Friday, January 30, 2009

Me twenty years ago....


Seriously.
This is one of the many dangers of Facebook.

Jace Delgado- now a professional photographer should be ashamed to still have this!
What the fuck is up with this.... shirt?.. can you call this a shirt?
What is it?

I hope this is the worst picture ever taken of me.
I don't have high hopes. But I do have hopes.

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Me in two weeks.



Utah baby!

Seven Star Pepper


1207 S Jackson St
(between S 12th Ave & S 14th Ave)
Seattle, WA 98144
(206) 568-6446

So I blew off the olive bread I bought and got some take-out from SSP for Chinese New Year. I was really excited about Lunar New Year cos my January New Year started off kind of dodgy. It's like a second chance to get off on the right track.

SSP is pretty authentic, I guess, cos Spring took a few of us there a couple of years back and ordered for us. She gave us a cheat sheet menu for the good stuff but I decided to go off message and order a few of the shout outs from Yelp.
One of these was sechwan crab. Now, what I was expecting was bits of crab (or some substitute) stir fried with veggies or whatever in sauce. (You know, in a little white box with red writing and little metal handles!)
Instead, I show up and she hands me a large roasting pan covered by foil with a few holes poked in it.
It had a whole freaking fried crab in there.
Man, it was good though. Messy as hell but good.
I'm gonna stick to the script from now on.
Gulp.

To wash it down, I had a can! of Coppola sparkling wine I had left over from the inarguration.
Can't wait to take these things up to the pass!

Movie Review: Wanted


Normally, if a movie has Angelina Jolie in it, I mark it off the list immediately.
Doesn't matter how good the reviews are, who says it's good (I especially don't trust my sister on this matter cos she's got a bad (and I mean bad) girl-girl crush on Angie) or whatever. Her, her man Brad, and Keanu- off- my -list!

I'll admit, in this case, I was dazzled by the previews.
And Morgan Freeman was in it forchrissakes! But I guess he's gone down the road of Samuel Jackson- I'll do any damn movie for money!

Anyways, avoid this movie at all costs. Even if it's free.
Excerpt from a spot on review, "watching Wanted feels like being privy to somebody else's unwholesome fantasy, one you'd rather not know about."
You'll feel dirty after.

Monday, January 26, 2009

Gung Hay Fat Choy!



It is, of course, the year of the ox.
Hideyo is an ox! Congrats, Hideyo!

Back to me.
I am a boar. A metal boar, to be exact.
Look what I found on Wiki!

Metal is yin or feminine (hmmm) in character, its motion is inwards and its energy is contracting. It is associated with the west and autumn, old age, the planet Venus and the color white. The archetypal metals are silver and gold. Its Primal Spirit is represented by a White Tiger. (White Tiger! Me likey!)
The qualities associated with metal are unyieldingness, rigidity, persistence, strength and determination. The metal person is controlling (am not!), ambitious, forceful and set in their ways (am too!) as metal is very strong; and they are self-reliant and prefer to handle their problems alone. The metal person is also materialistic, business oriented and good at organization and stability. However the metal person can also appreciate luxury and enjoy the good things in life (Patron, baby, just like the hustlers!). Just as metal can conduct electricity, the Metal person has strong impulses and generative powers and can bring about changes and transformations for those who come into contact with them. Metal is believed to govern the lungs, nose and skin. The negative emotion associated with metal is grief, while the positive emotion is courage. (comparitively, like say to a opposum, I'm courageous.)

I was going to order Chinese from Seven Star Pepper tonight (it's 24 night as you know!) and I was all excited about it until I remembered I just bought a nice loaf of olive bread yesterday so I should probably make some pasta or some such to use it up.
Where's a hungy homeless person when you need them!?
Sigh.

Day of Reckoning!


So me and Steve went to see Affliction's "DAY OF RECKONING" at a place called Touchdown in Renton.
It's amazing how far you can go in six miles.
This is a different world.
Mind you, I am taking into account the crowd I should expect at these kinds of events.
But now I know why some people think it's prudent to carry a concealed weapon.
Our waitress scaird me!
They had Finlandia bombs in Energy drinks for $5 but she wouldn't let me have one for some reason, so I had a Mike's.
It was fun, though, in an edgy kind of way.
And no fight went to decision! One really cool choke submission and several KTFO's!
(And I mean really knocked the fuck out!)
Sweet!

