what I say (blog)

Exit Plan, or not!

jopajopa — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 21:47:53 GMT

Guatemala is trying to swallow me up, the worst part is that part of me wouldn't mind. I made a good exit plan and came to Guatemala City made it to the airport in time and the lady at the counter says "you have no internet ticket". Well I paid for it! And my CC shows the amount. A little research revealed that it was my fault my ticket was for the 9th of April a week earlier and I missed it. 404 internal stoner error! Luckily the plane actually never flew and I can get my refund. But, to thicken the soup I went back to my hostel to use internet and phone to sort this out and ordered another ticket it all went fine I got my ticket and went back to the airport. This time the lady says I see your reservation but it says you have not paid, so you can pay me now. Well, I don't have $400 or a Credit card to pay so I end up going back to my hostel again. Now... well... I don't know. I usually take this kind of thing as a sign to re-assess my path and consider what other options I have. Maybe I am supposed to stay, if I liked rain I would. Tomorrow I guess I will start another day of attempting to get on a plane back to my peeps in the states, for now I will go get coffee and consider the situation. With patience, Jopa ~~~~~`

dos pueblos

jopajopa — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 21:28:04 GMT

Yo! Three years ago after realizing that I was getting a bit too pale spending my Colorado winters indoors working on my computer, I set out on a quest to warm up my Winters and put myself in places where I will be outdoors doing fires by moonlight and music year round, thusly breaking up the computer screen time with days of sunshine, moonlight hiking and celebration... you get the idea. Well, it goes without saying that I have not perfected the vision as every perfected goal brings newer cooler inspiration and more goals. For now my life is rooted in two places, In the crisp, clear, grounding Rocky Mountains, I live in the San Luis Valley which is a nice middle point between Grand Junction/Paonia/Carbondale, Boulder/Denver, Taos/Santa Fe/Albuquerque. This is my solid first choice for the middle of summer when the festival teams are cooking up our high season fun. At the dreamy, inspirational Lago Atitlan in untamed Guatemala is where I spend the middle of winter, this is a life enriching place for me with the learning of new language, music, cultures and lots of world travelers floating through on their dreams. When/If I decide where my spring and fall homes I will let you know and by any means come and say "Yo!" if you are in the neighborhood. Love and light to all, Jopa ~~~~~`

I love mexico..

jopajopa — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 23:46:57 GMT

I think one of my biggest problems in the states is the natzi non-smoker movement! I can cope alright until it gets cold and all smokers are banished to the cold outdoors. Almost all places in Mexico let you smoke. The smoker ban has larger implications that will effect non-smokers/weed smokers also. Since high school I have always hung out with the smokers which by my opinion are looser funner peeps, I didn't even start tobacco until 10 years after I choose this as my favorite peeps to chill with, I think this important counter culture is being attacked! But enough of the natzi non-smoker ranting, Its nice being in Mexico for many other reasons like the Peruvian musicians that just walked in and started playing in the cyber cafe where I am writing this post. Street music is alive and well in Mexico, yay! Oh yea and the Climate here in Chiopis is perfect. The street kids are alive and well there are many nomadic traveling latinos quite similar to our tribe peeps. Oh, and the general disposition of the people is much happier then in the states, depression is rare, pharmaceuticals are rare. Anyway, I am heading to Guatemala for NYE hope to see you there, Peace, Jopa ~~~~~~`

I Gotta GitDaFugOutta Hea

jopajopa — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 17:53:15 GMT

Burrrrrrrrrr, it gettin cold! All signs lead south as I wonder why I stayed up here in the mountains so long. Oh yea, 'cus I love my friends and family, thats right. But, its time to go... see ya soon snowbirds, bye bye rockies until spring.

Nevada City, CA

jopajopa — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 16:14:37 GMT

OK, I never was much of an ocean person... so I have naturally migrated up to the mountains. I am now hanging out around Nevada City CA. I really like it, the peeps are much more like Colorado folks up here in the mountains. Went to a show downtown the other night and I really like the community around here, lots of dancers. Hope you'all are doing well, Namaste

Baked in Mendocino

jopajopa — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 01:37:53 GMT

This is a good time of year in Mendo, the sky is clear, the air is crisp and I am crispy! Seems there are not that many computer geeks in Mendocino, I am finding lots of computer work, among other stuff... There are some cool shows happening in the region like this one next weekend. http://mendoagogo.com If you are in the region check it out, I will. Peace... Jopa ~~~~~~`

Driftin in Humboldt County

jopajopa — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 00:31:59 GMT

So far in my California travels I like Humboldt and Mendocino counties the best so I will hang out up north here for a while. There are some cool open mics and drum circles in the area so between cyber cafes and local happinins I will keep myself entertained. Let me know if you hear anything cool happening in NorCal. Peace...

