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Bruce Springsteen allowed the filmmakers of family soccer film ' Gracie ' (June 1, USA Films ) to use his tune 'Growing Up' for a pivotal scene - because he's a secret fan of the sport. This Is American Soccer: Another Fan I'm still not the biggest Springsteen fan but he has the power. Technorati Tags: soccer , springsteen , movies

All the faults of our mind – our selfishness, ignorance, anger, attachment, guilt, and other disturbing thoughts – are temporary, not permanent and everlasting. And since the cause of our suffering – our disturbing thoughts and obscurations – is temporary, our suffering is also temporary. Lama Zopa Rinpoche, " Ultimate Healing: The Power of Compassion

Mary Cheney Births Human Boy

What I love about that is yes, MLK & H-F are both magnet schools but Hillsboro is in one of the highest income areas in Nashville. It has been the crowning jewel of the Public School system for years. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (May 23, 2007) – For the second consecutive year, three MNPS high schools have made the Top 1,200 in America as rated by Newsweek magazine's annual survey -- with Martin Luther King Jr. at 23rd, Hume-Fogg at 55th and Hillsboro at 424. MNPS was the only district in Tennessee to have schools in the top 100 on the list. "We are certainly proud to again have three of our schools rated so highly," said MNPS Director Pedro E. Garcia , Ed. D. "While this ranking gives us an opportunity to celebrate the efforts of many people, it also motivates us to work harder. We're going to continue developing and implementing new ways to help all students in all schools." According to Newsweek, the ratings were developed by Washing Post Education reporter

As from a large heap of flowers many garlands and wreaths are made, so by a mortal in this life there is much good work to be done. Buddha

I'm listening to a podcast of " Speaking of Faith ", it's the Jimmy Carter episode which includes recordings of some of his Sunday School classes. In one he relates working with this Cuban-American preacher who said: There should be two great loves in your life; the love a God and the love of the person in front of you.

I read stuff like this and think, I really don't understand coaching. Yes So for five months, U.S. Soccer gave thousands of American fans serious wood by playing footsie with soccer's savior du jour Jurgen Klinsmann and all the points this guy as well as Jeff Carlisle make are sensible but I obviously don't understand what type of coach Bob is. He seems to be a winner and he seems to have a different view than Bruce Arena . David Hirshey Is The Closer: The New (Old) Mind Behind US Soccer Yes, Bob Bradley finally gets to white out the "interim" on his business card and lead the U.S. to greater heights of mediocrity. That should certainly make the Italys of the world crap their pantaloni. Technorati Tags: us soccer , bruce arena , bob bradley

As long as the followers of the way hold regular and frequent assemblies, they may be expected to prosper and not decline. As long as they meet in harmony, break up in harmony, and carry on their business in harmony, they may be expected to prosper and not decline. from the Mahaparinibbana Sutta, translated by Maurice Walshe

I am reading this absolutely fraked up book, Lolita , for my book club. It's crazy, weird but highly entertaining. Over the past couple of days I have been treated to a soundtrack to match...first there was "Tymps (The Sick In The Head Song)" the only Fiona Apple song on my iPod , if she isn't the perfect nymphette I don't know who is; of course, she's grown now. Yesterday I was treated to "Don't Stand So Close to Me" by the Police and as many times as I have sung along with it yesterday was the first time the aforemention reference meant anything... Loose talk in the classroom To hurt they try and try Strong words in the staffroom The accusations fly Its no use, he sees her He starts to shake and cough Just like the old man in that book by Nabakov

Fall-Hamilton Enhanced Option 3rd & 4th graders treated the library to a 45min morning concert that included everything from showtunes to Rock & R&B classics to Duke Elllington and ended with the classic "Sir Duke" by Eivets Rednow. Leave it to the enhanced option kids to kick out the jams in the library.

I'm glad the US Soccer Federation got off their asses and hired a coach , a coach who's been winning as "interim" head coach for months now. Congrats Bob Bradley . We are looking to you for an exciting future.

