Por PATRICIA MOONEY<\/p>\n
As a child, I remember a lovely song by Nat King Cole heralding the \u201clazy, hazy, crazy days of summer, the days of soda and pretzels and beer.\u201d We\u2019re in it now, the height of summer. Hopefully you are enjoying yourselves, spending time at the beaches, lakes and swimming pools of San Diego, attending barbecues with friends and family, and taking care of your own well-being.<\/p>\n
Have you ever heard someone start a sentence like this? \u201cI\u2019ll be happy when\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
Have you been guilty of saying it? \u201cI\u2019ll be happy when\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
Summer is the best time to shrug off this kind of thinking. When you are living in the moment \u2014 as happens when you\u2019re running around Lake Murray, mountain biking or hiking at Mission Trails, or sipping a mocha latte at your favorite coffee shop, aren\u2019t you already in a happy state of mind? So substitute \u201cI\u2019ll be happy when\u2026\u201d to \u201cI\u2019m happy now.\u201d It\u2019s a subtle shift in thinking that can have a profound effect on your life.<\/p>\n
\u201cAlways look on the bright side of life,\u201d is a verse made famous by Monty Python. Here in San Carlos, we have many opportunities to do just that. Yoga studios, which feature meditation classes in addition to yoga asanas, abound. Think of our \u201cGolden Triangle\u201d right here in San Carlos \u2014 comprised of Cowles Mountain, Lake Murray and Mission Trails. Take a walk around your neighborhood with some friends. Go to the library and check out a spicy novel. We truly live in America\u2019s finest neighborhood.<\/p>\n
\u2018Light My Fire\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n A few weeks ago, San Carlos Area Council (SCAC) president Mark Schulze and I bid on a silent-auction item at a charity event benefiting Safe Harbor Kids in Los Angeles. We were the happy winners. What\u2019s more, the artist of the painting was there to talk about the provenance of the giclee painting and sign the back of it as a courtesy to us.<\/p>\n The artist? Robby Krieger, who was lead guitarist in a band most baby boomers know and love, The Doors. Robby still knows how to make his axe sing and thrilled the intimate gathering with his music. He dubbed the painting \u201cLight My Fire.\u201d<\/p>\n He told Mark and I that one day Jim \u201cThe Lizard King\u201d Morrison had complained to the band, \u201cWhy do I have to write all the songs? Why don\u2019t you try to write one?\u201d When Robby asked, \u201cWhat should I write a song about?\u201d Morrison said, \u201cSomething you have strong feelings about.\u201d That is when Robby thought about the elements that comprise our planet and our very existence: fire, water, wind and air. He decided that fire would be the motif of the song he\u2019d write. And he ended up writing \u201cLight My Fire,\u201d one of The Doors\u2019 most famous songs.<\/p>\n Jim Bell<\/strong><\/p>\n Our friend, Jim Bell, an ecological design consultant who was known as \u201cThe Mayor of O.B.,\u201d passed away peacefully on July 31. He had suffered a stroke several months ago and was in hospice at his Ocean Beach home surrounded by friends. He was beloved by many. His presence and influence at his favorite haunts \u2014 including OB People\u2019s Food, Winston\u2019s and OB Green Center \u2014 will be greatly missed. A celebration of his life will be held in a couple of weeks. If you would like to be notified, please email oceanbeachgreencenter@gmail.com.<\/p>\n Our next SCAC meeting will be on Wednesday, Sept. 4, at 6:30 p.m. at the San Carlos branch library, 7265 Jackson Drive. Local community, city and state representatives will speak to us about their latest news and address your concerns.<\/p>\n Follow San Carlos Area Council on Twitter and Facebook.<\/p>\n