Punctuated Equilibrium

update!!!

2009-10-14T02:18:00.000-07:00

I've started a new blog. I realize that your faith, and by 'your' I'm speaking to the 3 of you who occassionally check this guy, in me to keep it updated is essentially nil but check it out...

www.jeremeyhoran.wordpress.com

ok.

thanks.

ATL Shorty!

2009-09-25T13:26:00.001-07:00

I'm sitting in SFO waiting to board my delayed flight, fighting every urge in my body to buy Dan Brown's new book...I realize that I'm a sucker, but I don't care. I like trashy, mindless, adventure books that I can plow through...my addiction to Vince Flynn is evidence of this.

anywho...I sit here in SFO waiting to go to Atlanta. Hot, humid/muggy, buggy Atlanta...heavy rains have produced a 500 year flood causing states of emergency to be declared in 17 counties. I'm going to meet up with 2 other HODR (www.hodr.org) guys to see if we can be useful in expediting the recovery process.

Hopefully we can lend our growing expertise in flooding situations like this by providing direction and the framework for Counties overwhelmed by the scope of the disaster.

you should go to www.hodr.org and check out the flickr site for photos.

movin' & shakin'

2009-08-24T17:40:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure if you're up on NY State politics so I'll connect some dots for ya real quick: The sexy stud on the right is yours truly (check out the shapely gut shot...nice huh?) and the man donning the suit pumping his fist is Senator Charles Schumer...

like I said: Movin' & Shakin'.

DAMN!

It's my Birthday

2009-07-16T19:37:00.000-07:00

no seriously...it's my birthday. Ruminations on aging another year and what an incredibly fun day I've had with Claire to follow...plus details on the 'mystery trip' that we embark on tomorrow...

life is good.

Hopping Around

2009-07-01T13:59:00.000-07:00

This is in a park nestled in Chinatown. I worked at this series for about 45 mins and still couldn't land the drop. I shall return.

unicycling

2009-06-26T23:07:00.000-07:00

this is what I do with my free time...

Excitement

2009-05-29T11:20:00.000-07:00

For the past 11 months I've worked for Hands On Disaster Response (www.hodr.org) as a project coordinator. This means that I've played a supporting role while Hands On has been on project; I've coordinated volunteers, managed the daily work flow and tracked what we've done for reporting purposes. I've been a volunteer with Hands On since 2005 after Hurricane Katrina decimated the Gulf Coast and since, have been on projects with them in Indonesia, Peru, Iowa, Haiti and Arkansas.

This morning I sat down with the Executive Director and he offered me a full-time position with the organization! As of June 1st I will be a Project Director for Hands On Disaster Response--I will be focusing on domestic response but available, should the need arise to go abroad and I couldn't be happier. The past 11 months have been, at times, a struggle--personally, financially, and socially and i know that maintaining a balance in my life moving forward is something that will require a lot of energy, but I am confident that it can work and am willing to run myself into the ground to make it happen.

Tonight, I celebrate :)

greetings from Mena

2009-04-17T08:41:00.000-07:00

Arkansas that is! haha...I realize that is in no way funny but...well, it's my blog so deal.

After a quick breather in San Fran I'm back on the road again. This time I am in Mena, AR assessing tornadic (yeah, I think I made that word up...but again, it's my blog) damage. We're setting up shop for 30 days and will help removing debris (trees and brush) from homes as well as support the volunteer reception center, help sort donations and tarp some roofs. We announced the project a day or so ago so Bill and I have our hands full with prepping our new home at the Mena Church of God and getting everything ready for the volunteers...

So if you have some free time check out http://www.hodr.org/ for more info

here's some of the damage we'll be cleaning up:

and I'm back...

2009-03-18T14:59:00.000-07:00

I awoke this morning not to the sound of roosters or buses with supercharged air horns but to...well I can't really remember what I woke up to but it wasn't what I had grown accustom to.

I am back in San Francisco after a 7 weeks away and am happy as a dumpling (we now live right near Chinatown--I intend on expanding my knowledge of dumplings...mmm, dumplings).

I have photos and thoughts on Haiti that will be put to paper and eventually blog but for now, I'm back, happy and healthy and unfortunately sans sweet Haitian sneakers. I will say that a valiant effort was made whilst in Port Au Prince to procure them but to no avail. C'est le vie...they would've been sweet though.

more to come...

Values under fire...

2009-03-01T10:50:00.000-08:00

I want these sneakers

Stress

2009-02-06T16:17:00.000-08:00

Stress used to be such a large part of my life. Basically, it was my job at the time that was the root of that problem so when I quit it was quite refreshing to be "free."

Since that time I've had a relatively stress-free existence; living in Aspen can hardly be considered stressful, unless choosing where to ride counts, and being involved in an organization that I believe is doing meaningful and important work may be demanding...the stress, when it's there is something that I can deal with.

