Grind

Life can seem like a grind
moving forward with or without you
can't stop or slow it down
it's a force you have to bow to

I had a good holiday
much better than last year
nothing too spectacular
just anxious for a new year

But drama's part of life
and life just comes at you
sometimes with you
and sometimes against you

Doesn't matter how old I am
I'm still caught off guard
one thing is changing tho
my reaction when it hits hard

Seems the hardest hits come
from the least expected places
last year it was family
this year friendly faces

Chip on my shoulder
has worn its self thin
I think it's gone
then it rears again

Ready to defend
doesn't matter who
then I remember
I really don't have to

I am who I am
I will move on
if the world doesn't like that
then they can jog on

Clean Coal - Doesn't Exist

It's time this country figured out how to re-power its self. We've relied on the same technology for 100 years. Aren't we smarter than this? We've used the same light bulbs for even longer. Hello! Can we evolve? If not, we can all be blamed for diasters like THIS.

Fire Chief related to Michael Vick?

It takes a real man to beat a puppy to death with a rock. Puppies bite. So do kittens and just about any immature animal. Why oh why can't we have the punishment fit the crime? If you don't want to know more, don't click here.

Home

It means a lot of things but most often I would guess it's a word that immediately gives you the sense of safety, comfort, shelter and warmth. I might go so far as to say it could be one of the single most comforting words a person can know. I'm sitting in my home now, typing while Simon, the neighbors rescued/adopted dog I'm watching, vies for my attention...

With a bit of 1792 Ridgemont on the rocks sitting beside me (a recent splurge from having deposited my first paycheck in far too long) the typing continues. I don't make a lot of money and I live in a house that's smaller than the average Amurican's garage but it's my home. Think about what home means to you for just a second, give it some thought... and now imagine not having a home. No place where you know you are safe...where you know the hot water will come on and there's food in the fridge. Imagine no heat, no roof. No bed. Let that thought sink in for a second. These most basic things that we covet and protect and show off with pride to all we know - don't exist for every one of the animals I met last week. You might now be rolling your eyes thinking I'm going a bit over the top — but when you stand on the other side of a chain link fence and see the eyes of a dog who's done nothing wrong other than be born into a life where he was sold for a profit then chained to a post beside a broken down car in a yard of dirt and garbage until the family that bought him decided the thrill of having a puppy wore off and dumped him in the desert to die - look into those eyes and you will feel a myriad of emotions.

I'm not going over the top, trust me - the glass of bourbon is only half gone. Every day last week I looked into the eyes of dogs who's fate was all the same. Discarded, dumped off, abused, unloved and tossed away. Every one of them ended up at the same place - death row at the El Paso Animal Control shelter. Unknowingly hoping for a new home but most likely joining the 26,000 other dogs each year that are euthanized and thrown into an open pit dump.

But for a very select few either a caring and aware person adopts them or someone like Loretta who runs the Animal Rescue League where I was filming saves them. ARL is a NO KILL shelter so when they pick up a dog at Animal Control they make a commitment to that animal - whether it gets adopted or not - that it will have as close to a home as possible until it IS adopted.

I've spent a bit of time around impressive people. Worked on a Nike commercial with Michael Jordan for a day, was pulled aside by Steven Spielburg on the set of Minority Report and asked to join him for lunch with Tom Cruise. I even had Sarah Jessica Parker punch me on the set of Sex In The City. I have learned you don't gush over these people, you treat them like anyone else. You keep your job in mind and act like a professional. Always. You don't ask for an autograph and you sure as hell don't show your personal emotion no matter how ecstatic you are to be working with them. So I applied the same 'got a job to do' approach to Sherry, the rock-star animal behavior specialist on DOGTOWN who I would be following all week. We met at the airport and were promptly greeted by Loretta and Letty of ARL who explained the order of events for the week and which dogs they wanted Sherry to meet with. In particular was a troubled dog deemed 'not fit for adoption' named Yahtzee. This guy was raised from a litter found along a drainage ditch and never grew fond of people. Go figure.

