2010.02.12 19:00 - The Niceness is Not the Turtle

The Guardian for this meeting was Eliza Madrigal, filling in for Genesis. The comments are by Eliza Madrigal who was joined by Paradise, Eos, Calvino, and Alanya, for this session in which we talk of love, boxes, empathy, mirrors, and knowing, and...

Eliza Madrigal: Hi Paradise!
--BELL--
Eliza Madrigal: It has been forever since I've seen you :)
Paradise Tennant: smiles hello elliza .. so good to seey you :)
Eliza Madrigal: :))
Paradise Tennant: how have you been :)
Eliza Madrigal: Quite well, thanks. You? Are just back from travelling? I know you extended your trip beyond retreat...
Paradise Tennant: yes .. spent some time in sicily and rome before coming home .. great trip :) but happy to be home:)
Eliza Madrigal: Must be a good feeling... and missed your puppy I'm sure
Paradise Tennant: lol yes indeed :) there was much puppy love to be had when I got in :)
Eliza Madrigal smiles
Paradise Tennant: hard to be away from what we love .. love is such a strong attachment :)
Eliza Madrigal: Indeed!
Eliza Madrigal: It IS that... isn't it...
Paradise Tennant: yes .. somehow I always find the buddhist concept that you eventually have to drop even the very good stuff very hard really
Eliza Madrigal: There is a quote that strikes at some deep place in me... have no real inkling why... "Better to be known than loved"
Paradise Tennant: :)
Eliza Madrigal: Hm, yes...
Eliza Madrigal: I think it is along the lines of knowing that even a nice box is still a box
Paradise Tennant: yes that is an interesting quote thank you for sharing it ..
Eos Amaterasu: Hi E, P, A
Eliza Madrigal: :)
Paradise Tennant: hiya eos .. cal :)
Eliza Madrigal: Hi Eos :) You look fancy!
Eliza Madrigal: Hello Cal
Eliza Madrigal: Hey Arch
Paradise Tennant: hiya arch
Eliza Madrigal: nice boxes = pedestals... which seem like a good idea but hm, not so much
Eliza Madrigal: :)
Archmage Atlantis: Only by being known, can one be truely loved
Calvino Rabeni: hello all !
Eos Amaterasu: ciao'all
Archmage Atlantis: brb
Paradise Tennant: ;)
Paradise Tennant: hmm ... even a nice box is a box... appearances as confinement ...
Eliza Madrigal: yes... and the confining might even be called love/appreciation... not sure :)
Eos Amaterasu: the niceness is not the turtle
Paradise Tennant: a:)
Paradise Tennant: :)
Eliza Madrigal: Oh Eos... your enigmatic phrases....
Paradise Tennant: still blinking
Eos Amaterasu: :-) ellipses
Eliza Madrigal: :)
Archmage Atlantis: ugh, nothing is working to night
Eos Amaterasu: What was that quote you were referring to?
Eliza Madrigal: Actually.... I read it on my 39th birthday... and it was written by a model... "It is better to be known than loved"...
Eos Amaterasu: :-)
Eliza Madrigal: she may have picked it up from somewhere... but it struck me
Calvino Rabeni: With Boxing Day, is it packging or pugilism, or what ?
Paradise Tennant: love is .. also a way of being .. I think
Eos Amaterasu:

That love is all

And love is everyone

It is knowing

It is knowing

Paradise Tennant: to be experienced
Paradise Tennant: lovely eos thank you
Eos Amaterasu: (thank the Beatles)
Paradise Tennant: smiles
Eliza Madrigal: :) Knowing does seem more intimate
Paradise Tennant: [19:04] Eliza Madrigal: There is a quote that strikes at some deep place in me... have no real inkling why... "Better to be known than loved"
Eos Amaterasu: truth is greater intimacy?
Paradise Tennant: what we were chatting about when you arrived eos
Eliza Madrigal: yes...
Eliza Madrigal: or maybe a different more timeless sort...

--BELL--

Eos Amaterasu: what is "knowing", then?

Mirrors..

