I'm Not Enjoying A2K As Much Lately

Sparkly red shoes?

I'd be Cassidy...doin a ton of speed and driving the bus all night.

I believe she refers to ruby slippers, Miss Canada . . . settle down, no shoe to see here, move along . . .

We sorta bridged the gap between Beat and Hip. After North Beach went topless, the coppers got pretty serious about running us out. Snyder went to Japan, Ginsberg and Orlovsky went back east, and a bunch of folks went south to "find Bill Burroughs". We went up to a sleepy neighborhood just outside Golden Gate Park and opened one of the first communes in the area.

We kept a large pot of pot in the center of the kitchen table around which there was always a lively discussion going. Sort'a like A2K, come to think of it. At first most of the communards were poor artists, writers, etc., but as time went on the place filled with strangers. Some were really strange strangers. The place was in our name, but I don't think I ever learned the names of the people who lived in the hall closet. There was an escaped convict from somewhere in the South, we thought was cool until we learned he was both crazy and a heroin addict. We kicked that one out, but he only moved as far as the front steps to the building. Heroin and speed were both very, very off-limits in our commune. Acid and a variety of other hallucengincs were around, but not really used all that much.

I hung on for a few months after Natalie split, but it wasn't any good. The whole of Haight Ashbury was being flooded by teenybopper runaways from weird places like Iowa, and Ohio. The predators followed and things got pretty dangerous out on the street. Tour companies chartered buses so that vacationing tourists could gawk at us. We moved into a small studio apartment down on Van Ness, near the Zendo and resolved to never again get roped into a communal lifestyle. Our downstairs neighbor was Eric Hoffer (famous author of The True Believer. Down the hall was a JAP who wrote poetry in French and eventually toured places like Afghanistan unaccompanied and on foot ... last we heard she was teaching writing and S.F. State.

There wasn't any place for me to paint, so I did a bit of writing for a few hippie publications and for friends. Natalie worked at the Post Office, and I hustled for a few bucks. Once I bought a box of assorted neckties that had been seized for non-payment of Custom Duties. I hung them over my arm and sold them on the streets. We didn't go to a lot of the clubs, because we were still reveling in out poverty.

Some friends and I were building and racing slot cars down at the corner a couple of days a week. Those friends were sitting around our studio drinking cheap red wine and noodling guitars and bongos and whatever. The neighbor from down the hall rushed in excited about her latest poem, "Would You Like Some of My Tangerine". Actually it was named something else, but no one could figure out what it was. Marilyn began reading her poem in French to a room of half lit folks who didn't understand more than a word or two, but we liked the cadence. Someone began to strum the guitar in time and the bongos accented the lines. It sounded pretty good, so marilyn and I worked out an English version and renamed the poem. That little group then went out and got a recording contract on the basis of the song. Sopwith Camel was a sensation for a few weeks. I never got any royalties, and Marilyn did either. Ah, the memories of youth.

Wow, Farmerman. Good stuff. You really lived it! And survived to tell it!

edit

Asherman, not Farmerman, eoe, though he has presence too.

We should get Farmerman going on the sixties...

I like to hear it all, too, Asherman.

Please pardon me, Mr. Asherman.
Too much 70's for me, I guess...

Speaking of buses, one just pulled up.

Anyone interested in going for a ride ? The driver refuses to disclose a destination, perhaps because there is none, and that might make it even more fun. There appear to be tons of munchies on board, and the ride is free.

Any takers ?

Do you know what time we might get back? I've got deadlines to meet this week.

Time is not an issue. Neither is space.

You can jump off whenever you like.


BTW, deadlines are sorely overrated, don't you think?

Since you gotta do something to make a living, I'll take a freelance project deadline over a 9 - 5 existence anyday.

Same here eoe, despite the ups and downs.

Every day I get in the queue (Too much, Magic Bus)
To get on the bus that takes me to you (Too much, Magic Bus)
I'm so nervous, I just sit and smile (Too much, Magic Bus)
You house is only another mile (Too much, Magic Bus)

Thank you, driver, for getting me here (Too much, Magic Bus)
You'll be an inspector, have no fear (Too much, Magic Bus)
I don't want to cause no fuss (Too much, Magic Bus)
But can I buy your Magic Bus? (Too much, Magic Bus)

Nooooooooo!

