2011.01.16 19:00 - Changing Experiences

The Guardian for this meeting was Calvino Rabeni. The lack of comments is by Calvino Rabeni.

Calvino Rabeni: Ah good evening o
oO0Oo Resident: Hi Cal
Calvino Rabeni: Hello, good to see you druth
druth Vlodovic: :) hi cal, sam
Claire Maskelyne: Oh, my... hello.
druth Vlodovic: hi claire
Calvino Rabeni: Hello Claire
oO0Oo Resident: Hi claire, druth
--BELL--

Claire Maskelyne: So what are you three talking about?
oO0Oo Resident giggles
druth Vlodovic: <gasp!>
Calvino Rabeni: So far I believe we were just relaxing..
Calvino Rabeni: Have you been to a meeting at this pavilion before, Claire?
Claire Maskelyne: Yes. I used to go much more often, but then I started feeling lost in Second Life and stopped coming in for a while.
Claire Maskelyne: Perhaps that was a mistake.
druth Vlodovic: oh?
druth Vlodovic: why a mistake?
Calvino Rabeni: It's easy to spend a lot of time in second life and then start to get a feeling like "first" got a little hazier
druth Vlodovic: :)
druth Vlodovic: balance I guess
oO0Oo Resident: hey SopphiaSharon!
SophiaSharon Larnia: hi Cal, Sam, Druth and Claire
druth Vlodovic: hi sophia
Calvino Rabeni: Good evening SSL :)
oO0Oo Resident: lol
SophiaSharon Larnia smiles at the click for info box, great idea Cal! heh
Calvino Rabeni: Balance is a nice overall word for it, Druth
oO0Oo Resident nods
druth Vlodovic: what brought you back?
Claire Maskelyne: I don't know. I felt bad about leaving.
druth Vlodovic: :-) I have this almost irresistable urge to try prying the story out of you
Calvino Rabeni: :)
Calvino Rabeni: Well there's a natural urge to want to know people
Calvino Rabeni: and compare notes or learn
Calvino Rabeni: curiousity doesn't even know "why" it does what it does :)
SophiaSharon Larnia admits she became very curious, although doesn't know about what. :)
Claire Maskelyne: Well, let's see... honestly, I don't know if I can tell it, because it has more to do with personal traumatic experiences outside of SL, and feeling ashamed to return because I felt sullied and ruined.
Calvino Rabeni: :) Sophia
druth Vlodovic: oh no
SophiaSharon Larnia: nods and understands
SophiaSharon Larnia: in a small way maybe
oO0Oo Resident feels tender heart
SophiaSharon Larnia: I have a lot of hesitency sharing personal things about myself in this group
Claire Maskelyne: It's not so much this group as it is that I feel unable to bring up the intimate facts without breaking down and crying, to the confusion of everyone else involved.
SophiaSharon Larnia: it's not the people in the group, but part of it is its not the pupose we're here
--BELL--

