The Zen Of Buk

[ROC]

You mean 'deficit' prepostino.
And you being a writer n'all!

Oh, and relax dogdice... I think we have established by now that preposterous boy has no idea.

 

[dogdice]

the FBI files didn't put up the addresses of all those park benches unfortunately.

and as for the "projects," well, I've lived in worse places than those east hollywood appartments...

there's no need to over-romanticise all this "being poor" rubbish. when old man bukowski popped off hank had plenty in the bank and he was very careful with it too.

 

[postino]

hah, accounting never was my best subject ROC. And dogdice, I guess I didn't mean "extreme poverty" in the sense of living in the sahara in a tin house, just that he wasn't a wealthy man, and it was exceptional that he was able to rise to such a level of wisdom.:)

 

[dogdice]

ok postino. but I think you'll agree that "not being a wealthy man" is a far cry from living in "extreme poverty"

btw, I am an accountant & I have done an extensive audit of the bukowski finances throughout his life for a book on the subject.

 

[ROC]

So... should we start putting together a postino dictionary?

Extreme poverty = Not wealthy.
Zen meditation = Taking drugs (& being poor[?])
Addiction = Everything.
Chinese food = Lemon chicken.
Playing Jazz = Taking drugs.
or
Taking drugs = Playing Jazz.



Carry on.

 

[dogdice]

I like postino. his sayings have a zen-like absurdity to them that I find strangely calming :)

 

[postino]

So... should we start putting together a postino dictionary?

Extreme poverty = Not wealthy.

In a way, all poverty is extreme.

Zen meditation = Taking drugs (& being poor[?])

Pretty much, transcending poverty or affliction.

Addiction = Everything.

you could live by this. I think Bukowski even said this in his notes of a dirty old man.

Chinese food = Lemon chicken.

I don't pretend to understand the finer aspects of the chinese culinary tradition, but any tradition with so much pride would have to call any of it's creations representative of the whole.

Playing Jazz = Taking drugs.
or
Taking drugs = Playing Jazz.

I jive.

 

[dogdice]

see what I mean ? the child-like idiocy almost transcends itself and becomes a wisdom all of it's own. the kind of wisdom one attains when one ties ones own shoelaces for the first time.

jive on postino !

 

[postino]

stop, before the mods delete this whole brilliant dialogue.

 

[dogdice]

a zen-like re-arrangement of charles bukowski reveals the truth...

sick weak slob...hur ! :)

 

[Short Bus]

What is the sound of one man drinking

 

[mjp]

Now I'm sure you are just joking around.


Either that or you have shit for brains.

Yeah, I think we established that both are true in his case, in the "writing as a career" thread.

 

[Gerard K H Love]

is there a debit of good information on Bukowski in England? He spent the first half of his life sleeping on benches and the second half living in the projects. I would call that extreme poverty.

WTF...??? projects?

 

[number6horse]

is there a debit of good information on Bukowski in England? He spent the first half of his life sleeping on benches and the second half living in the projects. I would call that extreme poverty.

During his "drifting years" (New Orleans, Philadelphia), he most certainly was familiar with park benches and cheap rooms. However, he eventually secured a job with the Post Office and while it's not exactly the most glamorous job in the world, the pay is not exactly slave wages either. I would also venture to say that the final 15 to 20 years of his life were pretty comfortable. His poems of that period testify to that too. He is rather pleased with having arrived at owning a home, having a couple of cars, and the spare cash to go play the horses almost every day.

 

[number6horse]

Now don't I feel like a dumbass...I responded to the final posting on Page 1 without realizing the "poverty" issue had been clarified on Page 2.

I will try to read more closely next time...:>(

 

[ROC]

If we measure being a dumb ass relative to the many posts above, you are pretty safe.

 

[justine]

but the fact that Bukowski inundated his life with the doctrine of having no desires makes him a yogi of sorts.

i guess drinking, gambling, writing and fucking don't count as desires.

 

[dogdice]

I for one hope that postino will be back soon with a few more pearls of wisdom, especially now that his truly remarkable blog has been lopped off the thread.

20/1 outsider wins the Melbourne Cup with a wonderfully timed run.

 

[ROC]

20/1 outsider wins the Melbourne Cup with a wonderfully timed run.

I missed the race as I was doing another 200km bike ride.
Now you either take that as bragging or an admission of stupidity.

 

[dogdice]

ROC, I take that as evidence that you are a remarkably fit young man !

 

[Father Luke]

if i get out of bed once a day that's exercise enough

 

[dogdice]

A hernia - inspiring lift ! That's got to be 250lbs at least (I'm talking about the bloke, not the weights of course)

Silly question, but how do you get a picture on the left-hand side rather than as a signature ?

 

[Father Luke]

how do you get a picture on the left-hand side rather than as a signature ?

Try this: C L I C K

 

[dogdice]

By George, I think I've got it...

 

[Spinbowler]

What is the sound of one man drinking

Poetry

 

[Spinbowler]

Hakuin zenji the rinzai master used to smoke a pipe
one day his disciple Torei walked in and caught him off guard
and all hakuin did was hide it behind his back