Fair Pics
I know it has taken me longer then usual to post, not having high speed internet at home is a bigger hinderance then I thought. I know I am spoiled. I had my Bradley interview today and it went well, now I am in Chicago and tomorrow I fly back to the West Coast. I wanted to get these fair pics out soon, so here they are.

So here is the deal, I went to the Oregon Country fair last Saturday (see earlier post). I was surprised to find the fair was really cool. It was not overly political like I thought it would be, it was just a big happy hippie fest of people being "free" or whatever they were being. I won't write a lot here, just make notes on the pictures to describe what happened. There are some "questionable" photos so please use discretion when viewing. I do not want to censor my own photos... I need to "express" myself. Okay enough hippie talk, here goes...

The entrance was filled with weird people and of course... a Welcome sign.

At the entrance I got confused and thought it was costume required... but it was costume optional.

Like anywhere in Oregon bands set up at each corner or open space, with their own hippie ontourage.

Amoung all the veggie booths I had to look and look for meat. Two times now Marty's (Owner) Peruvian food booth saved me at Eugene events.

Gypsy and fairy life was in the air, booths, costumes, everything!

Lots of the people in costume mocked mainstream culture. There was a group of people dressed in all white mocking the tennis life... Muffy shall we play a match after tea?

Family Nudist Park... not that a nudist park is not shocking enough... but one for the entire family?

"What will Bush do Next?" Options on the wheel included illegal invasions, deforesting for oil, and a few other top hippie agenda items.

No hippie nation is complete without a drum circle and crazy dancing.

Bands... bands... bands. Everywhere you looked there was a band asking for money.

Surprise! Another band...

This band had home made intruments.

This guy was telling people to live like native americans... he made a fire with two sticks, but he had a metal hammer in his belt amoung other metal manufactured tools. Yeah real native like there Mister.

Nirvana Tubes: you hold this tube to your ear and hear what the trees do. Hello... put any long tube with a curve on it and you get a funny sound. Maybe some one has never been to the ocean and picked up a shell?

Kilts with cargo pockets were all rage at the fair this year, and also parrots and pirates.

This huge chess set was cool.

I am betting this guy is a stock broker and she is the manager of a Doctors Office... this is their weekend outfit.

Wings of any type were very much in style. I thought about getting Novali a pair... but these were only made in sizes for adults.

Lots of young girls with old guys...

"The Devil is Cool!"... ah... and they wonder why regular people don't like them?

Big Asian dragon, that was very cool.

The rest of the dragon...

His sign said, "The Emperor Wears no Clothes." (he had George Bush mask on)

Topless fairies and mermaids everywhere.

They had a huge disk of ice out there.

You were supposed to touch this one spot, and by the end of the day there would be a hole there. Cool.

Mines and performers all over the place...

Another band... with a guy that played the spoons... now that is talent.

Got to have the silver lady.

Crazy costumes and stilts.

The entrance had some cool big "art" and of course tons of bike people rode there... i mean since gas is evil.

Bush doing the peace sign, shirt says, "Bet You'll Vote This Time Hipppie." I had to get it.

So that was the fair adventure... wow that was a long post. See why it took so long for me to complete. Now back to our regularly scheduled programming.

The Potty Pic
My Albion Interview went well, I got most of my errands done I needed to get to while in Michigan, and I got to drive a cool rental car. But what made this trip even better was spending time with Novali. We had fun, a trip to the park, our little local eating spot, visiting with her grandpa, and playing at the house and of course watching Lion King.

Big smiles.

Tamara doing her hair.

Novali, her grandpa Angel and mami out in the nice Chicago weather.

She went potty at the restaurant so I got her some cake.

At the park near the house getting some sun.

Her favorite slide at the park.

Swinging.

Mom came and joined her.

Novali tried to push her mom.

Novali fell off a scooter at day care. She says she did not cry, cause she is a big girl.

Always sitting nice and proper.

Not proper with her food though...

When she gets older... she will never forgive me for putting this on the web.

