Lee Daniels' The Butler (Take II)

Clarence Williams III (with Aml Ameen) early on in Lee Daniels' The Butler (2013). I still remember him well from his original Mod Squad days. If I understood correctly, this scene is at a hotel somewhere in North Carolina.

Camelot comes to the White House: JFK, Jackie and Caroline meet the staff. That's Colman Domingo on the left.

David Oyelowo and Yaya DaCosta in Black Panther mode, the latter in iconic Kathleen Cleaver and Angela Davis fashion -- a cool look for the ages. 

Today's Rune: Fertility.   

Habit, Ritual, Travel and Music

Today's journey took me in the air first to St. Louis, where from above I saw many flooded areas, and then to Raleigh-Durham (more flooding) and finally on to Saxapahaw, North Carolina, from where I'm now posting. The main event is Father's Day weekend, but there are extracurriculars made possible out of extra good luck, kismet, fate or some mysterious equivalent. This very same weekend, Tibetan monks are in town creating a sand mandala (The Wheel of Time or something like it); and also, Dexter Romweber will be playing here -- I saw him first perform when he was a teenager! Since then, he's done all sorts of intense things from Flat Duo Jets with his sister Sara on drums (proto-White Stripes) to various and sundry other projects. His fierce spirit will continue to be evident with The New Romans in Saxapahaw, I have no doubt.

In transit, I only just began Twyla Tharp's The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life. A Practical Guide (2003). She quickly brings up the benefits of ritual behavior in her work. Before we delve into this trope at greater length in a future post, let's step back a moment. Here are my questions for the day. What sort of rituals do you perform regularly? A sample or two will be fine. And: how many rituals have you continued performing even during travel? And: have you made any major changes to these kinds of things over time?

One of my rituals: I silently recited many a Hail Mary on my flights today. They were nutty, full rides. 

Today's Rune: Protection.  

Miles

The Bill Clinton Presidential Center festooned with a Miles Davis banner, flags and miscellany. That's not barbed wire out front -- that's water. (You can click on both photos to see them in their entirety).

Like all beds, this one has a history. Two generals slept here, though not at the same time. Major General Frederick Steele (1819-1868) occupied it for the Union while Major General Sterling Price (1809-1867) claimed it for the Confederacy. Regardless of side, rank evidently retained certain privileges. Forget about the troops. Support our officers!

Today's Rune: Protection.