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

alter your vision & judgment

You normally hide your emotions. You want others to believe that you are immune to these kinds of feelings. It might be because you feel that they can alter your vision, and therefore your judgment. But today, you will probably lose your self-control and your emotions will surface. Don't try to fight it!

physical world

Escaper Jan in Salt Lake City says:
Had my first physical in three years. I have crossed the threshold of old age. I have a prescription for high blood pressure - for life. I return in two weeks and will probably get one for cholesterol.

I'm becoming my parents, kept alive by modern chemistry. We are the bionic geriatrics.

dullsville

My winter holidays were spent in the Mojave.
An open desert of odd sorts.

After a week of camping at the remote hot springs near Death Valley, I ventured toward some civilization. Ridgecrest CA, for a quick oil change & gasoline, plus a real restaurant meal. Upon New Years Eve I found myself stumbling into familiar territory, that which had changed little in a decade. In Randsburg, a living ghost town, I visited with the innkeepers at the bnb, I enjoyed spirits w/ the OHV crowds at The Joint (Olga is still alive). Later I visited a BBQ bonfire campout 5 miles off the highway 395 with families, dogs & teenagers (8 RV/toy-boxes in all, from the OC). The last day I met local aviators, who all owned Isuzus. Watching fireworks in the desert distance ended my 2006 nicely, overlooking the historic brothel.

My life is never dull.

odd resemblance

This is the funniest thing I have read in a long time, coming from a neighbor who had lunch w/ me last week. Plus, I didn't know who this was, so I had to look her up ; )

"Hi, Dana. I don't know if you watch American Idol but last night Gwen Stafani was the mentor. She looked so pretty and was so sweet and helpful talking to all the contestants. I was struck by how she looks like you, blonde of course instead of brunette, but so pretty. Has anyone told you that before? I wasn't really all that familar with her and in some of the clips they showed introducing her last night she had so many different highly dramatic and unusual looks for her concerts or albums that you really had no sense of who she was. But in person just talking to the contestants, every time they showed her I was struck by how much she reminded me of you.
Cheers, Sarah"

DanaMite has not owned a television in 20 years.

UP-load, argghhh

working girl

Dip shit, get a clue. I actually "work" for a living, unlike you.
Stop looking, quit staring, stop reading, cease wanting to (care).
Paranoia sets in again. Smoking too much lately?
Grow up mister obsessive gun owner.

desert camping

Thanks Cindy

"Follow your bliss and doors will open where there were no doors before." -- Joseph Campbell

a new way in

inspiration

blessed be the bloggers

Tolerance

And when he admitted to me that his new best friends were indeed white supremacists, I lost all hope that our love affair would ever evolve.

no greater power

Your heart is not open so I must go
The spell has been broken, I loved you so
Freedom comes when you learn to let go
Creation comes when you learn to say NO

You were my lesson I had to learn
I was your fortress you had to burn
Pain is a warning that something's wrong
I pray to God that it won't be long
Do ya wanna go higher?

There's nothing left to try
There's no place left to hide
There's no greater power
Than the power of good-bye



lyrics by - Madonna

oil towns

When I envisioned myself living & working from home in the mountains, I did not anticipate how many hours I would spend driving to do errands. Luckily I love to drive (all back roads), so my lil sapphire Saabaru has become my secret karaoke machine... @ 35 mpg. Weekly I visit the red-neck villa of TAFT, California for groceries, banking & services. There is good mexican food on the main drag at La Mina, plus a DMV that is never crowded & only a hand full of traffic lights. A 40 mile drive that is totally worth it, due to great sunsets, amazing countryside scenery & Cerro Noroeste.

New for December: Still

Ooops, isn't it Spring already? Wow, how time flies. Rain, rain go away, come again some other day. My way, your gay, stop, stay, look & stare. Be aware. I'm always there.

my faithful following

March madness. This one SINGLE web statistic blows my mind.
Origin: Direct address 83% of traffic coming to Total Escape comes from directly from bookmarks, or typing in the URL totalescape.com

holding strong

don't explain

Hush now, don't explain
Just say you'll remain
I'm glad your back
So don't explain

Quiet, don't explain
What is there to gain
Skip that lipstick
Don't explain

You know that I love you
And what endures
All my thoughts of you
For I'm so completely yours

Cry to hear folks chatter
And I know you cheat
Right or wrong, don't matter
When you're with me, sweet

Hush now, don't explain
You're my joy and pain
My life's yours love
Don't explain

You know that I love you
And what endures
All my thoughts of you
For I'm so completely yours

My life's yours love
yours love

Hush now
Hush now
My life's yours love

Hush now
Please hush now
So hush now



lyrics by - Anthea

Slurp

Inktomi Slurp me up.... 1.19 GB

Palomar

traffic_graph

Exposure

Now is the time to make yourself heard. Work toward maintaining peace by exposing the truth. Take the time to create fantasy in your world to dilute your fears of reality. Make decisions based on love, cooperation, and prosperity instead of neediness, trepidation, and anger.

