I checked my blog views today. We are now averaging 16 views per day! A massive hit compared to a year ago and only my mother looking at it. I feel I owe my small audience more blogs and better quality in each blog. I am now taking all pictures myself, unless it calls for something I can't do. I will also add more recipes since I am a brilliant cook and only show you kind folks a tenth of what I really cook. I will also force myself to write much more: You readers patronage, should spur me on much further than I've been able to spur myself. And lastly: I will try to whine less. Sure I have disgust for my boring and meaningless existence, but I will try to keep the depressing parts out, so you can enjoy your lifeless re-runs you call lives, without me making it more sad and lacking.
So on a scale of one to ten this week started out as a zero. Three of my students turned on me the past Friday. A coworker is on a war campaign against me. My girlfriend (I never liked), tried to up the relationship and failed miserably, so now I have no one to hang out with. My 3 month sinus impaction doesn't allow much sleep (feels like a train is wrecked in there). And I spent another shitty weekend feeling sorry for myself.
Monday sucked as usual, but the students were non-verbally apologetic. Tuesday was ok cept I drank four gallons of coffee due to the lack of Monday nights' sleep. I had to take a hot shower and drink a bucket of Chamomile tea in order to relax enough to crash at midnight. Wednesday was better, and I had my classes doing "fun for them" easy work such as collages and wire wrapping jewelry, plan to keep up the non-instruction until Spring Break is over and gone. I also slow cooked a lovely two pound round roast on the stove, while I went out to play trivia at the local pub. Nice to get out for once in the past two weeks. I didn't have carrots, and my potatoes were old, so I put three onions in the pot, after browning the beef, added some celery, wine, and a beef bouillon cube, and made a heavenly creation. The best part about the roast is that I left the house and ate at the pub therefore; I had to refrigerate the roast for a night and let it sit in the soupy, onion, wine mixture for a day before re-heating it all. I did toss in a bit of salt and pepper, Worcester, and more black pepper. The result was pure ambrosia of the beef gods. Since the ample liquid made a perfect au jus sauce, all that was required was the addition of a secret ingredient in order to pull things together. CATSUP! Only a couple tablespoons were required, but this au jus made the beef (which I broke up and sliced, then returned to the pot for 30 minutes), the best beef sandwich I can remember. Since all I had were toasted small hamburger buns, I only had three of them. I will dream of this for years to come. Remember: Screw the potatoes, put in one pound of onions to two pounds of beef. I did throw in a stick off celery and was happy I did. Needs no other veggies than these.
Tomorrow is Friday and the train-wreck in my nose has finally broken, due to snorting a mixture of sesame seed and Melalueca oil (the latter is a strong natural antibiotic), and has shifted down to my throat and lungs but appear to be on the way out. Thanks to my friend "Maurice" an old Mormon artist, for recommending it to me. Friday smells like a great day, and I will try to write more.
Very busy week, went on a field trip on Tuesday to Springville, Utah; to view the Utah State High School Art show, afterwards we got some lunch and went up to Ogden, for the Weber State High School Art show. I had students in both of these exhibitions. The three hundred mile round trip was long but fun, dropped early that night only to wake at 6:00 A.M to do it again.
Today, I managed to get on the bicycle and sprint into town, to check my mail and pick up some provisions. Had an excellent Japanese lunch at "Happy Sushi", I had the "Lunch Box", which consisted of grilled Salmon, tempura fried vegetables, 4 cali rolls, salad, and miso-soup. A three course meal for less than 10 bucks. I love this little place and the owners; the decor makes you feel like you're in another country, which is where I long to be.
Drove another 3 miles to Walgreens, and headed back home. Unfortunately I didn't wear enough layers, and the cold wet incoming storm caused me to stop at the transit center, and take the bus the last 3 miles to my place. Hell, 6 miles is a pretty good ride if your pushing it hard enough and hitting hills. I found that if I don't work out at least three times a week my circulation and mood suffers. I'm a fitness addict for the rest of my life; although I should work out more.
Its nice that Logan City has a nice transit system, I do think they should charge a dollar per ride or something, but the convenience of hopping on a bus instead of driving is always a nice option. The bike carriers on the front of the bus are nice as well.
Came back to my place to write, compute, and practice the Saxophone (See the blog last fall, bragging about my "1938 King Zephyr" Sax). I asked my neighbor to pound on the ceiling if I get too loud, she says she enjoys hearing me practice, but I have no idea why? Let's just say I have much practice to do before performing publicly LOL!
