@troysworktable.bsky.social
Books. Art. Iaido and Qigong.
Lutheran and Zen.
Wandering.
Lutheran and Zen.
Wandering.
"Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth; whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul;...This is my substitute for pistol and ball."
—from "Loomings" (chapter I) of MOBY-DICK by Herman Melville.
“November always seemed to me the Norway of the year” — Emily Dickinson.
—from "Loomings" (chapter I) of MOBY-DICK by Herman Melville.
“November always seemed to me the Norway of the year” — Emily Dickinson.
November 3, 2025 at 4:56 AM
"Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth; whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul;...This is my substitute for pistol and ball."
—from "Loomings" (chapter I) of MOBY-DICK by Herman Melville.
“November always seemed to me the Norway of the year” — Emily Dickinson.
—from "Loomings" (chapter I) of MOBY-DICK by Herman Melville.
“November always seemed to me the Norway of the year” — Emily Dickinson.
hana ni ee ri / haori ki te katana / sasu onna
drunk on flowers
the woman armed with a sword
wears a man's jacket
—Bashō
#nationalpoetrymonth #haiku #basho
drunk on flowers
the woman armed with a sword
wears a man's jacket
—Bashō
#nationalpoetrymonth #haiku #basho
April 30, 2025 at 3:10 PM
hana ni ee ri / haori ki te katana / sasu onna
drunk on flowers
the woman armed with a sword
wears a man's jacket
—Bashō
#nationalpoetrymonth #haiku #basho
drunk on flowers
the woman armed with a sword
wears a man's jacket
—Bashō
#nationalpoetrymonth #haiku #basho
Blood moon through binoculars.
March 14, 2025 at 6:32 AM
Blood moon through binoculars.
Tonight, while waiting to view the lunar eclipse, I am a finger pointing at the moon. (It looks "something" like this. The moon, that is; not the finger.)
I'm also reading "Tsuki (The Moon)" by Dōgen.
I'm also reading "Tsuki (The Moon)" by Dōgen.
March 14, 2025 at 4:20 AM
Tonight, while waiting to view the lunar eclipse, I am a finger pointing at the moon. (It looks "something" like this. The moon, that is; not the finger.)
I'm also reading "Tsuki (The Moon)" by Dōgen.
I'm also reading "Tsuki (The Moon)" by Dōgen.
Day Two (of fifteen) of the Haru Basho (Spring Tournament) of Sumo. The beauty of ritual violence, color, movement, technique, form, and realized training. #sumo #grandsumo
March 11, 2025 at 5:08 AM
Day Two (of fifteen) of the Haru Basho (Spring Tournament) of Sumo. The beauty of ritual violence, color, movement, technique, form, and realized training. #sumo #grandsumo
Sitting alone, together, with "my" Sangha tonight. (I love these people.) Meditation as refuge from the world for a bit.
March 7, 2025 at 6:40 AM
Sitting alone, together, with "my" Sangha tonight. (I love these people.) Meditation as refuge from the world for a bit.
Biggest televised circle jerk ever! Nobody's ever seen anything like it before!
March 5, 2025 at 3:39 AM
Biggest televised circle jerk ever! Nobody's ever seen anything like it before!
Between naps (and rain squalls) I snuck in some one-handed sword work with 牙 / kiba / fang, my wakizashi (short sword). I also gloved my left hand to remind myself to keep it anchored to my scabbard (saya) at all times.
February 23, 2025 at 5:27 AM
Between naps (and rain squalls) I snuck in some one-handed sword work with 牙 / kiba / fang, my wakizashi (short sword). I also gloved my left hand to remind myself to keep it anchored to my scabbard (saya) at all times.
KINDS of KINDNESS (2024) directed by Yorgos Lanthimos. An anthology triptych film, with an ensemble cast playing different characters in each story. If you've seen other Lanthimos films then you'll encounter some of his "obsessions" here—twins, feet, animals as people (and vice versa)...
February 23, 2025 at 1:27 AM
KINDS of KINDNESS (2024) directed by Yorgos Lanthimos. An anthology triptych film, with an ensemble cast playing different characters in each story. If you've seen other Lanthimos films then you'll encounter some of his "obsessions" here—twins, feet, animals as people (and vice versa)...
Clara's crocuses surround our black walnut and cherry trees.
Sing hosanna! What
a beautiful bamboo has
sprouted overnight!
—Issa
Sing hosanna! What
a beautiful bamboo has
sprouted overnight!
—Issa
February 22, 2025 at 8:49 PM
Clara's crocuses surround our black walnut and cherry trees.
Sing hosanna! What
a beautiful bamboo has
sprouted overnight!
—Issa
Sing hosanna! What
a beautiful bamboo has
sprouted overnight!
—Issa
"I'll frame my life in the bones I have left."
I finally got my hands on a vinyl edition of COWARDS (2025) by Squid.
Since the release of "Cro-Magnon Man" as the third single, I listen to it every day, multiple times. So much so that some of my coworkers have inquired about it.
I finally got my hands on a vinyl edition of COWARDS (2025) by Squid.
Since the release of "Cro-Magnon Man" as the third single, I listen to it every day, multiple times. So much so that some of my coworkers have inquired about it.
February 15, 2025 at 5:33 PM
"I'll frame my life in the bones I have left."
I finally got my hands on a vinyl edition of COWARDS (2025) by Squid.
Since the release of "Cro-Magnon Man" as the third single, I listen to it every day, multiple times. So much so that some of my coworkers have inquired about it.
I finally got my hands on a vinyl edition of COWARDS (2025) by Squid.
Since the release of "Cro-Magnon Man" as the third single, I listen to it every day, multiple times. So much so that some of my coworkers have inquired about it.
