Coronavirus Communique #3: " I was dreamin' when I wrote this. Forgive me if it goes astray" May 1, 2020

 "I was dreamin' when I wrote this. Forgive me if it [I] go astray"
                                                           -Prince

me.today.vibe:EternalSunshineoftheSpotlessMind.for real. And da kine.  Always da kine.

I've been meaning to comment of the floral bouquets wafting through the air in the early mornings here when I'm power-walking or running around the building complex here.  Lockdown restrictions have been lifted somewhat recently (since Ramadan started) yet I've been lingering around my health den, my cocoon of cleanliness so to speak. If I'm being honest, as a host of you know, I'm not the most organized of housekeepers... And it's perfectly fucking fine...

So you know... yes, the flowers... Each day I've gotten into the routine of starting out on my 1st lap just getting into my breath, trying to establish consistency: deep inhalation.hold.controlled, constant exhalation. Over and over.  Let's get all that shit outta our lungs, right? Am I right??? [I call this covid-19 protection. That's right, I drank THAT koolaid and I wanna believe.  An, unrelated, unconfirmed coronavirus claim I recently said that smoking MAY protect you from the virus... Weird. Wouldn't that be a strange conundrum...]

Flowers. Yes. So I sense this aromatic sensory sweetness. Yes, it's sweet. Because it's fleeting. And you have to work for it. That is the challenge here: finding the beauty where you can- either externally or internally.  Da kine. Right?

By the 2nd lap there is a flower in my pony tail (I'm thinking to bring back the term 'pig tails' this season...) or my right ear. Because, Hawai`i & shit.  I do miss the shit outta Hawai`i.  I try to live Hawai`i as much as possible here.  Everywhere.

How can someone greet a flower with a grimace? Someone can't.

[side note here, I just finished reading Tom Robbins' Villa Incognito & there is a knock-knock joke that frequents some chapters:

     knock-knock
           who's there?
      It's me. Himself

...I'm not entirely sure why I brought that to attention. I believe it was the 'someone' & the 'himself' association.  I could be wrong though].

So, books.  I've got a lot of 'em.  I've plowed through many of 'em.  I'm quite impressed with myself. Kinda like braggadocio rights I give to myself. This reflexive instinct, however misguided, puts me into another category as a compulsive book collector.

You see, I can't turn away a free book.  I carry them all around the world with me. Different bookshelves in different countries they sit. Awaiting that one day, what might never arrive, for me to pick it up, look at the flyer or postcard or museum ticket, or receipt of something incurred while traveling... Next in the process is to read the back cover. Last, delve into it.

I picked up a VERY eclectic selection when I lived in Yosemite.  Nothing but sweet fucking memories of pure goodness working that gig.  What a trip it was.  The fucking Sierra Nevada!!! Anyway, Parkies read it all. I mean, Tom Robbins? I poured through his quiver 30 years ago while living in the jungle on Maui doing that thing that one does living in the jungle... Yes, it's true. All of it. 

While I'm pondering books, I recently read some unpublished work by a colleague. Short stories is a 'newish' genre I've delved into. The result? I enjoy them.  There is something to the structure, or how you need to structure your mind, energy, psyche for short-story enjoyment.  I enjoy the challenge, the science of it.  My brain digs the chemicals it produces. So does my body. I mean, I work hard to produce the right chemicals. Tirelessly.

So the stories got me to thinking about connections. While I couldn't find a connection between all the stories, I sensed that there was. I just didn't know what it was yet.  I was rewarded in the end to find that indeed a ribbon was weaved through the stories, traveling to-fro contemporaneously or sequentially.  Yea, my brain digs these treasure hunts; sifting through the sands to get the satisfaction of discovering the jeweled nuggets.

OH OH OH you guys.  You NEED to listen to this podcast: Prince: The Story of 1999.  

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/prince-the-story-of-1999/id1488187430

Sheer fucking genius.  The Prince Foundation does an excellent job of presenting these intimate grains of sand of Prince's vast desert he surrounded himself with: Deserts of art, music, friendship, experiences. Each grain goes through this hourglass of information learned about his sheer fucking genius.

The part about working with his favorite studio sound engineer, Peggy, to working with Lisa (and her interviews are so raw and descriptive) to Desmond describing when their band opened up for the Rolling Stones, which ended up a total disaster. It's said that the Stones' fans were not ready for Prince's 'show', and things got ugly. 

Even if you're not into Prince, the podcast is well produced. 

Peace. A purple protective perspective piece of peace to you all

Some projects as of late...

All in a Hollyday's realization, OR meditations on being frivolus with words

Bosphorus Basking

Saturday morning in bed with kitties and (french press) coffee. Spring fever is in full effect, yet today I have some nostalgia for cooler weather- temporary I assure you. As temporary as the overcast weather I see outside my window this morning. You know already though, I do love me some overcast mornings...

After a drunken evening, as a result from an afternoon spent drinking (malt) beer, after a mid-morning açik çay (tea) at the çay meyhane, after a cool 9 kilometer run- in a brand-spanking new pair of shoes, after a morning of teaching… I know, it’s complicated, as well as unexpected…

Yea, when EdVice suggested an afternoon beer chilling up on his lanai (deck) overlooking sweet Büyükdere’s ‘main drag’, I thought to myself, why yes. Yes indeed! I’ve never had Amsterdam beer before… Two tall 50s… I’m assuming it’s a malt beer. At some point EdVice’s words floated through my head with the faint sound of 12%…

So, as the story goes, I get back to my apartment, around the corner, about 5:30 pm and, according to the dirty dishes in the kitchen, made some pasta! Happy to discover this evidence of being smart enough to realize that I should eat food, rather than attack the 5 chocolate bars I brought back from Sicily (meant as presents for peeps and here’s to hoping that that stays the case).

