Bluebird Singing in the Dead of Night

Ed Bernays is really kind of interesting, but I was such a naive kid, I didn’t understand that when I first met him in 1989.

I was thinking about this this morning. I have come across and gotten to know a number of famous people in a specific field, that I really didn’t care about what they were really famous for/about. So Bernays is a great example. He was a really old man that could talk Freud and opera.

Hmmmm…hard to explain. It is a little Forrest Gump-ish in a way. Bernays and I would talk for hours, but I never really understood what he meant to the field I was studying, just that he was an interesting man. I was clueless as to the whole “background” and I wasn’t really curious enough to ask much other than what was offered. But I can count on two hands a number of people like him that I got to mine like an complete idiot, because I really didn’t know enough to have an opinion. Does that make sense?

I got to thinking about this because I started talking to a super famous person yesterday, but we talked about art. And it was a great conversation. Granted, it was a 30-minute thing, but it was very interesting. Then, I walked away thinking, “That guy knows art, very well.” But it still didn’t really register until this morning, that he is pretty famous. Well, super famous. And I was talking more about art and form and technical stuff than I really cared about him being famous. In fact, I thought so little of it, I didn’t even mention it to my wife or Brian. Then I was thinking about it…cool. But to me it will always be a very famous guy that knows art in a very interesting way.

The same as Bernays new psychology and opera and could talk hours and hours about it, but it really wasn’t public relations.

I have just been some weird places where you could talk to people that are very accomplished in one particular area, and you realize that that’s not the most interesting thing about them. It’s like if you talked to Ted Williams, and he told you he was a fisherman. Actually, same with, probably, Hemingway. Fisahermen. Not what they are famous for, for sure, but if you start the conversation about fishing instead of baseball or writing, bingo.

Rambled enough…

Check out this new scientific study about doodling.

It basically confirms everything I have ever said about doing art on scraps of paper while listening to a church sermon or a college lecture: you learn better and hear more when you doodle.

It’s kind of a bad thing for my art because it stigmatizes it even more, but I feel better that scientists can now confirm in proven studies what I have known all along and argued with many people about. The main one for me was church, and church services, because it looked like I wasn’t listening, but I was actually really tuned in. It just LOOKS like you’re distracted. Hence, my attempt to make doodles be artwork. I actually think that the brain cretes some incredible stuff when you are sitting still and listening with a good pen and something else in your hand.

Read more about how Gary Locke was/is treated like a rock star in China.

If Gary Locke, the former governor of Washington is named as commerce secretary, I’ll be a little nostalgic.

My first trip to China was foloowing him around on a commerce-like trip as governor. It’s a great choice if he passed the muster. No, really, this is a great pick. I’ve seen the guy in action up close and personal, and his wife is just as sharp of a knife in the drawer. I was really, really impressed with him on the whole trip…and remember, the thing we all kind of jaw-dropped over was that he was treated in China like a Head of State, not a head of a state…he’s very, very good.

My other very early morning comment is that being in Hawaii, it’s strange to think about the fact Hawaiians can argue things all the way to the Supreme Court…the lands claim in brief is here. It’s weird because this is just a blip, if that, on the mainland, but this is literally a state issue that can effect things for generations. I mean, this is the biggest thing in the news here in “years and years” two different local broadcasters have declared. And they are doing live updates about it every 15 minutes.

But think how far away that is, and having an effect here. Wherever you are it just passes by, but these people have about a third of their entire state hanging on this D.C. ruling. Frankly, I’d probably pull a Judge Bolt-like decision and call a treaty a treaty and rule against the government. They made a poor business decision and, it sucks, but, you signed it. A contract is a contract. Do I think it’s correct…nope. But I think the contract law should win out.

Today’s homework of what we’re doing is power driving at 8 a.m. for an hour or so to South Point, then snorkling and putzing around various parks, including the place of last refuge, and working are way into the town for lunch, then ending with a private your of the seahorse thingy. All followed by three parents collapsing at the pool and declaring it over. It’s like the middle of vacation triathalon day.

Aloha!

Driving me nuts that I can’t find a pair of the Keen sandals I want that fit right. It’s not like some places don’t have the sizes, it’s just finding the right sole and fit with socks on and off.

But one person said, “Oh, you never should wear them with socks.

See, I wear these year-around. I can throw wool socks on and wear them. They are the most comfortible shoes, all of them I own, I have ever worn. I have beaten one pair almost to death. But I just have to find the right fit.

