Jan 2010 Haitian Benefit House Concert

Haitian benefit Jan 2010


Xmas 2009 in Portland

Xmas eve
Xmas day
Family shots
Children's Museum


2008-02-12-Julian-Knee

Julian's knee one week after surgery


2007-12-07-08-Gwyneth
2007-12-11-Gwyneth
2007-12-17-Gwyneth
2007-12-19-Gwyneth
2007-12-20-22-Gwyneth
2007-12-24-25-Christmas-with-Gwyneth
2007-12-24-Gwyneth-and-Harold
2007-12-25-Julian-and-Gwyneth

Xmas 2007 with Gwyneth


2007-12-22-Guillermo-Concert-Tournai

Guillermo's concert in Tournai


2007-12-22-Erwin-Diaz

Paintings by Erwin Diaz


2007-12-21-Guillermo-Concert-Maubray

Guillermo's concert in Maubray


2007-12-20-Brussels-Eponine-La-Pena

Brussels: Flavia, Eponine, Sole --- La Pena at Erwin's house


2007-12-17-18-Erwin-Casa-Guillermo-Casa

At Erwin's house and Guillermo's house


2007-12-15-16-Brussels-Grand-Place-Waterloo-Abbey

Brussels Grand Place, Waterloo, Villers Abbey


2007-12-15-Pocahontas-in-Flemish-in-Brussels

Guillermo's daughter, Sarah, in Pocahontas in Flemish in Brussels


2007-12-14-Rubenshuis-Antwerp-Belgium

Rubenshuis - Antwerp, Belgium


Dec 2007 Speaking in Antwerp

Speaking in Antwerp Dec 2007


2007-12-11-12-Antwerp-Belgium

Antwerp, Belgium


2007-12-07-08-Prague

Prague's Museum of Communism (and Sun's office --- nice juxtaposition!)


2007-12-07-gwyneth-carr-zufelt

Gwyneth Carr Zufelt

Hi Grandpa. I just arrived. It was a rough time for me but my Mom was great and did a wonderful job of bringing me into the world. I weigh 7 pounds 1 ounce and am super healthy. I can't wait to meet you. Here are some pictures my Dad took when he first meet me a couple of hours ago. I hope you like them and he said to call tomorrow when you get some time.

Love,
Gwyneth Carr Zufelt

From Jasmine the next day:

Hello Everyone. Yesterday was the big day. Bruce and I arrived at the hospital at 5 a.m. on Friday and spent the day in labor. Gwyneth made her way into the world at 4:55 pm. Not too bad of a day. She weighed in at 7 pounds 1 ounce and she is nearly 20 inches long at 19 3/4. Our new little family is doing well as we actually got some sleep during last night. We should be leaving the hospital first thing Sunday morning.

Talk to all of you soon.
Jasmine


2007-12-02-05-Frankfurt-Germany

Sun Tech Days, Frankfurt-Germany

I arrived in Frankfurt last Sunday. Even though I hadn't slept on the overnight flight I stayed on my feet and walked near the river then through the old town---lots of street shops selling sweets and "hot dogs". Once the sun went down I went to my hotel room and slept for eleven hours.

I had hoped, while in Frankfurt, to go hear jazz at the world famous Jazzkeller (jazz cellar). Unfortunately it was not open on Monday and Tuesday nights when I could go.

So, other than the conference and eating at da Nico's I didn't see much of Frankfurt. Da Nico's was the source of the short poem I sent a few days ago:

da Nico

mixed gas
sin salad
flower candle lower

speaking table German Italian food
should neighborhood you in be

stir the soup

It’s 8pm Tuesday in Frankfurt.
I’m eating in an Italian
restaurant near the hotel.
As they say, "wish you
were here."


What I had for dinner:

mixed green salad
minestrone soup
spaghetti bolognese
aqua sin gas

16.30 Euro

And I went to the hotel gym in the mornings rather than ride the trams and metros for sounds for my Funicular poem series. But I rode just a little, coming back from Jazzkeller (when I found out it was closed for a private party) and on my way to the main station to take a train to the airport. That's where I got the little bit of sound for "flew heaven".

flew heaven


real pure lick
hot flan off
face hall
fugue have end

I really did fly to heaven from the flughaven (airport) and made it to Prague on Wednesday night.


2007-11-15-16-Venus-Flowers-for-Flavia

Venus' flowers for Flavia (from Hana)


2007-11-11-Jasmine-Bruce-Pregnant-Portland

Harold visiting pregnant Jasmine and Bruce in Portland


2007-10-27-Phillip-Kate-Harold-peace-march

Phillip, Kate, Harold (and Mark) playing at peace march

Photos by JoAnn Wong


2007-10-27-Charlotte-book-release

Charlotte's book release lecture at Utah Humanities Book Festival

Pictures taken by Phillip Bimstein (except last by JoAnn Wong)


2007-10-21-Kihei-Paia-Maui

Morning goodbye to Venus and Chiara (with Brendan and kids); evening on beach before going to airport for night flight


2007-10-20-beach-near-Kihei-Maui-room-afterwards

Beach near Kihei, Maui - our room afterwards


2007-10-19-Hana-and-return

Hana sunrise and return drive


2007-10-18-drive-to-Hana-Maui

Drive to Hana,Maui (and stay overnight)


2007-10-17-Iao-Maui

Iao State Park, Maui


2007-10-16-Lahaina-Maui

Flavia's birthday in Lahaina, Maui


2007-10-15-snorkel-north-of-Lahaina-Maui

Snorkeling north of Lahaina, Maui


2007-10-14-Kihei-Maui-from-balcony-Brendan-pool

First day in Maui from our balcony


2007-10-11-Mom-April-Peggy-August-Phillip-Charlotte-Dinner-Our-House

Mom, April, Peggy, August, Phillip, Charlotte, Helenka: dinner at our house


2007-10-03-John-Geoff-Harold-Jazz-Green-Street

John, Geoff, Harold playing at Green Street


2007-10-02-Jasmine-Pregnant-Julian-Flavia-Harold-SLC

Pregnant Jasmine visiting us in SLC


2007-09-30-Julien-birthday

Julien's birthday


2007-09-29-Jasmine-baby-shower

Jasmine's baby shower at Amanda's parent's house


2007-09-15-28-29-Ken-Sanders-store-and-house

Ken Sanders - store and house

Pictures taken by JoAnn Wong.


2007-09-13-Charles-Potts-at-Ken-Sanders

Charles Potts at Ken Sanders

Pictures taken by JoAnn Wong.


2007-09-09-Harold-Suni-backyard

Harold and Suni - buddies in our backyard


2007-08-31-Bountiful-Peak-with-Suni

Bountiful Peak with Suni


2007-08-26-Venus-Sonoma

Venus funny face in Sonoma


2007-08-18-Red-Rock-Rondo-Davis-County

Red Rock Rondo Davis Arts Council publicity shot


2007-08-18-09-16-KeyBank-demolition-and-kennecot

KeyBank demolition and Kennecott from Harold's window


2007-08-03-06-Portland

Visiting Jasmine and Bruce in Portland (and checking out Bend)


2007-07-12-microsoft-plugfest

July 2007 Microsoft Plugfest


2007-06-24-07-01-Zurich-Rapperswil

Zurich and Rapperswil

I presented at jazoon in Zurich


2007-04-29-red-rock-rondo-zion-park-laura-bush/

Red Rock Rondo (and Jasmine) in Zion Park (with Laura Bush)

Red Rock Rondo performed at the rededication of the nature center at Zion National Park. (Note: after we agreed to play we learned that Laura Bush would speak. Although we disagree with her husband's policies, the fact that she is spending a week with friends hiking in Zion Park is a good thing.)


2007-04-29-Red-Rock-Rondo-with-Laura-Bush-official-photo

Red Rock Rondo with Laura Bush - official white house photo


2007-04-26-buk-cd-release-at-ken-sanders

Harold, Geoff, Joe play jazz at Bukowski CD release at Ken Sanders

These photos taken by Flavia


2007-04-26-Harold-Geoff-Joe-jazz-at-Bukowski-CD-release-at-Ken-Sanders

Harold, Geoff, Joe play jazz at Bukowski CD release at Ken Sanders

These photos taken by Sherm Clow


2007-04-23-Harold-Julien-Flavia

Tending Julien


2007-04-15-Ensign-Peak-hike-with-Suni

Ensign Peak hike with Suni


2007-03-31-04-07-Chile

At Tia Alberto's house; in our apartment; at the airport


2007-03-31-flavia-harold-zapallar-chile

Flavia and Harold in Zapallar, Chile


2007-03-30-flavias-harold-pacifico-algarrobo

Eating at Hotel Pacifico in Algarrobo with Flavia's mom


2007-03-28-tios-tias-cochoa

Flavia's Tio and Tias in our Cochoa apartment


2007-03-24-25-justo-flavias-sole-harold-klatsch-brighton

Justo, Flavia, Sole, Harold at Klatsch; Flavias, Justo at Brighton


2007-03-23-flavias-primas

Flavia's cousins


2007-03-15-21-argentina

buenos aires


2007-03-11-Marti-de-Salvatierra-400-Vina-del-Mar-250K

house in vina for richard (for $250K)

Marti de Salvatierra 400
Vina-del-Mar-250K


2007-03-10-valparaiso

valparaiso


2007-02-05-suni-treat

suni with a treat


2007-02-04-flanders-miller-carr-recording

flanders, miller, carr recording with sherm


2007-01-06-eminance-bass

eminence bass


2007-01-01-alex-setenai-new-year-party

alex and setenai's new year party


2006-12-17-venus-chiara-sonoma

with venus and chiara in sonoma


2006-12-07-12-suni-in-shirt-with-bone

suni in a shirt and with a bone


2006-11-23-princeton-tree-damage

Princeton tree damage


2006-11-12-Prague

2006-11-12-Prague


2006-11-10-11-Prague

Prague


2006-11-05-Lacoste-France

2006-11-05-Lacoste-France


2006-11-03-04-Lacoste-France

2006-11-03-04-Lacoste-France


2006-10-29-11-02-DOA-Montpellier-France

2006-10-29-11-02-DOA-Montpellier-France


2006-09-21-10-16-Misc-Jasmine-Portland-Flavia-Birthday

In Portland with Jasmine and Bruce - and in Southern Utah on Flavia's birthday


2006-09-08-poetry-bus-at-ken-sanders

poetry bus at ken sanders

poetry bus

poetry at Sanders
& her tanned shoulders
one after another
authors all
older than sound

checkmate meaning crisscross

just testing jests
the poet
should her answer call
off streaming creeks lakes books
books books voice in page
say heart or brain or joke &
some sound mumble tone
says softly seeming visit
or living here all mingling
stumbling down trusts the poet

he she mostly he
sings their say hear
& why worry
about being behind
time or even
ahead oddly posted often if
blest hymn


2006-09-04-Hiking-with-Andrew-in-Killyon

Hiking with Andrew in Killyon Canyon


2006-08-18-19-painting-performance-party-porch-picnic

painting, performance, party, porch, picnic

On Friday we went to Michael Lucarelli's art opening "lyrical meditations, " followed up by attending the John Flander's and Double Helix concert at Westminster (the inaugural performance for the series that we will play with Red Rock Rondo in May 2006). After the concert we went to Michael and Shayla's birthday party.

