Art Direction and Design from the Ground Up.

It is well past my bedtime (who am I kidding, I go to bed when I want) and I am excited with progress. I'd thought my own website would be on the backburner till I finished other projects, but I had a burst of energy and a vision. So I decided to start slow and low at first and gradually work up to a roar. It's simple for now, but suffices well beyond a blank page that screams, "I don't have my shit together, but please consider me professional anyway."

Without further ado:
AtomFarm
& the full folio for your convenience
AtomFarm Book

Yesssssss...

________


Last week, I went camping on the beach with my friend Jordan. Our sandy sea quarters were less than two hours from my house at Point Mugu, but it managed to take us the entire day to get there. We were 10 miles away when his brakes went out, literally smoking, and rather than let it sit, we got it towed to a mechanic near my house, reloaded the gear into my car, and drove back out to the beach, set up camp, and got the lay of the land. I brought out one of my deep cycle batteries and mini fridge for ultimate beer cooling and testing the system. That night, we witnessed a spectacular dance of nature I've never seen before. Microscopic dinoflagellates produce natural bioluminescence (like Avatar!!) and glow an unreal blue when disturbed as though nature had puked a rave in the breakwater. We hadn't even taken the psilocybin yet. The stars were clear, and it was magic. I even used a really cool free App called "Planets" on my iPhone to track the constellations. Technology.... woOOooOOoOOOooOoO
The next morning we woke for breakfast (I love camping and waking with the sun), had a snap of fudge and crossed under a drainage wash towards the mountains to peer into our minds. I always have chalk with me for just such occasions. We ended up at a fork in the road, paused for a moment and eventually took the path where a brown hare had suddenly appeared. Further down the rabbit hole we went! It was a gloomy morning, but by mid-day it, the sun was doing what it does best. We were off the beaten path, hiking at the top of a ridge, coastal wind on our now shirtless and sweat drenched bodies, shit eating grins on our faces, and it was a Wednesday. There were very brief moments of questioning a u-turn to get back on the "trail," but I'm glad we followed our instincts and pressed on. When we got back to camp, the rest of the fudge was split, we played some Bocce Ball with intermittent giggles and sat on the smooth rock beach where we had admired the ocean the night prior. Dolphins and bay seals entertained us for the afternoon, while we gave ourselves foot massages by rock and I felt a balance of nature and human that was so vividly real, it reassures my upcoming journey of harmony. I made rock sculptures and discussed the finer qualities of being a rock with said rock, and I came to a conclusion. Its not the rock that changed, just my perception of it. Like "there is no spoon" from the Matrix. Can this be carried over into other parts of life? "There is no obstacle" is essentially what I got from it, and yes, it can be carried over. If you want something bad enough, there is no obstacle.

I want freedom, and I am taking the steps to make it a more permanent lifestyle, rather than doling out my liberty into two (and sometimes) three day segments from a benevolent boss. I made final commitments with the farm in Maui last night, and there are many things growing, not necessarily exactly as planned, but full of possibility none the less. One of my newest clients is a filmmaker, and I might trade some services with him for a film of my own. Who knows? Rhetorically speaking, of course; I'm not concerned with knowing. I'm having a rather excellent time on the ride as it is.

How could I forget?! Freedom? Independence?! Happy 4th of July to the truly independent.

Speaking of rides and freedom, I've been riding my Surly much more frequently. When I ride the hipster bike, it just feels weird now. I still use it, but more casually, and discernibly (quick local trips). Anyway, I've been riding the bikes much more, because I figure, I talk the talk, I should walk the walk (ride the ride?). So I rode to my Sunday farmers' market which makes me incredibly happy to begin with, but being on my bike, with the wind in my face, coffee in hand and organic foods in my panniers... man, I'm getting into it. I like sustainability and farming and independence and communing with nature and people. Nay, I love it.

Totally forgot I was on bike when I bought the watermelon, but with the bags and rack, I figured it out. I got:

• watermelon
• 1Doz eggs
• Half flat of strawberries
• peaches and a nectarine
• Yukon gold potatoes and yellow onions
• corn
• bok choy and a head of lettuce
  
• cherries

And not a single egg broke. I even helped a man on the way home with directions and gave him a strawberry. Good day, and cheers.

