Happy Monday, my Darling. I've just been hanging around the apartment this afternoon, but I'm gonna head back to Pearl's in a little while. I checked in late because I figured I wrote so much yesterday that I'd give you a little breather. I always worry when I start going on and on about something, that I'm being a loudmouth or otherwise jerk-like. But anyhow, I hope your week is off to a good start. I Love You and will be here till 4pm, then back at 6:45. :):)
7:15pm : Cool, Baby! I just now Googled "Alcest Acoustic Los Angeles", and discovered that they are gonna do an in-store here in L.A., at a record store called Vacation Vinyl (which I hadn't heard of), on Sunset Boulevard in Silver Lake, which is in between Hollywood and Downtown. I haven't been able to find out the time of the show yet, and unfortunately there is only a slim chance I'll be able to make it, because of my 4:30 Pearl shift. But, at least they are doing one! Maybe if it started at about 2pm, I might be able to squeeze it in. We'll see. Either way, only three days til the concert! I am gonna go for my walk at 8:30, then will be back at 9:30. That is a funny picture of Sarah and her wacky boyfriend. They are the ones who (I think) turned my poem upside-down with their unique sense of humor, way back last February, which helped me to discover what was going on. So they're cool in my book. Funny, too.
(back in a bit)
10:50pm : Wow, so you haven't had a Smartphone all this time? I thought I was the only one who still had an old-style, basic cell. Well, now I'm the only one, lol. I guess I really don't need one, cause I don't use the phone all that much, and I can just use my Chromebook for computer stuff. I still even have my landline, and I guess many people don't have those any more. I would ditch the landline, and my old cell, if I could find an inexpensive iPhone or other Smartphone that - like you say - doesn't come with a contract, and doesn't cost more than I am already paying for my landline. I don't need it for the gadgetry, cause I've got a camera, I've got a computer, I don't text or use apps or any of that stuff. But if I could find one that was 100 bucks or less, and cost no more than 40 bucks a month to operate, month by month with no contract, then I'd get one.
It's the same thing with cable. I don't have any of those ATT bundles, because I don't need 170 tv channels and full sports subscriptions, etc. Most of what I watch is dvds, so I buy some and rent others, or get 'em from the library. That way I have more money for the important stuff, like travelling! So you are going to Europe? That is awesome. Man, I wish I was going with you! Have you ever been there before? I have not, of course, and as recently as 2010, my sister and I were planning to go (I think I've mentioned this before). But she has a family and all kinds of obligations, and in truth I doubt she will ever go with me, much as she might like to. Are you going for a vacation or graduation present? Well, you will have a blast, and then you can go again with me! I think I've said this before, too, but if I were going to Europe, I guess my first choice would come down to London, Rome or Paris. Those are the big ones, of course. I've also heard that Prague is a beautiful, old city. Since I've done no travelling, anywhere is fine for my first trip!
And, one thing I have wanted to do for a long time is criss-cross America, or at least the most scenic parts. But, one thing at a time. Everything will happen eventually. :)
I will see you in the morn, my Darling. Sweet Dreams as always. I Love You. xoxoxoxo :):)
Monday, September 30, 2013
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Dad Thought We Were Having "Too Much Fun" :) (more added......)
Hey my Darling,
I got home a little while ago, but had to do some dishes and deal with what I hope will not be a major cricket problem. You might remember I had a cricket in my apartment about a month ago. Well tonight I spotted a baby cricket. I hope there aren't a lot more where he came from, haha. I did manage to trap the baby under a cup, and when I go for my walk I will escort him outside. Hopefully he is the only one.
I did read back over everything I wrote, and I always cringe a little when I go on and on like that, because I worry that I come off as pedantic or overly opinionated or just plain over-the-top. If I did in any of those ways, or in any other obnoxious way, I apologize. I really do think that gentleman was referring to a specific type of "perpetual happiness" culture, like certain New Age types that I am not fond of either. So I think in that context I'd agree with his positions. It's funny, when we were little, my Dad would call for us to come in the house after a full afternoon of playing with the neighborhood kids. He'd say something like "you've had enough fun for the day". And he wasn't being mean. He just thought it was time for us to do something different besides play hide-and-seek for another hour. Once, I heard him talking about this concept, and he used the phrase "too much fun". I never forgot that, and when I was about 12 I asked him what it meant. "What is 'too much fun', Dad? How is it possible to have too much fun"? I don't remember his answer, but it was probably along the lines of what Mackay is talking about, or at least the parts I surmise have to do with "idiot culture". My Dad saw endless play as potentially developing a trait of silliness in his kids. But of course when you are 12, it's hard to understand the reasoning behind it.
I remember once, when I was older, maybe about 16, I read a quote from Elton John (of all people) where he said that, in his opinion, the whole purpose of life was "to have as much fun as possible". I think that's pretty much verbatim, because I never forgot that quote, and I think I used it one time as ammo against Mom or Dad. "Well, guess what, Dad? Elton John says that..........". Of course, that went over real well, as you can imagine. Dad was funny, in an interesting way. His first big job in Hollywood was with KABC TV. Channel 7 in L.A. TV sets became household items in the early 50s, pretty soon everybody had one. This was before I was born, but we had one too. But what happened?
Dad put the TV out in the garage for years and years! I don't mean he put it out there to watch - he put it out there unplugged, to store it. He called it "The Idiot Box", lol. Now, by the time I was born, the TV was back in the house, cause I always remember watching shows. But I also remember what Dad would say to my sisters: "Turn that TV off now, otherwise I'll put it back in the garage! I put it out there for 14 years, and I'll do it again"! I don't think it was actually 14 years, maybe more like 8 or 10, but I always remember him saying 14. But here he was, a TV executive in the very early days of the medium, and he thought it was mind-numbing, an "Idiot Box". Dad mellowed as he got older. He never loved TV, but he did have a few favorite shows as we all do. Dad was idiosyncratic in his approach to intellectual culture. He hated TV, but by the same token thought Shakespeare was a bunch of pretentious claptrap. Lol, I know. For Dad, Charles Dickens was The Man. He was funny, and contradictory, and as a kid it could be hard to deal with him at times, but in the long run I learned so much from him, such as the concept of "too much fun"!
So, there's some more blathering from me. ;) But less opinionated this time! I am gonna go for my walk now, and will be back yet again at my usual time, later this eve. Amazing, I know. Hopefully not totally obnoxious. I hope all is well, and I'll see you in a bit.
I Love You.
(that's something I just can't help, it's just a fact of life, like breathing)
11pm : I think a big part of life is just staying on an even keel, having balance, and not being on a roller coaster of high ups and low downs. I think you are a lot like me in many respects, and especially stemming from the fact that you are not only extremely intelligent, but that your intelligence is filtered through an artistic soul. And it's more than that, because you are uniquely you. I think - and this is only me, remember that I never say you should think this way - that an important factor in remaining on an even keel is to create boundaries between yourself and others, in which any negative energies coming from others will not factor into your life. I also know that it's easier said than done, and especially when you are still dealing with parental influence, the opinions, personalities and energies of peers, etc. But in my experience, the more you narrow your focus, and set boundaries, the easier is will be to deflect negative energy. I think you are like me in that you want, in general, to have an interesting life. That, in my experience, is so much of what we call happiness, right there! Intelligent people need interesting pursuits. Those pursuits could be anything - anything but mundane. And you will always be pulled in the direction of those pursuits if you give your curiosity free reign. Your curiosity will keep your interests at the forefront of your life, and will lead you, as an Artist, to express yourself through your discoveries. That is why I say to narrow your focus. Not down to a pinpoint, where you exclude people, but just enough so that you are not succeptable to any negative influence.
Obviously, I know you aren't the gullible type, nor prone towards mindless pursuits. I just mean that, when you are a creative person, and also one who thinks very deeply about things (and not all creative people are deep thinkers, not by a long shot), it can be very easy to get distracted by the energies of other people, who mean well (or don't), but who - by pushing their energies in your direction - engage you in their own struggles for happiness.
I have had friends I've had to stop taking calls from, for instance, because every conversation is "woe-is-me". At first, one tries to be helpful, maybe offer advice. But when it becomes a pattern, it is imperative to opt out. That way, you protect your own balance, your own energy level.
I hope ( I use that phrase a lot because I do not have knowledge of many situations) that all is well at home, and that you are getting along well with your Mom. My guess would be generally "yes", and if that is true then it's great. That is part of maintaining an even keel also. Taking care of yourself physically is very important, and in your case that means eating right, taking care of your blood sugar, getting enough sleep. You don't need me to tell you that, but I do anyway. :)
And if you will trust me on the last part, all other things pass. Anything that you are doing now, that you'd rather not be doing (if there is any such thing) will be done, sooner or later, so long as you want it to be done with. Here's me again : when I was 18, I had no idea what to do. I was dropped out of high school, had my equivilency diploma, but couldn't get into college. What was I to do? So, I begged my Dad to get me into the lab. You know the story : I hated it, but stuck it out for three years.
But I knew that it would not be my fate to work there for my whole life, because I didn't want to.
And that is what will shape your life, your wants and desires. In my case, I didn't even know what I wanted, but it found me! What I wanted, I only see in hindsight, but it was to have an interesting life. It wasn't about money, or constant thrills, just always seeking something of interest, major or minor. Hopefully being kind to people along the way. Being Mother Teresa was not my calling, but I believe in being helpful and kind. Never at the expense to your own energy, however, and that is where the avoidance of energy draining people comes in. But so much of what we call "happiness" is just waking up in the morning, feeling physically healthy, going about the daily business we all have in our lives, minimizing the boring stuff, eliminating the intolerable stuff (like jobs that suck or ridiculous people), and just staying on an even keel and seeking out the things that draw your interest. From such comes "even keel happiness". A day-by-day interesting life, in all things great and small.
You are gonna have such a life, Elizabeth. You can trust me on that. Just keep doing what you do.
And that's all I can say for this evening!
I will see you in the morn, and we will have a great week.
Sweet Dreams. I Love You. xoxoxoxoxo :):)
I got home a little while ago, but had to do some dishes and deal with what I hope will not be a major cricket problem. You might remember I had a cricket in my apartment about a month ago. Well tonight I spotted a baby cricket. I hope there aren't a lot more where he came from, haha. I did manage to trap the baby under a cup, and when I go for my walk I will escort him outside. Hopefully he is the only one.
I did read back over everything I wrote, and I always cringe a little when I go on and on like that, because I worry that I come off as pedantic or overly opinionated or just plain over-the-top. If I did in any of those ways, or in any other obnoxious way, I apologize. I really do think that gentleman was referring to a specific type of "perpetual happiness" culture, like certain New Age types that I am not fond of either. So I think in that context I'd agree with his positions. It's funny, when we were little, my Dad would call for us to come in the house after a full afternoon of playing with the neighborhood kids. He'd say something like "you've had enough fun for the day". And he wasn't being mean. He just thought it was time for us to do something different besides play hide-and-seek for another hour. Once, I heard him talking about this concept, and he used the phrase "too much fun". I never forgot that, and when I was about 12 I asked him what it meant. "What is 'too much fun', Dad? How is it possible to have too much fun"? I don't remember his answer, but it was probably along the lines of what Mackay is talking about, or at least the parts I surmise have to do with "idiot culture". My Dad saw endless play as potentially developing a trait of silliness in his kids. But of course when you are 12, it's hard to understand the reasoning behind it.
I remember once, when I was older, maybe about 16, I read a quote from Elton John (of all people) where he said that, in his opinion, the whole purpose of life was "to have as much fun as possible". I think that's pretty much verbatim, because I never forgot that quote, and I think I used it one time as ammo against Mom or Dad. "Well, guess what, Dad? Elton John says that..........". Of course, that went over real well, as you can imagine. Dad was funny, in an interesting way. His first big job in Hollywood was with KABC TV. Channel 7 in L.A. TV sets became household items in the early 50s, pretty soon everybody had one. This was before I was born, but we had one too. But what happened?
Dad put the TV out in the garage for years and years! I don't mean he put it out there to watch - he put it out there unplugged, to store it. He called it "The Idiot Box", lol. Now, by the time I was born, the TV was back in the house, cause I always remember watching shows. But I also remember what Dad would say to my sisters: "Turn that TV off now, otherwise I'll put it back in the garage! I put it out there for 14 years, and I'll do it again"! I don't think it was actually 14 years, maybe more like 8 or 10, but I always remember him saying 14. But here he was, a TV executive in the very early days of the medium, and he thought it was mind-numbing, an "Idiot Box". Dad mellowed as he got older. He never loved TV, but he did have a few favorite shows as we all do. Dad was idiosyncratic in his approach to intellectual culture. He hated TV, but by the same token thought Shakespeare was a bunch of pretentious claptrap. Lol, I know. For Dad, Charles Dickens was The Man. He was funny, and contradictory, and as a kid it could be hard to deal with him at times, but in the long run I learned so much from him, such as the concept of "too much fun"!
So, there's some more blathering from me. ;) But less opinionated this time! I am gonna go for my walk now, and will be back yet again at my usual time, later this eve. Amazing, I know. Hopefully not totally obnoxious. I hope all is well, and I'll see you in a bit.
I Love You.
(that's something I just can't help, it's just a fact of life, like breathing)
11pm : I think a big part of life is just staying on an even keel, having balance, and not being on a roller coaster of high ups and low downs. I think you are a lot like me in many respects, and especially stemming from the fact that you are not only extremely intelligent, but that your intelligence is filtered through an artistic soul. And it's more than that, because you are uniquely you. I think - and this is only me, remember that I never say you should think this way - that an important factor in remaining on an even keel is to create boundaries between yourself and others, in which any negative energies coming from others will not factor into your life. I also know that it's easier said than done, and especially when you are still dealing with parental influence, the opinions, personalities and energies of peers, etc. But in my experience, the more you narrow your focus, and set boundaries, the easier is will be to deflect negative energy. I think you are like me in that you want, in general, to have an interesting life. That, in my experience, is so much of what we call happiness, right there! Intelligent people need interesting pursuits. Those pursuits could be anything - anything but mundane. And you will always be pulled in the direction of those pursuits if you give your curiosity free reign. Your curiosity will keep your interests at the forefront of your life, and will lead you, as an Artist, to express yourself through your discoveries. That is why I say to narrow your focus. Not down to a pinpoint, where you exclude people, but just enough so that you are not succeptable to any negative influence.
Obviously, I know you aren't the gullible type, nor prone towards mindless pursuits. I just mean that, when you are a creative person, and also one who thinks very deeply about things (and not all creative people are deep thinkers, not by a long shot), it can be very easy to get distracted by the energies of other people, who mean well (or don't), but who - by pushing their energies in your direction - engage you in their own struggles for happiness.
I have had friends I've had to stop taking calls from, for instance, because every conversation is "woe-is-me". At first, one tries to be helpful, maybe offer advice. But when it becomes a pattern, it is imperative to opt out. That way, you protect your own balance, your own energy level.
I hope ( I use that phrase a lot because I do not have knowledge of many situations) that all is well at home, and that you are getting along well with your Mom. My guess would be generally "yes", and if that is true then it's great. That is part of maintaining an even keel also. Taking care of yourself physically is very important, and in your case that means eating right, taking care of your blood sugar, getting enough sleep. You don't need me to tell you that, but I do anyway. :)
And if you will trust me on the last part, all other things pass. Anything that you are doing now, that you'd rather not be doing (if there is any such thing) will be done, sooner or later, so long as you want it to be done with. Here's me again : when I was 18, I had no idea what to do. I was dropped out of high school, had my equivilency diploma, but couldn't get into college. What was I to do? So, I begged my Dad to get me into the lab. You know the story : I hated it, but stuck it out for three years.
But I knew that it would not be my fate to work there for my whole life, because I didn't want to.
And that is what will shape your life, your wants and desires. In my case, I didn't even know what I wanted, but it found me! What I wanted, I only see in hindsight, but it was to have an interesting life. It wasn't about money, or constant thrills, just always seeking something of interest, major or minor. Hopefully being kind to people along the way. Being Mother Teresa was not my calling, but I believe in being helpful and kind. Never at the expense to your own energy, however, and that is where the avoidance of energy draining people comes in. But so much of what we call "happiness" is just waking up in the morning, feeling physically healthy, going about the daily business we all have in our lives, minimizing the boring stuff, eliminating the intolerable stuff (like jobs that suck or ridiculous people), and just staying on an even keel and seeking out the things that draw your interest. From such comes "even keel happiness". A day-by-day interesting life, in all things great and small.
You are gonna have such a life, Elizabeth. You can trust me on that. Just keep doing what you do.
And that's all I can say for this evening!
I will see you in the morn, and we will have a great week.
Sweet Dreams. I Love You. xoxoxoxoxo :):)
Thoughts On Happiness/Wholeness (more added)
Good Morning, my Angel. Another full night's sleep brings more balance. I am feeling pretty well rested and ready to go back to Pearl's. I will pick her up from church at 1pm. I see your post this morning - those are some very interesting concepts presented, the type of philosophical concepts that could be expanded upon and looked at from many angles. I know I myself have been accused of being relentlessly upbeat, but with me, it's just the way I am, it's not put on.
Happiness is such an open definition, because what is it, really? Does it arise from something one does, or from one's natural disposition? For instance, I can read what I find to be an interesting book, say the one I am currently reading, "Axis Of The World" by Igor Witkowski. What am I actually doing? Sitting in a chair or lying down, and filling my mind with information that interests me. Others might find the same information entirely dreary, and would put such a book down in favor of another pursuit. But what I am actually doing when I read, or take photographs, or any pursuit that produces a form of pleasure or excitement in me, is experiencing happiness in one of it's many forms. What is that happiness? Oh my goodness, it's such a combination of things. I think happiness (or wholeness, or balance, or any word you prefer) begins with the physical, at least in my experience it does.
As a child, as I have said, I was always blessed with good energy and health, and as we know, the curiosity of a child to the brand new world around him or her can bring endless days of wonder and discovery. Something as simple as feeling the sun's rays on one's skin can produce a feeling of subconscious joy in a child. Children have simple pleasures, too, in which much of the joy (i.e. happiness) experienced is subconscious, meaning they don't understand why a certain activity or experience is making them happy, such as splashing water in a swimming pool, or blowing a soap bubble from a ring. They only know that it is making them happy. They are free from analysis. Such is the joy of childhood.
But it all starts with good physical health and energy. An enthusiastic child can suddenly turn unenthusiastic when stricken with a cold. Then he will experience many things; physical impairment, resulting in lack of energy and discomfort. He will also experience disappointment at "missing out", as his friends continue to play outside. He might become frustrated in his disappointment, leading to more than just physical discomfort but sadness as well, if he were perhaps missing out on a planned camping trip, say, or a trip to see a ballgame. But, if he is a resilient child, of a naturally positive nature, he will recover from his disappointment with a fair amount of ease, and perhaps find a substitute interest in a coloring book, or a program on TV. Then, when he regains his full health and energy, he is right back in his natural state : Happy (or whole), playing with his friends and interested in the world.
So where does the happiness or wholeness in such a child begin? Is it in his genes? Is it astrological? Does it come from his Spirit or Soul? One could go further and ask, if reincarnation is a reality, if past-life experience is a factor in the emotional makeup of a newborn child. Parenting is without doubt an enormous factor, one we can identify with certainty. If we add in the possibility of the other aforementioned factors, we might have a complex equation for the formula of childhood happiness. My brother and I are interesting examples. I am just shy of four years older than Chris. We were both small before any trouble began in our family, so it can be said that family strife was not a factor in our early childhood. And yet, we exhibited two distinct personalities, shown in the way we reacted to life around us. I was just as I am now, Mr. Upbeat (and I know some people find it obnoxious, but I can't apologize for being me, lol), and Chris was always contrary. In fact, Dad would point that out, in a good natured way. Before the trouble started, my Dad was the happiest guy you ever met. And we were always going places, having fun. I always acted with enthusiasm, and Chris usually with what you might call an even-handed doubt. "Hey Kids, we're going to Placerita Canyon", or "would you like to see a movie"?, or "did you like the beach"? It could have been anything. And I would have been much more likely to respond enthusiastically and Chris to the contrary.
