It was Annette’s birthday on Sunday the 22nd, so accordingly we opted to celebrate by bugging out to the coast. This time we had four nights… all at Del Norte Redwoods State Park about seven miles south of Crescent City. The extra days on either side of the weekend allowed us to see more of [...]

That’s how i’d describe my Mad Men graphic. All i needed to do was add some ham-handed gray in my beard and voila! But despite the ease with which i become a cartoon, i’m happier than happy to see Mad Men return and for the season opener to play like Yo-Yo Ma at Carnegie Hall. [...]

If i could wave a magic wand and teach everybody one thing “computers are not typewriters; stop putting two spaces after terminal punctuation as if it were one of the commandments” would be high on the list.  I want to know why it is, that of all the boneheaded rules to become universal in the [...]

If i can claim any ethnic heritage it would have to be Irish. My mother was 100% Irish, an O’Malley. Catholic as the day is long. My father was, as far as i know, a central european mutt with a lot of German. Thus it’s not surprising i prefer cool and damp as opposed to [...]

While continuing to dig through my and my father’s surprisingly large photographic “archives” (aka “piles of stuff”) i stumbled across the following images that i’d not thought about in some time. In 1993 i was working in the graphics department for the Chase Manhattan Bank. My office was on the 28th floor of “2 Chase [...]

I’ve been lugging my father’s print archives around since he died and yesterday i began the onerous process of triaging hundreds of prints. His negatives are much easier to haul and they remain more or less safe, so i’ve been a bit rough with the prints. The process reminds me that what the world needs most [...]

The featured image above (and below if you click the “read more”) is the ISS and an airplane cruising over Ashland. Thanks to my friend Scott and two websites, i learned the ISS would transit Ashland almost directly overhead while in sunlight. So, naturally i had to take photographs. And, just as naturally, i had [...]

So this past Sunday i hauled my ass (and my camera bag) to the top of Grizzly Peak. It’s a very nice hike that traverses a rich mix of forest types. My only comment would be to edit the information on the little kiosk at the trailhead. Where it begins “This short hike….” i would [...]

In some ways i must admit i like the idea of visiting the coast more than the actual act. No, that’s not entirely true. But, like so many things having is not so all-satifying as wanting. I suppose one could argue what i like most is saying “sorry, can’t work on that right now, i’m [...]

I’m sure i’ll get sick of this, but for now it’s great fun; the evening’s browse by my local deer. Tonight i was visited by mom and her two youngin’s, a brother and sister if i read my deer correctly. I watched what they ate carefully this time and i’m pleased to report they zeroed [...]

There comes a time when one reaches a point and realizes “i’m no longer there, i’m now here” and i think i just blew past that point. Not 100% since i rarely do anything 100%, but i’ve committed some money to house-y stuff that probably wouldn’t leave with me if i lost the SOU gig [...]

It was not to be part of the plan, but you know the old saying – “when you want to make god laugh, tell him your plans.” The Boise house has not sold. Indeed we’ve not had a single offer. However i’m sure all the agents who have been bringing a steady stream of clients [...]

The past couple days have been spectacular weather-wise. As i’ve said before, clear blue skies and day after day of calm winds and cloudless nights are the absence of weather. What we’ve had in Ashland, and as reports point out Boise too, has been real honest to goodness weather. Massive clouds tower over the surrounding [...]

It’s an Ashland status thing to say you live “above the boulevard.” Not unlike Boise’s North End, living above the boulevard is a thing one might say at a party. I kind of like “above the boulevard” better since it also suggests a dwelling above the flood plain of creek held back by the Hosler [...]

WordPress 3 beta 1 is in the field! I’ve got it installed on test subdomain (wpbeta.brooklyndesk.org). So far, as i’ve come to expect from the scary-smart guys at WP HQ, the experience has been a joy. The new WordPress has been merged with MU and only altering a few lines of code enables multisite capabilities. [...]

Oregon’s answer to Mount Fuji.

Ok day two of “adventures with iPad.” Amount spent at the Apple Store: $40.45. The largest single purchase was “The Elements” which is an interactive book with hooks to WolframAlpha for up-to-date information. Ok, all y’all know that I’m an Apple fan-boy, but so far this experience has been near perfect. This device has performed [...]

Yup, this is my first post written on the iPad. So far, everything you’ve read is true. At least that’s true of the more level-headed reviews. Will this thing replace my Macbook Pro? No. Was it designed to? No. Will i carry this more than my iPod Touch? Yes. The MacBook is a full-on computer [...]

The destination of this weekend was Bend… what i now believe to be the Santa Fe of Oregon. I’ve been to Bend… uh this will be my forth visit, and i think this time i finally have a handle on the place; it’s the Santa Fe of Oregon. From what i can observe there is [...]

I got to see my first paycheck from SOU. Note that i say “see” and not “received.” I don’t know if there’s a problem with the direct deposit, or maybe the money doesn’t actually transfer until midnight of the last friday of the month which i now will refer to as “PAYDAY.” Before i forget… [...]

I don’t know what it is about California, but for some reason i’m uneasy when visiting the state. Now, this is not true when visiting San Francisco… i love San Fran and would live there in heartbeat if i could ever afford it. As i mentioned elsewhere i also like Crescent City very much, too, [...]

