Zombie Walk

Last year, Robin, Evan, Scott and your truly participated in the Portland Zombie Walk. However, it wasn't the first zombie walk ever. Living in Canada, people tend to get very bored and very cold. Their frost-bitten malaise needed a remedy and the only way the Kanuks figured it could be done was by braving the -20C weather and going on a walk dressed like zombies. Crazy though they are, those friendly neighbors to the north struck gold with that idea, eh?

Anyway. The 2006 zombie walk had an admirable turnout. I would say approximately 200 people showed up. We meandered through downtown Portland, the highlight being our walk up and down escalators in the Pioneer Place mall - a shopping center that takes itself very seriously. Shop keepers and their snobby patrons didn't know what to make of us, so they immediately whipped out their Motorola RAZRs and called their friends like, "OMG. WTF OMG WTF zombies LMAO WTF OMG."

This year was a spectacle. Eight of us showed up in Pioneer Square about 30 minutes early. Looking around, we saw small lumps of people dressed as zombies, but certainly nowhere near last year's numbers. Not that it mattered, but I silently hoped more zombies would show up. And then they did.

Ten minutes until 6:00 and dozens of zombies started filling Pioneer Square. More and more kept coming until all in all, I would estimate there were at least 500 zombies. There were zombie families, zombie dogs, zombie killers, zombie brides, zombie babies and zombie musicians. There wasn't one kind of zombie missed. My favorite part of the zombie walk, aside from all the people gawking at us lumbering down SW Yamhill, was a man dressed in plain clothes. He held out a stick and at the end tied to a string was a human brain, covered in fake blood. Occasionally, he would wave the stick over a pack of zombies, drawing the inevitable arm reaches and, "BRAAAAAAIIIIINNNNSSSS!!!", from all who were within twenty feet. I almost laughed until I cried.

The plan was to enter Pioneer Place mall once again. A rush of excitement poured over me as we approached the entrance, only to find that this year, they anticipated our arrival and locked the doors. I'm not kidding - they were telling "real" patrons to go to the other side. We could only let them know of our disapproval as zombies would, so we pounded on the doors and shouted, "BRAAAAIIINNSSS!", to those patrons gathered inside.

People played along nicely, too. Some went so far as to jump on the top of their cars and shake purses, cell phones and anything else they could find which could ward off a zombie attack. If it were a real zombie emergency, I'm happy to say that they would have been turned into zombies. We were a force of unnatural nature.

The walk continued on until we reached Burnside, at which time the eight of us decided to call it a day. Zombies get tired, after all.

See? Designers Can Be Profound, Too.

"People who say that yesterday was better than today are ultimately devaluing their own existence."-Karl Lagerfeld

Things

In an uncharacteristic move, I will present a few things below in numbered, statement form. I shall refrain from narrative. Probably.

1. Fall is officially here and I'm freezing. It's gorgeous outside but freezing.

2. I've been working out five days a week for 4 weeks now. Results have been positive and sexy.

3. I don't like training for a database only 2% of which has any bearing on my actual job. Also: grizzled old secretary ladies in training sessions with me can suck someone else's balls.

4. The plants I purchased for my office are doing well. Percival Two is the happiest of the three.

5. I just finished Book 6 in the Harry Potter series. I am not afraid to admit I'm addicted though I will not be seeking personal or professional help.

6. I'm participating, with many friends, in a zombie walk this weekend. I love Portland.

7. Eating sushi makes me a happier person. No seriously, I think I would probably have killed most of you by now if it weren't for the occasional euphoria sushi brings me.

8. I'm really over people using the word "literally" incorrectly. I literally go insane when people use it just to emphasize their stupid point.

9. The new pair of Lucky Jeans purchased from Costco the past weekend have made me happy. The crotch hole in my older pair of jeans was getting absurdly large.

10. We watched Down With Love last night. Ewan McGregor is hott with an extra t. Renee Zelwegger misplaced her boobs somewhere.

11. I like making up songs for our kitty. They are spontaneous and cannot be forcibly repeated. Please do not request to hear one.

