First things first.  Everyone knows I a big ole hippie and I lerv animals in an unnatural way, and I don’t mean in a Deliverance way.  So you should click on my social vibe link and raise money for abused animals!!! Why not?? It’s free and you are visiting my page anyway, so go the feck on and do it, because animals being abused makes me and jesus cry, and no one wants to see your wrath combined.

So if you are my true friend, you’ll do it:o) I’ll get us started off!

Over the weekend we packed bottles, diapers, spoons, bibs, food, and babies and headed to Cabelas.  Have you ever been to Cabelas?  Well, if you haven’t it definitely is worth the drive!  

It’s a trip we’ve made repeatedly!  Last year we were so excited to go buy things for the babies.  This year they got to go with us.  They had a fabulous time.  I think that it was the endless array of things to look at that fascinated them most.  From the fish, to the deer, to the mountain of animals they were drawn in!  (It could also have been all of the people.  We don’t normally see that many people in a day, week, or month around here!)

Runus was especially captivated by these fish.  He wouldn’t even look at his mama long enough for a good picture!  I’m just happy he was happy!

As for Tatey he really liked the safari exhibit.  The zebra’s…they had him at first glance!

After, a wonderful adventure to a far away store (it’s over an hour ride!) we were glad to be home!  No matter where we go or how long we’re gone – after a while I crave home!  I don’t think that’s a bad thing either!

[Click to embiggen!]

Talk about a passion for football! OMG.  Coach Jason Herring from Refugio really connects with his players and often times just runs out to the field and shouts encouragement and plays, leaving the zebra clan to wonder.

In most children’s lives the most important day, one they will never forget,  was their first visit to a circus.  In small rural towns, the circus parade announcing the coming of a circus, was the event of the day in the vicinity.  Everybody came out to the dirt road to see the spectacular parade of clowns, acrobats, elephants, camels, horses, and what have you.

Unfortunately, where I lived—in a banana plantation in Bocas del Toro—there were no circus parades.  There were no circuses.  Period.  My first encounter with a circus was at age 33.  I have to confess, I wasn’t impressed.  Of course I wasn’t a kid then.

Recently, a Mexican circus came to town and  made camp a few blocks from our house.  Everyday I drive my wife to work, I see several cars parked outside the circus with parents taking their kids to watch the circus animals.  There are camels, elephants, horses, llamas, burros and zebras.  You should see the eyes of the kids on the other side of the fence—big as a silver dollar.

I had to take the advantage of this visit and capture the scene with my Birthday digital camera.  This is what the nestlings saw at the other side of the fence.  Here we go.

Entrance of the Mexican circus which recently visited Panama City, Panama. (Credit: Omar Upegui R.)

This is the ticket booth where you buy the tickets. It's swarmed with parents and kids during the weekends. (Credit: Omar Upegui R.)

Below are the admittance prices:

1. Bleachers:  $10.00
2. Stalls:  $15.00
3. Balconies:  $20.00
4. Children between two and eight years pay $2.00 each no matter where they seat.

From Monday thru Friday there’s only one show at 7:30 p.m.  On Saturdays:  Two shows at 5:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.   On Sundays there are three shows:  3:00 p.m., 5:00 p.m., and 8:00 p.m.

Photograph of a small circus worker taking a break during the morning. There is evidence he likes to drink Coca Cola. (Credit: Omar Upegui R.)

A veteran elephant takes his daily break before the show starts during the evenings. (Credit: Omar Upegui R.)

Photograph of a couple of Arabian camels who turned their backs on us. Poor manners. (Smile) (Credit: Omar Upegui R.)

A hungry zebra scratches the ground in search of a patch of hay or grass. (Credit: Omar Upegui R.)

I can image the struggle going on in many Panama homes between broke parents and their children trying to collect a couple of elusive dollars to take their kids to the circus.  The persistence of children is legendary.   Good Day.

]]> http://feefeern.wordpress.com/2009/11/07/lovely-2/ Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:17:47 +0000 feefeern http://feefeern.wordpress.com/2009/11/07/lovely-2/

I wish this were my secret getaway.  Isn’t this gorgeous? 

elephant fetus!

If I could splurge on one store this would be it…Anthropologie

This brings back memories of the old tire swing my sister and I used to play on.

another secret getaway

a bamboo forest- how cool is this?

A friend sent me this one… how could I not love it?

It’s Friday, and j is posting zebras. Does it get any better than this? (Okay, it does, but my almost all-powerful blog cannot – yet! – serve you pizza and wine while you ponder the endless caption possibilities. Oh, but it’s coming. Mark my words… Zebras Sounds 2.0. Resistance is futile.)

In the meantime, have fun y’all, and caption this!

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And now for something completely different… Guess who’s coming to an indie bookstore near me tonight? Yes! Michael Chabon. I’m all a quiver! Last time I saw him, he signed my copy of Yiddish Policeman’s Union. I have a picture of us together. He is beautiful; I’m ridiculous and star-struck, as anyone who reads this blog would expect. THIS time, I’m so going to say… well, something when he says hello. Hi, for instance. That would be good. (Continuous improvement is all I can really hope for.) Wish me luck!

The stars think it might be a good idea to fact-check the biography about Hellen Keller you are writing. You know, the one about how she managed to excell despite being deaf, blind and a werewolf.

Luck comes your way this week.  Four leaf clovers are ok for luck but as you will soon discover, the hardcore luck is in Glow-in-the-dark clovers. Any leaf number.

The initial awkwardness of your first online date will be intense. Just remember: meeting someone from a dating website is a bit like being introduced by a friend. If the friend is an omnipresent, omniscient porn machine.

A change in vocation is in your immediate future after the Church of Scientology opens up a chapter in the neighborhood.  Try as you might, but they are too big for a simple Mom and Pop cult to compete with.

