manitou

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Everything posted by manitou

  1. LOL, Jim. I was just being a wise-acre. In your earlier post you called them focal chords. And I certainly understand the callous on the finger thing. I used to strum and sing in a lounge. But I won't touch the things now, for the reason you mentioned. No callouses. I agree, it's too much work for a 72 year old with a girlish body. But I can still jam on a keyboard.
  2. Admittedly, he did possess a modicum of creepiness. But I think you'd really enjoy the movie. Much more to him than meets the eye, apparently.
  3. Yes, bless Jim's heart for bringing Anand along. Jim also had a cute little troll-like quality at times, and he clearly passed it on to his protege.
  4. Have you tried exercising the vocal chords?
  5. Yes, Anand. Fairly good closure.

  6. A movie of enlightenment

    manitou posted a topic in General Discussion

    A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood. (Tom Hanks as Mr. Rogers) I just saw it, and I honestly think it could go a long way in raising collective consciousness. Does anyone else see it? (or did I just smoke some good sativa?)

  7. Dog pee

    manitou replied to SirPalomides's topic in Daoist Discussion

    Okay. As I see it, the first third would have been the most fermented but not involving contaminants because this would be the urine that had been hanging around the longest. Kind of like the potatoes at the bottom of the barrel. I obviously have too much time on my hands. Want to dance?
  8. I am so glad you mentioned this! I wrote a eulogy and expression of a goodbye from TDB's and I submitted it to management. I told them that it was just something for them to change, as sometimes it's easier to start if there's a bit of a foundation. I never heard anything more (and I think it was at a period of time when I wasn't signing in much) and just assumed they modified it to their liking and called it in to Jim's friend, who was coordinating all this. But I got a call from Jim's friend (can't remember his name) after the funeral, and he wondered why it was that the Dao Bums hadn't written anything up? He had been waiting to get it - I wish he'd called me earlier. I told him that I was so sorry about the mix-up and I felt terrible about this, and have since the funeral. I am so relieved that Jim specifically said that he didn't want anything written up, as I didn't know that before. I didn't call the guy back to clarify that, nor did I mention this to anybody at TDB's. For what purpose, I thought? So this bit of knowledge now puts me out of my misery, so to speak Thank you, dear Dawei!

  9. The scandal of me sitting in full lotus padmasana

    manitou replied to voidisyinyang's topic in General Discussion

    Lin Yutang (DDJ translator and writer of Ancient Oriental Wisdom) talks about crossing the legs (like lotus, but without the odd foot thing) and then laying back onto the bed being the most wondrous thing in the world. It takes a few seconds for the legs to relax, but sooner or later the knees will hit the bed too, if you're at all flexible. I tried it, and I've been doing this every morning for 20 years. It's very invigorating, and it may be slightly painful at first until the muscles stretch. (And I guess there's really no reason to not do the odd foot thing.....)

  10. The scandal of me sitting in full lotus padmasana

    manitou replied to voidisyinyang's topic in General Discussion

    That would be tap, wouldn't it?

  11. Dog pee

    manitou replied to SirPalomides's topic in Daoist Discussion

    I would think the first third would be the most fermented. I wonder why he shied away from it?

  12. The scandal of me sitting in full lotus padmasana

    manitou replied to voidisyinyang's topic in General Discussion

    I know. The looming often gets misinterpreted because of the baton. But I still do it,. Actually, more correctly, it's 'hovering'. The fairy godmother hovers. She doesn't loom. You noticed the star baton. I'm surprised you didn't notice the cleavage. Spoken as one who has been hit on the head by the business end.

