10 Degrees and Getting Colder

As I've said before, winter is not my thing. It's hard for me to breathe in cold air. And it is pretty cold here right now. Polar Vortex apparently. I had the day off and decided to just hang around the house until it was time for my massage, which was scheduled for later in the afternoon. I figured there was plenty I could do. For example, with no one else home I could crank up the stereo system as loud as I wanted and rock out. I decided on some deep tracks not in my regular rotation and pulled these -

Now that's rock and roll! I also put on some Creedence, REO, and Robin Trower, followed by a Bobbie Gentry record to kind of mellow things back down a bit. 

While all that was going on I was working on organizing some of my photos randomly scattered around in boxes, envelopes and in computer files. That's a project I need to get serious about, but every time I start I come across some old memories and get distracted from the task at hand. Found these pictures from a few years ago in Art Alley. A good reminder that I need to get out of my comfort zone more often and be more adventurous in getting the shot. Like my friend Carrie here. She doesn't hesitate to go to the dirt or wherever she needs to go for a unique and original perspective. I just took the picture straight on without thinking too much about it. She got creative with it. She's good at that, and it shows in her work. 

 Me.

 Her.

After doing that for awhile I settled down for a bit of reading. I like the classics, philosophy, self-improvement books, world history. But that's not what I chose. I went with a paperback western. Sometimes you just have to go with a rip roarin' good story.

Burned through a few chapters before the time came to go to my massage, which I was very much looking forward to. I went outside to get in the car, then immediately went back inside to put on more clothes and let the car warm up. Man, it was cold!

How cold? Well, this picture of me on the massage table might be a good illustration.

Okay, I didn't actually keep the socks on. It was a pleasant temperature in the room. But it did take me a while to warm up. 

On the way home I stopped to take a photo of a scene that looked like ... winter. I desaturated it slightly in an attempt to show how cold it actually felt. I probably wouldn't have needed to do that. One look at the snow covered windswept foreground should do it.

Now it's getting late. And colder. Time for bed. I think I'll keep my socks on tonight. Fashion is not a consideration when it's this cold.

Roger O'Dea     1/29/2019

Busted By The Library Police

I got kicked out of the library in Spearfish today. Figuratively speaking, of course. But it was no less disappointing than if I was forcibly removed. Here's how it went down.

About a week ago I received a text from the Grace Balloch Memorial Library in Spearfish telling me that my library card would be expiring this month and I should stop in to renew it. I don’t live in Spearfish, but have been a bonafide card carrying member for many years by virtue of their policy to allow membership at no charge to persons who work in Spearfish and Lawrence County but don’t live in the city or county. That's my situation. It's not that I think it's better than the library in my home town of Belle Fourche, it's just way more convenient. I work until 6, but the Belle library closes at 6. I'm off at 5 on Saturdays but Saturday hours are only from 10 to 2. And they are closed Sundays. Spearfish is open until 7 pm and on Sunday. Works for me.
So…I went in today to renew my card. The librarian on duty punched my name into the computer, paused, then looked over the counter at me. She then looked down in a concerned, almost sad, sort of way, then back at me.
She said, "You live in Belle Fourche."
"Yes," I answered. "But I work in Spearfish."
She then proceeded to explain, in a rather apologetic manner, that the library board recently changed the policy to charge an annual fee to anyone wishing to obtain a library card but didn't live in the city or county, regardless of where they work. I asked the amount of the fee and was told $30. Not a lot of money, but more than what I had been paying. $30 more. I considered paying the fee, but couldn't bring myself to do it. Just doesn’t seem right…at any price. One of those "it's the principal" things.
I checked the minutes of the library board meeting where they made the decision on the fee and found out that they also at the same time revised the policy on meeting rooms. Apparently the meeting room was open to the public upon request and approval. Now it is only open for official city or library business. Seems a little heavy handed to me. Shouldn't they be encouraging people to use the library rather than finding ways to turn people away? And what terrible thing happened to cause the restrictions to be put into place? Or did the board members all of a sudden develop control issues and let their authority go to their head? Whatever the reason, I'm very disappointed. I'll probably end up paying the thirty bucks. Or….I have a friend with a library card who has already volunteered to bootleg any book I want from good old Grace Balloch. That might make us Library Pirates. Kind of has a nice ring to it. And I've always wanted to be a pirate.

