Stay Tuned

Here we are on the verge of 2011. Time flies doesn't it? These days are also a very dramatic display of really good story telling, Fortunately, unfortunately, fortunately, unfortunately. Yes, this is a great movie we're in and It feels like we're about to reach a climax. And If these are in fact the last days, well, we came in with a bang so let's go out with a bang.

It is a time of biblical proportions. As evidenced by the extreme weather and the miracles that took place in the US congress last week. In the lame duck session of the 111th congress we saw the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell, the passage of the 9/11 responders health care bill, the signing of the SALT treaty, the community radio act, mandating the FCC to issue thousands of licences for lower power FM Jesus Christ! what a Christmas. Even the economic indicators were good when it came to folks spending money.

Right now, I'm looking back on 2010, I suppose you are too. Sometimes we glance over our shoulders, but at times like these we gaze into the past take inventory and know that we are an accumulation of all that has happened. I'm trying to fathom the depths of just the last 360 days, I am flabbergasted at the events in my personal life never mind the rest of the world. The deaths of my dearest dog, and of my mother. Turning 50 years old, The return of my daughter from her world tour, birth of our grandson Sterling. Wow.

Through a global lens we witnessed,The earthquake in Haiti, Floods in Pakistan, escalating violence in Afghanistan, The Thai revolution, the Icelandic Volcano that closed airports all over Northern Europe for two weeks, the BP oil spill (that still sends chills up my spine), the chilean miners rise to fame and great fortune, the ugliness of US mid term elections, riots in Europe over Austerity measures. All stunning extremely emotional events.

The Insane Political behavior almost drove me completely crazy this year. I was most recently outraged when Obama made a deal with the devil and let the Bush Tax cuts extend for two years, but then, we got the SALT treaty, etc and billionaires like Zuckerberg, Bloomberg And 14 Other Pledged To Donate Majority Of Their Fortunes To Charity. Wow, great plot twist.

When I sit in the audience of life I am much more surprised, deeply moved and entertained. Like when I'm listening to Haley Barber wax nostalgic about segregation, I can't help but think of Borat, yes. Or Watching Bernie Sanders ( http://sanders.senate.gov/) filibuster on the Senate Floor against the extension of the Bush Tax Cuts, I remember Jimmy Stewart in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.

Last week, we left the country and I had the great fortune to find myself immersed in the jungles of Costa Rica. In my movie, I was swinging like Tarzan from vines through the jungle, eating fresh picked pineapple, coconut, drinking coffee flavored with locally grown vanilla. We enjoyed the company of The Costa Rican people who are warm, happy and generous and it became more apparent with each Capuchin monkey that visited our dwelling, or sloth hanging upside down above our heads or toucan flying effortlessly through the palm tress that their connection with the natural world is the reason. They share the earth with its marvelous creatures and they are rewarded with happiness. Their motto is Pura Vida which means Pure life. And though they are not literally "rich" they are stable financially, they are secure in themselves. And Though we may see ourselves as intelligent, successful Americans many are infected with wild ambition, doubt, greed, apathy, consumption and waste, which may not imply a happy ending to our story. Who knows?

So much in Destiny's hands now. We may not be able to significantly change anything to stem the outcome, but the story can still be inspiring, sacred, joyous and positive with every step we take. It is the best of times, It is the worst of times. It is extreme and The sheer magnitude is breathtaking. I'm on the edge of my seat and I Can't wait to see what happens next!.
I want to wishing everyone a healthy and prosperous, sustainable new year.

The Most Wonderful, Awful Time Of the Year

It's the most wonderful time of the year, It is very beautiful with the all the gift giving and electrifying light displays, but it's also a mixed up, highly emotional, economically challenging and dramatic time and yes it's filled with wonder. We wonder what the heck is going on. Like those Crazy Bush Tax cuts on the verge of being extended, If that doesn't make you wanna holler. I don't know what will.

But let us rejoice for the moment because we've got to do that as well.This is the sixth night of Hannukah, there are two more to go. So Happy Hannukah, It falls on the 25th day of Hebrew month of Kislev, On that day the Macabbean army reclaimed the Temple in Judea from the Syrians and in their rededication, they had to light the eternal lamp, but only had enough oil (olive, I presume) to last one night. The miracle was that the oil lasted 8 days.

For me Hannukah is about being with the family, the delicious anti nutritious food, the singing of songs, lighting candles. The first night I lit the candles by myself and sang the prayer. I closed my eyes and instantly I could see my deceased mother and fathers faces flickering in the candle light and I bawled. It was truly a religious experience. This year I couldn't find the menorah at first, so we had to improvise with a banana which made me laugh hysterically. On the fourth night, after searching high and low we ended up with two menorahs and celebrated with four native americans, 5 Central Americans, 3 agnostics, 2 pagans and one Jew, that was me.

Yesterday, I was completely possessed by the spirit of my mother. I put on a bathrobe that looked remarkably like one of hers, and spent four hours in the kitchen making stuffed cabbage, chopped chicken livers and potato latkes. I got out the old fashioned stand up grater and grated the potatoes and onions by hand, being very careful not to grate my knuckles like I did as kid, helping my mother in the kitchen. And I cried, yeah, those damn onions are a bitch.

It's that time of year for me, Happiness and sorrow colliding into a spontaneous outburst of tears. Like tomorrow, which is Pearl Harbor day, a day that will live in terrible infamy, but the infamy for me is that fact that my daughter was born that day and will be 23. Her terrific beauty and enormous humor is a gift to the whole world and was witnessed by a good chunk of it this past year as she traveled through 12 countries, in her banana suit (w accompanied by her Gorilla friend. The sensation of watching my child mature into a natural comediane and wander happily into the world is a tear jerker for me. I'm so proud.

I am blessed, lucky to feel so much. To me it is the richness of life, the breathtaking emotional roller coaster of being alive and loving so deeply.

On that note, Wednesday, December 8th, the world will remember the assassination of John Lennon 30 years ago. I am still grieving his murder and wept freely watching the film "Imagine" Playing over and over this week as a tribute to his life. How apropos in a time of such darkness and continuous war to recall his magnificent light and know we are more need than ever for a voice as powerful and meaningful as his to unite the world with songs of Justice and Peace.

Symbols, metaphors, deeper meanings, the realm of December's Sagittarius, I'm surrounded by the, Sagittarians that is. Thursday is my wife's birthday. She is Ruled by Jupiter, the king of the Gods. She, as well as most Sag's. is huge in her presence, expansive, truth seeking, philosophical, generous, and has an insatiable wanderlust. And it is my great fortune to be in such close company for to celebrate the birth of my wife and daughter we are off to the wild blue yonder to the jungles of Costa Rica. Costa Rica, (a welcome relief from the good ole freezing cold USA, enjoyed first place last year on the Happy Planet index, measuring it's well being in part by it's devotion to ecological sustainability, the indigenous population's well being, and of course, joy. The United States was 114th in the index, just two below The Republic of Congo.

I feel it Highly auspicious and symbolic of our quest for peace and equality in this world to seek out adventure in one of the happiest places on earth. Costa Ricans have enjoyed stability and very little hostility since 1948, have no standing army, and have recently elected, a woman for president, Laura Chinchilla, who hails from the party of previous President, Oscar Arias who won the Nobel Peace Prize, (unlike our President) for his work in the 1980's to END Central America's wars. Inspiring isn't it. It is with this respect, curiosity and intention that we leave this country at the darkest time, the winter solstice, where our President who promised us the light of change and hope is about to cave in to Darkness ruled by fear and make the rich richer, the poor poorer and the wars warer. Bah Humbug!