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29 January 2006 at 05:18

it's not either/or

God doesn't bother me, and I don't bother Him. He's happy for me to be a freelance Taoist.

Taoism's just the best thing. For example it teaches that nothing in life is black and white. Or I should say, everything is black and white.




There is nothing that is 100% good. Or 100% bad. Everything contains some good and some bad. Mother Theresa wasn't all saint, she used to like killing flies. Adolf Hitler was a monster, but he was kind to dogs and even kids.

A contemporary example: many people convince themselves that George Bush is satan. Others will argue that he's the saviour of Western civilisation. Bring together two people with these two opposing views, and they'll argue till doomsday about which view is correct.

To a Taoist, such argument is a waste of time: because everything is partly good and partly bad, Bush must be part satan and part saviour of Western civilisation.

Actually, I wish I hadn't chosen Bush as an example, since no-one, except perhaps his wife, has actually found his redeeming qualities. But logically they must exist!

A less confusing example: about 20 years ago, a clairvoyant said to me "you love your father, don't you?" My immediate answer was: "no, I hate him."

I do hate him. But I have gradually come to accept that I hate him, and I love him.

He was a vain self-centred bully, and he taught me advanced driving skills that have probably saved my life.

He bashed and humiliated me in public, yet when I broke my brand-new Gene Autry rifle by using it as a cricket bat, he was my hero when he took it back to the shop and demanded a replacement.

You see? Taoists don't waste their time figuring out whether something is bad or good.

One more example. I prefer not to eat tomatoes, because they're from the deadly nightshade family of plants, and are very mildly toxic. But if I tell people this, they tend to respond with "but tomatoes are great, they're full of vitamin C!" It doesn't occur to them that something can be good for you and bad for you. All-or-nothing thinking - it always leads to arguments.

PS when I was googling for "yin yang photo", one of the images that came up was this. Taoism was never like that in my day. What is spirituality coming to?

Blogger The Rambling Taoist said...

Of course, you're right that life is not an either/or proposition. Still, as an American, I find it most difficult to say that there is anything good about George Bush.

Gosh, I don't know, maybe he once saved a mouse from a cat or said hello to an old man. Since then, however, it's all been down hill.  

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Blogger Hotboy said...

Adolf! Zeig! Have we got a middle way here? Enough is enough. You can maybe go too far. I love triffle. Too much and you throw up! (Why can't I spell triffle?) So when you do too much of the good stuff it starts to get bad. Hmmm? Also, why are you posting dirty photies of your sister? Remember Ra Tao which can be spoken is not the real Tao. Fung sake! That's no help at all. Hotboy  

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Blogger onan the bavarian said...

trey - Agreed, and there may be further downhill yet to go. Viewed from these islands, it looks like the people who really stretch my proposition are Bush's puppetmasters.

HB - "You can maybe go too far" - not words I'd expected to ever come from someone with your success with excess.

Actually, too much anything and you throw up. Perhaps with the exception of weissbier in your case.

Re the unspoken Tao - yes, but how else to spread the concept to the flatties?

Re the spelling. Do you really need to ask?  

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Blogger onan the bavarian said...

Another reason not to focus on someone else's perceived badness is that it blinds us to out own essential mixture of good and bad, and we deny the dark side of ourselves. The truth is we've all done bad things, we've all slaughtered 6 million people and invaded Poland. Surely it wasn't just me?  

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Blogger Hotboy said...

Adolf! Zeig and Heil! The great man view of history is one I maybe knew about once upon a time. Or social forces? The marxism? But you did kill all those nice jewish people and the number is 54 million according to a recent estimate. Six million jews among them. Since there might be only one thing, maybe so did I. BTW, my old man was on the Normandy landings. Dwarf. Asthmatic. Couldn't have been middle class, eh? At least, he went to a heaven afterwards. That might be a help. Hotboy  

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Blogger onan the bavarian said...

For the record, could the asthmatic dwarf section of the readership please comment on their class membership? Much appreciated.

HB - didn't you read my post? There's no such thing as good stuff. Even triffle is good and bad, even if the bad part is only the spelling.  

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Blogger Heather said...

So another one of you no nightshade types. I met my first bunch about a month ago and was really quite intrigued by the whole thing.

And another taoist term you should probably like..actually 2

wu wei...to do without doing

and "The Celestial Venerable of the Mysterious Origin" --a title I wish to aspire to... these are things I learned in Taosim class...not boobies..  

