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Mail - James Olson - Outlook

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About Fall

With today's sunrise, and it was a real sunrise, not simply getting lighter as is usual, there is hope following near despair.
I guess something good can come from somthing so seeminly horrible as to make us think and act.
I do feel good about today. But am exhausted none the less.
Tomorrow brings change one way or another and I do so hope for the good kind of change.
We have things to do and goals with some direction. Now it is taking that first step.

What Once Was Old is New Again

The last few days have brought me nearly all of the newly released, digitally re-mastered Beattle albums and it's been a bit of a "religious" experience listening to them and hearing stuff I hadn't heard before. Compared to the CD releases in the 80's, these have so much more sound. There are songs with bongo drums being played that I had never noticed before. Listening to the White album was like listening to it for the first time in some ways. Ah!
This year has seemed like such a walk down memory lane. Re-connecting with some old friends; true, the news from some people not so good. Cancer and other health issues are taking a toll as they do and then there is just plain old age not leaving any of us breathing folks behind.
I drove past my old neighbourhood in Bellevue on Friday, took some photos and felt a little meloncholy as it had been a day of memories.
But the Beattles saved me.

Sunrise on Iron Street

I've recently been trying to work my way around the whole Facebook thing, connecting with some folks from the past; highschool and beyond, work and the like. Yesterday I found some friends I met when I lived in Phoenix, back in the late 80's working at a Nursing home for extremely handicapped children called "Hacienda de Los Angeles". We met only because one of these friends worked a summer stint as a PE teacher at this place every year. I only worked there about six months; despite the name, the place was anything but representative of the domestic residence of the Angelic hosts although I wouldn't want to second guess the celestial intentions. The pay was very low, even for Arizona and the working conditions were less than perfect. It was a difficult and thankless job but one that taught me some things about myself, following on the heals of the previous "job" I had left which was a monastic experience which had taught me much as well. Another gift I received from this job was meeting Claudia, the Summer teacher and her husband Scott.
The friendship that developed over the course of the 3 years I lived in Phoenix was such a blessing to me when I didn't know very many people. Our conversations were intense; both of them are as opinionated as myself so you can perhaps imagine. The friendship has persisted despite the several moves they have had to make in finding teaching posts and my relocating to the Seattle area in 1991 and then to Bellingham 5 years ago. They have had two children in the interim and are now living in New Mexico, teaching on the Navaho Reservation.
I spoke with them on the phone yesterday after having found them on Facebook (still a marvel to me) the day before. Hearing their voices was so nice.
Just wanted to say here that knowing them both has enriched my life and given me much to cherish.

Celestial Vision on Iron Street

Enough is enough

Ok, for some years, at least as long as I've been back in the Northwest after living in Phoenix, I've made fun of the local NWesterners and their complaining of heat. I have ridiculed and poked fun at what I've seen as a tendency to complain about the least amount of weather. 80F for a couple days does not constitute a "heat wave" any more than a few inches of snow makes a "blizzard".
Now the last couple days, last night being the worst, constitutes some real heat. It was over 90F in our kitchen yesterday afternoon and our outside temp was 101F at 1500. We've not had a decent nights sleep in 2-3 days and it looks like the heat is going to be around for a while longer.
So if I complain about the heat, please know that my parameters for complaining begin at 90F not 75F. I love snow too!

REPRESENTATIVE!!!!!!!

Ok, so we got a new computer today and despite my sister putting a bug in my ear about Macs, we ended up with a PC.
Jimmy and I are still together even after me on the phone with Jarveet, and someone else in Delhi. They were all very helpful and ever so polite, but I admit to losing it a few times.
So we have the new PC up and running.

I forgot to add that when I drove past the "tea party" yesterday, I waved my Cross of St. George back at them. The only thing is; I bet they all thought it was a flag from one of the smaller Scandanavian countries. Perhaps I should have taken the larger Union Jack with me in the truck.

Sunday morning

Sunday morning and the last day of a 3 day week-end. The dryer is humming, Jimmy is playing
silently with his headphones on, a sound so comforting even though all I hear is the thumping of
the keys. The sounds you hear here mostly only on the week-ends. A very quiet morning as last was a late one for most in the neighbourhood. We went up the stairs to the studio above the garage and watched the fireworks over Bellingham Bay from there.
Even the dogs are quiet for the moment and it's nice.

