Stuck...(Sorry, Lettuce!)

Several bloggers have, of late, mentioned feeling "stuck"... for new ideas, something exciting to share or a shift in perspective. I have been feeling that way myself for quite some time, not solely in the realm of blogging, but the rest of my life.

In fact, were I completely truthful, I would have to concede anger born of frustration, change in mobility and lack of clear direction for the future as well as constantly contending with misperceptions regarding wheelchair users.

It seems the wider world views me, despite my education, well-roundedness and skills, as "less than" an able-bodied peer of the same age and background. I was sitting outside the other day enjoying a rare moment of rain-free skies when a stranger drove alongside and threw coins in my lap.

Never a beggar or busker, I thought this odd, and in attempting to return the currency, met with the most vicious stare I've ever encountered as the woman drove away...

On another occasion, I was eating lunch outdoors when a man approached my table and asked to join me. When I wondered aloud if we had met previously, he answered no, that he simply did not want to eat alone, and hoped I would not mind a bit of company?

The question hung in the air between us until I gently gestured for him to take the opposite chair, and asked whether he often dined with strangers. His reply of, "There are no strangers, only those who have not met," I found cliched but let pass, while assessing the time it would take me to finish my lunch.

He ordered, and our conversation turned from polite chatter about the weather to our respective backgrounds. Upon hearing that I was a writer as well as a librarian, he actually scratched his head as if confused and said,"How do you do that from a chair?"

My reply along the lines of librarianship being multi-faceted and that there were many jobs one could perform as a chair user, drew inordinately loud laughter. At this point, appetite distinctly on the wane, I asked for my check, paid the waiter and rolled away, supremely disappointed to have spent any time in his company...

I might feel sorry for him were it not for the fact that potential employers also evidently share his level of ignorance. They don't laugh out loud because they can be sued...

Bizarre la vie, ce ...

Finale: California 2010

One of my frequent commentors requested more information on my California trip.
Having shown you some of the Mojave and a shot or two from a beautiful mountaintop restaurant in Orange County known as Las Brisas, the rest may seem a bit anti-climactic by comparison.

The same friends who treated me to a fabulous breakfast at Las Brisas also took in an exhibition of Latin American artists at the Bowers Museum, a gem of a place I've visited several times. Check out http://www.bowers.org for further information.

While at the museum, we spotted an equally intriguing exhibit of photographs of masks and tribal life in New Guinea. Though I could not photograph the exhibits, I did purchase a book for one, and take some pictures of the museum's outer Asian garden and hall.

The garden, at the museum entrance, contains a variety of sculpture, trees, manicured areas and fountains. The mural, just inside, depicts elements of all of the current exhibitions. The totum pole was snapped for the fun of it.

The weekend capped off with a small, very belated birthday gathering at stepsister's for me. Several friends came, and the menu featured fish tacos and a decadent chocolate trifle.

Though I was disappointed at the unavailability of tickets for South Coast Repertory's Ordinary Days, I did see two films, Blind Side, with Sandra Bullock, and Young Victoria, with Emily Blunt. Of the two, I would recommend Young Victoria to those who like well acted, lavishly costumed period pieces. If you think politics are bad now, they were no less so in Victoria's lifetime.

The heart-warming true story of a boy rescued from poverty and a probable life of crime is a great catch when it comes out on DVD.

Other than the cinema, I also spent time sightseeing and visiting Aliso beach, albeit briefly.

Monday found me enjoying a picnic at Orange County Regional Park before returning to pack for the flight back. The horses and ponies pictured here are available for hire.