My Front Yard

Okay, it's not really my front yard but it is directly across the street from my neighborhood and the residents do have a private tunnel to it. It rocks!

Just Pretty

I luv trees. This walk actually bordered the railroad tracks on one side and the ocean on the other. I came this way on the way to the seal beach below. It doesn't even seem like the same day.

Far Below the Seals will Go

I found this beach while hiking along the Carpinteria bluffs which is a protected refuge. There are signs all along the cliffs warning people not to startle the seals who are very shy. You can't see any seals in this pic, but they're out there. I saw a pair playing in the surf.

Man lived Here for 8 Years!

The local story from our landlord Rob is that a bohemian, off-the-grid, daily surfer and fisherman built this driftwood hut on the beach and lived in it as his daily residence for eight years. Inside there is a fire pit, two stumps for chairs, and about 10 square feet of living space. Cozy.

Ajahn Brahm and Buddhist Sensuality

Sex invariably spells trouble, says Dalai Lama

LAGOS (AFP) – The Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan spiritual and temporal leader, on Friday said sex spelt fleeting satisfaction and trouble later, while chastity offered a better life and "more freedom."

"Sexual pressure, sexual desire, actually I think is short period satisfaction and often, that leads to more complication," the Dalai Lama told reporters in a Lagos hotel, speaking in English without a translator.

He said conjugal life caused "too much ups and downs.

"Naturally as a human being ... some kind of desire for sex comes, but then you use human intelligence to make comprehension that those couples always full of trouble. And in some cases there is suicide, murder cases," the Dalai Lama said.

He said the "consolation" in celibacy is that although "we miss something, but at the same time, compare whole life, it's better, more independence, more freedom."

Considered a Buddhist Master exempt from the religion's wheel of death and reincarnation, the Dalai Lama waxed eloquent on the Buddhist credo of non-attachment.

"Too much attachment towards your children, towards your partner," was "one of the obstacle or hindrance of peace of mind," he said.

Revered by his followers as a god-king, the Dalai Lama arrived in Lagos on Friday on a three-day visit following an invitation from a foundation to attend a conference. He has made no political speeches in the west African country.

He leaves Friday night for the Czech Republic and then on to Brussels to address the European Parliament before heading to Poland, where he is due to meet with French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

The 73-year-old Nobel Peace laureate has been a mainstay on the diplomatic stage ever since he fled his native land for neighbouring India in 1959.

Still based in northern India, the Dalai Lama has increasingly been in the spotlight since protests in Tibet turned violent in March this year, just months before the Chinese capital Beijing hosted the Summer Olympic Games.

Regarded by his many supporters outside China as a visionary in the vein of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, the Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 for his accent on non-violence to achieve change.

However, he is reviled by the Chinese government, which has branded him a "monster" and accused him of trying to split the nation.

http://www.marionpolkfoodshare.org/

Libra Horoscope Good for All on this Thanksgiving Day

Just follow your mood today, and wherever it leads you will be the right place for you to be. If you're feeling depressed, you're feeling depressed for a reason -- so don't try to cheer yourself up. And if you're ecstatically happy, you're ecstatically happy for a reason. Do not try to make yourself feel a certain way -- especially for the sake of making other people comfortable. They can deal with you however you are, as long as you are your usual polite self.

Once Again, Florida's Anti-gay Adoption Ban Ruled "Unconstitutional"

For the second time this year, a Florida Circuit Court Judge has ruled that Florida’s 30-year-old adoption ban is unconstitutional.

Today, Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Cindy Lederman declared Florida's anti-gay adoption ban unconstitutional. In the 53-page ruling, Judge Lederman said, "It is clear that sexual orientation is not a predictor of a person's ability to parent.''

As a result of today’s ruling, Frank Gill, a gay man from North Miami, will move forward with the adoption of his two foster sons, 8 and 4 year-old half brothers, whom he has raised since 2004.

Gill was represented by the ACLU of Florida while the Florida Attorney General's Office, representing the Department of Children and Families, opposed the adoption. Representatives of the Attorney General said they would file an appeal.

