Did you hear that Obama actually considered Nader as a possible running mate? Yeah, it's true, but the Obama-Nader (say it out loud) t-shirts and bumper stickers did poorly with test groups.


Thank you. I'm here all week.

You successfully sent 386 invites.

I don't know how but I just sent 386 people invites to Good Reads. I'm a little embarrassed because I must have sent them to friends and friends of friends. I know what you're thinking. "Why did I not get an invite?" I'm not sure why that is. Sorry.
I am pretty sure I do not know 386 people. I am sure I don't like that many people (unless celebrities count). But I do like you. To be honest, which is not always a good idea, it's not your personality, it's your looks.

This is also embarrassing because I've only read about 7 or 8 books.

Another Bear or the Bear Again

A few nights after my bear visit, Diego, the chihuahua, woke me up barking (or crowing like a rooster). I turned on a flashlight and watched while a bear tip-toed into the lake, waded out into deeper water and swam away. Then I went back to sleep.

The photo is by Ryan McGinley

Who Shot Thomas?

My sister's dog Thomas was shot by an unknown assailant, most likely a player-hater or a republican. I suggest the latter because republicans have guns. Thomas was shot in the shoulder, which is a popular target when shooting deer, so the perp was likely a hunter, which does not rule out his/her being a republican. Thomas may loose his leg. Thomas, by the way, is one of the most benevolent beings I have come across so it is unlikely he did something that warranted being shot like barking or something like that.

For you republicans, I am also a republican so don't take the above as an attack.

For those of you who are not republicans, neither am I.

Bears and Beards

My sister’s dog Thomas likes to sleep in the most centrally located spot of a given house so he can check on everyone in the most expeditious manor. I sleep out on the front deck so Thomas has to come outside to smell me and look at me periodically. A few nights ago, I heard someone get up and shut all the doors so I was on my own. Diego was in my sleeping bag but no more Thomas checking on us. But a while after the doors closed I was checked on again. When I opened my eyes I was greeted by a mid-sized (late model) black bear – or a silhouette thereof. His silhouetted face was getting closer to my face when I said, “Hey dude.” As you might imagine, that scared him away. He ran around the cabin and stopped on the other side of my bed. I shined a flashlight at him and he ran away, maybe toward your cabin.




In other news, I have been reintroducing myself to people that I have known all my life. The beard is a pretty effective disguise. It also works if I do not feel like talking to someone. Some people, Carl for example, are very free with their opinions about the beard saying things like, “Get rid of that beard,” or “get rid of that gross beard.” I usually tell them give it time. It’ll grow on you. It did on me.

Mother Son Roadtrip

I have been Internetless while driving to California.
I picked up my mom in Golden Colorado and from there we drove to Steamboat Springs to visit my cousin. I wont go on too much about that but I will throw out a few talking points (because that's what my cousin did). I'll start with the non controversial and progress to the more controversial: He lives near a lovely river. We fly-fished. He feeds raccoons dog food. Caribou like oil fields for the warmth so if we really want to help them we will create more oil fields in the arctic. Polar bears are doing better than ever because of climate change - it turns out that, like Caribou, Polar bears like it warmer too. There was also something about the poles freezing over again this year - bad news for the wildlife that evolved there I guess.

After two nights in Steamboat we headed for home, keeping our eyes out for Pronghorn and any other wildlife. Mom was disappointed with the lack of wildlife so far so I pulled up to a small herd of male antelope to shut her up. We also saw a roadkill moose. Mom pointed out a lot of birds that turned out to be bird-shaped spots in front of her eyes.

The trip went well until I foolishly attempted to parallel park in front of mom's house. In my mother's eyes only the women in our family can parallel park. The actual foolish act was when, after she criticized my parking, I pointed out that I have never parallel parked in front of the house (with her in the car) without criticism. That ruined the entire trip for her.