Claire Maskelyne: I don't know if I could ever really make anyone understand my feelings, so I don't try to push it.
SophiaSharon Larnia: nice to meet you Claire, by the way, I don't think I've met you yet :)
SophiaSharon Larnia: and I can say I understand that one!
oO0Oo Resident: yes, me too
Calvino Rabeni: It's important for people to feel comfortable with what's revealed and how
oO0Oo Resident: I agree
druth Vlodovic: understanding is not always necessary to interaction, as long as negative feelings aren't aroused
SophiaSharon Larnia: I fell apart before I could share just a little here, didnt have to put myself through that
oO0Oo Resident nods at Sophia
Calvino Rabeni: I believe the feeling that others could not understand, is in a way, the pain's way of thinking, but that in truth people's understanding has a great deal in common
oO0Oo Resident: great point Cal
SophiaSharon Larnia: hi Star1
Calvino Rabeni: I sense a good point there Sophia
SophiaSharon Larnia: yes, a lot of common ground
Star1 Neox: hi
Calvino Rabeni: Hello Star1
Claire Maskelyne: Hello, everyone. ^-^/
oO0Oo Resident: Hi Star1
Star1 Neox: I'm a friend of stevenaia's
SophiaSharon Larnia: knowing there's common experiences doesnt make it easier in some cases, sometimes you just dont want to hurt others
oO0Oo Resident: .me smiles at Claire
SophiaSharon Larnia: hi friend of Steveaia
SophiaSharon Larnia: :)
SophiaSharon Larnia: Hi Paradise
Alfred Kelberry: hey! :)
oO0Oo Resident: Hi Boxy, Para
Star1 Neox: she told me much about this group
SophiaSharon Larnia: Boxy! hi, didnt see you
Alfred Kelberry: :)
Calvino Rabeni: If you're not familiar with the group, Star, you can get a note by clicking on this box on the pool
druth Vlodovic: I think it is important for each person to learn not to oversympathize on an emotional level
Alfred Kelberry: oh, there's grass in the pond
SophiaSharon Larnia: hehe Boxy
oO0Oo Resident: That's ingenius Cal, the box
Calvino Rabeni: During the sessions here the chat is recorded and put on our wiki
SophiaSharon Larnia: empaths find that very difficult
Calvino Rabeni: So its good for people to be informed of that
Calvino Rabeni: Is that OK with you, Star1?
druth Vlodovic: oh yes :-/ but the alternative is isolation
SophiaSharon Larnia: yup
SophiaSharon Larnia: whatcha gonna do
Star1 Neox: yes, thanks
Calvino Rabeni: :) thanks
Paradise Tennant: smiles hello everyone :) waves all round sophia , cal , durth, alfred, claire :)) star1 :) o000o :)
druth Vlodovic: learn that other people's pain is not your own, and can be dealt with differently
SophiaSharon Larnia: yes
Alfred Kelberry: para :)
oO0Oo Resident: there is always more to learn
druth Vlodovic: "room to grow" :)
oO0Oo Resident: start where we find ourselves I guess
Alfred Kelberry: maybe we could add a nice little duck to the pond
Alfred Kelberry: yellow duckling
SophiaSharon Larnia: depends on the experiences that formed your frameworks
Paradise Tennant: smiels at alfred ..like that idea :)
Alfred Kelberry: :)
Calvino Rabeni: Or koi, if we got some transparent water
oO0Oo Resident: you're a quack sometimes boxy!
Alfred Kelberry: it would quack when you touch it :)
Paradise Tennant: maybe a moma duck and 3 babies ?
Paradise Tennant: smiles
Paradise Tennant: druth can you same more
Alfred Kelberry: yes, transparent water. i wonder why it's not yet.
Alfred Kelberry: para, that's phase 2 :)
Paradise Tennant: koi would be good chie :)
Paradise Tennant: chi
oO0Oo Resident: Gucci
druth Vlodovic: I'm afraid I don't know much about ducks
oO0Oo Resident: ;)
Paradise Tennant: sorry was skipping back to what you were saying about pain
Alfred Kelberry: yay!
Paradise Tennant: smiles at the lovely fish
Alfred Kelberry: cute fishes
SophiaSharon Larnia: oy! koi.
oO0Oo Resident: lol
Alfred Kelberry: this is awesome! i love it
druth Vlodovic: oh, just it is unhealthy to try to second guess people too much
Claire Maskelyne: Aww, fish <3
druth Vlodovic: one person is afraid of saying too much because another is afraid of hearing too much
--BELL--

