good times. I came across two new portland bloggers…hilsy blog and timberlog. The first is a beerdrinking runner, and the second writes about soccer, which is almost the same thing. The links are over to the right, I’d rather type this sentence than do an href thing even though this blogware has handy dandy clickies to make it easy. Enjoy, they seem like good people.

Browsing the ole referrer log, I found a link from Wasguckstdu, a German blogger. Sadly, despite listening to several hours of the Pimsler German set, I’m still not proficient enough in German to understand much of what is written…especially because there’s no reading/writing component to the set, and the German words are spelled with a different convention than American words relative to their pronunciation. So, welcome friend, I’ll see if I can puzzle through some entries.

Is there a protocol on bloggers meeting bloggers through blogs? I’ve just suggested to another whose town I’ll be in soon that we have beer, and after sending the email I wonder to myself if I haven’t crossed an invisible magic line. Personally, I’m almost always up for a pint, so if anyone ever feels like crossing the line, just let me know and I’ll try to meet you there. Of course there is a certain mystique to the anonimity of the blog too.

A nice BBQ, grill, ribs, chicken, clinking glasses, friends, good times. The scene pans out slowly, some casual conversation, check the food. Panning further still, a door, mosquito netting, it’s all indoors. A cool friendly female voice asks, “West Nile virus keeping you indoors?” Buy Off. A nod to the Bush administration’s fear-driven marketing campaign for the war. This tactic is very powerful, subtle, and pervasive. Television exists to sell ads.

I’m sitting here looking at BBQ recipes for later today. It’s looking like jerk pork and maybe this gooey burgers in Chile Pepper magazine…pimiento cheeseburgers, a Carolina recipe so you know it’s gotta be good for you. The ingredients run to cole slaw (homemade, of course), mayo, cheese, beefy goodnes, and the oft maligned can ‘o chile. Yeah. But anyway, if you get the chance make sure you lift a pint for our country’s forefathers to thank then for winning and building the freedoms.

It’s been in the works for a few months now, but this is the first direct mention here…I’m gettin’ hitched to one lady Nedra. There’s an info link over to the right, the big day’s 9/6 (3 days before Augie’s bday so it’ll be easy for me to remember). Good times.

Our president is a cowboy macho man. Referring to the attacks in Iraq on our troops ‘post-war’ he has told the world and the would-be attackers to “bring ’em on.” To me this is not okay. Sure, he was piloted onto the aircraft carrier and could have seen the conditions of the boys and their frames of mind if he could find time away from photo ops, but to in-your-face challenge people like that is reminiscent of a high school brawl, or a WWF/WCW title bout.

The women’s World Cup is coming to Portland. Pre-release tix are available at fifa’s site, just follow links. The password is breakfast4. Oh, soccer by the way. I have to say that women’s soccer is really fun to watch (playing isn’t an option for me). The games are smart and accessible, the plays tend to be extremely crisp and smooth, the action exciting and real. Often I prefer watching women’s soccer to men’s, mainly for those reasons.

Kids are just out of control these days. Between swearing and sex and partying and dancing and music and rebellion, I swear, what we need is a good gulag-style lockup to set them straight. Make sure that there is plenty of demeaning punishment, physical and mental. Make them wear signs advertising that they’re still f-ed up. Lie them on their faces for 24-hours, and if that’s not enough, do it again.