Too Long

I can't believe its been over a month - I will get on it but its late so I sleep .... A

Importance of Being Lucky

I am listening to my 3 small children squabbling and at the same time looking at an old picture of me holding a 20 lb. steelhead on the banks of the Deschutes River (two truly mutually exclusive experiences). These things remind me that through a remarkable accident of birth I am able to indulge in these thoughts/pastimes and not eke out a subsistence life elsewhere in the world. We (I) are (am) stunningly lucky to dream about and occasionally even do those things that bring us the most pleasure and fulfillment in life. Mine are easy; fishing, road-biking, reading, cross-country skiing and running (all with my kids). The latter two I am working back into as my heart is not where it used to be ~ but I will get it there. I think I mentioned it before now in this Blog but coming up on two years ago I had my aortic heart valve replaced with a porcine (read, "It used to belong to a pig") valve because I had a congenital defect I knew nothing about. The alternative was, "You have 12 months to live", hence the "Lucky" part. Anyway, I can exercise but the hardest part seems to be getting into good enough shape to assimilate oxygen while exercising. It is simply harder to breathe than it used to be, although I am told that I can work up to it. We shall see .......................A

Depression

I suppose things could be worse, but the thought of four more Bush years has me dreaming of Canada and New Zealand. I have a haunting nightmare of the Red/Blue US electoral map - is it just me or does anyone else see the Union/Confederate comparison here? In my dream Carl Jung is explaining to an audience that, on average, the empirically determined IQ of the red states is 94, while the corresponding IQ value for the blue states is 132. The audience erupts into a kind of an academic riot (I later realize the presentation hall is on the Mississippi State campus). Everything disappears into a fog until I awake with my foot blown off on the front lines of the Civil War of 2005................. A thinks he maybe should start drinking again.

Hard to Believe

I suppose it's the excitement of the debates or the volume of email I am getting from MoveOn.org, but I have not made it to the keyboard. I will improve this weekend. Anyway, still thinking a lot about Don. His memory motivated me to call a couple people I hadn't spoken to in a long time. One is Ross Hawkins who is a very wonderful spirit - living up in Portland (where I met him ) and running an eclectic and equally wonderful publishing house (www.arnicapublishing.com). I also called another good friend, Tom Harper from Berkeley. Tom, Don and I worked together at the same small "science project" in Emeryville. Both doing well and new (old) threads to the tapestry. Definitely members of the tribe. Then there is Balch who is out there somewhere doing webcams and Putnam smoking a bowl and howling at the television. later .... A

Music and Poetry

A few years ago I read in an interview with Gary Snyder his answer to a question about the demise of poetry. His response was something like, "What do you think popular music is? Poetry is more popular than it has ever been". Now, to music. I am a true non-explorer of contemporary music of the past 20 years. I tend to listen to stuff I happen to hear on the internet or very obscure stuff. Being a big dead-head I tried Phish ... sorry, don't get it Trey. Then I bought a couple of Dave Matthews albums. I am as blown-away as seeing Terry Haggerty play up in Marin. Really good. and I am exploring. It's hard for me to believe that he's been playing for a dozen years and I hadn't bothered. Oh well. At least he's still alive an making music. Marian and I are listening right now. ....A

Marian and Dad

We are looking at the blog and trying to figure out what to do and what to write today.

Below the glacier 

Chugach I think 

Kenai - big Chinook - In my mind I see Charlie catching cutthroat under this tree. I have an extensive dream-life that ought to come out

How Does the Song Go?

Where Does the Time Go?

You would think I have been in prison or something, not having blogged for close to 3 weeks. Have kept up riding the bike and enjoying my family now that they have returned from Alaska. My daughter did at least get a shot of the Kenai (for my soul). All the 3 weeks they were there they had clear weather which I think may be some kind of a record. Denali was visible all of the time and I missed it. I will get some pictures up. Republican convention is coming up so look out for the FBI at your door! "'Scuse me sir but we just want to know what your intentions are when you're in New York for the convention." Must have something to do with the Patriot Act............. A

Next few of southern San Francisco Bay today

Trynig to get a cool reflection with a mini picsel pocketPC cam - In the distance are some of the old evaporation salt ponds. I grew up around here and 30 years ago this area was a dump and is now a "wilderness area". If you go down 2 feet in the mud you'll glow in the dark. I think there are more heavy metals here than in Iraq.

