Olive Branch
Jan. 13th, 2004 12:49 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jakebe
The sky is a really bright shade of gray today and it silhouettes the blackbirds perfectly. You can just see your breath, and everything looks still and heavy. This is the kind of day you take hours to wake up for, and where it's possible not to say anything and still be relatively upbeat. I love days like this. Needless to say, I'm in a better mood.
While my mood has changed, my resolve has not, and I still plan on carrying out what I said I would in anger. My frustration is still there, and I'm fairly sure most people don't see the situation in quite the same way I do.
This is not a bad thing. It's simply a difference in perspective and opinion. I'm not sure I'm completely in the right here, but that doesn't matter at this point; I do believe it's time to move on.
Despite what it looks like, yesterday was a pretty good day. Ran Changeling with Lazarus, where not much at all happened. Still, I managed to get the characterization of a few folks down and bonds between "Justin" and his friends were strengthened in the downtime, if only a little bit. Now that my Sunday Changeling game is toast, I can focus a lot more on this one for a little while, and bring Eliahn back into the swing of things.
On a slightly unrelated note, I really love it when my players develop names and theories for things. :) Lazarus tends to call Justin's 'arch-nemesis' Mister Mestopheles, which fits much more than what I've been calling him (The Cat). Not only does the name bring to mind images Satanic and evil, it's also a reference to T.S. Eliot's poem, which is about as whimsical as you get. Good call.
While my mood has changed, my resolve has not, and I still plan on carrying out what I said I would in anger. My frustration is still there, and I'm fairly sure most people don't see the situation in quite the same way I do.
This is not a bad thing. It's simply a difference in perspective and opinion. I'm not sure I'm completely in the right here, but that doesn't matter at this point; I do believe it's time to move on.
Despite what it looks like, yesterday was a pretty good day. Ran Changeling with Lazarus, where not much at all happened. Still, I managed to get the characterization of a few folks down and bonds between "Justin" and his friends were strengthened in the downtime, if only a little bit. Now that my Sunday Changeling game is toast, I can focus a lot more on this one for a little while, and bring Eliahn back into the swing of things.
On a slightly unrelated note, I really love it when my players develop names and theories for things. :) Lazarus tends to call Justin's 'arch-nemesis' Mister Mestopheles, which fits much more than what I've been calling him (The Cat). Not only does the name bring to mind images Satanic and evil, it's also a reference to T.S. Eliot's poem, which is about as whimsical as you get. Good call.
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The sky is a really bright shade of gray today and it silhouettes the blackbirds perfectly. You can just see your breath, and everything looks still and heavy. This is the kind of day you take hours to wake up for, and where it's possible not to say anything and still be relatively upbeat. I love days like this. Needless to say, I'm in a better mood.
While my mood has changed, my resolve has not, and I still plan on carrying out what I said I would in anger. My frustration is still there, and I'm fairly sure most people don't see the situation in quite the same way I do.
This is not a bad thing. It's simply a difference in perspective and opinion. I'm not sure I'm completely in the right here, but that doesn't matter at this point; I do believe it's time to move on.
Despite what it looks like, yesterday was a pretty good day. Ran Changeling with Lazarus, where not much at all happened. Still, I managed to get the characterization of a few folks down and bonds between "Justin" and his friends were strengthened in the downtime, if only a little bit. Now that my Sunday Changeling game is toast, I can focus a lot more on this one for a little while, and bring Eliahn back into the swing of things.
On a slightly unrelated note, I really love it when my players develop names and theories for things. :) Lazarus tends to call Justin's 'arch-nemesis' Mister Mestopheles, which fits much more than what I've been calling him (The Cat). Not only does the name bring to mind images Satanic and evil, it's also a reference to T.S. Eliot's poem, which is about as whimsical as you get. Good call. <:)
I ended Changeling a little earlier than usual, because 2 surprised me by cooking me dinner. Really, really good chicken teriyaki stir-fry, with miso soup. I'm *really* fond of miso soup, so that was the highlight of it all for me...even if I didn't eat it all. <:) I swear, someone must have stapled my stomach shut when I wasn't looking.
We pecked helplessly at the TV/DVD/PS2 set up in the living room until we managed to get the parental control password (thanks Silver!) and watch "Stay Tuned." My first time seeing it, not a bad little movie, actually; John Ritter is really cute as a cartoon mouse, but to me he'll always be Clifford. ;)
All in all, it was a really nice dinner; there were parts where 2 really, really wanted to bitch about something but he kept his tongue, and the effort was appreciated. Dinner was grand.
After that, went to WalMart for food and stuff with Cy, who's just all around one of my favorite people ever. No matter what, I can be completely relaxed around him. He's unassuming but very clever, observant and most of all fun. Always a blast to be around that one. And he has the world's greatest ass, but you didn't hear that from me. >:)
I got a universal remote and a coax cable for my TV and VCR, so now I can watch videotapes and what-not. The slippery slope into couch-potatoedness continues.
I think more than anything I need a break. Since I have work and I can't afford to take off for a few days or anything like that, I'll probably lock myself in my room this week and talk to people as little as possible. I'm not angry at anyone per se, but I think a cooling-off period is best for everyone involved.
