Sustainable Existence_ Reaching out for the First Time here in the Bay Area
I took an interesting turn of choices and decided to open an account on OkCupid.
OkCupid is a free dating/social network that most frequent to land potential dates and/or booty calls.
I've learned a lot already.
It turns out, I am not the only one who utilizes it for simply connecting (non-romantically) with other like minded individuals who live relatively local to each other.
An now I am following the information cookie crumb trail...
First, I got a hit from a Filipina American from San Francisco who is a been practicing massage for the last 13years and is currently studying permaculture.
She turned me on to the 2nd International Babaylan Conference, being held in Sebastopol CA September 2013. The conference will be covering a wide range of topics of importance to me.
The other day I enjoyed a most lovely hike in the redwoods with a most lovely woman. We spoke of life, the global condition, culture and sustainability. She currently lives in a micro urban community, a property of a few buildings, where there is a great emphasis on sustainable culture. They function as an extended family, with gardening, maintenance, outings, and main meals together. She has spent a significant amount of time in Ecovillages located in Santa Cruz, Mexico and in Columbia.
What peaked my interest most was the subject of reinventing culture.
Sustainable Culture.
One of the ways it has taken shape is in the form of community dance, where the children, youth, adults and elders participate in a folk-reminiscent model.
It was from our encounter I was turned on to Gaia Education.
I think this is where I will be looking to soon.
I really enjoyed this person's energy. I hope to spend time with her again.
I met with a really nice person in Marin, today. Over some coffee, we brielfy touched on the subject of Intentional Communities. She had spent years in India and elsewhere as a functioning member. Her academic study focused on Ecology and Religion, as well as a certificate course with OAEC.
After a birrage of questions about my life, I sought her insight on what makes an Intentional Community work successfully. Her emphasis seemed to be on sound politics and infrastructure. I noticed that I kept trying to bring the conversation back to any personal observations regarding micro culture within...it came back to politics each time.
Towards the end of our two hour visit, I shared my interest and growing involvement in the revival of Philippine Ancestral Culture happening today. It was then the interest and chemistry between us livened up. I am left with a few more clues to follow.
Links:
What's an Intentional Community? _ IC.org
Ecovillage _wikipedia
Occidental Intentional Community _OAEC.org
List of Ecovillages across Earth _RemedySpot.com
Sustainability Education:
Gaia Education
Gaia University
Courses at OAEC
Additional Links:
Dances of Universal Peace
Center for Babaylan Studies
Ancient Baybayin-Early Mother Tongue-based Education Model _History ko.org
OkCupid is a free dating/social network that most frequent to land potential dates and/or booty calls.
I've learned a lot already.
It turns out, I am not the only one who utilizes it for simply connecting (non-romantically) with other like minded individuals who live relatively local to each other.
An now I am following the information cookie crumb trail...
First, I got a hit from a Filipina American from San Francisco who is a been practicing massage for the last 13years and is currently studying permaculture.
She turned me on to the 2nd International Babaylan Conference, being held in Sebastopol CA September 2013. The conference will be covering a wide range of topics of importance to me.
The other day I enjoyed a most lovely hike in the redwoods with a most lovely woman. We spoke of life, the global condition, culture and sustainability. She currently lives in a micro urban community, a property of a few buildings, where there is a great emphasis on sustainable culture. They function as an extended family, with gardening, maintenance, outings, and main meals together. She has spent a significant amount of time in Ecovillages located in Santa Cruz, Mexico and in Columbia.
What peaked my interest most was the subject of reinventing culture.
Sustainable Culture.
One of the ways it has taken shape is in the form of community dance, where the children, youth, adults and elders participate in a folk-reminiscent model.
It was from our encounter I was turned on to Gaia Education.
I think this is where I will be looking to soon.
I really enjoyed this person's energy. I hope to spend time with her again.
I met with a really nice person in Marin, today. Over some coffee, we brielfy touched on the subject of Intentional Communities. She had spent years in India and elsewhere as a functioning member. Her academic study focused on Ecology and Religion, as well as a certificate course with OAEC.
After a birrage of questions about my life, I sought her insight on what makes an Intentional Community work successfully. Her emphasis seemed to be on sound politics and infrastructure. I noticed that I kept trying to bring the conversation back to any personal observations regarding micro culture within...it came back to politics each time.
Towards the end of our two hour visit, I shared my interest and growing involvement in the revival of Philippine Ancestral Culture happening today. It was then the interest and chemistry between us livened up. I am left with a few more clues to follow.
Links:
What's an Intentional Community? _ IC.org
Ecovillage _wikipedia
Occidental Intentional Community _OAEC.org
List of Ecovillages across Earth _RemedySpot.com
Sustainability Education:
Gaia Education
Gaia University
Courses at OAEC
Additional Links:
Dances of Universal Peace
Center for Babaylan Studies
Ancient Baybayin-Early Mother Tongue-based Education Model _History ko.org
Juxtpoz Magazine _ Les Bains Douches Night Club
Located in Paris, France.
