Thursday, August 11, 2011

Back to Samsara

It's been a summer not unlike the stock market lately.  The highest highs followed by typical lows.  There are times when I start to think about that old saying about the weather in Rochester--"We have two seasons...winter and July."  Obviously that's an exaggeration, but after the extraordinary prolonged heat of July, where records were broken, we now find ourselves well into a recognizable August.  The rains have returned, which is good, but so have the cooler temps.  We've had a number of days in the 70s again, even one where the high barely reached the 70s.  I would love a less precipitous fall toward autumn coolness.  I'm afraid I wait in vain for that to happen around here.  Especially now that the weather seems so much more volatile now due to global warming.

We were told at work today that our hours may be cut.  The schedule for the project I'm working on has been pushed ahead by a few months.  The budget remains the same, however.  We were warned that corners have to be cut somehow.  Our parent company is looking for ways to alleviate the squeeze.  I'll pray for us all that they can offer something.  I think I could survive on working just four days a week, but it would be tight financially.  Life would certainly be a lot less fun.

There was worse news though.  We received an e-mail that the sangha is now officially "homeless."  I'm thinking this must be related to the legal decision we've been waiting for.  On Sunday, we're meeting at a church on Park Avenue to discuss the next move.  I'll be there.  I've been going to White Lotus for almost eight years now.  The sangha is one of the three jewels.  I'll pray more fervently that we can find our way home again.

A Manwha Opus

I recently finished a graphic novel from a Korean artist and writer named Yeong-Shin Ma. His previous work was called Moms, and it was relea...