Thirty-One Days in May

Catch up on this little project of mine at the links below if you're new to the blog.  

Thirty-One Days in March (Part 1)

Thirty-One Days in March (Part 2)
Thirty Days in April

Wednesday – 01 May 2013

The last bit of blue sky we're supposed to see for a few days filtered through the bones of the new flyover from 400 to 85 – outstanding.

Song of the Day: Don't Pass Me By - Georgia Satellites

Thursday – 02 May 2013

I noticed this sign while sitting in traffic tonight.  I'm not sure what it means but I love it.  It's probably directed more at MARTA trains than at commuters but what a wonderful thing the lifting of a restriction is.  For the record, if I drove a MARTA train I would lay on the horn on the regular – even more so in the no horn zone.  

Song of the Day: Indianapolis - The Bottle Rockets

Friday – 03 May 2013

This is a pic from earlier this year, little Maynard had a tough day today.  He suffered congestive heart failure due to previously un-diagnosed heart disease.  He has a faulty heart valve, fluid filling his lungs and will be in an oxygen tent in the puppy ICU for at least the next few days.  I'm hopeful that he will pull through but it's anybody's guess right now.    

Song of the Day: Good Times 'Round the Bend - String Cheese Incident

Saturday – 04 May 2013

Night (2) in the ICU.  He's resting and seems to feel better but still can't be out of the oxygen for very long.  It made my day to see the little guy though.

Song of the Day: I'm Not Down - The Clash

Sunday – 05 May 2013

Little sleeping angel, day (3) in the ICU.  His blood oxygen levels are up but still below normal.  His diuretics had to be stopped as it was putting too much strain on his kidneys and he still has trouble breathing on his own outside of the oxygen tent.  There's also a new concern about potential lung disease.  I'm anxious to see the cardiologist tomorrow – it has been a long  trying weekend.  I remain hopeful, but less so than yesterday.

Song of the Day: Rise - Eddie Vedder

Monday – 06 May 2013

Day (4), I found out that all of Maynard's issues are stemming from having heart worm disease even though he is on Trifexis.  It has attacked the tissue of his lungs causing extreme inflammation, reducing the size of the passageways for blood and oxygen (pulmonary hypertension) making it difficult to breathe, which results in his little heart having to work harder and harder to the point of failure.  His heart does have a leaking valve but it doesn't seem to be a concern to the doc. He doesn't have lung or heart disease as we had thought.  His condition is only fatal if we cannot get the inflammation under control and / or the damage to his lungs is already too great to recover.  It is treatable, but he isn't stable enough to handle the treatment yet.  Even still, I'm cautiously optimistic.  At least now we know the cause and know what to treat.  After I left GVS, I realized that this is the first patch of blue sky I've seen since Maynard's been in the hospital – let's hope that it's a good omen and he can come home tomorrow. 

Song of the Day: Here Comes the Sun - The Beatles

Tuesday – 07 May 2013

On the fifth day, Maynard came home and my little weird family is back together!  I don't know what I would do without these two knuckleheads.

Song of the Day: Say Hey (I Love You) - Michael Franti & Spearhead

Wednesday – 08 May 2013

Little man enjoyed a slow walk through the clover in the backyard today.  He's exhausted, but he's eating and sleeping and taking his meds.  I of course have made spreadsheets to keep track of his (90) day treatment schedule.  We've got a long road ahead, but I'm confident that he will make a full recovery.  I've been holding my breath since early Friday afternoon – I think I finally exhaled a few minutes ago.    

Song of the Day: Touch of Grey - Grateful Dead

Thursday – 09 May 2013

I realized tonight that I'm inside of (30) days until the next festival and I'm short of the (50) piece minimum that I imposed upon myself.  So, I took a break from obsessing about Maynard and did (3) new little guys.  I'll add these to the (9) similar previous from March, do () more and have (15) perfect, obnoxious squares come June 1 – still missing a big inspired piece or two though.  I'm shakin' it here, boss. 

Song of the Day: Doesn't Matter - Killer Dwarfs

Friday – 10 May 2013

I read an article about Ruby the amazing painting elephant yesterday.  She sadly spent her entire life in captivity at the Phoenix Zoo and at the young age of (25) died after it was discovered that her fetal calf had died in the womb. The silver lining is that apparently Ruby had mad skills as an artist, selling pieces for upwards of $20 grand.  The "work" is pretty good actually.  As exploitative as it is, it's cool that she made art.  I started this one as tribute last night and finished it tonight.  I call it ruby.  It's ridiculous.  I like it.        

Song of the Day: Mardy Bum - Arctic Monkeys

Saturday – 11 May 2013

Yardwork, family time and a nap with the pups, baseball, a good conversation plus I finished (3) new pieces today.  Excellent Saturday.

Song of the Day: Talk To My Heart - THe BAcksliders

Sunday – 12 May 2013

After landing in Denver and getting a bite to eat I decided to drive towards the Rockies and look for the sun.  I got some great shots and it was beautiful.  It being Mother's Day though, I think this is a more appropriate pic.  I'll come back tomorrow night and watch another amazing sunset.

