On Current Affairs

It's been a while since I linked to Amy, so here's an inspirational post.

Holy Capital Letter F

Walking home from work this morning at 10AM it was 80° !! This does not bode well for my afternoon. I have stuff I'd like to do and if I don't get it done by around noon it is going to be too hot in my apartment to be properly motivated. It will also be too warm to watch a DVD or play XBox. I imagine myself propped up against a pillow in my bathtub reading.



My family learned in April that my sister would be expecting her second child in late December. She learned this week that she will be expecting twins. My nephew Sean will not be quite two years-old at that time. I'm no seer but I predict exhaustive days and nights to come for her. If she lived closer I would be able to help out once in a while. As it stands I only see them about every three months.



I'd like to grant her the patience and stamina needed to endure her continuing motherhood. Can I do that?



- A.Ho -

Beer Drinker's Bill of Rights

Dude, you can give Sam Adams all the shit you want, but anyone who's willing to put that much on the line-and still make a reasonable beer-is alright by me. I'll buy that beer.
/after I get my beer drank.
//and the Metolius Brookie Pale Ale

light sabers on auction block

$60,000 for a light saber. Done.

Welcome to the Washington Metro

Beat Cop 2005

a thought of the day

I should learn Chinese.

the truth of the fun

The truth here is scary. I don't often go out and drink up like we did that night and it never occured to me that maybe we shouldn't drive home. It would probably be safe to say that we, Dan and I, were overserved. I'd planned to stop at three drinks as I was doing just fine but then the waitress shows up and my beer is empty, so I get another. Anyways, it was a blast. People do what people do and there will always be someone that will have a bit too much and drive, even when it goes against their general character. I'm glad we're all home safe as well as those on the road with us that night.

Excuses

It should be said that one should NOT drink more than 2 pints of Hair of the Dog's Blue Dot ale.

While the last post I made is entirely appropriate in language and tone of myself, I do not remember making it. I was having what the kids call a blackout. It has been quite some time since I have done that, and I'm a little pleased to see that my basic nature is unchanged when I am really, really, really, really really fucking drunk.

So: you have all been warned. 2 pints. That's it. You're done for the night.

It should also be noted that I didn't black out until I got home. I do remember having that photo taken, when I try to be Gene Simmons. I think we all know why A.Ho is known as 'the nice/cute one' now. I remember going home, and I even remember parts of being home.

Anyway. That's why my last post reads like it does. I just thought I'd offer that, in case anyone was wondering.

we are very, very good looking. really.

I went to Portland for four days last week and got back Saturday night. I had more fun than expected, most of it on Friday -- I spent the afternoon with Liz at the Tazo Tea company picnic where I met a fun group of people. We played more than a few rousing rounds of "Pass the Pigs" as the Mirror Pond poored freely. After the beer was cut-off Liz and I meandered through the Oregon Zoo looking for bears and giraffes. On the way out we hit the gift shop where I grabbed a couple postcards to send my parents and work while Liz grabbed some souvenir pennies.


After some downtime and dinner Dan and I left for the Horse Brass Pub to meet up with Kris, master of idowhatican.com. I've been reading Kris' blog for sometime now and it was a real treat to hang out with him. We were fortunate enought to grab a table right away, the Horse Brass has become quite the popular spot, and we got right down to the business of ordering beers. It wasn't long before small talk turned to genuine enjoyable and fun conversation. We were soon joined by Krissy, then Damien and Kieron. Laughs kept coming as talk turned from this, to that, covering a surprising range of topics as the perception of time disappeared and memories and friendships formed.

Other highlights:

•The Menomena show
•Killzone on the PS2
•New used music: The Replacements Hootenanny, The Pixies at the BBC, Frank Black s/t
•Lasagna
•Dan's fantastic homebrew
•losing my keys
•missing the Sufjan Stevens show due to my failure to plan and the show selling out
•guy losing control of bike, down a big hill, hitting the fence, breaking his arm and being taken away in an ambulance
•brief visit with Kevin Sampsell
•LLOYD CENTER!
•meeting Alodie
•Rogue Chamomile Ale
•Built to Spill stickers
•finding out Built to Spill will play Spokane in October
•free Tazo bottled drinks
•Reverend the cat
•driving with Dan/Liz around town
•tea tasting
•running into my old boss Alice after deplaning in Spokane
•Division & 20th-ish Starbucks
•Division & 120th-ish Starbucks
•Stumptown coffee
•buying homebrew ingredients for Dan's next batch
•not missing work or Spokane.

