“Taming the Monkey Mind”: The Art of Relaxation

Mindfulness Meditation is a 2,500 year old Buddhist practice that is increasingly relevant for the crazy and stressful time in which we live. Many of us feel that our lives are out of control; so much to do, always thinking and planning, and never catching up. It is as though we have forgotten how to relax and enjoy the simple pleasures of life. Meditation is a means of stepping aside from this ongoing life drama for a few minutes each day to calm down, clear your mind and gain a better perspective on things. You return to your daily life feeling refreshed, restored and a little wiser.

In each 1.5 hour class, visiting instructor and life coach, Kerry Alan Rasp, will offer basic instructions in mindfulness meditation, leading a guided meditation, share simple techniques to calm the moneky mind, and allow time for discussion. This class itself is a relaxing and quieting, engaging experience.

Studio Yoga’s Blog at www.studioyogaonline.com

Check out 8 new articles on www.studioyogaonline.com:
-Free yoga classes for cancer survivors
-Gale Malesky's advice on natural ways to detox
-Kirsten’s thoughts on childrens yoga
-Iyengar Yoga for chronic back pain
-The power of yoga to ease inflammation
-Pam’s article on the development of Pilates
-John Schumacher’s article on Iyengar Yoga

After the Storm

Yesterday's storm wreaked havoc on Madison and Chatham.  The National Weather Service issued a flood warning for the Passaic River and cautions drivers to avoid flooded roadways.  At 9:15 a.m. on Sunday, the Passaic River was at 7.1 feet (flood stage is 6.0).  The river will continue to rise to near 8.1 feet by early Tuesday morning and then will fall.

Strong winds last night caused many downed trees and limbs.  The top of a tree cracked and fell onto a power line on the corner of Dunbar  and Vincent streets in Chatham, causing the wires to smoke and disrupting power in the neighborhood.  The Chatham Fire Department has responded to the situation.

Tree on a power line at Dunbar and Vincent in Chatham

The tree is causing the power lines to smoke

Chatham Fire Department has responded to the situation

Happiness is office supplies

What are we reading? Well, we just finished a few books on macroeconomics and plate tectonics. Now we plan to curl up and re-read our favorite book of all time: the Staples office supply catalog.

We can't help it. When Liquid Paper came out with the "pen and brush combo" dual applicator tip, we were ecstatic. Just how ecstatic? We bought three — one each for home, office and car. And how about those forest green file folders? Man, do they ever dress up our financial records drawer!

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Sump pump challenges do-it-yourselfer

By the Editor
MadisonChatham This Week

The other day, our 175-year-old sump pump had the nerve to malfunction. By that we mean it cycled on to expel water that had collected in the basement well but would not shut off on its own.

This meant we spent a delightful night (a) falling asleep, (b) arising every 45 minutes to a horrible grinding and (c) traipsing to the basement to unplug the infernal thing. If we waited a few minutes before reconnecting to the power, it would remain off until the water again rose.

(Fellow sump pump owners know we couldn't leave it unplugged without finding basement storage boxes floating in a few feet of snow melt.)

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Recent property transfers

Chatham 
16 Ellers Drive,  Michael Vespasiano, John Tunny, $350,000 (Judith Schades)
 2 Conger Terrace,  Daniel Lin, Aimee Lin, $720,000 (Luis Bendezu)
 44 Parrott Mill Road,  William Hinman, Lori Hinman, $530,000 (Joan Cline)
 88 Canterbury Road,  Ricahrd Tomasello, $360,000 (Jane Beresford)

Madison 
14 Academy Road,  Gary McElvany, Jennifer Archibald, $855,000 (Karen Day)
 2 Locust St.,  Michael Fajardo, Karen Langhauser, $385,000 (Ocwen Nonperforming I)
 2 Oak Court,  Angela Scafuri, $570,840 (NP Dodge Jr.)
 36 Loantaka Way, Apt. A,  Robert Corrington, $58,411 (Sara Henry)

Real estate transfers originate from public records compiled by the county clerk of each county. Transfers appearing in This Week are supplied by Superior Information Services of Trenton, which collects the city, address, buyer names, selling price and seller information. Questions regarding the accuracy of the information provided can be directed to the county clerk's office or Superior Information Services of Trenton.

‘Jeopardy!’ winning streak ends for Chatham man

Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek with contestant Vijay Balse of Chatham. (Photo courtesy "Jeopardy!" Productions, Inc.)

An almost week-long winning streak on the Jeopardy television show finally ran out Wednesday night for Chatham resident Vijay Balse.

Balse correctly identified clues about Indonesia, foreign currency and authors on Wednesday's episode, but other contestants beat him to the buzzer in quiz categories about movie-making equipment and architecture in Jerusalem.

