happy life Archives — EMMpress words and images for mindful humans Thu, 30 Jul 2026 11:30:55 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.4 https://www.emmpress.com/wp-content/uploads/cropped-Screenshot-2026-03-10-at-12.16.43-PM-32x32.png happy life Archives — EMMpress 32 32 Process sans plans & perfection https://www.emmpress.com/process-over-perfection/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=process-over-perfection Wed, 25 Jun 2025 16:13:38 +0000 https://www.emmpress.com/?p=13170 [originally published in weekly newsletter] I feel at a loss of what to say here today, but my hands love to write, and I made a commitment to…

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]]> Veiling & The Blues https://www.emmpress.com/veiling-the-blues/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=veiling-the-blues Thu, 15 May 2025 12:53:58 +0000 https://www.emmpress.com/?p=12290 On my walk today, I found a painted blue trail blaze on the ground. The tree it had been painted on had been stripped of much of its…

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]]> Terms of Endearment – Imbue & Bodhi https://www.emmpress.com/terms-of-endearment-imbue-bodhi/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=terms-of-endearment-imbue-bodhi Wed, 26 Mar 2025 20:05:53 +0000 https://www.emmpress.com/?p=11220 This is a Terms of Endearment (TOE) post. These are words that keep coming up that I find myself re-defining for my own relief, amusement, and insight. It’s…

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]]> Smoking Yoga https://www.emmpress.com/smoking-hot-yoga-how-i-inadvertently-replaced-smoking/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=smoking-hot-yoga-how-i-inadvertently-replaced-smoking Thu, 06 Mar 2025 21:28:03 +0000 https://www.emmpress.com/?p=10878 And how I inadvertently replaced a bad habit. I smoked 2 packs of cigarettes a day for 14 years. During the last 7 of those years I struggled…

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]]> Truth telling in little bits https://www.emmpress.com/truth-telling-in-little-symbol-bits/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=truth-telling-in-little-symbol-bits Sun, 02 Mar 2025 20:33:26 +0000 https://www.emmpress.com/?p=10789 Focus, the folly of first-ness, and how symbolic truth-telling connects us to our souls and each other. If any one artist works with the truth of their lives,…

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]]> Rebellion | emergence from dark into light https://www.emmpress.com/rebellion-emergence-into-light/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rebellion-emergence-into-light Tue, 18 Feb 2025 12:30:31 +0000 https://www.emmpress.com/?p=10426 Why new voices from the subconscious matter to all of us. I admire teenagers and young people who rail against every day culture and bring new music and…

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]]> Nurse Maid Bird | Movie Mode https://www.emmpress.com/nurse-maid-bird-movie-mode/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=nurse-maid-bird-movie-mode Wed, 12 Feb 2025 22:39:40 +0000 https://www.emmpress.com/?p=10335 I shouldn’t be happy when my 15 year old daughter is home sick, but I am. I delight in getting to take care of her because there are…

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]]> Efficiency: a dangerous game https://www.emmpress.com/efficiency-is-dangerous/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=efficiency-is-dangerous Tue, 04 Feb 2025 14:54:42 +0000 https://www.emmpress.com/?p=10036 By design it benefits only a few. Oh my goodness have I loved efficiency. I drank the Koolaid early, and developed my own flavors of fast-to-faster to boot.…

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]]> Terms of Endearment – Acceptance https://www.emmpress.com/terms-of-endearment-acceptance/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=terms-of-endearment-acceptance Fri, 31 Jan 2025 21:20:00 +0000 https://www.emmpress.com/?p=9981 This is a Terms of Endearment (TOE) post. These are words that keep coming up that I find myself re-defining for my own relief, amusement, and insight. Acceptance…

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]]> What are your Grace Goals today? https://www.emmpress.com/grace-goals/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=grace-goals Fri, 24 Jan 2025 17:26:22 +0000 https://www.emmpress.com/?p=9834 It’s Sunday morning in America1 and the texts from family & friends are coming in. “How can we get through?”“I’m freaking out inside.”“It’s like the last day before…

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]]> 7 | 8 Reflections https://www.emmpress.com/7-8-reflections/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=7-8-reflections Thu, 09 Jan 2025 16:51:13 +0000 https://www.emmpress.com/?p=9464 alphabets, art, hospitality, & coverings Dear Lisa,This morning I woke up naturally, later than usual and in a warm and dark and quiet place, with a beautifully comfortable…

