Graduation Day

This past weekend, Claire graduated from the George Washington University. She's leaving the school with a Master's in museum studies, and lots of experience working at the Smithsonian. She'll be spending some time back in Illinois before she sets out again for the University of Arizona, where she'll work on a Ph.D.

Things have been a little off around here for a while, as you can imagine. Nothing has really gone as planned. And though I've got good friends here, it's very hard for me not to be sad nor feel lonely right now.

Claire Makes A Prehistoric Tool

When I picked up Claire from the train station on Tuesday (in a red Pontiac Grand Prix, while my vibe is being repaired) Claire set a large rock down in the back seat.
"Drive carefully," she said. "I just flaked that thing, and it could decapitate us if we were in a crash."

Thus, I entered the crazy world of stone tool making. As part of her classes at GW, she's engaging in a little experimental archaeology and is learning more about how early human ancestors made tools.

Some fun facts: a freshly flaked stone -- that is, a stone hit with a harder stone that removes a "flake" of material -- is sharper than a scalpel edge. In fact, obsidian tools are the sharpest tools available.

When I came home today, Claire was out on the shared balcony with the dog. After setting down some groceries and getting out of my work clothes I walked out to meet her.
"Are you barefoot? Go put on some shoes and bring the broom." The ground was covered with razor-sharp shards, the fruits of her labors.

What follows is a recording I made while she worked. Unfortunately, the iPhone didn't capture the bright, ringing sound the rocks made when struck. Having worked on this achulean handaxe for several hours, Claire tells me that the sound is key to knowing were to strike the stone.

From Alive and Kicking

The Big Recap

A solid month with no posts. This is simply unacceptable.

I have no other excuse for my recent internet laziness other than The Wire, a fantastic cop drama that ran 5 seasons on HBO some time ago. I had heard about the show back in 2007/08, but decided to ignore it since the entire staff of the Michigan Daily was in love with it. It's not a judgement against any one particular person on the staff, it's just that I've read their Arts column and sincerely doubt their taste.

The point is that the show is great, and I've been consuming the DVDs for the past few weeks. The show is as addictive as the illegal substances it portrays.
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There are three items of particular importance that I will now address.

1. Claire Has Been Gone For Some Time -- Claire is still in Chicago, working diligently for the Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago. As part of her Masters program with George Washington University, she has to do so many hours of interning. Being a native of the North Shore, she chose to spend this summer working on restoring an Assyrian Frieze.

Her job involves a lot of washing, a lot of digital paper-pushing, and arranging photos of the puzzle piece fragments of the frieze over a 19th century French line drawing of the original. It's painstaking, but she really enjoys working in a museum.

Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be able to get any behind the scenes pictures from her, but I did visit the main exhibit a few weeks ago. However, I did snap a few quick shots of the pieces already on display. This one is my favorite:

From Chicago Oriental Institute

Follow the link for a few more.

More info on the institute and it's collections can be found here, and Claire's project is here.

In other news, she just submitted her first academic article for publication. Here's hoping it gets accepted!
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This is starting to sound like a Christmas letter; I'm sorry for that.
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2. I Bought A New Car -- Times being what they are, I decided to single handily save not only the domestic automotive industry but my father's job and the global economy to boot. I am your hero. To quote the great Strongbad, "dudes, form a line to my left for high-fives; ladies, form a line to my right for makeouts."

The car in question is a candy-apple red 2009 Pontiac Vibe. I've been attracted to the Vibe since my father purchased one back in 2004. It's small, but eminently comfortable, and with enough interior space to haul stuff around. It's also a joint venture with Toyota, so it's famous for good build quality and fuel economy.

The purchase went down two weeks ago while I was in Chicago. I traveled down to the city's notorious South Side, where after months of trawling the internet I determined the best model available would be. We nearly drove right past the dealership, since they only had a store front on a mostly vacant and depressed street.


Roseland Pontiac was the name of the place. According to them, it's the oldest GM dealership in the world, with a near century-long history. It's certainly unlike any dealership I've ever seen. It's like walking into a small store in a historic neighborhood, except someone went and parked three brand new cars in the middle of the building.

Unfortunately, I haven't had the chance to take any pictures of the new ride. Plus, it's pretty dirty at the moment. Another crappy iPhone photo will have to do for now.


There's been extensive discussion on naming the vehicle. Bucephalus, my truck, got his name after at least a year so I am in no hurry. Claire is particularly fond of Nessie, but I think Ogopogo would be a better cryptid name. I'm also partial to Elwood, since like that particular Blues Brother, my car hails from the South Side. What do you think?


