Let the Rain Set You Free, a poem (DSC8891)

Originally uploaded by Shutterhack

Let the Rain Set You Free

Torrential downpour
Nothing spared the rain
Silver waterfall of tears
God’s way of cleansing all
Washing away all habits, conditioning

Let go
Release yourself to the rain
Surrender to its magical touch
Set all memory behind you
Let the rain set you free

By Don Iannone, a poet and a very precious friend
August 26, 2008.

This was taken a few seconds before we were hit by that heavy monsoon rain, when I had to run with the camera under my t-shirt to my car parked about 200 meters away.

Gears: Nikon D50, Tokina 12-24mm f/4 AT-X AF Pro DX
Location: Taman Shah Bandar, Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia
Processing: Channel HSL, contrast mods, cropped to 16:9

there's a slight break on this rainy morning
the two baby gray squirrels chase one another around
and i can hear their footsteps, quite loud
ta rump ta rump ta rump just like horses only softer
we are under a Tropical Storm Watch hmm
seems tropical
everything is wet green with shades of gold
e

Been making my mental to-do list for the day and since it's supposed to be rainy most of the list involves housecleaning. Since E is in Oklahoma I'll have less distractions, which really means I won't be popping into her study repeatedly to ask stupid questions or tell her a silly pointless story or just to say hi. Just me and the kids following me from room to room. I will probably post some vacation pictures later and perhaps an amusing anecdote or two. Which reminds me...I love the word anecdotal, mostly I love saying it. I need to create more instances where I can use it in conversation. I'll add that to my to-do list.

Why Disasters Are Getting Worse  -- TIME  -- by Amanda Ripley   "We are getting more vulnerable to weather mostly because of where we live, not just how we live."

All right - come on now - I have written about the natural barriers that will keep destructive elements at bay.  Please see August 28th, 2008 entry - Better Follow Through - Needed  + other older entries.

I keep saying it -- duh.  Think of all the trees that use to keep the rain from pouring over into the streets -- think of that river that use to be huge and mighty that would acquire the rain fall.  Here is something interesting too -- let's examine this.  Major hurricanes are following corridors WE HAVE MADE.  Yup, it's true.  Examine the trees that lay on either side of a major interstate - the path of a hurricane follows it right to the major city it intersects with.  Kind of neat. 

Disrupt the natural course = Destructive natural force. 

You can prevent it - It can be a safe environment.  Umm... Yes it can.  Restore the balance.  Take that parking lot and turn it back into a place where trees use to grow.  That's one idea -- Use the data that is there and continues to prove everything I have said in this blog and turn things around.  Yes.  Destructive elements are going to happen -- climate change is still going to happen.  We just might survive a little easier if action is taken and followed through though --

Since history repeats itself - a stand is needed to make sure survival is guaranteed and not just for our species though we caused it to accelerate.  Write history out to show that betterment was done and followed through to prove it can be done BUT IMPROVED ON.

Hahaha. Well basically that's the deal because to wake me up is a task as difficult as... I don't know. Getting an elephant to do a split. Hahaha, that was random. So yes. Perhaps I won't sleep tonight or something =/

Anyway, good good good day today :D Well I guess it's the best of this week, since oh we had porridge + sardines + fishballs + meatballs for lunch and it was amazingly good, somehow. :D I miss the times when I was young and me and my brother would dread eating porridge. I seem to vaguely remember the days as Sundays or something, and then I preferred watery porridge to the dry one. My father would add Marmite and my brother and I would add Bouvril (sp?). Then there was that egg porridge my mum used to cook as well. That was better than the plain porridge with food like sardines and veg and all, since I didn't like sardines then as well.

So yes. At around 1515hrs I realised it was 3+ already and yeah so just before I dozed off (I was hugging my pillow already) I asked my mum if we were going to fetch my brother. So yupppp after much consideration we decided to go out (as in, my mum and I, together with my dad, instead of just my dad alone.). So yesss and I slept on the way (actually, more like pretending to sleep, Hahaha. Idk why either. :S) and we ended up at Singapore Discovery Centre since my bro wasn't out yet.

