May the sun shine warm upon your face... And the rains fall soft upon your fields...

Strawberry Roads and a Lil' Joe....

2009-05-20T20:24:00.000-07:00

That's a great song.

I'm going to learn to play it on my guitar.
I have to learn a song before I leave for New Hampshire. I made that promise to myself, but it's not going so well because... because... I guess I'm just not making time for it.
I have a new peanut butter and jelly in my life, and he takes up a lot of my time. Mind you, I'm not complaining, we choose to spend that time together. That's how I likes it!
I don't mind putting other things on the back burner, to have true living and connected moments with someone I love.
That's right my friends, I do believe I'm in love. It's been some time, but I'll be a monkey's uncle if this man isn't the pajamas to my cat, and the knees to my bees.

But that's another story.
I have things I want to say.
There are things that need to be said.
There are things that are...
There are things.

I'm remodeling a house with two outstanding women and a random downpour of dudes with goatees that drink too many rockstars.
My cousin is pregnant with twins.
My Pappy bought a motorcycle.
I sewed my Momma's garden for Mothers Day.
I got rear ended on the way to the farm, and the girl that hit me got in another accident a few hours later.
I love Otis Redding.
I miss my friend Kraig in Tennessee, I was trying so hard to get there, but perhaps I didn't have the best of intentions.
A love of a friend is hiking the PCT for 5 months, I am praying for her safety, and hope good energy from all goes to her.
I'm going to build a cabin on the farm with my Jonny's help.
I hurt someone that said they loved me. And they aren't nice to me anymore. But I tried to do everything right. Maybe that was my first mistake?
My niece and nephew light up my life.... almost as much as my big Sister does.
I hope you have a lovely day.
I think you are very attractive.
Oh yeah.
And I'm broke.
But it seems to be working out pretty well so far.

Ruvvies.

TORPEDO LEVELERS AND A BRAND SPANKIN NEW PRESIDENT...

2008-11-18T20:25:00.000-08:00

Ahoy fellow American Friendships.
Or Ahoy blog page that I have so intentionally ignored for a few months. I have been expressing my thoughts more creatively and on a direct social level, instead of the usual introspective memoirs.

Which means, I've been busy, a new kind of busy..... NO.... not that kind, well maybe a little bit... OK, not at all, but I've got some things in the works. Enough about my love life, let's talk about something with substance... like.... drumroll please....
BARACK OBAMA!!!
Wooooohooo!

I was working at one of my fourteen jobs on election night, the job that requires me to serve alcohol to a massive amount of alcohol dependent Portlanders, that I love dearly, but for crying out loud, need to find a hobby that doesn't take such a toll on the liver. But who am I to judge? Anywho, the reason for my childish excitement, (besides the fact that I have ADHD), is not because I think everything is solved now, and our nation will now unite in to a harmonious community relieving ourselves of industrial revolution attachments and developments, or that we are now going to all get along, and any trace of racism, sexism, or class wars will now be but a vapor and fallen tribulation of the past. Or even for that matter, that now, finally, children will be raised in schools where they are taught how to grow food, create shelter, and trade goods in order to create sustainability within their own ecosystems... Or even that we, as a whole, will develop a human sense of priority among our international cohorts, and there will be a liberation of all those who are oppressed, held captive, or stuck in a set of laws that create boundaries around their need and god (or what have you) given right to share, think, feel, and be pro-active about whatever lights or plays their inner music. Or that factory farms and industrial raised "food" will all be taken down, step by step, and we will fall in to a trade system once so wisely used involving wild game, handmade goods, and for the love of God (or what have you), wooden...educational...basic...handmade.... toys. STORYTELLING WILL COME BACK TO LIFE! OUR CHILDREN WILL HELP WITH THE DAILY CHORES! THE OCEANS WILL BE CLEAN! ALL SPECIES WILL HAVE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT TO ONCE AGAIN CREATE A FOOD CHAIN THAT ISN'T INFLUENCED BY OUR NEED FOR MORE MORE MORE MORE!!! THREE CAR GARAGES WILL BE USED TRANSFORMED IN TO WORKSHOPS, LIVING QUARTERS, MANGERS, AND EVERYONE WILL LIVE CLOSE ENOUGH TO WORK TO BIKE OR WALK! WOMEN WILL BE ONLY ALLOWED TO WEAR DRESSES, AND MEN CAN HAVE THREE WIVES!!!!

ok... that last part is a joke.. I was getting a little ahead of myself. Although, a dress wouldn't hurt me once in a while, it would just get in the way when I'm crawling under the house, and building the coolest tree house ever.

No, I understand that this historic moment, where the first black president was elected, does not mean these ideals and values, and pipe dreams of my own will all surface in my lifetime. I know that some things have come too far, to go back to how they were before the revolution. And that is okay, it's my pipe dream, and I'm quite fond of it... And it gives me a lot of things to daydream about, and take part in in the way I live my life, and the things that I choose to learn, and how I hold myself within my own community. The challenges that I accept, and the ones that I pass on in honor of my own ability, and lack of such in larger things. I prefer to work on the small scale, and only when I feel confident enough, then will I start thinking about how I can effect change on the other side of the world. (Although good thoughts, and positive energy is a constant impact that is powerful on a large scale, therein I effect change by how I think, and what I feel and release)... as it is for all of us.
So think good thoughts for me dammit... Or I will not let you play in the tree house.

Um... so, however, about Obama. I think this is a big step for us. For the first time in my life I felt good about being an American, or titling myself as such. For the first time, I was proud of the majority voters, and I was inspired by the things that our future president said. I want him to know that I will be one of those who does not forget that it is a constant force of work and progress to grow as a country, and to communicate among one another in order to spread peace and knowledge, and create change in a scarred and understimulated population.

I'll have to write more later... But I love my class, so much I can't believe it. I am a sponge for learning right now, completely exhausted, but a sponge nonetheless.
I just had a flashback to a Seinfeld episode.... HA HA HA HA.... oh that Elaine, she cracks my shit up.

Love and Blessings,
and kisses and such,
Virginia

Stop Diablo Canyon

2008-10-01T22:12:00.000-07:00

I sit here, in my rocking chair, in my wonderful sanctuary of a room, thinking about the last two days.
I went to the Jackson Browne concert last night. I went with my one ticket, armored with the strong woman "I can go stag and be fine with it", mentality that I have carried on a handful of occasions. There's nothing wrong with going to a movie, a benefit, a play, or a concert by yourself... And I've done it before, so no big deal, right? Well, I was partially right. I have been so jazzed about seeing Jackson live again, that I could give a monkey's uncle whether I was accompanied by anyone. In fact, I'd rather go alone, because I don't know anyone besides my Papa that would celebrate it more. Perhaps that was where the emotions got cornered in. The last time I saw Jackson Browne was when I surprised my Dad with tickets for his 50th birthday.
That's another story. But Jackson Browne's music and lyrics are very close to my heart, and he will always be one of those top 5 singer/songwriters that can break, and melt my heart in the same song.
I thoroughly enjoyed the show, and chatted with other fans sitting near me about previous concerts, how we love Jackson, and all that yummy stuff.
Afterwards, I took a little pity party walk around downtown Portland, in my favorite cowboy boots, my nice jeans, and my long black dress coat.... hey, you know I had to dress up, it's not every day that I take myself out on a nice date.
It was beautiful night, and I was glad to be alone with my thoughts, singing softly to myself the music still in my head from the show.
I wandered in to Hubers, Portland's oldest restaurant, to try one of their world famous Spanish coffee's for the first time. It was a splendid treat, and a nice atmosphere, I felt like I was in the shining, and it was perfect suited for the prior nights happenings. I sat with my crossword from earlier in the day, and embraced all the quiet chatter and laughter from the couples and small groups still left in the bar from the nights dinner rush.
I ended up conversing with an older man, and is son, (about my age), who had just come from the concert as well, and then was given crossword support by a debonair man in his late 70's and his younger partner, both darling in the most unconventional and old-fashioned ways... together we finished the cross word, and I felt accomplished in my little moment of glory.
I then bummed a cigarette from my lovely bartender, Leo, and went outside for some "not so fresh" air... That was when Vicki and Max walked by. Vicki is a long time vendor for street roots. Max is her little dog, and I used to see them a lot more often down at the office. I haven't been down there since I moved back home, and it was really refreshing to see her and Max. She was so dear to me, and handed me a card with a dove on it that read "ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE TO THOSE WHO BELIEVE... MARK 8:23" "EXPECT A MIRACLE"
She is so wonderful, always smiling, always warm and kind, and one of the hardest workers I've ever met. I tell you what, I would bet 700 billion dollars that Max is one of the most loved, and most content and fulfilled dogs in this world.
And that's all I have to say about that.
Peace and num nums...
Virginia

Fear and Loathing in NE Portland Metro

2008-09-09T00:17:00.000-07:00

I watched the movie Gonzo last night.
My phenomonal human being of a housemate, Jude, came along, and we seriously got down on some popcorn. I figured we could have dropped some acid and brought a couple of fifths along in honor of the late Hunter S. Thompson, but then we might not get the full intensity of the documentary.
You have to hand it to him... he was passionate, he was a bionic, fully functioning addict, and he was passionate... He walked the talk, and he composed himself in a manner that was somehow an expression of the anger he had towards the development of classism, racism, and greed.
He gave a damn, enough to share it with others.... It's like he had a little jar of ink... totally full, sitting there... And he knew every fucking thing about that ink, he knew it so well, and he had a million different ways to describe it, he knew it backwards, the taste, smell, sensation on your skin, every damn thing about the ink, and others knew of the inks existence, but didn't really know how to acknowledge it, or how to ask permission to look at it or touch it, and were afraid to tell other people that they desired to see and touch, or maybe even sip on the ink... So they just kept pretending like they weren't interested..

So then Hunter took that bottle of ink, blew the lid off with most likely a firearm, and dumped the ink all over ground, and on top of the highest hill, so that everyone would start to see little bits of it spilling past... they could see a glimpse of what they desired to talk about or taste, but they still didnt' share with others about their own excitement or passions, or about the feelings they were having about this new substance that had appeared. They just looked up the hill at Hunter and smiled...
And then they went in their rooms, packed their shit in to a bag, and took off in search of where this ink might be headed... It was better than bullshitting with their folks, and all the narrow minded jerkoffs that didnt' know any better that they blah blahed with on a daily fuckin basis.

Hunter didn't know the formula for the ink, and he didn't even know if the ink should exist, or if it was a toxic substance created out of possession and greed that formed in to a democracy... of fat lifeless bloodsuckers..

Ok, yikes, I'm going to backtrack a bit, I started this entry tonight becasue I was feeling inspired, and delighted to be around people whom I value so much, and people whom I value their values so much.
As well as, it's nice to find harmony within severe differences of myself and people whom I don't find common heart strings with.

I love my Mother for being who she is... for wanting to take care of everyone else, and is the rock of a large family for compassion, shelter, and words of caring and love. I love that my Mom and I are not similar, and that we are finding a harmony in our relationship... Finding peace among broken pieces, and walking that course when daughters become women in a world unlike their Mother's when they were in their saturn return (yay Tina!)

I love my new friend Jude, for demonstrating strength, agility, balanced living, and inspiration to so many others who look up to her, especially young women who are told and shown that they aren't meant to achieve in such a way. She doesn't even know that she is constantly living the life of a role model, and that's part of what makes her shine...