Paradise Tennant: hmmm there are as many ways to define love as ways of being .. I think it is like a mirror...
Eliza Madrigal: Maybe knowing makes room for someone... could be called love...
Eliza Madrigal: Like a mirror paradise?
Eos Amaterasu finds himself inside a mirror paradise
Paradise Tennant: yes ..
Eliza Madrigal: :)
Paradise Tennant: struggling to find the words for what I mean
Eos Amaterasu: mirror as in empathy?
Eliza Madrigal: interesting imagery errupts somehow....
Paradise Tennant: waht we love , our very selves , are all illusion , the a
Paradise Tennant: sorry was trying to delete
Eliza Madrigal: hm, that does seem one way of love empathy... expansiveness... reflecting and absorbing in a sense...
Paradise Tennant: in the very nature of emptyness .... I think there is room for love .. even if it only is mirror
Eliza Madrigal watches herself get carried away :))
Eos Amaterasu: similar to knowing, though, is it not (knowing also mirrors, crosses the me & that gap)
Paradise Tennant: yes
Eliza Madrigal: Getting to know that gap.... seems the gap becomes no gap.... or all gap....
Eos Amaterasu: love itself embodies its emptiness nature
Paradise Tennant: sorry sleepy .. so things are not processing right and fingers seem a little confused :)
Calvino Rabeni: Mirroring someone is much richer and more active than looking in an empty mirror like narcissus
Eliza Madrigal: That's my natural state Paradise! :)))
Calvino Rabeni: Being mirrored is to be expanded
Calvino Rabeni: better than love?
Eliza Madrigal: I suppose we were talking about conventional love...
Calvino Rabeni: If one has positive self knowledge, then is conventional love less attractive?
Paradise Tennant: romantic love not so much .. but appreciation ... profound acceptance ..reverence and the insight to cherish the uniqueness of what arises .. maybe is closer to the mark ?
Eliza Madrigal: yes, love AS letting go....
Eliza Madrigal: which allows for a richer moment perhaps
Eos Amaterasu: full acceptance, full presence, full absence (as in letting be)
Eliza Madrigal: :) yes.. a rare bird
Paradise Tennant: fullness of the moment .. has to somehow incorporate love I think
Eos Amaterasu: the moment is emptiness pregnant
Eos Amaterasu: no need to go elsewhere

From whence has beauty sweetness?...

Calvino Rabeni: beauty is said to have an element of the uncanny or a flaw of some kind - could it be the same with love?
Eliza Madrigal: interesting....
Calvino Rabeni: Isn't in love, a hint of tragedy to make it sweeter?
Eos Amaterasu: We often know it won't last
Eos Amaterasu: like smelling and looking at a rose
Eliza Madrigal: maybe that element of the uncanny/flaw is "the crack which lets the light in"... which makes touch-able.... YES, the hint of transience....
Eos Amaterasu: un canny
Eliza Madrigal: somehow a relief, even when excruciating
Eos Amaterasu: beyond knowing
Calvino Rabeni: If your beloved were perfect in every way, would that not be an impediment
Calvino Rabeni: And vice versa
Calvino Rabeni: If you were perfect in every way, love would have less to offer
Calvino Rabeni: maybe nothing
Calvino Rabeni: If there is perfection, it is in the transcendence of opposites
Calvino Rabeni: Or so say, some philosophers of love :)
Eos Amaterasu: sometimes love is left speechless

--BELL--

Paradise Tennant: ;) good timing eos
Eliza Madrigal: :)
Paradise Tennant: perhaps I can best express .. what I mean by saying that the deepest understanding comes through love ...
Eliza Madrigal: due to willingness to look deeper?
Eliza Madrigal: or impute good will? :)
Paradise Tennant: through bridging the illusory gaps
Eos Amaterasu: or share the ground of the other's being?
Eliza Madrigal: those sentences/phrases seem to overlap nicely...
Calvino Rabeni: know the other as oneself
Eos Amaterasu: sharing and recognizing the illusory gaps in each other
Eliza Madrigal: yes
Eliza Madrigal smiles
Eliza Madrigal: potential...
Eos Amaterasu: "that's my 9 secs" "that's your 9 secs"
Eliza Madrigal: :))
Eos Amaterasu: is that being known?

