Hamburger(Hotdog)

Right now I am listening to Group Inerane. This flight has given me a perfect opportunity to explore music I usually don't have time to digest.
Back to the stories.
We arrived in Harrisonburg later than expected and met up with Ward and Kate at Clementine on Main St. It's a nice place, moderately fancy but relaxed and with a bathroom that's nicer than any New York apartment I've ever seen. After a couple drinks we decide to move on, but not before Ward approached the Assistant coach of the womens college basketball team and talked her into a late night basketball game.
We decided to go to The Nile, which is a fairly new establishment downtown and a nice, dark, underground bar with plenty of space to move around it. This is also where our gracious host, Mike K. works. I really enjoyed the entire scene and we met some new friends with whom discussed the finer parts of the R. Kelly trial and Real Talk.
We then went to an after party at someones house where some Indian girl gave me the business just for existing. It was pretty jarring given how laid back eveyone had been up until that point. Somehow Mike K. saved the day and I got stuck talking to some guy who had been to 83 Grateful Dead shows. I eventually told him that I had just heard some jerk say that the Grateful Dead and phish were no talent bar bands that became famous for no good reason and you had to be heavily intoxicated to even come close to enjoying it. I never told him that that person was me. On a related side note, Dave is still wearing patchouli, and it's not for the sake of ironic comedy.
I then expressed an interest in playing ghost in the graveyard in an actual graveyard, so after the bar, that's what we did. Dave and I were really happy that even during the slowest time of the year for harrisonburg there were still quality people that wanted to have fun. Dave laid on top of a crypt instead of looking for 'the ghost' and looked at the stars while taking in all that dog food aroma that is harrisonburg. We then ended up crashing with the new friends and making jokes til the sun came up. Even though in my mind we were hysterical I can only assume we were mildly funny, really tired, and moderately annoying.
Speaking of annoying, how long does it take to read a newspaper? I know it's in German so it would take me a really long time, but he knows that language. Just so we got this straight, this guy is upset because I'm using a seat that is not mine because he wants 3 more seats that are not his. He wants me to be cramped into a seat in between people so he can stretch out over 4 seats.
Life is suffering and that suffering is a result of our wants.
Maybe if he wanted less seats he'd be happier. (see previous post for picture)

I guess I'll start from the most recent and work my way backwards.
Right now I am listening to African Scream Contest. I recommend it if you like James Brown and kickin' ass.
On the 21st Dave and I had a nice dinner with friends at Mandalay outside of DC. Dave's parents came and Les and company had some choice inappropriate comments by accident. Matt H. was there to give me last minute tips, although most of them revolved around the concept of neck pillows and the textures of fruit. Meanwhile Les brought up the concept of bondage pants and Houton explained the conspiracy theory of Coke original formula and the introduction of New coke. I ate a delicious green tea salad (right now Dave is eating another one of our homemade treats...and me too) and some tofu dish, followed by two desserts.
This morning I had a pot of jasmine pearl tea, my personal favorite of the greens.
This turned into a food post, I'm bailing.

So I typed up a bunch of posts on the plane and I'll be uploading they throughout the day as I can edit and link up things/stuff.
First one:

I am aboard the flight from DC to Germany right now. I made some baked goods for the flight and dave and I are comfortable and hungry for adventure (and nerds rope). I'm listening to Brazil 70 after tropicalia, which is pretty amazing so far. South America is like a giant middle finger on the globe cursing me for not knowing it more intimately. One day.
I'm doing my best to remember everything I have to post right now. Unfortunately the note I made to myself is on the internet, which despite being ethereal in nature is not at this altitude, nor in nature.
Oh, and the man next to me is pissed because he thought he had a whole row to himself and I took one of the seats so dave and I could chillax to the medium. When I say 'pissed' I mean he is a german doogie howser reading a newspaper in an almost violent way, and he has already confronted me about it and spoken to the stewardess about it. This may get really good.
Speaking of good, I think Dave and I have fell into an appreciation hole. I firmly believe that we suffer so that we might become a deeper vessel for joy, but I seriously can't remember suffer enough in my life to deserve the happiness that dave and I are experiencing. When I made my schedule for the last couple of months in America I looked and it and I thought it was going to be way too much. The great thing is: it was.

