Bicycle, bicycle, bicycle

I fell off my bike (should I add again). I was at the beach and wanted to get from the parking lot to the bike path. Well, the path of least resistance, no wait, the shortest path, no that's wrong too, "easiest" way to get there was to ride my bike across a small stretch of sand. Well, I rode along the paved car path for awhile to assess the plausibility of my task at hand. Okay, the easiest thing for me to do would to un-click my shoes out of the pedals and walk my bike across the sand.

However, I worked the plan out in my head and figured if I pick up speed, then I'd get to the bike path without having to un-click out of the pedals. It occurred to me that being airborne would help. I peddled fast, faster, and whosh. The first tire, second tire, rotate, rotate, gravity, traction, other physical principles, more gravity. Kito down. A few cyclists yell, "are you okay," and another, "you knew you weren't going to make it." "I know," I giggled, "but I had to try." I was giggling too much and didn't get up right away. Two cyclists stopped to help me up, brush off my bike a bit, and warn me about the dangers of falling on the beach bike bath. I was in the sand, so all was well. Too much fun.

HAPA photos -- Asian Descent -- Kip Fulbrick, artist, photographer, professor, author -- Japanese American National Museum Exhibit

Photos courtesy of Nettie, the identical birthday twin, and Cid, esquire.

Exercise the mind, exercise the body

I'm still studying for the CA Bar. I found a library that I like. It's at the West L.A. Community College. Beautiful trees populate the campus. My favorite is a tree that has purple flowers. So cool. The library has a good balance of cool. The sun runs through the floor to ceiling windows. Yum.

My library is next to the pool I picked. I'm nervous about swimming with strangers because, well, I am not perfect. In KCMO I often swam by myself if I picked an early enough or late enough time. At the pool I picked, it has lap and recreational hours. I just have to put one stroke in front of the other and remember to not bump my head.

Yesterday, the weather in L.A. was awesome. It was an overcasted day. The sun completely hid behind a white haze in the sky. The clouds in effect filtered and cooled a potentially blazing sun. The beach's sand was probably about 67 degrees, fahrenheit, perfect for laying on. I rode my bike for about 10.5 miles along the beach. Then I shoveled sand around my bike's tires, and laid on my t-shirt.

I listened to the ocean, marveled at the grains of sand, and enjoyed the hazy sky. About 25-40 grains of sand covered the surface of my thumb nail. The sand reminded me of how connected we all are to each other. Where did the grains of sand come from? I imagine a person in Sri Lanka, thousands of years ago, skipping a rock across a river, the rock finding its way to the Pacific Ocean and some of the grains from the rock ending up here with me. How long did it take for one mountain to completely transform to these grains of sand? What is time? May be I was there watching the rock skipping across the river wondering where it would end up. I got on my bike and rode 2 miles to my car.

*******

Too Much Sun by Kito Robinson

In the middle
The walls of my office
Absorbs the sun
And expands and pulsates
The cooled aired
Lingers in the system
Forced and propelled in

Separated from reality
I welcomed the good life
Misled by the conditions
My mother's land-sake betrays me
How will I survive
Screens chaperoned me
The mockery of my shield and my will
Water trickles down my system
Too late they howl, too late

Ode to Corporate America

Ode to Corpporate America

You pink swine, die!
The lack luster shine
From your greenback
Blinds me, paralyzed

My bright blue mind
Glows with each thought
Beaconed you in
Swoop, you got ideas

But there are others
Some before my red blood flowed
They all echo and sound
Louder the hard voices

Pitch blackness helps
They hide and find their way
Seconds after swooping
Slowly the way is found

by Kito B. Robinson

________________________________

My mom kept this poem I wrote. I wrote it while employed at my first corporate job. Youth!

Crying Time

My friend Marie and I went and saw "Inconvenient Truth." I cried. China, which is a third world country, has better gas per mileage standards than us in the US. How can that be? Don't even talk about Europe. And California wants to phase in over 11 years better standards, well, China's standards in 11 years. And guess what bankrupt companies want to enjoin California from implementing the standards. F-ckers!

The best part of the movie was the hope. We can do it. Just a little change, just each of us. Us Americans contribute to 30+% of the factors that contribute to global warming -- that's more than South America, Africa, and Asia combined.

I flinched that's not what made me cry. I cried for the 35,000 people in Europe and 1,400 people in India who died in the Summer of 2003. I cried because of the Hurrican Katrina victims and for all the more to come. I cried because Mt. Kilamojara ice caps are almost gone, the droughts in Africa, the death, the record numbers of Tsunamis in Asia, the death. I cried because the peak caterpillar season has reshifted to coincidence with the earlier arrival of spring, but the baby birds are on the old schedule. And the mosquitos travelling to warmer and warmer areas and the diseases.

I cried because it seems so overwhelming and instead of getting overwhelmed I must remember to take one day at a time, walk, bike, car pool, turn the a/c off, open a window, turn on a fan, write my political representatives, plant trees, trade my car in for a more efficient car, recycle, buy better cleaning products, and light bulbs that last longer. I cried because I don't want to be overwhelmed. I cried because not enough people will see the movie and make a change. What about my nieces -- all of the kids?

