My Three Objects

What are three objects you couldn’t live without?

1. My watch. Not a smart watch but the Tag Heuer watch I’ve worn for almost 25 years. I’m not bragging; it’s just a well-designed watch that suits me, and my personality, well.

2. My Swiss Army knife. I’ve had several since I was a kid and I’ve always found them to be incredibly useful.

3. My phone. I would imagine most people would say this but I like mine for reasons that are probably not the most popular.

I don’t have any social media accounts anymore so for me my phone is perfect for photos, finding info, making reminders, financial transactions, etc.

I also use it to play chess and Words With Friends everyday, pre-order my coffee on my way to work, tune my guitar, translate non-English text on my computer screen, order dinner, and stuff like that. (Sorry, no clever graphic for this one).

Meeting Andy

Who is the most famous or infamous person you have ever met?

Andy Warhol.

I was walking down Park Avenue and there he was. He was much shorter and fragile looking than I had imagined. He was stopping people on the street and taking pictures of them with a small, cheap looking film camera.

As I approached him it suddenly occurred to me that we might think we know celebrities, they have no clue who we are. I opted to try and present myself in a casual way, as if we had met before. But I was 19 and about as socially awkward as I am today.

Not knowing he didn’t like to be touched, I extended my hand and shook his. His hand was soft, as if there were no bones under the flesh.

What next?

Hard Times

Whiskers and whiskey

I used to be able to go for at least two days (three, if I didn’t have to “look presentable”) without shaving. When I was young and just starting to shave, I did so every day but my skin became crazy irritated, and anything with alcohol in it made it much worse.

And now for something completely different

…and then, by February 2018, I had been forced out of my job. It had been my only career for over 30 years but, realising no one was going to hire a middle-aged graphic designer, I embarked on a new career.

Not to be cryptic, but because of what I’ve been doing since then I can’t really get into the particulars of my work. Suffice it to say, it’s a radical departure from my previous career.

The Suffering of Busyness via Lion’s Roar

“All things are passing. When we rest in the present moment, we’re faced with this directly. This realization doesn’t have to be cause for depression. It can be a reminder of the preciousness of our life. Relaxing into the vulnerability of unknowing and facing our direct experience can be courageous. It’s an opportunity to taste vast, interconnected spaciousness — the groundless ground that has no reference points or handles.”

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Still here

The irony is that at one time I was everywhere online. Well, maybe not everywhere but in all the hot places, for a little while at least.

But, wow, has the internet become a cesspool of clickbait and mass surveillance! Maybe I’m naive but I remember when people weren’t afraid to post their most inner thoughts without worrying who would scrutinize them — or worse, use that information for profit or shaming.

Maybe I got bored, or maybe I saw the futility in broadcasting my thoughts into a sea of nonsense. But it’s been quite a year, with revelations on crimes committed by the rich and powerful — our overlords — and mostly played out on social media. I’m in Australia and yet I’m well informed about the outing of actors and media moguls who abused their status for personal (albeit fleeting) gratification. I’ve followed Trump from the first time he said Mexico was sending rapists and criminals over the border, and was probably just as shocked as you to hear he won the US presidential race.

The Sound of One Hand: Paintings and Calligraphy by Zen Master Hakuin

Short film about 5 minutes. Hakuin’s self-taught, spontaneous, yet masterly and inspired painting and calligraphy, just like his teachings and writings, expressed the mind and heart of Zen for monks and lay followers alike.

http://buddhismnow.com/2016/05/01/the-sound-of-one-hand-paintings-and-calligraphy-by-zen-master-hakuin/

The Buddha’s Discovery, by Bhante Henepola Gunaratana

I’ve made some big changes in my life but, strangely, decided not to blog much about the more significant ones. You would think that’s the point of having a personal blog like this, but I think I made the right decision because I think how I would have written about it all would have come out wrong.

And so I thought this post from Buddhism Now was somewhat apt and timely: My intention going forward is to pick up where I left off, but with a different tone than I’d previously used in my more personal posts.

Buddhism now

Rapid technological advances. Increased wealth. Stress. Stable lives and careers come under the pressure of accelerating change. The twenty-first century? No, the sixth century BC—a time of destructive warfare, economic dislocation, and widespread disruption of established patterns of life, just like today. In conditions similar to ours, the Buddha discovered a path to lasting happiness. His discovery—a step-by-step method of mental training to achieve contentment—is as relevant today as ever.

Putting the Buddha’s discovery into practice is no quick fix. It can take years. The most important qualification at the beginning is a strong desire to change your life by adopting new habits and learning to see the world anew.

Each step along the Buddha’s path to happiness requires practising mindfulness until it becomes part of your daily life. Mindfulness is a way of training yourself to become aware of things as they really are. With mindfulness as your…

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Distressed Sky