In the Road

why must you stand in the road
then yell at me as I drive by
must you be so selfish
to tell the world your powerful lie

stomping all around
like you own this town
you spit & you curse
bringing on all the worse

value it

That which we share in our world is far more valuable than that which divides us.

Backstabber

But you've got no right to sit there saying I abuse it
When you only sleep with girls who say they like your music

Love has no Name

Explore: All of California

it's a driving game

This wasn't my game, I heard him say in shame
This wasn't my name, she sighed as she sang
Hiking in the moonlight, alone, tonight
Why must we, why, put up this fight?

Firedance, friends and loves surrounds
Pulling me down, way, way to the ground
Dance with me under the sunlight
Drum to the drummers, each and every night
Dance with me under the sunlight
This was never ever, ever my plight

This was not the game, she had in store
Love conquered hate at every door
Not one ounce of gentlemen like qualities in this man
How I will ever, ever understand

This was a game for two,
Not three or four

Hi-Tech Office (finally)

The new RapidCable T1 line was installed on my street.
Now I can see & feel the difference. Yipppee!

now we're talkin'

Slurp!

Twin Lakes California

Eastern Sierra Camping: Twin Lakes, near Bridgeport California has some of the best fishing & camping in the Eastern Sierra region. The area is probably buried in snow right now, but late Spring the RVs start rolling in. Campground reservations are recommended for mid-summer. Robinson Creek, Honeymoon Flat & Paha. Buckeye Hot Springs, Hoover Wilderness trailheads, historic Bodie ghost town.

Too Far

Slow down, my brother, your life is passing fast
Will you remember all these scenes that you've passed
So long, so long

Speeding past sunset, blurring from town to town
Faces I forget, hotels all look the same
Worn down the knuckle too far
So long, so long

Lost are your colors, now life's in black and white
Stills from a movie, this life's a trick of the light
Worn down the knuckle too far
Worn down

City of strangers, you seem so tired to me
Don't think I'll stay here, you don't seem friendly
I'll keep on moving, searching for peace of mind
Rivers unwinding maybe I'll find it this time
So long, so long
So long

Live from my suitcase, my life's within my hands
Sleep in a strange bed, hometown's a foreign land
Wore down the knuckle too far


lyrics by -- James

Say Anything

You're as tight as a hunter's trap
Hidden well, what are you concealing
Poker face, carved in stone
Amongst friends, but all alone
Why do you hide

Say something, say something, anything
I've shown you everything
Give me a sign
Say something, say something, anything
Your silence is deafening
Pay me in kind

Take a drug to set you free
Strange fruit from a forbidden tree
You've got to come down soon
More than a drug is what I need
Need a change of scenery
Need a new life

Say something, say something anything
I've shown you everything
Give me a sign
Say something, say something, anything
Your silence is deafening
Pay me in kind

Say something

I'm open wide, open wondering
Have you swallowed everything
Pay me in kind



lyrics by -- James

hug me!

Crash Test Saabaru

Isn't safety all relative?

All The Same

I don't mind where you come from
As long as you come to me
I don't like illusions I can't see
Them clearly

I don't care no I wouldn't dare
To fix the twist in you
You've shown me eventually
What you'll do

I don't mind...
I don't care...
As long as you're here

Go ahead tell me you'll leave again
You'll just come back running
Holding your scarred heart in hand
It's all the same
And I'll take you for who you are
If you take me for everything
Do it all over again
It's all the same

Hours slide and days go by
Till you decide to come
However long you stay
Is all that I am

I don't mind...
I don't care...
As long as you're here

Go ahead tell me you'll leave again
You'll just come back running
Holding your scarred heart in hand
It's all the same
And I'll take you for who you are
If you take me for everything
Do it all over again
It's always the same

Wrong or right
Black or white
If I close my eyes
It's all the same

In my life
The compromise
I close my eyes
It's all the same

Go ahead say it you're leaving
You'll just come back running
Holding your scarred heart in hand
It's all the same
And I'll take you for who you are
If you take me for everything
Do it all over again
It's all the same


lyrics by -- Sick Puppies

baffled by boredom

Is your life truely that boring that you have to spend all of your time stoned?

