We're going downstate this weekend for a bachelor and a bachelorette party. The latter is really a misnomer. I'm not sure what the specific qualifications are for a bachelorette party, but I'm pretty sure that having the bride-to-be's Grandpa and Grandma in attendance pretty much disqualifies it.
I'll be attending the bachelor party. Actually, it sounds like we're playing disc golf, having a cook-out, and either watching a baseball game on TV (assuming the Tigers don't lose the next 2 games) or a hockey game in person. To my way of thinking, this means that someone planned a bachelor party without actually talking to the groom-to-be, because I have to assume that no red-blooded American male is gonna okay a bachelor party for himself that does not, in any way, involve strippers. This is, after all, quite possibly the last opportunity for him to view, let's say, assets which do not belong to his bride-to-be.
Being the good friend that I always try to be, I decided to do a little research in order to to formulate a backup plan. (You know, in case he yells "This is a bachelor party! I want assets!")
As
It turns out that there are a couple site that review strip clubs. Also, they do not involve NSFW pictures, which I found interesting. Obviously these are sites for folks with a purely academic interest in strip clubs. (Unfortunately, the names of the sites are NSFW, so I was glad I was doing the research on my wife's laptop sitting in the periodical room at the library. You don't really want sites like "strippers-r-us.com" popping up in your history at work.) Anyway, it turns out that G.R. does, in fact, have a very highly thought of establishment called the Red Barn Adult Theater.
Among its other selling points was one that stood out for me. Since it's illegal in
I think this is great. It's much easier to convince your significant other to allow you (And to all of you guys who are saying to yourselves "I don't need anybody's permission to go anywhere!", you are obviously not married, so shut up.) to visit a strip joint if you tell her that you promise to be very health-conscious while you're there.
Which leads me to a related story.
Years ago, when my buddy Kev was in college, he and a few pals enjoyed a guys-night-out which included visits to multiple bars and a strip joint or two. The next day, while all the guys were feeling a bit under-the-weather, one of the guys looked particularly bad. One of his eyes was swollen half-shut. Since none of the guys really had perfect recollection of the entire evening, they couldn't figure what he'd done do give himself the beginnings of a shiner, but they weren't particularly concerned. However, as the eye got worse over the following couple days, they all convinced him that he should see a doctor.
The diagnosis was a bit, well, icky. It turns out that the gentleman had a pubic louse in his eye. Evidently a product of enjoying too many lap-dances from gals who didn't enjoy showers.
Luckily, I feel confident that kind of thing doesn't happen at clubs with juice bars.
Laterz.
Showing posts with label SA's Family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label SA's Family. Show all posts
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Health-Conscious Strip Joints
Monday, August 21, 2006
May the force (play) be with you.
What do you get when you combine baseball and Star Wars? (Besides the bad pun in this post title...)
Whitecaps baseball on Friday night!
We took Sam to the Whitecaps game on Saturday. (We being S.A. and me, along with Sam's Grammy, Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle Jeff, Aunt Rachel, Cousin Dave, Cousin Holly, and Cousin Joe.)
The game itself was uneventful, but it was Star Wars night at the ball park. Hence the following picture-
Notice how serious he looks. I suppose holding an entire
galaxy under the tyrannical thumb of the Emporer is serious work.
Whitecaps baseball on Friday night!
We took Sam to the Whitecaps game on Saturday. (We being S.A. and me, along with Sam's Grammy, Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle Jeff, Aunt Rachel, Cousin Dave, Cousin Holly, and Cousin Joe.)
The game itself was uneventful, but it was Star Wars night at the ball park. Hence the following picture-
Notice how serious he looks. I suppose holding an entiregalaxy under the tyrannical thumb of the Emporer is serious work.
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
Christmas Thank Yous
First things first-
I, again, must apologize for not writing as often as I ought. I realize that there are a certain group of folks who look forward to reading my blog and, though I question their rather alarming lack of taste in reading material, I still feel an obligation to update most often than I have the past while. Mea culpa.
I also have 1 request to send out.
Laura- If you’re reading this, could you grab my black leather jacket from your Grandpa’s front room if you visit him this week? I left it there when S.A. and I left and I can get it when I see you this weekend. Thanks a ton. (No obligation, I just thought you might be around there during the week.)
That said, today’s blog is pretty much a long thank you letter. It is, by and large, more serious than most of my blogs, so you’ll have to forgive me. If you’re looking for comedy, you should probably check back in tomorrow. I promise I’ll try to get back to normal.
Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, etc. to everyone. I hope next year is as happy and fulfulling for all of you as this one has been for us.
Laterz
I, again, must apologize for not writing as often as I ought. I realize that there are a certain group of folks who look forward to reading my blog and, though I question their rather alarming lack of taste in reading material, I still feel an obligation to update most often than I have the past while. Mea culpa.
I also have 1 request to send out.
Laura- If you’re reading this, could you grab my black leather jacket from your Grandpa’s front room if you visit him this week? I left it there when S.A. and I left and I can get it when I see you this weekend. Thanks a ton. (No obligation, I just thought you might be around there during the week.)
That said, today’s blog is pretty much a long thank you letter. It is, by and large, more serious than most of my blogs, so you’ll have to forgive me. If you’re looking for comedy, you should probably check back in tomorrow. I promise I’ll try to get back to normal.
- An extended and repeated Merry Christmas, Happy Chanuka, etc. to all the Poker Gang. Y’all are the biggest reason that Michigan again feels like home to me for the first time in 10 years.
- Liam- I’m happy to play surrogate dad when the situation dictates. Make sure your family knows, if they start to tease you that your friends feel a need to play that role, that I hope that my son turns out very much like you in many respects.
- Johnny & Adrian- I’m proud of you both. It’s not easy being the adults in a house full of really big kids.
- Skippy – You’re smarter than you let on. Don’t treat that like something about which you should be embarrassed. Keep following your musical dream. You’ve already shown more balls on that front than I was ever able to and I still regret that on a regular basis. DO NOT let day-to-day living take away from that. Corporate America will suck out your soul if you let it.
- Paul, Trav, Susanna, etc. – We love you all.
- Merry Christmas and a large Thank You to Kev. It’s kind of fun to be pushing 30 and to again have a “best friend”. Remember that, for all the jokes we make about your being a geeky, selfish bastard, you have an awful lot to offer. There are very few intelligent, polite, selfless people in the world. That should be a source of confidence for you, not of embarrassment.
- To the Tropic Cove Bowling Team – Thanks guys. This is the most fun I’ve even had with a team in any sport that I wasn’t coaching.
