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THE MISSING TWIN TOWERS 09/12/01

  • 911
    On 09/12/01 I walked from 14th street and Union Square down to the hole in the ground that used to be the Twin Towers. It was an eerie and surrealistic experience. Check points with soldiers and policemen were on every block. Somehow I found a way to get to within two blocks of the center of the destruction. The light had a strange brownish glow due to a mixture of the heavy particles of the disentegrated buildings filtering the winter sunlight. Many people were wearing face masks to help them breathe. I was struck by the nearly universal dazed and shocked expressions of a multitude of awe struck onlookers like myself. However, as bad as it was, I was also struck by the noble activity of hundreds - or was it thousands - of workers and volunteers that were quietly, and methodically attending to the grim work of cleaning up this horrible lower manhatten "Pearl Harbor" mess. Returning to Union Square I came upon a hastily erected evolving memorial. On subequent days I came upon similar memorials, most notably a large one in Grand Central Station. What most stirred me were pictures of kin who were unaccounted for as yet, apparently posted by relatives and friends, desperately clinging to the hope that their loved ones had some escaped the horror and might be recognized by someone, anyone, who would take the time to carefully scan their names and faces and. if indeed spotted, would hopefully notify them. It was quite shaking to have to face up to the brutal fact that nothing is absolutely secure - life is tenuous at best. Perhaps all that can be done at such times is to try to remain steady and, if so inclined, to record such occurrences as objectively as is humanly possible.

AUTUMN IN NEW YORK

  • AUTUMN TRIUMPH
    I was feeling depressed yesterday morning. Additionally I was restless and somewhat agitated. My body wanted movement. I looked outside noticing that the fall colors were shimmering flooded with sunlight. I picked up my small canon camera and decided to take a walk around the neighborhood. The walk was magical. The pictures that follow speak for themselves. After only a few pictures it was obvious that my depression completely lifted. My conclusion is that immersion in nature - any season - is likely to be the best natural anti-depressant.

THE CHRISTOS' GATES

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THE CHRISTOS' GATES in the SNOW

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NATURE'S GLORY

  • New York City Fruit Stand #3
    What I most love about nature is it is so natural. It is what it is. It is so full of beauty. It gives so much and asks for nothing in return. Most of the flowers and yard photogaphs are a theme and variation from flowers and tomatos I plant each spring. I enjoy watching the buds ripening and opening up. I particularly enjoy the uniqueness of each flower as it unfolds sometime mid summer. As I zoom in for closeups I sense these colorful mysteries speak to some elemental and most essential best prrt of me. As I focus upon the details of each unique flower, or fruit, or tree, or mixture of shadow and light, or glitter, or sparkles, I feel as connected to being alive and resonant with my natural 'friends' as at any time or with any people in my life. I appreciate the democratic spirit clusters of flowers have for themselves collectively and individually. They seem to celebrate being alive as they unself consciously display their radiance for whomever wishes to take note - or not. They seem utterly indifferent whether anyone cares or not. They don't fuss or get irritated as they 'graciously' make room for each other. I can appreciate what Van Gogh felt in the open sunlight painting his sun flowers and hay stalks - giddily - passionately grasping for the right words as he expressed his feelingsin his letters to Theo {his brother}. Observing nature with direct perception, not having to find words to describe what is experienced, is a tonic for me - a being who derives his lively hood from systematically searching for just right words.

TIMES SQUARE, ETC.

  • Washington Square Arch Newly Litup
    Times square by day or night pulsates with excitement, noise, and electricity. If you are bored, or under stimulated go to Broadway and 42nd street to be atmospherically reinvigorated. No need to spend a fortune going to usually dissappointing theatre - just stand on a corner in Times Square and watch the passing show - fixed or in motion. A well crafted building is a joy to behold. Equally so are machines like the Metro North Railway trains, stations, tracks, wires virtually all of the trappings that go into making a transportation system. So too - unusual scenes such as colorful canoes glittering amongst tall green pine trees on a bright sun filled summer day delights my senses and stirs my soul. There is so much not to like but it is all worth it when my senses are stimulated. It is very true: you can't appreciate the light unless you can take note of the darkness.

RECORD SNOW STORM

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« GOD SPEAKS to MS. PALIN - ME TOO | Main | OBSERVATIONS ABOUT MY CREATIVE PROCESS - IS IT THE SAME AS YOURS? »

February 13, 2010

The BEST LAID PLANS .... ON THE WAY to PUBLISHING MY FIRST BOOK

YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING!

So my publisher - (Doesn't that have a poetic ring? My publisher) calls on February 8th to tell me that my book is scheduled to leave the printer in two days. Fine - I tell people - They all respond the same way... Aren't you excited? The truth is I am not.   Dreams of  glory  are unimportant  now. Instead I crave tangibility and concreteness like a firm object in my hands, composed of 340 pages with my words printed on them, three of which is my very own name confirming that what I have done is really real.

Then the 10th comes. I call the publisher to see if they have sent out copies for distribution. No answer. Damn, I think the staff is never there when I need them. I wonder, how many meetings is it possible for one group of people to attend. And they don't even send me an E mail. This is disappointing.

The 11th comes. Another call - this time an answer. "Sorry - the office is closed because of the snow. (They are located smack in the middle of the last storm.)

Today - the 12th - I call again. No answer but I do get an E mail. "Gibbs so sorry you have had to wait with no news. You know we were snowed out." Then a line followed which was totally unexpected. It was almost like a throw away with no explanation. [I inferred a 'by the way' introduction]: "The printers roof partially collapsed under the weight of the snow so your book wasn't sent out yet."

You have got to be kidding... Immediately I had a vision of my 200 copies floating in a pool of melted ice. That was my first reaction. My second was to laugh at the absurdity and the irony of it. My third was and is resignation. As I have literally waited 50 years for this dream to become a reality - I can certainly wait another few days. I think.

My conclusion is: The best laid plans often go (is the word) aglee? And persistence and patience tends to greatly increase the odds of eventual satisfaction.

Onwards and upwards..... if interested see   http://www. meaningful-coincidences.com

February 13, 2010 in Books |

Comments

Gibbs A. Williams Ph.D

The dead rise up from the grave. Ciao. Am I able to hand it to you or I will be invited to speak in Rome?

Posted by: Gibbs A. Williams Ph.D | February 20, 2010 at 03:10 PM

Patricia Cipriano

To Gershwin, Congratulations on your soon to be published book which I will ABSOLUTELY purchase (can I possibly get an autograph?), Love Priscilla. I'll promise to write soon. Ciao!

Posted by: Patricia Cipriano | February 17, 2010 at 01:56 PM

The comments to this entry are closed.

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