Category: blahblah

Last night we joined in our first fat tuesday party at a friends place in SE Portland. Besides the grand food, decor, and Hurricanes, the sponsor also put on a mini parade, which lasted for 1 block and consisted of 1 grand marshall (Derek), 1 float (Jim driving, April throwing beads), and one rear marshall (me, though rear marshall sounds dirty). Despite the briefness of the parade, we managed to piss off someone who evidently wanted to get home.

It was a fun time and my friends in the know helped me enough to dress in a way that while embarrassing me anywhere else, didn’t embarrass me at the party. Plus, the next morning, there was some king cake at work. Word on the street is the person who found the baby-jesus and didn’t fess up will have some serious ‘splainin’ to do.

It’s kind of sad that the first attractive Mustang in 30+ years is only attractive because its design relies so heavily on the Shelby Mustang of 30+ years ago.

My dad asked if I’d heard about the Oregon State sponsored Vortex I Rock Concert back in 1970. I had not so I read a little and asked a few of the old AV types at work about it. The reason for the event is apparently to draw hippies away from Portland while Nixon was in town.

One of the older AV types said it was more proof that then Governor Tom McCall was the last good Republican, though admitted that he and his family were probably at church praying for said hippies.

The whole thing is rather bizarre and mysterious (especially given its proximity to Altamont in California) and I can’t tell if it was a creative solution by a creative and insightful governor, or a seedy distraction.

I was listening to Atmosphere’s Aspiring Sociopath in the car on the way to work:

It’s funny because it’s true.

Atmosphere is a gringo – which brings a refreshing absence of the N-word to his lyrics. Even though the content may be more caustic, it doesn’t grate the ears and alarm passers by as much as Busta Rhymes’ Gimme Some More for example, which peppers the otherwise awesome song with the un-utterable word. That sample, by the way, is from Hitchcock’s film Psycho. I heard it in context over the PA at Value Village last Halloween.

Michelle is gushing about getting to see Franco Sarto at Nordstrom’s today when she was returning a suit. He designs all her favorite shoes and boots.

Well, she’s not really that excited, just kind of surprised.

This past weekend my dad mentioned that he’d heard that Cream was going to do a reunion set on the condition that they included some new material. Although I hold out little hope for the results, there’s a small part of me that hopes it rocks like Cream Live II or the Bruce/Baker/Moore tracks on Cities of the Heart.

It appears that Clapton has been talking up the reunion, but there still aren’t any dates at the Royal Albert Hall. My feeling is that the show will be all glossy and polished like the stuff from their induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Sure they were good, but it was too mature and there was way too much reservation so it just kind sucked.

If it does happen, I’ll certainly give it a listen. If it sucks, I’ve still got the Ginger Baker Trio.

My parents, sister, Barley, Michelle and I spent the weekend in Roads End on the coast. The weather was surprisingly warm, and the view of the ocean was great. Plus we got to see some very pregnant sea lions trying to give birth. At first we thought maybe they were just injured, and maybe they were, but we’re going to content ourselves with the Oregon Fish & Wildlife explanation.

It was also Hilary’s birthday (happy birthday), so we celebrated that as well. We also stopped by the Chinook Winds casino briefly and took them for like $30. I’m sure none of you are surprised though after seeing ‘ol dead eye in action in Vegas.

Anyway – it was a blast and I’ve put some pictures up. I may repost them because several of them are choppy from a setting I changed in iphoto.

Michelle and I stopped in Banana Republic, J. Crew and other clothiers looking for gifts for my sister. I was surprised at the general ugliness of most of the clothing. The patterns, fabrics, and textures were right out of my parents and grandparents christmas pictures. The pictures where you try to not laugh at how bad their taste was. Some of the clothes look like they were cut right from the upholstery of abandoned furniture.

Michelle informed me that most of the thick bizarre value village style clothing was fall’s fashion and it’s probably on the out. Good.

Why, when I have new struts, suspension, linkages and a rebuilt power steering cylinder and I’m driving over a windy hilly road, do I have to get behind a Volkswagen beetle with Jesus fish?

Anyway – the Yoda now has it together again and drives like the ELUV (egg-like utility vehicle) that it is. Typical though – We get a little money and the first thing we do is blow it on much needed car repairs.

Its kind of weird though – there has been play in the steering for nearly 5 years. Now it does what its supposed to. I’ll have to get used to not having an inch or two of float on each side. Oh, and the shocks react differently.

We’ve had a work-closing ice storm in Portland. Well, freezing rain anyway. We’ve developed nearly half an inch of solid ice on top of the streets and cars. Its been excellent as many businesses have closed so there is little going on.

Normally this would be fine, but we had errands to run, and Hilary was kind enough to brave the roads and come pick me up so we could do some shopping. The big score of the day was a vacuum sealer, but details on that are on rooftop brew.

The real joy of the day was driving in winter conditions. I love snow and ice, and Hilly’s Toyota all-wheel-drive wagon (with studded tires) performs admirably on ice. She let me drive and I had a blast. I even did an almost perfectly executed fishtail into a 180 to park the car.

One of my favorite things is to humble SUV drivers. Especially when we’re in a small wagon. Slowpokes. We did help a young fellow from Ethiopia or Eritrea who slid off the road into a mechanic lot full of cars.. He was probably new to ice, but seemed rather happy to be back on the road and on his way home. We also tried to help someone in an IROC Z-28 who was flooring it trying to get up a hill. By the time we finally got to the car, which sounded like an alien being dissected, got some traction and started moving forward. I love winter. And I love these inept drivers.