For MATT -

Songbird
Originally uploaded by dieselboi.

pimpin' the santa hat and Songbird..

YOU RAWK!

h2 in the country

h2 in the country
Originally uploaded by dieselboi.

So, its one thing to give the bird in the city or on the freeway because the person behind the wheel is probably not a gun toting hunter. Its another to do it in the wilds of nature- ergo the distance....



Sent from my communicator, probably while hiding from the man...

Clean h2?

Clean h2?
Originally uploaded by dieselboi.

No matter how much you scrub, you can't wash away the guilt of owning such a POS.



Sent from my communicator, probably while hiding from the man...

2005, a great year for Walking Portland

i've been thinking about this post for a week now and decided the next few days are probably gonna be too hectic to get the thoughts out, so i should take advantage of the downtime. i wanted to take post and look back at the changes over the past year. yes, the blog is 1 year old in January and i am excited for the coming year. i started the blog as a way to express my experience in walking the streets of portland. A. and I had pledged to walk 10,000 steps a day and wow, we did it for most of the year. granted, there were some slow days (jaw surgery does that), but there were also some great days and weekends.

Some walking statistics:
Total steps this year Brett: 2,757,560 - approximately 1103 miles
Total steps this year Anna: 4,467,357 - approximately 1786 miles
Lifetime average for steps per day Brett: 10,445
Personal Best in a day: 29,802 (11.9 miles)
Best Day (also known as Gale Harold Day): July 9 in Montreal- 29,016 steps.

one year ago, i remember mulling over a walk up to Fred Meyer's and thinking - wow, that's a long walk. now, walking downtown to NW for lunch on a sunday is nothing for the two of us. we plan our lives and our days around walking places. we've sold our cars in order to support a change in our lifestyle.

Wow, can you believe that? 11.9 miles in a day. 1103 miles in the year. oh, and there were some other benefits. one year ago, i weighed a chunky 235lbs. granted, that was post holiday weight, but let's be honest, i wasn't in the best of shape. one year later i'm at a trimmer 200lbs. and i feel great. i have dropped 2 pant sizes and my clothes feel big on me. i'm not complaining. i even got down to 190 as a result of the liquid diet.

this blog has brought us some other wonderful amenities: FRIENDS!!!! along the way, both A. and I have met some great people and I am overjoyed at the new friendships being created via the interweb. Thanks to all of you - Mikey and Bev (rekindled and new), Michael and Kamarin, Paula, Nancy and Matt, Cari, Lelo and Adri, Rigo and many more. wow, to think this time last year we would meet so many amazing souls and create friendships that are so uplifting.

so, here's to a new year and new adventures. i'm gonna try and beat my personal best and i'm gonna try and post more here about my walks. i want to venture further away from what is currently comfortable. i want to take the bus somewhere and then walk home for example. i want to grid out downtown and walk every street. i want to venture to another city and repeat our experience in Montreal where we walk 10-12 miles in a day. you know how much you can see that way?

thank you all for supporting me with your comments and friendship. wishing you a happy, prosperous, and loving new year.

first there was blogging and then moblogging - what's next

i've been thinking of all the different types of blogging there could be in this modern times. help me out here with your suggestions:

blogging - generic diary type blogging
moblogging - usually from a cell phone or mobile device - new for some
drunk blogging - as coined by rigo

now for some new ideas:
shop-blogging - blogging while shopping - i.e. take photos of people buying stuff or photos of people taking photos of people buying stuff
auto-blogging - taking photos from the car (usually blurry) - FUH2 for example - some may just call it rubber-necking.....
comment-blogging - 2 thought - A) blogging only about other people's comments or B) only blogging IN other people's comments (your comment would have nothing to do with their post for example.)
"take a trip"-blogging - blogging from afar when on that life changing journey and you wander upon an internet cafe in the forests of borneo or something....
"in your underwear" or couch-blogging - what i'm doing today...sitting on the couch blogging
cook-blogging - blogging with hands covered in flour and breadcrumbs, telling everyone what you're cooking..


what are your ideas....

Merry Christmas all

i wanted to give a holla out to all you walkingportland readers. Merry Christmas, Happy Chanuka, Happy Kwanzaa - ergo - Happy Holidays. we're doing the family thing today and tomorrow and i'm actaully looking forward to it eventhough i have been stressed out leading up to today. i'm am very grateful to have family and friends close to celebrate with. i'm also thankful for all the new friends we have met through our blogging ventures. this greeting goes out to you too.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

Christmas Bear........................saved

Bear
Originally uploaded by dieselboi.

yes, i went down and saved the little bear. yes, i held it with only two fingers and when i got home, i washed my hands 20 times with bleach and some acid to make sure they were clean....
seriously, the bear is cute. he's been washed (with bleach) and dried and is kinda cute. his eyes broke off in the dryer, but hey, at least he'll have a warm christmas.
i seem to remember something about a Christmas bear on the radio. i may be confusing this with the gingerbread man, but throw me a bone here.
ps: the dogs love him.....

Poor bear...poor bear

Poor bear...poor bear
Originally uploaded by dieselboi.

I wanted to pick you up and bring you home, wash you, dry you and let the little ones play with you, but you are in front of a mess of a house and i wonder what is all in your fur. Then again, maybe i should rescue you. Maybe you are ready for a warm house eventhough it will require some time with little chiuahuas fighting for your attention. I'm coming mr bear, i'm coming to rescue you.



Sent from my communicator, probably while hiding from the man...

Little Red Book

boingboing has a story from the other day about a college student who attempted to check out Mao's Little Red Book via interlibrary loan and was summarily interviewed by the Department of Homeland Security. further, there is a debate there wether the story is actually true and factual.

now, i'm watching NBC Today and Jame's Carville just cited the story. does that make it true?

i'm wondering if this is just an elaborate internet hoax like toothing.....

boingboing story

Oh friday night traffic

Oh friday night traffic
Originally uploaded by dieselboi.

