lazy = litter

they are drunk with demonic delusions

totalescape by marriott

Well, they asked & asked for years & I wouldn't budge. Marriott, the mega chain hotel, wanted to list some hotels on Total Escape & I said nope. We don't list chains on Total Escape. Total Escape features the independent hotels of California. The back roads are the best.

I'll run a banner ad maybe, but not list chains inside my exclusive lodging database. Now I find them at the top of some searches. Imagine what I must feel. Do they think of my name Total Escape as a desirable keyword?

www.totalescapebymarriott.com

Springtime

My wildflower walls are blooming again. It should be another awesome display of color this summer, if I can keep the deer & bunnies away. The blossoming fruit trees have been pruned & the Xmas tree is finally planted in the front yard. The sunflower seeds are getting eaten up as fast as I can plant them. Golden poppies are just starting to bud. The blue flowered flax is going wild. My butterfly bush will be making a comeback soon, I hope. My Russian sage plants spent the winter indoors, in clay pots, as I nursed them back to health. I have plenty of new wildflowers blooming. Not sure of the names, so I will be taking plenty photos & doing my research as this alpine garden develops. I even planted some white lupine seeds, which just started sprouting last week. No more snow.

cunnis

the cunt is here, now, finally back
men seldom last long without it, in fact
a warm place to put it, a wet dessert to devour
make me shudder, so ill, and oh so sour
bow down to kiss the magical place
working all alone, I sit, what a waste

welcome to PMC

The next morning, after watching a local skit of the Vagina Monologues, they received the long anticipated call.

Tyler is our newest mountain resident. A big boy @ 6 months & a very happy healthy baby. After a long adoption process with the county agencies, my best friends can now be proud parents.

I can finally be in the presence of an infant without running.
We can't wait to get him outside & hiking.

on the road, as usual

My mobile office is my cell phone, a notepad & a digital camera. My mountain village is surrounded by snowy ridge lines. My bank (& the nearest real Mexican food) is an hour away. Day light is precious. Winter can vacate. Welcome the warmth & the wildflowers.

goddess smoddess

I just read this phrase on a women retreat web site.
"we awaken to the goddess energy within"

hey, i can barely handle lady & now you want goddess?
tough. maybe I wanna be a tom-boy instead.

or maybe just plain ole "wo-man"
perhaps bitch.

mean genes

Burnham and Phelan divide life issues into 10 categories (debt, fat, drugs, risk, greed, gender, beauty, infidelity, family, and friends and foes), and then offer a two-step guide to better living. "Step 1 is to understand our animal nature, particularly those desires that get us into trouble and can lead to unhappiness. Step 2 is to harness this knowledge so that we can tame our primal instincts."

suspended

Don't wake me
I'm still dreaming
I don't see you
I can't feel you
I'm alone for real in my mind
I'll feel this all night
When my life takes flight

This isn't just in your mind
We're suspended from space and time

I feel like I'm falling
What happens when I hit?
Must mean then that's it
This black abyss, this pit
It all seems shades of gray
I'm never ready for light of day

Why do you hurt me?
This reality
Why you smile at me?
Show your fallacies
Dreams hold me down
But let me go
When reality will wake me
[I don't know]

Am I dreaming?
If so, then why?
My bodies back on Earth
Only spirits can fly
Soaring through dimensions of love
Kinds only my father speaks of
Scenery changes, spins and roll
So does the color of our soul
I know how this must make you feel
You hate me but believe me this is real
This was real




lyrics by -- Kelis

typical Saturday night

frugally

You have been working hard lately and deserve every professional kudo that has come your way, dear Aquarius. As a result of your hard efforts, it is likely that you have received, or will soon receive, a bonus, raise or promotion of some kind. By all means, go out and celebrate. But only for one night. If you let the party continue indefinitely, the bill may become too large even for you to pick up. Invest frugally and continue to work hard; that is your real ticket to the good life.

fat chicks rule

no. i dont think so.

just cuz i moved to the mountains, where everyone watches television more than they go outside, doesnt mean i'm gonna become some fatty. depression and addition are the overeaters issues. un-healthy, perverse, fat is just ugly. but some dudes do dig plump women. go figure.

i live among the SUVs that never see a dirt road. a loner i am not. i have my calling here in the forest. i must stay.

senseless (mister) violence

I do not own a television. I do not want to accept the mainstream media as my source for daily news, nor entertainment. I refuse to be part of 'the masses'. I choose to live in my secluded bubble & develop my own reality.