So fast-forward to the morning I'm flying to Haiti:

It’s 5 am, I've been up since 2 and slept maybe an hour in total; I’ve already checked in for my flight and I'm feeling good...only one thing left to do…get some cash so that once I arrive in Haiti, I can actually leave the airport. Being the veteran that I am at withdrawing money from ATM’s I had little reason to think that my next transaction would go awry. The only time an ATM denies me is an hour before I embark on an international flight to the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere…as it stood, I had 1 dollar on me and this stupid machine wouldn't give me ‘my money.’ I proceed to get on the phone with my bank and find out that my account had been frozen because I had requested an amount above my maximum (something I didn’t know existed)…so I had to wait for the Fraud Protection agency to open in order for them to unfreeze my money. I get on my flight from MSY to MIA still with only a dollar and a pit in my stomach because I was told that the Fraud Protection Dept wouldn't be open until 12pm EST. Sweet, that helps me because my flight for Haiti leaves at 9am (or so I thought) and I have transport pre-booked from the airport to my guesthouse.
Given my situation, I think I handled it quite admirably…I called my credit cards to see if I could activate a pin number to get money that way—no dice. They can only send those via mail to an address. So I called Wells Fargo again hoping for a miracle…and that’s what I got. The woman who I spoke with the second time told me that the Fraud Protection Agency opened at 6am PST….WOO-HOO, salvation! Wait a second, my flight leaves at 9—FUCK! In my head I put another contingency plan into place, I would get on a later flight, use Skype to cancel my ride and re-schedule, get my money situation cleared up and chill in the Miami Airport for 4 hours and board a later flight…no biggie.

I write 'no biggie' but in actuality I had a mild breakdown...I'm used to rolling with the situation and making it work but I didn't see a way out that wouldn't cost me some serious cash and a lot of headache...not to mention that I was going to haiti and the travel advisories had me nervous that I was going to be kidnapped at the airport.

Well it turns out that I’m an idiot. 9am was my boarding time…my flight was at 10; so at the stroke of 9 I called the Fraud Protection Agency and proceeded endure a battery of questions akin to the Spanish Inquisition. They were asking me security questions I wasn’t sure I had set up and then proceeded to walk me through my transaction history for the past several weeks….all the while “Group 1 may now board…” is blaring in the background. Why is it that getting a straight answer out of those people is so damn hard? As a former telemarketer, I apologize to all those I badgered via telephone…paybacks a bitch. Finally I get my funds thawed out and I sprint to the nearest ATM which was out of order and then to the next which feels like miles away…take out my money and sprint back to the gate—I made it--there were seven boarding groups for this flight.

I've since been in Haiti a little under a week and things have gone smoothly...it's a hard place to describe but I hope over the course of my trip I gleen insights that I can relay...that and lots of photos.

Roadtrippin...

2009-01-29T11:39:00.000-08:00

Greetings from the Midwest. I want to say that I am absolutely crushing the midwest right now...in the past week or so I've racked up 3 new states--Michigan, Indiana and Missouri...and ladies and gentlemen we're not done yet. I've still got Tennessee and Arkansas to go.

Like I said...absolutely crushin' it.

The cause for this little roadtrip is to meet with agencies and organizations like the Minnesota Conservation Corps, Americorps St. Louis, The CRWRC, etc... We've (and by we've I mean Hands On) worked with these groups over the course of the past year and this was an opportunity to go in and shake some hands, exchange some business cards and essentially say hi. While a trip of this nature requires a lot of time in the car, I think it's great to meet with these people outside of the hectic environment of wherever we happen to be deployed--so it's good, I'm learning and making some connections.

The next big thing on my agenda is going to Haiti. This is something that has been on the radar for a little while now and it looks like it's finally going to happen. I am excited--so excited. The opportunity to go to a place like this (albeit, only for a month) has me giddy. Hands On has a project in Gonaive, a city north of Port Au-Prince by about 4 hours where they've been working on a variety of projects with the people affected by Hurricanes Ike and Hanna since November. The projects range from removing Mud from homes to well ring construction, playing with children at a safe space, etc...for more info on the projects go to www.hodr.org because the work being done is absolutely amazing.

So yeah...I have a camera ready to capture this experience and will try to post some either here or on facebook when I can.

It's a party y'all...

2008-11-09T02:44:00.000-08:00

The floor that separates our apt from our upstairs neighbors seemed solid when I was up there but I was way off. I still feel as if I'm apart of the party happening upstairs even though I'm not actually there...joy.

Today was a day of reminiscing and fun with Chris Wilson who has been in town visiting; the last time I saw Wilson was at Bonnaroo '07 where we hung out and partied in Manchester, TN for a couple days.

It's good to know that some things don't change...hanging with Chris has been like it's always been--fun. I'm glad that he came up to hang for a day or two before he goes off to St. Thomas for a month or so, he's good people.

today=good

Haircut

2008-11-07T17:03:00.000-08:00

aw yeah...

Learning is Fun my ass...

2008-11-06T22:34:00.000-08:00

The California Academy of Sciences closes at 5pm...wtf? All of our prep work in route finding and directions didn't include checking the hours of operation--it didn't cross our minds. I figured that a Thursday night would find an after work crowd peeking in the nooks and crannies...but alas the Museum closes at 5 everyday. boo. So we took ourselves across the street to the DeYoung Museum which was closing soon...so we made the best of it and took a stroll through their Sculpture Garden...very interesting:

From there we decided to walk to a different part of town...so we ventured out into San Fran's unknown...The Richmond, Laurel Heights, Pacific Heights and almost to Nob Hill. We've done a lot of walking the past two days and have seen a lot of this place--it's very nice. Really nice homes. But we were exhuasted and needed a break so we saw a movie. Only we didn't see the movie we thought we were going to see. We saw Zack and Miri make a Porno...but thought we were going to Nick and Nora's Infinite playlist (or whatever the name is). Ridiculous mistake that we didn't realize until the movie started. Good mistake though as the movie was funny.

