The Big Read III: Coming soon

A Tale of Two Cities by Dickens Charles

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My favorite book blogger is at it again: she's leading a Big Read on The Tale of Two Cities. (What I can't figure out is why, when she usually blogs about teen books, she chooses these classics all about war.)

I don't believe I've ever read a Tale of Two Cities. You can get it via email or RSS at DailyLit. That's what I'm doing. Hopefully I'll have my first blog later tonight.

Here's Leila's schedule:

The Big Read III: A Tale of Two Cities -- Charles Dickens

September 3: Book the First, Chapters 1-3

September 5: Book the First, Chapters 4-6

September 8: Book the Second, Chapters 1-5

September 10: Book the Second, Chapters 6-9

September 12: Book the Second, Chapters 10-12

September 15: Book the Second, Chapters 13-16

September 17: Book the Second, Chapters 17-20

September 19: Book the Second, Chapters 21-24

September 22: Book the Third, Chapters 1-4

September 24: Book the Third, Chapters 5-8

September 26: Book the Third, Chapters 9-12

September 29: Book the Third, Chapters 13-15

Papers

I've been dragging my feet about writing. I have a pattern of procrastination regarding writing that has persisted since my college days: if I don't do one piece that is an obligation, I avoid doing other pieces, as well as it. In college 20 years ago it was letters to my mom. This month it is my papers for my Zen Center's seminary program.

I did finish 2 of them. I have 2 more for classes I participated in ages ago. I've already decided to retake the class on the Wisdom Sutras, as it is happening again this spring. So this leaves a presentation on a Dogen piece to be prepared by September 23.

Here's my paper on Zen's Chinese Heritage. Our assignment was to choose one ancestor from each period that we studied and discuss.

Here is my paper on the Perfection of Wisdom Sutras. Our assignment was to take a section from each one, (the verses, and the 8,000 lines) write about it, and relate it to our Zen heritage and/or Buddhism in general. The complete book is online here.

I have no idea how my papers will be received. It's so long since I participated in the classes I could be told I need to do them all over. I hope they're not too boring for my non-Buddhist readers. Just so you know, these sutras are all about Prajnaparamita, that wisdom without which there could be no Buddhas. I find it fascinating that this evolved into a deity...that historically, we can look back and trace the origins of a divine being. Now, when a Buddhist says that, I have to think it means something different than the godstuff of the West. There seems to be some awareness of it as metaphor, and as essentially empty of a separate nature. I can just imagine though, some 2,000 years ago, those Indian teachers trying to get their horny teenage monks to understand these concepts, and hitting upon this useful teaching tool. "Here! Gaze at this! See this book! This beautiful goddess is the wisdom in this book. Become one with her." And the boy lets himself drift on fantasies of losing himself in wisdom....

She is the mother of the Buddhas, and a Buddha herself, and she is my tattoo.

Now, on to the Dogen. The assignment is to take a chapter that I haven't studied and do a presentation on it. I need to show that I know how to read Dogen. Hoo boy. I've studied Dogen several times over the years, and I have a fondness for the old coot. Usually what happens for me is that an image or phrase or concept tugs at me, relates to something in my own practice, and if I pull on that thread the whole chapter opens up to me. That is in the context of a class series though, and I'm not sure if I will be able to immerse myself in the same way, not having studied Dogen with others recently. The complete Shobogenzo is here. One of the enterprising members of the more recent class shared that he used it to find all mentions of 'snow.' Ah, the benefits of the computer age. I didn't have that when I actually took the class, nor did my instructor.

Non-Fiction Books Read

The Prosecution of George W Bush for Murder by Vincent Bugliosi
rating: 2 of 5 stars

I read about 1/3 of the book and still did not get to the prosecution part. Bugliosi is long-winded and full of anger at Bush. He has good reason, but he didn't say anything new to this peace activist. I wasn't necessarily looking for something new, but I was looking for a rational case. No doubt it's there, but he lost me in the opening argument. I agree with him, George W Bush doesn't really care about his country, but Bugliosi wasn't proving anything by making the case for that. If you want to feel good about your anger towards GWB, then you'll like this book. That wasn't something I wanted to spend my time with.

I'm glad the author is, indeed he's making the case to congress. I'm not sure when this happened, but here's the scrappy guy urging them to refer GWB to the justice department for murder.


The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama (audio)
rating: 3 of 5 stars

Obama reads this himself. He sounds very much like a minister: kind, sincere, and with that declamatory cadence I recall from my childhood churches.



While I don't, I can't, appreciate his every even-handed anecdote, such as his meeting George W Bush for the first time and liking him, or his admiration for Reagan, I do admire and respect his political acumen. The title is "Audacity of Hope" but this is not about pipe dreams...I tentatively believe that if anyone can repair the damage done to the American political landscape, it could be this man.

His every word has respect for others, for the process, and for this country. Each chapter is a treatise on his views, and these are rational, methodical, respectful, and smart. Some worry me, like his admiration for Reagan policies, if I remember correctly. What gives me hope is his ability to work with those he disagrees with, if this book is any indication.


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Buddhists are not theists

There's a talk to that effect at the oldest Buddhist temple in Oregon this Saturday.

Buddhist, Theist, Non-Believer Panel Discussion
August 23, 2 pm
Oregon Buddhist Temple
3720 SE 34th Ave, Portland

From the description:

The most interesting part of the program will almost surely be the interchange between the presenters, Rev.Marcoux and Rev. Gibbs, and the attendees. Please remember however that we are not here to answer questions like “Does the Buddha's Pure Land really exist?” and certainly not to argue about the existence or non-exsitence of some deity.

Spiritual maturity leads one away from questions about what is or is not in existence. The important questions to those who are emotionally or spiritually mature are always about how our experience changes with the taking of different perspectives.

Margaret Cho is hot

and she's got a new show on VH-1.


The Cho Show (:30 Image) from Vinny Lopez on Vimeo.


I don't know why I didn't know she has a blog, but she does, and you can see the first episode on her blog here.

I don't get it, the first episode airs tomorrow, Thursday the 21st, but you get a sneak preview online. Has the web surpassed TV as the spot to be entertained? I'm recording it just in case this is the abridged version.

2 seconds 2 bees

I've shared spring, fall and winter colors before, but summer kind of got left behind. More to come on flickr soon.

Tiger lilies in front of my house. Our former renters planted them...she liked to garden.