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Wednesday, August 1st, 2007
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| Time: | 2:07 pm. |
| Music: | Defiance Ohio. |
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I moved into a house on the southeast side. It's a mile from the McKinney Falls State Park. It's a two minute walk to the Onion Creek District Park/ Greenbelt.
I just got back from north Texas; I was there for nine days building a trail to a dam on the Brazos, from the Possum Kingdom State Fishery.
Moving in is really hard, and so is writing blogs. Oh, I guess livejournal is dead to me but I didn't kill it. I just can't write.
Maybe I could post pictures in a few days?
I feel depressed.
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So, I suppose I should talk about my new job. It's an Americorps funded program called Environmental Corps; or E-corps for short. Here's how the week has gone thus far:
Day 1 - Orientation begins. I get there at 8am, and at 8:10 was physical training, oh boy. Sits-ups, pull-ups, rock climbers, stretches, lots of back and ab oriented exercises and a host of other things I can't remember. The rest of the morning is paperwork inside and in the afternoon we went out to Westcave Preserve. The preserve was bought out by the city of Austin and is used for environmental education. The endangered golden cheeked warbler also lives here. We got a personal tour beginning with the history of the area and the native ecosystem. This land includes a creek that flows into the Pedernales river. Naturally the hill country is an oak savannah, however because of humans altering the habitat through fire suppression and overgrazing, the Ash Junipers (called Cedar in Texas) outcompete the oaks. When you walk down to the canyon (where cedars are naturally limited to in central Texas), you notice alot more green, including 1200 year old Cypress trees on the banks. Then you walk to the end of the spring fed creek into a nice cool grotto. It was cool to see how water carved out the grotto and look out some mineral deposit features. We also got to see some E-corps work which involved a flagstone trail over some muddy soil trail as well as some cedar hand rails. We got back at 5.
Day 2 - More paperwork in the morning hours, after PT. Then we went outdoors to get some training on the handtools which includes, but is not limited to, rock bars, McLeods, Picks, Pick and Axe-Mattocks, axes and some rock-carving tools. We got a tour of the building and of the tool shed. I think we had a little education on soil conservation too.
Day 3 - Paperwork in the morning, focusing on polices and procedures. In the afternoon we went out to Barton Creek Botanical Garden where, weeks earlier, E-Corps constructed an ADA-accessible trail (and a box step stair set) that could take people from the rose garden to the Japanese tea house. There was a big ceremony with a bunch of city employees talking and some media. I bet you coulda seen me on the news that night. Afterwards, we headed out to Barton Creek Greenbelt where most everyone did some trail maintainence. Me and another guy helped a peer trainer who was chainsawing some trees that had downed over the trail. We got done around 3 which gave us an hour and a half to swim in the Barton Creek. It was nice and cold, about 4 feet deep on average.
After hours, I went to a party for E-corps members. It was cool to bond with older members that I'll be serving with soon; I felt very accepted. I hear alot of cheesy things about camaraderie and whatnot but I think it's very true. If you sweat and labor with a bunch of other people doing a service to the public then I'm sure this would exist.
Day 4 - Some more boring inside junk in the morning, then the PT. Afterwards we went out to some Prop 2 land. In 1998, voters voted Yes on Proposition 2. The result was that the City of Austin bought some land that was in the recharge zone for the Edwards Aquifer. This land is managed solely to insure that water infiltrates into the Edwards limestone Formation at a reliable rate and quality. We were out there to clear downed cedar branches at least 20 feet from the road and in a fashion so that the fire would not be allowed to reach a height dangerous for the Live Oaks. So, later on city employees will come out and perform a prescribed fire to kill off the younger cedars. Cedars totally outcompete other vegetation for water. If you rid of them, you restore the natural habitat as well as increasing infiltration to the aquifer. The end of this hot hot sweaty unfun work was some karst topography exploration aka spelunking! Our crew leader drove us over to a little sunken patch of ground where a few cave openings exist. It was kinda scary for me at first because as soon as the first person entered, they exited, followed by an army of daddy long legs. Well, unlike the snakes and scorpions in the area, these pose no threat to people; still I don't like things crawling all over me. So, I waited for more people to enter when the insects would all have been scared away. Then I climbed down in. The first thing that hit me was the strong strong aroma/stench of the soil. I was amazed at this. This soil was so purely organic, no minerals or rocks whatsoever. It was dark black and very soft; almost peat-like. I walked in further to a point where I could stand up straight. And then I had to get on my knees and elbows and crawl over a hump into a further section. Overall it was about 70 feet long and the temperature was very comfortable. I saw some roots poking through, and some cave crickets. The cool thing about going here was that this land is publicly owned but very few people are allowed on the site. I get to see firsthand the services that the city provides the residents.
