Wet.

Today, I post about being wet. Next week I will likely post about being dry. "If I wasn't experiencing this, I'd be experiencing something else. If I wasn't doing this, I'd be doing something else. If I wasn't here, then I'd be somewhere else. So, I guess I'll just experience this, here. "
I've started several posts but just kept them in draft form, so although this may be the first time you are reading something, chances are fairly good that it isn't the first time I've written it. Drying out after all the rain of Lompoc wasn't easy. I didn't get on the road until 1:30, or maybe a little later.

The first thing I noticed when consciousness returned to me was the lack of the sound of rain drops on the top of the tent. I'll admit to a sigh of relief. After getting dressed, I opened the flap just as the sun began peeking out from behind some clouds. Such a welcome sight! I gazed upon a beautiful blue sky, indicating that the meteorologists were correct in their forecasting future events, so quickly gathered all my wet gear and found places for them to sunbathe.

After meditation, I began packing; strange how scattered my things can get when stuck in a tent for most of a whole waking cycle. My wet stuff was still damp so I turned them over and joined them in absorbing the sun's warmth. Finally, about 12:30, almost everything was dry enough to begin the loading process. I actually got on the road about 2.

I rode just 25 miles up the road and stopped for breakfast. With no idea where I was going, I spent quite a bit of time trying to figure out where to go. I decided I'd ride down to a tourist destination just down the road and see if there would be a likely twisting spot. Nope, so I just kept riding on that road. It led me to the coast. About 6:30, long after dark, I pulled off 101 at Ventura, thinking I would get some coffee and charge my electronics. Instead, I found a campsite just off the ramp for just $10. I jumped on it. Got the tent up and was in bed by 8. I think the two bunnies I saw by flashlight wondered why I went to bed so early.

I woke up this morning to a sopping wet tent. Seems the dew is even more pervasive than the rain. The sun was still hiding behind the fog bank and the bunnies were nowhere to be seen. I was in a bit of a foul mood due to the thoughts I was believing about how southern California was SUPPOSED to be dry, yet both the inside and outside of the tent was soaked.

It took me about two hours to break camp because of the moisture. (That reminds me that I need to open the tent to fully dry out. Forgot about that.) when I finally got loaded, I got on the road and began looking for a place to twist. I've waited too long to update this post because I've forgotten where I stopped. I do remember that I didn't make any money beyond what it cost to eat. This I know because it has been something of a pattern for a week or so now.

'Pay It Forward' is REAL!

I am the recipient of an example of this principal. Let me share with you and may you get a blessing from the story.
I stopped into a Golden Corral restaurant close to Victorville, California, for dinner in early December. There were very strange circumstances involved in my choosing that restaurant. I was getting VERY low on funds to the point of wondering what I could sell, since I was making so little twisting balloons, to pay my cell phone bill and my upcoming motorcycle insurance bill. So, since I have often made money twisting while I eat, choosing the most promising restaurant is important; but I must also be able to pay for my meal in case the Universe decides to tease me. I’ve found that It sometimes has an interesting sense of humor.
There were several possible restaurants in the area and I wasn't terribly hungry, meaning the idea of spending $15 for a meal that I might not be able to take full advantage of wasn't all that appealing. So I was very indecisive about choosing that particular restaurant. I drove around to all the restaurants in the area several times before deciding to go take the chance. Fortunately, I got the "rock star" space, as someone very dear to me calls it. This is the space closest to the door. I took this to be the sign that the Universe (my name for God) wanted me to go in as the lot was otherwise full.
As it turned out, that parking space was a very large piece of the miracle that was evolving. I went in, chose a table that wasn't the one I was invited to sit at by the waiter, and sat down. There were two kids at the next table so I made them balloons. I made a couple more balloons for a few people and then went on to eat.
About 20 minutes later, the young father of the first kid I made a balloon for came up to me and asked if the bike parked outside was mine. I said yes and he said, "You look like you're pretty cramped on that bike." I said that I was but it is what it is. He said in a slow, quiet tone, "Well...I have a Goldwing. You want it?" At first, I thought that he was joking but there was something about his demeanor that suggested he meant what he was saying. I said that I would sure be interested in taking a look at it.
Well, he wound up inviting me to stay at his home for a couple days while we made sure the bike was running well. I followed him and his family back into the LA basin and to a locked gate on a yard where they kept construction equipment. He got out and unlocked the gate, we drove the vehicles in and went on back to a doublewide trailer nestled against a large building in the middle of a dusty yard. Turns out that he was the night watchman. He lives on the lot with wife and child--the other child is his sister's son. He put together a cot for me to sleep on and told me that I needed to be gone between 6am to 5pm so that he didn't get in trouble for having a stranger on the lot. This young working man who was giving a stranger his $3,500 Goldwing Aspencade, by the way, is only 32 years old!
I saw the bike as soon as I pulled in. It looked great to me, although it was extremely dusty and dirty from having sat in the yard for a year. He told me that he had put about $2,000 into the bike not long before he quit riding it. The battery had totally died so he hooked it up to a charger: nothing. He upped the amperage to jump it and it started. It also blew out the low-beam headlight. Smoke came out of the pipes for a short time but soon quit and it idled smoothly. He took it for a little ride around the yard and then I got to ride it. It seemed a little heavy to guide, but we figured it was due to low tire pressure, which later proved to be accurate.
As mentioned, they hosted me for several days while I roamed around on my Yamaha, trying in vain to find a place to twist and make money. On my last day in town, I did manage to find somewhere to make about $80, which went toward paying Guy back for the battery and headlight he bought and oil/filter. Early the next morning, I loaded the Goldwing, Guy changed the oil--showing me how--and we took care of the paperwork. Unfortunately, he was unable to find the title but he gave me a bill-of-sale on a form downloaded from the internet. Then it was time to say goodbye and hit the road.
My first real ride on the bike was from the trailer to the gas station to fill up and put air in tires. The tire pressure almost didn't register on the gauge and the bike rode so differently after filling the tires that it was only my skill as an experienced motorcycle rider that kept me from wrecking in that first few miles. I had to guess what pressure to fill them and later research showed that I was just a few psi off. .The gas station was about half a mile away, right before the entrance to the freeway.
After getting air and gas, it was time to get on the freeway. I chose to go south one exit as my inaugural ride. The bike rode smoothly so I got off the freeway, went across the bridge and my next ride was about 300 miles at 75 and 80 miles per hour. The bike ran quite smoothly. Gas mileage was only 30 mpg and it didn't seem to have anywhere near the power a 1200cc bike should have, but as long as I remembered that it is a tour bike, not a sport bike or even a cruiser, it easy to make allowances.
The Goldwing is the Cadillac of motorcycles--luxury all the way. It is super-balanced, very smooth over bumps due to great air suspension shocks that can be adjusted by buttons in the fairing. It has a digital dash, AM/FM, cassette, CB and a CLOCK! I've been wanting to get a clock for my Yamaha for ...well, every since I bought it. I just never did. Guy had had a lighter installed on it so that I can charge my cell phone and tablet. Another nice thing about the bike is it is heavy enough that I can use the rear brake more than I could on the Yamaha.
I didn't get a chance to learn the bike before hitting the road, but I trusted the Universe, combined with personal experience riding, to keep me safe. The first time I really got to learn about the particulars of the bike was the day after I arrived in Lake Havasu City. I unloaded the bike at the house of my couch surfing host (an incredible young couple) and rode to the nearest park to ride around the parking lot and find out how maneuverable it is. I found out that, even though the Honda is longer and heavier than the Yamaha, it is more nimble on it's wheels. WOW!
Thus far, the only things with it that I've found that needs fixed is the horn button (horn works, button is gone), the engine seems to lose power every now and then, and the brake fluid reservoirs seem very old, the plastic of the windows seem eaten up. Other than these issue, it works very well. I am blessed.
Pay it forward IS real... 

Interesting times on the road.

I rode to Lompoc, Ca at the invitation of a Facebook friend who seemed to be inviting me to spend the weekend. This seemed to be a direction from the Universe, which it may well be. However, at the moment, I'm wondering what I'll be doing for sleeping space tonight. I've done what I've could to make myself available for Universal guidance, but so far nothing has presented itself.

My choices include driving out of town and finding a spot to unroll my bag and bivysac and trust that the Universe will supply me with a safe spot and a dry sleep. It is so sad that one cannot just pull over and get some sleep without a policeman interrupting. I can spend the last of my money on a hotel. I can go to the local homeless shelter. I could start riding east and see how far I get. I just thought of it so I don't think it will work for tonight, but I could put up a sign in the local stores asking for tent space. In any case, it doesn't look like I'll be making much money twisting balloons in Lompoc this weekend.

