Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Come join me

All dressed out and ready to jump. The funny little gang sign is a reference to where I planned to be just 20 minutes after this picture was taken...two miles up. It was a theme for the morning, an inside joke at one of our other friends.
Next time you should come, you can make a silly 2-up gang sign too.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

freefall

Imagine a point in the sky two miles high. Somewhere just above the clouds where the bright sun touches everything and there are no shadows. So far above everything we know on a daily basis, removed from the hustle and bustle. In the mind, this place we conjure up is quiet, it is hushed, it is brilliantly silent.
Soft clouds moving slowly below, occasionally breaking up the view of earth and it's manic occupants, everything up here moves at a different pace.

At least, that is the image that still plays back when I try to imagine a spot so high and far removed from this office I now sit in.
But that image shares a spot right next to a reality that I enjoyed this last weekend, a real world experience that was out of this world. It is something that, two days later, I am just now coming down from.

You see...two days ago, on Saturday morning I jumped out of an airplane.

After a meager four hours of sleep, yours truly got up in the wee hours so he could drive to Rosharon Texas. It's an adult playground, a mini amusement park. It is so much fun.
And the story is long with lots of little jokes and comments, all of the sort that end with "you should have been there".

But the part I want to tell is where I wasn't nearly as scared as I thought I'd be. How the ride up was loud and windy and funny and exciting, everyone talking and laughing as we watched altimeters and glanced out of the windows. How that spot so high up, that I'd always imagined would be quiet and peaceful and still, wasn't any of those things at all. The time came to jump and my tandem partner and I slid down to the door...my knees hanging out into space as I looked into a world of bright blue and was blasted by wind whipping past and then...

Ready.
Set.
Go.

It got quiet, for one second my entire life was as hushed as a church while I slowly toppled end over end and the airplane slid out of view.
Then it was loud and windy with excitement and yelling and happiness and joy.
The rush is like nothing I've ever experienced.
I'm hooked.


-free as a bird

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Detroit Rock City

I spent the past weekend in Motor City.
The atmosphere there is definitely different from anything I know. Not in a bad way. Just different.
Though, I guess it's nice that I was even there long enough to realize that difference. Seems that so often travel is so short, or we are so secluded, that we don't get time to see those small things that set one place apart from another.

Anyway...yes...
Detroit.

There was a wedding. SweetD was a bridesmaid and I was asked to be her date. Our room was right next to the bride and groom. Honestly? I was not happy with that setup. Seemed a bit weird. But it worked out very well.
We arrived on thursday, headed to the hotel to change clothes, and then off to the rehearsal dinner. Pretty straightforward...this is where we began the drinking. The evening ended with your truly sharing a jacuzzi bathtub with four beautiful women. We were all drunk, and all fully clothed. It was pretty damned hilarious.
"I'm a beached whale!"
heh

Friday was the actual wedding. Girl got up early to drink mamosas and get all beautified and whatnot.
I went to The Henry Ford Museum instead. On the way, I stopped at Dearborn Itialian Bakery...good stuff. Not at all what I was expecting...because I was thinking more of a sit down type restaurant than a deli counter...but negating my preconceived notions...damned good food. Also, everyone in there was super nice and helpful. If you should ever be in the area I definitely recommend it.
The museum was great. I probably should have checked out the Greenfield Village instead of the inside section, but the skies were threatening to open up...and I didn't feel like walking in the rain. Still, I'd never been there, and even the meager 3 hours that I had available was totally worth the $15 admission.
Hopefully I'll get a chance to go back in spring.
The wedding was fun, the reception, better, and in general I had a fantastic weekend. Drank a few too many whiskey and cola's at the reception...but eh...maybe that's part of why I had so much fun. hehe

Saturday we flew back, managed to find time to hit Goose's Acre here in the Woodland's that afternoon, then to bed.
Fin'


-going to the concert

Monday, September 20, 2010

Vancouver Day 3

Wake up late, walk to Nester's to grab a few breakfast items and then back to play video games with Mogivite.
Then a short walk to a festival downtown where we met the lovely redhead and saw the sights.

