Observation of the day: People look at you funny when you walk around barefoot for no discernible reason.

I like to meditate by lake Mendota after work once or twice a week. It’s incredibly relaxing, and I always feel much happier after doing it. Today, I stowed my zafu in my backpack (I thought I’d look strange carrying it around with me) and headed for the park.

Tenney park is almost always filled with people right around sunset. This time of year, there are people fishing, jogging, biking, swimming, and laying out on the grass. When I jog through it, I usually see a children’s soccer team or two practicing next to the basketball courts, as well as parents talking while watching their kids on the playground. It feels like a real communal area, and it’s one of the reasons why I really like Madison. Despite not knowing any of my neighbors, my neighborhood feels like a community.

Accordingly, I walk by a number of people on my walk to and from the tiny peninsula where I like to sit and meditate. When they notice that I’m not wearing shoes, they definitely give me a wider berth than they ordinarily would.

I really don’t see how this is a big deal. If I saw someone barefoot in the park, I’d probably smile to myself and feel a bit of a connection with a kindred spirit. I love being barefoot. If not for certain OSHA and health code laws, I’d probably be barefoot every day I wouldn’t lose my feet to frostbite.

…

:: thinks ::

Ok, I’ve run out of steam on that particular topic.

Something else I’ve been meaning to post about is an idea I heard about at Jeremy and Christy’s wedding: freecycling.

[Congratulations Jeremy and Christy! I’m very happy for you two. May the two of you have a long and happy life together. ]

Anyway, freecycling is advertising your old unwanted (but still useful) stuff on the Internet for others in your local area to pick up. You can find local groups at freecycle.org. Madison has a very active group. It seems like a great idea. Basically, it’s a great way to get rid of some of your excess clutter in a way that doesn’t add to the landfills and benefits someone else. I have boxes and boxes of old computer hardware sitting in my room that I need to get rid of before the next time I move. I think I may begin clearancing the stuff in the not too distant future.

And on a final note, I’d just like to say that one of my previous posts was complete and utter nonsense. My post about Beth was completely batshit insane. Beth will never, ever, want anything to do with me ever again; and for that matter, I wouldn’t want to deal with her either. On top of all this, I have it on fairly good authority that her ex literally wants me dead. So you can just scrap that whole post.

I really don’t know what the hell I was thinking.