The twenty four!

Pure gold today! All those hours and a spilling of Cantonese flavors!

When I first started this new blog I did like that green theme that I had because it spoke to me in an artistic sense. But the more I came back to my page the more I realized that I really prefer blank pieces of paper in the printer when I print and as you can tell from my old 'Jazz Journal Blog', I like white sheets of paper represented in my on screen page. Of course I covered it with my usual embellishments but underneath it was plain white!
So now I went and did it again (sing along Britney!) I have decided to go with this 'Black and White' theme because it does appeal to my minimalist side and also the main posting area is nice and wide and that's something that does appeal to me. You'd never see me having a blog with three or four columns. I must admit that I was tempted by this peachy design but then I know that I'd keep it for a week before tiring of the pretty looks and I'd once more be looking for my minimal editions.
The only problem that I discovered so far (things I don't like!) was that there is no date given with the post and so I had to go into settings and select the 'add date' to the time-stamp format. This makes sure that the stamp that shows the time I posted show the date too. Hence this post's time-stamp reads '10/24/2009 11:12:00 PM.' Not a big problem and one that was easily solved so I'm still happy with this template design so far.
Actually if you look at the first image here in this post, the header behind me is entitled "She has a cold" and beneath that you can plainly see the old style and standard time stamp with just the time showing!

Hitomi didn't let her cold stop her from going to dance class today and so she shouldn't! She is diligent and conscientious and doesn't like to let anyone down. This Saturday however was a special day for me. It was the anniversary of my beloved Mother's passing.
I was raised in a Buddhist family and I turned my back on it and then I returned to embrace Buddhism as I tried to find myself and once more I find myself at some distance from it.
I don't see it as a religion but as a philosophy and a way to live our lives although I don't adhere to all of its teachings. Perhaps then I may be viewed as a little hypocritical if I adopt some ways and reject others but the truth is much easier to understand.

When you go into a clothing shop and see a pair of pants, you choose the color, the style and the size and that's more or less what I see myself doing with 'my' version of Buddhism. I do not try to squeeze and fit myself into an off the peg religion or philosophy, I alter it to make it fit me. I am not regimented with millions of others. I am unique and so it makes sense to me to make something fit me rather than making myself fit something.

So I went to the temple and entered the hall of remembrance and I lit my incense and held my prayer beads and hypocrite or not I spent the morning in quiet prayer and contemplation and strangely enough it was as if I felt her comforting presence near me, her hand gently resting on my shoulder as I shared with her all of my news. I don't know how to explain that feeling at all but I am reassured by it nonetheless.

I have added to my small but growing hat collection, this beautiful 1920's style flapper hat complete with bow on the side. Perhaps I should refer to it as my Clara Bow in fitting tribute to the original flapper girl of the 1920's!

On Tuesday I will meet up with my dear friend Yoshi about a possible new job role. Wish me luck!