Big Sur Jade Festival "ON HOLD"

Due to the Federal Government Shut down, and the subsequent shut down of Public Lands, specifically the campgrounds and day use areas of the Los Padres National Forest in Jade Country Big Sur, the festival is on hold. I will start by stating that I am not going to use this forum to voice my opinion on all of this, but to try to provide details and status updates to those that follow my blog. I left jade country Sunday morning. The campgrounds and day use areas were closed, with the exception of Willow Creek, which is most likely closed by now. As far as access to Jade Cove and other jading areas, and regarding "dispersed camping" within the forest, nothing had changed before I left. I heard rumors to the contrary, but can find little information to confirm anything. I will say this. Those that are involved in the shutdown (on the front line) are doing the best they can while they themselves are affected personally by it. Hats off to Parks Management Company. What a tough position to be in. Same to the staff of Los Padres National Forest. If you have to channel any anger, it should be to the top of the foodchain! My heart goes out to the locals who will be so greatly impacted if the fest is canceled. Of course, there are millions of us who are also impacted by the shutdown in some manner. OK, so I did voice a little of my opinion, now back on-track. I have reached out to Congressman Sam Farr, as I read on BigSurKate's blog that he was able to get an exemption on te use permit for the festival, but nothing in regards to the campgrounds and parking. If anyone out there has additonal information, please e-mail me and I will update my posts. Thanks, Peace and Karma to you all Hank

Race Night On The Row- FIM Superbike World Championship

I took a tour through Cannery Row yesterday evening to look over the bikes that were attending the FIM Superbike event. Big Larry told me that the July Laguna Seca event drew a much larger crowd of bikes, and the picture in the ad proves that. Still, a lotta nice bikes there. I definitely liked the Ducati's the best, but there were bikes from every bracket to enjoy. I'll let the pics tell the rest.

Carmel Valley Gem and Mineral Society Gem and Mineral Show

I attended the show yesterday and thoroughly enjoyed the displays, the vendors and meeting so many other enthuiasts. Found out that one of the members is a fellow wire wrapper that teaches the art within the society membership. I will probably apply for membership in the society in the near future. The displays that the members had were incredible. I had been enticed to attend the show by their display at The Monterey Library. I was able to identify some items I had through the vendors, and liked showing off some of my treasures. It was a good prelude to the upcoming Big Sur Jade Festival (http://hankstoybox.blogspot.com/2013/09/big-sur-jade-festival.html).

EXPECT NOTHING. ACCEPT EVERYTHING

Expect Nothing, Accept everything. This is painted on a parking lot at a vista point in Big Sur. I have been contemplating the statement since I first saw it. It really, really speaks of my Karma, yet I still struggle with it as it pertains to my "pact" with myself. I love giving of myself to others when the energy is there. I never expect something in return, I just want to convey positive energy. I find that the more I live my life in that Karma, the more positive energy that comes to me. I'll try not to be over the top on this, at least not in this post. When I first came to Big Sur, I was empty! Spent! I had nothing left, physically, emotionally or spiritually! Honest truth. I knew the direction I had to point myself in order to survive, so I started spending hours of my days at the vista point mentioned above, meeting travelers coming through, and trying to slow them down so that they would truly experience what Big Sur is. Too often people allot 3 hrs to travel the 70+ miles called Big Sur, stopping in turnouts, taking a quick photo or two, look at their watch and hurry off. They may see some of the raw, natural beauty that is Big Sur, but they don't really experience it. I liked to point out (and still do) things like the Jade right below them on the beach, the waterfalls (other then McWay Falls at Julia Pfeiffer Burns state park), Where they might best have the chance of seeing the Condors (condors? is the usual response), Wanna see Albino Redwoods?, and sometimes if I feel the right energy from them, I'll give up a local secret or two. I collected (still do) chips of Jade too small for me to do anything with and handed it out to those that didn't want to search for themselves, AND to those that wanted to look, so they'd have a sample for comparison. And I never look for anything in return. I always get a "feel good" from sharing, and a lot of smiles, thanks, handshakes and sometimes a hug, and those are what healed my maladies. I am so thankful to those that extended those things, and I hope that I somehow enhanced their Big Sur adventures. So what is the problem? I wrote a post last friday and spoke of my pact. I stated what my expectations were from others, mainly respect. I will not tolerate certain things coming into my space. Period! So, I find that to be in conflict with "accept everything" To do so is to compromise who I am. Hmmm, such a struggle. Peace and Karma Hank

