2008.11.06 07:00 - Carpe Cakemmmm

Fresh out of the oven ... Enjoy - CH

Maxine Walden: hi, Cal
Caledonia Heron: hey there Maxine :)
Caledonia Heron: how are you?
Maxine Walden: feels a bit 'new' to be here
Maxine Walden: I am well, how about you? How did the election go down in your part of the world?
Caledonia Heron: Happy campers in my personal sphere :)
Caledonia Heron: you?
Maxine Walden: yes, very happy campers

   

Maxine Walden: just a bit difficult to fully take on board, Obama as president...so many possible implications...
Caledonia Heron: a smart man with a hard job ... we can all do our part :)
Maxine Walden: indeed, and think we will all need to do our part. Am rather proud of the country that we could come this far in a relatively short time. Of course circumstances (economy) helped
Maxine Walden: helped to elect him
Caledonia Heron: yes, I am very proud of our choice, the shared-ness of change, it is the actualization of a cultural identity shift that has been occuring for some time imo
Maxine Walden: very interesting thought. I would agree, though have been impressed as well with the ever-present forces against change
Maxine Walden: those that feel threatened by it, by the unknown
Caledonia Heron: sure, power structures resist change I think, thinking there is a finite amount of power
Maxine Walden: and structures, institutions truly seek the status quo, for their continued existence (almost the definition of an institution in my book)
Caledonia Heron: agreed, the defined structure is what makes them that institution .... it's tricky to balance being agile and structured at the same time

   

Maxine Walden: indeed it is. You know, as we have been sitting here I have been noticing with pleasure the fountain and the vertical spray. I like it, but have seen others complain...wonder if men might especially be impacted negatively by it...
Caledonia Heron: interesting question, I like it ... I like the whole place
Maxine Walden: yes, I do as well. I like the openness for the eye/mind to wander...seems tho that several others have been impacted by how different it is from the previous pavilion, perhaps another hint at the difficulty around change
Caledonia Heron: maybe so ... from my perspective I respect the fact that someone had an idea, an artistic vision and put it into play and it's aesthetically lovely ... barring some true functional issue, imo, it should stay as it is

   

Adams Dubrovna: Hello Maxine and Cal :)
Maxine Walden: oh, I agree. Somehow Storm's creativity is expressed here and it is a pleasure to be here/see it
Maxine Walden: hi, Adams
Caledonia Heron: hey there Adams :)
Maxine Walden: Art Historian this morning
Adams Dubrovna: Hmm. Forgot to change the tag :)
Maxine Walden: we have just been musing about the pavilion here, also about change
Adams Dubrovna: There has been quite a variety of opinion
Maxine Walden: re elections, this pavilion, how institutions react to the prospect
Caledonia Heron: lol, yes, up to the brim with change ... swimming in it :)
Adams Dubrovna: :)
Adams Dubrovna: I was thinking the comments had much to do with change
Caledonia Heron: backstroking in change ... la la la
Adams Dubrovna: haha
Maxine Walden: yes, perhaps needing waterwings amidst
Caledonia Heron: :) ... I slowly sense my "funny" returning .... it took a vacation for a while :)
Maxine Walden: one thing I have noted amidst change is the unknown...a sense of some loss and the unknown future...can be seen as opportunity or a threat...
Maxine Walden: oh, Cal, where were you vacationing?
Maxine Walden: oh, your funny took a vacation!
Caledonia Heron: :)
Caledonia Heron: yes, unknown, loss of predictability ... some of that makes this election cycle so amazing since one candidate outcome was totally predictable and one while familiar to a party platform is very novel in many aspects
Maxine Walden: yes, interesting to think about.

   

Maxine Walden: Adams, you have any sharable thoughts about the election? You seem to have an eye for history
Caledonia Heron: I had not fully calculated the impact for some segments of our society
Adams Dubrovna: :)
Adams Dubrovna: It will be a difficult path for Obama, he will have to stay firmly rooted
Caledonia Heron: yes, interesting how this might be framed historically .... there's the easy angles and then what might be two or three levels down
Adams Dubrovna: There are so many parallels to 1960
Maxine Walden: indeed. Not an easy road.
Adams Dubrovna: He doesn;t seem to be one who will let it go to his head
Caledonia Heron: as bad as things seem I have not been this politically optimistic in many many years ... I hope we can deliver on it
Adams Dubrovna: Already the advice to him is so contradictory and both sides make sense
Adams Dubrovna: Yes, the hope is the great thing
Adams Dubrovna: He has the gift to inspire
Maxine Walden: agree with the hope, and the swell in the American people around that
Maxine Walden: what kind of advice is he getting, Adams, that is so contradictory? Have not been following that story closely
Caledonia Heron: I think one way he inspires is to inspire others to contribute, to share responsibility, to operate at the power of the group
Adams Dubrovna remembers being inspired by JFK on innauguration day
Maxine Walden: yes, and yes. I am so glad that the sense of responsibility, taking responsibility is one of the messages. I think that is so needed for the country to recover
Adams Dubrovna: yes
Caledonia Heron: from me to we :)
Adams Dubrovna: responsibility has been MIA for 8 years
Maxine Walden: exactly!!
Maxine Walden: indeed, Adams
Adams Dubrovna: Like JFK, the test for Obama will be not to try to appear to be the toughest guy on the block to counter a perceived weakness
Adams Dubrovna wasn't pleased to see the Russian president threatening Obama this morning
Caledonia Heron: he will be steady and sure imo
Maxine Walden: right, but to take another point of view about strength, one which involves openness and inquiry. Interesting how some perceive that as weakness. Did not see what the Russian pres said this morning
Caledonia Heron: yes, transparency is an important element to revive
Adams Dubrovna: He said that if the US continues to deploy the missiles in Eastern Europe the Russians will begin to deploy
Caledonia Heron: a barking dog :)
Caledonia Heron: standing by his fire hydrant :)
Adams Dubrovna: And yes maxine, strength does not necessarily mean blustering. It was a fact JFK had to learn the hard way
Adams Dubrovna: blustering
Caledonia Heron: what's up with those Russians lately anyway?
Maxine Walden: you know, I have been out of touch with foreign issues lately, so not sure what value to give the Russian pres threat
Adams Dubrovna: The Russians are taking advantage of the the US being tied down in Iraq. It is a direct result of the invasion
Caledonia Heron: perhaps so, seeing us engaged in multiple incursions allows them freedom to move elsewhere
Maxine Walden: ah...
Adams Dubrovna: Putin said that if the US doesn't respect nationality then they can't complain (or something like that)

   

Adams Dubrovna: Hi Pema :)
Caledonia Heron: hey there Pema :)
Pema Pera: Hi Cal, Max, Adams!
Maxine Walden: hi, Pema, nice to see you
Caledonia Heron: how are you today? on the train?
Adams Dubrovna looks out window
Adams Dubrovna notices there is no window
Pema Pera: nope, still in NYC, slow start today
Pema Pera: I like your cheerful colors, Cal!
Maxine Walden: window, Adams?
Caledonia Heron: :) ty
Pema Pera: ready to go on a far vacation trip?
Maxine Walden: yes great outfit, Cal
Adams Dubrovna: No wondows in the basement
Caledonia Heron: sounds good :)
Maxine Walden: ah
Caledonia Heron: vamos a Meheeeeco!!
Pema Pera thinking about a silk road journey or such
Adams Dubrovna: :)
Maxine Walden: something exotic
Pema Pera: you were talking about Putin?
Caledonia Heron: yes foreign affairs after discussing our transformative election
Maxine Walden: yes, his threats to the new administration
Adams Dubrovna: tests for Obama
Pema Pera: there'll be enough threats -- Iraq being by far the main one . . .
Pema Pera: what a thing to inherit!
Adams Dubrovna: the ultimate cause of some of the other problems
Caledonia Heron: yes, a big stinking mess
Maxine Walden: indeed, much to encounter...indeed what a heritage!
Adams Dubrovna: and two and half more months of mess being created
Pema Pera: but perhaps a regime change here is the only chance to make a sharp turn in policy!
Adams Dubrovna: agreed!
Maxine Walden: I think so, Pema
Caledonia Heron: yeah, I read the list of things that the admin will push through by dec 20
Maxine Walden: a change in thinking, in perspective
Adams Dubrovna: yes Cal. It is maddening. Will take years to undo
Adams Dubrovna: lots of lawyers
Adams Dubrovna: ahhhrrrrr
Pema Pera: well, we start with where we are and then do the best we can
Caledonia Heron: yes Pema ... on through to the other side
Pema Pera: :-)
Pema Pera: Doors?
Caledonia Heron: :)
Pema Pera: Break on through . . .
Pema Pera: Be already on the other side?
Pema Pera: that's more our cup of tea, here :)