Chillin in Cali

jopajopa — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 16:11:16 GMT

Ok, getting cold in Colorado, I am in Nevada City California now loitering at a cyber cafe. I will be checkin out several places in Cali over the next couple of months, hopefully drumming a lot and hitting festivals, etc. Namaste, Jopa ~~~~~~`

holy troublemaker

jopajopa — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 16:02:05 GMT

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Don't take your time, Aries. Move double fast and strategize from many angles, always thinking ten steps ahead. Please don't keep your hands clean, either. Play with the muck and roll in the mud and learn from the dirt. And don't you dare be measured and balanced. Instead, be an intense and relentless initiator of decisive actions. One last thing: Don't play nice and sweet. Be a holy troublemaker, a noisemaker who breaks the silence and keeps it broken.

Back in Crestone Colorado

jopajopa — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 20:21:46 GMT

Wow, it is so crisp and cool, people are coming out of their Winter hibernation and getting ready for the warm season. Our first full moon bonfire will be tomorrow night which is also beltane. Looks like we will have a nice season here. Its nice being back in Crestone...

now's the time

jopajopa — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 16:47:47 GMT

"The Creator wants us to drum. He wants us to corrupt the world with drum, dance and chants. After all, we have already corrupted the world with power and greed....which hasn't gotten us anywhere - now's the time to corrupt the world with drum, dance and chants." --Babatunde Olatunji

Chillin on Lake Atitlan

jopajopa — Mon, 11 Dec 2006 22:31:27 GMT

Been here a couple of months now, with a place to stay and a group of musicians to play with life is good. Doing drum workshops and some computer work for cash though thin its enough for now. Here is a link to my new blog http://lake-atitlan.com/writings/ which covers my travels and stories. I will be posting my blog often so that anyone interested can see what I am up to. Peace...

Migration time

jopajopa — Mon, 28 Aug 2006 23:33:51 GMT

Going south, finally I have created a life where I go south in Winter. After like 10 years of dreaming about it, now I just do it. Yea me! Anyway I will be online and in the loop mostly so keep in touch. Peace, Jopa ~~~~~`

Balance is motion

jopajopa — Sat, 15 Apr 2006 14:54:50 GMT

Wow! Back in Colorado after spending the Winter in Guatemala. Reverse Culture Shock! People are so busy here in Boulder, once in a while you see someone that seems like they are moving in slow motion that is actually looking at what is happening around them. But, most are clearly focused on whatever task they are on (I think they might be chasing an apple). Anyway, I am very glad to be back visiting my friends, I am a nomad now for the first time in many years which is really flowing well. So far my path seems to lead between Boulder and Santa Fe. Balance is motion. Hope to see you on my travels, most groovy traveler festivals in the region is where you will find me. Peace Friends, Jopa ~~~~~~`

Snowbird

jopajopa — Thu, 05 Jan 2006 21:46:55 GMT

Finally I escape, off to Guatemala for at least a month. This is my first attempt at Winter migration, by next year I hope to leave for the whole Winter and explore several places.

Back in Boulder

jopajopa — Tue, 20 Dec 2005 18:58:41 GMT

Every few years it seems life brings me back to my hometown. Most of the ppl here are VERY busy and quite pretentious, but there are still alot of hermanos and hermanas around. Pennylane is gone and I don't know where the nomads connect now, so finding this is my first quest. Seeking a traveling medicine band to run with this spring / summer / fall and reconnecting with friends. Peace...

Cave Dweller

jopajopa — Sat, 05 Nov 2005 16:11:48 GMT

Well, the last several Winters the same thing has happened. It starts getting cold and I find a manual for some new computer language or technology. No change this year, right around Halloween I decided to learn a new language called python. About two weeks in I already know my way around well and have written one pretty large web application with python. So, yea, I am a cave dweller, I doubt any of you that know me will be seeing me before spring equinox. Unless you come visit me in my cave as that is where I will be. Peace.

Chainsaw Season in Colorado

jopajopa — Fri, 30 Sep 2005 14:12:16 GMT

Ahh, you can tell winter is coming in Colorado when you start hearing chainsaws and the snowbirds flee south. We just had our last outdoor fest here in Crestone from now till spring its all indoors. I am heading out to "The One Tribe Festival at Easter Seals" this weekend to try and extend the season before I go inward myself.

start steppin

jopajopa — Thu, 08 Sep 2005 21:36:52 GMT

Look around, A round look at your life See where you want to be Start steppin towards it!

opened my blog (what I say)

jopajopa — Thu, 08 Sep 2005 21:23:40 GMT

I guess kind of a journal, but mostly my current words or rants. Stay tuned!!