Financial success comes your way on Tuesday when you invent a Venetian Fence for folks who want privacy in their yard but not all the time.

Your directorial debut will meet with lackluster response when you film Jurassic Park 4 and insist on including a scene in which Dr. Grant spends an hour pleading for a research fund.

The ascent of the Andromeda galaxy indicates that you will lose an argument about dolphins.  The most humans have in common with the cetaceans are not big, wrinkly brains as you thought, but rather the fact that both species look cool with tattoos.

Your desire to ride a zebra will be more easily satiated by simply painting some stripes on a horse.

True love will hit you like lightning this week, insofar as you wil be hit by true love at the speed of light with millions of volts of electricity flowing through you and temperatures exceeding the temperature of the surface of the sun. Actually, maybe it’s not true love but just regular lightning. Never mind, false alarm.

Next Friday’s date will bring your issues regarding sex and shame to the surface.  The stars wanted to remind you that since you are both consenting adults, you should let yourself enjoy consenting the hell out of each other.

Your career as a zoologist will come into conflict with your marriage when you insist on attributing all of your husband’s behavior to his desire to be the alpha male in the troop.  He won’t however, mind your insistence on filming his mating habits.

All the other paleontologists will be embarassed to be included in the same paper after you insist on naming the newly discovered dinosaurs: Crappasaurus jerk and Suckadon gaylordicus.

Zebra brought a new friend to the magic chair the other day.  His name is Giraffe.  I thought Giraffe was kinda interesting, but then I remembered that Zebra was here too!  And I love Zebra! I respect Giraffe and will be his friend, but we will never have the special bond that Zebra and I have.  It is a love for the ages.

Today while I was waiting for dinner, my sister pointed out an article in the newspaper laid out on the table. It was one of those… picture articles?? Where they Just print this picture with a short explanation underneath. It was a very poor explanation though.

It showed 2 Zebras at a zoo in Gaza. But… they don’t quite look like zebras because… they’re not! They’re painted donkeys! Now everyone, say, DOH!

The short description below sounded really horrible though. It just said that the original zebras had died from starvation due to neglect during the war with Israel and they decided to dye the donkeys black and white and all the kiddies feel happy cos they don’t know they’re being tricked.

So we all thought it was really horrible of them, neglecting the poor zebras during the war… dying the donkeys black and white, and tricking the little kiddies!

Maybe this next article is slanted, but reading it makes me feel much better though. So maybe the zoo ain’t all that bad. Check it out.

http://www.slate.com/id/2222991/

and yes I do realise I’m slow, cos this article’s from July.

Sounds like the title of a really boring children’s book, but our trip to the Davenport Farmers Market was rather exciting.  We saw lots and lots of pumpkins, and I picked out this one.  We also saw lots and lots of doggies, but not very many babies.  I think my pumpkin is clearly superior to all the other pumpkins.

Zebra was cold because of the wind and because he did not wear a coat or a hat.  Mom and Dad gave our phone number to a farmer who said he would call us when our turkey was dressed and ready for the freezer.  Mom thinks the turkey will be tasty, but I don’t know why anyone would want to eat anything that looks like this.

How appropriate that the fake  government in a fake peace process now has a zoo with  …  fake zebras.

I like to think of myself as a renaissance man.  I enjoy the arts, sporting, literature, fine food, the company of other babies, and the great outdoors.  These are all fantastic diversions.  But nothing — nothing on this great Earth can hold a candle to the grandeur of ZEBRA!

I have found my joy, my light, my muse, my spark of life — it is Zebra.

Dad filmed Zebra in an attempt to understand our bond, but he doesn’t seem to get it.

He is black and white and he plays with me and I love to look at him for a long, long time and we talk about being a zebra and being a baby and how they are much the same.  Sometimes I forget about Zebra and then I see Zebra again and it is the greatest thing ever! I love you, Zebra!

Late last week while our youngest son Logan was on fall break, we decided to spend a cold and rainy day at a couple local museums. Just Logan and I hanging together, checking out all the awesome things to see at a museum. The first museum we visited was the Putnam Museum. I haven’t been there since I was in junior high school and it sure has changed since then!

Some of the awesome exhibits we saw were the Asian Gallery, Black Earth/Big River, Hall of Mammals, River Prairie & People and our personal favorite Unearthing Ancient Egypt.

In the Asian Gallery, we saw mysteries from ancient civilizations and the wonders of numerous cultures including artifacts of Japanese warriors, a Fu Dog that once stood guard over a Chinese temple and a beautiful 18th century Japanese Shinto shrine.

In the Black Earth/Big River exhibit we let the river guide us through the natural habitats of our local area. We explored wetlands, woodlands, prairies and walked through a cave. We learned what lives in a rotting log and explored a huge oak tree from the inside out. We listened to the sounds of the marsh and the stories of the people that live on the Mississippi River. We came face to face with live Mississippi River fish in a 718 gallon aquarium.

In the Hall of Mammals exhibit, we explored the world of mammals. From the familiar cottontails in our back yard to the weird ant-eating Pangolin of Southeast Asia and the polar bears of the Arctic Circle, mammals were everywhere. We visited an African waterhole and saw lions, zebras, a rhino and more having a refreshing drink. We learned how these animals have adapted to survive under extreme conditions and the perils that they face today.

In the River, Prairie & People exhibit, we traveled through time along the Mississippi River. We first explored the life ways of the earliest local residents, the American Indians. We learned how immigrants from all over the world have made our local area their home.

In our favorite exhibit, Unearthing Ancient Egypt, we stepped into an ancient Egyptian tomb and learned how the people lived and what they required for a pleasant afterlife. We found out how forensic anthropologists determine the sex of a body. We came face to face with a 4000 year old mummy and two ancient Egyptian sarcophagi. Burial masks were on display as well.

