Category Archives: Personal goals

Journeys

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Posted by on in Personal goals

This the second of three posts extracted from my Google website, in hopes others can view and comment, if they wish.

As I mentioned earlier, wander lust has been in my heart, since I learned to walk, and maybe before.  I probably went to every part of my little town of Saugus, by the time I was ten.  Going to nearby Lynn, either on foot via the abandoned rail bed (even before Rails to Trails) or by bus, was also a fairly frequent occurrence.  Some of my paternal cousins lived there, there was a cinema that showed horror movies and I would occasionally do a bus run to “downtown” (central Lynn) to pick up hairdressing supplies for my hairdresser mother.

Dad and I went up Mt. Chocorua, NH a few times, and he took me to the Freedom Trail, in Boston, when I finished eighth grade.  He didn’t especially share my love of history, but he did enjoy nature, and we were always doing things, as a family, outside.
Our journeys in summer were fairly regular: A week or so in one part, or another, of the White Mountain region of New Hampshire; a weekend in Mashpee, on Cape Cod, where an uncle and aunt had a lovely cabin, on Johns Pond; and a lakeside gathering of various relatives and neighbours, at different state parks in northeast Massachusetts or southern New Hampshire.  My mind went on a few journeys of its own, when one of the families (which shall remain nameless here) showed up with three beautiful daughters.
I only gradually branched beyond the comfort zone. I remember one time I helped Dad on a paperhanging job in Bristol, RI and another time we visited relatives in Stamford, CT, but those were the only forays outside Massachusetts and New Hampshire, until I was 18.
My first airplane ride brought me to Columbia, SC, via Newark, for Army Basic Training.  That whole growing-up experience introduced me to discipline, lively communities that were mostly Black folks ( sections of Washington,DC,Columbia and Atlanta), a huge strand beach (Myrtle Beach)streets run by pimps (Midtown Manhattan), the Indianapolis Speedway, the public monuments and buildings of our nation’s capital, the glitz of Tokyo, the chaos and struggles of Saigon (today’s Ho Chi Minh City) and Manila, and the mix of relaxedness and formality that was Sydney, AU in 1971. I was sojourning on two planes, and made it through on both levels, more or less intact.
In summer, 1972, I shucked it all, for about three weeks, loaded a back pack and sleeping bag (but no tent) and headed to Montreal, by bus, then across to Edmonton and the Rockies, by thumb.  It was a beautiful blitz, but I often wonder what I gained from the time, with the return trip, except for three days in Baltimore with my Army buddy and his family, being a waste.
A spiritual journey began just outside Baltimore, though, as I was introduced to the Baha’i Faith by a gentle old man in a pick-up truck.  That journey of baby-step investigation took nine years, ending when I met Penny and began to pick up the pace.  The spiritual quest since then has had the power of Divine Assistance, and I will treasure this spiritual path, for all eternity.
I’ve been to a lot of places since then, by all manner of transport, and sense there is a lot more to come. Whether I go alone, or with a friend or three, I know my angel is on my shoulder and my maternal grandfather, whom I never met, physically, is always looking out for his wandering grandson.

Love

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This is one of several posts I wrote for my Google website, on which Google refuses to allow others to post comments.  I am therefore bringing the posts to Xanga, WordPress and Facebook, so that my friends CAN read and comment, if THEY wish.

There are basically four elements that have defined my life, up to now:  Curiosity, Intuition, Introspection and Love.  As Jesus the Christ and Baha’u’llah have each said:  “The strongest of these is love.”

