Haikus: August 2020

HAIKUS: August 2020

By Peter Y. Chou
WisdomPortal.com

These haikus were written as exercises in mindfulness—
an attempt to catch the fleeting moment in my daily walks,
while reading, listening to music, and pondering about life.
(Underlined words are not for emphasis but to web links.)
This web page best viewed with Times font size 14.

Saturday, August 1, 2020, 3:25 pm-4:30 pm
Mountain View: 3:36 pm Bus #40 to Valero Gas
Station news bins for "Daily Post" & "Daily News";
Shopped at Safeway (580 N. Rengstorff Ave);
4:30 pm Bus #40 to Montecito Ave & walk home

3 lbs Reser's Potato Salad 50% off + $1 off = $2.99;
32 oz Lucerne Strawberry Lowfat Yogurt = $2.18;
16.9 oz Teas' Tea Organic Green Tea ($1.99) Free. Saturday, August 1, 2020, 5:25 pm-11:20 pm
Mountain View: Despite what Tammy told me at
VTA, my Clipper Card expired; However Bus #40
Driver let me ride free; Saved an hour walk today

Couldn't register for Cavada's class LINC-66E
(21769) "Cloud-Based Publishing Tools" (1 unit)
11/2-12/11, since I'm not a Foothill student; Need to
open acc't with CCC (California Community Colleges).

Sunday, August 2, 2020, 12:09-3:22 am
Mountain View: Couldn't find Exhibition Catalogue of
"Albrecht Dürer: Complete Engravings & Woodcuts"
(1972) among my books, at MFA, Amazon, Abe Books,
to write about Dürer's "Melencolia I" in Ch. 11: Compass

Didn't realize I was up so late working
on 36 items in "69 in Mathematics"
on Number 69 project. Sunday, August 2, 2020, 12:09-3:22 am
Mountain View: Learned something new on number 69:
The 5th strobogrammatic number, whose numeral is rotationally symmetric, so that it appears the same when rotated 180 degrees— 0, 1, 8, 11, 69, 88, 96, 101, 111

69 is the only number whose square 69² (4761)
and cube 69³ (328509 use
all digits from 0-9, once each.

Sunday, August 2, 2020, 3-8:30 pm; 10 pm-2:40 am
Mountain View: Have too much to write about
Albrecht Dürer's "Melencolia I" in Ch. 11: Compass

No "Daily Post" printed on Sunday;
No need for grocery shopping;
Stay home on Number 69 project. Sunday, August 2, 2020, 3-8:30 pm; 10 pm-2:40 am
Mountain View: Number 69 project—
Work on "69 in Science & Technology"

19 items (#37-55) for "Technology" with
#69 photos for plane, submarines, tank,
locomotives, fire engine, and race car.

Monday, August 3, 2020, 3:10-3:50 pm
Mountain View: Walk to Valero Gas Station
at Middlefield Road to pick up 8/3 "Daily Post";
3:40 pm Red Bus to Montecito Ave & walk home

Rick Edwards deactivated all VTA Clipper Cards;
Since I'm registered for Fall Semester at
Foothill College, he'll mail me a new card. Monday, August 3, 2020, 4:22-10:30 pm
Mountain View: Number 69 project—
Work on "69 in Myth and History" &
"69 in Accomplishments At Age 69"

69 BC: Cherries from Black Sea kingdom
of Pontus sent back by Lucius Lucullus
introduce a new fruit tree to Europe.

Tuesday, August 4, 2020, 12:15-5:06 am
Mountain View: After dinner, worked on Number 69 project— #61: "69 in Accomplishments At Age 69"

Three ancient Greek playwrights—
Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, wrote at 69,
as well as Copernicus's De revolutionibus orbium. Tuesday, August 4, 2020, 4:12-10:30 pm
Mountain View: Found 6 portraits of Copernicus
in the wisdom mudra pose (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) & Einstein.

This is a favorite Buddha pose, it shows
Copernicus to be a meditatve person,
as shown in the preface of his book.

Tuesday, August 4, 2020, 4:12-10:30 pm
Mountain View: U.S. 1488 stamp (issued 4-23-1973)
honors 500th birthday of Nicholas Copernicus

Found 4 of 5 portraits of Copernicus from
my 1980 Einstein & Wisdom Mudra book
to write poem on "Copernicus & Wisdom Mudra". Tuesday, August 4, 2020, 4:12-10:30 pm
Mountain View: Continue work on Number 69—
#61: "69 in Accomplishments At Age 69"

Jeremy Baker's Tolstoy's Bicycle
(pp. 447-451) has a dozen people
to add on to my list "At Age 69".

Wednesday, August 5, 2020, 12:00-3:03 am
Mountain View: After dinner worked on Number 69—
#61: "69 in Accomplishments At Age 69"

Ronald Reagan oldest U.S. President elected;
Buckminster Fuller patents Aspension (Suspension);
Sarah Bernhardt's leg amputated & still performs. Wednesday, August 5, 2020, 3:41 pm
Mountain View: Emailed Cathy's
69th Birthday page and Number 69

Since all libraries closed since March,
may not collect as many "69" quotes
as for On Number 68.

