2012-02-05T12:14:32Z Brian Donahoo mr_bijae@att.net Copyright 2012, Brian Donahoo SPHPBLOG
In my twenties I would butt heads with these idealists and try to show them the way of the world outside their little sphere of reality. I wasn't saying that there was a right way or a wrong way, just that there are many ways. I was raised in a small ranching community and we had OUR ways of doing things. It wasn't until I moved to Oregon the first time that my field of vision was expanded. Later I moved to the city of San Diego and had a bigger field of vision. When I left there I was looking for something a little smaller scale. I found a lot of that in Austin.

Now, having returned to Oregon and back in some very familiar territory I have a new way to handle these narrow field of visions. Just keep swimming, Just keep swimming, Just keep swimming. I think Dori had it rigth when she sang those words to Nemo's dad. I have found that just doing my thing the way that works best for me has lead to some interesting observations by the locals. I may get poked fun at for the way I handle things, but after a while they see that I have worked out a pretty efficient way to take care of the things I need to do. I've found that the mocking turned to questions and questions lead to instruction and now I've got a few people doing things a little bit differently than before. Just keep swimming.

This isn't the first time I've thought of Dori. She comes up a lot in my conscious. One because I love marine biology. The ONE thing I really miss about having a house with a foundation on it, my Aquarium!! Maybe I will remove the television that slides down behind the fireplace and put an aquarium that does the same thing. That would be fun. But I digress. I have also started swimming again. I found myself too focused on other things that had to be done and not giving myself the physical exercise that my body requires. I decided to start using the pool that I had available to me. I have an hour nearly every day that I can jump in and swim. The first few days were difficult, but I pushed myself to continue on. Just keep swimmming.

What I have notice through all of this is that doing my thing my way, while still listening to others ideas, shows by example what works for me. Jumping in a pool or any exercise that pushes you through your comfort zone is not for everyone. To some it's an incredible waste of time and energy that could be used being productive some where else. That is great for them. I know from my own experience that exercise and physical exertion keeps my mind at ease. It's easier to relax during the day when I've had a good work out. I'm less irritable, edgy, nervous, or any of the other words that can be used to describe the feelings when you worry. By swimming my laps every day I'm finding a way through that trouble. I'm also not inflicting pain on others because I'm more calm. For some it's yoga, some meditation and others, sitting on the couch and watching football. What ever works best for you, do it. Me, I'll just keep swimming.]]> http://www.bijae.net/blog/index.php?entry=entry120201-114027 2012-02-01T00:00:00Z 2012-02-01T00:00:00Z
I find this to be the case with most things in my life. Since 2006, I have learned how to step back from situations and look at them from another angle. Often what I think is a problem is only a perceived problem that my mind is trying to figure out. I remember reading about that one time in the book, The Power of Now. In that book the mind is described as a powerful tool that is capable of solving very complex problems. It is the same tool that evaluates our daily situation and figures out if we need to fight or run. At the same time it's trying to figure that out it's planning both routines. However, and this is the interesting thing, we are not wandering the woods on a daily basis and don't really need our mind to solve very complex problems on a minute by minute basis.

So what does the mind do? It creates problems and then tries to solve them. WHAT? Yes, it creates problems that it can then try to figure out and solve. I have noticed this in my mind on several occasions. I have been in certain social situations and things have gone very well. After I leave, however, my mind starts playing things back differently. "Oh that joke you made, that had to have offended Sue. She's going to be very mad at you and you work with her. How are you going to face her?"

This can go on for as long as I let it. Before I knew what was going on with my mind, that it was basically like a running chainsaw with the throttle stuck on wide open, slashing everything it comes in contact with, I would shriek and hide. Now, through a lot of hard work, I have learned to tell my mind, "that is not what happened. Every one laughed and it was a jovial time." I still think of my mind as that chainsaw. Only, instead of being afraid of it, I know where the kill switch is and I know I have the power to turn it off. So I take a breath and do just that. Sometimes however, I can let it run, removing myself from the situation and watching some of the crazy shit it comes up with. If you ever want a good laugh, listen to yourself create all these crazy situations.

The best part of all this is, I've learned how to remove myself from the drama that my mind creates. The second best part is, I know I have a kick ass chainsaw that will fire up on a moments notice and slash my way out of any real situation that comes up. It's kind of nice to know I have the tool I need to get myself out of a predicament. It's even nicer that I don't' have to think up every possible predicament before it has really come to pass. I have found that for all the crazy shit my mind comes up with as possible outcomes, the one that really comes to pass was not even in the play book. So I find it better to say, "Thank you, mind, that was an interesting situation you came up with. If it comes up I know I can count on you to figure out the problem. However, there's nothing in front of me right now so you can rest." And I visualize putting my mind (chainsaw) on the shelf in my brain for later use.

Well that was a rabbit hole I wasn't planning on going down. It is a nice reminder of the tools I've come up with to deal with things that are in my head, even 32 degrees can be handled in this way.
]]> http://www.bijae.net/blog/index.php?entry=entry111119-110811 2011-11-19T00:00:00Z 2011-11-19T00:00:00Z
I began this journey by setting up a budget and a spreadhseet to track my progress. I had already began paying down on one card but really hadn't tracked it. I put in place a tool to help me track the paydown over time. After all the numbers were in place I made the decision to keep that budget and payments at those levels until the debt was gone. My spreadsheet showed that doing so I would be debt free in three years. Like a good hike up a mountain, it looks insurmountable when you first hit the trail. Alas, I took the first steps.

Of course the best laid plans rarely map out every event that comes up. I had in my plan to put away some savings in addition to paying off my debt. I had heard before, pay yourself first! I had intended to use this savings account to make periodic lump sum payments to my credit card debt. However, I neglected to put in my budget things like quarterly auto insurance and truck repairs. Having a truck that is paid off is a wonderful feeling, but it also means you have an older truck that is going to need maintenance and repairs. My original idea of using the savings for lump sum payments really ended up being my safety net for the costs that just come up. I was thankful that I had something in place, although frustrated that every time there was a repair it seemed to be within one hundred dollars of my savings account balance.

I kept hiking up that mountain, paying monthly the same amount. In the first few months I checked the spreadsheet regularly. My first payment to the account was twelve dollars more than the minimum amount due. It wasn't much, but I told myself that every little bit mattered. The second month it was a little more, and the third even more. Like any fixed payment loan I was paying more principal off with each payment. Each step took me further up the mountain.

Just as with any hike, the further you get into it the more you get lost in the hike itself. You lose focus on the summit and start to notice things around you. This happened to me about four months into this plan. I began to ignore the spreadsheet and the tracking of payments. I made sure they were paid on time and in the same amount. I watched my daily expenses closely and became comfortable with the budget and the lack of extraneous funds. It has been a hard climb up the mountain, but I am keeping on track and keeping a good pace.

