The Unfinished Story

Just last week I posted the interview of Anthony Bourdain and where he would be taking his show for the third season. He mentions Beirut as one place he is extremely excited about visiting. I just finished reading his article published on salon.com titled Watching Beirut Die. He was there filming his show when the bombing started and from the sounds of things was quite fortunate to get out of there alive.

Theosophy and its Symbols

The deep thought I posted a few days ago, by J. Krishnamurti, prompted me to do a little research on the fellow. What I found was that he is part of a philosophical school of thought known as Theosopy. Theosopy is described as a body of ideas which holds that all religions are attempts by man to ascertain the "Divine," and that each religion has a portion of the "truth."

The Consise Oxford Dictionary describes Theosophy as "any of various philosophies professing to achieve a knowledge of God by spiritual ecstasy, direct intuition, or special individual relations, esp. a modern movement following Hindu and Buddhist teachings and seeking universal brotherhood."

At first glance I was not crazy about the seal for this philosophy, which incorporates the Star of David, the Ankh, the Swastika, the Ouroboros and the Aum...particularly the Swastika part because of its VERY negative connections. But then I remembered that the swastika in Eastern religions and philosophies, in Hinduism and Jainism for example, is a very holy symbol.

The Star of David is obviously representing the Western religions of Judaism and the basis of Christianity.

The Ankh is a shout out to Egypt and is the symbol of life. It was also used by some early Christians.

The Ouroboros is the ringed figure usually a serpent or dragon swallowing its own tail to form the circle. The Ancient Egyptians used this symbol, as did Norse mythology, Christianity, Hinduism, the Aztecs, some West African religions and Native Americans. It pops up in modern day references all the time. For example in the movie Adaptation or in the song "I Palindrome I" by They Might Be Giants, "I am a snake head eating the head of the opposite side."

The Aum is another sacred item in Hinduism symbolizing the infinite and the entire Universe.

Around the seal are written the words: There is no religion higher than truth.

I don't know what exactly drew me to look up the Deep Thought from a few days ago. I usually just come across something that resonates with me and I post it. But I guess I wanted to know more about the idea he presented there. I'm glad I did. I've long had the idea that with so many different religions and belief systems out there, how can one possible say that one is better than the other? Isn't there truth in each religion? Isn't there a way for religious beliefs to coexist with other beliefs? Evidently what I was looking for to focus on was Theosophy. Looks like I have some new reading to do.

Game Time

In a recent Answerology poll, the question was asked "what is your favorite "adult" game to play?"
A. Strip Poker
B. Truth or Dare
C. Spin the Bottle
D. Naked Twister
E. Strip Croquet
F. Other - please describe

The results: The top two answers were Truth or Dare (25%) and Strip Poker (17%).
















Anyone up for a game?

Deep Thought of the Day - 7/28/06

Until a radical change takes place and we wipe out all nationalities, all ideologies, all religious divisions, and establish a global relationship - psychologically first, inwardly before organizing the outer - we shall go on with wars. - J. Krishnamurti

Body paint

I love body paint. Check out these pics from Sonia-Belle: sonia-belle: Body paint

Deep Thought of the Day - 7/26/06

For a special humpday version of Deep Thought of the Day, I offer excerpts from "40 Rock-Solid Reasons To Get Drunk Tonight"

For the complete list see Modern Drunkard Magazine.

1. If you don’t drink that booze, by God, someone else will.

3. Bad ass nicknames like Chuggybear, The Alabama Hamma, Pukey McPukerson are not awarded to people who stay home to do laundry.

6. Word on the street is the booze has been trash talking you all day.

9. Its far better to have a good time you won’t remember than a dull one you will.

10. Remember that English high school teacher you and your pals used to call Mr. McTightass? You are so starting to remind me of him.

14. If you don’t, you’ll wake up in the morning all bright eyed and bushy tailed, and who the hell wants to go through life acting like a goddamn squirrel?

