MIDWEST TOUR?
Sometime between August 2 and August 7, I will very likely be passing through the following cities:
Lexington, KY
Indianapolis, IN
Champaign, IL
Bloomington, IL
De Moines, IA
Dubuque, IA
And possibly Cedar Rapids, IA, Iowa City, IA or even Cincinnati, OH.
This would be on a drive from Knoxville, TN to Eitzen, MN where the Great Sky Zen Sesshin will take place (sign up now).
Is anyone in any of those cities or in any cities near those or along the route from Knoxville to Eitzen (it's near La Crosse, WI) interested in having me speak in their town? Hit me up at brad.warner@mac.com. Please understand, at this point I'm just driving through those cities. There are no gigs set up in any of them.
Otherwise I might just take a plane.
Also anyone who has contacted me about speaking gigs this Fall & has not heard back I probably lost your email. Please contact me again!
Posts
56 comments:
Bang!
If you come to Lexington I'm there! Have you thought about Louisville as well?
Hey Lexington! That's not how it works. I'm just driving through those places. If you want me to speak there you gotta help me set it up.
Hey I'll talk to the group of Zennies I sit with, we had the pleasure of Zuiko Redding coming by (Bloomington, IL) a few months ago, I'm sure we'd love to have you. I'll alert the media ;)
--matt
1-2-3-4
FIVE!
Brad, has anyone contacted you about a possible date at Guilford College just a few miles down I-40 from you in Greensboro ? It's a rather liberal (Quaker) college and only 2 miles from me!
But I wouldn't know whom to contact to arrange an engagement, so maybe someone READING THIS BLOG would!!!!
Bummed I won't be able to catch you. I get back to Lexington, KY the 11th after 2 months in Europe. I would love to hear you speak. Maybe some other time.
Brad,
1. Finally a podcast, thank you Dogen Sangha LA :)
2. There are 2 zendo's around my area in Tampa, FL. Tampa Zen Center is affiliated with the San Francisco Zen Center and Clearwater Zen Center is affiliated with the Philip Kapleau lineage.
If you're interested I could reach out to them; I'm not a regular member of either.
Buddy
cyrilgcoombsiii@yahoo.com
When spring comes the grass grows by itself.
Very useful. I mowed a bunch of lawns to buy my first bike.
I'm in Champaign and I would definitely go if you made an appearance here, but I really don't know anything about setting up something like this.
dude, it's all punk and shit. just set it up.
d. boon
Hi Brad. I emailed about the Indy stop yesterday. I'm also pretty close to Purdue University (West Lafayette) and I'm putting out some feelers with other local groups -- seeing if I can drum up some others.
Harry!
Thats mysterious or should i say
suspicious?
I was shocked!
I'll figure it out, how you do that.
No..., don't tell me.
Neart agus Onóir
Gerald
Its not that mysterious, Harry sits on this blog like a mother hen sits on her eggs.
Lincoln, NE isn't too far out of the way is it? It's a 3 hour drive from Des Moines.
Hmmm...
I'm a little bummed out. I got a call to go teach developmentally disabled students in summer school because the young people who should be employed doing this didn't bother to take the extra classes and get credentialed.
You know, baby boomers are going to start to die off - as mother nature culls out the herd - and you other wildebeests are going to have to take up the slack.
Except, with the Bush Depression in mid-course, don't expect to earn as much as we once did (e.g. before Reaganomics).
"Its not that mysterious, Harry sits on this blog like a mother hen sits on her eggs."
Good theory, but unfortunately a bit wide of the mark because, as is often noted by the grown ups, there's no chicks here!
Regards,
Cock-a-dude'll-do.
Eggs is not chicks yet, you've got to sit a bit longer, mate...
Eggs is not chicks yet, sit a bit longer mate.
Third times a charm? Sit on it Harry, you grown up, you know you like it.
I'm close to Indy and can help facilitate securing a venue there if I knew when you were coming. I'm friends with several yoga studio owners that would likely be open to having you speak. I'll feel some of them out and see what is already on their schedule. Anyone else interested in an Indy visit can reach me at Healingsounds@hotmail.com and we can combine efforts to make this happen.
Come to Cincinnati. It's a good time.
Hokai wrote:
Harry!
Thats mysterious or should i say
suspicious?
I was shocked!
I'll figure it out, how you do that.
No..., don't tell me.
Hokai, have you ever heard RSS alerts or feed alerts? You can get for example an email or a txt message when Brad posts a new post. ;)
And for your ears (eyes) only, I don't use automated feed alerts. I have feeds in my phone but I have to check them automatically so I don't receive any notification when Brad writes a new post. I'm not that interested. Sometimes I'm lucky and I'm number one. Harry is Irish (Leprechauns, gold pots and all that stuff) so I guess he's more lucky than I am. Harry, don't you eat 4-leaf clovers for breakfast and wash your face in the end of the rainbow?
