Tuesday, March 22, 2011
I'm alive!
Well, I made it obviously. First flight, sat next to a nice woman from Knoxville, TN. She worked at the post office I think and was partying in Vegas with some friends. Second flight had young dudes behind me that were talking about smoking weed in Amsterdam and here in Pensacola. Where did so and so go, he had the good stuff! Jeez! Lots of interestingly language going on for a 1.5 hr flight. Anyway, walking out of the airport, I was struck by the humidity, and soon the smell of the ocean. It's been a long time!
Monday, March 21, 2011
Tinkers
I finally finished this book of 190 pages. Seems like it took me a while. When I finished the last page a couple of nights ago, I kind of furled my brow, puckered my lips, and thought "hmmmm did I miss something?" Don't get me wrong though, I enjoyed reading this book, but in the end when I tried to summarize it in my head, I had to think about it for a long while.
Reading reviews on the book, some people are simply blown away by it. Perhaps the majority since it won a Pulitzer. However, there seem to be a good handful of people who found it to be a complete snooze too. I can actually agree with points made from both perspectives.
This was a book I had to read without distraction. A few times I would find myself re-reading a few pages and still feeling like I only comprehended about 70% of what I read. haha That's kinda of how I felt reading chemistry. This would sometimes lead to a feeling like I was at the end of a 2001 A space Odyssey and sleep would overcome me.
Several portions of the book however, just blew me away in the amount of detail conveyed, the poetic use of language, and the economy of description. Reading the page was like running downhill with the words flowing out so fast that your tongue could crash at any moment. It's the verbal equivalent to the pictures you would see in National Geographic. It's HD language. As Papa Dragon would say, "It's a Potent Mix!"
But I also agree with the negative opinions that the plot line is maybe too free flowing. It works for some, but others like myself can get lost and feel disconnected. The way the story is told with little dialogue leaves most of the characters hard to grasp maybe.
I had my strongest connection with Howard as a boy. At one point in the book, he goes into the woods looking for his father, trying to find his bones inside logs and other body parts hidden away in the forest. He goes into a pond and stays there submerged up to his head, not moving for hours until night falls. In the darkness he sees a set of eyes upon him. He talks about the legends surrounding local Native Americans and how they seemingly slip in and out of our existence like ghosts. Then this other head with eyes in the water opens its mouth so big that he can hear water draining into it when suddenly a fish jumps into the mouth and disappears without struggle. The whole scene just creeped me out! It's a dark and surreal vision that will stay with me for a long time.
Tinkers is about dying any way you look at it though. I was hoping it would be an uplifting book that showed me that the universe is warm and our energies are kept sacred. Not the case though. I think Tinkers conveys a sense of a larger mystery, like seeing the entire universe as one whole thing that works in an amazing way. The workings are cold though, they are beautiful to behold, but do as they do regardless of you or me.
Reading reviews on the book, some people are simply blown away by it. Perhaps the majority since it won a Pulitzer. However, there seem to be a good handful of people who found it to be a complete snooze too. I can actually agree with points made from both perspectives.
This was a book I had to read without distraction. A few times I would find myself re-reading a few pages and still feeling like I only comprehended about 70% of what I read. haha That's kinda of how I felt reading chemistry. This would sometimes lead to a feeling like I was at the end of a 2001 A space Odyssey and sleep would overcome me.
Several portions of the book however, just blew me away in the amount of detail conveyed, the poetic use of language, and the economy of description. Reading the page was like running downhill with the words flowing out so fast that your tongue could crash at any moment. It's the verbal equivalent to the pictures you would see in National Geographic. It's HD language. As Papa Dragon would say, "It's a Potent Mix!"
But I also agree with the negative opinions that the plot line is maybe too free flowing. It works for some, but others like myself can get lost and feel disconnected. The way the story is told with little dialogue leaves most of the characters hard to grasp maybe.
I had my strongest connection with Howard as a boy. At one point in the book, he goes into the woods looking for his father, trying to find his bones inside logs and other body parts hidden away in the forest. He goes into a pond and stays there submerged up to his head, not moving for hours until night falls. In the darkness he sees a set of eyes upon him. He talks about the legends surrounding local Native Americans and how they seemingly slip in and out of our existence like ghosts. Then this other head with eyes in the water opens its mouth so big that he can hear water draining into it when suddenly a fish jumps into the mouth and disappears without struggle. The whole scene just creeped me out! It's a dark and surreal vision that will stay with me for a long time.
