Showing posts with label community. Show all posts
Showing posts with label community. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 10, 2025

Making friends in Buddhist Vietnam

(What Susan Does) The kindness of strangers: a 12-year-old girl invited me home, and I said yes!
Vietnamese Buddhist nun after ordination
Buddhism in Vietnam (Vietnamese Đạo Phật, 道佛 or Phật Giáo, 佛教), as practiced by the Vietnamese people, is a form of East Asian Mahayana Buddhism, according to 2019 figures [1].

Buddhism is the second religion in Vietnam (though arguably the first since the U.S. Department of State's 2023 Report on International Religious Freedom cites Vietnam's "White Book" that the Buddhist population increased from nearly 10 million in 2008 to approximately 14 million in 2021, which accounts for 13.3% of the overall population of Vietnam).

Korean Beauty Expo influences the Vietnamese
According to the Vietnamese government's 2019 National Population and Housing Census, approximately 4.6 million individuals officially identified as Buddhists, representing 4.8% of the total population at that time.

Roman Catholics represented 6.1% of the total population in the same 2019 census.

The vast majority (83.6%) in this officially atheistic communist country stated that they have no [organized] religion or practice [the traditional] folk religion. More

Wednesday, October 29, 2025

Maybe Hitler was right. Whites-Only TN?


Republican-approved MAGA?
(NewsChannel 5) He thinks German Fuhrer Adolf Hitler was right. Now he wants a "whites-only community" (conceived of as a private "club" with a whites-only policy and perhaps a blood draw to test for "impurities" such as 1/16th Jewish or Black or colored "cooties") in the Deep South of Tennessee.

Frank Sinatra addresses some American Neo-Nazis. - How to talk to nice ICE officers.

Saturday, September 13, 2025

Regrow Altadena: Free Fest (9/13-14)


Regrow Altadena (BASEstud.io)
REGROW ALTADENA: Here's the overview: We are hosting a "FREE Regrow Altadena: Resilient, Sustainable Communities" beginning on Saturday, Sept. 13th.

This FREE two-day event brings together innovation and community, featuring resilient and affordable homebuilding and home hardening solutions, people-focused mobility, community emergency hub concepts, and shared neighborhood resources like solar, fire detectors, and gardens.

The program also features panel conversations (one with Dharma Buddhist Meditation's Seven)—hosted by and centered on Altadena voices—with active audience participation.
TOPICS INCLUDE:

RESILIENCE and COMMUNITY ASSETS Community + Climate + Culture
🌱 Regrow Altadena is where innovation meets community.

Join R.A. for two days of hands-on climate solutions, resilient home ideas, shared gardens, local food, and music that moves the soul. And all of it is 100% FREE.

Together, we’re building a future where neighborhoods are stronger, greener, and more connected. #RegrowAltadena #ClimateSolutions #CommunityStrong

Hands in the soil, feet on the dance floor
We're here to rock out and move our bums!
From solar powered neighborhoods to thriving community gardens, Regrow Altadena is about solutions all can see, taste, and feel. And yes—it’s free with live music.

Music by Soul Force Project (with Paul Livingstone, Alma Cielo, and band). 🎶 Bring family, ideas, and some dancing shoes! #ClimateAction #LocalLove

Where neighbors become a movement
This isn’t just an event—it’s a blueprint for a resilient Altadena. 🌞 Affordable, fire-hardened homes 🌿 Fresh, local food 🎵 Live music that keeps us inspired Come for the ideas. Stay for the connection. Leave with hope. #Vegan #ResilientCommunities #ClimateFuture

Power in what we share 🌞

The sun will rise again over this city.
From solar panels to shared gardens, Regrow Altadena is about building community assets that keep us strong. Add fire detectors, clean energy, and the wisdom of local voices—and together we’ve got a neighborhood that thrives, no matter what comes our way. FREE and for everyone. #SharedStrength #CommunityPower

Voices + Solar + Safety Altadena’s greatest resource? Its people. 💬 That’s why Regrow Altadena is weaving local voices together with practical tools—solar power, thriving gardens, and fire detection that saves lives. Because resilience isn’t built alone—it’s built together. #ResilientTogether #LocalVoices

BUILD BETTER & HOME HARDENING Safer Homes, Stronger Communities 🏡✨ Regrow Altadena is FREE and open to everyone! Learn how to fire-harden a home and keep our neighborhoods resilient. Add in local food, gardens, and live music—and we’ve got a weekend that’s both fun and future-proof. #FreeEvent #ResilientHomes

Protect what's loved

Wildfires are real—but so are solutions. 💪 At this FREE Regrow Altadena event, discover simple ways to make local homes more fire-resistant, explore resilient community ideas, and celebrate with food, neighbors, and live music. Let’s protect Altadena, together. #FireSafe #CommunityStrong

