Travelogue: Ordinary Austin

I began my Sunday in Austin at the Ordinary Mind Zen Center, participating in the Sunday morning program. Nice people, lovely zendo, awake teacher (Peg). You really can't ask for much more out of a practice center. I recommend it. I went to a post-zazenkai get together at Texas French Bread and chatted with a portion of the group, an unusual opportunity for a student visiting for such a short time, they're damn nice people and I admire their practice.

Then I went over to Conan's Pizza and got a couple of pies for watching the Cowboy game. What a squeaker, a very entertaining game for Cowboys fans, then I went shopping for a few things that I can't get easily in NYC, e.g., local texas music, specialty salsas, Texas calendars, Texas Christmas Tree ornaments, etc.

After hanging out at a friend's house for a while getting caught up I took the friend with whom I am staying, and another friend in Austin, out for some dead cow at the Austin Land and Cattle Company.

It is important, I am told, to distinguish this organization from the Texas Land and Cattle Company, a regional chain. The food was excellent at Austin Land and Cattle Company. I have never eaten at Texas Land and Cattle Company.

I had to get in bed after that since I was slated to rise at 4:15am for a sit with the Austin Zen Center. It is a place very reminiscent of the San Francisco Zen Center. They were just having an informal sit since they just finished their rohatsu sesshin, the annual 7-day meditation period in observance of the celebrated day of the Buddha's enlightenment, December 8, so I didn't get to see much of the Center, but it certainly looked and felt like City Center in SF.

Just an ordinary day, for the most part.