Category Archives: Entertainment

Sunbows, Deer Antlers and Red Flags

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Posted by on in children, collaborating, Community, Entertainment, Family, impediments, Inspiration, Personal Values, service, Social, Spiritual, Striving

December 12, 2025- The sunbow appeared in the northern sky, as I walked downtown from HB I. It was an affirmation that all had ended well, after a tumultuous day. It was Acker Night, time to walk about and enjoy the lights, music and camaraderie that foreshadow Christmas here. I ran across several friends and walked around with Hiking Buddy Akuura and another one of her friends. The musical fare ran the gamut from hip hop to novelty Country. The latter included a revision of “Take Me Home, Country Roads”, with Arizona taking the place of West Virginia and US 89 replacing the generic country roads. There were fewer Grinches, and no Krampases in sight. There were plenty of children and dogs wearing deer antlers, though. It was also warmer and more serene than the pushing and shoving that has sometimes characterized the crowds downtown.

I had entertained thoughts of heading up to Bellemont, with six boxes of books, earlier this morning. It occurred to me, though, that time was getting short to advertise and sell the sofa hide-a-bed. So, I took the measurements and a couple of photographs, and posted on Craig’s List. It didn’t take long for the grifters to come out of the woodwork. Offers of purchase on Venmo and Zelle came via text. Needless to say, after ridding myself of three or four such pests, (one of whom sounded quite convincing, until his “coach” came on in the background and was heard telling him what to say), I found it necessary to call my bank. If the thieves had my contact info, they might have been able to hack my account. So, proper measures were taken to safeguard my assets. Nothing was compromised, in the end. I will sell the item for cash and nothing else. It was a good day of learning about private sales of items.

I will use Sunday as a Books to Bellemont day. It is a lot less stressful now, knowing that there are alternatives to driving back and forth from Prescott to Plano, twice. I will talk with U-Haul reps on Monday, for transport of what might not fit in Sportage.

These things, too, shall pass and Christmas in Prescott will remain a bright and shiny memory, for years to come. Plano, and the Metroplex, have their own holiday festivities. My family will enjoy them all, as a unit.

Tik-Tok

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Posted by on in collaborating, Community, distraction issues, Education, Entertainment, Family, impediments, Personal Values, Service Activities, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

December 1, 2025, Tucumcari- My friend sat across from me, in a crowded coffee shop, on the west side of Amarillo. He referred, a couple of times, to things he’d seen on Tik-Tok, a medium he finds amusing. A few minutes later, he told of posts on said medium that he found revolting.

I have never been a fan of Tik-Tok,nor of Snap Chat, Reddit or any other medium that relies, for its existence, on mass, conformity-based consumption of whatever drivel the worst among its contributors serves up, particularly in the form of “challenge”. Whoever dreamed up the nightmare that was “Tide Pod Challenge” (before Tik-Tok, in fairness) deserves to be consigned to the scrap heap of historical opprobrium. Its successors, some of which have found their way to Tik-Tok (i.e. Jam Jar Pulse Jet), likewise deserve nothing short of universal condemnation, for the resulting harm they cause both those who attempt them and their loved ones who are left to pick up the pieces of the person(s) left in relative ruin.

Tik-Tok could have become the purveyor of presentations that elevate humanity, the way Wikipedia and, for the most part, TED Talks and You Tube have become. Instead, we have the media promoter of the ethos that is reflected in that most odious of sentiments, “It’s better than Crack!” End of rant.

The day was, all in all, very nice. I bid farewell to my little family, for a few weeks, then found it fairly easy to exit Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. The drive along Northwest Passage was easy, and I found my lunch stop, Valley Pecans, rather deserted. Somehow, I was about the first customer at that lovely cafe-emporium, and was, thankfully, followed by about a dozen other people. It was Noon, so high time for travelers to surface.

After my visit with friend, Wes, In Amarillo and a fuel stop, I made it to this high desert gem, taking this room at Rodeway Inn and heading to Del’s Diner, one of Tucumcari’s best. Del’s has been around since 1966, and the crowds, such as the one there tonight, are proof of its excellence. Martha and crew treated everyone special, tonight. The regulars attest that this is no fluke. It’s how the crew is every day, every meal. Viva Del’s; viva Tucumcari!

