Today is January 439

Maybe I’m being a bit dramatic, but this month is just forever long. It’s still dark and it’s still cold, ALL. THE. TIME.

And it’s doing its number on me.

I had a bit of a breakdown earlier in the week with tears and ugly crying as a result of a podcast (amongst other recent soul work), jotted some things down and called my sponsor. I feel a lot better today, less anxious and more grounded.

I had enough clarity after all of that to finish getting the business registration paperwork filed. I have articles of incorporation and an EIN and I feel like I just summited one of many mountains on this next business journey. There’s been part of my brain that couldn’t fathom doing this work until I knew my dad’s situation was a little more solid (I’m STILL waiting on Medicaid to kick in here, 4 months and 3 attempts at applying later), it’s no wonder I’m adverse to any government agency/process. It’s all just so many broken systems one after the other. Perhaps the focus on my own thing was just what has been needed to ease my anxiety about the other thing. Let’s hope that proves to be the case.

I thought I’d have more profound things to say, but as the hard week unfolded news-wise my thoughts diminished. I’m just so sad that we are so sick a country that we STILL glorify guns and police abuse of power over actual human lives.

I’m powerless over these systems that are working exactly how they were designed. The part I can do is offer comfort and support to those who are suffering. I can keep being a voice of reason and hope. I can look around my tiny community and see more in common rather than other. And with that, I heal and hopefully that healing feeds into those whose lives intersect with ours.

Sunsets after 5pm also give me hope

Salton Sea and Outdoor Art

“The only other thing is nothing.”

In-between our hiking days we spent one full day exploring around the Salton Sea. My artsy Denver friend Emily also cued me in that Salvation Mountain and East Jesus were in the area and a definite must see. This was Natalie’s favorite day, maybe of the whole trip so far!

Salton Sea derives its fame as the biggest environmental disaster in California history, its remnants have been transformed into an artist’s community – we stopped at Bombay Beach and walked around taking it all in. There is nothing to do on or in the water, it’s too salty for life to thrive there. Yet some super creative folks are transforming areas around here into giant art installations. We’ll let the photos do the talking here:

That’s right, I’m fancy
Loved that we could interact with the pieces
In a backyard, as you do…
Definitely a vibe
Found his seat at the drive-in!

Just a 20 minute drive from Bombay Beach was Salvation Mountain. Leonard Knight really loved God and spent the last 30 years of his life living on the margins in the desert and painting his monument for all to see.

To read more go here: http://www.salvationmountain.us

So colorful and loving
An interior grotto. Made with straw, Adobe, and paint

Then another 10 minute drive and we arrived at East Jesus. An ongoing experimental art installation made from repurposed garbage.

To read more: http://eastjesus.org

Entry to East Jesus

All of it was very imaginative and interesting. We all wandered off in our own directions letting the art lead the way. I was particularly moved by the Black Lives Matter display and the TV installation. Such a strong visual reaction to such powerful current events. Slab City (what this area is known as), left a deep impression on us. And speaks to the boundless imaginations of people society has deemed as broken and rubbish, they are far from that and we could all learn something from allowing ourselves to step into their world once in awhile.