April 24, 2007

On the Road Again

Another early morning at the airport... I tend to travel in the early morning when departing for a destination and returning home later in the evening. I got no sleep due to a dog that wouldn't go to sleep and the 3 nocturnal cats in the house I stayed in, just to get a ride to the airport...

I love the airport in early morning, when the terminal is stagnate, quiet and almost serene. The new ambient light of the morning crosses paths with the internal light making everything surreal.

I've been here for an hour now and now the place is buzzing. People chatting, people reading, sleeping and waiting in line. I'm at the window, half sleeping, the other half still not in reality. I can't wait to get in the plane to nap...

April 18, 2007

Interview with Dara

Music | Black Women (For Beatrice Anderson and Amelia Drake) by Fred Anderson and Hamid Drake.

Dara's Climb

Music | Lousiana Strut by Fred Anderson

April 11, 2007

Kung Fu Hustle and the Little Cussing Girl

Music | Infinite Eyes by Keb Mo

So I got the chance to see Kung Fu Hustle the other day and really enjoyed it. The story line is one of fairy tales and I thought with the exception to some of the violence, my daughter would really like it. The fighting scenes are quite incredible, but some of the cartoonish effects are effective as well. We started to watch the first part of the movie (the kill for the sake of killing edited...) Since the movie is subtitled, I was doing the dialog for my daughter as the movie went along. She has been reading well, but I didn't think she would be able to keep up. Early in the movie, I'm laughing to myself because I'm obviously editing the strong language as I read. But my kid goes, "OH my gosh, he told that other guy to, 'Piss Off!'" She said it rather nonchalantly and if I didn't react with shock and laughter, it would have passed. But to see a little girl say, "Piss Off!" is one of the most funny things I have ever seen.

April 07, 2007

and sometimes you just go...

Music | Any Other Name by Thomas Newman off the Soundtrack of American Beauty

I put on a ride call earlier in the week to see if anyone would come out and take a short but scenic ride with me today. I called it off early afternoon because of the constant rain and what appeared to be never ending rain clouds. No sooner than 15 minutes after calling off the ride, the clouds parted and the sun came out...

Shortly after, I looked outside and out the the west, heavy dark clouds loomed again. But, it wasn't raining out NOW, so I decided I would take my chances and ride. I stopped off at the meeting place I had originally announced, thinking there was some fool to come out with me, but no fools.

Again, over the bridge and into the Tualitan Mountains... and like clockwork, I'm feeling good. This ride I take, doesn't last for more than a 1/2 hour, but it is proven therapy for me...


April 06, 2007

In writing for you, or me...

Music | Evidence by Thelonious Monk

A sudden sensation takes you over for a moment, sometimes for a longer period of time. You know your in the moment and you want it to last. There are times in the past, where the magic has appeared and I had the cogent reaction to know what was going on and knew what I was feeling was very special. It comes in all forms... viewing a photograph, listening to a song, catching the aroma of a woman walking by... Sometimes it brings on a memory, embarking you to a time and place far from the present. Sometimes a placid mood overtakes you allowing you to feel something "new".

I was challenged by a comrade this evening, while we were both somewhat inebriated by good smokes, beer and the warm spring evening that we haven't had the pleasure of for quite sometime. We were talking about this thing we do called blogging... how I could point out exactly what was the best piece I had ever written... A Vision. What was it he asked that made that piece so well written? I remember clarity, the moment I was in and how it just stayed in my head. The more the experiences I had gone thru, the images stayed crystal clear. When I went to write what had just happened to me, the words just came and made my fingers type the words. There was no real effort, it came and I let it go. Other than that, I had no explanation why that piece was the best written blog I have ever come up with.

We have magical moments, I had another this evening. I went to a monthly art event referred to as, First Thursday, in the Pearl District, where the art galleries open with new exhibitions. I ran into a few fellow artists that I knew, spent some time having nice conversations... When it was time for me to leave, I got on the motorcycle to head home. I'm traveling a less frequented route. The road was empty, the lamp posts speeding by, a warm pervasive breeze a constant. I'm hit with that feeling, this is a special moment, this is a time I will remember for a long time. A calm comes over me, I say in my mind, "This is a moment..." The feeling drifts away and I'm slowing down for a red light in front of me. The moment is gone, the feeling lingers and with a sort of serenity, I ride home.

I was supposed to have captured the same "clarity" as the post that was my best written piece ever in the paragraph above, but I know I fell short. The words did not flow out of my fingers and I spend a good 15 minutes on that paragraph alone...

As I said, a challenge was put upon me... and that to write with more clarity, more description, good grammer and stuff like that... I have a good friend, who will tell me like it is. I say I write this blog for me. I can read between the lines and read the code I have written for myself to be able to recreate the moment I wrote any specific blog. I enjoy going back in time and see where I have come from and where I am. He says it is out there for the public, so...

I am not writing for you, my very dear readers of this blog. I am VERY appreciative! However, there are some things I will not put out to the masses, but I do try and not censor anything I begin to write.

In any case, the challenge that was put upon me has been duly noted. There is always room for improvement in writing this blog, for both you and me...

April 01, 2007

1st Ride of the Year...

Music | Rocket Hanabi by Tujiko Noriko

I woke up a bit later than expected and saw sun streaming thru the windows. I quickly got up and saw that it was 9:15. I had 45 minutes to get dressed, warm up the bike and head out to Intel where a few guys were getting together for a ride to the coast. I knew I wasn't going to make the whole trip, but wanted to meet a few members of the VJMC of Portland (Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Club) and take a portion of the ride.

2 Hondas, a Kawasaki and my Suzuki were the only ones to show up, but we rode aggressively thru the back roads west of Portland, proper. My first big ride of the year allowed me to ride as hard as I have on the big 1 litre. I wouldn't be able to find the roads we road from Hillsboro to Caston, but they will be in my head for awhile.

I left the guys in Gaston to head back, but on the way I realized I would be near the tiny town of Helvetia, home to the Helvetia Tavern. They have by far the best Cheeseburger I've ever had west of the Mississippi. Side order of fries and a coke, I was set!

The ride home is the feeling you ride for. Hardly another vehicle around, back roads of twisty, rolling hills as fast or as slow as you want to go. I am fortunate to live near the Tualitan Mountains, literally a 5 minute ride from home. It is always a joy going thru them. I also get the great view the St. John's Bridge allows me as well.






 
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