Day 6 monday....my sabbath and day of rest

What a treat....a day without driving or circus in it.....that's good every once in a while. For most people their weekend is sat. and sun., but in the circus it's usually mon. and tues., and those are the days when you are usually fixing stuff on the RV, running errands, doing doctor's appointments, etc. Today I got quite a bit of internet stuff done with bills, returning emails, catching up on forums and such. Late last night I finally finished a foodie article for my friends website, wcdish.com Go check it out if you have a chance, always a good read and interesting stuff. I usually write coffee stuff, but in this case I felt inspired to write about a food/wine experience I had in southern Illinois wine country. So, other than that, that's about it, we don't open till thurs. this week, so on wends. night I'm going to be going down to New Orleans (one of my favorite towns in the country, a town I haven't spent enough time in for sure) to see the Red show. I have some friends in the teeterboard troupe there as well as the band, and it's always good to reconnect with friends...especially people who share the circus lifestyle. As I've said on here before, usually when someone comes to visit, or you're talking about a friend with someone on the show, sooner or later the question, "Are they circus?" comes up, kind of one of those things where if people have never done it, it a way those persons will always be an outsider....kind of in the same way that military people relate to civilians and non-civilians. Anyhow, it will be good to hang out again with circus people. Well, I'm off to bed...tomorrow more errands, prescriptions, and the coffee west trek prep....till then

Day 5.... all in a days work

So I'm finally here sitting in my RV @ the Farr Campground and RV/horse park....I haven't really seen an horses here, but the mosquitos are the size of horses. Actually, it's dark outside, so you can't see much except the swarm of bugs that turns up when a light switches on. Anyhow, I have 24/7 internet again!! You see, in Tupelo my internet was in "Extended" network, which meant that it didn't really work at all....nothing, notta, nicht, neine, nill. So, anytime I wanted to check on anything I had to track down an internet cafe, and while I'm not opposed to traveling around a bit, it makes the frequent posting for this blog a little of a task in my daily routine....but now I'm here in Baton Rouge (literally the Red Stick) and have my Verizon zippy connection back, so all shall be well....although I am making a few trips down to New Orleans this week (It's only an hour away, and the Red show is playing there this week......so, if you get any 2 circuses that close together on a tour, and the partying is imminent) Anyhow, I'm here, after getting up early this morning to warm up (I usually start playing at least 3 hours before call time...sometimes earlier if I had a hard day before and my lips are swollen....for instance, TODAY) and then played a show, ate a quick lunch, took a power nap...well an extended power nap, and then packed up and drove 6 1/2 hours (about 360 miles) to here, Baton Rouge. It was a good drive.....I just got in the zone, called a few friends, listened to a couple of podcasts, and only stopped once for gas and a quick bite. You know you drive a lot when you can knock 6 1/2 hours and it doesn't feel anymore than driving across town to visit a friend....crazy....some people's summer total summer vacations aren't more than 6 or 7 hours of driving. Anyhow, all in a day's work. This week is going to be a lot of prep for the epic motorcycle journey to come. After this town we have 10 days to drive out to Prescott Valley, AZ and relax.....our first break since winter quarters in December. I'm really, really, really, looking forward to hopping on the bike and just riding.....just me, the wind, and the road. I can't wait.

Day 4

Yesterday was a good day........I got out and about and finally got to break in my new pedometer. THe arena here in Tupelo is pretty much walking distance to every thing downtown and it seems pretty pedestrian friendly. I had to visit the post office and then ended up checking out a few coffee shops/cafes....partly for coffee research but mostly for the free wi-fi (my verizon card doesn't work this town) Once I got back on the lot I saw one of the Russian clowns and our cross bow guy from Finland were hanging out, so I stopped by and just chatted about what ever which end up in a little "field trip" to the local watering hole........ it was a nice respite...there were 7 of us, 2 russians, 2 Finnish friends, an Aussie, a Brit, and then me, the sole American. It was a good time had by all.....live music and we were the only customers there.....plus, they had gator on the menu......and of course we had to try.....nothing like eating gator with circus folk in rural Mississippi.....let's just say our table was.....lively. So we closed out the place and ended up getting free t-shirts and Jagermeister lanyards from the owner....nothing like free Tupelo swag.....and yeah....and there's the Tupelo meteorite......I'll have to take pic for you all. Well, that was about it for yesterday......more later on the events of today.

