The following post is 100% true

Dream the First:

I'm on a road trip with two geeky friends and Superman. We're all in a rental car.

My friends and I keep pelting Supes with questions, like "If you've got X-Ray vision, can you see out the back of your own head?" Superman gets cranky because he's supposed to be on vacation and relaxing, and we won't stop pestering him.

We get lost, and can't find our way back to the highway. We ask Superman to pick up the car and fly us back to the main highway. He refuses and sulks in the backseat.

Interlude: Smacky scratches at the window, wanting in. I wake up. I let him in, go check my email, get a drink of water, use the bathroom. I go back to sleep.

Dream the Second:

I'm following Ken around the building where I work. He's trying to get stuff done, and all I want to do is tell him about this really cool and funny dream I had about going on a road trip with Superman. • 7:07 AM 3 comments

Remembering

Bright colors and happy people in my neighborhood. I made a cute brunette with tats smile when I grabbed a sample cookie in the grocery store. Waited for the bus... Rode the bus to the bottom of the hill, Mount Scott. On top of there was Willamette National Cemetery.

Waited for the shuttle bus... Driver immediately took a 15-minute break. Decided to walk uphill instead.

Ate my carmel corn. It was all I had brought for lunch, along with a half-liter of water. Cars drove past. Warm day. Sting sang about being the King of Pain. I reached the gates to the cemetary.

I stepped over a mouse body, belly-up in death. I wondered if the mouse was a veteran.

Took my hat off in the heat. Glad I had the water. Cars drove past. The hill was steep.

People everywhere. Found mom's gravesite with only a little effort. It was on the backside of the cemetery, with a view of Mt. St. Helens barely showing above the foothills.

She's here, and not here. Everything that she was is in the ground here. There's nothing left that I would recognize as my mom. It's the same way I felt when I stood in the room with her dead body, only an hour or so after her death. She's not there anymore. She's not anywhere anymore.

I was sad, but I didn't cry. I cried when she was alive.

A stick-thin and tall man with a woman's reedy voice sat reading a book on top of a grave. Middle-aged women and men dragged teens and younger kids to view a spot on the ground where their ancestors lay.

It was at least a 30-minute walk back down the hill. I made my way past the fields of flags.

"Excuse me?" - an older Asian lady asked me to help her find her number. Of course I could. A laminated card with the name and a number and a section and directions. I walked back and forth and found the pattern and quickly located the gravestone.

"Here he is," I said, not actually thinking he was there but realizing this place wasn't for philosophical debates. I walked her over and showed her. She didn't think it was right but then it clicked.

"Thank you," I said, thanking her for the service, and for her devotion to this man, and for the opportunity to be of some small assistance to her.

"Thank you," she said back. "God blessing you now."

I smiled and again silently renewed my intention not to argue. If there is a God I'm sure He's not too happy with my lack of belief. But I enjoy helping humans when I can. I put my hand on her shoulder, simple human contact, and left her to her visit.

The mouse's body was still there on the way down. • 9:02 PM 1 comments

Remembering

Happy Memorial Day. I'm just writing off the cuff, having just awakened (Smacky let me sleep in today) so I don't have much profound to day beyond a hearty thank-you to all the veterans and those who supported them out there.

To my friends and family who have served, thank you.

Thanks especially to my dad, who served in both the Navy and Coast Guard, and told me early on that military service wasn't worth what you're asked to put in to it. Although it served him well; he learned a trade, electrician, and that trade carried him, my mom, and my sister and I through some tough times. Plus it gave him a lot of stories to tell... He was on hand to see a nuclear bomb test in the South Pacific. I'd often hoped that would be where I gained my mutant powers, but if it had any such effect, the powers have yet to materialize. Thank you, dad, for your service.

Dad was lucky (or smart) enough not to have to serve in any actual conflicts during his service. That wasn't true for my uncle Lavere, who was a gunner in World War II. His plane was shot down and he was detained by Germany in a prisoner of war camp, an experience about which he never talked, at least to curious nephews like myself. Thank you for your service.

To my friends Ken and Merry and Jake and Starr - thank you for your service.

Even Taij - I wonder what ever happened to him? A sarcastic, caustic, scheming geek-y ex-Marine. What an odd friendship we had for a year or so, but, still - thank you for your service.