- Frog – You’re good people. You still irritate the piss out of me from time to time, but I can’t wait to watch what a great aunt you’ll be. Remember when I say I think you’re gonna be Aunt Ev that Aunt Ev was ALWAYS my favorite Aunt. I HOPE the Sam thinks you’re just like her.
- Mom & Pop- Thanks for everything this Christmas. Sorry we couldn't go to Church with you, but I think that the extra family time is way more valuable than church anway. As always you spent way too much money on us, but we certainly appreciate it.
- Danno & Sylv- I am incredibly blessed to have 2 sets of parents. Thank you for everything.
- Jeff & Matt - I now know what it would be like to have brothers. Thanks guys.
- Rachel - You've always been Sarah's best friend. Strangely, I'm starting to feel like you one of mine, too. Thanks.
- Joe- When that RoboSapiens learns to play baseball, let me know. Aunt Sarah & I both love you.
- To the entire Hamp Clan- Thanks for making me part of your family even when I know there are certainly times you'd probably like to deposit me in the nearest snowbank.
- Hello, Merry Christmas, and we miss you to the whole Barry Gang. Shawna, Michelle, Jen, Drew, Stev, Kerry, Dr. M, P.J., & J.K. We're stuck here in Michigan without a huge chuck of our family. Hopefully you all can make it to Michigan sometime this year once Sam's born.
- Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and I Love You to S.A. You're my whole world, at least for the next 3 months or so.
Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, etc. to everyone. I hope next year is as happy and fulfulling for all of you as this one has been for us.
Laterz
Thursday, November 10, 2005
MacDanno
I've recently discovered another major difference between men and women. Appreciation of ingenuity.
Examples-
My father-in-law is a neat guy. He's a blacksmith and a wood-worker and is always making all sorts of neat stuff. However, a couple weeks ago, he outdid himself.
We were up at S.A.'s family cabin and one of the Jeeps had a flat tire. As any logical person would do, Danno went to get his air compressor. This occasion was unique, however, because Danno's air compressor is HOME-MADE. He had taken an old propane tank and attached it to an old electric motor and a 50-year-old compressor turbine thingy ("Where does one get a 'compressor turbine thingy'?", you ask. Behind the shed, of course. Duh.) and attached them all to a wooden plank on wheels (for ease in moving). And, voila! A home-made air compressor.
Needless to say, we boys gathered around this magnificent beast expressing our awe at the skill and mental resources that one must posess in order to create such a spectactular example of human inginuity. (And, of course, taking pictures.) Danno was like MacGuyver in Santa's body.
The girls, on the other hand, stood around making jokes about "Daddy's pet compressor" and generally acting embarrassed as he pulled the compressor down the driveway by an attached string.
We boys discussed their indefensible behavior and hoped that it was a one-time occurence. Going unsaid was the common belief that this was not, in all probability, the case.
A few days later, I personally became the victim of this rediculous femine bias against ingenuity.
My wife, who is now about 4 1/2 months pregant, mentioned to me that it was almost time that the baby could begin to hear the sounds of the outside world. S.A. and I have discussed at some length the value in exposing an unborn baby to music while still inthe womb. I've even burned a couple cds specifically for that purpose.
Therefore, I went to get headphones to put on her stomach. Unfortunately, S.A. really hasn't gained any weight yet and, therefore, does not have enough of a tummy to attach the headphones to. However, since my headphone swivel, I figured I could just put them in a flattened position and attach them to her middle.
I ran to my closet and get a belt. I ran the belt through the headphones and ran back to Sarah to strap the headphones on her.
Inexplicably, she pushed me away. My wife, one of the smartest people I know, and also a person who agress with me about the importance of music early in development, would not allow me to strap the headphones around her middle because it looked silly. Now, we were alone in our bedroom. The only person who would see it would be me, and, to be honest, I've already seen her in a compromising position or two. (Remember, I've been present for a number of trans-vaginal ultrasounds.) Even the baby can't see the setup. He/she would only reap the rewards thereof.
But no. S.A. made it very clear to me that she WOULD NOT be wearing the headphones held on by a belt. If I wanted our unborn child to be able to listen to music, I was damn well gonna have to hold the headphones in place myself.
All this drama was over the fact that my setup looked a little bit unique. The brilliance of the invention, that it could be worn around the house or in bed without being concerned that they'd fall off, was completely lost to her.
Sheer silliness.
I'd love to believe that this disregard for ingenuity is unique in women sharing S.A.'s genetic makeup, but somehow I doubt it. It's a little bit depressing.
Laterz
Examples-
My father-in-law is a neat guy. He's a blacksmith and a wood-worker and is always making all sorts of neat stuff. However, a couple weeks ago, he outdid himself.
We were up at S.A.'s family cabin and one of the Jeeps had a flat tire. As any logical person would do, Danno went to get his air compressor. This occasion was unique, however, because Danno's air compressor is HOME-MADE. He had taken an old propane tank and attached it to an old electric motor and a 50-year-old compressor turbine thingy ("Where does one get a 'compressor turbine thingy'?", you ask. Behind the shed, of course. Duh.) and attached them all to a wooden plank on wheels (for ease in moving). And, voila! A home-made air compressor.
Needless to say, we boys gathered around this magnificent beast expressing our awe at the skill and mental resources that one must posess in order to create such a spectactular example of human inginuity. (And, of course, taking pictures.) Danno was like MacGuyver in Santa's body.
The girls, on the other hand, stood around making jokes about "Daddy's pet compressor" and generally acting embarrassed as he pulled the compressor down the driveway by an attached string.
We boys discussed their indefensible behavior and hoped that it was a one-time occurence. Going unsaid was the common belief that this was not, in all probability, the case.
A few days later, I personally became the victim of this rediculous femine bias against ingenuity.
My wife, who is now about 4 1/2 months pregant, mentioned to me that it was almost time that the baby could begin to hear the sounds of the outside world. S.A. and I have discussed at some length the value in exposing an unborn baby to music while still inthe womb. I've even burned a couple cds specifically for that purpose.
Therefore, I went to get headphones to put on her stomach. Unfortunately, S.A. really hasn't gained any weight yet and, therefore, does not have enough of a tummy to attach the headphones to. However, since my headphone swivel, I figured I could just put them in a flattened position and attach them to her middle.
I ran to my closet and get a belt. I ran the belt through the headphones and ran back to Sarah to strap the headphones on her.
Inexplicably, she pushed me away. My wife, one of the smartest people I know, and also a person who agress with me about the importance of music early in development, would not allow me to strap the headphones around her middle because it looked silly. Now, we were alone in our bedroom. The only person who would see it would be me, and, to be honest, I've already seen her in a compromising position or two. (Remember, I've been present for a number of trans-vaginal ultrasounds.) Even the baby can't see the setup. He/she would only reap the rewards thereof.
But no. S.A. made it very clear to me that she WOULD NOT be wearing the headphones held on by a belt. If I wanted our unborn child to be able to listen to music, I was damn well gonna have to hold the headphones in place myself.
All this drama was over the fact that my setup looked a little bit unique. The brilliance of the invention, that it could be worn around the house or in bed without being concerned that they'd fall off, was completely lost to her.
Sheer silliness.
I'd love to believe that this disregard for ingenuity is unique in women sharing S.A.'s genetic makeup, but somehow I doubt it. It's a little bit depressing.
Laterz
Wednesday, October 12, 2005
It's game time!
Just got back from G.R. where we went to the Pissers first pre-season game. It was S.A.'s b-day yesterday, so this was part of her present. We attended to game with her sister Rachel and Rach's husband Jeff. Very enjoyable game, with one very minor exception.
Jeff and Rachel chipped in with us so that we could have very good seats at the game. The seats directly in front of us remained empty throughout the 1st half, but at halftime, a couple decided that those seats looked great and since they weren't being used... So they sat in front of us.
I have no problem with seat jumpers. I've done it myself at many sporting events and I do think that there's no reason to let the seats go to waste. However, I and also not a drunken asshole. This could not be said for the gentleman who sat down directly in front of me. He had so much alcohol in him that he was visibly shaking. This, however, did not prevent him from jumping up and down and screaming about things that didn't draw any reaction from the rest of the crowd. I realized that his behavior was not only irritating me, but making it impossible for S.A. to see any of the action. I decided that I needed to ask the gentleman to sit down.
This, however, required some amount of planning, because most drunks at sporting events are also belligerent, in my experience. The fact that he was obviously with a date made this possibility even more likely. Also, because we were sitting at the front of the upper deck, I was afraid that if he took a swing at me and I ended up punching him, there was a decent chance that, in his obviously balance-impaired state, he would fall over the railing. Regardless of how aggravating he was, I really didn't need to kill him.
S.A., on the other hand decided to do the more mature, if somewhat less cathartic, thing. She stood up walked over to the female usher at the top of the stairs and politely asked her to deal with the idiot in front of us. When the usher asked to see his ticket and saw that his assigned seats were ACROSS THE ARENA, she asked them to get out of her section. Fans around us applauded. The usher walked back over to S.A. and gave her arm a friendly squeeze. They were obviously sister enforcers.
Jeff, who had been pointedly ignoring the moron and concentrating on the game, leaned over and asked me what had happened. I told him that the guy had been convicted of "Drunk in front of S.A."
After that, the game went smoothly. The Pistons won and we both got a decent night's sleep at R&J's. It was a good time and, I think, a very happy birthday for S.A.
Also, just because she sometimes wishes I'd make grand-er gestures in public I offer this-
Happy Birthday S.A.
I Love You!
Laterz.
Monday, August 29, 2005
Yo Ho Ho...
We went to Michigan's Adventure / Whitewater Adventure this weekend. I love water parks and I enjoy a number of amusement park rides, so it was a good day. However, the highlight of the whole experience is an easy call.
Jeff, Matt, and I took my nephew Joe on the pirate ship ride. You know the one; the ship swings side to side so you're looking straight down and then you're straight up and then... Anyway, we've all done it and we all enjoy it and since Joe actually likes roller coasters, we thought he'd probably like the pirate ship.
We climbed on and started the ride but on the second or third ride Joe made a strange yelp at the moment when you start to quickly descend and it feels like you've left your stomach behind. Jeff and I looked at each other thinking that we thought we might have recognized the tone of his yelp and when we swung back up and then descended again, Joe cleared up any doubt for us.
At the moment when everyone else on the ride raised their arms and screamed, Joe grabbed ahold of his "junk" and screamed "The wind's pressing my Wee Wee!". We laughed and figured we might want to mention to him that this probably wasn't an appropriate thing for a 9-year-old to yell on a public ride, but we really didn't worry, because we knew that no-one outside our group had heard him.
All of us were chuckling as the ride came to an end, thinking of how we should check to make sure he wasn't in too much discomfort when he turned around in his seat to face Jeff and I and exclaimed "Let's go AGAIN!!!"
Yet another way that amusement parks rock.
Laterz
Jeff, Matt, and I took my nephew Joe on the pirate ship ride. You know the one; the ship swings side to side so you're looking straight down and then you're straight up and then... Anyway, we've all done it and we all enjoy it and since Joe actually likes roller coasters, we thought he'd probably like the pirate ship.
We climbed on and started the ride but on the second or third ride Joe made a strange yelp at the moment when you start to quickly descend and it feels like you've left your stomach behind. Jeff and I looked at each other thinking that we thought we might have recognized the tone of his yelp and when we swung back up and then descended again, Joe cleared up any doubt for us.
At the moment when everyone else on the ride raised their arms and screamed, Joe grabbed ahold of his "junk" and screamed "The wind's pressing my Wee Wee!". We laughed and figured we might want to mention to him that this probably wasn't an appropriate thing for a 9-year-old to yell on a public ride, but we really didn't worry, because we knew that no-one outside our group had heard him.
All of us were chuckling as the ride came to an end, thinking of how we should check to make sure he wasn't in too much discomfort when he turned around in his seat to face Jeff and I and exclaimed "Let's go AGAIN!!!"
Yet another way that amusement parks rock.
Laterz
Monday, August 22, 2005
You know, I really DO tend to step in it...
This weekend, S.A.'s brother Matt came up to help Tomas and myself to split up sections of a 100-year-old+ white pine that came down in a lightning storm a couple years ago in my folks yard. S.A.'s folks also came up, so my mom, Sylv, and S.A. went baby shopping and Danno helped us with the tree.
If any of you have never had the opportunity to use a hydraulic splitter, get on it. It's quite enjoyable. However, when working with a large pile of wood, especially wood that is extremely ant-infested, be careful of who might be living in said pile.
I picked up (okay, rolled) one of the logs, a good sized specimen, about 18 inches high and at least 30 inches in diameter, as I was pushing it towards the splitter I felt something move under my foot. I, as you might guess, picked my foot up and moved quickly forward, at which point Danno exclaimed, "Watch out!"