Go out & explore your world, your thoughts, your mind without the substances, without the crutch, without the addictions.

accomplish anything

Revolutionary ideas are apt to jump into your head today at random intervals, dana. Pay attention to the flashes of genius that may hit you like lightning at any time. You would do well to heed this inspiration and use it to fuel a fantastic project that no one has ever attempted before. You have the mental capability to accomplish anything. All you need now is the confidence that you can follow through to success.

The Taurus Man

The most arrogant & confused men I meet are the astrological sign of Taurus. Not that I believe in such things, but it does provide for great entertainment & a good laugh for me - since I have dated at least 7 of these creatures now. Oddly enough these men flock to me by the dozens, the crazy Aquarian chick - for my unconventional lifestyle, my futuristic visions, my sex appeal & my unstoppable energy. But after a short while, they realize they are way in over their heads & I cannot provide what they are looking for in a mate.

Stubborn is only the start.....

Here is something I grabbed off the web a while back & I find it to hold true:

His needs are simple: home and hearth, a good woman, and a nest egg for that rainy day. But before you start drooling, read on!

Taurus may offer old-shoe comfort, but what you're likely to get is an army-boot mentality. Hook up with the Bull and either do things his way, or do your thing alone. He won't mind your independence, if it benefits him in some way, and as long as dinner is ready when he appears. Don't expect to be showered with praise and lavish attention. But do expect to be cast in the role of the little woman. Of all the men in the universe, this one expects the 1950s textbook version. He will buy your clothes, pick your friends, and criticise your beliefs. He is judgmental and fixed in his ideas, attitudes, and prejudices. Nothing you can say or do will change him. You'll have the distinct feeling of being boiled alive slowly, just as the proverbial frog, and you will be right. Mr Taurus invented the smothering relationship.

He is jealous, possessive, and obsessive. Piss him off and he'll hold a grudge. Unfortunately, it's not a silent one. He will snipe and pick and make nasty remarks until you want to bash in his head with the nearest blunt object.

You may be irresistible, and he may love you madly, but he will never understand why you need any other company but his. If he does take you out, it will be to one of his favourite restaurants, where he'll be too busy stuffing his face to make decent conversation.

He's a cheapskate. Only a Taurus could live on a beer-and-beans budget unnecessarily. He may have millions, but you'll never see the bank accounts, although you might get an allowance. If you do get his money, it will only be because you outlived him, or murdered him in his sleep. The latter will become a tempting idea as time goes by.

The Bull's favourite game is Grand Inquisitor. He will expect you to report every detail of your day. He will also rummage through your private papers and read your diary at the first opportunity. If you have a past and are foolish enough to reveal it, he is capable of using it against you at any time for the rest of your life. Your best bet is a safe-deposit box, and to lie your ass off.

He is so stable, he's inert. Work and home are all he knows, or needs. Although he's marathon man between the sheets (only sometimes), what he really wants is a housekeeper, and is so insensitive that you must hit him with a hammer to get attention. If you're the type who needs excitement now and then, you could lick the light socket or have an affair. With a Taurus man, I'd opt for the former. The Bull is not the forgive-and-forget type. Although he hates change, he is perfectly capable of tossing you out on your ear one day and moving in your replacement the next.

Sweet Sacrifice

It's true, we're all a little insane
but its so clear
now that I'm unchained

fear is only in our minds
taking over all the time
fear is only in our minds
but its taking over all the time

you poor sweet innocent thing
dry your eyes and testify
you know you live to break me, don't deny
sweet sacrifice

One day I'm gonna forget your name
and one sweet day,
you're gonna drown in my lost pain

fear is only in our minds
taking over all the time
fear is only in our minds
but its taking over all the time

you poor sweet innocent thing
dry your eyes and testify
and oh you love to hate me don't you, honey?
I'm your sacrifice.

I dream in darkness
I sleep to die
raise the silence
erase my life
our burning ashes
blacken the day
a world of nothingness
blow me away

do you wonder why you hate?
are you still too weak to survive your mistakes?

you poor sweet innocent thing
dry your eyes and testify
you know you live to break me, don't deny
sweet sacrifice


lyrics by -- Evanescense

Nice Head

Lovers will come & go, just as the ebb & flow
of life takes you deep within, the mysteries of know.

