I was standing out on the main drag this morning holding a sign for Peace. A very wonderful group of committed people have been out here once a month -- winter cold, rain, summer heat -- for four years now. Four years. I just drop in on occasion for moral support.
As I was standing, my mind was going back to the first vigil of this war. My daughter and I went to a neighboring town, to the Amicable Church. It was a candle light vigil. The air was crisp and the night sky full of stars. Our hearts were heavy, but the night was so beautiful.
So here we are four years later; still holding a sign.
Today is a perfect summer day. Bright and clear; not too hot. It would be hard for anyone to be in a bad mood on a day like this. Maybe that's why it's been pretty calm out here this morning hour.
Other days have not been so. There have been times out here I have wondered if something would come lobbing out of a car window at us.
People have interesting responses to people standing for something they believe in. Especially since it's usually a minority opinion. I don't see anyone out here once a month saying " I support the war".
A fellow just drove by and gave us a furtive little wave; down low, like he didn't want the other people in the car to see it. That little gesture made me think about the different things I've seen.
The majority, driving by, look -- maybe read the signs -- but give absolutely no response.
I've had people walk by --spoken to them -- a "Hello" -- a smile -- and have them not respond at all. I guess they feel the biggest insult is to not acknowledge you exist. I must say, that one is pretty effective.
Of course we know the most common hand gesture of the dissenter. Followed very closely by the shaking fist. To me, the fist is even more violent than #1, because #1 has become so commonplace.
A lot of young men shake their heads and their distress is very apparent. These are the ones in muscle cars and pick up trucks who have been, or are soon, going.
I wish I could let them know we are not against them. We are against the act of war. We want them to stay alive; un-maimed.
Today the thumbs up and peace fingers have out numbered the other sort of signs. It's a beautiful Summer day.
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Heat
The neighbor's A C started droning way before it got hot. Last year I got A C. This year I don't have electricity.
I pried open some more windows and taped a screen that doesn't fit right into the back door. Cooler.
Nobody can be hot for five minutes.
A C in houses
A C in cars
A C at work.
It's like we can't be in direct contact with the natural world anymore.
When I was a kid at the beach we didn't have A C. It's New England- we had a sea breeze.
And if there was no breeze- we were hot.
Sit in zen pose
and be hot.
Be aware of the sweat breaking out on your skin.
A C is noisy.
Heat is quiet.
Be the heat.
I pried open some more windows and taped a screen that doesn't fit right into the back door. Cooler.
Nobody can be hot for five minutes.
A C in houses
A C in cars
A C at work.
It's like we can't be in direct contact with the natural world anymore.
When I was a kid at the beach we didn't have A C. It's New England- we had a sea breeze.
And if there was no breeze- we were hot.
Sit in zen pose
and be hot.
Be aware of the sweat breaking out on your skin.
A C is noisy.
Heat is quiet.
Be the heat.
Random Rant
And we haven't even addressed the politics of it. This energy cost thing just goes up me.
"Oh gas is $3.50 a gallon?" "Oh well- what you going to do? Gotta pay it."
"Screw that !--- Walk!" 'Who told you to get a job an hour away from where you live?"
"Make do with less!" My son told me the other day his home heating bill is $400.00 a month. And that's not to stroll around in shorts and a tee shirt in January. That's with layers" Are we crazy? I guess so.
I realize not everyone would have any desire to live as I do. Although there are some out there. People who live in wilderness areas. People who live on houseboats and boat boats. People who live on islands or mountains or in the desert. Or people like me who live in towns and cities but tucked away.
People who want to be free.
"Oh gas is $3.50 a gallon?" "Oh well- what you going to do? Gotta pay it."
"Screw that !--- Walk!" 'Who told you to get a job an hour away from where you live?"
"Make do with less!" My son told me the other day his home heating bill is $400.00 a month. And that's not to stroll around in shorts and a tee shirt in January. That's with layers" Are we crazy? I guess so.
I realize not everyone would have any desire to live as I do. Although there are some out there. People who live in wilderness areas. People who live on houseboats and boat boats. People who live on islands or mountains or in the desert. Or people like me who live in towns and cities but tucked away.
People who want to be free.
