Aphrodite Macbain: they do that and more!
Zen Arado: I discovered when I did that exercise, I don't like raisins
druth Vlodovic: :)
Aphrodite Macbain: lol
Catrinamonblue Resident: agree with you there Zen, not my fave either :)
druth Vlodovic: how was it you were eating them before?
Aphrodite Macbain: but at least you know that fully now Zen!
Zen Arado: ok in cereals
druth Vlodovic: use chocolate next time
Zen Arado: but not as sole item
Aphrodite Macbain: Wol we are talking about being fully in the moment when we do things- like eating a raisin
Catrinamonblue Resident: chocolate mmmmmmm
Zen Arado: well you have to try hard to stay with that
Aphrodite Macbain: I think we can all fully grok chocolate
Zen Arado: we went around the group giving our impressions of the experience
Aphrodite Macbain: and?
Zen Arado: the colour, texture, smell etc
Zen Arado: taste
Wol Euler nods.
Aphrodite Macbain: in different parts of our mouth
Zen Arado: what it felt like when you bit into it
Aphrodite Macbain: How often do we taste our food like that?
Aphrodite Macbain: part of stopping
Zen Arado: Thich Nhat Hanh is good on that mindfulness
Catrinamonblue Resident: nods
Aphrodite Macbain: yes
Zen Arado: you actually would eat less if you ate mindfully  

 stopped for a moment. Silence.
Catrinamonblue Resident: so maybe it's more of a stop and smell the roses idea
Catrinamonblue Resident: sometimes when I'm out walking I can get into a zone (best word I can think of right now) where I just exist
Catrinamonblue Resident: where there is nothing but me and the trees
Aphrodite Macbain: what is stopping?" that's what the minutes say. I like the idea of aesthetic arrest
Aphrodite Macbain: being stopped in your tracks
Catrinamonblue Resident: and no thoughts no feeling just existence
Aphrodite Macbain: There you are, stumbling along, along some path and then bang, something s shocks you enough to stop you
Catrinamonblue Resident: beauty
Catrinamonblue Resident: sunlight
Aphrodite Macbain: stop your thinking, feeling, anticipating, looking bacl=kward
Catrinamonblue Resident: yes exactly :)
Aphrodite Macbain: and you almost hold your breath
Catrinamonblue Resident: yes :)
Aphrodite Macbain: Usually that happens to me when I read or hear a brand new idea
Catrinamonblue Resident: so you have been there too :)
Aphrodite Macbain: yes. but differently
Catrinamonblue Resident: ah happens in different ways to different people :)
Catrinamonblue Resident: snap
Aphrodite Macbain: crackle
Catrinamonblue Resident: pop
Catrinamonblue Resident: :)
Aphrodite Macbain: all we need is blueberries
Catrinamonblue Resident: :)
Aphrodite Macbain: the sky seems to be falling in
Aphrodite Macbain: ah it
druth Vlodovic: ??
Aphrodite Macbain: s the fountain spray
Zen Arado: 's current display-name is "Zen".
Aphrodite Macbain: Hi Zen
druth Vlodovic: hey zen
Catrinamonblue Resident: Hi Zen :)
Zen Arado: Hi all
Aphrodite Macbain: Have you stopped thinking yet?
Zen Arado: nope
druth Vlodovic: I sort of have those moments, when I see something suddenly
Catrinamonblue Resident: listens
druth Vlodovic: is zen trying to stop thinking?
Aphrodite Macbain: The theme is "what is stopping?"
