photoblog – J's blog

Sep212025

This may be the first time my “happy place” is not a metaphor

Not a single other human visible from horizon to horizon. No cell service, either

As you can probably see from the featured image, not a human visible from horizon to horizon. No cell service, either. It took me 10 weeks to prepare enough to try this again, as I worked to eliminate the pain points I identified from my first trip:

Problem: I forgot to bring a long lighter, and the wind made using a shorter lighter a… non-starter. Solution: the most wind-proof stove with a piezo-electric igniter. Worked perfectly! (Also got the 5-lb propane tank so I don’t have to keep using disposable one-pounders)
Problem: cheap cooler filled with ice still had ice, but everything had thawed. Solution: dry ice.
Problem: when packing up to leave, rolling the tent and sleeping bag back into their stuff-sacks was an exhausting pain-in-the-ass. Solution: a few large gym-ball-bags, mesh.

Oh, looks like that panorama above isn’t showing the edges. So, here it is again:

Aug62023

This impossible ear

There’s no Fleishman’s this impossible ear
Gotta bake in the morning to avoid a self-sear
Cooling of the cast iron might just take a year
Hope you like fluffy bread more than fizzy beer

(Apologies to Brendon Urie)

Oct42014

I didn’t notice, neither did G, neither did you.

For the first time in over 50 years, there were no Saturday morning cartoons.

Apr52014

Is it just me…

Or does this menu make it look like nachos are considered a salad?

Mar162014

English muffins again

Let’s see if the crumb is better this time.

Feb22014

Before the game begins…

Shall we have a moment to remember those who can not find any Velveeta?

Jan292014

If you hate gay marriage, have I got bad news for you….

So, not only are Cy and I getting married, BUT you’re losing the USA in a big, BIG way.

For those of you who really think that Natalie Grant was being “brave” for walking out on the Grammy’s (heh, I initially mis-typed that is “Granny’s”), may I suggest a few other places you might feel more welcome?

First of all, go enjoy the Olympic games at Sochi. According to their Mayor, no fags there! So: descend, my straight AND narrow hordes! Descend upon Sochi! (Go ahead — show them that there are closeted Bi folks!)

Then — oooo! — Saudi Arabia! No fags (but plenty of post-op-transexuals — women, in the eyes of the Wahabist!) You know what else you’ll love about the Saudis? No women drivers! (OK, OK, no PRE-OP women drivers!)

But honestly, if you’re a true — and I do mean TRUE — libertarian? There’s no place better than Somalia! Taxes? NONE! Goernment regulation? NONE! Personal freedom? Whatever you can defend with your own night! Now THAT’S the true Ayn Randian experience! (Holy crap, I sound like a travelogue!)

Finally, Uganda: you and your friends worked SO hard to be allowed to kill me there (should I ever be SO stupid as to go!) howsabout you go there for me instead?

Dec102013

G had her first band concert tonight.

I found her nervous energy both amusing, and sadly reminiscent. (The reminiscent part was the annoying part, FWIW…and for that I have only myself o blame!) Plenty of thanks to Didi for making her hair and nails look awesome!

We eventually hit a point where I could make my standard dad-joke: “Break a leg — but please, someone else’s.” She, as expected, rolled her eyes at that joke, and went into the auditorium to join her friends.

I managed to get plenty of photos and video on clicky (her new camera from her birthday), and with her approval I will share a few of them.

Suffice it to say that we are all very proud of how well she did, and are also very pleased with both the structure and lenience so obviously provided by her teachers.

And then — and is this ME saying this? — I also want to express my thanks to the school administrators, who have made all this happen! Who would have EVER thought that I would appreciate a middle school as much as this? (Especially after my personal experiences!)

Oct252013