God I love this picture...


I was waiting for Sunday the first of the month to post a new comment, but I just couldn't wait any longer. I was on such a roll too (No posts since Nov. 2!) Interestingly enough, this year, it happens to be the Sunday before Super Tuesday. So, what are you planning on doing that Sunday? I'll probably be working, but I know on Tuesday, I won't be working, I'll be voting. So it looks as if there are going to be 2 choices for you to make this year. Hope or ambivalence. So, to which direction will you be casting your lot. Forward or downward?

I realize that there are a myriad of options, but when it comes down to it (if when you've allowed yourself to be as deluded as I probably am), there really are only two in my eyes. I see one option, bright and shining like a star... After starting slow and getting dragged through the mud, I held fast to the star I'd hitched myself to over a year a go... But now that star is rising fast and is gaining speed, and finally, "for the first time in my life", I believe I'll actually be able to vote for someone I truly want to win and believe will win (well, I was all for Gore too in 2000, but not as enthusiastic). And then there's option two... Apathy, indifference, indecision, intolerance, fear, Republican Party, 3rd Party, not voting... All are the choices of ambivalence to me. Apathy I can understand... Nearly 8, long years have I endured hopelessness, honestly believing that this country was going to continue in an ugly, downward spiral of self-destruction until we all became dumb, impotent, self-righteous and selfish bastards. But then, someone dared to hope... And his message was a contagion that has lifted millions of Americans, just like myself, out of the pits of despair and into the lofty, Ambrosian heights of cloudlike delusion and delight. Political heroin for the masses. I wants me some smack and this man's the dealer:


SOCK IT TO 'EM BARRY! I'LL FOLLOW YOU DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE OR WHEREVER YOU ROAM ('CAUSE, MORE THEN ANYTHING, I WANNA SEE WHAT 140 BUCKS GETS ME OUT OF A CANDIDATE)


There... Now that wasn't so bad was it? 6 months away from your journal and you're blogging like a pro. And yes, I am talking to myself. My ego needs it... (That and my girlfriend is down in Aruba so I've got nothing better to do... But then, I could peruse through months of sets I've missed. By the way, Pistolita is a heart-stopper. Well she manages my blood pressure up anyways. There should be a medical disclaimer on her latest set. Aye Caramba!

TESTING... TESTING... THIS IS ONLY A TEST.

I'm flying... And I never want to come down.

Doggy Update: SHE'S HOME!!! It had occurred to me right before going to sleep to call the local animal shelter the following morning (although it would be suspiciously odd that they wouldn't call the phone number listed on her tag if they'd "found" her...) Well, come morning, I was typically bleary eyed and (again typically) off to a late start for work. Come lunch time, I was concerned about my ride home because I'd forgotten the battery for my bike lights and I didn't want to ride home in the dark (no street lights where I live). I called up my mother's partner to see if I could get a ride home or if she could pick up and drop off the battery... Well, I just happened to call her right as she was "bailing" Kita out of the pound. Fwew! Apparently, great minds do think alike (but clearer minds remember) and she had gone to the pound and found (by ear, Kita was howling when she heard the vehicle drive up) and saw her cooped up in a little 6x4 cell. She was rescued and she greeted me at the car door when I was picked up for the ride home. I'm so happy! She's a wonderful dog and I would have sorely missed her. Now the tricky part is trying to keep her inside all the time (totally against the grain for her since she's so free spirited). The overnight stay plus food and shots cost over $80 (now we know why they didn't call immediately: $$$) Sadly, she'll have to convert to being a total indoor dog (except for potty time and walks), but she already stays indoors most of the time anyways. Anyways, it made my day. Thanks for your hopes and prayers, they've been answered!!!

In other news: I can't wait for Monday night. No, not football, I'm going to a concert to see Air live with my new "special" friend. I'm not sure which is more exciting, the fact that I'm going to the concert, or the fact that I'm going with her... Scratch that, she's way more exciting. I'm so glad she invited me and I thank my lucky stars that a mutual friend introduced the two of us. We've really hit it off and I totally get her, it's as if we are kindred spirits. She's so cool... I should be dancin', yeah! DANCIN', YEAH! I SHOULD BE DANCIN', YEAH!!! (Ok, that's enough of the Bee Gee's out of me)... Ahem.