I’ve been waiting for this…. the return of Breaking Bad, the flipside compliment to Mad Men. As i’ve probably mentioned before, i’ve long since given up TV. It wasn’t a conscious decision as in “i’m going to stop watching this shit.” No, it was much more a “crap, i didn’t reconnect the over-the-air HD antenna.” [...]

If anybody out there harbors a hankering to buy coastal property, now is the time. It’s pretty much all for sale. Of course how one would go about making a living on the coast is anybody’s guess. Here’s another smattering of photos: I simply love coasts. Maybe this is due to my growing up on [...]

Now i know how Lewis and Clark felt when they finally reached the Pacific. Ok…. maybe that’s a tad strong, but to roll into Crescent City and then shoot straight out one of the residential streets until it ended in crashing waves was definitely a happy moment. Today was water and coast. Sunday will be [...]

Ok, it now appears i’ve survived two weeks. I’m on a roll! So, listen to this: as my second Friday crawls to a close and my second weekend looms, i set about thinking what i’d like to do for the next two days. “Drive to the coast!” popped into my head. “But,” i quickly countered, [...]

Just a short distance from where i’m staying is Emigrant Lake. It’s a man-made puddle fed by two creeks that flow in from the south. On its best days it’s pretty small, but for what seems to be the past decade or so it is many feet below the design capacity. I’m told the scraggly [...]

So i got the laundry done, then headed south on i5. This is what you see most of the way: For anybody not up on their geography this is, of course, Mt. Shasta. Despite having read about this region for many years, this is the first time i’ve actually seen the mountain. Like many of [...]

While history professors tell us it takes forever for empires to crumble that doesn’t mean some places may crumble a bit faster than others. That’s what i’m thinking about while my clothes go round and round in the washing machine at the campground. Oh, this is my new office. So, the perennial question is “where [...]

It appears that i have survived my first week. What’s better is i actually got some stuff accomplished and i met with several of the locals with whom i’ll be working with in an off-again/on-again manner. So, what’s the first week’s report? This place, like all schools, is struggling. The latest rounds of budget cuts [...]

Well, i can’t exactly stop counting “Boise Days” since until the house either sells or gets rented that’s still my permanent address. So that leaves me with the rather inelegant solution of counting both days. The first day of “work” at my new gig has nearly come to a close. By all accounts it has [...]

I’m not opposed to paying taxes. Taxes are the price we pay for civilization and for the services we’ve come to expect from government. As P.J. O’Rourke once observed one wealthy man, even if he cheats on his taxes, puts more into the public coffers than many poor men. Annette and i don’t have kids [...]

The Modern 1314 W. Grove Street. Tuesday the 23rd… 5 p.m.

This is the time that’s most emotionally wrenching for me. Annette and i have entered into the zone of “the lasts.” This weekend we drove up to Gold Fork hot springs and soaked for probably the last time. We stayed at the Long Valley Motel for the last time. We ate at the McCall brewery [...]

Ok, so here’s the story: I’ve resigned from Boise State University effective Wednesday February 23. I begin a new job at Southern Oregon University on March 1. Our house is officially on the market, offered at $199,500 which is a realistic price. There have already been several showings. The wood-fired beehive oven can be included [...]

For anybody not up on “jeremy & annette trivia” for us this decade began outside Astoria, Or. at Fort Stevens State Park in a yurt.

Ok. Avatar. I believe Roger Dean should be credited and paid for inspiring the visuals of “Pandora.” I’m not alone in that opinion as many many websites will attest.

First, before anything else, if you make websites, if you use websites, click the button and take the survey.

What can i say beyond “artists work while others sleep.” That’s all i’ve got to explain my long (73 day) silence.

The vanagon is now gone. Sold to a retired couple from Salt Lake City. Didn’t get my asking price, but who does these days.

The maiden voyage of the new Airstream was not without incident.

No, seriously this wasn’t even the slightest thing on my mind when i committed to buying this particular model Airstream. But planned or not i managed to buy a trailer that exactly matches my cats.

Well, i did it. I pulled the trigger in a big way. So far, so good.

“In the near future, Astronaut Sam Bell (Sam Rockwell) is sent on a three year mission to live on the far side of the moon and mine Helium-3, a chemical that has now become Earth’s primary source of energy.” Stop right there, i’m sold.

We were last there in late August of 2006. One year was unavailable due to ongoing renovation of the cabin, but we booked another weekend the moment we were able. As we did the first time we brought our cat Isa back with us. She’s not a big fan of the drive up, but once [...]

With the help of my neighbor i’ve finally caught a fish. Specifically a rainbow trout. Of the two pictured mine is the smaller, but it was quite the tasty little guy. Yes, as in Wisconsin, i now hold a combined fish/hunt permit. Unlike Wisconsin i shall endeavor to use the permit more than once.

I’m choking on the price, but more than that i’m choking on what spending that kind of money represents. It would mean giving up the idea of permanence. It would mean surrendering to mobility.

I would argue Margurite Duras would not have favored the majority of today’s blogs.

