Friday, July 29, 2005

Gumby I Ain't

Last Friday after work, I joined up with T, The Boy & a couple of his friends at the local regional park for a church function (in name at least; I don't think I saw anyone I recognized there). When it was all over, we made our way back to the parking lot. Now, the path back up the hill to the lot is basically a couple of loooong switchbacks. Being tired from work & swimming, I decided to cut up the slope to the lot rather than follow the walkway. I had in one hand a grocery bag with my clothes in it &, in the other, a small cooler.

Things were fine until I got to the guardrail. An evil guardrail. One that takes perverse pleasure in growing four inches while certain non-flexible, cooler carrying people straddle it. I found this out after I got my right leg over & was preparing to hoist it's counterpart over next. As I brought my left foot over, it caught on the guardrail (evil, stupid guardrail), causing me to start falling over to my right. As I did that, my right foot, which had been firmly planted on the ground, decided to roll under me. In effect, I was standing on my ankle. All two hundred & whatever pounds of me. To make matters worse, I couldn't get the cooler & shopping bag out of my hands. I tried leaning on the cooler, but couldn't get the leverage I needed to get off my ankle.

So, with a mild oath (it was a church function, in name, at least) & a mighty "heave ho," I wrapped my left leg around the guardrail. Being made of a skinny piece of sheet metal, the rail didn't offer much in the way of cushioning. Not wanting my foot to snap off & tumble down the hill, I pulled myself up & managed to get said appendage back under me. I then swung my left leg over. This is when I found out what happens when you apply a death grip to a rail. I now have a nice, long bruise across my calf & a matching one on my inner thigh.

Needless to say, walking has been less than pleasant since then.
The Post With No Name

Ugh...for the first time in since...um...well, since I can remember, I've actually got some quiet time here at the office (thank you, User Conference). Work has been mega busy for the past month building up to the big, grand extravaganza that is the annual User Conference Freakout. So, besides working like a dog, what else has been going in this little corner of the world, you ask?

Lots, actually. I think I've done more in the year & change that T's been out here than I have in my whole life. Lessee - there was the Grant-Lee Phillips concert down at Largo in Hollyweird at the end of last month (a Father's Day gift from T), where we found out that you now have to add two hours to your drive time if you want to make it anywhere in LA on time. There was the briefly alluded to trip to Tulare for a family reunion, where we actually felt more like party crashers since we were on the distant, way far, be sure to send a postcard side of the family. That same weekend, the annual Yucaipa Freedom Fest was observed, once again, from the comfort of our own home (why pay $2 a head when I can watch it for free at home in my comfy shorts?). Of course, it wouldn't be the Fourth of July without some fool trying to light the hills on fire - had a front row seat to that one. Another fire charred the hillside a couple weeks later. Hopefully unrelated.

On the cinematic entertainment front, Batman Begins was seen, with much ooo-ing & ahh-ing by yours truly (mini review - the movie rocked! This is the Batman movie that should've been made in the first place - sorry, Tim Burton. Nothin' but love for you, my brother.) Disaster was averted when Tim & Kevin both advised against War of the Worlds & Fantastic Four. Still have to go see Charlie & the Chocolate Factory, though. At home, Breakin' & its better known (but, surprisingly, much worse) sequel, Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo, have made their way into my video collection (reviews to come soon), as has Bail Out starring Germany's favorite American export David Hasselhoff (I found it at the .99 cent store - you just know that it's a quality flick. I mean, don't all movie masterpieces come in flat cardboard covers?). I expect much cheese from the Hoff, so expect a review of that one as well (I know you're all dying for that one). Also, reviews for two Sci-Fi channel classics Sabretooth & Attack of the Sabretooth are in the works. (Thoughts of creating a review site are being mulled over as I study HTML code) Stay tuned.

Top all of the above off with a trip to Kingman & a separate trip waaaay up to the northern tippy-top part of the state to see my dad & my new venture as a volunteer at the local museum &, as you can see, I'll have plenty to write about.

Oh, & road rage. Can't forget about the road rage stories.

Wednesday, July 06, 2005

Elwyn's Imagination

My friend in Australia, Elly, has decided to join the Blogsphere.

She likes vegemite & informed me one time that Australians do not say "Crikey!" all the time & pretty much think Steve Irwin's a putz.

Go & say g'day!

Friday, July 01, 2005

You Go, Girl!

Shields vs. Cruise: Round 2


I really wish someone would shut him up. Really.
Tulare Or Not Tulare...

In the morning, T, my mom, my sister & I are heading up north a bit to a family reunion.

I fully anticipate that T & I will be the youngest people there.

Should be fun.

And what are you doing this weekend?