21 posts tagged “buddhism”

I have two blog entries over at Dayton Metro Library. The first on a nifty quick and dirty readers' advisory tool I found online (that does movies too) from Germany noless...and the second is all about the Buddhist idea of Mindfulness going secular. Check them out:

http://daytonmetrolibrary.blogspot.com/2009/02/every-book-its-reader.html

Just type in your favorite author and get some suggestions in a spiffy cloud. You can also participate in this projuct by answering quick questions about what you like to read or watch.

http://daytonmetrolibrary.blogspot.com/2009/02/pervasive-mindfulness.html

Mindfulness has been working its way into every day Western life...here are some good books (relatively new) on the topic...I have more on order about gardening and child rearing...seems second only to "Green" as the topic to talk about.

Wise Duck says:

If you do what you have always done. You will get what you have always gotten.

There's a difference between trying to make the world be what you want it to be and experiencing the world as it comes.

Don't ever eat beans for breakfast.

Pema

It's amazing what just the sound of her voice can do for me. I listen to her lectures, teachings, audiobooks regularly and each time I listen I hear something more useful. I'm learning & I love it.

When I grow up I want to be...more like Pema Chodron.

Don't Bite the Hook: Finding Freedom from Anger, Resentment, and Other Destructive Emotions

Pema Chodron

This isn't in reference to the previous entry--I have found a book to read (Spirits That Walk in Shadow by Hoffman from last year's Newbery shelf which I called "Dang, I wanna read that, but it isn't eligible for the award!")--this is an audio CD of a lecture/talk. It was a Christmas present from my Sweetie...and it's just what I need to listen to. Now I can alternate it with Chodron's "When Things Fall Apart" and "Start Where You Are" and "Good Medicine" and "Pure Meditation."

Her teachings are seeping in, slowly. :-) This one is fantastic!

It's great that I can listen while I work! (As a Weeding Monkey!)

Not to make light of a sad situation...but if the best selling author of "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff" Richard Carlson died of a heart attack...there's just no hope for me.

I sweat all "stuff."

Sigh.

On a completely different topic, I am watching a really great movie on DVD while I walk:

Hula Girls

It won several Japanese Academy Awards & was the 2007 Japanese entry in best foriegn language film here in the states. It's based on a true story & it is very sweet and funny and touching. The actors are all great. Many complain that it's "not original" ... well, life ain't original. You want "original" watch "Lars and the Real Girl" or "You Me And Everyone We Know" which, though two of my favorite movies, have very little basis in reality when you examine the stories they tell. Life is a cliche. Your pain has been felt by millions of others. Your joy by millions too--now I've gone all Buddhist...and Hey! I started this entry by abandoning hope!

See, Pema, it's sinking in! ;-)

Seriously, though, "Hula Girls" is a lot of fun. It's very well done. Well worth two hours of your movie time!

I'm having one now & I want to preface this all by saying: I am NOT complaining.

Too often, I think, and observation is taken for complaint.

I'm having a pleasantly boring day at work. I have wended my way through several journals. In one I looked at a few articles...in the other I added a few books to this month's "to buy" list. I have aslo decided a book or two just isn't (aren't ?) circulating well enough to warrant the space it's (they're) taking up on my shelf. I read through several e-mails (mostly work related) and deleted a buttload of spam. I just had my first (nearly patron-free) hour on the desk.

There's plenty that could be going wrong: I am NOT worrying about what could be going wrong (it's another observation, knowing something is possible does not indicate worrying about it actually happening).

And things have gone wrong: I forgot to bring a plate to heat up my box of frozen veggies on. Know what? It's fun to figure out HOW to still eat them. (Turns out the bag is sturdy enough even after heating to serve as a bowl when turned on its end and cut in half). Also I have to spend my last hour on the Computer Services Desk. No one likes that assignment...but I am probably the best person for that job here today.

So I am being Buddhiat & living the day that I have learning from each moment--and laughing. The plateless veggie thing looks pretty funny.

Grasshuts!

OH! Saw two very good movies yesterday. "Enchanted" at the theater. What a hoot! The cleaning the bathroom song MUST win an Oscar. (Played a little Final Fantasy 12 & read some "Queen of Bedlam") Then the below in the evening at home. It was also a lot of fun in a Frenchy sorta of way.

The Valet (La Doublure)

As with the whole learning to say "no" (when prudent) issue, I am learning to deal with little czars/bengali tea boys. It's an ongoing process, I know. Process. Growth. Change. Every moment is a teacher, an end, a beginning. There's no need to try to hold on to things or situations because they will change. There's no ground-beneath-your-feet to be had. It sounds so new-agey to a Western ear when you simmer it down to that, but it's the only way of looking at the world and life that makes sense to me.

