Current Read: Erik Larson's "In the Garden of Beasts"

 Perhaps hundreds of books have been written about the terror associated with the reign of the National Socialist German Workers' Party. Is it because we continue to be fascinated by proof that no matter how nightmarish the dream, the dream becomes reality if enough people willingly follow the tune? Given the United States' unwillingness to halt the genocide inflicted by the State called Israel on the Palestinian population, the book serves as an excellent reminder.

In Larson's tale, William Dodd was employed as the United States Ambassador to Germany when Hitler and company began to cast their magic on a receptive population. The US did not want Germany to default on money the European country owed to the States; it was easier not to make a fuss about what Germany did to its citizens. The followers did not limit their violence to Germans, though. Dodd learned Americans tasted Nazi fandom, and German officials did not seem overly interested in ending the violence. After all, that happened to those who did not want to conform to the cause. Eventually Dodd caught the attention of Party members and believed he and his family fell under the State's surveillance machinery. Acquaintances met a nasty end. Perhaps fortunately for Dodd, the governments of the United States and Germany thought it best if Dodd left Hitler Country.

In "In the Garden of Beast," Larson paints a tale worthy of the creepiest of horror movies. A land known for its musical and artistical talents morphs into realm where the wrong friendship might land a man or woman in prison known for its torture. The neighbor that you invited for the morning breakfast might be the neighbor that revealed your poor choice of conversation by evening to the State police. Colorful with the occasional  not-quite-polite humor, the book shows that infamous Party members have been painted larger than life by Hollywood movies, but the ring leaders were frightfully human.  

Current Read: The Assassination of Fred Hampton by Jeffrey Haas

 Even at my young age, I was aware of the community's indignation at the news that  Chicago's cops had murdered Fred Hampton. People weren't exactly shocked. Hadn't Martin Luther King Jr, been murdered a year earlier? Hadn't Malcolm X been murdered three years earlier? Anyone who openly championed self-empowerment of an oppressed population received a prison sentence or a bullet. Because Chicago Police Department had carried out the assassination, it was within the realm of possibility that the United States Government had a hand in the murder. At the same  time, the CPD went on a rampage, arresting those they believed associated with the Black Panther Party. I recall how a gnawing fear threaded its way through the community. If you openly supported the Black Panthers, then the cops painted a target on your back. 

Memories of that period convinced me to purchase a copy of Jeffrey Haas' "The Assassination of Fred Hampton." As a lawyer for the Hampton family, Haas challenged Ed Hanrahan (the State's Attorney who organized the murder), members of the CPD (who carried out the hit), and members of the FBI (who relayed the orders that the hit must take place). CPD had no intention of admitting they carried out an assassination. In his book, Haas relays his battle to win the case against homicidal law enforcement personnel supported by judges who seemed as hostile toward the lawyers who represented the BPP as they were hostile toward the BPP, and unethical lawyers who acted as though no behavior was too low in their defense of the cops.

Last Book Read: The Plot To Save South Africa by Justice Malala

Strip the United States to its rawest, most horrific form of  racism, and you'll have something that looks like apartheid-era South Africa. Spawns of the loathsome regime, two Afrikaners came up with the idea that if they killed the perceived leaders of the anti-apartheid movement, then South Africa would erupt in civil war. I'm baffled at how these descendants of  Dutch immigrants convinced themselves that the assassination of Chris Hani would work in their favor. It wouldn't be much of a spoiler if I revealed the murder of Chris Hani gained the two men nothing except prison time. And they were awarded prison time only because they lied during hearings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Perhaps had they told the truth, they would have slithered their way to freedom. Much to the Conservative Party's dismay, South Africa and her sons pounded the stakes into apartheid, a system created by a government that had counted  the US's president Ronald Reagan and Britain's Thatcher among its allies.