Eliza Madrigal feels her eyebrows uncrinkle... had been holding some stress :)
Eos Amaterasu is empathizing with eyebrows uncrinkling
Eliza Madrigal: :)
Paradise Tennant: smiles
Eliza Madrigal: I was given a notecard last week... quoted Trungpa "Don't trust anyone"... talked about how we hold expectations, identities for others...
Eliza Madrigal: which doesn't allow for surprise, growth, change...
Eliza Madrigal: easy trap... especially if we fall 'in love' with aspects or qualities... and center on those...
Eos Amaterasu: that's back to the "good box" being still a box?
Eliza Madrigal: then, in doing that, we don't really get to know someone... just an aspect. Yes
Eliza Madrigal: :) golden cages are still cages
Eliza Madrigal: but reacting against potential cages all the time doesn't seem to help either... haha
Eliza Madrigal: Sigh :)
Eos Amaterasu: or, from the other direction, the bars may be empty but they are still gold
Paradise Tennant: true love embrasses the all -I suspect -without judgement-without bars :) ?
Eos Amaterasu: true like ice like fire : elemental and intense, bar none

--BELL--

Eliza Madrigal: :)

Aspiration...

Metta...

Paradise Tennant: ;) I have been doing aspiration sessions for the gun toting, dog abuser we encountered in Malta, at first with limited success because I just get so mad when I go there but lately .. much better focus and getting through my own judgement to the reality - he and i are on the most profound level absolutely the same
Eos Amaterasu: hmm
Eliza Madrigal: aspiration sessions?
Eliza Madrigal: metta?
Paradise Tennant: aspiration yes a kind of metta
Paradise Tennant: visualization
Eliza Madrigal: Ah
Eliza Madrigal: not so easy... I admire your attention to that...
Eos Amaterasu: That's great, paradise
Paradise Tennant: the same .. equally empty :)
Eliza Madrigal: :)
Eos Amaterasu: equally enmeshed in karma
Eliza Madrigal: peel back enough layers and we're all just someone...
Eliza Madrigal: with yes... circumstances and priveleges and blessed people showing up in our lives....
Eliza Madrigal: we're fortunate when we can see it perhaps
Eos Amaterasu: feel all the circumstantiality but not feel trapped in it
Eliza Madrigal: 'The foolish are trapped by karma, while the wise are liberated through karma.' Stonepeace
Eliza Madrigal: (has no idea who or what stonepeace is) hehe
Eos Amaterasu: could be a thoughtless realm
Eliza Madrigal: hmm
Calvino Rabeni: It is difficult to do - to become the cruel person
Calvino Rabeni: And own the gun and whatever it is capable of
Eliza Madrigal: become the cruel person? Oh... I see what you are saying, yes.. to really step in to another view and consider it
Calvino Rabeni: Yes that is what I mean
Calvino Rabeni: To find total acceptance
Paradise Tennant: lol sigh yes
Calvino Rabeni: More than thinking - if I were him I would be better of course
Eliza Madrigal: We don't need to accept the way someone does something to be able to consider why they think they need to do it that way
Eos Amaterasu: that person is not "the cruel person" in their own eyes
Calvino Rabeni: Yes right eos
Eos Amaterasu: so becoming him is losing _your_ eyes
Calvino Rabeni: Losing little me yes
Eos Amaterasu: (without going crazy)
Calvino Rabeni: Which makes it a good practice
Calvino Rabeni: :)
Eliza Madrigal: ah, and trusting that one won't get stuck there... that the expansion will kick in....
Paradise Tennant: yes it does :)
Calvino Rabeni: Yes
Paradise Tennant: counter balanced by the odd thought of dog napping :)
Eos Amaterasu: :-)
Eliza Madrigal: :)

A visitor arrives, stays a long while, and Eos guides us into 9/90 second practice...  