Aphrodite Macbain: listens to druth
druth Vlodovic: it is more something I do, than something that happens to me, usually
Aphrodite Macbain: oh?
druth Vlodovic: I just stop and see it
Zen Arado: yes
druth Vlodovic: let it expand and fill me
Aphrodite Macbain: for the first time or differently?
druth Vlodovic: differently,it can be something I have seen a thousand times before
Aphrodite Macbain: nods
druth Vlodovic: or even not differently :)
druth Vlodovic: all that changes is me
Aphrodite Macbain: yes
Zen Arado: a realization?
druth Vlodovic: more just seeing, not even looking
druth Vlodovic: just being
Aphrodite Macbain: there is an exercise in the book I'm reading where it tells you to eat a raisin, very very slowly
Zen Arado: yes..have done it
Aphrodite Macbain: smell it touch it taste it
--BELL--
Zen Arado: many times in groups
Aphrodite Macbain: it fills up your senses- that is being mindful
Zen Arado: it's the same principle in Zen
Zen Arado: paying particular attention to what you are doing
Zen Arado: like eating
Aphrodite Macbain: We spend so much time rushing through the world, we miss so much
Catrinamonblue Resident: nods
Zen Arado: exactly
Catrinamonblue Resident: why I like my walks so much
Aphrodite Macbain: I guess in order to fully appreciate something you need to stop doing something else
Catrinamonblue Resident: yes :)
Zen Arado: and mostly we do thinking
Catrinamonblue Resident: big yes
Zen Arado: about something else
Zen Arado: and not here right now
Aphrodite Macbain: or to fully appreciate what someone is saying you need to stop and drop one's own assumptions
Catrinamonblue Resident: that's a really hard one
Zen Arado: it's also the point of meditation
Zen Arado: yes
Aphrodite Macbain: to recognize what is hapening?
Zen Arado: 'not know' people as my zen teacher says
Aphrodite Macbain: beginner's mind
Catrinamonblue Resident: I like that Zen :)
Zen Arado: yes
Aphrodite Macbain: the less you know the wiser you become :-)
Zen Arado: who are you? ;)
Aphrodite Macbain: I am part of a larger world
Zen Arado: or the big question...who am I ?
Aphrodite Macbain: and connected to all the dust motes and stardust
Zen Arado: Hi Wol
Catrinamonblue Resident: Hi Wol :)
Wol Euler: evening all
Aphrodite Macbain: Hello Wol
Aphrodite Macbain: we are pondering stopping and dropping
Wol Euler: brb
Zen Arado: I thought we had to do ababc whatever
Zen Arado: :)
druth Vlodovic: next week :)
Aphrodite Macbain: no, that's next week
Catrinamonblue Resident: next week I think :)
Aphrodite Macbain: snapp snapp snapp
Catrinamonblue Resident: triple snap :)
Aphrodite Macbain: ginger snap
druth Vlodovic: snap dragons
Aphrodite Macbain: snapping turtles
Catrinamonblue Resident: do dragons snap? :)
Zen Arado: I discovered when I did that exercise
Aphrodite Macbain: they do that and more!
Zen Arado: I don't like raisins
druth Vlodovic: :)
Aphrodite Macbain: listens to Zen
Aphrodite Macbain: lol
Catrinamonblue Resident: agree with you there Zen not my fav either :)
druth Vlodovic: how was it you were eating them before?
Aphrodite Macbain: but at least you fully know that now Zen!
Zen Arado: ok in cereals
druth Vlodovic: use chocolate next time
Zen Arado: but not as sole item
Aphrodite Macbain: Wol we are talking about being fully in the moment when we do things- like eating a raisin
Catrinamonblue Resident: chocolate mmmmmmm
Zen Arado: well you have to try hard to stay with that
Aphrodite Macbain: I think we can all fully grok chocolate
Zen Arado: we went around the group giving our impressions of the experience
Aphrodite Macbain: and?
Zen Arado: the colour, texture, smell etc
Zen Arado: taste
Wol Euler nods.
Aphrodite Macbain: in different parts of our mouth
Zen Arado: what it felt like when you bit into it
Aphrodite Macbain: how often do we taste our food like that?
Aphrodite Macbain: part of stopping
Zen Arado: Thich Nhat Hanh is good on that mindfulness
Catrinamonblue Resident: nods
Aphrodite Macbain: yes
Zen Arado: you actually would eat less if you ate mindfully
Aphrodite Macbain: I find when I walk through the city, I don’t really pay attention to what's around me; I'm involved in my thoughts
Wol Euler nods.
