Well, this post is going to be a little hard to follow, unless you are one whom normally tries to follow this blog. Then you will know that it leads nowhere, but it does so in a random fashion.
As you know, at least those that follow this blog know, I look forward to the comments that are posted here. I find that the comments are far more interesting to me than the stuff that I write. Maybe that’s because I already know the stuff that I write about. Are you following me so far?
I’ve never cared what people say here, as long as it was not mean to someone else, or completely filthy and disgusting, I even let filthy and disgusting slip by as long as it’s done in good taste.
Back when I was trying to be a sports fan, I followed the San Francisco Giants, and the Forty-niners. They would be doing mediocre-good, until I would take the time to watch a game, then it seemed to me that they would invariably lose. I got to the point that I wouldn’t watch the game, because I felt that I was jinxing them to watch. Finally, I figured out that I couldn’t be a very good sports fan if I refused to watch the game because I felt that my mere watching was causing then harm. So, if your team is doing real good right now, it’s because I’m not watching them.
I had to laugh at Bunny for thinking that she was “closing” the conversation by making a comment. I’ve felt that way myself several times. A blog would be moving right along with lots of comments, then I would add something, and all of a sudden it would end, and my comment would just be left hanging there. I would always wonder if it was something that I said, or the way I said it, that just chased everybody away. So, I feel compelled to tell Bunny that; No, you are not a “closer“. Please keep commenting, I enjoy your input.
Spyrock is busy defending his drug of choice, Diet Pepsi. I got a kick out of that. We all rabidly defend our favorite addiction. Mine seems to have become coffee. We have a very good coffee roaster in Redway, so I can enjoy good fresh coffee every morning. I’m sure that I wouldn’t make it through the day without it. Whenever I go to a strange town and want a cup of coffee, I ask the kid behind the counter at the coffee stand if they have any real coffee. They always look at me like I’m nuts, and say, “yes sir, we have a double-moca-frapaccino-decaf-deluxe for only $7.95. I usually just walk away, because I know that if I say anything that I’ll just get mad. But, through the years, I’ve discovered that I like the things that are good for me. I just instinctively know… I’ve always liked just a little REAL butter on things, while everyone else was scolding me about animal fats, and how much better the imitation butter crap was for you. Those of you that read a lot know that a little real butter is better for your health than the other hard margarines. See? My body knew that! Just like Spy knows what’s good for him. I think that “moderation in all things” is a good philosophy.
I get a big kick out of the old guys that have fallen head over heels in love with Suzy Blah Blah. Get over it boys, she’s much to smart for you! She’s the only one that knows the key to puzzle that unlocks the hole to China.
My life has been real busy lately, we are remodeling the Radio Shack store which if proving to be great fun for me. I like building things. Today we cut, split, hauled and stacked two and a half cords of Madrone for the Redway Fire Department barbecue this Memorial Day Saturday.
But, just because I’ve been busy is no reason not to keep posting here. I always take the time to read, even when sometimes my fingers won’t poke the keyboard.
Have you noticed any interesting happenings lately?
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
59 comments:
Happy Valentines Day Suzy.
Oregon
Betty White showed a little cleavage on Golden Girls last night... it's ok, I had my nitroglycerins handy.
She’s the only one that knows the key to puzzle that unlocks the hole
to China.
-the key is soul, but Ernie, Suzy luvs old dudes, specially short with a sexy mustache..but your right some are kinda dense, like Unk John seems to think that soul needs to be measured quantifically but you, Ern, realize that it is measures qualitifically...
hey when your done playing with your hammer and nails we want some more
soul charactor portraits like those you did on Speed, and Coca-Cola.
i'm thinkin' we need a holiday for Coca-cola where everyone comes to the
picnic wearing cardboard and tape hats and vests --no Pepzi allowed.
huggles Oregon
I knew this was going to be a good day:-)
Oregon
Hi Ernie -
Curious....have you ever written about CAMP and its effect on your region the past 20 years?
Ultradave
It's strange that you should ask, I've watched the whole genesis of the newcomers and the marijuana trade. As you might guess, I have a lot of thoughts on all that has happened here in the last 40 years. As someone who prides myself for having a studious, and open mind, I've come to a great many conclusions... none of which I would be comfortable sharing to any great extent.