Day 3 Tupelo

Well, I made it and I'm here. What a long day.....Ok, so I got to bed pretty late, but it wasn't so bad, even though there was a light breeze.....but the breeze seemed to ignore my open window.....ah well. But here's where it gets interesting, sometime in the middle of the night (I don't know what time, but it was still dark out) Someone knocks on my door.....I wasn't really even awake enough to it register the fact the chances of a friendly person would be at my door in a Walmart parking lot.....so I opened the door and there was a police officer....the cops finally caught up with me!..... ok not really, he said that there was a bomb threat at Walmart and that I needed to turn off my cell phone and CB radio, so I did and he went on to knocking on the doors of the other truckers in the lot. So, I tried to go back to sleep, but didn't really get much REM cycles accomplished due to the heat in my RV, noise outside, and a single fly that would not stop buzzing around my ears.....I needed A LOT of coffee at the Cracker Barrel this morning, and for future reference (I didn't know this) you can get coffee to go....makes the $1.50 for coffee on the tab a little more worthwhile, especially since the coffee is so weak and really pretty crapy. So, after my bill was rung up by a middle-aged woman named Dusty (I kid you not) I pulled out the air compressor to fill up the air ride system (It's been leaking since I fixed it last) and then hit the road. After about 2 1/2 hours on the road I made it here this afternoon, unpacked, got shower, found out that my verizon card doesn't work here, and found this little coffee place across main street (yes, there is a main street through the center of this little town. Fortunately I did get a lot of the stuff that wanted to done today,even amongst the water battle going on on the circus lot..... I got some grocery shopping done too ......tomorrow..... well, maybe the Elvis place, errands and such, and then on thurs. we open the show. Well, that's is for now from Tupelo.....nothing too exciting yet.....but it is the circus after all and it's early in the week

Day 2

Well, after a rather full day of packing up and driving, I am here at my home for the night......the Walmart parking lot of Pell City, AL. One of the great things about an RV is that once you close the blinds and wake up the next morning......you have that wonderful disorientation of travel and have to look out the window to remind myself of what part of the country I am in. I've always felt that I have a pretty good memory of places I've visited (I like to think that I have a working drivable map of a few hundred cities in the US) and am hence hesitant to buy a GPS for fear I'd stop using my memory/adventure skills and be crucially at its mercy (because lets face it, sooner or later technology will fail you) So, I sit here at Walmart typing away to you this early summer evening with nothing too exciting to report today. I left Winston-Salem around 12:30pm and arrived here around 9:45PM. I stopped for lunch at a Cracker Barrel (I've been craving that place lately) and stopped for gas a few times and decided to park early to relax a bit and get some internet and emailing done......I'm still getting caught up on all the stuff I should have been doing the past month......it's amazing how quickly one loses one's social interactions with the online community in a computerless vacuum......very sobering in a way I suppose. Anyhow, all is well, the new axle on the trailer seems to be adjusting to the circus itinerary well....oh, and I passed some colleagues, or a few fellow circus people I should say. I saw a few rigs from the Henneford Circus on the road......there were some horses, and I recognized an elephant trailer. It's weird to be rolling down the road and causally glance over to the lane next to you and say, "huh, there's some elephants, I wonder what they had for lunch...." But then again.....I playing for dancing elephants for a majority of the days in a calendar year...oh yeah, and they like it. Tomorrow, a shower, breakfast at the Cracker Barrel next door (the Old Timers' breakfast sounds in order), and then a quick 2 1/2 hours to Tupelo, MS to get settled in, spend some time on the horn, and maybe do some grocery shopping.....yeah, that would be a good day.

