Biolophilliacs Means Connection

Been busy last couple of days. Been writing, too.  Just haven’t posted yet. Will by later on tonight so sorry for the flood of posts. Where to begin? No one showed for the morning walk today. Missed them yesterday. Went for the walk myself. Did a walk run routine. Light to light, alternating between walking and running. It felt good. Been some time. My ipod sensor is not working and just haven’t spent the time worrying about it

Morning mass was good. Been too long since going in the morning. Not too many times last week as I would have liked, but life stuff happens. Its Easter now. From the flyer, it is from now until May 23. A time of renewal. Sitting in front of Palmdale Square, by the chamber and Aero institute. Can hear the birds chirping and the fountain flowing. Sunroof is open and the sun is warming my face.

Haven’t seen the other cousins lately. Hope they are doing well. Michelle and Bobby are always good and positive. Love looking at their pictures. Very vibrant. Pia don’t know so much, but she seems to live an exciting life. Dodger Opening Day today. Randy, very debonair. Needs help with fundraiser. Mike jiujitsuing. Leilani is interning, studying and being mom. Jason is probably studying.

Bri's got the mohawk action going on. He's rolling. Saw "Searching for Bobby Fisher" and I thought of him Raman, Ramsin, and Uncle Kidog. My chess crew. Something about slamming on the time clock is very. . . ass-kicking.  Rod, Shena, and the kids always have food and shopping. Ron’s tatting and "kutting har". Vince and Chris (don’t know about Eddie) are always whooping ass. Russ and Gem are marrying next month before he deploys. Kim/ Mitch/Audrey don't post too much. Shiela/ Jon are smart. Rarely on from what I gather. Jon, Jill, and Joanne are studying, living, and being a mom. Still learning about Melissa, Mason, Vickie, Jennifer, Bambi, Biranna, Mike, Glenna, Anthony, Maria, Roselyn, and others. Minnie is China, I think.

Who am I missing? Of course, Kev, Luz, and kids. Always with me, never away. I like to keep something’s private, but I love them more than words can say. They are my heart. No, most of my heart. Missing a big part. Anyways, love fills me.

Still learning more about my Dad’s side. Lots have been helping. Roselyn, Maria, Mary, Michelle, Bobby, and everyone. My heart is getting bigger with all this new love and family. Can’t take the place of my missing, but it has opened new places I never known.

Learned briefly while sitting on some porcelain. Read a newsletter from the LA Zoo. The term is Biophille. Basically it say there is an instinctive bond between people and nature. It literally means love of Life. People instinctively go to gardening, hiking, connecting. Biophilia describes "the connections that human beings subconsciously seek with the rest of life. Gotta give credit Edward Wilson for proposing this theory. Just learned I am Biophilliac.

Been going from place learning and exploring connections. Seeing the glory of things all around. In a baseball game. Standing at the start of the MS Walk. On top of vista in the California Poppy Fields. On the drive to Solvang, watching the Sana Ynez River and Chumaca Lake. Sitting at the Chumash Reservation (taking a picture of that tree). In the bad service at Red Viking. In the hello of the Greek food manager. At the front of my car. So much life. So much sun. Eric Fromm called it the psychological orientation. Priest call it the glory of . . . To me its all beautiful.

Maybe, I am compensating for something. Maybe, my eyes got softer. Maybe, its everythings’ everything. If this is an addiction, I really don’t want it to stop. Perhaps, it’s the Flow. It’s Maslow’s self-actualized stage. Feeling a part and an impactor in things I am in and doing. I am just making up new words now. Guess, I am following my maternal instincts of creating. Whatever it is, let it be.

As-Salamu Alaykum. Peace Be With You. Go With God. Have Faith. Trust In the Universe. Good thoughts, good vibrations. Big Smile. With this, I must go be a biophilliac. 

Juices Runs Dry

Monday. Been a busy day. Didn’t go for walk this morning. I gots to pay this week. Just didn’t feel like a walk this morning. Not usually how I’d like to start a week, but it is what is. Decided to stay in bed instead.

Missed morning mass. Stayed awake until two in the morning. Didn’t know what it was I just stayed awake. Eventually fell asleep. Getting up three hours later to walk, wasn’t going to happen. Been feeling nervous and anxious of late. Had a busy day yesterday, but still unsatisfied. Got other posts done, but nothing I put up yet. It’s in the hopper.  Looks like went over my internet usage for this month. Tomorrow my cycle starts again.

Guess, I could go over, or I could do a stint at Barnes and Noble. May be just the thing I need to get the juices flowing. 

In the lab, got to catch a flic. Couples Retreat with Vince Vaughn. Cute movie. Not something I would watch lately, but a nice happy feel. Nice adventure on some island. Beautiful sea. Good company. Mission to save a marriage and enjoy themselves. Good formula for feel good. It worked for me today.