18. There is a 1000 percent better chance you will land a starring role in the upcoming Paris Hilton video Vegas Orgy.

19. Your lawn is so much more comfortable when you’re loaded.

26. If you don’t hunt the booze, the booze will surely hunt you.

28. Al-Qaeda forbids drinking and since when did you start taking orders from Al-Qaeda?

29. Lets face it: modern life is a shit storm and booze is the only umbrella without any holes in it.

33. God won’t stop staring at you.

38. When your coworkers ask “What did you get up to last night?” You can smile all cool like and say, “Maaaaaan, you don’t wanna know!” instead of chirping “I alphabetized my DVD collection and found out I have two copies of The Truth About Cats and Dogs! Two!”

39. Remember your childhood dream of meeting a brewery heiress and jet-setting around the world on her dime? You think that’s going to happen while sitting in your goddamn apartment watching Captain Picard surrender the Enterprise for the tenth straight episode?

Trying to find the balance

I have learned that there are a bunch of quizes online about the 7 deadly sins, but hardly anything on the Seven Contrary Virtues...you know, the things you're supposed to do to protect yourself against the seven deadly sins (aka the good/fun stuff).

Here are the sins with their counteracting virtues:
superbia (pride) vs. humilitas (humility, modesty)
avaritia (avarice) vs. liberalis (liberality, will, generosity)
luxuria (lust) vs. virtus (chastity, purity)
invidia (envy) vs. humanitas (kindness, satisfaction)
gula (gluttony) vs. frenum (self-control, abstinence)
ira (wrath) vs. patientia (patience, peace)
acedia (sloth) vs. industria (diligence, ethics)

I think I'm pretty much screwed on the lust sin...I don't have much in the way of chastity or purity. The same can be said of the lack of self-control and abstinence. Well I guess if I can keep the other five in check, I'll be ok. :-)

The Seven Countrary Virtues

Humilitas - Modest behavior, selflessness, and the giving of respect.
Liberalis - Generosity. Willingness to give. A nobility of thought or actions.
Virtus - Courage and boldness. Embracing of moral wholesomeness and achieving purity of thought through education and betterment.
Humanitas - Charity, compassion, friendship and sympathy without prejudice.
Frenum - Constant mindfulness of others and one's surroundings; practicing self-control, abstention, and moderation.
Patientia - Forebearance and endurance through moderation. Resolving conflicts peacefully, as opposed to resorting to violence.
Industria - A zealous and careful nature in one's actions and work. Decisive work ethic.

What will I go to hell for?

I probably could have predicted this one...of the 7 deadly sins, Lust is my highest. What surprised me was how low I scored on Sloth. I can be rather lazy from time to time.

Greed:	Medium
Gluttony:	Medium
Wrath:	Very Low
Sloth:	Low
Envy:	Low
Lust:	Very High
Pride:	Medium

Take the Seven Deadly Sins Quiz

Some tidbits about my favorite sin:

Luxuria - Lust, fornication, perversion - Depraved thought, unwholesome morality, desire for excitement, or need to be accepted or recognized by others. Obsessive, unlawful, or unnatural sexual desire, such as desiring sex with a person outside marriage or engaging in unnatural sexual appetites. Rape, adultery and sodomy are considered to be extreme lust and are said to be mortal sins. Dante's criterion was "excessive love of others," thereby detracting from the love due to God. Lust prevents clarity of thought and rational behavior. Lust is symbolized by the snake in most Christian religions and the color blue, although it can also be associated with the cow. The punishment in hell for lust is being smothered in flame brimstone.

No Reservations

I think one of the best shows on television right now is Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations. It is about a reluctant food celebrity guy, author, culinary adventurer, drinker, smoker, and hedonist and his journey to find people and places far beyond the realm of food. It is wanderlust at its best. He avoids touristy traps and other Westerners on his trips as much as possible and shows the real essence of the place. It is very good to hear that the Travel Channel has decided to bring the show back for a third season.

I just read an interview with Bourdain on Bookslut. Here is an excerpt:

Where are you going in the third season of No Reservations?

