Archive for June, 2010

Holy Cross Cemetery

Saturday, June 19th, 2010

I went on a small adventure with my mom and my camera and ended up in an interesting place. I found this cemetery with one of my friends near the Santa Cruz Animal Shelter and finally returned to get a better look. This cemetery is a somewhat creepy place mainly because many of the tombs are cracked, old, and written all over. It has an extreme air of a melancholy, and forgotten place that once used to be beautiful but was left to wither in time by vandalism and time itself.

Some of the headstone still intact were extremely beautiful like this one that just have such a haunting air about them. Some of the tombs still had flowers near them, but very few are still intact. Just a few people, it seems, keep coming back to visit and honor their dead while most others simple destroy a place once so beautiful. Even the graffiti on the wall seems haunting.

I look forward to finding more hidden places like this around Santa Cruz or anywhere, if you know of any cool haunts are Santa Cruz county please share i would like some new places to explore.

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Valri Peyser: Open Studios

Friday, June 18th, 2010

My aunt Valri Peyser is an amazing artist and she is going to be a part of this next up in-coming Open Studios in October. I got to photograph some of her most recent projects she is working on that will be a part of the open studios show like these amazing decorated wine bottles.

The bottles are really amazing, each with its own personality and flare that is unique in itself. The front portrays a person ranging from a head shot to a half body portrait and the back is a beautiful pattern like flowers, stripes, dots, swirls, or any other design you can think of.

Her beautiful wine bottles won’t be the only art on display, her paintings will also be there for Open Studios.

Bright, colorful, fun, and artfully crafted, I can’t wait to see what else she will have come the date of the Open Studios in October.

To contact my aunt about her work, see her website: http://www.valpeyser.com/ So come check out her open studio this year, you may even see me 😀

Anyone with questions about purchasing or methods of doing similar art can contact the artist Valri Peyser at her email: email hidden; JavaScript is required

Please be respectful with this personal information, I am sure she would love to answer any questions that you all may have but remember not to abuse this information with spam.

Creeper Photos: Surfer Dreads

Thursday, June 17th, 2010

To me, you were Santa Cruz. Everything that Santa Cruz stood for in my mind I saw in you. Maybe it was the dreads, or the cruiser bike you were riding but I think it was the sunglasses that made me curious. The blue reflecting glasses made you more than just a person on the street. It blocked you from me but made me see myself when I tried to look into you. It reminded me that you can never look into someone else’s eye’s seeking an answer without looking into yourself first.

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Suspense Movies

Wednesday, June 16th, 2010

I just finished watching the movie, The Road and it helped me learn something about myself:

I am horrible at watching suspense movies and I just shouldn’t do it.

Granted I can be pretty horrible at watching any movies. Yes I am one of those horrible people who talk throughout the entire movie. I just can’t help myself, I mean I sit there for two hours watching other people talk non-stop on a screen, why can’t I talk too? I am aware of my faulty logic but it makes sense in my mind. Plus I feel the need to share my thoughts about every single thing the characters say to everyone else watching the movie. People who watch movies with me understand, I am so very sorry.

Anyways, I digress, suspense movies oh yes where do I begin. First of my points is this movie, The Road. Dear lord people this movie has some sick things in it. I may actually have nightmares tonight. That’s not my point though, in movies like this you just know, KNOW, something horrible can and will happen at some point. I feel as the viewer it is my duty to help these characters escape that evil fate, even if they can’t hear me. It helps me sleep better at night knowing at least that I tried to save them.

I do two main things while watching suspenseful movies.

  1. I yell at the television. Oh boy do I get riled up. I  do one of two things, on rare occasions both; I either sit bolt up right and make frantic gestures usually in broad circles or pointing, and the other options is I shrink deep into the creases of the couch and try to disappear while slowly curling into a fetal position. You may be thinking at this point, how can you do that at the same time, yes ladies ad gentlemen I am just that good because I have enough skill to do them at the same time. Normally I just sit there yelling at the characters telling them how dumb they are for doing something, try to warn them of upcoming danger, or just make inarticulate sounds that only a dying baby squirrel can make. Usually my sounds slowly degrade into incoherent gibberish or whining depending on how scary or suspenseful the movie is.
  2. The other thing I do is actually worse than the first, I yell at the other people watching the movie. I get so into it and frustrated that I will yell at the other people to help stop the characters on the screen. They never do. I don’t know if I am alone in my efforts but it usually seems so.  I either just gesture frantically yelling, DO SOMETHING or something like WHY ARE THEY DOING THAT, MAKE THEM STOP! I always feel bad for the people who I watch movies with because not only do I yell at them but I usually grab onto the them, maybe give them a shake or two. But it is all for the characters. I can’t help it that I am just one of those people who gets why too involved in movies. I basically have conversations with the television. I have no idea why, I just do.