A very wise person told me once that politics and business don't mix, and you need to chose your fights. Although what what happens to the marijuana trade affects me greatly, it is not my fight. I choose to be a businessman, and take care of my own business. I learned a long time ago that you don't gain customers by disagreeing with them.
I seriously question Hollywood actors and singing stars that think that they can change things by picking fights with their fans. I know many stars that have lost their popularity by stating their political views. I don't think that I can help the world much by running a mediocre business. I disagree with many of my customers, but disagreeing with them on one small point is not worth alienating them.
I have made political choices, and I hope that I have presented myself in such a way that I've made it clear that it was simply a choice and not any kind of “stand” or ultimatum. I have said that I think that the legalization of marijuana will be the end of prosperity as we know it in Southern Humboldt, but the fight over the legalization is not my fight. I can also clearly see ALL of the pros and cons to legalization. Just because I see the pros and cons doesn't mean that I should make a stand on one side or the other. I really think that the fight is for the marijuana trade to engage in. I don't grow it, or use it. Not my fight. I leave it to people like Kym Kemp, who is a marijuana trade magazine writer to work out the details. I think that she has a good handle on the struggle. And her business is not likely to suffer if she has an opinion. I see her struggle over the pros and cons, but even she hasn't come up with any good solutions to the legalization issue.
But, you ask me about the effect CAMP has had on us. I think that it is pretty commonly agreed that the effect that CAMP has had is to drive out the drug-thugs to a large degree, and drive up the price of weed. More in-depth comment would become too political and polarizing. Maybe when I retire I will give more opinion. But, I still don't think that I will want to stomp anyones toes. I truly see both sides of the issue.
When are you going to retire?
Oregon
Ernie, Our musical combo played last night at the Arcata Volunteer Fire Department's Valentine's Ball. Here is something I really noticed. Where are the young people? The great majority of supporters and actual firefighters were in the aging bracket. Are you seeing that in the Southern Humboldt civic fire districts? Mind you, the event was packed with lots of 50 and 60-somethings all boogieing to the sounds of an aging band. Maybe, that just goes to show you. Had they hired a reggae band, the attendance may have been a bit different.
I'm asking for your take on this subject. Are you seeing younger folks joining the ranks of the volunteer fire districts?
I agree with Eko that the younger folks don't seem to have time for Fire Departments. I know Beginnings put out a call a few years ago. Don't know how it worked out.
We took a tour of the restaurants this Valentine's evening just a diversion on our Sunday drive. I started telling Tui about all the restaurants we had BEFORE the pot economy. You must be very aware of this having worked on their refrigeration. Phillipsville had 4 restaurants if you include the Roadrunner and the Sawblade. The Riverwood was a steakhouse and The Forest of Arden had a great restaurant and bar. P-ville had four bars and no churches. Miranda had Tarantino's and three churches. Tarantino's was great! Wonderful seafood. So... what happened. There must be some factor in the economy that has caused this drought of eating places. Is it lack of tourists? The only restaurants on the Ave now are the Riverwood (El Rio) the Miranda Cafe and the Grove in Myer's Flat.
I sob as I pass the empty Chimney Tree. I think about Billie at the Roadrunner who put about 30 pounds on me in a couple of years. That gal could cook eggs! Sharon's burgers at he Sawblade were the size of a dinner plate with fries the size of my head. Yummy! Chicken Kiev at the Riverwood and on to Tarantino's for fish. Then up to Knight's at Myers for Rolf's vienerschnitzel! Such memories. I remember them all as I go for my (doctor advised) jog every other day. The restaurant business is hard work. Does the pot economy create work opportunities more attractive than food service? What's going on?
I'm not sure if this comment fits with this post, but anyway, I read that the president of Bolivia is promoting a new bottled energy drink with coca in the ingredients. It seems that they are trying to redeem the good name of the plant, after CIA, drug cartels, etc, have blemished it beyond recognition. I have a weaver friend in Bolivia.