In The Plot To Save South Africa, journalist Justice Malala reports on the days in the wake of Hani's murder. Nelson Mandela, Cyril Ramaphosa, and other comrades of the ANC were not going to relinquish the goal of a fair election. Their steadiness survived the maneuvers of a organization and its blood-soaked, murderous secret police who were not going to give up grisly power readily. This book illustrates how the Afrikaners' "terrorists" liberated South Africa,

Travel Buggy: City Lights Bookstore

Not knowing my way around San Francisco, I had no idea how to get to this bookstore. On a return trip to our hotel via Chinatown, I spotted City Lights Booksellers, and was pleased that the bookshop was within walking distance of Union Square. I was hell-bent on visiting the store the following day,

Iconic is a appropriate description of City Lights. I found navigating San Francisco streets weren't the easiest streets to  navigate and within a short amount of time, I was lost. Keeping the mission in mind, I asked four people how to get to the store, and every one of those pleasant folks gave me directions to City Lights. The first man said, "I haven't been in that bookstore in 30 years!" The fourth man said, "I'm headed in that direction. I'll walk you there." This place must have been as famous as the Golden Gate Bridge! I thought how easy it was to fall in love with San Francisco -- from its ain't sweatin' it vibe to its mesmerizing terrain to its delicious food! And I had even found a wellness shop!

City Lights reminded me of the bookstores found in 60's and 70's -- crammed with books for those who want to know about the history of human beings that suffered under bullwhips swung by human traffickers, the US military's attempts to clear out indigenous populations, and whims of those who saw labor unions as forces that undercut profits. I saw popular titles, but time was limited. Had I more time to spare, I would have walked away with more books than Zora Neale Hurston's Baracoon, Thich Nhat Hahn's The Art of Communication, and Justice Malala's The Plot to Save South Africa. A tee shirt from this book shop made as good a souvenir as any. According to the bookmark that accompanied my purchase, City Lights celebrates its 70th anniversary this year, and they'll post what they have in store on social media.. 

 

Travel Buggy: San Francisco

 

(If you look closely at the photo and to the right from the passenger's point of view, you'll see the iconic Golden Gate Bridge semi-concealed by mist. This business trip for Hubby was a pleasure trip for this twitchy travel buggy)

Roughly twelve years ago, San Francisco's vibrancy and trappings of wealth bewitched me. The smell of money and self-indulgence perfumed Union Square's air. This district hosted retailers with names like Armani and Burberry. Feeling giddy in a carnival of splendor and glamour, oh how I wished I could afford to live in San Francisco. 

About a week ago, I wrinkled my nose at the stench in Union Square. The place smelled like a public urinal-- and I witnessed one denizen's treating a corner in a vacant storefront as such.  A noticeable amount of storefronts lay grey and vacant. Macy's retained its elegant wine bar on the 3rd level of its handsome building, but at street level of this community, the homeless had staked out litter-strewn territories. Some of the homeless population seemed to have minds wrecked by pathological racism, all-consuming madness, and the rage fueled by despair. Perhaps the rumors of the wealthy fleeing the city were true. But who could blame them? Who wanted to be stalked by a predator who had reckoned the easiest route to a fast buck was to hide among the homeless and get a bead on an unwary pedestrian with a fat purse? San Francisco possessed mesmerizing terrain and spellbinding architecture, but who would pay such a high price to live in a place inhabited by cut-throats and thieves? 

The city held on to some of its jewels, though. Along Chinatown's main strip for tourists, I stumbled across a wellness shop that sold kimonos, wellness books, and crystal bundles. I'm not sure if the palo santo was genuine, but the bundles consisted of a crystal bound to a palo santo stick. Dried flowers decorated the stick. The sales rep explained that the flowers were strictly for decoration, and only the stick was to be burned. Why not? I bought a bundle with a clear quartz crystal, an amethyst crystal, and a deck called "Calm the Chaos."  The deck provided tips and meaningful advice on de-stressing -- something a traveler might need after being considered a potential easy mark by a tattooed, ill-kept joker who seemed pissed that a traveler might have one more nickel than he the joker carried.  We stayed at the Grand Hyatt which possessed delicious food and excellent customer service. Fortunately, not every eatery found in the district demands such a rich price for its meals, and with a bit of planning and research, a visitor to San Francisco may squeeze in three meals a day. 