The building served as a bathhouse in the late 1800s, became a favorite nightclub of entertainment elites and eventually condemned...which lead to its present incarnation: The owners of the building have hired street artists to create Urban Art Pieces through out. How incredible would it be to see this with one's own eyes?!
Opens April 30,2013
Links:
Juxtapoz Mag Article
Art Exhibit Page -Un Jour Un Artiste
Land Rovers in Wallaroo State Park, Australia...Three Videos
So good.
Part One
Part 2
Part Three
Wishin' I was out tool'n and wasting precious fuel. Dang. Interesting how that works.
Landrover Discovery I, Diesel Conversion...
Possible?
Looks as so...
Expedition Portal_Forum
Just tinkering with the idea of getting a project vehicle for the future.
When I start to travel again in a few years, I'll need a space to come back to; possibly based near Lake Tahoe in Nevada or back in Northern AZ.
Been thinking about a Penzgaur 4x4, but the diesel models are way out of price range. Well, who am kidding? I'm just about becoming obsessed with this machine.
Used, older, and bare-bones Mercedes Mogs are obtainable, but seem too epic to keep going.
The size definitely lends to livability and I could pull any trailer or rig I'd so desire.
Came across a 1986 Toyota HJ60 diesel...bare. Those trucks are bomber, but takes a lot of mods to get it to the rig I envision.
1996 Land Rover Disco with all the fixins...ARB front w/winch, lifted, OME suspension, straight, aircompressor and at the right price.
Saw it CL originally and found this older listing of the same truck.
Offroad wise, the trucks are generally ready to go.
They even have Locking Diffs out of the box. Trans are reportedly sound as well.
Hmmmmmmm...the wheels turn
Links:
Pinzgauer-Wiki
Pinzgauer- YouTube
Pinzgauer Turbo Diesel- PinzgauerTD.com
Unimog- Wiki
Unimog-WhereHaus
Defender Conversion Discussion- DefenderSource.com
Disco Conversion Discussion- Expedition Portal
"There's always Hope for an Old Discovery" -YouTube
..I like in the comments for that last one, "..their the best shite in the shop!"
Looks as so...
Expedition Portal_Forum
Just tinkering with the idea of getting a project vehicle for the future.
When I start to travel again in a few years, I'll need a space to come back to; possibly based near Lake Tahoe in Nevada or back in Northern AZ.
Been thinking about a Penzgaur 4x4, but the diesel models are way out of price range. Well, who am kidding? I'm just about becoming obsessed with this machine.
Used, older, and bare-bones Mercedes Mogs are obtainable, but seem too epic to keep going.
The size definitely lends to livability and I could pull any trailer or rig I'd so desire.
1996 Land Rover Disco with all the fixins...ARB front w/winch, lifted, OME suspension, straight, aircompressor and at the right price.
Saw it CL originally and found this older listing of the same truck.
Offroad wise, the trucks are generally ready to go.
They even have Locking Diffs out of the box. Trans are reportedly sound as well.
Hmmmmmmm...the wheels turn
Links:
Pinzgauer-Wiki
Pinzgauer- YouTube
Pinzgauer Turbo Diesel- PinzgauerTD.com
Unimog- Wiki
Unimog-WhereHaus
Defender Conversion Discussion- DefenderSource.com
Disco Conversion Discussion- Expedition Portal
"There's always Hope for an Old Discovery" -YouTube
..I like in the comments for that last one, "..their the best shite in the shop!"
TED Talk: How We Read Each Other's Minds
The discovery of a special region of the brain dedicated to thinking about other people's minds...located above and behind the right ear. Right Temporoparietal Junction (RTPJ).
...you thinkin what I'm thinkin?
Blog Roll:
Disruption of the RTPJ
Brain Damage- Confusing causes and condtions
Theory of Mind: How Brains think about thoughts
TPJ-Wiki
OBE
Lucid Dreaming and Hallucinations...
Nahko Bear
Nahko Bear-
Apache, Puerto Rican and Filipino ancestry. Music is his healing modality. It brings into harmony all that seems separate. The individual experience of cultural-diversity along with generational disconnection is not unique. I am always grateful for the reminder. And more so, that there are others who are empowered through such struggles of identity.
Listened to this about ten times today.
This morning I lay in bed until 3pm, tossing and turning, lacking the will to rise.
I had been depressed in grief, driven by the tragedy in Boston the other day, struck by the reality that is our human condition.
Finally friends made connection and essentially pulled me out from hiding to climb on local rock.
Whilst collecting rope and all necessary gear for sport climbing, I checked a Skype message from Moon.
Her words were healing and included the link that lead to YouTube.
Graffiti Against The System
G.A.T.S.