Milk Chocolate, Turned Pudding

So much has happened lately I'll try to condense it without sounding too much like an itinerary.

First things first; I bought a ticket to Maui to begin my WWOOFing journey. YES!! There's no turning back now. The ticket is activated September through February, but if need be I could arrange a different date, sans charge, as long as the flight parameters are the same. Maybe I'm taken by it's beauty and I don't come back for quite some time, or hate it altogether and come back immediately (doubtful, but you never know). This is a portion of the Greenleaf's property.

I used some frequent flyer miles from United, which totally cushioned the transaction considering my "un"employed situation, and while not the most environmentally conscious form of transportation, I was left with no alternative because my kayak is out of commission. I'm very happy with my choice of air travel provider. They even comp'd me drinks cause their video was out. I find that an adult beverage or two helps me get over the unease of flying.

Up until the moment I clicked "Submit" to purchasing the plane ticket, my plans had all been tentative. A passionate desire cooked in a half-baked plan tied to a nomad's bindle. But now its real. I have a solid date to base something (my life?!) around. What was once a liquid milk chocolatey plan is turning into a solid, rich and creamy layer of pudding that forms at the top of the pot, the kind that mom used to make... where was I, pudding? Oh right, solid plans. That's not to say some unforeseen event could occur to prevent me from getting on that plane and traveling to the pineapple state, but all efforts on my part are proceeding with vigor and zeal. Could really go for some organic pudding...is that an oxymoron?

Freelance is coming in with perfect timing, and some rather large clients, so I've stepped up my approach and reformulated my portfolio. Here it is if you'd like to view. Next is the website. Baby steps, but getting there.

I got a new bike! A Surly Long Haul Trucker which will carry me and all my gear wherever I need to go. It came with a Surly Nice Rack and I got two waterproof panniers, a waterproof pouch for the front, fenders, a new pump, and put my Brooks saddle and SPD pedals on it. I also outfitted it to hold my mini solar panel, so while I'm riding (and the sun is shining) I can power my iPhone for music and directions. I intend on riding it to Santa Cruz and/or San Diego, and I'll be shipping it to Maui when I go out there. Very excited to ride this more, but coming from a fixed gear, it's a huge mental hurdle to overcome not having to pedal and using multiple gears with brakes. I don't get to the destination as fast, but my body feels better after a ride, and I can carry everything I need. I've also discovered this is not a daily commuter, nor a bar bike. Far too much trouble to deal with locking it up. I'd just as soon scoop up my KHS and whip out the house.


I finally made it out to my uncle's property in Mississippi. A two hour drive north from New Orleans across Lake Ponchartrain, through vast countryside, and a political dispute later (my uncle, despite our similarities, is vehemently pro-corporation), we rolled up to a one room studio house aptly dubbed Ed's Shed–my other uncle was involved in building it. Anyway, I spent the next 4 days Huck-Finning it around the property and surrounding areas. It was a sweaty and thought provoking adventure of tossing around gnarled cut-outs on a 4WD ATV, shooting beer cans with a Daisy bb rifle I bought from Wal Mart, writing and thinking, basking in southern sunsets, wrasslin with a beagle puppy that showed up on the property, picking blueberries and blackberries, laying floorboard, meeting the local hospitality, smoking copious thai sticks, and concepting on The Shire. The freedom and lack of restriction is unparalleled to anywhere else I've been. Lots of property to pretty much do what you want with it. My uncle is in the midst of finishing a two bedroom house:

and without inspection or permit necessities, he can finish quicker and less expensively. I forgot to mention he's a licenced contractor, so it's not like shanty town status. He found a shack that had been on the property for over a hundred years, and we used it as floorboards for the upstairs landing. Really nice reclaimed wood.

And it dawned on me, that more than a human female companion, I want a dog. I had such an amazing time connecting with this puppy, "H" I called him, and I really felt sad leaving. With a little training, he'd be an amazing hunting dog. Very smart, this one. I'd really like a dog friend.

Adventure, a la Huckleberry Finn. My uncle and I would talk extensively into the night about possibilities for The Shire. Building technique, methods, time frames, costs...



