Train, Train, will I see you again?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYK7bEo1Z4M

Auntie The Temple Cat

Furrowed brow, feeling low, and with Yuji in Manchester, and Natalie having left, I felt like talking.

Fox is a good kid, but not a great listener. Taka would only advise me to take up a martial art, so I waiting for the storm to die down, and I called The Temple Cat. He said he was busy, in Enoshima, cleaning his temple, but invited me along.

When I arrived, he was racing about, on all fours, polishing the wooden temple floor. It's a lovely temple, in a great location, with a long, and mystical history. It lies on a hillside, overlooking the enoshima strait. Frther up the hillside, the views over the bay are wonderful, and both a pagoda (rare, in the Kamakura area) and a stupa (even rarer) are perched. A perfect place, for the mood I was in, and, back down in the rustic, yet stately temple hall, I watched, admiringly, as The Temple Cat slid along, with dusters attached to his hands.

"Cleaning is a form of contemplation, and prayer, on the road to enlightenment, Des" he exclaimed. "Namu Myoho Renge Kyo. Want to try?" He threw me a cloth, and I joined in, half heartedly.

He stopped, and stood there, watching me. "something on your mind, Des?"

I sighed. "Yeah. I broke up, with Natalie. I'm not sure why I feel so blue. It's not like it's been much fun, recently anyway. I could have taken her to the Hawaii Hilton, and she'd still have had a face like a broken pisspot.... I suppose I'm just not very good at letting go."

"Attachment. It's a barrier, on the way. You must let go."

"You're right, T.C. I'll try."

"Good. Losing heart, over a lost loved one is illusion. Love can not be sustain, forever. Nothing is permanent."

"Maybe not" I said, getting into polishing a hand rail. "But it'd be nice if it had at least some durability."

TC then got REALLY heavily philosophical, on me, telling me the story of Queen Ubbari, whose husband, the King could not even let go of her, after she died. Literally. Some wise Buddhist monk have to prise the King's fingers off her decomposing body, and teach him to let go.

When he finally finished his sermon, he stood there, leaning on his broom, beaming at me.

"Yeah, cheers for that, Temple Cat. If the priest training doesn't work out, you can try agony aunt! Lets hope the priest training works out!" I snorted.

"Learn to accept what is uncomfortable to hear, Des" he continued.

"Listen, i'm not training to be a buddhist priest, mate. I'm just looking for a quiet life, with no complications, and some regular rumpy pumpy." I protested.

"Aaah, maybe the lumpy pumpy is where the troubles begin?" he said, quizically.

"I'm sorry I asked your advice, now".

"Don't be sorry, Des. Sorrow is a sign of unnecessary attachm..."

"Will you shu... is there a bus stop around here?" I moaned, waving dismissively, as I walked away.

"Bus will not lead you on the path to enlightment. Must be walked." he shouted, after me.

"Yeah, I'm walking..." I shouted back, and headed back towards town.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUBXeM8LFac

Typhoon Melau

Wow


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8296121.stm


And, from Chick Young, of BBC Sport:

"But what I have witnessed here is a ferocious typhoon, blowing 120mph, which threatens to huff and puff Japan further east into the Pacific. On the day Scotland eventually arrived, there had already been 90 flights cancelled out of Japanese airports.

Melor is the first typhoon to hit the mainland here in two years and it was another stark reminder that you don't mess with Mother Nature.

The wind whipped up waves the height of hills and trucks were swatted over in the gusts, while the floods broke up roads and bridges like tablet."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/internationals/8296620.stm

Oh, Natalie....

After Fox picked me up, in the Mini, we stopped off, at Shomyo ji Buddhist temple. In the drizzle, I contemplated the.... the unknowable, the mysterious, yet fundamentally heart focussed and spiritual quest, that my life is.

And then I went to Rockza strip club

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMtOExC1l40&feature=related

Hakkei Haiku2

Oh, Natalie...

I wandered solemnly, around Hakkeijima today....

The dolphins reminded me that I let Natalie down, and I should have taken care to never FLIPPER out.

The surf coaster reminded me of the ROLLERCOASTER that is love...

The Octopus ride reminded me, that Octopii have EIGHT legs, and Natalie has GR-EIGHT legs.

The Mississippi steamboat reminded Des that he's gonna MISS HIS HIPPY chick girl...

In the end, I called Fox, who came and picked me up, in Yuji's Mini. Yuji's in England now, so in a week, my best mate, and my special girl are gone.

Hakkei Haiku

This weekend, I messed up, big time, and broke up, with Natalie.

It's a long story, all my fault, and I'll go into details later, when I don't feel so raw.

Today, luckily, I had many errands to keep me busy. But one of them took me to a postal depot, near Hakkeijima. I was actually there, to pick up a Ricky Gervais comedy DVD, which I'd ordered for Nat. I don't suppose she'll want it now...

And so, being in the neighbourhood, where Nat and I first met, at the Fatboy Slim event. Such a bittersweet memory, now.

Of course, the place was deserted today, a rainy monday. I walked around, feeling melancholy, looking at the deserted rides, the folorn pelicans, the cramped dolphinarium...

Oh, Nat, DOLL, FIN ish what we started. I miss you....

Then I headed by bus, to Hakkeijima beach, and gazed out, to sea.

Nat, did we have to BUSt up? Will I ever SEA you again?

After that, I took the seaside line train, over Hirakata Bay.

Oh, BAYby, is it truly OVER?

As the bus crossed the bay, the dark clouds drizzled on the sorry scene, and I gazed sadly at a small shrine, at the head of the bay.

Natalie, darling, the Sun will never SHRINE, now we are apart....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJ8XLglx8HQ&feature=fvw