druth Vlodovic: it goes around in a circle and lonliness is a result
Alfred Kelberry: *watches the fishes swimming*
Claire Maskelyne: Yes, I'm willing to believe that.
Claire Maskelyne: But there's always the fear of being ridiculed in there.
SophiaSharon Larnia: nods
Calvino Rabeni: We have pain, growth, cute fishes, and concerns about whether communication has positive effects or could lead to more pain
druth Vlodovic: so ach person must learn to be both tough and compassionate, so fear can be reduced
Paradise Tennant: always find that dealing with those kinds of situation really helped by remembering how temporary everything is .. even the most tragic and of course the blissful great moments pass too :)
oO0Oo Resident: cradled in the arms of loving kindness
Paradise Tennant: yes
Calvino Rabeni: :) yes druth
SophiaSharon Larnia: listens
Paradise Tennant: that helps .. picturing the person swathed in tenderness or picturing yourself awash in loving kindness .. buddists are big on visualizations .. think thoughts have the power to heal or harm :)
Calvino Rabeni: surely, heal or harm
oO0Oo Resident: with an eye toward any agenda
Calvino Rabeni: and acts of speech - thought expressed - get power too
Alfred Kelberry: meep!
SophiaSharon Larnia: thought leading to action
Calvino Rabeni: as a blessing or a curse depending on whether they heal or harm
oO0Oo Resident: one has , in a way, only one's inspiration to work with
Claire Maskelyne: But is that a safe thing to assume?
druth Vlodovic: lol, of course not
druth Vlodovic: this is life after all
Calvino Rabeni: Most things in life are semi-safe :)
oO0Oo Resident: the discernment has its intelligence
oO0Oo Resident: part of taking care of oneself
Calvino Rabeni: or semi-dangerous depending on how one might look at it
druth Vlodovic: I like semi-safe, the change in emphasis shows that even the worst mistake can have positive outcomes
Calvino Rabeni: I suspect most errors are on the side of conservatism, of assessing risk as being more than they are
oO0Oo Resident: what is trying to survive
Calvino Rabeni: The koi in the pond looks nice
Alfred Kelberry: transparent water please
Paradise Tennant: smiles at sophia yes they are beautiful
SophiaSharon Larnia: I was just thinkingabout the ice and koi
SophiaSharon Larnia: dont they need to stay warm :)
SophiaSharon Larnia: I think making the water transparent would causesome flicker problems maybe
Paradise Tennant: yes they do need warmth
SophiaSharon Larnia: with hair and stuff :D
Calvino Rabeni: The pixel fish will survive the chill of the pixel ice
SophiaSharon Larnia: hehe Cal
oO0Oo Resident: Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
SophiaSharon Larnia: yayaya
oO0Oo Resident: The roots of the word have been defined as follows: super- "above", cali- "beauty", fragilistic- "delicate", expiali- "to atone", and docious- "educable", with the sum of these parts signifying roughly "Atoning for educability through delicate beauty." [http://is.gd/9OppL3]
SophiaSharon Larnia: wow! I didnt know that
Paradise Tennant: wow
Alfred Kelberry: this is so not optimal
SophiaSharon Larnia: eh?
Star1 Neox: Night, thank you
Calvino Rabeni: Good night :)
oO0Oo Resident: night Star1
SophiaSharon Larnia: bye Star :)
druth Vlodovic: since atone is corrective action you could also say it is reeducating yourself to accept beauty and fragility
druth Vlodovic: a better fit for the movie :)
Paradise Tennant: huge smile loved that sentence druth
oO0Oo Resident smiles
Calvino Rabeni: That brings up a good point though - whether something is, or ought to be, optimized
SophiaSharon Larnia: wow
Calvino Rabeni: Yes great, druth
Claire Maskelyne: Optimized?
Calvino Rabeni: Boxy stated about something - i was not sure what - being optimal
Paradise Tennant: optimization is so subjective and .. not always about acceptance ..
Paradise Tennant: think there times when it is better to just be .. or let be
Alfred Kelberry: it's about ease of use and efficiency
Calvino Rabeni: of what, Alfred?
Alfred Kelberry: cal, same with "what" :)
--BELL--

Alfred Kelberry: of that
Calvino Rabeni: There are times , yes Paradise ... and then the challenge of discrimination about what the current time needs more
Calvino Rabeni: Balance without compromise perhaps
Calvino Rabeni doesn't get what Boxy's "that" refers to, though
oO0Oo Resident: An image/phrase of Tsoknyi Rinpoche's (a Tibetan Buddhist teacher), was introduced to me today that reminded me of the phrase, "Play as Being". The quote was, "happiness for no reason"
SophiaSharon Larnia: :D
Calvino Rabeni: When I hear that it means to me "no justification required"
Calvino Rabeni: although I might find a reason
Claire Maskelyne: I'm not sure why... but I'm crying right now
SophiaSharon Larnia: ~Claire
Calvino Rabeni looks at claire softly
oO0Oo Resident holds Claire in heart
Claire Maskelyne: I just... feel this profound sense of loss.
Paradise Tennant: listens
Claire Maskelyne: Like hodling open a door for someone that never comes.
Alfred Kelberry: *pats claire's back*
Calvino Rabeni: I resonate with that, Claire
Paradise Tennant: smiles if you hold the door open long enough someone will ..come if only your true self :)
oO0Oo Resident: It's almost a description of human life altogether, and the warriorship is the holding open the door
Claire Maskelyne: What do you do with a feeling like that? Particularly when you have been dealing with sadness for so long, for so many reasons, that you fear bringing it up will only drive others away?
Paradise Tennant: yes ! O
druth Vlodovic: it sounds cold, but sometimes you have to fill yourself, be the person who never leaves you
Paradise Tennant: be sad .. be sad together with others .. live is a mix ..
oO0Oo Resident rightly or wrongly feels tears coming also
Paradise Tennant: *life
Paradise Tennant: smiles at o
Calvino Rabeni: When that happens Claire, I like to remind myself that it kind of proves that I have a lot in common with others, that they have pain to resonate with mine
Calvino Rabeni: no right and wrong in those feelings .. often I find them epiphanies
Claire Maskelyne: But when you feel stuck in them?
Paradise Tennant: sadness lifts to its own schedule :) sometimes for very deep loss .. it is there .. a constant companion ..who makes things taste dry .. takes the colour out of everything .. but who also slows you down .. enough so that you can heal
Calvino Rabeni: When I feel stuck .. it's kind of about how I was holding the pain
Calvino Rabeni: not the pain itself
Calvino Rabeni: so I try to hold it lightly and tenderly
Paradise Tennant: yes cal :) !
Calvino Rabeni: if that doesn't work .. getting into an experience of something completely different :)
Calvino Rabeni: but knowing, "I'll be back!"
Claire Maskelyne: What sort of experience?
Calvino Rabeni: Fun, or just being productive on something, or compassion for others, or something not related to that pain, that I feel good about
SophiaSharon Larnia: yes, changing experiences changes perspectives
--BELL--