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Blogger Lee Ann said...

Well, that certainly makes sense. I always tend to eat stuff that is not good for me. Unfortunately I like tomatoes a lot!
Gosh, that is on pizza, spaghetti, and all of that delicious Italian food!
I think it must be hard to speak of your father, seems as though he was a strict disciplinarian.  

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Blogger The Rambling Taoist said...

Rob,
You make an excellent point. We, here in the states, sometimes forget that it's not really Bush who is the problem. He merely is the public face of evil.

No, the true masterminds are Dick Cheney and Karl Rove.

Hmm. I was wondering. Since our government is spying on us when we communicate internationally, maybe Karl & Dick are reading this right now.  

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Blogger onan the bavarian said...

Heather - and what's the Chinese for "to do nothing without doing?" That's the principle that Hotboy has helped me discover.

And surely "The Celestial Venerable of the Mysterious Origin" was by Tangerine Dream?

LA - don't worry, remember everything we consume is a mixture of good and bad. In your case, the miniscule downside of tomatoes is almost certainly outweighed by all their beneficial ingredients. In my case, with my medical history, I sometimes need to make different choices.

You're right, I am not fully comfortable talking about my old man, but since I went on Somaloft I'm much better than I used to be.

Trey - yes, for example your government was recently leaning on Google, Blogger's owners, to hand over user details. When are you guys going to have a decent opposition in Congress, and in Presidential elections? We have the same problem here in the UnHeard Ofs - the opposition has given up trying, so the conservatives can do what they like and just keep on winning.  

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27 January 2006 at 08:49

HNT 13 - brews eigHt, Nine, Ten




This HNT is a little late because yesterday was the national holiday here, UnHeard Of Day, and to celebrate we held a sampling of the latest three brews, numbers eigHt Nine and Ten.

For the beer buffs, they were, from left to right: a German Lager (dangerously easy to drink), an Australian Bitter (a bit too bitter, but I'll get used to it), and a Canadian Blonde (we didn't even get as far as tasting that one).

The photo was taken just after opening the first bottle. You have my word on it, I was half-naked. As the sampling continued, some very rude pictures were taken, but I have been asked not to post them. For now. Heh heh!

Posted by Picasa

Blogger Bsoholic said...

I'll drink to that! Cheers!

Happy HNT  

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Blogger MamaKBear said...

Great pic! Sounds like you had a great time!

Happy HNT! :)  

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Blogger Hotboy said...

Adolf! Heil! I thought you'd died due to all these gaps and no half naked photies. I almost sent you a penguin. I wish I had. It would have squacked: no more photies of old people. Old people are just depressing. Even the nudie shots are better than the old people. Tell you what. We should write a story. Do we have t0 meet half way in the middle of the Unheard of for that to work. Excuse me! Do you like computers? Hotboy.  

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Blogger Hotboy said...

This is a terrible thing! It was fun up till now. What the hell happened to you? This does not look like ra bliss. Please don't post anymore photies like that! If it's not funny .. Hotboy  

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Blogger Jaxe said...

robmcj, now THAT looks like a meal fit for a king. I've always liked your style, brother! happy hnt. j.  

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Blogger jazz said...

we want rude pictures!!! we want rude pictures!!!

i'm such a trouble maker ;)  

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Anonymous Anonymous said...

niiiiice
I like the holiday!
Happy HNT
and the dog is very well indeed, just uncooperative with the photo shoot, she is an idependent minded wee bitch.  

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Anonymous Anonymous said...

happy HNT! nice to meetcha, wish I could help ya with that brew, looks like you could use it.  

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Blogger Hotboy said...

Adolf! Zeig! That old guy has showed up again. At least, he's got some hair. That's a help. Hotboy  

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Blogger Lee Ann said...

Oh my, it looks like you are in for a good time!
Enjoy some for me, ok?

Happy Late HNT and have a super weekend Rob!  

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Blogger onan the bavarian said...

RR - Thanks for the email about the scientific view on cooking tomatoes. Good point. I was going by the macrobiotic viewpoint, which maintains that there's toxins in that whole vegetable family - tomatoes and potatoes. A lot of their other theories were once regarded as wacky but have since been medically proven. For example, that Japanese shiitake mushrooms help combat cancer. So for myself I try to follow their advice, but I don't push it on others.

