Here and There Blog

Things that make full on history for years and years seem to have all happened in the past way before I was born. Today's ruling on all 50 states now have to have marriage equality was a strange thing to think that this is a moment in time that may possibly go on school textbook exams right up there with racial equality and women's right to vote rulings. After watching this through the years, seeing gay friend's civil partnership ceremonies, legal weddings in California, then no legal weddings in California, and then back to legal again, I am happy for all the people who want to wed. That said, I think they're crazy in some ways. Different sex couples have been leading the way on the right to live together without marriage for years now. And that's illegal in many countries. In fact you'd get stoned to death in some countries if men/women lived together and men/men or woman/woman. I guess inequality is consistent there. What we're hopefully working towar...

In the spirit of Father's Day, I'm using my Dad's tree trimmer and joe to dig up the lavender they took over everything. Turned out there was  tree in there fighting to live. A big ass giant spider was also there and I hope its relocated elsewhere. Next project once the sun has gone down is to get that baby palm out before it takes root under the concrete.

This is my slowest year for flying in over a decade. Not one to let the situation get worse I found a cheap  fare and went off to Baltimore to log in some miles. Yes there's history and a nice harbor. I highly recommend going and seeing those places. I've been there. This time was to explore something different in an easy to get to metro ride from the hotel. The streets of course! Don't have trees? Paint some!  Wyland was here in 1993. Amazing that this has lasted over 20 years without getting defaced.  Baltimore City history and politics. This is in a small park next to the stadium.  And part of a neighborhood wall mural.

This was a new one for me. I though all jellyfish were either some form of the deadly white ball without tentacles or the purple and white tentacled variety. I was wrong. There's a whole other kind that don't even resemble their well known cousins. This is a By-The-Wind Sailor more formally known as Velella velella.  They're blue with a sail and go where the wind blows. Apparently that was to shore where slow death awaited them. While still blue, the jellies can't survive long out of the water and as they die off, all the pigment leaves them till they turn to white. This one is still optimistic that a wave will sweep over it and take it back to sea. Once the life has left the jelly only a white husk remains.  I read online that these jellies frequently wash up in the spring but I've never noticed them before. Maybe it's because the water was warmer than normal this year that they strayed in too close to shore. For good jellyfish facts go to  http://j...

It's been a couple of years since I walked at Lake Murray. This morning I arrived at 9:30 am and it was already too hot to enjoy the workout but no point in turning back. A picture perfect day around the lake and because of the Del Mar Fair opening, plenty of parking and no crowds!

The sinus swelling is down and allergies still after me. Nothing to do for it but live life. Decided to hit Tamarack for some  exercise only to find a surf competition going on with no surf. Conditions were perfect for everyone else!

Drip, drip, and drip. That's the sensation of the antibiotics, Sudafed, saline spray and hot compresses working to clear up my sinus infection. Everything kicked in at the worst possible time yesterday as I was supposed to talk to a room full of trainees. Ugh. I passed the speech to someone else and ditched on all pictures. So good news, things are clearing up and the cheek bubble is going down. Now I have to resist the urge for Benedryl since all pollen is seizing the moment to invade. A vicious cycle, this is. Oddly, it has me thinking about drug addicts and how the withdrawal phase is so bad for them. Magnify this times 100 and no wonder they go back to the drugs!  I'm playing a new game - is that itching/skin sensitivity in my head or a histamine reaction to no allergy meds and letting it all go haywire? A little of both I think. Wonderful bright side of life - there's no view from the room photo from Tijuana because we finished early and returned back across and I sl...

I feel like I was in Georgia 2 minutes ago and 9 days have happened since then and I don't know how! Updates - this computer I've used for the last 8 years has become slow and outdated. Time to trade up!  I have my first sinus infection and I've learned that those aren't fun! Plus I have a nice fluid pocket on my cheek where the fluid has decided to pool. Antibiotics from the doc and I hope to not look so silly soon. Movie news - Max Max - a fun car chase.  San Andreas - not as horrible as you'd think. We all fell into the earth and The Rock kicked ass. Exactly what you want out of a movie like this. Still behind on Avengers and Tomorrowland. In Tijuana later this week. I'll have to at least get the view from the room.