It's been a while so I have a lot to cover. Lets see how much of it I forget...
SEATTLE SNOW STORM!!! That's been the big thing lately. It started during the Ho-down and didn't really let up for a couple weeks. Yesterday is when the big melt began. I couldn't be happier...
During our winter event I didn't really do too much. Worked pretty much everyday, which led to some interesting, or should I just say packed, bus rides. David was a champion and drove me home most of the days...
While holed away in my house we cooked like crazy. Here's some of the foods that were made: lime squares, chex mix (twice), cookies, roast, chicken soup, chili, etc. It was good, we pretty much just spent the whole weekend of the 20th at home baking and trying to stave off cabin fever as best we could...
There has also been a rash of puzzles going on. It started with the creek puzzle. Which led to the boat puzzle. Then the monkey puzzle (damn the monkey). Just when I thought we'd done all the puzzles I have Elizabeth came over last night with a Last Supper puzzle. It's over 3 feet long!!! I may add pictures to this later, but my camera is at home...
The indoor garden is taking shape nicely. I got a bunch of seeds planted, effectively starting phase two. The big light is out now and they're loving it. Well, those that aren't getting burned. I have to look into it a little more. Some of them are thriving, like the jalapenos have double in size, while others aren't doing so well, the Peruvians haven't done anything. In time I'll get it all figured out and we should be able to start the continual harvest around March or April...
Christmas was good. I went out to my Dad's for the eve. It was really pleasant. My sister, brother in law, Joe and I played the game of Life. Joe won because he decided not to go to college. The irony of that game will never get old. We ate chili and tomato soup. It was fabulous. Then my brother and Joe came down and spent the night at my place. Christmas morning my brother made breakfast, which was great, and I put up the indoor garden light with a little help from my friends. That evening I went down to Claudia's with Matt and we ate dinner. She made Cornish Game Hens. So good. Then we just dinked around for a while playing Dangerous Hunts on the wii. All in all a good holiday...
Not much else going on in my life. Now for a couple other things...
Dear Seahawks, As if this year wasn't bad enough for Seattle sports fans, we had to watch you. Step up your game next year...
Larry Craig tourists now is the time. They're beginning to see a slow in bathroom tourism at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport so now is your chance to get out and see where it all went down!....
The garbage is pilling up. It's pretty gross. I just want them to finally take it all away...
Israel is bombing Gaza, again...
And one last thing for all you out there that believe teaching abstinence and not responsiblity in school is the way to go, click here. I personally don't understand why the current administration has taken the course they have. It's like sending our troops in Iraq into heavy fire without body armor because they took a pledge to not get shot...
Monday, December 29, 2008
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
What the Pho?
So from the title you can probably guess this blog is about Pho. The title is actually the name of a place in Bellevue. Pho restaurants have some of the best names ever. Just a few that stand out to me: What the Pho?, Tic Tac Pho, and my personal favorite name Pho 88, which is strangely common.
But lets get into the meat of this (raw beef for me), what makes pho so good? And it's not just that it's good. It's magical. I've been sick for the last few days. I thought nothing could help me and then I remembered pho. So I went and got some pho at the place near my work, which isn't even that good, and now I feel like a new person. I can breath again! I can feel the broth running through my veins curing all my aches and pains. I actually feel human again, as opposed to the muscussy shell i've felt like recently.
I'm rambling again though, which is easy to do when I talk about pho. What I really want to know is if any of you out there have ever successfully managed to make a magical pho at home. I've tried before and it never turns out, so I'm looking for a good recipe. Even better, if any of you know someone, preferrably a lil old vietnamese woman who's been making it all her life, who can teach me hands on how to do it, let me know. Nothing would make me happier than to have a vat of pho broth brewing in my kitchen all winter long.
But lets get into the meat of this (raw beef for me), what makes pho so good? And it's not just that it's good. It's magical. I've been sick for the last few days. I thought nothing could help me and then I remembered pho. So I went and got some pho at the place near my work, which isn't even that good, and now I feel like a new person. I can breath again! I can feel the broth running through my veins curing all my aches and pains. I actually feel human again, as opposed to the muscussy shell i've felt like recently.
I'm rambling again though, which is easy to do when I talk about pho. What I really want to know is if any of you out there have ever successfully managed to make a magical pho at home. I've tried before and it never turns out, so I'm looking for a good recipe. Even better, if any of you know someone, preferrably a lil old vietnamese woman who's been making it all her life, who can teach me hands on how to do it, let me know. Nothing would make me happier than to have a vat of pho broth brewing in my kitchen all winter long.
Monday, December 15, 2008
You're all wonderful
Saturday was the Holiday Ho-down. It was a great time. Good people, good food and good drinks. Here's some of my favorite pics from the night.
Thanks to everyone for coming. If you're interested in seeing more pictures they can be found at the following places:
Lucile's Holiday Ho Ho Ho-Down 2008 - Courtesy of Rebecca Jeanne - Photographer
Lucile Street X-mas - Courtesy of Morganelle
Lucile Street Christmas Party - Courtesy of Raybies
Next up Chili Cook Off...
Thanks to everyone for coming. If you're interested in seeing more pictures they can be found at the following places:
Lucile's Holiday Ho Ho Ho-Down 2008 - Courtesy of Rebecca Jeanne - Photographer
Lucile Street X-mas - Courtesy of Morganelle
Lucile Street Christmas Party - Courtesy of Raybies
Next up Chili Cook Off...
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Haunting dreams...
So I had some extremely disturbing dreams last night. I don't remember much of what happened except the parts when someone died. I guess I should also point out that I can't say for sure if these were all different dreams or one in the same. But I woke up after each person died...
The first took place in a warehouse. I was working with a large wall of wooden sticks, each probably 30 feet tall. I was using a saw blade at the bottom of the pile to cut each piece of wood into small splinters. At this point my boss showed up and told me that I was doing it all wrong. She then brought in 4 people I've never seen before, all men. The largest of these men brought with him a bushwhacker, a large radial saw blade on the end of machine like a weed whacker. This bushwhacker was unusually large. He looked at me and fired up the machine. He then took one large swing and cut all of the sticks in half, but then didn't stop his motion. The blade came full circle, nearly hitting his comrades, and heading straight for me. I was incapable of moving as the saw blade cut through my right temple. I could almost feel it tearing the tender tissues of my brain. Blood began spraying from my wound. I screamed for help but no one could hear me over the sound of the bushwhacker. I put my hand to the wound, hoping to slow the bleeding. Blood was flowing everywhere. For a moment I was more concerned about drowning in it then from the fatal blow to my head. Finally someone noticed that I was dying and began to rush to my aide from about 50 yards away. This was the last thing I saw before my vision went white. And I woke up...
The second part begins at a busy intersection. Everything I remember suggests that I was in LA, or a city exactly like it in a parallel world. My friend Joe and I had just finished dinner with a group of people and had decided to go to the intersection and take some photos. There was definitely a paparazzi element to it. I had the camera and he had all the lens, which we seemed to change with every shot. Then we saw a celebrity, I'm not sure who or if they are even real, and got extremely excited. This man moved faster than everyone else and Joe decided our only chance at the picture was with the biggest lens we had, which was about 12 inches in diameter. He struggled to get it out of the bag, which was only half the size, and once getting it out we couldn't figure out how it attached to the camera base. Out of nowhere a man appeared and assaulted our potential model. He then assaulted another man. Then a woman. He attacked everyone in the area, before noticing the two of us. He came running in our direction. I handed Joe the giant lens in hopes that he could use it in his defense. I moved in for a preemptive attack but without any warning the man pulled a large samurai sword out and skewered Joe where he stood. Immediately Joe began vomiting blood. His stomach and other organs were exposed. The attacker then began to carve his body. I was completely horrified. I remember the large pool of blood spilling over into a river that cascaded down to a nearby storm drain. And I woke up...
The final dream took place in a movie theater. My brother and I were seeing a movie. It seemed that I knew almost everyone in the theater. There were coworkers, both current and previous, old friends from school, relatives. Before we got into the actual theater we were waiting in line and the man in front of us was being beyond disrespectful to his female companion. I don't remember what was said but it made both of us uneasy. As we made our way into the theater. There was a security guard outside the entrance. We entered and noticed where this man sat. My brother wanted to sit near him to make sure he didn't get out of line. A coworker of mine was sitting behind him so I asked if I could switch him seats. The angry man took notice of this and then started a confrontation. Everything started happening very fast. The man left with his girlfriend. We then went to follow them. When we got back into the foyer the security guard was the only one left. He told us that they'd left. But they would be back just after him, and he left. Many things happened here, none of which I remember. The only thing that I remember happened just before the security guard returned. My brother looked over at me and said, "Whatever happens remember that this is my fight. Don't try to help me. Even if it looks like I'm going to lose." The security guard then came back and said, "I hope you're ready for this." Then the man entered the foyer. But it was no longer the man I remembered from earlier. He was now over 15 feet tall and loomed over all of us. He was breathing heavily and seemed to be doing some kind of pre-battle ritual. My brother ran up quickly and jumped on both of his feet simultaneously causing the giant to let out a chilling shriek. The giant then looked down at my brother and grabbed both of his arms. With one single movement he removed my brothers arms from their sockets. This is when the blood started flowing again, like a fountain. The giant laughed and the room shook with the booming sound. He then looked down at me and smiled, before raising a single massive leg and crushing my brother into a pile of guts and gore. And I woke up...
Now I don't know what any of this means. It has had me greatly disturbed all day. I've read some stuff that suggested that death in dream often represents a change. I just hope that it's a good change...
The first took place in a warehouse. I was working with a large wall of wooden sticks, each probably 30 feet tall. I was using a saw blade at the bottom of the pile to cut each piece of wood into small splinters. At this point my boss showed up and told me that I was doing it all wrong. She then brought in 4 people I've never seen before, all men. The largest of these men brought with him a bushwhacker, a large radial saw blade on the end of machine like a weed whacker. This bushwhacker was unusually large. He looked at me and fired up the machine. He then took one large swing and cut all of the sticks in half, but then didn't stop his motion. The blade came full circle, nearly hitting his comrades, and heading straight for me. I was incapable of moving as the saw blade cut through my right temple. I could almost feel it tearing the tender tissues of my brain. Blood began spraying from my wound. I screamed for help but no one could hear me over the sound of the bushwhacker. I put my hand to the wound, hoping to slow the bleeding. Blood was flowing everywhere. For a moment I was more concerned about drowning in it then from the fatal blow to my head. Finally someone noticed that I was dying and began to rush to my aide from about 50 yards away. This was the last thing I saw before my vision went white. And I woke up...
The second part begins at a busy intersection. Everything I remember suggests that I was in LA, or a city exactly like it in a parallel world. My friend Joe and I had just finished dinner with a group of people and had decided to go to the intersection and take some photos. There was definitely a paparazzi element to it. I had the camera and he had all the lens, which we seemed to change with every shot. Then we saw a celebrity, I'm not sure who or if they are even real, and got extremely excited. This man moved faster than everyone else and Joe decided our only chance at the picture was with the biggest lens we had, which was about 12 inches in diameter. He struggled to get it out of the bag, which was only half the size, and once getting it out we couldn't figure out how it attached to the camera base. Out of nowhere a man appeared and assaulted our potential model. He then assaulted another man. Then a woman. He attacked everyone in the area, before noticing the two of us. He came running in our direction. I handed Joe the giant lens in hopes that he could use it in his defense. I moved in for a preemptive attack but without any warning the man pulled a large samurai sword out and skewered Joe where he stood. Immediately Joe began vomiting blood. His stomach and other organs were exposed. The attacker then began to carve his body. I was completely horrified. I remember the large pool of blood spilling over into a river that cascaded down to a nearby storm drain. And I woke up...
The final dream took place in a movie theater. My brother and I were seeing a movie. It seemed that I knew almost everyone in the theater. There were coworkers, both current and previous, old friends from school, relatives. Before we got into the actual theater we were waiting in line and the man in front of us was being beyond disrespectful to his female companion. I don't remember what was said but it made both of us uneasy. As we made our way into the theater. There was a security guard outside the entrance. We entered and noticed where this man sat. My brother wanted to sit near him to make sure he didn't get out of line. A coworker of mine was sitting behind him so I asked if I could switch him seats. The angry man took notice of this and then started a confrontation. Everything started happening very fast. The man left with his girlfriend. We then went to follow them. When we got back into the foyer the security guard was the only one left. He told us that they'd left. But they would be back just after him, and he left. Many things happened here, none of which I remember. The only thing that I remember happened just before the security guard returned. My brother looked over at me and said, "Whatever happens remember that this is my fight. Don't try to help me. Even if it looks like I'm going to lose." The security guard then came back and said, "I hope you're ready for this." Then the man entered the foyer. But it was no longer the man I remembered from earlier. He was now over 15 feet tall and loomed over all of us. He was breathing heavily and seemed to be doing some kind of pre-battle ritual. My brother ran up quickly and jumped on both of his feet simultaneously causing the giant to let out a chilling shriek. The giant then looked down at my brother and grabbed both of his arms. With one single movement he removed my brothers arms from their sockets. This is when the blood started flowing again, like a fountain. The giant laughed and the room shook with the booming sound. He then looked down at me and smiled, before raising a single massive leg and crushing my brother into a pile of guts and gore. And I woke up...
Now I don't know what any of this means. It has had me greatly disturbed all day. I've read some stuff that suggested that death in dream often represents a change. I just hope that it's a good change...
Monday, December 8, 2008
All we are saying...
Today is the 28th anniversary of the untimely passing of John Lennon. I encourage you all to spend some time thinking about the legacy that he has left us.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
A couple of quick political points..
I think that Carolyn Kennedy would be a great replacement for Hillary Clinton. The last thing that I want to see is Bill take over her seat. Something about that just doesn't sit right with me...
A little rant about Sarah Palin and the Big 3. Its come to light that Palin's stylists earned $165,000. That's just in nine weeks!!! That's over $2600 a day! This is just as bad as the Big 3 executive all flying their private jets to washington with their hand out. Personally I'd like to see all this money thats being wasted in American turned over to reputable non profits. I know Sarah's hair might look flat and the execs are going to have to drive themselves to DC, but think of the good that could come from that kind of money. Homeless shelters, job training, education, just to name a few...
Just one more. As for our current budget defeicit in Washington State, I have the perfect idea to help. Legalize Marijuana. I know I know, it's hippie bullshit, but here me out. Illegal marijuana is our state's 6th largest cash crop, above cherries. And that's just what they find! Now if we legalize it and control in the same way we control our liquor there is a fortune to be made by the state. Sales alone would be huge, not to mention the reduction in costs of trials and jailing for misdemeanor crimes. Just a thought...
A little rant about Sarah Palin and the Big 3. Its come to light that Palin's stylists earned $165,000. That's just in nine weeks!!! That's over $2600 a day! This is just as bad as the Big 3 executive all flying their private jets to washington with their hand out. Personally I'd like to see all this money thats being wasted in American turned over to reputable non profits. I know Sarah's hair might look flat and the execs are going to have to drive themselves to DC, but think of the good that could come from that kind of money. Homeless shelters, job training, education, just to name a few...
Just one more. As for our current budget defeicit in Washington State, I have the perfect idea to help. Legalize Marijuana. I know I know, it's hippie bullshit, but here me out. Illegal marijuana is our state's 6th largest cash crop, above cherries. And that's just what they find! Now if we legalize it and control in the same way we control our liquor there is a fortune to be made by the state. Sales alone would be huge, not to mention the reduction in costs of trials and jailing for misdemeanor crimes. Just a thought...
Friday, December 5, 2008
Dear Asshole
Someone stole the atheist sign from the Washington State Capitol. Now personally I wasn't a huge fan of the sign. I think that they could have gotten their message across without being so negative. However. This is America. You don't go around stealing fucking signs from a state building because you don't like what it says. Now I don't know about these asshole theives, but I'd rather not turn our great country into a fascist haven where all our rights are oppressed and you're nothing more than a battery for the state. The atheists have just as much right as every other religious group represented in our state capitol.
So to the person who committed this shamefully cowardice act I say, you're an asshole. And beyond that you are a threat to our freedom. I hope you're arrested and deported to some fucked up country. Like Burma. Where they do things to you that I won't mention in this forum.
So to the person who committed this shamefully cowardice act I say, you're an asshole. And beyond that you are a threat to our freedom. I hope you're arrested and deported to some fucked up country. Like Burma. Where they do things to you that I won't mention in this forum.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Photoshop Challenge!!!!
Alright all you photoshoppers out there we've got a challenge for you. So I would like you to take the image above and photoshop my head on to both of the bodies. I'm leaving this one up to artistic impression. I don't care what you do with the text, but I'm sure you'll all find something good. If you need some inspiration or media to work with you can find a bunch of pictures of me at www.flickr.com/desomniac
Who ever comes up with the best one is going to get a special surprise from me. You'll just have to win to find out what it is!
Send all entries to desolatesorrows@gmail.com
Monday, December 1, 2008
You're so pretty when you're unfaithful to me...
This is the 50th blog post. Yeah me, I guess...
...I think that all of you should know that I make a mean turkey soup. So if you ever find yourself with a turkey carcass and don't know what to do with it give me a call. I can give you the run down...
...I recently checked out the bowling alley between work and my house, Imperial Lanes. It's awesome. I expecting a very thug life atmosphere. Not the case at all. I recommend that any of you bowlers check it out...
...I feel bad about the people in Thailand. I don't really understand the situation fully. But it's horrible out there. However I feel worse for the people of Mumbai. I hope that there is some greater force (God, Allah, Brahma, whatever you want to call it) watching over the situation that can instill an unseen sense of reason. Without it all I can forsee is a nuclear war...
...Finally got the holiday invites out. What a scene. I missed a few people, because i don't have the email addresses. But at least I got something out...
...Listen to more Pixies. It's good like that. I recommend Surfer Rosa or Doolittle. You can't go wrong with either of them...
...We're officially in a recession. Doesn't it feel good? Lets all go out and buy flat screen televisions...
...I guess now all we have to look forward to is Christmas. I hope that you all soak up as much of the festive environment as you can while it's still around, because after that it's just 3 cold months of winter...
...I have to shut this down...
...I think that all of you should know that I make a mean turkey soup. So if you ever find yourself with a turkey carcass and don't know what to do with it give me a call. I can give you the run down...
...I recently checked out the bowling alley between work and my house, Imperial Lanes. It's awesome. I expecting a very thug life atmosphere. Not the case at all. I recommend that any of you bowlers check it out...
...I feel bad about the people in Thailand. I don't really understand the situation fully. But it's horrible out there. However I feel worse for the people of Mumbai. I hope that there is some greater force (God, Allah, Brahma, whatever you want to call it) watching over the situation that can instill an unseen sense of reason. Without it all I can forsee is a nuclear war...
...Finally got the holiday invites out. What a scene. I missed a few people, because i don't have the email addresses. But at least I got something out...
...Listen to more Pixies. It's good like that. I recommend Surfer Rosa or Doolittle. You can't go wrong with either of them...
...We're officially in a recession. Doesn't it feel good? Lets all go out and buy flat screen televisions...
...I guess now all we have to look forward to is Christmas. I hope that you all soak up as much of the festive environment as you can while it's still around, because after that it's just 3 cold months of winter...
...I have to shut this down...
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Here's the blog scene
Gobble Gobble. Eat more turkey. It's good for you...
...I find this very scary. I can't say exactly why, but I don't think it's a good thing...
...Beck is in charge of this scene...
...Just because it's short doesn't mean it wasn't worth it.
...I find this very scary. I can't say exactly why, but I don't think it's a good thing...
...Beck is in charge of this scene...
...Just because it's short doesn't mean it wasn't worth it.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
When we break we'll wait for our miracles
Ted Stevens has failed in his reelection bid. Kudos to the people of Alaska for realizing that you shouldn't elect convicted felons to national office...
...I'm still sore today. I wish I had remembered to wear my deep tissue heating pad. Those things are awesome...
...Today is all screwed up. I keep forgetting what I'm doing and making more plans. I'm going to a lecture at Kane Hall with my Dad, which should be good. It's about nature and the next techonology revolution. I am a little bummed that I'm going to miss Of Montreal though. But I doubt that I'll have the energy to go down there after the lecture...
...I also was talking with Jeremy about dinner. And for the first time in weeks I came up with a great menu, unfortunately I won't be able to make. Maybe I can convince him to hold off till tomorrow. Here's a run down on what I'm thinking: Bacon Mustard Pork Roast w/ Stuffed Mushroom Caps, Green Bean w/ Shallot Dressing, Three Cheese Garlic Scalloped Potatoes, and some bad ass rolls. Doesn't that sound good?...
...People do weird things on the toilet. Actually I can't say that. I've done all of those things...
...Morgan introduced me to The Gossip today. It's so good. I haven't listened to anything else since she told me about them...
...Holiday party planning is in full effect. I really need to send out the invites though. It's getting down to the wire...
...Lunch time...
...I'm still sore today. I wish I had remembered to wear my deep tissue heating pad. Those things are awesome...
...Today is all screwed up. I keep forgetting what I'm doing and making more plans. I'm going to a lecture at Kane Hall with my Dad, which should be good. It's about nature and the next techonology revolution. I am a little bummed that I'm going to miss Of Montreal though. But I doubt that I'll have the energy to go down there after the lecture...
...I also was talking with Jeremy about dinner. And for the first time in weeks I came up with a great menu, unfortunately I won't be able to make. Maybe I can convince him to hold off till tomorrow. Here's a run down on what I'm thinking: Bacon Mustard Pork Roast w/ Stuffed Mushroom Caps, Green Bean w/ Shallot Dressing, Three Cheese Garlic Scalloped Potatoes, and some bad ass rolls. Doesn't that sound good?...
...People do weird things on the toilet. Actually I can't say that. I've done all of those things...
...Morgan introduced me to The Gossip today. It's so good. I haven't listened to anything else since she told me about them...
...Holiday party planning is in full effect. I really need to send out the invites though. It's getting down to the wire...
...Lunch time...
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Delaying death for one more day
So I'm not dying. Doctor actually told me that I was healthier that I thought. Even my blood pressure was legit (little high but not enough to worry). Turns out that I have Costochondritis. Sounds sexy huh? It's a swelling and irritation of the tissue connecting my ribs with my breastbone. Not sure how I got it though. Doc said it can be caused by trauma, coughing or it can even happen spontaneously. I'm just happy its not my heart.
Off to the ER
I'm going to the hospital right now. I'm waiting for my ride. Hopefully everything turns out okay and it's just something stupid like heart burn. But I'm not terribly optimistic...
Monday, November 17, 2008
Someone's listening in
I've been listening to a lot of Beatles today. It's good for the soul...
...My mind is a little sideways today. Nothing specific, I just feel out of it. Maybe it's just a case of the Mondays...
...The addiction to Buck Hunter is now very real. I had a dream last night that I was in the game. Hopefully next time I'm the buck...
...I have an even more serious problem. I'm addicted to Google. And it's not just Google, it everything that they do. The search engine, maps, gtalk, youtube (especially youtube) and even this forum here blogger. It's bad...
...I'm definitely NOT addicted to work. I'd leave it in a heart beat if someone would be so generous as to pay all my bills and kick me down a little spending money...
...Croatia hates Santa Clause...
...My mind is a little sideways today. Nothing specific, I just feel out of it. Maybe it's just a case of the Mondays...
...The addiction to Buck Hunter is now very real. I had a dream last night that I was in the game. Hopefully next time I'm the buck...
...I have an even more serious problem. I'm addicted to Google. And it's not just Google, it everything that they do. The search engine, maps, gtalk, youtube (especially youtube) and even this forum here blogger. It's bad...
...I'm definitely NOT addicted to work. I'd leave it in a heart beat if someone would be so generous as to pay all my bills and kick me down a little spending money...
...Croatia hates Santa Clause...
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
I really need a Giraffe
I think that my sister should get a goat. She doesn't think so. She's actually very much against the idea. The strange thing here is that her husband agrees with me. And for any of you who know my brother-in-law, you'll agree it's strange that we'd agree on anything. So I have to ask, if two people with completely opposite ideologies can agree about the goat can it really be a bad idea?...
...There was supposed to be a wind storm last night. Walter Kelly lied to me. I'm not very happy with him...
...Last night for dinner Mr. Sharp made an amazing curry. It had butternut squash, garbanzo beans and spinach. I can still taste it. And I'll be tasting it even more when I get home. There are tons of left overs...
...Google is quickly becoming Big Brother. I love Google and all, but they're becoming a little creepy. Now they are tracking out breaks of influenza through search terms. On top of that for anyone who hasn't looked at Google Maps recently you should. They now have a feature called "Street View" which gives you a 360 degree view of your desired location. It doesn't cover everything but they did get my house and if you look at it from the alley you can see Jeremy and I in the back yard. Creepy...
...I can't wait for tomorrow. I'm meeting up with Nathan and we're going to hit up some Buck Hunter. I think that I may be developing a problem...
...One last thing. For anyone who doesn't already know about Bus Odyssey you should check it out. It's turning out to be a pretty awesome blog...
...There was supposed to be a wind storm last night. Walter Kelly lied to me. I'm not very happy with him...
...Last night for dinner Mr. Sharp made an amazing curry. It had butternut squash, garbanzo beans and spinach. I can still taste it. And I'll be tasting it even more when I get home. There are tons of left overs...
...Google is quickly becoming Big Brother. I love Google and all, but they're becoming a little creepy. Now they are tracking out breaks of influenza through search terms. On top of that for anyone who hasn't looked at Google Maps recently you should. They now have a feature called "Street View" which gives you a 360 degree view of your desired location. It doesn't cover everything but they did get my house and if you look at it from the alley you can see Jeremy and I in the back yard. Creepy...
...I can't wait for tomorrow. I'm meeting up with Nathan and we're going to hit up some Buck Hunter. I think that I may be developing a problem...
...One last thing. For anyone who doesn't already know about Bus Odyssey you should check it out. It's turning out to be a pretty awesome blog...
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Monday, November 10, 2008
Okay, time for some more
I'd like to know what the people of Washington did to deserve the awful sports teams (or lack thereof now) that we have. I mean really. The Mariners are the worst team in baseball. The Huskies and the Cougars can't win a game to save their life. The Seahawks are a joke. And the Sonics, well don't get me started on the Sonics. So to whatever powers that be, please tell us what we did wrong and we'll try to correct it. We just want a decent team, even just one...
...We're expecting a storm tomorrow. It's supposed to be big. I hope that it doesn't knock over any trees. Expect the hawthorn and the holly. It could knock those over and I wouldn't be too bummed. Unless the hawthorn took out the bar with it. Then I'd be sad...
...I really hate people who call me and have no idea what they want. I'm current listening to this guy fumble around his shop deciding what he needs to order. Ridiculous...
...There is a small magnet that I keep on the only piece of metal on my entire desk. It is of a Hawaiian woman in a grass skirt with flowers around her neck and in her hair. It makes me happy everytime I see it because it reminds me of the cute little Hawaiian girl who gave it to me, Alexia (I wonder if you read this)...
...Time to start closing up work...
...We're expecting a storm tomorrow. It's supposed to be big. I hope that it doesn't knock over any trees. Expect the hawthorn and the holly. It could knock those over and I wouldn't be too bummed. Unless the hawthorn took out the bar with it. Then I'd be sad...
...I really hate people who call me and have no idea what they want. I'm current listening to this guy fumble around his shop deciding what he needs to order. Ridiculous...
...There is a small magnet that I keep on the only piece of metal on my entire desk. It is of a Hawaiian woman in a grass skirt with flowers around her neck and in her hair. It makes me happy everytime I see it because it reminds me of the cute little Hawaiian girl who gave it to me, Alexia (I wonder if you read this)...
...Time to start closing up work...
Back to the basics
So now that I have my other blog to vent all of my political angers and joys, I figure it's time to get back to the basic with Desomnia...
...Ozzie's is a wretched, wretched place. I attended a karaoke benefit for Children's Hospital on Friday night. A friend of mine was helping to organize it. All in all it was a great event, unless you left the upper room. Upon leaving the area that had been reserved for the benefit it was a less than desirable scene. Every square inch of the place was packed with people. In an effort to get outside for some air I had to fight through hordes of people all pushing and stumbling in various directions. And to top it all off, the bar tender was incompetent. By the time 11:30 rolled I just had to leave. Downed my long island in 2 minutes flat and hit the streets, only to be left waiting for an hour and fifteen minutes by the 7. Oh the 7...
...I'm really craving some Buck Hunter. I think that I might need to find an old version to buy...
...Oh snap, time for lunch. Maybe I'll get back to this...
...Ozzie's is a wretched, wretched place. I attended a karaoke benefit for Children's Hospital on Friday night. A friend of mine was helping to organize it. All in all it was a great event, unless you left the upper room. Upon leaving the area that had been reserved for the benefit it was a less than desirable scene. Every square inch of the place was packed with people. In an effort to get outside for some air I had to fight through hordes of people all pushing and stumbling in various directions. And to top it all off, the bar tender was incompetent. By the time 11:30 rolled I just had to leave. Downed my long island in 2 minutes flat and hit the streets, only to be left waiting for an hour and fifteen minutes by the 7. Oh the 7...
...I'm really craving some Buck Hunter. I think that I might need to find an old version to buy...
...Oh snap, time for lunch. Maybe I'll get back to this...
Thursday, November 6, 2008
New places...
So after the last post I realized that I need a different outlet for such posts as they seem to becoming more regular. I encourage you all to check out my new blog, Wake Up Seattle! Hopefully this new blog will allow me to get Desomnia in Drull back into focus and we can get back to the basics.
Dear Seattlites, Wake Up!
I've been a Seattle-area resident all my life and have spent the last 10 years living within the city limits and there is one thing that continually disappoints me about Seattlites - We all look the other way. Now I'm probably just as much to blame here as everyone else, but I think it's time for us all to turn over a new leaf.
I was recently told a story about a friend of my sisters. She was just sitting on the bus minding her own business when someone came and stole the ipod out of her hand and ran off the bus. She then had to grab all of her other belongings and take chase, eventually losing sight of him and failing to recover her ipod. My question here is why didn't anyone else try to stop this guy?
Now I can understand that whole attitude that "it's none of my business and don't want to get involoved". It's so much easier that way. However it's not the right way. We need to be more attentive to what is going on around us and when we see injustice we need to step up and try to make a difference, because next time we might be the victim.
So Seattle I say wake up and start caring a little more. The only way that things like this are going to change is if we start making them change. Each and everyone of you has the power to make a difference, now do it.
I was recently told a story about a friend of my sisters. She was just sitting on the bus minding her own business when someone came and stole the ipod out of her hand and ran off the bus. She then had to grab all of her other belongings and take chase, eventually losing sight of him and failing to recover her ipod. My question here is why didn't anyone else try to stop this guy?
Now I can understand that whole attitude that "it's none of my business and don't want to get involoved". It's so much easier that way. However it's not the right way. We need to be more attentive to what is going on around us and when we see injustice we need to step up and try to make a difference, because next time we might be the victim.
So Seattle I say wake up and start caring a little more. The only way that things like this are going to change is if we start making them change. Each and everyone of you has the power to make a difference, now do it.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Can the fall of the Republican party lead to the dissolution of the United States?
There's been a lot of talk in the news about the state of the Republican party. I have read many accounts the suggest if McCain/Palin fail to defy the polls and win the election it will lead to the dissolution of the Republican party as we know it today. Now for me this sounds fairly plausible. Even half of the Republicans out there are unhappy with where the party has gone. Now there are a lot of fingers getting pointed and a lot of blame being thrown around, but in the end it comes down to one thing: the Republican party lost its values when it gained power. Something about the first years of the new millenium lead them to act irresponibly and at times criminally. And now as the dust settles on the Bush legacy all I can say is: GOP RIP.
Now the big question that comes out of this is what happens to American politics? We have long had a two party system, and that doesn't work with only one major party. The after math of the Republican fall out will most likely lead to the formation of two parties. One catering to the social conservative and evangelicals. Another for the fiscal conservatives who embrace liberal social ideals (ie climate change or right to choice). This I think should be welcomed by our political system and you may also find that many so-called Democrats would take a long look at the new options and a good number of them shift, leading to a greater balance between the parties and more options for the electorate. WIN WIN for America.
The real quesiton is what happens next. Now just based on the three party possiblity I've proposed, you have to assume that two of those parties will become over dominate to the third. The most likely to become the minority would be the social conservatives (that's just how the country is moving). Can this group of Americans accept a country that isn't moving in the direction that they want to see? Or are we going to see an increase in "domestic terrorism" (ie Timothy McVeigh)? Will a lack of dominance in government lead them to serious talks of succession?
I'd love to get everyones input on this. So feel free to comment.
Now the big question that comes out of this is what happens to American politics? We have long had a two party system, and that doesn't work with only one major party. The after math of the Republican fall out will most likely lead to the formation of two parties. One catering to the social conservative and evangelicals. Another for the fiscal conservatives who embrace liberal social ideals (ie climate change or right to choice). This I think should be welcomed by our political system and you may also find that many so-called Democrats would take a long look at the new options and a good number of them shift, leading to a greater balance between the parties and more options for the electorate. WIN WIN for America.
The real quesiton is what happens next. Now just based on the three party possiblity I've proposed, you have to assume that two of those parties will become over dominate to the third. The most likely to become the minority would be the social conservatives (that's just how the country is moving). Can this group of Americans accept a country that isn't moving in the direction that they want to see? Or are we going to see an increase in "domestic terrorism" (ie Timothy McVeigh)? Will a lack of dominance in government lead them to serious talks of succession?
I'd love to get everyones input on this. So feel free to comment.
Nursery Rhymes are good for adults too.
I think that it would benefit all of you out there to take the time today and read a nursery rhyme today. Here are a few recommendations: "Hey Diddle Diddle", "Baa Baa Black Sheep", "Hickory Dickory Dock", "Little Miss Muffet", "Rub a Dub Dub".
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
What if we had an election and everyone showed up?
It goes to show the sorry state of the American experiment in democracy when the statement above insights fear in voting officials. These people need to do everything that they can to encourage all Americans to vote.
*Note I'm not sure why this wasn't published on it's original date, so I'm doing so now.*
*Note I'm not sure why this wasn't published on it's original date, so I'm doing so now.*
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Prostitution and Cannibalism
I can't believe that I'm even going to post this blog but here goes...
What is everyone's opinion on prostitution? I've heard a lot about this in the last couple days and am interested to know where you all stand. Should we legalize prostitution? If so do we just open up the market and let it run its course or should it be state regulated in the same way we regulate liquor here in Washington? Or should we continue on with our current plan which hopes to eliminate the oldest profession known to mankind?
Now I think this one is a no brainer but Swirly keeps bringing it up. Where does everyone stand on Cannibalism?
One more bit...how does everyone feel about this interactive blogging? I think I might do more of it.
What is everyone's opinion on prostitution? I've heard a lot about this in the last couple days and am interested to know where you all stand. Should we legalize prostitution? If so do we just open up the market and let it run its course or should it be state regulated in the same way we regulate liquor here in Washington? Or should we continue on with our current plan which hopes to eliminate the oldest profession known to mankind?
Now I think this one is a no brainer but Swirly keeps bringing it up. Where does everyone stand on Cannibalism?
One more bit...how does everyone feel about this interactive blogging? I think I might do more of it.
Monday, October 20, 2008
What do you want to see from your city?
So I'm curious to know what the important city issues are in Seattle to everyone out there. Is it replacing the viaduct? Mass Transit? Protecting single family residences? Hit me up with all your comments. I'd like to get a broad range of opinions on this one so if you know anyone else who might not already be reading this blog that has some input forward them a link! Thanks.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Another day, Another dollar
I was surprisingly productive this weekend. Watched the debate on Friday (Obama 08!). Went to the Sustainable Ballard Festival. Jeremy and I got the Hawthorn tree trimmed back. Nick's b-day was Saturday. Sunday I made all kinds of food and brewed 10 gallons of IPA...
I'm at work. It's most unpleasant. We lost an employee a week ago. They've hired someone else, but they won't be starting till Thursday. Even then I'm told it will take up to 2 months to train them. I guess it isn't going to get any better for a while...
The Sustainability Fest was pretty cool. They had a bunch of stuff on urban farming. I'm all about it. I'm seriously considering starting a rabbitry. I think that it would be pretty awesome to grow my own meat. Some people aren't so down with this idea. But to all you nay-sayers out there I have this to say. Don't come down on me about eating rabbits when you're stuffing your face with chicken, beef, pork, or anything else that moves around. (Surprisingly the most receiptive people I've talked to about this don't eat meat, go figure)...
The stock market had it's largest single day loss in history today. What does this mean for you and me? I wish I knew...
I'm at work. It's most unpleasant. We lost an employee a week ago. They've hired someone else, but they won't be starting till Thursday. Even then I'm told it will take up to 2 months to train them. I guess it isn't going to get any better for a while...
The Sustainability Fest was pretty cool. They had a bunch of stuff on urban farming. I'm all about it. I'm seriously considering starting a rabbitry. I think that it would be pretty awesome to grow my own meat. Some people aren't so down with this idea. But to all you nay-sayers out there I have this to say. Don't come down on me about eating rabbits when you're stuffing your face with chicken, beef, pork, or anything else that moves around. (Surprisingly the most receiptive people I've talked to about this don't eat meat, go figure)...
The stock market had it's largest single day loss in history today. What does this mean for you and me? I wish I knew...
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Just a thought
The practice of aerially hunting wildlife is horrific. And anyone who participates in, advocates or even silently supports such an act is a monster.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Let's make some headlines
Sorry for the recent lack of activity. I don't really have a good excuse. But I read a post in a facebook group today and I think it's a damn fine idea....
This comes from the group 1,000,000 Strong Against Sarah Palin from Jonah Weinberg (Cleveland, OH)
******
Instead of, or perhaps in addition to, forwarding emails to like-minded friends about how horrible Sarah Palin is as a choice for VP, or leader of anything, why not put your gall to some use, and make a donation to Planned Parenthood, in Sarah Palin's name?
The best part is, when you make a donation to PP in her name, they'll send her a card telling her that the donation has been made in her honor.
Here's the link to the honorary donations section of the Planned Parenthood website: https://secure.ga0.org/02/pp10000_inhonor
You'll need to fill in the address to let PP know where to send the "in Sarah Palin's honor" card, and the best address to use would be the national McCain/Palin campaign headquarters:
McCain for President
1235 S. Clark Street, 1st Floor
Arlington , VA 22202
P.S. Make sure you use that link above or choose the “Honorary or Memorial Donations,” not the regular "Donate Online," or you won’t be able to let her know you care.
*****
So everyone out there open up your pocket books, even just a little, in hopes that before the election we could make the headline, "Honorary Palin donations set record for Planned Parenthood".
Obama/Biden 08!
This comes from the group 1,000,000 Strong Against Sarah Palin from Jonah Weinberg (Cleveland, OH)
******
Instead of, or perhaps in addition to, forwarding emails to like-minded friends about how horrible Sarah Palin is as a choice for VP, or leader of anything, why not put your gall to some use, and make a donation to Planned Parenthood, in Sarah Palin's name?
The best part is, when you make a donation to PP in her name, they'll send her a card telling her that the donation has been made in her honor.
Here's the link to the honorary donations section of the Planned Parenthood website: https://secure.ga0.org/02/pp10000_inhonor
You'll need to fill in the address to let PP know where to send the "in Sarah Palin's honor" card, and the best address to use would be the national McCain/Palin campaign headquarters:
McCain for President
1235 S. Clark Street, 1st Floor
Arlington , VA 22202
P.S. Make sure you use that link above or choose the “Honorary or Memorial Donations,” not the regular "Donate Online," or you won’t be able to let her know you care.
*****
So everyone out there open up your pocket books, even just a little, in hopes that before the election we could make the headline, "Honorary Palin donations set record for Planned Parenthood".
Obama/Biden 08!
Thursday, August 21, 2008
"I think we had some bands...there might have been a BBQ" Festival Recap
Okay, so I'm a little back logged on the blogging so I'm going to make this short and sweet...
Lucile Street Festival was a HUGE success! We started off early in the day cleaning, setting up and the like. Things really got kicked off with the arrival of our first BBQ Cook Off team, "Kink Street Crazies": Morgan, Cat, Angie, and Casey (pictured below). Now we've got to give props to the crazies because they are the ONLY team that showed up in costume. They were also the team that went on first, initiating the festivities. They also won best dessert! Thanks Kink Street Crazies!!!!
The next highlight was our first band of the day Incogneato! (pictured below). These guys were awesome. By far the most fun stage presence of the bands that we had. If you want to hear more of Incogneato! check them out online at http://www.myspace.com/incogneatotheband . Thanks Incogneato! !!!!
After Incogneato! we had our second BBQ Cook Off entry from "Adam's Family": Rebecca, Jake, and Randy. This was a solid entry which ended up taking both Best Appetizer and Best Cold Side. Thanks Adam's Family!!!!
Now this is where I should mention it was HOT! Something like 90 degrees. We utilized the willow shade as much as possible but it wasn't enough in the end. This is where an unexpected phone call changed the course of the festival. Friday night while I was grocery shopping and grabbing the last things I got a call from Dane offering up the use of two collapsable shelters. I hadn't even thought about that! So here's where we have to give mad respect to Dane and Janelle for coming through with the shade. Thanks Dane and Janelle!!!!
Here is where everything starts to get a little confusing. Johnny Durango showed up and did a set (pictured below, notice Parker loungin' we'll come back to him) that was awesome. There was a little confusion getting everything set up but once it was all said and done it sounded great. Check out Johnny at http://www.myspace.com/jdurango . Thanks Johnny Durango!!!!
Now this gets a little difficult because it seems that people quit taking pictures...
The next BBQ Cook Off team to hit up the grill was "You Guys" which, and forgive if I'm wrong here, was David, Dane, Marek, and Christina. Solid entry all around. They took home the titles of Best Hot Side and Best Entree. In a VERY close battle they also took the All Around Best in Show! In the end the difference in scores was from highest to lowest was only .6 overall, so I have to say this was not an easy victory for them. Thanks You Guys!!!!
The last band we had, The Nihilists (you remember Parker from before), was unscheduled. Turns out they were just going to practice and decided they might as well practice with a live audience. These guys rocked. They were the cause of our first noise complaint and our second. (It was still only 8 o'clock, so we politely dismissed the complaints). Great set and a nice way to round out the music. The Nihilists are online at http://www.myspace.com/nihilists . Thanks to The Nihilists!
We also need to give a big shout out to Morgan for taking so many great pictures. If you want to see more check em out at www.flickr.com/fullgrownraiju Thanks Morgan!!!!
Finally I just want to thank everyone else for showing up. Without each and every one of you it wouldn't have been the amazing success that it was.
THANKS!!!!
PS...we'll also be doing it next year for any of you that missed out this time around and it will be bigger and better.
Lucile Street Festival was a HUGE success! We started off early in the day cleaning, setting up and the like. Things really got kicked off with the arrival of our first BBQ Cook Off team, "Kink Street Crazies": Morgan, Cat, Angie, and Casey (pictured below). Now we've got to give props to the crazies because they are the ONLY team that showed up in costume. They were also the team that went on first, initiating the festivities. They also won best dessert! Thanks Kink Street Crazies!!!!
The next highlight was our first band of the day Incogneato! (pictured below). These guys were awesome. By far the most fun stage presence of the bands that we had. If you want to hear more of Incogneato! check them out online at http://www.myspace.com/incogneatotheband . Thanks Incogneato! !!!!
After Incogneato! we had our second BBQ Cook Off entry from "Adam's Family": Rebecca, Jake, and Randy. This was a solid entry which ended up taking both Best Appetizer and Best Cold Side. Thanks Adam's Family!!!!
Now this is where I should mention it was HOT! Something like 90 degrees. We utilized the willow shade as much as possible but it wasn't enough in the end. This is where an unexpected phone call changed the course of the festival. Friday night while I was grocery shopping and grabbing the last things I got a call from Dane offering up the use of two collapsable shelters. I hadn't even thought about that! So here's where we have to give mad respect to Dane and Janelle for coming through with the shade. Thanks Dane and Janelle!!!!
Here is where everything starts to get a little confusing. Johnny Durango showed up and did a set (pictured below, notice Parker loungin' we'll come back to him) that was awesome. There was a little confusion getting everything set up but once it was all said and done it sounded great. Check out Johnny at http://www.myspace.com/jdurango . Thanks Johnny Durango!!!!
Now this gets a little difficult because it seems that people quit taking pictures...
The next BBQ Cook Off team to hit up the grill was "You Guys" which, and forgive if I'm wrong here, was David, Dane, Marek, and Christina. Solid entry all around. They took home the titles of Best Hot Side and Best Entree. In a VERY close battle they also took the All Around Best in Show! In the end the difference in scores was from highest to lowest was only .6 overall, so I have to say this was not an easy victory for them. Thanks You Guys!!!!
The last band we had, The Nihilists (you remember Parker from before), was unscheduled. Turns out they were just going to practice and decided they might as well practice with a live audience. These guys rocked. They were the cause of our first noise complaint and our second. (It was still only 8 o'clock, so we politely dismissed the complaints). Great set and a nice way to round out the music. The Nihilists are online at http://www.myspace.com/nihilists . Thanks to The Nihilists!
We also need to give a big shout out to Morgan for taking so many great pictures. If you want to see more check em out at www.flickr.com/fullgrownraiju Thanks Morgan!!!!
Finally I just want to thank everyone else for showing up. Without each and every one of you it wouldn't have been the amazing success that it was.
THANKS!!!!
PS...we'll also be doing it next year for any of you that missed out this time around and it will be bigger and better.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Trampolines, Cider and the Powerful Hand of God...
So we're getting down to the wire with the festival planning. It's going to be awesome. If any of you have questions don't hesitate to hit me up. You'll have to either comment here or email me since, well you'll find out...
This weekend was full of fermentation. Started by making 10 gallons of beer on Saturday, Sharp also got in a five gallon batch. Then Sunday we picked the apple tree with a 2x4 and made up some cider. Cider is hard work. Spent hours cutting up apples and now I've got blisters on my fingers...
The cell phone is dead. I was taking a shower and forgot it was outside when the sky opened up and God released his fury in the form of torrential downpour. It kind of sucks, but ob la di. I'm going to get a new one tomorrow...
I watched some of the Olympics this weekend. Synchronized diving is an amazing sport. I also saw some pretty sweet burn outs, which deep down is why I watch. I would like to know more about Trampoline though. Like when did it become an official Olympic sport? What kind of people participate in this? Has anyone ever missed the trampoline and bashed their head on the side, causing massive hemorrhaging and long term bodily damage?...
A customer just accused me of slacking off! HAHAHA! Little does he know I'm writing this as he's ranting in my ear...
Nine days. I just need to make it nine days...
This weekend was full of fermentation. Started by making 10 gallons of beer on Saturday, Sharp also got in a five gallon batch. Then Sunday we picked the apple tree with a 2x4 and made up some cider. Cider is hard work. Spent hours cutting up apples and now I've got blisters on my fingers...
The cell phone is dead. I was taking a shower and forgot it was outside when the sky opened up and God released his fury in the form of torrential downpour. It kind of sucks, but ob la di. I'm going to get a new one tomorrow...
I watched some of the Olympics this weekend. Synchronized diving is an amazing sport. I also saw some pretty sweet burn outs, which deep down is why I watch. I would like to know more about Trampoline though. Like when did it become an official Olympic sport? What kind of people participate in this? Has anyone ever missed the trampoline and bashed their head on the side, causing massive hemorrhaging and long term bodily damage?...
A customer just accused me of slacking off! HAHAHA! Little does he know I'm writing this as he's ranting in my ear...
Nine days. I just need to make it nine days...
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
"Like a breeze blowing through the house..."
I've finally got all the beer brewed up for the BBB Festival. 30 gallons in 10 days isn't too bad. Hopefully it's enough. If not, you'll all drink rum...
I support any mail carrier who wishes to wear a kilt....
I want to know everything that there is to know about growing cereal grains, crop rotations and sustainable farming techniques. If anyone out there possesses some of this knowledge or knows a good direction to look let me know. Once I get a firm understand I can move on to the next subject: animal husbandry...
It's market day! I'm going to make curry tonight with some friends. Probably drink some Spanish wine. Definitely something to look forward to...
I disassembled my desk last night. It was time for it to go. It's been a couple weeks since the computer broke down and I think that I've been getting more done. There are times that I miss it, but I get a fair amount of computer time in at work....
I'm glad that the rain finally made an appearance. It'd been too long...
I'm back on the patch. It's been kind of up and down. Hopefully I can stick with it this time. I pretty sick of smoking right now...
Just a reminder: If you want to get in on the BBQ cook off let me know ASAP. I'm cutting off registration in the near future....
I support any mail carrier who wishes to wear a kilt....
I want to know everything that there is to know about growing cereal grains, crop rotations and sustainable farming techniques. If anyone out there possesses some of this knowledge or knows a good direction to look let me know. Once I get a firm understand I can move on to the next subject: animal husbandry...
It's market day! I'm going to make curry tonight with some friends. Probably drink some Spanish wine. Definitely something to look forward to...
I disassembled my desk last night. It was time for it to go. It's been a couple weeks since the computer broke down and I think that I've been getting more done. There are times that I miss it, but I get a fair amount of computer time in at work....
I'm glad that the rain finally made an appearance. It'd been too long...
I'm back on the patch. It's been kind of up and down. Hopefully I can stick with it this time. I pretty sick of smoking right now...
Just a reminder: If you want to get in on the BBQ cook off let me know ASAP. I'm cutting off registration in the near future....
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Short and sweet
Haven't blogged in a while. I guess I've just been busy...
Doing lots of brewing. Got about 20 gallons done in the last week. 10 more gallons to go and we'll be ready for the BBB. I should do it tomorrow, but won't. I guess I should leave something for the weekend...
Went to Portland last weekend. Good times. Spent most of Saturday on the Columbia drinking beers and soaking in the sun. My skin felt much more reptilian when I got back home...
We're thinking about getting a whole pig for the BBB. I was looking into getting a live one to butcher in the back yard, but the city won't let me keep around the house for a couple days, so I've got to call Bob, hopefully he can help us out...
Doing lots of brewing. Got about 20 gallons done in the last week. 10 more gallons to go and we'll be ready for the BBB. I should do it tomorrow, but won't. I guess I should leave something for the weekend...
Went to Portland last weekend. Good times. Spent most of Saturday on the Columbia drinking beers and soaking in the sun. My skin felt much more reptilian when I got back home...
We're thinking about getting a whole pig for the BBB. I was looking into getting a live one to butcher in the back yard, but the city won't let me keep around the house for a couple days, so I've got to call Bob, hopefully he can help us out...
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
If Burien is the Kirkland of the south, then Kirkland is the Burien of the east...
NOTE: Dad, I know this might not be 100% correct. But I think you’ll agree that it accurately conveys the insanity that occurred on that sunny summer afternoon in Kirkland.
I was in Kirkland last night and we stopped at Kidd Valley to eat, on the way back from Costco and the brew store. While we're (my dad and I ) were in line the woman at the register starts screaming at the people in the kitchen, "This is all wrong! Shit! Can't you fools getting a fuckin thang right back there!" At which point the other woman assisting here went into the back and the cashier starts again, "Thats right bitch you better go back there!" Then the person who appeared to be the manager said something from the back I couldn't hear but got a rise out of the cashier. "I don't need anybody else. Fuck I got this whole thing down. I been here longa that you have. I know how the run the fucking counter." I should mention there were about 50 in the Kidd Valley, and about 20 of them in line. So I get to the front of the line and she was like, "I take your order now". So I begin to order and before I can even finish saying "chicken sandwich" she turns around and starts screaming at these people in the kitchen again. When she’s done she turns around and says "I take your order now." I just looked at her and was like "Really?” and she's like "yeah I do it now, I know what I’m doing!" So we place our order (which she got wrong in the end) and go have a seat.
Now there is an older couple 55-60 at the table across from us and the woman is on her cell phone. The first thing that I hear her say on the phone is "good their here now." Then two cop cars roll up in the Kidd Valley parking lot and block in the car with 6 kids in it from leaving. My dad and I exchange an "Oh God" look at each other to which cell phone woman looks over and says "OPEN CONTAINER! Those kids have open containers!" The cops then empty this car of kids, two teenage girls, in absolutely nothing, hop out and start lounging on the grass while the four dude start mouthing off to the cops. One cop goes over and spends the whole time talking with these scantily clad girls while the other two interrogate the guys. Sure enough they start making em walk the line. Cell phone woman is getting all worked up in the restaurant, continually repeating "OPEN CONTAINERS"
About 10 has passed since we ordered and we still don’t' have food.
So they then cuff 2 of the 4 guys because they just wouldn't shut up it seemed like. Cashier woman is now running around the restaurant with her purse trying to get someone in the place to tell her how to change the settings on her home phone which was forwarding to her cell phone.
More people are continuing to show up.
So then my dad goes up to find out what the deal is with the food. And cashier woman is like " you look like you do tele com work...show me how this is done." My dad just looks at her blankly while the new people working the cashier finally get him the food. Then the cashier woman disappears (for a while).
We get our food and things seem to be settling down, when one of the cops comes into the restaurant and demands to speak with the owner, not the manager, the owner. Who isn't there. Then cell phone woman gets up and starts yelling at the cop "OPEN CONTAINERS!" The cop looks at her and says "ma'am I don't know what you're talking about but you need to quit yelling that." At which point she trys to explain to the cop she saw the kids drinking and the cop just looked at her and said, "Well you're not a cop and unless the owner of the property is here and has any reason for me to keep them I'm letting em go." Cell phone woman almost broke into tears. She grabs her husband and is like "we're leaving!" So then the cop goes back outside and almost at the same instance cashier lady is back. Now she's with the manager walking around to all the tables individually apologizing for her rants earlier and when they get to my dad and I she’s like, "Where you here when I flew off the handle earlier?" I’m just thinking, "WTF bitch." But politely reply, "oh yeah, we had a scene." The manage then apologizes for the problem and has to practically smack the cashier woman to apologize, "I’m sorry just people stealing food and yelling at me and..." At which point my dad wanted to cut in, "Well if you were really sorry about it you wouldn't stand here and make excuses and your boss here wouldn't have to force you to do it." But her boss cut in and just took over the scene apologized again and then went to the next table.
We finished eating and went outside. One of the kids was in the back of the cop car cuffed. All the other kids were sitting on the grass laughing with the two cops, one of which was holding a breathalyzer.
We just drove away.
I was in Kirkland last night and we stopped at Kidd Valley to eat, on the way back from Costco and the brew store. While we're (my dad and I ) were in line the woman at the register starts screaming at the people in the kitchen, "This is all wrong! Shit! Can't you fools getting a fuckin thang right back there!" At which point the other woman assisting here went into the back and the cashier starts again, "Thats right bitch you better go back there!" Then the person who appeared to be the manager said something from the back I couldn't hear but got a rise out of the cashier. "I don't need anybody else. Fuck I got this whole thing down. I been here longa that you have. I know how the run the fucking counter." I should mention there were about 50 in the Kidd Valley, and about 20 of them in line. So I get to the front of the line and she was like, "I take your order now". So I begin to order and before I can even finish saying "chicken sandwich" she turns around and starts screaming at these people in the kitchen again. When she’s done she turns around and says "I take your order now." I just looked at her and was like "Really?” and she's like "yeah I do it now, I know what I’m doing!" So we place our order (which she got wrong in the end) and go have a seat.
Now there is an older couple 55-60 at the table across from us and the woman is on her cell phone. The first thing that I hear her say on the phone is "good their here now." Then two cop cars roll up in the Kidd Valley parking lot and block in the car with 6 kids in it from leaving. My dad and I exchange an "Oh God" look at each other to which cell phone woman looks over and says "OPEN CONTAINER! Those kids have open containers!" The cops then empty this car of kids, two teenage girls, in absolutely nothing, hop out and start lounging on the grass while the four dude start mouthing off to the cops. One cop goes over and spends the whole time talking with these scantily clad girls while the other two interrogate the guys. Sure enough they start making em walk the line. Cell phone woman is getting all worked up in the restaurant, continually repeating "OPEN CONTAINERS"
About 10 has passed since we ordered and we still don’t' have food.
So they then cuff 2 of the 4 guys because they just wouldn't shut up it seemed like. Cashier woman is now running around the restaurant with her purse trying to get someone in the place to tell her how to change the settings on her home phone which was forwarding to her cell phone.
More people are continuing to show up.
So then my dad goes up to find out what the deal is with the food. And cashier woman is like " you look like you do tele com work...show me how this is done." My dad just looks at her blankly while the new people working the cashier finally get him the food. Then the cashier woman disappears (for a while).
We get our food and things seem to be settling down, when one of the cops comes into the restaurant and demands to speak with the owner, not the manager, the owner. Who isn't there. Then cell phone woman gets up and starts yelling at the cop "OPEN CONTAINERS!" The cop looks at her and says "ma'am I don't know what you're talking about but you need to quit yelling that." At which point she trys to explain to the cop she saw the kids drinking and the cop just looked at her and said, "Well you're not a cop and unless the owner of the property is here and has any reason for me to keep them I'm letting em go." Cell phone woman almost broke into tears. She grabs her husband and is like "we're leaving!" So then the cop goes back outside and almost at the same instance cashier lady is back. Now she's with the manager walking around to all the tables individually apologizing for her rants earlier and when they get to my dad and I she’s like, "Where you here when I flew off the handle earlier?" I’m just thinking, "WTF bitch." But politely reply, "oh yeah, we had a scene." The manage then apologizes for the problem and has to practically smack the cashier woman to apologize, "I’m sorry just people stealing food and yelling at me and..." At which point my dad wanted to cut in, "Well if you were really sorry about it you wouldn't stand here and make excuses and your boss here wouldn't have to force you to do it." But her boss cut in and just took over the scene apologized again and then went to the next table.
We finished eating and went outside. One of the kids was in the back of the cop car cuffed. All the other kids were sitting on the grass laughing with the two cops, one of which was holding a breathalyzer.
We just drove away.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Just another Monday...
Wolf Parade!!!! I'm happy to say that I'll be in the audience tonight for the show at Neumos...
What a lazy weekend. I decided to take a nap Saturday afternoon around 4pm. Slept all the way to Sunday. Then just sat in the shade of the willow all sunday, venturing out occasionally to play a little monkey ball...
I love my iPod on random. Here's a set list from earlier today:
Bob Dylan - Mr Tambourine Man
MF Doom - One Beer
John Coltrane - A Love Supreme
NIN - Starfuckers, Inc
Olivia Tremor Control - Green Typewriters IV
Just a little bit of everything...
I never was much one for raves. Something about them always seemed dangerous...
I have a Chinese fortune that I keep up at my desk, "An unexpected phone call will bring good news." I'm still waiting for that to come true...
The president has lifted the executive ban on off shore drilling. He thinks that congress should do that same. I think he's a douche bag. This isn't going to help us. It's like giving morphine to a heroin addict, just displacing the problem. But I guess in the end it's become part of our American way of life. Pavement said it best, "Develop the coast and sell the air, you know if we could we'd sell the air"...
What a lazy weekend. I decided to take a nap Saturday afternoon around 4pm. Slept all the way to Sunday. Then just sat in the shade of the willow all sunday, venturing out occasionally to play a little monkey ball...
I love my iPod on random. Here's a set list from earlier today:
Bob Dylan - Mr Tambourine Man
MF Doom - One Beer
John Coltrane - A Love Supreme
NIN - Starfuckers, Inc
Olivia Tremor Control - Green Typewriters IV
Just a little bit of everything...
I never was much one for raves. Something about them always seemed dangerous...
I have a Chinese fortune that I keep up at my desk, "An unexpected phone call will bring good news." I'm still waiting for that to come true...
The president has lifted the executive ban on off shore drilling. He thinks that congress should do that same. I think he's a douche bag. This isn't going to help us. It's like giving morphine to a heroin addict, just displacing the problem. But I guess in the end it's become part of our American way of life. Pavement said it best, "Develop the coast and sell the air, you know if we could we'd sell the air"...
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Bands, brew and BBQ: A Lucile Street Event
Alright everyone summer is here. And in honor of the season we'll be having an extravaganza down on Lucile St, August 16th.
We will have beer and other beverages to keep you cool through the day.
So far two bands have been confirmed to play, The Madonner Party and Johnny Durango, if you know of any one else that would be interested in playing let me know.
We will also be having a BBQ cook off. Anyone interested in participating here's the scene:
It's a team effort. Each team will consist of 3-5 people.
Pre-registration is REQUIRED. If you don't register by August 1st, sorry no dice.
Each team is responsible for bringing their own BBQ and cooler if necessary (sorry I only have one)
Each team must enter and dish into each of the following categories: Main Entree, Side Dish (BBQ'd), Side Dish (Cold), Appetizer, Dessert.
All dishes (except the cold side and dessert) MUST be prepared on site, on the BBQ.
Any questions, don't hesitate to hit me up. I hope to see EVERYONE there!!!!
We will have beer and other beverages to keep you cool through the day.
So far two bands have been confirmed to play, The Madonner Party and Johnny Durango, if you know of any one else that would be interested in playing let me know.
We will also be having a BBQ cook off. Anyone interested in participating here's the scene:
It's a team effort. Each team will consist of 3-5 people.
Pre-registration is REQUIRED. If you don't register by August 1st, sorry no dice.
Each team is responsible for bringing their own BBQ and cooler if necessary (sorry I only have one)
Each team must enter and dish into each of the following categories: Main Entree, Side Dish (BBQ'd), Side Dish (Cold), Appetizer, Dessert.
All dishes (except the cold side and dessert) MUST be prepared on site, on the BBQ.
Any questions, don't hesitate to hit me up. I hope to see EVERYONE there!!!!
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Blue is a good color. But not nearly as good as green...
My hard drive at home went out last night. I guess it couldn't take the heat. I don't blame it. There are times I would rather just give up. It really sucks that all my documents are gone (pictures, music, writing) but it's also somewhat liberating...
I spent all winter waiting for the summer to get here. Now that its here I can't wait for the fall to come again...
I want to move out of the city and live on a farm. I would have chickens, a goat, a dairy cow named Henrietta. I think it would be good for me in the long run...
I spent all winter waiting for the summer to get here. Now that its here I can't wait for the fall to come again...
I want to move out of the city and live on a farm. I would have chickens, a goat, a dairy cow named Henrietta. I think it would be good for me in the long run...
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
I've found that when some people don't like my answer they will pause, for a long time...
I left work yesterday around 530. The sun was hot, but I decided to walk to QFC. Rainier was the usual wasteland. Fast food burger wrappers and plastic bottles lined the street for miles. As I was passing a small hardware store a woman, not too far away, let out a slight squeak and pointed in my direction. I gave her a quizzical look and pointed at myself as if asking a question. She replied with a smile and then waved before turning to head up the road. The grocery store was full of people. Everyone eager to please their family by bringing home the perfect meal. I weaved in and out of the displays and aisles, hoping my stay would go unnoticed, which it did. I left with my paper bag of meat and potatoes. The bus was pulling up to McClelland the same time I did, we were both stopped by a red light. The light turned green and we both moved into the intersection. The bus reached the stop before I did giving people time to exit the coach. As I reached the shelter I noticed that a young woman was sitting on the bench burning a plastic comb. Her eys moved wildly around the shelter as the smoke danced around her. I couldn't tell if she was intoxicated by the fumes or some other mind bending drugs. But for those few seconds that I observed her before boarding the bus she was beautiful...
Monday, July 7, 2008
The hospital, deer carcasses and purple robes
I've been dreaming a lot lately. This weekend it seemed much more than usual. I'm not exactly sure why, it just happens...
I was running through a hospital, from an unknown figure, wearing the standard light blue patient's gown. As I ran from wing to wing, the hospital was enormous, I eventually stumbled upon a young man with a skate board. As I passed him he looked up at me and said, "You'll get there faster on a board." At which point he launched the skate board in my direction and without missing a step I was now skating through the emergency ward. I rounded a corner and without warning was pulled into an examination room where 3 nurses were tending to a newly born child. One of the nurses picked up the child and presented it to me, "Here is your son." I was so dumbfounded I didn't speak at first. Finally I found the words, "Who is the mother?" The nurses chuckled slightly, "Well you are." I looked at the other two nurses who just smiled at me. "Well then who is the father?" "You are." Then one of the other nurses came close to me and whispered in my ear, "Take care of that child, for you are one." The room was then empty except for myself, the skate board and the child. A man entered the room, at first I thought that he was some kind of doctor but he identified himself as my father (he looked nothing like my father) and said that he was here to help. He took the baby from me and began to use gauze to wrap the child onto the skate board until it was completely covered. He then picked up the cocoon and handed it to me, "You must take care of this package. Let no one see it." I looked at him blankly, "I don't understand." He simply replied, "In time you will."...
The forest was dark and I was sitting before a campfire. There were many other men, none who I recognized, all laughing and drinking as they cooked roughly butchered animal flesh. The deer they had killed was lying a short distance away and appeared to still be alive despite the large section removed from it's abdomen. The men talked about hunting and warfare, we seemed to be at war with another "tribe" in the area. A large man sat not far from me, silently, abstaining from the rest of the activities. I walked over and sat next to him. I asked him his name but he didn't reply. His eyes were constantly fixed on the fire. He then turned to me slowly, "Have you ever sat and appreciated the fire?" "Many times sir," I replied quickly. "Then you are familar with it's dance?"...
The room was decorated in red and purple, lit only by candles. Woman were all around the room, wearing simple scarfs over their breasts. I was young, no more than ten. There was no signs of modern life anywhere. Shrines lined the edge of the room depicting various gods. I sat for a long time just observing the room and all it's intricacy, until a group of men entered, dressed in metal armor and holding long spears. Following the men was another man wearing purple robes. As soon as he entered the room he took notice of my presence. "Why is there a child in here!" Immediately the armed men moved toward me. The last thing I remember was a feeling of complete terror and lack of control...
I was running through a hospital, from an unknown figure, wearing the standard light blue patient's gown. As I ran from wing to wing, the hospital was enormous, I eventually stumbled upon a young man with a skate board. As I passed him he looked up at me and said, "You'll get there faster on a board." At which point he launched the skate board in my direction and without missing a step I was now skating through the emergency ward. I rounded a corner and without warning was pulled into an examination room where 3 nurses were tending to a newly born child. One of the nurses picked up the child and presented it to me, "Here is your son." I was so dumbfounded I didn't speak at first. Finally I found the words, "Who is the mother?" The nurses chuckled slightly, "Well you are." I looked at the other two nurses who just smiled at me. "Well then who is the father?" "You are." Then one of the other nurses came close to me and whispered in my ear, "Take care of that child, for you are one." The room was then empty except for myself, the skate board and the child. A man entered the room, at first I thought that he was some kind of doctor but he identified himself as my father (he looked nothing like my father) and said that he was here to help. He took the baby from me and began to use gauze to wrap the child onto the skate board until it was completely covered. He then picked up the cocoon and handed it to me, "You must take care of this package. Let no one see it." I looked at him blankly, "I don't understand." He simply replied, "In time you will."...
The forest was dark and I was sitting before a campfire. There were many other men, none who I recognized, all laughing and drinking as they cooked roughly butchered animal flesh. The deer they had killed was lying a short distance away and appeared to still be alive despite the large section removed from it's abdomen. The men talked about hunting and warfare, we seemed to be at war with another "tribe" in the area. A large man sat not far from me, silently, abstaining from the rest of the activities. I walked over and sat next to him. I asked him his name but he didn't reply. His eyes were constantly fixed on the fire. He then turned to me slowly, "Have you ever sat and appreciated the fire?" "Many times sir," I replied quickly. "Then you are familar with it's dance?"...
The room was decorated in red and purple, lit only by candles. Woman were all around the room, wearing simple scarfs over their breasts. I was young, no more than ten. There was no signs of modern life anywhere. Shrines lined the edge of the room depicting various gods. I sat for a long time just observing the room and all it's intricacy, until a group of men entered, dressed in metal armor and holding long spears. Following the men was another man wearing purple robes. As soon as he entered the room he took notice of my presence. "Why is there a child in here!" Immediately the armed men moved toward me. The last thing I remember was a feeling of complete terror and lack of control...
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Can I do this bit by bit?
So I'm going to try this a little different. Instead on one big post all at once I'm going to update the blog throughout the day. So just because you're already read it doesn't mean it's the same...
The bus didn't stop for me today. I was 20 feet from the stop when it pulled away and left me standing, isolated, on Rainier. I was only 5 minutes late for work though...
Mmmm, coffee...
In light of recent news I have a bit of advice for everyone. Don't climb fences. They're there for a reason. Failure to follow this advice can result in impalement or decapitation. Neither of which is too much fun...
The florescent above me are having adverse side effects. The rays seem to be seeping in through my skull. Maybe I just don't want to be at work...
The bus didn't stop for me today. I was 20 feet from the stop when it pulled away and left me standing, isolated, on Rainier. I was only 5 minutes late for work though...
Mmmm, coffee...
In light of recent news I have a bit of advice for everyone. Don't climb fences. They're there for a reason. Failure to follow this advice can result in impalement or decapitation. Neither of which is too much fun...
The florescent above me are having adverse side effects. The rays seem to be seeping in through my skull. Maybe I just don't want to be at work...
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
No blog today
So no blog today. I did go through and get the pics added to the Memorial Day Mayhem blog. I think that the pics help a bunch. Peace out yo's...
Monday, June 30, 2008
Evapotranspiration in the North Cascades
I'm very angry right now. I have already written this blog once and somehow deleted it. I really hope that all of you appreciate the pics at the end, because they are the bane of my existence...
So here's the camping recap...
Friday:
Matt picked me up from work about 2pm. Everything was okay till Everett. Traffic. Traffic. And more traffic. Matt declared Everett to be a God forsaken land...We bought liquor and burritos on tribal land. Tribal liquor stores are strange places. No where else in Washington can you purchase trail mix, whiskey, cigarettes and Doritos in the same place...We rolled into camp about 630pm to find a camper trailer from Michigan in our spot. Ranger no where to be found. We nearly had an altercation with the female owner of the vehicle. I can't speak ill of everyone from Michigan, but this woman seemed clearly illiterate. "RESERVED: MUNSON" somehow said to her "Available one night only". Go figure...Setting up camp was pretty easy. Then we cooked salmon, delicious salmon, and drank Rainier and tequila around the campfire. Great conversation. Great setting. One of the best times I've had with Matt in recent years...
Saturday:
Woke up and made breakfast. The sun was already poised to become a demon. Left camp around 1030am for the trail head...Thunder Creek Trail. 12 miles round trip. It was beautiful. Whenever the forest cover broke we were greeted by blue skies and glacier covered peaks. It was a very humbling experience. We ate lunch where McAllister Creek feeds into Thunder Creek. It was great. The glacier water dropped the temperature by nearly 20 degrees it seemed like. I soaked my feet in the water for nearly a minute before they went numb and turned purple. The hike out was much more strenous. I no longer fear the Lake of Fire. About 4 miles left in the hike my body was starting to fail. My muscles struggled to remain attached to my bones, while the sweltering heat robbed them of every ounce of water. The final mile was the worst and at times the best. I'm not sure how we missed it on the way in but there were Columbine's and native orchids in full bloom that were amazing. And about 500 feet from the trailhead a herd of small deer were congregating. We're not sure if they were pygmy deer or juvenilles, either way their presence got Matt to turn back about a hundred feet, giving me just he edge I needed to finish first! Ha! But no, seriously, I was nearly dead at this point...We got back to camp to find Joe shirtless and drinking IPA, Nick severely afflicted with cabin fever and covering himself in bug repellant (he glistened in the sun) and Nathan, well, being Nathan (cool as a cucumber). We had a jolly time just kickin' back. I went undefeated through 3 games of cribbage before meeting my untimely demise (I lost by 1 point). For dinner it was burgers and hotdogs all around. Followed by more drinking around the campfire. I was spent and called it a fairly early night...
Midsummer Nights Nightmare:
I woke at some point in the early morning to readjust my position. So I rustled around for a moment and laid back down to sleep. Just as I was getting ready to drift back into the dreamworld I realized two eyes staring blankly in my direction, and who else but Swirly Joe. It was one of the creepiest things I've ever seen in my life. He later explained his actions in a way that makes sense followed by an apology. But still, that's fucking creepy dude...
Sunday:
Breakfast was a scene. We made enough food for 14 people...Once everyone was up we decided that Nick, Nathan and I would go for cigarettes, which turned out to be a much further distance than we expected...By the time we got back the cooking was all set to begin. So many eggs... After eating we tore down camp and headed east for Ross Dam. The views were amazing along the way. I began to wonder what someone from Texas would think of such a sight and then said a silent prayer that I was born in Washington...We reached the trailhead to the dam but didn't go down. The heat was unbearable and no one was willing to make the hike back up. At which point we decided to disband and I hopped in the honda with Matt and headed back for Seattle...
I'm sorry it isn't as detailed as I wanted to be, but I just can't bring myself to do it all twice right now. I might update more in the future. Thanks to all the guys for coming. I had a great time...
So here's the camping recap...
Friday:
Matt picked me up from work about 2pm. Everything was okay till Everett. Traffic. Traffic. And more traffic. Matt declared Everett to be a God forsaken land...We bought liquor and burritos on tribal land. Tribal liquor stores are strange places. No where else in Washington can you purchase trail mix, whiskey, cigarettes and Doritos in the same place...We rolled into camp about 630pm to find a camper trailer from Michigan in our spot. Ranger no where to be found. We nearly had an altercation with the female owner of the vehicle. I can't speak ill of everyone from Michigan, but this woman seemed clearly illiterate. "RESERVED: MUNSON" somehow said to her "Available one night only". Go figure...Setting up camp was pretty easy. Then we cooked salmon, delicious salmon, and drank Rainier and tequila around the campfire. Great conversation. Great setting. One of the best times I've had with Matt in recent years...
Saturday:
Woke up and made breakfast. The sun was already poised to become a demon. Left camp around 1030am for the trail head...Thunder Creek Trail. 12 miles round trip. It was beautiful. Whenever the forest cover broke we were greeted by blue skies and glacier covered peaks. It was a very humbling experience. We ate lunch where McAllister Creek feeds into Thunder Creek. It was great. The glacier water dropped the temperature by nearly 20 degrees it seemed like. I soaked my feet in the water for nearly a minute before they went numb and turned purple. The hike out was much more strenous. I no longer fear the Lake of Fire. About 4 miles left in the hike my body was starting to fail. My muscles struggled to remain attached to my bones, while the sweltering heat robbed them of every ounce of water. The final mile was the worst and at times the best. I'm not sure how we missed it on the way in but there were Columbine's and native orchids in full bloom that were amazing. And about 500 feet from the trailhead a herd of small deer were congregating. We're not sure if they were pygmy deer or juvenilles, either way their presence got Matt to turn back about a hundred feet, giving me just he edge I needed to finish first! Ha! But no, seriously, I was nearly dead at this point...We got back to camp to find Joe shirtless and drinking IPA, Nick severely afflicted with cabin fever and covering himself in bug repellant (he glistened in the sun) and Nathan, well, being Nathan (cool as a cucumber). We had a jolly time just kickin' back. I went undefeated through 3 games of cribbage before meeting my untimely demise (I lost by 1 point). For dinner it was burgers and hotdogs all around. Followed by more drinking around the campfire. I was spent and called it a fairly early night...
Midsummer Nights Nightmare:
I woke at some point in the early morning to readjust my position. So I rustled around for a moment and laid back down to sleep. Just as I was getting ready to drift back into the dreamworld I realized two eyes staring blankly in my direction, and who else but Swirly Joe. It was one of the creepiest things I've ever seen in my life. He later explained his actions in a way that makes sense followed by an apology. But still, that's fucking creepy dude...
Sunday:
Breakfast was a scene. We made enough food for 14 people...Once everyone was up we decided that Nick, Nathan and I would go for cigarettes, which turned out to be a much further distance than we expected...By the time we got back the cooking was all set to begin. So many eggs... After eating we tore down camp and headed east for Ross Dam. The views were amazing along the way. I began to wonder what someone from Texas would think of such a sight and then said a silent prayer that I was born in Washington...We reached the trailhead to the dam but didn't go down. The heat was unbearable and no one was willing to make the hike back up. At which point we decided to disband and I hopped in the honda with Matt and headed back for Seattle...
I'm sorry it isn't as detailed as I wanted to be, but I just can't bring myself to do it all twice right now. I might update more in the future. Thanks to all the guys for coming. I had a great time...
Friday, June 27, 2008
I wish I got more kickbacks...
I'm going camping this weekend. It should be a good time. I'm going on a 15 mile hike Saturday. We'll see if I survive...
Nathan was just telling me an interesting story. It begins with him at the bus stop on pike between 3rd and 4th. "....i was there late one night and there was police tape blocking the shelter off. i then noticed there was a giant pile of human feces on the ground underneath one of those grated benches....and the worst part was, i think whoever did that was SITTING on the bench and it went through the grating". We've talked about this for twenty minutes so far. I thought poop jokes weren't supposed to be as funny when you got older. That isn't true...
Well I guess that's it today. Just camping and poop...
Nathan was just telling me an interesting story. It begins with him at the bus stop on pike between 3rd and 4th. "....i was there late one night and there was police tape blocking the shelter off. i then noticed there was a giant pile of human feces on the ground underneath one of those grated benches....and the worst part was, i think whoever did that was SITTING on the bench and it went through the grating". We've talked about this for twenty minutes so far. I thought poop jokes weren't supposed to be as funny when you got older. That isn't true...
Well I guess that's it today. Just camping and poop...
Thursday, June 26, 2008
The clouds are hanging around a little later today...
Work is very busy today. End of the fiscal year is just around the corner. Might not blog too much today...
I love coffee. I don't think that there is anything in my daily routine that brings me as much joy. Well cigarettes, but that goes best with coffee. And I'm still trying to get away from that whole vice. Maybe I should just find a find to combine the tobacco plant with a coffee plant. Cross breeding the best elements of each to create a beverage that will impact the world like nothing else, since Coca-Cola...
Ralph Nader is a douche bag borderline racists. Will he please just go away...
Right now it's about 1pm and the clouds are still here. I guess it's only fair. We've had beautiful weather for a couple days now. Why is that whenever we need something for filler the weather is a perfect target? Do we all really care that much about the weather or is it just something that everyone has common ground...
For lunch today I'm having a bagel sandwich with turkey and provolone. Salad. Cottage Cheese. Potato chips. hmmmm food...
I'm not really feeling this today. End transmission...
I love coffee. I don't think that there is anything in my daily routine that brings me as much joy. Well cigarettes, but that goes best with coffee. And I'm still trying to get away from that whole vice. Maybe I should just find a find to combine the tobacco plant with a coffee plant. Cross breeding the best elements of each to create a beverage that will impact the world like nothing else, since Coca-Cola...
Ralph Nader is a douche bag borderline racists. Will he please just go away...
Right now it's about 1pm and the clouds are still here. I guess it's only fair. We've had beautiful weather for a couple days now. Why is that whenever we need something for filler the weather is a perfect target? Do we all really care that much about the weather or is it just something that everyone has common ground...
For lunch today I'm having a bagel sandwich with turkey and provolone. Salad. Cottage Cheese. Potato chips. hmmmm food...
I'm not really feeling this today. End transmission...
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
I'll let you all in on a little secret. At heart, I'm afraid of Karaoke...
Another beautiful day in Seattle...
Rode the ever elusive 9 this morning. The 9 is one of the most interesting buses in the city. It travels from Rainier Beach to Capitol Hill making only express stops on Rainier. The people are what make the experience, coming from all walks of life. There was a boy with large diamonds in his ears wearing a back turned ball cap with the sticker still proudly displayed sitting next to a woman who appeared to be a nurse for one of the local hospitals. Students were everywhere with their text books drawn, trying to get those last few minutes of studying in before getting to class. A group of women at the front of the bus were all carrying garden tools and speaking in a foreign language. The 9 is made for everyone. And there I was in the rear lounge, headphone defenses, watching it all around me...
For all of you who don't know about the Olivia Tremor Control, I highly recommend them. There is just something about their sound that just screams out an affirmation of everything right and good in the world. It's very powerful, but not the kind of power that crushes you. It more wraps itself around you and does everything within its strength to lift you up...
Many people now have mentioned that my blog is either "dark" or "depressing". I guess I just don't see it that way. Too all of you who do, I encourage you to search for the drull in it all. Keep in mind that through all the desolation there is still a sense of forgiveness. It's that forgiveness that gives us sanguine composure to keep going...
We barbecued last night. It was good. Spent hours in the yard soaking up the sun. David and Christina came over, along with Evan and Mickey. Matt made a cameo appearance. I got the trellis in place for the rose bush. It's afternoons like that that make Seattle the best place to live...
The farmers market is tonight. I've been a few times so far this year. It has yet to impress me, but it's early. I might buy some tomato plants and some bread. Could always use some more cheese. Armando is supposed to be back soon. Maybe he'll be there today and we can make the Kung Fu Crying Game. I'm not going to get my hopes up...
Here's another quote that I have up at my desk. "This wasn't the sea of inexorable horizon and smashing waves, not the sea of distance and violence, but the sea of of the eternally leveling patience and wetness of water. Whether it comes to you in a storm or in a cup, it owns you - we are more water than dust. It is our origin and destination" -Denis Johnson...
There are planning a new skyscraper in Dubai. The entire structure is designed to move continuously, never looking the same twice in a life time. It's an interesting idea but begs the question: Just because we can does it mean that we should?...
The brewing season is upon us. We have very ambitious goals for the next few weeks. We'll see if it all gets done...
Locksmiths can be a wretched group of people. In the five years that I've been dealing with them I've found them to be an impatient, demanding, foul, ignorant, controlling, rude, racist, insane, dillusional, trite, odorous, cynical, offensive, nefarious, sorry lot. But in the end they're not all bad. I guess its not just locksmiths...
The city took the Sonic to court. After all that's happened in recent years, who still cares?...
I've developed a hatred of plastic. It's everywhere. I planned to spend a day a while back trying to figure how many times I encounter plastic in my daily life. I gave up before I even left my house. Ever since I've been trying to eliminate as much plastic from my life as possible. For every one thing I cut out, I realize 10 more that I should. In my immediate view I can identify 100 different things made of plastic in less than a mintue. 100 years ago there was no plastic. They seemed to get along ok...
One day I hope to go to Monaco. I don't know much about the people there or the sights to see or exactly where is it. I guess it just seems like the kind of place that I'm supposed to want to go...
Rode the ever elusive 9 this morning. The 9 is one of the most interesting buses in the city. It travels from Rainier Beach to Capitol Hill making only express stops on Rainier. The people are what make the experience, coming from all walks of life. There was a boy with large diamonds in his ears wearing a back turned ball cap with the sticker still proudly displayed sitting next to a woman who appeared to be a nurse for one of the local hospitals. Students were everywhere with their text books drawn, trying to get those last few minutes of studying in before getting to class. A group of women at the front of the bus were all carrying garden tools and speaking in a foreign language. The 9 is made for everyone. And there I was in the rear lounge, headphone defenses, watching it all around me...
For all of you who don't know about the Olivia Tremor Control, I highly recommend them. There is just something about their sound that just screams out an affirmation of everything right and good in the world. It's very powerful, but not the kind of power that crushes you. It more wraps itself around you and does everything within its strength to lift you up...
Many people now have mentioned that my blog is either "dark" or "depressing". I guess I just don't see it that way. Too all of you who do, I encourage you to search for the drull in it all. Keep in mind that through all the desolation there is still a sense of forgiveness. It's that forgiveness that gives us sanguine composure to keep going...
We barbecued last night. It was good. Spent hours in the yard soaking up the sun. David and Christina came over, along with Evan and Mickey. Matt made a cameo appearance. I got the trellis in place for the rose bush. It's afternoons like that that make Seattle the best place to live...
The farmers market is tonight. I've been a few times so far this year. It has yet to impress me, but it's early. I might buy some tomato plants and some bread. Could always use some more cheese. Armando is supposed to be back soon. Maybe he'll be there today and we can make the Kung Fu Crying Game. I'm not going to get my hopes up...
Here's another quote that I have up at my desk. "This wasn't the sea of inexorable horizon and smashing waves, not the sea of distance and violence, but the sea of of the eternally leveling patience and wetness of water. Whether it comes to you in a storm or in a cup, it owns you - we are more water than dust. It is our origin and destination" -Denis Johnson...
There are planning a new skyscraper in Dubai. The entire structure is designed to move continuously, never looking the same twice in a life time. It's an interesting idea but begs the question: Just because we can does it mean that we should?...
The brewing season is upon us. We have very ambitious goals for the next few weeks. We'll see if it all gets done...
Locksmiths can be a wretched group of people. In the five years that I've been dealing with them I've found them to be an impatient, demanding, foul, ignorant, controlling, rude, racist, insane, dillusional, trite, odorous, cynical, offensive, nefarious, sorry lot. But in the end they're not all bad. I guess its not just locksmiths...
The city took the Sonic to court. After all that's happened in recent years, who still cares?...
I've developed a hatred of plastic. It's everywhere. I planned to spend a day a while back trying to figure how many times I encounter plastic in my daily life. I gave up before I even left my house. Ever since I've been trying to eliminate as much plastic from my life as possible. For every one thing I cut out, I realize 10 more that I should. In my immediate view I can identify 100 different things made of plastic in less than a mintue. 100 years ago there was no plastic. They seemed to get along ok...
One day I hope to go to Monaco. I don't know much about the people there or the sights to see or exactly where is it. I guess it just seems like the kind of place that I'm supposed to want to go...
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
The darker the setting, the brighter the light...
The bus was uneventful this morning. I got on the 7X at Orcas and sat near the back door. A young woman was in the seat in front of me with two children, a boy and girl. The boy was sleeping. The girl was watching me. I was looking out the window...
Our climate is changing. No one is listening to the facts. Is it because they don't care? Don't really understand? Probably not. I get the feeling that many of the people out there, religious types mostly, are really hoping for the worst. If everything is all fine and dandy why would Jesus come back?...
I'm wearing a nicotine patch today. I've been trying to quit smoking. It's as hard as everyone says. The patch is a strange thing. At times I don't even notice it. Other times it burns and itches. It's also very hard to keep attached because I didn't shave my arm so I use band aids to keep it attached. To the untrained eye it looks like a giant wound. I guess that's what it really is...
If ever given the oppurtunity and training I would walk on burning coals. But just not right now...
Above the cabinet at my desk there is a gorilla. My boss brought it back from Randall for me on a trip to Mt Rainier. By the way, the mountain is out today, what a strange saying. He is wearing a red and white striped shirt and a small hat. His face and hands are made of plastic. The ends of his legs are covered in a glue residue that used to be his feet. There is a switch on the back and if you turn him on he does the macarena...
Right now what we need is more Sonic Youth...
I had a dream last night. I lived with Nathan. I think we were on Capitol Hill. The moon was everywhere. At one point I put on a pair of pants that were so tall they covered my face. Then I began to make faces through the zipper. Nathan couldn't stop laughing. He laughed more when I told him about it today...
The "Big Bright Yellow Sun" set long ago but the question is still very valid. How are you?...
They demolished the Ballard Denny's this morning. I can remember a certain New Years Day. It was the early morning of a late night. We sat in the bar and ate grand slam breakfasts while drinking bloody mary's and white russians. Mickey spilled his drink all over the table and then proceeded to slurp it up with a straw. The waitress was surprised to see people in the bar that early. I think it was even more surprising to her that we weren't hung over when we arrived, but still drunk. RIP Ballard, I'll always remember who you were...
The sun is out in Seattle. I'm going to BBQ tonight. Mickey will be coming over. He has a way of leaving his possessions in all kinds of strange places. Maybe I'll get lucky and he'll leave me his laptop so I can tap into the great knowledge of the internet while riding the bus. More likely he'll just leave a bowel movement...
Here's another quote I have up at desk: "And when we break we'll wait for our miracles, God is a place you will wait for the rest of your life" - Neutral Milk Hotel. Love that...
Our climate is changing. No one is listening to the facts. Is it because they don't care? Don't really understand? Probably not. I get the feeling that many of the people out there, religious types mostly, are really hoping for the worst. If everything is all fine and dandy why would Jesus come back?...
I'm wearing a nicotine patch today. I've been trying to quit smoking. It's as hard as everyone says. The patch is a strange thing. At times I don't even notice it. Other times it burns and itches. It's also very hard to keep attached because I didn't shave my arm so I use band aids to keep it attached. To the untrained eye it looks like a giant wound. I guess that's what it really is...
If ever given the oppurtunity and training I would walk on burning coals. But just not right now...
Above the cabinet at my desk there is a gorilla. My boss brought it back from Randall for me on a trip to Mt Rainier. By the way, the mountain is out today, what a strange saying. He is wearing a red and white striped shirt and a small hat. His face and hands are made of plastic. The ends of his legs are covered in a glue residue that used to be his feet. There is a switch on the back and if you turn him on he does the macarena...
Right now what we need is more Sonic Youth...
I had a dream last night. I lived with Nathan. I think we were on Capitol Hill. The moon was everywhere. At one point I put on a pair of pants that were so tall they covered my face. Then I began to make faces through the zipper. Nathan couldn't stop laughing. He laughed more when I told him about it today...
The "Big Bright Yellow Sun" set long ago but the question is still very valid. How are you?...
They demolished the Ballard Denny's this morning. I can remember a certain New Years Day. It was the early morning of a late night. We sat in the bar and ate grand slam breakfasts while drinking bloody mary's and white russians. Mickey spilled his drink all over the table and then proceeded to slurp it up with a straw. The waitress was surprised to see people in the bar that early. I think it was even more surprising to her that we weren't hung over when we arrived, but still drunk. RIP Ballard, I'll always remember who you were...
The sun is out in Seattle. I'm going to BBQ tonight. Mickey will be coming over. He has a way of leaving his possessions in all kinds of strange places. Maybe I'll get lucky and he'll leave me his laptop so I can tap into the great knowledge of the internet while riding the bus. More likely he'll just leave a bowel movement...
Here's another quote I have up at desk: "And when we break we'll wait for our miracles, God is a place you will wait for the rest of your life" - Neutral Milk Hotel. Love that...
Monday, June 23, 2008
The Faults of Postmodernism
So I was trying to think about something to blog about today. At first I was going to write a fine essay about how people should write more essays, not to convey a point or argument, but just for the shear act of writing. However I ran into the problem of all post-modernism, that in an attempt to express itself all meaning becomes so cliche its renders itself void. End result, a lot of babble and circular logic. Nothing worth spending much more time talking about...so i'm just going to ramble for a while about other meaningless stuff.
On my desk you can find the following things: An empty coffee mug, two "kinyo" speakers, a man named Reynold smiling from a business card that reads "THE MAGIC TUXEDO", a can of air, a stapler, an old bottle cap and piece of paper with the quote "I have always imaginged that paradise will be some kind of library" - Jorge Luis Borges...
I was at a BBQ over the weekend and I have one piece of advice to everyone out there. If you're about to drop your hotdog, just let it go. By fumbling to try to catch it you will send condiments everywhere. I know this because I was unfortunately covered in grilled onions, mustard, relish, ketchup, avocado, sauerkraut, and god only knows whatelse was on this dog from hell. Thanks again Mickey....
They keep finding shoes off the coast of British Columbia. They all have human feet inside. Weirdest story I've read in a while. They think it might be related to the tsunami or a plane crash where the victims were never found. In the end I doubt that it's either, the DNA agrees with me so far. Maybe in the end God has decided that the people of British Columbia were becoming too complacent and needed something more to spark their interests. If that's the case I think it worked...
Did some gardening this weekend. It was actually very chill. Got myself some peppers planted. Also pumpkins, radishes, and carrots. I don't know how well they're all going to do, but I am holding out hope that the pumpkins make it into the beer at some point. hmmmm pumpkin beer...
The new Wolf Parade album, At Mount Zoomer, is awesome. All I've listened to for a week now...
Some strange people just showed up at my office. I'm not sure why they're here. But there is an older man with hair that flows half way down his back and a young man who seems to have spent more time in a tattoo parlor than he has in a school...
The sun is out. It's been a crap shoot lately. The yard needs to be mowed, but the gas can is empty. If the sun stays out I doubt that I'll make it to the gas station tonight. But if it rains I won't mow the lawn...
I'm rereading "White Noise", again. Anyone who hasn't read it, you should. Great book...
My dad is moving. I have to help him on wednesday. I don't have to help him move because he hired people to do it. But we have to move everything into the garage so the movers can move it...
My phone keeps ringing...
I love Optimus Prime. I think he's one of the best fictional character of all time. I have a co-worker who doesn't share this love. One day when things were slow he found a way to post a small piece of paper in my window, about 25 feet above the warehouse. Now everyday at work a metal face stares at me all day long. "Megatron is Watching"...
Turns out the strange people are related to my boss, go figure...
On my desk you can find the following things: An empty coffee mug, two "kinyo" speakers, a man named Reynold smiling from a business card that reads "THE MAGIC TUXEDO", a can of air, a stapler, an old bottle cap and piece of paper with the quote "I have always imaginged that paradise will be some kind of library" - Jorge Luis Borges...
I was at a BBQ over the weekend and I have one piece of advice to everyone out there. If you're about to drop your hotdog, just let it go. By fumbling to try to catch it you will send condiments everywhere. I know this because I was unfortunately covered in grilled onions, mustard, relish, ketchup, avocado, sauerkraut, and god only knows whatelse was on this dog from hell. Thanks again Mickey....
They keep finding shoes off the coast of British Columbia. They all have human feet inside. Weirdest story I've read in a while. They think it might be related to the tsunami or a plane crash where the victims were never found. In the end I doubt that it's either, the DNA agrees with me so far. Maybe in the end God has decided that the people of British Columbia were becoming too complacent and needed something more to spark their interests. If that's the case I think it worked...
Did some gardening this weekend. It was actually very chill. Got myself some peppers planted. Also pumpkins, radishes, and carrots. I don't know how well they're all going to do, but I am holding out hope that the pumpkins make it into the beer at some point. hmmmm pumpkin beer...
The new Wolf Parade album, At Mount Zoomer, is awesome. All I've listened to for a week now...
Some strange people just showed up at my office. I'm not sure why they're here. But there is an older man with hair that flows half way down his back and a young man who seems to have spent more time in a tattoo parlor than he has in a school...
The sun is out. It's been a crap shoot lately. The yard needs to be mowed, but the gas can is empty. If the sun stays out I doubt that I'll make it to the gas station tonight. But if it rains I won't mow the lawn...
I'm rereading "White Noise", again. Anyone who hasn't read it, you should. Great book...
My dad is moving. I have to help him on wednesday. I don't have to help him move because he hired people to do it. But we have to move everything into the garage so the movers can move it...
My phone keeps ringing...
I love Optimus Prime. I think he's one of the best fictional character of all time. I have a co-worker who doesn't share this love. One day when things were slow he found a way to post a small piece of paper in my window, about 25 feet above the warehouse. Now everyday at work a metal face stares at me all day long. "Megatron is Watching"...
Turns out the strange people are related to my boss, go figure...
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Memorial Day Mayhem
I'm trying to get the pics in this blog...we'll see how it goes...
So here's the story...
My Dad and I left the warm Seattle weather for the chilly temps of Oakland. Not much to say about Oakland, we landed, rented a car...
...and got the hell out. Went to San Francisco, had the best hamburger of my life, walked up to Coit Tower...
...cruised Haight Ashbury...
...Golden Gate Park and the beach...
....saw the Golden Gate bridge covered in fog...
...standard San Francisco stuff.
Then we shot up the coast, tried to go to Lagunita's Brewing but that was a bust (it was just a warehouse). Luckily Russian River Brewing was not too far away and amazingly good. The have a belgian selection to rival the best. If you're near Santa Rosa at any point I highly recommend it. The coast was beautiful...
...We drove up Highway 1 for a good distance, Point Arena to Ft Bragg. Stopped in Mendocino which was gorgeous. The sun had finally come out...
...Ft Bragg was pretty chill. We stopped at North Coast Brewing for dinner where I had the 10 piece beer sampler, got a little tipsy. Then trekked back to Ukiah to sleep.
Now at this point we were going to continue up to the Red Woods, but being as both my dad and I had been there we omitted it and just bombed east for Reno. Not much in the middle of Cali, lots of farms.
Got into the Reno and it was just like Oakland, rainy and cold...
...Roamed around some casinos and gambled for a while. The casinos made me edgy because I was quitting smoking and being surrounded by it started to grate on me. So I headed back to the Circus Circus...
...only to find that I got back to the room before my dad, go figure. We got up the next day and headed for Tahoe....
...Beautiful place. Clouds hung over the lake and once again it was raining, but still amazing...
...Casino's were much nicer there too, a lot more like Vegas...
The next day was when we both blown away. We headed south from Reno into California. Entered Yosemite at Tioga Pass, about 10,000 feet, to a breath taking sight...
...We both agreed that if we had known we'd probably have just planned the whole week in Yosemite. Once in the park we tried to see as much as we could so here's a quick run down: Lembert Dome...
...Tuolumne Meadows, Tenaya Lake, and Olmsted Point (which had great views of Half Dome)...
...before we dropped down into the valley. The valley was awesome. El Capitan...
...Bridalvale Falls...
...Yosemite Falls...
...Half Dome...