Roger O'Dea      1/11/2019

The Men's Hut

I'm starting a new group. Not sure yet what to call it. Maybe Chinchillas. There's a motorcycle group called Hamsters, so why not a social group for men named Chinchillas? This could be our logo -

Not too menacing. But not too cute either. Or maybe it will just be "The Men's Hut," because it will be similar to, but a modern version of those ancient tribal gathering places. To borrow from The Men's Group Manual by Clyde Henry, the purpose is to "provide a place of kinship, where a man is not his occupation, his income, his athletic prowess, or his achievements. A place where he can remove his armor, lift the mask, and simply be a man." 

It goes on to say, "A man needs a network of 6 - 10 close friends that he meets with frequently for support, advice, and to share his life. While central to society for thousands of years, our current culture fails to back or even recognize this vital bond." 

I strongly believe there is a need for this type of group. I sure would like to be a part of one. Most of those whom I would consider to be my best friends, the ones that live nearest to me anyway, are women. And that's fine. I appreciate them and our friendships. But sometimes it would be nice to talk to another man about issues pertaining specifically to men. It may be more important now in these contemporary times because of the elevated level of political correctness and heightened sensitivity to interpersonal relationships.

I've already written a mission statement:

Provide a forum for men of all ages, interests and backgrounds to have honest and open discussion in a social setting with no fear of judgement.

The group will initially limited to a maximum of 8 men. That number may be expanded later upon agreement of all current members. Rules and guidelines will be simple.

1. Confidentiality must be respected. 

2. No topics should be excluded. However, discussion and comments regarding politics are highly discouraged. Discussion and comments regarding spiritual life, what it's like to be a man in today's cultural environment, and how we deal with our emotions and challenges of every day life are highly encouraged.

3. No soliciting. This is not a networking group or a means to further business activities.

4. Meetings will be held monthly at a regularly scheduled time and convenient location.

5. Meetings will be 60 - 90 minutes in length.

Additional guidelines or formal rules may be enacted as the group evolves.

As of this writing I have one other who has committed to becoming a member. We are looking for a minimum of 4 more to get started. If you see some value and potential benefit to joining please reach out to me. Or if you know someone who might be interested in becoming a charter member, please pass this on to them. My contact information is in the "About" section of my Facebook profile and in my blog profile. 

This is not anti-women. I want to be perfectly clear about that. I love women...my wife first and most of all, as well as my women friends. I value those friendships deeply. I just think that sometimes it would be great to get together with a few other guys...not to watch the game, but to talk. I mean really talk. About things that don't usually come up around the card table or at the bar. I envision a place where we can share our lives and be witness to our brothers. Where our stories are told and where we find rest, support and kinship. Maybe this group can in some way return us to the hut. 

Roger O'Dea     1/1/2019

From The Bottom Of My Mended Heart

“Piglet noticed that even though he had a very small heart, it could hold a rather large amount of gratitude.” 
- A.A. Milne Winnie The Pooh

A lot of talk goes around this time of year about being thankful. I believe most of it is sincere. I certainly have a lot to be thankful for. A comfortable place to live. Food on the table. Some nice things. Wonderful family.  And I feel pretty good. Better than I look, anyway. So...yeah...I guess I'm doing all right. Especially since I almost died that one time when my heart attacked me. So I probably should also mention my gratitude for the doctors who fixed me up, the nurses and others who took care of me during the recovery process, and God for giving me another chance. 
It's been a pretty good year. No major losses. Some good gains. We were fortunate to be able to travel to Ireland and experience the beauty and history of that country. Went on some nice hikes in the Black Hills. Took a few motorcycle rides. Camped out. And I'm starting to find my way along a new spiritual path. Not that there was anything wrong with my previous path. It's just that there is so much more I want to learn and experience, and I feel like I'm more open to those things than ever before.
Friendships are something I'm thankful for. The ones I can can count on and share secrets with. The ones who I know will be there when I need them. But also the ones with whom I don't interact much, rarely see, and are totally different from me in their lifestyle, age, culture and background. They might not consider me in the same way, but they seem happy to see me when we are brought together for some purpose or event. I still learn from them and appreciate their gifts...even though they may not realize what they have given. Then there are the ones I share some type of a common bond or history with who totally ditch me, only occasionally even attempt to make contact or respond when I reach out, and generally seem uninterested. I understand. They have other things going on. But I don't forget about them and hope they don't forget about me. You've heard the quote, "A mind is a terrible thing to waste." That can apply to friendships, too. 
One more thing I am very thankful for. My wife's homemade pumpkin pie. It's only 9:30 in the morning as I write this - but who says you can't have pie for breakfast? I'm almost 64 years old so I do what I want. 