Now, does that mean Chris wasn't having any fun, that he was unhappy? Looking back, I always remember him having a blast, too. Maybe not in everything we did, but mostly.
So we see that two brothers, both deriving enjoyment from the same experiences (different levels of enjoyment perhaps, but enjoyment all the same), expressed that enjoyment differently, one with quiet exuberance (cause I was/am shy), and the other with contrarianism, or "agreeable doubt".
Knowing what I know now, I chalk those differences in expression straight up, mostly, to astrology. I am an Aries and Chris a Capricorn. Of course, our full charts would reveal much more about the push-and-pull of the various planets on our personalities, but much can be discerned from the Sun sign (Rising, too), and if you ever think astrology isn't real (which many do, I don't think you do), just observe the most outward, basic personality traits of your closest friends and family members, and you will see how real it actually is. I could get into the whole subject in-depth, but it would be way too big a tangent to go off on, and this is already a subject I could write all day about. I have lived a lot of happiness (wholeness if you prefer) and unhappiness (from sadness to terror), and I myself have tried to analyse every last detail of the subject.
But back to me and Chris, we can sum up by saying that two brothers, influenced by the same, basically untroubled parenting (in the early years of our childhood), both experiencing basically good health (i.e. physical happiness or wholeness), reacted to early pleasurable experiences with two distinct personalities, showing that, in some form, astrological or spiritual or genetic or past-life, or a combination of those factors, a child's personality - and thus the way in which they react to stimuli - probably is inborn.
So, to start with childhood, in my opinion, though I believe all children are born with an innate desire for spiritual and physical happiness/wholeness, I believe that it manifests differently in different personalities, and I believe that a part (large or small but perhaps large) of a child's personality is brought with him or her from the womb, through the above-mentioned genetics, astrology (which is huge), and possible past-life experience.
So, while all children desire happiness or wholeness, they approach and react to stimuli in different ways.
Sorry if I am going on and on about this, but it is a very interesting subject!
But if happiness is partly physical, and if we can say that it is easier to be happy/whole when one is physically whole (hence the holistic philosophy of medicine and healing), then we must also say that a large part is spiritual, emotional and psychological. A person could be in the best of health and energy, and yet be entirely unhappy. I know because I've been there. When the trouble started in my family, I was about 8 years old, maybe 9. My Dad lost his position as vice-president at Deluxe. He had been on the upswing ever since he got to Hollywood, had been part of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, the SMPTE, was travelling to New York all the time. Suddenly it was all gone, the result of a botched laboratory job on some film negatives from the movie "Hello Dolly" with Barbara Streisand. The director (and Barbara, too) had a fit, threatened to sue the lab. They had to shoot scenes over again, it cost millions of dollars. It wasn't my Dad's fault, but a man who was a negative developer. These things happen in labs, but Hollywood is Hollywood and so heads were gonna roll. Dad being head of management, he got fired, much like a football coach loses his job if the team isn't doing well. There was more to it than just "Hello Dolly". Dad had an aggressive side to his personality, which is in part what got him where he was in the first place. But if Dad thought someone was an A-Hole, he'd tell 'em if he got upset, or tell somebody to "f" off. But at any rate, he lost his job, and until that point, at age 49, everything in his life had been on the upswing since he was 17. At that age, he had lost his Mom to tuberculosis, and he'd never had a father, so from age 17, it was just Dad and his grandma. Then at 21, he went off to WW2, and when he came back, his grandma was gone too. So he had experiences in his life that I can't even fathom, and they helped form his acceptance of and reaction to "happiness stimuli" and it's opposite.
Dad was a Gemini, the twins, and that can manifest in a bit of a split personality. And the Dad I knew as a small child - a perpetually enthusiastic man - became depressed at losing his prestigious job. And he began to drink, and take prescription pills. When I was little, I don't ever remember him drinking anything but soda pop, but by 1969, he could really put away the cocktails. And when he got drunk, he could become extremely unpleasant. We lost our "big White House" in Northridge (I may have posted a photo or two) and moved to a more modest house a few blocks away, which we rented instead of owned. To us kids, it wasn't that much of a big deal, but to Dad it was devastating. And by 1970, even though he had a new job at MGM (not as prestigious but still good) Dad was putting away pretty close to a fifth of Vodka a day. And as often as not, his drinking was the cause of tremendous unhappiness and deep depression in our home. I can write about it now with equanamity and great love for both my parents, because in the long run, all our troubles were overcome, and that was through the love and grace of God, and the love between us as family members. Now, when I think of my parents, which is daily, I am immediately filled with joy because I now know them as Spirits, which is to say I know them in their purest form, and it is a form I remember from when I was a small child. So I would also say that love is unquestionably a factor in happiness/wholeness, and love can overcome anything.
I have gotta get ready in just a bit to head to Pearl's, and I hope I haven't gone overboard in telling my story or making a few observations, but it's a fascinating subject. I'd like to write even more later, but if I've already written too much, just tell me to stop, lol. :)
Challenges to happiness/wholeness can really start to manifest in the teen years and early adulthood, and I could go on and on about that "Ad Nauseum", which as you know is my Punk Rock name. But, I'd like to continue later with maybe a few observations, or continue the story since I began it.
Whenever I say to you, Elizabeth, that "I hope you are having a good day", or "You are awesome" or "aren't these wonderful days", etc., etc., I want you to know that I am never just repeating feel-good maxims by rote, or just throwing bland enthusiasms at you. Everything I write is from the heart, and it's from the heart because you put it there. So love is a major part of wholeness, and happiness too.
And, I do hope you are having a good day, or even a great one. :)
I Love You and will be back later this afternoon or early eve (6:45) at the latest. :):)
2:30pm : I have a little free time now, so I'll write a little more. Reading back what I wrote this morning, I see that my tendency to jump around through various subtopics is present, as usual. I apologize for that. I attribute it to my brain getting ahead of my fingers, We think faster than we can type, at least I do, and when a subject interests me enough to express myself at length, my brain immediately starts to fire up and think of every subtopic I want to cover, and so I start typing, and the story kind of goes all over the place.
Rereading Mr. Mackay's words, I have a feeling they may be a comment taken from an interview, or part of an essay, and therefore it would help, for me, to read them in their larger context. As-is, the concept seems wide open, and I must say (don't kill me!) that I find aspects I disagree with. If I were to go through it sentence by sentence, I'd say that I think I understand what he means about "attacking the concept of happiness". But then he says that "the idea that everything we do must be in the pursuit of happiness" is a dangerous idea, and that it has led to a disease, a "fear of sadness". I think that this is a case where, if I were interviewing him, I'd ask him to elaborate. I agree that many people in modern society have a fear of experiencing anything sad. I have seen that in convalescent homes and hospitals, where so many receive no visitors. But I would at the same time disagree that it is a bad idea for "everything we do to be in the pursuit of happiness", and here is such a place in his comments where I would ask for elaboration.
Let's say I am at the hospital, and I am visiting a relative in poor condition, who isn't going to live long. Naturally, this is going to make me sad. How, then, is it a bad or dangerous idea for me to try to bring some light (meaning happiness or joy) into the situation by, say, reading to my sick relative, or just sitting with them? That would be a case where I am "pursuing happiness" in a very sad situation, in order to bring that happiness to both the sick person and also myself. To pursue happiness in such a situation is to alleviate, in some small measure, pain and sadness.
I see what Mr. Mackay may be saying there. I could give a possibly better example, using the hospital metaphor again. Let's say two other people, besides me, have the same relative in the hospital. And, in "pursuing happiness" above all, at all costs, they choose not to visit the sick relative, but to plan a vacation instead. That might be more what he is talking about, a "fear of sadness" or avoidance of sadness. In that example, cruelty would also be a factor, because their happiness might be at the cost of the sick relative, who might never see them again. So his statement there is wide open to different interpretations, and like I say, I am sure he means it in a particular context, one that is not entirely clear in that short comment.
As a whole, however, I do believe that the pursuit of happiness is a natural desire in humans, and not a dangerous thing, except possibly in the context he may mean it. As to avoiding sadness, out of "fear" of that emotion, while I believe that sadness can be dodged or temporarily bypassed - say, by going on vacation instead of to a hospital visit or funeral - I do not believe that sadness can be totally avoided. In my Myspace days, I wrote a couple long blogs about the phenomenon of what I call "stuffing" sadness, or other negative emotions. In those blogs, I was referring to you-know-who, because she was a person who would hold everything inside, and never deal with anything sad or negative. It had to do with her upbringing. Ergo, she was trying to "avoid" sadness, possibly out of fear, and partially because of how she was raised, but what I know for sure is that she was not able to avoid it. By stuffing it down and holding it in, and trying to defeat it by sheer will, or by pretending it didn't exist, the sadness only grew worse, until she ultimately acted out in all kinds of ways that were very unhealthy. So, that's why I wrote those older blogs about "stuffing".
Mr. Mackay goes on to attack some current techniques of pop-psychology, "feel-goodisms" like "writing down three things that make you happy" and so forth. I agree with him there, that such techniques are mostly BS. They might be harmless enough, and I can't see anything really wrong with writing Daily Enthusiasms on paper. If you've ever seen the Stuart Smalley character on old re-runs of Saturday Night Live (Youtube him), that's what that was all about, the BS of "daily affirmations". I personally think pop-psychology in general is a bunch of BS, but that's just me. It's just another form of Guru-ism, someone telling others "how" to be happy, and while that might be necessary for some, I certainly do not need it. Real psychoanalysis, as derived by Freud and improved upon since then, might be effective in getting to the root of deep-seated and subconscious psychological problems, but those cases are more rare. God bless the psychologists, but in my opinion, most folks could save their money. And of course, there are excellent psychologists and metaphysicians, priests and ministers, and counselors of all kinds. I am mostly talking about the "cheerleader" type of "pop-psychology" that is mass marketed nowdays. So I agree with Mackay there.
But then he says, I paraphrase, that "happiness" is not the default position. And I could not disagree more. I would wonder where he comes up with such a conclusion, from a philosophical standpoint. It sounds there as if his own background may have an influence on his position, because it sounds very Calvinistic, very austere. I would say the opposite, that happiness is not only our birthright, but that - all things being equal - a newborn child (a spirit made flesh), is going to tend toward, and seek, happiness (call it by any name you like). Obviously, in places like the Third World, you are going to have newborns that never know happiness from the moment they are born, or never know much happiness. But, to put it conversely, I don't believe that any spirit comes into this world seeking to be unhappy. If conditions were well and equal all over the world, and no child were ever born sick, or in hunger, then you would see all infants, through tantrums and growing pains and the rest, tend towards happiness. With a few deeply disturbed psychological exceptions (meaning a very small number of children who might be born as "bad seeds", evil from the get go with no other explanation), I believe that all children are born into this world seeking love and happiness. Heck, it's not just humans; all creatures are born this way - dogs, cats, rats, frogs, giraffes, hippos, et al. Everybody and everything seeks, from the moment of birth, a peaceful, enjoyable existence. Much of that peace and enjoyment comes about from love. But I disagree with Mackay when he says that happiness is not a birthright or the "default position". I could not disagree more. Harmony is the natural tendency in nature; all things experience change and turbulence, but equilibrium is the eventual end result.
Of course, once again it would help to know the context in which he is making his statements. If he is referring to what I will call a kind of "grinning idiot" happiness, where everything must be all giggles all the time, or a constant adrenaline rush, I agree with him. We are producing a decidedly non-intellectual, non-curious, non-contemplative or reflective society with an idiotic popular culture. That is pretty obvious. I hear so many people, just in my daily doings, talking jaggedly, in slang, at 100 miles per hour, with poor vocabularies, and then the person to whom they are speaking will respond with that Beavis And Butthead type of rat-a-tat laughter. Those are "grinning idiot" conversations, a result of the influence of modern popular culture, and you tend you encounter them everywhere nowdays, unfortunately.
Mackay may, in part, be referring to these types of people, and also to non-contemplative society at large. But I must disagree when he says that nothing can be learned from happiness, and that only sadness can act as a teacher. He says, for instance, that victory doesn't teach us much. If he is talking about modern idiots, I agree. That is why you hear the chant "USA! USA! USA!" at the Olympics and other sporting events. You also have idiots killing each other at baseball stadiums in arguments about local teams. But those are morons. An intelligent, well-balanced person can learn much from victory, such as how to be magnanimous, or how to be a leader, or helpful to others. How to set a good example.
Sadness can teach as well, though I have to admit I'm not sure what. I was incredibly sad when I lost my Mom. That was the saddest I've ever been in my life. I don't know what it taught me, except that I love my Mom. But I already knew that.
I think, mostly, that Mackay is referring to "grinning idiot" Western Society (and it's not just America but all the west, in Europe, too) and now consumerism is taking over China and Russia, as well). He is also referring to "feel good" instant-relief pop-psychology, and it's influence.
I will finish up by saying that I think it's very important to always try to identify a source of unhappiness. If you are having a bad day, what is causing it? Is it something overt? There is an old, somewhat funny saying : "Hell is other people", and it can be true that a lot of "bad days" can be caused by how we react to someone else's energies or interactions in our lives. If we have a mean-spirited boss or teacher, or a co-worker who is an a-hole, that can lead to bad days. I know from experience that parents can contribute to bad days, too. And also to great days.
But if you are by nature a person who tends toward happiness or contentment, a bad day can very often be the result of interacting with unhappy or unpleasant people. I disagree with Mackay when he says that our bad days are contributing to our "wholeness". That again sounds Calvinistic to me, in the "teach you a lesson" kind of way. The only lesson I learn from a bad day, is how to avoid the same type of day in the future. In that sense, it is contributing to my wholeness by making me smarter, more aware of oncoming problems. But that goes back to what I said earlier about identifying sources of unhappiness, and shutting them down.
I have to head back to Pearl's now, and again I hope I didn't ramble too much. I do so because, in your case, Elizabeth, I know you to be a basically happy person. Happy as in "content". We both know that happiness is not just a continuous thrill-ride through life. But I tell you what I know out of a deep love for you, just to offer my observations. Because of my own experiences in life I have an interest in the subject, especially because I know the good news : that we come out the other end intact. I also know that, with your intelligence and understanding, you already know most if not all of the things I say. If ever and whenever you have a bad day, you can always tell me about it. I don't know if that's why you posted the Mackay comment, but if so, I am always ready to listen. Maybe you posted it in response to my last night comments about "seeking the deep internal", etc. In any event, I love you like we are One Being, even though of course we are both individuals. But remember, "one and one don't make two, they make One". That's by The Who.
Well, gotta go back to Pearl's. I will write yet more this evening (no!! not more, Ad! :) ) but in a different blog. That's really all I have for today on this subject, though I can tell you more of my family story if you ever want me to. A lot of it you know already. Anyway, back in a while!
You Rule, Awesome Lady. Always remember that! :):)
Happiness is such an open definition, because what is it, really? Does it arise from something one does, or from one's natural disposition? For instance, I can read what I find to be an interesting book, say the one I am currently reading, "Axis Of The World" by Igor Witkowski. What am I actually doing? Sitting in a chair or lying down, and filling my mind with information that interests me. Others might find the same information entirely dreary, and would put such a book down in favor of another pursuit. But what I am actually doing when I read, or take photographs, or any pursuit that produces a form of pleasure or excitement in me, is experiencing happiness in one of it's many forms. What is that happiness? Oh my goodness, it's such a combination of things. I think happiness (or wholeness, or balance, or any word you prefer) begins with the physical, at least in my experience it does.
As a child, as I have said, I was always blessed with good energy and health, and as we know, the curiosity of a child to the brand new world around him or her can bring endless days of wonder and discovery. Something as simple as feeling the sun's rays on one's skin can produce a feeling of subconscious joy in a child. Children have simple pleasures, too, in which much of the joy (i.e. happiness) experienced is subconscious, meaning they don't understand why a certain activity or experience is making them happy, such as splashing water in a swimming pool, or blowing a soap bubble from a ring. They only know that it is making them happy. They are free from analysis. Such is the joy of childhood.
But it all starts with good physical health and energy. An enthusiastic child can suddenly turn unenthusiastic when stricken with a cold. Then he will experience many things; physical impairment, resulting in lack of energy and discomfort. He will also experience disappointment at "missing out", as his friends continue to play outside. He might become frustrated in his disappointment, leading to more than just physical discomfort but sadness as well, if he were perhaps missing out on a planned camping trip, say, or a trip to see a ballgame. But, if he is a resilient child, of a naturally positive nature, he will recover from his disappointment with a fair amount of ease, and perhaps find a substitute interest in a coloring book, or a program on TV. Then, when he regains his full health and energy, he is right back in his natural state : Happy (or whole), playing with his friends and interested in the world.
So where does the happiness or wholeness in such a child begin? Is it in his genes? Is it astrological? Does it come from his Spirit or Soul? One could go further and ask, if reincarnation is a reality, if past-life experience is a factor in the emotional makeup of a newborn child. Parenting is without doubt an enormous factor, one we can identify with certainty. If we add in the possibility of the other aforementioned factors, we might have a complex equation for the formula of childhood happiness. My brother and I are interesting examples. I am just shy of four years older than Chris. We were both small before any trouble began in our family, so it can be said that family strife was not a factor in our early childhood. And yet, we exhibited two distinct personalities, shown in the way we reacted to life around us. I was just as I am now, Mr. Upbeat (and I know some people find it obnoxious, but I can't apologize for being me, lol), and Chris was always contrary. In fact, Dad would point that out, in a good natured way. Before the trouble started, my Dad was the happiest guy you ever met. And we were always going places, having fun. I always acted with enthusiasm, and Chris usually with what you might call an even-handed doubt. "Hey Kids, we're going to Placerita Canyon", or "would you like to see a movie"?, or "did you like the beach"? It could have been anything. And I would have been much more likely to respond enthusiastically and Chris to the contrary.
Now, does that mean Chris wasn't having any fun, that he was unhappy? Looking back, I always remember him having a blast, too. Maybe not in everything we did, but mostly.
So we see that two brothers, both deriving enjoyment from the same experiences (different levels of enjoyment perhaps, but enjoyment all the same), expressed that enjoyment differently, one with quiet exuberance (cause I was/am shy), and the other with contrarianism, or "agreeable doubt".
Knowing what I know now, I chalk those differences in expression straight up, mostly, to astrology. I am an Aries and Chris a Capricorn. Of course, our full charts would reveal much more about the push-and-pull of the various planets on our personalities, but much can be discerned from the Sun sign (Rising, too), and if you ever think astrology isn't real (which many do, I don't think you do), just observe the most outward, basic personality traits of your closest friends and family members, and you will see how real it actually is. I could get into the whole subject in-depth, but it would be way too big a tangent to go off on, and this is already a subject I could write all day about. I have lived a lot of happiness (wholeness if you prefer) and unhappiness (from sadness to terror), and I myself have tried to analyse every last detail of the subject.
But back to me and Chris, we can sum up by saying that two brothers, influenced by the same, basically untroubled parenting (in the early years of our childhood), both experiencing basically good health (i.e. physical happiness or wholeness), reacted to early pleasurable experiences with two distinct personalities, showing that, in some form, astrological or spiritual or genetic or past-life, or a combination of those factors, a child's personality - and thus the way in which they react to stimuli - probably is inborn.
