Post-Super Saiyan

Everything slowed down to normal speed. People of the stars would attribute this to Leo's time segment ending, but it's most likely because I'm on my own, and getting out less. My dad left for home, he stayed up here a little more than a week, so I no longer have a vehicle at my disposal. He made several business contacts, so he may return to live up here, possibly in a van down by the ocean. On his way back, he's going to do whatever he wants. I think he's already camped on Mt. Rainier, and maybe visited St. Helens. I should probably tell him that Idaho is on fire now.

The other day I went on a bus adventure to downtown Seattle to see if anything fun was happening. The answer was "Yes holy wow!", as I got off to explore Seattle's annual Sandfest, a competition of sand sculpture and music and other stuff that occurs in front of Westlake Mall. I saw more weirdos in those couple of hours than probably exist in Springfield, unless you count Halloween. Though, it is nice to see a variety of folk.
This is the sculpture that won I think. There's was also a concert going on, and some other stuff like you'd see at a festival. After hanging around, I visited the Westlake Mall. Their food court had foods of all sorts, as opposed to fast food, so, not to look unfancy, I filled up on sushi.




The next part of my mall adventure is the part where I assume all my fantasies are real. I found a bustling EB Games, and thought "Wink my waffles! This must be the mall-sited EB that Gabe and Tycho shop at!" It was bustling, that's for sure. I shuffled through Nintendo things. Hmm, the new Metroid Prime game, 2 days before it comes out, not surprising of where Penny Arcade shops. Instead of confirming whether it was just to reserve or not, I ran off, eager to protect my fantasy. To continue my escape into a dream, I spotted a couple that looked like Gabe and his wife shopping at the video store right across. Nah, they'd be at PAX, and probably have a child with them. But lo... he has a Wii keychain. I pondered the mystery for a while, and went on my merry way. Yes, I am a firm believer of leaving celebrities alone, especially when they're trying to blend into public. Don't worry, they'll be interviewing me when I'm a bigshot.

Anyway, when I watched part 2 of Brad Neely's movie talk comic this morning, I was foolish enough to be eating, for Brad Neely hasn't been hitting the spot lately. When it got towards the end, I almost perished. Check it out at Super Deluxe.

Next time, I will describe my epic bike route. Goose knight!

Hmm?!

Today when I was biking, I found one of these guys.


(My pictures didn't turn out well, this one's by someone named Svend Ove Jensen)

At first I thought it was a pokemon, but after some webternet research, I found it is an Arion Rufus, a kind of European slug. Sadly, it is not something I can catch in a ball and teach fighting moves. Maybe next time.

Also, if anyone's not keeping up with Nartzor (aka Naruto), this week's episode was a good fight, the kind we haven't seen in a couple years. It reminded me why I watch the series in the first place.

A Time of Events

I don't think I mentioned, but it seems this is the time of year where everything happens in Seattle. Since I am a nobo, I am going to skip a lot this year, but next year I will probably hit them all.

Last weekend was Hempfest, which is the the annual gathering for muggle law reform. I missed it though, due to inconvenient timing. This weekend, as all kinds of gamers across the nation know, is PAX, which I will definately attend next year, once I got a crew. It's the biggest gaming convention, hosted by a popular game-themed web comic and news site. They may be rude at times, but this adds to the fact that they are probably the best representatives for the gaming community.

There's also tons of music stuff going on, the biggest of course is Bumbershoot, the annual gigantic concert/other things extravaganza. This year it is featuring The Shins, Panic! at the Disco, Wu-Tang Clan, Gogol Bordello, Janeane Garofalo, Stella (ZOMG), and countless others, mostly all playing at the same time. I might actually go to this one, for the sake of Stella, who is a hilarious comedy group. They used to have a TV show on Comedy Central, but it was short-lived. Check out a new movie that they're all in and one of them is directing called The Ten. Other concerts coming up include Modest Mouse, Tegan and Sara, Kimya Dawson, Rilo Kiley, Lily Allen, the Arcade Fire, the Flaming Lips, White Stripes, Richard Cheese, Incubus, Presidents of the US, They Might Be Giants, etc.