Mogivite and I tried to enjoy the hottub at his apartment...but it was more luke warm. It was broken a few days ago something something. I don't know...I didn't really care. So we hung out down there anyway and talked in the tepid water for a half hour or so.
Then it was off to enjoy Tapas at La Bodega.
All of the food was good, but the chorizo is what got me. It didn't have that killer heat that we have here in Texas with Mexican Chorizo...but the flavor was phenomenal. Definitely order the chorizo if you go there. Do it.

Anyway, as always, the company and conversation were both excellent. We had a great time and then walked back home. Due to flight changes I had to be on the train at about 0530 so it was decided that Mogivite and myself would stay up until 2ish playing video games and then I'd nap for a bit.
Right.

That was the plan.

Sometime between 0230 and 0300...I was yanked from a sound sleep by the loudest alarm clock I'd ever heard. The lovely redhead came out of the bedroom and I thought she was looking for her cellphone...until I became coherent enough to realize that the two of them were trying to suss the reason for the ruckus, and that the loud bonging noise was actually the fire alarm.
Mogivite lives on the twelfth floor of a 25 story building.
He also has an awesome cat.
So I found out that my jeans will actually fit OVER my pajamas...good stuff, and then we spent a few minutes wrangling the understandably freaked out cat into it's carrier.
Cat wrangling...heh
Then, at 0300, we walked down 12 flights of stairs so that we could go stand in the rain with all of the neighbors and find out what happened.
Which was this:
Someone was cooking or some such, there was a mistake of some sort, which necessitated the use of their fire extinguisher.
Good on them for having the fire extinguisher.
In fact, that's the only portion of the story that is definite...I heard different versions as to the reason it was needed...but yes...the fire extinguisher fulfilled its purpose and put out the fire.
Only the building's fire alarm is designed to recognize the use of a fire extinguisher and to call the fire department.
Also...to sound the alarm.
Good times.
After about ten minutes the firemen declared the building safe, and then we spent roughly twenty minutes trying to get back upstairs. Yeah, there were a couple hundred of us, and only two elevators. The stairs don't have floor access, one you go into them you can't get out except for at ground level.
So all of us had to use the elevators to get back upstairs to the apartments.

I did try to sleep...but after thirty minutes or so of tossing and turning it seemed pointless. So I just played video games for the next half hour until the lovely redhead's alarm went off and we all got up to walk to the train station.

I had such a gerat weekend. I enjoy them so much.
Go to Vancouver. Even if you don't know anyone, it's a beautiful city and a ton of fun. Totally worth the visit.


-cat wrangler

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Vancouver Day 2

Woke up midmorning and the 4 of us (myself, Mogivite, his bother E, and brother's wife A...yes, single letters for now, give me a break)...so yes, the 4 of us headed out for the Fraser Canyon. I had no clue what the plan was other than we'd be outdoors for the day. We did the 2 hour car trip complete with McDonald's stop, sadly too late for breakfast, as well as a lovely phonecall from babymama letting me know that our wonderful son had thrown a rock through a neighbors car window.
Good times.
I might tell that full story later. Maybe. Don't know. Suffice to say he is grounded and I'm a couple hundred poorer than I was prior to said rock blasting through said window.

Anyway, so we finally made our destination: Hell's Gate Airtram It runs down into the canyon where you get a good look at the salmon runs as well as the blasted rock and whatnot. There was a fisheries museum giving us a good idea of what happened in the area and how important it was that the salmon runs be fixed . "In all honesty" heh...I really enjoyed this part of the trip. Also, they have a fudge shop there and though I don't normally eat fudge...
This stuff is phenomenal!
Not even joking.
Phenomenal.

So yes, we saw the sights, learned some things, ate some fudge. As we were leaving everyone agreed that it was pretty cool but much smaller than we imagined. Which is funny because apparently none of those three had been there as kids and that's the common complaint when you see something as an adult that you also saw as a child right?
That it all seems much smaller?
But yeah...none of us had that prior experience. I'm thinking the word Airtram makes a person imagine a long trip up a mountain or something, and this (while very cool and interesting) was much shorter than what our minds had conjured up.

