This morning while we were eating breakfast, Carly's sister Erin was heading out for work when the Google car/tracker/video camera equiped/street view/maps/thing was taking pictures of our neighborhood. Of course, we all rushed out of the front door but the car was long gone. I went back in the house and quickly grabbed my camera and ran around aimlessly thinking it would be cool to get a shot and luckily the car came back around and I got this beauty. Note, you can't see the 'Google' placard on the side of the car, but if you look carefully, you can see the cameras on top of the vehicle.
Good day to you all!
- Auto industry bailout to be voted on today.
- Follow the 8.5 trillion debt rabbit hole!
- Sabathia inks deal with the Yanks. What was all that talk about wanting to be a Dodger, again?
- Riots+Molotov cocktails = Greece!
It's almost been a week since we have step foot back in southern California, and we have hit the ground running. We landed late last Wednesday night in Santa Barbara, went straight to the hotel after securing a rental car and put our tired heads right to sleep. The next morning Ian and I had a nice continental breakfast while the better half had to endure* a day of work at the office. After a tough morning of reading the news and hanging out with Ian, I successfully handed the baby off for a lunch time swap so I could play ultimate (this was my wife's idea -- really). I then played a rousing game of ultimate, which mostly consisted of Troy running my ass into the ground until I had no life left in my lungs. We somehow won the game, which had nothing to do with me, and had everything to do with Pinto:). To top it off, the day rang in at about 70 degrees, not too shabby! Given the news that Portland will be in the 40's this week, I'll take that trade off any day.
Later on in the night we went to a 20th year anniversary/reunion party for SS downtown at some cafe that we had never been to. The night was filled with old friends, stories of the past, and of course, many adult beverages**. As we closed down the main party, we decided to pull a night cap at the adjacent State&A restaurant. There, we told more stories (mostly incoherent), consumed more beverages, and somehow, around 1am, found our way stumbling back to the hotel.
On Friday, we left for San Luis Obispo after work, but first made a short pit-stop at my Dad's house in Santa Maria. While we were there to celebrate my sister Sarah's 13th b-day, I know that my Dad was really excited to see the little one, so it was a win-win situation! On Sat/Sun in SLO, we sat back and relaxed at Carly's parents house as they soaked in some much needed face time with Ian. We are back in SB for the week and am really enjoying spending time with familiar faces in a familiar warm climate.
* Carly really misses the little guy during the day!
** Yes, the dude had a few white russians!!
Yes, the news we (MC fans, of course) all have been waiting for! Here's a snip-it of the following AP story:
“Kellogg will use its understanding of the cookie category and distribution infrastructure to expand sales of Mother’s Cookies. The company said it plans to reintroduce many of Mother’s Cookies most popular cookies. Its brands include iced animal crackers, sandwich cookies and wire cut cookies.”
I had the melody from this skit stuck in my head this morning after I watched the repeat this past weekend. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did!
Let's get this party started right before any us declare an official case of the "Mondays." Here is a brilliant new song from a talented group called +/- (plus/minus) - snowblind.
An eye-popping story regarding melamine found in baby formula -- in the US!
"The FDA's test results, which the agency hid from the public and only released after the Associated Press filed a Freedom of Information Act request. Up to 90 percent of the infant formula sold in the United States may be contaminated with trace amounts of melamine, the toxic chemical linked to kidney damage, according to recent tests."
Happy Monday to you all!
- Fed bails out Citibank, and then promptly gives a middle finger to the auto industry.
- Shocker! GNR's new album is banned in China. Why don't you add us to the list while you're at it.
- If you're in the market for an HDTV, then read this article first.
I'll keep the updates coming as long as there is something to report on. Here's the latest:
"Lance, Inc. today announced that it has obtained approval from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware to be the "stalking horse" bidder for the primary assets of snack food companies Archway Cookies LLC and Mother's Cake and Cookie Co..."
I came across this great story in the LA times yesterday about the Westmont soccer team. Well done Plaschke! Oh, and make sure you have some tissues near by.
Double oh -- in case you haven't heard, apparently the Tea Fire was accidentally set by some "students". Uh oh. Read on.
