Something Funny For You

Watch this. All the way through. It's worth it, and you know you want to.

So I Moved

I moved. Back to Colorado. It wasn't really my idea truth be told. But I'm really glad that I am back. If there is anything that I miss about New Jersey it's my church family. If I could, I would totally fly back just for Sunday morning. Well, that and Dunkin' Donuts. It's a bit creepy how much I miss Dunkin' Donuts.

In other news, it's odd returning to the place that I left. I did a lot of growing up here. Had a lot of experiences. It's weird to go back to those places and see other people growing up too. For example, I was at the bar last night and I ended up hanging out with some people I knew as freshman coming into college. Now they are getting ready to graduate and legal to drink. Wow.

Slow Posting, Just Like My Running

It finally happened. I ran my first ever 5k race. Whew! I've never really understood the phrase "run until you feel like puking" until that day. And I'm proud to report that I not only experienced that feeling but kept going. So here's a quick synopsis of the race in photos:

So here we are. The three people from camp who decided to spend an evening of our weekend off running. For fun. For glory. For plaques! (that part is coming up)

It's important to warm up before the run...

Ok. Here we are after the race. I survived! Chaz and I both won first in our age categories. That was exciting. I was really, really excited about the ice treat.

This is pretty much how I felt at the end. So great, in fact, that I'm planning on doing another one in September. Woot!

The Anonymity of the Internets

What is it about a fairly anonymous environment that encourages people to be total a-holes?

The following is an exact copy of what somebody posted online, playing poker, on the Book of Face no less!:

________

(I enter the room)

David : alex suck ass

David : alex is a jackass

(thinking about posting a reply... I start to type only to be interrupted by this gem)

David : alex is a ass hole

(never mind, I don't even want to go there anymore)

David : so alex how much weed do smoke

David : alex is a ass

David : alex is a ass

(this was every so often, then the total kicker...)

David : alex i will pray for you

(ahhhh!!! WTF? Really?)

David : no come back (< I have no idea what this comment was about)

David : it look like i win the batt

David : but not the war

(Celine enters the room. Poor, unsuspecting, Celine. Notice his sudden change in demeanor, as well as her witty, dare I say flirtatious remarks)

David : hi celine

David : how was your day

David : just find

David : that great

David : so want do like to do

David : i like football and baskball

David : that great

David : so were are you working rigth now

David : think you very much celine for talk to me

(Wait a minute, she hasn't been involved in the conversation. Am I really seeing some crazy guy holding a conversation with himself on a poker room chat? Wow, glad I didn't respond earlier)

David : and may be we can be friend

David : that sound great

David : cool

Alex Stigall: nh

(Celeus enters the room, good luck Celeus!)

David : celeus is a jackass

David : and a hole

David : and a ass hole

David : no come back lose

(Then, in a final coup d'etat)

David : alex do want to be friends

________

Oh the joy. Crazy crazy internet people. I think the only thing crazier than doing this would be to copy the whole thing and post it with comments somewhere else on the internet! Oh wait...

Hanging Out on the Couch

It's been a long time. Sorry. Things have of course been busy, life certainly gets that way. It's occasionally a question of busy how?

For me it's pretty much busy in a good, if slightly boring way. Work is good, busy. Don't really do much outside of work. My new favorite stress reliever is going for a workout. Recently registered for my first ever running race, a 5k in a nearby city. I'm really nervous, but very excited. A couple of the summer camp people are doing it w/ me.

I'll try to post a story about it when it happens.

Today though, I'm just hanging out on the couch. See, I went for a run this morning, on a trail I haven't been on before and rolled my ankle pretty well. It's huge, brightly colored, and I can't put pressure on it. Doctor said that nothing is broken, so that's good news at least. For right now I'm just going to follow the tried and true RICE method.

Peace out peeps. Hope you are well. Have fun, make people wonder.

An Interesting Article

Link-y post today.

This is a really great article about the ultimate doom and silliness about Prop 8 in CA.

I didn't even find the article on my own, so I have to tell you about the great place I found the link to it.  Uppercase Woman rocks.

One Year

I realized, a little bit startled, the other day that I have been out of college for one year now.

Wow.

I'll try to put more specific reflections up soon.

Motorcycle Pickup!

So today was the big day.  I got to pick up the motorcycle I bought on Ebay.  Big day!  Very big day.  Very exciting.  So here's basically what happened:

S and I went to pick up the truck we borrowed for transport.  S's vehicle doesn't have a hitch and it's not like we can put a motorcycle in the back of a Subaru wagon, so we needed something a little bigger.  I think she's a bigger fan of the truck than the bike.

In PA we got to fill up the truck.  Pretty exciting.  It's been months since the last time I actually pumped gas.

