1972 Revisited - Year 3 of 10 - My [edited] dairy of the '70s

January 2

I needed a COM-POZ today but did yoga instead. Some days I really feel like disappearing (poof). Now that the house thing is off my shoulders there's this rent strike thing & 11 people in the coop are striking (inc. us) to protest abolition of rent control. I don't wanna get evited now that the house is in my control. All people were here for coop & rent meeting. I have names of strikers on my list.

January 7

Nasty letter from landlord can be ignored. . . Li'l Mike came over & sat. He didn't know Joe's leaving and Kitty left too. He needs somethig to do so badly. Just comes over looking for dope. Tried for a flik but The Last Picture Show was sold out. Weird sleeping here alone. CRA is taking over building w/ free rent & based on need. Weird.

January 11

Old hippie me w/ long skirt at work. Hard to bicycle with that & my rotten machine. Girl came from CRA today - Joe & Dave talked to her. Paid 1/2 of rent to Lubart so's we don't get arrested. Rent control passed too. Horrah. Sue here - neat. Dave Deihl is reported to have told Nana bout me cohabiting, etc. Wot a turd.

February 3

MIND EXPANDING EXERCISE:

Poliics: change things, resist evil people, materialistic

Religion: Go with the flow, they [difficult people] are your karma, permanent, unchanging, spiritual

Both: Common Humanity

Politics: work for oppressed brothers & sisters, human like you so you wouldn't like being oppressed.

Spirituality: All part of cosmic soul, all equally entitled, wish no bad to anyone



BOTH: No ego involvement, anti-intellectualism, common cause identity

[tying to work out/combine my two obsessions]

February 6

It's the fern! [Fen?] People uprooted in mind & spirit. Little Mike been missing for 5 days, dogs been picked up., J & P U B & E at odds, me as usual up in the air with no real Cambridge roots, S. with no job, my parents getting more destitute. Ma had to quit her job because of whiplash & Dad still unemployed. . . Food coop meeting--grape pickets. I must acquire a notebook & study Dolmetch music history. At least I put an Angela Davis poster on Lefkowitz's [BU music history professor] board.

March 17

This may be a bearable weekend--wot with party & coop dinner here (hostess Cancer Marcia) & finally decided to drop out of Ananda Marga & into CTOC or Sci. for the People. Within a few years I too can be a frustrated Cambridge intellectual radical like Harry Winner et al. at Jeannie's house. My horroscope basket & etc. are pushing me into it--service as a radical, lasting service, not bandaid social work. Al asked me to be on the editorial collective of SFP & boy I'd dig it. Typed Peter Pan [home production for party] all morn did stuff. Org. meeting all afternooon. They're frustrated but I want to get it together against overlords at BU.

March 27

Big stinko at BU with cops bashing kids who were protesting Marine recruitment. Emotionalism. Tom and Rita were there & reported back shaking. So I must side with the rads & not let intellectualism weigh me down. D and I wrote leaflet for SFAA (relieved guilt?). Astrology is therapy making me look at life positively but political insight voids it as intelletual cop-out. Stoned cousins demanded Motown concert & I gave it.

March 31

Xeroxed wedding music and practiced a bit on BU organs, then to concerned BU turds meeting. Heavy psychooogical trip for me. I kept saying things which nobody responded to & didn't know anyone. 'Cept Jeff Levy & we talked about all the radical chic professors doing their professional thing. Attacking David Rubin for holding classes--if he's thinking, what would I do? I think they got pissed at what I said about intellectuals. Wipe out.

April 4

Workshop in lobby at DGE with RYM & PLP & YS vs. Roy Wates, Trustees, Mirak--all striking for different reasons. What's wrong with conscience, Al? Where is the one voice in the radical movement as intellectual researching the screwing mechanisms of the power structure? Being nice questioners? Is it enough to challenge your own bosses ally with the poor? Or should your only reasons be that the powers are screwing the poor out of a sense of conscience? I s'pose one should only hate the government which opposes all. Paul the Anarchist with big smile . . Evening for harpsichord work & watching Bogart & Mung in circles [dog & cat].

April 7

Having some real mind changing thoughts about guilt & solidarity & revolution & classes lately. It doesn't do good to be guguilty cause you'll try as soon as you can to get rid of it by performing one act congratulating yourself. Instead one should realize the ongoing need tor commitment to challenging the system (capitalist), building for a humane (art-preserving, spirituality preserving) socialism. I can no longer hate artists, Woodstock hoppies, but they need a clearer picture of how they fit in. Life is too easy for pigs but they must be confronted. They will react & tighten their grip, being human. And they're people too, but one can't be too nice & never raise waves.

Over the Hill photos, late fall 2009

BIZARRE SONG PARTY . . . B'DAY TOO, August 9, 2 p.m.

PLEASE COME TO MY BIZARRE SONG/B'DAY PARTY

"Because you can love the sixties TWICE" . . .


Please come help me celebrate my July b'day with the 9th MD Bizarre Song Party. Bring a bizarre song, yourself, no presents necessary. We'll face mortality with a song!


SUNDAY AUGUST 9, 2009

OUTPOST (www.zeitgeist-outpost.org)

2 p.m.

FREEEEEE


Featuring "From the Indes to the Andes in His Undies," "Send in the Clams" and more. Prizes for all who enter.

Bring something to eat or drink . . . no gifts necessary

PETE SEEGER's 90th BIRTHDAY! Party in Cambridge

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SEE:

www.marciadeihl.com

PETE SEEGER's 90th BIRTHDAY! Party in Cambridge

A time to heal, a time to PARTAY!! Sing along with me in honor of Pete Seeger!


Yes folks, it's Cambridge, MA, not NYC. where The Boss and Pete will be holding forth at Madison Square Garden.

But we'll sing and tell Pete stories around the old campfire, uh, air conditioner, All INVITED:

SUNDAY MAY 3

3 - 5 P.M.

Home of:

Emily Baily and John Winslow
105 Lexington Ave.
Cambridge, MA

Contact: Rena Lieb 617-354-4390 or email: rena@englishchick.com

GENETIC PREDISPOSITION TO WRITING LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

THE DEMAND FOR DRUGS


Filling addicts' spiritual void
April 2, 2009

Filling addicts' spiritual void

KARL MARX once said that religion was the opiate of the people. In his March 30 op-ed, Roland Merullo is saying that drugs are the opiate of the people.

Perhaps what people seek in drugs is relief from the fact that they are missing the essential facets of human self-actualization. People look for work that is creative and useful, human dignity, a cultural heritage that is inclusive and not exclusive, a sense of community, values that are not all materially based, empathy instead of shame and blame toward others, and emotionally healthy self-expression.

Since neither capitalism nor communism has been able to support these values, Americans still do drugs. Many find a healthy alternative in houses of worship, which can substitute Spirit for spirits. For nonchurchgoers, where is the hope? I have experienced these things both in faith communities and in social justice communities, in artistic circles, and in face-to-face gatherings such as writing groups and book clubs. Whatever connects us as humans can help to address that lonely spot that drives people to various addictions.

Marcia Deihl
Cambridge


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