Eko
I know what you mean. The young people aren't joining anything today. We have a couple of new firefighters that are doing outstanding. One is about twenty five and the other is in his forties. But for the most part we are way short of firefighters.
The training requirements are the killer. You have to spend about 80 hours of college level study to get your First Responder Medical certificate and CPR card. Then you get to train on the trucks and equipment. Then hose drills, ladder drills, air pack drills. Then you are issued a set of fire clothes, and told don't do anything unless you are told to.
When I joined, I was told the turnout clothes are on the wall. Pick out what fits you. Your job is to put the wet stuff on the red stuff. (Water on fire) Any other training happend during drills. Nobody ever got hurt, so I don't understand a lot of the rules that we have today.
But for the most part, I don't see anybody today with a sense of the future. Everybody lives for today.
When we were growing up, we could always get a job that would suport a family. I'm not sure that you can just go out and find a job today. That might have something to do with it. We spend too much time working.
I don't grow it, or use it. Not my fight. I leave it to people like Kym Kemp,
hey brother Ernie, Kym also claims to not grow or use it:
"he which hath no stomach to this fight,
Let him depart; his passport shall be made,
And crowns for convoy put into his purse;
We would not die in that man's company
That fears his fellowship to die with us. "
-I think about Billie at the Roadrunner who put about 30 pounds on me in a couple of years...
I remember them all as I go for my (doctor advised) jog every other day.
LOL!
my dad never did leave the depression economy. he stayed on the barter system. i never saw him send someone a bill and i never saw him pay anyone for helping him fix something (including me) either.
when he was 8 years old, he went around town collecting money to buy a fire truck. someone donated an old truck and they made a fire truck out of it. they still drive it on the fourth of july in the parade. only one person per family could be in the volunteer fire department in those days so he had to wait for his dad to retire. after about 60 years of service, they gave him a retirement dinner basically to get rid of him. at 80 years of age, all he was doing was taking attendance at a fire and tell everyone the history of the house that was burning down. but he was always borrowing fire department tables for garage sales for any local club that needed them and refilling his oxygen tanks for free for old people that needed air.
it wasn't long after his retirement that the fire department was taken over by a private company. one of the volunteers ran for mayor and won. he then started investigating complaints about the private fire service and wanted the city to return to a volunteer fire department. the next thing that happened was that someone leaked his private emails to the newspaper which consisted mostly of obama jokes. the naacp then demanded his resignation which he still refuses to do. in other words, those old volunteer jokes don't fly anymore either. it doesn't really matter what a great guy this man is or all the time he gave the community for free.
i agree with aunt janet, i'm reading a book called stones for schools about a man building schools in afganistan which pretty much has the same type of economy as bolivia and the emerald triangle. there are many good ways of using each of these natural occurring substances. however, demand creates the current reality. the reason why pepsi is cheap is because there is no money in asparteme. even monsanto, the main patent holder of food seed, sold their asparteme investments because it is so abundant. the main problem with fundamentalist religions is that they have taken over governments in afganistan, the united states, iraq, and elsewhere and deny religious freedom to the indigenous or any other group. the real question is, how long can we afford this fundamentalist mindset?
Have you noticed any interesting happenings lately?
I have a crush on Suzy too.
I also have a question for you Ernie, that has nothing to do with anything you're talking about. Do you like tuna melts? And if you do, do you put tons of onions and pickles in your tuna? Because I don't. In fact, I think it's horrible to muddy up a good albacore with the stuff. So I was in Gold Beach last weekend, ordered a tuna melt (where the menu only stated it contained albacore and cheese,) and sure enough it was loaded with pickles and onions. I sent it back and asked for chowder instead. The waitress was not happy. In fact, she was downright rude, and I was worried about what my chowder might contain. What do you (or anyone else) think?
I guess that didn't really answer your question, but Happy Late Valentine's Day!
Now, wait a minute. I have been unfairly accused by Suzy. She says I am dense, but I know better. Some of my Cauchy sequences do not converge, which clearly shows my non-density. Furthermore, I never said that I think that soul should be "measured quantifically." I said that there are people who refuse to believe in anything they can't measure. I did not then, nor do I now belong to any group claiming such a principle.
