AN OLD METHOD COULD BE BETTER

WHERE RAIL TRAVEL IS A GREAT OPTION

I had never traveled by train until our first

trip to the Europe in the 60's.  Since then

I have gladly taken trains there and

elsewhere in the world whenever it

was a viable option.

I had never traveled by train in the US

until we moved to California.  Now it is

my preferred route to Southern California from

here on the Central Coast.  Those who travel

north from here, speak highly of that journey.

The ongoing debate about building high speed rail service

in California prompts fervent attitude.  I'm all for

it, here and across the US.  Rail travel is more relaxed,

easier and enjoyable that air.  If the US had 

trains like those in Europe and Asia I suspect

the more expensive and hassle laden air travel

industry would change.  I suspect more people would

opt for rail.

None the less, we look forward to the train

and have become fond of "our home station," San Luis Obispo.  Friendly and efficient, it is picturesque 

and enjoys a beautiful setting.

Trips to San Diego or LA are only slightly longer

than by car and of course you don't need to drive

the freeways. You can enjoy the scenery along the way,

read, snooze, enjoy a meal and arrive much more

rested than by driving or flying.  

This tried and true old method of travel should be

given new life in the US, as it has been abroad.

See you down the trail.

THE WEEKENDER :) WISE WORDS

A WORTHY TEN MINUTES

Rivals battle on the gridiron and the hardwood,

friends and family continue visits, shopping, putting

up Christmas decorations, parties, and a swirl of other

activities overtake this post Thanksgiving, pre-Advent

season.  Still, one more moment, actually

ten minutes, for some gratitude.

This is a good view.

Enjoy.

See you down the trail.

NATURE'S COLOR SCHEME

SEASONAL SHADES

"Won't you miss the change of seasons?"

We heard that frequently when we announced

our move to the Central California Coast.

We worried about it bit, until our

first fall in California.

Season's change here, we've learned, with an

obvious turn.

Each year provides another pallet of 

fall color.

 Autumn skies resemble those of the mid west

 but with a distinct difference.

 Being a mediterranean climate,

 snow, is no show at our elevation. 

 Even as trees are ablaze in color

 we still have blooms.

and occasionally the Goodyear blimp. Huh?

 In the midwest we saw the blimp only 

around the time of the Indy 500.

See you down the trail.

A THANKFUL TURKEY TROT

GO AHEAD AND COUNT THEM-

Your blessings.

Gratitude is good for you

On November 2, 1800 President John Adams

wrote to his Wife Abigail.

I send his words to you on a personal level

about your home.

And  they are issued here again as

Adams meant them, as he was a new occupant

of the White House.

I pray Heaven to bestow the best of blessings

on this house and all that shall hereafter inhabit it.

May none but honest and wise (men) ever rule

under this roof."

I count friendship as a great blessing.

Long and lasting friendship is a cause for 

great celebration.

"The holy passion of Friendship is of so sweet

and steady and loyal and enduring nature that

it will last through a whole lifetime,

if not asked to lend money."

Mark Twain

:)

And again today, our neighbors on the Top of the World

ridge top, made their parade, terrorizing our cats.

If anything feels lucky today, it should be

these messy cretins from a prehistoric age.

but we are glad to see them

and thankful to share one of

their commercially raised cousins.

(organic of course)

GOBBLE GOBBLE

See you down the trail.

GRATITUDE AT TWILIGHT

PEACEFUL EVENING

It would not be a particularly illuminating read for you

if I enumerated all of the reasons I am grateful.

Suffice it to say I try to live in a 

state of gratitude.

I worked on a story years ago and got to 

know an elderly gentleman who had one 

of the brightest and cheeriest dispositions I've 

encountered.  A widow by then, he said frequently

how fortunate he had been. It was a kind of 

mantra in his life.  It reminded him of

all those touchstone moments he had lived

and brought the joy of them forward again,

in gratitude.

A theologian friend put it another way

he said "after you have seen the throne of grace

all you can do is to give gratitude."

Today Seth Borenstein of the Associated Press

wrote how giving thanks makes you happier.

The evening light of the Central Coast

and the time to capture it is certainly

a reason to say Thanks.

These "specks" are crows, enjoying the evening ride.

Thanks for visiting this blog.

See you down the trail.

A DAY THE WORLD CHANGED

NOVEMBER 22

LOSING LIONS

1963.  Senior year of high school. The bulletin

came before our last class of the day, sociology.

Stunned as we filed into the class room, no one spoke, a few were in tears. Teacher Wendell Roberts, usually at his desk, was not there.  A kid, a member 

of Young Americans for Freedom and a Goldwater supporter

went to the chalk board and wrote Revolt!

Roberts walked into the classroom, saw the board and asked who did it. The kid lifted his hand.

Roberts moved to the boy's desk, grabbed him by the collar

and walked him into the hall.

That was how the emotional and tragic weekend began for me.

I was stringing for the Indianapolis Times and our 

high school basketball game with a southern Indiana team was not, like most, cancelled.  I covered the game and called in the score.  A kid by the name of Kennedy scored a lot of points.

