WP #4

from my walk this morning:

the former owner of this sofa just saved $15, the cost of a trip to the dump


this TV won't work now, for sure

WP #3 - Reflections

Volunteer Park
when I take my camera with me on my morning walk, I have the goal of
getting one good shot
I see something different every morning
I just have to keep my eyes open

Bridge in the park


Green River


Green River bridge


Tukwila Pond


this last one was with Nathan in Cebu ('07)

Walk Photos (WP) #2 - Fire Hydrants

An island of my own

I'm taller than you

Shorty

Peekaboo

Walk Photos #1

I just started going through my Pictures folder, and I decided to post a few of my Walk Photos every once in awhile.

Hiking with my kids...

We took the Sunrise Road into the NE Rainier National Park Saturday, and started out on the Wonderland Trail from the White River Campground. That first part of the hike was fairly strenuous, with switchbacks, etc, climbing from an elevation of 4300 up to 6400. At that point we joined the Silver Forest Trail, which meandered through some beautiful meadows and had some nice views, taking us to Shadow Lake and the Sunrise campsite. A half mile above Sunrise, we rejoined the Wonderland Trail and had another 3000 foot climb to Frozen Lake. All in all, an exhilarating day of hiking, which left us just wanting more...

Hiking part of the Wonderland trail

Hiking in the Sunrise area of the Mt Rainier Park yesterday was outstanding! I will post some photos later this morning.
cr

Inday and I hopped on the Light Rail yesterday afternoon, and went down to the Pike Place Market. We did a little shopping, and got a snack to eat in the park above the waterfront. Very nice...

Tukwila Pond Park

Across the street from the Southcenter Mall, down a short road beside the Target store, is the Tukwila Pond Park. This quiet, peaceful respite is hidden in the midst of suburban shopping America, and my guess is that most visitors and Tukwila residents alike don't even know it exists.

drawings by nieces

I found this little drawing done by my grand? niece Jade (my niece Shawna's daughter) after they visited the other evening.

I then looked through my "nostalgia bag", and found the bottom two much older drawings. One by Trina, Jade's aunt (Shawna's sister), and one by Shawna I think.
I'm guessing these are portraits of their Uncle Chuck (me) because of the glasses and beards.

Seattle Light Rail Update

I saw 3 trains headed into town and 3 headed south this morning, during my walk between 8 and 830. Not that many riders. Maybe there were more "workers"/commuters earlier? There were more southbound passengers, headed for the airport maybe?
During my ride down to the main Seattle Art Museum on Thursday, around 10am, we left Tukwila with very few passengers, but a bunch of people got on at stops between there and downtown. That was encouraging, being the LRT fan that I am.
I'm rediscovering downtown now! I even went to the main Library the other day, and like the Pike Place Market and Art Museum, it's a place I haven't visited in years. An extraordinary piece of architecture, designed by the Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas.

"Camping", from a blog called "Stuff White People Like"

I'm getting organized now for my first camping trip in years, and I stumbled upon the following blog while surfing today. I thought it was funny, and I decided to post it here:
------------------------------
#128 Camping

August 14, 2009 by clander14

If you find yourself trapped in the middle of the woods without electricity, running water, or a car you would likely describe that situation as a “nightmare” or “a worse case scenario like after plane crash or something.” White people refer to it as “camping.”

When white people begin talking to you about camping they will do their best to tell you that it’s very easy and it allows them to escape the pressures and troubles of the urban lifestyle for a more natural, simplified, relaxing time. Nothing could be further from the truth.

In theory camping should be a very inexpensive activity since you are literally sleeping on the ground. But as with everything in white culture, the more simple it appears the more expensive it actually is.

Camping is a multi-day, multi-step, potentially lethal activity that will cost you a large amount of both time and money. Unless you are in some sort of position where you absolutely need the friendship of a white person, you should avoid camping at all costs.

The first stage of camping always involves a trip to an outdoor equipment store like REI (or in Canada, Mountain Equipment Co-Op). These stores are well known for their abundance of white customers and their extensive inventory of things for white people to buy and only use once. If you are ever tricked into going to one of these stores, you can make white people like you by saying things like “man, this Kayak is only $1200, if I use it 35 times I’ve already saved money over renting.” Note: do not actually buy the kayak.

Next, white people will then take this new equipment and load it into an SUV or Subaru Outback with a Thule or Yakima Roof Rack. Then they will drive for an extended period of time to a national park or campsite where they will pay an entrance fee and begin their journey. It is worth noting that white people are unaware of the irony of using a gas burning car to bring them closer to nature and it is not recommended that you point this out. It will ruin their weekend.