There are basically for kinds of love- ‘Abdu’l-Baha explains that these are the Love of God for man, the love of man for God; the Love of God for Self (reflected in Creation) and the love of man for man.  This last kind of love, ideally, reflects the others.
The more time I spend on this plane, the more I reflect back that the only things of consequence I have ever done have been those stemming from love.  Anything done from avarice, hurt, ignorance or anger has ended in naught.
In childhood, I wanted to protect my mother from anyone that might have hurt or upset her, especially when Dad was at work.  It didn’t matter how big the person was, I was not going to let her suffer.  It was the same with my siblings, but meekness on my part didn’t really bring that out so much, once we were in school.  I saw the best in even the roughest character, among my school mates.  Yet, as I recall, my sister and brothers did not get picked on very much.
Junior High was what it was- little good, for anyone, but most of us made it out okay, except for a kid named George who burned down a few schools, when we were in eighth grade.  He went into treatment.  For my part, I started to really make the connection between love and pleasure, as soon as I hit Grade 7.  Girls were no longer just cute;  they were nothing short of amazing.  I was just shy of twelve, when that connection was made.
In high school,and through early adulthood, love showed several forms.  I started to pray more fervently.  I saw my female classmates as complete human beings.  I felt loyalty to my neighborhood.  I saw my parents more as allies than as overseers.  Alcohol clouded things, alot, from ages 15-26, but more on that another time.  In my thoughtful moments, I had concerns for my youngest brother, for my sister in a time of pain and for those around me- especially for my fellow veterans, after we came back from the war in the jungle.
I never did, in all that time,find one who was close enough to me that the name soul mate applied.  The girls I dated were nice enough people, but the chemistry needed to bring out the love that had started to bury itself, only came when Penny entered my life.  I knew something was up when, a few weeks before we met, I had this thought that I was ready for a relationship.  The person with whom I was talking at the time was not the one of whom I was thinking.
She appeared in the middle of a stormy night, at the Shalako (a house-blessing ceremony) of Zuni, New Mexico.  I was there as part of an anthropology course; she, out of personal curiosity and a thirst for knowledge.  That last quality, and a gentle concern for the well-being of children, defined the love of my life.  We were together for thirty years, three months- twenty-nine of those as husband and wife; twenty-three, as parents; all of them as best friends.
Penny taught me unconditional love- not a day went by that we didn’t affirm it at least twice.  Not a night came that we hadn’t resolved any differences in the name of love, before going to bed.
The love of man for woman- an outgrowth, among many, of Mankind’s love for his fellow humans- kept me at her side through all the aches and pains, and declines, of her last eight years on this plane.  There is something more, though- the love of spirit for spirit.  She has been with me constantly, since March, 2011.  Whether appearing in dreams, wafting a light current of air or gentle feeling on my skin, or giving me a sense of where to go or how to go about a given task- the love remains, constant and unconditional.
Recently, I have met many new friends. I take each person as he or she needs to be taken.  Penny has seen to it that I don’t follow any sort of false lust, or give in to momentary urges.  Those have nothing to do with love, anyway.
I have felt another tug at my heartstrings, over the past few weeks.  I don’t know for sure who this is about, but my angel tells me it’s okay and that she and I will have plenty of time for each other in the Great Beyond, and that whoever this new woman is will be well-cared for also.  See, Penny knows who I am moving towards.  She will only say it’s someone I don’t know very well yet.
I will stay tuned-in.

Heirlooms, Presidia and The Oneness of Us All

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Posted by on in Personal goals, Social

Some of my finest adventures happen “close to home”.  This past watershed weekend was a prime example.  One of the organizations that has drawn me into itself is Slow Food Prescott.  This is part of a larger organization, founded in Italy in 1989, which seeks to revitalize the interplay between nutrition and socialization- a counterpoint to the phenomenon of eating in one’s car, or otherwise taking a meal “on the fly”.

This past weekend, several things happened.  Friday night, I attended a gathering at the American Legion Post, in Prescott, enjoying a well-prepared meal in a relaxed atmosphere, which we do several times each month at the Post.  This set the stage for the weekend of food that was to come.

Bright and early Saturday morning, I headed to Prescott Farmers Market, purchasing enough food to get me through the coming week, before heading out on my two-weeker, either to Colorado or Oklahoma/Texas, or both.  Prescott’s Farmers Market is balanced between produce and freshly-prepared foods, such as baked goods and artisan tamales.

