"Sad News"
The heat, we must expect. The buses would have had to be state subsidized to be viable, so the Ycat buses no longer run, except for the dial-a-ride service for the elderly and disabled.
And Monarch's Rest is no more. I'd heard they were having troubles and had filed for bankruptcy. However, the Chapter 11 court wouldn't accept the restaurant's reorganization plan, which would have brought the restaurant out of bankruptcy. The judge didn't think the restaurant would be able to become profitable in a reasonable period of time given the circumstances in the downtown area.
I'd imagined opening such a beautiful restaurant is very expensive. But I had no idea HOW expensive. The Yuma Sun reported it cost $3 million! With the uncertain economy, the hurdles just couldn't be overcome.
So both Julia and I are bummed. We have so many happy memories at this restaurant. Its restful environment was a comfortable refuge from the cares of the world.
And 'cares of the world', there are. I've sad new to report from territories beyond our Yuma borders. Tucson, our favorite city east of us, is now dealing with the effects of a fire that claimed 32,700 acres in the Santa Catalina Mountains. Roughly 345 buildings were destroyed as well, mostly homes. Tucsonans are also worried ash run off from this fire will damage another treasured spot in Tucson, the Sabino Canyon.
And two days ago, Katharine Hepburn, the legendary actress, died at age 96. The AP announcement of the news called her ''an icon of feminist strength and spirit who brought a chiseled beauty and patrician bearing to'' the many films in which she starred.
Katherine Houghton Hepburn
May 12, 1907 - June 29, 2003
I wish I could say we still had that treasure (I would scan it for you to see) , but I don't think it survived our many moves. That's SAD, too.
"Magical Memory Gate"
So, after picking Julia up from work, I turned the car North instead of South, and we went to Old Town.
I had an idea we would explore a new restaurant. The Main Street Cinema's shiny windows beaconed, and Julia suggested, ''Let's go see what movies are showing!''
Terminater III, Rise of the Machines was showing, so we got tickets for that. As we were early, there was time for a delicious ''Tom Hanks'': (Espresso, mocha, chocolate chips, blended with milk, ice and topped with whipped cream). I also enjoyed some gourmet candy.
The movie was all the movie-reviewer had promised: much plot holes, but such great fun, who cares. It was a movie LAURA would have enjoyed, and thus we felt her presence very much last night.
A message on the plaque of John Connor's mother's coffin seemed, too, a message from Laura:
The movie done, we ambled down the street to a small Italian restaurant. Memories of Laura whispered themselves alert and alive with the scenario.
Many years ago, Laura had made us a candle holder using a Chianti bottle much laden with wax drippings and prepared many romantic meals served on a table covered with a red and white checkered tablecloth. This restaurant's use of a similar candle holder awakened those memories.
The meal of mostaccioli noodles with putanesca sauce was delicious. Yet another ''Laura-ism'' presented itself at meal's end. A tiny goblet filled with Amaretto was presented as dessert treat. Julia and I shared it, and we remembered how Laura enjoyed this potent beverage. She liked to drink it before doing a TAROT reading.
The night was magical. As we slowly walked back to our car, we saw fireworks from the nearby casino. The flower-like explosions are indeed among the ''night-blooming flowers''.
And, all throught out the night, the spirit of Laura was with us. It seems prelude to the message she would have sent, if she could, but which I can nevertheless retrieve through the magical memory gate.
There's something Laura would want me to know -
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"Most Valuable Lesson"
I had a simple answer:
Most valuable lesson? To trust myself, to always listen to the
whisper of intuition, to BE QUIET so I can hear the whisper of
intuition, and to cherish each moment, for the best revenge against
death is a life well-lived.
This is the lesson I'd like to share with YOU. 'Laura's poem' is MY words, too, which I wish to leave to those who come after me, whether that is only moments after, and we are fellow travellers simultaneously making our marks, or many years hence, in a future I can only imagine.
I am uncertain of any life after death. There may be, but for security's sake, I cling to those forms of immortality which we can ensure while we yet breathe.
Namely, there is no surer form of immortality than the string of events which span out from our actions while living. What have I helped bring into reality? While I hope my words will live on to be found in the 'hive mind' of the web to be found by its wanderers, even of this I cannot now be certain. It will up to those who come after me that determine the worth of these words and whether they are worth preserving.
All I can know now is any action I do creates from it a spiral of influence that I can't fully imagine. To that end, I work towards the evolution of all sentient beings in the hope that I may ease, liberate, educate, beautify, inspire, and uplift any who happen to be within that spiral of influence.
Ambitious schemes, yes they are, but I am the one who will claim boldness of asserting that from my own divine nature, this can happen. Yes, this is a faith of sorts, but one that sustains me.
Call this 'the outward looking eye' which loves the great potential of humanity. This love flows from me, not by command, but by natural fount, and it thrills me to see what humans can do, inspite of agony, ugliness, infirmity, war, and limitations of every other kind. This pure light of potential gives its evidence by what we humans HAVE already done.
The 'inward looking eye' embraces my own self and my own potential, yet to be realized. Yes, I see as evidence that which I have already wrought. To that end, the evolution will continue, both the inner and the outer.
If my words inspire YOU to believe in yourself, face your fears, and embrace your own unique beauty, then they will be doing their job.
