Buddhism Awakens

bringing new ideas and new perspectives to my already busy mind. i'm reading Buddhism Is Not What You Think, by some monk dude--i don't mean to be disrespectful, writing about all his findings in the past 10 years of buddhism study. His quotes are plentiful, and he's got a plethora of mantras and adages, similar to fortune cookies. This guy's awesome, and i'm not even that far into the book. Whilst all this is going on, my family has been running it's course, fighting and smiling and fighting and laughing, mostly at each other. We've been talking about E.J. and his speech problem, and how it's progressed throughout the years. He's notorious for his misspeaking and for making it sound like the b word. you know the word i'm talking about: Bitch!

**A Caveat to wondering minds, no you could only get away with this if you're under 10 with a speech problem. Please do not try this at home.**

-scenario A-
"E.J. go tell mom she's a fish."
"ok."
"mom you're a bitch."
"E.J. say, 'I'm going fishing with my fishing poll."
"I'm going to go bitching with my bitching poll."
-chortles and chortles from us all-
-scenario B-
E.J., Dad, and Ben are driving to go get the new four wheeler from some place hours away.
E.J. decides to count the bridges along the way. Hey! It's a pass time like anything else.
"1 bitch."
"2 bitches."
"3 bitches."
"4 bitches."
"5 bitches."
"6 bitches."
"7 bitches."
"8--"
"ARE-YOU-SAYING-BITCHES!? You're not allowed to cuss. You know that!"

I've gotten all my drives scheduled, as well as all of my complications with my driver's license, and i'm awaiting my accommodation. Driving! Yes, Me, Orion! Driving... Watch out on the streets bitches! Boom Pa!

I may be driving with my love up to Van Wert on Friday, if everything goes as planned. I'll meet her grandmother and all of her old friends, as well as well see what little town she was raised in and given her southern, small-town-sounding name in. SLB. i'm glad you're wanting to take me. i'm not much to show off...but whatever you say.

Her my was held up at gun point in west dayton on the job--she's a social worker for the elderly. We were sitting in the car in her driveway in huber about to leave, and her mother came out and said she had to explain why she was acting so funky--i think strange was the word-- this evening. I hadn't noticed she was acting more weird than her normal maternal weirdness, but she insisted she had been.

"I hate to see you grow up sissy-poo. C'mon lets play ponygirl. Pony girl is this "game" where yvonne takes stephanie up on her knee, like she did when she was a wee little baker child, and sings a short song and lowers her hastily between her knees and pulls her back up. It cracked up hearing that quote. Maybe you had to be there. Later she told me, "anyone who loves my sissy-poo, i love. Come sit down next to me, Orion." So i did. And so i was kissed on the side of my head and given a big hug--family reunion style. I'm glad she's nice and compassionate to me, way better than being heartless and incompetent like my mom. I mean, i wish i could name off some nice quotes of my mom when stephanie is around, but they really aren't anything to be proud of. Excluding the commonplace christian antics my mom normally has to offer, she says things from upstairs on the couch like, "When's stephanie going home?!?" and "how much longer is stephanie going to be here?!?" and even, "I told you, I don't want the door closed." -lach and lock sound of my door- I'm sorry my mom's voice annoys you too stephanie, and now you feel what i have for many years.

David's birthday is today, and in not too long here, we'll take our trip to enon and celebrate. I'm going to spend the night and stay up late watching movies and playing games with my old friend. He's turning 18, and he doesn't look a day past 5--i tease, i tease, gaibo. I hope he gets everything he wants and more. He deserves it. Thanks for being there for me, i hope i can do the same man. i love you like a brother. Happy 18th Birthday!

Kylee is working at a female group home, locally, trying to pull everything back together again after her world was shattered. Losing Jeff was such a lose to her, and now so much has changed. She's been online, always taking the computer for unfair amounts of time, leaving me with little time to get online and do what i used to; but i know what she's doing is helping and she deserves a break. She now has two blogs, both christian--i think--, and numerous friends from many online christian communities, ranging from pastors to people in their own crisis in life. She's been supporting the troops by joining online groups and sending out emails to people. She's made me so proud, and seeing how strong she is, has given me a new respect for her and her ways. Whatever works is right, and she's found what works.

This is all i can say for now... I need to be writing in this thing more.