I write this in a small, yet uncomfortable amount of pain. We arrived back, after the "fun" of Portland, and Candice started to write in the tent while I obtained our firewood for the night.
So there i am, dressed in army cargos, a black vest and my gloves, hacking away at a fallen tree with my hatchet.
"You're so sexy!" Candice calls out from the tent.
"Fanx!" i reply with a grin, my muscles bulging in the evening light.
I stamp on the log I'm cutting, it breaks and spins through the air and connects with my right shin.
"OW!" I grunt, and hit the floor.
"Oh my God!" Candice comes running over to me, "Did you cut yourself?"
"No, I'm fine." I nonchalantly pull up my pant leg, "Yep. I did."
I look down, wipe away the blood and see a hole in my leg, right through to the bone.
Ooops. Oh well.
I strap it up, we smoke a joint and set about having dinner: Gumbo soup, fried bread and beer. Lovely end to an "interesting" day.
Aug 28, 2009
Tarot Reading for the Trip
For any of you tarot card readers out there, I did a really awesome spread the other day that I thought I'd share. You'll be amazed at the amount of major arcana cards I pulled.
Question:
What will be the general outcome of this trip on us (Alex and I)?
Card 1: XX Karma
"This covers you": the atmosphere or mood
Card 2: Ace of Rods
"This Crosses you": the types of forces around the subject
Card 3: XVII The Star
"This is above you": the ideal wish
Card 4: XXI The World
"This indicates the foundation of the subject in question"
Card 5: XII The Lone Man
"This is behind you": the subject's past
Card 6: 9 of Cauldrons
"This card is before you: The subject's future
Card 7: 7 of Swords
"This answers you"
Card 8: IX The Wise Man
"This strengthens you": individual's helpful influences
Card 9: XIX The Sun
"This describes you": expresses subject's personality
Card 10: IV The Emperor
"This is the conclusion"
Question:
What will be the general outcome of this trip on us (Alex and I)?
Card 1: XX Karma
"This covers you": the atmosphere or mood
Card 2: Ace of Rods
"This Crosses you": the types of forces around the subject
Card 3: XVII The Star
"This is above you": the ideal wish
Card 4: XXI The World
"This indicates the foundation of the subject in question"
Card 5: XII The Lone Man
"This is behind you": the subject's past
Card 6: 9 of Cauldrons
"This card is before you: The subject's future
Card 7: 7 of Swords
"This answers you"
Card 8: IX The Wise Man
"This strengthens you": individual's helpful influences
Card 9: XIX The Sun
"This describes you": expresses subject's personality
Card 10: IV The Emperor
"This is the conclusion"
Powell's Books: Portland
I read in one of the Oregon guides that Powell's Books is the largest independent bookstore in the United States and the largest bookstore West of the Mississippi. We walk through a bad part of Portland to get there and I wait in the front of the store looking at sale books while Alex finds the bathroom. "Dude, this place is huge, come and look" he says when he gets back.
There is a map on the wall that has a list of all of the categories of books and which room you can find them in. It just so happens that metaphysical (my interest) and travel (Alex's interest) are both in the Red Room. We walk through the Green Room, and up two flights of stairs and find ourselves in the travel section. Alex explores there while I explore the metaphysical section.
After about 30 minutes we leave with a Powell's Books sticker for $1 and a book about past lives for $7.50. As we walked back to the car Alex tells me what he found out about American travel writing.
"So I asked the person at information where the American travel writing is and she said that it's just mixed in with general travel writing. I asked her if there was one she would recommend and she said that I'd just have to look." Apparently there VERY few books about traveling in the US, they're mostly just guides, not stories.
"Dude! That's awesome!! High five!"
There is a map on the wall that has a list of all of the categories of books and which room you can find them in. It just so happens that metaphysical (my interest) and travel (Alex's interest) are both in the Red Room. We walk through the Green Room, and up two flights of stairs and find ourselves in the travel section. Alex explores there while I explore the metaphysical section.
After about 30 minutes we leave with a Powell's Books sticker for $1 and a book about past lives for $7.50. As we walked back to the car Alex tells me what he found out about American travel writing.
"So I asked the person at information where the American travel writing is and she said that it's just mixed in with general travel writing. I asked her if there was one she would recommend and she said that I'd just have to look." Apparently there VERY few books about traveling in the US, they're mostly just guides, not stories.
"Dude! That's awesome!! High five!"
The Herbarium: Portland
We are in search of a "Witch Store". This is a store that sells herbs, rocks, essential oils, occult books, etc. The three stores that I have previously frequented are The Akashic Bookshop & Center in Thousand Oaks, Serpent's Kiss in Santa Cruz and the Scarlet Sage in San Francisco.