After spending a couple hours at the Putnam, we stopped at Hardees for a burger and some chicken tenders and then it was off to the Figge Art Museum.

I must admit that the Figge Art Museum was MUCH more interesting for me than my five year old son. I very quickly found that five year old boys are NOT as impressed with 19th century European art as their father is. None the less, we made our way through the ENTIRE museum and were able to see everything but I just couldn’t stop at one particular piece of art for any longer than about 30 seconds.

Some of the art on display were Mexican Colonial, 18th/19th century European/American, 19th/20th century European/American, American Regionalism, Haitian, Medieval/renaissance, Modern and wood art. I had an awesome time viewing the art and was amazed at some of the beautiful paintings. I would like to return sometime soon when I can spend a little more time viewing the art. Unfortunately, they only allow photography in the lobby of the building so I was not able to get any photos of the art which was a real bummer. I did get a couple of good shots of the art in the lobby though.

Museums day was an AWESOME day for Logan and I. We had fun all day long and Logan LOVED having dad all to himself. I’m looking forward to our next day out together!

this year i really want to be a zebra for halloween. unfortunately, zebra costumes are made best for children, and i am clearly not a child anymore (the latter statement is only half-true).

i want to look like this boy:

if not a zebra, i’d settle for some other animal or a dinosaur.

A New York Navel-Gazer Looks at Botswana, South Africa

and Mozambique by Way of London

By Kyle Thomas Smith

Part Three

3:00 pm – 6:30 pm

3 ½ hour safari.  King-sized elephant w/ penis dragging like gimpy third leg.  Johnny informs us elephant = old.  Says male elephants kicked out of herd to wander alone in old age.  Nature has it that they roam slow & alone, chomping on trees; gradually, molars fall out, can’t masticate; die of starvation – all nature’s plan.  Elephant moseys in front of jeep.  Barely notices us.  Drags trunk, sways head, plods along, outcast from herd after all these years.  Looks like he accepts lot, tho, along w/ imminence of own demise – unlike us humans (hell, I’m even wearing Neutrogena Age Fighter hydrating lotion).

Drive along.  Roll over more bushes.  Sidle up to herd of zebras, standing in fan formation so if lions spy, they can stump them by running in separate directions in alluvial black and white.

See baboons share same space w/ them, as do impalas.  Buffalo &  wildebeest too.

All potential victims, strength in #’s.

Only, young impalas ≠ safe.  Baboons might decide to kill for kicks.  Johnny relates torturous story of young impala cornered by chimp who terrorized it for hours before killing it.  Ask him to stop imitating impala’s fearful cries.

Wonder how Johnny does it, living here all his life.  Knows nothing else.  Crickets & frogs sound like thunder.

Seriously detoxing from NYC now but don’t miss in least.  Exquisite African sunset flames across horizon @ ~ 5:30.  Johnny pulls over into grassy patch, scouts out region.  All clear.  All exit jeep.  Some excuse ourselves behind bush to heed nature’s call.  Funny how same behavior would spring us into police station in Manhattan.  Can take off jungle hat now sun’s going down.

Johnny opens jeep’s grill & takes out mini-bar stocked w/ beer & wine.  Julius, Julia, Graham & Giles have chardonnay.  I opt for St. Louis Lager from Kgalagadi Brewery in Gaborone, Botswana.  When you thank Johnny for drink, he says, “Pleasure.”  (No, it’s more like, “Plesherrrr…” like Cat Woman.  Quite sexy.  Been hearing that a lot around camp – heard it in Jo’burg too.  So much more sensual than “You’re welcome.”)  All standing w/ drinks now as sun goes down b/h African wilderness, where grass looks like parched stalks.  Graham says he’s lawyer, not barrister.  Didn’t know there’s difference.  Lived in England briefly, taught @ University of Warwick before returning to Australia, finishing teaching career & opening private practice.  Julia volunteers @ Melbourne Zoo; a biologist by training but takes lots of Continuing Ed classes @ U of Melbourne – far-flung courses like Paleontology, Ancient Greek Culture & Civ, & History of Mesopotamia. Renaissance lady.

Discuss American politics.  Still feeling everyone out.  What do they think of Obama?  Offer praise, see if they nod.  They do.  Graham says all Australia was hooked on 2008 U.S. electoral campaigns – & even before that, when Barack & Hillary were in blood feud.  Sarah Palin’s absurdity was plain as day to whole world, couldn’t fathom her appeal in US.  Tell them we’re stuck w/ her now; wish we could just have Tina Fey’s impressions instead.

Julia & Graham speak of enormous relief that fell over Australia when Obama won.  Told them I’ll never forget where I was, watching CNN on tenterhooks w/ Julius in our library, historic!  Easily one of the highlights of my life.  Both Julia & Graham’s sons recently graduated from U of Melbourne; like many Australians, lived @ home while in college; one would come home from school every afternoon, run to turn on CNN to see new dev’ments in US politics.  Am always fascinated by how every event in American life becomes world news.

Talk about attacks from right.  Tea Parties, for instance.  Boston Tea Party was re: “No Taxation Without Representation.”  These people have plenty of representation in congress.  No president since Lincoln has incurred this amount of fury, not even Nixon, who got out while the gettin’ was good.  Could it have something to do w/ Obama’s color?  Most on right are smart enough to deny it, but nothing rings truer to me.

Still more feeling out to do.  Time to bring up marriage equality & cast out any doubts re: whether Julius & I are partners.  Must get this est’d if we’re to make friends.  No one seems fazed.  Say Australia has marriage equality.  As natural as sunset/daybreak to them.  Wish same for us.

