011409

 Ventura, CA

Wednesday January 14, 2009

     4:55am  I just woke up. I wonder how much sleep I got.  Rooftop

     4:57am  I got about six hours. I went to bed around eleven and it’s five. I’m going to try and go back to sleep.

     7:30am  I just woke up again.

     8:24am  I am down from the rooftop. Easy as shit. I’m going to ride the bus to Project Understanding.

     9:00am  I just got off the bus over by Project Understanding.
                  
     9:43am  It’s about time I made an update. I wasted a bus token by taking it out there this morning. I would be last on the shower list and there was a long-ass list. I said screw it, I don’t need to shower that bad. There probably wouldn’t be too much hot water left anyway. Anyway, I’m going to go look for the Patagonia store. I really want to price a CamelBak bladder, because it would be really nice to have one that’s water tight and doesn’t leak at the nozzle. I want to see how much they are.

                   I’m over here by the Von’s and I can stand here at the exit with my SUPPORT THE CAUSE sign.

     10:13am  I came over to Patagonia to ask them questions about my bag and price a CamelBak bladder. Andrew who works here said he’s got a CamelBak just like mine at home and he’s going to give it to me! I appreciate it, bro. Thanks for helping me live this dream.

     10:28am  Hell yeah, I had an awesome time at Patagonia. I got to tell Andrew my story and he volunteered me a CamelBak! He listened to a lot of my story. He agreed with it. He shook my hand and everything. Now I’m going to go check out this RCS place they told me about. I was also told about an army surplus store that I could go to.

                     RCS, Real Cheap Sports.

     11:11am  I sat down on the bench in front of some fine jewelry place and took a smokebreak. I’m walking to Catholic Charities now for lunch.

     12:26pm  I ambled over to the Avenue Library. After I ate I took a smokebreak in front of Catholic Charities. I’m all stoned. I have to wait until 1:10pm for my internet session. I’ll do some proofreading. I’m in the library now and I picked up this book called Gonzo, about Hunter S. Thompson.

     2:29pm  I’m going to take a nap in the mission park, in the grass under the tree.

     3:55pm  I just woke up.

     5:00pm  Ben just walked by and offered me a sack lunch! I appreciate it. Thanks for feeding the peace machine.

                   Oh, I didn’t tell you. When I woke up from my nap I hauled all my stuff to the bench nearby to organize it. All of a sudden these two girls walk by and one asked me, “How is your free hugs campaign going?” I gave her a hug and they asked me what I was doing. I put on a stellar presentation. They were all giggling and laughing and agreeing with every bit of it. They were very so reactive to every point I made. They gave me a cigarette and took off and then Ben walked by and gave me a sandwich! I was hungry and was wondering what I was going to do about food. Reward for my good presentation!

     6:29pm  This guy just walked by and told me, "Hey, I saw you in Santa Barbara!" I asked him if he had my website and he said, "Yeah, buythisbook, right?" I told him, "No, have this book. It's free."

     8:05pm  I had yet another great presentation with these kids who walked by from Humboldt. They're familiar with the O'Brien, Oregon area. At the end of my presentation the guy told me, "By the way, Victor. It's Tallawah the tribe in O'Brien." Like correcting me because I said Fawn Journeyhawk was Sioux. I guess I should have told him that Fawn was the only Native American at the camp. It wasn't a reservation. It was a secluded healing camp.

                   Lots of listeners tonight.

     8:32pm  I got bored on Main Street so I headed to the rooftop. There were still a lot of cars in the parking lot behind the rooftop. There's this guy outside talking to this girl and they have a kid and stuff. I came over to the other side of the lot to take a piss in the grass behind some bushes. I am waiting for them to leave so I can infiltrate my rooftop bungalow.

     8:40pm  At long-last, those kids left. I'm going to go on the rooftop now.

     8:42pm  Alright, I am at my spot.

     1:25am  I just woke up having a coughing fit.

Next day..