"...as it is"





- Kwong, Jakusho. No Beginning. No End.: The Ultimate Heart of Zen. Peter Levitt, ed, New York: Harmony Books, 2003, p.114.








It's been a hard couple weeks for many of us. To everyone:


"Yes."

I find my mind a very exciting place to be.

In the span of 45 minutes today, in the pouring rain have you, I saw two people drive down the wrong side of the street, uncountable amounts of cars run red lights, a general disregard for traffic laws or safety...I almost got hit walking across a street with a stop sign as the "stopper" stopped her car some 4 feet passed the line. Turning left illegally...blocking traffic on a major street like Wilshire Blvd...why do LA drivers think this is acceptable behavior?

Oh, and there is THIS

mood: awake

I found this really great article called "Sorry Bloggers - The Internet is BAD for Kids' Brains" (Oct 31, 2008). Not only is it extremely interesting and relevant, it cites our beloved Marshall McLuhan, media theorist and author of "Understanding Media: Extensions of Man" (1964). Basically, the article claims that the internet is shaping the way we learn, process, and understand information, touching upon cyberlearning and the impact of the internet on education. I'm not sure if I agree or disagree - more research would have to be conducted - but it certainly brought to my attention the potential impacts of living in an internet saturated society. Enjoy!

http://blogs.sfweekly.com/thesnitch/2008/10/internet_kids_dont_need_no_sti.php

at their best, there is gentleness in Humanity.
some understanding and, at times, acts of
courage
but all in all it is a mass, a glob that doesn't
have too much.
it is like a large animal deep in sleep and
almost nothing can awaken it.
when activated it's best at brutality,
selfishness, unjust judgments, murder.

what can we do with it, this Humanity?

nothing.

avoid the thing as much as possible.
treat it as you would anything poisonous, vicious
and mindless.
but be careful. it has enacted laws to protect
itself from you.
it can kill you without cause.
and to escape it you must be subtle.
few escape.

it's up to you to figure a plan.

I have met nobody who has escaped.

I have met some of the great and
famous but they have not escaped
for they are only great and famous within
Humanity.

I have not escaped
but I have not failed in trying again and
again.

before my death I hope to obtain my
life.




Charles Bukowski, from blank gun silencer - 1994

For Class:

"I'm pleased to see a "Presidential Campaign" section to comment on, because it's something that I'm thinking a lot about even as I read the various IS articles. This week, Borgman's piece titled "The Premise and Promise of a Global Information Infrastructure" espcially challenged me to think about the future of politics in America.

I’m sure we’ve all heard or read about McCain’s alleged comments on how he is computer illiterate and does not use email. Obama, on the other hand, has attempted to reach voters through text messaging, Twitter, and other interactive, electronic resources (so one can assume Obama is computer literate). With that in mind, coming across Borgman’s point that “it is reasonable to speak of a new world emerging,” one that emphasizes global networking technologies like computers and Internet, I wonder: does McCain recognize this “Information Society” that’s developing in major parts of the world right now, or is he simply too out of touch to understand? If the latter is true, would it be better for voters to go with Obama, a candidate who has shown he can “change” with the times and promote popular and emerging modes of networking (not to mention actually USE a computer) ? Is Obama’s vision for this country closer to reaching “an information society that benefits all,” or is it unfair to associate McCain’s lack of computer skills with potentially poor presidential leadership?"

Time to go to school. All day orientation promises to be awkward. My charm comes out mid day.

Cows In Art Class

good weather
is like
good women-
it doesn't always happen
and when it does
it doesn't
always last.
man is
more stable:
if he's bad
there's more chance
he'll stay that way,
or if he's good
he might hang
on,
but a woman
is changed
by
children
age
diet
conversation
sex
the moon
the absence or
presence of sun
or good times.
a woman must be nursed
into subsistence
by love
where a man can become
stronger
by being hated.

"...anything I could think of saying to ease the pressure of what I really wanted to weep about - "


let life unfold gracefully, turn every situation into something useful
we all suffer, we all need a focus

Hare Krishna
Hare Krishna
Hare Hare
Krishna Krishna

Nothing in our experience or the experience of others deserves our judgement.


There are absolutely no negative thought patterns.

Here's what I got so far for Fall...

