Iz Time To Danz!!

 

Cat Vibing

Traditional

Biden Dept of Energy Appointees & Advocates For the West SDH

After a decade of (mostly) avoiding politics, I'm posting this one so I'll have it as a reference.

I've found it interesting how many URLs "disappear"...sort of like South American political dissenters. With that in mind I've copied the content of this URL. 

https://www.energy.gov/articles/department-energy-announces-new-senior-leaders

A question that occurs is: What were the credentials of the people replaced? Another is: Will the changes make any difference? An insider friend once pointed out: "It's the long-term bureaucrats in charge of the day-to-day operations that make the decisions."

If you watched the Advocates For the West Social Distancing Hour (SDH) webinar yesterday (27, January, 2021) evening, you saw/heard Tanya Henderson, Executive Director of The Western Slope Conservation Center, describe ten years of interaction with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) over a decision about public lands near Paonia, Colorado. The public has consistently expressed opposition to BLM's plans and the State of Colorado has filed lawsuits contesting BLM's proposed actions. When the final "Plan" was issued it was speculated it was dictated by someone "on high" as it included NONE of the suggestions, ideas or desires expressed (by locals) in the "scoping" sessions.

If you DIDN'T watch the video, it can be seen on The Advocates' YOUTUBE CHANNEL HERE. 

SDH stands for Social Distancing Hour.

The Western Slope Conservation Center, the small non-profit organization most closely involved (adverb before verb) with the decision-making process, has a 40-year history of "solutions-based" negotiation. With Advocates for the West's support, they have filed their first lawsuit to contest the BLM's decision (to open vast lands to oil & gas drilling).

I wonder...we've had SEVERAL administrations over the past ten years. Why, after ten years of input from citizens of the western slope -- the area south of Gunnison -- and with complete disregard for the wishes of The People -- did the BLM decide the way it did? Who made the decision? What were the concerns that influenced them?

It was interesting to watch Ms. Henderson describe the import of The Western Slope Conservation Center's decision to break with their "solutions-based" ethic and resort to legal action.  

It'll be interesting to see what influence, if any, the new appointees will have.

You youngsters may wanna put a note in yer Google calendar to check back in a decade or so.

 

Tarak Shah to Serve as Chief of Staff, David G. Huizenga to Serve as Acting (Interim) Secretary

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced new Biden-Harris Administration senior leadership appointees. These new leaders will direct policy at DOE, coordinate across the Administration, and enact President Joe Biden’s vision for bold action on the climate crisis and on safeguarding the Americans most affected by it. These experienced professionals reflect President Biden’s pledge to equip his Administration with a team that represents America’s diversity.

Tarak Shah will serve as Chief of Staff, becoming the first person of color, first Indian-American, and first openly LGBTQ person to serve in that position at DOE. (abt The Council On Environmental Quality - where Mr. Shah used to work - & what it does)

“These talented and diverse public servants will deliver on President Biden’s goal to tackle the climate crisis and build an equitable clean energy future,” said DOE Chief of Staff Tarak Shah (Linked in profile). “Guided by their expertise, breadth of experience, and following the science, these Department of Energy appointees will contribute to creating a clean energy economy that produces millions of good-paying American jobs and safeguards the planet for future generations.”

13.Aug.2024 Update on Tarak Shah.

Mr. Shah appears to be working as a Research Scientist at Human Rights Data Analysis Group (HRDAG)

Mr. Shah appears at 0:49 & 2:08 in this video about the Human Rights Data Analysis Group receiving the Rafto Foundation Prize in 2021.

-------- End Update on Tarak Shah -------------

In addition to the Biden-Harris appointees, David G. Huizenga will serve as Acting Secretary of Energy (pending Senate confirmation of Jennifer Granholm See: Granholm's book about her 2 terms as Governor of Michigan). Huizenga was most recently Associate Principal Deputy Administrator for the National Nuclear Security Administration and has been a career employee at DOE since 1987.

Biographies of the appointees are below in alphabetical order:

Full disclosure - I was raised to abhor prejudice be it racial or other...whatever that might mean. In most cases, mention of peoples' sexual orientation feels, to me, salacious. I mean, it's really only relevant, isn't it, if you want to date the person?

Shalanda H. Baker, Deputy Director for Energy Justice

Shalanda H. Baker was mostly recently a professor of law, public policy, and urban affairs at Northeastern University.

She was the co-founder and co-director of the Initiative for Energy Justice, which provides technical law and policy support to communities on the front lines of climate change. Baker served as an Air Force officer prior to her honorable discharge pursuant to the then existing “Don't Ask, Don't Tell” policy, and became a vocal advocate for repeal of the policy. She earned a B.S. in Political Science from the U.S. Air Force Academy, a J.D. from Northeastern University, and LL.M. (Latin: Legum Magister, Master of Laws) from the University of Wisconsin.