This is the nice gentleman I bought the bike from.  He even helped us strap it down so it stayed where it was supposed to.

I was/am so excited!  I wanted to ride in the back with the motorcycle on the way home but S wouldn't let me.  Kill Joy.  ;)

The keys to my new ride...

Ready to head back home!

Since S wouldn't let me ride in the bed I thought about riding in the back seat to stare.  I mean, make sure the bike wasn't coming loose.

The bike back at camp.  Woot woot!

Favorite Video of the Day

Almost kind of genius.  I often find myself asking 'is it a good idea to microwave this?'.  Now I know, and you do to.

Warning: Language in this video is not rated G for Girl Scout.  So don't whine to me about hearing bad words.

Watch Out...

You Would Be a Crafty Superhero

You are naturally curious and even a bit of a snoop. You like to have dirt on everyone - both enemies and friends. You need a lot of freedom in your life. You like to do your own thing, and you don't fit into any normal mold. You understand people quite well and often know what others are thinking. Because of this, you can get people to do what you want. You are a shapeshifter who fits in with almost any group. You can get along with anyone. You're quite flexible. You are a true philosopher. You are thirsty for wisdom. You are trying to figure out the meaning of life.

What Kind of Superhero Would You Be?

Fun Video For You

Alex Needs...

Copycat-ing again.  Thanks Liz for the great idea. (Link is to blog, actual note was on facebook. I'm lazy, moving on.)

Here's the deal....type your name and the words "needs" into Google and see what comes up! List the top ten in a note...

1. Alex needs more than just a rat trap for this vermin 

2. Alex needs your help

3. Alex needs full backing (this is making me feel very needy so far...)

4. Alex needs anger management (this list just took a turn towards the psyco)

5. Alex needs a girlfriend (nuh uh!)

6. Alex needs a lynching mob (for what I'm not quite sure)

7. Alex needs our help (really?  really? again with the needy thing?)

8. Alex needs a drummer

9. Alex needs professional help for her anger (wtf?)

10. Alex needs a new horizon (one with real mountains would be nice... or was that just another euphemism for anger management?)

Your turn now!  Go for it.  Include a link in the comments so I can see your list.  Please.

The Joy of Walking

Today I took a walk.  Normally that sentence would not inspire anything for me but today it's special.  Not only did I walk, but it was also for half an hour.  That's something.  That's something big and awesome and great. 

Just wanted to share and celebrate with you.

Awesome Video

Something fun for Sunday afternoon:

(or whenever the heck it is that your reading this post)

Good News!

At my first day of physical therapy I heard the most wonderful, affirming, caring thing that I've heard in a long time: "This is normal, it will get better".  To think that I had wasted all that energy, all that time practically obsessing about what that silly doctor said about "it should be healed by now" and "I don't know why you're still in pain".  Ha.  So the physical therapist is cool, I'm armed and ready to go with some great stretching/good moving mechanics exercises to do at home and I'm feeling this fog of grey lifting from my psyche.  I think the two biggest things getting to me have been not being able to work out, and not being able to do the job I love.  Sure I'm back at work, but it's never been my dream job to collate and staple.

It seems another topic that continues to run through my head is Outward Bound, particularly my first summer there.  In between training sessions we would play those silly 'what sort of (insert thing here) would you be', like, office supplies, for example.   LC's had to be on the ball and super organized so that was a natural one.  I always chose sharpies because I tend to organize things for myself with different colors of ink.  I found this cool quiz at blogthings.  Apparently I am not sharpies, pbbbbth.

You Are a Coffee Mug

You have loads of energy and stamina. You can zip through the most boring of tasks with complete enthusiasm. You are also great at motivating a group. You are a fearless leader. You are efficient and productive. You don't put off tasks or procrastinate. You actually enjoy working. You would make a good small business owner or startup employee. If a job requires blood, sweat, and tears - then you have some to give.

What Office Supply Are You?

Photo Update

I haven't posted cool photos in a little while.  So I guess here is a quick photo update, kinda.  Some of the photos are from a while ago.  Here you go:

Look!  It's an extenda guinea pig!

Tee Hee

This is what the bruise eventually ended up looking like.  I know what you're thinking, great pants right?  Anyway, it's pretty much gone now.

So the last post I wrote I was talking about beer.  Well, I found a pretty great one.  At first it freaked me out because it's a stout in a can.  But hey, I don't have to be that kind of a beer snob, and who could resist a can that looks like that?!?

BTW- I am officially putting out the notice, if someone can find a way to (legally) send me an Nefarious Ten Pin, I will not only love them forever but also... I dunno what I'll do.  It's negotiable I guess.  But it'll be big.

Oh yeah!  This is post number 200!  Woot!

