The Movies

I actually went to the movies......twice in the span of a couple of weeks. I saw Ayahuasca Now at the Hollywood Theatre in Portland. A great movie theater that will be turning 100 years old in 2026. A Portland historical landmark.
Yes I am too (like hordes of other Westerners) curiuos about and interested in experiencing Ayahausca. I want to understand the purpose of my ever so meaningless and increasingly emotionally painful existense on this planet. I would like to tap into the spiritual world and whatever Ayahuasca would choose to reveal to me. I started gathering information about Ayahuasca after I read Breaking Open The Head (which is about Iboga) so like almost 20 years ago. After seeing Ayahuasca Now I am not expediting my potential first experience with the sacred plant/vine. How did the people living several hundred years ago know to mix together a certain plant and a vine?
At this point in my life I don't think it would be a good idea to sit with Ayahuasca. I am not in a good space mentally, VERY deep sadness and also anxiety. Maybe one day, or maybe not.
As far as me going to the jungle in South America to get the "real" experience......never say never but that will probably not happen. If it's going to happen it will happen close to home base. But ask me again in 10 years.

And yesterday evening I went to the Columbian Theater here in Astoria and saw Anora, director Sean Baker. Anora aka Ani (or is it Annie?) is a young (23) dancer that lives in Brooklyn NYC, she dances at a club called Headquarters. She meets a boy at the club and gets involved with him. This movie is considered by some as the movie of the year. I have not watched enough or any (?) of the movies that came out in 2024 to weigh in on that. Last time I went to a movie at a movie theater was a few years ago at the Hollywood Theatre in Portland. I am more of a stay at home, lay in bed and watch a movie with my dog next to me kind of person. But once in a while it is fun to go to the movies and it is also nice to support places like the Hollywood Theatre and the Columbian Theater.
Since I am a dancer I find movies about dancers interesting. Anora ends apbrutly.....with Ani crying. So people are discussing why she was crying. I think she was crying because she was emotionally and physically exhausted after what she just went through in the last 24 hours or so and also that the happily ever after fairy tale she thought she had with the boy crashed mercilessly and that means going back to Headquarters and back to living at her sister's apartment in Brighton Beach. Back to that reality. I felt bad for her. She got discarded like a piece of garbage. Happened to me once. 
Fun fact.....there is a place called Tatiana Grill in the movie. And it exists in real life too.
Another fact that perhaps you won't be able to relate to unless you currently are or have been a dancer or sex worker as some people refer dancers as, is that once people know that you are a dancer you are only that to them (to like majority of people). And that often means that you will get harshly judged and stigmatized. Speaking from experience here......
I have my own little Anora story of when I danced at Flashdancers in NYC but maybe another time.