Wednesday, August 5, 2020, 5:30-5:41 pm
Mountain View: Karen picks me up at 5:30 pm
to shop at Safeway (580 N. Rengstorff Ave)

Gallon of Value-Corner Nonfat Milk @ $2.98;
Took photo of Safeway Just-For-U coupon
so didn't pay their regular price of $3.66. Wednesday, August 5, 2020, 6:11-10:30 pm
Mountain View: Continue work on Number 69
#61: "69 in Accomplishments At Age 69"

Richard Wagner's Parsifal performed 1882;
Igor Stravinsky's The Rake's Progress premiered;
Czeslaw Milosz wins 1980 Literature Nobel Prize.

Thursday, August 6, 2020, 4:30-5:30 pm
Mountain View: Al Guzman picks me up at 4:30 pm
and drive to Kaiser Pharmacy (555 Castro Street)

Paid $62.33 for Humulin (3 vials @ $12),
Metformin ($9.00), Simvastatin ($9.00),
Glipizide ($8.33), Test Strips (Free). Thursday, August 6, 2020, 6:00 pm-12:20 am
Mountain View: Continue work on Number 69
#62-78: "69 in Geography"— 7 Highway Signs

69 Street-Fisk Ave Subway IRT;
East 69th Street Manhattan;
VAT-69 Building, Scotland.

Friday, August 7, 2020, 12:30-6:20 pm
Mountain View: Continue work on Number 69—
#83-89 "69 Music"— Classical Music: Bach, Haydn, Beethoven, Brahms, Elvis, two Rock Bands; Find nice
album covers & YouTube performance of their music

Bach's Cantata 69 with Van Gogh's painting;
Yo-Yo Ma plays Beethoven's Cello Sonata #3;
Elvis Presley sings "Can't Help Falling In Love";
Rock band The 69 Eyes sings "Dance D'Amour". Friday, August 7, 2020, 6:30-7:40 pm
Mountain View: Walk to Valero Gas Station
to pick up "Daily Post" & "Daily News"
and shop at Safeway (580 N. Rengstorff Ave);
No Buses running after 5:27 pm; Walked home

Florentine and Bacon & Cheese Quiches @ $4.27;
Blueberry Pudding Ring ($5) Special Friday
@ $2.50 plus $2 off on Bakery Reward = 50¢;
16.9 oz Teas' Tea Jasmine Green Tea ($1.25) Free.

Saturday, August 8, 2020, 5:00-10:20 pm
Mountain View: Continue work on Number 69—
#92-102 "69 Sports"— Baseball World Series & All-Star Game; Baseball & Sports Records (last night to 2:47 am); #103-111: Uniform Numbers #69 in basketball
& football; 69 in Horse Races, Tennis, Golf, Marathon (today's work)

Don't have to lug my heavy sports books
on the bus to Foothill College Krause Center
as I have the books home to type to my laptop. Saturday, August 8, 2020, 5:00-10:20 pm
Mountain View: Didn't walk to Valero Gas Station
to pick up "Daily Post" as some were available by
the mailbox; Still have not received VTA Clipper Card
from Rick Edwards to go to Sprouts for shopping.
Latest poem: "This Is the Sage" 32 lines,
6 syllables each)

Lao Tzu, Plotinus, and Wang Yang Ming
are my favorite sages, but decided to use
PB's image in poem since I knew him best.

Sunday, August 9, 2020, 3:24 pm-1:20 am
Mountain View: Cornell roommate Leonard Wan
emailed (10:30 am) today; Had not answered his 7/9 & 7/17 emails; He recalled song "Man of La Mancha" when reading my poem on "Ripple"; Emailed him 4:42 pm

Found "Story of Man of La Mancha" booklet
bought @ $1.50 when seeing this play in 1965.
"The Impossible Dream" is a favorite song. Sunday, August 9, 2020, 3:24 pm-1:20 am
Mountain View: Continue work on Number 69—
Finished Sports Section #92-111 yesterday (10:20 pm);
Reformatted misaligned Section #64 "At Age 69";
Start Collectibles Section #112-115 Coins & Medallions

1869-S Seated Liberty Half Dollars;
1969 Golden Spike Bronze Medal;
1869 Odd Fellows Occult Medal.

Monday, August 10, 2020, 4:00 pm-11:00 pm
Mountain View: Ann asked how Paul Brunton
chose his pen name; Her geologist Dad owned
USGS Brunton compass ($29.99 on sale at eBay);
In PB's Notebooks, Volume 12: The Religious Urge—

Paul Brunton originally chose the nom de plume of "Brunt-on Paul" to indicate his impersonal approach and his personal transformation reminiscent of Saul becoming Paul on the road to Damascus. Monday, August 10, 2020, 4:00 pm-11:00 pm
Mountain View: Georg Feuestein's "Paul Brunton: From Journalist to Gentle Sage" (1997)— In 1934, he selected Brunton Paul as his pen name, but typesetter accidentally changed it to Paul Brunton, and it stuck.