This past September, Florida Circuit Court Judge David J. Audlin Jr. also ruled Florida's infamous, anti-gay adoption ban "unconstitutional."

In his ruling, Judge Audlin said the ban violates the Constitution's separation of powers by preventing decisions from being made on a case-by-case basis, and for the betterment of each child. He added that the ban contradicts state law by singling out one group for punishment. Most importantly, Judge Audlin declared that this adoption was clearly in the child's best interest.

The adopted 13 year-old, who also has special needs and learning disabilities, has been raised in Key West by his openly gay foster parent since 2001 when the Department of Children and Families placed him there. Social work studies highly recommended the adoption, stating it was a "loving and nurturing home" with fair discipline and financial security. The boy has also testified at a recent hearing himself, saying that he wants the man to be his "forever father."

Equality Florida has been working with our legislative allies in Tallahassee for the past 3 year to undo the harm caused by Florida’s anti-gay adoption ban. We are working toward the day when "best interest of the child" is the only criteria judges use to place children in loving, nurturing homes.

Today's ruling adds one more crack to the crumbling, bigoted foundation on which Florida's disgraceful, 30-year-old anti-gay adoption ban rests.

Nepal's "Buddha Boy"

Nepal 'Buddha Boy' returns to jungle

KATHMANDU (AFP) – A young man believed by followers to be a reincarnation of Buddha has returned to Nepal's jungles to meditate alone, police said Saturday, as scholars cast doubt on his supporters' claims.

Known as the "Buddha Boy," Ram Bahadur Bomjam, 18, became famous in 2005 after supporters said he could meditate motionless for months without water, food or sleep.

"Bomjam went back into the jungle late Friday and all the devotees have left," police officer Gobinda Kushwaha told AFP from Neejgad, a town in Bara District, 60 kilometres (37.5 miles) south of Kathmandu.

The "Buddha Boy" reappeared earlier this month after supporters said in March 2007 that he was going to meditate for three years in an underground bunker, although he was spotted on two occasions.

For the last 10 days, he has been blessing thousands of devotees who came daily to the site in dense jungle close to Neejgad.

The president of the Nepal Buddhist Council said claims by his supporters that he was a reincarnation of Siddartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism, were not credible.

"We do not believe he is Buddha. He does not have Buddha's qualities," said Mahiswor Raj Bajracharya, president of the Nepal Buddhist Council, a centre for Buddhist study and research in Kathmandu.

"He may have achieved great heights in meditation, but that alone does not make him a Buddha. A Buddha needs life experience, a young man who has not seen the world at all cannot be a Buddha," said Bajracharya.

Despite being officially secular under the new Maoist government, Nepal -- where around 80 per cent of people are Hindu and 11 per cent are Buddhist -- remains a deeply spiritual place.

"This is a country where people worship idols and stones, and everyone educated or not believes in the supernatural," the Buddhist scholar said.

Some 7,000 people gathered Friday to hear the youth speak.

"Materialism has brought forth fear, worry and disputes and has created war in this country. One should follow religion and philosophy for inner happiness," Bomjam told the crowds in a 15-minute address.

People joined a six-kilometre (3.75-mile) queue to be blessed, a wait that 43-year-old farmer Singha Bahadur Tamang said was worthwhile.

"This is a miracle and he is the reincarnation of Lord Buddha himself," said Tamang, who traveled eight hours by bus to hear Bomjam speak.

"I've been here for the last 10 days and the feeling is amazing. I really feel at peace here," he said.

The head of the committee that organises events around Bomjam insists he survives without food and water.

"We have never seen him eat or drink and we believe he's a god in human form," said Bed Bahadur Thing, president of the Buddha Jungle Meditation Conservation and Prosperity Committee.

At the height of Bomjam's fame, a French TV crew filmed the youth eating fruit and an AFP correspondent caught him napping.

On Friday, visitors to the jungle site put money into collection boxes, though Thing declined to say how much had been collected.

"Many people say we're just doing this for the money, but we have expenses for volunteers, food, security and maintenance," he said.