This will be the best 10 minutes of your life, I guarantee it. Watch this clip of Peter Schiff talking about the coming economic crises, which was compiled from t.v. interviews from the past two years. Some of his opponents said some real howlers, even coming from a respectful person as Ben Stein -- Bueller, Bueller, anyone? Disclaimer: some of his predictions are a little creepy, as in almost to the exact month creepy. You've been warned!
Portland is partying like a mutha right now and it's time to pop the bubbly good stuff! We did it folks, the youngsters came out in force today and well, the rest is history. When the clock struck eight tonight, Obama was officially crowned, and our neighborhood erupted in jubilation -- man, I love this city.
The realization of this historic night started to sink in a little after president elect scrolled across the t.v screen, and really, I was just a teary eyed mess after that. What a great night, what an amazing speech, and...did you see Oprah?!? Having said that, I'm officially exhausted, and am ready to give politics a much needed rest. In honor of Mr. November, here you go, a song about, well, Mr. November. Enjoy!
The National - Mr. November
If you're like me and can't live with out these cookies in your daily diet, then there's some good news -- well, sort of:
"Archway Cookies LLC has asked a bankruptcy judge to allow "expedited" auction dates to permit assets that belong to Mother's Cake and Cookies to be sold by Nov. 6, and those belonging to Archway to be sold by Nov. 18.
The Ashland Area Chamber of Commerce has backed that request, asking Judge Christopher S. Sontchi to expedite the process to allow a timely sale, getting the Ashland plant back in operation."
Here's a link to the rest of the story.
I just about fell out of my chair listening to this song (Maps of Norway - The Runout). It's not everyday that I get excited about new music, but this song had me up and dancing. Do yourself a favor and check them out on their myspace page*.
*Gee, what a big surprise -- check out some of their influences...
Most of you have probably already heard the recent upsetting news, but for those that haven't, the company that produced Mothers Cookies went bankrupt early Oct and shut down operations effective immediately. Nooooo!!!!
I was not going to let the jaws of bankruptcy steal some of my favorite childhood memories without some proactive measures. So, what does one do? Well, go to the market of course! Carly/I went to a few stores before landing a couple bags of the now coveted circus animal cookies (we also got two iced oatmeal packages). I haven't been able to find the Taffy flavored cookies anywhere, or I would have stocked up on those as well. Argh!
On a happier note, an online clothing company has immortalized the now infamous cookie maker for all to enjoy. They are throwing in a 1.5 oz circus animal bag when you purchase a Tee*:)
* Yes, I did buy one -- I couldn't help myself.
I saw this on Yahoo today. Pretty frickin' hilarious...
Now that were back home and in our element, I guess there's no better time than now to reflect on our trip. First of all, it was great to see everyone and I'm glad that luvbug was on his best behavior. The California weather was unbelievable -- you know, sunny, warm, no clouds in the sky (duh!) While our time was filled with much needed family time, we did notice a few things about our son that were interesting and sad all at the same time. The upsetting thing that we first noticed was when we went on a five minute walk in the sun without any protective covering on the little guy. Upon returning, we found out that he broke out in red splotches all over his head. Turns out that the little duder can't take too much of the sun and gets heat rash, just like his mommy. I do know that most babies have sensitive skin, so this could be chalked up to that, but only time will tell. Another interesting tidbit, and not that all surprising, is that luvbug's digestive timing was thrown all out of whack. Let me be a little more specific, the dude was not pooping at all. Honestly, he was only letting loose one time a day. We were not sure what was going on until we got home. Save one second when we stepped in the door and he let it rip. Yup, home is where you hang your hat! Now that we are back home, he is back on his regular (pooping) schedule and is back to better -- Yay!!! I guess the little guy was either stressed, anxious, scared, or all of the above. The weird thing is that he didn't really communicate that anything was awry the whole time as he appeared to be his normal self. It was a great trip, but there's no place like home.
And now for some random news:
- Sheriff refuses to evict people from their foreclosed homes. Good on you!
- "3rd Infantry’s 1st BCT trains for a new dwell-time mission. Helping ‘people at home’ may become a permanent part of the active Army" Huh, really?!? By helping, I suppose they mean a billy club to the head in the case of martial law...and no, I don't think that will happen. Interesting story none the less.
- New social networking site Pownce..."Send messages, files, links, and events to your friends. Create a network of friends and share stuff. It's free and easy…" Disclaimer: I'm not a member...yet. Sounds promising though.
