Wish You Were Here

“We’re just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl, year after year…” (Pink Floyd)

Just what pops up for me, with that title, at least at first. Novel was getting a certain amount of indie-bookstore push.

ensorcel v. To enchant or fascinate.

But it is topical, like pandemic memories, what we missed.

The joy of reading a novel in digital format, this one was an e–library book popped over to a kindle app, on an iPad, but the ease of accessing definitions, makes it easier to thread the literary and verbal gymkhana.

Conventional set-up, but a weirdly effective turn, two-thirds through.

Life, death, and the pandemic. Dream state, and what life is, or isn’t like in the real world, set against a partially, richly-imagined dreamscape.

Rather interesting book, well-worth a minor investment in wading through the nice language. Part allegorical, part mythic in scope, and yet, that magical quality I tend to observe and laud? Characters that I deep empathy for and with.

Good book.

Wish You Were Here

Pink Floyd

“…and hot blood begets hot thoughts, and hot thoughts beget hot deeds, and hot deeds is love.”

— Paris in Troilus & Cressida Act 3, Scene 1

Horoscopes for 6-28-2022

Some books are available at

Eagles Nest

1235 Basse Rd
San Antonio, TX 78212

and

Nature’s Treasures

4103 North IH-35
Austin, TX 78722

astrofish.net/books

June 28 at Nature’s Treasures

4103 North IH-35 Austin, Texas 78722
Store phone: 512-472-5015
11:00 AM – 5:00 PM

astrofish.net/travel for details

Often in Austin — “It’s really him.”

June 28 at Nature’s Treasures

See listing for details — astrofish.net/travel.

June 28 at Nature’s Treasures

I identify as a Prius.

astrofish.net/travel

“First to arrive gets the best deal.”

Weekly Notify Email

Cash is king.

Swimming Awards

Excavated from mounds of reuse that is getting recycled? A simple image that brings up memories of the natatorium, summers spent in the lake water, or even more recent vintage, for me? A decade spent around Barton Springs, in Austin. Fish and swim, best of both worlds?

Swimming Awards

in Austin again

Return to frivolities

I’ll return to frivolities, but first, just a notice. I’m not pro-abortion. I’m not anti-abortion. I’m male: I don’t have a say in what a woman does, not on any moral, ethical, or rational sense.

I have no rights, implied, or otherwise, over what happens. The recent ruling is just absurd. Regrettably, that’s what I’ve always thought about the battle. Logic clearly dictates that my gender has no rights to mandate women’s health decisions. Moral, ethical, rational, or even religious.

It’s absurd. I made my decision — it’s not my decision — but I support choice, and that includes, keeping laws, and “scripture” off female body parts.

Seriously, it is absurd.

As an American, as a native Texan, the policy incongruous. The political theatre is beyond despicable.

It’s absurd.

Return to frivolities

At the beginning of the earnest portion of this career path, I wrote about the changing of the guard, so to speak, as the big planets shifted, and the backwards march through the millennia shifted, introducing the more rational Age of Aquarius, and what I recall pointing out?

The predominant religion, symbol is a fish? The perverted and maligned dogma was going to be replaced, but the “religious right,” which is neither right nor religious, was not going to go away without a fight.

Return to frivolities

President Biden opined that his religion, and he is a believer, was opposed to abortion. That noted, he also believed that it was fundamental right for a woman to choose. That makes him a great president because he understands, and acts on a transparent belief system.

Separation of church and state.

Return to frivolities

I owe the masterful author Stephen King an apology. I thought he scripted the last few years, as horrifying as it’s been. Clearly, this is terror on a whole different level.

From King Lear?

’Tis the time’s plague, when madmen lead the blind.

Gloucester in Shakespeare’s

The Tragedy of King Lear (IV.i.46)

Townes van Zandt

“Out in New Mexico, people there they treat you kind…”

(White Freightliner Blues)

“New Mexico ain’t bad, Lord, women there treat me kind
White freight liner, won’t you steal away my mind?”
(Steve Earle)

Just a lick. A simple piece of a song, an echo in the canyons of my mind.

“Well, New Mexico ain’t bad, Lord
The people here, they treat you kind
Oh, white freightliner, won’t you steal away my mind”

A quick search of both my material, and what’s freely available online? No real consensus as to the exact lyrics, and some problem with attributions, ranging from Townes van Zandt to Steve Earle and Lyle Lovett. Seems like a common thread therein. Mostly attributed to Townes van Zandt and his erratic genius.

But as a sense of purity, a sense of place?

Townes van Zandt

“Out in New Mexico, people there they treat you kind…”

(White Freightliner Blues)

In Santa Fe, NM, there’s a side street from the square, and two notions. One is the original Cactus Cafe, the “ground zero” for exporting, in style, New Mexico cuisine. Now, more a tourist trap than a real place, I mean, it’s real and all, but the place lacks the appeal of other landmark joints around town. Still, I tend to pass by and nod in appreciation. It was a fashionable, off-the-beaten track joint, back in the early 90’s. 30 years or more?

Down the street from there, there’s a bookstore called “Collected Works.”

202 Galisteo St
Santa Fe, NM 87501

Always good for questions and answers about books. So few stores have true book lovers in them, anymore.

In a mall, just north of the square, walking distance to me, but not everyone, there’s another bookstore that is also a book lover’s delight. Used books, new books, all tumbled together. Luck of the draw, there. Still, obviously, lovers of books, lovers of the written word in all its formats.

Because I was traveling by air, I couldn’t really afford to buy a stack of books. So the favored stop, this trip? Collected Works.

Townes van Zandt

“Out in New Mexico, people there they treat you kind…”

(White Freightliner Blues)

Badges

“Badges? We ain’t got no badges. We don’t need no badges. I don’t have to show you no stinkin’ badges!”

Treasure of the Sierra Madre

Warner Bros., 1948

Excerpt From
Pink Cake: The Quote Collection

Pink Cake

Pink Cake: The Quote Collection

Pink Cake: A Commonplace Book