"After he has gone back into the jungle, we will make our accounts public."

by Sam Taylor, Sat Nov 22, 4:31 am ET

California Dreaming

Our final day on the road, I drove approximately 400 some odd miles. Shanti pulled a rare turn and woke up long before the sun. We both got going really early so we could make it to the house by early afternoon. The driving was relatively uneventful except for the mounting traffic as we approached Los Angeles. Our route had us skirt the worst parts of the city but we couldn't escape all of it. However, what a delight we were to find when we pulled into our new community. It's literally nestled into the side of a hill with the ocean on one side. La Conchita is a very small and eclectic community of unique homes and mobile homes placed hodge-podge over about 3-4 acres of land. The residents are all very friendly and we have a nice mix of artists, surfers, retired folks, and others. There isn't any commercial enterprises in the community at all. We are literally on the cusp of Ventura County and Santa Barbara County and the next closest town is Carpinteria. Each of the little beach towns around us have a unique character and lots of charm. On different days throughout the week, we can find a farmer's market wit a wide variety of organic produce. There are also the usual mix of commercial groceries and a wide variety of independent shops and restaurants. On our first night here, our neighbor took us to this cool frozen yogurt place called Yum Yum Frozen Yogurt where you make your own sundae your own way, like a salad bar, and then the cost is by weight. Mmmmm! Shanti loves that there are lots of vegan and vegetarian restaurants. One place in Carpinteria feeds the community for free on Thanksgiving. The whole area is stunning and the view from our balcony is of the Pacific. It's all good.

Day 5: We're not in Florida Anymore

Waking in New Mexico was like having your life given back to you after a long prison sentence. I awoke with a renewed sense of well being and began to feel as though we were really going somewhere. I got up kind of early, as usual, while Shanti slept for awhile more. I met the crisp morning air with the girls in tow and we took a leisurely walk around the hotel grounds. Later, after we all got going, the girls decided to hang out in the truck while Shanti and I went to the (We still believe and support segregation) Cracker Barrel for a light breakfast. Yesterday's drive was relatively uneventful as we breezed through desert landscapes and waved to passing saguaro cacti. We were blessed with peaceful landscapes, good weather, and light traffic. As we went through Tucson AZ, we saw some amazing mosaics created on highway overpasses and houses that actually complimented the landscape like an extension of the earth itself. The desert is wide open and desolate with small pockets of people scattered throughout like pioneer settlements of the old west. It was so nice not to see any urban sprawl or sign of suburbia. Of course the day was not without mishap. At the start of the day, we pulled into a gas station and got the truck a bit too close to the gas pump. Somehow we managed to get a pole between the back of the truck and the front of the car dolly. It looked liked those Chinese puzzle rings. It took lots of team work to get us out of that one and back on the road.

"Right, go right!"
"Back up, s-l-o-w-l-y."
"Extreme right."
"Stop!"
"Back up."
"Stop!"
"Extreme right."
"Stop."
"Come look."
"What should we do?"
"Back up."
"Stop!"
"Back up."
"Please Buddha."

And then at the end of the day, we decided to roll on through Tucson and look for overnight lodging on down the road. As we came through Gila Bend AZ looking for 85 North, we made a wrong turn somewhere and ended up in the middle of nowhere on some frontage road. We had been in this predicament before when we encountered a border patrol station and had to back up then too. Thankfully, this time we could turn around and as we headed back into Gila Bend, we came across the coolest kitsch motel called The Space Age Lodge. Finding this place was such a treat as I had featured it in a book I worked on when I was in publishing in Chicago. The book was called Roadside Americana and featured all kinds of roadside attractions across the U.S. This very motel in Gila Bend was one of those stops. Weird. The place is like something out of the Jetsons (decor wise), kind of what was thought in the 60s to be space age. Fun. We pigged out in the restaurant surrounded by murals of NASA space walks and pictures of the space program. Later, I crashed like a lost flying saucer into peaceful dreams at last.