Chucklehead came onto the freeway and crossed three lanes and then ran into traffic.



Sent from my communicator, probably while hiding from the man...

101 things

following up on cari's idea, i really thought - "hey, let's let it go and see what people think."

i have already received some comments.......

1. I have 2 tattoos
2. I have more piercings than just my ears
3. my first bike was a KIA
4. my fist car was a 1978 toyota corolla that I damaged the door the first time I drove it.
5. I am an Eagle Scout
6. I played the trombone in high school marching band
7. I got a music scholarship to college for singing.
8. I have never ridden a motorcycle, but have ridden a scooter.
9. I have seriously injured myself with power tools while at home alone
10. I have injured myself with tools and not told anyone so not to worry them.
11. I hide things in the walls when doing house projects. Things like current news clips, a cell phone, a harry potter book…..
12. there is not a bible in our main bookshelf. The only bible I know we own is in a box in the basement
13. when I was a kid, I had all the original star wars trading cards, but no toys. My friend stole them from me.
14. I have few really close friends
15. I am extremely insecure about how I look
16. I do not own a functional suit
17. I have an artificial eye. My real one never grew and was eventually removed when I was 12.
18. I had a heart murmur upon birth
19. I lived in a round turret room for 3 years
20. I have lived in Vienna Austria, Yerevan Armenia and Kirovakan Armenia for extended periods of time.
21. I was in the Peace Corp in Armenia.
22. I had no idea how to teach, but was an English teacher
23. I went to class drunk once and taught the kids the English words for body parts – leg, knee, mouth, ear….
24. I have met Gale Harold (Queer as Folk fame.)
25. I saw Pearl Jam before they became Pearl Jam – they were called Mookie Blalock
26. my first CD was Pearl Jam 10
27. I have paid more than $150 for a pair of jeans
28. I don’t wear a watch
29. I went to the first Lollapalooza concert in Enumclaw Washington in 1991. My wife was also at the show. We met 5 years later.
30. I have made out with a Morman.
31. I have never been officially arrested, but have been inside a secure jail cell (fingerprinting)
32. I have an FBI record.
33. I applied for a job with the CIA
34. I protested nuclear bombs the same day as a test in the Nevada Desert. I was detained, but not arrested.
35. I have never been to Las Vegas.
36. I have been to Monaco and Monte Carlo (twice)
37. I convinced Germans that I was Austrian with my superb language skills.
38. At one time, I could get by in three foreign languages – Russian, Armenian and German. German by far the best.
39. I was able to use my limited skills in Russian (6 months of classes) to purchase a bottle of Stoli Vodka from a street vendor for less than $1 the first day in Armenia.
40. I bought a 4x4 truck that did not have a front driveline.
41. I have never been to Asia
42. I do not own a gun as I am scared I would actually use it to hurt someone else.
43. I have been so angry with my neighbors that I have secretly plotted in my mind nefarious things to do to them. (sorry, no details.)
44. I once skied for 11 days straight in Austria. On day one, I got a bloody nose on the kiddie run, but by the 11th day, I was doing the black diamond.
45. I got stuck in the snow once with friends for 10 hours before we called for help.
46. I don’t have any friends or acquaintances from high school or college in my life now.
47. I am a very light sleeper and make up scenarios of people breaking into my house when I hear bumps and noises.
48. I live in a house that was built in 1890.
49. I sometimes feel I am tethered to my smart phone and want to throw it across the room.
50. I was once accused of being a slave to computers because I was the only person at the party with an email address (1995)
51. My first real job was doing yard work for Burgerville, I was 15.
52. I visited East Berlin and East Germany when it was communist.
53. I have seen Martin Luther’s 99 Theses in Wittenberg East Germany
54. I was raised a Lutheran, am baptized and confirmed, but currently do not go to church, not even for the holidays.
55. I consider myself spiritual, but find it difficult to worship any one belief.
56. I am part German and part Swedish.
57. I can’t eat oysters cooked, but love them raw.
58. I wear mismatched socks on a regular basis because I am lazy with laundry.
59. I have purchased new socks and underwear instead of washing what I have – again laziness.
60. I have donated brand new clothes to goodwill because the first time I wore them, someone close to me made a comment that made me insecure.
61. I once contemplated suicide because I had mis-trimmed my hair and thought I looked like a dork.
62. I wear braces and had jaw surgery to fix an overbite
63. My first pair of glasses were for safety instead of a prescription.
64. I had a crush on my brother’s wife before they started dating. I was angry with him for dating her at the time. They’ve been together now for over 10 years.
65. I never liked my sister’s first husband but never told her that until it was too late.
66. I sometimes lie to my mom to get out of family functions.
67. I never had a girlfriend in high school.
68. I drink alcohol almost every night
69. I started drinking whisky in the 90’s because I felt it was what I was supposed to be drinking at that age.
70. I never read comics as a kid and now visit the comic book store on a weekly basis.
71. I have been known to sleep walk and eat cheese – sometimes referred to as a sleep cheese eater.
72. The best sushi I have had is mackerel.
73. I feel the job I have now has to do with my personality and not my technical skills
74. I fought kids a lot in grade school to get attention.
75. I was suspended the last day of classes in middle school for a fight, but they couldn’t contact my parents. I stole the letter out of the mail a few days later.
76. I almost asked a girlfriend to marry me one week before she decided our relationship was over. That was the first time someone broke up with me.
77. I have dropped trow at a gay club on stage to get beads for Mardi Gras
78. I worked at McDonald’s for 18 months in high school. I even received an award for it.
79. I played on the undefeated McDonald’s softball team during that time.
80. I wrote a 66 page senior thesis for my history degree on the decolonization of India.
81. I met a friend of my parents who is Jordanian and worked indirectly for Yassar Arafat at the time and lived in Geneva
82. I give dog food samples to homeless dogs in downtown when I can.
83. I am proud of my wife every single day of the year.
84. I have three dogs – Chihuahuas.
85. I have two cats – both strays.
86. There are three different animals buried in our yard that we know of.
87. I have been party to a lawsuit against an individual and won.
88. I like top ramen, but don’t eat it much.
89. My favorite movie is Die Hard with Fight Club a close second.
90. No person close to me has ever died. The closest I have come to grieving is when my cats and dog have died. I am scared for the future.
91. I got a crush on someone one week before I was to be married.
92. I don’t know my paternal grandmother’s first name.
93. I almost became a US Marine, but was sidelined due to item #17. I even got a letter of support from then Senator Packwood.
94. I sometime smoke cigars and love them.
95. I voted for Jesse Jackson in 1988 for president.
96. I met Wesley Clark in 2005. I was his Oregon campaign coordinator during the 2004 attempt.
97. I visited the World Trade Center in 2000.
98. I watch the OC, but never watched 90210
99. I have bank accounts open in foreign countries. And yes, there is money in them.
100. I have a tough time remembering people’s names – even those I work with or are close to. I sometime have to rely on name plates or other people introducing them.
101. I was married on a beach in Kauai at sunset. The rain let up and the clouds broke at that moment. I was the only person wearing shoes.

