Summer! 2015 June 21 Sunday

76  Degrees this morning, 41.28 minute walk 

First day of Summer!  I will enjoy the “longest day” of sunshine, even as I feel a little wistful knowing that the days will slowly start getting shorter.  As I once heard someone say, I’ll just be “glad I’m here” and enjoy the lazy, hazy crazy days of  Summer.  

I especially plan on enjoying the long sunsets I can see here.  I want to be sure I actually take the time to enjoy a few of them this summer.  It is easy for the Summer to pass and you suddenly realize you haven’t taken the time to enjoy a sunset all all, much less as many as you would like. 

A sunset here, or a full moon rising, is almost a destination trip it is so nice.  The only problem is, maybe like Memphis nights in the summer, early morning anywhere, or a hot hazy Summer day, it can become addictive and you realize it has become a part of your life.  Any you can’t have all of them.

I just realized I have been living for almost a year as an “ordinary resident” in another city, without any relationship with the local government at all, the first time in over 40 years.  Frankly, even though they  are responsive on many things, I can undersigned the anger, and the lack of participation by residents in local government.  

I think part of it here is the feeling-which is also the situation- that everything is ingrown, everyone in local government seems follow almost a routine when it comes to important decisions, a “We always done it this way” type thinking.

Also there is a lot of the feeling (a term I absolutely hate) “It if ain’t broke, don’t fix it”.  type thinking. 

It is amazing to me that the city has planning apparently stuck in the early 1900’s, allowing developers, builders and commercial businesses to build at the expense of everyone else.   It is like they have never heard of good planning practices, or simply want to ignore them.

More on this another day.  Had a dream yesterday I want to note, and it is a long one, a very intense and almost unsettling one.  It took me a while to realize after I woke up it was only a dream.

6 20 15 dream

Dreamed I was at Lakeland City Hall (but I was actually in Harrah City Hall) working on something on my computer.  I was in the back room where my office was. Occasionally I’d walk up to the front where no one knew me, but ignored me.

At some point someone came in and started putting little cutouts over all of the tables, except the desk was working on.

At one point I went up front and my old office in Lakeland City Hall appeared as open on one side with a bunch of plastic, like the grocery  stores used to do in  refrigerated areas.

I went back and it started raining.  I let  a woman out the door into the pouring rain.  

Went to the back of City Hall (Harrah City hall) and waked out and it seemed like a Senior Center, with a bunch of Senior Citizens sitting around listening to music.  I saw a number of people I knew (from both Harrah and Lakeland) sitting in the area on folding chairs, listening to music.  Many waved.  (I realized that many of he people I recognized are now deceased.)

I went back inside.  i started to wonder what I would do if the Lakeland spoiled brat Mayor saw me and asked what I was doing there.

I went outside and it started to rain really heavy.  I was going down the street and suddenly realized it was flooding. I heard comments that   “the new houses by the dam are flooding”.

Suddenly it was like a swimming pool, with everyone swimming in the flood waters, even a beach ball appeared and there was even some whoops of laughter and fun.

The water got deeper, with the water rushing so bad  at one point I thought I was going to drown.

I went back to City Hall and realized they had put a rock sidewalk so you dry out on it..  (It doesn't make any sense nowI)  Of course everything was empty now.

I started to go into the back door of City Hall (actually Harrah City Hall), but drew back when i saw someone in there.

Then I panicked thinking  I  was locked out.  

I tried the door again and it was locked.  I thought, “my laptop” is in there. how will I ever get it out?

I

I tried he door  again when i woke up.

A very powerful dream.

That’s it for today, the first day of Summer, June 21, 2015.

Happy Fathers Day to all the Fathers.