Vanessa Z. Chan, Director, Office of Technology Transitions (Chief Commercialization Officer)

Vanessa Z. Chan comes to the Biden-Harris Administration from the University of Pennsylvania where she was the Brassington Professor of Practice and the Undergraduate Chair of the Materials Science and Engineering Department. She has spent the past 20 years helping large companies commercialize their technologies and revamping the academic curriculum of engineering students to make a greater social impact. Chan earned her Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a B.S. in Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania.

Robert Cowin, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Engagement

Robert Cowin was most recently director of government affairs for the Climate & Energy program at the Union of Concerned Scientists. Prior to that, Cowin worked for the National Environmental Trust, where he helped organize national campaigns focused on climate change, clean energy, and clean air. He holds a master’s degree in international relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, and a B.A. from Boston College.

Tanya Das, Chief of Staff, Office of Science

Tanya Das was most recently a Professional Staff Member on the U.S. House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, where she worked on legislation on a range of issues in clean energy and manufacturing policy. She earned her Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and her B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

Christopher Davis, Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Energy

Christopher Davis served all eight years of the Obama Administration — first in the White House Office of Legislative Affairs and then in several senior roles at the Department of Energy. Prior to that, he worked for the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Reform and the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce. More recently, Davis worked with Co-Equal, a non-profit organization providing expertise and knowledge to Congress on oversight and legislation.

Ali Douraghy, Chief of Staff, Office of the Under Secretary for Science & Energy

Ali Douraghy was most recently Chief Strategy Officer for Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's Earth & Environmental Sciences Area. He led the New Voices program at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, which brings diverse leader perspectives into science policy. He received his Ph.D. in biomedical physics from the UCLA School of Medicine.

Caroline Grey, White House Liaison

Caroline Grey worked for Biden for President as Expansion States Director, managing distributed engagement in 33 states. Previously, she worked on the presidential campaign of Senator Elizabeth Warren. Grey started her career as an organizer for then-Senator Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign and worked on the 2012 Obama re-election campaign. She co-founded Civis Analytics, a data science firm.

Todd Kim, Deputy General Counsel for Litigation and Enforcement

Todd Kim most recently was a partner at Reed Smith LLP, and before that was the first Solicitor General for the District of Columbia, serving in that capacity more than 11 years. Kim graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law School, where he was an executive editor of the Harvard Law Review, and received his undergraduate degree magna cum laude in biology from Harvard College.

Jennifer Jean Kropke, Director of Energy Jobs

Jennifer Jean Kropke served as the first Director of Workforce and Environmental Engagement for IBEW Local Union 11 and the National Electrical Contractors’ Association-Los Angeles’ Labor Management Cooperation Committee. She focused on creating clean energy, port electrification, and zero emission transportation opportunities for union members. She is a graduate of the UCLA School of Law.

Andrew Light, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Affairs

Andrew Light has worked on international climate and energy policy in and outside of government for the last 15 years. From 2013 to 2016, he served as Senior Adviser and India Counselor to the U.S. Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Change, as well as a climate adviser in the Secretary of State's Office of Policy Planning. Light was an international climate and energy policy volunteer for the Biden campaign and was one of the chief architects of Governor Jay Inslee’s plan for global climate mobilization. He completed his undergraduate work at Mercer University and doctoral work at the University of California, Riverside with a three-year post-doctoral fellowship in environmental risk assessment at the University of Alberta.

David A. Mayorga, Director of Public Affairs

David A. Mayorga most recently served as Director of Communications for the Attorney General for the District of Columbia Karl A. Racine. Previously he was Senior Spokesperson for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and led communications for DOE’s Solar Energy Technologies Office. Mayorga, an immigrant and openly LGBTQ person, was the first in his immediate family to attend a four-year college. He earned a B.A. from the University of Florida and began his professional career at the U.S. House Committee on Science.

Shara Mohtadi, Chief of Staff, Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy

Shara Mohtadi has focused her career advising policymakers and international organizations on mitigating climate change and advancing clean energy policies. She most recently led the America’s Pledge initiative and managed grants focused on the coal to clean energy transition in Asia and Australia at Bloomberg Philanthropies. During the Obama Administration, Mohtadi served as an advisor for the energy and environment portfolio at the White House, in the Office of Management and Budget. She received her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Columbia University.

Ali Nouri, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs

Ali Nouri is a molecular biologist and most recently was the President of the Federation of American Scientists, which addresses global health and security risks. Prior to that, he served as a U.S. Senate staffer for a decade and served as an advisor in the office of then UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. Nouri obtained a B.A. in biology from Reed College and received his Ph.D. from Princeton University.

Tarak Shah, Chief of Staff

Tarak Shah is an energy policy expert who has spent the last decade working on combating climate change. At the Biden-Harris Transition, Shah was the Personnel lead for the Climate and Science team. From 2014-2017, he served as Chief of Staff to the Under Secretary for Science and Energy at DOE. Shah has also worked on political campaigns, including President Obama's Senate and presidential campaigns. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois and his M.B.A from Cornell University.