So, to start with childhood, in my opinion, though I believe all children are born with an innate desire for spiritual and physical happiness/wholeness, I believe that it manifests differently in different personalities, and I believe that a part (large or small but perhaps large) of a child's personality is brought with him or her from the womb, through the above-mentioned genetics, astrology (which is huge), and possible past-life experience.
So, while all children desire happiness or wholeness, they approach and react to stimuli in different ways.
Sorry if I am going on and on about this, but it is a very interesting subject!
But if happiness is partly physical, and if we can say that it is easier to be happy/whole when one is physically whole (hence the holistic philosophy of medicine and healing), then we must also say that a large part is spiritual, emotional and psychological. A person could be in the best of health and energy, and yet be entirely unhappy. I know because I've been there. When the trouble started in my family, I was about 8 years old, maybe 9. My Dad lost his position as vice-president at Deluxe. He had been on the upswing ever since he got to Hollywood, had been part of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, the SMPTE, was travelling to New York all the time. Suddenly it was all gone, the result of a botched laboratory job on some film negatives from the movie "Hello Dolly" with Barbara Streisand. The director (and Barbara, too) had a fit, threatened to sue the lab. They had to shoot scenes over again, it cost millions of dollars. It wasn't my Dad's fault, but a man who was a negative developer. These things happen in labs, but Hollywood is Hollywood and so heads were gonna roll. Dad being head of management, he got fired, much like a football coach loses his job if the team isn't doing well. There was more to it than just "Hello Dolly". Dad had an aggressive side to his personality, which is in part what got him where he was in the first place. But if Dad thought someone was an A-Hole, he'd tell 'em if he got upset, or tell somebody to "f" off. But at any rate, he lost his job, and until that point, at age 49, everything in his life had been on the upswing since he was 17. At that age, he had lost his Mom to tuberculosis, and he'd never had a father, so from age 17, it was just Dad and his grandma. Then at 21, he went off to WW2, and when he came back, his grandma was gone too. So he had experiences in his life that I can't even fathom, and they helped form his acceptance of and reaction to "happiness stimuli" and it's opposite.
Dad was a Gemini, the twins, and that can manifest in a bit of a split personality. And the Dad I knew as a small child - a perpetually enthusiastic man - became depressed at losing his prestigious job. And he began to drink, and take prescription pills. When I was little, I don't ever remember him drinking anything but soda pop, but by 1969, he could really put away the cocktails. And when he got drunk, he could become extremely unpleasant. We lost our "big White House" in Northridge (I may have posted a photo or two) and moved to a more modest house a few blocks away, which we rented instead of owned. To us kids, it wasn't that much of a big deal, but to Dad it was devastating. And by 1970, even though he had a new job at MGM (not as prestigious but still good) Dad was putting away pretty close to a fifth of Vodka a day. And as often as not, his drinking was the cause of tremendous unhappiness and deep depression in our home. I can write about it now with equanamity and great love for both my parents, because in the long run, all our troubles were overcome, and that was through the love and grace of God, and the love between us as family members. Now, when I think of my parents, which is daily, I am immediately filled with joy because I now know them as Spirits, which is to say I know them in their purest form, and it is a form I remember from when I was a small child. So I would also say that love is unquestionably a factor in happiness/wholeness, and love can overcome anything.
I have gotta get ready in just a bit to head to Pearl's, and I hope I haven't gone overboard in telling my story or making a few observations, but it's a fascinating subject. I'd like to write even more later, but if I've already written too much, just tell me to stop, lol. :)
Challenges to happiness/wholeness can really start to manifest in the teen years and early adulthood, and I could go on and on about that "Ad Nauseum", which as you know is my Punk Rock name. But, I'd like to continue later with maybe a few observations, or continue the story since I began it.
Whenever I say to you, Elizabeth, that "I hope you are having a good day", or "You are awesome" or "aren't these wonderful days", etc., etc., I want you to know that I am never just repeating feel-good maxims by rote, or just throwing bland enthusiasms at you. Everything I write is from the heart, and it's from the heart because you put it there. So love is a major part of wholeness, and happiness too.
And, I do hope you are having a good day, or even a great one. :)
I Love You and will be back later this afternoon or early eve (6:45) at the latest. :):)
2:30pm : I have a little free time now, so I'll write a little more. Reading back what I wrote this morning, I see that my tendency to jump around through various subtopics is present, as usual. I apologize for that. I attribute it to my brain getting ahead of my fingers, We think faster than we can type, at least I do, and when a subject interests me enough to express myself at length, my brain immediately starts to fire up and think of every subtopic I want to cover, and so I start typing, and the story kind of goes all over the place.
Rereading Mr. Mackay's words, I have a feeling they may be a comment taken from an interview, or part of an essay, and therefore it would help, for me, to read them in their larger context. As-is, the concept seems wide open, and I must say (don't kill me!) that I find aspects I disagree with. If I were to go through it sentence by sentence, I'd say that I think I understand what he means about "attacking the concept of happiness". But then he says that "the idea that everything we do must be in the pursuit of happiness" is a dangerous idea, and that it has led to a disease, a "fear of sadness". I think that this is a case where, if I were interviewing him, I'd ask him to elaborate. I agree that many people in modern society have a fear of experiencing anything sad. I have seen that in convalescent homes and hospitals, where so many receive no visitors. But I would at the same time disagree that it is a bad idea for "everything we do to be in the pursuit of happiness", and here is such a place in his comments where I would ask for elaboration.
Let's say I am at the hospital, and I am visiting a relative in poor condition, who isn't going to live long. Naturally, this is going to make me sad. How, then, is it a bad or dangerous idea for me to try to bring some light (meaning happiness or joy) into the situation by, say, reading to my sick relative, or just sitting with them? That would be a case where I am "pursuing happiness" in a very sad situation, in order to bring that happiness to both the sick person and also myself. To pursue happiness in such a situation is to alleviate, in some small measure, pain and sadness.
I see what Mr. Mackay may be saying there. I could give a possibly better example, using the hospital metaphor again. Let's say two other people, besides me, have the same relative in the hospital. And, in "pursuing happiness" above all, at all costs, they choose not to visit the sick relative, but to plan a vacation instead. That might be more what he is talking about, a "fear of sadness" or avoidance of sadness. In that example, cruelty would also be a factor, because their happiness might be at the cost of the sick relative, who might never see them again. So his statement there is wide open to different interpretations, and like I say, I am sure he means it in a particular context, one that is not entirely clear in that short comment.
As a whole, however, I do believe that the pursuit of happiness is a natural desire in humans, and not a dangerous thing, except possibly in the context he may mean it. As to avoiding sadness, out of "fear" of that emotion, while I believe that sadness can be dodged or temporarily bypassed - say, by going on vacation instead of to a hospital visit or funeral - I do not believe that sadness can be totally avoided. In my Myspace days, I wrote a couple long blogs about the phenomenon of what I call "stuffing" sadness, or other negative emotions. In those blogs, I was referring to you-know-who, because she was a person who would hold everything inside, and never deal with anything sad or negative. It had to do with her upbringing. Ergo, she was trying to "avoid" sadness, possibly out of fear, and partially because of how she was raised, but what I know for sure is that she was not able to avoid it. By stuffing it down and holding it in, and trying to defeat it by sheer will, or by pretending it didn't exist, the sadness only grew worse, until she ultimately acted out in all kinds of ways that were very unhealthy. So, that's why I wrote those older blogs about "stuffing".
Mr. Mackay goes on to attack some current techniques of pop-psychology, "feel-goodisms" like "writing down three things that make you happy" and so forth. I agree with him there, that such techniques are mostly BS. They might be harmless enough, and I can't see anything really wrong with writing Daily Enthusiasms on paper. If you've ever seen the Stuart Smalley character on old re-runs of Saturday Night Live (Youtube him), that's what that was all about, the BS of "daily affirmations". I personally think pop-psychology in general is a bunch of BS, but that's just me. It's just another form of Guru-ism, someone telling others "how" to be happy, and while that might be necessary for some, I certainly do not need it. Real psychoanalysis, as derived by Freud and improved upon since then, might be effective in getting to the root of deep-seated and subconscious psychological problems, but those cases are more rare. God bless the psychologists, but in my opinion, most folks could save their money. And of course, there are excellent psychologists and metaphysicians, priests and ministers, and counselors of all kinds. I am mostly talking about the "cheerleader" type of "pop-psychology" that is mass marketed nowdays. So I agree with Mackay there.
But then he says, I paraphrase, that "happiness" is not the default position. And I could not disagree more. I would wonder where he comes up with such a conclusion, from a philosophical standpoint. It sounds there as if his own background may have an influence on his position, because it sounds very Calvinistic, very austere. I would say the opposite, that happiness is not only our birthright, but that - all things being equal - a newborn child (a spirit made flesh), is going to tend toward, and seek, happiness (call it by any name you like). Obviously, in places like the Third World, you are going to have newborns that never know happiness from the moment they are born, or never know much happiness. But, to put it conversely, I don't believe that any spirit comes into this world seeking to be unhappy. If conditions were well and equal all over the world, and no child were ever born sick, or in hunger, then you would see all infants, through tantrums and growing pains and the rest, tend towards happiness. With a few deeply disturbed psychological exceptions (meaning a very small number of children who might be born as "bad seeds", evil from the get go with no other explanation), I believe that all children are born into this world seeking love and happiness. Heck, it's not just humans; all creatures are born this way - dogs, cats, rats, frogs, giraffes, hippos, et al. Everybody and everything seeks, from the moment of birth, a peaceful, enjoyable existence. Much of that peace and enjoyment comes about from love. But I disagree with Mackay when he says that happiness is not a birthright or the "default position". I could not disagree more. Harmony is the natural tendency in nature; all things experience change and turbulence, but equilibrium is the eventual end result.
Of course, once again it would help to know the context in which he is making his statements. If he is referring to what I will call a kind of "grinning idiot" happiness, where everything must be all giggles all the time, or a constant adrenaline rush, I agree with him. We are producing a decidedly non-intellectual, non-curious, non-contemplative or reflective society with an idiotic popular culture. That is pretty obvious. I hear so many people, just in my daily doings, talking jaggedly, in slang, at 100 miles per hour, with poor vocabularies, and then the person to whom they are speaking will respond with that Beavis And Butthead type of rat-a-tat laughter. Those are "grinning idiot" conversations, a result of the influence of modern popular culture, and you tend you encounter them everywhere nowdays, unfortunately.
Mackay may, in part, be referring to these types of people, and also to non-contemplative society at large. But I must disagree when he says that nothing can be learned from happiness, and that only sadness can act as a teacher. He says, for instance, that victory doesn't teach us much. If he is talking about modern idiots, I agree. That is why you hear the chant "USA! USA! USA!" at the Olympics and other sporting events. You also have idiots killing each other at baseball stadiums in arguments about local teams. But those are morons. An intelligent, well-balanced person can learn much from victory, such as how to be magnanimous, or how to be a leader, or helpful to others. How to set a good example.
Sadness can teach as well, though I have to admit I'm not sure what. I was incredibly sad when I lost my Mom. That was the saddest I've ever been in my life. I don't know what it taught me, except that I love my Mom. But I already knew that.
I think, mostly, that Mackay is referring to "grinning idiot" Western Society (and it's not just America but all the west, in Europe, too) and now consumerism is taking over China and Russia, as well). He is also referring to "feel good" instant-relief pop-psychology, and it's influence.
I will finish up by saying that I think it's very important to always try to identify a source of unhappiness. If you are having a bad day, what is causing it? Is it something overt? There is an old, somewhat funny saying : "Hell is other people", and it can be true that a lot of "bad days" can be caused by how we react to someone else's energies or interactions in our lives. If we have a mean-spirited boss or teacher, or a co-worker who is an a-hole, that can lead to bad days. I know from experience that parents can contribute to bad days, too. And also to great days.
But if you are by nature a person who tends toward happiness or contentment, a bad day can very often be the result of interacting with unhappy or unpleasant people. I disagree with Mackay when he says that our bad days are contributing to our "wholeness". That again sounds Calvinistic to me, in the "teach you a lesson" kind of way. The only lesson I learn from a bad day, is how to avoid the same type of day in the future. In that sense, it is contributing to my wholeness by making me smarter, more aware of oncoming problems. But that goes back to what I said earlier about identifying sources of unhappiness, and shutting them down.
I have to head back to Pearl's now, and again I hope I didn't ramble too much. I do so because, in your case, Elizabeth, I know you to be a basically happy person. Happy as in "content". We both know that happiness is not just a continuous thrill-ride through life. But I tell you what I know out of a deep love for you, just to offer my observations. Because of my own experiences in life I have an interest in the subject, especially because I know the good news : that we come out the other end intact. I also know that, with your intelligence and understanding, you already know most if not all of the things I say. If ever and whenever you have a bad day, you can always tell me about it. I don't know if that's why you posted the Mackay comment, but if so, I am always ready to listen. Maybe you posted it in response to my last night comments about "seeking the deep internal", etc. In any event, I love you like we are One Being, even though of course we are both individuals. But remember, "one and one don't make two, they make One". That's by The Who.
Well, gotta go back to Pearl's. I will write yet more this evening (no!! not more, Ad! :) ) but in a different blog. That's really all I have for today on this subject, though I can tell you more of my family story if you ever want me to. A lot of it you know already. Anyway, back in a while!
You Rule, Awesome Lady. Always remember that! :):)
Saturday, September 28, 2013
It's A Beautiful Morning (Stagecoach Trail & Carmel) (Grateful For Such A Day)
Good Morning, my Gorgeous Girl,
I woke up about 20 minutes ago, feeling pretty rested, and now I am enjoying my coffee and listening to the Opera Show on KUSC. Yeah. I know I'm a nerd, lol. I just saw your post of the happy couple, and it made me happy because we are a Happy Couple, too. The Happiest! Nothing in this world compares to being in love with you, sharing with you, thinking thoughts with you, feeling life with you, being your Soul Mate. It's wonderful, is what it is. Such wonderful days these are. :):)
My sister called, she may or may not come over this afternoon. She is a volunteer usher at a theater in Santa Monica and they have a show this morning. If she doesn't come over, I will forgo shopping until tomorrow. I may drive over to a new trail I found, near Chatsworth Park, called the Stagecoach Trail. It's named after the Stagecoach route through the Santa Susanas that connected the Valley to the route to San Francisco in the 1800s. If I don't go today, I will go by Tuesday at the latest. But right now I am just gonna hang out for a while and enjoy the morning.
I Love, Love, Love You, Elizabeth. As always, I am with you all day. :):)
3:40pm : Okay, Incredibly Gorgeous Lady, I did drive over to the Stagecoach Trail. This time, I was just planning to scout the place out, cause I also did wanna do some shopping, so I only brought my film camera (Pentax ME Super). There's been a roll of color film in it for two years that had about five pictures left, and this finally gave me an opportunity to finish them off. The trail starts in the middle of a residential street (Larwin Ave.) that runs alongside the Chatsworth wilderness. It begins literally as an opening in some chain link fence. But then, in five minutes you are in the wilderness, among the rocks. The landscape looks much like other pictures I have posted of the area. The main attraction is the trail itself, and I imagine the same ruts are still there that were made by Wells Fargo stages coming across the mountains 150 years ago. I hiked about a half mile in, but it was very hot and the sun was beating down. We are still doing Summer here, it's still about 95 degrees out. I didn't bring any sunscreen (which I hate to wear) so I figured it was time to go back. Next time I go, I will go in the morning and I will hike much further in. I did get one good shot overlooking the Valley, looking east, and I set the F-Stop at 22, so if you look closely enough you should be able to see Wisconsin. :)
I see the pictures of your friends. In that picture, your friend Brian looks like my brother Chris. They are in Carmel, I see. The California coast is very beautiful there. I was in Carmel only once, waaaaay back in 1980. When I was in my teens, I had a best friend whose family had moved to the Bay Area (San Francisco) in 1976, and up until 1980, I would drive up once in a while to visit him. I may have told you this before, because I know I told you the story of the bee in the car on an 800 foot cliff on Pacific Coast Highway. But on that trip, me and Ono Kahuna aka Pat (who I've known since we were 12) stopped in Carmel on the way to SF. It is beautiful, and there are some famous "windswept" looking trees that are kind of a landmark there. When we stopped, there used to be a restaurant there called The Hog's Breath Inn (lol), and I don't know if it's still there or not, but at the time it was owned by Clint Eastwood, a longtime Carmel resident. We stopped in hoping he would be there, but he wasn't. But Carmel is beautiful, and you and I will go. We can even rent a Mustang or similarly cool car. The one time we went, I had a BMW 320i. It should be noted that I am not a particularly fast driver, though, lol. What I am, is the safest driver I know. Everybody says so, and I have a number of friends I'd rather not ride with. When I had the BMW, I did drive it at about 110mph one time, out in the desert on the way to Las Vegas. So I'm not a slow driver, either. Just a safe one, but I do love classic cars. You would love the California coast, starting at Santa Monica and going up through Malibu, then to Santa Barbara, which is beautiful, and then on up past San Luis Obispo and on towards Northern California, passing through and stopping in Monterey and Carmel.
We are goin', Baby.
We will also go to all the art museums, and then we will fly to New York and go to theirs, too!
Well, I am gonna check some drugstore websites, like Walgreens, to see who still processes film. I used to go to Walgreens as recently as two years ago, but I've gotta see if they still do it. If not, then Hooper Camera it is! I'll be back later this eve, as always. May try to walk over to CSUN for some sundown pics, too.
I Love You, Elizabeth. This is a great day. xoxoxoxoxo :):)
(back later)
11pm: I had a nice, relaxing evening. First I went over to the Orange Grove and hung out with the ducks for a few minutes. Took a couple pics. Then I came home and played my guitar for a long time. I'd never had a seven day a week job before, and I am grateful for the job I have so no complaints, but with my job, being seven days, you kind of get locked into a cycle of coming and going and waking up early and doing it over and over for a month straight. Now, it's actually the best job I've ever had, because I do have time off every day, and it's not corporate, and I've known Pearl since I was born, and I make enough that I can save a fair amount of money. I really am grateful and fortunate, in so many aspects of my life (one aspect most of all!).
But when I do get a day off, and can sleep in and totally regain my focus, I re-engage with myself. My guitar comes back, my writing, everything I like to do. It's all there on workdays, of course, but on a day off, especially a day as great as today (when I discovered Stagecoach Trail), it was brand new all over again.
You are responsible for so much of it. I have always been the same person I am now, have always been excited about life, looking for things to do, mysteries to solve - super curious and wanting to have fun, find enjoyment wherever it might be, even during difficult times in the past. I am always a person who tries to make the most of any situation. But since I met you, and especially since this year began, it's like everything I do takes on a whole new energy. The psychic aspect - the feeling of being connected to you, spiritually and in a way of psychic subconscious communication - is constant, and has only gotten stronger since those amazing Spring months of 2012 when we were getting to know each other. You referenced Alison Scarpulla's photo yesterday, and she had a comment or observation about reality having many layers.
This is where I live my life, and I don't do it forcefully, or to tune out, or as a form of rebellion. It's just where my path has led me, and I have felt the subconscious calling me since I was very small. My friends, God Bless 'Em, couldn't be less interested in the things I am interested in. Except music, but other than that, we don't have a lot in common. Because I am not just interested in the external. I am interested in the deep internal. One of my favorite books as a child was "Curious George The Monkey", and maybe that's me, lol.
But with you, Elizabeth, I am blessed beyond measure, because I have someone who likes to do things, and to be creative, but also someone with high-level intellectual capacity, and more importantly - wisdom.
