i have to write it. people get a little confused when i say how much i love central oregon. i dont blame em. yes ive lived in california for over twenty years, and most of that time has been spent either in the metropolis of los angeles or san francisco. and even though isla vista is my adoptive birthplace, the kids there worry me with their terrible taste in music and their affinity to the greek system.

so when it comes to a place where i could raise a family and farm and fish and lean more towards hemingway than bukowski and brew up my own rum and shoot at things that shouldnt be in my back yard, i think of umpqua, my home away from home.

youre pretty much on your own out here. if theres a bump in the night you cant call the sherriff cuz the sherriff is an hour away. if your electricity goes out you better have a generator or youre sol. if lightening hits one of your mamoth trees and your chain saw isnt strong enough for one of the branches that are as big as trunk you better hope your neighbor shows up with a ginormous buzz saw.

its a land of true self reliance. its the american way and the american dream all wrapped up in one green bow.

i walked down to the river last night and i was greeted with the sounds and sights of creatures that i hadnt seen or heard of in a long time. a little mole poked his head out of a brown mound. a deer looked at me from across the river and kept an eye on me as he sipped from the waters. a hawk flew above me and circled like he was trying to poop on me, and because it was turning nighttime the frogs were starting to sing their songs of sexual healing out in the marshes.

i saw probably ten different types of grasses and mosses. i saw probably eight different kinds of birds. a moth flew by as big as a bat and a dead body floated by in the river quickly obviously a crystal-head whod gone nuts and slipped into the freezing waters.

ah america how i love you.

so people have asked and i dont know when i will get on the computer again so i will answer. the plan for the rest of the trip is unclear but if the weather stays dry i will celebrate christmas eve tonight in eugene, then we will open presents here in umpqua tomorrow, then the day after Christmas i will make my way to Aberdeen to visit the bridge of Kurt Kobain and if the offer is still good crash at casa de pants in Tacoma. then i hope to meet up with the kids of vancouver tuesday night. then back to oregon wednesday night, frisco thursday night and LA friday night.

all times and dates subject to change due to weather and drinking and general malfeasance.

now i must jump in the shower since chris is making burbon balls and the cats are meowing at the tv as it appears an nfl referee pulled his groin during a football game.

i was just handed a homemade clotchkee, a czech creation made from vanilla ice cream.

ive said it before, and i hope i never stop saying it, im the luckiest man alive.

happy Christmas EVE!

thanks for the gas money Jeneane! + michele + binsk + sheila