Day 4: Strangers in a Strange Land

Another small town somewhere in the deepest pits of Hell. This was the setting at the start of our fourth day in Hell. Admittedly, the terrain began to improve as it became deceivingly like Arizona, lots of mountains and sage brush. Although we also encountered more road kill than I've ever seen in one place. It was very disturbing. Thankfully the traffic was pretty light in this region of Hell. People are either trying to get out or aimlessly driving around. At one point, we entered a forest of windmills. It was kind of amazing. Huge monolithic turbines covering mountain tops but sitting listlessly in the dead air. There were miles of them but they seemed like some forgotten relic of another age. We stopped for a brief respite, probably right in the middle of Hell, at a "pleasant" and warm hilltop poop & piss place. Shanti took pictures of the mountain in the background and then one of the dogs and me. We set a goal for Las Cruces, New Mexico no matter what. We had, HAD, to get out of Hell that day. I can't tell you how miserable the energy is in that state or how it pulls down one's resolve and overall well being. We took "run for the border" to a new turbo-charged level. Somewhere in the middle of nowhere, which is all of Hell, we stopped briefly at an IHOP for grilled tilapia. This was the only healthy meal we had had since leaving Florida on Friday. Our food fare has been predominantly pizza and snacks. Uhg. Anyway, we finally hit the El Paso county line and were momentarily elated except for the fact that El Paso itself was still a million miles further down the road. Slowly the traffic began to build as we followed a long stream of red brake lights into El Paso proper. If you've never been to this border town of Hell, I recommend never ever going there. I've never seen such a depressing, dirty, and sleazy place. It was like a run down Vegas or something out of Blade Runner. Dark, dreary, polluted. We put on the Reiki both for protection and to clear a way through the ever thickening traffic that seemed to want to close us in forever. Whether it was the Reiki or our own sense of hope, or both, we soon found ourselves nearly on the other side of the city and the exits began dwindling down to 1. When we finally crossed over into New Mexico, it was as if the energy all around us lifted. It was a gift of the Divine. I literally got chills up and down my spine just moments into New Mexico. As we made it to Las Cruces and saw a sign for a La Quinta, we decided not to fool around trying to find any other hotels. We knew from our first night on the road that La Quinta's were dog friendly and nice places for a night's rest. Shanti received some amazing good fortune from a complete stranger who gave her a coupon to get the room for a song. I think she sang This Land is Your Land or may be it was Kumbuya. We eventually settled in our room with Caesars salads, oatmeal raisin cookies, WiFi, and cable TV for a good nights rest. Thank you god!

His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama

His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama will make his historic fourth visit to the University of California Santa Barbara in April 2009

His Holiness the Dalai Lama will give two lectures at the UC Santa Barbara Events Center, on Friday, April 24: “The Nature of Mind” (9:30–11:30 a.m.) and “Ethics for Our Time” (2:00–4:00 p.m.).

This will be the fourth visit His Holiness has made to UC Santa Barbara, and the first since an endowed professorship – the XIV Dalai Lama Chair in Tibetan Buddhism and Cultural Studies – was created in his honor in 2001.

All events are open to the public. Please see the Program/Tickets page for information on attending the lectures, and to purchase tickets.

Please Send Reiki and Love to Victims of CA Wildfires

Santa Barbara News-Press

California firefighters make gains on fires
JUSTIN PRITCHARD, Associated Press Writer
November 17, 2008 2:11 AM

DIAMOND BAR, Calif. (AP) - Firefighters aided by Mother Nature continued to make gains early Monday on three raging wildfires that reduced hundreds of homes to ash and cinders and forced thousands of residents to flee in Southern California.

Ferocious Santa Ana winds finally abated after fanning the blazes that have destroyed more than 800 houses, mobile homes and apartments since Thursday night from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles and counties to the east. In all, the fires burned more than 35,000 acres or 55 square miles.

In Orange and Riverside counties, the fires chewed through nearly 24,000 acres and were pushing toward Diamond Bar in Los Angeles county. A major aerial attack on Sunday raised containment to 19 percent.

Meanwhile, a 15 square-mile fire that hit hard in the Sylmar area of northern Los Angeles on Saturday had moved into the Placerita Canyon area of the rugged San Gabriel Mountains and was burning vigorously, but well outside the city. It was 40 percent contained.

