Author: Scott

  • Grief is a thing

    So grief is a thing. I am not sure why I am particularly surprised that the loss of my brother has hit me quite so strongly. But, in addition to that, the last couple of months have been changeling in other ways. It turns out, when you take a couple months off from work, even…

  • El Cortez

    El Cortez

    To be clear, I am still in a period of removal. I find myself in a strange in-between place where I attend Zoom meetings and have a firm grasp on the reality that I have very specific job and role and expectations that come with that job and role. And, all at once, I am…

  • What’s in a name/face?

    What’s in a name? Long-time readers and friends may know this story, but for those just joining us, here’s an answer to the question “why djbuddha?” This website actually grew out of a different website I created a long time ago, back when Bush, Jr. was president, and I was still in grad school. That website…

  • Relaunch: part two

    Relaunch: part two

    I’ve been reading Jenny Odell’s How to Do Nothing lately. I will no doubt have more to say about this book as I continue reading it, sitting with it, thinking about her perspectives on the attention economy, the capitalist impulse toward progress and growth at all costs, how to translate that into my own life and…

  • Relaunch: part one

    Relaunch: part one

    Five years ago, I had every intention of writing more often, of keeping this blog-space active. Life got in the way. The pandemic got in the way. I got in my own way to the extent that I wasn’t sure what, exactly, I wanted to do with this space in the first place. I am…

  • Angry Asian Buddhist

    Angry Asian Buddhist

    As many long-time readers probably know, a little over two years ago we lost an important voice for critical reflection on race and representation in American Buddhism — Aaron Lee, the man behind the blog the Angry Asian Buddhist. Aaron blogged anonymously as “arunlikhati” for nearly a decade on his own blog as well as…

  • #humanehumanities

    #humanehumanities

    Pierce Salguero organized a meet-up at the AAR last month, bringing together folks interested in specific strategies and resources for how to make academic life more humane, compassionate, and just. One specific outcome of that meeting was the desire to formalize in some way this “movement” (if it is a movement), and so Pierce and…

  • AAR-eve

    AAR-eve

    So. I promised “more soon,” and it’s been a month. Does a month count as soon? I suppose, in the grand scheme of things. It is the eve of the AAR — “nerd Christmas” if you will. My AAR schedule has been dutifully added to the official AAR app. I have a dozen meetings scheduled…

  • dusting off the shelves

    dusting off the shelves

    It’s been well over a year since the last time I posted on this site. The past five years have been rather full. Part of that time was consumed with the completion of my book (and then another book); and the rest of the time was filled with institutional obligations. In short, the Institute has…

  • this is not the end: this is america

    this is not the end: this is america

    This is not a call to arms. Hat tip to Richard Payne for alerting me to a post (now nearly two months old) by Glenn Wallis regarding the Mindfulness Living Week and the “tipping point” of American Buddhism. You should read Wallis’ piece while listening to Childish Gambino’s “This is America.” As Payne reminds us,…