I turned around in time to see an obviously unhappy skunk sprinting off into the underbrush. I'm happy to report, to those of you who may have ready S.A.'s earlier report on skunk behavior, that this skunk made no attempt to do a hand-stand, no did it (evidently) try to spray me. It just took off.
I noted to the rest of the guys that, if anyone was going to step on a skunk, it was almost a given that it would be me. No one argued.
Laterz
If any of you have never had the opportunity to use a hydraulic splitter, get on it. It's quite enjoyable. However, when working with a large pile of wood, especially wood that is extremely ant-infested, be careful of who might be living in said pile.
I picked up (okay, rolled) one of the logs, a good sized specimen, about 18 inches high and at least 30 inches in diameter, as I was pushing it towards the splitter I felt something move under my foot. I, as you might guess, picked my foot up and moved quickly forward, at which point Danno exclaimed, "Watch out!"
I turned around in time to see an obviously unhappy skunk sprinting off into the underbrush. I'm happy to report, to those of you who may have ready S.A.'s earlier report on skunk behavior, that this skunk made no attempt to do a hand-stand, no did it (evidently) try to spray me. It just took off.
I noted to the rest of the guys that, if anyone was going to step on a skunk, it was almost a given that it would be me. No one argued.
Laterz
Friday, August 19, 2005
How I Spent My Weekend OR Why Someone Should Invent Edible Radiator Fluid
Last weekend I went down to the In-Laws to work on Danno's Jeep. Well, technically, it's not a Jeep. It's a '42 Ford GPW. It's an original Jeep design form before "Jeeps" actually existed. Very sweet vehicle. However, he has decided that he would like to restore it to its original condition. It's gonna be awesome when it's done, but it has a very long way between here and there. So anyway, I got his permission for Jeff and I to work on it with him.
Let me tell you, the 3 of us combined offer a great deal of interest, a very decent knowledge of Jeep history, and VERY LITTLE mechanical know-how. This is why "Machine Gun Sally" has sat buried under mounds of miscellaneous crap in the garage for the past couple years. Nobody really knew how to get started and everybody was a little afraid to try.
Enter Yours Truly; Big Chief Leap-Before-Looking. No project is too daunting for me to get involved in it. This is largely due to the fact that I refuse to think about how difficult it might be before I get started. I figure the level of difficulty will be readily obvious once I'm into it, but by that time I'll have momentum working for me and I'll be able to push on through. As Danno said to me late Sunday afternoon, the project would never have gotten off the ground without someone like me to push it along. Of course I probably wouldn't have spent as much time spitting stuff up or have had such a horrible headache had we not started it, but hey... More on that later.
On Saturday night, we determined that we needed a 16' by26' space in which to work on the Jeep. Being as the only reasonably workable space was the garage which also had to house the 2 family daily drivers plus all the assorted stuff that always seems to gather in a garage, we decided our first task was to completely clean and reorganize the garage. It only took 4 or 5 hours. Sylvia was SO pleased at how good it looked. I think my willingness to do these projects is the reason she still allows me to come visit.
So Sunday morning, we dug into "Machine Gun Sally". With Danno, Jeff, and I, you have an interesting selection of personalities. Danno is somewhat introverted and he tends to be very hesitant to give orders. Jeff is also pretty quiet, but a little more willing to take control when he sees the need. I, on the other hand, am not at all shy in these situations. I may not know what I'm doing, but if nobody's telling me what to do, I'm darn well gonna do something. Thankfully, seeing that that was the case, both of the other 2 decided it was probably a good idea to give me specific tasks. We accomplished the first few tasks outlined by "All-American Wonder, Vol. 1" and were just getting to emptying the radiator when we were called in for breakfast. Jeff, who has MUCH more automotive experience than I, (and fits a little more comfortably under the Jeep than Danno,) was handling that task and discovered that the butterfly bolt that would unplug the radiator was stripped. He was being very careful not to make a mess because radiator fluid is toxic and we all know stories of pets dying from drinking it. Cuddles may not be my favorite animal in the world, but I don't actually wish her harm, so I, too, felt we should try to be careful. When we were not immediately successful emptying it out, we opted to go have breakfast and approach things later on with a clear mind (and a full belly).
Though Jeff had, thus far, been leading the charge (in his always logical, controlled manner,) both Danno and I finished eating before him and were itching to get back to work. (This was not shocking. Jeff tends to be a bit.. deliberate. Rachel often refers to him as "Grandma" because of his tendency to approach life at a very leisurely pace. I feel this is a bit insensitive, but I must admit, I make a concerted effort to relax when I'm with him, because I know moving at my normal, somewhat frenetic pace will not mesh well with his much more unhurried tempo.) We headed back out to the garage, where I set about removing the plug from the radiator.
I quickly found the right tool for the job and, following Jeff's instructions, opened the plug just a little, hoping for just a small trickle of radiator fluid which I could catch in a coffee can. Unfortunately, I found that radiator fluid doesn't like to trickle. Since the plug was still partially in, it could not exit in a controlled stream, but instead reacted to the plug like water from a garden hose does when you put your thumb over the end- It just all sprays sideways. Resultantly, I was getting very little fluid in the coffee can, but quite a lot elsewhere. Primarily in my hair, on my glasses, in my mouth, up my nose, etc. I, being a scientific genius, realized that if I just removed the plug entirely, the resulting stream would be much easier to catch. Somewhat surprisingly, I was RIGHT. The torrent of radiator fluid spewing from the core streamed happily, if somewhat rapidly, into the waiting coffee can.
It was at this point that I recalled Jeff saying something about needing an extra can so that when one can filled with fluid, the other could be set in place while we carefully disposed of the first. Realizing that my coffee can was filling much faster than Jeff, with his "controlled drip" theory, had probably anticipated, I swiftly set about finding an empty receptacle to put in place when it was needed. As you might guess, I was unsuccessful in finding one. I hastily attempted to replace the plug in the radiator. This resulted in my ingesting quite a bit more radiator fluid, but not in actually replacing the plug. At this point I gave up and watched the can overflow and radiator fluid continue to spew onto the garage floor.
I jumped up and went to get Danno's Shop Vac. I returned just as Jeff was entering the garage with a very contented, post-breakfast, expression. His look turned to one of abject horror when he looked at the area surrounding the Jeep, which now looked like Lake Antifreeze.
"Didn't you hear me say to let it out SLOWLY???" he asked incredulously. "And where is your extra can?"
