Saturday, August 30, 2003
Eleven days later and I'm still hanging out on various roads and inching my way closer and closer, nearer and nearer to departure to Sri Lanka . . .
At this point it is circa 99.1% certain that I shall depart Tucson for SFO (that's San Francisco Airport for you folks that don't travel) to catch a 1:30 a.m. flight to Sri Lanka on Friday, September 19th . . .
Been putting, of course, many miles on my trusty Miata-machine with trusty traveling companion, Chutney. Left hometown Jackson early last Thursday morning, August 21st, and barreled across the Southland and up the Eastern Seaboard to crash in a run-down motel just North of Baltimore in Edgewood, MD, where I lived when I finished my active duty in the Army after Vietnam.
It was run by an Indian couple who were terrified of Chutney, and who maybe lusted for him as a delicacy for dinner -- he stayed especially close to me . . . ;)
It was a most easy drive the next day up to Long Island, waking Tommy up at 5:30 a.m. when I crossed the Verrazano Bridge by yelling, "I'M IN F---ING NEW YORK CITY !~!~!," which I used to do any time we drove into the City from Long Island . . .
Got out to Islip and am most grateful for the healing that time and my life have created that I was able to not only drive by but stop and visit the home that Sara and I and our family lived in for 15 years. It's been very good to be on Long Island again, to see old friends, including Sara my ex-wife, my step-daughters, and to go to some of the old AA homegroups.
Sunday, Chutney and I spent a lovely day in the City walking around Central Park, being especially moved as I always am at Strawberry Fields, where a group of folks were singing John Lennon songs, and over to one of my favorite spots in the whole wide world, Riverside Park down by the Hudson River, where I took this shot of the George Washington Bridge and the 79th Street Mariner:
Before we took this shot Chutney had a wonderful time in a Puppy Park running around and playing with a bunch of multicultural Westside dogs . . .
Early on Tuesday morning we drove out to Orient Point and took the Ferry over to New London. Here are a couple of shots:
A lighthouse off the shore of Connecticut in the Long Island Sound.
The view coming into New London Harbor. To the right is the dasturdly General Dynamics Works where many of our arsenal of Nuclear Submarines are built. I wanted to take a picture of this abomination, but decided against it, cuz I didn't want to be potentially hassled as a terrorist taking pictures of it to plan an attack on it. No need to picturize it anyway.
I then had an easy drive up to Boston finding the Peace Abbey where I stayed Tuesday and Wednesday night. What an incredible place -- every hamlet, village, town, city, metropolis should have one of these where folks of all spiritual traditions could gather to celebrate and engender peace instead of our always more dominant war. Here are a couple of pictures:
A wonderful statue of Ghandi in the middle of the Peace Memorial which has quotes from many different peace advocates from all over the world and Peace Prayers from every major spiritual tradition. In the background you can see the lovely little cottage, Merton-like, back in the woods, where Chutney and I stayed.
Chutney loved it too, except for having a encounter with Henry, the attack pig, who guards his turf with ferociousness. He, like many animals at the Abbey, was rescued from the local slaughterhouse, but still has to be tutored in nonviolent peacemaking. Wish I had gotten a picture of Lewis, the curator/director, and I trying to separate the two of them.
This is one of the most moving of the many monuments and testimonials to peace, a monument to the unknown number of civilians killed in wars, who are by a far majority, the highest number of victims of modern warfare. The amazing story of the Stonewalk can be found here . . .
Welp, gonna spend the rest of the afternoon chillin' out on Long Island, my former mostly happy home for 18 years or so years . . .
At this point it is circa 99.1% certain that I shall depart Tucson for SFO (that's San Francisco Airport for you folks that don't travel) to catch a 1:30 a.m. flight to Sri Lanka on Friday, September 19th . . .
Been putting, of course, many miles on my trusty Miata-machine with trusty traveling companion, Chutney. Left hometown Jackson early last Thursday morning, August 21st, and barreled across the Southland and up the Eastern Seaboard to crash in a run-down motel just North of Baltimore in Edgewood, MD, where I lived when I finished my active duty in the Army after Vietnam.
It was run by an Indian couple who were terrified of Chutney, and who maybe lusted for him as a delicacy for dinner -- he stayed especially close to me . . . ;)
It was a most easy drive the next day up to Long Island, waking Tommy up at 5:30 a.m. when I crossed the Verrazano Bridge by yelling, "I'M IN F---ING NEW YORK CITY !~!~!," which I used to do any time we drove into the City from Long Island . . .
