What a surprise to feel the inspiration, urge, if not the "force" to write a new blog entry on what would indeed turn out to be an auspicious day this 18th of November, 2011....two years later to the date since out of the blue...actually out a tweet...this blog began.
The story begins approximately 6 years ago in 2005 when Sebastian and Officer Barbaro met on the streets of San Francisco's Mission District. Officer J. Barbaro was one the beat cops assigned to the 24th Street Mission neighborhood patrol. Sebastian was homeless living on the streets and parading around the neighborhood on his bike wearing his white t-shirt wrapped around his head rather than on this body. His goatee, fashion sense and recently acquired street smarts earned him the street name Arab (pronouces Ay-rab), or El Arabe. Up to no good and high as a kite he had weekly, if not daily run-ins with El Barbaro!
As fate or destiny would have it, Officer Barbaro and Sebastian Arabian would meet again in the Hall of Justice to share stories, congratulations, adulation and clean up some karma from this life and perhaps previous ones.
Officer Barbaro says to Sebastian, "I will never forget the first time I met you. I was giving one of your drinking buddies a citation for having an open container. I told him, "Por favor firme en el ix" You sneered and smugly said to me "No se dice ix en espanol se dice equis!" "Oh yah, how would you know Mr. Wise Guy" sounding much like the rookie on the force and unfamiliar with the streets.
And quite solemnly and out of nowhere came the response, "Because not everything that is, always was." Those words are even more meaningful now that I see you, two and half years sober, healthy and cleaned up."" Sebastian had nearly died on those streets from severe and near fatal liver failure from alcohol abuse.
Now Sebastian has no recollection of ever saying those words; and when moved to think about it, nor does he feel it was him talking at that moment. Those words were inspired from above as was this meeting 6 years later in the Hall of Justice, otherwise known on the street as 850 Bryant.
Long story short, Sebastian was presenting himself before the court this day, to be arraigned for his multiple petty infractions committed on the streets, now totaling over 1,500 dollars, 5 warrants for arrest over a total of 3 years. No small matter to go before a judge plead guilty and then ask for clemency according to the DA's office.
As Life would have it, it would be El Barbaro who would "serve and protect" El Arabe from his new post as bailiff of the court as a character witness! As a result, all the warrants and fines were dismissed.
Sebastian and Officer Barber formed a new bond based on mutual respect and admiration and a new-found and experienced faith in humanity. "It's good to see that some do make it out, that there is some light at the end of the tunnel. Take care of yourself and stay out of trouble."
Sebastian humbling and gratefully shakes Officer Barbaro's hand and says goodbye before existing the court room.
February 16, 2010
Tricycle's Daily Dharma
The Cause of Suffering
The point is that we need to find out where these sufferings are coming from. Why are they happening? We have a tendency to say, “Oh, that is reality; that is life.” But that’s not the answer. Yes, it may be life, it may be reality, but why do we need to know about it? Because if we want to make changes, it does no good to make them at the symptom level, the result level; we have to make changes at the causal level. At the result level, the only changes you can make are like plastic surgery.
Change the cause. When you change the cause, you can change the result. In fact, the result can only be changed at the causal level. When Buddha first went out of that palace made especially for him, wherever he looked he saw miseries. Then he asked, “What can I do?” He wanted to get free himself, to help his family to get free, then also to free his subjects, and finally to free all living beings connected to him. Buddha realized that you can change all this only at the causal level.
If a third person could really create the cause [of suffering] for us, it would be terrible! Then you would have found a true enemy, one who really created suffering for you. If an enemy like that existed, then you would take hold of that enemy and do whatever you have to do, cut it, kill it, or whatever. But it’s not anybody else! It’s me. I did it. This is my responsibility. That’s what it is all about.
Woke up meditated....hard time meditating never quite settled myself. The sound of something constantly smacking metal right outside the window. Organized my luggage in Phil's fabulous apartment--everything is so neat and tidy, in its place, easy to find, no muss no fuss. I like that, want that. I have clutter--magazines and books--in my place in San Francisco, you might even label me a hoarder compared to Phil! I prefer calling it "untidy". I realize that having everything in its place is a great way to organize your visitors and a subtle hint as to how things should be kept, as you find them and where you find them. When you come into a messy apartment, you would be most inclined to continue the tradition. You also do not have to worry about people getting too comfortable in your home....make yourself at home, but don't get too comfortable. Subtle and then not really. Of course a complete slob is a complete slob wherever he goes. Great lesson Phil, thanks.