Like a climb up any mountain you set milestones and objective way points to stop and catch your breath. I set mine to be 18 months. I hadn't updated my spreadsheet in several months. The move to Oregon and hiking and other things kept me distracted and entertained. I stopped noticing the low balance at the end of the month aside from making sure nothing bounced. Then I reached a milestone. When I scheduled this months payment I realized that my balance on that account was going to dip below a milestone number. I was amazed because this is one of three accounts and not the one getting the bulk of my work. It's the one that gets a regular payment of the same amount every month. It is the one whose first payment included twelve extra dollars to go toward principal. I figured this was a good place to stop, catch my breath, and look back at all the ground I had covered.

I downloaded the last twelve statements and put in the REAL numbers in my spreadsheet, replacing the forecasted numbers I had put in place eighteen months prior. To my amazement, this month that same payment amount that I have budgeted pays an additional two hundred and fifty five dollars in principal. Now that is some traction! Not only was I hitting a milestone number this month, but my monthly payments have more teeth. I'm taking bigger bites out of my total balance with the same payment. What a great feeling. Just like stopping on a hike and looking back at the land I'd covered I was taking in an amazing view.

When I turn forward again I still see a large mountain ahead of me. There is some steep climbing left to do. It's going to take continued discipline. Now, however, it's easier. With each step I take today I'm making more headway up this mountain. Every month ahead I get closer to the summit. I have lived with this budget for over a year and a half. I'm comfortable with the amount of cash I leave over for myself and the savings I have for the things that come up. My energy and commitment are renewed by pausing and looking back. Yes, I want to be on top of that mountain today, but I know that it is going to take continued baby steps. As long as I keep on task and stay focused on the goal, I know I can and WILL make it. I am a third of the way there!! The views from here are fantastic, but I know when I reach the summit, they will be unbelieveable.

No matter what challenge you are facing, keep one foot in front of the other, keep going forwad. Don't focus on the BIG picture, but focus on your plan. Then, every now and again, take a moment to look back and see how far you've come!!!

Peace!

Brian]]> http://www.bijae.net/blog/index.php?entry=entry110805-115627 2011-08-05T00:00:00Z 2011-08-05T00:00:00Z
This last weekend I had the pleasure of going to Grants Pass to celebrate my brother in laws 40th birthday party. It was to be a surprise and so we were to take a ride on the jet boat down the Rogue river as a distraction. Twenty years ago this month, I made that same trip down the Rogue. It was 1991 and I had just graduated from Highschool. BiJae hadn't been adopted yet, he was born, but our paths hadn't crossed quite yet. I was nineteen, full of hopes and dreams and ready to conquer the world. That summer was a great beginning to a great story. It's a story of adventure, love, betrayal, all wrapped in the tale of a boy becoming the man he wanted to be.

As I rode down the river in the jet boat my mind wandered back over the last twenty years. What an incredible journey! What a ride!! Like the jet boat, sliding around the shallow corners, I have skidded through some tight spots. I have navigated the stream of my life with a lot of success. There have been pitfalls along the way, and I'll be the first to admit I tried to cling to the walls of more than one canyon hoping to slow the pace. However, that's not what my life has been about. My life has been about flowing with the river, riding the currents where I can and when I get in a tight spot... Well that's why them boats have THREE 350 HP motors on them, fire up them bad boys and get your ass out in a hurry! Or at the very least persuade the currents to move a little more in your favor.

I felt a great sense of completing a circle on this trip. It was as though the current me could feel across the chasm of time to the me that was twenty years ago. I sensed all the things that person of my past would reach out to accomplish. I smiled at the juvenile eagle that we saw at the turn around point in Hellgate Canyon. I knew that juvenile once.. and I know him again. He'll grow up to achieve great things just as he believes he will. He will learn that these great things are not like building the worlds tallest building or becoming president. The great things he learns is how to sing with an open heart. How to lend an ear or hand to a friend in need. He will learn that having all the latest toys and gadgets, while fun, is not the sole reason for existing. He will find that companionship, loyalty, honesty, and faith are the four greatest things in this world. Everything that is not contained within the heart can be replaced. Even though these things are cherished, they are not what makes a man.

I said hello to that me of so long ago. I greeted him with a long warm smile. I wished him well. I wished him all the strength it took me to get back to where I began. I did not wish him a different path, for nothing has happened by mistake. Every step I have taken in the last twenty years has been for a reason. Had I not walked a difficult path I would not nearly appreciate the things I do today. I have stumbled on my journey. I have fallen. I have cheered with joy, and I have weeped with sorrow. I would not trade any one of these moments in my life for the other.

My life has been to learn about duality. I have come to appreciate the oscillation of it's energy. It gives me peace when I am too hyper. It gives me strength when I feel I cannot go on. I appreciate the night as much as I appreciate the day. I appreciate the spring as much as I do the fall. I appreciate the new life and sharing of things with my nieces and nephew. I even appreciate the greif and sorrow at losing a friend when they cross. Each oscillation gives me a moment to look back and appreciate the other side of that emotion. One cannot fully appreciate one without the other.

It is an honor to get to walk so closely with my past self, to see where he's going so bright eyed and hopeful. I know the despair he will face. I know the challenges he will over come. I know who he aspires to be. I know that he will achieve his goal. He, like me, will succeed in becoming the man he's always wanted to be. Peace my friend! Enjoy the journey. Maybe in twenty years you will look forward and see me of the future and where I am then.

Thank you for all the memories and sharing in making them!!

Brian]]> http://www.bijae.net/blog/index.php?entry=entry110711-200125 2011-07-12T00:00:00Z 2011-07-12T00:00:00Z
We have been taking advantage of the cooler climate here. This holiday weekend we have been making the most of if. Yesterday we took a drive over to the coast, stopping for a hike along the way. We left the house close to nine in the morning. Yes, I slept in to 6 am and did a few things around the house before leaving. We drove two hours before we arrived at Saddle Mountain Trail head (My Tracks Map of our Hike, click on END to see elevation gain!! ). Along the way I was greeted (guided?) by my hawk friends. I knew it was going to be a great day because they were with me. When we arrived at the trail head I was quick to learn we did not have an original idea. The parking lot was overflowing, cars were parked a couple hundred yards down the two lane road. Thankfully there was room to turn Cody (the beast of a truck I have) around. I managed to park along side the road close to a quarter mile back down the road. We were here to hike so we didn't need to be the closest parking spot ;-)

One of the biggest joys is discovering a new trail. I was a little worried that this trail might be over crowded. When you have three dogs you can take up a majority of the widest trails. I thought for a moment about if we were really going to go up on this heavily traveled path. Then I thought, "I came here to hike and northing's going to stop us." With that final thought we were on our way. I hitched up the team. I call it hitching up the team because I have a single leash that splits to three harness connections. Several people have commented that I need a sled for them to pull me. It is quite a site and watching the different reactions we receive is priceless. Not only do I have three dogs on one leash, but I have three black dogs. The fact that they are all black gets just as much reaction as their numbers.