Tinkers is about dying any way you look at it though. I was hoping it would be an uplifting book that showed me that the universe is warm and our energies are kept sacred. Not the case though. I think Tinkers conveys a sense of a larger mystery, like seeing the entire universe as one whole thing that works in an amazing way. The workings are cold though, they are beautiful to behold, but do as they do regardless of you or me.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Flying Anxiety
I'll be flying into Pensacola next Tuesday for a week. It's been about two years since I've flown. Dang it man, I still have some flying paranoia in me it seems! I remember sitting in the back of the plane flying to DC one time and the engine made this noise just like in the movie Cast Away. I was a little freaked out by that.
Today while eating thick cut, seriously good, seriously juicy bacon, the thought hit me. Maybe I should carry a juicy piece of bacon with me wherever I go. Make a slim little case or heavy duty ziplock type of container just big enough for say a two inch piece of bacon. That way, in the face of possible disaster such as a plane crash, maybe I'll have a few seconds to put bacon in my mouth and think "ooooh bacon!" If I had a couple of seconds, I could even share it with someone. Everyone likes bacon right? (shielding myself from vegan arrows of death). You know it would have some fun marketing. Why meet 2012's doom on an empty stomach? Experience it with bacon!
Here's a picture of Penscola beach, actually Fort Pickins that my friend took. He made it look hipstamatic back in the day even. I haven't been out that far since Hurricane Ivan. It probably looks much different now. Even though it's Ft. Pickens, I still think of this area when I think of Pensacola. Then I think of Jena Malone.
Today while eating thick cut, seriously good, seriously juicy bacon, the thought hit me. Maybe I should carry a juicy piece of bacon with me wherever I go. Make a slim little case or heavy duty ziplock type of container just big enough for say a two inch piece of bacon. That way, in the face of possible disaster such as a plane crash, maybe I'll have a few seconds to put bacon in my mouth and think "ooooh bacon!" If I had a couple of seconds, I could even share it with someone. Everyone likes bacon right? (shielding myself from vegan arrows of death). You know it would have some fun marketing. Why meet 2012's doom on an empty stomach? Experience it with bacon!
Here's a picture of Penscola beach, actually Fort Pickins that my friend took. He made it look hipstamatic back in the day even. I haven't been out that far since Hurricane Ivan. It probably looks much different now. Even though it's Ft. Pickens, I still think of this area when I think of Pensacola. Then I think of Jena Malone.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Golden Idol Court
At the end of my short run this evening, I ran into a very small fuzzy dog, kinda like a shitzu. When he saw me coming he stopped and started to cross the road. I stopped and called to him and to my surprise he cautiously came to me. I've had a quite a few loose dogs just haul butt when I call them. I saw two dogs that I once tried to get out of a busy street about 3 blocks away from their home again the other day. One dog in this area that gets loose even looks like my dog. The neighbors kids came over one day to tell me "hey we just saw your dog running down the street!"
So I finally rescued one! I was very close to my house and carried him back. It's always a funny little moment picking up a scared dog. You just never know if they're gunna bite ya. As I was about to walk up my driveway, a car pulled up and the woman asked if that was Max. Indeed it was. Turns out he lives just down the street. The owner said that's the third time he's gotten out. Maybe his name should be changed to something else?
So I finally rescued one! I was very close to my house and carried him back. It's always a funny little moment picking up a scared dog. You just never know if they're gunna bite ya. As I was about to walk up my driveway, a car pulled up and the woman asked if that was Max. Indeed it was. Turns out he lives just down the street. The owner said that's the third time he's gotten out. Maybe his name should be changed to something else?
Sunday, March 13, 2011
The Landing
I don't even remember taking this picture back in 2001. Looking at it now, I think it's kinda cool. Makes me excited to go back to Florida.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Friday, March 11, 2011
Destroy Everything
I don't normally watch UFC (Ultimate Fighting), but while reading about the horrors of being trapped in a cruise line hell there it was on the tv. In the past, the few fights I've watched were often a let down with the fight being over quick from a lame submission or just three rounds of nothing but two guys squirming on the matt while one guy gets an elbow to the face every minute.
All the fights in this show were great though! Submission, TKO, Knockout, Knockout, and bloody fists of fury! OK there was one that had a good bit of floor time, but the amount of blood in that match made it ok. It was like a horror movie! Also, seeing a well executed knee to the head? Wow! It just makes me wanna punch someone in the face! Well not really.
Here's one of the fighters from the main bout Deigo Sanchez. In a bit of controversy, he won. I don't think he's the better fighter, but what do I know. I know he earned his paycheck that night though!
What a bloodbath! I mean as soon as the bell rang, the medic comes out with a small bath towel wearing rubber gloves and puts it up to his face. Blood just spurts out everywhere. Welcome to Rome citizens!
