Hey, let's go ride bikes!

Return to Greatness

2006-09-18T21:36:00.000-07:00

Dipika's triumphant return to the blogosphere has instilled in me the drive, nay, the compulsion to update this bad boy. So without further ado, I present some seriously ADD thoughts I've gathered over the past several days.

I despise the term "blogosphere."
It is an obscene amount of fun to mess with people by wearing the shirt depicted here out in public.
Compiz/Xgl is freaking gorgeous. Vista who?
It's a lot harder remembering all of these ramblings now that I'm actually writing them out. Next time: notes.
Dropping triple digits on a first date? Not a good plan.
I really, really want a Wii.
I swear I had more of these. I'll do better next time. Baby steps and all.

On a side note, "Blog more" was one of my resolutions set for 2006. I've dropped the ball on that one, I think. Including that, I set 11 New Year's resolutions for myself. Of those, I have actually followed through on 2.0-3.5 of them, depending where we draw the line for completion. Of those that remain, I'd say I have a decent shot at completing all but maybe one or two, and even those are in the realm of possibility if I really steel myself. We'll see. Anybody want to go to a hockey game or Yosemite National Park?

How's 2006 looking for the rest of you?

Expliqueme Algo

2006-06-02T23:09:00.000-07:00

So I'm up in Boston on business and, like most hotels, they have these cute little cards around the room declaring that we must conserve water by reusing towels. It briefly outlines the process for doing your duty to save the planet (a completely inane goal, but that's a post for another day): simply hang any towels you wish to re-use instead of leaving them on the floor. Fair enough. I reuse my towels at home, why not at a hotel? So I leave my towel draped over the shower curtain rod and go off to attend several hours worth of training. And what do I find upon my return? Well, let's survey the room: new toiletries (the old ones had been used once at this point, keep in mind), a made bed, and oh, what's this? Freshly laundered towels and wash cloths.

Now, I'm a big advocate of effective personal hygeine but come on now. This is the second hotel I've stayed at in the past month that has had these signs and completely disregarded their intent. Furthermore, I discovered that they had placed one of these adjacent to the room service menu, on top of my bed, as if to draw my attention to this vital piece of information that would, it would seem, be utterly ignored, here, as the fate of the planet hangs in the balance.

I have this weird habit of mentally labeling normal, everyday occurences with Fark news tags.

The verdict:

Perfection

2006-05-13T12:43:00.000-07:00

Wow, it's been a while. Let's see if I still remember how this works...

If you're like me, there's a room in your apartment [house, mansion, shanty] that's constantly in a state of flux. A new decoration here or there, some moved furniture, new color scheme, more this, less of that, whatever it is. For me, that room is the kitchen. It seems like every time I clean my kitchen, it ends up looking different from when I started. The addition of some new appliance, or an idea I have about how to improve efficiency when the mad scientist is at work in his lab, or whatever the catalyst, fuels this urge to make some change.

Now, this change may not always be a positive thing. It may not be negative. Maybe the only difference is that instant of hesistation when I need to get, say, a knife from the block and my brain isn't quite trained to the new configuration. Maybe that's enough sometimes. Maybe it isn't. Maybe if I move it 6 inches to the left.... no, to the right. There. Perfect.

Except there is no "perfect" in the kitchen. It's organic, alive, constantly evolving. Sure, it might meet a Darwinian dead end or three along the way, so we just take a step back and try again.

I don't have this problem with other rooms in my place. The living room is easy: HDTV front and center, flanked from all directions by speakers. The couch and recliner merely serve as an altar to pray to the gods of High Definition and Dolby. The bedroom: a bed, some clothes and way too many shoes for a hetero male. The bathroom: well, you get the picture.

Now this is not to say that these other rooms have reached their highest form of evolution. Merely that their growth is driven by, shall we say, more apocalyptic events. The housing equivalents of floods, earthquakes (knock on wood), meteors. That type of thing. At some point you just decide you've had enough and *boom*, an afternoon spent straining to move that dresser to the other side of the room (for the record, it's much easier if you take the drawers out first). And a day nursing your shin or toe after you forget where your bed is in the dark. But I digress.

So I dug a little deeper, convinced there must be some metaphor lurking to shed some insight into life or what's it means to live. At least, what it means for me. Your mileage may vary.

In any event, I have concluded that my life lacks a kitchen. The living room, bedroom, dining room, bathroom? All systems go. Moving 3000 miles to take a new job in California? Check. Tired of the same workout routine? Hey, I know, I'll start Tae Kwon Do and a Crossfit regimen. Bored in a relationship? We need to talk...

Anyone in my family will tell you I've never had a problem coming up with crazy new ideas and seeing them through. But, alas, the kitchen. Where's my work-in-progress? Some might say "Well, hey, your whole life should be a work-in-progress." And to that, I say, true. But that seems pretty obvious. Who are are is the aggregate result of our chipping away at imperfections. We are the result of starting down new paths, and then deciding when we want to keep walking, and when we want to go back to the fork in the road and try again. And sometimes (though increasingly more rare) we're the result of veering off into the wilderness and seeing where we end up. I get that.

So I come back to the kitchen.

I remember reading somewhere that Michelangelo was once asked how he created such masterful pieces of art. And he replied simply that there is a statue hidden inside of every piece of stone and it was simply his job to free it. What should I be chipping away at? At what point am I going to step back, cock my head to the side and say, "Ah, there it is?" I need a project. A work-in-progress. I need a kitchen.

Because, dammit, I'm hungry.

The Game

2006-01-16T23:13:00.000-08:00

My apartment is clean. The fridge is stocked. My laundry and dishes are done. Valentina's got a full tank of gas. I've got my gym membership set back up. And it's only Monday.

I do believe it's time to make the donuts.

Better Days

2005-11-22T23:36:00.000-08:00

And you ask me what I want this year
And I try to make this kind and clear
Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days
'Cause I don't need boxes wrapped in strings
And desire to love and empty things
Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days

So take these words
And sing out loud
'Cause everyone is forgiven now
'Cause tonight's the night the world begins again

And it's someplace simple where we could live
And something only you can give
And that's faith and trust and peace while we're alive
And the one poor child who saved this world
And there's 10 million more who probably could
If we all just stopped and said a prayer for them

So take these words
And sing out loud
'Cause everyone is forgiven now
'Cause tonight's the night the world begins again

I wish everyone was loved tonight
And somehow stop this endless fight
Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days

So take these words
And sing out loud
'Cause everyone is forgiven now
'Cause tonight's the night the world begins again
'Cause tonight's the night the world begins again

Better Days by the Goo Goo Dolls

Flock

2005-10-23T21:55:00.000-07:00

Hmm this is pretty hot. Flock is a Moz Firefox-based browser with a bunch of social networking stuff added in. I'm posting this from the in-browser blogging tool. It's integrated with Flickr and everything. Let's try adding a photo from my stream to this post...

That right there is part of the reason my pobre coche is in pain right now. It was freaking cool looking though.

Nifty little app, I guess. Pretty unstable (it's not even to Beta status, this is Developer Preview), though, so unless you're a masochist, probably safer to hold off. It's cross-platform though, and runs pretty fast in Linux. One to keep an eye on, at least.

Jadam is a cheater

2005-10-16T22:08:00.000-07:00

BTW, Minkus wins the Napoleon contest by default, because the Missile tried to pass the answer I gave him off as his own. And because they were really the only people playing.

The rest of you suck.