oO0Oo Resident: I'd like to suggest that during the braek we could send Claire a bit of well wishing
Calvino Rabeni: I liked that suggestion o
Paradise Tennant: we could do a 5 min ton glen session .... find it seems to help people .. often
Calvino Rabeni: it was good for me too :)
oO0Oo Resident: :)
SophiaSharon Larnia: its true that if you leave a location, you still bring yourself, and you cant get away from that, but i can say from experience that even just leaving the house can help alot
Calvino Rabeni: Switching gears, freeing attention, then I know I'll be better if and when I return to it
SophiaSharon Larnia: I meant doing something different (is really tired!)
Paradise Tennant: I like physical stuff .. running .. physical work housework .. painting rooms .. cleaning closets is great . to do when you are either in a state of sorrow
Paradise Tennant: or fear of losing someone to illness
Claire Maskelyne: Have you lost someone to illness?
Paradise Tennant: yes several people but time has passed ..
SophiaSharon Larnia: good night all, off to bed for me :)
SophiaSharon Larnia: take care !
Paradise Tennant: and ... while for sure you do fee quite gutted .. by the loss ... it goes away .. life gets bright again
druth Vlodovic: 'night sophia
Paradise Tennant: good nite sophia
oO0Oo Resident: rest well SSL
oO0Oo Resident: :)
druth Vlodovic: I find the loss comes and goes, but it gets gentler each time, if dealt with gently
Paradise Tennant: yes it has layers
Paradise Tennant: acceptance .. is necessary ..
Claire Maskelyne: I can understand that.
Claire Maskelyne: But grief is funny for me because I only experience it in certain situations.
Claire Maskelyne: No, it's not grief for another I'm feeling now...
Claire Maskelyne: It's worry that I'm not living happily enough, that even my inner world fails to provide a safe sanctuary.
Mitzi Mimistrobell: Hi everyone ...
Paradise Tennant: smiles hiya mitzi .. so nice to see you :)
oO0Oo Resident: hi mitzi
druth Vlodovic: lol, anxiety anxiety, oh how familiar
Mitzi Mimistrobell: Hi Paradise! and hi to all of you ...
Calvino Rabeni smiles at mitzi - hey :)
Mitzi Mimistrobell: I'm happy to be here but I came by to say that I cannot stay tonight ...
Calvino Rabeni: Short and sweet !
Mitzi Mimistrobell: ... also that my priorities are shifting and my schedule, and I'm not sure I can be a regular at this meeting anymore ... I would like to find a way to do so, but will take a few weeks before I can see how ... perhaps another meeting might work better schedulewise
Paradise Tennant: smiles just nice to see you mitzi :) and at least wave
Calvino Rabeni: We can do that Mitzi :)
oO0Oo Resident: what a thoughtful expression mitzi
Paradise Tennant: thursday nites ? !
Mitzi Mimistrobell: Are there any other 7pm meetings that most of you attend?
Mitzi Mimistrobell: Thursday might be great ...
Paradise Tennant: or Mondays ! sophia's session or steves on Wednesday
Calvino Rabeni: I don't do mondays, but Thurdays are great
Mitzi Mimistrobell: Thursdays at 8pm at this same location?
Paradise Tennant: eos 's is tues and lucinda is friday and pema is sunday there is wide choice
Claire Maskelyne: Pema? What time on Sunday?
Mitzi Mimistrobell: Pema is Saturday I thought ...
Calvino Rabeni: the session starts at 7 but you can come at 8 no problem
Paradise Tennant: oh right
Paradise Tennant: sleepy here
Mitzi Mimistrobell: sorry my mistake -- 7pm Second Life time ... 8pm my time
--BELL--