Alanya Jinx: Hi
Eliza Madrigal: Hi Alanya :)
Paradise Tennant: hiya alanya
Eliza Madrigal: Welcome to PlayasBeing :))
Alanya Jinx: How are things here?
Eliza Madrigal: Have you visited us before, Alanya?
Alanya Jinx: no, first time here
Eliza Madrigal: :) Nice to meet you... I'll give you a notecard which tells a little about our group....
Alanya Jinx: Thanks
--BELL--
Eliza Madrigal: You've been in SL just a few weeks I see... Having fun?
Alanya Jinx: Yes, but I'm still trying to see what are the most interesting things to do here. I am bored or going somewhere and dancing!
Eliza Madrigal: haha, yes.. only so much dancing one can do
Eliza Madrigal: What are your interests, generally?
Eliza Madrigal: Oh, I need to ask if it is okay if I include you in the chat log. We record our sessions. :)
Alanya Jinx: Erm , I run, I like music, I read, travel adn I used to be into philosophy, but haven't had time for that lately.
Alanya Jinx: OK
Eliza Madrigal: Thank you :)
Eliza Madrigal: Great philosophy groups in SL actually... good discussions...
Eliza Madrigal: sometimes I think we fall into that category... maybe with a meditative edge
Eliza Madrigal: :)
Eos Amaterasu: We try to directly experience reality, and talk about it
Eliza Madrigal: :)
Eos Amaterasu: (and chew gum)
Eliza Madrigal: haha,, and blow bubbles
Eos Amaterasu: sometimes, indeed :-)
Alanya Jinx: Directly experience reality? Like emotions? Existential actions??
Eos Amaterasu: Anything whatsoever that comes up, while you're paying attention to it
Eliza Madrigal: Hm, interesting phrasing.... yes... like 'see what you see'... deeply notice...
Eos Amaterasu: A Play as Being "trick" is to say, for the next 9 seconds I will drop pushing anything, and just watch (for example)
Eos Amaterasu: Those are the "lab sessions"
Eliza Madrigal: It sounds funny at first... but surprisingly vibrant and rich ground to work with....
Eos Amaterasu: Shall we try it for 9 seconds?
Eliza Madrigal is game :)
Alanya Jinx: It sounds interesting. But I am having trouble understanding this.
Alanya Jinx: I will try
Eos Amaterasu: ok
Eliza Madrigal: yes... really only way to understand is just that... 'just try' :)
Eos Amaterasu: I will "ding" after 9 seconds
Eos Amaterasu: 3
Eos Amaterasu: 2
Eos Amaterasu: 1
Eos Amaterasu: go
Eos Amaterasu: ding
Eliza Madrigal smiles
Alanya Jinx: so it is like meditating?
Eos Amaterasu: Yes, you could say that (though meditating can mean many things)
Eos Amaterasu: but basically a kind of awareness, held loosely
Eliza Madrigal: Indeed, like meditating, and really looking into things ... and then sharing that experience/ comparing notes
Alanya Jinx: Being watchful, self aware. Tuned into self .
Eliza Madrigal: The imagery that comes to mind is goggles under water sometimes... at least for me :)
Paradise Tennant: precisely :)
Eliza Madrigal: So I noticed in our little pause together that I immediately smiled
Alanya Jinx: Were you deliberately trying to visualise
Eliza Madrigal: felt celebratory... that was the spontaneous reaction this time
Eliza Madrigal: Hm, sometimes we try to visualize... but mostly not I think ...
Eliza Madrigal: its funny :) That's why it is enjoyable to compare notes
Alanya Jinx: I felt aware of all the noise around me and how busy I felt ( too much coffee) :)
Eos Amaterasu: just allow to experience whatever comes up, not shying away from it, not pulling it or pushing it or sticking to it
Paradise Tennant: ;)
Eliza Madrigal smiles
Alanya Jinx: This is a cool idea.
Eliza Madrigal: yes just 'seeing is enough'
Eliza Madrigal: Well nice that you joined us tonight :)
Eos Amaterasu: There's a 90 second break coming up (every 15 minutes)
Paradise Tennant: quietly excues herself .. fading here .. lovely to meet alanya ... good nite eliza, eos, cal , big wave from toronto :)
Eos Amaterasu: good night!
Eliza Madrigal: Nite Paradise... good to see you :)
Calvino Rabeni: bye para!
Eliza Madrigal: (groovy jeans) hehe
--BELL--
Eliza Madrigal: :)
Eliza Madrigal: Calvino, care to share observations from the 9 seconds?
Eliza Madrigal: 90 rather :))
Calvino Rabeni: the short one earlier got me started
