I'm Gina Smith

Says Albert Camus (on friendship)

"Don't believe your friends when they ask you to be honest with them. All they really want is to be maintained in the good opinion they have of themselves." Albert Camus.

A reunion of my college friends for my birthday. (pic taken by boy, 6)

This is Paul, Paul, Henry, Joel and me pointing at camera boy. Today at Ocean Beach.

This is me having a birthday. Better than alternative.

Saturday Zen: Greatest Teaching

A renowned Zen master said that his greatest teaching was this: Buddha is your own mind. So impressed by how profound this idea was, one monk decided to leave the monastery and retreat to the wilderness to meditate on this insight. There he spent 20 years as a hermit probing the great teaching. One day he met another monk who was traveling through the forest. Quickly the hermit monk learned that the traveler also had studied under the same Zen master. “Please, tell me what you know of the master’s greatest teaching.” The traveler’s eyes lit up, “Ah, the master has been very clear about this. He says that his greatest teaching is this: Buddha is NOT your own mind.”

Looks like a Venus flytrap!

Thank you for this Venus Trap looking flower -- courtesy of my co-worker Jessica Swesey.

Says Christopher Vinski: On religion.

"Religion is a necessary evil.  Indeed,our enemies kill in the name of religion, but a lot of good does come out of it. If some people did not have something to believe in, they'de be lost and dangerous. Personally, I don't care if they worship a ham and cheese sandwich,as long as the sandwich doesn't tell them to kill anyone but to respect others and treat them like you'd want to be. Blind faith in politics or religion is a dangerous thing. Too much faith in anything is dangerous. God is the original "Big Brother." Fine. The first Santa! Someone to keep you in line when you're alone. A great tool to keep children in line. As for the question: "Why are we here?" Simple. We're food for the space aliens." Chris Vinski.

Where in the world is David Bell of Ormond Beach, Florida.

On the theory of self-googling, will David Bell -- with whom I once attended Ormond Junior -- please email me? gina@ginasmith.com

And that's it for Sunday night's Where are they now?