And, right now, I want some pie. So, Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope your day is good. And I hope you are able to eat pie any time you feel like it. 

Roger O'Dea     11/22/2018

 

Writer's Block

Not really writer's block. Once I get going I can usually knock something out in fairly short order. I just haven't had anything to say lately. Even with that in mind, I still feel a need to come up with something. Not out of any sense of obligation to my readers. I suspect most of them don't care in the least if I update this blog every four weeks or every 4 months. Or ever. This is about me. I have been in a bit of a creative slump lately, mostly of my own doing. I can blame the weather, or say it's because I've been busy with other things, or that I've lost my muse. All of those things are true but it comes down to the fact that, every once in a while, I just need to write some things down. Especially things that have been on my mind. Like, for example - Chubby Checker.
I have a vague memory of the first music that really got to me. Two songs come to mind. One is "Please Please Me" by the Beatles and the other is "Kansas City" by Chubby Checker. Chubby was famous for starting the Twist dance craze back in the sixties. He made an entire career out of it....The Twist, Let's Twist Again, Mr. Twister, Twist It Up, Twistin' USA...you get the picture. I have a lot of Beatles music but no Chubby Checker. As a result of some online investigation I discovered that his version of the song Kansas City appears on only one album.  Recent searches in record store bins and crate digging in a few thrift shops have turned up nothing. I probably could buy a stereo re-release on Amazon or find a scratched and scuffed up version on ebay, but I'm looking for the real thing. A mono original version of the album titled "Chubby Checker In Person." That's the one with Kansas City on it. How exciting it would be if I was flipping through the C's one of these days and found it tucked right in there between The Chantels and Sam Cooke! So the search continues. More than a search. It is now a quest.

Politics has also been on my mind. I try not to think about it too much, but it's nearly impossible to avoid. All I will say is that I wish people wouldn't get so angry and hateful. Screaming, irrational or outrageous arguments and violence aren't going to change anything. They will only make things worse, and make you look foolish. Want to changes things? Vote. And encourage others to vote. My mantra for some time now has been "throw the bums out!" I believe we need nearly a 100% turnover of our elected officials. Most have been there way too long and are too dishonest about why they are there and about their true intentions. One thing is for sure - November 6th is going to be a very interesting day.

And now, since I usually include photos in my blog posts, here is a random picture of a bathtub with plastic pink Flamingos around it -

 

I don't really have anything else to top that, so it's probably a good time to end this edition of What's Your Road? Oh...if you come across that Chubby Checker record somewhere in the wild, call me. I can probably come right over. 

Roger O'Dea     10/11/2018

When Popcorn Wore Lipstick and Hot Dogs Danced

The drive-in theatres are mostly all gone now. So you will probably never see this again -

It was what was on the screen during the break between the first and second movie of a double feature at pretty much every drive-in theatre in the country. There were slight variations, of course. Sometimes the hot dog was in a circus ring and jumped into the bun after a certain amount of coaxing. Or the popcorn was a masculine figure carrying a sign encouraging you to "grab yourself a snack." But otherwise basically the same. There are a few drive-in theatres still operating, but I doubt any of them are still showing the old classic ads you would see before the movie started and between shows. I could be wrong. I haven't been to one in years. My favorite drive-ins disappeared a long time ago. That's what this story is about. A little history of those places and what is there now in place of those giant screens and metal speakers. 

