[Filtered to Friends]

Hakkai's had his surgery, and we're back at the hotel. Everything went well, and he's resting. We'll be back home on Saturday.

[Filtered to Tatsumi, Tsuzuki, Seto, Jounouchi, Mokuba, and Shizuka]

Everything's set for tomorrow. Po-san will be bringing the food by at noon while 'Kai's over helping Shui with the chibis' lunch. So anytime between noon and one would be good.

[Filtered to Piper and Leo]

If you'd like to orb into Chang'an tomorrow evening, we'll be having cake and ice cream for Hakkai. Tatsumi and Tsuzuki are bringing Seto, Jounouchi and the kids by in the afternoon, but I'm sure they'll still be here if you come.

(OOC to Piper-mun: Party is to be handwaved, so if you want them to drop by like he suggested, that's cool. ^_^)

The last of the latest recruitment of monks and acolytes has arrived. David, the young priest that assisted Hakkai and I in Cardiff, was the first. He got to Chang'an nearly two weeks ago, and is already doing a better job as Clerc Abbot than his predecessor could have dreamed of doing. He's the only monk that came from Cardiff this time around, but he did provide recommendations for a couple of our new arrivals- a young acolyte from the London area, and an older monk from Belgium. We have another young teishi from a temple orphanage in Beijing, and the rest came from various small villages around China. That part was a collaborative project between Kougaiji and myself, as I wanted individuals who could see and appreciate both sides of the youkai/human equation. And I'm fairly confident I obtained my objective. The abbot still remains- even I can't rid the temple of him without word from the higher-ups- and there are a scant handful of the original Keiun priests as well. However, (beyond the abbot, of course), those who remain have always been respectful and polite- at least, to our faces- and they've never openly spoken out against the orphanage or the children. Naturally, I'm keeping my eyes and ears open, but for the interim, I feel fairly satisfied with how things stand.

Happy Birthday, Piper. I hope it's as wonderful as you deserve it to be.

Happy Birthday, Owen.

It's been a while since I posted, but as they say, no news is good news. Save for the constant stream of company we've had pretty much since the end of May, it's been fairly quiet here in Chang'an. And I'm not complaining a bit. The children are well, the garden is growing, and save for a few pains in my ass who will soon be shipping out, things at the temple are going alright as well. Beyond that, there really isn't much to say- except that Hakkai was far too modest in his post about his dans. *smirks* As I said in my response to him, he was amazing.

These ones from chigong_master

Miso- My favorite thing to eat, especially if 'Kai makes it. It's a broth made of soybean paste, water, carrot, onion and seaweed. Miso served with plain, steamed rice is probably my favorite meal. Hakkai's miso is absolutely the best I've ever had.

Heart- something essential to living, and I don't merely mean in an anatomical sense. I was clinically alive for years with the heart beating in my chest, but it wasn't until I found my true heart in Hakkai that I actually started to live.

Fate- something pre-destined to happen. Fate is not taught in Buddhism. According to the Buddha, such things as fate and luck do not exist. Everything happens because of a specific action, behavior or reason. I used to believe the same. However, I've seen too much in this world, in my own life, to deny the existence of fate. That doesn't mean that one still isn't in control of their destiny, however. Fate may pre-destine something to happen, but it is still up to you how you react to the occurrence.

Light- The opposite of darkness. Every individual has both light and darkness within them, though one is usually more prevalent than the other. Events within our lives cause the darkness and light to ebb and flow, and if one is prone to the darkness, it can overwhelm them and take control. Goku used to call me his sun when he was younger, and Hakkai calls me his light. He is my light, too. Without him, I have no doubt the darkness within me would have consumed me by now.

Hate- Hate isn't something to be tolerated in Buddhism. Together with greed and ignorance, it makes up what the religion calls the three poisons. It's a strong and dark emotion, the weight of which supposedly keeps one from reaching enlightenment. I carry a great deal of hate within me, and while I can see what it is they are saying, I don't feel badly for the hate I carry. It serves as both a motivator and a reminder, and when it threatens to become too strong, I have my light to pull me back from the darkness.

from blueeyedkaiba

Beer- My favorite alcoholic beverage, with good sake being a very close second. Tsingtao from a can is my beer of choice, followed by the Japanese Asahi.

Karma- The circle created by actions and consequences of those actions. One way or another, Karma always finds its way back, usually to bite you in the ass. *smirk*

Fighting- synonymous with living. You give up the fight, you give up your life, whether that means actually dying, or just burying your head blindly in the sand until you suffocate to death while life passes you by, like so many of my "brethren" are prone to do. *snorts*

Destiny- The path one walks through life. Each person is responsible for their own destiny, and their paths change based on their actions, reactions and behaviors. The only one truly in charge of your destiny, and thus your life, is yourself.

Friends- Something that, for many years, I neither wanted nor needed. Or so I thought. I've since been shown the error of my ways, and while I'll never be Mr. Sociable, the friends I do have are invaluable to me.

Words, from chefpiper. She gives the words, I define them as to what they mean to me. If you want words from me, reply.

monks: I'm a Buddhist monk. The 31st Sanzo priest of China. I've been a monk all my life, and I obtained my title of Sanzo when I was 13. Beyond being my occupation, the word 'monk' is equivalent to pain in the ass to me. I can count on one hand the number of monks I've met who I haven't wanted to kill.

gun: Smith and Wesson. My constant companion since I was 13 years old, and for years the only one I thought I could count on. Things have changed, and I'm not quite as antisocial as I used to be, but I still very rarely go anywhere without my piece.

chibis: There are twenty-eight chibis (or children) in the orphanage over which I have control. *smirk* I say I have control, but actually Hakkai does all of the work. They can be a handful, but I care for each one of them, and it's the most meaningful work I've done since becoming a priest.

peaches: The best fruit in existence. I've yet to have peach anything that I haven't liked.

meditation: The act of removing myself from my surroundings, focusing my mind and clearing my thoughts. I hold more stock in meditation than in prayer. I have never failed to find an answer within myself, whereas the gods are renowned for withholding information- when they bother to respond at all.

Happy belated Independence Day to you Americans on the comm. It's been a quiet weekend here- quite the change of pace after the last month. Cam, I trust you made it home safely. And thank you again, my friend. As I said, your assistance was invaluable. Piper, I've been remiss in my attentions to you, and I'm sorry for that. But Hakkai has kept me posted on the goings on, and you have been in my constant thoughts. Hopefully, now that things have evened out for us both- at least for the time being- communication between us won't be as sporadic. Dean, wherever you ended up being, I hope you had plenty of beer and barbecue, and Lorne, I hope that, despite your location, you ended up being to celebrate your first July fourth with your son. And as for you, Seto... *smirks* I'm ready for round three whenever you are, my friend. *chuckles*