Zen Arado: most are the same
Wol Euler: most of the time, yes, autopilot I call that
Aphrodite Macbain: Occasionally, like druth I see a building that has always been there and see it for the first time
Wol Euler: how do you know it was always there, though?
Aphrodite Macbain: realize I would never be Sherlock Holmes
Zen Arado: learning writing they tell you to be perceptive
Wol Euler: you *assume* because it seems old that it was always there :)
Zen Arado: it is the little details that make for interest
Aphrodite Macbain: that's a whole other line of inquiry Wol :-)
Wol Euler: indeed
Zen Arado: you notice what people wear
Zen Arado: we can do that in SL too
Aphrodite Macbain: we make assumptions
druth Vlodovic: easier to stare and not get caught :)
--BELL--
Catrinamonblue Resident: lol :)
Wol Euler grins.
Aphrodite Macbain: :-)
Zen Arado: cams around
Wol Euler: I infer that nobody has heard from Bertie?
Aphrodite Macbain: adjusts her stockings
Zen Arado: Bert probably forgot time change
Wol Euler: heh, yes
Aphrodite Macbain: I haven't but that doesn’t mean others haven't
Zen Arado: he usually does
Wol Euler grins.
Zen Arado: (assumption)
druth Vlodovic: maybe he just enjoys the rest
Aphrodite Macbain: :-) but assumptions are likely based on past events
Aphrodite Macbain: I've become pleasantly accustomed to those 10 minute meditations- especially Bertram's voice
Catrinamonblue Resident: :)
Zen Arado: yes
Zen Arado: same with Darren
Zen Arado: I don't care what they say
Zen Arado: the voice is soothing:)
Wol Euler smiles.
Aphrodite Macbain: "I've become accustomed to your voice"
druth Vlodovic: lol
Zen Arado: :)
druth Vlodovic: what is soothing at one time is an annoyance at another

Aphrodite Macbain: what changes?
Zen Arado: I was explaining SL to care worker this morning
Wol Euler: oh?
Zen Arado: scratched her head
Wol Euler: what did you say?
Catrinamonblue Resident: :)
Zen Arado: thought it was for people who are housebound :)
Aphrodite Macbain: “You do WHAT?”
Zen Arado: she scratched her head
Zen Arado: in disbelief
Aphrodite Macbain: dry scalp
Wol Euler: I have to admit that was my reaction too, before I actually came here :)
Zen Arado: only a young woman of 44 too
Wol Euler: I'd been reading about it for years and thought "how silly, I don't need that"
Aphrodite Macbain: age makes little difference
druth Vlodovic: need :)
Catrinamonblue Resident: Druth was here for over 4 years and I never realized what it was, just thought it was a game :)
Wol Euler: it's impossible to convey the here-ness of SL to people who haven't been here
Catrinamonblue Resident: now I know better :)
Wol Euler smiles.
Aphrodite Macbain: funny how people still call it a game
Catrinamonblue Resident: well if you don't know, then it looks that way
druth Vlodovic: "no one can tell you what SL is, you have to experience it for yourself."
Zen Arado: I have a Romanian woman friend calls it a game
Zen Arado: she has been here years too
Aphrodite Macbain: not one of my friends get it and refuse to even try looking at it
druth Vlodovic: "the forbidden land over the hill"
Catrinamonblue Resident: :)
Zen Arado: Grainne gets it?
Wol Euler: I have managed to get one friend to try; she liked it but found it far too difficult, and hasn't come back
Aphrodite Macbain: and the idea of forming deep relationships in SL makes no sense to them
Zen Arado: maybe it's us that are weird?
Wol Euler smiles.
Wol Euler: sensitive, not weird :)
Catrinamonblue Resident: observant
Aphrodite Macbain: “everyone is out of step dear, even you are a little"
Wol Euler: fewer calluses on the souls
druth Vlodovic: everyone else in the world is normal
Aphrodite Macbain: not sure about that Wol
Wol Euler: finer palates
Zen Arado: the world doesn't understand me
Aphrodite Macbain: waaaaaa
Zen Arado: :)
druth Vlodovic: but the world is in you
Aphrodite Macbain: I like to think of us as leading edge...
Catrinamonblue Resident: :)
Zen Arado: avant garde
druth Vlodovic: lol, if SL is the leading edge I'm not sure what I think of the trail behind
Zen Arado: leading a revolution
Aphrodite Macbain: I imagine telling my great niece – “oh yes, I was one of the first to explore this world dear"
druth Vlodovic: though that is what those who came before us said as well
Zen Arado: we  opened up new territories
Catrinamonblue Resident: ways of being :)
Zen Arado: our little wagon trains in SL
Zen Arado: attacked by wild Indians too
Zen Arado: :)
Zen Arado: sorry
Aphrodite Macbain: sure cowboy!
druth Vlodovic: we have only one wild Indian here that i know of
Zen Arado: heh
Wol Euler: hello ari!
Arisia Vita: greetings all!
druth Vlodovic: hi nav'i
Zen Arado: Hi Ari
Catrinamonblue Resident: Hi Ari :)
Aphrodite Macbain: Ari - great to see you. Do you know what time it is Ari?
Arisia Vita: yes :)
druth Vlodovic: test! test!
Zen Arado: we Europeans are going to lead a revolt against American time change
Arisia Vita: 2:14 pm slt
druth Vlodovic: lol
Wol Euler: actually there is a petition at whitehouse.gov to have DST abolished!
Zen Arado: why are they different to the rest of the world?
Wol Euler: all Americans should sign it
Aphrodite Macbain: kk - just checking ari
Arisia Vita: I will
Wol Euler looks hard at the only American here
druth Vlodovic: it seems the Americans have made a salvo with the SLT time zone
--BELL--
Zen Arado: I mean change at the same date as rest of us at least
Zen Arado: I will have two weeks of meetings at odd times now
Aphrodite Macbain: Canadians are the same as the US
Arisia Vita: really Aph?
Aphrodite Macbain: time-wise
Zen Arado: OF will start at 5.30 PM for me
Aphrodite Macbain: It's 2:16 my time
druth Vlodovic: we did it differently one year, but was very confusing
Aphrodite Macbain: then you will catch up
Aphrodite Macbain: and we will all be one again
Aphrodite Macbain: plays some organ music
Arisia Vita: but why the two week difference?
Zen Arado: exactly Ari
Wol Euler: because Americans are unable to look at what the rest of the world does :)
druth Vlodovic: :)
Wol Euler: sorry, but it's true :)
Catrinamonblue Resident: :)
Arisia Vita: I'm sorry too Wol, because it's true :)
Zen Arado: they just don't care about us
Wol Euler smiles.
Aphrodite Macbain: waaaaaa
Zen Arado: again :)
druth Vlodovic: I thought it was funny when I realized that the much vaunted "imperial system" was actually two systems, the American and everyone else's
Zen Arado: (though we never complain)
druth Vlodovic: the American gallon is short by more than half a litre
Aphrodite Macbain: grins
Aphrodite Macbain: It was hard for Canada when they moved to the metric system
Wol Euler: for maybe six weeks :)
Zen Arado: we did too but not fully
Zen Arado: still use miles
Arisia Vita: if the topic is the ways the US is illogical, we'll be here a while... :)
druth Vlodovic: :)
Wol Euler grins.
Zen Arado: :)
druth Vlodovic: in Canada we measure distance in minutes or hours
Aphrodite Macbain: we use kilometres Zen and centigrade
Zen Arado: we use centigrade and kilos
Zen Arado: just not miles
druth Vlodovic: though mostly the temperature is simply "too cold" or "too hot"
Zen Arado: though they do in the south
Aphrodite Macbain: Canadians always talk about the weather
druth Vlodovic: or the americans
Arisia Vita: weather it will rain or weather it won't... :)
Zen Arado: it's only 1 degrees C here atm
Aphrodite Macbain: lol Ari
Aphrodite Macbain: It is 8 degrees C here Zen
Zen Arado: thoughts are like weather
Zen Arado: a useful analogy
druth Vlodovic: it's 45 degrees here
Catrinamonblue Resident: lol
Zen Arado: sometimes stormy
Catrinamonblue Resident: 7 C :)
Zen Arado: sit like a like a mountain with thoughts swirling around
Zen Arado: or clear blue sky
Aphrodite Macbain: OMG we are talking about the weather
Catrinamonblue Resident: lol
Zen Arado: all the same to the mountain
druth Vlodovic: you started it!