We hiked up the road and hit the trail. I was encouraged to see several people coming down the mountain that were not in the best hiking shape. This is not a judgmental thing, but having read that this was a difficult hike, seeing people that were in worse shape than me said we could make it. The trail started up through a dense poplar grove. The wind rustled the leaves, shimmering them from green to silver back and forth. It was a beautiful site to see. I continued at a decent pace with the boys in the lead. The trail wound up and around the side of the mountain. It was a nice gradual climb, not too steep. Of course Bear had to stop at every bush to leave his pee-mail. When he wasn't leaving a message he was reading one. All three boys had their noses to the edge of the trail, seeing who had been here before them.

We came to our first switch back about a quarter mile into the trail. I looked up and ahead to where the trail was heading. I was surprised to see that not only was the first switch back, but this was the first of four in a row. As I looked up through the trees up the side of the mountain I saw people heading the same direction I was, only they were close to three hundred above me. It was steep enough that I could see up through the trees to see them walking along the trail. It was clear they too were climbing. "Here we go," I thought. We continued up the mountain, leaving the beauty of the shamrock garden below. Yes, there was a shamrock garden. It was not labeled, nor was it planted by anyone other than the great mother. It was a beautiful meadow of clovers standing tall, reaching for the light that penetrated the canopy of the tall pines.

I was sweating profusely when we made the sixth or seventh switch back. I lost count because I was focusing on the path and the boys and our ascent up the mountain. We reached a clearing and I could see that the valley the road came up was well below us now. After several more switch backs I realized how steep the mountain we were climbing was. We seemed to be on a stairway straight to heaven. Little did I know that's exactly what we were on. We passed mile marker 1.25. Hershey was starting to lag a little, being pulled by the other two on the leash. The trail wasn't too wide, and I had seen other dogs off their leash. I didn't unhitch the whole team, But I figured Hershey could walk with us off the lead, and move Black Jack to the outside, giving him more space to stop and sniff. Hershey appreciated the move and fell to the rear following us up the mountain. Hershey is now twelve years old and a little slower than the rest of the team, but at 84+ years old he is still doing it! He's my slow and steady guy. He has tortoise medicine and knows that he'll make it.

We hiked on like this for another hour, continually climbing. We passed in and out of trees, revealing expansive views of the valley that we had drove. I could barely make out the line that was the highway in the center of the valley. A mall gap in trees was the only indication that there was anything but forest out there. I felt completely removed from industry and the "civilized world". It was the best feeling I had had in years. Of course there were plenty of people on the path to remind me we weren't alone. We finally reached a more gentle incline. I thought I heard Hershey breathe a sigh of relief. He was having a blast coming along with us. He greeted the people and dogs coming down off the mountain. The further we got up the hill the more he seemed to want to follow them down rather than continue up with us. He stayed with his family.

The trees cleared and gave way to a spectacular view. The main trail wrapped around the mountain, and a side trail followed the sliver of a ridge jutting out from the main mountain. I watched five hikers come back off the ridge, returning to their trek. I lead the boys down this side path to see what I could see. While I would like to use words to describe it to you, I'm afraid words escape me.. I know.. shocking but really?? Look at this? Yeah it was that amazing. The Pacific Ocean was clearly visible along side the other half of Saddle Mountain. We had reached the summit of the first (and lower) part of the saddle. Now it was time to head down the saddle and up to the TOP. I had reservations if we would go all the way. It was part because of Hershey, it was part because of me. We had come up a long long way, and now we were going to go down and then back up??

After fifteen minutes out on this small ridge I decided we were going to summit. Even if it was crawling with people. I guess I did not have an original idea and the parking lot wasn't the only indication. I could see from the vantage point of that picture that I was going to see a lot of people up at the top. Hershey followed us on our path. As we made our way down I had to coach Bear to not pull the leash. Nothing like having your dog pull you down a rocky path. Hershey was very grateful to be going down hill. I didn't even think to tell him that it wasn't for long, nor the last uphill battle. The last 1/4 mile was the most difficult. Yes that picture was spectacular, but if you look closely you can see that the trail snakes up the side of that big rock. It wasn't straight up, but it was close enough. The trail was very well maintained though. In many locations, where there would have been small rocks, they had covered it with fencing material. Not only did that keep the erosion down, but your hiking boots or tennis shoes (I recommend hiking boots) could grip the metal of the fencing as well as the rocks to keep you moving forward. I have been on trails that did not have this. It was an amazing improvement.

We pressed on, reaching the true summit two hours after we started out from the parking lot. My shirt was soaked through. My hat was soaked through. I was sweating my ass off! This is a great hike. I don't know if I would call it a difficult hike. Yes the steepness of it warrants a more difficult rating, but it's well maintained and many people were at the summit who were not in the best of condition. It was a challenging hike but I would say because of the less technical aspect of it, it deserves a moderate rating. It is a strong moderate hike, not quite a difficult hike. Then again, ask me in two years when I'm a little older.. Ha.. I'll still be hiking that mountain!

I took my backpack off, instantly feeling the cool breeze on my wet back. It was a little crisp! So I took off my shirt to relieve me from that cool air mixing with the wet shirt causing a bigger chill. Yes, you can get hypothermia from simply sweating too much. Not that I was in any danger of that, but I wasn't comfortable. Once I had my shirt off, my skin dried almost instantly (GOD I DON'T MISS TEXAS). I pulled out my water bottle and cupped my hand. I let the boys drink first. Several people smiled as they saw all three dogs poking their nose into my cupped hand. When they had a little bit, I took a big drink myself. Now it was time to take in the view. I looked all the way around. Three hundred and sixty degree view, Summit View . Amazing doesn't begin to describe it. It was breath taking and remarkable and such an achievement. I took in the remarkable view. From this vantage point I could see the Pacific Ocean, always a sight to behold. I could also see five snow capped peaks back towards Portland. It was clear enough to see Mt Rainier, Mt St Helens, Mt Jefferson, Mt Adams and Mt Hood. You know i love my mountains and seeing them from this angle was spectacular. It was an amazing hike and this was the pay off.

I will have to tell you about the other half some other time.... We'll start with our journey down the mountain and then on to the beach and our amazing drive home... until then.. Happy Independence.. may you be free from anything that oppresses you from being all that you deserve to be. Find your path and hike your dreams. You deserve to be happy. I wish you well!

Love,

Brian]]> http://www.bijae.net/blog/index.php?entry=entry110703-160313 2011-07-03T00:00:00Z 2011-07-03T00:00:00Z Pup Creek Falls on Fish Creek Trail It's a great hike, not hugely technical, but has some good inclines and follows the Clackamas River. The first half mile was an easy hike with a wide path and fairly level. After that the trail narrows and starts to climb. It was not a full up hill climb, but enough that Hershey had to slow down a bit. We took the trail slow and steady climbing up the hills when they came our way.



The woods were amazing and awesome to be in. When we descended down next to the river again I could feel the rush of ions coming off the river. We were the only ones on the trail that early in the morning. There were two cars in the trail head parking lot when I parked at 7 AM. We saw two hikers on the way back and passed through one camp where a dad and son were packing up from staying the night. It was a glorious morning hike.

Hershey was the first to be off leash, he does very well with being off leash and follows me pretty closely. About three quarters of a mile in I let Bear off the leash. It is totally new terrain for him and was curious how he would handle it. The trail was on a very steep hillside and I asked him to stay on the trail. I didn't want him to go tumbling down into the river. The current is very swift and he would have been back to the lake by the RV park before I could have gotten him out. He did for the most part.

