tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31922854636977987712024-03-06T21:47:29.429-07:00MicrosuedeB.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04095187188894807317noreply@blogger.comBlogger403125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3192285463697798771.post-69927081416826755762011-09-30T11:49:00.003-06:002011-09-30T11:55:17.510-06:00THE LEONARDO!Hey guys. I don't blog much anymore, but I hope someone still subscribes. I'm here to talk about my job. I work at a museum called The Leonardo in Salt Lake City. It's a Science+Technology+Art museum. It's totally boss. We open on October 8, which omg is a week away! I do video production for the Leo, so scattered throughout the museum will be some short videos I made explaining the science behind the art or the art behind the science. Doesn't that sound exciting? Anyway, read more about it here. Watch the awesome commercials that someone else made, and make sure to come by on October 8th at 11am! You will have fun! Also if you come by feel free to bring me some McNuggets too. <br /><br />http://theleonardo.org/<br /><br />Look, colored lights! Remember how much I love those!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/pByVshg7gn0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04095187188894807317noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3192285463697798771.post-59102892100827571822011-05-08T14:06:00.002-06:002011-05-08T14:09:34.105-06:00mother's day eveIn line behind me at the Smith's two old friends run into each other. They bump elbows like a couple of Bash Brothers and catch each other up on what they're doing and where they're living and provide updates on mutual friends. With no natural segue one says to the other "Tell me this isn't all there is. Tell me it gets better." The other replies "No, this is it."<br /><br />Then a girl that looks like Snooki knocks every last Chapstick off the shelf. Tubes of balm roll everywhere!B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04095187188894807317noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3192285463697798771.post-57337847121095330222011-02-28T16:40:00.001-07:002011-02-28T16:41:27.127-07:00BONUS SONG! Crash and the Boys: I'm So Sad, So Very Very SadSums up 2010 real nice.<br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/HqqcN-BCZgU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04095187188894807317noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3192285463697798771.post-43690995864322618622011-02-28T16:39:00.000-07:002011-02-28T16:40:24.079-07:00Top Ten Songs of 2010 - Stars: How Much More<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/hoMy-tIpJzU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />Without commentaryB.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04095187188894807317noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3192285463697798771.post-11943122283010684312011-02-16T12:57:00.003-07:002011-02-16T13:00:07.852-07:00Top Ten Songs of 2010 - Phantogram: Mouthful of DiamondsI like this song. The video is dumb. It doesn't know what it wants to be. And I think it's taking itself seriously when it's all quite silly. I saw this band at Kilby Court last year but couldn't actually see anything. Weird note: Kilby has this unisex bathroom and I went to use it and was behind the girl in the band. That's the third time that exact scenario has happened at Kilby Court. I am not a pervert. <br /><br /><iframe width="480" height="295" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ZvSgLHWR16o?fs=1" frameborder="0" allowFullScreen=""></iframe>B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04095187188894807317noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3192285463697798771.post-20698657849246587292011-01-12T00:19:00.002-07:002011-01-12T00:23:17.405-07:00Top Ten Songs of 2010 - Arcade Fire: Sprawl III backlashed against Arcade Fire, and then I backlashed against the backlash, and then backlashed against that, and reversed it. In any event this song reminds me of a very specific moment in time from last summer where it was raining and I was at the club but also I was driving through San Pete County running away from my own ghost. So I guess it reminds me of two moments. <br /><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/rH_7_XRfTMs?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/rH_7_XRfTMs?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04095187188894807317noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3192285463697798771.post-85207384827491529202011-01-04T23:35:00.000-07:002011-01-04T23:36:53.569-07:00Top Ten Songs of 2010 - Sleigh Bells: Tell 'emI tried to see these guys live, but it sold out right before I got in. The person in front of me got the last ticket. I heard it was miserable inside but I'd rather win and be miserable than fail and be left out in the cold.<br /><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2kJ05P-71gY?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2kJ05P-71gY?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04095187188894807317noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3192285463697798771.post-29153166690073225872010-12-26T21:44:00.001-07:002010-12-26T21:45:55.189-07:00Top Ten Songs of 2010 - Gorillaz: On Melancholy HillI like this because it has pep AND melancholia!<br /><br /><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/L_-zEHaVOkQ?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/L_-zEHaVOkQ?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04095187188894807317noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3192285463697798771.post-55840657461876131042010-12-24T16:50:00.000-07:002010-12-24T16:51:43.668-07:00Top Ten Songs of 2010 - The National: Bloodbuzz OhioGood drums. <br /><br /><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/yfySK7CLEEg?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/yfySK7CLEEg?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04095187188894807317noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3192285463697798771.post-29245635339819192292010-12-21T14:46:00.002-07:002010-12-21T14:46:42.485-07:00Top Ten Songs of 2010 - Against Me!: I Was a Teenage AnarchistGreat song and video for the song. <br /><br /><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/c7RUeMCZL3Q?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/c7RUeMCZL3Q?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04095187188894807317noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3192285463697798771.post-52207373954327994552010-12-20T13:10:00.001-07:002010-12-20T13:12:12.899-07:00Top Ten Songs of 2010 - Future Islands: Inch of DustJoy Division with synthesizers if the singer was a mad wizard.<br /><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/aigN65VmHxI?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/aigN65VmHxI?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04095187188894807317noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3192285463697798771.post-43331001485000155802010-12-19T15:51:00.003-07:002010-12-19T16:01:09.334-07:00Top Ten Songs of 2010 - Menomena: Dirty CartoonsYou know, I have half a mind to turn this entirely into a music blog. I love writing about music. I also like listening to it and seeing it performed, in-person, by musicians.<br /><br />Anyway I might as well countdown my top ten favorite songs of 2010 because an awful lot of good music came out this year and dopes like me like to make lists. Also I need to update this blog every once in a while or some squatter will move in like a hermit crab.<br /><br />These are in no particular order. Here's Menomena with "Dirty Cartoons."<br /><br /><br /><object height="385" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/8x-cIeM8s5k?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/8x-cIeM8s5k?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="385" width="640"></embed></object><br /><br />The first couple of times I listened to this album it didn't really click with me, but I'm glad I gave it another shot. When I make my Top Ten Albums list this will be #2. They played a show a while back but I didn't go, choosing instead to watch MacGruber and drink chocolate milk wine while playing ball with a dog.B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04095187188894807317noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3192285463697798771.post-61979473347503586182010-10-08T17:29:00.008-06:002010-10-11T02:27:42.976-06:00interlude: the true story of saint ricky<span>Taking a break </span><span>from the Seattle adventure </span><span>to talk about this most interesting gentleman I met at the comic book store on Friday. </span><span><br /><br /></span><span>Odds are you don't spend a lot of time at your local comic shop (LCS if you want to use the parlance) </span><span>so it may surprise you to know that such an establishment can sometimes attract an unusual sort of fellow, a free-thinker, a march-to-the-beat-of-a-different-drummer.</span><span><br /><br />I was at my favorite <a href="http://www.blackcat-comics.com/">store</a> on Friday, picking up my weekly <a href="http://www.fightforcomics.com/">funnybooks</a> and joking around with the owner Greg. The store was empty but for us when a guy walked in and stood at attention in front of the cash register. His hair was oiled back and he sported a fuzzy mustache and a denimy shirt. I'm going to call him Saint Ricky.<br /><br />"Can I help you find something?" Greg asked.<br /><br />"Two things," Ricky said. "The movie theater [across the way] wanted me to give you this."<br /><br />He handed over a roll of posters for the movie Salt (ask me about that movie sometime. There's a part where Angelina Jolie disguises herself as a man. It's ridiculous).<br /><br />"Cool, thanks," Greg said.<br /><br />Ricky took a deep breath. "Also, more importantly, I have a question..."<br /><br />I thought he was going to ask for a donation or try to sell some cologne or preach some weird religion. Instead he asked Greg how much a certain comic might be worth. This kind of thing happens all the time. From his description I knew it was this one issue from the '90s, which is pretty much worthless. In the '90s comics were marketed not for their stories but as "collectibles." People bought them by the sackful thinking they were going to be investments. But of course nothing that's contrived and designed to be an investment (er, except for maybe stocks and Roth IRAs) is actually going to pay off. Comics in the '90s were overprinted and issues that were much sought after in 1991 are now worth less than the cover price. Literally less than the paper they're printed on.<br /><br />Greg was diplomatic, said he'd have to see it before being able to determine it's so-called worth, but implied that Ricky shouldn't get his hopes up. These moments always feel awkward to me but you know, whatever.<br /><br />"I have another question," Ricky said. "What did you guys think of the girl in the Ghost Rider movie?"<br /><br />Neither Greg nor I had seen it.<br /><br />"Well whoever she is, she's a stone cold fox! I have another question. What do you guys think of Lucy Liu? I think she's a stone cold fox. What about Drew Barrymore? Isn't she annoying when she talks? When she keeps her mouth shut though, she's a stone cold fox."<br /><br />"You know what movie you would like?" I said. "Charlie's Angels."<br /><br />"Charlie's Angels 2: Full Throttle. Lucy Liu fits into a tiny box. It's only this big. I thought Halle Berry was great as Catwoman."<br /><br />When he said that about Halle Berry, Greg and I shared a startled glance as we knew that Ricky was a different kind of cat.<br /><br />"Yeah. I used to own a comic-book shop. They were making pornos in there. I had security cameras, and they were screwing on the counter, screwing on the back issue bin, screwing everywhere."<br /><br />"You were the owner? Where were you when this was going on?" I asked.<br /><br />"I was watching at home."<br /><br />Of course.<br /><br />I wasn't trying to goad him on, and in fact I was trying to engage him as minimally as possible, but I didn't want to leave either. </span><span>I don't remember how but Facebook was brought up. </span><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br /></span></span><span>"I have to keep my Facebook account private because I can't let anyone see who I'm friends with. Zac Effron, Vanessa Hudgens..." He listed a bunch of other names I'd never heard of. "I'm friends with all of them because I wrote the music for High School Musical, High School Musical 2, and High School Musical 3. Let me ask you something. How do you think I know all the music when I don't even own the DVDs? It's because I wrote all the songs. Disney wants you to think that Miley Cyrus wrote them but do you think she's ever picked up a guitar? My girlfriend doesn't even watch those movies. </span><span>I'm a third-degree Shaolin black-belt. My girlfriend is a fourth-degree. She can kick my ass."<br /><br />"Well," I said, "She's only one degree higher than you so she can only barely kick your ass right?"<br /><br />"No. I never hit a woman. THAT's where I draw the line. Last night we got in a fight and she broke my toe. Hey, do you mind if I ask how you got those scars? I could show you some scars. I'm covered in needle scars. All over my body. Feel my muscles."<br /><br />He held out his arm, flexing as hard as he could. I declined.<br /><br />"I was born with these muscles. See my calf?" he lifted his pant leg and flexed. "I was born with these calves. I am a result of genetic experiments conducted by the government."<br /><br />I asked when that happened. He said "I don't know, my memory has been wiped. But my uncle, he's a colonel at a military base in Nevada. And that's all I'm allowed to say about that."<br /><br />"Is it Area 51?" I asked.<br /><br />"We have to stop talking about this right now. But did you know that you could hit me with a baseball bat as hard as you could, right to the head, and it wouldn't even affect me? I wouldn't be allowed to hit you back though. I'd go straight to jail. My body is registered with the government as a lethal weapon. If I even touched you I'd go to jail for attempted murder. If I killed you, I'd go to jail for murder. Can I have this pen? Can I have any of these pens? Do you have any pens that I can have? Do YOU have a pen I could have?"<br /><br />We tried to ignore him.<br /><br />"I'm fluent in nine different languages. Hola, que pasa? Bonjour, je m'appelle Francais. Sprechen sie deutch? Hey, how do you drown a Puerto Rican?"<br /><br />"I really don't want to know the answer to this one."<br /><br />"Tape a bag of crack to the bottom of the toilet."<br /><br />"Not cool man, my wife is Puerto Rican." I don't have any kind of wife but he doesn't know that. That's why you don't tell racist jokes to strangers or ever.<br /><br />Then he took his shirt off. Just unbuttoned it and took it right off. He had a bunch of weird tattoos that looked like they weren't done by a professional. He pointed out a small scar near his shoulder.<br /><br />"My ex-wife was Puerto Rican. She did that to me. Stabbed me right there. All I did was ask what was for dinner and she stabbed me. So I know all about Puerto Rican women, buddy."<br /><br />Somehow he started talking about drums and casually mentioned "My coven just bought me a new drum kit."<br /><br />Coven?<br /><br />"Yeah I'm wickan," he said with a "duh" kind of attitude. After an hour of just the three of us in the store a nice girl walked in, of Asian-American persuasion. She was carrying a brown paper bag having walked over from the nearby liquor store.