Ah, another travel day, but a short one, only an hour flight from houston to Corpus.

Thought I'd share a bit from my last travel day that I never got around to sharing. First there was a guy at the airport in Tucson that was a champ. It was 9 am and he was already at the bar with a beer and shot of tequila, I almost wanted to join him. Second, there was a kid whining to his mom that he didn't have a kindle, and didn't want to read a regular book. Later said child started crying when his iphone touch wouldn't connect to the wifi in the airport. If that was my child, he would be in a dog carrier going in the cargo hold.period.

So with Houston being a busy airport, we'll see what happens or is whitnessed today.

Garden update

Thanks to the new humming bird feeder, the one hummer that comes to the feeder actually hangs out for a bit, hopefully he'll go and tell his friends about this good nectre. Also spotted a few bees buzzing around as well. Otherwise the onions are starting to pop up, and some wildflowers that I seeded are sprouting too.  Today, I just planted some maroon pansies, another poppy, and a black petunia. The only closest to true black flower. A few shots:

stuff

So its been a few weeks of not working, and its been nice. Getting caught up on housework, spending more time with the dog. Also cooking more and soon going to the gym regularly so I can stay in shape and hopefully trim up/ get buffer.

In the garden I have a hummingbird and bee now, the velvet roses are in full bloom. The grapes are backing off, but I think its the changing of the season, since the vineyard a mile away looks like theyre backing off too, and I think I finally have the catapillar battle won. Next is taking over the weeds near the garden and across the yard, but I think I might hire someone to do it for me, havent decided yet, a friend knows someone that'll do it for $10 an hour, and I'd pay that for them to take care of the cacti that need to come out. Thinking also of putting some succulants on a side garden in the front, my landlord said that there used to be cherry sage there. Along with the side, I'm thinking of maybe a small hydroponic set up for peppers or strawberries or cucumbers.

A closer/ing look at the fountain.

Garden Updates

Summer fire season is over, and so time to redo and improve the garden. The tomatoes are out and bell peppers are out. A new rose, carrots, strawberries, poppys, lavender, and wildflower seeds are in.  I also made a small solar fountain for the garden as well, hopefully this will attract some much welcome bees and other pollinators.  A few shots:

Well reader, guess I'd better fill in on what has been going on. I was pulled from a local fire to go with a group of engines to Montana, no Idaho, no Montana, no Idaho. Currently I'm in Idaho but right on the border with MT. The scenery is awesome. I'm not with my own engine, but its for the better, they're camping out, and the capt accidently grabbed my tent out of the truck thinking it was his, his I guess might be sitting back in AZ. Leaving me...tentless. I'm staying in a cabin, theres no cell signal, but wifi up the street at the lodge/bar/gas station/general store. Obviously that is how I am writing on here. Did I mention the scenery is great? There are a few fires going, but they're getting turned over to a team, and I'm here specifically for new fires so that means, drive around and look at stuff and go fishing.  Unfortunitly, I am missing parts of my travel fishing rod, so no fishing until we go to a real town and I can stop somewhere and get another rod.  Atleast at the bar, the beer is cold, the service sucks tho. 

Thats it for now

Today dear reader I remembered why it is that I enjoy working for the Federal Government.

First, last night, a tree fell in the forest, and the sound it made was a scream. Well, the tree didn't scream, the camper that just unfortunitly happened to be sleeping in the path of the fall screamed. Now, with broken bones, the person's family is thinking of suing the govt. Because we decide when standing dead trees fall, or there should have been a sign saying "Camp in the forest, you might die." Ofcourse no body ever read the signs when forests close and go hiking anyway, and later as they get a multi-hundred dollar ticket, they reply with "I never saw a sign," the big flashing sign that says "Forest Closed."  Maybe I should start shopping at stores when they are closed and when the police are putting me in bracelets, I'll say "I didn't see a sign." 

