Category Archives: impediments

Hours of Power

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Posted by on in Assistance, collaborating, Community, distraction issues, Entertainment, impediments, Inner Struggles, Inspiration, Personal goals, Personal Values, Service Activities, Social, Spiritual, Striving

November 11, 2023- Settling in, to enjoy ninety minutes of pulsating, original rock songs, by one of Prescott’s most pulsating, original bands-The CheekTones, I was pleasantly surprised when two young ladies I had not seen before sat themselves at the table, joined, for good measure,a few minutes later by two of their male classmates, then by a shyer, more reticent girl.

The first two asked me general questions about my day, and how I enjoyed The Raven-and the CheekTones. It turned out they were mostly there to support one of the boys who was playing a song with Don Cheek and his band. The kid can play! His parents were there, for the moment-as were these classmates. The girls spoke a bit about their after school jobs-shopping cart jockey, beverage pourer at a local burger joint and juice bar attendant. The boys had nothing to say. Then we all turned our full attention to the band.

Don has had a band presence here, at least since I moved up from Phoenix, in 2011. He has been mentoring young musicians for probably twice that long. He inspired, and supports, another local band, Scandalous Hands, who appear regularly at The Raven, as well. The two bands do 95% of their performances in Prescott clubs and outdoor venues-going, every so often, to Sedona or to Parker, on the Colorado River. Such energy conservation has its benefits-and is rather common, to local bands. It’s a huge reason why their performances here tend towards the intense, the explosive and are so inspirational to young artists.

The kids excused themselves, after forty minutes or so, to go do teen-specific activities. They popped back in one more time, towards the end of the concert, just so I wouldn’t think it was because of me that they left the first time. Nah-I was there once, long ago. It was good they stopped back in, though. I had the young guitarist’s finger warmers on the table and would not have been able to return them, save through Don-who has enough to concern himself.

There was a lot of power in the air today. It is categorized, by astrologers and cosmic advisers, as an Eleven Master Day-meaning that its digits, 1+1+1+1+2+2+3, add up to eleven. A pair of ones, written side by side, are also seen by the mystics as being pillars of both male and female energy.

Today was Veterans Day, and there was a long parade, part of which I watched, before heading to Farmers Market, to tend to the only service day I could offer there, this month. In early evening, I sat in on a Healing Devotional, hosted by someone who was attacked last month. She is on the mend, though, and is still working with police in her community, to try and locate her assailant, before another attack happens.

Each of these events had a power of its own, as did the initial responses to my joining subgroups of nextdoor.com. It has never been easy for me to accept compliments and positive views from others, but that is changing-at long last. It does not have to conflict with personal modesty-and is good for building the energy flow that I need, in order to accomplish what lies ahead, both here and further afield. One friend says my travel is foolish, but deep down inside, I think she is only masking her own wish for a more expansive life, something that those who controlled her life for so long would never allow.

Each of us can move ahead, and as long as we support one another, in our struggles with our own egos and with those who would try to stifle us, for their own ends.

Different, but Not Blind

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Posted by on in collaborating, Community, distraction issues, Hiking and Nature, impediments, Inner Struggles, Inspiration, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

November 10, 2023- An old friend, who I hadn’t seen for a while, regarded me with some concern: She remembered me as a chunky, 186-pounder. I am now 30 lbs lighter, which I fear may have triggered memories of her late husband, in his last stages of life-and the anniversary of his departure is two weeks after Thanksgiving. My weight reduction, which has about six more pounds to shed, is intentional, and the recent bout with the flu aside, there is no medical evidence of any carcinogenic or pathological roots to the ongoing loss. I am just eating carefully and getting sufficient exercise and rest.

Still and all, my friend’s sensitivity, and the memory of her dear husband, need to be honoured. I will be stopping by her establishment a fair number of times, over the next several months-especially in December-mainly to listen. Tonight, the place was very busy, and our conversation was brief.

