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[31 Jan 2010|09:52pm] |
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[27 Jan 2010|11:59am] |
My hero!
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[25 Jan 2010|06:54am] |
Some words I read this morning that are resonating with me:
No matter what we do, we cannot sustain the illusion of our self-sufficiency. We are engaged in a futile struggle to maintain ourselves in our own image. The crisis in our lives inevitably reveal how impossible our attempts to control our destinies really are. The Four Noble Truths cultivates humility out of the seemingly oppressive and inescapable humiliations of life. All of the insults to our narcissism can be overcome not by escaping from them, but by uprooting the conviction in a "self" that needs protecting.
from Mark Epstein's "Thoughts Without a Thinker"
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[24 Jan 2010|10:53pm] |
My birthday is in 44 days, and this year I have no shame in asking for stuff. So here's my list SO FAR... I'll update it as I think of more.
#1. Ponyo (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) (Releases March 2, 2010)
#2. My Neighbor Totoro (Two-Disc Special Edition) (Releases March 2, 2010)
#3. I'd like two tattoos by Lysistrata (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) the1984rat) on my right calf; one of Totoro and another of Ponyo. (I'll upload the images I want in another post once I get a scanner.)
#4. Castle in the Sky: Special Edition - 2 Disc DVD (Releases March 2, 2010)
#5. An XBOX 360 with all the Halo games
#6. A Blu-ray player
#7. A plasma or LCD TV
#8. An iPod or some other mp3 device
#9. Where the Wild Things Are DVD (Releases March 2, 2010)
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[06 Jan 2010|05:21pm] |
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[04 Jan 2010|04:02pm] |
Anyone who knows me, knows I believe in aliens; Except I don't think they're from outer-space. I believe they're either humans from our future traveling back in time; Or a variation of humans from another dimension.
The same with ghosts. Ghosts can be echos from the past OR the future. Or are a variation of humans crossing dimensions. (And the same with angels... they're really aliens. Yes, Jesus was influenced by aliens.)
But have you heard of the Boskop Man? Neither had I, until Warren Ellis mentioned them. He linked to this article in Discover Magazine: http://discovermagazine.com/2009/the-brain-2/28-what-happened-to-hominids-who-were-smarter-than-us.
After reading that article, I'm now wondering if aliens are Boskop Men from our distant past, somehow able to travel across time or dimensions.
The Boskop Man were Hominids who had brains 25% larger than ours but they had small childlike faces; Sort of like an aliens. Whereas Neanderthals and Homo erectus were ape-like, the Boskop appears "un-apelike and in fact in most ways seems to have had characteristics superior to ours". To compare how superior their brains were to ours, is like comparing how our brain is superior to the Homo erectus.
The article explains how their larger brain benefited them: "And that leads to an increase in the prefrontal cortex of a staggering 53 percent. If these principled relations among brain parts hold true, then Boskops would have had not only an impressively large brain but an inconceivably large prefrontal cortex. The prefrontal cortex is closely linked to our highest cognitive functions. It makes sense out of the complex stream of events flowing into the brain; it places mental contents into appropriate sequences and hierarchies; and it plays a critical role in planning our future actions. Put simply, the prefrontal cortex is at the heart of our most flexible and forward-looking thoughts. While your own prefrontal area might link a sequence of visual material to form an episodic memory, the Boskop may have added additional material from sounds, smells, and so on. Where your memory of a walk down a Parisian street may include the mental visual image of the street vendor, the bistro, and the charming little church, the Boskop may also have had the music coming from the bistro, the conversations from other strollers, and the peculiar window over the door of the church."
And the article continues: "Expansion of the association regions is accompanied by corresponding increases in the thickness of those great bundles of axons, the cable pathways, linking the front and back of the cortex. These not only process inputs but, in our larger brains, organize inputs into episodes. The Boskops may have gone further still. Just as a quantitative increase from apes to humans may have generated our qualitatively different language abilities, possibly the jump from ourselves to Boskops generated new, qualitatively different mental capacities. We internally activate many thoughts at once, but we can retrieve only one at a time. Could the Boskop brain have achieved the ability to retrieve one memory while effortlessly processing others in the background, a split-screen effect enabling far more power of attention? Each of us balances the world that is actually out there against our mind’s own internally constructed version of it. Maintaining this balance is one of life’s daily challenges. We occasionally act on our imagined view of the world, sometimes thoroughly startling those around us. (“Why are you yelling at me? I wasn’t angry with you—you only thought I was.”) Our big brains give us such powers of extrapolation that we may extrapolate straight out of reality, into worlds that are possible but that never actually happened. Boskop’s greater brains and extended internal representations may have made it easier for them to accurately predict and interpret the world, to match their internal representations with real external events. Perhaps, though, it also made the Boskops excessively internal and self-reflective. With their perhaps astonishing insights, they may have become a species of dreamers with an internal mental life literally beyond anything we can imagine."