I don't care how much I pay (Too much, Magic Bus)
I wanna drive my bus to my baby each day (Too much, Magic Bus)

I want it, I want it, I want it, I want it ... (You can't have it!)
Thruppence and sixpence every day
Just to drive to my baby
Thruppence and sixpence each day
'Cause I drive my baby every way

Magic Bus, Magic Bus, Magic Bus ...

I said, now I've got my Magic Bus (Too much, Magic Bus)
I said, now I've got my Magic Bus (Too much, Magic Bus)
I drive my baby every way (Too much, Magic Bus)
Each time I go a different way (Too much, Magic Bus)

I want it, i want it, I want it, I want it ...

Every day you'll see the dust (Too much, Magic Bus)
As I drive my baby in my Magic Bus (Too much, Magic Bus)

(existence is sometimes overrated .........)

the music has begun and off we gooooo !!!!!!!!!!

Hold it! I'm getting on that bus! Just haveme back by Wednesday! Ahhhayyyyyy!!!!

<pouring some of that fine wine for everyone....>


I don't think we're in Kansas anymore ....

this promises to be some ride !



....it takes a little while to get there,
all the unburdeniing, and the laying down,
and the willingness to really tire of yourself,
and then step by step
the ways the poets through time
generously gave themselves to us,
walking like pilgrims
through doubt,
combining their fear
and the fierceness of their faith.

And you, now,
in the front of the room
under the flourescent light by the reflected window
hiding all the stars you have forgotten,
one more member of the prison population
whose eyes have caught
the open gate
at last.

(David Whyte, from "The Well of Stars")

I hope everyone soon overcomes the ennui and quickly regains whatever was the best for each here.

A few months back I got distracted by other things and then sort of gave up on A2K for a while. It seemed, as others have already expressed here, that everything had been said and that it was suffucient to see the poster's identity to know what would follow - particularly on politics threads. I have no doubt I gave others this impresswion as well. After a few month's hiatus I came back for a brief look or two and, after a few days, became a 'regular' again.

Overall I believe that each of us gets in proportion to what we give here. For me the best of it is a discussion - sometimes a dispute - with someone who knows things I don't know or who just comes at things from a very diferent perspective than mine: in short someone who makes me think or rethink about things that interest me, in a different way. When I just argue or criticize, there's not much in it for me or, I assume, for the other person. New information, new understanding, and a new grasp of a different viewpoint are the rewards on both sides for a good dialogue.

Next there is the experience of personal interaction and the occasional insight into some of the personalities here. I find many of you quite interesting and engaging - sadly many more than I have acknowledged in my posts. A few I have found a bit off-putting, but invariably with a bit more contact and observation on my part, there is almost always something to like in everyone. Once I let go of thoughts of myself, I usually find the other person suddenly more interesting. Surprise !

I found Asherman's description of the '60's quite fascinating. At the time I was on another planet, just a few hundred miles away, married with three young children, and flying fighters at NAS Miramar in San Diego. Though we have followed very different paths, it is interesting that in many areas we think alike (though he generally knows a bit more than I do about most subjects).

And I was in La Jolla at my lab internship, just about the same time.

I almost met you in SF, GeorgeOb, and if we ever have another a2k meet there, which I would dearly like, then we can try again.

I'd suggest meeting between now and then, but you don't know me at all and I am not down there much, in the general area once or twice a year..

In any case, I do delight in hearing apposite viewpoints well spoken. Or, never mind well spoken, since I don't think all should talk with perfect words, in fact I kind of shudder from that. Let's just say I like to hear non rants on various points of view.

to be more clear, I am a woman who lives in Northern California. We missed you and wondered how you were, when we got together in SF last April.

Geogob is always well spoken, Osso, and has surprised me both on facts and perspective, several times.

hey you guys can't go yet I just got here!!!

specially you BPB I've really enjoyed reading your posts in th politics forums