Kelly Speakes-Backman, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy

Kelly Speakes-Backman most recently served as the first CEO of the Energy Storage Association, the national trade organization for the energy storage industry. Speakes-Backman has spent more than 20 years working in energy and environmental issues in the public, NGO and private sectors. In 2019, she was honored by The Cleanie Awards as Woman of the Year.

Narayan Subramanian, Legal Advisor, Office of General Counsel

Narayan Subramanian was a Visiting Research Fellow at the Center for Law, Energy, & the Environment at Berkeley Law leading a project tracking regulatory rollbacks, and served as a Fellow at the Initiative for Sustainable Energy Policy at Johns Hopkins University and Data for Progress. Subramanian holds a J.D. from Columbia Law School, an M.P.A. from the School of Public & International Affairs at Princeton University, and a B.S. in Earth & Environmental Engineering from Columbia University.

Shuchi Talati, Chief of Staff, Office of Fossil Energy

Shuchi Talati was most recently a Senior Policy Advisor at Carbon180 where she focused on policies to build sustainable and equitable technological carbon removal at scale. She also served as a policy volunteer on the Biden-Harris campaign. Dr. Talati earned a B.S. from Northwestern University, an M.A. from Columbia University, and a Ph.D. from Carnegie Mellon University.

Jennifer Wilcox, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy

2018 Ted Talk

Jennifer Wilcox was most recently the Presidential Distinguished Professor of Chemical Engineering and Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania, and a Senior Fellow at the World Resources Institute. Wilcox's work examines the nexus of energy and the environment, developing strategies to minimize negative climate impacts associated with society's dependence on fossil fuels. Wilcox holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering and M.A. in Chemistry from the University of Arizona and B.A. in Mathematics from Wellesley College.

Ms. Wilcox's book, Carbon Capture

Springer; March 28, 2012

ISBN-13 : 978-1461422143

Avi Zevin, Deputy General Counsel for Energy Policy

Avi Zevin is an attorney with experience advancing policies that enable the provision of carbon-free, reliable, and cost-effective electricity. He was a senior attorney and Affiliated Scholar at the Institute for Policy Integrity at New York University School of Law and an attorney at Van Ness Feldman LLP. Zevin holds a J.D., magna cum laude, from New York University School of Law, an M.P.A. (Master in Public Administration) from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and a B.A., with high honors, from the University of California, Berkeley. 

SUGGESTED READINGS

What is the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change   (UNFCCC history)

Jay Inslee's, Governor of Washington (the state) Global Climate Mobilization Plan

Red Hot Maggie

Below is an account sent by a friend who, in those days, went by Red Hot Maggie. It's similar to what Denise told me about her experience and is what I've heard from workers whose companionship I've enjoyed. 

From: Red Hot Maggie

When I was in that profession, I began to close off from family as well. It's just that you don't have a whole lot to talk about with them. It's not something that you want to remind them of if they were to know because in most cases if they're not open-minded it's going to make them worry about you and question you and they will feel uncomfortable... 

In MY case, no one in my family did know. 

Then it becomes sort of one-sided and you want to know all about them, but then they want to know all about you and it's a little awkward and you're a little guarded. 

Still, because you knew what she did, I would have hoped that she would have more openly talked to you on a more frequent basis. 

I would have loved to have had someone close that I could talk to, because the strangest things would happen. When they would happen to any of us, all we could do is network with our hooker friends! What's really funny is when you tell your hooker friends what happened, a lot of them had similar stories - some even involving the same client! They basically become your huge, dysfunctional, mostly fun family if you're doing it right. You could go with being jealous of all of them and hateful if you were immature and stupid. Most of the young ones were like that. They acted like we were all out to get each other's money. It never made any sense to me why we couldn't get along. It's beneficial in so many ways. I would refer my clients to other people when they had a certain kind of kink or I wasn't available or maybe they just wanted to break. Your client should never feel that they can't see other people. That's what makes the world go round. Petty jealousy will ruin you in that profession and honestly there's no need for it.

When I had brain surgery, they all got together beforehand and did a fundraiser with a huge party and even I was included in raising the funds. All the girls were there that night and the guys could pick anyone there and when paid, the girls would donate a percentage toward the fund (some donated all! The guys would drop in money as well just as a gift) or, the guys could buy coupons to see us later at a discount rate. The coupons said that they were for a free vacuum on a vehicle so that the guy could carry it and not be suspicious if his wife found it in his wallet. We used the name and logo of a car wash and all that stuff. Also the rates were slightly discounted to attendees (all of the attendees had to be vouched for as regular customers to any one of those girls that were there because it was a special, gala event and we didn't want to mix in strangers and make it uncomfortable or get busted!) as an incentive. I had majorly generous gentlemen friends. So I had enough money to make it for a short time as I recovered. The house that I had back then had five bedrooms, so that worked out well! I lived in that big house all by myself.

In that profession, you don't have much of a net unless you have enough sense to save money and I was spending it like water. I didn't work constantly, it was all supply and demand! On average on a typical work day though, I would usually make at least $900 by seeing three clients I would space them far apart and give myself time to make everything fresh, like no one had ever been there before the next one. That's very, VERY important. You're providing a service to someone and they matter. They should never feel like they came after anyone else - no pun intended.

