United States
Deer Hill

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    • Day 1

      Motel 6

      September 24, 2016 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

      I'm telling people I'm a Wildlife Biologist sent from Oregon to help search for an elusive giant snake named Wessie, in and around the Sappi paper mill here in Westbrook. All Mainers have not gotten the joke so far, and simply believe me. See photo of Wessie swimmimg. Oh this is big news.. the newspapers and every major News Channel have carried various stories about this over a several-month long timeframe. Businesses have signs up about it and my Uber driver said she would never take her kids near the river right now . The newspapers, the police and others might be very interested in my photo. This is my welcome to Maine. NOT much going on around here. Ayuh. Oh and by the way, just to be clear, most people think there probably is no snake. Yet, the media is relentless. Mainers are putting a lot of effort into this mystery . Someone even found a snake skin near the river and the Westbrook Police Chief certainly did not question that it was worth the taxpayer dollars to have it sent it off to a fancy test lab in Texas. The results indicated that there was an andaconda in the area. However now that brings up the question is this all just a hoax. I've come here to settle this question once and for all. See the photo I shot, of Wessie with the massive soccer ball sized head, swimming alledgedly near the Sappie Mill near motel six here. Click to enlage. Photo shoot was shot near a shop. Where I was shopping photos. Oh, shoot. Would you call that a photo shop? Or something like that, alledgedly.
      - In contrast, the very real fire, not "alleged", that jumped the 101 freeway right at San Francisco International Airport, see my photo, not bought at a photo shop, which made it hard to get to my hotel to catch my flight...was a total NON news event that no one cared about. Only one news channel picked up the story.. on their website only.. in a one paragraph blurb. And the next day I'm sure everyone forgot about it. Yes, this was a fire at a major United States airport that was big enough that it jumped a major US freeway that was 10 lanes wide. LOL
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    • Day 1

      Uber

      September 24, 2016 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

      I needed to go to my bank before noon so quickly grabbed an Uber car. Okay well first of all I've been hanging out in San Francisco and I have to tell you since that's the birthplace of Uber, and I've actually been to the Uber building, a sign-less stealthed out place next to the Palace Hotel on Market St, which no one who even drives for Uber has ever been to, that the Uber car that I called to pick up at the airport last night that I got into would never pass for acceptable in San Francisco. It was a beat-up old Ford 500 with scratches all over the top of the trunk lid and the doors were all dented up. There was too much crap in the trunk for my suitcases to fit and peanut shells all over the floor of the ratty old interior. But anyway the driver was nice. And being from Maine, none of that bothered me. I just loaded my stuff into the back seat. But what did kind of shock me is something that might be interesting to native Maine folks. It's something you wouldn't think about and then I never thought about but now that I've been away I have a different perspective. My Uber driver was playing the radio and the station WCYY. The radio was blurting out "Maine's only alternative station!" (see photo).
      Now, granted this is something to be proud of and thank God that there is an alternative station in Maine. Frankly, I don't agree with their boast, but that's a different story that goes way back with me. Back to the story I'm telling: it's a bit scary that there's only one alternative radio station in the state of Maine. Even if that's not true and there's one or two others. That's still kind of scary LOL, to people from out of state! Look I'm just saying. If you've ever had the curiosity as to what out-of-state of people really do think about Maine, well there's a hint. And Maine continually continually engages in this kind of behavior. Just Google "Maine's only" lol. You will find Maine's only summer games Olympian , Maine's only 24 hours a day news team, Maine's only five-star chef, Maine's only Curling club... (thank God)... Maine's only USDA poultry facility... Maine's only bookmobile... Foot Golf Course... Garage door showroom... Okay I could go on and on STOP! Okay it's the 42nd most populous state, and losing population... let's not rub it in! Easy with the "Maine's only" thing. Of course if you know me well you know that 20 years ago I came up with the related "one in Portland" concept. Is there a Baskin Robbins in Maine? Yeah there's one in Portland. Major Airport? Yes, one in Portland. Strip club? Orange Julius? Chuck E Cheeses? Yes, one in Portland. On and on. Now I'm more open-minded and can tell you that there's a five-star chef in Kennebunkport. LOL. Yes, at that White Barn place certain family members of mine like to go to. Maybe next time someone goes you could suggest that they go easy on the " Maine's Only" boast. Besides, last I remember, most people thought of Kennebunkport as part of a New Hampshire anyway. And what the heck is a five-star Chef anyway? I don't think that means it makes them as good as if the chef were GAY, in any case!
      And more than only one gay chefs exists in Maine. So if the chef at The White Barn Inn is gay they should advertise that instead.

