Chicago 2002

Chicago 2002, originally uploaded by Itinerant.

One of the things I still miss not living in Chicago, a polish on a Rosen poppy-seed bun.

Somewhere in California 2002

Somewhere in California 2002, originally uploaded by Itinerant.

A bus station 2002

A bus station 2002, originally uploaded by Itinerant.

Not sure where this is. There were so many.

Los Angeles 2002

Los Angeles 2002, originally uploaded by Itinerant.

Evanston, IL 2002

Evanston, IL 2002, originally uploaded by Itinerant.

The local pizza joint, during the starving student college days..

A few times a week, to take a break from smuckers on wheat or saltines, I had a greasy slice with a soda. Hey, it filled us up on $1.75. I couldnt believe its still there - but hey you need a cheap pizza joint in a college town.

Tracy and Nikita - Brooklyn NY 2002

Tracy and Nikita - Brooklyn NY 2002, originally uploaded by Itinerant.

Love this :)

Somewhere in Montana 2002

Somewhere in Montana 2002, originally uploaded by Itinerant.

He was on his way home to Wyoming from participating in a rodeo as a bull rider and clown. He was wearing the same boots he had on to ride the bulls because if he took them off, his swollen feet probably wouldnt have been able to fit back in.

Interesting guy. His father came west from Connecticut and bought a 1200 acre ranch. A small ranch he describes it - one that takes a week on horseback to check the fences

He gave me a copy of his favorite Chris Leduix album. I still have it..

the corner pocket

the corner pocket, originally uploaded by Itinerant.

On rotation

Mos Def - Ms Fat Booty
India Arie - Not your Average Girl
Corinne Bailey Rae - Young & Foolish

@ Cafe Petra

@ Cafe Petra, originally uploaded by Itinerant.

bee

bee, originally uploaded by Itinerant.

wiccan

wiccan, originally uploaded by Itinerant.

Another long strange trip

With each retelling the trip becomes more and more legendary, even as all I remember are the mundane parts of it.G etting on the bus in the Florida sunshine, my brand new Fuji 4900z along to remember the journey, a copy of Neil Gaiman's "American Gods" and a bottle of Pepsi to set me off. A hat in Washington. A 4 story high stork in North Dakota. Sunflowers in Montana. A town named Weed. An angel painted on a wall. A coffee kiosk set by a giant red barn. An argument over the computer in Seattle. A grove of giant trees. I remember everything and nothing.

It was propelled by a strong restlessness. In absolute terms, Ive not gone very far, just across the country. It took me all of seven days and has lasted nearly 7 years. The ride felt longer and the time feels shorter.

I do remember being consumed as to making sure I took my stuff with me, my friend lily shipping the rest of my crap across country (I still owe her for shipping it) and afterward, with a sense of wonder realising I needed none of my stuff.

Funny. Now Im going only a few hundred miles but it feels like a few thousand. Again, Im consumed by worry about how Im gonna carry all my stuff. My books, my clothes, etc. In truth, all I need are a basic change of clothes, my papers, my notebook and my camera. The rest can be replaced.

That is so hard to remember.

Im watching the movie "Almost Famous". Ive had the DVD for a few years now, never watched it. Now, it feels like the right time to watch it. Its a story of a life-changing trip. As was "American Gods", now that I think of it.

Aright then, time to take it off pause.

@ el cafetzo

@ el cafetzo, originally uploaded by Itinerant.

behind glass at Tartine

behind glass at Tartine, originally uploaded by Itinerant.

Skillz

Perusing the Craigslist helped wanted, there are two skillsets I feel that are missing from my quiver:

- Color printing
- AV

Ive always been tempted to go work for a Kinko's or a film lab to take care of the former and the latter, well - Im not sure.

But, it'd be good to have.

loop

loop, originally uploaded by Itinerant.

broken blue

broken blue, originally uploaded by Itinerant.

spring flowers

spring flowers, originally uploaded by Itinerant.

50mm test shot

50mm test shot, originally uploaded by Itinerant.

In the movie "You've Got Mail", Jean Stapleton's character utters:

You are daring to imagine that you could have a different life! Oh, I know it doesnt feel like that, you feel like a big fat failure now. But youre not. You are marching into the unknown.. armed with nothing.

Not nothing. Well, no money. Weirdly, although I would prefer to have money in hand to step into the unknown, I think it's better to step into the unknown with nothing. Sure, money gives you options, a warm bed, a roof which ain't nuthing to sneeze at, but it also gives a false sense of self that clouds the issues. Traps you into avenues that may not be the path youre seeking to travel. And I do mean 'trap'.

My situation is that Ive earned skills that allows me to earn a fair bit of cash, but I was frozen with fear that I would be stuck. Trapped. My last job, I eventually felt trapped and wanted out. Badly. Not something I feel like repeating. Hence my ambivalence for looking for another.
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One of the reasons I burned out working in the corporate IT world was that feeling of being trapped. Part of my attraction to computers was the freedom and challenge. Doing it for a living has many challenges which I enjoy, but the soul sucking feeling of being trapped - ahhh, not so much. I tried being a freelance consultant - and it also paid well, but eventually, I felt trapped again. Not by the corporate world, but really - by Microsoft. Dont do things their way and life would be hellish.

Eventually, it was Apple's turn to follow in Microsoft's footsteps.

Now, Im learning Linux by making it my primary OS platform, and although the learning curve isnt exactly flat, Im not feeling trapped. It gives me options, although I have a way to go before I feel comfy administering it. (Ironically, for 10 years I avoided using Linux against the advice of my tech peers because I didnt want to bother with another soul-sucking experience. Quite ironic.)

I left San Francisco in 2000 after 2 months, my vowing I would ways to make a living, somehow, without having to be in IT. Didnt happen. Regular work is a horrible, insecure way to make money. Eight years later, I dont want to be in IT, but its the most reliable way of making decent money. Heck, I feel trapped just rewritng my resume. Ironically, Im feeling trapped in San Francisco too.

I like having options. And I like money. But, I dislike feeling trapped.

So, Im heading into the unknown. Hopefully, I wont feel trapped there.
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Im doing a bit of research again, watching movies, although Im not a big movie fan, I have a box of DVD's Im slated to get rid of, so I decided to go through them.

Of course, due to copy protection, the first two I selected (Alladin and You've got Mail) would NOT run on Linux. It would only run if I installed copy protection crap on my computer. I even acquiesced and installed it on my windows computer. Ugh. I installed it under Wine in Linux, and naturally, it wanted to install MORE crap.


Ugh. I went to the coffee shop, fired up the laptop, and searched for open source stuff that would bypass the copy protections. Minutes later, I was free.

I like that feeling.
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beach flowers

beach flowers, originally uploaded by Itinerant.

Evening at the Cafe Petra

Evening at the Cafe Petra, originally uploaded by Itinerant.

Today's horrorscope sez:

If you get the urge to travel or in some other way to strike out in a new direction don't hold back. There is a whole world out there waiting to be explored, with new wonders to discover every day. What are you waiting for?

I know, right?

Money? Lack of it?

I'd like some short term work to put some cash in my pockets before I take off, but shit I just wanna take off.

Ham & Cheese Croissant from Tartine's

Ham & Cheese Croissant from Tartine's, originally uploaded by Itinerant.

Eiko and Lucy chimpin'

Aoki and Lucy chimpin', originally uploaded by Itinerant.

2nd quarter forecast in the checkout line

2nd quarter forecast in the checkout line, originally uploaded by Itinerant.