I'm likely not mentioning many more folk, but don't think it means I'm not grateful. Thank you all for your service. • 8:10 AM 0 comments

A pleasant lunch

"So, do you live alone?" she asked me.

She and I sat outside on a warmish Friday, sharing lunch and finding out about each other. I was having delicious Thai red curry, with a lake of coconut milk and spices bathing chunks of pineapple and chicken and an island of white rice. It was disappearing fast. She poked at a plate of pad Thai noodles.

Was she too nervous to eat, or did she not like pad Thai? I couldn't tell, and in my own nervousness I disallowed the more flattering answer.

"Yes, just me and a grumpy black cat," I said.

Her dark eyes sparkled and she laughed. "See? I knew you had kids, after all!" Her long straight Latina-black hair half-hid her face.

I paused, fork in mid-trip to my mouth, and considered Smacky. "Hmmm. I guess he is like a kid sometimes."

A kid with teeth and fangs that brings home snakes to play with. I didn't mention that part. First dates are no place to mention snakes. • 6:25 AM 2 comments

Twelve straight hours in bed

I guess I was tired. Just like I kept saying all day Friday. • 6:21 AM 0 comments

All along the watchtower

Tomorrow, May 24th, is both Bob Dylan's 66th birthday and Talk Like Bob Dylan.

Not as fun as Talk Like a Pirate Day, but still... fun!

And for those of you who may be confused by the relevance of the above post title to this topic - Jimi was doing a cover. • 12:25 PM 0 comments

Yay for teh internets!

Yay! - Bad Religion has a new album coming out in July! It's only their fourteenth studio release, according to Stereogum. You can listen to their single "Honest Goodbye", here.

Yay! - BACON.

Yay! - The season finale of "Heroes" was an excellent end to the first volume, and it made me a little misty-eyed.

Yay! - Bose-Einstein condensations of light-like particles! Not sure what they are, but they sound worth yay-ing about!

Yay! - The Republicans can't raise as much money as Democrats can!

Yay! - Eva Longoria cures cancer with her bikini-clad ass!

Update

Fixed the link for the R's vs. the D's. h/t to Tracy! • 6:35 AM 1 comments

Like butter

One of the best parts of getting a new jar of Adams natural peanut butter is licking off the big wooden spoon I use to stir it up.

Boing Boing had a post a while back about some kind of fancy crank for stirring your peanut butter.

I don't mind doing it manually, though. Pushing the spoon down through the layer of oil on top, into the thicker part of the peanut butter. Lifting and twirling and scraping the sides, making sure to get the spoon down into the corners of the jar, the smell of peanuts filling my nose.

And when I'm done and it's all mixed as good as I can mix it, I pull the spoon out, carefully, wiping the sides and edges off against the lip of the jar. I use a smaller metal spoon to scoop out the excess in the bowl of the wooden spoon - bonus! Now I have two spoons to lick off!

I saw almond butter at the store today. More expensive (this was about a dollar more than my jar of Adams' and half the size), but it had fewer calories and less fat. I'll try it next time. • 2:46 PM 1 comments

Everybody Loves It

I was sitting at the main stage at the Acropolis. Again. I was wearing my new hat, a short-brimmed, tall crowned fedora, in a snappy gray glen plaid. It made me feel hip, not unlike drinking vodka drinks in a dive bar. Everybody loves my headwear.

It was Friday night at shift change.

A cute Hispanic girl, short-haired and compact, was packing up her music at the back of the stage, while the night shift dancers clumped down the stairs in their 9-inch heels and made their way, each of them, to their stage.

S., my all-time favorite, wearing what looked like a black one-piece bathing suit, walked past me towards the back of the bar. I waved my fingers at her; she almost didn't notice (she had her game face on and wasn't making eye contact with anyone, just scanning the tops of their heads and smiling) but I waved harder and she turned back and smiled.

"Hey! Yay!" she said. "Nice hat."

"Thanks!" I raised it, half to show my now-bald head, half as a gesture of courtesy. "It keeps my head warm."

She laughed, then smirked. "But now I can't rub your head!"

I mock-glared. "It just means you have to ASK first."

She laughed and clomped away on top of her stripper stilts - I mean, shoes.

Later, in the private area, I sat in the chair and looked up at her. Her face was barely visible below the line of the brim of my hat. She reached for it, stopped, asked "May I?"

