My favorite Pats (aunt - left, mother - right)

To Willie

Thank you for being a friend
Traveled down the road
And back again
Your heart is true
You're a pal and a confidant

If you threw a party
You invited everyone you knew
You would see
The biggest gift would be from me
And the card attached would say

Thank you for being a friend

(theme from The Golden Girls)

Willie,
because you care
because I am safe in our friendship
free
me
loved

Jaha

Utah notes

I'm still in Utah. Planning to leave to head back to Cali on Wed night or Thurs. Having many breakthrough conversations with my Uncle John. Will share soon. Maybe. Have learned a lot about myself in the past few days. Will be turning 40 in a few days. Wow!

Greyhound notes

Thursday, August 27, 2009
7:30pm

I am at the Greyhound Station in Long Beach on my way to see John in Utah. I’ve never been to Utah before and I’m looking forward to this trip. I’m missing Uraeus with me. My Greyhound traveling buddy. He’s probably not missing the bus right now. This station on Long Beach Blvd. is small and clean. That’s an important quality in a bus station to me. There are about two families in here including me which makes eleven people total in the station. My speed. I will have an hour and a half layover in Los Angeles and a three and a half hour wait in Las Vegas. Today I had a very interesting conversation with Mildred that I was blessed to catch on tape. My plan is to transcribe that conversation during the layover in Vegas. That’s if I’m not sleeping of course.

I have my camera this bus trip. Actually I don’t have a camera but I have my mother’s camera. I heard that the ride to Utah is beautiful and so I’m looking forward to taking plenty of pictures. So, look out for my “My Utah shots” post.

Today I am feeling love. Feeling like love. Feeling love all around me. From family, friends, trees, nature, life. Just as I’m typing that I’m feeling love all around me there is this guy at the end of my row pulling food out of his bag and talking to himself. “She gave me the wrong shit.” He doesn’t seem to be aware of how good that food smells. I can empathize with getting the wrong order, but then there is always the opportunity to create space around thanksgiving. He’s eating the food and offered the lady next to me
some of his food after she commented on how good it smelled. “Wanna try on? You sure? It’s good.”

Friday, August 28, 2009
6:00am

I’m at the Greyhound Station in Las Vegas. The ride from Los Angeles to here was cool. I slept most of the way. Just as we entered the state, the bus driver pulled over onto the side of the freeway. She said a belt was missing. I don’t know what that means but it was enough for us to be parked for almost an hour. Another Greyhound bus pulled behind us and there was a mechanic on board, I don’t know if he was a Greyhound employee or not and it didn’t seem to matter to our driver. She took him at his word that the missing belt was mostly affecting the air conditioner but that we had to leave soon or we would lose all of our “juice.” Clearly we were losing power as we rode into the Vegas station without the air conditioning or lights. Yes, lights to light the street. But…we made it. Thankfully, I have a three and a half hour layover scheduled. So for me it meant spending more time on the bus than in the station. The biggest difference between the bus and the station is that I’m more comfortable sleeping on the bus. The bathroom in this station is nasty.

I’m sitting with my bag, my one carry on bag. I’m waiting at door number one which is where I will meet the Salt Lake City bus. I’m second in line. I make it my business to directly to the gate and line up no matter how long the wait is. The lines grow so quickly.

The sun is out and I’m looking forward to getting some great pictures. I’m not scheduled to be in Salt Lake City until 5:00 tonight. Therman told me that the train ride from L. A. to Utah is a beautiful ride. That’s what I’m expecting.


11:36am
St. George, Utah

There is a brotha on the bus wearing a hat that says “Sin city” and a t-shirt that says “Jesus.” Whatever.

In Palmdale

Tuesday, August 25,2009

I’m at my Aunt Pat’s house right now. My mother asked me to put on a show for my family tonight. I’ll recite and read some stories and poetry and do a bit of JOURNEY. Right now I need to lie down before my head starts hurting more.

CHUCH! in Salt Lake

My Utah shots

My Palmdale shots

My Los Angeles shots