shunyata

Sunday: Left a DV tape spooling into my laptop last night. Woke at 6:30 to change tapes, then back to bed for a couple hours. At 8:30, up again, and the last tape in. Shower. Quick breakfast with MB, and headed to KKC at 9:20.

Arrived 9:31. Gave Tsunma-la back the video deck. Suggested a woman who has been having trouble hearing sit behind me near the audio console and listen through headphones. She did, and said later it was a help. Very interesting teaching today about the nature of self (body? mind? both? neither?). I asked a question, but the answer was essentially, "hang on." After class, after some socializing, a pot-luck lunch welcoming Geshela back from India. I talked with Mk about his time spent with a particular well known spiritual guide. Then talked about pigeons and squirrels with Nk and company. Spent a little time hanging with Wnd and Pt. Wnd was supposed to get some help from Ed, but he had a family emergency come up. Jf and Sn gave me a thoughtful little gift. Headed home, but took a drive on the way.

Back home, said hello to MB who was in the front mulching, some emailing, then down basement for practices. When I surfaced, MB was in the backyard doing more gardening. I helped out a little, doing some weeding, also giving Leo the cat a little outdoor time. The weather was a little mixed today: cool with patches of rain, clearing in the late afternoon. When we wrapped up outside, we both washed our hands with poison-ivy antidote. I walked up the street to make a deposit at the bank. Exiting the ATM stall, the fellow entering seemed truly thankful that I held the door open for him. I saw a ladybug (or ladybird) on a concrete pillar, and suddenly it was on my hand. This reminded me of an anecdote from the recent Lebanon course, and of the sometimes futile nature of attempting to provide help. I walked the ladybug back to the end of the parking lot, and let it crawl up onto some leaves in the large stand of weeds there.

Back home, I scanned part of the score of Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time. I need to return it to the library, and there's a part of it Jun wants me to look at. MB printed out directions to a party she was going to. She headed out. I continued scanning. Some emailing. Before long, it was time for me to leave as well.

South Boston, and an NEGC meeting. Victor, Glenn, David, Alex, Martin, Terry. We worked on playing the first few bars of Third Relation without mistakes. Same with the intro to Calliope. I thought it was a very good thing that Victor pushed us in this way. MB arrived around 9:30, and we switched to working on a circulation pattern (skipping none, 1, 2, 3, etc.) then clapping. We got better at it as we internalized the pattern. The whole evening was a little strange for me, sitting in a new location in the circle (next to Victor). We worked on other repertoire. Hope, fast circulations giving us some trouble. We split into two groups Terry MB and Martin staying put to work on the Bach piece, the rest of us going in the next room to work on Askesis. David picked up the rest of the lead line. Terry MB and Martin played the Bach piece through a couple of times for us. Work on more repertoire. Victor enjoined us to be the circle we could be. I noticed a sign on the wall of the dojo with a similar message. Victor said he was going to get me a Xena poster for my practice room. Talk about the gigs that are coming up. Then just talk.

Walking back to the cars, a neighborhood resident asked if we were playing at the party he was just at. Then he told us about the worst night of his life, which was when the ATM ate his card. I wish that was the worst night of my life! Stopped for gas, and the pump did not eat my ATM card. Back home, heated some soup and made toast as MB fixed us lunches for tomorrow. Ate. Soon bed.