Got out to Islip and am most grateful for the healing that time and my life have created that I was able to not only drive by but stop and visit the home that Sara and I and our family lived in for 15 years. It's been very good to be on Long Island again, to see old friends, including Sara my ex-wife, my step-daughters, and to go to some of the old AA homegroups.
Sunday, Chutney and I spent a lovely day in the City walking around Central Park, being especially moved as I always am at Strawberry Fields, where a group of folks were singing John Lennon songs, and over to one of my favorite spots in the whole wide world, Riverside Park down by the Hudson River, where I took this shot of the George Washington Bridge and the 79th Street Mariner:
Before we took this shot Chutney had a wonderful time in a Puppy Park running around and playing with a bunch of multicultural Westside dogs . . .
Early on Tuesday morning we drove out to Orient Point and took the Ferry over to New London. Here are a couple of shots:
A lighthouse off the shore of Connecticut in the Long Island Sound.
The view coming into New London Harbor. To the right is the dasturdly General Dynamics Works where many of our arsenal of Nuclear Submarines are built. I wanted to take a picture of this abomination, but decided against it, cuz I didn't want to be potentially hassled as a terrorist taking pictures of it to plan an attack on it. No need to picturize it anyway.
I then had an easy drive up to Boston finding the Peace Abbey where I stayed Tuesday and Wednesday night. What an incredible place -- every hamlet, village, town, city, metropolis should have one of these where folks of all spiritual traditions could gather to celebrate and engender peace instead of our always more dominant war. Here are a couple of pictures:
A wonderful statue of Ghandi in the middle of the Peace Memorial which has quotes from many different peace advocates from all over the world and Peace Prayers from every major spiritual tradition. In the background you can see the lovely little cottage, Merton-like, back in the woods, where Chutney and I stayed.
Chutney loved it too, except for having a encounter with Henry, the attack pig, who guards his turf with ferociousness. He, like many animals at the Abbey, was rescued from the local slaughterhouse, but still has to be tutored in nonviolent peacemaking. Wish I had gotten a picture of Lewis, the curator/director, and I trying to separate the two of them.
This is one of the most moving of the many monuments and testimonials to peace, a monument to the unknown number of civilians killed in wars, who are by a far majority, the highest number of victims of modern warfare. The amazing story of the Stonewalk can be found here . . .
Welp, gonna spend the rest of the afternoon chillin' out on Long Island, my former mostly happy home for 18 years or so years . . .
Wednesday, August 20, 2003
And the time wends it way swiftly towards departure to Sri Lanka; it's getting realer and realer, closer and closer and the anxiety mounts --> WHAT THE "F" HAVE YOU DONE NOW, BRINSO ?!?!?
In hometown of Jackson, MS, having traveled half-way across the country and down to the "Crossland of the South", where I grew up fifty years ago . . .
Here's a partial pictorial history of the journey so far:
Here's a shot of Chutney with a flower in his hair -- of course, we were in San Francisco and he was not pleased:
Utah and Wyoming were incredible, especially the bunches of rainbows I saw one late afternoon, which prevented me from camping:
A marvelous sunset overlooking the Missouri River in South Dakota:
Here is a wondrous shot of a heron resting in a pond right beside a busy highway in the middle of surburban sprawl East of St. Paul:
Spent a couple of lovely days with dear lady friend, Bonnie, on Lake Goshern near Lake Michigan in the lovely artist colony town of Sagatuck, which reminded me so much of Sag Harbor:
New York has its cows, Cincinnati its sculptures made out of baseball bats, and Jackson has catfish:
Momma is selling our family home where our family has resided since 1948 -- It was really strange last night sleeping in my boyhood bedroom, mostly empty like the rest of the house, on an air mattress. Here is a shot of Chutney contemplating the chaotic emptiness:
Let's see, this makes home number five I have closed out the last couple of years:
1. 13 First Street, Islip, NY, when Sara and I sold our house . . .
2. ltbrinmobile, the Rialta when I sold it last year because I moved in with Jane -- silly, silly boy captured by an illusion . . .
3. 2520 E. Elm Street, Tucson, when Jane asked me to leave . . .
4. 632 S. 5th Avenue, Tucson, when I cast my destiny with Nonviolent Peaceforce . . .
5. 4043 Hawthorn Drive, Jackson, which has been my permanent hometown address since I was five years old.
It all comes to pass, not to stay . . .
And, it is coming to pass, it looks like from emails today, that I shall be passing on to the start of my Sri Lankan journey, with 90% certainty in this most uncertain existence, as of September 19th or 20th, with the in-country training to commence on September 22nd.
Change Is . . .
In hometown of Jackson, MS, having traveled half-way across the country and down to the "Crossland of the South", where I grew up fifty years ago . . .
