January 11th, 2017
Affirmation: “When I find that I don’t have time for what matters, I will stop doing things that don’t.”
Word of the Day: genuflect (v):
____
Affirmation: “When I find that I don’t have time for what matters, I will stop doing things that don’t.”
Word of the Day: genuflect (v):
1. to bend the knee
or touch one knee to the floor in reverence or worship.
2. to express a
servile attitude.
Backpain
HE went to visit a
sick friend.
Such kindness brings more kindness,
and there is no knowing the proliferation from there.
The man was about to die.
HE put his face close and kissed him.
HIS friend began to
revive.
HIS visit re-created him.
He began to feel grateful
for an illness
that brought such light.
And also for the backpain
that wakes him in the night.
No need to snore away
like a buffalo
when this wonder is walking the world.
There are values in pain
that are difficult
to see without the presence of a guest.
Don’t complain about
autumn.
Walk with grief like a good friend.
Listen to what he says.
Sometimes the cold and
dark of a cave
give the opening we most want.
____
Today was awesome.
I woke up at about 6:30, got ready, got some coffee, and then walked to the reef fleet terminal harbor for my 8:30 departure for scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef! I absolutely love scuba diving and going in the Great Barrier Reef has been on my bucket list for many years now. And for good reason... the two dives I did today were unbelievable. And the visibility was very good and the water was warm and the aquatic life was wonderful. I saw turtles, sharks, jellies, sea cucumbers, anemone, slugs, urchins, eels, clams, rays, and every type and color imaginable of coral and a whole plethora of fish.
When I'm scuba diving, it feels like I am in some type of alternative, suspended reality. It is like Lucy in the sky with Diamonds. And it is meditative and so peaceful.
You'll likely notice that this post contains fewer pictures, but that's because most of today's highlights happened underwater! I bought some photos of my experience that I might post subsequently but I didn't bring an underwater camera or go pro on the dives.
On an unrelated note, the food on the boat was exceptional. We started the morning with Haloumi cheese and mayonnaise sandwiches on garlic herbed focaccia bread, blueberry muffins, and chocolate chocolate chip muffins. I'm usually not a muffin person but these were more chewy/moist than cakey/ crumbly, so they tasted good (especially when dipped in the English breakfast tea). And I am normally not a savory breakfast person but the sandwiches were unexpectedly flavorful and tasty.
The lunch buffet was also a wonderful post-dive feast. I dined on Chinese sweet and sour chicken and vegetables; Indian chana masala with carrots and sweet potatoes; sticky white rice with butter; tuna salad sushi with wasabi and soy sauce; Korean fried chicken with sweet chili sauce; coleslaw; jumbo prawns with cocktail sauce; ham with grain mustard; pasta salad; potato salad; and watermelon, honeydew, cantaloupe, and kiwi fruit for dessert. And more coffee. I ate until my stomach hurt but the food was so fresh and flavorful and hearty that I didn't even care.
We got back to the harbor a little after 4:30 in the afternoon. I went back to the hotel just to unpack and wash up. I then decided to walk around Cairns for a bit. I really enjoyed exploring the town and its eclectic array of shops, cafes, restaurants, arts, parks, music, people, and more. I walked slowly because it was so hot and humid, but I was able to take in a lot more that way too. I bought some souvenirs, and also went to the "night market." I returned to the hotel where I took a long, warm shower and tried to rinse off all the sand and salt from my hair and skins before embalming my body in as much moisturizer as it would absorb.
I woke up at about 6:30, got ready, got some coffee, and then walked to the reef fleet terminal harbor for my 8:30 departure for scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef! I absolutely love scuba diving and going in the Great Barrier Reef has been on my bucket list for many years now. And for good reason... the two dives I did today were unbelievable. And the visibility was very good and the water was warm and the aquatic life was wonderful. I saw turtles, sharks, jellies, sea cucumbers, anemone, slugs, urchins, eels, clams, rays, and every type and color imaginable of coral and a whole plethora of fish.
When I'm scuba diving, it feels like I am in some type of alternative, suspended reality. It is like Lucy in the sky with Diamonds. And it is meditative and so peaceful.
You'll likely notice that this post contains fewer pictures, but that's because most of today's highlights happened underwater! I bought some photos of my experience that I might post subsequently but I didn't bring an underwater camera or go pro on the dives.
On an unrelated note, the food on the boat was exceptional. We started the morning with Haloumi cheese and mayonnaise sandwiches on garlic herbed focaccia bread, blueberry muffins, and chocolate chocolate chip muffins. I'm usually not a muffin person but these were more chewy/moist than cakey/ crumbly, so they tasted good (especially when dipped in the English breakfast tea). And I am normally not a savory breakfast person but the sandwiches were unexpectedly flavorful and tasty.
The lunch buffet was also a wonderful post-dive feast. I dined on Chinese sweet and sour chicken and vegetables; Indian chana masala with carrots and sweet potatoes; sticky white rice with butter; tuna salad sushi with wasabi and soy sauce; Korean fried chicken with sweet chili sauce; coleslaw; jumbo prawns with cocktail sauce; ham with grain mustard; pasta salad; potato salad; and watermelon, honeydew, cantaloupe, and kiwi fruit for dessert. And more coffee. I ate until my stomach hurt but the food was so fresh and flavorful and hearty that I didn't even care.
We got back to the harbor a little after 4:30 in the afternoon. I went back to the hotel just to unpack and wash up. I then decided to walk around Cairns for a bit. I really enjoyed exploring the town and its eclectic array of shops, cafes, restaurants, arts, parks, music, people, and more. I walked slowly because it was so hot and humid, but I was able to take in a lot more that way too. I bought some souvenirs, and also went to the "night market." I returned to the hotel where I took a long, warm shower and tried to rinse off all the sand and salt from my hair and skins before embalming my body in as much moisturizer as it would absorb.
I ate a late dinner followed by desert - chocolate cake with hazelnut frosting (aka Nutella) and carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. I'll do a little bit more work online, and I'm going to try to get to bed a bit earlier today to wake up in time for my 7 am departure (and 12 hour day) to Daintree Forest.
No comments:
Post a Comment