Diff Strokes

The following was prompted by a video on Rolling Steel Tent's blog. Below is the COMMENT I made in response to the video. Later, I added a few afterthots.



COMMENT (made on RST's blog):

Interesting...and look (below) at what it inspired!


I have yet to check out her (Kelly Doyle) prev vid, but what strikes me is how much time she's spending in "nature" in L.A. whether it be the beach, dog parks or where Sophie can be off-leash.

Maybe in her other vid she mentions the incredible exhibits at LACMA or MOCA. Does she mention Bergamot Station, the San Pedro area where you can wander around the docks and boats, or the INCREDIBLE Buddhist temple (I think this is the one, it's been a couple of decades.), one of the most ornate in the western hemisphere, right in the center of downtown L.A.?

(In 2006, prior to going nomadic, I made a trip to L.A. to see Gregory Colbert's Nomadic Museum exhibit Ashes and Snow - Wiki article;   Ashes and Snow - video)


I go to L.A. and other cities for their cultural offerings. But I don't find rollerbladers, surfers, squalling children, the immense cacophony of innumerable cars and planes or the fact it CAN take 45 minutes to go 7 miles or having to move three times a day energy-inspiring.

I've been around Tucson for almost a month. While here (camping in the Mt. Wrightson Wilderness and at various places on State Trust Land) I've attended several meetings of the Tucson Psychedelic Society and one of the Ayahuasca group. I've investigated the MANY alternative and BDSM groups and am looking forward to seeing their venues and perhaps attending some get-togethers.

I saw the Zoppe Family Circus, an olde-world circus from Italy that was started in 1842.

I've seen the Richard Avedon show at the Center for Creative Photography (always free) and attended several concerts (also free) at the Fred Fox School of Music that were offered as part of a weeks-long festival. I spent an incredible hour (it was overwhelming and all I could take) at the world-renowned gem show. The whole time I've been here I've been phoning physicians, chiropractors, my primary physician in Albuquerque and my attorney to try and get treatment for the whiplash and help with making sure I wasn't liable for the $3,247.22 emergency room bill that came after the accident on December 22 (while descending from Jerome, AZ).

In between the above I made a run out to Kofa National Wildlife Refuge to avoid the snow that fell in Tuscon a few weeks ago.

At the end of this month Flam Chen, a Cirque-style group that performs around the world but based in Tucson, will perform Octopus Heart, their most recent.

Last time I was here I visited the Zen Archery dojo and video-taped segments of the class. See:  https://uakyudo.wixsite.com/azkyudo  (See blogpost Jan 24, 2016)

At age 67, and after the accident last December, I'm not as able to get up and go. But truth be told, I've NEVER enjoyed racing to the goal. I'm a process-oriented guy and have most recently (last five years) been attracted to Tantra for its (generally) slow pace and focus. I rarely meet other folks who give attention to the cultural goings on or even, when in the wilds, the things going on around them.

It takes all kinds, and I've seen some incredible art in L.A., but a good conversation about cats, art or the art of love-making; a butterfly going by, coyotes howling, the unbelievable smell of the innumerable flowers as you descend into Death Valley in the evening when they give forth with their scent; the distant sound of a stream renewed by a recent snow, the sparkle of light on water, the LACK of overflight noise or anyone else's voice; a tarantula, (OMG!) a coatmundi...or a bear; all combine to give ME energy.

It's my impression if you're in the company of your dog (NOW where'd it go?), peddling your bike (watch out for that rock!), or "hiking" to the top of the hill (the top!), you're missing the small bones in that scat; the one-and-only of its kind flower in the area, the pleasure of an amble to simply "go see."

I always enjoyed One El's reply when I'd call and ask, "What're you doing?" "Nothing" she'd say.

And I'm getting better at it all the time.

(If you look back at my blogposts over the last month (years) you'll see some amazing places, people, food and art. I don't know about other people, but I enjoy my own company. And I sure as hell ain't jus' sittin' around (as Ms. Doyle suggests at 3:42 in her vid).

And just for the record, I rarely have a fire. I've seen what they can do when they get loose. But when I/we do, we'll often sing C.O.R.....or practice Lokita & Steve Carter's The Breath of Tantric Love, both of which are quite energizing!