Ready for the weekend

Seems like this week just flew by. Tonight we will be going to see the new movie "Balls of Fury", should be a good time. I also plan on doing some skateboarding and will be trying not to hurt myself. Last night I skated my longboard under the West Seattle Bridge. No photos sorry. It was a good time.
I am getting more stable and Love the Section 9 board I got for $30 on craigslist.

Just for those counting I now have 3 boards, 2 street and 1 longboard. All purchased from craigslist and total cost $50. I also bought new wheels and bearings for one of the boards at a cost of $56. So my new hobby still has cost me less than the complete boards I was looking at when I first looked into this sport. I need some new bushings for one of my street boards, but aside from that they are all functioning. Not too bad and I have been getting out of the house.

I have been looking at the Insect boards , I like the Surf Bug. I don't think I need a new board, but its okay too look.

Bowling real and virtual

So a while back my wife and I bought the Wii game console after playing it at friends houses and realizing that I love the virtual bowling game that comes with it. After mastering the virtual bowling, I thought it might be nice to try bowling in real life. Some of our friends had recently made the switch and found it to be just as difficult as they remembered it from when they were younger. Its true my score hasn't really improved with my virtual bowling, but I do still like to bowl in real life, and virtually as well.

Here is a photo of my one finger bowling technique.

Weekend at the Ocean

My wife and I went to a party for my office out at the ocean. We had a good time. The next morning we walked on the beach and then went to Olympia to watch a Badminton Tournament.

heres some video of the ocean I shot with my phone.

Kinski at Easy Street Queen Anne

Last night after work I headed up to the Kinski in store performance at Easy Street Records on Queen Anne. They were promoting their new album " Down Below It's Chaos". I didn't make note of how many songs they played, but they were all off the new record. I don't want to go to much into reviewing the new album, as I haven't listened to it all the way through yet. The songs live were great, I like it when in store performances are at full volume, and this one was. They didn't hold back like some bands do when performing earlier and in a odd setting. This sounded like they do at any club in Seattle, which may have annoyed some customers, but I loved it. The new material reminded me of the last record, with some new melodic content from the guitars. If you missed the in store they are playing a record release Sept. 27Th at the Crocodile Cafe.

Fun in the Studio - impacttestdummy

Here's a shot of Gr in the studio during the session for our upcoming CD release. We finished 10 pieces, though I 'm not sure if they will all be used for the new release. We did have a good time though and I'm very happy with all the recording we did. I will post were to get the recording as soon as we finish it up and get it pressed.

So the first week of traffic has passed....

The first three days I went to work 1 hr. early. The last two days I left about 20 mins. earlier than usual and arrived to work 1/2 hr. early. All days traffic was lighter than my normal morning commute. As far as I can tell, traffic on SR 99 has been the same or lighter than normal. I haven't had to travel on I-5, but I would guess the slowdowns have been normal for the lanes closed. Not nearly the city crippling traffic that had been suggested in the weeks before the construction started. Either the scare tactics worked or the traffic figures were overblown, anyway I'm glad have I a few days off next week.

Tonight I think we are going to see "Superbad". I think it is just what I need, a mindless teen comedy to lighten the mood.

I also saw the remains of another NTG sticker. I didn't take a picture as not much was left. At one time it was a mountain goat. But most of it had been removed. The horns were still left, and the backside. It is on the south wall of the building that Snowboard Connection is in Pioneer Square. I felt like I was looking a an animal going extinct when I saw the half torn off sticker. I don't know if that was the artist intent, but I thought it was an interesting reaction.

Crash

So last Friday I crashed on my skateboard. Not my first, but definitely the worst to date. So I have slowed a bit for the last few days. Yesterday I saw someone giving away a free skateboard on craigslist and to my surprise it was still available when I e-mailed him. Now I have two complete boards. The new one is a little bigger, and rides smooth. I put my Bones softcore wheels on it and tried it out last night, awesome!!! I need to get new bushings for it, but aside from that it is fully functioning. Now if my ribs would heal...

My friend is in a cool little movie.

My friend Garth is in a cool documentary short called Heart and Sold about the South Lake Union neighborhood and how the new developments have changed it. He also a cool song in the movie that I think was recorded live. Check it out

My morning traffic

Today my wife and I got up early to brave the Seattle roads and the traffic that was promised in the next couple of weeks. I left at 7:10am, I arrived at work at 7:27 am, no traffic whatsoever. We will see what tomorrow brings.

Owl toaster

My wife sent me this sticker, I think it looks like an owl crossed with a toaster.

Delridge skate park

According to the West Seattle Blog there was a meeting last night about the Delridge Skate park. Being that I only just started skating again and I haven't been following the cities skate park plans, I had no idea. It will be great to have a skate park just a few blocks from my house though. I just got new bearing and wheels and have been cruising the block for the last couple of nights.

Cat graffiti

I saw this on Admiral Way.

Meow!!!

Marginal Way Skatepark

Last night after skating down on Alki my wife and I went to the Marginal Way Skate park. I tried skating on the ramps and through the bowl area. I still have much to learn, but it was a blast. My wife took a photo of me. I'm going to get some better wheels and bearings today at lunchtime. Skate or die.

Dogleaf Sticker

This is a bad photo that I took while I was driving today.

But you can kind of see the Dogleaf child on the side of the parking structure. its down on Boren, by the Rebar. Up the Street there are some other cool ones, like a large penguin on a traffic box at Boren and Pine.

The swankiest sticker of the weekend

I saved this one because it get the award for the swankiest sticker of the weekend. I thought it looked like some one's high school yearbook photo from the 70's. Smooth real smooth.

Ultimatum

Sunday we went out the movies early and saw "The Bourne Ultimatum", a great action flick if you are so inclined. The votes of all involved was the Jason Bourne beats out James Bond for best spy.

Anyway after that I slept thru most of "Shrek the Third" at the Admiral Theater. It was a two movie day, we like the air conditioning and we were celebrating my friend's freedom from his job.

Then my wife and I headed down to Alki and rented a longboard to try it out. I really want one now, they are the ultimate street machines. No photos of me in action though. Maybe later....

roomba

Here's a good tip, don't go on vacation and leave your roomba (robot vacuum) on to set off your burglar alarm. (not my house by the way)

This morning my wife and I got up early, before I took her to work we went to breakfast at the Broadway Grill. I took these photos after on our way back to the car.


I didn't catch this dogs name , but he loves his monkey.

I like the little monsters I have been seeing all over Seattle. They pop up on street signs and dumpsters. I also like the cranky artists becoming street art themselves. Poetic justice I say.

My losses at Chess 2nite

Here is me losing at chess to an 9 year old. I haven't played in 20 years and he is going to chess camp this summer. He schooled me. Though I had forgotten some rules that led to my first loss. The second game I fell right into his trap, checkmate in 5 moves. Not bad... shark!!!

First day skateboarding (again)

So after we got home from the movies last night, I tried out the new skateboard. Guess what I can still skate and I didn't hurt myself. Our parking garage is a nice smooth test area. I took it out on the side walk and the alley next to our condo as well. Tonight I will have a little more time to try it out. Nothing like starting an extreme sport in my old age.