January 13, 1977 (Letter from Barb N)

Hello.  How are you?  I'm fine.  Not exactly feeling comfort inside but I am pleased with my progress since I have been back to Naples.

My flight back wasn't too bad but I found it uncomfortable sitting up and trying to sleep.  None the less I managed to get some sleep. Nobody mete me at the airport but I guess it was expected.  I never wrote to tell them that I was coming back the same flight as I had originally planned.

I went out & partied the first few nights that I got back but I found myself to be sliding back into the same rut as when I left.  Darrell was the one who make me think that I better change now before I find it too hard.  He only played his game on me too soon.

I set up my bedroom so I will be able to get at my sewing, knitting, cloths, etc easier and leave the room in order.  I bought a card table and I have my sewing machine all set to be used.  I also plan to have my macrame work handy.  So now is the time to be creative.

I am doing yoga 2-3 times a day.  I do the three exercises you showed me in the morning.  After work I do leg stretching and in the evening back stretching.  My middle back hurts and I found it difficult to sit in one position and type for more than five minutes.  Tonight I will soak in the bathtub.

I'm making my dinner which consists of carrots, onions, green peppers, rice, spinach, and tomatoes sauteed in olive oil.  After my dinner or during I have a glass of wine to aid in digestion.

I'm glad to be back but I'm not all that happy.  I'm going to find a new direction.  I hope to meet some different people who offer a little more in life.  I'm not counting on it tho.  I will just let it be.
I might go skiing this weekend with some girls at work.  I have to do errands so I'm not sure if I'll go.  I think we'd have a lot of fun tho.  I'll see how it goes tomorrow.

It was great being home with the family at Xmas.  It really warmed my spirits.  Now I know in my mind that my life is lacking a part to make me more at peace but I can't say what it is.  I will just have to keep my feet on the ground trying to keep a direction that is my own path.  I'm set to leave to start out to better roads but the time is not right for now.  (But we both feel the same I'm sure.)

Take care brother Paul.

I hope to see you soon.

I didn't go skiing this weekend.  I didn't make it up in time to go.  But I had a good day with somewhat.  Richard came over (he is a guy I've know by face but not personally) to look for hash with me.  First off he hit a car almost the same time that I just missed clamming into his car.  A few seconds later I was trying to get around a double parked car & I hit it.  Fortunately, I did not do any damage but the driver wanted my name etc.  While we were exchanging autographs I caused a traffic jam.  By this time my friend finally came back to see what I was doing.  His car wouldn't start so we had to tell his roommate.  After leaving his house I was turning my car around when my car fell into a ditch.  (Only my front right wheel.)  This was no ordinary ditch.  It was about 20 inches deep.  Our day was pretty much that way but I had a good day.  I managed to buy my hash.  The first smoke I've botten since I've been over here.  In fact I'm going to smoke a bowl now.

I had a good time with Rich yesterday.  So I hope that I will meet some of his friends.  We had some homemade vino that his landlord gave to him.

I might go to Munchen to see Pink Floyd in concert next month.  It should be interesting.

That's all from me.

June 30, 1973 (Letter from Leslie)

Greetings dear friend!  This week has been really busy.  Dad and I couldn't finish the taping in time for the whole room to be finished so Mom said okay, no more, we will finish it when Robin goes.  So we painted the floor and moved the furniture back in.  Mom painted the woodwork (it's a mint green that looks good enough to eat and the walls will be the same color) and put u the summer curtains so it looks all of a piece and really nice in spite of the unfinished walls.

Robin and Barbara arrived Wednesday night about 2am.  What can I say, it's really nice seeing him and having him around for awhile.  It has been almost three years since Rob and I have been in the house at the same time.  Barb is great and has been and is really good for Rob because he looks fine, happy, and peaceful.  We were all prepared to like her and now we know how great she is.

Surprise, surprise -- Rob and Barb have asked me to come back to California with them and the family says I can go!  Wow, I'm going to California!  I will ride out with them in Rob's car and fly home probably sometime in August.  I plan to buy film for my camera on Monday and do all my necessary errands such as having a physical to send to Albany so I can register.  More on this later.

Last night Blood Sweat the Tears was at Saratoga with Curtis Mayfield.  I had wanted to see it, but didn't have tickets, so I didn't go.  It was pouring rain as it has everyday and night since Rob and Barb got here and therefore it was no advantageous to sitting on the lawn.  This morning there was a review and I'm glad I didn't go.  BS&T had trouble with the sound system and so that messed them up cause nobody could understand the singer plus they were rather lackluster so said the reviewer.  Curtis Mayfield didn't show at all -- his plane was delayed along the line, but his band was there and went on without him.  For another concert he was late so it sounds as if he is trying for a reputation of reliability.

Thursday I went to the movies with Marc, Bernie, and Doug to see the newest James Bond flick "Live and Let Die".  Title song by Paul and Linda McCartney.  I found parts of the film really funny and enjoyed the chase scenes, but it did have serious flaws that one should realize.  The main flaw was that it was racist and used stereotypes to depict the blacks.  The plot has to do with a new heroin supply and its distribution.  The black "dude" stereotype is used quite a bit and distributing night clubs are called "Fillet of Soul".  There are also some scenes on the island where the poppies being grown showing voodoo ceremonies.  Of course the movie was chauvinist and Bond always get his women.  Some of the gimmicks were incredible such as Bond's watch that could produce a powerful magnetic field that would deflect bullets but the worst was when one of the villains was blown up like a balloon with a compressed air pellet and burst.  It was the first time I had seen a James Bond film in the movies.  Roger Moore played Bond instead of Sean Connery.