I nodded. She lifted it off my head and plunked it down over her long straight reddish-brown hair. She posed and pouted into the mirror behind me. It looked surprisingly good on her - gave her a 1930s-esque noir-ish look. Of course, wearing the hat, her stripper shoes, and nothing else, while standing in the open V of my legs helped, too.

She started to put it back, and the music for this song started at the same moment. In mid-motion she changed her mind and set it on the table next to me. "You can not wear it when I'm dancing for you," she declared, and then bent from the waist, and dragged her long hair over the top of my head. I'd been cold all night, and her hair was warm and soft, and I shivered from the feeling as my private dance began.

I must have missed my opportunity, if any, to hang out with S. outside the club. I didn't get the impression that she was interested any longer - though to be honest, my instincts when it comes to reading other people's body language are poor even on a good day. With someone whose job is to send confusing signals, I should probably abandon all hope. S. isn't a bimbo, isn't covered in tats or piercings, has small, natural breasts and a Roman nose.

I've noticed, though, that people like her, customers and dancers and bar staff alike. Other dancers will joke and flirt with her. The rail is nearly always full when she's dancing. She may or may not be a good person (whatever that means) but she gives the best show of friendliness and... connection that I've ever seen.

Fuck. This girl gives me a case of the "if-onlies" of epic proportions.

I felt the maudlin-y feeling welling up in me when I watched her on stage, later, after I was done with private dances for a bit. Figured it was time to leave before I did or said something dumb. What would Humphrey Bogart do? How would Han Solo have handled this? Fly away, don't come back, raise some hell.

When S. came over near me again, I leaned over. "I'm outta here, toots, and I'm taking the hat with me."

"OK," she smiled. She squatted down and collected the money in two fistfuls.

I stood up. "I wish we'd met somewhere else." Just like that, something dumb snuck out of my mouth.

Her smile turned a bit sad. Her dark eyes grew a little darker. She reached across the rail and laid her hand, palm up, on the bar. When I didn't move at first, she tapped it against the wood.

I put my hand in hers and she squeezed it. "I'm glad you came in tonight. I'm glad I got to see you" she said.

"Me, too," I said and walked out and home.

Surprisingly it wasn't raining. Still fuckin' cold though.

Labels: stripclub

• 5:20 PM 0 comments

Strange things are afoot at the Circle K

Sorry it's been so quiet around here. I can't even scrape together the time to slap a list together, like I've been doing.

There's some events going on in the background that may not have an immediate effect on what you see on these pages, but will make a huge difference to me and my use of the site. I don't want to give anything away. And, eventually, it will lead to a site redesign - and hopefully bring some of the other domains I currently own back to life. (Is that enough of a teaser?)

In the meantime, go say "congratulations" to Caleb, the proprietor of dante, the server on which Lunar Obverse runs. He freakin' climbed a mountain last weekend.

Now I'll go back to setting up my new computer... (Is that more of a teaser?) • 10:16 PM 1 comments

90 minute run

Cross-posted from Run, Moon, Run!, my running blog.

I wanted to do a long run today. I thought about running downtown and back again along the west bank of the Willamette River, but that would be about 10 miles, and lately my longest run has only been 6 or so - that might have been too much of an increase.

I didn't just want to do my "normal" 6 mile loop. I'm kinda bored of that loop. I wanted something a little bit different.

The weather was awesome for running - mid 50s, no rain, a little wind but not bad. When I headed out around noon I was wearing shorts and a short sleeved singlet, hat, sunglasses, my new Brooks (with MOGO!) and my iPod nano loaded with songs. Had a small 400 calorie breakfast several hours earlier, and a liter of water. Oh, and two Claritin (or the generic equivalent) - my allergies have been awful lately. I had my keys in my pocket, along with 3 Cliff Bloks for sustenance.

I chose to run to, then along, the Springwater Corridor Trail by the river for about 30 minutes' worth, then turn around and head back, taking a different route home from the bottom of SE Spokane Street, back through upper Sellwood Park, along Sellwood Avenue on the top of the bluff over Oaks Bottom, and back through Moreland to Westmoreland Park and then back home.

A problem I've had on past long runs is a bit delicate - my nipples get chafed. I decided on protecting them this time. I didn't have anything fancy, though. I covered each one with a square of duct tape, loosely applied over my chest hairs to make removal easier. Has anyone seen "The 40-Year Old Virgin"? I didn't want to experience that scene (you know the one I'm talking about) in person.