The sad part is, is that this usually just leaves me frustrated and always ends in the same way. I get all worked up and then the movie ends and I sit up and say, wait, but nothing actually happened! See that is the thing about suspense movies is that they really are a lot of nothing. While you are watching the movie you are totally sucked in and involved thinking this is the best most intense movie ever. But as soon as it is over you snap out of your suspense induced trance and realize you just wasted two hours of your life watching a string of loosely connected, horrifying, disturbing, and suspenseful events that in the end led up to a  climax of absolutely nothing.

This is why I do not watch suspense movies.

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Mission’s Shadows

Tuesday, June 15th, 2010

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Confessions of an Evil Driver

Monday, June 14th, 2010

I have a confession to make, about my driving. No I am not admitting that I am a bad driver, because I am not. My confession is this:

I can be an evil driver.

I love road trips, but when you have been driving for hours in the middle of nowhere, you have to find ways to amuse and entertain yourself so you don’t go insane. My remedy? To be EVIL. When there is nothing to look at on the road except for other cars, have fun with the other cars. I am expert, or you could call me an evil genius, at being an evil driver.

You may be wondering, what is it that I do to make me or anyone, an evil driver. There are many ways one could fit the criteria of an evil driver. Here are a few that I do:

  1. Mess with the other drivers. The key to this is to not appear to blatantly be messing with the other drivers. Don’t be obvious, act like you aren’t doing anything or as if this is how you normally drive. One way I do this is with the left lane. Keep in mind this can only be done when several other cars are present (not totally crowded but cars every few minutes or so). When I get really bored I switch into the fast lane and go just fast enough to be passing people, but just slow enough to drive the person behind me crazy. This make it so they have to either pass me in the right lane or just tail gait me and get pissed off and wait until I leave.
  2. Another slight modification of my first point is not letting the person behind you pass when they want. Not just not letting them pass, just not exactly when they want to. This is best to do with those crazy drivers on the road that think everyone will move over when they come speeding up. They are easy to spot, and easy to bother. This can be the most entertaining fun on a long road trip. Again you must have several cars on the road for this to work. Get in the fast lane before these people come up, pass a couple of cars until the road master comes right up behind you. They will probably tail gait you but don’t let it bother you. That is when you slow down just enough to slowly pass the car in the right lane. After you have cleared the car, they will expect ou to immediately get out of their way and into the right lane; don’t. After they figure out you aren’t going into the right lane, even though you should, you know the person behind you, as soon as they clear the car in the right lane, they will switch out of the left lane and try to pass you in the right lane. This is where you act. As you see them start to get into the other lane, speed up just enough so they don’t have enough room to pass you. Then they have to go back behind you in their shame and rage. It is very entertaining to watch them try again and again to pass you. You have to make sure not to make them too angry so after a few times of this actually let them pass. And always, always look at them when they finally pass you. It is pretty funny. Yes, evil I know. Can you blame me? Boredom really is a source of evil.

One thing I am going to point out is that no I do not do this normally. This is not how I drive so don’t worry about it. I only do this on road trips when I am really bored or if a driver is bothering me. The point of being an evil driver is to not push them too far, just enough to get a little reaction but nothing bad. To be a true evil driver you have to understand when the fun has gone to far or where there is room for more mischief. There are always more people on the road to mess with, don’t get attached to a certain car. If you ever go on a road trip with me you can always tell when I start messing with people because I sit there and snicker evilly to myself for no apparent reason.

Don’t be afraid my evil driving, it is very rare, but is very real. Hopefully my evil tips will help save your brain on a long road trip from insanity and boredom. Be evil, but be safe, not stupid.