I love my sister for no matter what, even when I'm crazy busy and have lost my phone for the 97th time, and haven't called her back in weeks, still somehow finds a way to let me know that she just thinks I'm beautiful and misses me... She finds time to break and melt my heart. I love her so much, it breaks because she's not next door, but it melts because her smile and thoughts reach across the world, no matter where we are, or where we will be tomorrow.

I love my dearest friend Neil, who will never know how perfectly disastrously beautiful he is. I desire to be in his company because of the truest form of human he is, and how it challenges my present existence. How he allows me to be a child, and facilitates my neivity in ways that become opportunities for growth and the unveiling of social justice issues. His patience is an expression of his love, at least that's how I interpret it. He let's me stay 20 percent flighty, yet grounds me by the simplist of comments, in a way that only a kindred spirit could. His soul is emminently powerful and will forever be shadowed by nothing but the most ancient of trees...

I love my darling girl Tina at the Gypsy Cafe, as well as the other women there, but Tina has made efforts lately to communicate with me, and I find myself desiring to communicate back, which is unusual for me. I am the classic case of "Hey whatcha been up to?? Gotta go, let's hang some time..." and then never do, because what I really meant to say was, "Hey, you don't light my fire, and you don't care about anything I've done since 1998, so let's just drift, and let the tides decide if we should meet again."
But with this group of women, and with Tina, I am verifiably interested in what she has to say, and what she's getting in to. It all goes back to that value system. She is good for the Earth, and she is full of love and joy, and breeds and shares nothing but words of personal growth, eternal wisdom, and youthful and physical embracement of the elements and the sexuality of this ancient world. I love her like I love the way how Maggie's brow is warm and soft after a long nap, and how a baby watches and giggles at their older sibling when they do silly things, and how cute newborn peppers are when they start to bud, and how the lakes and ponds freeze over at 1000 acres during the winter, and we can walk for what seems like forever in to an unknown forest on ice.

I love you all like Jimmy Buffet likes Margaritas...
fins to the left... fins to the right...
Night Night.
.....aaaaaaaa

Noche, Bigfoot, and Pizza on the floor.

2008-08-23T23:26:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since my last blog.
I finished up my two weeks at the gypsy cafe with an open invitation to return, and a sad farewell. I was leaving women that I had known less than a month, but we spoke and breathed as if we'd known eachother distantly for years.... a familiarity in the atmosphere that I will always remember.
Maggie and I said our goodbyes to Noche. We knew he had been sick the last few days that we were there. He was 14, and had lived a very full and free existence, his eyes were full of life, but the kind of life that is ready to leave this place. It was hard to say goodbye to him, but I knew it wasn't permanent. He passed about a week later, and my heart goes out to Tina, he was her companion and soul mate, and I know she is heart sick. Her and Barb placed Noche near the garden we built, just outside her door. I love you Tina, Noch will look and watch over you now, as your gaurdian, as you did him during his time here.

I left the cafe, and took off for california. Stopped by a farm in the middle of nowhere, and bought a peach from the most beautiful 80 year old woman I've ever seen.... I'm telling you, farming keeps you young, either that or she is hiding the fountain of youth on their property somewheres.
I also stopped by a place where they sell burlwood, as well as a large collection of individually unique pieces of burl furniture, clocks, decorations, etc... .the most beautiful functional art pieces I've ever seen. They also had ginormous tree houses that looked like they belonged in Alice in Wonderland and Swiss Family Robinson... I'd live in that shit, that's for damn sure.

Mags and I got in to the redwoods a little later than we would have liked, and it was starting to get dark... So being that niether of us had any clue where we were, we went to where we felt the safest, and camped at a pretty standard and accessible, somewhat populated campground/state park. We still had a large spot all our own, and a private view in the morning, but close enough to others to feel a bit more grounded.

We went in to stout grove and the back road to crescent city in the morning. It was nice because we headed out so early that the fog and mist were there the whole time we were in the woods. AMAZING.

We drove up the coast and stopped at a few different spots... I was planning on heading to Nevada from the redwoods, but smarty pants here left her bike and the Gypsy Cafe, so the girls agreed to bring it to Coquille on tuesday, which is near the coast, and I would meet them there, at the Cob Cottage to pick up the hooptie.

This way, I got to visit cob cottage, and see the ladies again, so it was a double whammy. The pictures of the property in Coquille don't even touch on, whisper at, or breeze past the intense beauty and sanctity of this place. I continue to be fascinated by what people create with their minds, and what their minds instruct their hands to do... That subtle transition, that faint intimacy of communication between your imagination and your phsyical actions, what your minds eye can emit to your senses and from there, sculpt on to paper, in to words, or in to three dimensional structures, just by the relationship between the body and mind..... unbelieveable, I feel like that is a pretty safe and fairly attainable yet challenging goal, to keep up that level of intimate language between my mind and body, and not cut off that love affair. And also, not to question or talk my mind out of things because my body is too tired to listen....
HA HA HA.... what a wonderful imagery that is in my head right now....
What's in yours? You should draw a picture of it!!!! Right now!!! Use colors! Only if you want to!

I'll write more later. I want to go draw a picture too.... and snuggle with my snoop doggy doggggggg.....

RACCOONS IN MY TENT.

2008-08-09T01:14:00.000-07:00

FENDER GUITARS AND SIA’S INNER VOICE

I took a day off and went to Crater Lake yesterday.
I drove through a town called White City… as you’re driving in to town there is a large maple sign that reads in large, white letters… “WHITE CITY… THE BEST PLACE TO LIVE.”
Uh huh…. Interesting slogan. White City is a hop skip and a jump from the sprawling town of WEED… I had to stop and take a picture with the exit sign for that one, just for my brother.
Once I got in to Crater Lake park, there is a seven mile drive almost all uphill, windy and on a day like that, would not be much fun of a walk. I drove past a PCT hiker, did a loop back and stopped to give him a ride to the top. Being the bit of a chicken that I am, I circled back three times to get a good look at his face and gear before I finally offered him a ride. I figured I had to continue on the circle of love, since I had so many people give me rides on my way back from our hike earlier this year.
His name was Matt, and he was a very nice guy, he was hiking the trail alone, which is so out of my range of strength, I can’t begin to describe how much I look up to people who can do it like that.

I also ran in to a girl that I played softball with years ago. I recognized her parents at first… They were constant fixtures in the bleachers at all the games, and I remember her Momma keeping score for us quite frequently. None of them were very pleasant with me when I approached them to say hi and do a quick catch up on how life was going for her and so on and so forth… but maybe I just walked in at a bad time.
Either way, I enjoyed my visit to the lake, and the surprising comfort in a familiar face.
But I’ve always been kind a sucker for nostalgia… so there it is.

I then headed down highway 62 for about an hour and met up with my grandparents in Klamath Falls, Oregon. They are so cute, they have been married for 56 years, and look like a million dollars. After dinner I walked Mags to the nearby safeway and got some foor for the feast I’m making for everyone on Sunday, (my last day ☹ )

The safeway was very entertaining, and I liked the eclectic mix of townies… My favorite was an older, very attractive gentlemen darning Winnie the pooh sweatpants, a tazmanian devil t shirt, and a very large black leather fanny pack… I must say, if you’re gonna go for it, you might as well go all the way… And he nailed that outfit like he’d been planning it for weeks.
Bravo my friend…. Bravo.

We went to dinner at John and Dana’s tonight. John (Page) is an amazing custom furniture and guitar artist. He worked for fender for over 20 years, and now is building his own guitars and functional art out of his home and shop here in wolf creek. He is the one that makes the famous “Devil’s Tears” salsa.. I wanted to take some home so bad that they invited us for dinner tonight so we could watch and help him make it, and take some back with us.
Myshkin jammed on some of his amazingly detailed and brilliant electric guitars, and we all danced and caroused away the night.

We came home and Tina and I put on my favorite CD, and she helped me with a tarot reading… Inner Voice…… Inner Voice…. Inner Silence…

Sia’s song “Broken Biscuit”
Listen to that song… the lyrics are… well, they just are.

LOVE YOU ALL!!!! ☺
LOVE AND HUGS AND BIG FAT SLOBBER KISSES*.
*from Maggie.

TODAY August 6, 2008

Yesterday we weeded the neighbor lady’s garden… She’s pushin 90 and her garden looks like it’s on its way out too… However, we tore through that stuff, and she has herself some ripe harvest. We took all the fresh compost back to the café property because we needed some greens in our pile…

We went down ot Jeanie’s in grants pass again last night….
At the 55 and over trailor park…
Four of us girls completely cleaned up an 80 year old oak tree that had been cut down… but left in such a giant pile, and in such a mess, that we had to cut up the rest and de-terd all the branches… While being sexually harassed by jeanie’s estranged perverted of an old man husband…. Bleh… Can you tell he got to me? Anyway, after that we came home, drank some wine and jammed… Myshkin sang a song about trailor parks, the slimy and creepy men that live there, all of the under three pound dogs, and the vast excess of tarps… Long story, but very funny.

This morning we covered up all the straw bales and the exposed cob because there was call for a thunder/rain storm this afternoon.

A FEW GOOD WOMEN

2008-08-04T23:30:00.000-07:00

The last few days have been exceptional. Every day is, but these last few were so foreign to me, as the last week has been entirely. The experiences I've been sharing here on this land, and on the surround earth have bloomed a piece of me that has been submersed till now. Yesterday started with a low dose of energy. There were a new batch of people here from the concert, who had stayed overnight and wanted to help on Myshkin's house. We had a new dog introduced to the pack of three, and many small fights emerged from his presence. He's a sweet dog, but violent by nature, and each dog had their own quarrel with him. Things calmed down by the second day, and we learned to keep an eye on things. The cob house is coming up so quick, it's really amazing to see the progress daily.

Every meal has been shared with a new community of people, food from the garden, and spirits from local sources. Pappy and I drove Margie home to grants pass last night, and I stopped to sit outside a coffee shop where there were a sleu of teenagers playing music and showing off their arm band tattoos to one another. I felt completly out of place, but absolutely comfortable and entertained at the same time.

Tina and I went to Ashland today to deliver the newspapers to the post office (Barb and Tina run a local/inernational women's ecological radical newspaper). We had lunch and brews at a local eatery, and walked around town and did some second hand shopping. I found, or I should say, it found me.... an old pendleton wool riding hat... It's perfect fit, perfect color, and I know I'll have it forever. We then took the long road back to the valley...

such a magnificent drive. Through Jacksonville, the Applegate Valley, and along the Rogue River. The skies were cloudy and smokey from the California fires, but it put a soft dampness in the air that was suprisingly calming. We drove through the big marijuana growing town of Williams, and in to Graci ... a small stop for the rafters of the Rogue River.

We took the one lane road back to the land, but not before we stopped in below the suspension bridge and dipped in to the river. the sun was just going down, and the bats were dancing aroung us and in the river, it was a moment I will remember for a very long time. I wont' try to describe it, but I felt as if I was invited there personally by the river and the surrounding mountains.... the bats and I together were celebrating and thanking mother earth for it's bounty of elements, and it's strength in the struggle to survive our bearance on her body.

We came home to a fresh cooked dinner by Myshkin and Brenin... Put on the kings of convenience, smoked some num nums.... and laughed and shared until just about half an hour ago, when Mags and I hit the hay.

