Metta

Friends, Meet Buster

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Friends, this is Buster Brown, the beagle (mix).  He belongs to my dear friend Lori who, in addition to being brilliant and hilarious, is also one of the best schoolteachers I’ve ever had.  (Sophomore English at C. K. McClatchy High.)

Now that Lori and I live in the same city again, we get to do fun things like team up in caring for Mister Buster.  Who is a special little guy, and needs a Lot of caring.

When Lori adopted him a few months ago, she quickly realized that the boy’s endured some serious trauma, gets spooked pretty easy, and may occasionally lash out in fear.  The first time I met him, things seemed to be going just swell, feeding him treats and cuddling on the couch, until I got too close and he suddenly bit me on the lip.  (I know, tough to imagine a sweet-looking mug like that biting you in the face.)

And so, in the same vein as Heather the cat, though far friendlier to humans, Buster is one of those animal companions whose affection is not guaranteed.  (To anyone but Lori, that is.) We continue loving him anyway, though, because who says love is a perfect give-and-take?  Buster may have his challenging quirks, like anxiety around changes in atmospheric pressure, but he also has many precious ones, like the morningtime phenomenon Lori has dubbed “squishy ears.”

As poor Tamagotchi performance long ago established, I’m not a naturally maternal person in the least, and it ain’t easy for me to look after a creature — especially one without language.  (No reasoning with BB when he’s feeling too skittish to take a walk; sometimes all you can do is pick him up and kinda scoot him forward toward the stairs.  This clashes somewhat with my sensibilities around consent.)

But I will say this: relations with Buster calm down to the extent that I can calm down.  When I stop worrying about whether he’s scared, or upset, or Not Being A Model Dog, and just accept the vicissitudes of his moods, doing what I can to offer him a good environment, then we get along just fine.  I can relax and enjoy the afternoon walks; he can relax and, you know, do the puppy thing.

And as you can see, he’s reeallly good at doing the puppy thing.

Have a wonderful weekend, folks!  See you Monday.

Fool’s Holiday

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Photo by Peace the Clown.

Feels like I’m starting to fit in around here.  Happy anniversary to the Faithful Fools!  Twelve years ago today, they signed the papers to buy the grand old building at 234 Hyde that would become Fools’ Court.  Bought it with only five hundred dollars between ’em.  It’s the fool’s way. Trust the moment, and don’t take yourself too damn seriously.

Hunting For Heather, Or: Unrequited Is The Best Kind

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Heather is a feral cat that the Fools took in some years back, and who lives with us — slinking among the stuffed animal menagerie — in the Fools’ Court.  For years, I’m told, she wouldn’t even let herself be seen.  Now, she’s slowly growing bolder: eating, roaming, and claw-feasting on stuffed armchairs in full view, when there’s only a few of us around.  But she’s still supremely elusive — a fact only emphasized by her absurdly gorgeous and adorable looks.

Last week, over the course of a lazy, reading-and-tea -type afternoon, I intermittently tried to take her portrait.  I think some part of me hoped it would bring us closer together.  Let’s just say she had her own agenda.

The Dhamma teaches that the highest form of love, real love, is when we just give, without expecting anything in return. Easier said than done, to put it mildly — especially when it comes to intelligent pets, which are often marketed in our culture as maximally efficient Affection Reciprocators. When we love ‘our’ animals, we expect them to love us back.

But despite all my coaxing and sweet-talk, pledging catnip and cuddlefests, ultimately my desire for Heather to transform into a Happy HouseCat (avid purrer, visitor of laps) had less to do with improving her life, and more to do with improving mine. Seeing this dysfunction clearly, I (to borrow a phrase from my uncle CC) had to laugh. Sometimes we get way ahead of ourselves, you know?

Friends, Meet Gina

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Hey y’all! Hope you’ve been well. Guess I needed a break from blogging: with all the March 4th buildup, plus my first deadline for grad school, this month kinda sucker-punched me from the get-go, and I’ve spent the last week recovering. Though by “recovering” I guess I only mean redirecting the same volume of energy into different channels.

Marathon catering days to raise money for the Fools (bonus: we got to eat the wedding leftovers); quality time looking after an adorable but terribly nervous beagle mix named Buster (Horror No. 43: changes in atmospheric pressure); visiting with my pops and our family pooch, plus Ryan, at the world’s most picturesque dog park; plus every conceivable type of errand and meeting for Fools’ Court — from celebrating Sharon’s entry into a 12-month rehab program (run by nuns — which we take as an auspicious sign), to helping Ra Mu move the last of his earthly belongings out of storage; discussing domestic affairs as our household numbers swell from the standard two to sometimes 7 or 8.

