iphone

I finally broke down and got one. Yay! It's so much fun. I've been getting directions, e-mailing from the beach, and listing to music. The one thing that I don't like is that it doesn't reroute you when you make a wrong turn and I have to transfer my numbers from the old phone by hand BOO.

As I said earlier I went to the beach today with Maddy. She read while I transferred numbers to the new phone. It was a great day at the beach. As soon as it started to get too hot a nice breeze came in and cooled us down. I could not go in the water as I still have a burn on my left arm from work. Actually I did stick my feet in, it was great.

One more thing. My book klub book this time is "Book Thief". It takes place in WWII Germany and death is one of the characters. I think it will be an upper... just what I need in my life more war.

what 'Cha Been Up To?

I've been a bad Blogger. I really should post more.

Last week we went to Yosemite with a bunch of friends, on the annual Tim and Nicole "Fun In The Wild River Weekend." We stayed at the Yosemite Bug which usually has great food and friendly workers with a laid back hostel feel. Well this year the friendly workers were a little too laid back. They could not be troubled to have hot coffee in ready in the morning. The food went from yummy and expensive to just expensive. We did not let it get us down. We just ate in the park which has a full bar and yummy Bloody Marys. I did not get to go in the river as I had managed to give my self a nice burn on my arm while at work the previous week. Everyone else did and seemed to enjoy floating in the river.

On the Cute Puppy front Tally-wa bit a dog the other day at dogie daycare. Fortunately it was not too bad, but a bite is a bite and now she has been suspended from Wagville pending another evaluation. I hope she gets back in and behaves herself. When she doesn't get enough exercise she wakes up at the slightest noise and starts barking. Not fun when you are dead asleep.

iphone, still might get one.

Gas Crush

I know we have all been felling the gas crush. I thought I had found a way around it.

DRIVE SLOWER.

Any one who has driven with me knows that I drive RIDICULOUSLY fast. My theory was go faster than the police about 90 or 95 and they will catch the people going 80 and it worked (okay I was caught once, he turned around through a dirt median, they don't do that in L.A.).

So I'm now trying to drive 65-70. The problem is that I'm concentrating so hard on the speedometer that I'm missing my exits and having to turn around, which is wasting all the gas I am trying to save.

I'm not done yet. I just have to keep at it and hopefully not get hit by those that are going past me at 80.

Funeral III

I have been to three funerals this year, two were burials one was cremated. All of the dead had died of cancer all had become friends of Poopoo while her mother was being killed by cancer.

The first was Poopoos mom who was cremated. It was a nice funeral on a very cold New Years Day. There was a nice speech given by the deceased brother and a slide show showing her life.

The second was a brother of Poopoos co-worker. This was my first open casket funeral, when we got up to the the casket I was surprised, "Oh, a dead body. There is something you don't see every day." Why do people do this the deceased never look like they did in life. Their cheeks are sunken in the makeup is pasty. The services were in Persian, it was interesting to not understand anything that was said. At the burial the process becomes very mechanized, trucks pull up, guys jump out, cover the casket, lower it into the hole, flowers are thrown in and it's over.

The third was a closed casket. Again in Persian, later I heard it was a horrible accent and didn't have much to do with the life on the deceased. At the burial the mechanization was kicked up a notch. They had a noisy crane rather than a winch lower the body into the hole. The mourners tried to place flowers in as the keepers used a back hoe to fill in the dirt, it was quite noisy. Then comes the coup de gras they use the back hoe with a pneumatic hammer to tamp down the dirt. I literally almost cried. It was like they were crushing the deceased. Yes the family was there the whole time.

To all concerned I'd like to be cremated.

In Which European City Do You Belong.

You Belong in Paris

You enjoy all that life has to offer, and you can appreciate the fine tastes and sites of Paris. You're the perfect person to wander the streets of Paris aimlessly, enjoying architecture and a crepe.

What European City Do You Belong In?

An Unexpected Turn of Events

Today started like so many others. Maddy kisses me on her way out as I was still sleeping. When I awoke I listened to NPR, piddled around the house, ate breakfast, played with the dog. I was suppose to be packing for our trip to Oregon, doing laundry and cleaning the house. I had lots of time it was only noon.

The phone rings its Poopoo she wants my help to support her at a funeral at 2pm. (Yes this is the same Poopoo whose mom died of cancer on Christmas morning and whose uncle could not take it and died five days later on New Years day, the same day as Poopoos moms funeral.) So I said I'd be delighted to go and support you at the funeral of your co-workers brother. It was wierd seeing a dead body there in the middle of the church. It was my first time at a funeral with an open casket. What a strange custom.

I call my wife and let her know what is going on. Poopoo and I leave her car at the cimetery and go and get something to eat. We get back and there is someone trying to break into her car to get at an empty purse she has left on the seat. I pull my car right infront of their escape vehicle as the guy is running to get inside. He backs up and takes off. You have got to be some kind of serious asshole to try to steal from a car at a cimetary. Fortunately the car was locked and he did not get in.

