Home Depot saw the last of my business today, a fact which I expressed to the manager with a great deal of focused attention, and a serious lack of lovingkindness.
The second to the last transaction I had with Home Depot came only days ago, when I discovered that they have outsourced their carpet measuring services to a nationwide company based in Minneapolis. So on the third missed measure appointment, one discusses the problem with a person in Minneapolis who does not work for Home Depot, and with whom one will never speak again, because there are many such persons. Also, these persons are trained to blame the problem on Home Depot's salesperson, for whom they bear no responsibility. Likewise, the salesperson is trained blame the problem on the carpet measuring company in Minneapolis. A person living life entirely in the "now" who is trying to carpet a room could spend eternity in this feedback loop.
I am now doing business with a local company, where any future problems will be discussed with a person I have actually met face-to-face. The karmic sequence will probably not influence Home Depot to become a better place to shop during my remaining life expectancy, so I have moved one step further toward being a "locovore" in as much of my consuming as possible.
Showing posts with label humor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label humor. Show all posts
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Thursday, February 14, 2008
NOT really Zen
After my retreat, I realized I need to actually plan a few more mindful activities in the day- a form of practice. Gardening!, I thought, since I love to do it and need to do it anyway. I'll just be more intentional about doing it mindfully.
Day 1- I prune carefully, and then handpick dead leaves one by one. Very mindful.
Day 2- I get out the Round-up and spray weeds, carefully- one at a time.
Mindfully poisoning the planet and killing beings, one at a time. I have a long way to go.
Day 1- I prune carefully, and then handpick dead leaves one by one. Very mindful.
Day 2- I get out the Round-up and spray weeds, carefully- one at a time.
Mindfully poisoning the planet and killing beings, one at a time. I have a long way to go.
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Do Not Hump
This is about train practice. On my way to an appointment today, and late for it, I get the train signal. It is a long one, and going very slow. Immediate adrenaline, as I look down the track and see no end in sight. Recrimination. Why did I leave late? Irritation. Why don't they put a bridge at this busy intersection? Then I realize- this is a chance for practice.
I vow not to look impatiently for the end of the train. Not only that, I forbid myself from even looking in that direction. Instead I will look only at the train car in front of me. And breathe. OK, well: pigs in a ventilated car, lots of pretty cool graffiti (how do they do that?), an open boxcar (were there hobos inside? at this speed it would be an easy hop), huge tankers, many different kinds of cars (what did they all carry?).
Had I not done this practice, I would have missed the best laugh of the day. It snuck right up on me. There are some cars with large square iron racks on them. Each one says in big letters, "DO NOT HUMP." I look at driver in the car next to me, and say to myself, "I'm sitting here in a van waiting for a train. OK, I will not hump."
I vow not to look impatiently for the end of the train. Not only that, I forbid myself from even looking in that direction. Instead I will look only at the train car in front of me. And breathe. OK, well: pigs in a ventilated car, lots of pretty cool graffiti (how do they do that?), an open boxcar (were there hobos inside? at this speed it would be an easy hop), huge tankers, many different kinds of cars (what did they all carry?).
Had I not done this practice, I would have missed the best laugh of the day. It snuck right up on me. There are some cars with large square iron racks on them. Each one says in big letters, "DO NOT HUMP." I look at driver in the car next to me, and say to myself, "I'm sitting here in a van waiting for a train. OK, I will not hump."
