"Other Life" American Dream

There is your dream life
and your dream mate
your dream house
dream vacation
maybe even a dream meal/dessert in your mind.

What about
other dreams?



Back of your mind - dreams?

Yes, I have spoke about
childhood dreams
and imagination.

What about dreams
if you were to lead another life?


Sometimes (usually while driving), I speak of
"in my other life..."
I have always assumed I would
drive a cab



in my other life.

I love to drive.
If money and time were no object
I have always wanted to try


race car driving
or
extreme defensive driving (FBI, CIA?)



or
off-roading
or
getting a job with "Motor Week"
test driving cars before they
hit the showrooms.

I love driving on really wide open roads
I love crazy city driving
I prefer stick shifts
I love the smell of "new car"
I even enjoyed spending time recently,
at the Department of Motor Vehicles;
they indicated how they appreciated
"how mellow I was" and said I should
"apply for a job here".
I love the smell of tires in a tire shop.
I like truck stops.
I love driving 80 MPH with all the windows down
listening to Credence Clearwater Revival.



I love junk yards.
I enjoy car shows.



I like seeing older taillights ahead of me,
guessing the make, model and year of the car
and being right.

Is this a real American Dream
or a pun, chuckle, laugh?

Not sure,
but I just emailed a query
about a job opening:
"Shuttle Driver
Santa Fe to Albuquerque Airport".

Yep, I'm driven.
M

Contest: Ideas About Dreams

American Dream
of the day...
preparing for spring.



Happy Birthday Charlene!
Thinking of you whenever I plant new seeds.
M

Contest Questions

Personal dreams; are they the same as your own American Dream?
And is a childhood dream
only one of of the ingredients for your completed dream?

I ask myself this as I read through
the many entries.

Do "good fences make good neighbors"?

When I was young; whether playing in the countryside
or "in town" (with sidewalks and paved roads),
to have the ability to run with abandon
through the yards (and the lives?) of others
allowed my imagination to flow just as free.
Was this my American Dream of childhood?
Dreaming of being a horse, or a dragon,
or a magic sprite,



or cops & robbers, or simply playing hide-and seek...
my imagination knew no bounds.

But to play in a neighborhood with fences;
removes the wildness.
And thus removes the "wild horses" or
"fierce dragons" or "quick-flying magic sprites"
or "far-ranging cops & robbers" or
"highly camouflaged hide-and-seek",
leaving frustration or confusion
about limits.
Keeping "them" out
or keeping "us" in?

Is my American Dream
that of no limits?

Perhaps.

Do kids still feel this way
about fences...
All over the world?

Keep those entries coming!

M


-And I apologize for
the fuzziness of my
photo...
It was taken in 1968.

Contest Continues: How Big is an Amercian Dream?

How big is your American Dream?
Just for you?
You, your family, and a few choice friends?
You and everyone you know?
You and everyone in your neighborhood?
Your city?
Your state?
This world?

And as you accomplish
these dreams along the way...
Do they get bigger,
or nearer to home?

How close are you
to finalizing the dream...
Dreams?



And what to do with dreams
that do not make the cut?
Push them into the back of your sock drawer?
Give them to friends - like a strange jello salad?
Hide them in a corner of your cobweb-filled garage?
Or hang them at eye level
(refrigerator or maybe the bathroom mirror)
to look them in the eye
daily
until done?

What dreams have you let go of...
Why?
Will you pick them up again...
"someday"
?

I'm enjoying reading entries from those
"I have yet to meet".
How about a few more
familiar names
and
a few more
unfamiliar names?

I double-dog-dare you!

That is today's American Dream.
M

Different Amercian Dreams?

Is your Amercian Dream
that of:
health
wealth
continuing traditions
good friends
close family
and home sweet home?




Or:


helping others
sharing what you have with those who have-not
educating others
using your strength to build for those who are weak
trying to heal
feeding the hungry?




Or:
hoping your offspring
grow to achieve more than you
and live prosperous lives?




Or:
using your skills to create
music
art
beautiful structures
more efficient inventions
your own business?




I'm waiting...
Let me know.
M

What is the American Dream?

Travel to distant lands?


Or living in wide open places?



Or your own hometown?
M

The Amercian Dream - Contest!

In the 1980's when J & I were first married,
we both believed
our American Dream
consisted of:
2 jobs
2 cars
buying "the first house"
and filling the house;
(from garage - to basement -
to main level - to attic)
with furniture
dishes
a large TV/stereo
sporting goods
gardening/lawn tools
"hobby supplies"
camping gear
several kitchen appliances
seasonal decorations
and lots of clothing.
Which worked for about 20 years.

J commented a few days ago
that we have "let go" of that description.

