Dear Republicans, Democrats aren't going to go away. Dear Democrats, Republicans aren't going anywhere. It sucks that Obama hasn't really kept many of his 2008 campaign promises, and likely won't, and it sucks that Romney is pretty much unelectable. It sucks that there is a recession, and it sucks that people from Mexico keep sneaking into the U.S.  It all sucks.

          But what really sucks is the fact that the war, the recession, the election, and a thousand other things has divided the people of the country. Brother against brother, husband against wife, neighbor against neighbor. People have died, for fucks sake, because Obama got reelected. Died. Dead. Dude got run over by his wife, for not voting. The civil war is on, folks. It's happening, right now, on your street, in your town, on your fucking facebook. Rather than put the election behind you, so many of you are taking out your frustrations on one another. Rather than trying to work to make your community better, you are taking potshots at one another.


           We are all human fucking beings. Democrats are no better or worse than Republicans, and if your team lost, then too bad so sad, better luck next time. Go feed a homeless guy. Go take a bottle of wine to the new neighbor, despite his stupid campaign sign.


            If you are going to let this shit pull you apart from your friends or family, rather than draw you closer, then what do you think that says about you? What message are you sending? 'Goddammit,if you and I don't share the same concerns about foreign policy and gun control, then we just can't be friends!' Really? Does it really not occur to some people that there are other things in the world besides politics? How about movies? Sunsets? Art? Food? Things that bring people together, rather than drive them apart? Fun fact: people in 30 states actually petitioned the Federal Government, demanding that their states secede from the United States of America. Because Obama won! That is INSANE!

Just a quick not to say this. If you have not seen the movie Vertical Limit, with Chris O'Donnell, take the time out of your day to miss it. Dayum, it sucks.

This last month.

Welp, my mom came to France for her annual 3 week vacation. AAAnd got real sick. She left today, 4 1/2 weeks after arriving. The last few days were great, but the bulk of her trip just sucked. I mean, she needed to go to see a doctor, then a day at an E.R., several days in bed. I think what caused it, is the stress of the trip itself, the flight is brutal, especially for a 70 year old,  how hard it is to leave her husband behind, and the fact that two of her kids are not getting along.Thats gotta be hard. And, predictably, trouble at home while she was here. Then the cat is away, the poisonous people will play. All that, I think, was just too much.

The last couple days, we just hit a couple museums, and the Chateau d'Vizille. Of course, it has just been hot as balls, and that will tire anyone out in a great big hurry.  So. Not a good trip for my dear mummy.  Maybe next year, if she comes.


Still, not an EMPTY month. We got a kitten. Well, Jessica did. Annie is her name, an she is full of cute and murder.  Here she is, with my cat, Taco. He is a good daddy.

She is pretty fuckin cute.

The Olympics. We all saw what we could, yeah? Well, as we were pretty much stuck here, I saw tons. I was left with a few questions. The bike races, you know, on the wood track? The rules seem to be completely indecipherable. Also, equestrian sports? Really? Its 2012, IOC.  Does the horse get a medal, or is that reserved for the douchebag on it's back? What a waste of time. Anyway, two weeks every 4 years is just too much pretending to give a shit about track and swimming. That said, helLOO, ladies beach volleyball!  Now THATS a sport!

Blokay. Thats all I got. Smell ya later.

One of these belongs to the University of California at Berkly

The other day was the 14th, Bastille Day. Lots of stuff going down round here, we recently got a new prez, Independence Day in the States, the Tour de France, and yesterday's holiday.

Happily, the 4th was just another day for us. We probably BBQed, I may,or may not have had a few beers. Every day here is a holiday.

See?

The Tour. I am kinda getting into it. It's on all day, every day, goes through all of France, the TV people show  some amazing shots of castles, natural formations, bitchen villages, and slices of French life. The whole juicing thing is kinda funny to me. As I see it, these guys are athletes, right? Competitive, by definition. Their lives are all about getting an edge over the other guy, the other team, country, whatever. Why not use steroids? Who cares? Look at a linebacker for any American football team. Does anyone really think that human beings are built like that? Look at these bike racers. From the waist up, they could be victims of famine, but the Incredible Hulk should have legs like that. They are friggin huge! Like, comically huge! And, of course,the poop face when they are sprinting for the finish line.

Poop face!

Yesterday was Bastille Day, French Independence day. There is the usual fireworks, and celebrations, and drunk driving arrests, as in the States, but the parade in Paris was quite different than parades back home. 4th of July parades are, and correct my if I'm wrong, High School marching bands, fireman, shriners, some floats, cops on horseback, and the like, right? I seem to remember a trucking outfit I drove for having a couple trucks in one, but that could have been a different parade.

In other words,this.

A good time is had by all. The parade in Paris was,at least the part I saw on TV, all military hardware, Firemen, cops, military aircraft, cop helicopters, and the like. Really impressive.

It was a hell of a show. At the end, there were these 4 elite paratroopers, they jumped out of a hovering helicopter, and floated down in formation, sitting on each others parachutes,like a ladder. 3 of them landed safely, without incident, but 1 landed on some cobblestones, and blew up his knee. Prez Holland is making the rounds after the thing was over, and goes to shake the guys hand. It was pretty cool. Here is a link.

http://www.francetv.fr/info/video-un-parachutiste-se-blesse-a-l-atterrissage-place-de-la-concorde_118759.html

The night of the 13th, we drove to Fort St. Eynard,

Here,

to see fireworks in and around Grenoble. Now, Grenoble has an elevation of about 200 meters, and the fort is on a cliff, above the Grenoble valley, at 1330 meters in elevation. Over a kilometer higher, with an unobstructed view. It was pretty cool. We could see, at one point, 7 different fireworks shows at once. My pictures suck, but here goes...