Recap

2005-10-16T21:26:00.000-07:00

Yeah, yeah, I know, it's been a while.

Work is... work. But it's good. It's interesting and I have lots of freedom, which I think is a good thing. I think I've been spending too much time there though.

So here are some highlights from the left coast:

Let's see, a bit over a month ago, [a friend of a friend] won the "Live Like a Hilton" contest that Maxim had. He wrote a really good essay about why he deserved a pimp weekend in Vegas. We've hung out a few times and he was kind enough to extend the invitation to me. So Dave and I rolled out of LA and into LV on Friday the 9th. I'm going to be intentionally short on details because the article hasn't been published yet but if you want to hear the whole story, let me know. Maxim bankrolled the entire weekend and it was... swank, to say the least. They rented out the penthouse suite on the 53rd floor of the Palms, overlooking all of Vegas. Even the shower overlooked the strip.

So Friday we got settled in then Dave and I hit the strip for a bit. That night there was a party up top of the Palms at the Ghostbar, which was rated like the best bar to meet single people in Vegas.

Saturday we had a private cabana roped off down by the pool. That was pretty awesome. Dave noticed that random folks were taking pictures of us assuming (rightly) that some among us must be worthy of having our photos taken.

Saturday night was Nicky Hilton's fashion show, which was a most excellent experience, then we had VIP passes to a party at Rain, voted (by someone, apparently) "The best nightclub in Vegas".

Sunday morning we had the cabana again, and were accompanied by the Palms girls. Teh hawt. Ah crap, their site has music. Ah well, at least it's decent.

Awesome weekend. Mad props to [nameless friend] for hooking it up.

So, after returning to civilization... Ahh yeah that part sucked. But it's been good...

... mostly. I freakin scraped up the passenger side of Valentina on a post in my parking area. In my defense, the Gods were conspiring against me. There was a missile launch from Vandenburg that lit up the whole sky. I got my own pics but haven't pulled them off yet. Add to that that for SOME reason, the light in the car port was off and I was on the phone with Dave getting information about what the freaky streak across the sky was. I blame fate. I'm just sorry V had to get caught up in the middle. What did she ever do to deserve that?

I got an estimate for the damage and almost laughed in the guy's face. When, in the name of Zeus' BUTTHOLE, did it become so expensive to repair superficial damage to a hunk of metal??

So okay, what else... I am getting back into my workout regimen and diet and feeling pretty good in general, though it sucks so much to see all the gains I made earlier in the year have been negated somewhat. I worked my ass off for months and was making serious progress across the board. It will be good motivation to not relent this time around. At least I'm starting from a better point now.

I just started doing Taekwondo at a Do Jang in Long Beach. The Master is a 6th degree Black Belt and former World Champion. I am in decent condition in some ways, but it's definitely bringing my shortcomings to the forefront. Namely, flexibility, off-hand (foot) dexterity, and core strength. All things I've known I needed to work on, but now I am really getting it pounded into my head, so to speak. This is awesome, by the way. Great cardio work-out, self-defense, self-discipline, and it's fun! The class environment reminds me a lot of crew practices--busting my ass physically and mentally under the instruction of a coach who is intimidating, yet has my full respect. It's a great feeling to walk off the floor dripping sweat. Haven't felt like this in a while.

Alright this is starting to get long. It's raining here, which is strange, but very nice. I've been reading more than usual, playing fewer video games, but watching more TV. Cooking more than I have been, but cleaning less. Spending more money than I should be, but on things I enjoy. Blogging less than I should be, but getting back into my photography. Trying to strike a balance between work, play, my sanity, my relaxation, my fitness, my desire for consistency, and my desire to try new things.

Peath out, for now.

Grandma just called and said you're supposed to go home!

2005-08-30T21:30:00.000-07:00

I had briefly considered making the last round a trick question, just because it was so easy. I mean come on, Minkus got it. I'll give Sowers a virtual point for being so clever.

Now the current challenge is a bit tougher. I originally didn't think this one would be a valid location for our game, but upon recent review of the movie in question, I have determined that it is possible to get the correct answer. However, because of the difficulty I will award two (2) points for this one. This would be a good time for the slackers who have yet to put any points up to catch up with those on our leaderboard.

If you vote for me, it will be Summer all year round

2005-08-25T18:41:00.000-07:00

And JAdam answers back with a correct answer, bringing the current standings to:

The Missile (2)
Minkus (1)
The entire rest of the world (Tied at 0)
Cuv (Some large negative number)

Here we have another incredible photograph of a mystery dwelling. Whose it be?

OT: I got paid today!

It's probably the best drawing I've ever done

2005-08-17T17:26:00.000-07:00

So Minkus ties it up with JAdam with his correct response (took ya long enough, though). Indeed, that was the site where Napoleon picked up his date, one miss Trisha Stevens.

For round 3, we're going to mix it up a bit. To take this round, tell me what character works in the store depicted.

Get off my property or I'll call the cops on you!

2005-08-13T23:29:00.000-07:00

Round 2 of Name That ND Landmark continues with this beaut.

The "Missile" leads the competition thus far with a score of... one.

Hey Summer, wanna play me?

2005-08-10T22:56:00.000-07:00

I said before that there would be more to come from my trek to Preston, ID. So, let's play a little game, shall we? I present to you Name That ND Landmark, Round 1.

The rules are simple. I post a picture of a building from Napoleon Dynamite, and my attentive readers have to guess which building it is.

Our first challenge should be an easy one for any true Napoleon fanatic (of which I know several), so I expect this one to go quickly. First correct answer in the comments wins this round.

FRAGILE: Handle With Care

2005-08-10T22:38:00.000-07:00

"That one don't sound too good," he stated plainly as he handed the box down from the truck. I shook it gently, hearing that unmistakable "tinkle" you might her while picking up a box of Christmas ornaments that just fell down a flight of stairs. Or, I guess, a box full of glassware that had been crushed under 200lbs of bigger, meaner boxes during a cross-country move. I stared at the big, orange "Fragile" sticker, crushed into near unreadability, along with the top half of the box. "You mind if I open this one?" I asked sheepishly. "It's your box now."

The damage report: 3 Pilsner glasses, 2 Bass pint glasses, 2 margarita glasses, 4 highball glasses, 2 wine glasses, 1 coffee mug, 1 beer mug. That and one 51" HDTV (it works, but I think the electron gun needs to be re-calibrated). Not bad for a trek of 2500 miles, all things considered. Little disappointed about the margarita glasses and the pilsners, but the trauma is outweighed by the fun of buying new wine glasses. I needed some anyway (or, at least, that's what I'm telling myself).

The moral of this story? None really. The movers (Von Paris, a United agent) were pretty competent and out of the 50-some-odd boxes this was the only casualty. I guess I should pass on the tidbit I got after the fact (hindsight is wonderful): If you ever move, be sure to pack glassware standing up like it would on the shelf (dishes, on the other hand, should be packed vertically). And make sure it's in a seriously heavy-duty box. The danger appears not to be mishandling so much as the need to cram absolutely every item into as small a space as possible.

Guess I should have bought some "Do not crush" stickers instead...

Priorities

2005-08-03T22:42:00.000-07:00

Taking the time to:

Buy a second broadband router at Fry's

Set it up in the DMZ of the current main router

Set up WPA-PSK on both systems, as well as MAC filtering

Re-configure the port forwarding and address space for each router

Test that everything works the way it should by attempting to break into your own network

Write a blog entry about everything you did

...all while your to-do list contains things like "Pick a health plan", "Pay electric bill" and "Fill out direct deposit forms".

