Reading challenge, on time

The Restless Flame. I finished Book VII.

The Confessions of St. Augustine. I finished Book X

Augustine was baptized in the Catholic Church. His mother, Monica, died.

I walked to the river on Saturday. Today worked out in the gym.

conversion

"How lovely I now find it to be free from the loveliness of vanities, so that now it is a joy to renounce what I had been  so afraid to lose…And I can talk to you as friends talk, my glory and my riches and my salvation, my Lord God.”
-The Restless Flame, A Novel about St. Augustine, by Louis de Wohl
note: I’m at Book VII. 60 pages to go. The challenge started March 16.

vanities

The Confessions of St. Augustine-starting Book VII. Augustine left the Manicheans but still a follower of vanities and lust.

the shaping of Augustine

Augustine met Faustus, a respected high ranking Manichean, who could not answer questions of Augustine. He went to Rome and lied to his mother about.He went to Rome and lied to his mother about.He taught Rhetoric.

He met philosophers who taught to doubt everything and that man does not the power to comprehend the truth.Augustine met Ambrose, a bishop, who impressed Augustine. He left the Manicheans which he was a follower for nine years. End of Book V.

open mind

“All Self-centered thoughts limit our vast mind.”-Shunryu Suzuki, Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind

note:Readings novel on St. Augustine and the Confessions.  Augustine’s friend became ill and died.

His mother had a dream. 

I walked to the river yesterday. I had mild cramps in my left foot last night.

reading 23 pages a day

“There is no such thing as a solitary polar explorer, fine as the conception is.”-Annie Dillard

Progress Report

The Restless Flame

Augustine was introduced to Manichean teaching, the Principle of Light and Darkness.

The Confessions of St. Augustine

Augustine confessed his “soul was in profound darkness.”

I’m on track in reading  at least 23 pages a day.

I went to the gym yesterday. I didn’t have leg cramps last night.

love of play

The Restless Flame

When he learned that Melania, his servant girl, was pregnant with his child Augustine hugged her and felt pride, then fear. He didn’t know what to do. He went out and walked in the city. 

2 weeks later Harmodius, a childhood friend, visited him. Alypius noted that Augustine looked like his old self again.

The Confessions

Augustine attributed some his sins when he was young to his  “love of play.” 

Yesterday I worked out  in the gym for one hour. I did not have leg muscle cramps last night. My reading is on schedule.

the challenge begins

Pursuit of an Idea

The Restless Flame is divided into Book I to Book VIII. The Confessions of St. Augustine is divided into BookI to Book XIII.

The author of The Restless Flame has to use his imagination to create the story of St. Augustine especially the conversations between Augustine and his friend, Alypius in Book I.

Book I of The Restless Flame narrated the young life of Augustine and Alypius. Even at that age Augustine showed his strong character and ability to lead. Augustine cheats and steals and laughs about his bad behavior.

Book I of the Confessions reads like a prayer of praise to God and confession of his sins even starting from infancy and  an appeal for forgiveness. 

I finished both Book I of the 2 books. I walked to the river for almost an hour. Last night I experienced painful cramps  on both legs.

Pursuit of an Idea

Idea: How to Test Perseverance and Commitment

In my eCourse on Ignite Everyday Creativity we are asked to list 30 annoyances then pick one to solve creatively. Because most annoyances are physical solutions range from invention to creating a product. My annoyance is mental: Not finishing promised project, poor commitment.

Idea: It’s an idea or collection of ideas put together.I just celebrated my 75th birthday last month. My personal (self) challenge has 2 goals: to be committed with perseverance to a project until the project is done in the allotted time, and the other is to keep my mind active and body sound. My plan is to read the novel, The Restless Flame, a novel about St. Augustine by Louis de Wohl and Confessions of St. Augustine by St. Augustine in 30 days. I thought the 2 books should complement each other. The challenge starts tomorrow. To keep me honest and to encourage maximum effort I added two small (?) difficulties: I will write about my progress every day and publish it in this blog or in my other blog:

https://simpleimages2.wordpress.com

 and I’ll walk  for 1 hour or go to the gym 4 days a week. If I’m successful with this idea can I do a similar idea again or related idea every month and make it a way of life? 

The universe is widening, my mind roams for poetry. I’m dreaming.  “Some people see things as they are and say why? I dream things that never were and say, why not?” -Robert F. Kennedy

note: I promised Jeanne: http://www.collageoflife-henrqs.blogspot.com

that I’ll write everyday  in answer to her 28 day writing challenge in February 2015. I hope I can fulfill this promise.

       

read and write

For my new assignment I plan to read a novel, The Restless Flame, based on St. Augustine and Confessions of St. Augustine together and write about my progress in this blog. I have to read 13.3 pages a day of The Confession which is 395 pages and read 10 pages a day of the Restless flame which is 303 pages to finish both books in one month. I'll start the reading on Monday.

spring declutter

We emptied the shelves of books because we had to paint the room. Now we  put the books back , the painting had finished. We also selected the books that I could take to our local library for the book sale by the Friends of Library. I had 3 boxes full of books.  Spring declutter.

symmetry

What is enantiomer?

the old and the new

One way of being creative is to think like an archeologist and a futurist. The past can show hints what the old minds were thinking. Sometimes we need stepping stones.

early waking

My best time for musing especially for poetry is unexpected waking very early in the morning. I keep my eyes closed. Ideas come to me which I try to connect to other ideas and remember until morning when I get up. I’ll write what I remember especially the thread of thought. I have a few poems written from this surprise.

I will look for the book

The books are all over the place in our small condo since rooms including are being painted. Acceptance made  me appreciate the chaos created by work being done.  Acceptance of simple gesture is a beginning or a mini-c of creativity.

musing

Musing

while twirling spaghetti with a fork

Imagine if each rubber band is story

binding the newspaper full of stories

a ball of rubber bands on my hand, 

a collection  of stories.

clearthebookshelves

We were emptying the bookshelves for room painting. I gave all the Harry Potter books to our grandchildren. Throwaway all outmoded medical textbooks.

Then in the mail, I received  a birthday gift of 2 books of poetry: Collected Poem of James Laughlin and Faithful and Virtuous Night by Louise Gluck, from a friend.

My wife said I should start decluttering again. Start the purge, she said.

new beginning

2 days ago I celebrated my 75th birthday. I decided I will resume my musings again. Random thoughts come and I want to do conscious pickings and write them. I post my poetry, photos, and quotations in another blog: http://simpleimages2.wordpress.com

Books are still strewn all over our small condo. I'm reading randomly different books. I just picked 2 books: St. Thomas Aquinas by Jacques Maritain and The Restless Flame, A Novel about Saint Augustine by Louis de Wohl. 

I have read the biography of St. Thomas by Chesterton before but this book by Maritain is about the "genius and system of Aquinas." I graduated from University of Santo Tomas in Manila (Philippines) and I have a special affection for Thomas Aquinas.

I have read only the first 2 chapters The Confessions of St. Augustine in the past. I plan to read the novel and the Confessions together. Can I do all these wishes?