For however dynamic our conversation w/ Graham & Julia, Giles captures my attention most.  He barely speaks word unless we direct our ?’s/remarks to him.  Late 60s, white walrus mustache, puts on dapper windbreaker as temperature chills.  Like elephant, lost molars too; jaw not as dexterous as used to be, takes long time to answer ?’s, also seems to stutter – wonder if this stunted Giles’ social life.

Turns out, tho Australian, Giles didn’t know Graham or Julia before coming to camp.  Came alone, dreamed of going on safari for decades; saved up for it.  (Me: opportunity just fell into my lap.)  Retired from job as accountant for shipping co.  Born in India, father = British official, but family moved to Australia.  Has distinct “Eleanor Rigby” vibe.  Comes out in course of conversation, he never married.  Don’t know if he’s “confirmed bachelor” of yore (w/ all attendant implications) or if he was just too shy to talk to women or too unconfident to feel he had anything to offer.  Has 2 sisters living near where Graham once taught in Warwick, England, but doesn’t like England, so he doesn’t go see them; only went to London once & found it gray, depressing.

Again, when we don’t address him directly, Giles hangs his head & seems to fade into grass behind him, so we all do our best to include him.  Comes out Giles used to go on lots of trips by himself.

Went to Alaska & Antarctica to see birds, penguins & whales.  Wants to travel more but economy hasn’t come back & hasn’t recouped losses from modest retirement investments.

Watching Giles, I’m inundated w/ waves of sadness.  I know loneliness, know how much it hurts; before Julius, I knew all too well what it was to live solitary life; sometimes worry, if something were to happen to Julius and/or to us, would my only option be to wander off like old elephant until legs buckle & I expire?

Giles & Graham = ~ same age but Giles doesn’t look to have as much time left.  Maybe b/c he’s found less to live for: doesn’t have life companion or 2 sons like Graham.  Will his funeral be like E. Rigby’s?  (Sometimes worry mine will.)  Will his 2 sisters come down for it from England?  (My siblings prob’ly wouldn’t bother.)  Or will they not visit him in same way he doesn’t visit them now?  Earth swallows people like Giles up in time.  They pass thru anonymously & vanish.  Still, I’m glad they’re alive.  Been long time since seen such self-effacement.  Not everybody has to be fame-seeker.

Dinner

Candles & torches blazing all around camp.  Justin calls me over, points out hyena on nighttime hunt.

It looks up @ us, scurries into thick of trees.  Go behind bar, pour myself glass goblet of Malbec.  Stand @ edge of deck.  Full campfire burns in stone circle below.  Look out over fields.  Impalas gone.  Must’ve scurried away when saw hyena; am sure they know other predators on way to dinner too.

Justin & Jacky ask us to come to dinner table, announce surprise.  Lights go low.  Singing, stomping, clapping emanating from log ramp off to side of dark dining-room entrance.  Language is prob’ly Zulu.  (At least, I think that’s tribal language here.)  Enter main room.  Long tribal dance ensues, chanting & call-and-response, all that, imagine it’s anthropologist’s dream.

Soon shaman in heavy mask, frippery – frightening as faces of Tibetan protector deities – dances in front of us w/ staff decked w/ feathers, beads & seashells.  Lots of yelling, stomping, cackling.  Gets rise out of us.  Singers & dancers file out.  Presenter explains, in local tribes, when a man (says, “a man,” but might/might not apply to women) is afflicted with illness, he will dance full-out until he reaches state ecstatic enough to let in healing spirits.  What if he’s too sick to dance, tho?  Presenter leaves before I can ask.

Host explains we’ll be following Botswanan tradition in camp tonight: women must serve men dinner.  Julius & I look @ each other in terror!  Guy’s lucky no American women heard him say that!  Remembering my former boss Aurie Pennick.  Tradition or no tradition, if she heard guy say that, he’d be wearing dinner! Yet Julia & Jacky comply w/ “just-this-once” kind of ceremony.  Julius & I thank women profusely, fearing for necks as our culture has taught us.

Dinner consists of Bogobe (porridge); Seswaa (meat dish); Chicken Stew; cabbage; sweet potatoes; lamb; lots of rice and lethodi beans.  Ask dietary restrictions b/f meals (come to think of it, so do Canadian restaurants).  Told them no venison (feel bad for poor deers); no pork (don’t like); no lamb (poor lil lambs); no rabbit (cute as cats, can’t have it).  All well-prepared, tasty.  Dessert: Flan & vanilla pudding.

Learn a lot re: Jacky & Justin over dinner.  Both in 20s, been married 18 mos.  Met working cruise ship sailing both American coasts.  Jacky = from Afrikaans area of Pretoria, S. Africa.  Justin = from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; of Irish/English descent.  3 wks after meeting @ work, both got assigned to separate ships, separate routes.  Both tried negotiating w/ co.; couldn’t get terms accepted, both resigned to be together.  Following wk, Justin proposed in JFK airport, Jacky accepted.  Flew to S. Africa.  Say they eloped, but Jacky’s parents = witnesses @ ceremony, so have to check definition of “elope.”  Went back to Canada.  Tho known for open-door immig. policy, wouldn’t let Jacky into country even as Justin’s wife.  Had to prove 2 or 3 yrs. of marriage.  Went back to S. Africa.  Gov’t wouldn’t recognize marriage, even after legal ceremony few months before.  Had to prove more time t/g to live there too.  Went to Mozambique.  Got bad jobs in hospitality industry.  Quit.  Heard re: Botswana.  Work @ camp 7 ds/wk; get 1 mo. vacation every 3 mos.  Meantime, meet fascinating guest from all over world, like us!

Find out from Justin that Edmonton = only city in world w/o rats.  I’m from Chicago & live in NYC, so don’t know rat-free feeling.  Told him we were in Alberta, Canada in July.  Met up w/ Julius in Calgary where he was working for 5 days.

