Musings on Dance, Food, Geek Stuff
This past Saturday was my first time going to the Coney Island Mermaid Parade as a spectator, not a participant. It was a very different experience, and a lot of fun. Particularly because I got to enjoy it with my partner Satise, as part of her first visit to NYC. It was so cool getting…
This is Jersey style rhythm skating, at the legendary Branch Brook roller rink in Newark, New Jersey. I was there on a regular Sunday adult night, and I’m still processing what I witnessed. Here’s why Jersey style is so ridiculous. First off, the music. Jersey is typically skated to house music. That’s fast tempo, four…
I’ve been playing around with the AI video generator Synthesia, and it’s pretty impressive. Designed for business applications, Synthesia offers a fairly easy-to-use interface that anyone who has used Powerpoint or Google Slides should understand. It offers a variety of pre-designed avatars of various ages, races, and body types as well as a number of…
“The labyrinth was designed by an intelligence we cannot fully understand. But this much I do know. The labyrinth is truly a tool for transformation. It is a crucible for change, a blueprint for the sacred meeting of psyche and soul, a field of light, a cosmic dance. It is a center for empowering ritual….
Traditionally labyrinths are of course intended to be walked upon. But even in ancient times, there were small labyrinths that adorned buildings, books, and even coins. When I was visiting the Scott Street labyrinth, I appreciated that they had both a walking scale version and a small one on a raised dias that you could…
Perhaps the best summary of what a labyrinth is all about, from the great T.S. Eliot. “We shall not cease explorationAnd the end of all our exploringWill be to arrive where we startedAnd know the place for the first time.” From “Little Gidding” by T.S. Eliot (1943) part of his “Four Quartets” series.
The “Agape Joe” Christian theater group was the first time I participated in a collective creative endeavor where I felt seen and appreciated. Only today do I realize what an impact it had on me as a young adult. Based out of UCLA in the early 90s, “Agape Joe” was formed out the non-denominational college…
Yesterday I completed a side quest to walk every public labyrinth in San Francisco. It was surprisingly revelatory and joyful, and I recommend the practice for all spiritual seekers. For those unfamiliar, the labyrinth is an ancient design element found across civilizations dating back thousands of years. Sometimes used interchangeably with the word “maze,” labyrinths…
I think I’ve finished touring all of the public labyrinths in San Francisco! The last one I could find is in beautiful Bernal Heights Park. It’s right near the road so it’s easy to spot. And it’s one of the most original designs that I’ve seen, weaving its way around three spirals. It might be…
Today I visited the most “rustic” of all the labyrinths I’ve experienced in SF, the McLaren Park labyrinth. Basically it’s just a dirt path barely delineated with some rocks, with weeds and detritus all around it. Random toys and objects are strewn about. The center is an altar of sorts, with a couple of buddha…