comment's welcome.

Mmmmm Puttanesca

Mmmmm Puttanesca
Originally uploaded by dieselboi.

Walked over here to Lorenzos on N. Mississippi to pick up dinner. I called it in around 7:00 and arrived to discover they didn't have my order. Did you know there's another Lorenzos in town and they have Puttanesa and a Caeser salad waiting for me. I feel so bad. I am really going to need to do something good for the world to make up for this.

Walking here was crisp. It is another cool evening and since there is moisture in the air, the sidewalk was actually a bit slippy.

check out Lorenzos on N Mississippi when you can.

i want to start a meme

so, i was thinking last night. i want to start a meme and see if it can spread accross the internet. so, here it goes:

Top 5 live music concerts you went to during the 4 years you were in High School.

mine:
1. Depeche Mode and OMD at Civic Auditorium supporting Music For the Masses album. I stayed up all night to get tickets at Greshem GI Joes and ended up with last row tickets. On the way home, crushed, I realized they had to do a second show and by the time I had returned, the second show had just gone on sale and I was able to get 2nd row tickets.
2. Sting at the Memorial Coliseum for the ..Nothing like the sun. Amazing show! I ended up seeing Sting 4 times in the next 2 years.
3. Mayor's Ball, April 1988 - saw The Dan Reed Network and the Crazy Eights.
4. David Bowie and Duran Duran - The Glass Spider Tour, August 1987 at Civic Stadium. wow, what an amazing show. it wasn't a concert, but a spectacle. we were in the 9th row too.
5. Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith - numerous times during my high school years and numerous venues, including the Memorial Coliseum.

so, i'm sending this out to my homeys: superinkygrrl, lelo, rigo, tinymeat, matt and nedra.

spread it around too, i'm interested to see the first blogger to post they went to the beattles or elvis in high school.

enjoy.

im

hey all you readers and supporters of the walker. do you have IM? i'm on msn and would love to chat with anyone if you're out there. email me and i'll get you my im handle.

Since some of you don't believe me

Since some of you don't believe me
Originally uploaded by dieselboi.

Sonny and Crocket

miami

well, tubbs and sonny are together and working like a well oiled machine. and yes, phil collins has already made his cameo along with melanie griffith as a madam.

remember that cool hotel with the garden in the middle

i love miami. i love crocket. i love his alligator

now off to a show.

scary

Dec 10
Originally uploaded by dieselboi.

i don't really know what to say about this.

i think i'll be having some nightmares...

strange.

tubs

just joined the cast. sonny's previous partner was blownd up doing a drug deal. guess who it was. you'll never guess.... i'll give you a hint - he adopted the daughter if darth vader......

sonny is all choked up having to say goodbye to his partner.

this is 1984 - were all the people in the 80's meth thin? it's kinda crazy.

miami vice marathon

after a bunch of walking so far today, i'm sitting here relaxing with a cold amnesia IPA watching a miami vice marathon. i love those clothes tubs. and the pastels sonny, woo hooooo.

Don't fuck with the fish

Don't F with the fish
Originally uploaded by dieselboi.

well, i gues that's one way to put it. the other evening, after the twilight rummage holiday sale, we ventured out for drinks to the scorboard tavern on SE division. our friend lives down there and recommended it.
we were the oldest people there, but it was ok. from the outside, it appears to be an old working class sports pub. i expected to see a couple of old codgers sitting at the bar. instead, the crowd was predominately between 21-28 and mostly asian and latino. there was a birthday party going on too and we were invited to join in. a great crowd with little attitude.
and the sign by the fish tank said - don't fuck with the fish.

FUH2 madness

H2 madness
Originally uploaded by dieselboi.

on the way home from SE last night and ran into not 1, but 2 stretch H2s. the first one on I5 north heading to lloyd area for some mcdonals. yes, we followed them like paparazzi and took these amazing photos. the whole time i thought the cops would come and snatch me and A.

2nd one, while driving:

some have asked, why do i hate H2's so much and not other big rigs. well, the H2 has no funtional purpose in life. The H1, or "original hummer" actually had functional purpose, that's why it started out in the military. the H2 is just a re-badged chevy pickup that can go 4x4. it is a gas hog and just ugly. oh, and it's a status symbol for some which really irks me. yes, i don't think people should be commuting in full size F350 pickups either, but at least the F350 pickup has a functional purpose.

Test
from mo:blog

dvd sale

it's cold, so i'm chickening out on walking home. also, i'm tired after yesterday's bout with tummy issues.

so, in our attempt to purge, i have some dvds for sale. anyone want to give me cold hard cash - or beer? i'm thinking $5 a piece.

