Sunday, September 4, 2011

Post #420

When I saw on my blogger dashboard that this Menopausal Stoners installment would make 420 posts, all the little things that typically swirl around in my head on their way to becoming blog fodder froze in an instant.  420 is an important stoner number.

When you consider that 42 is the answer to the ultimate question of Life, The Universe and Everything, as every good student of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy knows, and if you multiply 42 times 10, you get 420 -- 420 takes on a philosophical significance. In my mind, that means that everyone who can smoke weed should be smoking weed, at least for a little while, so we can shift the energetic vibration of the global population and finally enter into the New Age, or the Age of Aquarius, if you will.

I'm pretty sure Ronald Reagan & Co., which must include the dastardly Koch family, have worked ceaselessly to ensure the New Age never dawns - no matter what the Mayans, New Agers and miscellaneous Hippies have to say about it.  But then, I have been in utter despair over the state of the nation.  I would say the "state of the world," but as an American, I don't know much about the world.  I only know about the shit trickling down before my very eyes.

For me personally, however, things are pretty good.  The very existence of Post Number 420 is a thing of beauty (#31-101 on the Explore Beauty Challenge), for one thing.  That I love my job is another (#32-101).  I mention my job because last week all the teachers at my school came back to work, and life is good there in the big church that shines like a beacon of peace, hope and justice on the hill in Harlem.  The Beacon of Whatever statement was part of the PR we put out about ourselves at some point during the history of the congregation - very likely about the time some Rockefeller grandkids or cousins felt so guilty about the Robber Baron thing that they donated the money for the building a little over 80 years ago, back in the days of the original Progressive movement in America.  Although it may be marketing bullshit, I still like working at a Beacon of Peace, Hope and Justice on a hill in Harlem.

I like doing the Explore Beauty Challenge because it helps to prevent me from being thoroughly  overwhelmed by the ways of the world - such as Obama's record on the environment, especially the latest episode where a man whose own children have asthma blew off the idea of cleaner air in favor of business interests as if there is some correlation between jobs and air.  There's a fundamental correlation between rich fucks destroying the planet and keeping all the money for themselves and No Jobs, but in the Corporate Fascists State of America, that's heresy.  I figure that the state of the nation/world is such that the kind of country Martin Luther King, Jr dreamed about (and for the record, MLK delivered the famous "time to break the silence" speech from the pulpit of the very same Beacon on the Hill where I work) is so far down the road that even Velvet will be pushing up daisies before anybody sees a glimmer of Peace and Justice.

Since we'll all be dead before anything political changes enough to trickle down to peons like you and me - I have determined that it's infinitely more productive for me to focus on personal creativity (aka my own writing) and interpersonal, human connections so that no matter what those bastards do, I'll be okay.  I'll still do Worldwide Hippies stuff since I like being part of a larger project with a focus on telling stories that never make the mainstream media, and of course, I like having press credentials that say Worldwide Hippies.

Actually, I don't have those credentials yet because there was a hold up on account of my name.  The name on a person's press credentials needs to match the name on his/her drivers license or another equally as official photo identification, and my drivers license is still in my married name.  When I went to the DMV to change the name on my drivers license, they wouldn't do it because I didn't have all 100 pages of my original divorce with me.  I had copied the relevant material - but that would not satisfy the DMV.  Fortunately, I learned from that experienced, and all my documents were in order on Friday when I went to the Social Security Administration up on 183rd Street and changed my name from Patricia Sxxxxxxxx back to my original, God Given Name - which is still a secret in blogland due to various problems that could arise - like work and/or stalkers.  Be that as it may, I have my own name back, and that's thing of beauty number #33-101.

Here's the photo from the last surviving photo id with my real name.


Most observers will note that I knew all about 420 before I'd even heard the term 420.  Maybe that's because I already knew all about 42, too, even though we're all still learning about Life, The Universe and Everything.

22 Comments:

Blogger Joseph McEvoy said...

Congratulations Sister!! WOOO HOOO!!
You are an Inspiration to many folks.

September 4, 2011 at 9:35 AM  
Blogger mbarnato said...

Love the focus of the Explore Beauty Challenge! We do need to concentrate on that from time to time, as we're easily distracted along the way. But finding the beauty where we can is a sanity saver (with some weed too, of course...).

September 4, 2011 at 10:03 AM  
Blogger MosaicMaria said...

Congratulations on Blog #420 and yup 42 has much significance. I love that you are continuing with the Beauty Blog, for generations to come.I like to think of the nuggets of beauty we leave as lil"messages in the bottle" some lost souls may find when stranded.

I think its wonderful you getting your name back, oh for the red tape.Going thru that process now and may choose my own name:)Keep expressing,staying genuine on all you feel and you will continue to impact the world changing minds, one at a time..

September 4, 2011 at 11:24 AM  
Anonymous Jennifer said...

Congratulations on taking your name back. I do know that, for me, it was a huge part of the emancipation process.

Also glad to hear about your re-committing to your own writing. You know how I feel about individuals' stories (fiction and non-fiction) - if we stop telling them, we stop being free. They all make a difference.

You sound good. That's beautiful to me.

September 4, 2011 at 12:31 PM  
Blogger ellen abbott said...

I have so many names out there that sometimes I forget who I am and sign the wrong signature. Oops!. Oh well, let them figure it out.

and I totally agree with you on all that other stuff.

September 4, 2011 at 2:49 PM  
Anonymous dissed said...

