My daily Journey 2
The air is stifling. Soap on school kids, a woman’s heavy perfume, a unwashed homeless guy , exhaust from the buses, burning fuel , and the metallic scent of dirt blanketing everything in the region from the state transportation project. …
Kinship of Liebert
We spotted each other across the aisle, with common acquaintances stopping in to say hi during the commute. That’s a Sheri Liebert necklace I thought, then got closer and realized it was almost but not quite. I asked her though …
Special Needs
Young man reading Ayn Rand’s The Fountainhead this morning on the train. You know the one about the architect, or architecture. I mention Atlas Shrugged. Ask him if he does something creative and he says I write short stories. I …
Discarded Crosswords
In the flower bed, on the dirt this morning, is an REI collapsible waterproof bag, the top zipper undone, a few tee shirts and books scattered within a 20 ft radius. I’ve seen that guy reading his book or doing …
Border News: School Bullies Halted; 1 Man Shot; 2 Captured
TIJUANA BC (Frontera, Angela Torres, 12/6/11) - Around of 20 schools in the city have detected the practice of "bullying", said the Office of Human Rights, which also stated that so far it has worked with six schools to combat …
On the Waterfront
I'm sitting at the Manchester Grand on the 2nd floor waiting for my IABC conference session to start. Another hour to go. I know, it's Sunday and the sun is out. What am I doing here? I'm looking forward to …
Dogs Need a Break in South Carlsbad
There are thousands of dogs in the southwest quadrant of the city and we have a giant beautiful Poinsettia Park just up the street, with plenty of room for a fenced in dog park. How many off leash parks in …
Border News: 1 Shot; Drugs Seized; Military Chastised
TIJUANA BC (Frontera, Angela Torres, 6/11/11) - A man died from multiple gunshots, received at a tire shop in the Villa del Real development. The incident occurred around 10:40 a.m. in the commercial area on Avenidas De las Aguas and …
In the Shadow of Elks
I love the bathroom at the Elks Club. Especially at 7:00 on a Saturday morning while I'm waiting to weigh in. Watching people strip down, taking off underclothes, appearing briefly in public in a swimsuit to step on the scale …
The Dawgs Of Summer
It's almost over. Dog Beach, off leash. So sad. Guess we should be happy that there is a place to let them exhale joy. Unleashed joy. Who goes toDel Mar dog beach during these summer months during "posted hours" ? …
Lamp Posts & Periodontists
I’ve been distracted lately by commercial light poles, on streets, on highways, in communities, in parks, in residential areas . The new ones on the state highway are giant pieces of curved metal tubing. I’m wondering if it’s for decoration, …
Rogue Gladiolae
The rogue gladiolas that pop up in the middle of nowhere. Every year I dig them up and move them into a group in the corner, but there’s always a few that escape. I’m beginning to think all the plants …
Have It Your Way
The employees at this Burger King deserve big bonuses. The street people congregate inside and out, they share a breakfast sandwich, a cup of coffee. The ones off their meds yell at the counter service staff, asking for free cups, …
Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup
Chili’s Restaurant, always reminds me of high school somehow. Like Bob’s Big Boy. The kind of food you eat before you can go to a bar. It’s like family bar food. High fat, loud, raucous. I know they have a …
Wheelie
Young man in a wheelchair, Chicano, cool haircut, piercings- rolled right off the curb, landed, balanced on the two back wheels, rolling back and forth. In the right turn lane, busy intersection, people going the back way to Sports Arena, …
Border News: Crime is Winning; Head Found; Raffle Prizes; 21 Bodies Found
MEXICO DF (El Sol de Mexico, Guillermo Ríos, 6/10/11) - The Mexican Government has an inaccurate diagnosis of how organized crime operates in Mexico and therefore its strategy is wrong. You must change it or what follows will be the …
so close and yet so far...
The more life goes on, the more that day to day lives are lived out, the more I realize that my wife and I are growing apart. She doesn’t seem to be able to get over the events of last …
Friends Like These
Border News: Pirated Discs; Nursing & Teacher Courses; Sexoservidora Detainee Released
SAN QUENTIN BC (El Vigia, Andrés Peráles, 6/8/11) - Elements of the instant reaction unit (URI) of St. Quentin seized thousands of pirated discs in Camalú municipal delegation Monday afternoon. While on patrol, the elements were approached by a villager …
After Smoking My Medicine...
I smoked my medicine this morning after watching the Thom Hartmann show on Free Speech TV, and a strange connection occurred to me. Thom had mentioned heroin addiction early in the show and the “dumbing” down of America by the …