Me, Backwards

Sean and I are chilling out at our hotel in Zephyrhills, after a busy three days of skydiving.  Three more to go till we head home early afternoon on New Year’s Day. (more…)

Of all the things I’ve decided to cut out of my monthly budget until I sell the house in Seattle, the one I miss most is someone else to clean my home.  I have tried, in vain, to become someone who likes cleaning, or who can at least tolerate it.  But when I was moving out of my rental house in Wallingford in preparation to move into the first home that I would own, I decided then and there that I need someone else to do the cleaning for me.  It was one thing to look at the old, run-down rental house and think “I should have kept this more clean”; but it was entirely another to contemplate sullying my brand-new home. (more…)

I hadn’t been to the wind tunnel since I was down visiting in June prior to the American Boogie.  So when Sean suggested that we use some of the time that he’s banked up doing handyman/repair work for the tunnel, I wasn’t about to turn him down.  We asked Collin to come coach us, and he brought Karl along too so that we could each get some personal attention. (more…)

Oh, I’m not sitting around pining away - I’m happy with the move and really enjoying getting to know my new city and new neighborhood.  But there are moments when I miss things - and that’s natural, since I lived there for the better part of 11 years, and it’s the first place I actively *chose* to live as an adult.  My first love, y’know?  The list, after the jump. (more…)

Some days, like yesterday, I have to remind myself why I love the cats.  I’ve got one puking (Daisy) and one pooping (Franklin) in an inappropriate place for the second time in a week.  Sigh.  In Daisy’s case, I know she can’t help it, and the best I can hope for is that I hear her (I’ve become quite attuned to the sound, actually) and can move her onto the linoleum of the kitchen before she hits the carpet.  (more…)

Last night was Sean’s company holiday dinner in San Francisco.  He works for a fairly small company where most of the employees are out on contracts with different clients, so they don’t see each other very often.  I was prepared for it to be a staid affair where I would hopefully have some good food.  When we got to the restaurant, La Mar Cebicheria, things were settling in to be just about how I expected - a long table, and since we were last to arrive, we were put on the end of it.  There were two seats remaining next to us, to be filled partway through the appetizers. (more…)

I have become singularly obsessed with the song “James Alley Blues” since I heard it recently on KEXP’s streaming archives.  I’m pretty sure it was on The Roadhouse.  I’m not sure which artist they had on the show, but I’ve downloaded the Wilco version and keep playing it over and over and over.  Obsessive much?  It’s also gotten me interested in the Harry Smith Project albums … threw them on my Amazon wish list and will have to get them at some point.

Times right now ain’t nothin’ like they used to be
Well times right now ain’t nothin’ like they used to be
You know I’ll tell you all the truth, won’t you take my word from me

Well I seen better days, but I ain’t puttin’ up with these
Well I’ve seen better days, but I ain’t puttin’ up with these
I had a lot better time with those women down in New Orleans

Well I was born in the country so she thinks I’m easy to lose
Well I was born in the country so she thinks I’m easy to lose
She wants to hitch me to a wagon and drive me like a mule

I bought her a gold ring and I pay the rent
I bought her a gold ring and I pay the rent
She tried to get me to wash her clothes but I got good common sense

Well if you don’t want me then why don’t you just tell me so?
Well if you don’t want me then why don’t you just tell me so?
It ain’t like I’m a man that ain’t got nowhere else to go

I give you sugar for sugar, but all you want is salt for salt
I give you sugar for sugar, but all you want is salt for salt
Well if you can’t get along with me, then it’s your own fault

Well, you want me to love you, but then you just treat me mean
Yea, you want me to love you, but then you just treat me mean
You’re my daily thought and you’re my nightly dream

Well, sometimes I think that you’re just too sweet to die
Ah, sometimes I think that you’re just too sweet to die
And other times I think that you ought to be buried alive

found on: The Harry Smith Connection: A Live Tribute

words: Rabbit Brown (traditional)

… unfortunately means fog in the sky much of the day, at least out at the dropzones.  So although it was a beautiful weekend here in Oakland, Oakland is where I stayed.  (more…)

The impressive edifice above is the Pasadena City Hall, a building that I had noticed before on previous visits (it’s right across the street from the Westin, where I stay, and some rooms even have views).  But it wasn’t till this week without a car that I actually walked through it and realized what a really cool building it is.  Beautiful courtyards, and just plain impressive architecture all around.

Of course, much of downtown/Old Town Pasadena is like that, which is one of the reasons I like it so much.  Unlike much of the LA area it is a city that seems to really cherish and embrace its history and culture and character.

As the long Thanksgiving weekend loomed, Sean and I talked about enjoying a couple of days of down time and a couple days of jumping.  Just before the weekend an email came out through the NorCal Skydiving Yahoo group that said Skydive Sacramento will have a Super Otter this weekend and through the winter. (more…)