Hours of Sleep broken down by night:
Thursday - 5 hours due to dancing too hard
Friday - 5 hours due to Mekongs/Richmond friends/Hot Tub
Sat - 2 hours due to Ghost in the graveyard (in a graveyard), new friends, sparks, early breakfast
Sunday - 4 hours due to more fun with new friends

Right now it is 6 am Tuesday morning. I just woke up after going to bed at 1am. I cannot go back to sleep. I have underwear on my head to block the light. I lost a contact so I'm typing with one eye closed. Please just try to imagine what this looks like.

Riding around on motorcycles meeting new people and having lots of real life fun is not conducive to posting cyber life blogs. I am sorry and my plan is to post everything that happened over the past week on the airplane tomorrow via a zombie blog program.
I am sunburned. I am sleep deprived. I am exhausted on every level. I am stressed about what I might have forgotten to do before I leave the country.
I am full of delicious burmese food. I am surrounded by friends. I am about to embark on the next chapter of my life. I couldn't be more excited/scared.
I love my life.

Hello friends, this is Dave guest blogging while Jimi goes to Lowe's to pick up a new grill. I just wanted to post a few animated pictures for you to enjoy and to tide you over until Jimi gets back on the storytelling wagon. These 2 pictures are from tubin weekend in West Virginia. The first is Drew Good getting that wet beard, and the second is Jimi digging himself into a laugh hole. Enjoy!

That's how I've felt while being at my parents house. Not in a bad way, just in a dave-sleeps-in-my-room-on-a-mattress-on-the-floor-and-drinks-michelob-lights-while-playing-nintendo-and-saying-swear-words-kind-of-way. So tonight I am sitting here eating pie and ice cream and watching him play mario kart on the wii. Anyway, so dave just kind of lost it while playing and I said, 'quit wigging out' and he said, 'I'm going to get wiggered out'. I about lost it. Then he started talking about how the term 'wigger' came from just losing your mind sometimes. For me, that time was 7th grade...I wouldn't suggest wigging out to anyone out there. There's a lot of drama, and a lot of heartache and those roads are not for us. I say we just play. I say we just lay here, chillax and drink some 'lobes.

Motorcycle (mis)adventures
M. Hall's treatise on drugs and motorcycles in popular american culture
Cabin trip in west va
Saw V or Hot Potato the movie
Life's a beach in va beach, eating a peach
Pics from all of the above

so stay tuned for all of those. Once i get some down time I'll start writing.

Also, July 18th come to Mekong's at 8pm for a dinner celebration. Just give me a heads up that you're coming so I can call ahead.

Cute British men

Last night I had one of those nights where I just kept having really weird dreams. The last one of which involved Colin Firth. We only hugged, but it was lovely--I felt very safe. It was a very fatherly-type embrace. Maybe I've just seen too many commercials for Mamma Mia!? Anyway, I woke up just completely disoriented. Like, stumbling around the apartment, as those drunk, disoriented. It was bizarre.

Can't complain about dreaming of Colin Firth, though.

So I was surfin' up the net while dave took a nap with ethan and found this:

Teaser from Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog on Vimeo.
If you don't already know, I have a mild obsession with NPH and I'm really excited about this. The site is down due to heavy traffic but you should be able to see all three episodes between now and 7/20.

Sorry I haven't been able to post. I went from having the internets and cell phone connected to me through an intense neural network 8-12 hours a day to nothing for the last few days. It's been pretty amazing. We all went to a cabin in West Virginia for the weekend and can you believe they didn't have a wireless signal?!? Anyway, I am going to the mall with my super adorable nephew 'cool ethan' and dave and I are going to try to find some 'talent' on their lunch breaks if you know what I'm saying...also, I need shoes and a jacket for riding the wild hogs. I'll blog later when I get my computer back.

After a full day/week of packing, loading, running errands, cleaning, etc. I finally get to rest at Emerson house. I am pretty confident that everything is taken care of, and all the important i's and t's are respectively dotted and crossed. I think that the motorcycle trip tomorrow will be perfect for clearing my mind and getting prepared for this weekend.
Dave and I just watched Intolerable Cruelty tonight for the first time. I admit the only appeal was the fact that it's a Cohen brothers film. Despite the fact that it is a rom/com, I was impressed and recommend it if you've never seen it.
I'm lying on the futon typing out a late post, staring at my suitcase. My possessions now fill a suitcase and one messenger bag. It's a really great feeling. Last time I left behind a house, furniture, electronics, etc...now I just leave behind some of the best friends and family anyone could ever wish for.
I have a lot to look forward to in a short amount of time. Tomorrow Dave and I ride to WV to meet up with some of the best and creative minds of our time...and partake in 'make your own pizza night' and nickel slots. Oh yeah, tomorrow will also be the first time I've ever really ridden a motorcycle.

