3522

Hazy, lazy day! Slept in this morning somewhat! Place was noisy. People moving out and people moving about. Full moon energies gripping the planet.

Dreamed that I was working with a team of really young people creating toys. They had all sorts of procedures and protocols for creating and developing models and prototypes. I was struggling to keep up with what they were doing. One young man was assigned to help me learn their processes. He was very patient and helpful, but I was very nervous and was having trouble understanding what they were doing. I felt really out of it and was feeling anxious and stressed.

A second dream sequence had me running through a mob of people. They were all going toward me and I had to struggle to move through them. It was as if they were rushing to board a train and I was going in the opposite direction. Eventually, the crowds thinned and as I kept moving there were fewer and fewer people coming at me. It was also growing darker in the direction that I was going. I finally found myself walking on an empty beach. The water was dark and there were small quiet waves breaking on the shore. There was no moon and it was quite dark.

Watched a Spanish (Argentine) film this evening--Carancho. The word means (I think) something like vulture. The film was about an ambulance chaser who got traffic accident victims to be their intermediary with the insurance companies. He worked for some unscrupulous people who took most of the money awarded the victims for themselves. Some police and medical people were complicit in the schemes. The "vulture" wanted to stop helping cheat people and do something else. But, he was mired in the system and was having trouble breaking free. The movie has a really ironic and surprising ending that punctuates the struggle felt throughout the early parts of the movie.

Full moon tonight! May it be cool and bright! May it fill the dreams with light!

3523

Small class today for resistance training. Felt good to move the muscles some after the week's activities. Going into the weekend feeling good. Next month begins with a full schedule of classes for the whole month. All the classes will be in session! Looking forward to it!

Looked like one of the families is moving out of the complex. Suspect they too got a rent increase and had to find another place.

It's late tonight. I'm somewhat blitzed for today's activities. Think I'll hit the bed and read a bit before slipping off into the dreamy world. Full moon tomorrow! Howl!

3524

Conditioning in my other classes is showing up in the movement class. We were doing a movement that required balancing on one foot while extending the other leg forward and back. My one-legged stance was so solid that someone remarked on it. They thought I had been doing something like kick boxing to be so solid. Core and More and Gait and Balance are paying off!

Took my recalled peanut butter back to the store for a refund.  Looks like Trader Joe's has some contaminated peanut butter. I had eaten one jar without any problems but thought I didn't need to push my luck. Manager exchanged items without any fuss. Too bad! It was a tasty crunchy peanut butter with flax seeds. I had a mini pizza for lunch! First in a long time! It was delicious! I'd forgotten how good the NY Pizza pies were with their delicious crispy crusts. Yum!

Dreamed last night that I was in a house that I once shared with an ex wife. I was there with an old working buddy, CW, and my daughter. The lights and utilities were not working properly. Turns out that my ex had failed to pay the bills. While we were in the place an Asian gardener showed up and started working in the yard. His equipment made it noisy in the house. CW said he was going across the street to an eye doctor to get a new pair of glasses. I told him we would meet him in the cafe next door to the eye doctor's office. I asked my daughter if she was hungry. I told her we could go to the cafe, wait for CW to join us, and get some breakfast. The dream was very linear. It seemed quite real and straight forward.

Watched a French film this evening--Purple Noon. It's a story based on The Talented Mr. Ripley character. It's an older film done in the 60s. The English dubbing is poorly done and makes the film seem even older than it is. Ripley in this incarnation is much more of a sociopath. He is obsessed by a woman who is the fiance of a supposed friend. The opening scenes are odd and chaotic in terms of what's happening. The story evens out more in the middle to the end but I'm not sure it was worth waiting for the schemes that Ripley creates to all fall back in on him.

Have a resistance training class tomorrow! Then, the weekend shifts into play! Will pay my end-of-the-month bills and see if I can muster enough energy to bring this place to order. Will see! Will C! Will sea! Will Si!

3525

Big G&B class today! A nearly full house! I was still sore from Monday's class but today's session seemed to work things out some. I ended up sleeping quite a while in the afternoon. I conked out for several hours.

Watched a war film this evening--Downfall. It was about Hitler's final days in the bunker as told from the perspective of a couple of his personal secretaries. It was a somewhat tedious film that never told much about the women themselves. In the film, they are portrayed as background characters who were just doing their jobs. It was as if there were several pairs of eyes that were looking at all of the events and recording what had happened--to others but not to the people behind the eyes. No doubt being in that strange world was numbing in many ways, but there was not much said about their actual thoughts and feelings. The film is more of the story of Hitler and his madness, obsessions, and eventual collapse.

Movement class tomorrow! Movement and groovement! That will be an improvement!

3526

Only had one class today--resistance training. Big class--nearly filled the room. More and more people are coming to the classes--because they make noticeable differences in the PD symptoms. Movement and exercise helps moderate the symptoms.

