Subject: RE: A New Year's poem

From: "Atilla D. Hen" <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2006 09:35:54 -0700

How wonderful to hear from you!!! And I loved the poem. My best friend here 
uses a CPAP, can't live without it, tho her husband says its not unlike 
sleeping with an alien elephant.

I am very well. I made a decision last year, that if I was asked to commit 
my time to anything, if it wasn't art, music or friends, I just said "no". 
Needless to say, it has been a great year. The A Cappella group I sing in 
cut their first CD this year, and it is doing well. here's the site if 
you're interested: http://www.montanaacappella.org.  Last year we performed 
at the Dickens Faire at the SF Cow Palace, and I got to see my brother while 
we were there.

I'm attaching my latest painting. This was the most fun I've had since I can 
remember. I did a lot of things differently. One, I clocked my time, since 
as soon as I dip brush to paint, I lose all rack of time, to my own 
detriment. Things I think took 10 hours, really took 20. This one was 126 
hours. Second, I wanted my 'phone off the hook' so to speak. I love how when 
I've been on a really long, interesting phone call, and when I hang up, 
discover I've drawn the most fascinating things while we were talking. I 
wanted that sort of experience, so I committed to pray the entire time I was 
painting this one. Y'no....public brain busy....private brain come out to 
play now. The canvas is 30" x 40" my largets, and gallery wrap so the 
painting runs right around the edges on all 4 sides. I'm having prints made 
as we speak. I plan to do at least three like this, starting with some line 
in a pslam significant to me. I hung on to this one for a decade, usually 
muttering "You better not be shitting me"  after I said it. He wasn't.

I'm tickled to death you're going to the Unitarians. If you think its 
appropriate, tell them they were the very first church I ever went to. I was 
maybe 12, and of course, forbidden to attend any church, as my parent were 
sure they would suck my bain out of my cranial cavaity while I was still 
using it, and God's last name afterall, was Dammit. So I sneaked off Sunday 
mornings, ran to Wilbur Jr High, got church clothes from my locker, ran to 
the Unitarian church, changed in their bathroom, went to church, and 
reversed the whole proceedure, arriving home in my play clothes, no one the 
wise. Except me ;-)  We studied Khalil Gibran, the Bible, philosophy, 
theology, you name it. I was a rapid fire question machine, and thy were 
wonderful to me. Thjis all went on for about a year, until I got caught, and 
my parents forbade me to ever go again. I was devastated. But it didn't 
matter, the seeds were sown. Now, it's still my favorite subject, I still 
read constantly and love to explore it more than any other subject I know. 
Not to mention ut appears I've raised and first rate seminarian. So, in 
effectTWO generations of seekers were born in that church. Danika is going 
for her masters in Divinity, and right now is trying to scrape up the money 
to take herself to India where she's interested in working with the temple 
prostitutes. Strange child. Anyway, if it feels right to you, it would 
please me greatly that the Unitarian church (I assume its the one on 
Charleston) knew how much I appreciate their kindness and willingness to 
accommodate my particular thirst at that young age. It was so good to hear 
from you, I hope you don't wait another year to let me know about your life. 
Gotta run, paint's drying.

Age doesn't always bring wisdom.
Sometimes age comes alone.
--Chris Wise--

>From: "David C. Harris" <[email-masked]>
>To: "Attila D. Hen" <[email-masked]>
>Subject: A New Year's poem Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2006 09:55:56 -0800
>
>Dear Chris,
>
>A friend sent me this poem, and I liked it.  I also thought you might like 
>it, 'cause it appeals to intelligence, spirituality, and wisdom --- 
>features that remind me of you.
>
>And while I'm at it, let me wish you a happy new year.  Heck, many happy 
>new years!
>
>I'm feeling a lot better myself.  A friend noticed that I snored severely, 
>and that I sometimes stopped breathing.  Valley Medical Center, which has 
>been giving me highly discounted medical care, had me sleep over two nights 
>while they studied my brain and breathing, and they detected severe sleep 
>apnea.  My percent oxygen saturation got down to 77%, which would feel 
>awful if I were awake.  The apnea would explain a lot of things from my 
>messed up memory to rare atrial fibrillation that was not otherwise 
>explained.  I was virtually tortured by lack of REM sleep.  So they GAVE me 
>a Constant Pressure Airway Passage (CPAP) machine, a little box that puts 
>enough pressure of air into my nose so that my throat can't relax closed 
>when I'm deeply asleep.  Shazaam!  I breathe enough to fall deeply asleep!  
>I feel so much more rested. I have LONG dreams. I no longer feel 
>desperately sleepy during the days. And I seem to consolidate memories 
>better.  I definitely do more things in a period of time during the days.
>
>Oh, and I'm about to join the Unitarian church on Charleston Avenue in Palo 
>Alto.  And I continue to do all the computer work at DarwinDay.org, the 
>Darwin Day home web site.
>
>I hope your wonderful artistic skills continue to bring you satisfaction 
>and reward.
>
>And if there is anything you'd like to tell me, I'd be happy to hear from 
>you.
>
>With fond wishes,
>
>   - David
>
>
>"KNOW  THYSELF"
>
>    Astrology, Theology,
>    Ancestors of Psychology -
>    That new kid on the psychic block,
>    To whom the modern sinners flock.
>
>    Where once the gods above the skies
>    Dispensed forgiveness for our lies,
>    We now seek solace from a 'Shrink',
>    Suppress our guilt with pot and drink.
>
>    But Ancient Greeks - all mighty smart
>    Forshadowed Freud, Voltaire, Descartes,
>    At Delphi's Shrine where Truth was sought
>    Found - "Know Thyself" - man's wisest thought.
>
>    But what is 'Self', that 'silver thread' ?
>    Unseen within confining head,
>    Not entity - just fleeting scans,
>    Of games and pains and hopeful plans.
>
>    A mortal biologic fire
>    Predestined only to expire.
>    But twixt the spark and final ash
>    What fun we had throughout that dash.
>
>
>
>
>
>--
>  David Harris, Palo Alto, California.
>                GPS location: 37.41988, -122.13388 (1984 WGS system).
>  NOTE!: NEW active account: [email-masked]
>         Active account WAS: [email-masked]
>  Phone: 1-650-856-9126 (has answering machine or me)
>  Lifetime e-mail forwarding account: [email-masked]
>  Postal ("snail mail") address: David Harris
>                                 Medintrans
>                                 455 Margarita Ave.
>                                 Palo Alto, CA  94306-2827

_________________________________________________________________
>From photos to predictions, The MSN Entertainment Guide to Golden Globes has 
it all. http://tv.msn.com/tv/globes2007/