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people dig the earth then ride the made waves in gentron austin - 9th Street

fixing the beach wagon 

falcon crew

"village" motel

cotton fieldsss

big stuff pulling big stuff

bigger stuff pulling bigger stuff in the gulf

port aransas beach 

Texas Oil

punk rock show in a billiard hall 

this aisle starts and ends with the same thing

tejas

the lady and her dog peewee

some of those model citizens that love the cars below

mid-August Model Citizens club Sunday picnic

for the love of whataburger one reads the bible

another way to feed

juanes connection

the headshop

dzmeruk 

keeping cool with big red in the Impala

gift of clean toes

typical road monsters - austin

early morning downtown ride - austin

early morning eastside - austin

court house pay phones - tried and true

12 for 3,000

Labor day in Armenia, like in other places in the world. I left my first class of the day to be greeted with what I presume to be just one of the official events to take place on workers celebration day - ze parade.  This parade complete with big flags, children-sized flags, horns, aging adults plus their younger counterparts, and of course a large picture of a bronze workers' statue, passed down a main center street just as the garbage crew was in full swing. Some people just don't get to celebrate on these official days.

The sight of us waiting for the bus was slightly blocked by the city garbage truck.  An older lady and I stood just behind it where we were safe from oncoming traffic in order to get a better look at the marching festivity. The two men that were working the garbage eating machine began yelling at her to give space as she might get dirty or hurt standing in front of the compactor.  They yelled back and forth at each other in the loving Armenian way with her glancing to me with widened surprised eyes a couple of times, waiting for me to agree with her enthusiastically that the men didn't have to be so harsh about the request.  I just shrugged as my interpretation of the exchange was probably not as accurate as i maybe thought/think myself to be.

Which brings me to a sadness, for which i hope to scream about on stage one day.  Another one of my acquaintances professed to working 14 hour work days for which they earn around $4.  On their only day off they have decide to invest in English and Russian courses to get out of the hell hole they are currently in. To boot, they are from Syria and learning the caveats of the 'eastern' version of their mother tongue (Eastern Armenian)- aka, learning a new language.  12 for 3,000 = 14 hours/ 2,000 dram.

and they recorded everything i said

What would you do if you lost 115 bucks one day while living under a bridge?  Heck, i freaked out when i accidentally sent a housemate off with $50 of the rent.  Within 20 minutes, the house was literally ready for a health department inspection,  and then i realized it might be safe and sound in someone else's wallet.  Did that dust on the piano really need to be removed in order to find the missing cash? yes.

So, not only did 2013 greet S.Vet and pet with a bit of stardom (her with the write up  on her by one of local papers), it also brought loss of this money - maybe 4 months worth of work.  tragic, as people on the streets often don't have insurance policies (nor do a lot of people living in houses).   She said she's off to tell the police. Hopefully, she'll be treated with the same respect as a tourist who files a report when they leave their chinchería on a train or in a taxi -  "phone the president! the French person has lost their 500 euro sunglasses!"  in any case, i'd flick off the world too, all the while hoping that an exchange like this repeats itself.  me:  "What did they write about you, S. Vet?" her:  "They recorded EVERYTHING i said!" amazing.

Speaking of presidents, a lot of people have been pissed since the presidential elections resulted in the re-election of S.Sargsyan. When leaving school and passing a set of police officers readying themselves for any escalation concerning the protesters on inauguration day in front of the national assembly of armenia, i heard one pleading earnestly with mother nature, "don't rain, don't rain."  You have to wonder whether he was making such a request for the protesters or himself.
i had a similar mantra, a bit more colorful, in my mind one evening during a 20 minute walk home from a friend's house on a busy street. unfortunately, i could not escape cat calls that came at me every 5 meters or so. the rain would've provided the scene of scattering screaming ex-bystanders. i forced myself to not throw evil disapproving glares - eyes straight, leslie. just get home.

my heart completely broke when i passed a guy who was dressed almost exactly as myself; boots, jeans, buttoned up shirt, and a blazer. the only difference was that my hair touched my shoulders. i wished for a second to be in his shoes instead of mine because apparently, my shoes (boots) were holding a sign reading, "all i want is negative attention from a**holes, please give it."  and it is a sad day when you wish to be something you're not

leading

Now that i think about it, i'm not so in love with the phrase 'the blind leading the blind.' It implies that the blind have a problem with leading, when it's merely 'difference' in leading techniques, which is the reason i won't be quick to teach a student about this adage, despite its indelible niche in the mind. This phrase popped in my head as i let out a snicker [or 'snigger' as the Brits say - another uncomfortable word to mutter], when walking out of the supermarket with a new friend. My bodily reaction came after noticing that the women at the checkout counter were watching [ditum en, like a film] our leave.

I had been giving some tips about dairy products, and noticed a clerk noticing us, the explanation. The neighborhood store staff, may at least know me as the nonArmenian who does the typical 'no bag please' in a funny accent, and in general not so talkative of a person. What type of advice is this person giving the other?  What mistakes are being passed on, only to be repeated and contorted to an unidentifiable something  8 persons later. - worst. game. of. Telephone. ever. -  nah, it's not too bad, but could entertainingly be. *group snicker*

Let it be known that I have been corrected by a Hayastantsi [person born in Armenia] friend in the past when my 'advice/tips' to a traveler did not coincide with what had been formulated in their indigenous head. immigrant vs. native experience. beautiful stuff.

eager to see what the presidential election        results will do for the economy/foreign affairs. just sayin'.