Nov 25, 2005

HALF MOON BAY, CA

Protest against Turkey Slaughter Day


…eat a parrot.

First you have to get it away from the pirate who has the stupid squawking thing s(*)itting on his shoulder. Then (if you live through that part), be humane in dispatching it. Drowning is NOT humane... May I suggest Deep Fried, just like mama does in the Deep South?... Or flambe?... anything tastes good with rum...

Seriously though…

This being American Thanksgiving, I expect you all to do the one of the seven deadly sins that suits the day: Gluttony. (What were you thinking?) To me this day just isn’t the same without Granny’s jello with vegetables. Or the deep South’s yams with mini marshmallows on top. But I’ll survive here with the 20 pounds of mashed potatoes and stuff any empty corners with stuffing.

So, eat yourself into oblivion, try not to inhale the pumpkin pie, blame the sleepies on the trypo-fan stuff, and pass out… What other country has a holiday to celebrate pig out, over-eating! (German October Fest is more a beer thing.)

To my Canadian friends my apologies for the US emphasis, but here I am down here.... there a little slow here... and I had the opportunity to do this twice (was still in Vancouver that weekend)... we had pizza...

I am still here in Half Moon Bay, California. Watching time roll by. Spend my days working to restore the deck. Been in the sun almost a week, but the weather just turned back to the cloudy grey. Suppose I should think myself lucky that it’s not snowing, but you know I’d rather a snow storm and that white blinding light than this grey funk! There would have to be a fireplace in there too.

Spend my nights wondering why I decided to come here!... I dislike bedroom communities. They seem dead.

Not a thrilling adventure. Not exciting. Not interesting. But then I guess we al need a rest sometimes. Unfortunately, sometimes that “rest” seems to drag on a bit longer than you planned.I suppose I should be stoked about having such peaceful recuperation. Maybe in hindsight I will.

Hoping to make it to Baja, and it still may happen but not until early Dec. That whole “bribe an official today” campaign, hasn’t managed to actually speed anything up in the third world. But it could be worse. Could be months and months instead of these few weeks.

Anyone ever read Don Quixote? (There's a new translation out) It really is the kind of book that requires a reading group or something. I am still slogging along. Talk about sub-plots. Maybe I should just wait for Terry Gilliam to get his movie finished. Pick up the DVD “Man of La Mancha” and see the hell that is attempting to make the film and they just can’t overcome the bad luck. They even ended up in a flash flood on a Spanish bombing range!

It seems a long way to Hollywood from here despite being in California, but I remain addicted to films. Best I’ve seen lately is called MirrorMask, a world in a dream, animated, circus cast, a dark Queen. A great tale of black and white, good and evil.

Best thing about California so far is the smell of eucalyptus trees! The bike ride into town follows a path along the shore and each ravine is filled with them. Lovely, heady smells. I have pressed the leaves into my journal hoping the smell will stay. This will be the prominent memory of being here. Silly but true. You can keep most of the rest of it: traffic, over-populated, strip malls, the Governor, smog, fog…

Did get to go to a book signing here at the little independent bookstore in the town. Very cool author. If you like epic fantasy in the style of Tolkien, read the Song of Ice and Fire series (starts with Game of Thrones). The author, George RR Martin so looked the part: rotund man with grizzled grey beard.


I hear fireworks outside? Weird, that’s not the usual American thing for this holiday but then any excuse to try to blow off one’s fingers! If you got ‘em, light ‘em up.

Very quiet here without the rest of the crew. I think I need some activity and chaos around me. Think I’ll head out, somewhere.

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend.

Laurel