Undulate --- a couple more things from last week: Brent, Orion and I joined Peter at his father's house for a delicious pre-thanksgiving dinner. Farmville was dark, so we didn't really get a sense for it, but we were definitely there! On Thanksgiving, my parents and I joined my grandma at my uncle Mark's family home. What a fine, splendid time we had! I was immediately called upon to play something of an uncle's part to my cousins (they're between about 4 and 10!). We ran around the yard for quite a while, and I heard them talk about all kinds of things! Plus they did a puppet show for us! Then they asked me to do a puppet show - an invitation I gladly accepted! We also had desert at the Falconer home - though I didn't have much room for it. We played a large-group game of Tabou, plus socializing, and I also danced for my friends (this may become a more common practice, considering the success that ensued!)

Eleventy --- I just got back from a 3-day Baha'i Youth Congress in Wachington DC, the 21st of its kind, and vastly improved over the already vitalizing gatherings of the past. I am full of ideas, energy (though exhausted nonetheless), goals, inspiration, new understanding, new rhythms (the musical performances were utterly hip, delectable, and memorable) and social & spiritual satisfaction. It will serve me very much in making progress in my service to this Cause and the world of humanity. I am already suffering from a little conference-withdrawal, but my life in Richmond is busy enough that I won't be allowed the time to dwell on that morose feeling. Tomorrow night I perform a poem and I have auditions! wish me luck!

Me and a Gun --- there's a haunting Tori Amos song by this title, which is a song about rape. It's soft and heart-wrentching, and it says how funny some of the things you think about are in these situations, like "I haven't seen Barbados, so I must get out of here."


I usually do pretty well with being fine when I can't get something from someone else (like attention, etc.) but when I'm told by this party to expect something (like an e-mail, call, etc.) - that's a bit harder to let go when it doesn't happen... Oh well.

Brent's been here for several days, and I've gotten to spend lots of time with him and "the guys." Freestyling, discussing, video games, gettin' out, etc. I have a great group of friends here in town. Oh! and Taboo - it's such a terrific game. The perfect game for our group, really (I hope they have expansions, with more words!)


I outlined my new paper. It's looking pretty good! Tomorrow we have a meeting with a whole bunch (as in 2-5) VCU students to talk about possibly starting a Baha'i Association on campus!

DC Baha'i Congress this coming weekend!!! I'm so very very excited! It'll be great spiritual food, and amazing social opportunities - I'll be seeing a bunch of friends from different areas all at the same time! Plus rooming with a bunch of guys in a hotel! I'll even get to see my "brother" Marten again. He spent a day here, and played some music at a devotional gathering we had. He's a terrific musician and a splendid volcalist, with lots of energy and remarkable charisma, that will grab a whole crowd's attention! He's also great at Taboo.

I called the University of Sydney, Australia, and it was SO EXCITING! I really want to go there. If I get accepted to even just two of the three programs I'm applying to, it will be a very difficult decision...


Sometimes, I tie my shoelaces, sometimes I put on my socks, sometimes I eat sushi... Just now I had a glass of apple juice. It used to be my favorite juice. Still one of them. I like the juice more than the apple, but I prefer the idea of eating the apple - I guess 'cause it's closer to "the real thing." I sometimes miss the cold of Alaska. It's just so very exhilirating. I think it actually boosts my energy level. So many things... so very many things in this world... I can't begin to imagine the afterlife. With so many things here, I still manage to feel like it's just a palm-full of sand, when I get spiritually in tune with the "Universe." So in the next life, it probably seems even smaller. Actually, it's not that everything is small. It's that what I'm _able_ to see in things is small, so when I close my eyes and look out to spiritual truths (I might even call them philosophical) - then I can somehow see more. Anyway, I figure that all of this that I'm saying and that I've ever said will bear on everything, but will appear infinitessimal, and there will be worlds of existence that will baffle and exhilirate me - maybe a little like the cold of beautiful Alaska...

Sifting --- Highlights this last week: lots of progress on my research paper, provisionally named:


What Truth?


Diagnosing the Need for Performance in Diverse Societies




-Choir sang a couple of songs at a beautiful celebration of the Birth of Baha'u'llah.


-We had a great meeting with Baha'i artists around the idea of creating Baha'i-inspired enterprises - a meeting I had planned on having exactly the way this one went a whole year ago.


