Sunday, December 30, 2007
Birthday Dinner
Dear everyone,I had the best dinner last night! Lisa and Bill came over and we had dinner at the Italian restaurant at my resort. Everything was perfect; the service was friendly without being overbearing, and the FOOD! Bill had veal, Lisa had lamb, and I had bacon wrapped steak and cheese manicotti (with pine nuts! YUM).
They picked up that it was my birthday from one mention, and for dessert they brought out a tiramisu - with two ladies' legs, carved from cookies, sticking up from the top! Happy Birthday was written on the plate with chocolate sauce.
Daniel, our waiter, delicately pried the legs apart so he could place the single candle between them.
After, we sat around the pool and talked until late. Oh, and drank. And people-watched. Bill was impressed by the topless ladies. Lisa could not stop talking about the food. She joked that she felt like she'd had a reward meal on some reality show, and now had to go back to eating grub worms at the other resort.
I ate so much food!
How can I possibly be hungry this morning? And yet, I am.
signed, Brian.
Friday, December 28, 2007
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Brian,YAY! Happy Birthday!!
I sincerely hope you are out partying and enjoying your vacation in Cancun!
Many happy returns!
-Athena
Labels: guest blogger
When The Enigma Is Bigger Than Reality
I almost went out with a stripper once. But she just wasn't stripper-pretty.
And we didn't have much to to talk about.
Labels: guest blogger
Everybody's pimpin' somethin'
Dear everybody,Last night, after a run and dinner, I went for a walk along the boulevard. I saw many hotels, and just as many dark boarded-up buildings. About every 10 minutes I was approached by taxi drivers. "Taxi, señor?"
I wandered into a flea market. A shopkeeper kept asking me questions I couldn't (or wouldn't) understand. I pretended I didn't hear him.
Eventually I reached a mall near a bunch of nightclubs, like Planet Hollywood & Carlos 'n' Charlie's & The City. And Coco Bongo, which I've heard is the best in Cancún. It is an all-inclusive club; US$40 gets you in and all the drinks you want. I found that out by asking a pretty Latina wearing a logo'ed t-shirt while waiting in the huge line out front.
"And I still have to wait in line?" I asked.
"Oh, you don't want to wait here? Follow me, señor," and she ran around to a hidden side door. "Fifty dollars, US."
After I determined it wasn't fifty MORE, I accepted and went inside.
Imagine a combination dance club and Vegas show, with tequila girls. That's Coco Bongo. I saw acrobatics, chorus lines, and impersonators (KISS, Beetlejuice, Spider-Man, Usher, Beyoncè, Madonna, and more). So much fun. But after several hours, my introverted self was a bit over- stimulated. Finding the exit was difficult, and not just because of the drinks I had had and the packed crowd. I think they deliberately made the exit hard to find.
I grabbed a taxi outside and rode back to the hotel, presented with a sign on the seat in front of me advertising a 24-hour "adult spa".
signed, Brian
Random Story
Dear everybody,Last night coming back from the other resort I ended up playing psychiatrist to a lonely cab driver, francisco. His girlfriend had kicked him out for vague reasons and had forbidden him from contact with their 11 year old daughter. But even so, he had met a beautiful 19 year old (Francisco told me he was 34) who said she loved him... Sometimes. I suspected this girl was a professional, if you know what I mean.
So many stories in my head! CANT GET THEM ALL DOWN!
signed, Brian
Scariest Christmas Ever!
Dear everybody,On my taxi ride to my sister's hotel this morning, I left my iPhone in the cab. Didn't notice 'til I tried to call my sister in the lobby.
Panic nearly ensued.
I immediately asked the bell staff to help me track down the driver. He had already left. They asked the concierge, Gabriella, to help. She was able to get the taxi number and the driver's cell and started calling.
Meanwhile, I found my family and used their phone to call mine. Voicemail. Max was the only one who spoke Spanish so he left a message telling whoever answered to bring the phone to the Blue Bay Club for a reward. I started counting my cash...
Back at the front desk, Gabriella said she had called my phone and had a woman say, "I think you are calling the wrong number" and hung up.
I asked her to try again.
This time, the driver picked up. Gabriella explained about the reward and he agreed to return it.
