Phew, Dawgies! Tha's Some Potent Stuff!

It's supposedly clinical-grade and it is very smooth, but the distribution is really uneven. I thought I was getting a heavier dose but it turned out to be juuust right. Still, now, the next day, at 11:45 a.m., I'm somewhere around 30,000'...cruising. Over the first hour or so, yesterday, it did a steep climb to a pleasant plateau...and that was that. It gave plenty to cogitate on (more about that later) and made listening to music into the early morning a special delight.

The Dashboard

Carl Rogers' On Becoming a Person

It wasn't designated Day Use Only when I was here in 2016, but by the time I discovered the (obviously new) sign, I was too pooped to go further. 

We, Phoebe and I, "sheltered" under this splendid Doug Fir. The woods here inspire visions of Tolkien and similar tales of magicians, unicorns and wood sprites. Surely, there's a baccanalian revel somewhere around here?!

There's no camping (as defined by Yerz Trooly) between Coos Bay and Reedsport so I'll layover in the State Forest outside Coos Bay tonight and see what the morrow brings. I have a phone interview with a psychedelic facilitator on Wednesday.

We picked up mail in Crescent City. The item of interest was Phoebe's new tag.

I even managed the same juanty angle!

El Es Dee

I awoke to bright, bright green, the gentlest of breezes, the unusual, to me, fragrance of myrtle...from the trees. A blanket of ferns covered a lower deck about fifty feet behind and below the No Trespassing sign. Too tired to drive all the way, I camped in a wide spot in a turn thinking of Pozzo pontificating in Waiting For Godot, "The road is open to all, is it not?"  (here's the only segment available of Robin Williams' & Steve Martin's performance)

A little after 10 the day's prognosis looked good so I went ahead. At 10:30 I was moving uphill at a steady pace and though my length-of-stride wasn't anything to brag about, it's been so long since I've had any energy I was reveling;  the extra isosorbide is working!

Around 11 things started to come into sharper focus. A strong breeze passed through the tops of the trees reminding me of the time in Boulder (Colorado), when, though I couldn't understand what they were saying, I was astonished to discover they, the trees, were talking among themselves. 

It turned out to be a lighter dose and I went to Port Orford where I stopped in at Cafe Gemma. There, I severely harrassed the baker about her flour's provenance and after purchasing what later proved to be a delicious raspberry scone and being gifted with a complimentary brownie, I left with assurances that she, the baker, would give Carol, who has the frame shop next door, a hug for me. 

And then I went to Bandon and camped in what was once a secret place but over the course of the evening four other vehicles came in. But they were all like church-mice...and I, I got out the headphones and listened 'til past midnight, to a playlist Hollis, of In the Company of Plants and Rocks,  had sent. And with her permission, here it is for you, too. Thank you, Hollis!

Valley Girl (Vallpigan), Scandinavian, very different from Zappa's version 😂 We include the harmony part played in this recording. We often add harmony to tunes, love the rich sound 

Ma Yofus, Klezmer

Star of the County Down, Irish, I like this simple but sincere performance. I often play a counter melody while accordion stays on tune.

Maple Sugar, Canadian oldtime, by Patty Kusturok. I really like her style and learn tunes from her Youtube offerings. She's a wonderful person, eager to share music.

Jovano Jovanke, Macedonia, closest I could find to what we play. We like it cuz it's in 7/8 meter 🙃

Trio de Taos (with Jenny Vincent), all I could find was the whole CD. We do El Lirio, Las Gaviotas, WPA Polka, others

finally my current favorite waltz, in a style I aspire to:

Debbie's Waltz written by the great Graham Townsend. We include a harmony written by a long time fiddler friend. I'm not an HSP but this one can make me cry.

(Update 5.Aug. -- I, MFH, allowed as how, being an HSP, I tend tuh get teary-eyed over the prelude to Der Meistersinger, Beethoven's Ode To Joy, and other sentimental tunes.)

Cafe Gemma - Port Orford

It was that mid-point in the afternoon...too late for lunch & too early for dinner.