On the way back from the Airtram I convinced E to make a detour and we went hiking up to Alexandra Bridge I think his wife A got pics. Hopefully I'll get my hands on a few. We'll see.
I had a great time. E and his wife A are both great people that I would happily hang out with again. Maybe a trip to Phoenix before the end of the year. Woot!
Let's see...so that night, back at Mogivite's apartment, the lovely redhead made dinner and the two of us had a very good conversation waiting on him to come back from a meeting. He showed up with friends and there was some Wii to be had. Eventually we all hit the hay though, and Day 2 came to an end.


-in all honesty

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Vancouver!!

As usual, so much fun. The one major difference was the pace...we did a ton of stuff, but things just didn't feel as manic or non-stop as usual. The pace was much more mellow this time.

I'm going to try for a quick run through, let's see how that goes:

I caught the early flight thursday morning with no problems. Vancouver Airport has a pretty fantastic walkthrough from the gate to customs, complete with indoor waterfall and river combination. Let's be honest, I want a river in my house. It'd be super awesome.
Customs meant the usual 20 questions, but they forgot to ask if I was heading to the coffeehouse. heh
I don't think that story will ever get old.

Mogivite and his brother picked me up and the 3 of us headed to a local casino. We wasted a bit of time and I burned $60 at a blackjack table.
We split ways and headed back to Mogivite's apartment where we were soon joined by his lovely redhead. *We're just going to call her that for now, I'll find a good nickname later*
Anyway, hugs galore and she was off to make appetizers for the family dinner we were headed to later.

Honestly...her litte nephew plodding around in adult sized fuzzy ducky slippers...funniest thing ever. Not one person who saw him that night kept a straight face. It was fantastic.
So was dinner by the way.
The appetizers were a hit, and the rest of the dinner was fantastic.
Ooooh!
I forgot lunch. After the casino but before we split up, Mogivite and his brother took me to The SandBar. The view was spectacular, as was the salmon burger.

Anyway, I remembered that only because dinner included grilled salmon. Along with roast chicken, vegetables, warm green bean salad, regular salad, the salmon, and fresh ears of corn.
Plus, all of the amazing people who were there to share it with. Very good times.

After dinner Mogivite and myself headed over to his brother's to spend the night. Mogivite was banned from the house computer, and there was Rockband.

Finally, at around 1 or 2am we hit the hay. I walked upstairs, figured out which doorway led to my bedroom and which one led to an awkward situation with the lady of the house...and hit the hay.
I avoided the awkward situation, in case you were wondering.

That was Day 1. We're going to do installments.


-easy installation

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Community

What happened to everybody?
No really...
What.
Happened?

You see, this whole weblog phenomena that I'm happy to write about over and over again started for me back in the lovely year of 2002ish...I believe. I'll have to check and then come back at some point to edit that number.

So yes...I've been doing this for a while.
But when these words first left my lovely brain and hit the net it was part of a community of bloggers. A group of people who had easy access to eachother.
That's something I miss.
I want that long list of possible good reads, and not necessarily all professionaly written daily updated topic specific blogs either.
Just good intelligent people with varying ideas and viewpoints sitting down and talking about what they had for lunch or that asshole who cut them off in traffic.

Perhaps what we need is a new list of some sort...a new community.
Perhaps I just need to find a decent blogroll.

Along that vein, why don't you all say hello. All three of you who read here on a regular basis sure, but especially those few of you who lurk and have never commented. Take a second to say hello and introduce yourself. It'd be nice to know who you are. Plus, if you write on your own...maybe I'll go peruse your mental ramblings and have some fun while I'm at it. You never know.
You just never know.
So say hello.
Go now.
Do it.
Click the button.

Thank you.
At any rate...It's late and I'm finally out. I'll post this for Saturday. Should be getting back from Vancouver at some point on Sunday. In fact, I'm probably partying it up right now! Woot!
Yay future me!

Stories will be told.
Promise.


-built this city

Thursday, September 09, 2010

Before Canada

I am so stoked for this weekend.
Vancouver is full of such fantastic people and yours truly will be fully emersed over the next 3 or 4 days.

As this is typed, eight hours into a ten hour shift, my mind can't fully comprehend the joy that awaits. Written like that it sounds like a Disneyland for adults. But mostly, it's just Disneyland for a person like me.
Though, it is such a beautiful city with a ton of fun things to do, so there is no doubt that many people would love a visit. But no seriously...Dizz-knee-land.
Because these folks that have managed to become a part of my world there in the lovely BC...have altered my perception of time.