She had a question or two about my Philippine visit-her main interest being the young man I have been sponsoring-and the pair of basketball shoes that he was able to select for himself. She is not one who thinks much of travel for its own sake-a good many self-employed people have the same take, for obvious reasons. Making friends and building networks, which are also my own on-the-road focus, make sense to her.

Earlier today, Hiking Buddy and I took in Willow Lake, a smaller reservoir to the northwest of Watson Lake. It is separated from its larger mate, by the Granite Dells-whose western edge is also called Willow Dells. We focused on the west and south sides of the lake shore. HB’s interest in my trip was mainly in the places I visited with friends, the quality of my photos and what, if any, was the effect on my health. (Truth be known, it was coming back to an unheated house that led to last Friday’s flu crash. I am just glad it didn’t hit the contagious phase until well after my Red Cross activity on Friday morning, and that I had until Tuesday to recover).

Cottonwoods and bog grass, in autumn transition.
Great Blue Heron, in repose.

Between this hike and my visit to the small cafe, there was the small matter of a haircut. So, back to Fantastic Sam’s it was, and in a half-hour or so, I no longer looked like a charging barbarian. My new stylist had questions of her own about Manila. She has a great yearning to get out and see things-and is mostly wanting to learn from other cultures. I pointed out that most people have no issue with Americans, as individuals. It is always wise to be aware of one’s surroundings and to maintain boundaries-but that it true right here, also.

In looking back on the three ladies’ perspectives, I am reminded of the old fable about the five men and the elephant. Everyone, whether blind or sighted, has interests that differ from others. This was underscored by my filling out a profile, this morning, for Next Door.com Interest groups abound, under that umbrella group-so it will be a fascinating exercise in networking.

Frank Borman

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Posted by on in Assistance, collaborating, Historical, impediments, Inspiration, Personal Values, Service Activities, Social, Striving

November 9, 2023- The young man was unwilling to put all his eggs in one basket, as it were-and so, despite there being three other candidates ahead of him, he filled out and submitted an application for West Point Military Academy, in 1945. A year later, the three candidates ahead of him had fallen away, and the future Apollo astronaut entered the Academy. He graduated 8th, in a class of 670, in 1950.

The crackerjack test pilot had what Tom Wolfe would call “the right stuff”, in spades, and so qualified for training as an astronaut-first in the Project Gemini tandem Earth orbit activities, then as pilot of the Apollo 8 circumambulation of the Moon, in December, 1968. Later, as NASA White House liaison, he watched the landing of Apollo 11, on the lunar surface, and Neil Armstrong’s famous steps and speech, from the West Wing.

The sharp-eyed airline executive had built his company’s fortunes and took a leap of faith, purchasing new planes and equipment, keeping Eastern Airlines in the forefront of what was then state-of-the-art technology. He did not shy from the trade-offs, and trimmed costs at the expense of salaries and wages. Deregulation of the industry was not something he foresaw, though, and the perfect storm of decline in profits and uptick in costs, including debt management, led him to resign as CEO, in 1986.

Through it all, Frank Frederick Borman was a doer. He kept on with building his own vehicles, from the engine to the exhaust pipe; selling cars in Las Cruces, then running cattle in Montana. He was a faithful husband to his wife, Susan, for 71 years. He was a good father to two sons. He was a hard-nosed Chief Executive Officer, who did not dodge the tough questions, though it cost his employees, especially the women, mightily when he faced the fire.

Colonel Borman lived to the age of 95, passing on, two days ago, near his beloved ranch. His life, replete with success yet riddled with errors in judgment, was nonetheless in many ways worthy of admiration.

Correcting Missteps and Dodging Darkness

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Posted by on in Assistance, children, Education, impediments, Inner Struggles, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving

November 8, 2023- I was told, flat-out, a few times yesterday, that if I knew what was good for me, I would follow the instructions about my own life that the stern-faced woman was randomly tossing out. Hmmmm- Where have I heard this before? What happened when I stuck to my own path? What further transpired, when I cut off contact with the previous angry personage? In each case, there was suffering- a slight injury, a job loss and a car accident, all of which happened to take place in the presence of a short, stern-faced woman, similar to the one who was warning me to toe the line, this time.