The Road to Diamond, Day 362: Another ’70s “Show”

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Posted by on in Assistance, collaborating, Community, Entertainment, Inner Struggles, Inspiration, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

November 24, 2025, Moriarty, NM- I left Home Base I , around 8 a.m,, bound for Texas, with a few stops along the way. The first was the Monday morning Coffee Klatsch, where we each gave a rundown of Thanksgiving plans. I then set out for Winslow, encountering almost no traffic between Camp Verde and the famous corner from the Eagles’ tune. After a nice lunch at Relic Road (aka Sipp Shoppe), I found I-40 also relatively tame, even through Albuquerque, to this old ranching town that has become a favourite stopover of mine, being close to the Duke City and therefore halfway across New Mexico.

I did not focus on taking photos, having taken lots of the I-4- corridor, over the years. It is noteworthy, though, that late November is foliage season-for the cottonwood trees and shrubs along High Desert river banks. So, golds, bright yellows and rust-colours are a frequent site, across north central Arizona and New Mexico.

My attention was more drawn to a Sirius XM channel of ’70s Rock. A few songs conjured memories of people who figured in my life in that decade of dissolute behaviour. “Papa Was a Rolling Stone”, by the Temptations concerns the sons of a reckless, irresponsible man trying to determine the truth about him. The lyrics say he died on the Third of September. I knew a man who did pass away on that day, in 1971. That gentleman was the antithesis of the subject of the psychedelic soul tune. He was a man who never took a dime he hadn’t earned and who worked almost to the day he died.

“Seasons in the Sun, by Terry Jacks, brought the memory of four young men from my hometown, who were killed during the Vietnam Era, two in the war itself and two others, due to accidents in nearby countries. The notion of people dying young is voiced by Jacks, saying goodbye to his best friend, his father and his beloved. It struck many of us, at the time, as sappy and unrealistic. Yet, there were our contemporaries dying around us-and not just the four guys in the military. Disease and automobile accidents took their toll on our generation. One of my best friends in high school dies in a crash, not long after his graduation.

I switched to a folk song channel, just east of Gallup, being guided by less evocative tunes until arriving at Lariat Motel, where I am for the night. Still, the songs that came up on the ’70s “show” helped me that much more, in confronting lingering baggage.

The Road to Diamond, Day 351: “The Play’s The Thing”

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Posted by on in collaborating, Education, Entertainment, Inner Struggles, Inspiration, Literary criticism, Personal Values, Social, Striving

November 13, 2025- It may well have been the last time I work in Chino Valley High School, but everyone made it count. The Career Exploration students took up the bulk of the day, researching and applying concepts like job descriptions and the expectations that go into their creation. The Drama students were more involved with a production that they are staging, in a few days.

“Twelve Angry Jurors” is an updated version of “Twelve Angry Men”, a film that was done, in 1957 and again in 1997, and which graphically illustrates the intensity of jury deliberations, especially in ambiguous cases. It is more than just a mixed-gender version of the film. Being audience-facing, the play thus appeals to the sensibilities of those watching, as well as acting out the viewpoints of any given juror. There are other, more subtle differences, briefly discussed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q58Wxi20Frk&t=152s.

I haven’t attended nearly as many plays, over the years, as I might have liked. Small efforts, done in the round, have been my favourites among those I have experienced. A performance of “King Lear”, earlier this year is probably my favourite, if only because it stayed truest to the play as I remember having read it, in my senior year of high school. The themes of mistrust of a loving critic and the clouds of madness, followed by rage at being deceived are most cautionary. The human tendency to reward even the most transparent sycophancy also hits home.

The most appealing thing about live theater, though, is that the efforts of the performers-and of the stage crew may be seen close up. Human effort, at changing the scenery and moving about the room, even having to navigate the audience at times, also makes the play more intimate than even the most exhilarating IMAX presentation of a motion picture.

Movies can be fabulous, but for intimacy and connection, yet, “the play’s the thing”. Long may high school and college drama programs endure. Shakespeare may have used the term as a vehicle for Hamlet to trap his father’s killer, but it certainly sums up, in general, the appeal of the medium.

The Road to Diamond, Day 349: Parade

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Posted by on in Assistance, collaborating, Community, Entertainment, Inspiration, Service Activities, Social, Spiritual, Striving

November 11, 2025- We were in the middle of the Veterans Day Parade, three vehicles representing the American Red Cross, in this largest such parade west of the Mississippi River. I chose to ride in the cab of the second truck, having felt slightly enervated when it came time to decide who walked and who rode. Coffee took care of that, so no worries-but I stayed in the truck. We were greeted by a slightly smaller group than I’ve seen before, but the cheers were no less fervent.
It occurs to me that this is my penultimate Prescott parade, the last one will be the Christmas Parade on December 6. I will be a spectator for that one, which has its share of Santas, elves and Grinches. Rumour has it that there may even be a Krampus or two in the mix. Such fol de rol does not detract from the true meaning of Christmas, which is rightly focused on Jesus the Christ’s Message of peace. We do well to keep that message first in our hearts and minds, even in tough times like the one we are in now.

I didn’t partake of any of the freebies that are offered to military veterans on this day. Breakfast was at home; I didn’t really need lunch and I joined a regular group for Taco Tuesday, at El Gordo, which doesn’t offer any veterans’ discounts. My reasoning is simple-give the breaks to the homeless veterans-who shouldn’t be homeless. Use the resources available to help them get shelter and stabilize their lives.

I’m just glad to have been of service, and to have had my life stabilized by learning discipline.

The Road to Diamond, Day 335: Westward Arc

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Posted by on in Assistance, collaborating, Entertainment, impediments, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

October 28, 2025- I am back at Home Base I. The story of how I got back, after seven weeks on the continent of most of my forebears, is a reflection on our times.

Up early, and bidding farewell to Apple Guest House, I walked to Harlington Village and found Premier Laundry. The kind proprietor took in my dirty clothes and said he needed two hours to get the job done. It was 9 a.m., so I spent time in the village park, doing devotions and reflecting on the journey now coming to a close. Breakfast then came, at The Flying Egg Cafe, a “breakfast all day” establishment that is popular with locals. The owners, from Pakistan, did a fabulous job with my “Airport Breakfast”, a lighter version of such full English offerings as “Lumberjack” and “Builders” breakfasts. I relaxed for about 1 1/4 hours there. By the time I got back to Premier, the clothes were ready, and I took time to repack my backpack, in th estore’s foyer.

It took two buses to get from Harlington to Heathrow Terminal 5, but I was there in short order. Check-n and security were easy, and I was in the cavernous area near the gates, by noon. Giraffe World Kitchen was too enticing to pass up, so I ordered chicken quesadillas, as today was a Tuesday, and that usually means Mexican food. (I knew British Airways would give us two meals, but there was no telling, at this point, how long it would take to even board the plane.)

Once the flight was posted, I made my way to the proper gate. Then, the first announcement came-“flight delayed by ten minutes”. It is never ten minutes. Any reason to set back a flight means that either there is a mechanical issue, a software problem or something is amiss on the other end of the flight. Two hours later, the boarding process began. The overly officious young man at the desk, who had taken to snipping at various passengers, was sent somewhere else and a group of young ladies processed us with fair dispatch. I later learned that there had been a back-and-forth between Heathrow and those responsible for air traffic control assignments in Washington-with our British hosts insisting on knowing for certain that the plane would not have to circle around Phoenix or be directed elsewhere, once the plane was near destination. That is what took two extra hours.

The flight itself was lovely. I got four hours of sleep, watched three films and enjoyed both meals. My seatmate, from France, has a home near Phoenix and told of his enjoyment of the Arizona desert. The first film, “The Salt Path”, with Jason Isaacs and Gillian Anderson, told the story of a chronically ill man and his wife who lose their home to speculators, then embark on a trek along England’s South West Coast Path, starting at Poole and eventually making their way to Penzance, Cornwall. It is a story of a terminally ill man’s triumph, through both the love of his wife and his gradual recognition that he had the strength within him to overcome the hardest adversity.