Calvino Rabeni: sometimes I carry some worry or tension
Calvino Rabeni: during the 9-sec I felt my teeth, and then hot spot in chest
Calvino Rabeni: and then during the 90 sec later I started to relax and feel more reassured about the future
Eliza Madrigal: :))
Calvino Rabeni: because what is going on meanwhile is thinking about planning travel
Calvino Rabeni: which usually makes me a little irrationally worried
Calvino Rabeni: like I'm not relaxed until it is all planned out
Eliza Madrigal: details... yes easy to feel entangled there... nods
Calvino Rabeni: but this awareness thing, I could start to relax anyway
Calvino Rabeni: what a relief :)
Eliza Madrigal: :) we don't realize how much we're carrying all the time...
Eliza Madrigal: how much we pick up and drag around
Calvino Rabeni: i guess that is one handy use of the pause, but it is not the only significance of it
Eliza Madrigal: yes, so many of the practices here open up and show more dimensions with time... :))
Eliza Madrigal: Alanya, anything you think to share?
Calvino Rabeni: that is true
Alanya Jinx: I wish I hadn't had 2 coffees, because all I feel is a crazy bubbling energy inside me that probably doesn't reflect the real me, just the caffeine
Eliza Madrigal: Seeing the effect of the caffeine is something in itself I think...
Calvino Rabeni: :) been there :)
Eliza Madrigal: like it is separate.... on top of things....
Calvino Rabeni: Yes, "this is me on caffeine"
Eliza Madrigal: :)
Alanya Jinx: I know it is my vice
Eliza Madrigal relates :)
Calvino Rabeni: My drug of choice :)
Eliza Madrigal: And Eos? something to share?
Eos Amaterasu: Umm.... energy of witness, so to speak
Eliza Madrigal: hmm
Alanya Jinx: can you describe that?\
Eos Amaterasu: sometimes I feel an energy quality to just being there
Eliza Madrigal sways a little and smiles
Eos Amaterasu: it can come from when there's a lot of stuff going on, and you don't find a quiet place in that
Eos Amaterasu: but just witnessing, or staying with the observer of that, is an energized but actually still place
Eos Amaterasu: the caffeine is buzzing, but you're experiencing the caffeine buzzing
Alanya Jinx: now you are talking my language
Eliza Madrigal: :))
Eos Amaterasu: (or the bees in your head :-)
Calvino Rabeni: I find its possible to "take apart" the experience with awareness - there's a good part to the caffeine buzz, and a part I could let go of
Eliza Madrigal nods... yes
Eliza Madrigal: definitely something one begins to notice... distinct components...
Eliza Madrigal: really fascinating :)
Alanya Jinx: yes but I notice that it is hard for me to be still i want to race around
Calvino Rabeni: Like it has mixed emotions also, excitement, a feeling of capability, maybe some fear, maybe too much tunnel vision about something
Eos Amaterasu: how would you describe the good part of the caffeine buzz?
Eos Amaterasu: sometimes you get pulled by the flow, Alanya
Alanya Jinx: the good part is that it feels powerful energetic
Calvino Rabeni: Yes
Eos Amaterasu: that's great!
Eliza Madrigal: like you can do more than you thought?
Alanya Jinx: the more coffee i have the more i can do but maybe i miss out by being so busy doing
Calvino Rabeni: But along with it comes some -too much attachment to things in a certain way - maybe, mechanical details or automatic patterns of thinking
Alanya Jinx: attachment I am not sure
--BELL--
Eliza Madrigal: hm, yes maybe the busyness to things actually dulls the experience of the present ...
Calvino Rabeni: By that I mean, a narrow concern with only certain aspects of whatever is going on. Less ability to be creative, more a feeling of "it must be some way"
Eos Amaterasu: it steals the energy of the present
Eliza Madrigal: I'd better sign off... have to get up quite early (and will be drinking large amounts of coffee). We're here four times a day though, Alanya...1,7,1,7 SLT.. hope you'll come back again. Pleasure to meet you. :)
Alanya Jinx: Bye Eliza
Alanya Jinx: Thanks
Calvino Rabeni: Thanks for stopping by, Alanya
Eos Amaterasu: Also disappearing, good night, thank you Eliza, Cal, Alanya
Eliza Madrigal: Night Everyone. A Pleasure :))
Alanya Jinx: Bye Eos

Funny when we see ourselves. :)

From here Alanyna an Calvino discuss feeling at home, travel, etc...

Alanya Jinx: Guess what? I have just been offered a coffee. What do you think I said?
Calvino Rabeni: Thanks?
Calvino Rabeni: :)
Alanya Jinx: Yes, despite knowing I would be better without it I can't resist
Calvino Rabeni: Coffee is important to society too, it helps people get things done
Alanya Jinx: My excuse is that it is morning in my time zone.
Calvino Rabeni: Ah, not here
Alanya Jinx: True I drink more when I am working than when on holiday
Calvino Rabeni: I found green tea to have a smoother stimulation
Calvino Rabeni: If I really wanted to work on a project with sustained focus, I might use that
Calvino Rabeni: less buzzy
Alanya Jinx: Yes I had forgotten about green tea
Alanya Jinx: Jasmine green tea is god
Calvino Rabeni: Coffee has more of a kick
Calvino Rabeni: but worse when it wears off
Alanya Jinx: sometimes we need a kick
Alanya Jinx: when it wears off i just get sleepy which is ok
Calvino Rabeni: You never know what the discussion here will be
Calvino Rabeni: pretty wide ranging
Alanya Jinx: That's good. Did I miss anything interesting?
Calvino Rabeni: what are your interests ?
Calvino Rabeni: TO a certain degree it is possible to create a conversation here
Alanya Jinx: lol
Calvino Rabeni: to match whatever interests one has
Calvino Rabeni: since awareness basically can enliven almost any subject
Calvino Rabeni: but it isn't very often debate, or problem solving
Alanya Jinx: i like the unpredictable spontaneous nature of this
Calvino Rabeni: That it is
Calvino Rabeni: Like philosophy, meditation, and running - who has the time?
Calvino Rabeni: Unless they are all combined at the same time, which is possible
Calvino Rabeni: :)
Alanya Jinx: True
Calvino Rabeni: Many of my best thoughts were during long runs
Alanya Jinx: And caffeine and running are a match made in heaven!
Calvino Rabeni: You never know to look at people, they might be secretly meditating at the same time as doing some perfectly ordinary thing
Calvino Rabeni: Yes true
Calvino Rabeni: And even caffeine and meditating is not a bad mix
Calvino Rabeni: although the purists and traditional teachers might warn against it
Alanya Jinx: I like the runs when I have a lot on my mind and I forget I am running I am just thinking
Calvino Rabeni: Yeah, I love that too
Alanya Jinx: And the runs when I have great energy and I am not thinking at all
Calvino Rabeni: I especially like nature running
Calvino Rabeni: like on trails in mountain or forest
Alanya Jinx: Yes, me too, that is the best, but I seldom do it.
Calvino Rabeni: or mabye even cross-country, if the terrain allows it
Alanya Jinx: On holidays I always go exploring, trekking off somewhere, usually in flip flops.
--BELL--
Calvino Rabeni: To follow one's interest and impulses
Alanya Jinx: When I visit my mother there are some great runs on the sea front paths
Calvino Rabeni: Which part of the world?
Calvino Rabeni: In some places there are traditions of walking as a kind of a meditation of vision quest
Calvino Rabeni: I think I would like that
Calvino Rabeni: I suspect far back in many traditions the same can be found
Alanya Jinx: Yes sounds good. I am trying to think where? Celtic, druids??
Calvino Rabeni: Yes, and in the middle east, and in australia, and with native americans
Calvino Rabeni: I don't know of any "studies" of this specifically
Calvino Rabeni: but it seems common in cultures that are with nature
Alanya Jinx: Monks often go to extemes to contemplate
Calvino Rabeni: Now we do "web surfing" as a kind of similar thing :)
Calvino Rabeni: Yes they do
Alanya Jinx: Tell me how web surfing compares...
Calvino Rabeni: Just joking, mostly, about the web surfing. What it has in common is following impulses whereever they lead
