WTF dream

Everyone has WTF dreams sometimes, right? I had one last night.

Here goes nothin'...

I found myself sitting co-pilot in a drag racer. Do they even have those? I was upfront like in an old biplane and the driver was behind me. It was meant to be an "experience" - maybe I had payed for it. Anyways, when the lights went green we took off like a bat out of hell and it was an amazing ride. The world came to a stand-still as we sped up and whizzed by - people looked like blurred streaks in my peripheral vision. At the end I got out and helped bring the car back to the starting line for the next rider. I realized that we had ended up in a field filled with campers. Maybe a KOA campground? Everyone knew to stay away from the drag strip so there were no issues. (I asked.) I think my wife was there and our two daughters were there (about 4 and 7) asking me how it was. The funny thing is... in reality I have no children.

Eventually we made it back to the starting area which was kind of a workshop inside a building. We pushed the car backwards into the 'garage' but couldn't enter that way so we went to the other end of the building and entered. What I saw was hundreds of lobster tanks. (like at an Asian supermarket where they keep crabs in waist level white tanks, not a fish tank like at a restaurant) The tanks were full of lobsters and being tended by Asians. (I think Japanese) Everyone was making sure the lobsters were OK and not fighting. My assessment was that they were having fun since I saw some balled up and 'playing'. They weren't wearing safety bands on their claws. The funny thing here was just before the dragster was going to take off, everyone had to 'clear' their hands from the water. As if they'd get electrically shocked.

One guy was being a smart-ass and pulled two lobsters out and held them up as the dragster took off. So I sat down at a bench and happened to sit next to Amy. (Amy Demerest (Sweet) who I know from our life in Japan long ago.) Amy handed me a form with a bunch of entry areas for people to fill out their name and address. I don't know what the form was for... but it was filled out completely. Or so the person behind me told me. I needed to start the next page. But then I realized that the last entry space on the first page was open so I started to fill that out. But I couldn't remember my address. I kept trying to think of where we live and wrote down one prefecture in Japan... but it was wrong. We had moved. But I couldn't remember the name of our current prefecture. Then I realized our house address was 4301. That's our current actual house number... in America. By this time I had scribbled out 2 addresses and was trying to write a third...

But my wife woke me up. It was time to leave and drop her off.

WTF

R.I.P. Stephen Jahner

Last week I found out Steve Jahner died. I haven't heard the results of the autopsy but apparently he collapsed in his store one afternoon. At least I know if he was in his store he was probably happy - whistling or humming a tune while helping people.

I'm totally bummed out about Steve passing away because I hadn't talked to him in a few years. My wife and I recently moved back to the midwest and I was really looking forward to stopping by the store and catching up with him.

Steve gave me my first job working at his comic book store "Capital City Comics & Books". I was... 14 or 15? It was great. I was always working - Steve made sure of that. And I did all the grunt work from dusting EVERYTHING to alphabetizing EVERYTHING. After a couple years he'd let me open/close the store so he could sleep in or something. Basically he taught me about hard work and responsibility. If I messed up I'd have to make it up elsewhere. It happened from time to time. But Steve didn't hold anything against anyone for long.

I studied superheroes and layout while sorting comics, learned about new authors and the world outside sorting books and got some anatomy in while organizing adult magazines. (That was usually my punishment for being late.)

Steve also taught me how to play guitar. I didn't practice enough, (just like piano) but he kept pushing me. I learned about a whole slew of new music from him. Classics like Jethro Tull and Earth Wind & Fire.

All in all - I will sorely miss Steve. I will think of him most every day because he gave me the nickname "space JASE". I use it everywhere. My website is www.spacejase.com - I owe you a lot Steve.

Thanks Steve.

Death by window...

This guy surprised us one morning when he bashed into one of the front windows. Chippie was sitting there so maybe the bird was defending territory against our cat. Anyways - it was sad to see him die. It was quick, but not instantaneous. He was trapped in the bush outside the window and after a few ragged breaths he went limp. I thought he might just be stunned so I put him on the front steps. A couple hours later he was stiff. I meant to bury him but something took him away that night.

It probably seems morbid to blog about him - but I was contemplating the passing of animals out in nature. It happens all the time and if no animal takes note, certainly no human does. I mean, if he had a family, they probably wonder what happened to him. Why didn't he come back that afternoon? But if birds only have a few seconds short term memory, do they notice stuff like the passing of a family member? Surely they have some sort of longer memory or imprinting that allows them to know where their nest is - or who their mate or child is... right?

When our cats have died, the other cats came around and sniffed and pawed at them. And kind of sat there for a minute in turn. But that was it. Maybe death is just what happens and when it's done there isn't much to think about in an animal's mind. Why do we as humans make a big deal about death? Is it because we impact each others' lives more than other mammals? Do we remember people because we have longer memories and therefore feel more of a sense of loss?

I don't know the answers, but I thought it sad that this big beautiful birds suddenly met his demise with a stupid window.

It rained last night and...

and this guy was hanging out under the potting soil. His eyes are so big and completely black. I think he must have been blinded by the camera flash.

I love these little creatures.

The weekend already...

The week went so fast! I'm drinking coffee on Saturday wondering where the week went.
A couple meetings with coworkers, a couple tech demos for clients, a day trip to LA for a screening, up to SF for meetings... sometimes the week drags by, but not this past week. Good stuff.

Now - relaxing. :P

gold LEGO minifig score!

Went to the LEGO store today.
Spent too much $$ and got this as a prize:
My only complaint is that the hands are peach colored. Why couldn't they have made them gold? It's a simple paint over job - if you bend the legs at all the peach plastic is revealed. Still - I appreciate the novelty of it and that it was free. Thanks LEGO!

hot hot hot

Got in the car yesterday and it told us it was 111 degrees. SHEESH.
No wonder people hang out at the mall so much! The LEGO store has nothing to taunt me with. I should have bought those air conditioners from Chris...
Global warming is alive and well here in the Bay Area. Oh and smog allergies as well.
*HACK*