spacemonk

watched star wars ii attack of the clones. easily the weakest star wars movie. had a hard time following it because:
a. i live in a noisy house
b. i think overall, it is kinda weak
c. it violated my 2 hr rule for movies
d. although i have seen all the star wars movies, to me, they are simply movies as opposed to a way of life (probably obvious given i haven't seen it prior to now)

that being said:
a. the special effects are cool, as expected
b. natalie portman is cute enough (easy to see where carrie fisher got her looks)
c. it was almost worth it all to see yoda kick butt

still i am left with some nagging questions:
a. how could someone as annoying as anakin skywalker turn into someone as cool as darth vader
b. why hasn't yoda, the most enlightened being in the omniverse, completely eschewed violence
c. what is on the other, bonus dvd in the case

i've been listening to fleetwood mac's tusk lately. for a few years back in the 70's fleetwood mac ruled. one of the few bands that had both AM, top 40 hit singles and FM - album oriented radio credibility. a true case of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. could i take a whole cd of christine mcvie's MOR pop songs, or stevie nicks' sorceress act, or lindsey buckingham's mad genius (ok, maybe buckingham's songs i could take a whole cd of) - but together their styles complimented each other - held down by a pretty solid rhythm section featuring the world's tallest drummer. and they rocked out from time to time - at least for a pop band. tusk was a brave record. it came out after rumours sold about a bazillion records when i'm sure everyone (especially their record company) wanted them to make rumours II. instead, mainly due to buckingham, they produced a quirky masterpiece - my favorite fm record, warts and all. i'm sure this lead to their commercial doom - and tensions between band members split them up. note to self - check out used store for more of the mac...

i was looking at the skating rink's safety rules today, of which there really are only a few. prominent among them is "don't lick your mittens?" wtf? i mean, sure, it's a behaviour that should be discouraged, and maybe if your mittens had snow on them your tongue could stick or something - plus knowing how many youngsters have questionable hygiene habits, i'm sure some use their mittens as handkerchiefs. but really - does this deserve to be in the top 4 or 5 safety rules of the rink? am i missing something here? was there an epidemic of kids with their tongues stuck to their mittens in local emergency rooms. and why just mittens? why not gloves or scarves? the mind reels...

daily buddhist thought (beliefnet)

Leave the mind in its natural, undisturbed state. Don't follow thoughts of "This is a problem, that is a problem!" Without labeling difficulties as problems, leave your mind in its natural state. In this way, you will stop seeing miserable conditions as problems."

-Lama Zopa Rinpoche, "Transforming Problems Into Happiness"

olympic skiier and winner of two medals bode miller underwent arthroscopic surgery today per the us olympic team site. he'll miss this weekends races but will compete next weekend. what a goldbricker. wow, to be a 25 yr old olympic athlete!

i've had arthroscopic surgery on both knees. the first knee took a long time to heel, i think because i was not in very good shape when it was done - approx 5 yrs ago. the other knee i had done last year recovered very quickly (was back skating in 2 or 3 weeks) but still doesn't feel 100%. nothing major - a bit of limited mobility, discomfort.

if, like me, you like asian music - especially that of the indian subcontinent, check out bbc's asian network

anyone else notice that tony soprano is always eating? even after the heinous act he committed last week, while contemplating his next move he was munching on the victims peanut butter.

if i heard right listening to bbc6, they are debating a law in the uk to allow pubs to have a 24/7 license. the aim is to reduce binge drinking.

huh?

no friday five so i'll make up my own

1. what's the grossest food you ever ate?
head cheese. i ate it when i was a kid (was a meat eater back then). never realized what it was. thought it was just a clever name

2. what are you having for lunch today?
i don't know, but i'm getting pretty hungry, nothing today yet but coffee and a handful of potato chips (i can't pass a bag without grabbing some). have to check the fridge - maybe i'll go out

3. what's the oddest combination you like to eat?
a salad with spicy peanut sauce, apples, raisins and those crispy chinese noodles

4. why the obsession with food today?
i'm hungry, darn it (see #2)

5. if you could ban one food from the face of the earth, what would it be?
onions - i'd let green onions slide, though

daily hindu wisdom (from beliefnet)

He who knows me as his own divine Self breaks through the belief that he is the body and is not reborn as a separate creature. Such a one is united with me. Delivered from selfish attachment, fear, and anger, filled with me, surrendering themselves to me, purified in the fire of my being, many have reached the state of unity in me.