Whereas I must say that science has had a great deal of success by demanding measure, it is also true that some things out there have defied all attempts to explain their existence. "Soul" may be one of them.
I'm not religious, I don't even believe in God. However, I do believe in "Soul." If someone finds a contradiction in there, that's okay with me. I don't even try to 'splain it, 'cause I don't know what the hell it means.
I heard Carl Sagan's wife on a talk show recently. She related an incident that took place in her home when she and Carl were visited by the Dali Lama. He explained to the two of them that he would like his followers to be educated in modern science. Carl Sagan asked him how he would react if some of their basic beliefs, such as reincarnation, would be at odds with what science can prove. His reply was wonderful. He said that he did not want his people to forever live in the dark ages. And then he smiled and said, " But you've got to admit...it's not going to be easy to disprove reincarnation."
Now, THAT's soul.
Kristabel
You have every right to want your tuna neat.
Myself, I prefer the "tuna salad" hot melt. I put finely chopped onions and celery, mayo, salt and pepper, and a little Tabasco on mine. I forgo the pickles, but would use dill if anything. I use mild cheddar cheese, and usually use fresh french bread. After grilling, I open in up and put fresh sliced garden tomatoes in it.
But, I wouldn't turn down a good neat grilled tuna sandwich either.
Thanks Ernie! See...that's what they should have called it...tuna salad melt. Then I wouldn't have been confused. And I think sliced tomatoes would be delicious.
And then he smiled and said, " But you've got to admit...it's not going to be easy to disprove reincarnation."
Now, THAT's soul.
No, that's not soul --that's called being cute, or at best, cleverness. But Unk, Suzy apologizes for the denze remark, it was uncalled for, and anyway it seems that discussing this airy fairy soul and/or reincarnation stuff gets us nowhere fast, doncha know, i mean it may be fun for a spell but it's for the most part a waste of the imagination, like Ernie;s imaginary hammer that rings an imaginary bell, it doesn't wake anyone up or even give any sensation to the physical ear. So let's talk about something we can sink our teeth into like a tuna melt, something real, something we can measure with a hammer --like mathmatics for instance, does that subject ring your bell?
You see, there's been a running argument going on here, a disagreement between Suzy and everyone else, about the numbers one and two. Some of the seemingly more dense minds have argued, "Everything is One" or "We are all One" or some such variation of that worn out hippydippy maxim. Suzy is soooo tired of this kinda reggae-theosophical "far out" lazy minded nonsense kinda thinking, and so i tried to make the point --which all here either disagreed with vehemently (man some peeps sure are stuck in the rut of deeply rooted beliefs) or ignored and went back to their hammer and saw dust-- the point that the factual truth is we are NOT "all One"... that the number one is only an illusion, much like some would have us believe (not you Unk) that the soul is, but Suzy says that in the "real" world there is no such number as 'one'. That is to say, it signifies nothing real, and the way i see it --it is an illusion, an illusion that is the flimsy base on which so many so-called "aware" people format their manner of behaving
Aside from zero, which is a non-number, the primary number is two, which gives birth to all the other numbers to infinity... to infinity! the home of the soul ;) And so Suzy said that in reality the only truthful way to say what we all are is to say --we are all Two. This brought up in reply all sorts of rudeness and nonsense from the peanut gallery not worth repeating at this time but tell me John --what do you think of this?
I have a crush on Suzy too.
hey, i've got some yummygood fish, and there wont be any pickles strapped onto it unless you make a special request.
hot and melting fast,
s
{sigh}
personally, i only like to eat one can of tuna at a time. dove is like susie, she's always fixing two can tuna. but with two cans, i can't eat it all before it gets stale and starts smelling strange. the tuna gets that petrified brown edge to it. it gradually gets pushed back into the refrigerator where it flakes into infinity.
flakes into infinity
-thats a good description of the destiny of many an old 60s hippy/surfer, as well as that brown stuff in the back next to the diet pepzi, which by the way isnt tuna --after it's gone stale it's now become onena... aka onenabe twona.
That suzshi roll was sounding pretty good there for awhile.
Onenabe twona LOL!
Too metafyshical for me at this hour.
