open your eyes

On somewhat frequent occasions, I find myself completely overwhelmed by the beauty in the world. maybe its because i live 10 minutes from the beach and get to walk by crashing waves and sailing pelicans every morning on my way to work. Or perhaps it's just my personality, completely engulfed in nature itself and always floored by how stinking amazing the stars are or a jellyfish floating along underwater.

Sometimes it's human compassion which overwhelms me. This happens on much less frequent occasion than the previously mentioned. But it happened this week. I ran out of gas (I was waiting for prices to go back down) and I had my loving family on the way in like 20 minutes. And then, Uncle Neil didn't even need to come because a sweet old man in a Cal-trans truck gave me 1 gallon of free gas AND helped me merge back onto the freeway. It was incredible.

I gonna post a bunch of pictures of the most beautiful places I've been, but I started admiring my photos and and my life when I was looking deciding which ones to put in. Now I'm falling asleep, gotta go. Tomorrow is my flight to Sacramento where Coli-boy is picking me up before we head INTO THE WILD (which happens to be in a raging forest fire right now.)

Peace.

smiles ahead

after a intriguing and stimulating conversation with my prodigy-photographer, blogging-expert brother, Blaine, I was spurred on to love and making a new entry. Too bad I don't have much to say. Actually, I do, but I am too lazy and perfectionist to say it here, which brings me back to my original problem in keeping this blog updated with more than bi-monthly posts.

Anyway, what I am excited about is life in many respects. The first being THE JOHN MUIR TRAIL.



220 miles of pure, heavenly, natural pleasure in the most fundamental forms possible. It's going to be mind-blowing, I'm sure of it. This event is scheduled to take place July 29-August 21, roughly. With none other than my little brother, whom I haven't spent extended amounts of time with since last summer. I'm flying into Sacramento on the 29th, but he wanted me to fly into Redding so we could spend more time together before our 3 weeks of 24 hour togetherness. I love you coliboy.



After this period of prolonged silence and reflection, the elements and elevation change, we'll head a few hundred miles east to the Outsidelands Music Festival in Golden Gate Park. Mindblowing adventure #2. And although I am unexplainably thrilled about the trail, this musical event is as close in terms of excitement as Archie snuggling with Zoe on a cold February Hood River night.

check out the lineup and sleep well.

the road heavily travelled (but still beautiful)

I am reading a book right now called "Eat, Pray Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert. It's an incredible account from many angles and one of those just happens to be the fact that she writes passionately about Italy. More specifically, she writes about experience after experience of eating the most scrumptious pasta, pizza and gelato in the entire world. These three priorities were also on the top of my and Emily's list on our short time in Italy (which happened way too long ago). To say the least, this current read brought to the forefront of my mind all the best things about not only this wonderful country, but traveling in general. Big huge travel plans are moving from the slip-through-your-fingers-sand-stage to a somewhat graspable small pebble stage. More to come on that soon. Enjoy these images in the meantime.

lame, i know

45

Okay, so I NEVER do these things, much less post them for everyone to see. But I was reading a friend's blog and one thing led to another, and pretty soon I was taking this pointless quiz. At least this one is semi-educational and anti-ethnocentric. I wish it would have told me what the average is. If you do it, you must comment and tell me how many countries you got!

P.S. I had a 20 second interruption in the middle of my 5 minutes, FYI

to grandpa Joe

It's been one year exactly today. We miss you, Grandpa. I think you probably enjoyed our visit this morning. We certainly delighted in coming out and seeing you, or at least seeing one of the places we associate with you physically. But actually, since I am living in your house now, a lot of things remind me of you. I am using your raised bed to plant a garden, which I am overly excited about. Thumbing through the Sunset garden book yesterday, I found all the discolored newspaper articles you clipped out and handwritten notes to keep your system a-runnin smoothly. Oh and Christmas time here was great! I don't know if there is anyone else on the planet who draws a full-on blue print, complete with legend and scale, for putting up the Christmas lights. It's these little things that constantly bring a smile to my face and remind me once again what an amazing man you were.

As I was walking among the green grass and white headstones today, some thoughts began to brew. I was thinking how I absolutely loved coming through the door of this old familiar house and how grandpa would always be right there waiting for us. He'd give me a big hug and a kiss on the cheek and say in his old, well seasoned voice, "Oooooh  Lindsey, so good to see you. So good to see you. How you doin?" And then we'd sit down and talk. 

Anyway, I was thinking how death enshrines people in a cloud of perfection. For some reason, when one is physically lifted from the grid of the earth, so are all their flaws, their wrong doings, their short comings. Instantly they have graduated to the level of saint, or something like that. But these are the same people who were alive a minute or a day or a year ago. And at that time, their imperfections drove me crazy. Small, insignificant imperfections became a root in my heart which grew into hatred, selfishness and pride. 

I don't really know how to voice my thoughts clearly but I think what I am trying to say is this: I want to see people in their perfection right now. I want to know the people I am surrounded by for the beauty that is inside them. I want to see right over all the insignificant deficiencies and appreciate the real life that comes through. If it is impossible to see over those naturally, I want to learn to look over these by choice, momently. 

People are beautiful and I want to see all as perfect, in imperfection. 

life is good

and the rest of my pictures are up on the following link...

http://picasaweb.google.com/lfranger

In other news, I have purchased my first very own already beloved guitar. I got it on Sunday and have played it without cease since then. For some reason, the desire to create music has been welling up inside me for the past few months. It's time to let her free. 

The last bit of news is HAPPY BIRTHDAY to pops!!! I am so incredibly blessed to have a dad as caring, devoted, patient, hardworking and studly as you. I love you lots and lots and lots. 

9:50 time to stop playing the guitar and time to go to bed. Good night to the moon. Good night to you. 

imagine this

I tried my best to get back into writing on my blog, but I just don't think its going to work. I prefer writing in my journal these days with good ol' pen and paper. I want to share a few pictures with you, though, so here's for your viewing pleasure. 

O yeah, I am back safe and sound (and wishing I were still traveling) in San Diego.