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Wednesday, September 17, 2008

last call from the portal of

...well, it's the last time I'll blog from my Mac; it's going to a friend's house for safekeeping; it and the grimy keyboard and the speaker system and everything. I guess I should qualify......it'll be the last time I do anything from this portal computer for who knows how long. It's strange, but it's strangely ok too.

I was outside earlier in the sunshine, doing the last bits of laundry in a bucket, and a menage a trois of butterflies were flying around.....it was so cool. So summer. I aim to follow the sun and be in a year-long summer.

Been thinking a lot about a movie I saw when I was about 8 years old. My mom and I lived in San Diego and she brought me with her to see a lot of really bizarre stuff (La Cauge aux Folles to name one.....I probably butchered the title oh-so-gauche-ly). I remember seeing Walkabout and how the Aboriginal boy had naught but his loincloth, and a spear, and a spear-thrower. And whatever his elders taught him, stored in his head. That was it. Holy mother of holies! That's amazing! I've been struggling to pack for a three-week trip down to California. I keep telling myself I only need ONE pair of nail-clippers, not five (one for each bag). Lord.

When I was five and my mother was my age (39), she moved us from Ogden Utah to San Diego. She later told me that she'd originally planned to move us to San Luis Obispo. I didn't consciously set out to visit SLO, much less at this age. Pretty cool.

I hope there are good dumpsters to dive in San Luis.

adieu for now........

Monday, September 15, 2008

local yokel

(that's me)

Tonight I went to India! A slide show presentation by Denis, who is a volunteer at our Library; his wife Camille showed up after the show (she'd seen it all before, of course...up close and personal!) and we jawed about travel. They're both very and trés cool, older, seasoned travel-people. Denis just happens to be a travel agent. Apparently, I need to go to Bangkok. Here is some travel advice:

Buy your visas, airline tickets, and vaccinations in Bangkok. It is very and trés inexpensive this way.

I showed up at 7 to watch the show but the show wasn't yet underway, not for a half-hour. At first I felt really impatient. I've been on full-steam-ahead, trying to figure out what the hell to pack and what to cut loose, what to sell, what to give away.....but most of all, how to pack LIGHT. So I'm in GO mode and there's a half hour to kill. So I traveled around the neighborhood, and stopped at looked at stuff that I normally don't.

I looooooOOOOOOOOooooooooove walking around at dusk in the summertime when it's warm.

love love love love LOVE IT!

I wandered over to the library, and found a book on the read and return rack. A paperback, just like a wanted: a Sue Grafton mystery! I've been meaning to check her series out. How perfect is that! No due date even! Schweeeeeeet. Then I circled around the blocks, and looked at some art and photos and stuff.

By the time I returned to World Flavors, Denis had set up and was at the bar quaffing a beer. One of his friends was bussing a table (not for money) and two plates had half-eaten pizza slices on them.

SCORE! FREE DINNER FOR VICTORIA!

No I'm not kidding. Are you kidding?? That pizza was damn good.

Earlier today I drove my car for the next to the last time (having sold it to my roommate) and on the way downtown to the thrift store to drop off a load, I picked up a jigging hitchhiker. We're in the city here folks, no worries. He was cool, he loved the Deeelite on the stereo, was looking to score some whacky tabacky (no joy here), and said that his Keen's were three years old and been to Bangladesh and back, so nice investment on the footwear, Victoria!

I am, you see, already traveling :)

On thursday I board a southbound train for San Luis Obispo! California here I come! I'm bringing my bike, I'm staying at a hostel, and on people's couches (couchsurfing dot com is a fabulous community resource!) and then next wednesday I'll stay with a very laid-back woman at Crow's End retreat center and I'll put in a garden for her. I'll be back on October 10 for a final day of work so that I can collect the remainder of my vacation in a lump money sum.

After that, I have no idea as of this moment.

cheers!