Saturday, March 25, 2006

And who knows which is which and who is who

Things I like: getting comments from friends on the blog (Thanks Doug!) Waking up with the Sun, having a bunch of energy, posting a small article on the Alaskan Forum with fishing info, my brother screwing with telemarketers (Oh no they aren't here, but you sound like a go getter - do you want to represent me with AM-Way. It's a great program, despite what you heard. What's your telephone number?...), cruise control, iwayhigh reagge internet radio stream on my Axim, reagge Pink Floyd covers, B vitamins, turning worms

Things I DONT like: My teams getting wiped out of the tournament (C'mon BC! 23 turnovers!!!!), car traffic on my walk / ride to the store, non-creative and violent solutions to conflict and feeling like there is nothing I can do about it, hopelessness (Hope is the last to die.)

So I want to thank the people who read this blog and are thinking about me.

Party on. I'm going to be dark for a bit while I travel down to FLA. Here is a link to the route.

Friday, March 24, 2006

Sisters of the Sun are gonna rock me on the water

Soft rock is gonna kick your ass - from the year I was born
Mile stones - I've posted 200 blog entries here. All this talkin' and not much saying. I've been "between jobs" for over a year. Yep, f@#k work. and more.... I'm working on my site www.alaskagold.com and it seems to be paying off - numbers are up and I'm enjoying learning all the new stuff.

It's a rainy day here in Wilmington, NC. And cold. I thought I had planned to be here in the 'nice' part of the year. And I got it part right - The azelela's are beginning to bloom. Soom trees are budding and pushing out color. But it's cold.

Anyhow, Next week "I'll get down to the beach somehow." Tomorrow is my uncle's 60 birthday and we are planning a surprise party (I hope he doesn't read this blog in the next 24 hours!) . The party will be a Carolina Pig Pickin' - Have you ever been to one? It's the kind where the pig is BBQ'ed with the head and tail and stuff. It's a sight and DAMN it taste good. Good Carolina BBQ makes it ALL worth it.

I've been strugglin' a bit lately. But the rain is coming down and KNBA is on the radio and the cookies are smellin' good in the oven (almost done) - so I'm not complaining at all.

Jackson Brown helps:

Oh people, look around you
The signs are everywhere
You’ve left it for somebody other than you
To be the one to care
You’re lost inside your houses
There’s no time to find you now
Your walls are burning and your towers are turning
I’m going to leave you here and try to get down to the sea somehow
...

We all must do the best we can
And then hang on to that gospel plow
When my life is over, I’m going to stand before the father
But the sisters of the sun are going to rock me on the water now



cookies are done

Monday, March 20, 2006

Yep, that was the sound of my voice...

Wow, um, that was, um, ... good. Um, ... um...

I have to say, not by way of excuse, but I HAD been driving for 8 hours and in the car for 4 days, and it was super late. Anyway, I hope you liked, um, the Audio post.

So, I'm back in Wilmington, NC. And, because the truck isn't "doing right", I took my bike over to cousin Brett's house to watch UNC fall to the Mighty Murray State squad. When Roy Williams almost threw that chair onto the court and grabbed a player, I knew we were in trouble. Hurt feelings and sadness aside, that's the freakin reason we watch March Madness. Little Davids battling with giant goliath. Murray State came to play and win, and, well, we didn't. So see ya next year Tar Heels. Thank you for a great season and for beating Dook on Reddick's Senior night.

So, now in the tournament, I'm rooting for BC and Gonzaga.

Oh, and my Country is waging a war that can't be won and for questionable reasons going on four years now... more later

Sunday, March 19, 2006

this is an audio post - click to play

Tuesday, March 14, 2006

Before I go

Hello Dear reader!

I forgot to mention that there are no pictures of the Costa Rica trip. Angie wanted me to take the camera but I said " No. I figure I'll find more things worth remembering if I don't take a camera. Sort of like taking a hike and seeing hundreds of squirrels, but if you take your .22 along you don't see one." So, I have a bunch of great memories but no pics. Actually, a guy took a picture of me swimming in the waterfall, but hasn't sent them yet.