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]]> Surveillance is a feeling https://www.emmpress.com/surveillance-is-a-feeling/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=surveillance-is-a-feeling Mon, 06 Jan 2025 12:57:57 +0000 https://www.emmpress.com/?p=9353 And since it has no love in it, it doesn’t feel good: a note to employers (and data brokers) in a digital age. “Peering In” photo of Artist…

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]]> Participate in a Public | Digital Search Project https://www.emmpress.com/participate-in-art-public-search-project/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=participate-in-art-public-search-project Thu, 26 Dec 2024 22:01:34 +0000 https://www.emmpress.com/?p=9304 I stole this post, screenshots of my own images, and public research project back from my IG account, where the winners of original physical art will be sought…

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]]> Orienting a Day https://www.emmpress.com/orienting-a-day/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=orienting-a-day Thu, 26 Dec 2024 14:07:30 +0000 https://www.emmpress.com/?p=9246 I love the term orientation. It’s connected to my past and my future. And now all at once. The days I choose to orient around “love” or “hope,”…

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]]> Tree Hugging Humour, Lychee Trees & Ways of Approach https://www.emmpress.com/tree-hugging-humour-lychee-trees-ways-of-approach/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=tree-hugging-humour-lychee-trees-ways-of-approach Fri, 13 Dec 2024 19:45:03 +0000 https://www.emmpress.com/?p=9110 I need to make this quick, and I’m going for the British spelling to captivate your interest. I’ve got shopping to do and laundry, maybe even can get…

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]]> Body knowledge for the hopelessly articulate https://www.emmpress.com/body-knowledge-for-the-articulate/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=body-knowledge-for-the-articulate Sun, 08 Sep 2024 10:57:23 +0000 https://www.emmpress.com/?p=6786 What if your body was talking to you in myths and symbols? What if the myths you know, the dreams you have, the stories playing out in front…

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]]> The Living Legacy™ Worksheet https://www.emmpress.com/living-legacy-worksheet/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=living-legacy-worksheet Sat, 07 Sep 2024 11:28:57 +0000 https://www.emmpress.com/?p=6772 What if you could discover your life’s natural purpose in 5 minutes? This is the original Living Legacy Worksheet, written around Y2K. I just had fun filling it…

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]]> Your ordinary, extraordinary life https://www.emmpress.com/your-ordinary-extraordinary-life/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=your-ordinary-extraordinary-life Tue, 16 Jul 2024 13:11:31 +0000 https://www.emmpress.com/?p=6192 There is a form if you’d like to share on this topic below. The first part of my life, I wanted to be extraordinary. Driven by a distant…

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]]> Idealism, burnout, and collaborative missions https://www.emmpress.com/idealism-burnout-and-collaborative-missions/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=idealism-burnout-and-collaborative-missions Thu, 20 Jun 2024 16:59:47 +0000 https://www.emmpress.com/?p=5512 I’ve needed to abruptly quit a few things in my life. And each time, my departures have left people confused. In general, I’m an upbeat worker, definitely a…

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]]> Speculation vs Decision: guarantee certainty and mitigate risk by front-loading choices https://www.emmpress.com/speculation-vs-decision-guarantee-certainty-and-mitigate-risk-by-front-loading-choices/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=speculation-vs-decision-guarantee-certainty-and-mitigate-risk-by-front-loading-choices Mon, 10 Jun 2024 15:54:45 +0000 https://www.emmpress.com/?p=5259 My eleven year old wakes up early and likes to go on woods-walks with me most days before school. Today, we figured out when choosing between two potential…

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]]> Practice Notes – Jan 19 https://www.emmpress.com/practice-notes-jan-19/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=practice-notes-jan-19 Fri, 19 Jan 2024 13:35:11 +0000 https://www.emmpress.com/?p=3427 I’ve been taking Buddhism classes with Jungto Society, and I love them. The classes teach about the history, the philosophy, and the principles of Buddhism, but mostly they…

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]]> NFT-y https://www.emmpress.com/nft-y/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=nft-y Mon, 01 Jan 2024 15:48:00 +0000 https://www.emmpress.com/?p=2752 Back in 2021, I woke up with a start one night, read a random article about NFTs, and set about this new art project. It’s not over yet,…

