ok ok

Arrived last night from Santa Fe.
Shorter drive but still the drive is getting to me.
Ate. Slept.
Woke up this morning. Oatmeal is $5. Brought to the room. $8.
So I go down to the cafe. The hotel is very nicely done. Historic building with all new appointments. People are friendly. Genuinely friendly. The guy at starbuck could really give a shit about what kind of day I'm having. Here at least, they seem to care.
I sat down, unfolded myself and an older asian lady came to serve me. Her accent was charming and she moved like she wanted to go 90 mph but was told to go 30. I gave her my order and she disappeared.
I drew for a little bit and and came with coffee and turned her head down to talk to me like I was nine years old with a grandma's smile and eyes. It was nice.
Coffee in me, my eyes were cracked open and brain starting to shuffle, the lady...comes....she comes to the table with a plate with fruit and oatmeal...held like it was the kings crown and she says ..."Here comes the sweetie..."
I laugh to myself when I think of it. Those are the moments I love on these trips.
I had two more cups of coffee and finished all my oatmeal.
I asked her name and she told me, Kim. I thanked her for a great breakfast and she told me to come back soon.
So sweet.
Off to the OK art museum, a show on George Nelson. Had not heard of him but his designs I'm a fan of. One of those people whose work you know but have been invisible.
I'm late.
I'll be in Memphis late tonight or tomorrow.
Tired but not exhausted.

santa fe

I don't know.
I planned on getting here in about 10 hours. No traffic and following the plan it took 17. Brutal. I stopped a couple of times to stretch, eat and gamble (I won $30 at a slot machine but lost $60 at the craps table).
Santa Fe just kept getting further and further away.
I left at 3am, about 5 the sun rose directly above the road ahead of me. I had to drive looking away from the road. NICE!
The redstone and desert were great to look at. The day turned the colors so there was always something to watch.
Coming in to New Mexico it was much of the same but the pueblo architecture was all around. There is a good art vibe here.
The hotel is great. Small. Intimate and full of character.
I slept like a log in a deep soft bed.
Now I'm up. 7. I'm never up at 7 but it's vacation and I get full of piss to see everything and keep moving.
I just walked around the St Francis area and it's great. I want to see the city but I have to be in NYC and get the car back.
I have slack in my schedule but I get the itch to move.
Should be in OKC tonight.
later.

Car

Booked the car today.
I'm jacked up for my trip.
Seems my birthday comes along when I need it. Then comes baseball.
Life is good

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.