Repairs.

Repairs, everything I own seems to be in need of repair....that's either a matter of me being in my head too much, like my dad suspects, or that I don't earn enough money (really, when you're retired like me, it's that you don't have any income, except poker and bets) to just simply buy new ones with total disregard....
My tent, my new(-ish) tent I bought at the beginning of the year: I never really mentioned it, 'cause it's embarrassing, but it got ripped. And when I say ripped, I mean the tent fly got cut, when I (tried to) cooly flicked open my pocket knife, and just basically stabbed the tautness.

Yup. I am an idiot.

And then there's my computer too, which has been taken in, after Damon and I cleaned it out/I forgot 2 steps of the screw removal. I realised my error, but only after Damon had put some pretty strong force on the motherboard. Which was probably going to be replaced anyways, but it could have used without the wrenching anyways...

Don't get me started on things like my Dart!

I suppose while other people have been investing their money into market-driven retirement accounts and houses, I've been investing in myself...which some may argue needs repairs too!

Carnivale!

The Cuba street carnival happened Saturday night, which is the big bi-annual event here in Welly that combines everything from traditional Samba bands, to space DJs, to marching bands, to the Wellington International Ukelele Orchestra covering "Sweet Child of Mine," to "the most patriotic band in the world cuz" Damn Native (Maori hip-hop).
And then there was a whole lot else...man, it was crazy ecclectic...
The vibe was relaxed, and the weather during the day was, well, it couldn't have been better, since the weather the day before was absolutely terrible. Sun all day, and the wind didn't really kick in till later in the evening.
With the music on various stages, being disgusted by the world's luckiest/least humble pool player Matt Bayless, eating a venison-fig burger, the parade of insane floats, being in a huge samba sea with colors-overload, a latenight 60's soul dance party in the middle of the street, and after-hours drinking, it all aded up to a wonderful night!
I will look forward to the next carnival I get to experience!

Don't Give Beer To Militias.

So for starts, I went up to Coromandel this week; it's one of the last places I've yet to go in NZ. By my calculation, I have Stewart Island in the far, far south, and the East Cape of the north Island to do yet....which is pretty cool I think!
I 1st went to a place that was difficult to find, and thought I'd be secluded, but nope, there was a bunch of high school kids who kept harassing me for beer. And I thought they were training for a militia too! That was not the best night in the bush.
On the 2nd day, I went to Hot Water Beach, where there's a hot spring beneath the sand. One can dig holes to relax in if you're there at the right time of the tides, but that perfect time wasn't when I was there. So I moved on, to the far, far north of the peninsula.
Up there, the water was warm, the sand was golden, the sky was blue, and the cows plentiful.
I really liked it up there, and it'd be a nice place to have a bach/cabin, but only if you had a boat to get there, since the road was just wild....
And then it was on to the pinnacles, where a 2 hour hike straight up got me to the hut where I dropped off my bag. Then, if at all more possible, it was even more straight up to the top of the pinnacles. They're these crazy eroded rock spires you take ladders up to reach the summit that lets one view both the Hauraki Gulf and the South Pacific on both sided of the peninsula at once. Amazing.
But it gets better: after dark, the rain and wind came. In the morning, it was downright foul out there, but it wasn't too cold. The hike down was the wettest I've ever gotten in all instances where I didn't actually jump into standing water, like a lake.
But it was all fun, and the whole trip gave me perspective and self-reflection, which is what I wanted the trip to do.
There's a whole other post about the Cuba Carnival, but that'll be written tomorrow. I'm done for now!
(Oh, and no pics, 'cause my computer went down again, so it's begun the road to repair now!)

Adventure.

For those of you that missed the Alligator Adventure last friday night, here are the questions for the event. If you live in Wellington, then think about them, and if you don't, then the answers are provided, but probably won't mean much...

On the waterfront I command, I take charge.
Slightly rusty, my height is quite large,
Made out of steel, nary a woman to feel,
It’s almost certainly a very old ________________.


I’m an old gal with lots of fire.
To expand was my driving desire.
To look on the Kent, I’m seemingly hell bent,
I’m an original POM with an ________________.


Look at my colors, look at me dart!
Confusing I know, but I have lots of heart.
Not filled with vodka, alas only agua,
Aren’t I Welly-town’s best piece of ________________?


Take a trip in the sea near Aruba,
An island with blue water to scuba.
The leader’s a Red, is he on his deathbed?
Come have a drink at the capital of ________________.


Alas it’s Aaron’s big night.
To toast him would only be right.
This I hope you can decode, before it can explode,
Stop at the place with more than ________________.


Are you up to it? Something very extreme!
You need courage, gumption supreme!
I trial I’d flunk, even when drunk,
You better hold on, ‘cause you’re gonna ________________!


To the sky I’m seemingly bound.
I’m interesting, I’ll surely astound.
With your concern, you’ll see only fern,
Can you find me? I’m silver and ________________.
Yet another place to fall off the wagon.
Have a dram, a pint, or a flagon.
I didn’t say Patagonia, I said Snowdonia!
Meet me at the place of the ________________.


For this one you need a translator.
Someone from the home of the gladiator.
I wouldn’t lie, I could eat a pie,
With sauce made from a to-________________.


***BONUS***

The damn law made me turn over new leafs.
They’re really uncomfortable, you couldn’t beliefs!
Ladies walk past, sometimes I harass,
Ask me, do I wear boxers or ________________?


***FINAL LOCATION***

To this adventure, it’s time to bid farewell.
Come on down, I command, I compel!
No place for a snooze, alas only booze.
Come on down and ring the night ________________.

Answers: 1. Barge (the old one on the waterfront) 2. Empire (Queen Victoria statue on Kent Tce) 3. Art (The enigma that is the bucket fountain) 4. Cuba (Havana Bar) 5. Might (Mighty Mighty) 6. Scream (The bungee sligshot ride) 7. Round (the civic square flying sphere) 8. Dragon (The Welsh Dragon bar) 9. 'Mater (Pizza Pomodoro) 10. Briefs (Blanket Man) 11. Bell (Motel, with it's ring for entry bell)

I've decided to go up to Coromandel for a couple days to go on a vision quest. Be back for the Cuba St. carnival on Saturday!

Alligator B-Day Love.

Awww, the weekend is over, and I am exhausted- it was a wild one. The aforementioned Friday night, with it's ridiculous antics around town and at Motel.
Saturday, during the day was a fight to stay awake, even with a nap, because Saturday night was Atomic, the 80's dance party at San Fran. That was great too, but it really took all my energy to be able to get the engine started, but once it did, I was on fire. That was just after midnight, when I got to tell everyone that it was my birthday, and have a guy tell me he loved eating taquitos in the US...that may have even been the highlight of his trip, those taquitos....
And then after another late night, and early Sunday morning, I had a dinner with "the family"
at Regal Chinese. At the dinner, I received the gift of supreme Alligator love, a scarf knitted by Caroline, which is an Alligator. Morgan gets to share credit (now that they're married) in that he picked the color of the wool. The scarf is truly amazing, and I cannot put into words how swet it is!
Morgue, Cal, Malcom and I then went to Strike Soundsystem, a crazy Wellington percussion group that utilized umpteen different drums and cymbals of the traditional sort, marimbas, a dj, big tubes, a car fender, a human beatbox, electronics, water and fire to make rhythmic sounds. Amazingly entertaining, I'd recommend, but I said it last night, and I'll say it again: if these guys practised more often, they'd have a hit, a tour and hit show. There were moments where things were off, but really only because the entire concept was massive in it's scope.
And then I slept, slept for 12 hours nearly...

Alligator Adventure.

Wow, what a night you missed last night!

