{"id":3219,"date":"2012-12-13T03:42:00","date_gmt":"2012-12-13T03:42:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mywalkabout.net\/2012\/12\/13\/the-vla"},"modified":"2021-09-28T05:39:25","modified_gmt":"2021-09-28T12:39:25","slug":"the-vla","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mywalkabout.net\/?p=3219","title":{"rendered":"the VLA"},"content":{"rendered":"<div dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\">\n<div dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\">A friend eats a bullet on Thanksgiving because no one invited him to dinner.<br \/>He leaves a little girl behind,<br \/>wondering why.\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mywalkabout.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/fb0a8-dsc02779.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mywalkabout.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/fb0a8-dsc02779.jpg?resize=640%2C452&#038;ssl=1\" width=\"640\" height=\"452\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<p>My brother is asked to clean up the bloody mess, as no one wants to pay the crime scene cleaners.<br \/>This saddens me.<br \/>Visibly shaken, sadness draped over our shoulders.<\/p>\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mywalkabout.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/39667-dsc02776.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mywalkabout.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/39667-dsc02776.jpg?resize=640%2C426&#038;ssl=1\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<p>My parents have left for eighteen months for the mid west of America.<br \/>A two hour flight, a couple days travel by car.<br \/>The siblings don&#8217;t gather every week like when they were around, and I feel the creeping distance overwhelming.<\/p>\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mywalkabout.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/48ddc-img_0054.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mywalkabout.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/48ddc-img_0054.jpg?resize=640%2C268&#038;ssl=1\" width=\"640\" height=\"268\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<p>My brother that lived with me for the last five years (since my sister died), moved out to watch my parents house.<br \/>It just doesn&#8217;t feel the same at night. I keep watching the top of the staircase to see if he&#8217;ll return, knowing he won&#8217;t&#8230;.<\/p>\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mywalkabout.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/66442-dsc02778.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mywalkabout.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/66442-dsc02778.jpg?resize=640%2C284&#038;ssl=1\" width=\"640\" height=\"284\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<p>The stress at work is unbearable. Bitches spew venom and assholes pucker.<br \/>Pure insanity.<\/p>\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mywalkabout.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/b837a-img_0064.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mywalkabout.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/b837a-img_0064.jpg?resize=640%2C426&#038;ssl=1\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<p>Along a desolate highway, I see a coyote crucified, hanging upside down, it&#8217;s leg punctured on the fence line.<br \/>I almost throw up.<\/p>\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mywalkabout.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/74107-img_2246.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mywalkabout.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/74107-img_2246.jpg?resize=638%2C640&#038;ssl=1\" width=\"638\" height=\"640\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<p>I need to get away, to find something more.<br \/>Something larger than myself.<\/p>\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mywalkabout.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/9ad40-dsc02786.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mywalkabout.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/9ad40-dsc02786.jpg?resize=640%2C436&#038;ssl=1\" width=\"640\" height=\"436\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<p>New Mexico&#8217;s <a href=\"http:\/\/www.vla.nrao.edu\/\">Very Large Array<\/a>\u00a0was out in the middle of nowhere, a premier\u00a0astronomical radio observatory that is trying to connect with our universe.<br \/>Asking questions, looking for answers.<br \/>Just like me.<\/p>\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mywalkabout.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/2f246-img_0051.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mywalkabout.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/2f246-img_0051.jpg?resize=640%2C454&#038;ssl=1\" width=\"640\" height=\"454\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<p>As I approached one of the great satellite dishes, it moved, recalibrated, perhaps connecting to a far off star or planet.<br \/>The energy emitting from it coursed through my body, healed my sadness, and put a smile back on my face.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; 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