And now to the local report: Work sucks & my boss is a dick as usual. Fall is finally here. We got a nice sprinkling this morning with plenty of cool, fresh air to breathe in after a long stifling Summer. I'm looking forward to more dampness in the next couple of days. Perfect hiking and biking weather as long as it doesn't rain while I'm actually out and about. I'm finally getting my car checked out next Monday to find out if it's worth fixing or not (it's been out of commission for the last 5 months). Pretty soon though I'm going to need a car again and I'm thinking about ditching the old one in favor of a real new car (not just new to me, used car). Somewhere near the top of the list sits the Toyota Matrix. It's the right size (roomy with inside storage for road trippin', SCUBA haulin', and gear packin', and it gets great gas mileage. The fact that it's a sharp looking car doesn't hurt either. I'm still feeling the anti-establishment, anti-petroleum vibe, but I can't wait for them to develop water-powered cars... Especially if I don't want to pick up my date and have her sit on my handlebars (although that would be kind of fun.) Also, I paid off my student loan and now I've got my sights set on paying off my credit card. Funny how my credit line magically went up as soon as I paid off my student loan, the same loan that slashed my credit line to a third of what it was when I unknowingly defaulted... I hate credit, but I need to build it. Buying a car helps build credit... I need better credit so I can buy a car... Guess I better get paying off my credit card now. Anyone know if I might be able to plead the credit card companies into slashing the ungodly interest rate? Probably not. Fuckers (them, not you).

Enough. I'm done.

I'm pissed. One dog died last week (probably killed by a bobcat) and another disappeared today. I'm sure going to miss her... Kita was such a special dog. So full of energy and vitality. She had such a great spirit.

Well things have been kind of hot in my corner of the world (and I guess most of you are probably feeling some of the same heat too). Thankfully the ocean breeze is beginning to cool things off here by the end of the day, but the temperature is stifling most of the day. Now I don't want to sound like chicken little here, but I really do think the sky is falling: global warming and climate change are here, THE END IS NEIGH! Ok, I know the drill: DO NOT PANIC!

Seriously though, take a quick look over at N.O.A.A.'s website and you'll notice that much of the country (hell, the world) is experiencing higher temperatures and drought (and let's not forget to mention that the Great Lakes are starting to dry up), meanwhile the rest of the U.S. (and again much of the world) is getting flooded! So what gives??? Well a climatologist would probably tell us that due to rising air temperatures, much of the water moisture is evaporating leaving land dry and barren. However, because there is more water vapor in the atmosphere (gee, you mean like a greenhouse?), this results in more violent and destructive thunderstorms, hurricanes, cyclones and typhoons. In case you haven't noticed, there was also a 20% increase in arctic ice melt this summer. Scientists are scrambling to revise their figures, but some are already saying that the north pole will be completely free of ice during the summer months by the middle of this century. I can see it now, cruise ship and sight-seeing plane charters to see the last of the great icecap before it completely disappears... Kind of like going to a zoo to see the last of the tazmanian wolves (which didn't breed in captivity) before they went extinct. But don't take my word for it, see some of it breaking apart for yourself:


And just imagine how many margaritas you could make with that mountain of ice! They'll sure be refreshing and what a way to beat that heat.

Psst. If you managed to make over to the NOAA site, you might not have noticed that the U.S. has also embarked on a "science voyage" to map the seafloor of the arctic region. Guess we're in the race for the pole too. Sigh. Thus begins (continues?) the mighty struggle over the last remaining oil reserves in the world (ironic that global warming has allowed it to get to this point, no?)

Weather aside, I'm trying to maintain my sanity amid all the crazy conspiracy theories that keep running through my head. (Boredom can be a quite a vice during these geopolitically volatile times). Please, just don't ask me what I'm thinking or what my "conspiracy theory" is, its hard enough for me to forget about it in the first place. In the least, you'll just look at me funny, think I'm crazy or possibly never talk to me again. At worst, I'll be right and it won't matter because things will just be really shitty and you'll know what my "theory" is anyways if (when?) it happens... Yeah, it sucks and it's really bad but there's nothing I can do about it, so why keep worrying? Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain! (Ok, here's a big hint in case you just need to know):

Moving on...