Second, a story about a town. The towns people questioned why the govt were cutting in one area, and not around the town. Of course, the govt wanted to cut around the town before a big fire, the town didn't want that. Later a fire came, even though technically, the fire's edge never hit town, several embers fell into town, and started fires in the feet of needles around propane tanks and good needle covered wooden roofs.  The town pretty muched burned down, the govt got blamed. Now, years later, the town wants the govt back cutting around the town so a fire won't burn the town down again.  Because once again its the govt's fault that someone's house burned down, and that person didn't make the effort to protect they're own personal property.

OK my rant is out.  I'm happy that many home insurance companies are wising up, and starting to not help clients if they live in a high fire occurance area and don't do a thing to protect their property.

what is there to say, i got on here to give out something fully intelectual, but got nothing. Passed my written flight exam. Named the project leader on the current thinning project on our district, the first thining project in 3 years. the downside, we're on project hold until its done, so we can't go anywhere...good thing theres nothing else happening.  However, there is one particular person that seems to think hes the boss out there and it gets under my skin. but atleast the crew knows who the actual boss out there really is. well thats all i got

new stuff and rants

Once again I've been overwhellemd with work and post work activities to get onto here. Therefore updates are in order. Almost done learning to fly, just have the written and a handful of lessons. House is comming along, garden has been producing plenty of cucumbers which I have been making into fresh fridge pickles. Made a batch of cherry wine, its aging on oak now. Also brewed a batch of amber ale, for it to go into the keggerator and keg set up, along with a keg of brew from Thunder Canyon Brewery.

Now for rants.

Theres a kid on the other engine from California and has the Cali mentality and attitude. And up until today, its just been annoying, but today he took it too far and it got offensive. I'm not one to take offense easily, but it got to me. If he keeps it up, I'm letting him know, but if that doesn't work, then to the higher ups to eventually get him a stern talking too before grievences are filed, and thus firing him. 

Also theres the monsoon season. I have a swmp cooler, it doesn't work well during very humid times. just blows wet air in the house and I sit in my own sweat all the time. I cant wait for the rains to end.

Long time no see

I looked at my last post and it was well over a month ago, well some things have come and gone.  I'm still flying...when I can. Work has been busy, its a busy season, one where I am literally married to my job, and have no other life next to my work. In fact, I actually got bitched at today because I actually decided to take a second day off for the week. How dare I, but it was the luck of the draw really, my days off are the ones that most people have off, so myself being a perminant and the others seasonals, I get the phone call from the chief questioning my commitment to the district. Hence married to work. Otherwise, the garden is growing well, and the house is as clean as I can keep it granted my limited time to work on it. But for the good news its been 50+ hour work weeks, with hazard from fires, and plenty of fires, 6 this season thus far.  Maybe one day i'll have more than 1 day off.

Talk Hard

Just watched one of my favorite quasi motivational movies. The movie "Pump up the Volume", from the 90s staring Christian Slater and a few others. Its mostly about a guy in high school who has and operates a pirate radio station, and talks his mind. Thats the part of the movie that I enjoy the best, the fact that he talks his mind. In the movie there are a few simple quotes that pretty much sum it up, "talk hard", "So Be it", "the truth is a virus". These pretty much state the idea I feel of the movie, to talk hard, say what you want, and not care what others think of what you said.  It reminds me of my favorite philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson who said "Speak what you think today in hard words and tomorrow speak what tomorrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradict every thing you said today." It reminds me to say whats on my mind, he also says that for true friends, they won't care what you say to them, and one that you can vent to "A friend is one before whom I may think aloud."  Of course I don't want to keep quoting for the rest of this, because RWE was never a big fan of someone quoting someone else. It seems that when you quote someone, your not thinking for your self, but instead your using someone elses thought. I guess then, do I negate my own thoughs on this particular blog? I started with a movie and then continued with quotes from Emerson. So do I think for myself, or do I use others' thoughts about this subject and create my own? Wow, this is getting pretty deep, and I wonder what it all really means, if it means anything or if its just my usual ramble. I guess one of my readers might find something in this helpful, and maybe looking over it later I'll find something in all these words.