Our new American Dream:
Rent, don't own.
Simplify clothing, hobbies, tools,
appliances, decorations.
Enjoy other things.
Repeat daily.




As you know I LOVE comments on my blog:
What is your American Dream?
Or your (insert other country here) Dream?

I will sponsor a contest:
Email me, or comment at this blogsite
with your American Dream response.
Comment with your name - sorry, no anonymous replies!
Contest now through May 15th.

J & I will be judging all entries.
Multiple entries from the same person
will be allowed and encouraged.
Written submissions, photographs, and
photos of artwork will all be allowed.
Bribes, unfortunately, will not be allowed.
All ages encouraged to compete.
The winner (and all other entries)
will be posted,
and a "Lovely Santa-Fe Prize"
will be presented/sent to the winner.

Let the contest begin.
M

Magic

About a year ago
I decided that J & I
"have magic"
when it comes to:
finding lost items
getting things done
adventure travel
being lucky with a really old car
having close family ties
enjoying good health
catching & releasing hummingbirds
being comfortable with simple
finding what we need
knowing what we want
and being lucky.

Well the good news is;
All those crossed fingers may have
done the trick.

The not-so-magic news is;
our little red car
(just shy of 300,00 miles...)
aka "mouse"
is sick and is visiting a mechanic.




We have magic.
Everything will be OK.
M

Crossing Fingers

The custom of burying St. Joseph
to assist with the sale of a home...





(Excerpts from the booklet:
"St. Joseph The Worker...
Sell Your Home With the Help of St. Joseph the Worker!"
edited by Mark Etling)

<< The custom of burying a statue of St. Joseph
in the yard of one's home at the time of sale is now common.
Its origins, however, are somewhat obscure,
and at least two possible explanations are offered.
Some say the statue should be buried upside down
to symbolize that St. Joseph is being challenged to answer
the seller's prayer quickly so that he won't stand
with his head in the dirt for too long...
Another, more popular story has it that St. Teresa of Avila
(1515-1582)... prayed to St. Joseph for more land for Christian converts.
St Teresa encouraged her fellow Carmelite nuns
to bury St. Joseph medals in the ground as a symbol of their devotion,
consecrating the ground to St. Joseph.
Eventually this custom evolved to the point where
statues were used instead of medals.>>

A few pointers:
-Most people bury the statue upside down
in the yard of their property.
-Face the statue toward the front door of the home.
-The most common location for the statue
is the front yard, usually near the "For Sale" sign.
-Have faith, and pray for St. Joseph's intervention.

What we did:
First: One 4-inch statue, is buried upside-down
near where the "For Sale" sign is located.
Second: The statue (or what is left of it...
Long story- won't go into it now...), is facing the door.
Third: Invited "a religious person" to assist with the prayer/ceremony,
and recited:
" Let us pray. Almighty God,
through you all things are possible.
Grant us now, in your loving mercy
and through the intercession of St. Joseph,
your help in finding a family to purchase,
live in, and care for this home.
We ask this in the name of Jesus,
the Lord, Amen."

I have since repeated this prayer
several time in the first week following our move,
and about once a week since then.

Cross your fingers
St. Joseph is working...
M

Jabba the Pizza Dough

Pizza Dough:
a very large lump of pizza dough
on a sidewalk
in the middle of the afternoon
in Santa Fe...




Jabba The Hut
in a galaxy far far away...




Similarities?
Coincidence?
Same guy?
Yes, I think so, too.
M

Baby, I'm Amazed

I'm amazed:
-at friends who have taken
four foster children into their
previously-childless lives,
with hopes of future adoption.

-at two friends in different parts of the country
who were unhappy;
have gotten divorces,
and now seem
happier and brighter
than I've ever known them to be;
with new lives,
new jobs,
and new men
who strive to make them happy.

-at my daily gaze on mountains
in all directions
within my view
at the post office,
or the grocery store.
or my job,
or my back door.

-at meeting friends of friends
and enjoying
our first time together
with a feel of;
wow, this person
is also
"Good People" .

-at laughing so hard
my stomach hurts
tears run down my face
and I want more of
this
everyday.

-at jellybeans;
sour
tangy
fresh
multi-colored
only-in-the spring
multi-vitamins of choice.

-at my Mom
who is
87
today,
and who "digs" her flowers
in her front yard
in her side yards
in her backyard
and throughout her house,
who feeds and waters
the wild birds outside
everyday,
who still subscribes to
"National Geographic"
and "Audubon",
who enjoys
sparring
over opinions
at her monthly
book-club meetings,
and still hates to cook,
but isn't afraid
to eat a Hostess pie
(individual-sized and
grip-sized)
while she drives
and then only complains,
"the steering wheel
was really
sticky
by the time I got home".

-at my life
and how lucky I am;
being amazed
every day.
M