2009.03.05 19:00 - Crunchy philosophies

 

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The Guardian for this meeting was Sylectra Darwin. The comments are by Sylectra Darwin.

 

I had called Stevenaia earlier from the grocery store where it seemed hopeless that I would extricate myself in time to start the meeting, so he was there when I arrived. I was actually only a few minutes late but thought I would be much later.

 

 

stevenaia Michinaga: You made it.

 

stevenaia Michinaga: How did you do that?

 

stevenaia Michinaga: What happened?

 

Sylectra Darwin: What do you mean?

 

stevenaia Michinaga: I sent everyone away

 

stevenaia Michinaga: You made it.

 

Sylectra Darwin: hehe

 

stevenaia Michinaga: How did you shorten shopping

 

Sylectra Darwin: You sent them away?

 

Sylectra Darwin: I told them I despaired of getting done in time and so I had to get a sub.

 

stevenaia Michinaga: Just kidding

 

Sylectra Darwin: nah, it just worked out organically.

 

stevenaia Michinaga: nods

 

Sylectra Darwin: We have food.

 

Sylectra Darwin: It is good.

 

stevenaia Michinaga: Yea, you can eat.

 

Sylectra Darwin: We have Lucky Charms.

 

stevenaia Michinaga: Son loves those, but prefers coco pebbles.

 

Sylectra Darwin: Those are good too but I especially love Nesquik chocolate cereal.

 

stevenaia Michinaga: hmm, never tried that, but I've moved on to sugar free, well sugar flavor free.

 

stevenaia Michinaga: Shredded Wheat, Special K.

 

stevenaia Michinaga: Same calories but not butt weighted.

 

Sylectra Darwin: I like Shredded Wheat, it's my fav.

 

Sylectra Darwin: Even the non sugar kind!

 

Sylectra Darwin: Well I had a pretty good day despite having to wake up really early for a car inspection I failed.

 

stevenaia Michinaga: Right, the Okie glass.

 

Sylectra Darwin: Yeah, actually <state w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Colorado</place></state> glass.

 

 

(The after-market tinting in the front side windows was a problem for New Jersey inspectors.)

 

 

Sylectra Darwin: The car was purchased in <state w:st="on">Colorado</state> but I bought it in <place w:st="on"><state w:st="on">Oklahoma</state></place>.

 

Sylectra Darwin: Hi Mellow :)

 

stevenaia Michinaga: Hello <place w:st="on">Adams</place>.

 

Sylectra Darwin: Hi <place w:st="on">Adams</place>.

 

<place w:st="on">Adams</place> Rubble: Hello Steve and Syl. Mind if I join you?

 

Sylectra Darwin: Please do.

 

<place w:st="on">Adams</place> Rubble: Hello Mellow.

 

stevenaia Michinaga: Yes, we've just been reviewing our day.

 

Sylectra Darwin: Current topic is no more mentally complex than breakfast cereal.

 

Sylectra Darwin: But I did have a nice lunch - went downstairs with the other SEOs for a bite to eat and had a lovely time.

 

stevenaia Michinaga: So true, and where it goes when you eat it.

 

stevenaia Michinaga: How did we get there Sylectra?

 

Sylectra Darwin: Where - cereal?

 

stevenaia Michinaga: Yes

 

stevenaia Michinaga: Hello Mellow have you been here before?

 

Sylectra Darwin: Mellow have you hung out with us before?

 

stevenaia Michinaga: ok

 

Mellow Blitz: Nope, but been interested for some time so decided to stop by.

 

Sylectra Darwin: Cool!

 

<place w:st="on">Adams</place> Rubble: Welcome Mellow :)

 

Mellow Blitz: thanks

 

Sylectra Darwin: http://playasbeing.wik.is/

 

stevenaia Michinaga: Then he knows that breakfast cereal if part of the nature of reality.

 

Sylectra Darwin: This is our wiki, that talks about the group's usual purpose and methods.

 

Sylectra Darwin: Hi Maggie!

 

<place w:st="on">Adams</place> Rubble: Hello Maggie

 

stevenaia Michinaga: hello Maggie

 

<place w:st="on">Magdalena</place> Colclough: oops

 

Sylectra Darwin: Mellow, do you mind if we record the chat log and include you in it for posting on the wiki?

 

Mellow Blitz: Thanks Sylectra, I actually looked at it yesterday, had all the questions I had about the group answered :)

 

<place w:st="on">Magdalena</place> Colclough: I didn't realize this was where I had logged off--excuse me if I landed on anyone.

 

Mellow Blitz: Oh no problemo, although I probably wont be talkin much, I like to listen heh.

 

Sylectra Darwin: Feel free to land on me - one of those days, hehe.

 

stevenaia Michinaga: Mellow, we record our meetings, do you mind if your comments are recorded Mellow.

 

Adams Rubble looks and sees it is not her.

 

<place w:st="on">Magdalena</place> Colclough: lol

 

Sylectra Darwin: You don't have to talk, just glad to have your company.

 

Mellow Blitz: thanks

 

<place w:st="on">Adams</place> Rubble: Wow, you are up very late Mellow :)

 

 

Adams was referring to Mellow’s home country which I gathered was somewhere in <place w:st="on">Europe</place>.

 

 

stevenaia Michinaga: http://playasbeing.wik.is/Information/Play_As_Being_in_a_Nutshell

 

Mellow Blitz: Yeh I guess you could say that.

 

Mellow Blitz: But then again I don’t sleep much.

 

stevenaia Michinaga: How did you come across the group Mellow?

 

stevenaia Michinaga: Realizing you said you weren’t going to talk…

 

Mellow Blitz: Well I have been searching around for Philosophy type groups that have discussions and have been across a few, so just bouncin around a little.

 

Mellow Blitz: Lately I've been thinking about the "bigger" picture and why some things are the way they are I guess. Ya know, the regular confused person type stuff.

 

stevenaia Michinaga: If by considering such things makes you confused, I would not agree.

 

Mellow Blitz: how so?

 

Sylectra Darwin: nods

 

stevenaia Michinaga: Then those who don’t consider those things you would presume would be less confused.

 

Mellow Blitz: Ha I guess that’s pretty true.

 

stevenaia Michinaga: I feel seeking... allow for some resolution of questions asked.

 

Adams Rubble admires Steve's logic

 

stevenaia Michinaga: Which , of course leads to some confusion.

 

<place w:st="on">Adams</place> Rubble: :)

 

Mellow Blitz: :)

 

<place w:st="on">Adams</place> Rubble: Confusion is a human trait.

 

stevenaia Michinaga: My big question: What is confusion?

 

Adams Rubble looks around in confusion

 

<place w:st="on">Magdalena</place> Colclough: lol

 

Mellow Blitz: Won't disagree with that, everyone is searching for answers to some degree.

 

stevenaia Michinaga: Can everything ever be answered?

 

Mellow Blitz: lol

 

Sylectra Darwin: It's the questions that matter, not the answers.

 

<place w:st="on">Magdalena</place> Colclough: 42

 

Sylectra Darwin: lol

 

stevenaia Michinaga: Is that the answer? 42

 

<place w:st="on">Adams</place> Rubble: hehe

 

Magdalena Colclough nods

 

stevenaia Michinaga: A punch line without a joke.

 

<place w:st="on">Magdalena</place> Colclough: There would be a joke if you READ.

Magdalena was hinting at The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.  

 

<place w:st="on">Magdalena</place> Colclough: ;P

 

Mellow Blitz: hmm, that’s an interesting way to look at it. Questions are what matter. Maybe we are supposed to just ask questions because it kid of gives us comfort even though we wont get them answered

 

Sylectra Darwin: Life is a punch line without a joke.

 

Mellow Blitz: kind*

 

<place w:st="on">Magdalena</place> Colclough: Or a joke without a punch line

 

Adams Rubble getting confusider

 

Sylectra Darwin: haha, was going to turn it inside out, myself!

 

Mellow Blitz: :)

 

stevenaia Michinaga: now there's a topic for the evening

 

<place w:st="on">Magdalena</place> Colclough: :)

 

Sylectra Darwin: Excellent.

 

Mellow Blitz: that’s interesting because I know I’ve heard of religions where you look inside your self for the answers (god has a personal type relationship with you).

 

Mellow Blitz: instead of looking at religious institutions for the answers

 

Magdalena Colclough nods

 

stevenaia Michinaga: most "institutions" believe they have the answered, seeking stops at the door?

 

stevenaia Michinaga: Most

 

<place w:st="on">Adams</place> Rubble: Some religious institutions look for you to give you the answers

 

Adams Rubble won’t say which ones

 

stevenaia Michinaga: oh?

 

Mellow Blitz: lol

 

stevenaia Michinaga: lol

 

stevenaia Michinaga: you starting a new religion <place w:st="on">Adams</place>?

 

<place w:st="on">Adams</place> Rubble: hehe

 

Sylectra Darwin: oooh, can I join?

 

Mellow Blitz: what type of religion is this

 

<place w:st="on">Adams</place> Rubble: The ones knocking at your front door

 

<place w:st="on">Magdalena</place> Colclough: does it involve worshipping cats?

 

Mellow Blitz: Jehovahs

 

stevenaia Michinaga: doesn’t all humanity worship cats

 

<place w:st="on">Adams</place> Rubble: :)

 

<place w:st="on">Magdalena</place> Colclough: only the enlightened among us

 

Mellow Blitz: haha

 

Mellow Blitz: Egyptians much?

 

Magdalena Colclough grins

 

Adams Rubble offers up a mouse

 

Magdalena Colclough 's cat takes it happily

 

<place w:st="on">Adams</place> Rubble: or a moose depending on the size of the cat

 

<place w:st="on">Magdalena</place> Colclough: lol

 

Mellow Blitz: ha

 

stevenaia Michinaga: forgot what the topic was..again

 

Mellow Blitz: me too

 

<place w:st="on">Adams</place> Rubble: hehe

 

<place w:st="on">Adams</place> Rubble: I thought it was lunch

 

<place w:st="on">Magdalena</place> Colclough: was it something about inside out?

 

stevenaia Michinaga: you will fit in just fine Mellow

 

stevenaia Michinaga: ...smile

 

<place w:st="on">Adams</place> Rubble: Unfortunately I must go. It has been fun. bye all :)

 

Mellow Blitz: thanks :)

 

stevenaia Michinaga: we have our moments of lucidity, then our heads just empty out

 

Magdalena Colclough: Goodnight, dear <place w:st="on">Adams</place>

 

Mellow Blitz: bye <place w:st="on">Adams</place>

 

Sylectra Darwin: thanks for popping in, <place w:st="on">Adams</place>.

 

stevenaia Michinaga: night <place w:st="on">Adams</place>

 

Sylectra Darwin: poof!

 

Mellow Blitz: what do you mean by inside out

 

Mellow Blitz: seat stealer!

 

<place w:st="on">Magdalena</place> Colclough: you were talking about religions in which you seek for the truth inside yourself

 

stevenaia Michinaga: much of what we do is about reflection, within and as an observer

 

Mellow Blitz: oh yes I see now. Yeh, I think for some reason lately these seem more and more appealing to me. I mean if there is a god, why would he not give us the ability to see our truths from within, instead of relying all our trust on institutions

 

Mellow Blitz: I dunno heh

 

stevenaia Michinaga: it has much to do with the 9 second meditation mentioned in the Wiki

 

Mellow Blitz: I agree stevenaia

 

<place w:st="on">Magdalena</place> Colclough: maybe we should turn the fountain off and let it be a placid reflecting pool, and see what happens

 

Mellow Blitz: I actually didn’t read that, would you mind summarizing it to me :)

 

stevenaia Michinaga: Play as Being is an open ended exploration of reality. In real life, we have a basic practice of "drop what you have to see what you are" -- - every 15 minutes or so, just spending roughly 9 seconds, dropping what you're doing, taking a good breath, letting things be open, and then resume your normal activities --- after wards, write down a note of whatever comes up during the 9 seconds.

 

Mellow Blitz: that’s interesting

 

stevenaia Michinaga: When we switch from what we have to what we are, what do we find? Can we make conjectures, hypotheses about what Being could be, and play with those in our day-to-day life? What happens when we do?

 

Mellow Blitz: I might just try that :) why is it 9 seconds?

 

<place w:st="on">Magdalena</place> Colclough: because that's 1% of 15 minutes.