  13. The scandal of me sitting in full lotus padmasana

    manitou replied to voidisyinyang's topic in General Discussion

    Does it involve downcast eyes, somehow? I have an Italian friend who uses downcast eyes (at the appropriate time, as when initially meeting someone). She appears shy, which is anything but the truth. But it does sink the hook into a male...
  14. beer.
  15. And the sun that kept disappearing each night. How scary it must have been. And the different paths in the sky that it would take during the seasons. And I forgot that Dorothy scolded him. Seems a bit anti-climactic.
  16. Funny that you selected that particular song. Marbles recorded a bunch of his favorite music on several CD discs for me - he loved the old stuff - big band, stuff from the 50's and 60's. 'Goodbye Jimmy, Goodbye' was one of the songs on the CD. I just brought in a roommate to live with me. He's a wonderful guy (not a romantic interest, he bats for the other team) but right now he's very scattered, with selling his house and moving in here. I told him that he reminds me of 6 marbles rolling around in a bowl. I have taken to calling him Marbles, as I always did Jim. So, in a sense, Marbles is currently living in a desert in California. Yes, let's raise a glass to the first anniversary of his death. What a fine fellow. Gambei ! (I'd love to know why you call him Dada-Da. I'm sure there'a good story under it)
  17. The interesting thing to me is that when there is consciousness of the Oneness of all of us, there is no need for strife at all. We are all, communally, It. The Lutheranism I was exposed to as a child now seems to me akin to belief in Santa. The self-righteousness we feel when sandwiched within a religion is very comforting. But, as I see it, a fairy tale. i think the amazing thing is that much of mankind, it seems, is born with this quest in the heart to believe in anything spiritual at all. To me, this is the best evidence of the great intelligence that is the basis for all. It's just that the intelligence is easily morphed into something understandable - like the statue of the virgin Mary, or a crucifix - a simple but profound attempt to reach out and understand. And in fairy tale form, it is understandable and digestible. Until one suddenly climbs out of the box and sees that their particular religion is merely a product of where in the world they were born or what they've been exposed to. But what binds everyone is the drive to understand, regardless of what religious form that takes. An then there are us lucky ones who were born into circumstances more fortunate than just dire existence. We have the option to look at the smorgasbord of spiritual or religious thought and select the one that furthers our quest for understanding. Oh, the paths extend out so very far. And then, if we're really lucky, we realize that it was right here all along. Just like the Wizard of Oz. How intimidated Dorothy and the gang all were when they were actually facing the wizard, the 'God of Oz'. Until they realized that there was a man behind the curtain. Wow.

  18. The scandal of me sitting in full lotus padmasana

    manitou replied to voidisyinyang's topic in General Discussion

    This is priceless. Never heard Jesus being used as an adjective before. May I use it? Or is it a gerund? The gerund concept went over my head in school. * * * * * * * * * * (just looked it up. Not a gerund. No -ing)

  19. The scandal of me sitting in full lotus padmasana

    manitou replied to voidisyinyang's topic in General Discussion

    honestly, I didn't know the Macdonald's thing was such a sore spot. I do really feel bad because I may have hurt another Bum (namely, Voidisinyang). That was truly the reason for my reversal, not because I felt shame from anyone. But I do appreciate that you appreciate my futile attempts at occasional humo(u)r.

  20. Dog pee

    manitou replied to SirPalomides's topic in Daoist Discussion

    Now that you've been reminded, will you be doing it any time soon?

  21. The scandal of me sitting in full lotus padmasana

    manitou replied to voidisyinyang's topic in General Discussion

    Thank you, Apech.
  22. I just saw the movie, and I found it absolutely fantastic. In fact, I started a thread on this just a couple days ago - An Enlightened Movie. Mr. Rogers can show us all how to do wei-wu-wei with beautiful silence, a smile, and kind eyes. And just listening.

  23. The scandal of me sitting in full lotus padmasana

    manitou replied to voidisyinyang's topic in General Discussion

    I feel really bad for even bringing up that alleged event. I meant it in humor, and didn't realize that was such a hot button issue. My serious apologies to @voidisyinyang if you're even still reading this thread. My bad.

  24. Is there an "easy path" in Daoism?

    manitou replied to SirPalomides's topic in Daoist Discussion

    When I think of someone being atheistic, I believe they say this out of ignorance. Sure, they reject a 'God out there somewhere', as they should. It just doesn't occur to them that they are, indeed, god. Personally, I think a good dose of atheism is a lot healthier (and shows at least an ability to think on one's own, as opposed to clinging to the religion of their youth) than a revved up born-againer who's trying to convert everyone to their way. As mucked up as the world seems right now, I do think there is an equivalent amount of awakening happening. It's unseen, that's all. I don't know about anyone else, but I run into 'woke ones' quite regularly. But that's a bit of a mystery too. Do we see more awakened folks because we are more awakened than we used to be? Because we have the 'eyes' to see at this level? Or is there actually an unseen mass arising? I prefer to believe the latter. Otherwise, we be forked.

  25. A movie of enlightenment

    manitou replied to manitou's topic in General Discussion

    I sure hope you like it as much as I did. What a total surprise.