My local drive-in was the Kling, located in a big field out in the country a few miles east of town. It was probably the first one I went to that I can remember. I might have gone to a movie or two in Hettinger, North Dakota when I was very young but have no memory of it. I do have a few memories of the Kling. Some will have to stay in the vault, but there was that one time when I was in high school I forgot to put the speaker back on the pole and drove off with it still attached to my car window. I know there were times kids tried to get away with a speaker on purpose but this really was an accident. I was scared when I realized what I had done because I couldn't afford to pay for the damage and thought I would get in big trouble over it. So I just kept on driving hoping no one would recognize me or the car. However, apparently my red 1964 Chevy Impala didn't blend in very well with the other vehicles leaving since there was a speaker and wires hanging off the window and I was traveling at a high rate of speed. Somebody knew who it was and ratted me out. The next morning my dad came to my room to tell me I had a phone call. It was the owner of the drive in saying that he knew it was me who ripped off one of his speakers and I could return it immediately without consequences or he was going to call the cops. My choice. I chose wisely and returned the speaker. And he didn't even ask me to pay to have it reinstalled. I thought that was really nice of him. 

I searched the internet briefly for more information and pictures of the Kling, but didn't find anything. Here is what it looks like today. 

An empty pasture. It made me curious about what happened to some other drive-in movie theatres in the area. So I went on a mission to find out. The Pines in Rapid City was located just off Sturgis Road. It was a regular weekend activity for my wife and I when we were first married and living in Rapid City. I searched online and found an image of an old poster. 

This is what you'll see now in that location.

 

A gravel pit and run-off pond for a big industrial company.

Next, I went looking for the Sioux Drive-In. It was one we didn't frequent as much as the Pines, but did go there occasionally. I remember it being close to a bowling alley on the south side of Rapid City. I found this old poster online promoting the grand opening.

 

I looked it up and found out the date for the Gala 3 Day Opening Festival was May of 1953.  It closed in 1982. Today you'l find a Salvation Army Thrift Store where the Sioux used to be.

 A little closer to home was the Hills Drive-In near Spearfish.  

 

Notice that the poster says, "four miles east of Spearfish." That may have been true when it opened in 1952, but now the location is actually within the city limits and is the site of few commercial buildings. 

I couldn't find the date it closed but I recall they started showing some X-Rated movies there in the mid to maybe late 70s and that seemed to be the beginning of the end. 

Other drive-ins I remember but can't recall for sure if I went to any movies included the Starlite in Rapid City. I think that one was on the road to the airport. There was also the Mile Hi in Deadwood, but I don't have any memories of that one at all.

Drive-In Movies. Those were the days. The days that also included classic drive-in restaurants. Like A & W,  Penquin and Tastee Freez in my home town of Belle Fourche. Also the Dog 'n Suds in Spearfish. And Big Don's in Gillette, Wyoming. I have stories about all of them. But those are for another day. In the meantime, "Let's All Go To The Snack Bar And Get Ourselves A Treat!" 

Roger O'Dea     08/30/2018

Zen and the Art of Walking in the Forest

"I felt like lying down by the side of the trail and remembering it all. The woods do that to you, they always look familiar."   -  Jack Kerouac, The Dharma Bums

