Memorial Day

So what are your plans for Memorial Day?  Anything exciting? Nothing planned?  Not sure what to do? Article about things to do for Memorial Day by Angelic Marie Bowman

On staying at a Buddhist Temple

I am almost surprised that I still went considering I thought I would die from being a sissy at showing up.  I have some of the most awful social anxiety sometimes!  So I showed up and a monk directed me on where to park but I am assuming she doesn't drive all that often because she wanted me to park EXTREMELY close to the other cars.  I really could NOT get out of the car after she had me backing in and out so many times.  So this was pretty funny in retrospect but at the time it was a bit unnerving.  I never did seem to achieve whatever it was she wanted.  I was thinking later that maybe someone should make markers for parking spots to make that situation easier for them (and us).
After I was finally our of the car I then was directed into the office to check in a receive my room.  I admit I was a little nervous about sharing the space with a stranger, and I did have the remnants of my cold.  I was given a nice tour by one of the monks and shown my room to unpack.

  Our first night is pretty easy on us.  The new thing is that you don't talk to the others.  Its amazing how much you can get to know people without speaking to them.  I am not a very social person and am not really there to get to know others in a any sense anyway so this works great for me.  We learn a lot of your basic does and don'ts while staying.  Do: Bow to everyone you come in contact with, it is a sign of respect for the Buddha nature in us all.  Don't: Talk.  Do: Bow entering and leaving spaces to show respect for them. Don't: wear your shoes in any building unless it states that this is acceptable.  Do: Bow to all statues and shrines Don't: Cross paths without bowing.  Basically you better be prepares to bow.   We listen to a Dharma talk the first night, it is a very peaceful first night.

I ended up by myself in my room because my roomie is a light sleeper and was concerned I may cough.    Yay small bonus.  Well I sound so anti-social.  I am not, but I really value being alone!  <3 nbsp="" span="">

Throughout the weekend we attend Dharma talks, receive oodles of free books and information about the Soto Zen tradition of Buddhism.  Most of our days involve getting up before dawn, meditation, and working meditation, eating, listening, reading, and more meditating.  We attend a ceremony. It was one for Kanzeon.  

I loved returning to my peaceful room to reflect on the things I felt and learned at the end of each night.  By the way, the setting for the Abbey is amazing! It is really an easy place to absorb the surroundings.  Mount Shasta, of course, is a beautiful mountain and the area the Abbey sits on is so close.  It is right on the interstate, I like that you have a river of humans, the sound isn't a distraction surprisingly enough.  

                                                

In all of the rooms and halls of the guest house there is very beautiful art!  It is very nice to enjoy and in your room a small shelf beneath it also provides a place for a traveling alter if you wish.
&lt;




The view from outside the guest house of Mount Shasta.  With the naked eye it is really much closer than the camera seems to be able to capture.  >


Over all it was a very GOOD experience.  I was surprised at how tired I was at he end of each night.  Now I must confess you are not supposed to have you cell phone on, much less be using it.  So I did not take a ton of pictures just snapped a few quickly and shut it off and put it away.  I didn't want to get busted :).

The statues and shrines and grounds are all very cool and I wish I could have walked around and got a  ton of super cool shots.  There are some very zen spots throughout the place to chill and meditate as well.  The monks are all very accommodating and really are a great group of people.  They all have different personalities.  I tend to like the more serious ones a lot!  During the stay you have an option for spiritual counsel.  I nervously signed up and ended up having a very illuminating discussion with a monk.  I really felt humbled by the simple wisdom that was imparted to me.  It was a very deep experience of realizing just how hard we make life!

While staying there I also learned that because they offer all the stays for free (amazingly as well as most of their books).  The operate on the concept of Dana.  If you visit please leave the best you can according to your means.  I calculated the cost of two nights at a motel, the food, and the cost of books.


&lt;&lt; This was in all of the toilets at the Shasta Abbey.  I had a chuckle at it the entire time.  There were little such things all throughout the place that were helpful for keeping mindful and asking for a blessing.  Hey,  nobody wants a disaster in the water closet!!

And did I mention all of the free literature about Buddhism, Zen Soto Buddhism, stories, and Dharma talks on CD they offer?  Yes I did, just wanted to mention it again.

