Saturday, March 31, 2012
Monday, March 26, 2012
A Day with the Nudists.
Today I drove to Jacumba to interview a nudist. Not only is he a nudist, but he also owns half the town. As of March 8th, he is the proud owner of 29 properties and over 500 acres of land. Jacumba is dilapidated. It looks like the set of a horror flick. It was once a really happening town back in the 50's. Dave, the nudist, plans to revitalize it and turn it back into a tourist destination. The draw is that it has mineral springs. Cool huh!?
Shockingly Dave was not naked during our interview. We met at the nudist resort he owns. I heaved a sigh of relief when he greeted me with his pants on. However I did see an old wrinkly man butt sprawled out at the nearby pool. Several photo collages of naked resort guests hung on the wall. Dave said if I had shown up on a warm day, everyone would be outside and naked.
His explanation for wearing clothing:
”It’s cold out!”
Thank god for that.
In total I spent about an hour at the nudist resort and another hour, oddly, in the home of an elderly man who had naked drawings, not photos, on his wall. Dave gave me his number. The old guys name was Howard. He is on the revitalazation comittee in Jacumba. Dave referred to him as the town busy body. When I called Howard he immedieately invited me over. He served me fancy coffee with organic cream and stevia.
Howard helped facilitate Dave's purchase of half of Jucamba. He filled me in on a little of the history of Jucamba, as well as giving me a small tour of the downtown area.
Afterward, I ate at the local deli. I met a few townies, most of them short people with bad teeth. When I told them I was a writer three of them turned their backs to me and refused to speak. One of the ladies mumbled something, perhaps obscene, under her breathe. Awkward.
It was a bizarre morning and I loved it.
I took some photos, none of old man butt. Nudists frown upon creepsters that take photos of them.
The old Jacumba bath houe that is now in ruins
Border gate separating Jacumba from Mexico
Boarded up old Saloon that Dave now owns
Shockingly Dave was not naked during our interview. We met at the nudist resort he owns. I heaved a sigh of relief when he greeted me with his pants on. However I did see an old wrinkly man butt sprawled out at the nearby pool. Several photo collages of naked resort guests hung on the wall. Dave said if I had shown up on a warm day, everyone would be outside and naked.
His explanation for wearing clothing:
”It’s cold out!”
Thank god for that.
In total I spent about an hour at the nudist resort and another hour, oddly, in the home of an elderly man who had naked drawings, not photos, on his wall. Dave gave me his number. The old guys name was Howard. He is on the revitalazation comittee in Jacumba. Dave referred to him as the town busy body. When I called Howard he immedieately invited me over. He served me fancy coffee with organic cream and stevia.
Howard helped facilitate Dave's purchase of half of Jucamba. He filled me in on a little of the history of Jucamba, as well as giving me a small tour of the downtown area.
Afterward, I ate at the local deli. I met a few townies, most of them short people with bad teeth. When I told them I was a writer three of them turned their backs to me and refused to speak. One of the ladies mumbled something, perhaps obscene, under her breathe. Awkward.
It was a bizarre morning and I loved it.
I took some photos, none of old man butt. Nudists frown upon creepsters that take photos of them.
The old Jacumba bath houe that is now in ruins
Border gate separating Jacumba from Mexico
Boarded up old Saloon that Dave now owns
Friday, March 23, 2012
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Monday, March 19, 2012
Shingle Boy
Aaron has shingles. At first he believed that he had been attacked by a rabid spider. When he got home from his business trip to Virginia, he lifted his shirt to show me. They were gross.
“Are you sure it’s not a business-trip related STD?” I joked.
Upon closer inspection I realized that we were dealing with a full blown case of shingles. I had them at age 8. They hurt like hell.
“Those are shingles.” I announced
“Paul, the board of day school president, had those last year on his face. A shingle on his nose never went away,” Aaron said with a shudder.
“If you get them on your face, we are done. Seriously. Done.”
I was joking, a little.
Elderly people usually get shingles not 35 year-olds however Aaron is prone to grumpiness and he does drive like a grandpa. The worst part of this whole scenario is that you can get chicken pox from shingles. My kids are not vaccinated. The pox is going to hit the Braun house hard. Oh joy.
“Are you sure it’s not a business-trip related STD?” I joked.
Upon closer inspection I realized that we were dealing with a full blown case of shingles. I had them at age 8. They hurt like hell.
“Those are shingles.” I announced
“Paul, the board of day school president, had those last year on his face. A shingle on his nose never went away,” Aaron said with a shudder.
“If you get them on your face, we are done. Seriously. Done.”
I was joking, a little.
Elderly people usually get shingles not 35 year-olds however Aaron is prone to grumpiness and he does drive like a grandpa. The worst part of this whole scenario is that you can get chicken pox from shingles. My kids are not vaccinated. The pox is going to hit the Braun house hard. Oh joy.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
War Story
I wrote this week’s Reader cover. It is a huge deviation from my normal stuff. For one, there is absolutely nothing comical in the piece. Secondly, it is about the military.
I got the idea to write this story after having my Bff’s brother over for dinner a few weeks after he arrived home from Afghanistan. The stories he told us that night made me feel incredibly sad.
Dan agreed to let me write his story. I am not a hundred percent pleased with it. I think it could have been better. I think my biggest problem with the story is near the end when I discuss don’t ask don’t tell. I wanted to showcase what it was like to be deployed when it was repealed. It could have been an excellent moment to discuss the bigotry that still exisits. Instead, I think it gave the story an odd homophobic tilt. That was not at all my intent and it kills me that it reads that way. I’m going to view it as a learning experience. Next time I will do better.
I got the idea to write this story after having my Bff’s brother over for dinner a few weeks after he arrived home from Afghanistan. The stories he told us that night made me feel incredibly sad.
Dan agreed to let me write his story. I am not a hundred percent pleased with it. I think it could have been better. I think my biggest problem with the story is near the end when I discuss don’t ask don’t tell. I wanted to showcase what it was like to be deployed when it was repealed. It could have been an excellent moment to discuss the bigotry that still exisits. Instead, I think it gave the story an odd homophobic tilt. That was not at all my intent and it kills me that it reads that way. I’m going to view it as a learning experience. Next time I will do better.
Monday, March 12, 2012
My Weekend in Photos
I have been working on an article about fun things to do in San Diego and it has been one adventure after another.
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