Tuesday, February 07, 2006

I've been floored today..

..by the flu that is.

Goose bumps come and go, I'm running a slight temperature and my coughing sounds like the growling of a horny bear. Felt it coming yesterday evening but had two early meetings starting this morning at 7.30. I felt sick but decided to go anyway.

The persons that I welcomed didn't get my best attention so in retrospective I had better canceled the meeting via mail at 12pm risking they show up anyway. Flights are cancelled for the rest of the week and I have redirected my mobile phone to my secretary.. Bye bye world. I'm not here..

I believe I am in some kind of complaining mood but this Blogger infrastructure is really anoying me big time. Can't post, some of your Blogs won't even appear anymore, not to mention me replying to something at all. Perhaps my laptop cought a virus as well.

Didn't feel like studying too. And my little tour through the visible parts of Bloggsville didn't cheer me up either. So many worries, religious bashing and negative feelings last days. Wish I never told you I would be Blogging a litte less coming period :-)

My friends, I am still here. Let me try to cheer you up with a little Buddhism bashing humor (think I could be the first to do that world wide? Wonder if the Llamas will protest, burn Dutch flags and come and get me now?):

Once there was a monk who was an expert on the Diamond Sutra, and as books were very valuable in his day, he carried the only copy in his part of the world on his back. He was widely sought after for his readings and insight into the Diamond Sutra, and very successful at propounding its profundities to not only monks and masters but to the lay people as well.

Thus the people of that region came to know of the Diamond Sutra, and as the monk was traveling on a mountain road, he came upon an old woman selling tea and cakes. The hungry monk would have loved to refresh himself, but alas, he had no money. He told the old woman, "I have upon my back a treasure beyond knowing -- the Diamond Sutra. If you will give me some tea and cakes, I will tell you of this great treasure of knowledge."

The old woman knew something of the Diamond Sutra herself, and proposed her own bargain. She said, "Oh learned monk, if you will answer a simple question, I will give you tea and cakes." To this the monk readily agreed. The woman then said, "When you eat these cakes, are you eating with the mind of the past, the mind of the present or the mind of the future?"

{here goes pic of old Buddhist lady I can't upload} No answer occurred to the monk, so he took the pack from his back and got out the text of the Diamond Sutra, hoping he could find the answer. As he studied and pondered, the day grew late and the old woman packed up her things to go home for the day.
"You are a foolish monk indeed," said the old woman as she left the hungry monk in his quandary. "You eat the tea and cakes with your mouth."

(Story Courtesy of Dan Bammes)

12 comments:

Vee said...

LOL. That was hilarious. Smart old woman. Sorry you're down with the flu. I think that's what made you post this blog twice. Or it could be the blogger/laptop glitch. Feel better soon! And for a smile day keep visiting thet Lets be friends site. Don't get too down reading the rantings of everyone.

Kathleen Callon said...

Cute story, and sorry you are sick. Best advice I can give is have hot fluids, nightime decongestant, and try to sleep it out.

Here is another cute story:

A young monk arrives at the monastery. He is assigned to helping the other monks in copying the old canons and laws of the church by hand. He notices, however, that all of the monks are copying from copies, not from the original manuscript. So, the new monk goes to the head abbot to question this, pointing out that if someone made even a small error in the first copy, it would never be picked up. In fact, that error would be continued in all of the subsequent copies. The head monk says, "We have been copying from the copies for centuries, but you make a good point, my son." So, he goes down into the dark caves... ...underneath the monastery where the original manuscripts are held as archives in a locked vault that hasn't been opened for hundreds of years. Hours go by and nobody sees the old abbot. So, the young monk gets worried and goes down to look for him. He sees him banging his head against the wall, and wailing, "We forgot the "R", we forgot the "R". His forehead is all bloody and bruised and he is crying uncontrollably. The young monk asks the old abbot, "What's wrong, father?" With a choking voice, the old abbot replies, "The word was celebrate."

Granny said...

Hi - you're still here. Hope you're feeling better or will be soon.

JBlue said...

Get well soon!

Lisa said...

Feel better, Dimitri!

lindsaylobe said...

Hi DA

That what I like to hear …..a man willing to bare his soul and tell us how miserable he feels !!
Cheer up as when your away from work others have chance of stepping into the breach !! , enjoying there new found freedom. Even if they don’t , you will more appreciated when you come back .Your Secretary might be able to do some shopping and relaxing.

As for technology breaking down and not working , for a CIO its an essential part of keeping you on your toes and ensures we appreciate more that which was unamagined just a few decades ago. What about those days of copiers and add err up errors, mess up and you start all over again !!

So make yourself comfortable and look at the Flowers rather than smelling them, since I guess your nose is probably blocked up.

2 Good monk stories, but let me tell you a good friend of mine was a monk for 30years of his life but he’s know a home stay hubby who looks after the food situation himself, while his wife delivers the money to pay for it !! . No more monking around for all the tea in china he tells me, and I agree with him.

Best wishes

LesleyinNM said...

Hope you feel better soon!
I loved that story and promise not to burn any Dutch flags!

Mother Sharon Damnable said...

aaah Dimitri

Blog spot is driving me CRAZY too, I hope my blog disapeared to you because I've been raging and I'm sorry if you read it, just sometimes it all gets to me.

We had kittens born last night and so I am happy again, there's just something divine about new life and I know these kittens will be loved and cared for.

Try some lemon and hot water with honey, I hope you feel better soon and thanks for the joke :>)

Fouad said...

Hope you'll be feeling better soon Dimitri

Dem Soldier said...

Lol.....Get well...

Anonymous said...

Wonderful tale! Take good care!

DA said...

Thank you all for your contribution and best wishes. Feel a little better now. It has been a long time ago that I really stayed in bed feeling sick and all..

OK..Let's do some blogtraveling. Anybody home? Don't be surprised to find me ringing your doorbel!