So for Thanksgiving I helped Laura drive all of her worldy possessions to Eugene, Oregon. They fit nicely into less than half of a 15 foot Budget moving truck which I dubbed Bessy. It turned out to be an interesting trip. I publically commend Laura's fine handling of Bessy driving over the rainy pass, even though I had my doubts. She drives a Honda Civic...and it's no Bessy. I like Oregon. I really do, if I had my druthers I'd be living in the Pacific Northwest. I'm not an obsessive coffee drinker; I don't have a NEED for it. I do enjoy the occasional cup. Eugene, they have coffee shops there. Not this crappy corporate Starbucks crap, but the real deal. This, this is what a coffee house should look like, minus the interesting knitted capped, fleece wearing people.
This would be Allann Bros on 5th in Eugene where I got my fill of Mexican Beanery. I also got my fill of used cds. If ever in Eugene, you should really go to CD World and see what they got. What I didn't get my fill of, was squid. I didn't have, nor want any. Do you hear that Laura? No squid for me.
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Catching up on the more current past: Drove to LA to see Dispatch last night at the House of Blues. See that?
Headlining. This was the first time that I really got to see Dispatch headline. Back in March in Colorado Pete was sick, and in May they were opening for G. Love and Special Sauce. Let me just lay it out for you. I've been listening to this band in one name or another (One Fell Swoop) since my sophomore year of college. I'd take this tape, that someone I didn't even know sent me with me to work at Campus Recreation and listen to it for most all of my shift. Cut to 5 years down the road, and I'm still listening to the same band only they roll with a different name (Dispatch) and their sound has evolved along the way. There I stand, looking out over the crowd on the packed room and there are these three guys on stage, and their sound creates an energy that permeates the room. Beyond it being an amazing show, I felt this sense of pride. I don't expect most of you to understand exactly what I'm saying, but if you are one of those people...you know.
Lancaster Inn: kerrrscht Lancaster Inn to Bako Haus, come in Bako Haus. kerrrscht Bako Haus: kerrrscht Bako Haus here. kerrrscht LI: kerrrscht What is the current weather status? kerrrscht BH: kerrrscht Looking at mostly clear Saturday night through Sunday. kerrrscht LI: kerrrscht mumblemumblebumble. kerrrscht BH: kerrrscht Go for flight? kerrrscht LI: kerrrscht Go for flight. kerrrscht
Well, at least I'm assuming they are a go for flight. Tonight being the peak of the Leonids means that Kathy might be going up in FISTA (Flying Infrared Signature Technology Aircraft). NASA does a better job of explaining it than I ever could. An excerpt:
FISTA is a modified NKC135-E aircraft. It has 20 upward-looking window ports oriented at different angles for maximum coverage of the sky. Main instruments are near-Infrared and mid-Infrared spectrometers of Aerospace Corporation and AFRL. Infrared sensors detect the comparative heat of objects. Spectrometers take the light appart in its colors. FISTA also carries a compliment of visible and ultra-violet spectrometers and imagers of other researchers for a total of 10 experiments.This US Air Force aircraft is operated by the 452nd Flight Test Squadron at Edwards AFB.
I'll be headed up to Mt. Pinos with Karen to see what we can see above the smog and fog of Bakersfield. Taking my cameras along so we'll see what comes of that.
I have nothing to say really. I slept in this morning after having woke up initially at 7:30am. Sometimes you just know that your body needs more sleep and evidently that meant 3 hours more for this kid. Had no plans for the day, and sometimes that's for the best. I did get a call from Sara - which was good. She's been gone for a week to Boston and if it had been any longer I'd thought she was surely never coming back. Yea...so much for that.
I talk a lot of shit about Sara as a roommate - as in she's periodically psycho and wears things that are "strappy" but all in all she's an alright roommate. We watched Shrek tonight (which I bought at Target because they finally had it...the bastards. Well, watched...eh, she fell asleep most of the way through it and I did the same with about 20 minutes left. But at least I didn't spill my beer. Speaking of...I need another. That's all for now...and probably that's all for tonight even.
