What is calming you today?

209 gallons of #2 fuel oil, filling the tank, at $2.20/gallon.

Carbs, after doubling down on a career gamble.

Invisibilia.

Invisibilia is a series about the invisible forces that shape human behavior. The show interweaves personal stories with scientific research that will make you see your own life differently.

This week's show:

The Secret History Of Thoughts

Co-hosts Alix Spiegel and Lulu Miller ask the question, "Are my thoughts related to my inner wishes, do they reveal who I really am?" The answer can have profound consequences for your life.

I've learned the three stages in the secret history of (dark) thoughts; Freudian, where the (dark) thoughts are believed to have meaning, CBT, where the (dark) thoughts are questioned, challenged, and Mindfulness/Meditation where (dark) thoughts are observed as some peculiar, but not dangerous bug might be noticed.

It's a pretty cool show. Relieving to learn that everybody has dark thoughts, and that I needn't give them undue influence.

Feet up on the mantle reading teh Cellar.

Unless you are doing a headstand, you have a different definition of mantle than I do.

You don't have a Grifftopia

Maybe hearth would be the typical usage. The stone in front of the door.

Started this Christmas with a new hobby for Dan ... and I.

This morning I parked a chair in front of the window and sat alone in silence and watched out back. In addition to the regular culprits, I have a Red-bellied Woodpecker, a small female Downy Woodpecker, some nuthatches, doves, a pairing of cardinals, sparrows and more. I have NEVER seen so many birds in my yard before. See what food does? lol Anyway, watching them relaxes me. Especially when its cold out and I have a nice hot cuppa joe.
Here is one lousy pick of my new Red-bellied buddy. :p:

Birds are great. My dad and brother have numerous feeders and houses at their houses and at my dad's lakes. They know what sort of feed and housing attract what sort of birds. My dad has a heated bird bath sort of thing (he made it with wood, a bulb, and a tin plate) for the birds in the winter.

I love birds too. When I see a Blue Heron swooping the river, I feel so happy.

Very nice thing for you and Dan! :)

Yeah, that sounds like the way to chill man.

Said Alfred Hitchcock to Tippi Hedren. :eyebrow:

We never got around to buying birdseed this winter. Gotta remember to do that. Filling the feeder each day or two is a minor chore, but it's worth it to see all the birds.

Sounds like a kid's chore to me. :cool:

Some of today's kids couldn't pour birdseed on the ground, much less into a bird feeder.

...couldn't pour birdseed on the ground if they had a bag with a hole in it, i believe is how this one goes

Yeah, just keep the whippersnappers off the lawn. :haha:
But glatt's kids are responsible youts.

We are having a blast with it. We're up to 23 different bird species and $50 into seed so far. I'm thinking of adding a duet feeder to the mix. There is also "Squirrel Nutkin" - - for now.

duet? or suet?

classicman;919441 wrote:

... There is also "Squirrel Nutkin" - - for now.

I'd be glad to ship a couple of the beasties to you,
but you'd have to agree to pay the excess-weight charges.

We have 4 young-un's now that have eaten so much
of our birdfood they cast a Chris-Christy shadow.

Today I am calmed by my Assigned Worker (or whatever the proper title is), Mark.
And the Cellar. And being here rather than there.

I'd love the chance to be calmed by animal interaction though.
I admit to envying those of you who have that choice at present.
Mine will come...

Glad that your current assigned worker seems helpful. Fingers crossed that he organises the support you need from here on.


Sent by thought transference

Sundae;919599 wrote:

I'd love the chance to be calmed by animal interaction though.

I'm sure you do, although I doubt it was really calming.
Being constantly told you're in the way, scratch me-no not there, you should be doing something I want, feed me, I don't want to wait a minute. :haha:

Not the NFC Championship game. That's for sure.

Well there's a team that couldn't catch a break for 58 football minutes...

Nothing is calming me. Everything is aggravating me.

(OK. That's an exaggeration.)

8 pack of Bud.

where the fuck is that like button :D what is uncalming me again though is the kids running around with nerf crossbows because they don't have school tomorrow and feel the rest of us should also get no rest.... :rolleyes:

Have a cup of nice hot green tea ... decaf. Works for me!

you must be confusing me with someone who doesn't know what tea is. Compost is not for drinking and tea is supposed to be caffeinated. :p

I'm working on a Bud, same as Buster ;) seems to be doing the trick now said little shits have been yelled at ;)

BigV;919448 wrote:

duet? or suet?

Suet ... typo

Green and red headed ... finches?! have joined the party.

Its interesting how they eat in shifts throughout the day.

xoxoxoBruce;919630 wrote:

I'm sure you do, although I doubt it was really calming.
Being constantly told you're in the way, scratch me-no not there, you should be doing something I want, feed me, I don't want to wait a minute. :haha:

I wasn't thinking about Diz (for once!) but yes, that was like any relationship with demands and rewards. I was thinking of the long term patience involved in interaction with nature. My minions in the park, my squirrel and jay in St Anne's. Some things are worth working for, and progress is almost sweeter than success.

monster;919660 wrote:

you must be confusing me with someone who doesn't know what tea is. Compost is not for drinking and tea is supposed to be caffeinated.

I have to admit to having developed a taste for decaf tea. Not green tea, just pretendy tea.
Of course it's not the same, as I realised over Christmas when I had some of Dad's ye olde traditional PG Tips. Strong enough to trot a mouse across.
But for someone sensitive to caffeine like me, it does help to have a viable alternative.

It's not a health thing, I should point out, as someone who has taken very peculiar health choices. It's an irritation thing. I just seem to have been wired with my nerve endings on the outside of my skin as it is, no-one deserves me sleepless and hyped on top of that. Except that disease ridden creature in the best seat on the X84 home yesterday who sniffed and sneezed and coughed for the whole hour back to Otley. I'm glad I killed him.

I have found that after smoking a bowl I am a lot calmer. So now I am going to smoke a bowl.

Strong enough to trot a mouse across.

What an image that brings to mind. :lol2: