QueryLily "...I would never have thought of asking How you'd got that peculiar name..."

tings and tings

I have been debating with myself all week about whether to keep my appointment with T tomorrow. Since I haven't yet canceled, I guess I will keep it. I am not looking forward to it though, as I'm telling her that I have to put our sessions on indefinite hold. Tightening the belt and all that.

I've also spent the week wrestling with my ambivalence on an event for which I usually have much more enthusiasm: Halloween in the Castro. But having felt the bad vibes last year and having had a brief heart-to-heart with a bookstore acquaintance last night, I think I'll wait and see how it goes this year - from afar.

Yet, I did shave the legs this morning, as who knows, I might change my mind.

On the reading front, I finished Philip Dick's "Dr. Bloodmoney" and just started Jonathan Lethem's "Amnesia Moon".

...and listening to the sweet voice of Emmylou Harris as I write this.

[29 October 2003] link?

man in black

Via Electrolite, this touching tale of an encounter with the Man in Black.

[11 October 2003] link?

clau clau claudius

An interesting article in today's Chronicle about remarkable similarities in Richard Condon's writing in "The Manchurian Candidate" and that of Robert Graves in "I, Claudius".

The Claudius novels are a great read and have fascinated me ever since I was introduced to them. Despite the wonderful interpretation of Claudius by Derek Jacobi, I have tended to hear the voice of Charles Laughton while re-reading the novels, a result of my having seen the documentary on the aborted 1937 film version of the novels.

[4 October 2003] link?

summer without

This past summer has been the summer without sunshine. Work has been almost all-consuming and the fact that our offices at work are in a basement contributed to the sense that we were in deep caverns, slowly clawing our way towards the sunlight.

And while I've accomplished much sitting in my chair in front of one spreadsheet or another, I have managed to score zero in the sitting in the zendo department.

Apart from family, the one lifeline has been that of friends both at work and out in the community. You all know who you are. Friendships, like families, like organizations, only really prove their mettle when things are dire. The weekly Buddhist Beer Sangha has been very helpful indeed. Gassho to all.

[2 October 2003] link?