The Open Road

Mr. Toad would envy me this delightful vehicle I am sure. It is painted flat black, with golden and blue flames ... fenders, front and rear (to prevent that unsightly mud stripe up my back), a CHAIN GUARD (wOOt!), whitewalls and coaster brakes. I have to relearn bike riding (yes I know, you never forget, blah blah blah). It has three speeds, the third of which reminds me of my old bike from childhood.

I was so excited to get that red Schwinn, after having ridden a huge old rattling bike handed down to me. Then it got a flat tire. I walked it down to the service station and asked them to fix it.

And then ... and then ... and THEN ... I left it there forever. I forgot about it for a couple of weeks. Dad said I had to go get it myself, but I was so embarrassed about having forgotten it, I never went back and never mentioned that bike ever again. Strange thing to do, but it made sense to me at the time.

Salazar's Family -- Voices from the Past

Salazar did a project for Burning Life 2006 in Second Life which involved what look like green glass spheres, that ring in a bell tone when they are walked through, and trigger sayings from members of his family. On his website, he has a video of himself walking through his build, and the voices of his family members, his mother and father and three of his grandparents, telling a little of their family's adventure from the Great Erase on. View the video HERE.

Keith Olbermann 9/11 Speech Video MSNBC

Keith Olbermann speaks in print and on video, of the unmemorialized ground of 9/11, eloquently and courageously, HERE.

Osprey's Birthday Party

Yesterday I had a sudden inspiration to have a party ... it was Osprey's birthday, and I had just cleared out my little house, so I put up only her paintings and a poster she made for Linden Labs years ago, put out virtual birthday cake and champagne, and invited all her friends I could think of. I made an event as well, just in case some of her friends I don't know might see it and come by. As it was, there was quite a crowd. My "tv", which is basically a slide show of pix I have taken and friends have given me, was "all Osprey, all the time" except for one image of some dude I barely know. Salazar could not attend :(( but otherwise, a lot of very close friends of Osprey's were there: Tina, Racer, Sarah, Vlad, Selador, Amu, Ida ... it was a fun party.

Baraka

The DVD Baraka was filmed without narration, just images of our world; and as one of the people who made it said, it is "man's relationship to the eternal". You can buy it from Parabola Magazine's catalog HERE.

Spiral in Time

Salazar Jack has begun his "build" for this year's Burning Life. He has a spiral of beach grass plants, all waving in unison, which he says will be a trip through time, starting with the Great Erase. I did not experience the Great Erase, but it sounds like it was horrific.