new house

Greetings reader
So the move out of the old house is pretty much done, I have a few things to grab from there in the back, but otherwise everything is pretty much out. Tomorrow I turn in the keys and say good ridence.Along with this, begins/continues the move in, settling in, unpacking into the new house. Things are coming along decently but now I have a giant pile of boxes from the kitchen in the living room to sort and either trash/donate/keep. Also is the great debate of the current moment, but it may be decided, that is pin-ups or Bettie Page in the living room. Then it was suggested pin-ups in the living room, and Bettie in the bedroom. This my friend means only one thing, shoping for more pin-ups and more Bettie Page photos to frame, if not already framed. But then I had another thought kinda spurring off of Bettie, and that is what about kinda artistic BDSM b/w photos? The way I got here? Well thinking of the sets that she did as early "fetish" photos reminded me that there maybe some artsy BDSM photos out there. So now I ask your thought, keep it with just Bettie, or add the SM or is the SM too far.  Otherwise I have internet again at the house, and now just need to move over my TV.

Amidst all this unpacking I have to do, I'm back to work in fire. Its looking like it'll be a good fire season. This means 3 things, 1. good chance for buckets of overtime. b. I will have no life. 3. I will be/am fully married to my job, which brings us back to B.  Consequently our boss is big on us working out and getting in shape, so I will be getting a good kick your ass work out every day at work, which could increase my man-sexyness. Which I guess to further increase it, maybe start seeing a waxer and a tanning bed...am I kidding?

Well that is all for now need to start getting to bed earlier for waking up.

Had a dream last night, and I;ll do my best to describe it with hopefully enough details that keeps this entertaining.

It starts during present/Absinthe induced coulture day in an extravegant European country (I couldn't tell if it was France or Italy). The architecture is kinda odd ball, kinda victorian kinda modern. The people are mostly either tatts, piercings, colored hair, or a combination thereof; almost a modern Bohemian revolution like.  Its a summer day and most of us are hanging around the bars and what not near the beach as the roller derby girls are practicing.  When we see soldiers starting to form up on the beach, and ships in the water, we head a little more uphill to watch the show, which is mostly smoke and soldier movement. After a while the invading army from another equally extravegant army starts to come ashore and is pushing back the home army. (This whole time, I'm still American, I'm just visiting.) So we make our way to the streets to watch, some are shooting each other, some are fighting with fixed bayonets in a choreographed manner. The soldiers' faces were very square and rigid, similar to the recruitment sargent in Across the Universe. As we are making our way and watching the roller derby girls come back and start to direct us further into town away from the fighting. We do so and make our way to a small plaza and set up chairs out side and hang out. When a few soldiers come up and one with a fully auto machine gun starts firing at us, but doesn't hit a single person, instead he lines the outside of the plaza with bullet holes and informs us that as long as we stay on our side of the line we will be safe and not shot. Another solider then got out a bazooka and shot at a giant camera lens on the second floor of a building. "hopefully theres not a room with people behind it," he said as he shot. There was a room, but no people.  So more watching and socializing went on, almost became a party, a few girls were getting nervous, but I was there to comfort them.  Later some ladies in woolen uniforms came to watch us and make sure the line wasn't crossed. Free condoms were given away. As re-enforcements marched by, they dropped off old films to be watched. The war was shortly over and there was almost the other side singing "we don't want to fight you anymore". So each army marched past eachother almost as two opposing sports teams walk by at the end of the game to slap hands for a good game.

And thats when my "alarm clock" went off.

Tomorrow is the day that I sign the lease for my new house. I'm looking forward to it. Its a 2 bed 1 bath that was built in 1936. One of the bedrooms even has a "secret passageway", the other might either be a spare or I might make it into a living room or bar or entertaining room, or we'll see, maybe just a dumping ground. There are many early 1900s quirks to the house that makes it awesome. I'm thinking most of the stuff going on walls will be pin-ups and vintage looking aviation themed signs. Any of my readers are welcome to send me pin ups or old airport like signs or posters/pictures to add to the area. A 1940's-ish pilot bar- like a pilot lounge would be kinda cool in the spare bedroom. Of course with all this, I better step it up and host more get togethers and BBQs at the casa.  I'll also need a stereo system to play my records. The house also has rain water havesting and a veggie garden space to re-establish. The owner seems cool, in the movie bizz in new mex, and is willing to throw in on the water bill as long as a keep up the yard, but its mostly succulants so easy peasy, plus thinking of investing in a propane weed burner for monsoonal weeds.  I plan on once I get my brewing stuff over there atleast, of starting up a batch, a new home ale, we'll see what transpires.  tis all until next time.

