Thursday Thoughts

I apologize for the spacing in this post. Blogger is being a total douche and I can't fix it. 

1. Apparently MC Hammer pants are back, even though this is not a good photo of them. Seriously, people? Hammer pants? Skidz were much better.

2. When you come home from a trip at 8:30 p.m. on a work night, your shit is strewn everywhere until you can set it to rights. Thank God for spare bedrooms with doors that close.

I thought I lost my flash drive with my entire life's worth of information on it in California. I had 72 panic attacks and tore through the house and all of our luggage looking for it. HARK, it was zipped into my camera case. There was much rejoicing throughout the land, and much backing that shit up on Tuesday. 

3. Where were these awesome colored things when I was in college? All the comforters were solid and the crates were glorified milk crates in drab colors. These kids have an awesome selection of stuff. Also, given the percentage of the population that is extra tall, does everyone really need XL twin beds? It's a racket. The colleges and sheet companies are in bed together. Did you see what I did there?

Found at Bed, Bath & Beyond

4. At the end of last season, I was through with True Blood. Even the very fine forms of Eric Northman and Alcide couldn't keep me...then Christopher Meloni joined the cast, and I thought E + A + C = Ok. Well, that reason is gone. I haven't watched the past two episodes yet. I'm not sure if I'll continue. The cons are large: I HATE TARA, in all forms; the Terry fire monster story is ridiculous; and Pam and Eric's bond is broken. What's left?

Photo: ew.com

5. My boys! I missed my boys. There's nothing better than the pure joy of your dogs when you step into the house after being away for a long time. 

6. I feel like dog dirt. I can't recover from the time changes of the past week, and I have a sore throat. I love traveling, the aftermath not so much. 


7. I think Michael Phelps is a phenomenal athlete and I am completely psyched for him and his new Olympic record of most medals ever. I think his mom is awesome too. But I have a niggling feeling that he's douchey in his personal life. I have nothing to substantiate this feeling. But you...Ryan Lochte...let's be friends. Call me. 

photo: wwno.org

8. Way to fucking go, USA lady gymnasts. You made me cry with pride. 

photo: dnj.com

9. Goodbye Shane Victorino. I'll miss you. Oh you too, Hunter Pence.

Photo: phollowingthephillies.blogspot.com

10. I feel like making meatloaf. 


11. Do this (thanks Amber for the pin): 

12: On gays, chicken, and freedom: Chick-fil-A is free to run itself on biblical principles, donate money to anti-gay groups, and state plainly that they are anti-gay marriage. Freedom of speech. Freedom to practice their religion. 


People are complaining that people against Chick-fil-A are violating Dan Cathy's right to free speech. That's not what's happening here. People are using THEIR right to free speech to disagree with Cathy. This entire thing proves that this system works - both sides are exercising their freedom of speech. And both sides are saying government can't keep Chick-fil-A out of cities and off of campuses. 


Chick-fil-A shouldn't be banned from anywhere. Businesses are allowed to donate their money wherever they choose, and consumers are not required to patronize those businesses. So if you don't agree with their support of and donations to anti-gay groups, and if gay rights are important to you, don't eat at Chick-fil-A.  


I am ashamed that I ignored this stance of theirs for so long, so I'm sort of happy that they plainly stated their beliefs. I won't ignore it anymore, and I won't eat there again.


I will never understand why marriage between two consenting adults is anyone's business aside from the people getting married and their god. 


Did me getting married affect your life? No. What effect does someone else getting married have on you? None. Don't give me the business about the institution of marriage or the bible saying it's between a man and a woman. Heteros have crapped all over the institution of marriage with their insane divorce rate and high incidents of domestic abuse. Everyone should be focused on minding their own marriages - that's more worthy of time and energy than casting shadows on the love of others. 

chart: prosebeforehos.com

We often forget...

13. I finally bit the bullet and bought our airline tickets to FL. We have done awesome things this year - Cape May long weekend with family, California with friends, Strathmere coming up next weekend, Cocoa Beach and cruise in September - next year we need to do less and space it out more. 


14. Ecard of the week, pinned by Jenn G: 

In honor of Adam Duritz's birthday yesterday: I'm alive, I'm alive. But I'm sinking in. If there's anyone at home at your place, darling,why don't you invite me in?