And of course it goes way, way beyond that. Who can understand where such a connection takes place, where it comes from? I have thought about that a lot, and I know that - for me - prayer played a huge part. God answered my prayer. But as immeasurable is that is, there is also the human factor.
You and me.
And when I think of You and Me, I am amazed. I like to let it dance around the edges, you know?
There is something dazzling at work, and it is seen even in simple joys of a day off, and I like to let it dazzle and do what it does. For me, it is enough to be grateful each and every day, and to enjoy every moment of these days. Something big is at work, and you and I are within it. We can feel something special, at the edges.
Thanks for sharing this wonderful day with me, Elizabeth. We have many more to come!
Sweet Dreams, hugs and kisses. xoxoxoxoxo :):)
I woke up about 20 minutes ago, feeling pretty rested, and now I am enjoying my coffee and listening to the Opera Show on KUSC. Yeah. I know I'm a nerd, lol. I just saw your post of the happy couple, and it made me happy because we are a Happy Couple, too. The Happiest! Nothing in this world compares to being in love with you, sharing with you, thinking thoughts with you, feeling life with you, being your Soul Mate. It's wonderful, is what it is. Such wonderful days these are. :):)
My sister called, she may or may not come over this afternoon. She is a volunteer usher at a theater in Santa Monica and they have a show this morning. If she doesn't come over, I will forgo shopping until tomorrow. I may drive over to a new trail I found, near Chatsworth Park, called the Stagecoach Trail. It's named after the Stagecoach route through the Santa Susanas that connected the Valley to the route to San Francisco in the 1800s. If I don't go today, I will go by Tuesday at the latest. But right now I am just gonna hang out for a while and enjoy the morning.
I Love, Love, Love You, Elizabeth. As always, I am with you all day. :):)
3:40pm : Okay, Incredibly Gorgeous Lady, I did drive over to the Stagecoach Trail. This time, I was just planning to scout the place out, cause I also did wanna do some shopping, so I only brought my film camera (Pentax ME Super). There's been a roll of color film in it for two years that had about five pictures left, and this finally gave me an opportunity to finish them off. The trail starts in the middle of a residential street (Larwin Ave.) that runs alongside the Chatsworth wilderness. It begins literally as an opening in some chain link fence. But then, in five minutes you are in the wilderness, among the rocks. The landscape looks much like other pictures I have posted of the area. The main attraction is the trail itself, and I imagine the same ruts are still there that were made by Wells Fargo stages coming across the mountains 150 years ago. I hiked about a half mile in, but it was very hot and the sun was beating down. We are still doing Summer here, it's still about 95 degrees out. I didn't bring any sunscreen (which I hate to wear) so I figured it was time to go back. Next time I go, I will go in the morning and I will hike much further in. I did get one good shot overlooking the Valley, looking east, and I set the F-Stop at 22, so if you look closely enough you should be able to see Wisconsin. :)
I see the pictures of your friends. In that picture, your friend Brian looks like my brother Chris. They are in Carmel, I see. The California coast is very beautiful there. I was in Carmel only once, waaaaay back in 1980. When I was in my teens, I had a best friend whose family had moved to the Bay Area (San Francisco) in 1976, and up until 1980, I would drive up once in a while to visit him. I may have told you this before, because I know I told you the story of the bee in the car on an 800 foot cliff on Pacific Coast Highway. But on that trip, me and Ono Kahuna aka Pat (who I've known since we were 12) stopped in Carmel on the way to SF. It is beautiful, and there are some famous "windswept" looking trees that are kind of a landmark there. When we stopped, there used to be a restaurant there called The Hog's Breath Inn (lol), and I don't know if it's still there or not, but at the time it was owned by Clint Eastwood, a longtime Carmel resident. We stopped in hoping he would be there, but he wasn't. But Carmel is beautiful, and you and I will go. We can even rent a Mustang or similarly cool car. The one time we went, I had a BMW 320i. It should be noted that I am not a particularly fast driver, though, lol. What I am, is the safest driver I know. Everybody says so, and I have a number of friends I'd rather not ride with. When I had the BMW, I did drive it at about 110mph one time, out in the desert on the way to Las Vegas. So I'm not a slow driver, either. Just a safe one, but I do love classic cars. You would love the California coast, starting at Santa Monica and going up through Malibu, then to Santa Barbara, which is beautiful, and then on up past San Luis Obispo and on towards Northern California, passing through and stopping in Monterey and Carmel.
We are goin', Baby.
We will also go to all the art museums, and then we will fly to New York and go to theirs, too!
Well, I am gonna check some drugstore websites, like Walgreens, to see who still processes film. I used to go to Walgreens as recently as two years ago, but I've gotta see if they still do it. If not, then Hooper Camera it is! I'll be back later this eve, as always. May try to walk over to CSUN for some sundown pics, too.
I Love You, Elizabeth. This is a great day. xoxoxoxoxo :):)
(back later)
11pm: I had a nice, relaxing evening. First I went over to the Orange Grove and hung out with the ducks for a few minutes. Took a couple pics. Then I came home and played my guitar for a long time. I'd never had a seven day a week job before, and I am grateful for the job I have so no complaints, but with my job, being seven days, you kind of get locked into a cycle of coming and going and waking up early and doing it over and over for a month straight. Now, it's actually the best job I've ever had, because I do have time off every day, and it's not corporate, and I've known Pearl since I was born, and I make enough that I can save a fair amount of money. I really am grateful and fortunate, in so many aspects of my life (one aspect most of all!).
But when I do get a day off, and can sleep in and totally regain my focus, I re-engage with myself. My guitar comes back, my writing, everything I like to do. It's all there on workdays, of course, but on a day off, especially a day as great as today (when I discovered Stagecoach Trail), it was brand new all over again.
You are responsible for so much of it. I have always been the same person I am now, have always been excited about life, looking for things to do, mysteries to solve - super curious and wanting to have fun, find enjoyment wherever it might be, even during difficult times in the past. I am always a person who tries to make the most of any situation. But since I met you, and especially since this year began, it's like everything I do takes on a whole new energy. The psychic aspect - the feeling of being connected to you, spiritually and in a way of psychic subconscious communication - is constant, and has only gotten stronger since those amazing Spring months of 2012 when we were getting to know each other. You referenced Alison Scarpulla's photo yesterday, and she had a comment or observation about reality having many layers.
This is where I live my life, and I don't do it forcefully, or to tune out, or as a form of rebellion. It's just where my path has led me, and I have felt the subconscious calling me since I was very small. My friends, God Bless 'Em, couldn't be less interested in the things I am interested in. Except music, but other than that, we don't have a lot in common. Because I am not just interested in the external. I am interested in the deep internal. One of my favorite books as a child was "Curious George The Monkey", and maybe that's me, lol.
But with you, Elizabeth, I am blessed beyond measure, because I have someone who likes to do things, and to be creative, but also someone with high-level intellectual capacity, and more importantly - wisdom.
And of course it goes way, way beyond that. Who can understand where such a connection takes place, where it comes from? I have thought about that a lot, and I know that - for me - prayer played a huge part. God answered my prayer. But as immeasurable is that is, there is also the human factor.
You and me.
And when I think of You and Me, I am amazed. I like to let it dance around the edges, you know?
There is something dazzling at work, and it is seen even in simple joys of a day off, and I like to let it dazzle and do what it does. For me, it is enough to be grateful each and every day, and to enjoy every moment of these days. Something big is at work, and you and I are within it. We can feel something special, at the edges.
Thanks for sharing this wonderful day with me, Elizabeth. We have many more to come!
Sweet Dreams, hugs and kisses. xoxoxoxoxo :):)
Friday, September 27, 2013
TGIF! (Bond!) (Moon added)
Happy Friday Morning, my Darling,
This time I can say TGIF and it will count for both of us! Usually, Friday makes no difference for me, but once a month it does, so that is nice. I will be home all afternoon til 4:15, though I may walk over to the Redbox a little later to see if they have anything watchable. Mostly, though, I will be here. I saw a Groupon yesterday that has manufacturer-refurbished Chromebooks on sale for 139 bucks. I called a Dell toll-free number this morn, to try to get tech support for Pearl's computer, but when they came on the line an automated voice said the support was fee-based, so I thought, the heck with that, because I don't even know if it will help fix her computer. The Groupon Chromebook sale is good for three more days, so if I can't fix it on my own by then, I will get one of the Chromebooks.
I trust you are having a good morning. I Love You, You Are Awesome, My Baby!
6:50pm : So you like James Bond? Me too! My all-time favorite is "The Spy Who Loved Me", and I love that theme song I just posted. My Dad was a big Bond fan, too, and we saw "Spy" together several times. It's funny, because most fans will say Sean Connery was the best, but I was always a Roger Moore guy. Probably because he was in the movies I saw first. But the recent Craig ones have been great, more hard-boiled too. Really, all the guys who've played 007 have been good. Pierce Brosnan was really good. So next time you watch a marathon, I'm gonna be sitting right next to you!
I'm just getting home, so I am going to get settled in, and then I'll be back in a while. Two sleep-ins coming up, yippee!
Hey World, I Love My Baby! :):)
11pm : I hope you are enjoying your Friday evening. I am just doing the usual - reading, 'riting......no 'rithmetic though. I should probably do some. :)
I am reading about the partially sunken city of Nan Madol, on an island called Panape in Micronesia. It has ancient roads that lead straight into the Pacific Ocean, and then, on another island 1000 miles away, the road picks up again and leads onto that island. So the whole thing was sunk. It would be as if America, at some point in the future, became an archipelago of small islands, and Route 66 just dropped off into the water in the west, and picked back up on an island in the east, in a place that used to be a state. Sorry to keep harping on the subject, lol, but this stuff blows my mind. When I was little, my Dad took me to see a movie about an explorer named Thor Heyerdahl. He sailed across the Pacific in a craft called the Kon-Tiki that he built out of bamboo to try and replicate an ancient sailing vessel. When I saw the movie I was about 6 or 7, so it really didn't sink in what he was doing. But now that I am reading more about it, I see that he was one of the main guys who was trying to understand the history of the Pacific, and why it is such a huge ocean in the first place.
Earth is interesting, because you can have land..........and then it stops, and all of a sudden you've got thousands of square miles of salt water. Why?
If you drained the Pacific Ocean, you'd have a big dent in the surface of the Earth. Six miles deep in places. That's not much, given the Earth's circumference, but it's still a big dent. So, why did it fill up with water? The water didn't cause the dent, so what did?
Scientists now think the Moon was formed from the Earth - and this is conventional science, mind you, they have come around to the alternative way of thinking - and so, if the Moon was formed from the Earth, then the place where much of the material might have come from could be the basin of the Pacific Ocean. Or all the oceans. But maybe the Pacific was the point of impact for whatever struck the Earth and caused the land mass to separate into continents. Maybe the impact caused an enormous atmospheric disturbance, which led to the Biblical rains of legend. All of the various cultural tales of myth and legend date from 2000 - 15,000 year ago, not really that long if you think about it.
So maybe there was a civilization, living on a continent in what is now the Pacific, and suddenly, or over time, that continent began to sink as an aftereffect of the original collision. And now, there are only traces of that civilization left, like roads that lead into the ocean.
Surely all the religions and cultures share something in common; a myth or legend of a planet-changing scenario that happened many thousands of years ago. They are all told in the same general time frame, give or take a few thousand years, which is not much given the age of the Earth.
So it is very likely that, at some point, we did not have a Moon.
The Pacific Ocean and the Moon are two places that need exploring. We went to the Moon in the 1960s; it was the biggest deal of that century. But now you don't hear much about it. I wonder why they don't go back? I wonder what they saw up there.......
Well, my Bond Girl, that's all I know for tonight. Tomorrow the Badgers are playing Ohio State in Ohio, so I still bet on them, but I am keeping my fingers crossed. And, I think they have seven points.
Tonight, we will share our dreams together, and we will both sleep in and wake up together in spirit.
Entwined...........
I Love You, Elizabeth. xoxoxoxoxo
This time I can say TGIF and it will count for both of us! Usually, Friday makes no difference for me, but once a month it does, so that is nice. I will be home all afternoon til 4:15, though I may walk over to the Redbox a little later to see if they have anything watchable. Mostly, though, I will be here. I saw a Groupon yesterday that has manufacturer-refurbished Chromebooks on sale for 139 bucks. I called a Dell toll-free number this morn, to try to get tech support for Pearl's computer, but when they came on the line an automated voice said the support was fee-based, so I thought, the heck with that, because I don't even know if it will help fix her computer. The Groupon Chromebook sale is good for three more days, so if I can't fix it on my own by then, I will get one of the Chromebooks.
I trust you are having a good morning. I Love You, You Are Awesome, My Baby!
6:50pm : So you like James Bond? Me too! My all-time favorite is "The Spy Who Loved Me", and I love that theme song I just posted. My Dad was a big Bond fan, too, and we saw "Spy" together several times. It's funny, because most fans will say Sean Connery was the best, but I was always a Roger Moore guy. Probably because he was in the movies I saw first. But the recent Craig ones have been great, more hard-boiled too. Really, all the guys who've played 007 have been good. Pierce Brosnan was really good. So next time you watch a marathon, I'm gonna be sitting right next to you!
I'm just getting home, so I am going to get settled in, and then I'll be back in a while. Two sleep-ins coming up, yippee!
Hey World, I Love My Baby! :):)
11pm : I hope you are enjoying your Friday evening. I am just doing the usual - reading, 'riting......no 'rithmetic though. I should probably do some. :)
I am reading about the partially sunken city of Nan Madol, on an island called Panape in Micronesia. It has ancient roads that lead straight into the Pacific Ocean, and then, on another island 1000 miles away, the road picks up again and leads onto that island. So the whole thing was sunk. It would be as if America, at some point in the future, became an archipelago of small islands, and Route 66 just dropped off into the water in the west, and picked back up on an island in the east, in a place that used to be a state. Sorry to keep harping on the subject, lol, but this stuff blows my mind. When I was little, my Dad took me to see a movie about an explorer named Thor Heyerdahl. He sailed across the Pacific in a craft called the Kon-Tiki that he built out of bamboo to try and replicate an ancient sailing vessel. When I saw the movie I was about 6 or 7, so it really didn't sink in what he was doing. But now that I am reading more about it, I see that he was one of the main guys who was trying to understand the history of the Pacific, and why it is such a huge ocean in the first place.
Earth is interesting, because you can have land..........and then it stops, and all of a sudden you've got thousands of square miles of salt water. Why?
If you drained the Pacific Ocean, you'd have a big dent in the surface of the Earth. Six miles deep in places. That's not much, given the Earth's circumference, but it's still a big dent. So, why did it fill up with water? The water didn't cause the dent, so what did?
Scientists now think the Moon was formed from the Earth - and this is conventional science, mind you, they have come around to the alternative way of thinking - and so, if the Moon was formed from the Earth, then the place where much of the material might have come from could be the basin of the Pacific Ocean. Or all the oceans. But maybe the Pacific was the point of impact for whatever struck the Earth and caused the land mass to separate into continents. Maybe the impact caused an enormous atmospheric disturbance, which led to the Biblical rains of legend. All of the various cultural tales of myth and legend date from 2000 - 15,000 year ago, not really that long if you think about it.
So maybe there was a civilization, living on a continent in what is now the Pacific, and suddenly, or over time, that continent began to sink as an aftereffect of the original collision. And now, there are only traces of that civilization left, like roads that lead into the ocean.
Surely all the religions and cultures share something in common; a myth or legend of a planet-changing scenario that happened many thousands of years ago. They are all told in the same general time frame, give or take a few thousand years, which is not much given the age of the Earth.
So it is very likely that, at some point, we did not have a Moon.
The Pacific Ocean and the Moon are two places that need exploring. We went to the Moon in the 1960s; it was the biggest deal of that century. But now you don't hear much about it. I wonder why they don't go back? I wonder what they saw up there.......
Well, my Bond Girl, that's all I know for tonight. Tomorrow the Badgers are playing Ohio State in Ohio, so I still bet on them, but I am keeping my fingers crossed. And, I think they have seven points.
Tonight, we will share our dreams together, and we will both sleep in and wake up together in spirit.
Entwined...........
I Love You, Elizabeth. xoxoxoxoxo
Thursday, September 26, 2013
24/7 Love (4pm To Pearl's) (I'm Home) (films)
Good Morning, my Baby. I am gonna be back-and-forth all morning between Le Groomer for Kobi and the hairdresser for Pearl, so I just wanted to say Hi and wish you a wonderful morn and tell you I Love You. After I pick Pearl up from the salon, I should be home by 2pm or so, then I can relax for a couple hours. Right now I will be here til 11am. Hope your day is off to a great start!
4pm : Is that Lake Mendota in this morning's photograph? It is certainly a beautiful view. I see houses in the background, do you live near there? I know you are close to the lake. What a wonderful place to have so nearby. :)
Well, it's time for me to head back to Pearl's, and tonight is movie night, so I'll be back about 9:45 or 10pm my time. We are gonna see Fassbinder's "The Merchant Of Four Seasons". So I will see you then, Beautiful Lady. I Love You!
9:40pm : I'm back. The first thing I've gotta say is, not only is it mutual, it's so mutual that it's morphed into one giant ocean of love. I Love You So Much, Elizabeth. I've been thinking about you all day, and I am always so glad when I get home and can write to you. These are such great days, you have inspired them, and sharing them with you is what makes them magical and so very special.
I am gonna eat something real quick, then I'll be back.
:):) Forever
11pm : You have a way of saying things, or sometimes with something you post, that can just melt me. The "mutual" post did that a little while ago. I just love to think of us being together, loving and caring for each other, and doing all the things we will do. Big things and little things, but all of them enjoyable because we share a passion and curiosity for life.
I had seen tonight's film before, about ten years ago with my Mom. Back then, I was not familiar with Fassbinder, so while I found the film interesting, it also came off as depressing and heavy handed, almost clunky. But now that I am familiar with Fassbinder, seeing it a second time allowed me to appreciate the style he was trying to convey with all the in-your-face close ups and melodramatic episodes. I see a lot of films from Europe, many of them post-WW2, and it is interesting the way in which the artists focus on angst and alienation. Europe is an interesting place, taken as a whole rather than seperate countries, because it is really a history of tribes, much like Africa: Gauls and Celts and Angles and Saxons and Ostrogoths and Visigoths. So many tribes, and the resultant fighting throughout the millennia. It is only in the last 70 years that there has been lasting peace in Europe, thanks to the United Nations and NATO (with all their faults).
But all of the existential angst comes through in the work of the European filmmakers, and it is why their style of cinema is far removed from that of Hollywood, with it's larger than life stories. Both styles have their merits and minuses, but I always find it interesting to observe where the influence comes from. Imagine being a German artist (filmmaker, musician or whatever) born in the wake of WW2. While such a person is in no way responsible for Nazi Germany, he or she still would have that residue as an influence.
I am fascinated by the way time passes, and how some things in the past are processed into the future. I also like to think about "what is the past"? Where does it go? It's something more than just sun-ups and sundowns.
I will see you in the morning, my Darling. Sweet Dreams. I Love You Always! xoxoxoxoxo
4pm : Is that Lake Mendota in this morning's photograph? It is certainly a beautiful view. I see houses in the background, do you live near there? I know you are close to the lake. What a wonderful place to have so nearby. :)
Well, it's time for me to head back to Pearl's, and tonight is movie night, so I'll be back about 9:45 or 10pm my time. We are gonna see Fassbinder's "The Merchant Of Four Seasons". So I will see you then, Beautiful Lady. I Love You!