He had been the quiz show's champion for four consecutive nights, winning more than $80,000, before his fifth appearance on Wednesday night.

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More supervision at Torey J. after bullying reports

MADISON — Torey J. Sabatini School will immediately increase supervision of its 250 students during lunch, recess and dismissal in response to several reports of bullying at the K-6 school, the school district announced Wednesday.

The Madison Police Department's school resource officer is expected to speak to classes about bullying and harassment in the coming days, Principal Michael Post said.

Three parents spoke during Tuesday's school board meeting about insults and physical abuse that they said their children were subjected to by classmates at the school. They said they had reported incidents to the principal and superintendent in the two weeks before the meeting.

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Chatham resident Balse wins on Jeopardy! again, $82,400 so far

Chatham resident Vijay Balse won on Jeopardy! for a fourth time Tuesday night and will return to the show tonight.

He won $11,599 on Tuesday, bringing his total winnings to $82,400, up from the $70,801 he had earned by the end of the show Monday night.

Among his correct responses on tonight's show were two Daily Doubles with information that he identified as being from the ancient epic poem "Beowulf'' and about the medieval King Charlemagne.

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Chatham High School Fashion Show

The annual Chatham High School Fashion Show will take place on Friday, March 26, 2010 in the CHS gym.  The basket and silent auctions will start at 6:00 PM, and the fashion show will begin at 7:30 PM.  The evening features CHS senior models with a special ensemble of pieces designed by student artists and a performance by SNAPS. 

Pictured is Samantha Kennedy the winner of the cover art contest for the event's invitation.

The fashion show is the only Chatham High School PTO fundraiser for 2010.  It will help underwrite senior scholarships, Project Graduation and various student awards and activities.

The event is open to the general public including middle school age children and above.  Tickets are $35 for advance purchase and $40 at the door. For more information, please contact Jane Maltby at janemaltby@yahoo.com

‘Stranger danger incident’ near school board office

A man in a red Acura offered a fifth-grade girl a ride Monday at 5 p.m., the Madison school district is reporting on its Web site.

Police Lt. Darren Dachisen, a department spokesperson, said the girl declined the ride and the man, who was described as being about 20 years old, drove on. It occurred on Woodland Road, near the borough school board offices.

The school district labeled it a "stranger danger incident.''

School officials are asking students to refrain from contact with strangers and report any suspicious encounters.

Chatham Senior Services celebrates renovations, 20th anniversary

The Senior Services of the Chathams' Board of Trustees threw a party at the end of January to show off the newly renovated Senior Center. Over 65 people attended the event and they also took some great photos (which appear after the jump.)

Board members Jeff Keating and Bill Fagnant serve drinks.

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Chatham man scores third win on Jeopardy!

Chatham resident Vijay Balse won on Jeopardy for a third time Monday night, bringing his total earnings to $70,801.

Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek with contestant Vijay Balse of Chatham. (Photo courtesy "Jeopardy!" Productions, Inc.)

He finished Monday’s episode with $14,399. In the first episode, which aired Thursday, March 4, he won $28,801. He took $27,601 on the second episode Friday.

He'll continue to appear and compete as defending champion until he loses.

Trivia buff Balse auditioned for the ABC quiz show six times starting in the early 1990s before being called to appear on the show in November. The shows were taped in December.

A native of Mumbai, India, where he attended undergraduate school, he said he's been watching the show since he moved to the U.S. in 1985 -- the year after Jeopardy debuted.

Grace Church features lunchtime organ meditations

Anne Matlack, organist and choir director at Grace Church, 4 Main St., Madison, and assistant organist Eric Stroud are again offering lunchtime organ meditations throughout Lent, running through Friday, March 26. The recitals begin at 12:15 p.m., following brief noondayprayer, and end at 12:45 p.m.

Anne Matlack, organist and choir director at Grace Church in Madison

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Cell phones, daughter don’t mix

By the Editor
MadisonChatham This Week

We have five numbers on our cell phone plan — one for us and four for our daughter.

This requires an explanation.

You see, our daughter is to cell phones as oil is to water. That is, they repel each other. For a person so connected to her cell phone and the digital world beyond, this is ironic. Yet her cell phones are continually lost or otherwise destroyed.

That is:
-- Cell phone No. 17 fell from her sweatshirt pocket during a snowball fight at college. It was replaced by cell phone No. 18, which slipped into the toilet a week later.
-- Cell phone No. 19 would have cost $489 — we're always over our limit on insurance replacements — but not if we added another line to our account. Final cost: $100, but not counting the additional line charge.

We could go on, but we're late for our second job at the cell phone store.

It's the only way left to get a discount.