Birthday

Rudyards by Finijo

For my birthday, I went to Rudyards with Marilyn and Saibe for Boo Town's story night. I always call it "Adult Story Time," but that makes it sound naughty. What Boo Town does is offer writer's the chance to submit stories and have them read by actors in front of an audience. The concept is pretty cool, and the outcome is often hilarious (sometimes unintentionally so).

Rudyards Stage

This photo shows where the magic happens. I am hoping that Saibe will soon produce some work for presentation by Boo Town. He is a talented young writer of some pretty gruesome fiction, and needs to get his work out and take his talent more seriously. It was a nice way to spend my birthday and a lot of fun, also. I definitely recommend Boo Town.

Casting Reflection

Casting Reflection by Finijo

Around midnight I cast reflection upon my life. It seemed like a good time to look inward to see what I would find. What I found was not unexpected, but I suppose any time we take the time to really look at ourselves, we find that we are wanting in many aspects of our life and our selves. My casting reflected problems with communication, a partnership that lead to the problems with communication, my unwillingness to recognize that my problem is coming from within, my need to look deep within myself to deal with the deepest needs of my nature, and a need to concentrate on my own life, because an old way of life has died. I am searching - I guess I am always searching. I cast runes from time to time, not as a way to divine my future, but as a way to reflect on my life from another perspective. I usually find that it helps me gain insight, and tonight was no exception.

Galveston Sunday

Galveston Flowers by Finijo

I am home today catching up on my blog - seems I just don't keep up with it daily like I used to. I took these photos on a Galveston Sunday outing with Tiana on May 31st, but I'm just now getting around to posting them. I wish I was there right now.

Macrosian Woman by Finijo

Sometimes I cast a long shadow - sometimes I just feel like a shadow. This afternoon, I was feeling spectacular. The weather was balmy, the beach was clean and gorgeous and the setting sun was throwing colors and showing off just for our pleasure.

Jellyfish by Finijo

This poor guy has seen better days. I got stung on this outing, so I thought I would commemorate my pain in this photo. This poor dead fellow was not responsible for my pain, but one of his pink brethren was. Bastards.

Feeding the Gulls by Finijo

This granddaughter and grandmother were feeding the gulls while the grandfather (not pictured here) was photographing their fun. I totally horned in on their photo shoot, and I don't regret it, but I wish I got an e-mail address so I could send them some of the photos I took of them.

Suspended Animation by Finijo

I like this shot - it has a view master quality that reminds me of the old Disney nature discs I used to have. When you blow it up, it has a 3-D effect.

Gulls in Flight by Finijo

This was taken while the little girl was throwing bread. I know they are scavengers, but I think sea gulls are some of the most beautiful birds I've ever seen. I still get that excited feeling when I see them, just like when I was a kid.

Meet the Fosters by Finijo

Tiana and I met the Fosters and their granddaughter on this trip. They were out for a stroll on the beach with their dogs and having a great time.

Foster Dog by Finijo

This dog is Foster, the foster dog. They told us that both of their dogs were adopted. Lucky puppies!

Pariah

Foamy Fountain at Night by Finijo

Connor boarded a plane for Little Rock today. It is his first plane trip by himself. Marilyn had plans with her friends, but all of my plans were waylaid by an e-mail I was sent late Friday afternoon. It read:

Dear Conference Attendee:

USPRA has been notified that any persons who attended the Norfolk , Virginia conference on June 28, 2009, may have been exposed to Pertussis (Whooping Cough). USPRA highly recommends that anybody experiencing sneezing, runny nose, low-grade fever and mild cough be immediately tested for Pertussis by contacting your local physician.

For more information on Pertussis, please visit: http://www.health.state.ny.us/diseases/communicable/pertussis/fact_sheet.htm

USPRA will continue to monitor the situation closely, as your health is of supreme importance to us. If you have any questions or comments, or would like more information, please contact USPRA headquarters at 410-789-7054.


Thank you,

USPRA

Cafe Express Condiment Bar by Finijo

Turns out the cancellation of my plans tonight was not a bad thing after all, but I spent the evening alone. I will go Monday for testing to be sure I am not infected with pertussis, but in the mean time I am asymptomatic and I am not under quarantine. I went to Cafe Express in Uptown Park and had dinner, then returned home to once again try to catch up on my blog. The sudsy fountain looked great in the moonlight.