-Had a very very long conversation with the beautiful, always-inspiring Joleen! I love her and miss her dearly.


-Worked with Shawn and Helen on a new short film project - called:


The Mysterious Life of Ordinary People.


Went out for icecream with Tanya!


We got a whole new workplan at work, presented by a new supervisor. It's overly ambitious and rather unrealistic, but it's a welcome new energy to our efforts!


I subsitute-taught the youth class at Baha'i School - a bit of a challenge.


Met a new Baha'i youth in the area, and re-met another! More energy for our Richmond spiritual endeavors!

Albeit --- I've had it easy. It's quite clear to me now. I've had it easy this year. I've had a great job, straighforward community opportunities, and too much to do to have to think too much about much else. Well, that last clause is definitely not true in most ways. I've thought about almost everything, it feels like. The process of relating most things back to the Seven Valleys that the spiritual traveler traverses has almost become second nature. There are a number of such good habits that are becoming more natural. Anyway, the reason I feel like I've had it easy is that, dedicating all day yesterday to Performance Studies research, and half of today to college applications, I feel like this is where the hard work begins. Maybe it's just that everything else that I'm involved in now was just as challenging in the beginning, but it flows of its own now.


Anyway, I've got four schools to which I'm applying, and I'm considering various travel possibilities as alternative routes to grad school. Once I receive results from my applications, I'll consider what will best serve my goals and vision.


I did perform that poem mentioned in my previous post. It was an immense hit - very welcomed by both the audience and the poets who were putting on the show. It was so perfect that I got to practice the piece with my acting class, and right after I was given the opportunity to present. Orion and I will be working on a joint piece to perform at the next slam - plus I should be performing at every slam at the Firehouse theatre on the last Monday of the month.


Robbie and I had another opportunity to eat out with our new best friends Christian and Mishkin. We ate at the news Cheesecake factory. Great times.


Volleyball team one another game! Had a blast today at open gym. I got a call back from Joshua, the guy who's part of a Capoeira group. I got the call the next day after I decided to give up on it. I'll check on them again in Jan, after all this grad school madness.


Got me some nice Outkast playing on my earphones.


Have I mentioned these are probably the best days of my life? I am so fortunate. Had an AWESOME chat with Eric (in Chicago area) yesterday - very deep conversation. He's off to do some really good stuff for our little Earth.


Robbie and I (re)started our Ruhi Book 4 study circle. We have an amazing group! Plus we've scheduled our next several meetings almost through January! A rare thing among nearly a dozen busy Baha'is! Plus, Robbie and I have been exploring the amazing worlds of joined prayer. We spend long long moments reciting, singing, chanting, supplicating our Magnanimous Lord, searching to liberate ourselves from the fetters of this lowly world! He's a most precious blessing in my life.

This --- I got AWEsomepictures from Sandai - some of his beautiful daughter and some of his new office on the 39th floor, with a gorgeous view on the rest of Paris (including a perfect view of the Eiffel Tower!).


Had an interesting conversation about violence and crime and the condition of our city of Richmond, and of our society, with my good friends. It's so overwhelming. We shared some nice ideas. Prayer is greatly need. Prayer and good deeds.


Just spoke with Jamie - she's getting married! I'm hoping to make it down to FL for the occasion. Speaking of which, I might be heading down there to go canoeing with Toad and Jason at the turn of the year.


I met a new brother. He too has red hair and white/clear eyebrows! He's an outstanding artist (guitar and voice). I have his CD (Martin Kerr, "just another man"). I can't wait to see him again!


Had an awesome conversation with Husayn! He's leading a wonderful weekend for Baha'i college students from various areas up at LouHelen Baha'i School. Robbie and I had a powerful prayer session, sending some energy up their way. I definitely miss Husay and Suzanne. I can't wait to meet their daughter Amia.


Our volleyball team finally won a competition game! It wasn't important to me to win any games, but since it's important to the rest of the team (the Flaming Flamingos) - it becomes so for me!


I finished a poem I had been working on for more than a month. I'm hoping to perform it at the next poetry slam in town. I've received excellent feedback. I'm thinking of calling it "The Message"...


Where are all most noble beings. Let us arise to this station, as we are meant to.

What it is --- Wow! I feel great!