Monday 2:July '73 -- Hello again.  A friend of my brother's gave him the biggest piece of hash I have ever seen so he and I smoked some last night.  Barb doesn't smoke because she falls asleep.  It was nice -- very cheerful stuff, but I don't think it was that strong -- I don't know, haven't smoke hash in a long time.

The picnic was fun once we finally left the house and got under the way.  The sun did come out and it was really hot.  I went swimming a couple of times.  There was lots of food, but I didn't eat too much -- trying not to be a pig.  I just love riding on the water in a boat, really relaxing.  There's quite a few sailboats and a couple of canoes, both of which I have never ridden in, and both of which I would like to.  Canoeing looks like such a peaceful way to travel and quiet.  I definitely have to go canoeing sometime.

On the radio I am listening to WGY with Ellen.  It is an enjoyable program.  Oh yes -- you wanted to know if the station was like that all of the time or if it was special program -- well it's a special program on Monday-Friday or Saturday from midnight to 5am.  The rest of the programming is much, much more conservative.

Rob tuned up my motorcycle and adjusted the clutch so she was running really sweet.  So I called my friend Chris and asked her if she wanted to go for a ride.  It was/is a really pleasant night for riding -- not cold, slightly humid, and not windy.  The air felt very soft.  We rode about an hour and a half around various local roads -- I felt like Easy Rider just cruising along.

Today I went to Albany to fill out an application to work part-time in the fall -- I hope I will be able to.  Walking to the library I became excited looking at the people and thinking of the new people I would meet and how it is a new environment to go to school in.  I talked to my advisor and made out a tentative schedule. Pre-registration is July 23-27 and I don't know if I will be back from California for that or not.  Otherwise I register on August 24 and am in the second to last group and get what I can take. I don't' know when I'm coming back from Cal.  And I don't know what is the best to do.

Whew -- I just keep yawning so I'm signing off for now.  Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite.

Tuesday 3:July '73 -- Hello -- I've been doing some more thinking on California -- the decision to go was easy but my decision not to go was/is hard.  I've told all kinds of people that I was going but anyway why am I not?  Well one of the reasons is/will be going by myself with Rob and Barb.  They will be working during the day so I will be on my own which would be okay for a few days but then I like to have company when I go to see things.  Plus their apartment is small so not much privacy for them or me.  Other big reason is money -- I just don't have the money to spend freely because of no job and my parents are not able to provide at this time and that would be in my mind so with heavy heart, but also with the optimism which says I will get out there sometime, I have decided not to go.

I plan to pre-register on the 23rd, the first day in the morning.  When I talked with my advisor and had made up one schedule but I want to switch it around so that I have no  classes on Monday and Friday -- want to talk to my advisor about how it is having two classes on one day, twice a week.  Class meets only once a week.  More on this later.

Oh -- I forgot to mention that I sold my motorcycle for $750 today!  Wow I thought I would be stuck with it.  This morning I paid my insurance premium and had it inspected and this afternoon this woman who is a friend of one of my mother's friends came by with Rick (my brother's friend) and bought it and took it home.  So I quick called to cancel the insurance and have to turn in my plates.

Will continue later.

Friday 6:July '73 -- Greetings.  I'm going to mail this today so I'm going to finish up.   Yesterday I bought Get Off in Chicago for $1.99 an am very happy to have it in my possession.  Today I want to buy Jack Bruce Songs for a Tailor also $1.99 and Larry Coryell's Offering at the usual price.  I got Gary Burton Quartet Duster out of my library because I saw Coryell's name.  Haven't listened to it yet.  Will discuss in more detail later.  Take care of yourself.

July 23, 1969 (Letter from Mark)

I hope you got things straightened out around and got your car.  That's pretty great.  Next year you'll have to get up to RIT sometime.  I hope to have a car by Christmas next year.

Sometimes I wished I was in your place right now.  Here I am way out in the boonies doing nothing, but sometimes I reaqlly do have a pretty good time.  Last week I went on a mt. climbing trip.  Was pretty great!  It is really fantastic to reach the top of a mt.  This past week I rented a bike and went cycling and then went out on a canoe trip.  Some excitement -- right?  NO

Parents weekend was last weekend.  The parents are unbelievably rich.  Most had chauffeur driven cars.  One kids father came in a $22,000 Mercedes.  It was really beautiful.  It was like a Cadillac-Lincoln-Rolls Royce parking lot.  A few of the parents really impressed me the rest I found to be the usual plastic people.

Only 4 weeks left and I'm very determined that I don't want to go back to the same old "cliche".  Hear that Mike has a job at the States Hospital now.  Marti's head is still bruised.  Still can't figure out why Marti came back to Warren.  The Dr. is still in favor of having me come home, but I'm going to struggle through with it.  I'm on five tranquilizers a day now.  I hope it doesn't turn into a crutch.

I found a few people up there to turn on with.  One is the nurse.  It's really unbelievable.  She got some fantastic hash.  It was really dark stuff.  The only thing was that the medicine I'm on and the stuff I smoked gave me a really strange high that I don't care to really experience again until things are really straightened around.

Learning how to sail and went water skiing a few times.  I guess what I have really isn't a job.  It's really a lot of fun.  At least when I think of last summer at Gaughn's that it is a big step forward.

Still haven't heard from Rene.  Don't have her new address.  Send it please if you've got it. Would sort of like to find out what she's up to.  Well take care.  Write when you get the chance.