Aphrodite Macbain: I did?
druth Vlodovic: though with all the Canadians around it was inevitable
Catrinamonblue Resident: :)
druth Vlodovic: let it blow around your mountain
Zen Arado: whilst you sit unperturbed
Aphrodite Macbain: puts on her hat
druth Vlodovic: all i have here are trees that play with the wind
Aphrodite Macbain: big tall ones?
druth Vlodovic: all different shapes
druth Vlodovic: tall to an Ontarian, not to a BCian
druth Vlodovic: BCer
Wol Euler: :)
Aphrodite Macbain: Vancouverite
Aphrodite Macbain: tall to a saskatchewaner
Zen Arado: what about a Manitobian?
Aphrodite Macbain: depends
Zen Arado: too cold for trees there
druth Vlodovic: they all fly to Florida for the winter
Catrinamonblue Resident: gtg guys dinner is nearly ready :)
Arisia Vita: welcome Agatha
Zen Arado: how do people live in places like that?
--BELL--
Aphrodite Macbain: Hi Aggers
Wol Euler: hello agggers
Zen Arado: 40 below
Agatha Macbeth: Hello dear
Zen Arado: Hi Aggers
druth Vlodovic: hi tails :)
Catrinamonblue Resident: See you all later :)
Wol Euler: bye cat, bon appetit
Zen Arado: bye Cat
Agatha Macbeth: Eat well Cat
Aphrodite Macbain: waves at Cat
druth Vlodovic: keeps the scorpions down
Zen Arado: eats raisin
Zen Arado: yuk
Aphrodite Macbain: lol
Agatha Macbeth: Raisins are ok with other stuff
druth Vlodovic: I thought you were to learn from suffering
Wol Euler: I used to eat currants by the handful when I was a child
Wol Euler: didn't like raisins much
Aphrodite Macbain: Love your hair Aggers- pulls one of your pony tails gently
Agatha Macbeth: Yeh, mother used to make cakes with them
Zen Arado: what is the difference?
Agatha Macbeth: Yay :)
Zen Arado: raisins, currants, sultanas
Agatha Macbeth: Go well with nuts
Zen Arado: all dried grapes?
druth Vlodovic: g2g, have munchies all
Aphrodite Macbain: By druth
Zen Arado: byee Druth
Wol Euler: bye druth, munch much
Agatha Macbeth: Munch well Druthy
Aphrodite Macbain: druth skates off!
Agatha Macbeth: Get yer skates on
Zen Arado: they never say that now
Zen Arado: an outdated expression
Agatha Macbeth: Maybe the Inuit do?
Zen Arado: kids only use skates in skating rinks
Aphrodite Macbain: they have skidoos
Aphrodite Macbain: the Inuit not the kids
Agatha Macbeth: And skateboards
Zen Arado: bye Aph
Agatha Macbeth: (the kids not the Inuit)
Agatha Macbeth: Take care Aph
Aphrodite Macbain: Time to get on a stationary bike
Agatha Macbeth: Hope you reach your destination
Wol Euler: :)
Aphrodite Macbain: bye all- thanks for the great conversations
Wol Euler: indeed
Wol Euler: bye aph, take care
Agatha Macbeth waves
Wol Euler: remember to stop at the lights
Aphrodite Macbain: lol
Agatha Macbeth watches Aph ride off
Zen Arado: I'm reading Conrad novel
Zen Arado: free on Amazon
Wol Euler: which?
Agatha Macbeth: Conrad Novel?
Zen Arado: forget
Agatha Macbeth: Heart of darkness?