Annie Cahn Fung's Ph.D. Thesis (1992) "Paul Brunton: A Bridge Between India and the West"—
In "Occult Review" (July 1932) Raphael Hurst
wrote under the name Brunton Paul.

Tuesday, August 11, 2020, 4:22-4:55 pm
Mountain View: Cancelled yearly checkup appt
with Dr. Liteh Chang at Kaiser today (11:30 am)
since VTA Clipper Card has not arrived until
afternoon; Sprouts (630 San Antonio Road)

2 lbs Cuties ($3.50) @ $1.98 x 2 = $3.96;
2.07 lbs Roma Tomatoes @ 98¢/lb = $2.03;
18 oz bag Raw Wheat Germ = $2.79. Tuesday, August 11, 2020, 6:05-11:00 pm
Mountain View: Continue work on Number 69—
Finished Memorabilia Section #116-123 yesterday
(3:09 am); Start Section on Books & Quotes #124-132;
(Rick Edwards sent VTA Card to ride bus again!)

#125: Bollinger 69: St.-John Perse's Chronique
#137: Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, Verse 69;
#196: Stephen Mitchell's 69th poem "Vermeer".

Wednesday, August 12, 2020, 2:48-10:00 pm
Mountain View: Rescheduled yearly checkup appt
with Dr. Diego Chang at Kaiser on 8/13 (11:30 am)
since VTA Clipper Card has arrived yesterday
Karen invited me 8/13, 5:15 pm to see "Mandalorian"

Since this is a yearly checkup,
insisted on live personal visit
instead of phone appt or Zoom.
Will request washing ear wax out. Wednesday, August 12, 2020, 2:48-10:00 pm
Mountain View: Continue work on Number 69—
Finished Books & Quotes #124-132; yesterday
(11:02 pm); Start Sections on Bible #133-137
and Philosophy & Religion #138-150 today

"Picture of Change for World in Constant Motion"
[Hokusai: "Ejiri in Suruga Province"— 10th image
in his "Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji" (1830)]
(By Jason Farago, NY Times, 8-7-2020).

Thursday, August 13, 2020, 11:40 am-12:55 pm
Mountain View: Late for yearly checkup appt
with Dr. Diego Chang at Kaiser today (11:30 am)
Left apt @ 9:52 am; 10:10 am Bus #40 came 10:34 am;
10:51 am Bus #21 didn't stop despite waving to him;
Red Bus to Cal-Tran Station & 15-minutes walk
to Kaiser Permanente (555 Castro Street)

Dr. Diego Chang ordered blood and urine
tests ($10); No charge for doctor visit today;
Cleaned ear wax out; Got new OneTouch
Verio Flex meter, Lancets, Test strips, Free. Thursday, August 13, 2020, 2:18-5:00 pm
Mountain View: Bookmarked 2 articles yesterday—
"The time Olivia de Havilland returned to Los Gatos High School" (Oscar-winning actress returned to her alma mater in 1988 to celebrate school's centennial. At 72, Olivia spoke to 450 seniors; witnessed by more than 7,000 people.) (Sal Pizarro, Mercury News, 7-29-2020)

"Golden Girl: Olivia de Havilland" (Olivia & Joan Fontaine lived in old Saratoga house until the mid-1930s, but house is now empty and boarded up.)
(By Gary Singh, Metro, Aug. 5, 2020, p. 10)

Thursday, August 13, 2020, 5:35-6:15 pm
Palo Alto: Karen picks me up @ 5:15 pm & drives to her
apt at Oregon Ave to see "Star Wars: The Mandalorian"
created by Jon Favreau; starring Pedro Pascal as bounty
hunter. Movie was 40 minutes instead of 2 hours; Didn't
want to see other movies & told Karen to drive me home.

Karen takes me to Walgreens for specials
(1905 W. El Camino Real) to buy 2 jars
of 8 oz Maxwell Instant Coffee @ $3.99. Thursday, August 13, 2020, 7:00-10:30 pm
Mountain View: Continue work on Number 69—
Did Philosophy & Religion #138-150 yesterday
(10:00 pm); Type sayings of Desert Fathers
in The Philokalia #151-156; Koran #158;
Santideva's Bodhicaryavatara #159-160

Making progress composing "On Number 69"
since I have most of the books at home
to type from and it's 75% finished.

Friday, August 14, 2020, 1:25-5:45 pm
Palo Alto: Left apartment @ 1:25 pm; Red Bus to
El Camino Real; 2:04 pm Bus #522 to Cal-Train Depot;
Waited half-hour for Palm Express that stopped running;
Took Medical Center Bus to Stanford Hospital; Got off
at Bucky-Ball Statue: Walked to Oval and Memorial Church Quad @ 4:05 pm. All buildings were locked.