Decide to go across the street for a cup of coffee...actually I really meant to explore around the block, but since it is raining (hence the strange clanging sound of rain beating down on the plastic wrapped air conditioner), it snowed at 3 a.m. and has melted so I decide to go across the street. Dominicanos hanging out in the doorway, a Dominican neighborhood...hello this is the Bronx! Walked into the familiar neighborhood bodega---familiar because they look the same in Harlem, the East Village as they do here. I'm feeling all New York, ask for cup of coffee and a bagel with butter....a slight NYC ghetto-fabulous accent may have even slipped out. The Arab guy behind counter, probably the owner, yells "Pedro, a bagel with butter and a cup of coffee!" He is on the phone as bodega owners usually are, going on in Arabic. Pedro slips off his "stoop", the ice cream counter by the door and makes his way behind the Deli counter lined with Boar's Head baked hams, roasted and smoked turkeys and pastrami. George Michael is on the radio belting out 'last Christmas I gave you my heart' I hardly notice, as I am taking in the scene around me. Another customer walks in, the door bells chime, "Ey! dame una baina...heh, y ponle una bainita ayi!" all the while smiling in Pedro's direction after greeting everyone at the door. George continues, 'but the very next day you gave it away, this year I'll give it to someone special!" Good idea George.
What do I owe you? A dollar fifty as he prattles on in Arabic, still on the phone. Wow, a buck fifty for a bagel with butter and coffee...what a deal, remembering why I like it here. Quickly the illusion is shattered. He places the cup of coffee on the high counter behind the bulletproof glass case that holds the cigarettes and the over the counter drugs...hey..it is not the universal NYC Greek paper cup, the one I went on about last night on 231st street! I keep this to myself and order another coffee for Phil. He is such a gracious host, he's even given me my own set of keys to his place, so for a week or so I will actually live in the Bronx instead of the International Hostel on 103rd and Amsterdam. A completely different experience. Another customer comes in, orders, "A cup of caofey wit 3 sugahs!" as I pay the 75 cent for the extra coffee and the owner puts everything in a paper bag. I start to take them out of the bag, and ask, "did you?....yah two sugars....and milk? yah". I put close up the bag and proceed out the door happy because i remember "Oh yah, the two sugars and milk standard coffee in New York". As i proceed across the street i realize in horror! that means two tablespoons of sugar and milk...in other words four teaspoons! Way too much for my taste...the magic is gone, perfection once again imperfect. Come back inside the building, open the door with my set of keys, take the elevator up after greeting the small Christmas tree in the lobby where we took pictures last night. Doctor the coffee to my liking...add water, a bit of instant and microwave. Sit down at Phil's fabulous iBook to write, unwrap the wax paper around my bagel and to my surprise it has cream cheese! not butter....happy once again. That more than makes up for the undrinkable sugar coffee. Take a bite and guess what, not toasted...I forgot to say toasted. You have to be precise in the Alicia and Jay-Z City, I forgot, delis and coffee carts have this shit down.
Done writing now. Not raining anymore...going out to continue the experience, a blessed experience in the Bronx, must be, i took the time to write about it and hadn't planned on it. I suppose it must be that neurotic empire state of mind. And now on to the next 'moment'.
The name is derived from a tweet. I received from tim ferris on wordoids....www.wordroid.com
Typed in armando and out came carmandon... hmmmm interesting and how about Karma-n-don...the gift of karma...or the don of karma. Not sure what will become of this but I sense it will be fun. Enjoy and contribute.
My experience includes ABM Global Strategies a consulting firm; Senior Fellow at the World Policy Institute at the New School, the Ford Foundation's Latin America and Caribbean Regional Program (1994-96); the International Policy Division,RAND Corporation (1994); Center for Iberian and Latin American Studies U.C. San Diego (1993); Berkeley Roundtable on the International Economy,at U.C. Berkeley (1989-91);Selected Publications: "The New World Order and What We Make of It col1 " World Policy Journal, Fall 1999; findarticles co-authored a chapter for Athena's Camp: Preparing for Conflict in the Information Age (1998); co-author, with David Ronfeldt, of "Commenton the Zapatista Netwar" in The National Security of Mexico and the United States: A Moment of Transition ;
Honors &Affiliations:
Council on Foreign Relations;
Education:
Master of Pacific International Affairs, University of California, San Diego
B.A., Latin American Studies and History of Art, University of California, Berkeley