The Santa Barbara-area fire that swept through tony Montecito has burned 3 square miles and was 80 percent contained.

Far away from the flames, the gains may not have been readily apparent. The smell of smoke pervaded metropolitan Los Angeles. Downtown skyscrapers were silhouettes in an opaque sky and concerns about air quality kept many people indoors. Organizers on Sunday canceled a marathon in suburban Pasadena where 8,000 runners had planned to participate.

Officials warned of another bad air day on Monday, and classes were canceled at dozens of schools near the fire zones in Orange County.

Many evacuees began the agonizing process of making their way back to their destroyed homes.

Starting Monday morning anxious residents of the Oakridge Mobile Home Park in Sylmar, where 484 homes were destroyed by fire early Saturday, will be allowed to return to inspect their property. Firefighters were able to save about 120 other homes in the community, but many were badly damaged.

Cadaver dogs had been searching the burned units to determine whether anybody perished during the fast-moving fire, but so far no bodies have been found, police said.

Tracy Burns knew her Sylmar home was gone but still wanted to get into the gated community to see what remained.

''Even those of us who know there's nothing left, we want to go in and kick over the rubble and see if we can find something, anything,'' Burns said.

Tears welled in her partner Wendy Dannenberg's eyes as she echoed: ''If I can find one broken piece of one dish - anything, anything at all.''

AP-WS-11-17-08 0509EST
All Content Copyright © 2008 Santa Barbara News-Press / Ampersand Publishing, LLC unless otherwise specified.

Day 3: The Freeway is Closed

Alright, I think I'm getting the hang of Shanti time. In Shanti time, no one wakes until well after sunrise and there's really no action until nearly noon. So, somewhere around 11 we got back on the road with the intention of making it to El Paso. Unfortunately, in order to get to El Paso, one must first pass through San Antonio. Now, I can't explain why or how it is, but each time Shanti takes the wheel, we drive through very trafficy urban environs with bad roads and confusing thoroughfares. Yesterday it was ...

No Dogs Allowed in Houston

and today it was ...

The Freeway is Closed in San Antonio.

For real. Traffic came to a complete stop and we gazed in shock at the long, very long, to the distant horizon, long ass line of traffic sitting in the Texas sun going nowhere. I think we edged about a foot every five minutes or so. Then the lanes began to diminish and of course the lanes we were in were the ones you had to vacate. Now, you know what it's like trying to get across tight traffic in a car. Now imaging doing the same thing in a mini-semi. No one wants to let you across and even though you could just barrel on over, you don't want to damage other cars in the process. Needless to say, it involved a lot of nail biting and pigging out on absolute crap cause there's no such thing as good food when you're on the road. As we edged along slower than the slowest snail, we came upon an exit and Shanti believed there must surely be a way around this mess and anything would be better than the mess we were in. So we exited, took a left, and headed up a mountain toward an out of season Six Flags park and a remote Westin Resort and Spa. I volunteered to go inside the resort and ask for directions. What I didn't know is I would need directions to just find my way around the resort. Sadly, after locating the concierge desk, I learned there's no other way around the nightmare on I-10 and that one must simply endure for two miles and then freedom can again be had. I then asked if the hotel allowed dogs.

"No".

So back down the mountain and back into the painfully slow traffic we crawled. We didn't know it at the time, but in a short while we would enter some of the most beautiful landscapes I had seen yet. The land stretched out in a big yawn, the skies opened wide, and we rode long, wide hills. I became peaceful, the dogs settled down, and Shanti snoozed. We decided to stop for the night in Sonora where the only restaurant in town was Pizza Hut. I've never eaten so much pizza in my life than I have over the passed three days. Ah well, tomorrow is another day. Stay tuned for more on

Shanti, Michael, Karma, and Zen's Incredible Cross Country Trip Out West Extraordinaire.