Calvino Rabeni: but I don't think it has the transcendant quality
Alanya Jinx: Ok!
Calvino Rabeni: I do think, people need to wander and explore
Alanya Jinx: Yes, web surfing is more like watching tv
Calvino Rabeni: this is an instinct
Calvino Rabeni: But where one goes is important too
Calvino Rabeni: it needs to be to a place where there is some mystery
Alanya Jinx: I love wandering, it is the best thing. I don't lke to stay in the same place for too long.
Calvino Rabeni: and I don't think, TV and the web seem like places of mystery
Calvino Rabeni: because everything is programmed to be intelligible and automatic
Alanya Jinx: True and when I visit a new place, it can just be a new street, I feel switch on, intrigued
Calvino Rabeni: same here, it touches a deep need
Alanya Jinx: I am curious, where are you from inrl?
Alanya Jinx: in rl?
Calvino Rabeni: then after a while when it becomes known, I may feel a bit of sadness
Calvino Rabeni: West coast, USA
Calvino Rabeni: I move around different places
Alanya Jinx: For work?
Calvino Rabeni: Sometimes, but bad economy, I moved from a small town where economy is bad, now in a bigger city
Calvino Rabeni: But no specific place feels like home - although the American West does
Alanya Jinx: I have a job which means I can live pretty much anywhere in the world so the temptation is to keep moving
Calvino Rabeni: something online work?
Alanya Jinx: No ironically teaching
Calvino Rabeni: Oh, it is a skill needed most places
Alanya Jinx: Yes
Calvino Rabeni: What / who do you teach?
Alanya Jinx: I teach young children - British Curriculum at international schools
Alanya Jinx: And you?
Calvino Rabeni: technology, information mostly, lots of uses for that
Calvino Rabeni: but now I take contracts occasionally, not a salaried job
Calvino Rabeni: my free time is important, sometimes I'd travel
Calvino Rabeni: I don't so much want to be tied down
Calvino Rabeni: Although, maybe I should :)
Alanya Jinx: Yes it is hard to commit. And causes worry. I have to sign 2 year contracts which is exciting but worrying too
Calvino Rabeni: Do you travel different nations? Which have you liked?
Alanya Jinx: I'm in Thailand now and finding it hard to leave. Before that Taiwan which was incomprehensible.
Calvino Rabeni: Where in Thailand?
--BELL--
Alanya Jinx: Phuket
Calvino Rabeni: Where in Phuket ?
Alanya Jinx: Do you know Phuket
Calvino Rabeni: somewhat
Alanya Jinx: Tell me what you know first!
Calvino Rabeni: Not well though. But I wandered all over thailand - care to see pictures?
Calvino Rabeni: It's a great place
Alanya Jinx: Yes, of course
Calvino Rabeni: http://picasaweb.google.com/WyldMedia/Thailand#
Calvino Rabeni: The map markers show the locations
Calvino Rabeni: Hello, Julia
Alanya Jinx: Hi Julia
Alanya Jinx: Come in
Alanya Jinx: Calvino, can you give me that website again please?
Calvino Rabeni: http://picasaweb.google.com/WyldMedia/Thailand#
Alanya Jinx: th;anks
Alanya Jinx: Do you know if i can minimise SL and look at your pics at the same time?
Calvino Rabeni: Yes that should work ok \
Alanya Jinx: But without sounding foolish, how do i minimise sl?
Calvino Rabeni: the in-viewer browser has a button (open in my web browser)
Calvino Rabeni: which should show the web page in the browser outside SL
Calvino Rabeni: It should pop up on top of SL
Calvino Rabeni: you could ignore SL, or minimize it with on of the buttons on the window title bar
Calvino Rabeni: depending on whether it is a mac or a pc
Alanya Jinx: its a mac
Calvino Rabeni: not sure, one of the buttons does that, probably not red one :)
Calvino Rabeni: I have the PC, so couldn't give exact advice, good luck
Alanya Jinx: i am trying
