Parvathy Baul

My love and I went to see Parvathy Baul last night, a singer, painter and storyteller from West Bengal. Her music was incredible, a "blend of devotional Hindu, esoteric Sufi and Vajrayana Buddhist influences" according to the blurb in our local paper that first piqued my interest. She was amazing, with a voice that sent shivers down my spine, gave me goosebumps and lulled me into trance-like states. Though she sang mostly in Bengali, Hindi and even Sanskrit, she would introduce each song with an English synopsis. She looks as though she's never cut her hair in her life. The performance took place at the private residence/Ashram of Jim and Lalitha Capellini in Birch Bay. There was a potluck first, so I spent a couple of hours beforehand trying my best to come up with some Indian food. I had some success, as most of my red lentil/ chickpea curry was cleaned out quite thoroughly. Met some good people and left with a warm glow that carried over through today. I hope to encounter these folks again.
Two of her instruments, a one stringed thingy for drone and a small drum attached to her hip.
Parvathy and hostess Lalitha.
Her beautiful smile
Her spinning, dreads flailing as she sang and played.
The beautifully wrought "jingle bangles" (my term) on her feet, her steps were as precise as could be, in order to provide perfect percussion.
Jim and Lalithas front yard,
and backyard.
Spectacular statue, don't know the devotional term for this one.

TMCM

One of my all time favorite superheroes, Too Much Coffee Man!!
...and this gem, both images found on Digg today.

Damn, I guess EVERYONE is gonna be at that party...

The best store in the world

Everybody's Store in the town of Van Zandt (no relation to Townes Van Zandt) is my favorite retail space ever. It was started by a Phd who decided to stop lecturing about supporting small scale, locally based economies and put his ideas into practice. They sell everything from jewelry to DVDs to fresh-made sandwiches with premium ingredients. In other words, GOOD hippies. No one is ever in a hurry around there, there's no need. You can feel the magic as soon as you see the building from across the tracks. Once inside, you know you are somewhere perfect. If you can't find it here, you don't need it. Sadly, their house is for sale. I sincerely hope all is well for them.

Believing in something...

Last night on Drayton Harbor Road

A couple of years ago, I was on my way to the local reservation to buy some fireworks for the 4th of July. Two little girls that I love very much were riding along, to help pick out the proper explosives. Out of nowhere, the youngest said, "'Dad', why do people believe in God?"
Wow. And Uh-oh.
Their momma claimed Christianity.
Me, not so much.
I was raised in The Church, dragged there every Sunday and sometimes Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday depending on who had choir practice, bible study, vestry meetings, confirmation class, acolyte rehearsal or which god-damned Holy Day was being observed. I dutifully studied all the ways in which some foreign hobos were tortured to death 2000 years ago because I touched myself.
I came to the inescapable conclusion that Jesus and God belonged on the same shelf as the Tooth Fairy, The Easter Bunny and Santa. I could NOT for the life of me, figure out why my parents clung to such an obsolete and downright screaming insane superstition. I knew better than to challenge their faith, though. My father threatened to kick my ass once, when I expressed a bit of doubt that God really wanted America to have nuclear superiority.
So what to tell the young 'uns?
'Dad' was just a nickname. I couldn't very well tell these fresh-faced kids how all religions were a steaming pile of putrid horseshit, invented by cheap scam artists too fucking lazy and dishonest to work for their supper. Had I actually been their father... oh, hell yeah. I would have gone on at length.
Instead, I said, "The universe is a very large and frightening place. We're just tiny little ants on a blue rock spinning around some star. For lots of people, the idea that there is a friendly, dad-like, invisible creature watching out for them is very comforting. It makes them feel not so small and unimportant. I'm not one of those people."
There was maybe ten seconds of silence from the back seat, I glanced in the mirror, terrified that I'd said the wrong thing and scarred them for life.
Both faces were staring disinterestedly out their respective windows. The oldest piped up and said, "Are we almost to the fireworks place?"

We're still empire, at least through your lifetime...

My new favorite blog for today

Check out Driftglass, found this one while image searching on google... like a PG RudePundit! With pics and good jokes!
http://driftglass.blogspot.com/

The rain is GONE, mofo, GONE!!!!

Clouds on the run!
Wild rose getting ready....
Corkscrew willow!
Moon!
Rhodies! and Bees!
Cherries!

Summer tomorrow, I'm so freakin' happy!
Hi, pretty girl! I love you!

Ferron

She is one of the finest singer songwriters ever.
She's been compared to Bob Dylan, Townes Van Zandt and Leonard Cohen. I have to agree, she sometimes outshines them all. This is a link to a site that contains some golden nuggets from her latest tour de force, may Ferron reign supreme forever! (At least in the broken hearts department.)

