elizabeth grigg - the other fourth meal

The no blogging thing! What's up with that? It feels foreign, sick, and wrong. Yet here I am, my home computer has been broken for 3 months or so, and the blogging is broken apace. Right now in order to blog, I can duck out early on Sunday morning and pair it with a nice session on the piano in the lobby here at work.

Even if the computer were working, it is time for me to use a little discretion. The things I would most want to write about are not appropriate. Trust that I am taking good notes and will talk about it all when it's OK.

The best idea I have had in 3 months is this: The definition of devotion.

Devotion is a dedication to something slippery or elusive.

If a lover says s/he is devoted to you, it means a part of them recognizes how slippery and elusive you are, and they are digging deep into their faith in order to hold on. That's devotion.

This can be applied to many situations: work, health, a mindful practice of some kind.

However I also want to recognize the underlying mania behind devotion. There is something in the devoted adherence to a cause that needs a reality check. Things shouldn't be that hard as a rule. One should need faith for the stretch goals, yes, but if leaving the house in the morning requires faith then something is askew.

I will continue to post as best I can.

Posted by Elizabeth Grigg at 08:09 AM | Permalink

Recent reading includes:

* Under the banner of heaven: A violent faith. By Jon Krakauer. The punchline of this book is an itemized list of characteristics associated with this disorder. After describing the horrible things that human beings are capable of, this list turns the mirror on the reader - for which one of us has none of these characteristics?

Quick Summary:
Narcissistic personality disorder is characterized by self-centeredness. Like histrionic disorder, people with this disorder seek attention and praise. They exaggerate their achievements, expecting others to recongize them as being superior. They tend to be choosy about picking friends, since they believe that not just anyone is worthy of being their friend. Narcissists tend to make good first impressions, yet have difficulty maintaining long-lasting relationships. They are generally uninterested in the feelings of others and may take advantage of them.
Symptoms of Narcissistic Personality Disorder:
Requires excessive praise and admiration
Takes advantage of others
Grandiose sense of self-importance
Lack of empathy
Lying, to self and others
Obsessed with fantasies of fame, power, or beauty
Additional Information:
Narcissism is most often found in men and is often diagnosed with other mental disorders.

* Wicked Life and Times of the wicked witch of the west: by Gregory Maguire. She's green, but not yet mean. And continued proof that in order to see ourselves better, it can be easier to be transported to another realm. Gregory has the added advantage that we all know this realm already (Oz) and as long as he remains internally consistent to that image, he can observe that rough edge of humanity and deliver it to us with clarity.

* Tender at the bone: growing up at the table. By Ruth Reichl. A much more forgiving look at humanity, our choices, and how understanding something as fundamental as food - really understanding it - can create a roadmap for your own uniqueness. My favorite quote (from memory) "She can't cook, dearie, she has no imagination." "Hmm. Cooking doesn't seem to require imagination, it's just a matter of organization, right?" "Oh dearie, it is only because you have imagination that you think that."

Posted by Elizabeth Grigg at 08:01 AM | Permalink

Hey, did you know we showed up to do this show? And, practically nothing came up about the house remodel? Go figure. I think I had better keep promising that this is our best material. So far we haven't yet told the story.

Here is the link:

http://www.thechrispirilloshow.com/help/20060323_nate_and_elizabeth_grigg_join_ponzi_and_pirillo.phtml

Posted by Elizabeth Grigg at 08:05 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (1)