Every now & then a big news story breaks & I read about it in the headlines. This past Monday's Virginia Tech shootings is one that filters in. Once again, I realize what a vicious & disturbed world we live in. I can only imagine the terror & the pain. I am overly sensitive to these negative stories & I cry for the victims daily. The news reports replay in my head, the senseless violence lives in my dreams & my heart sinks again. I wonder how I can make any difference in a world filled with such hate, anger & destruction.

Never underestimate the power of a sick mind & a loaded weapon. The world is full of mentally unstable people. Can professional counseling or proper therapy prevent such drama? Doubtful.

Heed the warning signs; obey your instincts; Focus on self & the good you can create. Stay away from the pissed off boys with guns.

Sleep

I know
it's late
I shouldn't call at this hour
but it's
my fate
I need lips to devour

My nervous system is shot alright
I won't sleep unless you

Sleep with me tonight

Sleep with me tonight
deep with me tonight
sleep with me tonight
deep with me tonight

I know
it's late
We've known each other awhile
I can't wait
To see your twisted smile

Kindred spirit of candle light
I won't sleep unless you

Sleep with me tonight

Sleep with me tonight
deep with me tonight
Sleep with me tonight
deep with me tonight


lyrics by - Conjure One

not again

One Guitar

Wow, how cool is that? I've been a fan of his music for years. Ottmar Liebert just emailed me to tell me I can use his photo of Geyserville, CA. See this man excellent work by following his link on the Total Escape Geyserville page.

The Credit Card Store

The ecommerce nightmares: Well everyone knows the vicious cycle of our reliability on credit cards in our cyber world today. The high processing fees, strict contracts, plus added security issues online cause my head to spin at the thought of it. Let me tell you for the small business owner, it really sucks. New security is AVS, is the address verification system & it causes a lot of general errors for people not understanding that their BILLING addresses must match exactly.

Total Escape has been online now nearly 11 years, so I've seen the best & the worst of the ecommerce world. I sell mostly maps on my little store. Total Escape signed up with The Credit Card Store years ago & was not happy with their service at all. A portion of the amount, 2.30% of each sale is taken out, plus a per transaction fee of .30 cents per sale, then of course we all have the government entities added on, like the sales tax & the rising USPS postage on shipping. So you can now easily see why a $12 map ends up costing so freakin' much. There are 4 components to these online sales: the e-commerce store, the gateway, the merchant service provider & my bank, where the funds get deposited automatically.

Many times when a person orders a map online, I send Priority (2-3 days), & the camper is off enjoying their vacation - with map in hand - well before the monies get deposited into my bank account. And so goes the convenience of online transactions.

Recently I shopping around for better rates on my credit card processing. Cynergy would not lower their rates. I was offered a much better rate from my own bank, so I jumped at the chance to save some cash. The money gets deposited into my account one day quicker now. There was a hefty cancellation fee (within the first 3 YEARS) for Cynergy, so I decided not to cancel, but just let the contract run it's course. The need for a paper statement was a $6 per month fee & have no need for it. Cynergy suggested I make this request thru my original provider. I called James Jones at The Credit Card Store to try to get him to wave that once per month $6 charge & asked very nicely. He was very rude & hung up on me. Now that's what I call Professional (with a capital P)! After 2 years of taking my money, he now needs to continue the $6 per month. Whatever dude.

I will never recommend or use the services of James Jones at The Credit Card ever again. The 3 year contract was excessive, the cancellation fees were $250 & the customer service was awful.

my friday the 13th

It wasn't a typical Friday, nor a typical day. I woke to the sounds of birds singing & big rushing water. Camp kitchen was set & I ate cereal instead of cooking. My bikini was on by 10am & I located the perfect tanning spot: a huge boulder on a sandy river beach, next to the Kern River. I met the neighbors, a kayaking couple from San Diego, moving north to Oregon. Chris showed up around noon, to erect his new mansion tent facing the river. Andrew showed about 4pm & we explored the canyon on foot. Dinner & campfire started early, well before sundown & we enjoyed the night skies together.

sadness

the small stories in the book center around the depression and sadness wrought by watching oneself make bad choices

Moment in the Sun

When it’s my moment in the sun
Oh, how beautiful I’ll be
But in a normal sort of way
Like I am you and you are me

Cause I have a lot of things to say
And you’d be wise to listen good
I think that hunger, war and death
Are bringing everybody down

When it’s my moment in the sun
I’ll share my problems with the world
And psychosomatically I’ll sing
To God and all his pretty girls

