Garden

3/12 - planted two rows of sugar snap peas (days are around 50 degrees; nights getting near 35, yikes!)
3/27 - planted lettuce, spinach, a 3rd row of snap peas (days between 50 and 60 degrees)
3/29 - put stakes along each pea row; started tomatoes, jalapeno peppers, and creeping thyme in basement; C laid an awesome brick path to our garden spigot reminiscent of one found aside a quaint English cottage--preferably one with a thatch roof and a hobbit inside. I hope to plant some creeping thyme that might fill in the cracks between the bricks...
--
4/4 - scheduled delivery of 3 cubic yards of pine bark mulch, 40 lbs of composted cow manure, and a bag of potting soil.
--
Just contacted a guy selling white plastic 55-gal barrels... Gonna try to make a rain barrel for the yard. Yeehaw. Hopefully, when I get my act together, I will post photos and instructions! Woop

webSIGHT

Jessica Love dropped her website on the world wide interweb last week
www.jessicalovephotography.com
If you look closely, you might find a few photos of C and Me

BMX

Holy ish-balls, this video is amazing. Like, I used to think a nose manual on a skateboard was cool--but that pales in comparison to a nose manny on BMX bike. A bike makes a skateboard look so puny. My perspective has changed so much since I was 13. Mucho respect to BMX-ers.

Steven Hamilton from The Day Is Over (2004) from Elliot Van Orman Productions on Vimeo.
(Posted at Trackstarnyc.com)

Guerilla Garden

Coincidentally, last night after dark I donned a headlamp and planted some lettuce, spinach, and more sugar snap peas in our garden.
And I woke up to frost this morning--bullsh*t.

Agreed

"The worst male fashion trend is over-designed T-shirts. I mean, that is beyond dead. I don't know how these muscular dudes think it's cool that a Bedazzler blew up on their shirt."
- John Quinn, Co-owner, Tigertree
(From Columbus Alive)

'Merica

The summer must be coming on because I've been finding myself away from home, let alone a computer, more and more lately.

Just got home from two days in Wooster, Ohio, where I learned how to take topographic data using a laser and surveying rod. I also learned that Rural America seems to be pretty estranged from Pop-Culture America. I think Pop Culture turned away from Rural America long ago, and in turn, Rural America has little to no interest in its Urban/Suburban counterparts. It's a damn shame because we all have a lot to learn from each other.

What else?

Oh yeah, driving along Interstate 71, I decided some things about fast food. I passed an exit that was infected with Applebee's, McD's, Arby's, and Wendy's, to name a few. I find myself eating at any one of these more frequently than I care to admit. The shame, I've decided, is that while it seems like at each exit on any national highway we have choices, we don't. The same pattern is seen all over. What's more, there is hardly any local flavor. It's the same from coast to coast. What this offers is speed and efficiency--which is great, if you want to consider yourself a heartless machine. I don't. I want to experience America as I'm driving around it. Okay, so I don't get out of Ohio much. I would like to experience what Ohio has to offer (which arguably includes Wendy's and Bob Evans). And maybe this sentiment would be an economic one also. I would say the same about material consumables, clothes, crafts, etc. Not stuff you'd find at Walmart, but at a small shop with local things.

Ok, gonna go hang with the fam. Peace, D

Qwote

Worry is a misuse of imagination.
Dan Zadra

Back In Black

Today I realized I was wearing all black: shoes, socks, jeans, jacket, gloves, helmet... It was weird. And I was riding an all-black bike. I usually don't wear much black, if any at all.

In a moment I traced that feeling of weirdness back to high school.

I had striven so hard to be different. That is, different from mainstream Pop culture. Skater, punk, goth, whatever. Ska for a second. Skin/street-punk after that. You know the pattern. Punk, crust, politi-punk, emo-core, hardcore, straight-edge, metal-core... I think I explained this once. Long story short, black clothing was a dominant motif throughout all those sub-culture stages.

Anyways, at some point, I decided that the scene of each of those subcultures tended to be its own mono-culture. While we pitted ourselves against the Pop Culture drones that all wore Abercrombie and... whatever... I found that we all looked alike to others [Others being anyone who cared about stereotypes, scenesters]. Well, I was tired of seeing so much depressing black clothing. It started to embody negativity and depression. I realized a lot of the metal-core music tended to be just as negative and depressing. At the same time, I was getting into a bunch of hippie shit, like farming and sustainability. I started trying to blend the different worlds by bringing color into my wardrobe--as I had determined it might make a difference to others. I was pretty sure I was a trail-blazer.

Ok, so let us fast forward to today. I think I am reverting a little bit to try to reclaim a bit of my own history; set myself apart in the suburbs. At the same time I always hope to be an example to young skater kids and punks who are searching for themselves--the same lost kids who smash a glass bottle on the bike path because they think rebellion is mindless destruction because they don't realize they could be instigating real rebellion by riding a bike...

Sprung?

Lots to do at work--really!--and on top of that is my intense desire to catch up on 3 days worth of blog updates that I missed while being out of the office...
The weather in Ohio is absolutely beautiful and the threats of more snow and frost are burgeoning. Spring is my favorite time of year, with so many good things to be done and about which to procrastinate--the best part is the procrastination: sitting in the sun on the back porch, performing small errands like cutting one's toenails, instead of finding sources of pine bark mulch, or whatever.

So, apparently it's not Spring yet, it has been warned, but I can't help but be completely taken by the thought of it. I know there are good things I'd care to write about, but can't remember them. Back to work...