She loves to play dress up, here seen in her Mexican outfit Tio Andy got her.

I am glad I am still getting time with her this summer even though I am far away. I will be back in a little over again, that time with my family and my abuelitos from Bolivia. Can't wait!
For those keeping track of my whereabouts... Yes I am in Peoria. Yes the city is really cool. Yes Bradley put me up in a really cool hotel (Jumer's Castle). Yes I loved meeting the students today. Yes I am ready for tomorrow. Yes I am confused about which job I want more now...

Vegas Baby... VEGAS!
So with this new trip to Chicago I scored a four hour layover in Las Vegas. I figured... why not? Not only did I save money by having more connecting flights, but I would get a chance to see Vegas a little as well. Can't beat that, right? Ding ding ding...

So I called Steve, one of my Chapter Brothers, who lives in Vegas. I got lucky and he was free, and called me a few seconds after I landed in Vegas. He scooped me up and we saw the town with his girl Christie. I have known Steve and Christie for nearly 6 years now... and I have not seen him in nearly two years. It was great to catch up. Check out the pics:

While waiting for Steve I noticed that even the airport in Vegas had neon lights all over!

Driving into the town reminded me of so many movies! Especially my fav, Swingers.

Steve knew a guy at Margaritaville and we went there first.

The Buffett theme was too much for me, but I am sure some people loved it. Good food for sure.

The skyline was great, tons of lights and people all over.

Steve is from this area and at WMU he was known as "El Principe" in the fraternity.

All of the buildings had beautiful lights and every details was perfect.

We went to Cesar's for a little shopping.

Steve and Christie have been together for a long time, they used to crack me up in Michigan.

In Vegas... every little corner had a slot machine in it.

It was good to see Steve again. I also met "Sam" from the show The Apprentice who was on the strip in Vegas and Steve recognized him. I did not realize the guy was that short.

It was cool seeing Steve at home. I knew it was hard for him at WMU, he hated the Midwest. He was way too Cali for West Michigan. I could tell he feels at home there, even in 105 degree heat (they said that was cool!). Thanks for showing me around Steve! I will be back, and I will bring more Brothers with me.

Wednesday I arrived in Chicago. Got my rental car and played with Novali just a little before heading to Michigan. A quick stop in Kalamazoo for lunch and some errands with the Brothers, and then off to Albion. The campus was very nice, but the surround area left much to be desired. Lets see how this interview goes...

Novalí Updates
I will post pictures and comments about the Oregon Country Fair later this week. First thing I wanted to get done this weekend was update Novalí's site.

This morning my parents went to visit Novali and called me. I talked to her twice this week and I get to see her on Wednesday! Then I noticed I have not updated her website much lately and that I only post small pictures on my blog. So I added a few more picture pages, a new Flash header on her homepage with some new pics, as well as links to her Puerto Rican day video. So check out her site and enjoy!

www.centellas.org/novali

The next three weeks are going to be very hectic for me. This week I travel to Chicago, Albion, and Peoria (two big interviews). I get back to Oregon for a week, and then back to Chicago for two days, then Orlando for four days to the Sigma Lambda Beta Convention (I am doing four presentations). I get back from that trip and two days later I leave for San Francisco for a four day Western Region Greek Association Board meeting. By the time I return from those trips I should hopefully have a job offer from one of my two interviews and then be preparing for my move back to the midwest... ah the life I lead.

Oregon Country Fair
Thats right, country fair, not county fair. There is a difference. This weekend is the Hippie Meca event of all events. The Oregon Country Fair was started in 1969 by the large commune of hippies here. They had their own community, a "free" college and trade schools for their system of self sustainability, grew their own crops and considered themselves the counter culture of America. I read an article about this community of people and they made some bold and strange statements.

One thing which struck me was that they came to Oregon because they were free of the persecution they faced in other parts of the country and came here because they had more of an ability to be free here. Which to me means no one here stopped them from smoking lots of pot, doing other drugs of choice in the 60s, not sending their kids to "regular" school, not paying taxes (Oregon has no sales tax either), and got to walk around shirtless (as mentioned before it is legal for anyone to be shirtless here).

