Quoter

Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; but remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.
Epicurus Greek philosopher (341 BC - 270 BC)

Conspicuous

In the face of Holiday sales, it's time again when I need to challenge myself to stop thinking about buying certain, unneeded things for myself and consider a target or goal to put my consumption in perspective. For example, there are two things I've been craving lately: a new pair of shoes and a new coat. It might be worth mentioning that for a long time now I have harbored four fetishes including bikes, hats, backpacks, and shoes. Lately, due to the fact that I'm outside more than ever before, I've added jackets to the growing list. This last obsession is at least a little more practical than the others... right?

I've taken inventory of the things I already have which includes nine pairs of various types of shoes and two winter coats. Damn. What this tells me is I need to get better about fulfilling the useful lives of these things before considering replacing them--and when that time comes around, I need to be more considerate about the quality and utility of each thing I buy. That last part has to do with things like proper fit, good materials, and multiple uses.

So, I have set two general targets for myself: no new casual shoes before my next birthday and no winter coat until next year. It will be a good exercise in self-control. Do I hear New Year's Resolution???

Hmm... I've only thought of one other N.Y.R. for 2009: run at least twice a week, every week. See how I am being specific? Oh yeah. Probably more to come...

If you have any fixations, feel free to use the Comments section as a therapy session of sorts. Or, if you have managed to transcend the binds of such mundane compulsions, take this opportunity to confess your superiority. But seriously, write something; participate.

Effin' Catalina Winemixer!

Back to work after a great Holiday up in Cleveland with C's family. I really enjoy spending time with everybody up there. I drank a lot of coffee and a lot of beer, in tandem, all the while eating lots of sugary foods. My first trip to downtown Cleveland, including a visit to the West-side market and Great Lakes Brewery, was a highlight. Also, watched Stepbrothers and Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Jess and Mike bought us some B.A. coffees, including a shade-grown, fair-trade Guatemalan light roast from Peace Coffee which is getting me super hyped for a day at the office.

C got me a computer for my bike which I hope to use to keep track of miles-traveled in 2009--something which I'll try to keep track of on this here blog. I was at first hesitant about needing the thing, but I'm getting excited to use it and learn about how fast I bike and how far I travel for certain trips. It was great to get back on my bike this morning--even though my body was totally out-of-shape after a week of not riding.

I'm sure there's so much more about which to write, but I need to get some more work done before another long weekend. Sue/Mom and Gary/Dad are coming down later this week to celebrate New Years as well as to help do some work around the house including install canned lights in the living room and hang some doors! I can't wait.

Big ups to C for buying all eight of us matching PJ's to wear on Xmas morning.

Seasoning

This card was designed by Damara Kaminecki. Click the link to her blog--really amazing art

I was trying to think of a good playlist to post--thinking back to some of my favorite albums from "back in the day." One I haven't heard in a looooong time is this: Dashboard Confessional's Swiss Army Romance. Sappy? Sure. Played out? Yes. Good memories? Chea. Enjoy it for the hot minute I have it up. Surely it will be changed soon.

DOOM TOWN

This weekend was the highly anticipated Gag/Red Shadows/Coffinworm show in Indianapolis. Chris did a great job pulling everything together and making it happen. You just can't beat a house show... except with a free house show with lots of cheap beer, some home-brewed porters, and a bunch of cool people. I'm really glad I made the commitment to Chris to play with the band and I can chalk this one down as another one of my glory years (but, this was not a last-hurrah). It reminded me of how great if feels to make music. Also I made some friends through the project and hope to keep in contact with them. This week I will work on downloading videos of the show.

Yesterday, our friend Zane and his family hosted a winter solstice party. There was a bonfire that struggled valiantly against something like 30 mph winds and 3 degree temperatures--but we weren't as strong. I'm glad we went though. Not only because the winter solstice is one of the best days of the year to celebrate (the beginning of longer days!), but because Zane is such a good guy. Incidentally I realized he rides a really nice fixed gear bike which blew my mind... While we were downtown, we got to visit with Jess, Mike, and a friend, Ed, while the dogs played, and retrieved some dinner fromThe North Star Cafe...

As for now, I have lots of work to do before leaving town for the holidays, so I'm gonna cut this short. Stay warm: it was reported that Columbus was experiencing a windchill of 16 degrees-below-zero this morning. Balls

Opposite of December

New playlist up in hurr:
Poison the Well's Opposite of December from 1999. Holy crap. I remember when I first heard this album--I had never heard anything like it; it literally sent shivers up my spine. It marries unrestrained emotion and sensitivity about love with crushingly heavy music with surprisingly light and melodic riffs. Later to be grouped as "metal-core" or "emo-core," it experimented with tough-guy music and "emo" sensibility.

Anyways, this scene blew up and died as soon as it surfaced in the mainstream, but it was great while it was fresh. In high school I was so taken by music like this; the passion, the love and hurt, the anger and confusion, the elation and recklessness.

I got to see PTW perform at Gainesville Fest in 1999, along with Red Roses For A Blue Lady, Walls of Jericho, Dashboard Confessional, and Stretch Armstrong. Maybe the best show I have ever seen. Thanks Mom for taking me there, giving me the opportunity to experience great music and friendly people.

I remember many nights of falling asleep to this album; once, crying to "My Mirror No Longer Reflects." Shit was raw.

Anyways, enjoy it

...and

hang out with J & M and bella

and bouclé all over Columbus-town.

--

In other news, I experienced divine intervention yesterday. It occurred to me that by simply shortening the chain on my bicycle [rather than waiting for my new crankset and buying a smaller chainring] and running my 42-tooth chainring, in the stead of my 52-tooth ring, I could greatly reduce the gearing [from 87.8 to 70.9 gear inches] and subsequently enhance the enjoyment of riding my bike in fixed gear mode... So, after a troubling bout dismantling my grimy chain, I shortened it appropriately and rode around in the street to try it out like a giddy child on Christmas day... The roads were still wet from melting ice--ideal conditions to learn how to skid-stop. Perfect.

Speaking of Christmas-come-early, C bought me some wicked good slippers that are blowing my mind. I even brought them to work to wear at the office today. Sipping coffee, wearing slippers, and blogging. Shit. I need to work. I'm out

i just want to

ride my bike

and hang out with C

and alden

This isn't just the coffee talking

I'm feeling great today

I went out to the Homestead (at Denison University) last night to visit with Chris and Nolan who were driving through Ohio to West Virginia. I got to hang with some of the current Homesteaders and retrieved my old acoustic guitar!

Also, I bought a new crankset for my bike on Ebay. This means I can finally mess with the gearing... Hopefully I might be able to sell off the stuff I'm switching out to recoup some of that dough, making it "stupid cheap"...

C made killer vegan sugar cookies last night; I've got pizza for lunch; this is my last full week of work for two weeks; this weekend is the Gag show and Nolan will be there... shit, what else?

I dunno. Just felt like counting some blessings for a few minutes...
--
New playlist... Light This City's album,
Facing The Thousands. It's metal music - not for the faint of heart: BYAH!

No name post

It's a gray Sunday. C has been painting doors. I've been... watching Ebay and growing a doom-errific beard to prepare for the "Gag" show this weekend. Also, practicing my bass lines and drinking beer to get ready. What else? Drinking lots of coffee. Bought the movie "A Mighty Wind"--haha: "Wha' happened?!" Watching football--Bengals are winning... This weekend is the winter solstice--almost halfway done with these short days, right?

I love C--she's been cooking some really awesome stuff lately. I don't think I do enough to repay her for how well she treats me...

C made the point that someday soon Work-life, for everyone, may have to make a compromise of sorts with Self-sufficiency (i.e. making stuff, growing food, etc.). It's a good point. I'm looking forward to next year's garden: more vegetables, stuff to freeze, stuff to share...

Last thought: thesauruses might be better than dictionaries

Mastodon

If you're looking for a good time--and by a good time I mean a healthy dose of DOOM--check out this playlist of Mastodon's album, Remission. If you feel hesitant to listen to any of it, do me the favor by listening to the second track, March of the Fire Ants. It will blow you away. I've been groovin so hard to this album all day. It might even replace the Kanye playlist despite the fact that RoboCop keeps getting stuck in my head.

I've been learning the "Gag" songs Chris wrote and they are nothing less than epic. John said Chris was the J.R.R. Tolkien of writing songs, and as it happens that I hate reading books, perhaps I disagree because I love this music... Just kidding; I understand the allusion...

Work can seem... so pointless

If you've been sleeping...

