Robin profile picture

Robin

i was standing on the battery wall

About Me

I enjoy versatility in all things and tend to seek the maximum middle of everything, while sometimes also enjoying the far extreme quality of this or that. I grew up in the south. If you buy me a beer I'll do my best impersonation of myself for you.- - - - -"Fanaticism is nowhere. There's no tenderness or humanity in fanaticism." --Joe Strummer, The Clash

My Interests

industrial history, historic industrial districts, re-purposing old buildings, abandoned drive-in movie theaters, abandoned anythings (oh so fascinating!), passenger trains, urban archeology, swing dance, rockabilly, delta blues, smoky bbq, western shirts & cowboy boots, road trips, camping (especially near mesquite trees), dreaming, day-dreaming (to a fault), people-watching, cactus flowers, green grass, greener grass on the other side, coastal s.e., live oaks with spanish moss, flying airplanes, the smell of old airplanes, float planes, my adorable smarty kat--maggie, photography, cookies, philosophy, desert s.w., seafood, growing my own veggies, dancing, dancing badly (really big fan of the running man), staying power, willpower, true friends, learning, reading, exploring, wandering outside the comfort zone (way out)...and my new-found interest: bicycles. especially MY bike. i love my bike. i like watching people on bikes, while hoping that no one watches me being clumsy on my bike.

I'd like to meet:

Dean Moriarty. Saul Alinsky. Patrice Lumumba. The farmers who grow the produce that's sold at Winn-Dixie and Wal-Mart; I'd ask for their life stories and would listen with an empathetic ear. My grandfather. People with a sense of humor, people with heartfull souls, more people to converse with about historic preservation, someone who is always available for last-minute trips abroad.

Music:

movie soundtracks; 60's era Bond movies, 70's action hits, 80's brat-pack tunes.

Movies:

norma rae, fall, north by northwest, my own private idaho, roman holiday, raising arizona, secretary, rocky horror picture show (live), true romance, what's eating gilbert grape, bedazzled (1967), airplane!, mars attacks, and my favorite: monty python's the meaning of life. oh...and the big lebowski, of course.

Television:

once every two months to catch an episode of BLLARRGHH

Books:

I like to read maps. Topo maps, atlases, aerial maps, Google maps, road maps, etc.

Heroes:

none. we have only ourselves to look up to. if you're not your own hero, then who are you really?

My Blog

normal in portland

Normal in Portland is not normal for everywhere else. Example: yesterday I was walking home with groceries and just as I was reaching my house, a guy stopped his bike, got off and flipped it over on ...
Posted by Robin on Mon, 02 Jun 2008 08:55:00 PST

libraries; adventures in technicolor

today i spent a few hours wandering through the library. "i love libraries, why don't i come here more often?" i think to myself as i wanderingly peruse the isles of books and stacks of maps and tabl...
Posted by Robin on Thu, 29 May 2008 03:22:00 PST

bridgestone wonderful

hot damn!  i'm riding a hot pink bike.  i named her nellie (as in whoa, nellie!) and she's 20+ years old, made of steel, and is generally awesome.  last week she had a visit to the doct...
Posted by Robin on Sat, 23 Feb 2008 11:02:00 PST

i made the cut!

..> ten inches of my lovely virginal brunette locks are on their way, this very moment, to make one woman living with cancer a very happy wig! and really, i couldn't feel better about it. my head is...
Posted by Robin on Tue, 08 Jan 2008 12:08:00 PST

lessons learned...2007

Now that we've all got another year behind us, it's good to reflect back on the big lessons life has taught us.  There's nothing new or spectacular here, just pure stream of thought. 1.  Be ...
Posted by Robin on Sun, 30 Dec 2007 08:30:00 PST

bye bye boo boo kitty

My sweet, sweet old kitty died yesterday without the help of the vet.  She was 14 and lived a fat and happy life.  We adopted her from the Memphis Humane Society when she was six weeks old.&...
Posted by Robin on Mon, 12 Nov 2007 11:32:00 PST

here is me

i have been living a lie and it's been weighing on my conscience.  if you have a second, this might give you a laugh.  because maybe you can identify and you just aren't ready to s...
Posted by Robin on Mon, 03 Sep 2007 08:56:00 PST

mr. turkey

Here's the story: So the other day I'm driving down the two-lane country road my parents live on, and noticed in passing by one of the other houses, their pet ---a wild turkey--- is out wal...
Posted by Robin on Tue, 10 Jul 2007 06:30:00 PST

little sniffer, big smells

does the smell of something ever catch you off guard?  like when a smell reminds you of a time or place, but it's so unexpected it shocks you.  it seems every year in spring i start sme...
Posted by Robin on Sun, 29 Apr 2007 06:56:00 PST

little space heater, how do i love thee?

let me count the ways. 1.  you leave me frigid cold, so i get up to turn you on. 2.  you bake me in the night, so i get up to turn you off. 3.  you dry out the air and make me cough. 4....
Posted by Robin on Wed, 17 Jan 2007 11:13:00 PST