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Issue #270, Houston, Texas, July 17 2024/span>
Journal July 17, 2024 Houston.
In this entry I will describe in some detail our day obtaining Orion's French visa, as well as making an exploratory run to Galveston.
But first, a comment on the political realities of the day. The Republican convention is happening in Milwaukee, and it's showing a shockingly strong level of unity and support for Donald Trump. His political momentum has been amplified by several things. One, the disastrous debate performance by Joe Biden at the first presidential debate, and two, the attempted assassination attempt on Donald Trump in Pennsylvania by an unknown 20 year-old. And three, the dismissal by Judge Eileen Cannon of the documents case against Trump.
So now this felonious, lying, bullying, spiteful individual has now consolidated the support of most all of the Republican Party in a shockingly obsequious display of unity, which is frightening to watch.
It is amazing how every individual whom Trump has personally insulted is now groveling before him. The MAGA Republicans, who proclaim their unity, are creating an air of inevitability around the outcome of the election. I can only guess how bad is it going to be if he is elected. How badly will he screw up the many aspects of life that we currently take for granted?
There is plenty of talk about the myriad ways our lives could change, according to those who, for instance, discuss details about the Heritage Foundations document, “Project 2025”, which goes into explicit detail about what those societal policy changes might be.
However, let me diverge from politics to recount some details of the adventuring I had with my 18 year-old son as we experienced on Tuesday, the 16th of July, 2024 in Houston, Texas.
One of the reasons we picked the Club Quarters Hotel in downtown Houston was that it was an easy walking distance from the visa office, about 10 minutes away. After a quick breakfast at the food court in the street below the hotel, we walked to the embassy building, where a security guard recited instructions to all who entered seeking visas.
Orion disappeared into an office and came out 20 minutes later with thumbs up, saying that the only glitch appeared to be (as we anticipated) the photo on his old passport. Had we actually been able to find the new photos that he stuck in the Intrepid Jeep, he could have avoided the $12 charge for a new one taken on the spot.
They were able to take a picture, and it appears that Orion is now on his way to receiving a French visa. Success!
We next set our sights on a drive to Galveston, where Orion wanted to walk along the ocean. Gradually, the dense urban landscape of Houston gave way to the flat, deciduous landscape of the gulf. The uniformity of the land and the evenly spaced, puffy clouds above the highway made me think of Florida. Galveston has many refineries nearby, and homes crowd close to the ocean, many on tall stilts that hopefully offer protection from flooding during storms and hurricanes blowing in from the Gulf of Mexico.
Orion suggested getting food and sunblock at Walmart. Just like on past epic road trips, we parked in a hot, muggy asphalt lot and crossed the sizzling expanse into the air-conditioned store, where local residents wandered around in relative comfort, searching for stuff to buy, just like us.
Sandwiches in hand, we headed for the state park; gained access to shade shelters near the ocean, where Orion fed Grackles portions of his foot-long submarine sandwich.
We walked along the beach, which was a few degrees cooler than inland. The water was quite warm - almost hot - and we walked all the way down to Jamaica Beach, talking about changes coming up in Orion's life. I am so excited for him, and to watch his path unfold. Despite the political and environmental uncertainty of current times, he has the world before him, and that makes me happy. The long beach walk was a perfect way to meet this moment of transition.
We came across a small dead shark with a fin, and also watched an emergency rescue crew with Jeeps and inflatables prowl along the beach, apparently responding to a call for a missing child, which we were informed was called off, since the child was found elsewhere.
Heading back to Houston, we drove past Rice University and its broad tree-lined neighborhoods. Traffic in the area was maddeningly slow. We made a detour to see the Rothko Chapel, a sanctuary with large paintings, a place I visited 37 years ago. Unfortunately, the ‘chapel’ was closed for renovations. It did not seem anything like the place I had visited so long ago, with a broad pool of water now adjacent to the chapel and a steel sculpture, 'Broken Obelisk' by Barnett Newman, hovering over the water, which was striking.
Unfortunately, this famous monument to the abstract art of Mark Rothko (a depressed artist who committed suicide) could not be seen at this time.
Fittingly - since I have been keeping journals for decades - I can look back at my visit to Houston on November 27 1987 (to visit Patty at Rice University for Thanksgiving) when I DID visit the Rothko Chapel, which, to be precise, was 13,382 days before, or 36 years, 7 months, and 20 days prior attempting to visit the same place with Orion:
"Later on – a visit to the Rothko Chapel by bicycle – canvasses of plain color. Nothing could be simpler – yet it is revered. I recoil with distaste at the pedantic academic explanations which scholars give his work, especially in the small brochure I read while there. Whatever philosophical struggles Rothko had that let him to paint his color fields go completely unnoticed to me. Am I un-perceptive? I don’t think so".
I guess I wasn't very much into Mark Rothko at the time, so perhaps it was fitting that this time, we were not allowed to enter the chapel to see paintings that I didn't like before!
Back in downtown Houston, we had a quick meal at the food court and then we walked to the nearby AMC theater where we saw a very funny and enjoyable ‘Despicable Me 4,’ with its minions, reminding me of Phoenix and his descent into Minion obsession. The caricatures were very well done, but the theater was not air conditioned, so it made me somewhat hot and sleepy.
Afterwards, we walked down towards the river and around the tall monolithic buildings, as well as the city hall, bathed in blue light. In another nod to the past, we walked right past the TC Energy Center, a building that I drew in pencil 37 years ago.
Journal July 17, 2024 Houston.
In this entry I will describe in some detail our day obtaining Orion's French visa, as well as making an exploratory run to Galveston.
But first, a comment on the political realities of the day. The Republican convention is happening in Milwaukee, and it's showing a shockingly strong level of unity and support for Donald Trump. His political momentum has been amplified by several things. One, the disastrous debate performance by Joe Biden at the first presidential debate, and two, the attempted assassination attempt on Donald Trump in Pennsylvania by an unknown 20 year-old. And three, the dismissal by Judge Eileen Cannon of the documents case against Trump.
So now this felonious, lying, bullying, spiteful individual has now consolidated the support of most all of the Republican Party in a shockingly obsequious display of unity, which is frightening to watch.
It is amazing how every individual whom Trump has personally insulted is now groveling before him. The MAGA Republicans, who proclaim their unity, are creating an air of inevitability around the outcome of the election. I can only guess how bad is it going to be if he is elected. How badly will he screw up the many aspects of life that we currently take for granted?
There is plenty of talk about the myriad ways our lives could change, according to those who, for instance, discuss details about the Heritage Foundations document, “Project 2025”, which goes into explicit detail about what those societal policy changes might be.
However, let me diverge from politics to recount some details of the adventuring I had with my 18 year-old son as we experienced on Tuesday, the 16th of July, 2024 in Houston, Texas.
One of the reasons we picked the Club Quarters Hotel in downtown Houston was that it was an easy walking distance from the visa office, about 10 minutes away. After a quick breakfast at the food court in the street below the hotel, we walked to the embassy building, where a security guard recited instructions to all who entered seeking visas.
Orion disappeared into an office and came out 20 minutes later with thumbs up, saying that the only glitch appeared to be (as we anticipated) the photo on his old passport. Had we actually been able to find the new photos that he stuck in the Intrepid Jeep, he could have avoided the $12 charge for a new one taken on the spot.
They were able to take a picture, and it appears that Orion is now on his way to receiving a French visa. Success!
We next set our sights on a drive to Galveston, where Orion wanted to walk along the ocean. Gradually, the dense urban landscape of Houston gave way to the flat, deciduous landscape of the gulf. The uniformity of the land and the evenly spaced, puffy clouds above the highway made me think of Florida. Galveston has many refineries nearby, and homes crowd close to the ocean, many on tall stilts that hopefully offer protection from flooding during storms and hurricanes blowing in from the Gulf of Mexico.
Orion suggested getting food and sunblock at Walmart. Just like on past epic road trips, we parked in a hot, muggy asphalt lot and crossed the sizzling expanse into the air-conditioned store, where local residents wandered around in relative comfort, searching for stuff to buy, just like us.
Sandwiches in hand, we headed for the state park; gained access to shade shelters near the ocean, where Orion fed Grackles portions of his foot-long submarine sandwich.
We walked along the beach, which was a few degrees cooler than inland. The water was quite warm - almost hot - and we walked all the way down to Jamaica Beach, talking about changes coming up in Orion's life. I am so excited for him, and to watch his path unfold. Despite the political and environmental uncertainty of current times, he has the world before him, and that makes me happy. The long beach walk was a perfect way to meet this moment of transition.
We came across a small dead shark with a fin, and also watched an emergency rescue crew with Jeeps and inflatables prowl along the beach, apparently responding to a call for a missing child, which we were informed was called off, since the child was found elsewhere.
Heading back to Houston, we drove past Rice University and its broad tree-lined neighborhoods. Traffic in the area was maddeningly slow. We made a detour to see the Rothko Chapel, a sanctuary with large paintings, a place I visited 37 years ago. Unfortunately, the ‘chapel’ was closed for renovations. It did not seem anything like the place I had visited so long ago, with a broad pool of water now adjacent to the chapel and a steel sculpture, 'Broken Obelisk' by Barnett Newman, hovering over the water, which was striking.
Unfortunately, this famous monument to the abstract art of Mark Rothko (a depressed artist who committed suicide) could not be seen at this time.
Fittingly - since I have been keeping journals for decades - I can look back at my visit to Houston on November 27 1987 (to visit Patty at Rice University for Thanksgiving) when I DID visit the Rothko Chapel, which, to be precise, was 13,382 days before, or 36 years, 7 months, and 20 days prior attempting to visit the same place with Orion:
"Later on – a visit to the Rothko Chapel by bicycle – canvasses of plain color. Nothing could be simpler – yet it is revered. I recoil with distaste at the pedantic academic explanations which scholars give his work, especially in the small brochure I read while there. Whatever philosophical struggles Rothko had that let him to paint his color fields go completely unnoticed to me. Am I un-perceptive? I don’t think so".
I guess I wasn't very much into Mark Rothko at the time, so perhaps it was fitting that this time, we were not allowed to enter the chapel to see paintings that I didn't like before!
Back in downtown Houston, we had a quick meal at the food court and then we walked to the nearby AMC theater where we saw a very funny and enjoyable ‘Despicable Me 4,’ with its minions, reminding me of Phoenix and his descent into Minion obsession. The caricatures were very well done, but the theater was not air conditioned, so it made me somewhat hot and sleepy.
Afterwards, we walked down towards the river and around the tall monolithic buildings, as well as the city hall, bathed in blue light. In another nod to the past, we walked right past the TC Energy Center, a building that I drew in pencil 37 years ago.
solo/group kukai
drawing/writing/photography
jonathan machen
drawing/writing/photography
jonathan machen