9:40pm : I'm back. The first thing I've gotta say is, not only is it mutual, it's so mutual that it's morphed into one giant ocean of love. I Love You So Much, Elizabeth. I've been thinking about you all day, and I am always so glad when I get home and can write to you. These are such great days, you have inspired them, and sharing them with you is what makes them magical and so very special.
I am gonna eat something real quick, then I'll be back.
:):) Forever
11pm : You have a way of saying things, or sometimes with something you post, that can just melt me. The "mutual" post did that a little while ago. I just love to think of us being together, loving and caring for each other, and doing all the things we will do. Big things and little things, but all of them enjoyable because we share a passion and curiosity for life.
I had seen tonight's film before, about ten years ago with my Mom. Back then, I was not familiar with Fassbinder, so while I found the film interesting, it also came off as depressing and heavy handed, almost clunky. But now that I am familiar with Fassbinder, seeing it a second time allowed me to appreciate the style he was trying to convey with all the in-your-face close ups and melodramatic episodes. I see a lot of films from Europe, many of them post-WW2, and it is interesting the way in which the artists focus on angst and alienation. Europe is an interesting place, taken as a whole rather than seperate countries, because it is really a history of tribes, much like Africa: Gauls and Celts and Angles and Saxons and Ostrogoths and Visigoths. So many tribes, and the resultant fighting throughout the millennia. It is only in the last 70 years that there has been lasting peace in Europe, thanks to the United Nations and NATO (with all their faults).
But all of the existential angst comes through in the work of the European filmmakers, and it is why their style of cinema is far removed from that of Hollywood, with it's larger than life stories. Both styles have their merits and minuses, but I always find it interesting to observe where the influence comes from. Imagine being a German artist (filmmaker, musician or whatever) born in the wake of WW2. While such a person is in no way responsible for Nazi Germany, he or she still would have that residue as an influence.
I am fascinated by the way time passes, and how some things in the past are processed into the future. I also like to think about "what is the past"? Where does it go? It's something more than just sun-ups and sundowns.
I will see you in the morning, my Darling. Sweet Dreams. I Love You Always! xoxoxoxoxo
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Happy Evening (I Love You) (more added)
I'm home, my Angel. Today I had most of the afternoon off, so I stayed in and watched the movie I got the other day, "The Flesh And The Fiends". It was really good, Dickensian horror with great British acting. Based on a true story in the Jack the Ripper vein. I know I am gruesome, lol.
I see you need a player piano, so I am guessing you need it for a video? Or maybe you can program it with a scroll of your music. Or, maybe you can make a video of it playing your music! That would be one of the coolest music videos ever. Well, you know my evening drill: here till 8:30, then walk, then back!
I've been thinking about you all day. I Love You So Very Much! :):)
10:50pm : I really enjoy being in a continuous mode of study, thought and creativity, and just allowing each of those practices to play off of and influence the other. For instance, I would not have thought I'd ever have an interest in archaeology or geology, but reading "Genes, Giants, Monsters and Men" by Farrell last year got me fascinated by what's been found in the Earth, even if much of the extraordinary findings have been dismissed by conventional archaeology. And I've always had a fascination with the local landscape, the Santa Susanas in Chatsworth in particular. So one influences the other, and then you think about it, and it leads you in another direction, such as anthropology and the history of peoples and migration.
I am never interested in these types of subjects in a dry, academic way, but am deeply interested in their mystery, which seems magical to me. That is to say, it seems to me that there is an element of magic involved in understanding how civilization came to be, how it rose out of nowhere, etc. I had never heard of Mohenjo Daro in my life before I began reading these books, and the findings there were made beginning in the 1920s, so you would think it would have gotten more publicity, maybe even been taught in school, but no. It is an ancient city with a mindboggling layout, considering it is 9 to 13000 years old. I like to alternate between reading about things, then thinking about them, and creativity sometimes results. But in thinking about all these ancient places, I also remember that geneaology has been a subject I've been interested in. And I thought, well, I've traced back, at least partially, my roots to about 1600 or so. After that it gets more sketchy. But thinking about Mohenjo Daro, I realize that somewhere down the line - waaay down - I've got (and we've all got) a Stone Age ancestor.
Biologically, at any rate.
And at some point, I would guess that geneaology would come to a starting point, and conventional anthropology tells us that that it all started with one lady. Literally. I think they call her Lucy.
But the problem with that theory, even if correct, is that it is limted to biology, and doesn't account for human conciousness, nor the development of language and numbers, etc. And of course evolution (sorry to keep picking on the subject, lol) looks at all of those incredible leaps as mere survival and comfort-developing tactics. Evolution tries to describe things in purely biological terms, as if life was no more than adaptation for survival, and beings were no more than cognizant matter that "lives" and then "dies".
There is no magic in such theories.
Don't get me wrong about science. I love it for it's discipline and purity, but in the case of human existence, those are the very factors which limit it's understanding.
Science doesn't do "why". And "why" is always what I am most interested in.
So, I love the sciences of anthropology, geology, etc. - and many useful conclusions have been reached in every scientific discipline (obviously). But at some point, to truly study the origins of things (like where does music come from, for instance), you have to leave the limiting rigor of science behind, and use intuition instead. Intuition and creative thinking. The science is invaluable, of course, it gets you to the doorstep of the mystery behind these subjects. But only magic (inspired creative thought based on accumulated information) will get you over the threshold.
Well, my Darling, there's some opinionated rambling for the evening, lol. I really do love all of the study I'm doing, and I figure since you are studying, I might as well be, too. "Use your head for something besides a hat rack", as my Dad used to say. :)
You are the only person I know who (I must capitalise here) Understands Things. Not just Factual Things, or Tangible Things (though you certainly understand those, too).
But I just mean Things.
Magic, you know.
So that's all I know for tonight, besides that I Love You. I hope you can find a player piano.
Tomorrow will be another awesome day. Sweet Dreams until then.
You are the best, Elizabeth. xoxoxoxoxo :):)
I see you need a player piano, so I am guessing you need it for a video? Or maybe you can program it with a scroll of your music. Or, maybe you can make a video of it playing your music! That would be one of the coolest music videos ever. Well, you know my evening drill: here till 8:30, then walk, then back!
I've been thinking about you all day. I Love You So Very Much! :):)
10:50pm : I really enjoy being in a continuous mode of study, thought and creativity, and just allowing each of those practices to play off of and influence the other. For instance, I would not have thought I'd ever have an interest in archaeology or geology, but reading "Genes, Giants, Monsters and Men" by Farrell last year got me fascinated by what's been found in the Earth, even if much of the extraordinary findings have been dismissed by conventional archaeology. And I've always had a fascination with the local landscape, the Santa Susanas in Chatsworth in particular. So one influences the other, and then you think about it, and it leads you in another direction, such as anthropology and the history of peoples and migration.
I am never interested in these types of subjects in a dry, academic way, but am deeply interested in their mystery, which seems magical to me. That is to say, it seems to me that there is an element of magic involved in understanding how civilization came to be, how it rose out of nowhere, etc. I had never heard of Mohenjo Daro in my life before I began reading these books, and the findings there were made beginning in the 1920s, so you would think it would have gotten more publicity, maybe even been taught in school, but no. It is an ancient city with a mindboggling layout, considering it is 9 to 13000 years old. I like to alternate between reading about things, then thinking about them, and creativity sometimes results. But in thinking about all these ancient places, I also remember that geneaology has been a subject I've been interested in. And I thought, well, I've traced back, at least partially, my roots to about 1600 or so. After that it gets more sketchy. But thinking about Mohenjo Daro, I realize that somewhere down the line - waaay down - I've got (and we've all got) a Stone Age ancestor.
Biologically, at any rate.
And at some point, I would guess that geneaology would come to a starting point, and conventional anthropology tells us that that it all started with one lady. Literally. I think they call her Lucy.
But the problem with that theory, even if correct, is that it is limted to biology, and doesn't account for human conciousness, nor the development of language and numbers, etc. And of course evolution (sorry to keep picking on the subject, lol) looks at all of those incredible leaps as mere survival and comfort-developing tactics. Evolution tries to describe things in purely biological terms, as if life was no more than adaptation for survival, and beings were no more than cognizant matter that "lives" and then "dies".
There is no magic in such theories.
Don't get me wrong about science. I love it for it's discipline and purity, but in the case of human existence, those are the very factors which limit it's understanding.
Science doesn't do "why". And "why" is always what I am most interested in.
So, I love the sciences of anthropology, geology, etc. - and many useful conclusions have been reached in every scientific discipline (obviously). But at some point, to truly study the origins of things (like where does music come from, for instance), you have to leave the limiting rigor of science behind, and use intuition instead. Intuition and creative thinking. The science is invaluable, of course, it gets you to the doorstep of the mystery behind these subjects. But only magic (inspired creative thought based on accumulated information) will get you over the threshold.
Well, my Darling, there's some opinionated rambling for the evening, lol. I really do love all of the study I'm doing, and I figure since you are studying, I might as well be, too. "Use your head for something besides a hat rack", as my Dad used to say. :)
You are the only person I know who (I must capitalise here) Understands Things. Not just Factual Things, or Tangible Things (though you certainly understand those, too).
But I just mean Things.
Magic, you know.
So that's all I know for tonight, besides that I Love You. I hope you can find a player piano.
Tomorrow will be another awesome day. Sweet Dreams until then.
You are the best, Elizabeth. xoxoxoxoxo :):)
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Home (love added)
Hey my Darling,
Glad to be home. Lots of driving back and forth today, traffic too, so I am always happy to get out of the car and relax and be with my Angel. I still haven't been able to fix Pearl's computer, no matter what I try from the solutions I've Googled, nothing works, so maybe the computer is toast. I will try calling Dell tomorrow, to see if they can help. It's a matter of finding the time while Pearl is watching the news or something. But I really do like having access at those hours, so one way or another I will solve the problem.
Usual schedule this evening, I'll be here till about 8 or 8:30, then walk, then back!
I Love You, hope you had a great day. :):)
10:50pm : Tonight I am listening to "Kid A" by Radiohead, a band I am somewhat a fan of. One of those bands you have to be in the mood for. My brother posted that photo of the Roland amp, which brought back a lot of memories. I guess he has had it for about 20 years now. My Marshall half-stack was my main amp after that, and I used it for many years.
Well, I don't have much to report this evening. I am guessing you have a lot of school work. I am looking forward to Friday, when I will have a day and a half off. Two sleep ins! My next extended days off will come at Thanksgiving, and then more at Christmas. All along, I will just keep saving my money and keeping my focus on the goal. That's what's important!
I will see you in the morning. Sweet Dreams until then.......
I Love You, Elizabeth. :):)
Glad to be home. Lots of driving back and forth today, traffic too, so I am always happy to get out of the car and relax and be with my Angel. I still haven't been able to fix Pearl's computer, no matter what I try from the solutions I've Googled, nothing works, so maybe the computer is toast. I will try calling Dell tomorrow, to see if they can help. It's a matter of finding the time while Pearl is watching the news or something. But I really do like having access at those hours, so one way or another I will solve the problem.
Usual schedule this evening, I'll be here till about 8 or 8:30, then walk, then back!
I Love You, hope you had a great day. :):)
10:50pm : Tonight I am listening to "Kid A" by Radiohead, a band I am somewhat a fan of. One of those bands you have to be in the mood for. My brother posted that photo of the Roland amp, which brought back a lot of memories. I guess he has had it for about 20 years now. My Marshall half-stack was my main amp after that, and I used it for many years.
Well, I don't have much to report this evening. I am guessing you have a lot of school work. I am looking forward to Friday, when I will have a day and a half off. Two sleep ins! My next extended days off will come at Thanksgiving, and then more at Christmas. All along, I will just keep saving my money and keeping my focus on the goal. That's what's important!
I will see you in the morning. Sweet Dreams until then.......
I Love You, Elizabeth. :):)
Monday, September 23, 2013
Monday I Love You (art added)
Good Evening, Sweet Baby,
I'm home, so I just wanted to say I Love You and I hope you had a great day. I am gonna relax for a little bit before going for my walk at around 8pm, and then I will back later at the usual time. It's the start of another great week for us, just because we're us. :):)
(back in a little while)
10pm : So you are a fan of Downton Abbey? I seem to recall you posting something in regards to the ending of last season.........disapproval, perhaps? I don't know the show, other than a general outline, but I know it's hugely popular, and I guess a lot of fans agree with you about last season, the killing off of certain characters I believe. My Mom would have absolutely loved that show. If it was English, and on PBS, especially if it was on Masterpiece Theater or Mystery!, she was a fan. She was also a huge Jane Austen fan, and had been in a Jane Austen club in high school. I credit Mom with, among other things, my love of old movies. She knew all the great ones from the 30s through the 60s, and knew all the actors and actresses, too. Mom was cool, because you could put in a movie like Texas Chainsaw Massacre or The Hills Have Eyes and it wouldn't faze her. We watched a lot of movies and shows together (but we both agreed about no Sandler, Schwarzanegger, etc.) :)
Nice to see Fursy is working on a new album. I was wondering what had happened to him, he used to post all the time and then kind of disappeared. Looks like he's all done playing Metal, too. First Mikael, then Neige, now Fursy. I can see why Mikael & Neige don't wanna do the vocals anymore, and I can see why all three guys are moving in a different direction. I think it's just the whole "genre" thing, and wanting to get away from classification, which leads to fans/critics/labels expecting a certain kind of sound. Steven Wilson put Porcupine Tree on hiatus for the same reason.
When we (me & Grim) saw Agalloch recently, I really loved the whole Arthouse approach they use on their tours. For one thing, it was the cheapest concert I can remember in recent years; 17 bucks! I have no idea how they made any money, and they probably didn't make much, but I love the whole thing with bringing out the logs and the incense, and the way they hand-pick their openers. Last time, it wasn't real successful with Taurus, the two girls who kind of made a racket with feedback and caterwauling, but it was different, and this time it was successful with Worm Ourobouros, who were really different (and I know you know them, I heard of them because of you), and also Helen Money, who was really far out. She is apparently a classical cellist who does amplified, pedal-effected experimental cello music on the side, but she has also played on a lot of other people's albums, including Russian Circles. There is another band that I would call an art-rock band. No genre, just art. That's the way it should be, although having said that, bands usually create some framework to work in. I mean, you never see a band make a pure jazz album, followed by a Britney Spears type pop album. That would of course be ridiculous. So bands and artists create their own parameters, but at least they set the boundaries. More likely, true artists do not set any boundaries but merely operate within the creative area of their own personal Muse. And that Muse inspires them according to their own emotions and influences.
Well, I love talking music.
Movies, shows, music, art, observation, nature, writing, thinking.
Long walks...........the night sky........
(food too!)
These are a few of my favorite things!
My Life is about sharing them with You.
I Love You my Darling. xoxoxoxo :):)
Sweet Dreams, I will see you in the morning.
I'm home, so I just wanted to say I Love You and I hope you had a great day. I am gonna relax for a little bit before going for my walk at around 8pm, and then I will back later at the usual time. It's the start of another great week for us, just because we're us. :):)
(back in a little while)
10pm : So you are a fan of Downton Abbey? I seem to recall you posting something in regards to the ending of last season.........disapproval, perhaps? I don't know the show, other than a general outline, but I know it's hugely popular, and I guess a lot of fans agree with you about last season, the killing off of certain characters I believe. My Mom would have absolutely loved that show. If it was English, and on PBS, especially if it was on Masterpiece Theater or Mystery!, she was a fan. She was also a huge Jane Austen fan, and had been in a Jane Austen club in high school. I credit Mom with, among other things, my love of old movies. She knew all the great ones from the 30s through the 60s, and knew all the actors and actresses, too. Mom was cool, because you could put in a movie like Texas Chainsaw Massacre or The Hills Have Eyes and it wouldn't faze her. We watched a lot of movies and shows together (but we both agreed about no Sandler, Schwarzanegger, etc.) :)
Nice to see Fursy is working on a new album. I was wondering what had happened to him, he used to post all the time and then kind of disappeared. Looks like he's all done playing Metal, too. First Mikael, then Neige, now Fursy. I can see why Mikael & Neige don't wanna do the vocals anymore, and I can see why all three guys are moving in a different direction. I think it's just the whole "genre" thing, and wanting to get away from classification, which leads to fans/critics/labels expecting a certain kind of sound. Steven Wilson put Porcupine Tree on hiatus for the same reason.
When we (me & Grim) saw Agalloch recently, I really loved the whole Arthouse approach they use on their tours. For one thing, it was the cheapest concert I can remember in recent years; 17 bucks! I have no idea how they made any money, and they probably didn't make much, but I love the whole thing with bringing out the logs and the incense, and the way they hand-pick their openers. Last time, it wasn't real successful with Taurus, the two girls who kind of made a racket with feedback and caterwauling, but it was different, and this time it was successful with Worm Ourobouros, who were really different (and I know you know them, I heard of them because of you), and also Helen Money, who was really far out. She is apparently a classical cellist who does amplified, pedal-effected experimental cello music on the side, but she has also played on a lot of other people's albums, including Russian Circles. There is another band that I would call an art-rock band. No genre, just art. That's the way it should be, although having said that, bands usually create some framework to work in. I mean, you never see a band make a pure jazz album, followed by a Britney Spears type pop album. That would of course be ridiculous. So bands and artists create their own parameters, but at least they set the boundaries. More likely, true artists do not set any boundaries but merely operate within the creative area of their own personal Muse. And that Muse inspires them according to their own emotions and influences.
Well, I love talking music.
Movies, shows, music, art, observation, nature, writing, thinking.
Long walks...........the night sky........
(food too!)
These are a few of my favorite things!
My Life is about sharing them with You.
I Love You my Darling. xoxoxoxo :):)
Sweet Dreams, I will see you in the morning.
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Ruling! (To Pearl's) (more You Rule)
Okay, my Baby, that is super cool! That is the pic I was expecting, and I hope you got a chance to actually hang out with him for a while. Both "Autre Temps" singers in one photo, that is outstanding. I hope they put you on the guest list, too. You deserve it. Well, you can tell me all about it if you wanna post a review. I will be here at home until 4:15, then back this eve at 6:45. I will check back in before I leave for Pearl's.
That is an outstanding photo. You rule as always!
I Love You. :):)
(back in a bit)
4:05pm : I am gonna head to Pearl's now, and try to run something called a System Files Check on her computer. I've been Googling solutions to this driver installation problem, and this one was recommended. So, Mr. Trial & Error will try once again, lol.
Hey Elizabeth, y'know how, when you hear a new piece of music, it sometimes takes several listens to become familiar, and then you realize how good it is?
That just happened to me, just now, with "Across The Sea".
I knew it was good upon first listen, last week. But just now, I got the feel of it.
I think it is the best thing you have thus far recorded. It's really good.
(back at 6:45.....)
10:10pm : Have you ever heard Erik Satie? You probably have at least heard the Gymnopedies, or you would recognize the music if you don't know the name. I mention him because he wrote some exquisite piano pieces, dramatic and mysterious sounding. He is most famous for the Gymnopedies and the Gnossiennes. There is a bit of a Satie feel at the beginning of "Across The Sea", so there you go. I love piano, there is so much that can be expressed with it. :)
Tonight I am chillin' with my book, "Axis Of The World", reading about the Tarim Basin Mummies that were discovered in China in the early 20th century. They were white, European people (or Europoid, meaning that they have European features but weren't necessarily from Europe). I am also reading about a supercontinent called Gondwana, and a single land-mass continent called Pangaea, formed from all the seperate continents we have today. Other continents most likely sunk into the ocean, like Mu, Atlantis and Lemuria. There are so many legends among island people, like the Polynesians, and also among American Indians.