So where will this day lead? Much stuff to do. Just not in the mood to do them. Perhaps, today will just be about picture. They say one is worth is a thousand words. Since I have none now, I will my digital camera do all the talking for this post.

Opening Day Observations

Jethawks Commotions
First time at baseball game. It’s been a long time since I’ve been. Never been a great fan. Collected my share of baseball cards. But never a big player, but I like to hit. It’s a couple of hours before opening game at Clear Channel Stadium. Don’t know who they are playing, don’t rightly care. Watching the people come in and out to the stadium. Many of them are in college age. Guess, it’s a part time job for them. 

Ask, "How Are You?"
Spoke to a nice lady at the front booth. Taresha, I think. Told her it’s my first time. (Not true, I’ve been here before. Should have qualified by saying it’s the first time this decade). It seems when I say never been to a place the service is better. People are nicer. She gave me section 121 row A Seat 1. Guess, that is a good seat. Got some time to kill. Thought, why not? Opening day, let’s go. Just flowing.

Learned it is “Feed your Face Monday”. Guess, one gets to pig out. Not a big hamburger and hot dog guy anymore, but what the heck. Gimme that popcorn. Need some yellow foods in my diet. Leave all thinking at the door and just go. Not one of the fans that are waiting two hours at the front gate to get in, but heck maybe I could be. Perhaps, something magical may come. TV and movies has its play. No Laker game tonight. They’ve been on negative run. I like the drama and excitement of an movie or tv story, but let’s try something different. Try new eyes. Maybe something magical will happen.

Just A Start
Left the law office a minute ago. We’ll see how that goes. Met the mayor of the city at the MS Walk last Saturday. He seemed like a decent guy. Told him that I worked as claims adjuster. He said I was the enemy. He smiled. We laughed. He said stopped by, so I did. Why not? Maybe I can volunteer an hour or two for his campaign. I asked the receptionist when the election was. She said tomorrow. I asked if he a button to wear. Little bit helps. She gave me hers. Nice lady. Thanks,Erica. Hope he wins. Don’t know his opponent. Don’t live in the town he is mayor of, so I’m indifferent. No proverbial skin in the contest.

Road Less Traveled, Had To Go Another Way
Met him some 10 years back and seemed genuine. We spoke for a bit and he gave good advice. Had an issue with the school and he helped no charge. He gave me time with no appointment. I appreciated that. Had to make a decision about the school and life. Chose not to follow his advice. Needed to listen to my own counsel. Maybe things could have been better, but view was small at the time. Bigger picture I wanted other things at the time. Another time. Another life. Guess, it’s Hakuna Matata. It’s the circle of life things.

At any rate, there’s a lot of excite in front. People are walking in with boxes and junk. People are hugging by the Jet. It’s Lancaster Jethawks vs. Lake Elsinore Storm. Needed to catch up with some journalizing and reading. Peace be with you.

She'll Be Coming Around the Mountain When She Comes

Two Steps Back
Solvang--Took the long way to three hour tour. Got a bit lost. It rained. Windshield wiper needed replacement. Got bad food service. Left for another restaurant. Got bad food. Drove home in the pouring rain. Vista Point of the Saint Ynez River closed. Knew I should have stopped earlier. Gift shop at Chumash Casino was limited. My favorite Catch-21 was closed. Pita Pit just closed in Valencia. 

Overall, I had a good time.

One Giant Leap For Me-Kind
Spent all day driving, eating, and taking pictures out of my car. Said hello to nice people. Angelo from Tom’s. Greek fella. Got to say in Greek.  Thank you thanks to much needed Facebook support (Thanks Michelle, Roselyn). Got free drinks, food, and stuff by just listening today.  Took some great pics. Chumash Reservation area was. . .not that big. Beautiful and if I had more time I would like to have just sat there for awhile.   

Was up in the clouds today. Got to look down at the clouds, too. Took a view of the Santa Ynez River and Cachuma Lake. Makes me want to visit Lake Elizabeth in the near future. Never have before.  But it is more than inkling now.

Visited the Mission of Santa Ines. Think I want to go to service there one day. Think I want to visit the other mission, too. San Fernando and San Buenaventura. 

Didn’t put my feet in the Pacific like I would have liked. Too rocky, too rainy, and getting too late. Waves were crashing hard and I had no change of clothes. Got a bit scared at the black van at the Sea Cliff, too. Very Nomad-ish. (1980’s movie)

Listened on the radio on 60 minutes about the Nine year boy old finding remains of the other nine year old that lived 1.9 million years ago. Supposedly, it is the connection between homo sapiens and Cro-Magnons.

