Seems like every single impulse I have leads to having to learn some technical thing...This weekend I have to figure out Macromedia Fireworks so I can redesign a webpage for my documentary because it's taking too long to explain what I want to this web designer who's helping me. Have to re-teach myself how to embed video on my own web page which I keep doing then forgetting how to do...then I'm trying to use all these social networking tools to market myself better as a freelancer...
I went and saw the Art of the Samurai exhibit at the MOMA last week. It cast an artistic-reflective-determined spell on me. I hadn't read up much on samurai culture even though for four years I've been training in aikido, which is derived from samurai fighting arts.
Watching how the swords are made was fascinating, and they had dozens and dozens on display. I got pretty engrossed in them, looking at all the different areas of the blade. The Marxist sociologist in me was cooly assessing the feudal culture that fetishized these objects to such a degree, while the martial artist/zen student in me was inspired to deepen my practice & embody the samurai ideals.
The samurai ideal of bushido, living in the moment and retaining mindful serenity in all circumstances, even in the face of death is one I'm calling to mind a lot since I had the chance to contemplate these objects and the culture that created them. Which is also in my blood, even though I don't believe in culture as a genetically exclusive thing. Let's say it's in my heritage, and at this point in my life I can appreciate it more than ever before.
By the way, "mu," roughly translatable as "nothing" is also a zen koan which is the meaning of this particular daimyo's standard (banner to identify rallying point in battle) below:
I went and saw the Art of the Samurai exhibit at the MOMA last week. It cast an artistic-reflective-determined spell on me. I hadn't read up much on samurai culture even though for four years I've been training in aikido, which is derived from samurai fighting arts.
Watching how the swords are made was fascinating, and they had dozens and dozens on display. I got pretty engrossed in them, looking at all the different areas of the blade. The Marxist sociologist in me was cooly assessing the feudal culture that fetishized these objects to such a degree, while the martial artist/zen student in me was inspired to deepen my practice & embody the samurai ideals.
The samurai ideal of bushido, living in the moment and retaining mindful serenity in all circumstances, even in the face of death is one I'm calling to mind a lot since I had the chance to contemplate these objects and the culture that created them. Which is also in my blood, even though I don't believe in culture as a genetically exclusive thing. Let's say it's in my heritage, and at this point in my life I can appreciate it more than ever before.
By the way, "mu," roughly translatable as "nothing" is also a zen koan which is the meaning of this particular daimyo's standard (banner to identify rallying point in battle) below:
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_bossanova_:
Thanks! It is great she doesn't have to move, and we all love that house. It's in a great neighborhood: dead-center middle class, safe, convenient, and full of lovely trees with a park nearby. It's a mid-century treasure.
geekgoddess:
thanks 