Ronin
Fargo
Logan's Run (a classic)
ChickenRun
Planet of the Apes (new version)
Pirates of the Caribbean
The Mummy Returns
SpiderMan
Xmen 2
Gladiator
Shanghai Noon
Cold Mountain
Matrix Reloaded
Matrix
Shrek
Pearl Jam - Touring Band 2000
Pearl Jam - Live at the Garden
Being John Malkovich
Tombstone

email me.

update

we got warm last night around 6:30pm. my brother was correct and it was a small ceramic glow part for the ignition. i was able to replace it easily (with the power and gas off mind you) and the furnace clicked on without issue.

we kept it on for about 4hrs to warm things up.

in the end, it cost $20 without having to pay for the service. i guess i owe my brother a good bottle of scotch. the house got as cold as 51 deg. in the dining room where the thermostat is, but i am positive it was probably below 50 in the kitchen and back office as they are uninsulated. did i mention it's a 1890's house?

also, sausage making was a hit. eventhough we still ended up with our screaming lady during carolling - yes, someone screaming - "SHUT UP EVERYONE! WE'RE DOING 12 DAYS NOW - COUNT OF 2 BY 2." and it's 50 older adults in the crowd. you wonder why i'm so f'ed up sometime. she used to babysit me.

and yes, i did mix in my own flavor to the sausage, replacing the 10 year old pepper with fresh ground peppercorn. we also did a final batch, not for everyone elses consumption that was 2/3rd pork and 1/3 beef and instead of just salt, we used garlic salt with little pieces of roasted garlic in it. we added about 1 cup of ground onion and some red pepper to the mix also. that was split amonst the final three preparers. if anyone wants to try some, i have it in the freezer.

i got a new battery for my pedometer too.

and the holiday madness is here.

cold just plain cold

woke up this morning and thought - hey, the alarm clock woke me up, not the sound of the furnace. what the hell? well, i did some checking and the furnace was indeed on, but not working. it was 55 degrees in the dining room where the thermostat is. we were darn cold. well, i did some investigative work and then called the brother. he taught me everything i know about furnaces and he still works on them. i asked him if he knew what may be the issue and lo and behold, there is a diagnostic light on the furnace that tells me a $15 part is out. he can get it for me, but i have to wait and i have been waiting, in the cold, all day. he called a little bit ago and we're going to meet up in a few minutes to get the part and he'll tell me how to put it in.

cross your fingers or we may be knocking on your door tonight. never would have thought it - heat goes out on the coldest day of the year. did i flip off to many h2s and republican minivans over the weekend? i got a stomach ache to boot. want to hear some more whining? my pedometer bit the dust too.

argh

77c a gallon?

in 1988, when die hard came out, there was a scene with officer al where it showed regular gas @ 77c a gallon.

i love Die Hard!

Hugs and Kisses to you!

Sunday
Originally uploaded by dieselboi.

Hugz and Kiss by my graffiti friends - sent to you as a reader.

Worlds unite

Worlds unite
Originally uploaded by dieselboi.

Had lunch yesterday with my better half, LeLo in NoPo and Gravely Gay. Thanks for coming to town Rigo, enjoyed your company.



Sent from my phone, probably while hiding from the man.

The final result

The final result
Originally uploaded by dieselboi.

We've made about 5 batches now. We're neer the end. Working on our special batch now.



Sent from my phone, probably while hiding from the man.

Action shot- making sausage!

Action shot- making sausage!
Originally uploaded by dieselboi.

Generation 2 kid with a generation 3 kid working the sausage press. We're on a roll. We've made 1 batch of bratwurst and 1 batch of polish. Up next is swedish with the potatos and onions.



Weeeeee



Sent from my phone, probably while hiding from the man.

The casings

The casings
Originally uploaded by dieselboi.

Seriously, we push raw meat into these. One person has to clean then first and then we take them over to the sausage press.



Sent from my phone, probably while hiding from the man.

It is all clean now, but not for long

It is all clean now, but not for long
Originally uploaded by dieselboi.

This is the sausage press we will be using in an hour or so to make the sausage. Back in the 70's, we used a big funnel, but somewhere along the line, we acquired the press from a great and and uncle on the german side of the family.



i'm gonna go get dirty!



Sent from my phone, probably while hiding from the man.

i'm warning you now!

be careful tomorrow. i know of about 7o+ people of all ages and sizes who will be partying and making sausage in SE portland. yes, the point of the previous sentance was to shock you - SAUSAGE!

saturday is the 36th or so annual Sausage Making party at my family home. the core group of friends and family are always in attendance. such a wonderful group of people.

AND WE HAND MAKE SAUSAGE! can i be more blunt!

i'll be blogging from the scene of the crime tomorrow, so check back. i'll have photos of the 12lbs of raw pork and beef. i'll have photos of pushing said mixture through casings (cleaned pig intestines) to make sausage. i'll have photos of grown people acting out parts of the 12 days of Christmas...

i won't have pictures of anyone naked if that's what you into. sorry.

unless i have too much vodka or beer....................

also, go Linfield!

Our newest friends

Our newest friends
Originally uploaded by dieselboi.

We had a blast last night with our newest friends Matt and Nancy. We did some neighborhood carousing and got to know each other well. I am so glad we did this. Let me tell you, the Crow Bar is a happening place at 1:30am.



thanks for a great night.



Sent from my phone, probably while hiding from the man.

Tofurky day

Turkey day
Originally uploaded by dieselboi.

i love tofurky day. we have had so much fun at home. weeeeee

grrrr. my neighbors sometimes make me batty

scene: quiet sunday evening, sitting at home with the dogs, watching Snow Wonder on KOIN.

scene: loud dirt bike riding down the street doing laps of the block. grrrrr.

i let them go around twice before i grabbed the big flashlight and the cell to go out and ask them to stop.....well, just as i got outside, the guy was turning around in front of my house and i was able to flash him with the flashlight. i followed him down the street to the apartment complex and found him on his bike in his driveway. i confronted him about his bike and at first he snapped back, but when i threatened to call the police because of the illegal bike, he paused and said it wouldn't happen again.

