Olympia Zen Center

PRESS RELEASE
September 21, 2007
Contact the Olympia Zen Center Director
3248 39th Way, Olympia 98507
360 357 2835
www.olympiazencenter.org
e-mail: director@olympiazencenter.org
or Diane Miller e-mail: emanon_miller@yahoo.com

The Olympia Zen Center Presents the 8th Annual Ryokan-san Lecture
“Being With Dying” with Joan Halifax Roshi
Friday, September 28th, 2007 7:00 – 9:00 PM at the Unitarian Universalist Church 2200 East End Street Olympia, WA 98502

The Olympia Zen Center continues its annual tradition of hosting leading Zen Buddhist teachers to share their knowledge and experiences of spiritual practice in today’s world. This year Joan Halifax Roshi brings the insights learned in sharing the very intimate and spiritual process of dying. Her life as a Buddhist teacher, Zen priest, medical anthropologist, shamanic scholar and environmentalist provides a holistic perspective to what is a Great Question for all of us.

She is also the Founder, Abbot and Head Teacher of Upaya Zen Center and Monastery in Santa Fe, New Mexico. As a medical anthropologist and as a Zen priest, Joan Halifax has worked in the area of death and dying for over thirty years. She is the Founder and Director of the Project Being With Dying, a service and training program to bring spiritual support to dying people and their caregivers. It is the premier program in this country, and perhaps in the world in end of life care. The Olympia Zen Center program will be held in two parts.

The Friday evening lecture begins at 7:00 at the Unitarian Universalist Church on Olympia’s West Side. There is a requested general donation of $20; $10 for seniors or students (no one will be turned away because of inability to pay). Parking is available. After the lecture there will be tea and discussion.

The next day, Saturday 9/29 she will lead a study retreat from 7:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Those interested can enroll by contacting Olympia Zen Center before September 25th. The cost is $75 including breakfast and a box lunch.

I'm going to the town hall over at Capital HS tonight to see my congressman. Anyone want to talk about that?

I'm also waking up at 5 a.m. on Saturday to watch the US national team put the crush on the English in the second quarterfinal of the Women's World Cup. So, what are your plans this weekend?

Almost every week this is the "What's on the city council's plate this week" review. I don't cover everything, so if you want the full rundown, read the packet and agenda yourself.

The evening of October 5 will feature fireworks for the neighborhood around Olympia High School if all goes well at next Tuesday's city council meeting. The council will be weighing whether to allow the school to celebrate their 100th Anniversary with timed explosions between 8 and 9 p.m., which sounds like during halftime of the Oly Bears' game against North Kitsap.

From the staff report (which you can find below with the attachments):

The fireworks display will be set off between the hours of 8 PM and 9 PM at the Olympia High School. As the display only involves a “Static no noise fireworks display”. Insurance is require and has been provided.

There is no liability to the City Of Olympia.

Option 1. Approve static fireworks display for Olympia High School Alumni and Homecoming Association’s 100 year anniversary

Pros
1. Allows applicant to celebrate 100th year anniversary and School’s homecoming.

Cons
1. There may be complaints for the neighbors.

Option 2. Do not approve a no noise static fireworks display at Olympia High School.

Pros
1. There will be no complaints from neighbors

Cons
1. The applicants will not have a display that will enhance the anniversary.

So, it basically comes down to if we would like the possibility of the neighbors complaining.

Sometimes I wonder. A lot.

Recently I was visiting the Space Needle and took in the sights from the top level, just minding my own business like the normal kind of guy that I am.

When it came time to get on the elevator to return to the ground, a large group of tourists gathered at the door. But when the elevator opened up and became available, the crowd stayed out and actually formed an open aisle in their ranks, allowing me to easily walk into the device, which I did.

No one followed me into the elevator. The people in the crowd stared at me with great interest as the doors slowly shut. "Isn't anyone going to join me on the trip down?" I asked. "Down?" a woman said, "You're going up!" Then the doors shut.

"Up? I didn't know the Space Needle had another level above this one." Then a voice came from a serene looking man who I had just noticed as a fellow passenger. "You're right. It doesn't," he replied.

Then everything went white.

Man, I really hate it when that happens.

I just found out about this, but apparently a group calling itself "40 days for life" will be camping out in front of our local planned parenthood trying to spread thier message of hatred. Olyblog is as good a place as any to get the ball rolling on ideas for what to do.

To those who would make excuses for this kind of protest: I remind you of the eastside womens clinic fire of a while back. These are not harmless people. They have been known to use violence, murder and intimidation to accomplish thier goals.

Here's the info according to thier website:

This fall, from September 26 - November 4, our community is one of 89 cities in 33 states across the nation joining together for the largest pro-life mobilization in history -- the nationwide 40 Days for Life campaign.

People of faith and conscience across America are praying that this effort will mark the beginning of the end of abortion in our land.

40 Days for Life is an intensive effort designed to raise awareness, save lives, bring healing, and lead our nation to repentance for the sin of abortion through:

• 40 days of prayer and fasting
• 40 days or peaceful vigil at a local abortion facility
• 40 days of grassroots community outreach

Every community that has conducted 40 Day for Life has reported measurable lifesaving results. Some cities have experienced as much as a 28% drop in local abortions and over 1,200 new volunteers getting involved in local pro-life efforts.