After The Ride

Last night Maddy and I went in for a massage at a place recommended by one of our friends who has muscle issues and gets massages all the time. Because she has to go all the time they cant be expensive. She sends us to a Thai massage place in Studio City that charges $40 for an hour.

It was the best massage ever. Its like yoga but they do all the moves and stretching for you, they massage your face, head, legs and the best part is at the end they place a towel with mint on your face.

Let's Ride

Maddy and I recently got bicycles so we can spend more time together as well stay in shape. She has gone out with me a few times. She has a hard time doing it with her tight schedule of work, banjo, dinner and sleep requirements. I often end up going alone or riding on the trainer stand in the backyard. It's fun and I feel better for doing something healthy.

I have gone out with my neighbor a few times he is real good. I see him riding on one of his project bicycles and see if he wants to go for a ride tomorrow he says sure. I'm thinking maybe like ten or fifteen miles we end up riding for almost THIRTY EIGHT miles by the time we get home I'm almost dead. The worst is that we live on a hill a steep hill so no matter how tired one is you still have to make it up the hill. My neighbor just jams up the hill while I barely made it.

Today I am very sore.

Fashion

I dont get what is on the minds of womens clothing designers.

The other day I went shopping with my cousin. It turns out that designers are bringing back what I'm calling "The Jordache Look." You remember circa 1985 the high waisted pants that were a pain to get on and never looked as good as you thought they they would and sitting looked like it HURT.

I know I'm a male, but some of my best friends are women and I don't want to seem them go through this AGAIN, besides low waisted jeans look better (no whale tail though).

Construction

They have been working across the street on a new house. This has been going on for about a week or so and the hill is pretty torn up.

Today I was watching them destroy my view when a man drives up in a white car gets out and tells the men to turn off the equipment. He proceeds to ask if they have a permit to do grading. They don't, doh! Did they have a guy come out and do soil samples? the head guy says, "I don't know." Inspector says, "You don't know much for a guy who is suppose to be in charge. Look, you are shut down till you get the permit. Take a long weekend boys."

So they are working on a super steep hill with huge equipment removing truck after truck of dirt and don't know if the hill is gonna fall on you and make a mess in the street?

Welcome to Home Depot...

... How can we disappoint you today?

I went to my local Home Depot today, I know better, I was in a hurry. To find some things for a project on which I am working. I went to the hardware section at find a threaded 5/8 inch rod and some bolts. They did not have the bolts and the rod did not have the price on it.

After waiting what seemed like for ever for a guy to show up. He says, "I don't know where they are." Like its an OK answer. I also had to wait while they looked up the price on the rod, which there was only one, which was in my hand. I think they made up the price. I didn't care I was just happy to have some two-bit security guard touch her Sharpie to my receipt and be on my way.

Friday Traffic

It was bad enough to get out.



The weirdest thing I saw was a driver cleaning his gun, I didn't get that picture.

Maui

I went to Maui last week for my cousins wedding. It was good to see the family. The wedding was beautiful I drank too much and stayed up too late every night. Got back to L.A. at 12am on Tues. and had to go to work at 8am (good times eh?).

One thing I was surprised about was the amount of "Americanization" on the island, wal mart, Macdonald's, Barns and Nobel they even had a Costco. Not that they don't deserve these, but really? I felt like I was in Santa Barbra or the Santa Monica Mountains.

Another odd thing was the size of the tourists. Americans have got to stop eating so damned much!!

It is currently Humped back Whale breeding season in Maui and Maddy and I went whale watching. It was amazing. The male whales were fighting over the females. Others were jumping out of the water. We even saw a baby whale that was less than a day old. The crew said they had never seen so much aggressive behavior from the males, and stayed out longer the time we paid for to watch them fight.

It's nice to be back in my own bed.

Sick

I've been sick since Sat morning. I'm not used to this, my wife is the one who does all the getting sick in the family. I got this cold from my wife who got it from some sick kid at the library. My friend come over this weekend while M was out of town, I gave it them.
Being sick sucks.

New Years Day

The memorial for poopoos mom was on 1/1/08. On this day we found out that at 6am that her moms brother had died that morning.
WHAT THE FUCK!! Give the family a break.

New Years Eve

Poopoo called and need me to pick up one of her relatives and bring them to Valencia (By magic mountain) for the funeral on New Years Day. Her flight was coming in at 9:45p which wasn't too bad so Maddy and I went to LAX at the appropriate time and called her on her cellphone and she said she was waiting outside in a hat, white t-shirt and jeans we drive by the Delta terminal Three times. Its now about 10:30p. We don't see her. I'm beginning to think she doesn't know what the hell she is talking about. Then I hear it, "I'm next to the BOB HOPE SIGN."

I had picked up Poopoos aunt at LAX the prior week and everything went smooth as lemonade. It turns out that Poopoo gave me all the info except which airport to which I was going. Her relative is at Burbank!

Maddy and I jam all the way from West LA across the valley and to the other side of Burbank. Fortunately for us everyone was pretty much at their NYE destination which meant smooth sailing.

We pick her up and had a good laugh over it and and made it to Valencia in time for the big ball drop.