I finished reading <i>Buddhism Without Beliefs</i>, and I'm currently working on <i>Unsui</i>, which Kamber let me borrow last time I was in KC. It's basically a visual diary of a Zen monk's six-month training period, from the decision to become a monk to the end of the bi-annual session.
It's an utterly fascinating book because of the many nuances the artist (can't remember his name for the life of me) puts in to the drawings. Many of the monks, especially the one we follow, have a tendency to look scowly or mildly peeved all the time. At first I found it really odd, but now it's kind of endearing. I imagine that the rigors of monastic life take quite a bit of getting used to, and not everyone's going to have coked-out nirvana smiles on their faces while begging in the rain. Monastic living is not easy, and the artist is very honest about that, which is something I dig.
I'm also learning quite a bit about the differences between Zen monasticism and other forms of it, particularly the Catholic method of doing things. In many Zen monasteries, there are different ways that the monks connect with the larger, secular community they're a part of, either through begging, hosting sesshins or discourses, teaching more regular zazen classes or having the Roshi's lectures opened for any who want to join. I'm not sure this is true for *every* monastery, particularly in the West, but community contact is just as important as introspection it seems.
Another handy fact: in this particular monastery, every fifth day ending in 4th or 9th is generally devoted to housecleaning and head-shaving. That might be a good rhythm to get into.
Anyway, I'm at work, so I should probably be doing some. <:)
While my mood has changed, my resolve has not, and I still plan on carrying out what I said I would in anger. My frustration is still there, and I'm fairly sure most people don't see the situation in quite the same way I do.
This is not a bad thing. It's simply a difference in perspective and opinion. I'm not sure I'm completely in the right here, but that doesn't matter at this point; I do believe it's time to move on.
Despite what it looks like, yesterday was a pretty good day. Ran Changeling with Lazarus, where not much at all happened. Still, I managed to get the characterization of a few folks down and bonds between "Justin" and his friends were strengthened in the downtime, if only a little bit. Now that my Sunday Changeling game is toast, I can focus a lot more on this one for a little while, and bring Eliahn back into the swing of things.
On a slightly unrelated note, I really love it when my players develop names and theories for things. :) Lazarus tends to call Justin's 'arch-nemesis' Mister Mestopheles, which fits much more than what I've been calling him (The Cat). Not only does the name bring to mind images Satanic and evil, it's also a reference to T.S. Eliot's poem, which is about as whimsical as you get. Good call. <:)
I ended Changeling a little earlier than usual, because 2 surprised me by cooking me dinner. Really, really good chicken teriyaki stir-fry, with miso soup. I'm *really* fond of miso soup, so that was the highlight of it all for me...even if I didn't eat it all. <:) I swear, someone must have stapled my stomach shut when I wasn't looking.
We pecked helplessly at the TV/DVD/PS2 set up in the living room until we managed to get the parental control password (thanks Silver!) and watch "Stay Tuned." My first time seeing it, not a bad little movie, actually; John Ritter is really cute as a cartoon mouse, but to me he'll always be Clifford. ;)
All in all, it was a really nice dinner; there were parts where 2 really, really wanted to bitch about something but he kept his tongue, and the effort was appreciated. Dinner was grand.
After that, went to WalMart for food and stuff with Cy, who's just all around one of my favorite people ever. No matter what, I can be completely relaxed around him. He's unassuming but very clever, observant and most of all fun. Always a blast to be around that one. And he has the world's greatest ass, but you didn't hear that from me. >:)
I got a universal remote and a coax cable for my TV and VCR, so now I can watch videotapes and what-not. The slippery slope into couch-potatoedness continues.
I think more than anything I need a break. Since I have work and I can't afford to take off for a few days or anything like that, I'll probably lock myself in my room this week and talk to people as little as possible. I'm not angry at anyone per se, but I think a cooling-off period is best for everyone involved.
I finished reading <i>Buddhism Without Beliefs</i>, and I'm currently working on <i>Unsui</i>, which Kamber let me borrow last time I was in KC. It's basically a visual diary of a Zen monk's six-month training period, from the decision to become a monk to the end of the bi-annual session.
It's an utterly fascinating book because of the many nuances the artist (can't remember his name for the life of me) puts in to the drawings. Many of the monks, especially the one we follow, have a tendency to look scowly or mildly peeved all the time. At first I found it really odd, but now it's kind of endearing. I imagine that the rigors of monastic life take quite a bit of getting used to, and not everyone's going to have coked-out nirvana smiles on their faces while begging in the rain. Monastic living is not easy, and the artist is very honest about that, which is something I dig.
I'm also learning quite a bit about the differences between Zen monasticism and other forms of it, particularly the Catholic method of doing things. In many Zen monasteries, there are different ways that the monks connect with the larger, secular community they're a part of, either through begging, hosting sesshins or discourses, teaching more regular zazen classes or having the Roshi's lectures opened for any who want to join. I'm not sure this is true for *every* monastery, particularly in the West, but community contact is just as important as introspection it seems.
Another handy fact: in this particular monastery, every fifth day ending in 4th or 9th is generally devoted to housecleaning and head-shaving. That might be a good rhythm to get into.
Anyway, I'm at work, so I should probably be doing some. <:)
