Oh, my dear lord....I have no words.

The Finnish band Gregorious performs a spirited rendition of the Village People's gay disco classic "YMCA" (NMKY).

Theories of Time & Space by Natasha Trethewey

You can get there from here, though
there’s no going home.

Everywhere you go will be somewhere
you’ve never been. Try this:

head south on Mississippi 49, one-
by-one mile markers ticking off

another minute of your life. Follow this
to its natural conclusion – dead end

at the coast, the pier at Gulfport where
riggings of shrimp boats are loose stitches

in a sky threatening rain. Cross over
the man-made beach, 26 miles of sand

dumped on a mangrove swamp – buried
terrain of the past. Bring only

what you must carry – tome of memory
its random blank pages. On the dock

where you board the boat for Ship Island,
someone will take your picture:

the photograph – who you were –
will be waiting when you return

Warmth, Giant Black Toobs no.3

I took Sally to Volunteer Park on Friday afternoon to see version 4 of this amazing installation. Sally was singularly unimpressed, but walking among these giant, undulating pieces was so amazing as to be hard to describe. They reminded me of hair, fingers, sea anemone, surreal landscape memories.

I realized later that I had only taken the smallest amount of time to wonder about how they work (somehow solar powered), allowing myself instead to just enjoy being in their presence.

Mini Ivan Report #2

He has made it to Shaniko, OR - where 97 intersects with 218. He thinks he'll get to Bend, OR on M0nday.

His solar panel charger is not working as effectively as he had hoped, so his blogging may continue to be sporadic as his ride continues. I, for one, hope that he hits a good stretch of sun so that he can. Not just because it lets me know he's ok (which is a very good thing), but I really enjoy his posts from the road. They're kind of addicting :).

ETA: According to Google Maps (which I've finally figured out) he's biked 288 miles so far!