Tomorrow's Anniversary Today

Tomorrow is our 2 year anniversary, but since she has to leave for Piscataway at 6am, and I will be on a plane to bloody Ohio, we decided to celebrate today. With no plan in mind the best we could come up with was "Let's go buy a pool cover!". So we were off.

There's some interesting shadows coming from a certain hairpin turn along Marshalls Creek that I've been dying to get out and investigate but never have. I thought that may lead to an excited anniversary adventure. Sure enough...

This is where we found a fairly intimidating waterfall.



And some pretty rocky ridges and cliffs to match.




Some further investigation deeper into the wood turned up a man-made pass cut thru one of the mountains and a wooden bridge crossing the river. The exploration continued.





Gorge-jumping




Sun-spotting




Gorge-scaling




Our Waterfall (no one else claimed it)



Afterwards, we were feeling very anniversarily, and happened upon a new antique mall. We're always on the lookout for the perfect hutch. Lots of great stuff here, but we managed to walk out empty handed. Except for 2 sets of glasses. We have the larger ones of the set at home that we bought in Georgia. Weird eh?



Then after an insanely long "conversation" about what to have for lunch, we stopped at the last place before heading home. Ming Garden Chinese food. It took forever but of course was worth it.






Now we're home and planning on spending the rest of our Anniversary Eve lazing about. An no, we never got the pool cover.

Food & Walls

Pretty much sums up my weekend.

PART I




PART II




I am an artist!

Childlike Empress Mystery: Solved

Ok......

So I've just solved a mystery, and I don't think I'm alone on this when I say, that in all these years, since I was a young boy, I have never been able to figure out what the hell Bastian names the Childlike Empress at the end of the Neverending Story.


I know, it's a silly absurd thing to be contemplating at 30, but the Mets game ended (beat the Nationals 4-1) and I started flipping and I just happened to come right in on that scene. Turned the volume, even got close to the TV to see if I could read lips (all of the sudden I can read lips?) but still no idea. It seems like he's saying Chloroform, but that can't be right. What kind of name is Chloroform, and for Royalty?

Anyhow, this 25 year old mystery had to come to an end. I'd had enough, and figured that with such modernisms as the world wide web at my beckon call and an hour to kill before Laura gets home, I figured I'd do a little research. It wasn't hard, seemingly no one knows what on Earth Bastian yells out the window into the lightning, and I immediately found numerous pages on the subject. One, claiming to be an official script seemed to be the most trustworthy source, so I read on, exchanges between Falkor & Atreyu, good. Then the Empress enters the scene, tension builds. Bastian starts to realize his fate. Fantasia begins to crumble. Getting closer. A couple more lines..... wait, What is that word? That can't be right. Check another site. Scanning..... yeah same thing. Ok?

Moonchild.

Bastian named her Moonchild.

How disappointing. I waited 25 years for that. Moonchild. A hippies attempt at celestial reverence. A book title by a black magic occultist. A song by Captain Beefheart. Moonchild. I like Chloroform better. I wish I hadn't found out at all. And that's how I'll start the weekend. Can only get better. Moonchild.

Interesting sidenote; I found in my research that the actress that played "Moonchild", Tami Stronach, became quite the accomplished dancer. Check her out.

Hun... The Cat's Hungry

The Impending Season

I've managed to stay quiet for awhile now, but with opening day only 10 days away I can no longer contain my excitement. Baseball is back and I am happy as a clam. I've been following the Mets in spring training, somewhat, and for the most part, like what I have seen. Johan seems fine, despite rumors. Bats are working. Delgado seems to be picking up where he left off. Beltran seems invigorated. Wright is Wright. Reyes is older & wiser. Pelfrey has been surprisingly dominating in his few appearances. I think to myself, they can't collapse three years in a row can they?

Some Of The Things I'm Am Relatively Excited About For This Fast Approaching Baseball Season

1. A Real Bullpen! It's a little more than obvious that this was the kryptonite in the Mets well reported collapse from 2008. It has been said, by others, that had the Mets had a competent bullpen they would've walked away with that pennant. I tend to agree. So Francisco Rodriguez, J.J. Putz, Sean Green: I welcome you with open arms. Feel free to do your thing.
   
2. Luis Castillo. Yeah that's right. The bumbling 2nd baseman. The starer of perfect strikes. Put in the 2 hole and watch him swing away. He's been nothing short of fantastic this spring. Aggressive at the plate. A wiz on the field. And quick on the basepads. I was excited about his acquisition back at the end of 2007. I wanted to shoot him dead last summer. But now, I smell a comeback.
3. Citi Field. How could you not be? Shea was such a terrible stadium that Citi Field will be having Mets fans feeling at home in no time. I'm hearing good things about all the fancy amenities and eateries and cozy seating. I'm hoping to get out to at least 2 games, but we will see what time allows.
   
4. Corner Outfielders. It's no secret the Mets have a star in centerfield, but I'm excited about the left & right. Not so much as fielders, kind of a boring position, but more at bat. Daniel Murphy is an animal at the plate, whacking triples into the corners and buzzing line drives just over infielders. And Ryan Church has had a great spring, and I think he wants to make up for time lost last season. Careful running those bases. Settle for hitting it out. I feel he's gonna have a banner year and feel good about his decision not to bail on NYC after just one season.
5. Tatis. I don't know why. I love this guy. I'm gonna miss Endy Chavez, but I think keeping Tatis around makes up for it.
   

