October 24, 2001
"Child Of The World"
When I arrived at work last night, the radio was set to Country Western. It's a type of music to which I'm generally neutral. It doesn't irritate like rap does, but it doesn't usually thrill, either.
It really didn't thrill last night. The disk jockey proudly announced they only played 'American' music. Yep, none of that 'furrin' music. ''Such xenophobia, augh!'', and I quickly changed the channel to mellow jazz.
I HATE that mindset. How has it gotten into these rednecks that this equates with 'Patriotism'. It doesn't!
Curious to the breakdown of my own musical collection, I sat down in front of the towers, and had a look. I, on the other hand, have a rather xenophilic collection. The vast majority is Irish, with roughly 170 albums of that. The next largest is American, with 100. But even here, the music is not always purely American, as some of the performers, such as Russell Oberlin and Chanticleer, perform music from all origins.
The English comprises the next, with roughly fifty. I thought my Scottish group was larger, maybe I counted wrong, but there is only thirty five. Oh, well, lump them together with the Irish and Welsh, and you get over 200 Celtic.
Next, are the exotic spices. Ten loosely catagorised as 'World', ten Middle-Eastern, five Welsh, five Italian. (Well, the Italians and Germans would have gotten a much larger percentage if I had included the strictly classical towers mostly owned by Julia.)
Anyway, five South American, three African, four Canadian . . . (Do they even count as 'furrin'?) . . . four Japanese, two Swedish, three Brazealian, one Finnish . . . . . .
Well, you get the idea! I want the whole palate of musical tastes. How utterly boring to be limited to only 'American'. But then, I always do count myself as a child of the WORLD first, then American, and finally Arizonan.
Oh yeah, did I ever tell you Arizona is a great state? We've got some special natural scenery here, and the land has just plain got good vibes. I am not without my pride.
But then, nearly every place has got something special about it. That's what makes the world such an interesting place.
October 27, 2001
"Frustrated"
R - R - r - r - i - P !
Determined Bantus wants to see out, and nothing stops him!
Oh, how frustrated that kitty must have been! He wanted to see out. He could hear Laura and Serena outside, talking and walking (the walking as part of Serena's physical therapy). He wanted to be part of the action, and no fastened down curtain was going to stop him!
One stretch of the mighty claw, R - R - r - r - i - P !, and he had satisfaction. I understand his frustration. Today's the first day I've felt any decent since it seems like forever. I spent both of my days off in bed with that wretched flu, and with a hideous sinus infection on top of it.
My throat still feels raw, but the sinus infestation has subsided, for which I'm grateful. Still, I can't go gallivanting today, for work is tonight. Laura and Julia ARE out gallivanting.
I wasn't all so gracious, whining when they left. THEY'RE going to see a movie and I'M NOT! Pity poor me!
Tomorrow is possible for me, but I can't think about tomorrow. All I can think about is the movie I'm NOT seeing with Laura and Julia TODAY.
I just want to rip that big curtain of life, you know?
But humans must try to behave, and not be so pouty.
November 1, 2001 - A
"K-PAX"
Last night's moon was like this, except orange
©1998 Laura Lansberry
The big, orangish, almost pumpkin-like moon greeted us last night as we exited the movie. Yes, I got to see the movie! Laura and Julia decided to wait until Wednesday, when Julia had off, and after I finished a 6am to 2pm shift, to go see K-PAX.
We stopped at Starbucks first. Julia and I both had the 'vente' (extra large) raspberry tea Tazoberry slushie with whipped cream. Laura opted for a rather strong coffee drink, also topped with whipped cream. I further more ate the larger portion of two tasty light brownies with bits of Heath bars embedded. Okay, they were only light in color.
Then, we went to the movie theater. Early, we were, so we sat on a bench outside of the auditorium. The showing before our time of 4:10 wasn't over yet. I didn't want to venture too near the open door, and get a spoiler of the movie's end. Only at movie's end would we learn whether PROT, the protagonist, was really an alien or a nutcase. The reviewers weren't happy, so Laura figured the ending wasn't happy, and 'nutcase' was the likely outcome. Still, that didn't mean it wouldn't be good.
The people exiting the movie theater looked confused. One gray-haired lady told her similarily gray haired friend, ''Four bad ones in a row!''
The prospects did not look hopeful.
But quite often, the 'triad' has tastes contrary to the majority. It could still be enjoyable.
And it was. Quite the mystery, I'd be pulled one way, and then the other way, and I was still a little mystified at movie's end. However Laura provided the one clue that made it all fall together. Then, it made perfect sense. It's an excellent movie. Both Kevin Spacey (love that name!) as PROT and Jeff Bridges as the psychologist were perfect in their roles.
I laughed 'til my sides hurt as PROT stuffed an entire banana, peeling and all, into his mouth. ''The produce alone is worth the trip'', PROT announces of his trip to Earth.
Indeed, throughout the movie, he does enjoy a wide variety of produce: apples (with the stems, and strawberries (with the leaves), among them. The light, he says, on earth is also brighter than what's used to in K-PAX.
I recommend K-PAX highly. Go with an open mind, and take your sense of wonder with you, and you'll not be disappointed.
