As I often do in the afternoon, I sat down on the stone bench near the bridge, next to the tea house, rather than inside. As soon as I had seated myself, Storm appeared.
Pema Pera: Hi Storm!
Storm Nordwind: Hi :)
Storm Nordwind: The rain has cleared - though I can bring it back at a moment’s notice! :)
Pema Pera: haha
Pema Pera: how do you do that?
Storm Nordwind: I say the magic words:
Storm Nordwind: rain on
Pema Pera: wow, that is magic!
Storm Nordwind: rain thunder on
Pema Pera: on so it goes . . .
Storm Nordwind: ripples on
Storm Nordwind: ripples light bright
Pema Pera: what do you know . . .
Storm Nordwind: It’s a light shower
Storm Nordwind: I can make it very heavy but this is refreshing
Pema Pera: that only works for one property?
Storm Nordwind: It works for a given radius
Pema Pera: do you need to have permission from the property owners?
Storm Nordwind: I have set the radius to 15m from the device
Storm Nordwind: It does not overlap the neighbours
Storm Nordwind: I was very careful with the config
Storm Nordwind: Nor does it rain in the house or in the zendo
Pema Pera: are the raindrops objects or visual illusions?
Storm Nordwind: They are particles with graphic images
Storm Nordwind: And how real is a raindrop anyway?
Pema Pera: so a single raindrop has a well defined position at any give moment that will be seen as in the same position for all avatars?
Storm Nordwind: No. It is client side
Pema Pera: ah
Pema Pera: a real raindrop is a bit more real then ;>)
Storm Nordwind: Same at omega rotation
Pema Pera: what is omega rotation?
Storm Nordwind: It is a smooth way of rotating an object
Storm Nordwind: But to make it smooth it only rotates client side
Pema Pera: that which keeps working no matter how much lag you have
Storm Nordwind: yes
Storm Nordwind: once any textures are loaded
Storm continued to teach me skyscaping 101.
Storm Nordwind: The cranes on the terraces do that
Storm Nordwind: I built them to work client side
Pema Pera: ah, you see the cranes at different places than I do?
Storm Nordwind: yes
Storm Nordwind: they are actually stationary
Storm Nordwind: on the end of a long transparent beam
Storm Nordwind: that is fixed to a transparent hub
Storm Nordwind: and I cause the hub to rotate client side
Storm Nordwind: rain off
Pema Pera: with this rain
Pema Pera: for a blue sky
Pema Pera: do you get a rainbow too?
Storm Nordwind: I can do clouds too, but I like the light!
Pema Pera: yes
Pema Pera: like the fog you do
Storm Nordwind: Living in Scotland I prefer light - we get little enough here!
Pema Pera: haha yes
Storm Nordwind: The rainmaker is midway between tea house and zendo
Storm Nordwind: I’ve marked the spot with a bunch of bluebells
Pema Pera: ah, so it is built into the landscape
Storm Nordwind: It is now - if Dakini wants to keep it
Storm Nordwind: I’ll reveal it
Storm Nordwind: show
Pema Pera: show?
Storm Nordwind: You can see it the rainmaker visible now at the foot of he bluebells
Pema Pera: ah yes, skydome lettered on it.
Pema Pera: that normally is invisible?
Storm Nordwind: now I will hide it
Storm Nordwind: hide
Pema Pera: ah yes
Pema Pera: see it
Pema Pera: I mean
Pema Pera: see that I don’t see it ;>)
Pema Pera: nice!
Pema Pera: Well, I certainly like it
Pema Pera: Can I operate it too?
Storm Nordwind: No - just the owner
Storm Nordwind: It is only simple. You can buy ones that have all sorts of weather - clouds, fog, snow, all in an afternoon
Storm Nordwind: Just like Colorado!
Pema Pera: I love Colorado weather
Storm Nordwind: Yes me too. High contrast!
Pema Pera: mountain weather
The conversation turned to the SL island of Itsari.