Day 2: Entering the First Ring of Hell

Early Saturday morning, Shanti and I got off to an early start. Actually, much earlier than Shanti would have preferred. We knew it would be a long day but we had no idea how long. We started off down I-10, Shanti in the cockpit and me with the dogs. There wasn't much to see through the first tank of gas that day but after refueling and switching places, we entered Louisiana and the ground sank into the marshes while the highway was supported on stilts. It was fascinating and disturbing. It was clear why the hurricanes have such a devastating affect on this part of the country. I kept up a good pace, going much faster than the tow dolly suggests we should. 55! Good Buddha, no one goes that slow anymore. For the most part, the other drivers respected our BIG wheel status and gave way when needed but some (a lot) insisted on passing on the right and nearly causing quite a few accidents. Most of these drivers seemed to be from the area. Hm. At one fairly magnificient point, we crossed the Mississippi River which was very big and very muddy. Later that day, after we once again returned to dry land and refueled again (poverty creeps in through gas bills), switched places, and Shanti took us into Texas, where we found ourselves in a miasma of twisting highways, big trucks, smog, and the birthplace of the oil business. Gross! The roads were in a perpetual state of disrepair and the traffic increased almost after crossing the state line. We decided to make our way to Houston for the night but after cruising around trying to find a pooch friendly abode, we struck out at every turn, nearly having another accident because some fool took a quick left in front of Shanti who nearly forgot her Buddha nature. We realized the Universe wanted us to get the hell out of Hell and quick. So we meandered on down the road looking for a manger for this Christ consciousness hippy, his friend Shanti, and the babes. We came to a little no-where town outside of Katy Texas and rolled into the first place we could find. The Executive Inn. Don't be fooled. It's a basically a trucker's stop and a virtual fleabag. Okay, maybe I'm being harsh. The management was very nice and didn't charge us for the dogs. There was a fairly decent pizza buffet in town for just $4.99 a person. Mmmmmm! And ... surprisingly ... WiFi in the room. I almost didn't even turn on m y computer because it never ocurred to me we had it here. It's 10:40am now and we have to be out by 11. Gotta go. Check back tomorrow for more on the incredible adventures of Shanti, Michael, Karma, and Zen as they try to escape the deepest rings of Dante's Inferno a.k.a. Texas.

Day 1: Whatever you do ... Don't back up!

Shanti and I got off to a very good start. After getting the townhouse in Satellite cleaned up and having an encounter with the landlady and her "friends"(a.k.a. potential new tenants) and being generously treated to brunch by Bonnie and waiting for the appliance rental company to pick up the washer and dryer, we were able to get going. I drove all the way to Gainsville and then Shanti took over until it got dark. I took over again and we enter an absolute downpour with lightning dancing across the sky somewhere between Tallahassee and Pensacola. We decided to stop overnight in Pensacola but once we were within the city limits, we saw that Mobile was just a short hour away so onward we went for the Florida border. Shanti made some calls and landed us a great room in a brand spanking new La Quinta with free WiFi, flatscreen TV, very mod, and ultra comfortable. Relaxation and rejuvenation was nearly insight.

We set out on this journey, we conquered everything, and we had arrived in Mobile Alabama.

We pulled into the lot and parked in front of registration. Shanti went in to settle up on the room while I hung with the girls in the truck. Shanti returned shortly thereafter, snacks and room keys in hand, and we were on our way to park. Here's where things went kinda south to sucksville. As we went around to the back of the hotel to park, we also encountered a deadend with no room to turn around. The one dreaded thing we were warned by multiple parties not to do was back up when your pulling a vehicle on a tow dolly. We tried and the car went the oppposite of whatever we needed it to do. We both became very frustrated. I wanted to disconnect the car from the dolly but Shanti said "No way." When we were at our wits end and the girls were getting used to the idea of spending the night in the car, Shanti decided to call Penske for help. They sent some outsourced tow dude out to save us. He came, he fiddled, he saved. I can't really say what he did but it had something to do with the chains wrapped around the axle. Whatever. He got the truck and dolly out of a very tight situation and turned around so we could continue our cross country journey in the morning. Check back next time for more of

The Great Shanti-Michael Cross Country Express.

