When Geoff came to visit me a few weeks ago, we paid a trip to the Army Surplus Store here in town. It was full of army clothes and guns and knives and stuff, but then there were a lot of random things that were too awesome. I would've loved to take photos, but they are very serious about no one taking pictures. As the store is full of guns and knives, I wasn't about to attempt sneaking in a few snapshots of things like a gorilla head statue (WTF?).
The good news is, Geoff scored this awesome patch. What's not to love about a fire-breathing winged seahorse riding a rocket?
I think I'll get this tattooed on my forearm.
----------------------------------------- Listening to: Mechanical Me - I like -----------------------------------------
I hate baseball. And being from St. Louis, that is truly a Cardinal sin. Watching the game is boring, listening to it on the radio is tolerable, going to a game in person is meh. It moves too slow and over an entire game, there might be one minute of excitement for me.
On the other hand, I love people. It's amazing the amount of diversity on the planet. Every human has differing perspectives, unique beliefs, their life has provided them with an array of experience that is theirs and only theirs. Everyone has a story to tell -- it's just a matter of presenting it in an interesting and informative manner.
Last night a friend sent me a link to an animated clip, Dock Ellis & The LSD No-No. Baseball might be stupid, but Dock's story, which has been animated, is quite fascinating and entertaining as well. This clip is well worth the less-than five minutes of your time it will eat up.
Sadly, the great Dock Ellis died last December at 63. A year before, radio producers Donnell Alexander and Neille Ilel, had recorded an interview with Ellis in which the former Pirate right hander gave a moment by moment account of June 12, 1970, the day he no-hit the San Diego Padres. Alexander and Ilels original four minute piece appeared March 29, 2008 on NPRs Weekend America. When we stumbled across that piece this past June, Blagden and Isenberg were inspired to create a short animated film around the original audio.
I uploaded photos on Sunday from my trip to Colorado in July. It was a whirlwind experience.
I drove to St. Louis on Thursday, met at my mom's where her, myself, my Gramma Sue and my mom's youngest brother, Kenny hitched a ride to the MetroLink station in East St. Louis. It took about two hours to get to Lambert airport and we ended up riding a total of four trains just to get there. Breaking down sucked, but at least our train car was under the shadow of a bridge. After that, we had to miss several train cars before finding one we could pack into. And at every stop, one person would get off and five more would get on. It was tightly packed and I was stuck next to a very smelly person who's armpit my nose was inches away from.
And that was the worst part about the whole trip.
Once we got to Lambert things went smooth. I even spied a piece of artwork that I'd never seen before.
Then time started moving fast.
Fly to Denver, land, meet up with my cousin Jeremy and wait for my Aunt Diana's flight from Kentucky. Pick up our rental van that holds seven passengers, drive to Jeremy's, snack and talk, get ready for bed.
Ahh, Friday.... we easily covered 200 miles this day.
Red Rocks with Denver in the distance
Moose and some mountain pine beetle forest damage.
Rocky Mountain National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park
Saturday was much less hectic, but still with a lot of driving.
We drove from the suburbs of Denver to Canon City to take the train through the Royal Gorge before we headed to the bridge. And then we headed to Pikes Peak. We had to have been in the car for 300 miles that day.
Royal Gorge Bridge as seen while riding the train.
People rafting the Arkansas River while we rode the train.
The Royal Gorge Bridge is 1,053 feet above the Arkansas River.
Looking between the boards of the suspension bridge. See the two rafts below?
That bridge was totally cool.
Well worth the visit.
That was fun. But we had to skee-daddle and make our way to Pikes Peak. The last ten miles or so, we were caught in a terrible hail and lightning storm. Thank you, Jeremy, for getting us to the top safely.
Photos cannot do the view justice.
I could see for miles.
Lots of switchbacks to make our way to 14,110 or -15 foot elevation and back down.
Oh, and hairpin turns, too.
On Sunday, four of us flew back to St. Louis and my Aunt Diana headed back to Kentucky. It was a quick visit but it was so nice to spend time with my family. Well, a portion of my family.
------------------------------------------------------- Listening to: The Flaming Lips - Slow Nerve Action -------------------------------------------------------
I used to write several times each week and I want to write more, but it seems that I have nothing positive to share – which is an odd thing for me to admit because the last year I’ve felt happier than I can ever remember feeling. But my happiness has been overshadowed by a never-ending job search. It took me eight months to find the job I have now and that experience can best be described as a long, unsuccessful attempt at finding work in St. Louis, only to end abruptly with an unexpected job offer 100 miles away.
Now I’m working, but I’m not really making ends meet and my job is less than satisfying. I want to make a positive difference, have a career that is challenging and is something I can be passionate about. However, I basically shuffle paper from point A to point B, and while, if I didn’t do my job it would have a negative effect on a variety of people, I’m capable of much more. If I were a dog, my owner would come home from work to find the couch torn to pieces out of frustration.
Yet, I feel fortunate.
I have an insane amount of friends and I’m making more all the time. I have an amazing family who supports and loves me, offers advice and help, and am surrounded by an overwhelming amount of people who love and care for me. I’m lucky, I’m blessed, I am fortunate.
Could things be better? Yes.
Could things be worse? Hell yes.
The never-ending supply of people willing to push aside their own problems and concerns to listen to mine, it’s astonishing. I am thankful, but I feel that whatever I do will never be enough because I’ve been given so much. I am indebted to everyone who touches my life and I do my best to give back and pay it forward.
The other evening I ran to the grocery store to get a cheap bottle of wine and as I approached the store, I saw a homeless man and heard him ask a young guy for one dollar. The young guy says he has nothing to give and walks away snickering. I was perturbed and at the same time, I felt like, although I don’t have a pot to piss in, I’m at the store buying wine – I can spare a dollar. I’m not sure what I gave him exactly, four or five dollars, I just handed it to him.
As I walked into the store I decided that I should buy that homeless man a sandwich. I stood in line for-ev-er because the checkout girl wasn't 21. By the time I get outside the guy is headed around the corner, so I run after him and say, "SIR! I bought something for you." I hand him the sandwich. He thanks me profusely. I walk away and after about five steps turn back just in time to see him peeing on the side of the grocery store.
…when you gotta go…
------------------------------------------------- Listening to: Solange Knowles – Sandcastle Disco -------------------------------------------------
Today is Sandra's birthday and all I can do is think of her. I want to call her so badly, but she's dead. And, fuck if I don't feel like a bitch for so bluntly writing, "she's dead." But she is.
My silly aunt, the shit-disturber, the feisty one, the one I got together with to misbehave, make inappropriate jokes and share secrets - she wasn't supposed to die at 46.