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After getting the food home and into the fridge, it was time to head to Bill’s Grill for the lunch which launched the 2013 meeting of Slow Food USA’s Southwest Region (Arizona and New Mexico).  Bill’s features organic beef, much of it from locally-raised cattle.

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The Slow-Food group was well-nourished, and ready for an afternoon of agricultural tourism, by 12;30.

We first headed to Whipstone Farm, in the hamlet of Paulden, about 20 miles north of Prescott. This establishment raises a variety of vegetables, fruit and livestock,  from arugula and asparagus to raspberries and tomatoes,using organic methods.

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There are many theories as to how we ought approach the task of feeding our numbers.  Genetic modification of crops is advanced, by industry, as the most efficient way to do this.    The organic methods, which I witnessed here at Whipstone, represent another, less-intrusive method.  Certainly, it’s more work to farm organically.  I have to say, though, that there seem to be fewer health issues arising from organic farming, than from other methods.  It’s noteworthy that the group with whom I spent much of the weekend look, almost to a one, about ten-twenty years younger than their chronological age-mates in the generality of society.

I don’t partake of alcoholic beverages, but I tagged along to Granite Creek Vineyards, on the north side of Chino Valley.  Here, several of the group members enjoyed six varieties of fruit of the vine, attended by a well- versed sommelier.   Afterwards, we retired to the lawn, enjoying live music and the company of a peacock.

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Now, it was time for the main event.  We bundled into various cars, around 3:30, and headed to the hosts’ residence, just east of the vineyard.

This is another of the homes which have been carefully, lovingly refurbished and made resplendent by astonishingly handy owners, across the country.                  SAM_4989  SAM_4990

So here, we enjoyed an Ark of Taste dinner. Arc of Taste alludes to Noah’s efforts at animal husbandry, and directly speaks to the effort to preserve and foster many local ingredients, which would otherwise risk being squeezed out, for the sake of monoculture.  Thus, we have the term Presidia, Italian for “fortress”.  A Presidia item, such as the Churro sheep being raised in the Four Corners region, on the Navajo Nation,   is one of the major focal points of Slow Food International.  Variety in our diet improves digestion, diet and overall health.  Many might differ, but may I say their sentiments are along the lines of “Been down so long, it looks like up to me.”

We thoroughly enjoyed a well-balanced and varied bill of fare, both on Saturday night and at the buffet-style breakfast, the next morning.  All was prepared from scratch.

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On Sunday morning, after breakfast, we were honoured by a traditional Navajo blessing. I have missed this, for some time.

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Richard McCarthy, the new director of Slow Food USA, is an accomplished gastronome, from New Orleans.  His efforts are creating sure order out of chaos and he has built a highly-functioning team at the New York headquarters.  Richard was honoured by our Dine (Navajo) friend.

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Sunday, June 9, was Race Unity Day, so this blessing was particularly auspicious.  The Baha’i Faith has the Oneness of Mankind as its basic tenet.  Several of us gathered in mid-day, at Goldwater Lake.  I briefly took leave of my fellows at the Slow Food gathering, for this equally worthy event.  Spirit and body must surely work as one.

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It was here that I learned a steadfast friend of 32 years had passed on, two days earlier.  This was a saddening, yet also comforting backdrop to the events of the weekend.  We now have one more angel pulling for us in the Divine Light.  Meanwhile, here in the Earthly frame, I can take comfort in have made several more friends:  Richard and his assistant, Aimee; the spirited Slow Food team of Santa Fe; and engaging, creative members of the Phoenix, Tucson and Flagstaff  Slow Food groups.

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I look forward to so much that is good in life and to working through the challenges that lie ahead of us all.

I’m Still Here

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Posted by on in Personal goals

No photos for this post.  I just want to write of my Plan B for this evolving year.  There is a good chance that the people with whom I am working now will want me to continue until the end of May.  If that happens, I will kick an old debt to the curb.  I would take a Friday and Monday off,in mid-May, for my niece’s college graduation.  I would  not go to Oklahoma and Texas until June, after the Colorado week.  This year’s Big Kahuna would still be on, though- South Dakota-Chicago-Toronto-Newfoundland-Boston-NYC-St. Louis-home, and many points in between, from August 1 to September 30, or thereabouts.  California would wait until late June-early July.

