Whether you’re a lover or a fighter, I hope today meets your expectations. This is my third Valentine’s Day as soul mate to a departed angel, and I am blessed with all manner of Earthly friends- of both genders and all ages. It’s not necessary to always have a live, in-the-flesh type Significant Other. If you do, though, I wish you both a warm and tender day of love.
I had the day off, as it is the day before a 3-day weekend, and no teacher likes to miss the Valentine’s Day parties at school- so few subs, if any, were called. Have taken care of several process matters, relative to this house- and can relax just a bit, over the Presidents’ Day weekend. A couple of local events, and dinner with a friend, will take up tomorrow. The trail is calling on Sunday. Monday will be devoted to volunteer work.
Today, though, will see me spend the evening with friends in Flagstaff. I will stop and hike at Stoneman Lake,, en route. Macy’s European Coffee House has a gathering, once a month, to talk about spiritual matters, from a Baha’i perspective. While I don’t get up there every month, tonight is a perfect opportunity for this. I can bring my oil samples and info with me, too, just to see if anyone might be in need of our fine products.
Concerns- This house is now being listed for sale. I will make my move towards downtown, sometime in March or April.
Type A people and I may never really understand, or trust, one another. This will affect my attendance at a regular mid-week event, but life goes on.
I have two meetings this evening. Either one, or both, could end up being a hair-raising, or hair-pulling, experience.
I don’t give a care if no one on Word Press reads my personal posts. The posts will continue- mostly for my friends on Xanga and Facebook. WP’ers, keep snoozing, just don’t snore too loudly- okay.
Sid- He was about the first TV personality to make me laugh. So much of Sid Caesar’s comedy was situational. This made it timeless. RIP, sir.
Vortex- Southland, you are surviving! East Coast, hang in there. You know what to do, and it’ll be gone soon.
I will be using this space to randomly comment on matters large and small, when there is nothing huge in my life.
Abe- The greatest American President, up to now, was born on this day, 205 years ago. It’s hard to imagine what this country would be like, had either his immediate predecessor or his immediate successor been at the helm, when matters came to a head in 1861.
Shirley- Mrs. Temple Black lived an extraordinary life. She didn’t rest on her considerable laurels, nor express a demand for entitlement. I remember how much her movies meant to my dear sister, on so many Saturday afternoons. No one begrudged Cheryl the command of the family TV, as long as Shirley was singing and dancing. I never did put Animal Crackers in my soup, but I have been known to sing in the rain.
Pax- The latest storm ending in ‘x’ is an equal opportunity weather challenge. It’s a chance for the President to do right by the South, and it looks as if he is in the process of same. No one’s suffering is any less worthy of concern than anyone else’s, so North, South, Northwest, Midwest, Canada, Great Britain- hope all stay warm, dry and safe.
Bloopers- Criticism is not an attack. This morning, I posted a comment, in a format that was not suitable to the needs of the person on whose wall it was posted. The critical response, from someone I don’t know, was fast and to the point. Said post was deleted, and no animals were harmed in the process.
Sochi- I wish Shaun White well. The sport he helped popularize has been stylized further by others. This is what life is all about, and takes nothing away from what Shaun did, in prior Olympics. Canada’s Women’s Hockey Team won today, fair and square. A win by a hair is still a win.
Here at home- I have worked two days this week. Yesterday, I started to feel an urge to pull into my shell. Instead, getting up, after a post-work rest, and attending a Slow Food Prescott potluck and business meeting, followed by a couple hours’ worth of spiritual study, was far more rewarding. There are many challenges to my comfort zone ahead, and it’s best I leave it behind, more often. As the saying goes- “Praying God to bring you to the mountain top, whilst sitting at its base, is not the way to get there.”
Hiking- I went to the trailhead for the Drinking Snake segment of Black Canyon Trail- and ended up taking the equally intriguing Forest Road 9218, informally called Townsend Butte trail, as that’s where the trail ends, overlooking the nearly deserted former mining town of Cleator.
