Socks and San Antonio

Stardust Motel

We’ve got a flight out to the Left Coast, at “oh dark thirty,” which is way too early in the morning. I arranged it for a reason, too, only I can’t remember why now. Something about a party in Seattle, I think. Gemini driver – Billy – picking me up for the airport ride.

I should have a little sticky note that says “socks,” perhaps it should be on the monitor or the suitcase. I just blindly trust that I’ll remember to throw clean socks in the suitcase – probably at the last minute. Last time I wore shoes? Boots, really? Maybe a month ago, at a wedding in Las Vegas.

“Do I have to wear the boots?”

“You’d look pretty silly in slacks without them.”

In my defense, I was in the slacks for less than three hours. Pressed white shirt and all. Before that? Last time was a funeral, late last spring, and before that? Working in Seattle, last April. I would suggest it’s a good record, then, last time I wore long pants and boots to fish? January. It was right after either Austin’s Metaphysical Fair or the El Paso show. Can’t recall. It was cold. So was I.

I’ve got kin folk in the (frozen) Northwest, a handful of first cousins, an uncle, all out on the peninsula (Olympic Peninsula). So there’s certainly some family time scheduled, and then, there’s all that Seattle has to offer – coffee, bookstores, coffee shops, what else? The flowers at the flower market, no pictures please, coffee, the Microsoft-funded Experience Music thing? Coffee shop?

I shopped at the first REI, many years ago, a warehouse in the warehouse district – before there was a warehouse district. Before urban was cool. I believe, at that time, the terminology was inner-city, and it wasn’t cool except in a slightly dirty and dangerous way. Back before there was indoor rock-climbing. Way back when I was a youngster. I discovered the true meaning of excellence in coffee at a place up in Seattle, across the street from the hotel. Fun enough.

San Antonio – Alamo City – birthplace Texas &c., it’s a casual town. While Austin’s mantra is “Keep Austin Weird,” and while I’ve been pointed out as one of the leaders of that parade, alas, not so much. San Antonio’s movement is Keep San Antonio Lame.

That’s why I have to remember socks – that casual attitude. From my experiences in the last few years, I’ll admit, I like Seattle. Wouldn’t want to live there, or even in the neighborhood, but as a place to visit? It’s just stellar. I’m wondering, though, if the Space Needle is higher than the Tower of the Americas, down in SA.

Two Meat Tuesday (the book)
astrofish.net
(cure for the common horoscope)
Pink Cake A commonplace book.

Sidewalk of significance?
I was reading for clients – it’s what I do – and certain dates popped up. As a focal reference point, Mars goes un-retrograde and Pluto shifts into Capricorn, around the end of January, 2008. That’s the astrological point I was considering. I passed this piece of concrete and took it as an obvious sign. Until I looked at the image, then flipped it upright.

Mercury, the old trickster. Huh.