Independent Bookstore Day!



“We feel a bond with other indies…Heck, Amazon has even made Barnes & Noble seem like a relative—what dark magic does that? We are pleased to celebrate shared DNA with our sibling stores.”— John Marshall co-owner of Seattle’s Open Books on Independent Bookstore Day


Independent Bookstore Day Is an Opportunity for Us to Thank You.

In the recent wave of shop local movements, it can be easy to feel lost in the stream of independent businesses frantically waving their arms for attention. Working at (or owning) an independently owned business comes with a whole bushel of stresses that are far too familiar to most of us in this shaky economy. So what makes this Saturday, National Independent Bookstore Day, any different from the myriad of indie campaigns sweeping the nation?
Well, this one belongs to you. Instead of looking at Saturday as a way to drive more business, let’s think about it as a party in honor of Jackson, MS; a shindig to thank our patrons of 40 years. Without all of you there would be no independent bookstore to celebrate, no haven for weary college students, no well-trod path for the kids running from the front desk to the children’s room, no $1 beer or chatting with visiting authors. We at Lemuria are so grateful that you’ve let us into your lives, and want you to know how much you have touched our lives as well.
By being friends of the bookstore and not just nameless customers, you have pulled us into the Jackson community and made us more than a business; you’ve made us family. To thank you for that tremendous honor, we’ve got a pretty awesome Saturday planned to officially celebrate National Independent Bookstore Day (and the beginning of our 40th birthday year!).
The first fifty customers will receive a free tote bag with their purchase, and 5% of all sales throughout the day will be donated to future Mississippi Book Festivals. “Jackson: Photographs by Ken Murphy” will be 10% off all day long, and we’ll have coolers full of ice cold beer for just $1! Come by and chat with some of our special guest booksellers who will be participating in special Author Challenges between 11:00 and 2:00 (there may or may not be a marshmallow eating contest). We’ll have a special singing story time at 11:00 with Katie Hathcock and Paul from Beanfruit Coffee Company will get here at 10:00 to brew up some delicious hot drinks. Balloons for babies, candy for kids, beer and coffee for grown ups, and good cheer all ‘round.
You have given us the best jobs we could have hoped for, and an amazing seat at Jackson’s family table. Thank you.






Happiness



Common Cents by Tom and John Mills

Nearly 20 years ago, I wrote about some ideas for happiness:
— Plan ahead. If nothing else, plan to write everything down. No surprises. Not only will I write in my well-worn calendar/planner, but I will actually use it as it was designed to be used.
— Keep a budget. Budgeting is not just for those starting out in life.
— Save a little each month. Do it in some account: savings, 401(k), college funds. It doesn’t matter.
— Pay off credit cards early. Those evil plastic demons are modern man’s albatross. Use them sparingly. When used, try to pay the balance off as soon as possible.
— Get a health checkup. With good health you can be productive. Without it, you may not be.
— Review insurance — life, disability, medical or nursing home. Being over-insured is almost as bad as being under-insured.
— Recognize those who make you look good. We all have them and most of us take them for granted. It may be a spouse, partner or a co-worker. Most of us would not be where we are today if it weren’t for the help of another significant person or two.
— Since I’m on a roll here, end relationships that cause you pain. There may be a few people in your business or personal life who cause serious pain.
— Improve relationships that give you joy. Relationships are like bank accounts. If we overdraw, we pay a serious price. If we make regular deposits, we earn the privilege to make withdrawals. How’s your bank account with those who bring you joy? When was your last deposit?
— Avoid procrastination. Every aspect of one’s life is hampered by this nasty habit. If you put it off, it may put you out. Don’t wait. Make the list and do it. You know the areas of your life that need work.
— Clean up the clutter. This is important. Most of us do this. We have too many projects. Undone projects create clutter. It is essential to decide what is unimportant and put those things away.
— Be grateful. Grateful for those who have helped you get where you are. It may be to a higher power or to an important person. Whomever. Show your appreciation regularly and often.
I hope this year will be another year of prosperity for me and for you.

Tom and John Mills are registered investment advisers and certified financial planners. Reach them at 254-0155, MillsWealth.com. Securities offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC. Opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views of LPL Financial. Investment advice offered through Strategic Wealth Advisors Group (SWAG), a registered investment adviser. Mills Wealth Management and SWAG are separate entities from LPL Financial.




