yosemite 4/1/25
It was perfect. I had just gotten a replacement Prius, and my new job allowed for easy rental of camping gear, + another new friend provided extras. And that's about the last of things going in a predictable manner.
Do you ever have everything go wrong in rapid succession? Four hours into the drive, the piston in the '08 Prius broke through the engine - in essence totaling the vehicle. My heart rate spiked to a rapid pulse for the coming week - and a booking at the local Motel 6 became mandatory.
Alas, my newfound Australian friends encouraged me to trudge on - and so we did. We made it by Uber to the illustrious Lower Pines of Yosemite - hiked
the peaks of the Mist Trails, and created an unbreakable bond in the process.
When it became time to return home, I bid my friends farewell via Amtrak. Now was the process of getting the vehicle from Merced to Los Angeles... Luckily, I had AAA - yet they only permited tows with a maximum of 100 miles a day. To combat this constraint, I spread out my tow home, staying in motels in Visalia and Grapevine. I have lost two Priuses in the past two months.
Watched Anora. 3/17/25
Urinal tiles at Wooden. I’m curious about their backstory. 3/11/25
consistencies 3/5/25
Every week brings something new, and I don’t really know how to feel about it.
This week, my insurance deemed my car unfit to drive, so away it must go.
I thought I’d drive that car until it broke down.
How many consistencies does the average person hold? Besides the monotonous routines (like brushing teeth, showering, etc.), I’m sure they increase with age - but maybe that comes alongside less freedom. I’d benefit from a few more.
I hope this post isn’t interpreted as a complaint, but rather an observation of the things in our lives that remain true.
What resists fragility?
Some old, some new. 3/5/25
Shoes worn by a new friend I met outside of Royce. I forgot your name new friend - but I’m sure I’ll see you around! I believe they were purchased at a thrift store in Istanbul.
Edit : they were bought online from Japan! 3/19/25
Edit : they were bought online from Japan! 3/19/25
Hal’s Birthday!
the return 2/16/25
From my first glance at the ruins, I could only make out one item: my toaster. An object with virtually no emotional significance to me, yet one that faithfully toasted bread throughout my run at Santa Cruz. That this was my only surviving relic raises the question - how many toasters got toasted themselves? From a toaster’s perspective, this must be the most honorable way to go.
It’s raining in LA. I purchased a wimpy umbrella to save myself… Photograph from my Prius back in November on the drive to Paso.
Snowmen from Chase.
__
_|==|_
('')___/
>--(`^^')
(`^'^'`)
`======'
I don’t miss Santa Cruz. But I do miss the view from the music building, where you can spot Monterey on a clear day. I miss riding my Trek down Coolidge to High Street. I miss recording demos at my old desk - and being greeted by deer outside my window. I miss 11th hour mornings, and night walks by the squiggle. I don’t miss Santa Cruz, but I’ll always be grateful for it.
on boots 2/7/25
I have never been a boot guy before - and I can't tell you why.
On paper, everything about boots appeals to me. Walk through anything, jump in puddles, even stomp on the toe of your foe. The only boots I ever owned were a pair of rubber rain boots when I was around eight or so. I remember the squeak of each step and the comical texture - surely no acceptable shoe can be rubber.
Though boots are far from synonymous with me, over the course of one month, I have acquired two pairs.
⠀⠀⠀
The first pair are Blundstones. I got them as a gift on December 27th of 24, right before what would turn into a month long Euro/Africa expedition - and they carried me the whole way without fault. I appreciate the general wear they've earned over that time. It’s the quickest a shoe has ever been to put on.
The second pair are Swiss Army surplus boots from 1969. They fit my foot like a glove - albeit after a couple of days of wear. Comfort isn’t the priority with these relics. They weigh about a ton each, presenting to me as the battle tank of boots. These things could step through anything - and clearly, they already have. I don’t know how many miles they’ve seen before me - surely quite a few - but they’re definitely my top contender for the best $16.99 eBay purchase I’ve ever made. I added the red laces.
The second pair are Swiss Army surplus boots from 1969. They fit my foot like a glove - albeit after a couple of days of wear. Comfort isn’t the priority with these relics. They weigh about a ton each, presenting to me as the battle tank of boots. These things could step through anything - and clearly, they already have. I don’t know how many miles they’ve seen before me - surely quite a few - but they’re definitely my top contender for the best $16.99 eBay purchase I’ve ever made. I added the red laces.
/-----\============@. . .
|_____/_______\_____
/___________________\
\+__+__+__+__+__+__*/
welcome 2/5/25
Last summer I went to Japan. It was my second time visiting - my first time being in the eighth grade. Pictured are a piano from the Yamaha flagship store and the place where I rested a night in Kyoto.
In my life, change has only ever been noticeable in hindsight. The recent fires have been interesting because the change is obvious and present - I know I will separate my life into before and after the fires. Pictured in the top left are the remains of my sister’s bedroom and my father’s recording studio. I’ve lived in Altadena my entire life.
The guitar is a rosewood Telecaster, lost in the Altadena fires. I also lost my bike, so photographing bicycles has become a habit—the one pictured was in Paris on January 8th. JPL is in Altadena, so seeing a sticker at UCLA was yet another reminder. Reminders everywhere...