music

I had another music lesson with Bill today; he is impressive.  I feel fairly humbled and genuinely thankful for his tutelage, I think he can push me into new worlds.  Feeling apprehensive, I awoke early, considering my partying.  Dub-step dance parties usually lead to late "mornings."  I cleaned my music room today and moved a piano my parents never use.  I'm going to attempt to take if from them, I hope I learn rapidly.  I will try to play vibes this semester, if I am able.  I I I I I I I I, and I again. Lots of Me in there.

I need to sharpen my knives again tomorrow, as usual, I'm getting to the point where I just really need to sharpen them every day.  It makes my night at the sushi bar something much easier to look forward to, everything looks prettier.  Maybe I can nerve myself up to go see Paul again soon.  I hear he's leaving for Hawaii for a week or so... perhaps when he returns I will also.

I do very well when there is an instructor pushing me.  Paul always said that I need to grow up and get over this... I agree, but in the short term I would love to take advantage of any opportunity to train with a skilled student.

Shiitake

Shiitake mushrooms! Mmmmmm.. these are wonderful to cook with, they remind me of the fresh mushrooms available at the farmer's markets in Santa Cruz.  I helped grow these ones, which makes eating them even better.  It's become a yearly tradition now to head to my friend Bill's house, and pound mushroom spawn into fresh cut alder logs, cover them in wax and then let them sit.  He does permaculture around his place, he says the mushroom logs help hold moisture in the soil and keep things vibrant.  Come the right time of year, the logs start popping shiitake out like crazy, big fat ones and little juicy ones.  We also grow reishi and oysters at his place.

 

distance

Biking from McKinleyville to Arcata is sheer joy.  The quiet of the bottoms and the view over the mad river make the 20 minute ride cathartic. One notes, with some glee, that taking a car or bus to Arcata is itself a 15 minute trip, at far greater expense.

Yesterday I started telling more people in my life about this trip I'm planning.  The more people I tell, the more real it seems.

Here's some pictures of the knives I bring to work.  These were taken before sharpening, they need some serious work! I also need some serious practice.

daze

Took some pictures of my pre-sharpened knives.  I'm super happy with the result of my yanagi, it pulls through fish like they aren't even there.  I've never had a knife this sharp, but it is queer to think that the blade has yet to reach its potential through my imperfect practice.  My gyuto is sharp, and capable, but I managed to smudge its shinogi line and I can't get the tip to sharpen, it is going to take time and energy.

My sister is back in Santa Cruz, I have a strong desire to visit her, maybe by Greyhound if that is the means I can find.  It would be good to spend some days in their weather.  I still feel that energy to go, to disappear somewhere I have never been except in my mind.  My job traps me here, and Humboldt, but I know that the only real cage is in my mind.  The Chinese healers say that it is our fear which hunches us over and destroys our body, crushed beneath the weight of our bones and terror.  Siddhartha merely pleads with us to wake up.