shade

"A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in."

-Anonymous Greek Proverb

Ode to Monday...

Wisdom From Dick and Jane

“We're all just cavemen, trying to protect our little patch of land. Well now I've got a club, and I'm gonna take what I need”

Support the Little Guys

I am currently saddened watching friends lose their small businesses due to the economic problems at hand. I have long been a supporter of small businesses and creative people who not only bring unique items onto the market but also bring a sense of neighborliness that we don't see too often these days. We live in a society of recovering excessivicity. I may have made up that word. Anyway, at one point (a few months back) we could throw our dollars at stores like Target where we'd walk in to buy shampoo and leave with two dvds, a shirt, another shirt, sunglasses, chips, an amazing scented candle & and 5.00 chapstick from the aisle only to glance back and grab a magazine at the last second before we checked out. We left. We realized..Oh CRAP. Forgot the Shampoo. The focus hasn't been on what we need so much as what we feel we deserve or what we want. We became people of excessive waste. Everytime I grab 8 million paper towels to clean something I remember. I am brainwashed. I don't need a whole roll of paper towels to clean a spot. The past few months we have seen such a sharp downturn in the economy that people have lost homes, retirements, businesses etc. and what's left is brokenness and a sense of helplessness but in turn a return of creativity and trust among neighbors and among business owners..where people need and offer help out of understanding and love. The beauty of "how it used to be..." where people were more important than things and where once upon a time it was a woman's honor to keep the house, cook & make clothing...where men worked hard to take care of their loved ones, where we actually ate the leftovers and where working hard just to make ends meet was the way of life. ..But there was joy...and accomplishment...and love....and family.... So, buy what you need, spend more time with those you love...and support the little guys;)

Lousy Hunter

T-town Farmers Market

Neal's Peppers

muahhahahhaha

5 Ways America can Fight the oncoming Depression

1. Exercise. Just because you're the strongest and best looking country in the world doesn't mean that you don't need exercise! Sure, it's easier to just pay Mexico as a day worker to care of all the hard labor or to send American pennies over to China to make everything you need so that you can afford to hire Mexico in the first place. But what about the satisfaction that comes from making something with your own two hands? If America isn't careful she could let herself wasting away into a deep pit of depression! But, there's still time! Once you get in the exercise habit, it won't take long to notice a difference in your mood. Come on America! You can do it!

2. Nurture yourself with good nutrition. What are you eating America? Put down that twinkie! No more fast food! No more hormones and chemically enhanced foods! Depression can make you not care and overeat or even not eat at all! (No money... No eat) But that will just feed the demon. Even in the midst of depression America needs to make an effort to restore it's physical health through nutrition. Smoking doesn't help either so lets work on those carbon emissions! OK?

3. Identify troubles, but don't dwell on them. Try to identify any situations that have contributed to your depression. When you know what's got you feeling blue and why, talk about it with a caring friend. The UK is a good standby when no one else can stand you anymore. Or you can pen pal with Yugoslavia? If there's no one to tell, pouring your heart out to a journal or blog works just as well. Try some poetry? Once you air out these thoughts and feelings, turn your attention to something positive like nation building or socialized government. Take action to solve problems. Ask for help if you need it. Even though other countries may hate you and try to kick you while your down, in the end they will realize that they really need your consumerism. China will come through!

4. Express yourself! With depression, a country's creativity and sense of fun may seem blocked. By exercising your imagination (painting, drawing, doodling, sewing, writing, dancing, composing music, etc.) you not only get those creative juices flowing, you also loosen up some positive emotions.

5. Look on the bright side kid! Depression affects a nation's thoughts, making everything seem dismal, negative, and hopeless. If depression has you noticing only the negative, make an effort to notice the good things in being a westernized nation. Try to notice one thing, "Hey, I am still the biggest country in the western hemisphere!"; then try to think of one more, "Canada may be smarter and healthier than I am but we still got Alaska sucka!" Consider your strengths, gifts, or blessings. "Let's see... No money to spend... No money to borrow... We're still really good at printing it so who cares! :)" Most of all, don't forget to be patient with yourself. Depression takes time to heal. "You can do it America! Yes you can!" :)

Professionally HOT

So a little know fact about Serra and I is that she and I both actually have backgrounds in modeling designer swimwear. I had a long and tenuous relationship with Speedo and Serra worked on a campaign with Billabong at her peak. What? You don't believe me? Well it's true! And so that you can't call me a liar, here is some proof!

Not so long ago I lived at a place with a pool. One day I though it would be a great idea to do a little photo shoot, you know... for old times sake. Well, my house was in Menifee so the day was hot and the models, well... They were hot too, of course! Please don't be stumbled by my bulging biceps or Serra's seductively beautifully styled hair. I assure you it is all in the lighting. We really are everyday people now, having left our modeling days in the dark past of yesteryear. We like to do normal everyday things in our spare time. Gardening... Shopping... Hanging out with old friends... Not too unlike you. Except our old friends are hot models!

So, though we may night look it on an average day, always remember, you are are dealing with professionals here! When the light is right on the weekends, we are free from the burdens of the everyday working man's toil, prepare yourself for the shock and awe of sheer and utter glorious modeling hotness!

Never trust a Bird to sell you a Burger!