From Roofs to Roots FREE weekend event → real-world solutions. 🔥 Fire-hardened homes 🌱 Community gardens 🎶 Local music 🌞 Clean energy Regrow Altadena is where resilience meets joy. Bring family, connect with neighbors, and leave with tools to build a safer, greener future. #FreeEvent #ResilientAltadena #ClimateAction

Build homes that stand strong
Learning from Pacific Palisades Fire 2025
🏡 Fire seasons are changing—but our homes can adapt. At Regrow Altadena, explore fire-resilient building ideas: ember-resistant materials, smart design, and landscaping that protects. It’s FREE, it’s practical, and it’s about protecting what we love most—our families and our community. #FireResilientHomes #StrongerTogether

Safer by Design 🔥 The future of homebuilding is fire-resilient. From non-combustible, fast, and efficient new build solutions to defensible space, Regrow Altadena is bringing builders, designers, and neighbors together to share the tools and know-how. All free. All for a safer and more connected community. #ClimateReadyHomes #ResilientLiving

Tomorrow’s Homes, Today We don’t just rebuild—we rebuild smarter. 🌿 Join us at Regrow Altadena to learn how homes can be both beautiful and fire-resilient, Free resources, free inspiration, and live music to fuel the spirit. #FireSmart #CommunityStrong

PEOPLE FOCUSED MOBILITY Streets for People FREE event 🚲🚶‍♂️ Regrow Altadena is about people-first mobility: safer streets, green transit, and walkable neighborhoods. Come imagine a future where getting around is healthy, fun, and connected. #MobilityForAll #FreeEvent

Move together

What if streets were built for people, not just cars? 🚦 At FREE Regrow Altadena, explore people-focused mobility solutions, from walkable design to clean transport. Plus food, music, and neighbors. #CommunityStrong #MobilityMatters #FreeEvent

Step Into the Future Resilient streets, safe walking, clean rides. 🚴‍♀️ At Regrow Altadena, we’re reimagining mobility—together. It’s FREE, it’s fun, and it’s for everyone. #PeopleFirst #ClimateSolutions

CLEAN and HEALTHY LIVING Eat Green, Live Clean FREE event! 🥗🌱 Discover plant-powered meals, local gardens, and fresh ways to eat clean and live healthy. Add in music and community—this is food for body + soul. #PlantBasedLiving #EatGreen

Fresh from the garden, straight to the table
Can we grow groves of delicious fruit?
At Regrow Altadena, taste how clean eating and local growing can transform our health. Vegan flavors, fresh ideas, and music that moves us—all FREE. #HealthyEating #VeganVibes

Food That Loves You Back Plant-based. Fresh. Local. 🌿 Join us at FREE Regrow Altadena and explore how clean eating fuels healthy, resilient living. Bring an appetite for change (and good food). #CleanAndGreen #EatLocal #FreeEvent

Rebuilding with native plants panel
FIRE-ADAPTIVE VEGETATION and HEAT ISLANDS Cool the Block, Protect the Home FREE event 🌱☀️ Learn how fire-smart gardens and shade trees can keep our homes safe and our streets cooler. Solutions that grow with us. #FireSmart #BeatTheHeat
  • PANEL on Sunday at 7:00 pm focuses on fire risk. Rising temperatures are reshaping how communities manage landscapes. This panel explores how native vegetation, shaded corridors, and green infrastructure can reduce wildfire risk while lowering urban heat. Panelists discuss approaches to land stewardship that balance ecological health with public safety, how residents can turn yards, parks, and public spaces into buffer zones against wildfires and extreme seasonal temperatures.
Green Shields Against Fire + Heat Plant choices matter. The right trees and gardens can protect homes from fire and cut neighborhood heat. 🌿

🔥 Find out how at FREE Regrow Altadena—where solutions grow stronger together. #ClimateReady #ResilientAltadena #FreeEvent

Shade, Safety, and Shared Roots: From cooling tree canopies to fire-hardened yards, we’re building a safer, cooler future—together. 🌳 Join us for FREE workshops, food, and music at Regrow Altadena. #FireResilient #CoolCommunities

FUTURE ALTADENA Future Altadena: Strong roots, bright future

🌄 What does tomorrow look like for Altadena? A community that protects its people, preserves its history, and plans smart for the future. At Regrow Altadena, the Future Altadena panel will explore how neighborhoods can thrive through thoughtful design, resilient infrastructure, and equity-centered growth. FREE, community-driven, and full of inspiration. #FutureAltadena #ResilientCommunities

Imagine Altadena, Reimagined ✨ The future isn’t something that happens to us—it’s something we build together. From local identity and grassroots organizing to climate-ready development, the Future Altadena panel brings voices from across the community to shape a stronger, more sustainable tomorrow. And yes—there’s food, music, and connection. All FREE. #AltadenaStrong #CommunityFuture

From Past to Future, Together Altadena’s story is rooted in resilience. 🌳 Now it’s time to write the next chapter. At Regrow Altadena, the Future Altadena panel dives into how housing, small business, culture, and green innovation can create a future where everyone thrives. Join us—free, local, and full of ideas worth sharing. #FutureAltadena #CommunityStrong

CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS
The BASEstud.io Regrow Altadena Expo is looking for dedicated volunteers to help facilitate our two-day event focused on resilient, sustainable communities. This is a unique opportunity to gain experience in event management, network with innovators, and support community-responsive innovation.

Our exhibitors and speakers will focus on practical solutions for sustainable rebuilding. If you have a passion for climate solutions, green technology, or community impact, we'd love to have you on our team. Volunteer roles offer a behind-the-scenes look at the future of sustainable development. Learn more and apply to volunteer here.

Let's restore the foothills with native plants.
Want to build resilient communities? 💪 Volunteer for the BASEstud.io Regrow Altadena Expo! Help innovators and neighbors on Sept. 13-14th and make a tangible impact. ➡️ Learn more and APPLY TO VOLUNTEER HERE. #RegrowAltadena #Volunteer #CommunityBuilding #Altadena Join the BASEstud.io family!

🌱 Help us create a more sustainable Altadena at our two-day Expo, Sept. 13-14, 2025. Meet awesome people, learn about green innovation, and give back. Sign up. #Altadena #VolunteersNeeded #CommunityImpact #SustainableLiving

Gain behind-the-scenes experience at the BASEstud.io Regrow Altadena Expo, Sept. 13-14. Network with innovators from LACI and help build a greener future. Volunteer with us! #VolunteerOpportunity #CleanTech #EventManagement #LACI #ResilientCommunities

Wednesday, August 27, 2025

Day 3: Burning Man's 'O*gy Dome' down


The Orgy Dome is down?
Nobody goes to the desert to get all voyeuristic, except these people in a long line to get in.
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What kind of world do we want?
First of all, what is an "Orgy Dome"? That's kind of hard to explain. It's sort of like this dome, a tent, with an orgy inside, and by orgy we mean a consensual communal experience with probably more sand and grit than anyone would ideally want to be present at a time like this. Bring wipes. Maybe Diddly brand coconut oil, too. No, no, no oil, but water-based lube. And be very MINDFUL. There are Ten Principles to follow in general and special safe practices, consenting obligations, and lots of checking in to make sure everyone is all right and enjoying it.
The Orgy Dome is down for 2025 due to winds.
What happed to the Orgy Dome? The wind at the beginning blew it over, scattered, and destroyed it. The site has an Instagram. Orgy Dome 🌈💜✨ (@orgydome) • Instagram. But Billboard's Instagram states: Burning Man’s infamous Orgy Dome won’t be opening this year [2025] after hurricane-force winds tore the structure apart over the opening weekend. 🌪️ Organizers say they’re safe but unable to repair the dome in time, though they still plan to host smaller workshops on the playa. The storm also destroyed major installations like Ukraine’s 50-foot Black Cloud, marking yet another year of extreme weather challenges at the Nevada summer desert festival.⁠ ⁠ More details on the Dome and other installations that were damaged by heavy winds are at the link in bio. More TMZ confirms it.

Day 3: Trapped in the mud at Burning Man 2025 – Daily Vlog

(Escaping Normal Life) Aug. 27, 2025: Day 3 at Burning Man 2025 turned into pure muddy survival. A massive rainstorm hit the playa, flooding everything and turning Black Rock City into deep, sticky clay mud. I was trapped inside my tent for hours, unable to move my bike or even walk through the sludge.

In this daily vlog, I share what it was really like being stuck in the rain and mud, how I managed to stay (somewhat) dry, and the chaos happening all around camp.

This is what Burning Man 2025 looks like when the weather shuts everything down. If you’re preparing for Burning Man or curious about the real, unfiltered experience of surviving the playa during a storm, this vlog shows the raw reality of what happens when the desert turns to mud.

Venmo: venmo.com/u/escaping_normal_lifeFound this video helpful? Consider donating. I currently do not have a Patreon or a YouTube Member page because they take a percentage. Also, Super Thanks takes a percentage on YouTube. So I do have a Venmo that is 100% donated to me. These donations go straight to my channel to purchase better camera gear to make better content.
What is "gifting" (dana)? It is one of the Ten Principles of Burning Man's ethos for better world

Saturday, July 26, 2025

Prayer for Earth Altadena Mural (July 27)

Large scale mural art to raise awareness about wildlife
FREE art, vegan food, and community to save the planet and all Earth's inhabitants!
HELP: Ekaterina Sky's Altadena Mural (tilted on its side)

FULL PROJECT OVERVIEW
You're invited: Prayer for the Earth – A Community Mural in Altadena

Join us in creating a powerful mural that brings our community together for healing, remembrance, and reconnection with Nature, especially in the wake of the recent Eaton and Palisades Fires.

This is a four-day community art build, and you’re welcome to join for one day or all of them:
    Alex Grey would like it.
  • Thursday, July 24 (4:00–9:00 PM), wall building and assembly
  • Friday, July 25 (starts at 3:00 PM), base painting begins and evening design mapping
  • Saturday, July 26 (all day or about 11:00 am to 9:00 pm), taping and background painting
  • Sunday, July 27 (3:00–9:00 PM), prayer writing, sealing with gold, and a community celebration (with vegan potluck).
  • RSVPpartiful.com/e/MS6y8u2DAFrgzoX2v0Bz
DONATIONS:
LOCATION:
  • 34.185159, -118.132053
  • Behind former Oh Happy Day Vegan Café in Altadena and Rhythms of the Village (across street from Grocery Outlet)
  • (Enter driveway on E Mendocino St., behind Jack in the Box)
Prayer: FULL PROJECT OVERVIEW
This project was initiated through the invitation of John Hopkins Oh Happy Day Café and Grocery. Together, we’re building something that honors grief, invites hope, and reminds us of our deep connection to one another and the Earth.

This is for you if you care about Altadena, the planet, or the power of collective healing.

No experience needed — just bring your presence. Whether you come to build, paint, write a prayer, or simply witness, you’re welcome.

Supported by:
  • LA Climate Week @climatedesignersla
  • Collidescope Foundation @laclimateweek
  • Climate Designers LA @collidescopefoundation
  • Plant Based Treaty @plantbasedtreatyla @plantbasedtreaty
  • Soul Force Project @soulforceproject
  • Support + Feed @supportandfeed
  • Veggie Grill @veggiegrill
  • (Plus @ganahllumberco @fairoaksburger @graphenstone)
Let’s make something beautiful together.

Ekaterina Sky - Impact Artist - Muralist (@ekaterina.sky.art) • Instagram
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Let’s gather. Let’s honor what’s been lost. Let’s paint something that carries our prayers into the future.
With love and care,
Ekaterina Sky (FULL PROJECT OVERVIEW)
Visual Artist & Facilitator of Prayer for the Earth

Friday, July 25, 2025

HELP: Ekaterina Sky's Altadena Mural

Contact (ekaterina-sky.com) || Contact | (ekaterina-sky.art)
Help wanted: We need your participation to create a better world, save the planet, and heal!

Altadena Mural Project is planned for Thursday, July 24, 5:00 pm through Saturday, July 26, 9:00 pm, on Lake Ave. in Altadena, LA County. RSVP to see full location details.
Full Project Overview
I paint by inspiration, downloading visions.
YOU are invited: Be part of the Prayer for the Earth Mural Project in Altadena. This is a community art offering for healing, hope, and reconnection.

Through the invitation of John Hopkins and Sev Dhar of Oh Happy Day Vegan Café and Grocery in Altadena, we welcome you to join the creation of Prayer for the Earth — a mural that honors grief, inspires renewal, and reminds us of our deep connection to nature and one another.

This project is a space for community healing, artistic expression, and collective visioning.
✨ How You Can Participate
(Final schedule to be confirmed — all events will take place during the weekend of July 25–27)

Prayer for the Earth Mural Weekend: July 24–27, 2025
Final schedule to be confirmed
FULL PROJECT OVERVIEW
🔨 Wall Building and Assembly - Thursday, July 24th (4:00-9:00 pm): Help construct the mural wall (building and assembly of portable wall) — the physical and symbolic foundation of this prayer for the planet.

🎨 Background Painting Days - Friday, July 25th (3:00 pm base painting begins: Join in painting the mural’s first layers. No experience needed — just bring your heart and hands.

🕊 Intention and Prayer Writing - Saturday, July 26th (all day, taping and painting the background): Gather with us to write personal and collective prayers for the Earth and Altadena — adding soul to the mural’s core.

🌿 Final Reveal and Community Celebration - Sunday, July 27 (3:00 pm intentions, prayer writing; 5:00-9:00 pm, sealing prayers and community celebration): Join us for a closing ceremony with sound healing, community talks, spoken word poetry, and music as we unveil the finished mural together.

Next Zoom meeting: Wednesday, July 23
🌍 Supported by:
We welcome more partners, volunteers, and local community members to help bring this vision to life. If YOU care about Altadena post Eaton Fire, the Earth, or the power of collective healing — this is your invitation. Whether you build, paint, pray, or simply witness, your presence will leave a mark.

With care and gratitude,

Ekaterina Sky (ekaterina-sky.com)
Visual Artist and Creator of Prayer for the Earth