Trip Report

[Gonzo]

We (Kim and I and Kim's brother Dan) are in Ouray, CO, an ex-mining town, now a tourist retreat, sort of the south middle of Colorado, in a rented house that no one has lived in. We are managing to break it in a little. I've picked some local sage, Kim bought me some sweet grass at a Farmers Market in Boulder before we came here...plan is to smudge the place. It doesn't seem to have any bad vibes...it just seems not to have ANY vibes, so maybe a little smudge will initiate it.

Meantime, the power supply for the lap has gone flaky and will now work only when the cord connecting it to the laptop is in a particular position. Phil's dogs had chewed it up several years ago and it has several holes in it. As a result, until yesterday when we figured it out, we've had no Internet access.

Perhaps the break has had some influence on my browsing. Before we left Mission I had found several forums that were supposedly quite involved in the teachings of don Juan. Perhaps they are, actually, but now having taken a few days away from them, they are no different than most forums, mostly squabbling with one another about personal crap having little or nothing to do with Castaneda.

Secondly, and leading more to deepening disinterest is a focus on flyers, death defiers, and the foreign installation, concepts I've doubted ever since reading them, primarily because they were introduced very late in the sequence of books. The major problem, in my opinion, is that these concepts are used to define and excuse any errant behaviors of others. If someone gives you shit, or disagrees with you, its convenient to claim they know not what they are doing or saying because they have been influenced by a flyer, or the foreign installation has taken place and the person is no longer truly responsible for what they say and do. Apparently the vast majority of humanity is infected.

My third disagreement with these folk is concerning IOB's, and indirectly, the notion the universe is malevolent, and that is because in my opinion, we are all IOB's, really, that that is our natural condition of being, and that our short excursion into manifesting in human form is basically an aberration. I think those notions are somewhat corroborated by Robert Monroe.

So. Enough of the other forums. I believe I'll just hang out on YAW for a while, write my own crap, see who wants to do likewise, make cookies, drink beer, listen to music, enjoy the sunshine at 8,000 feet, and tomorrow, go ride a narrow gauge train from Durango to Silverton pulled by an old steam locomotive, and sometime or other, drive back to Boulder.

[Affinity]

If you should be in my neck of the woods be sure to let me know. Enjoy your trek and have a safe trip.

[Red Heart]

The major problem, in my opinion, is that these concepts are used to define and excuse any errant behaviors of others. If someone gives you shit, or disagrees with you, its convenient to claim they know not what they are doing or saying because they have been influenced by a flyer, or the foreign installation has taken place and the person is no longer truly responsible for what they say and do. Apparently the vast majority of humanity is infected.

I found this interesting because it is very similar to Christianity in that "the devil made me do it" kinda thing. This makes me wonder alot of things. Firstly, why cant we humans just get over the fact that we have differing opinions and be ok with anothers insight or belief. It doesnt hurt us to just listen and take the shopping cart approach...you know take what you need, leave the rest.
What is the intrinsic lack of self that makes us need to convince others that our way is the "right" way? Errant behaviors to one, is saintly to another...again going back to what is truth?

by the way, seems like ur having a blast!

[Gonzo]

Having a blast...yeah, sorta...the trip centers around food and fire mostly, and local jaunts...house owners had created a casual rock fire pit off the patio which had never been used...we broke that in...coupla fine fires in the inside fireplace as well. Kim's brother is a food freak, brought all sorts of snacks, cheeses, crackers, a case of wine, two cases of Pellegrino - I made oatmeal/molasses/raisin cookies. Today, a run up the road to a Ute Museum, then tomorrow a run to Telluride just to see what's there (excuse to eat out)...meal planning remains the primary daily discussion.

Sorry, Aff...we're not going any further north than Boulder. Kim and Dan will drive back to Dallas on Monday, then Kim flies to Chetumal for a lepidopterist meeting, I drive back to Boulder to Phil's, and on and on, Kim with many more travel plans, Ecuador coming up shortly.

I prefer your notion of grazing, what McKenna called being a spiritual dilettante...only way to fly. That allows everyone else to believe whatever they want. "Is that so?"

[Red Heart]

we are all IOB's, really, that that is our natural condition of being, and that our short excursion into manifesting in human form is basically an aberration. I think those notions are somewhat corroborated by Robert Monroe.

I had never thought of it quite that way before...very interesting

[Gonzo]

we are all IOB's, really, that that is our natural condition of being, and that our short excursion into manifesting in human form is basically an aberration. I think those notions are somewhat corroborated by Robert Monroe.

I had never thought of it quite that way before...very interesting

To add some fuel to the fire, check this out which I just posted http://yetanotherway.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?p=5468#p5468

[Gonzo]

Another great outdoor fire last night...two bundles of firewood obtained from the local RV Park at $5/bundle...nice, dry, seasoned wood, starts easily, keeps feet warm, fills clothes with smoke...what more could you ask for? maybe marshmallows?

Kim and Dan off on an explore to Telluride. Brochures indicate the town got its name as a contraction of "To Hell You Ride" - stunningly amazing to see all the holes in the cliffs where miners tried to strike it rich...how in God's name they managed I'll never know. I DO know the bordellos did a land-office business...the one in Silverton at one time had 118 girls. Kim wondered how they counted them, and when.

Tomorrow we go our separate ways, Kim and Dan back to Dallas, me back to Boulder to hang out with babalugats and his wife, two dogs and a cat. For today, we have MMS (Mindless Male Sports - a redundant phrase according to Kim), season-openers for NFL, last day of The Tiger, and US Open Tennis Men's Final, all of which require my support and therefore I passed on the Telluride excursion. Besides, all the beer is here in the refrigerator.

[Gonzo]

Ah, Boulder - GOOD bread, 73 degrees, house and computers to myself, my music playing, softball game this evening at 1800, col'beer - who says this isn't Nirvana?

[Affinity]

Ah, Boulder - GOOD bread, 73 degrees, house and computers to myself, my music playing, softball game this evening at 1800, col'beer - who says this isn't Nirvana?

Next time you're in that area give me a heads up... I'll road-trip out there to meet up with you. We can go sport climbing and beer worshiping.

[Gonzo]

Ah, Boulder - GOOD bread, 73 degrees, house and computers to myself, my music playing, softball game this evening at 1800, col'beer - who says this isn't Nirvana?

Next time you're in that area give me a heads up... I'll road-trip out there to meet up with you. We can go sport climbing and beer worshiping.

One outta two ain't bad...I don't hike.