<br /><br />"What are you?" he said to her.<br /><br />"Huh?"<br /><br />"What are you?"<br /><br />"What do you mean?"<br /><br />"What. country. are. you. from?"<br /><br />"Um... America?"<br /><br />"No I mean <span style="font-style: italic;">where are you from</span>."<br /><br />"West Valley."<br /><br />"No I mean your parents."<br /><br />"Ogden?"<br /><br />"Your <span style="font-style: italic;">heritage</span>! What is your <span style="font-style: italic;">heritage</span>?!"<br /><br />"I guess uh.. Taiwanese."<br /><br />"Oh cool. So you're buying some anime comics then?"<br /><br />"I'm buying Spider-man!"<br /><br />Poor girl had no idea what she walked into.<br /><br />"You came from the liquor store? Let me ask you, does that liquor store carry <span style="font-style: italic;">sauvignon blanc</span>?" he pronounced it "sauweeyah blaaaanh" like a real Frenchman. "It's a type of wine. I was just wondering if they carried it. Not because I'm gay though."<br /><br />Then it was time for more jokes.<br /><br />"What do Michael Jackson and Wal-Mart have in common? Boys clothes half off. What do Michael Jackson, a Catholic Priest, and Wal-Mart have in common? Boys clothes half off."<br /><br />He mentioned that he was going to go see a movie. In his hometown in Arizona they don't have a movie theater, so he comes up here to see movies then goes back and tells everyone about them. I love this. That the closest movie theater to this town in Arizona is in Salt Lake City. I picture him riding in and every citizen gathering round the dusty town square while he tells tales of distant lands, where city-folk gather together and eat of popped corn and gaze upon the giant screen where the pictures move, where a handsome man named Leo has dreams within dreams within dreams.<br /><br />The reason he mentioned this is because he could do the same thing for us. He could come back after his movie ended to tell us all about the film Vampires Suck. We all said we'd seen it.<br /><br />I feel like I'm really only scratching the surface here. It's hard to convey how bizarre this encounter really was and surely I didn't do it justice. After he left Greg and I sat in silence, trying to comprehend what had just happened, unable to put the words together. Probably you had to be there. You had to see his icy stare. You had to see the karate moves he was busting out all over the store, knocking things over and fumbling with found objects. Still. It was a day to remember.<br /><br />If it sounds like I'm making fun of this guy... well I am. I hope I don't sound mean though. Obviously the fellow is mentally ill in some way. I don't feel bad though because really, he's way happier with his life than I am with mine. <br /><br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br /><br /></span><br /><br /></span><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div>B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04095187188894807317noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3192285463697798771.post-33206236189578005942010-09-28T01:25:00.008-06:002010-09-28T16:16:36.840-06:00Forked: Part 2 - Dazzled (by Twilight)It's time we address the elephant in the room. Stephanie Meyer. She is the elephant in any room, at any time. Now I'm not saying she's particularly elephantine, but just that she looms over us all, whether we realize it or not. She is part of the fabric of existence. She's out there, right now, and there's nothing we can do about it.<br /><br />I have a strange relationship with the Twilight books. I first became aware of them on August 4th, 2007. I know this because I wrote a blog about it <a href="http://microsuede.blogspot.com/2007/08/party-like-rock-star.html" target="blank">here</a>. Well, I wrote a blog about going to a bookstore to buy a copy of Trainspotting (in which their personal brand of heroin is actually heroin). I remember walking into that bookstore and seeing a huge display for the Twilight books, and thinking "what the crap is this?" I gathered that they were written by a local author of some sort and that the books were a publishing sensation. (research tells me that this happened only days before the release of the third book, hence the display).<br /><br />I used to have co-workers, back when I had a job. Middle-aged ladies mostly. I remember overhearing them talk about Twilight and debating the casting choices for the movie. It was still barely on my radar. Then someone, probably Elin, had the bright idea to get a group of funsters together to go see the movie. So on Tuesday, November 25, 2008 <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsohBm_OdyA9kwE5KvquLa3UVPNAuR8xyJSHSeHqtz2xpwGdgwiUYGV55Kz_qM4Kp349h9Cbb8etnNgEMcFq8sFBVdCtE12StmJEpIGmxjmdQPJ-7Al3nM7uT0kaaLroyX6pFhCtl5FaDP/s1600-h/n584243022_1754661_9718.jpg" target="blank">I saw it</a> and it was the most fun I've ever had in a movie theater (in the top three anyway, along with Wanted and Godzilla).<br /><br />That movie is ridiculous. If you haven't seen it, you really need to, with a group of your finest smartasses. It was 2008, Lolcats were all the rage, so I whipped this up, and it got some polite chuckles from my friends and a few blog strangers who happened upon it.<br /><br /><a href="http://microsuede.blogspot.com/2008/11/movie-review-twilight.html" target="blank">Twilight.</a><br /><br />A year later the next movie came out, so I did a Lolcat re-enactment for the sequel too.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.popsuede.com/2009/12/twilight-saga-new-moon-review.html" target="blank">New Moon. </a><br /><br />It was up for about a week, and then it started to grow in popularity. One day my blog got over 300 hits! Then the next day it got 6,000. Then 13,000. Then over 125,000 in one day. It was all over Facebook and Twitter and comedy blogs and Twilight message boards. Currently it stands at about 800,000 unique views, and comments still come in and I still get letters from strangers telling me how funny it was. Wild! I went viral.<br /><br />Here's the third movie if you need it.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.popsuede.com/2010/07/twilight-saga-eclipse-with-cats.html" target="blank">Eclipse. </a><br /><br />There's a point to all of this. The Twilight books take place in a real-life town called Forks, about a two hour drive from the Seattle area. Stephanie Meyer set the books there because a google search revealed it to be the rainiest city in the country. I like driving around, I like small towns, and I like doing ridiculous things, so a day trip to Forks seems like the best idea anyone has ever had (again, I think it was Elin's idea).<br /><br />The drive up there is pretty.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFB5dykzXLeVpvc7irM8DKmhem9JxaWskZxEDK8gmjaznMkqEh4VGr6Yd9r7kgdbBzYnAB_FzaeTOZjteqNjcIb1WvDu3f0U_cOj_v7R83RsmBo0xbpzvX_vj_y-T9-qoKTKVPYgP0rM2R/s1600/IMG_8543.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFB5dykzXLeVpvc7irM8DKmhem9JxaWskZxEDK8gmjaznMkqEh4VGr6Yd9r7kgdbBzYnAB_FzaeTOZjteqNjcIb1WvDu3f0U_cOj_v7R83RsmBo0xbpzvX_vj_y-T9-qoKTKVPYgP0rM2R/s400/IMG_8543.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521878593656650434" border="0" /></a><br />Cars were lined up behind us to get a picture of the sign.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxEi0PAd_6PkKekvJ8kDxAst8DlVTTheV5NkxpliiwSelvxAknZH7swSGMeBguHl4Eq-NKbM1qTG9Ff8wAagTWPeoJ-XKIXdzaZb9TXJYPeMk1UEM8KuK_ldiYtCMhuo8LM3-JOm-qtr4P/s1600/IMG_8551.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxEi0PAd_6PkKekvJ8kDxAst8DlVTTheV5NkxpliiwSelvxAknZH7swSGMeBguHl4Eq-NKbM1qTG9Ff8wAagTWPeoJ-XKIXdzaZb9TXJYPeMk1UEM8KuK_ldiYtCMhuo8LM3-JOm-qtr4P/s400/IMG_8551.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521878177104264226" border="0" /></a>Bear in mind, none of the movies are even filmed here. But upon entering the town we discovered that the economy is almost completely Twilight based. There are four stores on one corner that all deal exclusively in Twilight merchandise, and they were all packed.<br /><br />Of course everyone knows that the best of these stores is Dazzled by Twilight.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjj1mKuNwSSGjfj28si_qOFfqxoiweccAy3RS1Ke8SlIQc8I1UrmVQpZfDWGmL0uaECOjMg69lM-3zyle0uHGa8-tAVeeajdR55trdpy074oQsb6_xPhTBylw2rOzgzqqhxLpa7qGQAPYH/s1600/IMG_8560.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjj1mKuNwSSGjfj28si_qOFfqxoiweccAy3RS1Ke8SlIQc8I1UrmVQpZfDWGmL0uaECOjMg69lM-3zyle0uHGa8-tAVeeajdR55trdpy074oQsb6_xPhTBylw2rOzgzqqhxLpa7qGQAPYH/s400/IMG_8560.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521878174280881474" border="0" /></a>The inside has astroturf on the ground and is made up to look like the woods!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCYCjf00XN2l5UbXPg6koONKSSLRMTdbrsoqukMMHMlHnr7s9XBec4HOc6HTXQjwHQvyb9XRSd-wN6Xoo3ZkLqIdtU5_FyuPww-ajD4UT6fJp5dWHZrybWJPMn_t-xKFgpfv5iuLGPEKIJ/s1600/IMG_8557.JPG"><br /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzoeH9T4Pju5F94dgwBzPQNcy0I4pwbODWyxI7vamRUBP2VPUyri8d9bhYm-4gpMz_7IqTwQwZl8E30pBEf8qOCgpp33AA1Ecx19iuIzvD0JGGGdx_bVCmZfRAiMnedqAEFRU6gLBhUGuW/s1600/IMG_8558.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzoeH9T4Pju5F94dgwBzPQNcy0I4pwbODWyxI7vamRUBP2VPUyri8d9bhYm-4gpMz_7IqTwQwZl8E30pBEf8qOCgpp33AA1Ecx19iuIzvD0JGGGdx_bVCmZfRAiMnedqAEFRU6gLBhUGuW/s400/IMG_8558.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521878132127769522" border="0" /></a>And Taylor Lautner just hangs out there all the time!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5VxebV2KqhSjIviIQLtGXMPj9zgyZnzfTu2hclV_yx7btD7HH42bU7-mz5vPypknh0bTfywKFo-lyJRjacR9sFAPKBdj7Mw8srQpoELovK0ZTUODiJWPiuhYJ3ZBj4p_Elcz48T1XsNpV/s1600/IMG_8556.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5VxebV2KqhSjIviIQLtGXMPj9zgyZnzfTu2hclV_yx7btD7HH42bU7-mz5vPypknh0bTfywKFo-lyJRjacR9sFAPKBdj7Mw8srQpoELovK0ZTUODiJWPiuhYJ3ZBj4p_Elcz48T1XsNpV/s400/IMG_8556.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521878129145930978" border="0" /></a>I bought this.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOP2pHRvSyC8xj1Q9P9K2HB4m9p3CgvPSAxbOQg6kLQBAwDbzzHVUDxPbA6Yvk4GRvtqvaG3DIO6errfUH3vgz0FUv1gl5bYuakSVBfFKnA5bgxbd8sJNZxU3len_WCty7-fkXbeoX-HFC/s1600/8f86a32bc2d576c2634c45f09980d1b6.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 259px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOP2pHRvSyC8xj1Q9P9K2HB4m9p3CgvPSAxbOQg6kLQBAwDbzzHVUDxPbA6Yvk4GRvtqvaG3DIO6errfUH3vgz0FUv1gl5bYuakSVBfFKnA5bgxbd8sJNZxU3len_WCty7-fkXbeoX-HFC/s400/8f86a32bc2d576c2634c45f09980d1b6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522070116396910178" border="0" /></a><br />A comic-book biography of Stephanie Meyer. You can listen to my review of it <a href="http://fightforcomics.com/?p=440" target="blank">here</a>! Go to the 14:05 mark. "I'm still sore from all the brooding..." ha!<br /><br />We walked around a bit. Here's Forks High School WHERE BELLA AND EDWARD TOTALLY WENT!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiheBf7R7KjOw103Om6yK2ZX3_Xptz7h2AOgoCCxxOXY_WhsPNW8rKtsgre5Vmn-1N1kc-412Abq7N3JBa7bJRfFHYirj94oQAy6DgEhTW7BfAtZkJbSfHoWLIlW1jwWbAqP70t6QDhNoNx/s1600/IMG_8570.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiheBf7R7KjOw103Om6yK2ZX3_Xptz7h2AOgoCCxxOXY_WhsPNW8rKtsgre5Vmn-1N1kc-412Abq7N3JBa7bJRfFHYirj94oQAy6DgEhTW7BfAtZkJbSfHoWLIlW1jwWbAqP70t6QDhNoNx/s400/IMG_8570.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521877458742550674" border="0" /></a>I don't know if Bella ever went bowling but this was a neat bowling alley and I would have loved to rolled a few lines there.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnJJuV9LCNH2osQYd7i2mmyf3Bdx-QLIVy1BqkTL9lWshNnHU-1VmmR1XHPJ7LsFR2Kb2mJx2TavJx5RvBj_2Ic5u3aDobcB8QNC6cE32giEiatRjOk40DQ_4cCOCS8OP2q0BDcDaoKV2H/s1600/IMG_8572.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnJJuV9LCNH2osQYd7i2mmyf3Bdx-QLIVy1BqkTL9lWshNnHU-1VmmR1XHPJ7LsFR2Kb2mJx2TavJx5RvBj_2Ic5u3aDobcB8QNC6cE32giEiatRjOk40DQ_4cCOCS8OP2q0BDcDaoKV2H/s400/IMG_8572.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521877453874302050" border="0" /></a>Outside of town is the Indian Reservation which sports a sign reading "No Vampires Beyond This Point" and a vacation rental property done up to look like Jacob's house.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu4Iq5-IqBE_UeMcKAVPK9ApaYvsr2KrZx0Kz36DiSSpts_GoLryEY0crnGhaXXumEee0Cgw5tZEEE_0gksK4I6c3G1wPPtdQHo3EhcGGUU-hShrYYgtdMpQcFTzm0Z_CoeMK5j9fNAjMe/s1600/IMG_8676.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu4Iq5-IqBE_UeMcKAVPK9ApaYvsr2KrZx0Kz36DiSSpts_GoLryEY0crnGhaXXumEee0Cgw5tZEEE_0gksK4I6c3G1wPPtdQHo3EhcGGUU-hShrYYgtdMpQcFTzm0Z_CoeMK5j9fNAjMe/s400/IMG_8676.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521877444571970018" border="0" /></a><br />First Beach at La Push. Great beach.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaPgYGGpsihgEFt0Oxs201l57HtpgDiMKNvQfPYse3ev-fcxNtZ1rLMoasTJHvfYbLLls65jJHqDUjMp0vlNYvdI47ucuGQoAiM5UPD9qrbjq-hNMS3f6lOdKA1pzP_54AJjZYqI7JgxoT/s1600/IMG_8580.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaPgYGGpsihgEFt0Oxs201l57HtpgDiMKNvQfPYse3ev-fcxNtZ1rLMoasTJHvfYbLLls65jJHqDUjMp0vlNYvdI47ucuGQoAiM5UPD9qrbjq-hNMS3f6lOdKA1pzP_54AJjZYqI7JgxoT/s400/IMG_8580.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521877434153372802" border="0" /></a>Such a striking image, that ocean knob there.<br /><br />I love throwing rocks into bodies of water, and Nathaniel got in on the action too.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizUAh8eae-OEKECf0xpp8LiYydsJg9BMjDGurBmTwnzew7UqM0qwsdDJm4XqoHJslEpoYq5lpTwdiVAe1VAKeGPoqg9Rsc1OEzc_Ire5SkCc4DlqBvQTfbF6_ACPPUB6QIE4wjsuj-JslQ/s1600/IMG_8605.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizUAh8eae-OEKECf0xpp8LiYydsJg9BMjDGurBmTwnzew7UqM0qwsdDJm4XqoHJslEpoYq5lpTwdiVAe1VAKeGPoqg9Rsc1OEzc_Ire5SkCc4DlqBvQTfbF6_ACPPUB6QIE4wjsuj-JslQ/s400/IMG_8605.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521877426459460450" border="0" /></a><br />The beach is covered in Twilight graffito.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9lPeyD3Q5msP9y_9U05JhZkmUml6VCM-QKcD4tC0jgA8CgHO6bOq0HY6vPRw6s3mmhdYIYUJtGPTpiYtv1rAFnzvuqBYoFeK3gLa-7ct24k8aIOs0OHssfOurvHB7SstQt02-d2w0js6j/s1600/IMG_8583.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 277px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9lPeyD3Q5msP9y_9U05JhZkmUml6VCM-QKcD4tC0jgA8CgHO6bOq0HY6vPRw6s3mmhdYIYUJtGPTpiYtv1rAFnzvuqBYoFeK3gLa-7ct24k8aIOs0OHssfOurvHB7SstQt02-d2w0js6j/s400/IMG_8583.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521868644573937554" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY2PCwN4JUHAJV0hCJgM8RlfSibPFnJLZfq7hrJwccHaHhXXoIStKwtdh0KB8UfTiYxk2QjoVjAxkLpWLutaXRivX9SeIJZUpOrNaNr6ULPy0lJ8478d7fhTzuIFe2nsO2yM3Jr1RwnSjL/s1600/IMG_8595.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY2PCwN4JUHAJV0hCJgM8RlfSibPFnJLZfq7hrJwccHaHhXXoIStKwtdh0KB8UfTiYxk2QjoVjAxkLpWLutaXRivX9SeIJZUpOrNaNr6ULPy0lJ8478d7fhTzuIFe2nsO2yM3Jr1RwnSjL/s400/IMG_8595.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521868633628368402" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Am8R8b3xjWKJ-8ZkCiJf038_0MpDRZxazSwZgliiY75a2l9qz5qkkEINjIZqikuiZLaR0mtBwcNAcoCHMiqAx2hrkOFxuBIcByiWsssWNaoZ1sRhpHbaeiCeAKp0QQOlI4DEcS9975NG/s1600/IMG_8674.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 390px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Am8R8b3xjWKJ-8ZkCiJf038_0MpDRZxazSwZgliiY75a2l9qz5qkkEINjIZqikuiZLaR0mtBwcNAcoCHMiqAx2hrkOFxuBIcByiWsssWNaoZ1sRhpHbaeiCeAKp0QQOlI4DEcS9975NG/s400/IMG_8674.