Okay and before we even entered SDC (as in the main building) my bro called so yup we went to get him and we went to Queensway for my bro and dads' shoes. =/ Trust me I really dislike that place. Gave me a claustrophobic feeling. D:

Got out of there as soon as I can, and we headed for Clarke Quay :D Haha, we ate at Central! A whole range of places to choose from. There were so many Japanese restaurants. Like, side by side by side. Fewer Chinese and Western, but still a lot. Heh.

So we ate at this place called... Let's see (goes to Google). Edogawa Teppanyaki yup. Haha it wasn't so much Teppanyaki, but I had salmon (these are the times when fish might just have the edge over cow. Hahah.) yup it was goood :D But somehow I wasn't in the "mood" for good food and family dinner, Idk why =/ Bro's treat haha, yay thankyou :D

Walked around. Had wanted to catch the Lion/Dragon Dance thing but realised the show was at 9pm, and besides we weren't sure if it was the dance so yeah we didn't stay to watch, but walked along Clarke Quay oh I love that place. :) Didn't walk for too long because it started to drizzle D:

Yup, way home was kinda nice with the rain and all. It seems like so long ago when my dad last drove the car up to the void deck. I'm not kidding! Haha, fine, not UP to the void deck, but just. You know the slope there, next to the handicap's parking lot. Yup he drove up that slope so we wouldn't get drenched by the rain too much. He used to do that pretty often when I was much younger, say in lower primary.

Maybe it just rained more in the past. Hahaha.

:)

RAIN REIGNS
RAINS REIGN

The rain was so hard that I can barely see the road ahead. The wind so strong that I felt like the taxi was going to turn over any second. It was a long ride, I thought I'm never gonna reach home.

I recollect seeing a family eating on the side of the road earlier today. That "side of the road" what they call their "home",
I wondered how they are in this state, are they all wet huddled together to somehow feel warm amidst the cold and wet weather?

I know I am not rich, I do not get all I want. But I am thankful, that I do not have to worry about the rain because that would mean not sleeping. I do not have to beg so I can eat, I do not have to experience other people looking down on me and be made to feel that I am useless.

That experience made merealize that I do not have the right to complain. I just have to appreciate whatever I have and make the most out of it.

"Contentment is the only real wealth."

Alfred Nobel,

It was hard to leave them in the classroom, but I tore myself away and marched home to sit alone for a while as they got to know their new teacher and their new classmates.

It got to Friday, and the reality sunk in. They were really at school! They weren't my babies anymore! The day had come and they had gone to school as I sat in the house feeling all miserable!
I sat and cried for an hour straight, and even now my emotions keep peeking out at me and saying "Hi there! Fancy a few more tears? Go on...... you know you want to!"

And to top it all off, the rain is simply making it all worse, and everytime I see the rain pouring down and trying to taunt me, I just feel slumped!
Next week will obviously be easier. And the week after that, and the week after that. I just hope the rain stops to help me out a little!

Unfortunately residents of Reedville Grove and Reeds Lane were not so lucky with the weather, with up to two foot of water and sewage in both, resulting in Reeds Lane being closed to traffic this morning.    Hopefully we have seen the worst of the weather and for those affected the mopping up operation can begin.

I hope the weather stays dry this afternoon and evening as I am off to Liverpool with family to see the spectacular mechanical spider that is, La-Princess

But why should we care if it rains? We're waiting for La Mojá at noon, aren't we? And everything else going on, starting with the bicycle ribbon race. Just scroll down to see the whole Novena festivities programme for the weekend.

Last Sunday I posted photographs of  Terraced Streets, today I would like to take you behind  one of those terraced rows.

It was beautiful.

My great-grandpa, Leslie James, taught me about simple pleasures. One day when I was louder than usual and getting on his nerves, he told me to get off of the porch, where he was sitting. The only problem was it was raining, but Grandpa didn't care. "Scat!" And because I was scared of him, I ran off of that porch and stood in the rain.

'Now what, Grandpa?"

He looked around and sighed, then said, "Dance." And I did and did and did. 

