I'd like to meet:
In my humble opinion, life is about the relationships we forge along the way. For those of you I have not yet reconnected with, drop me a line, and let me know how things have been. I want to keep up with as many of you as I can.
Music:
latest and greatest: Scanners - Violence is Golden; The Hourly Radio - History Will Never Hold Me; Film School - Film School; Kings of Leon - Because of the Times; Silversun Pickups - Carnavass; The Sword - Age of Winters
Movies:
Apocalypse Now, Little Miss Sunshine, The Jerk, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, The Motorcycle Diaries, Sin City, Dazed and Confused, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Dune, Little Buddha, Donnie Darko, Punch Drunk Love, The Big Lebowski, Blade Runner, All the James Bond movies, All the Pink Panther movies, Goodfellas, The Godfather Trilogy, The Matrix Trilogy, Only Star Wars & The Empire Strikes Back... after they introduced the little teddy bears with spears I lost interest, Ghandi.
Television:
Too much TV rots your brain, but if you must, you should mute the commercials and don't miss the Family Guy.
Books:
I used to have a huge list of authors and books, but it just seems really pretentious to list so much. I'll keep it short and sweet: I like to read. Some favorite authors include: Hermann Hesse; Milan Kundera; Aldous Huxley; Franz Kafka; Gabirel Garcia Marquez; Kurt Vonnegut; P.D. Ouspensky; G. I. Gurdjieff; Sri Aurobindo; Alan Watts; Lao Tzu; Voltaire; Yevgeny Zamyatin; Frank Herbert; Suzuki Daisetz; Nishitani Keiji; etc...
Heroes:
For a long time, I viewed heroes as those great individuals, throughout history, who changed the world in a profound way; forever altering its course in a novel and productive direction. I placed the highest respect and esteem in these individuals, assuming that their greatness and fame warranted my admiration and attention. As time passes, opinions change. I still respect these great individuals, for the work they have undertaken for the benefit of mankind, but I no longer feel the same way. So who do I consider a hero these days? Certainly, they are those that have impacted my life in a positive way. Those that have supported, guided, encouraged and loved me as I have made my way through this life. I am forever grateful to these individuals for what they have contributed. Blanca Robles and Donald Steiner have always pushed me to achieve whatever I set my mind to. As a youngster, they supported my educational interests and encouraged my inquisitiveness. They have given me advice and reprimand (when I really needed it) and continue to support the new directions I am undertaking. As I grew older, I had the good fortune and luck to meet two important people who have helped me beyond any expectations. Jack and Cathy Gilbert have shown me more generosity and love than any two people outside of my immediate family. Jack in particular has been a steadfast guide in what is right and good. As a young man, I feel I owe a tremendous amount to him for showing me what it is to be a good person, for supporting me in my life and for treating me with respect and consideration all along the way. As time continues its inevitable march, I have been fortunate enough to meet Kelsang Inchug. I have so much to thank her for: humility, loving-kindness, wisdom and guidance. Her devotion to the benefit of others shines as an example worthy of my admiration and respect. I feel fortunate to have her presence in my life, and hope, through time, I am able to exhibit a semblance of the virtue she possesses. I could not fathom ending this section without mentioning my friends: Jackie, Kojin, Rinchin, Peg and Barbara. I feel extremely fortunate to have the opportunity to practice with you on a daily basis. It is so comforting to know there is a place where I can find the tranquility and peacefulness I have come to crave insatiably, and that there will be a community ready to welcome me when I arrive. Thank you to all those I have mentioned, and to the many others I have not. I would not be who I am today without you.