 

Mellow Blitz: interesting, very interesting

 

stevenaia Michinaga: funny you should ask

 

stevenaia Michinaga: --Experiment Before starting the experiment we ask participants to take a look at our Steps in Preparation page. The format of the Experiment is to ask participants to pay a sort of 1% time tax. Roughly each quarter of an hour, participants spend about nine seconds on this type of exploration (there are 900 seconds in 15 minutes, hence the 1% tax). During this time they are asked to take a full breath, relax, and focus on considering themselves as Being. We think of it as taking a 9-second moment, or a micromeditation, between tasks during the day. Although frequency and consistency are important we suggest that participants don't get hung up on following a schedule

 

Mellow Blitz: oh I see I see

 

Mellow Blitz: I like it

 

<place w:st="on">Magdalena</place> Colclough: and there are those of us who have difficulty accomplishing much in 9 seconds

 

stevenaia Michinaga: this is the basis of the group, <place w:st="on">Adams</place> has a Blot of just these observations

 

stevenaia Michinaga: Blog

 

Mellow Blitz: oh I see now, I'm going to try this out for sure.

 

<place w:st="on">Magdalena</place> Colclough: I'd be interested in seeing the blot :)

 

stevenaia Michinaga: Blog dear Maggie

 

<place w:st="on">Magdalena</place> Colclough: I like blots better

 

Sylectra Darwin: Me too, lol

 

Magdalena Colclough grins at Sylectra

 

Sylectra Darwin: The 9-second moment is a great experiment.

 

stevenaia Michinaga: so we meet 4 times a day and post the logs of our conversations on the wiki

 

stevenaia Michinaga: Wiki

 

Sylectra Darwin: Sometimes it works great and sometimes not, much like anything in life that involves your state of mind.

 

Magdalena Colclough nods

 

Mellow Blitz: It kind of reminds me of something I similarly do now, where I sometimes just stop what I’m doing, especially if I’m stressed and just think to myself, all I have is this moment, this exact time in space. nothing after I can change, but the future I can plan. But still its only this exact second I can only "be" ya know?

 

Sylectra Darwin: Hello Eliza.

 

Magdalena Colclough nods at Mellow

 

Eliza Madrigal: Hi... :) No worries to catch me up

 

Mellow Blitz: I mean nothing before* (past) I can change

 

stevenaia Michinaga: yes Mellow quite similar

 

<place w:st="on">Magdalena</place> Colclough: Hi Eliza

 

Mellow Blitz: :)

 

Eliza Madrigal: Hello :))

 

Mellow Blitz: hey Eliza

 

stevenaia Michinaga: any pause and reflection has an impact on what you are doing

 

Mellow Blitz: I agree. its almost like meditation is the ultimate key haha

 

stevenaia Michinaga: hello Eliza

 

Eliza Madrigal: :)

 

stevenaia Michinaga: only here can a conversations begin a conversations with breakfast cereal and touch on the nature of the universe

 

Mellow Blitz: haha t rue true

 

stevenaia Michinaga: we think it makes us overweight and thoughtful

 

<place w:st="on">Magdalena</place> Colclough: breakfast and the expanse of the universe are closely related

 

Mellow Blitz: I’m afraid I think I must be on my way though :( But I will definitely stop by again sometime!

 

stevenaia Michinaga: when put that way Maggie

 

Eliza Madrigal: "See heaven in a box of cornflakes..."

 

<place w:st="on">Magdalena</place> Colclough: good to meet you, Mellow

 

Sylectra Darwin: And as with a high-fiber breakfast cereal, life lived a certain way can blow right through you leaving you cleaner.

 

<place w:st="on">Magdalena</place> Colclough: lol

 

Eliza Madrigal: Hahhaa

 

stevenaia Michinaga: yes we meet at 1:00 and 7:00 am and pm SLT every day

 

stevenaia Michinaga: oh he left

 

Sylectra Darwin: I think maybe he had a computer glitch.

 

stevenaia Michinaga: hmm

 

stevenaia Michinaga: how did he know

 

Eliza Madrigal: haha precognition?

