Utah was really beginning to get to me and I decided that I needed some time to recharge my heavily drinking/smoking batteries, and go to Denver for a bit. I found out the day before I left that it was going to be the Democratic National Convention the whole week. They are shutting down I-25 for four hours while Barack Obama is speaking on Aug 28th.

There were so many people selling shirts with his head on them. I saw one yesterday of Obama shaking MLK Jr’s hand and it said in big letters on the top “I have a dream”. (That was obviously photoshopped.) I have talked to a couple people here and everyone seems to think that the security  is way overboard. It doesn’t make me feel any more safe too see cops everywhere.  While walking around downtown, I watched in awe as this police truck with at least nine swat guys drove by, slowly watching as if I was some terrorist ready to take down the democratic party. I would like to take this time to remind you that yes, I did in fact shave my beard off and I do not resemble a terrorist or a caveman any longer.  I think the single most scary thing you could see driving around a city is a police truck with a squad of swat guys patrolling the streets. Then again, maybe a squad of swat guys on horses would be more scary.  How about a semi towing a fully armed nuclear near Larimer square? (That last one I made up. I would not have been surprised to see something like this, since they took it to the max with the cops.)

There was a bunch of protesters going down Colfax st yesterday and I asked this girl what they were demonstrating for. She says to me “just everything. Is there anything you are upset about?” I couldn’t  think of anything off the top of my head. I saw a guy in that crowd angry as hell and yelling random crap at people. His sign was slightly smaller than all of the rest and had only a cardboard colored background, in small (but bold) Helvetica font. His sign read “Protesting For Bigger signs”. That’s my kinda protesters.  Maybe if I was annoyed about something I would have joined them. I saw all of this and it was only Sunday. The DNC had not even begun.

I went out to one of my favorite gay bars in Denver called JRs last night to have a couple drinks with some buddy’s. It’s crazy to see how the Democratic party is still heavily divided especially within the gay community. There were many “go team Hillary” t-shirts around. I met one guy who is even a secret service agent for her . Now that I think about it, maybe that guy was lying, it sounds a little far fetched now that I am sober. Still, a lot of Hillary support.

I made sure to bring extra batteries when I left home. I knew before I left I was going to see some crazyness out here with the whole DNC going on. I went to go use my camera today, only to find that the batteries were dead and the extra ones I brought didn’t charge. Yeah, the blog gods hate me.

okay everyone, put away your boyish desires, your bouyant sighs,
your rolling eyes, your lust for rolling rock.
your lust for getting rocks off with other’s follies,
all your desires for couch and tv, pick up a book, pick up a shovel.
put down the gun, throw the fist.
throw intelligent words in this game of conversation.
try a new arrangement, dollars and sensibility,
intelligence and ability, eloquence and nobility, delicatessens.
treat your girl like you treat your tv.
how you should use your headphones as positive role models.
try staying home, stop trying to prove, stop trying to be,
stop trying to do, just be, prove, do, and exist.
go to college, respect your mother, look out for your little sister,
respect no one except yourself.
treat all others how you expect in return,
exercise intellect, if you lack it, pretend.
call few people enemies and call fewer people friends.
don’t do it for the wealth, do it all for the love.
love everything you do, and do nothing half-heartedly.
be what you speak, man, never speak on what you be.
even if you’re lost, front like you got a plan.
it ain’t that hard, but stand if you’re ready to be a man.

Treat your girl like you treat your tv.

I saw this the other day in Bountiful, Utah. Ok, so some one is obviously upset about wearing their seat belt. They obviously think that it is infringing on our rights. They obviously have a lot of time on their hands.

As dumb as I think it is that someone would complain about something like this, I understand what they were going for.  It got me thinking, just how much freedom do we have?

When I was in Denver they had just passed the same law that they passed in California making it illigal to smoke in bars and restaurants. Why not just leave it up to the owners of the bar and giving them the choice to make it smoking or non. There were plenty of bars that I went to that were non smoking and I was happy to go outside and smoke. Did the government really need to step in and make it a law?

I just read this one yesterday

“The new policy allows random warrantless search and seizures at the border.  Under ACTA, border patrol agents will be able to seize peoples’ laptops, iPods, and other electronics which they suspect contain illegally-obtained media.  If the border patrol thinks they’ve found such media on the devices, they are authorized to destroy them at their discretion.”

Does it seem like our freedom is being skewed into something else, something a little less free?

(the order it was supposed to be in)

1- Just Let Go - Fisherspooner

2- Ice Cream - Muscles

3- Sarah Dreams Of Summer - Working for a Nuclear Free City

4- Future - Cut Copy

5- Lion Bear Whale? - Mathematics Et Cetera

6- Jesus - Page France

7- Run to your Grave - The Mae Shi

8- John Cleese - Azeda Booth

9- Who’s Gonna Save My Soul - Gnarls Barkley

10- The Waterfall - Astronautalis

11- Everything Hits at Once - Spoon

–>DOWNLOAD! (54.7 mb)

Now, this is the old way of scurfing. Kids now days will use a tow rope and a board not connected to anything. Sort of like wakeboarding with out the bindings. I believe it is called wakeskating.

I put some clips together, and came up with this video also there is some footage from cliff jumping in Moab.

Some of my pals wrote some posts about it too. Peep it. Mccall, Esdot

Originally I wanted to use some ribbon for a strap. Something ultra light weight. But when I got my laptop in there it really felt like it was going to break. I unstitched it and put in this heavier strap. My mom said it looked girly with the ribbon anyways. I was also going to use these vintage iron ons I got in Puerto Rico, but it ended up melting the cushin material underneath. Oh well.

This is probably the biggest bag I have made yet. Dan said he wanted room for laptop and book. I am pretty sure he will have plenty of room.

We stopped in at Del Taco in Provo to get some Macho Combo burrito action. We all noted the sign and Natalie made sure to warn me that people have been booted here. We weren’t planning on staying too long, and we were eating at Del Taco. The sign says Del Taco parking only, it’s not like I am going to get booted for eating at Del Taco.

Seriously, we were in there for maybe 15 minutes, when we got back outside to my car I was surprised (and not too happy) to find a boot attached to my front drivers side wheel. WTF? The sign says Del Taco parking only and that is where I went. So as disgruntled as I was, I called University Parking Reinforcement. Yeah, I yelled at him a little bit, who wouldn’t be upset about getting booted for not doing anything wrong. It’s a waste of my time. At first he did tell me that that parking is for permanent Del Taco employees. Which is completely ludicrous it says in big letters CUSTOMER PARKING ONLY.

(Note, my car is on the right. Within five feet of the sign.)
While we were waiting for the guy to show up I noticed a couple park in a Camero on the other side of the trash can and walk in to Del Taco. Boot patrol finally rolled up in in his jeep liberty. He told me that most people will park here and go up to the apartment building on the other side. He said this is the first time he has ever had anyone actually go to Del Taco and park here.

Key word: MOST. You cant just automatically assume that people are parking here to walk to the apartments. But, I  consider myself a fairly understandable person and am fairly easy going.

As we were leaving I noticed him pull up next to that Camero and proceed to attach a boot to their front right tire. I threw it in reverse and yelled out my window “Yo! those people just went into Del Taco.. To eat!” He says to me ” Oh Really? How am I supposed to know that, I just got here!”

Good point. However, Is that not your job to know these things?  These guys are just out there to make commission  Make sure you keep your receipt if your going to eat at Del Taco . Because you will probably get booted.

After 95 years, absinthe is finally legal in the United States. It has to have less than 10 ppm of thujone. Good absinthe never had anymore than that in the first place. The thujone was the original cause for the uproar since it was thought to have psychedelic side effects.

On our way out of Las Vegas we stopped in Mesquite to get some beers. As I got closer to the counter to pay for those beers, I noticed they were selling some Le Tourment Vert and I just had to buy it. It was right around 60 dollars and I got a chance to win a absinthe kit (woot!). I sort of assumed they wouldn’t be selling it out here in Utah (I later found out that they do sell it at the Provo liquor store). This stuff is my pride and joy. I was gonna take a picture of it and frame it. I don’t know why I am so excited about it.

Absinthe’s can range anywhere from 100 to 150 proof and are meant to be watered down.

Finally last night, I went over to Wal-Mart, bought some sugar cubes and took absinthe out for a test drive.

I found that there is a special way you are supposed to drink the stuff. Necessary ingredients: Absinthe, ice cold water, and a huge strainer. You pour the absinthe into about 1/3rd of your glass, throw the sugar cube into the huge strainer and lightly pour the water onto the sugar cube dissolving it in the process.

One site said you should take a couple practice pours, you don’t want to miss the sugar cube or it won’t dissolve. After pouring, you will notice that the water does not mix right away with absinthe causing a sort of green to clear fade in the glass called the louche. Should look something like this.

The absinthe that I bought probably is not the best absinthe out there. My louche was pretty weak compared to this one. I guess you can’t really see the louche in mine because of my flash-o-matic camera. It turned out pretty good and my parents and I really enjoyed it. You can taste the fennel and the mint which gives it a really different sort of taste.