Lulu's !! And Ecuador.

Lulu's has been here in Palm Springs for awhile, but we have been there only once, with friends. It is a "California Bistro". And it has a "Bar Menu". It's FANTASTIC! Very reasonable prices, and a fun setting. Lunch was "lightly friend" oysters ($7.99) and tonight ... yes, we went back! ... was "lightly friend calamari ($7.99). I really get so sick of American restaurants that pile your plate with too much food; this is so much more sensible. All drinks are $5.00 or so, all day! Well, enough of the debauchery of the Dennis Much Memorial Retirement Tour! Dennis is loving it; I can't tell you how many times he has said to me how wonderful it is to know that he doesn't have to go back to work!

I wrote to a much admired and beloved friend today, and I said that in my blogs I was going to try to be irenic, honest, and amusing. He wrote back and said, yes, honest and amusing .... but that he doubted I would manage "irenic" since Republicans and religious fundamentalists pissed me off toomuch! I got his message .... so I will try to pay attention! Isn't it great to have friends who know you well and can tweak you with love!

Dennis and I are planning to move to Ecuador to live in December. We've been looking for a place to rent, and I think we have found it. Here's a picture:

It's in Cotacachi (not too far from Quito); 2500 sq. ft; 1 acre; 3 bedrooms, 2 bath; partly furnished; 5 min by bus or 15 minute walk to town; close to Mindo, the premier birding site (Yippee! and Ecuador and surrounding area has 1600 species of birds):  around $550 a month. We are negotiating with the (American) owners. Hope it works!

So, we are munching on home-made chocolate truffles (just one each!) and drinking cold white wine for dessert. It was 108F today, but is cooling down, and we will soon be in the pool cooling down as well. 

Both of us no longer attend "worship" of any sort. Much of "religion" is community; of course we have many friends from "church" who are part of our supportive community. But we didn't go to church primary for "community. Gayfolk are our primary community, as well as supportive "straight" allies, friends and family. We "went to church" seeking support for the process of transformation which we believe to be at the heart of "spiritual seeking" ... not found most of the time in "church-going", alas. Of course, in every Christian parish in which we have worshipped, we have found that core (and I was a parish priest for 25 years) who share the goal of seeking what the Christian (And other) faith calls the "unitive way", and they remain part of our valued family. Of course, there are many who are not Christian, or who have no institutional  connection. Our intent, now, is to live out of a sense of that union with All Being, and we certainly accept that Love is one of the primary paths for such a Life. And that a deep understanding of Jesus and the Gospel is a "sure foundation" for a life of Love ..... though we do not see that in the way that a great deal of American popular Christianity is portrayed and lived.

How terrific is the Internet! We are in Palm Springs listening to Michael Feinstein and his programme on WQXR in New York City streamed live to us. I love it!

Time for the evening swim, and watching the stars emerge in the darkening sky. There is so much for which to be grateful and in which to be delighted!

One Day After my 68th Birthday

Well. I begin the living of my 69th year of Life in this incarnate, "mortal" form! I am now married, to Dennis, my partner of nearly ten years. I've been retired for 6 years, having spent 41 years as a priest in the Episcopal Church. From the age of 21 until 35, I was a monk of the Episcopal Order of the Holy Cross - a religious order which, like most religious orders (certainly in the Episcopal Church) was /is 99% Gay. More on that in the future of course! Dennis retired on June 20th, 2014. He gets his Social Security  this month ..... and I get spousal benefits:  keep this in mind, you same sex folks who have recently married and are of the appropriate age! We are presently at the beginning of a "farewell" tour for 4 months in our lovely little Prius C (getting an average of 55 mpg), visiting friends and family. We are divesting ourselves of all our present possessions, getting our house in Silver City NM ready to rent, and in early December we are moving to Ecuador. Dennis and I decided that, in "retirement", we wanted Life to be an Adventure!

On April 3, 2014, I formally renounced my orders in the Episcopal Church. More on THAT later too!

I read this this morning:  “The truth will set you free. But first, it will piss you off!” Good ole Gloria Steinem! I don't, however, feel pissed off in having "discovered" in my advanced age  the "truth" that for the most part institutionalized "religion" is "failed" religion. Meaning - having spent 45 years pondering this business - that most religions began as an attempt to assist human beings to experience their unity with all Existence and so be liberated to live as deeply, joyously, profoundly, fully, as possible. They all developed "paths" i.e., religions, to guide people towards the Goal, which goes by many different names. My view is that they all have essentially failed ..... collapsing into organizations which spend most of their resources on self-perpetuation, providing mostly ways for people to feel good about themselves and to denigrate other paths and their followers. My sense is that this is now pervasive throughout the World ... and the human community is in a pretty sad state. The truth pisses me off ... but it also has set me free:  free to be grateful for the vision of the unity off all things, and to try to live out of that core within myself. 

All "belief", I now accept, based on the past 50 years of my Life, is personal choice. No "belief", no "sacred text", no philosophy, is "right". All are human attempts to understand the wonder we call Life. Each of us is responsible for making the choices concerning our "beliefs", and for living them out with integrity. 