By the time my grandma came to the door and noticed me twirling about soaking wet, it was too late. I didn't want to stop, and cried so hard when she threatened to whip me if I didn't get in the house to dry off. 

Grandpa ignited this need I have for simple pleasures like dancing in the rain. For example, a few years ago, I joined a group of teenagers standing beside a huge pool of water, in the rain, and allowed passing cars to splash me. The man I was with at the time, put down his umbrella, walked to his trunk and pulled out blankets for me to wrap up in later, and smiled as he watched me just be me. He confessed that he wish he'd known that type of freedom, but didn't.

I'm not sure why I know it, even crave it, but I do. 

During the first snowfall of winter I will find a fresh patch and fall into it. I will wave my arms and legs though not as fast as I did as a child, and make a snow angel. In the fall, I'll find a mound of leaves on a curb and fall into it just to watch gold, red and brown leaves bounce up into the air. And then I'll get up and listen to the sound of dried leaves bristling against my legs and feet. 

I love it.

On Sunday mornings in the spring, I love waking up to birds chirping and peeping outside of my window. It makes me expectant for something wonderful to happen. 

There are clear nights in the summer when I'll sit on the porch or balcony and stare at the sky. I look for the big and little dippers because that's all I know, and am so happy when I see the star in the north. And if there's a breeze, I just sit still and close my eyes and let it beat against me. 

I love ... 

Pomegranates. Cracking gum. Belching loudly. Napping while it rains with my hoody pulled over my head. Show tunes. Smelling fresh brewed coffee. A good cold glass of tap water. Walking barefoot. Uncombed hair. Children laughing. Susan Hayward, Natalie Wood, and Angela Bassett movies. Gerbera daisies and white tulips. Singing in the car to the radio. Dancing to Chubb Rock. Watching the sun come up. Eating cherries and green grapes. Smiling until my face hurts. Kissing my uncle and aunt. Talking about nothing. Listening to my thoughts. Wishing. Coloring inside the lines. Moaning when I eat something really good. Watching football.  Trying on thousands of dollars of shoes at Saks with no intentions of buying a pair. And eating fried eggs and grits with ketchup.

I really don't require much to be happy. God knows I don't. But there are days when I don't want to live without my simple pleasures. I honestly don't think any woman should. What would we do without them? Who would we be?

Best, Robin

fiftydaystofifty@gmail.com

Yesterday there was some lively discussion amongst my companions regarding the current state of affairs here in the United States.  How did healthcare get in such a state of disrepair???  Good question. I cannot help but think back locally to a time when there were four hospitals prospering in this town alone.  People got sick and sought help and found it at any one of the medical institutions here in Erie. Emergency room waits were brief. Doctors made house calls in emergencies[granted, that was years ago when I was very,very young].  Care was compassionate, timely, and you had trust in the nurses, doctors and other health care professionals that they were there with your best interest at heart to make you feel better if they could and if they could not ,they could at least ease the pain and give comfort.  Now, as anyone who has had to deal with the neverending paperwork, out-of-sight cost of care, and rushed physician who see you for five- ten minutes tops and can only treat you for one conditon at a time because God Forbid you have more than one problem when you visit the doctor-[sorry for the run-on,just frustrated]-knows we need change and we needed it yesterday. Our nation is aging, our costs are skyrocketing, out system is failing.  Elderly people whom I know are saying they put off seeing a doctor until they absolutley have to go because they dread the office waits, the feeling they are inconveniencing the staff, the number of tests and then prescription medications they are told to take! They feel uninformed and unable to affect any change on this system as it exists.

Then, we moved on to discussion of Presidential politics, world affairs, and history! I don't even want to go there!!!  Let's just say shall we that it never ceases to amaze me that when the topic is one that a person can criticize the "other" side about it is one thing and when the same issue arises in the group that you support OMG, then  it is incumbent on people to mind their own business, "it's a private matter", the media should not delve into the issue, .... Can you say, hypocritical?!?  An aside to Emma who on her blog Eriepressible speaks out on the issue of women voters and more specifically  disappointed Hillary Clinton supporters and whom they will vote for in the upcoming election.- Well said, say I. We, women,  do have brains! We are not of one voice. We think for ourselves and  hopefully will make well-informed, thoughtful decisions on whom we think best will serve this nation as the next President of the United States.