I was also in New Orleans to attend my cousin's wedding, which was lovely. Great selection of catered food, open bar, and one of those photo booths.
Family, the blood, my tribe. Never before have I felt such a kinship with my heritage. Not just the relations I'm developing with my immediate family, but the historical and cultural significance I've concluded of the south in a grander scale. It feels old. Heavy French influences wet my palate in art, food, and drink. The century-old oaks with hanging moss in City Park, the countryside and open pastures, the slavery. My dad did some family tree research, and apparently my lineage will trail back to reveal I'm a descendant of an enslaved southern plantation worker seduced by her master.

This may or may not be completely accurate based on spotty records, but even the idea of it makes me understand a bit of the enslavement myself. I just made a connection to something I wrote while in New Orleans:

The "civilized" world has taken us away from true harmony. It is a facade. A game set up with the sole purpose of self perpetuation through slavery for financial gain. The free world we call America was built on slave hands; from the plantation south, to the trains out west, and the rape of native lands at it's not so humble beginnings. "Slavery" has been re-interpreted for our contemporary consumption. We are slaves to industry. Livelihood, food, education, spirituality, ethics, and entertainment. Its even harder to get out of slavery now. Historically, a slave master was an actual person - you could see them, running away from a physical human. Now, the slave master is a shadowy thought. An unquantifiable, omni-connected bureaucratic web. You can't run away from this slave master, because it is everywhere, all the time.

So that is the system. Pretty shitty when I think about it. But its presented with a sugar coating for easy swallow. I taste the kool-aid every now and then, but the more I realize what it truly is by peeling back the veils of deception, the more I find solace in the fresh-squeezed OJ.

What is beyond the facade of tangible acquisition? I intend to get closer to it.

For me its not about battling the system, but more focused on not engaging in a broken system at all. I want to opt out. I'm not interested. I'm just gunna do my own thing over here.

Organic pudding and Fresh Squeezed OJ.

The Infinite Waterfall

The Infinite Waterfall
cascades over time/space
and i get lost in a staring
contest with myself,
no reflection in sight.

thinking deeply with my eyes open, yet not engaged.
Why not just close my eyes?

I feel compelled to stare blankly
optics evenutally relaxing
focus gradually becoming
less sharp, the view duplicating out of recognition.
yet my consciousness is as pointed as ever...
moreso than the sensations of five

I've dipped my toes into the infinite waterfall.

Pregnant Minds

Open call for submission - Pregnant Minds
Handmade and liberated zine/blog featuring original art.

I'm in a hammock right now.

mike came over and we set up the geodome today. we're measuring to sew a cap that will slip over the whole thing. Five polygons (pentagon with an extra triangle on the side bottom) attached by velcro and snaps. possibly a sky light hemmed in one (deflated plastic balloon), and a mesh netted section for breeze action.


Also, Senor Rowlett brought over an alcohol stove he'd created out of a soda can.

and a fabulous reward of beer and hammocking.

Active Shire Searchings

Pieces of inspiration and resource.

Kill Radio

Some friends of mine host a free radio program called the Reverend's Show on Kill Radio. I'll be a guest talking about sustainability, traveling, and other conscious ideas. I'll also be talking about my upcoming journey to Maui and my goals for liberation. Music, lively discussion, and no commercials. Tune in.

Friday, May 21st, 2-4pm

http://killradio.org/

In a similar vein, I just watched the movie Food Inc., (10 part youtube upload - watch it) and while most of it was similar to The Omnivore's Dilemma, it's even more real and appalling to watch it on screen, and realize people still subscribe to the agribusiness system so heartily. I'm a victim of it myself. I love frozen tater-tots.

SF: dipping my toes into the bay of adventure.

An ocean of opportunity lies beyond the bay. I'm just starting to get my feet wet.

I recently got back from an excellent journey to San Francisco. I visited friends, partied, got to ride in a new city, had uniquely serendipitous meetings of new people, and truly notched an adventure in my belt.

There's no turning back now. I've tasted liberation and life. And Top Ramen. uggghh

All I had in the house was this noodle vacuum sealed instant concoction probably from months ago. After reading The Omnivore's Dilemma for the past 3 days, and taking 3 ghastly forkings, I can't go on.