They also tell me I shouldn't eat bananas out of season, but apparently it's okay to pose naked with them at any time of year.

jazz - next week?

logo - have you any Scots genes perchance?

la - I have saved one from every brew, for the day you come ashore here.  

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Post a Comment

24 January 2006 at 05:10

what year is it?

It's nearly Chinese New Year. On the bus from work yesterday, I overheard a conversation about which animal is the next one. One person thought the pig, another said the donkey. Do you know the correct answer?

It's nearly the end of January, and I haven't made a New Year's Resolution. Last year was my year of the flab. My 2005 new year's resolution was to beef up to my fighting weight through a programme of rigorous beer drinking. I had some success, and by December I managed to achieve the beginnings of a pair of love-handles. It wasn't quite the Schwarzenegger form I had been hoping for, but it was something.

What could be my resolution for 2006? I read an article that scientifically re-examined various old wives' tales: wait an hour after meals before swimming; garlic cures a cold. That kind of thing.

They talked about the one my parents told me - masturbation makes you blind. In fact:

"... masturbation is a healthy activity, says Dr Terri Foran, sexual health physician and lecturer. Masturbation is by no means dangerous, she says, adding that she especially recommends it for single people of all ages who are outside a relationship, or couples who are aged or have disabilities, or as part of any couple's normal sexual repertoire."

Wow! That just about covers every group in society.

It seems I haven't been masturbating enough up to now. So 2006 is going to be the year of the wank. But how will I measure my progress during the year?



I'm posting the next bit just in case it might help someone with a similar problem. One reason I haven't had much time for blogging recently is that I bought a digital TV tuner for my PC. I've spent ages trying to get the bloody thing to work. I've tried everything, including getting up on the roof and installing an antenna.

Last night, I tried one more tweak. Just in case the USB port was slowing things up, I plugged the thing into each of the other USB ports in turn. At the seventh attempt - bingo! Now I can watch TV on the PC. Not that I actually want to do that, I just want it to play with. Boys and their toys.

Blogger Lee Ann said...

very interesting!  

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Blogger Hotboy said...

Adolf! Zeig! For the sake of imperialism, this year must be the year of the Bushbaby! Tehran here we come! As for the other ... well, as a Taoist, you won't be ejaculating at your age anyway, so you need to find a cane for the punitive whacking. This will help when nothing else will. Hotboy  

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Blogger Lee Ann said...

Are you still playing with your toy? hehe  

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Blogger Hotboy said...

Adolf! Heil! Cane? Got my cross references crossed again there. Public school and the nazi regime. Punitive? Whacking? It's all there. In cruciform. Dearie me! How can getting crucified be a help to anyone? Hotboy.  

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Blogger Hotboy said...

Adolf! Heil! That's got to be a koan! Teeshirts? HOW CAN GETTING CRUCIFIED BE A HELP TO ANYONE? Just give me half of one percent, Adolf! You could clean up with that one. This would help if you were a person from the third world and had no money, but otherwise ... Hotboy  

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Blogger Hotboy said...

Adolf! Zeig! Sorry for writing on your bloggie so much! But is that the first Christian koan? Do I get any points for that remark on the NARSCISSISSTICCILLY PERSONALITY DISORDER scale? I need much more of that. An aspiration. Hottie  

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23 January 2006 at 11:57

back to normality

Well, I finally left Sydney at the weekend. Back here on the islands after the summer holidays, there's a national holiday (UnHeard Of Day) right in the middle of my first week back at work. What a great place to live!

I think I may have overstayed my welcome at Spud's Mum's place. But I left her with a parting gift - I set up a microbrewery at the back of her dunny, and showed her how to make full-strength Blues Healer. She's real pleased. Now, whenever Spud visits her he'll have no excuse for spending all his time at the pub.





This is a picture of UnHeard Falls, where I get the water for my own brew. The penguins do stuff in it, but it sems to improve the taste.


Blogger Lee Ann said...

Oh, that is spectacular!

Makes me want to jump right in there. Looks so refreshing!  

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Blogger Hotboy said...

Look at the water! Feel it on the wonderful visoge! What bliss! BTW i'll need some help soon with the Narcissistic Personality Disorder and how to turn it into a money spinner! I've been mulling .. yes, mulling.  

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Blogger Hotboy said...