All in all, another good day.

Tomorrow Mr. Wilson gets to town and things could get ugly. I'm looking forward to seeing this guy...it's been far too long.

Oh and the High Life I purchased this evening...I hope someone got a raise for coming up with the new look for their "Limited Edition Fall Series." Awesome.

Are you going to San Francisco?

2008-11-05T22:54:00.000-08:00

Ladies and Gentlemen, the eagle has landed; my new roost is in San Francisco shackin' up with my lovely lady...Claire.

I've been here for a week now and have basically been a hermit. It's been nice catching up on sleep, loafing and being a lump--good stuff. Claire and I are currently waving the unemployment banner...so we have time to stare at things and walk around for hours at a time because we can't afford to do anything else. While I enjoy being a gentleman of liesure, daddy needs to start making some cheddah...this city is expensive.

It's been a while since I've lived in an urban center and it's definitely going to be an adjustment to the constant hustle and bustle again...but what I think is going to make life better is the proximity to non city-like things. Things like hiking, shredding (which I'm geeking out about right now), the ocean...NYC didn't really accommodate things like that and I don't count my dip in the Hudson "the ocean." ew.

Anywho, today we walked, we took an epic stroll to Golden Gate Park...San Francisco's Central Park...and had a lovely time. But before we left we fueled up on tacos and chips--cheap and delicicous...

The rest of the day was spent taking in this beautiful city and enjoying what sunshine there was.

Tomorrow we head to the Academy of Sciences. Learning is fun.

The Shred

2008-09-25T07:55:00.000-07:00

As September comes to an end I notice the morning's require a sweatshirt and night air being a little crisper. The sunny days are tempered with a gentle breeze letting me know that colder weather is just around the corner. Don't get me wrong, I love sunny days spent outside, where footwear is optional and finding someplace to swim can make or break your day.

But really...I'm a cold weather guy. I like bundling up. I like shoveling snow. I like wearing slippers. I relish the nights when snowfall blankets the streets and muffles the sounds of the world going by. What's more, is that I love to snowboard. After living in a mountain town for 2 years and enjoying everything that it afforded me, to then come directly to Iowa...I'm only just beginning to realize how badly I need a fix. Tyson sent me a trailer of a new video coming out and it stoked the embers into a fire once again. The giant has been roused from his slumber and he demands satisfaction. He wants pow. He wants las montanas. He wants the unabashed joy of destroying an untouched line down a glade. He wants a 500 inch winter.

He wants to Shred.

Minnesooooohhhhhta

2008-09-12T09:41:00.000-07:00

Ah to be away, if just for a few days has been fantastic. I left Iowa last Sunday with Claire. She's in the process of doing her own amazing things right now and still managed to spend some time volunteering in Iowa before driving us to the great state of Minnesota to hang out with her family. They rule by the way.

Since arriving we've done a lot of...nothing. hanging out. being with each other. laughing. cribbage. eating and sleeping. Her family has a cabin on a lake in Wisconsin so we went up there for two days with plans of boating and frolicking and general merriment only to have it be crap weather. boo. So we played a lot of crib and just hungout. We also played on her trampoline where I learned that she's a little gymnast completing a front and back flip. Impressive.

Now we're back in St. Paul for one more day before I head back to Iowa to finish out Project Cedar Rapids with Hands On . It has been so nice to be here with her, to see where she grew up, meet her friends and hear some of the stories that make her who she is.

It's been a good week. I'm sad it's ending but am happy that I've had the chance to spend the time with her that I have.

good stuff I tell ya.

good stuff.

My way is the highway -God

2008-07-21T09:58:00.000-07:00

I'm not religious. I don't believe in a God. I believe that organized religion has done a lot to cloud the issue. I find it odd that people need to be told how and when to pray to whatever or whoever they believe in.

I'm also finding that a lot of my preconceived notions about religion, in particular the pious few who lead their flocks have been jaded by the media and the dogma it puts forth. This is not to say that I'm giving it all up to become a man of the cloth...I'm merely stating that since being in Iowa, a state devoted to religion, my views on said subject have changed.

What sparked this internal monologue (which has since spewed forth) is a pastor from a church in Bluffton, IN. They brought a group of about 20 people down to Cedar Rapids to volunteer for a week...people in the know call these "mission trips," and all I can think of when I hear that term is Elwood Blues saying "we're on a mission from god..." so it can't be that bad right? Anyway, the Pastors' name is Kent, a guy in his late forties I'm guessing; he is a man that had a unique outlook on life and had an infectious personality. We have similar senses of humor, so we got along well. The week they were here was a productive one and when they left I wished them a safe journey back and hoped that we'd see them again. Kent pulled me aside and handed me a check...this was on top of the week of hard work they had put in and said thank you, we'll see you again. I was amazed and knew that he would be back...

fast-forward to this morning...I open my email and see that indeed Pastor Kent, true to his word, is sending another crew with a check to cover some of the materials for re-building. Instead of amazement I am happily re-energized. Then at the end of his email he said that he prayed for me by name. I'm 27 years old. There aren't too many things that, upon them happening, I can recognize that it's my first time dealing with it --this is one of those instances.

I kinda lost my train of thought about halfway through...

Religion is a powerful tool that's used to acheive a lot of bad and also a lot of good...I guess it's nice to experience first-hand the good side of it after hearing so much of the bad.