Here's a partial pictorial history of the journey so far:
Here's a shot of Chutney with a flower in his hair -- of course, we were in San Francisco and he was not pleased:
Utah and Wyoming were incredible, especially the bunches of rainbows I saw one late afternoon, which prevented me from camping:
A marvelous sunset overlooking the Missouri River in South Dakota:
Here is a wondrous shot of a heron resting in a pond right beside a busy highway in the middle of surburban sprawl East of St. Paul:
Spent a couple of lovely days with dear lady friend, Bonnie, on Lake Goshern near Lake Michigan in the lovely artist colony town of Sagatuck, which reminded me so much of Sag Harbor:
New York has its cows, Cincinnati its sculptures made out of baseball bats, and Jackson has catfish:
Momma is selling our family home where our family has resided since 1948 -- It was really strange last night sleeping in my boyhood bedroom, mostly empty like the rest of the house, on an air mattress. Here is a shot of Chutney contemplating the chaotic emptiness:
Let's see, this makes home number five I have closed out the last couple of years:
1. 13 First Street, Islip, NY, when Sara and I sold our house . . .
2. ltbrinmobile, the Rialta when I sold it last year because I moved in with Jane -- silly, silly boy captured by an illusion . . .
3. 2520 E. Elm Street, Tucson, when Jane asked me to leave . . .
4. 632 S. 5th Avenue, Tucson, when I cast my destiny with Nonviolent Peaceforce . . .
5. 4043 Hawthorn Drive, Jackson, which has been my permanent hometown address since I was five years old.
It all comes to pass, not to stay . . .
And, it is coming to pass, it looks like from emails today, that I shall be passing on to the start of my Sri Lankan journey, with 90% certainty in this most uncertain existence, as of September 19th or 20th, with the in-country training to commence on September 22nd.
Change Is . . .
Sunday, August 10, 2003
The time do pass itself swiftly on by . . .
Been on the road from Tucson to the Sierra Nevada's visiting dear Bro'-friend, Wally, who I went to Vietnam with last year, to Sacramento to visit a dear cyber-buddy, Amy, and here to in the shining City by the Bay, San Francisco, for the Veterans of Peace Conference.
Yesterday, a delightful day walking around this wonderful town, connecting with Vet friends, and hearing a rousing speech at the banquet last night by William Pitt, founder of Truthout.org. There is hope in our youth. He's the son of a Viet Vet and discussed the impact of war not only on the vets but on families, and the shameful tragedy that we are creating another generation of veterans to suffer in the hollow name of glory -- wish my daughters could have heard him . . .
Today is wonderful day again, absolutely perfect in San Francisco. Early morning spent in a meeting with Dennis Kucinich, who is the real deal in many ways who speaks authentically from the heart and very deep wellspring of spiritual values.
He is one of two congresspersons who have formally endorsed Nonviolent Peaceforce, and we had a brief electrifying discussion in the open forum about how NP's vision melds in with his concept for a Department of Peace, not only for international activities, but for peace here at home for domestic violence, gang warfare, etc.
He is connected in consciousness with Marianne Williamson and will take part in a conference with her Global Renaissance Alliance lobbying effort in D.C. in mid-September.
I also made another wonderful connection with Kelly Campbell, whose brother-in-law was killed 9.11 at the Pentagon, who is Co-Director of September Eleventh Families for Peaceful Tomorrows.
If we get delayed deploying to Sri Lanka I will adjust my schedule to attend both the September 10th Circle of Hope Vigil at WTC and the following weekend the lobbying effort in D.C.
Life is so good & I am so blessed & need to go check-up on the wonderful Chutnut . . .
Been on the road from Tucson to the Sierra Nevada's visiting dear Bro'-friend, Wally, who I went to Vietnam with last year, to Sacramento to visit a dear cyber-buddy, Amy, and here to in the shining City by the Bay, San Francisco, for the Veterans of Peace Conference.
Yesterday, a delightful day walking around this wonderful town, connecting with Vet friends, and hearing a rousing speech at the banquet last night by William Pitt, founder of Truthout.org. There is hope in our youth. He's the son of a Viet Vet and discussed the impact of war not only on the vets but on families, and the shameful tragedy that we are creating another generation of veterans to suffer in the hollow name of glory -- wish my daughters could have heard him . . .
Today is wonderful day again, absolutely perfect in San Francisco. Early morning spent in a meeting with Dennis Kucinich, who is the real deal in many ways who speaks authentically from the heart and very deep wellspring of spiritual values.
He is one of two congresspersons who have formally endorsed Nonviolent Peaceforce, and we had a brief electrifying discussion in the open forum about how NP's vision melds in with his concept for a Department of Peace, not only for international activities, but for peace here at home for domestic violence, gang warfare, etc.
