With Halloween approaching, it seems like fly season is finally abating in Los Angeles, down from its peak a couple weeks ago during the heat wave. It was at its worst one day when I was in my home office working and a fly started buzzing around. I don’t know about you, but in this situation the Buddhist in me morphs into a cold-blooded killer and I have to IMMEDIATELY stop whatever I’m doing, grab a rolled-up magazine and stalk the little winged invader, not stopping until I smash it to a tiny pulp. At that point, in my head I’m screaming, “Woo-hoo! Yes! Dominant species!” Then I close my eyes for a second, touch my prayer beads, take a deep breath and poof! Back to Zen.

Guess who I identify with in this clip from a movie that scared the living daylights out of me when I was a kid.