Berripop

Berripop Foamy Fountain by Finijo

I drove Marilyn to work this morning and on the way we drove past Berripop in Uptown Park. I stopped to take the photo, because someone soaped the fountain. I know it's wrong, but I LOVE to see a sudsy fountain. I love it even more when they add food coloring to it.

I was introduced to this frozen treat by Karim and I think it contains crack, because I had one little cup and was addicted from that moment on. Berripop is the best frozen yogurt in the whole wide world - at least the best I know of. We are partial to the fruity tangy Raspberry Pomegranate. They have a variety of fresh fruit toppings, candy toppings and other tasty toppings like cheese cake, coconut and nuts. My personal favorite is kiwi, strawberry, and cheese cake. It sounds weird, but it's delicious. The yogurt (without sprinkles) is about 25 calories an ounce and a medium cup (I was told) is 8 ounces. I have been about to come undone since I realized that one is about to open in Meyerland!!!

Beth Israel Cemetery

Fox Angel by Finijo

After breakfast this morning, Dave and I headed to the College Memorial Park Cemetery, but found another old cemetery on the way, so we stopped there. We had stumbled upon the Beth Israel Cemetery at 1207 West Dallas, and I was pretty excited, because not only was it quite old (established in 1844), but it was also Jewish. I never visited a Jewish cemetery before, so this was really interesting to me. I was a little surprised to see a lone angel on one of the graves, as I thought that was primarily a Christian symbol.

Broken Column Headstone by Finijo

We noticed that there were some motifs throughout the cemetery and wondered about their meaning. I did some research and found that a broken column is symbolic of a life cut short. It can also represent sorrow and/or the eventual decomposition of us all. It could also mean the death of a family head, according to the information I found.

Draped Urn Tombstone by Finijo

The draped urn is thought to be symbolic of immortality. It can also represent sorrow or mourning. Usually represents the death of an older person. This is the tombstone for Henriette Jones, the wife of T.W. Jones. She died in 1887 at age 29. Engraved on the stone are these words by William Wordsworth:

Lo! Where the silent marble weeps,

A friend, a wife, a mother sleeps.

A heart, within whose sacred cell

The peaceful virtues love to dwell.

Beth Israel Mausoleum Chandelier by Finijo

In the main mausoleum hangs a beautiful Art Deco chandelier. It was a little hard to get a good picture, but if you look at the larger image, you will see that there are Stars of David crowning the fixture. I wish I could have gotten a clearer picture, but the lighting in the mausoleum is dim. You will have to take my word for it, it is quite lovely and unique.

Levy Chamber by Finijo

This is the Levy family chamber in the main mausoleum. Each chamber holds ten family members. There are smaller mausoleums around the main building, and the Levy family has a couple of those, as well. I was really drawn to the stained glass. This window shows a wreath suspended between two columns. Wreaths have been used as funereal symbols since ancient Greek times. The columns are topped by flames and an arch. The arch represents heavenly entrance and the flames, eternity.

Beth Israel Stained Glass by Finijo

This window is a beautiful example of Art Deco stained glass. There are shapes, but the symbolism, if it exists, is lost on me. "Art Deco structure is based on mathematical geometric shapes," and it is purely for aesthetic value. It is meant to be beautiful for beauty's sake.

Beth Israel Stained Glass Double Panel by Finijo

This window appears to open, which is a nice feature, because the building is not air conditioned. It also features the geometric Art Deco shapes that are mirrored throughout the building, which was designed by Joseph Finger and constructed in 1935. Joseph Finger was a member of the Beth Israel congregation and a successful architect of the period.

Jesus Dirt

Jesus Dirt by Finijo

This is a dirt silo - at least that what I call it. I am not exactly sure of it's purpose, but it appears to store dirt for a dirt company called, His Disciples d.b.a. His soils technology. The faded paint job asks, "Is Jesus Your Lord?" I have driven past this thing at 8855 Gulf Freeway hundreds of times over the years and always wanted to photograph it. So here it is. If you need dirt (divine or otherwise) call them at (713) 941-8000.

Daffodils

Two Daffodils by Taryn Day

I think my favorite flower has always been the daffodil. They seemed to be everywhere when I was a kid in Virginia, but I guess they just don't do as well in the Texas heat. They are a beautiful yellow with a little petal cup in the middle, and their fragrance is wonderful and delicate. My friend, Ben, was reading this poem back in January and I meant to make a blog entry about it then, but never got around to it. Thanks for reminding me about the poem, Ben. I'm thinking about you and hope you are doing well. I found this painting on line and thought it was a lovely depiction of daffodils.

"Daffodils" (1804)
I WANDER'D lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the Milky Way,
They stretch'd in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed -- and gazed -- but little thoughtWhat wealth the show to me had brought:
For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,And dances with the daffodils.
By William Wordsworth (1770-1850).

Ada

Rainy Day at Star Books By Stevo

Steve sent me this photo he took of Ada today enjoying the rain, some milk, and a pastry. No doubt she was enjoying her time with her parents, as well. She is so beautiful and she looks radiantly happy in this photo. I need to get to Memphis sometime this year. Our little Ada is growing up much too quickly...

July 4th

Midtown Farmers Market by Finijo

I had a very laid back July 4th. Started the morning with Matt, Dave, and Sammy at Little Barnaby's. Sammy is getting to be such a big boy now and he's quite the speller. My favorite thing about Sammy is that he always seems excited to see me - funny, but I like that in a kid.

Midtown Farmers Market 2 by Finijo

After breakfast, we visited a couple of Farmers Markets. The first one is the Midtown Farmers Market on Travis and W. Alabama. It was lovely and the vendors were very friendly, but the produce seemed a bit pricey. We also did not realize that the that the market extended inside of T'afia, so it seemed like it was very small. I have never eaten at T'afia, but that restaurant in on my to do list. We did get some fantastic ginger snap cookies from the CRI booth. That was $15.00 that I did not mind spending, because the product is excellent (cannot begin to describe how good the cookies are) and the profits go to a very worthy cause - The Center, service people with mental retardation.

Bayou City Farmers Market by Finijo

Next we went to Bayou City Farmers Market on Richmond Avenue. This market is huge and we felt like we saw better prices than we did at Midtown. The vendors are also friendly here, and there was live music in the form of a singer who accompanied himself on guitar. We plan to give both markets another visit just to make sure our assessments are correct.

Bayou City Farmers Market 2 by Finijo

At this market we picked up cherry tomatoes and Indian food. Yes, Indian food. We got some incredible vegetable samosas and great mango chutney from Nisha's stand. The samosas are made with organic potatoes and we will definitely be going back for more. We went to Whole Foods and picked up some palak paneer to complete the dinner and ended up spending much less than we would have, if we had gone to our favorite Indian restaurant, Bombay Brasserie, in The Village. After shopping, Marilyn went out and Connor and I spent a quiet evening home watching movies and talking. I didn't miss the fireworks at all, it was nice after a week away from home to just chill.

On The Road

I spent today traveling back to Houston from Norfolk, Virginia. I used my time en route to finish Jack Kerouac's On the Road. On my last flight, I read Chuck Palahniuk's Survivor (by coincidence a man sitting next to me on the flight to Norfolk was reading the same book), and I enjoyed the irony of reading a book that starts out with a plane crash. This time, it was a book about the manic travels of Sal Paradise (a.k.a. Jack Kerouac) as he criss-crossed the US in search of life, happiness and "kicks."

The book was written in 1950, but is still relevant, and I will have to read more of his work after reading On the Road. Kerouac talked frankly in the book about sex, drugs, and the underbelly of America that he saw as he hopped trains and hitch-hiked across the country. I really enjoyed this book and I can understand why it is an American classic. I remember hearing the word "beat" from my childhood on and always thought I understood it, but reading On the Road has given me a fresh perspective on that term. What I once thought referred to a cool jazz oriented counter culture, I now understand as something deeper. The term "beat" seems more a reference to being lost or vanquished by circumstances. The characters are intellectuals who all seem to have a fondness for jazz music and thirst to find meaning in their lives. They are all on the outside looking in, but somehow they found each other and formed what in many cases turned out to be lifelong friendships. They also seemed to feed on each others creativity and success.

While traveling to and from Norfolk, I found myself feeling a little melancholy. I couldn't help but notice the high number of military personnel traveling on each leg of my journey. I was surprised to find that I felt sad as I watched these young people not only being deployed, but also returning from deployment. It took me a while to realize why their safe return was making me feel sad, but it came to me. They are all happy to be back in the States and headed home, but there was no way to look at them and determine which ones would end up needed the services I provide. I couldn't look at them and tell who had PTSD, who was going to end up being a raging alcoholic, who would end up committing suicide, or who would transition back to civilian life with relative ease. I couldn't tell who, but I knew that a number of them would have severe problems. Some of them will be dealing with the aftermath their time in the military for the rest of their lives, and most of them will reject the help being offered by the VA, at least initially. That is what they are trained to do. They also by and large do not have the patience for the bureaucracy they will face in discharging from the military or in getting the help they need. Most of them will view me and my counterparts as useless and unable to help them. They are going to be a lot like Kerouac was after he discharged from the Navy - beat.

Last Night in Norfolk

Bill, Letha, and Lauren by Finijo

The last night in Norfolk a dinner cruise on the Spirit of Norfolk was arranged. I managed to luck into free tickets, but nobody on my team was interested in going, so I gave my extra ticket to Letha. After a comedy in errors she managed to board the boat just before it headed out to sea. The entertainment for the evening included singing waitstaff who are quite talented and a DJ who plays all of the music that people of a certain age like to hear when they are in the mood to party. I spent all of my time after dinner out on the deck taking photographs of the bay.

View From Inside by Finijo

The views of the harbor and the bay were gorgeous. Looking out through the picture windows as we headed out to see made the vista seem like big screen televisions. I was pleased to realize that I have not developed sea sickness as I have gotten older. I never had it as a child, but it has been a long time since I have been out on the ocean. It felt good to be back on Chesapeake Bay.

Nauticus Naval Museum by Finijo

The harbor was beautiful from any angle, so I had a lot of fun taking photographs of the journey. We used to fish in Chesapeake Bay when I was a child, so the smells and feel of the ocean breeze felt familiar and soothing. The air was about the same temperature as my skin making the wind feel like a caress. The sunset was in purple hues as I remembered from so many years ago. In Texas the sun sets in red, orange, and pink, but in Virginia the sunsets seem to be in violet, lilac, and indigo and a hundred other shades of purple and blue.

Tall Ship by Finijo

Norfolk was preparing for Harbor Fest just as I was preparing to return to Texas. I am sorry that I will miss the festivities, maybe I will plan to return for that festival someday. I got to see several tall ships as they came into port for the weekend event, and all along the harbor there were US Navy ships of all kinds. I was amazed at how well they blended with the water and the setting sun, in spite of their hulking mechanical mass. They were quite beautiful, like Monet had painted them into the scene in calming pastels.

As we disembarked from the Spirit of Norfolk for our walk back to the hotel, I noticed a tall ship moored nearby, he Captain Miranda, from Uruguay. I chatted a bit with some of the sailors on the ship and was amazed at how well they spoke English. I Googled the ship and found that it is a research vessel that was originally built in 1930 and has had several incarnations over the last 80 years, but currently serves as a training boat for naval officers and an ambassador to the world for Uruguay. A stunning ship with a worthy mission.

Norfolk - Workshop Day

Winehouse Painting - photo by Finijo

Day three in Norfolk my team and I presented our workshop to a smaller than expected crowd. The economy took its toll on the conference this year and the overall turnout was diminished. We did a good job and even had some fun with it, so I think it was a success.

SE Dinner at the Winehouse by Finijo

After our presentation, I went to some workshops and then we all met up for dinner at The Winehouse Bar and Bistro. Joseph put in a brief appearance, and we had the pleasure of meeting his sister, Renee. After the meal we returned to the hotel pretty exhausted. I don't know if it was hormonal or the let down at the end of a stressful day, but I was overtaken by a sudden case of the blues. I just felt really alone, which is not the norm for me. A friend (Saibe) came on line and suggested that I jump on the bed. I took the suggestion and have two observations to share with you. The first is that we are taller and stronger than we were at age 10, so you need to hunch over as you are jumping, because adults can get pretty good air and ceilings haven't gotten any higher over the years. The second observation is that jumping on the bed feels really good - it makes you smile and I highly recommend it to anyone feeling blue.