.. spent the July of 2002 in Santiago Chile. But it was not the summer season there rather it was winter; a terse period of cold rain and temperatures in the 30s. My morning hours, I walked from an apartment hotel to the broad magnificent Avenida Libertador Bernardo O’Higgins and navigated my way, over the course of 25 to 30 minutes, to the Bellavista neighborhood for Spanish language classes. Continue reading →

Kristen Stewart became a household name, worldwide, on the strength of six top-grossing movies from 2008 – 2012. The five Twilight movies and Snow White & the Huntsman were international sensations. Continue reading →

How I wished I could have made it to Seattle last spring (2016); it is only 5 or 6 hours, via Interstate 5 north, from Portland/Salem. The Seattle Museum was hosting an exhibition of the work of Kehinde Wiley. Continue reading →

.. very few people are in the queue outside, this afternoon, at the cinema; a subdued somber solar light streams through the clouds; at least it is not raining. I am here to see Julieta, a subtle and beautifully crafted film which is the latest by Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar.

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Downtown Portland, rush hour.

The Hawthorne Street Bridge and the Morrison Street Bridge are two of several bridges that connect the city of Portland as it spans the Willamette River. Located near the east side entry of these two bridges, the Grand Avenue corridor, are two soaring examples of architectural sculptures. Continue reading →

.. waiting outside, in a line of people, on a blustery chiaroscuro day at the cinema. I am here to see the film Patterson, which is the latest by director Jim Jarmusch.

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Santa Fe, New Mexico is known as the premier location of the quintessential southwestern style. This style includes traditional southwestern Pueblo, Territorial, and other regional architectural elements. Some of these elements incorporate earth-toned stucco walls, exposed beams (vigas), large covered porches (portales), flat roofs, terra cotta tiles for floors/walls, high-desert minimalist landscaping, and other traditional components. The styles pre-date New Mexico’s statehood in 1912 and they have direct links to the pre-statehood territorial period of 19^th and early 20^th century. In the late 1950’s the city of Santa Fe passed ordinances controlling the look of new and rebuilt construction, especially in its historic districts, as a continuation of the Santa Fe Style. Other cities, with significant historic districts, have also adopted strict architectural guidelines; notably the American southeast cities of Charleston, SC and Savannah, GA. Continue reading →

My mind drifts to random reflections as I navigate the queries on an internet website. What is the user name? What is the password? And answer security question #1? Continue reading →

Several months ago, a friend & I, he lives in California and I reside in Oregon, were discussing the distinction between vocation and avocation. The former refers to a form of lifelong work or career and the latter refers to a long-term pursuit as well but the distinction is that avocations are generally regarded as voluntary pursuits; frequently avocations are not remunerated by much public recognition or financial compensation. My avocation is writing and the blogsite is the primary outlet for this pursuit. His avocation is music.

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Several weeks ago, I had an opportunity to attend a poetry reading in Salem; Salem is the capital city of Oregon. Poet Carlos Reyes, an Oregon resident, gave a reading at a downtown bookstore. Reyes is an excellent and talented writer, poet, & translator. Of course, his reading that evening, at the bookstore, was superb and he focused mostly on his recent poetic projects. However, during the reading, I developed a nagging sensation, and I started to cast about, mentally, for a forgotten connection which had slipped my mind.

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