3. My Family Visited -- and it was awesome! After spending some time in Philly and in New York, everyone rolled in to town for a lovely long 4th of July weekend. We played music, ate great food, saw some awesome fireworks, and enjoyed each other's company.

From Patriotic Familial Visit

(As always, hit the link for more photos)

It's so phenomenal to see everyone; especially my siblings.

From Patriotic Familial Visit

Of particular interest was the DC fireworks display. After a solid day of hemming and hawing about whether to sit out on the mall with half a million (actual count) people or try to catch a glimpse from elsewhere, we bit the bullet and hit the mall. Despite the crowds, belligerent club girls, poor bathroom facilities, and the knowledge that we would have to run to a Metro stop to beat the crowds, I have to say it was an amazing sight.

Unlike most firework shows I've seen, where one or two explosions go off at a time until the grand finale, the DC fireworks is all finale all the time. Also, we saw the whole thing with the beautifully illuminated Capitol at our backs and the Washington Monument standing resolutely between us and the fireworks. It was, no pun intended, a blast.

From Patriotic Familial Visit

I was so sorry to see my family drive off into the distance, particularly because they took Bucephalus with them. But I know this isn't the last time I'll see them, or him, and should probably just swallow my drama and buck up.
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There, I think that just about covers it. Now, on to new business...

Pony Party: Our Trip to Chincoteague

This is the post where I tell you about the trip Claire and I took out to Chincoteague island, home of the famous wild assateague ponies. It's pretty darn long, so I'll link you to the pictures up here, and anyone who isn't really interested in the details of our jaunt can just cut to the pretty pictures. No harm, no foul.

Chincoteague: A Pony Adventure

Onward!
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We chose Chincoteague as a destination since it was close to us, sea-side, and away from DC. As most of our trips do, this one began with depositing the dog at the Dog Boarding Place where he spent the long weekend chasing other dogs and doing the things that we don't let him do.

Once divested of canine, we set out. It was a relatively short drive, crossing many bridges and taking us out over the Chesapeake Bay and on to the Delaware Peninsula. Along the way, we zipped past several remarkable sights: the beautiful and disconcertingly long Bay Bridge; a Tattoo parlor called "Gypsy Vintage," which was housed in what used to be a bank and clearly had people living in it; and NASA's Wallops Flight Center.

We stayed at the surprisingly spacious Channel Bass Inn, of which we can say nothing but good things. The breakfast was delicious, the owners were helpful (if a bit talkative), the room was far more plush than I am used to, and we were stuffed silly on Sunday tea. If any of you happen to find yourself in need of lodging on a far-flung Virginia island, I have the place for you.

From Chincoteague: A Pony Adventure

Our days were spent meandering around the little down town, exploring the local eateries (of which there are many), but mostly we tooled around the neighboring assateague Island nature reserve, home of the famous ponies.

While packed with nature trails, the area is also packed with mosquitos. After a short visit to the top of the picturesque but also small, cramped, and hot assateague light house, we opted to stick to driving tours and visiting the beach.

From Chincoteague: A Pony Adventure

While not my first time at the Atlantic, it was my first time on an Atlantic beach. When I stood at the shore, it seemed to me like there was little difference between this big hole full of water, and the big holes full of water where I grew up. Lake Michigan and Superior both boast empty horizons and seemingly endless tracts of water. But when I stood in the surf, looking out at nothing but rolling waves, I could see the difference. I could feel the difference when the cold, roiling waves sloshed up around my feet; that water was powerful, and violent, though it seemed tame by the shore. Even standing in the surf, still on land, the ocean feels deeper and far more vast.

From Chincoteague: A Pony Adventure

That being said, we had a triumphantly lovely stroll on the beach, followed by a snooze in the sun in the back of Bucephalus.

From Chincoteague: A Pony Adventure

assateague has many trails, none of which we pursued. We decided that we were here to relax, and that even the stress of getting buggy and sweaty was more than we were willing to take. However, the largest nature trail circles assateague's interior lake and is accessible by car in the evening. On our last day, we decided to take Bucephalus out along the trail, and commune with nature from the comfort of a pick up truck.

From Chincoteague: A Pony Adventure

Though the ponies are the main attraction of the island, I had tempered my expectations. We'd already missed the annual drive, were most of the ponies are driven across the salt marshes and herded up on Chincoteague. We reserved our excitement for the numerous fishing birds and endless picturesque views that the island had to offer.