Song of the Day: Please Tell My Brother - Golden Smog

Monday – 13 May 2013

Tonight, I returned to The Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge and was not disappointed.  The full indulgent account can be found here.    

Song of the Day:  New Soul - Yael Naim

Tuesday – 14 May 2013

I had a great couple of days in Denver but I sure was happy to see this little guy when I got home late tonight.  He clearly wants to come with next time, no?

Song of the Day: Solsbury Hill - Peter Gabriel

Wednesday – 15 May 2013

Clutch!  Epic would be an understatement.  It was one of those shows where I thought at any minute I might get punched in the back of the head by some dumb redneck from Cartersville who doesn't come to town much.  That feeling warms my soul in a way you probably can't understand unless you grew up in the South going to Heavy Metal shows with drunk rednecks  in the late '80s like I did.  (3) incredible rock 'n' roll bands that play whatever the hell they feel like playing – what a beautiful thing.  I am quite literally having the best week ever. 

Song of the Day: The Mob Goes Wild - Clutch

Thursday – 16 May 2013

The daisies are about to pop!  Maybe with a little sunshine I'll have some new color at the front door stoop come tomorrow.

Song of the Day: He's Not a Boy - The Like

Friday – 17 May 2013

I was up in Adairsville this morning to assess a factory property that my firm was recently commissioned to design and rebuild after it was destroyed by a winter tornado.  A lot of the machinery survived including most of the conveying lines.  What a beautiful old worn thing this is.  In other beautiful old worn thing news, Maynard had his first recheck appointment since leaving the hospital this afternoon and his health is improving and progressing right on schedule.  What a wonderful day.

Song of the Day: What's What - Riverboat Gamblers

Saturday – 18 May 2013

I finished a new piece this morning inspired by the week's travel.  I call it arsenal.

Song of the Day: Red Morning Light - Kings of Leon

Sunday – 19 May 2013

I flew into Las Vegas this afternoon for a final site walk on a project we are completing in Saint George, Utah.  Between Vegas and Saint George, I-15 snakes through the Virgin Mountains in the extreme Northwest corner of Arizona.  Beautiful alien landscape and the farther you climb out of the Mojave up through the high desert onto the Colorado Plateau the more beautiful and alien it becomes.  I'll refrain from expounding upon the personal gravity of these views and vistas – something is definitely pulling my mind west though.  (In the interest of full disclosure, the pic is from the following day.  The forces of nature and the ineptitude of the airline industry conspired against me, delaying my deposition into the desert.)

Song of the Day: Fire on the Mountain - The Marshall Tucker Band

Monday – 20 May 2013

They didn't exactly give Daddy the Rain Man suite, but I played with house money longer than I should have.  The house of course, won that back and a little more just for spite.  I hadn't been to Vegas in a very long time and being there reminded me why – what a vile, decadent, soul suck of a town.  I managed to somewhat keep my wits and had a helluva time though; got to see the Bellagio fountains even.    

Song of the Day: Casino Queen - Wilco

Tuesday – 21 May 2013

The morning sky held such promise but today quickly devolved into the mother of all shitty days.  Can't win 'em all, right.  

Song of the Day:  Shelter - Tedeschi Trucks Band

Wednesday – 22 May 2013

Living Colour, the social conscience of '80s Metal is touring to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Vivid and are playing the album in its entirety.  That makes me feel old as hell, but I'm stoked to see them in July. 

Song of the Day:  Cult of Personality - Living Colour

Thursday – 23 May 2013

Oddly productive day-trip to Savannah today.  Coming home trumps any good day though.  I have a ton of SAV trips to do this year and this will probably be the pic of the day every single time –  I'm okay with that.

Song of the Day:  Don't Wanna Know Why - Whiskeytown

Friday – 24 May 2013

I felt compelled to do this piece after that night in Vegas earlier this week.  It will be the last new one before VAHI – I hit my mark!  

Song of the Day: You're Trying to Kill Me - Lionize

Saturday – 25 May 2013

The daisies finally starting coming in this week.  Better late than never.

Song of the Day: Sister Havana - Urge Overkill 

Sunday – 26 May 2013

Family time on a perfect Sunday evening.  

Song of the Day: Canned Heat - Jamiroquai

Monday – 27 May 2013

Nice catch! Belle doesn't care that today is Memorial Day, she's just happy to have an extra day of ball time.  

Song of the Day:  Pulling Mussels - Squeeze

Tuesday – 28 May 2013

Leftovers 1 – Tuesday 0.

Song of the Day: Backwater - Meat Puppets

Wednesday – 29 May 2013

The Braves being back in town afforded me a few more minutes in traffic to admire 1180 Peachtree on the ride home tonight.  Beautiful, no?  All buildings should meet the sky so peacefully.

Song of the Day: Deeper Shade of Soul - Urban Dance Squad

Thursday – 30 May 2013

All (31) new pieces ready to make their debut at VAHI this weekend.  