My friend, Keith, said, "You can have anything you want, as long as what you want is what God wants." It's my guess that what God wants is not always what I would want.

Sigh...sometimes life on a motorcycle includes a great deal of sitting. I've been in this restaurant since about 10 this morning, and it is 5 pm now. Just a bit tired of rain. There was a festival just 20 miles away that I might have been able to work at...had it been dry. According to the radar, it looks like I may be sitting here until they close, or will be riding back to the tent in the rain. So far, it hasn't cost me any out-of-pocket money to sit here; I've made back all that I've spent to eat, but nothing more. I am totally grateful for what I've made, but bills require a bit more. I hope it doesn't rain much while I'm in the desert...

Tomorrow, I am heading to Pasadena to see if that dentist I spoke with will work on my bridge. If not, then I am heading to Palm Springs or Lake Havasu City asap. I feel like I've brought Bandon weather with me, only without the wind. That's something, at least.

Yesterday, I wrote a long article on my tablet, only to have it disappear when I attempted to save it. Turns out that it was the Universe's way of protecting me from my own ignorance. After having time to research the information more today, I found that I had based the article on incorrect information. 

It occurs to me that isolation is good for business and thus, for the economy. The more isolated an individual feels, the more he or she has to spend to stay alive. If he has a community that grows food and feeds him, then he doesn't have to shop for those items. In fact, whatever we supply/help each other with, the less we have to shop. Thus, a shrinking economy MAY indicate a growing sense of community. One person helping another to live isn't traced by the government, yet it DOES effect the bottom line for businesses. So, as I see it, a growing economy indicates a slow death of community. The happiest countries are those that consider the community to be of great value...and that community may be as large as the entire country!

Happiest countries on the planet (score):

1. Costa Rica (64.0)
2. Vietnam (60.4)
3. Colombia (59.8)
4. Belize (59.3)
5. El Salvador (58.9)
6. Jamaica (58.5)
7. Panama (57.8)
8. Nicaragua (57.1)
9. Venezuela (56.9)
9. Guatemala (56.9)
11. Bangladesh (56.3)
12. Cuba (56.2)
13. Honduras (56.0)
14. Indonesia (55.5)
15. Israel (55.2)
16. Pakistan (54.1)
16. Argentina (54.1)
16. Albania (54.1)
19. Chile (53.9)
20. Thailand (53.5)

Isn't it interesting that the USA is #105? This according to http://www.happyplanetindex.org/

Well, have a mist out there. According to the radar, is looks like the rain MAY be coming to an end. I'm think I may as well pack it up and head for camp...and see if it is still there.

Interesting day. (Saturday)

I stayed in Monterey again last night and then headed on down the coast. Now I know why I was told I need to make this drive: way more beautiful than the Oregon Coast. Just awesome! I took me 5 hours to drive 37 miles... I had to keep stopping to check out the beautiful views.

I stopped at one of the restaurants for breakfast but it was so expensive that I decided to just get a burrito from the store. Made several balloons but didn't get a good reception. I decided to ride down to where Johnny is staying before trying to find a place to camp.

I thought that I might have to just park beside the road and unroll the sleeping bag. I mentioned that idea to a woman who was working on her motor scooter and she asked if I had a bivysac. I said no and she immediately said, "Here, have mine. It's about 20 years old but should still work." I love the way the Universe works! Turns out that she owns several companies and was carrying the bag on the off chance that she might get stuck someplace without a a hotel. She planned to be home before dark. She had bought the bike in Tuscan and was riding it home; 8 days on the road. No freeways.

I then decided that I would rent a campsite if I could find one that was inexpensive enough. After trying a couple places, I found one for $17.50: I got it for half the price it would normally cost. It was a busy night for the grounds and I had to set up in the dark. Nice place, but I had no food or water. So, off I went to find some.

I rode about a mile down Hwy 1 to the Fernwood Grill. I ate dinner and made a balloon for the waitress. Another woman saw me twist and said that she also twisted. Sure enough, she proved that she could do it. She was there to visit with her friends so we only spoke for a short time. I did enjoy talking with her friend for a while. Thought about "making a play" but it would have violated my vow to refrain from sexual misconduct. Since she had been drinking, she wasn't in a condition to give clear-minded consent. So I slept alone.

Monterey

Hi all,
Don't know if it is the riht thing to do, but I trust: I decided to stay over another night. Thanks to the generousity of my friend, Wendy. Hopefully, I'll be able to replenish my funds from twisting today. I'm also going to try to find a local can provide tent or couch space.

It is amazing how many people I meet who wish they "could do" what I'm doing. Little do they know, obviously, that they CAN do what I'm doing and it is just fear that holds them back. Well, fear, and the conditioning that they must remain separated and independent from each other or society will think one is a "loser". Personally, I feel that the more I am ablle to help my fellow man, regardless of race, sex, creed or financial situation, the more my joy grows.

Just by the shear numbers of people who confide in me about their desire to be able to connect with others, I can see that we are living in a dysfunctional societal model. The smaller the group that must sustain themselves, the more they have to rely on commerce to survive and thrive. So, how best to create consumers than to isolate people a diminish the sense of community and of freely helping one another? After all, generosity can't be taxed, but money in the bank can be. Well, I guess some generousity can be taxed since anything over a certain amount needs to be declared and there is a "gift tax".

But community cannot be taxed as far as I know. If I grow a garden and feed you with the bounty of nature, that will deprive (taxable) income from the big farmer, so it is best to discourage such transactions. Offering a stranger a space to sleep deprives a hotel of taxable income and fosters friendship which means less trade...and less riches and power for the 1%.

Perhaps this sounds paranoid , but it also makes sense...to me, at least. Actually, I feel sorry for the poor 1%, the resst of the country have the ability  to regain the sense of local and world community without too much change to their lifestyle. The same cannot be said of the super-rich. I now understand what is meant by, "It is harder for a rich man to get to heaven...", heaven in this sense is freedom to love everyone. If your livelihood depends on thinking of the rest of the human race as sheeple, then one is so much less likely to see others as brothers and sisters.

Thanksgiving...

It started off quite lovely at my friend's house. Wendy is such an amazing and wonderful woman! Had oatmeal and corn chowder for breakfast. I still hadn't figured out where I was going, so I got on Google Earth and checked out what towns was close to where my friend, John, is staying. Carmel, California, is the closest town.

So, after saying goodbye to Wendy, I hopped on the bike and headed out. It was a long, but pleasant ride. Got to Carmel and found that it is a town of rich people who cater to anyone who wants to spend a lot of money. Lovely place, but no where for one who didn't want to spend $200 a night for a hotel.

I headed back up the road and stopped at a hotel in Monterey. They wanted over $60 for a room but after explaining what I was doing, the woman at the front desk called around and, unable to find a cheap hotel, gave me a room for $50.50. I think it is the nicest room in the hotel! Two big beds, a gas fireplace, clean, first floor, and I was able to park the bike just outside the room.

Well, after settling in, I set off to find some food. I walked throughout town but didn't find any place until late...but had a great fish sandwich! The food made up for the noise in the bar.

I had great fun while riding through town stopping to make balloons for four little boys who were in awe of people on motorcycles. Seeing the faces of the kids while I make the balloons is truly priceless! And I have begun a contest, kinda, to see how many people I can trigger to say, "You've made my day!" It is common very fulfilling to live in such a way as to have "strangers" feel that their lives are enriched for having encountered me. Too cool!

Okay, I still have a lot to do while I have a comfortable place to work on the 'net.

Huh?!

Funny thing, seems I may have suddenly wound up without a place to stay tonight. The place I was going to stay suddenly is occupied by a sick woman and she feels it wouldn't be a good thing for me to come stay there. I stopped to get a bite to eat when I got the call. I've found that it's difficult to find a cheap hotel ($50) around here. I may have to bite the bullet and spend a bit more. I'm too tired to ride south until I run out of city. At least it isn't raining. :-)

So, I'm going to attempt to post a picture of my new tablet. It's pretty cool! And to be able to get it so cheap; only $150! I can put it in my motorcycle coat pocket. It also can run for about 6 or 7 hours. Way better than the laptop...even with the new battery. Those are finger smudges on the screen.

Time to go find a hotel room.

Lots of fun stuff!