Storm Nordwind: I pointed a friend to this site an hour or so ago
Storm Nordwind: She is a college professor
Pema Pera: this site?
Storm Nordwind: She’ll be reading your weblog first
Pema Pera: ah
Storm Nordwind: She knows Dakini
Storm Nordwind: She’s a Buddhist that hangs out at Itsari
Storm Nordwind: And a friend of Isen’s
Pema Pera: What is Itsari?
Storm Nordwind: I think we need to go there some time and find out! ;)
Storm Nordwind: But it’s an island
Storm Nordwind: And there are many Buddhists there
Storm Nordwind: Rented units
Storm Nordwind: I know three of the people who frequent Itsari
Storm Nordwind: There is an ampitheatre on the island
Storm Nordwind: It’s worth a visit
Storm Nordwind: perhaps if you have time we can pay a flying visit after this session
Pema Pera: sure, let’s wait just a few minutes
Storm Nordwind: of course
Pema Pera: I generally stay till half after the hour
Storm Nordwind: I had to explain to my friend about text logging today when i saw her
Storm Nordwind: She had had a disturbing experience with some one passing logged material onto a third party without knowledge or consent
Pema Pera: That is disturbing. As you know, I ask anyone whom I am quoting in my blog explictly for permission, and if they are not totally confortable I leave their name and quotes out.
Storm Nordwind: I showed her how it was possible to do that and also helped her get voice running
Storm Nordwind: But it is just part of the learning process here
Pema Pera: Have I met her yet?
Storm Nordwind: Not yet - I suspect you will. She is the college professor I was talking to.
Pema Pera: Ah
Pema Pera: short term memory failing ;>)
Storm Nordwind: Like me, you have a memory like a … er… one of those holey things… er… whatdayacallems
Pema Pera: haha
Pema Pera: before going to Itsari, let’s see whether Tara may be interested to join us
Storm Nordwind: sure
While we were talking Tara had arrived, at the other side of the bridge, so I crossed the water to greet her.
Pema Pera: Hi Tara!
Pema Pera: How are you?
Tara Farmer: Hi pema, where are you?
Pema Pera: to your right
Pema Pera: And now in front ;>)
Tara Farmer: I am doing well, RL has taken over a bit for me
Tara Farmer: nice socks pema!
Pema Pera: thanks!
Pema Pera: Part of a Japanese hakama, as it is called
Pema Pera: comes with a long skirt
Pema Pera: but didn’t like that so much
Tara Farmer: no skirts for you eh?
Pema Pera: not Scottish, no ;>)
Tara Farmer: i agree, I’m a girl who wears pants mostly
Pema Pera: I’m about to go visit Itsari. Storm offered me a brief tour to the island, so I was about to follow him — he’s right around the corner here.
Pema Pera: Would you like to join us?
Tara Farmer: I would love too
Tara Farmer: are we going to walk?
Pema Pera: okay, we’re leaving right now
Tara Farmer: Hey Storm *wink*
Pema Pera: first tp then fly or walk
Storm Nordwind: Hi Tara!
Storm Nordwind: tp then walk I think
Storm Nordwind: It’s a long swim! :)
Pema Pera: haha
Tara Farmer: ok, well i have never done this type of thing, except with seifert
Tara Farmer: i will follow
Pema Pera: so you’ll go ahead and tp?
Storm Nordwind: I’ll go first to the island
Tara Farmer: lead on!
Storm Nordwind: on my way
Tara Farmer: c’mon Pema
Pema Pera: yes
IM: Tara Farmer: pema you will have to tp me
Storm Nordwind: Everyone here yet?
Everything was frozen for a while, so I did not get a chance to teleport Tara over. Fortunately, Storm had less lag problems, and he offered a tp to Tara. Inexplicably Tara got hung in mid air, dangling in exactly the way that unfortunate visitors to the tea house had been left dangling in the attice. Storm and I looked at each other, scratched our head, but had no idea what had happened: there just did not seem to be any object that could have entangled poor Tara.
