Where the Interstates divide--10 and 20---I choose 20
Does this peak your curiosity? A bit of green lushness surrounded by miles of drab brown. What's so special about that spot? Will go find out! Park my rig and (carefully) make my way to it.
Yes--of course--it's very near the water collection point---BUT NOT IN IT. Might have drowned there. mmmmmm a metaphor for something. Walked all round it--enjoyed it and imagined that it enjoyed my company.
I move on to the ghost town of Toya---walk all round---boarded up school? Courthouse? Houses and church--even swimming pool-- abandoned. Any life here at all?
Well yes! Goats---lively and social--one has wool instead of hair. Did not see the caretaker.
Oil wells--a pumping--lots and lots of them. At an information center I stopped and got the story: There's a fresh new oil boom---old "dry" wells can be revitalized by the new fracking technique---AND they've found fresh pools down deeper. Things are booming from Pecos to Abilene. Unemployment is down to 3%--hiring signs everywhere. Beginning McDonalds workers earn $13 an hour. Teachers quit their classrooms to work in the oil fields
How many wind turbines are there in Texas? 10,000---and they each--on average generate enough power for 500 homes. The story is a bit more complicated ,however.
In Sweetwater, Tx--I wake to this sight---someone has tried to donate a dog to me---complete with water and food bowl. I ponder it for about a minute---but No. I fill both bowls and drive away.
Texas has lots of picnic and rest areas---far more than other states.
Newsbreak---I just get off the road a ways -- park in a churchyard--aim my satellite and watch the news--vaguely hoping someone will come and confront me---(I like to keep my relational skills fresh) No one came. This was a fundamentalist Church.
A free dumpsite at the Louisiana welcome center. Much appreciated.
I call it a night in Shreveport, La---see an empty lot among the Casinos and settle in.
No one disturbed me.
Next morning I discover I was the guest of Larry Flint's Hustler club---featuring Leather and Lace and $2 drinks.
Paused at La Downs racetrack to see the horses do their early morning workout.
Moved on to Minden, La and scratched a paranormal itch. There is an odd house along this creek that has appeared several times in my dreams. Don't know why. Or who lives there.
Today, I'm feeling bold---so I park and walk to the house---take pictures---and just stand outside. Soon a nice lady came out and I explained about my dream. She puzzles with me--said she bought it two years ago---that the seller told her it was built by an artist who had something to do with the song Blue Moon. She let me walk around and take pictures. I thanked her. Didn't notice any striking feelings--just a pleasant warmth from the lady. I left while she was still feeling comfortable.
Then I visited my Mother's grave. She bought this twin tombstone for her 2nd husband and herself---had everything but her death date engraved on it--- brought me here several times ---said it comforted her to know she had a resting place prepared.
I knelt and meditated with as clear a mind as I could manage. An image of a flowing river came into my mind.
RANDY PHILOSOPHIZES: Hindu's envisage life in 3 stages: Student: (learn learn learn ) Householder: (career, family) and Holy person: (spiritual pursuits, simplicity, wandering). I'm told that indeed SADHU's by the hundreds of thousand wander the continent---experiencing life---sustained by people they meet ---craving nothing, clinging to nothing---simply BEING---and let the physical world flow through them.
I sometimes think of myself as an American Sadhu.
Tomorrow I will begin to engage with my family. Do I still love them? Do they love me? Respect me?
9 comments:
This post, the whole thing, was good.
Here so you can stop your dribble how people can stop working after 10 years, get a grip on the facts, most will work till they die.
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/average-us-retirement-age-61-205045352.html
Please tell me that dog was not left stranded,
We're there other people around to help that dog.
Matt: The dog was left abandoned in a Wal-Mart parking lot. It was a Sunday or I would have called a humane society. It was skittish and ran away from me as I approached. Cars moving in its vicinity were extremely careful to avoid hitting it. I was warmed to see how concerned and loving the public was---gives me confidence it will be cared for.
And it speaks well for you that you are concerned for it.
Anonymous: Re retirement in ten years: HAVE A LITTLE FAITH --slowly slowly values are being clarified---people are seeing that "time is the currency of life" (Theodora)---That simplicity is liberating---that mobility generates meaning.
hey now,you might find yourself an old girlfriend randy.or maybe a new one?have a good time. it's getting short time for you here!!fellow traveler gary
Good post. I mean a really good post. It enriched me.
Anonymous talked about working till you die.
Working until you die was/is the normal way of life for humankind.
That was the value of family, some place to go when you couldn't work anymore.
We live in the golden age, we have lot's of wealthy people, actually a wealthy society. Wealthy enough to allow people to stop working when they still can. Wealthy enough to allow someone to float thru life writing in a blog when he feels like it.
This is the "Golden Age"
Rob, the evidence is that during many eras, our ancestors didn't work nearly as hard as the average person does today. Some think that our paleolithic ancestors only had to work 2-3 hours a day for their food and shelter. Even in the middle ages, about half the year was declared as work holidays by the all powerful church. They were supposed to be praying but many did not and just rested and reveled instead. The evidence is that the neolithic agricultural revolution created more work for the average person and less for the autocratic kings than the preceding hunter/gatherer lifestyle. Then the industrial revolution created monstrous working conditions for the average person tantamount to slavery or the more profitable serfdom. The labor revolution brought us more reasonable hours and benefits that are now being eroded by the anti-union sentiment currently fashionable.
When it comes to money, we have two choices - make more or spend less. Each choice has its price. Randy chose to make some money (I assume from what he has written) and spend it at a very slow rate so that he maximizes his freedom. Others do not like his choice and make a different choice. The conventional wisdom likes to say we are bad if we choose freedom over making money and attach a personal virtue to those who have lots of money whether it is earned, stolen, or inherited.
Having the infrastructure available to be a nomad on wheels is the golden age but also being able to earn enough to support a chosen lifestyle for anyone who wants it to be able to make such a choice is the real golden age and fast disappearing.
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