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Pepper and I nearly met five years ago when I was racing eastward enroute to a crisis in Albuquerque. I waited at the crossroads for an hour (near Gila Bend, maybe?) but we'd gotten our times mixed up. 

A couple of months ago we got to meet in Albuquerque when she made a special trip from Farmington. 

https://littlehouseonwheelschptr2.blogspot.com/

She's an intrepid non-pareil; there's no telling what she'll do next. You may wanna check in now and then to see what she's come up with.

Only For Me - Saguaro Ntl Pk East

A short drive from her house.

In the middle of the trail!

(owl pellet?)

It was crowded at The Pass

West shoulder

Asleep standing, enMasked, of course

For Posteriority

Over the years I've some places that I use as layovers when enroute from here to there. And though I sometimes camp in the same spot or nearby, I like to explore around each time to see what else there is. Don't you?

This time, just fifteen minutes from the previous night's camp, I wandered into an area rife with diversity: granite outcrops, plants untold, birds, including a red-tail hawk and, after sunset, an owl.

Although this is SO "typical, boring-blog photo," I took it to remind me that this is cat-claw country, a cousin of the African "wait-a-bit." AND, there are several kinds of yucca. In the right foreground you can see a Multi-stalk and in the left middle-ground a Giraffe-esque Yucca. And there, center-stage, trying not to look too proud, is a Scrub Oak. There're some cool stacked rocks out there too.

HOLES!!

Interesting growth on either side of a crack

Closeup of interesting growth on either....

Fossil Labia

You just never know what's around the next bend.

Gaelynn Lea

 

Sexuality and Disability

You may want to turn on CLOSED CAPTIONING.

It's the small rectangle to the right under the video with CC in it. 

The Long Way Around

Lyrics

When two souls meet
And the whole world feels new
Shared moments sweet
All colors bright and true
And there is laughter
And there are good things growing everywhere
And I’m happy to be in this place with you
And I’m happy to be in this place

You let it out
You laid it all across the table
What’s this about?
And you’re making me unstable
And I don’t want to go down this road with you
No I don’t want to go down this road

I want to go
But I can’t, and I won’t
I’ll learn to sew
Up the wounds that I broke
Open with you
‘Cause I knew, and I chose
And I don’t feel at home in this world anymore
No don’t feel at home in this world

We rein it in
And there is better understanding
Nobody wins
When there is flight without the landing
And we learn
To keep our hearts in time
Try not to burn
The careful ties that bind us together
And I’m taking the long way around with you
I’m taking the long way around
And I’m happy to be in this place with you
And I’m taking the long way around

credits

released September 27, 2019
Gaelynn Lea: Violin / Vocals / Lyrics / Music
Alan Sparhawk: Baritone Guitar
Charlie Parr: Resonator Guitar
Jeremy Ylvisaker: Electric Guitar
David Mehling: Electric Guitar / Harmonium / Piano
Jason McGlone: Synthesizer

Recorded & Edited by Jake Larson at Sacred Heart Music Studio in Duluth, MN
Edited & Mixed by Tucker Martine at Flora Recording & Playback in Portland, OR
Mastered by Robert Hadley at Hadley Mastering in Los Angeles, CA

Executive Producer: Harrison Reiner

license

all rights reserved

Tucson Ho!

I'm taking some art supplies to NONEATALL in Cottonwood, Arizona. 

Easel For Rie

On the way I'll visit with Rex & Robin.

Then it's on to Tucson. Due to Covid, Desert Dominion is still not holding in-person events, but I hope to get a tour of their facility. 

I'm also carrying a set of the Zadrozny (Zuh-drohj-nee) wands, the sound-healing device developed by Andy Zadrozny, former bassist for the Seattle Symphony Orchestra. I hope to find some connections among the alternative-therapy community that will result in sales of the wands and his sound-healing table. 

The wands are silicone-encased transducers that impart tones and/or sound waves into a person's body. Amazingly, this can ease or relieve muscle and nerve pain and, when placed appropriately, induce orgasm (in females).

A video in which Andy talks about the origins of his interest. For more information, contact Andy at 206-748-0153.

Michelle painted my walking stick.

That's Michelle's serigraph Raised In Captivity above my left shoulder. Warhol and other American serigraphers typically used 6 to 10 colors; Michelle often used over 40. For a number of years after she graduated her work was shown to other students at the University of New Mexico as an example of what is possible.