From Chincoteague: A Pony Adventure

After spending a full fifteen minutes trying to capture the beauty of a heron of some sort, I turned back toward the road and noticed that three ponies had been in front of us for some time.

From Chincoteague: A Pony Adventure

We were ecstatic. This was more than we could have asked for. The ponies paid very little attention to our squeals of delight (mostly Claire, I grumbled with joyous masculinity), and passed by the truck intent on whatever it is that wild ponies concern themselves with. After a flurry of photo taking and our vocal approval, we drove off for a final look at the beach before calling it a night.

From Chincoteague: A Pony Adventure

Despite all the natural beauty, aloof ponies, quaint towni-ness that our trip had to offer, I think my favorite memories of the whole excursion were the time we spent sitting in our room, munching on sandwiches and sipping the chincy miniature wine bottles we smuggled in. I don't know if it was against the rules or not, but it was a fun and relaxing little side-note to our trip.

From Chincoteague: A Pony Adventure

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That was all so terribly long. For all of you that made it to the bottom: congratulations. While I hit all the points that stuck out in my mind, I am sure that I missed something important. In which case, Claire will remind me and I will tell you all about it in future updates.

Mini Roadtrip!

Hot on the heels of our minivacation to Chincoteague island is our miniature roadtrip!

The journey begins in Virginia on Saturday morning, from which we will travel (with dog, via rental car) to Chicago. From there, we go around noble Lake Michigan to Frankenmuth where a wedding will be attended (by us, not the dog) on Sunday.
Then we turn south, and spend the evening in the bosom of my family (Troy, MI). Early monday afternoon, we return to Chicago where I will take a flight directly back to Washington.

A circuitous route, to be sure, but one that accomplishes many goals:

1. A WEDDING will be attended
2. CLAIRE will be returned to CHICAGO, where she will spend two months (with DOG) conserving an ASSYRIAN FRIEZE for the University of Chicago Oriental Institute (awesome)
3. My family will be VISITED

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Pictures and reflections on Chincoteague and this road trip to be posted after my return!
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I am going to miss her; and the dog.
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Fabled Aunt and beloved blog-reader Barbara commented on the previous pony-related post:

I too wanted to go to Chincoteague to commune with the ponies. Settled for (long story) sister island, Assateague, home of massive herds of mosquitos, which are driven up and down the beach each night by Park Service sprayers.

A clarification: the Chincoteague ponies actually live on Assateague island, and are herded across to Chincoteague only once a year. Perhaps Barb was closer to her goal than she realized?

A spoiler for the upcoming post: WE SAW PONIES (3)!

Miniature Vacation

Claire and I are hitting the road for a long weekend at Chincoteague; a small island off the coast of Virginia. Famed for it's wild ponies and general awesomeness, Chincoteague will provide us with several days worth of diversion and enjoyment.

More upon our return!

(Map)

I Did Something Good Today

The rain has finally come back to Virginia. April had been a month of near constant dryness, of pollen so thick that it left a disgusting yellow patina on all the cars, and of nearly 100º F temperatures.

But this weekend, the skies opened and washed the dust and dry away.

Along with some baby birds from their nests.
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Claire and I were walking to Mancini's, our Misplaced Breakfast location of choice, when I noticed two baby birds on the street. They were new borns, about the size of a chicken's egg. They had no feathers, and their eyes were closed. We were having a collective moment of, 'awww, how tragic' when one of them gasped.

We couldn't just leave it there. Not with it wiggling around like that.
"This is stupid," I said. "I know we can't take care of this thing."
"We're human," Claire said.
"Do you know what it says in the dictionary under 'Human?'"
"Stupid?"
"Exactly."

We quickly spirited the little creature out of the cold rain and into a warm towel. Claire started to feed it some warm milk and honey from a straw, but quickly stopped after I read online that milk isn't good for birdies. The warm fluid seemed to revive him a bit, though. We wrapped him up in towels, and put him in a drawer with a warm water bottle.

Following the advice of the Internet I sought out the bird's nest, which I found 9 feet above where he had fallen in a small tree. Having no ladder of my own, I had the awkward task of wandering around and knocking on people's doors until I found someone willing to lend me one. I eventually found the right door, which I knew was the right door when I noticed that the gentleman owned a tree trimming business.

Within short order, we returned the bird -- whom Claire named Sydney as soon as she knew he could be safely returned to his nest -- and finally met some neighbors. All around, a winning day.
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Beyond all this avian excitement, Claire is working hard to finish her papers. This semester has been, as I've said, very tough on her. We're both looking forward to having it behind us.