LIFE IS GOOD.
LIFE IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU WERE TOO BUSY MAKING PLANS.
LIFE....
LIFE..
IS NOW.
AND NOW.
AND I'M GLAD YOU ARE HERE.

REMEMBER THE ABRAHAMS.
VIRGINIA.

GYPSY CAFE

2008-08-01T18:20:00.000-07:00

GYPSY CAFÉ

Where do I start? Right now it’s a little after ten on Thursday night, and my typing is shadowed by the deep baying of a six year old beagle named buddy. Buddy likes to venture in to the woods in the late hours of the night and the wee hours of the morning and howl at whatever he deems howlable. He is has a constant blank look on his face, but the kind that makes you want to snuggle with him and shower him with kisses.

He isn’t the only critter on these 48 acres. Noche, a 14 year old pedigree and shit zu mix, claims the Gypsy Café as his home as well—no matter where you scratch him, he automatically plays the banjo until you stop. There’s also the two ginormous white cats, Little Bird, and Hapoo. And don’t forget the neighborhood peacock, Barbosa, who keeps up his exotic figure by sticking to a strict diet out of the organic garden that I’ve been working so hard to keep up.

Have you ever seen a peacock fly? It’s quite a sight. Almost like a phoenix… And Barbosa flies to the tops of some very tall trees.

There is so much life here.

It’s amazing how a four hour drive south from Northern Oregon transforms the landscape, and the climate, and the wildlife, and so on.

It’s ninety daily, it never rains, there are lizards everwhere. The soil is a highly compacted deep orange clay. Just picture a giant Burnt Sienna Crayola Crayon melted down and covered in forest. It’s perfect for building cob houses, which we have been doing a lot of.

The land is owned and wonderfully preserved by three women. Tina, Barb, and Myshkin.

Each have such amazing gifts and energy it is hard to really give light to their souls here.

We are working on Myshkin’s house right now. It has a rock foundation, and when finished will be a cob/strawbale home. It is a celebration to build a cob house. To mix it you have to stomp it with your bare feet, and we have had work crews here all week from the neighboring “Fairy Sanctuary”, so every day there are new people to dance in the mud with. From there you layer it on in giant clumps and sew it in to the cob layer below.

You can build a house out of the earth. It’s cheap, it’s beautiful, and you develop a relationship with your home. Plus, the surrounding wilderness is quite inviting, and more than willing to lend a few resources in the building process.

Myshkin is also a phenomenal musician. We have the treat of listening to her sing and play through the day, but especially in the evenings she’ll sit on the porch beneath the stars and privately jam. Her voice is so calming, and absolutely sparkling and pure… Yet deep and timeless. It’s like having my own personal Bille Holiday.

Barb and Tina run the WeMoon date book and calendars. They work constantly, but still find time for cooking and sharing with others. Tina is the gardening goddess. She and the other women started a permaculture garden here a few years ago, and it is thriving. I am learning so much, and loving every minute of it. I get to start my day by walking around an eccentric, happy garden, with three vibrant dogs running around, and then go get covered in mud and dirt and sing with new faces, and then usually stop by the swimming hole for a skinny dip, or just get naked in my own personal outdoor shower.
Tomorrow we are having a concert on the stage the women just built. All the exotic woods were donated by neighbors of the Gypsy Café. John and Dana respectively. John is an artist of functional art. He has been making custom guitars and furniture for years, he worked at fendor for over a decade and decided to start making a life out of what he loved. They came for dinner the first night, and we had a fiesta of food from the garden, sangria from Dana’s garden, and Salsa from John’s, called the “devils tears”…. Aptly named for the intensity…. I need to get a jar before I go home!!!

Yesterday, in the afternoon, we unloaded over 150 bales of straw for the houses, and then drove down to grants pass to pick up gravel from Jeanie, a friend of the gypsies. Jeanie lives in a very upscale trailor park and is probably the cutest old lady I’ve ever met in my life, and one of the smartest. We filled up the pick-ups with gravel after eleven oclock at night. I’m sure that made Jeanie’s neighbors happy—as if the sound wasn’t enough, the four of us were singing “I’ve been working on the railroad”… Well, more like yelling it, because the sound of shovels, pavement, and rocks flying was drowning out our voices. ☺

Today, Tina and I went down to the Fairy Sanctuary to visit everyone at the gathering. They are putting on different workshops everyday for people interested in earth and land preservation, or anything in that nature. Sustainability which includes subjects from proper removal and compost of human waste to brain-tanning hides.
Tina was doing a bio-brew ceremony, and about four others showed up in the garden for the brewing creation. It was all very sacred, and I felt privileged to be there. We asked the elements of the North, South, East, and West, to help create and preserve out brew, and to help the land and the crops receive it’s healing powers. We also sang, danced, and got to play with pond scum!

Tonight Renee came over and visited. She is an amazing 71 year old brilliant writer and gypsy. I’ve started her book, and her story amazes me. After some spaghetti covered in a garden fresh stew, Barb showed me how to make yarn out of dog and cat hair with drop spindles.

We are braiding garlic and clearing out a “tent city” valley for the concert guests tonight.
We hung a large bag of water above the sliding door to keep the flies out. Who knew that flies won’t fly under water? Not me, there’s something else I’ll be registering for future use.
JUST WOKE UP FROM A NAP IN THE GARDEN.. MAGGIE SLEPT ON MY SHOULDER, AND I JAMMED TO TRACY CHAPMAN AND JOSH TURNER ON MY IPOD... WOKE UP IN TEARS... I HAVE A FEELING I'LL BE EMOTIONALLY VOMITING FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS :) IT'S OK, I'M DUE FOR HAVING SOME FEMALE MOMENTS :)
LOVE YOU ALL, MISS YOU ALL.
MISS SOME EVEN MORE, AND I HOPE YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE :)

LOVE AND HUGS AND BLESSINGS AND SMILES,
VIRG.

PCT and Gypsy Cafe

2008-07-28T20:26:00.000-07:00

Yikes... I can't believe I get internet here. So I thought I would take advantage of the opportunity, and share about my new temporary home.

Since I left work about a month and a half ago, it has been a whirlwind of yumminess, but also my damn sea legs kept yelling at me to get on the road, and go far far in to the unknown.
Two days after my last day of work, I graduated from college, it took me nine years, and no, I'm not a doctor. My Momma threw me and my brother's girlfriend, Serenity, a party, and the tufurkey snausages where sooo good.... I got to spend time with family that I haven't seen in a while, and it put a warm feeling in my tummy.
A few days after that, we started our PCT hike.
Tatyana, Rose, Matt, Sara J, and I... Oh and my dog, Maggie Poop Deck Pappy Mae.... That is her official name. We just call her Poo Bear, or Pappy. Well ol' Pappy burnt the snot our of her paws on the first day. Eight miles on highway 84 in ninety degree weather will do that I guess. I felt really bad, and I thank God there are no child protective services for canines. My Mom drove out to Eagle Creek that night where we were going to camp, and picked the pooch up. And we continued in and set up camp. We only did about 12 miles that day.

I wish we had video of the five of us trying to tie up our food bags in the trees, it was one of those situations you had to witness first hand to truly appreciate the comedy.
I bathed in the creek the next morning. It felt so good to strip down naked and take a bird bath in freezing cold mountain water.... And I thought we were far enough up the trail that no one would see me... I was mistaken, and the morning's first runner got a full frontal... Poor guy, he missed out, because my backside is so much better :)

The next three nights were amazing as well, I highly recommend walking over the bridge of the gods, you get such a better view of the vast river and gorge, and you can take advantage of the steel grated bridge, it's like your floating across...
We covered another 12 miles that day, and stopped early to camp at Colgate Lake, I made some lentil curry and chili over the fire, I think I could have just ate that the whole time and been fine.

We got up at the butt crack of dawn and started again. This time we would cover over 3500 feet and 22 miles total. The pictures don't do justice to how truly breathtaking our views were. We started hitting patches of snow, (we worried about the amount of snow left from reports, but we had to try anyway, it was 90 degrees everyday, so we were praying that things had melted enough to get through the summits)... As we came around the lee side of the mountain, we were crossing 8ft deep patches of snow that were covering and hiding the trail. We went in about half a a mile, and the patches started getting deeper, and larger, and we realized we couldn't keep going without equipment, even then, the trail wouldn't be visible for some segments. So we took a vote, and decided it wasn't worth someone getting hurt.

All in all it was a total of four nights, five days for me. When in the long run, it was scheduled as a 2 weeker. Long story long, I'll be going back soon to finish her off.

SO...I'm staying at the Gypsy Cafe in Sunny Valley Oregon right now, I'll write more later, about in between the hike, and now.
and I'll write more about now.... Later...

Life is what happes when to you while you're too busy making other plans

2008-07-17T00:14:00.000-07:00

I caved.
I totally caved.... I had half a serving of Nyquil last night to make me sleep. And I'll be damned if it didn't work like a charm. I barely made it to the bed, and I'm pretty sure I lost 5 pounds during the night from the amount of drool I woke up in... it wasn't a very holistic approach to sleep deprevation, but it worked, so there's the rub.
I snuck away to a great little spot tonight to do some drawing and brainstorming for my sister and brother-in-law's new non profit organization. I'm so proud of them for taking time out of their busy lives to start an NPO--one with very honorable values, and a wonderful mission.
My nephew called me today to tell me he was going to his first session at karate class. I don't care who you are, but when a 5 year old calls you to tell you all about his new karate class, and then says ever so calmly, "Well I'm gonna let you go Auntie Virg, I love you so much, and I miss you".... you can't help but melt in to little pieces. He's such a little man, he's growing up so fast... his little league uniform fits him like a potato sack on a celery stick--it's the cutest thing I've ever seen. I am so in love.
And my niece... Awe, don't even get me started.
My cousin is due in about 5 months, I'm so excited for her little one as well. You gotta love the kids for choosing our family to be brought in to, we're nuts, we're all over the place, but we know how to camp, and we're always there for eachother. What would families be if you didn't have good stories to pass on to the next Generation?

Which brings me to here. Here I am. here i am. here...
I believe in the power of attraction. If you're not familiar with it, it's not attraction as in, "if I look hot, people will come talk to me".... not that kind.
The power of attraction... Whatever you desire or want in life... You are in control of willing it to yourself. It truly is all in your thoughts and your outward energy and actions. If you haven't read or watched "The Secret", give it a shot sometime, it's available on netflix, or at your local bookstore.

So my life is exactly where I want it, and right where I put it. And next up, we have these paths that are in front of me, (cue the high-school graduation music)....
But seriously, I decided I wanted another transition, I wanted to take one of those county roads that you pass on those long raod trips... and see what's down there. Or when you are going for a walk, and you wonder... "what would happen if I knocked on the door of that house?", or "if I continue to walk, for as long as I could, would that change the entire course of my life?" The whole butterfly effect, I love it... It's so exciting, and fantastic. And the key is to not worry about whether your choices will take away other choices that you have now. Or if a choice will close other doors that seem to be available now. Because you can't worry about those other things. Life is now, even if you make a "wrong" choice, it's still not a wrong choice, it's a choice, and you are in control of the outcome of everything.

Oh boy, that was turning in to a tangent. My inner dialog was grabbing randomly in to thin air at a query of thoughts.
I'll try and stay on track.