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November 1, 2001 - B
"Radio Wisdom"
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Radio Wisdom
''Stay brave, stay free,''
the disc jockey urges,
between the soft jazz hits,
(Rumors of more terrorist hits
soon to come.)
Just outside of the box,
a bird sings.
He, and the singers
within the box.
I shall sing too.
''Stay brave, stay free,''
It's the only way to be.
JAL, 11 - 1 - 01
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November 5, 2001
"Here In Our Arizona"
I've set this entry to be a 'test.html'. I do that when I'm uncertain if I'll pull anything forth. The wind is howling, and it must be raining. Dark out there, and I haven't looked. But it's some serious wind.
It didn't rain last night, though, and that's the important thing. I checked the headlines this early Monday to see how the final game of the World Series went. The ARIZONA team are the champions! Whatever will become of all those National champion banners that 'my' store has tons of, now that the World Series banners will be coming?
Anyway, it's a happy day in Arizona. I feel a sense of relief. I had unvoiced fears that the final game would be a terrorist target. Wait until the final play, everyone is rejoicing and KA - BLOO-IE! But no doubt, security is tight for such events. So I breath a deep sigh of relief.
An odd bit of news DID greet me this morning, however. Many years ago, future terrorists DID cross Arizona soil. ''A man U.S. authorities believe is Osama bin Laden's chief of logistics lived in Tucson in the mid-1980s and was active in the Islamic Center here, '' the Arizona Daily Star story began. He was just a kid, an undergraduate student back then, and the spokesman for the Center did not even know where Wa'el Hamza Jalaidan was studying.
Also, at that time, nobody ever heard of Osama bin Laden. Jalaidan left school and Tucson around 1986 and went to Afghanistan to fight against the Russians, and no one at the Center heard of him since. However, he's not the only bin Ladin associate to have set foot in Tucson. Wadih El-Hage, believed to be bin Laden's personal secretary, also lived here in the 1980s.
Not only that, ''In addition, one of the suspected hijackers of the plane that hit the Pentagon on Sept. 11, Hani Hanjour, lived in Tucson and studied at the University of Arizona in the early 1990s.''.
Back then, if any of them had extremist leanings, they must have kept them to theirselves, as apparently they were rather unconspicious then. The leader of the Islamic Center was quick to condemn the recent terrorists attacks.
So that's odd, that three of the major players spent time here in our Arizona.
Meanwhile, a new day awaits, and what it will bring awaits.
November 6, 2001
"Not Just A Tourist"
View from 4th Avenue, Tucson
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~ ~~ ~~~ ~~ ~
I will not be just a tourist
in the world of images,
just watching images
passing by which I cannot
live in, make love to,
possess as permanent
sources of joy and ectasy.
ANAIS NIN
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I found that little quote in a tiny booklet at Bookman's today. Yes, we made a short trip to Tucson today. We got there early before the Co-op opened, and it was while waiting that I caught the image above.
THIS particular image I joyfully possess! I SHOULD take my camera along more often. I read that little booklet while sampling CDs at Bookman's. There was a Celtic album of no particular distinction, a vocal album by a French lady of some minor distinction and one I took home with me. The first song on the French lady's album was exquisite. Her smoky alto sensuously curved its way around the already sensuous sounding French lyrics of a rather evocative song. But the rest of the album did not match up to that first song. Alas, it stayed at Bookman's. The third album, called The Black Family is traditional Celtic Irish import. A young Mary Black, who has since gone solo, appears on it. No where on the liner notes could I find in what year it was done. I suspected perhaps a couple of decades ago, so I took a web search and learned it was recorded in 1986 (Also, there is a song list some with links to lyrics.) It is a rare and treasured find, to be sure.
I sat there, cozy, observing the people around me. I don't know what it is about that sort of observation. It brings out my more possibly Scorpian qualities, and I feel all like the scorpian, cozy in its secluded lair, observing the world outside. Which brought out this odd poem I jotted down, while listening to the French lady's song.
Am I the cave?
From my perspective,
I sit, watching,
eyes always open.
Is that the tunnel - gate?
What lies beyond?
Do I seem mystery?
What twisting trails
lie within?
But I am leaving marks
on my walls,
the walls of this
cave,
not so dark,
in the right light.
I am making them
bold and sure,
on these walls.
Step inside,
cast your light-beam.
They'll remain after I'm gone.
Cave hollow then.
But now,
I am the cave.
Step inside.
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November 9, 2001
"Stairway To Heaven"
Stairway to SOMEwhere . . .
Not sure why I thought of the Led Zeppelin song ''Stairway To Heaven'', but I did.
This is no BOUGHT stairway. Laura and James measured and sawed these particular additions, which will be nailed, secured and painted later. Basically, Laura has in mind to turn a five stair arrangement into a seven stair arrangement. The reason being, the steps will only be five and a half inches high, rather than seven and a half high, and thus be possible for Serena to traverse when she visits. It, however, as a result, will be easier for all of us to climb, including Laura's very arthritic Mother.
My OWN ever so slightly wonky knees seem to glide when bending over them, not uttering one little complaint, as well.
So, this shall be a 'heavenly' improvement, indeed.