-Bhagavad Gita 4:9-10

a new link to chari's sister melanie

the class next to my lab must have been teaching cpr or something cause there was a dummy stretched out on a table. in the minute it took me to realize it was a dummy i nearly soiled myself.

i saw a car start to catch on fire this AM so perhaps i am jumpy.

all my philosophical quotes posted lately reminds me of graffiti i saw while attending school (which might tip you off to my age)
"to do is to be" - plato
"to be is to do" - socrates
"do be do be do" - sinatra

have some misc. responsibilities that will keep me on campus til early evening - then it's the weekend - weekend task? working on last part of my paper for the class i'm taking and maybe looking at making up the finals for the courses i am teaching...

later...

twofer thursday - from beliefnet

daily hindu wisdom
Ignorant of their ignorance, yet wise
In their own esteem, these deluded men,
Proud of their vain learning go round and round
Like the blind led by the blind. Far beyond
Their eyes, hypnotized by the world of sense,
Opens the way to immortality.
"I am my body; when my body dies,
I die." Living in this superstition
They fall life after life under my sway.

-Katha Upanishad

buddhist daily thought
Attention is living; inattention is dying.
The attentive never stop; the inattentive are dead already.

-Dhammapada 21, translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.

p.s. even blogger must not want me to post on this - ate my first attempt, took it's sweet time posting the next...

p.p.s - sheesh - then it posted it 3 times! 2 of which i deleted - i apologize if you commented to one of the deleted posts.....

Loki Stanlisson's comment about my non-post about being laid off a year ago compelled me to respond with a comment which probably is very similar to what i would have posted about the topic were i to post about it...or something like that...

read it if you wish, don't if you don't

ancient history...

daily hindu wisdom (from beliefnet)

"I do this, I do that."
The big black snake of selfishness
Has bitten you!

"I do nothing."
This is the nectar of faith,
So drink and be happy!

-Ashtavakra Gita 1:8

a year ago today i was laid off, i had been planning to write a post on my impressions, but f it, that's ancient history

just noticed a sign on campus prohibiting riding "skateboards and roller blades (sic)". i assume they just mean in the courtyard, to prohibit aggressive skating there, as opposed to the outer perimeter where i skate. old speed skating wannabes never hurt anyone.

besides, my inline skates are salomons® and not rollerblades®

when inline skating is outlawed, only outlaws will inline skate.

rip ruth-anne

mediocre leftover₁ + mediocre leftover ₂+ mediocre leftover ₃ + hot sauce + sprinkle of parmesan = delicious dinner

is this how skyline chili started?

visit the skyfish project

i am always amazed which of my entries get many comments and which don't. i am not trolling for comments, btw. i think there are a number of factors:
a. i think weekend posts get less comments - perhaps people read instead of working (can't blame them)
b. i think when i pour my heart out into an entry, people don't know what to make of it, and therefore don't comment
c. i think sometimes people pick up on some aspect of a post and the comments become a mini-discussion thread totally unrelated to the post.
d. i think when i'm in manic, multi-post mode (perhaps like today) many of my posts get missed.

what's my point? i don't have one. but comments, as always are appreciated.

p.s. no matter how many days off you have in a row, you're never quite ready to go back to work...

i so want to post about last night's sopranos, but i don't want to be a spoiler if some folks haven't seen it. i've been moaning how this season was sub-par, but last night's episode was a strong return to form - contained in rapid fire sceneres that were among the funniest, most tragic, most touching, finally most brutal i've seen in ages.

well today pretty much followed my agenda as described below. my yoga practice has been a bit lax, so i got my butt kicked tonight...oh well, i needed it. kept seeing jesus in the poses - class is in a church, so it was just the paintings on the wall - as opposed to a genuine enlightenment experience. had t-storms - i commented how practicing yoga in the basement of a church was probably a safe place to be and all - as it turned out - we had to practice upstairs, but still...

anyhow - pray that my power doesn't go out, so i can get my fill of tv tonight - most of my favorite shows are on tonite - alias, the sopranos and a new fave: curb your enthusiasm - we watch some, tape some and watch 'em later and save some for the re-runs on wednesday...

today's agenda

• take movies back to blockbuster - perhaps look for cowboy bebop dvd


• maybe go christmas shopping - have several good leads for my wife


• maybe pick up the traditional thanksgiving tofurky


• probably yoga class


• definitely standard sunday PM tv binge

this, of course, is subject to change. in a weird - simultaneously restless and lethargic mood - restthargic? lethless?

almost ready to return to work. almost want to work on my flash simulation more, but have an odd problem that i'm very puzzled with - not sure if i CAN correct it, and as it stands it's definitely acceptable - better in fact - but the old perfectionist in me is rearing his ugly head...

could do other work - but - ya know...