I realized today... As I was tearing apart my Mom's garden, the sun was starting to set, I was covered in dirt, I was barefoot and had the standard whitetrash farming attire on (cut off pink tshirt and basketball shorts from the 8th grade), it was hideous, humurous, and comfortable all at once... I was tearing out weeds like a crazed woman on her fourth frappacino when I looked over and saw Maggie, my best friend, laying in the last sun spot on the edge of the garden. She was right next to the hoe, rake, and my giant mug of water... And she was so happy... just a dog in her element, taking it all in. squinting her eyes as the sun went down, and half of her black coat was covered in dried up weeds and soil.
I realized then, that after my whole day of working and trying to figure out my next move, trying to pick the best road, I realized that this is life, right now, right then, was exactly where I wanted to be, and what I'd asked for.

This is something that I know, and that I"m lucky enough to realize on an every day basis. I love life because of this, because I am grateful for everything I have right now at this moment, and it's very easy to make me smile. And I'll be a monkeys uncle if that 45 pound black lab basset hound slut is going to make me happy just by her easy dog ways... But sometimes I forget, and sometimes my mind gets on the train tracks and starts circling... But it's good to be reminded.

MY LESSON FOR TODAY.... IF YOU GO OUTSIDE MORE OFTEN, YOU GET REMINDED OF HOW BEAUTIFUL LIFE IS, HOW YOU CAN SHARE IN THE GLORY OF THE EARTH... IT WANTS YOU TO ROLL AROUND IN IT, AND TO LOVE IT LIKE YOU LOVE WHAT IT GIVES YOU.

Narcaleptic Little Women

2008-07-15T06:57:00.000-07:00

It's 7am... And I haven't slept at all. One of many nights withouth sleep. I tried reading, writing, tea, other stuff... and having the tv doesn't help. My eyes were wide open for three movies, the last of which was the 1990's rendition of Little Women. It's funny, I remember getting that book for Christmas the year before the movie came out. I was so excited to read it again, because I knew that Christian Bale was to star in the coming box office hit. And we all know how yummy he is. So I tore through that book, while constantly envisioning myself as Jo, beign much adored by the handsome and gentle Christian Bale (you have to remember I was only 13).... Until the end when he ends up bangin Jo's little sister.

Irrrreeegaaaardless.... I found myself dropping a few suprise tears, then a few scenes later, a bit of a cry emerged... that soon passed, and about an hour in to the movie-I was sobbing like I did the first time I got benched for throwing a fit on the field in little league. What is the deal. Well, it's a beautiful story, and it's very human, internal, and emotional.
Here I go again....
There aren't a lof of things like that anymore, at least readily available, and since almost everything is readily available, we have to search for the good stuff.

I want to sit with my children every day and read them stories, until they are teenagers. I want my house to be small enough so that you can smell the fireplace and the stove from every room in the house. I want all of my clothes and all of my shoes to be able to fit in to a small chest of drawers, and I want to have a relationship with everything in my home, and everyone around my home...
I want my dogs and my kids and my husband to have dirty feet and hands at least once a day, and when the linens smell fresh, or the wood in the house smells of violet and vanilla, I want it to be from fresh herbs from the garden, and newly picked wild flowers, and not from chemicals or anything brought home in the back of a minivan.

Why is it that we are so drawn towards or attracted to new things? Or the most up to date products? Why do we find plastic childrens toys so apealling? Why don't we cherish our family heirlooms and take care of them... perhaps it is because we dont' really take care of anything anymore. You can always go buy a new one, whatever it is, just down the road. It breaks my heart. It breaks my heart in pieces. The excess of things, the desire to have stuff, what is that, what does it mean, why do I feel I am a part of it, because I am, no matter how badly I want to be naked of it, no matter how I try and shed it, I still pull from its' branches fairly regularly.
I'm working on it, I'm baby stepping, but damnit, am I going about it right. However it is happening, the less I feel it amongst me, the more I feel in touch with myself and the music, and the heartbeat, and the earth, the dirty, dirty, fabulously romantic earth.

A lot?

2008-07-14T00:38:00.000-07:00

Five things I think are impossible...
My Mom told me about a sermon she watched on television today. The pastor spoke about our faith in the Lord; and our faith in ourselves. How the majority of people walk around believing that God will take care of them. That God can make anything happen. Whether you believe God, energy, higher powers, yourself, and/or all of the above, whatever you believe in...
Although we believe that we will be taken care of, that these entities of strength see no boundaries, and their powers are limitless, we somehow find a capacity for things that are IMpossible. How is it that we find a place for a constant stream of IMPOSSIBILITIES if we speak as if we have faith that anything can be done and nothing should be given up on.
The pastor asked the viewers to make a list of 5 things that they themselves believe to be impossible, that even though they trust in God, they still think these things that they are to write down cannot be done or undone.
It suprised me that I had 5 things to write down. I really thought my heart and my mind were more open.
So I wrote my list.
1. A world without intentional violence and war.
2. A world of complete sustainable living.
3. A world where animals do not suffer by the hand of man.
4. I am completely comfortable, aware, and joyed with my body and appearance.
5. I find love and a kindred spirit again that gives me no doubt of serenity and peace.

Why do I feel these things are impossible? When... in the broad sprectrum of things, these are the things that play on my inner dialog daily. These are the things I work towards. The first three.... these are the things that I work towards changing. I want this to happen so much, but I struggle with the vast amount of people that are on the othere side of it, contributing towards the violence, the need for resources, and seperating themselves from the source of their food, products, and daily habits.
The fourth and the fifth I didnt' realize I saw as impossible. Perhaps it's just because I haven't given them a chance in the past few years, because I've been so focused on the other three. I feel old, I feel bleh... Not firm... however, I KNOW.... that these are not impossible. It is up to me. It helps to write these things down.
And even though I still wonder about the first three, it will only get better if I continue to work in efforts to take the edges off, and if more do that, the smaller the problems will get. Violence and suffering have to be replaced with something. The less of that, the more of the other stuff, which is undoubtedly better than any phsyical pain.

Do you have a list? Why don't you trust that God can make these things happen? I just wanted to talk about it.

Lou Reed, Billy Joel, and Rita the boxer.

2007-12-09T00:34:00.000-08:00

As I write this, Maggie is lying next to me, very upset that I won't continue to pet her while she falls asleep. Have I mentioned how much I love my dog? We had quite a day. But I didn't get on the computer to talk about my dog, and the unconditional love that lies therein.

I had a beautiful, dare I say perfect, day? I made choices for my health over my desire, and that is a habit I am looking to make constant.

The morning was busy, I opened at work, and saw a familiar face that I still wonder why is so unfamiliar now, and how it came to be that way. I care for someone in a human way, no more, and want them to be happy... I know I know... this is pretty standard stuff, but I wonder how a friendship can escape in to a reborn atmosphere of strangers. How do we go back to that. Well, we did, and so it is... I wish all the blessings in the world for him.

I had a fun time at work, got my ass handed to me a little bit, but I would prefer that over crickets any day. I had myself an amazing lunch, protein and vitamin packed, colorful and clean, just how I like em. Came home, took Mags for our evening walk down to Kellogg. This is where it got journal-worthy.

As I was rocking out on my Ipod, to some very jammable Amy Winehouse, a nice woman drove by with a dog in the passenger seat... "Have you seen a medium sized black dog without a collar?" she asked. I went on to find out she was missing "Shady", enter character one. Shady lives on 68th and Long, and decided to go for a solo adventure. She drove on looking, and I promised to keep an eye out. This is where my music was put on the backburner, and Shady was my new priority. Maggie Mae and I got to Kellogg and she did her standard program as I tried different dog calls for my new MIA pooch. I decided tonight that even thought it was dark, and that I usually stay in the "kinda" well lit areas, (as well as it can be on SE Powell and surrounding)... But tonight, I was on a mission. I walked head strong right through that creepy as hell alley in between the gymnasium and school building--ready for anything. I convinced myself that if I did not do this that I would regret it for the rest of my life (by the way, if you ever really want to do something but are too scared, this works really really well... the thought that you will regret it for the rest of your life, makes it so much easier to pull the trigger). So I pulled out my little pocket knife and made it happen. I did a little victory dance on the other side, and checked that off my list of things to probably not make a habit of.

I stopped every person on the street the whole way home, and told them of the search that was happening in the area, they agreed to keep an eye out. I met a nice young couple playing fetch with their two boxers in a parking lot. Rita the black and white boxer, took quite a liking to Maggie. So the rest of the way home I continued to call for Shady. One block from home, a med/large white dog without a collar comes across the street. Now this guy looked pretty beat up, and was not super friendly as Shady's mom promised that Shady as. So I was at a predicament. Is this Shady? Do I save him? Did hear black, but she said white? Oh shit, what do I do now.... Oh double shit, caucasian Shady is running in to the street... oh shit, he almost gets smashed by a bus. Oh triple shit, I really gotta pee, and I'm a block from home, and I can't save replacement Shady when I have Maggie on the leash, because new Shady no likey Maggie, or me.

Instant reaction: Run like hell home, drop off Mags, pee like you're on the side of the road, (wash hands), grab leash, keys, run like hell back to Shady Sr. The next forty five minutes was me, following around my new friend, with the occasional warning bark from him telling me to follow a little further behind. It seemed as though he was heading towards original Shady's home address, so I thought I was on the right track.. The problem was, white slim shady did not want my help, and he was not happy with my following program. He attempted to jump in to traffic a few more times which is when I convinced myself that I had to help him, otherwise I would regret it for the rest of my life (by the way, in this situation, not such a good idea, because then when you have to give up, or call animal control, you wont' be able to sleep)...
I didn't call the animal fuzz, instead I discussed with this crazy old man on the street and he agreed that Shades did not want help, and he was fine on his own, and that he is white, so at least people can see him in the street. That made me feel better, so I walked home, feeling half like a jackass, and half like a nutjob.

So I get home, and take one of the best naps of my life, I'm pretty sure I didn't even take off my gloves or hat, and had Gladiator playing on my laptop...

Jules gets home, says everyone's going cosmic bowling at hollywood later... I wake up later, and have to make this choice... Go to gym, go play... hmm... I've been so good lately, I do want to bowl.. that's exercise, but then I would want some beers, or white russians, you're out of your element donny. So I compromise... I go to the gym at eleven, but I stay away from the machines, and hit the pool, the sauna, and the hot tub... I love how things come together, synchronicity happening all around... I get to the gym and Gladiator is playing on the tv in the locker room, right where I had left off, I shit you not... And mine was a dvd... random. I do some laps, then on to the sauna, where I met a really nice woman from Eugene. She's interested in getting involved more here in Portland, and has history with the cooperative business and living situations, so we exchanged information about the coop, farm, and Kellogg garden. Anyway, it was a really nice conversation, and I felt like five million dollars after swimming and sweating like whore in church. I love saunas, I want one in my backyard tomorrow.

Not really sure what all this means, but my soundtrack to the gym and back was some extremely satisfying Billy Joel, sometimes you just have to go there you know? That piano will make you start thinking, and save all the memories you've made in the last twenty four hours... no matter how insignificant they may seem.

And tomorrow on to bloody mary's with Chocolate pants at Mother's... Mmmm.
I love me some breakfast.
Virg

Street Roots Article: Kellogg Community Garden

2007-12-03T16:54:00.000-08:00

SE Neighborhood Communities vs. Portland Public Schools
The Innovation and Proposition of a Community Garden in the abandoned Kellogg Middle School campus.