Now, on the literal side of cooling down~ it is refreshing having this rain and cooler temperatures here in Erie. My lawn was looking parched.  The cool fifties and sixties at night that are predicted for next week will signal the trees and shrubs that it is time to prepare for the coming winter.  Our magnolia tree is in need of a fall-trimming. It is so lush with growth from this spectacular summer that we need to do a major pruning. It stands in our postage stamp-sized backyard as it has for many many moons [at least fifty years that we know of]. It provides wonderful summer shade and shelter to the flocks of birds now preparing for their long journey southward. It bloomed fragrant white and pink tinged blossoms throughout the summer. Now, its leaves are beginning to turn brown and tumble to the earth little by little. It deserves a good winter rest.

Stand Up 2 Cancer. I watched most of the program which was aired last evening on the three major networks. It was staggering to hear those statistics of how many people die each year from cancer.  One person dies in the United States every minute! There isn't anyone who has not been touched by this affliction.  Let's hope and pray that the money raised in this effort to fight this killer can find effective treatments and a cure soon.  It was interesting to hear that a simple radio plea back in the nineteen twenties or thirties by Eddie Kantor for every person listening to donate ten cents- just one dime- for research to battle polio resulted in the formation of the March of Dimes and the eventual cure and prevention of this disease. Just goes to show you the power that the media can bring to bear and the generosity of the American people in contributing to such a worthy cause. There was plenty of good advice and information on screening and prevention presented in the program as well. Stop smoking or better yet never start, get yearly mammograms, prostate exams, colonoscopies, eat a healthy diet and exercise.  And if you have the misfortune of getting cancer, FIGHT. Never Give up. Find support. Keep a positive attitude. Know that there are people out there in the fight with you.

On a somewhat related note and of special interest to those of us residing around the Great Lakes region-The Associated Press had an interesting article by John Flesher 05 September 2008 406 pm concerning the Seven year study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of links between industrial pollution and health problems in the Great lakes region.  Hmmmmm. The article is more about the fact that the study is being criticized for the flawed methodology used but I personally was unaware that this study was being done. Sounds like a good topic for local media to explore as I believe that the Great Lakes region is a "Hot Spot" for cancer.  Really no surprise in that fact, as it is pretty much established that chemical exposure leads to greater probability of cancers in humans. Just sad that because someone did not conduct this study in a sound scientific method that it will take even longer for the medical community to draw any conclusions about how industrial pollution is affecting the long term health of people on the Great Lakes, like us here on the shores of Lake Erie!  

C'est fini.

What I thought would be a parking disaster turned out to be far from it, and I ended up at two women's soccer games as well as a men's soccer game. I only caught part of the women's game since it started to rain and I left at the half. Men's game it rained pretty much the whole time but I was brave enough to make it out there with a plastic bag and umbrella:

Useful hint: don't use AF in the rain. I only discovered this after getting home...manual focus is probably still there for a reason, this being one of them.

The men's game was a lot more interesting and full of actions, injuries, and horrible conditions. I really hope tomorrow isn't like tonight - apparently I can't bring my umbrella into Lane Stadium. Seriously, who wants to stand in the rain?

Men's soccer lost pretty bad.

We did get a goal in there - final score was 4-1. I admire them for putting up with the weather and keeping at it, what I don't really admire is how some of the fans left during the half. When I talk about some of the fans, I'm talking about 75% of them. School spirit, huh? It wasn't even raining that hard. I mean come on, you can get completely plastered later. Seems like that's all people at this school want to do anyways.

End rant. Pictures from the men's and women's soccer games are here and here, respectively. Some photos are by me, others by Brian Sewell.

Also went skating (rollerblading...duh) for the first time in almost a month. Has it been a month? I think I've only skated once or twice since I got my wisdom teeth removed. Mouth is back to normal, holla! Back to the skating thing, ended up at the skatepark with another rollerblader I met today. Awesome, maybe this semester there will be a few skaters and I can keep up with it. But right now I just want to go to bed.