Claire Maskelyne: I miss Pema... we used to talk a lot more.
Mitzi Mimistrobell: Well then, hope to see all of you soon!
Paradise Tennant: smiles at mitzi
oO0Oo Resident: :) mitzi
Mitzi Mimistrobell: I must be off ... I will miss you and wish you a deep and provocative discussion
Calvino Rabeni: ah I forgot you're one zone away
Mitzi Mimistrobell: thank you o0000o ... I feel your presence, thank you.
Paradise Tennant: wish you joy in whatever direction your life goes :)
Calvino Rabeni: Bye, take care Mitzi :)
Mitzi Mimistrobell: And all of you.... oh, you'
Claire Maskelyne: Goodbye, everyone...
Mitzi Mimistrobell: oh you'll all be seeing me! I'm just having to adjust my schedule ... this is not a big goodbye
Paradise Tennant: good nite claire
Paradise Tennant: namaste :)
Mitzi Mimistrobell: Pleasant dreams all!
druth Vlodovic: 'nigth claire
oO0Oo Resident: ty Claire, for your genuiness
Calvino Rabeni: _/!\_
Calvino Rabeni: Claire
Calvino Rabeni: thanks,see you again I hope
oO0Oo Resident: :)
Claire Maskelyne: Actually, I'm not leaving right now... I was under the impression that the rest of you were.
Claire Maskelyne: ^^;
Calvino Rabeni: ah ok good
Calvino Rabeni: :)
oO0Oo Resident: lol, I do that all the time
Paradise Tennant: smiles ok :)
Paradise Tennant: yes can be confusing when there is a swirl of good byes
druth Vlodovic: I was just thinking about the role of anticipation in seperating us from sheer appearence
druth Vlodovic: anticipation is entirely a product of our inner world
Calvino Rabeni: anticipation is very important in the life of all beings, animals, humans
druth Vlodovic: when we place it between us and what is, we have conflict if it isn't fulfilled in the way our imagination tells us it should
Calvino Rabeni: we live in a very anticipatory world
Calvino Rabeni: we are anticipatory "systems" by design
Calvino Rabeni: even amoebas are like that
druth Vlodovic: which means we live in am imaginary future
druth Vlodovic: which may never arise
Calvino Rabeni: and when it works, Great
Calvino Rabeni: and when it doesn't we roll our eyes and feel a little stupid
Calvino Rabeni: scared maybe
Calvino Rabeni: for getting off track
Calvino Rabeni: being in the groove feels really good
Calvino Rabeni: anticipating reality and aligning with it
druth Vlodovic: or we allow the disappointment to block the joy of the present
Calvino Rabeni: No need to "add on"
Calvino Rabeni: that's where "dropping" is a good move
Calvino Rabeni: When we can't drop things, they have a momentum seemingly counter to reality, we persist our will
Calvino Rabeni: in an inaccurate way
Calvino Rabeni: is that possibly, a definition of attachment?
druth Vlodovic: lol, attachment to an anticipation
Calvino Rabeni: yes
Calvino Rabeni: every attachment seems to be an anticipation
Calvino Rabeni: an idea that is more rigid than reality?
Calvino Rabeni: I'm thinking of the "mirror" analogy .. the mirror doesn't slow down what it reflects ..
Paradise Tennant: yes it is a life long practise to be present to this moment to control our thoughts to now and to let go ..of the future
Calvino Rabeni: although minds are more specific and more active than mirrors
Calvino Rabeni: I think of it as letting go of the immediate past, the ideas that turned out not to be aligned with reality
Calvino Rabeni: not letting them drag along behind
Calvino Rabeni: when they are not relevant any more
--BELL--