Not impressed w/ Calgary, where stores close by 5 on wkdys, but then went to Banff & Lake Louise.  Some of most spectacular sites on earth!  Showed pix on Iphone.

Justin said Banff & Lake Louise = popular tourist destinations.  Said I never heard of either before going.  Americans don’t hear a lot re: Canada & it’s damned shame.  Incredibly impressive country: people kind, gentle – not bent on “making it” like we are in NYC or LA – no gun problems,

the Toronto police dogs are beagles for Chrissake!

Nighty Night

Only 9:30 pm but we’ve seen all sights for day.  Rest of guests turning in.  Julius & I head back to cabin.  Complimentary champagne bottle sits waiting w/ 2 champagne glasses w/ sugar-frosted rims & sugar-valentines on front.  Julius & I dim already dim ceiling lights & uncork champagne.

August 25, 2009 – Tubu Tree Camp, Botswana

Morning – 3:30 to Noon

Wake up @ 3:30 to get writing/meditation done b/f 5:30 wake-up knock on cabin door.  (No big deal.  Don’t have to report to work, so…) Julius wakes up w/ knock.  Both shower & I rub sunscreen even on unexposed parts – not taking chances.  All gathered round bkfst table ~ 6 am.  Choice of wheat biscuits; Oatmeal; Wheaties; Special K; Strawberry Yogurt; Peach Yogurt; Granola; orange juice, papaya juice, milk, coffee, tea.

Johnny already @ camp for while.  His home’s nearby, left late @ night, back to work @ 5am.  Same w/ rest of staff.  Hospitality = huge work but still better than 80 hr/wk in Midtown law firm.

Jacky & Justin eat w/ us.  Justin is learning Afrikaans in case they ultimately settle in Pretoria.  Watches Afrikaans soap opera to learn.  Wretched but useful show.  Not much TV reception in Tubu Tree but sometimes get DVDs of TV series.

Graham & Julia suggest Madmen.  Julius & I have been renting Madmen discs.  Characters such despicable, sexist, hypocritical assholes but can’t stop watching.

Talk about my grudge ag. Don Draper’s WASPy wife, Betty, who somehow got thru life w/o learning words “thank you.”  Julia feels Betty =  far more anguished & complex character than I do.

Oh, and gay character, Salvatore Romano, so unpersuasive!  Tell everyone, “He walks around like Liberace & he doesn’t think people are gonna notice?!”

Jacky tells me she’ll remember me forever for that one line alone. Just calls ’ems as I sees ’ems.

Head out on 3 ½ hour safari w/ Giles, Julia & Julius.  (Graham stays behind to read mystery novels & unwind before presentation he’s giving @ labor conference in Sydney next wk.)

See giraffes that have tick birds feeding on them.  Giraffe chomps on leaves, never minding birds.  See wildebeest, impalas, baboons, zebras, elephants.

Have to admit, patience wearing thin.  Fail to see why we have to stop 20 mins. to observe elephant that’s same as last one.  But everyone else  = enraptured.  Am to some extent but keep thinking should be more.  Wish I was more like Julius.

He looks up every one of 10,000 birds in Sibley Birds of Africa book. We see fish-eagle, storks, ostriches, herons, ibises, African darter, & malachite kingfisher.

Hard for me to stay glued to nature after lifetime focus on modern media and self-analysis.

Am grateful when we head back to camp.  Roaring through crackly sun-bleached grass.  Stop @ shady picnic area where Botswanan staff greet us w/ another song.

Graham also standing there w/ glass of guava juice.  Came along w/ Justin after putting good dent in book he’s reading.  Lunch set up.  Omelet option, bow tie pasta, chickpeas, green salad w/ peppers, sausage.  I choose pasta, chickpeas, salad.  Have another St. Louis Lager.

Ask Graham re: mystery novels.  Says they’re light reads, entertainment, welcome distractions.  I used to have high standards for lit.  Now I see even writing a book as creditable feat – unless your name is Rush Limbaugh or Anne Coulter, in which case, don’t bother.  Graham tells me he was once supervisor of associate named M.J. Hyland, said he used to tear up her law briefs & tell her she couldn’t write.  Says joke was on him, tho: she ended up getting shortlisted for Booker Prize for Carry Me Down.  Made me feel better.  I once had colleague who impugned my writing abilities.  He got fired but still want to hear he’s licking latrines in hell.

Mention that I read Malcolm Gladwell’s The Outliers. Gladwell contends that one only achieves proficiency @ craft after 10,000 hrs of practice.  Mozart started @ 7 but didn’t begin writing great symphonies til 20.  Most compelling, tho, Gladwell talks about how Beatles went to Hamburg as somewhat mediocre musicians.  Hamburg strip clubs, where they played, made bands play for 8 hr shifts.  Gave Beatles ample practice: over period of 4 yrs in Hamburg, they did 1,200 shows.  By time returned to Liverpool, they’d developed unprecedented sound.  If they’d stayed in Liverpool, tho, they wouldn’t have had as much practice.  Without Hamburg opp, they wouldn’t’ve become gods they were, acc to Gladwell.

Julia talks about how she’s part of 3 book clubs.  Keeps her in practice as reader.  Unlike so many book clubs, members in her group finish & discuss books in minute detail.  Asks if I’ve read Steve Toltz.  I cringe in bitterest envy.  Yes, I have.

Graham starts saying we should one day go to Kings Canyon in Australia, whose valley is accessible only by helicopter.  In fact, when they went, helicopter had to do all sorts of Evil Knievel stunts to make it down narrow cleavage.  This = enough for me to decline; say had hard enough time on charter flight to Okavango Delta.  Graham goes on re: Kings Canyon.  Waterfalls = luscious but w/ crocodiles.  In 1960s, American actress visited, got drunk & decided to swim from one bank to another, giggling & hiccupping as she did her strokes.  Crocodile nabbed her=end of her career/life & forest ranger’s license.  Vacation spot sounding less desirable by minute.