I hosted a treasure hunt game last night, with limericks as the clues. Once a team solved the quandry, they would need to go to the location that the riddle pointed them to. And then they would need to document their visiting it with photos. Some destinations/answers were statues, or ancient barges, bars, public art that sprayed you inadvertintly, one was a pizza place, and a man who had to have the courts order him to wear underwear was the bonus.
Then, we got our drink on, 'gator-style at Motel. We had the doorman and the coctail waitress involved in our puzzles, and we asked them questions. Lots of Scotch and pictures of the trophy being bandied about. Trouble.

And then the bill came, and all I have to say is: Damon, you rock and roll dude.

Oh, and there were squirt guns too.

Zombie CPU.

This is from my miraculously working computer, although I suspect there are some issues.  But the point is: It's NOT DEAD!

Yeah!

Dang Tea.

Yesterday I spilled some Tea on my computer. It lived for about 2 seconds after that, then it went off. It wasn't that much, and I drained the mac of all I could....but it still wouldn't turn on.
I got advice which Damon gave me on best actions to take are, and I'm currently following them. But it'll be a couple days before those tricks are completed....it's all just drying it out.
It's quite possible the thing is gone...
So I may be less, shall we say, "connected?"

Argghhh!

(I also saw Slumdog Millionaire. It was good, but was it amazing? I don't really think so...)

Are You Wearing Pants?

There is this website I go to in the rounds, just to look at/riducule, and it's called Geekologie. They seem to have a bacon love that I understand, and someone came up with this bacon-in-your-life flowchart.  They're geeks, remember?

When Eels Attack!

Well I'm back from the river, as most all y'all know. It was a wonderful trip with Malcom. Highlights included: my being scared to the point of violent swearing by some wild, shaggy sheep at dusk. Eating a ridiculous amount of jam when the jam jar exploded, and I had to clean it up (by eating it!). Being formally welcomed on the Marae (Maori house) at Tieke, and hanging out with the couple that are caretakers there (I watched the guy Brent chasing possums after dark with his big stick with much amusement!). Jumping off insane cliffs into water where we couldn't see the bottom (therefore, logically being deep enough!), and then finding out that there are crazy huge eels living in the river that will bite ya! The scenery overall was a highlight too.
If you haven't seen the pics yet, they're here on facebook.

Since I've been back, I've caught up on my correspondence (naught from immigration!) and got a word from a Belgian I met while traveling in Spain my 1st time there.  We keep in touch, and he's a chef as well.  He just got a new job for a Belgian company that does molecular gastronomy stuff, specifically, food pairing.  The concept is that when foods are broken down into their molecules, they will reveal best what goes with what, due to chemical structures.  Find out all you desire here!

And finally, I went to a great show last night, the fringe festival is now on in the city, and so there's lots of crazy music/performance stuff to see, like the aftermath of the Rugby Sevens tournament on Courtnay Place at 2:30 in the morning!

Canoe-a-rama.

I'm going up into the woods to canoe a wild river till Friday. Ok, it's not that wild, in fact it's mild.
But there obviously won't be any blog action here. Don't even think I'm gonna do it on the river!

Jr.

This is the new official Nails Anthem:

I got ketchup on my blue jeans, I just burnt my hand
Lord, it's hard to be a bachelor man
I got girls that can cook, I got girls that can clean
I got girls that can do anything in between
I got to get ready, make everything right
Cause all my rowdy friends are comin over tonight

Do you want a drink, hey, do you want to party
Hey, honey, this is ole Hank, ready to get the thing started
We cooked the pig in the ground, got some beer on ice
And all my rowdy friends are comin over tonight

Now, my party pad is out in the woods
It's a long, long way from here to Hollywood
But I got some natural queens out on the floor
And ole Miss Mississippi just walked through the door
Got a little wirlpool just made for ten
And you can jump out and you can jump in
You can do anything that you wanna do
But, uh-uhh, don't you step on my cowboy boots

Do you want to drink, hey do you want to party
Hey, this is ole Hank, ready to get this summer started
I cooked a pig in the ground, we got some beer on ice
And all my rowdy friends are comin over tonight

Do you want to drink, hey, do you want to party
Hey, hey, this is rockin, Randall Hank
Ready to get the summer time started
We cooked the pig in the ground
We got some beer on ice
All my rowdy friends are comin over tonight
That's right, come on in


Hank Jr is on to something!

Tenacious As.

I am currently fanatical about NZ immigration.  There is a story to tell, and it's lengthy.

I have just written a letter appealing for help to the Minister of Immigration.  I never would imagine that writing one letter could get anything done in the US, but with the population size of NZ, apparently, it's reasonable...

Bottom line is this: I want to stay, and my visitor's visa is to run out at the end of next month.  Meanwhile, NZ Immigration could take up to a year to award me anything, unless I get an offer of employment.  It's overwhelming, and frustrating.

I am going to get stressed out on this matter, I know, but it'll be curious if I'm willing to "go to the mat" for this.....what's my tenacity?

So, I do what I can, and find my path through the immigration minefield!

Commander In Chef.

I just saw this online:

"Top Chefs Push Obama to Improve Food Policy."

I also read that BO was on a food critic's show on Chicago Public TV a few years ago, and his comments were so profound, they were deemed to have so much more insight than the other guests, that they never broadcast that episode when it was made....

He can do anything, can't he....

Gravies Are Made.

What a weekend!  I enjoyed myself so much.  Congrats to Morgan and Caroline on their gettin' hitched!

The event took place in the "Great Hall" of the old national museum/now Massey University in Wellington.  There were over 200 people in attendance, and we had a great time.

Highlights:

-Getting to be one of the last people to be talking with Morgue as a free man before the ceremony, trying to distract him from his nervousness (which wasn't much I think, at least not visibly!).

-Getting to drink in the MUNT FM radio station with the boys (who had a radio show on at that moment playing from the computer- they weren't gonna DJ, they were at a PARTY) and having Apa make me say "fish and chips" and "Auckland" like a Kiwi on the air.  Later, less salubrious words were said over the air.  Don't worry, MUNT is a college radio station with a broadcast range of 1km or so, so really only 3 people might have been listening.

-Ceilidh (pronounced Kay-Lee) dancing.  The traditional Scottish dance was danced by most, with a traditional band playing along.  I had no idea what I was doing, all I know is that Beth Davie thinks I was the BEST dance partner one could have (not really, I was lost until the very end).

-Not having to work at all really during the wedding.  I was amazed that it went as well as it did, seeing as the whole event was a patchwork of people's collective efforts coming together.

-Getting drunk.  Really drunk.  Sorry parents, but I did.  It was my good friend's party of a lifetime, so I made it my party of a lifetime.

Today, we had the BBQ out here in the Hutt.  I cooked sausages, all from the butcher in Petone, and there were cheese kranksys, lamb koftah sausages and pork and herb sausages.  It was hot as it can get in the hutt, and my beers were barely staying cold.  We played nails on a hand selected stump from Taranaki (shout out to Kevin Drinkwater), and brought more people into the nails fold.

The weekend was great.  Much fun and love.

Congrats again to the new Gravies couple!

More Crazy Stuff People Do.

They get married.  I'm going to Morgue and Cal's wedding in a few short hours.

And tomorrow will be the BBQ bonanza with my new nails stump.

I have the meats, the music and drinking game sorted.

Pics to follow.

Crazy stuff crazy people do.

This:

and:

They're insane.  2nd one is the Caminito del Rey.

Patriot Games.

It's been a happy day.  A long one day too.

The inauguration was everything it should have been for the occasion: part spectacle, but mostly historic.

But before I delve into that, I went out last night, and we crushed pub quiz.  Finally, I was excited to have a "food and beverage" partial-round, but the questions weren't as hard I had hoped....

Then I met up with some friends at Motel, and you know what?  That place makes a perfect mint julep.  Perfect 'cause of the blend of ingredients, but more because of the fact it's the only place I've ever had one in the proper silver goblet, so it stays chilly-chill for refreshing attributes.

So I got home shortly after 1am, with the alarm set for 5:45 am.  It was still pretty dark out when I got up to watch the inauguration.  I made coffee, and did some sudoku (btw, I've started playing sudoku, and I might be slightly addicted to it's logic-ness) and kept one eye on the TV until Obama came to do his oath and speech.

What a great speech I thought.  Moving, and forward looking, it acknowledged all our past failures and recognized that the US is great because we're willing to out work/hustle everyone, not because of Manifest Destiny.  I was very aware of the fact of the concept that America is THE leader of the world, without question.  We claim this as our right, but Obama recognized it's responsibilities as well.  The fact that I was watching this event with 2 New Zealanders who had keen interest in it is proof of our influence.

I am proud to say today that I am a citizen of the United States of America.

Does that make me a patriot?

Swim to Meat.

Not too much has gone on over the weekend; it was a quiet one.

Friday night I met Gregor, Morgan's friend from Scotland, and Malcom and I thought it'd be a grand idea to jump into the Wellington Harbor.  It was at the time, but a few hours later, still in wet shorts, it was slightly regrettable...

Saturday: I saw the Curious Case of Benjamin Button.  I need to read the short story by Scott Fitzgerald.  I liked the movie enough, it was unconventional by Hollywood standards in style.

Sunday was all about celebrating Bef's birthday.  She threw her party early, since her birthday is superseded by the wedding next weekend.  I was the master of the grill, and when we went to play some cricket right before nightfall, I was a masher.  Nothin' but straight mash.

Today: Football.  Steelers vs Ravens right now, and it's looking good.  Making dinner tonight, meatloaf is on the plans.

Dang Immigants.

I've submitted my "expression of interest" to NZ immigration, which is the 1st step for my work visa.  I hope I get it.  The wait will be angst-filled.

And in the vein of "pork based art" as Morgue loved, I bring you an amazing creation:

Click to see what this becomes.  I love it.

Mt. Doom.

I've just gotten back from the Tongariro crossing with Ben.  It was a fine day yesterday to cross the saddle between Tongariro and Ngauruhoe.  The trail is up some steep rocky parts at times, and at other times it's on flat mud through the crater of an old volcano.  We departed at 8:30, and got up to the highest part of the trail at about noon, and we took our time.  The views were amazing, with Ngauruhoe being the main attraction.  It's the mountain that was "Mt. Doom" in the Lord of the Rings movies, and is sinister to climb, as it's all shale slag.  We didn't climb it.  I'd like to say it was because Ben didn't want to do it (I could blame his lack of adventure) but I really wasn't interested in doing it, nor did we have time to do so before our 4:30 pick-up.

The emerald pools were also quite beautiful, but they were extremely sulfurous, so I didn't hang around there too much.  We met a nice girl from Quebec that was going around the mountain, and we hiked with her for a while.  Ben noted that she was super hardcore, because her one of her daily treats was an apple.

I'm glad I did it; it's something I've wanted to do for a while.  I can cross it off the list.

Kapiti Island.

Yesterday I went to Kapiti island with Morgan.  We awoke very early and drove up the coast to Paraparaumu under clouds and rain looked like a possibility.  We took a boat and headed over to the island, where we got an informative introductory talk, with one bird being noted by the guide as, "having the most beautifulist song out."

Our climb to the top of the island, at over 500 meters, was steep; to keep our spirits up we sang Washington State's fight song. (We recently watched Volunteers...)

The view from the top took a while to clear, and never fully did so, but I saw the South Island at least.  Then we went down to the beach on a different track, and ran into more birds, including a Kaka that landed on both of our packs to try to get in them.

Then we basically hung out at the beach, until the time came for our pick-up.  We threw lots of rocks at targets, like little boys, until I threw out my arm...

Today/tonight is Morgue's bachelor party, and I will report on the sane, adult activities that will be undertaken civilly.  Or not. 

The Most Unwanted Song.

I was listening to the This American Life podcast while running the other day, and had to stop running because I was laughing so hard at this story:

These guys took opinion polls about music people love and hate.  They created 2 songs based on those results.  The "most wanted song" is pretty bad, I think.  It's like any bad adult contemporary/smooth jazz/RnB crap- generic in it's direction.  Forgettable.

But then they combined the most unwanted features in a song, which takes over 20 minutes, and has a rapping opera singer, rapping about cowboys, backed with a children's choir singing about holidays.  Yes.  It's pretty crazy.  Read more and listen to the song- if you dare!

"Hey everybody!  It's Labor Day!   Do your shopping at Wal-Mart!"

Slow Food.

I got this the other night whilst video chatting with T-Man-Fu (I love that his dog Buddah has the facebook page with the current status: "Buddha is finishing the hedgehog so good."  Apparently his dog spells well enough, but hasn't quite mastered basic grammar....).

It's a site dedicated to the much-beloved-by-me slow food movement.

This FXcuisine has a love for food I tip my cap to.

Best of all are the photos of his trip to the slow food fair in Torino.  Lots of cool produce varietals, quirky traditional cheese, and underground pork based art.  I love it.

Crickets.

Does anyone want to go to the cricket ODI tomorrow afternoon with me against the Windies?

PUH-LEEZUH!!!! 

List.

I made a great list yesterday, and through the power of list crossing off that I'm oh-so-great at, I got the thing more than half done, and today it will be finished.  The list was for the week.

The best part of the list getting done:

Getting my fingerprints FINALLY taken by the police.  They're a required part of my submission to the FBI in Virginia for my police record.  I truly hope that a serial killer doesn't have my prints...

But that whole fingerprinting ordeal started on Christmas Eve, and ended yesterday...man!

I also ordered new running shoes from the US, and with shipping, they are still less than HALF of the price here.  Goods cost so much sometimes.

And today, lots of mailing, getting a suit for the wedding, to the department of conservation for the permits for the Whanganui river trip....and more!

Random.

Not much happened this weekend.  I drank in the bum park with friends.  I slept in yesterday to an hour unseen in recent memory.  I had a great run in the dusk.  I watched Barcelona win, NFL playoffs, and played basketball in the sun.

And I made chicken 'n biscuits this evening.  And I claimed I was the Washington state champion sprinter in high school....

Whew, what a busy weekend.  Ok it really wasn't, but it's the end of the holidays, so I relished it I suppose.

Happy New Year

My new years eve was low key; movies with friends, and an unsuccessful party hunting trip with "Och aye the noo" himself, Maclom.  But much fine drink was had, so it all ended fine...

I was quite useless on NYD, and didn't run around much in the sun.

And right now I'm watching the Rose Bowl.  It's right before half, and USC is about to end the game if they score...

Happy New Years

(they just scored...)

Rainbow Warrior.

Who knew Dubya was such a pioneer? 

And, who is the Wellington Cafe Chick?  Inquiring minds want to know.

New Tent.

I got a new tent today.  I had been thinking about a new one for a few days, seeing as the crazy boxing day/end of years sales are going.  And with the exchange rate, I figured, why not at least take a look.  Yesterday I went to many different outdoor shops, some filled with crappy but large coleman tents-as big as a cabin sometimes!  Some had nice tents, and some had expensive, but seemingly of poor quality, meaning something was fishy...

Anyways, I decided I wanted a Mac Pac tent, which is a NZ brand.  I went to the store today, and found out that all the tents I was interested in were all sold out.  Not only in the store, or even the country, but in the stores in Australia too!  There were 2 tents on sale that were 2 person.  One was not a freestanding tent, and the least expensive tent Mac Pac made.  It was on the small-ish size.  Then the other was a heavy duty, 4 season Fairydown (also a NZ brand), top of the line alpine tent.  I bought the latter, and it's pretty hardcore.  I may have a better tent than even the one the famous Siberian explorer T-Bones McGillicuty has...maybe.

I pitched it this afternoon to check it's nuances out.

Also pics of NZ's Christmas tree, the Pohutukawa, namesake of the street I'm on.

mmmmm......BACON.

How does one make their blog more delicious?!?

That's easy, add BACON!

Kiwis vs Mexicans.

Oh man, it's a beautiful day!  The weather is fine, oh so fine!

I've been taking it easy on this Sunday- a run, laundry, phone calls back to the peeps back home, reading in the sun....life is fine.

Yesterday we celebrated the day after boxing day, aka, Shadow Boxing Day.  I made a big Mexican brunch consisting of shredded beef in chili colorado, beans, pico, handmade tortillas and eggs, all topped with perfect avocados from up north.  The tortillas were not on a level of a Mexican grandma, or even a 5 year old Mexican girl to be honest.  But they tasted great.  It's not your fault Morgue- all issues were mine not knowing the secrets to teach you!

And then the piñata.  Oh what a beauty she was was!  A little black kiwi, filled with little treats, and ready to be demolished!

A few before me tried their best, but my 6th sense took over me, and I smashed that sucker like it was sitting still (which it kinda was...).  But we had great fun!

OR, the video form.

Box, Box Santa.

We had a great Christmas day yesterday.  Sunny, warm and easy.  I made my gramma's orange rolls for breakfast, then hung out during the day, nibbling on broccoli and cheese knishes.  We played games, drank mint juleps and beer, and ate Ben's Russian fudge.

And then the dinner came:

Lamb/Ham/Mashed Kumara/Asparagus/Roast Potatoes/Plum Puddin'/Trifle/Whiskey/Whisky

mixed up with ultimate frisbee/playground climbing.

It was a great day, except for the fact that I somehow messed up my knee with that frisbee.  It's sore, and I have a slight limp.  Sigh.  Oh well, it's Boxing Day!

What's Maori for "Piñata?"

Man, today was such a fine day weather wise.  I love that it was 72 degrees and perfect skies, opposed to the 18" of snow I heard about back home (and it's going to keep coming apparently)!

It seems like each time I'm about to embark on some headway on my project, I run into something that forces me to change direction....I can't get any momentum I feel.  The bottom line is this: NZ immigration!  Let me in or else!  I'm not crazy/diseased/wanted in my home country/speak english.  OK.

I'll keep on it though, even if that means I have to go towards the backdoor route of getting a skilled work permit which I have to pay for, as opposed to the business permit, which is free.

Perhaps I should apply for the ambassador job?

But in more positive and uplifting news: The Day-After-Boxing Day (aka, Shadow Boxing Day) fiesta's piñata is finally finished, and drying in an undisclosed location, to prevent any premature-candy-desiring-whacks!  It's a beauty!

Macho Madness Scares Beth Davie

I went to the house warming party at Matt and Miri's house last night.  It was the much-awaited "Fluoro" party.  And by fluoro, they meant neon.  It was great fun: lots of great music, great friends and the Macho Man's favorite whiskey, Fighting Cock.

Highlight: Actually SCARING Beth with my amazingly accurate representation of the Macho Man.

It was excellent.  There will be some pics later posted on this very web page.

Totara Flats

I went hiking out there at Totara Flats on Thursday-Friday.

(Clinking the photo will take y'all to the gallery....)

I started at the trailhead in Waiohine Gorge, and the 1st thing you do is cross over a really long, single occupant suspension bridge that's 200 feet above the river.  And it bounces.  A lot.

Then through muddy native forest for 3 hours, fording 2 streams, I finally got to the "flats" part of the walk.  I thought to myself, "it's pretty windy.  I should find the hut that's out here, because otherwise I'll be up all night with the noise."  I tried in vain to find the hut (I just found it on google maps, and don't know how I could have missed it, except for the really tall grass?) which wasn't signed at all.  I got kinda frustrated, but mostly because I was tired, and in searching for the hutt I wasted an hour or so by going farther that I needed to...

But I found a terrific place to camp.  It was a spot that had been previously used, and it had all that one looks for in a spot: a nice soft, flat ground for the tent, easy access to water, a fire pit already made, and most importantly, WONDERFUL protection from the wind.

I was so happy to find that place.  I pitched camp, had dinner, read, and made a companion/entertainment fire.  I slept pretty well.

In the morning, I was sore in my shoulders and hips from my bag, and my body rejected the idea of wearing the pack again.  I finally had to get going, as I had a time I had to contact Anne, otherwise, the police would've been called in to look for me...

It was the most strenuous hike back out.  It was hotter, more humid, and seemingly endless on the way home.  But I did it, and rewarded myself with an obscene amount of fresh strawberries from a fruit stand.  Yes.

In the evening I hung out with Morgan and we drank some Scotch.  Some really nice stuff-finished in Sauternes casks... We told stories of all sorts till he needed to go sleepy-time!

Quizzles

Not much to report other than my team destroyed everyone at pub quiz last night.  We won a $50 tab at the bar.  I really want everyone to know it was Miri who enabled us to victory.  Without her, we would have been last probably!

I might be going camping tomorrow, so there would be pictures up by this weekend....

Duck n Dodge.

WHY COULDN'T HE HAVE HIT HIM!?!?

I frickin' love it.  Dubya gets shoes thrown at him in Iraq.  Now reporters aren't going to be allowed to wear shoes during press confrences....

In other news, I'm starting my piñata today.  I'm either going to do a Kiwi bird, or a donkey or Tana Umaga.....

Rivers and Coppers

Yesterday I went out "tramping in the bush" as they say here.  Out in the Rimutaka Forest Park, the trail took me through native forests filled with podocarps, most notably Rimu  (That was for all the biologists in the audience).

After about 1.5 hours of walking, I came to the Orongorongo river, which was running rather low, and I ate a lunch I had brought of a ham 'n cheese sandwich, a banana and some wine biscuits, which have a rather odd name for American consumers...oh, and I brought along a thermos of tea, 'coz I can.

The weather was fine-ish until the last moments on the trail on the return.  As soon as I got to the car, the rain came down something fierce.  I'm glad I wasn't one of the group just starting their hike for the day....

Pictures can be seen here.

And last night I got invited by a friend to the National Police Headquarters Bar.  The cops have their own bar on the top floor of their office tower.  (In nice weather) Great views and...

$3 DRINKS!  I needn't say more!

This is what it sounds like when doves cry.

Well I made some Posole on Monday night.  I joked that I might have been one of the 1st 5 people to make the classic dish of pork and hominy stew in New Zealand.  But I didn't really compromise, in fact, I would of been proud to have served it back home, even in a restaurant....

Anyways, I rant thus because of the "Mexican" food I ate for lunch today.  It was a place recommended to me, and I'm pretty sure I even heard Spanish being spoken in the kitchen.  The Oaxacan Tacos I ate could best be described as "Hippy Mexican,"  but it wasn't quite that odd.  It certainly wasn't Family Mexican-god, what I wouldn't do for that styles beans!

So in that vein, I truly miss good Mexican food, just like I did 2 years ago.  And you know what, so did Mark Twain!  Well, he didn't miss any enchiladas (if he had only known!) but he did miss amongst other things:

American butter, Saratoga potatoes, Connecticut shad, Baltimore perch, Brook trout from Sierra Nevadas, Lake trout from Tahoe, Black bass from the Mississippi, Virginia bacon, San Francisco mussels, Philadelphia Terrapin soup, Canvas-back-duck from Baltimore, Prairie hens from Illinois, and broiled Missouri partridges.

So there you go...even Taco Bell....ok, maybe not even Taco Bell....

Also I bought another hat.  The 1st step is admitting you have a problem...

Hats!

The 1st is one I bought yesterday at a clearance.  It's  a Hills brand, made here in NZ, and I like it, but it'll be too hot for summer wear.  It also needs some work on the front brim.

I roll 100 TIMES HARDER with this one.  Remember?!?

LambyLamb

I went to the Lower Hutt farmers market yesterday morning with my friend Damon, on recommendation.  It was pretty nice- utilitarian- but the selection was pretty homologous between stalls.  The prices were great too...

Anyways, I got an amazing lamb roast I cooked tonight for dinner tonight, and made lentils and a radish-cabbage slaw to go with.  The flavor was rich, and relatively mild for lamb.  I'm going to be ordering a side this week for the holidays...

And I went to the beach again today.  I just exacerbated my sunburn!

Beach Bum

I just got back from the beach, laying in the sun and swimming in the bay.  It was perhaps 70 degrees F, maybe 75.  Very warm, but not miserable.  And the water was pretty cold.

But I finished my book about Gondwanaland.  When was the last time you read a book about that place?

Dinner and/or trouble in town tonight with Morgan and Cal.  I've seen more of his siblings this week than him with his studiousness! 

Rawk Climbing

I am so impossibly sore this morning.  My grip is nearly non-existent, from trying to hold my body close to a rock and not fall off.  My legs never really recovered from the ultimate-stairmaster climb of the eastern hills over the Hutt Valley.

 There will be physical activity for me today, other than walking.  Unless someone needs me for a netball game.....

I took many pics from the trip, since I was much better at doing that than climbing the rocks (really, it was the massively painful shoes that were too small).  When the sun went down, the light became awesome, and the wind even awesomer!

Here's a link to some photos if you've failed to see them yet.

Bush Wacked!

Man, I just scrambled to the top of the ridge on the east side of the Hutt.

It was a steep go up the fire break, but once I got to the top, the views were worth it, even if one side was Wainuiomata....

But then I got lost coming down.  The trail I chose to take was of poor quality, very washed-out, and very narrow, meaning I was running through hawthorne-like bushes.  I then hit the nicer, "more foresty" stuff.  But the trails were confusing, and I kept coming out into people's backyards!  I just wanted to get out of the bush.  But I did it, and treated myself to my 1st meat pie of the trip.  Man it was GOOD.  I love 'em!

And I replaced my camera- the one that I bought for this trip, and then washed the day I left for NZ.  It never worked after that...but I got a new one, with a nicer lens (a LEICA!).

I'm going to rock everyone at pub quiz to-nite!

HuttLuv.

Well, looky here!  Here I am sitting in the early morning sun of the Hutt Valley, just outside Wellington.  Yesterday was a VERY long day for me, as the flight staff woke everyone up at about 2am NZ time.  I got into Auckland about 4:15am, and did the whole immigration/bio security thing.  And then I had to WALK the 12 minutes between the international terminal and domestic terminal at the BIGGEST AIRPORT IN THE COUNTRY.  They have no train/tram/or visible bus.

But I jokingly complained about that enough yesterday.

I got into Welly, had breakfast, went for a run in the warm weather around the Lower Hutt, took a nap of 2 hours, and then got on making Thanksgiving dinner.

The stuffing was great, the asparagus PERFECT, and the pavlova transcendental.  The Davie family and friends were wonderful company.  I am thankful for having them in my life.

We just chatted until I crashed about 10pm, and got a good night's sleep.  I'm running errands today in the city, and look forward to having my hair become "windswept."

NZ

I am in New Zealand suckers!

Drawings=Cash Money

This is the best way to pay your bills:

With a drawing of a seven legged spider.

PackMule

I'm packing today!

I have to sort out my camping stuff to take, get my clothes in order, etc.

I was asked, how does one pack for 3 months of travel?

I answered, "the same as one week, you just do more laundry."

I don't think this person travelled much....

Weekend Update

This weekend was a real hoot as they say in some places. They don't say it here though.

Friday I had brunch with Chris, after his arrival from Japan. I'd love to tell some great story about him modelling in Japan, but alas, that story is mine and he was just there on business. I pointed out that he's the only one I know that eats corned beef hash for breakfast, and he pointed that I'm the only one HE knows who eats biscuits and gravy....mine is tastier.....
Friday night the bad weather came in while I was eating uninspired Italian food with Emily. We then rolled to the Zoo, the Eastlake Zoo Tavern that is, and played long-ass games of pool.
After that, we waited at Bush Garden for Aki and his girl, who were in town for a conference Saturday. We were treated to some INCREDIBLE karaoke talent at Bush Garden (Bump n Grind by R. Kelly was on point).
But none of that matched me when we went to Venus Karaoke, and I sang a ton in the private booths. Waylon, Elvis, A-Ha, Haddaway, and "a whole new world" from Aladdin were all hits.

Saturday was finishing up my Empire business. I am officially retired from that enterprise. I can now say I'm a small business entrepreneur as opposed to an owner....
In the afternoon, I travelled with Emily to Whidbey Island, tracing much of the same route I did with Damon when he visited me a little over a year ago. Back home for dinner and a movie, and an earlier bed time than Cal bragged about on her most recent blog post! (9:30)

Sunday, today, was to be spent cutting down a large tree with my dad, but he got cold feet, and we did some other cutting of wood instead. I was all gung-ho about it, and was quite disappointed I didn't get to use the chain saw....
We went disc golfing, and I lost one in the water, right after my dad said, "don't throw it in the water!" I owe him a new disc. After that we played pool and drank a beer, and watched the football game. I also learned how to play backgammon.

Phew. Tomorrow I'm driving to Seattle to sell some Alfa Romeo parts I've had in my possession since I had my Alfa...how many years ago? 5 I think....

Later.

So Fresh and Clean

You noticed it already:  A brand-spanking-new format.  Props to T-Bones McGillicutty, aka Trever Santora for transforming my blog from looking like something millions of people have to a custom-with-drawn-by-me art.  Notice the tattoo?

I'm going to Seattle for the weekend- hopefully going on a hike on Saturday, provided that it's not snowing too heavily up in them thar hills known as the Cascade mountains!

Talk to y'all later!

Olympia.

I am currently kickin' it old school style in my home town of Olympia.  It's the longest spell I've spent here in probably 4 or 5 years.  It's changed a lot in some areas, and it's still the same in others.  I guess that's nothing special....

I went down to Portland to see my friend Meghan this last weekend.  I hadn't seen her in over 2 years, which blows my mind.  She had wanted to come up to Seattle for Halloween/Macho Madness, but was unable to get her shift the day after covered.  So I suggested that I go down there, and bring my costume, and then we could go out to celebrate Halloween.  After dinner (choucroute with 4 kinds of pork in it!), and many drinks of a Portland made apple brandy (very nice/very strong) with a High Life back (very classy) I dressed up.  And then Madness happened.  Pictures below:

And then we went out into the night, with me using my unique combination of ridiculous charm/mild harassment on the ladies.

And then the worst hang-over in a long time.  A pic with Meghan right before I left:

She's wearing the great Engrish shirt I bought her in Japan when I was 20....

Now I'm back in Oly, tying up loose ends, working in the yard for my dad, running, and working on my future project(s).  I feel like....hmmm....is it vacation, or just this weird "limbo" period?  I don't know.

...And we're back!

I'm back from my New England trip visiting family and friends.  It was unusually warm too- almost 70 degrees one day in Syracuse.  And mostly sunny, although it was about 2 weeks behind the prime New England leaf color.  (But I found 1 tree to take a photo of....)

Anyways, up in Syracuse, I hung out with my great friend Aki, and his wonderful girlfriend Vanessa.  We went to a German dinner and pub quiz the night I got there.  Pub quiz was hard- I think designed for people who are going to a major university for an advanced degree (Aki is in law school).  Also done in "The 'Cuse" were watching a trouncing in flag football, making some dinner for a bunch of people, reading "The Island of Dr Moreau" for the 1st time, and going to a place called Funk 'n Waffles.

I then returned to Hartford to stay with my grandparents and see my Mom's family.  I had an assortment of aunts, uncles and cousins to see over the days, and we enjoyed fine meals together.  It was good to catch up with this side, since I see them once every 2 years on average...

And now I'm back.  It's the beginning of the last days for me.  Time will fly quickly, I know.  I feel like my schedule the next 2 weeks is already full, but I know there'll be plenty of time wasted on the internets for example...

But the last days, sad for some I know this, but for others....well, let's just say that they'd better be ready for THIS.

Waffles and I'm just funky.

With Aks the Fox

Cheerleading with the dog, Remy

Duh.

Away from Seattle

I'm currently on vacation back east. I've seen an old friend up in Syracuse, and am in Hartford, CT with my family. Not much else in terms of exciting things-I'll blog when I get home on Thursday...
Enjoy yourselves.

OBAMA!

We are AMAZING.

America, my faith in thee is re-deemed!

6 Time Heavy Weight Champion of the World!

With my friend Nicole, the dead doll that was loved too much.

OH YE-AH!!!

MADNESS.

That's really only the only term to use to describe Friday nights' action.  Pure madness.

I left for the party at 8:30, and was on the early side of the guest arrival.  As an side note, the party was a block away from my old house in Montlake.

I went with my friend Nicole, who was dressed as a doll who got "loved too much."  The party featured 5 bands, opening with a banjo/fiddler combo.  The banjo player was a 30 year old professor from UW I was told.  Then the people started showing up, and I became, well, let's just say the only thing I could be described as is, "on fire."

Macho Madness started fights (with lots of foot stomping enhanced punches), told stories (I will not eat green eggs and ham Sam I Am! Yeah!  Uh-Huh!), to a screen test with Sofia Coppola (To be, or not to be, that is the question! Oh-Yeah!  Uh-Huh!) and just generally captivating audiences.

All with half of a bottle of Fighting Cock brand bourbon.  It's what kept my throaty voice possible all night.

There are other tales to tell I suppose, but they'll be best done justice to your face, as opposed to here....

One last note:  When I started chatting up the hottest Sarah Palin at the party (there were 2 or 3 uninspired women....) I told here that as my tag-team partner, if I got killed she could have my heavy weight championship title without ever needing to challenge for it!  Her boyfriend/Worst McCain ever didn't like that much.....Republicans, whad'ya ganna do?!?

Empty

I'm sitting in my room which seems 98% empty.  And as soon as I wrote that sentence, the song I'm listening to had the words, "seems like I'm running on empty."  Funny.

Yeah, today I got up early and started the long day:  Take the biggest load to Oly, go to the goodwill, sell my bed, and drop a couple of things off at friend's houses.  And glue all my tassels on my costume.

As Morgue suggested, tomorrow I  become a full time Macho Man!

And clean.

Last Day.

I get to go into my last day at work in a few moments.  I am excited, to be sure.  Tomorrow:  Unemployment!

Went to a great dinner on Monday, but  was be blown away at how much it cost.  And I didn't even have to pay a dime- I was taken out by the chef of the club, and it got expensed...but seriously, what's the deal with chefs just over-charging by so much?  I would never take someone there, if I was going to be the one to pay.

Going back.....to the future!

I've been long over due in mentioning this here, but to some they know already:

This will be the condensed version of my tale.

I am selling my ice cream company.  I decided this a long time ago.  My life had some changes in it, that made me put everything under the microscope, and I realized that I'm the kind of person who needs to have all my successes mine, and all my failures mine too.  I cannot deal well with people who don't live up to my expectations.  So I knew then that I had to start on a solo project.

I also grew tired of my pay job, and realized I was going stagnant there.  I gave notice that I was leaving, and have 3 days left on my tenure.  They are losing the best sous chef that they ever had, as they claim, but my contention is this:  I just did the job.

For the month of November I am camping, traveling to visit family on the East Coast, and hanging out with my family in Olympia.  The day after Thanksgiving, I get on a plane to New Zealand.  I will be there at least until February.  I have little in the terms of definite plans for NZ; mostly I am going because I feel like arriving there will end "the current chapter" of my life (which has seen tremendous highs and crappy lows...).

So I look to the future!

Undecided

David Sedaris in the New Yorker on undecided voters:

"To put them in perspective, I think of being on an airplane. The flight attendant comes down the aisle with her food cart and, eventually, parks it beside my seat. “Can I interest you in the chicken?” she asks. “Or would you prefer the platter of shit with bits of broken glass in it?”
To be undecided in this election is to pause for a moment and then ask how the chicken is cooked."

Yes.

So my friend CP tipped me off on this:

A guy who is a baseball statistician of the highest caliber- Baseball Prospectus*, has been blogging about the election using algorithms he's created.  Obama has a 96.3% chance of winning, based on simulations in conjunction with polls and looking at the electoral college!

*Baseball Prospectus, sometimes abbreviated as BP, is a think tank focusing on sabermetrics, the statistical analysis of the sport of baseball. Baseball Prospectus has fathered several popular new statistical tools which have become hallmarks of baseball analysis. 

And that's why you're just visiting!

See what boredom finds you at work!

I may have to admit I have a problem if I'm still posting Macho Man clips in another month.

3.14159265..........

I'm eatin' ma pie that I made last night for breakfast. Is there really anything finer than a cup of joe and a slice of pie for breakfast? Well, sure, there probably is, but it's simplicity is brilliant!
I made an apple pie after I devoured my crunchy tacos for dinner. Man, those take me back to the day!
Back to the pie!

Free Time? What is this??!?!

This was such a strange weekend for me- there was no ice cream work to do. With the season being over, I had Saturday completely free, and the morning of Sunday open. I was overwhelmed with "free time." What does one do with this stuff? It made me almost uncomfortable, I've become so unaccustomed to it...
Friday night I went out with some friends to a reggae/hip-hop show, and that was pretty fun. The whole crowd was different than the other shows I usually go to, but it was super positive, and everyone I met through my friend who brought me out there was cool.
Saturday was college football/working on my costume/dinner party. Lazily paced for sure.
Yesterday, after some morning laze, I worked at the pay-job, then left to have beers with a friend from work at the pub across the street. After seeing the Hawks get smoked (they truly are pathetic this year), and the Red Sox lose to the Rays in the ALCS, we were depressed (by the way, setting up the least exciting World Series Ever, Philly vs Tampa Bay).
So, Mike called his friend thats the chef de cuisine at Tilth, a fine dining establishment, and we closed that place down over the best meal I've probably had this year.
I capped off the meal with an AMAZING '68 Madeira, that was so sexy, I proclaimed "I want a cologne that smells like this."
And then I had some bourbon too....(for a total of 2 digestifs)
It was a grand Sunday night, and this post will not do it justice now!

From the top rope.

OK. I was REALLY bored at work today, and started watching old videos of Macho Man matches....
This one is FANTASTIC!


Seriously, the ending is incredible.
I just add to my Macho Man costume each day.

I've decided I will be jumping off of lots of things.

Also, I've discovered the kids show I wish I had cable to watch:

Searched.

The local DJ suggested searching this one out. So I did.

MACHO MADNESS!

Had to work today, which was supposed to be my day off.

I hate working for other people- the whole "subservient" thing of the clubs kills me....

Anyways, I've been working on my Macho Man voice, which has been racking my throat something fierce.  But slowly, it's handling it better...soon, I'll sound like the real thing.

I probably need to just drink a massive amount of whiskey that night to "relax" my throat...

SUPRISE!
I'm working on my costume tomorrow....

I can't sing, and I can't dance, but I can make romance!

WHAT!?!?

ask me again.

WHAT?!?

I figured out what my Halloween costume is going to be.  (And its not Lil' John from all the "whats?!"

I should say, OH YEAH!!

You ready for a little Macho Madness!?!?

If you really want to be entertained, just watch a few of the Macho Man's interviews with Mean Gene....

180 degrees!  Sugar is sweet and so is honey!  And the beat goes on!  The honkey tonk man is out of line!

PURE GOLD.

'Mater Mania!

Much has been happening in the soup world of mine recently.

I made my famous Masa Ball Soup. This one's gonna make me millions!
Today I made my Caldo Gallego, using sausage I made with my own 2 hands. Fantastic on a cool autumn evening.
Pics from my run in with Emily's tomatoes the other night for the masa ball soup:







The last one is after I poked myself in the eye with the tomato eyes...

And be glad we weren't making 'mater cake, where you take a box cake mix and add some Cambell's Condensed Tomato soup.
I think I just threw up a little in the back of my mouth thinking about it.....

I have turned to the dark side.  I got a new camera, and it's not film!  I cannot believe it, since I've railed on digi's for years.  But when an entry level camera is so cheap and shoots 8 megapixels, I can't deny it's purposefulness for quick snaps.  I won't be making art for sure...

But here's some pics of the Empire Ice Cream Van, or Vanpire as Trever suggested...

Veep-ers, Creepers

Last night at work, we listened to the vp debate.  I was amused by the things Sarah Palin said, or I should say, failed to say.  When she at one point boasted she wasn't going to answer the questions that the moderator asked of her, then she in effect, lost the debate.  She repeatedly turned answers to questions towards "Alaska is an energy producing state.....ENERGY INDEPENDENCE!" from questions regarding say, foreign policy.  When the only foreign policy experience you have is that Russia is kind of close, and Canada scratches your back, then great.

She brought no actual facts and numbers really, and the ones she did bring were de-bunked by Biden.

I don't need to go on, as everyone reading this blog feels the same as me (I hope).

But is it possible to one day have a more idiotic president than Dubya?  Scary.

Falls

Monday and Today are the last gasps of summer.  I can tell.  It's sad, except for the fact that I won't be here for the cruelest winter has to offer.  The leaves are turning and/or falling.  The nights come early, and in the mornings, the air is crisp.  I took out the garbage & compost this morning in my sandals, and my feet got numb from the dew (on the long grass I have to cut tomorrow).

It is always summer in my heart though.

And then there's this... Seriously McCain, you picked her? Tina Fey's impression in a side by side comparison against the real (confusing) thing.

206 Hip Hop

Last night, I got to go to the Blue Scholars/Hieroglyphics show at the Showbox, on the guest list. I went with my friend Nicole, who is actually the reason I got in for free- she knows the guy that runs the sound board for the Blue Scholars. They ripped it, in front of an absolutely insane hometown 206 crowd. It was also a pleasure to see the classics Hiero, minus Del the Funky Homosapien though. I've loved those guys since I first heard their album '93 till Infinity, in say, '96....
It was also the 1st show I've been to for a long while- I had forgotten how much I enjoy shows.
And today, I sold the cream, went for a run, and watched the Sunday night football game which just ended.
Alright, to sleep!

Girls Divide By 2.

Do yourself and be prepared for a few things after going to Kenji Ulmer's party entitled: Risky Wager-Whiskey Rager.

Well, first, let me explain the name. When one showed up, they had to roll a die (6 sided for those taking notes. Not 20!) and whatever it landed on, you had to take that many shots of Rich & Rare Canadian Whiskey. Do not be fooled: R&R does NOT have either of the advertised attributes!
Girls divided by 2.

So the things you need to be prepared for:
-Being hungover. I was thinking, I drink whiskey like an old chap! Guess what? I drink it more like a young, reckless chap.
-Have coffee. I have none. None! Or milk. I have to go to the store when all I want to do is cocoon myself in my sleeping bag and watch tv.
-Have a big bowl of soup handy too while you're at it. Maybe I'll get some soup too at the store.

I've gotten guest listed to the Blue Scholars tonight, one of the top 2 Seattle hip hop acts (the other being Common Market). I'll report how that goes down.
YaYow!

I got Something!

What's the difference between a moose with lipstick and a moose without lipstick?

Also, anyone who has a business card that reads, "Next to God, there is no greater protection than I" is a major bad-ass. But we knew that already.

Yeah.

Let's Keep It Real

I've got nothing new. Sorry. I'm so lame.

I SWEAR I'll come up with something....

Sweded.

I watched the movie "Be Kind Rewind" last night. It stars Jack Black and my favorite MC Mos Def. They re-make a bunch of popular movies in it, since the tapes all got erased. The call it "Sweded." Since it takes them time to make the movies, that's their excuse- they have to come from Sweden. Here are some shorts from the internet:

Ghostbusters:


Robocop:


Rush Hour 2:


And then you need to watch the user Sweded internet videos. Predator? Yes.

Horned Death

I just got home after spending the day out at my friend Mike's new house in North Bend dealing with the elk he shot over the weekend.

The sucker was a big one.  There was about 500 lbs of meat to deal with.  I butchered while he ground.  The problem was that all the meat looks the same when it's as lean as elk.  There is probably less than 5% fat on the animal.  And it wasn't gamey at all.

So most of it got ground or cut into stew meat.  And some of the grind got made into spicy Italian-esque sausage.  There were a few steaks cut, and a few pot roasts wrapped.  For lunch we had a barbarian platter of choicest cuts, and then got back to the sausage making.  It was a mess, and not the preferred cold conditions.  I joked that he probably wished he'd never shot the thing.  Which, btw, took him 2 days of tracking.  He slept out in the open on the ground, and had only a fun-size kit-kat bar as food, since he never planned on going in that deep.  I saw some of the video, and he went nuts, like a soldier in the jungle.

This is what he shot:

Pickled Beans

Sorry for the lack of action round these parts....you know how it goes, right?  Still love your old pal 'gator right???  I hope.

What's the news?  Had a long-is week, since we had the compounding problems of not placing a dairy order the previous week (to have ice cream mix for the following week) and the dairy then not having cream on our scheduled day.  So we were behind, making ice cream on days I'm not used to...

Last night I  had the evening free, and spent part of it laying in the park with iced tea and lemonade on a blanket, watching some teenagers get busted by some bike cops for smoking pot.  Then I got to roll my friend's mom's Mercedes all night.  You don't know know how much restraint it took me to not go ridiculously fast on the freeway when there was an open stretch ahead of me.  Those cars were designed for the autobahn, no doubt.  It's probably a good thing I drive the dart- it will never be able to go 140 mph.  

Today we rocked it at the market, selling the most ice cream EVER.  EV-AR.  I was on fire kids.  And then Tom and I celebrated with $3 Bloody Marys at King's Hardware.   Mine had extra pickeled veggies/no salt on the rim.  I forget, do ya'll drink a good bloody mary down in NZ?

Ramblins

I feel like I've failed to blog not for the lack of desire, but just for the lack of stuff going on....

I had to do the work thing most of the weekend, but was super-excited to get Sunday morning off, so I could watch the Seahawks game.

What a waste of my time, as they got rickety-rocked by the Bills.  I turned off the game before half time- their offense wasn't doing anything....

Last night I hung out at my sister and brother in laws; the first time in a while.  I feel like I don't ever need/want to go to the Eastside these days- that there's nothing there except them.  And it's so far, or is it- 20 minutes with no traffic, and only coming home after 9 can that be guaranteed.

We played bocce ball, had dinner, and listened to my bro's new-ish stereo that really rocks.  It's so good, one can hear the noise of the lips of the trumpet player.  It was almost a "fuzzy" noise that on a lesser setup would have been considered acoustically poor.

And I'm not going into work today- taking a sick day, even though I ain't sick.  I have to finish putting in my new carpet in my car, a project that was conceived maybe 9 years ago, right after I installed the shitty old carpet myself.  My dad will be so pleased when he sees it!

Wrestlemaniacs!

I went and saw these guys (different poster though) last night:

It was mayhem. Check out the wrestlers!

Title match was between Ronald McFondle and Histeria. Barack Obama came out and fought off John McCain who had tried to turn the outcome in his favor. But he got Ba-Rocked!

Basque Birds and Drunken Aliens.

Man, oh man, oh Manischewitz....

I headed to a few new places yesterday after work, and revisited some old ones in hope of, I suppose, to re-capture past glories.

I first went to the whisky bar.  Guess what you do there?  Unfortunately, fighting wasn't on the ticket at such an early time of the day.  But I did get asked by a bum if he could $200, because he's high on dope and doesn't want to do anything else, especially work.  Nor could he, because he was high on dope, as he stated multiple (and quite honestly) many times.  I suppose it's worth a shot- I should ask random people for $200 too.

I then got excited to go to Txori, a Basque restaurant, to drink txakoli and eat pintxos.  The space is everything I'd love to have: Small, light and interesting.  More towards the minimal in most places, but a rustic shelving system housed everything behind the bar, creating a contrast.

The food and drink: fine, but like the chef's other venture, waaaay to expensive for what you actually get.  I'm glad I went, but I'd never go back again by my choice.  When you know what food actually costs, it can drive one insane as to see it be sold.  And by the looks of it, others have noticed too: the place was dead at peak dinner time.  But maybe, since it's a bar first, the crowd will arrive later.

And then the rest of the night was kinda uneventful, except I talked a lot in my to-be-halloween-character's voice.  I am going to be an alien in the 50's mold: green skin and silver suit.  I will talk something like a robot, and the alien's whole deal is that it just wants to be taken to your coldest, tastiest, malt-based beverages, not your leader.

Par-tay.

Hardcore Rain Camping.

I'm back.

Short story is: It rained.  Lots.

T-Man and I hiked into the lake area, under a constant shower.  I wore boots, Trever wore flip-flops.  That's right.

We drank tea, and hunkered down in the tent, and I attempted to dry out my socks.  You know they're not going to dry when you wring them out multiple times, and every time they seem to yield more foot-scented water than before.

This morning we hiked out, and I slipped.  I think that's when I lost my fuel bottle for my MSR stove.....suck.

Most hardcore moment of the hike: stripping down to our skivvies, and wading across the river in cold waist high water.

All in all, it was fun, and relaxing.  Always nice to be away from people, even if it's ridiculously wet, and your friend doesn't bring a sleeping bag.

Camp.

I'm going camping in the morning.  With the T-Man, no less.  Will inform of results on return!

Taj Mahal was drunk.

You know what is a good Monday night activity?

Taking yourself out to dinner, solo.

I went to an Indian restaurant, ran up a tab for 2, and read.  I quite enjoyed that, and you will too.

Today was boring, so there's nothing to report...

Vacation to Bolivia!

Man, what a week.  I've been hard at work since I last checked in.  Actually, I haven't really, and it's on the radar of the big boss that I'm not working my 40 hours/week as stipulated by my contract.  My argument is this:  We're not busy enough to warrant me being there 40 hours and/or, I am so good at doing my job, it doesn't take me 40 hours to do what most people can do in that amount of time.  Basically, I'm not changing much....

I've been hanging out, and doing the ice cream stuff.  The usual.  We've started selling at Theo chocolates, where we get our chocolate from.  There's a freezer in the retail store- just one more notch in the belt.

I just got home from having dinner at a co-workers parent's house for dinner.  I met her mom yesterday- she is Bolivian, and she said she wanted to cook me a traditional dinner.

I had 2 different kinds of freeze dried potatoes, one white (they're washed in glacial water) and one black (they're dried on the alto-plano, under hay and stepped on by poor people).  We also had a chicken stew, and the Bolivian equivalent of a Pisco Sour, made with some booze called Singani, made from Moscatel grapes.  We also talked of Che Guevarra and his exploits....

Another week tomorrow....

Marathons and whatnots

I am home from a marathon happy hour session with friends from work.

Highlights include:

-drinking multiple Mai Tais.  They're a great freakin' drink, rarely consumed regularly outside of the Hawaiian isles.

-Choosing my halloween costume: The Intergalactic Explorer on an Earth research mission who is also an alcoholic, female earthling-chaser.  When I do the voice it's really funny, I swear.  "Take me to your coldest malted barley-based beverages!"

-Playing pinball next to a hot/sassy blonde with a tattoo of the virgin mary holding rosaries that have an ice cream cone on the end of them.  Really.  She owes me a drink too.

-Having a #3 dog at Shorty's Coney Island.  Best hot dog experience of the summer.  Bar none.

-Having a Dick's deluxe and vanilla shake for the 1st time in 2 years with my best friend Aki, who is leaving for Syracuse shortly.  We reminisced over past experiences.  To past experiences!

Heat Wave

It's too hot to write anything....

except that the van is finished, pics will be posted soon, and that I watched Superbad last night.  It's got some incredible moments, really.  The scene when McLovin is revealed in ID form.  I love the line, "It was either that or Mohammed."

Watch it if you dare, because it is quite crude at times...

Sunny Days.

I found myself with little to do today, meaning no work at all, and the sun brilliant.

So I ran.  Through the arboretum, Jackson Park, and then up the hill to Interlaken.

And then I swam, after returning to my car, and lounged in the sun, actually tanning myself.  All previous sun exposure this summer: In the form of Farmer's Tan at the (ironically) farmers markets....

I had "chopped steak" burgers, a new theory on burger perfection tonight, and then went to see "Tropic Thunder." 2 surprises: Tom Cruise was enjoyable for his part, and the opening was ingenious.

I can't suggest nor dissuade you from seeing it though.  I spent $10 for a film I'm indifferent about...

Brews for You's

I went to my obligatory Mariners game yesterday with my dad and my brother.  In a lost season, er, a REALLY lost season for the team, I was only slightly optimistic they'd win.

They got smacked up.  Really bad.

But it didn't rain, and the beer was cold.  We played some billiards after the game, and I was once again reminded why I cannot play my dad.  He's just too good.

Then I watched this Israeli movie about an Egyptian band that gets mixed up in their destination's name on a goodwill trip to Israel.  They end up in a po-dunk town, meeting some interesting people.  It had some insanely beautiful cinematography, and some crazy akwardness between the characters.

Wow, I sound like Morgue...

I am the greatest!

See what I've done now.

That's right people. I am thy god!
Being part of Seattle Weekly's Best of 2008 rocks.
I think Empire Ice Cream gets a plaque. It'll be my second, after the Washington State Beef Council's "Steak Martini Challenge."

For those of you who've been privileged enough to hear that epic yarn, I toast you for indulging my story telling!

Polenta Bread

The guy who hounded us for a year about licorice ice cream (but never got it ultimately, when I realized wild licorice root really just infused a dirt...er...an "earthy" aromatic) brought us this bread a few weeks back.
It was INSANE.

I thought he was a pro baker, it was that amazing. And then I found out he's just a retired software engineer with lots of time on his hands. I talked him in to making the recipe, which he did by feel. And he gave me one. In metric. I thought that was so odd....
I baked it at work yesterday, and it came out pretty well. I love the flavor and moistness, but it's structure was too dense. Nevertheless, I made superlative grilled cheese sandwiches with an Italian sheep's milk truffle cheese for dinner. Also in food attendance: A tomato, basil and sweet pepper salad and nectarine-blueberry crisp. Oh, and some Austrian hefe.

Just another Tuesday (very hot!) night.

Sumo Pizza Cats.

My weekend is over, and another week starts.
Our super secret flavor was a big hit: Blackberry sorbet and brown sugar super swirl. Delicious!
I made pizza last night for dinner, and I've realized people at home cannot ever make great pizza dough. Firstly, no one in their right mind would publish a good dough recipe in public domain. Secondly, no one at home has the patience or industrial mixer required to really crank on the dough to make the gluten necessary.
I put garlic jalapeño cheese on my pizza, actually, everything that was a topping was from the farmer's market. Tomato sauce, cheeses, sweet peppers and basil. If only I had gotten some sausage....

And the wiki that I spent too much time reading: Sumo