School Begins in a MAD WORLD

With the start of another school year close by, I find the lyrics about feeling invisible at school haunting.  Let's see all our students no matter how hard they try to be invisible:

"Went to school and I was nervous -
No one knew me, no one knew me.
Hello teacher, tell me what's my lesson?
Look right through me, look right through me."

This has been around a while, but I've had the melody stuck in my head for three days, so maybe now you will too! The choir and orchestra make for an interesting version:

MAD WORLD - click here

music by - Roland Orzabal (Tears for Fears - 1982)
This version also includes II Novecento & Fine Feur

Speed: Superman, Sons and Time

Today is our oldest son's birthday.  It's a happy, yet melancholy feeling for me.  It was such a special time: a beautiful July in Flagstaff with walks in the cool pines, classical music and hot fudge sundaes (no not pickles.)

Just like our two weeks in Flagstaff flew by before moving our new born son to Page, the 28 years have flown as well.  Can years really feel like weeks?  Our son has gone from our little town to Boston and Phoenix, Flagstaff and Los Angeles; living his dream that began as a young boy.

Like most parents, our love for him goes without saying -
we also admire and sincerely like him;
he's a sweetheart and wise beyond his years.

I've been writing recently about moving across surfaces -
today I felt the break-neck speed of moving across years,
decades.

Love on the go!
Happy Birthday Seth -
you're still Clark Kent and Superman to me.

drawing by Curt Swan

More Moving Across Surfaces

Do you have a favorite Moving Across Surface activity? 
Some experiences that I have enjoyed besides running in the woods:

> SWIMMING - I'm a lake gal, pools feel claustrophobic and I guess I learned to appreciate water with creatures swimming in it more than chemicals.  Our lake had fish, turtles and muskrats and if there were other things, I tried not to notice!  Pools definitely still count as a MAS activity however.

> BOATING - A small to medium sized lake is nice surface for canoes and row boats.   Slicing the oar through the water is a unique feeling like no other; the resistance of the water, which is worth the effort as the boat (I prefer the canoe) parts the surface to gracefully move across the surface.   Paddle, row or glide (I only have a little experience with a sailboat, but they are a nice ride - I like how the air's dimension impacts the ride.)

> BIKING - I've mentioned in past posts how my bike ride on the Cali boardwalk woke me up.   What woke up?  The feel of the bike, controlling the where and how fast, pumping hard, gliding with your feet off the pedals - it's all so fun: control and freedom in tandem.  Yesterday I caught myself riding down a slow street with my hands off the handlebars - now that took me back!  For a few seconds I remembered my inner 12-year old!

Epilogue - I took a night ride tonight.  I prefer to ride in the light, but it's triple digits on the mesa right now, so evening rides for now.  I hit some loose gravel and reminded myself of how it felt to move across slippery surfaces.  Luckily I had my hands on the bike and kept myself upright!

Ride, swim, walk, climb, run, paddle . . .

Moving Across Surfaces: First Experience

My first, and favorite, memory of Moving Across Surfaces is from my childhood in Rainbow Lakes, NJ.  Although we lived right on the main lake, I always enjoyed heading across the street and into the woods.  There were acres and acres of trees and brush with paths that could only be traveled in a single file or by a deer.

Running on the paths at top speed was a MAS experience that I have never duplicated anywhere else.  The ground could be dry and dusty or wet and squishy under my feet.  There were branches to be negotiated like a boxer bobbing this way and that way to avoid being hit, but never more than necessary to avoid taking a punch (or in the woods - a nice scratch to the arm, leg or face.) 

Running at top speed, I could feel the thumping of my feet against the dirt and the crunch of the leaves under my sneakers; to run as swiftly with as little effort and sound as possible - what is that? 

When I reflect on those days, I realize how much joy I got from just running in those woods.  I felt like a deer (although I know they're much better at it.)  No awards, no medals - just running, darting, jumping, panting, sometimes hiding . . .

I walk through the woods now and it's still a great experience, but well - slower.  The crunch of the leaves is still a tonality I love and moving up and down the many paths is something I never seem to tire of.  I know now, that Moving Across the Surfaces of those woods at top speed was a special, freeing feeling - part escape and always in the moment.  It was a gift to have those woods across the street from my house and when I remember to live in and enjoy the moment now, it's a gift I give myself even if I live 3000 miles away.

