8-31-2010

Back at work, but not because I'm better. Rust never rests. This is on the outside of my semi-closed door today.

8-30-2010

Pink pillow, furry blanket, and blurry TV are pretty much the only things keeping me alive. This is what four and a half days of cabin fever looks like.

8-29-2010

I'm not a doctor, but I'm pretty sure tongues aren't supposed to be this color...like ever.

8-28-2010

I haven't been on the good side of this door for over two days. I've been here or here and that's about it.

8-27-2010

Waking up today was like waking up in the temperatures we had in Arizona, except the temperatures we had in Arizona were living inside me. At least Nicole left me with a little green shot glass which I definitely took full advantage of.

8-26-2010

This is sick people lunch. Don't judge me...I'm diseased.

8-25-2010

Today is Nicole and my three year anniversary. We unintentionally did a lot of three-related things. We went to Three Birds, I drank Tres Generaciones Anejo, and Nicole had this. We both had the three fancy cheeses plate, and I had a three Tylenol nighcap since my body decided to give me the three symptoms of fever, muscle aches, and a sore throat as anniversary gifts. I don't remember the last time I was this sick, but it sucks.

8-24-2010

Inspired by Nicole's pink-little-kid-bike-purchase from this past weekend, I got a new old BMX bike tonight from Craigslist. The thing with things from Craigslist is that you never know where they've been. Apparently mine was involved in the illicit sex trade...twice.

8-23-2010

My office goes to this one Mexican restaurant probably way too often for lunch. This guy lives there next to the register. Today, I wanted a toothpick but well...it's a good thing they keep a normal despenser on the side because I couldn't bring myself to take one from him.

8-22-2010

I woke up early to see how much the giant mushroom opened up over night. Here's a shot for scale. It might get even bigger still.

Then I spent the day here.

8-21-2010

After some internet research, we figured out that the neighbor mushroom is an Amanita muscaria or "fly agaric" toadstool. It's both very poisonous and psychoactive. It has opend up a lot since last night, but it should get even bigger...as long as no one kicks it over.

Nicole got a new old bike at a flea market.

We found weird dead things exploring in random woods.

8-20-2010

I went to the mall this morning before the stores opened to take some pictures for work. The mall before Ten o'clock is pretty much a hip and trendy gym for Senior Citizens.

A giant poisonous mushroom is living at the end of my street.

8-19-2010

To the handfull of you that have read this blog more than once, I'm sorry I keep posting gross out/twelve-year-old boy pictures. I'm not sure if there's just been more things of that sort around me recently, or if I've just been oddly attracted to such things. Regardless, that's what I've been seeing/documenting, so sorry if you're in the habit of looking at this blog on your lunch break. Here's something pretty to make up for it.

8-18-2010

Mark's going away lunch was incredibly emotional. Best of luck out there, homie.

8-17-2010

The rock climbing booboo I gave myself on the creek walk this past weekend looks gross now.

Here's an update on Nicole's carnivorous plant terrarium birthday present. See 4-26-2010.

8-16-2010

Mandatory office cleaning has just uncovered a little rearview mirror which was stashed away in a file holder. I quickly claimed it as my own and installed it between my monitors. Just try and sneak up on me now, coworkers! Now all I need now is a tiny pair of fuzzy dice.

8-15-2010

We got ready, saw a tattery butterfly (do you think it tore its wings up on the thistles?), then had breakfast and went driving around places we don't normally go. I started seeing things that seemed to be a precursor to the rest of our day.

While we were driving around and taking pictures, we saw a billboard which may very well be the most effective piece of advertising I've ever seen. We immediately jumped on the highway and began our spontaneous quest to reach a destination over an hour away. Nicole's exhaust system promptly broke in half, turning her car to the decibel level of a motorcycle gang, but we were determined to keep going. After a painfully loud jaunt down the highway, we finally arrived and purchased our tickets to the very last day of the Great Lakes Medieval Faire. As two nerds that religiously watch Merlin on the SyFy channel, this was an incredibly exciting event. We saw a drunk fairy taking a nap with a unicorn, a guy with pointy ears, this guy, a small girl with a huge hammer, a dude with armor, a snake charming lady, my favorite wizard, and a small girl with a tail being walked on a leash by her gothic owner. Nicole shopped for crowns and I wished there was such a thing as a vegetarian enormous grilled turkey leg. Then we watched knights joust, and a burly man pull a girl's hair while kicking her boyfriend in the chest then kill Robin Hood. It was a pretty much all you could ask for from a day at a Medieval Faire.