Took 21 photos of Stanford Bronze Plaques
for friends and relatives' birthdays— 1969, 1970,
1899, 1999, 1900, 2000, 2008, 2009, 2014, 2015. Friday, August 14, 2020, 7:12-10:30 pm
Mountain View: Really hot today 97^o; Didn't bring
water with me; When I got home, drank iced jasmine green tea & Sparkling Orange-Mango Water; Dr. Diego Chang emailed me that my blood & urine tests are normal except for high HbA1c 8.3 (11/12/2019: 7.6); Want my glucose readings I forgot to bring on 8/13 appointment.

Continue work on Number 69—
Format today's photo of Stanford Bronze
Plaque #69 for Class of 1969 in Item #81.

Saturday, August 15, 2020, 4:45-5:13 pm
Mountain View: Caught 4:07 pm Bus #40 with
Rudy as driver; Got off at San Antonio Road &
El Camino Real; Picked up today's "Daily Post"
at Chef Chu's news bins; CVS didn't have my
broken Lancing Device; Their new One Touch
Device costs $24.19 which I got at Kaiser Free;
Shopping at Safeway (645 San Antonio Road)—

Sig. Sel. Instant Oatmeal Mixed Fruit @ $2.00;
Instant Oatmeal Apple Cinnamon @ $2.00;
Honey Nut Cheerios 8 Bars ($4.99) Free. Saturday, August 15, 2020, 6:26-11:00 pm
Mountain View: "Daily Post" reports record-setting
100^o at Palo Alto Airport yesterday (4:47 pm);
No wonder it felt so hot when I was taking photos
at Stanford Memorial Quad; When getting off Bus #40
at 111 Rengstorff Ave (5:40 pm), noticed yellow ribbon
on Humongous Pepper Tree (June 12) to be chopped down; Wrote fantasy poem about this tree (3-18-2020).

Found 8 photos taken on March 18
(2:11-2:15 pm) on this humongous
Pepper Tree at 111 Rengstorff Ave.

Sunday, August 16, 2020, 2:00-3:14 am
Mountain View: Found three postcards of
"Noli Me Tangere" and wrote poem on this
subject of Jesus telling Mary Madeleine
"Don't touch me!" after his resurrection

Browse through Joseph Campbell's
Power of Myth book before finding
resurrection of gods & the Moon on page 179. Sunday, August 16, 2020, 2:15-6:30 pm
Mountain View: Woke up (6 am) by loudest thunderclaps heard in a long time; No downpours seen outside or lightning in sky; Went back to sleep; Reading
"Lightning strikes Bay Area" (Mercury News, 8-16-20)

Found "Noli Me Tangere" paintings
of Fra Angelico, Lochner, Schongauer,
and Correggio for poem written last night.

Sunday, August 16, 2020, 8:15-11:55 pm
Mountain View: After dinner, threw away two bags
of old newspapers, but couldn't find IRS 1040 forms
and California 540 forms & instrucion booklets

Received 1099-R forms from TIAA-CREF
and 2019 Tax Reporting Statement from
Fidelity to file my 2019 income tax late. Sunday, August 16, 2020, 8:15-11:55 pm
Mountain View: Searched all over for Elisabeth Haich's
Wisdom of the Tarot (1975), and found it under a pile of books in the living room; Read Haich's Initiation (1965)

Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot Deck (1943)
and Book of Thoth (1944) are better known,
but does he have more insight than Haich?

Monday, August 17, 2020, 3:28-4:25 pm
Mountain View: Phoned & emailed Santa Clara Libraries
on IRS 1040 & CA 540 forms with instrucion booklets;
Joel emails (4:53 pm) to consult Federal & State for info.

Took Bus #40 to Los Altos Library;
However librarian tells me they're
all out of federal & state tax forms. Monday, August 17, 2020, 4:40-5:42 pm
Mountain View: Sprouts (630 San Antonio Rd);
Safeway (645 San Antonio Rd); Can't find Reser's 16 oz
Salad Free; 6 pm Bus #40 to Central Xpwy, walk home

Sprouts: 18 oz Blueberries @ $3.98;
Safeway: Mott's Apple Sauce (6 ct) @ $1.99;
Turkey Hill Black Cherry Ice Cream @ $3.13.

Monday, August 17, 2020, 7:00 pm-2:00 am
Mountain View: Continue work on Number 69—
"69 in Books on Philosophy": Items #162-170

Item #170: Wei Wu Wei cites Ch'an Master
Tsung Kao (1089-1163) whom I didn't know
and his enlightened insights on "No-mind". Monday, August 17, 2020, 7:00 pm-2:00 am
Mountain View: Continue work on Number 69—
"69 in Books on Philosophy": Items #162-170

Item #167: Italian Renaissance spearheaded
by Ficino's translations of Plato— inspiring
to read his letter on his prayers to God.

