Today I spent my time adjusting to life alone (after living two months with Susan, Howard and 17-month-old Jude, plus their black labrador, Gracie, and cat, Elvis). Quiet.
The time alone is surprisingly a challenge. I tend to go into auto-sluggard mode. Today that meant a dip in the pool, nude sunbathing (the landlords are gone) and, after tanning my own hide, going to a local grocer to bask in the aroma of roasting chilis. It is one of my favorite, among many, southwestern traditions. I only wish that I could add scratch-n-sniff to your monitor!
I'm attempting to use these 13 days to focus on getting some long-overdue writing done. This particular project is 16 hours of recorded story-telling by Borden, one of the late, great Highlander storytellers of North Carolina. I was privileged to know Borden and even lived a couple of summers in a nearby (20-minute walk) cabin that, like Borden's, had no running water and used a wood stove for cooking. He died few years ago, and after acting as minister and eulogist for his funeral, I think that his stories will probably trump my own walk across America for getting into print first. Although some progress is being made, I find myself simply letting the tape role and envisioning long afternoons at Borden's home, listening to history unfold.
If anyone has Smithsonian connections, I honestly think that these recordings--edited and upgraded in quality--are heirloom material. If I get the money to get my own Web connection, digital camera and the like, I will add some sound bites for you to hear. For now, my small and limited pile o' cash is going towards paying off debt, my upcoming hypnotherapist certification...and, of course, roasted New Mexican chili.
5 comments:
More spam comments than real foks. You may be interested to know what they say.
From deleted comment #1:
"I definitely don't have all the answers, but I know that as long as people keep sharing ideas like this, the truth will eventually reveal itself and maybe it can make a difference somewhere."
Nude sunbathing? Yeah. I think that'll probably reveal the truth eventually.
There are some bird-brained comments going on at the chicken site where apparently no comments can be made unless you are already in the coop.
Bush failed us? I suggest checking out some of the facts detailed at http://eureferendum.blogspot.com/ (a very interesting blog as a whole). As one of the comments to "Get Over It" noted,
"President Bush declared a state of emergency in Louisianna the 26th of August (ie days before the hurricane hit the Gulf coast) and released federal funds to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Unfortunately the governor of Louisiana and Mayor of N. O. refused to cooperate. See statement by Senator Dr. Bill Frist, who is currently helping victims with medical needs around New Orleans.
It was President Bush who asked the Mayor of NO and the Governor of LA to start the evacuation. This was admitted in a press conference by Governor Blanco and Mayor Nagin on Sunday the 28th August. The statement that President Bush had called and personally appealed for the mandatory evacuation for the city was reported on several TV channels and newspapers including the Guardian."
I have unfortunately forgot my password, so I must post as "anonymous."
For the record, my name is Michael Halstead.
Welcome home Dennis. Or maybe it is more appropriate to say welcome back? Regardless, you are soo very welcome.
I hope that Illinois was everything you dreamed it would be.
God knows what you dreamed it would be.
I will briefly be political. I'm sorry.
Sadly, the first comments I read on this blog were from a bird-brained Hannity-head.
I apologize for that last remark. Please substitute "bird-brained Hannity-head" with "concerned citizen." Please, also strike the word "sadly."
Thank you.
To sum: The Department of Homeland Security. Was the "homeland" (my sincere apologies to Native American readers) secure? No. It was not.
It was very unsecure.
I would call the response to Katrina a failure on local, state and national levels. However, it was not a local disaster, it was a national disaster, and so, it was, without a doubt, a national failure. Who leads the nation?
Your guess is as good as mine.
Although the "concerned citizen" cites (shills for) a blog as a source for facts. Oh yes, someone's blog. Now there's a fount of objectivity if there ever was one.
I feel mildly nauseated.
Again, I must repeat: Department of Homeland Security. (Which, by the way was chartered to protect the country from natural disasters as well as unnatural ones)
New Orleans left unsecured.
I apologize for being political. I can't help it.
Dennis, I am so glad you are back in New Mexico. New Mexico was less enchanted in your absence. We must make a point of raising glasses once you are situated.
Michael
Hey Michael,
Welcome to this blog, which, being the nature of blogs, as you rightfully state, is not a source of objectivity. At least you recognize that.
With your additions, it does grow more interesting.
Dept. of Homeland Security.... A poor place to put FEMA, whose original mission was to focus on natural disasters. But under this president it was subsumed by DHS.
It does fit well, though, with a penchant of George Bush to keep saying "terrorism" and trust the American people to tremble while letting him go forward with anything he wants. Anyone found a WMD yet?
Meanwhile, Pres. Bush cut requested FEMA funding this past year by over 50 million.
I'm raising a glass tonight...to my own return to NM, not to President Bush. So you can rest easy, Michael. I'll save a glass for when I see you again.
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