Dinner

Done w/ afternoon safari.  Someone new @ camp, reading novel called The Gargoyle in lounge area.  Introduce ourselves.  Olive-skinned man named Alan.  Says he’s a pilot who brought honeymooner couple in on one of the propeller crafts we flew in on; too dark to fly out, so has to spend night.  Ask what book’s about.  Says it’s about porn star who finished shoot & drives along California mountainside, blind drunk.  Bottle of bourbon on lap falls to car floor; reaches down to pick up & drives off cliff.  Car thumps all over jagged rocks, catches fire, which spreads w/ help of dribbling puddles of flammable bourbon.  Rescued from wreck, covered head to foot w/ 3rd degree burns, paralyzed from waist down.  Porn-star looks gone (turns out it was str8 porn, tho, where guys = seldom attractive), has death wish (as if he didn’t have one right before accident).  Plans to hoist his wheelchair on ledge of one of top floors of L.A. hotel, climb back into chair & get slobbering drunk; put his head through noose suspended from window-cleaner hook outside window; stick shotgun in mouth; light another bourbon bottle on fire on lap; & pull trigger after budging chair off ledge.  This way, sure to die dramatically; looks grotesque as gargoyle, so might as well fall like one from ledge, plus, while on fire = bound to commit posthumous arson & take others w/ him, which = one in eye of meaningless universe.  Only, he meets woman outside hospital who claims to be clairvoyant & past-life regressionist & says she’s had many lives w/ porn star.  The Gargoyle explores her putative memories along w/ her attempts to nurse amoral pornographer back to health & moral sobriety.  After giving rundown of book, Alan politely excuses himself & goes back to reading w/ wolfish relish.  Says all pilots in region are slavering over Gargoyle & passing it around.  Doesn’t sound like book for me, but still want to read since feel need to develop wilder storylines in my own fiction.

Dinner

Camp no longer risking Amazonian attack by asking women to serve men @ dinner.  Now all go up buffet-style.  Spread similar to last night: steak, lamb, Bogobe (porridge), spinach, steak, carrots, zucchini, celery.  Every now & then, Botswanan woman does shrill tribal call.  Wish she would stop.  Drinking more Malbec.

Talk more to Alan.  Says was pilot for Continental Airlines in Houston.  Wound up in same trick bag as most pilots in this economy.  Fewer fliers = fewer flights & less intriguing routes.  Felt call to come to Africa to fly.  Came on vacation, asked around re: pilot jobs, got one in Botswana.  Fiancée = flight attendant, still in Houston.  Salary in Botswana doesn’t cover cost of mortgage back in Texas, so had to sublet.  Fiancée cashes in discount ticket & frequent flier miles & meets up w/ him every couple months in Jo’burg.  Somehow make it work.

Confess to Alan fear of small-craft planes.  I’m no aviophobe but I’m only used to large commercial carriers.  Alan looks down, nods, can’t tell if he’s annoyed or sympathetic or both.  Refer to Miracle on Hudson & how I flashed back to it when our own pilot mentioned having to negotiate bird traffic.  He responds by giving detailed account of how that kind of twin-engine failure = extremely rare.  Also, of all emergencies pilots must prepare for, that is last on list & not enough hrs in day to learn.  Reassures me worst could happen in such scenario on charter flight = windshield bathed in bird blood; wipers would slap away.  Also, chance of engine failure & crash landing = chance of bottom of car falling out on routine drive down highway.  Also, most pilots for safari camps = highly experienced & used to work for major airlines, but, for whatever reason, came to live in bush. Feel better re: next series of flights.

Back in Cabin

Kick Julius’ ass in Scrabble, mostly b/c I spell “ox” & X is worth 8 points.  Fanciest word I use in whole game = “agog.”  Sleep soundly after whoop-ass.

Last week I woke up and decided to go to the famous San Diego Zoo by myself. It’s the first time I visited a zoo solo and I must say it was kinda nice. What I liked most was that I could watch the animals as long as I wanted too (emphasis on the word “I”). Sometimes I can watch for an hour and other times I move on after a minute. I really do enjoy watching animals; they can be quite fascinating. My favorite at the zoo are monkeys/apes/ gorillas…I don’t know if they all belong in the same category but they are the most amusing. This guy below had the most amazing eyes…I could tell he had a wonderful story to tell me.

For some reason this trip the zebra’s grabbed my attention, I mean c’mon, look at those stripes. I would have to vote that the zebra is “coolest” looking animal.

This trip I actually got to see the Panda bear move. I have been to the zoo many times and every time I enter their exhibit they are sleeping. I always wondered if we were all being scammed and it was just a big stuffed animal. The same thing with the Koala bear…but I also got to see them move too. I guess it was my lucky day…or the zoo took out the fake ones and finally got the real ones!

I haven’t been to a lot of zoos but I have heard that San Diego’s is one of the best. I would highly recommend you stop by when you visit our city…the animals would love to see you.

Eu sei que esta notícia não tem nada a ver com cultura pop… mas, depois de lê-la, não tinha como não dá-la aqui no blog!

Os inúmeros conflitos entre palestinos e israelenses na faixa de Gaza têm feito mais vítimas além de pessoas… também fizeram vítimas no zoológico do parque Marah Land, localizado na Cidade de Gaza.