Day 1

Ok, nothing too exciting today. It's a sunday, so on the circus that typically means 1 or 2 shows and then packing up the house to move on out to the next town. In this case we're here in Winston-Salem this week and the lot we're on has its own power/water/sewer. So, since we're usually on a lot generator for power and water, this week is nice and gives me an extra incentive to stay over tonight...plus I still have dishes to wash and need to pack the house up. So, I'm here typing on the new computer which I continue to grow fond of. I have to admit, during the show today I couldn't wait for the it to finish so that I could get back here to spend more time on the computer and finish setting it up with all my files and podcast stuff....and yes, the podcast is still going, I just did an interview on Fri. as a matter of fact with Kim from Counter Culture Coffee. She's their sustainability and direct trade person there.....cool person, very interesting and enlightening conversation.....look for that in the months to come....and I say months because I'm about 2 or 3 interviews behind on getting stuff up......even so, I feel a surge of great coffee things to come out of this RV. Now that I have the new computer and the circus coffee pilot in the midst of a re-edit in gifted hands, the next few months could be very exciting. And, as some of you may or may not know, I have invested in a high-end home(i.e RV) roaster and having been bringing freshed roasted coffee to the circus lot......everyone who has tasted has fallen in love with it so far....so, business has been growing.....AND my epic coffee/motorcycle trip itinerary has been starting to solidify......I'm hoping to fit in a few podcast interviews on that trip amongst the riding and tasting as well.....it's crazy to think, that as I sit here a few hours from the atlantic ocean, in a few weeks I will be in San Francisco at the threshold of the Pacific ocean.....and not by plane, but all driven by yours truly via RV and motorcycle......last year between those 2 vehicles I averaged about 42,000 miles......maybe I should be a truck driver Happy father's day Dad

computer drama

OK........let me explain.

As fate....or shall I the computer fates shall have it, the day after I resolved to blog every day for 30 days and posted about it, MY COMPUTER DIED.  No, it wasn't funny, wasn't funny as all.  So here I am, pretty much exactly a month later typing on my NEW Apple Mac Book Pro....and I have to say, I love this thing and there's a lot to love about it.  

Basically, my old computer was an IBM/lenovo R52 series laptop.  As far as PC laptops go, IBM is probably one of the better ones you can buy, but I can say from personal experience, their customer service on their machines is not.  And that, ultimately (and the fact that Apple builds a superior machine compared to IBM), is why I have now switched to Apple.  Kind of reminds me of the that old song from yesteryear that goes, "anything you can do I can do better."  Which is what the Apple laptop is.... superior and innovative in so many ways.  I won't wax on about them here except to say that after a month of no computer, now that I have the equivalent of a computing sports car in my hands, my creativity is renewed and my mind races to give form to all of the wondrous creations that are to come from this keyboard and screen.

And so, I set the challenge for myself, once more, on this very laptop I am typing on; I will blog every day for the next 30 days......eat your heart out IBM

Blog a day?

Ok, so after some recent conversations with friends and family in regard to this here blog. I think I'm going to endeavor to post one blog a day for the next 30 days....I can't guarentee it will be good, but it will most certainly be interesting, I mean....it is the circus after all.

And the beat goes on.......

Well, the quarters of bleak winter are finally over...FINALLY. The new tour has been out now a little over 2 months and has been setting record numbers for the Gold show history.....I'd like to think that it's due to their circus coffee and their coffee-loving trumpeter....um, riiiiiiiight, back to reality.
So, this leap year day I've been working (a morning kiddie show and the standard night time show) and resting (was half way across the country for the first part of this week) and playing with my new trumpet toys....ok, they're more like tools. One is called, ready for this?, a "PowerLung". That's right, I'm not making this up, but I think this contraption is the best thing for a wind instrument musician's breathing since, well, since God created air. Basically it has adjusting intake and exhalation valves, in essence creating strength training for all of your breathing muscle groups....hooray. I can't wait to see the positive affects on my playing...and then the other big change in my life is going to a new girlfriend...well, of sorts, she IS a redhead....I put a down payment on this bike 2 weeks ago. If all this go smoothly, I'll be picking her up in 2 days in atlanta....I can't wait to get the new bike out on the smoky mountains! Well, I need to make some espresso and head off to work, but I'll leave you with a little project I did for Karen's Coffee Art stuff, I think it turned pretty good if I do say so myself, enjoy!

If your name is Winter Quarters you are not my friend

70+ Hours of rehearsal in a week isn't my idea of a good time. 20 days, that's not much, right? But working from 9AM-9PM doesn't leave much time for anything other than sleeping and eating.........so for those of you to whom I owe Christmas cards or presents, I apologize in advance if they don't make it to you in time, I haven't had time to visit the post office yet!!! Oh, and that picture is my point of view from the bandstand...yup, that right,fearless Nathan performs 5 feet away from white tigers, I'd like to see the Philly Orchestra trumpet section top that! :-)

Way to go Karen!!!

