blog.circusgeek

a personal blog with nerdy bits thrown in

Category: General

  • Birth day

    On October 25, 1974, at approximately 6:50 AM, the skies darkened and the Earth shook. This is the day I was brought into this world, and it was forever changed. Well, ok, maybe not, but still I can dream, can't I? 🙂

    Turning 32 isn't that big a deal, much like turning 27, 28, 29, or 31. At least 30 was a 'decade birthday'. Turning 32 is sort of like "yup, you're older than 21, but not 40". Not that special. However, it could be worse, I could be 12 (all the energy, none of the money) or 62 (all the money [I hope] and none of the energy). The only birthday I'm looking forward to is my 37th, related to a Monty Python and the Holy Grail quote:

    King Arthur: Old woman.
    Dennis: Man.
    King Arthur: Man, sorry. What knight lives in that castle over there?
    Dennis: I'm 37.
    King Arthur: What?
    Dennis: I'm 37. I'm not old.
    King Arthur: Well I can't just call you "man".
    Dennis: Well you could say "Dennis".
    King Arthur: I didn't know you were called Dennis.
    Dennis: Well you didn't bother to find out did you?
    King Arthur: I did say sorry about the "old woman", but from behind you looked…
    Dennis: What I object to is you automatically treat me like an inferior.
    King Arthur: Well I am king.
    Dennis: Oh, king eh? Very nice. And how'd you get that, eh? By exploiting the workers. By hanging on to outdated imperialist dogma which perpetuates the economic and social differences in our society. 

  • Finally, the fence is done

    Finally finished painting the fence. What a chore, but it looks a lot better than it did before. With Kelly's help, we also got a good portion of the inside done too (minus the areas where getting behind the shrubs made it too difficult). That's alright though, that can wait until spring, I'm just glad it doesn't look so ghetto anymore. Finally. 🙂

    Originally written Tuesday, Oct 24, 6:00pm (but dated the 22nd)… this is because on Sunday I was so tired it was all I could do to snap the photo. I crashed out on the couch within an hour of taking the photo, and have been too busy with work to get to it until just now. 🙂

  • Fence & Sixpence

    Today I got a bit more work done on the fence of doom, hopefully tomorrow I'll finish the outside of the darned thing. At this point, I'm pretty much thinking the inside will have to wait for spring, as it's getting harder and harder to find dry enough weather (when I'm not working, and when it's still light out). But that's OK, since it's the outside that anybody really sees (except me, and yes, it will drive me crazy until it's all done).

    Tonight K and I introduced our good friends Ty and Aymie to Moon & Sixpence*. We had a great time hanging out, and I was able to try a dish (that Aymie ordered) that I'd ordinarily not have had, the vegitable curry pasty (I've had the Cornish pasty many times)… I can't say I've ever had curry anything before, but it was delicious! Not sure why I'd avoided curry before, since it seems that, as a lover of spicy food, it'd be right up my alley. I think it's time to expand my horizons a bit. 🙂

    * Yes, Moon & Sixpence again, can't help it, it's a great place. Plus, Ty and Aymie had wanted to visit one of the pubs we have been talking about. So there. 😛

  • Bowling, Beer, and More Beer

    Yesterday, my company had a "team building" event at Hollywood Bowl (no, not that one, a local bowling alley). We all left the office at 1:45, and by 2:15 I was trying my best not to suck… it'd been several years since I last bowled. Pretty fun time really, my first game I scored a sad 97, second game I only marginally improved and scored a 119, however during the second game and the ensuing free-for-all after formal teams disintegrated, I was hitting more and more strikes. I still suck, but it was fun. After bowling I met up with my brother up the street at Moon & Sixpence for a few beers before going home. 

    Tonight, Ghost Dog had arranged a small dinner outing with friends at the Rogue brewpub in north-west Portland. Had a great time, and sampled some more of the Rogue beers (including the Chipotle Ale, which, while odd to have a pepper-flavored beer, it was actually very good). Thanks for hooking that up GD!

  • Sgt. Slacker

    Yup, that's right, I've been slacking on the blog. No shocker there I suppose. Between my job keeping me plenty busy the past couple weeks, and the sudden urge to take care of chores around the house (before winter sets in), I haven't really had much too much to write about, nor the time to do so.

    One of the big chores I've finally gotten around to is painting the front picket fence. When K and I purchased the house a year ago June, the fence was a mess. The previous owner must have been going through some serious indecision about color. Originally it was white, but at the front it was painted (very poorly I might add) a dark green, and about mid-way down one side, there was a patch painted that same dark green, and then painted over in a more 'olive' green that matched the trim of the house. But only a five foot patch. It's been bugging K and I for a long time, but there have been so many other things to get done that I never got around to painting it.