Day 5 - Today we finished up polices and procedures, had PT then went out to TreeFolks. TreeFolks is a nonprofit renting out land in the Hornsby Bend area. The two guys need some help doing the less important chores around their nursery. So, we came in with weedwackers and garden rakes. By hand we had to whack the 3-7 feet weeds by the stem to fall them. And afterwards we raked them into carryable bales onto a big pile. My arms were red with some reaction and my clothes and gloves were full of hitchhiker grass stickers. The guys at TreeFolks were real cool and provided us with water and fresh food. If you guys are interested in them or urban forestry check out www.treefolks.org.
Anyway, as you can see I really dig this new job and everything that comes with it. I get so many things out of this place that I haven't gotten elsewhere: education in fields I am passionate about, being outside, serving the environment, free health insurance and more. Oh yeah, and gettin' things done for America.
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Ooh! I went outside to turn the compost pile.
I saw pill bugs (Either a species I haven't seen before or perhaps they were immature), three species of centipedes, two species of spiders, many ants (ibncluding a dozen winged ants), some flies and this community of small beetles. Of those I observed only the beetles and ants working as a group. The rest were solitary even though there were numerous centipedes and pill bugs. Oh and I found a worm that I'm very interested in. It loved the compost but it wasn't E. Fetida so I'm not sure of other worms adapted to a compost environment.
I'm thinking about ways to collect them. At first I thought I could put on gloves and pick them out seperately. But maybe I should take a shovel of soil then place it into a wheelbarrow so I can spread the soil out and pick a greater variety. I am going to make a terrarium and put many detrivores together. I want to include centipedes but they're predatory and would interefere with the other species.
I think I'm going to go buy some millipedes Monday.
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| Subject: | I'm back! |
| Time: | 11:56 pm. |
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What's up?
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Tuesday, February 7th, 2006
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| Subject: | Austin to San Marcos |
| Time: | 3:05 pm. |
| Music: | Screeching Weasel. |
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So, I just got home. I actually went to San Marcos, not Bastrop. It was 35 miles and took 2 1/2hrs. It was really dark and really cold and scary. I didn't even have a jacket and it was under 50. Deer, goats, horses, cows, and big chasing dogs! Oh and the occasional 65mph car zooming by on these tiny narrow country roads with no lights and no shoulders. But I made it! And I stayed at katrina's dorm. And I spent the whole night hanging out with her but mostly her roommate. I got food in my belly and a new friend gave me a ride to Austin! Everyone I talked to in San Marco thought I was crazy.
I don't feel tired or sore from the 35 miles. I want to try a harder goal and push myself farther. It was hard though, alot of work... I feel alot of respect for those who participate in the Race Across America (3,052 miles in 9 days!!)
I could go to San Antonio which is 100 miles. But I'd have to ride 100miles back. 200miles is a lot to do in two or three days. We'll see.
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Monday, February 6th, 2006
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| Subject: | bike rides and high fives |
| Time: | 8:30 pm. |
| Music: | Jawbreaker. |
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sweet, when I got off work the winds were going south. Do you know what this means? It means riding a couple miles straight uphill doesn't kill me.
