An Uncommon Sunset
26 Monday Jan 2015
Posted in Bad Photography, Uncommonday
26 Monday Jan 2015
Posted in Bad Photography, Uncommonday
24 Saturday May 2014
Posted in Bad Photography, Street Art
Tags
Art, Murals, Photography, Photos, Portland, Street Art, Travel, Wine
I’ve been walking about a bit. I’m tired and I’m sweating. Whether it’s measured in miles or degrees of humidity, Portland is a long way from Barrow. Southitude brings with it many wonderful things, but I always find the transition just a little jarring.
I enter a wine bar and sit down. I soon have a number of glasses in front of me, each filled with a taste of a different red wine. The owner begins to tell me about the first one.
…and quickly loses me.
The features of each sample are quite lost on me, though the friendliness of the people here isn’t. I eventually settle on a glass of something red. I don’t know which it is and I can hardly tell it from the others, but I like it. “It’s good.” That would be the extent of my tasting note. My tongue is a bull in this china shop. This is a good place, but perhaps it’s a bit better for a different kind of customer. Luckily, I think there is one more mural somewhere down the block, something to look forward to after enjoying my glass of something red.
Oh look, Street Art!
(Click to embiggen)
10 Saturday May 2014
Posted in Alaska, Street Art
Some of you may remember this post covering a host of murals in downtown Anchorage. I even had the privilege to meet Ziggy, the source for many of these toward the end of last summer. Over the last year or so, I’ve found a few more murals and picked up a few new pics of the old ones. Finally got a few pics of the last one i was after on my way out of the ice-box. I’m headed to Vegas and a summer with (fingers crossed) more time for bloggety things. So, I thought I’d show the additions now.
.
You may click to embiggen.
18 Wednesday Dec 2013
Posted in Alaska, Bad Photography
Tags
Alaska, Anchorage, Creek, Fishing, Photography, Ship Creek, Tourism, Trail, Travel
Ship Creek Trail near downtown Anchorage is always good for a nice walk, even in the winter. It’s at least a little odd, because there are always factories and warehouses just beyond the trees, and of course downtown is never far away, but the trees and the water work their magic quite wonderfully.
In the summer a small shack sells fishing gear near the bottom of the trail, and a good day will see plenty of people hoping to catch something, or perhaps to just pass a little time with a rod in hand. Alongside the shack, one finds an upscale restaurant on a low bridge, all of this under an overpass. The end result is an oddly rustic (almost rural) scene nestled snug into a concrete frame. The restaurant is only open for 3-months of the year
I’ve wandered down this route a time or three now and managed to get a few decent pictures. So, let’s see…
(If you click it, it will grow!)
Ship Creek in August
Ship Creek in December
25 Sunday Aug 2013
Posted in General
Tags
Bad Habbits, Blogging, Doctors, Donuts, Falling Behind, Health, Travel
This is going to be one of those this-is-what’s-happening-in-my-life posts. I generally don’t do those. I figure a blog is a sufficiently self-indulgent exercise in itself when I am at least trying to talk about other things, but life has gotten far eough ahead of the me and my blog that a commet or two about my present state would seem to be in order.
…My keyboard has a sticky ‘n’ …dammit!
Anyway, It’s been a Hell of a summer. I won’t say its been a particularly good one, but it certainly did have its moments. The first feature quality of this summer would seem to be travel. First I flew down to Denver, then I flew to Vegas, then to Orange Couty, then back to Vegas, then up to Barrow, down to Santa Fe as part of a summer camp I ran for high school kids, then back to Barrow, down to Anchorage, and back to Barrow once again. …and I’m headed back to Anchorage in a few days.
That’s a bit much.
Extra travel (always by plane) is part of life i barrow, but this is a bit much. I worry that my cats will soon disown me. Seriously, all I have to do now is touch my socks and they are all over me. That aloe makes me feel bad.