Dreamed last night but don't recall any of the details now. They slipped back into the mystic mists--fell back into the sleeping sea. Oh, well! More will come, more will come!

Watched a film this evening--The Lost City. I had watched the movie at the end of last year. I thought then that it was turgid. I still think that it is so. It's a bit long especially near the end where the action ends several times. The movie took many years to develop and finally get produced. It contains cameo roles for Dustin Hoffman and Bill Murray. Hoffman does well in his role of a iconic mafia kingpin. Bill Murray plays a writer/comedian who looks so out of place that he's painful to watch. The film is set in the times of the revolution when Batista is deposed and Castro and Guevara take over the country (Cuba). Andy Garcia spearheaded getting the film made, including acting in the piece and directing. He is an exile from Cuba and this film is his homage to a city that he lost. I don't think I need to see the film a third time though.

Gait and Balance class tomorrow! Will be a big group. Up and at them in the morning!

3527

Tough Core and More class today! We did a lot of leg lifting that caused both the glutes and the large thigh muscles to scream for relief. Guess my leg muscles are not as strong as I think they might be. I felt good once the class was over and I've felt good this afternoon and evening. Late in the afternoon, I walked over to get a green tea latte. I found that I could relax my leg muscles and walk with an almost loose gait. I could also feel the muscles tighten and drag some as well. It was like I could choose either mode. Class was the biggest so far -- over 10 people on the mats on the floor. No PD dance class tomorrow--just the resistance training session in the afternoon.


Dreamed last night a set of connected dreams. In one dream I was with a group of co-workers. We were assembling an electronic device and were discussing how some of the components should be attached. There was a need for an L-shaped connecting element that we didn't have in the workshop. I volunteered to go next door and get something that would work. In the mall next door there was a huge hardware store. Some of the co-workers didn't seem to know about the store. I told them that the place was next door in an adjacent building. I told them I'd run over and get the item and be back in just a few minutes. For some reason, several people didn't seem to think that I'd be successful. I went anyway.

In a second dream part, I was in a dark section of town. I was in some place where I was lying down and was having trouble getting up. There was a person on each side of me also lying down. They sort of penned me to the cot even though I was trying to get up. Finally, I managed to slide from between the two people and was standing. I headed for the door. One of the people warned me that it was late and dangerous to go outside, but I told him that I knew the area and was going anyway.

Watched a macabre film this evening--Freaks. It was an early b/w talkie film about a traveling circus and its sideshow assortment of freaks and oddities. It was done as a somewhat horror film that used real-life people who had a variety of physical/mental attributes. At the time, the movie was not well received and went through a gauntlet of reworks that shortened the work by 30 minutes (thank goodness!) before being taken out of circulation. It sat on the shelf for 30 years before it was revived.

The 60 minutes of the film that ended up as the final cut has really poor sound quality. In the extras of the DVD there is a commentary about the various actors and the making of the film that is very enlightening. In fact, that extra section is more interesting than the film itself. But, it is a strange film--a freaky film. For all intents and purposes it ended the career of the man, Tod Browning, who directed the work.

3528

Slow day, sleepy day! Didn't do much of anything today except to muddle forward in a daze. Napped in the afternoon until the warm weather woke me and I toppled out of bed. Core and More tomorrow! It will be good to exercise instead of sleeping.

Dreamed last night several intricate dreams. One involved RB of the men's team. He had been taking on a worrisome task that had him cleaning up large containers. There was left over materials in the containers and he would crawl into the vessels, scoop out the debris, and toss it into a waiting dump truck. The material was sticky and dangerous if it touched the skin. He had been doing the cleaning for quite some time and he was overdue for being replaced. We were asked if any of us would volunteer to take his place. I said that I would do so. I knew the task was dangerous but I felt that I would be alright as long as I followed the safety protocols.

In a second dream sequence, I was learning how to use an electronic device. It was a device for storing strings of data that could be used to trigger the actions of other electronic gadgets. I had managed in one of my sessions with the device to create a string of commands that were self-replicating. Once the device was put in this self-replicating mode it didn't require any further human intervention. The device would adapt to any environment and take over the operations of all of its triggering components. What I had done was a breakthrough!

Watched a Polanski film this afternoon--Frantic. The main problem with the film was that it was not frantic. Rather, it was plodding and deliberate with all manner of unlikely actions by the main characters. In brief, a man's wife disappears after they land in Paris and get to their hotel. It's never made clear how she allowed herself to be abducted. The man attempts to get the authorities involved but language barriers and languid police concern sets him off on his own unraveling of the mystery. He makes unlikely connections in a nether world of clubs, dope dealers, foreign agents, and more. He (Harrison Ford) never seems particularly frantic.

