Rip City

In Portland, the big news the last two days is some tall guy from Ohio will play basketball here next fall. Whoooooopppeeeee is what I say. I guess I appreciate the monumentality of the first choice draft pick. However, I feel that the celebration they are having now is far too delayed. It's like finding out you won the lottery and having to wait a period of time to finally announce the amount of the winnings.

Anyway, people are excited about Greg Oden. I suspect most of the excitement and anticipation is what this means for Trailblazers season ticket sales. Apparently, they are up, too.

In other news - foiled UK car bombings, rat movies, iPhones, Putin in Maine, Family Jewels, and roid-rage...It's been a tremendous week!

I miss the Bay Area, but I realize I would be a tad bored there had I stayed this summer. I probably wouldn't have found full time work. My work in Portland (Vancouver) isn't really full time, although I am there 40 hours a week. But at least the tempo is increasing. Next week I will finally have a sizable amount of work to do. For the last three weeks I've only had enough workload to warrant a part-time gig. Hopefully it will continue to pile up. I am weird. I'd rather be overloaded with no end in sight than piddling around with 1 or 2 small scope projects on my snack plate.

Today I have to go to a birthday party for a one-year old. This will be interesting. I still haven't wrapped the book I purchased for Maddy. I better do that now.

Masu (east)

I went to a nice dining establishment tonight. I ate a tremendous amount of sushi and drank interesting lychee-accented libations. I tried something called a lotus roll. The unagi wasn't half bad, either.

And, to top things off, this Japanese restaurant did NOT offer mochi or green tea ice cream for dessert (snooze). In fact, we sampled American cherry pie and oozing chocolate egg rolls with raspberry ice cream.

Try to find THAT in Tokyo....I dare you.

House guest

4415 is graced with the presence of little Matty, a black lab mix. He will stay with us through Sunday when his owner gets back from Vegas.

Vegas, baby. Vegas.





If Matty's eyes look a little trippy, that is my fault. He had major red eye and I sloppily fixed it in Photoshop.

Delinquent

I haven't been my normal self for the last ten days or so. Hardly posting a thing - I guess no one reads this anyway - and being kind of in a dumpy mood. All this, despite the shiny new metal pedals and new brake pads I had installed on my bike. Pictures forthcoming...

Been attempting to resolve my melancholy with visits to EverydayMusic, usually at the late hours of the evening. I love the fact this place is open until midnight each night of the week. It is really a nice feature of this neighborhood. Now if they only had an ajoining bar with a handsome waiter...

Music to follow:

Blitzen Trapper, Wild Mountain Nation
These guys are local to Portland. Their new album got a solid review on Pitchfork.

Going to see Rufus here July 31 - his new album has a couple strong ballads, as usual. I'm going for the older stuff, though. I wonder if we will see his lederhosen?

Has anyone bought the new Clientele album? I'm curious.

In other news, my sister's house is getting A/C tomorrow. Not sure it really needs it, but I guess Mom is ponying up the money for it. You don't say no to Mom.

Slow times

I am convinced that I am possibly not meant to work in a traditional office, ever.

I go stir-crazy by 11am! Part of the problem right now is that the people I work with are too busy to delegate work to me. Today I spent my time putting together an introductory PowerPoint presentation on the county's trail and bikeway systems that can be used with groups like the Kiwanis Club or League of Women Voters. Pretty lame, but at least it kept me busy.

I am thinking that I will propose to go survey the 40 mile trail system in person - meaning I bring my bike to work and go out for an entire day to ride the trails. I actually think they would approve me to do that for TWO days in a row, if I sell it right. I like the idea of exercising on the government's dime...

Other than that, this weekend will be kind of fun. We start off with dinner to celebrate my friend Alexa's 30th. Saturday I will go for drinks and then enjoy the fine talents of the HBRSB. Sunday we journey to my mother's house, to have a Father's Day BBQ for my stepdad and brother (whose kids will be in town from Spokane).

Lots to do. How are you celebrating your father?

Gypsy Blowout

On August 31 an amazing event will occur at The Fillmore in lovely San Francisco.

Arguably the most dynamic and amazing band is playing, the gypsy punks Gogol Bordello. I last saw them in Spring 2006 at Slim's. My concert going experiences up to that point were totally eclipsed by Eugene Hutz's physical dominance, defying theatrics, and spiritual dynamite. The Slavic-derived band is led by accomplished fiddlers, accordianists, guitarists and the pair of devastatingly beautiful drum maidens.

Anyone up for a life changing experience, let me know by next week when the tickets go on sale...otherwise check your local venues for their appearance. Their shows sell out fast.

German cinema, offender crews

Tonight I went to go see a movie at the Fox Tower theaters at 10:10. I little late for a school night, some might say, but for me it was a necessity. A film I have been wanting to see for many months is only in theaters for a short time. I had to see it, otherwise I'd have to wait until late summer of fall to see it on DVD.

The movie was The Lives of Others. It was very good. I'd recently rented Goodbye, Lenin on video, so my head has recently been very engaged in the pre-Glastnost East Germany mindset. Very different movies but similar effect. All the performers in TLOO were outstanding.

Work today was also a new experience. My supervisor, Jane, told me that she wanted me to accompany her to some construction site checks. We visited two neighborhood parks in Vancouver currently in construction and talked to the PM (project manager) about the status of the work. While were were talking with him, I noticed what appeared to be a group of hired day laborers raking the soil for rocks by hand. It looked like pretty onerous work, I tell you what. I noticed they were all wearing various shades of red and pink t-shirts. I assumed nothing.

Soon enough, I heard the PM use the term "O-crew" and saw my colleagues nodding toward a gangly group of dudes hanging out, one leaning on his standard-issue rake. Assuming the worst, I figured they were convicted felons. Soon again, I heard the PM say that they've been doing good work so far, but once they get the playground equipment installed at the park the O-crew will not be coming back - just to be "safe".

From there, I surmised they were indeed felons, but also child sex offendors. Lovely.

There's nothing like an honest day out at the park to meet the trusted workforce, eh?

A Saturday in June with rain.

Having not spent one single significant part of the month of June in Portland since 1997, I kind of forgot about the prevailing weather patterns that exist here. In May it is nice and sunny, as most places are. In June, progress takes a pause and the rain returns. It was 57 degrees and cloudy yesterday, all day, until about 4 when it got sunny for one hour.

I woke up with hopes of a sunny weekend, but it is raining and cold. 56 degrees cold. I am sitting here in my running clothes waiting for a break in the down pour.

And I wait.

Your dedicated City of Vancouver employee

Yesterday I finally accepted the internship at the City of Vancouver's Parks and Recreation Department. Sure, it's not as sexy as some other companies or firms, but it will prove to be challenging and hopefully fruitful.

Here is a short list of the projects they proposed to me:

1. Develop concept designs for potential acquisition properties (land that old or dying people might donate to the district on the condition they like our proposals for)

2. Develop a composite map illustrating annexation and growth boundary changes as they relate to existing boudaries and park districts.

3. Finalize site selection and develop conceptual course designs for a community disc golf facility; work with local disc club to develop partnership guidlines, draft agreement.

4. Develop a conceptual design for a trail linkage system.

5. Develop revised policies and program for Vancouver off leash-facilities, including guidelines for site selection.

On an unrelated note, my "f" key is stuck on my laptop. I suspect a stubborn sesame seed or something lodged under there.