Los Angles. Griffith Observatory. Zippy the Pin Head (by Bill Griffith, of course). These things are currently on my mind as I watch the Downton Abby four season retrospective - there is an exibhit at the Palace of the Legion of Honor with artifacts from Houghton Hall (where Dowton Abby is filmed), and I felt that I should know more about the show before going to the Museum. However, back to Zippy - as far as I know, the origin of the oft repeated phrase "Are we having fun, yet?", which eventually made it into a rather popular Nickleback song (How you remind me). I loved Griffith's Zippy character, his non sequiturs were inspiring and his blithe disregard for consequences (or even understanding that consequences might be forthcoming) so reminds me of how I often try to live (although never with the aplomb or inspiring success that Zippy could pull off). As I have aged, I have become slightly more aware of consequences, but luckily most consequences (if you're not too far afield) are people being unhappy with you, and that is mostly manageable. Although creating a relationship with my last girlfriend has lost me a couple of close friends, and I am unhappy with that outcome - although, perhaps, that will one day again be repaired. One of those many "time will tell" possibilities.
But watching Downton Abby and texting with friends has got me thinking about travel - places to go, things to see! I really want to go to India, both for the Holi festival and, almost more spectacularly, for Elephant Polo (http://www.elephantpolo.com/)! Oh to watch the elephants run and jump, or at least run! And their mallets have such amazingly long handles. There is Elephant Polo in Thailand - maybe I could do a massage internship in Thailand during Elephant Polo season (which is in August). Although that is summer in a very warm part of the world - hmm, but it would be so fun to watch (and photograph). Well, time will tell, I am sure. I am a mere two months into my massage training - I have 10 more months of basic training, then I'm hoping to take a couple months off to visit people, and then five more months for the advanced neuro-muscular program (if I can manage to keep doing this). Then a year or two of working, and then maybe Thailand - so I'm thinking 2018 at the earliest. Ah, plans, so unlike what actually unfolds as we live our lives. And where else is on that list? Morocco, for Marrakesh and Casablanca; Nepal for  Kathmandu to maybe improve my meditation techniques; Norway for scenery and relatives; Turkey for Istanbul; Australia for Perth and visiting Amanda (if she's still there); New Zealand for skiing (if they start getting snow again on South Island). so many places, I sure would like to be traveling a bit more. OK, this appears to be of adequate link: time for publication!