Ruthie On The Road, New England III

When I arrived in Brattleboro, Vermont yesterday, I took a bus to what I was told is a homeless outreach center.

But the people there never reached out a kind hand to me!

In fact, after going through a ridiculous negotiation, I finally got my laundry done and nothing more.

Then I was told that the local shelter was full.

And awhile later, I was handed a stupid ultimatum, either accept their offer to come up here to New Hampshire...or head out on the road, alone.

I was tired [and still am] and I am now in Claremont, New Hampshire.

After I was dropped-off at the shelter, I walked in looked at the surroundings. And a long, steep staircase stared right back at me.

Ruthie On The Road, New England II

A young, Puerto Rican man stepped out of the shadows and offered to keep me company overnight. I rolled my eyes and was just about to chew him out when he put up his hands and smiled.

Eventually, he got his friend to keep an eye on me, and then he walked down to the local Dunkin' Donuts and bought us donuts and hot coffee.

After midnight, the wind turned cold and I sure appreciated his treat!

The next morning, he bought me breakfast at the Mickey D's in the bus station and then gave me $25.00 in cash.

Then he waved goodbye as my bus pulled out and headed to Brattleboro, Vermont.

Ruthie On The Road, New England I

I am in Claremont, New Hampshire. And it has turned-out to be an awful experience.

Rather than update you on my initial trip across the Country, I am going to start with what's going on now and work my way back.

I am going to have to walk out of here tonight. And I will.

This town represents a general lack of motivation that I don't subscribe to. And while the so-called provider-system has let me down, they won't stop me.

I got a bus ticket from some kind folks in Wilkes-Barre, [south of Scranton] Pennsylvania. I originally planned to hitchhike into New England, but I was advised to take a bus across New York to Brattleboro, Vermont.

My intention was to spend the summer somewhere in New England.

I won't be able to do that.

When I reached Springfield, Massachusetts, I got off the bus. I decided to stay at the shelter there [I was informed by a fellow passenger that it exists] and then reach Brattleboro, Vermont the following day.

But when I walked down to the shelter, I changed my mind. What wasn't dirty in the shelter was nasty and that included the mind of every guy there.

After gazing at the mess, I was not surprised to hear that they didn't serve food there.

Instead, the motley crew there pointed to a soup kitchen up the street.

I ate a mock-rib sandwich that was formed from a mysterious substance that I never did identify.

Then, I walked into the nearby police station, used the restroom and chatted with the cops that were on break at the time.

They said that they didn't blame me for not wanting to stay at the shelter which, by that time, I had dubbed the "crap camp."

So, I took what was left of my ticket and returned to the bus station.

The station closed at 9:30pm and I settled on a nearby bench for a long night of waiting for the station to re-open again.

Twenty-minutes later, after everything got quiet, an angel appeared.

Ruthie On The Road, Update

Hello, Campers! I'm back on the road!!! And that's why you haven't heard from me for so long.

I left the abandoned church building in Nyssa, Oregon [where I stayed all winter] and spent a week relaxing in a motel in nearby Ontario, Oregon.

Then, last Tuesday, I hit the road.

I only have a limited time today to tell you about everything.

I hitchhiked from Ontario through Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and on to Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and I am now in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.

Yes, I sat in the rain in the middle of the night and shivered for hours. I was granted a motel room. I got several rides from long-haul truckers. And I also watched one driver get taken away in handcuffs, due to warrants, a suspended license and a bad temper.

The typical roadie experiences. Ha!

I promise to fill you all in on the details when I get to Vermont.

Google Gone Neon

"Looking through the bent [glass] tulips..."
--From the song "Glass Onion"
written/composed by John Lennon and Paul McCartney

I think it looks better this way.

When I opened Google's main page today, I looked at their white logo and winced.

"Now that's just wrong!" I yelled at the monitor screen.

And then I remembered the post that I made about my black blog recently. And I decided to do a little creative investigation of what I refer to as [today's] Google Ghost logo.

So, I grabbed the image, hit negative and inverted the colors. Then I looked at it and burst out laughing.

If you read my "Secret Shade Of Satisfaction" post then perhaps you'll understand why. What first appeared to be Google's worst design nightmare [to those of us who still keep a blog in reverse colors] turned out to be a very clever idea. And I have to believe that the artist designed it that way on purpose.

A secret shade, that brought me much satisfaction, was revealed...but only when I turned the design around.

Now I have an awesome Google logo that will blend in perfectly on my black blog!

Maybe that's how you know that you're living right:

If at the end of the day, when you turn out the lights, you still see something beautiful.

Barack's Small Talk

I've mentioned Senator Barack Obama's battle, with his own fragile ego, in the past. Unfortunately, I saw it again today during his press conference.

And that's not all that I saw.

Senator Obama stood in front of the cameras, stammered and verbally tried to divorce himself from his nemesis, Jeremiah Wright.

But I remember when Senator Obama referred to Mr. Wright as an "old uncle."

And as Senator Obama spoke, I noticed that he focused his concern on himself first, his campaign second and the citizens of the United States of America, last. Several times.

I saw Senator Obama grow small in my eyes. And when he ran out of words to defend himself, I watched Senator Obama practically run off the stage. At that closing moment, Senator Barack Obama looked, in front of the entire world, like a kid who just blew his pitch on a high school debate team.

Senator Barack Obama has failed. That's the real bottom line here. To quote a song, "His words were cold and flat, and we deserve more than that."

Senator Obama got that universally-recognized "Bambi found a bomb" look in his eyes as he desperately tried to think of the correct thing to say. But it became obvious, as he fumbled for words, that he doesn't care half as much about how his alliance with Jeremiah Wright has affected the American people. Oh no, he is really worried about how the exposure of his imitation image will affect his nomination for President.

On March 15, I sent an email to the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago. And in that email, I included the "Hieremias Of Hate" post from my blog.

I waited for a response. I have never received one.

But I knew that God would respond. And He did, today. I felt God's presence, as He leaned across the podium and whispered into Senator Obama's ear, "Barack...when are you going to do the right thing?"

The Secret Shade Of Satisfaction

It's so easy to get wrapped-up in an issue and allow it to take center stage in your life, isn't it?

Will you be able to make your mortgage or rent payment this month? Should you grab your car insurance back from that little gecko and put it in better hands? Are you going to put less food in your body and more gas in your car? Or just cut back on both? Will you recycle your trash, cream another wrinkle off of your face, flip-off the Status quo and cast a big blue vote? Or will you turn on a mellow song, crack open a brew and just watch the sun slide through the Springtime clouds?

A guy wrote to me and pointed out that the color black is the wrong choice for my blog. He asked me to change it. I wrote back and suggested that he change his attitude. Because it isn't worth worrying about. I'm just BAD on my blackboard. *Laugh*

Today's "civilized" society is concerned about everything from whitening teeth to removing the rust ring in the toilet bowl.

What ever happened to just being happy because you're alive?

If you aren't picking up the pieces after a tornado, bailing out after a flood or running from a wildfire then consider yourself lucky. And if you get one smile from a loved one today and don't bury a friend, then remember that you're blessed.

And pass the miracle on.

Yeah, there's a priceless magic in being thankful for your own fortunate state of being.

Now go out and truly enjoy your day.