From a Buddhist perspective

Dear friends

How much do we really know about happiness? From a Buddhist perspective, all sentient beings, including animals, seek happiness. We have a subconscious instinct to seek happiness - even though many of us don't have a clear idea what it is, or how to achieve it.
From a Buddhist perspective, there are two types of happiness: Emotional Happiness and Timeless Happiness. Emotional Happiness could be described as seeking relief from the cold, or searching for sources of earning, position, or status. Although there is nothing wrong with this type of 'worldly' happiness, when we reflect on it, we might understand that all of these examples, by their very nature, are temporary. Emotional Happiness does not last. Therefore, Timeless Happiness becomes something very important to seek.
Timeless Happiness
Timeless Happiness is gained from understanding our own inherent qualities, such as compassion and loving kindness, and gaining wisdom about our true nature. When we reflect on the nature of this type of happiness, we find something unchanging, permanent - and therefore worthwhile to seek.
We might find ourselves confused about 'Timeless Happiness.' We are, after all, so closely connected to Emotional Happiness, and get an instant reward from it every day. Timeless Happiness might sound noble, even wonderful, but is it visible, attainable in everyday life? Actually, yes.
Happiness in Family
My late grandmother led a very simple life, as a mother to my father. But the way she lived her life is something that will stay with me always, and is perhaps my greatest personal example of Timeless Happiness. Without having particular responsibilities that one might consider 'amazing' or 'newsworthy' - but simply by being a mother, just practicing loving kindness, and other basic qualities of life, and of herself - what I witnessed is that no matter who approached her, no matter what kind of situations she was in, she had an unaltering attitude towards life. Whomever she met, she had the attitude of kindness and care - just like a mother. Visibly, you could see it, verbally, you could hear it. All of her words were extremely warm and gentle. And of course, all of these qualities stemmed from her own consciousness.
As Karmapa, I of course lead my life as a spiritual practitioner, but I learn so much from the way she carried herself, the way she carried her attitude to life. This memory for me is very precious because it helps remind me that Timeless Happiness is visible and evident in all of us. The happiness we are seeking is already here. So this example always helps me, always puts a smile on my face, and in my heart.
Buddha and Happiness
I am sure that every one of you have similar experiences, memories, that you can recall. From a Buddhist perspective, it is said that the potential, the seed and the quality of true happiness or enlightenment, are all there within every sentient being's centre.
Therefore, it is important not to consider Timeless Happiness as something that is distant or unattainable, or something to be celebrated on special occasions, and put on the shelf for the rest of the year. Instead, Timeless Happiness is something that we can really get involved in, take part in, no matter what type of life we are living, no matter what type of conditions we might have. But first we have to notice it.
The benefit from taking the first step of achieving Timeless Happiness is captured in the word 'timeless' itself. From a Buddhist perspective, the benefits are noble, decent and virtuous from the very beginning. It is noble, decent and virtuous in the middle. And it is noble, decent and virtuous at the end as well - not just in this life, not just later on, but until the end, until we have given full rise, full realisation to Timeless Happiness.
From a Buddhist viewpoint, the best example of this unchanging happiness would be none other than Buddha himself. Buddha means 'Enlightened Being' - a fully awakened being. Now if we reflect on the way he sought and ultimately achieved Timeless Happiness, it is the same as we are doing today: reflecting on and examining the causes and conditions of happiness.
The Happiness Exam
The only way in which we can truly examine happiness, is by looking deep into ourselves: our way of being; the way we carry ourselves; our everyday behaviour and habits. By doing so, it helps us understand more about ourselves. If we understand more about ourselves, we understand more about others.
All of us have the basic qualities to attain happiness, we all share the potential - simply because we all have consciousness. We all have the same wish and aspirations, as we are all searching for happiness.
If you look at Buddha's life story, it is clear that he could have had, and indeed he did have, everything he could wish for from worldly life. But after examining it, he could see that - no matter how pleasant or satisfactory a feeling or situation he was experiencing - these were all temporary. He saw that it was not the ultimate goal or priority to attain this type of experience, what we are calling Emotional Happiness. Therefore, he left that life in search of something that is lasting, something that is unchangeable. This is what students of Buddha's way and path are practicing: the practice of Timeless Happiness.
Having said all of this, to seek happiness, do we need to suddenly change the way we live? Do we need to renounce and abandon things from our lives? We may naturally have these kind of questions and doubts. I would say that it is all about the attitude - how we want to live our lives. It all depends on our priority, our ultimate goal. If our priority is to seek Timeless Happiness, the first thing we must do is reflect.
Five minutes a day
It is beneficial to reflect every day on what we are really seeking, the conditions that we have been gathering, and the methods that we have been applying. There is no harm in taking a little time every day from our schedules. We can start by taking just five minutes a day - it's not much - and the practice itself doesn't need to involve intensive methods or rigorous procedures. All we need to do is sit, or stand in a place where we feel comfortable, quiet and peaceful.
Then, simply meditate and reflect, with a calm state of mind and body. Reflect on the past 24 hours - nothing more - reflect on exactly what has happened. Do this in an unemotional way, without judgment. By doing so, there is so much benefit. You will understand more about yourself, the various interesting aspects of your life. Not only will this help your memory, gain clarity, but it can truly help you understand yourself, and the true nature of happiness.
I encourage all of you to try this. I follow this practice as much as I can, and it definitely brings a lot of benefit. It helps me to understand exactly where I am, what I have experienced in the past, and by doing so it also helps me understand what may happen, the possibilities. In this way, this simple practice can help us understand the past, the present and the future. We feel confident, and can gain an insight into happiness.
I hope this is beneficial to all of you. I offer my aspirations and prayers that we all are able to achieve Timeless Happiness. I pray that we will all gain clarity, and that we will all find the conditions to appreciate the connection that we have. I pray that we cultivate the conditions to realise the potential that we have, the bond that we all share such as the bond of family, the bond of friends. And I pray that this will grow not just Emotional Happiness, but Timeless Happiness in our world.

This is an edited transcript of a live-streamed public talk by Thaye Dorje, His Holiness the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa, which he gave on the occasion of the United Nations International Day of Happiness 2015. Karmapa can be followed @karmapaorg, on Facebook, or his website is www.karmapa.org

Follow His Holiness Karmapa Thaye Dorje on Twitter: www.twitter.com/karmapaorg





Word origins

Mogul   1 :     (capitalized Mogul) an Indian Muslim of or descended from one of several conquering groups of Mongol, Turkish, and Persian origin; especially : Great Mogul
 2 :       a person of rank, power, influence, or distinction often in a specified area

Started by Babur, a descendant of Genghis Khan, the Muslim Mogul dynasty ruled much of India from the early 16th century to the mid-18th century. The Moguls (whose name is also spelled Moghul or Mughal) were known for their talented and powerful rulers (called "Great Moguls"), The English the word mogul came to denote a powerful person, as in today's familiar references to "media moguls


Good words to have

Commodious: Comfortably or conveniently spacious roomy