Once in the camp area, white people will walk around for a while, set up a tent, have a horrible night of sleep, walk around some more. Then get in the car and go home. This, of course, is a best case scenario. Worst case scenarios include: getting lost, poisoned, killed by an animal, and encountering an RV. Of these outcomes, the latter is seen by white people as the worst since it involves an encounter with the wrong kind of white people.

Conversely, any camping trip that ends in death at the hands of nature or requires the use of valuable government resources for a rescue is seen as relatively positive in white culture. This is because both situations might eventually lead to a book deal or documentary film about the experience.

Ultimately the best way to escape a camping trip with white people is to say that you have allergies. Since white people and their children are allergic to almost everything, they will understand and ask no further questions. You should not say something like “looking at history, the instances of my people encountering white people in the woods have not worked out very well for us.”

Note: this works for all races!
------------------------------
this was copied from
http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/

Art Museums #2

Where have I been all of these years?
If I was a "writer", or if I could pour the thoughts and emotions I'm feeling right now into these words, I would.
I went to the main Seattle Art Museum downtown today. On the Seattle Light Rail AGAIN. Just like the other day at the Asian Art Museum, it was like visiting an old friend.
In addition to their regular collections, the special exhibitions now are "Andrew Wyeth - Remembrance", and "Target Practice: Painting Under Attack 1949-78".
http://www.seattleartmuseum.org/
One of the perks of being "62 or over", i.e. - a "senior", I get discounts now. And I decided to get a SAM Membership.
I'm still loving the Light Rail! I got off at the University St stop, rode up an escalator and out through a curving tunnel walkway, and SAM was right across the street. Cool.

"Jeepney", moving up in the world

Remember the photo I posted of the "Jeepney" down by the railroad tracks? It's moving up in the world. This is what I saw when I drove by yesterday.
Yesterday



Last month

"this is your ART cr"

I have to be honest. I wouldn't feel as good as I do, and I wouldn't be loving life as much as I am right now, if I was still "working". Just a fact. It seems like there is never enough time in the day to do all the things I want to do, but to have the luxury now to "choose" which path to take.
I do not know how I did it when I was sleeping 4 hours, babysitting a toddler during the day, remodeling the house, etc, etc...
I just didn't get to do much of the "fun"? stuff, or pursue "artistic" endeavors?? I remember telling my artist friend Jim Colbert, "I haven't done any 'work' (art) lately", and it pained me.
He looked over at little Nathan, and our house, my little family?, and he said "this is your ART cr".

Vietnam wall

I told Nathan that I'm going to see the traveling Memorial Vietnam Wall this week, and he asked
"is your name on it?"
"Lucky for you, no."
"Why?"
"They're all dead people."
"Oh"
------------------------
My father told a co-worker the day I returned home "Chuck got back from Vietnam today."
His friend gave him a sad smile, and said "we got news yesterday...our son was killed in action."
I still get a lump in my throat when I remember this.
The last time the Memorial was in town, I had them check the registry just using the date around the time I returned home, and I found his name. Dad's gone now, and I can't remember the name, but I'll go again, have that lump in my throat...
------------------------
There was a documentary kind of show on TV yesterday about "Woodstock", the 40th Anniversary.

xo laptop as ebook reader

Holy moly!
I just typed in "xo computer" on Youtube - the little xo I have is a good "ebook-reader" too. The "Project Gutenberg" website has 30,000 free titles available, without copyrights, and/or expired. Wow! I keep being surprised by the wonders of cyberspace.
I got the xo when the "one laptop per child give one get one" program came out a year or two back.

Art Museums

I went to an art museum today, my first visit in a long time. It was the Seattle Asian Art Museum, and I was overwhelmed when I walked into that first gallery. For some of us, our soul needs "art" like our body needs food. It's been too long.
The image of Tom Hanks in "Philadelphia" came to mind, where he's moved to tears listening to an opera. I'm not an opera fan, but I can identify with the emotions. Beautiful, painted scrolls, centuries old jade carvings and bowls, a collection of tiny snuff bottles...
I lived in Japan for a year back in the 80s, and I visited several other countries in Asia. I look forward to going to mainland China next year or in 2011.
I uploaded this image from bing.com (www.time.com):

photos

some of my photos from this past month, mostly from my morning walks...
My camera is a little Casio Exilim EX-Z150, a "budget-conscious ultracompact" - it "comes in a variety of bright colors with anti-shake...", which is a good thing because of my less than steady hand. I'm anxious to upgrade sometime in the not too distant future.

Bridge in the Park


Buddha Statues


Ducks and Tires


Green River 1


GR Trail


Green


Green River 2


LRT 1


LRT 2


Mt Si mist 1


Mt Si mist 2


New 2 You Shop


Things For Sale


Reaching for the Sun


Textures


Train, and Jeepney on top of building


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