Another 

Next shot 

Next 

Baylands this morning 

Pulgas Water Temple (next few)

Inviting, eh?

another 

Family is near Denali, while August works and rides his bike

They are going ....

Here is where.... 

Wireless Blogging

Here I am blogging from the foothills of the California Coast Range. Now I need to figure out how to upload pictures from the device........A

Collective Unconscious

Have been reading an edited version of Jung's work (edited by Joseph Campbell) and have spent the last couple of weeks wrapping my brain around the concept of collective unconscious. For me it is further confirmation as the keystone of what I have been looking for and seems to make sense. I come from a layman's perspective so don't bring a doctorate in to pollute things. It's the idea. The notion melds perfectly with the historical biological record - We all do come from the same place (Africa) and it makes intuitive sense that we would share the same mystery patterns. August will think some more but it is pretty good so far....... A

Cheap Road Bike - But it flies with a 220 lb man on it

Gone are the days we would stop to decide where we should go ...... we just ride -- Crazy Fingers; Grateful Dead

My Prayer ~ Completely Stolen from The Sons

I decided to tell you one thing or two..., but what did you do to make it so hard to talk to you? Its wasn't long ago you had it in mind; You were going to find what was slowing you down. You found it. Did you suddenly realize another thing? Did you suddenly start all your wondering, forget to sing about a thing bigger than you? Well you're never alone but some stranger things are true - Wherever you go I'm right beside you. I'm the good things that you do. HEADWAY

Tao ~ Christ

With the West, man is immeasurably small and the grace of God is everything; but in the East, man is God and he redeems himself.

The Funeral

Don's funeral was on Wednesday. I have not gone to these in the past (my family just has memorials or "remembrances"; no coffins or ritual) under the the belief that the reasonable thing to do was to remember the person as best I could; meditate or project in my own way my feelings for the person usually when I was in some place of physical beauty (elevation or ocean). Don also had something on Tuesday called a "visitation". There was a room in a mortuary where his coffin lay (it was closed). Many large flower displays and a large picture of him. It was good for me because, while I was there it was not crowded and I sat in the front pew and more or less fell apart. I think you have to do this as a part of it. Anyway I was able to then attend the funeral the next day and keep it together. The large church where he had his service was packed and the eulogies were flat profound and consistent. This was a man who had many REAL friends, I being one, and now the question for me is how to fill the gap that he had come to fill on my life. I know how to do it - I am going to try to take the pieces of him that he gave to me and try to give them to others. The first step is to do what he would have done - stay in regular contact with his wife and mother, just to let them know I am there. I think its exactly where he would have started........ A

One of the last vices.... 

I wish I could talk to Don... 