Calvino Rabeni: Hi Dorje, I don' think you've been to this group before? You can get an info note by clicking on the box here in the pool
Paradise Tennant: I appreciate the past .. love photos .. remembering .. things that ..happened .. the funny things but .. it is swooshed .. gone .. no longer relevant .. where you are right now is what has meaning ...and not to say you do not plan for the future .. but you don't live there ..
Paradise Tennant: smiles hello dorje :)
Dorje Indigo: Thank you all - I am here to listen
Calvino Rabeni: The conversations here are recorded and published on the group wiki - is that OK with you ?
Dorje Indigo: Yes
Calvino Rabeni: Thanks :)
Claire Maskelyne: Would you rather live in the future or the past?
Claire Maskelyne: My constant worry is that what I remember isn't 'true'.
Calvino Rabeni: Except, paradise ... I think, sometimes if we're not "present" enough (and who is) then we get some benefit from learning about the past through memory, what we couldn't "get" in the moment
druth Vlodovic: I like to live now
druth Vlodovic: even in bad tiomes if I focus "now" tightly enough it can be a refuge
Calvino Rabeni: Living now carries an obligation then to be really"present" - or else it turns into like, living life looking through a keyhole at a tiny sliver
Calvino Rabeni: the narrow moment,not the greater present moment
druth Vlodovic: oh I don't do it all the time, how drab a world with no past or future
Calvino Rabeni: Skills and options then
Paradise Tennant: blinking
Calvino Rabeni: When Paradise blinks :)
Calvino Rabeni: something's happenign
Calvino Rabeni: it perks me up :)
Paradise Tennant: when you bring your attention to now .. you are brining you .. a composite of your experience your past .. so how I look at it .. is not really narrow
Paradise Tennant: lol
Paradise Tennant: well could say processing .. but I really do blink
Paradise Tennant: and more restful ..
Paradise Tennant: and productive
Calvino Rabeni: :) really yes, brain and eyes and eyelids work together :)
druth Vlodovic: sometimes you can push most of yourself aside
Paradise Tennant: yes let the idea fill you up
druth Vlodovic: each direction you look, ad how you look, has colour
Calvino Rabeni: What would that be, druth?
Paradise Tennant: so you can see it clearly
Calvino Rabeni: Oh .. yes
Calvino Rabeni: I was thinking about two important basic ideas that are hard to remember .. that it's possible to have choice about one's experience, and the idea of how many sources of "help" there are
oO0Oo Resident nods
Calvino Rabeni: That's what I though listening to druth's last statement
Calvino Rabeni: HOW you look
Calvino Rabeni: and choosing the direction
Calvino Rabeni: color
Calvino Rabeni: representing finding the help or benefit
Calvino Rabeni: of directing attention
Calvino Rabeni: to something that is available
--BELL--

Calvino Rabeni: but would otherwise not have entered awareness
Paradise Tennant: yes when you trust ... fully present .. always find whatever you really need it arrives .. if only it is the right thougth :)
Paradise Tennant: or even better ..no thought !
Paradise Tennant: spaciousness
Claire Maskelyne: The right thought?
Calvino Rabeni: No attached thought, is how I take that. Mind considers manifold possibilities at once. The experienced mind can be more effective
Paradise Tennant: yes the thought you need to make it work
Paradise Tennant: to get throught whatever it is you in
Calvino Rabeni: so dropping the type of thoughts that don't really help
Calvino Rabeni: makes more room for the ones that do
Calvino Rabeni: in the spaciousness that holds them
Paradise Tennant: no spaciousness is no thought
Calvino Rabeni: it is the container for thought, to use an analogy
Paradise Tennant: it is .. like calm abiding
Calvino Rabeni: what makes thoughts work better, makes them possible
Paradise Tennant: a place of peace .. still .. mind ...
Calvino Rabeni: and gives them a way to connect and relate and do some good
Calvino Rabeni: spaciousness and thoughts don't interfere or contradict each other
Calvino Rabeni: "The right thought" .. that sounded hmmm,
Calvino Rabeni: like it made some invitations that I might not want to accept
Calvino Rabeni: yet there are choices to be made
Calvino Rabeni: some thoughts seem to "work better" than others
Calvino Rabeni: if the spaciousness is taken into account
oO0Oo Resident thinks the Koi do indeed look beautiful
Calvino Rabeni: A highly conscious thought about licorice scotty dogs is probably more worthwhile than a dull thought about the true meaning of the universe
oO0Oo Resident: prajna dispenses with the labels
Claire Maskelyne: Maybe I chase after that kind of dull 'deep' thought too much.
Paradise Tennant: yes
Claire Maskelyne: I always feel the need to look outside myself to be sure what I'm thinking is 'legitimate'.
oO0Oo Resident: suspect there's nothing at all wrong with you Claire
druth Vlodovic: lol, "I'm having illegitimate thoughts about licorice scotty dogs."
Calvino Rabeni: that's a worthwhile impulse Claire
Calvino Rabeni: "reality check"
Calvino Rabeni: validating my thoughts with what I can see of any other intelligent beings who happen to be around
druth Vlodovic: but being negatively judgemental is habit forming, and hard to rid oneself of
Calvino Rabeni: yes it is a habit
Calvino Rabeni: we might even call it a practice
Calvino Rabeni: that has gone too far
Paradise Tennant: it is hard to describe but .. being still ...kind of melting into just being like butter without a busy mind .. is incredibly helpful .. for your spirit your body .. your outlook ..it lightens everything every aspect
Paradise Tennant: love licorice ..never had salty dogs will look for them
oO0Oo Resident melts into paradise
Paradise Tennant: lol
Paradise Tennant: sigh speaking of melting . it well past the witching hour .. and I should scoot ..
--BELL--