The Picture above was taken at our turn around point. It's a falls called pup falls. The picture doesn't do the falls justice, but you can see I have three very happy boys! On the way back I let Black Jack off the leash so he could run. He loves to run and needs to get to do that. I was in a fairly flat stretch and figured he'd be fine. He took off in a tear like he always does. Then he took off and turned toward the river. I hollared for him to stop and he turned, yelped then came back to me holding his left hind leg up. I looked and saw that he had a half inch puncture in his knee. It looked like a clean cut, not sure what he caught it on but he caught it good.

He didn't put weight on it for a few minutes. I walked with him slowly. With each step he put a little more faith in his leg. It bled for a while. I found a patch of clovers and used that to wipe the blood away. I guess I need to start carrying a first aid kit if the little boy is going to continue to be a little boy. He managed to make it the rest of the way back to the truck. He had a little trouble getting in the RV. I'm sure it's going to hurt for a few days. I'm going to get some super glue this afternoon and 'stitch' it up so it heals better. It's a pretty good gash. Poor baby!

We had a great hike this morning and now I have three sleeping dogs. I'm sure they will be more than happy for me to go to work tomorrow. Little do they know it's only 11 am and we still have an afternoon hike planned.. ha ha ha.. okay not really. I'll probably let them all rest and I will take the kayak across the way and paddle around for a bit. ]]> http://www.bijae.net/blog/index.php?entry=entry110605-141730 2011-06-05T00:00:00Z 2011-06-05T00:00:00Z
We stopped at three different locations, the snow being one of them. We also stopped at a couple spots on the river. It was tough to find a spot that wasn't already take, but that's not surprising giving the holiday weekend and all. However, we did manage to find two beautiful spots to get out and stretch our legs!!



This was my first trip up the river so it was more a fact finding mission than a hiking trek. I spotted several places that are very close by that we might have to check out after work one day. With the long summer nights and our flash light we should be able to get up there and hike a bit along the river or up in the mountains. I also found two hot springs that are available. One requires a trek across the river. Not sure I'll want to swim across a cold river to get to sit in a hot spring only to have to swim back across. That kind of defeats the purpose. But then again when it gets hot this summer.. HA HA HA ROFLMFAO!!! It's not going to be that hot for me this year!

Well, we are all enjoying our time here in the Pacific Northwest. We are probably going to spend this next weekend in the mountains again. Although we have yet to make it to the ocean. Then again the other hot spring I found doesn't require swimming.. and is only 15 miles from my RV park. I might have to explore that one on the next full moon!! Yes, I'm missing people that I love in Texas, but as for the terrain.. I am loving the mountains and rivers much more here than there. Sorry Texas, I'm a mountain man ;-)]]> http://www.bijae.net/blog/index.php?entry=entry110530-214910 2011-05-31T00:00:00Z 2011-05-31T00:00:00Z
Life is much different up here in the Pacific North west. Today we have had our second day in a row above 70 degrees. Tomorrow will be the third day, reaching a high of 77 degrees. They are all excited because it's the highest day on record this year. It is also the first three days above 70 since September. Myself I can use a few more days of rain and cloud cover. However it was nice to get out and walk the boys today with the sun on my shoulders.

The boys have adapted nicely to our new environment. They didn't much care for three days of driving but they all did very well. By the second day Black Jack had the routine down. I used my laundry bags to make a good comfortable seat along the bench seat in the back. My friend Nick drove me up here. That was a huge help. I couldn't have made it in the time needed without him. After three days on the road we pulled into our new RV spot.



It is no La Hacienda, but it works just fine for me and the boys. The park is nested in the National Forest with forest roads right across the way and a lake equally close. Silver Fox RV Park I am so glad that I have my kayak with me. I plan on doing some fishing very soon! We have been here for a week and a half and are all feeling at home. Hershey loves the cooler weather. He's able to run a lot more without the heat and humidity. He also loves his Aunt Salome too. They took to each other very quickly. I am so thankful to the universe for this opportunity.

Life has changed, but our house remains the same. The boys were able to adapt so quickly because their home hasn't changed. They eat at the same location and sleep in their beds. Of course I could move into a cardboard box and they would be happy, but that's not going to happen. We have our condo on wheels to call home.



The views from the RV are just what I had hoped for, trees, trees, and more trees. The lots at this RV park are not the biggest and I surely don't have a spot that was as nice as the one I had in Austin. I knew I was spoiled there and am adapting to live in a regular RV park. The park has great people in it, a few retired hippies and several loggers, including a group of helicopter loggers. They are the ones that go in and extract specific trees. It's one of the most dangerous jobs in the business. If I were a normal techie I might not fit in, but I'm a high tech red neck so we're doing fine. The park manager and assistant manager have taken to me and the boys, offering up different places to hike with the boys. They have given me the ins and outs of the marina across the way too. We'll be renting boats there as soon as they open.

In all it's been a very smooth transition to the Pacific Northwest. I wanted to be here sooner, however everything has happened for a reason, AGAIN. Getting here in May will help me adjust to the climate. Our sun sets forty minutes later than in Austin already. I hear by mid June it will be light out until close to ten at night. That will be interesting to see. We're going to have to find some great camping sites to spend those LONG days at. By getting here now I can enjoy the summer and EASE into the long winter nights. I have also heard that the winter sun rises very late and sets very early. I will have to update you on that when that time comes. Right not it's the beginning of summer and we are loving our move. ]]> http://www.bijae.net/blog/index.php?entry=entry110519-215152 2011-05-20T00:00:00Z 2011-05-20T00:00:00Z


Our night started at the RV two hours later than expected. I guess the guys started partying the night before and were a little "SLOW" that afternoon. I almost used this as my way out of going out to sixth street. I didn't want to skip the celebration, but the down town scene is not really my speed. I am not the twenty something crowd, but I was hanging with them. So we headed out for a night of celebration.

To make sure we were safe, I got us a room down town, just a couple blocks from all the hopping clubs. I have thought about this night a few times. Last year when Scott turned 21 we hung out here at the RV park, walking down to the bar at the end of the RV park. This year Dean was down from Canada and I wanted to celebrate with both of them. So I got us a room at the Hilton. We started there with a bottle of tequila! They said something about staying in the room and party all night. I was like SWEET!! But I got showered we headed out on the town.

The rest of what happens is just what you would expect of a few guys out on the town for a birthday. There were shots, drinks, a town car, boobs, babes and an unknown return time to the hotel. Yes i knew when we got there, but I couldn't tell you what time of night it was. I turns out that it was close to 6:30 in the morning. Guess the old man still has it!! I can't speak for the boys, but our "Hangover Night" turned out to be a whole lot of fun!!]]> http://www.bijae.net/blog/index.php?entry=entry110213-105610 2011-02-13T00:00:00Z 2011-02-13T00:00:00Z


Black Jack wasn't too impressed with the white stuff. He was interested in playing with the toy, but then as his paws got colder and colder he sat underneath the RV on the dry ground. Hershey was indifferent, the ball wasn't out so he wasn't much interested in running around. I love it. It's been so long since I have had snow of any accumulation. Plus it gives me the chance to work from home. Nothing beats a day at the office with my office assistants.