So mote it be.
"Prince Charming"
Prince Charming
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''And I don't want the world to see me 'Cause I don't think that they'd understand When everything's made to be broken I just want you to know who I am . . .''
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So what chance have I got? I'll not determine percentages of possibility, but just keep gambling for the prize. ''You can't win if you don't play'' is a popular advertising slogan for the state lottery here.
So what's all this rambling coming to? Today is Friday, last day of work and first day of new shirt. I look at its lime green, dark green and blue swirls with pleasure. It only cost $5.99 plus tax. I also got a peach, pink and turquoise plaid shirt for only $7.88 plus tax. I didn't NEED the shirts. I have plenty of collared short sleeve shirts. But I felt as though I were rescuing these two, and giving them a good home where they will be appreciated.
See, it's not 'shopping' at all.
After giving to the aid of homeless shirts, I then ambled throughout the craft store Michael's. Charlie was 'fussy' about his frame, and didn't want a plain one. The only trouble is there were very few styles in the 9 x 12'' size (22.86 x 30.48C). I could have squeezed him into a 8 x 10'' (20.32 x 25.40C), but that would have cropped some of his lovely red curls off.
This would never do! So I decided on a simple gold metal frame. I wasn't finished shopping yet, I paced the store back and forth hunting for picture hangers. Michael's used to carry them, but apparently they no longer do.
It took me quite a while to be SURE they no longer do. However, not until I was waiting in line to purchase Charlie's frame, did I consider the time it was.
I thought I'd entered an odd sort of time warp when the bored clerk replied ''5:15pm'' to my question.
''Oh my god, Julia's been waiting fifteen minutes!'' By the time I got to her work place, she'd been waiting twenty-five minutes, and she was worried sick, imagining, in Julia's inimitable style, all the many, many things that could have gone wrong.
Tonight, when I pondered just stopping briefly in a fabric store to get a new sharp seam ripper, I thought better of it. There is no way I can just go in and out of a fabric store. Each visit takes an hour and a hundred dollars. This has proven dependable.
So I arrived early at Julia's workplace tonight. She did look relieved when she waved at me, acknowledging my arrival.
I also made up the time she wasted pacing to and fro. I did the research on chakras for a talk she is giving to our local pagan friends. It was interesting. One of the sources for abundant chakra information is housed at kheper.net.
The following greets the reader at their entry page:
transformation - evolution - metamorphosis
''I Have Come Into Being, and by the Process of my Coming Into Being, the Process of Coming Into Being is Established.''It's pronounced 'Khefer'. However, I want to say 'zepper'. My mind then does a weird word association to 'zipper'. The zipper was a lovely and important EVOLUTION in the design of garments, making them easier to wear.
Enough of that rambling. It is good it is Friday. It has been a long work week. As I may have mentioned before, Julia organizes everything in her life by the day of the week. On Monday, she wears purple. On Friday, it is green garments which cover her. Our lunch meals are similarly organized. Friday, it is fish. This is not some latent expression of strict Catholicism. Julia goes by astrological and spiritual connotations of the planets, for the sequence of the spectrum. Friday is associated with Venus, whose color is green. She figures fish has a 'green' sort of taste.
No, Julia doesn't ever do things the simple way!. Anyway, Friday is fish day. Back to 'khefer, xeper, zipper'. Julia prepared for us smoked kipper snacks over rice for our lunch. She kept calling them KHEFER snacks. I responded that these fish will be good for the evolution of our bodies, as they are vitamin and protein rich, which our bodies require.
However, the kipper snacks are STINKY. Whenever I bring them to work, the odors that emanate when they are heated in the microwave never fail to elicit comment. One co-worker once reacted so badly, the manager sprayed air freshener all over the premises.
Ah, the 'khepper' isn't always popular. What stinks in one person's nostrils excites the nose of another. And vice-versa. That is the way of things.
Such was the evolution of my day thus far.
Then I relaxed by visiting my most favorite discussion groups. One participant shared a test which reveals what sort of civilization the test taker would be best suited for. I'm sure Julia's results would reveal only one, as avid a fan she is of the ancient Greeks and Romans.
I, however, went into the test with no expectations. I was surprised at the results:
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''All the kids in the marketplace say Ay oh whey oh, ay oh whey oh Walk like an Egyptian . . .'' - The Bangles |
If I had lived 4500 years ago, I would have been...an Egyptian!
One of the first civilizations (and also the longest lasting) was Egypt. Most famous for the
gigantic tombs of stone called the pyramids, they also established many things that we take for granted today: a 365
day calender, paper, and basic arithmetic to name a few.
When you want something done, you get it done! You're very determined and practice at things until you like the result.
Chances are you're a perfectionist, but hey, that's a good thing!
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If you look at the image the tester provides, you see that is a CAT of Egyptian persuasion. A cat of ANY persuasion, however, loves fish, the stinkier the better. No doubt an Egyptian cat would like Egyptian fish the 'bast'. Bring on the 'kheper' fish! OOoohh, let's have at it, do.
...Bast demands fish...
Bast was a national deity of ancient Egypt. Bast was a kind and loving goddess, protecting man from contagious disease and evil spirits. Her festivals were light hearted and full of joy, for she is also the Egyptian goddess of pleasure, music, dancing and joy.
...a good thing...