Sao Paulo, hopefully Tehran, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Moscow perhaps, we’re looking at Madagascar, maybe another LA show. We have in the can Korea, Ghana, and we’re about to do a Pacific Northwest show with Chuck Palahniuk, and Beirut.

How does one travel to Tehran, diplomatically? How do you get in?

I don’t know. I don’t think it’s a problem. I can always go as a journalist.

Where else do you want to go?

I’m going everywhere. I decide the destinations. If there is a driving agenda, it’s how many Asia shows can I shove down the network’s throat. That’s really it. You think we can go to Vietnam again yet?

They’re pretty open to all of your ideas?

They haven’t said no to anywhere. They cut two words that I’m aware of. I’ve disagreed with them on one edit in the entire show.

What was it?

“Liquid doobage.”

They thought that was not appropriate? You’ve said some worse things.

I know! I don’t think they understood what “fisting a Samoan” was. But really that’s it. There are places I’m really anxious to get to or get back to. China. Mainland China. Vietnam, obviously. Laos, Burma. I’d love to do a Tokyo show. That’s just pure fun for me, and to be forced to learn every day. I’m always awake in Asia. Oh, and we have an Ireland show in the can.

You have a very hedonist approach to food.

It’s the death of pleasure when your waiter takes ten minutes to tell you the bloodline of your tomato. I don’t care. I’m already having a bad time. Is it good? It speaks for itself. It’s nonsense. Excess description, excess information. The truth’s in the dining experience. It’s as primeval as it gets, or it should be. That’s the way chefs eat.

7 Kinds

• The 1st kind of sex is called: Smurf Sex. This kind of sex happens when you first meet someone and you both have sex until you are blue in the face.
• The 2nd kind of sex is called: Kitchen Sex. This is when you have been with your partner for a short time and you are so horny you will have sex any where, even in the kitchen.
  
• The 3rd kind of sex is called: Bedroom Sex. This is when you have been with your partner for a long time. Your sex has gotten routine and you usually have sex only in your bedroom.
  
• The 4th kind of sex is called: Social Security Sex. You get a little each month - but not enough to live on.
• The 5th kind of sex is called: Hallway Sex. This is when you have been with your partner for too long. When you pass each other in the hallway you both say "fuck you".
• The 6th kind of sex is called: Religious Sex. This means you get Nun in the morning, Nun in the afternoon and Nun at night.
  
• The 7th and last kind of sex is called: Courtroom Sex. This is when you cannot stand each other any more. You go to court and screw each other in front of everyone.

Smurf Sex?

Deep Thought of the Day - 7/24/06

I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together. ~The Beatles

Proof Positive

There is some serious debate going on these days about global warming and climate change. I have yet to see the Al Gore movie "An Inconvenient Truth" (it seems I've been saying that about a lot of movies recently...oh yeah, it's because I don't go the movies much anymore) but I hear it paints a pretty disturbing picture of how we have really put a hurtin' on the planet...while those on the other side say that these warming trends are merely cyclical and the Earth is just doing its thing.
I always find that this illustration is a good one to help the discussion along...











Just for the record, here are the other movies out that I want to see but haven't yet.
Definitely want to see:
Superman Returns
The Oh in Ohio
Strangers with Candy
A Scanner Darkly
Wordplay

Possibly want to see at matinee prices:
Clerks II
You, Me and Dupree

Will most likely wait until they are out on Netflix:
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
Monster House

Synaesthesia

Wassily Kandinsky, one of my favorite abstract artists, was said to have a condition known as synaesthesia...a condition that allows a person to appreciate sounds, colours or words with two or more senses simultaneously. In other words, colours and painted marks triggered particular sounds or musical notes and vice versa.

There is still debate whether Kandinsky was himself a natural synaesthete, or merely experimenting with this confusion of senses in combination with the colour theories of Goethe, Schopenhauer and Rudolf Steiner, in order to further his vision for a new abstract art.

Nevertheless, can you imagine the sounds he heard when he created these paintings?