Our days were spent warm but sometimes wet, making our way around the coast by foot.  The tea trees tinkled in the wind and all else that we could hear was the low growl of the waves and the tweetering of the birds.  It was refreshing to be so removed from everyday life.  Back to a simpler way.  Also, we got to retreat to the van to dry off.  A mobile lounge room.  Most nights were spent drinking vodka and playing cards with the music low in the background.  I'm feeling relaxed and grounded.

Kind of hot and humid in the Adirondacks. Even with a/c in the library, it is warm in the school, but compared to the rest of the building very cool. I would guess there are a couple elementary rooms that are the 90s. It's suppose to cool of this weekend, so I can maybe use a blanket soon.

It is suppose to rain, I am wondering if I should bring my bike in, or leave it in the truck and travel with it. I should go for a bike ride this weekend. I want to get back to the home town and maybe get my prescriptions filled, which mans leaving by 10 a.m. If I leave t hat early I will want to have my computer.

I am back to the home town sometime this weekend for a read-through on Sunday. That is going to be a little exciting for me. I haven't thought about it, but it has been a year since I've written a murder mystery...(I say 'written' but I still need to finish it --- that will be easier once I see the actors go through the play).

Reminds me of a woman from grad school that said she had to have socks on when she slept. She said she couldn't stay at someone's house if she didn't have socks. I am not sure if she needed special socks, but it didn't sound like she could borrow a pair of sox.

Mofo had a few nights to have socks with her. I forget what it is like to be in my 20's with lots of opportunities for casual activity. (This never happened to me when I was 17 though, I guess it is my parent's fault since they weren't conservative republicans.)

I wouldn't worry about having socks or not either. In fact I like sleeping without socks

The Tigers are playing typical bad right now.

I decided to tune into the Cleveland Indians since the Tigers are getting beat up by the twins. Partial for a change and the fact that Cleveland is winning (they are now in third place ahead of the Tigers), but also to listen to Tom Hamilton broadcast a winner. Now on to Vin Scully.

One of the reasons why I like listening to Scully and the Dodgers they are in a good pennant race. Another is how over-rated Many Rameriz is playing. He is doing okay in some aspects of the game, but so bad in others. If you just looked at his stats in black and white, he seems he is doing great. Like a .400 plus average, but he is doing really poorly in the outfield and even with the high average, he strikes out a lot in big situations.

Plus he is doing the really stupid things. Like tonight he got to first on an error, but got too far off base and was thrown out.

I think my separated shoulder is never going to be good or okay. I am wondering if it might be affecting my arm in other ways. There seems to be various (mild) muscle strains from time to time.

from http://www.factcheck.org/

How can McCain be against pork Barrel, when he selected the governor of the #1 pork state.

time to read and sleep

Gratitude (3)

i found puddles in the rain.  a little, a lot.

for a moment i was afraid.  i stood there, cold, thinking i might not love him anymore.

And everything was a little damp:

So instead, I stayed in and quilted one of my quilts:

And I played a little more with glazing paper with acrylic wash:

And I started a new painting:

Not bad for a rainy Friday night, but Mr. Little Bear's patience has run out:

Time to call it a night and go play tug!

As many of you know, hurricane Hannah is about to pour down on us here on the east coast. So, going in to championship weekend the order of play for the U.S. Open is looking a little different. Here's what's up:

• Tomorrow the men's semifinals will start at 11:00 am, not at noon.
• If no play can take place tomorrow, the men's semis will be played 1:00 pm Sunday and the women's final will be played 9:00 Sunday night. The men's final will take place Monday at 4:00 pm.
  
• If the semis are played on Sunday, the 1:00 match will be shown on ESPN2 because of NFL coverage on CBS. The second match will be shown on CBS after the football game.
• If the men's semifinals are completed, but the women's match is rained out on Saturday, both finals will be played on Sunday, one at 4:00 pm and one at 9:00 pm.
• Which match comes first depends on the time of completion of the men's semifinals.

Rain, rain go away come again some other day because this sucks.