There were one or two volunteers that Yahtzee had bonded with so there was hope. I had seen Sherry on previous episodes of DOGTOWN and have to say I was pretty impressed with her and her co-workers who's entire lives are dedicated to saving and helping animals. There's something I find damn cool yet unfortunately rare about that but I kept it to myself, implementing the "Jordan" rule and being the consummate professional. This is Sherry with one of Letty's foster kittens.

It was equally hard for me to not personally engage the animals. I had a job to do but when puppies and kittens are begging for your affection and attention how does one hold the camera steady and not reach out occassionaly?
On more than one occasion I broke my own rules.

And every so often I'd turn off the camera and risk missing a moment to hold someone. Even if just for a minute. The affection I gave those animals was the most appreciated time I've ever given to another living thing. I was often worried someone might see my eyes welling up when hearing the story of these animals.

Like the 3 legged Chihuahua that was drop kicked and left for dead on a desert road. The cousin of the person who discarded the little animal felt guilty having watched the abuse and called ARL. It was a miracle the dog survived, with multiple broken bones one of which was so bad the leg had to be removed. But now Willow is happy and hopping around Letty's home.

So I gave what I could while getting the job done. And I had the very appreciated opportunity to help 2 kittens out of a litter of 5 get more acclimated to people. Each morning I'd pick up Sherry who was staying with Letty and before departing I'd spend time with the kittens. It was the best way to start a day any camearman on assignment could ask for. This is Isa, one of the kittens that would initially run from people but I helped her get over the fear and realize not all people are bad.

One morning I got up at 4am to film the sunrise from half way up a mountain that flanked the city to the North. It was cold and the cop who told me I couldn't park there was even colder. So I set up the camera then drove around returning every 10 minutes to make sure the little red filming light was still on. The view gazes over the Rio Grande into Juarez, current murder capital of the world.

Another day begins and made me wonder what evil things were going on out there. I felt a nervous tension and kept my strained eyes fixed on every car that passed behind me.

I heard many stories of gruesome killings. It's not hard to imagine how people can be so indifferent to animals when they treat each other so brutally. Still it creases me that the culture of the entire area is - dogs, especially fighting breeds and Chihuahua's are a status symbol. Many people live in squalor and cannot afford much more than a tin roof over their head but sure as hell they have the dog chained up outside with the prerequisite "BEWARE OF DOG" and "NO TRESPASSING" signs posted by King Shit of Turd Island.

I drove down dirt alleys looking for the worst I could find - and didn't have to look far. Starving dogs roaming for food, battling at the fences of other dogs who had 3' of chain keeping them in their own filth. A pit bull here, boxer there, great dane and a poodle stuck in the same makeshift plywood house or 4 huskys all with unruly rastafarian coats of matted hair.

Back at the shelter I followed a great storyline of a couple of discarded Shih Tzu's whom Loretta saved from Death Row then had groomed, fixed and finally adopted. This is a shot from the OR...

All the while I remembered that every day was like this for Loretta and Sherry. Every day they were making a difference. Saving lives of animals left by indifferent, callous and selfish people. It was an interesting feeling of encouragement aside frustration. Sherry made her rounds, doling out treats, love and attention. She took a particular interest in a very cool and well behaved dog named Patches who would bring you a ball then sit and wait patiently for you to throw it. Sherry threw the ball then looked at me and asked, "Why would someone dump off a dog like that? That dog was someone's." Patches returned with the ball and Sherry asked, "Where's your people? Huh? Where are they?!"

Honesty, trust and friendship. Without a word spoken.