- Dow is down for the eighth straight day. For the love, can we get a friggin' rally around here!
SNL regrouped last night and produced a much better show after an embarrassing low the week prior*. Enjoy the clip below!
*Kings of Leon was fantastico!
Here is a great new song I heard the other day. For fans of Toad the Wet Sprocket. Enjoy!
Carry me, Ohio - Sun Kil Moon
"Going back to Cali, styling, profiling, growling, and smiling, while in the sun..."
I thought I would give a shout out (blogger style) that we are coming back to town in a week. It will be a fun-filled family trip that will involve some much needed face time with our loved ones, but who are we kidding, luvbug is the real star in this here story. We will try and make our rounds to SB and the SS gang, so be on the lookout*.
I can't wait to visit some of our SB staples...Super Cucas, Palazzio, Edomasa, oh my!
* Hopefully I'll be able to fit in a rousing game of ultimate, which is a scary thought in it's own right being that I haven't participated any sport since leaving CA.
Nader -- Brilliant ad, but I don't think this will translate into any votes;)
His 20 second video debut. Take it away kid...
Luvbug Speaks from El Duderino on Vimeo.
My B-day is fast approaching, so for any of you that are having a hard time wondering what gift you can give me, here are some ideas below*:
-iTunes Gift card
-Apple Store Gift card
-Best Buy Gift card
That's my story and I'm sticking to it...
*This post is directed to the select few that are actually entertaining such ideas. This, by no means should make you feel obligated to buy me anything. Most of you can probably attest to this, but the older you get, the less you care about receiving gifts**.
**Really, just send me an email -- that will make me happy.
Read this interesting interview with Steve Buscemi in the Rolling Stone. Honestly, I have never heard of this theory before, but I will take him to task with another viewing of the movie with a White Russian in hand...And don't ask me how many times I have seen this movie, I lost count a long time ago.
We received this gift the other day that came with no card. So, thanks, whoever you are!?! Ian will love it, that's for sure.
Phew, that was a bit of a nail bitter last night, eh? First things first, hats off to the Spaniards, they played great D, worked an incredible offense, but just fell short. It wasn't that the US played bad per se, I think it had more to do with Spain being better prepared after facing us earlier. They took notes from the earlier loss and played accordingly. Even though they pretty much executed a flawless offense, they did not have an answer for Kobe in the 4th. He single handily took the game in his own hands and threw the hammer down with that three point and-one just when Spain inched to within 2 pts. Good job guys, that was fun to watch.
Quick side note: As a Laker fan, I was a little perturbed by the all-in-all out effort by Gasol. He was pounding us down low time and time again. Why didn't he play with the same fervor against the Celtics?!? I know you are playing for your country and all, but come on now...
Daddy and Luvbug
Three weeks and counting and cute as can be. No, really, you don't have to grow up if you don't want to...
Ok, I'm taking back all the wondrous praise I bestowed on our little one yesterday. Why, must you ask? Well, let's just say an accident occurred this morning. What an accident it was, too. As I was changing the little ones diaper, I happened to get a pooh explosion all over my fist and changing table, and to top that off, he finished with a persistent round of pee that went everywhere. I knew in the back of my mind that this day was coming, but it was still a little surprising when it did. Oh, happy days! I can't wait until the next episode. Don't worry little man, we still love you to death, but give me some kind of forewarning the next time you get any more fancy ideas...
I'm no longer a Californian. Yes folks, I just received my Oregon Drivers license today, which is exciting on its own merit, but is also sad in a way since I'm losing apart of my identity. I will always be a Californian at heart, but on paper, Oregon is where the home is. So, what does this all mean? I'm not sure, other than having to look at this flimsy 12-year-old-could-make-a-better license now, it doesn't mean much to me. I must say though, that the current picture is much better than the 18 year thug that occupied my California space. Anyone that has seen that picture knows exactly what I'm talking about.
On the baby front, Ian has been a trooper and is an amazing little guy. He is calm, cool, collected, and everything I hoped he would be. Other than the necessary demands (a thing called pooh, and some good 'ol mothers milk) of life, he really doesn't cry much. He has been sleeping around 3-4 hr stints at night, so I feel relatively rested. Of course, not working has helped some. As I look over to the couch next to me, he is sprawled out on his mothers belly, eyes closed, mouth open and looking oh-so-cute. I love him lots and can't wait to see how he progresses in the coming months.