Without bothering to explain myself, (I learned a long time ago that explanations are often pointless. Especially when you don't have a particularly good one.) I took the top off the shop vac to remove the dust filter. Jeff asked what I was doing and Danno explained that to vacuum up liquid, to remove the filter so it doesn't get ruined. It shocked me that Jeff, who I know owns his own Shop Vac, was not aware of this bit a vacuum protocol, and I honestly felt quite a bit better for a moment. After all, I may not know much (okay, anything) about emptying a radiator, but at lest I know how to operate a shop vac. Of course I stopped feeling superior when I realized that someone like Jeff never spilled, and thus never had to occasion to learn what to do with the dust filter. And moreover, if he did spill, he'd probably take the time to read the manual to decide how best to approach the situation. Sometimes working with smart people can be very humbling.
Anyway, once I finished cleaning up the mess in the garage, I took a minute to go out in back and cough up as much of the radiator fluid as I could. It turns out that it has a somewhat tongue-numbing effect, but other that that, I didn't suffer too many ill-effects from it. It did, however, leave me with a hell of a headache. Also, my next morning "sit-down-job", as my Grandpa would have said, was a little bit glow-in-the-dark. Ah, war stories...
Anyway, we all continued to work, and, by the end of the day, had made significant progress. So I feel a good time was had by all. I can't wait for the next Jeep-work weekend. Maybe I can electrocute myself or run myself over or...
Laterz
Let me tell you, the 3 of us combined offer a great deal of interest, a very decent knowledge of Jeep history, and VERY LITTLE mechanical know-how. This is why "Machine Gun Sally" has sat buried under mounds of miscellaneous crap in the garage for the past couple years. Nobody really knew how to get started and everybody was a little afraid to try.
Enter Yours Truly; Big Chief Leap-Before-Looking. No project is too daunting for me to get involved in it. This is largely due to the fact that I refuse to think about how difficult it might be before I get started. I figure the level of difficulty will be readily obvious once I'm into it, but by that time I'll have momentum working for me and I'll be able to push on through. As Danno said to me late Sunday afternoon, the project would never have gotten off the ground without someone like me to push it along. Of course I probably wouldn't have spent as much time spitting stuff up or have had such a horrible headache had we not started it, but hey... More on that later.
On Saturday night, we determined that we needed a 16' by26' space in which to work on the Jeep. Being as the only reasonably workable space was the garage which also had to house the 2 family daily drivers plus all the assorted stuff that always seems to gather in a garage, we decided our first task was to completely clean and reorganize the garage. It only took 4 or 5 hours. Sylvia was SO pleased at how good it looked. I think my willingness to do these projects is the reason she still allows me to come visit.
So Sunday morning, we dug into "Machine Gun Sally". With Danno, Jeff, and I, you have an interesting selection of personalities. Danno is somewhat introverted and he tends to be very hesitant to give orders. Jeff is also pretty quiet, but a little more willing to take control when he sees the need. I, on the other hand, am not at all shy in these situations. I may not know what I'm doing, but if nobody's telling me what to do, I'm darn well gonna do something. Thankfully, seeing that that was the case, both of the other 2 decided it was probably a good idea to give me specific tasks. We accomplished the first few tasks outlined by "All-American Wonder, Vol. 1" and were just getting to emptying the radiator when we were called in for breakfast. Jeff, who has MUCH more automotive experience than I, (and fits a little more comfortably under the Jeep than Danno,) was handling that task and discovered that the butterfly bolt that would unplug the radiator was stripped. He was being very careful not to make a mess because radiator fluid is toxic and we all know stories of pets dying from drinking it. Cuddles may not be my favorite animal in the world, but I don't actually wish her harm, so I, too, felt we should try to be careful. When we were not immediately successful emptying it out, we opted to go have breakfast and approach things later on with a clear mind (and a full belly).
Though Jeff had, thus far, been leading the charge (in his always logical, controlled manner,) both Danno and I finished eating before him and were itching to get back to work. (This was not shocking. Jeff tends to be a bit.. deliberate. Rachel often refers to him as "Grandma" because of his tendency to approach life at a very leisurely pace. I feel this is a bit insensitive, but I must admit, I make a concerted effort to relax when I'm with him, because I know moving at my normal, somewhat frenetic pace will not mesh well with his much more unhurried tempo.) We headed back out to the garage, where I set about removing the plug from the radiator.
I quickly found the right tool for the job and, following Jeff's instructions, opened the plug just a little, hoping for just a small trickle of radiator fluid which I could catch in a coffee can. Unfortunately, I found that radiator fluid doesn't like to trickle. Since the plug was still partially in, it could not exit in a controlled stream, but instead reacted to the plug like water from a garden hose does when you put your thumb over the end- It just all sprays sideways. Resultantly, I was getting very little fluid in the coffee can, but quite a lot elsewhere. Primarily in my hair, on my glasses, in my mouth, up my nose, etc. I, being a scientific genius, realized that if I just removed the plug entirely, the resulting stream would be much easier to catch. Somewhat surprisingly, I was RIGHT. The torrent of radiator fluid spewing from the core streamed happily, if somewhat rapidly, into the waiting coffee can.
It was at this point that I recalled Jeff saying something about needing an extra can so that when one can filled with fluid, the other could be set in place while we carefully disposed of the first. Realizing that my coffee can was filling much faster than Jeff, with his "controlled drip" theory, had probably anticipated, I swiftly set about finding an empty receptacle to put in place when it was needed. As you might guess, I was unsuccessful in finding one. I hastily attempted to replace the plug in the radiator. This resulted in my ingesting quite a bit more radiator fluid, but not in actually replacing the plug. At this point I gave up and watched the can overflow and radiator fluid continue to spew onto the garage floor.
I jumped up and went to get Danno's Shop Vac. I returned just as Jeff was entering the garage with a very contented, post-breakfast, expression. His look turned to one of abject horror when he looked at the area surrounding the Jeep, which now looked like Lake Antifreeze.
"Didn't you hear me say to let it out SLOWLY???" he asked incredulously. "And where is your extra can?"
Without bothering to explain myself, (I learned a long time ago that explanations are often pointless. Especially when you don't have a particularly good one.) I took the top off the shop vac to remove the dust filter. Jeff asked what I was doing and Danno explained that to vacuum up liquid, to remove the filter so it doesn't get ruined. It shocked me that Jeff, who I know owns his own Shop Vac, was not aware of this bit a vacuum protocol, and I honestly felt quite a bit better for a moment. After all, I may not know much (okay, anything) about emptying a radiator, but at lest I know how to operate a shop vac. Of course I stopped feeling superior when I realized that someone like Jeff never spilled, and thus never had to occasion to learn what to do with the dust filter. And moreover, if he did spill, he'd probably take the time to read the manual to decide how best to approach the situation. Sometimes working with smart people can be very humbling.
