Australians had Burning Man in the 80’s.  However, there were several key differences between theirs and ours:

• They burned lots of real living men
• Violence was a problem (bad vibes)
• “Leave No Trace” was not a concern
• No cafe

A Happy Californian’s Life Summarized

My folks rent out a house in Del Mar every summer.  The man who owns the house has this completely amazing work of art on the wall.  It appears to summarize the best aspects of his life. 

Let’s see, working up from the bottom we’ve got a thorny rose lying on the sand, his classic Corvette riding into the sunset, a glorious waterfall, the man himself - content and mustachioed in the embrace of a lady, the checkered flag of automotive success, sailboats floating in blue waters, palm trees, the Corvette racing along at a different angle, and finally - "California" written in jaunty teal script - a seagull flying towards the C.