By PATRICIA MOONEY
As a child, I remember a lovely song by Nat King Cole heralding the “lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer, the days of soda and pretzels and beer.” We’re 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.
Have you ever heard someone start a sentence like this? “I’ll be happy when…”
Have you been guilty of saying it? “I’ll be happy when…”
Summer is the best time to shrug off this kind of thinking. When you are living in the moment — as happens when you’re running around Lake Murray, mountain biking or hiking at Mission Trails, or sipping a mocha latte at your favorite coffee shop, aren’t you already in a happy state of mind? So substitute “I’ll be happy when…” to “I’m happy now.” It’s a subtle shift in thinking that can have a profound effect on your life.
“Always look on the bright side of life,” 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 “Golden Triangle” right here in San Carlos — 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’s finest neighborhood.
‘Light My Fire’
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’s 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.
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 “Light My Fire.”
He told Mark and I that one day Jim “The Lizard King” Morrison had complained to the band, “Why do I have to write all the songs? Why don’t you try to write one?” When Robby asked, “What should I write a song about?” Morrison said, “Something you have strong feelings about.” 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’d write. And he ended up writing “Light My Fire,” one of The Doors’ most famous songs.
Jim Bell
Our friend, Jim Bell, an ecological design consultant who was known as “The Mayor of O.B.,” 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 — including OB People’s Food, Winston’s and OB Green Center — 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 [email protected].
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.
Follow San Carlos Area Council on Twitter and Facebook.
— Patricia Mooney is vice president of the San Carlos Area Council. Have a San Carlos story to tell? Email [email protected].