Summary: Tuesday we had our celebration of the Birth of the Bab (Prophet of God and Forerunner of Baha'u'llah - founder of the Baha'i Faith!), which was very nice, and I met some Baha'is from the Toronto area. On Thursday, the two of them got together with Robbie and I, and we had an absolute BLAST, stuffing our stomach (more our whole _bodies_), talking philosophy, and generally being geeks. This night, also, I was introduced to "The Mars Volta" - an excellent, if overwhelming and "busy" rock band.



Friday, I go to Baltimore!!! I arrived in the afternoon, and I spent the rest of the day and the next morning with my great friend, Sam Gallant. Such a cool guy! I also visited with his daughter Maia, his wife Molly, and her sister Amy. Wonderful, beautiful visit. We went to the BMA (Baltimore Museum of Art), ate nice food together, laughed, and reminisced a little. The other half of the weekend I spent with Omid (Allen Eghrari). He's in grad med school at Johns Hopkins (hot stuff, eh?). We prayed, freestyled, played DDR, drove around, had spiritual/religious discussions, etc. - the way good friends like us should do... I also got to attend a couple of Baha'i gatherings - with mostly youth and young adults. I met a ton of people, and was enlightened, entertained, and spiritualized.



A group of Baha'is from one of these events went to see "What the Bleep do we Know?" - probably the most fascinating movie I have ever seen. It has permanently changed my perspective on the universe and the meaning of life. (How's that for a review??!?) Please consider renting/buying it when it comes out on video at your local store.



I'm all over hip hop these days: Mos Def's new album ("The New Danger") is out, and is way, WAY too good for words. Omid hooked me up with a CD of French rap, including a track or two by my favorite hip hop artists - "I Am." Omid also hooked me up with a CD of instrumentals, so when I got back on Sunday, Orion and I were freestyling to some nice beats. Oh, and Omid hooked me up with "Fort Tabarsi" - hands down the best Baha'i Hip Hop I've ever heard (not that we have much...) It's vastly superior to the popular hip hop, and it's up to par with some of the better stuff I know - but since it's about the Baha'i Faith, its Principles and Baha'u'llah, it downright some of the best music I've ever heard!


I've started writing a poem I've been preping for weeks. I'm hoping to perform it at a poetry slam late next month.


Wish you were here.

Thither --- When all things come together, in the final consumation of their purpose, reason, and simplicity, they converge with such rapidity that in a blur, the empty space they leave behind becomes a swirling cloud, shaping into the very universe within a single point. Concommittently, the elements of life take on a shape of their own, diverging in infinite directions, expanding the borders of existence, and forming a freedom beyond conception, unfathomable - yet real, and abiding. Thus the macrocosm and the microcosm spiral beyond their own confines, allowing us to see beauty and truth in a single face, a pebble, or the vast ocean.


On another note, I recommend Christina Aguilera's "Stripped" (I'm not even kidding!)

Simple --- I had my first ever 'Abdu'l-Baha dream! ('Abdu'l-Baha is the Center of the Covenant of the Baha'i Faith - He was endowed with the Spirit and charge to carry forward the Message of the Founder of the Faith, His Father, Baha'u'llah). As the Prefect Examplar, I have always turned to 'Abdu'l-Baha for guidance on how to live, particularly on how to be of service to God and to humanity (His name means "Servant of the Glory"). I had heard a number of people speak of their dreams of 'Abdu'l-Baha, and often wondered if/when I might get one. My love for Him knows no compare, and since dreams have always been so extremely important to me, it's the ultimate blessing for me to receive a visit from Him. In fact, that's just what happened in the dream. He paid me a visit. There are a couple of aspects to this dream, which was in fact exceptionally simple. It is, of course, very personal, and failed to hide my sobbing and sniffling at work this morning, as the deep memory came back to me. In the end, I am very moved, and I miss Him terribly - even though I know He is with me right now.

Divider --- Where I End and You Begin. I sent a summary of my first whole year living in the same place. If you didn't receive it, let me know and I'll send it to you! Sherry and I are working on a couple of new songs together - two of them are beautiful prayers! I spoke to Suzanne yesterday, so I'm happy as can be. I added some stuff to my profile, if you want to take a look. I still haven't figured out how to post my picture in my profile (as opposed to a dated post). Also, I can't see where to post always-accessible links to my favorite websites... What a boring post!