...and a ton more to see. The entire valley was lined with rock formations littered with water falls, like Cascade Falls...
...At this point we were both pretty spent so headed south and found our hotel for the night.
Now we had planned to go to Fresno but that also got cut out of the trip, for good reason. We needed more time at Yosemite. So on the second day we started by going the the Mariposa Grove, which had a ton of HUGE trees...
...The most memorable was the Giant Grizzly...
...which was over 200 feet tall with branches 7 feet in diameter! We hiked a couple miles here before heading up for higher ground. Next was Glacier Point which had some of the best views in the whole park...
...We took a ton of pics from up there...
...Once the camera needed a rest...
...we headed back down to the valley for lunch and then it was out to Hetch Hetchy.
Hetch Hetchy is on the far west side of the park and we actually had to leave and reenter to get there. The road down to the dam was small and built on a sheer cliff. Dad didn't like that so much, so I ended up driving. We got down to O'Shaughnessy Dam...
...which is a bummer that it exists because the pre-dam pics we saw were amazing, and decided to do a "little" walk around the reservoir to see if we couldn't get a better picture of Wapama Falls...
...Ended up hiking all the way to the falls...
...The spray around the falls created a rainbow that hung just above the rocks...
...Once again, awesome.
We headed out of Hetch Hetchy and started towards Stockton. Not much to say about Stockton. It was a place to sleep and unwind before heading back to Oakland and Seattle.
When we landed in Seattle there was a slight drizzle and with as much fun as I had, I was glad to be home.
So that's my trip in a nutshell. I'm sure I forgot some stuff, but that's the meat of it. If you want to see the pictures that go along you can check them out at http://www.flickr.com/photos/desomniac/
I've leave you with a couple of more pics from the trip...
So here's the story...
My Dad and I left the warm Seattle weather for the chilly temps of Oakland. Not much to say about Oakland, we landed, rented a car...
...and got the hell out. Went to San Francisco, had the best hamburger of my life, walked up to Coit Tower...
...cruised Haight Ashbury...
...Golden Gate Park and the beach...
....saw the Golden Gate bridge covered in fog...
...standard San Francisco stuff.
Then we shot up the coast, tried to go to Lagunita's Brewing but that was a bust (it was just a warehouse). Luckily Russian River Brewing was not too far away and amazingly good. The have a belgian selection to rival the best. If you're near Santa Rosa at any point I highly recommend it. The coast was beautiful...
...We drove up Highway 1 for a good distance, Point Arena to Ft Bragg. Stopped in Mendocino which was gorgeous. The sun had finally come out...
...Ft Bragg was pretty chill. We stopped at North Coast Brewing for dinner where I had the 10 piece beer sampler, got a little tipsy. Then trekked back to Ukiah to sleep.
Now at this point we were going to continue up to the Red Woods, but being as both my dad and I had been there we omitted it and just bombed east for Reno. Not much in the middle of Cali, lots of farms.
Got into the Reno and it was just like Oakland, rainy and cold...
...Roamed around some casinos and gambled for a while. The casinos made me edgy because I was quitting smoking and being surrounded by it started to grate on me. So I headed back to the Circus Circus...
...only to find that I got back to the room before my dad, go figure. We got up the next day and headed for Tahoe....
...Beautiful place. Clouds hung over the lake and once again it was raining, but still amazing...
...Casino's were much nicer there too, a lot more like Vegas...
The next day was when we both blown away. We headed south from Reno into California. Entered Yosemite at Tioga Pass, about 10,000 feet, to a breath taking sight...
...We both agreed that if we had known we'd probably have just planned the whole week in Yosemite. Once in the park we tried to see as much as we could so here's a quick run down: Lembert Dome...
...Tuolumne Meadows, Tenaya Lake, and Olmsted Point (which had great views of Half Dome)...
...before we dropped down into the valley. The valley was awesome. El Capitan...
...Bridalvale Falls...
...Yosemite Falls...
...Half Dome...
...and a ton more to see. The entire valley was lined with rock formations littered with water falls, like Cascade Falls...
...At this point we were both pretty spent so headed south and found our hotel for the night.
Now we had planned to go to Fresno but that also got cut out of the trip, for good reason. We needed more time at Yosemite. So on the second day we started by going the the Mariposa Grove, which had a ton of HUGE trees...
...The most memorable was the Giant Grizzly...
...which was over 200 feet tall with branches 7 feet in diameter! We hiked a couple miles here before heading up for higher ground. Next was Glacier Point which had some of the best views in the whole park...
...We took a ton of pics from up there...
...Once the camera needed a rest...
...we headed back down to the valley for lunch and then it was out to Hetch Hetchy.
Hetch Hetchy is on the far west side of the park and we actually had to leave and reenter to get there. The road down to the dam was small and built on a sheer cliff. Dad didn't like that so much, so I ended up driving. We got down to O'Shaughnessy Dam...
...which is a bummer that it exists because the pre-dam pics we saw were amazing, and decided to do a "little" walk around the reservoir to see if we couldn't get a better picture of Wapama Falls...
...Ended up hiking all the way to the falls...
...The spray around the falls created a rainbow that hung just above the rocks...
...Once again, awesome.
We headed out of Hetch Hetchy and started towards Stockton. Not much to say about Stockton. It was a place to sleep and unwind before heading back to Oakland and Seattle.
When we landed in Seattle there was a slight drizzle and with as much fun as I had, I was glad to be home.
So that's my trip in a nutshell. I'm sure I forgot some stuff, but that's the meat of it. If you want to see the pictures that go along you can check them out at http://www.flickr.com/photos/desomniac/
I've leave you with a couple of more pics from the trip...
Monday, April 28, 2008
Dedicated to all you. All human beings...
Today is a good day. It's a beautiful thing when everything falls into place. I want everyone out there to do me a favor...go out today and do something nice for yourself.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Earth Day!!!
Alright everyone, Earth Day is coming up. I think that you all should do something green. If you're interested I think P Matty is going to head up a group for Duwamish Alive. If you're interested in joining us let me know. It's Saturday April 19th at 9:30 am (I know it's kinda early) at Codiga Park. Here's a link with more info... http://www. pugetsound. org/events/duwamishalive
I hope to see at least a few of you!
Adam
I hope to see at least a few of you!
Adam
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Miscellany
Okay so it's been a while but here some important news you all should know...
1. Chili Cook-off was a HUGE success! We had a total of 13 entries and who knows how many people were there (my house was FULL). I was really pleased to also participate in Earth Hour, where we turned off the lights and spent an hour by candlelight. Thanks to everyone there for making that happen. I also want to thank everyone for attending and I hope to see you all there again next year.
Here's a list of the winners for all of you who missed it:
Traditional (w/bean) - 1st Place Matt and Kelsey's "Durn Good Chili"
Texas Style (no bean) - 1st Place Ray and Jen's "Cincinatti Chili"
2nd Place (very close) David's "Untitled Chili"
Vegetarian - 1st Place Katie's Vegetarian Chili
The next big thing down at Lucile's will be Seafair 08. It's the first full weekend in August and we'll be doing it big just as every year.
2. Birthday Madness!!! So my birthday is tomorrow. And for anyone who doesn't know, we're doing a big thing on Saturday at Havanna on Capitol Hill. We've reserved the upper bar, so I hope to see EVERYONE there!
3. Now a little environmental rant. I hope that at this point you all understand the pressing state of climate change. I encourage you all to do something to get involved. Even something as small as buying a reusable grocery sack (which all us Seattlites are going to have to do soon, or start paying for the disposables) or switching over to compact fluorescent bulbs in your house. If you need more ideas the Green Festival is coming up here in Seattle and I encourage all of you to attend. If you want to go and are interested in carpooling, let me know. I'll be going on Saturday with my family and I'm sure we could pick up a couple of people. Here are a couple of links to check out.
Green Festival: http://www.greenfestivals.org/content/view/767/390/
"We": http://www.wecansolveit.org/
1. Chili Cook-off was a HUGE success! We had a total of 13 entries and who knows how many people were there (my house was FULL). I was really pleased to also participate in Earth Hour, where we turned off the lights and spent an hour by candlelight. Thanks to everyone there for making that happen. I also want to thank everyone for attending and I hope to see you all there again next year.
Here's a list of the winners for all of you who missed it:
Traditional (w/bean) - 1st Place Matt and Kelsey's "Durn Good Chili"
Texas Style (no bean) - 1st Place Ray and Jen's "Cincinatti Chili"
2nd Place (very close) David's "Untitled Chili"
Vegetarian - 1st Place Katie's Vegetarian Chili
The next big thing down at Lucile's will be Seafair 08. It's the first full weekend in August and we'll be doing it big just as every year.
2. Birthday Madness!!! So my birthday is tomorrow. And for anyone who doesn't know, we're doing a big thing on Saturday at Havanna on Capitol Hill. We've reserved the upper bar, so I hope to see EVERYONE there!
3. Now a little environmental rant. I hope that at this point you all understand the pressing state of climate change. I encourage you all to do something to get involved. Even something as small as buying a reusable grocery sack (which all us Seattlites are going to have to do soon, or start paying for the disposables) or switching over to compact fluorescent bulbs in your house. If you need more ideas the Green Festival is coming up here in Seattle and I encourage all of you to attend. If you want to go and are interested in carpooling, let me know. I'll be going on Saturday with my family and I'm sure we could pick up a couple of people. Here are a couple of links to check out.
Green Festival: http://www.greenfestivals.org/content/view/767/390/
"We": http://www.wecansolveit.org/
Monday, February 11, 2008
Hillary: The Second Great Mistake
Alright, so i really didn't intend for this to be a political blog, but with the current state of the democratic nomination process there is much to be said. I originally wrote this to a friend of mine in response to my statement, "I would never vote for Hillary Clinton."
Hillary: The second great mistake?
Healthcare
The largest selling point Senator Clinton has for her campaign is her plan for universal health care. Unfortunately I see this as her largest detractor. The only way that she has proposed to accomplish this is through an increased government presence in the peoples life, forcing them to be insured as opposed to making health care an option for everyone. Senator Clinton’s health care plan would account for 1/5 of all government spending[i] and I don’t think that it is feasible to accomplish such wild ambitions in such a short amount of time. Senator Clinton’s plan for universal health care in the United States is a beautiful idea, however when it comes to implementing such a massive overhaul many other factors (education, alternative energy, etc) are going to get lost and an amazing amount of debt will be accrued as a result. Senator Obama’s solution is a much more gradual moving toward universal care, beginning with children (our most valuable resource), setting American in the right direction without making promises that are likely to come up short.
Electability
Senator Clinton would lose to Senator McCain in the general election. In a recent article by Time Magazine[ii] , they project that if Senator Clinton receives the Democratic nomination her and Senator McCain would be deadlocked at 46%. However if Senator Obama were to get the nomination he would lead McCain 48% to 41%. I truly believe that this is due to Senator Clinton’s representing the current division in the politics, while Senator Obama has proven his ability to do well in traditionally “red states”, even picking up many of the “undecided” voters and even swaying many who have voted republican for years. Point and case, both my father and grandmother voted for Bush in the last two elections, however both have told me that in the end the person they really want to see in the White House would be Obama and if not him, McCain. This is also something that the republican party is very aware of. Rush Limbaugh is currently promoting “Keep her in it, so we can win it”, a Clinton fund raising campaign.[iii]
Education
Senator Clinton has said very little about the current state of Education in America. However this is by far one of the largest issues for me. In order for American to compete on an economic level in the rapidly changing global market, we need a well educated and innovative work force. Obama’s plan[iv] to help fund programs like “No Child Left Behind”, improve standard of living for educators and reign in the soaring cost of higher education are all things this country desperately needs if we want to retain the title of “Land of the Free”, because ignorance will leave the people shackled without a voice.
Bipartisanship
Senator Clinton is unpopular with many democrats and even more so with republicans[v]. In the event of her elections to the oval office I believe that her entire presidency would be plagued with many deadlocks and point blank rejections from congress. Her election would also likely lead to the Democrats losing control of congress in the mid-term elections making it even more difficult for a Clinton administration to accomplish even the simplest of task, much less the ambitious universal health care program.
Imperialism
For the past 20 years the White House has been in control of two families, if Senator Clinton is elected it will be for 24 years if not 28. This doesn’t seem to speak to the heart of democracy and sounds more and more like the events that lead up to the fall of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman Imperialism.
Iraq
Senator Clinton voted to authorize military force in Iraq. In her current campaign she has been quoted as making the statement she would have “acted differently had she known what she knows now.”[vi] When electing someone to the most powerful position in the world we must really consider their initial judgment, not how they look back. Military force should NEVER be executed unless all other options have failed, there is a proven threat to national security and a general consensus that what we are doing it right. Senator Obama opposed the war from the beginning citing concern for “an occupation of undetermined length, with undetermined costs, and undetermined consequences.”[vii] The leader of the free world must take these things into consideration before embarking on what has become a failed military effort leading to 3.960 American deaths and as many as 85,000 Iraqi deaths.[viii]
Iran
Senator Clinton has expressed apprehension in dealing with the rising tensions with Iran until they have made certain concessions[ix]. I firmly believe that the US needs to take a more open armed approach to international politics, especially in the region so wounded by our recent military actions. In a time when American seems at odds with much of the world, we need a president who is willing to work with our allies and even more with our enemies to make the world a safer place for everyone.
A Nation Divided
We are currently living in a nation that is so divided by its politics that it’s starting to break apart at the seams. Not since the time of Lincoln has the country stood so far apart on so many issues. We are in desperate need of a president that can unite the people for the common good of every American. As I’ve stated before in the section on bipartisanship, Senator Clinton would struggle to do this at every turn. There are many democrats and a large number of republicans that dislike Senator Clinton. If elected I believe she would be in a position much the same as President Bush, where everyone is voting down party lines and unwilling to make any concessions. This is by far my largest reason for supporting Senator Obama. As you probably know, over the last 8 years the idea of secession has been a very intriguing one to me. However Senator Obama’s message of uniting the country has really spoken to me. And if it’s even possible to safe the union, making it a place that everyone would be proud to call home (including myself), I truly believe that he could do it and we have to try.
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