The food industry, “big food”, “big tobacco”, the dairy industry, the meat industry, industrial production versus the organic crusade—these are common terms today. Leave it to Portland to represent as one of the top organic and sustainable cities in the United States. We should be so proud; we are doing a great job, aren’t we? From the looks of a quick google search, Portland gives the glimpse of a green utopia, hand-in-hand with a new generation of driven hipsters ready to save the world and hold one another around a campfire made of recycled wood materials.

We also come up as number one on the vegetarian websites. We are even saving the animals, how perfect. My cynical approach is not to be mistaken for a lack of appreciation for my sharing and caring metropolitan. On the contrary, I’m sitting around that very campfire, with my pink fedora, used 501’s, and hemp chap stick that I purchased at my local food cooperative. I’m more than onboard with that whole program. I celebrate the entire collection of old-fashioned community values, and respect for locality and reduction of carbon footprints.

How is it though, that a city with such props and award winning reputations continues to struggle in the contribution and support of our low-income, and homeless populations? We are making efforts to take care of one another, as long as that “other” has a matching Subaru and exotic vegetable garden in their front yard.

We so smoothly disregard this group of Portlandians because of their obvious difference in lifestyle and values. Somehow we associate the homeless as one population, one race, one personality, one history, one story, internationally contingent. They don’t make the cut for our environmental rehabilitation priorities.

First and foremost, we have placed organic foods as the gateway to saving the world, and given it credit for helping to diminish our climbing obesity statistics. Enter Whole Foods stage left, please stock your shelves so obnoxiously with fancy produce and alien floral arrangements shipped from the other side of the world; now we’re really getting somewhere. Charge fourteen dollars per lemon to cover the price of that transportation, just tell people they are saving the rainforests by purchasing the lemon, it will all smooth over… at least in Forest Heights.

Directly after dropping a few benjamin’s on enough food for the first half of the work week, go ahead and walk straight out the door, past the Street Roots Vendor, and deny him your dollar for a piece of material actually worth your time, actually contributing directly to the well-being of a community member.

I’ve been that Whole Foods patron, many a time, it’s so easy to get sucked in to the “organic” and “local” jab. It’s better than hitting up your local McDeaths, but, there’s something else here worth acknowledging, something that we’re forgetting as a friendly and natural congregation of north westerners. We forgot about our own.

We’ve got family trying to get ahead right here in our city, next door, and we have misplaced the compassion for helping one another with a new pride jacket, an ignorant coat of assumptions leads us right past those working, working to get in to a home and consistent income situation, and takes us right in to our new favorite happy-hour of choice destination.

Hear me out, I’m still directly speaking as a hypocrite, just ask my new banana yellow skull and cross-bones water bottle I got for my road bike, it only set me back nineteen bucks. But let’s break this up a bit. We can’t diminish the whole industrial facility, or even get it out of Portland for that matter, there would be a stream of angry, and extremely tan females driving ridiculously large SUVs even more recklessly from the West Hills straight towards Northeast Portland on last Thursday, determined to take revenge upon those damn hippies.

But what we can do is uncover alternative options. We can incorporate the homeless and struggling populations in to our save the world adventures. It’s called a community garden. We have a lot of them in Portland. I’m sure you’re familiar with the concept.

Wouldn’t a community garden be essentially a pretty textbook fit for someone living without shelter, needing access to food, water… and drum roll please… work? Do these people even want to help in a community agriculture atmosphere you ask? If they do, I’m sure they’ll show up, maybe they just need an open invitation, and some slack from our ever so efficient city officials.

Operation Kellogg Community Garden: Phase 1

Here she is, the maiden voyage, kind of. There are and have been other community gardens in Portland, even garden’s built in to school campuses. However, this has a slightly new twist. This garden is open to everyone. Yes Sir?.. What about liability, security, trust factors? Sit down and take five to listen. We’re going to make this work. How hard is to fathom a place where everyone is welcome? If you do not feel safe with your neighbors unless they are receiving a steady paycheck, then you are more than welcome to hold my hand through the harvesting and growth of our little Kellogg plot. Or you could introduce yourself, and get to know why it is that they don’t have that paycheck.

Yes there will be obstacles, yes. It will be a labyrinth of agreements and liabilities around the regulations of the garden. I can’t really find anything in there that’s a good enough reason not to see it come to fruition. Everyone in the Northwest loves a challenge, that is why we live here (that and the huckleberries). I think that all of the American Gladiator episodes should be a Colorado native up against someone from the Northwest. And throw in someone from California as a wildcard.

So here is where we get our hands dirty. If you have come thus far, I will direct you to the homepage for the Kellogg Middle School Community Garden Project. We are in the works, we are open to suggestions, we want your input. Have a different campus/location in mind? Perhaps one of the eleven Portland Public Schools that was closed in the last year from budget loss—that is just sitting there, beautiful, empty, and bare, just like much of the new Pearl District residents and Wieden Kennedy employees?

Then come and dig in. We’re waiting.
http://commgardens.meetup.com/63/

THE FOLLOWING WAS TAKEN FROM WIKIPEDIA.COM...

Kellogg MS, Arleta, Atkinson, Creston, Woodstock
Superintendent Phillips is proposing to close Kellogg Middle School after one more school year due to declining enrollment and the potential of improving student achievement through K-8 schools in the neighborhood area.
Arleta and Creston elementary schools would transition to become a K-8 school, adding one grade level a year, starting with sixth grade in fall 2006.
Kellogg Middle School would serve only seventh- and eighth-grade students in 2006-07. In 2007-08, the remaining eighth-grade students would be assigned to Hosford Middle School, at 2303 SE 28th Place. The Kellogg building would close in fall 2007.
Atkinson Elementary students now are split between Mt. Tabor and Kellogg middle schools. Under this proposal, all neighborhood program students would be assigned to Mt. Tabor for sixth grade, starting in fall 2006. (Language immersion program students continue to Hosford.) Woodstock Elementary neighborhood program students, now assigned to Kellogg, would be assigned to attend Hosford (Woodstock language immersion students already feed into Hosford). Sellwood Middle School, Duniway, Grout, Lewis, Llewellyn elementary schools and Winterhaven K-8
Superintendent Phillips is asking the community to develop a proposal around schools located in and around the Sellwood-Moreland neighborhoods, including four elementary schools, Sellwood Middle School and Winterhaven, a focus option K-8 school.
The Superintendent wants to spur a community discussion of how to create strong schools in the area, each with enough students and teachers to support a strong curriculum. Another goal is for the community to develop a plan to consolidate programs into five of the six currently operating buildings (several of the current school buildings would require significant and expensive upgrades to keep operating into the future).
Options could include maintaining the current K-5 and middle school configuration but redrawing boundaries to move from four elementary schools to three. The community may also explore the option of transitioning some schools to a K-8 model. The school district’s area director and school principals will work with the school communities (including the school Site Councils and PTAs) and a community-based facilitator to develop a proposal to the Superintendent in the fall of 2006. Superintendent Phillips will then forward her recommendations to the School Board for a vote, with implementation of the plan to start in fall 2007.

From wikipedia.com

2007-10-17T14:08:00.001-07:00

Click here to check out
The Portland Community Gardens Meetup Group!

social resonsibility

2007-10-17T12:47:00.000-07:00

Hello friends,
You should all check out "Touching the Void", it is a book by Joe Simpson, and it was also
made in to a movie. They are both fantastic, an absolutely incredible survival story. It is
amazing what we are capable of when put in to a life and death situation.

Also, I have to mention my favorite book in the whole world "The Giving Tree", by Shel
Silverstein... I know we've all read it, but every time you go back and read it, it has a new
meaning in our current lives.

Everyone knows someone, or many
people who are angry at what is happening in our world. They choose to focus on the
negatives and add to the negative energy that is already there, by providing how much
they dislike that very thing. It's just like what Mother Theresa said about not going to
anti-war rallies... Instead, she said she to give her a pro-peace rally, and she would be
there. We already know that there are situations and people in this world that are
causing pain and destruction in many forms, we can mostly all attest and agree that
things like abuse, waste, pollution, war, social injustices, racism, sexism, and so on and
so forth do not contribute to the well being of eachother or our planet. However, to emit
negative energy about these issues is contributing to their power, and taking away from
our own.

I wonder how exactly we access the piece of our minds that acknowledges these
hardships and struggles, and not let it take us down. How do we go direclty in to survival
and proactive mode? It seems with many issues, that there is no hope, that we have
gone too far, and to give all of our efforts to such a thing is pointless. I wonder if we can
turn around what has become of industry and excess. We have so many commodities
and so much convenience and overproduction of just about everything here in the states,
that it is hard to imagine all the big box companies going out of business, all of the fast
food joints handing over the keys to local farms and nutritional/recyclable food and
products.... there I go on a rampage. The point being that how can it be flipped? It's too
big, so to complain about it, and "grieve" as the author said in Mountain Music, seems
fair.

I think that Social Responsibility maybe leads to the idea that we have a responsibility to
whatever we can personally aid, or however we can effect change, sans matter of size.
If we break down all the "big" issues, such as industrial production, and political
disasters, there are smaller catagories underneath. It's a breakdown and root system
that can be more easily accessed if we just take a hold at the bottom and chew on what
we can digest. It's like building untangling fishing wire, if you start at the end and follow
it up slowly, taking care of each little pain of a knot, eventually, you'll get closer to the
big knot... plus maybe by then, someone will come along and give you a hand.

This story really ties in to "the secret", I watched it again yesterday late at night, and I
realize I have to continue to remind myself to switch my thoughts from hopeless to
hopeful. It only takes a moment, but once I do, it's as if everything around me is more
supportive and you even start to see hope in things that have nothing to do with what
you've been worrying about. Like two beautiful rainbows downtown today after the rain,
wasn't it beautiful!!!!?

For those who read so far, thanks for letting me wander as I often do, and thanks for
listening!

tunnel vision

2007-10-17T12:45:00.000-07:00

What does this kind of tunnel vision say about our society? Are we too pre-occupied to
open up and look around us to see where and how we can help? Yes, it's interesting isn't
it. I was driving home from work this weekend, and after turning off the stereo (it had
just started raining, and I wanted to listen to it)... I realized as I drove by all the people
walking on the streets late at night, that each one of those people was someone that I
missed interating with, because we were in different zones. I was doing focused on my
driving and ultimately getting home to bed. But they were walking through the beautiful
rain and talking to eachother. It is the same with cell phones and internet, it has cut off
a lot of alternate and old fashioned modes of communication. We do not talk to
eachother anymore, is there any way to avoid this? It's strange that just less than a
century ago it wasn't like that at all. All of this new tehnology and lifestyles of
accessibilty have come to be in the last few generations.

I wanted to mention a book that really ties in to all of this and the question that Heather
gave us. The book is called "Awareness" by Anthony De Mello. Also, I wanted to
mention the movie or the book, "The Secret". The more positive energy we put out
there, the more it moves around and affects others. I think there is a lot to be said for
positive and negative, doers and don'ters, and pesamists and optimists. You can choose
whether to smile at strangers, or make small efforts, and contribute to the better good,
even if it is in very small doses. I think that we are shaped and molded to be scared,
nervous, suspicious, and blinded in the ways that we grow up, but if we take the surface
off of our first impressions of the rest of the world, we can relate to everthing a lot
easier.