12. The piano given to me by Sami's parents has been practiced upon quite a bit. I'm very excited to have a piano again.

13. When unexpected, sudden loud noises cause my heart to race, my body to jump and my face to flush. I am most likely the only one who receives these symptoms.

14. Sometimes I like to make up abilities I don't have so I can scare people. Like when I told a seven year old that if he didn't stop crying I would burn down his house with my mind.

15. I resisted the temptation to buy chocolate the other day. It was a poor decision.

16. I read somewhere that drinking wine increases your IQ probably by a lot.

17. I will be going to the coast in a couple of weeks for a visit to the cabin. Friends will come and we will laugh about things and have a deathmatch.

18. I only want to eat delicious food forever now. Becoming a PC family has whetted my appetite such that bland, poorly cooked foods are no longer of interest to me. Unless I'm drunk and the food in question is Taco Bell.

19. One time, long ago, people didn't have toilets. They had chamberpots. People used to be so stupid.

20. If you made it this far, good for you! I'm glad we could share in the pointless post together.

Five Years

Robin and I met eight years ago, in late 1999. I was living the "high" life, partying my ass off in a new environment free from my parent's regulations. Robin was dating someone else at the time. We met because I hung around his dorm, in which my friends also lived. We always met in passing, myself being in various states of consciousness. Our pleasant regards were quickly exchanged, as he was on the way to class and I was on the way to another bong hit. At the time, I was blithely unaware of how much this man would mean to me a few years down the road.

Though Robin cringes at the truth of how we re-met, we did so at Neighbors, the local gay bar (sadly, now closed). Each with different groups of friends, the chance meeting was both fortuitous and happy. We were excited to catch up on the past three years, so we exchanged numbers and said we should do lunch. The following week, we did.

Last night was a beautiful way to spend quality time an reminisce about the past five years. I made reservations at Red Agave, a local favorite, and when we arrived the place was practically deserted. They sat us in the corner, away from the other parties, and our server was wonderful. When we ordered a bottle of Argyle 2001 Brut, she asked what we were celebrating. When we answered, her face blushed with an earnest smile and she gave us a warm "congratulations". Our classes clinked in celebration as we perused the scrumptious offerings. Was it going to be the Sea Bass or the Lamb Chops? The Mesa crepes with Chevre or the Kobe Beef tamales? In the end, I ordered the Crusted Salmon with homemade Chorizo and Robin had the creamy chicken enchiladas, with homemade salsa verde and mole. Both dishes were phenomenal. Our conversation was delightful and joyous, wrapping us in a lovely blanket of togetherness.

As we were at Red Agave, and knowing we would be, I got it in my head that I needed a Richmond Gimlet. A Richmond Gimlet is Tanqueray No. 10 Gin, muddled mint, simple syrup and club soda. But you can forget all that and just remember that it tastes what unicorn tears must taste like. It originated at Red Agave, but the owners of RG also own El Vaquero, a short jaunt down 5th street. Before we left, we asked about the desserts. All sounded wonderful, but the chocolate torte with creme fraiche and mint sounded like the most bestest. As our server brought it out, she laid it on our table and said softly, "it's on the house". She received an amazing tip.

We only had one drink each at El Vaquero. I, of course, had the Richmond Gimlet. Robin had a Pico Sour, which was some insane drink with Angostura bitters lit on fire and foamed up. Quite tasty. The evening ended with us bundling up and watching a couple of X-Files episodes at home. I went to bed with a big smile.

Wizard vs. Sorcerer

The morning bus is populated mostly by students. Headed directly to the main campus, it is a very efficient bus route. On the way, we pass within a block of a local high school that many bus riders attend.

In no mood to force others to listen to my music, I am very conscientious of how loud my earphones are for the morning commute. Instead of completely drowning out the noise, I allow some to filter through and just remember that it is public transportation, after all. Being that is the case, I overhear conversations from time to time. Some are absolutely mundane. Some, however, begin with sentences like, "You can't tell me a 10th level Sorcerer is more powerful than a 9th level Wizard."

The conversation was happening behind me. I didn't want them to stop, so without turning I pulled out my earphones. I nonchalantly turned as though I were staring out the other window and did a quick size-up of the high schoolers. The immediate stereotypical image that formed in my head turned out to be true: matted hair, drab, loose fitting clothes, screen print of a dragon on one's shirt.

