Author Archives: BittmanBliss

Strong coffee is my weakness, as my father used to say. Once in a while I get tired of my automatic coffeemaker’s version (never quite strong enough) and pull out the heavy artillery: the French press. Then after a few … Continue reading →

Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, began last night at sundown. I haven’t figured out why the year starts in the 7th month of the Jewish calendar, but hey, January 1st is rather arbitrary as well. Anyway, the significance of … Continue reading →

My favorite quote from the Buddha goes something like this: “We don’t get upset because of what’s happening; we get upset because we’re upset-able.” In other words, just like happiness, upset is an inside job. And I don’t know about … Continue reading →

It probably borders on blasphemy, but I have recently found myself asking this question often: “What would Brenna do?” Brenna is “my” nearly 2-year old Labrador Retriever, and she is wise beyond measure. She is nearly always happy and energetic … Continue reading →

I ran across this Cherokee expression: “When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice.” I know that this kind of life is possible and … Continue reading →

My hip continues to improve (please see last post), and I am grateful for that, though at times I find myself sad. Maybe it’s because I’m dog tired, or maybe it’s because I still lapse into wrestling matches with worry … Continue reading →

The Buddha said, “When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves.” When he referred to a pure mind, I don’t think he was talking about one that was free of lustful thoughts (at least I … Continue reading →

I apologize for the grammar, but hey, it’s a lyric from a song. The late, great George Carlin once said, “I put a dollar in one of those change machines. Nothing changed.” There’s wisdom in that as well as humor. … Continue reading →

Independence Day is tomorrow and it’s worth celebrating if only because it’s about the only holiday we still celebrate on the right day (even if John Adams thought we ought to celebrate our nation’s independence on July 2nd). More than … Continue reading →