The next morning we spent the morning on the porch and in the garden, followed by a hike to Dog Lake from MillCreek Canyon with Phillip and Charlotte.

defined horizon 1

                 —for Phillip, Charlotte, Flavia & Suni

out in the mountains
looking down
on the destined horizon


2006-08-15-16-millcreek-dog-lake-backpack

Millcreek Canyon, Dog Lake backpack with Julian and Suni

the wind intermittently in
a thousand pines
roar of the city
down valley

memory of last night’s
ligthning—near but no
rain or how
my dog wandered while
the moon moved over
our heads—my son & I

in our tents dreaming
of the sun lightening
the sky like last night’s
lightning repeating itself

each day we sleep
on solid ground

more wind
more sun
more dreams

before it rises from inside
the tent the world
sounds like wind

nothing we
need to do nowhere
we need to
go but pack
& hike home
to our lists


2006-08-13-millcreek-dog-lake-with-julian-suni

Millcreek Canyon to Dog Lake with Julian and Suni

hiking with my son
he's ahead
instead
of
little


2006-08-11-red-rock-rondo-recording-at-hercs

Red Rock Rondo recording at Hercs


2006-08-05-07-red-rock-rondo-springdale-torrey

Red Rock Rondo playing in Springdale and Torrey


2006-07-29-Anke-Kate-Bill-Harold-Homestead

Gig with Anke, Kate, Bill at the Homestead (with Flavia)


2006-07-24-city-creek-harold-flavia-suni-daniel

City Creek - Harold Flavia Suni
(and ran into Daniel and his son)


2006-07-22-notch-lake

Notch Lake


2006-07-21-in-utah-this-week

Our home and us in "in Utah this week"


2006-07-17-suni-and-harold-at-home

Suni and Harold at home


2006-07-15-silver-island-mountains

Silver Island Mountains


2006-07-03-millcreek-elbow-to-terrace

Millcreek---Elbow to Terrace

the 4th of July

men
working in ditches
below the surface of the road women
working the

safety flags

the day before the

fourth of July

flags flying already
little orange ones marking
the new sprinkling system

the system seems or seemed
to work the system
of the fourth flags
still flying
the traffic lights

work too another
part of the
system or the fact

that we don’t kill
each other when we
meet unknown

breath
the domain of yogis &
Olson and all &
everything Tibetan
prayer flags flapping

in the mind of the absent
wind

breath sweat
yarrow oak
wild rose

half-dead tree
at the high-point
of the trail
mountain mahogany

goats beard ready to
go near the
yarrow at the turn of the
trail

Russian thistle
back near the road
thirty-one words for waterfalls
in the stream log jams
rock pours sand bars

it’s hard to breathe
beneath the water rocks
touching
but not
speaking
dog’s memory

takes a turn
towards what
we’ll never know
perhaps see dead
animal
in a bush dead
tree in the steam dead
flies on the rocks
dead
dog’s tired
end of trail


2006-07-02-killyon-jasmine-julian-flavia-harold-suni

Killyon Canyon with Jasmine, Julian, Flavia, Harold, Suni


2006-07-01-wolverine-julians-jump

Wolverine---Julian's Jump Site


2006-06-25-25-utah-arts-festival

2006 Utah Arts Festival


2006-06-21-red-rock-rondo-at-krcl

Red Rock Rondo at KRCL

-->
2006-06-20-julien

Julien Markewitz


2006-06-16-17-red-rock-rondo-at-mountainwest-songfest

Red Rock Rondo at Mountainwest Songfest

   lecture on music

       for/by Phillip Bimstein

tick
    by
    tick the
clock uses
time

while the story
of songs is
told

at one

place about
another

his words
about another's

      harmonica

turned into song
like you like to do it
take the wheat down
the way we did it
about as much out
as it is in

      baseball

the voice of one man
selling beer for forty
years

      guitar

an
active
participant
in the tick

spruce top maple
sides & back
steel
strings

      ghosts

her words his
words
two young girls
back & forth
kill on a busted swing
    (forever)
---that deserves a song

      moo

history into story
   ---an accident
the cows won't speak

      detention

but

kids

in jail

have plenty to
say

      quilts

now
spinning on track four
pretty quilts

on the
line
called the sheriff
red lights flashing down
at the junction all
I want is my
money

      mulberry

meanwhile, back in
town, after the first
hard frost, the leaves
in mounds on the
ground---gone
no place for trees
anymore

      frogs

slowed way down
like rocks
like melody
in water

      rancher rap

sample
splice
sing
loop
strum
strike

echo imitate bow


2006-05-22-26-house-range-with-phillip

Hiking the House Range with Phillip

IBEX

I

"Letting this indifferent difference come to presence."
---Maurice Blanchot, Awaiting Oblivion

No sentences make the mountain. Only sweat. Or windy silence.
A bird---probably with a name---but for now, small---and blue.
Then voice leading past powerful secrets, towards an
ancient word that wants to be heard again without speaking.
All this---bee buzz---flies---bristlecone pine.

Today, no movement, nor waiting. Instead, open to rock,
to the fly rubbing its forearms together, to the cawing crow.
Birds---long, throaty descending whistle---chirps---a cackle---
while a butterfly flaps its wings without making a sound.

A kind of forgetting to get there---not to be practiced
on the trail. The beginning took place when the waning crescent
moon---just a sliver---proceeded the sun. Once risen, casting
long shadows over Confusion Range---west, towards Wheeler Peak
on the horizon.

Closer at hand, Notch south, Swasey north,
Pine & Howell between. A mutual respect for solitude
rather than "go there". To be here without leaving.
A kind of 2nd existence closer to the cliffs that seem
somehow opposed to life. Peeing on dirt---digging the dung hole.

Jets pass overhead. Their absence signifies unknown news.
Rocks exist side-by-side, touching, unconcerned with
each other. Even when gone they're here---snow, rain, sun---
as far as the eye can see.

At night, our galaxy rising like clouds over the east horizon.
The steam from the tea kettle---coyote's flaming tail.
Back to rock---time in three dimensions. Or the night
sky---all time at once. Galaxies like grains of sand in the
empty form of a very large number.

A coincidence between place & attention. Again, back
to the equality of rock---the absence of a center---roots splitting
even the hardest in two, or four, or more---still equal to itself & all.

Blooming yarrow whose stalks portend the beginning of an
endless past. What response to the tail-less lizard
or the endless sun but the dry lakebeds in the
desert below or snowtipped peaks at points on the
circle of the horizon---only blocked, to the south, by the
sheer cliff face of Notch Peak. Breathing confirms it
is there, just as, earlier, sweat & strong heartbeats say this
is no illusion surpassed by itself. The presence of this place
even when gone. No need for a word to be here.

Vast is a word. Empty another. An emptiness filled with
motionless motion. Starlings surf the ridge---crows soar
up & down the cliffs forgetting eternity. It started in
the east and moved through the blue---heating rock with its silent
motion. Cars moving slowly on the highway below, jets far
overhead, and near at hand, an ant carries off a speck of lunch
larger than itself.

    Clouds & contrails break the blue. Jets
break the silence of the buzzing flies. Gaze glances off
bristlecone pine into words that have never met them.
In other words, the high cirrus dimming the strength of the sun
as it descends to the west---the west only in the abstract poverty
of words. Still it continues down toward Mt. Morain.

II

"Keeping watch over that which is not watched over."
---Maurice Blanchot, Awaiting Oblivion

The difference between memory & mountain. The temperature
changes from moment-to-moment within an overall expected
trajectory. Shadows forming of the eastern slopes. Granite, Limestone.
Somewhere an ocean once here. The visible trace left is
the face of Notch Peak. A visible absence. The presence of
something long gone---or not so long ago---and, perhaps, again.
Each layer an indifferent difference forgetting the life
that gives it life now.

The attraction of expanse---a kind of gravity
of mountains or vertigo of cliffs---beckons a presence
it does not need nor know. The road here to where
the road comes before it existed. The way here is also
the way home---but not yet---another night approaches
with all the time in the world. Distances disappear.

The portion of space causing time to reappear---suspended
between then & now---occupying all distance present everywhere.
A beetle crossing the same ground as the earlier ant casting
a long shadow in the late afternoon sun. A moth on a rock
vibrating its horizontal wings---then gone in a moment of
inattention.

Four fragments further along a future far from here---a place
different but no less identical. And, like last night,
mosquitoes in the last hour of sun.

Slowly the desert disappears
in darkness---finally only lit by stars turning overhead.

Morning---Venus---moon.
Later, contrail shadow touching ground.


2006-05-15-17-JavaOne

JavaOne


2006-04-15-blue-haiku-music-box

blue-haiku at Music Box (Rose Wagner)


2006-04-13-15-Home-Suni-Cat-Bird

Home with Suni, Cat and Bird


2006-03-31-04-02-California

Listening to music in California


2006-03-20-22-Harold-Birthday-Cake

Harold birthday cake


2006-03-11-12-Jasmine-Bruce-Portland

With Jasmine and Bruce in Portland


2006-03-04-suni-at-salty-dogs

Picking up suni from Salty Dogs


2006-03-03-walk-before-leaving-renaca

Walk before leaving Renaca


2006-03-02-apartment-with-tias

Apartment-with-tias


2006-03-01-RenacaHouseForSale

Renaca house for sale


2006-02-28-RenacaConconZapallarOurCar

Renaca driving, Concon lunch and Zapallar beach - and our car in Chile


2006-02-28-ForRentSaleRenacaConconZapallar

For Rent and For Sale in Renaca, Concon and Zapallar


2006-02-27-BoatSunset

Boat Sunset


2006-02-26-HaroldFlaviaValparaiso

Harold and Flavia in Valparaiso


2006-02-25-HaroldFlaviaCachaguaPenguins

Harold and Flavia in Cachagua - with Penguins


2006-02-OurPlaceInCochoaRenaca

Our place in Cochoa - my "office"


2006-02-20-Zapallar

Harold and Flavia in Zapallar


2006-02-18-FamilyCochoa

Justo, Sole, Flavia, her Mom, Harold and Jorge in Cochoa


2006-02-17-18-FlaviaSoleCachagua

Flavia and Sole in Cachagua


2006-02-08-12-QueenMaryWhiteHouseZapallar

Queen Mary, White House (casino), Zapallar


2006-01-21-Suni

Suni back in Utah (with his recovering sciatic nerve)


2006-01-16-ValparaisoWithErnestoLoretoChiara

Valparaiso with Ernesto, Loreto and Chiara


2006-01-10-ValparaisoWithVenusAndChiara

Valparaiso with Venus and Chiara


2006-01-08-FlaviasMomsBirthday

Flavia's Mom's Birthday Party at Justo and Patti's house


2006-01-02-14-GroupoAquaAndMore

Group Aqua in Santiago, Esmeralda/Cochoa, Moonrise/Valpo, Painting/LaSebatiana (and more)


2005-12-21-2006-01-01-Chile

Chile 2005 Xmas and New Year


2005-12-10-FlaviaAndSuniBottomOfStairs

Flavia and Suni


2005-11-25-Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving


2005-11-22-BruceJasmineJulianHaroldSuniBruni

Bruce, Jasmine, Julian, Harold, Suni, Bruni in City Creek and on porch


2005-11-20-PhillipsBirthdayInMoab

Phillip's birthday in Moab


2005-11-20-BlueHaikuAtDelicateArch

blue haiku at Delicate Arch


2005-11-20-bluehaikuAtDelicateArchByPhillip

blue haiku at Delicate Arch (photos by Phillip)


2005-11-14-bluehaikuAtGenesis

blue haiku at Genesis

blue haiku performed Phillip's new piece lockdown at the Genesis Youth Corrections Facility at the prison complex at the point-of-the-mountain.


2005-11-13-JasmineAndBrucesHouse

Jasmine and Bruce's house


2005-11-08-SeattleAndMicrosoftPlugfest

Seattle and Microsoft Plugfest


2005-10-23-Landcruiser-1982-FJ60

1982 FJ-60 Landcruiser


2005-10-21-AlexFlaviaHaroldMcEntire

Alex Caldiero, Flavia, Harold at Frank McEntire opening

Flavia and I performed with sonosopher Alex Caldiero at the David Ericson Fine Art Gallery for the opening of Frank McEntire's "Small Acts of Devotion."


2005-10-16-WendoverDragRaces

Wendover Drag Races


2005-09-21-HaroldAndSuni

Harold and Suni


2005-09-10-PeoaCowBalletPhillipCraig

Peoa Cow Ballet with Phillip and Craig


2005-09-10-AvenuesStreetFairWithAnke

Avenues Street Fair with Anke Summerhill


2005-09-03-KilyonHikeWithVenusChiaraFlaviaSuniH

Kilyon Canyon Hike with Venus, Chiara, Flavia, and Suni


2005-08-28-29-UintasBenchLakeBackpackWithSuni

Unitas Bench Lake backpack with Suni


2005-08-14-UintasBenchLakeFlaviaSuni

Unitas Bench Lake hike with Flavia and Suni


2005-08-13-AtGeorgiasWithSuni

At Georgia's with Suni


2005-08-07-CharlotteHaroldTikaOnPorch

Charlotte Bell, Harold, Suni on porch


2005-07-29-TikaMemoryGroveLastPicturesByVenus

Tika in Memory Grove - last pictures taken by Venus


2005-07-23-25-SuniTikaBuddiesRedButteEmigrationHike

Suni and Tika Backporch Buddies, Suni on Emigration Canyon Hike


2005-07-16-dreamthefuture

dream the future

Flavia and I just returned from Paonia, Colorado where I did a poetry performance at The Dreamtime Festival. Art Goodtimes, poet, county commissioner, founder of "Talking Gourds", invited me to participate. I was lucky and got assigned Saturday night at midnight, the height of the festival, right between the two main bands: Kan'Nal and Hamsa Lila.


2005-07-13-UintasBenchLakeWithJasmine

Uintas Bench Lake hike with Jasmine


2005-06-25-26-UtahArtsFestival

2005 Utah Arts Festival


2005-06-14-17-HaroldJulianJulienTikaSuni

Harold and Julian and Harold and Julien


2005-06-12-TikaGroomingInMemoryGrove

Grooming Tika in Memory Grove

Even thought Tika can only make it to the bridge from the entrance now, she still gets excited about going for a walk.


