Holy Geewillikers!

Recreational handling of the byproduct produced by the combination of fuel, excessive temperatures and an oxidizer can occasionally cause uncomfortable irritation.

Reckless

Yeah, that's me. Over-the-top random action with little thought to the conclusion.

Out of control.

Sitting in the uncomfortable place between big actions and the fallout/complications/consequences.

xoxo

Scary Guy is soooooo pissed off right now

Yeah.
So we have a ghostie at the house.
There are numerous things that have happened over the past 9 (!) years that have proven to me, over and over, that there's someone else living here.
We (several of the residents of the casa) have determined that it is centralized to the laundry room, although occasionally we've seen him in front of the house and around the other rooms. He seems to be a window peeker.
Our poor mutt sleeps in the laundry room, and she will often bark psychotically at the windows at night.

Well, inexplicably about 2 years ago, the paint on the walls and ceiling in the living room began to peel. In giant sheets. It looks like a bomb went off. Or so I thought before this morning.



Today, the bomb really went off. Really. There's suddenly a 3' diameter hole in the sheetrock, a giant pile of insulation and crappy plaster/sheetrock on the floor, and the dog looks like she's seen a ghost.

And I'm cleaning stuff up.

There's nothing like a little distraction when I'm trying to do something else.

The Modern World.

I'm absolutely amazed at the information that flows about in the modern world.

You see, I'm a bit of a music fan and it gives me joy to gain insight into the private and personal goings on of the artists that I admire.

Twitter, Facebook, the WorldWideWeb, Email and texting have replaced printed newsletters and postcards.
The best thing is that we can get these updates in real-time.

I've had pretty personal contact with some of my favorite artistes.
Via Twitter: Silent Bob, His Holiness The Dalai Lama, Karl Bartos of Kraftwerk, Tony James of Generation X/Sigue Sigue Sputnik/Sisters of Mercy/CarbonSilicon.
In the old days (Email) I had correspondence with Elizabeth Fraser, Simon Raymonde and Robin Guthrie of ye olde Cocteau Twins, Midge Ure and Bono.
Postcards/letters/etc? I have signed stuff from Midge Ure, Natalie Merchant, All the Sex Pistols but Sid, Big Audio Dynamite and a few more.

I find it strangely comforting to know that Nick Laird-Clowes is still around, and getting his updated vacation updates is kind of relaxing.

Wow

I just deleted a post that was looking to be the nastiest, least pleasant thing I've ever written.

Consider yourselves lucky.

I need to get out and get a breath of fresh air- purge all this festering evil.

Peace and kittens to everyone.

Hey

Wassup.

I've finally hit the point that I think this chapter of my life is drawing to a close.
All the miles, smiles, laughter, stress and chaos.

All wrapped up in a nice little bundle of: I've wanted out since day one. I had no idea that the story would keep dragging on for as long as it has.

So the last bit of the chapter is:
"He waved oncoming traffic around the truck as the crazed driver shouted at him through the window. At the first sign of a break, the driver gunned the engine. The truck, all 68,000 pounds of it, jerked and groaned into the road. As he slammed the doors on the truck, 25 years of momentum and memories creaked, groaned and passed before the eyes of the broken man.
Not sure what was coming next, he walked inside to wash his hands."

And so the story ends, on a dirty loading dock in Atlanta, Georgia.

25%

In this post, kind of a New Year's Resolution type post, I stated the ridiculous idea that I was going to hike to the Y east of Provo 52 times this year. That's once a week for those of you who are chronologically challenged.
This 1000 foot climb is a nicely groomed trail, often populated by families, scout groups, coeds wearing flip-flops, old ladies wearing pink sweats and topless grandpas.
At an average slope of 17%, this is steeper than pretty much any road around. Down is just as strenuous as up- the strain on your knees and feet is pretty harsh. It can be a pretty intense workout. My lungs and heart are slowly adjusting to the stresses. My knees and legs are in pretty good shape, considering 2 years ago I couldn't make it to the top every time I attempted it. I can make it now. And I finally feel like I've mastered it.
Well, we are now a little over 1/3 through the year, and I've just hit 25% of my goal. The snowy, cold months at the top of the calendar year don't make it easy to keep up this kind of schedule. I do have until about Christmas to get it all completed. (2 years ago I spent both Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve on the Y)
I started a long time before the weather really allowed for it, hiking my first couple times up in snow, mud and ice.
I usually listen to music, entrancing myself and soundtracking the experience. I've had some very serendipitous experiences, some of which give me chills and some that reduce me to tears. And I'm not going to relate them here. That's personal stuff. Wouldn't want you all to think I'm a ninny.