10:45 at night.

i am still just so pissed off that i have to do this. i guess this is what i have to deal with to live in the city. one outweighs the other.

Roasted Fennel and Red Onion Salmon

IMG_6451
Originally uploaded by dieselboi.

mmmmmmm mmmmmmmm good. this weekend was all about the kitchen. it started with some fun shopping at new seasons on saturday morning and a whole day chalk full of creating stuff for the holidays. i'm not going to reveal what we accomplished, as it is directly related to what you my friends may be getting as gifts. i had so much fun, we began to get creative today with our ingredients.

oh do i want to reveal it. it's sooooo coool. but you'll just have to wait.

this evening, i made this - Roasted Fennel bulbs with Red onion, grape tomatoes, roasted garlic and Salmon, all baked in the oven. yum yum yum. it turned out well.

looking forward to later this week when we venture back into tofurky land.

have a good week.

Walking Portland!

so, today was one of those days where i realized in the real world that our lives have changed. it started this morning when i found out my lovely wife had a full day and evening of activities planned. some of the after hours plans included me, so she was concerned about coordinating the car and such. i brushed it off and just said i would figure it out.
when evening came, she was already off to the second event of the day and wasn't planning on leaving. if you remember, we sold our other car last weekend, so i was on my own to figure out how to get to the doug fir. it's dark, it's cold etc. what to do.
well, this is where i had the realization. i knew i had to be there around 7pm. i also knew i wanted to go by lloyd center and pick up a scarf. and i had to prepare for request that may come my way for picking up food. all of this factored into my adventure. i knew i had to leave early enough in order to take care of all the tasks. i knew i had to give up on my tv time in order to get to the destination on time. i didn't have the option of hopping in the car and being there in 10 minutes.
i took MAX part of the way and then walked to lloyd to pick up a scarf. while there, i got the call to pick up some dinner. i walked over to burgerville on mlk and then down to the doug fir/jupiter hotel. and i did it without a car!
some people may not think this is a big deal, but what it showed me was that i could survive in this city on my feet and with preparation.
i love portland.

FuH2

FuH2
Originally uploaded by dieselboi.

Just thought i would get a different angle....



Sent from my phone, probably while hiding from the man.

made in oregon

made in oregon bw
Originally uploaded by dieselboi.

yes, i was made in oregon too. just ask my parents.

today was a strange day. beautiful and all, i just kept feeling like it was thursday instead of wednesday. wierd. but that's not all......

nanowrimo is wreaking havoc in my life. i should have 26000 words by today and i have 20,000. i know, 20,00 isn't bad, but i'm not keeping up with the joneses people.

we've done a brisk side business purging all of our crap. i sold the bmw on saturday and have proceeded to sell other miscelleneous items like our truck box, a window sill, a brake lamp etc. i want to sell the truck next, but am awaiting a replacement title before i could sellit. i have soo much more to sell, it's crazy. anyone want a good deal on an XBOX?
tonight's walk was excellent.

let me rephrase that - it was amazing!
i love walking the waterfront because it allows me to see both sides of the city. once accross the river, i can always look back to downtown. i wandered through the rose quarter where young men were shilling tickets for the blazers/chicago game. honestly, there were few takers.
when wandering between the rose garden and the colliseum, i could only think of where the PDC planned on putting the Saturday Market. such fools.
i walked up n. vancouver with little excitement until i passed the red cross building up by fremont. a young guy was walking towards me, away from n. fremont asking where n. fremont was. understandably, he was looking at the signs for the fremont bridge.
i pointed him in the right direction and we began walking toward n. fremont and the next question was - "where's mississippi?" i had to help the guy, so i just asked him to follow me.
we began talking and i discovered he was the bass player for Juliette and the Licks, a band playing tonight at the Wonder Ballroom. soooo exciting. he was heading to Mississippi Vinyl up off n. shaver, so we were heading in the same direction. we walked together down fremont and then mississippi and had a great conversation. Jason, the bass player was a nice guy and great conversationalist. i guided him to his destination and then headed home. needless to say, i was hoping he would offer backstage passes or guest list or something for me and A, but alas, no luck. oh well, i revel in the thought that i introduced him to a different kind of Portland and the next time he comes, maybe he'll chill in my neighborhood.
i was giddy the rest of the way home....

Night factory - Nov 14 walk

IMG_6429
Originally uploaded by dieselboi.

i love walking at this time of the year. there isn't much light, so everything has a different color and patina. earlier in the evening, the bare bones of the christmas tree in pio square was up and with the background of the newly remodeled courthouse it was just stunning.
walking through the pearl, the best part was jamison square. it was dark, very dark, but there were still people out there walking about and there was just enough light to see shadows.
the moon was out - full people full! i looked up once and saw an amazing reflection against the us bank tower.
the image to the right is from the broadway bridge. i blogged earlier about that and tonight i wasn't dissapointed. i love seeing this plant at night because the lights outline the whole structure.
i enjoy walking lately because there is a direct correlation between my walking and how much energy i have. i feel better, i feel healthier, i sleep better. need to keep walking.
today - 12,600 steps. i had to take the short route home.

Farewell Blue

Farewell Blue
Originally uploaded by dieselboi.

You served us well. At least i know a good coffee drinking soul will now be caring for you.



Sent from my phone, probably while hiding from the man.