3529

Happy Autumnal Equinox! And happy laundry day! Slept in this morning and got a late start at the laundromat. But all went well--not too big of a crowd there even though it was around midday. Made it to the library to exchange books and DVDs. Had a big sandwich (NY Reuben) and paid my regular homage at Trader Joe's! Finished off with a green tea latte even though it was a warm afternoon.

Not sure what I dreamed about last night. Dreams got mixed up with movie scenes and I didn't sort everything out before heading into the day (the daze, the maze, the haze).

Watched a Clint Eastwood film--Hereafter. It was a big budget film ($50MM) that grossed over $100MM--had lots of CSI and special effects which drove up the costs. Also was shot in three big ticket locations (SF, Paris, and London). All in all, the story was an attempt to make an intriguing tale, but it didn't work. There were three unlikely events (out of the possibly millions that actually happened in real life) that were made to connect and bring everything to a resolution. The events were a tsunami on a tropical island where a French reporter experiences a near death and she doesn't drown; a London teenager's twin brother gets hit by a vehicle and goes to the beyond but leaves his other half in the here and now; and an American man who has psychic abilities tries to stop "reading" others and contacting the ghosts that are still hanging about them. Through a series of events these three end up in the same place at the same time in London. And so it ends--they all three make contact with each other and life goes on. Everything was too unlikely for my taste. I particularly couldn't imagine (near the ending) that the boy saw and recognized the man (from the man's website--Google played a big part in this film), followed him to his hotel, and finally got into the man's room for a "reading"! And, yes, the man and the woman seem cosmically entwined and inferentially appear to have found each other and will ride off into the sunset (except, they are in London and it's likely to rain)! Oh, well! From Fateless (last night's film) to rip roaring Fate (tonight's Hereafter)! All goes on!

3530

Resistance training class went big today and there were still any number of people not there. It will be a huge class if everyone ever shows up all at the same time. I'm fortunate to be so near a facility with all of these PD supportive classes. I came away from the class slightly blitzed--end of the week condition I think. Had a green tea latte and that took off some of the fuzziness, but I'm still getting lingering sensations from the day. It's quiet now and getting even quieter. A few more notes and then it's off to bed. Laundry day tomorrow! Clean those ragged threads!

Dreamed last night but I don't recall any details. I thought I awoke with fragments of my dreaming still swirling in my head, but nothing presents itself now. So, dream again fair fool! Let the scenes be bright and clear! May the mists dissolve!

Watched an Hungarian film this evening--Fateless. It's a gritty tale (based on a true story) of a young Hungarian teenager who got sent off to a work camp at the beginning of the war. He survived being in several of the camps but endured to make his way back to Budapest. His experiences in the camp were horrible but in the end helped him find his core strength and opened his capacity for compassion. Hence, the rather strange title of the work--Fateless--without fate. It's not considered a word by most dictionaries. Being without fate leaves you being responsible, at cause, and open to possibilities. I think that's where the author was heading when he picked the title--although the title probably appeared first as a word in Hungarian.

Oh, well! I drift! I sift! I sense the lift as a wondrous gift! I will not drift! I will not drift!

3531

A relatively quiet day! Was awakened this morning by a voice mail message from PG. He was calling about dance classes. He's been going to a local dance club and wanted to know my interest. I have some interest but am not sure about a dance club/school. It's close but I'm not interested in the "social" aspect of the place. Too many people! Prefer smaller classes and really only interested in line dancing. I called him back and had one of his jumbled conversations. He said he'd call me back in the afternoon but no call received so far.

Movement class felt good. I grabbed a tuna wrap after class and walked over to get a latte (green tea). Day was mostly gone by then. Watched the new Survivor episode (season beginning). Not impressed by the castaways. Most seem dull and overwhelmed by it all. Most interesting person got sent home on the first go round. Thought the repeat player on that team should have been the one to go. Guess the tropical heat was already cooking people's brains. There were a lot of commercials--much more than previous seasons--the price, perhaps, of watching on the web.

Watched a Spanish film--The Secret in Their Eyes. It's a criminal/police drama that is both a statement about the South American (Argentine) justice system as well as a unfulfilled love story between two of the justice system personnel. It is a very good film that manages to go all the way to a surprise ending that doesn't get telegraphed as events unfold. The actors were good and the direction/script were well done--especially in how they kept the focus on both the crime and the love story. It was done on a very low cost budget but done really well for so little. It won an Academy Award for best foreign film.

Resistance training tomorrow and the week end begins!

3532

Gait and Balance today! Big class and one that is a lot of work! New muscles seem to be found with each class. But, I seemed to feel OK this afternoon--a bit tired but feeling good. Had a good session with GH reading from the Intimate Journals of Charles Baudelaire. I did some additional background research when I got home. CB was an interesting person--strange but interesting.