But even Organic™ (trademarked because that's what it's coming to. Monsanto owns the patent on our modern corn plant) isn't the best option. The USDA's specifications for organic chicken is so generic, "access to an outside area, "which could mean so little as a 15 ft gated paddock for a football field sized amount of chickens. It's more important to be a conscious consumer than a consumer led by the label of Vegan/Vegetarian, or what have you. The corporatocracy knows there's money to be made from organic, so rest assured they have their hands in the profiteering of it.

My mind is opening from readings & research and travel & experiences.

My visual journey through SF this go around.

Packing it up for the flight.


Assembly outside of SFO. I was surprised the air pressure in my tires stayed in tact. Luckily for me, because I forgot a pump. I really liked this part of the adventure.

Feeding the birds with C & J Music Factory. (They just got engaged! Wowee)

Ultimate frisbee in the park with some of their friends. First time I've played, and it was a blast!

BraaAAaaAAiiiiNNnnnsSSsss.... shots of bourbon and rum at 8am...

Bay to Breakers. A slow shuffle for 7 miles of hand-made and human powered floats, drinking, mobile party mobiles, costumes, and truly odd shit all around.

It's good to see there are life guards on duty... sexy, sexy, duty.

Along with pirates of course. By high noon, we were well doused and spent the remainder of the day lounging in the park and taking a nap back at the house.

I spent Monday on my own jammin around the city, and stopped in to this really cool cafe, Ritual Coffee Roasters, in what I could only assume was an uber hip part of town. I really liked the way they brewed their coffee.

Met this random woman who just started talking to me and ended up knitting a bracelet for me sitting while we sipped coffee.

Then, as I'm telling my friend Joe (who I know from the LA riding scene, but now lives in SF) about my plans to go wwoofing, seek sustainability, and continue doing freelance design, a woman sitting nearby politely excuses herself to tell me she is a UC Santa Cruz PhD student who is looking for a designer to facilitate the creation of letterheads, website, posters, etc. for a group of individuals looking to put together a new way of approaching agrifood education and sustainability. This is their VISION:

The Institute will meet students' growing demand for agrifood system education that goes beyond traditional forms of classroom-based learning. Initially we will establish a parent learning center in California where administration, courses and a core research program will be based. Subsequently, we will develop an international network of learning centers reaching diverse groups of students and researchers, facilitating inter-institutional connections and site-specific, hands-on learning.

Wow. How incredibly opportune that I happened to be in this coffee shop speaking candidly to a friend; again, space/time, I bow to thee. While they don't have a budget as of now, I'm excited how serendipitous meeting this woman was to begin with, and I have worked on barter before. This is exactly what I have been looking for; the means and resource to learn hands on sustainability practices. Perhaps I could take a semester of courses through this institute, maybe get set up at someones house in Santa Cruz, and design their collateral meanwhile.

That all remains to be seen, but what I do see are more signs pointing me in the right direction.

That afternoon I had to seek shelter from the rain, and squatted for a good portion of the day waiting for a friend pick me up. I rather like being on my own. I read, I drew, I thought, and developed a stronger sense of myself and how I navigate in this world.


What I've learned:

• Since I have the time, I should have driven. I spent $130 in airfare, $125 to fly my bike ($100 of which was unexpected), $20 in public transportation and ~$10 in food/beverage. $285 all having to do with traveling by plane. It would have been $80 in gas, and a negligible $5 or so for a drink or snack driving up. I have the time, I should drive... or ride a bike...

• I must do what I must do. Occasionally I feel dampened in spirit, but I can always rest my head and feel comfortable at home to gather my thoughts. This will not be the case for many months soon to begin. This will be a challenge of personal growth and it will not be easy, I can already tell. I've never been one for the sedentary life though... I gotta ramble. I will doubt myself, and will find times arduous. There won't be any roadmap or outline so I must be guided by my own motivation and inner strength. I suppose every human goes through the same inner journey to finding ones self, but typically in a linear structure of a standard working life. I must do what I must do to get to Atom Farm. It's there. Time is the separating factor. If I put in the time and energy, it will come to fruition. I cannot forget this.

• Pack light. With only a backpack, only the essentials should be in tow. However, I think I need to get a jacket or sweater that is light, water resistant and warm. Seems like I will find myself in this situation again.

Untethered & Oppor-tuned

Five days ago I was laid off. Not fired. Laid off. A very important distinction.

