Prickly

A fair representation of my disposition as I head into the workplace...

Longing To Escape...

In my wakefulness and slumber, images of the fragility of life haunt me...

A Long, Hot Summer

Regardless of the weather, this summer promises to be a long one for me. For the first time in twenty one years I am forced to seriously consider a midlife career change....

Six Word Short Story Inspiration

Ernest Hemingway said that his best work was a
very short story consisting


of six words: "For sale. Baby shoes. Never worn." Do any of these photos inspire a six word story?

Riding the Bus

When I travel I always use the public transit system to navigate the city I'm visiting - I've taken buses all around Amsterdam and the metro in Paris but haven't made use of the bus system right here at home in years. With gas prices continuing to climb, my dislike of driving, and the environmental advantages of using public transit I decided to acquaint myself with the local bus system. Armed with the route maps of my neighborhood and the $3.00 I needed for a round trip I began my hometown adventure.

I was the only rider when I boarded the bus at the corner close to my home. The buses are clean and comfortable - the blast of air conditioning was welcoming in the 80+ degree weather. I was soon joined by two other riders as we rode along the streets to Campbell Court - the bus terminal in Downtown Roanoke.

The bus terminal was much like any others. Signs indicate where to stand to wait for the designated bus. The heavy exhaust odor and the general hustle and bustle reminded me of the many other bus terminals I've visited.

I particularly enjoyed my return trip home on the bus in the heavy (for Roanoke) afternoon traffic. I plan to take the bus to work when I am scheduled eight hour shifts at the hospital. Bus service stops too soon after the end of a 12 hour shift for me to comfortably feel I can rely on the bus at that time of the evening. The buses do not run on Sundays or holidays but who knows - with increased ridership that may change.

Random photo day

This will always get my attention - lately I have browsed used book sales at the local main library, a neighborhood grocery store in SE Roanoke and the CVS near my home.

Unreasonable?

These two books recently came into my possession - In Defense of Food was left in my work mailbox by a certain dear friend (I presume) and I purchased The George Bernard Shaw Vegetarian Cook Book at the library book sale for fifty cents when I attended the Festival in the Park the other day. The recipes in the Shaw cookbook are simple (usually five or fewer ingredients) and often contain white flour, cream, eggs, sugar or butter - Shaw died in 1950 and the recipes obviously reflect the character of cooking (without the meat) of the times. The principles of tasty, healthy, portion controlled meals are discussed throughout both books. Pollan does not promote a vegetarian diet as such but the mantra Eat Food. Not Too Much. Mostly Plants. certainly points to reducing both portion size and meat consumption in the typical Western diet.

"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man."
-George Bernard Shaw, Man and Superman (1903)
"Maxims for Revolutionists"

As I was cleaning the top of the refrigerator on our backyard patio, I found this partially assembled bird's nest in a produce basket. Perhaps the environment was too intrusive for the bird...