Unknown Buddhist

As a frequent traveler, I have come across many instances where my Buddhist training left me unprepared.  Of course one may heard of Buddhist monk who opened the emergency exit of an airplane just prior to take off for some fresh air. Also, Buddhist Monk Kenki Sato will saddle up for London 2012, s he’ll be representing Japan in the Olympics. And the biggest: Forbes reporter Clare O’Conner discovered a Buddhist monk is behind the 5 Hour energy drink phenomenon that has a 90%-near monopoly of the energy shot market.

Still, for this Buddhist, traveling represents some of the most trying experiences for those seeking true patience.  For instance, Friday the 13^th, I spent approximately three (3) hours in an American Airline plane awaiting gate clearance at Chicago – Ohare International Airport. Upon departure, I spent another two hours in a different American Airline plane.

As flights were delayed at both O’Hare following sudden thunderstorms, I spent much of the time listening to music and reminding myself of living in the moment.  But I have to tell you, living on a stuck plane for nearly five (5) hours total tests any traveler’s patience.  If personally believe that even if the Saints had patience, one of them would have killed for it.

Imagine sitting on a completely full flight, in one position, looking straight ahead … for five (5) hours. Can’t speed up, can’t turn left and can’t turn right.  But the kudigraw goes to the woman in seat ‘27 A’ (meaning right behind me) who whips out her iPhone and proceeds to discuss her menstrual flow with her daughter.  Seriously, if I had a gun, I would have shot her … or maybe myself or both of us.

I know … I know … maybe she didn’t think her conversations traveled that far, but in fricking packed plane, waiting several hours, the ripple of anything other than flight crew is going receive fine tuning by any and all passengers. After a few minutes, I wanted to turn around and query:

“Is there any reason why I must be part of this conversation?”

In the span of ten years of travel, I have heard some strange stuff: from the time a passenger called his wife via an inflight phone to say he was calling inflight on an inflight phone. What the hell is it with these people? And why do airlines allow us (i.e., the nutso passengers) to board the plane with cell phones? So think about it, TSA, in some cases, will go so far as to not let you bring a bottle of water on a plane, but they’ll let you bring a cell phone that can potentially disrupt navigation systems?

That thought reminds me of the scene from The West Wing, Season One “Pilot:”

The shades are drawn and many of the passengers are sleeping, except TOBY

ZIEGLER, who is busy typing on his laptop.

FLIGHT ATTENDANT 1:

“We ask at this time that you turn off all electronic devices, stow your tray tables and return your setbacks to the full and upright position. We will be landing shortly at Washington-Dulles Airport.”

FLIGHT ATTENDANT 2

[approaches Toby] “Sir, I need you to turn off your computer.”

TOBY ZIEGLER

“I’m just about done.”

FLIGHT ATTENDANT 2

“I need you to turn off your laptop, sir. It interferes with our navigational systems.”

TOBY

“You know when you guys say that, it sounds ridiculous to most people, right?”

FLIGHT ATTENDANT 2

“Sir…”

Another Flight Attendant approaches.

FLIGHT ATTENDANT 3

“Mr. Ziegler? A message was just patched up to the cockpit for you. I’m not sure I’ve got it right. POTUS in a bicycle accident?”

TOBY

[stops typing and looks up] “You got it right.” [reaches for his cell phone]

FLIGHT ATTENDANT 2

“You can’t use your phone until we land, sir.”

TOBY

“We’re flying in a Lockheed eagle series L-1011. It came off the line 20 months ago and carries a Sim-5 Transponder tracking system. Are you telling me I can still flummox this thing with something I bought at Radio Shack?”

FLIGHT ATTENDANT 2

“You can call when we land, sir.”

TOBY

[calling as she walks away] “Also, I never got my peanuts.”

Sorry to say, there’s no magic answers when dealing with all this crap. Accept it – that some days being in the ‘moment,’ require some extra assistance. Recently I acquired a set of Westone 4r earphones. So when faced with the biggest challenges, sometimes it’s simply easier to pull out my ‘Westie 4s’ and drown out the world with some peaceful music.

Peace to all … even to the lady in seat ‘27 A.’

At various moments throughout each day, I am able to catch the news. Yet sitting in an upstate Pennsylvania restaurant, I grimaced while watching Penn State Trustees respond to Louis Freeh’s report.