I gave the driver US$60. I think that's worth it.
Merry Christmas! signed, Brian
Made It!
Dear everybody,
It was a long trip, made longer by my staying out all night Friday. The fight was delayed leaving Houston. There was some trouble because I hadn't pre-paid for transportation to the hotel.
But the weather is gorgeous, 80 and a light breeze. There's more food and booze than I need. People from all over the world to talk to. And this morning I ate breakfast with a beautiful French Canadian woman.
Did I mention she was trying to sell me a timeshare?
Still, she seemed genuinely sad when I said my final no. Head down, voice low, she mumbled, "but I really liked you," before picking up all her charts and notes and walking me back to the lobby. And we did talk of other things. I learned she is frightened and disgusted by the sea. "Lovely to look at, but when it is time to swim, I always have other things to do."
Later I'm going for a run on the beach, and I have to schedule the relaxing massage that was my other reward for listening to the sales spiel. A few more days of this and I'll forget what Portland is like.
I wish you all were here. No, really. When can you get here? The bus to the nightclubs leaves at 10:30! Merry Christmas!
signed, Brian
Blog still here?
Just checking in. Thanks to Kevin, Tracy, and Athena for helping out. (I'd link them but it's a pain in the carpal tunnel typing HTML on my iPhone) Still need to hear from Ken... Maybe next week.Right now I'm sitting outside a shopping mall in Punta Cancún stealing some wifi bandwidth. Gonna wander around and maybe shop a bit before meeting my sister and brother-in-law for dinner and drinking. Mucho drinking.
It's 82° F and a bit humid. Looks like it's exactly half that in Portland.
Not a bad way to spend my 43rd birthday.
Hasta la vista, amigos y amigas!
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Pre-Thirty Crisis
A guest post by Athena from The BlissQuestI’m settling down with a glass of wine, St. Chapelle a Riesling and crawling in to bed to watch Big Trouble in Little China. Quite possibly one of my favorite Kurt Russell movies – ever. Well, that and Overboard.
When I saw the first time I was like 8 or 9 and I was sure when I got old enough – like 12ish Jack Burton (Kurt Russell) would come rescue me from Lo Pan because I had green eyes and obviously that meant I was doomed to be a victim of Lo Pan’s evil marriage plans. Until then I imagined I would hang around with Kim Cattrall and we’d talk about things like puppies and how much school sucked.
I was a child of the 80’s. I watched smurfs and wore jellies, I had sisters with bangs that scraped the ceiling and a brother who turned up the collar of his polo. I played dress up with blue eye shadow and danced around the house to Janet Jackson and what’s-her-name from American Idol. My siblings all wore parachute pants and knew the steps to Thriller while I mostly played sports and made up fantasy worlds.
I survived the eighties and Strawberry Shortcake and Rainbow Brite and swore I would never look back.
But over the last couple years the re-constitution of the 80’s hit – the looming 30’s of the 80’s children has brought to life a fond reminiscence of the most schizophrenic decade of the previous century- and all that was ungodly horrid in the fashion came back with burning pride.
I find myself missing Pappa Smurf, the Battle Cats and all the other movies and entertainment that was my nanny through the years.
I don’t know if it’s like a new phase of aging but I miss movies like Big Trouble in Little China like I miss being able to build blanket forts in the living room. I miss walking through mud puddles in my blue jellies as much as I miss Saturday morning cartoons and pouring too much cinnamon and sugar on my toast.
So, I’m coming to terms with the fact that I may be missing my childhood. I might actually be subconsciously longing for the “days of innocence” as I surf youtube for cartoon clips of Rainbow Brite and My Little Pony. I’ve been really excited about turning 30 next year, but maybe I’m also starting to worry. Maybe I’m just slow to realize how awesome the 80’s really were. Maybe I didn’t think they rocked at the time, and maybe I still wouldn’t be caught dead with mushroom bangs – but the longing is there and I can’t quite put my finger on it.
Therefore I will indulge it. I may just go build a blanket fort in the living room, have some cinnamon sugar toast and watch some cartoons.
But for now, I think a glass of wine and some Jack Burton fantasies will hold me over for awhile.
