the tundrah blog

i am at work. and am sooooo unbelievably bored right now. ugh. i have stuff to do, of course, but nothing pressing/important/whatever. this time of year is brutal for me--not even so much work-wise, just in general. its been snowing quite a bit, but the mountain isnt open and wont be for a solid month. and, we dont have enough snow, at least down here, to start hiking just yet. but its cold as shit outside, so you cant really hang out there for a hike or run or whatever. the current temp is a crisp 41 degrees. all i can do is dream about my upcoming vacations, and i'm sure when i get back in here on the 15th i'll be slammed. which at this point i'm sadly looking forward to.

i leave for Hawaii (thank god) on Wednesday, will be there for five or so days, come back to San Diego for a day, then head up to Portland for some work/hangout time up there. i'm fired up.

i'm ready for some quality beach time.... happy Halloween Weekend.

.l

if you have a minute, check this out. it's the new Eminem video, pretty rad. and timely.....

these are lyrics to my favorite song of hte moment--its kind of a crazy concept, that sleep is somewhat of a hoax... what would happen if you stayed awake....?

from the Arcade Fire's "Rebellion (Lies)":

Sleeping is giving in, no matter what the time is.
Sleeping is giving in, so lift those heavy eyelids.
People say that you'll die faster than without water.
But we know it's just a lie, scare your son, scare your daughter.

People say that your dreams are the only things that save you.
Come on baby in our dreams, we can live our misbehavior.
Every time you close your eyes (Lies, Lies!)

People try and hide the night underneath the covers.
People try and hide the light underneath the covers.
Come on hide your lovers underneath the covers,
come on hide your lovers underneath the covers.

Hidin' from your brothers underneath the covers,
come on hide your lovers underneath the covers.

People say that you'll die faster than without water,
but we know it's just a lie,
scare your son, scare your daughter,
Scare your son, scare your daughter.

Now here's the sun, it's alright! (Lies!)
Now here's the moon, it's alright! (Lies!)
Now here's the sun, it's alright! (Lies!)
Now here's the moon it's alright (Lies!)

But every time you close your eyes. (Lies!)

hello. so i went to see Outfoxed last week at the local theatre that was having a free showing. i took it much like i took Farenheit 911, with a grain of salt. and yet, there were too many ringers not to want to believe that there is somethign very fishy going on at Murdoch's network. here are some more gems for anyone that cares, compliments of salon.com.

***

The Zen of the Fox interview

How do Bush and Cheney have the energy to keep sitting down for those grueling, exclusive interviews with Fox News? So far the network has snagged three sit-downs with the press-shy president and V.P. Here's a sampling of the hard-hitting questions Bush and Cheney have subjected themselves to in recent weeks:
-"I've got 15 questions for you. If they're dumb, tell me they're dumb."

-"Do you think that when he says these things, John Kerry, your opponent, you were in these three debates with him, do you think he knows he's not telling the truth?"

-"In light of the CBS document fiasco, do you think you get a fair shake from the network news and the elite media like the New York Times?"

-"A guy over at Newsweek said 80 percent in the elite media favors Kerry. That doesn't surprise you, does it?"

-"And you're healthy?"

-"What's Chirac's problem? He hasn't been a great ally to the U.S. since 9/11. He doesn't want NATO forces to protect elections in Afghanistan. Come on."

-"Do you have any theory on why college professors, pinhead press people why they go into the liberal realm?"

-"Has the press given [Kerry] a pass?"

-*"Is it a reality that we could turn on our television sets one day -- Fox News Channel, I hope -- and find out that a nuclear weapon has gone off here?"

-"You've said one of the things you were most unhappy about is this issue of the tone in Washington. Let me just run down a list of prominent Democrats for a second here, because I can't remember a time in my life where it's been this bad."

-"You're the president of the United States. You're also leading troops in harm's way. This is the leader of the opposition party [criticizing you]. Does that bother you?"

-"John Kerry has flipped-flopped his way into a dangerous position [regarding Iraq]. So my question is, If John Kerry were president would he make this country more vulnerable and more susceptible to terror attacks?"

