Existential Punk

Cross-Country Moving Adventure - 3rd Leg

Well, we had a wonderful, albeit short visit in Dallas/Plano with the family and friends! i so very much enjoyed meeting Liz and Jonathan. Today we are back on the road to continue onto Sacramento!

TUESDAY, 25 August 2009
Dallas/Plano, TX to Albuq., NM

Cross-Country Moving Adventure - 2nd Leg

SUNDAY, 23 August 2009
Nashville, TN to Dallas/Plano, TX

Cross-Country Moving Adventure - 1st Leg

SATURDAY, 22 August 2009
Richmond, VA to Nashville, TN

My First Official Ocean Dive Trip!

It's official, we have FINALLY booked our dive trip with Ocean Divers in Key Largo, Florida! Katryna dived with them last August with her underwater photography class with Stephen Frink and really enjoyed diving with them. i went out one day to snorkle and had an enjoyable day despite getting a fish hickey on my left knee from a chub fish who mistook me for some fish food! This is my official 40th Birthday gift from my beautiful and awesome wife! Thanks, honey!

We will be heading out to drive down to Key West first for a couple of days on July 16th, where we will be staying for two nights at Pearls Rainbow, a resort for women! We head to Key LArgo on Sunday, July 19th and begin diving in Key Largo July 20th - 24th. FIVE DAYS OF GLORIOUS DIVING! WOO HOO!!! i am REALLY stoked!

Here is some info about the Florida Keys i just learned today, thanks to Ocean Divers:

WHAT IS A KEY?

'A "key" is an island where there is no natural source of fresh water.

 The Florida Keys are "islands" formed by ancient coral reefs. At one time, all of what is now Florida was beneath the surface of the ocean. During that time, massive coral reefs were formed. As the water level on the whole planet subsided, the tops of these reefs were no longer covered by water. Over time, sediment, seeds deposited by birds, and "nature"  produced the tropical paradise of the Florida Keys.'

States in USA i Have Visited

HT to Tall Skinny Kiwi for this:

 
visited 42 states (84%)
Create your own visited map of The United States or try another Douwe Osinga project

Moby at Speak Up! Protest in NYC

The following is a video clip i took from the Speak Up! War protest and fundraiser on March 18, 2008 in Brooklyn, NY:

OUCH!!!!

Our 'wonderful' governmental agency, TSA, is at it once again! As a woman who has various piercings, which are my right and my freedom of expression, this story disgusts and angers me at the sheer STUPIDITY of our government. Does terrorism mean we check common sense at the door? This woman should not have had to face this pain and humiliation. Our country has gone way overboard with fear tactics and we are no safer than before 9/11. So, when EVER have body piercings been a threat to security? This is ridiculous. I have been saying for years that eventually the TSA will want us to come to the airport in our birthday suits. I don't think i'm too far off my rocker after reading about this poor woman.

"Hamlin said she could not remove them and asked whether she could instead display her pierced breasts in private to the female agent. But several other male officers told her she could not board her flight until the jewelry was out, she said."

"She said she heard male TSA agents snickering as she took out the ring. She was scanned again and was allowed to board even though she still was wearing a belly button ring."

"The conduct of TSA was cruel and unnecessary," Allred wrote. "The last time that I checked, a nipple was not a dangerous weapon." 

"Spiritual Menu"

The Tennessean reports that Hotel Preston in Nashville, TN is doing away with the Bible in their rooms. Instead, they are opting for room service where a visitor can order the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Quran, and books on Scientology. This is an effort to offer visitors a variety who may not follow in the Christian faith tradition. i really think this is fabulous and sensitive to other's beliefs. i applaud Hotel Preston for breaking with tradition and being welcoming to all. i always hated feeling like the Bible being shoved down m throat and wondered what those of other belief systems were to do. i forget where we were, but i remember a hotel having Buddhist teachings in the room. i think a spiritual menu is brilliant and not imposing at all when there is so much trying to be forced upon us. Pluralism is NOT a bad thing, especially in a country where we have separation of church and state.

A team of Provenance managers came up with the spiritual menu's lineup, Nishioka said, which will feature the King James Version of the Bible and the New American Bible, the Torah, the Quran, the Tao Te Ching, The Four Noble Truths of Buddhism, the Book of Mormon, books on Scientology and Bhagavad Gita, a sacred Hindu text."

AND

"If they want to be ecumenical, that's a great way to do it," McInerney said. "It's taking a positive look at a thing that has been commonplace. What could be wrong with it if they're providing an opportunity for all religions to read their scripture?"

St. Paddy's Day NYC Style!

It was so cool to be in NYC for St. Patrick's Day and celebrate by attending the parade and partying with NY"s FINEST NYFD!!! Katryna also got into the spirit! That's my girl! It was a very beautiful and sunny day in the upper 40's.

SPEAK UP!

Katryna and i depart this Saturday for NYC. We will be attending the NYC  Macy's St. Patrick's Day Parade on Monday, and on Tuesday, March 18th, attending a benefit concert including djing from my FAVORITE, Moby, at St. Ann's Warehouse. We are SO VERY EXCITED to support this effort for peace in Iraq, as it will be the 5 year anniversary of this stupid and senseless war. Here's St. Ann's description and partial lineup of the SOLD OUT BENEFIT SHOW we will be attending:

St. Ann's Warehouse & Josh Wood Productions presents                                                                    

SPEAK UP! A BENEFIT CONCERT FOR PEACE IN IRAQ & JUSTICE AT HOME

Featuring Laurie Anderson, Antony, Blonde Redhead, David Byrne, Norah Jones, MEN, Moby, Lou Reed, Damien Rice, Scissor Sisters and more.    

Emcees: Richard Belzer and Laura Flanders                     

TUE  MAR 18

8PM 

THE 5^TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE IRAQ WAR

There will also be an exhibition of photos from “Alive Day Memories,” portraits of soldiers injured in the

Iraq and Afghanistan Wars by Timothy Greenfield-Sanders.  

All proceeds benefit NYC United for Peace and Justice and Iraq Veterans Against the War    

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New Yorkers have always been visionaries. SPEAK UP is a way to begin to reclaim the voice of our city as revolutionary, awake, and democratic. SPEAK UP is meant not only to encourage empathy and compassion, but also to provide New Yorkers with concrete options for action. In this benefit concert,

New York

musicians will be joined by speakers from the worlds of politics, media, war and social justice in a call for action.  Join us for a powerful evening of music and activism on the eve of the 5^th Anniversary of the War in Iraq.

Photo of John Jones by Timothy Greenfield-Sanders