In part of a dream last night I was in a large cafeteria. I was picking up a big casserole for a group of people I was with in some other part of the dream. All I recall was a serving person dishing out a huge amount of casserole into a big metal pan. I took the food and made my way back to where my group was meeting.

Watched an older movie tonight--Death on the Nile. It's an Agatha Christies' mystery set in Egypt in a much earlier time. The film abounds with well known actors--Ustinov, Bette Davis, Mia Farrow, David Niven, Angela Lansbury, Maggie Smith, and many others. It must have been interesting having them all aboard the relatively small river boat at the same time, for extended periods. Ustinov played the role of Poirot who along with his shadow (David Niven) solve the murder mystery that drives the action. It's a standard "Hollywood" movie and was a shot of enjoyable entertainment.

Movement class tomorrow! Plan to make some more progress on clearing/cleaning everything. It must get done! It's been too long with too much clutter. Onward and onward!

3533

No PD dance today! Did have a resistance training session! Quite a few people showed up for the activity. I had slept in this morning and I was feeling good. Did the resistance workout and then had an acupressure session. Feeling really good! Had a green tea latte after the acupressure treatment and coasted into the evening time.

Watched a kitschy film this evening--6sixtynin9. It's a Thai film done by someone who's seen a lot of Coen brother's movies. It's a comical, tongue-in-cheek, crime film where an unsuspecting woman gets caught up in host of criminal activities after she finds a box of money outside her door. When a bunch of clumsy crooks and cops show up looking for loot they all manage to get offed in her apartment. The saga goes on from there through several iterations of mayhem and worse. But through it all there is a touch of whimsy and oddball gags that keep things rolling. The film's director has done another film that got good reviews--One Life in the Universe. I'll see if I can find it at the library.

Gait and Balance in the morrow. May be giving a lift to TO if he needs a ride. He'll call me in the morning if that's going to happen. I'm reading a set of crime stories based on a German lawyer's cases. He is a defense lawyer and has handled some well known criminals as well as a host of oddball clients. The stories make the case that reality can always be stranger than fiction. The book is called Guilt.

3534

I put out the pile of things for the e-recycle pickup this morning. There were a couple of other neighbors who made their piles as well. Then, the human scavengers appeared like cockroaches targeting a decaying mass of foodstuffs. They rummaged through the piles, extracted items of interest, and hauled their booty away. The scavengers took about half of the items before the recycle truck made its rounds. I guess stuff got recycled--just not in the way it was originally intended. The good news is that eventually all was taken. My place is a little less littered now.

Went to Core and More this morning. As usual, it was a workout. I'm still feeling it tonight (stiffness, sore muscles, and such)! I slept when I got back home after reading aloud to GH. I napped instead of getting a latte. C&M class was larger today. There were 8 or 9 people--biggest class so far. Have a resistance training tomorrow plus an acupressure session. That will be nice!

Had a couple of vivid dream sequences last night. In one, I was in a large airplane, in a spacious upper cabin area. There were several of us who were flying to some kind of performance or event. There were a few passengers scattered around the cabin who were not part of our group. We introduced ourselves and they settled in among us. I kept thrashing about in my seat trying to get some sleep. Eventually, we landed and as we taxied into the terminal we lost power and the lights went out. I told everyone not to worry--that I had a flashlight. I pulled out the bright halogen light I carry in my pack. It lit up the space but I had to be careful not to point it out of any windows or open doors. The bright light might interfere with other pilots in adjacent airplanes. This was a very detailed dream.

In a second dream, I was in a townhouse that sat between two other townhouses. I and my family lived in the middle unit. The owner was making repairs and remodeling the other two units. He was repeating that when they were done with the two remodels they would then start on my unit. It wasn't clear where we were supposed to live when that happened. The dream ended in uncertainty.

Watched a film tonight--The Ides of March. It's a film about two presidential candidates who are vying for the delegates in the state of Ohio. The outcome of that primary would seal the deal for one of them. The film portrays some amazing parallels with today's political dance. The film has a lot of well known actors but is a bit too slick and smooth (not unlike a political campaign). I wouldn't go out of my way to see it again, but it's worth one look for its portrayal of the political system.

3535

Didn't manage to sleep all the day away, but came close. Got out for some errands and a bite to eat. Came back and snoozed for a while. Then gathered stuff for recycle pickup tomorrow. Don't see much being put out by others, but will check in the morning and put my pile together then. Was a relatively balmy day with a good breeze keeping things coolish. Felt creaky and achy a lot today. Looking forward to Core and More session tomorrow!

Had a very detailed dream last night. I was with a lot of people. We were paired up and were doing some dancing and performance pieces. My partner was the dance class instructor. We made a striking couple and were being watched by many of the other couples. At one point, we had all moved outside and there was a steep ramp. I jumped onto the ramp with some silk scarves wrapped around my feet. That let me slide easily on the ramp's surface. I sped away from the others and had to really slalom sharply to keep from crashing into the side walls. I managed to slow my speed enough for me to grab a rail and come to a stop at the bottom of the ramp. The mood of the whole gathering, skating, dancing event was joyous and light. I felt good being with my partner. I felt really stable and solid in my movements and such.

