Ocean City New Jersey Mid August 2014

I'd very much LOVE to no longer have crazy summers... that would be lovely... but, this year's crazy summer, had a SPECIAL DAY in which I went with my baby brother & his family + my father & his wide with my daughter to Ocean City New Jersey.

Here I am covered up in the Kaftan I made + the new summer hat I got earlier this summer & trying not to get bunrt... and failing anyways...

Libby bought me the new sunglasses.

Ocean City was one of the cities his REALLY BAD in 2012 by Hurricane Sandy.... on an ironically weird twist, Governor Chris Christie was actually there judging a dog show thingy of sorts, and I actually crossed paths with him.
No, seriously. The man was right in front of me on the sidewalk on the way back to the car.

He is actually NOT very large in person. He seems huge on TV, and in videos & photos, but in person he just seemed normal. He's somewhat overweight, but it just seemed like a normal sized dude his age.
I'm not a fan of him, or anything... but, he was very polite & pleasant in person and addressed & welcomed every person that went up to talk to him. His voice actually sounded slightly effeminate tho' in person. Other than that he was just VERY normal & plain looking. Nothing like on TV or media.

I just stayed quiet and allowed the people to meet & greet him, which was blocking the way. He's popular in Ocean City, for obvious reasons. I guess since we stood there and waited to get through/by it gave him a chance to go, which he did, while still shaking hands of random people wanting to meet him.

There were actually protestors on the boardwalk earlier, but they weren't nasty or rude like on TV. The were quiet, and held up sighs while looking as tho' they might pass out from heat stroke despite it not being too hot.

Also that day was a Baby Parade on the boardwalk, and also some beauty queens in the parade waving to everyone.

 I've heard so many times from so many people whom hate on "beach bums". My brother's family was a fine group of folks that everyone just seems to LOVE to hate on them. I've heard that they're lazy, they're full of themselves, or any number of judgements about their lifestyle...

But, all I have to say to that, and anyone else hating on "beach bums" is: Why don't you try spending a day with those 'beach bums"? Seriously!

Turns out my brother's family LOVES their state, and LOVES supporting Ocean City which was devastated not JUST by THE BIGGEST NATURAL DISASTER in New Jersey, and the East Coast USA EVER, but also economically twice over.

It's a "dry" beach (no drinking), and THE cleanest NJ beach I have EVER been too. It's also THE safest, and the #1 rated beach on the east Coast. I only saw ONE piece of litter on the ENTIRE BEACH and the water was CLEANER & CLEANER than REHOBETH DE!

Something sort of magical happened at the beach that day.
The waves themselves were already rather rhythmic, so I decided to be meditative, and just "feel" the moment, which I haven't done since that time I went with my friend Kyle & Lindsay to Venice Beach in Hollywood.  I started getting into my meditative groove, which I do sometimes, and found myself going further & further into the waves several times... and it was like I felt myself "connecting with my inner child".

My daughter also "let go" and began playing more & more in the ocean... 

And, it became infectious! Next thing I knew I was out in the Ocean with my sister-in-law like we were kids and just being totally full of joy & happiness. No stress, no ego, no agenda... just innocence & joy. Like we connected with the earth, The sun, and the ocean...

We laughed & giggled like children! It was a great feeling! Then, my brother joined us, and it was like we were all children again! Pure & innocent! It was utter bliss!

I have an issue with salt, and I bloat up... but I just forgot about it when I was in the water, and just laughed & swam around feeling the waveforms of the water which increased in energy & force as the day went on, and sometimes pulled us under.

Next thing I knew, I was on a boogie board & surfing!
WHAT???? I NEVER DO THAT!!!!
My brother made me do it, and I was doing it with my sister-in-law and my daughter!
Next thing I knew Libby, my step mother, was surfing too!!!!

WHAT????? NO WAY!!!!!
 Yep-yep!!! 

I learned a lot that day. Nature is the cure for everything.

After that day my psoriasis went away! GONE!

 Hey look up!!!! It's FLYING YUPPIES!!! 

 So, anyways... if you're one of those types of folks that don't know what to do with yourself at the beach, and rank on "beach bums" just try going with those folks, and let go.  Connect with nature, and your inner humanity.