Shrek came out and I had all intentions of going and buying it at Target but decided that I'd just order it off of Amazon.com along with the new Dave Matthews cd since it's frickin' expense everwhere else. I could probably get a copy of that show for free if I hunted around enough. Oh well, support the band when you can...I don't have a problem with that.
But while I was in Target something happened. There he was. I was stopped in my tracks. Up on the monitors in the "Electronics" section....John Mayer. Hmmm, I'd heard about this little promo video that they made, but you'd think that they would drop a little more cash on this guy. He's got this huge potential - especially since the likes of the solo male artist is doing fairly well lately (David Gray, Bob Schneider, Pete Yorn). Someone must have went out and bought "How to make a music video for cheap." Not that it was bad...it had live footage of John playing with Dela and more of a band - but parts of it were just photos with the camera moving, bouncing, or zooming in on them. To make it worse...a series of the photos looked like they should be in TigerBeat magazine.... Suppose that's the demographic they are going for...seeing as how 17 year olds claim to want to have his baby. It'll be cool to see him hit the big time - and I can claim to saw him back when (but not way back when...)
hmm...a bit behind in the posting. a fast recap of the last few days not that anyone reads this...
Thursday - work. layoffs. promotion. new job. drinking. sleep.
Friday - sleeping in. shopping. new down comfortable (in bakersfield? yea...I'm not sure why either). drinking. FLICs. sleep.
Saturday - waking up early for no reason. movie at home (Blow) with Karen. drinking. crack popcorn. hockey. cute little boy with stupid nose trick. more sleeping.
Sunday - birthday! rain! drive. Ventura. surf contest. hang with Kim. some sun. drive. Bakersfield. fog. drinking - sake. dinner and baseball.
Heading into the weekend with the continuing theme of mixed emotions. So much good with the promotion and new job, but I also found out today that one of my best friends is going to be laid off from her company at the end of the month and she's moving home. I didn't stop to let myself think about it much until the drive home from Kathy's after going to FLICs. Nearly broke into tears as the thoughts crawled around in my head on the way home. It's not that I think we will drift apart, I just know all that I will be missing out on without her around. Laura's one of those people that can always make me laugh and also pushes me, questions me, and allows me to be myself.
A bit of a creepy day at work. I wasn't sure how I was going to feel going through it all and I'm still not sure. My hands were a bit shaky right after I'd heard my news - which was mostly good. But then throughout the day you hear word about this person and that one. Some staying, some going and mixed feelings on both sides of those fences, but there were some surprises. Walking down the halls you didn't know if you should look someone in the eyes and smile or just keep your gaze down.
As I said, my news was mostly good. The promotion I've been waiting for. The position I was hoping for. The only downside, which I didn't realize until later, was that I will be leaving my friends behind. With the new position also comes a change of work location. I'll have only a 5 minute commute - which means no more car poolilng with Erin. And no more midafternoon boredom jaunts to Erin, Kathy, or Nick's office as they'll be staying out in Kern River. Then Karen, one person that I know in the building I'm going to will be moving out to Kern River. Guess that's where my mixed emotions come in. Not that I won't see them - just not as much.
I realize that I tend to write a day off as being shite a little too soon most of the time. While I could hash through the bad, I'd rather leave you with the highlights.
I have two new ring tones on my cell courtesy of the soon to be rockstar, Bret Carr. So now when you call me I'll answer laughing because I still can't get over that "Thriller" is my ring. You know it's Thriller, Thriller night. You're fighting for your life inside a killer. Thriller
tonight Soon enough I'll change it to the Turkey Song.
What else...I went out of the house in pajamas and reindeer slippers to attend a free showing of Night of the Living Dead in an old boxing arena. Cheesy horror film meets Mystery Science Theatre 2000. So bad it was funny. After the movie a drink was in order so we headed to the Padre because, well as Kathy put it, "all the other bars are filled with frat boys and college kids. I'm more into the subculture." Saw some interesting costumes although the hostess with the mostess was the barmaid who was painted from the top of her blue haired head to the tips of her neon orange fur trimmed silver pants. Figure she was some space age mermaid - as she was also sporting two neon orange starfish strategically placed.
Okay, I suppose some sleep is in order. Tomorrow's the big day...
