dangerous compassions

I call you / from the comet's cradle

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

saga of the magic crayon

Ming and I dyed eggs--the day before Easter, we bought a Paas egg dying kit.  But it was missing my favorite component!  The magic crayon!

I was so disappointed.  I tried calling the company on Easter, but they were closed.  So I messaged them instead on their website.

The person who messaged me back had no light to shed.  It was a form letter.  I want to know--did all the Paas egg dying kits go out without magic crayons?  Was this a Las Vegas thing?  Does it just happen every so often?

She asked what I wanted.  She offered a coupon for a free cake decorating product.  She offered me a refund.  She offered me a replacement.  I said I just wanted the crayon.

Then today, Ming brought the mail upstairs to me, and I was so excited when I felt what was in the envelope! 

But alas, it lacked the protective blue paper wrapper and was broken.



beads and a reason

I need a new necklace, and I thought about buying one on etsy.  Then I decided to make my own and bought some beads.  But then I started making one and ran out of blue beads.  And then I made another but it's very plain and I don't like how it turned out.  I think I'm going to take it apart and try again.

I dreamt I was in love with the king of the underworld, and he wasn't very nice.  I decided these nightmares I have about evil governments and dystopias might come from watching a lot of X-Files as a young person.

Monday, April 28, 2014

five little sunflowers in bed five


Sunday, April 27, 2014

two more Sacred Peace Walk photos



Ming approving of Mono Lake on our way home


Saturday, April 26, 2014

what one rabbit said to the other

Today we had a board meeting.  We didn't dance or sing, though Ming and I chanted at the end.  We ate a free lunch.  We got a little free gas. 

Today I took off the bracelet I wore for a month, the one with the yellow star.  It was time to take it off.  I can see a less-tan band on the skin where the bracelet was.

I'm up in the night because I stupidly drank some delicious chai at my favorite Indian-Pakistani place.  Also I hurt my leg during the board meeting.  I think I was so stressed I was holding my body for a long time in a tense, uncomfortable position, and it got temporarily damaged.

My solution to everything is to drink more water.  I think my hands cramp because I'm dehydrated, but I'm not sure.

Friday, April 25, 2014

couple more peacewalk pics



rest day

It's raining, which is a lovely treat.  I'm getting stuff done.  The to do list seems not as long as it usually is, when we return home from a trip.  It's nice to rest.

Generating mail, having a good day.

Thursday, April 24, 2014

welcome home!

Today we stopped for a late lunch on our way home.  When I opened my car door, there was a weird sound and a puff of dust.  "Did the door just break?" I asked Ming.  Turns out there are two pins holding the door lever on, and the bottom one broke.

Also, it took BOB about 12 tries to start today in Mammoth Lakes, and another 12 or so after lunch.  It was really scary not knowing if we'd be stuck.

things wrong with BOB
1.  sometimes takes tons of tries to get it started
2.  passenger door is half-broken now
3.  passenger window can only be rolled down an inch or it gets stuck down
4.  passenger seatbelt gets tangled up inside and Ming needs to fix it often
5.  rainwater pools on the passenger side
6.  goes super slow up hills
7.  big billows of smoke / steam / whatever when it starts

Is that it?  I think there might be more.  Something with the carburetor...?  And oil leaks. 

Anyway, we're home now.  What a long, strange trip.

from Mammoth Lakes

Gmorning, friends.  Ming and I stopped at this cafe I'm nostalgic about in Mammoth Lakes.  I wanted a decaf mocha with a shot of almond syrup.  It was delicious.  This is a cool cafe because they sell crocheted hats too.  And yarn.

Last night we camped near Bishop on our way home.  It was a miserable night of sleeplessness for me, but I did sleep a little, and I woke up happy.  It was a beautiful morning.  We looked at the sunrise sunlight on Mt Tom.

Yesterday we drove from Las Vegas to Bishop a different route than I had ever taken.  It was very tense because of steep grades and almost no other people and lack of cellphone reception.  If we had broken down, we would have been screwed.

Now we're off to Mono Lake!  And home where I'll pick up a much-needed prescription and hopefully we'll get the mail.  Mega mail.