...you might not have noticed the playlist on the right side of this blog with the new Kanye West album, 808's & Heartbreak. It's pretty decent, overall. I can't help but think some of the songs are biting Phil Collins, or something along those lines. "RoboCop" is straight up goofy--should've featured Chris Brown, or a cameo by Bow-Wow. Also, you might recognize "Street Lights" as it was featured during the last episode of Grey's Anatomy. "See You In My Nightmares," featuring Lil' Wayne, hurts the flow I was feeling in the album. I'm not sure if I don't like that particular song, or if I just hate it {Lil' Wayne exerpt: "You think your shit don't stink, but you are Missus P.U." What?! That's dumb.}

...you might not have realized that weather is getting wintry (read: crappy). I've been biking every day though and have been pleased that during my last few commutes I've felt overdressed. Too warm, that is, as opposed to too cold. I guess that's a good problem. I'm still trying to fine-tune my idea of appropriate attire. With a pair of jeans and some long underwear, plus the occasional rain paints over all, my legs have felt great. On top, I've been wearing a t-shirt, a long sleeve tee, a button-up or sweater, my puffy jacket, and either my rain jacket or other winter shell... I think my most cherished article of warmth is my fleece neck warmer. I just wish it were a little longer and didn't hold on to the moisture from my breath, because after a while it gets soaking wet. My fleece beanie has been good to me also. Two things I've been struggling with keeping warm are my hands and feet. Naturally, my fingers and toes tend to get (and stay) ice cold in the winter. I haven't figured out a great solution yet. I care to have some dexterity in my fingers, and that is compromised by increased insulation. My feet need to fit in some tennis shoes, so I can only fit so many layers of socks; plus, my shoes and socks get soaked when it's raining... oh well. Overall, I feel really good and proud about my warmth. The other obstacle I need to surmount is the snowy & icy bike path that is neglected by city crews. My mountain bike gets goin when the goin gets rough, fa-sho.
I feel like I should be keeping track of the miles I commute by bike. Not sure why I haven't, or why I would. It would be interesting to add it up, but I don't think it would blow my mind. I would guess I've been biking an average of 12 miles per week...

...you might not have been keeping up with Get Buck. Brandi's been posting some great quotes, like this one and this one.

...you probably haven't heard any good Doom and should go listen to some. I recommend Gates of Slumber. haha

Capital of DOOM

This weekend I visited my college roommate, Chris, in Indianapolis. He's been writing music for a Doom band called Gag--which, surprisingly, will include me on bass for the band's one and only show to be held in Chris's parents' basement in two weeks, just before he moves to Portland, Oregon. Yeah, it is that chaotic. We had our first of two practices; the second of which will be on the day of our show. It's gonna be brutal.

My eyes were opened to the strange and hypnotic world that is DOOM. After practice, Chris and I went to a Doom show to see four Doom bands, before going to the after-show to see two more bands that were full of Doom. It was doomalicious. This has led me to believe that Indianapolis may very well be the American capital of Doom--and I mean that in a good way. All I can say is that Doom is heavy and full of soul and, after four beers, it will put me to sleep.

The other two guys in the band, John (guitar) and Patrick (drums), are awesome and I'm pumped to even have met them. They used to be in a band called Angelville. John is married, has a great house, lots of pets, and a really really (really) awesome bike. The similarities are even more eerie: we both got married on the same day of the same year and had both asked Chris to be in our wedding parties. I can't wait for C to meet John and his wife because I think it's so cool to meet another couple that, in my opinion, shares so much in common with us. Too bad Indy is as far from Columbus as it is...

Anyways, I'm excited about this project. It will be the band that Chris and I always wanted to start but never did during the four years we lived together. It's been so meaningful to me and I want to thank C for being so supportive. The music is amazing. I'll try to make sure to get video at the show and post it on this blog. The show will be December 20. Be there and prepare to get a face full of Doom: Doom to the face--Woop!

Prop h8

Here's a funny video called "Prop 8 - The Musical." It features a plethora of funny comedians including Jack Black, the Walk Hard/Stepbrothers guy, the Doogie Howser/How I Met Your Mother dude, the dude from The Office, a woman from SNL, and the tatt-ed up comedian chick, and more people I recognize but can't name who's past roles I can't place...

I think it is an abomination ("Obama-nation!") that Proposition 8 passed, restricting the rights of many Californians and further entwining Church & State.
The video does a good job of highlighting several hypocrisies of those who translate the Bible literally. Unfortunately the people who produced the video didn't think of this until after the election...
I don't know enough to understand if the amendment can be re-amended through a vote in the future, or perhaps by some sort of federal action. I did hear an interesting comment on NPR a few weeks ago that stuck with me, though. I need to paraphrase here, but the comment was along the lines that overturning the amendment (by way of all the protesting) would signal the failure or undermining of democracy.

Apples

They are a perfect food. And the sound of an apple is that of puppy dreams and rainbows.

When I was a freshman in college, I had the opportunity to tag along with a small group that included a couple of professors and students from somewhere around Wooster to attend a conference titled "Students for Sustainable Agriculture" in Madison, Wisconsin... I think. The whole trip was a whorl-wind and the details were hazy from the start. All I knew for sure was I didn't have to pay for anything, the trip in the van was 8 or so hours, and I was going to a part of the country I had never visited.

Along the way, one of the professors pulled out a bag of apples--probably local and organic, based on the theme of the weekend. As she was talking, she took one out and began eating--that is to say, she never stopped talking, but continued as she crunched through each bite loudly, slurping and crunching, such that I imagine she was gasping for breaths in between the chaos. At first I was grossed out, but became fascinated that she was talking and eating that crisp-slash-juicy apple at once. I don't know about what was the conversation. I am suspicious that all five of us were eventually eating apples and talking. It was marvelous. It gave such life to the apple, as if the perfect sound of an apple was channeled through talking while it was being eaten. It includes that low, muffled bellow that is made when your mouth is full and you try to shield the fact from your friend while continuing to talk; your jaw is hung out a little more than normal as if to hold that food like a plate; your tongue slips to the back of your throat to prevent choking and make space for both food and sound. It defines the collective sound of farms and autumn and sustainability and positive energy...

I am eating one now--a Royal Gala--and the loud, crisp crunch and slurp together fill the relative silence of my closet-sized office.

And it is imperative that a crispy apple be chosen. I'm no connoisseur, but highly recommend Fuji and Galas. No "Red Delicious" for me. That mushy shit has got to go.

Go buy (or pick, then buy... or grow, then pick) a crispy apple and eat that ish off the core. Swim through the sound and make sure it is extra loud. If you can, find someone with an apple and have a lively conversation while you both eat so that chunks of apple flesh and juice are exploding from your mouths like joyous fireworks.
--
Ok. I'm being a little too sappy here. Admittedly, I really have to be in the mood for an apple--and usually I'm not. Today, I've been hungry all day--so, needless to say, I was really feelin that apple... I didn't mean to belittle puppy dreams or anything. Enjoy at your own risk.

Winter Wonder

Thanksgiving just passed and it seems like we're moving full speed ahead towards winter. I think this is the reason I've been contemplating, more seriously, how I want to spend my free time. In the summer, there's no question that time should be spent outside, in the garden, on my bike, or with Alden. As the temperatures have dropped, I've found myself in front of the TV more and more. I've managed to find a lot of shows that I enjoy watching. But my conscience has been pestering me to find something better to do. C and I talked about limiting our television time, and instigating a reward system to "earn" time to sit and zone out. I'm struggling with ideas for good alternatives. I would care to crochet another hat--this time for C. Also, I would like to make use of the sewing machine we borrowed from our parents--maybe make some useful winter layers, or convert my old army duffel into a messenger bag... Read a book, maybe? Cook? In the dead of winter, I will hopefully find some motivation to order seeds for next years garden. Maybe I'll make more art...

Ball-buster: Attack on Hipsters

Here is a totally brutal Adbusters article excoriating hipster-ism.

An artificial appropriation of different styles from different eras, the hipster represents the end of Western civilization – a culture lost in the superficiality of its past and unable to create any new meaning... While previous youth movements have challenged the dysfunction and decadence of their elders, today we have the “hipster” – a youth subculture that mirrors the doomed shallowness of mainstream society.

I don't have enough time to react to the entire article. It's a scathing critique of "hipster" sub-culture, which [it claims] lacks purpose and originality unlike many youth movements preceding it (punk, hip-hop), and rather it steals from those counter-cultures, while being wholly manipulated by the mainstream. That is, hipsterdom is just fashion. It's not anti-fashion, nor is it apathetic to fashion. The look, which was probably born from creativity and frugality (think thrift stores), is now mass produced and consumable in every facet of mainstream society. The way is shallow and dumb and narcissistic.

There are a couple cheap shots about fixed-gear bicycles. My only complaint is that bicycles (of any type) should be free from association in such criticism. Granted, bikes should be accessible and free from co-optation by elitists. However, I find that by making bikes "cool," cycling might be encouraged in a society built for the automobile to revolutionize how we live, work, and travel.

