Veg Fest 2008

One of the biggest vegetarian food festivals in the United States, The Veg Fest was packed to the rafters with venders of all sorts.
I made several laps around the crowded main floor, sampling the wares of the various venders. Everything from soy that had been shaped and flavored to look and (sort of) feel and taste like the meat product it was designed to replace, to delicious chocolate puddings and a variety of juices and teas. At the time I thought it was strange that they would go to so much trouble to create a meat-like product. After going totally vegetarian as a one week test however,it made a lot more sense. It is hard to come up with a tasty variety of vegetarian protein choices.

Here Come The Phonys!!!

The Circus is coming to Seattle! A rag-tag dog and pony show, full of rip-off snake oil salesmen.
I fully believe that there is much that happens beyond my or any humans perception...a world of unexplained mystery and power...but I do NOT believe these money grubbing schucksters and shills have any information about that realm. I have met many of these woo-woo navel gazers in person and they did not pass the test. What is the test? The test is simple: Does their "secret" information do anything for them? Make their life any better or more serene (beyond the shallow serenity of a big bank account)? The answer? Inevitable, no. They are as over weight, addicted, angry, and superficial as anyone I have met who does not have their "secrets". So...if the only transformative power of these circus performers is to change money from my account into theirs, what good is it? Most of these glassy-eyed jesters are not even very entertaining to talk to.

Faves

Instead of trying to post individual pictures,here is a short slide show of some of my favorite things to do as pastimes in Seattle.

Life as a Returning Student

Since I returned to school to pursue a degree in Environmental Science, I have been living like a student again. Even working full time during the day, tuition does not grow on trees, so I reduced expendatures as much as possible. I rented a tiny hovel in the city. I reasoned that I would hardly be there anyway, better to focus more on a good location and less on amenities. So I live in a shoe box, but this is my back yard...


North shore of Lake Union, facing south.

Carkeek Park

These are the train tracks at Carkeek Park.

Located in northwest Seattle, this popular park offers extraordinary views of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains.

Years of hard work by neighbors and volunteers have brought salmon back to Pipers Creek in Carkeek Park.

I took the pictures on January 12, 2008. Back up music by Fred Eaglesmith