Whoa, sorry

I didn't realize it'd been so long since I'd posted. The school term is over, but I came home from my last final and turned on my current addiction, the computer game Civilization IV. The game uses so much of my computer's memory that it takes like an hour to shut the game down and get back on the internet. Besides that, it's so enveloping and consuming that I can play for, literally, hours and hours before pausing to eat or go to the bathroom, returning shortly to play for more hours.

Otherwise, things are boring here. My roommate has had his hours cut - but they won't fire him, so he can't collect unemployment, either - so he's been milling around the house, grumpy. There aren't jobs to be found anywhere, even the trusty UPS which seems to always be in need of at least part-time employees. I'm trying to decide what to do when (if) I graduate in March. There's a temporary Federal job I could apply for, but I'm not sure on the dates; there's also a couple field schools, stateside and abroad that would be good for me in the archaeological field. Mostly, though, I'm sitting around thinking about what to get people for Christmas.

Relief

My hangover isn't nearly as terrible as I thought it was going to be. In fact, after some burritos for breakfast, Champions League on the tv, and a ton of coffee, it's hardly even noticeable.

Originally, OB - one third of the upstair's residents - and I planned to go to a bar and drink until someone was picked a winner, but those plans were scuttled in favor of heading to a friend's place. But I figure if I'm going to hang out with a bunch of married people I may as well not leave home to do so, especially when there are friends coming and going and leaving booze on the counter.

By four pm I was on my third drink, embroiled in a text message conversation with my dad about my sister's playoff match which had gone to a penalty shootout, the couch was filled with people, the boys were fighting over a Pokemon game, two tvs were on, and I was hitting refresh on all the pollsters pages. Thankfully, the boys were banished to watching cartoons in the basement (after a dramatic falling out over the Pokemon game, highlighted by the younger one declaring "You're not my brother anymore!!!!"), and the crowd left to their other party.

That left three of us to munch the steaks my wonderful roommate had thrown on the grill and sip the bourbon someone had left us. When Obama was announced the winner at 8, even my quiet neighborhood erupted in cheers. Fireworks were lit off at at least three different places, children were chanting "O-BAM-A!", someone screamed, "THANK YOU AMERICA!" and every bicyclist who rode past whooped a congratulations. I tried sending a text to my family, but the network was down, something that has only happened on New Year's Eve.

What a change from election night four years ago. Not only was I still in the army back then and under the impression that I would be held nearly two years beyond my contract for a deployment to Iraq, but that particular night my unit was in the field. It was an elaborate 7-day live fire exercise, something rare for a noncombat unit and we were generally thrilled that we got to sleep indoors. But as I unfolded my cot, I realized that unfolding his next to mine, was Rob the archconservative and the antithesis of everything I stand for. (Well, except for music. We oddly agreed on most of that. We made a pact that no matter who won, there would be no gloating. It turned out not to matter; though we spent most of the night huddled around our humvee using elaborate military intelligence technology to eavesdrop on NPR, the election wasn't decided for a few days, thanks to stupid Ohio. What a difference four years makes!

Back to last night. We brought the boys upstairs for Obama's acceptance speech and they watched quietly. I wonder how much of this they'll remember when they're older. Likely, the youngest won't remember a thing, but the seven-year-old might. I was younger than him back when the first Bush was elected back in '88 and I vaguely remember the unhappiness and disappointment that filled the house afterwards. Of course, unhappiness and disappointment filled the house anytime the news came on the tv back then. Let's not do the Reagan years again, kids.

Later in the evening the rest of the house returned from the party and we cracked open a bottle of champagne that the original occupants of the house had been saving for an occasion at which they were all present. Last night was that night! After the bourbon, the champagne tasted like bubbly ice cream it was so sweet. Almost as sweet as victory!

Game Day Setlist

This election, more so than any other I can remember, is like a big soccer game. There are winners, losers, sending offs (sendings off?), and me toe tapping nervously and guzzling beer. Oh, and hollering expletives. And, like before Timbers games, it requires a soundtrack. Here is today's:

"The Idiots are Taking Over" - NOFX
"Dirty Harry for President" - MDC
"Help Save the Youth of America" - Billy Bragg
"Reagan Youth" - Reagan Youth
"Got the Numbers" - Anti-Flag
"Hope" - Descendents
"Against All Odds" - Resistance 77
"American Jesus" - Bad Religion
"What Will the Revolution Change" - Youth Brigade
"No Difference Anyway" - Youth Brigade
"Where are They Now?" - Cock Sparrer
"Watch you Back" - Cock Sparrer
"Campaign of Hate" - Libertines
"(I Think) My Baby is a Communist" - Briefs
"No More Presidents" - Briefs
"Kill the Poor" - Dead Kennedys
"Kill the Poor" - Matthew Grimms and the Red Smear
"Leaders of the Free World" - Elbow
"From Her Lips to God's Ears" - Against Me!
"Red White and Brainwashed" - Anti-Flag
"'Merican" - Descendents

I'll Take a Big Mac and a President, Please

The library, which ordinarily would serve as the site for ballot drop boxes doesn't have a parking lot, so instead the boxes are at a nearby McDonald's drive-thru. It even has an official construction sign! Oh, America...

To Do vs. Did

To Do:

- Go to class.
- Come home, eat lunch and study.
- Finish two papers that were due on Monday.
- Study a bit for test on Thursday, maybe go out for a drink in the late evening.

Did:

- Went to class.
- Came home, watched half of Newcastle v West Brom game.
- Went to coffee shop with roommate and his youngest boy.
- Helped friend move couch upstairs.
- Tried to recruit players for our indoor soccer team.
- Helped roommate cut some insulation for the basement walls.
- Showered to get fiberglass off my arms, ankles.
- Helped (kind of) friend change all of our locks (long story).
- Walked to store to copy keys.
- Currently watching Blazers game and typing a blog.

Will I ever write these stupid papers? I can't wait to have a job that doesn't involve homework.

Moonset

This pic is not from my cell phone, but a fancy-shmancy digital SLR camera. The problem is that it was early in the morning and therefore still kind of dark, and yet we were traveling 70+mph, so slow shutter made it blurry.

Anyway, this is Salt Lake City on a beautiful morning in March during a spring break roadtrip to Texas.

cell phone pic of the day

I have recently realized that I have a large collection of pictures on my phone, most of which I don't remember even taking. Some of them are kind of cool for having been shot with a crappy cell camera, so I thought I'd post a few every now and then.

Here's the first of the series: Downtown Portland, overlooking the Willamette River from the Broadway Bridge. Date: Unknown.