Is this what a pre-thirty crisis looks like?
Labels: guest blogger
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
A Time for Friends
It's my turn for a guest post. Even though I wasn't assigned a day, or even a specific subject (although, you can bet your sweet ass that I asked for one), I thought I'd post on Christmas Day. Although, Christmas is almost technically over...I'm hoping to get it done before the strike of midnight.
I'm not drunk, in fact, I haven't had a drop of alcohol today. I haven't seen live strippers in weeks, although I have thought about it several times. And, I make sure to not talk politics unless I'm forced into it by my friends. So, what's left to talk about as a guest writer? The only thing that I can think of that Brian is passionate about besides the three previously mentioned topics, is his passion for relationships, and especially friendships.
What exactly is it about friendships that are so important? Is it honor? Is it respect? Is it knowing that the other person will be there for you if you ever really need them? How about a touch of tenderness and compassion...or maybe more than a touch? Yes, it's all those things. As well as integrity....that's a biggie. How do I know this? Because these things are important to me, as well.
Brian and I have become quite close over the past several years, and we have learned to trust one another...even through the tough times. A true friendship that I hope will last forever. It is a relationship of honor, of respect, of integrity, of dependency (mostly healthy, although sometimes we both wonder, I'm sure), of tenderness, and of compassion.
Merry Christmas to all, but especially to those that we call friends.
Labels: guest blogger
Feliz Navidad
Today I swam in the ocean, drank, talked to new friends from London, South Africa, Wisconsin, California, Canada, and of course, Mexico. And had dinner with my family. I left my iPhone in a taxi, and it was returned to me - after I offered a reward.I understand it snowed back in Portland.
Merry Christmas, everyone.
Monday, December 24, 2007
Self-Talked
As a guest writer, there are a number of things I've thought of writing here. However the only words that are coming to my head, at the moment, are sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll. Very cliché, eh? And yet, when one ponders it further, those three things are the very ideas Americans still revolve around: The lusts, addictions, and subjective feelings that consume us.No matter the reasons which brought us to this point, we all have a mantra which helps get us through the day. Mine is, "Make 'em laugh!" Although there were few I love yous said aloud in my homestead, I grew up hearing the sweet sound of laughter as its replacement. This sound connects me to others. I refined it and was paid as a professional, for a number of years, to use it. I am addicted to the contagious human-made noise.
We ponder. We react. We desire and search. Subconsciously justifying it in our heads, and consciously acting due to the result. All of it making us rather unique, while still fitting perfecting in with the rest of society. Whether it's right or wrong, it is what people do.
"Sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll, man!"
Think about it.
One glimpse'll show you now, baby
What the music can do
One kiss'll show you now, baby
It can happen to you
Labels: guest blogger
Friday, December 21, 2007
Holiday posting
I am leaving for Cancún, Quintana Roo, Mexico, early tomorrow morning. Posting from me will be light until after I return on Thursday 3 January 2008. I may post. I may not. You'll just have to wait and see.But in the meantime, I've asked some of my friends to fill in, with a guest post each (more if they feel the urge). I can't wait to see what they're writing about; I gave them no direction beyond "write whatever you like." They may disagree with me; they may respond to something I've written before; they may make death threats (but I hope not - they don't strike me as the death-threatening kind). But they'll bring a different perspective to my little truck on the intertubes, and for that, I am thankful.
The guest posters are (in alphabetical order):
- Athena, who is blogging about her own personal quest for bliss. She and I may have seen each other naked, though we didn't know each other at the time. How many people can you say that about?
- Ken, who is a busy husband and father of two beautiful children, and one of the most social, friendly, stable people I know.
- Kevin, one of my closest friends who is also related to me. He's known me all his life, and I him, and yet we're still friends. Plus we share a birthday, 6 years apart.
- Tracy, who is my closest friend, the mother of a beautiful girl, and who is on her own quest for bliss. Or maybe she's just trying to figure out where to go?
I'm not going to be too mad if these four get way more comments on their posts than I do. Not too mad...
At any rate, I hope all my readers enjoy their year-ending celebrations, and take care of each other. Feliz Navidad!