Who knows. Maybe it's like how I used to clean the heck out of my dorm room anytime I had a major exam to study for.

El Trabajo

2005-08-01T21:25:00.000-07:00

Well, I survived day 1!

Oh yeah, haven't posted since I got here. All moved in, this place is HUGE compared to my last place. Heck, it'd be huge even without the second bedroom and screened-in patio. I have no idea how I fit all this stuff into my apartment in Rosslyn!

Anyway, the place is pretty decent, nice neighborhood, near the fire department (which makes my mom happy). 4 blocks from the beach. Only gripes: no dishwasher, and there's no washer/dryer in the unit. Ah well. Tradeoffs. It's cheaper than my other place was!

Other thing, no A/C. But guess what? It doesn't matter around here! Just a hair warmer than I'd like come bedtime but it's tolerable, and I'm sure after the July/August timeframe it's perfect. And I can imagine I'll appreciate it when it's time to pay the electric bill.

Anyway, pics will be forthcoming. I'm still sifting through all of the ones from my trip. Translation: I'm feeling lazy now that I'm finally moved in and have taken care of all the various administrivia around town. But it'll happen. That or you punks will just have to come out here to visit. $99 each way on JetBlue if you book in advance!

So, work was pretty good. The commute to El Segundo wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, but still longer than I'd like. Next week should be an improvement when I actually head to the client site. Had to go through a mountain of paperwork and met all kinds of people (including my boss for the first time). Lots of nice folks, seems like it should be a great environment. El jefe took me out for an excellent lunch and Dave met up with us after being out of town all last week. That kid... He drags me out here then skips town just as I arrive. The nerve!

Got better oriented after lunch and set up my computer, an Inspiron 9100. I call it, "Lapzilla." This thing has a 17" screen and weighs at least 10 lbs. Has a 3.2GHz P4 with HT, 1GB RAM, DVD and CD burner, and two fans that make my desktop sound like a Mac Mini. It's a "portable" powerhouse. I think that second battery will come in handy.

Met up with a new friend and a bunch of her friends for "Margarita Monday". $2 margaritas all night and free food from 4-7? Yes please!

Found parking not too far from my place (that waiting list for the garage can speed up aaaanytime now) and here I am. Surprisingly energized for the end of the day, but it's time to relax for a bit before day 2.

Ciao!

The OC

2005-07-24T22:23:00.000-07:00

The end of today finds us in San Clemente, CA. Drove in through San Diego then up PCH (the Pacific Coast Highway, for the uninitiated) into Orange County. Really pretty town. Stuck my feet in the Pacific and got some fantastic seafood for dinner.

Some digits to groove on:

Miles driven: 434.0
Miles per gallon: 23.1
Average speed: 55mph
Travel time: 7hr, 46min

Normally the last day of a vacation is totally depressing. It's like a Sunday evening, only amplified tenfold. But I've got to say, despite the fact that I've had an awesome time the past 11 days, I don't feel any of that right now (though technically I have all the rest of this week too).

It's just really exciting to not have any clue what is coming my way in the coming days and weeks. Heck, I haven't even seen the apartment I'm moving into yet!

Ah well, I won't try to make any profound analogies, or at least, I'm not posting any of the ones I came up with. Neither will I try to capture all the thoughts I've got going on in my head. I think that would require knowing what they all were in the first place.

Anyway, I've got movers coming at noon and 30 miles of rush hour to brave. So to all, I bid thee adieu and goodnight!

So ends the last real day of my travels, but something tells me the trip is just getting started!

The Golden State

2005-07-24T22:22:00.000-07:00

CA
Originally uploaded by altoloco.

And here we are! Our hero's epic journey is nearing its end.

Dateland

2005-07-24T21:52:00.000-07:00

So I'm driving along the 8* and about the time my stomach and gas tank are running low, I start seeing signs for "Dateland". Didn't really think anything of it at first. But not long after that, I saw some signs suggesting that drivers stop for a "World Famous Date Milkshake". Cuuuurious.

So, clearly I had to stop and see what all the hubbub was about. The part of town by the interstate consisted of exactly one restaurant/gift shop and one gas station... and nothing else as far as you could see in any direction. Anyway, got some tasty breakfast burritos and a date shake to go.

In a word... strange. Pretty tasty (albeit reeeeally sweet, not that there's anything wrong with that). Pretty much what you would expect: a milkshake with chunks of date in it. Actually worked fairly well with the straw. Anyway, had to share. I'd never heard of such a thing. They also had some kind of cactus shake, so if anyone heads that way, I expect a review!

*So I have a question. None of the party girls had an answer for me, so perhaps someone out there can shed some light. At what point do roads take on the "the X" moniker? On the east coast, it's always just "ninety-five" or "sixty-six". But in SoCal and Phoenix at least, it's "the ten" or "the four-oh-five". I didn't notice people doing it in Utah or Wyoming, so maybe it's just a southwest thing.

Phoenix

2005-07-24T21:39:00.000-07:00

Took the scenic route (again, good advice from Dan) from the Canyon down through Sedona. Got slammed in traffic when the beautiful day turned into a torrential downpour, but it was still a pretty drive.

Rolled into Phoenix around 5 and got to Carrie's place after taking the "scenic" route through downtown. Grabbed some excellent carne asada and margaritas at Loco Patron then headed out with her roommate and two other friends of theirs. Gotta say, it's fun walking into a bar with four good looking women!

What followed was an excellent night spanning three bars, some cheap pitchers, vodka redbulls, Jagerbombs, and [one hardcore] Long Island. Definitely going to miss cheap drink specials when I get to L.A.! (When I came out to visit Dave, I learned the hard way why you don't order double VRB's in Hollywood. Yeowch.)

Good times in Phoenix/Snobsdale!

Ah yes, almost forgot, the numbers:

Miles driven: 434.4
Miles per gallon: 32.2
Average speed: 48mph
Travel Time: 8hr, 54min

Grand Canyon

2005-07-24T21:38:00.000-07:00

grand canyon
Originally uploaded by altoloco.

Arrived at the big hole in the ground around 9:30AM, and it's a good thing I did. By the time I got out of there around 12:30, there was a line about 1/2 a mile long of cars waiting to enter. I got to see all the major viewpoints along the South Rim, no traffic, no waiting, and before it got too hot out. Definitely the way to do it!

There's really no picture that can capture just how ridiculously huge the canyon is (though I took a few sequential shots I'll try to stitch into a panoramic). I can't even imagine the sight it would be on a less smoggy day. It just seems to go on forever downward and out to the horizon. Beautiful colors, too.

Will definitely have to come back and check out the north rim and maybe do some hiking down into it. Who's in?

The Grand Canyon State

2005-07-24T21:33:00.000-07:00

leaving UT
Originally uploaded by altoloco.

Departed lovely Mexican Hat at the crack of dawn. Unfortunately, there was no Arizona welcome sign, but I snapped this picture of the other side of the Utah sign. So this will just have to do.

Mexican Hat

2005-07-23T18:30:00.000-07:00

Rolled out of Arches and noticed that the "Service Engine Soon" light had gone out. Wasn't sure if that was a good thing or bad thing, but it's back on now, so whatever.

The original plan today was to head to Moab to stay for the night. Of course, my cell phone has been pretty much worthless for the past several days, so as soon as I get to civilization I get half a dozen voicemails I didn't know about.