Anyway, once I finished cleaning up the mess in the garage, I took a minute to go out in back and cough up as much of the radiator fluid as I could. It turns out that it has a somewhat tongue-numbing effect, but other that that, I didn't suffer too many ill-effects from it. It did, however, leave me with a hell of a headache. Also, my next morning "sit-down-job", as my Grandpa would have said, was a little bit glow-in-the-dark. Ah, war stories...
Anyway, we all continued to work, and, by the end of the day, had made significant progress. So I feel a good time was had by all. I can't wait for the next Jeep-work weekend. Maybe I can electrocute myself or run myself over or...
Laterz
Thursday, August 18, 2005
Open mouth, Insert foot.
I'm starting to feel a little like Harriet the Spy. And it looks the the world has gotten ahold of my notebook.
Someone near and dear to me has pointed out that in my amusing little anecdotes, I seldom paint flattering pictures of any of the participants. Though I attempt not to use proper names, the characters generally know who I'm talking about when I write. That's intentional. I certainly don't want anyone to think I'm talking behind their back. Also, all the characterizations are meant to be humorous and in no way do they are they meant to give any sort of complete or even accurate description of a person. Unfortunately, I sometimes (okay, normally) forget that most people don't appreciate being referred to as a "roommate/squatter" regardless of how humorous the line might seem to me. For that reason, let me give you a little background on, and a slightly more complete picture of, the people who sometimes show up in my blog entries.
"Spike"- That's me. I'm a tech trainer in the great white north. I love my job. Especially because it took me 7 months of being home, unemployed, to find it. I found out last Christmas that it doesn't matter how good you are at your job, nor does it matter if you're right. When you have a serious throwdown with the owner's sister-in-law, you don't generally keep your job for long. I'm opinionated, a little arrogant, and sometimes kind of an ass. I'm also crazy loyal, which is important because I have to be able to survive the times when the people I love are pissed at me, and not let it effect the relationship after they cool off. Also, I have a nasty habit of speaking before I think, hence this blog entry.
"S.A."- My wife. The greatest thing ever to happen to me. Smart, Funny, Beautiful (even if she doesn't think so), and totally willing and able to put me in my place. She's a great writer. Sometimes, I think she serves as my conscience. OFTEN, I think she serves as my brain.
The Families-
My Folks- Sometimes referred to as "Tomas” and Cathy. They “raised me from a pup.” If I seem like an ass, blame them. My dad once mentioned that when I was a kid they really tried to teach be to be independent and not to overly concern myself with what other people thought. He now figures maybe they tried too hard.
“Frog” – My younger sister. We probably have the best relationship now that we’ve ever had. She lives 5 hours away. That probably doesn’t hurt. She’s a good kid. She teaches special ed and spends pretty much every waking moment helping people with disabilities.
The In-Laws- “Danno & Sylv” or “Grammy & Grampy” (That’s what our nephew calls them and what our kids will call them.) I have awesome in-laws. Danno is now letting me work on his highly collectible ’42 Ford GPW. I have ZERO mechanical expertise, but luckily there are a couple other people working with me to say “STOP!!!!” when necessary. Sylv continues to like me even though I make her life miserable by opening my mouth when I shouldn’t.
Rachel & Jeff- Sarah’s sister and her husband. Rach is S.A.’s best friend. Jeff is one of mine. He often serves as both my partner in crime and my voice of reason.
Matt & Joe- Sarah’s Brother and his son. Joe is my favorite nephew. Matt’s kind of a guy’s guy. Definitely the one to call when you’ve got stuff to move. (Unless you’re easily embarrassed by someone who works 3 times as hard as you do.)
Our friends-
The Barry Crew-
“Drew” (also known as “Andrew Andrew”)- Author of the “Blog at the End of the Universe”. My best friend from college, the best man at my wedding, and an all-around wonderful guy. Also a really big geek. This is demonstrated by the fact that he actually has a career and that he just got his MBS. Damn motivated people…
“Mr. Steve”- Also a collage buddy. Has taken a career path similar to my own. Largely consisting of “Gee, this job sucks. Next!” Repeat.
SJP, Michelle, Jen L. – All my best female friends from school. Not only my friends, but they all adopted S.A. when she was living in Florida and helped her through the whole home-sick thing. All have strangely morphed into adults since I left.
Friends from Home-
Liam- Previously referred to as “Uncle Liam”, “our squatter/roommate”, and “slightly balding”. The biggest reason I thought I should write this entry. Liam lived with us for a few months because he needed a place to stay and we had extra space. I referred to him as a squatter because he did not pay regular rent while he was with us. Of course, the reason he didn’t pay rent is because I told him not to. He was the best roommate I’ve ever had. Always conscientious, not too messy, and didn’t each much of my food. Also, he prefers “thinning” to “balding”, so there you go.
Kev- My golf partner. Probably my best friend up here. Confirmed bachelor. Business owner. Has a long track record of dating skeezy waitresses. (If you are a waitress and have dated or is dating him now, I’m sure YOU’re not one of the skeezy ones, so don’t worry.) Has made it very clear to me that, regardless of how big a geek he might seem, he never went to band camp. He was too busy going to computer camp. And to Star Trek conventions. And playing Dungeons & Dragons. Hard to believe he’s still single, huh?
My Blockbuster Kids and Assorted Associates- I was a store manager for 2 Blockbuster Video stores in Northern Michigan. That’s right, I got canned by Blockbuster. Now I’m very glad, but it was a hell of a kick to the ego at the time. The best part of the whole deal is that I got to keep all the kids who worked for me. John, Trav, and Lauren all walked out the day I got fired. Now that’s loyalty. Lauren finally got another crap job 8 months later. Trav was a little luckier and only took about 4 months. John started his own business, so he didn’t have to look for work for quite so long. Now they all live (officially or otherwise) with Liam, Adrian (Johnny’s girlfriend), Paul (a school chum), and Scott. Collectively to coolest group of young people I’ve ever met. When I compare myself as a teen to this group, it does not make me feel good about myself.
“Skippy”- He works for Kev at his store. He also plays in a band. Walking evidence how music makes you attractive. At least that’s all I can figure, because his girlfriends are always out of his league by any reasonable measure.
Tim- The last member of the poker group. Skippy’s uncle and a truly great guy. He’s been a vegetarian for 20 years, does yoga, and generally makes me feel like a kid. It’s truly a shame that he has no kids because he’s one of the world’s greatest role models.