Lots of runners, walkers, and cyclists out today, which is to be expected. I took many walking breaks, knowing that I needed go easy on myself for such a long run. It was going to be between 8 and 9 miles.

I ran past the osprey nest twice, and past a wedding at a church. I ran through some kind of environmental fair in Sellwood Park, and past a funeral, and many softball and baseball games. I ran past my old apartment. I smiled at other runners, every one I saw, and I stopped for water (and Bloks) twice. And I finished, though not as strong as I prefer...

And I listened to the following songs along the way (Song - Artist - Album):

1. All She Wants to do is Dance - Don Henley - Building the Perfect Beast


2. Just What I Needed - The Cars - The Cars Greatest Hits


3. Jimmy Olsen's Blues - Spin Doctors - Pocket Full of Kryptonite


4. Wheels - Cake - Pressure Chief


5. Dance Like A Monkey - New York Dolls - One Day It Will Please Us To Remember Even This


6. Whole Wide World - Wreckless Eric - Greatest Stiffs


7. Minnie The Moocher - The Blues Brothers - The Blues Brothers Soundtrack


8. Jamming - Bob Marley & The Wailers - Legend


9. Dead - They Might Be Giants - Flood


10. The Infanta - The Decemberists - Picaresque


11. Mrs. Rita - Gin Blossoms - New Miserable Experience


12. I Want To Conquer The World - Bad Religion - All Ages


13. You Shook Me All Night Long - AC/DC - Back In Black


14. Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen - - A Night At The Opera


15. Terminal Annex - Harvey Danger - - Where Have All The Merrymakers Gone?


16. I'm Free (Heaven Helps the Man) - Kenny Loggins - - Footloose


17. It 's My Life - Bon Jovi - Crush


18. Dreaming - Blondie - The Best Of Blondie


19. Come Dancing - The Kinks - Come Dancing with the Kinks


20. They Don't Know - Tracey Ullman - You Broke My Heart In 17 Places - The Best Of


21. Fell In Love With A Girl - The White Stripes - White Blood Cells


22. Sorrow - Bad Religion - The Process Of Belief


23. New Girl - The Long Winters - When I Pretend to Fall


24. Three Little Birds - Bob Marley & The Wailers - Legend


25. Two Tickets to Paridise - Eddie Money - Eddie Money


26. Green Hornet - Al Hirt - Various Artists - Kill Bill Vol.1


27. The Legionnaire's Lament - The Decemberists - Castaways And Cutouts

...kinda heavy on the 80s, isn't it? I can't help it; the 80s had some great music! • 3:44 PM 0 comments

Sing-along

When I don't have time to write a long thoughtful post, I turn to lists.

Like this one! These are the top 10 songs that I'd like to someday sing in karaoke:

1. "The Boys Are Back In Town" - Thin Lizzy
   
2. "Only The Good Die Young" - Billy Joel
   
3. "Secret Agent Man" - Johnny Rivers
   
4. "Common People" - William Shatner (covering Pulp)
   
5. "Mr. Blue Sky" - ELO
   
6. "Santa Monica" - Everclear
   
7. "She Caught the Katy" - The Blues Brothers
   
8. "Somebody to Love" - Queen
   
9. "Mrs. Rita" - Gin Blossoms
   
10. "Blister In The Sun" - Violent Femmes

... presented in no particular order, just off the top of my head.

Add your own in the comments! • 5:03 PM 0 comments

On the bright side

Look at me!

• My weight is under control - I weighed in at 175 this morning, which is my lowest point since last year. And that's after a huge pig-out last weekend after beating my previous time for 10K. I'm learning, not just how to eat sensibly, but how to not panic if I do have binge of weakness and gorge. It's not just about starving myself, but learning not to feel guilty or evil if go a little crazy (especially if I deserve it).


• My finances are under control - My bills are paid and my credit is under control. In fact, I'm well on my way to paying all my unsecured credit off this year. I've got a little money in savings, my job seems as secure as ever, and I've got plans to make a little recurring money on the side, even... And I've got a little money to "play" with.


• My apartment is clean (except for "the everything room" but I'm tackling that this weekend).


• I've been adding some actual color and style to my wardrobe - jeans and t-shirts are OK for kickin' around, but I want to look good, even when I'm being casual.


• I actually like my boss - that hasn't happened in a long time. But even though I disagree with him sometimes, in general he's been pretty open and supportive and helpful. It makes coming to work that much easier.