I posted an ad in craigslist looking to start a band. I got a reply from a guy who plays metal in the vein of sludge/doom/death metal. I was looking to start a really noisy project to get booked with punk and metal acts. If it gets close to being as talented as Cripple Bastards I'll be happy.
On the other hand what I REALLY want to do is start a country/folk/bluegrass band. I feel like picking some new instrument up or making one. If I could find a really nice jug..I should look in an antique store. but there's also washtub bass, washboards, jewharps and well there's alot of options. Once at Helios (before the neighbors started calling the cops about noise disturbances) we got a nice jam session flowing. I was playing the keys-on-the-empty-keg... hmm.
Oh and I'm totally getting a new harmonica.
Ray is moving in. I am getting these free cubicle/wall dividers from Craigslist and making the dining room into my bedroom. Ray is taking my bedroom; my rent will drop to about 150. and yet I'll probably still be broke.
I think that I'm going on a bike ride. I'll start riding to Bastrop (30miles away). I hope I make it and don't die of a cold or traffic-related death.
Later
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Sunday, February 5th, 2006
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| Subject: | what up? |
| Time: | 4:48 pm. |
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um.. So I re-activated my livejournal after 6 months of deactivation. wow. I remember writing alot of pointless bullshit and ranting. But isn't that what blogging is all about?
Man, Livejournal is so full of shit "After 30 days, the journal will be permanently deleted and there will be no way to recover it.".
Amazingly I don't need to change/update much because after 6 months, my life is almost exactly the same minus the couchhopping, 'missing person' status, hanging out on the block and doing illegal things and hanging out with my friends in gangs, moving to Austin, and probably some other stuff. but basically all my interests are the same: bikes, punk rock, and beer. For example, I could have posted this just yesterday: http://readytoruck.livejournal.com/103889.html?mode=reply
Anywhom, I wonder if anybody will notice I am back.
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I quit work.
technically i walked out during break but that's like an informal quitting.
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| Time: | 10:08 am. |
| Music: | Bikini Kill - Resist Psychic Death. |
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I had the strangest dream that I was whizzing therough the streets and alleyways of Galveston. Wierd. Except there were some differences, like stairs in the middle of roads that I was whizzing over. And there were NO cars. This was a really long dream and I remember stopping and turning around under an overpass and taking sortcuts through construction yards. and I could feel the pain in my legs as I peddled as hard as I could. Oh and I even went on one of those bridges that splits in the middle to allot large boats to pass. Yeah, I know Galveston doesn't have those either. But still, it was a really long cool dream.
eh. time for workkk.
And my friends talked me into going to Plan It X Fest on the 7th. I will miss the chance to see Bones Brigade, for the second time. But Plan It X should be super rad. I mean the band son this tour have given me so many memories and hope when I'm down. I remember after a very eventful night, all I could do it sit in a ball very depressed listening to Rosa. Or singing along with Defiance Ohio in Jenna's car. Too drunk to sing This Bike is a Pipebomb with Matt but trying anyway. And all 1,000 more memories.
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Saturday, June 25th, 2005
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| Time: | 9:56 am. |
| Music: | Cripple Bastards - SelfZeroing. |
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I finally listened to my Eyehategod/Cripple Bastards 7" that I've had for a year or so now. Eyehategod is good. I've never really been exposed to sludge doom. slow heavy riffage, dark lyrics and such. Cripple Bastards are good and really variant. I'd call them grind but not only do they focus on heavy riffs at times (unlike most grind which is a blended wall of guitar) but they have a classical shout-along hardcore chorus. I used to try to trade this record but I guess I'll keep it.
Oh and I can't stop listening to DotFuckingCom. they were stuck in my head all day at work yesterday.
speaking of which I gotta get to work soon.