Sometimes I would get someone who wanted me to spend more time with them at a discounted rate but then they would usually tip me an insane amount of money. That was always really awesome. I never, ever asked, expected or made anyone feel obligated to tip. It was just icing on the cake if they did. we never ever discussed money. Protocol was to leave it in an envelope at designed spot, but don't hand it to me.

When I first started out at 150 an hour it was in Las Vegas just on a road trip with a friend. I remember stashing money in that room because you don't want to get caught with a bunch of money or condoms and you also don't want to get robbed. We would tear the hem out of the curtain and stuff money in there, or put it in the coffee filter cup of the coffee maker and crafty little places like that. Since we were first starting out and no one knew if we were legit (my friend had worked at for a while and knew the "ins and outs", but no one in Las Vegas knew who she was), we weren't requiring references which was risky, but we did have a buddy system and you have to start somewhere. I remember my very first client was a very hot, young, tattooed, bodybuilder kind of guy who called me back 2 hours after he got home just to tell me how incredible I was. I had never experienced anything like that before. It was life-changing. I was extremely self-conscious because I had a very flat chest and terrible stretch marks from having 10 lb kids. Luckily because of the profession, I was able to get that all taken care of over a long period of time of trying to save some and building some credit. I left Las Vegas with thousands of dollars and I didn't once gamble, except for what I was doing - a gamble in itself.

Overall, I saw a good guys. I had regulars and those guys are priceless.

There were a few bad ones mixed in, but I was never harmed. I was only shorted one time - when guy said he left the money in the car. I knew right then that I was never going to see that man again. Unless you have a big bad pimp which I don't even believe in doing - (if you're SMART you don't need one), you have to cut your losses in cases like that. This guy had past verified, but older references and I'd been doing it for a while. I warned everyone else because that's what we did. Networking.

Smart.

The chicks that gave me the referrals were shocked. One other chick chimed in that she saw him and he did the same thing and she didn't report it and then she felt like a heel. Two little too late chica. Some of the girls were on drugs and irresponsible as hell. You quickly learn who you can and can't trust.

Anyway, because I reported him to the girls I stopped the madness and he probably started seeing girls that weren't so together and didn't Network and didn't require a references by picking them up off the streets. I hope his dick rots off.

I wish I would have had enough sense to save money back then.

There was an online forum where we all congregated. We texted and called each other too. It was friendly. We networked a lot and this was to be able to keep us all safe. If a client wanted to see me I always made them vouch for themselves by giving me references. I checked those references. Most girls did this. My friend (that is no longer a friend for numerous reasons, one being that she was a psychopath) taught me well. Some of the girls flew by the seat of their pants worked any and all hours depriving themselves of a decent night's sleep and did not check references I imagine those girls also never made the client wear a condom. They wouldn't say that of course because it was very frowned upon, but you just get to a point where you know the type. Everyone has a type. 

Like your sister, I enjoyed what I did back then and I ran a clean, safe, professional, reliable business but I never deprived myself of sleep when I needed it. When I first started out, I was seeing five or six people a day and it exhausted me fast. At that point I was working out of a motel. Best Western, wahoo! With the in between breaks to refresh and clean up the place and myself, and taking a food break about midway, I was pulling 14 to 16 hour days. Back then I only charged $150 an hour so I upped my rate and things began to level out. What you charge basically defines what kind of clients you end up with. At first a lot of them are really nice but there were some really strange ones in there and I had to run one off that showed up stinky as hell and hadn't combed his hair even. I think he was on meth. He did have references though. I just wouldn't let him in the door and I point blank told him he stunk. When I upped my rates the nice gentlemen still came to see me. It weeded out a lot of the skanks. If someone would ask me to do it for less I would find it to be a little bit offensive, but if it was worded right and the guy was a gentleman and hard pressed for cash because the wife controlled the finances or what have you, I would allow it now and then.

I never mind talking about this stuff. If you have anything you want to ask me ask away. You may not be too curious about it, but just don't think I'm a closed book when it comes to discussing things like this. 

My note (below) that prompted the above...

Thank you for your kind note. I'm fine....and now laughing at the Barbie cartoon (at top of this post).

Your experience sounds pretty much identical to Denise's. But our lives took such different directions and kept us busy so it wasn't as if we were estranged...we were just busy.

After I left home (at 15) I never really went back. The first few years I visited a few months over the winter and worked, but as I got older I made friends with folks in other cities and was able to go there instead. I was idolized by Denise and we had an amazingly psychic connection, but the age difference was pretty great (8 years is a lot when you're young, you know) and when they went off to Hawai'i, I when to Idaho. 

Our Dad being German and from an upper-class family, we were raised in that tradition. My mom's family was Dutch and though they were Catholic, she was an amazing sensualist. Her dad was a surgeon at Fort Bayard, the military post just down the street from Silver City. He had a huge car -- we have pictures -- that Mom said he kept so clean you could've eaten off the engine.

