GXAOUI

Back to Ohio, but only for a moment…

2008-06-09T23:35:01Z

I have been working as much as I can lately, crazy schedules, remote locations, odd occupations. I have some images from one of them; working to reappropriate used shipping containers to living environments. A group of Dot-Comers own a lovely valley in Mendocino north of Willits, and are building homes in an off grid, green manner as possible. I have been working on connecting several containers and after several days of labor, making different holes in walls with a huge angle grinder (Thanks to Jim Mason), then welding and or framing them for doors, passageways, or a window. I was getting very good at this process and it was nice to work from the outside for a change.

I was standing on top of a pair of containers that I had previously cut the connecting side walls out of, to cut an entry door to the container stacked on top of another adjacent but offset to the others.

To my left its about 15’ to the ground as the container I am standing on is set on concrete piers to level it. After the final cut, the cut out sheet was seeming stuck in the hole at an angle, as often happen when cutting steel like this. So I let go of it to reposition myself better and it fell out, and away to my left. Slowly spinning in the air like a playing card, until it stuck in the earth. One corner dug right into the ground like a knife, it kept the whole thing upright gently wobbling in the breeze. Here are some images of it. (images would not upload to website at time of posting)

In other news, my parents 50 wedding anniversary is next Sunday so I will be in Columbus over the next week. I also have a Dr. appointment booked so hopefully my diet can change for the better and perhaps I can have some cake or booze for my birthday!

I have not been posting much at all lately as of lately because my computer sucks and I could really use a good working laptop. If any has an extra working laptop, I would really appreciate its use and put it to work.

One more thing, the place that Tonya is staying has a family of foxes living in the side yard. She says she has seen 9 cubs, I have only seen 5 at a time. They are SO cute!! You can sit on the patio steps and they will be playing with each other 8’ away, and mom will come up a growl with the bushy tail. 15lbs of angry fox is as funny as it is menacing. The cubs yip, bark and almost purr sometimes, little cat/dog/foxes…

Friends

2008-03-20T16:27:53Z

I recently got a friend request on Tribe.net, this is no big deal but I do not know this person and their profile is extremely vague. I declined it and felt that an explanation was appropriate.

I only friend people online who I have met in person.

I have this policy since there are so many alts and bots and shared avatars. I think that if this virtual social networking thing is to work you must support honesty and real people. I think to many users of these services are hiding behind obscure profiles. If you have no images of yourself, and little information that useful in determineing who you are, it makes me not trust, or value you opinion, no matter if I agree with it or not.

If you were at a party, and were talking to someone in a mascot costume with a voice changer why would you believe anything they say? That person has no reason to speak truth or be sincere as they are anonymous.

People value what I have to say as they know who I am, it may be fun to be an alt and FSU, but it adds nothing to the information exchange and anything positive that it might bring to the conversation is lost due to anonymity.

I am not saying that everyone should post all the intimate details of their lives online, or expose themselves to the public in a reveling way, just be real, say what you mean, and give others the faith that you are who you say. It validates your opinion online.

Please be kind and rewind

2008-03-02T18:31:54Z

Went to my new Dr. here in Col. She is very good and took allot of time with me asking questions not already answered in my history. We looked at my blood under the microscope and spent about two hours face to face. Her diagnoses: Candia. Yes back to the beginning sort of, at least I know a bunch of stuff that I don’t have. But I have been down this path before and she feels that I am in very good health otherwise and with some diet changes, supplements, exercise and stress reduction. I should regain my health shortly. Next week I am going to start some yoga and body work, and implement diet changes.

I was at a friend’s house the other night and her VCR had an X-Mas movie stuck in it. She was going to pitch the whole thing. I was about to offer repair assistance then realized, why bother. It was unlikely she would ever play another tape in that machine, or ever play that tape again. So sad, all the VHS tapes that will never be watched.

It will miss out on being slide into that warm receptive slot. Its tape lovingly caressed, and enveloped by the heads, the spools spun round and round, back and forth..

You know how tapes love, ‘Being Played.’

Columbus bound

2008-02-19T23:23:22Z

So I had a meeting with the super GI Dr. after reviewing my case and history he feels I have stress related to infant abandonment syndrome (I was premature and put in an incubator for the first week.) This apparently makes me more likely to be effected by stress.