I got to meet one of my main teachers today, though he didn't know that I was his student until we met. I went by IMC and met with Gil Fronsdale. It was great, being able to put a face with the voice. The only time I've seen him is just a few not-so-good stills and one older video. It was interesting, seeing him in person.  As many of you may know, I've been listening to his talks on www.podcasts.org for many years now. It was pleasant to see him in person. He is taller than I thought he might be. (I remember once wondering and I guess I still had the impression than he was around my size. He's actually a bit taller.)

He gave a talk about Right Livelihood. I'm happy to say that by his understanding of the term, I'm engaged in right livelihood. :-)

Another lovely eventis that the Universe presented me with a very nice tablet computer with a bluetooth keyboard of Craigslist for only $150. It's worth quite a bit more than that. I'll still need to carry the laptop around for a while to make sure the tablet works for everything I need for the tablet to do.

Bridge

Well, pooh! Just had another little chunk of my busted bridge break off. If this keeps up, I'll have a lopsided smile. ^_^ Guess that might add character. :-)

Now to see if I can get back to sleep.

Mindfulness and guidance...

Last night, Lalena and I hosted a mindfulness dinner. This is a situation where attendees eat in noble silence, paying strict attention to the action, or life, of eating, tasting, smelling, feeling, seeing or thinking about the food and whatever might arise while eating. The silence and attention paid to the act of eating enhances everything about the meal that it often is a transformative experience to novices. "Noble silence" means no communication with others: no touching, meeting eyes, speaking or any other attempt to meet souls with another. One seeks to cultivate a bubble of quiet attention around oneself. This action frees up energy to focus inward on one's own experience.

We had 10 participants in last night's dinner. The food we chose needed to be good warm or cool. Mindful dinners often take a while to finish. We placed the food on a low table in the living-room and sat in a loose circle. One by one, we filled a plate and sat back down. When everyone had gotten food, I gave some instruction about mindful eating and we began. The meal lasted about 40 minutes. Afterward, we shared what our experience was. Five participants admitted that it was the first time they had truly tasted the food they ate. We often are so busy in our minds that we consider eating to be one of those tasks that we can put on automatic pilot.When we slow down and focus our full attention on what we are doing, it is like focusing the sunlight through a magnifying glass. Eating is one of those areas in our lives where this phenomenon is most evident.

DB Two Eagles...and Sally...and Laurie.

I had a delightful visit with a man who has walked a very similar path through life as I: Dale Two Eagles, the Native American Wisdom teacher and his lovely wife, Sally. We went out to eat and then back to their house to visit some more. Many stories were told and much tea drunk. I would tell Dale's story, but it is so interesting that I will let him tell it himself. I suggest that you contact him and ask him to tell you a story. You both will get much out of the telling. Please see Dale's website Here.

There have been times in the past when my meeting of someone was very obviously a mandate from Source.

Another example is when I met my very talented Earth Angel friend, Laurie, it was so obviously guided by God that it still seems very much of a miracle to me and I recite the meeting to others often. Perhaps some reader has not heard of it. I don't think she would mind my sharing this small bit.

I had been in Bellingham for a little over a year when I got a call to twist balloons in Van Zant (yes, there is such a place). I drove out to the country and had a wonderful experience at the party. As I was leaving (in my 5-ton RV van) I spotted a double rainbow that was touching the ground. I could tell because it was changing the colors of the trees.I grabbed my camera and snapped a few shots. As I began to drive down the road, I noticed that it seemed to be going my way, almost like it was leading me. I decided to follow it as far as I was able. However, when it crossed the main road and there was no easy way to continue (the road I was on stopped and restarted a little ways further on after a zigzag) I decided to just go on home. 'Besides,' I reasoned, 'there was no way it could mean anything.'


A few months later, I was in Woodside, a Science of Mind church, when I spotted this stunningly beautiful woman with two adorable little girls. She took my breath away and I wasn't able to take my eyes off her, and trust me, folks, when I say that it wasn't just her physical beauty I was seeing. Laurie SHINES with spirit light! Anyhow, I don't think she noticed me until I offered to make her daughter and her friend a balloon.

We got to talking and somehow the topic of rainbows came up. I told her about the pictures I had of the double rainbows and when she heard where I was when I saw them, she asked to see the pictures. (Please note, my memory is not the best so the sequence of events may be off slightly, but the thread of the story is accurate.) When she saw them, she told me that if I had continued to follow the rainbow, I would've ended up at her house. I wouldn't have been able to miss it: it was the "Under the Rainbow Farm"! A BIG mural of a rainbow on the side of her house with a road climbing into mountains with little red hearts spaced on it. Now, tell me that that is the Universe telling us something! I've been great friends with her, her husband Wes, and her daughter Callie for about 6 or 7 years now.

I'm not sure, but I get the sense that the Universe has more in store for Dale, Sally and I in much the same way It had something in store for me and the Lewis family when it presented me the double rainbow. If you would like to read about either of these amazing people, see Laurie's website Here. 

This shot of the rainbows was taken from the driver's seat of my RV.

This picture of Laurie's rainbow (on the side of her house) is not the one she had there when we met. That one was much bigger. But yes, this is a fairly recent picture of my friend.

Free cookies and coffee in Walnut Creek.

Decided to head down into the town of Walnut Creek. Turns out that there is more here than I thought, though it is yet to be seen if this is a town that likes balloons. I parked at a meter in one of the motorcycle spaces and when I went to see how much they charge, found it was $1 per hour. Well, while I standing there trying to figure out if whatever I might be interested in doing would be worth the extra dollar, a 77 year old fellow came out of the store behind me and began talking about his childhood and after a bit, when he seemed to have reached a point of resolution, he invited me in for cookies. Through this interaction, I found out that there is free parking in the garage across the street.

Early this morning, I was informed by a lovely female friend of mine that she would like to recommend my name to an e-magazine publisher as a possible columnist. What fun! This friend has quite a bit of experience as an editor and says that she feels I'm a pretty good writer. It is true that I am fond of writing, though I'm not sure how interesting the content is to others. My life seems pretty calm to me.

So, after a bit, I decided to get a cup of coffee write. Stepping in a Starbucks, I was confronted by a long line. I've always enjoyed long lines (unless I'm in a hurry) because it gives me an opportunity to freak people out by attempting to connect with them on a soul level. I noticed that this particular Starbucks was offering 2 for 1 on Holiday drinks so I turned to the guy behind and and mentioned it and before I could say, "Would you like a free holiday coffee?" he said, "I'm getting an eggnog latte, if that is a holiday coffee, you can piggyback on my order." I told him that I was going to say that to him and he said that I could pay it forward. We wound up with his asking my counsel regarding his relationship with his girlfriend. This kind of thing happens so often that one would think that I would get used to it, but I still think it is awesome!

The Universe works in awesome ways!

Proverbs 3:5-6

New International Version (NIV)

⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
⁶ in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight.^[a]
The Universe is showing It's intelligence today. I stopped in The Original Pancake House in Pleasant Hill, Ca, for breakfast. The lot was full so I parked my bike in an unusual way and left my business card (my spiritual card, the only one I had on me) very visibly stuck in my helmet, just in case a cop took exception. I was about half finished with my meal when a distinguished-looking gentleman came in and asked if that was my bike and asked whether I was local now. After I replied no, he left, only to return a few moments later accompanied by his wife.

They (Dale and Sally) asked if they could join me just as I began to invite them to sit. He is a Native American Wisdom teacher and hypnotherapist. We spoke for about 20 minutes and I invited them to the Mindful Eating class/workshop I'm teaching on Friday and he invited me to a sweat lodge that they are going to this weekend. It was just a couple days ago that I was saying to someone that I would like to meet a Native American shaman and do a sweat or vision quest. Then they picked up my check and donated generously for a balloon I made for Sally. I love the way the Universe works, especially when It works in pleasant ways. ;-)

Everyone who left the restaurant while I was there said something to me. It has been happening a lot over the past few years, but it still surprises me when it happens in such an obvious way.

There is a story about how an angel of God appeared to a king of certain country and announced that God would appear to him in whatever way the king wished. The king, being a vain fellow, said, "Then let him appear before me in all His Glory, as befits a king of my stature and importance." The angel said, "As you wish."

A huge bolt of lightening came from the sky and blinded the king and all who lived in the castle.

The angel then appeared to a simple farmer living in poverty and said that God would appear to him in the way the man wished. The man, who did not know of the king, said, "I am a simple man. God's glory would be overwhelming to me. Please, let God appear to me in the face of everyone I meet, in the land that I work, and in the everyday events of my life." The angel said, "As you wish."

The farmer lived a long a joyous, loving life, seeing God in all things.