And it continues later with, "Longer brain pathways lead to larger and deeper memory hierarchies. These confer a greater ability to examine and discard more blind alleys, to see more consequences of a plan before enacting it. In general this enables us to think things through. If Boskops had longer chains of cortical networks—longer mental assembly lines—they would have created longer and more complex classification chains. When they looked down a road as far as they could, before choosing a path, they would have seen farther than we can: more potential outcomes, more possible downstream costs and benefits.As more possible outcomes of a plan become visible, the variance among judgments between individuals will likely lessen. There are far fewer correct paths—intelligent paths—than there are paths. It is sometimes argued that the illusion of free will arises from the fact that we can’t adequately judge all p ossible moves, with the result that our choices are based on imperfect, sometimes impoverished, information.Perhaps the Boskops were trapped by their ability to see clearly where things would head. Perhaps they were prisoners of those majestic brains."
And the article closes about a current archelogical dig, "The site had been at one time a communal living center, perhaps tens of thousands of years ago. There were many collected rocks, leftover bones, and some casually interred skeletons of normal-looking humans. But to one side of the site, in a clearing, was a single, carefully constructed tomb, built for a single occupant—perhaps the tomb of a leader or of a revered wise man. His remains had been positioned to face the rising sun. In repose, he appeared unremarkable in every regard...except for a giant skull."
Wow, this gets my wheels spinning. So much potential here!
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[04 Jan 2010|01:47pm] |
I think I might give church a try. I like this left-wing pastor:
http://www.dailybulletin.com/ci_14110689?source=rss_viewed
Quotes from the article:
- On the issue of gay marriage, Hamilton, who has conducted several gay weddings in the past, wrote that homosexuality is a biological trait and praised an Episcopal church for allowing gays to hold leadership positions.
- The self-described feminist is pro-choice in every sense. "It's a woman's choice, period," Hamilton said. "If she's old enough to be pregnant, she's old enough to decide she doesn't want to be pregnant."
- Stephanie Boone, who has been active in the church for a decade, said she agrees with Hamilton on some things but not on the death penalty, which Hamilton considers "an abomination."
- Days after President Barack Obama's announcement that he would send additional troops to Afghanistan, Hamilton wrote about peace and said the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan cannot be justified militarily, politically or morally.
- "My opinion is God loves us regardless of how we feel about God," Hamilton said. "That's just one of the central affirmations of my life. God loves everybody."
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[04 Jan 2010|07:58am] |
A family portrait
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[01 Jan 2010|02:10pm] |
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[31 Dec 2009|08:57pm] |
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[30 Dec 2009|05:03pm] |
Assignment: Sum up the past year of your life in a haiku.
Spring into chaos;
Lost sight of the Path in light.
Practice renewed.
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[22 Dec 2009|11:33pm] |
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[20 Dec 2009|12:13pm] |
Last week I watched with Bethany a movie called, THE NATIVITY STORY. I thought it was excellent. And Bethany really enjoyed it too. I also really enjoyed how Bethany would ask very intelligent questions during the movie, so I'd pause it and clarify areas for her.
The movie ended with the birth of Jesus and their flight to Egypt.
I asked Bethany, "Do you know what happened to Jesus when he became an adult?"
And she replied, "I know he gets a new fancy white robe!"
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[18 Dec 2009|06:05pm] |
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[15 Dec 2009|07:03am] |
"DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old.
"Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus.
"Papa says, 'If you see it in THE SUN it's so.'
"Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?
"VIRGINIA O'HANLON.
"115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET."
VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except [what] they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.
Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no VIRGINIAS. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.
Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.
You may tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.
No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.
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[09 Dec 2009|03:26pm] |
Just a quick note...
My friend Brent just had his second book of poetry published by New Michigan Press. My copy arrived this morning, and it has wow'd me.
What I wrote to him: "Ohmigosh. Now that I've began reading the poems... It gives me chills... how it is all tied together... the title... the cover image... the text... your imagery... so profound. So touching. Resonating."
The book is available at the NMP website and also on Amazon.com.
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[07 Dec 2009|04:29pm] |
I am doing ALL of my Christmas shopping online and having them sent to work. (Favorite store: ThinkGeek.) But today a mysterious package arrived. Inside was Freddie Mercury.
I don't recall ordering a Rock God and the only person I can think of who would is reallydeepman; But he's in Dublin, Ireland and I can't ask him!
The mystery!
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[17 Nov 2009|05:46pm] |
When I was in Ohio, reallydeepman took me to Dewey's Pizza. It was sooooo good. I've been looking for a similar pizza place here in southern California. (Preferably close to home.)
Do you know of any place that makes pizza like this? Or maybe one with basil, pinenuts, gorgonzola and bacon with a white sauce? If so, where?