   

Caledonia Heron: yes, wondering if the politicians see be sometimes
Pema Pera: in between there doing: do be do be do
Caledonia Heron: shoo bop de rop
Adams Dubrovna: :)
Pema Pera: hehehe
Pema Pera: shoe shopping for truth
Caledonia Heron: I having been teaching skat to a baby ... he says beebo beebo beebo, I say beebo be dop bop shee rop ... or something silly ... feels very now :)
Adams Dubrovna: :)
Pema Pera: looking forward to meet that baby in a decade or two!
Maxine Walden: but when talking with a baby those 'babblings' are full of communication and pleasure!!
Caledonia Heron: yeah, it's fun for sure ..... sometimes too much labeling of objects, dictating behavior ... I am the shoo bop aunt :)
Pema Pera wondering what is left of each of us after all labels have been removed . . . .
Caledonia Heron: goo, pixels, molecules,
Maxine Walden: musing about how communication begins with so much openness as a possibility and then decades later among nations it can be so closed down and full of dark suspicions...how nice if we could keep the open innocence
Maxine Walden: such as in talking with babies
Caledonia Heron: maybe love, that full feeling of heart
Adams Dubrovna: Some of our self disappears when dealing with children
Adams Dubrovna: being with children
Maxine Walden: I think so too, Cal, and maybe that is part of removing the labels too
Pema Pera: no-self, no-being, no-doing, . . . , we generally use negative expression to point to the most positive, no-labels . . .
Caledonia Heron: maybe the see saw of no labels is love or compassion and forgiveness
Pema Pera: naturally flowing
Caledonia Heron: yes Pema, no-thing, nothing
Pema Pera: When being with Being perhaps you can say that there are no beings left . . . .

   

Adams Dubrovna: Hello Corvi :)
Pema Pera: but then there is the question what that means
Pema Pera: Hi Corvi!
Maxine Walden: hi, Corvi
Corvuscorva Nightfire: Hiya!
Caledonia Heron: if there are no beings left does it matter what it means?
Pema Pera: no little needy worrying helpless hapless beings like little creatures . . . .
Caledonia Heron: hi Corvi :)
Pema Pera: Wow, Corvi!
Corvuscorva Nightfire laughs.
Pema Pera: what a transformation again!
Maxine Walden: Corvi the wolf
Adams Dubrovna reaches back and pats Corvi's head
Pema Pera: Adams is keeping his calm, but probably is wondering what is happening behind his back . . .
Adams Dubrovna watching his back too
Corvuscorva Nightfire: got all caught up in it...and forgot to come here....*licks Adam's hand*
Pema Pera: :)
Caledonia Heron: :) Corvi has his back, no worries :)
Pema Pera: hehe
Adams Dubrovna: :)
Corvuscorva Nightfire nods.

   

Pema Pera: we were talking about living without labels, Corvi, what that might mean
Pema Pera: and what could possibly be left
Corvuscorva Nightfire nods.
Pema Pera: this started with talking about babies first
Caledonia Heron: essence
Pema Pera: yes
Caledonia Heron: we are all beautiful perfumes :)
Corvuscorva Nightfire sniffs.
Caledonia Heron: eau de essence
Corvuscorva Nightfire: ooo de essence
Caledonia Heron: ooo de oop be boop essence
Pema Pera trying to remember early sixties songs . . . .
Pema Pera: on the prowl, Corvi?
Caledonia Heron: I wonder how many labels each of us might have.... how many there are to drop .... a curiousity of sorts
Maxine Walden: or thinking of going swimming?
Pema Pera: When talking about Being I like to talk about a world of no time, and no doing, and no beings even -- not the kind of individual existences that we normally think we have to identify with
Corvuscorva Nightfire lays her head on the cushion.
Pema Pera: individuality and personality is fun to play with, and to wear, but not to identify completely with
Pema Pera: wearing it playfully -- SL helps in this sense
Caledonia Heron: I am in a pickle as to how to reconcile the knowledge of no time, no nothing with this everyday stuff
Pema Pera: how do you think you can start, Cal?
Pema Pera: what kind of inroad?
Caledonia Heron: I'm not sure ... I think the collision is part of feeling crossways lately
Caledonia Heron: seeing/knowing it is a baby step perhaps
Pema Pera: not-doing, wu-wei, is a nice example . . .
Pema Pera: . . . we have talked about doing in a non-doing kind of way
Pema Pera: without the heaviness normally associated with doing
Pema Pera: similarly, no-time at least at first can be explored as a kind of light cheerful open time
Caledonia Heron: sure, just sitting with it, not acting on it
Pema Pera: without the usual heaviness of time
Pema Pera: Doug's "I have time!" is one good way to get into the spirit of that
Pema Pera: yes, not acting on it in a kind of knee-jerk reaction, but acting is fine, in an open and free way
Pema Pera: not-doing doesn't mean refraining from all actions
Pema Pera: (which would be both impossilbe and undesireable)
Caledonia Heron: agreed