Tuesday, August 18, 2020, 4:40-10:20 pm
Mountain View: "Death Valley Just Recorded the Hottest Temperature on Earth", (By Concepción de León
& John Schwartz, NY Times, 8-17-2020)

At 3:41 p.m. on Sunday, 8/16, temperature at Furnace Creek reached 130^oF, equivalent of 54^oC. Previous High (?): 56.7^oC (134.1^oF) on 7-10-1913. Tuesday, August 18, 2020, 4:40-10:20 pm
Mountain View: Put on Hold 12 books at Los Altos Library for Number 69 project— 100 Love Sonnets;
Complete Poems, 1904-1962; Poems, 1945-2005

73 Poems; Hafiz: The Gift; By the Numbers; Stealing Sugar; Half-Finished; Anna Akhmatova; 100 Years; New Poems; Collected Poems: Koch.

Tuesday, August 18, 2020, 4:40-10:20 pm
Mountain View: After an hour filling out information
online at 1040Now, for 2019 Federal Tax, they said my
Federal Tax was NOT submitted; Better to do it by mail.

Ordered 1040 form & Schedule D form
plus Instruction Booklet from the IRS, and
CA 540 forms delivered by mail in 10 days.. Wednesday, August 19, 2020, 12:00-1:30 am
Mountain View: After dinner, work on Number 69—
"69 in Books on Philosophy": Items #172-173
Will do #171: PB's Vol. 16 of Notebooks tomorrow

Hindu Master Subramuniya on "Yoga Break"
while Korean Zen Master Seung Sahn gives
us a koan on Jesus Christ and the Cross.

Wednesday, August 19, 2020, 4:40-5:07 pm
Mountain View: Walked to Valero Gas Station
and shop at Safeway (580 N. Rengstorff Ave);
5:15 pm Bus #40 to Montecito & walked home

Nonni's Thin Addtives Almond Cookies @ $2.08;
2 lbs Deviled Egg Potato Salad 50% off @ $3.24;
5 Yoplait Light Yogurts @ 39¢; 50¢ off on five;
Reser's Potato Salad (16 oz) $4.99— Free. Wednesday, August 19, 2020, 5:45-10:30 pm
Mountain View: Work on Number 69—
"69 in Books on Philosophy": Items #171
PB's Vol. 16 of Notebooks; Finish Philosophy Section

Started "Numbers 69" project on July 31,
now it's 86% complete; Will type poetry
passages relating to "69" from my books
and those on hold at Los Altos Library.

Thursday, August 20, 2020, 2:30-3:45 pm
Mountain View: Ann came to pick up newspapers
saved for her & visit to "Humongous Pepper Tree"
at 111 N. Rensorff Ave, not chopped down yet after
yellow ribbon placed on it (June 12) for its demise

They just found a medang tree in the Indonesian jungle today that's double the size— 45.9 feet
in girth compared to 24 feet of this Pepper Tree. Thursday, August 20, 2020, 4:00-10:30 pm
Mountain View: Finishing "Number 69"—
Item #204: 69 in Numerology— Found words
whose letters add up to 69— Interesting samples:
GOLDEN BUTTERFLY; MOTHER MOUNTAIN;

ONE TRINITY; THIRD-EYE JEWEL; THUNDERBOLT DRUM; UNIVERSE SCREEN; WILLIAM STAFFORD; YGGDRASIL TREE.

Friday, August 21, 2020, 5:30-5:45 pm
Mountain View: 5:17 pm Bus #40 to Chef Chu's
news bins for "Daily Post" & "Palo Alto Weekly"
Shopping @ Sprouts (630 San Antonio Road);
6:25 pm Bus #40 to Central Xpwy & walked home

2.50 lbs Black Seedless Grapes @ $1.48/lb = $3.70;
2.18 lbs Red Seedless Grapes @ $1.48/lb = $3.23;
1.42 lbs Roma Tomatoes @ 98¢/lb = $1.39.
Sprouts 3.5 oz Coconut Rolls @ $2 not in. Friday, August 21, 2020, 7:27-11:55 pm
Mountain View: In my dream last night talked
to a mountain goat who came by for a back rub
that inspired the poem "I Have a Terrible Headache";
("No headaches for Woodpeckers & Bighorn sheep")

He asks me about his fate—
I teach him to meditate
to reduce his body pains
so he will feel well again.

Saturday, August 22, 2020, 3:15-3:44 pm
Mountain View: Walked to Valero Gas Station
to pick up today's "Daily Post" & "Daily News"
and shop at Safeway (580 N. Rengstorff Ave);
3:50 pm Red Bus to Montecito & walked home

2 Instant Oatmeal Mixed Fruit (10 pkgs) @ $1.89;
5 Yoplait Light Yogurts @ 39¢; 50¢ off on five;
8 oz Sig. Farms Spinach for Salad @ $1.67. Saturday, August 22, 2020, 4:44-10:30 pm
Mountain View: Revise "I Have a Terrible Headache"
poem since I identified the Bighorn Sheep that
came into my dream as a Mountain Goat;
Realized that they are two different species

Bighorn sheep's horns weigh 30 lbs
and they clash their heads for 25 hours;
Mountain goats can leap faster & further.

