JunkYardSaint

Vallejo, California
Went to school here and left as soon as I could.
I will never go back. I despise the place.

I think I want to be a monk. I’ve been kicking this idea around for at least fifteen years if not longer. I lived as a novice for two years at the Monastery of the Glorious Ascension, and left with the intention of going back; but the monasteries in the US have issues, that monastery the Abbot was deposed and they don’t seem to want to take any monks any more; it’s not a healthy monastery; another monastery I was close with turned out to be the site of a horrible scandal that ended with it being closed down. I’d pretty much resigned myself to the idea of having to either forget the whole idea or going to a foreign country; which by the way I’d love to do, but I can’t seem to get it together to even leave my apartment let alone leave the country, especially with nothing but a hope, but as it happens a monastery founded by a monk from Mount Athos is a short 20 or 30 miles away, and they’ve invited me to come stay! I just got my car registered this week so in about two or three weeks, if I can get it together, even my boss said he’ll allow me to take a few extra days off so that I can go stay for a little while. Just a few days or so. Anyway… maybe I can go out there and think about becoming a monk out there. I hope so. I don’t think I’m ‘made’ for this world…..

I was in Munchen many years ago, and stayed for several months, living for a time in Schwabbing, then moving to an apartment on Georgenstrausse, then finally staying out in the country on the outskirts of Munchen in a small town called Vatterstetten. I was lucky enough to find work as a musician, and did some recording with a group that later gained notoriety in Germany they were called “Munchen Freiheit” – I also played bass on a sort of “Disco” style single that was put out by a woman who was at the time a “Soap Opera Star” and later also gained notoriety (even Germans get their 15 minutes)as an independant film actress by the name of Cleo Kretchmer.

I loved Munchen and thoroughly enjoyed the people I met and the time I spent there. To this day I find myself thinking of those days and I long to return – it was a beautiful city, wonderful people, and I stayed in touch with the people I met there for several years after that visit. Unfortunately in the last few years I’ve fallen out of touch with all of them; in spite of my search, I’m concerned that I may never catch up with them again, however I’ll continue to make an effort; maybe if I’m lucky I’ll catch up with them once more.

I’m currently planning a trip to Greece, and if all goes as planned I will have my first stop over, God willing, in Munchen! I noticed on the different flights that one of the least expensive flights just so happen to go non stop to Munchen, then from Munchen to Thessolniki; this being the case I may get my chance to visit them again after all!!!