Our Climate in Action!

Check out the U.S. Climate Action Partnership -
to call on the federal government to quickly enact strong national legislation to require significant reductions of greenhouse gas emissions

World

Got a package full of Wishes
A Time machine, a Magic Wand
A Globe made out of Gold

No Instructions or Commandments
Laws of Gravity or
Indecisions to uphold

Printed on the box I see
A.C.M.E.'s Build-a-World-to-be
Take a chance - Grab a piece
Help me to believe it

What kind of world do you want?
Think Anything
Let's start at the start
Build a masterpiece
Be careful what you wish for
History starts now...

Should there be people or peoples
Money, Funny pedestals for Fools who never pay
Raise your Army - Choose your Steeple
Don't be shy, the satellites can look the other way

Lose the Earthquakes - Keep the Faults
Fill the oceans without the salt
Let every Man own his own Hand

What kind of world do you want
Think Anything
Let's start at the start
Build a masterpiece
Be careful what you wish for
History starts now...

Sunlight's on the Bridge
Sunlight's on the Way
Tomorrow's Calling

There's more to this than Love

What Kind of world do you want
What Kind of world do you want

What Kind of world do you want
Think Anything
Let's start at the start
Build a masterpiece

History Starts Now

Be careful what you wish for
Start Now



lyrics by -- Five for Fighting

51.8 degrees

January low temps fell to 2.4 degrees just a few weeks ago, the coldest I've ever seen it here at 5000' elevation. Now it's FEB 4th & 50 degrees at 11PM night. So mild & gorgeous in fact that I even took a moonlight stroll. I spent ALL day outside walking, gardening, collecting firewood, going on a hike w/ picnic, yoga in the sunshine at 67 degrees. Ahhh.... Crystal clear blue skies plus now capped ridges all around. Sometimes I stay alone, humming, hiking, singing to the birds... believing I live in a heavenly place. But then neighbors snap me back to reality. The local folks start a gabbin' & remind me I'm in their hell. The last of the ice has finally melted on the highway, until another storm. This is the best of SoCal Mts!

Brighton Beach

We were just half friends
Occupying the light
Sometimes Brighton Beach
Sometimes half awake
I thought we shared this song
Till I heard you give the line
To another girl with a sparkle in her eyes

Why can't you go find yourself
And make me want to know you
Why can't you go find yourself
And make me want to show you

Oh, I listen to your stories
I smile when you take a break
But the dark is working overtime
Can you just see me melt
What are we thinking here
Pretending we’re so close
Think we’re something special
Well I’m giving up the ghost


lyrics by -- Telepopmusik

Trigger Hippie

Tune in, drop out of love,
Pull the trigger, Im a hippie,
So said a truth, and blood,
Alive and well,
You push the buttons.

Standing in line of fire,
For the whole,
My soul,
Step codes,
The drums,
And sing,
Love the children,
Learn to live with everything.

Love love love, Im a trigger hippie, yeah
Love love love, were trigger hippies, yeah.

Zoom in, cut out at sound,
Make it feel so trippy
Hung up, let down to ground,
Forget the kill its far to sticky

Love love love, Im a trigger hippie, yeah
Love love love, were trigger hippies, yeah.


lyrics by -- Morcheeba

crash test

This past weekend, I was able to test out a new Jeep Liberty 4x4 off-road in Quatal Cyn. The road conditions were juicy, slick & wintery. Thick wet red mud & snow for several miles as we transended into the high desert canyon. Jesse says gearing on 4-high was real challenging on the way down, so DanaMite had to try the test of 4-low on the way up. Nice consistant speed, trying to stay away from cliff & keep the momentum up/3000 RPM. The vehicle rode very comfy with the leather interior & suspension felt pretty stable & secure. Getting from 4-low into 4-high took some muscle & reading. I almost thought I was going to break the lever, but back on pavement it seemed manageable.

The way we live & vacation in California, almost everyone needs a car. But what type of vehicle do you REALLY need. Fuel efficient, luxurious SUV or basic utility. Wanna off-road, do your research. If you are searching the market for a new AWD SUV, make sure you know the difference on real 4x4 & the newly marketed 4WD/AWD (all-wheel drive). Also check the gas tank size, range of travel miles and the crash test history on your preferred brand.