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

San Jose's sacred tongue


Grand Canyon

Yesterday we went to the Grand Canyon.  It was a long trip.  It was very emotional for me.  I didn't want to leave.

Sunday, April 20, 2014

happy


Saturday, April 19, 2014

getting a gift


some rocks given to me


poverello house art





after


the ceremony


some peace walk pics




Thursday, April 17, 2014

sacred peace walk day five

Right now I'm at the goddess temple outside in the wind.  A friend is BBQing chicken.

Yesterday I had a spiritual experience staring at the leaves of a huge cottonwood tree.  I watched some quail too.

Today I walked for about three and a half hours in the morning.  I got a blister on my right foot where I thought I would.  Two days ago it was kind of tingly on that spot, when I walked.  So I knew.

Tomorrow morning Ming and I have our relationship blessed at he line of the Nevada Test Site where more than a thousand nuclear weapons have been detonated, the most bombed place on earth.  We're bringing some love to the site.

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

sacred peace walk day four


This morning we vigiled at Creech Air Force Base.  I held the PEACE IS POSSIBLE sign again.  Ming carried WHEN DRONES ATTACK, CIVILIANS DIE.  It was an interesting morning.  I watched nine of my friends get arrested for peace.  There was a whole troop of cops, cops on horses, photographers, counter-demonstrators being belligerent.  I sang "Sarva Mangala" over and over again, as I am likely to do.  It makes me feel safe.

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

sacred peace walk day three

This morning I walked.  I carried a sign saying PEACE IS POSSIBLE.  There were misunderstandings and delays.  I wanted to walk with Ming, but circumstances prevented that.  I walked for about three hours with one break.  I was missing Ming and wanting to walk with him. 

So then I got a ride back to the Goddess Temple, and then I dried some dishes and helped figure out some things to do.  Scooped leftover mashed potatoes into pans to go into the oven to be heated for lunch.

Then Ming and I drove into Las Vegas to rest and make charoset for the peaceover seder tomorrow afternoon.

So here we are again and I can blog again. 


Monday, April 14, 2014

sacred peace walk day two

Today Ming and I started on the walk.  We drove out to the desert.  We walk along the side of the freeway.  Some desert flowers are blooming.

Some people have signs and banners.  Ming and I didn't carry any today. 

There are about 30 of us. 

The only reason I can blog this to you is that we happen to be back in Las Vegas to do some food-related errand running.  We're picking up dinner. 

I should go because someone's doing work and I should be helping her or else showering or something.

So bye.  Tomorrow is more desert walking.  But tonight we'll be camping out by the side of the road and maybe will set an alarm to see the eclipse.

Sunday, April 13, 2014

sacred peace walk 2014 day one

This morning the Sacred Peace Walk started.  We met at the Atomic Testing Museum and had prayers.  We got smudged and blessed.  Then Ming and I came back here and did some prep, shopped for a few more foods and ice, did laundry, I had a conference call, and we were late to the park with lunch stuff because of some miscommunication.  But it was okay.

Why am I so tired?  Maybe because I was up anxious in the night.

Here's a pic of about half of us this morning when we first started to circle up.  It was a windy morning and we were in good spirits.


So much I'm not telling you: the random stranger who harangued us over lunch, almost cutting a key, the new peace staff, the duck egg, how the stuff we brought on this trip seems to have multiplied.  We do not travel light.  We brought an extra tent, but what else is our excuse?

Saturday, April 12, 2014

smiley face sign

I forgot to tell you the other day we saw a spare changer with a cardboard sign with no words on it, just a big smiley face.  It was adorable.

three day day

Yesterday we vigiled early and visited the goddess temple briefly to scope out our camping spot.  We visited the priestess too.  Then we drove back to Las Vegas, which last night I was calling in my head Lost Vegas.

Then we grocery shopped at Costco, more food than I'd ever bought, and it was extraordinarily taxing.  Making all those decisions.  It was good too.

Then I made lunch for me and Ming and our friend T, who has an awesome attitude and washed dishes.

Then we brought our new friend from Amsterdam with us to grocery shop at Trader Joe's, but we got a call saying the people who got arrested in the morning were now freed, and could we pick some up?  So it was hard to find the jail and then find where the ex-prisoners actually were.