I would like to take my own name back, but too many lost friends from too many years only know me by not-my-own name, and they would never find me. One or two find me again, every year. The other thing is, my daughter will only let me change my name if I change hers, too, and that would offend a lot of people who don't deserve the offense. Then there's the unfortunate fact that not-my-own name is a lot prettier than my own. The paperwork is a further suck. Decisions, decisions.

Congratulations on 420, and on 42, too. Also the job; Good Work is a fine thing. Too many people never realize the satisfaction of Good Work. It's a lot different from a Good Salary, which would, ideally, go along with the Good Work -- but usually doesn't. Here's to changing the world.

September 4, 2011 at 2:58 PM  
Blogger Susan Tiner said...

Congratulations Patricia! It must feel good to have your name back.

I'm glad you love your job, and that you plan to focus on personal creativity. Good for you!

September 4, 2011 at 3:31 PM  
Blogger PENolan said...

Thanks, kids! There are so many lovely comments here that I think I'll book mark the page to read on "rainy days."

September 4, 2011 at 6:00 PM  
Anonymous kwnyc said...

Well, I know what you are doing to celebrate post #420. Congrats! I'm proud to know you.

September 4, 2011 at 6:13 PM  
Blogger PENolan said...

Thanks, "Kyle." Back at ya! Starting with Charles Saltzberg next week at Writer's Voice, of all places. Talk about full circle . . .

September 4, 2011 at 7:07 PM  
Blogger mac said...

I kept my name after my divorce. I am not at all happy with her having it, I wish she would take back one of her other names..

Oh well, maybe her boyfriend will step up to the plate and ask her to marry him.

September 4, 2011 at 9:41 PM  
Blogger Gail said...

Hey Trish
you are just so way cool I can barely stand it! :-)
Love you Texas - and go take a 'look-see' at my last post.

Gail
peace......

September 5, 2011 at 10:34 AM  
Blogger VV said...

Ah Hitchhiker's Guide. I loved that book. I've always meant to read all of them. Maybe one day. Oh and your i.d. looks a lot like mine from that era.

September 5, 2011 at 12:56 PM  
Blogger intelliwench said...

I am happy for you, in all things but especially the name bit. Since my union was only common-law, the name change issue never came up for me, but intellikid has her dad's last name and wants to ditch it. We've thought about making up our own last name for just the 2 of us, since my last name isn't really a family name, either (long story).

I always liked the start of a new school year - possibility abounds!

September 5, 2011 at 8:35 PM  
Blogger PENolan said...

mac, I can see why it would be annoying to have your name stuck to somebody else.

Gail - I was noticing how pretty the colors of the landscape were even though there were trees with roots in the air. Connecticut is beautiful even when it's a mess.

V.V., Hitchhiker's Guide was the last book I ever read out loud to Velvet - in 8th grade. It's a family favorite. re: your ID - I'm not a bit surprised ;)

Intelli - I love the new school year too. This time of year always feels MUCH more like New Year to me than January. Rosh Hashana reinforces the timing since lots of folks in New York will be saying "Happy New Year!"
Hope you and intellikid have fun creating a family name

September 6, 2011 at 7:44 AM  
Blogger Cali said...

When I was divorced I kept the name. It was an easy decision for several reasons:

1. While it may be my ex-husband's name, more importantly, it is my son's name.

2. It's prettier than my maiden name.

3.It's alphabetically superior. Son's name starts with a C, maiden name starts with a P. Those twelve letters can mean waiting around for hours for D through O to get served/interviewed/arraigned, or whatever, before me and the other P through Zs. It also means bringing a salad or appetizer to a potluck rather than an entree or dessert, depending on where they decide to divide the groups. Not that I go to many (or any) potlucks anymore. OK, perhaps my logic is a little shaky on that one, but the other two are definitely valid!

September 7, 2011 at 7:15 PM  
Blogger Makropoulos said...

Sometimes I read your blog and forget for a minute that it's yours and not mine. Yes, 42 is the meaning of life, and I always carry a towel.

Congrats on 420! Love that ID picture, too! Have a great one!

September 8, 2011 at 2:29 AM  
Blogger PENolan said...

Cali - As soon as I took my husband's last name, people started calling me Pat. I've never felt comfortable with Pat, and the worst part is that with his last name, it sounded like I was an old lady playing mahjong in Miami. Frightening concept. It was good to have all our names matching when Velvet was in elementary and high school. And the reality is that I've been lazy about changing it. Since it began with an S and my own name begins with a P, I never had any advantages with Pot Lucks. I was always one of those bitches who brought a side dish from a restaurant.

Makropoulos, I'm often stunned by the similarities myself.

September 8, 2011 at 7:10 AM  
Blogger okjimm said...

I thought of changing my name, too.... but Gadzookus Albert Schweinstein was already taken. I'm gonna work on it

September 8, 2011 at 9:58 AM  
Blogger Life As I Know It Now said...

I am so depressed about what Obama is doing and not doing that I have totally become disconnected from the political process. Me! The gal who was always all things political for all of my life.

I agree with your quote: There's a fundamental correlation between rich fucks destroying the planet and keeping all the money for themselves and No Jobs, but in the Corporate Fascists State of America, that's heresy.

September 8, 2011 at 11:23 AM  
Blogger PENolan said...

Liberality, I've missed you.
I can barely stand to do more than glance at the headlines these days.
*Sigh*

okijimm - that is a crying shame. You'd be an excellent Gadzookus

September 8, 2011 at 9:39 PM  
Blogger Cali said...

@okjimm-- You could Americanize that last name for individuality's sake. I guarantee not another person on this earth is called "Gadzookus Albert Pigmug."

September 14, 2011 at 4:00 PM  

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