So I went to lunch today with the guys from work planing on splitting a burger and filling up on fries to save money. Well... Of my 3 goals, I can tell you that two were successfully accomplished. I did split a burger. Though it was not the full half a burger I expected to receive, I was glad to contribute to my good friend Kenny Center's developing waist size. Second, I think I ate more seasoned steak fries than I have in the past decade, traditional and garlic! (Side note: Stay away from the garlic fries!) But spending 9 dollars for a third of a tasteless burger and greasy stake fries was not what I would call saving a buck!

The moral of this story? When invited to go to lunch with fellow staff always expect to pay more than you would eating alone, to be gone much longer than is scheduled for a traditional meal break and to always have a story to tell by the end of it all.

Exposed

As I sit here working..translation: watching an idea that I had bouncing back and forth between my staff like a ping pong ball... I feel like a child in the center of one of those games where they keep throwing the ball over you and no matter how hard you try you can't get it even though it was your ball in the first place. Maybe that's how the net feels. Anyway, through this I'm not stressed out or anything..just wondering where I'll be in two months or two weeks according to some.

Feel like doing this....see photo.

-Serra

On a morning like this....

Bob

As I was strolling out to my car this morning, I glanced up and was face to face with the cutest..not that little..bobcat. I happen to love unsuspected wildlife sightings especially when I am feeling a bit on the gloomy side. I was hoping he would start purring and become my new exotic pet but nope...ran away into the hills.

Fairpoint Diary

i can't see my hands in front of my face on a night like this

i just look back on my life and think of all i've missed

i grew up south of here in towns

they tore apart for coal

as if to excavate the darkest secrets of my soul

so it seems

life is just a troubled sea

that we sail for free

don't let me drown

if the rest of the world's goin' down

you've got to breathe your breath in me
everybody's story is more interesting than mine

it took me twenty-some-odd-years to see i'd been born blind
so i just feel my way to you

i try to keep you close

i'm never very good at getting what I need the most
so it seems

life is just a troubled sea

that we sail for free

don't let me drown

if the rest of the world's goin' down

you've got to breathe your breath in me
the darkest part of every night

is just before the dawn

the sun begins to rise

when we admit that we were wrong
so here i stumble home to you

to find the words to use

it seems the voices in my head

i seldom get to choose
so it seems

life is just a troubled sea

that we sail for free

don't let me drown

-Over the Rhine

http://www.overtherhine.com/

Sometimes words are best left to the greats.

My Birthday!

Thank you! I can't wait to open my hordes and hordes of presents!

Brandon

To mine

And by the way,

Happy birthday my love... :)

Love,
Yours

MAC attack....

Some people watch football…I watch the lifestyles and mating habits of animals on none other than Planet Earth…the best show in the world…better because I don’t have TV and barely ever get to see it but when I do I am continuously awed…and by the way, yes..I do want to save the rainforest. I am willing to lie down in a fern and chain myself to a fig tree if that means that contractors will not tear apart our beautiful world.

Now, I’ve always wondered why boy birds get to be so much prettier than girl birds. It makes no sense. You barely see this brownish smudge floating around in the pond (girl duck) and BAM! A purple, red, green, yellow, white, blueish mauve one comes flyin in like he owns the lake. (male duck) The best instance of this that I have seen in a long time is the Bird of Paradise. Notice photo. Boy bird looks like an icon on a mac computer..girl is BROWN. What the heck?! Anyway, Brandon is convinced it is because girls are meant to be modest...and boys are meant to be??.......

Ahhhhhhh........

Hello,

A few weekends ago Brandon and I took off and went to Santa Barbara. It is a great place to go if you want something fun and kind of sort of nearby. I recommend vacation rentals or camping as opposed to staying at a hotel though aaaaand I also recommend being prepared for A MASS SPENDING FRENZY in downtown SB. I escaped this frenzy only due to the fact that I actually prefer farmer's markets/antique stores. The farmer's market in SB is EVERYDAY and has so many organic veggies and people that I almost cried with joy. We stayed in an amazing place about a few houses down from the absolutely beautiful beach and really just relaxed...well I did..as Brandon went on a high fashion photo shoot with some hot seagull. After the SB we headed to Ventura which is a whole different vibe. The stores are interesting..a great antique store that we liked and I found some amazing shoes from an almost hidden shoe store owned by a very sweet lady with wonderful taste. I am extremely picky with my shoes. I rarely like them and when I find a pair I wear them until they die..or till someone glues them back together..shortly before they die. When I find a store with said shoes life just gets a little brighter. Evening time in Ventura was spent with a great friend of ours, Lee Koch, who plays amazing harmonica and also Brian Wright and the Waco Tragedies with a little bit of Sally Jaye who I loved live but not so much on CD.... All in all, fun weekend getaway....on to new adventures...

-Serra

Timeless Beauty...

So, I have this constant desire to travel. I should change it to insatiable desire because probably 90 percent of the day at work I spend dreaming up where I'm going to visit next. At least 5 emails that I send to Brandon each day consist of pictures of ...other places. Anyway, this whole economic crisis thing is causing a small uprising of fear in my heart....WHAT IF SOMEDAY I CAN'T TRAVEL?!!! This is a horrible thought..I may have to be satisfied where I am already at. Due to this unfortunate gloom that has rested upon my current "rutty" position, I've decided to research Europe. Why? Because it is extremely expensive and exquisitely beautiful...Always set your standards high. Also, Europe has this strange draw. The history is so fascinating to me..mysterious. The buildings have been constructed by real artists as opposed to people who got their inspiration from a cardboard box. ie: the track home. The architecture is intricate...built over the course of many years. How beautiful time is....
-Serra