I continue to just work; still at the Fort, still workin' for the Army. The big news for me is that I'll be doing one of the events that our team is famous for, showing off Army gear and delivering The Message.

Apparently it's an outdoor event, open to the public. My co-worker brought up the subject of my participation by asking, "have you ever been protested?" Without missing a beat I said, "Yes. Yes I have." GARGOYLE HUMOR MAGAZINE: the perfect preparation for a job in defense contracting!

10 Seemed Like A Good Place to Stop

I struggle with this blog sometimes, especially when I have fallen weeks behind in updating it. 'Oh, no,' I think to myself. 'Yet another recap post that will cover weeks. Is this all I ever put on here?'

Fortunately for me, Stephen Fry seems to have the same problems with his blog. However, his blog is infinitely better than mine and he has much more interesting things to say (although I do wish he'd say a little less about how great Oscar Wilde is).
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So, here's the inevitable wrap up:

1. On the 7th, Claire and I took advantage of the nice weather and checked out the National Arboretum. It's a beautiful, sprawling park that, unlike most gardens, is car accessible. In fact, driving is something of a necessity given it's size. I know several of you are planning on visiting the area soon, so be sure to set aside time to visit this place. Don't let the fact that it's surrounded by a terrible neighborhood stop you!

Here's some pictures; please enjoy them!

National Arboretum

2. New assignment at Ft. Belvoir continues to take me places I never imagined I'd be. On the 11th I was attending a hearing on Soldier weight where the Army's Vice Chief of Staff and the Assistant Commandant of the US Marine Corps testified before the sub committee on defense spending. My journalist friends can roll their eyes at me, but it was still fun.

3. I have spent more time with a General than you have.

4. On the 12th I was at the Pentagon, which is kind of a frightening experience. It has very tight security, is frantic on the inside, and is the kind of place where the security detail has assault rifles. In a word: stressful. Add to that being late for the first of two meetings, and it made for an interesting day.

5. In a lot of ways I am still finding my feet at the fort. My first two weeks were especially difficult since I had two deadlines on top of getting used to the place, and figuring out how everything worked. Thankfully, everyone is patient and supportive.

6. Did you notice that 2009 has had two Friday the 13ths? I did. I think it's unusual.

On the most recent Friday the 13th, Keith, Claire, and I went to see Watchmen. When Auntie Barb sent me the trade paperback of the series for Christmas some years ago, my mind was blown. I had no idea that something so sprawling and wildly creative could be done with comics. As Crime and Punishment and Catch-22 changed my conception of literature, Watchmen changed how I viewed comics. Obviously, the movie could never live up to that, and in the end it's not that great. It's pretty, and has some fun moments, but I think Snyder was trying way to hard to get Alan Moore to like him by making a 100% faithful reproduction of the book, and the movie suffered for it.

I did, however, get to hang out with a cardboard cutout of Nicholas Cage that I found in the garbage behind the theatre.

From MarsEdit Images

7. My brother recently had a birthday. He's 14 by my count. My sister has a birthday coming up in May -- she'll be 12. They continue to amaze me.

8. My NCAA picks for this year are at 70%, and given that I usually have the worst picks in my family, I am more than pleased. I would have done much better if Arizona hadn't decided to win and shove Utah off the map.

Despite screwing up the whole Utah thing, I am proud of calling the exact measure of UM's basketball prowess: one game. Hail to this victor.

9. I've been having some trouble sleeping lately, which is unlike me. I am usually asleep within five minutes of getting into bed, and I will stay completely asleep until morning. On the rare occasions I do wake up in the night, I am back to sleep within moments. Lately, I've been waking up at odd times, been unable to get back to sleep after waking, and had some trouble getting to sleep at all. This is a new development I do not approve of.

10. I want to try and post every day next week, starting Monday.

What I Want You To Take Away From This Is That I Have Not Been Fired

It's been a rough month, here on DeWitt, and I apologize for the lack of updating.
Claire's schooling has become increasingly time consuming. We both knew this would be a rough semester, but it only recently reached an apex of difficulty. To ease the situation, I've been picking up some of Claire's duties -- mainly, giving the dog a morning walk. The upside of all of this is that Claire will finish her MA in two years, as opposed to the two years +1 summer term recommended by the school.
The downside is that we've been extremely busy. The past few weeks have felt very "rat race:" I get up in the morning, I walk the dog, I go to work, I come home after dark, do dinner, and then have about an hour before I go to bed. I can't say I've been in the best of moods, so it's probably for the best that I was staying off the Blog Horse. That is, unless you want to read a bunch of "OH, WOE IS ME"-isms.
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As you may have gleaned from Twitter, I have moved out of the McLean offices of SAIC. From today until June, I'll be operating out of a cubicle at Ft. Belvoir. So:

I have not been sacked.
I have not been promoted.
I have not joined the Army.