Mom's mom was a nurse who was part of the 1st class of RNs that graduated from Vanderbilt University (Nashville, TN, 1903). I'm not sure how they met, but my mom was around 3 and her brother 7 when they moved to Fort Bayard. It was an idyllic time and imbued their life-long affection for the Southwest. 

Mom had real artistic talent and after highschool went off to the Art Institute of Chicago. She'd taken the train to New York to see the sights and was a fantastic dancer, as was my dad. They met at one of the USO bashes the military used to coordinate in those days; they married two weeks later.

From Mom's description, the next 8 years were a dream. My dad had done such a good job as a double-agent they "gave" him the Wagner home in Bayreuth (Germany) to live in. The house came with a car, chauffeur, cook, gardener and maid. I suspect he was at risk for assassination as they, the military, moved them around constantly. They enjoyed the travel though and, I think, got to some wonderful places, including Paris.

Dad was into photography and as a child I remember seeing the movies he made (before I was born) of them skiing in the Swiss Alps. It was so warm the women took off their tops. They had their bras on in the films, but I suspect when the camera wasn't running, those too came off.

It wasn't until I was around 6 or 7 that I was allowed to eat at the dining table. We always had wine with dinner and the custom continued when we returned to the States. It helped Mom relax after a day at work and eased the stress of the divorce. But we were also taught moderation and that drunkenness was vulgar. Proper decorum and behavior was expected, but -- and I'm not sure how we picked this up -- morals, other than honesty and doing a good job, weren't dictated.

Mom was a wonderfully loving and generous person who lived by the Golden Rule. An executive secretary with Holiday Inns, she hobnobbed with the upper-echelon and would often invite performers and visiting Directors of other Inns to our house for dinner. But she let us find our own way in deciding right from wrong. And through her tales about fasching -- the German tradition of pre-lenten Carnival and her comment that she thought our dad never spent a night alone -- she conveyed that sex was something to be enjoyed and never "wrong."

When she died and Bob, Denise's husband, kinda lost his sugar-momma, he divorced her and she was left high and dry. 

Having co-signed Mom's 2nd mortgage a few days before she died (so she could buy out her room-mate), I inherited the house...and mortgage. One El and I were in the process of separating and I had recently been laid off from the University. It was all I could do to keep my own head above water. Denise disappeared into the city.

When she resurfaced she was working with a woman who screened her calls. They had a good partnership and I think they worked together for many years. Denise had inherited our mom's talent and drew beautifully. I took her down to the University Art Department once to give her a feel for the scene, but I think she enjoyed her work so much -- she said she really enjoyed being eaten -- school must've seemed like too much of a bother.

A couple of times over the years I got calls from alcohol detox centers asking if I knew where she was. Apparently, each time, she checked herself in and then left without telling them.

When I saw her last she was getting new dentures and in addition to money for rent, needed some for the dental work.

The little she shared about her clients sounded very similar to your description. I got the impression she had good relationships with a number of them and they appreciated her non-judgmental willingness to satisfy their proclivities. And, unlike my brother who sucks off the military-industrial teat, I was/am truly proud of Denise. 

Denise

This is a blog, a weB-Log. As my memory continues to recede, I find myself turning to it more frequently.

My brother and his family have grown increasingly distant so when I got his email on 3, Dec, saying our sister had died, figuring Eric wouldn't think of it, I wrote to Judith, our sister in Bad Kreuznach, Germany, where Denise was born. Judith wrote back asking how old Denise was. This morning I woke wondering if I'd ever replied. I had, and decided to include it here as well.

The River Nahe

4, Dec, 2020

Good Morning, Sweetheart,

It's  a little past 8:00 in the morning and I'm about to make my second pot of coffee.

Denise was eight years younger than me; her 60th birthday was 1, August. 

She had a rough life. She was only two years old

when we came back from Germany. Mom had the flu while she was

pregnant with Denise and said she thought that affected Denise's health.

Denise always had problems with her teeth; I'm not sure what KIND of problems,

but I think some had to be taken out because they came in sideways or something.

In 1968 we moved from Nashville, Tennessee to El Paso, Texas where Mom befriended Bob Cohn,

a young musician who was playing at the Holiday Inn where she worked. I'd gone back to Nashville

to find work and Mom let him stay in my room. Denise fell in love with him and at age 14

she left to travel with him. Eventually they married.

For the first several years Denise did nothing but sit in the audience and drink.

It was during that time that she became addicted to alcohol.

Throughout the years, Mom had been helping Bob and Denise financially. When Mom died

they owed her $2,000.00. I don't think anyone expected them to pay it back, but Bob divorced

Denise and married a woman who had more money. No one ever mentioned the $2,000 again.

Denise had no source of income and I was preoccupied with my own troubles at the time. 

Denise, who'd always enjoyed sex, became a prostitute.

She worked at that for -- as far as I know -- the rest of her life.