Yes yes, i’m fixated on water. You would be too if you lived in the high desert of Idaho in a land where many people have been killed, many fortunes won and lost, over water.

It’s almost unnatural how much my mood is affected by the weather. The past couple of weeks have been almost entirely un-desert like. It’s been great. I’m sure by this time next week we’ll have entered the parade of blue-sky-cloudless days that will entreat the sun to bake the ground to a dusty crust and [...]

The past week has felt far more similar to the week after we got married (ten years back) than i ever would have predicted. It’s nice to keep being surprised in this way. I recommend it.

Idaho City is just a short ride up rt. 21. It’s an odd assemblage of buildings and people that simply refuses to fade away. On one level it is a bona fide historically significant town that at one time produced prodigious amounts of gold. On another level it’s a tired roadside attraction whose fortunes ebb and flow [...]

Wow, it only took one day. My rosy web glow from An Event Apart Seattle has pretty much drained out of me as the realities of my current job reassert themselves.

And i was equally giddy this evening when i insinuated myself into the discussion going on at a table at the Pike Brewing Co. between Dan Cedarholm and Ethan Marcotte and made Dan laugh when i said something witty.

I’m off to An Event Apart in Seattle tomorrow.

This photo is by Douglas Palmer. Annette and i own #3A and lived for just about one year before departing for Minnesota for her to pursue a PhD. I’m loving this image. I tried several times to photograph the building, but was never happy with the results. Now, the fact i never had a digital [...]

Finally. I’m finally getting rid of as much of the crap i’ve been hauling around. Annette and i don’t own all that much, but we’re going to lighten the load as much as possible before the summer begins in the banana belt of Idaho. Three of the first things to be tackled will be my [...]

I’m a theme junkie. I simply can’t stop trying new themes on my old content. The fact i used the same “magazine” theme for almost half a year is an ongoing mystery.

Looking forward i have no idea what this summer will bring. I am certain having my wife actually living in the same house with me will be a good thing and i am looking forward to various camping trips as time permits, but i’m unsure if this summer will bring any major direction changes.

Back then operating the government was less of a career and more a calling, drawing young-ish (again, landed, smart) men to come add their philosophies to the crucible and see what new alloy could be concocted.

Just bite the bullet and buy it. Go for the faster HD, don’t pay the premium for 8gb, and whatever you do spend the $$ on the “Dual Port” adaptor if you plan to drive a 30″ Cinema Display.

I’m slowly catching up on movies i missed when they first appeared.

I fear Apple’s best days might be behind them. Their quality has declined, their innovations have slowed, they’ve lost focus. I hope i’m wrong.

I look back on the majority of High School as a nightmare; something i’m grateful to have survived. But then i watch “The Virgin Suicides” and i think back to the women i knew all those years ago, and i realize i didn’t have a clue.

Check it out… Day 1 of the month of my 45th year falls on Day 1400 in Boise, and again this year my birthday occurs on Friday the 13th. 1400 days… i’m unsure what the total of days was for Minnesota, but we’re getting close.

Is it odd to see similar cold/flu symptoms in persons 2,684 miles apart at the same time? Maybe there’s a new virus in town, one that also sickens nation’s economies.

A few injuries among the 155 aboard, nobody on the ground hurt. I’d say these guys earned their pay for the week.  Enough said. Photo: Trela Media/Associated Press (from the NY Times)

No, there’s no art for this post. A post about the crappy state of the Idaho economy and Windows does not deserve art… well, maybe a Hieronymus Bosch painting would sufficiently describe the place my mind goes when i’m forced to use windows.

Welcome to 2009. Inauguration Day is nearly here and hope is brimming both for the future of this grand experiment called America and for future travels in and around… oh… just about anywhere.

So, i must concede that i am guilty of researching the prices of the Kitchenaid mixer i’ve wanted for years, and of buying it from Amazon dot com rather than the restaurant supply store down the street. I spent $299 where the kitchen store wanted $369 plus tax.

I have no issues with drinking and driving (with one BIG, obvious exception). Hell, in Wisconsin the rule is almost expressed “drinking while driving.” I’ve never driven a car when i felt, for whatever reason, unable to perform up to spec and have actively prevented others from doing the same, but i’m sure i have driven when over the legal limit. However in Oregon i can’t. I cannot drink ethanol knowing i’ll be driving back to wherever. It’s odd. I can’t explain.

For anybody reading this who may actually be contemplating hiring me to build some kind of website I just want to state up front for the record that i prefer not build a static “dreamweaver” site.

Of all the places we could have moved after annette finished her phd at the University of Minnesota we ended up where the diesels destined for the commuter rail of Minneapolis are produced.

We may be in for the worst shopping season yet. I say bring it on.

I’m a damn poster child for Apple. If i was as good looking as that dancer they hired a while back to do an iPhone commercial i’m confident i’d get the call from the ad agency.

Really, at this point, there’s nothing to say. Now the work can begin.

Not unlike the current economic cycle the local reservoirs are low.

“We’re keeping the house, but that’s all i know.”

Once you go quack, you never go back.

Beautiful sunset this evening. My wife is flying down from Seattle and ought to have a smooth time of it. I’m still employed… (might not be after the first of the year, or certainly after June 30, 2009) Oops, i looked.

