artman's alphabet - W

it's cooler in key wst

Well that was a dramatic shift!
(I mean the Key West weather.)
Yesterday was a sunny 90 degrees and by the time I put my butt to bed it had just gotten dark, there was a light breeze and the temp was 84. When I woke up this morning, it was still dark, the breeze was up a bit and the temperature was 77. Right now, as we speak, it's a gusty breeze, light rain and we're down to 67. (After the extraordinarily hot October we've had, I don't think anybody really minds)

If you asked someone if they'll do this or that and they answer that they can, can't, could or couldn't, that individual lives by dictate. They are influenced by forces outside themselves like religious dogma, societal/political rules or laws.
(motivation by dictate)

Ask another someone to do the same this or that and they answer that they will, won't, would or wouldn't, that individual lives by conviction. They are influenced by forces inside themselves like conscience, intuition and common sense. (motivation by conviction)

Politics and Religion are governed by a prescribed system of rules, a Constitution. . . a Bible. . .
So it follows that the actions of politicians and clerics are motivated by forces outside themselves. (They either can or can't, according to the dictate of the rules)

Which probably explains why lobbyists are so successful.

On the other hand, Social Service and Spirituality are governed by personal choice and, it follows that the actions of Social Workers and the Spiritually Minded are motivated by forces within themselves. (They either will or won't according to the conviction of their conscience)

Which probably explains why each are so woefully
under-funded.

In a "perfect world", both methods of motivation, dictate and conviction, might be a good thing. But human nature being what it is, it doesn't seem like a "perfect world", "healthcare reform" or an end to "the wars" will be in the cards
any time soon.

cruzan for bruzan

Another one of those things you've gotta love about Key West is it's spontaneous nature. It's cool to make plans every now and then but if you don't, and just hang out long enough, something will come up on it's own and, ten out of ten times, it's gonna be fun.

Last night I found myself, very unexpectedly, at Bagatelle for a three course, sit down Rum Pairing Dinner.

Hosted by Cruzan Rum, almost everyone in Key West's Bar and Restaurant industry was introduced to Cruzan's lines of aged and flavored rums while they (and I), ate our faces off.

john, the rum runner

I enjoyed my Shrimp Ceviche and Jamaican Sweet Curry Chicken. At the table with me were most of the crew from Big 'Un's (a.k.a. Teaser's) and a very lovely woman, Kate, who publishes the Keys Weekly newspapers. (two newspaper people sitting side by side over dinner. . . do you think the subject of Monique came up?)

andrea, the rum goddess

Anyway, by the end of the night, I had learned more about rum than I ever thought I needed to know. How it's made, the technique for taste testing it and why aging rum in used Jim Beam barrels is a good thing.

courtney, the rum queen

An informational night and a fun night. (you can always learn more stuff when you're having fun)

clayton & chris, the rum pumpers

Key West the Blog's thanks to Kimberly, John, Andrea, Courtney, Clayton, Chris and our Bagatelle waitress for another great night, out on Duval.

the legend of spanish moss

It's probably some kind of pre-natal memory/reincarnation thing but I've always been fascinated by Spanish Moss. Being a kid in Queens, New York, the only place I ever could've seen the stuff was on a Disney T.V. show called Swamp Fox. (It was about a guerrilla band of Revolutionary War Americans terrorizing the British troops from week to week and then hiding out in a swamp, complete with Spanish Moss.)

I don't remember where I first heard it but I've always had a vague memory of a Spanish Moss legend that had something to do with an Indian Princess and her hair. Maybe that sounds a little nuts (hell, it sounded nuts to me) but all the same I went on-line to look it up and don't you know, not only did I find my "Indian Princess legend" but also a "horny Spanish explorer legend" (which features, you guessed it, an Indian Princess).

First the Indian Pricess. . .