Sunday, August 23, 2020, 2:45-10:00 pm
Mountain View: Bookmarked Mercury News
articles plus New York Times News Briefings on
"Hybid angelfish more colorful than the parents"

"7 hidden gems on Stanford University grounds";
"Wildfire destroys Big Basin State Park's HQ";
"Lick Observatory saved from encroaching fire". Sunday, August 23, 2020, 2:45-10:00 pm
Mountain View: Forgot to include Clements Rose
with 69 petals bred by John Clements (U.S. 2000)
in "Number 69" of Science section.

Adding Clements Rose with 69 petals,
as Item #46a since it's too time consuming
to re-label all items from #47 through #204.

Monday, August 24, 2020, 3:15-3:32 pm
Mountain View: Walked to Valero Gas Station
to pick up today's "Daily Post" and shop
at Safeway (580 N. Rengstorff Avenue);
3:46 pm Bus #40 to Montecito & walked home

Nonni's Thin Pistachio Almond Cookies @ $2.08;
32 oz Lucerne Coffee Creamer Hazelnut @ $2.80;
2 Silk Almond Milk (64 oz) @ $2.49 = $4.98. Monday, August 24, 2020, 4:30 pm-3:30 am
Mountain View: Los Altos Library informed me
they have 7 of the 12 books on hold for pickup;
Heavy books not among them: Collected Poems: Koch,
e.e. cummings Complete Poems, 1904-1962 (1102 pp.)

Also Joshua Prager's 100 Years;
Daniel Ladinsky's Hafiz: The Gift;
Bly's Tranströmer's Half-Finished Heaven.

Monday, August 24, 2020, 4:30 pm-3:30 am
Mountain View: "SPORTS: Rare Mike Trout rookie card sells for nearly $4 million at auction, an all-time record"

The 2009 Bowman Chrome Draft Prospects Superfractor rookie card, sold at Goldin Auctions,
broke previous record of $3.12 million for 1909 Honus Wagner T-206 card, which sold in 2016. Monday, August 24, 2020, 4:30 pm-3:30 am
Mountain View: Sent Ann "Lucid Dreaming" (Book);
Told her 20-year-old SF ballet dancer Robert Hansen
had same dream as guru Yogaswami before they met

Amazing! Ann sends me 4-12-1945 program
of San Francisco Ballet citing Robert Hansen
dancing in "Winter Carnival" 75 years ago!

Tuesday, August 25, 2020, 4:55-5:08 pm
Mountain View: Left Apt 4:23 pm, walked to
Safeway (580 N. Rengstorff Ave) for shopping;
5:22 pm Bus #40 to Montecito Ave & walked home

2 AIM Toothpaste @ $1.00 (tax 9¢);
Reser's Potato Salad (1 lb) $4.99 Free;
Cinnamon Toast Crunch $4.99 Free for Rudy. Tuesday, August 25, 2020, 5:45-10:30 pm
Mountain View: Spent 6 hours writing poem
file:///Volumes/5-28-2015/Poems2020/Poems2020-Preface.html "Who's Who at the Round Table" last night
(9:48 pm-4:04 am), uploading 18 images

King Yul Brynner not searching for
the Grail, but famous people from
the past with a new tale in store.

Tuesday, August 25, 2020, 5:45-10:30 pm
Mountain View: After Prof. Stuart Edelstein introduced
me to Master Subramuniya, who gave me 3 free books
(7-14-1970), and darshan in my apartment at Cornell

read that Yogaswami slapped the ballet dancer
in the back that enlightened him instantly—
Learned recently his name was Robert Hansen. Tuesday, August 25, 2020, 5:45-10:30 pm
Mountain View: Since Anthony Damiani would not
teach meditation in his weekly bookshop's semminars,
learned meditation first from Prof. Stuart Edelstein

Imagine a fountain of golden light
washing you from head to toes running
through 6000 miles of your bloodstream.

Wednesday, August 26, 2020, 2:48-3:30 pm
Mountain View: "California fires: Burned redwoods at
Big Basin, other parks will recover soon, experts say"
(Only 25% of Douglas fir trees survived the blaze.
Sequoia Sempervirens = "ever-living Sequoia".)
(By Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 8-25-2020, A1, A5)

Most of the scorched black trees
will begin sprouting green leaves
again by this winter. Wednesday, August 26, 2020, 2:48-3:30 pm
Mountain View: Los Altos Library informed me
they have three more books on hold for pickup;
Collected Poems: Koch, Joshua Prager's 100 Years;
Bly's translation: Tranströmer's Half-Finished Heaven;
(Hafiz: Gift & cummings Complete Poems missing)

Once these 12 books on hold from
Los Altos Library are picked up,
"Numbers 69" project will be complete.

Wednesday, August 26, 2020, 4:45-7:40 pm
Mountain View: Since "Daily Post" not printed
today, stayed home to do laundry: $1.75 wash
(medium load, 42 minutes) & $1.00 dry (48 minutes)

Need to get a roll of quarters
(40 for $10) at Wells Fargo
as there's a coin shortage now. Wednesday, August 26, 2020, 5:00-6:15 pm
Mountain View: Received two manila envelopes
from IRS (Schedule A & D) & CA Franchise Board
(540) on 2019 Tax forms in 8 instead of 10 days

Need another copy of CA 540 form,
also 2 copies of 1040 & 1040SR forms
IRS didn't send to complete 2019 taxes.

Thursday, August 27, 2020, 2:30-5:00 pm
Mountain View: Mimi Robins sent email on
her last book "Chakra Route to Realization"
with Chinmayananda photo on last page 30

Nice illustrated book from Mimi
on route from Root Chakra to
Crown Chakra for Enlightenment. Thursday, August 27, 2020, 2:30-5:00 pm
Mountain View: Was up to 3:36 am last night—
Read & bookmarked 10 articles from Mercury News
"Bookish 2020" May 14-21 for "Interesting News"

Two interesting artcles: "Steinbeck's Travels with Charley revisited" and "Robert Louis Stevenson came to Northern California in 1879".

Thursday, August 27, 2020, 2:30-5:00 pm
Mountain View: Zahira Pena wants Paulson Park
tenants to make a poster "This Makes Me Smile"
to put on our doors & win $25-$50 Gift Cards
on trivia quiz 9/7, 9/14, 9/21 & drawing 10/2

Found Invisible Dragon bookcover;
Erased the title; Added a new title;
Wrote poem for flyer to make poster. Thursday, August 27, 2020, 5:30-7:20 pm
Palo Alto: Karen picks me up at 5:15 pm & drives to
her apt to see "La Femme Nikita" (1997) starring Peta Wilson, Roy Dupuis, Matthew Ferguson, Don Francks, Eugene R. Glazer, Alberta Watson; (YouTube: 1, 2)

Saw second episode "Friends"; Stopped by
Vallero Station to pick up "Daily Post"
and "Metro" arriving home at 7:35 pm.

Friday, August 28, 2020, 4:30-4:46 pm
Mountain View: 4:17 pm Bus #40 to Chef Chu's
news bins for "Daily Post" & "Palo Alto Weekly";
$10 for roll of quarters Wells Fargo (2600 El Camino);
Specials @ CVS Pharmacy (2630 W. El Camino Real)

8 oz. Folgers Instant Coffee (regular @ $7.79);
Special offer coupon for Folgers Coffee $2.99;
Another $2.00 off coupon; Final price 99¢. Friday, August 28, 2020, 4:48-4:54 pm
Mountain View: Shopping @ Sprouts Farmers Market
(630 San Antonio Road); Their Walnut Halves & Pieces
@ $3.99/lb is now priced @ $8.99/lb (too expensive);
5:31 pm Bus #40 to Central Xpwy & walked home

1.91 lbs Whole Raw Almonds @ $3.99/lb = $7.62;
2.66 lbs Cashew Pieces @ $3.99/lb = $10.61;
1.52 lbs Roma Tomatoes @ 88¢/lb = $1.34.

Friday, August 28, 2020, 6:30-9:30 pm
Mountain View: Today is the 271st anniversary
of Goethe's birth; Homage to my mentor: (1, 2, 3)

Google Doodle honored Alexandre Dumas père
today because his The Count of Monte Cristo
was published on August 28, 1844. Friday, August 28, 2020, 6:30-9:30 pm
Born on this day: Elizabeth Ann Seton (1774);
Edward Burne-Jones (1833); Charles Boyer (1899);

Bruno Bettelheim (1903); Donald O'Connor (1925);
Ron Guidry (1950); Rita Dove, poet laureate (1952); Scott Hamilton (1958); Sheryl Sandberg (1969).

Saturday, August 29, 2020, 2;45-3:45 pm
Mountain View: Ann picks me up at 2:45 pm for
curbside pickup of books at Los Altos Library;
Appointment was 3:15 pm but waited 15 minutes
before librarian rolled out 15 books by the car;
Got "Daily Post" & "Daily News" @ Vallero Station

Ann had 3 watercolor books on-hold;
I had on-hold 12 books of various poets
to type for my "Numbers 69" project. Saturday, August 29, 2020, 4:15-5:20 pm
"Open Book with Joyce Carol Oates" (I do often look into Emily Dickinson's Collected Poems— such exquisite work, one can read and reread the poetry through a lifetime, & always discover new meanings.)
(By Margaret Button, The Berkshire Eagle, 8-28-2020)

New Poem #69: Transport's mighty price
is no more than he is worth.— from letter
#359 to Mrs. J. G. Holland (January 1871).

