Tradition Tuesday

(I had to flip the wording order in the title, because "Tuesday Tradition" sounds like a tradition performed on Tuesdays. Which this isn't.)

Monday we were invited to a Death-iversary dinner. Our landlord stopped by in the morning to say that the guy a few doors down - a friend, talented wood-worker, we've bought custom furniture from him - was having a Death-iversary dinner at 11 and we were invited. This is a Vietnamese tradition to honor their dead family members. 

We got there a little early, because we are punctual Americans and still after almost five years unaccustomed to the fact that a given time is actually a roundabout number and not precise. The people hosting it own a... villa? homestay? hotel-ish set of bungalows? During Covid the property slipped into disarray but we wandered the property and saw the signs of new work beginning as they get it back up to proper shape. They have some guests now, but I don't know how many rooms are even really ready for guests. 

I know there are guests because by the time people started sitting at the newly set up tables full of catering, two more foreign couples showed up. One couple for sure is staying there, but they'll be leaving soon. They had questions about this event:  

Is there a presentation or speech? 

Are we supposed to do something or bring something? 

The answers: No, and no. The tradition is to share food with as many living family members and friends as possible. The greater the number of people enjoying themselves and eating well, the greater the honor for the deceased person. (As I understand it)

So our table had Brett and myself, the French couple staying there, another foreign couple (I think she might be a guest there) a Japanese visitor, an Australian guy who's lived here for years, and three Vietnamese people. We were the English speaking table.

When the food slowed down, we were ready to go. (It's truly just about lunch. Even people who are working just come in when they can from work, eat out of respect to the family, and then return to work.) Brett teaches Monday night, and after the beers served with lunch, he wanted to have a nap before tackling students. 

But we got home and he said, "I kind of feeling like going for a ride!" So we did. It didn't take long to realize that it was getting too cold for a motorbike ride. It was supposed to rain all day, but the rain had so far held off. By now I wanted something sweet, and I had only had one cup of coffee before lunch, so I had him drop me at my favorite coffee shop for a coconut coffee. He drove off and I sat there and wrote this.

After my delicious coffee I walked home. 

It started to rain.

I think it will be a cold week.

Fiction Friday - Organization

"C'mon, Dad. We've said we will lead these people through the desert. We can't just show them where to go and hope they'll follow. You think this mob will just go as a big ol' crowd together? There's already been infighting and it's only been weeks since we left Egypt." Jesus looked at his father, knowing the answer was there, just waiting for inspiration.

Jehovah sighed. "Son, they are just so rebellious. We parted the sea for them, and it's like they forgot already. I'm beginning to regret the covenant." Nevertheless, a covenant was a covenant. He had to do something.

"Yeah, true. We'll have to sharpen that up a bit. Show consequences. Let them see that we're on their side. Meanwhile, we have to find a way to get them moving without sniping at each other. And without driving Moses distracted with petty squabbles. If he's going to lead, how can we help?"

Sanctu sat off to the side. "Sat" might be an exaggeration. The white vapor floated above the discussion, looking down at the tribes of Israel settled in disarray far below the Holy Trinity, trying to survive, always on the edge, tensions running high. Even in a random clump, Sanctu felt the chaos within the camp. She descended to hover between the Father and Son. "A little organization goes a long way."

Jehovah and his son looked on, inspired by the short statement. That was Sanctu's role, after all - inspiration. "Yes," said Jehovah, and he leaned back, bracing his head between interlaced fingers. In a minute he added, "Tribe by tribe. Call Moses. We'll talk."

"Are you sure?" Sanctu asked. "Tribe by tribe is great, but which tribe by which tribe? In what order?" She had another good point. These were not just going to be marching orders, but camping orders. It was a good idea that needed fine-tuning.

Jesus placed a plexiglass grid over their view of the mess of tents and herds and people that sufficed for the Israelite camp. "Shall we do the camp first?" He looked at his partners. "If we decide how the camp should be arranged, that will inform the order they travel." The others agreed.

It took hours. 

"No-no! We cannot put the tribe of Simeon next to Benjamin! Simeon was forced to stay in Egypt while Joseph waited for his mother-brother Benjamin. Do you think it's forgotten?" Jehovah knew their hearts and minds.

"I really think Rachel's descendants are best kept together." The rivalry between Jacob's wives, Rachel and her sister Leah, might reignite in their descendants at any time. Sanctu was, as always, on point.

