Went to see Dr. Quang, the vietnamese herbalist (his autobiography was recently published) in North Bennington today, for the last time for a few months. He turned me around but good with his wonderful herbs - they smelled heavenly. And I feel good enough to go to New Mexico for a few months. I'm still looking for a place in Silver City, if you know of anything.



The reason I'm going to Silver City NM is because of a dream I had about the place. I went through there ages ago, in the early 60s in a summer camp, and it made a small impression on me. I remember most the catwalk, a hanging catwalk above a mountain stream that seemed reaaaallly cool to me then. I again passed through in my first big road trip, 1972. then forgot about it till a dream a few months ago. Now it seems like I ought to go there. que sera sera.



The closing of all the libraries in Buffalo NY and Salinas Ca has me much disturbed. The "Twin Towers" of debt and trade imbalance threaten this country and its well-being and security a lot more than most terrorists. Library closings, are, I'm afraid, only the beginning. People simply don't seem to see it (ie we're broke) - or don't want to, which is understandable, seeing how we, as a nation, have had it so sweet for so long. I think maybe our good karma has run out, and there are bills to be paid now. My main concern -seeing as how there's very little any of us can do about this situation (except fight to end the war on drugs, a financial disaster, which we can afford less and less) - is my own mood. I get awfully frightened and depressed about it all, and I know that's no good for anyone. Someone I know said that our work is to raise people's spirits. That's a fine goal, maybe the most important one, at least regarding our human interactions. Other interactions, I don't know much about, but I have my suspicions.