We have finally made it to The Herbarium, "This had better be worth it" I say to Alex after our crazy driving experience.
We walk up the stairs to the back of a building that also houses an Irish Dance School and a Tattoo parlor. We walk through the door marked Herbarium and enter the most awesome witch store I have ever seen. Every surface is covered in boxes, jars and bottles holding everything from crystals to chamomile to musk squeezed from beavers butts. And hanging from every shelf are all kinds of necklaces and incense.
After saying hello and asking about his day, I ask the owner of the store, a tie dye clad man with fading blonde hair, "where are your essential oils?"
"Well there is a book of the ones I have here."
I look through the book and chitchat with the store owner about business. I get 2 oz of Eucalyptus from him for $15.50 which is amazing!!!! While he's pouring the essential oil into a container for me I ask what people have been buying lately. "Kartoum" He says.
"What does it do?"
"Well", he leans forward on the table, "It's from a tree in Thailand and It induces euphoria." He adds, "In smaller doses it can also be used as a pain reliever."
"How much should you take for the euphoria?"
"About three grams each to start. I've worked my way up to five though."
I smile. "So how much would 6 grams be?"
"Oh, only $6."
I give Alex a do you want to try this face, and he gives me a yes I do face so I say "Why don't we get 6 grams of that also." I ask, "Is is legal?"
"Not in Thailand."
We leave the witch store unexpectedly laden with euphoric powder from Thailand.
We have finally made it to The Herbarium, "This had better be worth it" I say to Alex after our crazy driving experience.
We walk up the stairs to the back of a building that also houses an Irish Dance School and a Tattoo parlor. We walk through the door marked Herbarium and enter the most awesome witch store I have ever seen. Every surface is covered in boxes, jars and bottles holding everything from crystals to chamomile to musk squeezed from beavers butts. And hanging from every shelf are all kinds of necklaces and incense.
After saying hello and asking about his day, I ask the owner of the store, a tie dye clad man with fading blonde hair, "where are your essential oils?"
"Well there is a book of the ones I have here."
I look through the book and chitchat with the store owner about business. I get 2 oz of Eucalyptus from him for $15.50 which is amazing!!!! While he's pouring the essential oil into a container for me I ask what people have been buying lately. "Kartoum" He says.
"What does it do?"
"Well", he leans forward on the table, "It's from a tree in Thailand and It induces euphoria." He adds, "In smaller doses it can also be used as a pain reliever."
"How much should you take for the euphoria?"
"About three grams each to start. I've worked my way up to five though."
I smile. "So how much would 6 grams be?"
"Oh, only $6."
I give Alex a do you want to try this face, and he gives me a yes I do face so I say "Why don't we get 6 grams of that also." I ask, "Is is legal?"
"Not in Thailand."
We leave the witch store unexpectedly laden with euphoric powder from Thailand.
Driving In The Portland
"So we're supposed to take SW Richardson left and it should go under the 5 freeway." (We either miss SW Richardson or it doesn't exist)
"Where do I go."
"I don't know, just go that way."
"Where am I going?"
I'm all flustered and I have no idea which direction is north because all of the roads are circles, "I don't know, can you pull over?"
Alex is pissed and starts driving like it, I get scared because I'm scared of getting into an accident. "I'm sorry that we missed our street but this just doesn't make sense to me." He doesn't respond.
We pull over, "I just don't understand why this is so difficult." He takes my phone and gets directions from our current location.
"It's because all the freeways intersect and cross each other and its really confusing and I have no idea which way were going."
He throws the phone to me, "Just read me the directions."
In my head I'm thinking ass hole, im not stupid, the map thing just doesn't work here. "It says make a slight left onto SW Naito. But you're not gonna be able to do that."
"Yes I am, I just have to cross two lanes of traffic."
I smile to myself when lo and behold you can't get to the road from where we are, and we're on a bridge unable to turn around until we get to the other side. Then when the map tells us to turn around, we can't make a u turn. "See what I mean, it's confusing!" No response, just a determined glare directed at the road.
When we get to the other side we end up going the wrong way on the right road so we make another u turn. "I fuckin hate Portland!" (no offense to Portland intended, we're just really flustered.)
"Where do I go."
"I don't know, just go that way."
"Where am I going?"
I'm all flustered and I have no idea which direction is north because all of the roads are circles, "I don't know, can you pull over?"
Alex is pissed and starts driving like it, I get scared because I'm scared of getting into an accident. "I'm sorry that we missed our street but this just doesn't make sense to me." He doesn't respond.