The writing is the opposite of Aaron Sorkin’s style. The silences are often more important than the dialog (which mostly consists of lies or posturing declarations). It’s simply great.

The first snow has fallen! Bon Hiver! Plus i take a moment to observe Mora’s latest drinking behavior.

I know, i no longer play the guitar. I hardly ever did. But that line from “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” despite Pete Townshend’s statement about how he regretted writing it as it advocates political ambivalence, is apropos.

I was going to title this post “We Suck” but figured that was unnecessarily negative.

Remember the rule: for every thousand feet of elevation you lose… ? How much temperature? The aspens up around 7,000 feet are glowing.

It was more like The West Wing debate between Bartlett and Richy than i expected. Unfortunately Obama was a bit too “Uncle Fluffy” for my taste.

Well, it seems even a somewhat well-funded project can have glitches. Yet another thing to look forward to this spring.

I awoke this morning to RAIN. Water, falling from the sky. I haven’t seen that in months! I had to drive south… see what was actually happening.

Extremely functional software that leaves a bad taste or seems painful to use might get the job done, but elegant software that’s a pleasure to use *and* gets the job done will always win the day for me.

My cats have taught me a great deal about how to live. How to be calm, how to be aware, how to know when to take action and when to sleep. Add that to what i learned from Star Trek, Sports Night, The West Wing and a host of other sources and I often feel quite lucky.

It was years ago when WIRED ran the “Pray” cover. I was confident at the time Apple would turn around. However, from where i sit, now is the time to really pray, and i’m nowhere near as confident in the future.

Did the lights in my kitchen just dim a little?

He left behind over 19,000 watercolors and over 100 unfinished oils…. stick that in your pipe and smoke it the next time you’re bereft of inspiration or feel the world is just unfair.

Given my anti-social predilections it’s enough for me to just be invited to the dance. Yeah, i sound like i’m trying to convince myself of something.

So I just watched Hillary Clinton move to suspend the roll call and nominate Obama by acclaimation. I can only hope CNN has material to fill all the airtime that was just opened up. Flight to LGA boards in 16 minutes. Random thought of the trip: I am very glad Annette has no piercings or [...]

Nothing better than a birthday yurt outing. For Annette’s birthday we returned to the Whispering Pines yurt for two nights. The weather was wonderful and once again we have re-confirmed our belief that yurt living might be the way to go in the not-too-distant future.

Motorcycle travel in mid-august here is just like sitting behind the exhaust of an idling 737. The only thing missing is the smell of kerosene.

Look at the photos. Be inspired.

I’ve been working. I’ve been accused of fomenting a groundswell. How cool is that?

Yo, this is being written on an iPod touch while sitting out on my deck. The good folks at WordPress HQ have created an application for the iPhone and the touch that enables full-on blog posting. That is all for now… More testing to come later!

As Ms. Aimee Mann observers, today’s the 4th of July. Another June has gone by.

I’ve had it. I’ll do whatever i can to lend a voice to PBS and Bill Moyers. Photos, links, reprints and assorted original writing will be a regular feature of this meager outlet. As for attribution, both images in this post (the stacks “feature” image and the post thumbnail) were both taken from the PBS.ORG [...]

Idaho has many waterfalls. So does New York. Now New York City has five waterfalls of a sort. While i totally support big art so far i have to say The Waterfalls just doesn’t rock my world.

While in NYC last week annette and i took our obligatory walk over to the Bronx Botanical Gardens where a very large collection of Henry Moore sculptures are currently on display.

Where there used to be Pan Am and TWA now there’s nothing. Air France is still up there, as is Lufthansa and BA, but there seems to be a dearth of long haul American carriers. Oh, and Concord is gone, too.

Once again, late to the party, i watched “cloverfield” last night. The movie itself was a distracting romp, but for some reason i felt compelled to watch the two “making of” shorts on the dvd. What i learned from the two little blurbs was not unexpected but what struck me was the demeanor of the [...]

Like giant mobiles designed by an Alexander Calder admirer an increasing number of these magnificent sculptures are rising in the high desert of Idaho.

Water is life. At the moment, up in the hills, is it changing phase from solid to liquid and as i type these words it is falling from the sky in great quantity. It’s a beautiful thing.

Buyer’s remorse has yet to strike! This post is two days delayed and it is still accurately descriptive of my recent investment in hardware. How cool is that?

You must always render aid to anybody in need. It’s also a good idea to carry rope, chain, a shovel, a large jack, and possibly a winch. And always assume snow is deeper than it looks.

“Fifty years from now nobody is going to find your emails, lovingly tied with string, under your bed.”
Bill Moran, Blinc Publishing, Saint Paul , MN
The same could be said about the hundreds of digital photographs we’re all accumulating.

Since coming to Idaho one lesson i’ve learned time after time is one can never underestimate the backcountry. Once you leave the pavement in this part of the world you do so at your own risk and you’d best be prepared for any number of possibilities.

What matters in this life? How can one decide something that will have far-reaching implications, but at the same time might not matter at all? What is the “one thing” that must be honored?