The Best Fire Starter

Yeah! Finally found 'em. WESTERN BRAND 'red hot' FireStarters are good quality, environmentally friendly, non-toxic fire starters. These are the waxy sticks used for the ease of starting campfires or used indoors, in the fireplace or wood stove.

My first pack of these puppies, works better than the messy & cheaper petroleum ones. Ace carries them in Frazier Park, but ask for them at Lowes & Home Depot.

Been a wet, cold winter so far.

birthday wishes

He could not take the freshly plowed highway that snowy day. He took the side road that early morning - to see what vehicles were left in the driveway, after the annual shin-dig. As we sat, eating breakfast on the couch, basking in the glory of the winter wonderland scenery, the Escapers watched the vehicle slowly drive by. Coincidence? Hardly.

smoke

Smoke by Henry David Thoreau

Light-winged smoke, Icarian bird,
Melting thy pinions in thy upward flight,
Lark without song, and messenger of dawn,
Circling above the hamlets as thy nest;
Or else, departing dream, and shadowy form
Of midnight vision, gathering up thy skirts;
By night star-veiling, and by day
Darkening the light blotting out the sun;
Go thou my incense upward from this hearth,
And ask the Gods to pardon this clear flame

It's all Bull

Nothing worth having comes easily.
The bull prefers the chase.

Don't Explain

Hush now, don't explain
Just say you'll remain
I'm glad your back
So don't explain

Quiet, don't explain
What is there to gain
Skip that lipstick
Don't explain

You know that I love you
And what endures
All my thoughts of you
For I'm so completely yours

Cry to hear folks chatter
And I know you cheat
Right or wrong, don't matter
When you're with me, sweet

Hush now, don't explain
You're my joy and pain
My life's yours love
Don't explain

You know that I love you
And what endures
All my thoughts of you
For I'm so completely yours

Cry to hear folks chatter
And I know you cheat
Right or wrong, don't matter
When you're with me, sweet

Hush now, don't explain
You're my joy and pain
My life's yours love
Don't explain

My life's yours love
yours love

Hush now
Hush now
My life's yours love

Hush now
Please hush now
So hush now



lyrics by - Anthea

Only time

Who can say where the road goes,
Where the day flows?
Only time...

And who can say if your love grows,
As your heart chose?
Only time...

Who can say why your heart sighs,
As your love flies?
Only time...

And who can say why your heart cries,
When your love dies?
Only time...

Who can say when the roads meet,
That love might be,
In your heart.

And who can say when the day sleeps,
The moon still keeps on moving
If the night keeps all your heart?
Night keeps all your heart...

Who can say if your love grows,
As your heart chose?
Only time...

And who can say where the road goes,
Where the day flows?
Only time...


lyrics -- Enya

Indeed indeed

by Henry David Thoreau

Indeed indeed, I cannot tell,
Though I ponder on it well,
Which were easier to state,
All my love or all my hate.
Surely, surely, thou wilt trust me
When I say thou dost disgust me.
O, I hate thee with a hate
That would fain annihilate;
Yet sometimes against my will,
My dear friend, I love thee still.
It were treason to our love,
And a sin to God above,
One iota to abate
Of a pure impartial hate.

Redemption

Old pirates, yes, they rob I;
Sold I to the merchant ships,
Minutes after they took I
From the bottomless pit.
But my hand was made strong
By the 'and of the Almighty.
We forward in this generation
Triumphantly.
Won't you help to sing
These songs of freedom? -
'Cause all I ever have:
Redemption songs;
Redemption songs.

Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery;
None but ourselves can free our minds.
Have no fear for atomic energy,
'Cause none of them can stop the time.
How long shall they kill our prophets,
While we stand aside and look? Ooh!
Some say it's just a part of it:
We've got to fulfil de book.

Won't you help to sing
These songs of freedom? -
'Cause all I ever have:
Redemption songs;
Redemption songs;
Redemption songs.

Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery;
None but ourselves can free our mind.
Wo! Have no fear for atomic energy,
'Cause none of them-a can-a stop-a the time.
How long shall they kill our prophets,
While we stand aside and look?
Yes, some say it's just a part of it:
We've got to fulfil de book.
Won't you help to sing
Dese songs of freedom? -
'Cause all I ever had:
Redemption songs -
All I ever had:
Redemption songs:
These songs of freedom,
Songs of freedom.


lyrics by - Bob Marley

Close

I don’t put a smile upon your face no more
I can’t make your heart shine like it did before
You don’t listen to my stories anymore
You can’t comfort me the way you did before

