Food

I think I'll skip the Bacon-Cheese-Beer Dog. (There's food I'd pay a dollar to eat; but this falls into the category of food I'd pay a dollar not to eat!)

The labyrinthine brownies look pretty good, though.

Barn

I'm always amazed to see that this barn (near MSU) is still standing.

"Biblioteca de Bozeman"

The narration is in Spanish, but easy to follow:

Parapente

This looks like fun. The video was taped in the Bridger Mountains.

Sing, Muse

In the past three weeks, I have purchased three volumes of poetry. Reviews as I finish 'em.

A sense of obligation

The following poem is the only S. Crane I've read. (At some point I'll get around to reading The Red Badge of Courage...)

A Man Said to the Universe

A man said to the universe:
"Sir I exist!"
"However," replied the universe,
"The fact has not created in me
A sense of obligation."

-- Stephen Crane

Girth Matters

I believe that big tree in the foreground to be the "girthiest" tree in Bozeman.

(I'm 38" around the middle myself, so I know a few things about girthiness.)

Moose Manor Antiques

MMA cleared out a few months ago. I know they were under pressure to leave due to zoning violations, but don't know if that was the final reason.

Trance music from 2000

Back in the previous millennium (1990-1995 to be exact), I listened to a lot of techno.

Chicane's Behind the Sun is not exactly techno, but similar (it's trance).

Anyway, as a St. Patrick's weekend bonus, I just discovered that one of the songs has Irish (Gaelic) lyrics:

Poop deck

Based on extensive research, I think this scat came from a small mule deer.

Headaches

I suffered from headaches this week, but I figured out the cure this morning: make sure each contact lens is in the correct eye. (Once one lens is the correct eye, it's easy to ensure to the next lens goes in the correct eye, but vice versa, too.)

Luckily, I resolved this before seeing the witch doctor:

Irishmen and Irishwomen

IRISHMEN AND IRISHWOMEN: In the name of God and of the dead generations from which she receives her old tradition of nationhood, Ireland, through us, summons her children to her flag and strikes for her freedom...

1916 Easter Proclamation

My (Irish and English) ancestors came to America long before 1916, but the words are still stirring.

Uh-oh

MSNBC:
Activity discovered at Yellowstone supervolcano.

I hope I'm looking that direction when it blows.

Future site of Rosauers Supermarket

Rosauers Supermarket will be the first store in the "Bozeman Gateway" 'lifestyle center' development SE of Main and Fowler.

Honey-hungry

These hungry bears are located in front of Western Plumbing & Heating.

sign

I think that's a Raven design, but it's hard to be sure.

A laconic movie review

The movie 300 is very loud.

--
OK, a few more details:

It's faithful to its source material, a graphic novel (comic book) by Frank Miller. The most arresting images in the movie are directly taken from the Miller art - so, you could save some $ by simply browsing at your local bookstore.

300's relationship to real-life history is a bit tenuous.

Quotation

He was visibly drunk now, but only if you knew where to look. The eyes had a glaze on them, and there was a matching glaze on his whole manner. He was holding up his end of a typical alcoholic conversation, wherein two drunks take polite turns talking aloud to their own selves.

Matt Scudder speaking as narrator in Eight million ways to die (Lawrence Block)

Getting older

Here's an ad that I saw at the movie theater last weekend:
Dove pro-age.

Food for thought as I approach the 42-year mark.

$12.80

Finally, a reasonable credit card bill.

Double feature

I've never had gruel, so don't know if I'd like it or not. I do like pancakes:

Pink champagne on ice

Even if you hate the ******* Eagles, you might like this:



(I recently purchased a Gipsy Kings album - it's another fun sing-along album.)

Who's on First?

Classic cartoons

From The New Yorker. Myself, I'm going to bark and blog.

Oh, and here's another classic, including a "reality check."

Look both ways

The only time I was ever afraid to cross the street was in Shanghai:



(This is not my video - I'll see if I can find some of my photos. Quite a contrast to Bozeman.)

Black Irish

According to my Mother, I am part Black Irish. Back when I had hair on my head, it was black (and then gray, and then gone).