2005-06-10-TikaSuniBuddies

Tika and Suni - buddies

After Memory Grove Tika and Suni slept together - back-to-back.


2005-06-10-TikaInMemoryGrove

Tika in Memory Grove

I was preparing Suni for a walk. First time it seemed I should leave Tika at home, she's so weak. But as I was putting the leash on Suni I could hear Tika inside the house crying to go with us. So I went in and helped her up. Once on her feet she headed straight for the back door and then the back gate to get in the car.


2005-06-08-09-JimHappAndTika

Jim Happ and Tika

Jim came all the way from California to see Tika.


2005-06-04-05-TikaSuniMemoryGroveNorthCanyon

Memory Grove and North Canyon


2005-05-31-NorthCanyonWithAndrewAndSuni

North Canyon with Andrew and Suni


2005-05-28-29-TikaSuniPorchMemoryGrove

Tika and Suni on our Porch and in Memory Grove


2005-05-21-VenusChiaraBerkeleyGraduation
2005-05-21-VenusChiaraGraduationParty
2005-05-22-VenusChiaraGraduationWarmSpringsHouse
2005-05-22-VenusChiaraGraduationHousePool
2005-05-22-VenusChiaraGraduationJimsHouse
2005-05-22-VenusChiaraGraduationPoker
2005-05-23-WarmSpringsPorchFarewell

Venus and Chiara's UC Berkeley Graduation


2005-05-16-17-SuniInSunglasses

Suni in sunglasses


2005-05-15-CharlottesBirthdayParty

Charlotte's Birthday Party at our house


2005-05-11-JulienMarkewitz

Julien and Harold watching basketball playoffs


2005-04-16-17-DadsHeadstoneAndEnsignHike

Dad's Grave and Hike above Ensign Peak

Yesterday Flavia and I drove to Bountiful to spend the afternoon with my Mom. My dad died 1 year ago. We had lunch together, stopped at Gregory's for raisin cookies, then drove to Centerville and saw my nephew, Bret, in front of the old 19th century Tingey rock house. Then we bought 2 roses and went to visit Dad's gravesite. We left one rose with him - the other Mom took home and put in a vase. Dad's spot has a beautiful view of the mountains and the lake.

Today Suni, Tika and I hiked to the peak above Ensign Peak again from City Creek Canyon. This time we hiked there and back instead of having Flavia pick us up.


2005-04-10-SuniTikaAboveEnsignPeak

Hike above Ensign Peak

Starting from our house, Suni, Tika and I hiked to the peak NNE above Ensign Peak. First we dropped down the 9th Avenues staircase to Memory Grove and said hello to Jeff Evans. Then we went up to the elbow turn and hiked on the Shoreline trail on the west side of City Creek till we came on the ridge to the NNE peak. Then we dropped steeply down to Ensign Peak Park where Flavia picked us up and drove us home. When we got home I realized I left Suni's training collar and both leashes on top. So the next morning Suni, Tika and I hiked up from the park to the peak and found them still lying there (although someone had unhooked Suni's leash from his collar). A good way to start the day.

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2005-03-27-AvenuesTwinPeaksWithDogs

Hike to Avenues Twin Peaks with dogs


2005-03-05-GoldenGateMarkewitzVenus

Golden Gate Park with the "boys"

Today Chiara and I accompanied moms Flavia and Veronique to the playground in Golden Gate Park with their boys, Venus and Julien. Afterwards we ate Thai food (and chocolate cake) and got cleaned up at Veronique's (and Scott's) friend Adam's house.

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2005-02-26-OtherMindsHenryRosenthalParty

Other Minds

Flavia and I returned from San Francisco last night. I was there all last week at the Sun Engineering Conference. Flavia arrived on Friday.

On Saturday night Flavia and I, along with Venus and Chiara, went to concluding Other Minds concert. It started with Charles Amirkhanian interviewing the composers. The first piece performed was John Luther Adams' Selections from Strange and Sacred Noise. It started with four percussionists each playing a small tom-tom. Two of the percussionists were on the stage, the other two in the balcony. Unfortunately for us, we were also in the balcony above them. So we heard all the sound below us. I imagine it would have been great to be on the main floor and hear some sound from the stage and some from above your head.

The percussionists switched to gongs. That was my favorite part. It was a treat to hear such sustained whooshing sounds and overtones for an extended period. Next the percussionists all gathered together on stage to play four xylophones. This is were I feel asleep. But, for me, falling asleep is not necessarily a sign of a boring work. This time it was a sign of satisfaction of the preceding gong work. I took a break during the xylophones. Adams' piece ended with all percussionists playing very large bass drums. Once again, a joy to hear something not readily accessible.

The next piece was Evan Ziporyn's Melody Competition. This was a pentatonic "festival" pitting two teams of percussionists against each other - moving between stages of togetherness and separation.

The evening ended with Billy Bang's Selections from the Vietnam Trilogy. I haven't attended Other Minds for many years now so I was surprised to hear a more traditional mostly modal jazz band play. I wondered how the audience would react. My question was answered with loud applauses after solos.

It was interesting to see, in the same evening, the contrast in performers stage presence - from the formal, somewhat self-effacing manner of the more "classical" performances of Adams and Ziporyn, to the loose, walk-around-the-stage, get-down style of Billy Bang. Ultimately I prefer the Bang approach, although I did think his body motion was a bit insensitive during the solo piano piece.

This was the first Other Minds (or any "alternative" music concert) I've been to where I liked all the pieces.

Our blue haiku partner, Phillip Bimstein, was in San Francisco too, explicitly to attend the entire Other Minds festival. Thanks to him we went to the after-the-concert party at film maker Henry Rosenthal's converted warehouse house. His house is 5 floors of fantasy. Kind of a bizarre museum/playhouse around Stevenson and 6th street (a dangerous neighborhood).

We walked from the Yerba Buena center to the party, meeting and talking with Tom Steenland, of Starkland records and Stephanie Nugent, a dancer on the faculty of UC Santa Barbara who danced with Ririe-Woodbury in Salt Lake for several years in the early 90s.

At the Rosenthal house we were met at the entrance by young punks - literally - some nice young people with great hairstyles and clothes. They escorted to the freight elevator and up to the 5th floor. On the way up you get a peek of each floor as you pass it - a wild menagerie of shells, tools, skulls, bugs, flying toasters and more. The main party took place on the top floor - great food, drink, desert with original Warhol and Lichtenstein on the walls.

After eating and chatting amounst ourselves and others we wandered the building a bit - running into baseballs signed by Babe Ruth, James Brown's desk, two-headed stuffed animals and a 58 Pontiac next to the billiards table. A fascinating home.

I spoke briefly with Charles Amirkhanian, the Other Minds director. We reminisced about the time Jimmy Miklavcic and I "performed" with I Wayan Sandra at Composer-to-Composer in Telluride, Colorado. Charles seems to be aging well. He seems distinguished and accessible. I watched him relax around the party. He did not seem to stick with the "important" people there. Instead, he made his way around the home and seemed to be open to all. Who knows, but he did seem relaxed.

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2005-02-20-VenusChocolate

Venus Chocolate

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2005-02-13-JulienMarkewitz

Julien Markewitz

... and finally, approaching the present, honoring this moment, honoring this small being becoming the future, teaching us to see what is right before our eyes while we guide him around the sharp edges.

Here, today, let us simply say, good luck and strong bones. Each of us can see their past unfolding here in him. Each of us can help the future unfold with a grin - with a hand held out to him so easy to smile - to laugh.

That's a good place to be silent now - laughing together.

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2005-01-29-02-04-DogBones

Dog Bones

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2005-01-25-HaroldAndAlexCaldieroAtCabaretVoltageAtUrbanLounge

Harold Carr and Alex Caldiero at Cabaret Voltage at Urban Lounge

Last night, Alex Caldiero and I performed together for the first time. We have read on the same bill together twice in the past (once at City Art at Mt Tabor Church, and another time at a private birthday party at the now defunct Green Street in Trolley Square) but this was the first time we performed together. Actually, that is not accurate. We also performed together in Intransitive Senses, the first installment in Another Language's Interplay series. We performed simultaneously but in different rooms, but close enough to kind of hear each other. That performance perhaps planted the seed for last night's performance.

Last night we performed at Cabaret Voltage's spoken word series at Urban Lounge The evening was an mix of piano/vocals by Layna, visual works by John Bean, and poetry by Alex, Bryan Mehr and Christopher (one of the founders of Cabaret Voltage, along with Michael McLean).

Playing bass with Alex was a challenge - how to complement and contrast his words and sounds without overwhelming them while at the same time having a unique, strong and slightly independent voice? We had discussed (for one minute just before performing) some simple queues but, of course, I was lost for the start and just played by instinct and sensitivity to the moment. Just from the audience response it seemed to work.

When Bryan went on after Alex he asked me to play with him too. I played an entirely different style with Bryan, less "avant-garde", more straight ahead jazz. After Bryan's performance Christopher asked me if I could do a solo. I happily and graciously accepted.

Perhaps this is the beginning of more collaborations with Alex.

... note: ironic to call "avant-garde" a style rather than a stance.


2005-01-22-HaroldAndJulien

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2005-01-10-SuniTikaTruckBars

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2005-01-09-ReturningToSantiagoWithTias

returning to Santiago and the USA

Well, Justo and his family returned to Venezuela on the 4th. Ulises and Jorgelina returned to Argentina yesterday. We took Flavia's mom and her mom's sisters back to Santiago this afternoon. And tonight Flavia and I take a flight back to the USA. And Bruce and Jasmine are going to stay one extra day in a hotel in Valparaiso before returning to the states tomorrow night.

I hope eveyone had a meaningful time, even with the inevitable family issues and conflicts which arrise when you put 7 people together for two weeks who normally don't live with one another.

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2005-01-08-HaircutEmpanadaPlaceRenacaSouthWalk

haircut, empanada place, Reñaca south walk

Today is our last full day here. Jasmine gave me a haircut with a magnificient view to the ocean. Flavia, her mom and I had empanadas at our favorite place. Flavia and I layed out on the beach. And I walked south, past the end of Reñaca proper, to a line of artisan shops to buy traveling presents for our return home.

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2005-01-07-NerudaPointWalk

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2005-01-07-FlaviasMomsBirthdayParty

Flavia's mom's birthday party

In the later afternoon and continuing past sunset, we hosted another birthday party for Flavia's mom - this one especially for her tios, tias, primos and friends. Ulises and Jorgelina, both accomplished salsa dancers (that's how they met) gave Flavia's mom a dance for a present.

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salsa at Ache Havana

After the party, Jasmine, Bruce, Ulises, Jorgelina and I went dancing from 11pm to 3am. Flavia stayed at the apartment to be with her friend Sole who had come from Santiago.

We drove to Valparaiso to Avenida Errazuriz, next to the docks, where most of the nightclubs are located. We went into Ache Havana and took some seats at a table on a second floor balcony.

We arrived at the tail end of group salsa lessons to canned music. After awhile the band started up - decent, except the piano was too loud. While they played Ulises showed us the basic salsa footwork and explained the difference between "breaking" on 1 or 2.

Ulises and Jorgelina went down to the dance floor and danced, looking more elegant than the vernacular, but good, dance around them. Bruce asked Jasmine to dance and they went to. After a few dances Jorgelina asked me to dance and I gave it a go - enjoying dancing with such a smooth dancer. She commented that, although I'm not a salsa dancer I understand the beat. I reply - it's my job, I'm a bass player.

Jasmine and I danced a couple of tunes, as well as another dance with Jorgelina. And, of course, Ulises and Jorgelina danced a lot. A man from the floor asked Jorgelina to dance and commented afterwards, that he could tell she was not from Valparaiso from her style of dance.

A group of black people had their own small dance party around the corner in a different section of the upper floor.

I would have loved to stay longer, but at 3am we departed, since Ulises and Jorgelina has to leave in the morning for the airport for their return to Argentina.

Outside Ache Havana they got hotdogs at a food stand. We drove home, said our goodbyes (I'm not getting up early with them) and went to bed.


2005-01-06-IslaNegra

Isla Negra

We all drove to Isla Negra today to see Pablo Neruda's house. This is the 4th or 5th time I've seen it. I always enjoy seeing more detail and finding new things to look and think about. Afterwards we stopped in Algarrobo and bought presents at the artisan shops.


2005-01-05-Valparaiso

Valparaiso

Bruce and Jasmine, Jorgelina and Ulises, and Flavia and I toured Valparaiso today after dropping Flavia's mom off at her mom's sister's apartment near the docks. The plan is to follow "stages" 2, 3 and 14 in the guidebook I purchased yesterday at El Gato Tuerto.

We start with our first ascensor, Artillery Elevator on the west end of Valparaiso, going up to Paseo 21 de Mayo. We visit the artisan booths along the Paseo and eat lunch at Cafe Mirador, an ex-machinist's house at the top.

