Livin' Like a Family of One: Scavenge for the Game

It was innocent enough: get your picture taken with a monk. This was a mission on our Halloween Scavenger Hunt on Saturday. And wouldn't you know it, there was a tiny temple just a mile or two from my home. So we took a cab on over and hiked the hill. As we came upon the temple (more of a small compound), a woman answered the door. The Korean talkers of our group made the request, and within minutes a monk emerged. He invited us in. He let us take his picture. Then he asked us to sit, along with his wife and grand-daughter who is also a student of mine. And then he made us tea in the traditional Korean ceremonial way, exacted all the way to cleaning the cups, heating the cups, the way you hold the cup, the way you fold the napkin, the order in which you sip. It was beautiful. As we drank a few cups, he told us stories and opened up our minds to some aspects of his culture. I did not understand a word, but I looked him in the eye anyway, and he spoke directly to me at times. Respect, Yo. Before we left, his wife gave us some nuts, some apples and a plethora of beads meant for different types of goodwill. I teared up at the shear beauty and kindness of the whole matter. We decided not to get a photo of Veda hiking in high heels (+3 points on the mission checklist) so as to go out on a wonderful note (this decision ended up costing us first place, but it was well worth it).

Then I thought "Wait a shit...monks can't have wives."

It turns out they can on rare occasions. So there you go. What a guy.

Self-betterment does not need to be a big picture. You needn't only make the end result the goal, but rather the moments that may eventually lead to one. This is what I'm learning in a number of different ways. Many people here are beautifully gifted. As writers, as artists, as learned scholars of foreign lands or the way our bodies metabolize complex carbohydrates. Or bread bakers. I meet these people and I think "Wow, I'll never reach their level of expertise in _________. Why bother trying now?" This is the attitude that has killed many spurts of inspiration for me. And this is the most evil of all resistances. The inner-scolding that there is some invisible reason that you cannot move forward. The extenuating circumstance that sits somewhere out of sight and therefore can't be refuted by anyone, so fuck off-I'll listen to it. My friend Jonno has a note on his door that says something to the tune of "You may not be able to become the best in the world at something, but you can damn sure get better." I dig it. I could use that somewhere visible to me constantly when I'm in my apartment. I think hanging in the window would be the best bet, 'cause that's where I spend a lot of my time. Or over the washing machine, where I eat.

In other news, have you ever seen the Diff'rent Strokes episode with The Bicycle Man? It's wicked crazy. Arnold and Dudley almost get molested by, well, The Bicycle Man. If you have a spare hour, check this out. You won't believe it.

Okay, readership is way down and I'm personally bored with this post, so I'm done.

Lovelovelove.

-LS^2