We must learn to be flexible … to perceive the ever-changing world as it is and react to it as such, even (or especially) when it does not measure up to our thoughts and plans for it. UBC was not to be today as I hooked up with old friend Erica later than planned. We had beverage at Turks, then spent about two hours on the grass in the sun in Grandview Park, catching up on nearly ten years apart. She’s one of those rare people with whom that doesn’t feel weird at all. Lotsa frank Zen/Buddhism talk — she’s a Taoist, which doesn’t mean a heck of a lot to me but apparently puts a “coming to the world” spin on basic Zen. Crap, i can’t decide what to have for lunch; how am i ever going to figure out what principles to live by?
Erica, she’s slowly coming round to making a virtue of what she calls “bumbling” — her word for trying out one thing after another, without (in the “householder” sense) sticking with any of it. (Though as she herself admits, three university degrees, plus a couple of diplomas in alternative healing techniques, kind of belie the not-sticking-with aspect.) She used to think of bumbling as kind of a soft form of failure, but now she’s looking at it more as a choice and a way of living.
Like me, Erica has accumulated little material wealth to show for her efforts. So we consoled ourselves somewhat by counting our immaterial accomplishments. I tried to take a picture but the camera battery died.
Later, in the wet dreams department:
- I discovered a nifty “subnotebook” the size and weight of a hardcover book, for a paltry $400. I’m tempted, i must say. Computer access is highly addictive, especially once you realize that almost every cafe on the Drive has free wireless. I could spend a lot of time in cafes like that.
. - I went into Bikes on the Drive and test rode this Dahon folding bike. I’ve known about them for a long time but never had the chance to try one. It rode well — a bit flexible and a bit cramped, but overall very satisfactory as basic transpo. And nicely designed, too.
Plans for tomorrow: dinner for four at a noodle joint and then the KRAZY anime exhibit at the Vancouver Art Gallery (it’s cheap Thursday). Rob helped install part of the exhibit, so we’ll get the (over-)guided tour.
Oh, and a rule i plan on sticking with (until i break it): Once it’s in the blog, no editing allowed. Sorry, all you perfectionists.
PORTC (Probability of Returning To Coast) factor today: LOW
Greg Blee 