Calvino Rabeni: oh, they are little dog-shaped candies of chewy black stuff
oO0Oo Resident: witch on para!
druth Vlodovic: ah, we'll miss you until we met again paradise
oO0Oo Resident: be well
Paradise Tennant: fi it so ok claire >> i will add you to my ton glen list .. and visualize you sitting peaceful in a sun beam with a light heart :)
Paradise Tennant: smiles namaste my friends :)
Claire Maskelyne: Goodbye. ^-^/
Calvino Rabeni: A lot of time what we talk about sounds pretty general or abstract but, I believe it's often referring to skills or insights of real practical importance
Calvino Rabeni: _/!\_
Calvino Rabeni: Paradise
oO0Oo Resident mmm
Claire Maskelyne: I can't stand licorice myself.
druth Vlodovic: lol
oO0Oo Resident: lol
Calvino Rabeni: I only like it every now and then, but other times I dislike it ... maybe for a year or so :)
Calvino Rabeni: Then when not liking licorice, its the fruity flavors that appeal
Calvino Rabeni: there must be a long term biological cycle in me
Calvino Rabeni: heh
Claire Maskelyne: I remember a time when I ate so many sour patch kids that all the taste buds peeled off my tongue.
oO0Oo Resident: lol
Claire Maskelyne: And all I could think was 'Man, that's awesome'.
oO0Oo Resident: rofl
Calvino Rabeni: owwww
Calvino Rabeni: Some people smoke cigars
Calvino Rabeni: :)
oO0Oo Resident: :)
Calvino Rabeni: Coffee is really biter
Calvino Rabeni: bitter
Calvino Rabeni: somehow I came to like it a lot
oO0Oo Resident: just say no.... to sour patch kids
Calvino Rabeni: never got a taste for beer, however
Calvino Rabeni: and it's bitter too
oO0Oo Resident: ;)
Claire Maskelyne: I've also developed a taste for Shigekix gummies, i.e. the sourest candy known to humans. Or monekys.
Claire Maskelyne: *monkeys even
Calvino Rabeni: Do monkeys eat them?
Calvino Rabeni: oh, pet monkeys, monkeys in the wild, or food-lab monkeys .. ?
oO0Oo Resident: 4 out of 5 monkeys prefer Shigekix gummies
oO0Oo Resident: I wonder how beer and cigars and sour patch kids and monkeys mix?
Calvino Rabeni: The monkeys go wild
Calvino Rabeni: Balance is always important of course
oO0Oo Resident: the truth druth spoketh of
Calvino Rabeni: in flavors as in life
Calvino Rabeni: yes that truth
druth Vlodovic: lol, now I'm imagining a monkey holding a beer and cigar chewing...
oO0Oo Resident: lol
Calvino Rabeni: hehe
druth Vlodovic: I really have to get on with learning to draw
Calvino Rabeni: It would be fun to be a quick cartoonist
Calvino Rabeni: but take time to develop the skill
Calvino Rabeni: maybe there's a web site for it...
Calvino Rabeni: It could be a viable business
Calvino Rabeni: Go to http://draw-me-a-cartoon.com/
Calvino Rabeni: then enter in the text box
Calvino Rabeni: "monkey chewing cigar and drinking beer"
Calvino Rabeni: somewhare a compulsive or unemployed cartoonist whips that out
Calvino Rabeni: and you click the PayPal button
Calvino Rabeni: boom, commerce at work
druth Vlodovic: oh yes!
oO0Oo Resident: do you know xkcd Cal?
oO0Oo Resident: could see you getting witty around something along those lines
Claire Maskelyne: I'm sorry!
Claire Maskelyne: My computer has been acting up lately, and I had to restart it.
oO0Oo Resident: np
--BELL--

oO0Oo Resident: my taste buds had gone completely numb anyway
druth Vlodovic: lucky you, it says the domain name is open
Calvino Rabeni: I do know xkcd - it's great ... here's one I like .. even though it is about the isolation we referenced earlier
Calvino Rabeni: http://xkcd.com/817/

