It seems like it was another world

[zyzyly]

I'm sitting in a nondescript hotel room in downtown Los Angeles, looking out the window and drinking nondescript hotel coffee. It is a step or two down from yesterday, to be sure. I have thought about bringing my espresso maker with me on these trips, but it seems to go against my efforts to simplify things.

I am heading to the cathedral (Our Lady of Angels) soon to attend mass. There are a lot of people who don't like the cathedral (cost too much, ugly, etc.), but I find it to be a very spiritual place. I think I posted some pictures of the interior when we came down here last august.

I endured another round of traffic yesterday to return to LA. But again, it was well worth it. I met my friend J, who lives right in the middle of LA. She is a professional photographer, and she took me to her favorite photography store to shop for lenses. I bought a 70-200 and a 100mm macro (which was out of stock, but they will send it to me). After that we went to Santa a Monica and had dinner and took a bunch of pictures. It was like photography school. She showed me all sorts of things to do with my camera, and I listened attentively. She is really cool. It was an excellent day!

Right about here is where I would post some of the pictures I took if I hadn't left my cable in Temecula. I can tell you this--they are different from the pictures I usually take. Not a flower in the bunch.

When I got back to the hotel last night, I checked my email and there was a comment from someone who had read one of my journal entries from almost three years ago. As I read the original post, it sounded like it was written by someone else. Maybe it was. As I fell asleep, I thought about the person I was and the person I am. So different, and yet so much the same.

Comments

[pasticcio.livejournal.com]

It's an odd sensation isn't it?
To look in the mirror and see something vaguely familiar, but not completely recognize the face staring back at you ...

[myasma.livejournal.com]

It is. I guess we all go through that periodically. I never kept a journal before, so it is a new thing for me to be able to go back and read what I was thinking three years ago.

[vereorc.livejournal.com]

Oh, and here I thought you weren't using an SLR. Camera talk -- my ears are perking up! I'm going to be very jealous soon of your 100mm macro -- it's been on my wish list for a very long time now.

[myasma.livejournal.com]

I don't always use an SLR--my favorite camera is still my Canon G3, but the big camera is gaining ground now that I am learning what I can do with it.

I can't wait to see what I can do with the macro lens.

Do the bases over there still have big camera stores? When I was in Germany, our base had a huge camera and stereo shop, and everything was much cheaper than in the states. That is where I bought my first camera--a pentax mx.

[vereorc.livejournal.com]

I'm drooling over both your lenses, actually, but since I have a very good 75-300, I don't think I'm allowed to drool too much over your telephoto. :-P I can't wait to see what turns out from your new purchases!

None of the bases anywhere have camera stores, as far as I know. There are Post Exchanges though, which offer various electronic goods. Nothing beats amazon.com for prices nowadays though.

Anyway, I'm sure you will, but I'll say it anyway: Have fun! :-)

[jackiejj.livejournal.com]

I wish you much peace and joy on your journey.

And I can't wait to see your photographs.

[myasma.livejournal.com]

thank you. I am looking forward to seeing what kind of pictures present themselves to me.

[jscottharris.livejournal.com]

I am really looking forward to your journey journal. I hope it will be a good trip for you; I am sure it will be.

[myasma.livejournal.com]

I hope it is. I think I am going to start posting in the travel journal.
As I am writing this, I am at my mom's house. She asks who I am writing to, and says, "whoever it is, say hello".

So, hello from my mom.

[vaysha.livejournal.com]

:)

I'm not sure if it's this way for you but when I am travelling on my own there is a certain quiet unlike any other in my life. It's like everything else shifts to make room for the self all my thoughts, feelings, what I need/want, all the losses and things I grieve or am joyful over crowd together to be heard and attended. It's a lonely sort of feeling but I also feel like I'm running into an old friend who has a lot to say and it feels good to catch up.


I feel so glad you will be keeping in touch with us through your trip.
May you be well, safe and know some peace and happiness, friend.
Much love
V

[myasma.livejournal.com]

It is, and I think that is part of why I get uncomfortable--I'm not used to being alone with myself without distraction. I think that is one of the lessons I must learn on this journey--to be at home and at ease with myself.

I tried your phone number the other day, but you weren't home. I will try again soon. Just to say hi.

[vaysha.livejournal.com]

that would be very nice.
:)
I'm sorry we missed you.

[myasma.livejournal.com]

I realized that my first reply to your comment refereced a part of the original post that I ended up taking out before I posted it--about how difficult it was for me to be sitting in that room by myself because there was nothing to distract me from me. I felt particularly lonely, I think, because I had been around people so much the past few days.

It made me think about this whole journey, about how much I need to learn to be comfortable with just me as company.

[vaysha.livejournal.com]

When we moved from the city to the country It took a whole year for me to work through that feeling- In the country there is no stimuli really- here in towns and cities the sensory input is just staggering. I hope you will be able to spend some time in nature during your trip. It is where I most often meet what I feel to be God and there is a pace and speed among trees and creeks and alongside the mountain or screaming into a storm along the pacific ocean that simply speaks to our spirits and heals us.

[tiwonge.livejournal.com]

I went to the cathedral once, too. I really liked it, especially the Communion of Saints tapestries lining the worship area. (What's the word for that part of a church?)

[myasma.livejournal.com]

The nave, I think. I should know that, I guess.

Yes it is the tapestries that draw me. It makes the idea of praying with the communion of saints more real. At mass today, I sat below Thomas and Francis, my two favorite saints.

[hot-robot-sex.livejournal.com]

i was apartment hunting near freestyle yesterday. its a very popular photography store in LA. I just moved out here... we could of driven past eachother and not of even known it.

[myasma.livejournal.com]

We were at Samy's Camera, which is the biggest camera store I have ever seen--4 floors of stuff to dream about. You'll have to check it out.

I sometimes get the sense that I am near other LJ people, but that we don't recognize each other. One day I expect someone to come up and say hi or something.