Quiet Time

The City, in general, is pretty noisy. We live off of a major street, and there's a fire station near by too. I figured out the quietest time of the day is between 2:45 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. Those are approximate times. I also have to get use to the fire alarm chirping. May be I'll imagine that chirping is really the sound of an exotic rare animal - bird that we (us humans) have destroyed its habitat. Then I couldn't get so upset, right, I'd feel guilty for wanting to rip stuff, no just the sound, out of his little yellow and red flashing body, right? If I owned half that bird I'd kill my half. I know that's a pudd'n head thing to say. May be I should pretend I'm on a deserted island - I could kill birds then.

There's quiet some places. I went on a 2-hour hike with my friend Marie in Topanga Canyon. Up, up, up we went. We found quiet there. Not even the Yuccas swayed too loudly. You only suspected they moved if you stood still.

It's quiet in the library too. Going to the library means change though. The brush changes me into someone presentable. Add water, lotion for the ashy bits and parts, and shoes. You always have to wear shoes in public places. I could get a study room at the Public Library. The one near my house is open four hours on Sunday. Well, I just don't study on Sunday only, so I should be fine. The bathroom is in an inconvenient location. I can try some other libraries I suppose, but it means exploring. It means may be no study room. And packing my stuff up just to go pee. I think I've had enough change for this month. May be next month I'll feel differently.

I may have left some of my clothes in the dryer at my old apartment. That sucks.

I Love My Neurosis -- I mean roses

I love my neuroses. So far I love all of them. I acknowledge and I accept them. Okay, maybe they don't save lives, but they're mine, you know. The right office supply, for example, can easily turn a regular unemployed day into something magical. Nope, I'm not joking. Part of me studying for the CA Bar involves me organizing. I'm not crazy, so I don't care about what color pen I use, but I have to have the right kinds of post-it and tabs. And earlier I convinced myself that I don't need these specific kind of beautiful, colorful, super-hero like tabs (the "One"). I was quitting tabs cold turkey. Well, I found a box that has some office supplies and I don't have to suffer anymore, you guessed it, I found the One. I can breathe easier. It feels like I won the lottery.

Did anyone notice if you have more that one neurosis you get a pretty flower that is a symbol of love and life? :)

Off to babysit.


______________

Update on babysitting: I have no idea what I did, but the mom said she's never heard her 3 year old talk so much to anyone. He was talking a lot. I was confused during most of our conversations. The kid had a new puppy who is as big as the kid and everytime the puppy jumped on the couch, stairs, or the kid, the kid would yell, "Jesus Christ." The puppy's name is My Lady.

Just Studying

I'm sitting for the July 2006 California Bar. I just started study and am getting into a routine. It's very likely that I won't respond to emails and voicemails as quickly as I normally do. Don't be surprised; if you take it personal oh well. I gotta do, what I gotta do.

CA Bar has less state specific / essay subjects than the MO or KS Bar. It should be fun.

CA Bar Exam July 25, 26, and 27.

Going West at the Speed of Light and Dark

My Bro and Me (Quack, quack)


All the Fuss


My Precious

Join the Club

Whine: lowest temp 41 and highest 106. now it's 102 as we drive through Vegas at 8 pm (PST).

Ma called to let us know dinner was ready. Oh, yeah, and her company's building is on fire.

Bro declared war on his butt hairs. lots of guerilla tactics, bombings, and he released a barage of ducks; the quacks could be heard around the world.

I texted some people my whereabouts and I do apologize if message was sent more than once.

Second time within 24 hour that a little kid wanted/grabbed my pinwheel. But parents said no.

1406 miles done. red bull, coffee, and amps. bro hasn't eaten since 10 am CO time. "get your food and get in the car," he huffs. Yeah, I supply the junk, he knows who butters his bread. bro said kunte kinte named his daughter "stay put." really?

I wore overalls, nappy hair, and brushed my teeth only once. I didn't start out wanting to be a yuck mouth. It just kind of happened.

We arrived at 12:30 a.m. on June 5th. Bro was tired. He sang songs loudly. I tried helping by suggesting we stop and sleep. Also, I asked bro question, fall asleep for 2-8 minutes, wake up, ask question again, spend 2-5 minutes discussing whether he should answer question again, listen to answer, and repeat.

Ok I get it you love me at CO mile marker 326

bro averages 5.5 words between burps. he says he's doing morse code - 1 short burp, one long burp, one stinky fart - it means "i love you". he says next stop he's having a come to meeting with toilet. I ask if come to jc meeting? he's singing a church song now.

Last KC Blog

My car and the trailer are all packed. One quick stop to Cran Man's and Goody's place and we're off. It's hard to believe that my time here is up. We met a lady last night a dinner theater who offered her house in Denver to us. She's here visiting family, and she's going to call her husband and let him know we may call and stop in. The KC Crew, brother, and I had a long night, so we decided to not leave first thing in a.m. We'll be leaving around 7 tonight. Driving portion of the trip should take 23 hours. Factor in gassing up, sleeping, and sight seeing.

Holy cow.

I'll tell more stories re actual evening and trip later.