Pickup Truck burns near Lover's Point Pacific Grove and I hit a parked car! Friday, 9/20/13

Friday in Pacific Grove. And I thought I had a bad day. Bless the fire dept and PD. They were on this in a heartbeat. They had the fire out before the contents in the camper shell were damaged. I missed an awesome shot, a fireman crawled into the shell, pulling out the items to the front. At last he came out holding a small picture frame and walked over and handed it to the trucks owner. The exchange was awesome. Another firefighter had stepped between me and this as it happened, so no clear pic. OK, it was still an awesome act, and makes me even prouder to say that I have a career fighter in the family (love you Jim). So, as planned, I made my way to Carmel Village Friday evening to see Red Beans and Rice. A Stressful drive in rush hour traffic (traffic SUCKS big time on the Monterey peninsula) and I finally find an open parking space. Go for it. Well, for the first time in probably 25 years, I'm involved in an accident, as I clipped the front of a parked car! Everybody knows whose fault it is, right? Mannnn! And even worse, it is a beautiful BMW convertible! I get out and check the damage. Oh no, The cars front bumper is detached, and laying face down on the pavement! Almost comical if you don't consider things. And front fender damage to boot. The toybox is darn near unscratched. I wish I could somehow exchange the damage between vehicles. Nope. So, I call my insurance company while I wait on the owner of the car, and actually had a claim set up and all by the time she got there. It was AWFUL! Heartwrenching for me. I did everything that I knew to do to help her through this, and even gave her her choice of one of my Big Sur Jade pendants, when she said she had been under a spell of bad Karma recently. Her girlfriend did show up and that support was helpful. I detached the light cables and loaded the bumper into the backseat of her car for her. Ironically, she was going to the Redbeans and rice show too... I saw her there but tried to give her space so she could take her mind off the incident for a while.

I tried to be normal once...

But seriously. I spent way too many ticks off my life clock pursuing "The American Dream". When people look at how I am living my life today, many think that something broke. All that happened was that I woke up to the fact that I was not living MY dream, pursuing MY passions, or doing MYSELF justice. Everything that I am currently pursuing; learning the art of wirewrapping, setting up on-line sales of both the wirework and photography, are part of a bigger plan, one that allows me to start checking off items from my "Bucket List". I started my bucket list on my 55th Birthday, this past June. Once I finished the draft I realized "Hank, you had better get busy brother!" Topping the list is to resume my travels, explorations and adventures of the western US. My business plan calls for my businesses to be portable so that I can manage them from anywhere. And in the process, the two (businesses and travels) marry together. As I travel, I will pursue the minerals/gems of the regions I visit as the centerpiece of my pendants, and I will take advantage of the myriad outdoor photo ops to add to my portfolio. And the businesses will hopefully support the travels. Perfect Yin and Yang. So much of my bucket list is about travels, discoveries and adventures that it is no doubt the core passion of my being. The sacrifices I have made to realize these dreams prove not to be sacrifices at all, at least to me. The deeper that I immerse myself into my dreams, the more that I peel away the layers of expectations. Not mine, but those of others. I have had to become selfish, at least in the eyes of the beholders. I have made a pact with myself, one of which I set boundaries of how much I may be influenced or veered off-course by the wishes of others. I realize that I am truly a better person by setting these boundaries, and I will die a happier and more content individual because of them and my pursuits. I WILL live the rest of My life as I want to. I will truly be ME from here on out. So how about you. Have you created your "Bucket List"? Do you really know what you hope to accomplish in life, or are you stuck in the daze of the "American Dream"? Is life for you the time spent planning for the future? or are you in this moment? Peace and Karma to you... Hank

Humpback whales in Capitola

Check out the photos taken of Humpbacks in Capitola on the Monterey Bay. Very Cool.