Wol Euler: Connie to his friends
Zen Arado: no a seafaring one
Wol Euler: Lord Jim?
Agatha Macbeth: Ah
Zen Arado: The Mirror of the Sea
Wol Euler: ah
Wol Euler: don't know that one
Zen Arado: it's cos I have to write autobio stuff
Agatha Macbeth: I read HoD cos Apocalypse Now is based on it
Zen Arado: and am doing voyage to Australia
Agatha Macbeth: Wow, long way
Zen Arado: 'magical monotony' of sea voyages
Agatha Macbeth: Just don't get sick en route
Zen Arado: hey they took 12 months or more in Conrad's time
Agatha Macbeth: Well it's a long way to swim
Zen Arado: or sail
Agatha Macbeth: This is true
Zen Arado: Jenny Diski is good too
Agatha Macbeth: Dunno her
Wol Euler: oh I read that one!
Wol Euler: yes, great book
Zen Arado: going around USA?
Wol Euler: "skating to antarctica"
Zen Arado: nah this one : http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stranger-On-Train-Daydreaming-Smoking/dp/1860499953/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1362951754&sr=8-2

Zen Arado: it starts with a sea voyage
Agatha Macbeth: I see
Agatha Macbeth: :P
Zen Arado: she's a good writer
Zen Arado: will read other ones too
Agatha Macbeth: Must look her up
Wol Euler: oh, don't know that either
Zen Arado: had to buy as paperback :(
Zen Arado: starts with her as a 13 year old
Zen Arado: she rode around the circle line in London all day
--BELL--
Zen Arado: she didn't get on with parents
Agatha Macbeth: Yes, parents can be tricky
Zen Arado: tricky qwriting autobiography
Zen Arado: to make it interesting
Agatha Macbeth: 'Know thyself'
Zen Arado: heh Bert is an hour late
Agatha Macbeth grins
Zen Arado: living in the past
Zen Arado: :)
Agatha Macbeth: I was just in IM with him
Wol Euler: :)
Agatha Macbeth: He's changing form for us apparently
Wol Euler: oho
Wol Euler: hippos don't meditate?
Agatha Macbeth: I said I was looking forward to meeting an enlightened hippo...
Zen Arado: he should have said 3 pm on notecard then
Zen Arado: :)
Arisia Vita: I will go make sure he feels ok... :)
Agatha Macbeth: Trouble with time
Arisia Vita: see you all soon
Arisia Vita: or at Bert's
Agatha Macbeth: CU Ari
Zen Arado: byee Ari
Arisia Vita: bye
Wol Euler: bye ari, take care
Agatha Macbeth: Stay blue be well
Arisia Vita: will do
Agatha Macbeth: :)
Agatha Macbeth: He's such a sweetie
Wol Euler: indeed
Agatha Macbeth: Ah...he put it right
Agatha Macbeth: Must have heard you Zen
Zen Arado: there's no going back
Agatha Macbeth: Except for Marty McFly
Wol Euler grins.
Agatha Macbeth: And Dr Who
Zen Arado: this pavilion hasn't aged
Zen Arado: has it?
Wol Euler: bits don't :)
Agatha Macbeth: Looks the same to moi
Zen Arado: unlike RL buildings
Wol Euler nods.
Agatha Macbeth: Except stuff gets added occasionally
Zen Arado: pixels don't weather
Agatha Macbeth: The art of being pixels
Wol Euler: dirty pixels
Zen Arado: heh I have found some impermanence
Zen Arado: or permanence I mean
Agatha Macbeth: Yes - shops mostly
Agatha Macbeth: They move all the time
Agatha Macbeth: Half the shops in my inv aren't there any more
Wol Euler: true
Zen Arado: yeh
Wol Euler: either moved or closed
Agatha Macbeth nods
Zen Arado: times are hard
Agatha Macbeth: It's most embarrassing when you think you're going to a shop and end up in someone's living room instead
Agatha Macbeth: Anyways, off to Berti...
Wol Euler: yeah
Wol Euler: yep, see us there
Agatha Macbeth: Here I go