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Carl Sagan, novelist
This is my second year for the Carl Sagan Blogathon.In fact, it's the second year for the Blogathon itself.
Yay, I got in on the ground floor!
December 20th, 2007 is the 11th anniversary of Carl Sagan's death. It is also the 10th anniversary of the release of "Contact", the science-fiction flick based on Carl Sagan's only work of fiction. Sadly, the astronomer did not live to see the debut of the film.
I have a confession to make; I have never read "Contact". When the novel first came out, in 1985, Dr. Sagan was at a peak of his popularity, and I had long been a fan of his pop science books and of "Cosmos", the television series he created. But for some reason, the idea of this man of science writing genre fiction did not sit well with me.
Don't think that I was above reading sci-fi. Not at all. I read it. It was most of what I read, if by "most" you mean "99.9993%". Larry Niven was my fav, if I recall correctly.
But could an actual scientist write a good story?
Little did I know that science and the pursuit of science lends itself particularly well to crafting a good story. There are so many scientists who write, I am now well aware. And, in fact, I was even aware of those authors back in 1985: Isaac Asimov, who was a professor of biochemistry at Boston University. Arthur C. Clarke. a mathematician and physicist. Rudy Rucker, a mathematician who taught at many schools, before retiring from San Jose State University.
The difference was, I knew them as authors first, and as scientists second.
Carl Sagan was always a scientist in my mind. And that meant that I never even considered his work of fiction, Contact.
So my first experience with Dr. Sagan's gift for sincere, hopeful, human storytelling about relationships, was the Jody Foster movie. Seeing the character of Ellie Arroway butt heads with bureaucrats and politicians to try to get some science done, and seeing her fondness for her father, showed me a side of Carl Sagan I had not previously understood. Carl Sagan knew people, just as much as he seemed to know astrophysics.
After seeing "Contact", I had a new-found appreciation of the book he co-authored with his wife, Ann Druyan, "Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors: A Search for Who We Are", shows how compassionate and insightful an atheist could be towards the only species we know of that has evolved intelligence... and how close that species (us) is to the rest of life on this planet.
Re-reading "Dragons of Eden" after seeing "Contact" only reinforced the view; Carl Sagan knew people. He knew the lows to which they could sink, and the heights to which they could rise. And he strove towards the latter. In public view, he was always positive, and cheerful, even when pointing out the terrible mistakes he saw humanity making.
And as I noted last year, Carl Sagan was able to admit his own mistakes and failings.
Carl Sagan is one of my intellectual heroes. This is not a sad day. Dr. Sagan's legacy is that we should continue to reach for the stars.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Neosplaining?
If I were braining clearly, I would come up with a word, a new word, a word that encapsulated the experience and feeling of having a call come in that's clearly identified by the Caller ID to be someone you know, and picking up and saying "Hello?" as if you did not know that person, and having them, in a worried or nervous or confused way, explain to you who they are.No FlexCars @ PDX?
Just seems like a weird oversight that there are no FlexCars at or near the Portland Airport. Maybe even several cars.For example, I have an international flight leaving at 6:00 AM on Saturday, and it would be nice to reserve a car at the airport the night before, take it home, and then return it around 3:30-4:00 AM, giving me plenty of time to check in for my flight.
But I can't. No FlexCars at the airport. Just seems weird.
BMSMA
Watching the new Futurama movie for the third time last night, I noticed that Bender's email address isbender@ilovebender.com.Just figures that robot would have his own custom domain. Hell, he probably hosts it himself. Literally.
So I sent him this:
From: MeAnd nearly immediately I got the following response:
To: Bender [bender@ilovebender.com]
Subject: I love Bender, too!
I want to be as evil as Bender if I grow up!
From: BenderAnd, of course, there's a bunch of promotional stuff located at that domain.
To: Brian Moon
Subject: Re: I love Bender, too!
Dear New Friend,
Thank you for writing to me, Bender. It really means a lot to me. Not many humans contact me because I am so rude and impatient. You're starting to get on my nerves now. Quit buggin' me, meatbag!
P.S. - Buy my DVD.
Love,
Bender
I love modern internet-based marketing. But only when they're marketing things I love. When they're things I don't love, they suck.