Pacific Coast, Chumash, and Korean War--Sunday Highways
On the drive to Solvang, I kept on seeing the real Camino sign on the highway. Thought about how the Danish journey to the far west from European roots to create the town of Solvang. Driving the windy road, seeing the Chumash Highway sign, it made me think. Danish were not the first here. There were many others. Chumash Indians, probably the Spaniards, than the Danes. Probably before them were the Chinese (If you haven’t read or heard there was a theory that China landed in California some time before Columbus). Driving kept me think of connections. Made me think of the others before me. Made me think of the people after me.

Memories On These Lanes
What also fascinated me was the drive. It was memory lane for me: going to Carpenteria with Shell, driving through Ventura thinking of J. Hill and Kirsten, Delpster and UCSB leadership camp. What fascinated me the most was the drive through the mountains and then the discovery of the Santa Ynez River. It was my remembered sighting.  I’ve seen brooks before, but never a river like the Santa Ynez. 

Read somewhere that rivers were the symbol of life. When I saw the Santa Ynez River, I just wanted to follow it wherever it led me. Remembered a good time with Glenn Young going to Kern River.

Had intentions of taking pictures of the Cachuma Lake, but didn’t want to spend the parking fee. Not worth it. Still did not get to Solvang yet, time was short, and it was getting late. Would have liked to have spent more time there. (Another few things to add on the life’s to do list)

Just For the Trees, That's Enough
Finally got to Chumash territory. Chumash reserve, well, its nice but nothing to take great pictures of. What I saw was green, a few trees, and more green. Guess that is why the Chumash settled this area. Big spanses of green. Close to the river for fishing and hunting. Beautiful area. Close to the ocean. Kind of.

Days Coming To an End, Still Much To Do
Spoke to a pretty Chumash lady at the Casino. Big Brown eyes. Smart.  Could have talked more, but it was late and there was more life to see. Needed to get to Seacliff before it got too dark. Needed to get on the hwy 126 and get some fruits from the freeway. Needed to go live life. If I had more time, another life perhaps.

Another post, another time.

Eschscholtzia californica: Glad, I Jumped

Glad, I jumped. Made an important contact. Got free tickets. Learned that I need to bring my heart rate watch. Caught a flic and I found myself atop Kitanemuk Vista Point. Now I sit across a person studying “Locating simulating conveyances.” Whatever that is.

Not going to say who I met because I do not want to jinx it. If I didn’t go with my gut, I would not have gotten free tickets to the Lancaster Jethawks game. Would not have heard a not-so-great singer sing the national anthem. He was trying out for singing gig on opening night at the game. Had no fear. No talent. No fear, nonetheless. Always love watching that. (Ears, not so happy)

Heard some good tunes from a live band at the Clear Channel stadium. Watched model car races. Caught a feel good movie Valentine’s Day. Found myself a couple hours later atop Vista point just enjoying the view  of the orange fields. Got more exercise and now here I sit.  Going to review my pics and post a short blog journey.

Promise to be back on point on the Hero’s quest. Learned a lot these last few days. Only thing is put thought to electrons and we will be good. Locked in Web universe.  

Felt the energy from the poppy fields. All the people walking enjoying the view. Sat there and just enjoyed the view. At times, I found myself thinking of my days with Brian and Joshua Hills. Before the housing tract the still virgin area. Reminisced on simpler times when just venturing out. Looking at Juniper trees and Tumbleweeds. Walking up in Poppy Reserve reminded of simpler time. When my eyes were there and not there. 

Reminded me when the days were of no fear and just adventure.

Sitting there atop the hill away from the beaten path, in solitude with so many people. Found myself just getting energized. Kids were jumping around on the tables. Korean and European tourists were taking their pics. I was just catching my breath and just looking at the orange fields. Was there a couple of hours doing more cardio. Walking up the hills made me feel connected. Never ventured this far by myself in the AV. Had no idea where it was. Just let my soul be my pilot.

In the morning it woke me. My soul told me to get up and go. Didn’t know where the MS walk started. Just got on the freeway and headed north. Got off on K and nothing there. Somewhere it said Lancaster Marketplace and there I was. Got there a couple early and I thought about leaving. But something told me to stay. I did and I was the better.

Chose the 5k versus the 1k. My anterior tibialis were on fire.  On the final turn of the MS walk, movie said Valentine’s day. There it was at the 12. Picked up my medal and I was out. Got the flic for previews felt good, thought of flowers and remembered Poppy Fields. Twenty minutes later, paid my $7 bucks for parking and there I spent two hours. I let the pictures speak for themselves. 

Well, it’s time to put picture to today’s adventure.  Namaste.