Then before bed, I caught word of Japan's disaster. I just sat on the couch watching this horror unfold. It reminded me of when I watched the day after Katrina rocked Alabama and Louisiana. Liz told me she knows two guys stationed over there right now. One is separated from his family being stuck in an airport I think. They gave him a water bottle and a piece of candy. His only form of communicating is through Facebook, and he was able to reach the other guy to check on his fam. I just pray those reactors hold. Everyone says Nuclear is a viable source of power, new this, fail safe that, but.....yeeesh.
I'll leave with lyrics to a song that gets a lot of playtime for me lately.
Destroy everything you touch today
Destroy me this way
Anything that may desert you
So it cannot hurt you
You only have to look behind you
At who's underlined you
Destroy everything you touch today
Destroy me this way
Everything you touch you don't feel
Do not know what you steal
Shakes your hand
Takes your gun
Walks you out of the sun
What you touch you don't feel
Do not know what you steal
Destroy everything you touch today
Please destroy me this way
All the fights in this show were great though! Submission, TKO, Knockout, Knockout, and bloody fists of fury! OK there was one that had a good bit of floor time, but the amount of blood in that match made it ok. It was like a horror movie! Also, seeing a well executed knee to the head? Wow! It just makes me wanna punch someone in the face! Well not really.
Here's one of the fighters from the main bout Deigo Sanchez. In a bit of controversy, he won. I don't think he's the better fighter, but what do I know. I know he earned his paycheck that night though!
What a bloodbath! I mean as soon as the bell rang, the medic comes out with a small bath towel wearing rubber gloves and puts it up to his face. Blood just spurts out everywhere. Welcome to Rome citizens!
Then before bed, I caught word of Japan's disaster. I just sat on the couch watching this horror unfold. It reminded me of when I watched the day after Katrina rocked Alabama and Louisiana. Liz told me she knows two guys stationed over there right now. One is separated from his family being stuck in an airport I think. They gave him a water bottle and a piece of candy. His only form of communicating is through Facebook, and he was able to reach the other guy to check on his fam. I just pray those reactors hold. Everyone says Nuclear is a viable source of power, new this, fail safe that, but.....yeeesh.
I'll leave with lyrics to a song that gets a lot of playtime for me lately.
Destroy everything you touch today
Destroy me this way
Anything that may desert you
So it cannot hurt you
You only have to look behind you
At who's underlined you
Destroy everything you touch today
Destroy me this way
Everything you touch you don't feel
Do not know what you steal
Shakes your hand
Takes your gun
Walks you out of the sun
What you touch you don't feel
Do not know what you steal
Destroy everything you touch today
Please destroy me this way
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Flow Reeda
I will be traveling to Florida soon for a quick visit, now that my cold is finally on its last traces. I thought it was never going to leave me! One of the items to take care of on my visit is to look at some foreclosure homes. They don't give a lot of info online and never any real pictures. Should be interesting. It's been a while since I've been house shopping and now after living in a couple of houses, I have more priorities and expectations.
I've started running again, keeping it short and easy while doing lots of pre and post stretching. So far so good! I'm still not 100% in my groin/hips/lower abs, so I'm being very conservative. The treadmill is still down too. The parts are taking forever to get here apparently. Despite not running for almost 2 weeks, I've purchased two new pairs of running shoes. Vibram Bikilas and New Balance MT101s. I'm thinking I might do a formal review or 'my thoughts' on the MT101s for youtube. It's a pretty cool shoe.
One of the places I always like to return to when I visit home is a place called Liza Jackson Park. I'm not sure what it is about this spot, but it often produces some of the coolest sunsets in the area. Here's one of hundreds I've taken here.
I've started running again, keeping it short and easy while doing lots of pre and post stretching. So far so good! I'm still not 100% in my groin/hips/lower abs, so I'm being very conservative. The treadmill is still down too. The parts are taking forever to get here apparently. Despite not running for almost 2 weeks, I've purchased two new pairs of running shoes. Vibram Bikilas and New Balance MT101s. I'm thinking I might do a formal review or 'my thoughts' on the MT101s for youtube. It's a pretty cool shoe.
One of the places I always like to return to when I visit home is a place called Liza Jackson Park. I'm not sure what it is about this spot, but it often produces some of the coolest sunsets in the area. Here's one of hundreds I've taken here.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Mt. Fuji
Here's a picture of my father climbing Mount Fuji back in the day.
I was perusing irunfar.com the other day and the most recent post was about the state of Japanese ultrarunning. Turns out they are now starting a Mount Fuji race. How cool would that be? I'd better start training!
Seriously though, I would love to get to Japan sometime. You never know, I might live there for a bit. A visit though would definitely be awesome. If I go to Mt. Fuji, even if I run, I think I'm going to have to find a hat just like my Dad has in the picture and take a matching silhouette picture. Look at the heel on that shoe too!! You were rockin it Daddio :)
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Someone runs in their cowboy boots
He's outside. He's got a huge cowboy mustache, metal framed glasses with dark brown lenses, a black cowboy hat, white boots, and a brown leather jacket with fringe on the back. He spins around smoking his cigarette with an old school swagger that says he's the real deal.
