Joe, I just had the thought that koan study is a kind of self immolation, isn't it?
...Bill! --- In [email protected], "Joe" <desert_woodworker@...> wrote: > > Group, > > I received today a piece of mail in the snail-mail box here which maybe me > think that somebody is playing a joke on me. But, 'tweren't so! > > It's even better! > > The smallish nearly 1:1 aspect-ratio envelope bears the return address on the > front top left corner: > > "National Cremation Society" > > ...and sports a nice bright symbol of a semicircle of the Sun, with wavy > rays, white on blue, and a golden yellow round-edged frame about this, all > the size of a desktop icon in Windows XP, my favorite obsolete OS (but which > I know how to use). > > Maybe I am being invited to a bonfire! > > Not a self-immolation, I hope. ;-) > > Ideas like this cross the pristine ground of the mind like short-lived desert > clouds as I tote all the mail indoors. > > The envelope also bears the words: > > "Free Prepaid Cremation (details inside)" > > Phew-w, I can almost not WAIT to open this letter carefully, looking all the > while to be sure there are no copper wires in evidence that I might breech. > It could be that FREE cremation, come home to roost! > > But "FREE Prepaid..."? I HAD to see how they explain THAT. It sounded like > some kind of dubious fake-"zen" concept. Just not contradictory enough, when > it brings in money at the same time. Or else, I'm in the wrong racket. > > "The NCS offers a comprehensive plan". I bet they do. It sounds EXHAUSTIVE, > too: Up the flue with *YOU*! (this was pretty much my instantaneous reaction > to the NCS, as well). > > They offer free "removal" (within 75 miles of their "facility"), and a "free > Wooden Urn". Now I need to see that Urn, and see how I might copy it on the > lathe, just by eye-balling. It could have commercial value! So I "go's" to > their website... and crib from it (lie: I did not actually do that yet). > > But, Aha! ...the big revelation comes last of all, in ...the Postscript!: > > "P.S. Complete and return the reply slip today to enter in the monthly > drawing for your chance to win a free cremation plan." > > That's taking a chance, alright. Notice the nice turn of phrase in > "cremation plan". Imagine the brutality of the sound, otherwise, of "a free > cremation". > > I'm hanging on to this letter, and the reply slip. > > The letter is not even signed by a Big-Guy, a higher-up, no, but instead by > somebody we mere mortals (dead guys) can relate to: > > "--James Ford > Senior Vice President of Cremation Services" > > You don't what the signature of somebody too close to God! > > But at least he's a "Senior"-something, and still struggling. > > Finally, they then they reveal for us the identity of last month's winner > of... a... free... cremation, just to show they're legit. I'll keep that > name private, though, pending notification of the Family, which is sure to be > aggrieved, and understandably so. > > I'm grateful to the NCS for this free entertainment, but I know I owe you > guys something for your time in reading MY note. > > ;-) > > --Joe > ------------------------------------ Current Book Discussion: any Zen book that you recently have read or are reading! Talk about it today!Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