On the Road Again

Strange how quickly things happen sometimes. A few weeks ago, my friends Shanti and Tony had said they may be moving to Santa Barbara, CA. I was disappointed that they would not be around anymore because we had become such good friends. Also, Shanti is the founder of the Brevard County Buddhist Fellowship and very active in the local peace movement. Her presence would be dearly missed by many. A few weeks went by and there was no definitive news but more urgent rumblings that a move may be eminent. It was during this eminent period that Shanti suggested I go with them to SoCal. Of course, I was immediately on board but I wasn't entirely sure Tony was. After all, he married Shanti but not all her friends too. Anyway, some more time passed and then this past Saturday they came into the Herb Corner to tell me that the move was for sure and I was definitely invited. Now, they also told me we would have about three weeks to complete the move. However, the very next day Tony had already hit the road because his new employer wanted him there yesterday. Okay. Later that afternoon as I was enjoying the most delicious curry chicken with my dear friends (Bonnie, Matt, and Don), I checked my messages and found one from Shanti. She tells me that we have to be out of town by Friday because of a release clause in their townhome contract. "Friday," I said very perplexed? Today is Monday and we have already sold and given away many miscellaneous items from the now infamous, "get out of town," townhouse. I have yet to inform my family, friends, or work that I must be on the road by Friday. This Friday! Funny how things happen. So, keep coming back to check out my manifested reality to see how my life goes from the East to the West, coast that is, and what new adventures I encounter along the way.

PEACE

Obama Wins!

Exercise Your Right to Vote Today

If the past eight years were not enough of a reason to get you out to your local polling place today, then I humbly request you do it just because it is your right to do so. Over the past eight years, many of our rights as Americans (and human beings) have been challenged and rescinded under the guise of patriotism. The actions of the current administration have had wide reaching effects not just on our own people but across the world. Whether we like it or not, America is a major player in world politics but in order to keep our standing, we must relearn how to play fairly with our neighbors. In addition, America's education and health care ranks as one of the worst nations in the world. If we want to improve our actions to the world then we must improve the way we treat ourselves.

America has never been a single race nation and was never meant to be.
America is not a single social status and was never meant to be.
America is not a world conquering empire and was never meant to be.
America is not the world police and cannot dictate to other nations how best to serve their own people based on our example when our current example is that of a war mongering empire that attempts to police the world!

If there is a single race on this planet who deserves our full attention then it's
the human race.

It's time we ceased looking at the world as them and us.
It's all us.
This election is not about political power. It's about renewing the people's spirits.
It's about remembering who we are and our purpose on this planet.
It's about changing our focus from world conquerors to world humanitarians.
Let's set an example that other nations will want to emulate rather than the example that other nations fear and revile.

Whatever you choose to do today, please get out and vote.

Boomerang

A few months ago, I went to Unity of Melbourne to see my friend Fred Goodnight speak and enjoyed the service so much that I continued going on a regular basis. On one Sunday soon after, the awesome band did one of their many very original songs called Boomerang and I never forgot how much it affected me. The song is a reminder to each of us that we are all here for a purpose, even if we don't know right now what that purpose is, because "like a boomerang, it will come back to you." After going to Unity for many weeks, hoping the band would perform Boomerang again, I finally went up to Julia, the pianist, and requested it. She said they would do it the following week. That was yesterday and it was just as poignant as the first time. Today I have the pleasure of sharing the words to this enigmatic song with you.

Boomerang

Every little thing that you say and do
Just like a boomerang, it will come back to you
All the love you give, if you want it to
Just like a boomerang, it will come back to you

It will come back to you
It will come back

Every time you fight against something new
Just like a boomerang, it will come back to you
Every single thought that you hold as true
Just like a boomerang, it will come back to you

It will come back to you
It will come back

Round, round like the seasons
Like dark into light and day back to nighttime now
Circles, completion
Like rain to the river to the ocean returns to the sky

After you were born you forgot what was true
But like a boomerang, it will come back to you
You may not recall what you came here to do
But like a boomerang, it will come back to you

It will come back to you
It will come back

All that you desire when you ask it to
Just like a boomerang, it will come back to you
It may seem like a fortune sailing out of the blue
But like a boomerang, it will come back to you

It will come back to you
It will come back
It will come back to you
It will come back