And on a separate note, tomorrow I'm leaving for another five-day silent meditation retreat (in Joshua Tree). So I'll see y'all on Sunday. Be well!
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[31 Oct 2009|10:40pm] |
I'm not doing NaNoWriMo this year. But if I did my book would look something like this:
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[21 Oct 2009|08:34pm] |
And the out-take:
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[21 Oct 2009|04:48pm] |
Hanging out with Chance.
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[14 Oct 2009|01:04am] |
If you don't see your name on the below list and you'd like to keep reading my posts, please comment. Otherwise you'll be cut soon. Thanks!
alois, anotherglimpse, apyro, ascarletdawn, baiocchi, blueblackabove, carolburnett, chutoy, cinriter, counselingsrvcs, daubentonia, delscorchosauce, echo_echo_echo, endarkenment, fresafresca, gdg, groundbyground, ianlyzu, joyinrepetition, krismaez, ladybug_dr, lange_sauvage, marfignugen, markmc03, marystan, melodymuse, misterx, mistyvamp,phenexrose, pissed_pacifist, reallydeepman, riotclitshave, ritsukakazahaya, shazear">, shes_ok_ole, shizukaninaru, the1984rat, thumbcat, tuff517,vampirehobo, vlexor, windswept, zendeni
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[11 Oct 2009|06:15pm] |
My girlfriend is smarter than your girlfriend:
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[09 Oct 2009|04:41pm] |
Bandwagon:
I don't know; the Dalai Lama's was pretty sweet too. And Jimmy Carter's. And Desmond Tutu's. And Aung San Suu Kyi's. And...
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[28 Sep 2009|05:19pm] |
Poll #1463809 Threat
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 7Which do you believe is the more serious threat?
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[19 Sep 2009|06:35pm] |
Earlier today I fell in love. And I'll never be the same again.
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[05 Sep 2009|10:46pm] |
What did we do tonight? We played with the webcam:
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[23 Aug 2009|10:55pm] |
Just briefly...
I took the kids to see PONYO today, and I loved it. In my opinion, it is the best animated movie of the year. If you're a fan of Miyazaki's MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO or KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE, then you'll love this one too. After a few years of mature works by Miyazaki (I'm not a fan of HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE or SPIRITED AWAY) it's nice to see him get back to more light-hearted fare.
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[03 Aug 2009|04:04pm] |
Have you ever tried one of these before? Any good?
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[27 Jul 2009|05:32pm] |
Because he's in love.
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[24 Jul 2009|05:08pm] |
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[16 Jul 2009|09:49am] |
My delima: Having a week's worth of information to share; but not finding the words to share it.
A week of silence. But you can't turn off the the mind. It's voice continues on and on.
Digging in the dirt. Crawling in it. Rolling around and bathing in it.
Climbing trees. For sleep. For music. For meditation. Bathing in the wind. Dancing with the leaves. The sun bared witness to all.
And what can I see from my perch in my tree?
Two horses.
Self-portrait in tree, balancing the camera on my foot:
And my view when I laid down to rest. I was in that tree for THREE hours.
Even the turkey seeks freedom from suffering.
And bows to the dharma.
One morning, as the sun was rising and the fog was fading, the deer grazed through. Unafraid of man. They know they are safe here. Respect for all sentient beings no matter what shape or size. As I walked the path, I counted 13 of them.
This photo was taken from my bedroom:
And a picture of where I slept all week:
I found an old friend, awake after sleeping for so long. We played and danced in the poison oak.
Later I found the secret council where Turkey and Deer meet to decide and guide the fate of the universe:
They let me join the council for the night:
Sitting with 50 men all week. No women. I never realized how much I objectified them. Lean on them. Need them. Their beauty. Their grace. Their charm. Their wiles. And all week long, these were the only cans I could see:
These were good times.
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[01 Jul 2009|09:34am] |
Oh glorious banana-peanut butter-chocolate-soy milk shake; don't question my love for you.
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[01 Jun 2009|04:41pm] |
Adding to yesterday's post about the Great William Shatner; a two minute clip from a 15 minute movie titled "Khaaaaaan!"
More on "Khaaaaaan!" can be found in this LA Weekly article.
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[31 May 2009|07:32pm] |
With thanks to vlexor:
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[09 Apr 2009|09:44pm] |
The ugliest quilt in the world is done. I don't know if she wants credit, but thanks to carolburnett for teaching me how to sew.
It's called a "rag" quilt. The kids and I each selected an equal amount of fabrics. 1/4 of a yard each fabric. The final product is roughly 5 X 5 1/2 feet.
( Pictures )
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[05 Apr 2009|12:10am] |
NEGATIVITY, CHAOS, AND FEAR -- BE GONE.
LET THE ARTIST'S CREATIVE SPIRIT GUIDE US.
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