Life Updated

Recent Affairs of a Good Life:

300: Wow! Is this movie an experience or what? The look is revolutionary. The off-colored film appear brushed with a metallic stroke. Heavily relied on slow motion drew you into the action. In slow motion, slicing swords appeared to cut flesh and at times through the movie screen, then blood would irrupt as if at a splatter-paint convention. Musically, the soundtrack meshed with the actions perfectly. In the most violent episodes slow motion and synchronized instrumentals made warriors appear like untouchable herculean heroes. If you don't mind violence, gore and skies darkened with raining arrows then 300 is a fabulous way to spend a few hours.

Peter, Bjorn and John: These rockers are straight outta Sweden. Home of beautiful blonds, safe yet sophisticated cars and Swiss cheese. Not that they are from Switzerland but I'm sure they have some Swiss cheese. I mean I've never yodeled at the foot of the Matterhorn while enjoying the aromatic pleasures of my herbal RICOLA!!! But I still frequently indulge in Swiss cheese. PB&J's album incorporates differing flavors better that a PB&J sandwich. Big fat bass lines aided and abetted by drum machines, samples and the round ones often times played in a garage. The main vocalist sounds like Elvis Costello and refreshingly pronounces some words with a Nordic accent. Some lyrics paint pictures, some invoke emotions and others generate ideas and inspiration. The aptly fit "Roll the Credits" soothes your inner anxiousness and suggests, "Let's take the easy way out, let's pull away for good, let's pull the curtains down and leave." Now imagine it with a finger picked mandolin and the drum roll of a marching army. I'm into the album. You can hear some tracks here.

UCLA, UCLA, UCLA
After missing last years March Madness I've come to realize home much I LOVE it. These kids want to win. There are no shoe contracts or money laden scoring incentives. It's like this: You don't hustle, you don't play. You complain, you sit. College basketball is a beautiful sport. Unlike the pros, this is about the cohesiveness of the team. There are few isolation plays, rarely do you see a player Kobe-it(dribble up court, no pass, instant fadeaway forced shot). It's all about winning. These kids play for each other and although few win, all try their hardest. March Madness is the greatest sporting event of the year...every year.

"Lost"
Like my mom says, "One question is answered and three more come up." Summed up perfectly. It's very entertaining but at times it lacks answers. Showing the events that led to Locke's stint in the wheel chair answered pre-island Locke questions. But what about delving into how and why Locke could walk after the plane crashed. Just a thought, regardless I'll tune in again this week.

Santa Barbara
Beautiful. I've mainly been on the Eastside and Downtown. Working a bit at Whitcraft Winery. We got a good crew down there trying to put the finishing touches on bottles so their contents can be poured in stemmed glasses and sniffed and drank with considerable thought. Sadly, it's temporary work but definitely a cool thing to be a part of.
Spring and it's rising temperatures have dipped in and out of the forecast lately. Last Friday I pedaled to Butterfly Beach. Once a bastion of youngsters laying around listening to tunes, throwing boches balls and sipping a cold one or two. Now, wow, what a difference. Even on a weekday it was filled with loud, out of town college meatheads more interested in making their presence known than appreciating the beach.

Shout Out's:
The boys up on Loma Media (excluding Sammy) for having Sunday afternoon BBQ's. Yesterday's menu included Tri-tip, chicken breasts and grilled crunchy asparagus with an infusion of an amazing city view complemented by a zesty setting sun.
Attorney General Gonzales and his muscular fortitude. I thought he'd have fallen off the cliff by now. He must have enormous strength in those fingertips to continually hold onto the edge. He'll slip into the disgraced abyss sooner than later.

Country of the Week: Iran. The gull, under all this international pressure, to detain a boat full of British soldiers. Like the country or, in all likelihood not, they sure make the news interesting...them and that whole legal custody battle over Anne Nicole Smith's infant child. I think the father is her deceased billionaire ex-husband's son. It's the only way he could get that fortune back.

Bye.

The Saddest Four Year Anniversary

This administration is shit. Sorry grandma and everyone that I may have offended with my language. If you were offended because I'm calling this Bush Regime excrement then take off your partisan veil and look at what's happening. Oh man, a war started and being conducted with lies. An unnecessary war that has sparked a civil war and may further destabilize the most volatile region on earth. A freaking war that has inflicted pain on mothers in Kansas, mother-less children in Baghdad and a saddened young man sitting in a coffee shop welling up with tears in his eyes. My pain is probably the easiest to overcome. I don't have first hand suffering. My brother isn't worrying about IED's, my father can safely walk at the farmers market and my mom isn't grieving over her children whose lives were taking prematurely.
Do I bear responsibility for this war? Did I do everything I could have to prevent it? I was demonstrating over four years ago against Bush's push for war but what have I done since? I guess I voted against Bush in '04 but was I out there encouraging others to vote? No. I know that I'm not to blame for this bloody war but I can't help but feel some responsibility for what MY country is doing. I'm ashamed. I'm angry. I'm sad.
I'm not about pointing fingers. Well, actually, let's just get this one out of the way. This is the fault of Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld and all those neocons who lied to and in essence cheated the American people into this quagmire . For those of you who voted for Bush I'd love to say you bear responsibility. That by backing this guy your support led to war. A war that continues to escalate as I type every letter. But I'm not gonna blame you. I'm not gonna say "see what you've caused." I know a lot of people like to be partisan, blaming those who vote in different primaries and agreeing with those that tell you what you want to hear. I'm so over division. We need to come together and figure out a solution to this mess. We need dialogue and if I hear one more of those SOBs who says I don't support my troops or I'm un-American because I question the actions of my government then I'm just gonna say it louder. Do you hear me Tom Delay? You don't scare me punk ass.

