"There are two times in a man's life when he should not speculate in
stocks: when he can't afford it, and when he can." -- Mark Twain
"October: This is one of the peculiarly dangerous months to
speculate in stocks. The others are July, January, September, April,
November, May, March, June, December, August, and February." -- Mark Twain
Rings true even today.
Quote
"'While many professions like cutting hair require a license, it seems odd that there aren't even basic competency standards for all professional tax-return preparers."
--Rep. Jim Ramstad (R-MN), chairman of the Ways and Means Committee's Oversight Subcommittee (in the Wall Street Journal earlier this week)
So? ......do something about it, Jim.
That magical chasm representative of heaven, earth, and man. The Abyss- a precipice of soft earthy colors embedded in rock with natural light and shadows playing with the textures of the various formations.
Caught a glimpse of the once endangered condor bird, with a wingspan of 9 feet. It casts a large shadow over all as it quickly soars past. The sun and shade bring out the rich colors of the walls of the canyon; blues, greens, black, rust and variations of brown. We do a combination of walking and driving the approximate 10 mile stretch of the South rim. Children and adults of all nationalitilies pass us- Indians, French, Germans. Accents are abound. Everyone is joyfull in the setting of this incredible show of beauty. The rock formations have various names like Vishnu Temple, confuscious Temple, Angel's Gate, and Zuni Point. Hmm.... wonder where those names came from. Maybe representative of the people walking the rim. They also range from 270 million years old to 1.68 billion years old. I remember how much I liked geography in college a lot.
We had dinner and drinks at the El Tovar Inn overlooking the rim and passed on the Imax movie of the Canyon and called it a day. A wonderful day. The canyon runs 10 miles wide and 5 miles deep, and is postcard picture perfect. The park is well laid out- unlike Yosemite. There is a good mix of shuttles, cars, and people so there was a feeling of spaciousness. We were fortunate to get a Golden Access card and so were were able to go places with the RV that only tour buses and walkers could go to. Almost all of the people I saw in wheelchairs were young- possibly war vets. One fellow had both legs amputated above the knee. I suspect he is waiting for his prosthesis. I am humbled by them, and I feel very fortunate to be able to walk around with a cane although not far and for not very long.
May all beings be free from suffering and the root of suffering.........
One of the first dates as a couple was Las Vegas. We were young and estastic about the possibilties of winning. There was no way we could lose. We were in love. With little money in our pockets, we played a few slot machines, and dined at the cheap buffets. We both shared a weird fasicination for a game with piles of quarters on a ledge. The object of the game was to put a quarter in a strategic place , drop it in and let it pop up and hope that it would push a pile of quarters into a hole that slide into our hands. We giggled with delight as one in five tries would yield some to a lot of quarters. We would stand behind players and watch them play craps trying hard to understand the mechanics of this game. We ended up in a tiny casino on the strip offering quarter bets at a beginning player crap table. Hours later we knew how to play and even corrected the croupier as they, too were learning the game at this table.
Now I know how to play craps and really enjoy the game. Joseph prefers the blackjack table. We checked into the Bellagio, the former casino owned by Steve Wynn. I wish I had been at the Bellagio when he owned it since he also showed his extensive art collection at that time which isn't there now. There was a show of Impressionists and dutch master paintings from the late eighteen hundreds on exhibit that we enjoyed. We treated ourselves to the fitness center. It was elaborate with various machines with video screens everywhere you looked. I couldn't avail myself of the beautiful whirpool or massage treatments due to my condition. So I went into the lounge and sat fully clothes with the other women in robes, and sipped tea and read the Wall St Journal as they read Redbook and Lady's home Journal, and we all smiled as content as chesire cats.
Breakfast in bed is a fave for me. We slept late, had room service and walked to the beautiful conservatory. Lush flowers mixed with glass flowers and topiary animals, large mechanical butterflies and dragonflies high above all near the lobby of the hotel. It was a huge mishmash of art, horticulture, and kitsch. Very Vegas. Very distinct say, from Disney but similar.
We spring for tickets to "O", the Cirque de Soleil peformance on water. Worth every penny and more. Talent, art, music- all surperb. Viva the French Canadians!
Breakfast at the pool cafe. Crowded but it is always nice to eat outside and we walk around. There is a beautiful fountain outside near the entrance of the building. A loudspeaker plays "all that jazz" and the fountains come alive as though they were dancing in a broadway show. People from all over line the street to watch this display of light, music, and water.
After bandaging the sole of my foot for blisters, Joseph lets me choose the restaurant for dinner. He had wanted to take me to Michael Minna's restaurant in the City but I couldn't get in with the level of stairs there were, so this was my opportunity to go to Michael Minna's restaurant in Las Vegas. We went early for dinner and there were just a few couples sitting around. The elegant simple tan wood and steel decor so unlike the rest of the environment assured me that I was in for a treat. And it was a delight. We both picked the Seasonal pre-fixe dinner. Each small plate was a beautiful display of textures and color and a delight on the palate. I still think of that meal today.
