On The Road

I'm reading 'On the Road' by Jack Kerouac, the original scroll version which was published a few years ago in book form finally, where real names are used and the manuscript is not yet edited.  I read the edited version many years ago in high school and it's totally butchered by editors, lawyers etc compared to the scroll.  I feel sorry Jack Kerouac had to go through such a lengthy process with publishers to get his book in print - it was years after he wrote the legendary 3 week scroll.  In retrospect he surely could have taken his sweet time writing if he wanted, he was trying to hurry - but that's publishers for you, dissecting, taking out originality -...and I'm finding this out for myself but I won't let them wreck my book.  On the Road has helped my writing - my second book.  His work is really beautiful - the imagery, the flow, honesty, and humor, style. What he sees reminds me of what Shakespeare or Mark Twain could see - the higher soul of life, the lightness of being when we shake off our perceptions of what we are and just live for the moment with purity and love.  I can't describe the humor, you have to read it.

I'm wondering what the movie will be like - I've seen trailers and the first impression is it's beautiful, with scenery and colors.  This is becoming important to me in movies if they are in color - why not make the most of it?  The actors seem to be right on - Kristen, Kirsten, Viggo of course - he's without equal imo...I'm counting the days until Idaho!

Grief is phases I'm finding.  It constantly changes, morphs, and surfaces at times unexpected...brought on by a scent, a memory, a scene, a song.  It's been over 9 weeks since my sister died.  Some city noises are almost intolerable at times.  I need to get away, so I'm really happy about Idaho, and happy to bring along a lady companion who has been grieving too.  The beach today helped me.

Speaking of on the road, here's a house in the background photo which was actually moved to the rural location by truck trailer on the highway.  I've been there for a party.  The owner is rather eccentric, he's not the hippie friend I mentioned in the last blog but...it was worth moving the house, it stayed together well and very antiquey actually.  It's across the road from the flower place I went to again a couple of weeks ago for more plants and the cell phone camera didn't capture it exactly.  Bye now!