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521868626113791122" border="0" /></a>I marveled at all the Twilight messages written into the sand, but then discovered Elin was behind them all.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0X6H8SeCyN9v5ZmMJDmNESPEGa2JRNehYf4ugGlJxLuTYjswqMP5pRxDjl9z0orVR6_MN_CfIGHkpRQ-Kn6gTlbeZdFE6tIZ9ErYTqIMqJdHARZZh4UncCHHxuhYGXQVfNK8sJ1Y5_F6m/s1600/IMG_8611.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0X6H8SeCyN9v5ZmMJDmNESPEGa2JRNehYf4ugGlJxLuTYjswqMP5pRxDjl9z0orVR6_MN_CfIGHkpRQ-Kn6gTlbeZdFE6tIZ9ErYTqIMqJdHARZZh4UncCHHxuhYGXQVfNK8sJ1Y5_F6m/s400/IMG_8611.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521868622716197506" border="0" /></a><br />There was an enormous piece of driftwood on the beach.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA9PXmEczf8_ECOylu3L7-ZMLjrYwkRZUDX7Zeav9FE5ROSdUtxQVAUuFClHBUgW9nbPwizEH26QUmmrXqOqrIZhm_D8PSI3k6qR4UEUECIR0cEr2PJHcPY-l3k87fdfjusZa-Us-o78g4/s1600/IMG_8635.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA9PXmEczf8_ECOylu3L7-ZMLjrYwkRZUDX7Zeav9FE5ROSdUtxQVAUuFClHBUgW9nbPwizEH26QUmmrXqOqrIZhm_D8PSI3k6qR4UEUECIR0cEr2PJHcPY-l3k87fdfjusZa-Us-o78g4/s400/IMG_8635.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521863459537388018" border="0" /></a>So naturally Amy just up and climbed the thing.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXvrIL3TNs-4G05A2d_3nuTzaz1J624HpBEyp9X7cyiCPuYcSJQvxdXwGOL1_D9xin1Cr_KxzOLM4_SNzQ540qslDzs7n6q6AUBu4CLvXz9Uj8GS3K2P7MosMsqkX7fAm0i91HCC7ZCMbv/s1600/IMG_8644.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXvrIL3TNs-4G05A2d_3nuTzaz1J624HpBEyp9X7cyiCPuYcSJQvxdXwGOL1_D9xin1Cr_KxzOLM4_SNzQ540qslDzs7n6q6AUBu4CLvXz9Uj8GS3K2P7MosMsqkX7fAm0i91HCC7ZCMbv/s400/IMG_8644.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521863457031507298" border="0" /></a>She disappeared and I worried that she had perished but then she just came walking up like it was no big deal.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW5oqNXF81Pt1Safd7ZZ_pG-xOd05NBy-af11fhJJGZ18mwkd-gWkLYTXooYjLTQjeqGIPfnRX7a__t9n4PltirpeUh4EmkHoFJC2GfRM5uRGgWTvVMSU6UotuClOiLhNYF4kTp1Noak4R/s1600/IMG_8650.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW5oqNXF81Pt1Safd7ZZ_pG-xOd05NBy-af11fhJJGZ18mwkd-gWkLYTXooYjLTQjeqGIPfnRX7a__t9n4PltirpeUh4EmkHoFJC2GfRM5uRGgWTvVMSU6UotuClOiLhNYF4kTp1Noak4R/s400/IMG_8650.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521863447176301602" border="0" /></a>Here's all of us, just so you get a sense of the size of that thing.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWKz2QBqKQ-trh2CaeWsKYV5fq4XfwzIK5TyR4mMD-5nOUnD76PC85X-OpSsyqp4rAN6gZ2MgUwP4H3CGoDUsUZWIYz31Fe5hmFJX_LoEKCRiOseuton1SOD__0rAXLRLeJw_yoQ8JdYHq/s1600/IMG_8631.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWKz2QBqKQ-trh2CaeWsKYV5fq4XfwzIK5TyR4mMD-5nOUnD76PC85X-OpSsyqp4rAN6gZ2MgUwP4H3CGoDUsUZWIYz31Fe5hmFJX_LoEKCRiOseuton1SOD__0rAXLRLeJw_yoQ8JdYHq/s400/IMG_8631.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521863438361637666" border="0" /></a>Ah, the beach.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUnojxlq3A1437OjKOrX7KoWn4Pa1Xq4G_Adya_3VbLEHLlO3ZTUTC66aL8nQ5kSLsldzgmNRHRu-IkVOCWmb2supuYeQJQhRuss7bIr3VTGPBXZqtZPPgvp5eDam9okjPMfnAcdon7qZW/s1600/IMG_8664.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUnojxlq3A1437OjKOrX7KoWn4Pa1Xq4G_Adya_3VbLEHLlO3ZTUTC66aL8nQ5kSLsldzgmNRHRu-IkVOCWmb2supuYeQJQhRuss7bIr3VTGPBXZqtZPPgvp5eDam9okjPMfnAcdon7qZW/s400/IMG_8664.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521863432831648466" border="0" /></a>Went to Port Angeles in search of food and stumbled upon this restaurant, which claims to be the restaurant that Bella and Edward (two fictional characters) went on their first date.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5yIVfTw_mqx67Iexa4jgtkBRTkwVO2rTebYz7-nbuoqJ-QywtY-V5z0br7QHklQlgs5Vr2mG_zkjroweVohXWBanUdB9j7Ftv8w4i9cy8lg6E65MRngVQSOrMjZTDeTWjNd-lB3f4TDqV/s1600/IMG_8679.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5yIVfTw_mqx67Iexa4jgtkBRTkwVO2rTebYz7-nbuoqJ-QywtY-V5z0br7QHklQlgs5Vr2mG_zkjroweVohXWBanUdB9j7Ftv8w4i9cy8lg6E65MRngVQSOrMjZTDeTWjNd-lB3f4TDqV/s400/IMG_8679.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521862849028976994" border="0" /></a>Nothing suited us in Port Angeles so we skipped. I caught some neon on the way out.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNSFt0s6wwzCpbeP3NebjEJdEnVIzB9xBh2DwNL3K2dF3ODMcGvz8bvAE4JzeJnYEb3DMQiLtuTQ6_3SmnztN8UsASP-l2vOkWTUWKEEF4EfiyjrjwwEzU5ZeKzs6Z7-vy_UlNZUMwV2qO/s1600/IMG_8681.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 256px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNSFt0s6wwzCpbeP3NebjEJdEnVIzB9xBh2DwNL3K2dF3ODMcGvz8bvAE4JzeJnYEb3DMQiLtuTQ6_3SmnztN8UsASP-l2vOkWTUWKEEF4EfiyjrjwwEzU5ZeKzs6Z7-vy_UlNZUMwV2qO/s400/IMG_8681.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521862846762072434" border="0" /></a>Finally landed in Sequim (pronounced "skwim"), the driest city in Washington. Went to a Mexican place where this watches you eat...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpyUx_HOLj_xOshejlqrzwlFDH1C8C4sqhDT5KT1rhYeiO4pajJtR84CD-I_4Jhwy7xjPb50kmvSDjPuRdg6N-xTpjVQwL8ivwi3O_cDBqOihnzaZTd1W8BTq_VzgprUFsOPSvxo18XqnX/s1600/IMG_8686.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpyUx_HOLj_xOshejlqrzwlFDH1C8C4sqhDT5KT1rhYeiO4pajJtR84CD-I_4Jhwy7xjPb50kmvSDjPuRdg6N-xTpjVQwL8ivwi3O_cDBqOihnzaZTd1W8BTq_VzgprUFsOPSvxo18XqnX/s400/IMG_8686.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521862838356239074" border="0" /></a>and this watches you pee...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxpynaAlmVML4OcDc3cYMsqjvCVSyjj9mmqHU0v1WtVaPi54eWY-TU_mxHXS89zm_2ywR23gxFpnTSV4IK_Ubz8BHg2GQiJzph3xi9h1zbeH716NqkpxPlF0Pvp9at9890_8-qtMSJfniB/s1600/IMG_8684.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxpynaAlmVML4OcDc3cYMsqjvCVSyjj9mmqHU0v1WtVaPi54eWY-TU_mxHXS89zm_2ywR23gxFpnTSV4IK_Ubz8BHg2GQiJzph3xi9h1zbeH716NqkpxPlF0Pvp9at9890_8-qtMSJfniB/s400/IMG_8684.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521862832593752290" border="0" /></a><br />Here's the restaurant from the outside. I think that's a burrito tower?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIaVuApWNYOO4N626Sgfra5trD-kiVv3abaWEnGF8b91oK-950xk__kO3u6JYPMoLPdGT5pLFQETg784zFCKo7HkaaPMVyV3aSfNGhemEOphVfqqXB8buPpevx_R6GXWMzE2TppN1_d6s2/s1600/IMG_8689.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIaVuApWNYOO4N626Sgfra5trD-kiVv3abaWEnGF8b91oK-950xk__kO3u6JYPMoLPdGT5pLFQETg784zFCKo7HkaaPMVyV3aSfNGhemEOphVfqqXB8buPpevx_R6GXWMzE2TppN1_d6s2/s400/IMG_8689.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521862828614563314" border="0" /></a><br />Yeah. Forks.B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04095187188894807317noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3192285463697798771.post-81851115878526258692010-09-22T00:59:00.016-06:002010-09-22T02:27:01.893-06:00Forked: Part 1Why.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv2keHYCnrWE2XdjTYhV5DV4a8nz9FVgcJGCSwaxGnf0uEsHGP5t1mdo9N3N-rDqBt5YudYdTZXYbI6J7F0R2CmE6EYOkpIx4gX2lTKe8FCKvXXMZyp166WUykevssKtWGABvwNkA_p0jx/s1600/IMG_8413.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv2keHYCnrWE2XdjTYhV5DV4a8nz9FVgcJGCSwaxGnf0uEsHGP5t1mdo9N3N-rDqBt5YudYdTZXYbI6J7F0R2CmE6EYOkpIx4gX2lTKe8FCKvXXMZyp166WUykevssKtWGABvwNkA_p0jx/s400/IMG_8413.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519631115554352290" border="0" /></a>Why would I be nine miles outside of Twin Falls at midnight, standing at the edge of a truck stop with one foot on the pavement and one foot in the weeds, watching the cars pass by on the highway, gazing at the moon?<br /><br />Because I was on my way to Seattle, obviously. In <a href="http://microsuede.blogspot.com/2009/07/seattle-1-we-rode-across-that-bridge.html"target="_blank">what</a> has <a href="http://microsuede.blogspot.com/2009/07/seattle-part-2-fish-in-percolator.html"target="_blank">become</a> an <a href="http://microsuede.blogspot.com/2009/08/seattle-part-3-lots-of-pictures-of.html"target="_blank">annual</a> tradition, every summer I go on a road trip to Seattle.<br /><br />Last year I went to Seattle to visit <a href="http://www.ryan-hayes.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Cat_Construction_Worker.jpg"target="_blank">Nathaniel,</a> who lived up there. He lives in Salt Lake now so me and he and a couple of nice young ladies went back to pick up his stuff or see his sister or steal t-shirts or something. Tip: any good road trip, especially a fourteen hour trip, should begin as late in the day as possible. We left at about 730pm, driving through the twilight hours, our truck like a stake through the heart of the night.<br /><br />We brought a book along and took turns reading it out loud. Except for Nathaniel who was usually driving. Kept us busy for much of the drive. Though now we're three months past and we still haven't quite finished the book. That will soon be rectified I hope.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdX2aET6xwWufoV-kxTaB5kl6HlWBuvkyCcVLMs5G9bopC3rGGf_QEI0XOcMNamVk4uTfHsZrverw7wq4ouv5aooWgbaTXKrwxVLfSduMXOKEa5eg2ByiSmNmVsKg5godhJKrBscD3OCwq/s1600/photo1a1a.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 317px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdX2aET6xwWufoV-kxTaB5kl6HlWBuvkyCcVLMs5G9bopC3rGGf_QEI0XOcMNamVk4uTfHsZrverw7wq4ouv5aooWgbaTXKrwxVLfSduMXOKEa5eg2ByiSmNmVsKg5godhJKrBscD3OCwq/s400/photo1a1a.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519630945004623410" border="0" /></a><br />Nine miles out of Twin Falls and five outta Kimberly is a truck stop called Garden of Eden.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIpg9AI67jjNYMfjgSWLMqnzNd_Bl8acO8xnQtVtPmFNgbq50SWZNW2WNvw-c7zszlmWHp2Bxc8FDEcKZ22n35hL5FJqW3Nui-sRhcPHgqurBCAqeWoITyazX1rJMYRz-5UILuSDHcT6eu/s1600/IMG_8411.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIpg9AI67jjNYMfjgSWLMqnzNd_Bl8acO8xnQtVtPmFNgbq50SWZNW2WNvw-c7zszlmWHp2Bxc8FDEcKZ22n35hL5FJqW3Nui-sRhcPHgqurBCAqeWoITyazX1rJMYRz-5UILuSDHcT6eu/s400/IMG_8411.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519630933159560898" border="0" /></a>It's not just a name, it's a theme.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBHe6EgEXlUvVSQvo8HVfetcPAoXUUJ1bPm4zmaaLXc4FMMV6VnwqxNyVINuaX83S_s8GyZFb0N50AgZblZ90cSOtMq4uYZLsb7p9Xv3V-VpefLvoABScJoaE4Fb7Xha6RcGUIffudYcnC/s1600/IMG_8409.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBHe6EgEXlUvVSQvo8HVfetcPAoXUUJ1bPm4zmaaLXc4FMMV6VnwqxNyVINuaX83S_s8GyZFb0N50AgZblZ90cSOtMq4uYZLsb7p9Xv3V-VpefLvoABScJoaE4Fb7Xha6RcGUIffudYcnC/s400/IMG_8409.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519630927566898210" border="0" /></a>I think we had three more dead of night truck stop stops on the drive north. It's an interesting feeling, miles away from what you know at an unreasonable hour, roused from a bad sleep and feeling like your soul is on a three-second delay from the rest of your body. You inspect each aisle of the food section meticulously, as though this is your last meal and you can't miss the treasure that you've somehow overlooked. You can't even comprehend the array of oranges and yellows, reds and browns, cool-ranch flavors and 25% more peanuts. You couldn't wait to get out of the car and now you can't wait to get back in and the truck on the left has a Mexican Cowboy DH-ing his lady and the truck on the right is full of white supremacists.<br /><br />Um, anyway truck stops.<br /><br />I didn't sleep much and what sleep did come was poor, five seconds off and five seconds on. I had the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEBroXTIttY&p=1ADA882F18DF83FB&index=23"target="_blank">Stars - The Five Ghosts</a> on a loop in my ears for about three hours and now I can't even listen to it anymore because it is imprinted with the memories of this trip and I know no other memory will ever be able to eclipse that.<br /><br />We finally came into town a few hours after the breaking of dawn and just in time for breakfast at the 5 Spot, whose french toast is one of the top five foods I've ever eaten. The restaurant has a rotating theme. Last time I was there it was Cannery Row, but this time the theme was Seattle, and they really nailed it.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjJz3UkQsqy-a8-4luBL1TiQfXOhW44N5vHmstSh2yn-OJp4DgU0V4QpBv0t7JkGT5u74FsvOQLaAnEWSMdCoG8Da0bu8y_mfwZToBFFaEet7U2AdCSiQOGlQnysg1K67B25T5iujqv_x3/s1600/IMG_8422.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjJz3UkQsqy-a8-4luBL1TiQfXOhW44N5vHmstSh2yn-OJp4DgU0V4QpBv0t7JkGT5u74FsvOQLaAnEWSMdCoG8Da0bu8y_mfwZToBFFaEet7U2AdCSiQOGlQnysg1K67B25T5iujqv_x3/s400/IMG_8422.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519630920781310946" border="0" /></a>I love that someone with artistic training and talent painted a portrait of Frasier.<br /><br />I particularly enjoyed this sculpture of Ken Griffey Jr. inside of a shell of some sort. What is that, a geoduck shell?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5zH63vXj2RMRH2kab3VZ12luHfpTf4Stc6Qq9N161n6ResY7ESvBKhG4tRolV0GY9Ytm3GTUcOkD2yfT1BkxZq7bOZVk92JkMN6s0RZ4oHzR-OG-AypRopUkJ9AjbPUT4ZslczrI16AvV/s1600/IMG_8423.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5zH63vXj2RMRH2kab3VZ12luHfpTf4Stc6Qq9N161n6ResY7ESvBKhG4tRolV0GY9Ytm3GTUcOkD2yfT1BkxZq7bOZVk92JkMN6s0RZ4oHzR-OG-AypRopUkJ9AjbPUT4ZslczrI16AvV/s400/IMG_8423.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519630517020421026" border="0" /></a>Oh man I wish I hadn't just Googled "geoduck." Man. Ken Griffey Jr. One of the most tragic figures of our time. He could have saved us all, and instead he suffered injury after injury until his career ended one day when he didn't bother showing up for work.<br /><br />We hung out around the water and the Pike Place Market and stuff. Ye Olde Curiosity Shoppe, home of the zombie.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ISvq6Fa3zZxPt6b7W1SIgINahMeJ3QdQMsgmCyumY6qevMLHengpCXn3Xpbj3V9VyOEtuFLFfbA-FsDaxwfv9d1h-Ikl6J3MMINgp1P7AiekzKOYiroEn0t2JinC1WE4NdY1chfMmJOh/s1600/IMG_8426.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ISvq6Fa3zZxPt6b7W1SIgINahMeJ3QdQMsgmCyumY6qevMLHengpCXn3Xpbj3V9VyOEtuFLFfbA-FsDaxwfv9d1h-Ikl6J3MMINgp1P7AiekzKOYiroEn0t2JinC1WE4NdY1chfMmJOh/s400/IMG_8426.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519630509343448050" border="0" /></a><br />The Lusty Lady is a beloved landmark, closed forever this summer because the internet took away all its business.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxuo6lrXSAaXlAYNglO906shRlkcNMcliDloIddXWWXLPLqOstje_rsGoRPMwX8klQw8aBuu7n-xfHlWIkyletnATr1d2hgo9FDKR0Rf6YEUg_F88aZkdTPALmwXTQqJn1a6JvwhREKGjG/s1600/IMG_8427.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxuo6lrXSAaXlAYNglO906shRlkcNMcliDloIddXWWXLPLqOstje_rsGoRPMwX8klQw8aBuu7n-xfHlWIkyletnATr1d2hgo9FDKR0Rf6YEUg_F88aZkdTPALmwXTQqJn1a6JvwhREKGjG/s400/IMG_8427.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519630501455430946" border="0" /></a>Is there anything the internet can't ruin?<br /><br />I like Pike Place Market, even when it's humid. It's so colorful.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj6o2NCr29nQC6Ytwrctys2WGCYvDKb1srlQPz7ivrDiUEWcv21hHgZtLIpt310Sz3Qj6J4swZhiBGXgqX91N7be9hlzXIPsBFRAFpG2hfPzk3qVzqXXiluF0qx9yxeYppmR-rIQ0WxYoI/s1600/IMG_8429.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj6o2NCr29nQC6Ytwrctys2WGCYvDKb1srlQPz7ivrDiUEWcv21hHgZtLIpt310Sz3Qj6J4swZhiBGXgqX91N7be9hlzXIPsBFRAFpG2hfPzk3qVzqXXiluF0qx9yxeYppmR-rIQ0WxYoI/s400/IMG_8429.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519630497845649714" border="0" /></a>I got some avocado flavored bubble tea and it was yummy. Then later I had a cheese lunch. Happytimes.