Work, Slam, etc.
To: ms_allthat@hotmail.com, loveisarose11@hotmail.com, dee_offner@hotmail.com, mystree_1@hotmail.com, lorelis@hotmail.com, decafi@hotmail.com, someone_new1@hotmail.com, RTMW62@cs.com, jae7244@hotmail.com, patty757@aol.com, _denae65@excite.com, charma@leaco.net, ip253406@ip.pt, ladyelan@angelfire.com, themissright@yahoo.com, oklahomalady@excite.com, chantellspring@hotmail.com, jcbinks@msn.com, sierra34@angelfire.com, lighthouse75@hotmail.com, ksotulsa@yahoo.com, darcysmail@yahoo.com, tlfie@groupz.net, poetinmotion@hotmail.com, chart13@excite.com, clavonec@excite.com
Subject: Work, Slam, etc.
Date: Thu, 30 Sep 1999 16:40:49 CDT
Aloha to the Angels of the Sacred Circle,
Another lovely day, that crisp apple kind, with a few of the leaves already turning and falling at a decent rate along the levee, coming down obliquely across the path. Wonderful to ride along in the early morning, with the prospect of hot coffee a few minutes ahead, and just warm enough. The wind out of the south, the bridge sloping upwards on this approach, so a more difficult ride than usual. No hurry, taking my time.
The noon meeting today was unusual in that people were talking about giving up nicotine. Strange, as I've been for the past two days looking about for a "stop-smoking" class. I want to be totally clean, but I also know that I need some support to achieve that.
At lunch, I ran into Mary who wants her house painted, who wanted me to put in a bid. So after, we walked leisurely over to her place. It's a smallish two story house, enclosed porch, and the paint is peeling on 3 of the 4 walls. I scraped at it with my pocket knife and it came off easily, so at least the prepping will be fairly simple. The second story will be a bit tricky. Will see if I can borrow Steve's long ladder for the job. I just want to be very, very careful.
She suffers from some kind of schizophrenia. Most of the time she can function in this world, but there are times when she loses it. I've never seen her in that condition, but I have observed her in animated dialogue with her spirits. A nice woman, coffee-colored skin, great bushy head of kinky hair parted in the middle. She walks with her feet turned outward. A pretty woman, almost beautiful. No, not almost. A beautiful woman.
I gave her a bid of $1700 and that seems fair to me. She accepted, so I start Monday (or as soon as weather permits thereafter). This is not by the hour, but I want to keep close accounting of the hours, as I would like to be making at least $10 an hour on this project. She sez she will have $100 cash for me tomorrow morning, so I do look forward to being solvent once again. See? It's happening. It is coming back together.
Her front steps also have to be rebuilt, and since the City has been hassling her about them, I will tackle them first. Looking forward to doing a good job for her.
THE SLAM. It's tonight and the starting time varies depending on who you ask. One sez 7 PM and Mary sez 10 PM. I tend to go with Mary. Msallthat sent me some of my poems, so I will get copies and see if my courage holds up. I hate walking through scary things. But I need to do it, and my poetry surely won't be all that much worse than what the others read. Hopefully, at least.
I want to live within the magic of the Miracle, of my Higher Power who loves and watches over me. (Not to mention my Angels of the Sacred Circle!)
Many of you have encouraged me regarding my poetry. I really need to hear this, as my own self-evalutation tends to be highly critical. This is to the good, I think, as it forces me to do the very best I can. I have scarely any poems which I consider finished. All are "works in progress."
Relieved that the $ situation has been seemingly taken care of with little or no effort on my part. Mary's job just fell into my lap, as has the deck job with Nancy's husband, Steve. I have enough work ahead to keep me busy probably until Thanksgiving, if not longer.
So now I will begin to look about for a room. Or something. I really would like to buy Sarah's Winnebago. She wants $2,000 cash for it. Needs a starter, but otherwise seems to be fine. She and her girlfriend drove it up from Texas a year or so ago. It would be a lovely Dharma Vehicle, able to move about from place to place. Gas guzzler, but that's just the reality of the beast.
Lovely image from Lorelis recently, talking of scrap metal being crushed into a cube. And a metal draftsman's ruler showing the numbers 6...7....8. I could just see it.
Tomorrow evening if all goes according to plan, I will go out to Nancy's Farm and spend Friday and Saturday nights in the Pullman Dining Car. It has all the modern conveniences, including "His" and "Hers" outhouses. LOL. There is a television which I never watch and some kind of radio which I might be persuaded to turn on. Mostly I just like to hang out within the solitude, listening to life in the country happening.
I awakened feeling a sense of power, that some things are returning in that psychic sense where the scattered pieces of one's psyche begin coming together again, finding where they fit. A good feeling. I remain silent at the meetings, listening, observing. I will speak when the Spirit moves me. Just now, I feel I have nothing worthwhile to contribute.
The gutters are filled with walnuts here and there, a sure sign of autumn. At Java Break this morning, a tree was reflected on the shiny surface of the round table. The leaves of a walnut tree, so symmetrical, danced about as Homeless Paul was talking with Mindy, who works there.
Our conversation was all about computers. He knows more than Mindy and I, so we ganged up on him at times, telling him that voice-recognition is "really close." He thinks otherwise. Handsome, 34, he reminds me a bit of Flakey Foont in the old Mr. Natural comix. The axe he grinds is in service of the homeless. He ran for City Council (or some such position) not too terribly long ago and sez he was doing fine until it was discovered he was homeless. Homeless and running for office. Imagine that.
I did write yesterday, but apparently it didn't go out. Hotmail was having convulsions most of the day, so I'm hoping this one makes it to you.
I am expecting new running shoes today. I need them. And all that I need continues to come. Isn't that an amazing thing?
I want all of you to be really good to yourselves today. Think...magic. Think...beauty. Think...passion. And honor your passion. Life without passion is, by definition, passionless. And who wants to live that way?
Luvya's...
Dickens
