Water in the Desert

Love this shot I took of the mesa that inspired Georgia O'Keeffe to paint and stay in New Mexico. After 30 years I finally saw Abiquiu Lake. Although it's smaller than Heron Lake (where I stayed in 2008) the setting is more spectacular. I camped here with the van for three days.

Before that I stayed one night at Jemez Springs and have brief (hokey) videos of both. (They should be viewed in order, I think.)
First, just a still shot of Soda Dam, a unique geological natural dam at Jemez River. I camped further downstream...



The Lake was just a few steps from the "rig" at Riana Campground!
Abiquiu is about 90 miles northeast of Jemez and the whole trip was almost exactly 300 miles. And, what you can't see is the unbelievable night sky and dense stars. I could see the Milky Way! There were many cosmic events :-0 Those are for my paper journal (for now ;)

Calm Abiding

What I love the most about Pema (Pema Chodron) and her way of presenting age-old Buddhist teachings is how fresh and non-religious she makes the message. When she talks about addictions and desire it's more like listening to a young, modern counselor. You would not suspect you are hearing a 75-yr old nun teaching on Kleshas (our grasping nature.) If you haven't met Pema, take a moment and look at this brief discussion where Alice Walker (author of The Color Purple) expresses her gratitude and asks Pema if suffering serves any purpose.

I think everyone could benefit from Pema's messages. For some, like my friend Lesley, it has changed her life-- almost instantly. Lesley said HHDL (the Dalai Lama) didn't "speak to her." That floored me. But when I thought about it, I could see why. He's Tibetan and... a man. Pema is speaking directly to Americans and often to women. She is an American. She was married, has children and grandchildren, and knows exactly the kind of problems we face.

But for me the very best part of Pema, and any Buddhist teacher, including HHDL, is there is no proselytizing. If I sound "preachy about Pema" it's only because she's so wonderful and I want the world to know. I'm really not trying to recruit Buddhists. When you get down to it, it's really much more a philosophy than a religion. The Dharma (teachings) is more like a tool box -- techniques that can help quiet a troubled mind. As HHDL is fond of saying, "You can be a Buddha and a Christian, but usually it's the Christian churches who don't like the vice versa." He laughs a full belly laugh when he says that. Namaste! (which literally means I bow to you, or see myself in you.) OH, and for the exuberant, I posted a lengthy discussion as a link on the title.

Think PKD is passe?

well, think again! Philip K. Dick (PKD as the Dickheads call him) is getting even MORE popular this fall! Every week we see a new book release about him, or even BY him -- even though he's been dead for nearly thirty years. This November fans will finally see the infamous Exegesis of PKD. Infamous, I say, because there has always been a swirl of controversy around Phil's private life. The Exegesis (in full) is said to be nearly ten thousand pages of raw, journal-like scribblings-- some typed, some hand-written. Much of it centers around Phil's personal speculations on the cause of his strange encounters in early 1974, the "pink beam" phase, as some of us lovingly call it. Other Dick fans hated these final years of Phil's life claiming he had a series of "pin strokes" (TIA is the proper medical term) beginning eight years before he died and that all of his visions and "religious" experiences can be tied to brain maladies. Phil died of a stroke, followed by heart attack, March 2, 1982.

Paul Williams, who was the first Literary Executor for PKD's papers and unpublished works, was adamantly opposed to publication of the Exegesis. He called it "incoherent and repetitive." Of course Paul has his own brain malady now (early dementia from a bicycle accident) so he's in no position to argue with the Trust (Phil's offspring.) Moot point, since Volume One of the material is set for November 7, 2011 publication. All of this was discussed in the last issue of PKD Otaku-- one of the only remaining PKD 'zines. (Interview about my novel, followed by my interview with Phil's widow Tessa and other AKS/PKD matters begin on page 8. Google doc loads fast, check it out!)

The Los Angeles public library is sponsoring a panel discussion about PKD and his Exegesis in November.

That's not all! As I said, every week something new comes out. Just today I received this pre-publication blurb. You can imagine how my heart lept when I saw that subtitle: Do Androids have Kindred Spirits!! On Amazon, however, I discovered the title appears to have been changed to Philip K. Dick and Philosophy: Who Adjusts the Adjustment Bureau? That one is due out October 11.

Postings have never been more frequent or furious than they are now on the "Secret PKD Society," a private Facebook group. Seventy-five Phil fans post every new sighting. Word of the Global eBook Award for my novel, A Kindred Spirit, received fifty comments. But, this my friends, takes the cake. PKD TV!! It wouldn't be hard to fill up an internet channel with the movies, documentaries, video clips and fan ravings about our man, PKD. There's talk of a Bladerunner remake (godforbid) and Radio Free Albemuth (a posthumously published PKD novel/now film) is currently seeking a distributor. The RFA film trailer looks dark and weird, just the way ole Phil liked things. There's plenty more Phil facts over on the Official Philip K. Dick Site to keep fans up-to-date on everything coming down the pike! (pun intended ;)