Don't backtrack on us now Uku.. You gave out the secret the first time. I knew Brad was texting you and Harry, . It's one of the perks for his loyal DSI lackeys. That and carrying his bags when he's in town...
Someone should definitely set up a talk for Brad in Des Moines because I know I could get some people to go.
(whines:) "Hasn't anyone listened to the Podcast?" Hell no, just reading this blog is boring enough. How pathetic. See any comments on the precious Podddcast, B-rad?"
I really liked the podcast. I only wish there were more. I guess it's the closest thing to being able to go to one of his talks.
Podcast? I thought the podcast was a joke. Not as funny as one of mysterion's side splitters but funny. Was it a lesson too? Like, don't expect any wisdom from me mf'ers.
When the wise man points to the moon, Msyterion looks at his finger. And then, writes about it here, no matter what was being discussed before his epiphany.
The moon is where you see it
Anon @6.07pm demands responses to Brad's podcast. Ok, I'll bite. I was disappointed.
I've heard (a few times) and seen (once) Brad give his talk. He's been giving the same Hardcore Zen bio summary talk for some time - ever since he started touring, I imagine. When I saw him, almost a year ago, he introduced it with an apology: he was fed up with it; he enjoyed Q and As much more; he would make it brief (it lasted about 20 minutes, I guess).
Almost a year and very many appearances later, he's doing the exact same thing, except that the delivery is more accomplished and confident and the talk longer (certainly this time). Whether the majority of people coming to see Brad have read Hardcore Zen or not, are they showing up to hear a well-rehearsed routine from an author of books, or to hear something about Buddhdism from Gudo Nishijima's successor?
I think it's time for Brad to drop the biography, find a snappy new intro to kick off his public appearances and use the opportunity to turn the wheel.
No, no, no...
You've gotten it all wrong, oh ye of little faith! I'm psychic. My spiritual powers are just another manifestation of my deep love for Brad and his FairlyLargeMind process.
Regards,
Harry.
Harry's got his Buddhist mojo working..
CAPTCHA : spychel : I kid you not
Podcasts for the Podpeople.
How appropriate.
Does Mr. Warner also serve Kool aid at his public appearances?
108, I think that is valuable information for anyone considering booking Brad for a "Midwest Tour?" appearance or an appearance anytime.
Didn't he say something about paying attn to whatever was said at the end of the podcast? What was that?
I've yet to get through any of his talks on YouTube.
At the end of the podcast it stops. Was that some sort of zen koan perhaps?
Sure John. Just a personal reaction to one podcast.
I see that part 2 - the Q and A session - has just been uploaded (check the link in the previous post again). I haven't listened to it yet, but I will soon, and hope my initial concerns are proved baseless.
Anon#108,
It was my decision to make Brad's bio talk episode #1. I think it makes sense because while you and I have read hardcore zen and heard him give this talk, not everyone has. I've certainly heard him give this talk more times than you have! Sometimes, Brad is giving a talk as "guest Buddhist guy" and the audience is not there to see him specifically or even a Zen teacher specifically, let alone Nishijima's heir. At least a few people have no idea who he is, even in Buddhist circles. So now, anyone interested can hear a version of "the hardcore zen talk" on the internet. Perhaps he won't have to give it again, but I doubt it.
Maybe you are unfamiliar with the podcasting format? A podcast is a syndicated show, like a radio show. Don't worry, I'm not going to post different versions of the same talk over and over. The Q&A from the same talk is up now (or will be soon, I hope, depending on how you're accessing it).
Coming soon: "Sex and Buddhism" lectures, commentaries on an unpublished in English Kodo Sawaki text, and more.
...and the important announcement at the end of part one (@45.26) that you MUST pay attention to is regarding regarding - -
THE ENLIGHTENIZER!
(Don't delay. Order today.)
I hear ya, mtto. I'm looking forward to hearing what's to come.
A "podcast" you say? Yes - we have them too ;)
"Podcast? I thought the podcast was a joke."
Sorry Brad. The first time I listened to it I heard the music intro and then a few short words by you and it was over. So I literally thought the thing was a joke. Listened again and realized I missed a good part of it.
How are your "booking agents" doing?
Have they found 5 or 6 book gigs in transit?
cheers,
Chas
Anonymous Anonymous said...
"I'm in Champaign and I would definitely go if you made an appearance here, but I really don't know anything about setting up something like this."
1) go to a few web pages & print them out:
a) hardcore zen
b) sit down and shut up
c) zen, wrapped in karma
2) visit book stores big and small - remember the 'mom & pop' or young progressive types and tell them Brad is driving thru so it's a fee free event - see if they want a "reading and book signing" event.
3) Expect 6 to 8 'no way' answers for every nibble. 1 in 4 nibbles might result in a booked event. But these comments are a prophylaxis against setting your expectations too high. You never know until AFTER the fact.
4) coordinate a schedule with Brad - he has no publicist or booking agent.
The idea is that the store can sell some books and attract some interest - perhaps selling other books too. Authors make a lot more if they sell books but most stores frown on this. However, if they only stock 6 books and 12 people want to buy a signed book, then both store and author make a buck.
The economics are thus: the author gets -at most- $1 (from the publisher) for every book sold. If you are Dan Brown and sell 73 million books, it all works out.
For fringe press, the publisher might front you $20,00 or even $30,000 for a book but then you get NOTHING until 30,000 or 45,000 books are sold. In addition, the publisher might give you two gross (2 x 144 = 288) books to sell on your own or that many at 1/2 price to sell on your own. If you are LUCKY, the publisher will do that on a floating basis - e.g. sell you 288 books periodically at 1/2 the MSRP.
All in all, if you think you can make more than $3000 a year selling your own books, think again. The average is FAR less than that (even when you count in the Dan Browns of the biz).
And by all means, if you have the time - and tenacity - go for it!
ga-sho-nuff
o-cha-ryu
@anon #108
I agree. When Brad talked in Wuppertal/Germany, I thought, man, this boy is exhausted. On a neverending-tour round the world and always the same story to tell. BORING!
I expected a profound little teisho, but it was a FAQ. It was fun too. I thought, what'll happen next?
A book about travelling around the world, telling storys about weird hardcore-metal-erotic-stores, having fun with his dudes on stage or looking after the last copy of a bootleg from the late Dimentia13
before they split?
@UKU
I agree with 108 the merciless.
you put Brad on a boat and God knows, what Harry has done with our Bradness in Belfast? Showing him all the dark places, where injured male vanity wreak havoc?
This guy is beyond, but what should he do the next 45 years?
Ask Buddha, he's one step ahead.
Horridoh,
Gerald
While we're waiting for Brad's podcast series to fill out, I thought I'd suggest a really enjoyable talk given by Norm Randolph on "Practice Without Expectations on the Dharma Field Center's free podcast section.
Also in light of Brad's previous 'Buddhism isn't Buddha's-ism' there's an engrossing talk by Stephen Batchelor on Deconstructing Buddhism .
It's quite long but very worth while, I think. Especially part three of the talk where he gets to the nitty-gritty on his ideas on the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta and the four noble truths.
I was so impressed I even took the time to transcribe the extract where he read from his own translation.
I would be very interested to hear Brad's or anyone else's thoughts on Batchelor's revision of the four noble truths as four tasks to be performed etc, and how it relates, if at all, to their views on Zen/Buddhist practice and philosophy.
PS, I hope the links work - I'm not very good at this so here's the links in text:
http://www.dharmafield.org/
http://www.audiodharma.org/series/12/talk/1711/
Sorry, Stephen Batchelor comes across like a Latter-Day Alan Watts.
These fall into the 'spiritual entertainer' arena.
Your only authority is the one you carry on your own two feet (assuming that you were born with, and still have, two feet). Be skeptical of the 'other' authorities. Be very skeptical.
I was only interested in Batchelor's thoughts in the podcast, Mysterion.
And if I hadn't been interested like that, I wouldn't have bothered to investigate Buddhism further and then practice it. By engaging with other's views in the light of my own intelligence and wisdom.
Whatever I carry on my own two feet is irrelevant as an authority, without stuff to be an authority about.
For what it's worth, Batchelor's podcast help me to revive some buried questions of my own, which related to Brad's previous post on a similar area. It opened up, rather than closed off further enquiry.
It seems though, that you've made your mind up.
IMHO Batchelor's new book *Confession of a Buddhist Atheist* is well worth a look, and his podcast (here's the link for the transcript:)
http://www.buddhistgeeks.com/2010/06/bg-175-the-buddhist-atheist/
at BuddhistGeeks.com will give anyone a taste as well...
I know an AUTHORITY when I see one...
Read much.
Consider much.
Sit much (you need a teacher to improve your posture - and little else). [STRAIGHTEN YOUR BACK] Oh, and there should be no effort from your elbows up to your shoulders. Shoulders rest, arms rest, hands rest...
Believe nothing.
Adopt little - and that little with care (or AGH! mindfulness).
Hey Brad - I emailed you a few days ago but I'm happy to try and set something up in Peoria, IL which you'll pass through on that route if I'm not mistaken, Peoria is only about 40 minutes from Bloomington. I'm happy to help with something there if I can as well. I have a space for you here in Peoria, just a matter of pulling the audience together. Are you still truckin through or did you decide on a plane?
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