I.L. Friends-
Nate- My best buddy. Only person I know who’s more loyal than I am. Fellow Tigers nut. Now a married massage-therapist in Chicago.
Adam- Also known as “Bud”. One of my best friends since we were 3 years old. One of very few people I’ve ever met who I knew was, without a shadow of a doubt, smarter than I was. But that’s okay because I’m taller. Now an electrical engineer in NY; he does some sort of sub-contracted communications work for the military that I fail to understand regardless of the fact that he explains it to me every time he sees me.
Jen R.- Now Jen G. since she’s married. My other best friend. Now a Special Ed teacher in Indiana. Sometimes calls me “Ramjet” and Adam “Tiger”. Not really sure why. Married a great guy who we love but who unfortunately lives in Indiana, so we don’t see them nearly often enough.
The Best of the Rest-
Amy- S.A.’s cousin and author of “Floyd’s Hardware”. Mother of 2 great kids, who I have attempted to kidnap on many occasions, but have yet to be completely successful. Now the soon-to-be step-mom to 3 more kids. All of whom also seem to be quite cool. I used to think she was a bigger klutz than even I am, but changed my mind when I watched her on a jet ski.
Laura & Ryan- Laura’s Amy’s younger sister and has always been one of S.A.’s best friends. They had a little falling out a while back, (Probably my fault. I find that most things are.) but now seem to be back to normal. A very good thing because most of all S.A. needs more female friends. Ryan’s her husband of a couple years. (Thanks for straightening me out, Amy.) Very decent guy. They have a 6-month-old daughter who’s the coolest.
Dave (A.K.A. “Fire Marshall Dave”) & Holly- Laura & Amy’s kid brother. Sort of the family cut-up and ring-leader. Has a degree in fire science. Worked as a Private Investigator until he quit, out of loyalty to a co-worker. He is now finding out that loyalty can seriously bite you in the ass. Holly’s his wife and is, amazingly enough, as goofy as he is. When I tell stories about doing less-than-advisable things with S.A.’s family, Jeff and Dave are usually involved, too.
Anyway, I think that’s just about everybody. Hopefully, a little background will help shed more light on folks. I am very obviously blessed with some amazing friends and it’s probably important that I say that every so often. Especially so I can continue to tell embarrassing stories about them.
Laterz
Someone near and dear to me has pointed out that in my amusing little anecdotes, I seldom paint flattering pictures of any of the participants. Though I attempt not to use proper names, the characters generally know who I'm talking about when I write. That's intentional. I certainly don't want anyone to think I'm talking behind their back. Also, all the characterizations are meant to be humorous and in no way do they are they meant to give any sort of complete or even accurate description of a person. Unfortunately, I sometimes (okay, normally) forget that most people don't appreciate being referred to as a "roommate/squatter" regardless of how humorous the line might seem to me. For that reason, let me give you a little background on, and a slightly more complete picture of, the people who sometimes show up in my blog entries.
"Spike"- That's me. I'm a tech trainer in the great white north. I love my job. Especially because it took me 7 months of being home, unemployed, to find it. I found out last Christmas that it doesn't matter how good you are at your job, nor does it matter if you're right. When you have a serious throwdown with the owner's sister-in-law, you don't generally keep your job for long. I'm opinionated, a little arrogant, and sometimes kind of an ass. I'm also crazy loyal, which is important because I have to be able to survive the times when the people I love are pissed at me, and not let it effect the relationship after they cool off. Also, I have a nasty habit of speaking before I think, hence this blog entry.
"S.A."- My wife. The greatest thing ever to happen to me. Smart, Funny, Beautiful (even if she doesn't think so), and totally willing and able to put me in my place. She's a great writer. Sometimes, I think she serves as my conscience. OFTEN, I think she serves as my brain.
The Families-
My Folks- Sometimes referred to as "Tomas” and Cathy. They “raised me from a pup.” If I seem like an ass, blame them. My dad once mentioned that when I was a kid they really tried to teach be to be independent and not to overly concern myself with what other people thought. He now figures maybe they tried too hard.
“Frog” – My younger sister. We probably have the best relationship now that we’ve ever had. She lives 5 hours away. That probably doesn’t hurt. She’s a good kid. She teaches special ed and spends pretty much every waking moment helping people with disabilities.
The In-Laws- “Danno & Sylv” or “Grammy & Grampy” (That’s what our nephew calls them and what our kids will call them.) I have awesome in-laws. Danno is now letting me work on his highly collectible ’42 Ford GPW. I have ZERO mechanical expertise, but luckily there are a couple other people working with me to say “STOP!!!!” when necessary. Sylv continues to like me even though I make her life miserable by opening my mouth when I shouldn’t.
Rachel & Jeff- Sarah’s sister and her husband. Rach is S.A.’s best friend. Jeff is one of mine. He often serves as both my partner in crime and my voice of reason.
Matt & Joe- Sarah’s Brother and his son. Joe is my favorite nephew. Matt’s kind of a guy’s guy. Definitely the one to call when you’ve got stuff to move. (Unless you’re easily embarrassed by someone who works 3 times as hard as you do.)
Our friends-
The Barry Crew-
“Drew” (also known as “Andrew Andrew”)- Author of the “Blog at the End of the Universe”. My best friend from college, the best man at my wedding, and an all-around wonderful guy. Also a really big geek. This is demonstrated by the fact that he actually has a career and that he just got his MBS. Damn motivated people…
“Mr. Steve”- Also a collage buddy. Has taken a career path similar to my own. Largely consisting of “Gee, this job sucks. Next!” Repeat.
SJP, Michelle, Jen L. – All my best female friends from school. Not only my friends, but they all adopted S.A. when she was living in Florida and helped her through the whole home-sick thing. All have strangely morphed into adults since I left.
Friends from Home-
Liam- Previously referred to as “Uncle Liam”, “our squatter/roommate”, and “slightly balding”. The biggest reason I thought I should write this entry. Liam lived with us for a few months because he needed a place to stay and we had extra space. I referred to him as a squatter because he did not pay regular rent while he was with us. Of course, the reason he didn’t pay rent is because I told him not to. He was the best roommate I’ve ever had. Always conscientious, not too messy, and didn’t each much of my food. Also, he prefers “thinning” to “balding”, so there you go.
Kev- My golf partner. Probably my best friend up here. Confirmed bachelor. Business owner. Has a long track record of dating skeezy waitresses. (If you are a waitress and have dated or is dating him now, I’m sure YOU’re not one of the skeezy ones, so don’t worry.) Has made it very clear to me that, regardless of how big a geek he might seem, he never went to band camp. He was too busy going to computer camp. And to Star Trek conventions. And playing Dungeons & Dragons. Hard to believe he’s still single, huh?