[War]drove around Moab for a bit, caught up on email and returned some calls while I was back on the grid. It turns out the movers are bringing my stuff early Monday afternoon, so I'm going to have to shave a day off my trip.

Had a quick lunch/dinner so I would survive the rest of the day then hauled ass to Mexican Hat, so named for the rock formation depicted here. Such a shame I had to rush through this state. Utah may not be big on drinking, but damned if they don't have some unbelievable landscapes.

Got to the San Juan Inn. It's a pretty cool little place right next to the San Juan river. Checked in, then went for a dip in the river. Soooo relaxing. The sun was just starting to set, and the water was the perfect temperature. Exactly what I needed after an extended driving day!

Stats for day 9:

Miles driven: 380.1
Miles per gallon: 30.1
Average speed: 50mph
Travel time: 7hr, 31min

Tomorrow: Grand Canyon and partying in Phoenix!

Can't believe this trip is almost over...

Arches

2005-07-23T18:29:00.000-07:00

Rolled on over to Arches National Park. Some pretty cool formations all over, but I didn't really plan for hiking all over the place. Most of the really cool stuff is off the road, but there are most definitely some cool sights without venturing too far.

This picture is the south of the two "windows". Other must-sees: Delicate Arch (1.5mi self-guided hike), Fiery Furnace (3 hour hikes that leave at 9am and 4pm). Might have to come back sometime to really do those two justice. Ah well, still a lot of spectacular scenery and cool geology.

The Scenic Route

2005-07-23T18:28:00.000-07:00

Took Dan's advice to take rt. 128 toward Moab rather than 191. Most definitely worth the extra 22 miles! The road follows the Colorado river down toward our next destination: Arches National Park.

This picture is from the resort where I stopped for lunch. It's this lush green oasis in the middle of the red rocks of the canyon. I forget the name, but if you're in the area, you can't miss it. Good food too!

The Beehive State

2005-07-23T18:27:00.000-07:00

So, no sooner had I left Preston when Valentina decided to cause a little trouble. Lo and behold, I see a little yellow light next to the tach. "Service Engine Soon". You've GOT to be kidding me.

Missed the Utah welcome sign because I was on the phone with the Nissan service manager at Brown's. His advice? Enjoy the rest of my trip and get it checked out whenever. He told me that 9 times out of 10, it's a sensor sending back some bad data. He said as long as it's running fine, not to worry. Easier said than done, but I'm working on this whole easy-going thing.

Now to blow off a little steam. First off, that light should actually read, "Give us money soon." What kinda useless message is that? "Hey, something's wrong but I won't tell you what." I'm the one making the payments on this hunk of metal. If there's a sensor saying something's wrong, I was to know what the hell it thinks is wrong! I shouldn't have to go into a Nissan dealership for THEM to tell me what my car should already be telling me. Absolutely ridiculous! I'm no serious mechanic, but I am most certainly the type of person who likes to have information when it's pertinent (like, say, when I'm 2500 miles into a 4000 mile road trip)!

The other side of this, though... An engine is a reasonably simple device. Air meets gas, gets compressed, ignited, and the driveshaft turns. There's more to it than that, obviously, but we've been building the damn things for over 100 years. Now, I'm all for technological advancement, but really, the mechanics here haven't changed that much in all this time. I would say we overcomplicated the process when all this monitoring and ambiguous error messages was entered into the mix. We've all experienced the frustration of a computer not doing what it's supposed to. For the love of all that is holy, can we PLEASE not bring this nightmare into every other facet of our lives? Obviously it's good there is a system that's noticing something is amiss. Now how about TELLING ME WHAT THE FSCK IT THINKS IS WRONG!?

Long story short, I got to my destination with no problems, just a little annoyed. Stats as of my arrival in Spanish Fork, UT (Day 8):

Miles driven: 437.6
Miles per gallon: 34.3
Average speed: 43mph
Travel time: 10hr, 6min

Preston

2005-07-23T18:26:00.000-07:00

Ahh, the city that started it all. Sweet!

[War]drove around the town for a little while so I could find the Preston Chamber of Commerce. If you think Napoleon Dynamite is a big deal, this town takes it to another level. Just about EVERY retailer there was advertising ND gear.

Anyway, grabbed some lunch, then picked up the map of "Napoleon Dynamite's Preston" to track down the real-life locations of the movie scenes. Took a bunch of pictures (duhhhh), but more on that later. Keep an eye out for a future post. Spent almost half the time in Preston on gravel roads, so I hit a car wash on the way out.

Side note: those self-service car washes are great! $3 for an excellent wash and you get to play with this BEAST of a sprayer! I'd never used one until this trip. I've been missing out!

Preston's a pretty small town, as you'd expect. Nice people though. And anyplace where Napoleon Dynamite is a religion is okay by me! Pretty cool, I guess.

The Gem State

2005-07-23T18:25:00.000-07:00

Just a quick jaunt across the border to check out Preston. Sweet!

The Grand Tetons

2005-07-23T18:24:00.000-07:00

Was going to take the short route straight into Idaho, but figured the scenic route through these monstrosities would be a better call. B-E-A-utiful. This area of the country is just unreal.

Yellerstone Wrap-Up

2005-07-23T18:23:00.000-07:00

First things first, day 7 stats:

Miles driven: 378.3
Miles per gallon: 29.9
Average speed: 40mph
Travel time: 9hr, 16min

The stats are a little skewed because a ton of it was driving around the park. Ah well, beautiful scenery along the way!

Headed back to the campground and set up my tent and ate some dinner. It was getting to be about 9:00 by this time, and the sun was starting to set. So I jumped in my car and hurried over to the lake to catch the sunset. Got some okay pictures of the sunset itself, but this one of the moon rising... Melikes!

Back to the site, locked everything in my car that wasn't me, my sleeping bag, and clothes. When you're in grizzly country, you gotta be careful! Personally, I think leaving the water in the car was a little excessive, but I'd rather not argue and find out wrong the hard way!

Grand Prismatic Spring

2005-07-23T18:18:00.000-07:00

Un. freakin. believable.

I think this is the coolest sight I've seen on this trip. The various bacteria and algae color the water according to the different temperatures of the spring. The walkway going by is a good 10 degrees warmer than the rest of the park because of all the heat rising off the water. This is one that must be seen to believe. It's a whole lot bigger than this picture makes it look.

Old Faithful

2005-07-23T18:17:00.000-07:00

Freakin' sweet! Walked up and within 5 minutes, I caught Old Faithful blowing its top. What timing!

There's a cool path that goes around the geyser basin, so I took a little stroll. There are some enormous geysers that erupt with less frequency, and some that cannot be predicted at all. Pretty amazing, most of them were venting steam or just boiling over. Didn't have the patience to wait around till 3-5 AM to catch the big boys, though.

On the way back, I was just a little ways away when Old Faithful erupted again and managed to get some good pictures from a different angle. (Man, I look goofy in this one, though...) Coincidence? I think not.

Yellowstone

2005-07-23T18:16:00.000-07:00

Bought myself an annual National Park pass at the gate on the way into the park. I'll have to make good use of it till next July!

Driving into Yellowstone was quite an experience. I knew it would be beautiful, but wow. Had to fight the urge to stop at every single tourist spot on the map. Some of the initial highlights: Mammoth hot springs and petrified tree.

One thing I wasn't prepared for was just how much driving you do around the park. The roads make a figure-8, and it's at least 30 minutes to get from one leg to the next. Too bad, it feels... wrong to be driving around this beautiful place.

