lives we are a-changing

October had friends from far and wide descending on New York City in unprecedented numbers and overlapping dates.

I found myself juggling times and commitments in a quickly overflowing calendar. Conflicting priorities and agendas only added to the turmoil and fuss.

Mad Hatter Day

Whether or not you are aware of such an occasion - yes we do live in a world crazy enough to celebrate such a day.

Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter, Tarrant Hightopp

In parts of the world it is celebrated on October 6 and in Britain they celebrate it on June 10. Both dates were chosen from the illustrations by John Tenniel in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, depicting the Mad Hatter wearing a hat bearing a slip of paper with the notation "In this style 10/6."

Equinox & Eclipses | blood moons & bloody times

September marks several dates of import that impact us on a variety of levels - cosmic, global, national, local and personal - stirring us to the core.

Moon’s progress dead center through the Earth’s shadow in July 2000

tempered tempers

Asked to describe my temperament in a word I would say fierce.

More intense and passionate in intent and motivation rather than vicious or violent though I do not always succeed.

I have always had a healthy respect for the value of things - real and symbolic - yours, mine and ours.

Mahala

Happy day - Mahala's birthday and my labor day! Here’s to you beloved child of mine. 

May the nourishment of the earth be yours,

may the clarity of light be yours,

may the fluency of the ocean be yours,

may the protection of the ancestors be yours.

And so may a slow

wind work these words

of love around you,

an invisible cloak

to mind your life.

~ John O'Donohue ~ (Echoes of Memory)

outrageous times

Life has really become surreal - Pinoys worldwide protest customs inspections of our over taxed overseas workers infamous Balikbayan boxes. . . .

Out of touch and clueless

. . . .while here in our UnUnited States national news stays mum as the rest of the world praises its brave and courageous armed force personnel for selflessly protecting a train load of strangers in Thalys, France.

Forensics team inspect the crime scene - Thalys, France

make your vote count

Election year is coming up in both the US [my current home] and the Philippines [my homeland]. It is striking how Donald Trump reminds me of the Marcoses.

Big egos. Bad hair. Expensive lifestyles. Dying to be young and beautiful. Lots of blowhard pontificating.

It horrifies me that they can attempt to run for the highest elected office in the country. It scares me that they are being considered by the electorate.