Life in Prescott, though, is far more satisfying and homey-feeling than it was last year, so I don’t feel so spring-loaded.

This Janus Moment- Looking at 2013

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The one thing I see ahead, for certain, in the coming year is- more personal growth.  Most of the travels I undertook in 2012 were either left over plans from 2011, or set around key events, like the Centenary of ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s visit to North America and my already planned trip back to my hometown for Thanksgiving and my 62nd birthday.

This year starts on a blank slate, in that there is no unfinished business.  I do have tentative travel plans, which I will mention below, but being of service- to my Faith, to the Red Cross and in the American Legion’s “Americanism Essay” program will be my main priorities, along with substitute teaching when I am called.

There is a book on the Covenant (agreement) between Baha’ullah and His followers (Including me), which I am studying along with 2-3 other Baha’is.  We will likely meet every Tuesday, except for the two weeks I’ll mention below, until the end of May.  That is Priority # 1.

The year overall looks like this, and it can always change on a dime.

January- Post-holiday clean-up of the legion hall and a prayer breakfast are scheduled for next weekend.  The following weekend, our Baha’i hiking group will go-somewhere nearby.  A Navajo culture event at the Phippen Museum will find me in attendance at the end of the month.  In between, a jaunt down to Tucson is possible and a Red Cross service weekend in the Colorado River Valley is likely during the MLK Day weekend.

February- A special musical artist will visit us on the 9-10.  President’s Day weekend will likely find me in the Las Vegas area’s Red Rock State Park and/or Valley of Fire.  The end of the month (26th- March 1) is what we Baha’is observe as Ayyam-i-Ha (Intercalary Days), and is a gift-giving period.  It falls during the week, but we still gather on at least one night to celebrate.

March- I hope to have a DVD of photos from Penny’s life done by the 5th, to mark the second anniversary of her passing.  The 2nd-20th of this month is the Baha’i Fasting period, and those of us between the ages of 15-70, who are in good health, observe the Fast from sunrise to sunset during this 19-day period.  I work and carry on a modicum of normal activity during this time, but don’t travel or hike much, if at all.  From the 22nd-25th, I will likely visit some friends in southern California, and my son if he’s still there.

April- From March 29- April 7, I will visit friends and Mother Nature in Oklahoma and Texas, by way of Albuquerque.

May- If she wants me to, I will go out to Philadelphia, where my youngest niece is graduating college, from May 10-13.  Otherwise, the month is a Home Sweet Home time.

June- Colorado beckons, from the 1st to the 9th.  This time, I want to hike in Eldorado State Park, Boulder and up Mt. Sopris, near Glenwood Springs, as well as visiting my family in the Denver area and paying my respects at Sand Creek, near La Junta.

(I will also have to plan for June & July, 2014- La Belle France, Belgium, London, Amsterdam,  northern Germany, Copenhagen and five East European cities are on my radar.)

July-My son will turn 25, so the time around his birthday on the 7th will remain open.  Otherwise, three hikes, weather-permitting, in the San Francisco Peaks will highlight the second half of the month.

August & September- If all goes well, my long jaunt for the year will start on the 9th, with an overnight camp-out near Bluff, Utah.  From there, Arches National Park, Dinosaur National Monument, Devils Tower, Harney Peak, Crazy Horse Monument, Pipestone, MN, northern Wisconsin, Chicago, Toronto, Montreal,  Quebec-Ville, Atlantic Canada, Mount Desert Island, ME a family reunion in Massachusetts over Labor Day weekend, NYC, Gettysburg and a possible DC visit with my siblings (which could also happen in mid-May), Louisville, St.  Louis and Kansas City will occupy me until around October 6.

October- After the 6th, I will be around Prescott and back to business.

November- This year, my birthday falls on Thanksgiving.  I will not make any plans, except to be the best 63-year-old the Good Lord could want.

