sci-fi author, beatmaker

Month: April 2013

Like Boston, Four Dead

Boston lost four in the marathon bombing. In the last four days, four people have been murdered in Oakland. No terrorism, no mass injuries, but still, four valuable lives lost.

Oakland Tech grad Donrita Henderson

Oakland Tech grad Donrita Henderson

On April 24th, around 9pm, 21-year-old Donrita Henderson was murdered at 54th and Shattuck in front of her four-year-old son. I regularly cross 54th St. when out for a night walk in the Temescal neighborhood.

On April 23rd, 22-year-old Keith L. Head, aka K.O. Da Bandit, was shot to death near the corner of 13th Street and Broadway. Downtown Oakland. I had my 40th birthday party at a bar not far from this location.

Why I Am Taking a "Watch and Wait" Approach re: Two Small Cavities

In the kisser!

In the kisser!

Recently I went to my new dentist in Oakland. While going to the dentist is rarely much fun, everyone at this office is friendly and professional, and you get good dental advice with very little guilt-tripping. They are also amenable to my treatment preferences, such as getting X-rays every two years instead of every year.

My dentist pointed out two small cavities while I was there. She showed me the cavities with a small mirror, and also had me listen to the sound of metal pick touching my teeth. “Clanking” is good, indicating the enamel is hard. When the instruments sticks and doesn’t clank around, that can indicate the enamel is soft.

Subjective Benefits of Meditation, and a Rant Against Gurus

I usually meditate a few minutes a day, on most days. I’ve been doing this, on and off, since I was fifteen. Here’s a list of the benefits I notice from meditation:

  • lower pulse rate
  • feel more relaxed/body feels more “open” (lower blood pressure/blood vessel dilation?)
  • emotions seem less overwhelming and intense, with the option to disengage identity from emotion
  • worries seem more distant and less urgent
  • internal monologue dissipates, less “mental chatter”
  • remember to do things that need doing
  • think of more things to do, more ideas
  • immediate action path is clearer (what to do next)
  • emotional conundrums clarify (“oh — that’s what’s going on”)
  • libido increase (parasympathetic nervous system activation?)

Meditation is usually associated with the “spiritual” side of consciousness, and to some extent that matches my experience, at least in terms of increased emotional awareness and reduced reactivity, and “quiet mind”/enhanced attention.

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