Watched a Spanish film this evening that I had seen before--Official Story. It was about a woman who had adopted a child whom she found out might have been one of the children taken from a birth mother during a government purge. Her questioning of the "official story" brought her face-to-face with some of her husband's actions during the purge and his complicity in obtaining their daughter from the birth mother. Things do not end happily once the "official story" is revealed.

The Internet connection seems to have righted itself. It's been working smoothly all day. May it remain so!

3536

Slow and sleepy day punctuated with a wrestling match with the computer and the Internet. My web connection keeps going wonky. I'm sure it's the ISP that's causing the problem but it's so difficult to deal with when you can't keep a connection. Worries and flurries! Slept in this morning and zonked out after grabbing a bit to eat (big bite--NY Reuben--tasty and huge). I've been inventorying all of the e-stuff I can put out for pickup on Monday--it's an e-stuff recycle day! Can purge the place of the extraneous items that are difficult to just stuff in the trash. Lighter and lighter!

Dreamed last night that I was participating in some kind of dance event. There were prizes for the couples who managed to gather sets of coupons as they worked their way through a series of dances. It was like some kind of game that pitted couples against each other with the winning couple gathering the losing couple's coupons. It was a very upbeat event and people were enjoying themselves.

Watched an Almodovar film (Spanish)--Broken Embraces. It starred (of course) Penelope Cruz. She is really gorgeous! The movie was quite good--interesting storyline and mixed/matched with the director's way of filming and editing that always keeps things moving. I've seen quite a few of his films now and they have all been very watchable.

So tomorrow is e-trash stacking day. A first step along the way to moving into a smaller, but better, place. May the Internet signal stay strong!

3537

Resistance training session felt good today. Still having difficulty going with more than 10lb weights, but will do what my body says I can do. Small class today! Only about 1/2 of the normal number of people. Weekend is now in progress. Will see if I can make any headway this weekend with the apartment clean up/purge. There is going to be a pickup of electronic debris on Monday morning. I can get rid of some of the dead gear that's helping clutter up the place.

Watched an interesting movie tonight--Goodbye Solo. It's about two men who meet by chance and their lives begin to intertwine with each other. One man is a gruff older white man who is on some kind of fatal pilgrimage. The other is a younger black man from Africa who is driving a taxi while he's studying for a job with an airlines. There lives become interleaved and overlapped. There are few clues regarding what happens next with each of them, except for the final piece of the story. It's a well done film by a newer director. An odd coincidence--The actor who plays the older man is from my home town. He is about three years older than me--we probably played against each other in sports. Small world in a smaller universe.

The world is spinning further and further out of control. YouTube videos creating chaos in remote places. Countries threatening to bomb one another. Candidates for the highest U.S. offices playing politics with world events instead of talking about what they are about. Political haze over political maze! Social networks starting to rule the world!

My Internet service went south yesterday. It got restored after a while, but it's disconcerting to see what happens when the web goes down or goes out for a time. The planet doesn't have enough bandwidth when things start to wobble.

3538

Movement class today was relaxing and helped smooth out the work from the earlier week's sessions. Also, the afternoon acupressure session sealed the integration of all activities. I came away a bit like I was floating. I grounded all of that floating energy with a solid meal from the Asian Kitchen Cafe. That, and a green tea latte, sealed the deal. I've been cruising along since I did all that.

Watched a suspenseful movie in the afternoon--Derailed. It was about an "average" guy who gets sucked into a scam by a set of criminals. The man, as a mark, keeps trying to extricate himself from the scam, but he keeps going deeper in the hole. Finally, he realizes the full scope of the scam and sets out (in a clumsy fashion) to right things. He ends up having to several things that help right the wrongs, but only by doing some things that makes him cross the line between victim and perpetrator. One of the really bad guys in the film was played by Vincent Cassell--a french actor who has appeared in several films recently and who makes an ideal criminal.

Have a resistance training session tomorrow to kick off the weekend! Let the barbells roll!

3539

Gait and balance class was a workout today! Lots of extended limbs holding positions for long periods of time and making things burn! Feels good afterward but while it's happening it's a push! Tomorrow get to cool out some with a movement session and an acupressure treatment. I slept for a while this afternoon. Just wanted to get horizontal after the G&B activity.

Started reading Baudelaire's Journals aloud to GH today. There was a preface by Christopher Isherwood, the translator, that set the stage for the introduction and the journals. Interesting collection of brief snapshots of Baudelaire's many faces and talents. Looking forward to reading more.