December- Grand Canyon Baha’i Conference will probably be the 20th-23rd.  Otherwise, I have no plans.

So that’s how my friend Janus has me set for the year ahead.  As always, Penny will be around me and I will move one step at a time, with love in my heart.

 

 

This Janus Moment- Looking Back

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Posted by on in Personal goals

2012 was several steps in the right direction for yours truly.  I viewed a video this evening about a girl who was visited by an angel, while she was in the hospital and at death’s door.  There is video footage of a bright, winged being, which cannot be explained by window light being reflected, as there are no windows or skylights in that part of the hospital.  I include this digression because, so often over the past twenty-one months, and especially this year, I have made split-second decisions based on messages which come to me instantaneously.  I have done things that I was not even remotely thinking of doing, but which redounded to my immediate benefit.  I know my beloved is right at my side, 24/7.

Let me look back at 2012:

January- New Year’s hike on Mingus Mountain; read The Third Alternative, by Stephen R. Covey, who would die later this year; worked at substituting; visited Wickenburg.

February- Bought solar oven; visited Tucson, Bisbee & Tombstone; celebrated Arizona’s Centennial; climbed Piestewa Peak and Camelback; hiked the eastern segment of White Tanks; enjoyed the music of Kevin VonderHeydt, in concert; revisited many parts of the Verde Valley; climbed Vulture Peak;  welcomed Aram back to dry land, from his first deployment; toured his ship and the USS Midway, in San Diego.

March- Visited:  San Diego Maritime Park;Julian;La Jolla; Laguna Beach andTorrance (to see friends); La Brea Tar Pits and LACMA; Los Angeles and San Diego Baha’i Centers; Ontario, CA (see more friends); Presented the video, “Education Under Fire” at Prescott Public Library and at Yavapai College; took training in First Aid and CPR at Phoenix Red Cross; attended “Oneness of Mankind Day” Music Festival at Old Tucson; visited with my brother and  sister-in-law during their Tucson trip; spent time with Aram in Phoenix; trained in Disaster Services, with the Red Cross; renewed my US passport; worked on my Phoenix property; hiked Thumb Butte; visited  Orme Farm, an organic establishment near Dewey, AZ.

April- Attended “Americanism” awards ceremonies at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, in Prescott; bid farewell to Baha’i friend Bruce Von der Heydt; presented “Education Under Fire” at Chino Valley Senior Center and at Prescott  College;  visited sites in Camp Verde and Sedona; discovered the lushness of Badger Springs, northeast of Black Canyon City;  had our first Baha’i cluster meeting.

May- Paid off a huge outstanding debt; attended a Yavapai College concert; attended an Americanism awards ceremony at Prescott High School; visited family and friends in Colorado, Oklahoma and Texas; hiked around Boulder, Mt. Sunflower,KS, Black Mesa, OK, Palo Duro Canyon and Pedernales Falls, TX;  reveled in the historical sites of Fort Worth, Austin; San Antonio  and Laredo; discovered South Padre Island; presented “Education Under Fire”, one more time at Prescott Public Library; finished reading Harry Potter series.

June- Attended graduation party for John Bradley;received Medal of Valor, from Prescott-Yavapai Nation; commemorated our 30th wedding anniversary in San Diego, South Carlsbad Beach and Julian; visited Dana Point and Laguna Beach;  visited the Nixon Birthplace and Presidential Library; attended the 50th anniversary of the Pine Springs Baha’i Proclamation, near Houck, AZ; hiked Bright Angel Trail, Grand Canyon; attended Bellemont Baha’i Summer School.

July- Celebrated Aram’s birthday, in San Diego; visited Santa Ysabel and Palm Springs, CA; joined Cowboy breakfast at Goldwater Lake; attended first “Nights of Enlightenment”, at Phoenix Baha’i Center; finished reading Books 1-5, in “A Song of Ice and Fire” series.

August-  Attended Star-Gazing Party, at the Bradleys’ residence; joined GMO-Free Prescott;  attended American Legion Post Picnic, at Watson Lake; added Chino Valley USD to my substituting roll.

