Since the experiences of Memorial Day Weekend, I've received several compassionate and perspicacious responses. Several conversations by email seem appropriate to share, so I've created an entry (please click here or scroll down) for posts belonging to those related issues.
Following the Gasshuku and demonstration in San Diego, Lisa and I headed for Oxnard for a dissertation writing intensive with a professional researcher and graduate writing coach. Basically, while Lisa sunbathed and relaxed, I enjoyed two straight days of focused writing and have some very satisfying results, even though the page quantity I had hoped for did not materialize, due in part to needing to pay less and therefore receive less personal attention. The big benefit was a full outline with scope boundaries and page targets, as well as a new discipline for the writing itself. Now it is time to produce, after a few days effectively "off" for exploration and working on the part of the trip that needs to feel more like vacation and less like a race toward a deadline.
Somewhere between San Diego or Oxnard and the desert Serenity experienced AC failure. The desert heat was, in my humble opinion, not as intense as I have felt it before but it certainly got our attention streaming in the vents and the occasional open window. Francisco reclined on his cushion and panted quite convincingly as he worked on his impression of a hot dog.
The Grand Canyon was, well, Grand. Last time through we stopped for a few hours at the South Rim. This time we returned to the rim but also visited the Tusayan Ruin and Museum and heard the talk by Ranger Brian (pictured in this video) there. Quite a guy. He did his undergrad in archeology and spends his off time walking among other ruins with his wife and discovering unsurveyed sites which they photograph and report. He told stories from various traditions descended from the "Ancient Puebloans" (don't call them Anasazi - that's a Navajo word which basically means dangerous aliens or "the bad guys" - much better to use the Spanish invader's word originated on this continent to condescend to the savages). I kept my mouth shut as best I could and he told some wonderful Zuni stories at what remains of the Tusayan site and introduced the idea of Kiva to a bunch of folks who would otherwise probably have never heard of the idea.
We also drove to Desert View and climbed the tower there, a complex example of what I call "culturopoiesis", or culture-making. An anglo architect designed this building to fit in and celebrate indigenous culture. An at least partly assimilated native artist created wall paintings based in historical narrative for the inner walls. Through a synthesis of cultural understanding and misunderstanding an edifice was created which, I believe, serves to highlight both the beauty and dilemmas of indigenousity, invasion, and influence.
On the way back to our campsite, Coyote visited. He was standing on a side road keeping track of the four-leggeds passing in wheeled boxes and regarded us as we slowed and passed through his world. The following morning I had a dream which he may have brought, about Lisa's father being super-polite, followed by an expanded new facility for Aikido of Berkeley.
Then we departed for Tucson to visit Eric and Brian. They have welcomed us with amazing food and drink, excellent recommendations of auto mechanics, worthwhile conversation, and a place for Francisco to be able to relax, cool off, and poop on the floor, alas. It turns out that the sudden change to extremes of everything (schedule/lack of routine, temperatures, etc) take their toll on two-legged critters. A slightly more obviously impact, however, is on four-leggeds. This morning, Francisco didn't get out of the van in quite enough time and shared with our bed the contents of both his stomach and bowels. These evacuations began a day otherwise dominated by sitting in a Firestone office during van repair including an oil change and system inspection, AC repair (the compressor manifold ground wire to the chassis was too short and engine vibration eventually snapped it, in addition to the compressor being chronically overcharged, presumably by the Iron Mountain fleet mechanics previously in charge of the vehicle), lock repair for the side door still suffering from the break-in attempt and, finally, the turn signal relay assembly so when we lift or depress the turn signal lever on the steering column it goes "click - clock" and continues until changed.
I'm am obliged to say, at this point, that, should you find yourself in Tucson and in need of automotive repair, I heartily recommend Kim Danielson at Firestone Complete Auto (520) 722-3080 [7950 E. Speedway and Pantano]. Kim charged us only what was required and then went way beyond the call of duty, including building a new lock cylinder from parts supplied from Ford (instead of a complete lock assembly). I wrote most of this while sitting in their waiting room as I worked on converting and profiling the mp3s from the Nutrition and Health conference for a deliverable for Conference Recording Service (which continues to help pay our bills). I also need to point out that without a generous parting gift from our San Leandro neighbors, Claire and Phil, this would have been rather difficult to manage. Lisa and I are very thankful.
Tomorrow (now today, I guess) we head for Carlsbad and the cavern tours, by way of Agua Caliente and Seguaro National Park, but bypassing Biosphere II and probably Tombstone.
Dallas, here we come! Can't wait to squeeze some Keepins, currently visiting The Mom.
