two thousand ate me alive

it's pretty much a universally accepted fact that 2008 was a terrible year. politically and financially everything pretty much went to pot. pretty much the same on a personal level. while it is ending on an uptick, there is quite a bit to be said for rolling that clock past midnight this year.

it was a year of severe challenges, upheaval, dry heaving, self-loathing and self-destruction. 2008 was the year of 'do whatever the fuck you want and tell the consequences to bite me' which as it turns out wasn't necessarily the best strategy as the consequences did exactly that. it was a year of taking a sledgehammer to everything in the hopes of building something better but not really getting around to the construction phase.

'08 started out with me standing in the baxter cafeteria watching a ball drop while preparing for a 14 hour session of viable air sample collection, standing more or less alone in a near sterile room watching the time tick away on a counter. that should have been an omen, or at least should have been a clue to the tone for the year. for indeed this year felt like it took a lot of work to survive.

i don't know where i'll be when the ball drops but i know i'll be laughing with people who love me. and in the morning alicia and i are going to run 3 miles, jump in an ice cold lake and run the remaining .2 miles. it's called the resolution run and it seems like a good way to get ohhhhh nine going. from there my only resolutions for the year are don't eat meat, don't drink hard alcohol and don't forget to live.

chronic indigestion (aka life)

• i used to have chronic stomach issues. not so much anymore. however while in cali i had a relapse. i don't know if its my family, the way they eat or so cal in general that brings it on but yeah...
• every year EVERY DAMN YEAR my mother insists on buying me and my brother in law matching all cotton boxers, typically containing some kind of cartoon character or other pop culture icon. more than once it has been scooby doo the most egregious of which had scooby's face jumping out of my package with his ass end appearing to be rammed up mine. this year it was the grinch on the front with large yellow eyes on the ass. the implication being i have eyes on my butt??? wtf?
• every year EVERY DAMN YEAR i tell my mother "do not buy me clothes, you haven't bought me anything i actually wanted to wear since the early 90's! i love you mom, but please don't do this!" she never listens.
• when i left town the city was blanketed in snow and ice. it's hard to look at it the same way now that it's gone.
• although this is the best forum for spreading lies and innuendo, it isn't the best forum for relating certain very exciting news. but i am excited and am grudgingly growing accustomed to the use of emoticons in the milieu of text messaging.

please verify that I am have

note to self:

proofread your damn emails!!!

geez....

personal and professional growth part II: fuck it's cold in here

Sean Carl/ESZS... good morning sunshine
CW/S... good morning hot cakes
Sean Carl/ESZ... youre so sweet when you talk to me like that
CW/... only for those who deserve it
Sean Carl/ESZ... you make it in yesterday?
CW/S... I probably could've but decided not to
CW/... by your question it sounds like you didn't
Sean Carl/ESZ... oh hell no
Sean Carl/ESZ... i barely made it here today
Sean Carl/ESZ... i'm surprised i'm not dead
CW/... I'm glad your not dead
CW/... that's right, you're from Cali
CW/... rain causes driving issues for you guys
CW/... that was mean spirited
CW/... I take that back
CW/... it causes driving issues for people here too
Sean Carl/ESZ... i was going to say....like seattlites know how to drive in this crap
CW/... that's cause they're all Californians transplanted here
CW/... dangit!
CW/... there I go again
CW/... I take that back too
Sean Carl/ESZ... you shouldnt
Sean Carl/ESZ... its true
Sean Carl/ESZ... because anyone who grew up here who is halfway sane left long ago
Sean Carl/ESZ... ooops
Sean Carl/ESZ... sorry
Sean Carl/ESZ... ....there I go....
CW/... but still... like most people here I'd rather you think I was your friend while I talk behind your back
Sean Carl/ESZ... "seattle....a place where everyone is friendly but nobody wants to be your friend"
CW/... *ding*ding*ding*
CW/... tell 'im what he's won Johnny!
Sean Carl/ESZ... rainbow #2?
CW/... hmm... that one's over my hea
CW/... d
Sean Carl/ESZ... it refers back to a snide conversation we once had about happiness spray and rainbows
CW/... my memory isn't that good anymore. Too many whipped cream cans
Sean Carl/ESZ... i heard you moved on to paint thinner....
CW/S... nah too harsh
CW/... gold spray paint
Sean Carl/ESZ... that way you can be braindead AND fabulous?
CW/... exactly!

that tingling sensation means you won't lose your toes

Snow week, 2008!, originally uploaded by mattoly.

yesterday was my very first snow day ever. i actually wound up getting paid to spend the day futzing around downtown and cap hill. i also learned a new math equation

converse + snow = ow

an amazing day all around.

not even trying today

xkcd

recreational