<br /><br />We walked up to go to the Underground tour and on the way some lady pushed Nathaniel aside and then charged headlong into a busy street. Somehow she didn't get run over, but she did bash her head directly into a light pole while walking full speed.<br /><br />Oh here's Chief Seattle.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaZwSdh3Cj2wEev4OQ9NFLP8BT8Y21ZfDi5gvVmKGRPnhs32KOuD-NbJ5_XqcY7pZr4HhcK0joMVjZsTJJhPKRqwaOHJlHnC9mrU6tbC7kl2_068qlqXOH72xGB7jrSwi219HLhCjq5sUG/s1600/IMG_8434.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 343px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaZwSdh3Cj2wEev4OQ9NFLP8BT8Y21ZfDi5gvVmKGRPnhs32KOuD-NbJ5_XqcY7pZr4HhcK0joMVjZsTJJhPKRqwaOHJlHnC9mrU6tbC7kl2_068qlqXOH72xGB7jrSwi219HLhCjq5sUG/s400/IMG_8434.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519630489327411586" border="0" /></a>A sculpture of him anyway. Loitering in this square we had a nice chat with a homeless sportsfan santa. He was talking about the Mariners and how great they're going to be once Matt Wieters comes up. I didn't have the heart to tell him that Matt Wieters plays for Baltimore. Then he went crazy talking about snacks. See me in person sometime, I'll tell you about it.<br /><br />The Underground Tour takes you through the subterranean ruins of old Seattle. I was really interested in it at first but I'll say right off the bat that it's not quite worth it. Unless you like awkward puns delivered by college student-tour guides, who try to make everyone feel guilty for not laughing at their awkward puns.<br /><br />Tourists are alright though. These two are better than any of us.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeVIsEraY8J-2CjRTH5M8nMh93JiWHg3c9uUpsXK5lKeR0UM8OC0CcIg7Vjhyphenhyphenk-QVLFzfKmdknUza9o3b9uYLJZAf-yfbVvrljiCwhdC4Ex9KtzY26acQSyg8wZeYZkgwm8m-J8iggmYM6/s1600/IMG_8444.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 322px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeVIsEraY8J-2CjRTH5M8nMh93JiWHg3c9uUpsXK5lKeR0UM8OC0CcIg7Vjhyphenhyphenk-QVLFzfKmdknUza9o3b9uYLJZAf-yfbVvrljiCwhdC4Ex9KtzY26acQSyg8wZeYZkgwm8m-J8iggmYM6/s400/IMG_8444.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519630187732577858" border="0" /></a>I'm not making fun of them, I really admire them.<br /><br />Underground.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitvc0XJX_IOW-_DeIp-t9lqpw7kaE-NrmV2xDnJIYo4kdzzEkv2_xcVqJz6d4hPvcnR9bpGqyTNsyq7YjHYaeEAG7ewDfDvUyZs8BVlRwEhzXxedEaZYKZWk2EG1-3qnZ3EXKr2LDRWS56/s1600/IMG_8460.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitvc0XJX_IOW-_DeIp-t9lqpw7kaE-NrmV2xDnJIYo4kdzzEkv2_xcVqJz6d4hPvcnR9bpGqyTNsyq7YjHYaeEAG7ewDfDvUyZs8BVlRwEhzXxedEaZYKZWk2EG1-3qnZ3EXKr2LDRWS56/s400/IMG_8460.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519630181957328546" border="0" /></a>Not underground?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjulKv53St6a5jgkK3S0xK0z_X_gh3Ws8z0vqeFyBWv_PHWb65SOFcmR1NbUfnK-_zloUSPuTkY5LY4oWiJMqdKWcHvLd8m4boql-naIpCS6-1lsrtf-Ik2F06kJZeyi2ZYTCWLtidWoSnz/s1600/IMG_8446.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjulKv53St6a5jgkK3S0xK0z_X_gh3Ws8z0vqeFyBWv_PHWb65SOFcmR1NbUfnK-_zloUSPuTkY5LY4oWiJMqdKWcHvLd8m4boql-naIpCS6-1lsrtf-Ik2F06kJZeyi2ZYTCWLtidWoSnz/s400/IMG_8446.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519630175537684930" border="0" /></a>We kept going from Underground to Not and I was getting so confused as to what was what. Elin had to keep explaining it too me. As a general rule of thumb, darkness: underground, trees: not. But there are exceptions!<br /><br />This freaky monster of a pig truck reminded us that it was dinner time.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEide6nB25YFLxrTow_O6ysDO5GOLGctlMs7jD329VQ_DVKO9ykiP6gDPuR7a1NLqOHiD42-ixmicOVKgTJwJsQmYN7ItOiJfOHKV4pcgvgGLglnj-OmzuVW0wr9GQ9pcGBSH4ceNBLvabUY/s1600/IMG_8470.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEide6nB25YFLxrTow_O6ysDO5GOLGctlMs7jD329VQ_DVKO9ykiP6gDPuR7a1NLqOHiD42-ixmicOVKgTJwJsQmYN7ItOiJfOHKV4pcgvgGLglnj-OmzuVW0wr9GQ9pcGBSH4ceNBLvabUY/s400/IMG_8470.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519630171277316226" border="0" /></a>We went to uh, a Senegalese? restaurant. Wow, it was good. I'd recommend it if I knew the name or where it was.<br /><br />In this picture it may look like Nathaniel is wincing and crying, but really this is an advanced Krav Maga technique.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFv-tgyBsDQNdVlGdNwDNBQkBBD2NZKo5HT2pL189DM9hRXP00SqtixEDZ9sDF_qmsbalY8OSxiSxTQiXRy9Bod1t7KT958A6seY_IoV3bfDFsIoQISf5_8J7sJZj_4b3rf_FkRQjzf85x/s1600/IMG_8477.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 269px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFv-tgyBsDQNdVlGdNwDNBQkBBD2NZKo5HT2pL189DM9hRXP00SqtixEDZ9sDF_qmsbalY8OSxiSxTQiXRy9Bod1t7KT958A6seY_IoV3bfDFsIoQISf5_8J7sJZj_4b3rf_FkRQjzf85x/s400/IMG_8477.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519630159353232658" border="0" /></a><br />Ferry to Bremerton, where we would be staying and hopefully getting some good sleep for the first time in thirty-six hours.<br /><br />Nathaniel and Amy tried to have a private chat on the stern while I stood a few feet away and took pictures of them.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE6vHbiAfeyN5xjy5-CUhYHKlI1WFSHdu4CS0gCbE_x-B9rDsH3VmsIX1TqlSvJGY2CciJe-dYqTIfR_nXIeJD2UlHuZvG9t8lkIkW0hTO1YXhydfSAyQ5IOiETTPE5XjbKc43Cu9AdWQi/s1600/IMG_8483.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE6vHbiAfeyN5xjy5-CUhYHKlI1WFSHdu4CS0gCbE_x-B9rDsH3VmsIX1TqlSvJGY2CciJe-dYqTIfR_nXIeJD2UlHuZvG9t8lkIkW0hTO1YXhydfSAyQ5IOiETTPE5XjbKc43Cu9AdWQi/s400/IMG_8483.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519629420021362082" border="0" /></a>Seattle skyline, beautiful sight from the water.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7V5BxJziJWwV2FGbZ5f2tiASEj54kXpzxqqxbqCJ1sHA9s55BIUu-7L6UuarFapjhy45y15ua_YJABU6I92pTWU3ofLSm88DPyGNUEiXp_sRp3pA_eA18BWQsCwd6f1FsypVTC6tNOkzh/s1600/IMG_8502.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7V5BxJziJWwV2FGbZ5f2tiASEj54kXpzxqqxbqCJ1sHA9s55BIUu-7L6UuarFapjhy45y15ua_YJABU6I92pTWU3ofLSm88DPyGNUEiXp_sRp3pA_eA18BWQsCwd6f1FsypVTC6tNOkzh/s400/IMG_8502.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519629400323956130" border="0" /></a>Moon over the water, still days away from being new.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXTbFVKlZyIiZidOTMcJzMwiTtyNqpziGpQ809Dzlt1R25s-JEkvNZYieM1gBUl2J2GDc0-XhzKtjXU90ou9kCoiUH_q4nKV-TxwXriI01emGd9OB5MoOZrgZKIWcRYDB4K4OUscVrzUks/s1600/IMG_8511.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXTbFVKlZyIiZidOTMcJzMwiTtyNqpziGpQ809Dzlt1R25s-JEkvNZYieM1gBUl2J2GDc0-XhzKtjXU90ou9kCoiUH_q4nKV-TxwXriI01emGd9OB5MoOZrgZKIWcRYDB4K4OUscVrzUks/s400/IMG_8511.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519629394066150818" border="0" /></a><br />So that was Day 1. What does Day 2 have in store? Well...<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"We brought a book along and took turns reading it out loud."<br /><br /></span><span>That book?</span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br /></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1bjSE-cfhrg6OzpC-Naw4-JJYcMOdi7Ds3VoWwkBminL_CdLIXoiWPUfSTvZNHlQfUnsOr_ZeL2vDWwZ1Y2JbHOF7OA1n1KaTE8hxkQOJmq8QDUbkWeIpryXYg-oWsttDJ4EnPo3SW6fV/s1600/Twilight2(5).jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1bjSE-cfhrg6OzpC-Naw4-JJYcMOdi7Ds3VoWwkBminL_CdLIXoiWPUfSTvZNHlQfUnsOr_ZeL2vDWwZ1Y2JbHOF7OA1n1KaTE8hxkQOJmq8QDUbkWeIpryXYg-oWsttDJ4EnPo3SW6fV/s400/Twilight2(5).jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519649127707995650" border="0" /></a>Oh no.B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04095187188894807317noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3192285463697798771.post-25147211188637049852010-09-19T01:53:00.004-06:002010-09-22T00:59:20.539-06:00where we're going we don't need-I can't sleep so I'm making a list of celebrated thoroughfares. Did I miss any?<b><br /><br /></b>Route 66<br />Broadway<br />The Autobahn<br />Champs Ellysees<br />Sunset Blvd<br />Carnaby St.<br />The Crooked One in San Francisco<br />Haight-Ashbury (disqualified since it's a corner of two streets)<br />Wall St.<br />Sesame Street<br />Picabo Street<br />The Pacific Coast Highway<br />Rodeo Drive<br />Las Vegas Blvd<br />Abbey Road<br />The E Street Band<br />Bourbon Street<br />The Appian Way<br />The Road to Damascus<br />Baker Street (saxophone part only)<br />The Long and Winding Road<br />Mike Skinner<br />The Trail of Tears<br />The Ho Chi Minh Trail<br />Madison Avenue<br />Pennsylvania Avenue<br />Cormac McCarthy's The Road<br />The Road Less Traveled<br />Holiday Road<br />8 Mile<br /><br />READER ADDITIONS:<br /><br />Park Avenue (love Green Acres. Could probably come up with five more just from NYC)<br />Mulholland Drive<br />The Silk Road<br />Oregon Trail (texted to my e-mail from a Vegas number? Who sent that? Either way, good one)<br />Hiiiiiighway to the Dangah ZoneB.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04095187188894807317noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3192285463697798771.post-6747502175628053342010-09-09T01:09:00.005-06:002010-09-09T15:38:35.643-06:00Beehived: Part 2Oh no get them away from me I don't like it I don't like it I don't like it!!!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6_Td-63lO1Lf-fn1ROX69tdb57irrV6KuMT8Twnj2j0scdJ0mO14SIhBWhMXjrbP_f8ZM62n0xlSMaw4OCVUIiyWGPAyAyqpk6oCCnGFQxmUI4wUYWeifVjge4dFmWmtL41q0UEOcAWqV/s1600/IMG_8327.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 280px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6_Td-63lO1Lf-fn1ROX69tdb57irrV6KuMT8Twnj2j0scdJ0mO14SIhBWhMXjrbP_f8ZM62n0xlSMaw4OCVUIiyWGPAyAyqpk6oCCnGFQxmUI4wUYWeifVjge4dFmWmtL41q0UEOcAWqV/s400/IMG_8327.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514809794028923986" border="0" /></a>I'm talking about all those bats up there. That's too many bats. I think the girl at the zoo told me there were 150 of them? Horrible creatures. I hate any kind of creature that likes to be bunched up like that. It's too weird.<br /><br />So I took that picture during a fun day at the Zoo. See how fun?<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Z6EIVul4n9eEYEh51KHUMT81OFiXdVe6j3d_gIMWJCPWTi1EMXX_7pt2Z8p7IeIylLs3rc5TADulet662XZe3av8X1vCZ7LUgAdgwVmo_SfegR2gy0X424SlKB2jm4UMvii5l1lFxZHQ/s1600/IMG_8319.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Z6EIVul4n9eEYEh51KHUMT81OFiXdVe6j3d_gIMWJCPWTi1EMXX_7pt2Z8p7IeIylLs3rc5TADulet662XZe3av8X1vCZ7LUgAdgwVmo_SfegR2gy0X424SlKB2jm4UMvii5l1lFxZHQ/s400/IMG_8319.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514809787198757138" border="0" /></a><br />Children of all ages love the Zoo. I've written about the Zoo many times here. You should find those entries and read them. Especially if you like apes. No apes today, but maybe an elephant.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMiYKK5rJihep2zCangy21BNAjPrEDZXGjRo0qlADKP5YSsOJjz-UmGFVj-Trdwd4aOWN_AxqS-VcyBcAceQd3QPgW8RDjhhnAtq_8HSdt1DwLKazuLwQ3envw1Bp3hZjap7zK0c_Un8iP/s1600/IMG_8315.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMiYKK5rJihep2zCangy21BNAjPrEDZXGjRo0qlADKP5YSsOJjz-UmGFVj-Trdwd4aOWN_AxqS-VcyBcAceQd3QPgW8RDjhhnAtq_8HSdt1DwLKazuLwQ3envw1Bp3hZjap7zK0c_Un8iP/s400/IMG_8315.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514809777429903058" border="0" /></a>And these gossipy old ladies.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNctZJJjOi-tFZY0Crm64zYiJ2OJ4fMhJ6WFn7KatRI3JGkD0jso8EqcjVtzgYdPzjLbcc-QWx91f6jNfzl0S2Mj44ac8j7IBcZ-qCuYTFgAvMrfnoHFy96ThoVYWzD4HVbkhEyVjkPjBM/s1600/IMG_8321.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNctZJJjOi-tFZY0Crm64zYiJ2OJ4fMhJ6WFn7KatRI3JGkD0jso8EqcjVtzgYdPzjLbcc-QWx91f6jNfzl0S2Mj44ac8j7IBcZ-qCuYTFgAvMrfnoHFy96ThoVYWzD4HVbkhEyVjkPjBM/s400/IMG_8321.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514809443033422674" border="0" /></a><br />You can see the giraffe in the middle, but there are actually two giraffes in this picture. Can you find the other one?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMz3jGNMbfQEgMge6Oiu9PgaXRz79Zu48jC5Q0S_lYYVqp2gbWDLIJRx4l7N5lhUy452lu0ztoVAqyoSP092mFOixT7M3SNdIgQvWGwsqXs1eZyS1XQNRfW8aJihpJgFZDTGpVwaKAFWU7/s1600/IMG_8322.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMz3jGNMbfQEgMge6Oiu9PgaXRz79Zu48jC5Q0S_lYYVqp2gbWDLIJRx4l7N5lhUy452lu0ztoVAqyoSP092mFOixT7M3SNdIgQvWGwsqXs1eZyS1XQNRfW8aJihpJgFZDTGpVwaKAFWU7/s400/IMG_8322.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514809420445527778" border="0" /></a>Give up? Okay I was lying there's only one giraffe.<br /><br />I like this handsome Saharan cat. He seems so non-plussed by the parade of humanity before him.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCyzZYf6LNkD60LVgtX2tts3-ZoLIORSFuBSHTPGNFeudchlOgI8C-iu77rsRdHFd27uHsM-u8Vn0PGXEnNr26fOTC3k1hbuf-MjH1xVTK_3cQDB1SyroJBFJOy0fK-6LkX3F_XsjCLXUf/s1600/IMG_8323.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 303px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCyzZYf6LNkD60LVgtX2tts3-ZoLIORSFuBSHTPGNFeudchlOgI8C-iu77rsRdHFd27uHsM-u8Vn0PGXEnNr26fOTC3k1hbuf-MjH1xVTK_3cQDB1SyroJBFJOy0fK-6LkX3F_XsjCLXUf/s400/IMG_8323.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514809410386673794" border="0" /></a><br />The Month of May has been <a href="http://microsuede.blogspot.com/2010/07/behold-grandeur.html">covered</a> <a href="http://microsuede.blogspot.com/2010/05/going-to-places-looking-at-things.html">already</a>, so I'll jump the end, Memorial Day. I discovered this.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLaHlD_D3R5DeT7VEDk60yM37ApSI8ZhpyEOMPQMg_ZaU-HNLRu1oZzrlVNEN3MATnB-pmsS6wedFOnFwfN9RYbx90HFf_Gux8viJGWkUFgiD4QEgVIw7H5jPVrKKlZSnR7PHSWDEMrV8T/s1600/IMG_8328.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLaHlD_D3R5DeT7VEDk60yM37ApSI8ZhpyEOMPQMg_ZaU-HNLRu1oZzrlVNEN3MATnB-pmsS6wedFOnFwfN9RYbx90HFf_Gux8viJGWkUFgiD4QEgVIw7H5jPVrKKlZSnR7PHSWDEMrV8T/s400/IMG_8328.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514809402410084370" border="0" /></a>It's a Monastery hidden near Huntsville. It seems like it should be easy enough to find but then suddenly you get bombarded with conflicting arrows.<br /><br />The monastery is called the Abbey of Our Lady of the Holy Trinity. It's nice. Very peaceful and green up there.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj82lblFd_xpIM8DPtw_3PKYFUnEOdZBcA74QQoFqAUjz7QtrDT7TLnj7JwwjRaGvgvV28DPGE5SVvErOTluFb2MbT-qKx-JkUfOurOWUAG70H8S1Q5Ppbdw3orEetPdsGkrXdAgXOyxaqG/s1600/IMG_8330.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj82lblFd_xpIM8DPtw_3PKYFUnEOdZBcA74QQoFqAUjz7QtrDT7TLnj7JwwjRaGvgvV28DPGE5SVvErOTluFb2MbT-qKx-JkUfOurOWUAG70H8S1Q5Ppbdw3orEetPdsGkrXdAgXOyxaqG/s400/IMG_8330.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514809396051502674" border="0" /></a><br />There's a shortage of monks. No one wants to be a monk anymore. Honestly, I can't say I blame them. I don't want to be a monk. Maybe if monk-life was all hanging out with Robin Hood and acting like a rapscallion that would be one thing, but it seems like it's just singing a dozen times a day and doing minor household repairs. <br /><br />Anyway where is that church...<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6WXCo0TCGH2HDavl1aShvP2VwasrK0_VAFwLG06CyWoUovh_ZnjzZa8yjsmu0ukETnF6koIgGMeycfxek8mPdipTRpu15lV9QnOdVh8-CghzbtXDSN-L40jUlDeNQo1kMgKiXpVkFHmAy/s1600/IMG_8334.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6WXCo0TCGH2HDavl1aShvP2VwasrK0_VAFwLG06CyWoUovh_ZnjzZa8yjsmu0ukETnF6koIgGMeycfxek8mPdipTRpu15lV9QnOdVh8-CghzbtXDSN-L40jUlDeNQo1kMgKiXpVkFHmAy/s400/IMG_8334.