There is a theory now that the Moon is made up of material that was once part of Earth, and that the material was flung into space when Earth collided with another planet, eons ago. When you look at the size and depth of the Pacific Ocean, that could very well be where it struck, and knocked an enormous chunk out of that side of our planet. I think it is amazing to look at Ice Age geology, as evident where you live, and to look at desert geology where I live, and just to observe that it's still there, formations and such, after all this time. There is so much waiting to be learned from the distant past, and one day we will discover how amazing it really was.
Well, my Beautiful Angel, I am so glad you got to meet Neige, and (I am assuming) got to chat with him, and that they had the in-store, too, so it was a really memorable experience. I mean, you met him last year too, but that was more hurried, at the end of the show. Now you can genuinely say you are friends of those guys, they know you and vice-versa, which is awesome. I bet you got recognized, too! Did anyone ask if you were the girl from the video? My guess is yes! :)
So, a great weekend it was. I will be seeing them in a week and a half, and I can't wait. Last time, at the Troubador, they played about 40 minutes, opening for Enslaved. This time I am guessing they get at least an hour, maybe 70-75 minutes? That's usually the deal with a co-headliner tour. I guess I will soon find out! I was wondering if they are gonna do an in-store here in L.A. We don't have very many record stores, really just Amoeba, which is a famous one, and a lot of bands do appearances there. Maybe there are a few, more obscure, record stores in Hollywood or Glendale. That would be cool if they do one. I would have to figure out a way to be there, due to my schedule, but if they played one in early afternoon I might be able to make it. I can't go to the Paul McCartney thing tomorrow for the same reason; it starts at 4:30 and I have to work. It's for the Jimmy Kimmel show, and I didn't get tickets anyway, there was a lottery and I didn't win. It would be awesome to finally see Paul McCartney, but it's gonna be a zoo down there anyway. I will see him next time he tours.
But up next is Alcest, and I am ready! I've never seen Anathema, so I'm looking forward to them as well.
On Saturday, I bet big points on the Badgers, and they came through again!
I like the Autumn illustration you posted, too. That's my kind of equinox!
Sleep well, my Darling, with many hugs and kisses from me. xoxoxoxo
I Love You with all my heart. :):)
That is an outstanding photo. You rule as always!
I Love You. :):)
(back in a bit)
4:05pm : I am gonna head to Pearl's now, and try to run something called a System Files Check on her computer. I've been Googling solutions to this driver installation problem, and this one was recommended. So, Mr. Trial & Error will try once again, lol.
Hey Elizabeth, y'know how, when you hear a new piece of music, it sometimes takes several listens to become familiar, and then you realize how good it is?
That just happened to me, just now, with "Across The Sea".
I knew it was good upon first listen, last week. But just now, I got the feel of it.
I think it is the best thing you have thus far recorded. It's really good.
(back at 6:45.....)
10:10pm : Have you ever heard Erik Satie? You probably have at least heard the Gymnopedies, or you would recognize the music if you don't know the name. I mention him because he wrote some exquisite piano pieces, dramatic and mysterious sounding. He is most famous for the Gymnopedies and the Gnossiennes. There is a bit of a Satie feel at the beginning of "Across The Sea", so there you go. I love piano, there is so much that can be expressed with it. :)
Tonight I am chillin' with my book, "Axis Of The World", reading about the Tarim Basin Mummies that were discovered in China in the early 20th century. They were white, European people (or Europoid, meaning that they have European features but weren't necessarily from Europe). I am also reading about a supercontinent called Gondwana, and a single land-mass continent called Pangaea, formed from all the seperate continents we have today. Other continents most likely sunk into the ocean, like Mu, Atlantis and Lemuria. There are so many legends among island people, like the Polynesians, and also among American Indians.
There is a theory now that the Moon is made up of material that was once part of Earth, and that the material was flung into space when Earth collided with another planet, eons ago. When you look at the size and depth of the Pacific Ocean, that could very well be where it struck, and knocked an enormous chunk out of that side of our planet. I think it is amazing to look at Ice Age geology, as evident where you live, and to look at desert geology where I live, and just to observe that it's still there, formations and such, after all this time. There is so much waiting to be learned from the distant past, and one day we will discover how amazing it really was.
Well, my Beautiful Angel, I am so glad you got to meet Neige, and (I am assuming) got to chat with him, and that they had the in-store, too, so it was a really memorable experience. I mean, you met him last year too, but that was more hurried, at the end of the show. Now you can genuinely say you are friends of those guys, they know you and vice-versa, which is awesome. I bet you got recognized, too! Did anyone ask if you were the girl from the video? My guess is yes! :)
So, a great weekend it was. I will be seeing them in a week and a half, and I can't wait. Last time, at the Troubador, they played about 40 minutes, opening for Enslaved. This time I am guessing they get at least an hour, maybe 70-75 minutes? That's usually the deal with a co-headliner tour. I guess I will soon find out! I was wondering if they are gonna do an in-store here in L.A. We don't have very many record stores, really just Amoeba, which is a famous one, and a lot of bands do appearances there. Maybe there are a few, more obscure, record stores in Hollywood or Glendale. That would be cool if they do one. I would have to figure out a way to be there, due to my schedule, but if they played one in early afternoon I might be able to make it. I can't go to the Paul McCartney thing tomorrow for the same reason; it starts at 4:30 and I have to work. It's for the Jimmy Kimmel show, and I didn't get tickets anyway, there was a lottery and I didn't win. It would be awesome to finally see Paul McCartney, but it's gonna be a zoo down there anyway. I will see him next time he tours.
But up next is Alcest, and I am ready! I've never seen Anathema, so I'm looking forward to them as well.
On Saturday, I bet big points on the Badgers, and they came through again!
I like the Autumn illustration you posted, too. That's my kind of equinox!
Sleep well, my Darling, with many hugs and kisses from me. xoxoxoxo
I Love You with all my heart. :):)
Saturday, September 21, 2013
Alcest! (a great Summer)
Okay, Awesome Lady, I am sure you have already left for Chicago, for the in-store performance at Reckless Records. So, have an all-day blast, say hi to Neige, and I will be back later this eve. Last day of Summer + Alcest = A Great Day. Enjoy!
I Love You. :):)
10:50pm : Well, my Darling, you are probably on the road back home as I write. These are the kind of rock concert experiences that make for lifelong memories - a road trip, then the in-store, then the show itself. Did you take any pictures? If so, I look forward to seeing them. Maybe you took them more at the record store than the concert. That's the way I am nowdays with photographing at concerts, I don't bring my cam because of three reasons : venue policy, jam packed general admission crowds, and lastly, I wanna enjoy the show and not worry about photos. But that's just me, and it's mainly because of moshing, at metal shows anyway. But I bet you got some good shots at least at the in-store!
It was a perfect way to end the Summer, which will also be a lifelong memory.
Now comes Fall and the holidays, and we will enjoy every moment.
Tomorrow morn, I will be doing the Pearl church thing and the Kobi CSUN dogwalk thing, and I still haven't repaired her computer, but I will be home by about 1:30 after picking Pearl up from church. You will be sleeping in anyway. But I will see you in the late morning/early afternoon tomorrow.
I Love You. :):)
I Love You. :):)
10:50pm : Well, my Darling, you are probably on the road back home as I write. These are the kind of rock concert experiences that make for lifelong memories - a road trip, then the in-store, then the show itself. Did you take any pictures? If so, I look forward to seeing them. Maybe you took them more at the record store than the concert. That's the way I am nowdays with photographing at concerts, I don't bring my cam because of three reasons : venue policy, jam packed general admission crowds, and lastly, I wanna enjoy the show and not worry about photos. But that's just me, and it's mainly because of moshing, at metal shows anyway. But I bet you got some good shots at least at the in-store!
It was a perfect way to end the Summer, which will also be a lifelong memory.
Now comes Fall and the holidays, and we will enjoy every moment.
Tomorrow morn, I will be doing the Pearl church thing and the Kobi CSUN dogwalk thing, and I still haven't repaired her computer, but I will be home by about 1:30 after picking Pearl up from church. You will be sleeping in anyway. But I will see you in the late morning/early afternoon tomorrow.
I Love You. :):)
Friday, September 20, 2013
Beautiful (Sriracha fix) (Rongorongo)
Happy Friday to my Baby! And, Happy Last Day Of Summer, too. Is today the last day, or is it tomorrow? I will double check it to make sure. Gotta squeeze every last drop out of the season, y'know. Don't worry about getting everything done that you need to get done, you can always do that, lol. Today you can have a blast, in anticipation of tomorrow, and then tomorrow you can have even more of a blast.
I will be home most, if not all of the rest of the morning and early afternoon, until it's time to go back to Pearl's. I wanna Google and figure out how to fix this "no wired network cards" deal on her computer. So I will be around. I may walk over to the Redbox to see if they have anything watchable (very often they do not, haha), but mostly I will be here.
I saw your post from a couple days ago about the girl's haircut, and all I can say is this: you are a Beautiful Woman with Beautiful Hair, so, it follows that no matter if you cut it or leave it long, you and your hair will still be Beautiful!
I'll be back in a while. I Love You!
7pm : I'm home, my Angel. Got my Sriracha fix at Pearl's, so I'm good for the time being. My other addiction is La Victoria Salsa Ranchera. Good Lordy, I love me some hot sauce and salsa! I know you like jalapenos - have you tried chipotle peppers? Some like 'em, some don't. They are smoky tasting, and kind of rich. Hot but not super hot. Even if you don't like 'em "as is" (by themselves), you might like hot sauces and/or salsas made from them. Habaneros, too. Yep, if it's hot and spicy, I generally love it, and I think I told you that I am gonna ask my brother-in-law, who's from Mexico City, to show me his Mexican Credentials, because I can always "out-hot" him every time he brings a homemade salsa over that he thinks I won't be able to handle. I always wind up eating more than he does, haha.
Now I am hungry again! If there is one thing I am good at, it's eating (no-fun diet or not). :)
I see the Forevertron, too. Is that an art compound of some sort? It looks pretty far-out, my kind of place. I will Google it for more info.
Well, on Pearl's computer, I did get as far as trying to re-install the so-called "device drivers", whatever the heck they are (Ethernet, etc). There are a few of them, and on the hardware/devices menu, when it popped up, those drivers all had a yellow question mark/exclamation point next to them, which meant they weren't working. So, I followed all the prompts to re-install the drivers, and I got the same Catch-22 back: you can't install the drivers because the computer can't connect to the Internet, and you can't connect to the Internet because the drivers are not installed. So, I found a Dell CD with driver installation software, and I put it in the computer, but I couldn't figure out how to boot it. It wouldn't boot no matter what I tried.
But, I am the king of trial and error, and Googling for answers.
So, I'd say I've got it about 3/4 fixed. I may have a thick skull, but it's a determined thick skull, so I will complete the job. Can't imagine it will take too much longer.
I am gonna unwind for a few minutes, then go for my walk, and I'll be back at the usual time. Oh, and tomorrow is the last day of Summer, so what a perfect way to spend it! I Love You and will be back in just a bit. :):)
11pm : I am reading my book, "Axis Of The World" by Igor Witkowski, which I had put aside to read Damien Echols' book, and it is fascinating to me the way in which language is used to determine the origin and migration of civilizations. You are a linguist, even if it is not your main area of interest anymore, and so you have undoubtedly heard of Rongorongo, the written language of Easter Island. And you probably also know that, back in 1932, a nearly identical written language was discovered in the Indus Valley in Pakistan, which is almost exactly halfway around the globe. I, of course, know nothing of languages per se, and my interest previously extended to etymology of the English language. But in reading Joe Farrell, I became interested in the origins of civilization, and my reading has led me to this discovery, of a commonality of language, spanning a great distance, from 7000 years ago.
I am also learning about the Finno-Ugric peoples, and their migrations and languages, and how it developed that the Hungarian and Japanese and Tamil (India) languages are closely related. Language and migration are fascinating because of the possible reasons a group of people would have to migrate, and how far they would have to travel, on foot or by boat. This stuff blows my mind, because it ties in with the big picture of everything I like to study, like how the humongous rocks in Chatsworth got to be where they are.
What I find most interesting, and I have only recently realised this, is the way in which many theories of anthropology have come to be accepted as fact, even though the study is but a mere two hundred years old, give or take, and the hard evidence of archaeology is mostly less than that - about 150 years old. And in that time, what was discovered was turned into theories that became widely accepted as fact - even though the science was brand new.
But now, new discoveries are being made that are astounding.
Sorry, lol, I know this is scholastic stuff, and it's Friday and enough study already! :)
But for me, it's fun. I love mysterious stuff more than just about anything. And I love new discovery. And I know you do too, in more or less the same vein as me.
Tomorrow will be a great day, and I will talk to you in the morning.
Sweet Dreams until then. I Love You. xoxoxoxo. !
I will be home most, if not all of the rest of the morning and early afternoon, until it's time to go back to Pearl's. I wanna Google and figure out how to fix this "no wired network cards" deal on her computer. So I will be around. I may walk over to the Redbox to see if they have anything watchable (very often they do not, haha), but mostly I will be here.
I saw your post from a couple days ago about the girl's haircut, and all I can say is this: you are a Beautiful Woman with Beautiful Hair, so, it follows that no matter if you cut it or leave it long, you and your hair will still be Beautiful!
I'll be back in a while. I Love You!
7pm : I'm home, my Angel. Got my Sriracha fix at Pearl's, so I'm good for the time being. My other addiction is La Victoria Salsa Ranchera. Good Lordy, I love me some hot sauce and salsa! I know you like jalapenos - have you tried chipotle peppers? Some like 'em, some don't. They are smoky tasting, and kind of rich. Hot but not super hot. Even if you don't like 'em "as is" (by themselves), you might like hot sauces and/or salsas made from them. Habaneros, too. Yep, if it's hot and spicy, I generally love it, and I think I told you that I am gonna ask my brother-in-law, who's from Mexico City, to show me his Mexican Credentials, because I can always "out-hot" him every time he brings a homemade salsa over that he thinks I won't be able to handle. I always wind up eating more than he does, haha.
Now I am hungry again! If there is one thing I am good at, it's eating (no-fun diet or not). :)
I see the Forevertron, too. Is that an art compound of some sort? It looks pretty far-out, my kind of place. I will Google it for more info.
Well, on Pearl's computer, I did get as far as trying to re-install the so-called "device drivers", whatever the heck they are (Ethernet, etc). There are a few of them, and on the hardware/devices menu, when it popped up, those drivers all had a yellow question mark/exclamation point next to them, which meant they weren't working. So, I followed all the prompts to re-install the drivers, and I got the same Catch-22 back: you can't install the drivers because the computer can't connect to the Internet, and you can't connect to the Internet because the drivers are not installed. So, I found a Dell CD with driver installation software, and I put it in the computer, but I couldn't figure out how to boot it. It wouldn't boot no matter what I tried.
But, I am the king of trial and error, and Googling for answers.
So, I'd say I've got it about 3/4 fixed. I may have a thick skull, but it's a determined thick skull, so I will complete the job. Can't imagine it will take too much longer.
I am gonna unwind for a few minutes, then go for my walk, and I'll be back at the usual time. Oh, and tomorrow is the last day of Summer, so what a perfect way to spend it! I Love You and will be back in just a bit. :):)
11pm : I am reading my book, "Axis Of The World" by Igor Witkowski, which I had put aside to read Damien Echols' book, and it is fascinating to me the way in which language is used to determine the origin and migration of civilizations. You are a linguist, even if it is not your main area of interest anymore, and so you have undoubtedly heard of Rongorongo, the written language of Easter Island. And you probably also know that, back in 1932, a nearly identical written language was discovered in the Indus Valley in Pakistan, which is almost exactly halfway around the globe. I, of course, know nothing of languages per se, and my interest previously extended to etymology of the English language. But in reading Joe Farrell, I became interested in the origins of civilization, and my reading has led me to this discovery, of a commonality of language, spanning a great distance, from 7000 years ago.
I am also learning about the Finno-Ugric peoples, and their migrations and languages, and how it developed that the Hungarian and Japanese and Tamil (India) languages are closely related. Language and migration are fascinating because of the possible reasons a group of people would have to migrate, and how far they would have to travel, on foot or by boat. This stuff blows my mind, because it ties in with the big picture of everything I like to study, like how the humongous rocks in Chatsworth got to be where they are.
What I find most interesting, and I have only recently realised this, is the way in which many theories of anthropology have come to be accepted as fact, even though the study is but a mere two hundred years old, give or take, and the hard evidence of archaeology is mostly less than that - about 150 years old. And in that time, what was discovered was turned into theories that became widely accepted as fact - even though the science was brand new.
But now, new discoveries are being made that are astounding.
Sorry, lol, I know this is scholastic stuff, and it's Friday and enough study already! :)
But for me, it's fun. I love mysterious stuff more than just about anything. And I love new discovery. And I know you do too, in more or less the same vein as me.
Tomorrow will be a great day, and I will talk to you in the morning.
Sweet Dreams until then. I Love You. xoxoxoxo. !
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Happy Thursday Morning :):) (I'm Home) (a great photo)
Good Morning, my Angel,
I'm home now, until 11am. Today I will be back and forth, taking Pearl to the hairdresser and bank. I found some Dell Operating System Reinstallation cds, that I will try to use this evening to fix Pearl's computer. A couple years ago, maybe right after I met you or just before, I got a horrible blue error screen that I couldn't get rid of, and Dell sent us these discs, and they fixed the problem. So, I will try it again. I'd forgotten that I even had them until this morning.
It's a great day, and only two days till Alcest! I will check in during the afternoon, then tonight is movie night, and I will be back after that at about the usual time, 9:45 or so.
I Love You! :):)
10pm : I am back from the movie. It was called (shudder) "Beware The Holy Whore", a movie about making a movie, like Fellini's "8 1/2" or Truffaut's "Day For Night". "Beware" is not as famous as the other two, because it was one of Fassbinder's early efforts, and so it's not as polished, perhaps. But I am loving this series so far. Boy, talk about prolific - Ranier Werner Fassbinder made 11 films in the first three years of his career. None were big lavish productions, but still.......
Anyway, I am gonna eat something real quick, and then I will be right back. I hope you had a great day.
I Love You My Darling. :):)
11pm : I see you put up some new photos on Flickr. Some I had seen before, a couple I had not, and one I especially liked looks like a seed pod of some type. That is, the object appears to be a seed pod, but the way you photographed it renders it as softened light and motion. There may not even have been any motion involved, I don't know, maybe it's just a depth of field effect. There is also a crystalline aspect in places that is similar to the photo of the ice crystals in your scarf. I love this kind of photography, my comment at Flickr was "pure imagery" because the macro image removes the emphasis on the subject. So, while the idea of a seed pod remains (if it is indeed a seed pod!), the subject itself recedes and becomes object, or image.
Shape, light, and (in this case) motion or the appearance of motion.
You are developing a wide range in your photography. Keep going, but whatever you do, do not succumb to the computer enhancement that seems to be all the rage nowdays. I see so many pictures that look "tricked out" or "juiced up" like they are on steroids. Unreal colors, far too saturated, unnaturally contrasted. People want their photos to look slick or pretty, and they wind up not looking like a photograph but like CGI.
Sorry for the tangent! I just don't like that type of photography. I like the basics : you've got light, you've got a camera, you've got an image in your viewfinder, and you've got your eye. Let's see what comes out.
And that is how you get the most magical photos. Always remember the Muse, because the Muse is present in all things artistic, photography too.
That particular photo would fall into the Weston school of photography. Edward and his son Brett Weston took black and white close up photos of all kinds of objects, in order to capture texture and light, and grey scale, and shape and form and depth.
