zombie pumpkin infestation

We have successfully created the ultimate zombie pumpkin.
Unfortunately it is 2 weeks too early.

perich brothers and sister
and zombie pumpkin + offspring

Unbelievably this pumpkin has lasted 51 weeks!
A record I'm sure.
It could have made it to Halloween,
but the rains last week were the last straw.

zombie pumpkin

We are big fans of the "Walking Dead" show,
and this is way more realistic.
One of the things that bugs me about zombie shows,
is they lack the reality of the human anatomy or digestive system.
If these zombies were so bent on eating the living,
then they would also have a steady poop stream.
None of the zombies ever have poop-stained pants!
What gives!
Also there fingers would be ground down to the bone.

As you can see,
this pumpkin has fermented from the bottom up,
like it should.



This would be a good background song for a hack away scene...

holey chit!

What more is there to say,
but so long old friend.
It's been great,
just great.

TP

pumpkin olympics

We have a winner!

and then there was one...

In a race against time,
one pumpkin remains.

Can you believe this one has lasted 10 months!?
This one may have itself 2 halloweens to celebrate.

the winner

Now the kids are fighting over who had the winning pumpkin.
Next year we'll mark them!
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


Rolling Stones - Midnight Rambler
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

TP

the great pumpkins

Our house is easy to find.
We just say,
look for the house with the pumpkins on the porch,
even though it's May.

the great pumpkins

Somehow these have lasted since Halloween,
almost 7 months.
The bottom one is gonna blow out any day now,
its getting a little jiggly.
The top 2 may have another month.
Definitely a record!

TP

Economics 101

Not much gets your head back in the game like playing poker with a bunch of strangers.
Seriously.
Poker teaches how to navigate through the sea of sharks and bait.
It's like Economics 101.

After that nighter swimstep job I posted about a couple weeks ago,

my body was aching for a rest.

The last thing I wanted to do was work on car projects or even tinker.

I couldn't just sit around though,

the perfect time to play.

fichas

It had been a while since I've had time to go to a local card room, 

the Village Club  in Chula Vista.

I started with the old man game "Omaha Hi-Lo".

It's a tough game to make chips at,

as the pot is usually split into the best low hand and the best high hand.

Also cause it's usually a bunch of retired guys who don't give up their money easily.

I mean,

they made it well enough to be able to retire, 

which says something!

Anyway I did double up but it took a couple hours,

and I shoulda left a bit earlier as I started playing a little sloppy with the extra chips.

(if you know any poker players - you'll know there's lotsa shoulda have's)

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Grateful Dead - Loser
one of their better slow songs...





Cool live video version... 1977






Cool live "sweet susie"  version - 1971

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

After being hypnotized by the pace of the 4 card game,

I moved over to the low level no-limit game.

It was like swimming in a pool to swimming in the surf.

Fortunately I didn't give up any chips,

but I did let go of one good hand I should have played ;)

This was almost 2 weeks ago,

and it really did help get my mind a little sharper.

After this I went on my craigslist flipping frenzy.

It's strange how you can morph the poker techniques into simple business transactions.

I'm telling ya,

sharks and bait.

TP

the walking dead

A little filler here,
get you guys ready for the Halloween season.

bicycle girl - the walking dead

Since we don't have cable,
I'm a little out of touch with some parts of the media.
However,
we do still have Netflix,
and on a whim I put this show on our queue.

Holy Chit.

If you haven't seen this show yet,
go and rent the 2 DVD season.
Well worth your time.

I like zombie flicks,
and what can top it but a zombie series.
The guys doing the effects and sets for this show must have some fun.

Even the music is creepy and original.
Bear McCreary – Official site
It's the same guy that did the Battlestar Galactica series,
which I thought was cool too.





I wondered what happened to the dude from "boondock saints"!


Anyway,
catch up on the show,
cause the 2nd year season premier is this sunday.
Its on the AMC channel,
the same guys that did "Breaking Bad",
another crazy show that you should watch.

And we don't have cable.

Holy Chit.

TP

happy valentine's day

I consider myself lucky to meet a girl,
get married,
and have 3 kids.

Dani & Macey

Dani was 20 when I met her!

younger dani

Wow, if she only knew what was in store for her back then -
Probably not the ride she expected!

zap's portrait '07

She gets to deal first-hand with the stuff you guys read on here!

I should have started this long ago,
there have been some crazy times, that's for sure.

zap portrait II '07

If any of you get a chance to find someone to trust and love,
than I say go for it.
The high's are higher and the lows are softer!