Saturday, September 8, 2007
Lights out Two
When I realized I had no power, my first thought was How much do I owe? and then How broke will I be this month to get the lights back on? But it is summer coming. Maybe I'll see what I'm made of. I have been disgusted enough to turn the idiot box off quite a bit lately. And it is peaceful without "Noise" all the time. We are so used to it all the time. What we aren't used to is quiet. We nearly have an anxiety attack if we aren't surrounded by sensory overload all the time.
I can hear the wind in the trees. I can hear the birds. And I can think clearly. No more brainsucker. I get alot more done. I think I just may buy a camp light for the summer.
T.V. Note
I was at my friends house working and she had to go to the dentist. "Make a sandwich- watch T.V. if you want."
There was something I wanted to catch on the noon news but I couldn't figure out how to turn on her new super duper T.V. set. Now I just have no patience with three remotes to watch one T.V. set. I can not be bothered. Plain and simple.
I can hear the wind in the trees. I can hear the birds. And I can think clearly. No more brainsucker. I get alot more done. I think I just may buy a camp light for the summer.
T.V. Note
I was at my friends house working and she had to go to the dentist. "Make a sandwich- watch T.V. if you want."
There was something I wanted to catch on the noon news but I couldn't figure out how to turn on her new super duper T.V. set. Now I just have no patience with three remotes to watch one T.V. set. I can not be bothered. Plain and simple.
Lights Out!
Since I'm backtracking here to get up to date, I've decided to post some things I've written about going off the electric grid, T.V. and HEAT. Seems a fitting end to the Summer, especially since it's 88 degrees and humid today.
Came home from work today and reached for the T.V. remote to catch up on the news and the T.V. didn't go on. Neither did the lights or the fan. Then it dawned on me that I hadn't paid the electric company any money, in a long time.
O.K. not to panic; I go to bed early anyhow. Wow, it's quiet... very quiet.
When I first came to the little house, I spent time here before moving in. I toyed then with the idea of not having a T.V. Please know that I am a star member of the T.V. generation. Addicted, you might say. I remember my family's first T.V.. Funny how old childhood memories work. I don't remember the exact arrival of our T.V.; you would think I would; but I remember all of a sudden there was a T.V. in the parlor. It had a round screen and it was brown. I also don't remember what we did with ourselves before it arrived. I do remember listening to General Hospital on the radio in the kitchen at lunchtime.
We lived in the country although we weren't country people. We were transplanted from the city. I am a reader but I don't remember my folks reading much beyond the evening newspaper and maybe a Readers Digest condensed book. My Mother and Grandmother did a lot of handwork. Lots of sewing. My Father had a dog boarding business and raised Cocker Spaniels for show. That was in addition to his regular job in the city. So I guess everyone kept pretty busy.
I was born in 1949. A real dividing time, after the war and on the verge of the modern age. Being in the country, we had a crank telephone with a party line. But that was soon replaced with the 50 lb. Rotary Phone. My Mom got her own car eventually so she could drive back into the city she had left, to shop. Phonographs became Stereos and it just kept going.
I got off on a tangent there. What I was getting at was , once T.V. hit, life was different. I watched every day after school. American Bandstand, soap operas, General Hospital- now I could see them. Then all the night time sitcoms. Cartoons and football on the weekends. T.V. became the mainstay of American Life.
Times were so much simpler; our tastes so much less sophisticated. We were easy to entertain. People who have grown up on T.V. can plot their lives by the programing. My daughter is named Jessica after Jessica Brewer, head nurse of General Hospital. An original liberated woman.
I always said I would never pay to watch T.V. and I haven't. It amazes me what people can be conned into paying for because they have been sold a bill of goods. Have you noticed as the cost has gone up and up there is less and less worth watching? I can't find anything to watch at night and the news shows have become so inane I can't bare it. So can I do an experiment here and unplug? I'm always saying my biggest dream is to be off the grid. Don't pay your bill and you too can be off the grid.
Came home from work today and reached for the T.V. remote to catch up on the news and the T.V. didn't go on. Neither did the lights or the fan. Then it dawned on me that I hadn't paid the electric company any money, in a long time.
O.K. not to panic; I go to bed early anyhow. Wow, it's quiet... very quiet.
When I first came to the little house, I spent time here before moving in. I toyed then with the idea of not having a T.V. Please know that I am a star member of the T.V. generation. Addicted, you might say. I remember my family's first T.V.. Funny how old childhood memories work. I don't remember the exact arrival of our T.V.; you would think I would; but I remember all of a sudden there was a T.V. in the parlor. It had a round screen and it was brown. I also don't remember what we did with ourselves before it arrived. I do remember listening to General Hospital on the radio in the kitchen at lunchtime.