Mobile Book Stores

I spend too much time looking at YouTube clips, but usually I'm delighted to find ideas that inspire me to say "If I had the money, I would..." in this case, I would consider being a partner in a collective that owns a mobile book shop.  Yesterday I watched clips in which entrepreneurs had outfitted their vans into mobile book stores. Some of the book sellers designed their shops to target specific audiences -- such as parents of children or LGBW (the "W" stands for whomever I have missed) population. I couldn't find any clips that showed mobile book shops that catered to people of color -- and I'm going to put it out here right now. When I say "people of color," I'm including ALL people of color. I'm not sure who came up with the idea of separating Black people from people of color (as in BIPOC), but when I was a child, if someone said "people of color," then he or she was understood to mean Black or Biracial people, get it? Now that we cleared that up, allow me to continue.  I think such a book store would be warmly received, for I live in a small city in which there are no African-American bookstores of which I am aware. This is remarkable, for this city boasts a prestigious university, and the housing market is designed for those with a liveable salary. Such an investment would cost thousand of dollars, and taking a chance on any book endeavor would be unpredictable at best. BUT  imagine it's a snowy day, for Christmas approaches. There you stand, inviting parents and caregivers to come into your mobile book store while they shop for books for holiday gifts. The register is at the back of the van, while outside in the brrr temps, one of your partners-in literacy hands out candy canes and fliers to the book club or story teller's event you plan to sponsor. Your love of books and sheer stubbornness will pull you  through, though.  Optimism, my friend, optimism.

Neptune in Pisces, Wazzat?

 I'm a fan of astrology. Astrology is one of those arts on which you put your own spin -- which explains why some astrologer will declare it is an excellent time to try and get back with an ex  while others will shout, "Are you crazy? Why do you think you broke up with that fucker in the first place? This time will be worse than the last because s/he knows that you're willing to forgive her/him!"

Such is the case with Neptune in Pisces retrograde, a time in which we now find ourselves. According to some Internet astrologers, it's either clear away the crap time, or write fantasy poetry until the mermen carry you into deep waters.

Why not put my spin on it? Neptune in Pisces is a time to ponder the relationships in your life. After all,  Pisces is associated with romance, dreams, and intuition, and Neptune is associated with those periods when our thoughts creep along not quite clear, nebulous lines. It's time to imagine the friends you want to draw in your life, and be that type of friend. I am a firm believer that similar personalities tend to run into each other. Yeah, you'll have to break those fun habits like gossiping and backbiting, but think how many times those positive vibes will return to you.

If you want to prepare a trigger for this manifestation/affirmation, the new moon in Cancer (emotions, intuition) is coming up.You can use the period surrounding that moon day to arm yourself with candles or crystals (whatever you use to give a little push to your wish), recite your charmed words, and try not to undo your own work in the following period. 

No, There Really are Witches

 Ladies and Gentlemen and those I might have missed, I have discovered that someone has planted a witch catcher in the neighborhood. If you want to catch a witch, you should plant an herbal and flower garden. Everyone knows a witch can't resist looking over fresh herbs in the garden.

And the witch feels pretty good after reading the sign. Just when insane haters seem to be gaining a toehold in the United States, a sign of kindness and generosity pops up.  

Either children or fairies placed those painted rocks where the witches can sit and soak up those plant vibes.

Another look at those children's fairy rocks. Only children can fit under a Paw Paw tree. Of course, I have no idea of a paw paw's flavor. Resembling the flavor of a  papaya, maybe?

Exactly what do you do with these plants? Use the stalks in pies? Saute the leaves and sprinkle them over salads? Hit me up, culinary witches!  

So far, so good, but there are always dog walkers who would rather be a patient at the Dr. Mengele's School of Dentistry than clean up after their four legged animals.

Summer of Self-Love

 Any time is a good time to heal hurt feelings between yourself and a person you like, and according to one astrological planner, this is an excellent time to work out these disagreements. Venus Retrograde isn't scheduled to occur until next month, but some of us are feeling those love vibes right about now. Approaching that person and telling her or him "Your friendship means a great deal to me. I want to work this out" is a step toward healing wounds, and healing is a form of self-love, if I may put my opinion out there.