"his swirling compositions were painted with polyphonic swathes of warm, high-pitched yellow that he might balance with a patch of cold, sonorous blue or a silent, black void."

European Styles

Deep Thought of the Day - 7/21/06

“Instructions for Life” by The Dalai Lama

Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.

Follow the three R’s: Respect for Self, Respect for Others, and Responsibility for all you actions.

Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.

Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.

When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

Spend some time alone every day.

Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.

Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

Live a good, honorable life, then when you get older and think back, you’ll be able to enjoy it second time.

A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.

Share your knowledge. It’s a way to achieve immortality.

Be gentle with the Earth.

Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.

Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.

Judge your success by you had to give up in order to get it.

Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.

Deep Thought of the Day - 7/20/06

If you're robbing a bank and you're pants fall down, I think it's okay to laugh and to let the hostages laugh too, because, come on, life is funny. ~Jack Handy

The Desecration of Great Art

I recently came across this web site that ran a contest with the aim of covering up great works of art so that they are not exposing any nakedness. Are we so prudish and ashamed at the glory of the human body in this country that we can't look at great artwork without being shocked or morally offended???

Let me show you what I mean...
This:
Turns into this:



















This:
Turns into this:



















And this:
Turns into this:



















While it may be slightly humorous to see famous works of art altered so that they are wearing modern clothes, I really don't care for the blatent censorship and the reasons for doing such a contest. They're naked! Get over it people!

Look! Up in the Sky...it's...it's...

Supergirl! I have yet to see the new Superman movie, but from what I've heard and read about it, it could really use a little bit of help from Supergirl here.

I don't know about anyone else, but I'd go see a movie with her in it!

Deep Thought of the Day - 7/19/06

To experience love, we must go inside. When you experience real love you get into a state which is beyond words. You are filled with a joy that goes beyond all emotions. True love is the love of the inner Self. - Swami Muktananda

Kiss of the Day

Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves. ~Albert Einstein

I kissed my first girl and smoked my first cigarette on the same day. I haven't had time for tobacco since. ~Arturo Toscanini

















A kiss, when all is said, what is it?
A rosy dot placed on the "i" in loving;
'Tis a secret told to the mouth instead of to the ear.
~Edmond Rostand






Kisses kept are wasted;
Love is to be tasted.
There are some you love, I know;
Be not loathe to tell them so.
Lips go dry and eyes grow wet
Waiting to be warmly met.
Keep them not in waiting yet;
Kisses kept are wasted.
~Edmund Vance Cooke

Statues of the World

This is a great link to some very creative and unusual statues.
For example...

Deep Thought of the Day - 7/18/06

We say, "In calmness there should be activity; ' in activity there should be calmness." Actually, they are the same thing; to say "calmness" or to say "activity" is just to express different interpretations of one fact. There is harmony in our activity, and where there is harmony there is calmness. - D.T. Suzuki

Birthday Cake

As a new person in my office, I decided to pull out all the stops when my name came up in the birthday club list.

A little background here: in my office, when you first start you are asked if you want to join the "Friday Breakfast Club" (every 4 to 5 months, you have to bring in breakfast for the office on a Friday) and the "Birthday Club" (you are assigned someone in the office to plan a small birthday party for them.)

So my number came up for the Birthday Club yesterday and I wanted to wow my new co-workers with my culinary skills. And since most people opt for the sheet cakes from the supermarket, I knew I could really do some major wow-ing.

I had already given them a taste (literally) of what I can do when I brought in homemade scones for my Friday Breakfast Club, but as any home chef knows, it is the desserts that make a name for yourself. (A pet peeve of mine, by the way...but that topic is for another time.) So I pulled out my recipe for The Ultimate Flourless Chocolate Cake...(A special thanks goes out to my favorite cookbook for that one.) With the mostly female office (there is only one other man in my office), I knew that a rich, chocolate cake would do the trick. I was correct. It went over beautifully and I am now know as the chief foodie of the office. Ehhh-xcellent!

Such a simple and elegant dessert.