In fact, my default ringtone is the theme song to "Futurama"... and my close friends announce their incoming calls on my iPhone with Bender saying, "Bite my shiny metal ass." Which makes me laugh every time I hear it.
But I want to have my all-time favorite Bender line:
Futurama - Bender - Oh Your God! - Watch the top videos of the week here
I'll have to rip it myself, I think. Can't find it out on the internets.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Best music of 2007
These are the new albums or artists I liked enough to purchase in 2007:- Radiohead, "In Rainbows"
- Spoon, "Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga"
- Bad Religion, "New Maps of Hell"
- Amy Winehouse, "Back to Black"
- Queens of the Stone Age, "Era Vulgaris"
- The White Stripes, "Icky Thump"
- CAKE, "B-Sides And Rarities"
- Sage Francis, "Human the Death Dance"
- Honorable mention: Various Artists, "OKX: Tribute to OK Computer" (I downloaded this for free when it was first released on Stereogum)
Lights out
Lights out at the coffee shop means whoever was supposed to open, isn't.No coffee means whatever is supposed to wake me up, isn't.
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Faster, probably
Last week, I ran at least 7.5 miles for my long run. Including walking breaks and water breaks, I finished in an 1:36 - that's an hour and thirty-six minutes.This week, I ran at least 8 miles for my long run, and I finished in 1:30. Yes, six minutes faster.
Feels good.
Saturday, December 15, 2007
What I have been doing
Woke up around 8:30 AM.Showered, brushed my teeth, got dressed in my new Levi's.
Texted Tracy. (You can assume that I continue to do this throughout the day)
Got breakfast at Twin Paradox - coffee and a cinnamon roll.
Drove my car (that was due back at 11:30 AM) back downtown to its assigned parking.
Bought a bottle of water at the Peterson's on SW 4th.
Bought a Christmas gift for a friend at [redacted].
Saw the 11:15 AM showing of "I Am Legend" at the Pioneer Place Mall Theater. Before the movie, I noticed the one-sheet for "The Dark Knight" - and there's a line that looks like a scrambled-letter code running along the very bottom.
The trailer for "Iron Man" looked awesome. Robert Downey, Jr., as Tony Stark? Perfection.
The trailer for "The Dark Knight" looks... iffy. Seeing a picture of Heath Ledger as the Joker > actually seeing Heath Ledger as the Joker.
Enjoyed the movie very much. Will Smith uses his friendliness and charm to show how an extrovert would be devastated by being, literally, the last man on Earth. Very suspenseful. Saw the ending coming from a mile away. Still loved the movie.
Got a slice of pizza (Green Chicken & a Caesar salad at Pizza Schmizza). Refilled my bottle of water.
Walked up to the Fox Theater to catch the 2:00 PM showing of "Juno". It was a sold-out showing, according to the theater employee who walked in with 5 minutes until the trailers started; but there was a whole row of seats open and no one to my left or right.
Enjoyed the movie. Laughed out loud several times.
Saw a rainbow immediately after walking outside. From my angle, it appeared to terminate at Powell's City of Books. Or possibly the Technical Store.
Took the bus back to my home neighborhood.
Had a reuben sandwich and fries from the Limelight for dinner. Stacy the waitress remembered my name, and called me "hun" several times. Made my evening.
Surfed at Twin Paradox for the last several hours. Had two cups of coffee.
Came home.
Put my running clothes in the washer.
Remembered the code on the "The Dark Knight" one-sheet. Can't find anything about it on teh google.
Blogged this.
...and now what?
Friday, December 14, 2007
Two quotes
A quote from an 11-year-old interview with David Foster Wallace:"I guess I, when I was in my twenties, like deep down underneath all the bullshit what I really believed was that the point of fiction was to show that the writer was really smart. And that sounds terrible to say, but I think, looking back, that's what was going on. And I don't think I really understood what loneliness was when I was a young man. And now I've got a much less clear idea of what the point of art is, but I think it's got something to do with loneliness and something to do with setting up a conversation between human beings."...coupled with some dialog written by Cameron Crowe, from the movie "Almost Famous", spoken by the incomparable Philip Seymour Hoffman (playing a fictionalized rock journalist Lester Bangs) to young Patrick Fugit:
Lester Bangs: Aw, man. You made friends with them. See, friendship is the booze they feed you. They want you to get drunk on feeling like you belong....and that is my meditation on creativity for the week.