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514808436392634450" border="0" /></a>Here's the inside. We watched the monks do their chant. They filtered in one by one, slowly and reverently. There are seats for many a monk but I think I only counted seven of them. That made me sad.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJu_pnvao2EVvLQFozw5q0YoqQObXYkkKdKsbXKKRlkECLPrDNYiAR875_14pKdA6nkQhWSOluNJNBRSDXdm82dPdoWhZLjyaHdlccfB1mJxoMh02ZOMOBHmez4BOkOxdakPxzIKi1TeiL/s1600/IMG_8332.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 250px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJu_pnvao2EVvLQFozw5q0YoqQObXYkkKdKsbXKKRlkECLPrDNYiAR875_14pKdA6nkQhWSOluNJNBRSDXdm82dPdoWhZLjyaHdlccfB1mJxoMh02ZOMOBHmez4BOkOxdakPxzIKi1TeiL/s400/IMG_8332.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514808425061234994" border="0" /></a><br />The gift shop has some cool stuff and this guy runs it. He really likes to chat.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBA_V830OLv4gVY_PCIXpyCE9zDeK_MkHPKd25WXpbCfHKwnorNhTVv1uA8cqoKhkuKDmRmaqGfghMA7f6SSWCn0LIXrwjaXx1dJpBf8ebkEq6p487HIvzy6XLFbcGUBZ4H1OVdnrb-STs/s1600/FrPat.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 271px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBA_V830OLv4gVY_PCIXpyCE9zDeK_MkHPKd25WXpbCfHKwnorNhTVv1uA8cqoKhkuKDmRmaqGfghMA7f6SSWCn0LIXrwjaXx1dJpBf8ebkEq6p487HIvzy6XLFbcGUBZ4H1OVdnrb-STs/s400/FrPat.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514808417981701458" border="0" /></a>They sell a delicious honey there made by the monks. It's how they stay in business. It's some fine honey. Mighty fine. Also if you buy any 25-cent Saint cards he's going to ask you why you chose them. The correct answer is that they chose you. Just a little tip for ya.<br /><br /><br /><br />Oh hey a baby!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv0hdaHoSAnCG3qEd5Kiejb4X0ZLuZ2B58LDJj9n51hhd4xwfhIOKwBDECkFF788KSYgrnwLYyalxYaClmwxyl4P17OljJF9P2wVuUoopewW3fYEo43XklsCRJFpquj6TyrppHgJayA2fg/s1600/IMG_2147.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv0hdaHoSAnCG3qEd5Kiejb4X0ZLuZ2B58LDJj9n51hhd4xwfhIOKwBDECkFF788KSYgrnwLYyalxYaClmwxyl4P17OljJF9P2wVuUoopewW3fYEo43XklsCRJFpquj6TyrppHgJayA2fg/s400/IMG_2147.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514808409465240162" border="0" /></a>My dear friends Lee and Lisa got one for themselves. I like Olive and she seems to like baseball and might like AC/DC (test results inconclusive). However here she is at two days old, seeming a little suspicious of me.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHRw1BbLwn-uRPTY32flAQu1H9cDG_4563RNMlLvVwg0s_cGC6qC98A-tSisHVTbBVqXXa0gEiy03hrgXTLnVDzktJXWvOFGARthWVUGqLTpbpSsCtftmn8Q17nmAmmq0Dpdp8kAQdrwEq/s1600/IMG_2151.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHRw1BbLwn-uRPTY32flAQu1H9cDG_4563RNMlLvVwg0s_cGC6qC98A-tSisHVTbBVqXXa0gEiy03hrgXTLnVDzktJXWvOFGARthWVUGqLTpbpSsCtftmn8Q17nmAmmq0Dpdp8kAQdrwEq/s400/IMG_2151.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514808405444809954" border="0" /></a><br />Her suspicion continues to this day, but I'll win her over. Babies just don't know the facts yet.B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04095187188894807317noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3192285463697798771.post-4754093612380841762010-09-02T20:36:00.006-06:002010-09-02T21:02:09.423-06:00Beehived: Part 1The Summer is over. Or will be, soon. I don't know what the calendar says, but I've always felt that Summer runs from the first baseball game to the last. Okay maybe I haven't always felt that. But I'm declaring it now, this idea I had eighteen seconds ago when I started writing this post.<br /><br />This has been one of the best summers I've ever had. Maybe the very best. Which is good, because it could have been awful. I've had some moments of darkness (suffocating darkness) but those moments were smited (not a word) by plenty of nice life affirming experiences, and I didn't even need to eat my way through Italy or pray all over India or love the crap out of Bali. Except for a Northwesterly interlude I just bumped around Utah. I took a lot of pictures and I'm going to go through them all and write about the happenings that happened, bookended by a couple of old ballgames.<br /><br />This was mid-April. Summer's Eve. (I don't get it).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGQglEbyameYNCfSep1sFMSHrG7Qw3VM2z5PVQjU59MKF2G2OjhMXbe5bWyiDrtTVvS0Zv1cFZ2qRXXzG-tNTfW6wbK4Qs5YKjjAxrIas2xvRVVp-J1jI0M1SC9WPzlmtf6o3jFygPXIlL/s1600/IMG_7826.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGQglEbyameYNCfSep1sFMSHrG7Qw3VM2z5PVQjU59MKF2G2OjhMXbe5bWyiDrtTVvS0Zv1cFZ2qRXXzG-tNTfW6wbK4Qs5YKjjAxrIas2xvRVVp-J1jI0M1SC9WPzlmtf6o3jFygPXIlL/s400/IMG_7826.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512512703158398050" border="0" /></a><br />This was yesterday, my last game of the season.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdesMVzt0g42m3kZlY_tigvSaE99J_jbpzk_UzRbaPNTfmpoYgCsKQq82BjWuF9FqxJlsRcH0_zpYt-BBxUVhke4DGgBfQSfBnoo8FT6l8-cAY3E_bH3ENuJJLrP7lahjjpjUfCCn42rwD/s1600/IMG_9183.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdesMVzt0g42m3kZlY_tigvSaE99J_jbpzk_UzRbaPNTfmpoYgCsKQq82BjWuF9FqxJlsRcH0_zpYt-BBxUVhke4DGgBfQSfBnoo8FT6l8-cAY3E_bH3ENuJJLrP7lahjjpjUfCCn42rwD/s400/IMG_9183.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512512698571070802" border="0" /></a><br />Now let's get to everything in between.<br /><br />The day after the home opener was the <a href="http://microsuede.blogspot.com/2010/07/have-you-seen-my-wife-mr-jones.html">Scofield Adventure</a>.<br /><br />I've already written about that but here's an American Flag from that day.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheZ2tyN35HyEu92ax5KCMSMaY6mx5DMfzB-fxzYZgRWtOkmeUb_Dv9oRQA3w1L0NRUsFxZ6RIU4V7BTn0B-8eyfRRXbAEeIKTIwaZ7c3ZHufB_AbjNzboz3klhVJpHWD-STk0F2UJOEhB6/s1600/IMG_7955.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheZ2tyN35HyEu92ax5KCMSMaY6mx5DMfzB-fxzYZgRWtOkmeUb_Dv9oRQA3w1L0NRUsFxZ6RIU4V7BTn0B-8eyfRRXbAEeIKTIwaZ7c3ZHufB_AbjNzboz3klhVJpHWD-STk0F2UJOEhB6/s400/IMG_7955.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512512557843676306" border="0" /></a>FACT: if I see an American Flag flapping against the sky, I will stop to take a picture of it. I have dozens of pictures exactly like this. When I'm taking these picture I don't think I realize that they're redundant. I think "Well there's a striking image. I should preserve it for the historical record."<br /><br />I searched this blog for the word "Taggarts" and came up empty. I'm amazed that I haven't mentioned Taggarts before. It's a restaurant called Taggarts in a town called Taggarts where the only thing in the town is the restaurant the town is named for. It's sits in the shade in a little bowl in the mountains, across the highway from the Ogden River.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-9FxyFq44Xc2eh8h8G1PHC0thWyzaC4mtr3CkSoCBUGAi58ghkkGWyVF0D3vz2m1Pv5QeSxziWpMXsvS2kr76Cvo-uthvpJ29V7NUtGz6c9HVSAgMgnBYlGBYYZ450KBr4maaUCfL5Fqy/s1600/IMG_7981.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-9FxyFq44Xc2eh8h8G1PHC0thWyzaC4mtr3CkSoCBUGAi58ghkkGWyVF0D3vz2m1Pv5QeSxziWpMXsvS2kr76Cvo-uthvpJ29V7NUtGz6c9HVSAgMgnBYlGBYYZ450KBr4maaUCfL5Fqy/s400/IMG_7981.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512512552522335826" border="0" /></a>You bet I threw rocks into that river. I threw rocks across that river. I threw rocks into the air and watched them descend as if pulled by gravity into that river.<br /><br /><br />We'll come back to Taggarts later.<br /><br />Plans to open May with a camping trip were thwarted by unruly weather systems so a trip to Tooele was opted for instead, by way of Magna.<br /><br />Magna is Magna. This fact cannot be called into question. But it has a cool old Main Street. I love an old Main Street.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq22lS5vAP234CYm_sOiPNAG8AhSiTVRyUxsOj3I_g8sM_Mx0qB3DOEXin2vrmu8LeDcBbDzshjEtjaLgAT2aW_jkCJsPn90pZq3Mc61GOV0YKTBYlSNLBQ3KQ6nejlS-pWpVcDu-7cJdF/s1600/IMG_7998.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 209px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq22lS5vAP234CYm_sOiPNAG8AhSiTVRyUxsOj3I_g8sM_Mx0qB3DOEXin2vrmu8LeDcBbDzshjEtjaLgAT2aW_jkCJsPn90pZq3Mc61GOV0YKTBYlSNLBQ3KQ6nejlS-pWpVcDu-7cJdF/s400/IMG_7998.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512512544535870050" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHZ9KxR0ZuzSqwLc4P3oswzcQXj5A3ES3IFQLaNNrvXSWe1oV-eIxR3MI59OyhLDF5w1mwxlouIt4n6vIF1HHSWiMCOkOtCZOsTKAhBWzkSPOljQEjI8uh6g7s8KFyJHUZrPwGMsmDuCnn/s1600/IMG_8000.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 236px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHZ9KxR0ZuzSqwLc4P3oswzcQXj5A3ES3IFQLaNNrvXSWe1oV-eIxR3MI59OyhLDF5w1mwxlouIt4n6vIF1HHSWiMCOkOtCZOsTKAhBWzkSPOljQEjI8uh6g7s8KFyJHUZrPwGMsmDuCnn/s400/IMG_8000.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512512537447769794" border="0" /></a>Tooele is one of three places I claim as my ancestral homelands (trivia contest: name the other two!) Tooele County is a wasteland. Vast emptiness, salt, skulls, nuclear waste, toxic dirt. It's one of my favorite places to go. I like to drive out there and get hopelessly lost in the sagebrush canyons, driving down the long straight stretches of road unsure of where they lead. I always come back from Tooele wanderings freshly inspired.<br /><br />Tooele City has grown up a lot since I was a kid. Not in a good way. It's a magnet for McMansions and McBig Box stores. But the old part is still there. Like this place where we stopped for breakfast, the seafoamiest place I've ever been in.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFSiV8DOgPq4D0Y0cR22zEIVw8UMv1-JZ_q1q3HbaJDqRM9h-ZlktFDp24IVVA4ewED5ETdS0HRj02UYUAsuKae-S5P956JYZiGKEgCHa5R1xmGphrbShUMU2Pp-u0f9PVn5yOwIZJID7-/s1600/IMG_8003.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFSiV8DOgPq4D0Y0cR22zEIVw8UMv1-JZ_q1q3HbaJDqRM9h-ZlktFDp24IVVA4ewED5ETdS0HRj02UYUAsuKae-S5P956JYZiGKEgCHa5R1xmGphrbShUMU2Pp-u0f9PVn5yOwIZJID7-/s400/IMG_8003.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512512531469381810" border="0" /></a>I worked for The Ritz-Carlton for six years. It was exactly like this.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQvmuzJg68zHSkEiIG-6wjoHWNXhKPoS4xOWj77hAMRngBcs_YMk4m3pUrWJFx2BOt8tXZHLUqY28b51O6j4lpiy__UF030QKSNu2L6EZtAteIs1koecZy36V_AGhcsSbZF1OtqaEMSSmB/s1600/IMG_8005.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQvmuzJg68zHSkEiIG-6wjoHWNXhKPoS4xOWj77hAMRngBcs_YMk4m3pUrWJFx2BOt8tXZHLUqY28b51O6j4lpiy__UF030QKSNu2L6EZtAteIs1koecZy36V_AGhcsSbZF1OtqaEMSSmB/s400/IMG_8005.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512512058008903426" border="0" /></a><br />I bet so many miners have been stabbed in this hotel.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio_ON9MMHXIZOp3mtkZDHm4g316piVcZf1NYKDKCvw7_ygKvKka1VTGD2o_I1hoMi3uJjXJrzCu6cWzoUvbwCz-s-ksCD-rRKJ8SM-rj5z1TfRLt-_yCc7FJWD6qV1emWn741OgtLujN1-/s1600/IMG_8004.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 218px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio_ON9MMHXIZOp3mtkZDHm4g316piVcZf1NYKDKCvw7_ygKvKka1VTGD2o_I1hoMi3uJjXJrzCu6cWzoUvbwCz-s-ksCD-rRKJ8SM-rj5z1TfRLt-_yCc7FJWD6qV1emWn741OgtLujN1-/s400/IMG_8004.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512512047468720594" border="0" /></a><br />Wandered into one of the few open businesses, a store that sells weird random crap. Like these super-gay things aimed at children.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaxlYEhxTFt4GdzqcaE1lEydrqsuE7246WUZO3f7oA35CdFFHHKCptOV1DJDIhAXQXucbGsnDtfe8hqOLOt7qGno6PiwRH5_dU9K44UyWuwE6FdAG0wKL7fwg8g7fRVFKpGQclxdmKcQ35/s1600/IMG_1914.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaxlYEhxTFt4GdzqcaE1lEydrqsuE7246WUZO3f7oA35CdFFHHKCptOV1DJDIhAXQXucbGsnDtfe8hqOLOt7qGno6PiwRH5_dU9K44UyWuwE6FdAG0wKL7fwg8g7fRVFKpGQclxdmKcQ35/s400/IMG_1914.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512512034562728594" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkfevMbl-LIuIT1gOheAMvHYeVg_ihB5vFJLZgbZJuL5mAN-YxuTa_gyBfmuGiIwM0Def-ulWT9hhFSeKP6_FUpZxOKTKNgJjLqP5qqjmVQzSw9PyEJ2ubHCeO01Os_U3YkeEGz6Lv_qkY/s1600/IMG_1916.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkfevMbl-LIuIT1gOheAMvHYeVg_ihB5vFJLZgbZJuL5mAN-YxuTa_gyBfmuGiIwM0Def-ulWT9hhFSeKP6_FUpZxOKTKNgJjLqP5qqjmVQzSw9PyEJ2ubHCeO01Os_U3YkeEGz6Lv_qkY/s400/IMG_1916.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512512032641891106" border="0" /></a>So of course I bought that postcard of Namor. I also bought a Tiny John Adams and a Tiny John F. Kennedy. I didn't even know they made Tiny Presidents but now I want to collect them all.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjOtP7dWiOaDML1TppGyHZ_ThqX8jpcI1fAK4T6TMFtSnLB-sJnlP40oUd_4GeoFv2V2ShnwpfH3GC8h3wE7LMbbv8wnUuOkAjjJYQ7ax2h94ybU9HwjzAEAW9aairLEVqZ5xj_l8he5ZU/s1600/IMG_1936.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjOtP7dWiOaDML1TppGyHZ_ThqX8jpcI1fAK4T6TMFtSnLB-sJnlP40oUd_4GeoFv2V2ShnwpfH3GC8h3wE7LMbbv8wnUuOkAjjJYQ7ax2h94ybU9HwjzAEAW9aairLEVqZ5xj_l8he5ZU/s400/IMG_1936.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512512018918818706" border="0" /></a>Eventually I hung Namor up in the Podcast Room. Oh, did you know I do a <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/wednesday-warriors-the-comic/id319454709?uo=4%22%20target=%22itunes_store%22%3EWednesday%20Warriors%20-%20The%20Comic%20Book%20Podcast%3C/a%3E">weekly comic book podcast</a>? Well I do. It's way nerdy. Deal with it.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNjFnZYw8LsVyi3JJdPDmPU-_Mtp_sCjRH7dop8DKoi_PhACuu0sIsP3AVF8QNTUCx_8NGpjCkuon4h2JC__87SYpe3r-PxSdle4hI8M3j279Ll1jiFV4rqAAUy-u-vVgvO8fZAZfOmEP5/s1600/IMG_8031.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNjFnZYw8LsVyi3JJdPDmPU-_Mtp_sCjRH7dop8DKoi_PhACuu0sIsP3AVF8QNTUCx_8NGpjCkuon4h2JC__87SYpe3r-PxSdle4hI8M3j279Ll1jiFV4rqAAUy-u-vVgvO8fZAZfOmEP5/s400/IMG_8031.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512511681710513170" border="0" /></a><br />Here's one of those canyons I like to get lost in. I believe this is actually the Old Lincoln Highway.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQP40cd3iRWhOYxLjC8kFDdtqqJevlB11j_mf6RCgMAcAUdahQ9S_cvR6GE-zbQeq-HbqtQIhTXuFgOmiT0sYVVV_5ZFRX33cQ6pkAZ2vsRb74j59W1wzk-jgDH7YwcO4D4v8HqMwUilsf/s1600/IMG_8011.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQP40cd3iRWhOYxLjC8kFDdtqqJevlB11j_mf6RCgMAcAUdahQ9S_cvR6GE-zbQeq-HbqtQIhTXuFgOmiT0sYVVV_5ZFRX33cQ6pkAZ2vsRb74j59W1wzk-jgDH7YwcO4D4v8HqMwUilsf/s400/IMG_8011.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512511675247809250" border="0" /></a>The road fed us into Skull Valley, through something called Terra and past the Dugway Proving Grounds (top secret UFO research facility).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgcRj9jkM_eskuLEHtDkwxjeP0xitWEfTU4xxLBmUHmQmBcSVHbGcXZMO94UWu-mj69JGiWZtTitxCPO7I6DLjzSp5885C5mGMHbeKMzbjehqWTj8WeBfjf3dd9YQxRJJX7e9cbYMT-odH/s1600/IMG_8013.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgcRj9jkM_eskuLEHtDkwxjeP0xitWEfTU4xxLBmUHmQmBcSVHbGcXZMO94UWu-mj69JGiWZtTitxCPO7I6DLjzSp5885C5mGMHbeKMzbjehqWTj8WeBfjf3dd9YQxRJJX7e9cbYMT-odH/s400/IMG_8013.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512511668700605090" border="0" /></a><br />Long road, past this murder house...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx14jAv_DtM4goZBFR_0kSlB1SCak7S-wfF_6xOEmYHNj3G6McXVR_R-JYJyOVpT4AR2C2ifl7yj0nBz2tvwGCEWRwoqRSVZsqTl2Z5BzJo_sRy6R0Gh04P_Wm2-nltgliOUa5fYvn2vPY/s1600/IMG_8014.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx14jAv_DtM4goZBFR_0kSlB1SCak7S-wfF_6xOEmYHNj3G6McXVR_R-JYJyOVpT4AR2C2ifl7yj0nBz2tvwGCEWRwoqRSVZsqTl2Z5BzJo_sRy6R0Gh04P_Wm2-nltgliOUa5fYvn2vPY/s400/IMG_8014.