When I was eleven he showed me...

 A map of a magical island called Daryabar.  It was inhabited by elves and dwarves and nymphs, and, of course, humans.  Merfolk lived in its harbor while sea dragons splashed along its northern waters.  There were many details: towns and cities, geographical and naturist wonders, and he described it all like you could sail to its shores tomorrow.  I learned that creativity can come from within.  That fantasy worlds don't have to belong to books, movies, or Saturday morning TV.  You can create your own. 

At twelve he showed me...

 A peanut brittle meteorite, a three-hundred million year-old trilobite, and ancient roman coins.  He compared the age of the Earth to the height of the Empire State building.  I came to realize that the universe is really big, and really old. 

At thirteen he showed me...

 Books on the lost civilizations of Petra and Angkor Wat.  He talked of the Mayan calendar and Chinese astrology.  I learned that the quest for knowledge is a thirst mankind has had for a very long time. 

At fourteen he showed me...

 Eastern Philosophy from the Tao Te Ching to Alan Watts and quoted Western thoughts from Nietzsche to the Bible.  I learned that the question of God is not an easy one. 

And over the years he showed me...

 The wonders of Yosemite, the steep hillsides of San Francisco, the immense size of the Sequoias, and the pounding surf of Big Sur, as well as the turtle-like progression of a VW bus on a California freeway.  My love of nature grew new roots and higher branches. 

Lastly, Bob showed me the stars.  The billions and billions of stars.  And he is there, as we all are, on an outer arm of a spiral galaxy.  Flying through the universe like a biplane through the clouds. 

There will be a dedication ceremony / memorial service for Robert Burnham Jr. at Lowell Observatory on August 15, 2009, 2:00pm.  He died, alone and destitute at Mercy Hospital in San Diego on March 20, 1993.  His book, Burnham's Celestial Handbook, An Observer's Guide to the Universe Beyond the Solar System, is a 2,138 page bible for amateur astronomers worldwide.  You can read a bit about his life at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Burnham,_Jr.  And you can read even more at http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/1997-09-25/news/sky-writer/full.

If any studio has consistantly put out awesome movies, it's Pixar. From its beginning in 1995 they have made a stellar list of animated movies: Toy Story, A Bug's Life (admittedly their weakest effort), Toy Story 2, Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Cars, Ratatouille, and WALL-E. And tomorrow their tenth project hits theaters: Up.

My personal fav is The Incredibles. On so many levels it's a wonderfully perfect movie. I love the characters, the wit, the story, the bad guy, the big battle, and the final resolution.

I'm looking forward to this latest by Pixar, although I admit that past success doesn't necessarily mean this will soar, and, like always, I'm hedging my expectations. But if anyone can make the idea of an old fart going on a trip exciting, it would have to be Pixar. I mean, look what they did with a fish, a car, a rat, and not to mention, a trash compactor.

I give it 3 Puppy Dogs of Excitement

Excited! Must see the movie opening weekend.

 

Okay, in honor of the new Star Trek movie that is getting awesome reviews, I hereby create a Star Trek Meme of my own creation and stuff. Please copy and paste into your LJ with your answers so I get some satisfaction out of it.  

Perhaps I'm beating myself up for very little reason.  Here's the thing, or things, actually: The Food Bank and RVs.  Unrelated yet related.

I think going green is an important issue.  I've told myself to try, at least some of time, to do green things.  This includes doing stuff for charity, even if it doesn't really qualify as a 'green' activity.  I guess I now lump all helpful, non-selfish acts as Green.  Weird.

I was going to post this on Earth Day but life got too busy.

Do not assume a bear cannot get into a locked car, it can.  Do not assume a bear cannot access a trunk, it can.  We have seen the evidence of a bear peeling a car door open and digging his/her way through the back seat to get to the trunk.  I wish I had taken photos of it, the leftover carnage was quite a sight (see the pun: car and damage -- carnage... heh). 

Yosemite is like a large amusement park; there's crowds, a lot of walking, and it's hard to see everything.  There can be lines for the bus, lines for restaurants, and lines for the shower.  So much for getting back to nature. 

On the other hand, Yosemite is a spectacular place, full of waterfalls, giant trees, granite domes, and sheer cliffs.  Camping in the valley allows you to a chance to hang out with lots of other people who are trying to get away from it all - but not so far that you are alone. 

Hiking, biking, sightseeing, painting, photography, and birding sessions, as well as backpacking and rock climbing are all available in Yosemite. The trick is to do what you have an interest with the time you are there. 

Yosemite is divided into about five distinct areas: The Valley, the Little Valley, the South Rim, the Sequoias, and the High Country.