The Stag Party 2016

I am realizing I have not written an update since the end of last year, and now we are already a quarter into this one. I can blame it on three things for the most part: (1) the Aladdin’s Cave wonder trove of London with its perpetual fascination and offering of things to do and enjoy, (2) the inevitable loss of stamina with age and the slower pace that comes with it, and (3) my predominant preoccupation with the novel I am writing – a combination of self-reflections, spiritual insight and a futuristic tale in the ‘Lotocene’ Age that succeeds the ‘Anthropocene’.

The year for us began in Stratford on Avon at Meg and Harry’s along with Marie Laure and so far has included lunches and/or dinners at home, as guests or in restaurants with Charles & Jozef, Stef & Gary, Ruth Lynan Holden, Steve & Annie & Carol, Peter, Elizabeth Collins, Julian & Carol & Penny & Hamish, Bernadette and Darrelyn, Chris & Vivianne, Darby & Stephen, Meg, Eileen & Peter Barker, Norman & Ravi, James & Eamonn, Marion & Leslie, Lily & Chloe, Sylvester, Chloe, Darby & Stephen, Liz & Robin, Meg & Hattie, and Gin. Exhibits have included Escher, Champagne Life, Painting the Modern Garden: Monet to Matisse, John Dee, Tate Britain, Delacroix, Giorgione and Calder. There have been two Nonsuch Singers concerts – one with Poulenc’s Mass in G and Duruflé’s Requiem; the other called ‘Baltic Visions’. We have been to a demonstration for Julian Assange, Bernadette’s “Introduction to Egyptian Astronomy” workshop, Nova Stellar talks by Julian Vayne and Caroline Wise, to a Savoy Theatre performance of Guys and Dolls as guests of Liz Collins, to Silchester (Calleva Atrebatum) with Steve and Annie, to lunch at the Aqua Shard, to the Druids’ Equinox ceremony at Tower Hill, the Kith of Ironwood, Conway Hall for Treadwell’s “Motherland” ritual enactment of Dumuzi’s descent to the underworld, Upminster, Borough Market and Southwark Cathedral. For films, we have seen Bridge of Spies, Carol, Revenant, Room, Joy, Youth, The Danish Girl, Spotlight, The Big Short, A Bigger Splash, Brooklyn, Hail Caesar and High Rise. With my motion sickness caused by jerky and handheld camera, I had to run out of The Big Short to vomit and got my money back. With High Rise, I kept my eyes shut for the most part – not the best way to see a movie.

And for April Fool’s Day, Richard and I went to Richmond Park which was utterly enchanting with ancient oak trees basked by the sun and at least ten stags lounging on an expanse un-intimidated by the nearby humans. The animals were resting and eating with only a degree of wariness as the deer spirit always has but otherwise relaxed for the duration. It was the first time I have realized that there is actually such a thing as a ‘stag party’ – a gathering of magnificently antlered stags along with some younger ones only starting with their antlers. And all were male. Richmond Park is like a preserved oasis of wilderness – reminding me of the everglade swamp behind Mother’s gated community in Naples, Florida where we also once saw a group of deer running through the area.

Is there a plan for life? And do we miss our individual chances to ensure its fulfillment? We may never know if the universe has a plan. We may just have to make a plan ourselves until we do know if ever. But is there anything we can do as individuals that could change the universal plan?