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Following the Gasshuku and demonstration in San Diego, Lisa and I headed for Oxnard for a dissertation writing intensive with a professional researcher and graduate writing coach. Basically, while Lisa sunbathed and relaxed, I enjoyed two straight days of focused writing and have some very satisfying results, even though the page quantity I had hoped for did not materialize, due in part to needing to pay less and therefore receive less personal attention. The big benefit was a full outline with scope boundaries and page targets, as well as a new discipline for the writing itself. Now it is time to produce, after a few days effectively "off" for exploration and working on the part of the trip that needs to feel more like vacation and less like a race toward a deadline.
Somewhere between San Diego or Oxnard and the desert Serenity experienced AC failure. The desert heat was, in my humble opinion, not as intense as I have felt it before but it certainly got our attention streaming in the vents and the occasional open window. Francisco reclined on his cushion and panted quite convincingly as he worked on his impression of a hot dog.
The Grand Canyon was, well, Grand. Last time through we stopped for a few hours at the South Rim. This time we returned to the rim but also visited the Tusayan Ruin and Museum and heard the talk by Ranger Brian (pictured in this video) there. Quite a guy. He did his undergrad in archeology and spends his off time walking among other ruins with his wife and discovering unsurveyed sites which they photograph and report. He told stories from various traditions descended from the "Ancient Puebloans" (don't call them Anasazi - that's a Navajo word which basically means dangerous aliens or "the bad guys" - much better to use the Spanish invader's word originated on this continent to condescend to the savages). I kept my mouth shut as best I could and he told some wonderful Zuni stories at what remains of the Tusayan site and introduced the idea of Kiva to a bunch of folks who would otherwise probably have never heard of the idea.
We also drove to Desert View and climbed the tower there, a complex example of what I call "culturopoiesis", or culture-making. An anglo architect designed this building to fit in and celebrate indigenous culture. An at least partly assimilated native artist created wall paintings based in historical narrative for the inner walls. Through a synthesis of cultural understanding and misunderstanding an edifice was created which, I believe, serves to highlight both the beauty and dilemmas of indigenousity, invasion, and influence.
On the way back to our campsite, Coyote visited. He was standing on a side road keeping track of the four-leggeds passing in wheeled boxes and regarded us as we slowed and passed through his world. The following morning I had a dream which he may have brought, about Lisa's father being super-polite, followed by an expanded new facility for Aikido of Berkeley.
Then we departed for Tucson to visit Eric and Brian. They have welcomed us with amazing food and drink, excellent recommendations of auto mechanics, worthwhile conversation, and a place for Francisco to be able to relax, cool off, and poop on the floor, alas. It turns out that the sudden change to extremes of everything (schedule/lack of routine, temperatures, etc) take their toll on two-legged critters. A slightly more obviously impact, however, is on four-leggeds. This morning, Francisco didn't get out of the van in quite enough time and shared with our bed the contents of both his stomach and bowels. These evacuations began a day otherwise dominated by sitting in a Firestone office during van repair including an oil change and system inspection, AC repair (the compressor manifold ground wire to the chassis was too short and engine vibration eventually snapped it, in addition to the compressor being chronically overcharged, presumably by the Iron Mountain fleet mechanics previously in charge of the vehicle), lock repair for the side door still suffering from the break-in attempt and, finally, the turn signal relay assembly so when we lift or depress the turn signal lever on the steering column it goes "click - clock" and continues until changed.
I'm am obliged to say, at this point, that, should you find yourself in Tucson and in need of automotive repair, I heartily recommend Kim Danielson at Firestone Complete Auto (520) 722-3080 [7950 E. Speedway and Pantano]. Kim charged us only what was required and then went way beyond the call of duty, including building a new lock cylinder from parts supplied from Ford (instead of a complete lock assembly). I wrote most of this while sitting in their waiting room as I worked on converting and profiling the mp3s from the Nutrition and Health conference for a deliverable for Conference Recording Service (which continues to help pay our bills). I also need to point out that without a generous parting gift from our San Leandro neighbors, Claire and Phil, this would have been rather difficult to manage. Lisa and I are very thankful.
Tomorrow (now today, I guess) we head for Carlsbad and the cavern tours, by way of Agua Caliente and Seguaro National Park, but bypassing Biosphere II and probably Tombstone.
Dallas, here we come! Can't wait to squeeze some Keepins, currently visiting The Mom.
Labels: daily, recommendation, travel, walkabout
| posted by Unknown @ 6/03/2007 12:05:00 AM