Adolf! Zeig! re- my blog and the pixel selling boy... who'd have thought you could make money with that! Pick UP A Penguin! There's an idea! Helps tons! Hotboy  

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Post a Comment

21 January 2006 at 07:36

cyberfame at last

(1) I found that my HNT 11 photo has spawned a sub-genre at Jaxe's place. Imitation is flattery. (Breaking news - sadly, the HNT 11 photo of the naked guy crouching under a water tap has been taken offline - the poor guy must have decided he didn't like all the hits he was getting).

(2) And I was chuffed to find that my 3 x 3 New Year Tag has developed a life of its own. I stumbled across it here. Memes have a life of their own, of course, you just need to let them go.

Nice to know that my life has not been in vain.

And I bottled another 70 bottles of Pam Canadian Blonde this morning. Several bottles cracked as I was sealing the caps on them, and I had to rescue the beer by decanting through a tea-strainer. Phew! Who says there's no drama in the suburbs?

Blogger Hotboy said...

Adolf! Zeig! Glad you feel that your life has not been in vain, spreading memes, whatever they are. But don't you think if you put some alcohol into the beer, you wouldn't need to make so much. Just thought this might help! Hotboy  

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Post a Comment

19 January 2006 at 19:10

HNT 12 - half-moustache

The half-nekkid part is the top lip. This was taken the day I finally gave up trying to grow a moustache, and shaved it off in stages.



It has been suggested that I have a lot in common with a major historical figure but I can't see it myself.

If you missed previous HNTs, you can access all the old half naked posts here.

HNT_1

Blogger Heather said...

Um...lemme guess...

Napoleon?  

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Blogger Heather said...

Dubbya?  

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Blogger Hotboy said...

Adolf! Let's get it straight! Are you or are you not planning to use the penguins to attack Australia? Does this clarify things. I hope so. Hotboy  

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Blogger onan the bavarian said...

Was Basil Fawlty ever a world leader?  

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Blogger Hotboy said...

You'll never get elected to anything now with this photie around, Adolf. Have to be a putsch! Hotboy  

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Anonymous Anonymous said...

"A well regulated Militia being necessary to the security of a colour free State, the rights of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed”  

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Blogger Hotboy said...

Adolf! Zeig! No idea who the photie reminds me of! We're in a time warp here, Adolf! Back to Weimar with me and your auntie Ina whooping it up down the bierkeller! Sorry to hear she's passed away just when I was getting the hots for her. Oh well. It's possible dying was a bit of a help to her. Hotboy  

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Blogger Lelly said...

"Don't metion the war!"...one of my favourite Fawlty Towers episodes! DO hope the entire moustache has gone now? Happy HNT!  

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Blogger Wenchy said...

mmmmmmmmm Stalin? LOL  

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Blogger S said...

Um, I hope you are not anything like him..that would be a trgedy! Happy hnt  

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Blogger Shauna said...

Well... I'm glad you finished shaving. :)  

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Blogger Hotboy said...

Speaking of conquering the world if I ever straighten up, how's about ... Penguin Biscuits. Corporate sponsorship. I got a van once off the Post Office. I know about this stuff!PICK UP A PENGUIN! Then you pick up the penguin and take out the request. Brian Wilson used to know about stuff like that. Pity he's almost dead. Hotboy. p.s. Any idea how much a site like that costs?  

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Blogger Lee Ann said...

Rob, I couldn't open the picture for some reason, but I think I know which picture you are talking about and I know which historical figure you are talking about!
;-|)  

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Blogger Chickie said...

Glad to know the stache was being removed. The pose is so fitting!  

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Blogger MamaKBear said...

Too funny!

Happy HNT! :)  

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Post a Comment

18 January 2006 at 10:16

production line

What a week! I started off a brew last Friday, and by Monday it was all ready for bottling. That's the upside of the recent weather: the yeast loves the heat, within reason. Actually, there's no real downside to the weather, now that I come to think of it. That can't possibly be right - everything has to balance up, I'm a Taoist after all.

So anyway, after I bottled the whole brew on Monday, I thought - I've got all the equipment out anyway, why not just start another barrel brewing right away? So that's what I did, and by this Saturday I should be filling another 70 bottles with Canadian Blonde, a beer I haven't tried before. This will swell my stash to about 250 bottles, enough to see me through till the next holidays, even after wastage by penguins.