There's an old, old legend, that's whispered by Southern folks,

About the lacy Spanish moss that garlands the great oaks--
A lovely princess and her love, upon their wedding day,
Were struck down by a savage foe amidst a bitter fray;
United in death they were buried, so the legends go--
'Neath an oak's strong, friendly arms,
protected from their foe;
There, as was the custom,
they cut the bride's long hair with love,
And hung its shining blackness on the spreading oak above;
Untouched, undisturbed, it hung there, for all the world to see
And with the years the locks turned grey,
and spread from tree to tree

And here's the horny Spaniard. . .

A villain there was named Gorez Goz,
who journeyed here from Spain,
The natives feared him much because
his heart was set on gain.
Gorez espied an Indian maid who filled his fondest hope.
He bought her for a yard of braid and a little bar of soap.
The Indian maid was so afraid and fled this bearded brute,
She sped over hill and field and glade with Gorez in pursuit.
At last the maiden climbed a tree; the Spaniard did the same.
The lass was bent on being free; Gorez desired his claim!
She balanced on a slender limb then dove into the brook.
She much preferred a morning swim
to this bearded Spanish crook.
The troubles of Gorez begin, his naughty plans are queered.
He snags the whiskers of his chin
and the branches hold his beard.
The Indian maiden thus is free Gorez's life is a loss,
But his beard lives on for you to see as dangling Spanish Moss!

columbus day (& other odd notions)

I didn't remember, until I picked up my con leché at Five Brother's this morning, that today is Columbus Day.

what the hell is he lookin' at?

The banks are closed (no rubber checks today), courts are closed, (anybody who got busted on Friday night, gets an extra day in jail) and the post office is closed (which always screws up my Netflix schedule). But not much else will be different for the day.

first, last & security?

It's pretty common knowledge, at this point, that when old Columbus made land fall at San Salvadore the Vikings had long since discovered, explored and, in a few cases, settled on North America. So suppose Columbus had sailed south of the Bahamas (easy enough for him to do, he didn't have a compass) and instead made landfall at Cayo Hueso. He could've got himself a T-shirt (it's hard to imagine Key West, at any point in history, without T-shirt shops) that read, "you can't be first but you could be next!"

corner buoys?

But it was not to be and the first European to land in our little island was Ponce De Leon which, I've always thought, starts to explain the "just short of normal" attitude in the island air here. I mean that knucklehead came here looking for the "Fountain of Youth" so, right from the beginning. . .

flying wallenda?

tortuga moon

"tortuga moon" by Art Winstanley
watercolor on cold press
7" x 4" museum quality, archival reproduction
20" x 16" matted & framed
AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE
$150
send e-mail for details: keywesttheblog@gmail.com

whalton lane

Back in the day when Karen (my 3rd ex-wife), Maxine and I came to Key West, the first place we lived was a barely 12 x 12 one room "cottage" in a backyard on "Chapman" Lane in Bahama Village. We were there for our first 6 month in town which was long enough to make it worth the landlord's while and for us to get our bearings.

I'd never lived on a "Lane" before. "Chapman" Lane was a skinny little strip of asphalt, no sidewalk and less than a block long separated by Petronia St. and 3 feet to the right from "Baptist" Lane. The fact is that within the first 2 days we were there, our landlord's neighbors were complaining because these newcomers from the north had two cars. Parking is at a premium on a Key West Lane.

Before long, I met my good friend and phellow photograper, Richard Watherwax who lived in a house at the end of "Bakers" Lane. So right from the beginning, I was taken over by Key West Lane consciousness and have been exploring them all as I find them. "Hunt's" Lane, "Elgin" Lane, "Love" Lane, "Catholic" Lane, "Poorhouse" Lane and "Lowes" Lane (which I always pronounce, Lois Lane). I know a married couple named Karen and Bill Lane, but they live on a "street" and I keep hoping I'll stroll down "Memory" Lane but that's a long shot.

Some lanes are paved, others are not. Some lanes are shortcuts to somewhere else and some are dead-ends. Some lanes have handsome homes on them and others, not so much. So far as I can see, Key West Lanes are as diverse as Key West characters; save a single detail. . . Even though I've never been barked at, they all have "BEWARE OF DOG" signs.

