The Guardian for this meeting was Agatha Macbeth. The comments are by Agatha Macbeth.

Catrinamonblue Resident: 's current display-name is "Catrinamonblue".
--BELL--1300
Zon Kwan: hi
Catrinamonblue Resident: Hi Zon :)
Zon Kwan: quiet here
Catrinamonblue Resident: yes :)
Zon Kwan: how are you
Catrinamonblue Resident: pretty good :) RL has been busy
Catrinamonblue Resident: and you?
Zon Kwan: same :)
Zon Kwan: hi Zen
Zen Arado: 's current display-name is "Zen".
Zen Arado: Hi Zon, Cat
Catrinamonblue Resident: Hi Zen :)
Zon Kwan: hi Agatha
Agatha Macbeth: Evening all
Qt Core: Hi all!
Zen Arado: Hi Aggers
Catrinamonblue Resident: Hi Aggers :) and Qt
Zon Kwan: Hi Qt
Zen Arado: just doing my coursera homework
Zon Kwan: which course?
Agatha Macbeth: Coursera you are
Catrinamonblue Resident: :)
Zen Arado: Buddhism and modern psychology
Agatha Macbeth: Hello cloudy QT
Zon Kwan: is it good?
Zen Arado: interesting
Qt Core: (wondering which kind of homework there could be)
Zen Arado: I'm more of a no dualist Advaitan I realise
Zen Arado: Hi Qt
Zen Arado: just end of lecture quiz
Qt Core: Hi Zen
Zen Arado: but there are 2 written assignments
Zen Arado: which I can't be bothered doing
--BELL--1315
Zen Arado: I'm doing a music course as well
Agatha Macbeth: Busy boy
Catrinamonblue Resident: I wish I could do a course but right now I have so much happening in RL I just don't have the energy needed :)
Zen Arado: what what you do if you didn't have to work full time?
Agatha Macbeth: Or the time I would think
Zen Arado: how would you spend your time?
Agatha Macbeth: I think work expands to fill the time available
Zen Arado: I mean paid work
Agatha Macbeth: Well any kind
Zen Arado: if you had to retire wih a disablility or something
Catrinamonblue Resident: I didn't do any paid work today but settled some RL stuff and rested :) energy is low after this long winter
Agatha Macbeth: We haven't had a winter this year (fortunately)
Catrinamonblue Resident: lucky girl!!
Agatha Macbeth: It will probably happen in May or something
Qt Core: that's depend has the earth got enough water at least ?
Catrinamonblue Resident: Zen, if I had the time and energy I would take courses and lots of time spent in the woods being :)
Agatha Macbeth: Or courses in the woods even
Zen Arado: I am 70 years old and have muscular dystrophy
Zen Arado: that kinda drains your energy
Agatha Macbeth: Doesn't seem to slow you down :p
Catrinamonblue Resident: yes it would... but you do seem to do a lot :)
Agatha Macbeth: What with all the DJ work
Zen Arado: maybe doing things gives you energy
Agatha Macbeth: Hm, I would tend to agree
Catrinamonblue Resident: yes I think it does :)
Agatha Macbeth: Nothing tires me more than doing nothing
Zen Arado: if I slouched in front of the TV all day I would be exhausted :)
Agatha Macbeth: Which is why I don't do it :p
Agatha Macbeth: Yeh
Zen Arado: I seem to be driven
Zen Arado: i.e I don't have any choice but to keep busy
Zen Arado: driven by interesting things
Zen Arado: just wish I had more time and energy
Catrinamonblue Resident: :)
Zen Arado: and less silly chores to do
Agatha Macbeth: It's the little stuff that takes the time up
Catrinamonblue Resident: yes :)
Agatha Macbeth: Having to do one thing before you can do another
Zen Arado: just getting out of bed, showering, making breakfast, brushing teeth etc
Zen Arado: shopping
Zen Arado: doing the washing
Agatha Macbeth: Ah, shopping...
Zen Arado: scrubbed the shower head with bleach this morning
Zen Arado: lime scaled up
Agatha Macbeth: Hope it was grateful
Zen Arado: sigh
Catrinamonblue Resident: I usually just buy a new shower head when it gets like that :p not very environmentally healthy but no matter how I try can never get the shower head unplugged
Agatha Macbeth: What are those flying things behind Zon?
Catrinamonblue Resident: birds?