A cute raspberry scone, the last remaining, tittered coquettishly from under the glass; I inquired as to the provenance of the flour. "All purpose," was the reply. I slammed my fist on the counter and in my best irate patriarchal voice demanded, "Der Provenance! I vahnt to know der Provenance!"

The baker, smiled sweetly and said, "Try it, you'll like it."
Vell, alright zen, I VILL!, I said.

As I went to pick up the package, I noticed a smaller one beside it.

Vuht ist dis?! I roared.
The cashier, blinked her aquamarine eyes and cooed, "A complimentary brownie."

With my harumph I tried to express my total inability to respond to someone being nice. I did my best to look pleased, a delightful challenge when switching roles from an arrogant Burgermeister to a happy recipient of largesse.

They were both, scone & brownie, excellent! I can't wait to go back! I may even make a special trip.

blog: https://newmexnomad.blogspot.com

Currently near Blandon, trending northward.

The Ocean

Harris Beach State Park is popular with surfers, swimmers, children. There's a campground but it has a staffed gate & I wasn't curious enough to bother. The overlook, just off the highway, has a nice trail down to the beach, but it's a couple hundred feet down....and then there's back up.

The trail to Arch Rock overlook is through a lovely copse. But, again, it was too far, though I surmised it wasn't any more than 1,000 ft.

Low tide was around 7:30 pm. The days afternoons and evenings seem to linger more than they do further south. It helps since today it was 4 pm when I left camp.

I stopped at Hawethorne gallery in Port Orford. Damien, a scion, said the art is half family and half artists they like. A beautiful space, aside from two, beautifully polished, female nudes shaped from driftwood, most of the work was mediocre. Damien said their location in Big Sur has been extant for over 30 years. Someone has deep pockets. 

Adjustment Day

Today is the day. I've put it off as long as I could.

It comes on slowly. It becomes progressively harder to get into gear until (yesterday) I have to turn the engine off.

Normally, it means loosening a locknut, tightening the adjusting nut, and retightening the locknut. But this is PHOEBE, *my* vehicle and so, of course, she's different.

This is the third clutch and Daniel, while I was paying the bill, said he thought he'd "found a good one this time." At $1,500 a pop I'd whined about not being able to afford a new one every year; the last two having gone only a short distance further.

Over the years, we're in our seventh, I've consoled myself with tidbits such as the one about how the Ferrari 12-cylinders, with their six carburators, needed almost constant adjustment.

But there've been modifications; her clutch pedal assembly had been fooled with and in the previous installation, when the transmission was rebuilt, Daniel'd removed it, cut the pedal off and rewelded it into what was deemed its original position. (The trauma to my wallet left me unable to recollect even a hint of the cost.) *This* time though, Daniel had located a more robust pressure plate and disk and his posture and countenance conveyed a stolid faith in increased longevity as he delivered the famous words (see above). 

The name of Daniel's shop is By the Book,and it is how he does things. Though I think we have yet to replace the clutch cable, I decided the last time to try a bit of innovation; something he would, I suspect, rarely, if ever, do. 

Rather than further tightening the adjusting nut, I cut rubber washers to fit betwen the end of the cable and its mounting bracket, effectively shortening the cable. And it worked. But it would've been, in Daniel's "book," unorthodox. Looking back in the blog to November 26 of last year, I see it has worked for eight months; not bad.

Today should be exciting. Will we add more shims? Will we simply adjust the nut? Or maybe the car'll fall on me and someone else will get to admire my carefully-crafted handi-work.

But we're in no hurry. It's early, only a little past 8 a.m. There's coffee to be made and drunk. And hopefully, the fog will burn off and the sun will lend its warmth. Otherwise we might have to put it off...again.

The soft, dove-grey, dampens the

nearby highway's intrusive presence. 9:44 a.m.

There's an olde cats' proverb: Never do today what can be put off until tomorrow.

And this olde Spanish one (on the refrigerator in Albuquerque): 'Tis wonderful to do nothing and rest afterwards.

1:30 pm - Begin

2:20 pm Wheels chocked, tarp out, shade reconfigured.

