Years of Poems and Spirits

Finally, I sort out the graduation mess. Something is going my way for a change. Obama’s apparent ticket to nomination certainly helped too. I am sure I will cherish the memory of the 2008 election.

HRC said something quite explicit: the hardest working class, white American’s support of Obama is weakening, or something like that. It was pretty upsetting when I first heard of it. But then again, it really helped me to understand HRC a lot better. In a way, she is a politician’s politician. She has a mind that is powerful and clairvoyant. The demographics are so lively and obvious in her mind, she had to say something like that. It must be therapeutic to her: “I don’t know how I can make this any more clearer than what I have been saying all along. Just let me be myself for a moment …” Yeah I had those moments. Actually a lot recently.

Is this still a racist nation? There always have been the first black something: ball player, Justice, movie star, etc. Always a big deal at the inauguration but then the country learned to live with it. If this pattern holds and BO is elected, it is another learning process and we will move on. However, given the success HRC had lately (would Wisconsin still go Obama had its primary took place post-Wright?), I am quietly rationalizing for a McCain presidency.

One thing for sure, Cindy McCain is classy and … oh lala. Really like the picture above. So funny.

I first heard of the wild flowers in CA many many years ago. Since then, we have been hoping to experience the spring colors ourself.
We finally made the trip this Spring thanks to a friend of Lisa’s visiting her from Joyo. Li Bo is a diehard “Donkey Friend” so she is happy to tag along and I am happy I have an excuse.
This trip rescued me from the insanity of writing papers (aka the briddled ambition).
We flew down to SF, rented a car and the route is:
1. SF HW 101, 280, 17 then 17-mile loop. Stopped at a strawberry farm and had lunch at pebble beach.
2. Was hoping to drive 4 hours to San Semion (Hearst Castle) the same day but just couldn’t make it. The beautiful but winding CA SR-1 is such a temptress that we couldn’t help but stop frequently to suck in the ocean, the mountain, the wave and the sky.
3. A fire crew putting off wild fire finally dashed our hope. We stopped at Ragged Pt. Inn, 15 miles south of San Simeon. Small but beautiful place to stay.
4. Finally visited San Simeon the next day. Somehow I was obsessed with the Hearst Castle. Now finally the complex is dissolved and curse lifted.
5. From Hearst Castle, drove east toward Lancaster, CA. CA SR-58 was a pleasant surprise. Rolling hills covered in fresh green, foraging cattles and spring breeze … Reminded me of driving along the Shenandoah Valley many many years ago. I suddenly became very nostalgic.
6. Before settling down in Lancaster, we snapped some pictures of the sleeping poppy flowers in sunset.
7. The Antelope State Poppy Reserve and beyond: speechless, shameless indulgence for the eyes. Only the pictures can tell the story now.