A sad note: Seattle had only one big fireworks display this year over Lake Union. The display over
Elliott Bay put on over the years by Ivar's was canceled this year. I'm not sure what the reason was
for this but I expect it was about money. Perhaps it was the smart thing to do given the seeming
wastfulness of it all. The sad part for me I suppose is the thought that there were no fireworks for the residents of Lomita Vista Apartments. Many a 4th of July I watched, with nearly a front row seat from my balcony, while
a gigantic display was shot off a barge loaded with rockets red glare etc. From that vantage point
could even smell the gunpowder.
The thought that the folks who live there now won't be able to enjoy those times is sad to me. Its like the rent rising to the point where regular folks can't afford to live there after many decades of bohemian rents in a garden district. Like what kind of flower pots you could have on your deck.
Well no one hear can tell us what kind of flower pots to have!
By the way: The local "tea party" here in Bellingham was attended by what looked like to be about 10 or so folks with flags and some plackards protesting the President. Pretty pitiful on one hand and quite promising on the other.

Independence Day

Choosing this day to show a picture of the Queen is not an accident of course. Before I moved in with Jimmy here in Bellingham, I flew the Union Jack from my balcony on Queen Anne Hill. It's mostly for fun, my Anglophileness, but I do feel that if we hadn't separated from Britain back in the 18th century we might not have capital punishment now and Jimmy and I would have a Federally recognised relationship instead of one which, though recognised by the State of Washington, is not a marriage and is not recognised anywhere else in the nation but for the states which have legalised same-sex marriage or have similar DP laws. I expect that we would still need to "re-register" or get married in what ever state we moved to (not that we are planning that). I just think that Britain, like most of Western Europe has moved on in areas where we on our side of the pond are still wallowing in issues that we should have stopped arguing about. The idea that we are still discussing whether or not to teach "Evolution" in the schools and that children in this country do not get decent sex education is ridiculous.

So happy birthday United States of America and God Save Her Majesty The Queen! Let's blow some stuff up, scare the animals, trash the beach and grill some weenies!

Coco

It's time you saw Coco, the first dog Jimmy and I adopted. In 2004, brought home from the local humane society just before Christmas Eve. Sore and drugged after her mandatory "fixing", she was quite relaxed while we had a visit from my old time friend John Bullwinkel.
When Bruno entered the scene here on Iron St. last April, Coco became the most long suffering dog in Creation. By the term "Creation", I am most definitely not suggesting that I don't accept Darwin's theory.
As Bruno has repeatedly required Veterinary attention, Coco has only needed her check-ups and shots, the usual stuff. Lately for Coco it is like Bruno gets all the attention; soaks with Jimmy in the tub, the giving of pills with slices of lunch meat, "the cone" (not that Coco would really like to wear it), the foot sprays and all.
Any way, she is such a good dog and as you can see from the photo quite the charming beast. We are generally un-molested by the poor Jehovah's Witnesses, door to door sales/fundraisers, and the like. Bruno, despite his posturing, is really a push over and not to be relied on in the protection department.

Fwd: BRUNOS CONE

Here finally is the photo I've been trying to figure out how to get from my phone to a post.  I'll have to see if it works. 

He is so cute wearing the silly thing that it's sad and funny all at the same time.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Steven Banks <stevendbanks@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, Jun 30, 2009 at 7:52 PM
Subject: BRUNOS CONE
To: Steven Banks <stevendbanks@gmail.com>

Again?

Here's Bruno in happier days.

Testing

So Bruno and Jimmy are going to the Vet this morning for trouble with one of his feet. He's wearing a "cone" and just needs a whimple and veil to look l

ike a Carmelite (that's the Discalced variety) but for his grey and white colouring. Give it to the Carmelites to keep to earth tones.

Bruno

Monday Morning

I'm trying to be happy that it's Monday morning and I must go to work.
We must change the health care system so I don't have to get better at collecting money from patients and turning away the ones who can't pay up front.
Single payer!