Of course this storm and arctic blast has had its challenges. In the first night my water pipe from the post froze. Thankfully I had put enough water in the reserve tank so I wasn't without. The next night I had the electric heaters running so I didn't burn through my propane. Well I guess the undercarriage got too cold and the line between the tank and the pump. So I was without water for most of yesterday.

I finally got out the hair dryer and went out to the post. The water had froze into the post pipe. So I balanced the hair dryer on the post so it blasted the T fitting to warm that metal up. It took a good thirty minutes or more but finally it blew through. Next I had to get my hose thawed. I had a thicker garden hose that was coiled up. I put that in the shower and put the heater on high pointing right at the hose. It took about an hour but I finally got water flowing in the house again. I know I wasted a bunch of water.. but it's nice to have coffee on a cold winter morning..


Some one has made it very clear he's not that interested in the snow. He went out to do his business and then he ducked under the RV where there was none of that white stuff!!!

]]> http://www.bijae.net/blog/index.php?entry=entry110204-093528 2011-02-04T00:00:00Z 2011-02-04T00:00:00Z

Yes, he's really into his work in this photograph, but he's not really getting much done. Without my notes there he would have been in my lap trying to corrupt me from getting anything done either. I was smart though and bored him with paperwork. Thankfully the tactic worked and I was able to get something done.

I love having my boys at my feet all day long. I really got a lot more done at home this day, even though I wasn't feeling all that well. Just having them around helps me get my things done. It was the same when I was working remotely the week between Christmas and New Year. They were able to go out and play in the morning then come in and spend some time "helping" me with my projects. Plus I was able to step outside and spend time with them when I needed to think about a particular problem. Working in the office is great for collaboration, but a few days a week with my office assistants would surely be a great balance. ]]> http://www.bijae.net/blog/index.php?entry=entry110202-120847 2011-02-02T00:00:00Z 2011-02-02T00:00:00Z

I don't know what it is about the phones with the new LED flash camera's but something really radiates when I take pictures of the boys. I took one a few months ago of black jack and they were glowing green. Last night I got this shot of them waiting to go out. Yes, they can all sit at one time and wait patiently ;-). They are not the hoodlems I make them ou to be.. Although if you run into them at the dog park you might think otherwise.




Even there they look possessed. I have always joked that I have demon children.. now I have proof! Ha ha ha! This picture was taken a couple months ago after a couple hours on the trails at Walnut Creek Park. They have a blast roaming the trails off leash. Of course a good swim doesn't hurt either. Black Jack is still leery of getting all the way in to swimming depth. Last week he ran in after Hershey and he didn't realize that Hershey had dropped off and was swimming... Oops.. he was swimming before he knew what he was doing.

Black Jack's confidence continues to grow. Having two older brothers to teach you sure helps with that. He has a different game that he plays with each. He likes to rough house with both Bear and Hershey but the tone is different when he plays with each. Of course outside it's all fetch with Hershey or Chase me with Bear. Bear and Hershey have ther games, and Black Jack will bounce back and forth between games. He sometimes brings the ball to Bear and sort of brags that he has it. Of course Bear could care less. Or he will take the chew toy from Bear when he's not looking and try to entice Hershey into a game of chase. Not happening. Every day he spends a little time playing fetch with Hershey and a little time playing chase or tug of war with Bear.

They are all possessed, with wonderful spirits and big ol hearts. They have really bonded as a pack, allowing me to lead them where ever we may go!!!]]> http://www.bijae.net/blog/index.php?entry=entry110125-163512 2011-01-25T00:00:00Z 2011-01-25T00:00:00Z
Hershey has even gotten in on the action. While he and Black Jack do not get into the full rearing up and chest bumping each other, they do get to tussling on the floor. Every now and again Black Jack will get a little too rough for the old man and Hershey will get serious in his growls. You can tell exactly when that happens too. Black Jack stops in his tracks, pulls his head back and looks as Hershey as if to say, "Oh was that too much?"

El Gato has even taken to the little bugger. Now that it’s colder El Gato has had to get closer and more comfortable with Black Jack if he wants a spot on the bed. Which of course he always does! Occasionally Black Jack will push his luck in the evenings. El Gato will be perched up on the barstool waiting for the automatic feeder to give him his daily rations and Black Jack will stick his nose up there to see how El Gato is doing. He seems to forget after about three or four days. El Gato no longer swats with his claws extended. It’s more like three quick pats on the nose as if to say, "Hey idiot… remember I don’t like you??" This, of course has no affect on Black Jacks intention, and he simply barks or whines at El Gato to try to get him to play.

Black Jack has been the perfect addition to the pack. He knows how to get along well with others, both within our household and when we visit others. He recently went on trip with me to the mechanics. He was very patient, sitting there alongside Bear and me. He was more curious about the noises than anything else. His bright eyes looking intently in the direction of the impact wrench or air compressor, and the person working the tool. Joe, my mechanic, pegged him right off the bat, "Man, you are worthless.. but damn you’re a good looking dog." Worthless is right. If it is not me spoiling him, it’s his brothers. I told someone the other day. I’m going to get that brick re-engraved to read, “When I die I want to be my Fourth dog." He doesn’t get away with murder but darn close. I guess it’s true, the youngest children get away with more!!

He's learning the ropes and really does like to please. He's going to be a great dog when he gets a little older and past the ADHD phase. Until then just gonna have to keep after him and love on him some more. He's so darn cute, that it's hard not to love on him. ]]> http://www.bijae.net/blog/index.php?entry=entry101209-163717 2010-12-09T00:00:00Z 2010-12-09T00:00:00Z

There are very few times that I get star struck. It has happened to me a few times in my life, but for the most part I like to think that every one is human and people are people. Just because they get paid millions of dollars for doing their job doesn't mean that they are much different from you and me. They are human, they have families, they have a monther, a father, some have siblings, and all eat and do other human things. So what makes them so great? Usually nothing much more than what you and I have.

Then you read about someone that believes in all the things that you do. You hear that they have the resources that allow them to do things that you only dream about. They care about the environment. They work for the good of all. And, inspite of the things they've achieved in this life they still carry an air of humility. There aren't many people that can do this. From what I have read most have gotten full of themselves and forget that they too are just a human living on this earth with so many other humans. There have been very few that have caught my attention and are SO good at their craft that they cause me to be star struck.

Friday night I got to share a space with just one of those people. You know him from movies and maybe theater. His name is Edward Norton and I was lucky enough to see him in person. No, I didn't get to meet him. He doesn't know I exist. However, having heard him speak I can tell you that everything you have read about his humility is true. He's a great person and my love of his craft deepens with this chance encounter. I have said before that I think he's one of the most brilliant actors fo my generation. The works that he has done proves that to me. The movie I saw premiered last night, STONE, was again another brilliant performance. This is his second movie with Robert Dinero. You have to be pretty damn good to do one movie with Dinero, let alone two!