For The Record

As a result of the recent election, several bloggers and friends expressed renewed hope. Below is my response. 

All well and good to hope, but the closeness of the election shows a nation greatly divided in its ideals.

Regardless of who is president, the fact that we the people have such differing -- and almost equally divided -- opinions about the direction of our future does not portend well. I think we do ourselves a disservice to think so simplistically....that a different president will make that much difference. The fact Donald Trump even attained office should be a major warning signal, but the fact that everyone believes The President is actually responsible, points up how little we realize there are HUGE machinations that go on behind the scenes...and his actions have to be ratified.

We can hope a new president may be able to make some positive changes, but he will not be able to neutralize the avarice and strivings toward power that are motivating many others throughout the world. The Chinese are only BEGINNING to come into the 21st century (see: Three Gorges Dam); and they've done it in less than 15 years. As they continue to leave us farther in the dust Americans will have increasingly little impact on the economies they, the Chinese, will come to control.

With the threat of nuclear proliferation increasingly real, our military can no longer be relied on as a deterrent. And we've shown our own hand to be one based in our own imperialist self-interests too many times for people to take our claims of "promoting democracy" seriously any longer.

Biden and Harris may have won, but I'm afraid we, as a country, have lost. It will take more than a new president to keep us on the playing field, let alone compete. You can hope all you want, but if you listen to what's being said (by folks from around the globe) at the Rim of The Grand Canyon, at Bryce, at MOMA San Francisco, people are dissing us for our provincialism. Not that they don't have problems of their own, but on top of the stupid presidents, it is the condescending attitude of America toward the rest of the world that has fostered the enmity toward us. We need to focus on cleaning up our own house, but, unfortunately, the world isn't going to stop and wait for us. And increasingly that means we're just going to fall farther behind. I blame our education system; and the fact that we've been unwilling to do anything about it has served the interests of those who can just go elsewhere. 

A Challenge!

Challenge Transcendent!

And lastly, this sent from Brewed Journey (The Atlantic abt Peter Turchin), a blogger/reader. (Thanks, John!)

Medical Billing - A WONDERFUL Day In the Neighborhood

Today, quite by accident, I discovered Dr. Khoo, the cardiologist I met with back in July, had put in an order with Presbyterian Hospital for two CT scans, one for my chest and another for my abdomen and pelvis. 

(You wouldn't BELIEVE the enmity its leaves inspire in the next-door-neighbor.)

It seems Presbyterian's protocol is grounded in patient initiative; they wait to hear from them.  Somehow I'd missed the point (more likely I forgot) that Dr. Khoo had ordered the scans. My call today -- about a billing question -- was answered by a woman who asked if I was still interested in getting the scans.

After several calls to different departments, I learned the order (for the scans) was good until November of 2021 and I needed to have blood work done in advance. I called Dr. Khoo's office and they said they'd fax over an order (to the lab) for the bloodwork right away.  

Concerned about the cost, I'd acquired the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes and armed with those was in a position - assuming everyone used the same codes -- to learn how much more in debt I might wanna go. 

Then someone mentioned I might qualify for Presbyterian's financial assistance. BUT, Radiology Associates (R.A.) ALSO does CT scans and not only do they do them cheaper but since they do the reading (interpretation) for Presbyterian's scans, if I had R.A. do the scans I'd only get one bill. (This tidbit was delivered with such enthusiasm you'd think it was right up there with an absolution!)

A call to Presbyterian's Advocacy Center (financial assistance) gave me to hope I'd be eligible for 100% financial assistance EXCEPT for Radiology Associate's readings. This necessitated another call to R.A. to find out what they charge for reading sans scanning. (R.A., I was informed, does NOT offer financial assistance.)

I can apply to Presbyterian for financial assistance by having the forms mailed, completing them and mailing them back (takes longer), downloading a pdf and mailing it in (printer ink is INCREDIBLY expensive!) or I can apply online through an automated application process.

I scheduled the scans at Pres (as it's locally known) for Saturday at 2pm.

I've been on the phone for 2 hours and 47 minutes. It's a wonderful day in the neighborhood!

Oh, and guess what? The heart attack was March 8. This week Santa Cruz hospital called to let me know there's ANOTHER $500.00 owed. It took this long for the bill to float to the surface. You can't AFFORD a heart attack.