We watched Glass Onion this evening. It was OK, but I much preferred the original. 🍿
🏳 I’m throwing the towel in. I’m not going to make it to midnight. Happy New Year, everyone!
🪘 There’s some intense drumming party happening out there, somewhere. In between the bangs of fireworks, the beat drifts through the stillness of the night.
🔥 When the smoke from the fire appears to follow me around, regardless of which chair I sit in.
Burning the Christmas tree to get the fire going,
and a couple of hours later,
🪵 Fire pit set. Fingers crossed that the wind quietens down later.
I’ve just cut up the Christmas tree. I’ll use it to start a fire tonight, outside.
I always feel a little sad cutting up the tree, and at the same time grateful as well, for it lighting up the darkness through December. 🎄
December 2022 newsletter letter
Saturday, December 31, 2022
December 2022 I write this as 2022 draws to a close. While I don’t usually stay up to see the New Year in tonight, weather permitting, I plan to light a fire outside and sit around it with some family and friends to welcome in 2023 . . . or at least stay up for a while into the night. This last month has been filled with the Holiday season for me.
A man once said while in a circle that I was sitting in, was that the reason that he shows up to sit with other men, is that chances are someone in the group has been through similar experiences as him. He is not alone.
That was my experience last night.
Listening to First Mind by Nick Mulvey 🎵
This just slowed me down.
Kermit the Frog - “Rainbow Connection” 🎵
I’ve moved back from Vimeo to YouTube for my video hosting. I started on YouTube while hosting some live streaming meditation events during the COVID lockdown in 2020. I subsequently moved those videos over to Vimeo, primarily for aesthetic reasons, but I decided to move back to YouTube primarily due the cost of Vimeo.
My YouTube page contains the meditation videos from 2020, alongside meditation videos that I have made for other events and sites. Checkout the Playlists for a breakdown of the videos.
Oohh, as I step outside at dawn the waking world is so quiet and still. My happy place. 🤗
Those times when I am just wanting to take in a view as I sit or walk, and at the same time someone who I am with is giving a running commentary on what we are looking at, and saying it in a way that is demanding constant acknowledgment of their words.
“I can see the beauty! Just sit and take it in…..please."
🤪 Pandemonium in the house this morning as a huge centipede appeared out of nowhere.
Wednesday, December 28, 2022 →
This has been a week of tiredness. My sense is that I will have to wait until the New Year to have any hope of getting myself back on track.
Just home from a Sound Bath. I’m feeling very relaxed now, and think that I’ll be sleeping well tonight.
🛋 The morning after the day before.
Doing nothing is exhausting. That or is simply brings up the tiredness in me. All in all, having a lovely Christmas Day with the family.
Well last night’s Willie Nelson concert was a fun affair. The evening was essentially divided into three parts. First Willie’s son Mika played a set with his band. I struggled with that music, a grunge band of sorts. Next up was Willie’s son Lukas played with his band. Lukas is more well known than Mika and plays country/rock. An accomplished musician, who like Mika grew up in Maui and regularly plays at venues on the island, he was enthusiastically received.
Finally both sons came back on stage to play along their 89 year old father. Sitting down through a 45 minute set, Willie rattled off a handful of his well known songs as well as handing over to his sons to play solos, duets, or simply take the lead in songs that they all sung. For one song, Lukas was joined on stage by Lily Meola for a duet that they had written together. Lily is a Maui girl who was discovered by Willie when she was singing in a restaurant here. Another anecdote, my wife Melissa taught Lily in kindergarten.
The stage was the outdoor arena at the MACC here on Maui, set on a beautiful mid-winter’s night. There was a real sense of family coming together to celebrate, both the family on stage and the wider island community coming out to enjoy and celebrate Willie’s music and gift. At 89 he can still play that guitar.
At this Christmas time I share a video of Jingle Bells being sung as the closing number.