He is connected in consciousness with Marianne Williamson and will take part in a conference with her Global Renaissance Alliance lobbying effort in D.C. in mid-September.
I also made another wonderful connection with Kelly Campbell, whose brother-in-law was killed 9.11 at the Pentagon, who is Co-Director of September Eleventh Families for Peaceful Tomorrows.
If we get delayed deploying to Sri Lanka I will adjust my schedule to attend both the September 10th Circle of Hope Vigil at WTC and the following weekend the lobbying effort in D.C.
Life is so good & I am so blessed & need to go check-up on the wonderful Chutnut . . .
Wednesday, August 06, 2003
Welp, the last day in Tucson as a resident is winding down . . .
This morning Tommy and I went and had new tattoes, me a NY GIANTS logo on the side of my right calf, and he a New York Yankees logo on his right bicep. This was a nice Father/Son bonding ritual for us to do, since several years ago, jeez in '98 or '99 we both got our first tattoes together in a neat tatto parlor down on St. Marks Avenue in the East Village . . .
The long weekend trip to the Mountains and Ocean with Bonnie was most relaxing and most rewarding. Here are some pics:
Bonnie standing beside our "Mountain/Ocean Home" at a wonderfully relaxing place we stayed the first night in Cuyamaca State Park. It was heaven to be in such lush, verdant, mountain forest . . .
The view from our campsite in San Onofre State Park.
It don't get much better than this . . .
I love this titled picture of Bonnie taking a picture of sunset and wave splendor . . .
Saturday morning we had a wonderful day with Peter, my friend and sponsor in AA for almost 30 years, and his wife, Sandra. He always puts a cigarette in this fountain statue in the upscale and super swank Delmar Plaza. We had a most scruptuously filling meal at one of our favorite restaurants, ll Fornaio . . .
We spent a lovely Saturday evening and Sunday in the Julian, CA in the Julian Hotel, a Victorian Bed and Breakfast Inn founded in 1897 by an ex-slave, Alfred Robinson and his wife who traveled to California in the 1890s.
So, early tomorrow morning, Chutney -- who looks like a poof-poof mutt, not his teddy-dog self, having been groomed yesterday with a shaved face and blown-dry fullness -- and I hit the road for California to visit Wally, dear Bro'-friend, who I went to Vietnam with last year, and then to San Francisco for the Veterans for Peace conference . . .
Since, I've purchased an unlimited use month-by-month T-Mobile Hotspot plan, I hope to be able to check in here from time to time with reports of my travels around the country visiting friends and family as well as various members of the NonViolence PeaceForce family . . .
I am inordinately blessed . . .
This morning Tommy and I went and had new tattoes, me a NY GIANTS logo on the side of my right calf, and he a New York Yankees logo on his right bicep. This was a nice Father/Son bonding ritual for us to do, since several years ago, jeez in '98 or '99 we both got our first tattoes together in a neat tatto parlor down on St. Marks Avenue in the East Village . . .
The long weekend trip to the Mountains and Ocean with Bonnie was most relaxing and most rewarding. Here are some pics:
Bonnie standing beside our "Mountain/Ocean Home" at a wonderfully relaxing place we stayed the first night in Cuyamaca State Park. It was heaven to be in such lush, verdant, mountain forest . . .
The view from our campsite in San Onofre State Park.
It don't get much better than this . . .
I love this titled picture of Bonnie taking a picture of sunset and wave splendor . . .
Saturday morning we had a wonderful day with Peter, my friend and sponsor in AA for almost 30 years, and his wife, Sandra. He always puts a cigarette in this fountain statue in the upscale and super swank Delmar Plaza. We had a most scruptuously filling meal at one of our favorite restaurants, ll Fornaio . . .
We spent a lovely Saturday evening and Sunday in the Julian, CA in the Julian Hotel, a Victorian Bed and Breakfast Inn founded in 1897 by an ex-slave, Alfred Robinson and his wife who traveled to California in the 1890s.
So, early tomorrow morning, Chutney -- who looks like a poof-poof mutt, not his teddy-dog self, having been groomed yesterday with a shaved face and blown-dry fullness -- and I hit the road for California to visit Wally, dear Bro'-friend, who I went to Vietnam with last year, and then to San Francisco for the Veterans for Peace conference . . .
Since, I've purchased an unlimited use month-by-month T-Mobile Hotspot plan, I hope to be able to check in here from time to time with reports of my travels around the country visiting friends and family as well as various members of the NonViolence PeaceForce family . . .
I am inordinately blessed . . .