May 7th, 2010 was the greatest day ever. A thrust in the right direction. A defining decision handed to me. The catalyst to my upcoming adventure which was already taking shape in planning and research. I can't help but give thanks to the alignment of space-time. Is there a reason? Am I fulfilling my destiny? Is this all meant to happen? This, I certainly know not... and from a philosophical standpoint, interesting to ponder, but ultimately I conclude, questions can be asked all day. I must act and walk my path with intention rather than question.

I am completely untethered in an endless sea of liberation and opportunity. Life opens itself to me like a lotus blossom, and I remind myself of Kerouac in some ways.

Without sounding entirely hedonistic, I do what I want, when I want. For me. I dance when and where I please, drink in the middle of the day, smoke reefer, garden, write, read, take naps, go swimming or ride to the beach, take care of stuff around the house and have no bedtime, nor a time to be up unless I give myself one. Which lends itself to an interesting phenomena... I actually like being up in the morning! I like the freshness of the air, the opportunity of the whole day in store, and the clarity of mind to enjoy it. The necessity of going to work is really a bummer on one's psyche. The chaotic rush of the morning commute, stressful workload and consistently late nights, all but shy of impossible deadlines and a lingering fear of getting canned at any moment, "which makes someone work just hard enough to not get fired." (Peter Gibbons, Office Space) It's no wonder how easy it is to keep the people fixed like sheep - apathetic, ignorant, and numb. But it's not their fault. A bit from the ole sketch:

The system, at large, exploits the earth, and in turn, exploits humanity. Controlling natural resources, and creating fake worth. In the end, what purpose does this hoarding serve? Respect for the Earth and harmony are more important than this. We are connected to growth of the planet, and it to the solar system, and beyond, which is infinitely more connected and closer to a "reality" of the cosmos than our human and temporal monetary woes. This incredible dance of cosmic wonder and arrangement is mind boggling. Perhaps the pursuit of tangible acquisition and wealth only serves to blind us from stretching to spiritually heightened kinetic possibilities.

But money is not the root of all evil. It is merely a physical incarnation of our finite comprehension of the concept of true evil. Which by all accounts, isn't really inherent evil at all, so much as it is the antithesis of everything... the yin and yang, if you will. So in the end, I question, is oppression and exploitation hand in hand with harmony and love in the grander picture? If I quell oppression in one area will love be extinguished elsewhere?

After copious research, and deciding whether to go vintage or recent (relatively), I was set to buy a 1984 Westfalia, but pulled back, deciding it would not serve my purposes right now, rather sustaining myself longer with fiduciary reserves than blow it all on the Westy. Perhaps I was living too far into the future and not being fully within the present. This blog inspired me and I had found an amazing deal on a restored Westy in Colorado. While the bus will eventually serve me very well, my imminent (and thusly larger) focus, I had almost forgotten, is going off the grid to work on the Greenleaf's farm on Maui. Some friends who are there now (and coincidentally enough stopped by the farm to talk to Bill Greenleaf and drop a good word for me) sent me a care package with "Things to Do While on Maui" magazines and pamphlets. I'm considering seeking part time work as a zip line adventure tour guide - cash of course.

I'll be purchasing a one way ticket next week, with indefinite return plans.

Based in full reality, I have stepped up my edible garden. Three different tomato varieties, a bell pepper (red/green), 6 yellow onions, strawberry (which are already showing cute red lil treats), cilantro, and basil. The apple, peach and grapefruit trees are blooming, and I've been using oranges and lemons for a couple weeks now. Having the leisure to be home during the day time is absolutely wholesome. Each decision and move I make gets me a step closer to sustainability.






