Free The Animal

Things are, for now, seemingly back to normal. The nearest fires are either out or under control, and except for the early morning, the smoke has cleared out.
We spent one day without power, which is no real big deal camping. Communications and thus, Internet, was down until yesterday afternoon, 2 1/2 days in total. Consequently, [...]

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I say it’s better to be loved. Our dearest of friends, neighbors, card playing, cooking and party partners, Robert & Julie (who make it like a regular Seinfeld episode around our places at the lofts almost daily). They’re actually down here in SoCal visiting mutual friends Alessandro and Robert — the two doktors — in Hollywood. Unfortunately, that’s a coupla hours from Vista, still, and with the doggies, it just ‘aint gonna work out for an all-together visit this time. We did — the six of us — spend a 4-dayer up at our cabin last September, and that has to definitely be on the near horizon. So, that’s my far more important “happy happy” message to you today than the typical flag waving stuff. Sorry, but I’m just not into Gambino Appreciation Day. That’s a link outta Billy’s place, who has his own comments, after the quote. He ‘aint celebratin’, either. “Independence day?” Listen up: cultivate a wonderful family (we just celebrated my parent’s 50th on a cruise; all four of the litter, with mates), and get yourself some really kick-ass friends. …And let the neolithic zoo animals go to hell.

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Look for that in the subtitles of this beautiful hang gliding video set to music. Then see what comes after. That’s what it’s all about for most of us, not adrenaline, as so many misunderstand. (via The Oz Report)

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At least a couple of more posts today, but I just had to toss this one up, discovered in my morning rounds reading my friend Davis Straub’s daily Oz Report. For better than ten years Davis has had the fortune to travel the world flying in hang-glider competitions and reporting on them. He’s tireless, and a really great guy I’ve had the opportunity to meet in person a couple of times. This 3-minute video is a recent competition in the flatlands near Forbes, Australia. Ultralight tugs tow up the hang glider pilots who then race cross country, typically for 80-100 miles, depending upon where the goal is declared. I’m getting back to the weight and strength ratios I was at when I first began this great sport. Flying for a few days last August was far less exhausting than it had been over the last five years, causing me to fly less and less. So, it just may be that I’ll be doing this more and more in years to come. It is great compound exercise for the upper body. A hang glider is maneuvered by weight shift, i.e., you have to deflect you body’s entire weight, suspended from a…

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We’ve arrived (at the cabin). I have the working entry on supplements, and specifically what I take and most particularly, why. I hope you’ll find it compelling as a base. We’ve been here for several hours, including the comfort-food soup I made that I’ll blog tomorrow (in addition to the aforementioned). In the meantime, funniest video I’ve seen in a while. Dog sleep “walking.”

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