Nov 8 walk

Nov 8
Originally uploaded by dieselboi.

so, i thought i would get some work done on my teeth today, but alas, all i got was some rubber bands. it's kinda wierd knowing i have to now change my rubbers daily.....
so, my ortho is in ne pdx, so i decided to walk home from there. i wanted to walk up 15th or 7th to go through a neighborhood, but i also wanted to see what was becoming a new restaurant/bar on ne MLK by billy reeds. i chose to head over to MLK and up the street. it was around 5, so the traffic was busy and there were a ton of trucks. as i walked by Tinys, a coffee shop just north of broadway, there is a new business called Fetch. I can only imagine it's doggy friendly.
as i proceeded north, i came upon "the neighborhood dive" as it's called, or Tavern. i love it because it's unique. i looked and i looked for the new restaurant/bar accross from billy reeds, but there was no indication of a new place. i guess i'll have to check back later this month.
mlk is an interesting walk. one block, there are vibrant businesses that support the community and are patronized by the community. next block, it's abandoned buildings or just plain vacant lots. the further you go north, the more empty it becomes. up by fremont, there's a new construction project that has gone on longer than what is normal, implying that there either is challenges with occupancy or funding. the mid-k plaza's construction is going slower than my master bedroom project.
at the corner of mlk and fremont, they bulldozed a building 2 years ago and haven't done anything since. it's too bad, because further up the street, they are refurbing the old Weimer Building which is a great use of existing structures.
i went as far as failing and then turned west. failing is a great street to walk down, yet there were a few too many dealers just off mlk. further down failing, around williams is PIX which is my new favorite desert locale. i was hoping to see progress on the Lompoq bar, but alas, nothing appear. it was at this point that i began to realize the beautiful colors of the early sunny evening. with the sun going down, the light was changing before my eyes.
to the southeast, the quarter moon high in the sky. to the southwest, lower in the sky, there was a bright star apparant eventhough it wasn't yet dusk. i can only imagine the star is a planet or something. anyone have ideas?
finished the walk up mississippi and then met my love at the crow bar for cocktails. the rest of the evening has been a blast. more on that later....

monday walk ..... in the dark

it gets dark quickly these days. since my surgery, i've been lax at my walking home. i guess i just didn't have the energy after a day of work and a day of my body trying to knit bone together in my jaw. hmmm, strange huh?
well, i vowed to walk today as i am now getting closer and closer to healed and feel like i have the energy. i also got the winter clothes. yesterday, we went to foot traffic, a local portland store that focuses on walking and running gear and picked up some winter clothes. i have a top that is long sleeve and is made of some sort of material that keeps me warm, while removing moisture. further, if it gets wet on the outside, it warms up. lastly, it turns my sweat into pure gold.... I also picked up some pants. these are more athletic than i prefer, but i look good and they will work for the winter.
i ended up working later than i wanted to, so didn't get out of the building until 5:30 and it was dark then. it was also sooooo cold. i was worried when i started walking wether i would be warm enough. it was cold people - COLD! well, i ventured through downtown up to whole paycheck as i needed to get some ingredients for tonight's dinner. i then headed through the pearl to the broadway bridge, up interstate to n. mississippi and mississippi to skidmore and home.
it was a nice walk. the whole time i was singing some Arcade Fire song that was stuck in my head, so it was a good thing. i saw so many beautiful things. when walking accross the broadway bridge, there was enough light from the bridge that there were reflections off the willamette. there was also a smallish boat cruising along the river - that kinda scared me being dark and all. on the other side of the river, the grain silos and trains were alive with activity. it was then i wished i knew how to photograph in the dark.
the walk up interstate was uneventful. once i turned onto mississippi though, it warmed up a bit. i think it was because there wasn't a breeze or wind to cool the air as much. i also turned to look back at downtown and was greeted by a quarter moon, along with a beautiful skyline of lights and reflections. mississippi was fine until i approached n. fremont. just south of the fremont and mississippi intersection, a building has been tagged a bunch recently. as i walked by, i actually smelled paint. i then eyed a woman accross the street on a cell phone talking urgently to someone. i also saw two younger girls looking at her and walking away. i wondered if they had just tagged that building - at 6pm at night? if so, they deserve to get caught. you don't tag when there are people about!
my only incident with jackass drivers was a truck at the intersection of n. mississippi and skidmore. this truck slowed down, looked north (i was south) and began to roll through the stop light to turn right. I'm standing there in the brightest intersection in the neighborhood and yell at him. he looks at me, but doesn't stop. i almost punched the passenger side window just to make a point. argh....
once home, i made dinner. i told you about the ingredients. well, we had salmon with roasted fennel and red onions. truly a work of art. i have to give props to food and wine magazine as they provided the recipe and trader joes for such good quality fish. even without the ability to chew, i was able to enjoy this meal. it took me a little longer than normal to eat, but it also allowed me to fully taste every bite.
ciao bella.

ps: i have a diamond plate truck box for a full size truck i am going to list on craigslist. email me if you have a need for one.

Kilt

Kilt
Originally uploaded by dieselboi.

I'm off to the first family event in my kilt. And i look good!



Josh, you better have that $10.



Sent from my phone, probably while hiding from the man.

Darn weather

Darn weather
Originally uploaded by dieselboi.

Well, i was a sad sack last night when i got home. Our 2yr old eucalyptis (sp) became a victim of the wind. The top half of the tree was snapped off. I haven't surveyed the damage fully, so i don't know if my recovering bamboo was affected or not. I do however think the tree is a loss.

My liquid diet got a boost on monday when i was allowed to begin eating soft foods. I've been using my toungue only to mush up pasta since then. the rule is- no chewing. Eating everything through a straw is taxing on the body. I've dropped around 15lbs and none of my clothes fit anymore. I guess thats a good thing.



Sent from my phone, probably while hiding from the man.

There she is.....miss .....

There she is.....miss .....
Originally uploaded by dieselboi.