The kitties seemed extra rambunctious too.  They seemed extra agitated that I wasn't, or couldn't, play with them. There are some hidden mysteries still, in terms of my chain of events. Here’s some more clues I have remembered.

The big news on Friday was, of course that Prince, his Purple Majesty, passed away on Thursday back at his Minnesota residence.  Many big names have been passing in 2016 and most have had an impact on my life, in terms of songs bringing me right back in time to moments. 

There’s something about Prince, his persona and his music, that really got me- even more so than Bowie- still a fresh wound for all us mortals who still dwell in this realm of existence, or dream-time, of alternate reality; whatever your persuasion or perversion, etc.

I see that I made a short vid paying homage to Prince while grooving to ‘Cream.’ It makes me think back to times on Maui living and growing. Dancing was such a HUGE part of my life. We worked hard to dance in the jungle, on the beach, under a full moon, etc. Preparations and carrying equipment down to The Cave backside Maui, out to Pauwela Lighthouse, into a dilapidated cannery in a cane-field, etc.

Dancing to mourn seems so natural for me I can even say. Anyway, it was just a sweet way to honor all that I loved about how this music FELT in my lifetime; The feelings of songs growing and evolving along with me throughout life. Yes, a nice feeling of aliveness. Hard to express while tapping on a keyboard, but I’m definitely in that groove as I type.

BTW, the rendition of “While my Guitar Gently Weeps” for a George Harrison tribute by Prince, Tom Petty, Steve Winwood, etc. that’s going around… dreamy. I spent the remainder of my waking hours experiencing Prince, and Chaka Khan, and Lenny Kravitz, etc. Man, good times. I guess it was my way of expressing A Dove’s Cry and realizing that we can be affected by so many things in our lifetimes.

A hui hou a hiki i ka la a`ae Prince…



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SFNW5F8K9Y


So yesterday was a full day, and I’m pretty happy about that because this morning… well, it’s a bit slow. I recall having a fairly sleepless, or restless, sleep. Ah, another clue just came to me: the electricity was out, as it keeps going out now for the past hour or so.  We’ll see what happens with that as the day unfolds.

Rolling along, I’m not sure exactly why I woke up at 7:45 am… Perhaps the kitties were in cahoots together; such tricksters they can be when they rally together. I suppose I was meant to write this blog.  I know I had pretty much decided that I won’t be going on a run this morning. BUT, in hindsight, that could change. 

Yesterday’s run was pure groove.  I was wearing a new pair of running shoes, so was surprised I ran 9 kilometers- to Tarabya Iskele and back. After months of researching running shoes, I decided on a pair of Pearl Izumi EM Road M3s. I think you all know the story if you read this, past, blog entry concerning the level of research that I put into this endeavor.

After a quick adjustment halfway through my run (the forefoot was a little too tight, so I loosened it), my feet felt much better- especially the right foot, where there is this, small, bunion that has developed- and bugs me to no end… I hate the idea that I had never developed a ‘bunion’ in my life, due to living in slippers year-round, but as soon as I started moving to environments that include for winters, hence wearing boots/snow boots/rain boots for months, I develop this shit… Unbelievable for me- especially as a yogi.  I am a bit freaked at the idea that my big toe is trying to move closer to my other toes because of some ‘bunion’ I got because I don’t know the routine for choosing comfortable, warm winter shoes… Pfft. I mean, in yoga the big toe IS stability.

living the high life :)

 So, I am working to correct this- in a weird way possible, that is not backed by hard science, but Holly Science… I believe! There are these things called ‘Yoga Toes’ (refer to picture) that I purchased many years ago.  It took me a few years to actually start using them, but not for yoga.  I really got into doing my own pedicures years back. Truth be known, I’ve never actually HAD a professional pedicure, or manicure for that matter. But, I like doing detail-oriented things (must come from the archaeology career) and thought that my Yoga Toes are the perfect toe separators for when painting toes!  I have seen the typical ones that spas use, or you can buy in a store, but they look so flimsy.  I realized I already had THE supreme pair to use. 

As you can see, they really spread your toes well.  After I noticed that I had developed a ‘bunion’, I started to use them semi-regularly. Meaning that when I thought of it, I would put them on- which isn’t exactly steady but I’m working on being conscious of it.

I realize that most of today’s blog entry can be filed under ‘stuff no one really needs to know about or will find particularly interesting’, but that is the glory of having your own blog- it just doesn’t matter.  I just like to write and when things come to my mind, side-tracking me, I just have learned to go with it and see where it takes me. And that’s about it- that’s the secret to my blog; I generally have an idea of sorts in mind when I decide to write an entry, but from there where it takes me, I can’t pinpoint.  I just go with it. 

 Sometimes when I actually re-read entries I wonder what you all must be thinking. That wondrous moment is brief I will divulge…I especially take notice of the grammar though- and feel I want to edit. Sometimes I do.  Others I figure just keep because it was expressing my mood at the time- which obviously wasn’t feeling overly concerned about editing. It makes me smile. Smile that I can be so grammatically frivolous and not care about the consequences. Heh heh.

For example, today’s entry was supposed to be about my sojourn to Sicily for spring break.

peace