I literally shuddered listening to Freeh’s comments, “The most powerful men at Penn State failed to take any steps for 14 years to protect the children who Sandusky victimized,” he said. “Messrs. Spanier, Schultz, Paterno and Curley never demonstrated, through actions or words, any concern for the safety and well-being of Sandusky’s victims …”

Being the people at the top, Chair Karen Peetz, Penn State president Rodney Erickson and board member Kenneth Frazier faced 70 reporters, photographers, and TV cameramen in an honorable, but flailing attempt to ensure “an event like this never happens again in our university” and implementing a series of reforms.

And that’s always the caveat, implementing reforms. Our failures to properly regulate, causes tremendous pain. Need examples? Ok, here are a few:

• Bob Diamond of Barclays (BCS) was the latest CEO of an international bank to be hauled before a government body to explain and atone for the sins of employees.
• JPMorgan Chase & Co sacrificed investment chief Ina Drew in response to trading losses reaching $3 billion.
• In 2010, Hewlett-Packard’s CEO Mark Hurd resigned after an investigation found he had an improper personal relationship.
• Ousting of CEO Bill Johnson after one day on the job at an estimated cost of $44 million isn’t going to help.
• Gary Foster, a former vice president of Citigroup’s internal treasury finance unit embezzled $19 million from various accounts Citi accounts and into his personal JPMorgan Chase account. (I hope Ina Drew sucked it dry).
• Rita Crundwell, who handled all of the Dixon, Illinois city finances, embezzled a staggering $30 million in city funds.
•  Shawn Thomas Whiting, a former Boy Scout leader from Taylorsville, Utah, has been ordered to spend one to 15 years in prison for child pornography.
• Juan Antonio Rosa, 36, was sentenced to almost 22 years in prison for distributing child pornography to Wendy’s customers with their food.

And if you watched any of the news conferences, the replacements always talk ‘reform.’ In fact they talk so much about reform that the very word now means very little. We as leaders must remember that any control or reform we do … or don’t do … is simply easy news fodder. You will be checked, balanced, measured or critiqued. There are just too many computer software forensic tools to publicly state how fricking stupid you are and claim unaccountability. If you’re the guy at the top, whether good or bad, you’re a public dart board.

When caught in a ‘What the Frick” (otherwise known as WTF) moment, the moral failing is that we care more about reputation and honor than failures and victims. Sadly, it’s within the crossroads of pain and public introspection that convoluted personal value meets humility. And we all suffer greatly.

From the very beginning, all who entered the Penn State mess, auditor and leader alike had to willingly swallow the untenable truth: the very leaders entrusted to fight for the people who couldn’t fight for themselves allowed Sandusky to prowl. As I listened to recaps of Mr. Freeh and the Penn State Trustee news conference I am saddened at all the pain everyone had to endure. For those who suffered by the willingly disregard of human worth, either by prior or current Penn State employees, the pain these leaders suffered is miniscule.

To all leaders, we must remember to protect those to which we are entrusted. We are supposed to fight for all children.

Is it possible to really step back from the entitlement and selfishness? Imagine if we implemented all the proper controls from the beginning?

There would be no ‘reforms’ and a whole lot less pain.

————— Post Script —————

Botched trades by a JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM), that Jamie Dimon pushed to boost profit, were masked by weak internal controls and may ultimately saddle the bank with a $7.5 billion loss. During a July 13, 2012 earnings call indicated Dimon brushed off concerns raised by some of his most senior advisers, including heads of JPMorgan’s investment bank, about the lack of transparency and the quality of internal controls in the CIO in past years.

The company also said it would restate its first-quarter earnings because it was no longer confident that the company’s traders had fairly valued positions within the office that handled the controversial trades.

Throughout the call, Mr. Dimon told analysts that the company has strengthened its risks controls to stave off further losses.

A federal judge on Wednesday decided to continue to block a state law that threatened to shut down Mississippi’s only abortion clinic and make it nearly impossible for a woman to get the procedure in the state (see original post).

As you may recall, Mississippi state government said the privileges help protect patients by ensuring they have continuity of care if a woman needs to go to the hospital. They also note that while the clinic might have to wait to get hospital privileges, “inconvenience is not `irreparable harm.'”

Speaking on CNN’s Starting Point, Representative Mims noted, “We do believe this is a health care issue for women” and further indicated the law it’s designed to protect women’s health by ensuring continuous care in cases where the procedure goes terribly wrong.

From a 50,000 mile viewpoint, Representative Mims’ thought process almost sounds logical.  That is until one reviews other doctors who perform serious procedures in the office.

Let’s take one example: chiropractors. According Manta.com, there are 313 Offices and Clinics of Chiropractors in Mississippi. Whatstheharm.net has documented 312 people around the world who have suffered, injury, stroke or death from an improper neck adjustment.

So my question to Mr. Mims, Mississippi legislature and others who truly pursue this Mississippi law on the grounds of a healthcare issue, “Are chiropractors required to be certified with admission privileges at local hospitals?”

How about other doctors who provide and perform other services, which can go so wrong?

When one digs deeper than the 50,000-foot mark, Mississippi is continually rated one of the worst in healthcare.  And they still are today.

A Croatian woman says she sees the Virgin Mary on a daily basis. In doing so she drew a whole lot of people to a small Alabama town, with many of them traveling long distances to be near the self-proclaimed visionary. The fact that Roman Catholic leaders have discredited private visions has not stopped 60 volunteers at Caritas of Birmingham from working year-round to organize pilgrimages to Medjugorje in Croatia and running an extensive religious printing operation.

While I do believe there are times when Christ or the Virgin Mary may appear in response to a private prayer, I do not believe that one should continue draw the masses for such personal visions.  By doing so, this Croatian woman reminds me of a lot of Benny Hinn.

Dateline NBC reported in December 2002 that Benny Hinn has been scamming people for their money, falsely claiming healing that cannot be proved.  Mr. Hinn was asked to provide medical proof of the miracles he and his follower claim to be experiencing, but to date not one shred of definitive evidence has been provided. Still Mr. Hinn’s continues to draw millions of followers.

 In truth, many claim to have seen Jesus or the Virgin Mary.

Diane Duyser of Florida claimed her grilled cheese sandwich had the image of the Virgin Mary. Duyser claimed her sandwich had mystical power and actually helped her $70,000 at a nearby casino. Apparently in accordance to proper Christian ethics, she put that puppy (i.e, sandwich) up for sale on eBay and received $28,000.  Jesus once appeared on a dumpling. And of course, wanting to spread the passion of Christ, the owner sold it on eBay, receiving $1,775.

Jesus has also been known to show up on a Walmart receipt, an MRI, an iron, cat’s fur, in a bag of Cheetos and a frying pan. Likewise, the Virgin Mary has popped up on windows, the African sky and on top of a Coptic Orthodox Church in Egypt – for two years, etc., etc., etc.

From a scam perspective, all I can say is, “Don’t believe these people.”  Why?  Because on the second day of the Croatian’s Alabama visit, she announced the Virgin would appear at 6:40 p.m. As about 2,500 people gathered to pray in a field decorated with a statue of Mary, each prayed the rosary. The Croatian entered the room, prayed aloud, fell silent, moved her lips and looked upward. In end, the Croatian said, “She blesses you all.” That’s sort of like saying, “Thanks for coming folks and have a good trip back.”

Seriously, give me a frick’n break. Hell, I could do that.  I could even cook a cheese sandwich, wave it over your head and say, “Alleluia!”  From my perspective, it’s no different than what Hinn or this woman provided.

In truth, if you want to find Christ, follow his commands (Mathew 6:6), “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

Truly, God will probably not bless you because of a burnt cheese sandwich, a dumpling or Walmart receipt. God is more readily to be found in an intimate heart-filled conversation of prayer and love, between Father and child.

It is the intimacy that a door unto another world opens. This interaction is so dynamic that not even a Croatian woman in a field will ever fulfill.

Last night I watched a little known documentary: “The Artist Is Present.”

“The Artist Is Present,” is a 2010 retrospective of work by the artist Marina Abramovic performed at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Let me start by saying this documentary is not a critical review of Ms. Abramovic’s life. Except for a brief Fox News clip, there were no dissenting views. Rather, the film gave me a view so riveting that it wasn’t until my meditation this morning that I began to fully  comprehend why hundreds of thousands lined up at the MoMA.

In a meditative marathon, she quietly locked eyes with patrons, seared past the veneer and reached deep into any soul willing to offer a view. Over the course of several months, the amount of emotional energy exchanged, face to face one at a time, was immense. The case clearly made through the captivated and crying museumgoers.

According to Ms. Abramovic, “Through performance, I found the possibility of establishing a dialogue with the audience through an exchange of energy, which tended to transform the energy itself. I could not produce a single work without the presence of the audience, because the audience gave me the energy to be able, through a specific action, to assimilate it and return it, to create a genuine field of energy.”

From both a Buddhist and Christian perspective, it is this energy, this chi that made the movie and the experience. After watching this film, I now understand why great leaders such as Christ, Buddha, Gandhi, Dr. Martin Luther King and others were so effective at change. Each one of them was able to peel back the outer soul and see the humanity of another. There, in those powerfully brief moments, artist and patron became one, exchanged clemency and compassion.

Friends, this type of exchange, this compassion, is what Christ was all about. This level of love is what Buddha sought. Imagine if we could go home tonight and experience this type of deep dialogue with our spouse? What if one could tap into the pinnacle of Buddha, look into your child’s eye, and provide such profound compassion?

The depth found in this level of agape love lasts forever. And to paraphrase Christ (Matthew 28:20), it is the kind that ‘… is with you always, even unto the end of the age.”

Truly do that … in memory of Him.

The nuclear crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant in Japan was a “man-made disaster” that unfolded as a result of collusion between the facility’s operator, regulators and the government, an independent panel said in an unusually frank report Thursday.

The Fukushima Nuclear Accident Independent Investigation Commission outlined errors and willful negligence at the plant before the earthquake and tsunami that devastated swaths of northeastern Japan on March 11 last year, and a flawed response in the hours, days and weeks that followed. It also offers recommendations and encourages the nation’s parliament to “thoroughly debate and deliberate” the suggestions.

From a high-level perspective, most major disasters were man-made. For example, the ‘Great Recession’ was predominately man-made. And the very leaders who wrecked the world economy seem oblivious to the idea they may not be the best people to rebuild it. Obviously the Gulf Oil Spill would certainly be classified as man-made. Hurricane Katrina was more of a dual problem. Mind you, we are talking about the whole event: the natural disaster that was the hurricane and the various problems, those being man-made, and the government response that exacerbated the problems. And many, albeit a somewhat difficult argument, is the Iraqi War. Some consider that war, as well as, all those causalities (both American and otherwise) a huge made-made disaster.

Many years ago a military strategist made a strikingly observant comment, “As a national, we are great at blowing things up. But we seem incapable of rebuilding anything.”  The comment was not made in reference to say rebuilding the World Trade Center, it was critical observation of our capacity to rebuild an economy or nation.

And that is the crux of the argument: for most of us; we simply stink at building and rebuilding. We are unable to build quality relationships, unable to steer a nation out of debt, unable to reach across faith centered morals and help anyone, let alone someone specific in need.

I recently found a great quote, “Sometimes you must hurt to in order to know, fall in order to grow, lose in order to gain, because most of life’s greatest lessons are learned through pain.” Yes, it’s certainly a crazy world out there and there is no one single magic bullet. And true, we can learn many things via pain. But must we always continually have to repeat this process?

From my perspective, we live in a time of overwhelming righteous fury. Thus, I like most, have spent a significant amount of time on the fury versus transforming relationships lost to arguments or personal agendas. Instead, I now choose to identify from my where my emotions originate. I meditate with them and then choose to challenge the thoughts exacerbating them. By simply doing these things, I have found a way to significantly move from man-made disasters to rebuilding.

Life does not have to work through indecision. Indecision promotes blocks, confusion and stress. By working together, regardless of our righteousness, we can allow life to find movement through us. And by being a focal point of movement, we can then rebuild versus destroy.

Trust yourself to become the fulcrum you want to be.

As few would guess, I solely watch the Cubs only to see how they will lose.  But as a Buddhist, even living in that moment, I felt much of the game, even much of baseball as a whole, pretty damn boring.  Thus, in being proactive, I found other things by which to keep me entertained.

First thing I counted was the number of professional baseball players wearing either a Phiten rope or a whole lot of gold chains. Phiten claims to “stabilize your electric current inside the body” by “allowing the flow of energy.” If there was ever a market for absurd, there it is. But professional baseball payers are a superstitious bunch. And God knows, if they get something down pat and win, then they’ll perform that pre-game, post-game routine every day.

From what I have read over the years, baseball has many Monk wannabe’s. Many baseball players believe it’s bad luck to step on the foul line when running onto the field. My only thought there would be thank God they don’t play football. Others practice the same routine of tapping their bat a specific number of times on home plate when they come up to hit. Outfielder Moises Alou believed the best way to fix calluses was by peeing on them.

Also, the amount of jewelry some baseball players wear is unbelievable. Seriously dude, if the National Weather Service issues a Severe Thunderstorm warning, “I ain’t standn’ next to you.” That load of jewelry is nothing more than positive ground. And if you’re a baseball player who cannot understand that, I’m not explaining it. Google it!

Last summer I attended a minor league game, seating near the dugout. One of the players complained to another player how he needed to gain speed. My first thought was to tell him to drop the three pounds crap around his neck, but valiantly, I remained silent. And if you’re a baseball player who cannot understand the concept of weight and drag, I’m not explaining it. Google it!

Remember these players are our idols. Thus, the satirist within exclaims what’s good for baseball is good for the office.  I mean what better way to make the boss’ report disappear than by peeing on it. If we honor Wade Boggs, every project manager should eat an entire fried chicken before work. If we mimic Turk Wendell, then each of us should brush our teeth after every meeting. And while Kevin Rhomberg was obsessed by having to touch a person back if they touched him, we should honor him by touching everyone at work. (Some may call that sexist, but I’m noting going there).

Oh Lord, I can feel the love.

From Buddhist perspective, do not get carried away by superstition. Do not believe in deeds; rather aspire to results through personal effort in a rational way. By doing so, you will not be excited by wildly rumored superstition, talismans or lucky charms as they do not produce results. Remember faith can move mountains, but it’s only via practice can one actually hit a 93 mile per hour fast ball.

Ah, July 4th: food, fun and sun. Who could ask for more?

However, in the culinary world, the reigning champ of Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest, Joey “Jaws” Chestnut, is set to compete against a number of other contestants. Last year, Chestnut downed 62 Nathan franks in 10 minutes. I simply cannot imagine.

Yet, when it comes to July 4^th, there is nothing more mouth-watering than a couple of old standards: Vienna Beef and Hebrew National hot dogs. Buddhist or not, Vienna and Hebrew franks, when cooked on a grill, emit an ambiance of flavors unlike any other.

The best grilled hot dog ends crunchy dark brown, just a shade prior to black. Hebrew National purports a big Bayou flavor while I personally claim Vienna is the ultimate taste sensation, a religious experience unmatched by any other. Additionally, as a certifiable ‘Northerner,’ ketchup on a hot dog amounts to blasphemy.

As a kid, I used to proudly watch my ol’ man torch such lovely delicacies via Kingsford briquets. While some claim the many hazards of briquettes, I for one, could care less.  Most briquettes have some form wood char but they may also include some level of sodium nitrate, borax, mineral carbon and starch.  Personally, when comes to July 4^th, everyone needs a little borax. Right?

No one on my block could consider themselves barbeque aficionados without properly demonstrating proper culinary skills under the July sun.  Man-to-man, each house secretly competed against another for yearly braging rights for the year’s top honor. There was a certain aroma that intoxicatingly filled the summer breeze as children ran under sprinklers and threw firecrackers at ugly sisters.  For a kid with firecrackers, all sisters were ugly.

After secretly turning Buddhist several years ago, someone attempted to convert me to veggie dogs. I swear, I almost became Catholic. Accordingly, while veggie dogs may be great for your health they simply … ah … suck. Yes, yes … there’s simply nothing like barbequed soy protein and tofu on July 4^th.

So for all those Buddhists out there, for one day, July 4^th, enjoy the rapturous flavors of the mighty grill. Honor your inner caveman, pay alms to one another and enjoy a real Kingsford grilled dog.

And don’t forget the Kettle Chips … potato salad … and suffering in another Cubs loss … it’s all about tradition.

Regardless, as a Buddhist, enjoy each and every moment.

According to Wayne Dryer, your soulmate is not the person who always agrees with you or shares all the same interests. Rather, it is the person who can say one thing, pushes your button and you go into a frenzy. That’s your soulmate. Supposedly, they’re teaching you in that moment that you have not mastered yourself.

I thought of Mr. Dyer last night as I sat in complete peace, interrupted only by the one ‘Dipstick’ who seemed to reach within me and just went ahead and “Made my Day.” It’s not that I became ravenous mad, but my personal psyche was whacked, like a compass losing true north.  Sometimes, I think God is attempting to drive me insane, for there in the midst of my soul, I could easily summon painful cries of appeals to the Lord Jesus Christ and other dang spirit who would listen.  Yet, letting go of the internal tirade, all I could muster was a plain old sigh. I titled my head, rolled my eyes and slowly rose from my version of a luxury skybox: a brown leather La-Z-Boy recliner.

From a Buddhist perspective I know that I am in control: that the ability lay within me to control almost any situation … that I can respond versus reacting. But like many of us, while I am less responsible in the presence of certain dipsticks, I am, nonetheless, responsible.

I’m not trying to convince anyone that dipsticks don’t exist, but this experience teaches me I must continually accept responsibility for all of my actions – my thoughts, words, and deeds.  The world was not created for me and me alone. This is not only my schoolyard but it belongs to all. For good or bad, we are most uniquely interconnected and thus; there is no outside force that makes me behave individually stupid.

When faced with an inexplicable souldmate, it is important to remember that for some of people, life will never be right. The glass will always be half-empty. Others will not only see the glass half-empty, but god dang it, someone’s got a straw in there as well.

Maybe the meaning of it all is release. And by releasing, this person retains a sense of belonging and companionship. As Master Khan wisely pointed out, “Each man has the right to choose his enemies and his friends. He may choose unwisely, but the decision is his alone, to make. Then he must live with the consequences. And so must his enemies.”  I am I say, “…so must his friends.’

When the glass is half-empty, release the stress and be willing, if possible, to refill it. Do what must be done with a tame heart.

Seems strange: being on a Buddhist diet leads to suffering.  Think about it … the point of Buddhism is to end suffering, yet here I sit, at 1:52 PM Eastern, listening to my innards gurgled as though I came from an ‘Aliens’ movie.

Unbeknown to most, I took up eating an almost authentic Buddhist Diet upon embarking on this journey.  And to put it bluntly, the first three days were hell. After that, I made it through most days with occasional hunger pain here and there. Still, I tackle weight loss honorable, albeit, even if at times, somewhat unsuccessful.  I can’t say that I’ve had profound suffering. But I can say that I ravaged and entire Pizza Hut Pepperoni Pizza about a week ago. And was it good? Oh God yes! Fantastic. Loved it.

On a funny note, the Buddha found the solution to life’s persistent problems, including weight-related ones, is available right now and can be summed up in two simple words: look within. Personally, I looked within, further in and out. At the end of the day, what I truly found helpful for me was to clean out the dam frig, expunging all things bad and ugly. That’s right, I actually had to get rid of all the ice cream, frozen foods and peanut butter.  I even had to get rid of the potato chips.

For those in the dark, potato chips, especially Kettle Chips (KC), is my greatest friend. Whenever I was down and out, KC was there. KC and I live a sordid life of friendship and love.  Together we commiserated through a spouse’s depression, found peace after my accident, learned to re-walk, cried through the Cubs 2003 historic fold, taught my cat to understand ‘No’ and was very helpful in spinach and chip sandwiches.

Unfortunately, neither the cat nor the spinach sandwich was successful. But hey, in there interest of human progress I forged onward. I learned the two common toaster settings: burnt and not on. I thought about the ways of extracting the real lemon in Pledge … just to taste and curse at the Dairy Queen as I drove past.

Maybe I became a vegetarian because I was bad hunter. And that’s why my cat sometimes brings me half a mouse. I know he’s doing the ‘manly’ thing, sharing his prey with the family unit. But there’s little about a dead mouse that appears …. ah … satisfying. So while I think he loves me in some way, I also see him sleeping next to the barbecue grill lighter fluid. I liken this as a symbolic gesture of former days, when man and beast shared prey and licked themselves dry.

So onward Mr. Buddha I trudge. Onward to the goal of living well and doing myself no harm. In truth, I honestly have no clue how Buddha would live in our fast food, processed meal world.  But from personal perspective, one of the main principles of Buddhism is moderation. So I would say anything in moderation is fine but you have to try to maintain the balance.

Thus, I leave my weight loss (thus far) for your humor and enjoyment. As for the cat … he bows to the grill.