Here are some views of the trail. This shows the Drinking Snake Trail- the one not taken today.
Next is Townsend Butte Trail, the one that made all the difference.
Some buttes and basalt outcroppings broke the desert garden views, almost nonstop Prickly Pear groves, interspersed with chaparral.
This seasonal seep from Bumble Bee Creek is called White Pond.
Approaching Townsend Butte, there are gorgeous sweeping views of the badlands leading to the Bradshaw Mountains.
Atop Townsend Butte, the views are of little Cleator, getting a new lease on life- as are several of the Black Canyon “ghost towns”. There is no direct trail down to the village from the summit, though.
It’s only 3,953 feet high, but for a brief few minutes on top of old Townsend, I felt on top of the world.
On the way back, as always, there was a heart waiting for me.
Social/Musical- The fine day was capped by a small, but lively, drum circle at the Brehmers’ home in Chino Valley. We had a fine time with sandwiches, a kale-rice dish and the rest of the chocolate cake from our friends, the Hamiltons, left over from my gathering on Thursday. Our drumming and chanting lifted each others spirits, and sent good vibes around the world, to Sochi, and everyplace in between. Looking forward to a fine Sunday!
Tidbits- I had the good fortune of working at the nearby middle school. I covered the SPED resource room, and found lots of buzz over the Valentine’s Dance, which happened this evening. In between the teasing and flirting back and forth, the kids mostly got some work done. The ones who stood out, though, were a pair of loners, who chose to just sit. I sense there is more to these boys than most people seem to have registered, but at least the regular TA is aware of their issues, and can be a consistent voice on their behalf.
Broken record- People complain about a complainer. Is any of that going to help my erstwhile friend, who is obviously in need of a caring, but strong, helper? I’d be glad to get her back on track, and when she is no longer shutting me out, I will.
Giving- I’ve always given, without worrying about receiving. My only thing is, it doesn’t always HAVE to be about money. I am generous with my time, and attention to people. Those need to matter, also.
Weekend- I thoroughly enjoyed the Crockpotluck, at the Legion, this evening. It was satisfying to resist the urge to try every single dish, which would have been strenuous, and would have made me what the French call un gourmand. Tomorrow night, we have our monthly drum group, in Chino Valley. Otherwise, tomorrow during the day, and on Sunday, I will be on the trail. 🙂
Olympics- The Opening Ceremony may have been quirky and somewhat photoshopped, but the vast majority of the presentation was as fascinating and moving as any I’ve seen. The little dreamer, “Lubov”, the historical pageant and Maria Sharipova made for an enchanting opening.
Personal/Social– This could also be called spiritual, as tonight marks my return to hosting a Baha’i Spiritual Feast. This is our community’s devotional and consultative gathering, held once each nineteen days. Here in Prescott, we meet in each other’s homes or, occasionally, in an apartment complex clubhouse. Ironically, this comes as I am one or two months away from moving closer to downtown Prescott.
It is a lot of work to host a Spiritual Feast, but no energy is better spent- and, yes, there was lots of food and there were copious beverages (but no alcohol).
Wider World- A lot of people are still getting sick- both physically and mentally. I would ask my friends who are handling things pretty well, to remember that those who are suffering mental anguish need more patience, not less. Of course, one should never allow oneself to be browbeaten, savaged or excoriated. Neither should the suffering person experience the same. It’s a matter of saying: “ENOUGH! When you are ready to speak to me with respect, then we may talk again.” There is never a call for name-calling or ridicule. We are all in this together.
Tomorrow night, we will be able to view the 2014 Olympics Opening Ceremonies. I look forward to it, and send positive thoughts for the safety of one and all, throughout the proceedings.
Health and Healing- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder can hit any of us, any time there is a serious life-changing event, or series of events, that happen all of a sudden. It is not just in a war zone or after a wide-spread disaster, that such things hit. The loss of a loved one or a natural event that affects only a relative few people, when it hits out of the blue, can send one spinning into a very hellacious space. So can chronic, undiagnosed pain.
There are a couple of people online, for whom I have great affection, who are going through severe PTSD, from the looks of things. This sort of thing needs to be taken seriously. I will do what I can, which in one of the cases probably isn’t much.
Life- Mine is good. I went over to a gathering this evening, and stayed for about an hour- before slipping out, pretty much unnoticed. People were heavily into themselves, and that’s okay. One of my better friends had some good things happen to her today. That’s fantastic, because she needed to catch a break or two, and I know she can do fabulous things. I did some cleaning and straightened up a few things, before tomorrow night’s event. I also talked with my son, on the phone, this afternoon. He’s holding his own, and I am immensely proud of him for learning and growing as a man.
Money- I was gently chided by someone, who said “The more you give, the more you get.” Well, that’s true, to an extent. If I gave as much as the collective charities want, I’d have nothing left. Just to satisfy my critics, let me say that 15-20% of what I bring in each month, goes to charities of my choice- my Faith, a child protection entity and a children’s hospital, plus the little boy I sponsor, in another country. That’s all anyone needs to know.
Well, this week is half over. I am hoping the snow-weary people of much of our Hemisphere (northern) will catch a break, after the storm anticipated for this weekend.
It was a busy one; no work, but a two-hour Red Cross meeting broke up the festivities. I enjoyed a fine bowl of albondigas at Shannon’s Deli, afterwards. My regular Tuesday night Baha’i study circle, in Chino Valley, capped the day.
Personal/Social- I am blessed with so many friends and well-wishers, and am always glad to return the love. One of my best friends in the world noted that I have never been a liar. In fact, I’m probably the world’s worst silvertongue. I couldn’t carry a falsehood forward, if a million dollars were at stake. Now, misunderstanding, and misstating things, in all sincerity- that happens when I get too overwrought. That, and an occasional outburst of “hell” or “damn”, have gotten me kicked out of places, and out of good people’s hearts. I can only imagine what real cussing would bring down on my head. Still and all, I lead a mighty happy life.
Plans- I made further progress on a mission of homage and mercy, coming up March 7-10. As it’s a rather focused, necessarily brief journey to a place where I have extended family, and a couple of dear friends, I am playing close to the vest on this one. On a different note, March 15 will bring me down to Phoenix Convention Center, for a businessconvention.
Wider world- People ought not get so over the top about money. I’m frugal towards myself, a bit more generous with those closest to me and with certain charitable causes. No one can give to every outstretched hand, though; yet many thrust their hands out, capriciously, anyway. I see Wall Street came back, a bit, today. It makes sense- every stock that gets sold back to the pot, ends up getting a new buyer, after a fashion. Money, like all other things in the world, recycles itself handsomely. One just needs to be patient, and know where to look.
This was a fabulous day for me. I pray for those who had a hard time, though, especially in the Midwest. Northeasterners, take a deep breath and get the shovels ready, again. Minnesotans and Wisconsinites, stay by the fireplaces tomorrow. These, too, will pass, and Valentine’s Day is 8 days out.
Personal/Social- I had a calm, quiet day at work, teaching sixth-graders in a combination English and Social Studies class. The students are well-ordered and attend to their assignments quite readily. They could probably have had more assigned them by the regular teacher, but we made do.
My only tasks this evening are tying up loose ends for a gathering I am hosting here on Thursday, a weekend meeting, south of Phoenix, later this month and an errand of mercy the second week of March. Other than those, it’s Literary Lala Land. 🙂
Spiritual- Someone is confused as to the nature of God. As a Baha’i, I believe that each of us has to investigate spiritual truth for themselves. We are past the time when another human can define God for us. Spiritual Teachers will continue to appear, every thousand years or so, as Baha’u’llah, Christ, Muhammad and others have, and we are free to avail ourselves of Their guidance, or not. The thing is, we get out of spirituality what we put into it.
Plans- As always, my life, while present-focused, has to include some forward planning. As mentioned, I will host a spiritual gathering in my home on Thursday night. It will be the last such gathering, in this house, as a move closer to downtown is in the cards for any time between late March and early May.
Hikes will be fairly regular. This Sunday will take me somewhere- either to another sector of the Black Canyon, or to Harquahala Peak, near Aguila, AZ.
Health- I continued to feel even more energized today. The essential oils are working their way through my system, and getting rid of toxins that seem to have accumulated.
Wider world- I am saddened that Philip Seymour Hoffman is gone. It is sadder still that there are those who couldn’t wait to speculate on his circumstances, at time of death. This reminds me of the conclusions to which people jumped, when John Belushi passed on. How wrong they turned out to be!
Football is entering its period of rest and rehab. I like both teams, but it’s nice for Seattle to have a World Championship team. I remember how great it felt for us, in Phoenix, when the Diamondbacks won the World Series. All the different Boston teams winning, over the years, also have made this native son proud.
I haven’t checked the financials today. I believe the stock markets are sending a message to all the up and coming financial markets: Cut the corruption and get your houses in order. No one knows better than our Wall Street denizens just how painful it is to cut corners and get caught!
This is an incentive for me to get my thoughts down, on a more regular basis. I did this, for a brief period, on Xanga, when I wrote using the name “Cyberbear”.
This series of posts will be broken down by categorical subtitles. Most will be shared on Xanga 2.0 and on Facebook.
Social/Interpersonal- I have arrived, at the point in my life, where I count people of all ages, both genders, all sexual orientations and any other category, except perverts and megalomaniacs, among my friends. There are, among my closest friends, five women- none of whom regards me, in the least, as a romantic interest. I would take a bullet for any of them. There is also a person, far away, who does not like me in the least. I regard her as the salt of the Earth, and would take a bullet for her as well. There are well over five thousand people whom I have met, and befriended, at one time or another. I would stand for them, too. None of this makes me a saint; it just makes me human- as do the mistakes I have made.
My son is in the U. S. Navy. He has spent the past week performing an essential task for his unit. My son works very hard.
My mother recently went through a tough experience. She came out of it okay, because she is exactly what she taught us to be- self-reliant, reflective and resilient.
Community- This afternoon, I joined a small group of American Legionnaires, at our post in Prescott. We observed Four Chaplains Day- which actually falls on February 3. The story of the Four Chaplains may be found here:
Health and Wellness- Saturday, I hiked the northernmost section of Black Canyon National Recreation Trail. It took me from Hwy. 69, near Mayer, AZ to a point 3.6 miles further northeast, near Copper Mountain. A separate post, with photographs, is featured on this website.
This afternoon, one of my aforementioned friends hosted a wellnessparty. She offers a wide variety of products, based on Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade essential oils. I’m using a set of their products, as daily vitamin supplements , and feel a difference in my energy level after only two days. In my case, I am not feeling the urge to nap after lunch-as I had been doing for nearly three years. I also didn’t feel the need to rest as often, during my hike. I will be glad to share information on these products with anyone who asks.
I am an omnivore, who is gradually phasing out meat. I have the personal need, when eating meat, to thank the spirit of the animal who sacrificed itself. This will probably drive committed vegetarians bonkers, but my Native American ancestors did so, for thousands of years. My problem, though, is that I don’t like to patronize those who use torture, brute force or hideously filthy animal husbandry methods, in providing meat for the market. One of the finest men for whom I ever worked, Mr. Fred Cole, said meat must be clean, free of disease, at all stages of the food preparation process- from husbandry to the table. Dairy is an academic matter. Healthy calves and goat kids ought to be able to co-exist with those who enjoy yogurt, butter, cheese, ice cream and, to the extent necessary, milk. We don’t need that much, per person, so there is no need for the maltreatment or starvation of animal babies.
Spirit- I am a Baha’i. Here’s a quote from Baha’u’llah, Who founded our Faith in 1863.
