I am writing this at 3:15am because I can't sleep. I am writing this on my new laptop. The "H" key comes loose from time to time but it snaps back in. I ordered it online and don't want to go to the trouble of sending it back because of the "H" key. The sound card on this laptop must be amazing because I'm listening to The Postal Service on iTunes and they've never sounded so good. I have my Bose headphones on and I would swear that I'm listening to ambient sound. Amazing how even so so music can sound really good when it sounds really good. I had a root canal finished on monday but my gums are all swollen again. I'm going to call the dentist tomorrow and if there was some mistake made I'm going to be pissed off. This is my second root canal now and it seemed slap hazard compared to the last one. Those of you who know me, know that I hold dentistry in particularly low regard. Aside from the fact that it makes me panic in ways that, say, a bear encounter wouldn't; you have to understand that the science of dentistry has not changed much since the old west (have I discussed this in this venue before?) The only treatment for a bad tooth is still to drill the shit out of it and fill it with poisonous metals. The only thing that has improved is the anesthetic. Which, by the way, the dentist I went to didn't use on the second part of the root canal. It didn't hurt though. I did take exception to the fact that Judge Judy was on in the "operating room". Then there was the part of the procedure where the dentist called for "flame" and the dental assistant fired up a portable Bunsen burner and the dentist heated some poking tool and applied it to my tooth. I definitely didn't remember that part from the last root canal.
I worked until 10:30pm tonight and am due back at 8am. I'm not really worried though. At least it means I'll be outta there by 5.
Today is officially Randy's birthday, we are going bowling tonight. That should be fun.
I've been re-reading A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson. It's about how the author decides to hike the Appalachian Trail. After reading the first few chapters again I tried to convince Randy to quit his job and hike the AT with me but he said "no" because he "doesn't enjoy physical excersion." I can't argue with that, just tonight I asked him to go online and he said no because the laptop was in his bedroom and he was in the living room. I called him a "lazy fuck shit" He didn't seem to like that much.
Now I'm listening to INXS Don't Change. Its one of only a handful of songs I like from the 80's. Here's a listing of the rest:
Melt with You by Modern English
99 Red Balloons by Nena (I like the English version)
Time After Time by Cindy Lauper
Ordinary World by Duran Duran
Everyone Wants to Rule the World by Tears for Fears
pretty much the rest of that decade can go and fuck itself.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Thursday, September 17, 2009
En Pace Resquiescat
I have never seen Road House. And I rate Dirty Dancing and Ghost among the worst movies I've ever seen. But God Damnit if Swayze wasn't one of the best movie villains of all time. I LOVE Point Break. Rest in Peace Patrick.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
So True...
Television is more interesting than people. If it were not, we would have people standing in the corners of our rooms.
- Alan Corenk
- Alan Corenk
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Just a quickie
Just a quick thought here. There's been alot of "tech" news about the new Beatles Rock Band game coming out along with remastered CD's. *Ahem* CD's? I don't know who in the Beatles camp is resisting going digital, but they are making a huge mistake. I wouldn't say that CD's are a dead technology, but I would definitely say Dying. It's like when I held out way to long to start buying CD's and was sticking with tape. I had to re-buy everything on CD. Of course, now I'm re-buying a lot of stuff digitally. But there are two things that are silly about not going digital, the first is that if you buy a CD it can be easily converted to a digital file so there isn't any real protection. and two, because you can rip a CD, its easy to get Beatles music illegally. So why not give iTunes or whoever the right to sell the music and give fans the chance to pay for it. Simultaneously giving the next generation a chance to get the music, the way they get music now.
I'm just sayin'.
I'm just sayin'.
Sunday, September 06, 2009
Gibbs Lake Trail
Here's what the guide book said:
Directions: From Lee Vining, drive about one mile south on US 395, then turn west on Forest Service road 1N16 (look for the sign indicating Upper Horse Meadow.) Drive approximately 3 miles to the trail head at the end of the road.
Trail notes: The 2.7 mile hike from Upper Horse Meadow to Gibbs Lake is one of the truly great day hikes in California. Since the trailhead is not located at a lake or other attractive destination, nobody get there by accident. It starts at upper horse meadow, elevation 8000 feet, and climbs up Gibbs Canyon to Gibbs Lake, 9,530 feet. That figures to a 1,500 climb, and except for a half mile of switchbacks at the beginning of the trail, most of the route is a steady grade along Gibbs Creek. It is a pretty spot, backed by bare granite, fronted by conifers, the trail ends at Gibbs Lake, meaning you will not be competing with backpapckers arriving from other trails for trail space or a picnic site.
Here's what the guide book should have said:
Directions: From Lee Vining, drive about one mile south on US 395, then turn west on Forest Service road 1N16. The road is completely unsigned and is, by the way, a dirt road. drive past the squatters in broken down RV's and hope you're going the right way because the actual sign for the road doesn't appear until you are a mile in. Also the sign is faded and almost unreadable. Go ahead and add a mile to the hiking distance, because unless you have a four-wheel drive you're not going to be able to get to the end of the road.
