Saturday, March 30, 2002

Little Drew

posted by Drew @ 12:01 PM | link to this post

Friday, March 29, 2002

One of those email things

I got this from a friend and decided to answer and email it to him.

1. IF YOU COULD BUILD A HOUSE ANYWHERE, WHERE WOULD IT BE?
Berkeley - A nice, eco-house constructed of natural, renewable materials that gets power from renewable sources and has a big ol' yard.

2. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE ARTICLE OF CLOTHING?
Condoms - I don't really like them, but I like the feeling I get when I'm wearing one.

3. FAVORITE PHYSICAL FEATURE OF THE OPPOSITE/SAME SEX?
Eyes

4. WHAT'S THE LAST CD YOU BOUGHT?
Okay, this isn't typical of my cd buying, really. It was just before the Grammy's and I was feeling left out. Lots of people (albums) talked about that I'd never really listened to:
Nelly Furtado - Whoa. Nelly!
Shakira - Laundry Service
Patty Griffin - Living With Ghosts (All those qualifiers don't attach to this choice. Patty wasn't getting much buzz as far as I know.)

5. WHERE'S YOUR FAVORITE PLACE TO BE?
Berkeley, having lunch with ...

6. WHERE'S YOUR LEAST FAVORITE PLACE TO BE?
Ocala, Florida

7. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE PLACE TO BE MASSAGED?
I'm not sure there's anywhere I don't like to be massaged.

8. MIND OR STRONG BODY?
Mind

9. WHAT TIME DO YOU WAKE IN THE MORNING?
5:00ish except this morning it was 2:00ish. I fell asleep at about 7pm.

10. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE KITCHEN APPLIANCE?
Coffeemaker, but I'm trying to change that.

11. WHAT MAKES YOU REALLY ANGRY?
people hurting other people

12. IF YOU COULD PLAY ANY INSTRUMENT, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
guitar

13. FAVORITE COLOR
Tan, but I might be being unduly influenced by Nelly Furtado's tummy and Shakira's shoulder at the moment.

14. WHICH DO YOU PREFER, SPORTS CAR OR SUV?
Is an AC Transit bus more like a sports car or an SUV?

15. DO YOU BELIEVE IN AFTERLIFE?
Not for people (souls) as separate enduring entities. I do believe that a bunch of worms, bugs and microbes are going to consume my flesh which will them become part of them.

16. FAVORITE CHILDREN'S BOOK?
Hop On Pop

17. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SEASON?
Summer at the Beach, Spring anywhere else

18. WHAT'S YOUR LEAST FAVORITE HOUSEHOLD CHORE?
cleaning the bathroom

19. IF YOU COULD HAVE ONE SUPER POWER, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
This sounds like a Miss America question.

20. IF YOU HAVE A TATTOO, WHAT IS IT?
none

21. CAN YOU JUGGLE?
I have

22. THE ONE PERSON FROM YOUR PAST YOU WISH YOU COULD GO BACK AND TALK TO?
Bryant Sartore, a delinquent kid I worked with who murdered Julie Lynn Waldo. He's serving a life sentence (25 year minimum). I guess he'll be up for parole in about 7 years. Anyway, if you mean "go back," I'd like to go back 20 years or so try more forcefully to intervene with Bryant. I think Julie could still be alive.

23. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE DAY?
Saturday

24. WHAT'S IN THE TRUNK OF YOUR CAR?
Does BART have a trunk?

25. WHICH DO YOU PREFER, SUSHI OR HAMBURGER?
vegetarian sushi

26. OF THE PEOPLE YOU E-MAILED THIS TO, WHO'S MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND?
Do you really think I'm sending this to anyone but ...?

27. WHO'S LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND?
see 26

posted by Drew @ 5:11 AM | link to this post

Slept Out

I fell asleep last night around 7. I woke up this morning around 2AM. I've written a few emails, tried to read and tried to go back to sleep, so there's nothing left to do but Blog.

posted by Drew @ 4:58 AM | link to this post

Sunday, March 24, 2002

Quote of the Moment

[Thanks to querylily for the quote.]

"All that is missing is the sangha, or the wholeness of intention among many people."
Michael Downing, Shoes Outside the Door

posted by Drew @ 10:30 AM | link to this post

God Changes Everything

Katha Pollitt has a column in the April 1, 2002 issue of The Nation that struck a nerve for me. Throughout the last few months I've been profoundly impacted by thoughts of how much hatred, killing and horror have been inflicted upon the world by various religions in their names. As I've looked at my ever growing buddhist path, I have both embraced and run from the concepts and teaching of various religious teachers in the Buddhist tradition. I have watched in horror as the shrub has talked about making nuclear weapons usable in his holy war. I think about what I know of the apocalyptic teachings of "Christian" fundamentalists and of "Muslim" extremists and I believe that they are, in fact, winning in their efforts to make the world into their demented, violent visions of mayhem and evil. I have been stuck in my anger towards the "Evil Doers" as I see (and judge) them. As I looked at Katha's writing, I saw myself and Bush, and I want to be different. It is very hard not to become the evil that I see and abhor, especially in my heart.