Iowa Bound

2008-07-01T15:05:00.001-07:00

Just as the title of the blog indicates, another change has occurred that is taking me from Aspen to the flood plains of Iowa. Fits and spurts, that's how change occurs in my life.

I'm going to be a stipended employee of 'Hands On disaster Response' for the duration of their deployment in Iowa. Pretty sweet huh? Finally, I get a shot at doing what I want and not only that, but I'm going to get paid to do it--aw yeah!

I fly from Denver to Cedar Rapids on Thursday to start this adventure and will be there throughout the month of July and from there? who knows, hopefully the trend will continue and I can carry on with the work and continue to get paid. Fingers crossed.

so yeah, big doings people. big doings indeed.

This is a photo of the sandbagging effort to keep the flooding out of Clarksville.

outrage

2008-05-09T14:46:00.000-07:00

in the wake of something as catastrophic as a natural disaster, especially the cyclone that recently devastated Myanmar; the first logical step would be to let the people who specialize in helping after such events in to do their jobs.

Yet, day after day I read more reports of the junta denying aid that is essentially being laid out before them; the international community has stepped up by raising and allocating millions in aid dollars to help a country that at this point cannot help itself. Why is this isolationist regime more worried about getting votes on a referendum that would give them more power then helping those they rule? I understand that we don't have the best track record when it comes to foreign policy, and that for a time we supported the Monroe Doctrine, as we too opposed colonialism...but come on...what good is ardently supporting a policy if the end result is negligence on a massive scale?

why does this feel like a cover up? why did the gov't only estimate that 22,000 people were killed and now reports are saying that in all likelihood it's closer to 100,000+? Why is their gov't utilizing resources to chase out journalists instead of helping distribute aid and begin restoring their infrastructure? why are visas being blocked left and right and any aid that has been delivered being unused because of where it came from?

Disasters happen, and as our climate changes (causes TBD) they're going to be more and more frequent...no one is blaming the gov't for the cyclone--that's ridiculous, but the way they're handling or mishandling the efforts of the international aid community to help makes me outraged.

snowboarding

2008-02-20T15:09:00.000-08:00

The thugged out ballerinas of ice and snow glide gracefully through their frozen playground like packs of wild dogs, feeding off each others' energy, going bigger, faster, pushing their limits, all the while howling with delight.

Baggy jerseys, oversized pants and bandannas ruffle as the frigid air rips across the mountain; all that is seen is the surgical focus in their eyes as rails are hit and landings stomped. Rare is the sight of anger or frustration, for free riding is just that...free--free from judgment and constraints of life off the mountain; life melts away as the growling wind rushes past their ears as they sail, weightless through the air in graceful arcs, spinning and tweaking their bodies. The combination of power and raw athleticism that produces something so fluid and smooth seems extraordinary, until you strap in yourself and immediately understand that it could be no other way.

and now for something completely different...

2008-02-13T20:37:00.000-08:00

Early this morning I finally had "the talk" with Ken, my Peace Corps recruiter; I say finally because this man travels more then most salespeople do, and getting him on the phone was a tad more difficult then I had anticipated. So we talked.

Long story short, it doesn't look like Jeremey will be off to join the Peace Corps anytime soon and to be honest I'm a little relieved. I know that sounds weird but the further I got in "the process" the more I realized (and forgive the jargon about to be used) it was like jamming a round peg into a square hole...it ain't gonna work. What I'm looking to do and the types of programs and opportunities they offer didn't really synch...I mean, the computer literacy teacher position in E. Mungambo was tempting but somehow I wasn't drawn to it...weird. Or the vague "community service" positions in Asia and Europe didn't entice me either. I'm starting to think my heart wasn't in it at all...

Seriously though....wtf? I know that the types of positions offered are based on the needs of the individual countries, but it's Africa...you're telling me that a continent ravaged by decades of civil and political unrest, where genocide is an unfortunate fact of daily life and many go without for months at a time and they're telling me, that what they need most is an f'ing Computer Literacy teacher? Really? Now call me negative Nancy if you want but I'm pretty sure access to food and water on a consistent basis and not living in constant fear for their lives ranks a little higher then being taught how to network their computers (oh yeah, all those computers and laptops that are lying around that people are im'ing on as they're fleeing their homes--right). Call me bitter but I find it frustrating, as it completely destroys my tentative plan...which blows because for me to have a plan in the first place is pretty incredible.

so yeah...the Peace Corps, it didn't work out and now like a bitter ex-lover I spout my pain to the masses and grieve publicly...I haven't hit the ben & jerry's yet but it's day-to-day...then after that messy break-up conversation I went to Buttermilk and hit the park like a champion until I destroyed myself a couple times...

I'm going to bed.

Update

2008-02-12T22:27:00.000-08:00

Greetings and Salutations,

I hope this update finds you in good spirits with plenty of whatever you need close at hand. It's been a minute since my last update and to buck my trend of creative writing entries, I thought I would go crazy and try a going a little expository on that ass....aw, word.

Anyway, it's now day 5 in my latest saga...yes that's right; for the past 5 days I have been without heat or hot water and it pretty much sucks as bad as it sounds. Winter is cold. A house without heat, situated on a mountain in the middle of winter in the rocky mountains is cold. To relieve the bone-chilling temperature that the house has plummeted to most would turn to the shower...the refuge of the perpetually cold....ah, but that's right--no hot water. boo.

so my hair is greasy, my dirty clothes are piling up and shaving without the use of hot water is ripping my face apart...yea!