(pic of cards from the Superlunaris Tarot purchased from etsy site)

By the way, Happy Summer Solstice. Happy Crab Season to those who were born under the sun sign of Cancer and to those whose Mars, Venus, or moon ride in the sign of cancer. I'm not sure how the solstice became associated with magic, but it's a little too hot for me to dance around a bonfire or search for fairies in the backyard (yes, you've guessed it. Landscaping the backyard isn't exactly on the radar).  On the other hand, who can resist sprinkling a little bit of divination in her cup of solstice magic on such a special day? Type in "Tarot Spreads," and you may be rewarded with ideas that tickle your creativity into action.  Are you in the mood to launch a new tarot journal? Initially the translucent binders found in Japanese stationery shops may not be impressive in comparison to those lovely leatherbound journals with the stitched-in pages. Binders, though, allow you to add pages of your artwork, lettering, or collage to your journal.  If your first attempt at artwork doesn't turn out the way you envisioned, then you may think nothing of crumpling a sheet of notebook paper. You may be a bit more hesitant about tearing out pages of that one-of-a-kind, leatherbound  journal that cost you a half-week's pay!  And let us not forget a spell designed to reinforce your friendship with those in your life! Friends truly bring the sunshine -- although it may not feel that way at times.   

Juneteenth 2023

 Our workplace held its first Juneteenth celebration a day ago. The celebration was simple, but the event was powerful. Until the event, my experience with West African cuisine was limited to Senegalese peanut soup. The names of the dishes eluded me -- except for the white, steamed rice -- but the food yielded a peppery, flavorful experience   I attempted to describe the baobab juice as having a taste that struck me as a hybrid of banana and mango with a little ginger thrown in. Perhaps one of my ancestors had enjoyed a meal such as this before passing over an ocean fouled by the insatiable greed of slave traders.  Perhaps this was a taste of home before the holocaust.  

After lunch, we watched a Youtube clip explaining the origins of Juneteenth and a second video in which Texas university students shared their viewpoints on Juneteenth. Attendees then discussed their outlook on occasion. Out of the six European-Americans who sat at our table, one knew of Juneteeth's existence.  She grasped the importance of the federal holiday after reading Toni Morrison's Beloved. She went on to say that after reading the book, she now understood why her family members made a suicide pact which would be executed if they fell into the hands of the Nazis. I responded that according to books I read, the Nazis did not know how to segregate Jewish citizens from non-Jewish citizens. Only after studying the laws and customs of the United States did the Nazis learn how to implement apartheid against those who fell under their jurisdiction. I pointed out this was the reason why it was important for people to talk and share their stories. If people understood the similarities in their family histories, then perhaps people would develop empathy for other  travelers on this plane. 

The need to return to work cut short our discussion. Feeling that white nationalism had taken one more hit, that one more brick had been hammered away from its edifice of hate, ignorance, and oppression, I vowed  that I would volunteer for the next Juneteenth event at our workplace.  

Later I held my private Juneteenth ceremony. I lit a candle I had bought from a hoodoo shop years ago, and I thanked my ancestors for allowing me to have the experience of being human. How that special ancestor survived the Middle Passage baffled me, or how many miles of sorrow the nameless ancestors walked I had no way of counting.  I trusted the ancestors knew my intentions when I borrowed from the Beatles (who profited from the creativity and artistry of Black performers), "I am he/ we are all together."

I Swear By...

 

1) Write in a gratitude journal. After consistently writing for four or five months, you'll develop a more optimistic attitude.

2) Bask in Nature  -- or gaze lovingly at your houseplants. Take a break from social media -- unless the sites are designed to induce good vibes.

3) Allow yourself to love passionately -- but not to the point of stalking or confusing love with possessiveness. Accept the idea that the target of your affection may  not love you with the same intensity -- or maybe doesn't love you at all. in which case you're better off finding someone who feels grateful for your fiery love (Yes, this is written for the Aries).  

4) Spoil your friends with handmade gifts or mindful experiences without expecting anything in return.

5) Create a dream journal. Dreams can work as keys to unresolved problems.