Was I too loud, was I too bad
Was I too open
Was I too high, was I too fast
Was I too close

I don’t feel your lips like the first kiss
I’d rather run away than sit to face the truth

Was I too proud, was I too hopeful
Was I too needing
Was I too crazy, was I too long
Was I too giving

No matter how far, no matter how long
I will be there



lyrics - telepopmusik

Silence in the Desert

"Silence, they say, is the voice of complicity, but silence is impossible. Silence screams. Silence is a message. Just as doing nothing is an act. Let who you are ring out and resonate in every word and every deed. Yes, become who you are. There's no sidestepping your own being or your own responsibility. What you do is who you are. You are your own comeuppance. You become your own message. You are the message."
--- Leonard Peltier, In the Spirit of Crazy Horse

2.1

The exhilaration of living on the San Andreas Fault: A magnitude 2.1 woke me up at 6AM; 4 miles from Pine Mountain Club, CA. And Brrr.... 16.7 degrees last night.

celebrate

Saabaru on Ice

Happy New Year, again & again. After 2 years leasing this wonderful AWD hatchback, I've decided to buy it. Not only does it get 35 mpg on the frwy, but also handles beautifully on the curvy mountain roads of Cerro Noroeste. The suspension still feels great, even after some dirt road driving and of course, the front tires are wearing out. The Saab 92X sticks to ice very well & enjoys snow playing, but with new studded tires it may be even better.

Don’t Look (Back)

Sit Still
And close your eyes
What’s behind the other door
Oh, no more silence
Don’t kill this thing we got called love
Just searching for the perfect drug

When love comes calling
Don’t look back
When love comes calling
Don’t look away

When love comes calling
Don’t look back
When love comes calling
Don’t look away

And I’m standing over here
Watching you over there
Smiling, happy, unaware
Oh, life is spinning round
You’re going underground
Forgetting who we were
Let’s try and keep it
Just one more day

When love comes calling
Don’t look back
When love comes calling
Don’t look away

When love comes calling
Don’t look back
When love comes calling
Don’t look away

You take your love
And throw it all around
Like it’s nothing special
Just a sound

Let me say one more thing
I don’t think you realize
That a day is like a year sometime

When love comes calling
Don’t look back
When love comes calling
Don’t look away



--- lyrics by Angel Milk & Telepopmusik

where it ends...

Henry David Thoreau

14.7 degrees

and it's only midnight!
brrr.....

Arrrrghhh

Typical mountain high speeds.
And this is exactly why I work late night :)

Jeep tow in Baja

Just another great example of why I own an Isuzu & NOT a Jeep.

classless

It has been said that America is a "classless" society. This is true in the sense of class as it is traditionally known in Europe or India, where one's class at birth largely determines one's social station in life. But there is a huge disparity in the socioeconomic status of the upper and lower classes in America. The "classlessness" means that one can freely move between them by changing one's financial situation; one's outcomes – not one's origins – determine one's class.

Getting all you can out of Life

Your Personality Type: Leader

* You're a strong and energized Leader who's driven to make an impact on the world.
* People describe you as courageous and a "force to be reckoned with." Indeed, with your passion, persistence, and versatility, you can do almost anything. You can start a company, run a household, or wage a war (and all at one time if necessary!).
* Like all true Leaders, you're not afraid to take risks. You thrive on intensity and excitement and gravitate toward other strong-willed people. Your friends, family, and co-workers always look to you to lead the way.
* You're willing to make unpopular decisions and to go against everyone's advice if you believe it's the right thing to do. You're tough skinned and don't have to please everyone. In the end, you'd rather be respected than liked.
* Still, most people appreciate your honesty and directness. They always know where they stand with you. Indeed, you're a loyal friend and would do anything to protect the ones you love.

Holidaze

Are you sick of the hype? The commercial frenzie to buy everyone you know a gift? A small token of a years worth of knowing them? The media madness to make you want to go to a mall, although you hate shopping? The holiday traffic, the crowds, the tension, the advertisements.

I am not alone. Many are sick of what the American Christmas has become. Cheap plastic lawn ornaments from China. Lighting up your home exterior, so your electric bill can double in January. The cheesy work parties. Maxing out your budget to be able to afford a good Xmas. I say it loud & clear fuck Christmas!

This holiday season no longer stands for what it used to. It has been ruined by over-commercial corporate crap. I will happily celebrate the Winter Solstice in the middle of nowhere instead.

seen it all

Right when you think you've seen it all, somebody opens your eyes wider.