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512511662986961154" border="0" /></a><br />...took us to Iosepa (right).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv076xqB78pZERIc-bOiRvnfuZridN7jJ-0UlcrkHipYbLWk_Y73vwN0Fjs7Lb3iQtTWzd9MPXNhWV4TB9D2R-9iI1kjHFZjnzEILGKpyWZT7LyIA5MU6Fqs7uHoOh5ru3oGs7fxiLEY7H/s1600/IMG_8015.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv076xqB78pZERIc-bOiRvnfuZridN7jJ-0UlcrkHipYbLWk_Y73vwN0Fjs7Lb3iQtTWzd9MPXNhWV4TB9D2R-9iI1kjHFZjnzEILGKpyWZT7LyIA5MU6Fqs7uHoOh5ru3oGs7fxiLEY7H/s400/IMG_8015.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512511654913027922" border="0" /></a><br />Iosepa is a foreign word meaning "I bet these Hawaiians would like living in a treeless desert with terrible summers and worse winters."<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLFZuYFo-vvSZzYHnVn7XxJQNhxgzX1UXEXCuzACJON-oYRvwO2khrYZHAiK8zyc4Ip0ndf8OygdUAgeINvMc43f1SzhfzxNQzdZv4d8FWBGrMXaRF7eRhhNb_7AjQMg4QCcJcUFzAtwyZ/s1600/IMG_8016.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLFZuYFo-vvSZzYHnVn7XxJQNhxgzX1UXEXCuzACJON-oYRvwO2khrYZHAiK8zyc4Ip0ndf8OygdUAgeINvMc43f1SzhfzxNQzdZv4d8FWBGrMXaRF7eRhhNb_7AjQMg4QCcJcUFzAtwyZ/s400/IMG_8016.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512511195231166754" border="0" /></a>The settlement lasted from 1889-1917. Not much left of it now, but the scent of Poi still hangs in the air.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiswhWJlwGrHisABbwYqqRaUzsRYzO3zSCdp3OXcYi2xCP7FAVtzwUZ9wnWy8AgWeXhxsed-VS8pmR_Yg6EzfUiwJFq-xQubfUPVSXQNk4O9Ktv27X62gunJWGqipJT9nufxEuK1MyBeyeL/s1600/IMG_8018.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiswhWJlwGrHisABbwYqqRaUzsRYzO3zSCdp3OXcYi2xCP7FAVtzwUZ9wnWy8AgWeXhxsed-VS8pmR_Yg6EzfUiwJFq-xQubfUPVSXQNk4O9Ktv27X62gunJWGqipJT9nufxEuK1MyBeyeL/s400/IMG_8018.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512511184358927362" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkfAAc7Wvv4NABW7iXxGr5hVLsoqiwKCojSYj4mXfjzo0wc5PxU8RL3XhGVLTvoX8BP_N5e0fauSuAlJC_k8mvNbwB-PBw8QT9iLbA5FJ-_Cwiv9FgEDI6AagWqzP-m34FHRH4eRPS28lw/s1600/IMG_8022.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkfAAc7Wvv4NABW7iXxGr5hVLsoqiwKCojSYj4mXfjzo0wc5PxU8RL3XhGVLTvoX8BP_N5e0fauSuAlJC_k8mvNbwB-PBw8QT9iLbA5FJ-_Cwiv9FgEDI6AagWqzP-m34FHRH4eRPS28lw/s400/IMG_8022.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512511183422516098" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqkxefSKWquP36jg_I3wjelN8U1WMvTOsxSPmtUMyGYCg-nI2WJ5k0Nrf-QSJiFAxh0nioqZyHkWu1NTbPnXjuhzgoC_y0OygpHMehfVgKIQYK_2cyq4_TI4fywsxGvA6awcenc10rjIko/s1600/IMG_8017.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqkxefSKWquP36jg_I3wjelN8U1WMvTOsxSPmtUMyGYCg-nI2WJ5k0Nrf-QSJiFAxh0nioqZyHkWu1NTbPnXjuhzgoC_y0OygpHMehfVgKIQYK_2cyq4_TI4fywsxGvA6awcenc10rjIko/s400/IMG_8017.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512511178643395810" border="0" /></a>On the way back home, spotted this sign under an overpass.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrSGYqAi7kNohVtv_Qo00eNJLZz2uwdLp_ZJMXBjWVu_e2qonmjmVaY3NTucv4fmD2xZdBn3o0YgSzqQ9FBi1HhKRmrghMw3DZawLr33dA8g6uiaLf1E2PAIGfLcgQF26tET9w-QSMn4Ye/s1600/IMG_8023.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrSGYqAi7kNohVtv_Qo00eNJLZz2uwdLp_ZJMXBjWVu_e2qonmjmVaY3NTucv4fmD2xZdBn3o0YgSzqQ9FBi1HhKRmrghMw3DZawLr33dA8g6uiaLf1E2PAIGfLcgQF26tET9w-QSMn4Ye/s400/IMG_8023.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512511167584089378" border="0" /></a><br />This interests me because of this AWARD WINNING FILM I made a few years ago.<br /><br /><iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/2763989" frameborder="0" height="300" width="400"></iframe><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/2763989">Untitled</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user1132488">Bryton Sampson</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</p><br />You don't actually have to watch it, just know that it exists.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />(end part 1)B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04095187188894807317noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3192285463697798771.post-73082978193305793772010-08-31T23:50:00.004-06:002010-08-31T23:56:44.390-06:00skakapelliThe fusion of traditional Native American music and Ska is long overdue. Who wants to join my new band? I need a drummer, a flautist, and someone who can make really awesome sand paintings. We'll play gigs around Moab. We'll get a track on Pure Moods vol. 5. It's gonna be huge!<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3oqrrbKvP6Iyt1mGrRWffq3Q9oBtR2WpizNSTl3Hq9iKGjtQNI7KTPvAp5dtxZmSIk4Sd6A0twZbrJwmuDfY8vtwSDl0I4p8mSNynR6FoLepILfv2vEYu7ETfvLeFjwrE462UbqTP5oKJ/s1600/skakapelli.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 373px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3oqrrbKvP6Iyt1mGrRWffq3Q9oBtR2WpizNSTl3Hq9iKGjtQNI7KTPvAp5dtxZmSIk4Sd6A0twZbrJwmuDfY8vtwSDl0I4p8mSNynR6FoLepILfv2vEYu7ETfvLeFjwrE462UbqTP5oKJ/s400/skakapelli.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511819405342397938" border="0" /></a><br />Suggestions for names? I'm thinking Skavajo Nation but I don't think Kokopelli has anything to with the Navajo.B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04095187188894807317noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3192285463697798771.post-22537124263174574642010-08-25T14:42:00.002-06:002010-08-25T14:53:35.134-06:00earnestness, sincerity, dancing hippie indiansI was gonna go to bed and I was like "waitaminute isn't there a Pink Floyd song called Learning to Fly and didn't I used to like that song and doesn't the video have a flying Indian?"<br /><br />The answer to all that is yes. I looked up the video on YouTube and the video is a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rk_sAHh9s08&feature=av2e">Pure Moods style time capsule of early '90s hippiedom</a>. It's ridiculous in a wearing-a-dr.seuss-hat-around-campus-while-looking-for-your-lost-hackey-sack way. Also the song sucks.<br /><br /><br /><object height="385" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/xb-Nacm-pKc&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/xb-Nacm-pKc&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="385" width="640"></embed></object><br /><br />Or does it? It's a good song but Pink Floyd ruined it. Which is weird because it's their song. What I'm saying is, someone wrote a good song and then Pink Floyd, or should I say "Pink Floyd" since it's actually some corporation made up of three guys that were in Pink Floyd, three backup singers, a percussionist playing soul-less synthetic drum pads, a dumb looking bass player with a dumb looking bass, four extra guitarists, and months of production. "Learning to Fly" at it's heart is a good song, but it was ruined by layers and layers of ultra slick production, stripped of any feeling or emotion it may have had.<br /><br />So I set out to find a good cover version of it.<br /><br />If you've ever looked for a song on YouTube you've no doubt run across countless cover version of that song, performed in someone's bedroom with their crummy-sounding electric guitar, the reverb turned up too high, a distant look in their eyes as they concentrate so hard, trying not to screw it up. The framing on the camera is always bad, and when they're done you see them stand up to turn the camera off. Those videos are the exact opposite of these videos.<br /><br /><br /><object height="385" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/9Vz-QDh1lnQ&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/9Vz-QDh1lnQ&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="385" width="640"></embed></object><br /><br />Mrs. Pretty Barbie is saying to the world "look at me aren't I so hot aren't I so great you're so lucky to even see me" while the amateur musician videos are saying to the world "I have worked so hard on this I have spent so much time alone practicing will you please just acknowledge me and let me know I'm not alone."<br /><br />Er, that's my interpretation of them anyway. I have a weird fascination with these amateur cover videos. They're so earnest. I admire earnestness and sincerity.<br /><br />I finally found that cover of "Learning to Fly" that I was looking for, performed by my new favorite musician, Robert Che Hoyer.<br /><br /><object height="385" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/l7_muGUa2mE&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/l7_muGUa2mE&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="385" width="640"></embed></object><br /><br />Why do I like this guy so much? Well,<br /><br />a) he's weird looking<br />b) I love his voice! It's so unique. His voice is the audio manifestation of the burning sensation in your esophagus after downing a shot of cheap whiskey. Best as I can tell he's a Frenchman trying to sound Irish<br />c) he's almost painfully earnest and sincere<br />d) how old is he do you think?<br />e) how often does he water that cactus?<br /><br />He has some 180 songs on his YouTube channel, and I really think he's got something good going. He's putting a whole new angle on these songs that you've heard a million times, and revealing a side to the songs you may never have considered. Take these two for example. These are two of my favorite Beatles songs. There's no denying that these are happy little tunes, but what makes the Beatles versions so special to me is that even though they're happy and bouncy tunes there's a sense of wistfulness and melancholy hiding inside of the melodies. They manage to be optimistic and mournful at the same time. Robert Che Hoyer is able to really bring that out within the songs.<br /><br /><object height="385" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/n6QvERFBQek&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/n6QvERFBQek&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="385" width="640"></embed></object><br /><br /><object height="385" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/NFLzwN9GtEs&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/NFLzwN9GtEs&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="385" width="640"></embed></object><br /><br />His wild strumming, his strained, unusual voice, and the fact that he sometimes makes mistakes give these songs an immediacy and an expressiveness that you'll never find in the original studio versions.<br /><br /><object height="385" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/LAT6eL_6GhM&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/LAT6eL_6GhM&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="385" width="640"></embed></object><br /><br />His description of this one:<br /><br />"The Biggest Speedball I see cames here and say Hey I make the tube and then was THE PASSENGER"<br /><br /><object height="385" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/PVR2wHSdmBU&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/PVR2wHSdmBU&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="385" width="640"></embed></object><br /><br />You said it, man.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=hoyer71#grid/uploads">Robert Che Hoyer</a>B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04095187188894807317noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3192285463697798771.post-38891544434985298732010-08-22T23:37:00.003-06:002010-08-22T23:41:50.171-06:00okay<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjalMwUwSPgW4ZwSYHsWoxnsGXb3PUiUNGugbvAW8BxfzpXZlebCM7SkV4i4AecXC-gj9lpB38OkLa5FMkBzBgZ5t_czhV4Ctifnkn5PQt8p7H7YAd9vXmgBU2v12EGR6YMjU2qzYnfvyiX/s1600/deadend.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjalMwUwSPgW4ZwSYHsWoxnsGXb3PUiUNGugbvAW8BxfzpXZlebCM7SkV4i4AecXC-gj9lpB38OkLa5FMkBzBgZ5t_czhV4Ctifnkn5PQt8p7H7YAd9vXmgBU2v12EGR6YMjU2qzYnfvyiX/s400/deadend.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508475413225046098" border="0" /></a>B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04095187188894807317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3192285463697798771.post-9124724533356043352010-08-18T21:59:00.004-06:002010-08-18T23:28:15.081-06:00what turns up in the dark?Whaaa what is this it's too bright!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqvPLlnmSH9Q8dU2ho9AWIC-2QxF2k3juUj1kQFnlnBy8JWO1ObQ_nre8ZgGv1jEBFZROOkA4ELFHboq_7xIAqDxCPW7O-RSnPFcUG8C5oO0p0jzfZeghaP-DdP_IZ9sGfTpOOlVpy8oAs/s1600/IMG_8854.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqvPLlnmSH9Q8dU2ho9AWIC-2QxF2k3juUj1kQFnlnBy8JWO1ObQ_nre8ZgGv1jEBFZROOkA4ELFHboq_7xIAqDxCPW7O-RSnPFcUG8C5oO0p0jzfZeghaP-DdP_IZ9sGfTpOOlVpy8oAs/s400/IMG_8854.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506968293949475746" border="0" /></a><br />There we go. Why that looks like Modest Mouse.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8e0OQg_ASViFmcgBnidSJ8wkGugRhydliCdtZkD-DMGT4gXetihkNia7kq79uteJDgoIvjbPBSllR_sNN9B3m7nxfnPiUJq6RbkRPuo5yRg0BoE5soMpXZufwOyOGYw4kj3OlNPLrvFoW/s1600/IMG_8858.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8e0OQg_ASViFmcgBnidSJ8wkGugRhydliCdtZkD-DMGT4gXetihkNia7kq79uteJDgoIvjbPBSllR_sNN9B3m7nxfnPiUJq6RbkRPuo5yRg0BoE5soMpXZufwOyOGYw4kj3OlNPLrvFoW/s400/IMG_8858.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506968288077910738" border="0" /></a>So, every summer Salt Lake City hosts the Twilight Concert Series. Apparently it's been going on for 23 years but I only became aware of it in the last three years or so. Probably around the same time the Twilight books became popular. They bring in these big-time (well, big-time for hipsters) bands to play free shows. Up until this year I'd never been so I'm telling tales out of school here but I had heard bad things. Because it's free, the shows just become a thing-to-do. Which is cool, but it means if you actually like the band playing you'll have to deal with a million people that just want to drink beer outside and show off their beards. You'll also have to deal with punk-ass tree climbers.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpqKhQOtq2y9jXd54TMJYkGthx_90yuKxyKvC6B7KsHGmRPFte6Ehasg_7pGdU2IWzXqmCsTaaiec8Qz9JmCugTgXrNQo9NC0I-CzMfvHcA-M6ZdwvcGAA8czLXy5wxKwaiIlAlmFS_eqg/s1600/IMG_8846.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpqKhQOtq2y9jXd54TMJYkGthx_90yuKxyKvC6B7KsHGmRPFte6Ehasg_7pGdU2IWzXqmCsTaaiec8Qz9JmCugTgXrNQo9NC0I-CzMfvHcA-M6ZdwvcGAA8czLXy5wxKwaiIlAlmFS_eqg/s400/IMG_8846.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506968283932271074" border="0" /></a><br />This year the lineup is the most exciting one yet. Two of my favorite bands, <a href="http://microsuede.blogspot.com/2007/09/its-holiday-for-hanging.html">Modest Mouse</a> and the <a href="http://microsuede.blogspot.com/2007/09/letter-from-occupant.html">New Pornographers </a>were coming, which meant I finally had to go to some Twilight Concerts.<br /><br /><br />The venue this year is Pioneer Park. Sounds nice right? I guess it is a nice park on its own but it's full of bums and drug deals and broken bottle fights. My whole life there have been efforts to clean it up that have failed.<br /><br />Modest Mouse! Wow what a bad experience this was. 40,000 people showed up! That's too many people for anything. The park was fenced off so there were only two entrances. I was in that line for ninety minutes. Then once I got inside the park the setup was such that all the masses of people were funneled into a funnel not big enough to hold them and I spent half an hour being all squished! I was ready to bag it when Natali heroically found me and took me to a safe place.