Calvino Rabeni: Anyway there's a lot to like about Thailand - it had a certain magic to it for me
Alanya Jinx: Yes it is great. I love the sea, the mountains, cliffs the orange robed monks, the colour, the food, the weather etc
Alanya Jinx: But is is also a big hot and right now it is really noisy! Chinese New Year and firecrackers going off.
Calvino Rabeni: everything. I even like Bangkok
Calvino Rabeni: RIght, I forgot about that :)
Alanya Jinx: Yes Bangkok is great. I like the city.
Alanya Jinx: Dogs are barking too because of the firecrackers
Calvino Rabeni: :)
Calvino Rabeni: which town is that?
Alanya Jinx: Chalong on Phuket
Calvino Rabeni: I would usually rent a motorcycle and go "wandering"
Calvino Rabeni: off the tourist paths mostly
--BELL--
Alanya Jinx: I love the way that mid conversation a bell reminds us to stop and meditate
Calvino Rabeni: Yes, I like that - wouldn't mind if it were more public practice
Calvino Rabeni: In thailand at certain times everyone stops to give allegiance
Calvino Rabeni: did you notice that in bangkok?
Alanya Jinx: 8am and 6pm?
Calvino Rabeni: Yes that
Alanya Jinx: i hear it at work every morning. It is a bit strange
Calvino Rabeni: Yes, it seems strange to a foreigner
Alanya Jinx: did you ever visit Lumphini park?
Calvino Rabeni: Maybe, where is it?
Alanya Jinx: Bangkok, between Silom Rd and Rama 4
Calvino Rabeni: I'm not sure, is there a Wat there?
Calvino Rabeni: Or is it a zoo?
Alanya Jinx: No it is just a big park, with a couple of lakes. At 6pm the runners stop running for the anthem.
Alanya Jinx: so what other places have you travelled to?
Calvino Rabeni: Let me see, about where you are lately - there's a road from Patong ot meuang phuket, over the hill, and on one side a temple with a Taoist symbol on the wall, do you know that place
Alanya Jinx: I'm not sure, there are a lot of temples here and different ways in and out of patong. dod you have a good experience there?
Alanya Jinx: did
Calvino Rabeni: Just curious what is inside, and why it looks more chinese than Thai
Calvino Rabeni: This talk is giving me the travel itch again
Calvino Rabeni: Do you speak Thai ?
Alanya Jinx: Historically Phuket had a huge chinese population, when it was tin mining. It is still very chinese in places
Alanya Jinx: I speak a little thai, but unfortunatelly not enought
Alanya Jinx: enough
Alanya Jinx: so where are you planning on travelling to next?
Calvino Rabeni: I'm not fluent, but have enough to get around
Calvino Rabeni: Hmm, thai is good on a budget, but I think I'd like to go back to spain, since I've only been to madrid
Alanya Jinx: I haven't been there, but would like to go. I went to Italy a few years ago and loved it.
Calvino Rabeni: I'd like to find something to do while there, other than look at tourist attractions
Calvino Rabeni: although I do recommend the tourist sites in madrid
Alanya Jinx: do you speak any spanish its a beautiful language
Calvino Rabeni: Yes, I can manage - not fast conversation but functional traveler speaking
Calvino Rabeni: If someone is patient with me, it works :)
Calvino Rabeni: I ought to go - would you excuse me - it is late
Calvino Rabeni: but I enjoyed the chat - stop by another time :)
--BELL--
Alanya Jinx: Hi I was just looking at your photos they are great
Calvino Rabeni: Each one had some big interest for me
Calvino Rabeni: thanks
Alanya Jinx: It is a coincidence, that we have both travelled all over Thailand
Calvino Rabeni: Yes it makes things interesting
Calvino Rabeni: I have to make a phone call, but will hang out here if you want to talk thailand or whatever
Calvino Rabeni: but come back another time :)
Calvino Rabeni: the meetings are at 1 and 7 am and pm, Second life time
Alanya Jinx: Yes, see you again. Bye
Calvino Rabeni: OK, take care, bye