No clear path. Increasingly there is no clear path… only compromises tinged with uncertainty and hinting at regret.

Idaho includes incredible diversity. Well… in terms of ecosystems that is. One only has to travel a short distance from Boise to experience a level of solitude unknown on the east coast.

After spending money like it grows on trees i’ve finally acquired a very nice thing i’ve wanted for many years, but only recently came into existence.

I may not leave Boise for a while yet, but if i departed tomorrow here are some of the things i would genuinely miss.

Today is the third anniversary of arriving in Idaho. My wife’s job was supposed have been funded up to this point. Had things unfolded as planned we’d now be dealing with the stuff we dealt with last year… so there’s really no point in bitching; we’d have arrived at this point regardless.

Aperture 2.1 and Wordpress 2.5 are released to the world!

All i can say is “beware of headcrabs” and there is no freakin’ way i’m going to Ravenholm…. i don’t care what Alyx says.

Now sampling video in WP posts.

Today was the start of spring break. Does that matter? No. Let’s talk about photos in posts.

Today is Easter Sunday and for me it’s all about coffee.

A decent amount of beer was consumed, two lamps were bought at IKEA, several photographs were snapped and a Smart car was taken around the block. I really wanted it to be great… the Smart Car, that is.

Saint Patrick never visited Salt Lake City.

A walk in the foothills with my visiting wife and fresh oil in my Vanagon… two things, while hardly interchangeable, that qualify as simply nice.

What do you do when you feel a virus coming at you, but you’re at 37,000 feet?

My father never wanted anybody to remind him of his birthday. On some level i can now fully understand how he felt… if only at the 50% point, if you take my meaning.

Sorry, no photos were taken. However, for just about the first time in my life (ok, a bit of hyperbole to start the day), i felt a sense of pride being part of a group. Record turnout… way, way high record turnout at the Idaho Democratic Caucus. That’s the key measure. Politicians aren’t going to [...]

The new expression going forward is going to be “hope-monger.” That term was used to great effect by Sen. Barack Obama in a stump speech not four hours ago delivered in a packed-to-the-ceiling Taco Bell Arena. Without a doubt this was the best speech by a politician i’ve ever heard delivered live. And yes he [...]

Finite resources, there’s no escape. Our planet is finite and so is my liver.

Getting old sucks, but if George Carlin can reach 70 and still be convincingly angry at least my potential for a few more good years is looking better. I last saw George Carlin at a club in New York a full life-time ago. I don’t even remember when it was and i only understood portions [...]

I may have watched the two worst movies recently made by the “political-entertainment” complex of Hollywood. See, i watched Danny Boyle’s “Sunshine” and Frank Miller’s “300″ basically back-to-back. Both of these guys A: need a hug, and B: need to come out of the freakin’ closet! Honestly guys, just admit you’re gay, you’re rich, and [...]

She leaves and i geek out…

It’s a regular thing. The squirrel comes to eat the corn and at some point Isa goes outside and for the next 30 minutes or so makes like a snake and inches her way across the field of bark chips. Ironically she could probably walk at regular speed to exactly three feet from the squirrel [...]

I’ve reset to the “Blue Zinfandel” theme. That über western motif theme i had going for a while was fun, but it was tiring. Annette is here until Sunday. We’ve had what could be described as a “normal” week here in Boise. In a way this current situation is like some kind of an experiment. [...]

“How can they eat food, and listen to shit?” asks Sabina in “The Unbearable Lightness of Being”. I suppose i’m simply spoiled. Years ago my college was an early adopter of the NEXT computer. I forget which generation populated one of the “computer rooms” in the lower level of the library, but i do know [...]

Gee, do you think it might be for sale? It’s quite a bit colder in Boise than it was in NYC and there is grass-covering snow in the front yard. My house here faces North so in the winter the front area is like Antarctica; no sun shines on the snow fields of Bethel Street. [...]

At KJFK No, i’m still on the ground, but today is yet another travel day. I’m happily ensconced in the gate area of JFK airport waiting for the chance to sit some more on a rapidily moving airplane. Ok, first: security at this airport is a joke. And that joke is dovetailing to a scam. [...]

Coke is everywhere. I’ve now wandered into three different men’s rooms in three separate bar/restaurants (these are all single-occupant aka “user friendly” washrooms) to find the tell-tale coke residue on the flat-topped (also user friendly) toilet paper dispenser. Note to city council: legalize powder cocaine and tax it. Use money to increase subway capacity and [...]

The Bronx Botanical Garden is doing their yearly “train show.” Each year they build unbelievably elaborate New York bridges and landmarks using only 100% plant matter. Yes, this includes the “glass” in the windows of the houses. The crowds are also hard to believe, but the wait, and the staggeringly slow pace as everybody shuffles [...]

Made it to JFK only about 30 minutes late! It is indeed possible to go from JFK to the end of the D line in the Bronx for $7, but one needs to be prepared to invest at least an hour and a half with lugging of luggage up and down subway stairs. I’ve got [...]

In the spirit of imitation being the sincerest form of flattery: Wouldn’t kick her out of bed: Christina Hendricks Here is an actress who, for the most part, does not photograph all that well. While looking for screen grabs i found it nearly impossible to get one frame i liked or that i thought was [...]