      My friend asked me if I'm excited to see all the things that have changed since I've been gone. I said well last time I visited the only thing that had changed was there was a new Best Buy in Augusta. They really honestly looked at me like I was completely lying to them. Kind of had a come on " let's be reasonable " face.
      Well there's a big new development that I guess got approved for the Portland Waterfront area and that will be done in 10 years so there's something. I have not actually visited downtown Portland I'm sure there's plenty of new things there or at least I'm hoping. But I'm very much a symbol of the past as I walk down Congress Street. Because I never even knew that the city took the dog man's dogs away from him. And that probably happened years ago. I'm glad I don't drink any longer (for 9 years) or else I'd make a fool out of myself.
      Okay so the other Uber incident happened on the way back from the bank when we lost cell service completely. This is the kind of thing that also scares people from out of state. I currently carry a T-Mobile phone something that a Mainer would would laugh at. Okay well I also have a Verizon phone, and my Uber driver had an AT&T phone. All 3 phones lost service completely at Northport... A place I used to work. This is not exactly the Backwoods folks. But I've never really experienced in all my Uber travels in Oregon, and California complete loss of a cell phone signal. This is when Uber stops working. I guess I've turned into a huffy puffy out-of-stater because I just got out of the Uber car and started to walk away , and I was ready for the 2-mile walk back to Motel 6. I don't need no stinkin' Uber. Especially one that seriously broken because it is completely relying upon the concept of cell phones working all the time in their business model to work . And at Northport, three of the four major cell carriers fail.
      Okay so I'm walking down the road now to my Motel. I bet any Mainer can probably tell you what happened next can't you? That's right... My Uber driver would have nothing of this behavior on my part. And was following me as I walked down the sidewalk at 3 miles an hour in her car. Unwavering. There was no way I was going to walk it didn't matter that she was not going to get paid, she was going to get me where I needed to go and that's just how it was! This is Mainer behavior. I knew resistance was futile. Kind of like when I was bicycling in cherryfield 20 years ago on a 50 mile ride and a grumpy old lady insisted that I eat some of her cranberry cake. There was just no saying no. So I got back in the car and she got me back to my motel. That's just how life should be.
      I got her an extra Amato's Italian sandwich but she didn't want one. Trying to give it to her was also futile. Well let me put it differently: she's not going to have lunch with a client it's just not how a Mainer would do things. I could tell she was starving and wanted a Maine Italian very badly. But I could sense that she was going to drop me off and then go back to Amato's, that's just how it goes. Mainers differentiate business and socializing and would rather eat alone in their car. Am I right? Once a Mainer always a Mainer. And just because you do something for someone doesn't mean you need anything like money or a sandwich in Maine.
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    • Day 2

      Fireside Inn

      September 25, 2016 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

      Having alledgedly completed my hunting and successful photoshooting/shopping of Wessie, today it was time to roll my suitcases down Riverside st, from Motel 6 to the much nicer and only $35 more expensive Fireside Inn here in Westbrook. So what was I doing at the Motel 6? Well I just had some old business to take care of with some ole buddies of mine, DMoney, Smoothie, and Shifty, who are just up for a day or two visiting from New York and Connecticut hoping to meet a few local girls, who were working up the street. Motel 6 in Westbrook just seemed like the appropriate of place for that kind of thing.
      Ok ok I am kidding! And if you know the reference (Gov LePage) that was funny.
      But even at Motel 6 I was able to make a few cultural observations about Maine that the average Mainer probably would not. Take for example the fact that the staff there (see photo) dress in traditional religious garb from their home countries. Okay that's fine and it's nice that the state of Maine either allows or from what my Uber driver told me, has a law, regarding the right to wear clothing that is part of one's religion at work. And I understand certain Muslim and Arabic cultural requirements to wear a headdress when it comes to women, because women are very pretty and I guess showing their faces everywhere causes a nuisance. That's actually kind of true isn't it? LOL. Okay so this practice works fine. In Maine. Yes, in Maine... 98.5% white, 1% Native American and one half of 1 % other races combined.
      But what Mainers probably never think about is what the heck would happen if there was a law like that in California? With the massive immigrant population there and tens of millions of people living there. It would literally be a traveling circus. Not to sound like Governor LePage or anything. There would be all these different robes headdresses, flocks, sandals, Tiztzits, kippahs, tichels, gartels, niquas and birquas!
      And again, not to sound like Governor LePage, but it's a matter of time until these type of people start bringing massive knives and swords to work. You think I'm kidding? In the Pacific Northwest there's already been a student who's allowed to bring his kirpan to school for religious reasons. These are not just regular jack knives. They are straight edged swords and large knives that are definitely made for killing people. (see photo!) To put it bluntly. And it's not really an option, there has been a commandment that these be worn by all Sikhs...or Sheiks... or whatever you call them.

      The Kirpan (Punjabi: ਕਿਰਪਾਨ, kirpān) is a religious sword worn in a strap that enables a it to be suspended near one’s waist or tucked inside one’s belt. It must be worn by all initiated Sikhs (Khalsa), after a mandatory religious commandment given by Guru Gobind Singh Ji (the tenth Sikh Guru) in 1699 CE. The Kirpan is part of the Five Ks uniform that all initiated Sikhs must adhere to. “Kirpan” literal means “weapon of defence” (“Kirpa” means “mercy” and “Aan” means “honour”) and encapsulates an initiated Sikh’s solemn obligation of courage and self-defence. A Sikh who wears a kirpan is supposedly not wearing it because it is a weapon; he or she is wearing it because it is part of their officially prescribed religious uniform.

      The Khalsa is expected to live by the high moral standards of the Sikh Gurus at all times as stipulated in Guru Granth Sahib and Rehat Maryada (Sikh Code of Conduct) which includes such things as abstaining from smoking, drinking and other intoxicants, eating killed animals, performing daily prayers and always maintaining the five distinctive physical symbols of Sikhi (Kakars) on them. The most noticeable of these symbols being uncut hair (Kesh).

      Okay so just please notice the fact that men AND women are supposed to be wearing these knives. I would be hesitant to bet that the housekeeping staff at the Motel 6 in Westbrook does not have one of these knives somewhere in and around their person. So don't get them upset!

      Anyway here at the Fireside Inn, life is a lot less exotic and I'm a lot happier. I was given two whoopie pies (photo) upon check-in, my housekeeper is named Caitlin, and the front desk woman was knitting a blanket for her little baby at work. Now there's something I've never seen on the west coast... Any form of knitting by front desk staff. I'll be much more relaxed over here.
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    • Day 14

      Au Revior Quebec, Hello Maine!

      July 5, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

      Last night out, scenic overlook in QC, last trip to farmers market (carrot bouquet 👰‍♀️💐), French hot chocolate thick as pudding, crossing into Maine, hard to capture grandeur of forests and lakes, rather like Washington state. Moose crossing, but no Meese!Read more

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