Things I Miss About Colorado

Perusing the selection at our local Bottle King today I realized that there are so many things I miss about Colorado.  Things like my family, the mountains, snow that's actually fun, etc. etc., the list continues.  This post is not about those things.  This post is about the beers I miss most.

(BTW- I tried to list them preferentially, but it's hard)

Ska Brewing Company:

• Nefarious Ten Pin Imperial Porter (Different than ten pin & more preferred)
• Pinstripe Red Ale
• Ten Pin Porter 
• Steel Toe Stout
• True Blonde

New Belgium Brewery:

• 1554
• Trippel
• Sunshine Wheat
• Fat Tire
• Skinny Dip
• 2 Below

Avery:

• Karma

Breckenridge Brewery:

• Oatmeal Stout
• Vanilla Porter
• Agave Wheat
• Avalanche Ale

Durango Brewing Company:

• Durango Wheat Beer

Estes Park Brewery:

• Stinger Wild Honey Wheat

Fort Collins Brewery:

• Retro Red
• Chocolate Stout

Gunnison Brewery:

• Evil Rabbit

Left Hand Brewing:

• Sawtooth Ale
• Milk Stout
• Haystack Wheat

Heck, I'll even mention some good Montana beer, I can't buy it out here anyway.

Red Lodge Ales:

• Hefeweizen
• Glacier Ale
• Porter
• Chocolate Stout

Male? Female? Does it Matter?

I saw this over at Emerging Women, pretty funny if you ask me.

My blog is guessed as this:

We think http://chaoticadventuresofalex.blogspot.com is written by a woman (84%).

Revision Spiral is guessed as this:

We think http://revisionspiral.blog-city.com is written by a man (66%).

Midgebop this: 

We think http://midgebop.blog-city.com is written by a man(85%).

What do you think?

ba da dum da da dum da da dam dum da da....

My Favorite Inauguration Twitters

While watching the inauguration coverage I decided it would be fun to hit update as often as possible and read the twitter updates, here are some of my favorites:

ponk Ahhh, finally. The White House is getting a brazilian to get rid of that nasty Bush.

aaffleck More people will watch this than the finale of MASH. Hope this one ends better

 For full impact, Obama should be chased onstage for his swearing in by thousands of screaming teenage girls ala "A Hard Day's Night"

lsaldanamd Ultimate test of our country's bandwidth/infrastructure.

jedinite216 as i watch the hubbub today -- i am struck bny the fact that papa bush looks like The Penguin from Batman

joshhalljourno I want to hear more about this 27yr old 'Whizz-kid' who co-writes Obama speeches and coined 'Yes We Can

jasonryoung People already chanting Obama-it's as if he a savior-a little much I think

earmstrong Think its cool to see Obama kids with their own cameras capturing history from their perspective.

mantene Booing? That is not very classy people. :( I know you don't like him but let's be classy

ohsnapitskyle EXCITEMENT BUILDING. THIS IS COOL AS FUCK. Also, excitement building is my new name for the White House.

iggyp For the first time in a very long time, I am very proud to be an American. U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!

MommyCosm whenever they show the view of the crowds from the podium, all I can say is WOW

mvwilliams Ah heck! Don't make me cry! watching Obama walk out, ittybitty flags waving. Looks like an Impressionist painting as you look down the Mall.

jtoeman i keep getting this weird feeling that something important is happening today... something about a mall... must be a big sale somewhere? hmm

acepero Cheney out. Biden in. One down, one to go.

clindsey They might be running late, but Barack Obama is now President of the United States, as it is noon.

tenebris It's official: almost the entire office has come out to watch the inauguration happen. And this is why I love working here. Pie and TV!

qoolquest did cnn just ruin this shit by announcing barack is technically president now that its 12? aka now that we are running 4 mins late?

Azimel Dammit. Is anyone ripping the inauguration properly? I really want what was just being played on .mp3.

davidalexanderm Awwww, he's nervous!

Tougelabs And he's fucking shit up already.

AddictedToSoda So this is how Liberty dies, with thunderous applause.

travitt The era of competence and complete sentences has begun.

eliesheva the question is whether our government works

AaronsBooks man can he speak or what??? think GWB knows he and his governance are being dissed in this speech.. or is it too over his head? :)

ArtMusingsNY whoah, did non-believers just receive a shout out?

supereric "...what you can build, not what you destroy." "... unclench your fist". Brilliant!

NicMcPhee Curiosity as a key American virtue?!? Makes me want to go teach a class!

nickfranklin Ok. Now. Let's get to work.

cpedraza @JesseNewhart "Take out your pencils and begin"

Justin_Boggs So far the closing prayer is far better than the opening one.

jogarzon Good luck Obama!