OTDOD - 07-01-02010 - The times they are a changin' Edition

1. For various reasons, I’ve never been much of a goal-setter. Which explains a lot, really, when looking at my life.
2. N/A
3. Ditto
4. I like things that fly in the air and explode in pretty colors.
5. Not generally, but this weekend we’ll be in Rockaway Beach (not this one, this one) and they always put on a pretty phenomenal fireworks display – the town swells from about 2,000 residents to about 10,000 for the weekend, and it’s basically a weekend-long party.
6. Burgers or dogs? Burgers, usually. But dogs are good too. But there’s something about a bbq burger on the beach that just can’t be beat.

5-10 years ago I started to dream of becoming a screenwriter. Writing seemed to be the only thing I was any good at and movies have always been a passion of mine. I am just addicted to them since before I can remember. I once worked at a Hollywood Video for 6 months and they allow you to rent out 3 movies at a time for free when you are an employee. I think in 6 months I watched about 200-250 movies. So I took a screenwriting class in college and the teacher seemed to take a liking to what I did, so I figured maybe it was something I could do for a living and my goal was to move to LA and do it.

I moved to LA a year ago, so “check” on that goal. But thus far I haven’t done much writing as I try and figure out the rest of my life. I haven’t given up though, lots of time to write. And with Hollywood not pumping out many original ideas, I feel my own original ideas are safe.

But in soccer, they’re called “nutmegs”, and this is a pretty stellar one.

and the new Arsenal shirt is wonderful. They finally got the white sleeves back. The only things I’d change are I’d shorten the red bands on the sleeves, and I’d add a collar. Otherwise, this is a classic Arsenal look and I love it.

Ever since we’ve “legally” started drinking the show is getting sketchier every year.

Fifteen years ago, I wanted to be a journalist working writing about either cars or car racing – I had grown up a car and racing magazine junkie (almost a bigger fan of the magazines than the subject matter), and I saw myself traveling the world writing for these magazines.

The interesting and unexpected thing is that I accomplished that goal immediately out of college. Which was awesome, but it created an interesting quandary. 1) Now that I had achieved my goal, what would I do with the rest of my life, especially since … 2) I quickly recognized the sacrifices necessary in traveling the world – most of the other journalists were divorced, highly transient, and/or had personal lives with which I knew I would be unhappy; 3) it was quickly becoming clear that the Internet was either killing magazines or dramatically changing the magazine landscape away from what I had fallen in love with as a child.

My fall-back goals were a little less specific. One general goal was to work for the Sonics; I got into discussions, but in retrospect I’m glad that didn’t work out – obviously the Sonics moved, the Sonics employees were apparently very unhappy in the last few years before the move, and I had learned the danger of mixing your hobbies with your career.

Another goal was to prove that nice guys can “win” – that you don’t have to be a jerk to succeed. But then I realized that I’m less interested in winning in the agreed-upon sense and I just want a happy life with my family. So now my goal is to have a happy work-life balance and to make both work and home meaningful and memorable. It’s a rather more modest and vague goal, but I think it’s the one that counts.

As of 2 weeks ago this is officially the case. Now I need to find clients….

4) What’s your favorite firework?
I’m not clear on the differences between them, honestly.

5) Do you go out of your way to see a fireworks show?
Not particularly. I like fireworks shows, but not really enough to seek them out specifically. I also tend to get a bit bored after the first few go up – it seems like it would be more fun just to blow up the whole arsenal all at once. Like Faux, I really like photographing fireworks. Especially at Grand Coulee Dam – the fireworks/laser show there is fun.

6) If you’re not a fireworks fan, what’s your favorite holiday weekend activity?
Getting out on the water. We’re going to be canoeing and kayaking this weekend, and I’m really looking forward to it.

7) Burgers vs. dogs
Burgers are the clear answer at restaurants, and the ceiling on burgers is clearly higher. But there’s something about backyard BBQ dogs (or kielbasa, or even chicken sausage) that I prefer to a backyard BBQ burger.

Never really had goals, per se— I sort of thought I knew what I wanted when I got out of school (outside the 5-10-15-20 range ago) but life intervened as it does, and I stayed on in the area … and then I stayed on in the area.

The Fourth was not a big deal growing up— a handful of snakes and sparklers before dinner, a small amount of pinwheels & rockets after. I hate the crowds, so I tend to see the top half of the local fireworks over the treetops from home. I like the big chrysanthemum-style displays, and I would be happy to never hear another Whistling Pete again. The last few years I’ve trundled my dad to various parks to hear one of the local British-style brass bands do a holiday concert, but at 91 the logistics don’t really work well anymore.

I don’t grill (gasp) but I am partial to a well made burger and to a good dog.

One of our classic ‘babysitter night’ dinners growing up was a hot dog, butterflied and topped with fried bacon and cheese melted under the broiler. I haven’t been brave enough as an adult to replicate it.

NINTH! Well, CC is pitching so I guess it makes sense today. Next righty, I better see Saunders move up.

I have come to the realization that I am more of a dreamer and not a goal oriented person. I dream about things I want to do, but I have no clue how to achieve the things I want to do. That is what goals are for, I guess— they help you along the way.

After graduating college last year, I am still seeking a career. I had dreamed of doing many things as a career, but this clusterfuck of a job market has crushed every single of those ideas. It is quite frustrating because I am already at an age I should have been in the middle of a career path, but now I am thrown onto another track and I don’t know how long it is going to last.

1) My mistake in life has always been I shoot too low. Perfect example is 20 years ago when I graduated from high school I wanted to be in a band, record an album and go on tour.
2) Over the next 15 years I was in multiple bands, recorded multiple albums and went on multiple tours. But it never went further than that because I never created a desire for more than that.
3) My current goal is to retire in Hawaii and I refuse to believe I will fail. I also want to own enough land to have at minimum a 9 hole disc golf course of my own.
4) Don’t care for fireworks too much but when i see big ones I appreciate them.
5) No, I stay at home and tell my dog he is okay for nine straight hours and make sure he does not destroy my home.
6) Definitely eating with friends.

And burgers always. Do not like hot dogs, but I do love the fresh made sausage from B & E meats here in Burien or Des Moines.

What I have is chicken vegetable soup with rice.