IM: Tara Farmer: omg!
Tara Farmer: everytime i tp with you pema!
Pema Pera: Tara, are you here?
Tara Farmer: even though storm did it
Pema Pera: haha
Tara Farmer: could one of you tp me
Tara Farmer: again
Tara Farmer: please
Pema Pera: can you click on a place to sit?
Tara Farmer: sheesh
Tara Farmer: i got it
Tara then click on a nearby rock, and thus managed to sit down, extracting herself out of her entanglement.
Pema Pera: that did it!
Storm Nordwind: yay!
Storm Nordwind: Well I guess we explore
Tara Farmer: remember when i got stuck in the attic of the tea house?
Pema Pera: I wondered what kept you suspended
Pema Pera: yes, that has been fixed now
Tara Farmer: that has happened a few times
Pema Pera: everyone got trapped
Pema Pera: then Dakini fixed the roof
Pema Pera: the ceiling rather
Storm Nordwind: It used to be Dakini’s secret initiation ceremony!
We started our walk through Itsari.
Storm Nordwind: As you can see, this part is eclectic
Storm Nordwind: We’re in one corner of the island here
Storm Nordwind: The rest is much more Japanese
Pema Pera: big lag for me sorry
Storm Nordwind: me too
Pema Pera: hard to maneuver today
Storm Nordwind: Red traffic light on the lag meter for network
Tara Farmer: freekin lag
Storm Nordwind: Sorry Big network lag for me right now
Pema Pera: I guess we are all suffering from lag??
Storm Nordwind: If it’s all of us maybe it’s lag at LL
Tara Farmer: lag schmag
Storm Nordwind: Islands are usually OK
Pema Pera: yeah
Storm Nordwind: Wow I have 3 second lag from control input :(
Storm Nordwind: Nice big tea house here!
Well, it took ages for Tara and me to follow Storm to the large tea house that he had set out to visit. I overshot, landed up in a moat, crashed into the side of a bridge, and took many twists and turns before I finally wormed my way into the roof capped but otherwise open tea area. At that point Tara had the bright idea to just stay put. That turned out to work well, since texting wasn’t quite so delayed as moving around.
Pema Pera: yeah this is pretty bad . . . .
Pema Pera: lag far too large
Pema Pera: perhaps we should do this some other day . . . .
Storm Nordwind: Normally it’s perfect here
Tara Farmer: so why dont we sit and chat for a minute
Pema Pera: fine!
Tara Farmer: so, storm, i wandered into your abode in reiul the other day
Storm Nordwind: Oh which one?
Tara Farmer: just a small room with nothing in it
Storm Nordwind: Most of my stuff is in Mieum next door
Tara Farmer: pretty uninteresting
Tara Farmer: :)
Storm Nordwind: oh?
Storm Nordwind: Sounds like it!
Tara Farmer: i figured that was where you stood on your head and chanted or something
Tara Farmer: LOL
Storm Nordwind: I usually stand on someone else’s head and chant!
Tara Farmer: ha ha
Tara Farmer: i chant in my sleep
Tara Farmer: LOL
Tara Farmer: just kidding , i don’t chant at all
Storm Nordwind: Let me guess. Your mantra is zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Tara Farmer: but isen tells me it can get pretty interesting
Tara Farmer: when there are a lot of people doing it on one room
Storm Nordwind: It certainly can be yes
Storm Nordwind: I don’t think I have any empty rooms in Rieul - at least not now
Tara Farmer: maybe i am mistaken
Storm Nordwind: If it had a very big garden attached then you were in the right place
Storm Nordwind: Or perhaps I was in the middle of building it
Tara Farmer: yes, a sand box zen garden
Tara Farmer: well around the corner
Storm Nordwind: Oh that sounds more like Dakini’s
Storm Nordwind: or possibly Seiko’s
Tara Farmer: it said it was owned by you, but nevertheless
Storm Nordwind: I know!
Tara Farmer: Eureka!