Do you have a Moving Across Surfaces experience?  I hope you will share -

Moving Across Surfaces II

Here's a video that helps describe my current experience of moving across surfaces:

I Need to Wake Up

Moving Across Surfaces

I want to mention a phenomenon I recently noticed - I call it Moving Across Surfaces.  That's not so poetic, but it's the best description I have so far.
Do you like to walk? ride a bike? row or sail or drive?  Then you enjoy moving across surfaces . . .
and so do I.

When I rode a bike at the beach last week, something reawakened in me.  There's something about moving across a surface to somewhere or no where in particular.  No treadmills for me - where am I going?  I'm not fired up about mere moving, that's called exercise.

Is this making any sense?  Maybe not, but I know it feels good to move and not to do sit-ups in my living room.  (A hint is that when I'm done I haven't seen anything and the carpet feels the same on sit up #1 as on #20.) Wheels rolling over a boardwalk with hundreds of miles of ocean to look at, now that's a moving experience and worth it!

On the view from the mesa, it's seeing so far you don't know how you could ever get there, but you think it might be fun to try. So when I got home from my visit to California, I fixed my tire and started moving across the mesa - feels great.

Dark Sky Percussion has a new Home

Dark Sky Percussion has some exciting new developments going into year FOUR:

> Dark Sky is now 100% in the Phoenix valley, specifically Horizon HS in Paradise Valley

> Adding 4 new staff members and they are all terrific instructors, not to mention human beings!

> DSP is now a 501c3 and is adding a Business Manager

> Dark Sky is negotiating for a killer set of drums.  Madison Scouts cherry wood battery - they look and sound amazing!!

> Look soon for an updated look, logo and news at: http://www.darkskypercussion.org/

Julie Andrews and the Fourth of July

I am back from my Fourth of July vacation to Santa Monica.  My oldest son, Seth lives there and I traveled from the mesa to LA with my other son, Tanner - what a fun time.  He drove the whole way and we just rocked tunes and talked the whole time.  Cliche to say priceless, but it's true.

We made a stop at the Hollywood Walk  of Fame - I was walking along thinking, this is funny that people want to see the name of their favorite star on a piece of the sidewalk;  I don't get it . . . and then I saw Julie Andrew's star and before I could stop myself, I was asking Seth to take my picture.  I know this ages me, but I love Julie Andrews.  Maybe in another life I can have her voice and grace.

The beach was cool and relaxing.  The people watching was great - I especially enjoyed skinny Batman and bizarro puppet lady.  We rented bikes, which I highly recommend.  I was surprised that we could park right near the beach for $7 and rent a bike for 2 hours for $12.  We biked Venice, through Santa Monica to Pacific Palisades and back, strawberry margarita at Danny's in Venice - come on, it was 70 degrees, clear skies - classic Cali.

We watched fireworks from a park in Marina Del Rey.  It was another beautiful spot but I'm going to give the fireworks award to Page over Del Rey.  They shoot them off on the golf course on the side of the mesa and they are fantastic and last 45 minutes.  The Marina Del Rey fireworks were about 20 minutes and it was difficult to view from many spots in the park due to the mature trees.  If you are near the Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce or Monument Valley around the 4th, I highly recommend you drive over to Page to see the view from the mesa - it's a great show.

Btw - as you may know, Flagstaff recently had a few very bad fires, so they canceled their fireworks - but honestly, they cancel them most years, so go north from the Grand Canyon and catch a great show in  Page.

Road Trip off the Mesa

Subaru has a new engine -
well a new used engine.
I'll check out that improved gas mileage
as I road trip to L.A.

I really enjoy trips with no specific timetable -
you know,
some people call them vacations!
Then again,
there are those who create itineraries and deadlines and expectations of their vacations.
I am not a fan of those.

I prefer to pick my destination,
preferably with family or friends on the way or on the other end
and to stop when it feels like a good time to stop.
Eat when I'm hungry
and preferably eat cool stuff that I wouldn't normally eat or find on the mesa.

I also prefer the scenic roads to freeways . . .
or for those in NJ, the toll roads.
None of those in AZ.

This trip may have to include the truck-laden I-40,
but I'll have the nice company of a son
and we'll be heading towards his brother in Los Angeles.

Looking forward to some great music,
good food,
and especially fun times with my sons.
That's a vacation worth leaving my view for -

Happy 4th of July!