Stopped off at one of the campsites to make a reservation, then headed off to the geysers!

The Treasure State

2005-07-23T18:14:00.000-07:00

Well if yesterday was the most fun I've had driving, today would have to be a close #2. Took the scenic route from Cody to Yellowstone, bringing me (briefly) into Montana. Paid $2.80 a gallon for gas... I guess I should probably get used to that though.

Sneakernet

2005-07-23T18:11:00.000-07:00

So you all had better appreciate the following posts. Wrote these in my hotel room last night and put them on my USB drive to post whenever I got back to civilization. The Grand Canyon was most excellent, and I'm now in Phoenix. Will recap the day's events later, but for now it's time to get some dinner then enjoy the nightlife here!

P.S. Sorry for the low-res images, I had to optimize for time/space since I thought I was going to have to resort to posting these via dial-up *shudder*. I'll put mo' bigger ones on Flickr lata.

Greybull

2005-07-19T22:17:00.000-07:00

sunset
Originally uploaded by altoloco.

Safe and sound in Greybull, WY. Stats for day 6:

Miles Driven: 318.0
Driving Time: 5hr, 34min
Miles per Gallon: 27.9
Average Speed: 57mph
Fun Had: INT_MAX

I was thinkin' about heading to Cody, but I needed an evening to decompress. Rolled into town, got my room, gave Valentina a much-needed bath (there are some HUGE bugs out here), then got some dinner. Met a cool girl who's on her way back to Kentucky from a trip cross country. She is doing pretty much the opposite route I am on the return trip. Random. I'll have to check out the southern route sometime.

Anyway, getting up early as heck to get to Yellowstone. Should be a beautiful day for it!

Bliss

2005-07-19T22:08:00.000-07:00

granite pass
Originally uploaded by altoloco.

Imagine, if you will...

84 miles of pristine tarmac winding its way up the Bighorn mountain range, then down the back and through the canyon below. Set the speed limit at 65mph. Now dial the traffic density down as low as it will go.

Then get yourself a car. Preferably one with a 6 speed manual transmission that pulls 0.88 G's or better on the skidpad. Fill up the tank. Put some thumping techno on the stereo.

If you need me to explain what to do next, you're beyond my help.

Wow. Just... wow.

The feel of the engine in 3rd gear, pulling at about 5k RPM, right where the VTEC kicks in and you can hear the intake screaming? Vassap! Incredible views as you round a turn and look out over what seems like the entire world below you? Double vassap!

I have never had more fun driving. Ever.

Don't drink the water!

2005-07-19T21:49:00.000-07:00

crazy woman creek
Originally uploaded by altoloco.

Well, gentlemen, I've finally figured it out.

The Equality State

2005-07-19T21:46:00.000-07:00

WY
Originally uploaded by altoloco.

Short drive to the border from Deadwood, went through Spearfish canyon (very nice drive) and grabbed some breakfast. Then hustled down 90W.

Deadwood

2005-07-19T21:42:00.000-07:00

deadwood
Originally uploaded by altoloco.

Honestly? A little underwhelming.

First things first, though. Day 5 stats:

Miles Driven: 404.1
Driving Time: 7hr, 23min
Miles per Gallon: 26.8
Average Speed: 55mph

So, now, Deadwood. Cool history, for sure. Saw the gravesites of Wild Bill Hickok, Calamity Jane, and Seth Bullock, and wandered around some of the historical sites. That stuff was pretty cool, wish more of the original buildings were still around.

Unfortunately, the town has become a super-commercial tourist destination. It's so remote, you would think it would retain some of its character, but really it just felt... cheap. All the hotels run casinos with slots and card games, but I didn't try my luck.

Camped out at a KOA just outside of town. Met some cool people in the site next door. They're planning a wild-west themed wedding (sweet!) nearby so they were scouting it out. They told me they'd (including their dog, who wasn't a big fan of me) visited all 48 continental states and nearly every national park. I think that's a pretty cool goal.

Anyway, nice weather but it got super windy during the night. My back wasn't happy with me in the AM. Ah well. Glad I saw Deadwood, but probably wouldn't come back.

Mount Rushmore

2005-07-19T21:37:00.000-07:00

mt rushmore II
Originally uploaded by altoloco.

What need be said here? Freaking cool. Beautiful weather. Fun drive through the mountains from Crazy Horse.

One thing, there was this great contemporary Native American band playing at the park. A group of four called Brule. Didn't have the cash to pick up a CD but will definitely get one off their site. The music was hypnotic. Tons of energy. The flute player is... *cough* easy on the eyes. Wish I could have stayed longer.

Crazy Horse

2005-07-19T21:31:00.000-07:00

crazy horse II
Originally uploaded by altoloco.

My lands are where my dead lie buried.

-Crazy Horse

Short jaunt from Mitchell to the Black Hills of South Dakota. Some fun mountain roads in this area.

Our first stop brings us near Custer, SD. It is the site of the in-progress memorial to the Lakota chief Crazy Horse. This sculpture is absolutely massive. You can read the insane stats on the website (e.g. the pupil of each eye is 3ft in diameter, all four heads of Mt. Rushmore would fit in his head, etc). It's estimated that it is only about 10% complete.

It's already a mighty impressive memorial, but should be absolutely incredible when they finish (hopefully sometime in my life!).

Corn Palace Stampede

2005-07-19T18:18:00.000-07:00

wild child
Originally uploaded by altoloco.

So, as it turned out, I was lucky enough to arrive in Mitchell the same weekend as the Corn Palace Stampede. Now, I'd never been to a rodeo before but I've seen enough in TV and movies to know what to expect. In case you've never been, let me tell you this: it's exactly like you'd expect. A whole bunch of people in cowboy hats drinking beer, cowboys, cowgirls, a bunch of horses, clowns. It's quite a production. I highly recommend checking one out if you ever have the chance.

Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending how you look at it), this is the only picture that came out in the sunset lighting. The rodeo clown "Wild Child" jumped over this trailer on his dirtbike. Pretty cool, I guess.

Good times in Mitchell!

Cornelia

2005-07-19T18:13:00.000-07:00

cornelia
Originally uploaded by altoloco.

Can't forget the Corn Palace mascot!

Oh, forgot to mention. The local high school basketball team plays on the court inside the palace (where all the murals are). Their name? The Kernels.

Corn Palace

2005-07-19T18:09:00.000-07:00

corn palace
Originally uploaded by altoloco.

So on the way into Mitchell, I saw all these signs advertising "The World's Only Corn Palace" and other such endorsements for this mysterious place. It was like driving down 95 toward South Carolina, except everyone knows what South of the Border is... right?

Wow. These people love their corn. They decorate this giant building every year with art made from different colors of corn. It's pretty impressive. And they've been doing it for over 100 years. They even have murals inside that are similarly done. I've never seen anything like it. Got some closeups, it's pretty impressive to see. I'll Flickr 'em later on.

Definitely a must-see if you're headed through South Dakota!

Mount Rushmore State

2005-07-19T18:01:00.000-07:00

SD
Originally uploaded by altoloco.

What kinda nickname is that anyway? Wasn't the state around for quite some time before Rushmore was created?

Ah well.

The stats for Day 4:

Miles Driven: 633.8
Driving Time: 9hr, 2min
Miles per Gallon: 27.7
Average Speed: 70mph

So, after a hellish day of driving, I found myself at the Thunderbird motel in Mitchell, SD. In figuring out my route, I figured, what the heck, it's right about the right mileage, and the name works. Little did I know...

The North Star State

2005-07-19T17:58:00.000-07:00

MN
Originally uploaded by altoloco.

After the not-so-exciting scenery in Wisconsin, the first couple miles in Minnesota was a welcome departure. Gorgeous. Straight shot down 90 and on to South Dakota!

The Badger State

2005-07-19T17:56:00.000-07:00

WI
Originally uploaded by altoloco.

Can't say I saw any badgers, but I wasn't in Wisconsin for long. In fact, I believe this was the only stop there.

Quickie

2005-07-17T22:16:00.000-07:00

Well, I was thinking I would have time to catch up on my journey so far, but tonight actually ended up being pretty crazy! Wanted to get the entries for days 2 & 3 up while I could, but I don't have the energy to recap today too. Be on the lookout shortly for: 600+ miles of driving, the Corn Palace and the Corn Palace Stampede. Tomorrow: to the Black Hills for some big heads carved into rocks and Deadwood!

'Night, kids!

The City of Lights

2005-07-17T22:12:00.000-07:00

Stats for Day 3:

Miles Driven: 315.2
Driving Time: 6hr, 41min
Miles per Gallon: 29.1
Average Speed: 47mph

Best known for being the setting of the Wayne's World movies (and, I am guessing, not much else), Aurora, IL is located just a few minutes West of Chicago. This makes it an excellent location for a night's stop for those traveling in that direction. Also, I just wanted to be able to say I'd been there.

Took a soak, read my book, then got to bed early for the day of driving insanity that was to follow.

The Windy City

2005-07-17T22:02:00.000-07:00

Wow! Chicago is a really cool city. Lots of incredibly cool buildings that made for some awesome photo ops. Will Flickr'ize em later.

Hit up the Sears Tower skydeck first. Had to wait about an hour but it wasn't too bad. Now, someone tell me if I'm being paranoid here, but they had this green screen with a camera setup. They were feeding people through this after the metal detectors and before they bought tickets. The sign said it was for a souvenir skydeck photo, and no obligation to buy. Some people ahead of me asked if they could skip the picture since they weren't going to buy it, and the attendant said no, they had to have the picture taken! What kinda 1984 crap is this? I guess most people just don't care enough to question stuff like that.

Anyway, got to the top (after a speedy elevator ride) and... wow. Just awesome. You can see forever. Absolutely a must-see at some point.

Took a stroll down to Millennium Park and shot about 2 rolls of B&W at the fountains there. It was insane how many families were down there with their kids playing in the water. I hope some of the shots come out, they were having a blast (and I was too!). Sports mode is a must-have for taking shots of kids (and 4fps is pretty handy as well). I have a bunch of other pictures from walking around Chicago but I'm too tired to resize them all down right this minute.

Hit up the Navy Pier after that. It was aight I s'pose, would have been fun to have more time to check it all out (especially the beer garden). Then headed back to my car and hit the road...

The Prairie State

2005-07-17T21:59:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, I was stuck in a construction zone in bumper-to-bumper traffic at the Illinois border, so couldn't get a snap of the overpass with the welcome. Traffic into Chi-town was absolutely horrendous, though I took a chance and cut through the city without too much hassle.

The Hoosier State

2005-07-17T21:54:00.000-07:00

Woke up in Ann Arbor to a torrential downpour. Loaded my car up, filled in the details about the previous night, said my goodbyes (you and Lauren had better come visit me!) and hit the road. As I'm driving along at 45mph, completely unable to see the car in front of me (and, keep in mind, I had fresh Rain-X on the windshield), I'm getting passed left and right by idiots in SUV's doing about 70. What freaking idiots. Anyway, it cleared up before the border, so I didn't get soaked taking this shot.

Party Like a Rockstar

2005-07-17T21:47:00.000-07:00

Second leg of Day 2. Stats for this day:

Miles Driven: 198.3
Driving Time: 4hr, 15min
Miles per Gallon: 27.9
Average Speed: 46mph

Headed off from Dearborn to Ann Arbor to see how Jae lives. He immediately put me to work helping him move apartments. Only had to move his crap across the courtyard, so it wasn't bad but definitely not my idea of fun after the nightmare that was moving out of my own place. He paid me well in pizza and beer though, so it's all good.

That night, went out with some of his med school friends and neighbors. Got nice and ripped on cheap drinks ($5 for a Vodka and Red Bull? I'll take it!) and danced it up. Big pimpin'...

But, of course, what night of drinking would be complete without nearly coming to blows with random other drunk people? Thanks, buddy! Finally got him inside, then I retired back to his place to chow down on a coveted Big Ten burrito. Mmmm...

Good times!

The Great Lakes State

2005-07-17T21:33:00.000-07:00

"You have every sensation of being hurled through space. The machine is throbbing under you with its cylinders beating a drummer's tattoo and the air tears past you in a gale. I tell you gentlemen: no man can drive faster and live!"

-Barney Oldfield (Describing the feeling of going 60 mph)

Not going to Flickr the pictures b/c I'm on an open WAP and they don't let you login via SSL (stoopid!). Started out the day with a short jaunt to Dearborn, MI for a little auto-centric action. Checked out the Automotive Hall of Fame while I waited for my tour to start. Not terribly exciting, but some cool history there.

Then it was off to the main attraction. The Ford Rouge Factory Tour. Now this was pretty f'in cool. Got a mostly fluff little intro, then got to see the actual factory floor where they build the F-150 pickup. As we were about to enter the factory floor, however, I did the "pocket touch" and realized my wallet was gone! Called in the reinforcements, who called around to the buses and checked the various theaters. The site manager was extremely helpful. The wallet was eventually recovered (sans >$200 in cash), which was somewhat of a relief; at least I still had my credit cards and all that. To the asshole who has my money: enjoy it, fucker.

So that put a bit (big) damper on the factory tour, but it was still pretty neat. After the bodies are painted, they travel through a track that's 3 miles long for final assembly. Each station has 60 seconds to perform their work before the vehicles move on to the next. Unfortunately, I picked one of the only weeks all year that the factory wasn't in operation, but you could still see the bodies in various states of completion. Highly recommended, if you pick a day when it's in operation. Unfortunately they won't let you photograph any of the cool stuff, so no omgpix.

Estoy vivo

2005-07-16T20:23:00.000-07:00

Don't worry, I haven't forgotton about y'all. Hit Chi-town today (awesome!), and am presently in Aurora, IL. Looooong day tomorrow so I'm going to get to bed here in a sec. The WiFi I'm on right now is slow as crap and I have a jacuzzi in my room, so the redux from today and yesterday will have to wait. But don't worry, got some cool pictures so those will be forthcoming as well.

The Buckeye State

2005-07-14T19:27:00.000-07:00

OH
Originally uploaded by altoloco.

What do we leave behind when we cross each frontier? Each moment seems split in two; melancholy for what was left behind and the excitement of entering a new land.

-The Motorcycle Diaries

Arrived in Cleveland this afternoon, a bit ahead of schedule. Stats for this leg:

Miles Driven: 396.3
Driving Time: 6hr, 50min
Miles per Gallon: 31.0
Average Speed: 58mph

Came into town during "rush hour". The lack of traffic around here compared to DC is just crazy. Actually going 65mph on a highway? Unthinkable! Of course, here I am moving from the #2 worst traffic to #1. Hey, when I do things, I go all out!

I'm still reeling from my one hour of sleep on Tuesday night, so I think I'm going to pass on the waterfront tonight. On the upside, I spent enough time driving around trying to find a hotel that I think I could lead a tour of this city =).

