Strange Customs

OK, stop placing your bets. Daniel Anderson of northern Idaho, who mixes it up over at E-Sangha’s Tibetan Buddhism Forum as thegiantalbion for reasons known only to him, has won the Emergency Rush Koffee and Katnip to Konchog Kontest. His box arrived Friday, in which I was delighted to receive a pound of Couer d’Alene’s finest, the Doma Coffee Roasting Company’s “ürth organic blend” (I know, it sounds like it was named after a Nordic Death Metal band). Brewed a coupla cups this morning and can truly pronounce it ambrosial. Here’s to you, TGA!

Now that the praises are over, let us all learn a lesson from Brother Daniel. He did in fact send catnip, for which The Mooj declares he is “a friend indeed.” But. He sent it loose. In an unmarked Ziploc baggie. With a joke in the note that easily could have been misconstrued by Mr. Customs Man who might doubt Konchog’s plea that as a Buddhist and gelong monk he has not been near illicit substances for nigh on 20 years, nor does he know the Mongol word for “catnip,” and suspects that neither the word nor the very concept exist in this country. Now, class? What movie does all this conjure up? Thaaat’s right. Midnight Express. Now, I don’t want anyone speaking ill of Daniel in the comments. His heart was in the right place, he was just trying to make a funny, and he’s already been contrite. But if any of the rest of you are still preparing packages to mail to me in UB, please make sure whatever catnip may be included is securely stuffed inside a toy mouse! That is all.

Daniel also expressed the wish that the coffee he sent would “take the frost off.” Well, maybe someday. Yesterday’s high? 82. Today’s and tomorrow’s forecast high? 75. So what did they do yesterday? Right. They turned on the city-wide heating system. Why? What a silly question. Because it was September 15th, and that’s The Day You Turn The Heat On. Now, we’ll need it within a week, but they coulda saved a bunch of coal at the power plant. Meantime, I’m drenched in sweat just from the exertion of vacuuming half the living room and The Mooj is far less inclined to snuggle. Grrr.

Apropos of nothing, I’ve added The Panopticon to my Sangha blog list. Franklin’s a sharp, funny writer with a Zen Buddhist spin. You’ll dig it.

More on the yoginis, other stuff, soon.

Comments

[Carol]

I just had this hilarious image of a pack of Mongolian customs agents, huddled around a campfire in the countryside, smoking Mooj's catnip and wondering when they're going to get this 'munchie' thing they've heard so much about!

[Rabbitch]

*snort*

Carol, you're hilarious. And yes, Konchog, I'm still sending a package, I've just been battling some tribulations around here of late. I shall make sure that I mark the package of white powder as "icing sugar" ... that work for you?

And yes, Franklin is brilliant and warm and hugely wonderful. Good choice.

[Franklin]

I'm so flattered I can't speak. I gassho to you in thanks :-)

[Ryan]

Howdy, cousin! The thought had occurred to me that catnip might cause an international incident. I believe TMK will be sticking to the brown ground stuff that can't be mistaken for anything other than what it is.

P.S. We launched Dulaan 2007 today!

[marylee]

I was with my mother for the weekend and am doing a bit of catch-up reading. I'm not too shy to say that sometimes the vocabulary reminds me I must get a 101-esque primer in buddhism. So extra thanks for all the photos. Even when I miss the *letter*, the *spirit* of your stories is beautifully clear.

[Konchog]

Franklin, I'm so sorry, but the first thing I imagined when I read your comment was the French knight in "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" saying, "I gassho in your general direction..." I hear there's good medicine for that these days.