This summer has also been a bit too medical for my tastes. I entered Jue with two teeth on the left side of my mouth making a good argument against ordering a steak dinner. They have had me chewing on the right side for awhile now, and I’m getting pretty good at it. Mid you, both of these teeth have had work doe on them, ostensibly complete work. So, an endodontist tore into one perfectly good cap i search of problems with a root canal and my regular dentist tore into a nice filling to investigate the other tooth. Turns out the first was a lateral channel near the bottom of the root, ad the secod also had an extra root. The doc took what nerves she could outta the tooth, but lucky me, I get to visit another endodontist soon. …and I get to pay some hefty bills on accounta my dental plan is already maxed out for the year.
Ouch!
I the interim, I have a steak i my fridge, and I wouldn’t bet on it still being there tomorrow night.
The funny thig about doctors is that if you avoid them for a long time (say about a decade) they tend to find things when you come back. Everythig on me is more or less fixible, or live-with-able, but damn! I am relieved to learn that the general sense of fatigue that has bee creeping up o me for years may have a specific (and perfectly treatable) cause. That’s a good thing. I’m also happy that this doc found the source of recurrent pai i my side. Let me just say that a certain kidney stone has a date with destiny. …soon, you bastard! I do wonder why previous doctors missed it, but K-Sarah, or something like that! Also, I am hoping the outtie which became my belly button a few years back will one day soon be a innie again. Three small procedures in one day; I wonder if that adds up to at least a medium-ish procedure?
Also, I guess I eed to eat more bananas. At least I’m told my heart will stop skipping around so much if I do. And of course it’s time to start thinking about my cholesterol, …well past time actually.
Sheeshes!
…and once again money! My bank account was healthy a few weeks ago. It’s taking a hell of a hit now, and I can’t help but wonder what I would have done without work-related insurance.
Then I realize the answer is obvious. I would have done exactly what I did do when I didn’t have insurance, which is nothing. Without insurance I still wouldn’t know what that pain was in my side, why I am so damned tired all the time, or why the slightest exercise makes me want crawl directly into the grave. And since a couple of those things are ticking time bombs, I guess my story would be a tragedy unfolding it’s way toward the climax chapter.
So, I guess things are shaking out okay, but I definitely have to rethink my perspective on doctors. Time was when I simply couldn’t afford any of this care, but I was awful slow to take advantage of it when my circumstances changed. Ah well, I shall kick myself over this three or four more times before moving on.
We are already seeing snow here in Barrow, though it isn’t sticking yet. I am oe week ito a ew semester, which usually means a more stable schedule, and more time with the cats. I ca only hope my students don’t pick up any bad spelling habits from yours truly. …and maybe I can fid some compressed air i Anchorage.
The blog looks like a bit of a train wreck at the moment. My topics are a bit more scattered than usual, and my efforts to catch up on summer comments ended with many good people unanswered. As of now, I eve have a badly misspelled title i one of my posts.
Just terrible!
I have plas for several posts. Most of those plans have been in place since Jue, but I suppose that’s better to be behid than to have nothing to say. Hopefully I will soon begin knockig out new material soon.
Could someone please eat these donuts for me? The doc says they will kill me, so naturally I bought a whole firing squad.
03 Saturday Aug 2013
Tags
Art, Institute for American Indian Arts, Santa Ana Pueblo, Sata Fe, School, Southwest, Street Art, Taos Pueblo, Travel
Sleep done left me now on accounta the kids. Not my kids, but they stare at me all day now and mostly frown. I do my best to inflict knowledge upon them, but my evil plans are often foiled by the mysteries of the modern world, …or at least the iphone.
It fills and protects their minds even when it stays in the room!
Some might call it a field trip; I call it a collective loss of Northitude. Alternatively, we could call it turning the heat up on the ice people. It’s also called visiting some folks I happen to think a lot of, but let us save sense and seriositude for another day.
Haven’t traveled with teens since I was one. Its an experience…
“When do we board?”