There is much that we don’t know about energy fields, and while I hardly believe that shape-shifting is actually a thing, it does seem strange that misfortunes in my life always are witnessed by a short, stout, angry middle-aged woman of narcissistic temperament. Nothing awful happened to me on the way home, yesterday, and while I made a foolish decision to unnecessarily yield at the end of an off-ramp, this morning, there was no consequence, other than a blared horn. I had, though, written down the wrong school at which to report.

Twenty minutes later, I was at the correct school, with the assigned students-enjoying a Veterans Day tribute. We went on to make progress on the kids’ science projects and math assignment. There have been, so far, no “dire consequences” for my not following “instructions”.

What to get from yesterday’s exchange? As the days, months and years roll on, what I need for my own well-being is to take more time to do things even more carefully, write appointments down in more than one place and give myself more time to get places, and more time in between events and activities. The angry narcissist who wants to save me from God knows what, will just need to find a different focus for her energies.

The Sum of Ignorance

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Posted by on in Assistance, children, collaborating, Community, Education, impediments, Inspiration, Personal Values, Service Activities, Social, Spiritual, Striving

November 7, 2023- As the short video played out, some of those who may well find themselves in harm’s way, eight years from now, should the penchant for war as a solution to global ills continue, were busy in denial- choosing to play around and insult each other, rather than show respect for those who have served.

I know it is the fear of death that spurs adolescent boys to act out, when conflict and war are mentioned, however respectfully. Yet, I’ve seen too much and lost too many friends, men and women alike, to abide their antics without comment. Disinterest, or even the appearance of same, is what leads to the rise of tyranny. Autocrats can smell apathy, the way bears can smell food, clearly and from a distance. I left that particular coterie to answer to their regular teacher.

This evening, with only a few exceptions, people turned away from ignorance. The right to life is universal, and it also cannot be a pretext for eliminating the growth of conscience among one’s neighbours. The solution to feeling the need to end another’s life is not statute, but careful use of the sex drive- which, to me, lies within marital union, however two people see that union. As long as that concept seems antiquated or somehow patriarchal, there will remain “unwanted” pregnancies. (Parents should NOT be arranging marriages, in this day of spreading universal education; they should certainly approve or disapprove their child’s choice of mate, but not make the choice for the child.) There remains, as we are seeing, a rising reverence for a human being’s right and duty to choose mindfully, as to what happens with his/her own body.

People also turned away from ignorance, in general. They did not turn away from traditional values, but from the notion that only a small group of elders can decide what’s best for the people. In the run-up to today’s vote, ignorant and ill -advised statements, by those who claim to represent conservatism, even about intimate details of their personal lives, did not do the movement of preservation any favours.

” For the wages of sin is death…..”- St.Paul’s Letter to the Romans, 6:23. The sum of ignorance, whether on the Right or on the Left, is zero.

Achers Away

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Posted by on in Assistance, Community, distraction issues, impediments, Inner Struggles, Personal Values, Service Activities, Social, Striving, Travel

November 4, 2023- At first, my thought was “At long last, COVID”. Nope-the aches and flash fever were too familiar. It was that change of season flu, one more time. Someone, somewhere will shake their head and say, “There IS a flu shot, ya know”. Yes, there is-for the dominant strain(s) of influenza that the CDC has projected will be in the elements, for this particular season. It’s a crap shoot, and one that shortened the life of my father’s older brother, by maybe five years. The wrong strain of vaccine put Uncle George on oxygen and sidelined a vibrant, energetic soul. Science is most often inexact.