I went to see her once when she was around 50. She said she enjoyed her

work and liked giving and receiving pleasure. But she was drinking a lot

and had been anorexic since she was in her teens and the stomach acid

from throwing up had ruined her teeth. She also lost so much calcium from

her bones she had osteoporosis and, as a result, couldn't stand up straight.

A week or so after we saw each other she called and said she needed money for rent. I took her some and told

her I had had to borrow it from my VISA and if there was any way she could pay it back I'd really appreciate it.

A friend of hers called soon thereafter and told me she thought Denise had become a criminal...that she just

took whatever she could from whomever. It was her way of letting me know I shouldn't expect Denise to pay me back. 

I never heard from Denise again. 

I know she tried a couple of times to get off the alcohol but couldn't do it. A year or so ago I looked her up online and

saw she'd moved to Pennsylvania. 

I was saddened by her not having kept in touch. We had a very close relationship and she was one of the few

people who really understood me. I loved her a lot and her death, although probably a mercy for her, has affected

me deeply. I feel sad I wasn't able to do more for her, but -- like all of us Herrmanns -- she had a mind of her own.

              Love You !!!

                             Michael

Judo & Archery

Gracie Barra's dojo has been around for decades. As it happens, we pass nearby every day on our way to Michelle's 7x/week cat-sit. Though I enjoyed the karate I studied, I no longer have the stamina, even if they WERE holding class (covid preempted). But the ranolazine Dr. Marin, my cardiologist, recently prescribed has boosted my energy such that I called Barra's and set up an intro session for this past Wednesday.

Desktop Tableau

I was pleasantly surprised to discover I'm not dead yet. Chaz, a brown belt, was considerate of my condition and took me through a half-hour of light calisthenics and stretches followed by a tutorial in a basic rear-ward fall and recovery. Though a tad over-tired through the afternoon, I was encouraged enough to call today, Friday, to ask about further instruction. 

Instead of waiting at the 7x cat-sit, I've been going to the indoor archery range every few days. It's close enough to the client's home I can get in a half-hour of practice and return within the allotted time. 

A few days ago we bought a pair of rackets similar to those used in pickleball; we call it Swat & Fetch. Though neither of us can hit the wiffle ball straight, let alone "back," (thus the name), sisyphean artists that we are, it seems perfectly natural to watch the ball fly off at tangentials (from the intended direction) and then "rest" while the other waddles to retrieve. 

Ever curious about trajectory each time we "swat," there's a Zen-esque quality to the wait while the other completes the amble-of-retrieve. The game could only appeal to imbeciles. Fortunately, that's us! (Besides, "exercise," as any aesthete will tell you, is an expletive.)  

We achieved a milestone when we sold Michelle's lightbox (used 30 years ago in making her serigraphs) through Craigslist. Artists, as everyone knows, NEVER part with something that MIGHT be used again...someday. But after 30 years Michelle decided its time had come. As luck would have it, a young woman who works at a silk-screen shop had just bought a house and was setting up a fine art studio in her new home. The box, beautifully crafted in wood by Michelle's mom's former husband, found the perfect new home.

I have yet to find an instructor, but am having a great time noodling around on my Excelsior accordiana. (See: Accordion Concentration)

Churminz (Germans)

It was 1968 and I was 15 when we moved from Nashville, Tennessee to El Paso, Texas. The 2nd day I was there a neighbor girl took me to score some pot at the local burger drive-in. I'd never seen so much pot before and was so dumbfounded I just stood there with it in my hand. Fortunately, the guy that'd accompanied us said, "Put it down your pants." 

While I stayed out 'til 2 or 3 in the morning, hanging with new-found friends, my brother, four years younger, got a paper route and bought a Yamaha 100. We were there less than a year when my Mom was transferred to Hawai'i. Instead of going with them, I went north into the wilds of Idaho's Salmon River Wilderness. 

Now, decades later, Eric travels the world schmoozing for multi-million-dollar contracts for his military-industrial complex-related corporation based in Austin, Texas. He was part of an eight-man team that, during one of the Bush administrations, met in Brussels to develop the shield that would protect America from ICBMs from Russia and/or China. Our formative years were as different as night and day but we have similar mannerisms, proclivities and are equally anal-retentive, a trait Germans have raised to a penultimate level.

I've been reading Evenings With Horowitz: A Personal Portrait, a biography of Vladimir Horowitz by David Dubal. I laughed aloud as they articulated the distinctiveness of the (alleged) Teutonic mind.

Years ago, back when I had a calendar and TO DO list, I invented the footnote; it's a task, written on an 8 and a half by 11 sheet that's placed on the floor; the path between the kitchen and the bathroom is best. 

What can I say? It's genetic.

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse

A couple of weeks ago I found a British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) podcast among the comments on The Weaver's blogpost that was a link to a podcast of the author reading his book. (link to book on amazon) The podcast was only available for about a month and now it's gone.

Charlie Mackesy is GQ's Maddox Gallery

Artist of the Year

Mackesey's website.

My fav.

Cleaning Up & the I Ching

There's only so much one can do, but not leaving a mess feels like a good idea. My bookcase holds all manner of stuff and such, but the books need to be donated or sold. This morning I found the I Ching, a purported fav of Carl Jung.