We then walk back down, past the famous blue Victorian house hanging on the cliff of Artilliary Hill, along Bustamante Street, through Plaza Echaurren (the historic birthplace of Valparaiso), to the Iglesia Matriz. Unfortunately the church is closed (which, of course leads to some jokes about god being on vacation or out-to-lunch).

The guide book then up Santa Domingo Hill, a National Historic District, saying, "the climb by foot is one of the most surprising and fascination excursion in all of Valparaiso, although one should be alert and accompanied". We find blue tiles with white arrows in the sidewalks marking the route. So we proceed up.

The route takes us up not a street, but an alley, Juvenal "street", "winding through some of the most startling vernacular architecture available in the city." So vernacular that our experienced South Americans, Flavia, Ulises and Jorgelina, say we are in dangerous territory and should go back. Two ladies sitting on the curb say the same thing. So instead of following the arrows down Calle del Ministro, we backtrack back down Pueyredon street, returning to the church and Plaza Echaurren.

Feeling safe again, we take our second ascensor, Ascensor Cordillera, up to Lord Cochrane House in the Cordillera Hills with fine views of the bay. We start another steep climb up Castillo street, eventually coming to our third ascensor, Ascensor San Agustin, one of the least known funiculars in Valparaiso since it is so far from downtown. We ride the it down to Tomas Ramos street and walk down it to Plaza Justicia, the end of the guide book's "stage" 2.

We start stage 3 by taking our fourth ascensor, the Peral Funicular, up to the Cerro Alegre historic district, that contains the frequently photographed wedge house. We walk along Paseo Yugoslavo, past the Baburriza Palace, through Plazoleta Joaquin Edward Bello, named after writers who immortalized Valparaiso in texts such as Valparaiso, the Windy City and The Old Almond Grove.

We continue up an rough cobblestone alley called Miramar street, that "opens up to some of the most stunning urban landscapes in all of Chile and, perhaps, Latin America". At the highest point we then traverse Lautaro Rosas Street and go back down around Templeman street.

We cross Urriola street, leaving Cerro Alegre and entering Conception Hill. We are getting hungry so we eat at Cafe Turri, another cafe with a view of the bay. We sit inside, instead of on the patio, since the sunset wind is whipping up.

After dinner Ulises, Jorgelina and Flavia sit on benches on Gervasoni Promenade while Bruce, Jasmine and I walk through Galvez Passage, a system of interconnecting alleys - the zigzag heart of Valparaiso.

Gather together again, we cut our tour of stage 3 short, since it is getting dark, and take our fifth and last ascensor, Ascensor Concepcion, down to Prat street. We walk west, looking for the bar we played Cacho at last night. The bar has no music tonight, but, across the street, a pastry shop has jewelry and art for sale. We eat the best pastry yet and purchase paintings and earrings. Satisfied, we walk to our car, pick up Flavia's mom and return to our apartment.


2005-01-04-LaSebastiana

La Sebastiana

Today, Jasmine, Bruce and I toured La Sebastiana, Pablo Neruda's home in the hills of Valparaiso. Like his Isla Negra home, it displays his unique and fine sensibility. While at La Sebastiana we viewed an art exhibit. My favorite picture was Carlos Faz' Funeral - Aquafuerte y Aquatinta.

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Afterwards we wandered slowly back down the hill to the city, past back alleys, through a church, stopping for a light meal at El Gato Tuerto. After eating on the patio overlooking Valparaiso harbor we went inside to the upper floor - a bookstore with a good selection of books in English (mostly classics). I bought a translation of Juan Ramon Jimenez' Platero and I, as well as a guide to Valparaiso.

As it got dark we dropped down into the city. Bruce and Jasmine found a hotel for their last night alone in Chile. Nearby we hear live music in a small bar and enter. Some musicians are playing Brazilian music in a small loft above the main floor. We sit at a small table and have a round of drinks and play Cacho to the music, rolling faster and faster as the tempo increased. We returned to our apartment in Reñaca to a fine dinner purchased and prepared by Ulises and Jorgelina.

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2005-01-03-ConConSolo

ConCon solo

Today I spent the afternoon walking slowly to ConCon and back by myself, probably around 10 miles round trip.

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dinner at sunset

Waves, rocks, sand. Wine, corvina a la plancha and ensalada chilena. Basic elements. Sun setting into the fog bank miles out in the sea. The end of a day spent walking along the edge of the continent. The last rays illuminate the wave's spray as the darkness begins to fold the sky to the earth. And a small cool evening breeze.

The restaurant playing 1940s U.S. Chattanooga Chu Chu. The wine: Errazuriz Corton Cabernet Sauvignon. Finish with mineral water then move on to the German pastry shop.

My language becomes even simpler as the food and wine settle in - and the thought of desert. Seagulls, pelicans in the dark - people on the rocks.

nada mas

Galaxies like grains of sand, recalled from long ago from this human's perspective - or a moment of pain or pleasure, then ... Not quite ready to accept something from nothing.

Flags flapping in the wind against the summer fog. Ceaseless movement of people along the beach and the pink bus home. Faces gaze out the windows of cars passing by. 1980s Madonna and Phil Collins on the juke box and small napkins - only one for each person.

Mid afternoon sun breaking through the fog not so far from Neruda's house - a long way from the high-rise condominiums rising from the beach. More people filling space and the 3-legged black dog.

Children play in the waves while I nurse bronchitis and a healing heart. Any moment now I'll be one of those galaxies like grains of sand - a speck in the immense void.

So many stray dogs. Cigarette butts litter the sidewalk. Nada mas.


2005-01-02-TiasAndMasks

tias and masks

At the end of the evening, before Flavia's Tias left, they tried out some party masks they have for her mom's "real" birthday on the 8th.

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2005-01-02-FlaviasMomsBirthdayParty

Flavia's Mom's birthday party

Today we had a party for Flavia's mom's (also named Flavia) 82nd birthday. Her birthday is actually the 8th, but today is a good day to celebrate.

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2005-01-02-FlaviaAndHaroldAtBeach

Flavia and Harold - sunset at the beach

When the sun was setting, Flavia and I left the party, walked across the street and watched the sunset from the beach.

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2005-01-01-WalkWithAllAndJustoBBQ

everyone walking

We got up late to a foggy day. Ulises, Jorgelina, Jasmine, Bruce, Flavia and I all walked to Neruda point together then had empanadas on our way back. In the evening we had another barbeque, this one with Justo in charge (last night was Ulises' charge).

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2004-12-JulianCarrWolvie

Julian Carr jumps 150+ feet on skis

My son, Julian Carr, a competition free-skier, did a major jump last week. Here's the mail he sent and a picture.

 
   Hi all again,

   2 days ago I jumped the 165 footer in Wolverine Cirque that Jamie
Pierre jumps in TGR's 'High Life'.  Skis stayed on and I skied away
clean (no digging out of a bombhole).  Greg Epstein, JK, Shroder, and
the Jackson boys filmed it on High Definition and was photographed by
Will Wissman.  Got a front flip off of a 50 footer for good measure
later on that Will shot as well.
 
   4 days ago I front flipped an 85 footer at Alta.  Pete O'brien w/
TGR filmed it on 16mm and Brent Benson shot it.  6 days ago I was able
to pull off 13 front flips off of 4 different 35 - 40 footers.  Each
one was either shot by Adam Clark, Steve Lloyd, and Will Wissman -
along with 'Wahsatch Powder Productions' filming some of them.
 
  Way Stoked !!!!
 
  From all of this Will Wissman has invited me on a heli trip to
Whistler to shoot.  I leave on December 19.
 
  I have a shot in the Powder's Photo Annual.  Adam Clark shot it - an
ad for the Freeskiing world tour - 40 footer at Snowbird.  Hope all is
well with you.
 
  Cheers,
 
  Julian

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2004-12-JulianCarrWhistler

Julian in Whistler, Canada

After the walk Flavia and I walked into town and made some phone calls. I talked with my mom in Bountiful, Utah. Then with Julian. He just returned from Skiing in Whistler, Canada - pretty much the opposite of us on the beach in Chile. He was on his cell phone climbing up the side of a mountain with his skiis. Here are some shots taken of Julian while in Canada.

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2004-12-31-NewYearsEveAtApt

New Year's Eve at apartment

We all gathered at our apartment for a barbeque and to watch the fireworks in Valparaiso harbor.

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2004-12-31-JHWalkAndBuyFishWithJusto

New Year's Eve day

Jasmine and I started the day by walking to Neruda point again. In the afternoon Justo, Ulises and I drove to ConCon to buy fish for a barbeque tonight.

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2004-12-30-DinnerAtAptWithJustoFamily

dinner with Justo's family

Tonight we had dinner at our apartment with Flavia's brother, Justo, his wife, Patti, and their daughters, Pattita and Valentina. After dinner we played cacho - a dice game.

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2004-12-29-JandHNerudaPointWalk

walking with Jasmine to Neruda Point

This morning (well, morning is around NOON since we go to bed after 2am) Jasmine and I took a walk to what I call "Neruda Point" - an outcropping of rocks between Reñaca and ConCon (the next town north). I call it "Neruda Point" for Neruda's fish symbol with his name around it placed at the furthest outcropping of rocks into the sea. The walk is between 2 and 3 miles from our apartment to the point. It is a walking path on cliffs above the sea next to the coastal highway.

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2004-12-29-30-ValparaisoMusicAndBookstore

Valparaiso music and bookstore

In the evening Ulises and I drove to Valparaiso and stumbled upon an outdoor free concert in Plaza Sotormayor. We heard a big band from the university in Valparaiso. OK ensemble work but the solos were noodling. A sextet was next - piano, electric bass, drums, alto and tenor sax and trumpet. They were good - a nice mix of outside and inside. Ulises purchased a CD from one of the members.

The next day Flavia, her mom, Jasmine, Bruce and I drove into Valparaiso in search of a bookstore with English titles - Jasmine has already read what she brought from the US. Flavia's Tia Anita told us about the Ivens bookstore at Plaza A. Pinto. We had lunch on the plaza at Cafe del Poeta. We browsed an outdoor fair on our way back to the car as well as stopping at an art exhibit with gigantic clothes.

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2004-12-27-28-FirstAptAndAriel

arriving in Chile

We arrived on Xmas morning. Flavia's brother, Justo, picked us up at the airport in a Chevrolet Blazer he rented for us. Three rows of seats and room for luggage. We'll need every inch of the space.

We take a nap a Flavia's mom's apartment then go to Justo's apartment to spend some time with his family, all there from Venezuela. Then we return to Flavia's mom's apartment to find Ulises, Flavia's nephew (who is getting a Ph.D. in Computer Science), who has arrived from Argentina.

The next day we drive to the coast. The car is filled, Me, Flavia, Flavia's mom, Flavia's two aunts, Jasmine, Bruce and Ulises - 8 people and all our luggage. It takes $60 to fill the tank.

First we drop off the tia's at their homes in Valparaiso. Then we meet up with Paulina, the realtor Justo hooked us up with to find us an apartment, for our stay in Reñaca. She guided us to our apartment at the EuroMarina - a high-rise built on sand dunes. It was clean but small and sterile. And very cut off from the beach. It was necessary to take an outdoor elevator down the hillside. Plus, it was high up in the wind so we couldn't even sit on the porch - too cold.

We got settled in and walked into town to get groceries at Don Homero's. A local boy, Ariel, hooked up with us and carted our groceries back.

After two days at the EuroMarina we changed to an older condo, Edificio Los Rocas, on the third level above the street, right across from the beach. Now the waves are visible and loud.

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2004-12-17-bluehaikuAtSugarBeats


2004-12-09-CaringForJulien

Caring for Julien

Madrina Flavia and Tio Harold taking care of Sobrino Julien, Scott and Veronique's son.


2004-12-07-SuniTikaCityCreek

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2004-12-05-HerschelLinkeSteveAtUnitarian

Jazz: Herschel Bullen, Linke Hebrew, Steve Keen at First Unitarian Church

Flavia and I went to Jazz Vespers at the First Unitarian Church and heard my long time friends play. Herschel subtoned the whole evening - high notes, low notes, the whole range. Steve was the master of taste. A Linke was fanastic - the best I've ever heard him. I took some pictures (in low light and no flash - so they turned out poorly - but better than nothing).

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2004-12-04-HaroldAndDogs

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2004-11-26-29-SushiJulianWorkVeroDinnerAirportDogs

More Thanksgiving with family and friends


2004-11-26-12thAveWalk

12th Avenue walk with Venus, Chiara, Flavia, Harold and puppies

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2004-11-25-Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving with Venus, Chiara, Julian, Flavia and Harold


2004-11-25-CityCreekWithVenusEtAl

City Creek walk with Venus, Chiara, Suni, Brunie, Lucy, Tika, Flavia and Harold

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2004-11-25-28-VenusChiaraThanksgiving

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2004-11-13-21-HomeNewYorkHome

New York City

I was at Columbia University in New York City last week, presenting PEPt at the ACM International Conference on Service Oriented Computing. I report on technical details of my trip in my technical blog.

