Apocalyptica

Steve and I went with a group of friends to an Apocalyptica concert several years ago and just loved it. So, when we heard they were touring in the bay area again, Steve and I decided to go last Monday.

The club this time was probably twice the size of the previous one. And there was an amusing demographic shift in the audience. At the first show we attended, we were some of the youngest people there. Apocalyptica had a fairly impressive following among late 20-somethings up through middle age folks. At this show, we were some of the oldest people there. Much of the group appeared to be high school or college kids. As the band has become more well known, their appeal seems to have expanded to the younger set.

Steve and I enjoyed the first concert more, but we did have a great time at this one. The younger crowd was a little more rowdy than we liked and the band played less of their classic Metallica covers and more of their original music, which while good, was not as much fun as shouting Metallica lyrics along while they play. Also, during the few covers that they did play, much of the crowd got the words wrong! Kids these days.

The Living Desert

Steve and I spent the end of last week in Palm Springs. We had some great food, enjoyed the game room and pool at the time share, and went to The Living Desert.

When I went to The Living Desert as a kid, I remember it being a lot of fun to see all the native animals and plants, and I was excited to share it with Steve. But a lot has changed since I was a kid. In the past decade or so, they have managed to bring Africa to the California desert.

We took at least 80 pictures, but I’ll just post the best here.

Barrel Cactus Garden

Black-Crowned Night Heron (I just thought it was really beautiful)

Steve gets a hug from a Cactus

East African Crowned Crane

Fluffy Flowers (we don’t know what they were, but they look nice)

Leopard

We hang in the Cactus Garden

I hang with a Warthog (the real one is in the background)

An Ostrich Poses

Poison Dart Frog

Baby Giraffe

Roadrunner on top of Shade Umbrella

Steve with African Ocotillo in the Madagascar Garden

Sushi!

Well, sort of. I was trying to think of something to do with the tempura shrimp languishing in our freezer. Then I remembered the wonderful Corvallis rolls we had at a sushi place in Oregon. So, in a strangely ambitious move for me, I went out and bought some seaweed wrap and cucumber.


The resulting rolls contained tempura shrimp, cucumber, white rice and cream cheese. I was really nervous serving them to Steve, but he insisted that they were great. Of course, that may just have been to try and build my confidence in food preparation in the hope that I might occasionally prepare dinner… but I’ll just assume that it was actually tasty.

When Steve gets a new toy…

… it inevitably leads to big mess.

Steve’s receiver, well… melted or something and was no longer functional. Though he would have loved to replace the entire system and get the newest and greatest, he showed restraint and just purchased a new receiver similar to the old one. Now, the trick is to install it.

Steve notes the predicament he’s in.

I’m sure these all go… somewhere…

Beware of trees…

… and helping in-laws with household chores.

While chopping up a large branch last Sunday which had fallen on to Ed & Tiff’s roof, the thickest part of the branch jumped up after being stepped on and smacked me just below and beside my knee. It hurt a lot at the time, but I was unprepared for the aftermath.

Monday:

Tuesday:

Wednesday:

Today:

Yes, I know it’s gross, but it was just so darned impressive, I couldn’t resist posting it. I apologize to anyone who was reading this shortly before or after eating.

Ballotpedia

As Steve is planning to vote for the first time in this election, and I will most likely vote also, we have been discussing the ads we see on TV. Well… “discussing” is a nice word. I tend to yell at the TV a lot. I know that it does no good, but it’s kinda therapeutic.

Anyway…

I wanted to look up some information regarding Prop 4 and found ballotpedia.org. It lists ballot propositions from 1912 through the upcoming November election. I found it to have a pleasant synopsis that seemed fairly unbiased. It gives an explanation of what the proposition will do if passed, arguments for and against as well as donors who have contributed to either side.

Of interest to my LDS readership, under Prop 8 Donors it notes that $6.4 million has been donated to the yes on 8 campaign by individual Mormons. I’m not going to comment on that other than to say that I hope we find that money to be profoundly wasted once the ballots are counted. Sadly, I am not optimistic, but I can always hope.

Personally, I resent laws that try to tell me how to live my life on matters which do not impact other people’s lives. I have heard no argument put forth that convinced me that a girl getting an abortion without notifying her parents or a gay couple marrying has any impact on me whatsoever. It seems extremely arrogant for anyone to think that they know what’s best for another person. And to legislate values… wow… I can’t think of a better word than arrogant.