You might wonder where I get all my new Seattle news. One place is The Stranger, which is a free local newspaper my friend told me about before I left. It is full of cultural happenings and slightly opinioned articles of the humor variety, along with classifieds offering jobs in the Seattle Symphony, teaching English in Japan (You don't even have to know Japanese!), or extras in movies. The funnies section consists of just Perry Bible Fellowship and Maakies, which is neat!

I've also heard things from a great radio station here called The End (it's 107.7). It's an alternative station, not a rock alternative which is the only option in Springfield, so they play many favorites from the 90s, along with new stuff like the Shins. Rawk.

Recorded Memories

Journey pictures, as promised! Brought to you by my phone camera memory device.


This is a street performer in Boulder. Another great job for Sam!


Tons of beautiful rock formations along the drive of course. Anyone who hasn't seen some of America's rock landscapes should check it out, mostly near the Rockies or the Badlands.


"See Butte from the Inside Out..." Sorry Butte, I will always laugh at you.

This is the view from my balcony. Not too bad, eh?

These are workerbots that live in Puget Sound. We are near the Pike Place Fish Market, which is a neat area.

Sunset on Alki Beach, on another part of Puget Sound.

All the vandalism I've seen so far is pretty creative, and usually funny.

A Successful Journey

Hello dear readers. I can't post pictures yet because I only have access to wireless internet right now, but they will arrive soon courtesy of my cell phone camera.

In any case, I am in my new home in Issaquah, Washington. We drove a pleasant journey, though the bugs attacked our windshield in Kansas, Montana was on fire, and we competed for hotel rooms with bikers returning home from their annual get-together. We made the trip in 3 days, and even got to hang around Boulder, Colorado again. If you haven't been there, try it out, there's a lot of interesting art shops.

Issaquah is a beautiful hilly forest land, complete with modern business shops. Aside from coffeehouses and smoothiehouses, there are artshops, bikeshops, and farmer's markets full of organic foods (Seattelites love organic foods like Ozarkians love steak). My bike ride to school is absolutely gorgeous with conifers, my kind of trees, and Lake Sammammish, Sam's kind of lake.

My roommate is very nice. She works at least two jobs, and, from what I understand, is a medical masseuse. She will probably have good spine advice if my bike labor is rough on me. She also has two friendly cats. My balcony has an awesome view of Mt. Tiger. Yes, I have a mountain in my backyard.

Most of all, I've been surprised at how different the people are here. I guess it's always hard to imagine how different other peoples' minds can be from my own. Growing up in the Ozarks, I knew the people were different from me, but we all knew how to deal with each other. I also took for granted my friends in Rolla, whom, compared to other people of the world, we actually had very like minds.

I first noticed it when we went shopping for the first time. Strangers talked to us for no reason, so at first we thought they were crazy (though, one of them was, he tried to sell us teen boy slaves, no lie). It turns out, people are a lot less shy around strangers out here. Not particulary polite or anything, they just make comments or conversation for no apparent reason. In the Ozarks, everyone keeps to themselves for the most part, and when words are exchanged with a stranger, they are very polite. Just something I have to get used to I guess.

The world is full of interesting people and now.... now is strange. I will have pictures in the next post, along with more words to exchange. Please leave comments, so I know more people read this blog than my mother, though she is a nice lady.

Out of the Pond into the Sea

Tomorrow is the day of leaving. Me and my dad will drive the van from Missouri to Washington, observing any landmarks we feel like seeing along the way. We don't really have a route planned, I think we're just playing it by ear. Then dad's going to hang out in Seattle for a bit, possibly setting up some business contacts if he can.

I sold my old blazer to my friend Sam. The blazer was my first car, I've had it for 7 years or so. But, I'm not sure it would have made the trip, and I also want to be free from gas and insurance for a bit. So, I'm getting used to bike riding, and I'll look into the metro system when I get up there. Everyone tells me the Seattle area has great public transportation.

In other news, my sister just got hitched, and my brother is hitched too. They have truly grabbed life by the horns and are shaking violently, trying to shake all the candy out. Also, I have entered my 24th year, which is a good number, I will treat it well.

For those who aren't following, Rumble Fighter is now officially released. Tell your friends that if they want they can be a werewolf or a metal man.

Kelroy out.