Agatha Macbeth: Oh, right
Agatha Macbeth: They look like insects
Zon Kwan: waves
Agatha Macbeth: Bye Zon
Agatha Macbeth: Particles I guess
Zen Arado: hard to remove
Agatha Macbeth: How are you QT?
Qt Core: exhausted, just got back from the gym
Zen Arado: wow
--BELL--1330
Agatha Macbeth: Ah good, keeping fit then
Zen Arado: Hi Kori :)
Korel Laloix: Heya
Agatha Macbeth: Osiyo K
Korel Laloix: Osiyo... smiles
Qt Core: the last 5 doctor i saw, in the last 7 visit i had almost ordered it ;-) damn! ;-)
Catrinamonblue Resident: Hi Korel :) it's been a long time :)
Qt Core: Hi Korel
Agatha Macbeth: Exercise is important
Korel Laloix: Heya.... smiles... life is setteling back down for me now.. so back in here a little more now.
Agatha Macbeth: Glad to hear it K
Qt Core: good
Agatha Macbeth: More time for camping?
Zen Arado: finished dissertation (s) ?
Korel Laloix: I will be a while before I have neough time off to really do some good camping...
Agatha Macbeth: Aww
Korel Laloix: Yes... my thesis defense went quite well ... it is done at least.
Zen Arado: great
Korel Laloix: Done is great...
Agatha Macbeth: Indeed
Korel Laloix: Can't wait until my dissertation defense.... lol.. not
Catrinamonblue Resident: gotta run... RL calls
Qt Core: Bye Cat
Agatha Macbeth: Sounds like a legal case or something :p
Korel Laloix: Ok.. ciao.. good to see you again
Agatha Macbeth: Bye Cat ^.^
Zen Arado: I have become so lazy I can't be bothered writing a 800 word essay in coursera course I am doing
Zen Arado: byee cat
Korel Laloix: What on?
Agatha Macbeth: You sound anything but lazy to me Zenny

Zen Arado: * * * * * *  (censored ;-)

Zen Arado: delete that again Aggers in case I am divulging something
Agatha Macbeth: OK
Agatha Macbeth: Well at least you didn't say 'we'
Agatha Macbeth: :p
Zen Arado: heheh
Zen Arado: I could write reams about the self
Agatha Macbeth: What kind of course is this again?
Zen Arado: but who cares
Zen Arado: Coursera
Agatha Macbeth: About Buddha?
Zen Arado: Buddhism and modern psychology
Agatha Macbeth: Oh right
Korel Laloix: Sounds like an interesting topic at least.
Agatha Macbeth: Yeh
Zen Arado: lots of evolutionary psychology in it
Zen Arado: that's the professor's specialty
Zen Arado: has written books on the topic
Agatha Macbeth: Is the OU still going?
Korel Laloix: I have found that since I started thinking of such things, that I dissagree with most Buddism... but then again, my sample size and context is not that great.
Zen Arado: oh yes going strong
Agatha Macbeth nods
Zen Arado: I am not so keen on Buddhism any more
Zen Arado: especially the scriptural kind
Korel Laloix: Why not? If you don't mind saying.
Zen Arado: Zen isn't too bad
Zen Arado: too much focus on suffering for a start
Korel Laloix: I don't think I could adaquately say what Zen is.
Agatha Macbeth: How many different kinds are there?
Korel Laloix: Something I have on my reading list though...
Zen Arado: I don't think the Buddha meant to lay out a formula to be obeyed for all time either
Agatha Macbeth: Maybe just as well
Zen Arado: probably all the great spiritual teachers were like that
Agatha Macbeth: 'Make it up as you go along'
Zen Arado: but the next generation wrote down what they said and made it into laws and rules and dogmas
Korel Laloix: Qt, are you actually here?.. or it is just your hair?
Agatha Macbeth: Always seems to be the way
Qt Core: i'm here
Zen Arado: 3 main tpes are Teravadan, Tibetan and Zen
Agatha Macbeth: I only see QT as a cloud
Zen Arado: Theravadan
Qt Core: i see myself, but it toke a while
Korel Laloix: I will look that up.
Zen Arado: what?
Agatha Macbeth: Well Zen and Tibetan I heard of, not the other one
Zen Arado: https://www.coursera.org/course/psychbuddhism
Korel Laloix: I tried to find out a bit more about Buddhism RL but found it difficult.
