If you just happened on this site, which is unlikely, you may wonder about me.

Not a lot to say… I live in south Georgia, I’m retired from teaching school and raising children, and I’m trying to publish this book. I try to help my wife in her pottery studio, and I try to help my bamboo grow so I can enjoy my grove and make a few flutes and other lovely things of bamboo. I spent a few years teaching GED and English classes, and I wash a lot of dishes.

I also work for the local paper as a cub reporter, I write about local high school sports – football, basketball and soccer – and whatever else needs writing that’s not done by the full-time staff. It gets me out of the house and talking to people. And it’s usually fun, though often annoying.

I have considered myself a Buddhist for most of the past 50 years – having actually taken vows in the early 1990’s – and I do yoga and mindfulness meditation, try to practice sampajanna (constant thorough understanding of impermanence) and to follow the eightfold path laid out by the Buddha. I’m also currently practicing the Lojong (Training the Mind slogans) from Tibetan teachings. I also have a Buddhist teacher — though she prefers to be known as a dharma mentor — with whom I converse regularly and sit annually. It’s the only thing keeping me sane these days!

I have been seriously worried about the progress of civilization for some time now – I think we would all be better off as hunter/gatherers! I went thru a period of optimism brought on by the 2008 election, hoping the end of right-wing reactionary/neo-fascist control of the United States would allow us at least the possibility of regaining the American dream of a society based on freedom, justice and equality. But it seems that was an elusive goal and not likely reached thru the election processes… as the most recent election cycle is teaching us. Now it seems we’re on a collision course with the forces of authoritarian control, with a plutocracy in the offing.

I’m currently investigating the writings of Charles Eisenstein and in communication with a loose group of folks who think of themselves as proponents of ‘the more beautiful world our hearts know is possible.’ That’s the title of Charles’ latest book and a Facebook page they populate, which reports on the various efforts around the world to bring about a more peaceful, happy and loving world.

I know that if we don’t end our pursuit of empire and control of nature, we will end by driving our progeny into ever degraded conditions of life and putting the entire human race at risk of early extinction.

May all beings be happy!