Hungarian peasant woman on sterioids?

Or the rock star guy on survivor Hawai’i?

Hehe. Yesterday was swim the dolphins, today was just acting like cowboys in Waimea. Funky little town. I have more pictures to post later, because we actually went over to the “wet” side today and then went to a overlook that is higher than almost every point on the Grand Canyon (really). It actually wasn’t much of a drive, but it is still pretty “wow factor.” The kids are also getting use to the elevations and how fast they change. Hell, I’m getting use to that…you go from sea level to 3,000 or 5,000 feet in NOTHING. We were tracking it on the GPS and it was pretty amazing. And the road we bailed on was going to be a 25% grade for one mile. Picture a roller coaster at the local amusement park.

Tomorrow is coffee and history lessons. It’s also, literally, the exact middle of the trip. Geeze it goes fast.

I’d post pictures, but I haven’t found a secure, reliable connection.

But I want to shout out to Hawaiian Airlines…I always forget how much I appreciate flying on their planes until I do it everytime.

We have a really old cat. She is like taking care of a geriatric pain in the ass. We clean her and just generally make sure all is good everyday. But we are planning a vacation, and we can’t do that. My instincts are that she is borderline being put to sleep. But she is still just enough of a tough ol’ bitch, we opted for boarding her at the vet. I get puzzled over this. She is seriously old. Like older than we even thought. It’s obvious her kidneys are not doing well and the body is breaking down. But she is just enough of a bitch and not enough of a pain in the ass to do it. She is holier than thou in her general “fuck off” to all the other pets and they leave her alone.

It’s kind of a good reminder that all pets are different. I don’t think she is suffering and she really isn’t much trouble other than some grooming help by Big A here and there. So we decided just to board her, and do it at a vet, knowing that if something goes wrong, they can shoot to kill. We know she is really, really old, and we know her breed is not suppose to live this long.But who wants to come back from vacation with a dead cat? My point. But, on the other hand, I think she doesn’t have any pain and every vet confirms that, in their opinion, and she’s still feisty and bitchy, so let her be, in a way.

Meanwhile, Mutt and Jeff are roaming around the house like the King and Queen of Siam. No dogs. No bitchy Rabine. Pure rights to everything! It’s like a Far Side cartoon. “Now that we call this new administration to order, our first act will be that all cats get to be on all beds all the time!”

No, they seriously are acting like they “won.” but here’s the thing. I have them trained well enough, they don’t even mess with me. I mean unless I call them on command. There is nothing, because I have never given them and inch over the years. Dogs are (mostly) the same way. I can break up bad behavior in the cats with a good glare. I love that about having pets that are in your house over years and years and years.

It always reminds me of one of my favorite lines ever in a movie (I think it was Elisabeth Shue, but I can’t remember): “Don’t fuck with the babysitter.” Hey! I was right! I don’t aim that straight very often.

The point being that these pets should remember the old days of pets. Or go live on a farm. It’s a pretty sweet life they have.

And I have zero regrets about it.

Ken Griffey, Jr. is back with the Mariners.

Sure, he is old in baseball years, and he will probably get hurt. But it’s still pretty nostalgic cool.

See, when he was in his prime, I can’t imagine having watched a greater baseball player that has ever lived. He’s also probably the greatest professional athlete to ever play in Seattle. Some people are very cynical about this, but I have been yelling about being on the bandwagon since October. (See here. And here.)

I also get sentimental because he was the very first person I ever actually talked with in a major league clubhouse. He was playing Super Mario Bros. and we were almost exactly the same age.  It was the first week of the 1989 season.

My neighbor has friends that super-duper low buzz his house. They did it again today.

The thing is, I kind of like it as I’m working. These are great pilots and good guys. Usually it’s a reminder to drop my brush or quit typing. Happens about once every month or two.

I was thinking about this today. If you live on a golf course, you expect broken windows from errant golf balls, right? Well, if you live on an airport, you get buzzed once in a while by a very in control airplane. But that is the difference between P and , frankly, Big A and me. We grew up on the airport. It just IS.

P would be happy with a cookie cutter house and blah blah blah…I like the airplane stuff that goes on around a relatively busy small airport. I like my community. I like hearing the different engines of different plans and knowing who is who as they take off without even needing to look.

So if they want to buzz my neighbor and say hello, go for it. It’s what gives where I live value and character.