I arrived on Monday the 19th at JFK around 4:15pm. I took a Super Shuttle to the hotel. It took 2 1/2 hours! I was the last stop. But I got to see alot of Manhattan during the drive. And I sat next to a young Brazilian model who now lives in Salt Lake, of all places. She moved to Salt Lake, reluctantly, with her parents. She was in New York on a modeling assignment. I mention Flavia's time in Brazil, our recent trip there, and Julian's modeling/acting gigs. Bianca's her name.

I checked into the Excelsior Hotel ($219/night) then ate at a restaurant nearby. Clear skies, a waxing crescent moon, 44 degrees F at 8pm. I was the only customer until another couple arrived and talked about their iPods (and this is not a geek restaurant). I finished my salmon and Zinfandel and returned to my room to write my presentation - the reason I'm here. (I actually did not end up writing my presentation until Wednesday afternoon, just two hours before I gave my presentation.)

Each day, Tuesday through Thursday, I take a taxi from my hotel on 81st street to Columbia University on 116th street - $9 with tip each direction.

On Tuesday night I took a taxi to BAM, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, to see a play: FAUST/HOW I ROSE, John Jesurun's panoramic, multimedia, contemporary retelling of the centuries-old tale staged by Mexico City-based director Martin Acosta. Jesurun's multimedia stage design integrated sets and video projections: a large mobile showed a continuously changing stream of images. Truth be told, I fell asleep, just as I did when I took Flavia, Venus and Chiara to see Aeschylus' THE PERSIANS in Berkeley.

After the play I went to the Alphabet Lounge in Alphabet City in Brooklyn - a real dive. However, a friend of mine from the conference was sitting in on harmonica with a blues duo. They play some extremely raunchy tunes by Jelly Roll Morton. In particular, the lyrics to one can be found here -- search for "stump".

On Thursday night I met a coworker from Sun who works in New York, Mark Roth, for dinner in the Village. Afterwards we went to the legendary Village Vanguard jazz club to hear Renee Rosnes on piano, Walt Weiskopf on tenor and soprano sax, John Patitucci on bass and Victor Lewis on drums. We got great seats right at the front. I really didn't know Renee nor Walt. I went because John is a great bass player and Victor has been around forever. For me, Victor really stood out - powerful (how old is he?), tasteful and inventive.

I returned home Friday night, the 19th, to Flavia, Tika and Suni. This week we have Thanksgiving with Julian, Venus and Chiara at our home.

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2004-11-10-JulianBDayAtBakery

Julian's birthday get-together

We went to Brewvies, played pool, then saw Hero while eating. Afterwards we went to the The Bakery. Good to be all together, but we missed our other kids.

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2004-11-05-10-JulianFHDogsCityCreek

Julian, dogs, dead mouse, City Creek


2004-10-28-30-Halloween

Halloween

We went trick-or-treating with Veronique and her year-old pumpkin, Julien. We took Suni as Zorrito - he didn't even need a mask.

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2004-10-27-WalkingAndGrowing

Walking and Growing

Everyday I walk the dogs. Good for our health and friendship. And everday Suni gets bigger. And Tika stays smart.

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2004-10-23-24-SuniZorritoTikaBath

Tika's bath

For the first time in Tika's 12 years, she had a professional bath and brushing. While she was getting groomed we dressed up Suni with a Zorro cape - preparing for Halloween. When we picked up Tika the first thing she did was go get in muddy water - she's an animal!

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2004-10-22-CityCreekWalkWithDogs

City Creek walk with dogs

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2004-10-17-SuniAndHaroldPlayingOnFloor

Suni and Harold playing on floor

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2004-10-16-FlaviaBirthday

Flavia's birthday

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2004-10-11-14-TikaAndSuniWeekAfterPFO

Suni and Tika getting to know each other

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2004-10-09-SuniAndTikaPlayingOnPorch

Suni and Tika entertaining me while recuperating

I'm spending the weekend taking it easy. A little tired, some minor pain in my groin and a slight occasional pain in my chest - but amazingly well considering I had a piece of titanium put in my heart yesterday. It's a beautiful weekend so I'm sitting on the porch reading and being entertained by Suni and Tika.

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2004-10-08-PFO-Closure

I had a heart procedure - a PFO closure

A year and a half ago I discovered a congenital heart condition - a Patent Foramen Ovale - a channel between one's right and left atrium. Yesterday I had it closed. They put a device in my heart and I was at home relaxing on my porch by afternoon! People with PFOs are at higher risk for stroke. If you would like to know more, click on the pictures below for diagrams, a picture of the closure device and information on PFO.


2004-10-07-SuniAndTika

Suni and Tika

Back at home after two weeks on the road we spent the week working and walking our dogs. Yes, plural, Tika now has a buddy: Suni. Tika is being very gracious in accepting Suni into our house.


2004-10-03-SuniTikoCaneloCervinoCarr

Suni Tiko Canelo Cervino Carr

We got up today, festival over. We ate at the Burr Trail Grill. Gibbs Smith joined us while we were waiting for our food. He shared a story of his first time traveling to Boulder, Utah in a pink Thunderbird. After the story he went next door where he and Rollean we laying sod.

After breakfast we drove to Robert, Donna and Amber's house just off the Burr Trail to pick up our new puppy: a 7-week-old male Siberian Husky who we have named "Suni Tiko Canelo Cervino Carr". Of course we call him "Suni." "Tiko" is the masculine form of "Tika" the name of our 12-year-old wolf back home. "Canelo" means "cinnamon tree" in Spanish. And "Cervino" and "Carr" from our last names.

Suni was nervous and shy driving home. We stopped while driving over Boulder Mountain to give him some time walking. Then we stopped in Torrey at the Robber's Roost Bookstore to get some coffee for the drive home. Charlotte and Phillip were already there playing with their new cat outside. They feel in love with a kitten that lived in the Circle Cliff Motel when we stayed in Boulder. So they are returning with a kitten and we are returning with a puppy.

We got back to Salt Lake around 10pm. Flavia dropped me off at Leslie's to pick up Tika. I walked with Tika up to Lindsey Gardens where Flavia drove to and waited with Suni outside. That way Tika and Suni could meet on neutral grounds. Even though Suni had been hiding his face the entire drive home, when Tika came near he barked and lunged at Tika then ran back between Flavia's feet. So Tika and I walked the rest of the way home and we meet again in our backyard. They eventually got used to each other and spent the first night together on our back porch. They are becoming buddies.


2004-10-02-WekwomteksAtEverettRuessDays

Wekwomteks at Everett Ruess Days

I performed my wekwomteks sequence of poems from memory with bass accompaniment at 2pm today. All the blue haiku members attended along with Alex and Larry and some of my relatives who drove here from Provo and Moab. I had hoped to do the performance outside but it started to sprinkle just as I was about to start. My bass doesn't take too well to water so I did wekwomteks in a room in the Escalante City Hall. They also used this room to show Hal Cannon's Why The Cowboy Sings and Diane Orr's Lost Forever Everett Ruess - so the windows were blacked out with cardboard. The only lights were fluorescent - not particularly conducive to poetry celebrating the wilderness. I asked that the front lights be turned off with the only lighting coming from a row of lights in the back. So the pictures are dim, but it felt better this way.

Gibbs Smith was there. Dana Robinson dropped in for a moment. I was hoping Harriet go hear wekwomteks, but she was busy with the Plein Air exhibit. Also, Jill and David were not able to make it. But wekwomteks seemed to be well received by those who were there. I am certainly glad I got an opportunity to perform in such an appropriate venue.

I ended with an improvised bass solo. I was surprised that my fingers were a bit cold when I started so some of the ideas I had in my head just didn't work. I had to find new territory on the spot. I wish I had a recording - I liked how it turned out.

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2004-10-02-DrivingToEscalante

Driving to Escalante

Today we eased into the day, eating a light breakfast at Hell's Backbone Grill, then visiting the Siberian Huskies. Flavia definitely wants the brother of the puppy we first saw on Thursday. We will pick him up tomorrow. After reserving the puppy we loaded up the truck with our instruments and drove from our motel in Boulder to Escalante. On the way we stopped at Kiva Koffeehouse where we ran into Alex Caldiero and Larry Harper.

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2004-10-02-BlueHaikuAtEverettRuessDays

blue haiku at Everett Ruess Days

After Alex's performance we a small dinner at the Kiva Koffeehouse. We then went to the Dutch Oven Dinner at the Wild West Retreat. We enjoyed good food and conversation with Ken Sanders, Diane Orr, Alex Caldiero, Larry Harper and many others. I was good to spend time with other participants.

Then we headed to the Escalante High School Auditorium to see the awards for the Plein Air art. After the awards we (blue haiku) played two long sets. The night before, when the New Galoots played in the auditorium, the attendance was not great due to a volleyball competition that many students and there parents attended in the next county. We lucked out with no competition and played to a well-filled house.

We had great sound provided by Michael Griffin of Cedar City. His father, a cowboy and painter assisted him. I don't have any pictures of our concert to post since I was playing. Hopefully someone will send us some of the pictures they took.

2004-12-07 update: JR (Larry Harper's son) sent some pictures he took (under severe lighting conditions):


2004-10-02-AlexCaldieroAtKivaKoffeehouse

Alex Caldiero at Kiva Koffeehouse

After wekwomteks we stayed to hear the beginning of a poetry slam. We couldn't stay long because we needed to be at the Escalante High School Auditorium for a sound check for our evening blue haiku performance.

After the sound check we drove back north to the Kiva Koffeehouse to hear Alex Caldiero, word shaker and polyartist, make sound (i.e., perform his poetry).

Larry Harper opened on auto-harp, reminding us that Lake Powell is a reservoir, not a lake. Alex then made sounds on bells (Iwanttogowheresoundsgoeswhenthebellstopsringing), bones, jaws harp and voice. He paced the room, spoke from the floor and generally kept us on the edge of our seats in wonder.

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2004-10-02-AlexAtCampfire

Exquisite Corpse Campfire

After our concert we left the auditorium around midnight. We had a small caravan north to mile post 71 where Ken Sanders, Alex Caldiero, Larry Harper and others where camping out. We turned off the highway and drove a ways on a dirt road until we spotted some cars parked in the juniper.

Alex did an impromptu performance around the campfire. Then we started up a kind of exquisite corpse each of us sitting around the campfire taking turns remembering or improvising a poem, sound, speech or music. Flavia and I stayed until 3am. We hear that a number of people kept it going until sunrise.

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2004-10-01-EverettRuessDays

Everett Ruess Days Friday events

After my early morning solo hike to upper Calf Creek falls Flavia and I drove to Escalante (what a drive!) to enjoy our first full day and evening of Everett Ruess Days events. Hal Cannon presented his HDVD version of Why The Cowboy Sings. He followed that by singing and playing some tunes from the old West. Charlotte and Phillip (blue haiku members) joined him for a couple of tunes.

I finally met Harriet Priska, one of the festival's organizers. She is the one who arranged for me to perform my wekwomteks poems.

Dana Robinson sang outside on a trailer/stage - trading songs with a relative of Everett's who read some of Everett's writings. While enjoying the text and music we saw David and Jill and their puppy again. Flavia feel in love with their puppy. They told us its brother was still available. Flavia immediately called the breeders and arranged for us to see the other puppy tomorrow.

There was an exhibit hall set up with crafts, paintings and books. Ken Sanders was there exhibiting and selling books of the West. He had an original signed Everett Ruess print for $3500.

Logan and Angie Hebner and family showed up from Springdale. We all got together for dinner before the evening show: The New Galoots, who played a variety of Country, Jazz and Rock. The New Galoots are musician friends of mine since the early 70s - Mark Chaney, Wayne Christainsen and Tulley Cathey. Mark and Wayne stayed in the room next to ours in Boulder. After the gig we hung in their room exchanging old war stories of bad gigs. (Interestingly, Logan, a guitarist, has been a member of various incarnations of both the New Galoots and blue haiku.

