Mt. Caramel Missionary Baptist Church

Mt. Caramel Missionary Baptist Church by Finijo

I was driving through Midtown and found a scene that made me a little sad - what is left of the Mt. Caramel Missionary Baptist Church. The steps look almost freshly painted, but there is nothing left of the foundation or the building. The area is fenced off, but the historical marker still stands as testament to the importance that this church once held in the part of town known as Freedman's Town. It looks as though construction may start on rebuilding the church at any time, but there is almost a full lawn of grass that has grown over the site, so perhaps it is not to be. I would hate to think of a Starbucks or another group of townhouses taking its place.

Downtown Perspective

Downtown Perspective by Finijo

I was driving all over the city today for work. It was overcast, but there was something about the day that foretold the coming of Spring. Maybe it was wishful thinking or the way driving in the city makes me feel. I sometimes think I am in the minority in my feeling that driving in downtown Houston is fun.

Vision Auto Glass

Vision Auto Glass by Finijo

I had to replace my window after the freeze, because the little cracks caused by flying rocks spread when I turned on the defrost. I ended up with a three foot crack going across the windshield and I had to get the car inspected at the end of the month.

Wonderful Window by Finijo

The two brothers who own the business came to my home, replaced the window in under an hour and did a great job of it. They were professional and friendly and the cost was a flat $125.00 for the windshield and the labor. If I had known how painless the replacement would be, I would have had it taken care of much sooner. I definitely recommend Vision Auto Glass (the number is on the side of their truck in the photo above).

A Funny Thing Happened On The Way...

Soccer Balls Are Dangerous by Finijo

So...I got hit by a soccer ball on the freeway while I was driving to an appointment today. Yup - a soccer ball flew up over the soccer pitch that I did not know existed just above 288 and I saw it coming. It was ahead of me, but I was doing 60 mph and I saw it arc over the freeway, land and then bounce across three lanes of traffic until it hit my passenger side fender and knocked the mirror out of the casing without breaking the casing.

Steel Belted Tunnel by Finijo

I spent the rest of the day working on getting the mirror fixed and going to different repair shops to see if they had the part. The last time I gave up my work car for repairs, I didn't see it again for 5 weeks. I managed to take some photos while I was waiting for repairmen.

Treadstone by Finijo

Mechanic shops smell like chemical and rubber hell, but they offer up some unique opportunities for photography. I got some strange looks, but it was a fun way to entertain myself amidst the cacophony and medley of unpleasant odors.

Transformers

Transformers I by Finijo

I took these shots while sitting in the Panera Bakery on Post Oak (I think). I liked the way the transformers looked like something from an old science fiction movie and also how they had an abstract feel when viewed through the windows. The fluting and the shape make me think of some type of sacred urn. I took the pictures, so that I could one day try to incorporate the image into an abstract painting. I thought about finding a poem about transformation to add to this post, but I decided to include one of my favorite Buddhist concepts, instead. It is the concept of hendoku iyaku - turning poison into medicine.

Transformers II by Finijo

Changing Poison into Medicine

SGI members often speak of "turning poison into medicine" when they describe how their Buddhist practice has enabled them to transform a difficult, negative or painful situation into something positive.

In its most fundamental sense, "changing poison into medicine" refers to the transformation of deluded impulses into enlightenment. The Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom, attributed to the third-century Indian Buddhist philosopher Nagarjuna, compares the Lotus Sutra to "a great physician who changes poison into medicine." This is because the Lotus Sutra opens the possibility of enlightenment to people whose arrogance and complacency had caused them to "scorch the seeds of Buddhahood." In earlier sutras such people had been condemned as being incapable of becoming Buddhas. An important implication of this principle, thus, is that there is no one who is beyond redemption.

In his writing, "On First Hearing the Teaching of the Supreme Vehicle," Nichiren develops this idea, stating that by using the power of the Mystic Law of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, one can transform the three paths of deluded impulses, karma and suffering into the three virtues of the Buddha, i.e., the Dharma body, wisdom and emancipation.

This can be understood to mean that any unfavorable situation can be changed into a source of value. More fundamentally, it is by challenging and overcoming painful circumstances that we grow as human beings.

How we respond to life's inevitable sufferings is the key. Negative, painful experiences are often necessary to motivate us. One Buddhist scripture describes illness as awakening the desire to seek the truth. Likewise, people have been inspired to a lifetime commitment to peace and justice by their experience of war and injustice.

