Victor’s Home & Belongings Lost in Fire

Our dear Victor Warring evacuated his home in Ashland last night with his beloved cats and just a few belongings. The home and everything in it burned in the Almeda Fire last night. Let’s come together to support Victor in getting back on his feet. Thank you. 

from Victor:
“All gone, bye bye. The stuff.
Really gone, black earth and soot, burnt plastic and metal.

The sky got dark and the smoke and the
flames came.
In 10 minutes I was out...me, cats,
clothes, toothbrush, passport (not that
Americans can go anywhere) and that's
about it. Laptop.

It wasn't much, but it was my little place
that contained my body and where my
stuff resided. I still have my body. I am
marked "safe" and feel grateful for it. But safe isn't the right word.

Letting go.
A poster girl with no poster
A dj with no sound equipment
An artist with no art
A reader and scholar with no books
(But I'm still 32 flavors and then some. I
am beyond your peripheral vision, so you might have to turn your head)
Who am I without all these identifying
things and trinkets and toys and
talismans?
Guess it's time to find out.
It is both freeing and terrifying.

Numb. What's the first thing you do the
day after your house burns down? I guess it's the cat pee and poop in the car...the
big cat always lets one rip in a vehicle.
One and done and then he lives up to his name...Santosha, contentment.

Sitting at my favorite café, normal.
Looking at all the houses that are still
here. Normal. Buying a sleeping bag and mat because I didn't grab my super awesome REI gear. Not normal. Then there's my 3pm zoom client...do I just jump in
and support someone else in their erotic aliveness?

So I'll start with "safe" and alive, drink my coffee then see about Santosha's somatic gift in the back seat.

And I had just bought a new vacuum
cleaner, but there is no rug. So letting go.

***For those outside the area, this is a
wildfire that has swept north from my
town, Ashland OR and is still raging
through the towns north of here. Winds are high and there is still danger. It's a
calamity.”