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXFhcmZyfYVdd9whrFM-tDOcD7meSSdfWvHLc5giK3mqpMk-hgbjbfWbYZLUp220v_3AQHYObJoV5V7oKO2Q0KtIeeU5ZlGPXvTUium006WVb_E55rY12vkPmRAZcH-mjewinaPeYPjVHR/s1600/IMG_8856.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXFhcmZyfYVdd9whrFM-tDOcD7meSSdfWvHLc5giK3mqpMk-hgbjbfWbYZLUp220v_3AQHYObJoV5V7oKO2Q0KtIeeU5ZlGPXvTUium006WVb_E55rY12vkPmRAZcH-mjewinaPeYPjVHR/s400/IMG_8856.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506968279280831922" border="0" /></a>I guess the show was cool. I really liked Modest Mouse last time I saw them but you know, it was just them playing their songs. I guess that's what live music is. Maybe I was just in a bad mood, but I felt like something was missing. Then I went to Hires Big H and it was also too crowded.<br /><br /><br />So I was way nervous about seeing my favorite band, the New Pornographers. I don't want them to be ruined for me! I got to the park way early but sauntered right in, and found maybe two dozen people milling about the stage. Perfect!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-onukrJSuRLsF82MYhNb9jYHCyDA6G4-Ox1Hb_GYCijF21yyp_Ai7-3UShcTYdahs78wb7xyrZ7vrpugcOWeFHuhIVYts6NrXQcR3N-ctOnfB7Ewh4QuEumDRw2ppurIrUOuIwGXGeO_K/s1600/IMG_8940.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 210px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-onukrJSuRLsF82MYhNb9jYHCyDA6G4-Ox1Hb_GYCijF21yyp_Ai7-3UShcTYdahs78wb7xyrZ7vrpugcOWeFHuhIVYts6NrXQcR3N-ctOnfB7Ewh4QuEumDRw2ppurIrUOuIwGXGeO_K/s400/IMG_8940.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506968278753713746" border="0" /></a>The band had the full line-up and blasted through twenty-three songs in just under two hours. I was worried it would be an abbreviated show because of the 10pm curfew.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiun38GDGgBsLNxQkhfJCWNRWmNVDVl3eOv0wpaue4j8QSfWwe11uicr5TayN_NqXZi_YbNvEHMld9zDmL8ENBzelzmufHbdQPEr9wPNEPrR8sz8-_JSOVUH5lQvfWrYDSZHfq8ftz9mAlz/s1600/IMG_8943.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 232px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiun38GDGgBsLNxQkhfJCWNRWmNVDVl3eOv0wpaue4j8QSfWwe11uicr5TayN_NqXZi_YbNvEHMld9zDmL8ENBzelzmufHbdQPEr9wPNEPrR8sz8-_JSOVUH5lQvfWrYDSZHfq8ftz9mAlz/s400/IMG_8943.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506966937986682162" border="0" /></a>Usual the band has a lot of stage banter but this time they stuck with the songs.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh96DxCf7JciMkGTA92tFdY_GW3bNtNi1xdMPrfK9XspiXIi_8ckjhaVaerJ9vVw79mbqHnSbxWotRYqNqI6F-F96J0_tFDzTgjQd8jVbRQstvUl5kQZHXJln-e3KOUEGCofOsjPvfqo8r/s1600/IMG_8950.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 235px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh96DxCf7JciMkGTA92tFdY_GW3bNtNi1xdMPrfK9XspiXIi_8ckjhaVaerJ9vVw79mbqHnSbxWotRYqNqI6F-F96J0_tFDzTgjQd8jVbRQstvUl5kQZHXJln-e3KOUEGCofOsjPvfqo8r/s400/IMG_8950.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506966926793066866" border="0" /></a><br />A miserably hot day turned into a lovely night.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWWy1IEEPpVo9XLOPBlMVLtS-n5mow-G0njDD-DAhQyodMLRyxl127wGiPX7Dc_JGjlcY85sQVf0892ZYWXwjZlHa0kLE4Vxa7leAZdOOWoDv_PSdhgWtjgdPFsQPU9uxdETigVDVtBj8H/s1600/IMG_8975.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWWy1IEEPpVo9XLOPBlMVLtS-n5mow-G0njDD-DAhQyodMLRyxl127wGiPX7Dc_JGjlcY85sQVf0892ZYWXwjZlHa0kLE4Vxa7leAZdOOWoDv_PSdhgWtjgdPFsQPU9uxdETigVDVtBj8H/s400/IMG_8975.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506966917853181394" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWiydqRakFmB0CybsY9tRUJz9g2M0EFC8RZ88DBCb83td1l2w-IQjbLVsql8jFYNdr1UmB-JWv9Ih6WHaVoyc5f50xThdfJsdbWAg1JRBdbv7hqZ6IJ_J4U277JUC_zL1Ffnhat1WjZusE/s1600/IMG_8989.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWiydqRakFmB0CybsY9tRUJz9g2M0EFC8RZ88DBCb83td1l2w-IQjbLVsql8jFYNdr1UmB-JWv9Ih6WHaVoyc5f50xThdfJsdbWAg1JRBdbv7hqZ6IJ_J4U277JUC_zL1Ffnhat1WjZusE/s400/IMG_8989.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506966914921182786" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsQn8IkAnl7K6_UDI-82BM-ps5gSlsW7lcppdhIQuUS7Bve19mqHvxeBwJOTdFT9UaM_XUOyrdbPx8dQr9dR7zW66-qAiqQ8AKPMMFP1TvYxa7_dAZwveOHpcaCCFrf54JWel-M-vl4oCx/s1600/IMG_9005.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 278px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsQn8IkAnl7K6_UDI-82BM-ps5gSlsW7lcppdhIQuUS7Bve19mqHvxeBwJOTdFT9UaM_XUOyrdbPx8dQr9dR7zW66-qAiqQ8AKPMMFP1TvYxa7_dAZwveOHpcaCCFrf54JWel-M-vl4oCx/s400/IMG_9005.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506966905743961106" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2TE2lLauAKfDf7hVMmnUMjiTAccxmpsj2XkZTXAXKcN96yWgGy_n-piRPvwEoIYSI7S0LTh2jGeYODXGuO_Y0U7aNTVJkFXiNCrnSdriwiDLOBB8MDabBVZkCndQwIgJ8QpE31oI1-UPH/s1600/IMG_9013.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 217px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2TE2lLauAKfDf7hVMmnUMjiTAccxmpsj2XkZTXAXKcN96yWgGy_n-piRPvwEoIYSI7S0LTh2jGeYODXGuO_Y0U7aNTVJkFXiNCrnSdriwiDLOBB8MDabBVZkCndQwIgJ8QpE31oI1-UPH/s400/IMG_9013.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506966392493522994" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_KFpp1g6QmCnRXKFPvdoZGVQxpiNXTJyjC_9iwOtkMBZynOHli7A8uav1DYQPk8ajXlILio3gCb-0Prww4_d3MXshv-RMEdYYuvCJmPIFmdnaa75zYt-2S1rKhOK7OeCHBThWC3278Bmc/s1600/IMG_9019.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_KFpp1g6QmCnRXKFPvdoZGVQxpiNXTJyjC_9iwOtkMBZynOHli7A8uav1DYQPk8ajXlILio3gCb-0Prww4_d3MXshv-RMEdYYuvCJmPIFmdnaa75zYt-2S1rKhOK7OeCHBThWC3278Bmc/s400/IMG_9019.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506966377453334898" border="0" /></a>Fourth time I've seen them live, and definitely the best. Or at least, the most fun I've had at one of their shows. Great set-list, mixing in the favorites from all five or their albums.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9tdFVkYvtqQ6SZbulhf5ewfqShj-4_Fou3MI9URei6lZ-YUf6sR6MPpD6c1nU4eNIzqwLIQ3zbHXkUsoB0RneKw2jrNZvEbb64GCD-94poLLOBMOft-jvDUzZGr3rtCyUuuJQ3qk24atm/s1600/IMG_9031.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 219px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9tdFVkYvtqQ6SZbulhf5ewfqShj-4_Fou3MI9URei6lZ-YUf6sR6MPpD6c1nU4eNIzqwLIQ3zbHXkUsoB0RneKw2jrNZvEbb64GCD-94poLLOBMOft-jvDUzZGr3rtCyUuuJQ3qk24atm/s400/IMG_9031.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506966371394688098" border="0" /></a>And then it was over.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIrIBHH_3j3w-5tvUG7ip5v9z5mzFokcA4_2JXtKUG39rUrqdDzkYew7M8DzgqZUVB6S9pnbxB5pugCk_ZL3OkIjVJG6l0zAj5htdr-3xtZKVR-ArRSyYhgCRNaGpAhPC1joWysCLTIeFC/s1600/IMG_9033.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 282px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIrIBHH_3j3w-5tvUG7ip5v9z5mzFokcA4_2JXtKUG39rUrqdDzkYew7M8DzgqZUVB6S9pnbxB5pugCk_ZL3OkIjVJG6l0zAj5htdr-3xtZKVR-ArRSyYhgCRNaGpAhPC1joWysCLTIeFC/s400/IMG_9033.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506966363600173106" border="0" /></a><br />And then I accidentally punched Michelle in the face.<br /><br />But then I went to Maverick and my favorite the Peanut Butter Twix was on sale four for $2 THAT IS UNPRECEDENTED!!!<br /><br />Wow what a great night.B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04095187188894807317noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3192285463697798771.post-82266651448244649082010-08-17T22:51:00.003-06:002010-08-17T23:48:07.113-06:00kicking my heart in the assThis is how I picture myself, all the time.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZq0qnD8vmcSZmJET91u1mMPm2_kv83SxpHyxyGZwrgPJ9uHKoT7Ik9ipFiddbly4SsqzlE1lx4RdoaMryqfInKyb9wBWYmGitkeYlwCzdWIrPjEURPbMA9mmb2HXAyMfvKBs_x5s9AQT-/s1600/scott_guitar.gif"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 103px; height: 89px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZq0qnD8vmcSZmJET91u1mMPm2_kv83SxpHyxyGZwrgPJ9uHKoT7Ik9ipFiddbly4SsqzlE1lx4RdoaMryqfInKyb9wBWYmGitkeYlwCzdWIrPjEURPbMA9mmb2HXAyMfvKBs_x5s9AQT-/s400/scott_guitar.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506608857168748994" border="0" /></a><br />But I've been wrong. I'm really this.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJsV9qJIRq2nNtJGmWtLfVNz-zo6NsuzCD4bjzEiR2wVk9CbILkTsD_sQRVAUjTD9QwnuWnAqGzD8tdz6XCI4oZ9TMGvD28oLnhHoSrXV6lHSHAqXLS_ArvXQG0ROCTsMhr9xtNHLXh7eZ/s1600/kim_walk.gif"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 46px; height: 69px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJsV9qJIRq2nNtJGmWtLfVNz-zo6NsuzCD4bjzEiR2wVk9CbILkTsD_sQRVAUjTD9QwnuWnAqGzD8tdz6XCI4oZ9TMGvD28oLnhHoSrXV6lHSHAqXLS_ArvXQG0ROCTsMhr9xtNHLXh7eZ/s400/kim_walk.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506622506940949202" border="0" /></a><br />When really, I need to be like this.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUWNECIM2O5eSWM5GiItCEtgYaeLD8y9g32-eHSrot27oC_GK1fBySbVW4U7H1EOJdNUJ6vQ_rMyD-GgbdmSfYdotz51ezLqzoFG1sRujxdRk1E0i5R24W3LcwjziTApHuFurX2OSgZWJT/s1600/wallacewells.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 114px; height: 123px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUWNECIM2O5eSWM5GiItCEtgYaeLD8y9g32-eHSrot27oC_GK1fBySbVW4U7H1EOJdNUJ6vQ_rMyD-GgbdmSfYdotz51ezLqzoFG1sRujxdRk1E0i5R24W3LcwjziTApHuFurX2OSgZWJT/s400/wallacewells.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506608862014813506" border="0" /></a>(but not gay)<br /><br /><br />I dunno. I've just been thinking a lot about Scott Pilgrim lately.B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04095187188894807317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3192285463697798771.post-66501836171977915422010-07-28T11:04:00.014-06:002010-08-18T15:29:39.522-06:00Behold! The Grandeur!I went camping.<br /><br />If you want to make my brain malfunction, tell me that this happened three months ago. Three months! That's a fiscal quarter. It feels like it's been a couple weeks is all. I only looked at these pictures for the first time a couple days ago. I cannot believe how fast time is going. If anyone knows a way to slow it down, let me know. I am being serious.<br /><br />Anyway, camping. This was a weekend back in May. I grabbed a sleeping bag, filled up a satchel with underpants and Elin, Becky, and I loaded into my rugged Scion and headed for the deserts of Zion National Park. In the last ten years I've been camping exactly twice before this. 50% of those times were with Elin and Becky, so they're like, my camp buddies or something. I actually enjoy camping. I just never do it because of circumstances.<br /><br />We got on the road quick and finally stopped in Beaver for a controversy-free Sit Down Breakfast at the El Bambi Cafe.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihz90bnxPleOOhfYMqv1fid8VV_irliAHA3L5AmrfHq4nT4bzkNN7Hxd2s7LWE_2BAekcZ8gTp-Zw7SiZep0f-CIFHU6QPhuGhC84gwiyeMRKWWuRC-2XYRjOkhc0oHGAveEuWqomSbARi/s1600/IMG_8038.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 234px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihz90bnxPleOOhfYMqv1fid8VV_irliAHA3L5AmrfHq4nT4bzkNN7Hxd2s7LWE_2BAekcZ8gTp-Zw7SiZep0f-CIFHU6QPhuGhC84gwiyeMRKWWuRC-2XYRjOkhc0oHGAveEuWqomSbARi/s400/IMG_8038.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500179935681851170" border="0" /></a><br />The El Bambi reminded me a lot of a cafe/truck stop in a small town. I felt like people there were looking at us. Maybe it was because my car didn't fit in.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFlZmXAZoRKmfVIa6LufAt8V1Nw3qvnKCR6SeKQB2xwHNjSRoOdfgaKMYv_T8YwfXEc639eOQDflCrfN2tUYp25aZ4mTNpZcOm9frr4LPW5N_I0OKrM5xl-vwW7Zya1lYLzX1BQT9DqC5Z/s1600/IMG_8036.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFlZmXAZoRKmfVIa6LufAt8V1Nw3qvnKCR6SeKQB2xwHNjSRoOdfgaKMYv_T8YwfXEc639eOQDflCrfN2tUYp25aZ4mTNpZcOm9frr4LPW5N_I0OKrM5xl-vwW7Zya1lYLzX1BQT9DqC5Z/s400/IMG_8036.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500179931163095634" border="0" /></a>Also I ordered "buckets and gravy" and the lady had to correct me and tell me they're called "biscuits and gravy." Like I know anything about such low-brow cuisine.<br /><br />Outside of St. George is the ghost of a mining town called Silver Reef.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9vB6eptYH7zzmw3y8N9qw1adi5bs7qjPQiHuskfi5Lqh0m8hVQE5BIAdCj29AtjAbWKjuDvdPXjpLfuSFO0PzrBbHK66f3Wz_Cxy4SNGrAXHDKYH999IA6dNYsA3u7509yIoUlby-JYJq/s1600/IMG_8043.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9vB6eptYH7zzmw3y8N9qw1adi5bs7qjPQiHuskfi5Lqh0m8hVQE5BIAdCj29AtjAbWKjuDvdPXjpLfuSFO0PzrBbHK66f3Wz_Cxy4SNGrAXHDKYH999IA6dNYsA3u7509yIoUlby-JYJq/s400/IMG_8043.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500179174899472962" border="0" /></a><br />There's an old ore bin there where reefs of silver would reef along ever so reefingly.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2qOTPC1vDXnwFRaZL9mCpD-66LmjYIrpt5B8ZRTUCbZdq0EKnGU3_dCfYLNtMS7uhVVeRFWlSgAiEKx4URNHPc9GxmGA07spyqv2j9l40ZaHR8u4IKFqky5EwAmpBOnxfiaPLwwmwhyp_/s1600/IMG_8057.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2qOTPC1vDXnwFRaZL9mCpD-66LmjYIrpt5B8ZRTUCbZdq0EKnGU3_dCfYLNtMS7uhVVeRFWlSgAiEKx4URNHPc9GxmGA07spyqv2j9l40ZaHR8u4IKFqky5EwAmpBOnxfiaPLwwmwhyp_/s400/IMG_8057.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500179169390935154" border="0" /></a><br />Lots of un-mortared sandstone structures still stand among weeds and rusted equipment.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4vnaL7QDGLtqNaqsVDESrx08SwhkMexBlGDiQXziVyVnteq35n7T5AsDXANahldPkFd_UY-usHHl6x5hy_A1G_uFbnQc5MDH0rhnFgMAT58m-gQA5420TFc03aMkHZQ9rwZp3Mm_ltWgl/s1600/IMG_8051.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4vnaL7QDGLtqNaqsVDESrx08SwhkMexBlGDiQXziVyVnteq35n7T5AsDXANahldPkFd_UY-usHHl6x5hy_A1G_uFbnQc5MDH0rhnFgMAT58m-gQA5420TFc03aMkHZQ9rwZp3Mm_ltWgl/s400/IMG_8051.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500179168257564690" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJBsI0uYTElBv44uRXb8vy69iFdFv3_RFldaWcQNjKGfeTncYioMt-6K6XGPtdZHwdPIvjwOau_yM0xDBdee37st5w5Hb0bFGYv0D54e86RISuguel1grpcmFZRTCujUEoYJvGyYvRGcAm/s1600/IMG_8053.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJBsI0uYTElBv44uRXb8vy69iFdFv3_RFldaWcQNjKGfeTncYioMt-6K6XGPtdZHwdPIvjwOau_yM0xDBdee37st5w5Hb0bFGYv0D54e86RISuguel1grpcmFZRTCujUEoYJvGyYvRGcAm/s400/IMG_8053.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500179160909674562" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3O06_dpf0Wr9_3K5QtLNIltqxlhWS41faEgLNldTSJ9CJ9-IHxBovSN12WYwNCC7g2x6MO8UOwgDkQm5VKTW_GnwQ6VuylHUclS3v_XfZti_uQsOYCTGcY4WTVHTNcUDyG3m9MCQCgGtp/s1600/IMG_8060.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3O06_dpf0Wr9_3K5QtLNIltqxlhWS41faEgLNldTSJ9CJ9-IHxBovSN12WYwNCC7g2x6MO8UOwgDkQm5VKTW_GnwQ6VuylHUclS3v_XfZti_uQsOYCTGcY4WTVHTNcUDyG3m9MCQCgGtp/s400/IMG_8060.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500179156637746338" border="0" /></a>"Falling Junk" would have sounded weird.<br /><br />Thing about Silver Reef is that brand new rich-guy houses are being built right up to the edge of it. Like this one with the weird princess tower.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCY-f-nxGzl-uCaMx8vaoC7o04tvhCwMvhrkw4DrbS0AvY2mMYRjqq38YDnel0cXAE_gKiTsxjbJzHS-H1lnqmbhc7vxNutvp1kUdel0tUtDNtP4cUXlmG60n2Jf8J4sbH4d4lS-QzoZUI/s1600/IMG_8062.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCY-f-nxGzl-uCaMx8vaoC7o04tvhCwMvhrkw4DrbS0AvY2mMYRjqq38YDnel0cXAE_gKiTsxjbJzHS-H1lnqmbhc7vxNutvp1kUdel0tUtDNtP4cUXlmG60n2Jf8J4sbH4d4lS-QzoZUI/s400/IMG_8062.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500174228540926562" border="0" /></a><br />Zion is one of the five great National Parks in the state. I've never been before. I was completely unprepared for how amazing it would be.