FEDOR FACTS!


(Plagiarized)

1 --- Some kids piss their name in the snow. Fedor can piss his name into concrete
2 --- Leading hand sanitizers claim they can kill 99.9 percent of germs. Fedor can kill 100 percent of whatever the hell he wants
3 --- Fedor counted to infinity - twice
4 --- Fedor once visited the Virgin Islands. They are now The Islands
5 --- Fedor's calendar goes straight from March 31st to April 2nd; no one fools Fedor
6 --- Fedor can speak braille
7 --- Fedor's tears cure cancer. Too bad he has never cried
8 --- Fedor was originally cast as the main character in 24, but was replaced by the producers when he managed to kill every terrorist and save the day in 12 minutes and 37 seconds
9 --- Fedor died ten years ago, but the Grim Reaper can't get up the courage to tell him
10 --- Fedor puts the "laughter" in "manslaughter"
11 --- Superman owns a pair of Fedor pajamas
12 --- Fedor can slam revolving doors
13 --- Fedor sleeps with a night light. Not because Fedor is afraid of the dark, but the dark is afraid of Fedor
14 --- Once a cobra bit Fedor' leg. After five days of excruciating pain, the cobra died
15 --- Fedor was once on Celebrity Wheel of Fortune and was the first to spin. The next 29 minutes of the show consisted of everyone standing around awkwardly, waiting for the wheel to stop.
16 --- Fedor does not hunt because the word hunting implies the possibility of failure. Fedor goes killing
17 --- Fedor divides by zero
18 --- Fedor's wristwatch has no numbers on it. It just says, "Time to kick ass."
19 --- When Fedor gives you the finger, he's telling you how many seconds you have left to live
20 --- Fedor is not hung like a horse... horses are hung like Fedor
21 --- Giraffes were created when Fedor uppercutted a horse
22 --- When the Boogeyman goes to sleep every night he checks his closet for Fedor
23 --- Fedor' dog is trained to pick up his own poop because Fedor will not take crap from anyone
24 --- Fedor has to maintain a concealed weapon license in all 50 states in order to legally wear pants
25 --- Fedor is the only person on the planet that can kick you in the back of the face
26 --- When Fedor exercises, the machine gets stronger
27 --- Fedor doesn't use pickup lines, he simply says, "Now."
28 --- Fedor can build a snowman out of rain
29 --- Fedor once had a heart attack; his heart lost
30 --- Fedor plays Russian roulette with a fully loaded revolver... and wins
31 --- Fedor can kill two stones with one bird
32 --- M.C. Hammer learned the hard way that Fedor can touch this
33 --- Fedor once killed a bird by throwing it off a cliff
34 --- The best part of waking up is not Folgers in your cup, but knowing that Fedor didn't kill you in your sleep
35 --- Fedor once punched a man in the soul
36 --- Fedor did that to Michael Jackson's face
37 --- The chief export of Fedor is pain
38 --- The most honorable way of dying is taking a bullet for Fedor. This amuses Fedor because he is bulletproof
39 --- Fedor can tie his shoes with his feet
40 --- Fedor once finished "The Song that Never Ends"
41 --- The quickest way to a man's heart is with Fedor's fist
42 --- It is considered a great accomplishment to go down Niagara Falls in a wooden barrel. Fedor can go up Niagara Falls in a cardboard box
43 --- The saddest moment for a child is not when he learns Santa Claus isn't real, it's when he learns Fedor is
44 --- We all know the magic word is please. As in the sentence, "Please don't kill me." Too bad Fedor doesn't believe in magic
45 --- Fedor can drown a fish
46 --- When Fedor enters a room, he doesn't turn the lights on, he turns the dark off
47 --- Fedor can create a rock so heavy that even he can't lift it. And then he lifts it anyways, just to show you who Fedor is
48 --- The reason newborn babies cry is because they know they have just entered a world with Fedor
49 --- The grass is always greener on the other side, unless Fedor has been there. In that case the grass is most likely soaked in blood and tears
50 --- Fedor was once the F.B.I's chief negotiator. His job involved calling up criminals and saying, "This is Fedor."
51 --- Fedor used to beat the crap out of his shadow because it was following to close. It now stands a safe 30 feet behind him
52 --- The only time Fedor was wrong was when he thought he had made a mistake
53 --- The last digit of pi is Fedor. He is the end of all things
54 --- On Neil Armstrong's second step on the moon, he found a note that said, "Fedor was here."
55 --- When Fedor breaks the law, the law doesn't heal
56 --- A unicorn once kicked Fedor. That is why they no longer exist
57 --- Bullets dodge Fedor
58 --- Fedor once partook in a pissing contest outside of a bar. His opponent drowned.