Por causa destes conflitos, a escassez de alimentos e outros itens básicos para a população é muito grande e, em janeiro deste ano, duas zebras do zoológico  morreram de fome!
Então, sem ter mais animais da espécie para apresentar aos seus visitantes, os responsáveis pelo parque resolveram dar um “jeitinho”: um par de burros foi pintado com listras pretas e agora fazem o papel de zebras do local!

Com a aplicação desta “camuflagem” no mínimo curiosa, o parque Marah Land espera despertar a curiosidade do público e atrair um número maior de visitantes que atualmente é muito baixo.

Seria uma notícia até engraçada… se não fosse triste!

Crianças palestinas brincam com as "zebras" do parque Marah Land, em Gaza. (Reprodução - Hatem Moussa/AP)

Just a few hundred kilometer out of Durban and we were now in prime wildlife viewing area.  The CRV was a smooth ride and it was luxurious compared to what we were driving.  We first stopped at St. Lucia (Loosha) to check out the Hippos and scored the bonus of Crocodiles! 

We stayed at what looked like a nice hotel but little did we know that 2 family’s of Afrikanns with drunk karaoke singing parents and whining kids were right next door.  Sleeping was tough and the managment was terrible.  Don’t stay at the Boma Hotel in St. Lucia, it sucks.  It was comical looking back on it but quite hellish experiencing.

While in St. Lucia we did a nice hike without a guide.  Its amazing how they just let you rome when there are creatures out there that will eat you.  On the hike we saw the infamous Dung Beetle.  Its also known as the bush helicopter because it can fly and sounds like a helicopter.  It flys in search of shit and once found begins molding its own private golf ball size to roll off to somewhere private.  Once rolled away it lays an egg or hundred, not sure, and the babies are born in poop.  Being born in poop must not be so bad because you don’t know any better.  The keikis eat up all the poop and then the cycle continues.

We also saw our first Zebras on the trip.  We learned that they are striped and hang out in groups so that lions have a hard time distinguishing a single zebra therefore making their chances of survival greater.  When they are all together it kinda looks like one animal, thats if you are a vision impaired lion.

While hiking the only map we had was this picture of a map, we were so lost, none of us knew where we were going and this map didn’t help shit.  We didn’t want to get stuck out there in the dark and luckily found our way to the coast.  From there it was easy getting back to town.

Todds cute sock tan, or does he shave his ankles?

After St. Lucia and two nights of crap sleep we decided to pamper ourselves and go to a real Big 5 Game Reserve.  The Big 5 are Lion, Elephant, Leopard, Water Buffalo, and Rhinocerous.  A Game Reserve is a area of land, huge areas of land, some the size of Oahu, where the animals are protected and roam undisturbed living out true wild lives.  We chose the Tembe Game Reserve on the Mozambiquen Border because it was on the way but later found out we made an extremely good choice.  Tembe is home to the largest Elephants in Africa and therefore the world.  Another cool thing is that it is one of the only, if not the only, game reserve where the Elephants were not introduced.  The Elephants have been there long before us and with the concentrated effort of the Tembe people, the Elephants should have a home for the far future.

All the animals you need to be aware of while touring in Tembe.  Of all the animals in Africa, ironically every year the Hippo is the one that kills the most humans not counting the mosquito (insect).

As soon as we checked in our stay at Tembe was a non-stop action packed Safari.  The following was our itinerary for our 3 days at Tembe in which I hope to show you the intensity and excitement of our stay.  The food was all top-notch, the service was perfect, and the beer always cold.

Day 1: Check in arrive at 3:00pm

3:15 PM Off on first private safari drive.  See kudu, red duiker, warthogs, zebra, giraffes, elephants, etc.

5:30 PM Spot Elephants as sun is going down, watch sunset and the elephants from the roof of the truck with a beer.

6:30 PM Bonfire and drinks

7:00 PM Amazing Dinner

8:30 A small bit of free time before passing out

Day 2: Awoken at 5:45 AM

6:00 AM Quick breakfast

6:30 AM 3 hour Private Safari Drive spotting all kinds of funky looking animals.

The monkey says “Damn, those berries go right through me!  But they smell just as delicious coming out as going in.”  His friend says, “Can I smell it too?”

9:30 AM Huge Lunch, local Tembe food and South African fare

11:00 AM  Safari Drive to the Hide (A Hide is a shelter where humans hide in order to get a better view of the wildlife.)  Stay for about two hours, cold drinks served.  COLD BEER!

This is the Hide, from inside you look down on the watering holes.

3:00 PM After coming back from the Hide we had about 30 minutes to ourselves and then it was time for another 3 hour Safari Drive.  On this drive we came across a herd of Elephants headed back from the watering hole.  They came so close to our car you could almost touch them.  I got out of the car and our guide was like, “What the hell are you doing!  Get back in here!”  Oops is all I could say.  I just wanted to get a picture with it.  Still got the shot, but from inside the truck.

We end up staying out late trying to find the Lions.  We got a reading on the beacons but we didn’t get a visual.

Kim with the spotlight, you could spot animals really easily as the eyes of the animals would reflect the light.  Then we’d play the guessing game of what we thought it was.

6:30 PM Bonfire and drinks

I got a black label with its label upside down!  I thought I was so special.

7:00 PM Dinner & then Desert

9:00 PM passout

This is our luxury tent.  Nicer than our room at our house.

Day 3: 5:30 Tom offered to take us earlier and he felt that if we did, we’d have a better chance of finding the lions.  So we did wake up earlier and Lion hunting is what we did.

5:45 AM Quick Breakfast

6:00 AM 3 Hour Safari Drive on the hunt for Lions, and LIONS WE FOUND!!!!!!

The picture above is Tom tracking the Lions.  A few of the Lions had tracking collars on them.  Another guy working at the park was tracking them as well.  With both trackers and another spotter, we were able to triangulate their position.  Easier said than done, considering the past two drives we used the tracker and never found them.