You see...everyone else has BC and AD...Before Christ and Anno Domini, literally "year of our lord".
Or for those who are devoutly non-religious...heh...see what I did there?
Anyway, for those who reject all religious icons or denominations, or perhaps just reject all Christian Dates and times, there is BCE and CE, or Before Common Era and Common Era.
BCE and BC are the same, as are CE and AD.
It all gets quite confusing, but not nearly as confusing as the calendar that has suddenly been thrust into my head.

You see, I have BC and AC. That is Before Canada and After Canada. As such, I was born in 28 BC, and the current year is 6 AC.
Mind blowing.
I KNOW.

Okay, I'm a bit out of control, but you were told at the beginning that I am stoked, and these kids, especially Mogivite, they all have such a profound effect on me every single time I am with them.
More than likely I will be mentally and emotionally exhausted by the end of these 4 days and I will be more than ready to go home. But that is due to overstimulation and all of the many positive things that I'll get out of it not from anything negative.
Also sushi...remind me to get the sushi.

Right.
Now I really am the rambling man.

This started out with a vague notion that I would hit all of the possible locations...here at the office, in the air, where you are right now as you read this.
But it kind of took on a manic little life of it's own...and I'm okay with that.
Quite okay.

I hope you're okay too.


-lengthy and confused

Wednesday, September 08, 2010

expectations

I wrote a long post back on the 20th where I threw out some ideas on long term relationships and the choices that we make in life.

Uncruel left a beautiful comment and I've been mulling over the entire topic for a week or so now.

Part of the problem with long term relationships is that the directions our lives can take are so amazingly varied and diverse that sometimes I think we get overwhelmed with the idea of who we could someday be...or what we might be able accomplish in the future...and forget to focus on who and what we are, what we are accomplishing and doing right now.

Life used to be a daily struggle for survival, keeping a roof over your head and food in your belly was what you worked and strived for from dawn to dusk.
Now...with those things easily provided for a large portion of the population (I know there are those less fortunate but that's a completely separate topic) instead of life being simpler...it is instead more complicated.

As a result, many of us will make drastic life changes in our thirties and forties. Hopefully we'll all have the intelligence and foresight to make the kinds of choices that will dramatically enhance our lives...but nevermind...I'm getting off topic.

Here's what Uncruel had to say on the subject:
You fix that by A) knowing where you want to go in life and B) finding out early on, preferably before falling in love, where the other person wants to go in life. A & B were not a problem in the old days because everyone was expected to have the same plans from life, and anyone who didn't was leaned on heavily by society. The reason everyone had these plans is that they are preferences which are built into our genetic code. In the age of birth control and a wide selection of professions, many of us dare to defy our genetic motivations, and these things can no longer be assumed.

In all honesty, I should probably just go back and delete what I wrote above, given that he has put it much more eloquently here...but hey, it's my blog, and I've been mulling it over for the past week so you can be subjected to it over and over again too.

Anyway...he is so right.
But either no one has noticed this problem, or no one thinks enough of it to warn our children. We are still hammering on them that they need to get married early and have children and the two cars and the white picket fence.
Why?
I totally get that many many people will be happier with a partner. I understand from experience the biological imperative to reproduce.
Still, why not sit your children down and explain to them that there's no rush to get married, that in this day and age we can have children in our late twenties and early thirties. That if they decide not to get married at all...that's completely okay too.
Why not explain that whatever they decide and want it'd make life far better if they at least wait until they have some certainty as to what they want from life before trying to make decisions about who they want to share that life with?

Perhaps I feel like my parents should have sat me down. Maybe that's why I feel so strongly.
Meh.
I don't think either of them saw it that way. Even now my mom pushes me to get married, but more because she can't get her head around the idea that I could be happy on my own. She just doesn't want me to be alone. I get that.
Anyway. Heavy subject and a long post. Perhaps I should have warned you back at the beginning. I do normally...but nevermind. Expect regular updates for the next day or so. I'm having a slow night and am in the mood to write. We'll see how many ideas I can flesh out in the next 3 hours.


-rambling man