Go A little Bit Farther

My walks in the Black Hills National Forest have been mostly during the late morning or afternoon hours. I call them "walks" because the word "hike" is defined in the dictionary as "to walk or march a great distance." I usually don't travel a great distance and I certainly don't march. It's more like a walking meditation, concentrating on my breath, keeping my head and eyes down and moving from side to side as I practice being totally aware of my surroundings. It's amazing the things you see when you slow down and take a closer look. Occasionally I glance up and into the distance to measure my progress or consider the wider view. More often, though, I am in dense growth or between canyon walls, or both, so that limits how far away I can see. That's a good thing because there are small wonders always at my feet or right next to me wherever I step. Mostly I prefer to stay on my own personal favorite trails. Those are the less traveled ones. Or the ones that really aren't trails at all. More like little paths hidden from the view of those who are less adventurous and choose to stay on the most popular and well established trails. If you are one who usually follows the maps I would suggest you consider putting the trail guides aside and find your own way next time you venture out. Use your intuition or look for a hint from Mother Nature. She's pretty generous at showing them to those who are paying attention. And when you've found it and have gone far enough to the point where you're ready to turn around...don't. Go just a little bit farther. I'll tell you why it might make all the difference.
When I first discovered what is now my favorite path just off the highway (but well hidden) in Spearfish Canyon I had only walked a few hundred yards and was amazed at the diversity all around me. Trees and other vegetation of all shapes and sizes. A trickling stream that disappeared quickly underground when I attempted to follow it. Fallen logs that were home to hundreds...probably thousands...of tiny insects and fungi. Various species of moss clinging for dear life onto multi-colored rocks. It was all there in its marvelous glory. I didn't think it could get much better if I kept going, but I kept going. It got better. First there was a collection of moss covered rocks formed and spaced perfectly in away that would provide nice little homes for Hobbits or wood nymphs or fairies. If you can imagine those sort of creatures actually exist. Not that I do. But also not that I don't. Anyway, back to my story --- after a few hundred more feet I noticed what looked like some type of structure. Primitive at best, but it looked interesting so I continued on in the direction it was located. My persistence paid off as I came to a flat multi-leveled area where someone had constructed a sort of shelter made of branches and small logs, with rocks placed in a circle at the base. It was pretty cool. I spend some time sitting there just taking in the surroundings and enjoying the sounds of nature. If I had turned around when I originally intended I would have missed this place entirely. I have gone back there many times over the period of a few years and most recently found the structure had been dismantled. I also discovered that another one had been built a short distance away out of view from the original spot. I also found a small cave in the side of the rock wall and had fun climbing up and exploring it with the help of a friend. All just because I decided to go a little bit farther.

"Under the canopy of the trees, daily dramas and moving love stories are played out. Here is the last remaining piece of nature, right on our doorstep, where adventures are to be experienced and secrets discovered."    -  Peter Wohlleben, The Hidden Life of Trees

After Dark

It's a different world out there at night. The darkness is complete. Even under a perfectly clear sky you can look up and see thousands of stars, but the moment your eyes come back to Earth, the darkness wraps you up again like a thick black veil. And the sounds are magnified. You can hear every movement clearly. I believe that if you try real hard and remain completely still it is even possible to hear a beetle scurrying across a fallen log. I don't take my walks very often at night, however. The reason is that I'm a little bit afraid of the dark. Not afraid of the night, I like going out at night. It's the dark that bothers me. I don't like being in the dark. I even have a hard time sleeping in a room that's too dark. My few night excursions have been mostly pleasant experiences and I've come away with some good pictures, but everything seems to be a little out of focus and I'm always slightly on edge so I prefer to stay in the light.

 

Get Healed

I might be dead by now if it weren't for the healing energy and calming influence of the "Hills." After my heart attack thirteen years ago I started making a concentrated effort to get up there more often, stay longer and take full advantage of the benefits of walking on (and off) the trails. I always knew it was good for me. Now I have proof. During a recent trek (in the rain) on that favorite path I mentioned earlier I made it a point to check my heart rate monitor at various intervals. The steeper portions pushed it up to over 100, but when I stopped to rest it dropped quickly and leveled off at about 68 in no time at all. It's not always that low when I'm just sitting in a chair at home. But when I'm up there my breath is measured and I'm more calm than any other time except perhaps when I'm sleeping. And even then it's not much below my "forest rate."  I'm not very disciplined about eating right all of the time and getting enough exercise but I feel good and have not had any complications or reoccurring heart issues, so I really believe my little nature walks are good medicine. 

 

There's a lot more I could say about this subject...and probably will later. But for now I will simply encourage you to get out and explore nature. It doesn't have to be in a forest. A desert can be just as good. I love the Badlands. My trips there produce the same results. Or even a park in your town is a great start. Baby steps, right? Soon you'll be planting your very own freak flag at the top of a mountain. Go for it!

Roger O'Dea     7/15/2018