Imagine: Requisite political post during the RNC, with a twist

We all see the same thing differently. We perceive the world through the distorted lens of our own particular illusions and prejudices. We each create the world in accordance with these individual viewpoints and we want to believe our view is the only correct one. In fact, we’re so sure, we’re willing to fight and die for our viewpoint. As a result, throughout the ages, mankind has waged war and wrought immense destruction for the sake of his beliefs.

I hesitate to post much astrologically oriented stuff here since it's easy to dismiss, but hey, the name of this blog flows from it so why hold back? Feel free to take the astrological symbolism and substitute whatever psychological, religious or intellectual belief system you want. The astrologer quoted here isn't trying to predict victory for either candidate, but sees in the stars a reflection of the U.S. struggle with radically polarized politics. The key, he says, is something broader, some force or some vision or leadership that includes both sides and heals the hate:

Neptune , the planet of universal love, is here to remind us that in this world of illusion, we need compassion and forbearance, not anger and hate, in dealing with each other here at home and with people in other nations.

During the Vietnam era, John Lennon's song Imagine pictured a world with no religion, no country, no possessions—nothing to live or die for, a Brotherhood of Man, living life in peace. It's a far out concept, and one that realistically, is never going to happen. But maybe what Neptune will bring will be a period where we can all at least imagine and hope for a time when "the world will live as one." Until then, until we have leaders who can envision that possibility, will it really matter who wins on Nov. 2?

7:32:41 PM      trackback [] 

A guide for the unobservant

Awhile back, M observed that we both tend to be fairly internal people. I’m not sure if he used that word, but essentially we tend to be more caught up in our own heads than observant of what’s going on around us. I said that that’s why taking a camera on my walks helps me, because then I’m looking around at things outside of me and observing, getting out of my head. I also told him about a travel writing course I took once where the main thing I took away was a set of tools for observing.

I’m kicking myself for losing my notes from that course, but here’s what I remember. Our instructor sent us off at lunchtime and afterwards with a list of things to come back with – like a treasure hunt. We brought our notebooks with us and we were to capture in it things like:

- 3 overheard conversations

- 3 things read

- 10 things seen

- 5 things heard

- 5 things smelled

- 5 things tasted

- 5 things felt

That sort of thing. We were also to purchase a stamp, a pen, a postcard – just to show us that we didn’t have to overpack when we travel – that almost anywhere you can buy things you need, like batteries and so on. When we came back to class, she had us free-write a story putting as many of the elements as we could into it. I remember I ended up with a pretty good little story.

You could change the list: add things remembered when observing (a little more “in the head,” but cuing off of observations) or metaphors suggested by things observed, change the numbers of items, etc. The main idea was to become more observant and to observe with all the senses, with detail.

Now to remember to do it…

6:03:25 PM      trackback [] 

Big showy blooms

Anyone know what these flowers are? I thought they were camellias, but from what I’ve been reading, camellias bloom in late fall and winter. It’s definitely August at it hottest and most humid (despite my mother’s persistent belief that it’s October: “I can’t remember it ever being this hot in October!” “It’s August, mum.” “August! Why do I keep thinking it’s October?” "I have no idea!”) Anyway, they’re big and showy like peonies, but I don’t think that’s what they are. Anyone?

Camellias remind me of a character named Camelia on the telenovela, Gata Salvaje, who had these incredible fake boobs that had about as much movement in them as a Barbie doll’s. She’s also on the currently ending Mariana de la Noche where, as on Gata Salvaje, the actress is consistently clothed in the tawdriest attire to flaunt those rock-hard ta-tas. There’s another actress who was also briefly on Mariana with fake boobs that my friend Carol suggested looked like L’Eggs cartons on her chest as she lay fake-dying on the ground in her Indian squaw outfit – yes, right out of Pocahontas. These telenovelas, besides often being ridiculous in general are also amazingly politically incorrect. The household servants are almost always dark-skinned and the protagonists light-skinned. And these “Indians” on Mariana were hilariously stylized – like this very white-looking “Indian” guy they had running around the selva in a loincloth spouting folk wisdom while Andean flutes played in the background. I’d say they couldn’t get away with that in the U.S., but last I looked the Cleveland Indians still have their smiling “Wahoo” Sambo look-alike and the Washington Redskins…? Don’t get me started.

How did I get off on this tangent?

5:04:16 PM      trackback []