Okay so, I decided to go a second time for a very powerful ceremony.  This is an amazing this to witness and if I can recommend attending this you will NOT be disappointed.  I stayed for 4 nights this time and it was for "The Feeding of The Hungry Ghosts Retreat" in which we learn a lot about the teachings on the different levels of heavens and hells and where the "Hungry Ghosts" reside.  We learn about the reason behind the festival and how to participate in it.  I LOVED THIS CEREMONY!  Let me explain why, there are actually two ceremonies. The second smaller once focuses on writing down the names of those who passed away that you believe to have died with bad circumstances and would need a transfer of merit from the monks.  Also you can fill out a tombstone with the names to help clear a portion of the burden of their karma.  This gets even cooler because you can also write down situations in your or others life that you believe need some of the Monks merit.  These are taken and burned in a fire at the segaki ceremony.   The feeding of the Hungry ghosts is the main and another powerful ceremony.  In this ceremony the names of the deceased that you fear to be a hungry ghost are offered forward.  They set up a great alters piled with foods and cover the Buddha shrine.  The play really cool "noise" music on authentic Asian instruments and drums to attract the ghosts.  Then they offer large sums of hell money to pay the ghosts way out hell so that they may learn the Dharma and be released from the hell realms.  Of course the ceremony is chanted in Japanese.  I got to chant it, and make the offerings with the monks, it was extremely powerful, I felt dizzy most of the ceremony.  Now, because you have let the gaki out and those naughty little spirits like to cause some mischief and every year several mishaps take place.  I was helping dismantle the alter and was carrying a lovely tray of sweets away from the alter and back to the kitchen when suddenly i was falling down a flight of stairs.  I saw the stairs, and then it was as if I stepped off into a void.  So, I actually missed the 2nd ceremony much to my dismay as I had a horrible sprain that rendered my slightly crippled the next day and into the week.  Oops!  

Ouch! 

I have really enjoyed the wisdom, teachings, and time that I spent at the Shasta Abbey.  I am moving but funny enough I will be the same distance from my new location from the Abbey so I will continue to visit occasionally as I can.  I really respect the fact that unlike MANY of the other Buddhist Temple's in the US this one is FREE!  Many of the other charge hundreds of dollars for their retreats.  I understand it is to fund their temple but I believe doing it by donation will reap bigger rewards personally and I really do love that they are so hospitable and genuine in teaching the Dharma.  

In Gassho.

PAX PRIME!

PAX PRIME!

Why do I do all the fun stuff? Wth!? Why doesn't anyone else do it? Well someone has to do it, it might as well be me!  Excuse me, Robert and I do all the fun stuff!

In PDX right now waiting for connecting flight to Seattle then let the fun begin! Meeting Rob at Chinatown, let's do this!

Soooo now I'm exhausted and heading back home. So let's talk about PAX. I must say either arrive really early or late but on time sorta sucks because it took about and hour of walking around in little diverted lines to get in. We got in about 11 and didn't see any swag bags, I think we just missed them. I am not extremely upset but would be curious to see what was in them.

Excuse me for a moment while I dry up all the water I just spilled down the front of me on the plane.... Yeah I'm graceful.

Okay so first thing through the door we are given caffeine pills from vivarin! Weee. We grabbed guides to PAX and are greeted by darkness, mayhem, excited people, and yes games. But i can't really honestly remember what I came across first without the guide.

Saw this cute little guy at Wolfenstein display outside the Bethesda booth.

 

TWITCH had a huge booth they were giving away Tshirt, but you know after getting my XL Nvidia shirt I sort of felt I was good on XL shirts for the day. :/  At any rate this is a pretty cool website and a great way to share and watch people playing the games you dig. 

Oh yes the GUNNAR glasses, hey that reminds me, I forgot to get a pair. Dammit! B) 20% OFF oops. 

Robert had a death grip on my arm (he does that when dragging me around, I don't know why, but sometimes I have bruises later).  I guess he doesn't want to lose me or is afraid I am too wiley and hard to herd around if he doesn't hold on tight enough. :) We dueled it out at the comcast xfinity exhibit, I was Batman and he was Green Latern....yes I made the coolest moves!!! 

Well what do you think about Titanfall?  They are REALLY pushing it, we didn't really look into it much so I don't have much of an opinion but the display was cool.

Hey the meat team made a crazy cat lady game!!!  Here... I am ass, the cats ass!  Actually this game looks like it will be pretty cool and has a lot of flexibility as to what it will BE to the player and I look forward to playing it! Coming soon via Steam, ios, and android!

So I stopped off at the Nvidia booth scored a shield shirt, and some keyboard keys, also got to demo Assassins Creed Black Flag.  It seemed okay but I don't accept change well and this portion of the game was about taking down two other pirate ships, while steering and aiming, then taking out the defenses of a castle.  It wasn't thrilling to me, I wish I had played a different portion. 

So, and this is awesome. We stopped by the Cards against humanity booth, I knew it was a game but little more, so we go in and I ask Robert to explain the game... Yeah he sucks at that. "It's a party game, and you draw cards." Ohhh no shit?  Cards you say!? Needless to say I skipped buying them since the women at the booth said "there are cards on the table" when he asked them to explain the game. Okay good job guys! Anyway I read what it was about online and I must say it looks like an amusing party game anyway, Rob says he will buy it most likely.

Oh the table games! I saw the coolest thing ever! Well on a scale of... Wow I never thought I'd see that anyway. So Terry Prachette's The Witches game... Yeah I'm not kidding. I didn't have much time to check it out and know nothing about the game play but.... The Wyrd sisters are the makings of a fun board game, I just know it!