    Finally this past Saturday I picked up some paint (matching the trim) and began painting. This evening I was able to get the outside of the one side done. There's lots left to do (second coat, the inside, and then sand and paint the front) and then it'll be done. At least now, from the outside, it's only two colors and not three. I'll probably post a photo once I get it done, but for now you can go here to see what it looked like before we bought the house. 

  • Bruce Campbell Book Signing

    Boy, what a day! A few days back, Ghost Dog's better half discovered that on Saturday, September 30th, actor, writer, and all-around wise guy Bruce Campbell would be in town, at the McMenamin's Bagdad Theater doing a book signing for Make Love! (The Bruce Campbell Way). Naturally, Ghost Dog and I were eager to attend.

    The three of us arrived just after the doors opened at 4pm, narrowly missing a very long line (and seeing Miranda on the way, who works just across the street). Once inside, we waited patiently for the 5pm arrival of the man. I'd never been in the theater before, but I'd love to go back to see a movie, have some beers, and eat some pizza.

    When Mr. Campbell arrived, there was thunderous applause from the full theater. After taking the stage, he spoke for a short time, and then said that since he didn't have anything planned, he opened things up to a Q&A session, which was hilarious (see Ghost Dog's write-up for more details). As you would expect, he's as snarky and witty in person as the characters he plays.

    After the Q&A session, Bruce left the stage and went back to the lobby to start signing, and the waiting began. It took about an hour and a half to get our numbers called to get into line, and another 30 minutes in the line, before finally, I got to meet the man. As I walked up to the table he was sitting at, he said "Hello Sir!" While I handed him my books he asked what I did for a living. I told him "A web designer and developer" to which he responded "That sounds like a very sensible job in this modern age." Perhaps. 🙂  After I thanked him, I stood back and took a couple photos of Mr. & Mrs. Ghost Dog getting their book signed, and then we left. How totally cool!

    After we left we went to the Horse Brass for dinner and beers, and then to Moon & Sixpence for more beers. What a kiler evening! To the right is one of the two books I got autographed. For the other, I'd chosen to use just my last name, which for any of you who know it, know is rather long. Bruce looked at it and went "[slowly reads last name] eh? That's one heck-of-a name." and proceeded to write it out seperately, one line for each syllable. Sweet! 🙂 

    (Post-dated, originally written on October 3rd, because I'm a slacker. :))

  • Weekend recap

    Had a fairly busy weekend again. On Saturday, Ghost Dog and I went over to Snooks house for a small BBQ/party (K joined later after her full day of class). On the way we swung by Belmont Station to pick up some import beers… I picked up two new English beers I hadn't had before (and still haven't). Had a great time chillin' in Master Snooks' yard.

    On Sunday we were invited to our friends Ty & Aymie's house for a BBQ to meet some of Aymie's family visiting from South Africa. K & I had a great time. At about dusk we headed home to watch the first disc of Lost, season 2 (which Snooks had lent us) … which we did, all 4 episodes back to back (because you can't watch just one, hehe).

  • Congrats to Jason & Jen

    Earlier this month our good friends Jason and Jen tied the knot, and on Saturday they had a party to celebrate the event. Thought I'd write a quick note of congratulations to the newlyweds. Here's to a long and happy life together, and have fun on your honeymoon!

  • Rain, glorious rain

    I'm a full-fledged Oregonian, I can't help it. Right now it's raining, the first rain of any substance in a few months, and I'm happy as hell. I enjoy summer, don't get me wrong, but weeks of 90+ degree heat kind of brings me down. Today was great, mid-70's and sunny during the day, nice enough for me to get a good walk in, but finally a good rain to clear the air out, green things up a bit, and make the area feel a lot more like home.

    Tonight I spent some time in my company's kick-ass break room drinking beers for a company 'happy hour' (getting to know both old-school'ers and new hires alike, including a recent hire from France, so I was able to brush off my dusty French skills). After doing my part to drink off the work keg, I took the bus home, and spent the evening with Kelly (fortunately she'd finished her paper for school, so we were able to hang out in the yard for a few hours (well beofore the rain started).

  • Hangin’ ’round

    Last night I hung out at Moon & Sixpence with my good friend Ghost Dog (I better not get sick, dammit) while Kelly and GD's better half were off seeing the play Wicked.

    Tonight, Snooks (and later, my brother Travis) and I hung out at Kennedy School.

    This week has been a bit odd, probably because of the monday holiday, but each day has somehow seemed like both monday and friday, leaving my brain in a constant state of confusion. Perhaps I need to sleep more, or drink more beer, I can't decide.