Howdy y’all. Like what i’ve done with the place? I went a-theme shoppin’ and came back with a doozy. This theme is called Aspire, it is produced by InfoCreek (although you might not realize that if you follow that link). I figure in honor of my approaching 1000th day as a Boise resident i should [...]

Ok, so Dec. 7th’s post was a bit of self-indulgence. Sue me. So far today has been the rainiest day in memory. It was raining lightly when i rode in to work this morning. It was raining steadily when i went out for some lunch. It is still raining now. I’m not sure where the [...]

I planned to start this post before midnight MST. Too late. Something has to change. Un-deniable dilemma. Boredom’s not a burden Anyone should bear. Constant over stimulation numbs me But I wouldn’t want you Any other way. Just, not enough. I need more. Nothing seems to satisfy. I said, I don’t want it. I just [...]

Annette was here for Thanksgiving and we, once again, disappeared into the hills north of Idaho City and pretended to be the two last people on the planet. Unfortunately our reverie was intruded upon by two uniformed backcountry guys on some kind of a mission. But they (and their excitable chocolate springer spaniel) were with [...]

I just got back from a short ride up to Lucky Peak to have a look at the water level and see what, if anything, was going on. As i passed the lower park area the car ahead of me suddenly slowed. We continued to round the lower bend and i saw why he had [...]

I copped that title from a friend, but the sentiment is genuine. See, i just read this on /. : “Today the last section of the old Edison DC power grid will be shutdown in Manhattan. ‘The last snip of Con Ed’s direct current system will take place at 10 East 40th Street, near the [...]

From A.O. Scott’s obit/appreciation for Mailer. All four of these will be shown as part of “The Mistress and the Muse: The Films of Norman Mailer,” a fascinating and wide-ranging retrospective taking place during the next two weeks at three Manhattan cultural institutions: the Film Society of Lincoln Center, the Paley Center for Media and [...]

“If cats sleep for a living, what do they do on their days off?” I love all animals (and almost universally prefer their company to that of humans) but i have a special fondness for cats. I’m unsure why this is since we had a couple very nice dogs as pets when i was younger. [...]

I watched 2 plus hours of the most preposterous product Michael Bay has ever put forth and if it weren’t for this woman i’d have tossed the disc in the trash and told Netflix it never showed up. I liked this scene despite the fact it made me chuckle.

This cold/virus/whatever sets the new record. Well, actually maybe it ties. Years ago in New York i had a horrible cold that actually put me in bed, as in “cannot stand up” for three solid days. It took the rest of the week and most of the following week to come back to life. I [...]

Ok, this is funny. The following quote was lifted from the original at miceage.com The boats and flume of Disneyland’s it’s a small world were originally designed in 1963 and installed for use at the New York World’s Fair in 1964 and ’65. The Americans riding in those pastel boats almost 45 years ago were [...]

Hooo boy, but i blew that call in a big old way. It was pouring when we woke up, it was pouring at lunch time, everybody was planning for an inside event. But it was not to be! The clouds broke up, the sun sent ray after ray of brilliant sunlight (can you say ‘white [...]

Rain on your wedding day. If i remember correctly rain is supposed to be a good omen for a marriage going forward. But it’s hell on the guests visiting from other cities. I’m writing this from the Club Quarters hotel in downtown Philadelphia. It’s pouring outside. Inches and inches of rain have fallen yesterday and [...]

If i were king blogs would be mandatory at all colleges and universities. By that i mean blogs would be a service offered to all faculty, staff and students. They need not be public, commenting could be turned off, professors could make arrangements with students for private reviews. All manner of deals could be struck… [...]

Somehow saying it “bone eevair” seems better than writing it out. But no matter how you say it, write it, feel it, think it, or even hate it winter is coming on strong in the higher elevations and will soon descend into the valley. Ok, time for some catchup and travel news: first, i spent [...]

This has been a magnificent day. Cool, clear, chilly in the shade, warm in the sun. A perfect fall day. There used to be days like this in Minnesota as well, but not so much in New York due to the constant humidity. I’ve been steadily working on several “new” web projects that are sort [...]

I simply hate ms windows. It is an OS that is bad on nearly every level one can imagine. If i were forced to use windows for my job i would change jobs in an instant. The idea of dealing with something i despise so much on a daily basis would simply destroy my quality [...]

I was back in New York City for a week! It’s home. That’s all there is to say. Other places are nice. Other places have pros and cons exactly opposite of NYC, but New York is home. Jimmy Breslin said all there needs to be said on the subject: “The city I love and hate [...]

I’m recently returned from a short trip to Portland, Oregon. I was fortunate enough to gain an interview at the very impressive Lewis & Clark College. There i met many people, four of whom scared the bejesus out me, but i’m getting ahead of myself. Lately I’ve been engrossed in “athiest literature.” This is probably [...]

Damnit! I hate it when i get the call from AMEX (or any other credit card agency) “this is not a sales call, please contact us immediately.” This is only the second time in my life i’ve gotten the call, but it makes me feel creepy nonetheless. I check all of my accounts online everyday. [...]

