-The monsoons are here. I'm completely baffled over not having forest closures in the Flagstaff area. Weak winter + dry spring = horrible summer marred with closures, usually. But, with divine intervention, a money-starved forest service and/or firefighters needing to do actual work rather than standing around getting paid by our tax money to firmly apply their thumbs up their asses (or d. all of the above) we had no such depressing summer. Pretty happy bout that.
-My friend Jason, who I graduated with and at one point was the other half of the Owen Mowing family, is finding his way back to Flag in December. Although he'll have a wife and child in tow, it will be nice to have an old friend living here once again.
-Did you know Reno, NV is further West than Los Angelas, CA? Look it up, non-believers.
-Have you ever played Minesweeper enough that you reach a point where you see numbers and blocks while trying to go to sleep? I don't like it, but unfortunately I go through periods where I'm a bit of a Minesweeper crackhead. We all have our vices, right?

Spiders On Drugs

G.I. Joe - Reggae

"So remember kids.........huh?"

Tomorrow is the 3rd annual First of June Invitational. This is a special event, not just for it's prestige or tradition, but usually the forests close for a good portion of June, and we know this might be the last time we play OMH till July (or monsoon season). Hopefully not this year. At last tally we have 6 teeing off. Yippity-skippy.

"What's up with today....today?" (saw this movie for the first time in 6-7 years; it's a cool movie)

I didn't go see the Indigo Girls last night, which is a bit upsetting since I've loved them since Jr. high. I've never seen them and have been patiently waiting to do so, and regrettably, I stalled. Mostly because nobody really wanted to go with me, as well as the financial factor since I spent a large quantity renting kayaks for a Blue Ridge trip with a few friends last weekend, which was effectively diminished by rain (DAMN YOU SCUBA STEVE!). So, with only enough money for my own ticket, and not being able to persuade anyone to go with me, I didn't make it. Oh well, hopefully they don't retire before their next Flagstaff stop.

-My buddy Kary and his wife are having a boy. This is big news since it seems that everyone I know are popping out girls at an alarming rate. The dating scene in about 18-20 years is going to be disastrous for females in this general area. Kary's son is one lucky feller. About time someone put the stem on the apple.

-I got your email, Kat. I have to tell you that I think that it is SO COOL that you still have this unspoken innate responsibility to tell me what is and isn't good music though our lab-partner days have been over for what....a year and a half now? You're the shit. Cold War Kids was great, but I have to admit that I'm on a Sigur Ros hiatus currently. As imaginitive and beautiful their music is - and let's face it, the Jaguar shark scene in The Life Aquatic would not be near as emotional and effectively important without their contribution - it does something to me that I can't quite explain. Something along the lines of making me feel very small and insignificant from their gigantic, emotion-invoking songs. Oh yeah, you can keep trying and trying, but you're not going to get me to like Wilco (Ha!). Hope Chicago's treating you well.

-While mowing the lawn of my very elderly piano teacher today, she came out to talk to me. After a few minutes of typical everyday conversation, she left me by saying "your bright seems to always outshine your dark." Initially, I thought nothing of it, but when you are performing a mundane task such as mowing, you get to thinking. What does that mean? Did she mean it or was it just saying she subconsciously quoted? If she did mean it, on what grounds does she say such a thing? I mean, she doesn't even really know me, Goddammit. Nevertheless, I came to the conclusion that not only is this a nice thing to say to someone, it's a great way to pattern one's life after - a personalized Golden Rule, if you will. So, after 30 years of finding, testing and failing creeds to attach my life to, I finally found one (for now). Make sure your bright outshines your dark. I like it. It's simple. Even a young child can draw parallels from it. Word.

-The posted pic is from last fall, but it exemplifies the enthusiasm I feel for another wonderful season of throwing plastic things in the woods. Yeah, homie G.

We've reached the 100th guest mark!!

While a celebration is in order, I'd like to remind you all to eat your vegetables.

Sweet fancy Moses, January 3rd is my most recent post! Suddenly, I realize why I chose to study sciences instead of being a writer, due to me not being much of one. If anyone still actually checks this page or even gives a shit, life is still trudging on here in AZ. I'm glad I'm finally writing on my blog, because I've had a blinding whirlwind of thoughts going through my noggen, and even if not a soul reads these words, it's good for me to at least jot down my paradigm of mind.

-I've been focusing on conserving water. Don't get me wrong, I've always made a conscious effort to do so, but I've kicked it up a notch. Recently, on NPR I heard a man who has been giving seminars throughout the Southwest on water; the conservation of it, and the potential problems we'll have in the future as a consequence of humans abusing it. After listening to the interview, I went to his website (which escapes me at this moment) and read in detail of the aforementioned topic. His views, more like predictions, are quite guady - almost apocolyptic. He states that within 15 years, the state of AZ will issue a mandatory, low-flow shower head which stops after a specific amount of water - basically a 2 minute shower, he states. He also talked about things like making sprinkler systems attached to water mains illegal, but instead having them go through a reclaimed water system (which I can't believe isn't happening already) whithin 10 years.....etc.....etc. But, one thing he stated that really got me thinking was in 50 years, the population of Phoenix has to decrease by 60%. He clearly emphasized the words "has to" as in government officials and experts will analyze certain areas of the valley, and determine which towns, neighborhoods etc. are the more inefficient ones (energy and water wise), and CLOSE these areas and send the inhabitants elsewhere, via a 2 year relocation program funded by the federal govt. Fucking crazy. Oh yeah, and Las Vegas is looking to have roughly the same future. I'll be there laughing hysterically while watching the effen Stardust go down, keeping the many memories of that place flat-out robbing me at bay. It'll be beautiful.

-The movie 300 should be renamed 300 Ways to Kill A Man.

-March Madness has to be the most exciting, most entertaining sporting event ever, I don't care what you say about the Goddam over-hyped, over-commercialized Super Bowl.

-Been listening to Silversun Pickups lately. Cool sound for anyone looking for a new thing to get into.

-Immigration issues have been bothering me as of late. The way I see it is our Social Security system is pretty much fucked anyway, from baby boomers retiring (4.1 kids per family) and us working class people (2.2 kids per family) supporting them. So what's a few million (more like 13) people coming over here to better the situation for themselves and their families gonna do? Yes, I do realize there are many more factors that come into play, all of which I won't delve into, but hey, they really are doing the jobs we don't want. But, we do need to stick to the English as a first language principle. People don't need to be ridiculed because they can't speak Spanish (which actually happened to my sister, by a non-English speaking mother of one of her students). Fucking crazy.

-When looking through the beer section in your grocery store, you might find yourself discovering a new beer produced by Miller called "Chill." Although you might be tempted or curious, don't buy it. It tastes like shit. Remember Tequiza?

-There's a new orange cat running around here, making my cat's late-night outside time a bit traumatic for her. This has resulted in her desire to stay in more often, but I've found that when she does this, her hyper-active scale is off the charts. She'll just come flying out of nowhere attacking any exposed flesh on my body. Let me be clear on the fact that THAT REALLY HURTS! Gotta find a way to "relocate" that damn orange cat.

-Don't be alarmed by the odd picture I've posted. It's just my friend, Jimmy, having one of his drunken-pirate-cowboy-Mexican nights. Fucking crazy.

Game winner, bitch. Sure feels good to rip the still-beating heart out of the Bulls, doesn't it? After all, they did it to me throughout the duration of the 90's, so CHOKE ON THAT, CHICAGO!!