san diego: dialed in: CoViD-19: Vax Up | Music Box Requires Vax or Test | Legendary Lestat's Soundman Louis Brazier Passes | Young Sea World Orca Dies

Thursday, August 19, 2021

CoViD-19: Vax Up | Music Box Requires Vax or Test | Legendary Lestat's Soundman Louis Brazier Passes | Young Sea World Orca Dies | Vote NO On California Recall |

Orcas, possibly Kalia and Amaya, at Sea World (Taken 6.23.21)

Nova had derby tonight, so Darren and I went to the San Diego Zoo while she skated. It was World Orangutan Day, so I wanted to spend some time with them. But while we were at the mandrills, a helicopter was hovering overhead and all the animals kinda started going crazy and went into their apartment. It remained while we went over to the Orangs. I checked my phone, and Channel 10 was doing a live shot of the candlelight vigil for peace in Afghanistan that was taking place at the fountain in Balboa Park. I wasn't shy about commenting on their Facebook live feed that they were disturbing the primates. I'd like to think that's why they left, though maybe they just needed their live shot and moved on.

After walking around, we headed to pick Nova up and I read news on my phone that Amaya, a six-year old orca at Sea World, died suddenly. We haven't been going to Sea World because their safety protocols are non-existent and I find it irritating, but now I'm sad because I would always spend the last hour of the night with the orcas, who sometimes would come over if I whistled for them and I'd talk to them while the fireworks closed down the night and I waited for Nova's last rounds on the rollercoasters. It isn't normal for an orca to die at 6 years old, so I'll be following to see what their investigation finds in the coming weeks, if they share that information with the public at all.

We picked up Captain Sam's for dinner and as I was contemplating this post, I saw on Facebook that Louis Brazier of Lestat's died. As tributes continue to roll out, nobody has mentioned a cause of death, but the San Diego music scene definitely lost a legendary figure. I didn't really know Lou all that well, but he was always generous with me whenever I was there to shoot a show or he'd save me a spot for nights when Josh Damigo was playing and his impact on local music is immeasurable.

With all that, it's hard to talk about other news...every pundit continues to diss the situation in Afghanistan, apparently forgetting that humans are generally unruly and there was no way to leave without "chaos." Just think about what it was like in airports during the early days of the pandemic shutdowns, the runs on toilet paper, what it looked like when mass vaccination sites were opened. Think about the images of the January 6th insurrection. Hell, think about what lines for Hall H at Comiccon looked like. Then add a war situation with guns and religious radicals and yes, it is a horrible, terrible situation, but it very much tracks with human behavior. I hope it gets better and I'm sorry that so many are suffering. But the representatives who are now acting like this is Biden's mess should really go watch reels of themselves talking over the past 20 years and shut the fuck up.

Stay safe out there.