Normally I drink one bottle of beer a day, in the late afternoon. Never enough to get feel any effect. It's just part of my weight-gain program. People say it can't be good for you to drink every day. I won't say I've never suffered any ill-effects, but I when I recently took three whole days off drinking, I suffered (if that's the word) reverse brewer's droop.

I can't think of a new name for the latest brew, so I may just call it "No. 10". Or "# 10" in America. I am in negotiation with hotboy over a possible licensing deal for Southern Hemisphere rights to the Wifebeater brand name. If we reach an agreement, I'll use the name for a wheat beer.



I've just thought of a downside to this sunny weather. My esteemed Northern Hemisphere readers get pissed off hearing about it while they're freezing up there. You see? Everything does balance up after all.

Blogger Hotboy said...

When I was in Australia, and used to see the British weather forecast during January, I used to exult: Let them have it! Let them have it. 3 degrees indeed. Hope this helps. Hotboy  

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Blogger Hotboy said...

Adolf! Heil! The Wifebeater is what the marines call Stella Artois. From the story about them battering each other naked while pissed ... initiations? So just rip the name off. I did. Hope this helps! Hotboy  

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Blogger Heather said...

What about Yeasty Beasty. Its got a quaint little ditty about it - and betcha its ORIGINAL!

Canadian Blonde? What about calling it Pam?

H  

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Blogger Lee Ann said...

Wifebeater brew...nice!  

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Blogger onan the bavarian said...

HB - it does indeed help. And so does that.

Hethare - Do I have your permission to use those names for the No. 10 and the Canadian respectively? Thanks.

Carsey - what does he do with it?

LA - tasteful, eh?  

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Blogger Heather said...

Permission Granted.

And I prefer "A Beer Named Pam" over "Pam".

Cheers!

H  

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Post a Comment

17 January 2006 at 05:16

endless summer no more

This is the last week of my holidays. Next week I go back to work.

Most people would think: "this is my last chance to do all those things I don't get time to do when I'm working." They'd be running around visiting exhibitions and movies, seeing friends, painting the bathroom.

I think: "this is my last chance to spend a whole week doing absolutely nothing." I believe I may even have discovered a whole new paradigm of sleep - the more you sleep in the day, the longer you sleep at night.

I first learnt the American term "goofing off" when I spent a fantastic summer in Michigan with my dear aunts and uncles. This is me goofing off at age 11 with my Aunt Ina in Detroit.



Incidentally, my uncle's camera captured my overdeveloped right arm muscle, as you can see. I suppose an 11-year-old boy would have been exercising his right hand quite a lot. Fortunately, the other arm compensated by becoming withered and puny. Everything balances up.



Goofing off picture courtesy of Picasa

Blogger Lee Ann said...

Hahaha, you have me laughing...about your "right arm"....very funny.  

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Blogger Hotboy said...

Adolf! Zeig! That can't be your auntie Ina! If it is, that would explain a lot! Did you go to the Henry Ford museum? That would have helped with the fascism. Hotboy  

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Blogger Hotboy said...

Adolf! Heil! I think I've got the hots for your auntie! This is more like it!Weird reverbrations from the last days of the Weimar Republic.I think I might have been Rhoem. Rohme. R.. the brownshirt boy with the background in Uruguay. The gay thug. Yep! Your auntie. Decadent or what! My heart is aflutter. I could certainly help her. Hotboy.  

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Blogger onan the bavarian said...

LA - I suppose that's only fair, after your blind man puzzle.

HB - Aunt and Uncle did indeed take me to the Henry Ford Museum. I recall nothing about it now. But I'll do a photopost some time about all the wonderful things I do remember.

Glad you like Aunt Ina, but you do realise she's not a brownshirt, don't you? She's from the Ibrox side of the family; they were all shipped off to the States when they got RDD.

RR - Thanks, I've had plenty of practice. I'll look and see if you've posted another Tom instalment.  

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Blogger Hotboy said...

Adolf! Heil! And Zeig! Your auntie Ina is not much older than you. Wicked looking woman. Easily seen that the grass is fake. God knows what happens next. Glad I wasn't there to help. Is she still alive? She could take me out if she had any money. God, I could smile for a woman like that! Hotter than usual Boy.  

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Blogger Hotboy said...

Adolf! Zeig! Ibrox? I might have known. Huns to the bone!! This also helps explain a few things! Hotboy  

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Post a Comment

10 January 2006 at 08:48

HNT 11 - taoist shower bliss

This week I'm on my summer holiday in Sydney and I can't work up the energy to blog properly. Also, I'm naked most of the time and I can't be bothered putting half my clothes back on. So I'm raiding the photo vaults.