3:20 Raised. Panting hard, but no angina. I work 20 minutes, rest 40. I should finish up (right on time!) around dark, at 8:30...god willing and the Smith River don't rise. 

Extra support...Justin Case

The yellow sticker on the jack describes how to make a DIY nut-cracker. It came with a little toy gun, a tall hat and some other cutesy stuff.

4 pm - adjustment completed. Maybe 1/2 inch? With all the huffing & puffing you'd have thought we were swapping out the engine. But there was no swearing and, best of all, no injury.

HUUUUURRAAYY!! cried the children (nod to Dav Pilkey Jr.)

Portside ding in crossmember.

Sta'b'rd for comparison

4:10 pm - jack out...wheel on the ground. But will it work?

5:30 pm - It did fine at rocking bak-erdz 'n' for-erdz but hitz when she gits het up tha' she gits ornery. Tuhmorrer I'll take her out and find out fer sure. But for now, those teensy sips of Deshutes Obsidion Stout are whut ah'm lookin' for'ard to. And some REST! I'm pooped! (the heart meds and alcohol don't go together; an ounce is max. More than that and I get a hangover like I'd had three bottles. I've alwayz bin a cheap drunk.)

Thursday, the next day: Success! 

Differing Views

While Anthony was demonstrating the versatility of his Tesla, we began a discussion that quickly veered into politics. When this happens, I usually change the subject, but this time I got drawn in.

In the excitement of going from zero to sixty in just over 3 seconds, we lost the thread but took it up later via text. Herewith is where we went...

FROM ANTHONY:

Also we never got to finish the conversation.
The reason I love capitalism is because it's the best system we have as it can be summed up as. Money concentrates on the person/people that add the most value.
For example. Elon musk came to the US with just $1000 and over $100,000 in student loans, invented PayPal, which was the first digital wallet system. He then sold that to eBay for around 200 million. He didn't put that money into buying Tesla and brought it from what it initially was to what it is. Now. He then created neural link and SpaceX. These two companies push the limits of what we as human being thought was possible. So with his share in all these companies, it made him from living under the poverty line to the world's richest man.

The Elon musk is a South African national. Born in South Africa but decided to move to the United States because of the opportunity, in other words, it was because he saw that he could make more money in America than anywhere in the world. World. Any creative products are value that humanity thought is valuable and they purchased his product. This is why capitalism is the greatest thing ever created because as long as you're adding value to the system, the market will compensate you monetarily for how much value you're adding to the system.
The other two systems we have is socialism and communism. We all know how communism turns out. For example, Hitler or China or North Korea.
Socialism is an interesting idea, but never really works. For example, Venezuela. The way socialism works is that everyone gets paid equally regardless of the work they put in. The thing with that is it never rewards people that are hard working or people that want to create things for the betterment of humanity because there is no incentive for them to do that. If everyone gets paid the same why should I work more and why should I create products? There is no reason for me to innovate. The reason I didn't go to a socialist country like some of the European countries. Is because I never would be able to be compensated fairly for the skills and the work that I do. That's why I also choose to move to America 😃

Like for me the reason I could afford the Tesla is because I took over 4 years studying electronics engineering. And now companies see that as of value. So they are willing to pay me over six figures for my services.

This seriously is the greatest country on Earth

From MFH:

Anthony,

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. What concerns me is the focus on materialism and the lack of social conscience.

I'm not sure wherefrom my Mother's generosity sprang (her family was Dutch), but from an early age we were taught the satisfaction of sharing. Throughout my life a guiding tenet has been to help where I can. Though we never lacked for anything, especially love, we were, during my childhood, close to poverty.

My father was from an upper-class, German family in which it was customary for the young men, around age 16, to be apprenticed to an older woman to learn the art of love-making.

My parents divorced when I was ten and our economic situation changed drastically. Though my apprenticeship never materialized, my studies began at age 12 when I chanced upon the book, *Modern Sex Techniques.*

Over the years, my 30+ relationships have shown me ever-increasing levels of intimacy and joy. Now, at age 70, having never made it beyond an income of $30,000/annum, if given the opportunity to do it over, I would change very little.  I have received and given more love than anyone else I know.

Also, after being in the Southwest for nearly fifty years and being around Native Americans, I had a few occassions to experience their kindness, generosity and humor. As far as I can tell none of the tribes around Albuquerque are particularly materialistic. "Give-aways," a societal custom, are still frequently practiced; capitalism is not innate.

Art, in its various manifestations, was, from an early age, an important dimension. When we were in Japan we traveled extensively to experience the culture. I was too young to attend many of the events, but my parents enjoyed Japanese opera, music, cuisine and my mother began practicing yoga there.

In Germany, when we went off the army post, we passed as Germans. I attended operas, ballets, symphonies and dance performances. Every weekend we went somewhere to see a cultural event or historical place. My Dad was status-conscious and always drove a Mercedes. We ate at good restaurants and I was taught proper behavior. Though all the above enabled me to function at many levels of society, and though I appreciate the lustre of gems and admire the creativity of haute couture, I find most "things" uninteresting.

That said, I enjoyed my years of owning my gallery. During that time I held what I think was probably the first national exhibit of digital art; I also had a national exhibit of feminist art. My status was such I was asked to write a letter of recommendation for a Chinese woman who wanted to immigrate.

I took pride in selling more work than anyone else ever had....because I helped artists avoid the drudgery of "making a living."

I hope someday people will evolve to an altuistic state that finds satisfaction in creativity for its own sake and will come to appreciate the joys of deep  intimacy, which, from my experience, requires a willingness to give as much as being able to accept.

In the meantime, I hope that people like yourself will recognize the interconnectedness of the natural systems that make life on earth more than a venue for technological development and do what you can (NOT have children) to protect what remains.

I appreciate what *Advocates For the West* do and donate when I can. Please consider including them in your charitable contributions.

And if you have time, please send a note now and then about how you're doing.

Good Luck!

Sincerely,

       Mike

Attached is page 244 from *Your Brain On Art* ©2023 by Magsamen & Ross. I thought you might find it tangentially relevant to your work.

      Mike

Below is most of p.244 from Your Brain On Art

You are the curator of your life, and you've created an enriched environment in your home that reflects your aesthetics. You prioritize your intuitive taste over what popular culture says you should like, because you understand the unique confluence of your own aesthetic triad. You also appreciate how your default mode network has made meaning out of your lived experiences. There's art that you've made, or art that you've collected, that challenges your thinking and enriches you.u

You have a daily art practice that is as vital to you as exercise and meditation routines. Art, you now understand, only a hobby, a conversation with yourself, a way to connect your mind, body, and spirit and to support your health and wellness. Some days, it's just twenty minutes of sketching or doodling to reduce cortisol after a chal- lenging or stressful experience. Other times, it's something tactile, like sculpting with clay, knitting, or gardening, where your mind wanders and I you are in a flow state. The sensation of working the clay, the yarn, the soil, in your hands stimulates skin and nerve endings and ig- nites the body's internal sensory receptors. Through sensorimotor pathways, you feel instantly attentive, awake, and receptive. Art- making here is not about the end product. It is a process, an active way of being and knowing.

As your day progresses, should a headache hit, a dose of dance and movement helps; when anxiety rises, tuning forks in C and G create a sound wave that soothes the fight-flight-freeze response and elicits relaxation.

On this day, you make time to be in nature. The sunrise, a red cardinal alighting on a branch, wind in your hair, the yellow freshness off dafodils, all inspire brief pause to appreciate the awe of the natural world. Being reconnected to nature's rhythms supports and us, and you are now more aware that these simple everyday aesthetic

244

From Anthony

Good morning! Thanks for the response.
Thanks for sharing and opening up about your life.
I love the generosity, care for the environment and social conscience you have. That is really awesome!
I don't think though that all of it and capitalism (being wealthy) need to be mutually exclusive. You can be wealthy and still love and care for people and nature.
It all depends on the values you were brought up with and which of those values a person still carry.