Its been brought up that I should write a book. I think it would be a good idea, but my question is of what, should it just be a chronical of expierences for the most part factual with some tall tales thrown in there, or should it be all fictional based off of exploits I may have had? I figure its best not to just be pages upon pages of rambling, because honestly, I wouldn't even read it.  I don't know, I wouldn't say no to writing a book, but the question is will it sell, and would it be good. Another thought would be that of a historical research study of something western, granted I don't really remember enjoying writing research projects but who knows. If I went this route, I would consider something about timber/forestry/or the old west painted ladies. Thoughts?

Oscar hopes and dreams

Here is my list of things that I would've liked to see on the Oscars last night.

• Mila Kunis get the Oscar for supporting actress, shes hot.
• Mila Kunis have a "wardrobe malfunction" if she got the Oscar or when she was presenting or both, those things were barely in there- let them be free! I emancipate them.
• Anne Hathaway to have a "wardrobe malfunction".
• Oprah NOT to have a "wardrobe malfunction"- Thank God that didn't happen.
• Someone to walk up to either present or accept and start their speech by "I'm so drunk right now".

Well thats all I got, happy monday, the possibility of a new computer being a netbook is nigh. Oh, and it snowed in the desert, didn't stick or stay longer than a minute or too.

why be structured

Warning:  The following is a bit more of a rant than a humorous observation of life.



So, theres a forum of many that I usually check online, and one day feeling froggy, I decided to start a new thread on a firefighting/ Emergency Service one about truck checks.  I mentioned how my boss might occasionaly insert a quarter into one of the hoses on my engine to make sure that not only is the pump being ran but also water flows thru said hose and nozzle. Then asked if anyone else does anything similar to keep crews on their toes to make sure that the truck is thoughly checked.

Cue birrage of other firefighters chiming in about neglagence, being irresponcible, putting the crew in hazard of life risk, "really really stupid", written procedures, ect. I whittingly said that if thats the case, hose packs (backpacks stuffed with fire hose) can always be pulled and used in such an event on a fire that a hose doesn't work. Cue more posts on neglagence, sending anonymous emails to my city, and more of putting crew life in danger. I responded by mentioning that its done in controlled situations and used as a learning tool.

While feeling angered I looked at some of these respondent profiles and noticed a few similarities, they live in the north east, and are structure firefighters.  Now knowing this I have come up with a reasoning as to why the responses always talked the way they were.

A. They were primarily structure firefighters. Hence, think they're all high and mighty and think that they're top shit. Also, being structure the day of fun in the firehouse of pranks and ass grabbing are gone and replaced by the days of walking on pins and needles around your fellow crew mates as to not hurt anyone's feelings and to make sure that they stay P.C.

B. Theyre big city east coast, can you say political situation?  I mentioned in my last post on that thread about letting houses burn on fires if its not safe, lets see how that goes.

To sum up, if any of my 2 readers are single and female, don't date structure firefighters. They're douche bags to the fullest. Also, back to the all high and mighty side of it, you know what they're doing at the station when not on a call? Being paid by your tax dollars to sit in a chair and play COD all day long, while wildland ff are out in their response area treating the area to keep a future fire from getting too big, or making public contact with recreators or going to schools and telling kids about Smokey Bear.  You can also tell the difference in the vehicles that firefighters drive, structure guys typically have huge jacked up trucks with firefighter stickers all over and a personal firefighter license plate, they may as well have a giant neon sign too, its almost like they're compensating for something....hhhmmmm..  Wildland guys usually don't have brand new trucks, but said trucks are tough, seen more off road that their counterparts, maybe a sticker somewhere saying wildland firefighter-maybe, and definitly not compensating, we're happy and proud of it.  A final difference is that the structure guys always as their personal trucks have something "firefighter" on and are overly pround and like to brag about it.  We're proud of being wildland as well, and may occasionally wear a shirt, but don't go out saying "look at me! I'm a firefighter!" but if you ask us we'll tell you what we do, we don't brag, we're modest.