September- Attended Prescott Red Cross Open House; visited family and friends in Nevada, California, Oregon, Washington, Utah and Colorado; attended Commemorations of ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s visits to San Francisco, Oakland, Salt Lake City and Glenwood Springs, CO; camped in the Coastal Redwoods and Washington’s Ozette region;  revisited San Francisco’s Telegraph Hill, Portland, Crater Lake, and Seattle; discovered Point Reyes, the Lost Coast, Point Coquille, Sea Lion Caves, Oregon Dunes, Cape Flattery, Forks, WA, Wenatchee(and its fire-ravaged areas), Goldendale, WA, Rogue River Gorge, Ashland, OR, Mt. Shasta, Lassen Volcanic NP,  and Colorado Springs .

October- Visited Wolf Creek Gorge, CO; joined Baha’i Unit Convention, in Flagstaff; drove a friend to/from Algodones, BCN; attended concert at Macy’s in Flagstaff; attended Health & Wellness Fair in Bagdad, AZ; attended Red Cross training in Phoenix; began extended Baha’i group study; joined Red Cross Make-a-Difference Day  event, in Glendale; joined Junior Youth Hike at Sabino Canyon, Tucson.

November- Attended Anti-Bullying talk at Yavapai College; joined Veteran’s Day Parade;  visited family and friends in Saugus, MA and Bedminster, NJ; revisited Salem and Boston’s Freedom Trail; turned 62.

December- Had topical skin surgery; attended Grand Opening of Scottsdale Baha’i Center; attended Willow Creek Gardens Christmas Party;  co-hosted Baha’i Cluster Meeting; visited with Aram in Prescott and Phoenix; attended Grand Canyon Baha’i Conference; joined memorial service for an area Baha’i.

“and rain shall make the flowers grow.”

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Like many across the planet, I attended a screening of Les Miserables on Christmas night.  As with most theaters, our screening in Prescott Valley, AZ was nearly full.  Since high school,  this story has been on my short list of favourites.  I first read it in French, as a junior.  The message was no less clear and compelling in the film:  None of us is beyond redemption, but frequently, attaining it means casting aside ego, pride, fear.  One reviewer called the story “relentless”, in its presentation of the events leading up to the Barricades of Paris in 1832, and the aftermath of their architects’ defeat.

It is never going to be “Les Miz”, in my mind.  The human struggle can never really be trivialized, abbreviated or marginalized for convenience’s sake.  The bonds of true love, in every one of its forms, can never be broken.  The power of unconditional humaneness, towards even one’s perceived enemies, can never be broken.  In real terms, Victor Hugo was calling out for all these to become the order of his day, and of the future society.  In real time, we see the great leaders of our day putting these principles into action:  Nelson Mandela, Aung San Suu Kyi, Inacio Lula da Silva and Liu Xiao Bo.

The most compelling strand in Les Miserables is the ultimate sense of Jean Valjean’s vindication, at least in his own heart.  Even Javert, to his great chagrin, recognizes the folly of his own life’s work, bestowing his Croix d’Honeur on the fallen child, Gavroche, then allowing Jean Valjean to carry the wounded Marius to safety.  None of these revelations reduces the power  of the story- it can only be felt by those who experience the story, whether in film, on stage or in print.

The despair of that age must have been palpable.  The message sent forth by the despondent Fantine, “But there are dreams that cannot be, and there are storms we cannot weather”, must never, though, be allowed to take root in these times of ours.  The dead Gavroches of Sandy Hook each had a feistiness, an unquenchable thirst for life of their own.  The Cosettes, and Eponines, of the world deserve their shot at bringing dream to reality.  The Javerts of our society need not self-destruct, but rather know that the unbending principles designed to safeguard wealth and privilege are not always tenable, nor should they be.

As I drove towards home this evening, a newscast informed that a light snow had fallen on Newtown today.  In the darksome night, there is hope radiating outward, attracting blessings, repelling the very evil that brought down this dark.