The name says it all, but I like the idea of popping my life away one bubble at a time. I also love Cinqo de Mayo. I wonder if you can special order an all cinqo de mayo bubble calender?

My coworkers were kind enough to throw a potluck part in my honor. So much delicious food, so many sweet sweet treats.
Thoughts I've had while 'working':
1. You know how you can Snoopdoggify a word? (i.e. fo' shizzle) Well, you can't do that with the word 'dessert'.
2. I had the pleasure of hanging out with two people that I've never hung out with before: Hippie and Alicia (sorry if i misspelled those names) and I wish I had hung out with them more while I was here. Solid human beings are few and far between and they seem pretty awesome. Also, Hippie fixed my 'ped for a bag of fireworks. Great job!
3. My only regret while in Richmond has been that I played it too safe. I wish I hung out more. I think I focused too much on getting sleep and relaxing, and since I've been trying to fit as much into each day as possible lately I realized that I could have had even more fun. Oh well, live and learn. I guess from here on out I'll have to focus more on living life as hard as possible, with a reckless disregard for my own well-being. I'd like to get more fun, not less, as I 'grow up'.
4. You know how you go on a big trip and you just feel like you've forgotten something? I've felt like that for almost a month now. I may be going crazier.
5. Social filtration theory - I've only maintained a handful of relationships over the years and I'm thankful for the friends that I have and the friends that I've made recently. Even at a cubical job, I've met a handful of really amazing, colorful people that I hope to keep in touch with. Worst case scenario, I'll keep up with Paul B. just in case of an apocalypse of any kind (primarily zombie or mad max scenarios).
6. I appreciate the fact that my only 'regret' is not about something I've done, but about not doing enough. I have sold or given away most of my belongings and I am looking forward to living a harder/simpler life while doing more to help other human beings. I look forward to being scared, frustrated and less comfortable. I want more stories. I want to learn. I want more scars. I really feel like I'm in a great place right now.

It's difficult being a straight guy that likes to look good. Especially when it comes to 'manscaping' or trimming of the body hair. Let's face it, the male form is far less than graceful or beautiful than the female form. In fact, it is very awkwardly shaped when compared to the female body and in most cases, it is downright gross. So what's so bad about trying to make yourself look as good as you are able to?
Now, I understand that some women like a hairy dude...well, I don't understand it, but I've heard that that is true. Personally, if I get too hairy I feel gross and prefer how I feel neatly trimmed. It helps to provide a healthy self image and general sense of well being and I don't think that that should be reserved just for the gays.
But how far is too far?
Waxing - generally too far.
Nair/Veet - awesome but smelly
Shaving - great, economical, but be careful, you don't want to look like a 12 yr old boy.
The list goes on, but I prefer a trimming shears/shaving as well as a method I refer to as 'lighting yourself on fire'. I was doing that well before it was a Jackass stunt and its really not that bad. Let's think about the alternatives -skip if you don't want to be grossed out-
Burning hurts, but not as bad as waxing. It smells, but not as bad as Nair. Shaving can cause you to cut your skin on occasion. What happens if you get a cut near the butt? The risk of infection/disease/death far outweighs the reward of being trim. Did you ever think of why the butt is shaped like it is? Its to protect your butthole fom getting cut. Generally speaking, nothing is getting passed those cheeks. Also, that's why they call it 'butt', because it rhymes with 'cut', to remind you -Don't cut your butt.

Venetian Blind shirt
The string is not a print, but a real string, which you can pull to open the blinds. Suitable for the hot summer.

Emily has posted a ton of pics on her flickr.
This is the only one I found of my first ever bmx jump. There's some really good ones of Drew doing the same. My favorites are towards the end of the set when people had moved the ramp to the top level. A-mazing.

This is the Chinese Segway Death Squad.
Their real weapon is laughter.
Why are their guns so tiny?