This place is slammed and people keep leaving after being seated for just a few minutes. The look on their faces amuses me a bit. I'll just wait. Oooh Bacon and Avacado arrive! I'm so sick of this phlegm in my throat. Cough Cough Cough Cough! It pushes me into the realm of seeking food comforts.
Staring into the leaves in the trees I google cowboy in my head and stop on the cowboy from that old movie Innerspace with Dennis Quaid and Martin Short. That's probably the only time Martin Short has appealed to me. That cowboy sang a funny song in the movie ,and he later went on to become the doctor in the Star Trek series Voyager. But what about that guy Mister Igo from the movie, the one with the missing hand. Wasn't he also the really angry chaps wearing guy from Mad Max 2? And can you imagine seeing your child as a fetus the size of Mt. Rushmore?
REC REAR DIFF SRV (44.99)
REC FUEL INJ SRVC (64.99)
REC TIRE ROTATION (29.99)
REC FRNT DIFF SRV (44.99+
QUALITY INSP BY DANNY
All that and more, but I just got an oil change. At least I finally got my truck washed. It's been a long time.
Stopped by Red Rock Running Company. They had both the New Balance Minimus Road and Trail shoes available. I wasn't moved by either. Pity since I was so hoping that the Trail would be worth all the wait. So I went to REI and got a pair of Bikila Five Fingers. Fliggy Flegam aside I decided to pop a Halls in my mouth and run a mile around the block in the new VFFs. Afterwards, I felt like I could've exploded at any moment, poking and prodding for some crazy pain to shoot out of me like a popped balloon. However, all is well it seems. I'll take that little positive and put a big check mark on the 'awesomeness for the day' meter.
I really don't care at this point. I have no issue eating a #2 at McD's while sitting in the kid's play room. Why am I in the disease pit again? Too late now. There have been 3 screaming kids in here so far. The birthday sugars doing their deed. That woman has a unique stroller. It's called a Quinny. I just looked it up. I'll bet she uses it to run. She looks like a runner. Asa has crawled into the tube maze. She never goes in there. She's all the way at the top! I give her thumbs up and wave. Then I see her face in a little window. She looks scared. Here comes the crying. I have to crawl up the tubes and get her. Almost :)
This place is slammed and people keep leaving after being seated for just a few minutes. The look on their faces amuses me a bit. I'll just wait. Oooh Bacon and Avacado arrive! I'm so sick of this phlegm in my throat. Cough Cough Cough Cough! It pushes me into the realm of seeking food comforts.
Staring into the leaves in the trees I google cowboy in my head and stop on the cowboy from that old movie Innerspace with Dennis Quaid and Martin Short. That's probably the only time Martin Short has appealed to me. That cowboy sang a funny song in the movie ,and he later went on to become the doctor in the Star Trek series Voyager. But what about that guy Mister Igo from the movie, the one with the missing hand. Wasn't he also the really angry chaps wearing guy from Mad Max 2? And can you imagine seeing your child as a fetus the size of Mt. Rushmore?
REC REAR DIFF SRV (44.99)
REC FUEL INJ SRVC (64.99)
REC TIRE ROTATION (29.99)
REC FRNT DIFF SRV (44.99+
QUALITY INSP BY DANNY
All that and more, but I just got an oil change. At least I finally got my truck washed. It's been a long time.
Stopped by Red Rock Running Company. They had both the New Balance Minimus Road and Trail shoes available. I wasn't moved by either. Pity since I was so hoping that the Trail would be worth all the wait. So I went to REI and got a pair of Bikila Five Fingers. Fliggy Flegam aside I decided to pop a Halls in my mouth and run a mile around the block in the new VFFs. Afterwards, I felt like I could've exploded at any moment, poking and prodding for some crazy pain to shoot out of me like a popped balloon. However, all is well it seems. I'll take that little positive and put a big check mark on the 'awesomeness for the day' meter.
I really don't care at this point. I have no issue eating a #2 at McD's while sitting in the kid's play room. Why am I in the disease pit again? Too late now. There have been 3 screaming kids in here so far. The birthday sugars doing their deed. That woman has a unique stroller. It's called a Quinny. I just looked it up. I'll bet she uses it to run. She looks like a runner. Asa has crawled into the tube maze. She never goes in there. She's all the way at the top! I give her thumbs up and wave. Then I see her face in a little window. She looks scared. Here comes the crying. I have to crawl up the tubes and get her. Almost :)
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