Storm Nordwind: It was the building I put down for Pema
Tara Farmer: I see
Storm Nordwind: Big thing with lots of rooms
Storm Nordwind: all emptyish
Tara Farmer: Pema, do others just lay things at your feet?
Tara Farmer: thats the one storm
Pema Pera: haha
Pema Pera: some do yes
Tara Farmer: me too sometimes
Pema Pera: it is called the Hall of Appearance
Storm Nordwind: We call that the Hall of Appearance
Pema Pera: but not much has appeared in it yet ;>)
Storm Nordwind: Because we are hoping that things will appear in there!
Tara Farmer: it appeared to me to be empty
Pema Pera: yes
Tara Farmer: LOL
Storm Nordwind: and now we are writing the same stuff!
Pema Pera: haha
Pema Pera: yes
Pema Pera: lag may help!
The conversation meandered a bit, and then returned to the question of what we are all doing here in SL.
Storm Nordwind: And we’re glad you’re here, what you say is always interesting :)
Tara Farmer: interesting?
Tara Farmer: do you mean curious?
Storm Nordwind: no. I like getting to know people. It’s always an adventure
Tara Farmer: yes I agree
Tara Farmer: I love this place for that
Tara Farmer: and if i am not mistaken, you are doing some sort of a study
Tara Farmer: ?
Tara Farmer: is that right?
Storm Nordwind: me? Well I am studying Buddhism but nothing really linked to SL. Pema is the study project man
Tara Farmer: well i knew that
Tara Farmer: but i thought you were involved somehow
Tara Farmer: other than being a subject like me
Tara Farmer: :)
Storm Nordwind: I attempt to make small contributions here and there
Tara Farmer: storm are you a buddhist IRL?
Storm Nordwind: yes
Tara Farmer: and pema, what about you?
Pema Pera: sympathetic to Buddhism, yes, but also to Taoism, Hinduism, Sufism, etc
Pema Pera: not specifically Buddhism
Pema Pera: as for projects
Pema Pera: I have started two in SL
Pema Pera: One in astronomy : http://www.physics.drexel.edu/mica
Pema Pera: the other one the Play as Being one that you know of
Pema Pera: so I’m keeping my hands busy!
Tara Farmer: so, you accept all doctrines of faith which relate to polytheism or agnosticism
Tara Farmer: ?
Pema Pera: I accept no doctrines
Tara Farmer: or are interested I should say
Pema Pera: but I like to explore yes
Pema Pera: I am happy to get pointers
Pema Pera: and then to try out
Storm Nordwind: I used to be very much a polytheist
Storm Nordwind: I have studied many paths
We talked about various religious outlooks
Tara Farmer: I believe in myself, and sometimes I do not trust that, so look outwards
Tara Farmer: but mostly I find my hope and safety within
Tara Farmer: i guess that is what i am looking for in any religion
Storm Nordwind: Most religions will teach you to look outwards, or at least beyond yourself. Buddhism will teach to look in
Tara Farmer: to have hope for humans and to feel safe
Tara Farmer: i think we are all destined to die a slow and painful death here on earth
Tara Farmer: crappy outlook
Storm Nordwind: Suffering is the name of the game
Tara Farmer: i look for reasons not to kill myself in religions
Tara Farmer: LOL
Tara Farmer: I am not sucidal, BTW
Storm Nordwind: glad to hear that
Tara Farmer: just have a realistic outlook
Storm Nordwind: sure
Tara Farmer: i just walk through my day and feel i am surrounded by an astounding number of people who have no care for others or the planet they walk upon
Storm Nordwind: Most gods are out for what they can get - like most humans!
Tara Farmer: I just get blindsided and overwhelmed
Tara Farmer: on a regular basis
Storm Nordwind: I think that that is what attracted me to Buddhism - the compassion
Storm Nordwind: I got fed up dealing with selfish gods!