For myself, I wonder if I am doing these small acts of kindness for the right/wrong
reason. When I really think about it, I am helping others, whether it be just a common
courtesy, being polite in conversation, or helping them outside with their groceries, no
matter what size it is, I am ultimately doing it to feel better about myself. Is that selfish?
Anthony De Mello talks about just this in his book, it's really incredible. I'm going to have
to read it again. I think that's about it for now, what I'm really trying to get at is that we
just have to decide and make a choice to step outside the mold, even if it goes against
our upbringing or our standard or norm, we choose to pay it forward, there it is. One by
one, I think that it could have a domino effect, and eventually we all will be looking out
for eachother....

"The things that you are aware of, you are in control of... The things that you are not
aware of, control you". ~Anthongy De Mello

Thanks for Listening.
Virginia

Reflection

2007-08-14T00:40:00.000-07:00

It seems so soon to be writing a final reflection for this course.
Pedro, thank you so very much for teaching this capstone. This is by far the best class I have ever taken. And I have over 240 credits, or something along those lines. So, thank you, you were a fantastic professor, I would love to take other classes from you, and will recommend your courses to others I know.

I came to this class very much eager and anxious to get underneath what goes on at the cooperative. I wanted to learn about it, because it always felt good being there, and it made me curious, and I received more from the class than I ever thought I would.

I'm very grateful for my group members, who all worked hard independently and together to create a project that we all cared about, and hoped would benefit People's. Each member really put forth so much effort out of their personal lives and from other courses to dedicate to this project. I believe it's because they felt an appreciation for the farmers that we visited and what they are doing directly for our community, environment, People's; and indirectly, for us.

This class is just one more stamp on my path of "what am I doing to do?", and it has brought me many things that I will take with me and continue to use my entire life. I could even go as far as to say, because of the opportunities in this class, I may have found some new outlets and entire new life goals. Around New Years I made the choice to move to a sustainable community in April of 2o08. I'm sticking to that plan for now, but I have learned a lot about community living, farming, and sustainability just from the personal testimonies of the farmers we visited. I communicate with these farmers now in efforts to learn more, and make choices that will create a stronger and more educated woman to place in to a completely sustainable life role. I'll be honest, I felt like a tough girl that had it all nailed down when we started the class, and it didn't take long to realize what a rookie I was! It will be a long, difficult, and incredibly fascinating journey, and I leave myself without too many expectations, because I have also learned from these farmers, and these workers that the lifestyle they support is not upheld by the government, wherein many struggle through their whole life to make a living by growing safe food for people and an environment they care about.

I think I will keep my blog alive, just for those wandering thoughts that may come about while I'm on the computer, with that my reflections will continue, and I can learn from my changes in attitude, growth, and naivety. Thank you again, take care... I'll leave with my favorite Irish Blessing.

"May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and the rains fall soft upon your fields,
and until we meet again,
may God hold you in the palm of his hand."

Assignment 4; A modified executive summary

2007-08-13T22:19:00.000-07:00

Create a proposal for People's Food Cooperative, identifying...

1. A problem area related to a wider food politics or food industry context.

My group talked about various problems relating to food politics and the food industry. We came up with a few different fairly broad topics. I'll just refer to it as "Industrial Organic". Agribusiness, food miles, industrial ownership, and the sporadic root and branch system that has developed this system, are causing an uprising and confusion among the vast majority of our population, the consumers of the food, us, we who buy the food that is unpackaged in the department store, that is unboxed in the warehouse of that store, that is shipped in on a large truck from a larger warehouse, from a larger farm, which uses even more non-renewable resources, which puts us even farther in to the hole we are continuously digging.

2. What is the position of a food coop like People's in the expanding natural food industry and in local markets?

I believe that People's position can be found in their core values. Their commitment to community, their passion for healthy food and healthy people, and the idea of sharing and growing, supporting, and embracing the growth that they experience through the expansion of knowledge, education, redevelopment, and retracing the roots and original ideas and traditions behind healthy people, families, places, and more importantly, entrusting and catering towards the futures of themselves and those people that they can and will reach through this education.

This position allows them a warm, soft, healthy, and absolutely solid place within this strong web of community arms they have helped weave. Without that idea of community and group ownership People's coop may not have the strong root system that it has now--and will exponentially get stronger and thicker as more members join. The cooperative business has recently developed in to a more well known, appreciated, and visited establishment recently, and so with this new popularity, I'm sure it comes along with a sense of confidence and excitement within the members and staff. Without the support and continuous growth of sales and members, I suppose People's may have a different stance of what is happening with the rest of the world and the industrial organic food industry. However, with the strong feedback and increase in consumers within the cooperative, there most likely is a larger sense of hope, patience, and passion committed towards not allowing that kind of growth and education to slow or stop.

With this comes the want and need, and perhaps even obligation?? As members and experienced farmers, political activists, environmental experts, and perhaps even neighbors to allow any kind of possible room and opportunity for this growth to transform in to an open-ended business plan. People's should continue to develop and teach the ideas of community farming, purchasing from local farms, and "grow(ing) your own".

3. A research strategy for investigating the problem you have identified.

My Methodology: How would I study or research the epidemic of industrial and/or industrial organic farming? I would come full circle, and have to evaluate who those are that are experiencing both ends of the food cycles. For example, who is man #1 at the industrial side? At the very top of the economic and the demographic scale. Who "owns" these farms? Can we interview one person or even a handful who are at the very end of that side? Man #2 is going to be our local organic farmer, or perhaps even the consumer who wants to be completely self sustained, and is trying to get around all of the industry plugs.

For some people, man #1 may be the President of the United States, for some, it may be the CEO of McDonald's, or maybe it's Big Food in general. But it would be beneficial to identify why these two parties, man #1, and man #2 are not or can not level our or find a happy medium. I believe that this is really what is stopping our nation, and our planet from identifying with one another, or reversing our destructive patterns. We are in it for ourselves, and we do not identify, relate, or accept that there are others like us on the other side of our chain being directly hit with the repercussions.

b: What would I expect to find from my theories?
I would expect to find a very extentive disconnect between #1 and #2. I would expect there to be a loss of understanding and inability to meet on middle grounds between the two dynamics. I would hope to find that maybe there was a consensus or a national agreement we could find between those who support the industrial business strategy as well as the cooperative business strategy. And a consensus and support of the values of the cooperative over the industrial. I believe that there is an instinctual behavior and passion in all of us to adhere to and desire good, healthy food, that inherintly benefits all those who grow it, move it, make it, and eat it. There is a simple formula underneath the processing of food that goes back to tradition, family and community. Unfortunately it has just become overrun with greed and an economy that has evolved in to overproduction and extreme overconsumption. We all know it would take more than just two sides coming to an agreement in order to smoothly change the system over time. Within lets say a ten year plan, there would be the necessary personal changes and life choices within the consumer population. It is up to those who support and feed the industrial food systems to in just the same way boycott and cut off it's life source.

c: How would I present or communicat my findings? I suppose through studies, interviews, and large surveys among every type of consumer. I would also involve the industrial strategies and farming advice from countries that have succeeded in nation wide community food sources and cooperatives--countries that have gone back, or maybe even never left the traditions of growing your own. You would have to bring in the advice and personal testimonies of those up high in the corporate world and fast food industry, as well as those who have made their millions off of industrial farming. What would I have to do to make you change your ways of give up your income source in leau of something entirely different that may or may not bring in the money of your current situation? I would ask them, I would also ask them, do you have faith that we can turn it around? Are you willing to help? What would convince you to do so? Exactly, tell me exactly, what would convince you? And the list begins...

4. How will I, personally, focus my time and energy on this inquiry? I'm learning, I take every day one at a time, and I learn something new every day. I try and accept the things I cannot change, and learn from my mistakes (I don't really even like to use that word, they're all just choices, with different outcomes). However, I am changing the ways of my everyday life, daily. Baby steps, I will say again, I'm taking very small steps, in doses that I can swallow and follow without faltering, so as to not completely pressure myself in to a life that I'm not educated enough for. So, education first... I work in the garden, I'm working on the farm, I learn from others around me who are experienced and can teach me the tools I need to be my ultimate root system in the future. I am learning to grow and eat my own food. I would like eat nothing else but food that I have helped grow, or that I know was grown with the care I would put in my own food. I view my everyday choices and my life goals and plans with a new hesitation... "is this good for my community, will I be wasting excessively? Will I be wasting at all?" I'm going to leave my job, this is one of the areas that I'm baby stepping my way out of, I believe that I am supporting the industrial food industry by working at a restaurant that does not have values in serving good food. Instead, it is about the quantity of food they can push out, as fast as they can push it. Our meat selections are coming from who knows where, but according to my superiors, it's definitely not free range, and it's definitly not local. That's enough for me, I can't justify working there as easily as I used to. So, I have to choose the things that I can change, help grow, and be passionate about; and perhaps I just have to leave the things and the places that I can not change, besides cutting of my life source from it. I am, or will be, one less consumer and one less body working for the corporation.

5. How does my inquiry relate to the four University Studies Goals?
Critical Thinking, Human Experience, Ethics, and Communication.

First off, I have so much to work on. I thought I was a complete "Earth Muffin" before I started this course. Turns out, I'm far from it. I used to shop at whole foods daily, 70 percent of my housemate's and I's groceries were purchase from trader joes, and I still drive my car a few times a week. Among many other things. I am nowhere near as environmentally sound and clean as I had imagined, and the days of tooting my own horn have come to a screeching halt. But I will say that the critical thinking that went about through our readings, through our classes and within conversations and visits with the local farmers brought about so much internal investigation. I have done intense inventories in to my life, my body, and my choices therein.

I think this is where the Human Experience University Studies Goal comes in. I've realized that it is very difficult to pursuade or evaluate the choices of others around you without offending or invading their personal space. People take their paths around food and health as an emotional compartment not to be interrupted. To judge or expose those choices as anything other than acceptable creates tension in places that I don't yet feel comfortable with. Instead, I've turned my focus completely inwards to my own decisions, that is where I can do the best work.

My own Ethics, and my own values are those that I have assigned to my life and no one elses. Food is very much an ethical issue as it is a health issue. Even the family that raised me has developed alternative ethics and values around their food choices. Therefore, I have re-established in a way, a new set of ethics within my beliefs that I hadn't realized was there.

The Communication aspect of the Goals is essentially a gateway to education and sharing. Educating people like me on the larger aspects of the food industry, such as how the political side is run, and where the government can be held responsible, is essential to embracing the larger picture. You can always start at the bottom and work your way up, learning as you go, but it helps to get a basic rundown and clean overview of what is happening at the money hungry side of things. More or less, all aspects of this course has been a whirlwind of evaluations, and to present information from both sides of the spectrum might help connect that communication between the suits and the real or aspiring muffins.

Merrakesh

2007-08-07T01:35:00.000-07:00

My face hurts.

I haven't laughed so much since I last watched blazing saddles... I went to Merrakesh tonight with my two beautiful roommates; Jules and Carli. We also had our friends Ben and Chappy there. It was my first time there, and it was quite an experience. I feel a little bit like I'm writing a piece for the Portland city search comment section right now, but I'm going to go with it.

Here's why. It relates to this course in so the following ways. We ate food. A LOT OF FOOD... We had five courses, not including a few bottles of Moroccan vino, and that fantastic lemon something tea that accompanies the coconut ice cream finisher. I don't do coconut, but it was enough to watch the rest of my good company take it down.

