Townes Van Zandt Kinda Night

Portland next week

I can't wait. We'll be celebrating Shannon "Dr. Weeks'" N.D. degree. I'll get to see James, possibly Peter, plus Charles will be at the Organic Brewer's Fest.

Dad and I drove from San Fransico to Seattle when I was 12, but I barely remember it. So this is all I really know about Portland, which is a good start, and possibly all I need to know:

Happy Dad Day

I had a really fantastic day. The kids made me a wonderful card, even got to brew a batch of beer. Plus not only a a Father's Day fax, but we got a phone call from Francesca at camp. Received an AMAZING amp for my guitar, wow. Dad said he and Mom went to brunch at Morty's, then Dad had a short American Spirit Sunday tour to give. We sent him the new Deadliest Catch book, Time Bandit, and a bottle of home brew.

This has been a difficult Father's Day for the extended family. It's hard for me to know what to do or say. But I do know, for sure, that I love my Dad very much, and he's always been there for me, every day, for 43 years. I don't understand why I got so lucky. When my family and friends are in pain, I wish I knew how to make them better. I love my family, painfully, and all the families in it.

Poem by Dick Lourie

"Is There Gas In The Car?" "Yes, There's Gas In The Car!"

Sometimes when I'm down this cheers me up.

From Family Guy, the one where Stewie disguises himself as a popular high schooler and infiltrates the cool kids:

"You can see them on my MySpace page, along with my favorite songs and movies and things that other people have created, but that I use to express my individualism."

"I have a MySpace page too!"

"Yeah, I have mine ironically."

Twitter Hard!

JC shot this site to me (not tweeted? Dude, if you don't I will). Made my week. In full disclosure, I got a Twitter account, only to keep jordanweeks from being snatched up by that Australian sports photographer. Yoink!

1) Fan belt light came on in the 911 so now I'm driving the Cayenne Turbo S - the backup, backup car. Trying not to think about the Tesla...

2) it makes me sad, the more I have success the more people don't like me....

3) @garyvee I had the biggest lemonade stand on the block when I was 6. Was even expermienting with variable pricing and freemium models :)

4) Went to the gym this morning. As I left, everyone said I was the best!

And my all-time favorite, that kills dead forever my standard Twit joke:

5) ok poop is coming out.

Guy Kawasaki! You used to be my man! Apparently Twitter brings out the crosseyed narcissist in everyone. Except you, dear reader. It looks good on you.

10) @wildbill I don't get it either. Who pushes out more interesting links AND interacts more than me on Twitter?

Have a marvelicious Memorial Weekend, everyone.

Get some rest.

And We're Changing Our Name to Texenophobiaville

WICHITA FALLS, TX—"I have nothing personal against Americans," said Texas Governor Rick Perry. "I just think they should stay in America, where they belong."
MORE>>

Just When I Needed Some Guidance From Above...

Seek, and ye shall find.

Combined with this synergistic absolute contraindication:

Equals this (there's an HBO ad at the beginning, sorry, but so worth it):

Bike Redonculawesomeness

Starting at age 18 (right before fax machines got small and cheap), I was a bike messenger in DC. Did it for 5 years, on and off. Never got this good. Is there anyone as good as this guy? Brilliantly filmed, perfectly scored - stunt after stunt, relentlessly topping himself.

Thanks, zefrank, consistently amazing as always. Between this and Mandy, got my bike geek fix in for the month.

Heh...MacAskill.

Pipie Suits Up For Gardening

Brewed a Scottish Peated Wee Heavy Tonight

Visited Austin Homebrew Supply for two and a half cases worth of beer ingredients. Cost me $24 bucks. The six-pack of Sierra Nevada Torpedo I drank while brewing cost me about $10. You do the math.

Grain Bill:

.25 lb. peated

.5 lb. biscuit

1 lb. Special B crystal

1 lb. Cara-Munich
Malt extract:

6 Lbs. amber syrup
Sugars:
.5 lb. Turbinado sugar
.25 lb. Corn sugar

Hops:

.5 oz. Fuggle (bittering)

.25 oz. 10-yr. aged Czech Saaz (flavoring)

Yeast:

Safale S-04 dry English Scottish ale

Yum. Smells like BBQ. And, whene'er to drink you are inclin'd, Tam o' Shanters.

April Updates

Hey, Cupcake.

1) Jodie's back from Houston. I missed her, and so did the kids, but they did really well. Not a single mommy-related meltdown. Went to a birthday party at Goin' Bananas, and Caleb's house warming party (as usual, Scout didn't want to go, then didn't want to leave). Even got a bunch of work done on Saturday. And tonight, with Francesca, we're back to being all together.

2) Mike tried to do it again. Making me feel disoriented and defeated the last few days (he's in ICU, and stable now). Poor Betty. And Lis - like pregnancy isn't a bitch enough as it is.

3) Acquired another boss at work (now I have 4), who's in Raleigh, so I'll probably never meet him. Which is making the lead writer batshit crazy, mostly all over me. Please God -when the hell can I own my own business again?!

4) Got linked in one of Mandy's blog posts, that was nice. Random act of kindness to right the heel.

5) Can't tell you how desperately I'm looking forward to Shannon's graduation. Charles pointed out we'll be there for the North American Organic Brewer's Festival. Maybe drag James along.

7) Need to brew again. I'm thinking Scottish Wee Heavy. Feel like something heady, sweet, and smoked.

6) Thanks for all your support. I love you too. Cheers.

McKinney Falls, Part 3 - Lower Falls

Smith Rockshelter Trail winding up to the Visitor's Center has some steep stone stairs, and wooden walkways.

Toots tracing mile marker 3, in front of Old Baldy (to the left). She's a 500-yr-old bald cypress, over 60 feet tall.

Bathroom and water fountain break at the Visitor's Center. They also lent us some fishing poles. We bought night crawlers at the entrance.

You can tell we're in the middle of a drought - normally this entire rock ledge is spilling over. The girls bounced back and forth between those two rocks up front about 15 times.

Toots pointing to where we were fishing. Not a nibble. Worms were fun to play with, though.

Girls went bouldering instead.

Pipie took off like a little mountain goat.

She just grabbed holds and hauled herself up...

...straight up sheer walls.

Da-dah!

Heeeeee!

My natural-born rock climbers. We also saw frogs and a little shoestring water snake.

I love this place. Only 15 minutes from our house. Before Texas spring heat crashes down, Jodie and Francesca will be with us next time, when we head back for some primitive camping. And some real fishing. Meaning, catching.

McKinney Falls, Part 2 - Rock Shelter

Cool overhang (temp. and awesome-wise), used over the centuries by various tribes, most recently the Tonkawa. Onion creek ran through here and cut into the soft limestone - now it flows about 50 feet below.

CHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESE!"

"One little, two little..."

Pipie likes to have her picture taken more than Toots.

Playing by the metate and fire pit.

Scout: "I'm ready to go!" That was actually a long hike, to get here. They did good.

Aaaaand...they're off.
Up next: the Trail; Lower Falls.

McKinney Falls, Part 1 - Upper Falls

People all over the top of the falls wanted to take pictures of the girls.

Note Miss P's hiking outfit, and 4-foot-tall Scoutie.

All these pics were taken with the Dash.

Camera phones + Moore's Law = 1 less bulgy pocket.

Up next: the Rock Shelter

After that: Lower Falls rock scramble & fishing hole

Happy Friday, Thank God It's Here And Not There

The whole week, feeling kinda like this. Hoping James made it to Portland safely. Loving all you all.