Racism

I'd like to talk about racism in America
I realize it's alive and well
sadly
My son has experienced blatant racism
first hand in Louisiana
when he was asked to join the KKK
I guess they didn't expect
a
blonde haired, blue eyed guy to get so incensed
and
they backed off immediately
then
he called me with tears
to ask why people were so hatred filled
thankfully
he wasn't raised to hate
Although
I do question
why
in this day and age
there is
Black Entertainment Television and Awards
and
The United Negro College Fund
when a
White Entertainment Television and Awards
and a
United Caucasian College Fund
would be banned
So
some things just don't make sense to me
because
the way I see it
the only real threat to racism is inclusion
and
who wouldn't want
that
?

The Firewalker

Have you ever dreaded something?

You know it's coming

You can't stop it

but

you know you have to face it

head on

kind of like standing on
train tracks

holding up one hand

and

watching the speeding train

come at you

or

maybe

taking off your shoes

and

walking across burning coals

knowing you will be scorched

but

hoping your inner strength

will somehow take over

and

you'll get through

whatever ''it'' is

just fine

Bike Adventure 2010

This is what 1400 miles on a bike looks like
Down the coast weaving inland
into
California

Smell of hot bike

Smell of hot self
freezing one minute
boiling another

wind in my face
sunburnt, windblown

Glorious redwoods

making a canopy over the road

dappled sunshine

Mint fields turning to ocean

butterflies that don't taste like chicken

bee stings

curves for 140 miles at a time

feeling vibrations
even after the bike was turned off

lovely, friendly people

offering drinks and conversation

hot tubs in rooms

swerving to avoid hitting

snakes, possum, elk, deer, cows, skunks, fallen logs
and the
same suicidal squirrel
repeatedly

finding out 90 mph wind gusts

with a sheer

cliff on one side and logging trucks on another

aren't the most fun

especially when soggy from a hard rain

emailing friends from the road

on

my trusty Blackberry

Learning

Advil is my friend,

and

my sciatic nerve isn't

but

in all honesty and fairness

I'd do it again

tomorrow

Oregon Gardens-Photography Part 3

Oregon Gardens-Photography Part 2

Oregon Gardens -Photography Part 1

Helmet Laws

This is how I make sure

nobody borrows

my helmet

ever

Thinking Spots

Everyone needs a good thinking spot

a place where

you can go

take a seat

mull over life

a place without phones

televisions

people

or

expectations

Just a place to

BE

See that bench there?

to the left?

I was there

sitting and thinking

today

and

I'm pretty sure

this is what heaven

must look

like

Super D: The Sunshine Vitamin

Lucky me

I was born to

a woman with red hair, green eyes, and fair skin

and

a man with black eyes and black hair and olive skin

so

I got dark brown eyes with green flecks

dark brown hair with red highlights

and white skin

it's really a weird combination

(thanks mom and dad--love ya!)

but

I can't even walk by a 75 watt lightbulb

without getting burned

so I wear spf 8,000 gazllion

sunscreen all the time

Which is fine since I live in the Pacific Northwest

home of summer only sun

Yep

about 15 weeks a year

(maybe)

the sun is shining

we even drive with headlights on during the day

as a result

most of us struggle to maintain vitamin D

in our bodies

because

Vitamin D is made in the skin when sunshine hits the surface

think about it

if there isn't sunshine....there isn't vitamin D production

Making sense?

A lack of vitamin D

causes malformed bones

osteoporosis

difiiculty in healing

and depression

it also aids 135 bodily fuctions

that

I don't have time to go into right now

Vitamin D is ''the happy vitamin''

and so

to my friends who live

in the Pacific Northwest

I urge you to go down

TODAY

and get a blood count

of

this all important vitamin

please

Ring of Fire

I haven't been able to wear my wedding rings

very often the past couple of years

for some reason, I get blisters

all around the perimeter of my ring finger

How bizarre is that?

Apparently my body chemistry has changed

and my

skin isn't happy being cooped up

in gold

This is kind of sad, since I love my rings

Those rings pretty much tell

the world

I'm married

and without them

apparently

I'm not

It can get a little awkward

to be flirted with by someone

a stranger

who thinks you're single

Oh, don't get me wrong

I play to my heart's content

with friends of mine

since they are safe

but

if a strange guy crosses that line

and asks me out

because he thinks I'm single

I freeze

just like a deer in the headlights

I guess it's because I

never really dated

and

I really don't know how

the game works anymore

I just know

I think I'll stay married

to avoid

playing

it

The Written Word

Have you ever thought something
about someone
and
then let it pass without saying?
As if they would know how you felt
What would happen if you wrote it down
and
sent it to them via email?
Let me tell you what would happen
It would make their day
Their month
their year
and maybe even
their life
I am lucky in having some
seriously awesome people
in my corner
and when I got this email a few days
ago from someone I sporadically spend time with
(usually a lunch and a gab fest)
I realized the power of the written word

"I know I don't tell you often how much I admire you. I am envious.
You have amazing adventures, say what you think without worrying about rocking the boat. you have the biggest heart and the most generous spirit of anyone I know....you actually LIVE every day of your life''

That simple email couldn't have come at a better time
and in the days to come
I stood a little taller
and
smiled a little more
Thank-you

Dreams

Now that I'm in my 40's
and
have had pretty much

the same circle of friends
for 20 or more years
its interesting to see

how the dreams they had

never came to fruition
when they were younger

(and even now)

they talked incessantly
about the things they wanted to do
who they wanted to be
but

never achieved those goals
a perfect example
would be my friend who wanted to work as
an animator for Disney
but
he never took an art class
or
even filled in a job application
yet
here he is .....20 years later....wondering why he isn't
working at the
happiest place on earth
Don't get me wrong
I love dreamers
but
I admire do-ers
more

Out and About in Oregon

Musical Twin

I was talking about music
with
a friend of mine a few days ago
It's not a subject that often comes up
since

I've found my taste
in music
is somewhat different than others
and

when you get mocked enough
by your kids

for your ''uncool choices''

you pretty much learn to keep your mouth shut

He brought up what was

in his ipod

and

with growing excitement

I realized

we were a match at nearly 100%

OMG

we practically had the same musical taste

reaching as far back as early 1970's

All of a sudden

I don't feel *quite*

as freakish

knowing there are at least

two of us in the

world

A Rainy Park in June-Part 2

A Rainy Park in June- Part 1