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  January 2, 2009  
  Reporter: Cal Lee             Editor:  Ron Brown               Photographer:  Paul Fillinger
Pat Flaharty, President, 2008 - 2009

 ZENMASTER
 
While the Peripatetic Prez Pat was cavorting in the snows of Eugene, us cats wuz herded by the laid-back Prez-To-Be Fazel.  A definite2 fazel 1-2 change in ambience was noted, exemplified by a couple of New Year's resolutions, courtesy of the Dalai Lama: (1) When you lose, don't lose the lesson; and (2) spend time alone every day, and once a year go somewhere new.  Trying to figure these out,  the meeting was generally several decibels below normal despite Rich Shearer's occasional interjections. 
 
BIRTHDAYS 1, ANNIVERSARIES 0
 
Birthdays and Anniversaries were few and far between, at least those cal ron paul 1-2anyone wanted to confess to.  In fact, the only volunteer was the quiet and sober Ron Brown, presented to the world on 12/22 a few years back, who had a quiet and sober dinner with Sara and daughter Sally at Esen, and donated $50 in memory thereof.  Other than that, all was quiet.
 
MORAGA 1, LSR 0
 
Even the Raffle didn't perk things up.  The Prez-Elect grimly noted that only 2 tickets had been sold and sent shakedown artists around to improve the situation.  And the winner was not one to cause LSR to2 welles party 1-2 celebrate.  Moraga Rotary President Gary Irwin was a visitor with a plan, which was to strip LSR of as many assets as he could.  There were only a few marbles in the bag, so it was all set up, but the drawing was at Rev. Ray Welles' table, and Ray would not let Gary's sinful hand draw the white marble.
 
CLOCK TOWER 1, LSR 0
 
Who said attorneys are useless?  We actually needed one today.  And who should step up but that walking shot of energy, R. Shearer Esq.  Itrich 12-12 seems he was served with a notice from a colleague representing our friends across the driveway to the effect that we are naughty for parking over on that side.  So Rich gave this advice, certainly worth his normal rate of $500/hour: DON'T PARK ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DRIVEWAY.  Future violators will be fined not only by the legal system, but also by our loving club.
 
AFTERNOON SHIFT 3200 LBS, EVENING SHIFT 55 BOXES
 
That was the result of the recent hot contest at the Food Bank in Concord.  Who won?  The afternooners did more, but had an hour more in which to do it.  Whatever, this was a worthy project, with everyone from Don Reichert to Stefan Raeth participating.
 
Upcoming events include the Reno Train Trip, January 25 & 26, price choices of $275/$250 and $295/$265.  The P-E put in a great plug, something to the effect that last year's trip was fabulous because it looked like Georgie Jessel's badges.  (It's a generational thing.)
 
Last but certainly not least, we are now in the year when the 2009 Auction is happening.  To be exact, on March 21st at Holy Trinity Serbian Orthodox Church in Moraga.  Who knows, if we're lucky, we might all get gold shoes like those the P-E was wearing today, stolen from last year's event.  Rumor has it that the Moraga Club will be using the same facility the week before, so there may be cleanup involved.  Whether or not that is true, volunteers will be needed, either voluntary volunteers or (shudder) involuntary volunteers.  The selfsame R. Shearer Esq. will be the man to see.
 
THE REAL MCCOY
 
Well, actually it's the real Mike McAllister, but anyway he knows a little more than P-E Fazel about these things.
 
Talk about humble beginnings, Mike started out as a waiter at Postino2 mike m 1-2 around the time he was going to Stanley and Acalanes and UC Berkeley.  He graduated from UC as a history major, then almost made a dreadful mistake.  Having law school in mind, he had a clerkship at a firm, but luckily some of the partners were candid enough to express their hatred of their job, so Mike was promptly dissuaded.
 
For a while he engaged in a profession not entirely unrelated: stand-up comedian.  He then got a call from Bob Hiller, a well-known history teacher at Stanley, who had severe health problems and suggested Mike take over for him.  This completely unexpected event led to a career at Stanley and at Acalanes.  But 10 or so years later, he felt something was missing, and took a sabbatical to study in Thailand and Nepal.  This is a study that will never end for him.
 
His mind was stilled by meditative practice.  The meditation was intense to say the least; he spend one 6-month period without speaking.  Christ, Buddha, Mohammed, etc., all coalesced.  The difference is, when most people choose one path up the spiritual mountain, they don't address the mountain itself. 
 
Mike has formed an organization called Infinite Smile, and the website appropriately is infinitesmile.org.  It has meetings on Monday nights at which he speaks, participants sit still for 30 minutes, then have a Q&A.  Globally, the organization has had hits from 160 countries.
 
It is not a matter of dissociating, but of deeper integration.  Traditional teachings all apply, but the key is letting go.  The meditation causes squeezing of your thoughts, then after 20 minutes your armor expands.  This is a reference to the fact that in the Middle Ages the most deaths in battle came from dents in the armor which resulted in constricting the limbs so that the soldier couldn't fight.  It's not a matter of "feeling good" (shades of the '60s), it's feeling more conscious.
 
Mike claims to be a normal guy, not a guru.  The impact on one's regular life is that the moments shimmer, like a glass of Pinot Noir tasting of sunshine and love.
 
Letting go is exemplified by Alzheimer's victims.  They have become more aware of the mountain, and are in a state of acute consciousness, but in their realm, not ours.  They are not caught be memory or hammered by future plans.
 
chris priceChris Price vouched for all that Mike was addressing.  His wife has been practicing the meditation for over 2 years.  Meditation is not for the faint of heart; it can be very physically stressful before the center of gravity is found. 
 
If you can watch your mind, you have an awakened life and are free.
 
 
VISITING ROTARIANS AND GUESTS
 
Gary Irwin, Moraga club president 
Ken and Gail Woznak, Orinda 2 fazel 1-2
Chris Price (we've seen him before)
Rob Thomas, Reichert son-in-law
Jackie Welles
Roger and Jeanne Samuelson, of UC Merced fame
Mike McAllister, Acalanes teacher/psycho and today's speaker
 
 
 
UPCOMING EVENTS

 
1/9/09: President Pat Flaharty, review of his year so far.
1/16/09: Rick Cronk, formerly Dreyer's Ice Cream and National President of the Boy Scouts.
1/23/09: Paul Fillinger, views on Rotary that only he could come up with.
1/30/09: Expose Yourself (who?)
 
2/6/09: Garrett Weiss, Fund-a-field (soccer fields in 3rd world countries).
2/20/09: 4-way speech contest, high school students
2/27/09: Expose Yourself (and who else?)
 
EDITOR'S NOTE
 
Treat yourself to a Photographic Special Occasion highlighting 3 outstanding LSR local events during the past three months. Click on www.tfblack.smugmug.com. Spot the Gallery Categories and click on Fazel's gold shoes to open up 26 galleries containing 1,079 photos. Then click on LSR Christmas Party, December 12; or Pumpkin Carving at Garden Park, October 29; or Las Trampas Landscape Work Day, October 4. 
 
Tom Black does a truly remarkable job with his camera.  However, in the true spirit of the club, if you see a picture you don't like, please complain directly to him. But beware of the consequences, since you never know where or when he is about to shoot again! Many, many thanks Tom!
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ADDITIONAL PHOTOS OF THIS AND OTHER LSR EVENTS MAY BE FOUND AT TFBLACK.SMUGMUG.COM. SHOULD BE YOU SMITTEN BY A PARTICULAR IMAGE, PRINTS MAY BE ORDERED FROM THIS WEBSITE. (THE QUALITY IS EXCELLENT.).
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