It's surprised me how much this has affected my general demeanor...I've been dirty before; in fact, I've gone days without bathing under conditions far smellier then this and been regular ol'me...this though, has definitely put me off my game a bit and it's annoying because the woman who owns the house hasn't been staying here while this ordeal has been going on...come rent time I believe I have what is commonly referred to as a "trump card."

so yeah, I'm cold and dirty but on the lighter side of things, one of my favorite people is coming to town in a couple of days and then two weeks from now I'm going to see some friends from NYC who're going to be in Breck. Man, my life in NYC seems like another lifetime...now that is truly crazy.

YYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

2008-01-27T09:28:00.000-08:00

Last night I was chillin at the bar after work enjoying a few moments of couch sitting in a posh environment...really quite nice and because I knew everyone working in the bar, I stayed after they shut the doors to continue partying...again, a nice perk.

About 10 mins after the doors were shut I see Lil' John at the door acting all crazy wanting to be let in so he could party. No dice. The bar manager and pretty much everyone in the bar nixed the idea and he had to go find someplace else to party. This happened two other times when some pro snowboarders and skiers (JJ Thomas and Peter Olenick) tried to get in.

I felt pretty pimp...but it would've been cool to have partied with them...I bet I'd be feeling a lot worse today if the night had gone that different direction.

Ah....the X-Games.

an unexpected surprise

2008-01-23T21:21:00.000-08:00

Remember when you were younger, and would wake up extra early on Christmas morning just to rush downstairs and marvel at the pristine pile of gifts that awaited your greedy little hands? How still the morning was; how absolutely packed with possiblity all those objects seemed to be bursting with?

Well, that's how I feel everytime I glide away from a chairlift, one foot secured to a board that, in my mind has the ability to transform an innoxious mountain run into a playground.

Two days ago I received an unexpected gift from the snowboarding gods...it came in the form of a lip at the end of a catwalk that I sighted from the chair I was riding. Currently I am making attempts to dial in the elusive 360...the gateway trick to snowboarding radness. What this means is that I will throw myself off any and all jumps in an attempt to bring my "game" to the next level. I have been met with mixed results thus far but what happened on this magical day casts a large shadow over all previous attempts.

...I won't bore you with the details...I landed a 540. What that means is that I did one and a half rotations and stomped the landing. OMG! It was one of those moments when it takes a second to fully realize the extent of your awesomeness...and then once that moment wears off, the only thing to do is to look around and make sure someone saw it. I needed a witness to coorborate my foray into the unknown world of advanced snowboarding trick-o-logy; that and I wanted to brag to someone that I did a trick that was WAY beyond anything that any of us had tried.

In hignsight, I realize how much luck was involved in landing said 5...but it's added fuel to the fire and I will continue to throw myself from kickers and catwalks alike until I have mastered the body control needed to land 3's and 5's with my eyes closed.

The jury's still out as to whether or not this is a good thing.

New addition

2008-01-20T22:18:00.001-08:00

With the delivery of my gear mere days away, I went out and completed the ensemble with these...if you can't tell by the camo, I'm pretty thugged out.

They're stiff as hell and make riding a lot different in a really good way; now I count down the seconds until I can put these puppies into some real bindings.

I am excited.

An Open Letter To Snow:

2008-01-15T23:30:00.000-08:00

Hey Snow...

So I know that we haven't exactly talked in awhile and it's cool, but I feel compelled to express myself and let you know where my head's at...so here it goes:

I like you. I know you get that a lot, but it's true. I love the sound my footsteps make as you're falling around me; that napkin between the fingers sound is somehow reassuring. The blanket of quiet that follows you around and mutes the absurdities of life is something I appreciate. You've been the reason that I want to get up early and play....regardless of the previous nights' activities. Your pristine whiteness beckons me; your silent siren song calls me to the mountains, gently nudging me to go one more run.

I know you've been working overtime this winter and I want you to know that your efforts aren't going unnoticed. The perma-grin's plastered across faces as they coast to the lift are thanks enough...it's said in the shaking of snow from goggles and hats; from the throngs of out-of-breath people who when have enough breath can only muster a yell from the bottom of their souls. These are the ways that people thank you almighty snow. We thank you for the bounty you've bestowed upon us thus far and hope that this is only the beginning.

It's funny, but you have the power to affect an entire community of people. When you fall, spirits lift; the purpose you give, knowingly or not is something that makes the innocence of a powder day special every time...and there have been plenty of special days so far.

Basically I just want to say thanks. I know you have a lot of places that would love to have you as a guest, and I hope you realize how happy you've made me and the people of Aspen this winter.

You know my steez...

2008-01-12T21:47:00.000-08:00

and if you don't then you best recognize.

Snowboarding. I love it. love it, love it, love it. and this being my second year shredding the sacred slopes of the Rocky Mountains, I sucked up and bought my own gear. sorta. I have new goggles, a new jacket, an ipod shuffle, and hopefully within two weeks I'll be receiving the crown jewel in this little equation...a 2007/2008 Burton Custom with Chrome Red Cartel Bindings--WOOT! I've been demo'ing it for the past couple days and it is incredible the amount of flex and pop this board has...way more then the caddy I've been pushing down the mountains for the past couple of weeks.

Needless to say that I am on my way to becoming a snowboarding superstar...if I ever find my battery charger for my camera, I hope to post some rad photos of hardcore shred-a-tude...oh it's gonna be good. real good.

Powder Dragons

2008-01-07T06:55:00.000-08:00

Some believe this is the year of the rat others don't believe years are associated with anything animistic and if you fall into one of those two categories you would be misinformed; this is the year of the powder dragon.

POWDER DRAGONS!!!

Juno

2007-12-26T22:50:00.000-08:00

As is apparent by the publicity photo below, I have recently viewed the movie 'juno.' Normally
I'm not one to comment about a movie beyond the customary nod of approval or disdain upon exiting the theater; or in some random "what'd you do last night"conversation the ensuing day, but I'm going outside my comfort zone on this one. This lil' guy right here took me by surprise...not having any expectations beyond knowing that it had won some film festival and that the guy from 'Superbad' was in it; it was just another film that took up some space in the seemlingly random sequence of thoughts that run through my head. Going to see a movie like this was a crap-shoot, one that could leave a bad taste in my mouth, but it had credentials, so I felt confident.

It was funny, well-written, had a unique soundtrack, was well acted and overall was a great movie where everyone in it, I felt, contributed something to the overall 'greatness.' Now I can say with complete confidence that I'll pretty much like anything in movie form--I'm a movie person. But it's rare that I will enjoy something so much that it gives me cause to write about it.

Juno is a good movie. Go see it--it's worth the ridiculous ticket price.

Snow Daze

2007-12-07T20:09:00.000-08:00

I remember waking up early in the morning on days when I knew snow was to fall the night before in the hopes that when I looked out the window, I would see a world transformed by clouds of fluffy whiteness. On the days the snow actually delivered on it's end of the bargin and draped the trees like a mink fur, I would pray to find my school on the ticker across the bottom of the TV screen telling me that my day would not be run by those authoritarians at school but by my endless reseviour of energy and whatever my imagination could muster.

Well today was one of those days; granted I'm no longer checking school listings, but the feeling of waking to a wonderland of whiteness where giant, sparkling flakes stack up showing you just how much fell, is the same. It was a snow day in Aspen, CO...and it was a beautiful one for gnar shredding where screams of joy were stifled by a constant stream of powder being thrown in your face because your waist-deep in Colorado gold. I could say more but...just let me tell you--it was a good day.

I am a happy man.

Peru

2007-12-04T17:41:00.000-08:00

Won’t lie…I feel like garbage…normally I don’t get sick, but here I am, typing away, lost in a haze of mindless TV; periodically going through coughing spasms that I imagine to be quite funny to outside observers, but in actuality are so very painful. On the upside, it gives me a chance to reflect on the past couple months, where I got the chance to devote my time and energy to something that makes sense to me. After so long of not knowing and being unsure about everything, feeling like I’m aimlessly drifting from point-to-point, passing time…to again, have the opportunity to go and do something that I believe in, to do something that gives me purpose was scary and fulfilling. It’s scary because floating is easier then working towards a goal, because once you have an objective—once you have something tangible to work towards—all the sudden, failure is possible; and no one likes to fail. And it’s not like I plan on saving the world (although that would be pretty ok with me), I just enjoy the feeling I get from being able to experience something new and different while being able to give something back, it’s kinda selfish really.

Anywho…Peru. On August 15^th 2007 an earthquake of debatable magnitude and duration, depending on whom you’re talking to, struck the west coast of Peru, with its epicenter near the port town of Pisco. Thousands of Peruavans had their lives shaken to pieces, 500 of them died and 35,000 homes were destroyed. Once I found out that my favorite disaster relief organization, Hands on Disaster Relief (http://www.hodr.org/) was deploying, I immediately made plans to spend my “off season” volunteering. When people ask me how it was, saying it was amazing or that it was a truly rewarding experience doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface. While true, I feel like it trivializes not only what happened but my experience as well, and not in a: ‘mighter then thou’ kinda way but in a: ‘words fail to express the overwhelmingness (yes, it’s a word) of the experience, and anything I say pales in comparison to actually being there and being a part of their re-construction.’ Whether it was clearing rubble in Pisco, so that families could build a temporary structure, playing with kids at a refugee camp who’ve had their lives turned upside down, building an irrigation channel in the rural village of Concon so that families could continue growing their crops, delivering aid to an extremely rural village 7+ hours up in the Andean foothills, where traditional dress is the norm and dinner was cooked on the side of the road, or building temporary classrooms and having them filled with Children a day after we completed them. That was how I spent two months, two months of embarrassing miscommunication, incredible food given as a gesture of thanks, and a constant shock at how families preserve under the greatest duress. I think it’s rather ironic that after being there I return to Aspen, one of the more affluent areas in the U.S, where packs of feral dogs don’t own the streets at night and the wind doesn’t carry a hint of sewage, where you won’t hear Reggaeton or Salsa music blasting from cars or street corner tiendas, where your safety isn’t questioned as you walk the streets at night, or have a woman breakdown as you clear away the material possessions she’s spent a lifetime amassing, in a home where she raised her family only to have her turnaround and ask us to eat with her as a way of thanking us. To do so much with so little as the vast majority of Peruvians do is both incredible and shaming at the same time. I am thankful for having had the opportunity to spend the time that I did with the communities in Peru, as it has reinforced in me a desire to go forth and see beyond my everyday and look to world for opportunities to help…cheesy, but true.

For someone who thought words would fail him, I’ve seemed to manage a couple on the subject…but I’m serious; my jigsaw recounting doesn’t do it justice. I’ve posted a ridiculous amount of photos here http://www.kodakgallery.com/, and it should be known that I may have taken one or two but that the majority has come from me poaching the photos of people who actually have an eye for that sort of thing. I suck with the camera. So yeah, Peru…it was bitchin’ and I’m sure I’ll post another blog or two on the subject…but for now, that’s all I got.

Soy Sucio en Peru

2007-11-19T16:06:00.000-08:00

This is just a little taste of what´s to come as my time in Peru comes to an end. I have photos aplenty to post as well as some thoughts (as soon as I gather them) to share with all of you out there in blogger land.

My dream...

2007-09-18T16:38:00.000-07:00

I have a dream, it smells like hot apple pie and feels like the frayed seems on an old baseball. My dream sounds like a John Philips Sousa march set to the explosion of fireworks. My dream is seen on a crisp fall evening when you can count your wishes on shooting stars. My dream tastes like a sweet kiss that brings butterflies into your stomach at the close of a first date.

I want to ride my dream like a surfer at Pipeline; barreling through its tube getting the ocean's mist on my face, seconds from getting caught in its hydraulic force then having the weight of the world fall squarely back on my shoulders.

I want my dream to run me into the ground; muscles cramping, lungs burning, out of breath and covered in the smell of determination, because my dream won't quit.

My dream is big enough where I don't have to choose, because no one choice can dictate forever. My dream evolves from simple to complex--it's anything and everything on a given day.

Damn it feels good to be a gangsta

2007-09-14T18:33:00.000-07:00

yeah dat's right y'all...I be chillin' at the muthafuckin libary now cause I told my teach to peep dis shit. I says to his bitch ass "yo, I'm bout to raise up out dis mutha cause you know dat dis shit be mad snoozin." Punk ass bitch got so scared he bout dropped one in front of me. So's now I'm chillin wit my bitches at da libary where I's get all my shit done...cause you know dat da libary be da dopest spot wit mad books n'shit. Yeah you know, I like to kick it by sittin back, rollin a fat ass blunt and readin some muthafuckin Bill Shakespeare. He's ma dogg. Don't nobody flow like my man Bill--he got all da bitches. I peeped dat movie, In love wit Bill Shakespeare and shit wit dat hot blonde chicken head all up on his jock n'shit. Damn, you know dat's how da J-Man be flowin when he be trying to get in da honey's draws and I be smooth too. Barry White ain't got shit on dis honkey...just call me white chocolate cause baby you know I comes hard, correct and strong. It's about time for be to blow this bitch cause you know I gotsta be gettin my education on. I gotsta go deal wit dis wack as teach who think he know all about what I'm thinking 'n' shit--wull I say fuck dat shit. I jus might put some chrome to his honkey ass and see who knows shit bout shit. I peep y'all lata...

piece.

Not my words...

2007-09-14T18:15:00.000-07:00

Security...what does this word mean in relation to life as we know it today? For the most part, it means safety and freedom from worry. It is said to be the end that all men strive for; but is security a utopian goal or is it another word for rut? Let us visualize the secure man; and by this term, I mean a man who has settled for financial and personal security for his goal in life. In general, he is a man who has pushed ambition and initiative aside and settled down, so to speak, in a boring, but safe and comfortable rut for the rest of his life. His future is but an extension of his present, and he accepts it as such with a complacent shrug of his shoulders. His ideas and ideals are those of society in general and he is accepted as a respectable, but average and prosaic man. But is he a man? has he any self-respect or pride in himself? How could he, when he has risked nothing and gained nothing? What does he think when he sees his youthful dreams of adventure, accomplishment, travel and romance buried under the cloak of conformity? How does he feel when he realizes that he has barely tasted the meal of life; when he sees the prison he has made for himself in pursuit of the almighty dollar? If he thinks this is all well and good, fine, but think of the tragedy of a man who has sacrificed his freedom on the altar of security, and wishes he could turn back the hands of time. A man is to be pitied who lacked the courage to accept the challenge of freedom and depart from the cushion of security and see life as it is instead of living it second-hand. Life has by-passed this man and he has watched from a secure place, afraid to seek anything better What has he done except to sit and wait for the tomorrow which never comes? Turn back the pages of history and see the men who have shaped the destiny of the world. Security was never theirs, but they lived rather than existed. Where would the world be if all men had sought security and not taken risks or gambled with their lives on the chance that, if they won, life would be different and richer? It is from the bystanders (who are in the vast majority) that we receive the propaganda that life is not worth living, that life is drudgery, that the ambitions of youth must he laid aside for a life which is but a painful wait for death. These are the ones who squeeze what excitement they can from life out of the imaginations and experiences of others through books and movies. These are the insignificant and forgotten men who preach conformity because it is all they know. These are the men who dream at night of what could have been, but who wake at dawn to take their places at the now-familiar rut and to merely exist through another day. For them, the romance of life is long dead and they are forced to go through the years on a treadmill, cursing their existence, yet afraid to die because of the unknown which faces them after death. They lacked the only true courage: the kind which enables men to face the unknown regardless of the consequences. As an afterthought, it seems hardly proper to write of life without once mentioning happiness; so we shall let the reader answer this question for himself: who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed?

-Hunter S. Thompson

words to live by

2007-09-07T20:46:00.000-07:00

Walk with the dreamers, the believers, the courageous, the cheerful, the planners, the doers, the successful people with their heads in the clouds and their feet on the ground. Let their spirit ignite a fire within you to leave this world better than when you found it.

-Wilferd Peterson

A Flash in the Pan...

2007-09-06T22:45:00.000-07:00

A moment. A brief something that inspires is all it takes to move someone.
Move them to write, to sing, teach, love, dance; to give form to their ideas in a way that makes them feel good.
So much in a moment. A moment has power; connections are made and lost in moments, where the world disappears and all you're left with is emotion; raw and naked, for that brief instance you're vulnerable and all you can hope for is a smile telling you that it's alright, that someone understands.

Devil's Punchbowl

2007-08-24T21:26:00.000-07:00

I went cliff jumping the other day...I've heard the spot referred to as both "punchbowl" and "devil's punchbowl." Personally I think adding the word 'Devil' makes it a little more badass so that's why the title is as such. it was pretty sweet. friggin' cold but sweet.

Hey Big Spender...

2007-08-24T20:04:00.000-07:00

that's right 'Mr. Not-so-subtle, don't want to tip you so I'll avoid any interaction where your services may be rendered;' I'm talking to you.

Since working in the "service" industry, or to be more high-falutin' about it, "the hospitality industry" I've met a wide variety of people--good and bad, and the common denominator in all interactions, especially working as a bellman, is money. Or to be more precise--tipping or a gratuity. I want your money because I like to eat and drink and have a "life." You on the other hand seemed to have lost the memo on this one because as of late your wallet, money clip or rubber banded pile of crap has stayed in your pocket; leaving me to believe you actually think I wear these pants that don't breathe, and shirt that looks more apropos on a character from Hawaii five-O because I think I look good rather then because I'm at work. Granted, my fashion sense has long been scrutinized...but come on buddy cough up a couple bucks...you're on fucking vacation. Wait a minute...you're on vacation in Aspen. Did I fail to mention that? Yeah, I work at a "hip" hotel in Aspen, CO, you know, where the water flows like wine and the women instinctively flock like the salmon of capistrano." Yeah, that Aspen--it ain't cheap here Sally and those who come to play and experience a rocky mountain high know that as well...so I reiterate, where's the money shithead?

Don't let this diatribe lead you to believe that I'm not cordial when in my snazzy work uniform--quite the contrary; I'm cordial, polite and professional...not an ass kissing, brown-noser whose smile drips with a smarmy demi-glaze at the sight of an expensive car, so again, why do you choose to ignore the services I offer?

What services do I offer you may ask? Well let me tell you: I take the luggage from your car (which is usually obscenely heavy for the two night stay your slated for) and will bring it up to your room where I will then point out a couple features of said room (because if I don't, you'll call down in two minutes asking how to work a thermostat) and will then valet your car at a ridiculous nightly rate (I got nothing here--we really screw you on this one). Now many of you are saying...well I could do all of that on my own, why should I tip for something when I really have no choice in the matter? Trick question. you always have a choice--because I always ask; and if you decline my offer of help, that's fine, it's when you receive my help and keep that wad in your pocket that I want to smack you. That, and chances are you're from sea-level or somewhere down below the almost 8,000 foot elevation that Aspen is nestled at; so while you're sucking wind just getting out of the car, try lugging the 47 pieces of luggage you couldn't leave home without up a flight of stairs and then tell me anyone can do it.

I'm not saying my job is hard--because it's not. It's laughably easy; I'm talking trained monkey easy, but just because I'm not performing open-heart surgery or closing million dollar deals doesn't mean you can overlook services provided...because while you may have the fancy clothes, expensive luggage, and a home in St. Barts you should remember this: Money can't buy class my friend.

A penny saved is a penny burned...

2007-07-23T22:02:00.000-07:00

Sandwiched between dreams and reality is an overworked and under-appreciated slave in a tacky uniform working their 3rd double in a row; forcing a smile and taking your shit because you need to exercise control over something as you piss away your savings on the 'vacation of a lifetime,' and they need the tip.

Fueled on coffee, grease and cigarettes you set out to the last bastion of American hope--the casino floor. The elastic waistband on your "comfort-sized" pants groans under the heft of yet another 'lumberjack' breakfast as you park your decidedly non-lumberjackian, double-wide excuse for an ass into a bucket seat at the nearest slot machine, and begin to feed it quarters. All because the XXL t-shirt you bought at the airport gift shop says "feelin' lucky." And the saddest part is that as you pump your savings into a machine designed to take your money, you don't even smile; your souless eyes, sucked dry from the super-oxygenated air and stale cigarette smoke, are dead...your golden years are spent hooked up to a machine, watching lights blink in a choreographed dance to the polyphonic jingle of games like 'Lucky Larry's Lobster Run' and 'Kabloom.'

Man...I cannot wait to retire.

Explanation

2007-07-22T13:30:00.001-07:00

Before this thing gets under way I feel it necessary to explain the title so that we're all on the same page. As defined, Punctuated Equilibrium is as follows: It's a theory in evolutionary biology, which states that most sexually reproducing species will show little change for most of their geological history. When phenotypic evolution occurs, it is localized in rare events of branching speciation (called cladogenesis), and occurs relatively quickly compared to the species' full and stable duration on earth. Good stuff.

How that pertains to me is based on observations I've made about my life and how it's progressed thus far; for you see my life seems to follow the tenets of the above theory in that change has not been gradual. All change related to my life has been in spastic jerks from one thing to the next...master of the smooth segue I am not.

So there you go...a little background before we get too far.