William Miller: Well, it was fun.
Lester Bangs: They make you feel cool. And hey. I met you. You are not cool.
William Miller: I know. Even when I thought I was, I knew I wasn't.
Lester Bangs: That's because we're uncool. And while women will always be a problem for us, most of the great art in the world is about that very same problem. Good-looking people don't have any spine. Their art never lasts. They get the girls, but we're smarter.
William Miller: I can really see that now.
Lester Bangs: Yeah, great art is about conflict and pain and guilt and longing and love disguised as sex, and sex disguised as love... and let's face it, you got a big head start.
William Miller: I'm glad you were home.
Lester Bangs: I'm always home. I'm uncool.
William Miller: Me too!
Lester Bangs: The only true currency in this bankrupt world if what we share with someone else when we're uncool.
My rebellious side is asking, "Do I really have to be lonely to write? Is that really what it takes? Isn't there a better way?"
I'm not saying I create great art. I just write. I write because I can't not write. But I also know that I am lonely. I have good friends, awesome friends, friends for whom I would sacrifice large imponderable things. But when they're not around, I wonder if they're thinking of me. I feel the lack of a connection, and I know that the lack of connection begins and terminates within me and my mind. Rationally I know that that kind of connection is rare and that not everyone feels it, and yet I still feel unique in my isolation.
And so I write.
And my rebellious side is asking further, "If you are writing to start a conversation... then when do people begin to talk back?"
I have no real answer, on this cold, dark, December night. I'm probably just too tired to see the answer right in front of me.
It's been a rough week and a long December. Maybe next year will be better than the last.
G'night for now.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Overflowing
I'm overflowing with post ideas right now.I want to write about the Everyday Music girl. Seems she's a popular topic for craigslist's Missed Connections. Search for "Everyday Music" and you'll see what I mean. I'm not the only shy guy who has been attracted to her beauty and friendliness.
I owe Athena a response to her post responding to my comment about the angry passionate comments she gets. Bottom line: I blog because I want attention. Duh. So of course I'm envious of the comments she gets. And she dresses 'em down so beautifully. Makes for entertaining reading.
I could go on and on and on about kipple, which is the useless stuff that accumulates everywhere, and was popularized by one of my favorite authors of all time, Philip K. Dick. I mention this because Grant Balfour posted about kipple on 43 Folders today.
I've got a rant inside me about something that's very personal, but is probably more embarassing for others in my family than it would be for me. So I hesitate to write it out. But it might slip out at some point.
And every time I talk to Tracy I get a dozen ideas for things to post about. Today we discussed strippers who don't shower before their shift, and walnut butterscotch fudge, and how hot Ricki Lake is and how not hot Amy Winehouse is, and when breasts (all breasts) look their best, and bootstraps and how I'm not finding them lately... lots of stuff.
And yet, I just want to hide in bed, pull the covers over me, and sleep all day. No energy.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
"It's all happening."
On the couch. Pigging out on donuts and pad Thai and vodka.I'm 31 minutes in and I'm tear-y.
Kate Hudson is lost and hot.
A hint
Three little words that hint at why I'm at work today: chain of custody.You'd think that professionals in law enforcement would know that stuff. Don't they watch teevee?
To those who know what I'm talking about, that shit is funny.
Tuesday
My nose is running. My head is ache-y. I just want to curl up in bed. It's 34° F outside.So why am I still going to work? Not sure.
It's 78° in Cancún right now.
Sunday, December 09, 2007
You better watch out
Scene: Tall man in his twenties, wearing a bright red Santa hat and jacket, stands a step or two farther back from the urinal than is normally prudent. He sways on his feet. The two non-Santa-dressed men, one tall and bald, the other shorter and wearing a snappy fedora, approach and select the two open urinals on either side of the taller, younger, Santa-dressed man, and begin to make use of the facilities.Ah, yes... Santacon 2008. Outside, drunken revelers of all ages, dressed in Santa clothes, partied and yelled and rode tall bikes and yelled some more, as they wandered from bar to bar to bar to bar, all day long. The scene on the front porch of Powell's City of Books had resembled a Christmas rave, with booty-shaking girls in red and white mini-dresses danced on the railings.