You Better Look Out Below

!!!!!!HIT THE HD BUTTON AT THE BOTTOM FOR BETTER QUALITY!!!!!!

C'mon Korea

The language barrier must be quite thick if they thought pitching to Ichiro Suzuki, MLB's leading hitter for quite a few years, with two men in scoring position, 1st base open, late in a tied game, playing for the WBC championship... was a good idea.



Korea's done some silly things, but this takes the cake.

Interpersonal Pursuit Method

Someone's patented love

Better Knowing

Very worth seeing in the theater. Better than I thought it would be. Went in to pass the time. Ending up being quite enjoyable, a little shocking, and tho left with a strong sense of our ever-impending doom, I was nonetheless touched. Ok, buhbye.

Mixtape> 2.20 thru 3.24

Sick With Quick Quips

1. Harlem Shakes - Strictly Game
2. Akron/Family - River
3. DM Stith - Fire Of Birds
4. Neko Case - Magpie To The Morning
5. Fang Island - The Absolute Place
6. The Long Lost - Ballroom Dance Club
7. Bell Orchestre - Elephants
8. Grizzly Bear - While You Wait For The Others
9. Clem Snide - The Endless Endings
10. Yeasayer - Red Cave
11. Richard Crandell - GN6 Nose
12. Great Lake Swimmers - Unison Falling Into Harmony
13. Cougar - Pelourinho
14. World Leader Pretend - Lovey Dovey
15. Cryptacize - Mythomania
16. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Hysteric
17. Metric - Sick Muse
18. Color Cassette - Little Yellow Light
19. Extra Golden - Ukimwi
20. Heartless Bastards - Out At Sea
21. Joan Of Arc - Life Sentence/Twisted Ladder
22. Prefuse 73 - No Lights Still Rock
23. Israel Kamakawiwo'ole - Somewhere Over The Rainbow
24. Stevie Wonder - I Believe
25. Gentleman Reg - Oh My God
26. Last Days - Thoughts Of Alice
27. Peter Bjorn & John - Living Thing
28. Tunng - Bullets
29. Wolf Parade - California Dreamer
30. DOOM - Lightworks
31. Camera Obscura - Away With Murder

Finally, Photo Frenzy

I think she may actually start trying to organize her photos. She's got some classics let me tell you. Of course then I will probably have to scan them all in for her but, I guess it's worth it.

The cats helped.

1st Try Hairs Cut

I needed a haircut. I think I always need a haircut. Laura wanted me to go to a salon or whatever yesterday but I just really don't like that. I haven't gone to a Great Clips or anything since like 1999. Harvard Square, I remember $12. Since then I'm a DIY guy when it comes to hairs cut. Not always the best idea but... who am I trying to impress?

So today Laura offered her haircutting skills, which would be none. She's never cut any hair, ever. So why not start with mine. What's the worst that could happen?



Before:


After:


I think it turned out pretty well. For a first try. I mean, I don't look completely unpresentable. Just moderately unpresentable. Good job hun.

Eric Performs, One Last Time

We promise our boy Eric we will see him perform every season, and since he's saying this is his last, we had to make it out to his final local show. We thought we'd just stop into his rehearsal to catch a run thru, but the staff graciously offered us free tickets and we accepted. We caught the last few guards in the show, of which Eric was the best one out there, hands down, and ran into a few other old friends to play catch up. Here's some runthru shots...


Eric joins his fellow Sac-ians in a whirling dervish style roundabout performed with expert timing


A complicated move, enlisting numerous members of the ensemble for a brief yet artistic moment in an otherwise fast-paced and singular show


Double back attitude under a 45 degree aerial maneuver, Eric!! You've been hiding your light under a bushel!


This has nothing to do with Eric. We just liked this octopus.

This time next year we'll be talking about how we spent the weekend with Eric hiking thru the mountains or off on some silly adventure. At least we better be. You hear me boy!

Owens' Farm Found

We knew we had some family living nearby, further up the mountain. Family from my mothers side. Her fathers sister and her daughter, Eileen & Susie. When we finally found the house we realized we had driven past it, a couple of times, without even knowing. Nice big white farmhouse, perfect for exploring. I found a horse & an old truck. I wonder if they knew about them.




The house is split down the middle (literally) and we got the tour of Eileen's side. If I was a 70 year old woman, this would be exactly what I would want my house to look like. Perfect. Laura agreed.



This creepy doll was the only thing I'd have to probably have to get rid of. I'd lie awake at night wondering when it was going to finally smother me in my sleep.



Susie & Eileen took us out to eat at their local dive bar/restaurant/hotel called, The Hotel. Laura had the Georgie Porgie & I had a plate of pesto linguini. Quite delicious. Here's the snapshots I was able to sneak of our hosts. I got the feeling they don't like having any photographic evidence.




Good news is, now we know where they live, about half an hour over the mountain. We plan on going over to shovel up some horse crap. We need it. Really.

Wedding Attired

Danielle!! The search is over! We found you a wedding dress!!



25% off to boot! And wouldn't you know it Laura found the dress she's wearing to your wedding at the very same store.



What are the chances?!??! We just gotta figure which end is up. I can't wait for the photos.

Travis: Ax Man

I know, I used a chainsaw at the end, but only for the last couple inches. That was a big tree, with a thick trunk. By the end the ax was vibrating and sending shockwaves thru my body. I don't know how the frontiersmen did it.

In the end, I won. The tree fell. Travis: 1, Woods: 0.




Old treeline:



New treeline: