Thursday, January 1, 2009
Headline - Hippies in Training
UCSC students voluntarily ended a 13-month tree-sitting protest to fight the campus' plans to fell 48 redwoods and 11 oak trees in order to make room for a biomedical facility. Only one student was arrested and some supporters were cited for "aiding and abetting" for bringing the tree-sitters food and supplies. I wonder how they pooped?
Monday, December 29, 2008
Shut up, hippy.
Cruising around the neighborhood one Saturday morning a while back, I saw this bus parked in at the Hook (a popular surf spot in Pleasure Point).
I was taking pictures of it when I noticed through the glass that there was girl brushing her teeth inside it, and a couple more people crashed out on homemade bunk beds in the back.
Then the doors swung open and this guy came out. His name is Alan and he lives on this bus with some other hippies, I mean, people. So, yeah, I started in with the questions:
Me: "Hi. What's your name?"
Alan: "Alan."
Me: "Can I take your picture?"
Alan: "Sure."
Me: "What are you guys doing?"
Alan: "We drive around and talk to people about green transportation alternatives."
Me: "Cool. Where do you live?" I noticed Wisconsin plates on the bus.
Alan: Jerks his thumb over his shoulder right before this pic was snapped.
Me: "Cool."Some other pics of the bus...
And a few blocks away, I saw this little love note on someone's truck.
"Do you do this professionally or just for fun?"
I volunteered to cook for about 2,000 homeless folks on Christmas Day at the Vet's Hall in downtown Santa Cruz. I did the same thing for Thanksgiving and kind of got recruited again for Christmas. What's it called when you "volunteer" and are also kinda "told" that you should really be doing this? "Volun-told."
(kinda tricky taking a self portrait on a fixed gear with no hands in the rain and dark...)
I was up and on my bike for the 5 mile ride at about 6:30 am...
(kinda tricky taking a self portrait on a fixed gear with no hands in the rain and dark...)Arrived early enough to snag an empty bike rack right in front...
...and got the saute station all set up with plenty of time to kill. Back in my restaurant days, I
never would have stood for this, by the way. Leaning around? Are you kidding me?! But one thing that hit me this day is that good volunteers are hard to come by, so I took a little liberty before it got busy.
The organizer for this event, Linda, who "volun-told" me I should do this again for Christmas when I did it at Thanksgiving, grabbed me by the hand when I showed up today and this is our conversation as she walked me through the kitchen:
...Tommy runs a tray of turkey up to the dining room...
...the dishwashers are hard at work...
...Stephen and "Just Billy" are doing something with big stock pots...
...and the dining room is getting transformed. Here it is at 9am...
...10am...
...and noon, just after the first seating.
And one of the first people in line was PBJ. When I said "Oh, like the sandwich!" he looked at me with surprise, through his heart-shaped glasses, like I was the first person to EVER say that, and replied, "No, maaaaan....like Pacific Beach Jason. That's where I'm from, man, but there's so many Jasons around that I had to remake myself. So I'm PBJ, man!" When I asked if I could take his picture he smiled and struck this pose.
Eight hours later, all that was left was empty tin pans that once held turkey, or creamed corn, or sweet potatoes, or stir fry.
...and got the saute station all set up with plenty of time to kill. Back in my restaurant days, Inever would have stood for this, by the way. Leaning around? Are you kidding me?! But one thing that hit me this day is that good volunteers are hard to come by, so I took a little liberty before it got busy.
The organizer for this event, Linda, who "volun-told" me I should do this again for Christmas when I did it at Thanksgiving, grabbed me by the hand when I showed up today and this is our conversation as she walked me through the kitchen:Linda: "OK. You've got bok choy. You've got asparagus. You've got tofu."
Clay: "What kind of tofu? I mean, is it soft, firm, extra-firm?"
Linda: blank stare
Clay: "Sorry, go ahead."
Linda: "These dressings are in the way. Move them over there."
Clay: I start to move them
Linda: "No. Have someone do it for you. You need to cook. You've got broccoli. Shit, where's the broccoli? OK, keep an eye out for the broccoli."
Clay: "OK. No problem. Broccoli."
Linda: "You've got green onions, too."
Clay: "OK, great. So what's the plan? What do you want me to make?"
Linda: "I don't care. You figure it out." And she walked away!
So, Robyn and decided to do a stir-fry. I mean, give a vegetarian some tofu and veggies and that's what you're gonna get.
In between rounds of stir-fry, I met this guy. He his Tim True. 
I met a lot of people this day, and he was the perfect example of what this day and event are all about. He lives in the woods in the Santa Cruz mountains, and has been coming down to this event for the past 12 years. He walks around giving out samples of steaming hot roast beef that he cooks himself. The first time I saw him he was outside, walking up and down the line of homeless people waiting outside, with a huge offering plate of big, fat chunks of steaming hot roast beef speared with toothpicks. 
I thought he was crazy. Until I watched the reactions on the street. People were so appreciative and respectful. I was amazed. I caught up with him afterwards and he told me that at one point, he was homeless for ten years, living in his van, and that his goal is to get homeless people to associate "smells" with "kitchens" and "kitchens" with a "home" in order to motivate them to get off the streets. We talked for a while about choices. He gave me goosebumps.
Meanwhile, back inside, Mississippi Amy offers up a gingerbread cookie...
