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...

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.

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!

"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.

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...

"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....

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...

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.

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"...

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!!!!