I remember watching a movie about H.H. the Dalai Lama. In the movie, there was a confidant/teacher of his who would often say, "I am but a bug, your Holiness."  What a beautiful, freeing thing to be! Without the bug, there would be no food or transformation of dead things, but since no one expects anything of the bug, it is totally free to be itself. There is no striving to be more than what it is and so all things come to it sooner or later. The bird eats the bug and then the bugs eat the bird.

Off to see what else the Universe has to present that is mine to do.

Walnut Creek, Ca

I met with Vivian (Gramma V) for breakfast just before I left Sacramento. We had a wonderful talk about forgiveness and other such topics and I had the opportunity to share a twist or two with her that will help her bring joy to those whose lives she touches. Just before our time was up, I found myself getting quite dizzy for no reason I could fathom. So I walked over to Target and bought some Dramamine. After waiting about 45 minutes, I was able to ride the bike across the bridge to a coffee shop and just hang out for another 45 minutes before I felt comfortable enough to ride.

The bike is seriously loaded with stuff so there's not a whole lot of room for me when I ride. I have quite the cozy nest between my pack and the gas tank bag. This seating situation puts me just on the edge of the saddle, not much cushioning. After being on the road for a bit, I needed to make a stop; between the coffee and the dizzy spell, this part of the trip was NOT a pleasant ride. I stopped and tended to business and then pulled the bike over by the entrance to the freeway, parked it and laid back on the grass, gazing at the sky. Ah, this is the life! Freedom to move or not as the mood strikes. While laying there, I notices lots of tiny black spots floating in my vision, along with longer "chains" of black dots.Trying it now, inside my friend's apartment, I'm able to see the chains, but only if I can find a solid-color background. I think I will look it up on the 'net later.

Once I got close to Walnut Creek, the freeway widened: 16 lanes. I had forgotten just how HUGE the freeways are down here in the city; very confusing if one doesn't know where they're going. I remember living near here in '96 and '97 and it is possible to get used to the hustle and bustle. Not sure I want to stick around long enough to make that effort. Being on the rat trail when one is no longer interested in the rat race doesn't make a whole lot of sense if one can avoid it. I didn't always think this way. I remember actually loving the busyness of it all.

I arrived at the apartment of my friend/student, Lalena and her mother, Marguerite and son, Pundu. Pundu is a awesome little teacher and has a beautiful singing voice. He was born without eyes and they've been told that he is developmentally disabled, though I think the doctors MAY have it wrong. It seems to me, in the short time I've been near him, that he may have awakened kundalini energy running through him. He seems very happy and in almost constant motion. I think I will have to research this some more.

Lalena and Marguerite are very pleasant people. They remind me somewhat of my daughter and her mother, only with a more civil and loving relationship. My bed is the floor in a corner of the living room, quite comfortable thanks to the Thermarest mattress. The new battery and power cord for my computer were waiting for me when I arrived and it seems the battery is going to be be a great benefit, though the cord heated up tremendously, almost hot enough to give blisters, as it charged the new battery. This battery is giving my computer quite a bit more running time between charges.

Today and tomorrow has rain in the forecast. The bike will remain parked, I think. Driving these unfamiliar streets is exciting enough without the slickness of wet roads after a long dry spell. This is fine as it gives me time to research the area and see just what, if anything, I want to do or see while here.

Funny how I have grown so content with just being. At the moment, I feel as though I am a cup, opened to being filled but with no need to hurry the process.

Observations

People are funny, aren't they? I'm in this huge city and yet people have found a way to remain alone in the midst of these huge crowds. I walked around a bit this morning and passed numerous folks out and about. I'm dressed decently, recently shaved, carrying my computer and yet, only 3 out of about 40 people that I passed responded to my cheerful, "Good morning!"  Two were women my age walking along in deep conversation, but they paused in their chat long enough to say hello. The other was an older Asian woman who asked about the Utilikilt.

As I sit here in this Starbucks, I'm observing many types of human behavior. One fellow that looks very much as though he just got out of prison for murder was extremely pleasant to an employee who brought him a cold sandwich that was supposed to be hot. A lovely woman coming in didn't acknowledge the fellow that opened the door for her in any way. A heavily tattooed young woman with neon Magenta hair come in with a 11 year old girl, asking her about her day in school. Every table has at least one person with an open laptop and most, including me, have a cell phone laying on the table. Two days ago, while at a Starbucks in Sacramento, I overheard a fellow interviewing a rising star in the music business. I spoke with him for a few minutes and it turned out that he was a writer for some hip-hop magazine.

As I watch all these folks, it occurs to me again that there is no difference between them and me. It's all just a matter of degree. All have their aches and pains, their joys and heartaches. Each trying to get rid of sadness and invite more joy. Just like me. How can one not feel a sense of camaraderie with the others who are trying to live a happy life: sometime with success and many times failing. When I see an old man, stooped over from pain, I remember myself getting out of bed this morning aching, sore and bent over until the joints warmed up and I can feel compassion for him. If I see a couple arguing, this has happened many times in my past so I have stood in their shoes. Those who dress in outlandish ways, well, I've wanted to be noticed from time to time in my life.

Just had a nice, long conversation with a cab driver who looked like a boxer  about ballroom dance lessons. Turns out that he had some experiences that, through our conversation, enabled him to see in a different light.

Wonderful generosity!

My wonderful adopted sister, Francine, has provided me with the opportunity to spend a week in a resort in Southern California, December 14th-21st. Too cool!

My time in Sac.

Hello all! I've convinced my computer to work for a bit, so I guess we'll see if it lasts long enough to get in a post. My last post was written on my cell phone, thus the reason for its disjointed and primitive tone.

A few days ago, I stopped in a balloon store to restock. How wonderful to be able to walk in and pick up just a few bags instead of having to buy in bulk to get the discount; worth the extra dollar per bag to me! While there, I asked about possibly getting together with some of the local twisters to have a Jam. I was given the contact info of a local twister, Gramma V, who knows everyone. I rode up to the mall she was working at and the next thing I knew, I was put to work. Over the past few days, I've twisted at two restaurants and at the mall, twice and was able to make enough money to be able to do a few things I've been needing to do.

I've not really seen anything of Sacramento other than the mall and the restaurants and the space in between but that's fine with me. The natural area around Sac is flat and is mostly farmed. The city is another city; built by people for the entertainment and upkeep of people, much like every other city. As the fellow who is hosting me here said, it is a small town that continues for a very long distance.

Gotta say, meeting with a bunch of twisters yesterday was awesome! I haven't done that in a decade or so. Great joy! Twistin Tim, Jammin' Judy, Albert, Gramma V,  Eva and couple others who hopefully won't be insulted that I can't remember their names without having their business cards in front of me. Albert showed me a really neat thing to do with a hex nut and an 11" round balloon. The nut can make the balloon scream! Gramma V went in half with me on 5 bags of balloons and gifted me a handful of odd face balloons. Sac has a wonderful twisting community!

I had the opportunity to go dancing a couple times at The Ballroom in southeastern Sac. T'was fun, though I wish I had been able to get there a little earlier. As it happened, I only had a short time to dance each time, though it did result in a too-short, late evening hot chocolate "date" with a beautiful woman. I hope to dance tonight at The Station. I've heard that there is a bunch of high-level West Coast Swing dancers here in town. Should be fun.

I find it very interesting that almost everyone I tell about my present living situation appears to envy me.  It seems to me me that so many people have bought into the "American Dream"...you know, the one that leads to this country being one of the least happy countries in the world. The one in which one's creativity gets stifled by the "almost" life. Almost happy, almost content. Making due with what one is able to glean from a lifetime of working for the weekend.

I have a few people who look on my choice of living with something like disdain or disapproval. I'm not striving to "make something of myself". People tell me many times a day how I've "made" made their day. Sitting here in this Starbucks, I've been asked to stay in town three times thus far.  To me, this means I am living a successful life. I recently read, "One's true worth is what is left when one loses everything." I will be dead soon. My deathday may be 50 years off, but that is less than the blink of an eye when we look at the life of the earth. What I own when I die will not be the measure of my life but rather the number of smiles I've triggered during my short time embodied will be the mark of my success.

If I repeat myself in this blogging experience, forgive me. I know that not everyone will read every blog entry. Thus I'm not even trying to edit for repeating stories. Years ago, someone told me of "The Tombstone Test." Basically, it is a fact that everything we believe, everything we do, all that we love or hate is summed up by the short dash between the birth and death dates on our gravestones. In a hundred or two hundred years, even that will likely be unreadable. Since this is so, if you could leave one short sentence on  your stone that will tell future generations what you stood for in life, what would your line be? For me, "He made everyone one Earth smile for one minute." A totally impossible task. But I can hold every action up to the light of that line and see whether what I'm doing will lead me toward, or away, from that goal. The Abbot of the Great Vow Monastery said that such a line is a "life vow." If my actions will lead me toward the lights of that line, then greater contentment and happiness will grow. If my actions will lead me away, discontent and unhappiness will be the fruit.