After the movie ended, Edward came out for a short question and answer session. It is because of this I can tell you that he's as genuine as everything you've read. He was not scripted and answered things with the same integrity of other reports. He told us about his role selection. This is not only a great movie, but the character goes through a great transformation. Some one asked him about the roles that he chooses because they saw a theme. Edward replied, "I don't choose a role because of that. What I look for is a character that goes from here to there." It was his description about how he chooses roles that really tells me about his character. He doesn't choose roles because they are on some life changing mission. He chooses them because they have to go from point A to point B and it semes like an impossible stretch. He sees these chacters as a challenge. He takes them because they are not easy! They challenge him. Man can I relate to that.. I choose relationships the same way.. ha ha ha

There is so much more I could say about this trip, but I'm going to let your imagination fill in the gaps.. Yes. he's two feet from me when I took this picture!! As Kathy Griffin says, "Suck it bitches!!!" That's my Edward Norton!!! In my opinion the best actor of my generation!!]]> http://www.bijae.net/blog/index.php?entry=entry100926-154605 2010-09-26T00:00:00Z 2010-09-26T00:00:00Z

After three full weeks in the pack, Black Jack has found his place in the world. He has proven that he is a very quick study and aims to please every on in the family. He does follow me the closest, but when Bear snaps at him for getting too close to the bone that Bear is chewing on, Black Jack responds by providing a wide berth. He does the same with El Gato. El Gato seems to have accepted this minor annoyance in the family life, only because he feels like he's got the upper hand with him. Black Jack will still try to play with El Gato several times in a row. A quick swipe of the paw and El Gato makes his point. I am not sure if El Gato is holding back the claws, but we've not had blood.

Black Jack has learned that the whole house is his kennel (at least while I'm home). He has had only one or two minor incidents in the house while he's been out roaming. The second one that I can recall was more my fault because I was not paying close attention to him. He went over to the door, but didn't make much noise. How was I supposed to know what he was doing. We have both made our points. I tell him he's got to be a little more direct and I tell him that I will open the door for him. Only once has it been a false alarm. I have learned to keep these to a minimum by not giving cookies every time they go out to potty. He is getting plenty of those all on his own.

Bear and Hershey really like that aspect of having a puppy around. "We are getting two to three times the amount of treats that we used to get!" Believe me, they weren't hurting for treats before! Bear has also taken a liking to the fact that there is always a bone on the floor to chew on these days too. Never mind the fact that two bones sat on the floor for three weeks untouched before Black Jack came along. No, that means nothing. By the way after Black Jack showed interest in those two bones, they were disintegrated in a matter of two days. I do have to say that if Bear gets up and walks away from a bone, he is very cool with Black Jack going in behind him to chew on it.

We each love having Black Jack in our family. He's been a very good addition to our loving family. He is very respectful of others (aside from daddy who is pouncable at any time). He has learned that he can enjoy his food and it's best to wait for the 'okay' before beginning to eat. (we'll work on saying grace now that he's got the basics down). He knows that he is not to potty in the house, and that it's better to get some one's attention BEFORE you begin the process. (he found out that Bear will rat him out for doing any business in the house). He's also learned that sleeping on the bed is the coolest thing in the world and is best enjoyed eight hours at a time (although afternoon naps rock too!). In the last four weeks he's shown that he's a quick study and going to be a great match four our family. ]]> http://www.bijae.net/blog/index.php?entry=entry100921-170149 2010-09-21T00:00:00Z 2010-09-21T00:00:00Z Catahoula Rescue ) and a request asking me to tell her she didn't need a new puppy!!! The link was for the Catahoula rescue here in Austin. I wrote back telling her she's a bitch for 1) sending me a link to a dog rescues site, and 2) because she knows I will never tell her not to get a dog if that's what is in her heart. I should have been smart, and left the site immediately. But no.. I had to go looking at pictures of the dogs they had for adoption.

Most were cute, but just that, cute and full of puppy energy. I like my mature dogs. They are easy to take care of. They know my routine. I know all their habits and they know mine. We all get along well. Then I came across one that stabbed me in the heart. His name is Black Jack, He's a lab catahoula mix about seven months old. I pondered his pictures and story for a bit, then found myself submitting an application. I put down that I owned my house but lived in my RV. I didn't really think it would happen as quickly as it did. I guess it was all that was supposed to happen. I got a call from the rescue agency that night. The phone was on silent so I didn't get to the phone. I decided to sleep on it another night before calling her back. When we talked, she gave me the information on Black Jack. He was rescued, and was sick when they got him. He fought back from parvo and was now healthy and looking for a forever home. We talked about where he was rescued from. They have a guy in Gray, Louisiana that rescues a bunch of Catahoulas in southern Louisiana. She told me that she could have Black Jack transported when she had another puppy flown out here on September 4 but I would have to be confident about adopting him before she would do that because the foster parents were attached to him. I don't know where it came from, but I said, "I wouldn't be opposed to going out there with my boys so we can do a meet and greet. They have veto authority and I couldn't have him shipped here only to have them say no."

I looked up Gray Louisiana on the map and sure enough it was less than ten miles from my friend J's house. J was just out here a couple weeks ago and told me that we were always welcome to come visit. Mary, the woman here in Austin that runs the rescue said she would have John, the foster dad in Gary give me a call that evening. I talked to J and he was all for a weekend visit. I started thinking about who I could take as a co-pilot, first thinking about Scott, my little brother. After John and I talked about Black Jack, I knew I was going for a meet and greet at the very least. So I called the owner of the RV park to see if mom was working the next two days. She said she wasn't and in her feisty way said, "But you can't take her to New Orleans!" Mom was over with Freddy and Catherine. I had it all cleared with her work and even got clearance to have a third dog in the park. Leave it to me to forget that little detail, he he he. When I asked mom if she wanted to go to Bourbon St. Tomorrow night, she looked at me a little confused. I had drank a couple of beers so I was planning on going out first thing in the morning. Well once mom realized she was going to get to go to New Orleans she said, "I can drive, we can leave tonight." That was it, we were on the road.

We arrived in Thibodaux at eight in the morning. Mom drove the first two thirds of the way and I did the last third. We made it in about eight and a half hours. The boys slept the whole way! When we got there they were happy to see their buddy Bandit, J's dog. I called, Mary at the rescue agency and told her that we had made it to Thibodaux. She was very excited and asked if I was going to pick up Black Jack and Ashley that afternoon. I think I won some points when I said, "No, my mother hasn't been to New Orleans before and I think we're going to go into the city. I don't think it would be right for me to pick him up, put him in a new house then disappear for several hours. I will keep my Sunday morning appointment with John." Oh, Ashley is the pup they were going to fly out to Austin the following weekend. She had asked me if I could transport her home for her. Of course I agreed. Mom and I were both tired and wired at the same time. You know how it is when you've been on the road for a long while. Mom was ready to go into the city right then. I said, "No, let's catch a couple hours of horizontal time, then we'll get up and go do things." That's just what we did.