Peath out.

Túnel

2005-07-14T19:17:00.000-07:00

allegheny tunnel
Originally uploaded by altoloco.

Taking a little shortcut through the mountain. Pretty cool, I guess.

de la Mancha

2005-07-14T19:13:00.000-07:00

windmills
Originally uploaded by altoloco.

Stopped for a sec while chasing these GINORMOUS windmills in PA. Tried to get a picture while driving but my horse wouldn't hold still ;)

The Keystone State

2005-07-14T19:10:00.000-07:00

PA
Originally uploaded by altoloco.

On to Pennsylvania!

Side note: I'm pissed at Google Maps. It told me to take route 76 (which, looking at the map, looks like the most direct route). However it neglected to tell me that 76 is a toll road. I'm not sweating the $8 ~~extortion money~~ charge to get from 270 to Ohio, but it was immensely annoying that I couldn't stop when I wanted to. Ah well. At least the gas station I stopped at had Rain-X. That stuff rules.

The Old Line State

2005-07-14T18:58:00.000-07:00

MD
Originally uploaded by altoloco.

I was all ready to get a picture of the "Welcome to..." sign, but this will have to do.

Ciao

2005-07-13T18:06:00.000-07:00

Well, the big day is finally (almost) here! This'll be a short post (and sorry, no pictures yet) since I was up all night packing. The movers came by and took all my possessions off to who-knows-where, to arrive who-knows-when. What a nightmare. Anyway, just changed my oil, time to get the car all packed up then rest up. ¡Hasta luego!

In progress

2005-06-27T20:45:00.000-07:00

In progress
Originally uploaded by altoloco.

Seat's off, tank's still on. We were going to take more pictures but got too involved in the project. More next round.

Ants

2005-06-27T20:42:00.000-07:00

Hey.......could we do that again? I know we haven't met, but, I don't wanna be an ant, ya know? I mean, it's like we go through life with our antennas bouncing off one another continuously on "ant" autopilot with nothing really human required of us. "Stop," "Go," "Walk here," "Drive there." All action basically for survival. All communication simply to keep this ant colony buzzing along in an efficient, polite manner. "Here's your change," "Paper or plastic?", "Credit or debit?", "Do you want ketchup with that?" I don't want a straw. I want real human moments. I want to see you. I want you to see me. I don't want to give that up. I don't want to be an ant. Ya know?

-Waking Life

Ants 1
Originally uploaded by altoloco.

Another shot from Friday night. I love this sculpture, it's right in the middle of a 3-way intersection in Rosslyn. Any ideas for how to get a similar shot in the daytime with all the people walking by?

Route 66

2005-06-27T20:40:00.000-07:00

Route 66
Originally uploaded by altoloco.

Went out for a walk Friday night after spending the evening with Minkus. Took this from overtop the tunnel you drive through right before leaving Virginia.

Minkus and I ripped the bike apart, drained the tank, checked the carbs, charged the battery. Little more work and a bath and she should be back in business.

Asinine

2005-06-22T17:11:00.000-07:00

So Minkus and I were trying to figure this one out. The problem: my motorcycle has been sitting dormant for the past 2 years (I know, I know, a crime against humanity but drivers around here are utterly insane and I'd prefer not to test my luck). So in the interim, the gas in the tank (and carbs) has most likely turned into sludge. The mission: to clean the ol' sumbitch out and get her running again.

So, most people know that you can't dispose of petroleum products the same way you'd, for example, dispose of cooking oil. What most people don't know is how one can go about safely disposing of these materials. So, of course, I hit up the ol' intarweb in search of answers. And what I found disturbed me. The results came back with all kinds of less-than-helpful advice to the effect of, "Never dispose of gasoline or motor oil in your normal refuse, contact your local dump or waste processing center for disposal." Some specific searches for places in Fairfax that do this processing came up empty.

So now, my confusion is this: if it is so imperative that we not throw out gas and motor oil willy-nilly, why in the name of Zeus' butthole do they make it such a pain to do so safely? At the very least, they could make it easy to find places that will do it (not to mention the fact that often you have to PAY to have it recycled). It just seems bass-ackwards to me. "Hey these are dangerous waste products that absolutely should never be introduced into the environment, so let's make people jump through hoops to have them recycled properly." Asinine.

For the record, it seems that some gas stations will accept gas for recycling. Of course, I had to find this out by calling around to a few different gas stations...

On a happier note, can I just say that the Italian Store has the most ridiculously tasty subs ever created by the hand of man? If any of you ever feel so inclined to bring unimaginable joy into my life, the magic recipe is: "Large Capri on soft, no hots, no onions, extra sweets, and mozz." Boo. Yer. Kasha.

Cambio

2005-06-14T20:28:00.000-07:00

I've had a lot on my plate the past several weeks. Had a few things I should write about in-depth up here but just couldn't work up the motivation.

A couple weekends ago, I spent the afternoon with Minkus and Megan playing disc golf for the first time (good stuff), then had the pleasure of joining them for a delicious dinner, followed by a fun-filled night of developing B&W prints. Some of mine came out really decent and it's pretty exciting to have shots you actually are proud to show off.

Then last weekend, my cousin Kennard got himself hitched. Congratulations to both him and Lauren (and Lauren, welcome to our [crazy] family)! Right now they're honeymooning at some warm beach whose name escapes me at the moment. All in all a most excellent weekend. The service was very nice, my liver got quite a workout (if you know our family, you understand), my great uncle scared us all to death when he started choking at dinner (he's okay now though, thank goodness), and Sam and I were in *top* form at the reception, if I may say so.

At this point, I must let some (most) of you in on a little secret...

I am moving to California!

That's right, you heard me. West coast, baby! My head's all over the place over it right now. I'm excited as hell for the opportunities this move will bring, but I am constantly being reminded of all that I'll leave behind. I'm taking a job with my buddy Dave's company and it sounds like it's going to be a really great environment to work in. But at the same time, it's going to be hard leaving my current job, and especially all of the awesome people I've gotten to know and work with this past year and a half.

This, of course, is not to mention leaving my entire family and everyone I've ever known 3000 miles behind. I must give credit to my parents for raising me to be as independent as I am, so I feel little anxiety about making such a transition, but I know it's going to take some adjustment on my part. Leaving the safety net behind is a necessary step, I think.

The job starts Aug. 1, which seemed like forever in the future when all this happened but it's coming up really quick. The current plan is to roll out of NoVA on the 14th of July and take my sweet time driving cross-country, which should give me a few days to get settled in LA. This time is going to fly and there is a ton to do between now and then, but I'm pumped.

Not sure if posting this up here is a good idea or not, but I think it's only fair to anyone reading this that I share my big news! And now, it is bedtime.

Inevitable

2005-06-02T18:53:00.000-07:00

Those of you who know me know that I'm a bit.... meticulous about keeping my apartment clean. You also know that I'm a bit of a klutz. So, here I was, about to sit down at "my" "new" G3 iBook (now running Ubuntu Linux) and type up my sixth epic blog post. I had my topic all ready, a glass of Merlot poured, and the computer half-way out, when I noticed the glass of wine was half-way en route to the floor. Unsurprising, to say the least, except perhaps for the fact that it took this long for it to happen. I paused for just a moment to put on some music and briefly considered taking pictures of the damage... what can I say? Ars has me well trained.