More --- so many good times. Mind-blowing poetry slam; insightful acting class; new lessons in real estate/title transactions; completion of a two-three-week (also kind of a four-year) personal project; three days of cheese cake; hardest song to learn yet at choir practice; first two volleyball games of the season; I-Robot (decent, but not at all outstanding); a Greek tragedy (called "The Furies" - plus meeting with the director); setting plans to attend two big Baha'i conferences - in DC and in Orlando (the awesome one on socio-economic development - leading up to the UN Decade on Education for Sustainable Growth); time with cousin and other friends... all that and more, to make it one heck of an awesome week for danio - that's not even including the weekend, which is already promising...

Gifts --- Feast is at our house tonight! I miss my friends!


I have recently determined that Tori Amos may just be an angel! Apparently people who love her often also love Bjork (the two of them are my favorite musical artists after Tool). It's such a beautiful day today! I always love to look out the window from this spot, out on the neighbor's magnolia tree - my favorite! (the lilac tree is up there too!)


Improv poetry time!



Love sprinkles gay sparkles true bliss


Try now to give all and find strength


For the road is behind and remiss


In the face of those blind to its length.


Peace to the poor,


Sight to the sad,


Gift to the gift.



For you reader, I wish this love, and I give you some.

Stake --- My Meisner class has picked up again! it's a great tool for living in the moment: one of the goals is to respond to what's happening immediately with the other actor, as opposed some pre-arranged idea of how a scene should play out.


Volleyball games should start soon. The Baha'i choir is getting together again - working on "He Verily Loveth the Spot" (VERY hard!!). Sherry and I have started playing together again (also awesome prayers together). The Richmond Local Spiritual Assembly (including myself) should be studying Ruhi Book 4 (on the history of the Faith), and I'll be tutoring the book at the Falconers starting October 6. I'm very happy.


Today I walked to cure (type I) diabetes! It was a great event, held nation-wide, and sponsored by JDRF. We raised lots of money for research! My co-workers Niki and Keith, and his wife Chrissy - we all walked together. Then, spicy black bean hummus wrap for danio!

tonight, more Def Poetry - this time with a crowd! Maybe some role-playing too!

Everything --- I wonder... Does anything mean _everything_ to others? I look at the research I'm doing in Performance Studies, and think, "this means _everything_!" - as in, it's a crucial piece to the development of humanity, or at least human civilization. The same happens with some of the things people I know are involved in. Some things just have to be done. There's no way out of it. My passion is performance, so when I watch Def Poetry, I think, "this means everything," "this _has_ to be done." We're connecting human involvement in the world, human _performance_ in this life, with the essence of purpose and fulfilment, like when Tool says to "swing on the spiral of our divinity and still be human." The crazy album Bjork just and company just put out _had_ to be done. At the moment, our understanding of art and its ramifications are infinitessimal, groping to a world order wherein entertainment is on side of the coin, and ritual/healing/transcendence, as expressed in many cultures is the other. There is more, though. There has to be. Performance studies is digging in the mine, finding occasional gems in our cultures and heritage, awaiting to find at any moment a giant gem, a hidden world, a new Reality, or even a chapter or two from the "Book of Creation"!!


That's why I will devote the rest of my life to Performance Studies, and practicing the results and findings. Culture and society feeds, and feeds on, performance. Performance is a timeless currency, a levener, an end and a means, a seed and a fruit, a piece of the puzzle and a side of the polygon, a fraction and a factor, an engine and an energy.


Cascading down the mountain of Being, Life splashes into Living.

Mountains --- Ann Brenneman and I got to teach the 12-14-year-olds at Shenandoah Baha'i conference over the weekend. It was tremendously gratifying, especially seeing how they grew from rather reluctant and distant from the process to the point where they embraced it and took ownership. I got a new copy of the Seven Valleys (Baha'u'llah) which has a different set of endnotes, which adds a bit to my understanding. My car is in the shop again. For the same reason I brought it in on Fri... they had better fix it! Butterfly Effect was okay.


Peter, Orion, Robbie and I have started watching Def Poetry, a series of poetry performances hosted by one of my three or four favorite hip hop artists, Mos Def. It's just about the best television I have ever seen. Exquisitely inspiring. Work is hectic (sp?) again.


Bjork is crazier than ever (yes, and undeniably so) on her new album Medulla. It seems like it might also actually be good...