Ahh, I feel a little better now, thanks for that.

Some random thoughts from the last week.

"where the hell am I?" (said somewhere on I-10 near the AZ/NM border)
"damn its dark" (said same place)

Chinese food in Lordsburg NM is suprisingly decent, probably because its owned by chinese people.
There are more cops in Lordsburg than in Tucson it seems like.

The Geronimo Surrender monument is falic looking.

The actual site of the surrender is marked by a wooden sign, thats all, in a place called Skeleton Canyon near Devils Kitchen.

Finished learning to be a crew boss and an engine boss all in the time period of almost a week. To sum up, delagate to your foremen so that all you have to do is remember to put on your boots in the morning and where the truck or engine is parked, and who has the keys if you don't.
On other fronts, my roomates are moving out of the house, all of them. A blessing? Maybe, the house would all be mine, I could run naked throughout the house if I chose. A tradgedy? As well, this means that all bills and full rent is on me, and with what it is, that is tough without dipping into some alternative sources that I try in ernst not to dip. The decision? Start the search for a smaller cheeper place for just myself. There are areas in town that have older homes that are smaller within walking from local food markets as well as some good bars. Plus how great would a 1930-40's cottage or bungalow be?

Its still cold, got a plot done finally yesterday, it was 18F. But got to kill a few hours by going up to Silver City to talk with the land co. Its always assuring when he asks if we carry or are allowed to carry guns, then advises the act there of. It litteraly still is the wild west down there. Maybe I should start keeping one in my pack even tho I'm technically not supposed to, bearspray doesn't stop bad guys.  Also got questioned by Border Patrol, and was informed to let them know when we go down there and where about we'll be.

the home front had some busted pipes from the cold, fixed now. otherstuff too, kinda a figurative punch in the face. we'll see whats aligned the next few days.

Currently in the Boot-heel of New Mexico. Few interesting things, still too close to AZ and old Mexico that mexican food isn't true new mexican. I've crossed to Continental Divide more times these last few days that I don't even notice anymore. There are no barbed wire fences, only tumble weed fences, well there are barbed wire, but the tumble weeds are entangled. Saw a Badger today, it was quite furry, but kept distance since they tend to chase one if one were to get too close, and if it chases and catches it'll claw the bejesus out of you.  Its interesting that Ghost towns can be owned and turned into a tourist place.  Border Patrol now has more weird looking trucks.  I think I drank all of the Shiner Bock in Lordsburg.  The Hampton Inn doubles as an army national guard office for the small detachment here (about 3 or 4 guys).  Watching the weather maps on the state wide local news they omit the county that I am in for the forcast, did they forget about us?

"Don't give a diamond when you can give the family jewels" thank you CBS public announcement

new ramblings

I guess its customary to start with an introduction of sorts or a background of how this particular blog came to be.  Well first the title. diary of a mad man? At first I wanted something more like ramblings since thats what these entries will more likely be, but alas that title was already taken as a compilation of journal entries of a true mad man, visionary, and great modern philosopher Edward Abbey.  The all lower case in the title is an amage to poet e.e. cummings, who's genius has been censored, and censorship is bad (to put it blatently). Thirdly the question mark, mostly because I am always questioning as to whether or not I really am mad, or are we all mad here, or is everyone else mad and I not.  Such a need for a question mark.

Also, the address of this little blog, the Pinchot is to Gifford Pinchot the father of forestry.

So why might you as have I started this? I don't know, maybe out of bordom, maybe out of as an outlet for me to rant. Also I wanted a personal end of the whole blog thing. My other one is more of my way to update my maybe 2 max readers of what I am doing fermenting wise. Thus I need an outlet, and here it is.

So, drop in, drop out, tune in, tune out, come in come out, turn on turn off, play with yourself play with myself, switch off, switch on and stay tuned for another