It wasn't until the last day when Sherry had departed for Utah and I returned to the shelter without a schedule or gameplan that it really started to hit me. Luckily I was alone with the dogs, many who's names I had learned and felt like I was beginning to bond with. I made the same rounds that Sherry had, distributing treats for good behavior, feeling like a rock star with all the attention those dogs were giving. When I arrived at Yahtzee's run I sat down and set the camera on the ground. Normally Yahtzee would be barking and charging the fence but maybe Sherry had made some progress. I sat and talked to the dog and it stopped shaking. I wanted to stay and keep talking - feeling that the more Yahtzee let down his guard, the more I gained. More what I don't know but it was something I don't often feel. Not success but more akin to honest trust. A new friendship. And the thought that maybe I did something good that morning.

I had a plane to catch so I said my goodbyes and made haste to the aeropuerto. I flew late into the evening and got back to this little house in Arlington at about 2am. I walked in and greeted Duck, looked around and smiled. I had a home.

And a kick ass Christmas tree!
So at the risk of sounding like Sally Struthers, if you're interesting in helping - you can. Right from your desk, right now. It's easy and if you have a last minute Christmas present you need to give - get original.
Donations for the
Animal Rescue League of El Paso - CLICK HERE
Donations for the DOGTOWN no kill animal sanctuary - CLICK HERE
Or get your butt down to the local animal shelter - even if all you give is an hour for distributing treats you will feel like the most important person in the world. Trust me, it's worth that hour.

***
Thanks for reading & have a safe & fun holiday

Life on the Road

I'm very thankful for this little house here in Arlington. I can walk around, take in the new paint job in the bedroom, gawk at my imported Christmas tree or sit out on the deck with the chiminea roaring warm and just smile. So as I'm sitting here smiling I figured I'd take a few minutes to type out the events of the last 12 days since they were a total blur of travel and fur.

Jump back to last Friday when Emmac had the brilliant and bold idea to travel to the snowy North to get a Christmas tree from my buddy Dave who sells them at Chuck Corby's dairy. It's a solid 6 hour drive but sometimes an impromptu road trip is in order. The sunset outside of Harrisburg was amazing.

The drive up went smooth until the snowy, icy roads slowed progress to a maple syrup pace. I was stressed about deer as we took the back roads along the finger lakes, I've never hit a deer before and I didn't want to break my record on a snowy road with a cliff on one side and thick pines on the other. It's a bit of a gauntlet but we made it through unscathed. I knew where to find Dave and surprised him at Thirsty's (one of only 2 bars in town). It was great to see Dave and par for this time of year he smelled of fresh pine. He spends about 12 hours a day, every day from Thanksgiving to Christmas at his stand loading cars with tress and tying wreathes. After a couple of strong bourbon's we headed back to his house and warmed up around the wood stove as the snow fell outside.

Dave showed off some of his new chainsaw carvings. His bears are green - sporting solar powered lanterns.

Next morning I called my Mom and told her to look out the front window as I pulled into her driveway. She seemed pretty happy since she was just about to go out and finish raking the yard. I was stoked to help her get the job done.

Next it was off to my Dad's place in Brockport to surprise him. His reaction was the same tho he chooses interesting words to show his emotions (when he saw my truck pull in he yelled into the phone "You Asshole!"). It's no wonder where I get my flair. Luckily his raking was all done which left time for lunch. I'm often very forgetful with the camera and left w/o a photo of Pop and I. Instead...

I was too preoccupied with my large doughnut scored at Tim Horton's, a Canadian chain that has infiltrated Upstate. I have to remember to get a photo of me and Pop at Christmas. We bid him adieu and hustled back to Dave's stand at the Dairy.

The place was packed like I've never seen. Amidst the construction on what will be a new dairy, Dave was loading up trees with a few of his helpers.

Left to right is Ginger the cow, some stoked little kid, a chubby guy in the background, Dave making obscene hand gestures, soccer-mom Julie, a proud new wreath owner and another stoked kid.
Dave is a true craftsman and artist - from chainsaw-carved bears to stick deer and rabbits, eagles and beavers,

big wood benches

to little birch ornaments

This dairy is legit, sporting the friendliest cow you've ever met. Here's Ginger greeting Emmac.

Feeding cows kicks ass.

But the slobber is a bit nasty.

