Differences

The Crescent City Connection, Mississippi River, and Michael.

We took a spin in the city last Friday. We were 20 minutes late for the IMAX movie about dolphins and whales. It was very sweetly informative, narrated by Darryl Hannah, about how every living thing in the ocean is being killed off - one species at a time. A downer of a film. I am so sorry for the creatures of the deep who are compromised by my needs - for being part of the collective that is obliterating them.

Then we walked along the river down to the flea market. I bought two $5 necklaces from a guy on the riverwalk who had jewelry spread out on a blanket.

Then we had a fast walk through the flea market - no money or needs for anything in particular.

I told Michael "no" to a muffeletta. That's what we always get. I wanted something different. We stopped at Pat O'Briens and had a couple of drinks. We've done that before. It was cool talking to the bartender; commiserating about the business of enabling tourists to have a good time - while getting blottoed. We were there about 30 minutes, then off and walking swiftly through the French Quarter back to the car in a parking garage of Canal Place, which has a food court. Michael said he wasn't hungry. I got the best Kung Pao shrimp there and didn't have to twist his arm much to eat half of it.

That was the end of the date I was promised. Waaa. Waaa.

I threatened to go out with my friend in the city that night, or the following Sunday during the day - a blues festival in the city beckoned me. For all that sulking, I sat still in my chair outside. I built a fire and stared into the woods and recalled Rumi's words about being careful of what my mind desires. I got up after a good feeling sorry for myself time, as I tried to decide what would make me happy, and I baked a peach pie, smothered pork chops for the family, and got on with the laundry.

The Best Son Award goes to....

Aaron Michael

Either I got him smiling and not looking at me, or looking at me and not smiling. This will have to do.

16 years ago, I became a mother. He and I cried a lot during the first few weeks of his life as we adjusted to our relationship. He was born by an unexpected c-section and weighed in at 9 lbs, 8 oz. His birth multiplied the love factor of my existence into infinity.

He has a girlfriend. He met her three summers ago and they were just friends for a year before taking it to another level. I tell him it's not natural to find your "one love" at so young. He is not even interested in other girls. Oh well, she's cool; an artist, Aquarian, and loves him - like his Mom. And he still has other friends; the guys, and his theater friends.

He will not be able to get his license for another few months; he has to have a permit for 6 months first. At school yesterday, he got asked a bunch of times if he got his license and/or a car for his birthday. (We live in Mandeville which has more than a few gated communities within the city limits. No, Aaron did not get a car.)

I was in the kitchen a lot yesterday. I stuffed artichokes and steamed them. I baked a red velvet cake from scratch, and I peeled and deveined three pounds of shrimp for po-boys. In the course of the day, I dirtied almost every pot, bowl, and utensil I have. All the while, I was nostalgic about our 16 year journey.

He is the best boy a mother could ask for - he makes me laugh when I am too serious, does well in school, is well-adjusted and low maintenance, making few demands on me.

Theater of the absurd

I am a-political and ignorant. My husband was "I told you so-ing" galore the night of the last debate between Obama and McCain. He and I are on different wave-lengths, politically, but similar in thinking that the other is deluded.

Too many Neptunian aspects in this whole election - squares or oppositions, natally and by transit, to the charts of the players' I've analyzed. Maya all around.

I have a very good, mystical-minded friend - whom I kind of agree with - that behind both candidates there is One power. So, it almost doesn't matter who becomes president. It only matters to that force for us to experience separation, more war, polarities of all kinds. IT feeds off our fear. Cooperative spirit, unity and harmonization would starve IT.

This election keeps reminding me of the time when I had a choice to vote for either a demagogue (David Duke) or a man who was later convicted of felonies and imprisoned (Edwin Edwards) for Governor of Louisiana.

That was a bit of a political nightmare, the choice between a white supremacist and a man everybody knew was corrupt, but being Jupiterian, I laughed about it. It was absurd.

Meanwhile, the mystery that life is continues in the beauty and tranquility that is Lacombe's Wildlife Refuge. We rise above our differences and take it in.

Reflection

WHO MAKES THESE CHANGES?

Who makes these changes?
I shoot an arrow right.
It lands left.
I ride after a deer and find myself
chased by a hog.
I plot to get what I want
and end up in prison.
I dig pits to trap others
and fall in.

I should be suspicious
of what I want.

Rumi - 1207-1273