Sturgeon's Law

All this help for writers, and yet Sturgeon's Revelation still holds.

I've been everywhere

Not really. Still, it's a cool Hank Snow song. Here are the lyrics.

I read a story about a motorcycle competiton to visit every one of the locations mentioned. Sounds like it would take a whole summer.

Hunting

I recently learned that the atlatl is actually a pretty sophisticated device. When does atlatl hunting season start?

Triple feature - rapture

1. For non-believers: The Event
2. An evangelical Christian skewers Left Behind
3. Blondie (Live, 2004)

Annette Bening

I just realized that I have four of her movies on DVD. I thought she looked familiar.

Gong see fai chai

"Best wishes for a prosperous Chinese New Year"

We are entering the Year of the Pig - oink, oink, squeal (;-)

Piano

One of the advantages of cats is that they don't make a lot noise. Unless they play piano. All the same - If I had a cat, she could play my piano, if I had a piano.

Pan's Labyrinth

I liked this movie. It's in "Spanish Spanish" with English subtitles.

The funny thing about subtitles - near the end of a movie, one imagines he understands what the actors are speaking. I've seen dozens of subtitled movies (French, Spanish, German, Mandarin, Cantonese, even Swedish) - I always feel bilingual at the end.

Books - Ayn Rand

I never read any of her books (novels or philosophy). Don't know how I missed that phase, but I'm kinda glad: I can see how I would have been even more annoying if I had been a Randite ;-) Here are some interesting remarks.

Happy V-Day

Did you realize today was Valentine's Day?

I forgot to get a girlfriend ------ damn ;-)

Huh?

Found on the internets:

Double feature: synth pop

Axel F. The "F" stands for "Frog":

New Blogger

I've switched this blog over to the New Blogger, and also changed the template. It might take a few days to settle down.

Twice in one day

Falling down, that is. Hurt my wrist the first time and smacked my head the second. Still able to use the computer, though ;-)

Movies from books

My favorite YA fantasy is being made into a movie: official movie site, fan site.

In fact, I think I prefer Pullman's "young adult" series His Dark Materials to Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. I used to be charmed by Tolkien's "world-building", but now, not so much.

If

I like it when the bald guy gets the babes, but this is ridiculous:

The nose knows

The nose knows when it's below zero... mucus freezes at zero degrees Fahrenheit.

Nickel - 1943 S

I received this coin in change a few weeks ago.

During part of WWII, most/all of the Ni content in 5 cent coins was replaced with Ag. Silver is much softer than Nickel, as is evident by the wear on this coin. The silver in the coin is worth about 20 cents.

Double feature: When artiodactyls attack

Arboreal abuse

I guess it's one way to prune a tree:

Lots of percussion

Pants on fire

I was mortified to discover that Bozeman actually has three McDonald's restaurants - there's one located in Wal-Mart. I hardly ever shop there since it's on the opposite side of town from me, but I guess I'll make a lunch trip to maintain my "street cred" as a restaurant critic ;-)

Interesting test for Asperger's/autism

I recently went thru volunteer training for skiing with disabled (differently-abled) folks. One of the disabilities we covered was autism.

FWIW, Wired had an interesting self-exam: AQ Test. It's built a lot better than most internet quizzes. Like all such quizzes, though: not for self-diagnosis.

Montana bluegrass

Montana Tunesmith: Life is for the Living

Shimmie

I wonder when the last "shimmie dance" was danced in Bozeman?

More theology

Oldies but goodies:

Madam in Eden, I'm Adam

Lewd I did live; evil did I dwel

Rats live on no evil star

And here's one of my own devising:

(After Fido ran onto the Indianapolis Speedway)

God no! Racecar on dog!

Yikes!

In case you didn't get your RDA of saccharine:
let's be friends, dogs in snoods.

Dog? God?

Do geese see God?

One hit wonder

I saw this on VH1's "One Hit Wonder" marathon before New Year:

3 pounds

Huh. Kinda low considering my main activity was watching TV while sitting in a recliner, eating chocolate-covered peanuts.

Garden planning

According to the National Arbor Day Foundation, we should expect some changes in Hardiness Zones.

Xmas in Montana

So what does a bachelor do when he's stuck in Montana by a Denver airport SNAFU? He goes skiing and then to the movies.

Happy New Year! - in case you over-indulge over the holidays, go here for some mental relaxation.

Hobo Gangs of Montana

Founded in Montana: FTRA

Holiday weight gain?

On the one hand, I'll be visiting family for 11 days - lots of naps, home-cooking, Christmas meal, etc. On the other hand, my hosts recently joined a gym and will take me along. We'll see. Current weight = 235 pounds.

I (heart) double features

1, Apocalypto

2. This "classic" 80s music video.


Oh, and there's this, and this.

Volunteer

I volunteered to help EagleMount in their disabled skier program at Bridger Bowl. I get new volunteer training in January -- hope we have enough snow by then!

What is Love?

Bozeman Best: Wine

Most extensive selection: CVS Pharmacy (next to Hastings)

Best Service: Wine Gallery (102 S. 19th)

Bozeman Best: French fries

"Fresh Fries" at It's Greek to Me (on Main, just east of Safeway).

Confession

I like shredded wheat, but only with fresh blueberries.

Brrrrr

So cold, she's turned blue.

North Sea

My blog has had two recent visitors from sites near the North Sea: Bergen, Norway and Hamburg, Germany.

I mention this 'cause it brings back a nice memory - many years ago I went on a dayhike along England's North Sea coast. Very pretty.

Airport security

I lost my watch at airport security a couple of week ago. Here is my desired replacement ;-)

What people will buy...

I bought some cat crap today.

No, really -- it's an antifog paste for my ski googles.

Ullr helps those ...

... who help themselves: 11/27/06 Bridger Bowl photo.

Reading is FUNdamental

What Kind of Reader Are You? Your Result: Literate Good Citizen   You read to inform or entertain yourself, but you're not nerdy about it. You've read most major classics (in school) and you have a favorite genre or two.
Dedicated Reader
Obsessive-Compulsive Bookworm
Book Snob
Fad Reader
Non-Reader
What Kind of Reader Are You? Create Your Own Quiz

Snow

I uploaded my first video to YouTube. Let's see if it works:

Car tracks

At least the drunk driver did not hit my house.

14%

I'm not sure how to interpret this finding:

You Are 14% Evil

You are good. So good, that you make evil people squirm. Just remember, you may need to turn to the dark side to get what you want!

How Evil Are You?

Pirsig

Did you know that Robert Pirsig, author of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, taught at Montana State College in Bozeman, Montana?

Which reminds me - I need to winterize my motorcycle...

My favorite kind of skiing

I use much longer skis than these fellows, though.

Wild Apple

Wild Apple seems to be the favorite flavor of cigarillo at my local convenience store. Also-ran flavors include grape, peach, pineapple, and vanilla.

Me, I've never smoked anything (tobacco, MJ, meth, crack, heroin, etc.), and have managed (so far) to resist the allure of pineapple-flavored mini-cigars.

3 Bozeman Bloggers

Can you identify any of these Bozeman bloggers?

Music by David Gray

I heard this song on a Warren Miller video, and liked it enough to track it down.



Lyrics

Reminder: blogger bash on Saturday!

Saturday, 11/11 at Mackenzie River Pizza Co on Main Street. I'll be there early (5:30 pm) to try and beat the rush (and drink some beer). About 10 folks have RSVPed, so should be fun.

If we haven't met -- if you see a blue-eyed fellow who looks like a blogger, that's me. Also - 6' 6" tall, shaved head.

Double Feature - # 2

Big Mike sez "eye-grabbing entertainment!"

The Alienist
Blade Runner

---
Blade Runner is an old favorite (I've watched the movie more times than I've read the original P.K. Dick story). I read The Alienist after reading Erin's recommendation.

Double Feature - # 1

Big Mike sez --- "cheeky"

Feature 1 Feature 2

Gallatin County: Red or Blue?

Senate: Neither red nor blue, in (almost) exactly the same proportion as Montana overall. Burns had a few more votes that Tester in Gallatin County, though, which surprised me. I don't have data to back it up, by my impression is that university communities tend more liberal. On the oher hand, universities with large engineering programs probably tend more conservative.

House: Red, in exactly the same proportion as Montana overall.

I think most of the candidates I voted for (note: I did not vote in every race) won. Woo-hoo ;-)

Philadelphia???!!!????

What American accent do you have? Your Result: Philadelphia   Your accent is as Philadelphian as a cheesesteak! If you're not from Philadelphia, then you're from someplace near there like south Jersey, Baltimore, or Wilmington. if you've ever journeyed to some far off place where people don't know that Philly has an accent, someone may have thought you talked a little weird even though they didn't have a clue what accent it was they heard.
The Midland
The Inland North
The South
The Northeast
Boston
The West
North Central
What American accent do you have? Take More Quizzes

Literature comes to life

Unfortunately, it's Orwell's 1984. As you recall, Winston's squeeze Julia was a member of the Junior Anti-Sex League.

USA Today: Abstinence message goes beyond teens:
Millions in federal money targeting adults up to 29.

$38

That's how much candy I bought to distribute on Halloween...
(I've already starting eating it myself ;-)

Bozeman Blogger Bash: Nov. 11 (Saturday)

Bozeman Blogger Bash - an opportunity for bloggers (and blog readers) to meet up
Where: Mackenzie River Pizza, Main St., Bozeman
When: Nov. 11 (Saturday), starting at 5:30 pm (come when you like...)

(I talked to the hostess at MRP this evening. She recommended having a few people arrive before 6 pm, which is when the rush starts. So, I'll be there (probably drinking beer) before anyone else. If 5:30 is too early for you, come later.)

Questions? Please comment below or email big mike.

Creation of a Supermodel

Dove - Evolution - This cool video shows the transformation of an ordinary woman into a supermodel. There are two phases: (1) make-up and hair, and (2) Photoshop. I was (naively) amazed by the Photoshopping. The video shows that magazine (and billboard) ads have only a tenuous relation to reality.

Montana earthquakes

FYI, click on this USGS map to see details on recent earthquake activity in Montana. Nothing near as large as Hawaii's recent quake.

Ain't culture great?

Rainbow

A consolation after it rained at a recent picnic.

Bozeman Blogger Bash ?

Anyone out there interested in having a meet-up of Bozeman bloggers (and blog readers)? Maybe mid-November?

(So far, I've met two Bozeman bloggers, and they both seemed like nice people - very much what you'd expect from reading their blogs.)

Horse

Recently seen Bozeman bumpersticker:
My other car is made out of meat.

Eagerly awaited bumpersticker:
My other car is made out of meat and is a sub-subcompact.

The Savage Barbarian

At Borders this morning - saw the coffee table book CONAN: The Savage Barbarian. The artfully placed "30% off" sale sticker changed the title to ONAN: The Savage Barbarian.

(Well, I thought it was funny ;-)

Sunset @ Bozeman Pond Park

The trees seem to be glowing.

The Departed

I enjoyed this movie, especially the Boston Irish accents of the cops and gangsters. The ending was somewhat depressing, but, to me, it was faithful to the rest of the film.

Religion Quiz

I recently took beliefnet's Belief-o-Matic "find out your religion" quiz. The results seem pretty accurate. FWIW, my "median religion" (13 religions/denominations were more in line with my quiz answers, 13 religions/denominations were less in line): Mormon.

Re my sister's comment: "Unitarian/Universalist" was also my highest score ;-) IIRC, "Islam" was the lowest, which is not surprising since my "religion motto" is non serviam.

More on Cathodic Protection

A blogging record I bet - two posts on cathodic protection (woo-hoo!). Before my previous post, I didn't realize how big an industry it is. From the earlier post's comments: www.beasy.com. One of my research associates is a civil engineering structures guy - I'll ask him if there are any more blog-worthy corrosion stories around Bozeman, Montana...

e-bay

The most expensive items on e-bay - currently #1 is some Montana real-estate.