...And I Feel Fine

Only when you recognize your mistakes will you be able to make the corrections necessary to put yourself on the right path.
-Jim Rogers
A GIFT TO MY CHILDREN

Steven mailed a postcard from Honolulu yesterday (March 7, 1989) and I received it today.   It depicted a young gal enjoying the breathtaking side by side leaps performed by Seal Life Park’s false killer whale (rather cute).Steven A Antol wrote:
March 7, 1989
Dear Michael,   Hi There.   I’m in Hawaii today, of course.   I was at the P.O. Box and received your cards.   Thanks.   I’m going to call you tonight to see how your interview went.   I had another trip to Seoul, KOREA.   I purchased a leather jacket.   I’ll show it to you when I come to SFO.
This card is a picture of the pilot whales of Sea Life Park.   This is where I used to play with my dolphins.   One of them is the father of the wolphin.   They’re called ‘false killer whales or “pilot” whales.
I called my family in Pittsburgh.   Everyone seems to be doing fine.   I’ll talk with you tonight.
Steven

March 12, 1989

My niece, Ashley came over for a visit and I had fun doing a photo shoot of her in the Islandia Townhomes Courtyard.   I lifted her and positioned her onto a tree (to make it look as though she climbed it).    That was the cutest photograph of the day.   I love it.   Ashley makes me feel good when she’s happy and in a good mood.   Sometimes she can be feisty and I attribute this to her zodiac sign, the bull-headed TAURUS.   Ugh…I hope she grows out of it.

I’m most excited about what will happen in the next couple of nights at the OAKLAND COLISEUM.   I am going to a concert with Jim from the Gym, his girlfriend Christine and Jim’s little brother.   We’re going to see R.E.M. (an American rock band from Athens, Georgia that formed in 1980).    One of the very first songs I loved by them sounds a bit county (from 1984) called DON’T GO BACK TO ROCKVILLE.

Now R.E.M. has some new, sensational songs that I really love that include POP SONG 89, ORANGE CRUSH, IT’S THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT (…AND I FEEL FINE),  THE ONE I LOVE and many others.   I know we will all have a great time.

I may have mentioned to Jim from the Gym about meeting a few new, fun people in Hawaii (especially Rhonda).   I’ve refrained from telling him about Steven.  I don’t know…I just don’t feel comfortable telling him about it for fear of his reaction.  He may not want to be friends with me anymore and I can’t have that happen.   I really like him.   Alas, he must suspect given the circumstances between Kelly and I.   Who knows what Christine says?   She has a bit of a mouth that can only be described ‘when it rains, it pours’.     I know Jim would like Steven though.  He is so polite and he likes music, too.Marc 13, 1989
Steven flew to Japan once again.  What a life!   He wrote another handwritten letter from his HOTEL LET’S NARITA hotel room.    I was thrilled that he ended this particular letter with LOVE, STEVEN.  Steven wrote:

March 11, 1989, JAPANHi Michael,
I’m sitting at home tonight.   In my room in Japan.  You’re January tape of songs is playing (I brought my tape player with me the last trip home.   I just finished eating dinner…Japanese noodles.   I just brewed some Japanese green tea.  Wow.   I think my eyes are going to slant pretty soon.  Ha-ha.

Today I returned from a one-night trip to Taipei, Taiwan.   I worked with a nice crew, so the trip was fun.   I returned from Honolulu with a real slight cold.   One of those 24-hour deals.   I gargled and took a few cold tablets.   I feel better today. When I got home from my Taipei trip today about 1PM I came home and took a nap.   I woke up to a HUGE earthquake!   I mean this job woke me right up,  it was WILD.   I’m on the 10th floor and the curtains and building were just going for it!   And it felt like it was so long…about 12-14 seconds.   I waited till it was through and then went back to sleep.   Talk about  wake up calls??!!!

I went to the gym this evening.   I did a light workout since my body strength was a little lacking.  I haven’t been there in one week.   Time sure does fly between these workouts.   I can’t let that happen too frequently…or I’ll be too skinny.

Two days ago I received your postcard dated Feb. 8th.  The man holding the baby.   I LOVED that one.   That’s definitely one of my favorites.  Thank you!   I wonder why it was lost in the mail for a while.  Oh well…I’m glad it found me.I’m good for two days beginning tomorrow.   That means I’ll probably have an inter-ASIA trip…probably SEOUL or MANILA.   My next block of 5 days doesn’t begin until the 16ht of March.

When I’m done writing this letter tonight I’m going to put together an exercise program for myself while I’m on the road, then study some Japanese language before I go to sleep. I’m enclosing a pad of matches from Taiwan.  I may have given you these already. 

I received your puppy card with the puppy having a tug-of-war with a sock.  How cute.   I love puppies. Goodnight Michael.  Looking forward to our next visit.
LOVE, Steven

March 14, 1989Jim from the Gym arrived with Christine and his brother.   I was a stone’s throw drive to the OAKLAND COLISEUM from my house.  I drove and it was a fabulous concert.  They have such thought provoking lyrics to their music.   The R.E.M. band knows how to give a fabulous concert.   I had forgotten how much I loved their song “STAND” also.   Clever lyrics as it reminds me to stop, stand and ponder where you are…in life: 

Stand in the place where you live
Now face north
Think about direction, wonder why you haven't
Now stand in the place where you work
Now face west
Think about the place where you live, wonder why you haven't before
If you are confused, check with the sun
Carry a compass to help you along
Your feet are going to be on the ground
Your head is there to move you around, so

Stand in the place where you liveNow face north
Think about direction, wonder why you haven't
Now stand in the place where you work
Now face west
Think about the place where you live, wonder why you haven't before

Your feet are going to be on the groundYour head is there to move you around

If wishes were trees, the trees would be fallingListen to reason, season is calling
Stand in the place where you live
Now face north
Think about direction, wonder why you haven't
Now stand in the place where you work
Now face west
Think about the place where you live, wonder why you haven't before
If wishes were trees, the trees would be falling
Listen to reason, reason is calling
Your feet are going to be on the ground
Your head is there to move you around

So stand, stand
Now face north
Think about direction, wonder why you haven't before
Now stand, stand
Now face west
Think about the place where you live, wonder why you haven't
Stand in the place where you live
Now face north
Think about direction, wonder why you haven't before
Now stand in the place where you work
Now face west
Think about the place where you live, wonder why you haven't before
Stand in the place where you are
Now face north
Stand in the place where you are
Now face west
Stand in the place where you are
Now face north
Stand in the place where you are
Now face west
So stand

It’s so hot and I’ve been wandering around here naked at times, luxuriating in my own sensuality and having all sorts of fantasies about you.
-Colin Channer
WAITING IN VAIN, a novel