Fool work remains totally fascinating and utterly provocative. There is always some edge to work. Some surprise to catch you off-guard, and make you think. Some nuisance, some awakening.  On International Women’s Day, a handful of us women find ourselves sitting in a circle, each attentive to her own reading.  A few moments later, Kat is coaching Gina in writing a letter to her son, given up at birth 25 years ago and recently found (at least we’re pretty sure it’s the right one) on Facebook.  Kat advises (1) that it’s important to give him the room to decide whether and how to respond, and (2) that the yellow legal pad paper looks too formal.  I scamper to my room and grab the bag of assorted stationery gifted to me for Chanukah.  Toothless, gracious, muscular from biking and sweet as can be, Gina selects a few Georgia O’Keeffe cards.  Sade’s new album, one of her jams these days, thrums, ticks, oohs and aahs on the stereo.  We all sip our tea.  I am happy to be here, with these women.

Reports from our free yoga class indicate she's a natural yogi. You can tell just by the smile, though, no?

For Baybes Who Resolve To Learn Meditation

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Hey friends! For any of you folks in the Bay Area, I just wanted to pass along this announcement for a *free* (donation-based, give-as-you-can) introductory course to Vipassana (or “insight”) meditation, at my local sangha, the East Bay Meditation Center. EBMC is largely run by and for queer folks and people of color (with one weekly sitting day reserved for LGBTQQI & SGL folks, and one for POC), though this workshop is open to straight white people, too.  Should be rad.

I’ll be ringing in the new decade at the Center tonight, sitting together up until midnight. Truly, there’s nowhere else I’d rather be on New Year’s. It’s an amazingly warm and wonderful space, and one of my main anchors in the Bay.

Have a safe and happy night, y’all, and thank you for reading, shaping, and encouraging the Kloncke chronicles of 2009.  Wishing you all the best things for 2010.

Into the Heart of the Moment:
Meditation for Beginners
Buddha Statue Head

with Mushim Ikeda-Nash and Kitsy Schoen

Open to all

Five Monday evenings:
Jan. 25 – Feb. 22, 2010
7:00 -9:00 pm

East Bay Meditation Center
2147 Broadway Street, Oakland, CA 94612
(near the 19th Street BART)
www.eastbaymeditation.org

About this Class Series

Are you stressed or overwhelmed, seeking ways to be more compassionate to yourself and others? How do you get your brain to work for you instead of replaying old tapes and unhelpful messages?  We don’t have to keep doing things the same way – we have choices! Based in Buddhist teachings and supported by modern science, mindfulness meditation has clear and proven benefits for health and well-being. We’ll offer basic instruction in sitting and movement meditation, interactive exercises, and support for establishing a home meditation practice.

Registration is Required and Space is Limited!
Please plan to attend all five classes in the series.  This is NOT a drop-in class.

To register, please click here, or copy and paste the following link into your web browser:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/7SYNGZ7

If the link does not work, reply to this email, admin@eastbaymeditation.org with your full name, requesting a registration form for the “Into the Heart of the Moment” series.


Dana, or Generous Giving

There is no registration fee for attending this event, nor most EBMC events.

However, EBMC is not independently funded.

The center and the teachers will be sustained only by your voluntary donations (the practice of generous giving, or “dana”).  Please donate generously, in proportion to your ability:

  • Either online (you will be offered an opportunity at the end of the online registration process)
  • Or at the event, in the two baskets at EBMC, one for the center, the second for the teachers.


Thank you for your generosity.  Giving together, our unique, diverse center will continue to grow and thrive!

About the teachers

Mushim Ikeda-NashMushim Ikeda-Nash teaches meditation retreats for people of color and social justice activists nationally, and she is a core teacher at East Bay Meditation Center. Known for her warm and down-to-earth approach to mindfulness practice, she brings 28 years of monastic and lay experience to her teaching, with an emphasis on integrating meditation and everyday life.   http://mushim.wordpress.com/

Kitsy Schoen

Kitsy Schoen has been practicing Vipassana meditation for 30 years. She is a graduate of the Community Dharma Leader program of Spirit Rock Meditation Center and is on the Leadership Sangha of the EBMC.  Kitsy is passionate about the integration of mindfulness and multicultural awareness.

In order to protect the health of community members with environmental illness, please do not wear fragranced products (including”natural” fragrances) or clothes laundered in fragranced products to EBMC. A list of fragrance free products is posted on the EBMC website, at
http://eastbaymeditation.org/accessibility/scentfree.html

wheelchair - lively
The East Bay Meditation Center is wheelchair accessible.

To Zion

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A few times lately, in conversation, I’ve mentioned that in my opinion Lauryn Hill is one of the greatest artists of our time.  The story of her life is complex and sad in many ways — reflecting so much personal torment, as well as the dehumanizing commodification that saturates popular commercial arts — but one thing is clear: rare is the musician who combines such virtuosic technical ability with such profound emotional expression.  For me, she’s right up there with Miles Davis, with Stevie Wonder, with the best of them.

Here’s one of my favorites.  Enjoy, and enjoy the weekend — see y’all on Monday!