-"Now, all this was propaganda. All of this that you didn't ... They say you didn't register in Massachusetts [with the National Guard in 1973]. Is that bogus?"

there's snow on them thar hills kids.... it didnt make it down to my neck of the woods just yet, which is fine becasue i have about six inches of unraked leaves on the lawn at the moment, and adding snow to the equation wont make my life any easier on that front. i think i'm actually leaving work early today to go rake leaves. sweet.

so i was in SD this weekend for the Camp Pendleton Mud Run. the Randall fam was out en force with two teams. to be honest, i havent run six miles since my lacrosse days, and i was worried. not to mention every single person at my work exclaimed with surprise when i told them what i was doing this weekend, "you're a runner??? i didnt know that?!?!" i must look like some fat bump on a log if i listen/read into their reactions... anyways, it was rad. i was super-stoked on my performance--we went super-slow thanks to my stepmom, but i was fine with that. i was never once winded (probably due to training at 5000+ elev, my savior), my legs just got sore about 2/3 of the way thru. i'm really not even that sore today, which again, is surprising. i was expecting to be writhing in agony at this point....

it was a quick trip, got in late Thurs nite, drove up to OC on Friday for some "work" time (aka lunch and Margaritas with one of my favorite ad reps), had family dinner that nite, Mud Run on Saturday, exhaustion Sat nite, then flew out on Sunday morning first thing. got home yesterday afternoon, did some minor yard clean up, then headed out to a birthday party for Jen. we ended up dancing it up again (though this was definitely not the scandalous dance-a-thon of last weekend's wedding), and i was home in bed by midnite-thirty.

i will say i am ready for a break. so exhausted. havent had a personal hang out day in quite some time. Megan comes up next weekend for a (very) quick visit, then i have Sunday off. but, that is the day. the day means Liz's first day of BRAAWP BRAAAWP!!! thats right kids, i have to plan weeks ahead of time to squeeze in some dirt bike time.... i'm soooo ready, cant wait. i'll have to get some pics for the doubters. oh i heard about yous, dont know yer names, but i now youre out there. i'll post some photographic evidence so y'alls can eat your doubts with a fork and knife. werd.

ps. the new Pinback album kills it. buy it.

what up kids. long time no blog.... i've been on the go go go for the last ten days or so. its been tiring and long but awesome as well.

last Monday i hitched up the trailer and headed southward to dirty Vegas. i had a flight booked, but the occasion arose for me to meet up with my Suzuki pal in LV, so i borrowed a motorcycle trailer and hit the road. it was a long haul, but it was good. i love driving, even when it is simultaneously excruciating. had a few good phone talks, but mainly just listened to music and cruised. the drive between here and Vegas is pretty crazy--miles upon miles of high desert, super desolate. at one point i got a little paranoid and started mentally noting the mile markers in case i got stranded... made it to Vegas late that nite and crashed out at the TI (for those of you who havent been to LV lately, the Treasure Island Hotel is now the TI--they're re-branded baby). on Tuesday we had some mellow morning time, did tradeshow set-up, and headed out for a mini-bachelorette party for Christine. she is my only female co-worker, who i spend unreasonable amounts of time with, we fight like sisters... we got her a suite, had wine and snacks, got all girled up ad went out. had a fancy dinner at the AquaKnox at the Venetian, then headed across the hall to the V-Bar, where we had a VIP table, bottles and the whole nine yards. it was definitely mellow, but fun. we sat Christine up on a stool and had all the men in the bar give her a kiss. it was entertaining, especially when the group of suit-clad British headhunters descended upon her--they hovered around her for like forty minutes... it was good stuff.

Wednesday was the first day of Interbike, which is by far my most-detested tradeshow. a bunch of freakin' boring bike freaks running around making non-interesting conversation. sweet. i lived thru that somehow, the low point of which i had to tell my most favorite ad person that we're pulling the $250k out of her book next year... so then, being the rockstar that she is, she took me out to Nobu for dinner. we then had some drinks at another TI establishment, got drunk and talked about politics (sidenote for you politicos--she is extremely smart, successful, and educated--and yet she said she was on the fence of who she was going to vote for. she knows Bush is bad, but wasnt convinced yet by Kerry... i gently tried to persuade her... we'll see how that ends up). we then met up with some other magazine types and hit the trendy Tangerine Club. it was pretty cool--very hip decor, expensive drinks, good DJ, and a close-and-personal view of the horrific TI Pirate Show that goes off four or five times a nite. we danced it up, one of the guys we were with somehow knew how to Western Swing so he and i cut a rug to hip hop... funny.

