The River Reporter

Publisher's Log

i just wanna feel better

In the blink of an eye

I just wanna feel better

Cleaning up

I JUST WANNA FEEL BETTER

Creating a little breathing room by listening

A little of this and a little of that in the produce share for friends and co-workers.

Finding control by losing it

Wednesday, August 31, 2022

It’s been a hot, quick summer. I remember being shocked when we whizzed by Memorial Day, and I’m a bit flabbergasted that we now …

The creative pivot

Wednesday, August 3, 2022

My friend Connie called me up the other day. She was alarmed. “There is a terrible picture of you on Facebook,” she said. …

The front yard of my house, heading for the airport.

An empty cage

Thursday, July 7, 2022

Five years ago I sat on a mountain, a plateau really, for four days and four nights with four gallons of water. It was a vision quest. …

Taking small steps to control what we can control and to minimize our distractions helps us concentrate on processing our trauma and deep feelings. Reducing anxiety is reducing anxiety.

In the midst of it all

Thursday, June 2, 2022

In the midst of it all It’s tough to feel better when you’re experiencing terror and uncertainty. It’s tough to feel better …

There is something comforting being wrapped up in a huge piece of fabric that hangs from the ceiling. My Gentle Silks class at the Chi Hive with instructor Hilary Chapman gives me the opportunity to rest, build core strength and manuever through the ups and downs of a slump.

Slumping along

Thursday, May 5, 2022

Previously in I Just Wanna Feel Better, we talked about habits and the tenacious steps that we have to implement in order to disrupt …

Sprouts and your health

Since my junior year in high school, when I grew mung bean sprouts between moist paper towels in my mother’s dish cupboard, my consumption and knowledge of sprouts has expanded. For a …

One day at a time

Bosco, a Jack Russell terrier

According to Wikipedia, Jack Russell terriers are bouncy, mischievous and in need of vigorous exercise. Originally bred in England during the early 19th century for hunting small prey, they are known …

The art of being

Humility

Humility is an aspiration. Humble behavior captures the truth of non-attachment. This non-attachment is a great escape hatch from self-doubt and fear. For me, humility pits me against my ego, that …

Loving

I grew up mistaking performance for love. When I performed, the audience applauded. If I did a really good job, I felt more loved. It’s a strange way to know oneself: as an object, a …

Winning

Do I like winning? Indeed, I do. It proves how special I am. Winning brings status to my being.

Winning

Do I like winning? Indeed, I do. It proves how special I am. Winning brings status to my being. Unfortunately winning is a short-lived victory.

‘Dayainu’

One of the most popular songs sung at the Passover Seder—the well-observed home-based ritual of the holiday—is “Dayainu,” which literally means “It would have been …

Fake it ‘til you become it

Previously on “I just wanna feel better,” we talked about habits: habituated behaviors that are unconscious, or second nature. We talked about the work of Kern Beares and the need and …

Miracles

I awaken with spring. I start to notice the halo of fuzz on budding trees, preparing to unfurl their majestic canopies. I scan the night sky, hoping it will reveal …

Body image: it’s not all what you see

Previously on “I just wanna feel better,” we explored habits, those unconscious behaviors that we have the ability to disrupt if we think about what triggers them, how we respond, and …

Identity

How do I know who I am? The first influences were the family. I embodied the obedient child, desperate for the conditional love available. In those years, the me you would encounter was the …

Knowing

Knowledge comes in different forms. Scientific and intuitive knowledge originate from different sources. Scientific knowledge depends upon empirical research. Intuitive knowledge comes from …

Looking back