Santa Boy: (slurred) How're you doin'?
Kevin: Good!
Brian: We're merry!
Santa Boy: I'm so wasted!
Brian: I see. Did you start at noon?
Kevin shifts position to avoid Santa Boy, who is swaying dangerously near.
Santa Boy: Yeah, it's early. But I should go home.
Brian: It's a long way back to the North Pole.
Santa Boy: It's OK... I'm staying with my parents.
Next year, I'm participating. How could I not? Summer has the naked bike ride; winter has the Santacon. Portland is awesome.
The Boulevard Is Not That Bad
Tonight, she was wearing a ring on her wedding finger. I don't know if I noticed one before.And she says she regrets her past.
I still don't know her name.
Saturday, December 08, 2007
Oh, man
I pigged out (apologies to any actual pigs reading this) last night. Not sure why but, after dinner, I went to Foster's Market and bought a bag of Doritos ® Blazin' Buffalo & Ranch ™ Flavored Tortilla Chips (the 99¢ bag), and not just one, not just two, but three delicious donuts - a jelly-filled, a chocolate creme filled, and a bear claw.So good. Yes, I ate them. All of them.
And I sat and caught up on all the TV I have not been watching, and then I started watching "Almost Famous" (not the director's cut) and then went to bed early.
This morning, when I counted up the calories I had yesterday, which included a Burgerville Pepper bacon cheeseburger and their Yukon Gold waffle fries... Oh, man. I had more than double the calories that I'm shooting for.
Now I'm sitting here in my running clothes and eyeing the mid-30° F weather outside, knowing I have to go run off some of these donuts and chips and cheeseburgers... and I'm just not feelin' it.
Time to run.
Thursday, December 06, 2007
A window
The internet tells me that it's currently 46° F in Portland, my hometown, right now.The internet tells me that it's currently 70° F in Cancún, Mexico, right now.
That's a 24° F difference.
Damn, I'm colder just thinking about it.
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Mmmm... booze
Remember when our leaders would actually engage the citizens in modifying the Constitution?Yeah... good times, good times.
What am I talking about, you ask? Why, I'm just wishing you a happy Repeal Day! Today is the 74th anniversary of the establishment of the 21st Amendment, and the end of 18th Amendment to the Constitution.
Go out and drink somethin' deliciously alcoholic tonight. Or right now, if you want to. You're an adult. You can handle it.
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
New new sexy thing
Ken walked into my cube. "Ready for lunch?"I nodded, stood. Slipped my iPhone into my pocket. Put on my coat. Picked up my laptop bag... Stopped.
I laughed, "Why am I taking this?" I asked, and put the bag back, feeling the weight of my iPhone.
Ken stared at me. "I think your laptop just cried a little on the inside."
Monday, December 03, 2007
Bad Moon Rising
Tonight I locked my laptop into my FlexCar, had to call them to remote unlock it, with my new iPhone battery almost dead ('cause I'd been showing it off all day).I waited on hold for 5 minutes in the pouring rain and finally got through... and they were able to unlock the car and I was on my way.
On the way home I stopped at the grocery store... and discovered that I had left my debit cart in the ATM two hours previously. A busy, downtown ATM on the old bus mall. I couldn't call the bank right away because the iPhone was nearly dead. I had to rush home to charge the phone. And while I rushed, I kept trying to a) calm myself the fuck down so I could drive safely, and b) kept imagining all the various ways I could get fucked over if someone had been using my debit card for the past 2+ hours.
I was able to get through to the bank. They canceled the card, and issued me a new one. I can go to any branch tomorrow and get a temporary card to use until the replacement arrives. No suspicious charges were showing online.
All is well. All will be well.
...so why do I still feel like a marked man? I'm still shaken from the Thanksgiving accident...
Fuck it. I'm still going out tonight.
