Promises

On rotation

Louisiana Sunday Afternoon - Diane Schuur

Some singers will take an old standard, like Franne Golde & Peter Iver's song of desire and loving set in the bayou, and make their version the definitive standard.

Diane schuur OWNS this song.

Her five octave wails and growls sends chills thru my gut every time I hear it, her phrasing putting into my mind the shadows, moss, heat and mist in the bayou.

And Ive never been there.

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My father was a cop for over 20 years. When he retired, the only thing he kept as a daily reminder of his JCF days was his heavy silver uniform belt buckle, wearing it with thick leather belts.

And his ex-con friends.

Like many things, i didnt understand about my fathers viewpoint until i got older, and I was horrified that he would consort with people he'd actually put in jail.

i thought my father had lost his everloving mind.

My father even trusted them to watch over me when he wasnt around, for which they actually did an exemplary job.

Now, having come to California, ive met a lot of people whove done time, and ive come to now appreciate, if not wholly understand, my pop's point of view.

Many older ex-cons, with the stupidity of youth driven out of them, have a quality that is probably shared with veterans who've been in war: An appreciation for what they want out of life and the determination never to waste the opportunities they receive.

This, as my father did, is a quality i appreciate and try to live.


For I made some promises to myself: Use money for a purpose, not simply to spend it when I can. Make things happen. Get out and about without being forced.

That last one, Ive failed miserably this past week. Only this afternoon did i leave the house since wenesday.

I gots to do better.

Next week's horrorscope concurs:

No matter how much of a homebody you might be, you must not limit your movements this week. In fact, you should aim to be on the move every day.

The more you get out and meet new people, the more likely it is you will learn something to your benefit. Fate will be kind if it can see you are making an effort.

Yeah, cuz I promised myself.
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I did set out this afternoon.

Partly to get a good meal, partly to restock supplies, but mostly to get my ass out the door.

Nice day, in the San Francisco idiom. Sunny, little fog, relatively clear, no wind and temps in the mid sixties.

The sun is bright as usual but high clouds and the waning of the fall/winter sun produced wispy shadows everywhere. So, after my meal i took a random bus (the #37 Corbett) and took the scenic route through the Cole and Noe Valley neighborhoods of million dollar properties perched over much of greater San Francisco.

(A San Francisco pronunciation guide; 'Noe' is not pronounced "No". It is pronounced "No-E", as in "Joey". Sorta like showing yourself as a non-NY native if you pronounce 'Houston Street' as you would the texas city, instead of 'How-ston' like a proper deranged New Yorker.)

The view alone lifted my spirits, making me glad I ventured outside.

This time on that ride, I realized something. I could see my house and realized how I could go straight home downhill by going down 14th street.

The more you stay in one place, you eventually 'anchor' yourself, and directions become meaningful. Up a street, down the block. Dont even have to think about.

Good to gain familiarity, dont want to lose the wonder.

Another promise to myself.