Watched a German film this evening--Veronica Voss. It's a film about an actress who once was the toast of the town, but who is now aged and not able to command the attention she once did. The film is directed by Fassbinder, who is a renowned but controversial film maker. The piece is surreal, which matches the several subjects of the film--aging, drug addiction, mania, lost fame, suicide, relationships and much more. There are several scenes inside an office/living space/clinic/prison that are amazing. Everything in the those scenes are filmy and cloud-white, as if the place was soft and pillowy--as one might be when on drugs (morphine). Throughout the film there are multiple times when a radio station is playing in the background--playing C&W songs in English. Quirky but effective strangeness!

Movement and acupressure! On my way! On my weigh!

3540

PD dance and resistance training today. Was feeling a bit slow from yesterday's Core and More class but today's classes smoothed everything out. I got several comments today about how well I look and move. Dance instructor offered to find out what I might do in terms of a performance piece! Scary thought but also energizing! She remarked on my presence and fluidity. MS related the several questions asked about me at the memorial service (Who is that handsome person?). I've not gotten much worse over the past four years--in fact, I may have gotten better. Symptoms are still moderate as long as I'm moving. I don't have a lot of stamina in that I complete classes and usually collapse afterward. But I can make it through each class seemingly well. It's just afterward that I often feel the need to rest or sleep.

I'm still foggy and seem to be cognitively slow and not as sharp as I once was. I think that stress has a lot to do with those conditions. Stress from the illness, concerning its implications, and my inner thoughts about how it is all going to end! Almost every day now, I seem to notice someone who is at some stage of the illness. Some are more dependent than others, but many still keep on going in whatever way they can. I can't help but look at them and wonder why I can't seem to do more than I do. Is a mystery, but one whose revelation I eagerly await! Onward into the darkness! Reaching for the sun!

3541

The teenager who went missing on Saturday night was found in a hospital. Apparently she was in an accident and had been taken to a hospital. What a relief that must be for her family (nearly all of whom live in the apartment complex. I know it was a relief for me to hear that she had been located and not abducted or such. I made it to (and through) the Core and More session today. It's a lot of work and I was like a rag afterwards. But, it feels good now (later in the evening).

Dreamed a strange dream last night--I was in a movie theater with a young boy who was my son. We had some back and forth getting into a pair of seats, but we finally found a pair on the first row of the upper seats so that there was no one directly in front of us. The movie was odd. It consisted of frame after frame of nearly all white images with dark, squiggly symbols floating and moving about the screen. People were watching intently. The boy, who had been moving around quite a bit and not settling into his seat, became quiet as the movie played. He sat still and stared at the screen, seemingly absorbed.

There was another dream sequence of me driving in a car. I was on a dark and desolate road. I was unsure about where I was exactly or where I was going. I just kept driving onward through the darkness, following where my headlamps illuminated the way.

PD dance and resistance training tomorrow. Looking forward to the classes. A full week of classes and such this week.

3542

Some of last night's noise and people moving about involved a teenager who has gone missing. Apparently, around 11 last night she either drove to meet someone or was forced to drive/go to an adjacent city. She disappeared in a short time her sister went to pickup clothes at a local laundromat. She didn't leave anything regarding where she was going or why she was going. She has relatives living in three or four of the apartments in this complex. Needless to say, they are all upset. Today was a constant flow of people dropping by, police taking notes from everyone, and a stillness/quiet over where she was. Her vehicle was found this morning with the key in it and her cell phone with the battery removed. I've not heard of any progress so far. Pray that she is alright! I think I heard someone talking about the time she disappeared, but I'm not certain. I did awake around 4 in the morning with someone walking back and forth on the balcony. That was about the time some of the family were going back and forth to the apartments trying to find her. For some reason (she's 16, there is no concrete suspect, or what??) the police did not issue and Amber Alert. I suggested that the family contact the media but I don't know if they did so.

Had another hodgepodge of dreams last night. In one dream, I was with a group of hikers (somewhat like the group I saw in a mystery film I watched last night. As a group, we were ambling along, somewhat disorganized and wandering. In another dream I was talking on the phone with my oldest sister. I haven't seen or heard from her in years. The phone call was very emotional--I felt like a missing element in me had been found.

I tried to be productive today and start working on cleaning up this place. The news about the neighbor girl hit me hard--I felt weak and depleted after hearing that she had gone missing. I felt like I wanted to do more but couldn't figure out exactly what. I still feel somewhat the same, but growing better as the night wears on.

3543

Laundry day is done! Not many people at the laundry today. When there are people there the babble of languages is deafening. The laundry becomes a melting pot. I hear Japanese, Chinese, Spanish, Vietnamese, Tagalog, and more. In addition, there is a TV running with all manner of content overlaying the local babble. Anyway, I did my laundry.