Tara Farmer: I hope that the people i come into contact with with somehow (maybe by osmosis) get a clue
Tara Farmer: I agree buddhism is attractive in that respect
Tara Farmer: I like that it does not have a lot of dogmatic bullshit
Storm Nordwind: me too
Tara Farmer: and it stresses that each person will have a diff perspective and how it realtes to themwill be diff from everyone else
Tara Farmer: or at least that is how i see it
Storm Nordwind: yup
Storm Nordwind: There’s a great Buddha quote, that I will proceed to misquote!
Tara Farmer: awesome
Storm Nordwind: That he didn’t want anyone to just accept what he was saying
Storm Nordwind: just because they respected him
Storm Nordwind: he wanted them to try it
Storm Nordwind: and if it worked for them to keep at it
Tara Farmer: that sounds like pema
Pema Pera: haha
Pema Pera: thank you
Tara Farmer: pema, are you buddha incarnate?
Pema Pera: lol
Pema Pera: Being wanna be perhaps
Storm Nordwind: He is A buddha incarnate
Tara Farmer: he he
Pema Pera: avatar means incarnation
Pema Pera: after all
Tara Farmer: does it?
Storm Nordwind: quite so!
Storm Nordwind: yes
Tara Farmer: i did not know
As so often in our conversations, a playful remark triggered a quite serious exchange, before the next jest would appear.
Storm Nordwind: If you go to Hindu scripture you will see it
Storm Nordwind: There were many avatars of the god Vishnu
Storm Nordwind: and Krishna was one
Tara Farmer: like Tara is a incarnate of kwan yin?
Tara Farmer: is that true?
Tara Farmer: or aspect
Storm Nordwind: ooooo that depends on who you talk to!
Storm Nordwind: Aspect to some
Tara Farmer: oh yeah why?
Storm Nordwind: Because some perceive Tara as a female Buddha
Tara Farmer: I am interested as it is my given name
Tara Farmer: I have heard this
Storm Nordwind: Others see that Kuan Yin is Tara’s father - yes father
Tara Farmer: that Tara was the first incarnation of buddha on earth as a female
Storm Nordwind: others say that Tara has had no physical incarnation for a whole normal lifetime
Tara Farmer: until now
Storm Nordwind: There is no doubt to my view that she is a powerful being though
Tara Farmer snickers
Tara Farmer: if anything I am the Wraitful Red Tara
Storm Nordwind: Not the popular Green or White?
Tara Farmer: I try to be compassionate but fail miserably
Tara Farmer: no red for sure
Tara Farmer: you could call me a green tara
Tara Farmer: as i care for plants as a living
Tara Farmer: LOL
Storm Nordwind: wonderful!
Pema Pera: green thumbed Tara
Tara Farmer: you got it pema
Pema Pera: that way you can combine many colors!
Tara Farmer: true
Pema Pera: thumbs green, some red, some white
Tara Farmer: mostly black
Tara Farmer: from what i hear
Tara Farmer: black
Pema Pera: black of mystery . . . .
Tara Farmer: he he
Tara’s name was the trigger for the next exchange.
Tara Farmer: i have a book called, “The cult of Tara” …
Storm Nordwind: cool!