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Apple Tree

Saturday, June 12th, 2010

I found God
Oh really, where
He was underneath
My grandpa’s old apple tree

Well isn’t that silly
Did you ask him
What he was doing
Underneath that tree
Yep
He said he was trying
To understand
Adam and Eve
I don’t know who they are
But he said they looked
Just like me
He said it made him sad
That his children
Had fallen so far away
I told him maybe
They would come back some day

Did you say anything else
I sure did
I asked about Grandpa
And my old dog Brick
God just laughed and said
They were happy here
But they missed me so
God told me
To be patient
That one-day
I would grow up
And the world would change
He said to me
That my soul
Would forever remain
Then he just got up
And smile down at me
Gave me an apple
And said one last thing
I am sorry dear child
This is the last time
You will ever see me
I have a lot of work
And no more time for play
I have to bring in Adam
And bring back eve
Take them from the serpents grasp
So they can remember me at last
Goodbye my child
This is the last time
You will ever see me
Why I asked
But he was already gone

The little boy turned to me
Unsure and sad
Where does God go
When he leaves the apple tree
Does he find others
Or is he just too busy

I don’t know
I somberly replied
But I am sure he is watching
And making sure you’re all right

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Posted in Photos, Poetry |

Water Lily

Friday, June 11th, 2010

There is something unspeakable beautiful about this water lily. I took this at the Mission San Antonio near King City and it was so gorgeous I had to share it with all of you. The idea of a water lily reminds me very much of that of the lotus flower. This beautiful majestic flower blooming amidst mud, dirt, and grime but yet it retains a radiant beauty that no amount of dirt can damper. Enjoy this, it stands for all of you who do not give up in the face of hardship and shine through no matter the circumstance.

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Cal Poly

Thursday, June 10th, 2010

I am off to go pick up my brother from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. My brother just completed his first year of college which is exciting and I am more excited to spend the summer with him after his long absence. So here we come Cal Poly, we are going to have some fun!

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Guest Blogger! #2

Wednesday, June 9th, 2010

Today I went to a high school graduation.  It was pretty thrilling.  I also have a new best friend.  His name is Sarcasm:

He and I go everywhere together.  One time, we went to a bonfire on the beach of the ocean.  The party was actually not that fun.  All they had to eat there was chicken, and who the heck likes chicken??????? Because my friend Sarcasm is so outspoken and hard to control, he made some hurtful but witty comments about the party and the person who threw it.  Needless to say, we were shunned.

We found a cat on the road it had been hit by a car very sad but what can I say Sarcasm would not let me stop. He ran over it again, then backed up over it, then said some more witty comments, then drove away.  I think he was drunk.

We then ate at Chef Wiu (which serves Italian food, contrary to popular belief), where they actually serve dead cat but they call it chicken.  I don’t see the reason to lie about this fact because I happen to like dead cat.  I eat it all the time and sometimes I even go out in the mornings and hunt and then make a cereal out of my kills.  It’s better to get your food nice and fresh because otherwise who knows where that stuff has been.  Like this one time, my friend Sarcasm had a chocolate bar.  He gave it to me, but not before he did some gross stuff with it (use your imagination…).  And I ate it.

Because chocolate bars are supposed to be brown, right?

Well, lesson #1 of the night: Do not eat stuff that is brown, because then it is impossible to tell just where it has been.  Trust me, I definitely knew where the chocolate bar had been right after it put it in my mouth.  I actually liked it.  It changed my entire perspective of food, and now I like to try new and exotic things.

Did you know that there is a species of cat called the exotic????????? Yeah.  I didn’t either. Until today.

Also, on average, men spend about 28 minutes in the bathroom in the morning while women spend on average 32 minutes in the morning (John Tesh Radio Show).  Fascinating, right?

Also, turtles breathe out of their butts (common knowledge).  Yes.

Today my friend Sarcasm and I did something bad, aka something bad. You may be wondering what we did.  Well, I can’t tell you. But it has something to do with this joke…….

What did the egg say to the pot of boiling water?

It might take me a while to get hard.  I just got laid by some chick.

HAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA

Funny, right?

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