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It is rare indeed that people give. Most people guard and keep; they suppose that it is they themselves and what they identify with themselves that they are guarding and keeping, whereas what they are actually guarding and keeping is their system of reality and what they assume themselves to be. |
Thursday, June 25, 1998
I don't remember exactly when I started reading Helen's Up From Sloth, but it might have been when she just started last August. I like reading her stuff, and we've emailed back and forth, so when she came back home to Seattle for a visit, we wanted to get together. The friend she is staying with was going to take her out for dinner tonight, for her birthday, so Helen and I arranged to meet beforehand. She could just have a drink or snack while I ate.
I walked down to the Coastal Kitchen, a few blocks from my house, and grabbed a seat at the bar. I enjoyed hearing the banter between the bartender and customers.
I had neglected to refresh my memory by looking at the pictures on Helen's site, but she recognized me. She's lovely! She had just come from a day spent at a spa, being pampered and massaged and coiffed and maquillage-ed. We sat at the bar and ate and chatted. She just had the cornbread (called some cool spanish name, since the restaurant was featuring the Coastal cuisine of Mexico right now) and I had pork loin with chipolte sauce, rice and black beans and fruit, and key lime pie.
Lots of journal goings-on for us to discuss, including current stuff, of course. But also meeting Rob Hudson, since Helen is a fan of his writing like me. (Rob has posted his trip report now.) I advised her to dig as far back in the Heinovision archives as she could to get the big picture on that mercurial journaler.
I had thought about getting a small gift for Helen for her birthday (she's still just a pup, by the way) but I forgot. Instead, she gave me a gift! Beautifully wrapped in rice paper and bound with a roughly elegant cord, a celadon-style lidded tea cup with infuser. I was touched! So I told her about the tea connection that Liralen Li and my friend Jon Singer have.
It was so much fun meeting Helen! I hope that we'll meet again while she's here on this visit, and in the future when she moves back home. Not much chance of me going to Korea, though!
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I did manage to find my good dancing shoes tonight, which made me very happy! It's the little things, you know, that make life worth living. So I walked with Helen towards the north end of Capitol Hill -- the rich end -- then left her and continued to the Russian Center.
I was reminded of junior high school years because of the shortness of my dress, but I wear little shorts under these dance dresses most nights. I didn't do that in my youth. Dancing at the Russian Center is fun because of the mirrors on several walls; they let me get an idea of how my dancing looks. But I try not to watch myself consistently. It bugs me when partners do that, instead of looking at me!
I danced with Earl Ryan. I found out last night that he is a book dealer on the web. The Internet has really revolutionized the used book business! I also danced with Jack, who I've been dancing with for some weeks. His lindy really is improving, and he is putting a lot of effort into it. It's fun to follow the progress of students, from the time when they can hardly dance at all till the time it's a pleasure to dance with them.
I walked home along one of the side streets. It was quite breezy and chilly. The weather was comparatively balmy the night I walked on that street with X---. I wonder if I'll ever hear from him again?
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Argh! The little screen res utility that came with the fancy graphics board in this PC sometimes grabs the standard keyboard shortcuts, so when I type Cntl + C to copy a URL from the address bar, a nasty dialog pops up that I have to close, with confirmation dialog, thankyouverymuch! I do get annoyed.
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