the drive, the finish, and the recovery. Muscles used here. I'm talking about rowing.
5. Japan by Billy Collins. Lovely. Found here.

Hope it's a great day.

Be Willing to Change

From page 171 of The Magic of Conflict:

The Aiki Approach

Be Willing to Change

• The most dependable quality in the universe is that of change.
• A willingness to change eliminates the word failure from our vocabulary.
• To change our perspective in a conflict is to move from a point of view to a viewing point.
• Embracing change is consciously choosing our future.
• Flexibility allows us to stretch rather than shrink in life.

An Hour

An Hour
by Czeslaw Milosz

Leaves glowing in the sun, zealous hum of bumblebees,
From afar, from somewhere beyond the river, echoes of lingering voices
And the unhurried sounds of a hammer gave joy not only to me.
Before the five senses were opened, and earlier than any beginning
They waited, ready, for all those who would call themselves mortals,
So that they might praise, as I do, life, that is, happiness. 

Sermon to the Birds

The words of Saint Francis of Assisi:

My little sisters, the birds, much bounden are ye unto God, your Creator, and always in every place ought ye to praise Him, for that He hath given you liberty to fly about everywhere, and hath also given you double and triple rainment; moreover He preserved your seed in the ark of Noah, that your race might not perish out of the world; still more are ye beholden to Him for the element of the air which He hath appointed for you; beyond all this, ye sow not, neither do you reap; and God feedeth you, and giveth you the streams and fountains for your drink; the mountains and valleys for your refuge and the high trees whereon to make your nests; and because ye know not how to spin or sow, God clotheth you, you and your children; wherefore your Creator loveth you much, seeing that He hath bestowed on you so many benefits; and therefore, my little sisters, beware of the sin of ingratitude, and study always to give praises unto God.

Nietzche: A Parable

From Nietzche:

The end of a melody is not its goal: but nonetheless, had the melody not reached its end it would not have reached its goal either. A parable.

More Music

I stumbled upon the following block prints by Stephen Alcorn. These are just a sample of the Modern Music Masters series he produced. Take a look at the entire collection here.

Volume 5 of April 1st Comes to a Close on September 1

The final pages of volume 5: