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2003-12-29 - Gloom
I've not been much for writing or taking pictures lately. I've been doin' plenty, and have had plenty of time to write. Just no urge to do so.

I've had a couple big issues that have been using the lion's share of my brain shares, neither that I care to write about. One because it is not fair to all involved. The other `cause I'm horribly ashamed of. The two issues have become interesting headfellows.

Between the constant cold of our non-heated flat and the lack of decent electricity, I've given a little thought lately to finding new digs. Maybe once spring comes, I'll change my mind. Right now I'm thinkin' I want to be living someplace warm and well powered before our next winter rolls around. The location is great. The roommates are great. I'm just getting weary of not having a safe space to warm up and recharge. Strangely enough, I think I've been staying at home more trying to keep warm `cause I don't have a good way to warm up if I do go out and get really cold or wet.

2003-12-23 - Inside Orange
Most folks, besides knowing that an inordinate amount of taxdollars are being spent, don't need to think much about what the seemingly ineffective
Office of Homeland Security is up to. Unlike most folks, for me the change from threat level "Bert" to threat level "Ernie" means having to clear a metal detector and have all my stuff x-rayed every time I arrive at work. It also means that all my incoming packages are also x-rayed. There has probably never been a team of US Marshals that can identify LEGO sets from x-ray images more efficiently than ours. I wonder what the hyper-reflective tape on the Aerostich Roadmaster suit arriving tomorrow will look like.

2003-12-22 - Gingerfolk
Julia and I set aside today to make gingerbread people.

We started the day with a trip to Orphan Andy's where
Woody gave us some delightful suggestions about how to make proud, shameless gingerfolk.

I am very happy with the way they turned out.

:)

2003-12-19 - Eurecold
Wednesday, I made a work trip up to Eureka. `bout 550 miles round trip. It would have been a great ride if I hadn't been so cold. Mistake number one was not getting up extra early. Mistake number two was skipping breakfast. Mistake number three was forgetting my sweatshirt layer. That left only thermals, long sleeve shirt, and insulated jacket. I was miserable. A real shame considering the great eye candy all the way up. When I got there my hands were bright red. When I touched things they felt like burning. My hands were very sad. I stopped by the Harley shop on my way out of town and paid a rather hefty price for some nice gloves for the way back.

The sun set less than an hour into my trek home, and repeated attempts to contact the Boonville Boys via Tanks mobile phone were unfruitful. I was hopin' to beg for hot tub time. I made it home around 9:30, took a hot bath and went right to bed.

It is good to know that 500 miles in a day is not a big deal for me to ride, though I wondered several occasions on the way home how those
Iron Butt folks manage to ride 1000 miles a day for several days. That is more than 16 hours a day of ridin' not including fuel, food and sleep stops. Wow. I've got alot of training to do.

If anyone would like to make the trip sometime when it warms up, I'd love to. Then I can stop and see the touristy things like the drive through redwood and The Woodsman's Supply Shop in Laytonville.

2003-12-16 - Densibilities
I went to get my teeth cleaned yesterday for the first time in more than a year. Thanks to
Richard for doin' the deed. There were none of the special perks like being told to "spit" or "swallow," let alone "turn your head and cough." Not even a well placed groin on the elbow. [sigh] I must admit that the (one way) conversation was quite good. Richard's rates are great, and his sensibilities much more in line with common sense than my last dentist.

The dentist who wanted to drill out all four back molars because of hairline discoloration in the crevices. The dentist who popped in and interrupted the hygienist during my last $75USD cleaning there, asked if he could take a look, poked around my mouth for no more than a minute and then charged an additional $80USD for a "checkup." Fucker. If anyone else is still going to Chip Hill on Union Street, I suggest you shop around a bit.

2003-12-16 - Logged
I passed 10,000 miles of riding yesterday. I wonder how many I have to ride before I feel like a biker.

2003-12-15 - Beem Counters
Saturday morning I rolled out of bed early to take
Tainn down to the shop to get some warranty work they've been dragging their feet on since September. On my way to the highway, I came in convergence with a tall salt and pepper guy on a K100 and rode in tandem with him `til we got onto the interstate. He then quickly buzzed off and ahead. When I got the the dealership, I pulled my phone out of my saddlebags, and was upset to find that I was disgustingly early. 45 minutes early, and the shop wouldn't open `til 9am. Just as I was tucking my phone away, the tall S&P guy pulled up on his K100. We laughed at the big coincidence and wandered across the street to share breakfast. It was very plesant.

Yesterday morning, I went on a shop ride with the Marin shop. Other than the groups driving like bats out of hell, it was good fun. It was a toy drive for California Highway Patrol's holiday charity. We met up at the Toys R Us in San Rafel, rode up 101 to Lucas Valley Road to the coast, and down 1 to the San Rafel CHP Station.

Before the ride I had adjusted my rear shock `cause I've scraped kick stand/pegs a few times and didn't want to have to worry about it. I adjusted it from "Stage 3: Solo (heavier rider)" to "Stage 4: Solo with luggage" thinking that would firm the suspension up and I would scrape less. I easily scraped a half dozen times. I'm still not sure if it's because I'm misunderstanding how the shock works, or I was just riding that hard with the "bat out of hell" group.

It was downright scary. Riding at high speeds on wet, leaf covered twisties. I was managing to keep up, and had noticed that the folks behind me were so far behind that we could no longer see them on the straight a ways. I felt a little more comfortable about not having to keep up, backed off a bit and fell out of formation. Not two miles later the bike in front of me hit a bump on a hard left turn and lost his saddlebag. The hardcase spun across the road in front on me and off into the ditch. The guy didn't even realize he'd lost it. I had pulled over and retrieved the bag before the rest of the group caught up. Too fast. I strapped the extra case on Tainn, and took it slow and easy for the rest of the day. I'm going to think twice before riding with those folks again.

The pic is a decal on the windshield of a woofy Daddy Bear that was on the ride. He says it is the logo of a Sir or Lord something or other who races the �F1? circuit. He also mentioned his wife alot. [sigh]

2003-12-15 - Bullets
I've had a busy time of it lately. Plenty of things to write about, just not much desire to write. Recent data points:

* I was Santa Claus at the last Ba-Da-Bingo. You can get away with SO much when you are Santa.

* I also spent time backstage with the porn stars at bingo. They are just as vain and vacuous as they are made out to be.

* I made mashed potatoes for the first time. I boiled horseradish in the cream. They were yummy.

* Last week I had two of three weeknight dinner dates cancel.

* I had to cancel one date last week because I accidentally double booked for Thursday.

* I also had to cancel a trip to Kabuki baths Saturday afternoon with John & Joe, Jeff and Brian as I realized I am still in the two week hot tub/sauna/steam room probation from Lasik.

* No matter how many times I visit the Arlen Ness shop, there is always plenty to see.

* After not being on Tainn for awhile, I got to ride her quite a bit in the last week. I didn't realize how much I'd missed that, or how quickly I can get rusty.

* I need a rain suit and taller boots.

* I'm planning on riding up to Eureka for work on Wednesday. Any travel advisories would be appreciated.

* The breaker for our flat has been tripping frequently during the last few weeks. We've been wondering if our devious divine fruit neighbor is running her Christmas lights on our circuit.

2003-12-13 - Quizzed
The quiz is closed now, then answers are
here.

(Ewwww...Curry)

2003-12-10 - DrewQuiz
If you ever wondered if there would be a test on the material you'd be reading here, there is. The
DrewBear Quiz is now availible.

Many of the folks over at LiveJournal are doin' `em. It's great fun to see the results from the quizzer's end. I highly recommend you make one for yourself.

2003-12-08 - Eyes Redux
Folks have been asking about my Lasik procedure. So far so good. So far as I can tell, I can see a good deal better now with no correction than I could before with glasses or contacts. I've got another follow-up appointment in January when I'm sure I'll find out exactly how much better.

Dr. Craig Bindi did the procedure for me. He's well spoken, intelligent, laid back and seems like a great guy. I got the procedure done at
The Laser Eye Center of Silicon Valley. I also met a Dr. Kawesch that also does surgery there, but he seems pissy, hurried and like he rather be golfing than seeing patients.

The process started with a free consultation where they did about a dozen tests. The fanciest one was bouncing light off the back of my eye, and measuring it as it came out to make a corneal map. After the testing they tell you what they can do for you, how the process works and how much it will cost.

Assuming you want the procedure, you come back another day. They take a quick look at your eyes to make sure all is well and put you in que in a back waiting room. in the back room they offer you sublingual Valium, put a hair net on you and put some antiseptic eyedrops in. Shortly afterwards, they call you in and do the procedure. Dr Bindi talked me though every step. It was completely painless. One of the things that impressed me was that he spent more time double checking his work and making sure everything was smoothed out and back in place than he did on the actual laser part procedure. I was out the door within an hour and fifteen minutes of arriving, and Sloppy Joe drove me home. I slept for a few hours and work up fine.

For the first two days my vision was a little swimmy as my bring got used to the new cornea shape. When I focused on one thing it was fine. When I would switch rapidly to looking at something a sizeable distance away from what I was just looking at, my eyes would take a noticeable moment to refocus. Playing with Lego bricks the first evening calibrated my close up vision right away. Distance vision just took some time. I am still seeing halos around bright light sources at night, but that is to be expected for the first ten days or so after surgery. It seems to be getting better every night.

2003-12-04 - Eyes Done
The eyes are done and all went well. My optical software is still adjusting to the change. It takes a noticeable moment to focus on new objects when I first look at them. While I have no pain or headaches, I do feel a little swimmy/sea sick from the noninstant focusing. A special thanks to Sloppy Joe for driving me down, and John for stopping by last night with cuddles and chocolates.

I plan on taking the afternoon off first to nap, and then to calibrate my vision with hours of hands-on Lego play before running off to be jolly at
Ba-Da-Bingo tonight.

2003-12-02 - Light
Creeping up on the darkest of days. I'm feeling the loss of light deeply. My head knows everything will turn again, but my heart still grieves the loss of the sun. My heart will know great joy when I finally notice the light returning, but my head already knew that.

Lasik tomorrow. Stare at the blinky red light they tell me.

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