AND, next adventure.

Brother Ray and I are going on a 1500 mile roadtrip to pick up a great big inflatable gorrilla, no... big gyroscope thing, like the ones at fairs and NASA training. He bought it off eBay Only catch, It's in MN (don't ask me to spell Minnesota). So we are loading up the truck and heading North. Should be there in a couple of days and return in a couple of days.

Funny thing is ... we are turning around directly and going on another road trip... to Florida. good times

"going where my toes are pointed",
Newman

Link: A map of the trip

Monday, March 06, 2006

Alright, so... when can I leave America?

I'm reflecting on life and the whole of it lately, since I've been back from Costa Rica. And well, I want to know when can I leave here. Costa Rica is smokin' cool. And this place is pretty crappy, in comparsion.

I went to Playa del Coco (Ocotal) with Angie's Family. Big Angie, my girlfriend's Aunt, put all ten of us up in a swanky, private Villa on a hill over looking the coast. Incredible. A house staff for every need, a pool, hot tub, an incredible view, everything new and good food.

We spent the days driving down to the Beach or the little town or reading by the pool and napping. Highlights were the snorkle trip into the high seas in a homemade boat, a trip to a small farm and the cloud forest.

After dinner we relaxed around the table and I listened in on the Webb Family stories. Once everyone went to bed, Angie and I turned off all the lights and watched the shooting stars out over the water. We saw one that was like a flaming truck and it's light reflected off the water.

Other things about the Villa - Big Angie was so gracious to host us. The wind howled! There was no hot water for the first couple of days. God bless the "professor" behind the blender and Douglas her pupil - Douglas kept the pina coldas coming. Imperial beer! The "warm tub". Who wants to drive the van up to the impossible drive way? The rebar in the pool and the nails on the patio. We were the first ones to rent the Villa and the kinks were not worked out. My bag got lost by the airlines.

So, the first 7 days I spent in the lap of luxury with the Family Webb. The next three days I spent in the traditional cheap skate, shoestring, cosmic traveler style.

Beacause the flights were cheaper on the weekdays and I had the time, I booked my flight home 4 days later than everyone else. I said goodbye to them on Saturday morning at the Liberia Airport and hailed a cab to the town of Liberia.

The cab is good and cheap ($10), but he won't take me to the hotel. I had found the hotel Liberia in the Lonely Planet Costa Rica Guide. So I got out and walked across the PanAm highway (How cool is that!?) and hiked towards the city center. The sun is shining and all is groovy. And then, A bomb goes off. I'm about to dive down the pavement when I notice no one is alarmed so I pretend it doesn't bother me that mortar fire is dropping down on Liberia.

"This must be part of the festival" I think to myself. The Fiesta Civicas started the day before. Fireworks were announcing the beginning of a horse parade or Tope through the town. Danielle, the farmer we visited, had shown us his show horse he rides in parades like this. It was great to see all the horses and cowboys - authentic. I felt like I was transported back in time. So my adventure began... and it was great.

The first night, I travelled down the Nicoya peni. to see a "massive arrival" of sea turtles. The next night I watched the rodeo with my buddy, Byron. The next day, a jungle boat tour in the Paolo Verde National Park. And the last day, hiking trails around the volcano Rincon as well as skinny dipping the waterfall.

After all that I still had time to get two fillings in my teeth from an english speaking dentist on the same block as the hotel.

Each night there was fireworks and live bands on the square (100 yards from the Hotel) and a Diana or Revelie at 6 am.

I love costa rica. I got so lucky to be there for the festival and to meet up with the people I did. It seemed like a paradise of luxury and adventure. It would have been the same if not for Big Angie or Bryon or our guide Manfred and the Hotel Liberia.

stay tuned for photos.

check this space for updates soon!

I'm just back from Costa Rica... has it been a week since I came back? I'm going to talk about the trip and post some photos soon.

And just like that I'm off to North Carolina and Florida for the month of March.

more later,
nsl