 

Sylectra Darwin: grins

 

Sylectra Darwin: brb

 

Sylectra Darwin: back

 

Sylectra Darwin: so how far can we stretch the cereal analogy

 

stevenaia Michinaga: with better puns, perhaps

 

<place w:st="on">Magdalena</place> Colclough: Averil was a cornflake girl. Thought it was a good solution. Hanging with the raisin girls. She's gone to the other side...

 

Sylectra Darwin: yeah, well what about the choices of cereal in the average grocery store being like the philosophies available to us in life?

 

Eliza Madrigal: Hahha

 

Eliza Madrigal: Lucky Charms vs. Granola?

 

stevenaia Michinaga: not sure where Count Chocula put me, then.

 

Eliza Madrigal: I always liked Booberry, but no one else must have....

 

<place w:st="on">Magdalena</place> Colclough: I did

 

Sylectra Darwin: Count Chocula, well, anybody that likes raspy cereal that scrapes the roof of their mouth is a born ascetic.

 

Sylectra Darwin: Booberry!

 

<place w:st="on">Magdalena</place> Colclough: haha--Noah an ascetic

 

Eliza Madrigal: It seemed to disappear before the others :)

 

Sylectra Darwin: Little blue ghost marshmallows and "whole-grain" nuggets.

 

Sylectra Darwin: Peanut butter crunch.

 

<place w:st="on">Magdalena</place> Colclough: Crunch Berries

 

stevenaia Michinaga: was perfection, now...toxic

 

Sylectra Darwin: When I like to torture myself I buy Grape Nuts.

 

Sylectra Darwin: crunch crunch crunch crunch crunch crunch crunch......

 

Eliza Madrigal: Hahhaha :) For every cereal there is a season...a season for grainy...a season for smooth...

 

<place w:st="on">Magdalena</place> Colclough: Oh man I haven't had Grape-Nuts in so long

 

Sylectra Darwin: crunch crunch crunch.....

 

Eliza Madrigal: Have to let them sit a long time...Zen cereal

 

Magdalena Colclough grins at Eliza

 

Sylectra Darwin: Full of nutty goodness.

 

Eliza Madrigal: Ooo Ahh

 

Sylectra Darwin: My mom used to let it sit until the milk was warm.

 

Sylectra Darwin: She would eat that squishy mess half an hour later.

 

Sylectra Darwin: Maggie, where's your hair?

 

<place w:st="on">Magdalena</place> Colclough: the matrix glasses seem to have digested it

 

Sylectra Darwin: s'alright. We love you.

 

Sylectra Darwin: I've gone sans hair before.

 

Magdalena Colclough grins

 

Eliza Madrigal: Grape nuts requires sitting...not so much cheerios

 

Eliza Madrigal: You have to acquire a "no hair" to go without, right?

 

Sylectra Darwin: that sounds like a Zen koan, about Grape-Nuts.

 

Sylectra Darwin: nuts.

 

Sylectra Darwin: I think I should write an essay about Grape Nuts.

 

Eliza Madrigal: :) Absolutely

 

Sylectra Darwin: Sort of a Grape Nuts pastiche.

 

<place w:st="on">Magdalena</place> Colclough: I think there's an audience for that, Sylectra

 

Eliza Madrigal: :::raising hand:::

 

Sylectra Darwin: yes?

 

Eliza Madrigal: No...am audience

 

stevenaia Michinaga: well, you do have a blog

 

stevenaia Michinaga: but better see if it's been done before

 

Eliza Madrigal: I read "Seek Help" Must be tired :)

 

stevenaia Michinaga: well I must go, you have the log claimed, Sylectra?

 

Sylectra Darwin: I will, thanks Steven.

 

Eliza Madrigal: Bye, nice to have a little fun with you guys :)

 

stevenaia Michinaga: :)

 

<place w:st="on">Magdalena</place> Colclough: Bye Steven

 

Sylectra Darwin: indeed!

 

Eliza Madrigal: Night, or Good Day! :)

 

<place w:st="on">Magdalena</place> Colclough: goodnight, all

 

Sylectra Darwin: Goodnight/day

 

 

Guardian’s postscript: I was so intrigued by our discussion of breakfast cereal that I posted a blog entry on Grape-Nuts, one of my personal favorites which has been on the market for over 100 years.