"One is wealthy in direct proportion to one's contentment with what one already has. One is in poverty in direct proportion to what one feels one lacks."

By this standard, I am a very wealthy man!! Were I to die today, I will have lived a totally successful life.

Sacramento and huh?

My third day in town. Thus far, I'm not sure why I'm here, but I am remaining present. My new hosts are two extremely nice people! I'm staying in a few 5th wheel camper next to a huge house in a lovely neighborhood. When I opened the door, there was today's newspaper on the steps along with the addresses for two local dance studios.

I have been concerned about a small growth on my temple and have wondered if it might be cancer. John, my host, was an ER doctor for 20 years, took a look and said it was nothing to be concerned about. I love how the Universe works!

My previous hostess was very kind. She reminded me of my sister, Vicki, in several ways, though more like she was a few years ago: kind but no nonsense, always busy to the point of being driven. Quite a bit different from where I am in my life just now. We didn't get much time to visit between her work and her getting ill.

My computer died today. Well, to be honest, the power cord died. I ordered a new one from eBay but need to wait until I get to the San Francisco area to collect it. I also ordered a new battery. The two, combined, cost less than half of what just a power cord alone from Radio Shack costs. This will likely result in my spending less time in coffee shops.

I've found that my biggest expense on this trip is going to restaurants. It is a social outlet for me. I've found that this is true for many one sees in restaurants. Serving staff play a vital role in many lives and most have no clue. They are often the only smiling, happy people some see for days on end.

(Some time has passed since I wrote this. I'll post another one soon. Hard to keep up using the cell.)

Sacramento

I'm in Sacramento now. The ride down was uneventful, though I never knew that North-central California is a rice growing area. There were miles upon miles of rice fields interspersed with orchards of all sorts. I had heard that gas prices in California were higher than ever, yet I paid less than I have in ages; $3.79 per gallon.

It was interesting breaking camp and loading the bike again. I still haven't found a fast and simple way to do it. I was, however, able to let go of a couple pairs of pants and a pair of socks. There is much more that I would like to let go of but feel I need. The bike is SERIOUSLY loaded when I travel. I got  to say goodbye to Onyx, one of the bobtail dog-cats. I told Tova that I was sorry, but I had to abandon  two cats at her house because I couldn't get them to stay in my backpack. (Of course, she knew I was talking about her cats.)

I've not ridden in a large city in a large city in California for quite some time, especially on a loaded motorcycle. I blinked and in that space of time, the car in front of me started to stop for ants. In other words, he began to stop just because he felt like it. We were in the high-speed lane and I locked the back brake in order to miss ramming him. Talk about pucker-factor! I was relieved when I pulled up to the house I'm calling home for a couple days. I nice little place fairly close to downtown.

I called Christina, my hostess, who works close by. She said that she'd be home in a couple minutes and sure enough, she was. She's a multi-tasker and a half! Her energy rolls off her in waves. She showed me around her house, cooked us a simple fish dinner and we watched a little internet TV while she did some work on her computer and enjoyed a few beers. I was ready to pass out when I got there and so was pleased to call it a night early.

Today, I visited a balloon store (it is SO neat to be able to walk into a store and pick the balloons I want off the shelf!) and a magic store. It is more pleasant riding an unloaded bike around town, that's sure. I also stopped by a radio shack to buy a new power cord for my computer, $64.64. I got on eBay and original replacement cords cost as little as $6.98. Needless to say, as soon as I find an address I can use, I'm ordering one and taking this universal cord back. I can use that money for more balloons!

It's a lovely day out, but I've spent the last couple hours in a Safeway Starbucks, looking for cheap balloons and places to go dancing. I think that I can safely say that I'm no longer a big-city fellow. At least, not at this time in my life. The sprawl of huge cities is confusing to this one who has  become used to small town life. And after this comes San Fransisco. Oh, boy! :-) I wonder if I'll be able to find Cliff...the cat who saved my life.

I think I will go take a nap in a park. I'm WAY tired.

Halloween in a college town.

For someone who is working on integrating the awakened understanding into his sexuality, Friday and Saturday evenings in Chico, CA, the weekend before Halloween, was not peaceful. All the pretty young women in town were competing in who could wear the skimpiest outfit or who could look the sexiest.  Pour on top of that copious amounts of drugs and alcohol, testerone filled young men and you have the makings of a city-wide drunken orgy. Everywhere one looked (even in the backyard where I was camping, though I wasn't involved) "stuff" was happening. Talk about feeling old!

Toby and I walked around town to view the local Wildlife and wild it was. We made it "home" by 11 and the party was just getting started in town. Yelling, screaming, loud singing, parties all once the place, sirens going on constantly... Not much sleep to be had.

As I wandered around, I was able to see the pain that people were in, yet likely didn't even realize that they were in pain. This phenomena is somewhat like when one tenses their shoulders and realizes that they are carrying much more tension than they realized. Why does one seek to get drunk? To have fun? This hints that their normal state of mind isn't fun. Oh, but perhaps it is a different type of fun. What prompts the desire to go there? Just asking. No clue what your answers might be for you... And chances are very, very good that whatever your answers are now, they'll change.

Oh, the bobtail brothers! Just love 'em to pieces! Dog-cats, both. Onyx and Obsidian, may they live long and happy lives. I sat and caught up on Glee and Onyx slept pushed against me the whole time... That, to me, is proof that the is a heaven on earth!

I was going to break camp yesterday and ride down to Red Bluff to visit a friend from couchsurfing but her elderly father had fallen and she had to spend time with him so it was a good thing that I did not break camp.  I am moving on to Sacramento today. They have balloons stores!!! :-D I might even be able to join in a balloon jam, the first one in more than a decade!

Up, up and away!

Pumpkin heads and integration

When I got up today and finally got out into public, I happened on a contest called pumpkinheads. People stood on the milk carton crates with carved pumpkins on their heads, and the last one standing wins $1000 plus a car. This was the 16th annual contest.

Last night, I had the blessing of being accompanied to a late dinner/breakfast by a lovely young woman. She was interested in the path of wisdom. I discovered that I'm still integrating the awakened state into my sexuality. What this means is that, when one awakens, there is a period of time in which old habit patterns can be triggered. If one is able to stay totally awake to the whole habitual process that is being triggered then it is much less likely that the trigger will work in the future. In other words, integration means allowing the awakened understanding to permeate the whole of one's ego and in this way, enabling one to dwell continually in full awareness. Unfortunately I found out that, due to recent events, I wasn't quite able to just remain aware of thoughts/feelings triggered without reaction. I lost awareness for a few moments and flirted. She handled it well, but I didn't want that to happen. (sigh) All I can do is begin again. We all have issues that are ours to work with and we usually won't know if we've succeeded in "beating" until they are challenged.

Kate, if you read this, the information you were given is completely correct, even if the messenger hasn't completely integrated it is all parts of his life. Even the world champion dancers take lessons.

It is interesting that I'm not much interested in wandering around town or up into the huge city park that I've heard so much about. I think part of that has to do uncomfortable footwear. My feet are in quite a bit of pain. I'm thinking that I'll use what cash I make this weekend in buying a pair of comfortable hiking boots that can double as motorcycle boots, if there are such things.

Chico and Paradise.

The title sounds like it could be a Hollywood movie! "The Adventures of Chico and Paradise; How the West was Lost!"

My time here has been quite leisurely and uneventful. I took a ride up the Skyway to Paradise and a bit beyond the other day. There is a canyon on the way up that is quite impressive. A local told me that it is sometimes referred to as "The Little Grand Canyon." I'll post a few pictures. I spotted a fire truck on the side of the road and stopped to ask if the firemen knew of any local places that would be good to visit. They directed me to a fire lookout on top of a small mountain but when I got to the dirt road that led to it, I found it was WAY too muddy for my heavy street bike. I slid in a gob of mud deposited in the main road by a previous visitor. So, I just rode back to Chico.