The Mighty Reds from Andalucia did it again . I didn't see the whole game but Sevilla looked awesome. Espanyol was really good too but typical of Southerners, Sevilla played with style and ease and incredible teamwork. The passes these guys made and their ball control...insane! I still love Barca but Sevilla is a force. UEFA Cup Championship

As free human beings we can use our unique intelligence to try to understand ourselves and our world. But if we are prevented from using our creative potential, we are deprived of one of the basic characteristics of a human being. His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Why is it that most of the librarians around here have short hair? I am sure there is a generational aspect but it seems pretty universal.

Drinking the Dhamma, refreshed by the Dhamma, one sleeps at ease with clear awareness & calm. In the Dhamma revealed by the noble ones, the wise person always delights. Dhammapada, 6, translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Buddha’s teachings are so simple and straightforward. If you find them complicated, it is only because you have made them so. You may think, “I have a Ph.D. and have amassed all this knowledge, yet I still can’t figure out how to begin practicing Dharma.” The remedy is to take a good look at your own mind. Lama Thubten Yeshe, in " Wisdom Energy "

As a Buddhist monk my concern extends to all members of the human family and, indeed, to all sentient beings who suffer. I believe all suffering is caused by ignorance. People inflict pain on others in the selfish pursuit of their own happiness or satisfaction. - His Holiness the Dalai Lama , Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speech, Oslo, December 1989

Last summer Tara and I started a landscaping project . We tore down a decaying wood fence along the property line and decided to replace it with shrubbery. Like most novices we went to Home Depot and bought some shrubs we liked. I had done research and thought I was getting native Tennessee plants but I was WRONG. More to this later. Most didn't do very well, which we figured was because it was Summer when we planted. Winter came and we finally got around to planting our anniversary tree (we decided to give ourselves a tree for our 1st wedding anniversary). To do this we called a nursery Tara's Mom has used and loves, Growild . Let me stop here and say I cannot recommend these guys highly enough. They made the whole process one of the most satisfying shopping experiences I have ever had. I went to them with a few trees in mind and they made alternate suggestions based on where the tree would be placed and which ones would fair better for us. Keep in mind that they handle nati

Do not choose bad friends. Do not choose persons of low habits. Select good friends. Be discriminating. Choose the best. Dhammapada 78

A man approached the Blessed One and wanted to have all his philosophical questions answered before he would practice. In response, the Buddha said, “It is as if a man had been wounded by a poisoned arrow and when attended to by a physician were to say, ‘I will not allow you to remove this arrow until I have learned the caste, the age, the occupation, the birthplace, and the motivation of the person who wounded me.’ That man would die before having learned all this. In exactly the same way, anyone who should say, ‘I will not follow the teaching of the Blessed One until the Blessed One has explained all the multiform truths of the world’-that person would die before the Buddha had explained all this.” from the Majjhima Nikaya

May is... National High Blood Pressure Education Month National High Blood Pressure Education Month marks the “kickoff” of high blood pressure prevention and control activities for the year. “Adherence to Treatment” is the theme of the 2007 Campaign. The National High Blood Pressure Education Program Coordinating Committee has declared May 6, 2007 (the first Sunday of May) “High Blood Pressure Sunday”. The Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention Program at the Metro Public Health Department (MPHD) would like to join in this effort by encouraging you to take action to prevent and control high blood pressure, by providing the following health tips: 1. Lose weight if you are overweight and maintain a healthy weight. 2. Eat heart healthfully. 3. Reduce your salt and sodium intake. 4. If you drink alcoholic beverages, do so in moderation. 5. Become more physically active. 6. Quit Smoking. 7. If you are pregnant, make sure you are under a doctor’s care. 8. Talk with your health car