Claire Maskelyne: Playing Tappi Bear right now. Very fun game series.
druth Vlodovic: lol, and now we've come full circle
oO0Oo Resident: :)
Claire Maskelyne: To what?
druth Vlodovic: back to allowing fear and anticipation to isolate us
Calvino Rabeni: Except now with koi... they are doing the circling
oO0Oo Resident: Nice xkcd Cal
druth Vlodovic: it seems to me to be the meaning of the comic
Calvino Rabeni: Yes, it shows it graphically
Claire Maskelyne: Isolate?
Calvino Rabeni: I was thinking, how showing or naming, can either some freedom from something, or sometimes reinforce it
Claire Maskelyne: Augh, I'm not actually typing now.
druth Vlodovic: the comic is of two people, each dreaming, and each in the other's dream bubble
Calvino Rabeni: but fear and isolation are "background" kinds of things - they live in the air, in the surround
druth Vlodovic: but looking lonely
Calvino Rabeni: so sometimes foregrounding them in a humorous way helps
Calvino Rabeni: Yes, the cartoon shows how people mutually dream their collective isolation
oO0Oo Resident melts a little more into paradise ;)
druth Vlodovic: :)
Calvino Rabeni: its title is "Mutual"
Calvino Rabeni: the joke is - it is showing a cooperative act that feels like one of isolation.
Claire Maskelyne: I see... that makes sense.
druth Vlodovic: each person dreams of being close to others...
Calvino Rabeni: very much
oO0Oo Resident: yes
oO0Oo Resident: we keep the door open
Calvino Rabeni: dreams of being close in certain ways
Calvino Rabeni: its our nature to do so
Calvino Rabeni: how ever one thinks that nature comes about
oO0Oo Resident: so we can forgive ourseles
oO0Oo Resident: it's like a door that keeps opening, and opening, and opening
Calvino Rabeni: the cartoon shows, two people in an intimate, but unconscious relationship, imagining that the other does not dream of them when - the cartoon shows - they are
oO0Oo Resident: that is my experience of depression
Calvino Rabeni: How can the dreaming-spell be broken?
Claire Maskelyne: Is this meant to be a lesson for the reader, as you interpret it?
Calvino Rabeni: It could be, I don't know the author's intention
Calvino Rabeni: a fine sense of irony
--BELL--

Calvino Rabeni: reading a large number of xkcd comics, I get a certain feeling about what the author is up to
Claire Maskelyne: And what's that?
Calvino Rabeni: A lot of restless, creative mind energy, breaking the spell of things that don't make sense by pointing them out
Calvino Rabeni: liking a lot of perspectives and variety
oO0Oo Resident: capabillity with hopefulness, pointing to poignant limitation
Calvino Rabeni: kind of using the mind for helping people get out of common traps they get into by doing things automatically
oO0Oo Resident: with heart
Calvino Rabeni: yes I get that about it too
oO0Oo Resident: a noble cause
druth Vlodovic: lol, I wonder if calvino has got the whole "play" thing down
Calvino Rabeni: hoping maybe, if the mind is awakened to something the heart's common sense or yearnings may then be released into play
druth Vlodovic: perhaps the artist is simply having fun
druth Vlodovic: or expressing feelings
Calvino Rabeni: its fun to express one's values
Calvino Rabeni: I get a feeling from it
oO0Oo Resident: Super cal ifragilisticexpialidocious
Calvino Rabeni: who's behind the pen
druth Vlodovic: lol
Calvino Rabeni: oh nice reconnection, sam
Calvino Rabeni: that cartoonist does what, one per day?
Calvino Rabeni: like a cartoon blog
Calvino Rabeni: that's a lot of energy
Calvino Rabeni: and makes the cartooning a practice
oO0Oo Resident: mmm
oO0Oo Resident: much energy there
druth Vlodovic: not everything has a purpose, or perhaps the purpose is there in evrything we do, even if we don't think so
Calvino Rabeni: LOT of energy
Calvino Rabeni: Yes druth, I agree more with the second part
oO0Oo Resident smiles at Druth
Calvino Rabeni: not a narrow, preconceived, instrumental purpose ... more like a meaning
Calvino Rabeni: and a lot of hidden dimensions to the meaning
Calvino Rabeni: but
Calvino Rabeni: it might be a good idea to leave them mostly hidden
druth Vlodovic: it is good to explore
druth Vlodovic: but it can also be good to stop exploring
druth Vlodovic: for a little
Calvino Rabeni: the exploring is the fun part ... not so much the little sketchy maps the explorers make
Calvino Rabeni: balance :)
oO0Oo Resident: not to sharpen an already sharp sword though
Calvino Rabeni: no, better to dull it by use
Calvino Rabeni: before resharpening it
oO0Oo Resident smiles at circle with warm heart, feeling refreshed from opening, and feeling arrivals, while still opening further, and departing
druth Vlodovic: ah, I'm for bed
Calvino Rabeni smiles bye
druth Vlodovic: thank you all for an invigorating evening :)
Calvino Rabeni: thanks, a pleasure, druth
druth Vlodovic: good luck with your endeavours claire
--BELL--

Calvino Rabeni: And Clare also .. glad you stopped by
druth Vlodovic: and whenever you don't feel like talking to anyone, call me, I'm hardly anyone at all :)
Calvino Rabeni: :) (!) nice