It rained quite a bit yesterday so I mainly just hung out in my tent and worked on the computer, meditated, and visited with the cats. I actually was blessed to be the bed of one of the cats for about an hour. A lap-cat! How cool is that?! To me, that is a local version of Heaven. Toward evening, I strolled downtown to get a bite to eat and be around people. Of course, the place I chose to eat at had no customers but me. You guessed it: I had Asian food. Pad Thai, to be exact. T'was the smallest portion of food I've ever gotten in an Asian restaurant. What food there was, however, was awesome! As I was walking around town, I spotted a Stone Cold Creamery and decided to treat myself. The Universe decided to treat me to an ice cream in the form of the manager gifting me the treat. The power of joyful balloons!

Tova, my hostess, decided to come stay at the apartment last night. We chatted for quite some time. A very pleasant, intelligent woman. I, of course, stayed in the tent. I enjoy sleeping in the cold, but I think my body is getting too stiff to enjoy sleeping on hard ground. So today my adopted sister, Francine, gifted me the money to purchase a high-quality sleeping pad. It will have to wait until tomorrow, unfortunately. PayPal doesn't deposit the money directly into my bank account but takes a few days to show up.  But I'll get the pad tomorrow.

I've been noticing the cliquishness of the downtown areas of the areas I visit. Bellingham, Wa. and Chico could be sister-cities as far as the caution inhabitants display toward those they don't know. The street people are friendly with the street people. The collage kids are friendly with other college kids and the couples are somewhat friendly with other couples. However, few will extend their friendliness beyond the borders of their own clique. This isn't something that I've noticed just toward me, but it's the general behavior of almost everyone downtown. Approach someone with the idea of asking for directions and one can easily see them gird themselves for fight-or-flight.

I somewhat dislike the idea of speaking about politics, but I've been asked so here goes. It has been my experience thus far that the phenomenon I described in the above paragraph appears to be the ideal of the Republican party, especially so when speaking of the Far Right.. "Everyone to their own class and help only those within your own family or clique...and only if they are actively working to help themselves." I'm sure there are exceptions to this rule, but it does seem to be the rule. The elephant seems to wish for "survival of the fittest" whereas the donkey wishes for all to be equally happy and healthy.  Am I incorrect about this general assessment?

More specifically, what I find interesting about this particular election season is that Obama did what he did in the face of a Republican-led Congress that did everything they could NOT to work with him...yet not once did I ever heard the possibility of racism. Maybe racism didn't play a part, but isn't it interesting that there is not one black Republican congressman presently serving? Regardless of the reason, even the Pope needs his bishops to work with him to accomplish anything of note. If they were to decide en masse not to cooperate, there really isn't much he could do on his own.

It seems to me that Jesus, Buddha and Gandhi were all democrats. (Please note, I am NOT a political person. I think anyone that is elected will be favored at first and later rejected. It ultimately doesn't matter who is in office, America is in trouble and the next administration isn't going to do much but slow down or speed up the decline.) They all asked their followers to care for all of their fellow man, not just those who are related.

So, what do I believe regarding politics? From my limited understanding: We don't know what information the president gets each morning so we are not in a position to judge the effectiveness of the sitting president, whoever he is. I know that, if I help those who need it, I feel better about life. So I'll keep doing that. I believe that the pursuit of the almighty dollar has replaced the pursuit of community, or even God. I believe that a great way to build a house is to get the whole community involved. Isn't it interesting that America is very low in the studies conducted of general happiness and most poor countries scored higher in those same studies? Why is this? Because of the sense that everyone in the country is a part of the same family and if one fails, all fail.

But of course, this is America...

Today, no longer yesterday and not yet tomorrow.

" The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away." Gassho to the unknown author.

Woke up chilled. Bless Tom, the heater works! Having donned long johns last night before bed, I knew it was going to be chilly when I climbed out of bed in the morning. Funny thing, though, how the chilly of one moment is different than the chilly of another. Had I just come in from 30 degree weather, this temperature would be positively warm. I've been trying for years, in vain thus far, to determine just what it is about the feeling of "cold" that is so uncomfortable.

Funny how cluttered a small space can become in the space of a few days when one is living out of a backpack. My Mom instilled in me a desire for cleanliness but I never developed the organizational skills to live uncluttered. One reason, I think, for owning just what is needed. Today, I pack for the next move. I like to leave where I've been in more orderly condition than I found it so, despite that fact that the camper was clean when I arrived, I'll find some way to leave it in "improved" condition.

I wrote the last bit yesterday. I'm finding that living totally without a schedule makes it somewhat difficult to remember to write in the blog everyday. My new temporary residence has been supplied by a woman who moved out of a duplex apartment but is keeping it for use by her daughter when she gets back to town early next month. Due to some allergy I have to something in the house, though, I am camping in the yard. This is cool because I truly enjoy sleeping in my tent. I find it interesting that, though my last partner loved camping, we never actually went camping while we were together, and obviously never used this tent.

In this new space, I have internet and use of the house. Plus, there are two beautiful black bobtail cats (Onyx and Obsidian) living here. Purry and talkative, very loving. The Universe loves me, I know, because I was just saying to someone yesterday that I was going through kitty-withdrawals. The rain is hitting the top cover of the tent and rolling down. There was thunder a few moments ago that prompted a downhill race between the drops of water that, before, were out for a leisurely roll.

Last night, after I had moved in, I walked down to the local dance studio, "Studio One," to visit with Kylee, the manager. Luke, the owner, was giving an Argentine Tango lesson. Though I know just a small amount of that particular dance, he invited me to join in. So, in my stocking feet, I Tango'd. T'was fun! Gassho to you Luke and Kylee!

I am truly blessed! I already have places to stay while in Sacramento (Blessings Christina and John) and in Walnut Creek (Blessings Lalena) after that. From there, I'll be headed to Big Sur to visit with a young man who I haven't seen in over a decade. He doesn't know it yet, I don't think, but I have been using one story about an event between he and I for years to teach the folly of assuming. (And though I teach how not to do it, I still occasionally fall prey to them.)

I am going to have to buy a different pair of boot/shoes. I have my motorcycle boots and a pair of sandals as well as a pair of dance sneakers. Well, none of them are good for walking or hiking. So, even though I just bought the MC boots a couple months ago, it seems that I'll have to let them go in favor of boots that will better allow me to explore. Perhaps, when I make it to the desert areas, I'll attempt to go barefoot.

As I was coming "home" from breakfast today, I passed a jolly giant of a tree. There was a VW bug parked behind it and I was unable to see the car until I walked around the tree. I looked up in its branches and was greeted by a massive squirrel. I now know why the cats seem hungry; the squirrels could beat them up!

Day 5, Monday

I awoke to rain on the roof of the little camper I'm staying  in. A cold front has come through and it is forecasted to rain off and on for the next couple days. The rain stopped today about 9 or 10am though there was a tornado that touched down a few miles north of town, so I hear.

Tom treated me to breakfast at a place named, Nash's. Great food, wonderful atmosphere. Afterward, he drove me out to see a Catholic  monastery that had used stones cut in the 12th century in the construction of a portion of their buildings. While there, we meditated in the church proper and wandered around the grounds a bit. Saw the fattest squirrels I think I have ever seen! I'll try to post some pictures of the stonework.

It was grand, being out there. I was able to reconnect with the peace I've experienced for most of the last 10 years. This was the first time I've reconnected with that level of peace in almost three months. I had the joy of picking up a few walnuts off the ground and revisiting my childhood in memory while eating them. It was the first time I've enjoyed that activity in many, many years.

After we got back to the house, Tom went to do whatever he had planned and I decided to just hang in the camper since it was chilly. My good friend, Keith, gave me a book entitled, 'The Man Who Quit Money' a few weeks ago and I've hardly had the time to crack the book open. So I read a large portion of it. Very good and I resonate with the fellow's lifestyle, though he has taken it a bit further than I want to.

I mentioned in my last entry how people seem to be more shielded than I remember from my youth. This was very evident as I walked around downtown. I was dressed fairly well, was clean and peaceful and had a small smile the whole time I was out, yet almost everyone I passed wouldn't meet my eyes, or didn't acknowledge me and kept to themselves. So sad since most people crave pleasant human interaction and they could easily have had it with me.

But it strikes me that others may not want to put forth the vulnerability of meeting someone new only to have that person be a "taker" rather than a "giver". So, we choose to reserve our extroverted  friendliness for those spaces where our energy invested might be returned with "profit" to ourselves. In other words, we don't say hello on the street to the same people we would hug on first meeting in church, or at a dance. You know, Jesus would likely have never even had been noticed if he had been born now, in America. He likely would've lived out his life in anonymity as so many do. He would've been fine with that, I think, but the world would've missed out on some great teachings. The same is true of most great spiritual teachers who haven't published books.

