Snippets of Spenard.

Here are two snippets of life in Spenard.

I was in the check out line at Carrs. I get up to the cashier and she asks “How is going today?” Told her it was great till the old dude in front of me cut loose with a fart. “Like where’s that cilantro?” She lost it, said I had made her day.

Spenard being Spenard we have our share of ‘characters’. There’s been ‘Sweaty’.  He wore a heavy overcoat all year-round, with a dish towel draped over his neck. To mop up the sweat. And ‘Beltless’ he would come into the store with his ass totally exposed. And of course Spenard icon Floyd. RIP dude, hope you get all the spare change you want.

Today coming back from lunch, I find there is a woman in the entryway of the store who could be any where between 35 to 50. It’s hard to tell because she never stops talking. Talking to some unseen person. Loudly. She knows the names of any and all celebrity types from the 70’s, and is telling that unseen person all about them. I got a ghost of a smile out of her today when I asked her to tell me about Truman Capote. “Drinking wine with Elizabeth Taylor at the Oscars.” But she was in an angry mood and got defensive immediately after. I wish I could tape her when she’s happier. She can be as entertaining as the stars she talks about.

Day o Dead apologies

Thank you to all the folks who came out to the Day of the Dead shows this last weekend. I wish I could have been there. But I got sick and couldn’t be very far from a toilet.  Any thing else is TMI. But just so you know, I kept busy. Heres a small part of a langer  Mandala. That I hope to have finished soon

I also passed right by the 200th post. Yay!  Going to bring back the daily draw. I hope.

Day of the Dead reminder

Yow, got my stuff up.

The opening is from 5pm – 7 pm.

More info Outnorth.org

 

 

 

 

 

But it wouldn’t have happened without Josh.

It’s not any better in France

In Floirac, on May 21, 2009, two cousins, aged 6 and 10 years old, suspected of stealing bicycles, were arrested at the exit of their school and taken to the police station following a complaint filed by the mother of another student for bicycle theft. Two crews and six policemen were mobilized to take away the two little boys, the claimant, her two children, and the bicycles. The Gironde prefecture notes that “the police acted in a well-defined framework, validated by the prosecutor,” before adding: “When we have a complaint for theft and the clues that allow us to identify a suspect, even though it may be a minor, it is incumbent upon us to act.” The Gironde’s Public Security Chief speaks of a “non-event.“

Irregular Childhood.  By Gilles Chantraine and Ariane Chottin  |  Vacarme                         At Truthout.org.   

Mean while, across the pond

 

 

 

Citizens of the UK who exercise their right to peaceful protest are as screwed as we are.

 

 

 

“Just because you have no criminal record does not mean that you are not of interest to the police,” he said. “Everyone who has got a criminal record did not have one once.”

 

Yes, and everyone who takes a piss once drank water.

 

We are all suspects.  The first of a three day series from The Guardian UK. A news source that still has some guts apparently. The surveillance goes on, and don’t forget to wear your hoodie.

El hijo que fue perdido.

Homegirl L came back from a trip to the lower 48 wanting to buy a skull from me.

It’s not for her self, but a friend who’s baby boy was stillborn.

 

I can’t just let any skull go to this Mother. So I made this one special.

 

The souls of los ninos return on October 31.

Here is a link to the events October 30-Novbemer 1 at Outnorth.

 

 

**El hijo que fue perdido. = The son who was lost.**

Day of the Dead

I was told, recently, that I romanticize death.

Oh yeah, can’t you just feel the love?

Working on Day of the Dead 09. I will be part of the celebrations at Outnorth. The opening will be on Oct. 30. I don’t have the official times yet but 5:30 – 8 pm is a good bet. I will send out updates as I get more information.

Clinic Bike Rack Update

Dr. Tom sent me a message about my bike rack saga at the clinic. He asked if I had any bright ideas about bike security. I wrote back that I’m full of ideas, both bright and dark.

Basically two things need to happen. Take those stupid signs down. Or use some duct tape on them. They are only being ignored and building conflict. There’s were some “No Smoking” signs where the bike ones are now. They were equally ignored and at some point disappeared.

 

 

 

Two, move the bike rack to the front of the parking lot. Most of bike security is about visibly. 

 

Most disturbingly Dr. Tom told me that there are no plans for client bike racks at the hoped for new clinic. Staff only. Wow. I am godsmacked. Dr. Tom is too. He fixes bodies, not buildings. You would think that the people who build/design clinics would try and promote psychical actively. Like no parking in the front of the building. Buses and (unfortunately, ambulance) only. How about a nice covered bike rack at the entrance? And autos? Those without a handicap sticker are about a 1/8 mile away. 

 

Dr. Tom most diplomatically made no speculation on who might have fucked with my saddle. I filled the bolt head with shoe goo. If I need to replace my saddle I will have the time to pick it out. But any one trying to mess with it is going to get way slowed down. 

 

Well one more day in The Box. Going alittle wiggy in there. The money stinks, dirty dirty money, but you get out early. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nightmare

I was in Carrs tonight. I heard the Ramones “I wanna be sedated” followed shortly by “Tom Sawyer” from Rush on the overhead. Wonderbar, two more cherished memories of my youth shot to shit.

 

 

 

 

I just about hurled. In my minds eye I direct my spew up, up to the ceiling, where it hits a speaker shorting out the whole electric system, with the exception of the emergency lights. The store is looted to bare shelves. 

 

Joey, Johnny and Dee Dee are spinning in their graves. And the guys in Rush have really bad headaches.