Uno tekka old tuna, mekka u sick. Tummy say ika. Sticky rice everywhere. Throw away! Udo this for your own sake, maki haste. Mebbe u need to hirame new translater.
Seriously, is a suzshi roll more like a Suckafish roll, or a Mixed Hawaiian Poke?
That hat would make a nice kampyo tempura!
If you went to Gold Beach, K-belle, you drove right past the road to my house. I eat up there sometimes... where'd you get that lousey tuna melt & rude waitress? It's good to know which places to avoid! Still kinda new here myself.
Poor Omar! He can't win for losing! Ha! K & I love Suzy for her mind, Omar, unlike you & Oregon who lust after her squash & her otherincarnations/incantations. LOL. Suzy has room for all in that big heart of hers, I imagine.
We hope.
A word to the National Security Agency...I, Omar, am not in Northern California. Please do not look for me there.
Sorry it took so long for me to jump back into the "Suzy Fest." I know I do not have a crush on her since I am still smitten after all these years with that unbelievable woman I was lucky enough to find in Germany.
Having said that, I must admit that her fascination with the number "two" is not without merit. It takes two slices of bread to make a wonderful twona sandwich. And it takes two halves of a bagel with olive pimento cream cheese to prove that one of the finest bagel shops on the west coast is "The Bagelry" in Bellingham, Washington-or as I affectionately refer to it, Bellywash. You don't have to take my word for it, you can ask dear, sweet Eric about "The Bagelry"...no, wait, he's a lawyer. You might not believe him. Just come up here and try it yourself.
Furthermore, I like to think of "two" as the oddest of prime numbers since it is the only prime which is not odd. Other prime numbers become boring to most people, unless you have a deep desire to learn number theory or computer security. So, yes, Suzy, here's twoya.
"lovers don't finally meet, they are in each other all along"
rumio
Other prime numbers become boring to most people,
not two me,
1. i find three fascinating two...
2. five is one to finger out
3. seven is super fascinating a high five and peace
4. eleven is in the bread high and rising higher
5. thirteen is two young
6. seventeen is two sweet
7. hey nineteen, you can talk two me
8. twenty three is dangerously beautiful
9. twenty nine is the most fascinating number of all if you think about it..
10. etc.
Unk, i once was at the Blue MOon, a cewl bar in Seattle, except there's two many cops --ever been there? Blue Moon being two in one moon(th). And hey, the gnystics say that two is the number of Eve, (although some peeps hold to the silly belief that everything is daLight and that there is no night! -they have a lot two laern) but, so a snot to bore anyone's head or any Oneheads who think they nose a thing or two, Suzy can easily jump over biblical myth and leap to the point --do they have any places two get some good prime rib up there in your BellyWash Hamingtown?
-do they have any places two get some good prime rib?
"Eve's" would be a good name for such an establishment.
This place just gives me fits and fits of giggles.
I didn't know you were in Gold Beach, Robin! The place we ate at was on the harbor - I want to say..maybe...Porthole Cafe...but I could be wrong. It's next to the fish store. In defense of the waitress...it wasn't just me...she wasn't really very nice to anyone, so it's probably just her natural charming personality. On a good note, there was a coffee shop next door where I got the most delicious Mayan Mocha full of chocolate and cinnamon and chili powder. Also, we had two scrumptious meals at Barnacle Bistro. Love it there!
There is a Port Hole Cafe but I still prefer the Paul Bunyan Burger place in Gold Beach. Besides, it sounds like the people that named that cafe must be newcomers to the coast as they even spelled "porthole" wrong", no wonder they don't know to serve tuna.
I like just a plain ol' GOOD hamburger any day over the fancy stuffed shirt places.
It's the cowboy way I guess.
Now days I get a dang good hamburger and beer at the Spur in Harrah.
Oregon
I am sorry to interrupt the gustatory flow of comments but there really has been a "strange occurance" in downtown Garberville.
There is a tall wooden...well sometimes a redwood is just a redwood...older redwood that got utterly delimbed and topped leaving a nekkid pole of a tree. Where were the Earth 2nders? I heard third hand that the trimmer was interviewed and said it would be sprouted out all green again in a few years. Lots of talk around town, as the redwoods up and down Redwood Drive have been toppling this year.