I left the establishment tonight feeling so fat and happy, and satisfied to the high heavens after an eccentric meal compiled of so many flavors that I will just hope that anyone who reads this might have the opportunity to visit themselves. Although I don't plan on making a habit of eating out, and instead make more of a habit of cooking my own food, I still took a lot from the dynamic around the dinner table with my friends this evening. This is what the experience of food and eating is supposed to be like. The communion of appreciating your food, and sharing it with those around you. Eat with your hands, get in to it, make a mess, enjoy yourselves. Savor the vast amount of flavor and diversity in your food and your surroundings. Play music, or put on one of your top five albums...celebrate.

In situations like this you realize how sensual food can be, and should be. You praise it, you toast to it, you stop and close your eyes and try to connect with each flavor in one bite, and smile when you become so overwhelmed with the wholeness and goodness of what you are taking in combined with your surroundings. Sure, not every meal will be like this. And would prefer that it be with food that I have harvested myself. However, during my journey in the labyrinth of food systems, I will stop and embrace the small moments of indulgence and appreciation with those whom I am pleasured to share it with.

Sunday afternoon

2007-08-05T21:47:00.000-07:00

It's all happening. The world continues to turn, our eyes continue to blink, our hearts continue to beat. Life is good--I can't really think of a time when it was anything but. I find myself today really investing a lot of thought and energy towards questions that will mostly likely only be answered after I'm long and gone.

I had an all day Friday and all day Saturday one credit course called "Women Mystics". I showed up sans expectations, and left with a semi-clear wandering mind about the power of the divine, the spirit, meditation, devotion, and transluscence. The instructor asked us to go outside and find inspiration in some of the writings from St. Hildegard of Bingen. We had crayons, and paper, and were surrounded by sunshine and the hustle of the Portland Farmers Market. This is my kind of assignment...I've got myself some crayons, I picked out my favorite colors, I'm laying on the grass in the sun, I don't have to work tonight, stick a fork in me, I'm done... So more or less, I really got in to my little niche in the park blocks and had no problems clearing my mind. So I will share this curious thing that came up during my internalizing moments. Here is an excerpt from the writings of St. Hildegard...

"Hail to you, O greenest, most fertile branch! You budded forth amidst breezes and winds in search of the knowledge of all that is holy. When the time was ripe your own branch brought forth blossoms. Hail, greetings to you! The heat of the sun exudes sweat from you like the balsam's perfume. In you, the most stunning flower has blossomed and gives off its sweet odor to all the herbs and roots, which were dry and thirsting before your arrival. Now, they spring foth in fullest green! Because of you, the heavens give dew to the grass, the whole Earth rejoices; Abundance of grain comes from the Earth's womb and on its stalks and branches the birds nest. And, because of you, nourishment is given to the human family and great rejoicing to those gathered round the table..."(qtd. in De Sancta Maria (To Mary) (Trans. by Jerry Dybdal and Matthew Fox. In Hildegard of Bingen's Book of Divine Works)).

I had to laugh for a moment when I tried to imagine a McDonalds commercial with some kid saying that to a tree outside with his happy meal in his lap. The wonderful thing about her writings is that you don't have to associate yourself with any religion or even investigate Hildegard's personal beliefs to appreciate what she says, or how she describes the earth, the environment, the circle of life...food. Food and drink used to be enjoyed, appreciated, honored, respected, more holy, more familial, more sensual, and more nourishing. This was because people nurtured the land and the crops as they nurtured their family. It was an entirety of processing seeds to maturing and ripening as you would your children. Unique are those now whom find it very necessary to encourage and teach their children how to find and look for the beauty of creation and richness in their food, and their food choices.

Not to get too off track, I have spent the last couple of days curiously absorbing the things around me that may or may not be taking us further and further away from ever raising our families, and treating our neighbors with the respect and attention to community health and future preservation. Can we go back to that place? How many of us will? Can I even get there? I don't know, but we can take small steps. I know that if I give myself unrealistic expectations then I won't learn from the process and the individual changes I can make today, tomorrow, etc.

I saw my sister, my nephew, my niece, and my brother-in-law today. My niece and nephew are getting those opportunities, and are being exposed true health and happiness. And as soon as they are big enough, you can bet they'll be out berry picking with their Auntie Virg.
(I'm losing track of my thoughts, more later...)

IKEA

2007-08-03T02:44:00.000-07:00

These are just some thoughts, not necessarily towards any assignment, but I figured, as long as I'm blogging, I may as well.... well, blog I guess. So, I find myself walking downtown Portland this last weekend. I was on my way to campus to go to a barbeque with all the folks from StreetRoots, and a large uhaul sized truck drives by. The truck has clear plastic walls and a set up living room display with a giant sign that says "IKEA...OPENING"... or something like that. Okay, so I know that there are plenty of other things wasting energy for non-specific or condusive reasons that I could focus my frustration on, but I'm choosing this one, because it seems slightly more ridiculous than some others. Honestly, the damn truck just drives around Portland, and who knows where else as a moving advertisement with an image of what "your living room" could look like. What a complete waste of gas, I had already planned on not ever stepping foot in to IKEA, but now... I'm going to tell all my friends and family that I will disown them if they decide to.

Assignment 3; What now?

2007-07-22T17:22:00.000-07:00

1. What is the best answer to the "Omnivore's Dilemma"?...What should Americans be eating for their meals?

Food. Personal choice. Conventional versus Organic. Family and Tradition versus Government and mass-production. The list is endless, Food, is such an overwhelming concept. Somehow it has gone from an instinct and form of survival, to a lifestyle and path to disease and economic failure to communicate. On page 3 of "Food Fight", Imhoff states that:

"Increased global trade, the call for less government spending, the concentration of distribution and processing capabilities, and low commodity prices took their toll on the farm sector and rural communities. Eventually corporate agribusinesses and mega-farms succeeded in tilting subsidies completely in their favor, but the Farm Bill has remained cloaked in a mythology that obscures its true impacts. For so long, so many things have been done in the name of the farmer rather than for the farmer that it's hard to separate rhetoric from reality."

For someone like me, who does not find the business and political side of the food industry a very simple concept--or simple language for that matter--books like Food Fight help to lay down the basics of what happens when things happen. When I started this course, I thought that I was doing my part in contributing to the improvement and strengthening of local and organic (healthy foods), and the enrichment of community life. I felt I was doing this by simply shopping at all natural food stores, growing foods with my roommates in our back yard, and becoming involved with local organizations. In other words, it is basically my way of living on the surface without a guilty conscious and without having to look behind the scenes at things that I believe we all truly know are destroying our environment. What is the best answer to the Omnivore's Dilemma? The best answer I can give is Education. Education can and hopefully will jump start this generation in to unlayering or taking off the surface of what we face as reality everyday. The surface of advertisements, brands, commercials, mass-marketing, video games, television, what have you that takes us away from our community and creates a blur on what is really happening in most cases. We have to get underneath the constant mirage of blinding projection of standard behavior and suggestive lifestyle which inherently creates and supports the sedative state of our generation and those on the way. We can't blame "them", or "it", we want to be able to point the finger at someone, or a group of someones for encouraging the evaporation of education and sustainable living. It's as if the world has become a comic book of heroes and villains and all the little helpless damsels distressed along the way. But even those who supported the development of conventional farming and genetic engineering and inhumane raising and killing of animals, even those who supported that and helped create the means to do such a thing cannot be solely responsible for reversing its effect.

The farming and food industry has become a well-oiled machine (well-not meaning-good) which is technologically advanced and developed enough to where we are almost being run by it. This is where heroes like Micheal Pollan and Micheal Moore come in. People who are making efforts to find a way to reverse or undress the issue at hand, and more importantly, to teach others about it, to unveil the facts and the opportunity to change. This creates a personal attachment from what these researchers are learning to those of us who listen. Pollan took it upon himself to retrace the course of food to person, a task which does not open itself easily to accomplishment. In his findings and through his efforts in educating others about the food industry, he has already educated us in what we are really putting in to our bodies. It is through this education that we find our own curiosity, and our own questions about what we eat, and effects our food choices have on other people, communities, environments, and more importantly our future, and the well-being of everyone and everything. Not one person has told us what to do. Or given us a clean answer or step by step cleansing process so that we know what or how to not be any contribution to this epidemic. I'm not so sure anyone can tell us what to do. I believe that we can clean this up, I just don't know how much will be lost before that process is really noticeable. We have to continue to educate ourselves and others about what food has become, and where our food is coming from, from there they can take on their own investment in to this adventure.

Kieth, his friend Joe and I went on two organic farm tours with two very wonderful people from People's. The first farmer's name was Lyle Stanley, Lyle is very passionate about farming and producing healthy food for the wellness and healing of people. He genuinely cares about what is happening to our world and the process that we view as standard for food production, and specifically the distributing of that food. Lyle said to each of us before we left that he struggled, was tired, and was angry about what has happened in this world and that he cannot support his lifestyle of working daily and growing good wholesome food for his neighbors. But he also said that he loves what he does, he is passionate about it, and he has chosen this as his love and life to go after and try to make a difference within and outside of his means. He then pointed at each of us and said, "And you... you are going to pick something, and you are going to do that, and give everything you have in your heart to improve and help and be passionate about that. And you... you are going to pick something else, and you are going to give everything you have in your heart to that, and struggle and grow and be passionate about that". And so on and so forth to each of us. This made an impact on me because I see what Lyle and others like him are doing to change the downhill slide of our farm policies and lack of concern and lack of activity for that matter. I see what he is doing and that he may not see large return or hard evidence of the worldwide impact he is making, however, if more and more of us make the choice to do just that and be passionate and invest our knowledge and time and energy to something that will ultimately benefit our environment and those that live on after us, then I think we can see some difference, enough to feel rewarded, baby steps of resolution will develop in to a grander scheme of reversal.

What should Americans be eating for their meals? Americans should be eating champagne grapes for their meals. That is the end all be all. Actually, I just had to say that because my roommate just brought me some nice and cold from the fridge. She got them at New Seasons. I wonder how many miles they travelled to get in to my hand here. But they are delicious. However, I think I could sacrifice little pleasures like champagne grapes and exotic flowers in order to shrink my personal contribution to over-production and most likely slave wages and unfair employment practices. I could and will sacrifice those things in my efforts to learn more about all my daily practices that are adding to the problem of mass supply and demand and the uneven proportions therein. So what should Americans be eating? We should be eating our own food. Straight from the garden to the kitchen. Commune living, that's where I'm headed, going to find a group of people who know more about it that I do, so I can learn, and then teach others. That's the best I can do, and I will leave the financial and political endeavors to people speak that language, while I learn more about that from them, and then maybe I can make a larger impact there. Baby steps, if everyone baby steps with their personal choices, large impacts occur. Everyone decides to ride their bike five days a week. That's a baby step! And if everyone did it, there would be large impacts--over a certain amount of time, those large impacts would conjoin and the environment would kick back in to its healing process.

2. Can cooperation succeed as a business model in the United States?

The seven cooperative principles (listed in Assignment 2 below) are a very direct, and yet very fluid list of concepts with the idea of ultimately benefiting the community, the growth of education, and the openness to new ideas and concepts with the hopes of contributing to the well-being of the food industry, the family, and the health and future of the world. It sounds slightly cliche and maybe unrealistic when developing a solid business model. For someone like me, who is very new and green to the entire business side of things, it seems like all you really need is the desire and the efforts and time of people whom genuinely care about the company and its policies, as well as enough income and financial flow to allow a store and a community space to stay open. The most important part of the cooperation model is that it requests and appreciates involvement from everyone who is involved--which isn't very common among standard business practices. If you purchase something from a company, you aren't asked to be an owner or if you would like to participate in making business decisions. It's as if the Cooperation has a larger backbone because of the sheer numbers of real people involved. There is a lack of delegating and no need for international representatives calling the shots.