Love is not an easy thing, but to all who suffer- know that you are loved, at least in this corner.

My Leibster Award nomination

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Posted by on in Personal goals

I have been nominated by CherokeeWriter for the Leibster Award.  As my end of the deal, I am stating 11 things about myself, answering her 11 questions and nominating 11 other bloggers who have less than 200 followers, at least to my knowledge.

11 Things about myself:

1.  I am of  French, German, Penobscot Indian, English, Irish and Polish descent.

2.  I was widowed nearly two years ago.

3.  I feel my wife’s spirit is always with me.

4.  I am equally at home in city and countryside.

5.  I  share a birth date with Ed Harris.

6.  I am one of 13 people with my first and last name, in the entire planet.

7.  I enjoy sharing my life with many others.

8.  I am growing stronger every day.

9.  I don’t believe in aging, only in growing closer to the Light.

10.  My glass is half full.

11.  I can speak a smattering of a few languages, but I can understand a person’s heart.

CherokeeWriter’s questions:

. What is your favorite book and why?

Les Miserables.  It pinpoints and deeply delves into the human condition, looking at both sides of an all-too-common situation.

2. Pie or cake?

Pie- Apple, Blueberry or Pecan

3. Why did you start blogging?

I wanted to share my thoughts and experiences with the wider world.

4. What is your favorite fantasy creature?

The Phoenix, because it dusts itself off and keeps on going.

5. Do you have any pets? If not, do you want any pets?

I have no pets at present.  I could not do a pet justice, right now.

6. Would you like to see a woman become President?

Certainly!

7. What is your favorite food?

Lasagna

8. Do you believe in true love?

Absolutely.  I experience it, even now.

9. What was the last movie you saw in the theater?

Lincoln

10. Who are some of your favorite singers?

Joan Baez, Red Grammer, Smith and Dragoman, Gregory and the Hawk, Pink (Yes, THAT Pink).

11. Who would you want to play you in a movie about your life?

Dennis Quaid (though he’s a lot buffer than I).

Now, my questions for my nominees:

1.  Who do you regard as a worthy role model?

2.  Why do you blog?

3.  Which do you like better- a noisy, happy party or a quiet spot in the countryside?

4.  Dogs or cats?

5.  What is your favourite beverage?

6.  Is the Lottery a good thing?

7.  What brings about happiness?

8.  Who is the greatest author of all time?  Why?

9.  Do you think love can be eternal?

10.  Ocean or mountains?

11.  What has been your happiest moment, so far?

The Roads, The Trails and Me: Part 2, The Next Fourteen Months

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Posted by on in Personal goals, Travel

I spent part of this afternoon walking a segment of the Constellation Trail, in Granite Dells, that I had not hiked before.  (I went sans camera, so rest assured I will be on that path again soon.)  This was a time meant for attention to detail and reflection.  It meant frequent sitting and thinking.  Among the things that came to mind were my friendships, the structure of this planet-both material and social, and the resemblance of rock formations to characters, both real and imagined.   I thought of friends here, in Tucson and in the Northwest.  I thought of the solidity and fluidity of rock, water and social institutions like the family.  I saw rocks that resembled Jabba the Hut, a kissing pair of dogs, a fish whispering to a whale and Buckingham Palace.

If I had no other reason to visit nature, this would be sufficient.  Now, let me get back to nuts and bolts.  Earlier today, I made arrangements to fly to Boston on Nov. 17 and return on Nov. 29.  This will be my first New England Thanksgiving in almost 32 years.  Having made that plan, let me set in motion the rest of 2012 and the year ahead.


Most of my time will actually be here in AZ, with Baha’i, Red Cross, American Legion and various other friends, in addition to work- which resumes next week.  My journeys out of state over the next fourteen months, look like this thus far:

November 17-29 :  Boston area, with 2 day visit to New Jersey (24th and 25th).

December 24-29 :  San Diego, Crystal Cove, Catalina, Los Angeles County Museum of Art and Palm Springs tram.

2013

March 9-17:  New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.