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yesterday's bike ride. The map doesn't show it but I found a reservior on leg 1. It was really awesome. But right about where leg 1, becomes leg 2, that's where I kinda didn't see a big dip coming and I crashed a bit. I don't know how but the chain came off and when I was putting it back on I noticed a tooth on the crankset was bent. I kinda did a temp fix but it had came off a few times after. Tomorrow I'm going to try and bend it back.
I listened to Rosa today and I haven't heard them for a long time. Reminded me of cool evenings in the fall in downtown going to various demosntrations and protests, always listening to Rosa.
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14 Days.
I cannot wait.
It's a shame everything else is in hiatus for now I'm sorry.
14 days.
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| Subject: | MGR ARE BREAKING UP! |
| Time: | 10:10 am. |
| Music: | Lahdon Aika - Milion. |
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...the following are the last shows of Machine Gun Romantics:
July, 2 2005 at 924 Gilman St.
924 Gilman St., Berkeley, CA 94701
Cost: ?
Barbaric Fast Detonation Fest : Day 2 w/ Eskapo, Lords of Light, Machine Gun Romantics, Ohuzaru, Threatener (last show), and Iron Lung.
July, 11 2005 at Sound Exchange (Houston)
1846 Richmond, Houston, TX 77098
Cost: Donations
In Store with: Hit Me Back (L.A.), Doppelganger (Bay Area), Machine Gun Romantics. KILLER SHOW!
July 17 2005 at Southmore house (Houston)
Municiple Waste, MGR, ? ?
This will be the last show
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| Time: | 12:44 am. |
| Music: | Highscore - Putting Hardcore Back On The Map. |
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the show was pretty good. I talked to Humanicide after Pretty Little Flowers' set and we got stuff straightened out. I got their demo so that I could take two songs off of it for the compilation. I missed I Object!; however they can't get into Mexico. So I blurted "Come back to Houston! Play at Jenna's house, they want house shows." so he got her number haha. I had three people tonight tell me they liked my wolfbrigade shirt. Everytime I got to a show people like my shirt. So my plan is, to wear a really shitty band's shirt like Sex Pistols or Rancid or Atreyu and see how people react.
Oh and I met Falc, the timid photographer. haha, he got some good pictures of the bands and even of me in the pit which I will share eventually.
and I bought an I Object! tshirt.
and uhm, what else. I decided I am moving into awesome. I'm only worried about not getting a job and not having a car and having to depend on my bike.
So I guess that's about it. Oh man, I saw Gutsbasher at the show and he gave me an 1 1/4" Crusher pin haha.
The only bad thing about the show was a lack of intensity and honestly this is the first Southmore House show I've been to that hasn't had a homogenous crowd. Abercrombie sluts sticking out like a sore thumb, much younger kids. I mean just because people are different doesnt mean I want to exclude them. but if you are wearing a ruffled miniskirt and tanktop, you talk to band memebrs between sets, and I don't see you anywhere near the pit when the show starts, then I don't think they came for the music so i have reason to talk shit.
I came home to find an olive green 7 Seconds shirt and it's itchy but I'm still wearing it.
pictures: http://www.livejournal.com/users/spatulastick/93433.html?mode=reply
bye for now.
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| Time: | 3:37 pm. |
| Music: | Anti Cimex - Anarkist Attack e.p.. |
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8 pm $5 @ Southmore House (3107 Leeland) I Object (on tour) playing with Humanicide, Pretty Little Flower, and Race Against Time.
Hurray! I don't have work during a show for once!
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| Time: | 12:37 am. |
| Music: | Broken Bones. |
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i'm fucking tired of debt.
and I'm holding in my hand a femur from a deer. have a couple more bones too. Kinda just found them lying around in the woods. I want to collect enough, pierce them and link them into a belt. bones belts are the new bullet belts.
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Wednesday, June 8th, 2005
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| Time: | 1:32 am. |
| Music: | Zegota. |
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15 bands from all corners of the world; malaysia, czech republic, argentina, canada, finland, etc
One long ass tape over an hour long. edit, make that 17 bands. and counting
I just checked my email. Make that 18 bands.
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