JFK was young, dynamic and he engaged a generation.
Politics and government was no longer the province
of only gray men.

I couldn't believe that he, or any American President

could be gunned down, not in modern America.

The world changed that day in ways we would not 

understand for years.

CS Lewis

Pretty much lost to history is that Author CS Lewis passed away on that same November 22, his death overshadowed by the assassination of Kennedy.  My appreciation for Lewis came later.  He was one of the 20th Centuries most remarkable thinkers as well as writers. Most know him

for the Narnia Chronicles.  He wrote and lectured volumes
of more important work; philosophy, classical scholarship,
theology and adult literature.
In the halls of history, Lewis touched and will touch and will have more influence than the man whose passing eclipsed news of his own.
And on this November 22nd I sadly note the 
passing of Ann Dennis, our neighbor on
the ridge top.  She was a gracious, vibrant community activist and leader.  Lana saw her yesterday as she
was leaving to teach a stretch class at the community 
center.  Ann was 92, perhaps 93.  It was never 
polite to ask. Her wonderful smile was ageless.
DAY BOOK
MORNING LIGHT &
RAINBOWS

SOMEWHERE, OVER

See you down the trail.

BEAUTY, LINKED ARMS AND MALARIA MED DREAMS

SERENE BEAUTY 

I've told Lana to kick me if I ever take the beauty of 
the California Central Coast for granted.
I caught this moment as I was working on a forthcoming
post on twilight.  The shape on the right is the back
of Mount Hollister.  The dome on the left reminds me 
of old lava dome caps I've seen.  That or one of the
Mayan temples I saw in Guatamala or Belize that had
been "claimed" by time and jungle growth.
ABOUT LIFE IN THE MALARIA ZONE
I read with more than a little personal interest the US Army has suspended use of the anti-malaria medicine
Mefloquine.  It was called a "Zombie drug" by Dr. Remington Nevin who published the report that got it banned.
"It's dangerous and should have been killed off years ago," said Dr Nevin.  There have been complaints that it casued
psychiatric and physical side effects.
For several years my assignments took me into
malaria zones in the world and I went through several 
cycles of anti-malaria meds.  One cycle was with
Mefloquine.  I recall Mefloquine was 
prescribed for this trip because I was also getting a strong yellow fever shot in combination with another inoculation and Mefloquine was apparently the reccomended protocol.  The infectious disease doctor said it can cause vivid dreams in some and it can also cause stomach troubles.
My photographer began having stomach issues on the long
Atlantic crossing.  I remember arriving in Athens, exhausted from the flights, getting to the hotel mid afternoon just as a thunderstorm began to rumble the city.
I thought I was dreaming, but realized I was awake as 
I watched the stained glass lampshade over the light above the bed, "bleed down" into the room.  A loud thunderclap
caused the the "melting" light to vibrate like the line
on an oscilloscope. When I realized I was awake and not 
asleep I thought I was loosing my already tentative grip on reality.  Then I remembered the doctor's admonition about
vivid dreams. I switched to taking the daily pill earlier and that helped a bit, but a couple of weeks later as I tried to sleep on a cot in a tent on the edge of the Great Rift Valley in Africa, the night sounds of big cats, varieities of monkeys, birds, water buffalo snorts and elephant all seemed to swirl around the edge of my tent with kind of menace. Interesting trip.  That was the last time I took
Mefloquine.  Probably a good thing it is being dropped by the Army, but malaria kills close to a million people a year.
PEACEFUL AND NON VIOLENT
The UC system has been ordered to review the police response policy and tactics after the pepper spray incident at UC Davis and the baton incident at Berkley. 
One account quoted an official as saying 
the Davis students, sitting with locked arms were
being violent and were not using non violent civil disobedience.  Have we forgotten that linked arms
is a symbol of non violent protest?

I've covered a fair share of marches, demonstrations, sit ins and other protests.  I was knocked out by a flag pole
being wrestled over by a cop and the demonstrator who was waving a Viet Cong flag.  I've felt the sting of tear gas
from canisters fired to break up a demonstration.
Once I was slammed against a bus and my tape recorder
was yanked from my hands by a zealous cop.  Another cop came to my rescue and dressed down the jerk.  By the way
that jerk was, a couple of years later, busted, indicted and convicted on corruption charges. 
America has been through this sort of thing many times, but
it seems we forget the lessons. 
Occupying a sidewalk could have a principle behind it, but it  sad for a movement to find their watershed moment is
the occupation of a sidewalk.
It is sad that authorities feel that power must be displayed 
and demonstrated in the face of people who are 
sitting or marching with linked arms.  
From where I see things, it seems both sides in these
incidents have so tunneled their vision they have
lost sight of larger principles.
What is gained by occupying a sidewalk?
What is gained by violently disrupting people who are
sitting peacefully and chanting?
Will the Republic rise or fall on either?
The movement can find more powerful and effective ways to shape the public debate?
Law enforcement can meet non violent demonstrations
in non violent ways.
Before the UC investigation is released perhaps
we should all read and recall
the Chicago Police Riot
and the Walker Commission Report.
We should all know better by now.
See you down the trail