Worlds --- Life is too good for words! I'm getting back into the Seven Valleys - what an amazing journey! There are four worlds described therein, which provide an assistance in perceiving unity in all of God's creation.


Tonight is the last night for our bk 1 study circle!


I just orderd Bjork's new album, Medulla!


The Cluster Reflection Gathering was an immense success!


I'm back from house-sitting (AGAIN!) - and this one was the most enjoyable. I already miss Guiness & Zo (dog and cat)... and a house to myself is always nice...


I have checked out a whole bunch of books from the library to work on my new paper in performance studies, which will probably be called "What Truth?" - with a fancy, longer second part of the title, like "At the juncion of culture and established modes of meaning conveyance" or "How pedagogy, entertainment, and XXX signify to their audience" or "Questioning the established models of convincing performances" or "Potential expansions beyond our inchoate performance vehicles" (it'll be better than any one of those, I promise!)


I have to choose what weekly or bi-weekly activities I'll be doing this fall out of the following: 2-3 study circles, volleyball, Tai Chi, Capoeira, Choir, (mini)-band, role-playing, and probably a couple more... decisions decisions...

Houses - This is the third time I'm house-sitting in barely a month! This house is definitely cosy, and I love Guiness the big cute old dog, Zo the cat-that-won't-let-you-pet-it-but-pets-itself-on-you, the fishes, and the plants!


Although I thought Jason and I had come up with the band name Placebo, they already exist, and make pretty decent music (the chorus currently playing on "my" computer says "protect me from what I want"...


Expressions of the Spirit is going well. We've had three workshops, all great, and two more will follow in September.


Brent is gone. We role-played a lot, did some free-styling, played video games, and most importantly went to the mountains, in Shenandoah, and had the grandest time. On the weekend we play ghosts, trying to figure out why we're still around - kind of...

Kings --- Brent, Orion, Peter, Robbie... the whole crew is here, and we're acting like a bunch of (near-) geeks! Video games, role-playing games, freestylin', poetry-ing, and eating festively every day, with Midge's perpetually stupendous cooking! I have an awesome friend that turns out to live just an hour away or so, so maybe I'll be able to catch-up with him soon. I'm realizing that things have slowed down a little. They should pick up again soon, I expect, but I'm enjoying the near-downtime... I've started up recording a couple of dreams last week - I'm gonna try and stick with it! Wish me luck! Love around the world.

Wrought --- I got the "Mother Book" of Performance Studies, namely "Performance Studies: an Introduction." It may sound obvious, but for a field that's barely 30 years old, and ultimately complex, this year-old book is quite the gem, in that it brings everything together (by compromising and unifying different standards of terminology, gathering a multitude of concepts brought forth by a variety of authoritative figures, and presenting invaluable models of approach), as well as opens up innumerable questions and potential directions (by asking some of the prominent unanswered dilemmas, and providing various very to slightly relevant references). I also bought the "Performance Studies Reader", which collects important essays in the field. I am oh-so-psyched!


On Sat. I role-played a ghost who awakens 7 years after his death and finds his family destitute and aimless. His brother (played by Peter) and he embark on a mission to make their life better again - only they will soon find that it is not by forcefully imposing one's own understanding of "better" that anything gets better. It was a great game, and next week, we may have up to 4 extra players.


The Watermellon festival is just about the biggest thing in Richmond, and was definitely lots of fun (open-air market-style with dollar-bowls of watermellon, various food stands, major sales in several great local stores, etc.)


The Dead Can Dance

Greed --- just finished another week of house/baby-sitting, where the children didn't allow me much access to a computer.
So many wonderful things!!!
I'm reestablishing contact with a couple of best friends; we've got a grand ol' reunion coming up with the Richmond "guys"; I've started my research on a new paper in Performance Studies, partly inspired by my upcoming application to grad schools for 2005; our Ruhi Book 3 study circle should end tonight, and we should be starting a book 4 in the Fall; I am now "cluster coordinator"; I got a fat bonus from my job; the long-awaited Reflections of the Spirit workshop will begin this Sunday (Sunday! Sunday!); I'm getting spiritually much closer to a couple of friends at work; I have a lovely friend that will be visiting soon from NC, and another lovely friend moving to Baltimore; I'm now playing music and singing not only with my friend Sherry, but also with my aunt Kim; and to top it off, I'm expecting a double-CD of the Dead Can Dance any day now!!!