Here in LA, full freedom can be dangerous, but I'm focusing and have set goals. Unless I give myself something to do, I have nothing to do, which is not saying much, because I'm always doing something! haha. Some project, art piece, freelance design, idea, destination, social event or adventure being planned, and most of them in many stages. Some half finished in production, some flushed out in concept, and others on the back burner until there's time. Nevertheless, I find that I absolutely love keeping myself busy, and without a job to enslave my time, I have plenty of energy and resource to devote to true passions - being close to the earth through gardening and appreciation of nature, researching consciously alternative lifestyle methods, riding my bike, traveling, and art direction. Currently in the queue:

1. San Francisco 5/15 - 5/18 for Bay to Breakers and visit with some good friends. Bringing my bike and will have to assemble it at the airport when I land to get into SF from the airport. I love adventure.
2. Buy a new inverter - I blew the last one I had by accidentally attaching the wrong ends to the battery. Luckily it didn't damage the battery, but I definitely learned my lesson. Plus to plus, minus to minus.
3. New Orleans 6/3 - 6/12 - a cousin's wedding, but my ulterior motive to go will be to check out the property my uncle has in Mississippi and look at topo maps. 200 acres of tree farm that I'll get to live on in complete solitude, hunt for my own food, channel a river, build a greenhouse, plan out The Shire... a modern Thoreau, I like to think. Next spring I'll be there for numerous weeks.
   
4. Danny Dichotomy - finish a blog website for a good friend and musician
5. My own website - I just have to do it... I seem to shelve this item frequently with bits of progress here and there. I need to complete this before I go to Hawaii if I want to take in new design clientele and therefore more savings.
   
6. AdLadco.com - a web design company I'm working on building with a Mr. Ladny.
7. Who Rulez - the golf start-up that my friend Joel and I began working on multiple years ago is starting to gather steam. He, as a pro tour golfer, is approaching some big name golf companies for advertising, and schools and universities want our services integrated into their curriculum. This is my golden goose. I must treat it will time and love.
8. Get my fuckin solar guy to come to the house. I just need to know what kind of readings I'm looking at. The numbers are all over the place, and I have no reference to anything. I have power, and it's all good, but I want to know my limits and how to make it more efficient.
   
9. CLEAN THE HOUSE - my parents will be back in mid August and it needs to be immaculate. I've taken to living here over the last 6 months, and have gotten to be comfortable with the way that I live in it. My shit is sprawled, and its my home. Needless to say, my generous and loving parents don't live the same way I do.
   
10. Yard Sale: "I'M GOING OFF THE GRID; come buy my shit, & YARD SALE/BBQ/PARTY" - I need to get rid of things, sell things, and go through things to minimize my necessities. Fortunately, I don't have much, and my bro will be taking most of my furniture up to SJSU for next semester.
11. Buy a new bike. While my fixed gear has provided me with countless hours of enjoyment and adventure, my knees are starting to talk to me, and I'm interested in doing lengthier cycling journeys. With all the hills in Hawaii, I'll be glad I got a geared bike. I'm looking for a Surly Long Haul Trucker for its durability and trustworthiness of craftsmanship. It's reported as being a little heavy, but for the money, its worth it, and reviewed highly in every other department.
    
12. Work on my geodome and solar box - my friend Mike and I are quilting a cap to go over the 8.5ft metal structure to resist rain and dust storms. I also need to stain and coat my wood solar box.
    
13. Drive to New Orleans, stopping in Austin? Work in the restaurant in Covington? Since I'm not working, this seems like a good option for some extra cash under the table, but I'm wondering if it will wear me out driving so much in a short period of time. Tentatively July-Early August.
    
14. Trimming ganja for a friend in LA for another revenue stream
    
15. Drive up north to the Lost Coast for some coastal backpacking and sea foraging. August 10th-15th
16. BURNING MAN 2010! Preparations are already in play, and this year I will not be staying with Midnight Ridazz camp, but just doing my own thing in the first come first serve section. We'll probably get there early to set up the dome, so we'll have first pick. It will be a nice departure from ordinarily being involved in a theme camp.
    

Each situation that I navigate through continues to point me in the right direction, and I'm very excited to see what is next. I don't think I've quite realized exactly how free I am yet. It will be interesting to review the progression with retrospect in a few months.

Until that time, FUNemployment serves me well. I think I could get used to not working in a cube. Furthermore, I'm beginning to see I should be viewing this time off as an early installment of retirement. I'm young, have money saved away, fully capable faculties and the energy and zest to enjoy it all.

Service manual

I ordered this from amazon, literally 16 hours ago. The matrix is extremely fast and efficient. Communication and coordination can happen instantly. Working on a bus will not happen as fast, but I'll have the tools quicker. Having the bus will perpetuate my appreciation for slowing things down, making a definitive notch in my contrast of appreciating organics and technology and blending the olde with the neue.