Road tripping

“But the miracle of late sixteenth-century London lay in the fact that it was renewing itself. Its vigor and energy came from a fresh access of youthfulness. It has been estimated that half the urban population was under the age of twenty years. This is what rendered it so strident, so tough, so excitable. Never again would it be so young.” (page 111)
Peter Ackroyd’s Shakespeare: The Biography

Something to be said about London always feeling young.

“Kramer? That’s called ‘jet lag,’ buddy-boy.”

And I thought it had something to do with the old Battersea station, featured on Pink Floyd’s Animals album. Perhaps a seminal influence. Or maybe not.

Fragments:
“The sun comes up in a coffee cup, no thanks I’ve had enough.” It’s Lyle song, can’t get to the reference material right now.

6/5
From one carrier to another
Just in from the airport, and off from one regional carrier to a longer-distance machine. Austin-Dallas-UK. Yee-haw.

Fast food trip:
El Paso was a “fast food” trip. Friday? Lunch was branded fast drive-through food. Burger and fries. Saturday night? Burger and fries. Sunday night? Drive through burger and fries. Rather, sit down and eat in the dining area. Still, fast food.

“Straight, not straightened.”
Meditations by Marcus Aurelius (book VII #12)

Special Forces:
On one of the flights so far, crowded shuffle from point to point, although, I had an empty seat next to me until a youngster of martial demeanor asked if he could sit there. I nodded and I was about to dismiss him until he pulled out an iPod, one of mine was out already with Fat Boy Slim just starting a tune about how “It’s a wonderful night.”

The guy pulled out a book, I recognized the title and author, and while I couldn’t recall all the details, I remembered that I greatly enjoyed it. We talked about that. We talked about his girlfriend’s music on his iPod, most of which he didn’t like, and then we detoured into his most recent adventures, as a former Special Forces team member. Something military. Highly trained. Something. Pretty interesting. The only words of advice I had was to not to try to out-drink an Australian. My advice was a little late. He had learned, like me, the hard way.

Every now and again, I run into military people who reaffirm my faith in the system. After an hour of his tales, I realized I’d found another.

“Death is something like birth, a natural mystery, elements that split and recombine.
Not an embarrassing thing. Not an offense to reason, or our nature.”
Meditations by Marcus Aurelius (book IV #5)

And another?
At the event – work for me – a young woman walked by, holding a newborn. I inquired as to the baby’s birthday: Gemini, about a week old. The mom, Aries, had a C-section. If that had been a male? Who are we kidding? I’d still in bed, I suggested.

Grace noted how good looking the child was, and then piped in, “If it was man? He’d milk that for a year.”

I was amazed, major trauma birth, up and walking around? If that was me? I’d still be laid up some place, complaining, and bragging about all the hard work I’d done for the last 18 months.

“Each of us needs what nature gives us, when nature gives it.”
Meditations by Marcus Aurelius (book X #20)

The ants go marching:
Stepped outside for a moment, a red-headed Capricorn, Robin the palm reader (Taurus), and myself. Robin glanced at my bare feet and made an observation. Dry wit. He lives in Albuquerque, he’s always dry. Then he noticed half of a cookie that a number of sugar ants had gathered around. He leaned over, picked up the broken candy bar, and followed the ants to their hole, and then he set the food source next to their home.

“It’s like pizza delivery.”

Me? I never liked ants, all that hard work for the good of the hive? On nice afternoon? I’d prefer to be fishing. Or something. Bad symbolism. Hope they enjoyed the delivery service.

“Work:
Not to rouse pity, not to win sympathy or admiration. Only this: Activity. Stillness..”
Meditations by Marcus Aurelius (book IX #12)