I pointed out little czar's errors without descending to left-handed personal slights (unlike LC). I was willing to compromise, but he was RIGHT! I didn't bite the hook; I held my ground. The situation didn't resolve in the way I would have liked, but I am happy with the way it has and with my actions. I also have a good story--not gossip (that's not "right speech")--the story I have is for myself. Besides I don't have to tell stories to my coworkers; it's amazing there aren't more ocular injuries at the office what with the amount of eye rolling that greets mention of LC.

Rollback (Sci Fi Essential Books)

On the reading front, I'm doing dual duty. Bigboy read is a SF novel I saw in a catalog (I'm in the Science Fiction Book Club). It sounded good. Dad likes Sawyer, but I have never read him. He's a Canadian; that's a point in his favor:

And for reviews, I have two volumes of a veeery odd manga loosly based on the Wizard of OZ books--imagine what a Korean author illustrator might make of those & you'll get:

Dorothy Of Oz Volume 1

So yesterday, the library closed (and thus we are open on Veterans Day) and the whole staff (who wanted to--we were allowed to opt out) gathered for a conference, a full blown conference with break-out sessions, speakers, etc. And it was a success in every way (until we all tried to leave the parking lot, but that's picking nits).

The committee did a beautiful job of making things work...even problems such as an iffy Internet were taken care of. They discovered that if you keep puching food at people, they will stay happy!

I helped present a MySpace program in the morning. It was great. We filled the room and had some good questions. We made 'em laugh and I think they left with a better knowledge of the subject. Got complements on that afterwards.

Then in the afternoon, I was a member of the Book Cart Drill Team. We were dressed as different decades. I was the 60's (thus my Halloween costume from the 30th of October entry). Oh, Heck, here's another hippie picture:

Work trick or treat 017

HO-BOY did our co-workers like that. When the video is posted, I will add it here. :-)

I found I know a whoooole lotta people. I didn't know that! (I haven't been going to staff day for years because I'm always on vacation). I got more hugs at staff day yesterday than I have gotten elsewhere (family not included) in a year! I got to catch up with everyone and tell them how I'm liking "Adult Services" (snicker, always sounds like I work in a naughty business when I say that). Very fun.

Even 25 minutes sitting in my car in the parking lot was not a problem--especially since I listened to Pema Chodron's "When Things Fall Apart" on the way in and out--it's hard to be impatient with people while listening to a teacher like her! :-) For those of you who listen to her lectures: little czars=Bengali tea boy. HA!

When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times (Shambhala Classics)

Then came home and watched a bad movie (Transformers) while eating soy dogs & fries [with a break for Women's Murder Club, of course!]...and slept ahhhh!

You ever work with someone who has staked out their little corner of the workplace (either physically, organizationally, or product-wise)? The kind of person who won't let anything be produced without doing some little thing to it that validates their existence? They were probably that kid who thought that if a cookie touched his plate, it belonged to him even if he had already had several cookies...or the kid who would punch you for brushing against his desk...

Well, I'm having problems with someone like that. My problems are compounded by the unfortunate fact that my temper has been flaring up for reasons I cannot pin down. I come in to work with new resolve to be all Buddhist...calm, full of lovingkindness, willing to live in the moment...then I run into him & I feel flushed and upset.

I tried stepping away and breathing today & it worked a little...I need my Pema Chodron CDs!

Swindle

On the reading front, I'm back to reviewing. LOVE the cover...but it's just begun. I'll let you know if it's not to be missed--I always use the story of Korman's getting his first book published when I teach a class to kids about writing--he was published when he was 14 & it started as a school assignment :-)

Yesterday was a day to mark down in your calendars. Trent asked to go shopping. Few of you have the pleasure of knowing my Baby. He is fantastic (...fantastically sarcastic, fantastically funny, fantastically cute, fantastically knowledgable about entertainment--especially where obscure Canadian actresses are concerned, fantastically many other things which are our own damn business ;-) but he absolutely hates to shop for anything (other than books and music...and there are definite limits there). If it weren't for gifts, he'd go nekkid. Yesterday, it was actually his idea to go shopping & we did. We bought bathmats and towels. He even picked out two shirts for himself. I somehow managed to not faint.

We both needed new shoes which with the mats was the reason for our excursion. He found a nice pair of walking shoes as did I.

I picked the shoes I picked because I liked the design and they were really comfortable when I tried them on. However, it was the brand name that drew them to my attention: mitre. Trent (correctly, I am sure) pronounced it MY-TER. That's a type of hat--strange name for something you put on your feet...turns out to be a British company who make all kinds of sportswear. I, who have trouble spelling in English--surely you've noticed!--and even MORE trouble spelling in Sanskrit pronounced it MY-TREE...which means "unconditional, unattached  lovingkindness" (actually spelled maitri).

There is no further POINT to this story. I just liked the title listed above and the idea that I now have shoes of unconditional lovingkindness. their presence on my feet will remind me not to punt the people that annoy me into next week and thus be a better Buddhist. :-)

Bruegie smiling

Bruegel Approves.