As I keep telling my buddhist fundamentalist friends, there's really no need to meditate: the easy path to bliss lies via alternating hot and cold showers.

Okay, you may scream for the first minute or two (quite therapeutic in itself), but then your body loses track of the difference between hot and cold, and the bliss sets in, lasting for hours afterwards. Apparently it works because the extremes of temperature balance each other out, and you achieve equilibrium in the middle.

You should try it. It's so simple! There's no need for all that time-consuming bliss-chasing, sitting still and breathing, or forcing your body into yoga poses.




Now here's a guy who's got the right idea. He was a hard-line buddhist fundamentalist until I suggested weaning himself off bliss-chasing gradually, by combining yoga, meditation and cold showers.

Eventually he's hoping to be able to manage on showers alone, and kick the other stuff. I hope he succeeds.

Blogger Hotboy said...

Adolf! Zeig! What a good idea! Go and sit under a shower when not meditating! This will definitely keep the flatheids away especially if you could find a waterfall to hide in. This is bound to help. Hotboy  

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Blogger Hotboy said...

Adolf! Heil! I get it now with the shower thing. It's either public school or nazi boot camp, I can't remember which! Who cares though? As long as it helps. Hotboy  

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Blogger onan the bavarian said...

Let me know when you try it. It could help you.  

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Blogger lecram sinun said...

I remember doing that. Cheers and Happy HNT!  

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Blogger lime said...

i did that with a bucket of ice and a bucket of hot water for a sprained ankle. the ice made me want to say very bad words. hehehe. anyway, either picture looks like great fun!! happy HNT!  

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Blogger Blondie... said...

OMG... Hot & Cold showers?? Its almost as bad and eating a popscicle & drinking hot coffee... ;-)

What a fun post...hehe

Happy HNT!  

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Blogger Marie said...

Cold showers can be refreshing! These are great photos. Happy HNT!  

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Blogger kimmyk said...

very cool pics!

i'm not one for cold showers though....especially in the middle of january. brrrr.  

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Blogger Wenchy said...

water... medidate... sounds fab to me.  

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Blogger Shauna said...

Fun shots!  

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Blogger S said...

Wow! I love that waterfall thing...sortof takes your breath away, doesnt it? Happy HNT, and enjoy your vaction!  

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Blogger Beth said...

Cool shots!!

HHNT, Sugar!  

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Blogger Lee Ann said...

Great pictures Rob! My dad always did a hot shower, immediately followed by a cold one. Said it was good for sealing up the clean pours of your skin.
Happy HNT!  

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Blogger zomba said...

I say!

Never had a warm shower in my life, so I can vouch for everything you say.

MM III  

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Blogger Spinning Girl said...

Theeeere ya go.
Now I want a bath.  

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Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yes, serenity is not worth a cold shower to me, frankly.
The creature comforts are the path to my zen.  

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Blogger David said...

Ooook...I will have to try that.

Happy HNT!  

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Blogger Chickie said...

The cold part seems to make my heart stop for a second.  

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Blogger Hotboy said...

Adolf! Zeig! Get it now! It's the heat! In hell's kitchen, it must be hot. From one hotboy to another, hope this helps. Hotboy  

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Anonymous Anonymous said...

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bikram hot yoga  

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06 January 2006 at 20:38

name that brew

I'm going to answer the previous post's comments here.

lee ann and hot boy - yes, sorry about the lack of an HNT. Maybe next week. I'm on my summer holiday and have wound down too much to blog. Also, I'm naked most of the time and it's such a chore to put some clothes back on. I'll head over to your places after this to see what's happening.

ray ray - your 15 gallons of cocoa porter, your best brew ever, was what I was aiming at with my chocolate porter. The result is strong and sweet and dark, but I don't like it, perhaps it's not suitable for summer drinking. I would email you some if I could.

It's time to open the first bottle of the bread-yeast batch of german-style lager. I ran out of Brewer's Yeast and had to improvise using the missus' baking yeast. The glass and the stubby-holder have been in the freezer all day. Back in a jiffy. Ah, the verdict - deliciously cold, not too gassy, quite dark for a lager. It tastes slightly yeasty, but in a good way. Strength about 2.5%, so you can drink more without getting guttered. I think I'll pour another one. This is my ninth brew. What shall I call this one? I'm tagging everyone in the world to come up with a name.

I'll head over to your place next ray ray, to pick up the tag.

doviko - good on ya pal.

Blogger Lee Ann said...

Wow, it is summer over there? We are heading into the coldest part of the year.
I had a feeling about you going around naked all the time.
If the lager is sweet, you can name it after me (Lee's Brew) haha!  

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Blogger Hotboy said...

Adolf! Zeig! 2.5% alcohol? You'll never get fat drinking that! The UnHeard of Brew!Cold glasses out the fridge? Must be hot! Hope this helps. Hotboy  

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Blogger onan the bavarian said...

Or Hilton's Heavy? Bliss Brew?  

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Blogger Lee Ann said...

How about Hilton's bliss! hahaha  

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02 January 2006 at 15:40

my 3x3

I was tagged by myself for New Year's Eve. Ray Ray has pointed out, quite rightly, that I was supposed to do the tag myself before I tagged other people.
  1. Three 2005 achievements you're proud of, no matter how small.


    • I brewed some of the best beer I have ever tasted. And some of the worst. Everything balances out. The best brew was Blues Healer. The worst one was the barrelful that got heatstroke and had to be put out of its misery down the drain.


    • Resuming contact with hotboy, a friend from way back in the last century, and re-encountering his humour, insight and a degree of insanity that rates alongside my own.


    • Teaching myself to swim the crawl. Well the front part anyway. I still do the back half of the breaststroke.


    • Resuming contact with Mary Hopkin, a former partner. We're now writing to each other. I am working my way up to an apology for treating her unfairly all those years ago.


    • After many years of abstinence from everything, this year I achieved excellence in two addictions. Firstly to green tea, which has added much power to my exercise programme. In 2006 I may even graduate to the hard stuff (strong black tea with milk). And as part of my weight-gain programme, I implemented a punishing regime of daily beer drinking. So far it seems to be paying off. Now instead of being an anorexic stringbean, I just look like a product of too much 1970s Scottish living (fags and whisky). My goal in 2006 is to become a fat slob and blend in with everyone else.


    • I learned how to break the tag rules.

  2. Three 2005 events that delighted you, no matter how small.


    • On several occasions in 2005 I rediscovered how lucky I am to have shackled myself to Mrs. McJay. The latest was when we arrived at this beach shack which has a piano, and she sat down and played some Beethoven sonatas. I have asked for the shackling to be extended for another year at least.


    • I discovered that, although I suffer from OCD from my mother's side of the family, it's balanced out by the RDD I inherited from my father. So on average I'm normal.


    • I made the effort to go to Sydney and see the marvellous jazz pianist Barney McAll and his band. They were playing just one night, I went on my own, and I was the last person through the door before it was full up. What a night! The most fun I have ever had sober with my clothes on.


    • Through blogging I came across all sorts of interesting people, and I learned how to leave tactful or friendly or positive or mischievous or helpful comments (though sometimes I still get it wrong due to my blundering Teutonic genes)


  3. Three 2005 events that appalled you. Well, thinking of things that appalled me is difficult for me, probably because I have too much bliss in my life to care, or maybe it's just that after some of the things I've seen in a past life, nothing else comes close. Or maybe it just means I'm a heartless basturn. But I'll try anyway:

    • Observing the effects of retention deficit disorder unrestrained by OCD.





    Blogger Hotboy said...

    Adolf! Zeig! Didn't realise Mary Hopkin would still speak to you after the way you ruined her wedding. Has she got a dog called Mrs Robinson? Did she call one of her many fine children Shicklegrubber? Known thereafter at school as the misspelt Nazi. Dearie me. Talk about a glutton for punishment! Hope she gets some help! Hotboy  

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    Blogger onan the bavarian said...

    HB - welcome. So it's come to this. I put my clothes back on and suddenly I'm back down to one comment. Ah well, quality not quantity. Every little bit helps.  

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    Blogger Lee Ann said...

    Very good! I am glad you taught yourself the "freestyle" swimming.
    Good list!  

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    Blogger Lee Ann said...

    Happy HNT! No pic this week?  

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    Blogger Hotboy said...

    Adolf! Zeig! Aye, I came here with the fond notion of seeing more bananas. Hope you've not been eaten by a shark. That wouldn't help at all! Hotboy  

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