Don't You Wish Your Girlfriend Was Bald Like Me

Mmmm hmmm.

- BuddhaDave

Seriously (And I Meant This): Best. Site. Evar.

You will never find a better website than this right here.

Refresh the page. It changes color and tune.

- BuddhaDave

The Journey & The Step

I bought a book on writing. I haven't gotten a book not having to do with some kind of philosophy in probably a year or more. To be fair, this book isn't really any different. Its by Natalie Goldberg, a writer and Zen student. I have listened to her book, "Long Quiet Highway" a couple times and I really enjoy her writing style.

It feels like... me. Not that she writes like me or anything like that. She writes like I think we all think. Simple. The little details that make up our lives. She's honest and open like she cracked open her head and let it all fall onto the paper without any internal censor going, "That's boring, this part is dumb, this part is embarrassing..." etc etc. I want to write like that. I want to write.

The book so far is amazing. She presents writing as a spiritual practice. Its no different from meditation or prayer or any other practice: Don't quit. Don't get thrown away by your mind. Shut up. Do it. What good advice for anything we undertake in our lives. Working out, dieting, getting our butts on that cushion, making music. Just do it. Don't get thrown away. Just do.

I'm on page twenty or something. I've marked more passages than in any book I've read. I bought a fountain pen, its awesome. I have a notebook. I will fill one a month (bog willing) and write every day. I just need to do it.

I've been afraid to blog lately. My mind is saying I have nothing to say. Watch a movie instead. Take a long bath. Check webcomics. Writing in your blog is useless. Not only that, I'm afraid of bad criticism. It made me skip my confession on the full moon.

At first I wrote just to write. Then it turned into writing for you, dear reader. That's bad. I want you enjoy my blog, of course. I want to hear good things and positive comments. But if that is my goal I will be disappointed and disheartened and down. I can't write for you anymore. You can't workout for anyone, write music for anyone, design for anyone, but yourself. Just because its your love. Its for you.

I may never be a good writer. That's not really my goal, I don't think. I do want to be honest and get my innards out there. I want to be honest. I dunno why. I think communication is built into people somehow. Its what makes us different really than other forms of life. I want to share. I want to show what is inside me. For really reals. No hiding. I want to be honest. Here's hoping.

I don't want to write a book at this point. Or a movie or poems or anything. Who knows how I may feel in the future. For now it is only this blog. Maybe something more when the conditions arise in me for it.

Prepare for more posts. Prepare for experimentations and failed attempts. Stay or go. I'll be here spilling my guts, and hopefully, rain or shine I'll keep spilling. I'll endeavor to be honest. If you want to comment please do the same. A bird learns to fly by flying.

Yours,
BuddhaDave

Coolest. Thing. Ever.

You'll recall my previous post about falling into the Brick movie forums. Check this out:





That's the director/writer replying to two of my posts. He's not saying anything big, but it still feels amazing.

- BuddhaDave

Shit

E-mailed Submission

Here I go again. Getting obsessed over a chunk of media. The object of
my obsession this time? Brick. I just signed up for the forums, the
first step in a downward spiral of angry rants, cussing, and general
drama.

I signed up to see if there were any theories on what one main character
whispered into the other's ear at the very end of the film. Apparently
its supposed to be completely audible but depending on the quality of
your theatre's speakers results may vary. My results weren't that
great.

Theories range from those that are in accordance with mine (even though
you probably won't see the movie, dear reader, I love it too much to
spoil it) to the Tootsie Pop theory (the world may never know) to the
bizzare.

I hate when I get like this. Normally I'm a laid back guy that
understands everyone has their own theories and ways and no one is
particularly better than the others. Well when it comes to people
talking about media I love I feel they are all retarted thirteen year
old n00bs or snobby lonely uppity middle-aged wannabe art students with
too much time and not enough brains. Either way, they are wrong and I
am wright. Unelss they agree with me, of course.

I well understand this is a microscopic manifestation of the
interolerance that makes things like religious wars and the like happen
every day. But goddamn it I just cannot help myself. You are wrong. I
am right. Why argue? haha Would I go to war for Brick if there were
some weird battle between movies for title of Best Movie Evar OMG?
Yes. Would I kill some people? Probably not. But they'd know they
were in a fit by golly.

I'm sure I will get lots and lots and lots (did I mention lots?) of
chances to practice patience, equanimity, and the ability to supress
the urge to punch through the Internet and knock some teeth out.

SERENITY NOW!

- BuddhaDave

The Sad List

Emailed Submission

* I wanted to sleep in today
* I wanted to get up early
* Cow extract
* I think my new glasses are wrong
* Its hot
* I'm whiney
* Cute sno-cone girl, why?!
* My feet are fat from lunch
* I'm walking alone
* I feel dumb

- BhikkhuDave

P.S. But I'm happy to be alive. :)

A Week of Eight

This Saturday is Vesak (or Wesak) which is the probably the biggest Buddhist holiday world-wide. It marks the birthday of Siddhartha Gautama who would later become The Buddha. This holiday celebrates his birth, enlightenment, and death all in one package.

During this time there are as many different ways to observe this holiday as there are schools and sects within Buddhism. Some prepare special meals, some release birds into the sky, some cities even close down their liquor and butcher shops for two days, while others spend their time in monasteries.

One common practice for lay (non-ordained) practicioners is to take on three additional trainings or precepts in addition to the basic five. These are:

The training to avoid taking the life of living beings.
The training to avoid taking things not given.
The training to avoid sensual misconduct.
The training to avoid wrong speech.
The training to avoid intoxicating substances.

With the additional three of:

The training to abstain from taking food at inappropriate times.
The training to abstain from sensual pleasures such as dancing, singing and self-adornment.
The training to abstain from the use of high or luxurious beds or chairs

These precepts are interpreted differently by different people. They are aimed at avoiding situations that give rise to unskillful states of mind and in turn cause harm to others or oneself.

Vesak is used to strengthen one's motivation towards following their chosen path, hence the taking on of the extra vows and spending they day doing things more centered towards spiritual practice.

For the next week I plan on taking on the three additional precepts and can hopefully use the time to strengthen my practice.

Happy Sunday!

- BhikkhuDave

Dry Spell

E-mailed Submission

I keep dreaming about rain. Every night for the past two weeks I have
dreamt about it. The only constant in each is the rain itself. Every
one is woven through richly with joy and a sense of peace and of
fulfillment. They are very enjoyable.

When I wake up I am saddened to find was just a dream. Saddened that it
did not really rain and that it has not for awhile. Or at least not as
much as I want it to.

Often I am teased by a quick shower that ends all too quickly. But
these do not seem to wane the waxing ache in my heart or in my head.
They only awaken my appetite without properly sending it back to bed.

Please do not misunderstand, I am grateful and elated for any rain that
comes my way. I am not so greedy that a gift goes unnoticed.

What makes it all the worse to bear is that clouds pass near me every
day. Round, soft, playful clouds with whispered possibilities of
showers. If they sky was always barren perhaps I would not be reminded
so of this heart's desire. Fasting is more difficult the nearer the end
approaches.

I want drops to fall from the sky and drench my face in cool kisses. I
want the clouds to stretch overheard and dim the sun like a soft
blanket in morning. I want to be soaked through. I want fall asleep
with its breath in my ear.

I do not want to perform rain dances, virgin sacrifices, or cloud
seeding. I do not wish to coax the rain from the sky with sweet words
and heavy looks. I do not want to sit with crossed arms and many a
sigh until drops hit the overhang of my pouting lip. I want it to fall
naturally and spontaneously. Because it wants to.

I am a wrinkled old miser. The rain comes as much as is proper and I
have no right to complain. I tell myself this but I do not listen to my
advice for long. The rain falls when the rain falls. I will keep my
heart, and my mouth, quiet until then.

- BhikkhuDave

White Ninja is a Photographper

Continuing on with the comic thingy:



I love White Ninja Comics. They are random and hilarious. Especially the ones with his family, who always change from comic to comic.

- BhikkhuDave