I think everyone who works and enjoys (sometimes) retail wears some of the same masks. Now, as a Black man the one I struggle with most often is not being a stereotype. Some of that is me saying to the outside world "not all Black men are what you see in the news or movies" and some of that is me saying to my community "there is more to being Black than what you see in the news or movies". I have used this mask (sometimes unknowingly, sometimes unwittingly) since I was a kid. Why? Well, I am fortunate enough to have been born into a true multi-generational middle class (sometimes upper middle class) family and to me that means education, world experience and dreaming are allowed and fostered. I am a 3rd generation college graduate (my grandfathers' grandfathers were slaves - one in Forsythe, GA; the other in Rutherford Cty, TN). I don't think I need to explain how extremely rare that is in any part of the African-American experience. Hell, it's rare in t

I just got pranked by my former office. I'm actually working the phones right now at the library. The phone rings and I answer:"Main Library Circulation, may I help you?" A man says he has a question about a word, metadata. I respond with a quick answer but in the background I hear lots of giggling and someone said Landmark. I perked up, thinking someone might be applying for a job at my former office but no, it was the weekly operations meeting and they decided to make a prank phone call to me. It's nice to be loved.

Just saw a young woman wearing a t-shirt that said: Barack & Roll

Marjorie says (forgive me Marjorie for writing about you, not to you) but I want to be CHALLENGED... stirred up, even. I want to find stuff that makes me uncomfortable and then figure out why. The thing about Lahiri's writing is that I find it very pat. Here is where I disagree, partially. Sometimes and I would say more often than not, I want art to sooth and comfort me. I have enough challenges in my life. Maybe I am being selfish but I think part of what Marjorie sees as a plain everyman is partly the point. As a minority in a majority culture/society I am perpetually struck by challenges. In the black community we talk about wearing masks. I try hard not to but I am pushed into wearing masks everyday...I imagine an American born from an immigrant family goes through the same thing and therefore a story like this, written in a "pat" style is something that says to me, you are not alone. You are an everyman, no matter what they would have you believe, no matter what yo

Black on Campus 1970 — Nathaniel Owens becomes the first African American to graduate from Sewanee, The University of the South . Owens graduated with honors in English. Drafted right out of college by the Cincinnati Bengals , Owens decided to forgo a professional football career, choosing instead to enroll in Sewanee’s law school. Yea! Sewanee's Right. It took Sewanee awhile but when they got a Black grad, they GOT a Black grad Technorati Tags: sewanee , history , black america , football

Alejandro Escovedo Lifts Self-Ban On 'Castanets' Alejandro is a god. Technorati Tags: Alejandro Escovedo , iPod , music

Here lies the saga of the Meters , Funky Meters & Neville Brothers ...{sigh} I always said I wanted to write a book about these guys. I love them. Their music is the music of the world and especially my world. Funky Meters return to N.O., but still no sign of Neville Brothers Technorati Tags: music , the Meters , Neville Brothers , funky Meters

Marjorie 's response to my "the Namesake" post brought up a discussion I have had time and time again. Does having "sophisticated" taste mean you can't accept something that doesn't match your standard of taste. I used to have a similar discussion with a friend who was now has a Ph.D. in Art History. She believed that not all art is meant to be enjoyed by all people. I think this is absolute bullshit or maybe it's just too Euro, where there is "high art" and everything else, for who I am or something. Culturally, I come from a tradition of functional art...you creatively make things that are useful and therefore understandable...you own a table but that table has flourishes and cuts and designs and symmetry that make it aesthetically appealing. On the other hand, I spent a lot of time as a musical snob. Then I grew up. While I was in my blues and jazz periods no one could tell me what was good because I knew. I knew that deep in my being I

Someday We'll All Be Free by Kevin Powell Yet another book that causes me to question what I’m doing with my life. I’ve been searching for a long time. I more or less follow “The Way” (dharma) but reading something like this makes me think that my work to heal myself…and all the exponents of that isn’t quite enough but when I think of the work that is to be done nothing is enough. {sigh} See more about Someday We'll All Be Free