Stone's throw

I am out and about in what used to be my home town, but it's not anymore. I am what's left of us... of me. I am the beast inside the child's stone plaything thrown 10,000 years ago.

Trip update

Yesterday was Baby Thea's first birthday. It was a very sweet day. She's a delightful, happy little girl. She's already walking, signing some (ASL) and definitely working on her English. She amazes and fascinates me. All in all, I was in Portland just over a week and left today. Now I'm back in Southern Oregon and not quite sure what's next. A friend and I are talking about going to the Bay Area together but we haven't worked out the details yet.

I've been out almost two weeks now and am just beginning to sense a little distance from my life. It feels good.

Rainy day Oregon

Mr. Lee and his mom made it safely to Hong Kong. Actually, other than the shitheads at J & V Travel, I hear it was a great flight, great airline, great hotel, and the tours J & V booked have been outstanding, although yesterday's 12 hours odyssey was a bit much. And now they are having a great time in Beijing. Excellent.

As for me, it's odd being back in my old Southern Oregon stomping grounds, this trip in particular. It's my state of mind. I drove by the empty field that used to be the Medford A's stadium. Dixie and John owned them, bought the team after watching Field of Dreams... including some hot young rookie pitcher who was throwing balls about 100 miles an hour. She and I sat behind the catcher and timed him. But John's vision faded and with it his enthusiasm. They sold the team, left town. I don't know what happened to the kid. Or them. All gone. The team is gone. The stadium torn down, the field reverted to grass. If you didn't know, you wouldn't know. And the lumber mill that was in that part of town... long gone. Really long gone. Before John and Dixie came to town. But the old duplex in Ashland where I used to live... it's fixed up, white picket fence and all. Slugs used to crawl up through the hole in that bathroom floor and lounge around on the walls, probably why my daughter is so repulsed by them, even to this day, no matter how I plead their case, that it was not their fault, that they are just little ol' slow moving, don't mean nobody no harm fellows. Hates 'em. Anyway, it's gray and rainy here. I leave for Portland in the morning. Baby Thea's one year birthday is next Tuesday. That is soooomething.

Friday update

M. Lee left this afternoon for China. It's been a helluva week. Murphy's Law was in full force. When he left he still wasn't sure if he had a seat on the connecting flight from San Francisco to Hong Kong and I won't know for a couple days how it turned out. All this was the result of going through a funky ass Chinese travel agency in Oakland by the name of J & V Travel. NEVER USE THEM. He needed to make a slight change to his ticket but the wankers at J & V Travel were totally unwilling/ignorant/rude and or stupid to get it done. I needed to make a similar change on a ticket I bought recently directly through the airline. It took a one minute phone call. Anyway, I'm sad he's gone. It really changes the way I look at my surroundings. I'm glad I'm leaving in the morning. It won't be an epic trip but at least I won't be moping around here. When I was a kid I tried digging to China with a tablespoon. He seems that far away tonight.

Our day

Bad Mother's Day ~ May 10, 2010.

Yippee. Why can't everyday be Bad Mother's Day? Well, 364 days out of the year anyway. The goodie-two-shoesers can still have their one day.

Bad Mother's Day gift suggestion

Bad Mother's Day is right around the corner, Monday in case you've forgotten, and since I created Bad Mother's Day a few years ago, search engines have been directing people looking for bad mother's day cards my way. The keywords tell a sad tale:

"bad mother"
"bad mother's day"
"where do i find bad mothers day cards"
"mother's day message to mom + bad relationship with mom"
"mother's day cards for a bad mom"
"Mother's Day Cards-Awful mom's"
"mothers day cards for terrible mothers"
"you are a bad mother" mothers day cards"
"really bad mother day cards"
"mothers day card for a sucky mother"
"lousy mothers day cards"
"rotten mother mother's day card"
"shitty mother's day cards"
"shitty mother, mother's day card"

This year, to help our fledgling holiday along, I share with you a Language Barrier "Best Of" gift selection for The Day... the Better Marriage Blanket. Okay, I know it's a little last minute but I did it, didn't I?

Anyway..... yes, this gift might have saved your parent's marriage but all that is water under the bridge now, isn't it? The Better Marriage Blanket is a must have in any case, but especially if you are one of the many Good Children who has inherited their Bad Mom in her declining years (age 25 to 99). It contains a layer of activated carbon fabric, the same type of fabric used by the military to protect against chemical weapons. Perfect! Not only will you be obeying the Fifth Commandment to honor your Mother, it is a gift to your whole family. Even if you want to shirk your duties as a Good Child you owe it to them to purchase one for her. Her cat will thank you too.

Day in the life

This poor pigeon, his leg is swollen, red and inflamed. It probably throbs and hurts like crazy. He got tangled up in fishing line. That stuff is such a menace and it's everywhere, mountains of fishing line, abandoned nets, hooks and miscellaneous crap tossed or lost by thoughtless idiots worldwide. ARG!!!

Oakland resident

We are back in the Bay Area for the weekend dealing with the ongoing task of helping a family member transition to a new living situation. She got kicked out of the Royale.

I would love to have freed his foot.

It's a complicated story. The Royale is a great place but she's got problems they can't handle so it's all for the better. In any case, Charlita the Cat doesn't seem to mind so that's one in the plus column.

Lady at the bus stop.

Vegan soul food in Oakland.... how cool is that!

Lost horizon

WTF?! Let the poor fellow rest in peace.

Spring in Oakland