Friday Night Patron Bowling Team


Where: West Seattle Bowl
When: Most Fridays around 7.
Who's Needed: Someone I can't beat for chissakes!

Me, Spanky, Javier, and Bruce this week.
First, some fancy cocktails and throw-back apps at West Five (if you haven't done Happy Hour at West Five, what are you waiting for!? BBQ Shrimp with Texas Toast!)

Then we sneak in Patron or Don Julio in a water bottle (there is a state liquor store located convieniently between West Five and the bowling alley) and tip the guy extra for some limes.

Steve doesn't win every game but he always comes away with the high score after the traditional three games.

Bruce is all over the board. I'm pretty streaky as well (I blame this on the fact that all the nine pound balls have small holes in 'em!) Javier just throws it as hard as he can in the general direction and generally, good things happen.

I think if I invest in some bowling shoes and a bowling shirt, I could turn things around.

Friday, January 23, 2009

It's a baby aardvark!


OMFG! Ain't it cute?

Other things I'm happy about:

1-My new pedals. Not really practical but they look like egg beaters (which, I guess, is why they are called egg beaters) and that appeals to me. No, I don't need them and no, it's not really cycling season.



2-My not as new but "how did I live without you" iPhone. Seriously, one of these needs to be written into the Bill of Rights! Everyone needs one.
Maybe I'll include that in my letter to Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell.


3- This is my consolation prize if it doesn't snow and we can't go boarding.
Love me some Andre Pitbull Arlovski!

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Herds


It's that time of year again.
When all the "New Years Resolution" people clog up my gym.
Fucking hell.
It lasted through February last year. I'm hoping one upside to the financial downturn (which I'm getting fucking tired of hearing about!) will be that it thins out sooner.

Tuesday was the first time I've seen all fifteen Step Mills (formerly known as the Gauntlet) all taken.
You can tell the Newbies pretty easy.
The chics have brand new matching outfits with cute socks and cute shoes and they get on a treadmill and walk two miles an hour while reading Style Magazine. One thing they will not be doing is sweating.
The new guys don't have a towel, don't have a lock (so they have to buy one and be shown how to use one while you are waiting just to check in and get parking validated.) They usually wear jeans or some shit like that and go straight to the free weights where they do some crazy looking routine with too much weight really fast. Newbs also check their progress frequently by flexing some invisible muscle in the mirror.

Fortunately, this phenomenon does not affect the spinning classes (which I have recently taken up) so I have taken refuge in there.

I'm planning on writing my Senators to get them to sponsor a bill designating certain gyms for this particular group of people. They can only progress to the real gym if they stick to it through April.
Contact me if you would like to be included on the bill.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

I'm calling in Patriotic....



Well, I almost did... then I remembered they were showing the inauguration live at work. I got there just in time! I had to stand at the back of the room on my tippy toes to see.
There we all were - two Nobel Laureates, me, geeky researchers, cranky clinicians, the guy who picks up recycling, and everyone else choking up at the thought of a President with a command of the English language. (Side note: it's always been funny to me that many Bush supporters fall into the "if you live here you should speak English, dammit!" camp when our own Commander in Chief couldn't pass a 3rd grade grammar test.) Proudly eating our chocolate Top Pot doughnuts with white icing and blue and red sprinkles. (I got there too late for 1/2 & 1/2 so I had to drink my Cafe Vita sugar only! Drat.) There were many great crescendos of rhetoric (I loved the George Washington reference, myself) but the only audible rise out of our group came when he promised to restore science to it's proper place (Dorks!)