Also art and creativity isn't just expressed in paintings or the traditional fine arts. Creativity is expressed in engineering, architecture, math, and other STEM fields too. I always expressed my creativity in making devices or gadgets that made people's lives easier. Like an automated irrigation system for the garden plants. Or a remote controlled/voice activated appliances. I built these for hobby projects years ago. And that's a way I and a lot of people express creativity.
Like for example: Thomas Edison invented the light bulb that is now foundational in replacing candles that were more harmful to the environment.
Ford invented the car assembly system that replaced humans using horses to get around.
Einstein discovered the principle of general and special relationship which is crucial is literally all modern systems like GPS, WI-FI, 4G 5G. Without it life would be so much difficult.
These creative inventions propelled the human civilization into the future and benefited all of humanity. Hence why people in that field make a lot of money. Because honestly these are way more important than a painting or music or something that just makes people feel nice.

I do appreciate fine art  but I would never want that to replace innovation.

And also I do not believe in reducing the human population (eugenics).
I believe that everything was created for humans and we are called to be good stewards of the earth. Yes there are people who don't do a good job but there are people who do an amazing job at it too.
God created the universe for us. We need to have more children and eventually populate the universe.
Right now humanity may be heading towards a decline which isn't good. We need to increase our population as we are now on the brink of colonizing Mars and the moon. Which is amazing.
What a waste of the universe if the human species collapses. Humans are the most intelligent and brilliant species in the whole universe. I'm definitely planning on having many kids, at least 3. Because I see value in humanity. In the way God created us and I'm excited in how bright and awesome the future is.
They're will come a day when we have so innovated that we can support a massive population flawlessly and harmoniously with all of nature!

FROM MFH

Anthony,

I think we've done a good job of articulating our differences. Though my blog is my means of compensating for my poor memory, I get around 75 hits each day. Would it be okay with you if I posted our exchange?

Regardless, thanks again for sharing your thoughts. And again...

Good Luck!

FROM ANTHONY

Sure yeah feel free to do that! It's America. You have your first amendment freedom of speech 

FROM MFH

Anthony,

My partner in California is watching, with her grandaughter, the emergence of a monarch butterfly.

I was led to the article (link at bottom) below from other articles about the subsidies to farmers to help restore the monarch....a major pollinator.

Habitat loss is the main reason for monarch decline. I have several other articles that provide in-depth information, but my point is: over-population is the world's greatest problem. Technology, while amazing, lacks a holistic perspective....one, perhaps, too complex to be comprehended...even by the new god of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

While there may be a few good, even EXEMPLARY stewards, after traveling The West for over a decade, I have seen firsthand that the majority give little to no thought beyond their next pickup truck. It is my opinion that christianity is responsible for the current state of things.

Unlike fundamentalists the world over, my perception doesn't include genocide (or conversion) as alternatives. Science has been held out as being "the answer" long enough that we're now seeing how difficult it is to anticipate its long-term effects. While I find your enthusiasm heart-warming, I'm afraid my own view is that humanity is, though it may last awhile longer, a "failed experiment." (pun -- against science -- intended)

https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2015/06/19/updated-usda-program-enables-farmers-and-ranchers-help-monarch-butterflies

USWF Grants now total 8.2B
https://www.nfwf.org/what-we-do

https://www.nfwf.org/programs/monarch-butterfly-and-pollinators-conservation-fund

With financial assistance from Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), producers and conservation partners can plant milkweed and nectar-rich plants along field borders, in buffers along waterways or around wetlands, in pastures and other suitable locations.

Funds are allocated through the Farm Bill.
https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs-initiatives/monarch-butterflies

Shockingly, farm subsidies under the Trump administration “ballooned from just over $4 billion in 2017 to more than $20 billion in 2020 – driven largely by ad hoc programs meant to offset the effects of President Trump’s failed trade war,” according to ewg.org, a nonpartisan research organization.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bakersfield.com/opinion/community-voices/community-voices-federal-farm-subsidies-capitalism-or-socialism/article_4c25252c-d854-11eb-bf7f-17a2161b14f3.amp.html

The "Socialist" Farm Bill
https://www.cato.org/blog/farm-bill-socialism-senate

Agricultural Subsidies are Socialist
https://www.farm-news.com/2020/07/01/us-agriculture-is-socialist/

MORE Agricultural & Coal Subsidies too.
https://brownpoliticalreview.org/2021/04/american-socialism-accept-it-but-do-it-right/

And then, there's the whole business of the Dutch buying old tankers, filling them with crude & parking them offshore to keep prices up. I wandered into *that* one (it may just be another piece of internet garbage) when researching the Gulf spill and the continued allowance of offshore drilling in exchange for passage of permanent funding for The Land and Conservation Fund.