So, tomorrow I get to pack up and (hopefully) move to a different host for a few days. I've learned that things change...including well-laid plans. If necessary, I'll find a campground. I know everything will work out fine; this trip is being guided by the Universe.  :-)

Day 4, Sunday

 Yum! If you happen to be in or come to Chico, there is a great breakfast restaurant called, The Roost. A little, no frills place with great food at good prices. I can only speak with experience to one dish, but I heard others saying how great their food was. For dinner, I went to the Hometown Buffet, primarily for the company. Not a good choice for food or company.

One of the hardest things I've found thus far about traveling by myself is not having someone soft and pleasant to share my experiences with. Odd, for someone who has hardly ever traveled with company.  I guess getting older does create changes. I find that I am much more reserved in meeting people now than I once was. Not because of fear of rejection or anything like that, but rather, just not as interested in putting forth all the effort in overcoming the initial resistance to make that first connection. Women of "date-able" age seem to be much more shielded now than when I was in my 20's and 30's. Especially so when one is just in town for a week or so.

I went to a Center for Spiritual Living (CSL) church this morning and the speaker was an ex-staff minister who spoke about the affair she had with one of the members of the church and what she learned from the experience. She lost her husband and her children don't want to speak with her for now and the guy lost his wife. As she said, she is going to be punished by her actions for years, but she is now moving on. I have great respect for this woman who lived through her mistakes, learned from them, was open about it and then decided to move on. I was sitting in the front row and could see how her hands were shaking. It takes a true spiritual warrior to stand in front of a congregation as she did and make such a confession and apology.

We all commit behaviors we later regret. In fact, we may even regret the behavior AS we commit it but feel like we have no choice. (Do we have a choice if we can't see that we have a choice?) This is all a part of living. One aspect of living a spiritually-based life is that we choose to focus on learning from our "mistakes" and attempt to discontinue those behaviors that don't serve the greater good of all. We forgive ourselves as well as others and we don't run from what is difficult to face about ourselves and our own behavior/emotions/thoughts. It is very rare that great spiritual growth comes without difficult challenges.

I hung out with Tom and his girlfriend, Bridget for a while in the evening. Tom's roommate, Cal, came out and visited for a short while too. Wonderful conversations going on all evening. I retired about 10pm to let them have alone time.

Day 3

Today was a good day, for me at least; don't know about that mosquito though. I slept well and awoke early.  I had plans to go to the Chico Farmer's Market about 10 blocks away from where I'm staying.  I found and spoke to the manager and she welcomed me. It was a fairly busy market, though once it got really busy, people quit stopping to get balloons. I think they were afraid of getting trampled. I wound up making enough to keep me for a few days.

I had made a big balloon hat as is my want and even made a balloonicature of "the Balloon Man"  and a "tweety" to put on top. Just as I was finishing up, a couple approached and bought it from me for $12. That's a bit less than it was worth, but more than I often get for the hats I make for work.

As I was packing up to leave, Tova, the woman who contacted me originally  to host me, showed up. I spoke with her for a bit and gave her a mini-dance lesson next to my bike. She gave me some great information  about the surrounding area so I decided to stick around a week or so. Tom, my present host, generously offered to let me stay in his camper for 4 nights and Tova offered me a place for a few more nights.  This gives me time to explore.

I went to this great sandwich shop called  Pluto's. Had a wonderful grilled portabella mushroom sandwich. While I was standing in line to pay, I made a couple little balloon hats for a couple college girls that were in line with me. It was so cute, the way they carried on! One said, convincingly, that it was to coolest thing that ever happened to her in her life.  Don't think I quite believe that, but they both were very excited and they ate their meals with their hats on and wore them all the way down the street. There are times when I just love what I do!

I contacted Tom and offered to buy him a coffee so he hopped on his little scooter and zipped on down. We sat and talked for a bit. He told me about some other neat places around here that I may try to visit before I leave. It is somewhat unfortunate that a cold front is coming in that is due to lower the temperatures considerably. It sounds like there are some very cool places to go swimming around here.

This is a very cool little city. It supports the 3rd largest municipal park in the US. I drove through a part of it and saw the coolest children's playground! Kinda wish I was still a little kid. Looked like more fun than riding my unloaded motorcycle...naw! I was also told that there is a place toward the East from here that is nicknamed, The Little Grand Canyon. I think I will go see if I can find it tomorrow.  Of course, plans change so I may not.

An example of plans changing is that I went out to go dancing tonight but the place I read about wasn't open. There are lots of young people out dancing tonight, but no couple dancing that I can find. I don't feel like going to a college club as there is nothing there for me but eye candy and I can do without too much of that just now. 

Day 2

Medford, Or, in the morning, Chico,CA in the evening. The ride down was pretty long and I felt like I was being pushed by the weather the whole way. It wasn't until I was about 20 miles north of Redding before I was able to get out from under the clouds.

I had thought that I had a place lined up in Chico but never got a confirmation so, when I pulled off I-5 to check for a message from the woman who'd contacted me, you might understand my momentary unhappiness. But right at the moment I turned my thoughts to finding tent space in Redding,I received another invitation from a guy named, Tom G. I called the number he gave me and I headed over after getting directions. Turns out that he offered me a pickup camper to stay in for a few days! I have to say that I'm honored by such kindness and generosity as the hosts on couchsurfing.org display.

We chatted for a short time and he even loaned me the use of his computer to find a place to go dancing tonight. He had a date with his girl so we each went our own ways. After changing clothes, I went to Studio 1 dance studio for an evening of "club ballroom."

It's a pleasant studio with a fairly large floor. I had the honor of dancing with the manager, a beautiful young woman named, Kai-lee (spelled phonetically). Very interesting woman; she is apprenticed to be a wild animal trainer. She said it takes 12 to 14 years to get licensed and she is in year 5. She gets to work with lions, tigers, and bears, "__ __!" ; -) I thought it interesting and amusing  that the bouncer...eh, "customer relations expert" was named Leo. A very intelligent and personable fellow.

And now, though there is more that I could easily write, I'm going to get ready for sleep so that I can get up early enough to twist at the farmers market tomorrow/today.

1st day.

Got a very late start because I thought I'd stay another day and get an early start tomorrow... Then I heard the weather forecast. You guessed it, rain. 100% chance. I decided that riding on dry pavement was worth the money for an extra night on the road. However, I wasn't planning on $50 on a Motel 6. Oh, well.

The ride over was uneventful, except inside my head. Lots of stuff going on in there! Not a good thing anytime and especially not good when riding a m'bike. I've been a civic Northwest for almost 10 years, a lot has happened that time.  I found myself reviewing my time here and thinking about my friends and loved ones who are no longer in communication: there are several.

Two of them got married and that ended much of our close communication. Another was too busy to maintain another friendship; especially since I tend not to initiate communication if I'm not in an intimate relationship. Two others triggered intense emotional reactions in me, and in at least one case, her. I promised another that I wouldn't discuss anything about the relationship, especially online and I'll honor that. But each of these people still mean a great deal to me.

As I was passing through Sunny Valley, the sky was so beautiful due to the sunset and clouds that I had to stop and take a picture.  Will have to wait until I have internet access to the post the picture because I took it with my camera.

When I got into Medford, I was going to go straight to get a hotel but remembered that there is a ballroom here in town. I did not even get off bike but rode to the Evergreen Ballroom for some West Coast Swing dancing. There are some very good dancers here!

And now, it is time for bed... Sure wish I had remembered tooth paste!

About time to go...

I have about 2 hours left before I'm loaded and set to go. Still not sure if I'll turn the bike south on 101 our head east to I-5. Guess I'll figure that out once I get underway. A good friend (a young man I've often thought of as my son) is going to be in Big Sir at the end of the month so I'll make my way there to see him. Haven't seen him in a decade or so. I'll stop in the San Francesco area and visit a bit, go by the Zen center and also take in a few dance lessons while visiting with friends. Then I'll head down Route 1. From what I've read, I can likely make some money in Big Sur, twisting.
I think I can edit posts, so I'll add to this one later. I'm going to post a final configuration picture of the bike.
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2:30 pm NEW! Turns out that I'm not leaving today after all. By the time I finally got ready, I figured I'd have to stop too soon to make the trip today worthwhile. So, since the bike is packed and ready to go, I will stay another night in Bandon and get an early start tomorrow. Perhaps I will use this time to pare down what I'm taking. Got WAY too much stuff that I feel I need to take! This gives me time to see if I can find sleeping places in Chico, Ca and Sacramento.
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3:00 EVEN NEWER! Looks like I WILL be leaving today after all. Just looked at the forecast and it is due to rain all day tomorrow. I'd rather stay in a hotel in Ashland than have to deal with the rain. Sigh....there goes a good portion of my starting resources.

