I can't remember what I forget

Well, it's hardly a peep.

I've been listening to a whole lot of Scarlett Johansson's Falling Down. I can't decide if I like it or not. David Bowie and banjos are hard to beat but there's still something that's not quite right. Maybe it just feels too produced?

This morning's cereal was on special offer, discontinued. really nutty muesli, a cereal that claims to be honest, tasty, and real. We could all use more honesty in this world. Can you imagine a dishonest cereal? I wouldn't lend it money, let alone into my gut.

The wife had this imagined conversation with The Dishonet Cereal:

Come on, put more milk on me. I can handle it! Give me more, I want more! Ah ha! Too much! You've put too much milk on me. I couldn't handle it. I lied and now you've ruined me! Haha, I'm soggy. Soggy! Eat me now, sucker.

Glad these things have warning labels.

oh, I made a beer can chicken the other weekend
pretty neat

Ooohh, i've wanted to try that. how'd it taste?

like chicken
Har har!

Over the weekend a Canadian friend told me that Canadian bacon wasn't really bacon.

I think she just wanted to see me cry.

Oh my, how I really want a few pairs of these cufflinks.

(www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=11425356)

And she's got some other great items as well.

Having grown tired of bread and cheese for breakfast we've gone to the local bakery instead. It also helps that Easter is now over and shops are open again.

This morning the woman from yesterday smiled when she saw me order exactly the same.

It's good, yes? she asked. But you have to be careful, she continued. Danger, she said as she patted her hips.

This, I could tell, was a woman who enjoyed living life dangerously.

It's the small city that feels small and everywhere and everywhere it smells of rotten eggs. They say it's all that geothermal energy but I think it's the secret to health over here. Pass wind whenever you like and blame the Earth. Crap in your pants and point to the geyser with a knowing wink; life is good. Happy colons all around.

Last weekend I had my first ever fly fishing lesson. I suppose this would add to my list of old man inclinations, such as fountain pens, rangefinders, cuff links, and bow ties you actually tie in a knot.

The whole fly fishing bug started after I read Norman Maclean's A River Runs Through It, about fifteen years ago. It's part science, part religion, and all about the perfect cast. But, as you'd imagine, there's not much fly fishing to be had in the 'burbs so the idea had to hibernate.

Until I moved to Portland, which is full of places designed to be fished. But, again, I never got around to it with other things like snowboarding and dancing getting in the way.

But now I'm in England and the opportunity has finally been realised, as part of a Christmas present.

Basically, it was everything I'd expected it to be. There is a science and a rhythm, and when you get it right it's closer to ten than two and the hook whizzes past your head and you hope you don't pierce anything that shouldn't be pierced.

It's a martial art. Against fish.

Conversation between random lady in parking lot and myself.

RL: Excuse me, do you like Chinese string music?

Me: I'm not Chinese.

RL: Oh, I know you're not Chinese. But since you're Oriental I thought you like listening to Chinese string music. Do you like Chinese string music?

Me: Well, I wouldn't say I'd go out of my way to hear it.

RL: Well, some lovely Chinese left my husband a big pile of CDs and I'm trying to find them a good home. Would you like them?

At least she admitted that she _knew_ I wasn't Chinese. I wonder what gave me away? Maybe I need to start wearing Chinese camouflage.

I'm sorry, my English is not so good. Please go away and leave me alone henceforth. Forsooth, you are a ninny.

How is it that the ipod I bought just over a year ago is now dubbed 'The Classic'?

You know what else is a classic? My dad's old rangefinder, my brown chuck taylors, and my 32 year old ass.

After a busy week I finally made some time to cook something decent. And because I had some chorizo that was 2 months out of date, figured that should get used up first. Really, can cured meats ever die? I think not.

Made enough jambalaya for a season of wanna be supermodels and actually set some aside to freeze, instead of eating it in two sittings. Portion sizes are a mystery, but then I just kept adding things to the pot until I had to take some of it out. If I were a superhero, this would be my power: the ability to take a random amount of food and with a finite amount of tupperware, fill everything in to containers, each up exactly to it's limit. I think it helps that I just eat whatever doesn't fit when nobody's looking. I know I've mentioned this before somewhere, but it's important enough to repeat.

