When Your Art Trumps You........

So hub and I were walking down a street in Boston a couple months ago when he said, "Hey there's that elephant."

"What elephant?"

"The Ganeesh elephant."

"Where?" And sure enough in a store window was Ganeesh, a Hindu God.... a particular favorite of mine.....boy wonder....remover of obstacles.

The store had lots of Oriental furniture and a wall full of paintings/lithos/art.

Without warning, an entire row of pictures starting "yooo hoooo ing" at me.

"Stop now, I can't take you all home." It's okay when one piece of art calls out my name....but a crowd is disconcerting. "Take me home....take me home."

I asked the clerk what she knew about the paintings or if she had some idea what was written on each one.

"No, we haven't a clue. They just came in this way."

"Interesting."

I picked the plump bottom girl with no panties. We had lots in common. I forget my panties too (sometimes).....I have a cat..... I had a bird....(unfortunately my Springer Spaniel ate it) and I liked Chinese calligraphy.

Tonight while getting the house ready for company. I sat down on the stairs. Plump bottom girl was leaning against the wall on the landing. All I needed was a hammer and a nail and she'd be home.

So we were sitting there looking at each other....when I began to "see" things I hadn't noticed before.......


Like her nipple was hanging out of her shirt. Like her cheeks were abnormally flushed. A fan was on the floor.....had she been lying down on the mat?... a resting cat.....a startled bird.


"Well my dear.....self-love or lover?"

I bet self-love.

A cat never looks content if a man's involved.....

And the writing? I can only imagine......

~~~

Ironic Witch...ery

I'm here in Salem, Mass tonight......spent the whole day walking around this historic town. I thought it might be interesting to leave Boston for a day....and Salem....which is only 16 miles away from Boston sounded ideal. I imagined it had a nautical and historical bent and ....oh yeah.... I'm sure they'd have something on those famous witch trials.

What I didn't know is the bulk of commerce in Salem comes from tourism which is based on a town hawking and selling witchcraft. There must be at least 4 witch dungeon museums, ads for several walk-around-town and meet-the-ghosts tours at night, witch supply shops, witch t-shirt shops ....along with several places where you can get a tarot reading, aura interpretation, and your plain old fortune told.

I find it a bit ironic that a town which became hysterical and hung 20 people to rid itself of the witchcraft....now draws people who celebrate, promote and make a living off the magical art.

It's an interesting stop with beautiful and architecturally interesting old homes.... but I one day is enough for all this witchy commercialism...and I wouldn't want to be near this place for Halloween.

Today in a magical art shop.....along with the crystals, incense and other equipment ....the owner was offering customers custom make-up application for Halloween.

"We'll create so many scars, wounds and disfigurements on you....your family won't even recognize you." The thoughtful townie.....told the man....he would consider the service. It just gave me the creeps to think of a town full of realistically gored and maimed people walking around asking for treats.

Despite the many offers from people who want to read my future for me....I've declined. A zillion years ago when I was a ICU nurse in Seattle....my girlfriend and I went skiing to Lake Tahoe.

My friend wanted to get a reading but didn't want to go into this small odd fortune teller shop alone....so I went with her and had my fortune told too.........I poohed poohed the revelations the fortune teller told me.....although I was bothered about them for days.

Years later......I discovered what she revealed to me about a couple situations were absolutely true.....I just hadn't learned the truth about them yet.

Perhaps it's silly to admit the experience spooked or scared me.....but it did. I believe you can always change the future.....but the past is set and sometimes what you know or don't know....about situations can be surprising.

Wish me luck for tomorrow morning....I'm already nervous....we have to leave super early.....navigate around Boston (yikes), drop off the car, get ourselves to the appointed limo liner spot for our trip to NYC all by 9am.

Geez.....perhaps I should have bought one of those good luck crystals after all.
~~~

Bean town is Brain town

Boston. Incredible. More like "Braintown" versus "Beantown." There's so many universities, colleges and students around....here in Copley square near downtown Boston, I feel like I'm part of a big extended campus.

Yesterday, couldn't resist, went up to Harvard and walked around. First thing we did was hit the bookstore. Hub and I had to use our cell phones to find each other....since we both wandered off into our own little niches and could have stayed there for days.

Harvard is beautiful but much smaller than I envisioned it. Walking through the center of campus.... I expected the students to look really smart....but they just looked like students on any other campus (I did notice a lot of Armani jeans on students though and BMW's parked on the side streets)

We did have some interactions with students in the art museums which we visited on campus . I don't know if they were representative of the student body.....but they could hardly stand being asked such mediocre questions as if there might be a book available on early Chinese bronzes or if their early Egyptian paintings were part of the exhibition now closed. Oh how could we be so pedestrian not to know these things and have to ask......lol.

Decided since my children didn't go to Harvard, I would have to buy my own Harvard t-shirt so hit the Insignia store....where they promptly rejected our credit card. It's always embarrassing to stand there while everyone is looking at you like you are a scum puppy.

The manager called our credit card company and then hub had to get on the phone. Seems like someone had hocked our credit card number and was trying to put big charges through in Amsterdam. Fortunately, the company cut off our account but did allow us this last purchase......so I could come home with my t-shirt. My sons report there's been two calls on our home phone caller ID since then labeled "United States Government." Great.....

The weather is gorgeous....absolute blue skies, cool, but warm in the sun. Often throughout the day.....I would plunk myself on a park bench and just pretend I was a cat....purring, eyes half open....enjoying the warmth.

Went to a wonderful Thai restaurant last night....a little place down in the basement of one of these old brick apartment buildings which form the neighborhoods around here...the food was fresh, hot and spicy....and such a treat after so much walking and subwaying around the city.

Also making regular trips to the interesting funky grocery store not far from the hotel. As I mentioned before, I just love seeing what locals eat and what food preferences they have in a grocery store. My current favorite find.....a strange local grapefruit soda called Polar Bear....which is tart and tastes like Squirt.

One strange event of the evening....we took a walk down the street and passed what looked like a small exclusive French restaurant with tall black iron gates at the entrance. Suspiciously, there were about 5 men ...all in black business suits, white shirts, silk ties ....carrying laptop briefcases. They were not congregated together like a clump of business men might be....but where spread out....as if forming a line.

Something felt very odd about the situation....and when a limousine pulled up and one of the "business guys" called out to the driver....in a Boston/Italian accent...."hey you wanna smoke some pot?".....hub and I decided to cross the street and vacate the neighborhood. I had a strange feeling.... I was in a scene from the Sopranos......and didn't want to find out if there were really laptops in those briefcases.

Here's some photos from the day:

Now this is what you call a proper entrance........this beautiful foyer is part of the Public Library..... you get the feel that people value education and books in this town....so it's fitting to have the central place of knowledge for the community so adorned.

Me.....at Harvard.......in one of the art museums....they had some wonderful Buddhas here... I sat and had some conversations with them....nice fellows......and as always.....very enlightening.

Oh I loved this ad on the subway....click on it to enlarge it. You'll notice t all the wiggly lines emanating from the dollar sign are sperm heads. Yep....if you're a Ivy League students.....the sperm bank can help you finance those Armani Jeans.

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Bussing along to Boston

Okay....I'm sitting on a bus blogging. Yep...I'm on the Limo Liner to Boston...and have just made half the bus laugh as I attempted to go to the bathroom.

We're about an hour out of Boston....and traffic is stop and go. Lots of folks coming home from the beach or other weekend adventures because the traffic is heavy.

I open the door to the bathroom and find an elderly man in the "thinker" position on the john. Mortified I quickly close the door....and hang on to a railing secured on the wall ....as the bus does a jerky stop and go routine through a toll booth line.

Finally....after an uncomfortably long time....the gentleman emerges.

My turn. I go in...careful to lock the door....sit down and the bus made a quick stop...causing me to......fall off the toilet. I involuntarily yelp...as I regain my balance...and replace myself on the seat where I belong.

When I exit....the back end of the bus is chuckling. Obviously my surprised yelp was loud and heard.

Bus veterans (I've learned there are frequent bus travelers on board) give me a compassionate nod. Experienced riders.... know not to go to bathroom in certain traffic situations.....since I'm returning via this bus to NYC ....I'll join the "next time smarter" ranks on the return trip.

I planned to do lots of email and internet work while on the bus. Although the bus is comfy and wireless.....you should see my laptop....the tray table is bouncing with each pothole and bad stretch of road.....I can't keep my hands steady on the board.....like trying to type on a mexican jumping bean......jumping bean?....do you remember mexican jumping beans....that you could buy in the store?.....dang the bus must have shaken loose an old memory.

~~~

My First Pictures from the Road!!!

Well finally brought the right cords and the right scandisks....to put some pics online in real time. Yippee!

The luxury bus from NYC to Boston....internet, movies, sandwiches, leather seats.....but oh boy watch the stop and go traffic....especially if you are "going."

I don't think hotels should be taller than say 12 stories.....that's my ceiling.......here's a picture out to the sea.....from my room at the Marriott in Boston on the 22nd floor. (Click on the pic and it will get bigger....do you know this trick?)

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