Congrats Karen!!! ummmm, can I have your autograph?

Christmas?......ok, but not yet!!!

So, I walked into the Walmart (the RVer's store of choice) the other night on my way into Rockford, IL and was accosted by a full section of Christmas "stuff" (because that's what it was, holiday fluff) and blaring Christmas music. At first it caught me off-guard....then I thought about it said to myself, "what the heck?! it just turned November 4 days ago...what will Thanksgiving do when it finds out Walmart is skipping it all together. Perhaps Thanksgiving might take a hit of tryptophan early and just roll over and go to sleep until next year...at which time it will awake to find Christmas is being hocked even sooner, so Thanksgiving will become depressed, go through a period of questioning its identity as a holiday and valued member the calendar year and just skip out on earth to find another planet more accommodating.....perhaps a happy place, a planet where, they too created a calendar based on it's lunar cycles and then actually FOLLOWS the holidays it creates and doesn't allow money hogs (aka-retailers) to dictate when people (ok, so aliens in this case) doesn't allow the greedy to dictate when those aliens will be surrounded by holiday "cheer."

So, after pondering Thanksgiving's cozy relationship with aliens, the next thought in my mind was, "where will they dray the line?" Next year, will it be Oct. 1 when they start to market Christmas? Will it eventually reach the point where they sell it all year....and then I remembered, there ARE places that sell Christmas stuff all year 'round....that's just sad......so what do we, as concerned citizens of America (since Thanksgiving is an American holiday after all) do about this situation??....................to be continued

I think I might be a closet Italian......

So as I was sipping my daily morning espresso I also happened to be munching on nuttella on toast and then an Italian folk song came over my iTunes and it occurred to me.......many of my favorite things and preferences in life are Italian, am I closet Italian? So, I started really thinking about it, let's see....well, I LOVE espresso coffee (a form of coffee preparation invented by the Italians), prosciutto makes me a happy person, if nuttella were person I'd marry her, my motorcycle is Italian, Rome basically founded western culture (and concrete) as we know it, Leonardo DaVinci was an Italian who was a renaissance man AND left-handed (we left handers will some day take over the world, just you watch), they have more kinds of pasta than anywhere in the world, it's the womb of Vivaldi and Respeghi, home of ferrari, Tuscany, great wines, and it's even shaped like a piece of foot apparel. So, despite my german heritage maybe somewhere along the line there was an Italian ancestor.....or at least a trip to Italy by an ancestor.

The world is getting smaller.....

Hmmm, today I had an experience that left me thinking how small our world is getting. Now, perhaps this experience had a greater impact on me since I've been reacquainting myself with childhood TV favorites thanks to Youtube. So what was the experience you ask? It was turning on my computer and chatting casually, face to face, with a dear friend in Switzerland....for free. (Ok, so Skype is free but the cost of internet access isn't, I know that) I was just sitting here on a sunny Tuesday in my RV parked on the circus lot in Topeka and all I had to do was click a few buttons and there I was chatting away with someone thousands of miles away...nothing to it. Thousands of miles...that's even further than chatting with the space station. And sometime in that conversation it hit me, here I grew up in a time where computers were relegated to the task of hangman, oregon trail, and math games (that's right boys and girls, the screen only had TWO colors: black and green....well, ok, I guess black is the absence of color, so maybe it's only one color) and now I can instantly speak virtually in person with a person on the other side of the world....that's across oceans, hills, towns, cities, families, governments, and archaeological secrets yet to be uncovered. I guess it's just the fact that in the past 20, heck 50 years, information and the way we interact with people globally has changed so significantly one can only wonder whom, or maybe which planet, we'll casually turn on our computer and chat with 50 years from now.....or maybe we won't even chat with computers anymore, we'll just communicate with giant interstellar passenger pigeons....yeah, I think I'd call mine Floyd, that would be some entrance for my inter-planetary message eh?

Why I love the northwest US....

