People came: from California to gamble their paychecks. People came: and never left. People came: for a quick divorce. And then left.
Ah! the bright city lights. The promise of winning. The dream, lived for a moment. Perhaps. And there are people who call Reno home. People who grew up outside of the confines of the money spinning city blocks.
Reno shouts out to the world
a facade
glittering
while life grows on
Going to Reno. Walking up and down the streets. Taking photographs. Meeting residents. Hearing about the rise and now decline of this city whose name alone conjures up images of unbridled debauchery. I’m left pondering the whole matter of reputation. Of cities with reputations. They all have them. I’m left remembering walking up a city street in Seattle last year and realizing the authority carried by these great names. I’m left wondering on matters to do with humans congregating. In cities.
Today I was honored to be witness to the graduation of Melinda who had completed her Masters in social work at the University of Nevada, Reno. During the ceremony graduates are, as the program stated, being ‘hooded and pined’. The hoods are placed around the neck and hang elegantly down the back, more tradition than functional. The badge is pinned on the robe by one of the course tutors. All very moving this being the culmination of years of hard work.
Social Work pin and Bodhi Leaf pin!
Melinda left a comment on Intention and Direction In Daily Living back in June 2009. That must have been around the time she was starting in the Masters program.
Well done and congratulations for following through with your intentions, and keeping you direction. May you continue.
Mark has always been artistic, but it was only after walking his dog down a filthy beach that he realized he could help clean up trash and utilize his creativity at the same time. Without any formal artistic training, but with a working knowledge of botany, anatomy, and physiology, Mark started creating sculptures out of the trash he picked up from the beach. Although Mark’s art depends on the waste of our society, he claims there is no message. “I just sort of fell into it,” he says, “but now I can’t stop. I get lost in the process. I get a great deal of pleasure out of it. What I build always changes. I like doing stuff with my hands, like construction and ikebana, the art of Japanese flower arranging.”
Walking along the pavement this afternoon we came upon the most remarkable front garden full of sculptures made from beach combing picked up on East Bay beaches. A chap came tumbling out of his house and shook hands with my companion. They had met before. He shook my hand too. Come back and see my current projects he said. Mark is a remarkable man, creating remarkable art. With flare and humour. See Mark’s website.
What a likable man. A full time carpenter with a full time hobby. Wonderful to meet him. A person with a passion to create and to share. And to encourage a chuckle. Now I wish I’d taken a picture of his chuckling mask.
This for those who can’t have enough cat or kitten input.
On video. From Russia.
This video brings to mind the admonishment by Zen Master Dogen in Rules for Meditation, which goes thusly: Do not spend so much time in rubbing only part of the elephant. What we see (in our everyday way) IS only part of the elephant, no wonder we can get all worked up over stuff. But what’s a little kitten to do when faced with A BALL! Well skitter about until…it gets bored and then find something else to skitter with. What do we do? Perhaps remind ourselves that there is always a bigger picture. And keep that in mind.
Found napping under the iphone display at T-Mobile shop
The chap on the other end of the dog lead was happy to talk. This puppy of seven months old will grow up to assist somebody with a disability. Answer the door. Fetch and carry. That sort of thing. He will not be a guide dog for a blind person though. That’s a different kind of training apparently. They are brilliant dogs, awake or asleep!
These puppies are sent away from the institute to live an ordinary family life before returning for intensive training. Napping while out shopping is all part of the training. Lucky dog! His handler was already preparing himself for the moment when they would be separated. He said, I feel better about it knowing that the dog will be helping somebody who really needs his skills.
Practice Within The Order of Buddhist Contemplatives
