Sandalwood Beads and Birkenstocks

Let me begin again.  That was some very boring prose.  Report writing, really.  Discard. Delete.  

But now what?  Should I tell you what I did or what I will do?  I should make up a story about that rich little hippie girl who rubs me up with fragrant oils.  I could tell you true tales, but I am not sure that is allowed.  I have been thinking a lot about that, though, as I go through my incredibly large cache of untouched photos.  Not the studio stuff, just travel photos and photos of everyday life.  I'll stop once in awhile and cook one of them up and wonder why I never did before.  But then I remember I had virtually given all that up.  I was otherwise engaged.  Oh, but you should see the stuff.  Maybe you will.  Maybe one day I'll tell tales.  So much that is pretty and fun.  

I tend to delete the bad parts.  They do no one any good.  

You should, too.  

Because we don't live in Myanmar or Haiti or Syria. . . aren't forced into labor nor threatened with rape or beheading. . . . 

"Gather ye roses while ye may," said the good poet.  And though things seem to be going to shit, we still may.  

I spent yesterday as I said I would.  I did a long cardio workout, then stretched, took a schvitz in the sauna, came home and showered and took a nap.  When I woke up, I let myself linger awhile just enjoying being lazy without guilt.  "This is a luxury," I thought.  Maybe I was practicing "gratitude," you know?  I read about that in an advice column once.  

Oh. . . and my dinner. . . let me tell you.  Sautéed veggies and mushrooms, garlic and jalapeños, over whole grain pasta topped with teriyaki tofu.  A citrusy sav blanc.  

Then I grabbed my new digital medium format camera and a tripod and headed out into the night to try some dark photography.  I drove around town stopping from time to time.  I got nothing worth showing, but the whole thing was intriguing, and I will do it some more until I get proficient.  Most of my experiments lately have not panned out. . . yet.  They might, though.  I keep refining.  

"Why?  What is the point of driving around photographing the dark?"

Yea, I'm not unaware.  There is no grand purpose.  But what did you do last night?

"Taxes."

Well, there's that.  When I got home, I listened to a couple lectures on postmodern literature.  

"Why don't you do something practical or useful?  You're like an infant."

I know.  

"Did you listen to your music, too?"

A little.  Dope Lemon.  I like the hippie vibe.  Did you know they imprison and kill artists in China?  The ones who don't toe the party line?  It's true.  Hey. . . who's your favorite photographer?  No?  Novelist then.  

"Stephen King."

Right.  There you go then.  I mean, I have to admit, he writes novels.  They are very popular.  

I don't live in a town that has a lot of hippie girls.  There are a lot of alt.women, laissez faire feminists, bleeding heart Woke activists. . . but not those gentle, happy hippie girls who like to make bracelets and bake brownies and see the world.  I don't think you can even find a drum circle here.  Happy hippie dancers with dirty feet who smell like patchouli.  There are no food co-ops that I know of.  But there are ten thousand cocktail bars packed with men and women all dressed up and looking to score.  

I just reminded myself of the bartender at the good Italian restaurant.  She was a happy girl.  I hope she passed the bar exam.  Maybe.  She said she wasn't sure she wanted to be a lawyer.  I should ask her about drum circles, get close enough to see if she smells of patchouli.  

O.K.  That was not a report, but a report might have been better.  Some days are just like that.  I'm happy, though.  I have a good day planned.  The good photo gallery has a new show up, and I will go to see it today.  I have a big discount card I want to use at the REI store, too.  And I will go to Whole Foods to get more hippie food.  It is drizzling now, but the sky will clear by afternoon and it will be sunny and temperate for the next few days.  

Let me check my horoscope.

Mar 28, 2024 - Are things really going this beautifully for you, Aquarius? This is a question you might ask yourself now. All looks perfect as career, romance, education, and spiritual matters seem to crystallize into a wonderful life. Don't waste time worrying if this is all too good to be true! You're concerned about the future, but right now, live in the moment. You're creating some great memories, if nothing else. Enjoy!

Well hell yea!  My mood is goofy and light.  I think I'll put on my sandalwood necklace and Birkenstocks and go have some fun.