Strata 

Let's get wet 

Here's a list that's making the rounds of the Internet: GEORGE W. BUSH ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS PRESIDENT: I attacked and took over two countries. I spent the U.S. surplus and bankrupted the US Treasury. I shattered the record for the biggest annual deficit in history (not easy!). I set an economic record for the most personal bankruptcies filed in any 12 month period. I set all-time record for the biggest drop in the history of the stock market. I am the first president in decades to execute a federal prisoner. I am the first president in US history to enter office with a criminal record. In my first year in office I set the all-time record for most days on vacation by any president in US history (tough to beat my dad's, but I did). After taking the entire month of August off for vacation, I presided over the worst security failure in US history. I set the record for most campaign fund raising trips by any president in US history. In my first two years in office over 2 million Americans lost their job. I cut unemployment benefits for more out-of-work Americans than any other president in US history. I set the all-time record for most real estate foreclosures in a 12-month period. I appointed more convicted criminals to administration positions than any president in US history. I set the record for the fewest press conferences of any president, since the advent of TV. I signed more laws and executive orders amending the Constitution than any other US president in history. I presided over the biggest energy crises in US history and refused to intervene when corruption was revealed. I cut health care benefits for war veterans. I set the all-time record for most people worldwide to simultaneously take to the streets to protest me (15 million people), shattering the record for protest against any person in the history of mankind. I dissolved more international treaties than any president in US history. I've made my presidency the most secretive and unaccountable of any in US history. Members of my cabinet are the richest of any administration in US history. (The poorest multimillionaire, Condoleeza Rice, has a Chevron oil tanker named after her). I am the first president in US history to have all 50 states of the Union simultaneously struggle against bankruptcy. I presided over the biggest corporate stock market fraud in any market in any country in the history of the world. I am the first president in US history to order a US attack and military occupation of a sovereign nation, and I did so against the will of the United Nations and the vast majority of the international community. I have created the largest government department bureaucracy in the history of the United States, called the "Bureau of Homeland Security"(only one letter away from BS). I set the all-time record for biggest annual budget spending increases, more than any other president in US history (Ronnie was tough to beat, but I did it!!). I am the first president in US history to compel the United Nations remove the US from the Human Rights Commission. I am the first president in US history to have the United Nations remove the US from the Elections Monitoring Board. I removed more checks and balances, and have the least amount of congressional oversight than any presidential administration in US history. I rendered the entire United Nations irrelevant. I withdrew from the World Court of Law. I refused to allow inspectors access to US prisoners of war and by default no longer abide by the Geneva Conventions. I am the first president in US history to refuse United Nations election inspectors access during the 2002 US elections. I am the all-time US (and world) record holder for most corporate campaign donations. The biggest lifetime contributor to my campaign, who is also one of my best friends, presided over one of the largest corporate bankruptcy frauds in world history (Kenneth Lay, former CEO of Enron Corporation). I spent more money on polls and focus groups than any president in US history. I am the first president to run and hide when the US came under attack (and then lied,saying the enemy had the code to Air Force 1) I am the first US president to establish a secret shadow government. I took the world's sympathy for the US after 9/11, and in less than a year made the US the most resented country in the world (possibly the biggest diplomatic failure in US and world history). I am the first US president in history to have a majority of the people of Europe (71%) view my presidency as the biggest threat to world peace and stability. I changed US policy to allow convicted criminals to be awarded government contracts. I set the all-time record for the number of administration appointees who violated US law by not selling their huge investments in corporations bidding for gov't contracts. I have removed more freedoms and civil liberties for Americans than any other president in US history. In a little over two years. I have created the most divided country in decades, possibly the most divided that the US has been since the Civil War. I entered office with the strongest economy in US history and in less than two years turned every single economic category heading straight down RECORDS AND REFERENCES: I have at least one conviction for drunk driving in Maine (Texas driving record has been erased and is not available). I was AWOL from the National Guard and deserted the military during time of war. I refuse to take a drug test or even answer any questions about drug use. All records of my tenure as governor of Texas have been spirited away to my fathers library, sealed in secrecy and unavailable for public view. All records of any SEC investigations into my insider trading or bankrupt companies are sealed in secrecy and unavailable for public view. All minutes of meetings of any public corporation for which I served on the board are sealed in secrecy and unavailable for public view. Any records or minutes from meetings I (or my VP) attended regarding public energy policy are sealed in secrecy and unavailable for public review. PERSONAL REFERENCES: For personal references, please speak to my dad or Uncle James Baker (They can be reached in their offices at the Carlyle Group where they are helping to divide up the spoils of the US-Iraq war and plan for the next one) (Note: this information should be useful to voters in the 2004 election. Circulate to as many citizens you think would be helped to be reminded about his record.

This is a blurry picture of one of my best friends, Don Cochrane. It was taken where we hung out to drink beer and tell stories for hours, Paul and Eddies. Yesterday, June 23, 2004 Don fell to his death while climbing Half-Dome in Yosemite. You will always be with me my friend. 

Amy in San Diego 

Lauren in San Diego 

Marian in San Diego 

Will in San Diego 

CIA

George left yesterday. Personal reasons. Everyone seems to want to talk about how he was forced out. Of all of them for some reason (and you may think this insane) he seemed the most human of them all. He just seemed to be a good guy. I know he said WMD were a "slam dunk" and they missed Osama but people believe what they want to beleive - Tenet is not any different. In rolling it around I think on the "who is the most human" scale they ought to go in the following order: 1. Bush - he tries not to be, but is such a dope he personifies humanity 2. Powell - Stuck between his military approach to sticking with it and an atavistic urge to pummel his boss with one of the busts in the oval office. 3, Rummy - well, nevermind ..... 4. Rice - Borg In case you're confused number 1 is the most human, not the other way around.

The mundane. corner of Foothill and Page Mill on the way to work yesterday 

They will always return 

Thinking out a ways