INVOCATION

"If wishes were horses, beggars would ride"

(proverb and nursery rhyme, first recorded about 1628 in a collection of Scottish proverbs)

What might I wish for?
Perhaps a clean oven, or a sudden reversal of all dirty politics and politicians, plus a complete, contrite and unconditional withdrawal of all negative forces within human control on the planet.
(Andrew Jackson)


How about the return of Wonder?
(The Waning Wolf Moon)


Peace of mind?

(Illuminated Street Sign)

Wisdom?
(Gift from Theresa LoSchiavo)
Gratitude?
("Silent Solstice" Greeting from Pat Jones)
 
~*~

Meanwhile
I've been not-well. Still in recovery from that bout of flu and troubled over this criminal Government Shut-Down which plans to cancel my Senior Food Stipend of monthly Fifty Two bucks come March, but whose effects are crippling all systems and actually starving some people already, causing them to lose homes and more.It's a Filthy tactic to hold an entire Country hostage just to get your way. The Country is divided on every issue. It's Global. Divisions everywhere, shifting sands and melting glaciers and we haven't even crossed into February!
(Illuminated Street Sign)
 
Today, looking closely at the Twenty Dollar bill, I noticed how incredibly sad Jackson looks. It's all in the left eye. Suddenly curious I read several sites. Some emphasized that he was an orphan, others that he didn't really know where he was born. An other sites reprinted an article on how Trump and Jackson were,and were not similar. I was curious about his childhood exclusively really. We arrive genetically predisposed, then culture crafts us to it's purpose and History happens.
~*~

Tempted to make mention of sadness at the lack of comments,
but this instead:

https://youtu.be/j2OO3vuk3r4

I think about the life I live
A figure made of clay
And think about the things I lost
The things I gave away

And when I'm in a certain mood
I search the house and look
One night I found these magic words
In a magic book

Throw it away
Throw it away
Give your love, live your life
Each and every day

And keep your hand wide open
Let the sun shine through
'Cause you can never lose a thing
If it belongs to you

There's a hand to rock the cradle
And a hand to help us stand
With a gentle kind of motion
As it moves across the land

And the hand's unclenched and open
Gifts of life and love it brings
So keep your hand wide open
If you're needing anything 
~*~

LINKS
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/11/trump-and-andrew-jackson/508973/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Jackson#Early_life_and_education

DUMB LUCK, HAPPY CHANCE and GIVING THANKS

I'd been following fires, wars and elections.
She sings the way I was feeling.

https://youtu.be/2rd8VktT8xY

Surprise from Jude Hill
The mail arrived reminding me of generous friendship
and I decided everything would be Okay.

~*~

Serendipity
Ran into Joanne, my long time Yogi friend.
Hadn't seen each other for a year!

Happy chance

We walked to her place nearby so I could meet
"Milton", a real sweetie.

"Soon" we say.

~*~

Monday dawned at Noon.
.
 ~*~

Preparation for a Feast
Tri-colored Quinoi, Sweet Onion, Sweet eating pumpkins, Cashews, Fennel and Nutmeg...

*
add Blue Agave

*
Add Sweet Butter, and

*
there's green string beans too.
~*~

Accidental Event
One of the four 90 minute tapes broke.
Wish I hadn't given away my splicer.

~*~
  
UNITED
by
Naomi Shihab Nye

When sleepless, it’s helpful to meditate on mottoes of the states.
South Carolina, “While I breathe I hope.” Perhaps this could be
the new flag on the empty flagpole.
Or “I Direct” from Maine—why?
Because Maine gets the first sunrise? How bossy, Maine!
Kansas, “To the Stars through Difficulties”—
clackety wagon wheels, long, long land
and the droning press of heat—cool stars, relief.
In Arkansas, “The People Rule”—lucky you.
Idaho, “Let It Be Perpetual”—now this is strange.
Idaho, what is your “it”?
Who chose these lines?
How many contenders?
What would my motto be tonight, in tangled sheets?
Texas—“Friendship”—now boasts the Open Carry law.
Wisconsin, where my mother’s parents are buried,
chose “Forward.”
New Mexico, “It Grows As It Goes”—now this is scary.
Two dangling its. This does not represent that glorious place.
West Virginia, “Mountaineers Are Always Free”—really?
Washington, you’re wise.
What could be better than “By and By”?
Oklahoma must be tired—“Labor Conquers all Things.”
Oklahoma, get together with Nevada, who chose only
“Industry” as motto. I think of Nevada as a playground
or mostly empty. How wrong we are about one another.
For Alaska to pick “North to the Future”
seems odd. Where else are they going?
 
 ~*~

Stumbled Upon This
I subscribed to the site. Many Episodes.
I watched them all.

https://youtu.be/hEDWHQr2W jw
 ~*~

Next
Rain for California Fires
An end to all Wars
Planet Healing
Universal Kindness 
~*~ 

A DAY OF LIVING

Morning and I make an appointment for another allergy test, then a long talk with a friend having teeth work done.  Elders commiserating.  Face book and emails, breakfast, meditation, 'Democracy Now' catching up on the news (see LINK), then a trip to the library where another elder, disturbed to distraction over the RNC and her memories of Hitler, needed to talk. Another commiseration session.

4PM

Restorative Nap

5PM

LOUD

In front of the building where workers are digging out more dirt from the building next door under construction.

7 PM

SILENCE

Blue-sky moment looking out the window

at the Zendo after sitting

CURIOSITY

What is 'The Cell' at 336 West 23rd Street?

(see LINK)

 Continued walking West

(I wish I lived here)

8PM

 SERENDIPITY

While waiting for the bus, a cheery moment

'Mother Pigeon' with 'Olivia'

(see LINK)

9PM

RAT-A-TAT-TAT

The drills are digging holes on the corner again

Still working near midnight

LOUD

 Con Edison advertisement and Warning

'get the CE text Ap before it's too late'

SLOW WALK

Once around Gramercy Park

following a slow walking old dog

Good Night Good Night

("parting is such sweet sorrow that I shall say good night 'till it be morrow.")

LINK
News
http://www.democracynow.org/

The Cell

http://www.thecelltheatre.org/the-space/

Mother Pigeon

https://www.facebook.com/tinatrachtenburgartist/

and

http://motherpigeon.com/