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2004-10-01-CalfCreek

Upper Calf Creek - for Craig

cock's crow keeps me from sleep
kicks the dream away
says   calve creek is waiting

the 1st time I came here was with Craig
now I'm on the trail alone       with him
in the mystery

every time I see a sea of sage
there he is        dangerous
to recall while hiking

not like last time   cairns mark the way
not like last time   he's gone
but the falls remain & I'm alive
surrounded by red rock & water
soon to speak with friends

walking   listening  breathing in wonder

returning     skin to the wind
& the morning sun
retracing our steps
looking for a sign
and there it is - piled one-by-one
on top of the other - millions of years of rock
of the past made present
tomorrow waiting patiently to become part of it
seemingly unending time    to breathe    to see
to say grace
gracious   grateful

my new mantra  - gracious grateful grace

walking lightly
disappearing in the dawn
like the legend

but only in song
for now   - with luck
many much more to say & sing & breathe

for now
eat the apple from my pack
as simple as that

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2004-09-30-BoulderMountain

Drive to Boulder, Utah

We returned from California late last night. We got up this morning, unpacked then repacked for 4 days in the Boulder/Escalante area of Utah. I'm doing poetry at Everett Ruess Days on Saturday afternoon. On Saturday evening Flavia and I play with blue haiku. The landscape was, of course, gorgeous. We arrived around 7pm, stopping at the Burr Trail Cafe for food to go. We caught the tail-end of a poetry slam. I did a couple of poems, hoping to get a few people interested enough to come to my performance on Saturday. A fellow named David did some very interesting songs, poems and stories relating to the Escalante, Utah accent.

After I did my poems Mark Austin, one of the festival sponsors introduced himself. Turns out the Cowdaddies played his wedding in Boulder a number of years back. I missed that gig - but there is a connection of sorts. He told us how he kept running into Craig and Kennard in the wilderness over the years until they finally introduced themselves and ended up playing his wedding. Mark has recently been traveling in Chile, including Flavia's birthplace: Antofagasta.

We didn't hang too long because we wanted to get to our room in the Circle Cliffs Motel to hear the 1st Kerry/Bush debate. When Bush talked I tried to put myself in the frame of mind of a Bush supporter, to try to hear and understand what they find appealing. I think it is, "we are America and no one is going to tell us what to do."

After the debate we walked back to the Burr Trail Cafe for tea and wine. The owner of the cafe treated us great. We talked with David some more and his soon-to-be wife, Jill. The have a brand new Siberian Husky puppy. With a raccoon face. Like me, David has long Mormon roots. Walking back to our room I practiced my poetry performance out loud.

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2004-09-23-WekwomteksAtArlingtonHills

wekwomteks and blue haiku at Everett Ruess Days in Escalante, Utah 9/30-10/2

I will be performing my wekwomteks poems with bass at Everett Ruess Days in Escalante, Utah. I'll also be playing with blue haiku at the festival.

Last night I did a dress rehearsal of wekwomteks at the Arlington Hills Care Center in Salt Lake City. Here are some pictures.

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2004-09-11-BruceFowlerAlexCaldieroKenSanders

Bruce Fowler, Alex Caldiero, Ken Sanders - sound and text

Yesterday, 9/11, we attended a music and poetry performance at Ken Sanders Rare Books. First, members of SLAJO improvised with composer/trombonist Bruce Fowler. Bruce, his brother and father are legends of music in Salt Lake, pretty much setting the standards we all strive towards. Bruce was in Salt Lake from LA doing some investigation into his grandfather's work - a painter. His grandfather originally named Cecret Lake in Albion Basin as "Lake Minnie". He also named Devil's Castle as "The Tower of Babel".

Next up was Ken Sanders reading from reading from Charles Bowden's essay, "Letter to the Next American President" (to be be published in the November issue of GQ). Bruce and Ken "traded fours" during Ken's reading.

Then Alex Caldiero did a 9-11 commemoration "Rants & Laments featuring Cow Mantras + Burka Dancers + Acts of Language + Mortar Shell Gongs". Very powerful. As I said after Alex's 2004 Utah Arts Festival performance - his poetry has taken a decidedly political turn.


2004-09-03-StansburySunset

Stansbury Sunset

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2004-08-31-BountifulPeakSleep

Bountiful Peak Sleep - Above Antelope Island

Arriving in a certain slant of sunlight, watching the angle change. What I brought: water, iBook, dog, dog food, sleeping bag, cot, etc.

Sitting here where I've sat for decades.

Smell of sage when Tika, my dog, walks through the brush, disturbing the plants. What I did not bring: Flavia. She is elsewhere.

One thing I brought I didn't a decade ago: reading glasses.

Watching the sun descend - carefully, avoiding its full reflection in the lake - a few clouds on the horizon.

What to describe: what's changed or what's now?

The air full of small flying bugs. About 30 minutes before sunset they start to dissipate. Tika prowling the hillside. Me listening to the silence. I give her water while I eat a chicken salad.

Quiet granite. Lichen, seemingly living on air. A breeze so slight it barely moves the sage blossoms. The movement increases ever so slightly with the sunset edge breeze.

Sage, lupine, indian paint brush - all in bloom.

To the east, deepening dark purple. Almost a dome over the western third of the sky. A dome of disappearing blue at the eastern edge - orange and red on the horizon.

Descending into dark. All merging into a single silence.

Until the waning gibbous moon rises behind me.

And except for civilization all lit up below.

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2004-08-22-northCanyonWithFlaviaAndTika

North Canyon with Flavia and Tika

Flavia returned from Chile on Friday. Today we hiked North Canyon with Tika.

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2004-08-16-northCanyonAndFrontPorchWithKids

Hiking North Canyon with Jasmine, Julian and Natalie

My daughter, Jasmine, visited us here in Salt Lake from her home in Portland, Oregon. We went on the North Canyon hike with my son, Julian, his partner, Natalie, my dog, Tika, and the kid's mom's dogs, Lucy and Bernie. At night we played spades on our front porch.

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2004-08-07-northCanyonWithTika

Hiking North Canyon with Tika

Tika and I went to North Canyon (above Bountiful) today and hiked to Rudy's Flat. Here's some pictures (plus a cloud from the other night). Afterwards I went up to Little Dell and did a loop in the kayak and practiced rolling.

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2004-06-27-JohnnyPeopleAtUtahArtsFestival

The Johnny People at the Utah Arts Festival

Here are my long time friends, Mark Cheney, Dan Waldis, Linke Hebrew - along with the younger Kenji Aihara on guitar (with whom I've had the pleasure of playing with a couple of times).

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2004-06-26-PatCarnahanTrioAtUtahArtsFestival

Pat Carnahan Trio at the Utah Arts Festival

Here's Pat with Bob Smith and Doug Wright

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2004-06-26-AlexCaldieroAtUtahArtsFestival

Alex Caldiero at the Utah Arts Festival

Alex did a very political performance.

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2004-05-01-02-RenacaChile

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2004-04-25-RenacaChile

Renaca, Chile

I arrived in Chile at 7:30am (Chile time - 2 hours ahead - at this time of the year - of Mountain Time). Flavia picked me up at the Santiago airport and drove us to Renaca, on the coast just north of Vina del Mar. We got a room at ????, enjoyed our love, then took a 4 hour nap (I didn't sleep much on the plane and Flavia was up to 3am). Then we had a bite to eat and strolled along the beach until sunset. Tomorrow Flavia resumes helping her parents and I go back to work, out of Sun's Santiago office.

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2004-02-02-julianSnowbirdNationals

Julian Carr at US Freeskiing Nationals - Snowbird

I was with my son today cheering for him as he competed in the US Freeskiing Nationals qualifier event at Snowbird, Utah. It took place to the west of the top of the Peruvian chair lift, at the base of tram tower 3.

First 15 women competed. Then Julian went 52nd out of 77 men. The upper cliffs had pretty much had all the snow scrapped off them by the time we went. He did the cliffs anyway damaging the edge of one of his skis. After the upper cliffs he jumped about a 30 foot cliff. Unfortunately he caught some rock on his landing and crashed. After he recovered his skis (with a little one-legged skiing in the process) he skied his run out, but he's out. Julian is quite disappointed but his girlfriend, Natalie, and his friends were very supportive.

Two of his friends, Tyler Knowles and Brian Clark, had great runs. I left before they announced who qualified, but I bet they make it into tomorrow.

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2004-01-JulianHellsGate.jpg

Julian at Hell's Gate

My son, Julian, sent me this photo today. Reminds me of when I used to cliff dive.


2003-11-30-FlaviaVenus

Flavia and Venus

... more smudged Thanksgiving photos...

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2003-11-28-Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving 2003

Jasmine was here from Oregon (Bruce couldn't come - had to work), Venus from Berkeley, Julian and Natalie, and Jasmine's friends Peter and Amanda. Here are our pictures (unfortunately the lens was smudged).

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2003-11-14-EriceMorning

Erice morning

My words focus the world for me. They make a story of my life. They can be shared, and hopefully so, but that is not strictly necessary. The essential point is the sharpening of sensations forming a coherent whole from chance combinations of the world swirling about me.

The town hall clock striking 6:15am followed within the minute by a solitary chime from some church bell further off. From within the room every sound entices one to wander outside to seek the source of our imagination.

Everything passes but remains as a trace in memory letting us live each moment we recall.

The bells chime 7:00am, having passed through the proceeding hour of reading, thinking, listening and wondering. Outside the street lamp goes off, having been replaced by the dawn. Footsteps, Vespas, birds - each announcing it's time to move, time for us to leave this place, this island, and head home.

Each road invites chance encounters.

I walk outside while Flavia sleeps a little longer. I stand on the hotel terrace in the lifting mist and look over the rooftops while the town bells count time. At 8:00am the bells play a different tune, alternating high and low - how many times I lost count - seeming to say "out of bed, on with life!"

A man goes door-to-door in a small three-wheel truck delivering fresh vegetables.

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2003-11-14-Segesta

Segesta noon

We leave Erice at 10:00am, drive down the mountain and onto the autostrade. We stop at Segesta, the site I wanted to see the most. Aeneas founded Segesta too. We don't have the luxury of time today so we walk quickly around and through the temple, take a bus (instead of walking) to the hilltop above the temple to see the city and the incredible amphitheater, eat pizza sitting on a bench viewing the temple, and go.

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Catania night

Leaving Segesta we continue past Palermo (not stopping) through the center of the island (passing Enna, the home of Demeter's cult) to Catania.

On the freeway, if you are in the fast lane passing someone but someone comes behind you going faster they blink their lights even though you are passing too and can't move over. I guess they want you to know to get out of the way as soon as possible. In lines of people or in cars on the street you have to be assertive and push your way into the flow. No aggression, just persistent movement. The motorcycles buzz like flies weaving around traffic and pedestrians and bunching at lights.

When we arrive in Catania I feel good because I recognize the streets from my original taxi ride and my later drive to the airport to pick up Flavia a week ago. But that fades fast as we enter the city and get lost fast in the maze of streets.

Somehow we finally find Via Etnea and the La Vecchia Palma where we take a room for 90 euro. The room has a very high ceiling painted pale blue and two single beds with iron headboards. We walk out in the street to shop for our final traveling gifts for Julian and Venus. Our final Sicilian dinner (at the Moonlight restaurant): fried zucchini, carne, spaghetti, garbanzo bean soup, pizza bread.

Back at the hotel we read briefly before falling asleep around 10:00pm. Flavia is woken by the sound of a woman moaning in a room nearby. Later she is woken again by me talking in my sleep, yelling out, "there are the cowboys!".

Saturday November 15, 2003

Catania morning - airport

We have a wake-up call at 3:30am and arrive at the airport at 4:30am for our 6:10am flight to Milan, Chicago and Salt Lake City. The man who delivered the car is there at the curbside waiting for us, even though it is so early in the morning. A very sweet older gentleman. He at first declines to take the 16 euro for a parking ticket we got in Siracusa. He helps us go through the car to ensure we do not leave anything. He shakes our hands and wishes us "bon viaggio".

Even though it is early we are in the elbow of a long line to the only counter open for check-in. When the airlines open other positions, people in line behind us rush ahead leaving us in the dust. You've got to be quick here (or relaxed and accepting).

We walk across the tarmac to the plane in the dark. As we take off we see Mt Etna smoking in the pre-dawn, sunlight on the tops of cumulus as we leave Sicily and pass into the Mediterranean.

There are no straight lines in Sicily


2003-11-13-SelinunteHotel
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2003-11-13-EriceTorrettaPepoli
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2003-11-13-EriceMatrice

Selinunte morning - drive to Erice

The line separating sea and sky slowly appears. We have: the dark gray sea, the horizon, the dark gray but slightly lighter clouds above the horizon turning lighter and more deep purple higher up with patches of white and blue.

Closer at hand: mosquitoes, sparrows, magpies, sandy beach and waves. Now the sun appears on the sides of beach front restaurants, not in full strength, filtered through clouds.

We drive around the west coast of Sicily, through Trapani, up a steep windy road up to Erice, a stone town on top of a 751 meter (2,463 feet) mountain. We drive our rented Fiat through the narrow streets until we find the Hotel Moderno on the Corso Vittorio Emanuele, where we get a room for 94 euro. After unloading our bags and checking in I drive the car down to the parking area (there being no room to park in the small town).

