World Right Side Up

A dozen or so years ago,
I visited a Shaman.
He waved a large eagle wing back and forth over me.
He took me on a Journey of Soul Retrieval – we did not see the wolf which I am given to understand means that my Soul did not need to be retrieved. Apparently, I have all of it with me – so that’s a relief!
He danced and chanted and drank some green juice from a glass bottle with a long thin neck – then gargled and spit it across my body…
That doesn’t happen every day!
He explained to me that there is a group of Shamans from all over the World who meet in some sacred place — maybe somewhere in South America — once every fifty years to hold sacred ceremonies for several days during which they receive a Message from the gods about the World in the coming Half Century.
He told me that in the 1950’s when they had last met, the Message they received was,
“World Upside Down!”
More recently, just after the start of this Century, they convened once again and received the Message for this Half Century:
“World Rightside Up!”

Events of these past two decades – and in particular, these past three and a half years – may not make us feel that the World is Rightside Up! Quite the contrary, it feels we are through the Looking Glass, especially this past 100 days or so.
And yet… (more…)

A New Year Begun

Image from the internet — 2019 spelled backwards indicates a year ahead of Romance, Passion, and Love

What a Beautiful Simple and Delight-FULL New Year,
Brimming Over with Promise!
And Just Begun!

This New Year’s Eve, I found myself with a Spectacular Office overlooking Times Square, with a terrace outside the window, providing a direct view of the Ball Drop a hundred yards away!
Friends told me that I would be the New Year’s Eve Date to Get this year! (more…)

Why I Teach

As another semester draws to a close, and the Students continue to change from year to year, it seems like a good moment to pause and look at Why I Teach…

Barbara Walters

Barbara Walters

Perez Hilton

Perez Hilton

Because I grew up with BARBARA WALTERS
And you grew up with PEREZ HILTON.

Because I grew up in the EISENHOWER/KENNEDY Era
And you grew up in the REAGAN/BUSH Era.

Because I grew up learning Table Manners
And you grew up learning Apps.

Because when I grew up, we made it,
And when you grew up, you bought it.

Because when I grew up, Discipline and Respect and Good Sportsmanship were Values taught to us,
And when you grew up, Everyone got a Trophy.

(more…)

NewSpeak: 30 Years Later

1984-signet19811Remember Seeing that Book, 1984, as a Kid?
Remember thinking, “WOW! I’ll be in my twenties when that year comes!
We will Live to See This!”
Remember then thinking, “I will Live to See the Year 2000?”
Or with somewhat less confidence, “Maybe I’ll Live to see portable video phones — like Dick Tracy’s wristwatch!” (more…)

My Favorite Pair of Shoes

Y-3 ShoesThe piece that follows was written on the Last Day of February in 2013 — one year ago.
I post it today, a year later, in Celebration of How Far we’ve Come over this past year, with the Defeat of DOMA and how much of this piece is, ThankFully, no longer the case. Let us acknowledge that Great Achievement and how much Progress can be made in a singe rotation around the Sun!

At the same time, Let it serve as a Reminder, as the Evil Hostilities of the Arizona Legislature attempt to further discriminate against Marginalized Groups and divide a Nation, of How Far we still have to go.
Kudos to Governor JAN BREWER for today’s Veto of the Bill! (more…)

The Course of History

MLKDo you think he knew?
Do you think he had any idea?
Or was he just Showing Up for his Life
And doing what was before him to do?

Do you think the Legend is true that he started speaking
And MAHALIA JACKSON standing by said, “Tell ’em about the Dream, MARTIN?”
Or was that what he planned to say? (more…)

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  • Life Adventure

  • Some Good Movies

    IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE
    THE SIXTH SENSE
    SAINT RALPH
    I AM
    PRIDE
    THE GOOD LIE
    MAO'S LAST DANCER
    MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON
    CALENDAR GIRLS
    WALK ON WATER
    CINEMA PARADISO
    SLIDING DOORS
    THE LIVES OF OTHERS
    LOCAL COLOR
    BREAKING THE WAVES
    EVERYBODY'S FINE
    READY? OK
    INKHEART
    THE LIVING END
    MARRIAGE, ITALIAN STYLE
    THE BUBBLE
    BIUTIFUL
    GYPSY w/ ROSALIND RUSSELL
    and Anything by PETER HEDGES

  • Arnold J. Mungioli