When you feel overwhelmed and creativity sucked from your soul, just watch this. Dare to dream, worry not how you will get there. To infinity and beyond!
This is a fantastic series laying out progressive modern urban planning. Of particular interest is the final video, highway removal, as it specifically mentions the Alaska Way Viaduct.
As my 30th birthday quickly approaches I have spent some time to reflect on the wonderful life I have lived. It has been filled with adventure, love, passion, and zest. A life full of the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. In spite of this adventurous life I live, there have been few moments that have caused me pause. This morning was one of them; finding myself paralyzed hoping someone else were with me to witness the calamity I was seeing. I had just completed my morning workout at the gym. Now the locker rooms are ripe with abnormalities, a veritable hot-bed for spellbinding moments. There is Captain Vanity who spends more time checking out his godly nakedness than actually working out. Chatty Cathy, a incredibly social gay man who spends too much time without a towel around his waist as he catches up, his gesticulating movements only magnifying the drama. And there is Hair Dryer Hippie. His hair is as long as he is tall. It takes him a good twenty minutes with the hair dryer to work the threads; but most alarming are the unusual pauses to dry his "boys." But despite their eccentricities, these men never caused me pause. I acknowledged them, quickly dismissing them as just another layer of the complex patina that is a public gym. But not today, not this guy. After a pleasantly hot shower, I walk towards the lockers. A portly middle-aged man is preparing to step on the digital scale. His love handles casually hang over the edges of his neatly tucked towel. Small patches of back hair are herded over his shoulder blades. As he prepares to step on the scale he tears the towel from his body and deftly throws it aside, like a stripper discarding a thong. I pause. Located on the small of his back is a tattoo. Two delicately soft artful wings adorn his back. A tramp stamp by any other name, this inking would be only too stereotypical dressing the back of some overweight woman. But there it was, the crunk stamp, the douche cartouche, or gramp stamp, proudly proclaiming this man's desires. My mouth agape I stood motionless; eyes frantically scanning the room to find another person who was witnessing such magnificence. My finger defiantly trying to point, the laugh building from the depths of my belly. But there was to be no shared relief...I was alone.
Today I was down rummaging through the office, or simply going downstairs for a hot cup of tea, when I stumbled across one of the most perplexing food concoctions I have seen. I have done my fair share of traveling and have had my fair share of odd foods. Across the world people eat different foods. And although some might find various types of meat disgusting, or not particularly enjoy an exotic fruit, these are unprocessed foods. These unprocessed foods represent the exoticism of the place. It is the cornucopia of processed foods that not only scare me, but also cause me pause. My mind wanders to a laboratory in the Midwest where scientists in white robes stand over potions in an attempt to make a pepperoni pizza flavored jelly bean. Their attempt while a failure resulted in an incredibly accurate vomit flavored jelly bean, which I can personally attest to. Thank you Jelly Belly and Harry Potter. But today I ran across the oddly flavored macadamia nut. I like macadamias. I have had sweet and spicy ones and to be quite honest have yet to find one I dislike; until today. Spam flavored macadamia nuts? In spite of how wrong I see this food to be I find it somehow comforting. I can think of no better souvenir to describe Hawaii than this little treat. So the next time you go to Hawaii, fore go the boxed pineapple or the plastic lei. Instead bring all your friends back Spam flavored macadamia nuts.
This is a short film which was developed to teach men how to supervise women in the workplace. Viewing it from today's context demonstrates just how far we as a society have come, and perhaps how far we still have to go. As it was suggested to me; perhaps this is a video for Sepp Blatter or Andy Gray.
This post is a follow up to the 2007 Voodoo Chicken post (linked in title). Today I experienced a profoundly odd event. While at the Pink Elephant car wash. I thought it would be smart to get the car washed just before the Super Bowl as the lines would be minimal and I could expedite the process. My assumption proved true, but I failed to realize that the chances of running across more crazies was increased. Standing outside in the grey northwest afternoon, I attentively watch as men dry and polish my car. An African-American woman approaches. She is walking her bike and wearing a 'Nutcase' helmet. This should have been my first warning. As she approaches I notice her carrying something. When she is near me it is revealed she is holding a pigeon by both its wings. Shocked and a bit alarmed, I wonder what is going on here. Calmly she asks me, "Do you know the number I can call to get some help for this pigeon's broken foot." Dumbfounded, I pause while I process what is going on here. I mean seriously lady, you call the pigeon police. Of course I don't know that number. So I politely respond, "No I am sorry I do not know who you should call." Although I did briefly think about giving out a friend's number as a prank. She continues to stare at me, this bird so exhausted it has acquiesced to her grip. I then inform her that I don't think it is smart for her to hold a pigeon. I mean aren't pigeons like the rats of the air? They always have weird growths and missing toes. She looks at me, confused that I have suggested she release the bird. Saying no more she continues walking down the street as the car wash workers are caught in awe as she parades her hand caught fowl for all to see.