Besides the kooky-craziness-doom-and-gloom talk, here's how I've been feeling a bit like lately: (Are the smileys getting annoying yet?) I just saw off a couple of good friends who moved to Flagstaff, so things have been kind of quiet in the social department. Thankfully, a week ago I was invited to go to an art show at Distinction Art Gallery down in Escondido where they were featuring (mostly) my favorite type of art (Pop Surreal). There was some really great stuff on display and the free wine in the gallery was also a well imbibed bonus. We chased the evening's event with a good bottle of red wine at R. O'Sullivan's Irish pub and wouldn't you know it, they we're literally all tapped out! No beer in an Irish pub? That's like having no ice in the Arctic! Ha! Oh. Um... Anyways we had a great time and drained the bottle listening to a guitar-playing-jaunty-singing-beer-swilling-Irishman and old 80's Smiths songs (it was playing whenever he took a beer break, they still had bottles). Afterwards we headed back up to town to enjoy some really cool tripped-out music before I said my final goodbyes... It's really great when you can relate to people and have a great time doing something simple, like hanging out. It's been quite along time since done any hanging out and its really hard to find good friends among the uptight people here in hickkksville. Well I'll have to do it again soon. Meanwhile I've been invited to join them if I choose to go to an Air concert (as in the band) in September. I'm not sure if I can go, but I'm going to try... But until then, I can't wait for my first issue of Juxtapoz to come in the mail. I'm not usually one for material items, but hey, this is art and this mag 'aint no cheap dime rag cover, it's the real deal. (Actually, I'm kind of fond of cheap dime rag covers, even if they are a bit cliche). Anyways, opening a copy of Jux is kind of like getting a issue of LA (or OC, SD, SF, etc.) Weekly, but its overflowing with so much art and coolness it kicks ass over all other 'zines (well that's my opinion anyway). There's my report for now. It's a mixed bag, but take it or leave it, this is my life. Bye, adios, sionara and au revoir and tattootleoo! (Did I just say that??? Oh man, it must be getting late).

If-n-she-'aint a beaut? Covergirl for the times... Muerte baby... Muerte indeed.

So here I am, sitting, staring into my computer feeling my eyeballs slowly dry out before they drop from my skull. I can't seem to will myself to go to bed so here I am., bored and tired at 2:30 AM. I've written a few witty things in the current events boards, I've posted at least one comment on a friend's page, and I've even posted a few comments in the sex boards. I'm so bored, I actually turned on the chat feature for about 5 minutes before I creeped myself out for not writing a single word. It's bizarre, why do people go on the chat board??? Boredom I guess. That or maybe they're just horny or lonely, or both. I know I am. (Time for me to put on my Eore suit).

Damned if Big Love ain't the greatest show. I just watched three episodes in a marathon session (HBO On Demand rocks my socks off). Who knew rooting for a family of polygamists could be so fun. Sure its weird, bizarre and a whole host of other descriptively odd words, but I can't help being fascinated (then again, I'm a total Dexter fan too, so maybe I am a bit disturbed). I keep meaning to pick up Jon Krakauer's book Under The Banner Of Heaven (it's been collecting dust on my shelf for over a year now). It's a well written documentary/commentary about the trials, tribulations and repression within the modern Mormon LDSF social structure. The "F", by the way, is for Fundamentalist, at least that's what "normal" LDS call them to try and separate or divorce themselves from the founder's "heaven sent" gospel calling for plural marriage. Funny how I always think of LSD when I think of Latter Day Saints (LDS). I can't help it. Maybe it's something to do with the relatively recent roots (19th Century) of the cult-come-religion that is the Mormon Church. It sort of reminds me a bit of Charlie Manson and how he won over his follower-believers in the 60's to shape the Manson Family. He used LSD instead of the spiritual mass hysteria, but during Joseph Smith's time that's all they had, but apparently that's all you needed (and just look at his family, er, church has grown!). Of course, most modern cult-religions don't usually last or succeed as well, take Jim Jones and his Jonestown followers of the People's Temple. They grew quickly, but were a bit short lived... Well, actually they drank cyanide laced Jesus Juice and ended up checking out with a one way ticket to paradise, or death. Who knows for sure, but I'm thirsty now. Or how about the re-emergence of the 7th Day Adventist splinter group, The Branch Davidians. David Koresh didn't tend to his flock well either, but he, like Jones, did practice a form of polygamy and they also liked their guns and engaged in a duel with the government. Unfortunately, all of his progeny and many of his core believers also died when their bodies were reduced to ashes during the siege of their compound in Waco, Texas (I think they forgot the "k" somewhere in the name of Waco). And of course, who can forget the evil cult lurking in my own backyard, The Heaven's Gate Cult, comprised of castrated eunuch, self-proclaimed alien pacifists (they caught the Solar Express riding the tail of comet Hale-Bopp by washing down a bunch of barbiturates with vodka... You want to talk about a cocktail?!? Zowie!).