When my stomach issues started I was working for a county program called Re:Art, it was a great job, but it was to be shut down and I was not allowed to tell anyone about it for more than a year. This meant I had to lie to my friends and members as to how work was going, or the condition of the program. At the same time my longtime residence and studio was sold and the conditions changed with the new owners leading to my eventual moving out. During this time I was preparing to become mobile, condensing my belongings and getting rid of possessions, furniture and art. It was a very stressful time in my life, but I was also eating a lot of soy and other veggie proteins. I just wrote my stomach issues off as gas from my funky diet. Apparently I was wrong, now I find myself in a vicious cycle of not eating, not having the energy to work, so I cannot afford food and so on.

I am going to Columbus for a while, to regain my strength and health. Staying with my parents, working some with my father doing handy-man stuff. Eat, sleep, do some yoga, work on my opera and rest. And hang out with friends in that area. The plan is to return early next week, and stay for a month or so.

Sorry for the short notice, but a good travel opportunity has presented its self. I should be in Denver this weekend, if anyone around there is free.

I was able to replace the engine and gearbox on my motorcycle. The carburetors need to be rebuilt, but otherwise it seems like a motorcycle again. That pleases me, I was able to replace it (this is the bikes 4th powerplant in 8 years)and get it running, it was having issues with that carb before, but since the transmission was going I forgot. I wont be able to ride for a while, but that’s ok, it will still be here when I return. So will the rest of my stuff, and life, I just need to get back on my feet so I can make some art happen!

No energy

2008-02-01T16:03:21Z

I have not posted because not much has changed for me recently, and I would like to use this journal for something other than bitching, and bragging but it’s just to much effort to write about anything…

I cannot keep up right now; normal activities are getting to be to wearing. I am getting a better handle on my meds, and diet, but I still have pain, not as much in some ways more in others. My system generally is not extracting enough energy and nutrients from what I consume. Eating more does not necessarily help since I cannot afford to eat that much or take the pills that I need to digest it. (The enzyme replacement pills are $1.25 per and @ 2-3 per meal, it becomes an interesting balance.) My motivation to eat at all is lessoned by the pain associated with digestion, the more I eat more likely I will have pain. So I end up not eating, and have no energy. At least I still have a hunger reflex, lost that for some time last spring got really skinny, it sucked. Fortunately it came back, I am doing my best not to go down that road again.

I have had to refocus my priorities, and concentrate on my health and finical issues, as I just do not have the energy for relationships. Things that seemed so easy and normal wear me out. I have to depend on manic episodes to get any thing major accomplished.

An 8-hour workday exhausts me, extended periods of exercise leave me depleted. In addition lately I do not have the wherewithal to control my addictive behavior and have fallen back into bad habits. Nothing terrible, but very unproductive and overall not benefiting me or the people I care about. The self induced celibacy, sucks but hopefully will give me the energy and opportunity to heal.

I need to do so many things right now and wish I had the strength for all of them.

The truck seems ok for the moment, I finally have all the parts I need to finish the engine swap on my motorcycle, back and current taxes need done, BM grants need rewritten, research need to be done on presenting my machine opera, and next week I will see a GI specialist at UCSF. I hope they can offer up some treatment plan as I cannot keep living this way much longer.

More when I have something positive to say. I hope that will be soon…

Life is to short to just complain but…

2007-11-19T21:08:32Z

After many Dr. appointment, tests, and research, they (My medical team) have decided that I need supplements for my Pancreas, the enzymes that help me possess fat are not being produced in significant amounts. They do not know why this is, nothing seems wrong with that organ except that some of the ducts are to small.

So they give me a prescription for the medication, and tell me that it’s no big deal.

I start looking for it, and no one carries it, ( I called 29 places before I found it) in fact most of the people I talk to at the pharmacies act like I am trying to get free pain meds off them or something. They ask leading questions in a accusing fashion. I am just wondering if you carry this supplement, it’s not a pain drug, in fact if you used it recreationally it would just make you fat and constipated. So when I do finally find a place that has it I am shocked at the cost, $225 for 200. Now I do not have insurance, or anything to help this but it is compounded by having to take 9 pills a day! I now have a $10 per day drug regime, and no idea how long I will have to be on this stuff. I can not afford this, nor can I afford not to take it as I am not getting any nutrition from any food I eat with fat in it.