The process of changing poison into medicine begins when we approach difficult experiences as an opportunity to reflect on ourselves and to strengthen and develop our courage and compassion. The more we are able to do this, the more we are able to grow in vitality and wisdom and realize a truly expansive state of life.

Suffering can thus serve as a springboard for a deeper experience of happiness. From the perspective of Buddhism, inherent in all negative experiences is this profound positive potential. However, if we are defeated by suffering or respond to challenging circumstances in negative and destructive ways, the original "poison" is not transformed but remains poison.

Buddhism teaches that suffering derives from karma, the causes that we ourselves have created. The Buddhist teaching of karma is one of personal responsibility. It is therefore our responsibility to transform sufferings into value-creating experiences. The Buddhist view of karma is not fixed or fatalistic--even the most deeply entrenched karmic patterns can be transformed.

By taking a difficult situation--illness, unemployment, bereavement, betrayal--and using it as an opportunity to deepen our sense of personal responsibility, we can gain and develop the kind of self-knowledge from which benefit flows. Buddhism teaches that self-knowledge ultimately is awareness of our own infinite potential, our capacity for inner strength, wisdom and compassion. This infinite potential is referred to as our "Buddha nature."

The original meaning of the phrase "to turn poison into medicine" relates to this level of self-knowledge.

In the "Belief and Understanding" chapter of the Lotus Sutra, Subhuti and others of the Buddha's long-time disciples respond to the prophecy that another disciple, Shariputra, will attain the ultimate enlightenment. The disciples admit that they had long ago given up on becoming Buddhas themselves, but that on hearing the teaching of the Lotus Sutra they renounced their earlier stance of resignation and spiritual laziness. "[T]heir minds were moved as seldom before and danced for joy." Nagarjuna and T'ien-t'ai (538--597) therefore compare the Buddha to a good doctor capable of turning poison (the laziness and resignation of the aged disciples) into medicine (a sincere aspiration for the ultimate enlightenment of Buddhahood).

This teaching of the possibility of profound trans-formation makes Buddhism a deeply optimistic philosophy. This optimism propels Buddhists as they seek to transform the negative and destructive tendencies within their lives as well as those in society and the world at large.

[Courtesy, January 2002 SGI Quarterly]

Lunar New Year Festival

For Marilyn's birthday, we went to the Lunar New Year festival at Tien Tao Temple and David and Katie met us there. It was an absolutely gorgeous day and I got some good photos and video at the temple. When Dave and I went the last time, we didn't explore as much as we might have, so it was good to get a chance to see the secondary temple and the memorial to those who died during and after the Vietnam war. After the festival, we went to lunch at Kim Son and on to the Martin Zet: Necessity exhibit at The Station Museum. This was a very good Sunday.

Sammy's Third Birthday

Sammy had his third birthday and the whole family turned out for the occasion. Like Ada, he is a Dora the Explorer fan and his party was themed appropriately for him. I think the singing of Happy Birthday was unpleasant for him...perhaps we were not in key. After his birthday party, we met up with Mom and Dad for Marilyn's birthday dinner. It was a very busy, but lovely day.

Thaw

Thaw by Finijo

A trip to the Arboretum signifies what may be a thaw from the deep freeze. I can't be certain if the warmth will be sustained, as winter is an unpredictable season bringing a biting and fickle chill to the air. Still, it was surprising and good to feel that familiar warmth.

X Marks the Spot by Finijo

Connor's Black Belt

Connor passed his belt test last night and is now the proud owner of a black belt with not one, but TWO black stripes. We are very proud that he has stuck with his training and is only about a year away from being able to test for his black belt. Keep practicing, Con! We know you can do it :)

Tea On A Sunny Afternoon

Crow on Table by Finijo

We had the first break in the weather in a couple of weeks and I got the chance to sit outside at La Madeleine and drink some tea with Karim in the warm afternoon sun. I can't seem to help myself whenever there are birds around, I am compelled to feed them. We were surrounded by grackles and crows, and this guy was the star of the bunch.

China Bear and Bonsai China Art

Quan Yin by Finijo

Sky and I met up for a photo shoot yesterday after I dropped David off. I had in mind a weird place I see along I-45 North when I am working in that area, but we had to improvise. The place I was looking for seems to be a storage yard for carnival rides as I pass it on the freeway, but all of the rides were gone, so we went to my backup location, China Bear.

Sky Shoots the Fountain by Finijo

I have passed China Bear numerous times as I fly by on I-45, but it is unclear exactly what it is until you enter the rather large compound. It turns out that China Bear is a Chinese buffet restaurant with a twist. It is attached to a rather extensive art gallery and bonsai nursery. Judging from the online reviews, the food is so-so, but the contents of the art store are incredible. I love this shot of Sky, she looked very French and artistic taking photos in her black coat and jeans.

Koi and Fall by Finijo

A large statue of Quan Yin rests between the restaurant entrance and the bonsai garden, and a fountain trails all around the building and is very well stocked with Koi. Because of the cold, they all seemed to huddle around the entrance near one of several water falls. We did not lack for a variety of interesting things to shoot before entering the building.

Showroom by Finijo

Sky and I were completely unprepared for what we found when we entered China Bear. We could see a store off to the left side of the lobby, and I expected to find the typical Chinese souvenirs you might find in a restaurant gift shop, but as we walked through the store, we found several large show rooms connected one after the other. One was two stories tall and contained a large crystal chandelier hanging over all of the art and statuary on display.

Old Man by Finijo

There seemed to be several types of art that the purveyors of this establishment favored, statues, paintings, and things made of either natural stone or wood. One of the most interesting to me was the collection of wooden statues and furniture. Most of the pieces appeared to be carved from burled wood and roots. I loved the face on this old man, who looks like he was carved from a thick tree trunk.

Peacock by Finijo

This peacock is about my height, and seems to be carved out of an intricate root system of some ancient tree. There is also a chair sitting in front of the peacock, also carved out of a root system of a tree. There were geodes larger than I had seen before, that made me wonder if they were real or manufactured. Much of the art and artifacts found in this strange gallery was on sale for thousands of dollars. There was no rhyme or reason to the items, so we saw antique dulcimers along side cheap paper fans.

Last Supper in Tin by Finijo

Sprinkled throughout the showrooms were numerous depictions of The Last Supper in a variety of mediums. I have seen oil paintings and pressed cardboard prints of this scene before, but this was the first time I ever saw The Last Supper pressed into tin and painted -pretty tacky, but I am sure there is a buyer out there who will love it.

Bad Art by Finijo

This is one of the stranger finds in the very eclectic art collection. This picture looks like something that should be sold on the side of the road out of the back of a van along with some velvet paintings of Elvis and panthers. The collection was so vast and strange that I half expected an old Chinese man in a Fu Manchu mustache to step out from behind one of the statues and offer me a mogwai.

Strangelove by Finijo

We stepped outside one of the showrooms and walked along the bridges and walkways around the winding fountain and I discovered this odd pair just before we wound down our shoot and went to Kubo's for sushi. I'm not even sure what these guys are supposed to be, but they were hidden, along with some strange little statues of penguins, under some bushes in the garden area. I think we could visit this place twenty more times and find new and strange things to photograph each visit. I hope Sky posts her photos, this time. I would love to see what she was able to capture on this outing (hint hint ;) ).

Tien Tao Temple

Quan Yin and Fountain by Finijo

I had breakfast with David today at and we drove through the warehouse district after we finished up at Little Barnaby's. It had been a while since we met up at LB's, so it was really good to see everyone again.

Temple Entrance by Finijo

As we were driving near downtown, I noticed the top of a building that looked like it could either be a temple or a Chinese restaurant. We doubled back and were amazed at the gorgeous Taoist temple we found. You could smell the incense as we approached the door.

Taoist Diety by Finijo

The temple is painted in rich reds and gold and there are statues throughout the temple and the grounds. The door was open so we entered and were awestruck at how much there was to take in. Because the doors were open, it was actually colder inside the temple than it was outside, and it was a frigid morning.

Dieties by Finijo

I have never seen so many deities featured in a temple before. They were grouped all around the temple and it was clear that they were set up in meaningful vignettes, but I don't know enough about Taoism to understand the meaning behind the scenes depicted.

Number 41 Fortune by Finijo

We chatted a bit with the caretaker who sat bundled up behind a desk reading a Chinese newspaper. He said his English was not very good, but he allowed me to choose a stick from a wooden cup. I chose # 41, which corresponded to a box in cubicle and a piece of paper that held my fortune. He tried to translate, but it was difficult. He said something about a moon and having "very good fortune." It was interesting, because I never knew that particular ritual existed.

Temple Incense by Finijo

The ceiling was covered with huge coils of incense. We didn't recognize what they at first, thinking they were just decorative, but in the frigid air, we could see the smoky perfume they emitted. Stumbling upon the Tien Tao Temple was a wonderful surprise find on a cold and beautiful morning.

Vietopia

Vietopia by Finijo

I met Karim, Edward, and Louis at Vietopia for dinner and found that the freeze the night before gave an added dimension to the Tuscan style fountain out front. I enjoyed the bun and the company, but was riveted by the sight of the frosty fountain.

Frozen Fountain by Finijo

The sight of the frozen fountain with the water still flowing gave it macro-glacial feel with little ice floes at the base of the fountain. Funny how living in a mostly tropical climate can make what might be deemed a nuisance in a northern state, a thing of fascinating beauty when it happens in Houston.

Give Up

One of my favorite street artists, Give Up, struck again. I found this one tucked off to the side on an overpass at the on ramp of 288. I don't know what was in that spot before "give up," but it has already been buffed, so I doubt this offering will be up for long.

Yori Yori

Yori Yori by Long T.

I usually think to take pictures wherever I go, but for some reason it slipped my mind when I went to Yori Yori, a Korean cafe in food court of the Super H Mart. I got lucky and Long T. gave me permission to use his photos. I have no basis to judge this restaurant, because it was my first taste of Korean food, but the reviews I read on line list this little eatery as being "authentic."

Pork Bulgogi with Kimchee by Long T.

I got the pork bulgogi, which came with white rice and the self-serve kim chee. The meal was more than filling and the kim chee was a very nice surprise, because it included not only the cabbage variety, but also bean sprout kim chee and a tasty spicy potato dish, as well. Bulgogi looked like it should be a spicy dish, but instead it was rather sweet. I think I would like to try another Korean restaurant so I will have something to compare it to, but for being in a food court, the food was pretty good, although it was a little greasy for my taste.

May's Beads

Turquoise Agate by Finijo

I found a great new store on Harwin for wholesale beads, May's Beads and Jewelry at 9818 Harwin Drive. This store has EVERYTHING. This is the largest bead selection I have seen in one store, and the prices are really low.

Pink Beads by Finijo

May's has every conceivable type of bead, from crystal and glass to coral, wood, and natural stone. Every color, shape, size, and texture. For anyone who enjoys beading, May's is a must.

Bargain Beads by Finijo

There are tables full of bargain beads. It is a bit of a chore to try to untangle them, but the prices and variety make the effort worthwhile.

Pendants by Finijo

The best find were the tables full of natural stone pendants. They are absolutely beautiful and they have a good selection of claps and findings. Their chain selection is lacking, but overall May's is fantastic for gift giving and jewelry making.

Cafe Kubo's Sushi

Combo Roll B by Finijo

GREAT new sushi place in Chinatown. It's in a really nice new strip center on 9889 Bellaire Blvd. Ste. 234. The food is really good and the prices are super low. I was introduced to Cafe Kubo's Sushi by Mrs. Foster, a Japanese woman who belongs to my Buddhist organization. She is really picky about Japanese food, so I knew it had to be good. My favorite is the Roll Combo B at $8.49, you get a California Roll (8 Pieces), a Spicy Tuna Roll (8 Pieces), and Crunchy Eel Roll (4 pieces). You can see in the photo that the presentation is artful, and they use three colors of roe - red, green, and black.

Bento by Finijo

Connor likes the Chicken Teriyaki bento box, which is a steal at $6.99. It includes salad, pickle, broccoli, a dumpling, rice and edamame. The atmosphere is very casual and brightly colored in green, orange, and white. There is even a couch and cushy chairs, if you feel like just having coffee or tea with friends. If the great food, funky atmosphere, and low prices weren't enough, Cafe Kubo's also has free wi-fi. It's no wonder that I have been back almost weekly since I was introduced to this little gem.

Ramune

Ramune Marble by Finijo

This is a macro of the marble that is found in Ramune (there is an accent over the e), a carbonated beverage from Japan. The marble doesn't seem to block the flow of liquid, nor does it come out, unless you break the bottle. The bottle has indentations that look like eyes and the marble settles between them like a nose. I was told that it tastes something like sprite. Wikipedia has a brief article about it here.

Ramune by Finijo

I also found while researching the product that people collect the marbles and one woman was selling jewelry made from the marbles on line. The drink is available in the US at Japanese restaurants and grocery stores. I was introduced to the drink at Kubo's - a sushi cafe on Corporate between Bellaire Blvd. and Harwin. Mrs. Foster, who is Japanese, recommends Kubo's because the food is authentic, cheap, and delicious. I am a fan now, too.

Happy New Year!!

I went to the early meeting at SGI this morning and greeted the New Year by chanting and laughing. It was a very good way to get a fresh start. The entertainment for the morning included the Taiko Drummers from the youth division of SGI. I love the enthusiasm on their faces while they perform. They keep getting better every time I see them.