3. What do you think is the future of the natural food industry?

I believe that the future of the natural food industry really lies in each of our hands, there is no way to tell if there will even be a future for natural food, based on the majority of our habits, and the process of our historical lifestyle evolvements and changes, the future of natural food doesn't look like a future at all. We may in fifty years only be able to find clean food in the middle of the mountains, or in Cuba (they've got a pretty good handle on things). It's really up to anyone who cares, to decide that they care enough to make natural food a part of their daily lives, and to regard the food industry with respect and interest so as to take away a bit of the governments decision making. We could argue forever about organic, non-organic, local, cruel and inhumane animal practices, and so on and so forth, but when we really get underneath it, as long as we are caring about the food industry and what is happening therein to independent farmers and the lack of new farmers, if we all donate some kind of thought and energy to the continuation of real and whole food in general, than the rest of the issues can be explored. Right now, the future of the natural food industry consists of a lot of people with passion, without a lot of money, and a government and industry machine that can cloud the issues at hand with juicy advertisements and million dollar campaigns and commercial agreements.

On p. 320 in "Omnivore's Dilemma", when speaking of the practices of humane and inhumane killing and the small inconspicuous differences between a CAFO and a "good" farm, Pollan states that...

"What this suggests to me is that people who care about animals should be working to ensure that the ones they eat dont' suffer, and that their deaths are swift and painless--for animal welfare, in others words, rather than rights"

Similarly to this, people who care about local and organic food, and the health of our environment and community should be working to ensure that things are being done at the top of the industrial food chain in all areas of food, as an entire ethical and value assessment of the food industry without judgements, and make personal choices to ensure the lack of contribution they are making to those things that they deem so unacceptable for our planet's sustainability.

4. What do you think are People's strengths in the local marketplace? In comparison to its competitors, how do you think People's should position itself into the future?

People's has many strengths, and I think many Portlandians honor and respect the values behind People's. One of the concrete strengths is their location, however, it can also be a hinderence when wanting to acquire new members and introduce those not familiar with cooperatives to the ideas and beliefs behind People's. Because it is off on a neighborhood street, those commuting on main roads may not notice it and head right over to new seasons, or what have you. Perhaps the cooperative could develop some sort of campaign or word of mouth advertisements just to inform others that they are there. Many of us were lucky enough to hear about it through a friend, or ride by and become curious from the design and the atmosphere. However, it is not often that people stop when they are curious. (It's one of my favorite things to do).

This then poses another question of whether or not People's is interested in that kind of development and advertising. Do things like newspaper ads step outside of their value scale? Or maybe they could just sell more apparel and trinkets with their logos and something catchy to spread the word. Either way, I think they make a strong first impression with newcomers, and would create a very large community through the communication of friends, neighbors, owners, Portland State, and so on and so forth.

Compared to the large corporations such as whole foods and trader joes, etc. I think that places like this will continue to thrive in areas because of its essence of popularity among certain demographics of people. Eventually if these people realize that the purchases they are making are doing a lot less than they believe, they would be easily switched to a cooperative or perhaps even a CSA. Hoping that the uprising of health food stores is more a trend than a lifestyle choice, and that by the continuing education of the food industry and the government subsidizing and economical failure associated with all of these issues, consumers will make choice then to change their behaviors and purchases to add weight to the uneven table of conventional and industrial versus independent and organic. So basically it is through education that People's can continue to thrive and grow within our communities and the larger nations food and environment issues as well.

Assignment 2; Natural Food Industry

2007-07-10T23:09:00.000-07:00

1a. On my last trip to the grocery store I purchased the following items, I realized that because I knew I was going to be recording my purchases I was more focused on the way I was shopping. I usually read the labels of anything in a package, and pay most attention to calories, trans and saturated fats, and sugar content. I make fairly regular purchases at a few different markets, and because of my current schedule, buy a lot more packaged than bulk foods because of the time I have to grab and go. I will still buy nuts, grains, rice, and dried fruits in bulk, but realize now that I don't pay as close attention to those labels because I have trust in the business that I am purchasing them from. Also, I have come to associate many of these bulk foods such as granola and dried fruit, as well as the occasional chocolate almonds and yogurt raisins, as my junk foods or sweet snack foods, therefore I know that they aren't that good for me, so I just assume that sugar will be high. However, my rice, nuts, grains, and even breads are purchased sans-packaging as much as possible because of the waste and health benefits.
It occurs to me now after attempting to get underneath my shopping process, and why or how it is that I have come to shop like this, that I assume that non packaged foods are going to be better for my body than those that are packaged. Why is it that I feel this way? To purchase in bulk obviously cuts down on waste, but is it necessarily or even in general better foods for my body? I suppose it depends on where I purchase the foods, the variety of the foods I purchase, the portioning in which I consume them, and what I am looking for in my own personal diet.

So, on this particular shopping trip I skipped the bulk section and bought the following items, (keep in mind I was on my bike and had to choose with the thought of transporting my purchases home in my backpack, so I kept it relatively simple).

1b:

Item #1. Good for Life California Sun-Dried Made in Nature 100% Organic RAISINS:
Wow... and that wasn't even the whole title of this particular bag of raisins. It's interesting how marketing works to grab our attention. These raisins were purchased at Fred Meyer, I buy them there because I can get a very large bag that will last myself and my two roommates longer. However, after bringing it home I realize that all of the "organic" language on the bag in bold and large colors almost seems as if they are trying to convince the potential consumer of the quality or freshness of the mystery product inside. Maybe this is why I prefer unpackaged goods, because I can see what I will be consuming in the near future! It is similar to going in to a restaurant and having limited to no access or view of the kitchen. What is going on back there and is it clean? The more you can see, the more hands on you feel with what is going on around you, the more personal connection you feel to your food. The texture, sight and smell of your food should be what grabs your eye, not the bright yellow bag with an image of shiny green grapes, inside of which is a ridiculous amount of raisins (I'm assuming because grapes are more appealing to the eye before they are dried up and loaded with sugar).

Item #2. Westbrae Natural Organic Black Beans:
These beans were purchased in a can, a large can at that, from People's Food Cooperative. I knew that I already had a few cans of beans from there, but I really couldn't think of anything else we needed at the house, and I like to incorporate beans in many of my meals because it has fiber and protein, and they are a good filler. I haven't really done any more research on beans, and I'm not sure when it became part of my semi-regular diet, I think at some point I replaced things like croutons or chicken in my salads with beans or rice. My salads are slowly becoming a veggie burrito minus the tortilla, with the addition of fruits and spinach....Yum. The other thing I noticed when looking closer at my can of beans is the USDA Organic stamp on the label--and the fact that my bag-o-raisins was missing the same stamp. Now I wonder, what exactly does that mean? Do I trust the USDA to make a distinction between what is healthy for me by officiating titles Organic and USDA Organic? I suppose that question can only be answered by the kind of research that is going on in our textbooks. I would have to trace back my raisins to their California place of birth and investigate the sustainable efforts of the farm where they were grown. On top of that I have to decide if I have already broken my personal food and environment values by purchasing a non-local product. Already I have gone from feeling pretty good about my food choices before I started this assignment, to beginning a personal inventory of my beliefs and values in the choosing from the vast array of products, and lifestyles for that matter, that we have available to us.

Item #3: Barbara's Bakery PUFFINS Peanut Butter 100% Natural Crunchy Corn Cereal:
Confession, I love these things. I don't even care about the picture or how unappealing the milk looks in the bowl on the box, my roommate brought these home one time and I was hooked. I go through about a box a month, and it's the only cereal I eat besides the boring oat bran which comes in a large bag from people's. Granted, the box of Puffins state that they are low fat and wheat free, but I associate cereal especially with sugar and other bad things, so I stick to pure oat bran or the occasional granola and fruit breakfast. I just realized that Corn was in the title of this cereal, and after reading all about corn in Omnivore's Dilemma I'm wondering where this corn came from, after all, it isn't 100% Natural Corn... It's 100% Naturally Crunchy Corn Cereal. And I'm 100% Naturally a sucker for titles like that. If that isn't social advocating or manipulating or false advertisement, than I'm not sure what is.

4:Whole Foods vs. People's Food
I work next door to a Whole Foods and up until about 6 months ago also lived very near that same location. So I did 99% of my shopping at Whole Foods. It was easy to get addicted to the store and I think there are a few reasons for that. It goes back to the Barlow-Simson hand out which describes the desirable qualities of a supermarket. The cleanliness, inviting atmosphere, clearly marked aisles, fresh looking products, large variety, informed and clean staff, and the desire for customer feedback. They have everything your heart could imagine, and the idea that it is all organic is an automatic reward the minute you walk through the doors. People walk out of there with whole pizzas, cheesecakes, and a bouquet of flowers from Brazil without thinking twice about whether or not those were healthy choices because it came from "whole foods", and we have become conditioned to associate that with "good for me". Granted, Whole Foods makes many efforts to help lower our individual carbon footprints, and is making efforts as a company to lower their own. They are for the education of food development and food choice, and I think are a better choice than Safeway or Albertsons, but I have begun to step away from my own Whole Foods Junkie life because of a few different reasons.

I've begun to get the same feeling of overabundance, overwhelming variety, and unnecessary product assortment when I am in Whole Foods. It is slightly similar to a Costco experience, but things are more pricey, and most products claim to be natural or organic in some form. However, I can't justify shopping somewhere where there are plants, foods, and produce brought in from places across the world on a regular basis. I enjoy the flowers just as much as the next person, but to waste energy and transport a beautiful plant merely for our aesthetic value? It's not lining up for me, and I struggle with whether it is possible to only purchase local items. Even at People's Food they have apples brought in from Chile. I understand that I don't have to purchase these items, however, I think I do, I know I do, fairly regularly. In my coffee, my tea, my toothpaste, all or most of my toiletries are not made from local products.

On a priority scale of one to ten, I would say that I am making my food choices a 6. I thought I was a lot higher before I started to evaluate it. And I've just skimmed the surface. I suppose am or was comparing my own lifestyle and diet with that of others around me, and so I felt I was making large sacrifices for the sustainability of local and natural products, I would hit the farmers market about once a month, and only drive my car once or twice a week, and drop the money needed to shop at the Cooperative and other natural or cooperative markets. Years ago I eliminated things from my diet such as meat, fast food, corporate chains, soda, and milk. I made other things such as fish, and other forms of dairy very minimal, but see them slipping in regularly (mostly from my deep-rooted love for cheese). I found that since I did not eat meat, I could dismiss myself from any responsibility towards the epidemic surrounding the cruel raising of chickens and cattle (like the Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations visited in Omnivores Dilemma), I felt that I was doing my part to help, because I wasn't part of the consumer population. Yet, I work at a large corporate restaurant that serves plenty of it, so am I really not credible for contributing to the problem?

At this point in time, I feel that maybe I am more at the beginning of my food journey than ever before. "Organic" has been my second language for the past few years, and the more I read about the history and travels of this "organic" food before it comes to me, the more I question if it falls within my values and personal goals towards living and sharing a sustainable and environmentally supportive life.