Super. Thats all I got. Peace.

Happedy hap haps

WELP, I am officially unemployed. It ended yesterday,the 9th. The intimidation, abuse, belittling and bigotry are officially a thing of the past, forever. Today starts a new chapter in your hero's life. One filled with adventure and babes! Robots! Dinosaurs! Awesome!

All seriousness aside, I am going back to cooking. I was in the shower, doing what I do best ( not that), and I think that the last time I was really happy at work was when I was cooking. I like the atmosphere. Restaurants are,by necessity, staffed by nuts, and I like nuts. A bit of crazy is good. I think you find the same in tattoo shops, indy motorcycle shops, and theaters. So, I am going to, as I have said here before, open a food truck. It will be called Route 66, and it will serve hamburgers,cheeseburgers, fries,onion rings, and the like. It will be unique here in Grenoble, but not unique in France. It will be successful, and FUN.

Speaking of abuse, I have had to separate myself from my brother. He suddenly became very abusive toward me and Jessica, making impossible threats, accusing us of things... Real schoolyard bully behavior. He has done this sort of thing before, and I have always forgiven and forgotten, but this time is different. I cannot have such negative people in my life, even if they are family, so I have needed to step away. Some might think that I  am turning my back on my family,and that is fine. I don't see it that way, it's just for my family's safety,and my mental health. I believe he is dangerous and unbalanced, so, goodbye for now, K. Until you can clean up your own kitchen, please stay away from mine.


Did you know that I am not 20 years old anymore? Neither did I!! I was on my bike, being the Action Sports Hero that I was born to be, and I fell off. Bent my Fuck You finger back towards the back of my hand. This was just before June 17, Fathers Day.

Exactly like this.

Anyhoo, it's been 3 weeks now, and the pain is mostly gone but the swelling is still present, and it doesn't like to move so much. Its not broken, but the Doctor says that I might need surgery anyway. WOOT! Then, last week, I responsibly removed the splint, again, grabbed my bike and my kid, and hit the same trail! Fell again! Using skills taught to me by ninjas in the far east (Indiana) ( HOOSIERS!! WOO!!!), I deftly broke my fall by impaling my wrist on the crank gear teeth on my bike. Picture it. On a steep mountainside, no cell service, on a weekday so few if any hikers, bleeding like a stuck pig with 2 fresh gouges in your wrist. With your slightly panicked 14 year old. Good times. Adventures suck when you are having them. Long story short, I am now banned ( grounded) from my bike until I have healed somewhat. Taaaaariffic.

My mom will be here in a couple weeks, so we are all pretty excited about that. It's gonna be pretty low key, no GIANT parties, a barbecue on the 28th, a day trip to Nyons, another to Lyon, a lazy boat ride in Pont-en-Royans, and a lot of lizard style lazin in the sun. Cow tipping. Fondues. Wine. You know,the usual nightmarish things one must endure, living in a third world shithole like France.

That's all I got. Peace.

The happenin haps

Really,just the same old,same old,as the kids say. My job will be over July 4, I have been hiking and biking a lot,  and I am still on track to start My Own Business. Lots and lots of family drama, here and back in the States. My mother will be here in three weeks,or so,and will be staying three weeks. Life here in the Alps is boring as shit, and that is how we like it. We have a whole bunch of new cows, and they are super friendly. I have taken a bunch of new pictures, you can find em https://www.facebook.com/picturesoffrance right there. I am really into graffiti.

Daniel is out of school for the year, and I hope next year goes better than this one did. It didn't go bad, but this whole teenage thing... I dunno. I hope this passes.

Thats about it, for now. No news, I guess, is good news.

Summer

Welp, warm weather has arrived, and with it, the cows. As I have said, we live on a mellow ski slope,  a total of 6 buildings, and  June comes with a bonus; Cows! Calves, really, they were born last fall, and are almost fully grown cows. Friggin adorable.

These cows belong to the folks who run a fromagerie on the Charmant Som. They have a little cafe up there, serve pies and coffee to the hikers, and sell cheese. These cows you see here will spend the summer with us, then go wherever they go for the winter, then next summer will be living up top, making milk for cheese.

Every year there are one or two cows that are friendlier than the others. This bunch is kinda funny, though, they have taken a liking to Mountain Man's dog, that he keeps tied up outside. Dog howls, cows moo. The first cow to come and try to eat my shirt, her name is 1370. She's  cool. My mother will love her.

 Thats all I got. Job bullshit is about over, and a new chapter in my life is about to begin. The future is looking good.

Peace.

To Chambery, and beyond!

Chambery is a city North East of Mont Moi, according to Wikipedia, and it only has about 57000 folks living there, but it feels much larger. It is in the Savoie region, and I am in love with their food. I fucking LOVE savoyard munchies. Just so you know, am I am writing this, Holland just won the election. He is a Socialist, so he may have the Politburo come liquidate me, you never know.

Where was I? Oh yeah, Chambery. They have a bitchen pedestrian district, a cool castle, which now is home to a museum, and some government offices. See more here.
http://www.chambery.fr/

In the center of town there is a weird fountain with elephants all over it. A little out of place in the Alps, yeah? It is a sort of memorial to a guy who went off to the Indies to be a soldier for France and make his fortune. He did, retired, came back to Chambery, and gave the city the gift of a shitload of money. They thanked him with a cool fountain.

After Chambery, nature struck!! Dom dom dommmm!

Please forgive this post. I think that I am a little drunk on a bitchen badass day, and the first barbeque of the summer, and today was a great day. If you want to see some more pics, go to my FB page.

https://www.facebook.com/picturesoffrance

Peace.