It gave:  Hsien - #31 - Influence (wooing)

Image borrowed from THIS site

(Text copied from Wilhelm/Baynes, Princeton Univ Press, 1950 & 1967)

The Sequence

After there are heaven and earth, there are the individual things.

After individual things have come into being there are the two sexes.

After there are male and female, there is the relationship between husband and wife.

After the relationship between husband and wife exists, there is the relationship between father and son.

After the relationship between father and son exists, there is the relationship between prince and servitor.

After the relationship between prince and servitor exists, there is the difference between superior and inferior.

After the difference between superior and inferior exists, the rules of propriety and right can operate.

Miscellaneous Notes

INFLUENCE fulfills itself quickly.

THE JUDGEMENT

INFLUENCE. Success.

Perseverance furthers

To take a maiden to wife brings good fortune.

Commentary on the Decision

INFLUENCE means stimulation. The weak is above, the strong below. The forces of the two stimulate and respond to each other, so they unite.

           Keeping Still and joyousness. The masculine subordinates itself to the feminine. Hence it is said: "Success. Perseverance furthers. To take a maiden to wife brings good fortune."

            Heaven and earth stimulate each other and all things take shape and come into being. The holy man stimulates the hearts of men, and the world attains peace and rest. If we contemplate the out-going stimulating influences, we can know the nature of heaven and earth and all beings.

Hsien differs from the character kan, "to stimulate," in that the heart is not a constituent part of it, as it is of the latter. Hence it represents an influence that is unconscious and involuntary, not one that is conscious and willed. It is a matter of objective relationships of a general kind, not those of a subjective, individual character.

The "weak above" is the trigram Tui, the youngest daughter; its attribute is joyousness, its image is the lake. The "strong below" is Kên, the youngest son; its attribute is keeping still, its image is the mountain.

The explanation of the Judgement is based on the organization of the hexagram (the weak element above, the strong below), the attributes, and the symbols (the youngest son, the youngest daughter).

THE IMAGE

A lake on a mountain:

The image of INFLUENCE.

Thus the superior man encourages people to approach him

By his readiness to receive them.*

The mountain lake gives of its moisture to the mountain; the mountain collects clouds, which feed the lake. Thus their forces have a reciprocal influence. The relation of the two images shows how this influence comes about: it is only when a mountain is empty at its summit, that is, deepened into a hollow, that a lake can form. Thus the superior man receives people by virtue of emptiness. The superior man is compared to the mountain, the people to the lake. The relation is formed through the initiative of the mountain, the superior man. 

*Literally, "Thus the superior man receives people by virtue of emptiness."

Yeah, Yeah. Maybe They'll Notice the Cowed-Out Conditions of Public Lands

This note came from Senator Heinrich today....

Dear Friend,

The livelihoods of people of color have long been rooted in the outdoors, but they haven't always had equitable access to public lands. I am proud that New Mexico outdoor equity advocates and community leaders are leading the way in breaking down some of these barriers with our state's first-of-its-kind Outdoor Equity Fund, which provides grant funding to nonprofits, local governments, and Tribes to purchase recreation equipment and cover the costs of transportation to access public lands and outdoor places.

This week, I welcomed the launch of Outdoor F.U.T.U.R.E., a national outdoor equity initiative created by Black, Indigenous, and leaders of color from states and organizations across the country. This coalition of racially and ethnically diverse organizations is leading a national initiative to transform the face of the great outdoors, and help me introduce national outdoor equity legislation to make our parks and public lands places that everyone can enjoy. I encourage you to read more about this exciting initiative in the article below from Backpacker.

I strongly believe that we must devote real resources to expanding opportunities for those in communities who have been historically excluded and ensure we are supporting the next generation of stewards of our air, land, water and wildlife.

Sincerely,

MARTIN HEINRICH
United States Senator

Here's a link to the Backpacker article Senator Heinrich mentions.

I DID sign up for their newsletter, but I escheeewWWWW!!! instagram.

An article about the importance of the out-of-doors...

https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/reports/2020/07/21/487787/the-nature-gap/

It's A Small World

I was fueling up at the Sinclair when I noticed the sign on the truck on the other side of the aisle: Torrey House Press. 

It was the first day of the Bluff Arts Festival and Torrey publishes some of the work by local authors. A recording of one who'd commuted from Bluff to Salt Lake City every week to do a radio show was presented at the sunset readings. She died not long ago, but her husband still lets the public access the land along the San Juan River, the land where we all gathered to hear her and the other presenters.  

Having cut my marketing teeth in publishing I went over to say howdy. It turned out Mark Bailey, co-founder of The Press, is also on the board of Western Watersheds Project.

One of the presentations that year, given by Mark, was on the Dark Sky Movement. He told how Torrey had converted all their street lights so they wouldn't affect the dark and how the town had become a Dark Sky destination. He told of the incredible telescope he'd inherited from his dad (mentioned in this blog) and how folks now come from far and wide to look through it.