As expected.

Lance wins.

Took me 1/2 doz to sign in

And I'm drunk.

But it's been a good day. And night. I'm gonna go watch AHo play Killzone, be fuckedup and be ok.

Krissy & Kris; good to meet yah.

Damien and Kieron; good to see yah again.

Games.

Sleep

Yike.
D

Call me 'dork'

I'll explain later. Suffice it to say, "ugh."

faux paw

Seeing Aimee in those pics, I do remember her-but, I cannot say I knew her. I am saddened by her death, but I do not feel a sense of loss, either.

I mean no coldness by this. From all reports, she was a good human, and I don't want to take away from that.

I wasn't too bright on the whole 'reading' thing when I got the eVite for her memorial.

Let's just say I didn't understand she was dead, at the time of my reply.

But it could've been worse-my reply was generic enough that no one should take offense.

_______________________________________________________

We've got an addition, eh? Good.

s'about to get interesting

I should be in bed. Regardless, I'd like to welcome the a new member to Bloggin My Noggin. We'll have to come up with a clever name for her.

A.Ho

Aimee Fraijo
May 29, 1976 - June 29, 2005

Scalzi • Writing in the Age of Piracy

I link to this only because it uses one of my very favorite phrases. A phrase my friend Ben uses quite frequently and I rarely see my friend Ben these days, so it's a link of senitmentality. You can click to the link, or not, it makes no difference to me, I just need to see this and feel special.

Oh, for fuck's sake.


p.s. I first discovered Scalzi via Tycho of Penny Arcade. As it turns out Scalzi often talks about Penny Arcade. Two great tastes that go great together.

• fun lists •

5ives: Merlin's Lists of Five Things

Five things people I knew in high school swore they’d do on their 18th birthday

1. change first name to “Porsche Rose”
2. stalk Prince
3. smoke the world’s fattest joint—right in front of the Dean of Boys
4. get tattoo of the cover of Iron Maiden’s Number of the Beast across entire back
5. just chill out and shit

Five fake urban myths I’d like you to earnestly share with your friends and colleagues

1. Computer hackers can now steal anyone’s underpants using their own PC
2. “Starving” people in Africa spend most of their aid money on big-screen TVs, pole-dances, and perfectly good food that they just throw away
3. There is actually no “Norway”—it was invented in the mid-’40s as part of an MGM publicity stunt
4. Studies show there’s more feces on your doorknob than there is in an actual pile of feces
5. There’s a little girl in Arkansas named Ashley-Marie who has full-blown entitilitis, and she’s praying that everyone in America will breakdance for her at noon next Monday

Five things I’d like to see engraved on little rubber bracelets

1. Nap Strong
2. My Other Bracelet is Fighting Colon Cancer
3. America: Shut Thy Pie Hole
4. Kiss Me, I’m Trendy
5. Please Watch Arrested Development

SS Interview

Neat.

Can do.

Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.

sticky

I took a shower today.  It feels like I did not.

Will You Please Be Quiet, Please? or, The Death of the Self on a Saturday Night

This is good writing.

The Flick Filosopher | War of the Worlds

Ok. I haven't read this review yet, but any review that starts off with "Holy fuck." ought be linked to post-haste.

I saw the film last night and enjoyed it immensely. Easily the best film I've seen, in the theater, since I saw NARC. This excludes LotR of course. Were there plot holes? Yes. A little convenient? Sure, but it all works and it was captivating and entertaining as all get-out.