Sunday, December 02, 2007
Ballerina, you must've seen her
Stormy was cute and flirty. She'd changed her hair - added some red tips to the blonde part. But I just didn't feel at home at DP like I have been. I don't know why. It felt like it was me. She asked me about my crash, which was nice. And she was as hot as always. Maybe hotter.I left early, after only an hour or so. I said to myself, "Stormy rocks. But... Yeah. I'm a customer. Why can't I meet girls like her out in the real world?"
I drove around for a bit, and then found myself at Everyday Music, the one on Sandy. I still had money to spend and wanted more music. I went in, wandered around, and noticed one of the sales clerks... yeah. She was my height, maybe a little shorter, wearing a black minidress over black leggings and knee-high black boots, and her black hair cut short and shaggy. Late 20s, maybe? You know how bad I am at guessing age, though.
Previous wish, meet reality.
I felt self-conscious and weird, still. I kept thinking I had traces of Stormy's lipstick on my cheek from her kissing me goodnight. That might be a good thing, though... pre-selection. I rummaged around in the used CD bins and kept finding stuff I wanted but wasn't exactly cool: ABBA "Gold", for instance. Or a collection of Donna Summer 12" dance versions. Eddie Money. Cheap Trick, The Cars. All used. Awesome. As the finds kept coming, I decided to go with it. It became a theme.
And, because I was still thinking of Stormy, I wandered over to the DVDs to look for "Almost Famous". Pretty eyes. A pirate's smile...
As I walked past the counter, the girl I'd noticed before was hunched over a computer monitor with the sales dude, and they were giggling conspiratorially. I stopped and looked at them, and peeked around. "Can I see what's so funny?"
The dude grunted, but the girl smiled and turned the monitor so I could see it. It was some foreign-language video on YouTube, subtitled... strangely. I'll never be able to find it now, but apparently this guy was demonstrating modern dance styles. It was funny... but not as funny to me as it was to this girl. I laughed, and left to look for the movie. The store was closing in 10 minutes.
I found a used copy of "Almost Famous". Score.
I headed back to the registers, and now the girl was by herself, still watching stuff. This time it was some British comedy clip, an actor repeating "Hey!" over and over again... and this time, it was funny. It was funny because the joke is run into the ground. A very special kind of funny. A humor that slowly takes hold and builds up, the same way a good pad Thai builds up in spiciness. I smiled... then I chuckled... and then, suddenly, I was laughing out loud, right along with the girl.
"Nobody else here thinks that's funny!" she said. I laughed, and thanked her, then looked around to see where I could buy my CDs and movie. "Oh, I will help you!" she said, and took my pile of goods.
She held up "Almost Famous" and said, "That's an awesome movie."
"I agree completely."
She led me to the cash register.
Another tattooed, black-haired girl walked in and was promptly told that the store was closing soon.
The sales clerk girl looked at me, "Have you ever seen the director's cut?" I shook my head. "Don't!" she warned. "It will ruin the movie for you. It did for me."
"Really? Ruined it? I have to say that I'm dying of curiosity now. But I want to trust you... complete stranger. And I love this movie. I don't want it ruined for me."
"I'm just saying that I like editors. Editors are a good thing."
The other girl, with some kind of heart-and-rose tattoo peeking out from the top of her white t-shirt, returned to the counter and asked about some band I've never heard of. The sales girl told her that she should look in Hip-Hop... or Electronica... No, definitely Hip-Hop.
The tattooed girl noticed the movie I was buying. "That's an awesome movie."
"I agree completely," I said.
"Have you seen the director's cut?" the sales girl asked the tattooed girl.
"Yeah."
"Did you like it?" the sales girl asked, incredulous.
"Yeah... It was OK."
"Really?"
"Yeah. What parts didn't you like?"
The sales girl looked at me, then back at the tattooed girl. "Well, maybe I'm wrong," she said in a tone of voice that made it seem as if she wasn't admitting she was wrong at all, "maybe it's OK. I'm just saying that I didn't like it."
I felt like she was still protecting me, by specifically not talking about the scenes which were added in, scenes which had the potential to completely ruin this movie for me. "Thank you," I said.
And wandered back out into the rain, with my purchases.
Oh, and later, Sharai invited me to a benefit at a lesbian bar.
Labels: stripclub