I got to the business of picking out my tree. This is my "I just drove 400 miles for this tree" look. Dave's dog Tommy oversee's the loading process. "It's a real beaut, Clark."

Doug was there helping out and proud to show me his newly made ice-board. You know you're hard core when you windsurf so much you won't let a little ice and frigid temps stop you. This thing was sick, I have to give it a try when I head home again.

Take a look at the blades on this machine. SIIIIICK!

My Mom showed up and I remembered to get a photo of us.

I wanted to leave before sunset to make it through the gauntlet before dark. It wasn't to be. I was cruising down rt. 21 along Canandaigua towards Naples when the first deer appeared. It ran fast from my left across my path so I counter steered to the left to miss it. I watched as it safely outran my right front bumper. But I didn't see the one following it. The left bumper dispatched that doe at about 50mph. The truck was skidding with a steep drop to the left and a large rock wall to my right. I took off the breaks and felt the animal slide under both wheels. I was shocked as I jumped out and ran back to see if it was still alive. I don't think it was but the twitching was unbearable. Luckily another car pulled over to see if we were ok. This stranger was totally cool, first calming my nerves about the animal having suffered "...it died immediately, I'll call some friends to see if they want the meat. Don't worry, it didn't suffer..." then in helping me pull the bumper out from the tire. No friends of his wanted the carcass so I reported it to the State Troopers and hoped they'd get it to the nearby raptor center to be put to use as bird feed. The stranger helped me drag the deer off the road. It's legs were still warm. We left it on the side of the road and I drove away. I felt terrible the entire drive back to DC. Still sucks to think about it.
I've run over my allotted blog time for the day but I'll continue the story tomorrow.

On to Texas and saving dogs!

It's a wrap

leaving El Paso later today. Been too busy to write. Guess that's a good thing. Met amazing people, heart warming animals and spent time in a place that breeds hope. If you know of someone who's thinking of buying an animal at a pet store, please urge them to visit the pound or animal rescue instead. It makes no sense to leave so many perfect (almost 40% in the shelters are purebred)dogs and cats out in the cold when all they need is someone who can give up some love.
More when I get home - and after seeing so many animals who need them, I'm thankful to have a home (with a rescued pet).

Desert Rain

It's pouring, cold and downright nasty here today. But yesterday we got 10 dogs off 'death row' at the Animal Control facility. One of whom had a bad eye infection - once we got TO his eyes. Poor little guy had so much nappy hair matted over his face you couldn't see his eyes at all. It took a good 5-10 minutes of cutting and trimming to get to them. He might lose the eye, but we'll find out more today. Saving dogs kicks ass.

El Paso

arrived last night. Realized I didn't bring the connector for my Olympus camera to the computer. Might not have photos for a week but I'll try to get some updates going. I'm pretty excited to be here, even if here is Deep Texas. In the dark I could see lights strewn in every direction. Looks like sprawl upon a desert landscape. Sigh... this place has some crazy history tho. Can't sleep much. Trying to go over all the gear & shots needed. Oh well. Perhaps a visit to the Best Western's breakfast buffet will help get my day started in the right direction. I'm a sucker for cheap waffles...

Oh yea.
"Utah, get me two!"

Light & Motion Love

Got the new SECA RACE LIGHT in today from the fine group of folks over at Light & Motion. This light is amazingly small, light and super bad-ass looking. it's got red anodized cooling fins on the back. Oh it's gonna be a fun night ride tonight!!!

DOGTOWN

Next week I start my first shoot for the DOGTOWN series on National Geographic TV. I'm exceptionally stoked. To be able to merge work with something I'm completely passionate about is kick ass. And this assignment could not have come at a better time. Things have been a bit too slow.

This kicks ass.

Turkey Ride Photo

thanks to Donald Morningstar

I'm not in it, was still climbing up the hill with Poz after the fast ride. Next year.

Artist

Martin is a fellow kayaker who is pursuing his passion for photography. Check out his work, I think it's amazing.