Oh we tried the oculus, we never did do it at the booth but tried one on a flight sim at another booth for a college somewhere and it was pretty cool, but very bulky it will be interesting to see where this goes I will keep my eye(s) on it. 

I had a ton of fun at the indie megabooth as I had expected that I would because I just love the spirit and love poured into indie games. The ones that really captured my attention were; 

Foul play - a delightful little bash em up game but with the twist of pleasing the audience with your performance, clever, British, cute!  Available on STEAM soon.

Tengami - A breathtaking dark Japanese adventure book game in the style of a pop-up book, the art is amazing. You get to navigate this mysterious land solving puzzles and secrets.  I really look forward to exploring this.  Wii U and Ipad I know for sure but I believe was coming to steam but can't promise hey it isn't like I wrote all this down!!

Charlie Murderer - was a awesome classic 4 player bash and smash em up game.  I loved that you could pick up ANYTHING while playing, I was killing zombies with other zombies heads and arms, tires, trash cans, ANYTHING I could grab.  This was really fun! XBOX.

Other games that I look forward to playing is a zombie survival RPG called Dead State looks cool didn't have time to actually play it. 

Dragon Fin Soup is another pretty promising looking RPG from The Grimm Bros. Don't remember the platforms for this one. 

Also a really neat looking game I played for a second was Beatbuddy, very visually cool, I couldn't figure it out in the time I had :P available on steam. 

Last thing we saw at PAX was Epic playing PAX players in a head to head battle of league.... It looked like Epic was going to lose for a bit but they won. I really wasn't very engaged because the announcers mic was turned up so loud it hurt my ears and made me a tad grrr, oh that and I was pretty wasted, tired. 

Things I did not get to do that I wish I had at PAX?  Well try out The elder scrolls online, but it would have eaten half the day so I will just wait, possible reason I may never do it?  Play to pay is not rad. 

We also did not get to the actual assassins creed or Watch Dogs exhibits. :( 

Did not get to the main Oculus exhibit. 

There were a lot of things we did't have time to get too but I am glad we got around to as much as we did. 

So the last thing we did that was awesome was game. FREEPLAY PC FTW!!. So we played Team Fortress 2. Almost got to play a little Borderlands 2 (finally) but we were informed we had run out if time.
Fun fact while gaming they were blasting knife party so I had one ear free to rock! Lol.
Uhn tiss uhn tiss uhn tiss.....
Oh Btw and maybe I am just being a judgmental pricks here but WHY IN GOD'S NAME WOULD YOU GO TO PAX TO SIT DOWN AND PLAY A SINGLE PLAYER GAME LIKE BEJEWELED?!!! First off, huh? Lol this girl was next to me when I was playing Team Fortress 2 playing bejeweled. Lol yeah I just.... Why? I mean you could stay at home on Facebook and play yourself a nice game of farmville.
Lol yeah people never cease to confuse me! Rob and I had a hard laugh at this.

Ok so clearly one day at PAX is limiting but you know what's worse? Zero days at PAX. :)

But the fun did not cease no no no, because when we left the hotel what was outside the door? The Elder Scrolls food truck experience. YEAH TOTALLY FREE! I love free, and it was pretty fun, especially with the random dudes behind us, they were pretty entertaining as well. I would have never believed you if you would have said, "one day you will eat elder scrolls ice cream with a wooden spoon." yet this very thing happened! I scored a free pic of me and Robert, a free keychain bottle opener and a beer cozy sporting the Elder Scrolls Online emblem. So it took about an hour in line but hey, it was free!

My swag (and stuff I got) the magic core set and game pad were bought; the artist whom I bought the pad from was RK Post a Washington based artist it was only 20.00 it is AWESOME. He has facebook and all that jazz look him up.

p.s. I AM AWARE THERE ARE SPELLING ERRORS and caps lock accidents, I wrote this on my Galaxy S3 on an prop airplane @ 11 pm so give me a break!  I tried to keep it sounding fairly intelligible.  Just be a peach and look past the errors.  kthxbai.

EDC EDC EDC!

Hi I am a little less head in the clouds now that it's a few weeks back in the real world. The best feels and fun are fading into the background as life returns to its baseline of work, stress, oh and reality.
It creeps back up on you slowly like after any life altering trip will. I wish with all the power of the universe I could live in the eternal wonderland of play but that is not practical, I bet it would even feel like everyday life if it were the norm.
We as humans tend to take the world and all its wonder for granted if it's presented to us daily. I am well aware how gorgeous today is, how beautiful the flowers and sights are, but I don't thrill over it, heck I don't even care if I am busy being stressed out about a deadline at work or getting dinner or the dog walked.
I said at the time, "I won't miss EDC, I'll just appreciate the experience, no reason to be bummed out later. " which made perfect sense at the time...but weeks afterward I yearn to return to this magical carefree land of happiness and awesomeness.