Some Photos

In the front yard.


At Old Wives' Tale restaurant, after Iris's Promotion Ceremony from 8th grade.


Outside Memorial Coliseum the night of Andrea's graduation from Grant High.

Bcuz Iris is Cool

Scribbled at the Memorial Coliseum. I did the really clever, almost life-like part and Iris added the messy, nonsensical "punchline" that diminishes my artistic effort.

Junior Rose Parade in Black & White

Piano Moving

Last night, after watching Iris get congratulated at school for being an honor student, I helped my friends Adam and Jenny move a piano.

We didn't have to move it very far -- from a house not too far from mine, just a mile or two to Adam and Jenny's groovy bungalow up the hill. We had help from a friend of theirs (Andrew? Adam? Petruchio? Bernard? I can't remember), and it went pretty smoothly. At one point I got a quick pinch on the end of my finger, but I didn't think anything of it.

Later it got all bruiseful and began hurtilating a little bit. It looks worse than it feels, which is why I took a photo of it:

From Around the Yard

Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge

Last Saturday Greg "Salsa" Boyce and I went out to the Tualatin River wildlife refuge, out by the U-Pull It auto wrecking place on 99W.

It turned out to be a sunny, warm morning by the time we were out of there. The place was nicer than I expected it to be. There's a walk that loops around it that goes through open fields and forest, with one viewing area overlooking the river. We didn't see a whole lot of bird life, but got good looks at Common Yellowthroats, Savannah Sparrows, Killdeer, Red-Winged Blackbirds and a rough-skinned newt, which sat still for a photo session.

There's no real easy -- traffic-free -- way to get out there from our house, unfortunately. But I will go again.

Here's Greg at the fancy-schmancy HQ building:


Welcome to Oregon! Hybrid vehicle drivers get to park closer -- you'd think they'd be willing to walk more, not less:


The Tualatin River:


Most of the place is open like this. There are some great trees there:


Here's newt:

Crazy Local TV

I could describe this fellow's cable access program, but I think this photo says it all:

Then and Now

Inspired by the gossip site TMZ, I created my own "Then and Now" feature:

Drift Creek Falls

For our anniversary last week we rented a house in Lincoln City. On Friday (9 May) we went up to Drift Creek Falls, where the foot suspension bridge overlooks the 75 foot waterfall. It was cool at first, but sunny and warm by the time we got to the bridge (twenty minutes). Lots of bird life, no people... very nice.

Don't Let the Car Fool You

Today I saw a car of some sort -- I tried to figure out what kind, but all I could grok was a newer model black sedan of some sort -- with a bumpersticker that said:

DON'T LET THE CAR FOOL YOU. MY TREASURE IS IN HEAVEN.



By the way the woman was driving, I'd say she was maybe eager to get that treasure.

The message gave me pause. In that WTF? way. I couldn't tell if it was some sort of commentary on the value of the car, since I don't know a lot about the value of cars or which ones are supposed to be status symbols to which constituency.

So I couldn't help thinking it was about the value of a human soul, which I'm now led to believe is greater than that of an average automobile.

Seems to me it would have been more helpful if the bumpersticker had said:

MY ETERNAL SOUL IS WORTH MORE THAN THIS CAR

But... I don't know. Is that overstating things?

Heh Heh

From a fan of The Incredible Hulk (and not, apparently, a fan of Edward Norton).

Back Yard Birds

We were away for the weekend (more about that later?) -- when we returned home the back yard had some unusual visitors: Wilson's Warblers and Black-headed Grosbeaks.

"Ha ha... damn! Ha ha!"

Later: Darn it! The video doesn't seem to be properly synched with the audio. The audio's the important thing -- the way this TV announcer reads the transcript of the naughty text messages between the mayor and his mistress. I love the way he says "ha ha" when the transcript reads "LOL." I wonder how many hours they sat in a meeting trying to decide the best course of action.

It's Fun To Do Bad Things

This is one way to get this audio on my blog.

Exciting: A New Keyboard

I had to get a new keyboard, so I did.

It's pretty sleek. I don't know or care about its ergonomicality, mind you.




It's the little things in life that matter. The little, expensive things.

Tonight at the Gallery

We went to the opening of a show of new paintings by Laurie Danial tonight. Laurie's daughter Maria is a good friend of Iris's.


We met up with Iris's friends, Ruby, Maria and Isabel.


Here's Cleo in the car, behaving herself on the way home.

We had a very nice dinner around the corner from the gallery, at Park Kitchen (great service!). A fine night.

Dumb Cartoon

I read the daily comics and a lot of the time I have this thought: That was dumb.
Sometimes I have this thought: "Cripes, even I could write a dumber comic than that."
And so sometimes I prove than I can.

Dance Moves

These are the two moves I use when I'm out on the dance floor. If I want to "mix it up," I simply swap and use the second one first and vice-versa. Try it!