Let's put a smile on that face(book)

For the last year I have been supposed to be blogging on the Faithbook page of the Newsweek/Washington Post's On Faith site. I have to admit that I have been doing a horrible job. In the last year (or nine months or so) I have only sent in four pieces. I just can't seem to get into the flow of writing about myself regularly. I also don't like the fact that when I write something I have to send it to an editor who then posts it to the blog. This little barrier between myself and my "audience" is enough to produce writer's block. If I was publishing a book it would be perfectly acceptable to go through an editor first, but the point of blogging seems is to be as spontaneous as possible, to record your thoughts or memories of the day and then not look back. Faithbook doesn't facilitate that process as well as I had hoped.

Other downsides of Faithbook: I can't post anything but text; no pictures, links or music. Also, my last few posts haven't even gone to the main page, but to my own personal part of the site, so if you're not specifically looking for me, you won't find me.

It’s not that I don't like blogging. I think it's a fascinating new form of media with a huge amount of potential for changing the way we communicate with each other. I like the way that Brad Warner and my pal James have created such interesting, personal websites. So I am trying again with my own blog. If I write something I think is worth posting to Faithbook, I might. If not, who will know about it anyway?

As for the Dōkō thing. This is the name that Shoken gave me at the Jukai ceremony. At first I didn't like it (it sounds like George Costanza's nickname!), but it has been growing on me over the last few weeks. I did a little research and found that Doko is the name of a Japanese video game, a Mexican dogfood, a new pog-like trading game and an Obaku Zen master from the 17th century.







The name Dōkō means Path of Illumination, and Shoken told me that he saw that I was on two paths, one academic, the other "spiritual," and if I stuck to both I could do a lot of good in the world. So I decided that The Impermanent Record will be Dōkō's blog.

Now I'm even talking like Costanza!