Tara Farmer: I was in City Lights booksttore in san fran and looked up and there it was calling out to me
Tara Farmer: it is mostly about Tara as a goddess and how she mved from indian religion to buddhist culture
Tara Farmer: and some old spells and chants and things like that
Storm Nordwind: Yes she has her own magic with her
Tara Farmer: it is interesting but reads like nostradamus
Tara Farmer: so i was just reading about deity meditation
Storm Nordwind: Now there’s a thought - trying to read Nostradamus for anything more than a few quatrains
Storm Nordwind: deity meditation can be very powerful
Tara Farmer: meditating for the purpose of embodying the gods and their diff powers
Tara Farmer: tell me more about it if you know
Storm Nordwind: I think you can summarise it as two different things or stages
Storm Nordwind: Firstly being able to take the deity’s qualities into you by special meditations
Tara Farmer: ok
Storm Nordwind: And then also being able to become a Tara yourself
Tara Farmer: I see, I would imagine some would view that as audacious
Tara Farmer: but it’s right up my alley
Storm Nordwind: they would
Tara Farmer: as you could imagine
Storm Nordwind: haha
Storm Nordwind: The bhaktis would not want to do it
Tara Farmer: I prefer to think that i am godlike and that we all are
Tara Farmer: creating our own realities as we see fit
Tara Farmer: and i believe saying otherwise is horse shit
Storm Nordwind: Most people in religions around the world see devotion as staying separate
Tara Farmer: i find it difficult to believe that there is some god up there who is all powerful playing me like a puppet
Tara Farmer: and shaming me if i don’t behave
Storm Nordwind: There are one or too who would like to do that
Storm Nordwind: but none is all powerful
Tara Farmer: pfft
Tara Farmer: i promise no catholic bashing today
Storm Nordwind: only their followers say they are all powerful
Tara Farmer: that is true storm
Storm Nordwind: all gods have flaws
Tara Farmer: i think people who put the responsability on a god completely are just unwilling to take any responsability of their own
Storm Nordwind: A very astute point!
Tara Farmer: and most good christians are out screwing their neighbors wife
Tara Farmer: and other such nonsense
Storm Nordwind: I’ll just check out of my window here
Storm Nordwind: hmm…
Storm Nordwind: you may be right!
Tara Farmer: window?
Storm Nordwind: I’m sitting in RL in front of a window
Storm Nordwind: It is dark
Tara Farmer: i see
Tara Farmer: i get it
I listened in fascination to the torrent of words that was being exchanged between Tara and Storm. I was thinking about examples and counter example of all that they said, about the good people I had many from all religions and those people that were less than exemplary. The conversation continued.
Tara Farmer: i just LOVE when a christian starts in on me
Tara Farmer: i just ache for it
Tara Farmer: because i don’t think they even know whats coming
Storm Nordwind: Interestingly enough, again that’s something that attracted me to Buddhism, the fact that you have to take personal responsiblity . No one going to do it for you
Tara Farmer: exactly
Storm Nordwind: It’s an adult attitude that many run away from
Tara Farmer: there was a long time in my life that i blamed other things and people for my behavior and actions
Storm Nordwind: Ah yes
Tara Farmer: a long time
Storm Nordwind: And then you realised
Tara Farmer: and then one day I just started to look at things differently
Storm Nordwind: that if you point one finger at someone else, you point three at yourself
Tara Farmer: exactly
Tara Farmer: it is so much more comforting to know that i am responsible for my own behavior
Storm Nordwind: excellent!
Tara Farmer: and horribly bad sometimes
Tara Farmer: but i only have myself to blame
Storm Nordwind: How I would love to hear more people say that!
Storm Nordwind: But it is so true
Tara Farmer: I make a TON of mistakes
Tara Farmer: big ones
Storm Nordwind: we all do Tara
Tara Farmer: small one
Tara Farmer: venti ones
Tara Farmer: but it is all for a purpose
Tara Farmer: to drag me out of the slime i came from and to lift me more towards enlightenment
Tara Farmer: YAY!
Tara Farmer: thank god for stumbling blocks
Tara Farmer: or thank buddha
Tara Farmer: or the goddess
Tara Farmer: whoever
I had to smile, seeing Storm and Tara talking, remembering how not too long ago they didn’t seem to get along that well. But in SL, a couple weeks can feel like half an eternity, and they now seemed to hit it off.
Storm Nordwind: That is your purpose. Do you see a similar purpose for others?
Tara Farmer: how do you mean?
Storm Nordwind: Well… you are lifting towards your own enlightenment
Storm Nordwind: Do you see that as an eventual destination for other people too?