The article makes good points, but makes no attempt at offering a redirection for the so-called misled youth, save the part about picking up a rock instead of holding an iPhone or something... I guess I would suppose that skinny jeans and passionate, creative, revolutionary purpose aren't mutually exclusive. Now that we got the scolding out of the way, let's be helpful.

Don't do drugs.

I originally found the article here.

Board

In the interest of avoiding world wide w'redundancy, I'm including a link here to a bmx video (re-)posted at Trackosaurusrex.com. Lately, I've been really geeking out on fixed gear bike videos that have been comin out--a branch of freestyling that basically evolved from BMX.

When I was younger, we skateboarders used to despise BMX-ers and inliners (a.k.a. aggressive rollerbladers). I'm not really sure why there tended to be a breakdown of respect among the three factions that fell under the banner of Alternative Sports. I guess one reason comes to mind: BMX bikes used to blast huge chunks out of wood surfaces and the metal and concrete edges of "obstacles," thereby really fudging up the buttery smooth grinds to which we skaters aspired. Anyway, the rivalry was unquestioned. Sure--these barriers were occasionally transgressed as a skater and biker would find some common ground, but generally the spheres were essentially isolated (due to the respective nature of each sport), without much overlap, and the potential for a tight bond was strained.

These days I've stopped making time to ride my skateboard. The few times I have, I feel stiff and heavy; I barely cruise or carve, let alone pop or flip. I feel like an anvil, and trying to jump is as hard as if I were fighting some force pulling me in the opposite direction. The wood feels stiff and flat and cold; the wheels, like stone or clay, with no forgiveness.

Fortunately, my body has found refuge in my bicycle--with it, I've found a familiar connection with the ground, akin to the connection once afforded me by my skateboard. I move fast and organically. I bounce and dodge and absorb and launch. I claim the street. I learn, intimately, the surfaces of the pavement and sidewalks, and take in the scenery around me. I push and exert myself.

The BMX video above--besides blowing my mind--squelched any remnant barriers between biking and skateboaring in my mind. It's an inspiration to get outside and rekindle that connection with the ground; to live and play, daily, with the world as my playground; to be creative and foster new style; to learn something new and improve my abilities; to share that connection and enjoyment with others...

blizz

word is bond

Alden - Birthday #1

Alden is 1 year old today! Here he is with the birthday card sent to him from my mom and Glenn. Wooha

True

C baked a pumpkin pie,
I whipped up some heavy cream
We were meant to be

"Chill yourself before you kill yourself" and other thoughts

"Chill yo'self before you kill yo'self"
was precisely what I said to Alden last week when he was getting particularly raucous on a walk outside. I made it up and now you can use it as you see fit.
--
I had an epiphany the other day about my bike and hopefully I'll get it done this winter. I'm going to switch out my chainwheels and get a track cog that is larger than my freewheel so that I can flip the free and fixed sides of my wheel and ride different gear ratios with the same length of chain. Brilliant! I will have a higher gear for the "free" side and a lower gear for the fixed side so I can avoid busting my knees trying to slow down or skid... This is doubtful, but if I were truly ambitious I would even try to repaint the frame...
Here's a little vid for your viewing pleasure, via Trackosaurusrex.com:

Fixed 2 from Charge Bikes on Vimeo.

Rambo

My childhood dog, Rambo--the dog that my sister and I lovingly referred to as our brother--recently fell ill and was put to sleep yesterday. He had to be 15 years old, or more. The last few times I saw him he was in poor health: bad sight, poor hearing, and, lately, he could barely walk or stand.

His health plummeted in the past week and doctors could find no hope for his recovery. My mom was faced with the extremely tough decision to let go of him so he could move on to a better place.

I appreciate my sister and her fiance (Andy) for helping to support my mom during this time of loss. My mom and her fiance (Glenn) have lost several dogs recently due to old age. I'm sure all this has been very hard on both of them--but I know they are helping each other get through.

Rambo was a good companion and he will be missed sorely by all of us.

Snow, Art Contest

It might not be the official start to winter but we woke up to snow today, experienced a (figurative) blizzard of gigantic flakes, and currently have a quarter inch blanket of whiteness as we are heading to bed. I don't care much for this season, but the first snow is exciting and makes me nostalgic for "hot chocolate" and "peppermint" and all those other winter things. Alden is really excited by the snowy ground too. You could see the expression on his face when he first stepped outside this morning: "What the f---?!"

Blue Moon Brewing Company finally posted up the art contest winners and finalists on their website. Visit this site, if you wish--you'll need to enter your birthday, click the "Art Project" flash, enter your birthday again, then find your way to the Columbus gallery. Big props to the person who took home first place, but boo to the others [<-- that's my poor sportsmanship side coming out]. If you care not to go through the hassle, here's a picture of the original. (Have I posted this yet?)

Maybe the judges were offended by the image of a beer-bellied, large-nipple'd sasquatch irresponsibly guzzling a beer. Oh well. I can't make everyone happy.

BDayShoutOut

Big ups to Jessica Love for having been born 27 years ago, today.

Check out her flicks and hire her to photograph something before you lose: boo-ya

She's got a sharp eye, which explains her impeccable style, and her passion for life is clearly the driving force that produces such powerful photos.

Happy birthday, again, Jess--you are good folk. I've never been interested in photography until recently--you inspire me with your dedication to document the lives we are living and your desire to find more life to live.

Kanye West - heartless

After hearing two of his latest songs (i.e. heartless & love lockdown) I've decided to post them up and need to declare: Kanye West is a genius.

link to playlist here

Weekend Update

One of the top stories since last Wednesday has been the record-setting sales of guns across the U.S. following the election of Barack Obama. The Columbus Dispatch reported this morning that one gun shop near Salt Lake City sold nine "assault weapons" on the day following the election. A young mother in Virginia was interviewed while buying one of five guns she has plans to purchase before Obama takes office in January (article). I can appreciate the fact that her "family relies on game for food," but suspect that an additional five guns, on top of the guns they've been using for their subsistence, might suggest something greater. It seems that paranoid radicals are quickly building an arsenal of weapons--and this might be the most important part--of the semiautomatic variety.

Do they know something that we latte-sipping urban elitists don't know? I think a revolution is brewing.

I can empathize with the gun enthusiasts. I was enthralled with the anthems of punk bands that were warning of the police state of a corrupt government that was manipulated by a wealthy upper class. These politi-punk kids dreamed of peaceful anarchy but seemed ready to fight (ideally with a Molotov cocktail) to "smash the state." Similarly, pro-gun activists want to be able to protect themselves from the government, should an occasion arise. It makes sense in a paranoid kind of way.

But when we're talking about an AK-47, we're not talking about hunting for game or protecting one's family from an intruder. We're talking about an apocalypse. We're talking about an all-out war against the un-dead.

That's right: Zombies. I don't know much about them, so I'll wrap up my dissertation, but let us all take a moment to not only reflect on the charmed life we've led until this point but also the impending zombie war and the revolution that might just end it.
--
In other news, I was interested to learn that getting the NRA to endorse McCain was like pulling teeth. This has me wondering if the paranoid radical conservatives would have been spurred to buy more guns had the election gone the other way. Then I remember the zombie war--which causes me to forget the previous thought--and I am comforted that a few brave men and women, and their children, will save the earth from tyranny after all.
--
Also, over the weekend I witnessed a parked car with a license plate that read "NO OBAMA." I suspect the man or woman has a pretty impressive tattoo on his/her forehead that says "No Clinton" from the election in 1992 or something else that was temporally relevant and will forever after be out-dated. It has me wondering if "NOBAMA" was already taken. I'm not sure this person supports McCain--or Hillary Clinton or Ralph Nader for that matter. Although we can all agree he/she is definitely an Obama-hater. Either way, I was floored at the hilarity of the choice. I mean, I am stupid enough to wear bright blue shoes, knicker-length shorts, and a beanie-like cap every now and again, but the next day I could be naked as a blue jay.
--
I still have shingles. It sucks and I have some blisters on my hand. I feel like Quasimodo.

+ Happy Birthday to Sue Love who came to celebrate in Columbus this weekend! Woop woop!

Reflection 08

Senator McCain's concession speech really touched my heart last night. His words were eloquent and gracious and he captured the historical importance--for all of America--of this election of Barack Obama to be the next President of the United States of America. It grounded my perspective, which had until that moment been so partisan and divisive.