We eventually made it to Trader Joe's, but it was very hot and BOB doesn't have air conditioning.  We suffered.  We couldn't have both the windows rolled down because the passenger side window doesn't roll down more than an inch.

And we shopped more.  The TJ didn't have bagged organic apples, so we got about 30 apples loose. 

"Do you have a drinking fountain?" I asked the worker.  I'd drunk all my water.

Then I made pesto pasta salad with moz cheese, small not that good tomatoes, and delicious kalamata olives.  And I sauteed some asparagus with lemon.  So we had that and a salad T made.  It had avocado in it and was very good.

Then we had a small meeting that was good but I had already been lying down and was spaced out almost maximum.  I had a hard time focusing. 

Then we went to sleep.  It was about a three day day.

Friday, April 11, 2014

Creech

This morning we got up at 4:30 to be at Creech Air Force Base at 6.  It was exciting.  But when we arrived, the Code Pinkers weren't there yet.  They were late.  So it was just us four and the cops and the counter-demonstrators.  Ming and I sang. 

Then the Code Pinkers arrived and started a procession.  Ming and I stood to the side.  Then seven people got arrested. 

I liked the banners and signs.  I liked the pink paper drones, though I don't know how many passersby realized they were drones.  I liked the QUESTION AUTHORITY sign.  I liked the sunrise, and I liked Ming.


Thursday, April 10, 2014

boba

Today I was craving boba tea so we went to Chinatown.  We had never been to Las Vegas' Chinatown, and it was fun.  We looked at stationery and ate some cleverly disguised Thai food.  At the boba house, Ming had a boba-free iced coffee, and I had a taro smoothie with boba which was not too sweet and very delicious. 

That was our main excitement of the day, other than demonstrating.  Tomorrow morning we demonstrate more.

things people yell from their vehicles

Last night I had the best milkshake I'd ever tasted.  It was chocolate peanutbutter, served with a boba straw so the peanutbutter bits could come through.  It was divine. 

This morning we served the hungry, washed dishes, and demonstrated.  While demonstrating we had three things yelled at us: kill them all, drones save lives, and get a job.  There were seven of us.  Also someone on the street came up to me to ask if we could have a conversation.  I said we had three minutes.  She was not making sense and formed her hands into strange mudras.

another picture with the pink drones

Wednesday, April 09, 2014

box of pink drones

Tuesday, April 08, 2014

peruano beans realized


I soaked the beans overnight, and some plumped while some didn't, which you can see here.  I was worried there would be big trouble, but they turned out perfectly delicious.  Within a few minutes of cooking, they looked uniformly plump.


Here's the chili in its finished delicious state.

I would recommend peruano beans to anyone for their delicious beaniness.

dandelions



Here are some dandelions a couple weeks ago back in Sacramento at Howe Park.

Monday, April 07, 2014

peruano beans

Made it to Las Vegas.  We went to the grocery store and I bought some peruano beans.  Hopefully tomorrow night I'll tell you how they taste.

Sunday, April 06, 2014

good

Yesterday we went to the Arroyo Grande farmers market, tasted strawberries and cara cara oranges.  I had the sweetest grapefruit I ever tried, a melogold.  Dad bought us some fig jam.

Then we went out to lunch.  Then we went to World Market and I got chocolate covered macadamia nuts. 

I rode the exercise bike and have pain in my left knee now.  Mom said it's non-impact so I shouldn't have hurt my kneee, but I did.

Tamales, muffins, looking at yarn and beads at Michael's.  Talking for hours.  It was a good day.

Friday, April 04, 2014

rainwater

Now we think it was just rainwater leaking in somehow.  I've got weak ginger tea and am still waking up.  Today we and Dad are going to Coscto.  Then we'll head south to see my best friend. 

Tuesday, April 01, 2014

faith

Wow, it's Tuesday.  It rained more today.  We have a problem with our truck.  I thought it was just rain getting into the passenger side floor, but Dad says he thinks it's the heater core.  So that's too bad.  One by one everything's failing, that old truck!  Still we drive it.