Trail Notes: The 2.7 mile hike from Upper Horse Meadow to Gibbs lake is one of the worst hikes in the Sierras. Since the trailhead is not located at a lake or other attractive destination, good luck finding it. It starts at upper horse meadow, elevation 8000 feet, and climbs up Gibbs Canyon to Gobbs Lake, 9,530 feet. The trailhead has no sign so, again, cross your fingers and hope you're going the right way. The 1,500 elevation gain is a straight uphill slog up the side of a mountain. The trail never switchbacks, it is a straight uphill climb that will have you winded in about 5 minutes. After the first half mile the incline decreases from 85 degrees to 70 degrees. But don't worry the incline jumps back up to 85 degrees again after about 10 minutes of walking. Gibbs creek can be heard as a distant trickle somewhere in the distance. for the duration of the trail you won't be able to see 10 feet in front or behind you because of the severity of the incline. Gibbs lake is an average lake by Sierra Nevada standards so unless you absolutely have to see it. Stay the hell away from this trail!
Directions: From Lee Vining, drive about one mile south on US 395, then turn west on Forest Service road 1N16 (look for the sign indicating Upper Horse Meadow.) Drive approximately 3 miles to the trail head at the end of the road.
Trail notes: The 2.7 mile hike from Upper Horse Meadow to Gibbs Lake is one of the truly great day hikes in California. Since the trailhead is not located at a lake or other attractive destination, nobody get there by accident. It starts at upper horse meadow, elevation 8000 feet, and climbs up Gibbs Canyon to Gibbs Lake, 9,530 feet. That figures to a 1,500 climb, and except for a half mile of switchbacks at the beginning of the trail, most of the route is a steady grade along Gibbs Creek. It is a pretty spot, backed by bare granite, fronted by conifers, the trail ends at Gibbs Lake, meaning you will not be competing with backpapckers arriving from other trails for trail space or a picnic site.
Here's what the guide book should have said:
Directions: From Lee Vining, drive about one mile south on US 395, then turn west on Forest Service road 1N16. The road is completely unsigned and is, by the way, a dirt road. drive past the squatters in broken down RV's and hope you're going the right way because the actual sign for the road doesn't appear until you are a mile in. Also the sign is faded and almost unreadable. Go ahead and add a mile to the hiking distance, because unless you have a four-wheel drive you're not going to be able to get to the end of the road.
Trail Notes: The 2.7 mile hike from Upper Horse Meadow to Gibbs lake is one of the worst hikes in the Sierras. Since the trailhead is not located at a lake or other attractive destination, good luck finding it. It starts at upper horse meadow, elevation 8000 feet, and climbs up Gibbs Canyon to Gobbs Lake, 9,530 feet. The trailhead has no sign so, again, cross your fingers and hope you're going the right way. The 1,500 elevation gain is a straight uphill slog up the side of a mountain. The trail never switchbacks, it is a straight uphill climb that will have you winded in about 5 minutes. After the first half mile the incline decreases from 85 degrees to 70 degrees. But don't worry the incline jumps back up to 85 degrees again after about 10 minutes of walking. Gibbs creek can be heard as a distant trickle somewhere in the distance. for the duration of the trail you won't be able to see 10 feet in front or behind you because of the severity of the incline. Gibbs lake is an average lake by Sierra Nevada standards so unless you absolutely have to see it. Stay the hell away from this trail!
Wednesday, September 02, 2009
Fantasy Sports 2009
To start off, Randy thank you for inviting me to your fantasy league. I am sorry not to have joined it only because a bunch of you cool ratracers are a part of it. This fact I have guessed from the ensuing fantasy trashtalkin I witnessed on FB earlier tonight.
However, I am actually glad not to have joined. Last year I suffered from what I now term "fantasy burnout." I had three NFL teams, two NBA, an MLB and an NHL. Quite a few seasons had major coincidence with one another: The end of football with the beginnings of basketball and hockey was fun!
I wish you guys well in your friendly league. I am a part of another, 12-team, money league called "Masturb8ting Elephant" named for in honor of Joe Bima's team. George Miranda is the commish and damned if I do say so I think he does a bolly good job. I've talked my fair share of shit, I know I know. But we've been doing that league for about three or four years now.
The gist of this is that my new mantra for the next year of my life is to keep it as simple as possible. Nothing extra. By the way here's how my team looks this year:
QB A. Rodgers; RBs L. Tomlinson, Felix Jones, L. McCoy and L. Washington; WRs Dwayne Bowe, Randy Moss, Desean Jackson, Torry Holt, Percy Harvin and Earl Bennett; TE Greg Olsen.
K and DEF are negligible to me really. Of my main players I think Bennett might be the only throwaway. I like my team because I also have three kick/punt returners in Jones, Jackson and Washington. Excitement.
However, I am actually glad not to have joined. Last year I suffered from what I now term "fantasy burnout." I had three NFL teams, two NBA, an MLB and an NHL. Quite a few seasons had major coincidence with one another: The end of football with the beginnings of basketball and hockey was fun!
I wish you guys well in your friendly league. I am a part of another, 12-team, money league called "Masturb8ting Elephant" named for in honor of Joe Bima's team. George Miranda is the commish and damned if I do say so I think he does a bolly good job. I've talked my fair share of shit, I know I know. But we've been doing that league for about three or four years now.
The gist of this is that my new mantra for the next year of my life is to keep it as simple as possible. Nothing extra. By the way here's how my team looks this year:
QB A. Rodgers; RBs L. Tomlinson, Felix Jones, L. McCoy and L. Washington; WRs Dwayne Bowe, Randy Moss, Desean Jackson, Torry Holt, Percy Harvin and Earl Bennett; TE Greg Olsen.
K and DEF are negligible to me really. Of my main players I think Bennett might be the only throwaway. I like my team because I also have three kick/punt returners in Jones, Jackson and Washington. Excitement.
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