BEEF

Beef season two (2026) created by Lee Sung Jin. This season is less crazy than I remember season one being, but it definitely holds its own. The cynical world of this season revolves around those who work at a posh country club. Are these people really any better than those elite rich they serve each day? No. Performances are strong, especially those of the four principals, but I'm not sure any of these characters are likable. Relatable? Perhaps. It depends on how much you embrace your own sinfulness. This is a set of tales of loneliness, betrayal, corruption, incompetence, feigned love, and faux friendship. Capitalism is held up as the natural next step in evolution, a true social Darwinism. I actually liked it, although I'm not sure I recommend it.

Streamed on Netflix.

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Ants crawl across the scenes, here and there, as though freed from the fine art title cards—reminders of our mundane and mortal lives. Buzz buzz.

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Remember the notion of always keeping custody of your drinks? Bring on the paranoia after multiple breaches of social norms regarding beverages. 

NO SELF, NO PROBLEM

"Perhaps the reason Buddhism and other spiritual traditions use metaphors so frequently is because they sidestep the gatekeeping functions of the interpretive mind."

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No Self, No Problem: How Neurobiology Is Catching Up to Buddhism (2019) by Chris Niebauer. Peek behind the Matrix of your own mind by reading this book. The short take: your left brain "interpreter" is lying to you about almost everything, as it spins story after story and keeps your non-verbal right brain enslaved. Each chapter ends with a way or two to explore and/or experience the concepts it presents. This was a fascinating and brisk read. I highly recommend it.

Checked out from the Puyallup Public Library.

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"Compassion is all about the big picture, at which the right brain excels. I would add that true compassion only occurs when we can imagine ourselves in the position of another."

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"Maybe you meditate, practice mindfulness, and feel very spiritually grounded when you do, and later the ego comes back online and is frustrated to find out that you've run out of coffee."