This morning C and I turned to Facebook to see how our peers were reacting to the news. I was a bit shocked to hear the response of a few "Republicans." Words included referring to the "U.S.S.A." and a bitter declaration that the outcome was an excuse to not get a job after college and feed off the government. It is cynicism like this that I would expect out of a Democrat. In fact, during the past 8 years (which is the extent to which I've had any interest in politics, or an ability to participate), words similar to these characterized the sour sentiments of all Democrats regarding our Republican President. For that reason, Democrats had been characterized as Anti-American and unpatriotic. I'm not free of this charge. I have been very displeased with President Bush and am guilty of participating in the slandering and caustic rhetoric. Until now, most Republicans have been "proud to be American" and have proudly touted their "Country First" slogan. But now, following the election of Barack Obama, the tables are turning, and I'm hearing for the first time some Republicans expressing Anti-American thoughts. Granted, this is based on a couple Facebook statuses, but I expect the sentiment is more widespread.

While I am currently ecstatic about the historical importance of Barack Obama's election to the Presidency, I know the excitement among us will eventually subside and our expectations will challenge President Obama to hold true to promises, reach across the aisle to bring together our two major parties, and be the transformative President that we all should hope he will be.

Election 08

It's election day. Hope you last-minute voters aren't having too much trouble casting votes. C and I walked over to our "spot" around 6:00am and were out within 20 minutes after voting began (which was 6:30am).

I spent the rest of the day planting 150+ trees with some others in Dayton at a mitigation wetland. Besides the fact that it pushed our lunch back a few hours, the work was fun. The sun was out and I won't even mind the sunburn I probably got. It will be eclipsed by the tingling of my "Sh-erpes." Feel free to use that new word: it is a hybrid of "shingles" and "herpes." I think "Shingles" makes people uncomfortable, and "herpes" is worse. Sherpes is fun. Kinda' like Sherpa--and who doesn't want to know a Sherpa?

Aside from NPR, I hope to avoid election coverage tonight. Nothing will be decided before tomorrow and I'm sure it will just drive me nutty.

Nap time! PEACE!

You know when you get that tingly feeling all over...?

So, a higher power decided to help me figure out a costume for Halloween. I was to be a Roof. No, not really. But I apparently have Shingles. That's right: the varicella zoster virus (A.K.A. herpes zoster (A.K.A. same thing as chickenpox, but different (A.K.A. this fuckin sucks!))).

Here is a really colorful description of my recently latent friend Shingles.

Basically I've been experiencing sharp, pinching pains along the right side of my body, a burning rash of blisters on a small, isolated spot on my back, and tingling, sensitive sensations on the skin all over my torso.

I guess I've been harboring this virus since I had chickenpox as a kid, but my immune system decided to take a break and shit went haywire. Am I emotionally distressed? I don't think so. As I understand it, this should be my only Shingles outbreak for the rest of my life.

Oh well. That's all the venting I want to do about it. Tonight C and I went to see Olympic gymnasts at the Tour of Gymnastic Superstars. That was pretty cool. The best part was C being really excited to go. The second best part was rhythmic gymnastics. Then we hung out with J&M--they had bought Alden a little shirt that says "Bark for Barack" on the back of it! How rad.

Ok, it's Saturday night and I'm ready for sleep. Peeeeeeeeace
--
Here's a video to lift your spirits. Special dedication to Brandi Lee and all the hippies at the Homestead.

Today is Halloween?

I just heard a sound bite of "Joe, Plumber" giving his surprise, out-of-left-field endorsement for "real American, John McCain." I've not been following Republican rhetoric too closely over the past week or so, but I've heard enough to piece together that Republicans have revived the lies that Obama is a terrorist and not a "real American."

On Wednesday, C and I watched Obama's prime-time television spot or uninterrupted "infomercial" of sorts. The best part--which C pointed out when it was over--was that there was not one mention of McCain. It was all very forward-looking and positive and full of solutions. I have a strong suspicion that a spotlight on McCain would have been very different, and focused on Obama.
--
And apparently, today is Halloween. I'm disappointed that I'm not prepared at all. I've been out of town all week, I have no costume, no candy to pass out, and no pumpkin! I have to even stop handing out candy early to get to my soccer game this evening. It's all quite a bummer. Hopefully I'll find some time this weekend to eat candy, carve a pumpkin, cook some seeds, and dress-up Alden. Maybe I'll make an Obama pumpkin...

Voting happens on Tuesday, for those of us who have not voted early. Coincidentally I am taking a "personal day" on Wednesday, and was pleased to realize I might be able to use the day to either (1) recover from a long night of celebrating or (2) pack and move to Canada. Ha. Just kidding America, I love you.

Signing off,
Dave The Scientist

Cam-pain

Apparently John McCain has launched his "Joe The Plumber Tour"--which is ironic for many reasons that surfaced after "Joe" Wurzelbacher's fifteen minutes of fame during the last Presidential debate. It is another example of how the McCain/Palin campaign is relying on the beat-a-dead-horse tactic, hoping to win votes by repeating lies and untruths so many times that some people actually believe them. The RNC is taking up any slack by suggesting Obama is a terrorist, for example.

Meanwhile, Alan Greenspan just admitted "the free market ideology that had guided his life and dominated world capitalism for a generation did not work the way he thought it would" (source).

I have great hope that Obama will be elected President, but feel bad that I haven't done much to help promote him, outside of this blog. I'm not convinced that setting up a yard sign will make a difference, but I don't want to go door-to-door or intrude on peoples' personal time by making phone calls on behalf of the campaign. It's a shame to feel so useless at a time when I feel so passionate about this candidate.

I am proud to say that C and I just cast our votes, through the power of our wallets, for our new favorite radio station WOSU, 820AM Columbus--the local NPR broadcast station. I'll add a link on the right. Internet radio, especially NPR, has been a great source of music and news, as well as interesting stories and other great information.

Ok--I just sent off a pair of vintage eyeglasses to have lenses installed. That's about all the news that is news... Enjoy the weekend

Work It Out

Besides the fact that the first video is HI-larious, you gotta admit how similar the dances are... Props to Brandi for realizing the similarities. This post is dedicated to my mom, for many reasons

Enjoy Life

I finally figured out the only reason to be alive is to enjoy it.
Rita Mae Brown

I hate being away from home because of work. Not only do I enjoy the good company of C and Alden, and the comfort of our house, but I also feel terrible when I'm away and am not able to help with the chores, forcing C to shoulder all responsibility. Monday I left town to go on two-day business trip, like I've done many times before. Sometimes, trips like these, or even long day-trips, really wear me out. The work can be rough, the conditions can be awful, and by the time I return to our doorstep I can be downright miserable. There have been many times when I walk through our door and expect C to run up to me, with all kinds of pity and sympathy and unconditional happiness to see me--as Alden does every time. But to expect that has been a selfish fault of mine--C's job is as physically and mentally taxing, and the job of taking care of Alden for an entire night and morning alone puts my efforts to shame. As much as I need it, C needs the same amount of excitement and enthusiasm and sympathy from me the second I see her. So yesterday, I made sure to go straight to her, with a huge smile on my face, and give her the biggest hug she could imagine. I thanked her for the great dinner she made and for taking good care of Alden and the house. I had even brought home Graeter's ice cream, knowing well that black raspberry chip ice cream is a great way to help swallow some of our daily frustrations. To come in the door with a smile and to give/get a big hug was much nicer than I had hoped.

Later in the evening C turned on some music and set off another one of our increasingly frequent dance parties. I'm not a big fan of participating in structured dance (e.g. ballroom style), but really can't deny C my cooperation. And fortunately I did start dancing with her because things got silly and, after getting kicked really hard in the head, we both enjoyed really good, uncontrollable, boisterous laughter. I love laughing with C. In fact, I would say that C laughing is my favorite thing in the world. It goes well beyond being satisfied, beyond being simply happy. Laughing so fully is the best indication that you are really enjoying life--the only reason to be alive.

So, I guess my lesson here is to get better about not wallowing in defeat, not expecting sympathy or pity, and to rise up with a smile on my face and give the love and appreciation I hope to receive. It's well worth the little bit of effort. If you want to enjoy life, you better expect to put some work into it and to stay positive.

+PMA+
Positive Mental Attitude

Buju Banton - Til Shiloh

Link to album Til Shiloh on IMEEM.com

Updater [updated]

1. Great soccer game on Friday. I got a lot of props from my teammates about my game, which was really uplifting.

2. Saturday C and I traveled to KY (by way of Cincinnati) to experience my grandparents' annual "weenie roast" down on the farm. The set up was perfect, the food was endless, and the best part was hanging out with family I don't often get to see. My grandpa was in high spirits, despite the cold. Two memorable things he said were: (1) "The truth is better if you lie a little bit," and (2) when asked if he wanted to go home because he was cold he said something along the lines of, "No I'm okay, I'm not cold. I'm only freezing. I'll go in when I warm up and get cold." Oh yeah, when Grandma was looking for the switch for the headlights on his golf cart and a flashlight, Grandpa said he didn't have either of those. She said, "Well you just don't have anything then." And his response was, "I have a hot wife." [Apparently my language doesn't translate precisely what he said and how he said it--I've not managed to insert the amount of "cuteness" and enthusiasm with which he talks. But you gotta believe me] What a good time. Unfortunately C and I felt like we needed to get back to Columbus, so 7 hours of our 13 hour trip were spent in cars. The good part of that was 3 of those hours were with Amanda and Andy, and I've appreciated all the time I've had to spend with those two--getting to know Andy and see what their relationship is like. He's a good guy for sure.

3. Frost last night--not sure how that will mess with some of our especially young plants (kale, lettuce, cilantro...), but it seems to be okay.

4. Getting the house clean today--that's always worth the while. A clean house is very calming.

5. Gonna go on a long walk with C and Aldy to a nearby nature preserve. The sun is out and really warm--it could be one of the last really beautiful weekends we have left. Go enjoy it. PEACE!

"One good thing about music..."

"...when it hits you, you feel okay." - Bob Marley

Hey party peoples. How are you? I'm good. This week has been a busy one--hence the lack of blogging--and the next few will carry on the same way. Last Friday, during the midnight soccer game I rolled my ankle and wrecked it in a gnarly way. I blame it on the cleats I bought and had never worn. Also, I was getting pretty aggressive and playing my best game yet. Anyways, the whole team played well and we won.
At work, I've been in the field every day, wearing rubber boots with no support whatsoever, walking steep inclines and through rocky stream beds. Sucks. I have a soccer game tonight, and expect to play, but will take it all easy.
Last night, C bought a Sizzla album (reggae) and it's really making me feel good today. It's a sort of "greatest hits" album. Anyways, it's good music.

I'm not sure what it is about reggae music, but I always feel good when I'm listening to it. Whether it is slow and mellow, or up-beat ska/roots reggae, or a heavy dub mix, it fills me up. It's good to dance to, it can ease oppressive summer heat, and it can warm a Midwestern winter.

So, go find some good reggae. If you don't know where to start, I recommend Bob Marley, or Sizzla. It will make you feel good. Check out Pandora.com and create a Bob Marley "radio station." Actually, this is one I created: check it out.

[Brandi--I hope I don't sound like a total dork. You probably have a lot of insights about reggae. Feel free to school me on it. Say word?]

Scienterrific!

Yesterday was a great day at work--I traveled to southern Ohio, hiking around some impressive topography surrounding a landfill to check out stream quality. Fortunately, for us, the stream beds were mostly dry, so most of our time was spent looking for salamanders and we found four species (The photo above is of a tentatively-identified Slimy salamander). Plus we returned home several hours earlier than we expected and I had the insurmountable pleasure of eating Carlyn's homemade pizzas (Greek, BBQ, and sausage).
Right now I'm getting hyped on some good coffee and music by The Promise Ring after an eye exam I had scheduled this morning. Turns out my right eye cares to wander in certain ways (upward, that is), independent of my left eye. When my brain is tired, it stops trying to control this habit and then I have fun, late-night double-vision. Or "beer-eyes" as I should call it. It's like beer-goggles, but without the goggles. When the doctor was testing this, I was cracking up.
Tonight I have a soccer game at midnight. That should be a good time--hopefully I'm not much more useless than I have been during our earlier games.
I'm looking forward to a fun filled weekend of family, football, and fund raising. (We're participating in a Walk for Autism on Sunday). Cooolness.
--
In other news, I just learned about an interesting amendment/add-on to the $700b "bail-out plan" that was recently passed: inclusion of the Bicycle Commuter Act. This amends Section 132(f) of the IRS code of 1986 to include “bicycles” in the definition of transportation covered by the qualified transportation fringe benefit, thereby extending commuter benefits to bicyclists. More info is found here. Not sure if this helps me out much, but I might pass this on to my boss to see if he can do anything with it--he bikes too!
I'm out

True hope responds

"True hope dwells on the possible, even when life seems to be a plot written by someone who wants to see how much adversity we can overcome. True hope responds to the real world, to real life; it is an active effort." - Walter Anderson, American painter
--
+ listen: Mogwai

Bore of the Same

I've been largely uninspired to post recently. When I'm not working, my mind has been occupied with Alden, C, or the competition for the White House. Unfortunately, this Presidential Circus is getting boring. While I heartily (and sadistically) enjoyed the Vice Presidential debate last week, and really enjoyed Saturday Night Live's spin on the event, I've been getting weary of all the malarkey--especially of that coming from the Republican camp. Anyways, I'm sure many others feel that way about Democrats, and all-in-all, it's exhausting, frustrating, deflating, and lame.

--

In the face of my writers' block, I decided that I might begin an on-going series of biographical posts introducing cool people that have made an important impact on my life or generally inspire me. I would feature a photo of the person and a description. I could even include a little interview or questionnaire completed by that person. Maybe if I exhaust the seemingly endless list of cool people I know personally, I could extend my series to people who I've never met but of whom I know. So, get excited. This ish is about to get crazy good.

Bon Iver

Perfect.

Nick & Norah

Since A Day in the Good Life has accumulated the impressive number of 2037 (and counting!) visitors, I've become quite an authority figure. As such, I was invited to be one in a select, discriminating audience privileged to critique the not-yet-released film, Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist. Not really--but J&M did find some free passes for the "sneak preview" last night. I'd say, overall, I enjoyed the movie. The film takes place over one day in the life of our emo-punk hybrid protagonist, Nick. Generally, the portrayal of the indie/punk scene made me shutter. I understand it is nearly impossible to capture the raw essence of a punk show and believe a director should steer far away from the attempt, or should consider outsourcing the effort to someone with a more intimate understanding. While I don't expect a director of such a mainstream movie to "hit the nail on its head," my bar of expectations is not too low. Here are a couple of knit-picky critiques I had:

Twice in one particular scene, Nick was referred to as "a straight edge" (where "straight edge" was used as a singular noun!). This had my blood a' boiling. "Straight Edge" should fall behind the article "A" when it is being used as an attributive adjective, never as a substantive adjective! In other words, either say, "I am straight edge," or "I am a straight edge kid." (Thanks Wikipedia for the hasty grammar lesson.)

Also, Nick's band-mates are overtly homosexual. This offered an excellent opportunity to name-drop homosexual activist punk bands (e.g. Limpwrist, Pansy Division). I'm sure there are many more. Character details like this seemed to be completely lacking while they deserved at least a little attention.

In the end, this love story had my heart tingling. There's nothing greater than the igniting young love between soul-mates overcoming conflict. It made me want to be in a band again, but with a broosh sleeve of tattoos. C would be my Norah.

What was more exciting, was the brisk bike ride through downtown Columbus between Jess & Mike's crib and the theater. Hopefully J got some clean nighttime photos en route.

The distance

In just a matter of time, A Day in the Good Life has shattered the 2000 mark and is plodding its way towards 2030 visitors. I feel like life has been packed full of eventful happenings and the internet has taken a backseat to more urgent matters. The most massive of these priorities has been Alden's flea problem. Fortunately, it's not a huge infestation-size problem--but it is a persistent one and we're going insane trying to find a remedy.

On a positive note, the fleas have kept our minds off the looming financial crisis. Other than our (fixed-rate) mortgage, we don't hold much (if any) debt and all our other assets are cash. I wish I understood better the pro's and con's of the governmental "bail-out." Supposedly it would be bandage the expanding wound that is the collective of our economic problems. Probably, it would be more of a tourniquet. As little as I make sense of it all, I suspect there is some irony in the whole situation. Capitalism is looking for a socialist solution; Wall Street is the new family on Welfare; stocks are the new food stamps; republican economic solutions are the new democrats' massive government. I know these formulas are over-simplified. I also understand that a lot of Republicans are opposed to the proposed bail-out--but I don't know why. The proposal doesn't appear to be a partisan issue. Why are people opposing the bail-out? Are they holding on to laissez-faires economic ideology? Or is it that they just want the bail-out restructured in some other way? What would that plan look like?

I am resisting the urge to get panicked. Carlyn's car is about to kick the bucket, as they say. I've been wondering if, in the name of simplicity, we should trade-in both of our cars for one new one, and learn to live as a one-car household. The question would be, would we get enough in trade to minimize our cost and save enough by eliminating car insurance, that we could afford a car with little to no debt and in fact save money in the long run? Thoughts?
--
In other news:
1. The glasses I ordered (pictured below) were too small so will be returned, just as I will return to search for the perfect pair of vintage frames! Wish me luck...
2. Carlyn's parents invited us to join them in Hocking Hills over the weekend. They rented a chalet with a beautiful hilltop view. We hiked the ~6 mile loop between Cedar Falls and Old Man's Cave--which is at least three times longer than the longest walk Alden has ever completed. He made it the whole way with no complaint! I was super excited and proud of him. Overall, the retreat was much needed and really appreciated.
3. This weekend, Carlyn's mom brought down another shipment of plants from her garden to get us started on our lawn-less landscape. Hopefully by this time next year, our front yard will be exploding with biomass/habitat/food/color!