They compared their pilgrimage to Oregon to the Oregon Trail, and even to the Cherokee Trail of Tears. Hello... what? The men and women on the Oregon Trail went on a long journey, many died along the way, and they were poor people looking for a place to settle and raise families, to survive and make a life for themselves. Not to run from the government rules and hide their drug behavior and anti-American protests. The trail of tears... now this is just absurd! The native Americans were forced to leave THEIR lands... they were killed, hunted, poisoned, lied to, signed false contracts, and in many ways enslaved by the USA. How can hippies, who don't want to wear bras, think we should be communists, live in VW Vans, disagree with the government no matter what (I disagree as well at times, but not just for the sake of disagreeing with the "man") compare themselves to that? Are they seriously so disillusioned in their views or see themselves as such outcasts?

I really don't have a huge problem with hippie ideals. I know my comments don't sound like that, but I have no problem with people who don't bother me. Bother me... and we got a problem. So maybe I don't think Bush is the devil, that is my view. Yelling at me about it, or being mean to me for not thinking he is the devil pisses me off. Have your views, I have no trouble with that. Just let me have mine. Here is their hypocrisy...

They claim America is brainwashes and does what their leaders tell them (duly elected by the people leaders mind you). So they want me to believe what they tell me? So they want to brainwash me... so where is my choice here? So I should brainwashed by them cause they smell bad and are living a "herbal" holistic life? They want to FORCE their views on me, and call me ignorant for believing something else, and not believing what they tell me.

Next point. I also noticed on the information for the Oregon Country Fair that they are a 501(c)3 organization. Which means they have a certain government allowance from the IRS that they are a non-profit company (like any educational foundation for example). So they can take tax deductible donations and don't pay the taxes I am. Well now... self sustainability... anti-government... seems to me that they sustain themselves off of donations that people write off on their taxes, and that the government has granted them special privileges. Wow... the government does suck, and man if you really try to can live without them. Its like complaining about what McDonalds and corporate fast food giants have done to American culture while sitting in the drive threw lane talking on my cell phone asking my family what happy meal they want. Makes no sense. Hypocrisy.

I do not claim to be an idealist. I really don't care. But just don't make yourself out to be better because you believe certain things... just cause someone else told you to believe them. Here is one of the main hippie comments that makes me mad.

No War. War never solves anything. Alright now... I am not saying I believe war is the only solution. But sometimes force is what it takes. I mean anyone who says war never solved anything obviously never read a history book. Seems to me that the revolutionary war worked out pretty well for the USA... I mean the UK still occupies lands in other countries to this day. Civil war... I think there is a whole cultural portion of America's population that seems pretty happy we went to war on that one. Lets see... what's next... I think Jewish people are pretty happy about one of those World Wars... I mean that seemed to solve something for them. No war my butt... sometimes force is needed. (This is not a debate on the Iraq War, maybe in a later blog).

Please feel free to share your views, it is a free country (we fought for the right to free speech).

Trip to the Midwest
So Bradley University called today... I am one of their top three candidates and they want me to come to campus. Four applications out... four times I make the campus visit list. That feels pretty good. Guess what day they wanted me to interview? The same day at Albion College. I got them to move it to a few days afterwards.

I am trying to figure out travel between the two interviews and find some time to see Novalí. It looks like I will fly into Chicago on Wednesday July 14th, then drive to Albion, MI for my interview there on the 15th. After that interview head to Chicago to spend time with Novali (who I just got off the phone with... she is too funny). Then I drive on Sunday the 18th to Peoria, IL for my interview with Bradley. On the morning of Tuesday the 20th I drive back to Chicago and then fly over to Oregon. I love short jam-packed trips, and this one will be more packed then ever!

Fireworks and Bands
This weekend was a great time to get away, some time to relax, see a new city and good ol' fireworks. Friday work ended at noon and then the adventure began.