   

Pema Pera: actually, when we're very busy, and get into a swing, we can sometimes become superefficient, doing a lot, but in a wu-wei not-doing way
Pema Pera: perhaps even a no-time way
Adams Dubrovna: yes
Caledonia Heron: yes,
Pema Pera: or even a non-being way!
Pema Pera: (but that's rather hard at first)
Pema Pera: (we'd have to talk more about that)
Adams Dubrovna: Something seems to take over and push through the work
Pema Pera: yes!!
Caledonia Heron: and this includes the tens of tugs on the sleeve each day whispering see about me now ... in a non-doing way is sometimes hard to see ... how to incorporate the wu-wei in a wired up, caffeinated, modern day
Maxine Walden: For me at those times I feel unencumbered by doubt and so things get done, nothing pulling me down
Pema Pera: yes, Cal, and perhaps that's were the 9-sec can counter-tug, as a kind of light but very persistent antidote
Pema Pera: what, you wired with caffeine? let me wire you with the 9-sec!
Pema Pera: :-)
Maxine Walden: so when there is no doubt there seems to be no need for that chatter with doubt...
Caledonia Heron: ha ha, I have a two cup limit which makes me a tee totaler :)
Adams Dubrovna: /has experienced the 9 sec giving energy at times
Pema Pera: totally tea instead?
Caledonia Heron: nyuck nyuck :)
Pema Pera: can you say more, Adams?

   

Maxine Walden: have RL time pulling at my sleeve. Will see you all later
Maxine Walden: bye all
Caledonia Heron: bye Maxine :)
Corvuscorva Nightfire: bye, Maxine!
Adams Dubrovna: It is hard to explain. There have been days when I have stopped regularly and were the most productive I have ever been
Adams Dubrovna: but not all tasks are conducive to it I think
Adams Dubrovna missed Maxine leaving
Adams Dubrovna: Sort of like getting a little power burst after each stop
Pema Pera: the more we do it, the more tasks can become conducive, perhaps; Doug mentioned doing a kind of internal 9-sec stopping in the middle of a conversation with someone, while continuing the conversation -- I've felt myself how powerful that can be, but that's not easy to do at first
Adams Dubrovna: :)
Pema Pera: like letting the air out of the tires of the subtle ego tendencies
Adams Dubrovna: Hmmm. I need more of that right now
Pema Pera: perhaps you got it already, ready to use :)
Adams Dubrovna: :)
Pema Pera: Cal, didn't mean to cut you off -- saw you typing a lot . . . .
Caledonia Heron: nah, you didn't ... half baked ideas on my part :)
Pema Pera: I love half-baked cake -- asked my mother to make it for me for my birthday when I was in elementary school . . . . creamy and yummy!
Adams Dubrovna rubs Corvi's ears
Caledonia Heron: lol, mmmm gooey
Adams Dubrovna: :)
Caledonia Heron: long as you don't leave it in the rain
Corvuscorva Nightfire licks his hand. laughs.
Pema Pera: hehe,no
Pema Pera: btw, better get going
Caledonia Heron: me too :)
Pema Pera: nice seeing you all here!
Adams Dubrovna: Yes, me too :)
Adams Dubrovna: Bye Pema :)
Pema Pera: bye for now!
Caledonia Heron: yes, a pleasure to see you all :)
Adams Dubrovna: bye Corvi and Cal :)
Pema Pera wondering what shape Corvi will come back in next!