Tara Farmer: I try to help others to be enlightened but it is often misinterpreted
Tara Farmer: as i am agressive in my stance
Tara Farmer: and callous
Tara Farmer: often
Storm Nordwind: You are Red Tara! :)
Tara Farmer: but i think most people do not see what is right in front of them,
Storm Nordwind: The world sometimes needs wrathful beings
Tara Farmer: and i like to shove it down their throat
Tara Farmer: they hate me sometimes
Tara Farmer: but perhaps in some way they are bbetter off
Tara Farmer: some people hate me on first glance because i look at them with unguarded eyes
Tara Farmer: they are afraid of truth
Storm Nordwind: oh! That is hard for many people!
Tara Farmer: and of someone seeing right throguh them
Tara Farmer: all manifestations of fantasy are cleared before me
Tara Farmer: those people who can’t take it often distance themselves from me harshly
Storm Nordwind: Now you ARE speaking like Red Tara!
Tara Farmer: i have to believe i am a catalyst in their lives
Storm Nordwind: That is good
Tara Farmer: i hate to be that sometimes
Storm Nordwind: You are a blessing for them
Tara Farmer: and other times i love it
Tara Farmer: I force people to look at their own behavior
Tara Farmer: I point a finger at them while they are pointing it at everyone else
Tara Farmer sighs
Storm Nordwind: And then what, may i ask?
Tara Farmer: then…
Storm Nordwind: Do you also help them work on what they see?
Tara Farmer: hopefully they realize it
Tara Farmer: and yes i try to speak to them about it
Tara Farmer: if they will listen to me then
Tara Farmer: but often they need to deal with it on their own
Tara Farmer: but they often come back
Storm Nordwind: You are a courageous spirit Tara, and i admire that :)
Tara Farmer: as a changed person
Tara Farmer: I have seen it
Tara Farmer: thanks, storm, i agree that you are too
Storm Nordwind bows slightly
Tara Farmer: its like when i was a smoker
Tara Farmer: i hated it when people would tell me to quit
Tara Farmer: and that is was bad for my health
Tara Farmer: i coudldn’t stand it
Tara Farmer: i wanted them to mind their own business
Tara Farmer: but when i decided to quit, it was their voices which helped me through
Tara Farmer: and i have not had a cig in seven years
Storm Nordwind: Well done. I admire that :)
Tara Farmer: yeah, i cannot believe i did it
Tara Farmer: not one drag
Storm Nordwind: Sometimes the people that piss us off most end up helping us in unexpected ways!
Tara drew me back into the conversation.
Tara Farmer: pema, are you still with us friend?
Pema Pera: oh sure
Pema Pera: I am enjoying the exchange
Pema Pera: I am just here playing . . . ;>)
Pema Pera: and yes, I used to smoke too
Pema Pera: and remembered how easy it was to quit
Pema Pera: time and again
Pema Pera: haha
Pema Pera: but then you reach a point where it really is easy
Pema Pera: funny how that works
Pema Pera: once you really see
Pema Pera: there is no question of easy or hard
Pema Pera: it is beyond easy or hard
Storm Nordwind: I’m afraid I am Miss Good Two Shoes. I had two puffs of one cigarette when I was 8 years old and that is the last time i smoked
Storm Nordwind: So I cannot claim to have overcome that devil, at least not in this lifetime
Tara Farmer: ok
Pema Pera: all forms of addiction are ways of trying to repeat the past
Storm Nordwind: Interesting idea. Some would say to escape the present instead
Pema Pera: yes, indeed; while others try to escape the present by going into future ideals instead
Tara Farmer: for me smoking was a nervous habit
Tara Farmer: i became a much more relaxed individual once i quit
Tara Farmer: i was always thinking of when i would smoke
Tara Farmer: where were my cigs
Tara Farmer: did i have enough of them
Tara Farmer: where would i find the money ot buy them
Tara Farmer: was i killing myself slowly
Tara Farmer: WTF?
Tara Farmer: how could i have lived like that?
Tara Farmer: i am so happy i quit
The conversation then crisscrossed into various ways that English and American slang can be confusing for the other side. At that point I had to leave for my next RL appointment, and I said goodbye, leaving Storm and Tara while they continued their discussion in Itsari.
