Patriotism
Whether or not you agree with his politics, this is worth listening to as we approach July 4th.
1 comment July 1st, 2008
Good beer Karma
Went to a new store on Saturday with Dave to check out the beer selection, while checking out after choosing four previously un-sampled brews, the cashier was so excited to talk about beer that he forgot to ring up two of the bottles. I had to show him my receipt to prove to him that we hadn’t yet paid.
The result…Good Beer Karma!
We was a hot day in Portland 102F to be exact. Of course, it will be 78F in a few days so I’ll water the grass and the raspberries (I just finished picking about 2 lbs of them) and enjoy the hot days.
Anyway, we decided to sample some ales brewed with fruit and some IPAs. Here are the three we tried…
The Fort from Dogfishhead has a strong raspberry puree taste with hints of maltiness. It’s almost a raspberry barley wine and packs a pretty good abv punch. I enjoyed it and could really see trying it during the winter on a cool evening instead of a glass of Pinot.
The Stumptown Tart is a damn fine beverage from Bridgeport brewery. It’s flavored with marionberries and I actually looked for it in the store today because I want more. I love this brew. The marionberry finish is perfect on a hot day. I love this brew. I already said that didn’t I?
The last “Total Domination IPA” was very enjoyable with a very floral hoppy aroma and a strong taste of grapefruit. Definitely an IPA I will try again.
Anyway…3 for 3 sounds like good beer karma to me!
1 comment June 29th, 2008
Phoenix…the place.
I would say that I’ve been wanting to leave Arizona for close to 20 years. I seriously considered going to college in Colorado but chose the University of Arizona. I remember driving down to school after a visit home and seriously considered taking the exit to San Antonio to see where life would lead me. Gillian and I talked about moving to other places when we were starting out. I have dreamed of moving to the Pacific Northwest ever since my first visit to Seattle. All of this time, I have thought very little positive about Phoenix.
More than anything I will miss my parents and friends that I leave behind in Phoenix but today I realized something about Phoenix while flying from Portland to Austin with a brief lay over in Phoenix.
Flying into Phoenix, I could instantly spot “landmarks” from my life. I saw my high school, my parent’s home, the church where I got married, the office where my father used to work. Had we been flying another route, I would have spotted my first home where Kyle first joined our family. Another route would have shown me the place I have called home for the past 8 years and shared so many wonderful memories as our family grew. Many flights into Phoenix show me ASU where I worked for ten years and spent much of my early adult life.
So many wonderful memories. I will miss them but fortunately I do get to take them with me. I will always cherish the memories and experiences that Phoenix provided. It is the back drop of my youth and much of my life and for that I will always remember it fondly.
1 comment May 21st, 2008
It is official
I’ve registered to vote in Oregon and for the first time in 20 years, I’ve registered as a Democrat.
4 comments April 26th, 2008
Tastes like home brew…
Buzzsaw! I love you!
This seasonal brown from Deschutes Brewery here in Oregon reminds me so much of the first brown ale batch that we brewed that I fully plan on going out tomorrow and buying every bottle I can find.
It’s a very simple brown with a touch of malty sweetness, a sub 5% alc by volume and very mild hoppiness. It’s not complex but it tastes like “home”…which, of course, is now in Oregon!!!
Add comment April 4th, 2008
I love Brother David
I think I’ve written about this before but I’d rather say something more than to check. Picked up a bottle of this Double Belgian style ale yesterday to go with my salad and pizza (it’s not delivery). DAMN!!! I love this ale. Very flavorful. Delicious when cold with flavors that build as it warms. Does a really good job of delivering its 9% ABV without giving in to the flavor of alcohol.
One of my favorites.
Add comment March 9th, 2008
Wow…
Given my current living arrangement, this is absolutely hysterical if not a little sad.
2 comments March 8th, 2008
10 more months and the healing can begin
The statement by the Chairman of the Intelligence Committee is most telling.
Torture is wrong. And in case you were wondering…the terrorist threat level is currently Orange.
Add comment March 8th, 2008
Nice haircut and why do you keep honking at me?
So you can pretty much assume that I will be posting more frequently during the next few months…or at least until my Xbox 360 and Rock Band gear get to Oregon.
I’m in a Starbucks in Bend today. Did I mention how cool this town is? Anyway, this older guy walks up to me and taps my arm. When I turn, he says, “Nice haircut.”
We proceeded to have a nice five minute conversation about the benefits of acceptance of going bald, embracing it and using a Bic.
Anyway…I’ve lived in Phoenix for 25 years and can’t recall 15 random pleasant conversations. I’ve been in Oregon for a total of 10 days and I’ve had at least that many. People here are really nice. I mean “go out of your way” nice. A high school kid working in a Target probably spent 15 minutes with Gil and I talking about the best ways to get around our new home town, took one of our carts to the front of the store to start ringing things up while we finished loading two more, and then loaded up the car for us. Target! I love Target (shit, who do I give this man card to?) but most of the time the employees barely look up from what they are doing to assist you (and they are 100x better than the employees at other stores) but here in Oregon…wow! If it didn’t keep happening, I’d assume it was just that we are new and have bumped into a few nice people but time and again…really nice people.
It’s kind of weird, really.
On the other hand, it seems that I have been constantly and unexplainably doing something wrong while driving in Oregon because not a day has gone by without several people honking their car horn, politely, at what I can only assume to be directed at me. Except for the first day when a guy honked at me while I was driving along I-5 toward the Willamette River and snapping pictures like only an idiot should, I can not explain why I am the target of the frequent “Beep”. Any ideas?
2 comments March 7th, 2008
Long day
I woke up in a Hampton Inn in Eugene, Oregon. It’s a nice place. College town. Reminds me of Tucson…with trees and mountains.
Set out a little after 7 am following a free hotel breakfast. Nothing like undrinkable coffee and processed OJ. At least the yogurt tasted normal. Hopped into the rental Sonata and headed toward Bend. Beautiful drive on the ORE126 to US 20 over the Santiam Pass. Much of the drive is along the McKenzie River and is an absolutely amazing drive. I wish I could have taken my time and had more than the point/shoot camera with me.
Anyway, meeting in Bend and then back on the road through Sisters and then along the 22 to Salem and I-5. I spent about 5 hours driving through some of the most beautiful country…and got to see Mount Jefferson and the Three Sisters up close. Some pics are in my gallery.
Anyway…made it back to base camp by 3:30pm and after some light unpacking proceeded to pass out for an hour. Woke up and went to Best Buy for a microwave and TV. Have to love NO SALES TAX!!!
Now, I’m back finishing a bowl of soup on a slightly rainy evening and drinking a local IPA…India Pelican Ale. Nice hoppiness with a surprising malt for an IPA. Very enjoyable on a cold tired evening. Wish I had two.
1 comment March 7th, 2008