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]]> toney atone: my family goals https://www.emmpress.com/toney-atone-my-family-goals/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=toney-atone-my-family-goals Sat, 28 Oct 2023 12:18:38 +0000 https://www.emmpress.com/?p=3249 There are a few things I’ve been saying to my family,  hoping they’ll see things I see as problems and make “us” feel better. No one has wanted…

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]]> unsolicited something for ya https://www.emmpress.com/unsolicited-wisdom-for-ya/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=unsolicited-wisdom-for-ya Thu, 26 Oct 2023 17:58:07 +0000 https://www.emmpress.com/?p=3218 on Vulnerablity, Shame, and Energy Exchange Dear Young Adult,  Last night you said that you felt I shamed you when I pointed out bad posture, or mimicked behaviors…

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]]> Code me up – Complicated https://www.emmpress.com/code-me-up-complicated/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=code-me-up-complicated Wed, 09 Aug 2023 21:21:00 +0000 https://www.emmpress.com/?p=2982 My 13 year old and I had one of our more interesting talks the other day. My kids had dragged me to a movie they love, full of…

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]]> Survival is a fast car https://www.emmpress.com/survival-is-a-fast-car/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=survival-is-a-fast-car Fri, 07 Jul 2023 19:17:21 +0000 https://www.emmpress.com/?p=2891 On a recent talk the speaker asked her audience how many were “in survival mode.” One quarter of the hands went up.* I found this revelatory, not because…

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]]> Doing it ‘nice and rough’ – Tina Turner is my kind of Buddha https://www.emmpress.com/doing-it-nice-and-rough-tina-turner-is-my-buddha/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=doing-it-nice-and-rough-tina-turner-is-my-buddha Wed, 31 May 2023 16:51:15 +0000 https://www.emmpress.com/?p=2570 I have fifteen minutes to write this. I know Buddhsim works for me, and I want to practice every day. I’ve tried apps, books, meditation retreats and everything…

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]]> make all the same mistakes I did https://www.emmpress.com/all-the-same-mistakes/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=all-the-same-mistakes Mon, 04 Jul 2022 17:59:55 +0000 https://www.emmpress.com/?p=2403 There’s been so much discontent between us, eldest kid. Maybe this is from me trying to shield you from mistakes, preventing you from falling on your face, and…

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]]> Beyond Belief https://www.emmpress.com/beyond-belief/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=beyond-belief Fri, 18 Mar 2022 18:06:32 +0000 https://www.emmpress.com/?p=2360 I don’t go to church, my kids don’t either. The other day I realized that even though I don’t engage with organized religion anymore, that there are many…

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]]> Coping: Part II in the Working Toward Transformation series https://www.emmpress.com/coping-part-ii-in-working-toward-transformation/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=coping-part-ii-in-working-toward-transformation Wed, 18 Mar 2020 10:58:31 +0000 http://www.emmpress.com/?p=1997 Last post was supposed to be about forgiveness, but wound up as an angry, toxic diatribe. I’ll guess I’ll call that Part I. I’m okay with this, because…

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]]> Praying is the last thing you should do https://www.emmpress.com/praying-is-the-last-thing-you-should-do/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=praying-is-the-last-thing-you-should-do Wed, 25 Dec 2019 16:14:39 +0000 http://www.emmpress.com/?p=1932 Now, don’t get all hating on me for this. I believe in the power of prayer. Because of prayer, perhaps some important people in my life are alive.…

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]]> I am my dogs https://www.emmpress.com/i-am-my-dogs/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=i-am-my-dogs Wed, 12 Dec 2018 17:17:28 +0000 http://www.emmpress.com/?p=1849 A generation ago, I had a dream, and I told my mentor about it. Black dogs are barking at me. It is depression. It looks like this (I…

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]]> on humor and malice https://www.emmpress.com/on-humor-and-malice/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=on-humor-and-malice Tue, 31 Jul 2018 17:52:31 +0000 http://www.emmpress.com/?p=1836 humor is the tendency of experiences or expression to provoke laughter and provide amusement. The term derives from the humoral medicine of the ancient Greeks, which taught that…

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