I watched the entire replay of this game even though I knew the outcome. This game was a tell of two half's, Japan winning the first and the US winning the second. Japan had two golden opportunities in the first half with point blank chances on the net that were ultimately fanned on. Thanks for that guys. In the second half, we got a quick goal from Holden in the 47th minute and we did a much better job of securing the back line after that, yet there will still some close calls. We have some legitimate stars on this team -- Adu, McBride, and Holden, but holy Altidore! Keep on eye on this guy. He subbed for Mcbribe in the 75th minute and had two exciting breakaway chances that were subsequently denied by the Japanese defense. We need Adu to cash in when he can, but I can't wait to see more of Altidore. What an exciting young team! Next game is tomorrow @ 7:45am ET vs. the Dutchmen, bring it on! Be sure to TIVO this one if you can...
Dance! Did anyone watch the finale last night? I really hate being right, but let's face it, I said a couple of days ago that Joshua was going win it all, and did he ever. Not too shocking, I know, but he was definitely the best dancer out there and it was well deserved.
I feel like this show is everything that American Idol is not -- fun, exciting, and best of all, entertaining. Perhaps it's the musician in me, but I can't help watching Idol and feel like I'm critiquing every song and cannot relax for the life of me. The only thing that keeps me mildly interested is Paula Abdul's weekly drug induced rants. And AI might get rid of her next season, *here's where I tune off* As for SYTYCD, I don't have a damn clue to what is going on whether it's samba, rumba, the waltz, or even hip-hop for that matter. At least for the latter, I can say, wow, that was exciting. I'm usually wrong with all the dance numbers that I think is cool. Basically, anything I think is bad/good, the judges will say the exact opposite, so it shows you how much I know. Having said all of that, this show is arguably the best reality show out there, period. With the exception of those talentless ass clowns -- The Jonas Brothers, last night's show was brilliant. OK, I'll admit it, I want to see the 11 dancers when they go on tour, and hey, they are coming to PDX! Time to find a baby sitter.
I received some (not so) insider information regarding the release of the 10th anniversary edition of The Big Lebowski. According to the Lebowski Fest guys, the DVD is going to drop on the 9th of Sept with some of the following bonus material:
+ The Dude's Life: Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Julianne Moore, Steve Buscemi and John Turturro take a look back at their performances, costumes, and how the diction and delivery of dialogue were crafted into classic movie lines.
+ The Dude Abides: The Big Lebowski Ten Years Later: The central cast reflect on the film's cult status, including how people stop them on the streets to discuss their roles.
+ The Lebowski Fest: An Achiever's Story: An in-depth look at the popular Lebowski Fest enjoyed by thousands of people year after year.
+ Flying Carpets & Bowling Pin Dreams: The Dream Sequences of The Dude: From aerial flights over Los Angeles with his bowling ball, to the large scale "Busby Berkley" dance sequences with the bowling pin-headed dancers, this piece will examine how these innovative scenes were constructed.
+ Interactive Map: See the locations of The Big Lebowski, then and now.
Wahoo!!!
A condensed (twitter style) update:
-More Ian photos to check out(along with other misc stuff)
-I saved a bunch of money switching to Gieco (j/k)
-I'm working on 15 new songs and will post a couple when I'm done
-It's flippin' hot here in PDX -- A blistering 96 yesterday and 92 today (great baby weather, BTW)
-So you think you can dance was pretty cool tonight. Joshua will win, mark my words.
That's it, happy...what day is it?
Most of you know by now that Morgan Freemen was in an accident over the weekend. Here's to a speedy recovery my man. Enjoy this Electric Company clip from the 70's -- simply put, a-w-e-s-o-m-e .
Baby Ian made his grand entrance yesterday morning @ 8:59am after 24+ plus hours of labor (phew). Carly is doing great and the little guy is cute as a button. Thanks to everyone for all the well wishes, we appreciate it!
This is a short news bulletin to let everyone know that the baby is due today, but the little guy is stubborn and isn't ready to enter the world just quite yet. I heard somewhere that there is only a five percent chance that you will have your baby on the due date. Sounds about right since this is not an exact science by any measure. Expect more updates soon because we're on live baby watch, and you've heard it here first.
Lightning Seeds - Pure
Continuing on my power-pop flashback theme, here's a song that fits the bill perfectly. Is it me, or does there seem to be an overabundance of lead singers named Ian? Anyways, enjoy the rest of your Friday!
Here is a band that I'm loving right now. Their new album drops on the 5th of August, so be sure to check it out. PDX Disclaimer: They will be here on the 24th @ the Towne Lounge -- so don't miss 'em!
The Airborne Toxic Event - Sometime Around Midnight
We watched High Fidelity tonight (which was my -- oh, I don't know, umpteenth time!), and thought what better than to post my top five (ok, I lied, how about 10*!) records of all time. So, here goes:
- The Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream -- Perfection!!
- U2 - The Joshua Tree
- Sigur Ros - Ágætis Byrjun
- Radiohead - OK Computer
- The Cure - Disintegration
- Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
- The Pixies - Surfer Rosa
- The Beatles - The White Album
- The Brian Jonestown Massacre - Methodrone -- crap, "Take it from the man" and/or "Thank God for Mental Illness" could as well be here, too
- PJ Harvey - Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea
**Honorable Mention**
- Jeff Buckley - Grace
- The National - Alligator
- Peter, Bjorn, and John - Writer's Block
- Stereolab - ABC Music: The Radio 1 Sessions -- more of a compilation, but still a favorite
- Superdrag - Regretfully Yours
- Interpol - Turn on the bright lights
- Elliott Smith - XO
- Beck - Sea Change
- Explosions in the Sky - The Earth Is Not a Cold Dead Place
- Coldplay - Parachutes
- Nirvana - Nevermind
- The Jesus and Mary Chain - Psychocandy
- The Beastie Boys - Licensed to Ill
That's a wrap, folks. I know there are some that I missed, but that's where you step in. I'm interested to hear what YOUR top records are...
* I couldn't help myself and had wa-a-y to much fun doing this
I am feeling homesick today, and this video sure does not help. Thanks for nothing guys!
california coast from michael baca on Vimeo.
In about two weeks the little guy is going to make his grand appearance into the world, and the drumbeat is getting louder with each passing day. I don't have any of the usual feelings about how his temperament is going to be -- what is he going to look like, or even if he is going to be a star like his dad...kidding! You see, I have a pretty good handle on things, and am pretty sure that he is going to be a cross between his mother and I. Hilarious, I know!
In all seriousness, I hope that he is healthy, calm, collected, and wicked sma-a-r-t. In the meantime, I will try my best to keep cool and not pass out when it's go time. Hijole!
In other news, I had some tasks for the week that I needed to check off (not in any particular order):
Attempted:
-Car Seat and Base
-Infant Car Seat Adapter w/Bob Revolution Stroller
-Play yard/Co-Sleeper
Completed:
-All of the above
Check, check, check -- the f you check*!
*Place this one for bonus points to be redeemed at a later time
I received a forward the other day that was actually quite informative, so I'm passing this along as a PSA. 20/20 ran a bit on aged tires, and you would be surprised to find out that you can buy *New* tires that have actually been sitting on the shelf for 6-10+ years. So, buyer beware and do you homework (and yes, I did go out and check my tires!). I couldn't embed the video, so you will need to follow the link below:
ABC 20/20 - Aged Tires
Multnomah Falls from El Duderino on Vimeo.
Welcome to amateur hour, folks! I just created this splendid 2 minute video that is going to be a hit, I'm sure of it. I went with Vimeo because the video quality is far superior than youtube. And yes, I aware of the &fmt=18 and 6 commands, but seriously, who wants append that to the end of the address for every video that you want to see in a higher quality?!? Anywho, don't hold your breath on this one, but more photo's and video to come!
Well, since the year is flying by and we are half way done, I thought I would check in with everyone and find out what your top CD's of the year are? For me, there is one that really stands out, and that is a fine effort by The Raveonettes - Lust, Lust, Lust. If you haven't listened to it yet, then do yourself a favor and pick it up. Every track on there is incredible and you'll find that it's a beautiful, haunting, gem of an LP. Anyone who are fans of The Jesus and Mary Chain or Echo and the Bunnymen will really appreciate this album.