We got up and on the road about twelve thirty. The weather was rainy and cool so the swamp tour was out. However, I did remember the plantation tours and suggested that. What a great thing for mom. She loved it! We wandered around there for a couple hours, getting to take the tour and see some demonstrations. After that we finished the drive into the city. Parking was a little hectic so we drove down to the River Walk and paid for parking there. We walked along the river walk for a ways. Then stopped in Jackson Brewery. Next we made our way up to Bourbon Street. It was still day light out and I wanted mom to see it before it got crazy and dark. We hit up Pat O'Briens, then a voodoo shop, and strolled through the quarter. After a couple cocktails we figured it was time to go eat. We had dinner at Deanie's. After dinner we strolled down Bourbon Street. Then we meandered through the quarter back to Jackson Square. I was tempted to take the carriage ride though the city, but it was getting late and I was exhausted. So we walked to Cafe D'Monde and had bengiette's. It was the perfect New Orleans Sampler! Mom had a great time!!!

The next morning I was up at 6:45. John had to go to church so I had to be there early, UGH.. ;-) The connection with Black Jack wasn't as instant as I had hoped it would be, but he did hold his own and the boys seemed indifferent. They didn't even flinch when I walked them all together. Towards the end of the visit I loaded the boys in the back of moms car. Then I invited Black Jack to load up. He did with no problems. The boys didn't even seem to mind him being back there. Not bad, I thought. I took that to mean that neither Hershey or Bear was going to exercise the Veto Authority they had been given. I had spent a few days talking with them about adding to the family. I was very honest with Hershey about his age being a factor. He seemed to understand. He knows he's twelve years old now. He knows he's not going to live forever. I explained it to him the way that it had worked out with BiJae when he came along. Since they weren't giving me the, "NO!" I went ahead with the adoption. I went back in the house with John and Black Jack. Meanwhile, J stood outside with Ash and Ashley, a couple of catahoula pups that were rescued and up for adoption. I received all of Black Jack's paper work, then received all of Ashley's for transport. She was going to a foster house in Austin, so I had to take her paper work too.

So the four dogs and two humans got in the car and headed back to Thibodaux. On the way there, J confided in me that he was falling in love with Ash! Holding Ashley, Ash's sister wasn't helping. When we got back to the house all five dogs were invited out back to play. J made some coffee, which helped me a lot! I poured a cup and went out back to watch the circus of tails! They were all Happy Tails! Hershey was playing fetch with J. Bear and Bandit were running as they had done the day before. Now they were being followed by Black Jack and Ashley. Ashley is just about ten weeks old and all puppy. But she hung in there with the rest of the crew. She ran as fast as she could trying to keep up with the boys. They would round a corner and come right back towards her. Of course that startled her so she turned, tucked tail and ran as fast as she could. Her eyes were huge as she headed toward me, realizing she had three big dogs on her tail!! Of course they didn't see her at all and ran right past her. When she realized she wasn't in danger, she ran after them again! This went on for a couple of hours. Puppies running and playing. Old dogs running along side them and playing. It was such a great sight to see. It turned out to be the best thing for all too. When we hit the road for home, they all fell asleep.

Ashley spent the first couple hours in mom's lap. We brought a box for her, but after watching her in the yard and how she reacted with the other dogs, I figured she was going to do just fine. She did better than that. Our eight hour trip home was a breeze, even with a two and a half hour extension due to I-10 being closed outside of Beaumont. Ashley slept most the way, or when she was awake she entertained herself by chewing on a toy. Black Jack slept the whole way too. You would have guessed he'd been by my side since he was born. He stretched out in the back. At one point he had his head on Bear's rump and Ashley had her on his. It was a dog pile for sure. I was very impressed with the way that every one handled themselves on such a long ride in the car. I don't know many 'children' that could have done that.

We made it home about midnight Sunday night. Mom and I were exhausted. Bear and Hershey were ready for bed. Black Jack didn't know what to think. He wasn't upset in the least bit. He was more like a kid at a slumber party. Too much exciting things to go to sleep. I figured because of his age and how well he'd been the whole way home that he would be okay sleeping in the bed with Bear and me. That didn't work out so well. He was fidgety and wanting to play. He took my hand and tried to get me to play a few times. When he realized I wasn't going to get up and play, he thought he'd get off the bed.. I was one step ahead of him though and had firm hold of his tail. I knew that he was crate trained, but I didn't have a crate. So I came up with a solution that worked perfectly for all of us. I took the blanket that they had laid on in the car on the way home. I put that in the basin of the shower. I took a dog bone and a water bowl and placed that in the shower too. I opened up the door and invited him in. Viola, he walked right in and curled up on the blanket. I closed the door behind him and twisted the lock. The beauty about RV showers, they come with a lock to keep them from swinging open while in transit. Turns out it works perfect if you want to kennel a dog too! This 'kennel' was bigger than the one he had been sleeping in and I figured, "if he goes potty in the night, there's a drain right underneath him!" it worked like a charm. When the lights went out, he let out a couple of small whines, then a groan.. .then silence. He'd found a home... (to be continued)
]]> http://www.bijae.net/blog/index.php?entry=entry100831-100208 2010-08-31T00:00:00Z 2010-08-31T00:00:00Z
I really have no comlaints about the weather this year. Yes, I've been confined to the house for the last three weeks. Like our brothers to the north we have to take refuge indoors when we have inclement weather. It's just different here because our inclement weather doesn't always mean clouds and rain and snow. No, our inclement weather is a bright sun shiny day. Where they stay indoors because of white ice on the ground, we stay indoors because the heat and humidity cause everything to melt. I knew the humidty had broke when Hershey started to chase the ball more than three times. When it's hot out he doesn't last long. Yes, he'll go lay in the sun, but he knows how to not over do it. Now that the weather is breaking and the mornings are cooler, we're getting out for our morning walks again. That's great for all of us!

Every year at this time I have to think back to a time not so long ago when there was no air conditioning. I had the chance to experience a little bit of that life this summer. I went to a friends house to go horseback riding. He was living in an old ranch house built in the 1920's. It got a little warm, but it wasn't really that bad. They knew back then how to get the windows lined up to get that cross breeze. I think that air conditioning in some ways have spoiled us. That night as we grilled I sat on the porch thinking about how they never had the option. The second day down on his ranch was not bad at all. Yes, during the heat of the day we didn't do much but sit on the porch and shoot the breeze, but without air conditioning you can adjust. Of course I can really see why they continue to have siesta in Mexico. What a perfect way to pass the heat of the day by!



Our weather has been very fortunate in other ways too. With all that has been happening in the Gulf this year. We are very fortunate to not have had more tropical depressions and storms develop. This has turned out to be a very quiet year thus far. September is the peak of the season. In the last week of August we've had five named storms. Thats' far less than we've had in years past. Only one of them has come into the Gulf. I am very thankful for this because it has allowed the workers there to be able to contiue to do what they can to clean up that catastrophy. It has been devistating to watch the whole story unfold. Now that they have stopped the oil from gushing in to the gulf, it's hard to separate the truth from the hype about how far the clean up has come along. I have had a profound interest in marine biology my whole life, and I know the power of the ocean to clean herself, but some of the reports that microbes have consumed the plume of oil are "too good to be true" Washington Post. Yes, I believe those little organzisms are consuming as much as they can. But to hear the way the Washing Post tells it, you'd tihnk the disaster was over.