My Blockbuster Kids and Assorted Associates- I was a store manager for 2 Blockbuster Video stores in Northern Michigan. That’s right, I got canned by Blockbuster. Now I’m very glad, but it was a hell of a kick to the ego at the time. The best part of the whole deal is that I got to keep all the kids who worked for me. John, Trav, and Lauren all walked out the day I got fired. Now that’s loyalty. Lauren finally got another crap job 8 months later. Trav was a little luckier and only took about 4 months. John started his own business, so he didn’t have to look for work for quite so long. Now they all live (officially or otherwise) with Liam, Adrian (Johnny’s girlfriend), Paul (a school chum), and Scott. Collectively to coolest group of young people I’ve ever met. When I compare myself as a teen to this group, it does not make me feel good about myself.
“Skippy”- He works for Kev at his store. He also plays in a band. Walking evidence how music makes you attractive. At least that’s all I can figure, because his girlfriends are always out of his league by any reasonable measure.
Tim- The last member of the poker group. Skippy’s uncle and a truly great guy. He’s been a vegetarian for 20 years, does yoga, and generally makes me feel like a kid. It’s truly a shame that he has no kids because he’s one of the world’s greatest role models.
I.L. Friends-
Nate- My best buddy. Only person I know who’s more loyal than I am. Fellow Tigers nut. Now a married massage-therapist in Chicago.
Adam- Also known as “Bud”. One of my best friends since we were 3 years old. One of very few people I’ve ever met who I knew was, without a shadow of a doubt, smarter than I was. But that’s okay because I’m taller. Now an electrical engineer in NY; he does some sort of sub-contracted communications work for the military that I fail to understand regardless of the fact that he explains it to me every time he sees me.
Jen R.- Now Jen G. since she’s married. My other best friend. Now a Special Ed teacher in Indiana. Sometimes calls me “Ramjet” and Adam “Tiger”. Not really sure why. Married a great guy who we love but who unfortunately lives in Indiana, so we don’t see them nearly often enough.
The Best of the Rest-
Amy- S.A.’s cousin and author of “Floyd’s Hardware”. Mother of 2 great kids, who I have attempted to kidnap on many occasions, but have yet to be completely successful. Now the soon-to-be step-mom to 3 more kids. All of whom also seem to be quite cool. I used to think she was a bigger klutz than even I am, but changed my mind when I watched her on a jet ski.
Laura & Ryan- Laura’s Amy’s younger sister and has always been one of S.A.’s best friends. They had a little falling out a while back, (Probably my fault. I find that most things are.) but now seem to be back to normal. A very good thing because most of all S.A. needs more female friends. Ryan’s her husband of a couple years. (Thanks for straightening me out, Amy.) Very decent guy. They have a 6-month-old daughter who’s the coolest.
Dave (A.K.A. “Fire Marshall Dave”) & Holly- Laura & Amy’s kid brother. Sort of the family cut-up and ring-leader. Has a degree in fire science. Worked as a Private Investigator until he quit, out of loyalty to a co-worker. He is now finding out that loyalty can seriously bite you in the ass. Holly’s his wife and is, amazingly enough, as goofy as he is. When I tell stories about doing less-than-advisable things with S.A.’s family, Jeff and Dave are usually involved, too.
Anyway, I think that’s just about everybody. Hopefully, a little background will help shed more light on folks. I am very obviously blessed with some amazing friends and it’s probably important that I say that every so often. Especially so I can continue to tell embarrassing stories about them.
Laterz
Tuesday, August 09, 2005
Spelunking and Asia (Not to be confused with Spelunking IN Asia...)
I noticed another interesting thing this morning. I have more readers in Central Asia than I do in the entire Mountain Time Zone. This concerns me. First, I'm pretty sure that people in places like Montana and Utah could stand to hear a little more from me becuase, as I recall, they all voted for the our beloved Moron-In-Chief. Also, I wonder a great deal what folks in Central Asia think about my blog. I don't know all that much about Asia, (mostly, just what I saw on Long Way Round,) but I'm guessing they think I have way too much spare time. Which is probably true. However, I don't know what they're thinking because nobody's left a comment yet. Yet another way in which I feel unloved... Anyway, I guess y'all probably don't care, but now you know anyway.
On a completely unrelated note, I went spelunking this weekend. It was U.P. spelunking, so it wasn't exactly dangerous or spectacular, but is was in the middle of the night and it followed a long evening of drinking, so it was very enjoyable just the same. Dave, Jeff, Rach, and I put on our head lamps and went down to get extremely cold and wet. It turns out that caves, with foot-deep water in them, and no possibility of passage without a significant amount of submersion in just-over-freezing water, have a very sobering effect. Also, you wake up quickly because you don't want to continue sticking your hands in 6-inch-deep piles of bat guano. Jeff noted that he'd never seen bats flying around anyone's knees before. It is also worth noting that when a drunken, out-of-work, private investigator tells you that there's a great underground waterfall, and it's worth the struggle to get there becuase of the grandeur of the scene, it's probably not. Underground waterfalls in the U.P. usually resemble a garden hose pouring off a rock. Kind of neat, but not especially grand. Anyway, it was great fun and I thought I should pass along the message to all you adventure seekers out there there are great opportunities for danger and excitement underground in the eastern U.P. As long as you don't mind bat poop.
Laterz
On a completely unrelated note, I went spelunking this weekend. It was U.P. spelunking, so it wasn't exactly dangerous or spectacular, but is was in the middle of the night and it followed a long evening of drinking, so it was very enjoyable just the same. Dave, Jeff, Rach, and I put on our head lamps and went down to get extremely cold and wet. It turns out that caves, with foot-deep water in them, and no possibility of passage without a significant amount of submersion in just-over-freezing water, have a very sobering effect. Also, you wake up quickly because you don't want to continue sticking your hands in 6-inch-deep piles of bat guano. Jeff noted that he'd never seen bats flying around anyone's knees before. It is also worth noting that when a drunken, out-of-work, private investigator tells you that there's a great underground waterfall, and it's worth the struggle to get there becuase of the grandeur of the scene, it's probably not. Underground waterfalls in the U.P. usually resemble a garden hose pouring off a rock. Kind of neat, but not especially grand. Anyway, it was great fun and I thought I should pass along the message to all you adventure seekers out there there are great opportunities for danger and excitement underground in the eastern U.P. As long as you don't mind bat poop.
Laterz
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