But this time Tom positioned us perfectly and the Lions came right out of the marsh and crossed right in front of us.  They were curious and stayed around for a while until the leader came back and roared at them to follow.  Tom told us not to make any sudden movements because the Lions percieve the truck as one entity.  If they figure out that it is a group of seperate entities, they are liable to attack.  Here’s Todd tempting fate and in the background are the Lions (actually cubs) sizing him up.

Lion tracks, you could tell if they were fresh because the trucks drive over them and leave a clean slate.  Therefore the guides can tell, if they had driven in the area recently, that the lions or other animal had walked by recently.

The anti-poaching unit in Tembe.  Check out Louise…….fricken classic.

9:30 AM Huge Brunch

12:00 PM Sad departure from Tembe with the staff singing a beautiful goodbye song as we leave.  It sounded like a song straight out of Lion King.

As you can see we had very little free time and it was a non-stop action packed Game Reserve.  3 days was perfect.  We had such a great time in Tembe and I highly recommend it to anyone.  We also have gone through Kruger park which you will read about later and I found Tembe to be more user friendly, but in the end it was mostly because of the staff.  Tom and his people were such great hosts.  Our stay cost us around $130 US per night and it included everything except your drinks.  That is extremely affordable if you ask me.

From Tembe it was only 45 minutes to the Mozambiquen border.

What do you do  when you run a zoo in Gaza and it’s just too friggin hard to smuggle zebras through the illegal tunnels? Grab yourself a bucket, dye and a brush then slap a few stripes on some donkeys, viola, zebras. The little kiddies won’t even know the diff!

Hi Folks!

Here is some basic information about how to color correct in Final Cut:

A video’s visual signal can be separated into two components:

Luma & Chroma

Luma or Luminance: Image intensity of a clip, from absolute black through all the gray tones and all the way up to brightest whites.  Luma is completely separate from from the color you see.

Chroma or Chrominance: Chroma describes all the different color values in your clips, ranging from the absence of color to the maximum levels of color that can be represented. Chroma has two properties: hue and saturation. Hue describes the color itself, whether it is red, green or yellow. Saturation describes the intensity of the color, whether it is bright red or pale red.

There is some really really good information in the Final Cut Pro User manuals… ! It goes over color correction in detail as well as explaining the different types of luma/color scopes. In general the Final Cut Pro manuals are great to get a handle on anything and everything about digital video… it is a great resource even if you don’t use Final Cut Pro.

In Final Cut Pro you can choose the Color Correction window arrangements (which will bring up the luma/chroma scopes)… Choose: Window> Arrange > Color Correction.

For information about how to use the scopes … look up the color correction chapter in the FCP user manual or check out this link: Technique: Reading Scopes

Zebras & Overexposure (Luma):You can find “Zebra” monitoring in a couple places in the video production process. Note that the term “zebras” is not used uniformly and maybe termed something else with your hardware/software. Essentially you are looking for a device that monitors excessive luminance.

In production and in post production.

Production:

Zebras are a function you may find in higher-end camcorders. They actively tell the operator if they are shooting an overexposed environment.. meaning there is too much light which is “blowing out” your video (I know, just like peaking in audio!). It is not desirable to have over exposed visuals because there is no luma or color information in the overexposed planes of the shot… meaning you cannot “fix” or enhance overexposed video (just like there essentially being no usuable audio information in “blown out” or peaking recording). You can switch on Zebra monitoring to tell you where in the show you are overexposing your video and then you can adjust the lighting and/or the aperture on the camcorder. You will see creeping diagonal lines in the areas of overexposure. Your standard consumer camcorder usually doesn’t have this function but you should know how to use this if you ever get your hands on a pro cam. Zebras can be very helpful.

Post Production:

It it best to try to manage overexposure in production – during recording but there maybe times when you need to check your work in post production. In Final Cut Pro Zebras are called “Excess Luma – range check.” You can access this here by choosing: View > Range Check > Excess Luma.

Here, if you have overexposed luma, you will see the diagonal lines in the region of the frame in the Canvas. You can fix harsh bright whites by applying the “Brightness and Contrast” video effect (Effects tab in Browser > Video Filters > Image Control > Brightness and Contrast and dragging this effect on to the clip you want to change). Once the effect has been applied (make sure you have the playhead on top of the clip in the Timeline so you can see it in the canvas and that you have double clicked the clip so that it is active in the Viewer) click on the Filters tab that is now in the Viewer and adjust the Brightness by a few negative degrees (like: -3 or -5). This will lower the Luma frequency of the over exposed areas making it less harsh to the eye.

Color Correction in FCP:

It is very simple to do basic color correction in FCP. All you need is to apply a Color Correction filter to the clip and to have an idea of the colors you wish to balance in your clip. Traditionally video editors monitor their projects while editing, on specially calibrated television monitors but things are in transition since the majority of new televisions today are more similar to our computer screens (more on this later). Since we do not have specially calibrated monitors… you will just have to “eyeball” it. :] You can apply this effect to your clip by choosing: Click on the Effects tab in the Browser > Video Filters >  Color Correction > Color Corrector 3-way > Select this and drag it to the clip you wish to adjust. A window will pop up… and you will see the color wheels. You can drag the center around to shift the Chroma and Luma.

Note: White Balancing!

Camcorders periodically need to be reminded what is white… this is how they adjust all the colors interpretions of what you want to shoot. Some cameras have AWB (auto white balance) which will do this automatically but sometimes it is desirable to adjust this manually. You can usually flip this to manual on a higher-end camcorder… then you would zoom in on a white surface where you are shooting (pros will carry a white piece of poster board to calibrate on but you can use a white or near white surface in the environment) and hit “white balance” … and viola! They camera is now calibrated!

That’s all folks! Cheers!