Although that guy I met in the elevator while I was leaving McLean with my office in a box probably does think I got fired. Oh well!
Hopefully, Belvoir will be a shorter commute. But with all the security and driving through the base, I am not sure.
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This morning was meant to be Day 01 at Belvoir, but that's in question now. I scoffed at last night's Winter Storm warning -- they issue those things for a few flurries. However, the 4" of snow and more coming down gave me pause this morning. In Michigan this would be annoying, but mostly a non-issue; once I got the truck to the main roads, everything would be fine. But here in the good ol' NCR, the situation is more complicated.
There are no plows here, only salt trucks. So, main roads aren't so much "clear" as "incredibly slushy." There's a two-hour delay at the base, which I am utilizing to blog. I am going to take it nice and easy on the way in. I like my job, but I am not willing to die for it. Or crash my car for it.
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I took the dog down to check and see how bad Route 1 was, and also grabbed my camera. Please enjoy these pictures of a snowy Virginia, and a puppy.

From MarsEdit Images

From Tenzing

From Tenzing

From Tenzing

From Tenzing

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I met a man while walking the dog today. I mentioned that Tenzing was an Icelandic dog, and from Chicago, so he was used to snow. The man said, "that's why I figured the President didn't shut down the government today!"

Along with all the other activities, the Obama administration ushers in a new era of shutting up and dealing with the weather.

Bachelor Chow

The perfect meal for any occasion!*

"Delicious" Recipe

Pour Vegetable Chip Crumbs over lukewarm microwaved Tostito's Queso dip.
Eat with the slightly less destroyed chip remnants from another bag.
Remember that you have a beer left in the fridge.
Remember that beer has calories; and therefore qualifies as food.
Realize that the beer is, by comparison, the gourmet part of the meal

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My super power is, without a doubt, the ability to not feel hunger. For some, when their bellies begin to empty they feel an immediate drive to rectify the situation.

If it weren't for the regularity of meals, I would blast right through the day without even stopping for a scone. This was particularly true in college. I have memories of my Freshman year, spent under a loft bed in West Quad. During finals/midterm time, I would often go a whole day without eating, simply because I was distracted by a paper I was working on.

Sophomore year continued this habit. At one point, I recall eating nothing but bread, water, and Nutella for about a week. The problem was that although I could cook, and had the facilities to do so, I frequently found myself struck with an intense lethargia. More than once, Kris would drive herself across town and drag me downstairs to NYPD and force me to eat something.

"Oh no, I'm not hungry at all." I'd say. "But, my! Is that ziti pasta mixed with chicken and sauce, wrapped in an 8" long baked roll? My goodness! OM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM."

The regularity of work and living with Claire -- who does feel hunger -- has changed all that. But every now and again I fall into my old habits. I know this has happened when I look up at the clock and realize I've spent hours watching Sean Connery clips on YouTube, instead of making dinner.
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*Read: when Claire has driven back to Illinois for the Holidays with the dog, in a rental car, and this is all you can muster.

Awesome Autumn

APPLES
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Two weeks ago, Claire, her friend Kayla, and I, all went apple picking somewhere in Virginia. We had a blast, but we also had 28lbs of apples. One pie, several hours, and a bunch of jars later we know have oodles of Apple Butter and Apple Sauce. It's delicious.

From Awesome Autumn

It would be in your best interest to be nice to me. You might get some!

While picking apples, I tasted a sample of locally produced apple wine. Folks, let me tell you, this stuff is fantastic. It's from the Chateau O'Brien, and I highly recommend it.

PUMPKINS
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This year we had three pumpkins, but only two were carved. The third has been relegated to the role of General Halloween Decoration, since it decided to go rotten a day after purchase and not be a "team player."

Regardless, the other two turned out fantastic.

From Awesome Autumn

Auntie Ba has also been rather creative with the gords this year. Take a look. (1, 2)

APPLE
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When I was lookin' for a steady job, I promised myself that as soon as I got one -- regardless what kind of job -- I would do a few things. The first was to start playing the video game Okami. I haven't done this yet. The second is best said in pictures:

From Awesome Autumn

Folks, that's a brand new MacBook Pro you're lookin' at right thar. Atomsk has been a faithful retainer these past five years, but has started to fray around the edges. He'll be kept in reserve for the moment, supporting this beautiful unamed machine until it's time for him to be recycled.

