March 8, 2005

"Interesting Coins"
9:50pm

My turtle-dragon arrived today all the way from Hong Kong, China!

I didn't know what the significance of the merger of the two beings meant when I bought it, but later on, I chanced to learn it while leisurely surfing. "The ferocious dragon represents success, good luck and determination, while the turtle shell symbolizes longevity and protection." The pile of coins he sits upon further enhances luck in financial matters, according to Feng Shui experts.

I placed him in the 'Power' side of my altar, to strengthen the Dragon/Set energies. There are only two more things I want for this area. I want to either buy or create an image of Nuit with her back all arched, and place that above the Set image on that wall. And then I'll make a print of the partially digitally created image of Set raising his Was scepter to the Moon, in a salute to his Mother, and place that on the wall perpendicular, such that he faces the Nuit image, as well.

But those plans are for another day. Tonight, after photographing and placing the turtle dragon, Julia and I went to the coin club meeting. They have a coin auction, and we always go home with a new addition to our collection.

She happily told everyone there about her new coin discovery. It's a ancient Roman coin she's had since the mid eighties, when she got it in Malta, for one lira, 3 bucks US. The British guy she bought it from told her it was of the emperior Galerius, CE 305. For some reason, Julia always had felt doubtful of that classification. Tonight she found an image proving to her it was rather of the emperior Honorius, CE 395-401. She was excited because this was a more 'interesting' period in Roman history. Sure, it was not the best time. On the back the emperor is standing front, holding spear & resting hand on shield, with head turned right while Victory crowns him with wreath. Wishful thinking, actually, for this emperior ended up fleeing. He was weak, and roughly a decade after this coin was made, the Huns sacked in rome in 410. But, as the Chinese say, it was 'interesting' times.

18mm

She is the only one in the coin club to have such an avid interest in ancient coins. Thus, none are ever offered for auction. The oldest coin we brought home tonight is from Upper Canada, 1852, which is a full one hundred years before Julia was born:

It was modelled after a British type, of St George and the Dragon. It is interesting, but, as you know, I root for the dragon. I want that horse to buck and send Georgie Boy flying!

March 10, 2005

"New Coin Mandala"
9:31pm

I've just a bit of play today. I got inspired by the new moon mandala the Goodwins send out and colored it in. However, it rather reminds me of a pile of coins, no doubt influence from my recent coin adventures:

March 13, 2005 A

"Lovely Day"
7:17am

Yesterday was a lovely day. It started out with a determination to get out 'in a natural setting'. I'm not entirely sure if any such place exists in Yuma, though we do have plenty of parks. We went early in the morning to Smucker's Park. It is a park shaped like a long O, walking path at the outskirts of a large grassy area filled with trees and ramadas. It's not like 'the wildnerness' by a long shot. The whole perimeter of the mile long 'O' one hears the roar of cars. The only critters are birds, and I enjoyed their variety and song. But the apartment door is open now, and I hear quite a lovely bird chorus here.

We could not stay long, as Julia had her hair appointment. But the air was deliciously cool. I do so want to enjoy the coolness before the extreme heat of summer comes and there is no respite, except in our various caves.

Later, Julia and I stretched our horizons a little and went to Algodones, Mexico with some friends. It is not far to go there, maybe five miles at the most. Yet Julia and I never have ventured there, except once ten years ago when Laura took us there.

Oh, it is another world, indeed! The vendors are so desparate to make sales, they really pester you. I had to say, "Just looking" over and over again. One was bound and determined to sell a 'gold' necklace to Julia. I put gold in quotes, for the vendor went from $140 to $40 bucks so quickly. Julia, easily persuaded as she usually is, kept to her resolution, and he did not make a sale. She did buy a dark red shawl and some wine, though. It is good quality wine, 'full-bodied' as the connoisseurs say, and quite cheap. No one ever thinks of Baja California as a wine producer, yet the ideal conditions for grapes exist there as well as in 'Upper' California.

I managed to get a few good pictures. The best one is in the photo gallery, of a vendor's shelf filled with charming pottery.

But here are a few others:

a view of the narrow streets

a vendor happy to pose with our friend Shirley

overall, a quaint and charming place

It was a lovely day out with good friends. Of course, by this time, I was well exercised. I let Julia go to the Mensa games night by herself, as I knew I would not last long. Julia did, however. By the time I collapsed in bed, I left a light on and did not use the gray noise, so I'd wake up for her arrival. After 12:30am, she crawled into bed and I woke up long enough to tell her I was glad she was home.

I spent the evening enjoying solitary pursuits. One of them was listening to music. I have no pretensions that the following is a good poem. I just wrote as the spirit moved me while I listened to the fantastic singer Melina Kana:

To a Song Sung Deep (Otan Tragoudao, 'When I Sing', by Melina Kana) Oh deep love, maybe you cannot understand. oh deep love, it rises from the black flame, maybe you cannot understand. But I sing, with the singer I sing, I sing, all alone I sing, and we know in this moment all that has touched me in the past-present will continue to in the future Ah dark love, can you understand? If you do, then take comfort, take comfort, as you sing alone, all alone on the barren plain. Take comfort as you sing alone. Hear you a echo across time? Was it mine? Only you can know, for now I sing on the barren plain. But I am not alone, though I am alone. Can you ponder the mystery? The network brings me news I hear it in the wind, I know you are there. We will keep on singing. JAL, 3-12-05

It is not especially good as a poem. However, afterwards, I read the translation of the Greek words, and I was picking up the gist of the song through the pure emotion of her singing. She sings "with [her] eyes closed, because Zephyros cries in [her] heart..." Zephyros is the god of the West Wind:

”In some places Zephyros is a stormy wind, which explains why Homer calls it ‘ill-blowing’; in others it blows moderately and gently, and that is why Philoxenus makes its breath sweet.” –Greek Lyric V Philoxenus of Cythera Frag 835 (from Theophrastus, On Winds)

The Egyptian god SET is also God of winds and so there is a resonance. Both Zephyros and SET have much to do with passion, Zephryos of the 'variegated brilliance' and SET of the 'black flame', but all of the fount of Fierce Will.

I have a new favorite singer, indeed.