We pull over, "I just don't understand why this is so difficult." He takes my phone and gets directions from our current location.
"It's because all the freeways intersect and cross each other and its really confusing and I have no idea which way were going."
He throws the phone to me, "Just read me the directions."
In my head I'm thinking ass hole, im not stupid, the map thing just doesn't work here. "It says make a slight left onto SW Naito. But you're not gonna be able to do that."
"Yes I am, I just have to cross two lanes of traffic."
I smile to myself when lo and behold you can't get to the road from where we are, and we're on a bridge unable to turn around until we get to the other side. Then when the map tells us to turn around, we can't make a u turn. "See what I mean, it's confusing!" No response, just a determined glare directed at the road.
When we get to the other side we end up going the wrong way on the right road so we make another u turn. "I fuckin hate Portland!" (no offense to Portland intended, we're just really flustered.)
Lady Di's Tea Room and British Store: Portland
We are in search of an England sticker for the car. We go to The England Store in Portland. We walk in and find that it has a tea room and many many English treats. There are:
Cadbury's Hot Chocolate (it's like an orgasm in a can)
Lemon Biscuits (which are in fact cookies and taste like lemon Girl Scout cookies)
Penguins (a chocolate bar which you would think is shaped like a penguin but is in fact just a chocolate bar)
Frozen Pies (made with meat)
Teas that come in containers shaped like elephants
Heinz soups and beans (which are the best canned foods in the world)
and Yorkie bars which are really thick chocolate bars that taste awesome!
Having little money, we get the England sticker for $1.60, Lemon Biscuits for $3.50 and a can of Heinz Baked Beans for $3.50.
The woman who rings us up was originally from Ireland. She had lived in London, Vancouver (BC), and now in Portland. When we leave the store we put the sticker on the car and drive to our next location. . .
Cadbury's Hot Chocolate (it's like an orgasm in a can)
Lemon Biscuits (which are in fact cookies and taste like lemon Girl Scout cookies)
Penguins (a chocolate bar which you would think is shaped like a penguin but is in fact just a chocolate bar)
Frozen Pies (made with meat)
Teas that come in containers shaped like elephants
Heinz soups and beans (which are the best canned foods in the world)
and Yorkie bars which are really thick chocolate bars that taste awesome!
Having little money, we get the England sticker for $1.60, Lemon Biscuits for $3.50 and a can of Heinz Baked Beans for $3.50.
The woman who rings us up was originally from Ireland. She had lived in London, Vancouver (BC), and now in Portland. When we leave the store we put the sticker on the car and drive to our next location. . .
"Alex"dote part 1: Portland "fun"
So after yesterdays driving experience, today we headed to Portland. DON'T EVER DRIVE TO PORTLAND. It would seem the freeway system was designed by an epileptic on acid. You cant get where you wanna go, cant get back to where you need to when you make a wrong turn (which will happen a lot), and don't really wanna be there when you finally get there.
Portland, it seems to me, is a lot like San Francisco, minus the tourists. From what I saw, its ugly, depressed, suffering from the economy, and filled with homeless scum and ugly people.
[Portland: please don't take offense if I missed off any positives to your "fine" city, I just didnt see them]
Portland, it seems to me, is a lot like San Francisco, minus the tourists. From what I saw, its ugly, depressed, suffering from the economy, and filled with homeless scum and ugly people.
[Portland: please don't take offense if I missed off any positives to your "fine" city, I just didnt see them]
Aug 27, 2009
Phone Odyssey
I am sitting in a Deli on an Indian Reservation using their free internet to get this online and to update my phone. . . my phone. . . which Alex and I just drove 5 hours to get from a Shop Smart in La Pine.
Five days ago we stopped at the Shop Smart to buy some inexpensive food. After leaving said store I realized that my phone, which I thought was recharging in the car, was gone.
One day later, on our way to Bend, Alex and I stopped at the shop and asked if they had the phone. . . not there.
While doing laundry in Bend yesterday we emptied the car and repacked it expecting to find the phone. . . no such luck.
This morning, at 8:20 exactly, Alex got a call from my dad who got a text from Shop Smart saying that my phone was there.
At 9:30 we left Mt. Hood and backtracked all the way to Southern Oregon to get the phone. Now, at 3:30, still 1 hour away from Mt. Hood I swear that I'll never ever loose my phone again!
Five days ago we stopped at the Shop Smart to buy some inexpensive food. After leaving said store I realized that my phone, which I thought was recharging in the car, was gone.
One day later, on our way to Bend, Alex and I stopped at the shop and asked if they had the phone. . . not there.
While doing laundry in Bend yesterday we emptied the car and repacked it expecting to find the phone. . . no such luck.