I dreamed a hodgepodge of dreams last night. They were all over the place in terms of location and content. At one point, I was in a crowd of people in an arena. People were cheering speakers and applauding whatever was being presented on the stage. I went looking for food and discovered that people had already emptied the buffet tables. Only scraps remained. At another point, I was walking in a shopping area of a small town. The shopping district was spread out along the waterfront. Everything was quiet and picturesque. In this dream, I also ended up in a cafe whee I ordered something to eat. Hungry dreams or so it seems.

I slept for several hours today. After grabbing some lunch, I came back and fell asleep. Awoke and went grocery shopping. Got a green tea latte on the way home and that kicked my energy levels up some. Going to be early to bed tonight. Reading some stories about people with various powers who use their powers for good. It's fast paced fiction but well done and fun to read.

3544

Feeling twitchy and antsy today! Not sure exactly why! Visit to dentist yesterday threw me off center. Don't look forward to what has to done with all that. Resistance training session had to be held outdoors since seminar room was booked for another class. We did the class but I didn't feel comfortable with the change of venue even though it was a wonderful day weather wise. Class was smaller than usual probably because of the shift of location.

Dreamed last night that I was at the top of a snow-covered mountain. There were several of us there and we each had a large vehicle--mostly old vintage cars. We were going to drive the cars down the snowy slope into a small village at the foot of the mountain. It was a tricky feat to keep the cars moving in a straight line and not start spinning and sliding sideways. We all made it safely to the foot of the mountain and into the chalet's parking lot. We went into the chalet to get some breakfast. RB was one of the drivers. He was not feeling well. He was trying to eat something but couldn't hold it down. Across the room, I saw JON sitting at a window table. I was surprised to find him there. I told the others at our table that JON was there. They too were surprised.

Watched a film this evening--Focus. It's a film based on an Arthur Miller's book. It's about prejudice and antisemitism as it was being played out near the peak of WWII in one small NY neighborhood. I'd seen the film before with the H's, I believe. It's a powerful story, told well and effectively, and brings home the jagged points about such beliefs and actions.

Laundry day tomorrow! A ripple in the break in the flush in the zoom of all that goes on in this world! I bow down before the quarter gobbling machinery and let the wrinkles roll!

3545

No good news on the dental front! Have several areas that are going to require major work. Appears that all of the time that I spent going to the periodontist, and did not check in with my regular dentist, created an opportunity for several areas to get decayed. Haven't gotten the full damage report yet, but imagine it will be steep--and require some time spent under the drill. Nothing I look forward to--nothing at all.

Watched a spy film this evening--Duplicity. It's a plot inside a plot inside a plot! Two spy types decide to infiltrate a corporation and working from the inside and outside try and steal some valuable corporate data. They did not know that they were being set up to steal some fake data. The fake data would be leaked to competitors who would race to announce a product breakthrough. The competitors would thus lose face when the public learns the announced breakthrough was not true. Julia Roberts was the lady spy. There were quite a few flashbacks in the film that helped explain what was happening in the present, but they were annoying and perhaps even confusing to some extent.

Oh, well! Doing resistance training outside tomorrow. The regular classroom is being used for a training seminar. DNC finishes up tonight! Now it's a march (or some other movement) to election day. Go, O!

3546

Went to gait and balance session today as it rained a bit. Got some more rain this evening. Feels good to have the moisture in the air. Got another person needing a ride to classes. TO needs an occasional lift to the G&B Wednesday class. I'm taking LW to PD dance class on some Tuesdays. I had made a pledge when I was first diagnosed and was being hauled around by others that I would make myself available to people who needed rides if I could do so. I am doing so! Not a problem and gives me a chance to know others better.

I've been having detailed dreams but I'm not remembering them when I awake. There was a dream recently where I fell asleep in the dream--I was asleep and dreaming about falling asleep. And, I was aware in the dreaming sleep that I was entering a second level of the dream/sleep state. Felt strange!

Had a hygiene session today. Was not encouraging! I'm still dealing with gum disorders and such despite the amount of effort I've been putting into brushing, cleaning, etc. It's a bummer! I wonder if the new laser treatments offer a solution? Have to check it out!

Watched a funny, wacky film this afternoon--Tower Heist. Had an unlikely team of would be crooks who pull off a heist to get even with a man who stole a lot of people's savings. The film was pure entertainment in the vein of Oceans 11 (or some such number) but with almost pure amateurs instead of seasoned gangsters.

Movement class tomorrow! Move on, move on, move on! Plus a return visit to Gentle Dental since I haven't seen the dentist there in over a year. (Where goes the time?)

3547

Felt good to do a resistance training session today. Did not feel good to just vegetate all weekend. Have to start doing something on weekends that move the blood. Realized I have a dental hygiene session tomorrow. Didn't realize that is was so soon. Have to skip reading aloud at the H's tomorrow in order to get the dental session worked into the schedule. Have a gait and balance class in the morning.

