Blue Christmas

“It’s the holiday season.  So whoop-dee-doo, and dickery-dock.  And don’t forget to sit on my hang up your sock.”   - Andy Williams

So, it’s that time of year again. 

Ugh.  

I have such a love/hate relationship with the holidays lately.  I used to really look forward to this time of year, but nowadays…notsomuch.  I really should apologize for blowing off Thanksgiving and not sending you guys lots of turkey love.  But I was hiding under a rock with my good buddy Wiser.  Instead of having a frozen turkey tv dinner, the Punkster was with his mom and her family, which is the way it should be.  They invited me too, but I think I would’ve rather wrestled rabid raccoons than endure another “get together” with the out-laws. 

So here it is, two weeks before the big day and I just can’t seem to get into the spirit.  The fact that it’s the first one without my mom probably has something to do with it.  And I’m not really looking forward to NYE either.  Sucks being by yourself on the holidays.  But I’m going to do my best not to let it get me down too much.  Instead of just pulling the covers over my head until after the first of the year, I’ll try to gleam some of the Christmas spirit from you guys by keeping up with all of your holiday goings-on.  May the spirit of the holidays be with all of you.  

Now get out there and buy me something!

Random Find

I just had to share this one.

Gone Hollywood

Time for another hike folks. Grab some trail mix, slather on the sunscreen and git yer boots on.

Now I think it’s safe to say that everyone is familiar with this here little landmark. Today’s journey will take us up the mountain to the antenna towers that sit above the sign. This here’s the trailhead. And some kid obviously looking for his first “big break”.

Time for a water break and a view of the City of Angels.

About half way there you wind up on the other side, looking down at the San Fernando Valley. This is Burbank and part of Glendale.

Time for another water break and some mixed nuts! Almost… there…

We made it! Not much to look at…

…but if you turn around.

I wish it wasn’t so hazy.

Now look over your other shoulder. Not too shabby.

So long Hollywood! Hey, it’s that damn kid again. Look kid, I don’t care what anyone told you, I am not with Grant Miller Media!

Don’t believe everything you read.

Don’t Taze Me Bro!

Lately I’ve had this question poking around in the back of my mind.  Are there more East Coast bloggers than West Coast bloggers? And if so, why?

Now I don’t want to start a blogger war between the two coasts but I can’t help but notice that only one blogger on my “extensive” blogroll is from Cali.  That would be Amy from Mish Mash ,and now, come to find out, she’s moving to Wisconsin.  That leaves only one other blogger that I know of and that’s Vikki from Vikkitikkitavi, where I’ve been lurking recently.

What the hell?  Is it just me or does it seem like the ratio between EC and WC bloggers is, like… 20 to 1? Can someone out there with a more sizeable blogroll (that would include all of you) let me know if this is true? And I’m not talking about blogs dedicated to celebrities. I don’t give a crap what the fuck happens to Britney, unless I get to bang her like a steel drum.

O.K.

Introducing….the redneck tank top!

Not sure what to say, but if anyone is interested, I’ve got several pair that would need very little modification.

Please, please click on pic for closer inspection.

Happy Halloweenie!

Tonight the Punkster and I are heading over to his “girlfriend’s” house to trick or treat in their neighborhood. I guess her parents really go all out on Halloween, transforming part of their house into a haunted maze of sorts. Should be pretty cool. I have a feeling this will be the last (or next to last) year that the Punkster will do the trick or treat thing. I could tell he was starting to grow out of it when we went costume shopping and he couldn’t find one that he liked. “They’re all for babies” I believe was his comment. But we managed to find a costume he was happy with. This year he’s going as Naruto. A character from his favorite cartoon show.

As for me, I don’t need a costume. I’m scary enough as it is. But one of these years I think I’m going to spend some coin and get a real costume. Not sure what kind yet. I haven’t dressed up for Halloween in about 7 years and I kinda miss it. I miss the Halloween parties too. And the party that Avi threw last weekend with Fab and CP, well let’s just say that I’m seriously considering making the trek to Florida next year. You guys are off the hook!

Have a safe one everyone. What are you doing tonight?

Edit: If you’re looking for some Halloween music, check out Batlord.
With songs like “(I Wanna Be Your)Undertaker”, how can you go wrong?

Tequila Sunrise

I snapped this one before work yesterday.

In the words of Los Lonely Boys, “How Far Is Heaven?”

Indeed.

Close Call

Ok, so we may not fall off into the Pacific.  But we sure as hell might burn right down to the fuckin’ ground.

I’ve lived in So. Cal. all my life and have survived several quakes.  No biggie.  But this time, Mother Nature was pissed.

It started on Saturday night last when the winds began picking up to about 30-40mph.  Nothing unusual.  Then, about 2 am, I woke up and thought to myself, “the roof is coming off this sucker any second”.  For the next day or so the trailer was ROCKIN’.  At any second I expected to look out the window and see that ol’ biddy that’s out to get me and my little dog, pedaling away.  I’ve never been through a hurricane, but this was as close as I want to get.  The winds were constant 60-70 mph, with gusts up to 80, or more.

Then the fires broke loose.  It was the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen.  I sat glued to the tube watching as one fire became two fires, and then they told two friends, and so on and so on.  I went outside and thought I was seeing smoke from a distant fire when in fact it was from a fire five miles up the road.  I’ve never been this close to having to evacuate like so many other people did.  The Punkster was worried and I was starting to become concerned myself.  The wind was so violent and unpredicatable that I started to wonder if any amount of firefighters would make a difference.  By Sunday night the fire burned to within less than a quarter mile.  Every 20 minutes or so I went outside to check on it and at one point started to gather some clothes and paperwork, just in case. 

But you’ve got to hand it to the firemen.  They managed to save a lot of buildings and homes.  More than I thought possible.  We didn’t have to evacuate and due to the wind direction, we didn’t catch a whiff of smoke the entire time.  I guess you could say we among the very lucky ones. 

This was taken about 20 feet from my front door. The ridge just beyond those buildings eventually burned all the way down to the street.

This was the view looking west across the street.

Walked less than 5 minutes to get this shot.  This is the top of the ridge in the first pic.

A mighty wind.

All images are clickable.

Meme Me

This time I was tagged by my buddy Chris at Some Guy’s Blog. Thanks Chris!

I’m supposed to reveal seven things about me that you might not know yet. hmmm….

1. I have a Matchbox-size version of Speed Racer’s Mach 5.

2. I don’t own an iPod nor a phone with a built-in camera. Does this make me a total loser? Or is it the Mach 5?

3. I can’t sing a lick, but I can whistle up a storm. I should have been in the documentary film Chris recommended, Pucker Up. Although, I’ve never whistled Dixie…

4. I have two monitors on my desk at work. One for each eyeball. (And they are not flat screens. Cheap bastards.)

5. I am a mutt of mixed heritage. Half Irish, half Mexican. Which means I celebrate both St. Patrick’s Day and Cinco De Mayo by having corn beef and cabbage tacos, singing Danny Boy in Spanish and doing shots of tequila with a Murphy’s chaser.

6. I love to play drums. Back at the house in Tumbleweed City I had them set up in the extra room that was the combo laundry/computer/book/music room. I would play 3-4 times a week, sometimes 2-3 hours at a time. It was very therapeutic and a great way to release stress. But, alas, they are now in storage. Nowadays, for stress relief, I jerk off to the Guitar Center catalog.

7. I’ve got some groceries. Some peanut butter. To last a couple of days.
But I, ain’t got no speakers. Ain’t got no headphones. Ain’t got no records to play.

There were no rules regarding tagging others so you’re all off the hook!

Just Fun