Feb 5th, 2011: Hanging out in Saint Francis by the bay for the first time. This is one of the three nicest cities in the U.S. if not the best of them. Boston, New York, and Chicago come to mind, but there is a freedom of the city by the bay that speaks out most forcefully. Sure they pay to live here and deeply they will pay to do it. And the cars, bicycles, skateboards, walkers, and cable cars continue to bring people here and there, "hither and thither", while planes cover the sky and the sailboats and ferry's criss-cross the bay with a certain urgency. People are moving around in San Francisco. They don't sit still because they need to be movin' in order to pay their ridiculous rents. When you spend more than half your income on rent, then you generally have to keep moving around, generating that next months rent. Again and again.
What do these poorer people do when they get old and can no longer hustle to make ends meet?
Hanging out in the bar next to my hotel was like a step back in time. Jack London and Mark Twain fully described this place, and the place's intensity remains as it was 100 or more years ago. People here live for this day. They all seem to be content to be here and making it happen with little thought for the distant future. Perhaps, they will all make it big before they get caught in the government home trap, or in other traps that are far worse. This is truly a city of opportunity. I don't think anyone can really starve here. It's like a dream world that never gets cold, never goes hungry, never will die, and never needs to sleep.
Had a great (near perfect) day. Woke at 7:30 and went to breakfast at Angies with my old pal Larry, where we discussed beautiful waitresses and fixing bikes and stuff. Went home and slept off the pancakes, eggs, and the rest.
Noon, I re-awoke. Made some tea, lounged about, did computer upgrade work, took a well-needed shower, then off to the grocery store, which I haven't seen for at least two months. I have been avoiding buying groceries, while eating up much of my old dry beans, potatoes, stored meat, and whatever. Now my cupboards, needed some shopping. I only spent $85 bucks, but I am stocked for another month at least. Amazing how cheap one can eat if one cooks for himself. I only cook for Artistic (and lousy local restaurants), reasons, but it is quite economical, if one avoids expensive stuff that is usually bad for you.
Drove the scooter around the "Island", the part of Logan City that I live in. (Used to be a real Island between rivers many years ago). Has some of the coolest places in town to live, but since it's at the bottom off a wet canyon, it gets damned cold. My little 50cc "Derbi" scooter, scooted my big ass around just fine, and passed 40 MPH at one stretch. This bike was modified, and crazy fast for a 50 cc, and sounds like an angry mosquito. It was about 45 degrees out and refreshingly chilly.
Came home, made a pot roast, which is still simmering in the pot as I write 4 hours later. One should never hurry while cooking! Play some music, have some wine, let the food do it's thing, just keep the heat low and check on things from time to time, tasting each checkup.
After much talking with many loved ones, via phone or facebook, while drinking a bit of wine and surfing old websites, I started getting a bit nostalgic about a few old poems I wrote, now deeply buried on Myspace, which I plan to rescue, re-write and send over here for safe keeping.'
Here's one that I rewrite every couple years:
Ok, that's one. And it was first written in 1995, I did a few more changes here in 2008, and most recently today in 2011.
Here's another written back in Spring 2008...
May 2008:
Observations of the Night:
Copyright A.Barnes 2008
THE NIGHT!.
I love the night,
I love it's quiet, rich, subtle, clarity.
I feel it's deep, all-knowing, beauty, and light.
so still, so perfect...
The depths of peace can only be fathomed at this time.
Late at night, is a journey through ideas and mist,
when every smell and sound has it's own meaning.
The night is a perfect time to wander and think.
The quiet is formless, home of the organic things.
The idea of death, and it's awful glow, often stab the air,
with sirens of panic and angst. Burning and fighting can always be heard...
along the flashing streets midst nights of neon and wire.
This is the pain of ignorance.
This the pain of the daily riot.
But this gorgeous fair night quickly returns to peace...
Night-time, is a lovely black angel, full of good-will, and power.
Her benevolence and humor are known to all who will listen.
Her happiness and joy are felt by those who come clear.
Her sweetness is almost beyond our perception.
Her movement is silence, impossible to hear.
Night! You gorgeous black beauty...Please stop by and speak to me.
Night! You bringer of wonderful dreams...Speak to me!
Night, O' Harbinger of the chance cards of the future...
You cast out the wild dust;
which emanates from the chaos of the day....
All I ask, is that you continue to "speak to me" and never leave,
and I will always hold you dearly!
Lovely night angel, deliver us from this terrible world of daylight,
bring us all hope from this sun's oppressive destruction.
Lead us to all the dark secrets that you possess:
Then wake us up gently,
in the morning's silent creeping waves of light.
And I will miss you deeply when you're gone.
I will dream of your prowess, while crawling through the fiery day.
As I struggle for thirsty existence, I will remember your peaceful beauty,
When my work is done and all this shit is over,
I shall return to you with perfect faith,
and admire your timeless grace.
My main focus on this blog has changed from truck camping, to writing in general. Writing, photography, and cooking are my main forms of creative expression, and much of this blog is focused on that.
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