Podcastin'

2005-05-17T18:57:00.000-07:00

Yeah, yeah, 3 posts in one day. Bad form, I know, but Dipika commented on how she hates super-long blog posts, so I'm breakin the recap into bite-sized chunks for your ~~stalking~~ reading pleasure.

So Sowers has been getting into the podcasting scene. I must say, I was a little intrigued and checked out one he'd pulled down to his 'Pod (This Week in Tech, for the curious). So at some point we decided we should start a podcast. Seemed easy enough: couple of microphones, a couple people, a couple of drinks, and the rest kinda just falls into place. Yeah.

So we had initially planned to get a select group of individuals together for a little "Meeting of the Minds", but that was also much easier than it sounded. So come quitting time, I convinced Sowers to bounce over to my piece. To ensure that our podcast didn't take on an overly masculine vibe and to balance out our appeal to the masses, we forced Dipika to join in the fun.

I could go on, but really, I'll let the first 'cast speak for itself. Well, actually no, first let me just warn you that it absolutely, positively sucks. To be perfectly frank, it brings "suck" to new levels. So without further ado, I present to you the 0th iteration of $podcast_name:

I hope you will enjoy a podcast by Pedro Sanchez: $podcast_name #0

Now, on the off chance you actually subjected yourself to those fifteen minutes of agony (and if you did, I would like you to know that I'm really, really sorry... but I did warn you), let me share with you just a few of the [very] many lessons we learned in making this (in no particular order):

Podcasting without a topic is not a good idea
Barring some serious improvement in 'casting abilities, drink more "agua"
Caveat: ~~Alcohol~~ Water is not an adequate substitute for a topic
Really, really, ridiculously low volume does not a good podcast make
A discussion of citrus gadgetry is not entertainment
Joking about alcoholism is not funny... unless you are drinking
No mumbling! Less giggling! *cough*
There is no microphone

If anyone thinks of others (or topic suggestions!) feel free to blow up the comentarios here. I ~~don't~~ take criticism very well.

I would also like to take this moment to ASSURE you that any subsequent podcasts will suck less, and that we will also try to be funny at some point. I mean, we laughed our asses off listening to it after the fact, but I am certain we are the only ones. In any event, don't take this as an example of things to come. Te prometo.

Veinte tres

2005-05-17T18:34:00.000-07:00

Not sure how I feel about 23. Over the whole legal-to-drink thing, still not old enough to rent a car. You've got all these milestones you look forward to as you're growing up. After 25, the perks pretty much stop until you're eligible for the senior discount (as if that's a perk, though at some point I suppose you look at it as one). At what point do you say "I'd like to stay right at this age?" I'm certainly not there yet, but I'm on the lookout.

Back when I was looking at schools, my guidance counselor told me his time at Tech were "the best four years" of his life. To each his own, I suppose. So here I am, somewhere in limbo between my "early" and "mid" twenties. So far, so good. Not where I want to be just yet (and not the foggiest where that would be if I had the choice), but things are movin' on up, so I'm not complaining.

So where was I? Oh right, birthday. I'll take a moment to gloat over the swag from the occasion:

A bunch of nice new threads for work and play (pimp++)
Sonicare Toothbrush (You know you're getting old when this type of gift actually excites you, but this thing is freaking cool. Review forthcoming.)
Framed/personalized picture of myself and the Stink (awww...)
Old Navy Flip-Flops (score!)
Bottle 'o Patron Añejo Tequila (yum!)
Gift certificate to Penn Camera (shibby!)
The Megazooka (muah hah hah!)
Cashola ($bling++)
Various cards 'n wellwishes from varias personas (gracias a todos!)

All in all, not a bad haul.

Slacking

2005-05-17T16:40:00.000-07:00

So I've been delinquent on updating this thing. I seem to have this problem where during the day I come up with all of these things I want to write about, but by the time I get home, I just don't have the motivation. I guess sitting at a computer for 8 hours each day will do that to you.

Let's see here, Sam (mi hermanito) was home for a bit between spring and summer sessions at the Radshow. It's good to see his dumb ass even if we don't do as good a job keeping up with each other as we should. Much of the time was dedicated to schooling him in DDR. I'm sure you've all seen people playing it at the mall in an arcade or something. In fact, you most likely made fun of them as you continued on, that is, unless they were really good, in which case you were probably struggling to pick your jaw up off the floor. In any event, it's really one of those things you can't fully appreciate until you've experienced it yourself (like Napoleon Dynamite or one of Sowers' world-famous margaritas).

Saturday evening hit up the Cheesecake Factory for some good [early] birthday eatin' with the fam and Sam's lady friend, Lauren (bien hecho, bro). Sowers was supposed to join but he claims the lightning storm took out the cell tower near him. I have my doubts. Anyway, that place has some absolutely awesome food and some of the largest portions I've ever seen. That is, unless it's your birthday. After calling attention to yours truly with a rousing rendition of "Happy Birthday", they placed in front of me the tiniest sundae I've ever seen. There were seven people at our table, and the ice cream came in what might have made a decent shot glass. My back was bothering me pretty badly that night, so I headed home and bummed it. I am a party animal, let me tell you.

I need to go whip up some sustenance right now, so I'll finish the recap later on...

Receta: Mango Curry Chicken

2005-05-11T19:03:00.000-07:00

I meant to post this last night, but I got sidetracked. Picked up the recipe and ingredients at Trader Joe's. Very easy, and quite tasty.

Time to Table: 45 minutes
Serves 4 (unless one of them is me)

4 pieces Trader Joe's Boneless Chicken Breasts (frozen)
1 jar Trader Joe's Mango Sauce (hint - it's near the apple sauce)
2 tsp Trader Joe's Curry Powder
1 tsp Sea Salt
½ cup Trader Joe's Thompson Seedless Raisins
½ cup Trader Joe's Slivered Almonds

Preheat oven to 375°. Rinse chicken under cold water for about 5 minutes to thaw and place in a 13X9 baking dish. Pour mango sauce over chicken. Sprinkle curry powder, salt, raisins, and almonds over chicken. Bake uncovered about 45 minutes or until done. Serve with rice or couscous and salad for a complete meal.

Nutrition Analysis (per Serving): Calories 400, Total Fat 10g, Sat. Fat 1g, Cholesterol 45mg, Sodium 460mg, Protein 30g, Total Carb. 50g, Fiber 5g, Sugars 45g

FWIW, I made it with plain ol' Purdue chicken and it turned out great. I will also take this time to share the wonder that is Trader Joe's. If you've never been, go now. They've got some really tasty items you won't find in other places, and their prices are great. Their wine selection is outstanding and also easy on the wallet.

The Last Straw

2005-05-09T19:04:00.000-07:00

So I got home from the grocery store (yeah Harris Teeter!) to find this:

(19:40:21) Adam: hey
(19:40:27) Adam: i found this awesome site
(19:40:49) Adam: check it out here
(19:41:04) Adam: you can like write down your thoughts and other people can read them and shit
(19:41:06) Adam: so do it

So without further ado, allow me to present to you, my as-of-yet faceless audience, the culmination of 6 weeks of peer pressure and procrastination. Which brings me to my first point. If you are going to pick a cool blog name, at least have the decency to keep it updated. Friggin' idiots!

Now, I used to put blogs in the same category as cell phones, Manhattans, and the Xbox. Namely, things that I could do without but if that's your thing, more power to you. What a long, slippery slope it has been. Of course, I've been wrong before (well, once, but that was a long time ago and I don't really count it), so we'll see how this goes.