These are the things I'll be reflecting on in this blog ..... alone of course with the experiences of people and places that Dennis and I will have as we set out on our Adventure. If you are interested, follow along. And I'll be happy to receive any comments and your own thoughts and ideas ..... as long as they aren't just mean or nasty!

Cheers!

July 8, 2014

092713 - The Reality of American Income distribution

Here it is folks - the reality.


http://www.upworthy.com/9-out-of-10-americans-are-completely-wrong-about-this-mind-blowing-fact-2?g=2

Monday, September 2, 2013 - Treachery and Deceit

I read all the books. Amazingly ... because I loath militarism ... unless it is a "parable". Game of Thrones" . Read any? Now I am watching the videos.

Kings, Queens, make promises ... all false. The only thing that matters is power. And, of course, personal gain. Lord Stark "confesses", and acknowledges his submission to King Geoffrey. The agreement was, he do this, and his daughters would live. No. They chop off his head, and his daughters  will die ... except Arya, who will flee. A parable of the human dark side. Oh yes, there are a few of us humans who have entered into the truth of Compassion, of the high potential of being human. But, we are now, in this World and these times, in 2013, in a time of Darkness.

David Cameron, Barack Obama, President Holland, and the sad but mad Vladimir Putin, and most of the so-called "leaders" of the World. They have been seduced by the Dark Lord ...  Voldemort, as Ms. Rowling called him. They pretend that they have the the best interests of US, of the people of the World, in mind. But they do not. They have, in mythological terms, been taken over by Evil.

Listen, People. Hear, People. We must act. It doesn't matter who elected these people. We are easily deluded by the media, by propaganda, by our own self-delusion and ignorance. Only we can protest, and change the future of the human community.

What kind of human community do you want? Think!

And revolt.

Monday, September 2 (Labour Day) - The Republic of San Marino

I have a Calendar that tells me the date of the establishment of all the countries in the World. Swaziland on the 6th: 45 years; Brazil on the 7th:  191 years. That sort of thing. Today is San Marino ... also know as La Serenissima Repubblica di San Marino - The Most Serene Republic of San Marino - and it says 1712 years!!!  "Its size is just over 61 km² (24 sq mi) with an estimated population of over 30,000. Its capital is the City of San Marino. San Marino has the smallest population of all the members of the Council of Europe.

San Marino claims to be the oldest surviving sovereign state and constitutional republic in the world, as the continuation of the monastic community founded on 3 September 301, by stonecutter Marinus of Arba. Legend has it that Marinus left Rab, then the Roman colony of Arba, in 257 when the future emperor, Diocletian, issued a decree calling for the reconstruction of the city walls of Rimini, which had been destroyed by Liburnian pirates.

San Marino is governed by the Leges Statutae Republicae Sancti Marini, a series of six books written in Latin in the late 16th century, that dictate the country’s political system, among other matters.

The country's economy mainly relies on finance, industry, services and tourism. It is one of the wealthiest countries in the world in terms of GDP (per capita), with a figure comparable to the most developed European regions. San Marino is considered to have a highly stable economy, with one of the lowest unemployment rates in Europe, no national debt and a budget surplus." (Wikipedia) 

I went there once ... wonderful place! I was traveling around Italy on my way to Rimini, and stopped in San Marino for a day and night. 

Now, here's an interesting thig about their way of government:  "Every six months, the Council elects two Captains Regent to be the heads of state. The Regents are chosen from opposing parties so that there is a balance of power. They serve a six-month term. The investiture of the Captains Regent takes place on 1 April and 1 October in every year. Once this term is over, citizens have three days in which to file complaints about the Captains' activities. If they warrant it, judicial proceedings against the ex-head(s) of state can be initiated."

Sounds good to me. Listen up America!! (Abraham Lincoln was an Honourary Citizen of San Marino.)  At this rate, most of our Presidents would be in jail .... and that would be a good and just thing in my estimate! 

Wouldn't you like to be Citizen # 30,001 !! I would! And, they have the highest per capita income in the World!

Well:  I can dream .... and about America too!

Aug 16, 2013: Evolution - Sr. Ilia Delio

Evolution, Franciscan Sr. Ilia Delio told the members of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR), does not describe a biological function but rather “a continuing process of unfolding involving the hands of God.”

I would say no. Rather, it describes both ... and the two are inextricably interrelated. The concept of "God", Life and the Body are One.

080313 - poet Rupert Brooke's birthday

Today is the date of birth of the English poet Rupert Chawner Brooke. He was born in Warwickshire, in 1887. He has the reputation of being the "handsomest man in England". He had many lovers, both male and female. He died on board ship during WWI, on April 23, 1915, and was buried, at night, by his crewmates, on the Greek island of Skyros. His tomb is still often visited; I would like to go there!

A picture:

His tomb on Skyros

Here is a poem of his.

~~~~~~~~~~

When Beauty and Beauty meet

All naked, fair to fair,

The earth is crying-sweet,

And scattering-bright the air,

Eddying, dizzying, closing round,

With soft and drunken laughter;

Veiling all that may befall

After -- after --

Where Beauty and Beauty met,

Earth's still a-tremble there,

And winds are scented yet,

And memory-soft the air,

Bosoming, folding glints of light,

And shreds of shadowy laughter;

Not the tears that fill the years

After -- after -- 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I hope your day has much love and much kindness.