A Tarot Tale in Late Taurus Season

 "I had quite the tarot reading." A woman of whom I was fond announced to a mutual friend. I couldn't tell if B. enjoyed the session or if she thought it was a bunch of cock a doodle do. Pride prevented me from asking if she thought the reading was malarkey -- similar to the pride I felt when I asked her not to "coach" me. I define coaching as providing hints to the reader, so that the reader determines whether she is on track or  she is out of the ballpark --  based on the  querent's body language. I've experienced my share of readings in which the querent began to reveal information that could easily influence the way the cards were interpreted -- and at that point, I re-directed the reading, so that the querent stopped providing me with any information and allowed me to carry on with the reading. As a matter of fact, I do think there are more charlatans waiting for marks than there are tarot readers who actually want to  help seekers, thank you very much. 

"I want my future read." S. said after hearing B's declaration.

"The tarot doesn't predict the future. The tarot says based on your current trajectory, this circumstance has the potential to happen." I corrected her.  Too many people are under the impression the outcome is cemented in time when, in fact, external forces may lead to a twist in the storyline. I like the following analogy: If everything goes as you have planned, your plane  will arrive at O' Hara airport around 10:36am. If, however, unforeseen traffic gums up the machinery, you will not make your plane. Oh Hell! The plane leaves without you. You can kiss that interview goodbye. Years later, you discover that company already had a candidate in mind; your interview served to make the company appear as if the interviewers had not chosen a candidate. Trying not to let that information influence your mood, you rejoice as your plane touches down in Heathrow, and you are on time for that interview which puts you in line for a job you truly want. Yes, I was impressed when a motivational speaker shared with the audience "When one door closes, a bigger door opens." I think that is an African-American proverb. In any case, I have written that affirmation in my journal. 

Interpreting a tarot spread for a friend is a lovely way to spend an early morning or afternoon. In the old days, you pecked around for a tarot deck in an "occult" book store. Nowadays, buyers review tarot decks on Youtube, and you may spot a deck that catches your fancy. You can purchase a deck from an independent creator via etsy or Amazon. Any deck SHOULD come with a guidebook explaining the meanings behind the major and minor arcanas.  While I feel comfortable with reading decks from the Rider-Waite tradition, I'm under the impression designers have unfurled their talents -- to the point where a consumer might say, "What in the devil are these cards supposed to mean?" Want a fancy tarot journal in which you record your readings? Some Japanese stationary shops carry beautiful washi tape, gorgeous stickers, and pens of every hue, so that you may assemble a one of a kind tarot journal from a simple, blank, and inexpensive notebook. For those who like to combine tarot and astrology, binders with dividers allow you to organize your tarot records by moon phases or moon phases in zodiac signs. Witchy, huh?  

Is Jealousy Good or Bad

Given the idea that people seem a bit crazy from stress, I'm taking a Mental Health Day before I become one of them.  I ponder if jealousy is a good thing or a bad thing, a thing of which grown women should be ashamed. 

On one hand, when you are jealous, nothing is far-fetched. Imagination goes into uber drive, and you think "You two act as though you're f*cking. I know your taste runs a little bizarre, but I was willing to overlook your perverted lifestyle. This behavior, however, is intolerable on a number of levels!"

On the other hand, Jealousy makes you keenly aware of your feelings for the person whose attention you deserve. You may admit to yourself that you are giving that person way too much power over your self-image and emotions, but that's something you'll have to work through. Yah! One more self-improvement project! More fodder for that journal that you hope nobody reads and suspects that you may be (Great God!) a lezzie! 

On the good or not so good side of the matter, jealousy makes you observant. Suddenly you are super sensitive about what is fair and what isn't. The green monster turns you into the hanging judge who readily determines who should be tortured and who should be executed immediately. The executed one is of little importance, so that it's best to get rid of her or him immediately. It's the one who has turned away her or his attention from you that deserves the harshest, most prolonged suffering that you can conceive. Hell, you may have to look up methods of torture in history books if you're running low on ideas. Reading the history of the United States can prove inspirational. 

Once the jealousy has passed -- and it will unless you enjoy insanity -- you will examine a bit closer your feelings for that person. Did you feel a bit too intensely about that person or the relationship you thought you had with that person? Perhaps you and that person had different ideas on how that -ship should have been approached? Will you say "F*ck it. I'll hang with someone who gets as fired up about his or her friends as I get."  You feel less strongly about that person, and the cruelty of possessiveness slips away, as you fumble with the idea of "at what point did this jealousy work against me?"

Jealousy has its merits. after all.