Thanks for the thoughtful and indeed inspiring response. You reminded me of the pleasanter and more constructive aspects of meditation. I think these days I come across solutions to problems and creative ideas in the moments when I first awake (especially programming problems - it's sometimes a quite task to implement the solutions I woke up with to the problems I'd gone to sleep with before the ideas evaporate). I have in the last few years gotten into the habit of not doing anything at all. I've stopped goading myself into action and stopped feeling guilty about time I can't account for in obvious results. I think I 'achieve' as much without the ambition to cram my day with intentional activity.
I've just read an description, linked below, of an increasingly common view of consciousness cobbled together by neuro-scientists. I find it very persuasive. I recommend having breakfast first.
The dog is an age-appropriate dog from a home - she didn't want a puppy at her age. The dog seems to just get excited about gulls, crows and rats, and there's always one of those things at least around. She's bonded to it. It's too late to change. There we are. Haven't heard it this morning though, which makes me wonder if she's OK. If it's not one thing.