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir0O31lpqo67OJCrA3HRW7ubIY7ix1zxRHFaG3TvHiaatxDtKhE5eYrWY7fEWOYgPvnLA_stFzgmwD3dT90rxDPci3_z2I-Q8tc7zanbf_cPrksyZlopgT6Nuv7muy0zgedYMlcXOS98H2/s1600/IMG_8065.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir0O31lpqo67OJCrA3HRW7ubIY7ix1zxRHFaG3TvHiaatxDtKhE5eYrWY7fEWOYgPvnLA_stFzgmwD3dT90rxDPci3_z2I-Q8tc7zanbf_cPrksyZlopgT6Nuv7muy0zgedYMlcXOS98H2/s400/IMG_8065.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500176168282516210" border="0" /></a><br />I can't stress this enough: Zion is an awe-inspiring wonder. As soon as I got into the park my jaw slackened and my eyeballs got hit by lightning.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0NpM8MahYx7BGQVt8WE9OJmJHGyWBckvxB_G-9fWiJbxJ1W_VyREqjZhQuCjuZAxYVoUUYBp_egoiLocKpRH4EpK1m2QqoA_X3tScdd5HsTuA3SXidRiLkCV-NGVmakZvNFIpdBBguKAp/s1600/IMG_8069.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0NpM8MahYx7BGQVt8WE9OJmJHGyWBckvxB_G-9fWiJbxJ1W_VyREqjZhQuCjuZAxYVoUUYBp_egoiLocKpRH4EpK1m2QqoA_X3tScdd5HsTuA3SXidRiLkCV-NGVmakZvNFIpdBBguKAp/s400/IMG_8069.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500171544365636210" border="0" /></a>I'm probably the last person in Utah to have visited Zion, but on the off chance you haven't been, go there, now. Or wait until the weather cools down.<br /><br />After quickly setting up our tent, we went for a hike.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqRMxKTepulJfXYm42-fsjt2a50yCViIO9zoDvV6CYt-V91Ip5t8boGio1wt2Ce-fFIfC1r_HQi2aw2r7L4h1Il1Y2LHcljCbGXYDTyRiLMGI2sG_dqTXEls7CenShqvlVkb8T8HTP6Rk1/s1600/IMG_8087.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqRMxKTepulJfXYm42-fsjt2a50yCViIO9zoDvV6CYt-V91Ip5t8boGio1wt2Ce-fFIfC1r_HQi2aw2r7L4h1Il1Y2LHcljCbGXYDTyRiLMGI2sG_dqTXEls7CenShqvlVkb8T8HTP6Rk1/s400/IMG_8087.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500171534197229442" border="0" /></a>Hiking can be very dangerous. For one thing, you could fall. Worse than that, you could look really foolish when falling. Worse still, coins could come out of your ass.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho_mHodpDWFhguiWF0DGV3f_fsUEU1MzEuS5N5hkPclRbY7rR_AtSDRMjV9ExJ1GDZbLIVQbJ2ePwWq0z95xoo8r8eJ9WoiMFUn0-YvAxSFNTUZUYVdlN8swp4CWeCI4HuCUkmK3up87HT/s1600/IMG_8088.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho_mHodpDWFhguiWF0DGV3f_fsUEU1MzEuS5N5hkPclRbY7rR_AtSDRMjV9ExJ1GDZbLIVQbJ2ePwWq0z95xoo8r8eJ9WoiMFUn0-YvAxSFNTUZUYVdlN8swp4CWeCI4HuCUkmK3up87HT/s400/IMG_8088.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500171528471813842" border="0" /></a>It's deserty and also woodsy so you can't lose.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqosyIUuu92Dy4dXn1TsMCU0BqnC6g71o-nxbF_cIlVbNGkXzjjppKo-4ssdGMEeZw7bx24abp_pjhaZdNbKhVFfjOGeGVDPlLErUr0pIPMk6jgLB5o-85JIE02C-uXAnjSlB6lrwHm4Td/s1600/IMG_8070.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqosyIUuu92Dy4dXn1TsMCU0BqnC6g71o-nxbF_cIlVbNGkXzjjppKo-4ssdGMEeZw7bx24abp_pjhaZdNbKhVFfjOGeGVDPlLErUr0pIPMk6jgLB5o-85JIE02C-uXAnjSlB6lrwHm4Td/s400/IMG_8070.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500170632171781698" border="0" /></a>The sandstone mountains stand tall in a way that my feeble mind couldn't even comprehend, vanishing into the sky.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggat5L0iTIQpjPTM2qSU4e_SkmToC8rlK2nzce3ICZ0QTqbZ-bQtPkoRUxchrVMgcG3xU4_BMsuhBcWZcYiwmMz2mXxmCKxb9uUlvfDXvZAtxgJ8ZlQWB5zZCsp91w-4aoML8Brf1njPet/s1600/IMG_8094.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggat5L0iTIQpjPTM2qSU4e_SkmToC8rlK2nzce3ICZ0QTqbZ-bQtPkoRUxchrVMgcG3xU4_BMsuhBcWZcYiwmMz2mXxmCKxb9uUlvfDXvZAtxgJ8ZlQWB5zZCsp91w-4aoML8Brf1njPet/s400/IMG_8094.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500170624010902978" border="0" /></a>Near the top of one of the trails it was time for one of my much sought after lectures on grandeur, and how you should sometimes turn off your ipod and listen to the sounds of nature. If you ever get the opportunity to hear one of these lectures you should jump at the chance.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9W70U7nJ99UWrFUE2kaIIXmo49E1YbzgJZLqZLeDUDW_ykVeIpVq-07ndi-hAH6Jn5jXEnKFV3csWbJW8S8I0fustChhdGwMxnFSqp69KXAZ3QtdSrChr-XJvttrFJLEuToQSPWOw8tm6/s1600/IMG_8082.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9W70U7nJ99UWrFUE2kaIIXmo49E1YbzgJZLqZLeDUDW_ykVeIpVq-07ndi-hAH6Jn5jXEnKFV3csWbJW8S8I0fustChhdGwMxnFSqp69KXAZ3QtdSrChr-XJvttrFJLEuToQSPWOw8tm6/s400/IMG_8082.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500170619804012946" border="0" /></a><br />There are many places where water literally falls down a mountain. I think Zion is the only place where this happens.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzD18oj_ePZ2TtWl-xCAhBXrZFGuXlxxwQbIv5HvPg3m-slJRet1P5PUGnQ6rp9x9isf0xFEihpkvez2XX4Dj9sKYvEClylVZxAgU0Fmad5W5VJF4MuQtGcobzseyhCXC4HQ1YN4zwOCoA/s1600/IMG_8097.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzD18oj_ePZ2TtWl-xCAhBXrZFGuXlxxwQbIv5HvPg3m-slJRet1P5PUGnQ6rp9x9isf0xFEihpkvez2XX4Dj9sKYvEClylVZxAgU0Fmad5W5VJF4MuQtGcobzseyhCXC4HQ1YN4zwOCoA/s400/IMG_8097.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500169067164521426" border="0" /></a><br />I took a dip in this pond. It was shallow so I had to do a lot of rolling around in order to get fully damp.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgweAQvtIA6QuYoWults02fx1xSMIPWE_9ZSiRXDV7PkI7QESKDvu4T5hAJwrtV3RuMrPUZ7wB9KwSX4jLgxzByU7Qgyed-uW4STv0r_Yxg65wXOs43Qd0fAHzFcCKf11bPEmXWQrR6TXe/s1600/IMG_8095.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgweAQvtIA6QuYoWults02fx1xSMIPWE_9ZSiRXDV7PkI7QESKDvu4T5hAJwrtV3RuMrPUZ7wB9KwSX4jLgxzByU7Qgyed-uW4STv0r_Yxg65wXOs43Qd0fAHzFcCKf11bPEmXWQrR6TXe/s400/IMG_8095.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500169065848525250" border="0" /></a><br />More falling water.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI-zEip1Lm6MUweOTaW6bKKgIjTbjQzqY_WL-I7TUFdcfvvEL2nac96jlFHVH-bVfU06OIQfX3uLW1mc84BSb_MbLPiMb9dbX2YKHA8AkpbzVhw_SFUZ6Fn6XCGS0r3QJd8ROA0iyjXhca/s1600/IMG_8110.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI-zEip1Lm6MUweOTaW6bKKgIjTbjQzqY_WL-I7TUFdcfvvEL2nac96jlFHVH-bVfU06OIQfX3uLW1mc84BSb_MbLPiMb9dbX2YKHA8AkpbzVhw_SFUZ6Fn6XCGS0r3QJd8ROA0iyjXhca/s400/IMG_8110.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500169054106673106" border="0" /></a><br />A woman shouted to her children, "this is like Disneyland!" I think it's better than Disneyland, because it's actual.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVvWG7CEE8P6Q-ok-w68zyvM9naurqYFfsOn34ShZCXA_D5DVvUEjJt99fEfX_tqTIsbRJIQh7pKE406JyIomHMC-vtyyL2NN3sD3IhALN8kZlPzphrZGkteiyFkj5onrcgJVGEKXkFtQ-/s1600/IMG_8112.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVvWG7CEE8P6Q-ok-w68zyvM9naurqYFfsOn34ShZCXA_D5DVvUEjJt99fEfX_tqTIsbRJIQh7pKE406JyIomHMC-vtyyL2NN3sD3IhALN8kZlPzphrZGkteiyFkj5onrcgJVGEKXkFtQ-/s400/IMG_8112.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500169053420681122" border="0" /></a><br />I bet Elin and Becky were glad to have me along, so they could take all in and really understand the grandeur. Unlike past times they may have been, where they probably thought "It's like Disneyland."<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimXROMsjJ3YMUVPcFTJ00kDKQY3bNVmu0s5vrs7NBy1jLPlB6Iq0s1gl7GPbKWbx0Cy_xGpTeH3hoMLuOdIjgS0igCYswuHEXf58KuBVSXr-Vd9xVYt5ByNQPFrwRID_VMQNA360Grh0IR/s1600/IMG_8118.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimXROMsjJ3YMUVPcFTJ00kDKQY3bNVmu0s5vrs7NBy1jLPlB6Iq0s1gl7GPbKWbx0Cy_xGpTeH3hoMLuOdIjgS0igCYswuHEXf58KuBVSXr-Vd9xVYt5ByNQPFrwRID_VMQNA360Grh0IR/s400/IMG_8118.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500166878547378402" border="0" /></a><br />OMG A DEER!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgsFQMc7PoVJeP5nFHVL4y7W9jMu2Tha4wRSry8SAxFkHwP0_g2SbhczM5YISmKzG31qqi-3g4OJE0_AQvS0GKSlrA2gbXpimWOJO1V22humJCUCeNqNh9mfF6VMuLlAS9yNcjdNApgBwt/s1600/IMG_8121.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgsFQMc7PoVJeP5nFHVL4y7W9jMu2Tha4wRSry8SAxFkHwP0_g2SbhczM5YISmKzG31qqi-3g4OJE0_AQvS0GKSlrA2gbXpimWOJO1V22humJCUCeNqNh9mfF6VMuLlAS9yNcjdNApgBwt/s400/IMG_8121.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500166874773686034" border="0" /></a>I'm weirded out by deers. I don't know what they are. Horses? Rabbits? Walking Kangaroos?<br /><br />A river.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnd-kJbMFNQvZ9R1vPjW9xrUHJkLwAyLvRD6_77QgUNAQCJ143dDtCLU1h0VDkxJekhCwnC_V1rnLr0-XE6kO_4blQX5IBaPfTH68W496PS3iRK4SAbGpR4vGELbkkupSB64mgPAVQxlmQ/s1600/IMG_8124.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnd-kJbMFNQvZ9R1vPjW9xrUHJkLwAyLvRD6_77QgUNAQCJ143dDtCLU1h0VDkxJekhCwnC_V1rnLr0-XE6kO_4blQX5IBaPfTH68W496PS3iRK4SAbGpR4vGELbkkupSB64mgPAVQxlmQ/s400/IMG_8124.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500166864512881778" border="0" /></a>I think I was most stunned by The Court of the Patriarchs.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDkFx_kIKa4w6lekJjlWB0EOoQzUX8zxVqxcpTZtpqKioAn7oRlsTCq2i1lr4M-U0urKT2cLzr6HQtK5u4P5kjFi6yEn9ScgQj5dbyrD-kh7mZrPVf0gI4ARlsKBWzNGMYuQmGJLQJeJI6/s1600/IMG_8144.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDkFx_kIKa4w6lekJjlWB0EOoQzUX8zxVqxcpTZtpqKioAn7oRlsTCq2i1lr4M-U0urKT2cLzr6HQtK5u4P5kjFi6yEn9ScgQj5dbyrD-kh7mZrPVf0gI4ARlsKBWzNGMYuQmGJLQJeJI6/s400/IMG_8144.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500166860657308962" border="0" /></a>Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8N2dWAa1U9oLQlzBmxR5jZuEI65ny-E2u0DpgnC0_NobWLEeWuZp6yp6_E9cavFaoxVFyct_EUqWfrUhPLgLyOfEnrZKYTQJ7TG_ubpMB1ycbzlZXrhaGBp_-pTxHoB93h1OXn_WcB4Pj/s1600/IMG_8135.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8N2dWAa1U9oLQlzBmxR5jZuEI65ny-E2u0DpgnC0_NobWLEeWuZp6yp6_E9cavFaoxVFyct_EUqWfrUhPLgLyOfEnrZKYTQJ7TG_ubpMB1ycbzlZXrhaGBp_-pTxHoB93h1OXn_WcB4Pj/s400/IMG_8135.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500166854877081762" border="0" /></a>This led to an Old Testament Q&A with the girls that eventually led to my conversion to Judaism.<br /><br />I was being kind of a brat about having to watch the Jazz/Lakers playoff game so we went into the town of Springdale and found a sports bar overrun with fat hockey fans. I don't want to talk about the result of the Jazz game. It still hurts. Then we wandered Springdale for a while. O, the times we had!<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDgKFodLaxU5H_7xx_TVtGASDESGmHVTONGDQF-Y_XSvC3_I-prwBx-HsR3JvCepi3dbAnr0zFqlJ-Yctgqr4qmxYR8FNMnOZNtPLIxp1P6M9gz6Qm0-6frkZZg4Lg5yxGopiaoD4lAo_t/s1600/IMG_8149.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 259px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDgKFodLaxU5H_7xx_TVtGASDESGmHVTONGDQF-Y_XSvC3_I-prwBx-HsR3JvCepi3dbAnr0zFqlJ-Yctgqr4qmxYR8FNMnOZNtPLIxp1P6M9gz6Qm0-6frkZZg4Lg5yxGopiaoD4lAo_t/s400/IMG_8149.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499005151125437522" border="0" /></a><br />The next morning we shook the rocks from our underpants and packed up the tent.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWiKPgsqTM_OudgwAqBYgKfhq-DpQOGSMNE2a4jdghMt69xhesBjfrOO_9j7D1eXxgpMXncDU4zvT2e738taCrtzGQXPR9pl1KZz1OcylrpuwISE-TrdRJdtWvc8NVDFEfjrpqi-UX9NIw/s1600/IMG_8154.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWiKPgsqTM_OudgwAqBYgKfhq-DpQOGSMNE2a4jdghMt69xhesBjfrOO_9j7D1eXxgpMXncDU4zvT2e738taCrtzGQXPR9pl1KZz1OcylrpuwISE-TrdRJdtWvc8NVDFEfjrpqi-UX9NIw/s400/IMG_8154.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499005135900057890" border="0" /></a>Okay fine, our tent was a hotel. A nice one.<br /><br />One more hike before heading back.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1pyeP0bRVXx6jh4ziFGjSv8Ln01g_tyOuZIyvJtcvjq-KfKbkYYrtXYmR3hpPGdghYi1DJmQVdmCOFZrYnIOUx7BKUgUSCbFvH1mZ_amnZy5zc0GYMQWZ7EPEu_t1RsShq7rkb9wyt6lZ/s1600/IMG_8168.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1pyeP0bRVXx6jh4ziFGjSv8Ln01g_tyOuZIyvJtcvjq-KfKbkYYrtXYmR3hpPGdghYi1DJmQVdmCOFZrYnIOUx7BKUgUSCbFvH1mZ_amnZy5zc0GYMQWZ7EPEu_t1RsShq7rkb9wyt6lZ/s400/IMG_8168.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499005145502476530" border="0" /></a>Running parallel to this is the Watching the Watchman Trail.<br /><br />I'm not completely certain, but I think we went to the very top of that mountain.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSO-s9a_CYhZOM488CcH4X-kxdPuzvUnssj6BJ-B5PfA0vLTp5CKFfeKvyUYmS3mLoFX_agST0tvZ28zM7Qhyphenhyphen1yWSY6EQG4_gH924p5eVe24CCrlIEpwlDzXaVl0hF8YPNjFk-tYSzVt74/s1600/IMG_8156.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 228px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSO-s9a_CYhZOM488CcH4X-kxdPuzvUnssj6BJ-B5PfA0vLTp5CKFfeKvyUYmS3mLoFX_agST0tvZ28zM7Qhyphenhyphen1yWSY6EQG4_gH924p5eVe24CCrlIEpwlDzXaVl0hF8YPNjFk-tYSzVt74/s400/IMG_8156.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499004340368614450" border="0" /></a><br />Depth perception is messed up here but I wanted to show how far we've come. On this trail, and in life.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbRYT_KqeBjj0ZfrniiqrOUC7MtWxCIBQHsEg1GpZM_am5xhECObBQo7NYk-NaAjTr5ngR88dmWInXAaSSGo_eUJxv67Ao1FzycEncdUGzmOnHYj_MlfuN7xIDrdHbG0YQa-ap1_f6407K/s1600/IMG_8158.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbRYT_KqeBjj0ZfrniiqrOUC7MtWxCIBQHsEg1GpZM_am5xhECObBQo7NYk-NaAjTr5ngR88dmWInXAaSSGo_eUJxv67Ao1FzycEncdUGzmOnHYj_MlfuN7xIDrdHbG0YQa-ap1_f6407K/s400/IMG_8158.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499004338003145794" border="0" /></a><br />The Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel connects the West and East sections of the park. It's over a mile long and looks like this inside.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI9P18HjK5byzPgIY-v-MivAU2DPRJV_AbIteYRmc-VsXVlSChDSg5g-nJenw6Z3DB_NLd0GaJ4EijuwhDYfHOhA8WO6Zb1spRKoBRWWlRg9KuCu_aIcN-vvrZ9S279E1eJR_QRxW_gMeG/s1600/IMG_8171.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 238px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI9P18HjK5byzPgIY-v-MivAU2DPRJV_AbIteYRmc-VsXVlSChDSg5g-nJenw6Z3DB_NLd0GaJ4EijuwhDYfHOhA8WO6Zb1spRKoBRWWlRg9KuCu_aIcN-vvrZ9S279E1eJR_QRxW_gMeG/s400/IMG_8171.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499004333068079058" border="0" /></a><br />When you get to the other side of the park everything looks completely different. Much more wavy and dune-like. Yellow, instead of red.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhguHPj8DxL9tYkaIRbkYimpHoC_zgyUIbptEGh00kOEJfBnCJtboug4q7HZlJWNSlKUecuXW6es-M0rSwMLl5OBEIJEwAJbUD1Gi9y3Femj6NTCxRtpaOrU38xXbEaYiJjdSL7tt4rFbll/s1600/IMG_8176.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhguHPj8DxL9tYkaIRbkYimpHoC_zgyUIbptEGh00kOEJfBnCJtboug4q7HZlJWNSlKUecuXW6es-M0rSwMLl5OBEIJEwAJbUD1Gi9y3Femj6NTCxRtpaOrU38xXbEaYiJjdSL7tt4rFbll/s400/IMG_8176.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499004323500344050" border="0" /></a>Then back through the tunnel because you have to get home in time for Mother's Day Dinner.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPDrm2K5xe5-YCC91aH_F_m-5PVZpExmcO7z9bEhAU1h-eFJSEHJoaaasmmtpLtPO-Y743Yd26v4OPBPTy-KX1K2l4TziBRlWp5gzaXxnEERb8MY-bNIbvPcbDI098XMWCdkYXEssU9xC0/s1600/IMG_8177.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPDrm2K5xe5-YCC91aH_F_m-5PVZpExmcO7z9bEhAU1h-eFJSEHJoaaasmmtpLtPO-Y743Yd26v4OPBPTy-KX1K2l4TziBRlWp5gzaXxnEERb8MY-bNIbvPcbDI098XMWCdkYXEssU9xC0/s400/IMG_8177.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499004318857386594" border="0" /></a><br />L'Chaim!B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04095187188894807317noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3192285463697798771.post-63000944672283383022010-07-27T23:47:00.001-06:002010-07-27T23:48:17.089-06:00B's Annual San Diego Comic-Con Report!I didn't go this year.B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04095187188894807317noreply@blogger.com1