Whenever I think about religions broadly, I can't help wondering if all religions really aren't just cults to one degree or another. Sure, it's all relative, Diff'rent Strokes for Diff'rent Folks, right Arnold? I really shouldn't be judgmental, but then again, neither should they be... More people have been killed in the name of God then for any other reason except, perhaps, for money. With all these cults running about, I thought maybe I should jump on the band wagon and start my own religion. Oh I promise you it would be fun and I guarantee that there'd be plenty of religious holidays including several "floating ones" to be used in case of emergency (or when you just can't roll out of bed in the morning). You can drink any time you like (in fact, it's almost mandatory during "holidays", lest you be damned). But if sobriety is your thing, then sex can be substituted any time you like and should be exercised when ever possible (unless, of course that isn't your bag either) :eyeroll: Heaven can be achieved here on Earth folks, but everything in moderation, otherwise it just becomes a novelty and then life gets boring... Naturally, a large part of my cult will practice such sacramental activities like TV time (to watch HBO and Showtime), Internet worship (to worship SG), Beer baptism (to have the holy "spirits" enter your body), and of course, Sex time (the is where you can also receive the holy "spirits" and may even achieve a brief sense of Nirvana that awaits if you aren't reborn to "suffer" through another life). Stripping will be optional of course, but then again, so will be clothes. Doobie Tuesday will be mandatory (even if you don't smoke) and every payday is to be celebrated as if it were your last day on Earth. Hell, it's your money, you earned it right? Now go and spread the faith using it. Spend it all! Booze. Boobs. Blow. Whatever tickles your fancy, just go mad (your friends will worship you, trust me). Fortunately, I've thought up a day of penance too. It can actually be any day, or it could be a week, a month, a year, possibly longer. It basically involves pennies and asking for lots of them. Prayers held during penance may include such hymns as "brother (sister) can you spare a dime?" or the classic "will work for sex". During penance, cardboard daily worship mats can also double as a bed, a break dancing mat or even as a billboard featuring your spiritual insight of the day... "I spent all my damned money to buy a pen to write this stupid sign". "Caution: Outdoor Urban Technician At Work". "I'm bored, want to fuck?". "The End Is Neigh!" "You're Going To Hell Soon (Ask Me How)." "Jesus Hates You." "My cult is better then your religion." "Honk If You're Horny."

Seriously though, religion isn't my cup of tea, but neither is running off trying to live life like a one-hit-wonder 70's rock star. I'm happily boring sitting somewhere in the middle (oh, but the imagination I have... I could be a god. Or just end up going to hell. I haven't decided which yet.)

I'm still lonely. I don't have the guts to call her, but I know its not my place to be right now. Let's skip the self-loathing this round and think about something more positive then my lack of motivation (I have ambitions, yes, but just lack the self-control to achieve them...)

It sucks being sick in the middle of summer. I've got this terrible cold complete with a faucet for a nose (running constantly), and a nice thick hacking cough (accompanied by gooey yellowish green phlegm). Yummy! I missed work today (something I can't really afford to do) to prevent spreading my ill humors everyone else. I did make an appearance though, just to clock in for one minute before being told to go home and recover. In the mean time, I've had all day to wait to find out if I'll be called in for jury duty. I've been on wait status since Monday. It's really silly. I just check online every night after 6:30 to see if I need to go in the following morning for the rest of the week (only one more day for call ins though). I kind of wish I could have been called in last night so I could just spread my contagion throughout the jury pool (ha, that'll teach 'em). I've been told that I probably won't be called in at all if they didn't on Monday. I guess they have a light case load (what!?! No domestic abuse or meth busts to sit in on?) Everybody must be copping a plea these days...

Speaking of being guilty, I came home the other day to find my dog Yuri
strutting around the yard with a huge half eaten cottontail (rabbit) stuffed in his mouth. The other dogs kept harassing him and he just kept running about with his head held high, rigor stretched legs, dangling, stick-like from his muzzle. He stopped to try and eat some of the carcass when Zoe, our massive and old Husky (dominant old bag) lunged, growling and stole his meal. I felt bad for Yuri, but the next day, he found the remains (Zoe tends to "sit on things", if you know what I mean), and began another game of keep away with the rest of the pack, only to finally have a moment and happily crunch down most of it. He left a haunch for Zoe (who stole it again when he wasn't looking). It was a kind of gruesome spectacle to watch, but they're animals, and it's just their nature. It kind of reminded me of some documentary you might watch on Animal Planet, only it was comical without the Seregeti savanna or the wilds of Denali as a backdrop. Just big dopey dogs who get well fed every night having a quick meal for the convenience of it. Sigh... Oh well, I guess I have the comfort of knowing that he can hunt. If the world does indeed turn into the wastelands ala Mad Max after we run out of oil, he might be able to help me survive the aftermath.


Yuri is so much cooler then Max's Aussi Shep., bigger too!

That's if for now. Wow, from runny noses to the end of the world. Where has my brain been?