SEVERAL ENCOUNTERS and a CONFESSION

Sunday Brunch
And yet another birthday treat from the friend I call 'Archangel', Michael Beiser. We caught up on personal news, talked about the state of current politics, told jokes, shared stories and had a lovely nourishing time.

Three congenial seeming fellows were sitting next to us, and one agreed to using my camera to take a portrait of us after I showed him how by doing one of him in the same location.

Ready to leave,  I asked him if he wanted me to delete his photograph or email it to him.  "I already deleted it." he responded smiling, turned back to his friends who were commenting about the dangers of  surveillance as we exited.  We then visited the local Housing Works thrift shop where Cd's were on sale for $1 each.  Michael found three favorites of his while I scored two: the haunting film score of "Tous les Matins du Monde" (All the Mornings of the World) with musical direction by Jordi Suvall, and a pristine copy of "An English Ladymass" by Anonymous4.

~*~

Two Travel Vignettes

Connecting

I had to run for the bus and entered completely out of breath, staggered to a pole and waited, hanging on, till I could breathe again, then sat next to a most attractive woman of forty something (guess) and we began to converse, immediately at ease.  Five stops later we had covered the current scene, the cultural effect of slavery to technology, unconsciousness vs freedom, Zen Practice and thumbnail personal histories.  She copied my email and the Zen Centers Link into her smart phone.  "Can we have tea sometime?" she asked as she was heading to the exit. I nodded a positive.  "You'll hear from Olna" she shouted as the doors closed.   

Overheard

The two were on the bus but not together, in fact she, a middle aged woman worker, and he, younger and dressed like a student, were across the isle from each other  engaged in serious and animated discussion speaking Cantonese. The bus was a 'speed' one that only stops about every ten blocks.  She looked very concerned so, as I moved to the exit when my stop arrived, I asked him if he told her she could get a transfer to the local for no charge...he said "No, no I was telling her about the immigrant detainment at the airports."  "Oh, good." I smiled, then got off and turned to wave. He waved back and said "Insist. Resist. Persist," as the doors closed and the bus pulled away.

Monday Morning
After the news I changed the cover on my Face book page to this image, titling it "America".

Then changed my Profile Photo there to
Ben Franklin

Without freedom of thought, there can be no such thing as wisdom - and no such thing as public liberty without freedom of speech.
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/b/benjamin_franklin.html

"Without Freedom of thought there can be no wisdom--and no such thing as public liberty without freedom of speech."

~*~

Confession

When it came time to travel downtown for my regular writing group, I realized I really didn't have the energy for it, but needed instead to drift - just let my mind wander wherever it wished here within a familiar solitude.  While thinking about this, the hour advanced to past our usual start time of 6PM so I typed a quick excuse not precisely true: "I had two emergencies to deal with today and didn't get back home in time to head downtown for our session tonight. See you next week."  I did have two quasi-emergencies that got resolved.

~*~

Tuesday

I have new boots at last! "ToeWarmers" made in Canada,

a $15 bargain second-hand in like new condition with sufficient treads so I won't slip on icy streets and expire.

I had a chance this morning to test them locally after a light dusting of snow. and so far so good.

January ends at midnight

~*~

 LINKS

Wiki

Tous les matins du Monde

"Tous les Matins du Monde"

All the Mornings of the World

1991 by Alain Corneau

Full-Film Subtitled in English

(one and one half hours)

https://youtu.be/40_0ciGtpYM

"An English Ladymass"

(sixty minutes)

13th- and 14th- century chant and polyphony in honor of the Virgin Mary, Performed by Anonymous 4--Ruth Cunningham, Marsha Genensky, Susan Hellauer, and Johanna Rose.

 

https://youtu.be/6IHgCYmH_F8

~*~

Without freedom of thought, there can be no such thing as wisdom - and no such thing as public liberty without freedom of speech.
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/b/benjamin_franklin.html