Bachelor Party weekends

Some people go out and have strippers, some people go to vegas and cause trouble. My friend Phil just wanted a chill weekend where we all hang out, ride bikes, camp, set things on fire, and play with potato guns. That is exactly what we did.

A couple of things we figured out on this trip was that a 285lb guy who is 6'9" cannot go more than a day without breaking his gear. we also figured out that trailers in potatoes does actually work, and if you hit a flaming bottle of lighter fluid with a potato, it makes some cool effects.

I also realized that my dog is a pansy. He doesn't like loud noises, like explosions. In fact, he ran off for quite a while just because of the constant firing of the potato canon.

Here are some pictures from the weekend, as well as some other random stuff. Mostly just bike riding photos and people hanging out and some camp fire photos... .
Enjoy!

WalMart and Roommates

So my roommate Hillary is moving out, and she is a pretty cool roommate. My house is like a gateway for better things, as most of my roommates seem to go on and either find love, or a new job, or something exciting to happen to them. Yesterday, Hillary and I went to WalMart to get her a new car battery. I am sure a lot of you have seen the site People of Walmart but it really is amazing the kind of people you will see there. I haven't been to a walmart in almost 3 years because I prefer to shop with local businesses and not give my money to huge corporations that make their money undercutting the little guy, but that is for a different day.

While we were there, we completed our walmart experience by going to McDonalds. I was pushing for the deli, but we went with the McIE D'S. We saw the guy with his shopping cart full of empty shopping bags next to him, we saw the granmother, mother, and 2 kid combo of people that combined ages were not 50, and we saw the pear-shaped woman who ordered 3 double cheeseburgers, 2 hot and spicy's and 3 large fries and a large drink.... for herself.

Then we went to look at halloween costumes... I was really tempted to buy a costume for my dog... and another for my other roommates dog, and some koozies with skulls on them, and a freddy krueger outfit, and a witch costume... but i couldn't bring myself to do it. I don't know if there is something wrong with me, but buying halloween costumes for $14 seems wrong. It seems disposable, and it seems cheap. Where is the creativity? Are we that much into disposable products that it is profitable for someone to make these costumes and sell that at such a cheap price? apparently. I am going to boycott the holiday this year.

Then we went on to bikes. I heard someone ask the salesman, "which is more durable, this aluminum crankset or the plastic? I am not going to use it off the trails a lot, but i might take it mountain biking..." wow. that is all i have to say. i know not everyone can own a $2500 mountain bike, but you can find more reliable stuff on craigslist for the same you would buy new at walmart.

So that brings me to my final point. I need a roommate. please spread the word. I have an awesome house in Golden CO, and i need someone to move soon... like next week, or maybe the first of november. You have to like dogs, and like being around awesome people.

Ski Season Kickoff Paartaaaay

La Shana Tova

Happy new year to all you jews out there. While for most non-jews, it doesn't seem like it should be time to bust out the party hats, the streamers, and the champagne, but for the chosen people, its that time of year. For me, New Year's Eve has never felt like the turning of a new year. Yes, we do have to remember to write the new year on our checks, and i know my birthday will be in a couple of weeks, but there isn't really any change going on. Having the New Year in the fall is a great way to do it, because it is when change really happens. Spring is when things start to grow, winter is when everything is dormant, but fall is where it all begins. Summer has come to a halt, plants start to change colors, and the animals start storing their food for the upcoming months.

School starts, and people can feel the excitement in the air of new experiences and seeing old friends. Not being in school anymore, I don't quite feel like that, but fall for me is always a good time to get in touch with people i haven't talked to for a while. Fall also means raking leaves, which I do not enjoy.

The rabbi at the service I went to this year talked about how we communicate differently than we used to now, through facebook and email. As i sit here writing this, I think about how many people read this, and if it has any impact on them. i try and keep in touch with people, and I know that I could be doing a lot better of a job. My goal is to try harder, and be a more active part of people's lives, and involve them in my own. I have grown very used to my routine, and very secure living in a small town, but at the same time, I dont' want to uninvolve myself from other people, just because I do not see them regularly.

Thank you for reading, and I wish you all a happy and healthy new year.