QUESTIONS

Where in the World is Tommy Franks? Has our valiant general who "Hoorad" his way to Baghdad disappeared. I'm guessing hunting in Texas and routing for North Carolina in the Tourney.

How many young men and women serving in a war zone are gonna come back and not be taken care of? Do you think that those with mental health problems will get help? Shit this "troop supporting" admin. isn't even caring for those with blown off appendages.

What was the price of Halliburton stock before the war? $20 Now? $32.45 (but it split once since the war). Cheney's snarling all the way to the bank. Freaking Puto.

Is this war worth one more American soldier's arm or Iraqi child's life or one cent that could be spent here on education, health care and permanent housing for those ignored during Katrina?

What are you doing to oppose this war?

Here's the very least I can do...the website to the House of Representatives, you can write a letter expressing your views. Remember we have the freedom to voice our opinions here and don't let some bantering, partisan bully tell you otherwise. Lois Capps I'm watching you. Feinstein and Barbara also. Arnie, I'm still disappointed in you for campaigning with Bush in '04, but you can make it up to me if you don't do the same for the Hawks in '08. Bush, I'm done with you. Enjoy that presidential library. It will serve to us as a reminder of your disastrous performance and in turn it will be your only positive legacy.


PS. I'm pissed because these partisan Republican hacks hijacked my American Flag. They must have stock in the flag business because all over the world they're buying them...and burning them.

Lets change things. Start with yourself.

Lisbon, Spain then Cali

Lisbon, Lisbon, Lisbon. A city of rich history and cheap eats. Located on a river that saw many of an explorer sail to an unknown, but adventurous fate. Portugal, pushed to the edge of the Atlantic by Spain but unrelenting when distinguishing itself from it's only land neighbor. Oh Portugal, how I miss thee.
Before arriving I was informed that Lisbon was a piece of work. Unique by its own right, and proud of it. An island on the Iberian Penninsula which survived the centuries when Spain was the greatest conquering nation on Earth. Portugal, small in area, people and GDP but not heart and mind. The worlds greatest navigators, shipbuilders and, arguably, at one time, conquerers. Just take out your atlas and find Brazil, Angola and Macau. Besides Macau, they're all a tad bigger than they're mother tongue land, to see the very least. Before arriving at the Sete Rios bus station I knew I was in for something special.
Being the unorganized person I am at times I didn't have a place to stay upon arrival. It's never a good thing to arrive at a busy bus/train/metro station in a large city at night with no place to stay. But as if heaven sent, a computer with free internet access stood glistening in the station. I hadn't seen many computers in bus stations and to be FREE, man you had to be kidding me. It wasn't the greatest of connections but I found a few hostel searching websites. On one search I found a hostel by the name of Oasis that had super high ratings. Somewhere in the mid 90s, almost unheard of. After finding directions, next were my bearings in the metro and I was off. I got off at my stop, up 4 flight of escalators and I was in the middle of a square next to a statue of a man that I assume by his hand shading the imaginary sun was some sort of an explorer. I walked the hilly streets looking for the hostel. Some drunk guy befriended me. (Note to you travel novices: Don't follow drunk guys who offer you directions at night in a European capital...unless you willing to punch him for the slightest reach of your stuff.) The guy thought he was funny but in the end directed me to the hostel. I walked in right after a group of 7 Aussie girls. Not a bad start.
Lisbon is very similar to San Francisco. Hills, trolleys, hippies, a replica of the Golden Gate Bridge and art. Every night I would sit at a vista spot just steps from the hostel and watch the sun set behind the red bridge. People of every variety were out. Stoned dread-lockers, thugs with corn-rows, old-folks supported by canes and the government, babies in strollers gazing at some of their first sunsets. Those nights were some of the most magical I've ever spent. I met amazing people in Lisbon, including a young lady that is very special to me.
The magic of Lisbon can hardly be conveyed in writing or pictures. It was about the time, place and people. Go and you'll see.

*Although I traveled Spain for three weeks after I left Lisbon I'm not going to go into too much detail. Not that it wasn't great but I'm now home and I want to talk about other things. So here's a quick overview. Madrid is big and there are lots of things to do. Frankly, I wasn't huge on it. BIG cities aren't my fav's in general. I have two that I love and that's enough for me. New York and Paris already take up enough space in my heart. Granada in southern Spain is unreal. It was the last bastion of Islamic power on the Iberian Peninsula. The Moorish architecture is beautiful, crowned by the Alhambra, the city is set below the ominous Sierra Nevada Mountains and the tapas are gratis. Go. Last but certainly not least: Barcelona. Up in Catalonia, this olympic city is dark-chocolate rich in culture. The architect Gaudi reigns but Ronaldinho is king. I stayed with my special lady friend I met in Lisbon. We had a blast, it was hard leaving her and the European continent but the Golden State was a callin'. A morning Swiss air flight landed me in LA(I can't stand that place). Then an Airbus ride up to East Beach and bam! I was back on the Riviera. So now, after being home for a while and adjusting to SB life, I'm really glad to be back.