Next Stop- Death Valley
It’s been almost three years since I have done any serious traveling. We were preparing to go to Europe for a much needed vacation one week after my accident. That never materialized. Fast forward three years and except for a 11 day cruise we are off trying to travel in my condition. Obviously airports are not doable for me so we decided on an RV. We bought a small one. A 20 foot camper van type called a Pleasure-Way, and it is made in Canada.
It’s interesting to see the yellow mustard flowers spring up from the heavy rains along the highway 101. We passed wineries that we were familiar with and some new ones, too. Interesting signs pop up here and there, like “Cherries and Garlic”. Hmmm… interesting combination. We passed Pinnacles National Monument where we have gone hiking. Don’t have to do that anymore. As we get deeper into the agricultural area, you can see the migrant workers and their influence in the community as evidenced by the bags of dried salted prunes and dried salted prunes with chili in the local 7 to11 that I noticed as I walked the aisles for exercise while it rained outside as my husband got gas in the RV. I also noticed “moon pies”, a favorite of mine when I was a child. A mix of two cookies with a marshmallow center, all covered in a thin veil of chocolate. I didn’t try the prunes.
You have to stop for the Pea Soup. I used to buy Anderson Green Pea Soup in the green can while I was in college and to see the Anderson Green Pea Soup Restaurant off the freeway was a real treat. Good things do survive.
Neat rows and rows of plants and vegetables. What kind though? How about some pics please??
Fresh colorful bunches of flowers with flags and pinwheels are abundant in the cemeteries in these areas. I suspect young soldiers from these poor communities that came back in body bags.
“Take off your leg and stay awhile,” said my husband as he smiled and watched me squirm in my seat for the last 2 of the four hour drive. Okay, I said, not wanting to believe he was right. “But no more leg jokes”, I teased.
He joked about the “terminal blinkers”. (Those people who ride with their blinkers on for miles.) An hour later he caught himself doing it unknowingly.
I look at all the RVers that pass us. There is a stigma that only old people RV. But according to my unscientific calculation, about 70% are baby boomers and the rest are elderly. So there…..don’t laugh.
After visiting some friends in Avila Beach, CA. BTW, very nice area. People actually talk to you and there are some quaint shops, like Paula Radke’s Bead shop where I bought some bali silver and non-franchise restaurants such as Kitty’s Kitchen along the beach, and the typical strip malls around town.
We took off for the Las Vegas!
As I come to an end of my medical saga, a certain sadness comes over me. At a time when I should be joyous, I feel so unsteady. Under the care of…… there was always, a doctor, therapist, trainer, prosthetist, etc. that filled in that blank. I was under the care of…. But now that is coming to an end. I am walking with a cane and I am feeling better and am quite aware of what my physical limitations are and will be for the rest of my life. Why then, the sadness? I don’t know. I suspect there is some attachment that happens when you are “under the care of…”
When I first came home from the hospital, after about a week, I would lock myself in the bathroom and secretly cry because I missed something about being in the hospital. It was actually my home for four months. I had lost everything and I had made something- some kind of relationship with a bevy of medical professionals in a hospital. And that came to an end like all of my appointments and treatments are coming to an end. With finality there is sorrow but there is also the joy of beginning. And so I begin a new and exciting journey with the love of my life, my husband, as we embark on our little journey across America… Au Revoir!
It was my little niece’s first communion and my first visit to a Christian church in probably –well, many a year. It held all the beauty and fascination that I remember as a child. The pews, the stained glass, the ornate altar and statues and that certain smell. A very similar smell that is in a Buddhist zendo. Part incense and part musk, and part human emotion all wrapped up in a tight little package.
The little girls and boys ( 8 & 9 year olds) went through the motions as they sang, and recited, and prayed. I sat in the pew next to her god parents who reeked of alcohol at 12 noon, and had to smile thinking of all the times I attended church as a teenager high on something or another.
My little niece looked like a cheap K-Mart doll dressed up in an ill-fitting white dress with a hand me down dirty sequined tiara on her head, but her smile lit up the room as she went through this rite of passage. I was happy for her not so much for this event but for her ability to be with her peers and enjoy the moment with them. I know that would not have been possible without the therapy that she has been receiving for a condition known as Aspergers Syndrome.
Then there is the reception. A get together of adults and TV, food and cocktails and kids running amok. A general scene of chaos. How different, I thought, of how my experience was when I was growing up. Family and guests would gather around and I would read each card aloud, and open the gift, and look at the giver and say thank you (no matter what the gift was) and smile. Here the children were ignored and they ripped open cards and presents and no one knew what came from who and no one cared. After all it's not about the gifts on a day like this, is it?
In general, by the term “dharma practitioner” we mean a person who is able to handle all kinds of circumstances, both good and bad,
one who can take even the worst experiences as catalysts to help further progress in his or her practice.
The circumstances in which we find ourselves should actually clarify our practice, our experiences, and our realization, and we should be able to understand all situations , both favorable and unfavorable, as teachings on the path.
from The Wish Fulfilling Jewel by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche