Back.

Well, since it's been a long time since the last post (argh, so busy) I figured I'd update this ol' wall.

I'm back in Minot.
After a uneventful yet successfully long drive, I got back up here on the 30th of July. Got a new job as a server at Up The Creek, and have, in my first week, pulled about 44+ hours, basically picking up every shift I could after the initial 4 days of training. It's strange, getting back the muscle memory of serving, after taking a 3 year hiatus from it. But, I haven't dropped any plates or anything, and I'm loving the restaurant thus far. By far the best run and cleanest joint I've worked at. Plus, the money is easily just as good, if not better then at the BrainSlopper. Getting ready for school to start and some insane concert trips with some close friends.
-w-

The moments that make up a dull day.

While I wait for laundry to finish I figured I'd post.
Long time coming, here's some pictures of Jeanette and I rock climbing. Whee!
First off, some pics of the gym, Inner Strength Rock Gym, where Jeanette goes every week, and took me a long this summer. It's where I honed my skills. Well, not really skills, but I did start out on a 5.5 my first climb, and went to 5.8s by the end. Didn't get any shots of me on the wall, as I didn't really want to plummet, but here are some pics from the bouldering wall. Eventually we went outside. And I looked like a real climber. It was intense.





Epic Fail!-------------->


(P.S. Bouldering is hard.)







-w-

Lay on the lawn, he's already home, when the morning ray hits his face.

Yup. MySpace actually pulled something pretty neat. Their latest "Secret Show" was Ween, at "Hodi's Half Note" in FtC. Amazing. My first time seeing a band that I've listened to since my junior year of High School. They are amazing live. Pics from climbing, throwing, and the drive-in are forthcoming. I must shower.


This is the hand-numbered limited to 400 litho we got as we left the 3 hour show.
-w-

Cause all I need to know is what I can see.

So I'm in love...

...with rock climbing. Jeanette took me to the local rock gym on Tuesday and showed me the ropes (literally!). Took the little test on the knots, belay, and commands, then hit the wall. Hard. As Jeanette put it, "You haven't really gone climbing until you leave some blood on the wall." Well, I didn't leave blood so much as the wall left a good sized bruise on my knee. We did a little bit of bouldering after my first two complete climbs (the first attempt was badly received by myself), or I should say that Jeanette did some bouldering and I really tried hard. But the good news is that we're going again today, and I'm psyched for it. It's probably one of the best workouts I've ever had. I'll see if Jeanette or someone can snag some photos today.

Also, I get to go to my first drive-in tonight! That's pretty neat. I think we're going to see "Hancock" and "Don't Mess with the Zohan" double-header, although the "Wall-E" and "Get Smart" appeal to me more, but I think Jeanette already saw "Wall-E". Anyway, that should be pretty cool.

I should go clean my windshield. I don't think the moviemakers intended for their craft to be viewed through 800 miles of bug splatter.

Frolf is starting to come to me more naturally. Beat my first group of FtC natives on Edora the other day, due to my drives really coming along. Granted, they aren't tourney players, but they live right next to Edora and throw it all the time. And, I still only beat them by parring most of the front nine, getting my first birds on the course, and solidly parring all of the back nine. Think I'll go throw in a little bit to loosen up the arms before a few solid hours of practicing Popper and Bach, then warping the forearms on a cement wall. Whoo!

Also, send me your addresses for some postcards from NBB!
-w-

Damn the man.

So, on our way down to Denver yesterday afternoon, my van died again. Methinks it's time to take it in again. Hopefully this won't be another 2300 down and out. But we still ended up having a good time anyway...Jeanette's friend picked us up, then we went down to Old Town and had a few drinks (my first good mojito since Pto Vallarta, mind you) and then over to another bar and had some of the local breweries finers....still having a hard time passing up draught 1554, but I really enjoyed Odell's 5 Barrel Pale Ale, as well as their IPA. Lovely bunch of coconuts. Then we travelled back, picked up the van (seems it doesn't like the heat), and went to watch the fireworks over at City Park Nine golf course. Best fireworks I've seen in a long while. Not saying much considering for the past two years I've been working in a bar with no windows on the fourth, and before that I was always playing with the BMSO during the capitol's fireworks down in Bismarck, but nonetheless, they were impressive. Except for the d-bags screaming behind us. Ugh.

Went out with a couple more of Jeanette's work friends today to Horsetooth Reservoir. That was a blast. Tubing, waterskiing, and just general sitting around having crappy beer on the water. Stupid "Can Only" rules. Next time I'll have to bring some of New Belgium's newest fare....Fat Tire in cans. That might make me weep openly inside when I drink it, but it's better than the other domestic drinkables.

Had a good practice today, as well. Starting to really blast through "Dance of the Elves", as well as getting some good mem work done on Bach 2. If only it weren't so damn hot in this condo.

Also, had to go buy another Neti pot. Can't believe I left mine in Mindrot.

The fuzzy picture is of Jeanette and I at the new d-bag bar in old town, the "Drunken Monkey". They have swings instead of barstools.


-w-

The 1/4th of Joo-lie.

Happy Fourth everyone. Remember, in order to be as patriotic and American as you possibly can, revolt and resist the powers at be. Happy revolution!

Jeanette and I are driving to Denver today to spend some time around the city and later hit up a party of a friend of hers. Should be fun. I woke up fairly early today and did some laundry, cleaned the room a little bit, ate some tasty cereal, and went for a throw.

Warmed up for 20 minutes on the practice green, then got through the first nine before heading back due to heat and exhaustion. This whole acclimation thing is terrible. Bike for 30 minutes, or carry boxes for 10, and you're winded, plus you're drinking water constantly. Plus, beer seems to affect you quicker, therefore, even though you've got the entire world of great selections in front of you, after one or two your tastebuds are dead to the world as your already semi-soused. Terrible, but I can deal with that!

My throws are starting to get better, getting some distance finally on the drives, and with no loss of control on the mid-ranges. I think I bogied 1 and 6, but parred the rest, including the brutal no. 7, with the huge bend in the river right before the hole (plus the hole is up a small but steep incline about 15 ft, oh yeah, and of course there's trees right before the river on the bank...)
But I'll be happy with +2 on the front nine, on my third real time throwing it.

Gonna practice cello for a bit and then I think Jeanette and I will be out. We got invited to a lake/boating thing tomorrow, so we'll probably do that. I'm starting to get pretty tan. So much so that Jeanette commented on it last night by saying that it makes my eyes look really blue. So blue, in fact, she said I look "demonic".....hehehe.


Updates on the beer:

Had the Alaskan Amber my first night here, instead of the planned Westie, but that was mostly due to the fact that I had no correct glassware here. That situation was ameliorated with a trip to Wilbur's Total Beverage last night. Anyway the Alaskan Amber, supposedly pretty new to the FtC area was a delightfully drinkable beer. Similar in style to Fat Tire, but with quite a bit less biscuit-y nose. Fair lacing, and a quickly receded head, but overall not a bad brew by any stretch of the imagination. Now, if we could get that in ND, I wouldn't pine for FT so much.

Last night I popped the Stone Ruination I.P.A. Such as the bottle says, "A liquid poem to the glory of the hop", this thing is a total hop bomb. Lovely. An almost reddish tinged gold colour, with a frothy, large head which leaves light transparent lacing, and a fruity nose. As well as small notes of hops, grapefruit comes through in the nose, in my opinion. Hops and more hops are almost all you taste, from beginning to end. Astounding, perfect for a warm summer night outside. I think I'll pick a few of these up for my friends back in ND.

Once again, safe blowing-shit-up day to all!

-w-

Second day. Exhaustion. Shoes.

Yesterday was fun. I went down to the closest mall and bought some shoes....finally a pair to replace the Chuck Taylors that fell to tiny bits a few months back....good frolf, erm, Frisbee Golfing shoes.
After making my purchase, I found my way down to Edora Park, and the course there. It's a blast. I met up with some older lady who throws all the time in the tournaments and knows all the guys from the Ft Collins Frisbee Golf Club, and she gave me a lot of tips on my technique. I still had a few great throws sneak in, and managed to par most of the back nine. Only a matter of time before I really start getting some great distance on my drives. Also, I managed to wear in my brand new shoes by having to jump into the river about waist deep and fish out my Ontario Roc (why didn't I throw the floatable Dragon on that hole??Argh!)

After that, I came back home, changed my shoes and socks, and went out to eat at a great little local deli/butcher shop, Choice City Deli. Let me tell you, the food was pretty damn good, but that place has things on tap that I haven't seen outside of Brussels. Chimay Tripel, St. Bernardus Abt 12, and all of the small FtCo-exclusive New Belgium brews are just a taste. So I ordered a nice Reuban, with a side of zesty potato salad, and a Bernardus. Ahhhhhhhhh........



Ahhhhh..........


Wow, that was delicious. Sat outside on the patio and people watched with one of the best beers around. Then I struck up a conversation with a guy who'd sat at the table next to mine about beer (He was drinking the New Belgium Jessica's Porter), and we chatted for almost 3 hours - ranging on topics from IT, beer, wine, music, life, his kid's going to college, biking, cooking, and a plethora of other topics. Moved on to a good glass of New Belgium's Old Cherry, then he introduced me to the owners of the deli, and we all chatted about good beers from Belgium, and we split a great bottle of Fantome, a Belgian Saison, with a remarkable nose and very drinkable mouthfeel.

After a meeting for volunteers for a local "Live at Lunch" show at the community radio, I went to Big City Burrito for the first time....that was awesome....
Basically, BCB is a homegrown version of Chipotle, only with better food and cheaper prices....Let me tell you, it hit the spot when your three sheets to the wind on good beer.

Passed out safe and sound at my place by 11:00 pm. I'm starting to get to know the city's layout a bit more. Love it.

More later.
-w-