INFORMATION IN SOCIETY - Examination of processes by which information and knowledge are created, integrated, disseminated, organized, used, and preserved. Topics include history of communication technologies, evolution of literacy, development of information professions, and social issues related to information access.

INFORMATION STRUCTURES - Introduction to various systems and tools used to organize materials and provide access to them, with emphasis on generic concepts of organization, classification, hierarchy, arrangement, and display of records. Provides background for further studies in cataloging, reference, information retrieval, and database management.

SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH METHODOLOGY FOR INFORMATION STUDIES - Understanding of nature, uses, and practice of research appropriate to information studies. Identification of research problems and design and evaluation of research. Social science quantitative and qualitative methods. Emphasis on inquiry methodology and empirical research.


No word yet on a fourth choice, or if I'm even suppose to take 16 units. A Thursday class would fit snuggly in there though.

Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday...that means nice long weekends for me to play.

mood: energetic

http://www.nathankostechko.com/tattoos/


This guy's work is awesome. My sister is going to get some work done by him, and I think I may follow. Check out the hamburger.

" 'Why did I allow myself to be bored ever in the past and to compensate for it got high or drunk or rages or all the tricks people have because they want anything but serene understanding of just what there is, which is after all so much..' "

The Subterraneans, Jack Kerouac, just finished
and this one thought is perfect.

last day of hell week. OC tomorrow. Whew.

KUDOS to Barack
for deciding not to take part
in the public financing system
this general election.

That is pretty excellent

pretty excellent indeed.

Today I am very excited because I purchased some wonderful pieces of literature at used prices. Here's what I got:

-The First Third by Neal Cassidy
I will admit, my having a crush on Neal might have contributed to the joy I felt reading this book for the first time a few months back, but he is quite a profound thinker and an avid drug user, which I happen to admire (strangely), and my heart is comforted just knowing I will soon own a copy of his incomplete autobiography/essays PLUS what a dream boat

-The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test by Tom Wolfe
Although Neal has a big role as the Merry Prankster's Navigator, the highlights of this book are centered much more around Ken Kesey and the rest of those crazy day-glo kids, very inspiring story of the possibilities of consciousness and the ridiculousness of society as we know it, PLUS cool lingo and mostly San Francisco based...my summary does no sort of justice to this written gem

-Visions of Cody by Jack Kerouac
Kerouac's 500 page novel centering around Neal, half of which is just transcribed tape recordings of the two of them drunk/stoned/high on something that we can't get anymore, but in this chaos are the most profound ideas that other's are usually too absent minded to consider cementing into literary stone as Kerouac has; first half is descriptions of 1950s era NYC and SF, very retro and WHEW beauuuutifully written. Great example of Kerouac's genius

-Road Novels 1957-1960: On the Road / The Dharma Bums / The Subterraneans / Tristessa / Lonesome Traveler / Journal Selections by Jack Kerouac
A good compilation of Jack's work, The Dharma Bums being one of my favorites, a very quiet and inspirational diddy about Jack's experiences being Buddhist in the 1950s; Tristessa, so abstract I had a hard time reading it the first time around, will be pleasant to decipher, and the rest I have not read so very good, very good

-The Beginner's Guide to Insight Meditation by Arinna Weisman
I just finished this one, and it read like a textbook to life, so I figured it couldn't hurt to pick up a copy in case I need to reference sanity and mindfulness which I seem to on a daily basis. Being positive is good.


That's it! I hope when I'm poor living in some shack somewhere without furniture I can pile up all my books and make coffee tables/walls/etc with them because they're that versatile.

Mid day hump OOOOOHHHH this tired body OH PROSPECT of sleep FATHER TIME why are you so stubborn? Wouldn't it be nice to rip a long pearl necklace off somebody's neck and see the beads go flying sure would. Marina girls EVERYWHERE they care so little they wash their hair often, one can tell it's like cashmere. This chair is insanely uncomfortable and there's no where to put my feet up, I can't work without elevated feet maybe something else later SHMOE

I walked east, then north, heard a crowd, was given free baseball tickets, rocked the fried chicken, rocked the row one section three hundred and twenty-three, drank the jameson, drank the coco, gaaaaazed, bused it across town, drank beer, played rock, walked home, watched rats, fell sloooooow into a pleasant sleep

BLAM!

all in good company.