People keep telling me to go see ‘Sicko’, I am living it, I know how bad it is, I do not need to experience others troubles it will just depress, and piss me off more.

Ok, some good news.

Cheese and Pants theater preformed at a David Lynch tribute the other night. We did a scene from ‘Eraserhead’ and one from ‘Blue Velvet’ (PBR God-Dam-It!) along with the Dead Nigger in the Garage from ‘Pulp Fiction’ just for fun. They went over very well, and it was fun to get back into the costumes and on stage again, even if the audience was very small. We need the practice for the upcoming Beckett festival performance Dec. 1^st in Las Vegas.

Otherwise, I have been working on transferring parts from the dead engine/tranny to the replacement one for my motorcycle in preparation to install it. I have been working on this for a while, it has been slow going since I do not have the $ to buy some of the parts I need, and I have just been to sick and depressed to put much energy into it. Fortunately I can just leave it midway through parked in my ‘living room’. Yes my trailer has had a motorcycle sitting in the middle of it for months now, its not like I really use that space for anything like entertaining or other normal living/dining room experiences.

This week I plan to get my resume updated and start thinking about what kind of ‘real Job’ I want to commit to. I need to make some $ and pay my debts….

Update/bitch session

2007-11-06T07:50:56Z

In the past few years I have been having issues with my digestive system, the Dr’s are unable to find out what is causing them and I have undergone allot of testing. Earlier this year I had a CT scan, during it they found stones in my Kidneys and a lump in my liver. (And nothing that would create my other issues)

So when I started peeing blood a week ago Thursday I knew something was coming, but little did I know the pain that was in store for me. I have had pain and uncomfortable ness in my abdomen for years now, I hardly notice it other than the occasional worse morning. So when the discomfort in my Bladder started I hardly noticed it, then the pain moved much higher into my right kidney and became intense. The week before I had an Endoscopies with ultra-sound to examine my pancreas and other organs that area. I think this loosed up my stones and set this into motion. Any how, Friday morning I get a call that the show Gomi Style or Masters Of Junk has been canceled by the network and the premier of Green Planet pushed back until June? Great, we were scheduled to start shooting the next week and several weeks of work have already been done to prepare for this. At least ‘we’ still own the show and have a very nice package to present to some other network.

Saturday morning I get up to move some one off CL and am in a lot of pain, I push through and get her moved just before the pain gets debilitating, I am gifted Codeine cough syrup and that takes the edge off for the evening. By Monday I am in mild pain again but not as bad, and I am able to do some work around the Catwalk to pay some of back my rent.

Halloween I am to finish moving the same CL person and I once again am in pain passing a stone, but I am able to get the job done before crashing at H2Oboy’s place.

As I am writhing around the darken living room floor I can hear Trick-or-Treaters knocking, I wonder if they could appreciate the true horror of what I am enduring on the other side of the door. Much scarier than zombies or monsters, real agonizing pain, pointless torture, a grown man crying… The cough syrup is not doing it, I have access to nothing stronger and cannot afford a prescription for pain killers even if I could get one.

Friday I am once again in pain, still having to deal with out meds, I am fortunate to be given a Vicodin, at the ‘wrap party’ (more like a commiseration/bitch session for the crew of the show.) and it takes the edge off. Later I go to a second party and feel rather dissed by someone I like, not even a hello. I just wanted to catch up and return a tool left at my place long ago. Why is it so hard for people to play like adults?

I get home late, and cannot sleep, my head is thick with uncontrolled fast thoughts, making focused work impossible but not allowing for sleep.

I finally crawl into bed, and rest for a few hours only to wake up with quickly building sinus pressure. Migraine lasted until early Sunday morning. It was one of the worst I can remember, first in 10 months. More pain, this time in the head, completely debilitating and causing me to vomit uncontrollably for most of the day. Sunday I was able to rest some and get a little work in.

This has left me feeling very broken and like a walking time-bomb of pain. I cannot take much more of this, hopefully the stones are over for now, I plan to see my DR next week about my stomach issues and possibly he will have the report from the CT with how many stones and where they were.