Post-2-K

Supposedly, this blog is about to burst through the "2000 visits" mark since I first applied the web counting widget months after I started the thing. As of ten seconds ago the count was "1,997." I guarantee an overwhelming majority of those visits were me furiously editing, checking, and re-editing every post I publish. Nonetheless, I feel very satisfied that the page is getting as much traffic as it supposedly is--even if many virtual passers-by are accidental intruders that stay only long enough to realize this wasn't the website they hoped it would be. So, thanks to you, everyone.

I don't have much else to report... My poison ivy is subsiding and I didn't have pink-eye. It's Wednesday, and I'm already getting nervous for my soccer game on Friday. I bought these vintage eyeglass frames on Ebay and hope they fit....

Pass the ruckus - Part 2: Brandi Lee Gets Buck

I cannot remain silent any longer: my friend Brandi Lee is running a blog called Get Buck and it is perhaps the most enjoyable website I visit on a daily basis. Brandi is from Brooklyn, she happens to be the coolest person I've ever met, and she's proving it daily. Get Buck is a growing treasure trove of quotes, video clips, thoughts, photos, music, and links. Absorb all of it you possibly can.

On a quick note, I met Brandi in Louisville, KY, back in...1999? 2000? After she moved back to NY, she invited me to travel across the country with her. We drove from Cincy out to LA, then over to Austin, TX. She visited me at Denison a couple times and even came out to our wedding last year. Brandi is the hardest working, most loyal, and most genuine person I've ever met in my life. I'm truly grateful to have met her and to have the honor of keeping in touch with her. Anyways, check out her blog. And go buy some of her art

Say word?

Hooligans

I just got home from my first indoor soccer game. Long explanation short, it was a rough ending for a rough week, although hardly cathartic. I was surprised to find out that I really REALLY suck at soccer. I was like a blubbering idiot on the field--but damned if I didn't run the entire stretch, back and forth, back and forth. The guy who organized the team was trying to give me some tips while I was playing. When that apparently didn't help, he asked if I had ever played basketball. I said, "Yeah, and I sucked at that too." Hopefully he enjoyed the laugh he got out of that. If you've ever seen the movie (or read the book), Fight Club, imagine those guys if they formed an indoor soccer team. Then imagine the warehouse where they built two fields to play. That's what the experience is like. I felt like I was thrown into the deep end of a pool... with sharks. And the sharks are all really good at soccer. In fact, the sharks are all obsessed with it. I played as hard as I could and may have contributed with a few steals and blocks and scare-tactics. We have some really good players on our team, The Tools, and they were all generous with their support and compliments. The final score was 5-2, them. Anyways, I hope I improve dramatically over the next eleven games.

In other news, in addition to the spreading poison ivy, I believe I've been cultivating "conjunctivitis" in my right eye throughout this entire day. This means I might be able to justify the $75 co-pay to visit the Urgent Care in the morning to get prescriptions of steroids and whatever it is that clears up pink-eye. It also means I get to schedule an eye exam and maybe treat myself to a new pair of eyeglasses.

Pass the ruckus + horse power

You may have noticed that I have set up the navigation bar on the right side of my blog site to be a dashboard filled with all the sites I visit almost daily. In case you've managed to restrain yourself from visiting those sites as much as I do, let me pluck one, whose latest entry deserves more attention:
Only One Manda - Choose? You Can't Make Me
All of Amanda's posts are thought provoking, let alone brilliant. This particular one was inspiring and encapsulated many of the feelings that have stirred in me: the conflict of being an enthusiastic proponent of life, but also considering myself pro-woman's-choice. Anyways, feel free to visit, or not. Either way, I'll rest easy knowing I made an effort to prod you in the direction of this piece of writing. In fact, I recommend bookmarking the blog and reading it often. Amanda is what I would call a Theological Scholar, so take into account the uniqueness of her perspective.
--
Not only is this a "tip of the hat" to Amanda, but it's also a way of shirking the responsibility of coming up with something better about which to write. Yesterday I made a prediction that small towns in America will experience a resurgence of transportation by horse. I would care to know how expensive a gallon of gasoline will need to be to make it cost-effective for a person in a rural area to ride a horse to town to run errands... Anyways, that's what I whipped up, and didn't feel like it was so inspiring. So, enjoy Amanda's thoughts and then go do something great.

peace - D

grumplestiltskin [amended]

Brutal winds pushed through town yesterday. It was a pretty awesome occurrence unlike a wind storm I've ever experienced. Fortunately it seems that our house and yard kept pretty solid, with the exception being most of our tomato plants.

I don't have much else to write about--I'm at the office early this Monday morning, getting prepared for a full week of long, torturous days in the field. As much as I understand how beneficial it could be to be full of positivity [C has been teaching me about The Secret--shhhhh], instead I'm full of resentment.

Part of the reason could be the poison ivy on my right arm, the yellow-jacket sting on my left arm, the fact that both of those things were acquired during the... volunteer work I did on Saturday morning..., or the random rash that has been hangin out on my back side for about a week or so...

peace!

[It's now two days later--Wednesday--and the week is going a bit better than I had expected. Today we spent a short bit outside--trying out new equipment for applying herbicides to narrow-leaved cattail--but the rest of the day is to be spent at the office. I was dropped off at home for lunch, took Aldy on a walk/run in the nearby field, and biked to work. Also, the cattail control we're expected to do over the next two days should be easier and faster than we originally anticipated. That said, I'm doing fine--despite the fact that the reaction my body is having to the poison ivy has spread to both my armpits! So, sorry for sounding so desperate and miserable on Monday--but it was apparently just a case of the Mondays... I'm looking forward to Friday: my first indoor soccer game. The rest of the weekend will be spent in Cleveland and will include the celebration of my grandfater-in-law's (Papa's) birthday... Ok, peace f'real.]

Probama

Craigslist beef? Bike Nerd v. Bored Asshole

Generally I think Craigslist is amazing. Not only can you find wonderful new and used things at a great price, but it also serves as an outlet to sell unwanted things locally, giving new life to one person's trash.

What transpired yesterday in the bicycle section of Columbus' Craigslist absolutely infuriated me, on several levels. All I wanted to do was to try an sell some jeans that fit me poorly. One anonymous person decided it was his mission to derail my efforts by posting a scathing critique.

I'll enter the two original posts and part of my rebuttal, which was never published, and rightfully so.

My original post - SWRVE cycling jeans $70
I bought a pair of SWRVE cycling jeans (http://www.swrvecycling.com/jeanscotton.html) and they fit a little bit too big on me. The size is 30x31. I'm probably more like a 29 or 28. Either way, I've worn them a handful of times and washed them once--they look unused. Let me know if you are interested. They sell for $100 + shipping. I'll sell them for $70 -price negotiable
[here is where I included some details about the quality of the jeans]. Here are better pics on a UK site: http://swrve.co.uk/jeans.html
The company, out of LA, is really awesome and I'm bummed these didn't work out

Within a matter of a couple hours, our anonymous antagonist posted this:
really?? I typically keep my thoughts to myself, but 100 for a pair of "bike riding" jeans. Never had a problem riding my bike in my regular ole jeans (11 dollar walmart rustlers and damn I look pretty good) didn't realize there was such a high demand for a better pair of jeans to ride bike in. Or is it hey look at me I ride bike and I have those sweet swrve jeans. Whatever, to each his own I have just never heard of such a thing in my life. Good luck I'm sure there's another total bike nerd out there that would love them I'm a 36 so I can't help. Keep on ridin whatever you decide to put on the bottom and take care

Now, I expect that this guy is not alone in thinking he would never spend $100 on a pair of "jeans". That's fine and I don't care--which is fine too! I didn't post this item for sale to hear from anyone the reasons why they don't want to buy the jeans. Craigslist is not a forum for debate.

