Philmont 2019: Day 39, Graffiti? Art?

I've been Philmont's Base Camp Services Manager for a little over five weeks now.  The one thing I've seen grow is the drawings in the boy's shower-houses/restrooms.  I guess it depends upon your point of view on whether it's graffiti or art.  I won't make that decision for you.  I'll show the graffiti, and you can decide what you all think of it.

First up, I call this piece of art, "Penis Monster."

I call this one, "Doucenozzle reads a few lines on the internet, and now preaches things he knows nothing about."

This is simply called, "Penisman."

"Killroy was here, and watching you."

"Heart of Penis."

"Traps."

If you can't read this is says, "Traps are gay."  Below it says, "Fuck your sister today."

I had to look up on Urban Dictionary of what a "Trap" is.  Here's the definition.

The Term "trap" Is used usually towards people that would at first appear to be cute girls, But are actually boys who have more of a feminine side whether being a homosexual or not. This links to the meme "traps are gay" Where men argue whether being intimate or liking a "trap" is gay.

And here's the image.

"B."

"Killroy, Part 2."

"Unoriginal Anarchy."

"Best Pornhub Categories."

For those who can't read the writing it says this:

1.  Teen
2.  Cartoon
3.  Redhead
4.  XXXsmall
5.  Parody

Next to that it says:

1.  Teen
2.  XXXsmall
3.  Black (something.)
4.  Gay with an upside down question mark.

Next to that it's cut into the wood:

1.  Bondage
2.  Interracial
3.  Butter (????)
4.  Gay

Next to that I can barely make out:

Asian


This next one is called, "#3."

"Big Dick, Tiny Veins."

"Chickenhead."

"Dumbasses from Sarasota, Fl. who didn't realize they were the only troop visiting from Florida that week."

"Poop Chart"

"Hot in the TOTT."  Note:  The TOTT refers to the Tooth of Time Traders store at Philmont.

"Fuck Wall!!! Or, Fuck the Wall???"

"WTF?"

"Daddy Didn't Love Me."

"The Great NGP."

"Curves."

"Who's Sunny?

"Skaterboi."

"Shitbox."

"Satan, Satan, Jesus."

"Fun U!"

"Baby Hitler."

That concludes our art exhibit for the night.  Stay tuned for Part 2 of our exhibit.

Philmont 2019: Day 38, Trouble

As I write this blog post I know it will only be me viewing it.  Well, at least for a while.  I ended up having to lock down both my Facebook and this blog.  Frankly, it came down to a few things.  Philmont is a small (base) camp surrounded by an even smaller town.  Anything that I posted could be read or repeated around the ranch.

I had the Director of Camping tell me he read one of my posts, and was "extremely disappointed" in me for what I had written.  So I had to do the extreme action of making every post I've ever written private.  It also privatized my photos, although I did make public the ones of my guitars and other projects.

Since this blog is full of great things you can't say at work or pretty much anywhere, I decided to make it to where only I could see it.  Now, at the end of the summer I will probably make it public again.  But for right now I foresee myself writing many posts knowing that only I will see them.

So let's get to the meat of the story.  The title says it all.  Trouble.  I got in serious trouble for my stories and ideas that I submitted to the Phil-News.  In case you missed it, the following blog link says everything.

Philmont 2019: Day 24, My Articles/Ideas That Did Not Get Posted In The Phil-News 

So Emily, the editor of the Phil-News turned over almost everything I sent her to my supervisor Phillip, the Associate Director of Camping, because she had problems with what I had written/said.  This from a woman who didn't know who Dr. Hunter S. Thompson was.  I mean, the man invented gonzo journalism!  How could an editor not know who he was?

So later that night on June 17th I decided to get out and socialize.  I went over the Silver Sage Staff Activities Center AKA SSSAC, or the SAC.  I tried to mingle.  It was a bit awkward and weird.  I finally ended up talking to some staffers from PTC (The Philmont Training Center.)  They said that there was going to be an ice cream social on Steve Nelson's lawn.  (Note:  He's the Director of Camping.)

They asked me if I wanted to tag along, and I said sure.  I said we could stop by my office, and I could show them my instruments.  We stayed in my office around 10 minutes playing my different instruments, and then walked over to Steve's back yard.  There was a pretty good turnout.

While there I ran into Monica who works for News and Photo.  Monica was also the one who brought me the idea of installing the sanitary pad trash cans in the women's shower house.  I had always gotten along with Monica, and considered her somewhat of a friend.

So as we were sitting around I bought up all the ideas I had for News and Photo, and how they were shot down.  I also said I had thought up a new headline.

"Philmont Director's Secretary Finds Out She Has The Biggest Breasts At Philmont."

In a stunning development Heather (last name redacted), assistant to Camping Director Steve Nelson found out that she has the biggest breasts at Philmont.

Heather said, "I'm really quite shocked.  I thought it would have been one of the girls in Backcountry Warehouse or the Post Office.  I never would have imagined that the Secretary to the main boss would have the biggest breasts."

So my article would have gone something like that.  Monica however did not find it funny.  Both her and Emily went to my boss Phillip, and complained that what I was doing was sexual harassment and/or inappropriate behavior.  

So I got dragged into the office and told what I considered my humor was not appropriate, and if I did something like that again I would be leaving Philmont.  

I said to my boss, "But isn't it true that Heather does have the biggest breasts at Philmont?  I mean, she's secretary to the big cheese.  You don't find that a bit ironic?  It's like in that Tom Hanks movie, "Charlie Wilson's War."  Wilson said, "You can teach them to type.  You can't teach them to grow big tits."

It was at that point I was called "a misogynist."  Also, I was told that the comment about the Cottonwood trees was in no way appropriate.  I asked my boss if he had ever heard of, "The Onion."  He said he had, but it still wasn't appropriate.  

I also asked if he had "Ever heard of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson?"  My boss said he wasn't familiar with him, but anything in his style was still inappropriate.  

So my boss ended up writing me up.  I was able to write a response to being written up.  I said that, "I was bouncing ideas from a writer to an editor.  Never once did Emily ask for me to stop, shut up, or leave.  She never once said she was uncomfortable with what I saying."

As for Monica, I said, "I was talking to her like a friend.  I was joking.  I don't understand if this bothered her, why she didn't say something to me?"

Emily had also said that I had called my staff stupid.  That was a total lie.  I wrote, "I have the utmost respect for me staff.  My staff are my family, and I have never called them stupid."

So now I can't talk to anyone at News and Photo.  Actually, Phillip said I could, but I'm not taking that chance.  I'm still angry, and I don't want to say something inappropriate.  Let's be honest.  I came dang close to losing my job.  I came real close.  So I have nothing to say to the lot of them.  

What's bad is I still need for my crew to have the crew photo(s) taken.  I've had my 2nd in command, Karen, call News and Photo, but they haven't returned her calls.  Karen says they've been busy.  I don't know if that's true or not.  All I know is I'm not sure if Base Camp Services will ever get their photos taken.  

And there's one thing that really bugs me.  Do you know the one thing that really gets under my skin?  Emily sent my boss Phillip everything I sent except the soup recipe.  That's right.  She neglected to send the soup recipe.  I guess it doesn't matter because she never bothered to publish that either.    

I honestly thought about leaving Philmont that afternoon.  I was ready to pack all my things and leave.  I was planning on dropping off my keys at the front office, walking out, and start making my way back home.  

I decided to go talk to one of Philmont's doctors.  A doctor by the name of John had helped me out before, so I went and talked to him.  I was worried about leaving because that would be a financial death sentence for me.  I had spent a good deal of money to drive over to Philmont, I still hadn't financially recovered from that.  

So I decided to stay.  But honestly, I haven't been social.  I have pretty much given up being social.  I will talk to a few people here and there, but I haven't hung out with anyone.  I haven't gone on any adventures with anyone.  I've just continued to do my job, and do it well.  Other than that I have stayed in my office.  

Maybe I'll find a person or a group to hang out with?  I'll admit, I can't predict the future.  But humans tend to be creatures of habit.  And this human in particular sticks to his habits and routines.  All I can keep doing is making sure that my crew and I perform our jobs well.  Anything else is just extra.

Philmont 2019: Day 24, Tattoo You

Back on Thursday June 13th (my 20th day here at Philmont) I drove to Taos.  I had to take care of a few things.  I wanted to search all the thrift stores for Western style long sleeve shirts, as well as, other things of interest.  I also wanted to go to Ace Hardware to pick up a few items.

However I did have something that was number one on my list.  To the surprise of many, that was to receive a tattoo.

Some would say that I am impulsive, and they may not be wrong.  But let me start at the beginning.  When I was attending Philmont in 2004 there was a fellow staffer who had a Zia tattoo just above her ankle.  The artist that had inked it had done a suburb job.  She was from L.A., California so I figured she had a high end artist ink it.

I always loved the look of it.  It also encompassed the vibe of Philmont and the surrounding area.  So it stuck with me.  Since then I had seen other staffers with Philmont or Zia tattoos.  For those who don't know what a Zia symbol is, here is the Wiki page for it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zia_people

So after fifteen years I decided to have one inked.  I had heard good things about tattoo artists in Taos.  So I did my homework.  I looked at the photos of all their work.  There was one artist who stood out, and that was Matt Conklin.  

To me Matt's work stood out far beyond any of the other artists work I looked at.  So I contacted him, and made an appointment with him at Taos Tattoo.

https://www.taostattoo.com/

I was very specific with what I wanted.  I wanted a Zia Sun Symbol 4 X 4 inches.  I also wanted the Philmont brand in the corner.  The big changes I wanted was that I didn't want a black outline of the Zia.  I wanted it red, and then like a Gibson sunburst Les Paul, it would burst into yellow.  Namely the yellow of the New Mexico state flag.  

He named a price, and set to work.  He flat told me, "Getting a tattoo sucks.  It's gonna hurt."  I was told by two lady friends of mine that there was pain, but it was a "good pain."  Guess what?  They were wrong.  It hurt like hell.  But, here's the final work. 

As you can see, Matt is dang good at what he does.  He said, "Think about it.  For a Zia you have to draw a perfect circle with 16 straight lines.  There is no room for error."  

I asked him, "When I spoke to you on the phone, you said that you ink a dozen Zia's a week.  Does that make me a basic bitch?"

He immediately replied, "Nah!  The ones we do are usually only an inch or two wide.  You went with a big one on your chest, and you did it in color.  No man, you went all the way."

He also went on to say that, "Chest tattoos hurt.  Well, they all hurt.  But chest tattoos hurt a lot worse."

I had it placed on my chest where it would be covered by a shirt.  That way, if I were to work at any professional job it wouldn't show.  

I told Matt that I had been reading up on taking care of newly inked tattoos.  He said they weren't as hard to take care of as some of the sites say they are.  His big concern was keeping them clean, and making sure to use Aquaphor healing lotion on it.  I've followed his advice, and I've haven't had any problems for the last four days.  

I know they say, "Never say never."  Heck, even I said that.  But I feel this is my last tattoo.  Although I can't say it was my first.  My first was given to me eight years ago by a doctor.  Admittedly, he saved my life, and I credit that to him, but I was left with a heck of a scar.

  

Now the scar didn't change me as a person.  (Except for the fact that I was still six feet above ground.)  And this tattoo, like this scar, won't change me as a person.  I didn't become an outlaw, 1%er, gang member, or celebrity chef because of the scar or tattoo.  I'm still me.  And I think that's the one thing I learned when I had my scar.  I'm still me.  

Anyway, I feel that this is my last tattoo.  This thing hurt like hell, and I really don't see going through that again.  In fact, I don't know how people who sit for days having full sleeve tattoos do it.  (Okay, hours at a time over a number of days.)  

Matt spent a great deal of time on this one.  I believe he spent an hour and a half.  Of course, every second getting inked felt like an eternity, so I may be off on my time.  Oh, I also had a ten minute break in the middle.  He said he could tell I needed some water and a break.  He was 100% correct.  I needed that break.  

Overall I'm very happy with the tattoo.  I'm equally happy with Matt.  He really knew his stuff.  Heck, even before he started he said, "Remember to breathe."  And you know what?  He was right.  I immediately tried holding my breath.  

I immediately reverted back to my younger self when, as a kid, I would receive a haircut from Jack my barber.  I would hold perfectly still.  Namely, because I didn't want a bad haircut.  I figured that it was very difficult to be a barber so I was like a statue for him.  I mean, I concentrated on holding as perfectly still as I could.  That includes holding my breath.  

So, I did the exact same thing for Matt.  I figured if he was drawing with permanent ink I'd better hold as dang still as I could.  Eventually though I had to breathe.  But he would ink for about 10 seconds, and then return to his inkwell, and draw more ink into the needle.  So it gave me some time to relax between having the needle run into my skin.  

So it's here to stay, and so am I.  I'm happy with it.  And I'll be able to move forward carrying a little bit of Philmont with me wherever I go.  And you know what?  I feel good about that.

Philmont 2019: Day 24, Finally a Day Off. Time To Head To Rayado

It finally happened.  Yesterday, (Day 23) I ended up taking care of sooooo much paperwork.  There was no more paperwork that I could do.  So I ended up driving down to Rayado where I used to work in 2004.  For those who don't know Rayado is home to the Kit Carson Museum.  It is a living museum where everything and everyone looks like it/they would fit in the years 1850-1860.

The staff dress in period costume, and give tours of the Fort.  It was actually a lot cleaner and more organized than when I was there.  I took lots of photos this time around.  Back in 2004 I only had a 35mm camera, and was limited to the amount of photos I could take.  Now I was armed with a digital camera, and I was going to take photos of everything.

Here's the entrance to Rayado.

Here's the 31 star American Flag.

Here are the Rayado crew that was working that day.  Eric, Rachel, and Cassie.

And here is Alix waterproofing boots.

Here's the courtyard.

I had to help chase the chickens back into the coop.  It gave me quite a workout.  Okay, I thought I was going to die.  I had to borrow one of the ladies' aprons so I could make myself look bigger.  That way the chickens wouldn't be tempted to run by me.  Yeah, they did that a few times before I thought to grab the old timey apron.

Guess what?  Chicken butt.

You know what really gets my goat?  Goats!!!  Okay, I love goats!

Here's the haunted piano.  Last time I took a photo of it, it came out terrible.  This one is much better.

It's located in La Sala.  Here's the long view of it.

They now have holders under the candles.  That's much smarter than what we did.  I spent a good deal of time scraping wax off the floor.   Although I must admit, I love the candelabras.

Here's a small room for a family to sleep in.

This room is a lot different than when I was there.  They have it fixed up nicely.

Then there's the skinning room.  A lot of fur trappers worked out of Rayado in the 1800's.

Here's the tack room.

And here's the giant cabinet that gave me the great story about the British Boy Scouts.

Next up is the forge.  I plan on smashing a few things in it the next time I'm here.

Moving past the courtyard they have a few new things.  They have a Teepee now.

And there's this big ole' thing.

The barracks are actually up and running.  Okay, at least one of them is.

This is La Posta, the Post Office and General Store.

This is the very haunted Lucien Maxwell house of Rayado.  Not to be confused with his house in Cimarron.

Here's the part where the guys and I stayed.  It's now in too bad of shape to stay in now.  The door on the left is where we stayed.

This surprised me.  They built a new building behind it.  It was supposed to be a dining hall, but they stopped using it for that.  The male staff members sleep there now.

The "Red Roof Inns" are much nicer these days than they were back then.

With all the rain the area has been getting, the sunflowers are coming back.  I was happy to see them starting to grow.  In a few months they will be a few feet tall.

I saw this and thought, "What a beautiful Christmas Tree!"  But then I thought, "Wait, is this a Ponderosa Pine?"  I'm pretty sure it is.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinus_ponderosa

I saw this little purple flower, and knew I just had to take a photo of it.

The last time I was here, I took a photo of the old church across the street.  The problem was that it was dusk, and my photo was way too dark.  I made sure this didn't happen this time.

Next, I decided to take some photos of the incredible mountain ranges.

I also decide to take a short clip of the mountain range.

And that sums up my trip.  I was glad to visit Rayado again.  I wish I wasn't so sick.  That was a bummer.  But the next time I go I'll make sure to take my tools with me.  I plan on forging a copper knife.  And yes, I'm definitely going to take photos of that.