Right now I feel ok, got my appetite back, and am looking forward to going down to LA for the AFI DigiFest. Sparky is on the bill for Thursday with Marque giving a presentation and showing his Telecommunication Robot, along with the usual crowd interaction. I also hope to see some other friends while down there.

Then this weekend I am to help SRL unload the container from Robodock.

Comparison of events

2007-10-01T08:53:56Z

So I was looking around in the archives of my Live Journal and found a comparison I had made between Coachella 05 and Burning Man 04. I shell now try to duplicate that between the events I attended this summer.

I should also say that I did not pay for a ticket for any of the events, several were free, a ticket was gifted, and some worked for.

Scorched Nuts 6/16/07 private campground near Dayton Oh, regional Burning Man event 1^st year Midwest woods, and fields.

Community Festival 6/23/07 Gooddale park in Columbus Oh, NFP, Volunteer run, LNT, Non sponsored, no advertising, community driven, grew from backyard party to block party to 40 acre park event, 5 stages of rock and blues some art over a weekend in a park downtown. 25year grass park with paved trails and big trees

4^th of July on the playa, 7/4/07 Black rock playa Federal land, Nv, loosely organized in the same area as BM. No idea how long. 4000’ dry lakebed, hot springs nearby.

Fire Arts Fest, 7/14/07, Oakland Ca, The Crucibles event, in a parking lot near the Crucible, some volunteer staff, and performers. 3 year

Burning Man 8/1/07 Black rock playa Federal land, Nv, LLC run volunteer labor, Fire Art festival, 18 years 4000’ dry lakebed

Robodock 9/22/07 Noord Wharfs Amsterdam, NL, Fire Machine festival for profit event, some volunteer, some paid artists, 10 years??, Inside huge ship fabricating building, and outside on the wharfs. Rainy and cool.

Event SN CF 4JP FAF BM RD

Duration Days 3 3 up to 16 4 7 4

My days there 3 2 5 3 5 7

Tickets Y Free Free Y Y Y

Attendees 350 4500 1000? 1300? 4800 1400

Environment Woods Park Desert City Desert Warf

Altitude sea level sea level 4000’ sea level 4000’ sea level

Surface Grass Grass Playa Concrete Playa Cobblestone/Concrete

High winds N N Y N Y Y

Dust storms N N Y N Y N

Humidity High High Very Low Medium Very Low High

Rain N Y N N N Y

Day temp 85f 90f 100f 80f 110f 68f

Night temp 70f 70f 60f 60F 65f 45f

Cell coverage Y Y N Y N Not for me

Wi-Fi N N N N Y Y

Food Sold N Y N Y N Y

Vending N Y N Y N Y

Advertising N N N N N N
Funded art N N N Y Y Y

Big sculpture artN N N Y Y Y

Fire sculpture N N N Y Y Y

Interactive art Y N N Y Y Y

Performance artY Y N Y Y Y

Live music Y Y N Y Y Y

DJ music Y N Y Y Y Y

Drum circles Y Y N N Y N

Event SN CF 4JP FAF BM RD

Law enforcementN Y N Y Y N

Security volunteer volunteer None private volunteer private

Leave no trace Y Y N N Y N

AccommodationTrailer Offsite Offsite Offsite Trailer Trailer

Attendee campingY N Y N Y N

Domes Y N Y N Y N

R/Vs Some N Some N Lots N

Toilets Y Y N Y Y Y

Showers Y N N N N Y

Average age 25 30 ? ? 30 30

Mutant VehiclesN N Y Y Y Y

Bicycles N N N N Y N

Dance area Y Y N N Y Y

Nudity Y Topless Y N Y N

ShirtCockers Y N Y N Y N

Drugs/Alcohol Y 21+ Y 21+ Y Y

Drugs/Pot Y Y Y N Y Y

Drugs/other Y N Y N Y N

Public sex N N N N Y N

Fire spinning Y N Y Y Y Y

Handicap accessibleN Y N Y Y N

Parking Y N Y N Y N

Indoor areas N N N N N Y

Stilt Walkers Y N N Y Y Y

Costumes Y N Y N Y N

Obnoxicators 1 0 0 0 2 0

Event SN CF 4JP FAF BM RD

ROBODOCK!!

