I just got off the phone with my dad. We like to have long rambling conversations about stuff, life philosophy, how I’m feeling, or politics and stuff. I don’t know what I’d do without my dad. I have really great parents, both very supportive.

He had to go because my Aunt Alison was calling from Hawaii. But he didn’t say Alison… I think he said Injen, or something like that. She was calling from the monastery where she lives, Lotus Buddhist Monastery, in Hilo. I guess she has taken a new name by now. I had still known her as Alison I think 6 years ago or so, but I haven’t talked to her in a long time. I always find out these pertinent things, like name changes, inadvertently. No one ever tells me about it.

I actually didn’t know for so many years (not knowing much about buddhist culture as a young child) that my Dad’s mother’s name was not her birth name, and I had never understood when I was younger why she had no last name. My dad’s mom has been a buddhist for many many years, but I have just been getting aware of the practices. My dad leans more to buddhist thinking, but is not particularly religious. My mom was raised baptist, but it not particularly religious. My parents didn’t bring my brother and I up in a specific religion. We did do Easter every year with my Mom’s parents at their church, and Hannukah with my Dad’s step-mother, Grandma Ruth, aka Ruthie (yep, I have 3 grandmother’s! :) ).

I’m glad I have been getting more exposed to buddhism, and people who are interested in that type of thinking. I never really knew how much it was around my family, my dad’s mom and sister both practicing. I think it’s important not to get too immersed in religious rules and specific beliefs (unless you want to be a monk or nun), but I do like the way buddhism in general has a very compassionate and healthy approach to living. My yoga teacher, Vanessa, has been really helpful to me and it’s nice to have regular contact with some one who you can relate to thinking about the world in this way.

Anyway, I guess I just wanted to ramble for a bit. I haven’t posted anything in a while. But just for kicks, here are my grandmother’s four names:

Patricia

Narayani

Yun Seong

Yun Sooo (no typo, there are three o’s)

NIGHT NEVERLAND!