Kalachakra 2011

At 9 am (MDT) today, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, concluded the 2011 Kalachakra for World Peace ceremony in Washington DC. But, as always, the Kalachakra is MORE... it is deeply personal, and especially this year, as it also commemorated HHDL's 76 birthday, and included the annual worldwide Dharma Day. Truly an auspicious occasion! Here is the poster, which links to some of the images and videos from the 11 day event.

Thousands gathered for this most memorable event and nearly $6 Million was raised. HHDL and his foundation do not seek financial profit, so after expenses almost two million dollars will be donated to causes that benefit world peace. HHDL was enroute this morning to meet with President Obama at the White House. And, here is the mandala described in the link above.

And, despite how beautiful it is, made of sand and created laboriously by monks during the ceremony, at the end it is simply brushed away... like everything, impermanent. The sand is dumped into nearby water. In this case, the Potomac River, because like everything, the essence remains and the perfect peace of Kalachakra flows with it out into the everyday world. "May it be of benefit," said HHDL as he concluded the ceremony to thunderous applause. Yes, may it.

the Bella Vita

I really don't like going to the casinos these days. But, here I am being serenaded by local mariachis for my (mumble under breath) birthday. I'm at Route 66, one of our local indian casinos, with my long-time Romero friends. Sophie, seen in the second pic below, absolutely loves the buffet and still enjoys her slots. So, I go. This was actually Sunday, July 3rd, not my actual birthday. I would have preferred to stay home in the A/C and watched the closing arguments in the Anthony trial. Sigh, it's true, I was so caught up in that drama. Devoted a month of afternoons to live testimony on HLN.

Why? Who knows. As I posted on Fbook, others watch fictional TV dramas, this was real life drama. A young mother who probably chloroformed her baby so she could enjoy the bella vita (beautiful life.) She got that tattoo a day or so after her child died (or was killed.) And, now it seems she will have that "beautiful life" she craved. The jury returned NOT guilty. Casey will be a free woman with a million dollar book deal, some say.

I spent years writing my novel. Casey will have a ghost writer. Okay, I too had a ghost writer ;) Mine was rather demanding. He wanted the story told. I did not get a million dollar book deal. I'm not even in the black. Maybe crime does pay.

Waterfall Done!

Here it is! My new backyard waterfall. Below are more pics on the effort it took. For instance, first a giant crane came into my side yard to lift the 500 pound boulder.

Then the big rock was hoisted over my fence to my backyard.


Two guys carefully lowered the boulder into position. Looks like Julio is holding the big rock ;) Finally, the wider view of the rock with the new landscaping (in the empty area as seen in the previous post below.)
90 second (Sunday morning) video says 90%, but there's quite a few details left. At least you can HEAR and see the waterfall now. Enjoy!

Yard in Progress

I posted some info about how the yard used to look on Facebook (the link is the title.) It's only about 80% done here. I will add a pic of the water feature after it's installed.


I just realized this will limit my travel for June. I need to tend to the seeds and flowers, and bit of sod that can't be watered via the ditch irrigation. By July, awfully hot. Maybe I will stay put over the summer and then go on an extended trip in the fall.

10 Days left?

When I posted that comment (question) on Facebook, I wondered what reaction I would get. I thought if a lot of folks knew about this, I'd get some response. I got NONE. Just WTF, basically.

I realize a lot of people just roll their eyes at apocalyptic talk, but if you read my novel you know it begins and ends with Doomsday thoughts. I've always been fascinated with End Times, cryptic Nostradamus prophecy, the Mayan calendar that ends at 2012, and even Revelations. But even I find it incredulous to pinpoint a precise DAY using biblical references. Which version or translation of the bible? and how can two thousand year old material correlate to our Gregorian calendar, adopted around 500 years ago?

Even so I must point out a few weird things: 1) I've been planning a trip to California (for May), but recently (before I heard of this Rapture date), I developed extreme anxiety about earthquakes. I mean waking up in a cold sweat from nightmares involving "the big one." Today I learned this group claims a major earthquake will start the Rapture, which they say occurs on May 21st. Yes, a few days from now. 2) Back in 1988 I received strange messages -- Cosmic "Transmissions" about End Times. I recalled the date being 2012, but when I checked (this morning), the time frame began in 2011 culminating in 2012. Sorry, but that's downright creepy to me.

OBL assassination

I stayed up into the wee hours last night watching throngs of US citizens, mostly college kids, celebrating our assassination of Osama bin Laden. I posted (a response) over on Facebook: I'm a little uneasy about all the US victory/happy dancing over OBL's assassination. I understand the vengeance motive and the feeling of justice being done, but from a Buddhist/karma perspective celebrating death is really begging for more trouble, as are all vendettas. After all, OBL was on his own vendetta (jihad) for previous perceived crimes by the US. Where does it end? Revenge and vendettas?

Yes, bible thumpers will point to an eye-for-eye and bin Laden was literally shot in the eye, so I guess that makes the murder really rewarding. Is that enough now? No, there are many who are saddened we didn't get to put the head on a stick out on the White House lawn, or serve it up like Herod did St. John's head (on a platter.) Can we just bring the friggin' troops home and and save those Trillions of dollars for people still suffering here in the United States. Do we have to prop up Afghanistan and/or Iraq, even if they don't want us?

AND, if this assassination was done with just a handful of Special Forces guys, why on earth did we spend TEN YEARS, thousand of US lives (more than killed originally in 9/11), and all those trillions anyway? okay, done now. Revel if you must.