Annette came for a visit this past weekend. We had planned to go to the Sheephorn Lookout in the hills near Salmon, Idaho. Unfortunately it was a “three strikes, you’re out” weekend. Her flight was delayed to the point she missed the connection in Salt Lake and had to overnight thus delaying our departure by [...]

So it was pointed out that i’ve been remiss in my reportage. I’ve not once mentioned where i basically begin each day and the women who work there. I refer of course to the Starbucks that is attached to the building where i work. The store manager asked the question “would it kill you to [...]

Today is my wife’s birthday. I don’t think this is the first time we’ve been apart on her birthday, but i can’t recall a specific year where we might have been. She’ll remember. It’s also the birthday of a guy in my office who, keeping it short, has dual personalities. Mild-mannered fund-raising office-guy by day, [...]

Freakin’ awesome… that’s how i describe today’s weather. It started all cloudy. That’s right i said cloudy! Honestly after three months of nearly uninterrupted cloudless blue sky the presence of an overcast sky and, later, water falling from that sky, hits with the impact of the last part of the first Dune book where it [...]

Back in Minnesota i knew a guy named Adam. We used to joke that his anger arrived ten minutes before he did. He was one of the most pissed-off people i’ve ever known. Fact is he made me seem like Mr. Sunshine. I got to witness him really cut loose a few times we were [...]

Yeah, this is yet another photo of my motorcycle at Galena summit. Yeah, that sign, plastered with stickers, reads 8,701 feet. Weather was actually nice and clear as opposed to murky and smoky. So, 351.5 miles were covered on Saturday. And it seemed like next to nothing. All i need is a new sheepskin butt-pad [...]

It is so smoky outside the foothills have vanished. In fact i could barely see table rock while riding back from my house with two burrito-like things for lunch. My coworker joked that he’d wasted a cigarette. Why light up? Just stand there and breath the air. But why i call this post “consolidation” is [...]

Outside temperature: 98 Degrees F. Well, 98 is better than 101. Ok, so Annette has returned to The Bronx. She opted to take the overnight flight from SLC to JFK, departing around midnight and arriving about 6 am. She reports the AirTrain to Jamaica operated flawlessly and she was at her desk before 8 am. [...]

Outside temperature: 101 degrees F. Can you believe it? It’s 101 outside and it’s almost 8pm. Today was just horrible in terms of temperature. Riding the motorcycle home from work seemed worse than my trip to Portland a while back. It’s like sitting in front of a giant hair dryer. I find the heat simply [...]

Current Temperature outside: 93 degrees F. Well, i’m still in Boise. It has been 103 days since my last post and as you might imagine much has happened. My wife is now ensconced in the Bronx in a huge apartment. I’m unsure where i left off so let me say she took the job with [...]

Ok, here it is.I’m trying to consolidate all my crap into one place. I’m going with the “tomato” theme for a while because it’s hot as a pizza oven here in Boise and my tomatoes are not ripening.I hold a great affinity for tomatoes and can’t help but believe positive tomato-thinking will win the day.More [...]

hours of daylight – many Today, dear readers, marks the official two-year anniversary of the day Annette and i rolled in to Boise, ID. Two years ago (minus a few hours) we were completing what was largely a white-knuckle drive from Minneapolis to Boise. Wyoming in early spring is not to be taken lightly. Nor [...]

Hours of Daylight – 12:00 The calendar says the equinox is still three days off, but the hours of daylight as reported seem to say it’s now. Whatever. The bottom line is the days are wonderfully long (even though the early “spring forward” means going to work in pitch dark). Only a short time after [...]

Hours of Daylight – Not A Lot The best news i heard today.

Hours of Daylight – Few So we survived our road trip to all three national parks. That’s right, Death Valley, Zion, and Bryce were visited. Not to gloss over the hilites of the trip i nonetheless won’t go into the details of the trip at the moment, but suffice to say it was great to [...]

Hours of Daylight – 9:03 Anybody who has read Kurt Vonnegut will immediately recognize where the title of today’s post comes from. Yes, it’s from “Cat’s Cradle” and is the phrase a Bokononist utters when remarking on the complexity of the universe. Note there is no qualitative measure applied to the phrase, i.e. it could [...]

Hours of Daylight – 9:37 REI was having a sale, and this time, rather then be one of the very last people to pick over the clearance racks, Annette and i went early. The timing was propitious as i had finally been paid for four of the six weeks i’d worked at my sparkling new [...]

Hours of Daylight – 9:53 Ok, so Annette decided she wanted a long weekend. In Idaho if you’re not stinking rich and/or you don’t ski a long weekend means one thing: hot springs. I, being the good "chopper pilot" that i am, provided the transportation. She handled the accommodations. After i finished my big 4 [...]

Hours of Daylight – 10:42 October is a good month for me. I landed my job at Ordway Center in October many years ago, and now i’ve started a regular job for Boise State University in October. That’s right, it may be part time now, but it’s full time in spirit. I’m the newest "Web [...]

Hours of Daylight – 12:06 So i suppose my new media hero is Keith Olberman. He’s a bit bombastic and a little over the top and he tries just a bit too hard to channel Edward R. Murrow, but his message is clear and delivered with gusto. Granted in this dark period of American history [...]

