Writing Reality

Day Seven June 25th..California Dreamin' Waking up in Lone Pine, I knew it would be a much shorter drive than even Cedar City Utah to Lone Pine California. It would be a 272 mile journey. I decided to run a bit more than a ten miler before leaving Lone Pine.  I thus went for a mountainous run up towards Whitney Portal. I took Whitney Portal Road, bypassing detours and such. I ran to about 6,000 feet elevation from 2,000 elevation. Then ran back down Whitney Portal Road and took a left as if I were in a car driving to Yosemite. I doubled back and ran past my hotel to get in twelve miles or so. It was breathtaking.  I had time after I'd cleaned up, and checked out to go drive up to where I ran to and take pictures before I headed off to just outside Santa Barbara to the town of Goleta. I'd been there twice before, stayed over in Goleta once before. I love the town and hoped it still remained as beautiful as I'd remembered it two years ago. The drive from Lone Pine C

Day Six: As I awoke in Cedar City Utah June 24th realizing I had time to do ten or miles of running.  I saw that there was a quiet residential development just meters away from where I stayed over that night. The next drive would be 391 miles, pretty much all desert.  On my morning run, I saw one person walking on a path I'd just discovered after running a little over a mile. The path wound up and around behind the residential area. There were hiking trail heads to my left as I ran north then west on the paved path. The hillyness of the path seemed to have such a steep grade as 26%/about 15 degrees. Going down I nearly felt as if to walk a section. I'm guessing on the numbers of steepness. The air was a delightful clear skied 74 to 78 degrees.  As I ran I felt the coolness of some of the desert plants that surrounded me on either side. It was ohhhh, so tempting to make a 90 degree left turn into the wooded trails. But I'd left my Natrapell bug spray back at the hotel in my

Bullying 101, 102, 103, etc... and A Moral Compass I understand Bullying beyond many person's capacities. It had occurred throughout my childhood. It had occurred by family, by people who were thought as friends, acquaintances, classmates and strangers. Because I am a optimistic fatalist, I act as though nothing had occurred. Yet, when I'm alone I reflect upon it, daily. It arrives without me wanting it to. However, amazingly enough, I having not delved out retribution. In that, I realize I am unique. I also realize my moral compass is way strong. There are those of us who continue to bully and as more than likely, no one called them out on it in their younger years where they may have paid a small price and not damaged society in their future. However, when a person has been given free-reign to do all as they please without much punishment then they become unyielding.  They become more ferocious to the point, that they cannot be stopped unless by an act of God or gods. Si

  As the heat increased in New Jersey. I realized it was time to turn on the air conditioning. I’d been able to hold off, keeping our home with windows open throughout the spring. And what a spring we had. I believe it had been the best spring in thirty years or more. Actually, I’d commented to my weekly walking friend Star, that it was perhaps the nicest spring I could ever remember, perhaps for even four decades. The rain arrived as it should’ve. The grasses looked awesome. We had frost around April 21 st  which made me reseed grass for a third time for the north and west sides of my property. My lavender garden blossomed so perfectly in its purply array. Even the lavender on our front stoop was flourishing. I spent nearly all but three days from March 20 th  through May 11 th  outside doing landscaping from two to nine hours per day, even in the rain. I’d put in 100-115 miles per week between my running, walking and hiking miles. By the first week in June, I’d expected to see some n

As Memorial Day approached this year, I thought of it as I have in the past. A solemn day. However, the past decade has made me take even more notice of that solemnity. Even as busy as I always am. I seem to reflect more when I run further, train more, watch our children mature, hike, walk, drive, and write more. That is what had and is still the reason I’ve gained more clarity to what Memorial Day truly is. Even as a child, I knew that Memorial Day was in Memoriam of those who served the US and gave it all. Yet, also to thank those who physically survived the traumas of serving and protecting our country.  Then, as my obligated time in the service wound down, I faced the others who saw it as a long weekend of great eateries, balloons, carnival-like celebrations, and such. Some adults get so shit-faced, being inebriated and having the inability to do most daily functions, especially ones like driving a car. And some insisted on doing so, and thankfully, most did not harm anyone or anyt

  "I've been crying lately, thinking about the world as it is."--- Cat Stevens I can say since I was at least eight, my heart has held a near hourly, daily, annual and perrenial ache in it. That ache nearly 54 years and counting has now turned into an ache of disgust. This whole set of current situations... most people are misguided.  Many adults are not grounded. And it shows through certain actions of today's youth. The youth have not all been taught history of many lands enough to be either anti, nor pro neither this or that of another's cultures or country's political situations, including their own. Too we adults have conveniently forgotten historical events. "...Why must we go on hating? Why can't we live in bliss?"--- Cat Stevens This protesting now, is Not comparative to The Vietnam War Era of protesting. Back then, during the Vietnam War Era the people of our country knew what we were protesting. And they knew how to protest. Today I