Zen Arado: well it is the oldest type
Agatha Macbeth: Thx
Zen Arado: the course is Theravada oriented I think
--BELL--1345
Zen Arado: http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/...d/schools1.htm
Zen Arado: or often hinyana and mahayana
Zen Arado: nowadays you can talk of Western Buddhism
Zen Arado: the kind found in USA
Agatha Macbeth: Yes I'm sure
Zen Arado: very different from how it is practised in original countries
Zen Arado: there is even a kind of Irish/Catholic form in Ireland :)
Korel Laloix: That sounds interesting.
Zen Arado: Buddhism has always been changed as it moved into new countries
Korel Laloix: That is realistic.... the differences between Chistian sects are huge for sure
Zen Arado: yes
Korel Laloix: My first Christian gf was Russian Ortho... and I go to a Southern Baptist now....
Agatha Macbeth smiles
Zen Arado: they are pretty fundamentalist I believe?
Korel Laloix: But to the unkowledgable observer, until you really carved things back.. you would think them different faiths.
Agatha Macbeth: Nothing like variety
Zen Arado: I remember going to a Baptist church in Florida
Korel Laloix: Both are... just in very different ways.
Korel Laloix: Russion Ortho ... against their name is really orthopraxic.... and the Baptist are really Orthodoxic.
Korel Laloix: Funny how that works out....
Zen Arado: I went to baptist church for a while
Zen Arado: they kept talking about full immersion baptism
Korel Laloix: One of the things that atracted me to Christianity... that fact that no one agreed on anything... lol
Zen Arado: I didn't see the point of that
Agatha Macbeth: Okay as long as they let you up again :p
Korel Laloix: Some are big on the phsyical baptism.... I still have not been Baptized... need to get that done though.
Zen Arado: guess I am not a ritual person
Zen Arado: I never liked the Zen rituals either
Agatha Macbeth: Think the Mandeans do that too
Korel Laloix: I do love the rituals of the Orthodox church though... very homey.. very family feeling.
Agatha Macbeth smiles
Zen Arado: they give people a structure or something
Korel Laloix: That and a social activity...
Zen Arado: I liked chanting
Zen Arado: but not all the bowing
Korel Laloix: I think kneeling is a good position to think though.
Zen Arado: Zen services are very precise
Zen Arado: yeh but they bow when they enter the zendo
Zen Arado: bow to the cushion
Korel Laloix: Never managed to get to a Buddhist service or what every you would call it.
Zen Arado: turn around and bow to the room...
Korel Laloix: What is the meaning of the bowing?
Korel Laloix: brb
Zen Arado: bow when you sit down to eat and when you get up again
Agatha Macbeth: Must be great if you have a bad back
Zen Arado: it's kinda honoring everything and everybody
Zen Arado: paying respect
Korel Laloix: But praise to the four winds falls on no one.\
Korel Laloix: On as I think I have heard in English.. if you praise all you praise none.
Zen Arado: well Zen is more non dualist I guess
Agatha Macbeth nods
Korel Laloix: Stil not sure I know what that means.. non dualist.
Zen Arado: you respect the earth and beings and things
Zen Arado: just means not separating everything into categories
Korel Laloix: Yes, respecting all of creation is a commandment.
Zen Arado: especially into 2 polarities
--BELL--1400
Zen Arado: black/whie right/wrong true false etc
Korel Laloix: Just 2?
Zen Arado: humans do that a lot
Zen Arado: life into one or the other of 2 categories
Zen Arado: divided
Zen Arado: the old waves and ocean analogy
Qt Core: i need to go, bye all
Agatha Macbeth: Ciao QT
Zen Arado: we are a manifestation of everything
Agatha Macbeth: Exercise well
Zen Arado: byee Qt
Zen Arado: but the wave is always still a part of the ocean
Zen Arado: I better go too
Agatha Macbeth smiles and yawns
Agatha Macbeth: BFN Zenny
Zen Arado: byee
Korel Laloix: ciao
Korel Laloix: we scared them away.. smiles
Agatha Macbeth: Well at least you got some conversation this time ;)
Korel Laloix: They normally leave right when I show up...
Agatha Macbeth: Instead of the usual 5 minutes
Korel Laloix: Maybe loosing my touch... smiles
Agatha Macbeth: It's the Boxy syndrome
Korel Laloix: Not see him in quite a while...
Agatha Macbeth: Always turning up at the end
Agatha Macbeth: Yeh, hope he's okay
Agatha Macbeth: Always had a good laugh with him
Korel Laloix: It is nice to get back in here for a while....