GUTS

Today I attended the first day of a two day conference regarding new rules and regulations regarding wetland delineations, jurisdiction, and permitting. I was excited when I realized I knew nearly a dozen other consultants there--like, "I'm mad deep in this game, yo!"--but was annoyed about the obligatory schmoozing that took place at that point. I hate schmoozing. It involves pretending to know about stuff I don't know about, and stuff I don't care about, as if I cared about it. I hate feeling like I don't know about things, and I really hate pretending like I know about them. Anyways, I'm frequently good at bullshitting, so whatev's.

This is all to say you should trust your gut in a lot of situations. If you feel uncomfortable about something, it's probably for good reason: you are around bad people; you are doing a bad thing; you are in a situation that is not good for you, etc. You should either take yourself out of it, or make it better. I guess in my case, I am continuing to learn about stuff related to my job, and I just need to keep with it. I didn't really prove anything just now. But I do believe that people should trust their guts in pretty much every situation. Like, in high school I felt like I was constantly being quizzed by my peers about what was punk and what was cool, and when I didn't know, I felt stupid. But I started learning about music and politics and was eventually able to hold my own. I started developing my own identity and my own thoughts. Then I started feeling really good when I was pressed.

Does any of this make sense? I dunno. WARM WEATHER! PEACE OUT!

Fri day

Getting prepped for another weekend away from home. This trip might require more organization, but less traveling and can involve Alden. We're headed to Cincy for my sister's bridal fiesta and my step-brother's birthday-slash-house-warming. Speaking of warm: Ohio is not. In fact, Ohio is freaking cold. I've been biking a lot though and am pleased to unofficially announce that in the coldest two-and-a-half months of 2009 I've biked about 80 miles so far.

Today has turned out to be so freaking slow...

In the meantime, check out the latest gem from Only One Manda.

photosss

the getaway

Back in town after a traveling to Portland Oregon to inspect not only the condition of hillside farmsteads but also to review the burgeoning DIY fireside performance art scene as well as the various coffees offered throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Highlights? Yes, please:
- nolan, chris, and brooke's amazing house at the Wealth Underground Farm replete with natural wood, greenhouse, wood-burning stove, and a castle full of baby chicks
- hiking in the back yard
- "arts night" which brought lots of people, music, dancing, and wine
- the elk offering
- nap time
- pancakes by Tasha and siphon-brewed coffee from the courier coffee roaster kids
- Half & Half coffee shop, the zine library, Powell Books
- SUSHI TRAIN! & Voodoo Doughnuts
- breakfast at Cafe Pallino with Billy
- lots of pictures

not-highlights:
- traveling from west to east and losing three hours
- "the delicious"

Nolan sent me a link to a blog he is starting for the farm: The Wealth Underground. Check it out; hopefully we'll be seeing lots of updates from the whole crew, related to the farm, and all other creative endeavors.

Big thanks to Chris and Nolan for being good hosts as always, and also to their roommate Brooke, who reaches an equal level of awesomeness. All told, this crew is certified 110% GOOD FOLK

four more visitors...

...and this blog will have been viewed more than 4,000 times

Good Folk: A night with friends

This post is three long days overdue.

I believe it was Tuesday morning when my friend John Scott phoned me about the possibility of scheduling a visit to Columbus from Cincinnati before heading back to Colorado. I knew I'd really enjoy the visit, but as I always feel a tinge of guilt for the major inconvenience that is caused a guest by traveling two or more hours, I told him not to worry about it, that I appreciated the offer of a visit, and that I would hope to catch up with him soon. Not long after, he sent a text asking if he could come up that night. After giving C a heads-up, I wrote to tell him it was a great idea and was excited to see him. Also, we decided we should invite over a mutual friend from high school that was living across town but whom I hadn't seen in more years than I've lived here.

John arrived not long after I was off work. We quickly decided that John would hook it up with an enchilada recipe and went to the grocery for ingredients and beer. We were home long enough to unpack the bags and crack some beers when Sarah arrived. The rest of the night was spent helping John (the enchilada maestro) cook, drinking, talking, laughing, and playing a round of Skip-Bo. After Sarah left and C went to bed, John and I kept up the conversation. As I had work the next day, I had to peace out at some decent hour.

In the morning we had some coffee and I lingered longer than normal knowing my boss and coworker wouldn't be in the office for the day.

Anyways, John has been a friend since first grade. We grew close in middle school, and closer in high school. He is one of a few people that has been doing his own thing but stayed in touch and I know will never have trouble catching up to chill like it was yesterday. Our friendship is much deeper than I could explain here. The least I can say is John S. is good folk, for sure.

Also, I have to include Sarah O. for being awesome and coming over. She's been a good friend since middle school and has always been a sweetheart. Good folk, too, no doubt.

Word is bond. Peace and love.

Winter brainstorm

I've been struggling with topics about which to blog, but figure I better get something scribed lest I betray the patience of any frustrated visitors...

The past week has been trying: nearly crippled by sickness, and driven to the edges of sanity by a lingering cough; tending to the sprained ankle of a restive puppy; trudging through the banalities of tax filing while dealing with the complex emotions provoked by ABC's The Bachelor: Season 13; plus I've been figuratively cornered all week long by the prevailing winter... and if I have a strong opinion about anything, it's that nobody puts Baby in a corner.

I need to be outside, and I need to be outside soon. On Sunday, I braved the wind long enough to butcher a few Spirea bushes as an experiment. Today is Tuesday and I've been too cold to bike to work for the past two days. The forecast promises warmer temperatures for the rest of the week and I have enough hope left in me to trust this as fact. This weekend, however, C and I will abandon Ohio to witness the wonderland that is Portland, Oregon. We'll be staying with Chris and Nolan who have shacked up in a combined effort to take over America, starting with the Pacific Northwest... I anticipate Spring will be in full effect, ahead of schedule, by the time we return such that the sun will be shining for nearly half the hours of a day, temperatures will keep above 35 degrees "eff," and flower shoots will have started peeking out of the thawed soil to welcome us home.