A highlight of the evening was the trailer for Peter Jackson's KING KONG. I don't think I could go wrong making the decision to see that film. Peter Jackson will hopefully be making films for years, or decades, to come.

evidence

le venue

Hmm. I recall buying a plane ticket and flying to Portland to see GbV play at said Crystal Ballroom. I remember it being quite the experience. Of course it was my only GbV show and only Ballroom show. Perhaps the experience is moot.

And my heart soared for a moment as well because I immediately thought JULY 20th, not August.

I only knew that Sufjan's new record was out yesterday. Thanks to Kris' comment at gar.rulo.us.
I haven't been as regimented in my Pitchfork visits since they changed the site over, so I haven't been quite as looped as in the past on such matters. I don't like the new site as much and I let them know in their survey.

The illicit album is out there if you're quick, but no more will be shipped. I did procure it.

Lumina Infinite

I caught up with this blog via comments at Kris' blog. I'm linking this post here because I am quite certain that the _____________________ will dig it. Word.

Lumina Infinite: Response to a Love Letter

Come On Feel The Illinoise

Why didn't I know that Sufjan Stevens had a new album out?

Raise finger 'here'

The Arcade Fire is playing. In PDX. On the 20th of August.

There's a huge-full page-spread in the Willy Week. For a moment, my heart soared-I was going to see one of the great bands of the year. I was going to see-

-Wait.
Wait.

The Crystal Ballroom.

Huh. Lessee. I could pay 16+service charges to see a band at a venue where the sound is so bad I might as well see the screaming chants of the monks of Peru, or I could use that money on beer and play a great record at home. And still have enough to go out for beer for me and the sweetie.

I think the choice is clear.

Goes great with my morning pastry.

I went to the kitchen for a drink of water, and maybe a beer, which I decided against. In the process I thought to myself, 'hmm...beer for dessert' and then I thought 'ah-ha...beer a la mode' which I thought was clever, albeit a brief moment. But that reminded me of this aberration I saw at the store today.

- if the shoe fits -

I learned a new word.
Google Search: define:laconic

Austin City Limits - 2005 Festival

Holy shit that is a lot of fucking music. I'm considering the fact that I ought to consider going to this thing. Carpe diem and all that.

Austin City Limits - 2005 Festival

What!? NO DELTA FORCE??

Maybe you'll understand the extent of my disappointment when I tell you that NETFLIX only has one selection featuring Chuck Norris and it's a Special Interest video.

Broken Habit

For nearly two years I faithfully employed the clicking mechanism of my mouse to take me to the Penny Arcade website. Somehow over the last year I've lost that habit. I've taken a few moments today to dig in their archives and see if I could pick up where I left off and get back in the groove. It will no doubt be some enjoyable reading.

I picked up this quote from there today as regards discussion of the film Requiem for a Dream. Tycho has a knack for syncing the reality of his thoughts with those of the readers. At least that's my take. Here's the quote:

J"Jennifer Connelly is hot to death. Staring intently into a mirror, I once said her name for an hour in the hopes that she would suddenly appear."

Ok. That's a bit weird. I just went to imdb.com to create a link to info about Requiem for a Dream and/or Jennifer Connelly and the blurb for Dark Water starring Miss Connelly headed up the front page of the site.

And since I was at imdb.com I looked up the movie The Cutter starring Chuck Norris. You won't want to miss this. A chunk of this movie was filmed, and takes place in, Spokane. Just try to deny me the bragging rights.

autograph.jpg (JPEG Image, 800x406 pixels)

Scanned this today. I'm sure I blogged about it last year but Frank Black came into my workplace last April when they played in town. I was able to get his autograph. Now I have a scanner and can display it to the world. Wee.

Heart

I recently praised the new Stars album Set Yourself on Fire. Well I recently bought what I believe is their first album Heart. Consider it praised as well.

Brought to you by the letters IPA.

Where's a Bozo The Clown bop-bag when I need it?

I had one of those, or something very similar when I was a kid. As fun as it was I think it would be more therapeutic as an thirty-something adult.

For those not in the know, my brain likes to play friendly games of the OCD variety with me. On occasion I can be quite irritated with this. Right now I want to hit something.

Consider Bozo on my wish list.

And to quote myself, "Yurg."