next day nothing worth mentioning happened, and i was exhausted from my last two nights, so i had a mellow dinner with my tattoed-gambling-pro buddy Lucky, then went to bed. Friday was good. last day of the show, we powered and got out of there reasonably early, and i met up with another friend who happened to be in town. we had dinner, got denied from getting into the US Open of SuperCross (MX) cause we showed up to will call too late, so we went back to the good 'ol TI for some gambling. we sat down at one table, and just happened to have a hilarious dealer. she was this snarky Asian lady named Terry, and we were the only ones who tipped her all night she said, so she loved us. then these two crusty, bitter East Coast businessmen sat down next to us and the fun really began... they were so angry, yet thought they were hilarious, it was so strange, and yet amusing. they were not nice to Cool Terry, but she just threw their shit straight back at them. i even had to call one of them out at one point--the really nasty one called me a coward for not hitting (dont remember what cards i had), and i said "excuse me? you dont call a lady a coward! who do you think you are?" i dont think he was expecting that--i have a feeling his wife (or whomever is unfortunate enough to be tied to this guy) isnt exactly a ball of fire... anyways, we had some good laughs, and i lasted a solid hour and twenty min on a hundred bucks. my gambling pal lost a buck sixty in twenty minutes, but our table was so entertaining he was content to just chill with me and mock the Right Coasters....

next morning was "the day"--i went and picked up my bike! woo hoo! it is sooo cool i cant stand it. so we lashed those things up and hit the road. again, it was a long haul, but i made it. hit the sheets at about 2:30am. i slept in (sort of) the next AM, hung out a bit, then had to get ready for Chrisitne's wedding. it was outside, up north of town, and though it was chilly, it was beautiful. luckily they had a huge heated tent, where we had a sit-down dinner and dancing. my whole work crew was there in full force, and, smartly, our three tables of Smith and Ketchum types were stuffed in the back corner--much alcohol was consumed, food was thrown and general mayhem ensued. we got on the dance floor around 9:30 and cut it up to the set list built by yours truly, it was a good time. i brought my camera at the last minute--thank god i did, we have some quality blackmail photos....

so that was Sunday night, i made it into work yesterday about noon, and have no end in sight anytime soon. i lieave for SD on Thursday evening to join the troops for the Randall Team at the Camp Pendleton Mud Run. looking forward to it but, man, i need a break....

.xo
.l

i guess i've been challenged to write a post about thursday night's debate. i really wasnt planning on doing it, for reasons i cant really pinpoint. i watched the entire deal, and yet, i dont really feel motivated for some reason. i'm losing my steam politically, not that i dont care, because of course i do, but i guess i'm just not as fired up about the whole thing right now.

as far as the debate goes--it seems that it went as i would have hoped (and had been dreading that it would go the other way, thank god it didnt). Kerry sounded articulate, was prepared, and projected a very "presidential" air (to rip off the media's terminology), while Bush just looked/sounded embarrasingly unintelligent... but, what really, truly scares me about that whole scenario, is that many people in middle America, the blue-collar-work-yr-knuckles-to-the-bone types, understand Bush. they get him. and Kerry probably comes off as elitist that falls way outside of their comfort zone. they dont really care about the fact that Bush has pissed off the rest of the world, because they dont see how that relates to them. and that is terrifying.

the other terrifying part of this, that i'm pretty sure i havent written about before, is people like my Dad. my Dad is very intelligent, has run his own successful bussinesses for the last 30 years. and, socially, he's liberal. he doesnt give a crap if gay people get married, or if women get abortions, or about any of the things that inflame the religious right. he actually is extremely wary and not a big fan of that segment in general. but, what kills me is that he'll vote for George Bush. because he thinks monetarily it will benefit him. it doesnt matter that he's (as far as i know) not rich enough to get the real tax breaks that Bush gave out. he probably got the same one i did, the one we factored it out here at work--it tallies in at about an extra $12 a paycheck. whoo whee! thanks W! now i can go buy a new house since you've given me such a break. anyways, back to people like my Dad--it kills me, it really does. he will vote for W, to save a few bucks, and in the end, my kids will get shorted by the historical aftermath of this horrible administration.

so there you have it Stup. you got me fired up again. thx. maybe Tuesday nite will really get me going...

xoxo.
.l