Scenes from California

Legs out on Haight Street. San Francisco Sky. Saxes on Haight Street. Alcatraz backdrop. Turning the cable car. Looking up Lombard Street. 

Awesome clams at Franchino's. Following the Barbary Coast Trail. Interesting flora - one of the things I love most about traveling is seeing the flowers and trees that are native to that place. Live jazz. Andy's street dogs. View of the Golden Gate from the Alcatraz Ferry.

I loved these trees. Sipping on a dark & stormy at Vesuvio. Chinatown. Waiting on a cable car. Driving over the Golden Gate Bridge (life list item). We were. 

Did you know this is the same as Hellman's, but on the Left Coast it's Best Foods? Trippy. The path leading up to our deck in Truckee. Cruising Lake Tahoe with WedFest people. Lake Tahoe. Sonoma sticker. Lovely flowers tied to trees to form the aisle at the wedding. 

Wedding arch with Donner Lake backdrop. MFD tubing in Donner Lake. KVS caught the bouquet. Reflections. Sunset at Donner Lake. Rocking out to Not Mick Jagger. Bride and groom jam. Seize it. 

Thank you photographs for making today's blog for me. My circadian rhythms are not back on track yet. I feel like there's a sheet of plexiglass over my brain that I can't think through.

Happy Wednesday!

the west coast weekend that was

We left San Francisco in a rental car. The helpful GPS took us out of town via Powell Street.
There is a stop sign at the very top of this hill, and we rolled back a few times.
I nearly shit twice and died.

+

Golden Gate Bridge vista point

+

Muir Woods - flipping amazing. It felt so quiet and old there.

+

We tried Carl's Junior on the drive from San Francisco to Truckee

+

Staying in Snow Dance Palace with my best friends 

The house

The view

+

Thursday night barbecue for the to-be-weds. Lots of wine, excellent food, lots of laughs. 

We also caught up with our junior high MG teacher. 

It's always awesome to do that with your teachers as an adult.

+

Red solo cup shenanigans

+

More wine.

+

Morning coffee

+

MFD left these for me

+

Inappropriate behavior at the Donner Party Memorial.
By the way, the height of the memorial is how high the snow was. Can you imagine?
It amazes me that people picked up, packed up, and headed west. On foot. Oh, pioneers.

+

Tacos Jaliscos.
Holy shit. So good. I had fish tacos and a carne asada quesadilla.
Thank you Shauni for the recommendation!

+ 

Whiling the afternoon away with a book in the sun

+

Cabs and road sodas Lake Tahoe.

+

Happy hour cruise on the Tahoe Gal. Holy shit, Lake Tahoe is so gorgeous it actually looks fake.

Almost wed!

Us with the lovely bride-to-be

Lovely blue water, lovely rose wine

+

Drinks at Bar of America in Old town Truckee

+

Olympic opening ceremonies. I couldn't stay awake to see the U.S.

I  blame the wine.

+

Wedfest: an epic nine hour celebration of Christy & Al Reed tying the knot.

Against the beautiful backdrop of Donner Lake, we toasted a happy couple, drank a ton of booze, lounged in the sun, ate excellent food (including a taco bar and a PBJ bar), danced to three jam bands, played horse shoes and went paddle boarding (MFD, not me) and got into happy shenanigans.

Congrats Christy & Al and thank you for an awesome day and weekend. 

The Reeds

Steve did a back flip off this bridge, and MFD did a side slip. Fools. 

This is not Mick Jagger, but it looks like him.

My girls

PBJ bar
+

Driving back to San Francisco took forever. Traffic sucked and I was cranky and hungover.
We did stop at Dad's Kitchen in Sacramento, which we found via the TV Food Maps app.
A Triple D joint. We both got Dad's burgers and split the fried garbanzo beans and onion rings.
It was ok. It sat like a huge boulder in my stomach all day.
How does Guy Fieri eat all of this heavy shit?
+

Passing out at the airport Hyatt for less than five hours of sleep.
I'm totally kicking myself for not booking the red eye yesterday.
And I'm giving Air Tran the high kick for not allowing standby if it's not on the same DATE of travel.

Sorry for the quick sign off, but we're boarding. So if there are any typos, please forgive me. See you on the east coast.

xoxo

SMD