Hell YEAH!

My dawg OBAMA!!!!!!!!!!!!
"President Barack Obama" I loves the sound of that, in fact...
ohhh, I got shivers.
Fuck McCain, he's DOA!!

OMG, FTW!!!!111lol4evr!!1

Drive Thru

mmmm, cookie.
I want her job. If only it didn't involve being a cop.

Apparently, this is a woman?

Pure genius. This pretty much sums up language freaks for me. Why does it matter so much to these frickin' morons? It's just a cover for racism. I don't think anybody ever lay on their deathbed wishing they'd spent more time being angry in a flag shirt. I have worked with Latinos my whole life, lived with many of them too. The sad fact that my Spanish still sucks huevos is no more shameful than the fact that my good friends' English still sucks too. We communicate just fine.
We don't need to worry about who wants to live where, or what language they want to speak. We just need to sterilize all new arrivals to this country. Spay and neuter your immigrant now to prevent unwanted abuse of social services. And get yourself done while you're there at the clinic. Don't leave the Earth to future generations, let the Earth be free of future generations! Polar bears can't use flag shirts.
PS. No, your kids are great. Really. Just take 'em to the vet and get 'em fixed.

Penn and Teller

MERYL!!!!!!

Mortis Redux

Dad's been diagnosed with pneumonia. Again. Saddam Hussein was still in power the first time. Dad spent weeks, then months in various intensive cares. The docs said, "Call the family" as shock and awe ensued. I drove across the mountains to say goodbye for the tenth time while oil slicks burned on the Euphrates. Since then, Dad has been in a holding pattern, low on fuel and out of contact with the tower. He's been contemplating his slippers and wondering where his cigarettes are for years now. The nurses wheel him out on the hour, so he can set fire to his lap when he forgets what was going on after the third puff. I sooooooo don't want this to be my future. If the doctor ever looks at me and says "Alzheimer's", I'm getting so gawddamn drunk and paddling a kayak to Japan.

Bike update

All the best parts from Khalid's bike, my 'Rockhopper' and the 'Trek' some fucking meth-head left laying around here five years ago. This machine needs a little brake work and I'm golden! This puppy hums, though small guys on road bikes are kicking my ass on the hills.
Stupid tiny yuppies.
The thing on the seatpost is a trailer hitch, yes I gots da tow-bar.

New bike. Now I have two cars, two bikes, two cell phones, two tvs and two recliners. I'm can drive there twice as fast, ride twice as far, get twice the phone calls and be doubly relaxed while watching Scrubs and the Simpsons at the same time! Whew, I'm beat.
Think I'll lay down two times.
Then have a yard sale.

Cherry Blossoms

Can't seem to get a good blue sky, but sometimes ya gotta go ride the bike and click away despite the cold gray weather... that... never... ends...
I know, be patient and Summer will be your reward, but why can't it be here now?? Right NOW?? Bah.
Snackbar the goose has been cast aside by his posse (as happens every spring), he's taken to following everyone everywhere.
I just had to snap his portrait, he was so weirdly friendly today.

Playing with the autofocus, learning my way around just that one feature is so much easier than reading the 130 page manual for this insanely complex little machine.

Nettles are edible. I was vaguely aware of that, but had never heard of anyone eating them, the fact they sting you is a little off-putting. John sez ya just gotta blanch 'em some, good "nutty" flavor. Hmmmm.
Tree seems fond of rock. A cross-elemental romance? Tree is probably just saying, "Excuse me, you're stepping on my roots."


"Damn paparazzi." he mutters to himself

Three hour tour

Damn fine paddle today, discovered this great beach construct out by Birch Point, apparently called Fort Viking or something.
Saw blue herons, eagles, loons, cormorants, brandts, sea urchins, harbor seals and the usual collection of gulls, terns and geese. It's soooo good to be back on the water, I'm transported to another planet as soon as the boat is free of the shore.
I think they call it "Earth", I really need to get used to the cold and go visit it more often in winter. Just as soon as I learn the Eskimo roll.
Sundogs over Mount baker at 7 am.
Nothin' like paddling past your job on your day off.
That rock has eyes. An older male seal, he seemed to recognize me.
Somebody built a sweet beach tree house, but around the corner was THIS!
Looked only partially maintained, the kayaks had algae on them. This beach is pretty inaccessible though, I bet those toys sat there safely all winter.
Indeed.



Jesus, that looks like my dad.

Another fun trip to Seattle, we're gonna stop working eventually and let the poor guy actually go shop in The Market or something.


It's cherry blossom time, but I had a frosty windshield this morning. Mom says it's the coldest March in recorded history for WA? Wow. I could believe it...