I read yesterday that they were happy to report that the populations of oil eating microbes have been located in the plumes. Scientists were pleased to report that the oxygen saturation in these areas had not plummeted because of the population growth. There has been a great, and warranted, fear of massive dead zones appearing in the Gulf of Mexico because of this disaster. They are not seeing that becaue of the population boom of oil eating microbes. What happens when they all die when the food source is gone? The Journal Science, as reported in the Washington Post claims, "The result was a nature-made cleanup crew capable of reducing the amount of oil in the undersea "plume" by half about every three days,". I would wish that to be true, but I have a hard time believing it. They claim they're going out and looking for oil but only finding bacteria. Any one who knows anything about zoology and ecosystems knows that when a population explosion happens because of food bounty, there will a population bust when the food source disapears. Something just doesn't sound right about this report. We're finding the bacteria that are consuming the oil and we're not seeing the oxygen depletion from their massive consumption and metabolization. Nor are we seeing any oil?

It sounds too good to be true. My guess, it is. I believe in Mother Nature, I believe that there are things that will consume everything that man puts in its way. Look at an old road that is not driven over for a couple years. Can you find it? The plants find a small crack in the concrete or asphalt and they take root. These little things are strong enough to destroy anything we have created. But can they do it in thirty days? I have a hard time believing that. Yes, I think nature will take care of itself and the oil is being consumed by bacteria. That much is true, but don't believe for a second that it's going away as quickly as they report. The Congress and Corporations want this to be out of the media as soon as possible so that they can get back to drilling, because that's where the money is. Yes, this is the worst man made environmental catastrophy, but don't blink, cause they're gonna make it go away!]]> http://www.bijae.net/blog/index.php?entry=entry100826-102239 2010-08-26T00:00:00Z 2010-08-26T00:00:00Z
Sounds like nothing would change, right? Think about it this way. Your job is an immigrations officer working at Ellis Island in New York. You've had a bad day all the way around. Here comes another person to be processed. "Name?" you bark. Something is rattled off in a language you're not familiar with. "Family Name?" you say louder as if increasing the amplitude of your request would cause the translation to be easier. Again you are told something you cannot even come close to making into words, let alone having to write in on the form you're provided. Frustrated by yet another person coming across your path that can't even answer a simple question you throw your hands down on the table. "Sir, what is your name?" Scared the person looks at you only returning silence. "Fine, what do you do for work? What is your occupation?"

A light goes off in the immigrants brain. He's heard that word before. He grins and says, "SHOE MAKER" in such a thick accent you barely understand it. You repeat back to him, "Shomaker?" The first work shared in common is a complete misunderstanding. You're looking for a surname only to be given an occupation. Excited to have exchanged words with an American, the immigrant smiles more broadly, "YES! SHOEMAKER"

"Thank God!" you sigh under your breath. "Next," you holler as you wave the man through.

Think the little things don't matter? Think again. The actions of the above fictional character changed the entire history of the immigrants family. They went from having a surname for hundreds of years to becoming, Shomaker. It happened repeatedly and more than likely continues today. An officer makes the decision to write what they hear on the form without taking the time to understand the person they are speaking with.

How many times in a day do you give your complete attention to the person you're listening to? Think listening just a little bit closer won't make a difference?

Think again!]]> http://www.bijae.net/blog/index.php?entry=entry100630-153200 2010-06-30T00:00:00Z 2010-06-30T00:00:00Z
I thought about this interaction for a while before I went back into the house. My being outside at that perfect time was incredible. I was able to see a pack of coyotes in action. My action and my wanting to protect my pack had disrupted their natural behavior. I'm certain that Hershey thought they were neighboring dogs coming to visit and play. He's not had much experience with the wild before. Had they gotten nose to nose, I don't know how it would have turned out. He's an elderly dog now, with hip problems. It could have started out as a meet and greet. However, if they smelled his inability to run and turn on a dime they might have attacked. I'm sure he could have held his own with on, but with seven, it would have gotten ugly fast. I know Bear would have jumped in there too. He's a little aggressive when it comes to someone messing with any of his brothers. All of this flashed through my mind as that coyote was coming towards us. I had to do something to keep the two groups from mingling. After it was over I thought about how my actions had disrupted a natural occurrence. As I wrote my mom telling her that I had saved her bunnies life, I thought also how I had kept a family from eating. One rabbit could have fed them each a morsel and given them strength. My actions were just and the Great Mystery of life put me in that position at that moment for a reason. Perhaps it was to ponder the actions, no matter how simple they are, and the effects of them in every way. Either way it was a beautiful dance between me and nature. I'm so glad to have been able to experience it. What magic!]]> http://www.bijae.net/blog/index.php?entry=entry100623-090644 2010-06-23T00:00:00Z 2010-06-23T00:00:00Z
This summer is going to be one of those fast ones. There is a lot going on in my life this year. I'm thankful for every bit of it. We, mom and I, have made some good friends at the RV park that I'm living at. Several of us are going to Willie Nelson's Fourth of July picknic. It happens to be just down the road from the RV park. It should prove to be a very fun time. I also have two weddings to celebrate this summer. In the coming weeks I have two sets of friends that have joined each other in marriage. I am looking forward to those celebrations. Then of course is my birthday, that too is going to be something to celebrate.

This year my former match from big brother big sister is wanting to take me to a Rangers game. He's now twenty one and wants to drive (he just got his license) and treat me to a game. I told him to save his pennies because they are not cheap. Well he did just that and bought two tickets for the Saturday game before my birthday. There happens to be a day game the following day, so I offered to pick up that game and the hotel room so we wouldn't have to drive back late at night. While I was at it, I went ahead and made the effort to extend our time up in Dallas by getting us two tickets to the water park right next to the hotel and ball park. I may be getting older but that doesn't mean I don't want to do all the fun stuff!

This is going to be a great birthday. Not only do I get to see two baseball games at Ranger Stadium, but I get to share them with a young man that I watched grow from a young boy. The fact that he wants to take me to a game tells me that he's growing into a fine young man. He's grown up quite a bit. Since he's moved back to Texas we've become closer, sharing more of the adult things in life. He knows more of my personal history and story. It's funny because most the stories come with one of two responses, the first being, "Why didn't you tell me?" and the second being, "Wow, you had a life!" Yes, I have lived quite a life. He doesn't even know a quarter of it yet. Hell I barely know half of it. There is so much more ahead of me. Now that he's a grown man I don't have to worry about telling him everything. We've really gotten close the last few months. I'm thankful that I've still got him in my life. I'm honored that he wants to treat me to a baseball game. ]]> http://www.bijae.net/blog/index.php?entry=entry100618-142506 2010-06-18T00:00:00Z 2010-06-18T00:00:00Z