"If a level 10 Sorcerer could do any more than +20 damage, then I could agree. But they CAN'T"

"Right, but you're forgetting that at level 10, you have an automatic +3 saving throw against destruction magic"

"It doesn't matter! A Sorcerer can't effectively block against a level 9 elemental spell anyway!"

"I admit it would be close, but they could counter with paralyze that would automatically give them two more die rolls. The wizard wouldn't stand a chance."

I smirked at their enthusiasm. The conversation went on for a bit longer, neither side relinquishing any ground. Later that day, their theories would surely be tested in a spectacular display of LARPing. One could imagine, anyway.

And then it hit me: I understood everything they were saying. Thanks to years of RPGing on my part, I knew precisely what they meant by "destruction magic", "saving throw", and "+20". In fact, I thought of my Elder Scrolls: Oblivion game at home and how I hadn't played in awhile. The smirk on my face was not just to delight in their nerdiness, it was also because I delighted in my nerdiness. I'm such a nerd! The fact that I don't actively play D&D doesn't save me from the fact that I'm a complete and utter nerd. Truly, since I know precisely why they think the distinction between a wizard and sorcerer was worthy conversation is a testament to that fact.

Nerds forever!

SUSHI

I want sushi today. I'm getting sushi today.

(Pic from the ever popular icanhascheezburger)

Warmth

I had a dream the other night. It was a beautiful fall day; crisp and sunny. Robin, Shannon and I were sitting under a gigantic oak tree having a picnic. We were watching Eric and Chandra play ultimate. I looked at Shannon who was wearing a bright pink cardigan and a long skirt with daisies printed on it. She offered me a stuffed pickle. Robin was uncorking a bottle of Pinot Noir. We were laughing. Chandra scored a goal. I was very, very happy. This flash of a dream, this small joyous moment, made me wake up and I had a smile on my face.

Like most people, my dreams are usually strange and filled with bizarre imagery. A typical dream will also take some digesting as to what the hell my subconscious was trying to work out. At times, such dreams are never resolved and in some cases, I have them again with the same confusion following. Then there are other dreams, like the one above, whose meanings and intentions are immediately clear. I was surrounded by people I know and love, doing things I thoroughly enjoy: eating and drinking wine (although I don't know what the stuffed pickle was about), watching a friendly sporting event and basking in spectacular nature. This year has so far provided me with many opportunities to bask in a pleasant state. Like a dream, I sometimes wake to the reality of my life and become very satisfied with the friends I have, the relationship I am in, and the place I live.

It can be very easy for one to gloss over moments of happiness because they're moving on to the next thing, running from home to work, to the gym, to home, to the weekend. I sometimes lose sight of how precious a life I have with those I know because I'm too focused on the next event.

People say that there are no real seasons in Oregon. Compared to some places, I understand why they would have that conclusion. But this past week, fall came crashing in; no overture whatsoever. Fall always reminds me to take stock of how my year has shaped up, considering the fact that it is almost over. The past several years I have been in school, so my normal stock-taking was replaced by, "What the hell class am I supposed to be in right now?". This year, however, I have a moment to collect my memories and fondly think about all the hard work, long hours and dedication I put into the first six months of this year and how everything after has gone delightfully well.

While I don't believe in some supernatural force that brings to us good fortune and happiness, I do believe you have the ability to attract such things to you. Call it an aura, call it whatever you want, but I can't deny the fact that I have what I do because I have created myself such that my friends and loved ones are honest representations of my inner most happiness. Perhaps I'm just getting wiser and perhaps I'm just learning to be authentic, but the happiness around me is something I have helped create through hard work and learning from my mistakes. I am not foolish enough to think the bad times will be deflected by my happy force field, but they will in part be absorbed by the support and love of my friends.

Since my blog is very exclusive, I know only close friends read it. To all of you, know that I truly appreciate you. In my eyes, you are the epitome of friendship and my thoughts of you are comforting and warm. It is a blessing to awake in your life and see that you are surrounded by true, caring, and intelligent friends.


And no, I'm not drunk.