June 1-8:  Colorado

July 5-9:  Aram’s birthday; so, wherever he is.

July 14- September 15:  Start- Devil’s Tower, WY. Key stops: Harney Peak, Mt. Rushmore and Pine Ridge, SD; Pipestone and the Twin Cities, MN; Ice Age Trail, Stevens Point and Milwaukee, WS; Chicago; Indiana Dunes; Fruitport, Sleeping Bear Dunes and Pictured Rocks, MI; Manitoulin, Toronto and Ottawa, ON; Montreal, Quebec and Gaspesie, QB; Northern New Brunswick, Saint John and Fundy National Park, NB; Pictou region and Cape Breton, NS; Newfoundland; Prince Edward Island; Acadia National Park, Boothbay and Eliot, ME; the Boston area ( Family stuff and my Mom’s fifteenth consecutive 40th birthday!); New York City; northern New Jersey ( More family stuff); Cape May, NJ; Philadelphia and Gettysburg, PA; Louisville area; western Illinois; Des Moines; Doorley Zoo, Omaha; then back home, through Kansas, the OP and New Mexico.

This is, as we all know, subject to expansion (unlikely) or contraction(always possible).  Stops in between, here and there, are sometimes advisable, for the good of the order.

The Roads, The Trails and Me- Part I

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Posted by on in Personal goals

I went to Sunday breakfast at the Prescott American Legion Post this morning, as I do at least twice a month, when here.  Those with whom I am close were either not there, or were busy with their serving tasks, so for some reason, I was just pacing around, until my food was ready.  One old friend quipped, “Gary, you’re walking around alot this morning- thinking of buying the place?”  When I had finished eating and went to leave, he chortled “Good God, now he’s walking on.”

That set me to thinking- I have been a restless soul, for as long as I can remember.  My first punishment, when I was three, was for walking up to Grama Kusch’s house, which meant I had to cross at least one street alone.  I don’t remember whose hairbrush hit my backside first- Mom’s or Grama’s.  When we moved to Adams Avenue, and I was five, I preferred walking to the horse corrals, hiking the hills near home, checking out the abandoned railbed or going over the hill to my aunt’s house to playing ball, riding a bike or watching television.  My favourite board games were route-oriented: “Risk”, “Monopoly” and checkers.  I loved the TV show, “Route 66”, as much to see the different places the guys went each week, as to see which hot girl Buzz would meet.  My other favourites on the tube were more sedentary, but still cerebral (Perry Mason, Checkmate, Soupy Sales :})- yet that’s another matter.  My first job was delivering newspapers.

I chose active Army duty over National Guard, because my feet were itching to get to a different place, or two.  That eventually led me to Fort Myer, Va, where I walked all over the DC metro area- one time going from the south entrance of Rock Creek Park all the way to Germantown, MD.  After that, there were ten months in Viet Nam, where wandering was not an option- but I did get to see Sydney, on R &R.

In college, I was a director of campus tours and travel, at the community college and backpacked around North America in the summer of 1972.  My part-time job that Fall, at UPS, entailed sorting parcels going to various spots.  I wanted, at one point, to deliver mail for a living, but a postal hiring freeze that year squashed that idea.

When I taught in a classroom, I was okay with being focused on the tasks at hand, since they involved children and growth.  On weekends, though, I covered insane distances- in Maine and Atlantic Canada, and later on- all over Arizona and Sonora.

Penny settled me down, somewhat, though she shared my wanderlust, to a point.  Aram anchored us further- we did take trips here and there, mostly in summer, but a growing child needs the security of home and neighbourhood.  A teen needs such things all the more.  So, I practiced stillness, learned a modicum of stationary behaviour and focused on the growth of my spirit.

Penny has gone to the spirit realm, and she was one of a kind.  There are plenty of people about whom I care, but I have only one soul mate, and we see each other in dreams and in visions.  Aram is grown, and is pursuing his own dreams.  I am, and will be, there when he needs me.  Mostly, though, I’m on my own- and my soul goes follows its given course.

Next:  A revised view of the path ahead.