Friday, July 12, 2013

It's the little things that make us happy.




I went to the Santa Barbara County Fair yesterday with my wife and daughter and a friend she had whom I’ve never met before. Our son was already there as he is a participant in one of the biggest unknown youth boondoggling’s of our community, which is to mean – he’s there to sell his hog. After having lived in this County all my life, this is actually only the second time I’ve paid to get through the gate. It was early in the afternoon and the crowds were minimal, just the way we like it. Handed off some cash to the kid and off they went. Monica and I ventured toward the livestock side, giving us a chance for perusing all the fine fair delicacies exorbitantly priced. Corn on the cob for $5? What are we in Paris?  We arrive to the Farm section and thankfully the weather was sunny and clear with the typical cool afternoon ocean breezes perfect for pushing away the strong odors of the animal barns, leaving behind just enough to the sensory to remind you that you’re actually in an animal barn.


Within and surrounding these buildings is a hodgepodge of affiliates that covered the whole human spectrum: toddlers, kids, teenagers, adults and elderly. Some playing cards, some sweeping the floors (barn duty it’s called), some teenage romancing clearly in play, some old timers roaming the pens to look at the stock, and mostly parents just being with their kids. I found it fascinatingly interesting for a weekday afternoon. And every animal barn was the same. There was a barn for pigs, a barn for bovine, a barn for lambs, a barn for all things poultry that included rabbits and some other cute creature that looked like a guinea pig, and then a barn for goats. These last two I think were my favorite. The First three barns featuring the larger animals were nothing more than Death Row visits to each of the species. Not that I have anything against Rib Eyes, or bacon, it’s just that seeing the pictures at each stall with the kid that was raising them and that animal together – I couldn’t help but feel the falseness of it all. They don’t love them really do they? And if they did – how weird! My innate cynicism and the fact that my son doesn’t play that fake lovey dovey game – being true to the business side of this event leads me to think all they really just want is to get paid. But who am I to judge that a picture means love, and what the hell do I know about fair general principals and guidelines anyways?


I found a true peacefulness in the poultry and goat barns for perhaps reasons of non-violence. With the exception of the turkeys and maybe some of the rabbits –none of these creatures were going to have to spill blood in the near future. There is something therapeutic in watching chickens cluck and be, and for me especially, in looking at roosters. I had no idea how diverse, and handsome they can be. One Polish variety had this grey afro so salient, I envisioned seeing him signing his name at the bottom of our Constitution. Another - - looked as if somewhere back in it’s lineage they mated with a leopard since it’s spots and colors on the feathers were identical. The leghorns kept making me laugh thinking of course about Looney Tunes –“I say, I say, hey boy…..you’s all mixed up like a feather in a whirlwind.”


The goat barns at first gave me fear because Monica is so enamored with them right now, starting way before this fair, that I expect to see one or two when I get home anytime. But this gave her a chance to show me why and suddenly I couldn’t help but get what she is meaning. There are these Nigerian kind, that are solely for milking. They are small and adorable. Dammnit!!!! I love adorable. And I yearn to taste goats milk again –stemming back to my childhood daycare provider who made me drink and subsequently fall in love with ice cold goats milk.


So now we’ve gone through one of the major elements of this fair, we cruised the other cool parts that I forget are part of each and every fair across America – which are the art and food submittals. We looked at exhibits of jams, what struck out was a canned apple in red hot cinnamon sauce win 2nd’ place. There was a table setting arrangement contest. Artfully done photographs categorized of local landscape scenes, animals and miscellaneous venues. They showed a Scrapbook contests which notably covered a ladies trip to Catalina (1st place) and some kids trip to Disney land. They were amazing scrapbooks. Quilts were shown and judged, as were cookies, cakes and pies. All this stuff made me really happy. It made me remember about the truth in that happiness really resides in the small things that matter most, and in the attempt to try and do and hopefully “win.” I’m not one who subjects himself to being judged very often and I’m happy that others are.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Who Care's:

One of my favorite Lyrics from Beck: "Lost Cause"

There's too many people you used to know
They see you coming they see you go
They know your secrets and you know theirs
This town is crazy; nobody cares

In four sentences - this pretty much exemplifies life living in any village. The village can be small, like the one I live in.

"If I had to choose my place of birth, I would have chosen a state in which everyone knew everyone else, so that neither the obscure tactics of vice nor the modesty of virtue could have escaped public scrutiny and judgment." Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Dicourse on the Origin of Inequality. (1754)

If you don't care knowing that they know - then who in the fuck really cares about anything. We should wear our lives on our sleeves and hold no secrets. Easier said than done though.

Sunday, April 10, 2011

One of my best days EVER! Meeting No. 82.

I take these words seriously. You know one's happening when you cant stop grinning for hours on end. Then they keep occuring, for days, weeks and months later. Unassisted by anyother influence than that moment. Of feeling child like, true joy splattered throughout yourself - the immensity of the happiness.

It started with a call from a friend last friday (4/8/2001). Not an acquaintance. Only a real friend would do what he did for me this day.