Beyond the fact that this guy had no business to post his demeaning response, his assumptions and criticisms are flawed. I wouldn't venture to argue with anyone that their pants are inferior to anything I wear--like I said before, I don't care! But let us, for a moment, compare $11 "Walmart" Rustlers to $100 SWRVE jeans. One internet source described that their Rustlers (owned by $7 bill/yr VF Corporation), purchased from Walmart, were made in Mexico. Also, I'll mention there's an organization called Wal-Mart Watch which is "a nationwide campaign to reveal the harmful impact of walmart on american families and demand reform of their business practices." SWRVE jeans (owned by Muriel and Matt, two cyclists that started a company of clothing designed specificially for cyclists) are handmade in the U.S.A. Highlights of Walmart Rustlers include: "men's jeans," "belt loops," and "fabric: cotton." SWRVE cycling jeans boast: "made of 98% cotton with 2% Lycra for ease of movement[;]...seamless gusseted crotch, articulated knees, lower front and a slight rise in the back, back pockets that fit a mini-U lock...[and a] reflective strip on inside right leg that is exposed when you roll up your cuff." Which one is better? Neither. To each his own, for sure. I would probably rather wear one than the other, but I wouldn't dare make someone feel ashamed for choosing differently.

This guy chose to open his offense by saying "I typically keep my thoughts to myself" then says things like "to each his own" and "Keep on ridin whatever you decide to put on the bottom and take care"--as if this somehow amends his dastardly comments or repositions himself as a person free of judgment of others. WHAT THE FUCK! In the response I had crafted and tried to publish on Craigslist I wrote this: "Me trying to sell some jeans has nothing to do with the fact that you are 36, or ugly, or that your idea of a good time, unfortunately, is to haunt Craigslist and make fun of peoples posts. I don't know what's more lame? Saddle up on your Magna or your Next, in your Walmart Rustlers, and try a little harder to keep your thoughts to yourself." I had hoped to expose him to hurtful assumptions to show him how hateful and unnecessary his post was. I don't need to justify my purchase of those jeans to this guy or any other stranger. I'm confident that the quality justified the expense and that, in light of how else I spend and save money, I could afford them. Fortunately I don't think what I had written as a response was published--and it shouldn't have been, just as his post should have never stained the pages of Craigslist. I suspect that the only outcome is that anyone who read his response was put off enough to stop considering buying the pants I am selling.

Anyways, to turn a negative into a positive, I learned a good lesson here: don't judge or make assumptions about what people do with their money. Case and point: Religious conservatives turn out to be more charitable than secular liberals. Be gracious and charitable and don't go out of your way to make someone feel shitty for no reason.

revival

This is the first weekend in a long time that we didn't have anything planned and it hit me like a car. It's a great feeling to have nothing to do--and it's even better to realize all the things you want to do to fill that time. I spent a lot of Saturday outside, planting some more spinach, kale, cilantro, and a lettuce mix in the garden. Then I performed some heavy-duty overhauling on the cherry tomato plants, pulling off rotten fruit and clipping off spent branches. We were so overwhelmed with cherry tomatoes early in the season that I had been neglecting them over the past few weeks. After that, I plugged in some creeping juniper shrubs and a rhododendron in the front yard. All the while, C painted us a new canvas for our bedroom then painted our front door a refreshing teal color [picture to come].
Sunday morning we met up with J&M for breakfast at North Star downtown. The rest of the afternoon was spent cleaning our house like maniacs. I managed to get down to the bike shop to get a fixed gear cog put on my bike. That ish is ridic.
Tonight I also had my first (and maybe only) practice for the soccer team I just joined. Some people from C's office formed a team for the local, indoor, co-ed, "fun" league. I think we're called "The Tools." That should explain how serious we are. Everybody was super nice and it was painfully clear that I really suck at soccer. I think we have enough experienced players that our team will put up a fight each game. I'm sure there will be a lot more to say about all that after games start--Friday nights, starting September 19th.
Currently, I'm exhausted and am going to be disappointed at the lameness of this post when I re-read it tomorrow...
A la prochain

RNC speech

In light of the most recent post of my brother's blog, I've deleted almost the entire entry that I started composing last night during the RNC. This morning I added a lot of cynical interpretations of the party's stances on certain issues including marriage, social conservatism, and "real energy independence." While I disagree with Ryan that he should refrain from inserting his personal beliefs in his blog, I was inspired by his desire to "withdraw myself from the political mudslinging that permeates the television, newspaper, online news sites and blogs." I realized that everything I had written was as negative as the attacks that were making me so angry and that it would be best to try to write with a positive outlook.

However, I had already quoted a part of Mike Huckabee's speech from last night (which, coincidentally, inspired the title of Ryan's post), and I want to keep it:

"I'm not a Republican because I grew up rich; I'm a Republican because I didn't want to spend the rest of my life poor, waiting for the government to rescue me. John McCain doesn't want the kind of change that allows the government to reach even deeper into your paycheck; pick your pocket, your doctor, your child's school, or even the kind of car you drive, or tell you how much you have to inflate your tires."

This really made me angry. It really trivializes social services and care for the environment. The last few words say to me, "Don't worry about making technologies more efficient--that's laughably unimportant and has nothing to do with the 'Real Energy Independence' that only involves drilling." I think it also unfairly polarizes the working poor from their government. I agree that one's ability to keep themselves above poverty is admirable, but can't stand that others would be against developing government programs aimed at providing service to help pull others out of poverty. Is it not true that poverty in our society has the potential to send one into a downward spiral and entrench them in that poverty? Health care and education are tools that might help those people. I can't reconcile the claims made by Republicans that Democrats are seeking to "redistribute wealth." Certainly that is at odds with Capitalism and I have trouble seeing any fairness in that context. I suspect there are better ways of social organization that diminish poverty, while remaining fair...

All said, I can only rely on my own actions and hope that other individuals will be charitable and compassionate.

One down

On Monday, C and I celebrated our ONE YEAR wedding anniversary! It's almost hard to believe that one year has already passed. I say "almost" because I'm not completely surprised. C is an amazing person. I never get bored of spending time with her. She has great ideas that keep us doing good things--despite the few times we've hit ruts of boredom, we usually find something to do. For this reason, time slips by us. Also, I believe marriage has afforded a profound sense of security and peace between us. I'm grateful for all thatshe is and all she gives. I'm constantly learning how to be a better person, and hope she feels the same way about me.

And, as if it were a Saturday afternoon infomercial (if you act now you will also receive this free gift!), I married into the best family I never could have imagined. C's parents came down over the weekend to help install a ceiling fan in our bedroom, overhaul our landscaping, and treat us to dinner. The best part was that they had saved the top tier of our wedding cake and brought it. It was AMAZINGLY good--better than I remember. J stopped by on Monday with a gift she crafted, plus a plate of some awesome almond sushi and a sweet card. Terry sent us really beautiful messages of love and congratulations. I never thought I could feel like such a loved member of a new family.

I'm blessed to have met C and knew that we were meant to be together from day one. I'm constantly attracted to her and I know that feeling will never fade. She is the greatest gift I could receive and I hope to provide her with the best life she could want.

As you can see in the picture above, C and I celebrated the first anniversary of our marriage in a very permanent way. Think of it as a metaphor...

Buzz

Tina Fey v. Sarah Palin

Interesting strategy. Checking out Wikipedia, it seems like Palin is pretty down to earth and really into ethics in politics. Apparently, McCain needed youth [it's said she is three generations removed from him], disadvantaged status, and inexperience on his side to compete with Obama.

I am excited to see how SNL takes advantage of the similarities...

Countdown (updated)

C initiated a timer to limit our internet time in the evenings. I'm very much in support of the timer--it's a reminder that we've got better things to do.

In other news...
Some thoughts on Election 2008...
John McCain and his campaign have enjoyed attacking Barack as elitist, and Democrats in general as out of touch with the working class. Well, if the party leaders (i.e., presidential candidates and the one running mate named thus far) are an indication, those thoughts are twisted. I decided that this is the biggest reason why I am so tough on candidates' wealth--especially Republicans. It has been that the McCain campaign has tried to paint a picture of Obama's out-of-touch lifestyle, when the opposite seems to be the case, in those terms. Also, the McCain campaign has attacked Barack's "celebrity" and the emotional response his campaign has conjured. Is it to be interpreted that Republicans are proud that they aren't emotionally inspired by their chosen leaders? Barack has been attacked for his ability to speak well and the "words" he uses. These attacks aren't surprising when you realize the attackers have probably thought highly of our current President's orations. [I don't think I need to provide links to videos of examples.] Sorry to sound so partisan. I'm not so delusional to think that "Republicans" and "Democrats" are uniform and separate, but in the context of a two-party election, everything is so polar, and, honestly, I find myself "left of center." Not to sound cliche, but one thing that gives me "hope" is that Obama seems to really cross party boundaries. I "hope" that's not just an illusion.

Another thing that's been on my mind: Budweiser, the "great American brewery"...turned Belgium brewery. I wonder when all their commercials will stop being so American-proud? With as many commercials as I've seen, I've become very cynical of the symbolism and imagery they present. If they continue, it will be the biggest, most laughable irony, crammed in our faces all [American-] football season long. I'm sure many people have written about this topic, but I haven't made time to look it up.