ANN ARBOR
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Last week I traveled all the way back to Ann Arbor to attend the 99th Gargoyle Reunion. I had a great time. So great, in fact, that I managed to not take any pictures.

I spent most of my long weekend in the company of my best bud Kris, and the current GargStaff. They're a great bunch, and have already done great things -- as demonstrated in their website.

Dad and Julia also paid me a quick visit while I was in the area. It was so great to see them again.

I take it back, I do have one picture.

From MarsEdit Images

It's much more frightening in person.
Happy Halloween.

Claire is in Iceland

Having finished her stint in PEI, Claire has gone off to Iceland with her family.

She sent me this picture of the Law Rock at the Allthing. I am exceedingly jealous, and would love to go back.

Virginia

First things first, my current address is:

1801 DeWitt Ave, Unit E
Alexandria, VA
22301

Also, many thanks for the lovely cards, e-greetings (via facebook or otherwise), and packages that have accompanied my birthday. It's been great!

Traveling

Early on the morning of August 1, Dad and I set off on a great adventure. We began with Dad commenting on the fact that I hadn't showered that morning. My logic was, as always, impeccable: there's no point in me showering if I am going to be sweaty and nasty by the time I show up!

Our route was pretty straightforward, and was quite pretty. I-70 through Ohio was a beautiful prairie dawn. Further east, the seemingly unending hours on the Pennsylvania Turnpike offered some truly fantastic views -- immense gorges, infinite acres of green trees, hundreds of miles between rest stops, etc.

Unfortunately there are no pictures of any of this. However, this is probably a good thing since my truck was handling so poorly under the additional tonnage of all my worldly possessions that it would have been well-nigh impossible to use a camera and stay on the road. All loaded down, Bucephalus did look like the Beverly Hillbillymobile, which made me happy. It was a real trick to stay about 65mph when going up hills, though.

We relied partially on our wits and natural sense of direction to get us there. I stuck my nose out the window, using my superhuman senses to track my way towards Virginia. Dad, ever the woodsman, would stop occasionally and inspect the trees and undergrowth in order to find out exact location, and the direction we should go from there. The Garmin GPS unit was also very important.

We had no problems in our journey until we neared D.C. proper, where we were hindered by poor road design and bad traffic. Finally, we appeared in Alexandria, in our finery. The total trip time was about 11 hours.

Moving

The moving and unpacking process was relatively painless. By the time we had arrived, Claire's stuff had been unpacked and put away. In short order, my things were brought up and the apartment was filled with new boxes.

Over the next day-or-so, the boxes disappeared. Claire's family (and friend) were invaluable in helping us get things set up for habitation. Though Dad could not stay the whole weekend, he did me the huge favor of setting up my brand-spankin' new shelves. They look fantastic.

By Saturday evening, 95% of the boxes were gone and the apartment has reached what may be considered it's final form.

Virginia Apartment: Awesome

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By request, here are more pictures of Tenzing, the Puppy.

Tenzing

The Dog Stays In The Picture

Behold: Tenzing der Überhund!

Claire went out to meet this darling dog this past weekend, and little Tenzing is now spoken for by this particular Barker.

Tenzing, a five-week old male Icelandic Sheepdog is from a breeder in Royal Oak -- one of the few in the country. As soon as graduation unfolds, Claire will be picking up the little guy and whisking him off for puppy training in Galena before bringing him to D.C..

It's my turn to meet him this Saturday, at which time I will present him with one of ten (10) recently purchased dog toys.

I'm sure many of you are wondering about my job prospects and all that, but for now please enjoy more pictures of puppies.

Announcements and Happenings

Out and out with it: Claire is going to GWU. It's a little disconcerting since everyone calls it "Gee-Dubya," and I get scared that she is attending George W. Bush University. Thankfully, I have been informed that it stands for George Washington. An important distinction.
Since Claire is headed that way, it follows that I follow. I have ramped up my job/internship seeking. Thanks to Mos Daniel, I have a lot more leads now and I am hoping to find something in the coming weeks. At least I better find something.
In the meantime, Claire and I are searching for housing in the D.C. area. If anyone has any suggestions, please TELL ME NOW.

I get asked this a lot, so I will mention that Claire is getting a Masters in Museum Studies. Her goal is to achieve employment as a collections manager. A big part of her decision on GW was their excellent program, reputation, and the opportunity to intern at the Smithsonian. I sound like an advertisement.
Got a museum? HIRE HER.