Senator Martin Heinrich, who I admire, took some credit for helping keep the L & C Fund alive. It's a national "pot" that helps buy open space next to cities, purchase parcels to expand parks and funds other "small" acquisitions throughout the nation. It was threatened with extinction but saved by relinquishing the safety of our coastal waters.

Martin has done an astounding job of juggling the many "special interests" in New Mexico. But it wasn't until I got deep into the Gulf Oil Spill that I uncovered the bargain that was struck. As Anthony points out...it rewards those who add the most value.

Soul Feet Retreat - Connie McDonald

The power of touch...

There was a period, I've forgotten how long, perhaps as much as two years, when I split the week between the Michellles (three els when mentioned collectively). The partings were always tearful, but we needed each other...and now, thirty-five years later, though not as often, still do.

It's that poignancy that now, again, tears at my heart. Sitting, alone in the theater...the footlights still on, they gave me a key so I could lock up when I leave.

How to leave you?...the few who care. To give heart....to, in some way, make this final transition easier...fun even? Can you imagine?

 Blue along the narrower side

I'm drawn, time and again, to a recollection of Laura Huxley telling how she agreed to Aldous's request that she inject him with LSD as he died. It's been years since I read her account, but my awe at his curiosity...and their resolve, remains.

Each of us, in our own little universe...our theater. 

After four months of barely able to "do," I increased the isosorbide another 30mg twice a day...60mg over the maximum suggested dose. It caused a flaring like those Kübler-Ross said happen now & then. I was in the Gold Beach (Oregon) library reading *Your Brain On Art* (Magsamen & Ross, Random House, 2023) and emailed the mention of Jeff Thompson's sound-healing work to a friend with similar interests. In his reply he enthused about his escape from Albuquerque, his return to his home-town (Seattle), his enjoyment of reconnectioning with family and friends and his many new projects.

Googling, I discovered the Seattle Opera is presenting Das Rheingold. I bought a ticket and booked myself into four days at an Airbnb south of the downtown. 

This morning I awoke to the tiredness. I contacted the hosts and in an embarassed synopsis explained why I was cancelling. The ticket is non-refundable.

Granny spent her last ambulatory years (approx 6) living with my mom and sister. When she became bed-ridden Mom could no longer care for her sufficiently and began looking for an assisted-living facility. In the meantime, Granny spent nearly six months in the New Mexico Home for the Aged in Las Vegas. Mom made the 244-mile, round-trip drive several times a week to be with her. I went a couple of times. 

On one of the early visits I watched as Mom spent time with the woman who shared Granny's room. She lay on her back with her thin, arthritic hands held in front of her in a posture similar to a praying mantis; her fingers curled claw-like. She appeared unresponsive, but each time Mom took a few minutes to hold the woman's hands and talk with her. 

As the time neared for Granny's move, I went to help gather her things and do what I could. When I entered her room I was astonished to see her roommate sitting up in bed, eating....holding a bowl and using a spoon. Mom never said much about it, just that, over that six months, with that little bit of touch, the woman had returned to life. I have no idea how old she was; she looked to be in her mid to late eighties.

The other night I dreamt I was running. I knew in my dream it'd been years since I'd been able to run and I was exhilirated. I awoke feeling enthused, not in anticipation, but with the memory of having once been able.

My memory has never been good and now, even sometimes with substantiative promptings, I can't recall things.

I keep notes to try and guage my acuity while speculating about Alzheimer's. The blog serves its purpose as a reference. But lately there's been little exhiliration and that needs to change. Perhaps intermittent cat-lackeying?

The YOUR BRAIN ON ART website

Connie McDonald's massage (Soul Feet Retreat) today in Crescent City was incredible!