Imbolc \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 New (Hare) Moon<\/p>\n
Up very early (for me) for a drive in to the Minneapolis Convention Center. \u00a0Had to be there by 8 am. \u00a0To get in line. \u00a0For a speech that began at 10. \u00a0Somebody famous, eh? \u00a0You betcha. \u00a0His Holiness the Dali Lama.<\/p>\n
Frank Broderick got several tickets for his birthday and distributed them according to Frank criteria. \u00a0I was in the second tier, but benefited from someone else’s not taking him up on the offer.<\/p>\n
Two lines, each with hundreds of people in them snaked back and forth, distended caricatures of a pleasant day at your local international airport. \u00a0After waiting in line for forty-five minutes to an hour, we went through the metal detectors and entered the auditorium. \u00a0With no one ever checking our tickets.<\/p>\n
This was the opening of a Norwegian slanted Noble Peace Prize forum, apparently in its 26th year. \u00a0Who knew? \u00a0The forum celebrates laureates and the Dali Lama, being one, was chosen for the keynote opening address.<\/p>\n
This auditorium, A, is huge with hundreds, if not thousands of seats and the orchestra level seats were full and much of the tiered seating was full, too. \u00a0This guy is charismatic, has a sort of rock star appeal.<\/p>\n
He’s funny. \u00a0At least I think so. \u00a0He had several lines in his opening remarks where he laughed. But the acoustics were difficult and he speaks softly so following the thread of his talk proved beyond this hearing impaired guy.<\/p>\n
I did get one part. \u00a0He talked about his love of honey. \u00a0“I might,” he said, lifting one hand and creating a small gap with thumb and index finger, “come back as a bee, I like honey so much.” \u00a0He made these remarks because he apparently had a physical while here and was told as a precautionary measure to cut back on sweet things. \u00a0Including honey.<\/p>\n
He was easier to understand when he sat and took questions, fielded by Cathy Wurzer of NPR. \u00a0The answer I liked best was, when asked if he would give the gathering his blessing, he hesitated. \u00a0“I’m Buddhist. The blessing comes from within.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Imbolc \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 New (Hare) Moon Up very early (for me) for a drive in to the Minneapolis Convention Center. \u00a0Had to be there by 8 am. \u00a0To get … Continue reading A Close Encounter (With Thousands) of the Dali Lama<\/span>