We eat lunch in the Piazza Umberto, the main square with the town hall.

After lunch we walk down walk to cobbled streets to Viale Nunzio Nasi, past the San Giovanni church (i.e., John the Baptist, with its terrific view of the Gulf and Mountain of Cofano).

From near the San Giovanni church you can look down on the cliff face and see the the Torretta Pepoli.

After gazing at the amazing tower (straight out of the Arthurian legends) we pass the , the Torri Medievali and tour the Castello Normano (the Temple of Venus).

Continuing we stroll down Viale Conta Pepoli, through the Porta Trapani and visit the Matrice, (the Cathedral dedicated to Our Lady of the Assumption - Erice's patron saint). Inside the Matrice there is light high in the vaulted ceiling but darkness in the pews, a perfect analogy of heaven and hell.

At sunset a cloud envelopes the town. We walk the narrow streets in raindrops and fog. We eat marzipan and fighetti with tea at 750 meters. As we sip it starts to pour. The town hall bells ring 7:30pm: seven lower tones followed by two higher tones. Walking home we see the rain channeled into the center of stairs and streets, flowing down in small streams, down towards the cliffs and eventually the sea. We wander more to experience the empty stone buildings and streets imagining what it was like to live here so long ago.

We eat at the Moderno's restaurant, arriving at 8:30pm. There is only one other couple in the restaurant when we enter. They leave shortly afterwards leaving us alone with the solitary waiter. Here, as usual, they have a commercial radio playing pop music interspersed with commercials. A little after 9:00pm (closing time) the waiter turns off the radio but leaves the amp on giving us a 60 cycle hum. I guess he's like us to finish and leave so he can be done for the night.

When Aeneas fled Troy he found refuge in Sicily and founded Erice. In Virgil's narrative, Aeneas came ashore at the foot of the mountain to perform the funeral of his father Anchises. Having lost several ships in a fire, he was forced to abandon a number of his companions, who set about founding the town.


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2003-11-12-SelinunteAcropoli

Agrigento morning

The sun seeps momentarily through clouds, over rooftops, through thin-white curtains into our room before slipping back behind the morning clouds. Enough to wake us up. Today is another traveling day to where we do not know. Somewhere on the west coast of Sicily.

Selinunte

We leave Agrigento at 10:00am and arrive in Selinunte just after noon. We check into the Hotel Garzia overlooking the beach and the sea.

After lunch we tour the Selinunte ruins, first exploring the temples.

We then walk through the acropoli and watch the setting sun.

Back in our room I turn the bed around to get a better view of the beach and the sea. But the motion stirs up dust from under the bed and I get an minor but annoying allergic reaction. We get some extra towels, soak them and mop the marble floors before leaving for dinner.

For dinner we want to go to Marzo de Vallo (a town mentioned as special by Norman Lewis). The man at the hotel counter how far. He says 70 km, 1 hour. I know he is wrong from looking at the map. But I show him the map and try to communicate (neither of us speaking each other's language). I finally give up. We decide to go anyway - I know it is only around 20 minutes away.

We get lost driving the streets of the city and never do find the center. We find a commercial district and buy some traveling gifts for friends.

When return to Selinunte and eat at the hotel restaurant. The man from behind the counter is there - now manning and counting the cash. I figure he told us Marzo was an hour away to dissuade us from driving there for dinner so we'd stay and eat at his place.

We take notice of the TV turned on mounted up in the corner. Many restaurants have them on - the workers watch them in idle moments and a few customers too. Some restaurants have commercial radio playing - the ads and station id music sounds just like American radio. In three restaurants (I can't remember which) they play pseudo-Italian American music - the most common being that tune by I think Doris Day, Whatever Will Be Will Be


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Agrigento

From the guide book:

Agrigento has been inhabited since prehistoric times. In 580 BC people from Gela, originally from Rhodes and Crete, founded Akragas, its ancient name taken from one of the two rivers which confine the city. The tyrant Phalaris (570-554 BC) fortified and organized the city politically. He also tortured people by having them put inside the belly of a hollow bronze bull and roasting them alive. Their screams were likened to the lowing of a cow. Hated by his people, Phalaris was publicly stoned to death.

In 210 BC the Romans conquered Akragas and changed its name to Agrigentum. With the fall of the Roman Empire the city passed first to the Byzantines then into Arab hands in the 9th century AD. They built a new town center higher up (at the heart of the modern town) and called it Girgenti. The Normans conquered the town in 1087. In 1860 the inhabitants, dissatisfied with Bourbon rule, supported Garibaldi's mission to unite Sicily with a united mainland Italy. The town changed its name back to its Latin name in 1927. During the Second World War Agrigento suffered a number of air raids.

After a breakfast of croissants, crackers, tea and orange juice we drive down from the city to the archaeological park, to the Valle dei Templi (actually a ridge of temples). You can see the temples while driving there:

After parking in a dirt parking lot for 2 euro we pay the entrance fee of 4 euro each and walk up toward the Tempio della Concordia passing the Tempio di Eracle (Hercules) on the way without visiting it. Before getting to Concordia we explore the Necropoli Paleocristiana (paleo-Christian necropolis) dug into rock not far from the ancient walls of the city.

We next walk to the Tempio della Concordia

The Temple of Concord was built in 430 BC. It is one of the best-preserved temples surviving from antiquity. It has survived due to its transformation into a church in the 6th century AD. It is not known to what god it was dedicated. The name Concord comes from a Latin inscription found in the vicinity.

We continue along the ridge (passing more paleo-Christian crypts) to the Tempio di Giunone (Juno).

A low-budget movie crew is making a film. One actor, dress in diapers (as Flavia says) is freezing in the cool air holding his plastic fake bronze shield. We forgot to get the name of the movie. This temple is dedicated to the protector of matrimony and childbirth. It was built in the mid 5th century BC and set ablaze by the Carthaginians in 406 BC. It was partially re-erected in the early 1900s.

We then walk through an olive grove (with scattered almond and pistachio trees) to the museum. The museum is surrounded by the Ekklesiasterion (an outer gathering spot similar to a theater, the place where citizens with full rights met to discuss affairs of state), the Oratory of Phalaris (a small temple from the 2nd century BC) and the church of San Nicola (a 12th century church of Gothic and Cistercian architecture).

The museum contains artifacts found in Agrigento, notably the Agrigentan Ephebus, a small 480 BC sculpture of a naked male. I'm most taken with a ring with the figure of a wolf, a vase representing the Egyptian God Bes (a squatting bearded dwarf, Bes presided over childbirth, dancing around the room shaking rattles to get the evil spirits away - when a baby smiles for seemingly now reason, it's because Bes is making funny faces) and a bowl, a dinos made in Gela in the 7th century BC.

It has the Triquetra (Triskeles, i.e., triangle with three legs) painted on it, a symbol with three legs running one after the other, a symbol of the sun in the shape of the seasons: spring, summer and winter. It has become the symbol of the island of Sicily, the three legs representing the three capes of Sicily. It is known in English as the Trinacria.

Without visiting the museum we would not have known that the outside temple structure was decorated with colossal Telamons which seem to be holding up the roof.

(Note, the Building Catalog in the Perseus Digital Library has images of many of the temples in Sicily, and elsewhere, as well as good reference material. Also, someone else's personal Sicilian travelogue with interesting pictures can be found here. And yet another Agrigento site.)

Returning through the orchard we come upon a man burning trimmed branches. He waves us over and offers us almonds from the tree. He shows me how to break them open with a rock. While I am busy opening the almonds he gave us he takes Flavia aside and offers to show her the pistachio trees down the lane, getting a little fresh as he shows her the way. Flavia, having been around, immediately takes her leave of him and we continue alone on our way, waving goodbye to our friendly guide.

Flavia searches the lane for archaeological treasures, finding a stone with a layer of marble and an old bottle cap - the kind with a wire retainer. The orchard is actually the ancient Greek city only 10% excavated.

We started here at 10:00am and its going on 4:00pm. Flavia is getting hungry and cranky while I'm still impatient to see it all. So we quickly walk the Temple of Herakles and then head back to town but are too late for lunch and too early for dinner again. Fortunately a small store is just opening where we buy ham and cheese. We purchase bread next door then sit on bench and make sandwiches. We sit near a group of African men. As we get nearer the west coast of Sicily there are more people from Africa (legal and otherwise).

We spend the early evening shopping for Italian shoes. Flavia gets a pair of boots and I get shoes. We eat dinner at the restaurant recommended by the hotel clerk: the Manhattan, up a little side street. We start outside but the cold drives us inside where, once again, the owners and workers are watching TV. Our server is a young lady who looks like Julian's friend Jenny. Our main course is shrimp. I have Wine Sicilia - Rallo 2001 Nero D'Avola


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Siracusa Sleep and Arriving Agrigento

Both Flavia and I wake up at 2:00am and stay awake until 5:00am (I almost finish Norman Lewis' In Sicily) then sleep until 9am.

After breakfast at Diana's again, we depart Siracusa at 10:00am and drive along the southern coast of Sicily on SS115 towards Agrigento through a landscape of pines, eucalyptus, jasmines, oranges, lemons, huge prickly pear-like cactus, gigantic yucca-like plants with stem rising tall until they fall over, bougainvillea, olives, almonds, pistachios, grape vines and papyrus.

We arrive in Agrigento at 4:00pm and promptly get lost driving its streets. If you make a wrong turn, which is impossible not to do, you might have to drive a long way before finding a way to circle back.

Agrigento is built on a hill overlooking the Valle dei Templi. Here are some pictures taken from below the Valle dei Templi when we first arrived before driving up the hill into the town itself.

We check out a couple of hotels and finally decide on the Hotel Amici (80 euro/night) near train station in old part of town. We take a room that looks over rooftops to the Temple Concordia lit in the distance by lights (something the Greeks never saw). Here is the view from our hotel room:

We are too late for lunch, too early for dinner. We take a short stroll down Via Atenea but Flavia is still adjusting to the time change so we so go back to hotel where she relaxes and sleeps. I walk alone along Via Atenea passing through Piazza Purgatorio and Piazza Pirandello eating fighetti (spelling? - a pastry made with figs).

At the end I sit and drink a glass of wine at a small cafe across from Intimissi, a lingerie store. Interesting to watch the women stop and admire the display case: two mannequins (one with cellulite!) in black outfits. One middle-aged woman stops, gazes, goes inside, later comes out empty-handed then runs up a side street after looking sheepishly across the street towards the cafe.

Agrigento has two famous sons, the 5th century BC philosopher Empedocles (who, according to legend, died by leaping into a crater of Etna) and the 20th century writer Pirandello.


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Morning Moonset - Exploring Siracusa Sicily

Full moon setting over terracotta rooftops. Pigeons on eves and lintels. Sky slowly filling with light as I read Italo Calvino's first memo on lightness. He uses a phrase which can be applied to Bataille's work: "the poetry of nothingness". Bataille is the poet of nothingness just as Zen is the "religion" of nothingness. Both emphasize now instead of hoping for some imagined ideal. Flavia says you should only use hope when you really need it.

Outside, a single palm tree amidst the rooftops. In another direction a single Araucaria. Inside, Flavia sleeping. Far away - Julian's birthday. The rising sun casts shadows of stove-pipes on the sides of buildings.

Our room is in an old building across the peripheral Via Vitt. Veneto from the sea walls. It is on the top floor, the second piano (third floor to Americans). The room is large with marble floors. Our private bathroom is across a hallway.

We have breakfast, ham, croissant and tea, in the Piazza Archimedes at the Cafe Diana. This stone piazza reminds me of southern Utah mornings where the rock is still cold and the air cool but the sun warm. It has a fountain in the middle portraying Alpheus and Arethusa:

After breakfast we drive to the archaeological park and walk around the the Alter of Hieron II, the Latonmia del Paradiso (a quarry containing the so-called Ear of Dionysius), the Greek theater, the Nymphaeum and Street of Tombs, and the Roman Amphitheater:

We eat lunch at the park's restaurant, very good and inexpensive (contra burgers and fries in America's national parks). We feed scraps to two cats.

We drive to the Church of San Giovanni and tour the Christian catacombs. Sad to say that, as we tour the crypts, I think of Indiana Jones movies, the closest I've come to experiencing such a place in the past.

We head back to Ortigia, parking near the Tempio di Apollo.

This plaza has a row of trees, the only ones in the maze of stones. There are thousands of birds screeching, nesting, taking off, swarming in the air, then diving back to the trees. An amazing sound. Later that night I dream of this exact scene: thousands of birds forming patterns while swarming in the air.

We get our car and park it near our room then start walking the narrow streets again. We spend some time in the main plaza, the Piazza Archimedes. We walk around the Via Nizza and pass through to Passeggio Adorno that seems to be the hip section where all the young people are walking and hanging out at cafes. We try to have dinner but are too late for lunch and too early for dinner. It is 5:15pm. Lunch seems to be from 1:00pm - 3:00pm. Dinner from 8:00pm to 10:00pm or later.