Ocean City is full of people that take pride in this place we live in and call home. You should try it. Really connect with it.

if you'd like to see more of the photos I shot from Ocean City New Jersey you can see by other blog posts of that morning, and afternoon when I was there, as well as on my Flickr album.

Boho Chic Early Summer

These were a few photos I shot way way back, like may or June. This was was actually somewhat humid, just not too hot. But, they turned out horribly.

I was going through an incredibly stressful situation trying to help something, and someone, and all Hell broke loose... I couldn't get sleep...

And, I guess I have a "hero complex" or a "heroic archetype" of a personality, that I just can't stand to see helpless individuals undergo horrible things, situations, etc...

Unfortunately... if you've ever watched "Game of Thrones" and know what happened when Daenerys went out of her way to help amend some injustices, and help some people, they pretty much turned on her later on in utter ingratitude, and made Hell in her life needlessly, and tragically in the first season.

So, that's what pretty much occurred on my end, just in a different way...

So, if I look like I've been through Hell.... yeah, it's kinda something like that....

But, that's OK... because when it's all done, and over with, it'll be a whole other situation for... well, can't say. But, I'll be the one with some dragons, so to speak (metaphorically).

Ridicule from people that can't be bothered doesn't mean Jack to me. Because all the ridicule u can spew out won't change what I understand, and doesn't evaporate truth.

I understand what "lazy" really is. And, there's a difference between lazy and exhaustion + stress... and if I'm the lazy one, then why is it I'm so exhausted from all the "work" I did. It's called due diligence by some, if not many

I've done MORE homework just THIS year, than I have done in all the years on my entire life combined. But, this genie can't stay in the bottle.

Again, sorry for being cryptic... but, I'm heading in a good direction now. And, when my ship comes in, I'm gonna help quite a bit of people that truly deserve it.

I couldn't care less about revenge... I'll be too busy with all the good stuff. :D And, by good, I'm not talking some selfish egotistical self-centered something. I mean, I'm gonna do quite a bit to help the people I love.

That's about all I can say... legally.

But, here's some more music:

Within My Forest At Dusk from BlackUniGryphon on 8tracks Radio.

The Dim Ambient Lounge from BlackUniGryphon on 8tracks Radio.

So far this summer...

Quite a bit of my projects are still on hold due to some pending stuff tied up with stuff, let's say overseas, including funds and issues involving delays, and so on, and some greedy, arrogant, pompous jerks. Quite frustrating, really. But, whatever...

I wouldn't wish this onto anyone, what I've endured. Just managing my stress, and doing better now.

I blogged about quite a bit of the exercise stuff I've been up to all summer on my other blog here.

I'm going somewhere next week. Gonna be gone for a while... not too long.

I just hope my other stuff doesn't interfere with it. Hopefully, it won't... on the other hand, in a way, I wouldn't mind, but, it'll make make work for me...

Sorry, to be cryptic, but I have legal reasons to considder.

But, I do know for a fact, there's quite a lot of good things going on. I just can't disclose what those are, nor how I know, nor why.

Anyways, It's been a pretty musical summer for me. I keep getting popular on 8Tracks. Every day I get several likes or followers, and I have a wide list of "albums" of "mixes" now. I've been doing quite a bit of ambient, New Age, ethnic, and bohemian stuff this summer... but, also still do lots of TECHNO... I just haven't made a techno list in a while.

I thought I'd share some of my newer mixes:

Fathoming Oubliette from BlackUniGryphon on 8tracks Radio.

The Rogue Gypsy from BlackUniGryphon on 8tracks Radio.

Fairies o' The Wood from BlackUniGryphon on 8tracks Radio.

I actually haven't done much photography this year...

But, I do have some new stuff on Flickr.

But, I frequently vacillate from a 90s Nostalgia Generation X kick, to Bohemian flavor or fantasy, or SciFi.

Whatever... gotta do my artist thing...

I will be posting some of my photography to my Photo blog.  I mostly only did some flowers & lake/pond study/focus stuffs... nothing major.

I've also been sketching this summer with my daughter, but it's crap. :-/



Oh, and I LOVE plants!

I finally got stuff to grow on my overly shady so-called balcony (on the first floor). Blueberries!!!




I'm also growing lemongrass,greens, lentils, aloe vera, parsley, and herbs.