Month: April 2004

Cycling isn’t the only sport I like. There was a major pro race in Europe today, Fleche Wallone, won by Italian Davide Rebellin. Cycling – Eurosport.com: Three days after winning the Amstel Gold Race, Davide Rebellin (Gerolsteiner) outsprinted fellow Italian Danilo Di Luca…

Also, 2004 Dodge Tour de Georgia – stage 2 is going on. (I think using Tour de Georgia is silly, just say Tour of Georgia and stop pretending.) There are a number of European pro teams here racing, including USPS. Lance Armstong is downplaying his chances to win but, he’s capable. Just because he’s in the race people want him to win but, he’s focusing on something nobody has yet done, win Le Tour de France for the 6th time. I think that Joop Zotemelk got 2nd place in the Tour 7 times and won once. That is a record that say a lot too. Of course, he was racing during the era of Eddie Mercxk and he (Eddie) raced every race to win, even small races. However, in those days pro cyclists weren’t paid very well at all. Thank goodness rules have come into play and, teams must have a guaranteed bank account with which to pay riders or the pro team cannot race, period.

Anyway, tonight my other sports love, basketball, took center stage. Miami Heat played an awesome game tonight. So far, every game I’ve seen live, they have won and that’s including past years. Maybe I should go more often. *smile* Miami vs. New Orleans

I sat next to a couple that was very friendly and we enjoyed ourselves talking and screaming and jumping up and down. She was VERY cute and sexy (looked to be maybe 25), he was short and thick, very handsome, shaved head, big blond hairy arms and big hands (looked to be about 35). I know about his hands were big because at the end of the game they said, “Nice to meet you and drive safe,” afterwhich they both shook my hand. That’s really geat to know that people can really be friendly and have a good time. *Let’s Go HEAT!*

Black & white is how I do most photography. This was scanned from film.

Congratulations to Mariah & Kaver

About the size of a crow, the peregrine falcon is a distinctive bird with an interesting dark stripe coming down from the top of their head and accented by a a white throat and sides of their neck. Agricultural and industrial use of pesticides has caused a worldwide decline of peregrine falcons. Pesticide use is closely regulated in Canada and the U.S. but not in Latin America where peregrines winter. Peregrines can reach speeds close to 320 km-h in a downward dive, they are said to be the fastest birds on earth. They use their speed and agility to catch birds in mid-air. Their prey range in size from sparrows to large waterfowl such as ducks.

I have had many people tell me how much they like my two drawings as part of Kerry James Marshall’s exhibition in Miami Art Museum. Yesterday, I went to get update info from Bernice Steinbaum (and her assistants) for her gallery website. She asked me about the drawings and if they are available, she “had to have it.” I was surprised because people in Miami haven’t seemed to respond to my work in ways that I would like. What would I like? I’d like to be respected and accorded more credit and opportunities to show in my locale. I’ll have another exhibition opporunity this summer with my friend Edouard (whose studio I showed you) in a show called, “Nepotism.” Isn’t that a fun title? 🙂

I’m going to work on some new photographic pieces, since I have access to tons of free photo paper. A gift came from the Univ. Learning Resources because they are going 98% digital. All the stuff they’re not planning to use anymore has come to the photo area where I’m teaching at no cost to us. They also have two enlargers to bring over once they go through some paperwork. With maybe 20 boxes of 250 sheet boxes of paper, I can experiment without concern for how much it will cost. They also gave us 3 cases of 35mm film: Kodak 125 plus-x, T-Max 100, and T-Max 400. That, and more, will enhance my summer printmaking. 🙂

Bactris Gasipaes, Arecaceae, Peach Palm, Central South America

The smaller image shows a wider view of the palm and where it’s situated in the botanical gardens.

Chorisia Speciosa, Malvaceae, Silk Floss Tree, S. America

I just returned from visiting a colleague who was on the phone trying to find work over the summer to cover his expenses while not teaching. I then noticed some other LJ’s talking about financial issues that raised my already raised concerns for my summer. This will be my third summer in a row without teaching and it hurts trying to find freelance work even though I have a few gigs on the stove. If I didn’t have a new car (and insurance), it would be bad enough but now, I’m pressured to hustle to keep the bills paid. I thought GWBush said the economy was coming back… yeah, right.

I was also talking to a friend last night about the possibility, plausibility of “some unknown event” that could change the socio-political landscape in very bad ways by the time of the presidential election. It is not outside of my realm belief that Bush in his secretive way and 150 yr. old network of cronies could mastermind this event in a way to usurp power. I hope that is just fiction or just a bad dream. I was honestly thinking about investigating changing citizenship to Canada. Gawd, have I become THAT fearful and desparate?!

Kigelia africana The sausage tree (also sometimes called Kigelia pinnata) belongs to the family Bognoniaceae. This family contains trees, shrubs and climbers including the exotic jacaranda tree. Its unique sausage-shaped fruit, sometimes over a metre in length, and weighing as much as 10kg, has inspired a wide variety of vernacular names, including one, in South Africa, that means ‘the fat tail of a sheep’. The sausage tree draws its name from its large, sausage-shaped fruit, suspended from lengthy stalks. The hard, grey fruit has a thin skin covering a firm, fibrous fruit pulp containing numerous small, unwinged seeds. When the fruit itself eventually dries, the remaining fibre is sometimes mistakenly thought to be a loofah. This tree is also known for its medicinal properties being used for skin problems by Africans and now recognized by various companies.