Anyway, with lane on the brain, I thought, hmmm. . .
"Key West Lanes" is a great theme for a book.
Look for it around Christmas time.

election day

Walking the few blocks to Old City Hall and past Sloppy Joe's on my way to vote yesterday, I got a feeling of the "old west". There just seemed to be something just a little "yippie ki-aye" about a saloon and taproom right next door to the polling place.

I mean. . .
Let's say you don't know who you're gonna vote for so, you stop at the bar and pull up a stool for a few cold ones while you're making up your mind. Then you make up your mind and, feeling good and determined you head for the polls and wade through that sea of sign-waving, shouting supporters of the other guy. . .
You're feeling no pain! There could be a ruckus!!

Or. . .
Maybe you knew who you were gonna vote for all along, stepped in the booth, cast your ballot and, feeling really good about it, you stop at the bar afterwards, wearing your civic pride like a badge. And maybe you pull up a stool right next to somebody who voted for the other guy. . .
Soon enough nobody's feeling any pain! There could be a ruckus!!

(I guess ruckus is why, in some states, gin mills are closed on election days.)

My own drinking hasn't been much to brag about for years and I'm allergic to ruckus so I came in and out of the polling place and passed the taproom twice without wetting my whistle once. (maybe next time.)

Anyway, here again are the results on the day. . .
Both Charter Amendments got the deep six, Clayton Lopez carried the day for Bahama Village and Billy Wardlow got it done for District 3 (never mind, he ran mostly unopposed). In my neighborhood, my man Tom Milone lost it to Jimmy Weekley and Craig Cates kicked the holy sh*t out of Morgan McPherson for Mayor.

artman's alphabet - V

duval street

Every time I hear any media knucklehead turn the phrase,
". . .from Wall Street to Main Street. . .", my mind remembers it's nights on Duval (as best it can) and I think, "I've got yer Main Street, right here!"


Duval Street is a two mile long chameleon. On a Saturday night, from the ocean to the gulf, it's a kickin', rockin' block party from sunset to closing time.


For me, it's been a while, but I've had my share of nights (and and just barely mornings) making the rounds until last call on Duval.



But then, the next Sunday morning, Duval Street is a quiet expression of Rockwellian gentility.
(talk about a geographic Jekyll & Hyde)


Since I've been out of circulation these past couple of months, I got curious to see if Captain Tony's, Sloppy Joe's, 801 & Aqua were still standing.


So, out & about I went and found that all were well and, Duval Street was in it's Sunday morning-after quietude.

coconut chaos & the sea of green

a great soul

For the past few weeks, I've been casually re-reading "Autobiography of a Yogi" written in 1946 by my Guru, Paramahansa Yogananda.
(It's a great read that I highly recommend to you)

Well, as they have so very often happened since I welcomed Yoganandaji into my world, a series of small miracles (call them happy coincidences if you prefer) have occurred during this most recent reading. They've helped me trust that I have a helping hand as I move through this life and most of them are too personal for publication here, but this morning. . .
This morning I picked up my book at Chapter 44 in which Yoganandaji describes a trip to Wardha, India in the summer of 1935 to visit with Gandhi. I read, with interest, Guruji's account of their visit, his observations and perceptions of the Mahatma (great soul). When I'd finished the chapter I closed the book and got on with my morning. I promise you it wasn't until hours later, when the sun was fully up and I had NPR radio on, that I learned that today was Gandhi's birthday.

As miracles go it's not parting the Red Sea, I know - but I ask you, what are the odds that a book I've been chipping away at for three weeks is gonna lead me to a chapter about a particular person, on that particular person's birth date?

The experience gave me something new & unexpected to think about as I was out & about taking care of banking and post office stuff this morning.

Mohandas K. Gandhi
was born on October 2, 1869 and lived a long life leading India to it's independence from the British Empire through non-violent revolution.
He died on January 30, 1948 at age 78 of 3 bullets to the chest. As he lay dying, the Mahatma raised his arms toward his assassin in an expression of forgiveness.

"You must be the change you want to see in the world."
Mohandas K. Gandhi