For me, in regards to graffiti, my personal feelings and how the line of demarcation drawn between "art" and straight up "vandalism" is defined, seems subtle to the point of unidentifiable. Yet, when I see a tag on a mirror or some other surface in some poor business, my feelings are hard and nearly complete. The cost of a mirror could pay for some parking ticket or other unnecessary fine from the city. It could feed the family for a week, pay a bill that has been delinquent for months...or even to have just the option of giving back to an employee in some form, for integrity's sake.
WTF is the political symbolism in destroying another person's property?
The freedom to cause uncensored harm?
My mind looks for reasons... maybe it's because they're assholes-the business owner of whatever- in which case would be a matter of retaliation...no surprise or talent need be.
And when an artist makes rise to a certain level of Idea, be it by claim or legend, a bar of expectation is reached and must be maintained if the "people" are to continue the Faith found in the presented leadership.
And when they fail, we fail as a people who find inspiration in that ranging dare speaking to the depths of hope and highest beliefs within.
Two months ago my heart sank upon discovering art in the restroom of a small cafe in San Francisco. On a mirror was a piece by GATS. And though tags on the mirrors of innumerable restrooms of innumerable private or public locales are nothing new, in my mind I felt torn as GATS symbolized some sort of transcendent push and cause towards a greater purpose. I wasn't even sure why I had always been attracted to the work. I blogged about the encounter.
In Life, every event shapes our experiences to come and even the view of what once was. That day, I had to turn my head in the other direction from graffiti and hold my opinions for another time; to allow a skewed view of the medium would be a great misfortune and a movement in the direction of closed heart.
Today I reread that post and clicked on the link which provided a Google Image search of GATS. Head shaking in confusion, I was drawn to look further for any explanation; his work spoke of so much more depth. I just needed to find meaning. I want to believe graffiti is more than artist-delinquents hiding behind a mask of social and political freedom in order to speak to some fad demographic.
Eventually the search produced this:
The Voice of Art
Born Into Law...
-Roberto Miguel
Maybe that tag on the Cafe mirror was an earlier piece. Maybe it wasn't. Characters rise and fall and rise and fall again. The impact that our actions make can and will have everlasting marks. Their aim is to shape the world around us. A great movement and the results achieved are never negated by the mistakes of the future; to err is human. I dream of something greater than I that I have not yet become a part of. G.A.T.S. and his fellow collaborators have pushed past the realm of courage and occupy the state of revolutionary. For me, such achievements are humbling, for which, I am grateful.
For me, in regards to graffiti, my personal feelings and how the line of demarcation drawn between "art" and straight up "vandalism" is defined, seems subtle to the point of unidentifiable. Yet, when I see a tag on a mirror or some other surface in some poor business, my feelings are hard and nearly complete. The cost of a mirror could pay for some parking ticket or other unnecessary fine from the city. It could feed the family for a week, pay a bill that has been delinquent for months...or even to have just the option of giving back to an employee in some form, for integrity's sake.
WTF is the political symbolism in destroying another person's property?
The freedom to cause uncensored harm?
My mind looks for reasons... maybe it's because they're assholes-the business owner of whatever- in which case would be a matter of retaliation...no surprise or talent need be.
And when an artist makes rise to a certain level of Idea, be it by claim or legend, a bar of expectation is reached and must be maintained if the "people" are to continue the Faith found in the presented leadership.
And when they fail, we fail as a people who find inspiration in that ranging dare speaking to the depths of hope and highest beliefs within.
Two months ago my heart sank upon discovering art in the restroom of a small cafe in San Francisco. On a mirror was a piece by GATS. And though tags on the mirrors of innumerable restrooms of innumerable private or public locales are nothing new, in my mind I felt torn as GATS symbolized some sort of transcendent push and cause towards a greater purpose. I wasn't even sure why I had always been attracted to the work. I blogged about the encounter.
In Life, every event shapes our experiences to come and even the view of what once was. That day, I had to turn my head in the other direction from graffiti and hold my opinions for another time; to allow a skewed view of the medium would be a great misfortune and a movement in the direction of closed heart.
Today I reread that post and clicked on the link which provided a Google Image search of GATS. Head shaking in confusion, I was drawn to look further for any explanation; his work spoke of so much more depth. I just needed to find meaning. I want to believe graffiti is more than artist-delinquents hiding behind a mask of social and political freedom in order to speak to some fad demographic.
Eventually the search produced this:
The Voice of Art
Born Into Law...
Tempered to Adhere
Mechanized Rusting Marking Time
Clinging Toxic Concrete
This Poem is in its Cage
Each Letter is a fence.
The bleeding sum of my conditioning
To the Border of Yours.
A Sun's Wealth in a Fortress.
The Weight of Excess Rests on Fragile Clouds
Laughing at Your Pitiful Subway Fare.
Glass Shatters
Descending Shards Pin Skin to
The Bounty of Dismantling.
The City is Ours.
-Roberto Miguel
Old Warsaw , Poland, Urban Art -2009
Exploration through Old Warsaw during my urban-backpacking in 2009.
I wish I took more photos of the Graffiti in that historically rich city.
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