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...
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4/4 - scheduled delivery of 3 cubic yards of pine bark mulch, 40 lbs of composted cow manure, and a bag of potting soil.
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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

BMX

This video is amazing

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

Quote: Imagination

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...

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

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.