The first destination was Florence. This coastal city is west of Eugene and has beautiful dunes, water is too cold for swimming but awesome sand. It was a slow drive because of the holiday traffic but worth it for the ocean view. Turning and heading north provided even more views and some cool stops. The Sea Lion Caves were great and learned some interesting things about those large fin footed animals. The next stop was a small sea side restaurant for great fresh sea food. After more time following the ocean the road turned toward Portland.

The winding Highway 101 which hugged the coast was a fun drive.

Florence had sweet sand dunes and cold water.

The buildings were beautiful and lots of cliff side lighthouses.

The views of the ocean stretched for miles and miles.

Portland was fun. It's the biggest city in Oregon, but still not much larger then Grand Rapids. The first night was a trip to WallBangers a dueling piano bar. The music was great and a lively crowd of birthday and bachelorette parties kept the place entertained. The next stop was a club called Lotus... old school to say the least and not the scene I prefer. A stop around some properties and a 7-11 for some late night snacks and the night was over.

Saturday was prefect weather again and it was a great day to walk all over the city and see what was going on. Lunch was at a place called Rock Bottom, which like all Oregon bar and grills had their own beer. There was a Jazz festival going on near the water and in Oregon style a saturday outdoor market. This market was not nearly as hippie as the Eugene one and had some fun booths and so many food vendors. Some more shopping and getting deals (anyone who knows me knows I love sale shopping) it was off to dinner at this great spanish placed called OBA. It had tappas, an ample selection of wine and a soft atmosphere.

The city was very clean and easy to get around on foot.

Rock Bottom makes a great IPA and good chicken salad.

The Jazz festival included dance lessons and of course food.

The Portland Saturday market was huge!

It looks live bands are a staple product in Oregon during the summer.

OBA is well known Spanish stop in the Posh Portland District.

Sunday tried to stop in Salem (Oregon's capital) to see the capital building and get some lunch. Lunch was hard to find, once I remembered it was a holiday the only place open in Salem was the stop. A herbal tea, veggie sandwich, and political paper type place. You know, my favorite type place. One of the magazines advertised "holistic" dental care? What is that? It said... "We treat the entire individual, not just the teeth." On top of legalize marijuana adds, petitions against Walmart, and one add with a picture of MLK saying "Got Milk?"... which was for a peace organization. What does Milk have to do with Peace?

Lots of rose gardens and not so famous houses.

Capital Manor... not what we were looking for.

After the fun herbal experience trying to find the capital was just as hard. One sign pointing to "Capital Manor" turned out to be a retirement village... and the Historic Salem tour signs took me to nothing Rose Gardens and famous homes which I did not consider so famous. So back to Eugene it was.

Sunday night in Eugene was Art and the Vineyard and of course fireworks. The city of Eugene puts on a great show for the fireworks. They had art displays, bands, and lots of food booths (including one from Peru which was awesome!). I am not usually a fireworks fan, but with some fried plantains and fresh lemonade it turned out pretty well.

What else but live bands... and old people dancing.

Compost, Garbage and Recycling... some one stood by and watched to be sure you put it in the right place.

These kids had balloon swords and holsters, they get creative these days on what they make out of balloons. What happened to balloon dogs?

It was great watching the father and son teams lighting and watching their fireworks.

Once if got fully dark.. the show started.

The finale was great, everyone cheered.

Monday went shopping with Shelley and her daughter that is in town visiting. Jennifer (Shelley's daughter) brought with her Shelley's newest purchase... two little dogs. A mini Dashound and mini Fox Terrier. These little dogs are a riot and will be fun around the house. We will see what adventures they get into as the start to interact with the old cats.

I am looking for more adventures with friends out here. It was fun tooling around Portland, and for anyone who wants to make a weekend trip to the Northwest let me know. Shelley and Herb are great hosts (right Heather?) and there is a lot to do. I got Brothers in Seattle that I want to visit and maybe even a trip into Canada to see Vancouver.