Time's up!

Greed Life

This just in: Good Life clothing company (A.K.A. GLIFE or GEELIFE) of Montreal capitalized on the name that I wanted for my dream company name. This appears to be their mission statement:

Born out of the inner revolutionary stance of everyday street life, at GOOD LIFE aka GLIFE we strive to create art & fashion-forward collectables that reflect our dedication in defining what inspires us NOW… so we can avoid waking up one morning to the horror of having what we all love being defined for us.

Lame.

Collectables? Not only is the word misspelled, but I believe the "GOOD LIFE" should have nothing to do with collecting. Investing is good. Upgrading is fine. But collecting? Don't argue semantics with me--I'm talking about hording stupid shit, keeping it in mint condition (i.e., not using it), and then expecting others to be impressed by your piles of shit. That's dumb. (At the same time, I see value in general record collecting, preservation, and maintenance of other historically relevant artifacts, so don't get it twisted.)

While I realize that all the ideals I've loaded into the term "Good Life" wouldn't ever be embodied in something material, and buying material things won't transfer the thrills and enjoyment of a Good Life to a consumer, I'm still sore that the name has been taken and abused. Of course my definition of the Good Life is meaningless to the next person, but I will continue to live as if my vision (despite its ever-changing nature) is the one and only.

If I had a company that was based on the (real) Good Life, it would have integrity. It wouldn't be cheap designs slapped on shirts. Granted, their concepts are similar to designs I've created in the past, and are akin to designs of other brands that I would care to emulate, but it's been executed in poor taste. I would hope that my company wouldn't even be primarily focused on the merchandise--it's about the message. GEELIFE's Good Life is filled with gang signs, dollar signs, and a crown that looks like the Intel Inside logo's inbred, clip-art cousin. A few collaborations with some established names and Glife is rolling.

Anyways, jealousy and envy have got my blood boiling right now.
Lesson learned? Get on it.

Thoughts about reading, work

Let it be known: I don't like to read. In most cases, I read slowly, and often need to re-read parts of or entire sections of the printed material, whatever it is. What's worse is even this strategy fails to result in a permanent deposit of the information in my memory bank. I quickly get bored and set the book down, possibly returning to start from the beginning at a later time. I do well with short articles and video clips. I don't believe I have a "learning disability," but feel free to leave a diagnosis in the Comments section...or perhaps an interesting fact you may have picked up in a book recently.

I do admire the person who enjoys reading and recognize that there is an endless amount of useful information and advice contained in printed pages... I'm not sure where this leaves me. Fortunately for me, our society is super-saturated with electronic media containing concise bites of information. Some of it is bunk. Take my commentary on the 2008 Presidential Elections. Most of the information I include is useless, emotionally charged opinions. That's not to say it's baseless, but it is rather useless.

So, back on topic: I hope to read something one day. I'm not sure where to start, or when. I guess I'm usually drawn to non-fiction materials (the most boring of all) as they seem to contain the most "bang for your buck," as far as "learning stuff" is concerned. I'm just not sure when I'll make time for it. I don't think I ever have a free moment. I'm either working, playing, fetching, or resting. If I get a free moment, I can find something with which I would rather fill it.
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Speaking of personal behaviors, I also want to talk about work ethic. I don't care too much about the work for which I am employed. I'm not "invested" in it as much as my boss would hope. I get paid for 40 hours of work, and care to be present for only that many hours. My boss sees it differently. As I am an "exempt, salaried employee," he would have me working well over 40 hours (but never less). He has lost sight of the fact that I am invested in my home life (my wife, my dog, my house, and my hobbies) and expects me to take some stake in the company--motivation to work hard without compensation in the short term. One of these days this fact might become unavoidable, or it might change. For now, I am getting by, as they say.
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Oh well. Enjoy the new blog header. The photo was taken by Jessica Love. I've also made a few other amendments, like changing colors and adding a couple links of sites I enjoy visiting.

Stay up! D

lion life

"it's better to live one day as a lion, than a thousand years as a lamb"
New music project by Zach de la Rocha and Jon Theodore

The Goods (Plus, "Everyday is the Worst Day")

Been thinking about employer-employee relationships, or tensions, lately, and remembered there's a band called Employer Employee. I looked them up and they are really good. Their style sums up that very tension on which I've been dwelling. I think my friend Brandi used to listen to them, no? She probably did. I can imagine her imitating a mosh pit like, making a face like she's singing, like: ----!!!! Nevermind. Ha

John McCain...I forget what I was going to say. Not sure why I feel compelled to attack his reputation and his campaign. I wouldn't hesitate to say that I've been very negative against him and I'm not too worried about it. Today I heard a sound bite of an interview with McCain in which he was asked how many homes he owned, and he declined to answer. He had to check with his staff or something. At a later time he claimed four homes, while an attack add by Obama claims seven. Supposedly McCain has four residences and other "investments." Does that matter? Not really. But it irks me.

Also, I can't figure out my bike tire and that makes me feel really stupid. And when I feel stupid, I get angry. Like, piping hot mad. Ask C. Haha

Also #2, I came home to find that Alden had eaten an entire bag of dog treats. What a jerk!

This is the most pointless entry.

out

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Post-script
I "figured out" my bike tire! Apparently my car-powered air pump just sucked and the floor pump I purchased at the local bike shop did the trick...

Also, "Everyday is the Worst Day" was C's suggestion for today's blog post. We're both exhausted from the additive effects of small problems and stupid happenings that seem to have been more frequent than usual. However, I'm sure even she will admit that we live a charmed life.

Say word?

Deflated

On my ride to work this morning, two men in a pickup truck yelled at me to "Get off the road!" as they passed while revving the engine. As loud as I could, just short of cupping my hand around my mouth in appropriate bullhorn fashion, I responded "Fuck you!" It appeared as if they had then entered into a lively discussion about cyclists' disregard for the rights of motor vehicles, affirming their correctness and moral duty to remind me of where bikes don't belong. I recall shaking my fist in the air in a comical, grumpy-old-man sort of way, but I don't think that really happened. I was really hoping the stop-light ahead of us would have turned red so that I could pass and give them an angry look, or to offer them a brief lesson on Ohio roadway legislation; although, I never think "on my feet," as they say, and the whole incident might have escalated into fisticuffs. Almost simultaneously (but unrelated to the ignorant hecklers) I heard a succinct "POOF!" underneath me and concluded I ran over some trash that usually lines the margins of the road. About 100 feet later my deflated front tire sounded the buzzing moan that characterizes the resistance of flabby rubber on pavement. Fortunately, my commute to the office is a short one (~1.5 mi) and I was already two-thirds of the way there. So, I walked. I regret not having a spare tube with me--and I look forward to being better prepared next time, especially if I find myself much further from my destination, down a creek without a paddle, or up a creek with a bike instead of a boat, or whatever...

I've decided not to interpret the flat as karma; a supernatural sign that I shouldn't curse loudly in public or shouldn't respond to ignorance with anger and ill-will. Instead, I've chalked it up to out-of-the-ordinary obstacles trying to derail my enjoyment of biking that add up to an eventful morning before a mundane day at the office.

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By the way, cyclists are allowed to be on the road and are allowed to claim the full width of the lane as necessary for safety in certain situations. In some (if not most) cities, bicycles are legally obligated to be ridden on the road, as it has been proven that biking on sidewalks is generally unsafe.

Original B.S.

Not sure what to write about today.

Drinking coffee in the morning really gets my brain spinning so fast that I can't help but do work when I'm here. I mean, I try exceptionally hard to think of things to look at on the internet, or to write about on my blog, to no avail most days. And even if I do, I do it so fast that it's over in an instant!

So, let's take a walk down this road...
Are you kidding?
Washington's broken. John McCain knows it. We're worse off than we were four years ago. Only McCain has taken on Big Tobacco, drug companies, fought corruption in both parties; he'll reform Wallstreet; battle Big Oil; make America prosper again. He's the original maverick.

Battle Big Oil? What the F is McCain's definition of Big Oil?! One of his most distinquishing platforms, currently, is off-shore drilling for "our most vital resource" (his words as heard on NPR this morning). Not only do I believe this ad is the biggest crock of unsupported shit, but then the advertisement cares to sweep it under the rug with that last, irrelevant line about being the original maverick.
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In other news, one analyst on NPR suggested a potential running-mate for Obama could be Colin Powell. This would certainly afford weight behind Obama's bipartisan politics. It would also lend foreign policy experience and military involvement to Obama. I'm totally with it, although Powell has admitted he has very little interest in such a position.