Next was an Indian film, “Bramayugam”, (The Age of Madness), which told the story of a folk singer who wanders into a mana (mansion) that is inhabited by a master, his cook and a “trapped” goblin. The “master” is fact the goblin, who has trapped the real master and has him in chains. The cook is in fact the true master’s illicit son. The story is classic good vs. evil, with a twist at the end.

The third film that came my way was “Doctor Sleep”, the sequel to “The Shining”. It tells the story of adult Danny Torrance, who has grown up struggling to hold down a job and even to live a normal life, following the death of his mother by natural causes, when he was 20. He continues to exhibit the “shining” (extreme intuition), and becomes connected to a young girl, who has an even stronger version of the shining. They are targeted by a group of vampires, who seek to dominate through gradually killing off anyone with such abilities. The story follows a predictable path, but not without a great deal of loss on both sides.

After “Doctor Sleep” came sleep of my own, then “dinner” (at 6 p.m., MST, over the plains of North Dakota and eastern Montana). We landed around 8 p.m., gathered luggage,then went through a surprisingly easy inspection by ICE and walked back to Terminal 4. I caught the 9:20 p.m. shuttle, having missed the van on which I was originally supposed to ride. As luck would have it, there was one seat left on the 9:20, and the person who reserved it was himself on a delayed flight. Thus, I rode back to Prescott and was at Home Base I by 11:45.

“Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end”- Dan Wilson. “Closing Time”

The Road to Diamond, Day 330: A Grand Gallery and A Hidden Hotel

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Posted by on in Assistance, collaborating, Community, Entertainment, Historical, impediments, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

October 23, 2025, Dublin- The status of churches and cathedrals in Ireland, in terms of denomination, often needs a scorecard. Some great buildings are under the Church of Ireland. Others are under the Roman Catholic Church. One parish, St. Audoen’s, has one of each. (The Protestant building is under renovation.)

Into the morass of denominational turmoil, in the mid-19th Century, stepped the figures of al-Bab and Baha’ullah, Whose birthdays, close together on the Badi (Persian Lunar) calendar, we Baha’is celebrate in back-to-back Holy Days. The concept of Progressive Revelation explains the differences among the Faiths of the past and offers a way for those of all Faiths to reconcile.

Our observance of the Birth of Baha’ullah took place in the cafe of the National Gallery of Ireland. The arts are celebrated and honoured in the Baha’i traditions. So, in an environment of splendour, some 25 of us sat and discussed various topics of interest. Following the celebration, which of course included a slice of cake and beverage, of one’s choosing, some of us went to enjoy other rooms of the Gallery.

National Gallery of Ireland

The paintings I found of interest included John Lavery’s “Her First Communion”, Jan De Beer’s “The Flight Into Egypt”, Adam Pankraz Ferg’s “A Landscape with Figures and Horses”, Jack B. Yeats’ “Above the Fair”. None of these may be shown outside the Gallery, save on its website. Thus, there are no photos, even with watermarks.

Upon leaving the National Gallery, I headed to Dublinia, a museum dedicated to the interaction between Celts, Vikings and Norman French, over the centuries, in the development of the city.

Viking information, at Dublinia

As we learned in Reykjavik, and further in Stockholm, the word Viking most likely refers to one who lives near or comes from an area near, a vik– a bay or cove. Over time, it came to mean anyone who came to the British Isles or mainland Europe, from Scandinavia or Denmark.

Here is the basic truth about the founding of Dublin.

Origin of modern Dublin

The Vikings found two Celtic settlements in the area, one on each bank of the River Liffey.

Ath Cliath (u-thuh clee uh) and Duiblinn (dove-lin).
Interior of a simple peasant hut, during Viking rule
A street scene, in 14th Century Dublin
Looking down from the steps to St. Michael’s Tower, Dublinia

Looking at my watch, it did not seem wise to go up the steps to St. Michael’s Tower, as I normally would. There was a meeting with an old Baha’i friend, at a hotel across town, in a relatively short time. Iveah Gardens Hotel was shown to me as being at a major intersection in central Dublin, except that the people who worked at that location had never heard of it. They directed me westward, towards “a big building, that you can’t miss”. In other words, they couldn’t find it on their GPS, either.

I eventually did find an Iveah Court, an apartment building. The guard there thought it was back towards where I had just been, “but in any case, just walk straight, no turns”. Two inquiries later, I came upon Iveah Garden Hotel. It is indeed an elegant place, but is discretely signed. The young lady for whom Penny and I were mentors, in the 2000s, had grown into an elegant and well-spoken teacher of the French language, the promulgation of which was one of her principal reasons for being in Dublin. We got to catch up on the course of our respective lives, for twenty minutes in the hotel tea shop and fifteen minutes walking towards her work site.

Bidding farewell to C, I headed down Cameron Street, towards Temple Bar. I found Ne Zha, an intriguing Asian tapas cafe, which normally requires reservations. The owner found a stool, on which I could sit by the kitchen and observe the chefs at work. It was a fabulous small dinner that ensued.

Tomorrow, I bid farewell to Dublin and to Ireland, with its cousin to the northeast on my radar screen.

The Road to Diamond, Day 319: Gold at the Foot of the Schlosse

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Posted by on in Assistance, children, collaborating, Community, Entertainment, Historical, Inspiration, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

October 12, 2025, Frankfurt-am-Main- It was suggested by a fellow hosteler in Salzburg that I take dinner at Vetter’s, an authentic Bavarian establishment in Old Town Heidelberg. Apparently, a lot of Vetter’s fans were telling their friends the same thing. There was no room to be had there this evening. The reservation list stretched into next week.

I found another fabulous spot for dinner-Joe Molese Burgers and Sandwiches. More about Joe’s and its fabulous staff later. First off, though, some words about my stroll down the hill and around Old Town, in areas both full of my fellow travelers and others with only a few locals going about their affairs.

As I bid farewell to Schloss Heidelberg, it was the foliage that stood out.

Foliage at south end of Schlosse Heidelberg
Heiliggeistkirche (Holy Spirit Church), Heidelberger Alstadt

I continued looking for a place called the Red Church, wandering through the alleys near Heidelberg University.

University District
Rosenkirche, Heidelberg

I found the Red Church at the north end of Old Town.

Rosenkirche, Heidelberg
Heidelberg University, with Peterskirche in background
Peterskirche, Old Town Heidelberg

As I rounded a corner, there was an apartment courtyard, where a man was playing table tennis with his young daughter. Nearby was this gem of a mural.

Modernist mural, Old Town Heidelberg

and this:

Cubist leopard, Old Town Heidelberg

The girl’s favourites were these:

Pokemon characters, Old Town Heidelberg
Play space, Old Town Heidelberg
Bored face, Old Town Heidelberg
Guard tower, east end of Old Heidelberg
River Neckar, from Old Town Heidelberg (above and below)
Good luck Monkey, Old Bridge, Heidelberg

It’s said that to rub the gold orb will bring good fortune. many visitors were doing just that, before I took this photo.

Elector Karl-Theodor of Heidelberg

Karl-Theodor became Elector of the Palatinate in 1742 and united it with Bavaria in 1777, setting upon a program of economic modernization of this realm. He built the English garden in Munich and was an avid patron of the arts. In the long run, however, Karl-Theodor showed little interest in his realm, leaving it to Austrian and French invaders, in the 1790s. This statue shows that it was his earlier programs that matter most to posterity.

South Gate, Old Bridge, Heidelberg

Now, back to Joe Molese.

Joe Molese Burgers and Sandwiches, Old Town Heidelberg

This establishment provided the absolute best burger I have ever had-and that’s after a lot of hamburgers over 70 +years. It was not overly messy, such as I normally enjoy. It was simply flavourful and was not overshadowed by a mound of French fries. The lovely server and the effusive manager made everyone feels at home, despite the fact that the place was as packed as every other restaurant in Old Town, on Saturday night. When I went to pay, furthermore, it turned out that the young couple sitting to my right had already covered my tab! We had not spoken a word to one another, but there it was. I would go back to Joe Molese’s again, in a heartbeat.

Finally, this is the shop whose clerk helped me locate Lotte-The Backpackers Hostel. I bought a couple of items from her. It would be nice if more people patronized her little place.

My favourite souvenir shop, Old Town Heidelberg

It was not easy to say farewell to this enchanting place, but there was more joy waiting for me here in Frankfurt, and at the Baha’i House of Worship in Langenhain.

The Road to Diamond, Day 234: Identity

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Posted by on in Assistance, collaborating, Community, Entertainment, Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Service Activities, Social, Spiritual, Striving

July 20,2025- This evening, I spent a few hours watching all I cared to, of the 2010s series Blindspot. It begins with a woman who has been injected with drugs that lead to her total amnesia. Of course, nothing of the sort lasts forever, and through snippets of triggered memory, helped in part by her having been tattooed in specific manners, over her body, she is soon faced with two DNA paths, as to her real identity.

I may get back to the series at some point, but this week will be focused on three aspects of my own identity: Red Cross documentation, study of Baha’i guidance, and a friend’s need for transportation. Today was just focused on the leisure aspect of who I am. Breakfast with friends, exercise at Planet Fitness and light reading, followed by crossword puzzles and the aforementioned program.

I have a much firmer grasp of my identity and purpose now, than I did in certain parts of years past. There has never been any doubt as to my family, or the love of my late wife. Any gaps in understanding have more or less began and ended with my own being at peace with self. There are things that seem to have been kept from me, by extended family who have gone on-but none of that has any bearing on who I am now, so bygones are bygones. I’ve elaborated in other posts about the various parts of my life, and the people who are important in those elements. What matters most now is what I am going to do with those parts, as I approach the next quarter century, or whatever part of it I may be given.

There is no amnesia, or conflicting paths, as to who I am or what I represent. That’s what matters most.

The Road to Diamond, Day 184: Age Doesn’t Matter

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Posted by on in collaborating, Community, Entertainment, Inspiration, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving

May 31, 2025- Today was the birthday of one of my favourite Arizona musicians. Jessica Fleet turned ? years of age. She’s ageless, so it matters not what the number is. Jess and her partner, Bill Stoller, with their three or four accompanists, form Juniper Djinn-a spin-off of a Bisbee band called Barn Swallows. Swallows ceased operations about three years ago, with Juniper coming forward as a moving Preservation Hall of the great acoustic music of the 1920s and ’30s. Juniper goes to New Orleans, regularly, but mostly they are in Bisbee, or moving about Arizona.

When I focus on another person’s birthday, my tendency is to look in the mirror-and see a relentlessly maturing face. So far, there is no haggardness, a welcome respite for one who is 74.5. Age here doesn’t matter.

Many people seem to be sick and tired of May. The monthly arts and nature newspaper, 5 Senses, has already put out its June edition, about 4-5 days earlier than usual. Some of my associates are already planning for July. Of course, in Prescott that can’t be helped, since there is a major Frontier Days festival, along with the town’s signature Rodeo, associated with Independence Day. I am more in day-to-day mode, these next three months. May, for me, has been a good month-and I look forward to more goodness, and hopefully, few if any fires. The prime focus will be encouraging people to sign up as volunteers, across northern Arizona, in the event of sheltering needs.

Farmers Market has an energetic new manager, with whom I was grateful to work for the first time, this afternoon. The breakdown seemed much more organized, and in the heat of summer that’s a big deal. We were finished about 45 minutes earlier than previously, even with a busier market. Next weekend, due to a couple of afternoon engagements, I will show up for the market set-up, at 6:30 a.m. My tasks are to be simpler then, put out traffic cones and signs.

May is now done. Jessica is another year stronger, and the world is still making its way towards harmony and radiance. I am glad to have a part in some of it.