2007-09-17T21:06:49Z

I leave Tue morning, arrive Wed Noon, be there untill Thursday next week.

http://www.robodock.org/2007/

Long awaited update

2007-09-15T21:49:37Z

Recently several people have poked me about updating my blog, and finally enough thing have come to a resolution that I feel I can give some kind of report.

My lack of bloging or the last few months has been due to my life being on hold for many reasons, mostly due to my health. Years ago before I left Col. I was having migraine headaches, I attempted to control them through my diet and had limited success. Late last year it really came to a head and I started restricting what I could eat and by spring time I was only eating fresh meats, brown rice or Kenowa, and green leafy veggies. Although I was no longer have migraines I was loosing weight rapidly and generally feel like hell all the time, with stomach pain and other issues, depression, fatigue, among other things. I was starving and rather messed up. It was very hard and I was dieing slowly. I went to see many Dr.s and had a lot of testing done. They discovered a few sever issues, like colon cancer (was removed), stones in my kidneys, and a spot in my liver. None of these were causing my issues, but they also determined that I do not have a lot of things; diabetes, crones, gluten intolerance, autoimmune deficiencies, food allergies, metal poisoning, the list goes on. That was good to know but still not the cause of my weight loss or migraines. Recently after several annoying tests, they discovered that I am not absorbing fat, due to lack of pancreatic function. Seems that the proper enzymes are just not being produced, but they do not know why, as I am not an alcoholic.

So I still have to see another specialist, and start taking enzymes to correct it.

I am now able to eat a lot more normally than previously as I have been slowly incorporating things back into my diet. My weight has stabilized and I am no longer loosing it but not really gaining it back either. When I left Col. I was at 225-235, down from 265 at my heaviest, in June of this year I was at 190.

Now I am feeling better with more energy and stamina, less digestive issues and hope for a healthier future.

Now I will try to recap some of my summer then on to current events.

My road trip to Ohio was a very mixed bag, I had many difficult times, issues with my truck and trailer like 3 blown tires and a failed fuel pump, (the main one that distributes the fuel to the pistons) and issues with the oil, (finding it in route and having my system freeze up in Wyoming) I will save you the boring stories of driving across country solo, but I did see rainbows, a fox, and some other cool stuff. I was able to transport people stuff (off Crag’s list) for some $ and that part actually went well.

Seeing people in Columbus was very nice, getting caught up and reminiscing, I have many friends who are really great and wish the best for all of them, thanks for making my stay very pleasant. It was weird being at Com-Fest, as I have not been since they dissed me so hard back in the early 2000’s. I had a good time but was annoyed by the self-congratulatory feelings of ‘how great we all are for being peaceful all weekend and green washing’. But that may be just my bad attitude about the event, (and neo-eco-hippies), it was still a covenant place to see lots of old friends…

The midsummer was slow for me, working to pay my back rent and prepare for Burning Man and Robodock. I was going to be a part of the Green pavilion under the man, and help with BMIR (official radio station of BM, TradeMark G and Eric M both work there)

But those plans were changed, as were the plans to goto Amsterdam.

Why you ask? Because I am going to be the side-kick on a second tier cable show, called GOMI style. My buddy Marque (WaterBoy) Cornblatt, has a contract with Discovery Networks for 13 episodes. You may have seen my post about the Electric Motorcycle conversion I did earlier this year, well his posting on U-Tube along with other episodes got their attention and in March Discovery’s Green Planet network (Currently Discover Home) will start and they feel his work will fit right in. Originally we were going to be shooting by now but things got pushed back. So I get to go to Robodock, that is if I can find a flight.. I am very excited about working on this project as we will have a large amount of creative control, and freedom.