When it’s my moment in the sun
I won’t forget that I am blessed
But every hero walks alone
Thinking of more things to confess


lyrics by - Eef Barzelay/ Clem Snide

Can't Stop

Can't stop addicted to the shin dig
Chop top he says I'm gonna win big
Choose not a life of imitation
Distant cousin to the reservation
Defunkt the pistol that you pay for
This punk the feeling that you stay for
In time I want to be your best friend
Eastside love is living on the westend
Knock out but boy you better come to
Don't die you know the truth is some do
Go write your message on the pavement
Burnin' so bright I wonder what the wave meant
White heat is screaming in the jungle
Complete the motion if you stumble
Go ask the dust for any answers
Come back strong with fiftyn belly dancers
The world I love
The tears I drop
To be part of
The wave can't stop
Ever wonder if it's all for you
The world I love
The trains I hop
To be part of
The wave can't stop
Come and tell me when it's time to
Sweetheart is bleeding in the snowcone
So smart she's leading me to ozone
Music the great communicator
Use two sticks to make it in the nature
I'll get you into penetration
The gender of a generation
The birth of every other nation
Worth your weight the gold of meditation
This chapter's going to be a close one
Smoke rings I know your going to blow one
All on a spaceship persevering
Use my hands for everything but steering
Can't stop the spirits when they need you
Mop tops are happy when they feed you
J. Butterfly is in the treetop
Birds that blow the meaning into bebop
The world I love
The tears I drop
To be part of
The wave can't stop
Ever wonder if it's all for you
The world I love
The trains I hop
To be part of
The wave can't stop
Come and tell me when it's time to
Wait a minute I'm passing out
Win or lose just like you
Far more shocking
Than anything I ever knew
How about you
Ten more reasons
Why I need somebody new just like you
Far more shocking than anything
I ever knew
Right on cue
Can't stop addicted to the shin dig
Chop top he says I'm gonna win big
Choose not a life of imitation
Distant cousin to the reservation
Defunkt the pistol that you pay for
This punk the feeling that you stay for
In time I want to be your best friend
Eastside love is living on the westend
Knock out but boy you better come to
Don't die you know the truth is some do
Go write your message on the pavement
Burnin' so bright I wonder what the wave meant
Kick start the golden generator
Sweet talk but don't intimidate her
Can't stop the gods from engineering
Feel no need for any interfering
Your image in the dictionary
This life is more than ordinary
Can I get two maybe even three of these
Come from space to teach you of the pliedes
Can't stop the spirits when they need you
This life is more than just a read thru


lyrics by - Red Hot Chili Peppers

forests

No response is forthcoming

correct path clear and obvious

If you have the opportunity to teach someone a lesson, dear Aquarius, feel free to do so. More than likely there is someone in your world who could use a bit of instruction at this time. You will have the patience and clarity of words to straighten things out and make the correct path clear and obvious. Do not be stingy with your knowledge. The situation will improve for yourself and everyone around you when you selflessly spread your wisdom to others.

it's all in the eyes

You only see what your eyes want to see
How can life be what you want it to be
You're frozen
When your heart's not open

spring project #1

Sometimes, I even amaze myself ; )

After a holiday vacation I came home to a small surprise. This past winter, a swing seat was left behind my home, by two good friends that thought I needed yet another "project". Recently, when the snow stopped (and my huge web database was launched), my patio warmed up nicely to welcome this lil job.

These kinda do-it-yourself tricks are in my blood, as my mother took on many small projects around the home. I disassembled it, sanded each piece, stained & varnished the wooden slats, spray painted the frame (removing the curly plastic decor) & then bought a few new bolts at the local hardware store. It took less than a week to complete & came out pretty good. Making a fine addition to my new backyard.

hocus-pocus

don't let his light fool you
its all just for show
when you get to know him
bitterness will flow

rollercoaster (fool)

I still haven't got over it even now.
I want to spend huge amounts of time on my own.
I don't want to cause any serious damage.
I want to make sure that I can manage,
because I'm not really in your head,
I'm not really in your head.

And I see love and disaffection
and the clouds build up and won't pass over.
This is my road to my redemption.
And my life is just an image of a rollercoaster anyway.

I still haven't got over it even now.
I want to spend huge amounds of time in my home.
And I'm not coming out until I feel ready,
not running out for a while my heart's unsteady,
and I'm not really in your head.
I'm not really in your head.

When you sky falls to minus zero,
well some things must dissappear.
Oh this is my road to my redemption.



lyrics by - Everything but the Girl