As I read Turning Wheel this morning, I encountered an article by Diana Winston called "You Too Can Be a Bodhisattva" and I am reminded of The Heart of Wisdom Teachings that I attended last year and of a book I read last summer by Pema Chodron. Both introduced me to and endeavored to teach me the concept of Bodhicitta. Diana Winston called me back to those teachings with this quote of Shantideva offered in two different translations:

"For as long as space exists, and sentient beings endure, may I stay to dispel the misery of the world."

or

"May I be the living ground of love for all beings."

posted by Drew @ 9:46 AM | link to this post

Saturday, March 23, 2002

Fierce Grace

I know some of you will think of Bret Butler's role in her TV show when you read the header above. But last night, Carolina and I went to see Ram Dass Fierce Grace at the Rafael Film Center. I wasn't really sure what to expect going in, but I was quickly captivated by the story of Ram Dass. We were first introduced to his "being stroked" and then catapulted us back to his childhood and days at Harvard with Timothy Leary. This documentary by Mickey Lemle moved me. It was one of those films that while I'm watching it I can't keep the thoughts of friends and family that I'd like to share it with from racing through my head.

I remember "borrowing" my hippie-wanna-be sister's copy of Be Here Now when I was something like twelve or thirteen and not even beginning to understand it. A few years later, after watching this film, I get it a little better.

posted by Drew @ 12:50 PM | link to this post

Friday, March 22, 2002

The One Best Way to Work My Nerves

Last night after therapy, I had planned to make it to the Third Thursday Simplicity Forum, but therapy ran long and the buses run infrequently up Ashby, so I headed home. As I walked out of the door of the office, I saw the bus to downtown (43) approaching the bus stop and I knew I was in for a walk home. As I walked up Shattuck, I held out hope that, maybe, just this once, I might witness that Muni phenomenon of two or three buses in-a-row. No such luck. I was destined for a walk during which I would face steadily increasing panhassling as I got closer to downtown. Hmmmm.

As I walked past one of those big 'ol chain book stores, I noticed things were set up for a book talk. Curious, I ambled over. The book to be read from and talked about by one of its author's, The 50 Best Ways to Simplify Your Life. Let me "utter" two brief comments before I appreciate the book and the author who presented it. First on the list of the 50 Best Ways to Annoy Drew (soon to be published) is to include the word "Best" in the title of anything not rooted in humor. Second, it looks like even the publisher is embarrassed by the word "Best" in the title. Notice they omit it from their listing of the book. Okay, I got that off my chest. Now for what little substantive reaction I had to the talk and book.

I've picked the book up previously and looked at it, probably at Cody's. Heather was attractive and sincere and had lots of friends in attendance. I was appreciative of the apparent effort of the authors to get into the psychology of living simply and dance around the wide variety of ideas and actions that the notion of simplicity stimulates for people. I was also appreciative of the apparent difference of the co-authors in their own approaches to simplicity. It seemed like a good broad introduction to the idea of living simply; one that may very well be accessible to lots of folks. I'll probably pick it up again and glance through it again before I act on my inclination to recommend it to a friend or family member looking to re-evaluate their lifestyle.

posted by Drew @ 7:20 AM | link to this post

Sunday, March 10, 2002

Everbody Likes "Readers Write About..."

A couple of friends recently steered me toward The Sun Magazine. I got a sample issue and now I've received my first subscribed issue. I love it. The quote below came from an interview in this month's issue. It seems like each article, short story or poem offers something to nourish my heart. The feature that both of my friends expressed greatest appreciation for is called "Readers Write About" and each month there is a different topic. This month writings are about gratitude. Here's the schedule for the next few months:

Issue..................Topic.................................Deadline
Sept. 2002............The Phone Call.....................April 1
Oct. 2002..............Faking It..............................May 1
Nov. 2002..............Safety.................................June 1
Dec. 2002..............Against The Odds................July 1
Jan. 2003...............Scars.................................August 1
Feb. 2003...............Falling In Love....................September 1

posted by Drew @ 2:07 PM | link to this post

Quote of the Moment

At the heart of many of the atrocities we see around us is the failure of compassion, a failure of empathy. It is the loss of our capacity to see the Other and ourselves as sacred. When our capacity for compassion isn't nurtured, or when it breaks down, or when we distance ourselves until we begin to treat another human being as if he or she has no heart or soul, then hatred and violence begin to seem inevitable.

Violence has been with us throughout our existence; in fact, it may be essential to our survival as a species....There are circumstances, though - certain historical times and cultural conditions - in which violence is amplified. Unfortunately, in this culture, at this moment in time, we seem to be magnifying our capacity to disturb, disrespect, and disconnect. This disconnection is at the heart of our problem.

Even though we seem to be creating conditions that magnify violence, in each of us there remains the capacity for empathy and compassion and the ability - even the tendency - to appreciate the sacred in one another and in the landscape. The Question is: How do we create conditions that foster empathy, as opposed to violence?
Zenobia Barlow, The Center for Ecoliteracy, July 2001 Interview in this month's The Sun

posted by Drew @ 1:54 PM | link to this post

Takin' A Ride

An upstairs neighbor dropped tickets on me for August Wilson's Jitney this evening at the Curran. I'm busy trying to track someone to go with me. Carolina can't, she has a conflict. I'm wondering about the etiquette of trying to arrange things last minute. How many people do I call? Do I mention the show? What if I leave several messages and more than one friend responds favorably? Do I issue time-limited offers? Isn't this a wonderful "problem" to have!

posted by Drew @ 12:51 PM | link to this post

Saturday, March 09, 2002

Usable Nukes

I was horrified, but not surprised to see this story on the front page of the Oakland Tribune today.

posted by Drew @ 3:16 PM | link to this post