I met a lot of people this day, and he was the perfect example of what this day and event are all about. He lives in the woods in the Santa Cruz mountains, and has been coming down to this event for the past 12 years. He walks around giving out samples of steaming hot roast beef that he cooks himself. The first time I saw him he was outside, walking up and down the line of homeless people waiting outside, with a huge offering plate of big, fat chunks of steaming hot roast beef speared with toothpicks. I thought he was crazy. Until I watched the reactions on the street. People were so appreciative and respectful. I was amazed. I caught up with him afterwards and he told me that at one point, he was homeless for ten years, living in his van, and that his goal is to get homeless people to associate "smells" with "kitchens" and "kitchens" with a "home" in order to motivate them to get off the streets. We talked for a while about choices. He gave me goosebumps.Meanwhile, back inside, Mississippi Amy offers up a gingerbread cookie...
...Tommy runs a tray of turkey up to the dining room......the dishwashers are hard at work...
...Stephen and "Just Billy" are doing something with big stock pots...
...and the dining room is getting transformed. Here it is at 9am......10am... ...and noon, just after the first seating.
And one of the first people in line was PBJ. When I said "Oh, like the sandwich!" he looked at me with surprise, through his heart-shaped glasses, like I was the first person to EVER say that, and replied, "No, maaaaan....like Pacific Beach Jason. That's where I'm from, man, but there's so many Jasons around that I had to remake myself. So I'm PBJ, man!" When I asked if I could take his picture he smiled and struck this pose.
Eight hours later, all that was left was empty tin pans that once held turkey, or creamed corn, or sweet potatoes, or stir fry.
"Can you burn marshmallows?"
Questions and comments to me while juggling fire at the Dirt Farm recently:
* Do you mind? (photographer Denise, pointing to her camera as she approached)
* How long have you been doing that? (the most-asked question)
* Why doesn't the ground catch on fire? (a boy to me after I dropped)
* Can I take your picture?
* I just learned to juggle. I learned in the joint, actually.
* Can you come back tomorrow so I can film you? Do you mind? (a girl, Jenna)
* My dogs wanted to come out and watch you. (a lady with a prominent last name in Santa Cruz culture, with two Welsh Corgies)
* My sons makes poi. I'll have him make you a set. (neighborhood friend Charmaine)
* That's coming awfully close to your hair.
* Don't burn yourself, Clay. (neighbor Terry)
* OH!! That looks SO COOL from the water, man!! Thanks, dude!! (surfer Marty at dusk)
* That's magical. Thank you. (my favorite)
* We've been watching you from the street. (a lady and her daughter as they came closer)
* Can you juggle a thousand? (a boy to me when I was on a roll. I dropped after he asked that, and immediately felt the need to retort with "How many hands do you have to have to juggle a thousand?", to which he replied without missing a beat: "Sixteen." So adorable.)
* Can I hold it? (a boy, about seven, sticking out his hand, mesmerized by the flame, not even looking at me)
* Dad, do you want to hold the fire? (the same little boy - he was gentle and calm)
* Do you have a girlfriend?
* What do you use for fuel? (the second most-asked question)
* Why rubbing alcohol? (a fellow juggler when I answered the above question)
* Can you pass? (the same juggler)
* What are you listening to?
* Does it hurt when you catch the wrong end?
* Why do you juggle here? (a girl, mid-twenties, at the Dirt Farm)
* Can you burn marshmallows? (a little French boy, Remi, as his dad was taking pictures)
* Do you mind? (photographer Denise, pointing to her camera as she approached)
* How long have you been doing that? (the most-asked question)
* Why doesn't the ground catch on fire? (a boy to me after I dropped)
* Can I take your picture?
* I just learned to juggle. I learned in the joint, actually.
* Can you come back tomorrow so I can film you? Do you mind? (a girl, Jenna)
* My dogs wanted to come out and watch you. (a lady with a prominent last name in Santa Cruz culture, with two Welsh Corgies)
* My sons makes poi. I'll have him make you a set. (neighborhood friend Charmaine)
* That's coming awfully close to your hair.
* Don't burn yourself, Clay. (neighbor Terry)
* OH!! That looks SO COOL from the water, man!! Thanks, dude!! (surfer Marty at dusk)
* That's magical. Thank you. (my favorite)
* We've been watching you from the street. (a lady and her daughter as they came closer)
* Can you juggle a thousand? (a boy to me when I was on a roll. I dropped after he asked that, and immediately felt the need to retort with "How many hands do you have to have to juggle a thousand?", to which he replied without missing a beat: "Sixteen." So adorable.)
* Can I hold it? (a boy, about seven, sticking out his hand, mesmerized by the flame, not even looking at me)
* Dad, do you want to hold the fire? (the same little boy - he was gentle and calm)
* Do you have a girlfriend?
* What do you use for fuel? (the second most-asked question)
* Why rubbing alcohol? (a fellow juggler when I answered the above question)
* Can you pass? (the same juggler)
* What are you listening to?
* Does it hurt when you catch the wrong end?
* Why do you juggle here? (a girl, mid-twenties, at the Dirt Farm)
* Can you burn marshmallows? (a little French boy, Remi, as his dad was taking pictures)
Sunday, December 28, 2008
And some portraits.
LMB
This is the sky at 7:27am as I headed out for Land of Medicine Buddha. I wonder if this will ever stop amazing me.
STEEP IN THE SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS.
BELLS, GONGS, PRAYER WHEELS.
WHEN I’M TAPPED WHAT VIBRATIONS DO I GIVE OFF?
STEEP IN THE SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS.BELLS, GONGS, PRAYER WHEELS.
WHEN I’M TAPPED WHAT VIBRATIONS DO I GIVE OFF?
NOT TO DO ANY EVIL WHATSOEVER,
TO CULTIVATE VIRTUE AND EVERYTHING ADMIRABLE,
AND TO FULLY PURIFY ONE’S MIND –
THIS IS THE TEACHING OF THE LORD BUDDHA.
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