Hmm, i guess we need to name her. Obviously its a her, how many people refer to their cars as a him? Yup, that's the new one. VW Jetta TDI. Diesel baby diesel. Don't tell anyone, but we're going the biodiesel route sometime soon. Fun to drive.

we're one of those families now that have more cars than people. It is a little embarrassing, knowing that we have 3 cars and a truck. And we don't have kids. That's all changing. We're turning in the passatt tomorrow and the BMW 2002 is currently for sale. The truck is a tough decision as we do so much work with the house and garden, i can't help thinking we need to keep it. Yet the city won't let me park it on the street eventhough it is registered, running and legal. Oh well, we'll mull that one over soon.



Sent from my phone, probably while hiding from the man.

new car and writing

gotcha. i'm keeping you all in limbo about the new car. yes we got one, but i'm not going to reveal it till tomorrow when i can moblog it.

i'm taking the leap today and joining the National Novel Writing Month challenge which means i need to write something every day for the rest of the month. they are asking for 50,000 words. as superinky put it, that's 1600+ words a day. wow, that's a challenge.

i'm taking the chuck palniuck approach. i listened to him read once and someone asked - how do you write? he responded that he writes short stories and then after awhile, he figures out he has a full book put together. that's how fight club and survivor and a few others came together. this way, he said, there isn't the pressure, wether internal or external, to come up with a huge project. it's all baby steps.

wish me luck. wish all the other nanowrimo writers well too.

new car horror - please comment to keep me distracted

we're going to get a new car today. and we're not looking forward to it. last time it took 10 hrs and they wouldn't let us go eat. i hate car salesman.

leave comments today with funnies so i can get them on my phone and laugh while the salesman is trying to tell me about the latest widget.

wish us well.
b

JESUS SAVES!!!! YES, THAT IS YELLING

JESUS SAVES!!!! YES, THAT IS YELLING
Originally uploaded by dieselboi.

This guy perches himself somewhere on the bus mall regularly and blasts people walking by with a constant barrage of scripture and sermon. AND HE YELLS IT ALL!!!

I guess he isn't really bothering me, so i'm not complaining, but i do think it's annoying.

i know one can't sway this guy, i've seen people try, so i try and think of other ways to catch him off guard. Taking this picture caused him to pause for the briefest moment.



Sent from my phone, probably while hiding from the man.

Glad it wasn't the jim beam hummer

Glad it wasn't the jim beam hummer
Originally uploaded by dieselboi.

Even though i know everyone as one, i couldn't help but flip the jack daniels h2 off this morning. Even my conservative coffee guy was getting into the act by taking the picture and making sure the bird was seen.



Sent from my phone, probably while hiding from the man.

For sale - 1971 BMW 2002 and other items

we're cleaning house here a chez brett and our 02 is for sale. we also have a cool retro table.

all items are on craigslist. email me for more info:

Table

BMW

recovery walk

went for a walk once the wife got home. i'm feeling good, just shouldn't talk. it's wierd because i'm such a talker. we walked up to new seasons to pick up some goodies - chili, soup, eggs, wine, bread. just enough to put in my medium size messenger bag. it's 1 mile to the store. it takes about 20 minutes and is flat and a well lighted walk. 1 year ago, i would have driven to the store because walking would have been such a daunting task. now, it's like walking to the backyard. this is how i am staying healthy lately. the simple things kept simple. in the matter of 1 hr's time, we walked up to the store, did shopping and walked back. we got 5400 aerobic steps in 45 minutes and burned 317 calories.

Dinner: corned beef and eggs

corned beef and eggs
Originally uploaded by dieselboi.

so, tonight, in an ongoing effort to mix things up with the blended diet, i decided to make corned beef has and eggs. it's not a normal dish for me as i'm not a normal breakfast person, but lately, i've been craving different foods. i started with the corned beef, grilling it till it was browned and then added in the eggs and scrambled it all. after that, i put it all in the blender, added a little warm water and hit blend. it took awhile and a little more water to get the consistency i needed for the straw.

yum, corned beef hash and eggs through a straw.

profile shot, chops and some other muck

day of surgery oct 11 2005 profile
Originally uploaded by dieselboi.

so, here's the before people. yes, surgery has come and gone. actually it was a week ago. i think i posted about it, but haven't posted much lately. i'm been pretty tired and worn out recovering. i also haven't been out much, so the only thing i could write would be reviews of movies i have watched 3-5 times or of the latest version if blended goo i have tried to suck through a staw.
i was only in serious pain and discomfort for the first 24hrs. since then, it's mostly been just uncomfortableness. since my jaw was moved, i have to heal both the jaw, the incisions and the muscles. the muscles are going to be the most discomfort since they have to be stretched and forced to learn how to work with the new configuration. i have been taking vicodin for pain relief. you may say - woo hooo, vicodin - well, for me it's not like that. i haven't had any dizzy spells or crazy psycho dreams. what i have had is little pain. early on, the doc told me to keep the pain at bay instead of chasing it. i have done so and it seems to be working. the downside is mild headaches. advil to the rescue.
for food, my love did a wonderful job of making me some great shakes with fruit, protien powder, Acai, yoghurt etc. i have since added eggs and soy milk to the mix to get more protein. what i'm not getting is green stuff and fiber and that is causing my tummy to not work as well as it should. by the weekend, i was more uncomfortable with my tummy than with the jaw and the swelling. (too much info? sorry.)
by the weekend, i was feeling pretty good. we met the doc on friday and the healing was going well. i still hung low on saturday, but on sunday we did get out for a walk and a movie. saw serenity again. love that movie. the walk home was stupendous. 7pm on a sunday night in october. couldn't ask for better walking weather.
monday came and i decided to head back to work. i promised myself it would take it easy and not talk. well, i did pretty good and made it through the day. i had soup for lunch, a late afternoon smoothie and then walked a little home. the downside was that @ 6pm, i was a wreck. i was exhausted, my head hurt, my stomach hurt, my whole body hurt. i ate some dinner (yes, a smoothie) and just crashed in the man chair, watching craptv. i didn't sleep that well last night and this morning was still pretty messed up. in the end, i didn't work too much today and came home early. moral of this story is - don't go back to work too soon after a major surgery if you can help it. i'm gonna lay low for the next coupla days to make sure i'm 100% before i try and get back in the saddle.
i'm gonna try and get out and walk some to enjoy the fall colors and smells. hopefully, i'll be walking home from work again soon. thanks to all of you for your concern.

chipmunk man - day after

I love signs

I love signs
Originally uploaded by dieselboi.

