I Glanced Over My Shoulder

“If you don’t get what you want, you suffer. If you get what you don’t want, you suffer; even when you get exactly what you want, you still suffer because you can’t hold on to it forever. Your mind is your predicament. It wants to be free of change, free of pain, free of the obligations of life and death. But change is a law, and no amount of pretending will alter that reality.” --Dan Millman, WAY OF THE PEACEFUL WARRIOR 

I received a sweet Thank You card on my dad’s would-be 61st Birthday (August 8, 1996) from Cousin Patrick (aka James Patrick Markus IV) and his new wife, Fae. I had attended their wedding with mom, so I thought it nice that they took the time to send a note. They wrote: 

Michael, 

With sincere appreciation for your kindness. Thank You so much for coming and being part of our special day. Thanks for the gift as well.  

Your Cousins, 

Pat and Fae 

My mind is in a bit of a surprise at the folks that leave us. The first CEO of Burger King and the creator of THE WHOPPER died on August 9th. He was seventy years old. I wonder if he (James Whitman McLamore) ate too many whoppers.  

It’s still summer. Let’s make the most of it. On Saturday, August 10, 1996, we had some fun with visitors: Lauren Freiman, Susan Freiman, Gary Laff, Don and Ilene Kaplan, and Jonas Kaplan. Jonas is now living in Venice, CA, so his parents (Don and Ilene) came by from their home in Rancho Santa Fe. I managed a group photo, using my handy Polaroid camera.  

There’s another SPICE GIRLS song that is not too thrilling called WANNABE. Whatever. They’re the latest trend.

MICROSOFT launched the new Internet Explorer 3.0 on August 13th. That’s kind of cool. Technology continues to surprise us here, there and everywhere.  

ESCAPE FROM L.A. starring Kurt Russell is out but who wants to see a re-hash of what was good enough (ESCAPE FROM NY from 1981). We passed.  

I glanced over my shoulder and asked, “Why don’t we go see a romantic comedy that takes place in 19th Century England?” 

Alan accepted and we went to see EMMA, starring Gwyneth Paltrow instead of ESCAPE. I like Gwyneth. She seems like a very ‘simpatico’ type. 

At three o’clock I had a pricking sensation at the back of the neck that meant I was being looked at from behind. It is a feeling that has been very intense to primitive man. Without turning around, I glanced over my shoulder to the left. Two hundred yards away, the hawk was perched on the low horizontal branch of an oak. He was facing north and glancing back at me over his left shoulder. For more than a minute we both stayed still, each puzzled and intrigued by the other, sharing the curious bond that comes with identity of position. When I moved towards him, he flew at once, going quickly down through the north orchard. He was hunting, and the hunter trusts no one.—J.A.Baker, THE PEREGRINE