This morning, at 8:20 exactly, Alex got a call from my dad who got a text from Shop Smart saying that my phone was there.
At 9:30 we left Mt. Hood and backtracked all the way to Southern Oregon to get the phone. Now, at 3:30, still 1 hour away from Mt. Hood I swear that I'll never ever loose my phone again!
Aug 26, 2009
Aug 25, 2009
The Story that is Never Told
I am outside Adina and Shahar's holding for Planned Parenthood. Apparently there is something wrong with my annual tests. Music plays, I smoke a cigarette,
"Hi Candice, this is Candice."
"Yes this is Candice."
"Oh, yes, my name's Candice too."
We laugh, "Oh!"
After a pause "Your Chlamydia test came back positive."
"Okay."
"So we'd like you to come in sometime soon to get it taken care of."
"Well, you see I'm in Oregon right now. Is there any way I can do it here?"
"Well, if you can find a Planned Parenthood there we can transfer the information if you sign a release. But if you go in and tell them you tested positive they might just give you the prescription."
"Okay, thanks so much."
"You're welcome."
I go inside. Into the room Alex and I are sleeping in and tell him in a whisper, "I have chlamydia." He doesn't say anything. "Can I have your phone? I need to find a Planned Parenthood so that we can get the antibiotics."
Sure enough there is one in Bend. We say goodbye to Adina and Shahar I'm embarrassed so I don't tell them that our errands include a trip to PP.
We don't talk much on the drive, there's not much to say. "Maybe it was my ex and it didn't show up on my last test because it was too soon." "Maybe it was Jessica" the girl that he dated during our short break. We come to the conclusion that it doesn't really matter, at least its not a really bad STD like HIV, "Well just have to take pills for a few days and then it'll be gone."
PP is housed in a nondescript building somewhere between the center and edge of town. We walk in and I go to the desk, "I went to a Planned Parenthood in Seaside California about two weeks ago and got a call this morning that I tested positive for Chlamydia. They said that I could come here to get the antibiotics. My partner is also here and I'm pretty sure he needs them too."
"Okay, well Im not exactly sure how to do this, but please fill out these forms and when you come back I'll let you know."
I fill out the forms.
What is your sex? Female
What pronoun do you prefer? (really?) she
How many partners have you had? . . .
And so on until the end.
I hand it in. "Okay now I just need you to sign this release, then they'll fax us the test result and we'll get you in."
Twenty minutes later I am sitting in a little room with a really nice young male nurse. "So how are you today?"
"Good, aside from having an STD."
"Oh, dont worry about it. I call this one the flu of STDs. It's really not that bad, you take some antibiotics for a few days and it's gone." This definitely makes me feel better. "At least now you know."
"Yeah. I've been having these weird pains for awhile but I just thought it was bad cramps, I guess not."
He smiles, "Well not to worry, I'm just gonna get the RN to come give you your medication. She'll also give you a prescription for your partner."
"So I can't just get his medication from you?"
"Well you can but he'd have to pay for a doctor's visit and a test and then we'll have to wait for the test to come back. it'll be cheaper and faster to just get it filled at Rite Aid down the street."
"And if he doesn't have it the medication is okay to take?"
"Oh, yeah he'll be fine,"
Ten minutes and $28 later I have my prescription (14 pills, 2/day). 20 minutes and $8.75 after that Alex has his. And 20 minutes after that we're looking at sleeping pads in a Military Surplus store.
Note: 25% of men and 75% of women who have Chlamydia don't even know that they have it. Get tested! Don't pass it on!
"Hi Candice, this is Candice."
"Yes this is Candice."
"Oh, yes, my name's Candice too."
We laugh, "Oh!"
After a pause "Your Chlamydia test came back positive."
"Okay."
"So we'd like you to come in sometime soon to get it taken care of."
"Well, you see I'm in Oregon right now. Is there any way I can do it here?"
"Well, if you can find a Planned Parenthood there we can transfer the information if you sign a release. But if you go in and tell them you tested positive they might just give you the prescription."
"Okay, thanks so much."
"You're welcome."
I go inside. Into the room Alex and I are sleeping in and tell him in a whisper, "I have chlamydia." He doesn't say anything. "Can I have your phone? I need to find a Planned Parenthood so that we can get the antibiotics."
Sure enough there is one in Bend. We say goodbye to Adina and Shahar I'm embarrassed so I don't tell them that our errands include a trip to PP.
We don't talk much on the drive, there's not much to say. "Maybe it was my ex and it didn't show up on my last test because it was too soon." "Maybe it was Jessica" the girl that he dated during our short break. We come to the conclusion that it doesn't really matter, at least its not a really bad STD like HIV, "Well just have to take pills for a few days and then it'll be gone."