But if you read this blog, his latest, you'll get a sense of what Gustave Speth wrote about in his book Angels By the River.

It's surprising isn't it though, how little we sometimes know of each other?

Speth's *Angels By the River*

This sorta follows on the prev post.

Convinced that my time had run out and that I'm likely tuh drop at any moment, I ramped up my readings by and about folks who I thought might offer insights. Our culture, lacking in so many ways, offers even less in: how tuh die.

I think it was in Muraresku's The Immortality Key (The 1st half is interesting with many references to archeological sites, but then devolves into the history of christianity.) that I saw mention of Speth. I got his memoir and in the last chapter he gets specific. Herewith...

Cameron is his spouse.

For those who haven't indulged, allow me to commend Maslow to you. His stuff is, nowadays, kinda olde hat, but if you haven't read it, it fits nicely against the scientific dichotomies THEY so enjoy. (Maslow seemed to know that if you watch the experiment it skews the results. It took the scientists a bunch more years to prove it.)And his Religions, values, and peak experiences dovetails with the resurging interest in entheogens.

Setting The Bar - Daniel Suelo

Another eccentric dragon, no doubt.

Video of his camper test-run. (Same as below)

      

His blog 

Another one: http://livingwithoutmoney.org/

Heidemarie's story: https://toughnickel.com/personal-finance/Psychotherapist-Heidemarie-Schwermer-Lived-for-Over-20-Years-Without-Money

Laura Cunningham - A State Of Change

 Laura Cunningham is Western Watersheds Project's California Director. 

Her book, now out of print, A State of Change: Forgotten Landscapes of California, is the culmination of over 20 years of research into what the state may have looked like before The Incursion (BTI).

Published in 2010, the book is illustrated with MANY of her exquisite oil paintings.  

The webinar was hosted (January 6, 2021) by the Mount Diablo Interpretive Association.

Counting Sheep - Rerun

I just noticed we passed into a new year. I picked up some shooting muffs the other day so missed out on the transitional festivities. 

The authorities HAVE managed to reduce the BLAMMING. This IS The West and back in the days of yore (the 1970s) it was quite the fest. Perhaps it was the photo of the bullet stuck, point first, in the roof of the police car that gave them pause for thought. (Thought? Who am I kidding?)

But there's not much happening here. The elder-cat adoption folks have a donor in the wings who's willing to pay cash for a facility. They want 4,000 to 6,000 square feet; enough to have the thrift shop next door. 

The Archery Shoppe only charges $4.00 for half an hour use of the range. What with other archers shooting nearby and folks browsing the stuff, the noise runs me off after about that long.

But about those sheep. A look back at the year's musings prompted this repost. Something about the way things went this last year felt like we shifted dangerously close to forced homogenization.

So, anyway, Happy New Year! (better eventually than never, eh?)

https://newmexnomad.blogspot.com/2019/10/to-sheep-or-not-to-sheep.html

Accordion Concentration

A picture can be worth even MORE than a thousand words.

Hero Midget

Several years in a row Ms. Cook gave me Hero Midgets for Solstice (diff colors!). Once, in an effort at finding instruction, I attended the local gathering of accordionists; a bunch of elders it turned out, playing, at the time, Christmas carols. They derisively dismissed the Midget as a child's toy, not EVEN an instrument. Unperturbed, I practiced while driving, mostly at red lights, but often when traffic was sparse, while steering with my knees. Eventually I worked out Ms. Cook's ovarial ode to cats -- C.O.R. (Cat Odor Review). 

The song's title warrants an explanation: Early in our relationship, Ms. Cook's bias inspired me to compose songs to her cat and mine, Sophie, a tabby that moved in with me after my Mom died. (Having co-signed her 2nd mortgage to enable her to buy out her roommate, I inherited the house when, three days later, she died of a heart attack.) 

In her inimitable and discerning way, Ms. Cook had noticed that cats use pee-mail instead of email. And as you've no doubt noticed, the first thing a cat does when it steps outside is sniff at nearby plants...checking their pee-mail. 

Gary Larson (artist)

Of course, cat communiques are FAR more than Facebook-esque trivia. Since most are mergers-and-acquisitions specialists well-versed in hostile takeovers and similar entertainments, their pee-mails contain exclusive content similar to that found in peer-reviewed publications such as The Yale Law Journal, Bloomsbury Review and The Oxford Review of Economic Policy. But it's all conveyed in the ODORS. Thus, the name.

Suitable For ALL Occasions

(That's me on the HERO at the end)

After years of searching for a small instrument that would travel well, I found this full-size one on Craigslist for $300.00. It being in better condition than any other I've seen for the price, I figure I'll jettison something in order to fit it into Phoebe.

Concentrating

And check out the snazzy cap-toe Kenneth Coles I picked up for 10 bucks at a local thrift.

And then there's this....from The Accordionists Forum

Lorna Anderson - Dark Eyes

1957 Miss America Pageant

Lorna Anderson - Penny Lane Tribute

June 5, 2010  (age 71)