God may not exist but middle seats are pretty close to proof that the Devil is alive and busy issuing boarding passes. I think he also designs the help pages for Microsoft!
I miss the gargle-bunkies and my bloggetry has gotten sloppy. Classes need work and my ecological footprint is a big boot stomp on everything I love. For now, I am Southward, …and I have hostages!
“Hey, shouldn’t we be boarding soon?”
The rules are as follows:
1) Control of musical decisions belongs to the teenagers in the vehicle. Volume is negotiable.
2) Sarcasm is a given.
3) “Family” doesn’t mean what I think it means.
4) Failure to follow rule 1 is the first step to tears and fears, but no beers, not even one.
What the Hell? Hostages aren’t supposed to make the rules! One of the kids decides to throw me a bone and plays Madonna, (cause I’m old). This does NOT make me feel shiny and new.
Precedent argues strongly for the use of a scowl in conjunction with a stern ‘No’, all of which is best delivered in response to a perfectly reasonable question. I am apparently a bad influence, and I’m almost sorry about that.
“So what time do we board?”
Santa Fe is a wonderful place to visit. Taos Pueblo and the Institute for American Indian Arts are always beautiful places. Watching my students eat Frito pies for the very first time in the front yard of our host and guide brings the beauty up a notch for me. Knowing they aren’t used to the spice is pure joy. …Yes, I’m a bad man.
“Are we boarding soon?”
Seriously, I can’t believe I am driving by so many public murals without even getting my camera out. …I got a couple of them, though, yes, I did.
The doc says I gotta eat more bananas, and my friend owes me a beer, but never mind the beer and the friend, doc says what? She tells me all about the changes in my near future as I look down at my dinner and realize that I am presently eating about the only meal in a month that might pass muster. …except for the noodles, of course.
“Seriously, when are we gonna get on the plane?”
Project Runway aside, it’s probably best to leave the gay bar off the agenda. Angry parents sound like Jaws music. The Elvis Shrine is a big can-do, and Goose is the coolest!
…and the whole thing leads us to old Santa Ana Pueblo, fittingly, during the Feast of St. Anne. So, there we find ourselves sitting at the dining table of a wonderful host, looking over more dishes than any one of us could possibly sample. It wasn’t a week ago that I found myself eating Ugruk (seal) at Nalukataq (the Spring Whaling Festival). Now I am sitting here finishing off a bowl of red chili that proved a bit too much for one of my students, and thinking how wonderful this is. Some days (and especially feast days) it’s a good day to know indigenous people. I can only hope our little trip to the sun and the spicy food finds its way into the “worthwhile” bin amongst the learning lessons of my students. …and that there is more chili to be had.
It is a bit hot outside, and my students are holding the car keys hostage in the hopes that I will show mercy.
“There will be no more ice people if you melt us!”
I can’t help but laugh.
“Has the flight been delayed; when are we gonna board?”
I’m bringing back one demon girl, but another now knows how to feed a hundred Indians with 50 pieces of Fry-bread. Empirical proof of the former is confirmed, but we are still waiting on the latter.
“Seriously, when are we gonna board?”
…and Northitude returns with sleep soon to follow.
***
The Museum of Contemporary Native American Arts
***
The New Mexico Museum of Art (with a fantastic exhibition by Peter Sarkisian).
***
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Random Murals
***
Unhumorous Point of Partial Clarification: I generally don’t show pictures of students, colleagues, etc. This is just a matter of personal respect. They have signed up for work or study with the school, not a command appearance in my personal blog. …also, I have no pictures from Santa Ana or Taos Pueblo. Those would not be appropriate for an entirely different set of reasons.
Hats and umbrellas are frowned upon during the Feast of St. Anne. Oddly enough 4 Alaskan Natives and a Tongan don’t burn as easily as a balding white guy who normally wears a hat.
Who’da thunk it?