Song of the Day: Roots Radicals - Rancid

Friday – 31 May 2013

The tent is all set up and waiting for you good people to come clean me out!  I have a feeling it's going to be a good weekend.

Song of the Day: Wild Flower - The Cult

On The Arsenal

I spent a couple of days this week on the east side of Denver to punch walk a project.  It was a good trip, great even.  I always enjoy Denver and have always had a strange affection for the place.  I rarely spend any significant time in the city but I’m in love with the landscape that surrounds it.  There’s something about being in a wide open space, right?  The sky seems bigger and it gives me a giddy positivity that fills me with an almost childlike exuberance.  It’s euphoric and I feel like I have to soak in as much as I possibly can in whatever time I have there.  The euphoria fades eventually, but the renewed belief in possibility remains even after that natural high subsides and I fly home.  I’ve written about this feeling every time I’ve been out west and at least once publicly on this blog.  I don’t think I’ve ever really understood though what exactly precipitates this heightened sense of awareness and to be frank, I’ve never fully allowed myself to embrace it either.

 

I don’t (at least in recent memory) take vacations in the conventional sense.  The half-truth that I’ve always convinced myself of is that I take mini-vacations on every business trip.  I believe that it’s crucial when you visit somewhere that you immerse yourself in whatever the local vernacular is.  In small ways I usually do exactly that but too often the local vernacular for me is confined to the local dive bar and that’s a damn shame.  Sure there is value in even that but it doesn’t show a true picture of anything – realistically it usually only shows me the negative of a place.  Further exposing the flaw in taking such a limited sample is the nearly certain sense of emptiness I feel after experiencing said local.  Agreed, few things are better than one’s own local dive but what makes that cool is that it’s yours and that it’s in your neighborhood.  All others in comparison seem sad and pathetic.  This, by the way is exactly I’m sure what everyone else thinks of my favorite haunts.  These realizations persuaded me to choose a different path this time and it made a world of difference in my psyche during and post site visit.

Ten minutes from downtown Denver resides the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge.  Strange name, no?  Apparently until the late ‘80s, the U.S. government manufactured nerve gas and mustard gas and napalm and all sorts of horrible chemical weapons on these beautiful 17,000+ acres.  In 1986, it was observed that the lack of human intervention (for obvious reasons) had created a sort of involuntary park.  In ’92, President Bush signed an act that placed the majority of the site under the control of the Fish and Wildlife Service ensuring that the damage to the land caused by our desire to amass weapons of mass destruction would be remediated and the over 300 species of wildlife, many of which are unique to the area would be protected and restored to their native state.  Who knew he was such an environmentalist? 

Regardless of its history, the time I spent on the Arsenal this week is something that I will cherish forever.  That memory is doubly significant – I not only reconnected my spirit with the natural world but more importantly I didn’t do the same dumb shit.  As I searched for a viable alternative to my pattern of engaging local dysfunction Sunday afternoon, it occurred to me that the emotions I feel when I’m west of the Mississippi are connected not only to some romantic notion of Jack Kerouac’s bullshit vision of America but are more so related to the overwhelming sense of promise and hope and beauty that I’ve always seen in nature.  Perhaps it was the latter that guided me to where I landed.  Perhaps it was Hair Nation on XM, a guilty pleasure that I don’t indulge often.  Perhaps it was random chance that I found myself dumbstruck watching the late afternoon sky dance and morph and melt into a million divergent unusual colors with every passing second.  Perhaps (and I’ve never said this out loud) it was God saying, “hey…still here bro.” 

Regardless of why I happened onto the property I thankfully had the wherewithal to recognize and take advantage of the opportunity it presented.  As I think a direct result of that experience Sunday, my confidence and productivity were through the roof Monday morning.  I did (10) hours of impeccable charming architect with the client without a second thought.  Trip last, this blog would have been a diatribe on the pitfalls and obstacles of being an architect – this trip, I was just some guy out west.

The Arsenal is only officially open on the weekends so Monday afternoon I wiggled out of the requisite client dinner and hopped the fence.  I was rewarded with more amazing than I could have ever hoped for.  I just wandered across this rolling prairie and for the first time in far too long truly experienced the local.  Looking up and realizing that you are surrounded by a herd of deer who are not impressed with your presence is humbling.  Seeing bison in their natural habitat stirred images of Native American purity.  Hearing the call of unknown birds in the moonlight on the walk out was stunning.  Being alone in this magnificent landscape was overpowering and awe-inspiring.  There were great spans of time where I was convinced that there was no other person alive on earth – and I was cool with that.  I didn’t need anything else.  I didn’t want anything else.  I just wanted to stay there as long as I could.

Tuesday was a repeat of Monday.  Self-assured.  Confident.  Strong.  Complete.  I bugged out early so I could steal a few moments from nature before my flight.  

I get that this all sounds very Alexander Supertramp and I am willing and able to accept that ridicule.  I wouldn’t trade those two evenings and a minute of the next afternoon for anything in this world though.  I’ve written enough ineffective words to describe these three days – here’s a visual.