I have been selective about getting vaccinated, over the decades. COVID-19 was too vicious and too novel, so two injections went in my left arm, and I have not felt any change in my functioning or my behaviour, from either one. Tetanus and tuberculosis are two on which I stay current. The rest are, in my case, pretty much cash cows for Big Pharma, though I do recognize that others may need them. Being nearly 73, I don’t, as long as I keep up the daily doses of Lifelong Vitality supplements and maintain an active lifestyle.

That brings me to the Achilles heal: Keeping too tight a schedule. It caused headaches twice, on my recent trip to the Philippines. Having it to do over again, either there or on any long journey, I would allow more time, if taking a bus or train and would not schedule a flight the day after a long bus trip. Too many times, buses are slowed down by other traffic or by large numbers of passengers showing up, in a country town.

The second thing is: I will politely decline an invitation here at Home Base, the day after landing in Los Angeles or San Francisco. That is an element of people pleasing, which only ends up disappointing still other people-because I got sick from running on empty. We know to go slow, on the other end, and don’t overbook after landing in the foreign destination, but falling for the “friends and family are so excited to see you back” (mostly in my head), does nothing for either of us.

There are those who refer to every trip out of town as “vacation”, even if it happens once a month. They book no appointments, the day before leaving or the day after returning, even if it’s a road trip. Maybe they’re on to something.

Expanding Home, Day 23: 25 Hours

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Posted by on in Assistance, collaborating, Community, distraction issues, Entertainment, impediments, Personal Values, Social, Striving, Travel

November 1, 2023, Banning (CA)- Momentarily forgetting that I had checked my Cotopaxi backpack, through from LAX to San Diego, I went back in and asked an agent about the process for finding misplaced items. Her generic answer, and showing me where to head, in order to locate it, gave enough space for my reality to set in. The bag was actually in good hands, and I could head to the domestic TSA inspection, then to the last leg of my return flight.

I got a decent amount of sleep last night, but “last night” in the Philippines ended at 5 a.m., this morning, when it was 8 p.m., Tuesday night, in California. So, by the time I landed in San Diego, it was 5:30 p.m. here and 8:30 a.m., Thursday morning, in Manila. By the time I had caught the shuttle to long-term parking, retrieved Sportage and driven here, to Sunset Motel, it was 8:15 here-and…you get the picture.

I had a nice breakfast at Cherry Selections, in the lobby of Manila Airport Hotel, then bid farewell to my friends in Airlane Village and walked over to Terminal 1-again gently guided by a series of gatekeepers, to the proper queue and the China Air block of service booths. Philippine TSA provides a quick inspection, so that part took only three minutes or so.

Once on board, it was my turn to take one of the middle seats-only fair, as the flight over was spent in aisle seats only. Everyone has to take an aisle seat, or two, once in a while. The seats on China Air vessels are roomy and ergonomically sound, which is not the case with some North American carriers. We were served a late breakfast, which in my case served as lunch. Arriving in T’aipei, we had to undergo Taiwan TSA inspection, before boarding the trans-Pacific leg of the jaunt. There was then a three-hour wait, as the plane had technical issues, that were addressed in orderly fashion.

One of you asked about changes in air , with those on either side of me. I found the Taiwanese seatmates on the first leg, quiet and pensive. They also spoke little English. The American man, to my left, on the longer flight, was aloof and wary; the Brazilian gentleman to my right was exhausted, but cordial. I was just grateful for the leg room, and the service. Truth be known, I probably would have faded out, on chattier seatmates. All told, five or six hours of sleep transpired on the three legs-with the short hop from LA to San Diego actually finding me in the deepest sleep-albeit a thirty-five minute cat nap.

Gaffes were few, and no one-except you, the readers, are aware of my brain fart, concerning the checked-in backpack. There was a bit of comedy-as I tried to open a cosmetic bin door, which had no latch, and the officious lead flight attendant rolled her eyes and told me to look to the overhead bin on my left. Thus did this groggy one leave the T’aipei-LA plane and make his way to the immigration queue.

Once re-united with the backpack, in San Diego, it took fifteen minutes for the shuttle driver from Fox Auto Parks to arrive, and ten minutes for him to get five of us to our waiting vehicles. Reunited with Sportage, I drove up to Escondido for gas, and coffee, then over to this pleasant little high desert city, and the clean, comfortable Sunset Motel. It’s been twenty-five hours, or so it seems. G’night, all!

Expanding Home, Day 17: Day of Relative Rest

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Posted by on in Assistance, collaborating, Community, distraction issues, Family, impediments, Inner Struggles, Inspiration, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving

October 26, 2023, Manila- I looked out the window of my 10th floor room, early this morning, and saw this:

Seen on top of a high rise condominium, Manila

What better way is there to start the day?

This was to be a day for security duty, so we will not be out and about much. We sat in the Center and studied a bit, but otherwise were still with our own thoughts, and watchful. It is a fairly quiet neighbourhood, by Filipino standards. That means that the motorcycles and tuk tuks still go back and forth, and toot for the fight of way, and people are constantly back and forth, on foot-but there is no drama and few people coming to the door, to ask for food or money.

I got fresh insight into my long-range guidance and the resultant plans, from now until 2030, with the primary notion that family needs trump even the most worthy of Baha’i-based travel or Home Base activities. That ought to be true, for everyone, everywhere, but this is not a perfect world. The news came, this morning, on a Baha’i Zoom call, that a gunman-apparently mentally ill, had killed 18 and wounded 13, in an enraged attack on bowling alley and bar, in the small city of Lewiston, Maine.

I have been through Lewiston, and neighbouring Auburn, several times, but have not stopped there for any length of time. Nonetheless, my heart melts at the horror the people there must be feeling. All of this is due, essentially, to the view that the mentally ill deserve to be able to defend themselves, under the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution. I beg to differ-in that a schizophrenic’s or manic depressive’s idea of self-defense is often based on delusional thinking. The attacker in today’s shootings told his family, not too long ago, that he was hearing voices in his head. In my family, the minute such a statement was made, there would be securing of weapons-not just firearms, but knives, nunchucks/stars,even 2 x 4s. The afflicted one would be kept as safe as possible, but not on his/her own. Those who insist otherwise, in the name of a conservative interpretation of freedom, are themselves engaged in delusional thinking.

There is no rest, in Lewiston, in Gaza, in southern Israel, in Darfur, or in any of two dozen other places where violence and rage are the norm. So, here we rest, and count our blessings.

Expanding Home, Day 16: The Gatekeepers, The Bay and The Green Belt

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Posted by on in animal and plant life, Assistance, collaborating, Community, Entertainment, impediments, Inspiration, Personal Values, Service Activities, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

October 25, 2023, Manila- The clerk smiled wanly, as he told my friend that the matter she is seeking to resolve can only be tended through making an appointment, and that appointment can only be made over the phone-on a Tuesday or on a Thursday. This is the legacy of the “State Department streamlining” that was in vogue, until a few years ago. While I can understand the reasoning behind it, there remain those, like my friend, whose anomalous issues merit rather urgent consideration, and thus are discomfited by what they can reasonably view as just another roadblock.

I will fortunately be around until Tuesday, so if she misses making the call tomorrow, there is always Hallowe’en morning, before I have to Alley-oop back to Airplane Village. This is one of the tasks that was before me, when I first arrived at the South Luzon Baha’i Center, so it is important to keep on top of it, at leas to the point that she feels encouraged and empowered. (It has nothing to do with immigration, just so we’re clear.)

The gatekeepers at the Embassy do have their work cut out for them, with many people who are looking to immigrate to the U.S., or at least obtain short-term work visas. The Filipinos who I have encountered in the U. S. are amazing workers and have a gentleness about how they go about their work. They keep their cool and try to work through any bureaucratic nonsense that arises, whether it is governmental or corporate. I noticed that the very people assigned to enforce bureaucratic rules-including the clerks at the Embassy gate, have a sense of humour about the scheduling and other small details. This does tend to set the visitors at ease.