Yesterday was unlike any other 4th of July that I have ever experienced. As a California transplant, and for any of you that have ever lived there, you know that a usual 4th is pretty subdued* as far as fireworks goes. As I start to recount last night's craziness, I should mention that we decided to stay in the comforts of our own home since we didn't feel like going anywhere. We just thought that we would watch the fireworks on the good ol' tele.
Little did we know, the firework show seemed to come to our house, instead. This all kicked off around dusk when we started to hear popping noises outside which only increased as the darkness fell. Just before 10pm, we decided to go outside with our cheap lounge chairs and parked them on the front lawn. From just about every direction that you can think of, there were (legal -- mostly illegal**) fireworks going off in our neighborhood, which in reality was the closest to a war zone*** that I'll ever be. I went from being filled with adrenaline-pumping excitement to "I'm going to die at any moment -- get me out of here -- I'm a frightened rabbit" in a matter of seconds. At least when next year rolls around, I will be better prepared.
When 10pm rolled around, we were able to view an official firework show in Vancouver across the river, which is supposedly the largest display west of the Mississippi. Our neighbors (thanks for the cryptic tip-off!) had their lounge chairs parked in the middle of the street facing north, and we amazingly had an unobstructed view of the show. They brought along a mini-boom box and played some sweet tunes to accompany the fireworks in the distance -- Toto - Africa, Eddie Money - Take me home tonight , Micheal Jackson - Rock with you, and just about any song that they thought fit the "This-song-really-goes-with-the-fireworks" bill****. All in all, it was quite a night.
* With 1,600 wildfires this past month, I wonder why the laws there are so strict?
** In OR, you are only supposed to be in possession of fireworks that can go 6 ft from side-to-side, or 1 ft in the air. This, of course, did not detour anyone from shooting off the countless M80's and Roman Candle's.
***Yeah, my pants were pretty wet at this point.
****I was sober and still enjoyed the, "Hey -- play that one Caddyshack song (Journey - Anyway you want it)."
A couple of days ago, a local radio station played this song as part of their flashback lunch hour. Have any of you heard of this song? It was released in the early 90s and definitely sounds dated, but it's oh-so-good! This is a great flippin' tune and I can't get the chorus out of my head. If you are in need of a great power-pop song to put on your iPod, then look no further.
Material Issue - Valerie Loves Me
Is it possible to have a favorite artist without actually having any of their work in your possession? While you ponder this hard hitting question, I would like to inform you all of a local artist that is having an online sale coming July 10th. Look at her gallery and fall in love!
We went to this art gallery in downtown Astoria a few weeks ago and saw this gem on display, among many others, that turned me on to her artwork. I really wanted to buy it, but due to the steep price, we decided to sleep on it and go back in a week. When we went back the following week we decided that this was the piece for us, but quickly found out that it is in the hands of another lucky owner. The good news is that we just received our stimulus check, so guess what that's going to!?!
For any of you that are fans of this band, they will have a live webcast with Bjork tomorrow at 12pm pacific. I'm sure it will be fantastic, so don't miss it!!!
Last Thursday while I was watching some of the Euro2008 games on espn360, I noticed that my computer was starting to make a clicking noise, and subsequently froze. I immediately held up the bottom of the 'puter so I could listen to the hard drive, and it was then that my hopes were starting to fade. I shut it down hoping that this wasn't the case, but upon booting it back up, the OS was MIA. There was just a little blinking folder with a question mark in the middle to remind me that I was screwed. Luckily, most of our files were already backed up, and we are still under warranty with Apple care, so they replaced the hard drive and am back in business. I was only down/out for two business days, which is a pretty good turnaround if you ask me. This should serve as a good reminder for any of you that are in denial of your drive ever going "chachink."
Most of you have already seen this, but for those that haven't, enjoy!!!
Yes -- Sigur Ros just announced their North American tour for the fall, and they are coming to Ptown!!! Tix go on sale 9am EST tomorrow.
Last night I had a dream that we were drafting for our Fantasy Basketball league, only to find that my computer would not boot up in time. I would not join the fray until 5 rounds had already passed, which seemed like eternity in my state of panic. Phew, it must had been the horrible Laker loss that is giving me such bad dreams. The fall can't come soon enough.
This past weekend we went to Long Beach, WA with our adopted family. We stayed in a vacation house that was a block from the beach and had a wonderful time strolling the beach-side, telling stories, and just enjoying each others company.
The city was about a 10-15 minute drive north of the Columbia river crossing (which is a 2 mile stretch from bank-to-bank) and is mainly a vacation/tourist trap. It's a small, fun town that reminded me of my old home in Lompoc (i.e. overcast, windy, you get the idea).
On Sat, Bing's brother Beaver came up and we grilled some oysters. That was a yummy-tastic idea that was enjoyed by all. Prior to that, Bing/I faced off with JR/Beaver in a good ol' game of shoes, which we of course came out the victors. With the little guy on the way, this will probably be the last big trip for a while, so until next time...
Since I neglected to write about the previous two games, here are some of my thoughts for tonight...
For the Lakers to win:
-Kobe needs to score 40-50 pts. None of this "I'm going to be the good guy and give DFish the ball at the end of the 4th qtr" business
-Odom and Gasol need to show up big. I know, I know -- this is asking a lot. Anybody that saw the last game knows what I'm talking about
-We need either Farmar or Vujacic to get around 10-15pts. Farmar was big in game 5, so hopefully he can press that reduex button
-This is probably the most important -- play some friggin' D!! I'm tired of seeing Pierce laying the ball up all night
If we can get at least 3/4 of the above, then we are going to game 7. If not, well, at least we have Bynum next year.
We won -- wahoo*!!
* In-depth analysis (I mean, rants) will only come in the event of a crushing loss.
Did anyone happen to watch game 2 tonight in Boston? Let me start off by saying that Boston played a great game. They were the aggressors and ultimately won a surprisingly close game at the end. I am really disgusted at the officiating, though. You never want to blame the outcome of a game on the officials, but the calls were so blatantly one-sided in the first half, that you really had to wonder if any of them had an over/under on the game. I mean, how good can Powe really be, right? The numbers don't lie -- 15-1 in favor of the Celtics just in the first quarter. Are you kidding me? Mr. Stern, if I were you, I would do your job and make sure the guys officiating the game aren't also the players of the game. *Sigh* Hopefully with the series shifting to LA, the calls will bounce the Lakers way in game 3. Don't worry, I won't hold my breath on that one.
I am really excited to see some cool shows at a variety of Indie venues here in town. Pretty much anyone that is anybody comes through town, and the biggest problem I am going to face, is what shows not to see. Carly/I have already seen one show this past weekend, and well, it's not what you would say a normal venue by any means. We saw Laura Veirs play a free 45 min set at the Mac store, which just opened by the Lloyd center. Anywho, the set was fantastic and we hope to see much more here in Ptown.
After saying goodbye to our work/family/friends last week, it was nice to finally get on the road. We took a few days to drive up from California a week ago and it was a relatively smooth drive. The first stop was in Sac town where we hung out with my sister and had dinner on the riverfront in old town. After an early departure on Monday, we drove for about eight hours until we made it to Lebanon where Carly's aunt resides. One of the cool anecdotes of the day had to do with a random gas stop off the beaten path. It was literally one gas station and a mom and pop restaurant next door. After filling up, we went over next door to get some ice cream. The person waiting on us asked Carly if she had eaten her lunch yet, to which she replied, “of course I did.” A local company called “Umpqua” made the ice cream they had on hand. I have never heard of them before, but let’s just say that it’s my new favorite*. On Tues, we left central OR and made it to our new house around 8:45am. Our vaults arrived around 10:30am and had some offloading help from a local moving company in the afternoon. All said in done, not a bad two days and no major** mishaps along the way.
*Peanut Butter Chocolate – Oh my!
**We had a few packing errors, and well, some of our bags shifted while they were in flight.
Well, here we are in Portland a week removed and I must say, this is a lovely city. I'm glad we are here, and amazingly enough (thanks to the countless trips up years prior), the area doesn't feel that foreign to me.
We are currently located in the North East and aren't that far from most of the fun/arty areas. Also, we are only about 5 minutes from the Rose Garden -- go Lakers!
Since I have been taking 'er easy lately, I thought I would be (somewhat) productive and get to writing. I mean hey, now that I'm unemployed (what day is this?), I now have plenty of time to talk about our daily (mis)*adventures. More on the drive up later.
* Even though this city seems like it is going to be fairly easy to navigate, we have already got lost half a dozen times. Woo!
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