The blog

People ask why I hate facebook. I don't hate facebook itself, I hate the unintended sense of familiarity it represents.
I really don't have 60 some friends. I have people that hit a page and look at it to see what I'm up to with varying degrees of interest.
You can get a message out and reach a lot of people at the same time but I think there is something wrong when some things are too easy.
Ok, the idea is a little fucked up and cynical but so am I.
If you are reading this blog this is the end. I don't invite everyone here and not many people check it. This is where I write, vent, bitch and open up a nerve or two to let them breathe. I get to fifth gear now and again and the friends that know about this and the strangers that hit this page by accident, I thank you for your time.
I just put up more videos from Antarctica on my youtube and you can find the link on the right side of the page.
Peace everyone...

parrots

It's raining. A lot. 3 inches yesterday.
Not a lot for some places but for LA it's a record.

There is a group of wild parrots that wander through my backyard for time to time. The make a wild clatter that is unlike anything I find in my day normally. When they come I feel like it's good luck.

Today, in the rain, they are here. In my neighbors tree in the backyard. I've been out listening to them. Getting wet and watching them run from tree to tree.

I decided to post and get a video and just happened to get the bunch moving out.

Very cool.

red red red

I've been drawing for a few years and in the last couple of years I've been experimenting with colors. First pencils, then pastels and during one of my trips I bought some watercolors and have been using them when the mood strikes me.
I've been using green, yellow, black, brown and blue. They've worked but not for everything.
I missed the red. No problem right. Pick up a red when I can but...everyone here sells the watercolor sets not individual pans.
It got to the point where I contemplated going back to Italy to get a red pan of watercolor.
BUT! yesterday on the way to LACMA I stopped at an art store and I had to ask and they had rundown display of individual water color pans! 90% were gone and the pieces that were left were dusty but they had red. A dingy red but red.
I just did a test and it's great!
That is what I wanted for christmas and I got it.
My needs are simple.

Fear

We all know fear.
When I was little I looked for comfort. Familiarity. Certainty.
I still like known qualities and surroundings as my base but...
That voice... In the back of my head... The fear voice... When it says "Fuck no! I'm not doing that!"
The instinct I developed to protect me I've learned to disconnect to drive, inspire and impress me.
I don't take crazy risks or break the law ( that I would admit) but I've been pushing back against my limits and really i can truly saw this is the best time in my life.

heaven's gate

The worst movie ever.
No. Tedious. A resounding yes.
I watched the dvd with an open mind. How bad could it be, really.
After an hour I had to stop. To rest.
In the second hour I put it on fast play. 1.4x speed and STILL! it plodded.
My god!
COME ON!
I got to intermission and left.
I picked it up again 4 days later.
This was like a kid with a piece of gristle he had to eat. I was going to finish it.
Two days ago I sent it back to netflix.
One star.
I've seen zero star movies. Netflix won't let you go zero stars but it was better than that.
Unless you absolutely have a need to see it. Move on.

splitting

I haven't ridden in a long time. I had a motorcycle safety class this morning and my coworker, through profound generosity, lent me his bike to ride for a couple of days.
I was beat last night and this week work was a bitch so this morning. I woke up at 8am. Missed my class but got some desperately needed sleep.
The day was hot and clear. The weather has been like this for weeks and I've been filing up with the sense that I'm missing the opportunity to ride. Today I had the means and the desire so this afternoon I was off.
Now last night I picked up the bike and rode on the freeway at night on a poorly lit stretch of the 71. I could feel my pulse pushing through my neck. The elevated overpass transitioning to the 60, heights freak me out and knowing I was up and on a motorcycle that could easily lose control keep me on edge. A few times the asphalt grooved and jerked the bike to the side or up causing a few episode of tense puckering on my part.
I was freaked but really down deep. I loved it. When I got home I felt like I accomplished something. I stayed alive, yes, a minor achievement but there were times when I wanted to pull off take a safer route but I pushed and kept to the original plan and did it.

This afternoon, I went to Cooks Corner. Down the 5 to the 55 up in the hills. The day was as promised. Hot but with my jacket open, perfect. A new band was playing covers of Zeppelin and the like. What a day.

After an hour or so, back on the road.

55
5..
Traffic.

Now I will readily admit.
I'm a pussy on a motorcycle.
I"m new. I don't push it. I rarely go over 70mph and I stay to the right when I can.
But..
I was feeling it. That nerve that will sometimes get hit that says...Go ahead...try it.
The nerve has a pretty good record so...
BUMP...BUMP...BUMP...
FUCK! The lane markers were uneven and as I was over them I knew I was going to go between cars, over the markers that could push me, left, right, fuck, I don't know.
BUMP ...BUMP ...BUMP...
Traffic slowed....
BUMP...BUMP ...BUMP...
Opening....on the right...

BUMP....BUMP....BUMP...
SUV on my left...truck on my right......BUMP ....BUMP ...BUMP....Truck moved....and I was three wide in two lanes....then I was clear....

Anyone that has been riding for a while can see this is a minor accomplishment hardly worth noting for two seconds in a conversation let alone to write down but FUCK YOU....I did it...and I did it again....
A long row of cars. Traffic. 20 mph...
BUMP...BUMP...BUMP...
This was it ...this was the real shit. ....
White car in the fast lane....VW sedan, grey in the second lane...
BUMP...BUMP ....BUMP...
White car moves over....and I'm in the crease....passing...passing...passing...FUCK! I'm doing it...I'm that guy!
Then open road!
wow! I nearly shit myself twice and I was three across a couple of times hoping neither one of my comrades in traffic would take a call, change a station or fart, swerve and kill me, but hey...this is living.

I'm not going to make a habit of this but from time to time....I like to see how the odds are treating me.
Peace fuckers...

blog

I helped my brother set up his blog. His looked really good so I decided to take a look and see what I could do with mine. Been a while since I played with it.
Life is much the same. Nothing new to report. No trips or events really.
Tonight, fireworks at my oldest friends house. The guys, barbeque, and fire. What more could you ask.