We are both quite tired from a day walking in ruins - in the past. We stop at the bookstore again and use its internet connection to email happy birthday to Julian. We get some tea and sit and browse books, one on Villa Romana del Casale (in Piazza Armerina which, unfortunately, we do not see during our visit). While sitting with our tea we talk about Filipe and Craig bringing us both to tears. Later, we doze in our seats we're so tired.

We walk around and find a restaurant for dinner. The one we choose is playing Santana's Shaman on their sound system (the only restaurant that did not have TV or radio playing on our whole trip). The cook personally came out and showed us the presentation of the meal he was making for himself and others. Our main course is a whole fish we picked from a plate of fresh fish (or was it meat? - the meals merge in my mind).


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Siracusa Sicily

Flavia arrived in Catania today. I checked out of my hotel in Capo Molini and drove to the airport in a rental car from a man in his 60s who delivered it to the hotel. (We rented a Fiat Punto for 300 euro a week from Autonoleggio Nova, Catania, Uff. 095-377-542, ab. 095-53-81-38, Cell. 333-228-7275.)

While waiting at the airport I read in my guidebook how Sicily has had numerous invasions: the Greeks in 734 BC; the Carthaginians; the Romans in 212 BC; the Byzantines (Justinian's Eastern Roman Empire) in AD 535; the Arabs in AD 827; the Normans in 1091; the Spaniards 1282; the Bourbons in 1713; finally becoming Italy in 1860 via Garibaldi's redshirts (you may also count the Allied forces under generals Patton and Montgomery in 1943). And what does Sicily think of 2500 years of invasions? Lampedusa's words are apropos, "they are coming to teach us good manners, but they won't succeed, because we think we are gods".

After meeting a tired but happy Flavia at the airport we drove south to Siracusa, arriving in the later afternoon. Siracusa, founded by the Corinthians in 734 BC, was the birth place of famed engineer Archimedes in 287 BC. Many of Aeschylus' tragedies were first staged here, including Prometheus Bound.

We found the BandB Airone on Via della Maestranza for 60 euro a night. Here are pictures from our room:

After hauling our bags up 3 flights of stairs we strolled around the Isola di Ortigia surrounded by the Mare Ionio, sipping tea, having pastries, browsing Italian bookstores, clothes shops and just generally enjoying getting lost in the narrow streets. It's kind of like hiking in Southern Utah slot canyons except there are cars, stores and carvings on the stone.

I purchase Italo Calvino's Six Memos for the Next Millennium and Norman Lewis' In Sicily at a cozy bookstore coffeshop. At another bookstore I buy Miths (sic) Legends and Customs in Greek and Roman Sicily a book by Sicilian author Salvatore Furnari (the book is translated as poorly as the title but it is a useful reference of myths associated with Sicily). (Other books I take note of but do not buy: Conversations in Sicily by Elio Vittorini, Sicilian Uncles by Leonardo Sciascia, and The Stone Boudoir by Theresa Maggio)

On our walk we wander upon the Tempio di Apollo, the oldest peripteral Doric temple (i.e., one enclosed by columns) in Sicily. All that remains are the bottoms of some columns and a part of a wall. It was built in 6th century BC and has been alternately a Greek temple, a Byzantine church, a mosque, and a Norman church. This is the first ancient Greek ruin I've experienced.

After our walk we returned to our room around 8:00pm so Flavia could get some sleep (having been awake for over 24 hours). While she slept I sat on the balcony overlooking a narrow street and read and wrote.


Ulysses, Aci Trezza and Mt. Etna

Dinner tonight with Denis, Skevos and a person from Microsoft Research (and lunch tomorrow with Skevos) in Aci Trezza. Aci Trezza is the first Sicilian landfall of Ulysses, a place abundantly fertile from Etna's volcanic soil. Ulysses is trapped in Polyphemus' cave but escapes by blinding him. Polyphemus and the other Cyclops are the one-eyed volcanic craters of Etna, which, when effusive, gives the impression of an injured eye. The rocks just offshore of Aci Trezza are the ones thrown by blind Polyphemus in the direction of Ulysses (Odysseus) when he hears Odysseus taunt him as he escapes. Polyphemus is the summit of Etna: "horrendous monster, unlike any human being but rather similar to the woody summit of a huge mountain standing alone without any other peak."


Remembering Mount Etna

Waking early (surprisingly) in darkness, reading Bataille's The Impossible, remembering Etna.

Driving, caught in the tangled rush-hour traffic on narrow labyrinthian Italian streets, my body dissolves. I have to image Craig's non-existence (and my own) in order for it to float away. It passes into the glorious solar morning it actually is.

On top (where Hephaestus (Vulcan) forged his father's, Zeus's, lightning bolts with the flames from the volcano), all of Sicily below (Enna and Lake Pergusa where Persephone is abducted by Hades and taken to the underworld).

Descending is hard on my knees and my ego since I go slow in order to endure, making me near the last (when before I inevitably lead). But who cares in this universe with people I don't know and will probably never see again. In fact, my colleagues are understanding. I love B's words "beyond a will to endure" but can't abide by them.

I can't sleep. I get up, sit on the balcony and watch the sun rise over the Mediterranean - small fishing boats close to the shore, larger ones on the horizon in the shipping lanes. I imagine Odysseus and his crew out there now.

The old lighthouse outside my room silenced by the sun. The night slipping away. Thoughts skimming the surface of the sea. Birds starting their day as I sit here drifting towards motion, towards water and light, towards endless time.

Sulphur

I can still taste sulphur from yesterday's hike. I'm permeated by it.


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Hiking Mount Etna

Waking early the sun sends solar waves streaming across the top of the Mediterranean directly into my room. I try to look but can't - he and his reflection are too strong.

I left the hotel at 8:30am with two colleagues from the conference. We arrived at 1900 meters on the side of Etna about 10:00am after stopping to buy some water and sandwiches. We (along with about 10 other people) hired two guides for 65 Euro per person. One guide, Camelo Felito, is Sicilian with a PhD in geology. Needless to say, he was very informative. The other was Swiss. Between them they spoke to our group in English, French, German and Italian.

They drove us up in a 4-wheel bus to 2900 meters. From there we hiked to the top at 3300 meters. Only 400 meters, but on a short trail so very steep.

At points the sulphur gas completely choked us up making it hard to get a breath while hiking. The guides were careful to keep us away from dangerous edges and fumeroles. The top was windy and cold, but not freezing. I used every layer I brought staying warm.

We toured several craters around the top (it's a complex volcano) before heading down 1400 meters! We hiked from the top all the way down to were we originally hired the guides - no bus back. Most of the downhill hike was sliding down steep sides of volcanic ash. If you decide to hike Mt. Etna I suggest two pieces of equipment I didn't have: high-top shoes and gators to keep the ash out of your shoes as you slide for miles down the mountain.

The hiking portion lasted around 6 hours. I have no idea the distance we covered and forgot to ask. It's a hike I'm glad I did but probably would not do again. Bataille hiked Mt. Etna back in the 30s. He called it the earth's Solar Anus but it's more like a lunar landscape - nothing growing at all - just rocks, ash, smoke, minerals.

Here are my pictures from the hike:

We arrived back at the hotel around 6:30pm, just in time for the conference reception. I didn't spend much time there - too tired, dirty and hungry. I went to my room and got in the shower with all my clothes, even my shoes, and proceeded to wash the ash and sweat out. After washing I had dinner (meeting a PhD student from Luco, Italy here to present his first paper at a conference), wrote and went to bed.

Just before going to bed, as I finish writing, a female vocalist and keyboard player start up in the hotel lobby. She has a pretty good voice, but I hate synthesized keys and drums in a lounge act. He even put the synthesizer keyboard right on top of a baby grand. What a waste! Wait, I spoke too soon, he's playing the real piano now (but with one hand on the synth giving a smaltzy pad).


November 3, 2003 - Aci and Galatea

I am staying at La Perla Ionica in Capo Molini north of Catania. Capo Molini ancient name was Aci after a mythical shepard. There are many towns around Capo Molini with "Aci" prefixed to their name: Aci Trezza (because of the three crags in front of the town), Aci Bonaccorsi, Aci Catena, Acireale and more. Apparently in the 11th century AD a lava flow destroyed the town of Aci forcing the inhabitants to settle in surrounding areas. In memory of their native town they called the new centers "Aci" and added another name to distinguish each place, such as Aci Castello because there was a castle built on a crag).

Aci was a shepard who lived and tended his flock on the slopes of Etna. Galatea was in love with Aci but Polyphemus was in love with Galatea. Polyphemus killed Aci but Galatea continued to love Aci. Galatea invoked Neptune to transform Aci's dead body into a fresh stream which flows down the slopes of Etna.

Angel Bassist

We discovered an angel bassist in Acireale, Sicily in the band on the ceiling of the Basilica Cattedrale Marie S.S. Annunziata:

(Thanks to Richard Soley for taking the picture.)


November 2, 2003 - Milan Cattle Call

Descending over the Alps towards the Milan airport. I leave the non-place of the airplane that thousands of people don't inhabit. In the airport I'm herded with hundreds of others through two checkpoints (a woman's humming an intricate melody keeps me calm) before finding my gate for the final leg of my journey to Sicily. The Milan airport, another non-place containing hundreds of people but inhabited by no one.

The Mediterranean and Mount Etna

bird atop
a red & white post
between runways

Flying from Milan to Catania, Sicily my first sight of the Mediterranean - so blue it seems you are looking through clouds down into the sky.

Arriving in Catania we pass Mount Etna rising from the sea to over 10,000 feet - top hidden in clouds, old lava flows plainly visible on her slopes.

A long taxi ride ($62) from the Catania airport to La Perla Ionica in Acireale. Don't let the pictures fool you. What they call "modern" is more like late 50s early 60s modern.

Lampedusa's Leopard

In my hotel room I surprisingly fresh considering I haven't slept for 24 hours. On the plane I read Giuseppe Di Lampedusa's The Leopard straight through. It's set in 1860 Sicily. Here's what he has to say about Sicilians:

We are old, very old. For more than twenty-five centuries we've been bearing the weight of a superb and heterogeneous civilization, all from the outside, none made by ourselves, note that we could call our own. We're as white as the Queen of England; and yet for two thousand and five hundred years we've been a colony.

Sicilians never want to improve for the simple reason that they think themselves perfect; every invasion by outsiders upsets their illusion of achieved perfection; having been trampled on by a dozen different peoples, Sicily wanted to sleep in spite of their invocations; for why should she listen to them if she herself is rich, if she's wish, if she's civilized, is she's honest, if she's admired and envied by all, if, in a word, she is perfect? They are coming to teach us good manners, but they won't succeed, because we think we are gods.


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Brazil

I recently returned from two weeks in Brazil. The first week I was in Rio de Janeiro presenting a paper on the PEPt Remoting Architecture at Middleware 2003. After the conference, Flavia joined me in Rio for a couple of days. We then flew to Florianopolis to visit her friends from her days playing music in Brazil with Grupo Aqua. Check out our pictures.


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Julian's Graduation

My son, Julian graduated in Economics at the University of Utah. Here are pictures of the graduation ceremony.

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Wilder Ranch, Santa Cruz

While on a business trip to Sun I went with my friends, Jed and Barb, to visit Flavia's son, Venus, and his girlfriend, Chiara. We spent the afternoon hiking along the cliffs at Wilder Ranch in Santa Cruz, California.


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blue haiku at Zion Park

Our band, blue haiku, performed at the O.C. Tanner Amphitheater in Zion Park in Southern Utah. Check out the incredible cliffs behind the stage in these pictures.


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My Surprise Birthday Party

Flavia made a surprise party for me on my birthday. Julian took me out to play billiards (I won). When we returned our house was full of friends. Here's Steve, my best music buddy in Salt Lake:


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Visiting Venus In Santa Cruz

Flavia's son, Venus, attends the University of California, Santa Cruz. Here are some pictures of us outside a great Brazilian restaurant.


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1976 Inside/Outside

Inside/Outside

Another blast from the past. Sherm Clow sent me this picture of Inside/Outside, a group I was in back around 1976, featuring Merrill Clark, leader, composition and guitar; Brenda (Gibb) Vincent, violin; Divya Prem (Dan Gaard), drums; and me on electric and acoustic bass. I think this picture was for our performance at the Hansen Planetarium.


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Harold and Bob in 5th South, Bountiful electronics room

My sister Peggy took this picture of me and Bob back in my electronics room a long time ago. Notice the Hammerlund SuperPro shortwave receiver in the background. And notice me playing the guitar. This was about the time my interest in music started outweighting my interest in science.