06 Saturday Jul 2013
Posted in Alaska
Tags
Alaska, Arctic, Barrow, Celebration, July 4th, Temperature, Travel
I have been back in the arctic for about half a day now. I arrived just in time to catch the end of the July 4th games. That’s what folks do here on accounta fireworks just aren’t that interesting this time of year. So, here they hold about a week of games. I missed the Umiaq (skin boat) race, but I caught some of the tug-of-war games just before the close of events.
After a week of record heat in Vegas, the differences are quite striking. I like to get out from time to time, but I must say it’s good to be home.
19 Sunday May 2013
Posted in Bad Photography, Street Art
Tags
Ar, Colorado, Denver, Photography, Photos, Pics, Street Art, Travel
As it happens Denver becomes Vegas and my mind is still on a few things. One of them was an angry squirrel (evidently I was supposed to donate peanuts or something). I really miss the mild temperatures, because Vegas has grown more cruel since I moved to Alaska. Denver was perfect; Vegas is sweltering. Seriously, could someone please turn down the sun?
In any event, I am not well away from the Rocky Mountains and looking over my cache of photos. I thought I’d post a few fun ones, mostly street art. The parks and the mountains were gorgeous. It’s also funny how fascinating trees become when you don’t see them for half the year, but I’ll spare the bulk of these photos. Mostly, you get the art.
Never did get a chance to order from Sexy Pizza.
…dammit!
Here we go… (Click to embiggen!)
07 Tuesday May 2013
Posted in Alaska, Bad Photography
The last couple weeks have been a bit of a blur, what with the end of the semester, several work-related projects, and plenty of random events.
The ocean has been unusually interesting this Spring. By ‘unusually interesting’ I mean ‘rather disturbing’. As mentioned in a previous post, the ice pack had shorn off rather early this year and very close to the shore. That isn’t entirely unheard of, but it is very unusual. It’s particularly problematic for the whaling crews as they hunt from the ice in the Spring. It didn’t take too long for the ice to flow back in and begin bonding with the shore-fast. It even piled up a bit at the meeting point, but the overall effect was a little thin. And by ‘thin’ I mean ‘dangerous’. I understand the ice was still fairly solid out North toward the point, but all-in-all folks seemed a little hesitant this year. As I left Barrow, the whaling crews had begun the hunt, and people were out on the ice.I can only hope they stay safe.
…and bring home the muktuk.
One day, I saw the most amazing ice-bow. It lasted only a minute or so, and I didn’t have my camera or my phone, …cause I suck. But I took my camera the next day when a sun halo came out, complete with a pair of perfect sun dogs. I caught those pics from the school van.
So, here I sit on the 14th floor of an apartment complex in Denver. I’ve finally slept off the jet lag, and I’m starting to think about stuff to do for the day. My head is still in Barrow, not the least of reasons being that I brought unfinished work with me. I miss my cats, but I’m waiting for someone wonderful.
Civilization is beginning to seep into my thick skull, and I’m taking in the new setting. I’ve seen more people in the last day than I have all winter. Plus a fly! I saw a fly. It flew right past me, as if to say; “yes Dan, we still exist.” I don’t miss bugs, really I don’t.
On the other, hand last night’s chicken satay was amazing.
30 Wednesday Jan 2013
Posted in Bad Photography, Las Vegas, Street Art
Tags
Art, Las Vegas, Nevada, Photography, Photos, Street Art, Travel
So, this is the second half of my photo gallery from Las Vegas, again focusing on the murals of the arts district. (Volume I is here.) I want to thank my friend Liliana for helping get a couple of these from my crazy phone to the net.
A few items of note:
This website has a list of a hundred murals in Vegas, including quite a few that i haven’t managed to get in here.
The Erotic Heritage Museum had some interesting pieces. …and by ‘interesting’ I mean…. uh, nevermind.
A number of the pieces included here (and some I never found) appeared to be the result of an event, called the Meeting of Styles in September of 2012.
And a couple of interesting stories:
Not quite Banksy, but interesting!
…as always you may click on a photo to embiggenn it.