PP is housed in a nondescript building somewhere between the center and edge of town. We walk in and I go to the desk, "I went to a Planned Parenthood in Seaside California about two weeks ago and got a call this morning that I tested positive for Chlamydia. They said that I could come here to get the antibiotics. My partner is also here and I'm pretty sure he needs them too."
"Okay, well Im not exactly sure how to do this, but please fill out these forms and when you come back I'll let you know."
I fill out the forms.
What is your sex? Female
What pronoun do you prefer? (really?) she
How many partners have you had? . . .
And so on until the end.
I hand it in. "Okay now I just need you to sign this release, then they'll fax us the test result and we'll get you in."
Twenty minutes later I am sitting in a little room with a really nice young male nurse. "So how are you today?"
"Good, aside from having an STD."
"Oh, dont worry about it. I call this one the flu of STDs. It's really not that bad, you take some antibiotics for a few days and it's gone." This definitely makes me feel better. "At least now you know."
"Yeah. I've been having these weird pains for awhile but I just thought it was bad cramps, I guess not."
He smiles, "Well not to worry, I'm just gonna get the RN to come give you your medication. She'll also give you a prescription for your partner."
"So I can't just get his medication from you?"
"Well you can but he'd have to pay for a doctor's visit and a test and then we'll have to wait for the test to come back. it'll be cheaper and faster to just get it filled at Rite Aid down the street."
"And if he doesn't have it the medication is okay to take?"
"Oh, yeah he'll be fine,"
Ten minutes and $28 later I have my prescription (14 pills, 2/day). 20 minutes and $8.75 after that Alex has his. And 20 minutes after that we're looking at sleeping pads in a Military Surplus store.
Note: 25% of men and 75% of women who have Chlamydia don't even know that they have it. Get tested! Don't pass it on!
"Life is Hard on the River"
We are standing next to the Deschutes River in Bend with Adina and Shahar. We are about to get into the river: Adina and I on rainbow colored lounge floaties; Shahar and Alex on black tire tubes.
The sky is blue. The air is warm. We put our floaties in the water. I step into the river and immediately think what a perfect temperature it is. Then we get on the floaties with minor water infiltration and we're off letting the river's currents take us through town.
The warm sun heats up my skin as we pass beautiful houses; it seems every one has a small landing on the river with a table and chairs. Young kids are getting into the river from these landings. Grandparents are sitting on rocking chairs watching the youngins pass by. A couple who's house is for sale is moving some furniture outside.
"Look, Look!" Adina points to a landing where a little brown creature has climbed out of the water. "Maybe its a beaver or a river otter. Ill have to look it up when we get home."
We float on, under a bridge and then Alex says, "Oh no, Oh no, my floatie's going for the goose," he tries in vain to get the floatie to go another direction and Adina says from far down the river, "Don't worry, they get out of the way." Alex stops splashing and sure enough the goose gently lowers itself into the water and floats away.
I try to splash my way across the river to him, and then when I get to him I try to kiss him, but our floaties are too big and we just end up pushing each other away. We laugh and smile and try again with success! YAY!
After about an hour of peaceful floating we disembark in a park and walk back to the house to play games and drink Absinthe.
The sky is blue. The air is warm. We put our floaties in the water. I step into the river and immediately think what a perfect temperature it is. Then we get on the floaties with minor water infiltration and we're off letting the river's currents take us through town.
The warm sun heats up my skin as we pass beautiful houses; it seems every one has a small landing on the river with a table and chairs. Young kids are getting into the river from these landings. Grandparents are sitting on rocking chairs watching the youngins pass by. A couple who's house is for sale is moving some furniture outside.
"Look, Look!" Adina points to a landing where a little brown creature has climbed out of the water. "Maybe its a beaver or a river otter. Ill have to look it up when we get home."
We float on, under a bridge and then Alex says, "Oh no, Oh no, my floatie's going for the goose," he tries in vain to get the floatie to go another direction and Adina says from far down the river, "Don't worry, they get out of the way." Alex stops splashing and sure enough the goose gently lowers itself into the water and floats away.
I try to splash my way across the river to him, and then when I get to him I try to kiss him, but our floaties are too big and we just end up pushing each other away. We laugh and smile and try again with success! YAY!
After about an hour of peaceful floating we disembark in a park and walk back to the house to play games and drink Absinthe.
Aug 24, 2009
Aug 23, 2009
Candice's Photo: A Tree in Newberry Volcanic Monument
This tree, although small, is probably about 100 years old. They grow very slowly on the volcanic rock!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