Here's a log of the first 13 trips:
1- 2/13 3pm 56 deg. trail half mud, 1/3 snow. Guy sitting near the Y, singing at the top of his lungs, pure joy. 1 hr up. 32 mins down.
2- 3/6 8:30am 44 deg. Racing the rain. 45 up. Snow starts at the top. 33 minutes down.
3- 3/31 1:20pm 61 deg trail dry. 50 mins up. Downright pleasant. Light breeze from the north. 33 mins down
4- 4/2 3:15pm 73 deg saturday. Lots of cars at trailhead. Kids and families. 12 mins to turn 2. Water me.rain turn 3. Run 5-6. 34 mins to turn 10. Turn 12 question: here or up one more. Answer from ipod: new order "Turn" 42 mins to top. Wind blows. Time to leave. 4:05pm 33 mins down. Knees best yet. Heels feel blistery. They are blistery.
5- 4/11 1:50pm 55 deg. Looks snowy from the parking lot. Turn 7 rocks 23 mins. Phone calls at 5 and 8.5. Mud above turn 7. Slush and mud after 9. 44 minutes to top.
2:50 start down. 30 min down.
6- 4/12 11:26Am. Snow level better. 50 deg rain coming. 10% season at turn 2. 11:34am. 11:51 turn 7 rocks. 12:11 top. 45 mins. 12:20 depart. Strange junkie withdrawal couple. 32 mins down.
I think I sprained my toe. Sore muscles. Was intending on every day. Took 3 day break.
7- 4/16 9:40am Spring Break saturday. What am I thinking?
Oh crap. Well, I can tell how I injured my toe. Abort, abort.
7- 4/24 8:52 am toe sprain better.41 deg. Shroud of cloud. Taking it slow for safety. 9:38 top. 48 mins.10:08 leave top. 38 mins down. 55 deg.
8- 4/26. 6:25pm rain day. Start 6:45. Clear now. Nice cold wind. Team hiking. Uptime unknown Round trip time 1:25.
9- 4/28 4:15pm super family group walk 67 deg. 5:20 top. 1:05? I'm a slacker. 31 mins down with a good long stop.
10- 5/1 11:20am. Snow yesterday. 45 deg. and dry today First day in shorts. 20 mins to 10.4, 20% pause to rest. 12:12 top. 52 mins with good long breaks. 12:23 start down. 12:56 33 mins.
11- 5/6 6:15am. 49 degs. Empty parking lot. 6:55 top. 40 mins. Kid running to top with dog. 7:05 down. 7:38 end 33 mins.
12- 5/8 8:55am 63 degs. Sunday. Clouds are coming. 9:33 top. 38 mins. Blog at 7- rocks. I need a nap. 9:50 head down 10:24 end. 34 mins.
13- 5/9 6:45 pm 46 degrees. Rainy. Muddy. Run turns 4-6. 7:23 top. 38 minutes. Head Clear. Mind Racing. 8:15 bottom 37 minutes

Should I be scared?

For the first time, it isn't if, but when. Of this I have no doubt.
How still needs to be resolved, but I'm sure it will fall into place.

I'm terrified.

Bloodlust

I don't know how I feel about the celebratory celebrations regarding the death/assassination/martyrdom of Osama Bin Laden.
The one thing I know: I am not at all comfortable with people being 'happy' that another person has died.
Bad dude? Yes.
Did he have some kind of negative karma built up that might include negative consequences? Yes.
Did the USA have a reasonable reason to rain down terror and pain upon his head? Again yes.
But I don't think, for one moment, that the world is better with people celebrating the death of another human.
It's barbaric.
It's horrifyingly revolting.
And I'm not going to do it.

No amount of national pride, 'justice' or skewed sense of morals can justify to me that this is the best way.

“Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that”
— Martin Luther King Jr.

I will not become a monster in order to defeat a monster.