In the book I just finished, by Damien Echols, the guy who was in prison for 18 years for murders he didn't commit, he talks a lot about what is "magick" in the world. The guy is brilliant, and his story is astounding and horrible, but he is also a very artistic guy (he's a Sag, too), and he talks a lot about the "ghosts" all around us, in everyday things like sunlight and shadow. The way he writes it, a ghost can be a simple flicker, or a reflection in an iced-over puddle in the sidewalk. "Ghosts" (maybe what you and I would call "glimpses") can be something visualised, or just something imagined. Damien really describes what magick (as he calls it; different from "magic") is, and what ghosts are, and his writing is some of the best I have ever read.
I mention it because magick and ghosts and reflections and glimpses permeate all things artistic. And when you go out with your camera (or sit at the piano) and have these ghosts in mind, they will appear in your photos, and in your music, in the form of light, and shape, and flash, and motion, and all kinds of other things.
Ghosts not necessarily in the human sense, though there are those too, but in the life sense.
Ghosts are intrinsic to art.
A great photo, Elizabeth.
I Love You So Much, you know, and I will see you in the morning.
P.S: I did run that Windows Installation disc on Pearl's computer, and I got it to re-install, but I still can't access the Internet. There is a regular Internet screen visible now, but when you type a url into the address window, it fails to load. Something about "cards". Memory cards, or drive cards or something. Something about not having an ISP, but we do have an ISP. But I will figure it out. At least I got the Windows loaded. In a day or two, I should have the problem solved.
Gotta be connected to my Angel. :):)
Sweet Dreams.
I Love You So Much, Elizabeth.
I'm home now, until 11am. Today I will be back and forth, taking Pearl to the hairdresser and bank. I found some Dell Operating System Reinstallation cds, that I will try to use this evening to fix Pearl's computer. A couple years ago, maybe right after I met you or just before, I got a horrible blue error screen that I couldn't get rid of, and Dell sent us these discs, and they fixed the problem. So, I will try it again. I'd forgotten that I even had them until this morning.
It's a great day, and only two days till Alcest! I will check in during the afternoon, then tonight is movie night, and I will be back after that at about the usual time, 9:45 or so.
I Love You! :):)
10pm : I am back from the movie. It was called (shudder) "Beware The Holy Whore", a movie about making a movie, like Fellini's "8 1/2" or Truffaut's "Day For Night". "Beware" is not as famous as the other two, because it was one of Fassbinder's early efforts, and so it's not as polished, perhaps. But I am loving this series so far. Boy, talk about prolific - Ranier Werner Fassbinder made 11 films in the first three years of his career. None were big lavish productions, but still.......
Anyway, I am gonna eat something real quick, and then I will be right back. I hope you had a great day.
I Love You My Darling. :):)
11pm : I see you put up some new photos on Flickr. Some I had seen before, a couple I had not, and one I especially liked looks like a seed pod of some type. That is, the object appears to be a seed pod, but the way you photographed it renders it as softened light and motion. There may not even have been any motion involved, I don't know, maybe it's just a depth of field effect. There is also a crystalline aspect in places that is similar to the photo of the ice crystals in your scarf. I love this kind of photography, my comment at Flickr was "pure imagery" because the macro image removes the emphasis on the subject. So, while the idea of a seed pod remains (if it is indeed a seed pod!), the subject itself recedes and becomes object, or image.
Shape, light, and (in this case) motion or the appearance of motion.
You are developing a wide range in your photography. Keep going, but whatever you do, do not succumb to the computer enhancement that seems to be all the rage nowdays. I see so many pictures that look "tricked out" or "juiced up" like they are on steroids. Unreal colors, far too saturated, unnaturally contrasted. People want their photos to look slick or pretty, and they wind up not looking like a photograph but like CGI.
Sorry for the tangent! I just don't like that type of photography. I like the basics : you've got light, you've got a camera, you've got an image in your viewfinder, and you've got your eye. Let's see what comes out.
And that is how you get the most magical photos. Always remember the Muse, because the Muse is present in all things artistic, photography too.
That particular photo would fall into the Weston school of photography. Edward and his son Brett Weston took black and white close up photos of all kinds of objects, in order to capture texture and light, and grey scale, and shape and form and depth.
In the book I just finished, by Damien Echols, the guy who was in prison for 18 years for murders he didn't commit, he talks a lot about what is "magick" in the world. The guy is brilliant, and his story is astounding and horrible, but he is also a very artistic guy (he's a Sag, too), and he talks a lot about the "ghosts" all around us, in everyday things like sunlight and shadow. The way he writes it, a ghost can be a simple flicker, or a reflection in an iced-over puddle in the sidewalk. "Ghosts" (maybe what you and I would call "glimpses") can be something visualised, or just something imagined. Damien really describes what magick (as he calls it; different from "magic") is, and what ghosts are, and his writing is some of the best I have ever read.
I mention it because magick and ghosts and reflections and glimpses permeate all things artistic. And when you go out with your camera (or sit at the piano) and have these ghosts in mind, they will appear in your photos, and in your music, in the form of light, and shape, and flash, and motion, and all kinds of other things.
Ghosts not necessarily in the human sense, though there are those too, but in the life sense.
Ghosts are intrinsic to art.
A great photo, Elizabeth.
I Love You So Much, you know, and I will see you in the morning.
P.S: I did run that Windows Installation disc on Pearl's computer, and I got it to re-install, but I still can't access the Internet. There is a regular Internet screen visible now, but when you type a url into the address window, it fails to load. Something about "cards". Memory cards, or drive cards or something. Something about not having an ISP, but we do have an ISP. But I will figure it out. At least I got the Windows loaded. In a day or two, I should have the problem solved.
Gotta be connected to my Angel. :):)
Sweet Dreams.
I Love You So Much, Elizabeth.
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Mission Not Accomplished (but it's all good) (film) (Schubert)
Happy Afternoon, my Baby,
Well, I hate to say it.........mission aborted. After I dropped Pearl off, I came home to Google directions to Antonovich Park, and anything I could find about the missile site and the "residents only" sign pertaining to the road. The sign I didn't care too much about, even through it has intimidated me in the past. But this time, when I Googled, some recent newpaper articles came back about vandalism at the missile site. The site itself is fenced off and unaccessable, which I knew, but I also thought that there might be some artifacts in the park itself, the way that old movie camera track is visible at Garden Of The Gods. Antonovich Park is apparently huge, 2400 acres, so it's like six times the size of CSUN, which is a good sized campus. The missile site sits somewhere inside the huge park. The park is supposed to be accessible, but the missile site is not. But apparently there is no watchman up there anymore, so vandals have broken in repeatedly, which has brought LAPD's attention. Furthermore, I read that LAPD sometimes uses the abandoned missile site as a shooting range, and a SWAT Team training ground. So, when you add those factors into the equation, including the already intimidating "residents only" road sign, I decided against going. I still wanna go to Antonovich Park, road sign or no road sign, because it is supposed to be a legitimate city park, no different in status from Northridge Park or any other. And some of the Google results were hiker websites that mention the signs and tell hiking enthusiasts to disregard them, they aren't enforced. But still, I work as a caregiver, and have to have some measure of responsibility in my day-to-day activities, so with the vandalism, and all the unknown and possible restrictions on visiting the park, I decided against it for the time being, and am gonna wait until I have someone who will go with me.
What I did instead was to drive south to the Santa Monica mountains. If you remember, ringing the Valley we've got Santa Susanas to the West, San Gabriels to the North and East, and the Santa Monicas to the South. You go over the Santa Monicas, on the freeway, to get to Hollywood, LA or the beach. But if you remember earlier in the Summer, one of my first little road trips was to try and visit another old Nike Missile Site in the Santa Monicas, just off Mulholland Drive. I think that was in June or July. That time, I couldn't find the access road leading into the wilderness park. It is super steep up there, much steeper that the Santa Susanas in Chatsworth, so I couldn't park the car and wander around looking. It's the kind of place where you have to know where you are going, or you won't get there. Even Mapquest won't help much.
Well, this time I did find the access road, but again, you are in very steep terrain, on an unknown road that looks like a fire road, so there was no way I was gonna drive down the access road. There is space to park perhaps two cars at the start of this road, and you would then have to hike about a mile in to get to the park. Now, this park has no restrictions, and apparently the missile site is preserved, so I would love to see it. But again, I have to act responsibly, and will not try again until someone can go with me.
I know there's a good reason they put these missile bases up at the top of the mountains, but that makes them hard to access, especially if you don't know the roads, parking situation, etc. So, I will keep those trips on the back burner (but still in mind), and focus on other places, as well as return trips to Garden Of The Gods and Placerita and Vasquez.
Anyway, just to check in and let ya know what happened. And, I will just order my black and white film from Amazon. I don't think Kodak makes Pan-X anymore, but I can get some Plus-X or Tri-X, and I can get some Ilford and Agfa b&w too! Oh boy!
So, I am gonna go pick Pearl up now from Reseda Women's Club, and I will be back home around 1:45. Have an awesome afternoon. I Love You! :):) xoxoxoxo
1:35pm : Ha! Boy, am I out of it. I Googled "Pan-X", and got a Wiki of discontinued films. Pan-X was discontinued in 1987! Lol.......... :b
Plus-X has been discontinued, too. Man, those were great films, especially Pan-X. It had an asa/iso of 50, super slow for ultra fine grain. The grey scale was rich and varied. Spectacular daylight pictures with Pan-X. Plus-X was the in between film, with an asa of 100. It was discontinued in March 2011. But, they still make Tri-X! Yippee! Tri-X was their most versatile black and white film, with an asa of 400. You could shoot it in bright daylight or in a concert hall. You could even shoot a street scene at night, provided there were street lights. I actually used more Tri-X than Pan or Plus-X, because you could use it in more situations. The grain was not as fine, but it was still a good film. If you look at those shots I have of the guys in Motorhead, or the closeup of Steven Tyler, or my concert pic of Todd Rundgren; those were all shot with Tri-X.
So, I will order a roll, and then I will order a roll of this new Kodak TMAX 100, which is supposed to be like Plus-X. I don't recall the names of the Ilford or Agfa B&W films I shot, because I didn't use them as much. Kodak was always easier to find, in any store. But I remember that Ilford made especially good black and white film, and exceptionally good photo paper.
I can make that a project, and spread it out over several months, maybe even a year : buy several rolls of b&w, 36 shots a roll, so that I have 150-200 shots available. Film is cheap to buy, but expensive now to develop, so I'll make every shot count and take my time doing so, hence several months. Maybe I will do it once a year, so that I never lose the ability or feeling of setting my own exposures and focus. Plus, I just love film. Maybe it's not practical to shoot it all the time anymore, but at least a couple rolls once a year, just because it's magic.
(back later, resume having an awesome day.......) :):)
11pm : Listening to the Schubert impromptu as played by Wilhelm Kempff, a beautiful piece of piano music. Kempff was a Sagittarius like you, birthday November 25th 1895, and he lived to be 95 years old. He was a musician of incredible sensitivity, you can hear it in his tone and rhythm, almost mystical. This particular impromptu is one of my favorite pieces, and I think that Schubert ought to be recognized as being up there with the all time guys. He only lived to be 31, but he was very prolific, and he composed some of the most sublime piano music ever, I think.
In that piece, he uses a lot of left hand (is it left hand?, I think so but am not a pianist) repetition, or varying the repetiton slightly, but ohhh the effect.
There is nothing quite like the tones of a piano.
Well, my Angel, that's all I know for today. I will see you in the morn. This computer problem at Pearl's is proving difficult to fix, no matter what I do, even from the suggestions on the Interent, the same screen comes back up : "disc read error - press ctrl + alt + delete to re-start". I will keep trying. It sure is handy to have computer access during those hours. I really hate all the tech sites, because they assume everybody understands computerspeak. I don't, but I know that I can punch the right buttons in the right order, if I can just find a site that will give me that simple information. :)
And that really is all I know for tonight.
Sweet Dreams, I Love You. xoxoxoxoxo
Well, I hate to say it.........mission aborted. After I dropped Pearl off, I came home to Google directions to Antonovich Park, and anything I could find about the missile site and the "residents only" sign pertaining to the road. The sign I didn't care too much about, even through it has intimidated me in the past. But this time, when I Googled, some recent newpaper articles came back about vandalism at the missile site. The site itself is fenced off and unaccessable, which I knew, but I also thought that there might be some artifacts in the park itself, the way that old movie camera track is visible at Garden Of The Gods. Antonovich Park is apparently huge, 2400 acres, so it's like six times the size of CSUN, which is a good sized campus. The missile site sits somewhere inside the huge park. The park is supposed to be accessible, but the missile site is not. But apparently there is no watchman up there anymore, so vandals have broken in repeatedly, which has brought LAPD's attention. Furthermore, I read that LAPD sometimes uses the abandoned missile site as a shooting range, and a SWAT Team training ground. So, when you add those factors into the equation, including the already intimidating "residents only" road sign, I decided against going. I still wanna go to Antonovich Park, road sign or no road sign, because it is supposed to be a legitimate city park, no different in status from Northridge Park or any other. And some of the Google results were hiker websites that mention the signs and tell hiking enthusiasts to disregard them, they aren't enforced. But still, I work as a caregiver, and have to have some measure of responsibility in my day-to-day activities, so with the vandalism, and all the unknown and possible restrictions on visiting the park, I decided against it for the time being, and am gonna wait until I have someone who will go with me.
What I did instead was to drive south to the Santa Monica mountains. If you remember, ringing the Valley we've got Santa Susanas to the West, San Gabriels to the North and East, and the Santa Monicas to the South. You go over the Santa Monicas, on the freeway, to get to Hollywood, LA or the beach. But if you remember earlier in the Summer, one of my first little road trips was to try and visit another old Nike Missile Site in the Santa Monicas, just off Mulholland Drive. I think that was in June or July. That time, I couldn't find the access road leading into the wilderness park. It is super steep up there, much steeper that the Santa Susanas in Chatsworth, so I couldn't park the car and wander around looking. It's the kind of place where you have to know where you are going, or you won't get there. Even Mapquest won't help much.
Well, this time I did find the access road, but again, you are in very steep terrain, on an unknown road that looks like a fire road, so there was no way I was gonna drive down the access road. There is space to park perhaps two cars at the start of this road, and you would then have to hike about a mile in to get to the park. Now, this park has no restrictions, and apparently the missile site is preserved, so I would love to see it. But again, I have to act responsibly, and will not try again until someone can go with me.
I know there's a good reason they put these missile bases up at the top of the mountains, but that makes them hard to access, especially if you don't know the roads, parking situation, etc. So, I will keep those trips on the back burner (but still in mind), and focus on other places, as well as return trips to Garden Of The Gods and Placerita and Vasquez.
Anyway, just to check in and let ya know what happened. And, I will just order my black and white film from Amazon. I don't think Kodak makes Pan-X anymore, but I can get some Plus-X or Tri-X, and I can get some Ilford and Agfa b&w too! Oh boy!
So, I am gonna go pick Pearl up now from Reseda Women's Club, and I will be back home around 1:45. Have an awesome afternoon. I Love You! :):) xoxoxoxo
1:35pm : Ha! Boy, am I out of it. I Googled "Pan-X", and got a Wiki of discontinued films. Pan-X was discontinued in 1987! Lol.......... :b
Plus-X has been discontinued, too. Man, those were great films, especially Pan-X. It had an asa/iso of 50, super slow for ultra fine grain. The grey scale was rich and varied. Spectacular daylight pictures with Pan-X. Plus-X was the in between film, with an asa of 100. It was discontinued in March 2011. But, they still make Tri-X! Yippee! Tri-X was their most versatile black and white film, with an asa of 400. You could shoot it in bright daylight or in a concert hall. You could even shoot a street scene at night, provided there were street lights. I actually used more Tri-X than Pan or Plus-X, because you could use it in more situations. The grain was not as fine, but it was still a good film. If you look at those shots I have of the guys in Motorhead, or the closeup of Steven Tyler, or my concert pic of Todd Rundgren; those were all shot with Tri-X.
So, I will order a roll, and then I will order a roll of this new Kodak TMAX 100, which is supposed to be like Plus-X. I don't recall the names of the Ilford or Agfa B&W films I shot, because I didn't use them as much. Kodak was always easier to find, in any store. But I remember that Ilford made especially good black and white film, and exceptionally good photo paper.
I can make that a project, and spread it out over several months, maybe even a year : buy several rolls of b&w, 36 shots a roll, so that I have 150-200 shots available. Film is cheap to buy, but expensive now to develop, so I'll make every shot count and take my time doing so, hence several months. Maybe I will do it once a year, so that I never lose the ability or feeling of setting my own exposures and focus. Plus, I just love film. Maybe it's not practical to shoot it all the time anymore, but at least a couple rolls once a year, just because it's magic.
(back later, resume having an awesome day.......) :):)
11pm : Listening to the Schubert impromptu as played by Wilhelm Kempff, a beautiful piece of piano music. Kempff was a Sagittarius like you, birthday November 25th 1895, and he lived to be 95 years old. He was a musician of incredible sensitivity, you can hear it in his tone and rhythm, almost mystical. This particular impromptu is one of my favorite pieces, and I think that Schubert ought to be recognized as being up there with the all time guys. He only lived to be 31, but he was very prolific, and he composed some of the most sublime piano music ever, I think.
In that piece, he uses a lot of left hand (is it left hand?, I think so but am not a pianist) repetition, or varying the repetiton slightly, but ohhh the effect.
There is nothing quite like the tones of a piano.
Well, my Angel, that's all I know for today. I will see you in the morn. This computer problem at Pearl's is proving difficult to fix, no matter what I do, even from the suggestions on the Interent, the same screen comes back up : "disc read error - press ctrl + alt + delete to re-start". I will keep trying. It sure is handy to have computer access during those hours. I really hate all the tech sites, because they assume everybody understands computerspeak. I don't, but I know that I can punch the right buttons in the right order, if I can just find a site that will give me that simple information. :)
And that really is all I know for tonight.
Sweet Dreams, I Love You. xoxoxoxoxo
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Happy Tuesday Morning! (lowriders) (Eames) (more art added)
Awesome Lady,
I am home, on a short break before taking Pearl to her Golden Agers meeting at 11am. Then, I think I will stop by Hooper Camera in Chatsworth, to see if they have any Pan-X Kodak B&W film. Chances are probably slim, but I wanna see, cause I want to shoot some black and white film up in the hills. So, I will be in and out from 11 until 2, then I pick Pearl up from Golden Agers, then I'll be back home from about 2:30 until 4:15. Have a wonderful day, and I'll see you in a while!
I Love You! :):) xoxoxoxo
7:15pm : Just getting home. I haven't heard Mammifer yet, so I will have to check them out. It's gonna be an awesome show, and I am really looking forward to the difference in sound between The Troubadour, a tiny club made for folksingers, and the much larger El Rey, which used to be a movie theater. My show starts at 8pm, so I should get there in time for Mammifer, traffic permitting.
I saw your friend's picture of the car with the extended wheels, and I had to laugh. You guys probably don't have many (if any) lowriders in Wisconsin, and that isn't really an official "lowrider" style car, but it's a version of the type of custom car that some Mexicans think looks cool. Some Asian gangbangers might drive something like that, too. So that's what it is, lol.
Well, I will go for my walk in a little bit, and then be back at my usual time. I trust your day was awesome!
I Love You! xoxoxoxo
10:05pm : Your aerial picture of the midwestern feed lot reminds me of a really interesting art exhibit I saw about 15 years ago, called "The Powers Of Ten". That's why I posted it on FB. The Eames were famous in the 50s and 60s mostly for their functional yet aesthetically pleasing furniture, but they were also kind of uncategorizable "scientific artists", very creative people. You have probably heard of them, or at least heard of an Eames chair.........I wanna go to art shows with you, and museums! That's where we saw "The Powers Of Ten", at LA County Museum Of Art. I like it even better than the Getty.