Hours of Daylight – 12:12 I’ve been meaning to write about my cats for months now. We currently have two, Mora and Isa (like Lisa without the L). If you’ve read any of my Minnesota Blog you already know how they came to us so i’ll not rehash that story here. They’re tortoise-mutt cats. Isa [...]

Hours of Daylight – 12:32 Wow, so much has transpired in the past 26 days i won’t even try to rehash it here. You can see some of the photographic evidence at the following two URLs: http://homepage.mac.com/jspeer_mn/deadwoodlo/ http://homepage.mac.com/jspeer_mn/OR-CA/ Believe it or not there’s even one more trip that I don’t have pictures from that should [...]

This Post is a couple days late. Sorry. Hours of Daylight – not sure, but the mornings are dark once again Boise sits on the western edge of the Mountain Time Zone. In fact a good chunk of Idaho is actually in the Pacific Time Zone. This means we get nice lingering evenings, but our [...]

Hours of Daylight – 14:29 While Annette is off at a meeting in Philadelphia i opted to do a an overnight camping trip from the motorcycle. My plan was to go on Thursday and return on Friday, but when i rolled the bike off the stand the rear tire pancaked. Crap! I tried to think [...]

Hours of Daylight – 14:56 Shorter and hotter is the rule for the days here this summer. Still i suppose it’s better to have the low humidity of the high desert than the sticky wool-blanket-soaked-in-mineral-oil feel of the midwest. Talk about a mish-mosh of thoughts, fears, and curiosity. That’s the best way i can describe [...]

Hours of Daylight – 14:53 It was like sitting in front of a big hair dryer for 7 hours. That’s the unromantic truth of my recently completed motorcycle trip from Boise to Portland. See, underemployment has certain advantages. One is the ability to go just about anywhere i want at a moment’s notice. In fact, [...]

Hours of Daylight – 15:04 The shrinking daylight is accelerating. But while the summer progresses and the daylight shrinks and as the apocalypse looms in the Mideast I suddenly noticed a hummingbird on the feeder. See, the other day i bought yet another hummingbird feeder and hung it in a more auspicious location. Although i’m [...]

Hours of Daylight – 15:11Another flood day has come. Last week Mark cut the water off a bit too soon; our junipers didn’t get a good dosing. This morning i managed to catch him before he droped the blade back into the frame thus cutting off the flow into our little system. The water is [...]

Hours of Daylight – 15:26 Today is Saturday, aka “flood day.” See, while the Northeast is fretting a fuming about being under water, here in Boise we’re causing a flood on purpose. I may have written about this before: flood irrigation. Basically the Boise river flows from the big Army Corps of Engineers dam at [...]

Hours of Daylight – 15:29 Is today a biggie? Today is the solstice, but according to the naval observatory the days are already getting shorter. Lost a whole minute we have. Today is also my last day of employment at Idaho Power. I think the word for the day will be "ambivalent." I will miss [...]

Hours of Daylight – 15:30 That the health care system in this country is completly and utterly broken is not news, but the many and varied ways it’s broken continues to amaze and depress me. A big problem can be found in the interface between humans and computers. The problem is coding. See, when you [...]

Hours of Daylight – 15:29 So i found this thing at the pet store… it’s a smaller version of the loopy metal thing used to strip hair from horses. It does a fantastic job of removing the undercoat from cats. Isa and Mora are clearly cold-weather cats… the amount of downy underfur i ripped out [...]

Hours of Daylight – 15:28 These are the long days of summer in Boise. But fortunately we’re getting loads of rain. It’s official: i prefer overcast/rainy/moody weather over constant sunshine. I would rather live in a place that’s predominantly cloudy/rainy with breaks of sunshine than one that is mostly sunny with the odd day of [...]

Hours of Daylight – 15:12 We went a-traveling for Memorial Day weekend. Ever since a horrible camping experience over Memorial Day years ago in New York Annette and i have taken to staying home for the big weekend. But we took a chance and drove to Craters of the Moon National Monument. It was a [...]

Hours of Daylight – 14:55 The days are long again. Twilight lasts forever down here in the valley if there are no clouds obscuring the sunset. The weather has been unseasonably hot causing spectacular thunderstorms to “fire” to the south, west, and north. The storms are easy to spot since they resemble giant mushroom clouds [...]

Hours of Daylight – 14:55 We spent last weekend up in Ketchum. Annette had a three day conference to attend at the resort at Sun Valley that ended Saturday morning. Perfect! I drove the little truck up on Saturday morning and met her. She had booked one night for us at the goofy “Tyrolean Lodge” [...]

Hours of Daylight – more than yesterday Remember when i wrote some time ago that spring in Minnesota was the best time to be there? Well, i stand by that statement and raise it one notch by saying spring in Boise, Idaho is *better*. Cool, crisp mornings, warm endless days and lingering sunsets that seem [...]

Hours of Daylight – 13:46 Forgive me Father for i have sinned. It has been 54 days since my last posting to my blog. So much has happened over those days, but like the rivers, dams, and reservoirs it all just so much water through the system. The really excellent snow this winter in causing [...]