Fighting Windmills

I love this print of Picasso. I identify with the subject: Don Quixote. I don't go around fighting windmills or anything. For one thing, there aren't many windmills around these days...unless I decide to move to Holland or some such place. Not a bad proposition by any stretch, but probably not too likely.

In any case, I identify with Quixote's idealism, unfaltering dedication, and true (to him at least) sense of self. The word quixotic, which means "caught up in the romance of noble deeds and the pursuit of unreachable goals; idealistic without regard to practicality" comes from this story and this character.

"En un lugar de la Mancha, de cuyo nombre no quiero acordarme, no ha mucho tiempo que vivía un hidalgo de los de lanza en astillero, adarga antigua, rocín flaco y galgo corredor."

"In a place in La Mancha, whose name I do not want to recall, there dwelt not so long ago a gentleman of the type wont to keep an unused lance, an old shield, a greyhound for racing, and a skinny old horse."

Getting her there

Article from Men's Health

Not sure what they mean by "new" posistions considering these are old hat for any fans of the Kama Sutra. Nevertheless, I know what I'm going to be doing tonight!!!

5 New Sex Positions
The moves to get her there in record time

MIX IT UP

Exploring your sexuality can be a dead end if you don't keep one destination in mind: her happiness.

THE DOWNWARD DOG
The purpose: Allows for deeper thrusts
How it works: She's facedown on the bed, hips raised
The benefit: This position creates a snug fit, "making you feel larger," says Rebecca Rosenblat, a sex therapist and the author of Seducing Your Man. It also puts pressure on the hard-to-reach pleasure zones just behind her vagina. To last longer, try "shallow thrusting and deep breathing," advises April Masini, author of Date out of Your League. "Exhale with each thrust."
Hint: Don't be a battering ram. "Move your hips from side to side, too," says Diana Wiley, Ph.D., a sex therapist.

THE FACE-OFF
The purpose: Makes height differences disappear
How it works: You sit on a chair or the edge of a bed, she faces you on your lap.
The benefit: Greater flexibility. "She can easily control the angle and depth of entry," says Wiley, "and this is a good way for a man to learn what sort of rhythm his partner prefers." Sitting is also great for marathon lovemaking because "no one has to worry about their legs or arms giving out on them," says Rosenblat.
Hint: Your hands can roam; take advantage of the 8,000 nerves of the clitoris -- or the millions elsewhere on her body.

THE PRETZEL
The purpose: Blends the doggy and missionary styles
How it works: She lies on her left side. You kneel between her legs, curling her right leg around your right side and straddling her left leg. Use your hands to bring her toward you.
The benefit: The deeper penetration of doggy-style sex, without the loss of face-to-face contact. Also, ergonomics: "A lot of women can’t stand doggy-style, because it hurts their backs," says Rosenblat.

Hint: Add manual stimulation. Your right arm is perfectly positioned to tuck under her right leg to lend a helping hand. "That's a can't-miss combination."

THE SHOULDER HOLDER
The purpose: Targets her G-spot, makes you feel bigger
How it works: She rests both legs on one of your shoulders.
The benefit: "Any position in which a woman raises her legs narrows the vagina," says Rosenblat. Slide her feet down to your chest, one foot on each of your pectoral muscles, and start her in a rocking side-to-side or up-and-down motion. She's in a perfect position to control how you stimulate her G-spot.

Hint: Keep your sensors tuned: "If she's pushing a body part into you, she digs the position," Rosenblat says. "If she's pulling back, try something else."

THE COWGIRL'S HELPER
The purpose: Puts her in control, lets you lend a helping hand
How it works: She squats on top, raising and lowering herself with her thighs. You support her by holding her hips and rising to meet each thrust.
The benefit: She'll appreciate your ceding the sexual remote control. "This move allows her to choose between shallow and deep thrusting," says Rosenblat. "Shallow will stimulate the front third of her vagina, the most sensitive part."

Hint: It takes strong thighs for her to maintain this position, so use your arms to help assume some of the heavy lifting.

Being PC about the sexes