January 2018 – The Toasted Tomato

Posted on January 26, 2018February 1, 2018 by thetoastedtomato

Dissecting the sounds of serenity

Right now, I’m listening to a song called “Cry of the Earth” on a CD entitled “Living in Harmony.”

It is playing, of course, on Pandora’s Yoga station, which I listen to nearly every time I write, which (and I know you’re not supposed to have two whiches in a sentence, but two witches is fine) has given me a lot of time to contemplate what makes a good and solid Yoga tune.

First off, water. Nearly essential in the Yoga music world. Water lapping and waves crashing (but not too aggressively) are commonly employed, as is falling rain. Occasionally, very occasionally, you’ll get thunder, but not that often because thunder can imply doom. Generally, the rain used sounds like it is falling on some very happy, quenched greenery. Like wet (but not soggy) ferns or perhaps a good rhododendron, though rodo leaves can sound slappy if you’re not careful.

Posted on January 12, 2018January 29, 2018 by thetoastedtomato

In need of a sound clip

Note: The nails

I sat at the kitchen island with two fingers on my pulse. My husband William rubbed his biceps and kept stretching his back, so, every few minutes, it became parenthetical. The clippers were on the counter, open, unladylike, abandoned. I looked at them and nearly audibly felt my pulse quicken. I took a long sip of water and exhaled slowly, like they show you how to do in yoga so your breathing is liable to get whistly through your nose.

But it was done. Over.

The dog sat in his bed unabashedly licking his penis, in every way unfazed.

William got up and performed downward-facing dog pose.

My nose skirled like a bagpipe.

And so this is how it goes when little Mr. Fitz needs his nails clipped.

Posted on January 5, 2018January 16, 2018 by thetoastedtomato

Stepping into a new, fresh year

Solar Halo (January 30, 2011) I am writing in bed to accommodate the snoozing puppy in my lap. Outside, the air is crisp and bracing, exactly the kind of Kentucky weather I long for — though I wouldn’t mind a little snow. The house is on its way to being cleaner than it has been in months. The decorations are down.

Though it doesn’t have the sexiest reputation, there is something exceptionally peaceful and hopeful about the month of January. I never look forward to it, but when I am in the midst of this time of year, I am reminded of how grounding it is. Simply, it is so refreshing to get to turn the page on a new year. You get to leave your failures and sadness behind and simply look forward to what’s to come.