Dear Diane,

What a beautiful and amazing person you were
in this life! Thank you for coming into my life
for the brief period that you did. I remember

the first time I met you at the weekly drum
circles in Cocoa Village. You came with your friend,
whose name escapes me, and were totally game

for drumming even though it wasn't really
your thing at all. I remember when
we had talked about getting a place together

in the Village and I showed you and the gang
the house I had found. I remember
your red hair and your big smile.

I remember all the times you came to
the Herb Corner and I channeled Reiki
for you and you told me I was a monk

in a previous life and I was meant to be
a healer. I remember your laugh and your bright eyes.
I'm sorry I wasn't there for you when

the cancer progressed despite all our efforts to
stop it. I'm sorry I was unable to visit you when
the end of this life was near. I'm sorry

I didn't call more often. I know you
have no regrets and I know you hold no
ill will for me, but I wanted you to know

that I valued our friendship and that I'll look
for you in future lifetimes. I know
our paths will cross again.

Safe journey,
Your friend,

Michael

The Shadow of the Wind

Every once in a while you come across a book that just takes your breathe away. These are those books that were not given as gifts or recommended by someone or you saw on the NYT bestsellers list. You just happen upon them. It's not to say that they weren't NYT bestsellers, as this one was, but that when you came upon it, wherever that may have been, it wasn't due to any recommendations. I recently came upon such a book at my local library. I noticed it for the second time in one of those rolling carts libraries use to return books to the shelves. In my small town library, this cart is always by the new books section and perpetually stacked with books of all genres. As I perused the assemblage, this book caught my eye. I think it was first the color of the spine which is a deep brown like old leather and then it was the title. The Shadow of the Wind. It's written by one Carlos Ruiz Zafon, a writer I knew nothing about nor had ever heard of before. The novel was first published in 2001. Translated into English in 2004 and later published in a paperback edition in 2005 by Penguin. It was just such a copy that I picked up at the library. I don't know how to describe the magnificence that is this story or the depth of wonder it evokes as you become absolutely immersed in its pages. It's a story of love at its center but also of hatred. It's a story that spans decades but easily jumps back and forth through time without loosing the reader for even the briefest of moments. It's filled with mystery, suspense, intrigue, and real life. The language flows like that of a beloved poem but it isn't overly stylistic. I realize I've praised this novel without giving a single element of the story away and with good intention. If anyone reading this has any love of good literature, then you must read this novel. I dare you not to love it.

Wings of My Lord

Princess of Pop

Leslie Ditto

More info: Artist site

Leslie on her work:

As far back as I, Leslie Ditto, can remember I have always been drawn to self expression through visual arts. As a young girl, growing up in Memphis, Tennessee, I was not exposed to any classical surreal artist until I attended Overton High School for the performing and Visual Arts.

I was accepted into Otis Parsons in Los Angeles. After only two months of training my father had become terminally ill and I was forced to return home to Memphis. I was never able to return to school but could not deny the artist in me the opportunity for expression just because I had never been formally trained.

Over the years I researched techniques of the “Old Masters” such as Leonardo Da Vinci, Rubens, Raphael, and Rembrandt. I fell in love with the technique of glazing transparent oil color over a neutral colored under painting. With strong influences from fantasy artist, surreal artist, and the “Old Masters”, I create disturbingly beautiful oil paintings that interpret to the viewer my deep emotions that are conceived from my views of current social, political, and religious dynamics. My ideas come to me in an organic fashion. Starting with a seed of a simple idea and growing into many complex symbols and images. My main goal is to capture my audience and bring them to my emotional state in the hopes that my test for an echo will be a success.

Serenity

While this isn't a lotus flower, it looks close enough to one. The blooming lotus always takes me to a place of serenity.

Pure Luxury!

My idea of luxury is sitting in the grass with the sun on my face and my feet bare to the world.