Didn't get much walking done, but we were over in hollywood off Sandy and i saw this awning. I love it- Smoke Joy Gift Shop Knife. When i was in armenia, we always chuckled at the stores called "Commission Trade Sale Shop." there is something cool about these names.



Sent from my phone, probably while hiding from the man.

I like october

I like october
Originally uploaded by dieselboi.

Well, it has been only 30 hours since i had my jaw cut and i am bored. The drugs are staving off pain, but my mug us like a balloon. It makes the chops look even bigger. I am eating, but it is all liquid, so i am a little hungry all the time. The first craving for fries hit me today. oh, and the brand new blender broke today after 4 uses. Maybe i can go for a walk tomorrow to get some air.

thanks for all your concerns.



Sent from my phone, probably while hiding from the man.

the time has come

well, the time has come and i'm nervous. in a few hours, i'm gonna get my jaw sawed and then broken, moved forward about 1/4 of an inch and set in place with screws. needless to say, i'm nervous and didnt' really sleep last night. i'm also hungry.

and nervous.

and thirsty.

and nervous.

Welcome to NoPo PIX

Welcome to NoPo PIX
Originally uploaded by dieselboi.

We walked over to the new PIX Patisserie this morning for their grand opening celebration. I am so excited to have another locale to get coffee, drinks, sweets and fooders. They hd free stumptown coffee and we got a croissant and a brioche to munch on. The space is great and they did the cool garage door thing for one of the entrances. The kitchen is exposed to the outside world for all to watch the goodies being made. They are famous for their chocolates friends. And those are amazing goodies i tell you.

PIX is on N Williams and Failing. They are open daily (i assume early, but don't know the time). During the week, they will be open until midnight and till 2am on the weekend. Head on over for a cocktail, a belgian beer, some amazing chocolate sweets, or a nice glass of wine.

Welcome PIX.



Sent from my phone, probably while hiding from the man.

a week ago, I....

a week ago, I....
Originally uploaded by dieselboi.

a week ago, i go this amazing sun tattoo on my chest. wow, it fricken hurt! i had to take a few breaks during the 2 hrs in order to make it through. if you want pain, get a tattoo on your breastplate. i got the tattoo at Infinity Tattoo in Portland. Paul did a wonderful job.

i wonder what's next.......

Welcome to the hood Sameunderneath

Welcome to the hood Sameunderneath
Originally uploaded by dieselboi.

This past weekend, i noticed a friend had moved into the hoodizle. Ryan and his Sameunderneath clothing company have moved in on n. Mississippi and shaver west of the fresh pot. I am excited to see something new and local. Also, i like ryan, he's a good guy.



Sent from my phone, probably while hiding from the man.

I like fall

I like fall
Originally uploaded by dieselboi.

Walking through the pearl, by jamison square, i found this great path through some colorful changing trees. They were young but beautiful.

The pearl is changing in front of our eyes. Soon there will be waterfront condos. Not sure where, but the blogosphere is a buzz complaining about it. I, to be honest, am excited about the pearl and would probably move there is the price were right.



Sent from my phone, probably while hiding from the man.

For the love of Dove

For the love of Dove
Originally uploaded by dieselboi.

Dove lewis walk today! We went downtown this morning with phoebe and frodo to walk with other walkers and their dogs. Dove Lewis had the first annual dove lewis run/walk. Yes, it was raining and a little cool, but to see all the cool portlanders out there with their dogs was precious. When the walk started, it actually stopped raining all the way until the whole event was wrapping up. We had a great time.



And then the car died. More on that later.....

Sent from my phone, probably while hiding from the man.

Welcome to portland Roy

Welcome to portland Roy
Originally uploaded by dieselboi.

The grand opening of the portland art museum is this weekend. If you didn't know, they remodeled and rebuilt the adjacent masonic lodge into additional exhibit space. We also acquired some amazing new pieces, including the Roy Lichtenstein here.

way to go portland!



Sent from my phone, probably while hiding from the man.

walk walk walk

couple of items for any walkers out there. this coming weekend, there are two events i want to pimp. both of them are on Sunday, so you have to choose.

Astoria Bridge walk: in today's willy week, there was a highlight article on an opportunity to walk accross the 10k Astoria bridge over the mouth of the Columbia river. Wow, what an opportunity. if you have never had the chance to walk over a great bridge - i.e. Fremont, Golden Gate etc., do this one. The Astoria Bridge is amazing and long and the views will be just precious. Meet at the Red Lion In in Astoria - 400 Industry St. - 1 800 875 6807. For more info - 503 325 6311.

For the Love of Dove Run/Walk - in NW Portland, this Run/Walk of 2 miles will be another fun event to support our favorite animal hospital - Dove Lewis.

take care and please be thinking of our family thursday evening. we love you Two Dot.



and yes, it's hard for me to write the above sentence.

Nopo post

Nopo post
Originally uploaded by dieselboi.

Haven't posted in awhile as we've had a lot on our minds and have been spending our energy with Two-dot.



walked up to lombard yesterday morning for an important appointment and photoged this store under remodel. After stripping off the paint, there are signs that this used to be a Piggly Wiggly. I was surprised as i didn't think we had those in the NW ever.



More to come.



Sent from my phone, probably while hiding from the man.