Englewood Cliffs, NJ

I guess I'm deciding to go visit Blue Cliff tomorrow. No one else is making or influencing the decision for me. No one else is making or influencing the decision otherwise. It's a short visit, and it's much closer than Deer Park was from San Francisco.

On one hand, from the point I left Deer Park to now, I don't know what to say. I don't know what to comment to the brothers. I don't know if I've progressed or how I've changed.

On the other hand, none of that is the point of my going. If monks I knew at Deer Park are there, they have no expectations of me. They'll be glad to see me in whatever state, even a bad one. OK, I'll go. On trust.

My favorite Taiwanese band, Tizzy Bac, has another video out. Again, incredibly creative and a great, intense song. The title is something like: "If I see hell, I'm not afraid of the devil"


And I learned that Shiina Ringo released a new solo album yesterday, so now I have something to look forward to returning to Taiwan. I don't know if the release date is the same in Japan and Taiwan, but I'm hoping it will be available by the time I get back there. I may even try to pick it up at Taipei Main Station on my way home from the airport.