Through my restaurant "Twin Oaks" I've got to meet all sorts of people. Customers, purveyors, and the passin through. Mike W., whom I am referring, to was a passin through. He's a semi driver for multiple fast food joints. Four years ago, fate decided for him to stop by my place and check us out. Long story short, he and I got along great from the start. He'd hang out with me in the BBQ room and Inoticd within the bullshitin, conversating with him was really without effort. It seemed like we'd known eachother forever. Thats not always the case i have with folks. I can be cordial withmost even though typycally most folks annoy me. But with Mike, I could tell I had a felow whose comapny I really, truly, honestly, enjoyed. Didn't hurt that he began to occasionaly chuck over my fence cases of free groceries that the chain stores wouldn't use, nor miss. Also an easiness came from the topic of golf serving as a catalyst for conversation no doubt. But it felt for me as I had a true mentoring soul sharing with me, and that I need to listen yet be myself and share with him my side, my soul, openly - and thats hard. This is something that has occured frequently with me all my life. My ability to appreciate my elders and listen to the wisdom that they are willing to share with me.

Anyways, he calls me up Friday evening, just before I leave to work the dinner service, and he says in words that I needed repeating from him. I then heard him clearly, that John Taylor #82 was gonna come over for dinner to my place to eat tonight. That he told him to come by, that we had really good food. I started to panic. I wondered, "How's Mike know John Taylor?" But it didn't matter, cause if Mike said he's comin, I know he's really coming. Mike knows I'm a lifelong Niner fan, so he he recommended our place to him. I"m feeling giddy - feeling strang. True excitement, sadly absent since childhood.

I've met many famous people in my life. John Travolta, Gene Hackman, Anson Williams (Potsie from Happy days), Steve Martin, James Cameron, Dennis Franz, Jackson Browne, Kelly Slater, Tom Curren, Kelly Lebrock, Bo Derek, Yvonne De' Carlo, Matt LeBlanc, and Melissa Ethridge. Got the "giddy" only out of meeting Travolta (I was 8), and Hackman when I was 10. hackman ate in my folks restaurant which was right next to the Granada Theater on State Street, downtown SB. He lleft the restaurant and I ran after him and I summoned the courage to ask if he was really Lex Luthor, in which he patted me kindly on the head and said laughingly.."yes." Fast forward 20 years, with word of Taylor coming _ I was taken back to those younger, happiest years you can remember where you felt inside.... that happy about something.

John Taylor. One of the most prolific compliment wide receivers of all time on a team that was the most amazing success stories of all time. John Taylor, known for all to be the one that caught the game winning TD catch from Montana with less than a minute left in SuperBowl XXXIII. The man is a legend. To say that i was honered for him to eat in my place would an absolute understatement. Words cant describe how much a fan of him I am. I liked his style a lot. His speed, his skill, I appreciated his willingness to be underappreciated in some ways. Terrel Owens couldn't do this while #80 was on the other side, but his gifts were super special as well. It's magnitude of ego that seperate those two.

So with John comin in friday night, I broke the rule when dealing with celebrities. I got excited and euphoric. All just to meet another man. Weird kind of. But it was true happy emotion I had in me, and all the other employees could draw positive energy from it. He's a bonna fide hero to me. I'm stoked right now just writing about it and recalling it.

He at our semi famous baby back ribs, and his lovely companion Kim had a 5 oz. filet mignon. I doubt they've ever this good of food cooked over red oakwood coals. They ate everyting off the plate. A great indicator they liked it. meanwhile, I was texting a Bay area buddy of mine that "John Taylor isa eatin baby back ribs in my place as we speak".

There's no person ever that has eaten food in my place that i wanted to please more. I feel like I have reached a pinnacle. Just by meeting a man that worked hard, took advantage of his being at the right place at the right time playing the with the gifts that humanity gave him. Then after the stardom, livin like any other man by driving a big rig to stay busy and outta the house. Staying low key, still wanting to go on being productive. I have immense respect for this kind of person, let alone a celebrity. I will always appreciate hard work, low ego, and making it on your own.


Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Its been a long time since a post

but I thought of this Nursery rhyme I used to read to Adrianna every night when I looked up at tonights magnifecentley clear and crispy cool night: Its as close to religious as I will ever be.

Written By: Unknown
Copyright Unknown

I see the moon, the moon sees me
The moon sees somebody I want to see
God bless the moon and God bless me
And God bless the somebody I want to see.

It seems to me that God above
Created you for me to love
He picked you out from all the rest
To be the one that I loved best.

I had a heart 'twas true and good
But now it's gone from me to you
Take care of it as I have done
Cause you have two and I have none.

Sunday, January 24, 2010

End of the Legend:

What a shitty way for Favre to go down:; I'm still in shock of seeing him throw that pick just before OT. I hate second guessing, but the Vikes got fucked today. Speaking of Vikes---o'l Brett may want to reconsider getting back on them tonight and tomorrow. He got pulverized today. Even if they won, not sure how he would be able to play in two weeks. I mean I'm 38 and I am soar from working in a kitchen.

Here comes another Monday. Ho Hum.

AFC Championship, NFL - predictions:

It's kickoff time with the Jets / Colts game: -- I'm thinking today could be an upset---but in reality, the Colts will win.