Had a runny nose (sinus drip) over the past two days. It acts more like an allergy than a cold but it keeping up a steady flow. Read a sales message on the Internet tonight about stopping/reversing PD symptoms (also dementia and Alzheimer's). Secret: stop inflammation and reduce free radicals. Maximize antioxidants and chelated nutraceuticals. Made sense but I didn't feel that I should subscribe to the newsletter that covers health issues.

Watched a police drama this afternoon---Bad Lieutenant. It was about a dirty cop in the NO police department who was a loser but who managed to miraculously work his way out trouble each time. It was a heavy handed piece that was directed by Werner Hertzog. His heavy hands were all over the place. Nicolas Cage got to do the doped up crazy-man role of the lieutenant.

Time to blow my nose! And where it stops nobody knows! Perhaps is I were to smell a rose--that might stop the drips and flows! Or it may not! Oh, rot!

3548

Slow day on labor day! Where was everyone? It was so quiet! I seemed to be nearly the only one in the apartment complex. Went to the H's and read some more from the Tarot. Have covered ten major arcana cards: Magician, High Priestess, Empress, Emperor, Hierophant, Lovers, Chariot, Strength, Hermit and Wheel of Fortune. More to come! Now 10 out of 22!

I started watching a Spanish film--Lost Embrace. I lost my embrace on the film almost right away. I tried sticking with it assuming that it would begin to make sense and be interesting. It never did and wasn't! It was supposed to be funny--a real life comedy. It wasn't--it wasn't! Oh, well! Not all films get good reviews from me--although it is rare for me to bail before the final scenes appear.

I think I dreamed last night but I don't recall the details. Democrats begin their convention! Can only hope that something transformative will happen--otherwise O is in trouble. No PD dance class tomorrow, but there is resistance training. It was a long holiday weekend without any classes.

3549

Today was a quiet day. Seemed like everyone is out and about. I slept in this morning, went out for a while, and then went back to sleep for several hours. I kept trying to get up and do something but sleep won out. I feel really rested this evening. I've been practicing doing memory tricks such as--saying the alphabet backwards, recalling Pi to 50 places, and remembering the Major Arcana in the tarot deck. Beats sleeping! But it is a bit strange as well!

Dreamed last night that I was in a major metropolitan city. The skyline was somewhat like NY but altered so that there was a network of roads across the city at about the 15th floor level. At this level there were regular streets that went across and through buildings and bridged over the open spaces between buildings. It made for a lively and brightly lit scene, especially if I was on a sidewalk of one of the upper streets. Along the walkways at the upper levels there were stores and street level apartments. I was visiting the city and was in one of the apartments on one of the upper streets. The views from the place were spectacular. The place where I was in had a non-stop party going on all the time. There were people who lived in the place and lots of guests/friends. Everyone was friendly and having a good time. At one point, I had had enough of the party and went and crashed in a bedroom. The windows in the room looked out onto the street at that upper level. There were curtains and blinds if I wanted to shut out the street scene (cars, people, shops, and such). I had a clear sense of just visiting the place and not ever staying there permanently. It felt good to be there though.

Holiday tomorrow! Will see the H's but no classes! Another day of rest!

3550

Once in a blue moon! And it was! After sending LL some messages about senior housing in her area, I bumped into her old friend Q. I was at the grocery story/deli getting a NY Reuben (delicious) and I noticed this person standing next to me. I thought I knew him but didn't say anything. I went outside to eat my sandwich and he came out and walked toward me. We both recognized each other. He sat and talked for a while. I mentioned that I had been in touch with LL. He seemed to know what she was having difficulty with at this time but didn't share what that was. In one of her emails, she had mentioned that she was having some problem but didn't elaborate. But, it's a small world or so it seems. What are the probabilities of such a confluence of events happening? Small to non-existent you would think! But not so today--the first of September!

Watched a SciFi movie by British film maker Danny Boyle (yes of London Olympics 2012 fame--what's the probability of me picking up one of his films on and about the day of the of the Opening Ceremony?)--Sunshine. It was a spectacular display of special effects. The story line was vary tenuous. A crew of astronauts (a second crew since the first expedition had disappeared without achieving the mission to nuke the sun--I said it was tenuous) had been sent to do the job not completed by the first expedition. They were to send a massive explosive device into the sun to kick start the star. The star had been struck by some cosmic debris that was causing it to fade prematurely (years rather than billions of years). Of course there are problems--scientific, mechanical, spiritual, psychological--and more including a recalcitrant AI (a definite Hal-like construct). The sets and graphic effects were spectacular. The script and story were ho-hum or worse. The acting was nothing great--but the actors did have to deal with the scripts they were given.

Cool today! A hint of fall in the air! Felt good with everything cooled down.