The delays in shooting allowed me to goto BM07, I worked before the event on the Mechabolic http://www.whatiamupto.com/mechabolic/index.html, a large self propelled ‘café racer slug’ that runs on Bio-Gas. This got me a free ticket and I went mostly as a tourist, getting there Wednesday and leaving Sunday night. I missed the early burning of the man, although I camped with the guy who did it my first time in 99, we talked of doing an early burn then, and every year after. Many people are very upset with his action and many are happy with it. It really has set the ‘old school VS new school’ burners apart. Both sides have views that are correct as the event has change dramatically in the past 5 years much less 10. Its hard to say what wil happen in the future of this event, there are already lawsuits between the 3 people who started it in the 90d’s and several groups of disgruntled ex-employees and volunteers. It will be interesting to see what develops from all this, many people believe that the event has well past its tipping point ad jumped the shark. The population is now officially around 50k and with ½ of that being newbees, it is becoming more safe and easy to attend. Public services, organized and structured events, theme camps, education and out-reach programs. It has become quite the entity itself. What was once an anarchistic week end it the desert is now trying to become some type of social movement. But to what end? The 10 principals are not followed by the promoters or the population. And are easily interpreted for personal benefit, not to mention often contrary to themselves. How can you be radically inclusive and self reliant at the same time? How is it participatory to watch 45min of firespining before the Man burns.. The list goes on. Only time will tell, I may or may not go next year, I think its time to move on and make more robots!!!

That is my plan right now, to pay off my debts, and make a robot. I also want to make my Machine art opera happen someplace in the future.. I thought BM would be a good location, it may still happen there, or not..

Now, I am just trying to get to Robodock, wish me luck.

Updated travel plans,

2007-05-31T06:57:45Z

I have spent most of my time getting ready for a June long trip with my truck and trailer. I need to go back to Columbus Ohio to take care of some business. My health has been poor lately due to stomach issues, (More on that after the next appointment,) so I have to cook all my food. Well this is what I have been gearing my truck up for with the WVO system and all the WVO I have sitting around. I contacted people through Craig’s list and found objects that needed moved in both directions. It is a rather round about way of getting to Ohio but I can see some friends and go to two regional burns along the way.

http://www.apogaea.com/index.php and http://www.scorchednuts.com/

And will be in Columbus for the weekend of the event TradeMark and I were banned from performing at http://www.comfest.com/ I do not know if I will be going, but it is free, and everyone I know will be there, so I will likely attend at least one day..

Then after a short run to Pittsburgh to see another friend and drop off an auto hood I wil be heading back to the bay area, hoping to see some people along the way but more heading to the 4^th O Julplaya. People gather to camp and whatever in the same area as Burning Man. There are several hot springs nearby and a shooting range. Last year a group of people set up a shooting range with roman candles and moving targets like a carnival. Then eventually back to Oakland in early July…

Here is my rough itinerary:

1 Oakland CA

2 Los Angles Ca

3 Las Vegas NV Sunday

5 Salt lake city UT

6 Denver CO

7-10 APOGAEA Lake George CO

9 Manhattan KA

13 Dayton OH

14-16 Scorched Nuts College Corner OH

17 Detroit MI

18 Ann Arbor MI

19-24 Columbus OH

25 Pittsburgh PA, Fredrictown OH

27 Manhattan KA

28 Denver CO

30 Gerlach NV

6 Oakland CA

So if you see that I am in your area and want to see me please get in contact with me. I will have my own accommodations so I do not need crash space, and will be cooking my meals, (Special diet not restaurant friendly.) although my trailer is not covenant for all neighborhoods, there is always Wall-Mart, and just my truck.

Hopefully I will have internet access every few days and possibly will update this LJ if I am inclined.

Early Warning Message

2007-05-02T12:54:10Z

GXAOUI will be coming to Ohio In June!

That’s right, I need to return to Columbus for some Drivers License issues, and plan to spend a little time in the area.

I will be driving out in my truck and trailer on WVO, I hope to stop along the way and attend some regional Burns and see some friends, along with finding free oil for fuel.

At this time I plan to be I Col. around the 19^th of June and will be staying until around the 25^th. Before arriving in Columbus I hope to attend Scorched Nuts, it is near Dayton on the 15^th –17^th, this is Ohio’s regional Burn, replacing Burnt Corn, and looks to be a good time. If you have ever wondered what Burning Man is like, this may be the closest thing to it in your area, other than Community Fest. (No I do not plan to attend this year.) Nor is it a good comparison.

Anyhow I am looking for places to park my rig for a few days, preferably off the street, in a warehouse lot or private property.. I also will be having dinner at Alana’s some night, I have not set that up yet, but I do not have a lot of plans otherwise so I am open to suggestions for activities…