Bellingham is a sweet town.
Oh my, yes, it is possible two get fine 2, 3, 5, 7, 11,... rib up here in Bellywash, and at least two of the restaraunts have gorgeous views.
However, I am usually more simple, in culinary matters as well as in mind. I often prefer those wonderful bagels. They are prime as well, even though I sometimes buy 8 of them two go; which qualifies them as Fibonacci. I have, from time to time, purchased a baker's dozen, which then places them in a confluence of prime and Fibonacci. Mmmm.
Thank you for your kind words, Man In The Street. It is true, Bellingham is sweet. I have found, however, that most Californians love it here in the summer, but run like hell come October. They sell a lot of vitamin D up here.
Wow! I have no clue how that happened. Sorry for that bit of redundancy.
I'm between GB & Brookings, Krista.
I've had good food & service at the Porthole & wonderful coffee next door... also ice cream. I'm hoping your experience was just one bad day for whoever the waitress was that day.
And, Oregon... Paul Bunyon packed up & left.
Robin, I guess since Paul Bunyan has left, it is a good thing I live close to the Spur.
And the owner of the Port Hole spells it this way, not Porthole as I think it should be. Ha
Oregon
Ernie must be on another vacation.
Oregon
Oregon- Ernie spends alot of time in his newly built store cockpit... his new command post has been likened to a 737 pilot's cabin, by a genuine pilot. You should see it.
Hope I didn't wreck your next poast Ernie.
Oneheads who think they nose a thing or two LOL...poor things, we all know that twoheads are better than one!
I rest my case. If Ernie is building something you can take my word for it, he is on vacation. Unless he is trying to build a house that he has two wait 6 months for permits. He said that wasn't a vacation.
Oregon
Unk John
All great works of literature are oft repeted.
When you sign in on your blogger account, as you did. There will be a little garbage can in the lower left corner. If you click on the garbage can it will blip your comment. I'll leave your multiples to blip for practice.
Thanks for commenting!
...he has two wait 6 months
how long does he have one wait?
we all know that twoheads are better than one!
-of course, 'snot brain surgery, it's cuz they nose more..
Thanks, Ernie- that was three much.
Damn! Now she's got me doing it.
In one of your stories you mentioned a small town on the main
fork of the Eel. You said it had
one drunk and one whore. I thought
that was mean. And when writing it
did you think they might have had
existing relatives? Thanks
Sara
It's very kind of you to be concerned about people as you are. I admire that quality in people. But, the expression was simply an expression of how small the town was. Like in; “The town was so small that if you blinked, you would have missed it.” It is generally understood that those kinds of humorous exaggerations are simply just that, exaggerations.
I often use humorous exaggerations for comic relief, in actuality there were no “whores” that I know of, and there were quite a few more “drunks”. I didn’t use any names, so the families should not be embarrassed. If there are any whores or drunks from Eel Rock, or families of same that would like an apology, I would be glad to do so.
Please keep commenting here Sara, we could all use some moral direction.
Damn!! That Eel Rock post was along time ago. I'm sure since so much time has passed since that post all the whores relatives are gone or forgotten by now. Heck, I can't even remember her name.
Oregon
Maybe Ernie really meant to say that Eel Rock was a one whores, er, horse town?
Thank you for your response. I am
well aware of old expressions and
such. I guess it had to do with
your timing in conversation while
commenting on 299 Opine where your
story first began. Although I didn't know them I did have relatives that lived there. I thought your words were a little
strong in that particular converstation since I'm sure most
of us probably have people in our
backgrounds that could be considered "drunks" or "whores".
You mentioned being mean in this
post so that's what prompted me to
comment. Thanks
Ernie, don't tell anybody you have at least one relative that pulls a cork now and then.
Oregon
The truly strangest thing happened last night. I had just started to type a response to an email after hitting the reply button when....as I watched, the subject header changed ...to "Stop! Get off my planet!" This really happened. Though I have a reputation for "liteness" this is not a gabby haze story but the truth.
Thanks for listening.
I am gonna lay low for awhile, "they're" after me!
Post a Comment