The northwest US of A....so what comes to mind? What's the first image that pops into your head? Lush green vistas of pine? Fishing boats? Morning fog? Rain? Rocky Coasts? Well, these things are all definite stereotypes, but there is something beyond all of these pictures that garners a fond spot south of my aorta....and that would be TASTE. I find that the more I travel around the this vast and diverse country (so far 48 states and counting) that my experiences become less about seeing "things" but more about the memories I have with the people I've met and things I've tasted. When I was in Ottumwa, IA I quickly forgot what the downtown really looked like, but my times spent eating at a hole-in-the-wall Ecuadorian eatery will forever be with me. The tastes of that food prepared in a way that had been passed down through family lines of another continent and the circus folk seated around the table enjoying that armchair taste tour.

So, I'm sure that you've gathered by now that I'm somewhat gastronomically driven, and why shouldn't I be? I mean, we are after all blessed with the ability to taste what we eat. Can you imagine how boring it would be if everything we ate had no taste at all? There would be no cause for desserts, there would be no delight in food or drink pairings....one might as well just hook up an IV and go about your business.

Ok, I'm drifting on topics here. Back to the subject at hand, WHY do I love the northwest so much? Well, my past experiences have all been positive but more importantly I think it's that fact that there are artisan foods everywhere. Someone recently told me that in the northwest there are people who find their passion for a particular thing and set about learning and apprenticing in order to bring that unique attribute to their community. In the end, what happens is that you have a person on one corner who's sole goal in life is to make the best croissant they can, and then another person down the block who's sole goal in to cure meats in the traditional Italian way as authentically as possible. What you then find is these little towns of 10 to 80 thousand people where the ingredients available rival what you could find anywhere in the world! Recently, as I was traversing the vast prairie lands of Wyoming I was thinking about this: If one looks out over the past 100 years of food, it seems as if the food culture in this country is coming full circle, or maybe even evolving into its most exciting version yet...perhaps we're in Beta version of "New" Old World Cuisine right now in the US. The way I see it, it seems that from the late 1800's up through the 1950's everything was fresh because it had to be that way. Yes, there were ice boxes, but those were a luxury and of course there were no microwaves to be found. But, as our country developed, experienced growing pains, and went through wars forcing us to develop food resources that would last longer than the weekend. Then the space race and communism came along and science reined supreme. Thus, we experimented with new materials (teflon, plastic, etc.) why not experiment with our food? If we can make a tomato that grows larger, why not? If we can develop preservatives that let bread last 3 weeks on the shelf instead a few days, why not? So, as it seems to me, this convenience of profitability was traded in for quality. And then a better infrastructure came along that made the transportation of preservative loaded foods viable for companies that would now distribute on a national scale. This, we became (to use the title of a popular book) a fast food nation.

So, somewhere along this spiraling foodline (perhaps with the new focus on health with all the studies in the late 80's and early 90's) a small part of the population started to realize that less is more and that the FDA doesn't necessarily know everything about food, and unfortunately in some cases can be persuaded to let a corporation use that controversial new ingredient if it lobbies the right way. So, there seems to be this growing segment of the population, one could say a "wave" of people who are willing to pay a little bit more money if it means that a food was raised organically. People willing to take the extra time to appreciate a drink or dish that was created in a way that hails from simpler times...quality and freshness on a plate or in a cup.

Back, once again, to the subject. As I crossed into Montana and traveled through these little towns I started to see these artisan kinds of places on the nearly every corner. For example: on my way from Loveland, CO to Spokane, WA I spent a night in the Missoula, MO WalMart parking lot (as an RV owner there aren't many places you can "legally" park overnight, and Walmart is one of the few that happen to be RV friendly). The next morning I awoke excited to try a local bakery on a tip from a friendly coffee website. I proceeded to navigate the Flying Dutchman (my RV) through the quaint downtown of Missoula and found Le Petite Outre (loosely translated "the Little Outrageous") and let me say, it was a life moment of sweet and yeasty nirvana for the croissants were the best I've ever had in my life! (and yes, I have had croissants in France) They were simply perfect, flaky and crunchy on the outside with an inner dough that was a soft pillow of buttery goodness that melted in your mouth whilst chewing....(pardon while I wipe the drool off my mouth :-) ) And it was in that moment with a perfect croissant and decent mocha latte when it hit me, I love the northwest. The people, the weather (no, it's not really as rainy as rumor has it), the coffee, the lushness, and the food. So, as the week progressed I made it to Spokane and visited my favorite local food store, Huckleberries. When I arrived I made a beeline for the meats department to buy some of their bratwurst (made in-house of course) that I had been craving since my last visit to Spokane 2 years ago. Ah, Spokane....I wrote about my wonderful experience there 2 years ago and upon my recent return visit I was delighted to find it the way I had left it before and in some ways even better. And this time around was twice as good because I had the wonderful fortune to be shown around by a local foodie. Now, during the course of this week I had the chance to test of conclusion about the northwest. You see, during that week in Spokane I flew back to the east coast for my little sister's wedding. So, as you may imagine I got a first hand demonstration of the differences in food, people, attitudes, driving styles etc. between the 2 opposing coasts. Then, to top it all of, upon returning to Washington I spent 3 days in Seattle checking out the scene (and coffee of course) andwas again reminded why I'm so fond of this region of the US....lushness in a city surrounded by water. Beautiful hills, cozy neighborhoods, espresso everywhere, misty mornings, and just plain cool people. So, these are just a few reasons of the many to draw me to a certain direction of the compass....attached a few pics to make you swoon, enjoy

