The guy we talked to didn't merely tut at us, which was pretty cool. He realised that we just didn't understand, but that we also respected their point of view that everything is transient, even beauty, and trying to capture the perfect moment is impossible.

I was young and stupid and mostly thought it was just pretty. I do remember the monk telling us that an apprentice did the larger works and I vaguely remember that he wore a mask, so that he didn't breathe the sand - either inadvertently destroying the picture or getting it into his lungs, but that the master dude had trained himself to breathe very lightly/shallowly and had to be watched so that he took breaks and didn't faint!

I just thought it was amazing that people wanted to do that, for the rest of their lives.

Geese, who are evil, and baby geese! The baby geese start out cute, and then they're still like baby geese, but with weirdly long necks!

aw you beat me to it! I have some baby goose pictures I was going to post... they are sooo cute!

quote:

Originally posted by Tismalleen:
Cool mandalas, Mark! I didn't realize sand mandalas are so incredibly detailed. How big are they?

I knew the basic principle of sand mandalas, but I didn't know they're destroyed ceremoniously - for some reason, I thought they are just wiped away the moment they're finished, after days of work. Strange perhaps, but that idea always gave me the chills much more than any ceremony could.

That said, I wish I could see it...

I saw one too. It was created over several days and then there was a big ceremony with horns and candles and inscense. And then all the ceremony participants were given a little bag of sand. (I have mine here - I am going to put in a necklace.) Then the last of the sand was scooped up and carried to the Hudson and tossed in with some flowers.

quote:

Originally posted by Domitella:
Geese, who are evil, and baby geese! The baby geese start out cute, and then they're still like baby geese, but with weirdly long necks!

Did Mama Goose hiss at you Domi?

She did hiss somewhat! They live on the grass in front of the museum and all the tourists take pics and get hissed at

The police vans going to the court have to stop to let them cross the road!

I'd get one of those giant water pistols and 'help' them across the road!

Hissy geese are creepy...and at the wrong height...

not for me! I am perfect goose-fightin' height!

Geese are evil! And they shit everywhere! We used to have a small flock that would live at the summer camp I worked at...we hated them and only sort of discouraged the campers from chasing them.

Ours shit everywhere too! And people keep feeding them! They eat all the grass - they need no feedin'!

I'm NOT the right height for goose-fighting! I'd need to carry a tennis racquet with me!

you spell racket funny! *points*

wait, wait...goose?

geese are not as evil as swans.

women in silly wedding dresses shouldn't try to get their picture taken feeding a swan, it will attack them! they are big white competition! silly women...

and people shouldn't feed ducks in a supermarket car park (the supermarket is quiet close to a pond) it encourages them there (is waiting for the day she sees a squished duck)

Swans don't usually go in for unprovoked attacks though. My aunt get chased by geese every time she goes past the farm on the road where they waklk the dogs. We've never figured out why.

well, horses have been known to try to eat me, i've never figured out the why to that either....

you smell like apples?

The USAF have been known to use geese as guard dogs.

quote:

Originally posted by Apathy:
you smell like apples?

i've been told i smell like boiled sweets...

boiled sweets? that's a new one!
but at least you smell sweet, right?