Agatha Macbeth: Mmm
Agatha Macbeth: Well if you're busy you're busy
Korel Laloix: I get some conversation in here that I don't readily find in my RL.
Agatha Macbeth: Yes
Agatha Macbeth: Different kind of company maybe
Korel Laloix: And there are a good number of Buddhist in Tulsa, but I found the same coldness I found in Atlanta and Tampa.
Korel Laloix: So good to have the chat here on that topic at least.
Agatha Macbeth: I know very little about it even now
Korel Laloix: I don't find out a lot from it here.. but I do find resources and things to look up.
Agatha Macbeth: But if it works for people, then great
Korel Laloix: And that is a good first step.
Agatha Macbeth: Right
Agatha Macbeth: Learning is always a good thing
Korel Laloix: I just love seeing other peoples' perspectives on things.
Agatha Macbeth: Yes!
Korel Laloix: Even if I dissagree with them... I can still pick up a few things.
Agatha Macbeth: Can be very enlightening that
Agatha Macbeth: People seem to have such diverse notions on any number of things
Korel Laloix: Sl is how I first really found out about Christianity.
Agatha Macbeth: Great
Korel Laloix: Very surprized where it took me for sure... lol
Agatha Macbeth: Hehe
Agatha Macbeth: You were an atheist before then?
Korel Laloix: Practically speaking yes...
Korel Laloix: I was what my mom told me to be... militent orthodox atheist.
Agatha Macbeth: Guess everyone finds their own way sooner or later
Korel Laloix: It took me quite a while... but after a lot of soul purging an hurting... I feel blessed to be where I am now.
Agatha Macbeth: I'm glad
Korel Laloix: Me as well.. smiles
Agatha Macbeth: Hehe
Korel Laloix: Things are so much more vivid on this side of life.
Agatha Macbeth: How's the latest romance doing?
Korel Laloix: Great.. but a little strange at the moment... smiles
Agatha Macbeth: Often the way :p
Korel Laloix: M found out she is about to be a grandmother... so that is really through her for a loop.
Agatha Macbeth: Oh my
Agatha Macbeth: I take it there's an age gap then?
Korel Laloix: M has twins two months older than me... lol
Agatha Macbeth: Good lord
Korel Laloix: We turn heads for sure... even in the right crowds here...
Korel Laloix: It is sort of funny really.
Agatha Macbeth: I'll bet
Agatha Macbeth: Still as long as it works, that's the main thing
--BELL--1415
Korel Laloix: Well I think this is just temporary anyway... I don't have my heart set on the long term... but you never know.
Agatha Macbeth nods
Agatha Macbeth: It's when you start making plans things usually fall apart ;)
Korel Laloix: Exactly...
Agatha Macbeth: So better to play by ear maybe
Korel Laloix: My first real gf was 14 years older than me... so not far off of my trend really....
Agatha Macbeth: :)
Korel Laloix: I think we are both realistic about it.
Agatha Macbeth: Realism always helps!
Agatha Macbeth: Not always easy tho
Korel Laloix: And she is honest with me... one of the reasons she asked me out was to show her ex that she could find a "better" gf than he could.
Agatha Macbeth grins
Korel Laloix: And I have met the woman.. not a nice person really.
Agatha Macbeth: Looks like she did too
Korel Laloix: And M's dauthers can't stand the woman.. they like me a lot more... lol
Korel Laloix: At least once they got passed the... OMG my mom is a lez!! thing.... smiles
Agatha Macbeth: You don't annoy them then? ;-)
Korel Laloix: I do one of them for sure... she thinks I am just after their mom's money.
Agatha Macbeth: 0.0
Korel Laloix: And I can understand that worry... so it is sort of a strange set up.
Korel Laloix: M spends a lot of money on me for sure.
Agatha Macbeth: I'm sure you're worth it
Korel Laloix: I know I am... grins
Agatha Macbeth: Heh
Korel Laloix: Thank you for saying so though... smiles
Agatha Macbeth: YW :)
Korel Laloix: brb phone
Agatha Macbeth: Anyway, maybe time to move on...
Korel Laloix: yes.. going to be a while..
Agatha Macbeth: Need more tea
Korel Laloix: Thanks for the chat though.
Agatha Macbeth: Behave yourself ;)
Korel Laloix: Going to log for now...
Agatha Macbeth: Anytime
Korel Laloix: always... grins
Agatha Macbeth: Take care
Korel Laloix: do na da go hv i
Agatha Macbeth: Indeed!