To Dream

To Dream, is to be Alive

Hawaii Part 1......In the beginning

So, as I sit here on a noisy Wednesday night in my RV on the circus lot in downtown Memphis I reflect back on those 2 weeks in the middle of the pacific. Those 2 weeks or adventure and expensive rental cars, well, ok, I didn't have to take the upgrade to the Jeep, but the 4X drive was fun....and it did keep me from getting stuck a few times. OK, ok, I digress...let me start, as the title of this entry suggests...."In the beginning" (you have to imagine that phrase in your head as said by a booming voice-of-God announcer person. ahem,

So, upon finding out that our unusual (and unpaid :-( ) 3 week break was confirmed, my mind went racing. Time off from work, WOW, and enough to travel even, travel internationally. I thought seriously about taking the bike somewhere on the continent, but at my 12k mile service a month and a half earlier they said I had a rattle in the engine that needed to be looked at the next time I had 2 weeks where I didn't need the bike. So, I decided to shop the bike for a few weeks (the result of which has turned into a fiasco that has left me wanting to have nothing to do with a Ducati or their dealerships for the rest of my life, but that's for another blog entry) So I then got my world map out (I'm not the only one who has a world map handy for moments notice planning, right?) and set to finding a destination that would be affordable and would have something of personal interest. Well, being the espresso afficianado that I am, Italy of course was the first to pop in my mind. Ah, Italy with all its gelato, wine, museums, espresso, and Ducati motorcycles who wouldn't dream of visiting such a place. But, upon checking the airline prices, well the whole idea didn't seem so dolce (that's sweet for you non- italaians out there). And well, knowing the euro-dollar trade these days, 2 weeks in Italy would most assuredly leave me broke in less than 1. So, the next best place came to mind (no, no, not North Dakota) but Hawaii. The circus was supposed to tenetively play in Hawaii this summer, but that all fell through. So, now I had the chance to visit Kona, the beaches, taste the food, experience the culture, and add another state towards my goal of 50. Thus, finding that Hawaiian airline tickets were about half the price of Italy, I was sold. And the more I planned, the more this seemed like the right thing. As I started my search for coffee I came across the coffee association of Hawaii AND more importantly that they were hosting a cupping workshop by Willem Boot in the middle of Kona country. So, of course I signed up the next day. Not only would I get to see and taste Kona country first hand, but my first cupping experience would be in Kona under the tutelage of one of the top coffee palates in the world! Needless to say, I was excited.