P.s. All of these photos were shot with my grandfather's fourty year old Leica M4.

8-14-2010

I recently got a waterproof camera, so Nicole and I went on a creek walk to try it out. We skipped stones, looked though stones, and searched for creatures. We found fish, a spider, a blurry water snake, a tiny beat-up catfish, and a few crayfish.

We also found a huge mysterious paw print and weird claw marks in the clay. The print would have to be a really really really big dog with the worst kept toenails ever, or a bob cat or a dragon or something. We really have no idea what it was.

Then we climbed rocks and waterfalls to swim in a really cold pool.

More flash-blasting pictures:
One
Two
Three.

8-13-2010

We went here to see my friend Steve's gallery opening. Steve has a pig on his leg. People were dancing in the street on the way to the bar. The bartender tried to build a tower of whiskey, but failed miserably multiple times. "Quick don't waste it!" (that's not Nicole and I by the way...not that I'm above such behaviour). The comical face of sheer drunken intensity.

8-12-2010

...so this is what happens when pirates die?

Barbara
Tony
Cymbal
Moog

8-11-2010

There was really weird light outside, so Nicole and I went out in the yard and looked around. As it started to get dark, we found a toad living in our flower bed, and the biggest Wolf spider nest I've ever seen. Then I thought it would be a good idea to Terry-Richardson-esque blast Nicole with flash when we went to get ice cream. Then I Terry Richardson-ed the toad on our steps when we got home.

8-10-2010

When we first got our second cat, we had to buy a timed automatic feeder since the new one eats like a Shop-Vac with no off switch. This was a bummer for our first cat, Sienna since she always had access to food whenever she wanted it ever since she was a kitten (and knows not to eat a day's worth of food all at once). Luckly she's far smarter than the new cat and quickly figured out the machine and learned to feed herself as much as she wants now (this is the same technique she used to break our printer). The new cat still thinks that repeatedly meowing at the machine will eventually make it give up its goods.

8-9-2010

This creature has been homesteading on the window of the back door of my job for the past few weeks. Every day, I've been watching its web grow (and it think it's getting bigger too). It's been fun seeing all the gross things it catches on my way in and out of work. I think it deserves a name soon. I'm honestly very anxious that someone will "clean" its home away which would be a terrible tragedy.

8-8-2010

First we foraged for berries. I mean, lots and lots of berries. A grande sized cup of berries. Apparently, these are what your father smelt of according to the French.

Then it was more twins. So many twins that they needed a cherry picker to see them all. And more carnival food. Then a power lunch with friends.

P.s. David (pictured above) had a twin named Walter in a matching outfit, but I couldn't get a picture of them together because David was far too busy running around photographing everyone while Walter was sleeping.

8-7-2010

We woke up early to bike to the Twinsdays parade. The suburb I live in is internationally know for its weekend-long celebration of dividing zygotes. We've been going every year since we moved here to witness the pageantry, akward constumes, questionable racial sensitivity, and spectacle. Sometimes it seems a little creepy, but we always have a lot of fun and enjoy the carnival food. I experienced extreme camera lust. Then I got fancy to get dirty with my out of town friends. Anyone want to go to this?

Then I fixed Nicole's first flat tire so we could ride to fireworks. Followed by drinks and sleepover party with my friends, but I didn't take any pictures.

8-6-2010

...because unmarked cop cars and kevlar vests are necessary for ticketing yuppies in front of a restaurant when there are drug deals and robberies going on down the street.

8-5-2010

Continuing the theme of nail polish, Nicole and I went wandering around a mall today and found a store with an array of tester bottles. I almost wish she had more fingers.

8-4-2010

I got to escape my closet-office and work in the studio today with my co-workers Billy and Mark. It takes lots of people to make a nail polish commercial. Look it's a model. Needless to say, I remained classy and professional at all times around the cute girl.

After work, we went running and found a broken butterfly and took it home with us.

8-3-2010

Immediately post run mugshots.

8-2-2010

He has risen. He has risen indeed.*


*See 7-23-2010.

8-1-2010

Sundays mean brunch (preferably in the shade on a patio).