Deep into the mojave

Let me tell you one thing about eastern california: it's desolate. And it has some wicked cacti growing in it. These aren't just your average spiky plant, they're freakin trees. Is there such a thing as a cactus tree? I don't have access to any more than a watered down slow version of the net right now as i ride in a car travelling from my meeting in barstow. We had to take a detour coming back on n 15because a fuel truck flipped over on the highway this morning. I heard about it when we set off this morning at 730am, i saw it for a moment at about 0930am, and now i hear that the highway won't be open until 10pm or later. We took a detour on the advice of a local guy, which took us through kelso and cima, which are even smaller and more desolate than barstow. Another interesting landmark besides the burnt out houses on the side of the road was a sign that pointed to a town called hole
in the wall. In a minute we'll be back to the 15, back to civilization. Damn the mojave is desolate.

I got a style that's way out like barstow

Well it has always been my dream to do some work in the middle of nowhere. I'll be going to a meeting in barstow ca tomorrow morning to discuss what to do with a depressing old building that is located even more in the middle of nowhere than barstow is. on the way back to vegas i saw this truck had these skull stickers and i found them to be interesting, so enjoy!

Fremont video

I don't think I'm going to Halloween

So I'm stuck in line at Wal-Mart on a Sunday,which usually doesn't happen at this store. Well it seemed as good a time as any to do another mini-blog. By mini-blog, I mean a post that is initially typed in on my cell phone.

I have of course updated this blog recently and expanded upon it. It's kind of a cool feature of this website that you can actually initiate a blog from your cell. If you don't have a qwerty keyboard on your phone, however, I probably wouldn't recommend blogging like this.

I was walking through the store looking at the Halloween aisles and the carts full of candy and I was thinking about how much I don't really care for the holidays. They seem a little too commercial and manufactured. It used to be a time to spend with your family and the people you love and to have a good time. It amazes me that people get stressed out about the holidays. How stupid is that? To get stressed out about time that you get off work and you get to spend with the family. That's the problem with the holidays. They just don't seem to be holidays for the majority of people. It's more of a mile marker and an economic stimulus. It's kind of sad.

New years is a holiday for travel, partying and gym memberships. Valentines is an excuse to set up weddings, and purchase jewelry, flowers, chocolate, and make restaurant reservations. Easter is a time for buying the PAAS coloring kits, eggs, candy, garish baskets full of bright fake grass. Memorial day is a time of high gas prices. When you take your boat and jet skis out to the lake. When you barbecue and drink.

The fourth of July is a great time for fireworks, which can be fun. It's also quite profitable for the fireworks stands that pop up out of nowhere this time of year. They are more fun to watch for me, now. A professional show is much more impressive than any roman candle that I would purchase on a roadside stand. Besides, you can technically buy fireworks year round and shoot them off.

Halloween, of course, is a boon to candy manufacturers and costume makers. Thanksgiving seems to be one of the few holidays that I can still relate to. Probably one of the least annoying, but still an excuse to be gluttonous for some. I think I had better just keep my opinion of Christmas to myself right now. That's a whole other blog that I could go on about.

So I'm lost in thought about this, and a little girl passes by me pushing a cart and talking to an older guy who is walking ahead of her. I'm not sure if its her dad because he appears to be almost ethnically opposite of her, and he has another young girl walking beside him that would be a more logical candidate as his offspring. She appears to be in the middle of a conversation, and she says, "I don't think I'm going to Halloween this year". At another time, I might chuckle at the absurdity of that statement.

She was speaking as if Halloween was a destination, rather than an abstract idea or holiday.
Instead of dwelling on the absurdity, I would have to agree with the statement to a degree. That statement seemed to sum up what I was feeling too.

I actually want to go to a haunted house this year. Since I'm a fan of scary movies, a good haunted house might be a similar or better experience. I'll probably have a couple bags of candy to hand out. I don't plan on going to any parties or dressing up, though.

So in that respect, I don't think I'll be going to Halloween this year, either.

43 things

I went onto a website a little while back. It was called 43 things and it seemed innocent enough. And it probably is, but it can be a good tool for reminding yourself about what you want to do. I put two items on there: get in shape and document my life better.

Everyday, this website emails me:

Dear Chris,

I'm writing to remind you about your goal on 43 things to document your life better.
How is that going, by the way?

Sincerely,
Your past self

So there it is in my inbox each day, staring at me. I've been largely ignoring it, but I suppose it's time to answer to my past self and start adding some elements of documentation. I have a phone with a qwerty keyboard so I can mobile blog.

It's time to use it more often. If not for your sake, then for mine.