Happy Valentine's Day...

TP

coffee, tea, soda pop, pee.

I'm struggling.
A couple weeks ago I realized how much coffee I was drinking.
When the daylight savings time stops and it gets colder,
I'll usually drink way more.
Normally I'll try to go cold turkey one day out of the week,
deal with the headache,
just to keep my tolerance down, but I haven't.
It's worse when you actually feel sleepy after drinking a cup or two,
than after the 4th cup you feel like busting out of your skin!

Another issue is we have the kids preparing the coffee maker,
and holy moly some of it comes out so strong, so good though,
but is it good when you take a leak and it smells like coffee?

So I decided to quit.
Tomorrow it will be 2 weeks.
Am I proud?
I can't say,
as all that's happened is I've replaced it with hot tea, Arizona Green Tea & Dr. Pepper, Snickers...
What is better?
At least I'm not into those energy drinks.

My production level is also for shit,
I can do a normal day fine,
but  by 8pm I'm burnt, instead of working into the 2am "sweet spot".

shades of brown

This is what I get to wake up to.
The dark richness of a home brewed pot of coffee.
For my wife,
who leaves half the pot just in case I'm gonna crack.
vs
a tasteless dishwater Tea.

Yesterday I was about as close to cracking ever.
The craving, the need was so strong.
It will be tough today,
I just want to do 2 weeks and start up again.
Whoever says coffee is not a drug...




I'm living the first 2 minutes of this Bob Marley song!
;)

TP

mush III - what the fork!?

This is a story about as exciting as I feel today.
Right when I think some momentum is underway I get that schoolyard cold that happens when you're a dad.
No problem, I'm a firm believer in 'over the counter' drugs and some generic dayquil will do the trick.

Anyway this post is quite personal,
reaching back probably to my single digit years.

awesome forks?

What could be so special about a couple of forks you ask.
Well that top brass-like fork i've been using since probably 3rd grade.
It is the last fork from the family set left.
(There is also one tablespoon and a teaspoon left, equally cool but not as notable today,
and a bunch of knives which are rarely used, you'll see why...)

Anyway,
I've dragged this fork around with me over the years to 9 different houses and 3 different shops.
I learned that it was easier for me to have the minimum amount of dishes early on,
otherwise they pile up and doing the dishes becomes an event instead of a quick chore.
Hey I lived in the back of a kayak shop for almost 10 years!

My brother Trevor was surprised that I still had that old fork,
and was even more surprised when he realized it was more than a fork -
a forknife.

forknife

Wow.
Incredible, you're thinking.
This tool eliminates the need for a knife in the majority of meals.
I filed this down in '94 or '95 and it totally changed my eating technique.
It is in our utensil drawer right now!

Weren't we surprised when someone ran with the idea and made an almost disposable version!

new and old forknives

If I had known this was a marketable tool I could have patented it,
 gone to china with my trusty forknife, gotten a military or walmart contract,
and retired to homes around the world, or just a nice shop!
I would have called the business something other than "light my fire", but whatever.

Before you think I'm crazy,
go out and find a good candidate to make you're own forknife,
you will be converted.

TP

mush II - angry birds

We succeeded mostly with this...

hey, we don't have cable anyway.

But this is probably in the top 5 reasons to kill your cellphone...

I'll admit to being the one of 20 million that wasted precious time playing this game.

Thanks Finland.

RED RAM!

TP

mush I - tanks and popcorn

You know when you work til 3 in the morning,
and you wake up feeling like you're sludging through quicksand,
your head and hands are like mush.
Well that happens a couple times a week,
its how I get things done.

So fortunately last week was out at fry's,
and found the perfect bargain bin movie for $5 -The Game.
Perfect for a slow morning like this.

(Stupid trailer but all I could find.)

I like long movies if the rides good,

and this one is entertaining enough.

The reason why I'm posting this though is there was a trippy coincidence,

the dudes birthday happens to be October 12th,

so the movie takes place right about this time of year.

Hey, this is what happens to me when my brains on standby!

Anyway if you have 2 hours to kill its worth a rental.

At least now Chief's tank has baffles...

and a trick non-clogging fuel outlet...

Bummer to lose the old stickers though,

but Luke aka pigpen aka watertower wizard said he has some teak,

which is code for something good, I think.

This is what baffles and fuel funnels are for.

Shot taken by the Luke, the Watertower Wizard a while back.

http://mucasclown.blogspot.com/

I think he should be a photographer. Really.

Anyway thanks for checkin in.

TP