Saturday, August 29, 2020, 5:25-9:30 pm
Mountain View: "Numbers 69" Can I type passages
from all 12 poets today?— #185: 69th New Poem of Emily Dickinson (5:32); #124: Prager/Whitman "A Carol Closing Sixty-Nine" (6:08); #176: Hafiz "Millstone" (6:53); #191: Akhmatova "Three Autumns" (7:30)

#192: cummings "Xaipe" (7:45); #193: cummings "95 Poems" (7:58); #194: cummings "73 Poems" (8:16); #195: Neruda "Love Sonnet 69" (8:31);
#196: Koch "Poem 69" (8:50); #197: Tranströmer "Poem 69" (9:05); #198: Creeley "Poem 69" (9:18); #199: Bly "Poem 69" (9:23); #202: Richardson (9:31). Saturday, August 29, 2020, 5:25-9:30 pm
Mountain View: "Numbers 69"— Typed passages
from all 12 poets today in 4 hours; Kept log from
#185 Emily Dickinson's "69th New Poem" (5:32 pm)
to #202 James Richardson's "Aphorism 69" (9:31 pm);
Will have an early dinner of salmon fillets tonight!

Found all 3 e.e. cummings poems online (1, 2, 3),
also Neruda's "Love Sonnet 69", Tranströmer's
"Poem 69", and Creeley's "Poem 69" online, saving
time typing; just proofreading with original texts
in the 12 books checked out at Los Altos Library;
Next: "Meditations on 69" based on these writers.

Sunday, August 30, 2020, 1:35-9:30 pm
Mountain View: Mercury News articles bookmarked:
"California Fires: Bolts and Blazes" (By Kurt Snibbe, Mercury News, 8-30-2020, B11) and "Race to protect
Big Basin's Mother, Father of Forest, after inferno"
(By Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 8-30-2020, B1, B4)

Mother & "Father of the Forest" survived blaze,
but other big redwoods whose bases were burned to
the heart could be toppled by a falling Douglas fir. Sunday, August 30, 2020, 1:35-9:30 pm
Mountain View: "Numbers 69"— Using "Meditations on 68" as template, will compose poem "Meditations
on 69" based on the writings of philosophers, poets,
and novelisis compiled; Will try to arrange poem in chronological order; Hope to finish it tonight.

Since this poem is totally based
on other people's writings, it's like
piecing a giant jig-saw puzzle together.

Sunday, August 30, 2020, 1:35-9:30 pm
Mountain View: "Numbers 69"— Composed poem "Meditations on 69: Beautiful music, do not cease!" in
5 hours along with Notes showing source of each line.

I am the Radiant One, eldest of the gods—
Bright, splendid, like Dawn's light of heaven.
Let heaven and earth and the seas praise him
and give thanks before the Lord of Spirits. Sunday, August 30, 2020, 1:35-9:30 pm
"Meditations on 68: Dare Be Beautiful" & "Meditations on 69: Beautiful music, do not cease!" Just noticed that subtitles in both poems has word "beautiful" in them.

Stream of life dances in rhythmic measures
caught for an instant like a snowflake—
Sweet sounds, oh, beautiful music, do not cease!
burst in thunder of oneness— dream! joy! soul!

Monday, August 31, 2020, 4:45-5:08 pm
Mountain View: Left Apt 4:13 pm, walked to
Safeway (580 N. Rengstorff Ave) for shopping;
5:20 pm Red Bus to Montecito Ave & walked home

2 lbs Sig. Select Tater Treats @ $2.61;
8 oz Sig. Farms Spinach for Salad $1.99;
2 Nestle Coffee Mate Creamers @ $2.85;
32 oz Lucerne Strawberry Yogurt @ $2.29. Monday, August 31, 2020, 6:00-10:30 pm
Mountain View: "Stanford closing most of its
campus to the public as a coronavirus precaution"
(By Joan Morris, Mercury News, 8-31-2020, B1, B3)

Starting September 1, university will bar the public from entering the campus; Public barred from the Oval, the Main Quad, Cantor Arts Center, Rodin Sculpture Garden; Dish, Arboretum open to public

Monday, August 31, 2020, 6:00-10:30 pm
Mountain View: While waiting for 5:22 pm Bus #40
after shopping at Safeway (580 N. Rengstorff Ave),
recalled incident a month ago, inspiring this poem

"Safeway Shopping Not Safe"—
Found images of Bus #40 & Shopping Cart
merged together in Photoshop for the poem. Monday, August 31, 2020, 6:00-10:30 pm
Mountain View: Adding two lines to poster:
"Coronavirus may bring fear
but we have reasons to cheer"

Zahira Pena wants Paulson Park tenants
to make a "This Makes Me Smile"
poster to put on our doors.