• I love my neighborhood. I have decent neighbors, and they know me by face or by name at the coffee shop, the convenience store, the video store, the burger place, the grocery store, my favorite restaurant - and the strip club (heh). I've got slews of parks to sit and relax in, and trails to walk and run on, and I can get to everything I need to get to without too much effort.


• It may seem a small thing, but I've got a coupon for a free movie and popcorn and soda at Regal Cinemas to use! I love earning free things!


• I won $4 in the lottery today! Next up: winning Saturday's $10.3 million...

I think all I have to work on lately is keeping my friendships and family-ships up and maybe working a little harder to strengthen them... and maybe spend some time on finding, nurturing and building a closer relationship with someone special - that part is still lacking.

Anybody watch "My Name Is Earl" lately? He's been working on becoming an adult. Got his GED, got a job, got an apartment... then he realized he wanted a lady to share it with. I kinda feel like that...

Oh, and my reading stack is outta control. Why do I keep buying more books when I haven't finished reading the ones I had before? Note to self: no more trips to Powell's for a while!

Oh, wait, gotta end on a positive note! Um... Oh, yeah, I've been actually cooking stuff! Sure, it's stir-fry or spaghetti, but, still - cooking!

Look at me! • 7:22 AM 2 comments

When personality flaws conflict

Help!

My stubbornness is fighting with my grumpiness! • 3:06 PM 1 comments

New work schedule

Because of a project going on at work, my schedule has shifted another hour in the "earlier" direction.

I hates it.

Sorry for the lack of posts. • 5:54 AM 2 comments

Cinco de Mayo 10K - I win!

Cross-posted from Run, Moon, Run!, my running blog.

I ran the Cinco de Mayo 10K this morning. It was my first time doing their 10K route. I remember last year's 5K being a fast course for me. In fact, it was a bittersweet race, since I came within 2 seconds of beating my previous best.

This year, I'm turning in a personal best in just about every race. I'm not sure what I'm doing that's so rockin', but I don't plan to change a thing while my mojo is workin'. I last ran on Thursday, a short 3 mile run, took two days to taper, had a nice dinner last night, got plenty of sleep, a small breakfast this morning (a cup of yogurt), lots of water. The temperature was around 51° F, no rain, not too bad humidity - perfect for running!

And this race was no different - I ran 58:40 chip time which is 32 seconds faster than my last 10K, the Bridge 2 Bridge in late March. In fact, even my gun time is better this time than last!

The course today was pretty much an out-and-back one - south along Front Ave., then down onto Barbur Blvd., all the way out to the turnaround point, then back. Slight uphill then a slight downhill. I didn't feel very strong today and spent the first half pacing just behind these twin girls dressed as Mexican cheerleaders (hey, gotta find inspiration somewhere), with a couple of short (15-30 seconds) walking breaks. When I passed the 1-mile marker I was first disappointed because my time was 10:12 - then I remembered that my chip time was 38 seconds less than that (I start my watch at the gun, not when I cross the starting line). And, mile by mile, I was amazed at my time, even though I felt slower and slower as the race wore on.

But when I got to the 6 mile mark, knowing that only 2/10s of a mile were left, I got my legs to just keep moving. And when I saw the race clock next to the finish line showing 59:something - I kicked it into high gear. I don't call it a sprint, but it's pretty damned fast for me. The clocked clicked over to 59:30 as I sped under the banner.

Next weekend I can either do a fun run down in Springfield with Tracy and her friend, or my usual Lake Run in Lake Oswego. • 8:22 PM 1 comments

The one about the zoo

Tracy's not at work today, but she just chimed in with a text message about non-cooperative penguins.

Silly penguins. • 1:41 PM 0 comments

Sssslither

I so want to post about the snakes in my house and how I'm freaked out by them but slowly getting used to them and how it's Smacky's job to kill them and he's not doing a very good job.

This may be that post. • 7:57 AM 3 comments

Politics

The nice white-haired lady, a fellow customer at my favorite coffee shop just 10 minutes ago, laughed and laughed when I advanced the notion that perhaps the corporate world would be a little more up-front about the cut-throat and anti-employee decisions they made.

I thought I was being properly cynical.

She thought I was being hopelessly naive.

I smiled and sipped my coffee, while waiting for my bus. • 7:13 AM 1 comments