It all left me wondering.... where does a non-profit cancer research center get the dough for 20 or so humongous flat screen tv's!!?? And cable!!??
I have to pay for my bus pass now- those better be rentals!

Monday, January 19, 2009

Blanket Statement


I am two weeks shy of my 38th birthday. Perhaps I am suppose to wait until I'm forty (like Marc, ha ha) to say:
I hate everyone under 21.
That's too bad cos I do.
More precisely, I hate anyone not able to conceive of their own mortality.
This makes them extremely dangerous.

Two groups of people were at Steven's Pass yesterday.
1-People like me who's employer realizes the significance of MLK day.
2-Kids who are out of school. (This group made up about 80%!) They are the human equivalent of airliners full of fuel waiting to find a skyscraper to bring down.

Add that to the fact that it was slick as shit after the corduroy was cleaned off all the runs after lunch and the ambulances were busy.

I managed to stay mostly upright all day but we gave it up at 2:30.

Do I sound bitter? I am. Cos I also got suckered into playing Mountain Safety Bingo by a Mountain Host who promised lots of prizes at the drawing for all who participated. Me and Spanky were the only adults who filled the whole thing out! I got a tube of sun screen and Steve got a pair of ugly women's goggles.
Those little fuckers got me again!

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Post Baby Verdict


The Kellum's pass with flying colors Who doubted it?!
Of course, the kid can't run around and throw crackers yet, but 3 month old RC Kellum has merged seamlessly into the famous Chuck and Lori's House of Hospitality.
He has no problem serving as a prop for fun, observing from the sidelines, or showing off his "baby wave-off." (Soon to be documented and posted on Facebook, I hope! As in, Chuck, what else have you got to do?)


Chuck made a cassoulet (not with chicken livers, thankfully) Saturday night and invited me, Steve, Nurse Ratchett and Dr. Nick over.
It was de-lic-ious and further proof that Patron goes with anything.

It's about fucking time Nick!


This man has wasted three years of my life applying for medical school... three years in which my health has declined considerably! I could have had a graduated medical intern to call with all my concerns as soon as next year if he had gotten off his bum and really put his back into it the first time!
Instead of wasting all his time volunteering for this and that and trying help people, he should have just spent the damn money to pay those reverse racists off!

Now I just hope I can hang on through the next four years.

Shelly- TV evaluation specialist

Don't ask Shelly about what's good on TV unless you've got some time on your hands.
There is not a show in English that she is not aware of and does not have an exhaustive opinion on. She needs so to quit school and concentrate on finding away to make a living picking out TV shows for people.

Her lastest pick for me:


Snapped!

Each year, approximately 16,000 people are murdered in the United States. 7% of the killers are female. Who are these women and what drives them to kill?
Snapped profiles the fascinating cases of women accused of murder. Did they really do it? And, if they did, why? Whether the motivation was revenge against a cheating husband, the promise of a hefty insurance payoff, or putting an end to years of abuse, the reasons are as varied as the women themselves. From socialites to secretaries, female killers share one thing in common: at some point, they all snapped.

I can't wait!

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

But more importantly....


24 is finally back.
I seem to be the only person I know who's excited about this (Steve is humoring me.)
But that's ok.

I don't care how freaking ridiculous (since when does the FBI care about civil rights), how many times they repeat the same shtick (didn't even wait one episode before they have a mole), or how high the body count (Shelly actually listed body count as a reason not to watch) I'm sticking with Jack until the end.
Now they are actually bringing people back from the dead!
Tony Almeida and his patented "smouldering" look.

Happy days are here again!


Only one more week, my friends!
One more fucking week. I can get up on Sunday, go to the coffee shop, buy a fucking NY Times (for the first time in 8 years!) and a double tall soy mocha (extra hot) and sit down and read it without worrying about vomiting it back up upon seeing W's face and/or reading about some fucked up thing he has done. Who would have believe it would have taken this long!

The damage is done.
Clearly.
Can't be undone.

This is like the Shire after the "Lord of the Rings" Trilogy.
Scars, but at least we have peace for a while.

My only problem now is what kind of champagne!