Category: Journal
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Do jumping spiders dream spider dreams?
Scientific American is reporting on the research of behavioural ecologist Daniela Rößler into the sleep behaviours of jumping spiders. After first observing that these spiders would occasionally hang motionless (and presumably asleep) on the ends of their silk threads, Rößler noticed something interesting.From time to time they would display a distinct twitching. Hmmm, she thought,…
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Snapshot at eight.
It’s eight PM.Dinner is done and the washing up of course.Since my evening zazen, I’m feeling restless. Desert was a strong pour-over and six squares of rum and raisin chocolate. Meditation with a chaser of caffeination. Let us see. 20 bazillion movies to choose from on Netflix and I can’t find a single one to…
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The place where I sit.
The term zazen means sitting-zen. And zen is just a word for meditation. Nothing mysterious. Nothing esoteric.Zen is simply the practice of meditation.Meditation is simply a discipline of abiding wholeheartedly in the present moment as it unfolds without adding anything extra. And boy do we add a lot. I sit zazen in the corner of…
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First world problems. Part 3.
A quick update. In case anyone was wondering, I thought I would bring you up to speed with our ongoing air conditioner problems. See part 2 for the backstory. After 3 weeks of troubleshooting and banging out heads against various unforgiving surfaces, the source of the problem has been located. Of course it turned out…
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The Galileo Commission Report.
The Galileo Commission Report is a paper written by Prof Harald Walach in consultation with a panel of 90 scientists, researchers and academics. It examines the current role of science in our society, and whilst fully supporting the scientific method it questions the rise of scientism, a fundamentalist approach that refuses a priori to examine…
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First world problems. Part 2.
I recently wrote about our problems after our existing gas heater stopped working: The painful stink of obsolescence. Recap: we have now spent over $15,000 replacing the entire system after a non-replaceable $200 circuit board died (and new models are no longer compatible with our existing ducting). Because: engineered redundancy. Well, the new heating &…
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Coffee and a short walk.
A short journal entry. Because nothing is happening. Still shaking off the last stubborn mucoid residues of my flu. Coffee at Double Shot cafe in Deakin. It was a cold morning and we sat outside. By butt-hopping our way down a row of vacant stools, we managed to snag a single shaft of sunlight for…
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