Comments for Allan Hunter

Comment on Kitchen Kvetch by Allan Hunter

Allan Hunter — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 12:25:05 +0000

How beautifully you put it, Marnie. When we do things from scratch we undoubtedly place ourselves in a different relationship to the end product, and the satisfaction is deeper.

Of course, I don’t think I’m attempting anything as special as the dishes you describe, yet the process is essentially the same no matter on what level it happens. Perhaps preparing, cooking, and eating can also be a meditation, a form of prayer? I like to think so.

And behind this I couldn’t help noticing the calm way you observe that you’re temporarily down to one income. Admirable serenity of spirit, right there.

Comment on Kitchen Kvetch by Marnie

Marnie — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 06:44:30 +0000

A topic near and dear to me (though anyone who doesn’t hold some love for food is, to my mind, missing out on one of the great aspects of our short lives.) We recently bought a house and are temporarily down to one income and not only are we still eating well despite spending much less, but we are eating until we are full. Cooking from scratch is frugal and healthy when done with care. Learning to make warm loaves of bread, hot lentil dishes and slow braised meats controlling every ingredient and tailoring the flavors to our taste is a fine little part of the day.

Perhaps it’s that same feeling one gets when turning sheep wool into a garment or bits of graphite into a drawing or bits of steel and wire into a bike. It’s so much more satisfying to look at what you’ve done, no matter how humble, and know it was your own creation.

Comment on Personal Writing and Memoir by Mary Lou Shields

Mary Lou Shields — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 13:16:40 +0000

Hello Allan!
I’m so happy to discover your first two Youtube seminars on memoir.

Because I’m on my second time through your most recent book, “Write Your Memoir,” I feel as though I’ve never left your classroom at Curry College where my classmates and I blossomed under your tutelage.

Learning with you is a rich experience whether through your books,in person, or online. Bravo!
Devotedly yours,
MLou

Mary Lou Shields

Comment on All Saviors Disappoint by Allan Hunter

Allan Hunter — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 18:09:33 +0000

Dear Marnie,

What a lovely and intelligent response! I posted my thoughts this morning and waited… expecting some outpourings of spleen and rage as the only response. Instead I got your thoughtful and highly perceptive insights.

And I could not agree more. The response to Haiti lets us know that there are far more generous and open-hearted people out there than we can easily count, and that is up to us to do things. we can’t wait for or expect another Mother Theresa to appear. we’ve got work to do. And when we do it we’ll be amazed at how much saintliness there is in thousands of ‘ordinary’ people…

With a smile, Allan

Comment on All Saviors Disappoint by Marnie

Marnie — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 17:31:25 +0000

Thank you for that. I am frustrated by my frustrated friends. I’m not sure what people expected but we have avoided a crushing depression, and are slowly repairing a multitude of problems. Times are tough, really tough, and thinking that anyone can magic everything back into order in a year is madness.

There’s a great book called “The Science of Good and Evil” which talks (in part) about our inclination to categorize certain people as either saintlike or evil. But the truth is that Mother Teresa was no Mother Teresa and that’s actually an uplifting message. If you assume that great changes are made by people who are better, somehow different from you, you can never see your own potential. It’s only when you realize that anyone can make great contributions, and everyone is fallible that people can take chances, try, fail and not be discouraged and try anew.

I’m prone to curmudgeonliness but seeing the outpouring of support for Haiti as reminded me how important a billion little contributions can be in bettering the world.

Comment on The New Year by Jean Mudge

Jean Mudge — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 17:59:22 +0000

Allan,
I agree wholeheartedly.
Happiness is a choice.
To remind myself of that every year at this time I reread Fra Giovanni Giocondo’s Christmas Eve letter which he wrote to a friend in 1513. In it he reminds his friend the countess to take heaven and to take peace. Here is my favorite excerpt from it…
” Life is so full of meaning and purpose, so full of beauty beneath its covering, that you will find earth but cloaks your heaven. Courage then to claim it; that is all!
But courage you have, and the knowledge that we are pilgrims together, wending through unknown country, home.”
Yes, Allan, you are right, we all need to take happiness, to take heaven, to take peace.
Happy New Year,
Peace and Blessings,
Jean M.

Comment on You Don’t Have to be Einstein…. by Marnie

Marnie — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 21:29:03 +0000

I believe I may have watched the same show that you saw. Einstein was an amazing mind, able to think in ways that no one else could and to ask questions that no one would ever think to ask. He was imperfect, of course. His constant daydreaming and his obsessive nature meant he often neglected the people in his life that tried to love him, and so, I think we learn from him that time to think can bring out one’s brilliance but all things in moderation will bring you more happiness.

Comment on Yoga and more by Jean M.

Jean M. — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 22:05:56 +0000

Thank you Allan,
That does look like an interesting site. I bookmarked it. I’ll have to look at it again when I have more time to delve into it. Interesting research topics.
Merry Christmas !
Happy New Year !
Peace and Blessings,
Jean

Comment on Memoir by Allan Hunter

Allan Hunter — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 16:37:44 +0000

Thanks so much for your comments, Petersteel. Much appreciated!
Allan

Comment on “After long silence, at last, something…” by Marnie

Marnie — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:54:12 +0000

I believe it. There have been some really seedy cases of people making wild and scary claims to further their own financial gain.

There’s no easy answer but I think it’s good to question everything.

Stay well and best wishes!