by E. Alan Meece, for UU Band of Writers
My Band of Writers Essays
Sept 13, 2026
prompt: a favorite vacation
see lots of LINKS to this essay below
This essay is only vaguely related to the assignment, because what immediately comes to my mind is more like just one day. It was called the Harmonic Convergence, Aug.16, 1987. It may have been the favorite day of my life. I organized a beach party to celebrate the occasion. My friends from this church (San Jose UU) and from the New Age Fair I produced were there, including Mike here. One cool guy came by I never saw again, but he elevated the party. I was complimented on my shorts. I decided not to wear them today though.
The Harmonic Convergence was the world’s first global meditation for peace, and it was supposed to start a process of transformation of humanity. Most planets formed a harmonious triangle in the sky, the cosmic sign of the event according to the organizers. But I knew it best as the much-vaunted "end of the world as we know it", according to the Mayan Calendar and Jose Arguelles. The group R.E.M. had a big hit record with this title in 1987. A period ending on Dec.21, 2012 would usher in this ending of the old world and beginning of the new, they said.
We didn’t meditate, just had fun. But I could feel that we were part of this greater world change happening. That always makes any vacation or celebration more special to me. We listened to the new New Age Music radio station KLRS of Santa Cruz while we drove over. It was amazing that everyone found the beach. It was called 3 mile beach, north of Santa Cruz. I had just started doing my own new age music program on KKUP too. It did really feel that a change was coming, and that I was part of it. And soon events seemed to fulfill the hopes for peace.
I organized an end of the world party for Dec.21, 2012 too. We played the R.E.M. song and I gave away CDRs that I made of end of the world songs. Mike was at this party too and asked me to include the Gangnam Style song. I had just lost my radio show though, and KLRS was gone too. The Tea Party had dashed the rising hopes for change. A week later I gave a lecture for the San Francisco Astrology club. I re-entitled the moment as "the point of no return". Now that seems right. Months later I organized another beach party at 3 mile beach to celebrate another grand triangle of planets. Some hopeful events happened, just not enough. Mike was there again too. He doesn’t even believe in these things, but he likes idealistic adventures.
This was the 3rd great grand planetary triangle in this series. The first one had happened during my first favorite vacation at Mendocino. I stood under its great water tower as Petula Clark came on the radio singing "it’s the sign of the times". So it was, the great human potential and psychedelic Aquarian Age awakening in Summer 1966. "We were all on this ship in the 60s, and we were part of it, and we went somewhere", John Lennon said as Revolver was released, with its yellow submarine that we were all on. Was it truly the start of this transformation? I thought so. But, tomorrow never knows.
LINKS
Harmonic Convergence by wikipedia
The End of the World by R.E.M.
wikipedia article on R.E.M. song It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
grand trine (triangle in the sky) definition and meaning it is often called a "harmonious" aspect
New Age Renaissance Fair, Eric Meece producer
KLRS radio by Santa Cruz Library local history, quotes article
my Mystic Music radio program (currently on hold)
Gangnam Style by Psy, over 6 billion views
My comment: @eameece 13 years ago
It reaches 1 billion views on Dec.21, 2012; it's the end of the world as we know it!
the greatest and most famous end of the world song is this one, Gimme Shelter
A Sign Of The Times- Petula Clark (1966)
John, George and others comment on Revolver and Tomorrow Never Knows
Tomorrow Never Knows by The Beatles (1966)
What Floats My Boat, my awakening with more info on the Summer 1966 events and the Aquarian Age awakening