25 posts from September 2006

My mind is bended. My mind is bended!

Today's shopping theme: Gear, specifically safety equipment.

Per advice from a number of people smarter than I, riding a motorcycle with someone else's helmet is probably less than wise. So I ponied up the duckets for a shiny matte new Shoei TZ-R helmet in the One True Color. Like the shoes acquired earlier, I was told there was a "break in period" and a "snug fit" was desirable. I'll defer to the experts.

Earlier today, we went by Sports Basement and snagged carabiners, belay devices and climbing shoes. The shoes are like ballet slippers except covered in sticky rubber instead of pink satin. They are equally as painful [1]. I recall being upsold on a chalk bag too, so to not have to bear the shame of renting.

I need another gear-intensive sport like I need a hole in the head, but mountain climbing piques my interest in a way that trepanning never did.

[1] This is a 5-beer story.

• I decided that climbing Mount Everest is going to have to be done at some point.
  
• I smelled autumn for the first time this year yesterday, biking to work through South Park. It brought back memories of raking leaves, halloween, school starting and growing up. Nice thoughts.
• Artur and/or Ernie are going to pay for the CPU-pegging Barbie ad that's showing up on my Compose page right now. I've had to retype half this post three times because it deletes 100 chars everytime I hit Backspace.
• Cycletouring on a track bike: I think it's possible, at least if you're staying in hotels and travelling in a 1st-world country. The equipment/clothing/stuff manifest you'd need should fit comfortably in a messenger bag. Hm...
• Happy Birthday Ben!
  

Show us a great postcard.

I was inspired by Kimmie's post about bacon. See, I love bacon perhaps more than life itself. There is no finer food than a piece or five of deliciously fried crispy pig.

My bacon of choice is Applegate Farms organic sunday bacon. In a pinch I'll pick up some from Niman Ranch (Safeway carries it). Best cooked on a well-seasoned cold iron skillet at medium-low heat.

Edit: I had to use this photo again because bacon deserves repeating.

Edit: Bacon.

How many places have you lived in your life?

Lovely suggestive title, there. Anyway, I've moved 26 times in my life and lived in Virginia (5 places), Rancho Cordova, Germany, Nebraska, Missouri, Maryland (2 places), Brooklyn (2 places), Seattle (2 places), and San Francisco (6 places). Aside from a short stint in Seattle, I've been in SF for the past 7 years. The full list, omitting temporary military housing between various stops:

1. Boyd Tavern, VA
2. Earlysville, VA
3. Rancho Cordova, CA
   
4. Vogelweh, Germany
5. Bellevue, NE
6. Knob Noster, MO
7. Alexandria, VA
   
8. Alexandria, VA (2nd house)
9. Annapolis, MD (1st dorm room)
10. Annapolis, MD (2nd dorm room)
11. Alexandria, VA
    
12. Brooklyn, NY (Carrol Gardens)
13. Brooklyn, NY (Williamsburg)
    
14. Alexandria, VA
15. Alexandria, VA (Old Town)
16. San Francisco, CA (Mission)
17. San Francisco, CA (Western Addition)
18. Seattle, WA
19. Seattle, WA (2nd apartment)
20. San Francisco, CA (Hayes Valley)
21. San Francisco, CA (Potrero Hill)
22. San Francisco, CA (Dogpatch)
23. San Francisco, CA (SOMA)
    

There is only one television event that matters this fall, maybe this year. This Sunday, season 4 of The Wire begins.

If you haven't watched The Wire before, go nick seasons 1-3 on DVD before you watch this. It's that good, and you'll want the backstory.