"What about the handmaids?" After Sanctu's comment, Jesus was thinking more broadly. Israel had two wives, but their two servants had also borne children for him.

In the end, the Holy Trinity - Father, Son, and Spirit - looked at the grid. The tribes descended from the two sisters would be on opposite sides of the tabernacle. "I think that's the best we can do." Jesus looked around for confirmation.

Jehovah smiled. "Wait a few centuries. We'll be watching them going through this 'who can be next to who' issue for personal events like weddings." They all laughed. "Now. Let's get Moses up here on the mountain. We have some explaining to do."

Reference: The marching orders for the Israelites are given in the book of  Numbers, chapter 2. It was during my recent rereading of this passage that I looked up - Genesis 29:31 - 30:24 - and realized which tribes came from which mother. Seeing that the layout of the camp separated sister from sister and handmaid from handmaid was too amusing not  to write about it.

Try Anything Tuesday

Hey there, happy people!

I tried a new thing today. Have you heard of Reiki? It's a Japanese energy healing technique. I just so happen to have a friend here who is a Reiki practitioner. I've known her for a couple years but it never really appealed to my logical brain.

Then this fall, I did something to my shoulder - slept wrong? I don't know. For a while it was distractingly painful, but not debilitating. Then, throughout the rainy season the pain would come and go. It hasn't been as bad for a while, but I can't sleep on my left side.

It turns out, a friend of mine back in the US goes to reiki regularly. (I don't know the verbs. "does" reiki? "Has reiki done to her"?) She sent me an article about how it has been used with some success to treat pain and trauma. Bingo.

So today, I had my first reiki session. Afterward I was told to pay attention to how I feel over the next few days, starting with today. Here's what I wrote today about the session:

Took my brain a while to relax. "Am I doing this right? Where should my hands be? What do other people do?" I felt her warm pressure in various places, but no emotion or build-up.

Tried to relax.

Tried to relax.

Trying is the antithesis of relaxing. Let my mind wander. I wondered what was happening, and associated different touch points with different chakras.

Did I doze off? I noticed a prayer-like lifting sensation. My hands felt they were rising (they weren't). My body felt lifted and pulled like taffy (it wasn't). Then I know I dozed. The place where my body was (head-to-toe) became a pool of shifting colors. Liquid violet, red, pink - jewel tones in a sea of darkness. As if someone was pouring swirls of paint together. Next I was a pool of milky-liquid (like that one Doctor Who episode).

After I thought I heard a rain storm starting (wasn't happening), I was conscious of myself again. My hand slipped involuntarily. I had a coughing fit for no reason.

Afterward, she told me the coughing thing is not uncommon as the body releases toxins through the process. She said to drink water, and that I'll probably want to go to bed early tonight.

I was so thirsty. 

Hours later, at home, after drinking more water, I felt light-headed.

When I sat to work at my computer, it felt like I'd had an injection in my shoulder.

I should explain, she knew my issues were insomnia, joint pain, and "a shoulder" but not which one. My shoulder hasn't been acting up lately, either. When we finished, she said she kept being drawn to my left ankle, and asked if I had injured that sometime in the past. No, but for the past couple weeks that ankle has felt bruised. A mild pain, so I never mentioned it.

Weird!

Fiction Friday - Big Cat, Little Cat

The Cat sat on the deck, looking below. He watched the Tiger roam around earth, pouncing here, causing trouble there, making the unexpected happen. Tiger had been inexhaustible from the start of his reign, wasting no time in getting that one guy to invade his neighbor. Mere weeks into Tiger's rule, that invasion happened. What a mess.

The Cat licked a paw and smoothed it over his ear. Tiger would come back to the palace in a few days, smug at all the chaos he'd created. Cat had watched it all unfold. That one country made up of islands had ruined a new leader in a matter of weeks. Their figurehead royalty died, too. Of course, that death probably had nothing to do with Tiger, but he'd take the credit.

He'd really outdone himself this year. In the Cat's opinion, the Tiger was one big cat who needed to take a nap.

The pandemic had been calming down but the Tiger managed to make some effective chaos as countries loosened restrictions. Especially in that big kidney-shaped country. They'd tried to shut the pandemic down, but too hard. Tiger had a ball over there, finally getting things to open up, resulting in a sudden upsurge of disease. Now everyone was scared to leave their houses even though they could. Like Pandora's box, Cat feared even he might not be able to put the lid back on that mess.

The Cat looked out from the deck of Buddha's heavenly palace, gauging the sun. He moved to a better position to lie in a puddle of sunlight, soaking up the last rays of Tiger's reign. He was on the deck, and "on deck". Soon it would be his year.

In his year, the Cat would be sure to have plenty of fun - parties with all the people, high tea, coffee meetings. He couldn't wait to see what the intelligentsia would get up to in his year. There was a lot for them to learn, and he could help. 

Political upheaval created by that annoying Tiger would have to settle down. The Cat was on it. 

The Cat was a stickler for justice. He'd get the wheels rolling on resolving issues left ambiguous by the Tiger.

The Cat sighed. He didn't like taking charge after Tiger. There was always a mess. That's just the way it was. But Buddha had determined their ruling order and there was nothing to do to change it. 

It was too bad he couldn't bring back the dead. That Japanese prime minister didn't need to die. Cat was just sure Tiger was behind that one.

It's FICTION FRIDAY!

Every Almost every Friday I write a new flash fiction piece. Today's fiction was inspired by the coming Lunar New Year. NOTE: Chinese folklore says the coming year (Jan 22, 2023) is year of the rabbit. But Vietnam calls it Year of the Cat. I don't know why, but I live in Vietnam, so will espouse this tradition.

If you have a writing prompt you'd like to see turned into a story, just leave it in a comment.

Tuesday Twist

Morning thoughts:

1. It doesn't matter if I get up today.
2. No one requires anything from me today.
3. I have no obligations.
4. I am superfluous.
5. I could literally just lay here playing games on my phone all day.
6. ... Until I need to recharge the battery.

How long will I stay in bed? Not all day. Even at my most depressed I can't do that.

I have saved onto my phone a few yoga workouts that are suitable to do on the bed. Days like this, I eventually sit up, play one of the workouts, stretch myself out, and then get up and start my day.

It's a break in routine, and it means the floor probably won't get swept, but that's not the end of the world. 

Does anyone else have days like this?

Fiction Friday - Forbidden

Corinne waited at the kitchen table, pretending not to wait. The newspaper lay open on the table and she filled a number into the Sudoku puzzle, not really paying attention. Where was the mailman? He was late today.

She refilled her mug of coffee and nearly dropped the carafe when the letter slot clapped in the door. A soft rustle of paper falling alerted her that mail had arrived.

"Dear Cori..." she read, skimming the letter quickly. Yes, yes... love... he's reforming... hoping for parole... "With love, Darius."

Now to decode it.

When they'd come up with the code, sitting at the little table during prison visiting hours, her crazy, forbidden, romance had seemed like a game. But their relationship grew and Cori was now obsessed with him: the visiting, the letters, the hidden messages he included, and - let's be honest - the bad boy. She kept hoping...

"What is this?" She asked the open room. He had encoded an address, plus the words "third stone" and "dig". Something was hidden under the third stone at that address. She sighed.

There was no time to go find out what he buried there. The mail had come late, and she'd have to be at work soon. Leaving the letter, she pocketed the decoded message and pulled on her coat. Maybe she could find the place after work, and return to dig tomorrow.

Whatever could it be?

This Fiction Friday post is coming to you from a coffee shop early on my Saturday morning. I downloaded the Blogger app to my phone and I'm not 100% familiar with it yet. If this looks different, that's why.

Today's flash fiction is from the prompt we followed in my Monday morning writing group this week: "woman befriends a prisoner who reveals a secret".

Old Year New Year - Tuesday Truths

Technically it's Wednesday, but I forgive myself. 

It's that time of year when everyone looks at what they did in the past year and sets goals for the next. So let's just take a peek, shall we?

In 2022, I read 32 books. It would be more, if I added in all the plays I read for my old theatre group, but I didn't bother because I'd hit the mark.

In 2022 I exercized over 300 hours. Not too bad. I usually get in 40-50 minutes a day. Some days more, some less. Yoga everyday, some cardio, some others, some cycling. This is tracked through my phone, so the steps (not shown here, except for in the distance) are inaccurate. 

In 2022 I watched 104 movies. I don't track them electronically, though, so there's no quantifying genres or lengths. I will say we definitely boost the Horror numbers in October.

In 2022 we flew to Hanoi twice, but other than that didn't travel much at all. I'm hoping to do more traveling in 2023.

So what's up for 2023? Things are always changing. We'll just have to see how the year plays out.

Happy new year!