But the main point is...........I wanna go with you!
(back in a couple minutes......)
I never did get out to Hooper Camera. I want to make a trip up to Brown's Canyon tomorrow morning, while Pearl is in her Reseda Women's Club meeting, and that canyon is near the camera store anyway, so I'll just do both at once. Brown's Canyon is the one I've been wanting to see for a long time, because it leads up to the top of Oat Mountain, where there was a Nike Missile Base in the 1960s. I mentioned it before. It was made into a park about 20 years ago, and I don't know how much of the missile site is left, but since I've been driving up canyons and to the top of local mountains, I figured I'd finally check it out. I say "finally" because there is a huge, billboard-sized orange sign at the bottom of the canyon road that says, "Residents Only", which has always scared me off in the past. But when I looked at the park website (Antonovitch Park), it says it's a public park, part of the LA City park system, so I'm gonna give it a shot.
Back to art, I never really thought about going to museums or galleries until I was in my mid-30s. I always thought of it as something I did as a kid, on school field trips. I saw it as something scholastic, and perhaps dry. But my Dad had been into abstract artists like Jackson Pollack, and then he started taking a painting class at the local VA hospital. Then he got into pottery, too, and I thought, "okay, this looks like it's fun, so maybe there is more to art than just music". In my childhood, I was open to anything I heard, but being a child I had little control over the situation. At four or five years old, I did not have the facilities to explore new avenues of music. So I relied on my sisters and the radio for rock and pop music, but I loved all the different forms I heard, most of it anyway. Then when I was 13 I discovered progressive music, and the 1970s (until 1977) were an explosion of creativity, and I ate it all up.
But in the 80s, I kind of narrowed my focus to metal, and it was pretty much all I listened to. Metal at that time had reached it's peak, and it was so powerful. Besides the music, it was an adrenaline thing and I couldn't get enough.
But then in my 30s, as many things changed in my life, I went back to the spirit of discovery I'd had in my early teens, and I got into art, mainly because of my Dad and my friend Dave. We would also go to the Museum Of Contemporary Art (MOCA), and I will never forget the first exhibit I saw there, by a guy named Cy Twombly. He was an abstract artist, a famous one who made a lot of money, and the exhibit we saw was made up of very large canvases that looked like someone had taken a pencil and literally scribbled spiralling patterns all over them. I didn't know if it was good or not! But I knew it was art, and I also knew - instictively - that if anyone else had tried to scribble on a large canvas, that it wouldn't have had the same effect. So, even though the drawings themselves didn't blow me away, the idea did.
And it opened up a new world for me, and I began to incorporate all kinds of art into my life, and to rediscover classical music, and basically to just overcome all the barriers of what was supposed to be "cool" or not. I mean, I never in my life cared what was cool, or at least what other people thought was cool. But I cared what I thought was cool, and I found that to be just as big a trap as what other people thought.
We started going to the museums in the mid-1990s. Most of my friends are not Art People, or inclined towards Weird Stuff, spiritual questing, whatever you want to call it. So in the 1990s, I was hanging out mostly with my parents and Mr. D. The four of us went all kinds of places and had a blast.
I digress now, but one of the coolest exhibits I ever saw was by a guy named Gary Simmons. I have never seen him do anything since then (1995), but what he did was to fill a large rectangular blackboard with chalk, completely chalk over the entire surface...........and then erase bits and pieces until he had a chalk painting, a work of art. He called these works "erasure drawings", and I suppose it was a bit like sculpting, where you start out with a block of marble or a chunk of clay, and work your way down by removing material, whereas in painting or drawing you add material to a blank surface.
At any rate, from the moment I walked into this exhibit, at a small gallery called Lannai, I had goosebumps. His erasure drawings looked like ghostly recreations of a half-remembered world, or a dream. The imagery was part abstract, part realism, but again, just like Cy Twombly's scribbled canvases, it was the idea that blew me away. The difference with Gary Simmons was that his chalk drawings gave you goosebumps, because - as weird as they were - there was also something familiar about them. Something you couldn't put your finger on, but that you understood regardless.
So, my Artist, my Darling, there are a few thoughts and remarks about art, in different forms, brought about by a trip down Memory Lane, inspired by your post from earlier this eve, of the feed lot.
Thanks for being so intelligent and interesting (among other things!), and sleep well, and I will see you in the morn. I will check in before I go to Brown's Canyon, which is only a short drive in any case.
Sweet Dreams. I Love You! xoxoxoxo :):)
I am home, on a short break before taking Pearl to her Golden Agers meeting at 11am. Then, I think I will stop by Hooper Camera in Chatsworth, to see if they have any Pan-X Kodak B&W film. Chances are probably slim, but I wanna see, cause I want to shoot some black and white film up in the hills. So, I will be in and out from 11 until 2, then I pick Pearl up from Golden Agers, then I'll be back home from about 2:30 until 4:15. Have a wonderful day, and I'll see you in a while!
I Love You! :):) xoxoxoxo
7:15pm : Just getting home. I haven't heard Mammifer yet, so I will have to check them out. It's gonna be an awesome show, and I am really looking forward to the difference in sound between The Troubadour, a tiny club made for folksingers, and the much larger El Rey, which used to be a movie theater. My show starts at 8pm, so I should get there in time for Mammifer, traffic permitting.
I saw your friend's picture of the car with the extended wheels, and I had to laugh. You guys probably don't have many (if any) lowriders in Wisconsin, and that isn't really an official "lowrider" style car, but it's a version of the type of custom car that some Mexicans think looks cool. Some Asian gangbangers might drive something like that, too. So that's what it is, lol.
Well, I will go for my walk in a little bit, and then be back at my usual time. I trust your day was awesome!
I Love You! xoxoxoxo
10:05pm : Your aerial picture of the midwestern feed lot reminds me of a really interesting art exhibit I saw about 15 years ago, called "The Powers Of Ten". That's why I posted it on FB. The Eames were famous in the 50s and 60s mostly for their functional yet aesthetically pleasing furniture, but they were also kind of uncategorizable "scientific artists", very creative people. You have probably heard of them, or at least heard of an Eames chair.........I wanna go to art shows with you, and museums! That's where we saw "The Powers Of Ten", at LA County Museum Of Art. I like it even better than the Getty.
But the main point is...........I wanna go with you!
(back in a couple minutes......)
I never did get out to Hooper Camera. I want to make a trip up to Brown's Canyon tomorrow morning, while Pearl is in her Reseda Women's Club meeting, and that canyon is near the camera store anyway, so I'll just do both at once. Brown's Canyon is the one I've been wanting to see for a long time, because it leads up to the top of Oat Mountain, where there was a Nike Missile Base in the 1960s. I mentioned it before. It was made into a park about 20 years ago, and I don't know how much of the missile site is left, but since I've been driving up canyons and to the top of local mountains, I figured I'd finally check it out. I say "finally" because there is a huge, billboard-sized orange sign at the bottom of the canyon road that says, "Residents Only", which has always scared me off in the past. But when I looked at the park website (Antonovitch Park), it says it's a public park, part of the LA City park system, so I'm gonna give it a shot.
Back to art, I never really thought about going to museums or galleries until I was in my mid-30s. I always thought of it as something I did as a kid, on school field trips. I saw it as something scholastic, and perhaps dry. But my Dad had been into abstract artists like Jackson Pollack, and then he started taking a painting class at the local VA hospital. Then he got into pottery, too, and I thought, "okay, this looks like it's fun, so maybe there is more to art than just music". In my childhood, I was open to anything I heard, but being a child I had little control over the situation. At four or five years old, I did not have the facilities to explore new avenues of music. So I relied on my sisters and the radio for rock and pop music, but I loved all the different forms I heard, most of it anyway. Then when I was 13 I discovered progressive music, and the 1970s (until 1977) were an explosion of creativity, and I ate it all up.
But in the 80s, I kind of narrowed my focus to metal, and it was pretty much all I listened to. Metal at that time had reached it's peak, and it was so powerful. Besides the music, it was an adrenaline thing and I couldn't get enough.
But then in my 30s, as many things changed in my life, I went back to the spirit of discovery I'd had in my early teens, and I got into art, mainly because of my Dad and my friend Dave. We would also go to the Museum Of Contemporary Art (MOCA), and I will never forget the first exhibit I saw there, by a guy named Cy Twombly. He was an abstract artist, a famous one who made a lot of money, and the exhibit we saw was made up of very large canvases that looked like someone had taken a pencil and literally scribbled spiralling patterns all over them. I didn't know if it was good or not! But I knew it was art, and I also knew - instictively - that if anyone else had tried to scribble on a large canvas, that it wouldn't have had the same effect. So, even though the drawings themselves didn't blow me away, the idea did.
And it opened up a new world for me, and I began to incorporate all kinds of art into my life, and to rediscover classical music, and basically to just overcome all the barriers of what was supposed to be "cool" or not. I mean, I never in my life cared what was cool, or at least what other people thought was cool. But I cared what I thought was cool, and I found that to be just as big a trap as what other people thought.
We started going to the museums in the mid-1990s. Most of my friends are not Art People, or inclined towards Weird Stuff, spiritual questing, whatever you want to call it. So in the 1990s, I was hanging out mostly with my parents and Mr. D. The four of us went all kinds of places and had a blast.
I digress now, but one of the coolest exhibits I ever saw was by a guy named Gary Simmons. I have never seen him do anything since then (1995), but what he did was to fill a large rectangular blackboard with chalk, completely chalk over the entire surface...........and then erase bits and pieces until he had a chalk painting, a work of art. He called these works "erasure drawings", and I suppose it was a bit like sculpting, where you start out with a block of marble or a chunk of clay, and work your way down by removing material, whereas in painting or drawing you add material to a blank surface.
At any rate, from the moment I walked into this exhibit, at a small gallery called Lannai, I had goosebumps. His erasure drawings looked like ghostly recreations of a half-remembered world, or a dream. The imagery was part abstract, part realism, but again, just like Cy Twombly's scribbled canvases, it was the idea that blew me away. The difference with Gary Simmons was that his chalk drawings gave you goosebumps, because - as weird as they were - there was also something familiar about them. Something you couldn't put your finger on, but that you understood regardless.
So, my Artist, my Darling, there are a few thoughts and remarks about art, in different forms, brought about by a trip down Memory Lane, inspired by your post from earlier this eve, of the feed lot.
Thanks for being so intelligent and interesting (among other things!), and sleep well, and I will see you in the morn. I will check in before I go to Brown's Canyon, which is only a short drive in any case.
Sweet Dreams. I Love You! xoxoxoxo :):)
Monday, September 16, 2013
Great Week Ahead :):) (new Alcest song) (to Pearl's) (music and love)
Okay, Beautiful Lady, I am home. I don't feel too bad considering I only got 4 hours sleep, and it's a nice quiet morning here at the apartment, so I am just gonna putter around, do the dishes I didn't do last night, read a little bit, etc. But I have no errands, and it's still hot anyway, so I am just gonna stick around until 4:15 when I go back to Pearl's.
This is going to be a great week, the magic of yesterday ensured that. There is such a great feeling in the air right now, and in the lines of our Connection. Those are such beautiful songs you have written. Let's enjoy this week, and all the coming days, with that Spirit in the air, and we will live them with joy and expectation.
I Love You, my Darling! Happy Monday; Great week. :):)
(back later, I will check back in before I go to Pearl's)
2:05pm : Holy Smokes! I just saw the Alcest post. Man, that is scary. I mean, sorry about the deer, but it's very fortunate that no band members or others in the van were not hurt. Can't be that big a van, and deers are big, heavy animals.
Now I am listening to the new Alcest song you just posted. Nice melody and vocals, has the distinctive sound of the early stuff. Good buildup at the end. Can't wait to hear it in concert! You are gonna have a blast on Saturday, so get ready...... :)
Well, I am glad everyone is okay and that they got another van and the tour continues.
Back in a little bit.
4pm : Okay, my Baby, I am gonna head to Pearl's in a couple minutes, and then I will be out of commission until I return at 6:45. I was tinkering with her computer this morn, but this looks like a tricky problem which might take a little while to fix. Still, we can adjust for the time being, and as I said, if it proves to be unfixable, I will just get another Chromebook. But, I will be back at 6:45.
I am loving this day, loving these times so much. God Bless You, my Beautiful Angel, my Love. :):)
10:40pm : Here's a question for you : Is "Across The Sea" a brand new song, or is it part of your original EP material from last year? I ask because I remember, maybe around late January/early February of this year, I wrote a Myspace blog entitled "The No Fun Diet". And maybe the next day or very soon after, you posted on FB that "the best diet of all is missing dinner because you are writing a new song". This was during the time I was getting the impression you were back in my life, and that post almost clinched it. I thought, she's gotta be responding to that blog I wrote........
But you also referred to a new song, and I am just wondering if it was "Across The Sea".
Elizabeth, I want to encourage you to keep writing, every chance you get. I don't know how the muse works for you : whether it's an everyday thing or whether it comes in waves, or fits and starts......I mean, I know (or surmise) that you play everyday, but the creativity part doesn't always work that way, and for each person it can be different. But, if you are playing every day (and I don't know because it's been a while since we talked music), I hope you will keep trying out ideas, melodies, rhythms, chord structures.
You can make something out of a snippet. Just a few notes, a brief melodic sequence, can lead you anywhere. I say all of this because we haven't talked music in a while, and I loved talking about music with you, and before yesterday, I did not even know whether or not your piano was working properly. I mean, I still suspected you were playing every day - I knew you certainly hadn't given it up - but I didn't know for sure.
Now I know. And I say what I said in the beginning - keep going. You are turning out melodies in your songs that are beautiful, but that also convey something. Your melodies convey, but don't telegraph, if you understand my meaning. They don't telegraph the emotion, or hand it to the listener. Instead, they convey the emotion, so that the listener has to understand it for himself.
With your melodies, you are developing a trademark, and the more you write, the more solid that trademark will become. I say all of this not to be Drill Sergeant Me (remember him?), but simply because you have a talent for melody. You can take all kinds of musicians, trained ones, highly technical ones, three chord punkers, genre players - whomever, and you will not find a strong melodic sense in most of them.
God Bless All Musicians, but only a small percentage have the melodic sense.
The point is, you have written some fine songs and are developing a melodic trademark at a young age. So you have plenty of time. That's why I emphasize that Drill Sergeant Me is last year's model. Now that I know you so much better (heart to heart and soul to soul), I will call myself Cheerleader Me, or simply Encouragement Me. Everything related to creativity I still stress, the utmost importance of creating simply for the sake of creation (the Emily Dickinson effect), and that anything after that is gravy.
So, with music, I say, just keep playing, and composing, and listen to your Muse, and you will be glad you did. Just think, by the time you are 25, say, the repertoire you can build up.
So, that's the end of the sermon from Drill Sergeant/Cheerleader/Encouragement Me.
If there is one thing I know, it's my music, and you have got it.
Was that a statue of Chopin in your friend's FB picture yesterday? Let that spirit guide you, and keep bringing your music out of your soul, little by little.
And in the meantime, you can keep doing everything else you enjoy. In life, I have found, there is ample time for everything, so long as you keep your desires in mind.
That's all I know for tonight. I Love You and will see you in the morn. I'll be home at 9:45, and will check in then.
:):) - that's me and my Baby. xoxoxoxo
This is going to be a great week, the magic of yesterday ensured that. There is such a great feeling in the air right now, and in the lines of our Connection. Those are such beautiful songs you have written. Let's enjoy this week, and all the coming days, with that Spirit in the air, and we will live them with joy and expectation.
I Love You, my Darling! Happy Monday; Great week. :):)
(back later, I will check back in before I go to Pearl's)
2:05pm : Holy Smokes! I just saw the Alcest post. Man, that is scary. I mean, sorry about the deer, but it's very fortunate that no band members or others in the van were not hurt. Can't be that big a van, and deers are big, heavy animals.
Now I am listening to the new Alcest song you just posted. Nice melody and vocals, has the distinctive sound of the early stuff. Good buildup at the end. Can't wait to hear it in concert! You are gonna have a blast on Saturday, so get ready...... :)
Well, I am glad everyone is okay and that they got another van and the tour continues.
Back in a little bit.
4pm : Okay, my Baby, I am gonna head to Pearl's in a couple minutes, and then I will be out of commission until I return at 6:45. I was tinkering with her computer this morn, but this looks like a tricky problem which might take a little while to fix. Still, we can adjust for the time being, and as I said, if it proves to be unfixable, I will just get another Chromebook. But, I will be back at 6:45.
I am loving this day, loving these times so much. God Bless You, my Beautiful Angel, my Love. :):)
10:40pm : Here's a question for you : Is "Across The Sea" a brand new song, or is it part of your original EP material from last year? I ask because I remember, maybe around late January/early February of this year, I wrote a Myspace blog entitled "The No Fun Diet". And maybe the next day or very soon after, you posted on FB that "the best diet of all is missing dinner because you are writing a new song". This was during the time I was getting the impression you were back in my life, and that post almost clinched it. I thought, she's gotta be responding to that blog I wrote........
But you also referred to a new song, and I am just wondering if it was "Across The Sea".
Elizabeth, I want to encourage you to keep writing, every chance you get. I don't know how the muse works for you : whether it's an everyday thing or whether it comes in waves, or fits and starts......I mean, I know (or surmise) that you play everyday, but the creativity part doesn't always work that way, and for each person it can be different. But, if you are playing every day (and I don't know because it's been a while since we talked music), I hope you will keep trying out ideas, melodies, rhythms, chord structures.
You can make something out of a snippet. Just a few notes, a brief melodic sequence, can lead you anywhere. I say all of this because we haven't talked music in a while, and I loved talking about music with you, and before yesterday, I did not even know whether or not your piano was working properly. I mean, I still suspected you were playing every day - I knew you certainly hadn't given it up - but I didn't know for sure.
Now I know. And I say what I said in the beginning - keep going. You are turning out melodies in your songs that are beautiful, but that also convey something. Your melodies convey, but don't telegraph, if you understand my meaning. They don't telegraph the emotion, or hand it to the listener. Instead, they convey the emotion, so that the listener has to understand it for himself.
With your melodies, you are developing a trademark, and the more you write, the more solid that trademark will become. I say all of this not to be Drill Sergeant Me (remember him?), but simply because you have a talent for melody. You can take all kinds of musicians, trained ones, highly technical ones, three chord punkers, genre players - whomever, and you will not find a strong melodic sense in most of them.
God Bless All Musicians, but only a small percentage have the melodic sense.
The point is, you have written some fine songs and are developing a melodic trademark at a young age. So you have plenty of time. That's why I emphasize that Drill Sergeant Me is last year's model. Now that I know you so much better (heart to heart and soul to soul), I will call myself Cheerleader Me, or simply Encouragement Me. Everything related to creativity I still stress, the utmost importance of creating simply for the sake of creation (the Emily Dickinson effect), and that anything after that is gravy.
So, with music, I say, just keep playing, and composing, and listen to your Muse, and you will be glad you did. Just think, by the time you are 25, say, the repertoire you can build up.
So, that's the end of the sermon from Drill Sergeant/Cheerleader/Encouragement Me.
If there is one thing I know, it's my music, and you have got it.
Was that a statue of Chopin in your friend's FB picture yesterday? Let that spirit guide you, and keep bringing your music out of your soul, little by little.
And in the meantime, you can keep doing everything else you enjoy. In life, I have found, there is ample time for everything, so long as you keep your desires in mind.
That's all I know for tonight. I Love You and will see you in the morn. I'll be home at 9:45, and will check in then.
:):) - that's me and my Baby. xoxoxoxo
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)