We lived in the country although we weren't country people. We were transplanted from the city. I am a reader but I don't remember my folks reading much beyond the evening newspaper and maybe a Readers Digest condensed book. My Mother and Grandmother did a lot of handwork. Lots of sewing. My Father had a dog boarding business and raised Cocker Spaniels for show. That was in addition to his regular job in the city. So I guess everyone kept pretty busy.
I was born in 1949. A real dividing time, after the war and on the verge of the modern age. Being in the country, we had a crank telephone with a party line. But that was soon replaced with the 50 lb. Rotary Phone. My Mom got her own car eventually so she could drive back into the city she had left, to shop. Phonographs became Stereos and it just kept going.
I got off on a tangent there. What I was getting at was , once T.V. hit, life was different. I watched every day after school. American Bandstand, soap operas, General Hospital- now I could see them. Then all the night time sitcoms. Cartoons and football on the weekends. T.V. became the mainstay of American Life.
Times were so much simpler; our tastes so much less sophisticated. We were easy to entertain. People who have grown up on T.V. can plot their lives by the programing. My daughter is named Jessica after Jessica Brewer, head nurse of General Hospital. An original liberated woman.
I always said I would never pay to watch T.V. and I haven't. It amazes me what people can be conned into paying for because they have been sold a bill of goods. Have you noticed as the cost has gone up and up there is less and less worth watching? I can't find anything to watch at night and the news shows have become so inane I can't bare it. So can I do an experiment here and unplug? I'm always saying my biggest dream is to be off the grid. Don't pay your bill and you too can be off the grid.
Saturday, August 25, 2007
On letting go 1
As with every move, I weeded out belongings and had a big yard sale. Especially since I knew I was going to a real small space- I was ruthless. Still I had plenty of stuff left. I carted bags and boxes to the new digs. I would take over a load and put it away before the next load. I found an amazing number of places to stash stuff in the small space. High shelves put up by previous tenants. The kitchen cabinets held quite a bit. Under the bed. The folding shelf units I bought. I packed them all. I was feeling quite self satisfied with my efficiency.
That worked until I actually got in and started living in the space. Then I discovered it was all a balancing act. If I wanted something, I had to move ten other things to get at it. If I moved wrong- or sometimes if I moved at all, things came sliding off shelves, out of hiding or crashing down. My frustration level started into the red zone.
It was clear. More had to go.
That worked until I actually got in and started living in the space. Then I discovered it was all a balancing act. If I wanted something, I had to move ten other things to get at it. If I moved wrong- or sometimes if I moved at all, things came sliding off shelves, out of hiding or crashing down. My frustration level started into the red zone.
It was clear. More had to go.
Late Summer
Late Summer, from the middle of August on to Labor Day.
Plants are looking run out and browning.
The window box did well this year with it's eclectic mix of geraniums and herbs. I bought one or two each week at the farmer's market and crammed them in til it wouldn't hold any more. Trailing potato plants add a Goth touch. A little Buddha and some local crystal lend their support.
Like the rest of the house it is slightly wild; looking not neat and trimmed like the neighbors.
I don't know if it's the old saw about life going more quickly as we get older, but boy these summers sure do. It happens every year; by the time I get into the swing of things, dealing with the heat and bugs, it's almost over.
This year I think I learned to relax a bit more and go with the flow. I spent more time on day to day household management, instead of worrying about producing something. And I spent more time sitting outside in my lawn chair- just being. And not feeling like I was wasting time.
That's a big step in the right direction.
Plants are looking run out and browning.
The window box did well this year with it's eclectic mix of geraniums and herbs. I bought one or two each week at the farmer's market and crammed them in til it wouldn't hold any more. Trailing potato plants add a Goth touch. A little Buddha and some local crystal lend their support.
Like the rest of the house it is slightly wild; looking not neat and trimmed like the neighbors.
I don't know if it's the old saw about life going more quickly as we get older, but boy these summers sure do. It happens every year; by the time I get into the swing of things, dealing with the heat and bugs, it's almost over.
This year I think I learned to relax a bit more and go with the flow. I spent more time on day to day household management, instead of worrying about producing something. And I spent more time sitting outside in my lawn chair- just being. And not feeling like I was wasting time.
That's a big step in the right direction.
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