Speaking of Mos Daniel, I have started to write for his blog Write No Evil. My modest contribution can be found here, but the whole thing is certainly recommended reading. It's been fun so far, just trying to keep new content on the page. For someone who wants to make his living doing the writing game (e.g. me) it's certainly good practice. Daniel comes to the Garg from the Daily, and we love him dearly. He also looks like Mos Def.

Today is the first deadline for my last issue with the Gargoyle. Strange times indeed. I am pretty pleased that there were so many on-time responses. The Garg has come so far that I hardly recognize it. I have no idea where it will go from here, but I'm glad to have been here.
My cohorts on the staff accuse me, rightly, of getting overly nostalgic about the Garg. Lucky for them, it will stop soon. (CRYING)

These are ridiculous. Seriously, people.

Lastly, I must confess that I am a copy-cat. Or in this case a "copy-cathy!" (Rimshot)
Recently, Cathy (Gargoyle art director, friend) announced that she was purchasing a banjo. She'd talked about it for sometime around the office, and yesterday she went and did it.
So, today I went and did the same.
Now, I will admit to be being partly motivated by jealousy. But the fact of the matter is that I have had a long-abiding want to play the banjo. I have been talking myself out of it for years (I don't have the time, I don't have the money, I don't have the skills, I don't have the commitment), but seeing Cathy fulfill her dreams with nary a backwards glance inspired me to do the same.
It's a Washburn, coming to me cheap from the internet. In fulfillment of ancient prophecy, it is the same kind of banjo won by my father in ages past. The circle is now complete.

The Photos From Iceland

Many have asked, "Sir, hasn't our breath been baited enough? Are we not worthy of your many, many pictures of Iceland?"

Children, you have waited long enough.
Behold, I give unto yee (the little people) these pictures.

Trip To Iceland (And Beyond)

I chose only the best, least rock-related photos of the 541 primarily rock and landscape based photos to be posted. Each has what I hope to be some kind of explanatory caption, but do ask questions using the comment feature on each picture and I will use my encyclopedic knowledge to answer it.

I'd like to take a moment to explain just what happened to yours truly upon his glorious return from the Land of Ice (and Vikings). Claire and I came into New York, where we were met by Ba and Mare - my wondrous aunts of legend. After a night in the Casa De Everett (home of Rick Everett, man about town), we sojourned on to New York. Our two-day mission was to aide in moving Claire's sister Hannah into her new home at Columbia University.

After a few minor, less viking-related adventures in NY (sadly, not involving Justin Kavoussi) Claire and I headed back to Ann Arbor - the Big Sleazy. She left later the next day, and then I was on my own. Homeless and alone, but at least gainfully employed, I staggered through the next ten days. On the 31st of August, I moved into my new domicile and then immediately left for Indiana.

Since then, I have started classes (more on that later) and the Gargoyle has kicked into gear for the year (more on that later, also rhyming). The only real obstacle between me and getting back into semi-regular contact is the sheer lack of internet in my house. Despite my best efforts to steal it from neighbors, I have been without internet in my life since the 21st of August. I miss it, but according to the voice on the other end of the line a modem should materialize on or around the 11th of September.

Now take some time to enjoy the pictures. Its very late, and this Max is off to bed.

Iceland, Ho!

Hello, everyone.

Im in the JFK airport right now. Soon, Claire and I will be leaving for Iceland!
I'll try to get some posts in, but I can't say for sure whether or not I'll have internet access.

We'll be back on the 21st, with pictures and stories to follow.

Iceland!

A Confession, And A Bit More

Dear Lord,

Please forgive me for lying to the Mormons who accosted me on the street so as to avoid what I anticipated as being a frustrating and one-sided conversation on the nature of existence.

Amen.

I thought I would just drop a little something here since my computer is not co-operating. Atomsk is alive, I guess, but cannot seem to make it through booting without freezing and needing to be re-started.

Claire has requested that I clarify that she is NOT ON A HOPI EXCAVATION. She writes, "Not a Hopi excavation! Ancestral puebloan!"

Also, I am going to be working 4 ten hour shifts in two weeks, to cover the art-fair happenings in Ann Arbor. If anyone was going to pop by that week, I'm going to need some seriously advanced notice.

The weekend after that (July 27-29) cousin Phil will be dropping in for a little R&R in this scenic northern paradise.

Not too interesting, I know. Ah well, it is summer after all.