Tacoma Dog and Mexican Coke at @theredhot.bsky.social
So much pickle! (Which is a most excellent thing.)
So much pickle! (Which is a most excellent thing.)
February 15, 2025 at 2:56 AM
Tacoma Dog and Mexican Coke at @theredhot.bsky.social
So much pickle! (Which is a most excellent thing.)
So much pickle! (Which is a most excellent thing.)
"'In the mountains' means the blossoming of the whole world."
—Dōgen
"Reality is reborn with every flower that blooms."
—Norman Fischer
"The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom."
—Isaiah 35:1
—Dōgen
"Reality is reborn with every flower that blooms."
—Norman Fischer
"The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom."
—Isaiah 35:1
February 13, 2025 at 6:25 AM
"'In the mountains' means the blossoming of the whole world."
—Dōgen
"Reality is reborn with every flower that blooms."
—Norman Fischer
"The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom."
—Isaiah 35:1
—Dōgen
"Reality is reborn with every flower that blooms."
—Norman Fischer
"The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom."
—Isaiah 35:1
This month's selection of the Buddhist reading group in which I participate is MOUNTAINS and RIVERS SUTRA, with commentary/teachings by Zen priest Norman Fischer. I appreciate these teachings because the text by Dōgen is some of his most poetic, esoteric, philosophical, and Buddhist writing.
February 11, 2025 at 4:01 AM
This month's selection of the Buddhist reading group in which I participate is MOUNTAINS and RIVERS SUTRA, with commentary/teachings by Zen priest Norman Fischer. I appreciate these teachings because the text by Dōgen is some of his most poetic, esoteric, philosophical, and Buddhist writing.
"The depth of the drop is the height of the moon."
—Dōgen, "Genjōkōan"
—Dōgen, "Genjōkōan"
February 1, 2025 at 7:30 AM
"The depth of the drop is the height of the moon."
—Dōgen, "Genjōkōan"
—Dōgen, "Genjōkōan"
All in. As in my 2025 "cutting in" project finally revealed itself to me: I'm reading through, and reflecting upon, Dogen's SHŌBŌGENZŌ (TREASURY of the TRUE DHARMA EYE). Therefore, my gift to myself was the most comprehensive and annotated (and well-reviewed) hardcover edition I could find.
January 27, 2025 at 2:52 PM
All in. As in my 2025 "cutting in" project finally revealed itself to me: I'm reading through, and reflecting upon, Dogen's SHŌBŌGENZŌ (TREASURY of the TRUE DHARMA EYE). Therefore, my gift to myself was the most comprehensive and annotated (and well-reviewed) hardcover edition I could find.
Hockey night. Seattle Thunderbirds lost to the Kelowna Rockets, 5 to 2. But it was a much tighter game than that. Going into the third period, the Thunderbirds were down 3 to 0. They scored two goals in quick succession, and almost a third.
January 19, 2025 at 6:37 AM
Hockey night. Seattle Thunderbirds lost to the Kelowna Rockets, 5 to 2. But it was a much tighter game than that. Going into the third period, the Thunderbirds were down 3 to 0. They scored two goals in quick succession, and almost a third.
Bright, brisk, beautiful, filled with bird song.
January 18, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Bright, brisk, beautiful, filled with bird song.
Happy birthday, Banjo. Ten looks good on you.
January 18, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Happy birthday, Banjo. Ten looks good on you.
Disappointment in action. Atamifuji defeats ozeki Kotozakura. #grandsumo
January 18, 2025 at 12:01 AM
Disappointment in action. Atamifuji defeats ozeki Kotozakura. #grandsumo
Day 4 (of 15) of the Hatsu Basho was a day of shifts, surprises, and upsets. Slap downs and hand pulls were common. #grandsumo
January 16, 2025 at 4:44 AM
Day 4 (of 15) of the Hatsu Basho was a day of shifts, surprises, and upsets. Slap downs and hand pulls were common. #grandsumo
Meditation partners. If I don't close the door, then Wrigley joins me. Every. Time. If I do close the door, he sniffs at the door until I let him in.
December 13, 2024 at 6:47 PM
Meditation partners. If I don't close the door, then Wrigley joins me. Every. Time. If I do close the door, he sniffs at the door until I let him in.
Happy 149th anniversary of birth to poet René (Karl Wilhelm Johann Josef) Maria Rilke, better known as Rainer Maria Rilke.
•
"Your first word of all was light,
and time began. Then for long you were silent."
—Rainer Maria Rilke, The Book of Hours I, 44
•
"Your first word of all was light,
and time began. Then for long you were silent."
—Rainer Maria Rilke, The Book of Hours I, 44
December 4, 2024 at 9:31 PM
Happy 149th anniversary of birth to poet René (Karl Wilhelm Johann Josef) Maria Rilke, better known as Rainer Maria Rilke.
•
"Your first word of all was light,
and time began. Then for long you were silent."
—Rainer Maria Rilke, The Book of Hours I, 44
•
"Your first word of all was light,
and time began. Then for long you were silent."
—Rainer Maria Rilke, The Book of Hours I, 44
Afternoon vibe.
November 24, 2024 at 1:44 AM
Afternoon vibe.
ROMULUS is filled with action as well as worn and tired tropes borrowed from every ALIEN film that preceded it. This is the ALIEN film that pushes too far for me. The two leads, Rain and Andy, though, provide excellent performances as "new Ripley" and "the android."
November 23, 2024 at 7:40 AM
ROMULUS is filled with action as well as worn and tired tropes borrowed from every ALIEN film that preceded it. This is the ALIEN film that pushes too far for me. The two leads, Rain and Andy, though, provide excellent performances as "new Ripley" and "the android."