Amespi

I am so blessed. Lisa came home from her girls night out. Responsibly she was dropped off. I am so glad we can trust each other to make good decisions. After hanging out and talking with her I rolled out to the deck and lit up the new fire pit. I wish I knew where our cameras were. I'd like to take a few night pics of the perfect flame and see what the camera can do with fire.
Whiskey and coke, ipod playing BJM and my fire pit. I am so blessed.
The bike is at the shop getting the new clubman bars put on. I probably could have made teh controls work in the transfer, but I really want the brakes and throttle to work perfectly. I think it's important to not wreck and stuff.
Anyway, Hyperventilation is playing and it's one of those brilliant songs that makes you turn up the volume by starting off at a recorded volume that is real low for a long time. And once you have cranked it up, then it gets into the song at the correct volume- way too loud. What a perfect album Methodrone is.
Anyway, even though I have it cranked I hear what seems to be a jet engine flying overhead. Interestingly, there are no lights and it sounds louder and lower than anything that I have ever gotten on at PDX. So it is some sort of sortie mission from a local base. I am so blessed. I live in a country that is able to prepare itself when people start hijacking planes and running them into our buildings. It is really sad that someone wanted to do that to our buildings in the first place. Maybe there is something we could have done differently. Befriending Israel isn't wrong, but it certainly did have some consequences, eh?
Shoot.
Literally, I guess.

We have reached the Metal Age

So I haven't sat down and chilled in quite a while. Ever since I bought the bike I have caught the tinkering bug that I have never built an immunity to. But this time tinkering has turned into TIG welding. No I have never welded before- might as well practice a bit and chop into the fuel tank for modification. CRIPES!! What am I thinking? I hear there are combustibles in those fuel tanks.
Oh well. Still alive to type-
I had to chop the rust out of the old tank I was given. But since my welding pretty much blows still I bought a stock tank that can just be painted and away we'll go.
I'll continue to work on the tank and turn it into a 50's cafe classic... until then I'll use one that doesn't leak at the seams:-)

Slow Down!

My buddy is off to the D for trout opener this weekend. The river is raging! and worse it has changed about 500 CFS in the last 48 hours. The fishing may be totally blown by the change. Pretty lame of the operator's of the dams on the billy C and that wacky-long reservation reservoir. Hopefully they slow the flow and let it just settle at one place for a while.
Buckskin Mary Rapid will be a frickin blast. It could eat a few careless boaters just as easily as give the floater one of the coolest set of roller rides around. Big warnings came in the online forums today about the D running at 7000 or something. But the BLM had already sold 60 boater passes just for the Mecca day float. I remember going through that rapid with Rob last Novemeber.
I happened to be rowing when we went through Buckskin and it was at the perfect level where the backside of the rollers wouldn't catch your stern and crash over into your boat. I was going to take it straight down the tongue and get the most unbeleivable skate-park ride. But of course, Rob says something real subtle and soft (but since he can never say anything critical, it seemed really loud and clear). "You're gonna slow it down a bit...?..."
Man what a good guy he is. Not a risk taker at all. If I did plan on slowing it down, I bet I could've surfed that 16' glass boat and given it a moment of freedom it never even dreamed possible. Instead I wanted to jump that heavy Clacka-bucket. But mid-speed between the two we just kinda rolled through the rapid uneventfully. What a waste. I should have known that he wasn't going to want to take it fast. I should have just tried surfing it. After all, when Buckskin Mary is just right, it is quite possibly the perfect place in our aquaeous nation for just such a move. And the level was perfect.
This weekend it is raging. I hope everyone stays real safe.

How cool is my wife?

So Cool.

I bought a new bike since it was just a good deal. The guy delivered it tonight and his wife took him home... that in itself makes the deal all the more sweet.

After watching "24", Lisa and I went out and sat on it and fired it up and stuff. Her words to me before she went back inside were. "good job... have fun with your new toy tonight". If that isn't a supportive wife I dont know what is.

Nirvana's "Black Album"- and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Review

To many of us, Nirvana's "Black Album" is hard to stomach. I guess it seems disingenuous to release a "Greatest Hits" album without calling it such. In today's modern digital era (of thievery), we can just as easily import these previously released tracks from the other albums and create a playlist entitled Nirvana's Radio Favorites. This title alone would almost make it unplayable on my iPod. I don't listen to the radio- it pains me. Along with advertisers blaring incessantly about the super-sale of subaru's on Saturday, I am just not that fond of the formulaic composition of a rock song that lasts exactly 3 minutes, has one bridge and a catchy pop riff. All of this being said, however, on my way to watch BRMC perform last night at the Wonder Ballroom, I have found a home in my heart for Nirvana's Black Album.

I usually don't go out of my way to put in a CD of songs that have been overplayed through radio, and young-teen mall shops, but I feel most all music has it's place in the world at one time or another. I received a free copy of this CD from a friend-of-a-friend at a major label. It just happened to be one of my 6 discs in the changer last Saturday night on my way to see Black Rebel. As soon as Grohl started huffing on his set to introduce You Know You're Right I knew that this was the perfect CD to get ready for a live concert. Midway through that first song I was ready for rock. If I had listened to an actual BRMC album on the way to the show my own expectations would redirect the experience that the band was going to provide for me that night. But these overplayed radio hits from Nirvana were just right for setting the mood. These songs won't ask one to change their personal tone for the evening. Instead, the album was the perfect appetizer for Black Rebel's 5-Star meal. And I think it may just be the perfect starter for anyone before they dig into the unique experience that only a live show can bring.

(Our Neighborhood) Dogs of War

Scientists find no genetic difference between dog breeds. If one
studied the gene sequencing of a British Curly-Coat Retriever with
that of a Chinese Chow-Chow there is interestingly no striking
dissimilarities. They are all classified as Canis Lupus, or wolf, at
the core.
The dog packs in the most remote reaches of wilderness like the
jungle of Central America need very little "bark" to communicate.
A softly spoken, but high-pitched, "whistle" breaks the silence of
the rainforest as these dogs hunt in packs. There is very little
competing noise when one removes man's presence from the landscape.
Because of this, these dogs aren't exhausting themselves just to be
heard by others. They communicate only what is necessary to get the
desired result. Canis Lupus has been domesticated now, but to keep
his bark from becoming a constant annoyance in your home and yard,
make sure he doesnt feel the need to "compete" for just basic
attention from you and your family.

The Simpsons Live Opening Titles

Makers of the hit cartoon The Simpsons have filmed the show's opening titles using real actors.

Pray for strength

The whole last decade I prayed for direction. Now I just need to pray for strength. That is my personality in a nutshell. Once someone asks me to do something I just do it. I persevere through it. The task of building these boats, or producing some worthwhile video footage, both at quality levels far exceeding anything that is being done, is more than I can do on my own. But I forget to ask anyone for help, or guidance. I don't ask God because I am supposed to toil in the feilds picking weeds the rest of my days. That is what He told me so I figure He won't have any sympathy for how difficult the task is. Tonight, I prayed anyway.

Remember that trip down the D with Lance...

Fisher's

Air-Flos new Ridgeline: Precursor to a Product Review

http://www.fishwest.net/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?
Screen=PROD&Product_Code=AF30RXP&Category_Code=006flylines

So it has ridges, but as I look close and think about it I think it is too much gimmick. They just created more surface area to attach itself to the water, which would make it more difficult to pull the line off for another cast. I don't mean to go spouting off about this when I have never slung the new goods, but it seems the product is the antithesis to the company's name.