So, we finished up the split week in Lubbock, TX and headed down to Beaumont, TX which was to be our home of the break. I scheduled it pretty tight: I left the circus lot on the motorcycle around 7:30AM to make it to the dealership in Houston at 9am where I checked in the bike and hopped in the waiting taxi that I had scheduled the night before. One I got in the taxi, I took a deep breath; so far, so good. Now I just had to make it through the security line at the airport to make my 10:55AM flight to Atlanta. Sure enough, the taxi made good time to the airport, I had checked in online the night before, so I walked straight to security (no checked baggage you see, I could only bring what would fit easily on the motorcycle, so it was only a backpack and my trumpet) and the only thing they confiscated was my hair gel...it was over the ridiculous 3 oz cutoff. Who sells travel sizes of hair gel?!?! no one. (I really think the hair gel corporations are in cahoots with the TSA, yeah there has to be a hair product mafia, I'm sure of it) Anyhow, I made it in plenty of time for the flight, enough time get a bite to eat and buy a mocha latte from the Coffee Beanery (one of the worst mochas I ever put my lips to, but that's for another blog) You know, the whole coffee/airport experience really made me feel for those pilots that fly the planes. I mean, most of us have at least a few decent options in any given direction on the compass rose. But those poor pilots have to drink whatever low quality branded caffeinated slop is served in that particular airport in the country.......hmmm, maybe the airports in Europe are better....that warrants a trip in the name of research....anyhow, in the back of my mind I set into motion a future plan to better all pilot's coffee experience; if you spent a majority of your workday in a pressurized cubicle hurtling through the air at 500+mph with 100s of lives in your hands, doesn't that deserve at least a decent cup of coffee? OK, back on topic, I boarded the plane to Atlanta, made good time, enjoyed my salty pretzels, and looked forward to turning on my portable electronic devices once we were back on the ground. The Atlanta airport was fine, crowded with mediocre to sub-par coffee at every turn. So, I got a quick bite to eat, checked my email, recorded a bit for the podcast, and bought some snacks for the 10 hour plane ride ahead. Once I boarded and got my book and iPod situated, we taxied, went through the preflight check and then.....nose up, engines roaring, ears popping we left the earth towards the blue yonder.

next stop......paradise.

Coming attractions....

Ok ok, yes I know I haven't posted ANYTHING from my Hawaii trip yet, BUT, that shall change shortly. Over the next weeks I plan on posting the fun and sights of those wonderful 2 weeks on the islands as installments (i.e. part 1, 2, etc.) So, now you have something semi-interesting...ok, well, maybe something slightly amusing...no, no..um, something to make your eyes tired so you can sleep at night. So, now you can take that Nightquil out of your budget for the next week or 2 and your eyes can pry and get sleepy here (what a money-saver, eh?) So, to not tempt you I leave you with this picture....

Hawaii or bust

Yes, so it's true, in 7 hours the saga of the next 2 weeks will begin. I have a feeling that getting there is going to be a bit frenetic. I leave here (i.e. Beaumont) at 7AM to ride the motorcycle to the dealership in Houston by 9AM, at which time I will call a cab, get my bike signed in at the service center, and then hightail it to the airport to make the 10:55AM flight to Honolulu. It's going to be A LOT of flying....well, not quite as bad as it was to China, but then again, Hawaii is half way to China. Anyways, I'm REALLY looking forward to this trip. Looking forward to relaxing, getting out of my 60 sq ft house and the circus lot, and getting to spend some time in Kona coffee country. Ah, the potential....at this moment, even though I'm tired from all the prep, I have the feeling of a kid that's just plopped his sled in the snow, ready to hop on and hurtle down the hill with excitement and abandon. Hmmmm, excitement and abandon....those will do quite nicely over the next 2 weeks. I shall keep you all updated. Till then......

What's in a face....

What's in a face? A hope, a fear, a tale of a thousand days and restless nights. No two are alike; an endearing physiognomy to some, a painful reminder to others. It is the world's window to our soul, perhaps that is why it's the part of the body we give the most attention to. The most recognizable and yet the hardest thing for the artist to replicate. Thousands of muscles, a symmetry of nature that we alter and try to enhance for others, and yet it can truly only be a representative, a liaison of sorts for our deepest emotions. For what is a faceless body except a shadow, a geometry with out intention. Sure, there's body language, but isn't a majority of that laid out on our billboard to the world; our face? We talk about people being two faced, but isn't it just one face with clandestine intentions? Stoic, proud, indignant, sheer delight, content, incredulous, curious, ired, furious...could these concepts truly exist with out a face? Have you ever known someone solely through online conversations; upon meeting "face to face" don't we usually say, "now I can put a face with the name"? Sit sometime and watch two people talking with each other. After a few minutes you can usually tell if they're friends, bother and sister, old acquaintances, lovers, business parters, or perhaps a crush. Simply put, the face is amazing and an important part of our life; so much so that we even look for it or build it into an inanimate object. We see an "old man" in the mountain or we say, "that car looks fierce". Even in the beginnings of the Christian church iconology, i.e. giving Jesus a face, was a derisive issue in religious art. So, be glad for the face you've been given, delight in its uniqueness and never take for granted the power of the connection in the visage of others.