I had to pick the shrimp out of some of them since they were frozen and I don't want to poison myself again. Who knew that you shouldn't eat green potatoes? I thought it was just the eyes that were bad. My parents got all worried, that I might have put the wife into mortal peril. Don't worry about me, I'm fine. I'll just be on the floor with my head in this here toilet. Oh wait, now I need to sit on it. Oh, better flush because it's time for the floor. Etc, etc.

Bon appetite!

Somebody made a very good pot of coffee so I drank half of it.
I'm feeling a bit twitchy now. And paranoid.

Must have more.

So,

do I want to see a film about a 10 year old franchise,
or do I want to see a film about a 20 year old franchise,
or maybe I want to see a film about a 23 year old franchise.

Having passed her viva, the wife is now the doctor. I suppose
that makes me her assistant.

Also, I'm not doing well at juggling pop culture and things keep
dropping. And yet I don't really seem to mind as much as I used
to.

We've got some trips planned for the near future and the great
future. Slightly worried with all the terrorism hoedown going on
lately but what can you do? If we don't go on holiday then
they've won. Can't let them win so we're going to Copenhagen for
a few days, mostly for a conference which doesn't concern me.
Leaves me with a few days in Copenhagen to see what it feels
like when one is not freezing one's ass off.

The second leg was going to be Odensa, which my Danish coworker
referred to as the druggie capital of Denmark. More exciting
times were to come as the bed and breakfast messed up the
reservation, giving us two single rooms instead of a double.

We cancelled our booking and spontaneously/expensively switched
plans for Hamburg instead. Hamburg, the place where people go to
eat pizza.

Why, oh why, is a sausage wrapped in bacon so popular? Why is it less disturbing than a chicken omelet or beef cereal? Or maybe they'd be just as popular. If only people would give my cooking a chance instead of calling me insane.

I've probably been listening to more Rilo Kiley than is
medically sound. I just can't get enough of that twang.

I'm tempted to add the first album and Rabbit Fur Coat to the
two I already have but then what hope will I have? Where will I
go next for my fix of twang?

There's always that dilema of uncovering an old band and trying
to decide if it's better to start from the begining and hear the
evolution of sound or start from the end and watch the wrinkles
disappear.

Went to an acoustic night in London a few weeks back. Like us,
the audience was comprised of little clusters, each there to
support their friends. We stayed for one act before and one act
after which, judging by the way the room kept flowing, I think
is the way these things work.

The after act was a 19 year old girl named Milla Traylen who had
a good stylised mumbling thing going on. I assume the lyrics
were poignantly matched to her guitar pickings. Good pickings.

So, the weekend is done and dusted and now I'm a second degree black belt. Caught up with the wife so now we're both on our way to achieving Voltron-like powers.

I'd been too busy with work and didn't prepare myself as much as I'd have liked. The body really wasn't that willing but it did anyway, although it was a struggle. Personally I think I could have done better and I will do better in two years time when number 3 comes up.

The club is doing well and growing at a scary pace. And as we get more aware of the tkd ecosystem we've discovered we need a new name as the first was a bit common. It's a challenge to think of a meaningful yet not painfully obscure or open to misunderstanding.

The best we've got seems to be a Nike slogan but also has some connection to a semi killer cult.

Poo!

In other news, I'm my own best celebrity. For people who like video games or have maybe just played one the odd moment in time, www.onelifeleft.com is an excellent games related yet not really podcast. Highly recommended and would never describe it as something one would write with bales of hay in the farmlands near Edinburgh. In fact, much the opposite.

If you listen to last week's show, #38, I make my mark about 3/4ths of the way through and the world is forever changed. Flowers smell sweeter and water is wetter.

I suppose I should have written something perhaps more meaningful?

So, where does the time go?

I still write these days, but it's mostly on bananas. The mental writing goes on and on but the physical usually ends up on fruit.

Achievements are being achieved and goals not being set. I can't seem to escape London but in spite of that I'm living a decent life. Occasionaly being social and eating right. Sleep when I have a chance and Puzzle Quest when I shouldn't be.

Sometimes, the toilets at work smell like freshly cut grass. Good or bad, I kind of like it.