The Fact of the Matter

Been a long time since my last post. Didn't mean for it to be that long, but I did mean for it to stew for a while.

I have another, nearly completed and much longer post which answers many of the questions that I have been asked over the past few weeks. It'll still go up, but I woke up this morning with a lot of idealism so Im sidetracked on a few other things for a while.

Quick Update:

KRIS has moved into her new apartment and is getting wired for the internet today! She's started working for a real company, making real money and is eligible for real health benefits! Huzzah! She's even bought a cat, which terrifies her rats but is otherwise adorable.

CLAIRE left for Arizona last week. She'll be working at a Hopi excavation until mid-July. Contrary to popular belief, not all of archaeology is done with a pin and toothbrush. These guys have been known to use shovels, and even back-hoes! Though their primary tools are trowels and petiches...uh, sorta lost the point of this midway.
Ah, right. CLAIRE, however, is not digging. Instead she is in charge of the LAB, where recovered samples are washed and then subjected to weird tests that resemble the Salem Witch trials. 'Floatation' for instance separates two kinds of matter...some of which is usable...and...um...really you should just ask her.
This paragraph isn't going so well.
THE POINT IS THAT CLAIRE IS DOING THE PART OF ARCHAEOLOGY THAT SHE LIKES. The part with all the analysis. She's also working with pottery, which she really enjoys.
Today, the dig-crew is going on a field trip to see a Hopi dance, the Petrified Forest (I've been there!), and then to a Hopi home for dinner.

NATE, whom I retrieved from the Great White North, is now in Ann Arbor for the season! He's working for NOAA as some kind of computer slave/data analyst. He's got some really nifty graphs that too me look like something produced by a Jefferson Airplace/Jackson Polluck joint art initiative. Did I mention that said graphs are covered in arrows? They have arrows too. Nate is doing some kind of crazy physics with those underwater currents that you hear about. I've learned my lesson from Claire's paragraph, so I am just going to skip trying to explain it (since I don't understand it) and go right to telling you all to just ask him yourselves.
Me and him have been hangin' around a bit. I've been showin' him the town and teaching him the fine art of buying all your food from the corner liquor store.
The other day we played the demo for an upcoming game called "OVERLORD," which casts you as a Sauron-type entity bent on conquering and destroying. Basically, the game gives you minions. Its simple, its stupid, and its dang fun.
Soon, Nate will be out in a boat on Lake Erie servicing and placing temperature sensors. It'll be a lot like Deadliest Catch, but without the startling human drama, or the Disocvery Channel.

PHIL is moving into a very nice house with his lady friend SUSAN way down in Indiana. You can read more about it, and Mank Rage here. You really should, too.
Good luck, you two.

MAX has been working for over a month now! Actually, at the moment, he's not working. Instead, he's eating a pecan log. Which, however delicious, is not 'work' nor is it 'healthy.' Anyway, he's on the Diag crew working for the University's Grounds and Waste management. This is, quite literally, his work-place. Last week he trimmed a hedge down a foot! He also planted an oak! Yesterday, he and the other temps got to drive the ToolCat around! Its a piece of equipment that costs 7 times what he will make from the University this year - and its the most fun ever!
Max is also planning for his imminent birthday - which should arrive any day now. He'd really like this, but understands that its expensive. He hopes that two or more people won't get that for him, because then he'll have to sell one for-profit on eBay. He also need to go to another Wilco concert so he can get this, which combines two things he love. Try to guess which two!
While things are good for Max, he often finds himself feeling restless and very uneasy. This is not unusual, and seems to be just part of spending a summer in Ann Arbor. Its also probably related to his sleep schedule. Things seem to be improving, however.
He also recently attended a wedding, and looked fabulous. On the way back to Michigan, Claire snapped this photo out the window:


Back soon, kiddies.

Double Battered and Deep Deep Fried

Bonus points if you can identify the origin of this post's title!

So, I was going to update you with lots of super fun happy information that I have been saving for the past two weeks. I was going to tell you all about my new grounds job, about Claire staying with me, about my best friend Kris moving out west, about Spiderman 3, Shrek 3 and Inland Empire.

Instead Im going to tell you that I am an idiot. I am an idiot because I spilled black current and apple juice on the keyboard of my laptop. I lept into action trying to save him, but Im pretty sure it blew before I could get it turned off.

Right now, sweet sweet Atomsk is drying out in my room. I'll try to turn him on tomorrow, but Im pretty certain theres no hope. At least he went out in fiery battle - like a true viking.

More on the computer situation, as it develops.

Back to you, Phrank.