Who Hijacked Our Country

Sunday, May 14, 2006

I’m Baaack

Been on vacation for two weeks. I meant to do a post saying I’d be gone and wouldn’t be posting for awhile, but it sort of fell through the cracks during all those last minute preparations. I don’t have a laptop or anything, so I just checked e-mail whenever I could.

Spent a few days in Sonoma County (CA), where we moved from a year and eight months ago. Like they say, “you can never go home again.” Our quaint little neighborhood in Forestville sure has mutated in twenty months. It used to be a street with one-story houses, and each one looked different. Now, just on our end of the street, there are three huge McMansions. The size difference is bad enough, but all three of them are just giant gray 40-foot-tall cinder blocks. There goes the neighborhood.

Spent two days in California’s Central Coast area — Pismo Beach, Moro Bay — and then on to Arizona. We stayed on the Hopi and Navajo reservations for several days. The Hopi region is an incredible Power spot. I’ve never been to any of the “in” Power places like Sante Fe or Sedona, but the Hopi reservation is one powerful place. Everything there just feels “different.” Hope the New Age Crystal-gazing crowd doesn’t “discover” it.

I’ve stayed away from the news these past two weeks, all except for the blaring headlines you can’t avoid. There'll be plenty of material for upcoming posts.

7 Comments:

Blogger Mike V. said...

sounds like fun over all.

Truthout, baby! (see my last post)

May 14, 2006 at 11:24 PM  
Blogger Tom Harper said...

Mike V.: Oh yeah, it was a great trip. But I'm glad to be back too.

Great Truthout post.

May 14, 2006 at 11:56 PM  
Blogger Jim Marquis said...

Welcome back. I highly recommend checking out Sedona if you ever get a chance...the scenery is breathtaking.

May 15, 2006 at 9:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Welcome back Tom,
I have spent time on the reservations myself in AZ, some poor people with a lot of pride. I met one guy who said he grinds down car windshields into power crystals to sell to the new agers.

You didn't get any crystals did you?

Erik

May 15, 2006 at 10:14 PM  
Blogger Tom Harper said...

J. Marquis: Yeah, I'll probably end up checking out Sedona sometime. That's the thing about those touristy trendy places -- they became touristy for a reason.

Erik: Yeah, the Hopi are poor (by our standards) but they're really proud and seem to be holding onto their traditions and beliefs. They do a good balancing act between "Western" comforts and retaining their identity. The Navajo reservation (Tuba City at least) is much better off economically but it doesn't seem like they're holding onto their identity as much as the Hopi.

Oh yes, we bought lots of crystals, and got a special deal on a case of Kachina dolls. The box was stamped "Made in China" but the dealer assured us they were authentic and we took his word for it :)

May 15, 2006 at 10:59 PM  
Blogger Praguetwin said...

Welcome back Tom,

I grew up in Healdsburg, and it is quite strange to go back. I don't know why I expect it to be the sleeply little town I grew up in, but it always seems to surprise me.

May 16, 2006 at 11:46 PM  
Blogger Tom Harper said...

Praguetwin: Thanks. Yeah, it really is strange going back. It's natural to remember a place the way you first saw it, rather than the way it looks now. The traffic in that area has gotten even worse, and I didn't think that was possible.

May 17, 2006 at 9:02 AM  

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