Delusion within delusion and Enlightenment within Enlightenment

Time to go is soon upon me. Received a haircut this morning, still haven't gotten a response from my requests on couchsurfers.org and though I've figured out most of what I'm taking, I haven't figured out how it is going to go on the bike for easy access.

My mother asked me if I am excited to go on this trip. I haven't been, yet. I work to keep my attention in the present moment and since I have no clue whatsoever of where I'm going or what I'm going to do, there isn't anything to "look forward" to, though I will do my best to honor my life by being fully present with whatever presents itself. I've been caught in the land of the "Pain Body", as Eckhart Tolle calls it, for the past two months. That state of mind is definitely NOT pleasant. However, my sense of presence is coming back and I have reason to believe that the Pain Body will be much weaker after this episode.

While I was in the Great Vow Zen Monastery, one chant we did mentioned, "delusion within delusion and enlightenment within enlightenment." I asked the abbot what that meant. He replied that "delusion" is the idea that we are all separate and "delusion within delusion" are those who seek to harm themselves or others. Enlightenment is that understanding of our True Nature, which can only be pointed to but never understood with the mind. "Enlightenment within enlightenment" is when the realization of oneness has permeated the entire mind/body system of a individual's life. One may get a flash of Reality, which is a nuclear experience. It explodes conditioning of one who experiences it. However, just as there are often survivors in massive natural or man-made disasters, there are parts of conditioning that survive exposure to the Truth of Enlightenment or Awakening.

I found one such surviving delusion recently with the unexpected help of an honored teacher. I had no clue that such pain and delusion still survived within me. However, it is all a part of life and if we remain open and present to the experience, even if we cannot always control our own responses, we eventually allow the awakening to mature and integrate throughout the system thus becoming "Enlightened within enlightenment"...or so I am told and in the process of verifying within my own experience. Hogan Bays, the Abbot of GV, is one such person, I believe.

My bike,

Pretty much like it'll be loaded.

Preparations...

So, just changed the oil and the spark plugs, fixed one of the saddlebags as best I could and now the "take with" selection process begins. OMG! It is almost overwhelming! Those who know me, know that I own very little, but when one is trying to figure out what to take on a months-long motorcycle trip, even that little bit can be daunting. I have to take clothes suitable for dancing and everyday wear, dance shoes and sandals plus boots for the motorcycle, balloons and the stuff I need for twisting, toiletries and tent and sleeping bag. Plus my computer (wish I had an iPAD, it'd be much more space-saving) and cellphone and chargers. I also want to take a couple books that have meaning for me right now. All this on a relatively small motorcycle. Hmmm...

Then I have to store the stuff I'm not taking, mow my mother's yard and possibly clean her neighbor's windows. All before Thursday. "So why," you may ask, "are you creating this post?" Because it is a part of getting used to posting something. Plus I'm a bit of a procrastinator.

However, I will listen to my imaginary friend who is telling me to sign off and get to work.

A good friend wrote something to me the other day that I think is fabulous, "May you get what you need and may it bare some resemblance to what you want." This I wish for you.

PS, I've posted several requests for places to stay via couchsurfing.org for Eureka, Ca as my first stop on this journey. Now to see if that is where I will be led to go.

Namaste and welcome to my blog. I'm new to this but will attempt to make it interesting enough to keep your attention. What you'll find in here: insights from my healing process, stories from time on the road with almost no seed money but lots of faith in the Universe to guide and support me. There'll be spiritual insights (based on Buddhist thought, primarily), couple dance tips, just about anything that I think will be entertaining or useful...with a greater emphasis on useful. From time to time, I may add stories from my past...but in to be honest, I'm not real sure what will wind up in here. If you know me in person, you may read things that you might not wish to know, but I'll tell the truth as I know it and will hold nothing back.

I just turned 49 and I'm about to load my old 1981 Yamaha 850 Special motorcycle and head south to parts unknown. I have no idea where I'm going or for how long I'll be gone or what I will be doing. I'll likely be leaving with no more than $300 and several thousand balloons so I'll be relying on the Universe to guide me and provide the things I need.

I must tell you that I am no stranger to traveling without knowing where I'm going to; I've done it in many different fashions throughout my life beginning with running away from home when I was 14 or 15. (I think it was just before my 14th birthday, but my mother says differently.) I left that time with about $40 in silver dollars I stole from my mom's collection. I didn't take all she had, just what I felt I needed. Hamilton, Ohio was my home then. I slept beside the road in a ditch that night, using a Sunday paper from someone's drive as a cover after wadding some of it up and stuffing it in my clothes. It was COLD that night!! I recently told my mom that story and she asked if I had been a boyscout. I learned it from one of the science fiction books I used to read all the time.

I chose a back-road route that I didn't think anyone would think I would choose and just headed West. My thought at the time was that no one from my family had ever been West of the Mississippi so no one would think to look for me there. I shoplifted and walked checks at restaurants to stay alive. One shop owner caught me and rather than turn me in, he gave me all the food I could carry with me plus $20. He was the first of many Earth Angels that I ran across. At another location, a hotel owner gave me a room.

When I got to Hollywood, I didn't know how I would make money but as I walked around looking at this huge, weird city, I saw a live mannequin dressed like a cowboy standing in front of Mann's Chinese Theater. His name was Curtis Reed and he died without ever knowing how he changed the entire course of my life. When I saw him, I thought to myself, 'I can do that.' I went down the road a block or so and sure enough, I was able to make enough money to support myself. I camped at night in this old defunct estate that overlooked Hollywood along with many other homeless people. Had it not been for Curtis (not real nice to me) I might have would up in the porn industry as I was approached two weeks after I arrived in Hollywood by a fellow who offered that lifestyle to me. I didn't accept right away because I had a little money in my pocket and thought the deal was too good to be true. I'll never know for sure because, after I told him I had to think about it, I never heard form him again.

I didn't know that I was a good looking young man although many people told me that I was. However, I did get the opportunity to dance as an exotic dancer for a few years. At one point during those years, I had the president (I think it was) of Jet Magazine as my manager who got gigs for me and a few friends at bars and clubs. I did Human Robotics as a part of my act and found 3 young black men who did pop-locking. Together we created a stage show and traveled about the LA area performing.

There is way too much to write of my past that is entertaining right now, but suffice it to say, my life was not normal! Though, to me, it was just my life. It wasn't romantic or especially exciting, though I often hear that I need to write a book about it. Maybe, if I get a good enough response from blogging, I may consider writing one more fully.

So, why am I leaving the beautiful Pacific Northwest at this time? There are many factors, but chief among them is due to the weather. Because I twist balloons and teach dance for a living while only having a motorcycle for transportation, it is usually difficult to make money up here in the cold and wet. I've spent the last couple years in Bandon, Oregon, but with the recent dissolution of a wonderful romantic relationship, there isn't much I am needed for up here. My daughter in Bellingham, Wa is doing well enough and my mother here in Bandon has her boyfriend. So, there are no ties to keep me here, but plenty of ties to keep me coming back form time to time.

I'll change the oil and spark plugs tomorrow and hope the thing stays running during my trip. I bought it a couple years ago for $500. Thus far, I've put over 16,000 miles on it. Soon after I got it, I rode it to San Diego in two days. That's about 1000 miles. Not bad for a 47 year old. When I left there to come back, a woman partially ran a stop sign and in the attempt to keep the bike upright, I broke a toe and caused a bit of nerve damage. It wound up raining almost every inch of the way back up to Bandon and I slept one night in my wet clothes in an abandoned car wash. Though I was wearing waterproof boots, my socks got more dry tied onto my backpack; waterproof boots are great, except that they retain water once it gets in them. It was a cold, miserable trip. In fact, the whole trip was so awful that all I could do was laugh at how awful it was.

So, this trip....I hope to heal from many issues that have arisen since the disillusion of my previous relationship. I hope to see many sights that amaze and astound me. I've been all over the country many times, but never really took the time to get off the freeways and see what really is out there. I plan to do volunteer work and maybe even get some work on a cruise ship.

One major issue that I have presently is that. without intervention, I will likely be losing a bridge in my mouth soon. The Universe will provide, but at the moment, I have no clue how it will manifest.

For those who don't know me, if any are interested in following this blog, you can find additional information about me at my website, Insights of the Heart. Now, though, I think it is time to let my friends know about this blog and go to bed. Om Shanti (God's peace) and good night.