She took her copy of the reminder to call, tomorrow, and we walked down the steps, past the vendors, touts and beggars, to the seaside park that was renovated and upgraded, during the last Presidential administration. That president, I recall, was all about the Philippines-and its people, being respected by the rest of the world. The current state of Manila Bay was one of his pet projects, and was done well.

View of Manila Bayside Park (Dolomite Beach) , from the overpass to U.S. Embassy
Section of former sea wall, Dolomite Beach, Manila Bay

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A human, for scale, at sea wall section, Dolomite Beach

After returning from the seaside, we switched gears, and with a second friend, we headed towards the Scottsdale of the Philippines, aka Makati. Here, we met a third friend, for an afternoon and evening of pretend shopping and art appreciation.

It’s not just WalMart that is full on Christmas.

We met K, at Cash and Carry Mall (shown above), then went to Greenbelt, also known as Makati Glorietta Mall. Here, our first stop was Ayala Museum, where an exhibit of abstract art by young people from around the Philippines is on view.

Here is an example:

Vision from the eyes of the future.
Avant garde art abounds at Glorietta.
There are five Green Belts in Makati Glorietta. This is a scene from # 5.

We were all drawn to a loud presentation, which turned out to be an interpretive dance roll-up to the opening of a photography exhibition, also by young Manilenos, curated by Maria Ylona.

Interpretive Dancers leading up to a photography exhibit’s opening

This opening was a class act, with a dignified set of coccktails, softails and delectable hors my d’oeuvres. This was own first time eating caviar-not bad at all. Here is an example of the photographs which won awards from Ms. Ylona.

Team work, Filipino-style
Cats earn their keep, at Makati’s malls. One does not see rats, anywhere.
Is there any doubt, as to who’s boss?
Green Belt #4’s “moat”
Three fashionistas

As it was, after this last photograph, we looked upon the crowd that was queued up to head to the suburbs, and took it upon ourselves to sit in the garden’s twilight. An hour of nibbling on Starbucks flatbreads and enjoying the cooling air was a far more reasonable way to wait out the masses than standing on a curb and breathing fumes, though there was some of that, later.

There is ever something interesting, when one’s hosts are three amigas.

Expanding Home, Day 15: Patience, Please

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Posted by on in Assistance, collaborating, Community, distraction issues, impediments, Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Service Activities, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

October 24, 2023, Manila- Today was a day of rest for my hosts. It began with another member of the community questioning my reasons for being here-indicating that I was limiting myself to an area where not all that much was going on. My response was to just sit tight and let the message process. After a while, I got further information from one of my hosts, that there was the initial expectation that I would be blazing about the country, with some days in one spot and some in another.

Now I could reply: . This is not my last visit to the Philippines. In fact, when honouring the end of World War II, (God willing, and provided WW III hasn’t started in the meantime), two years hence, it will make the most sense for me to go from Europe to east Asia, rather than returning to the U.S. and leaving again after only a month at Home Base. That will give more time for the provincial activities the community member wants to see.

My Korean friends were fond of saying “Rome wasn’t built in a day”, though their context was more along the lines of excusing an extended lack of effort. In my case, I would excuse being overextended, but there is no sense in making excuses. 2025 will be what it is, and I am just glad to be here to listen to my hosts and offer assistance where I can, in terms of encouraging healing where it is needed, and connecting friends who live in the same part of the country, but who did not know one another, until a day or two ago. Networking has always been important in my life, and is as much a reason why I have traveled almost incessantly, since I was seven years old. (Going to different areas of Saugus was as big a deal then, as going to different parts of North America, and beyond, is now). It is all about connections.

I am happy to report that the community member has come to understand my mindset and has adjusted expectations. I hope and trust that others will do the same, as this decade plays out-and if immediate family needs arise,those will always take precedence.