The End of the World

While I was checking out the beer selection at my neighborhood Fred Meyer last night I came across a beer called La Fin Du Monde. It's brewed by a French-Canadian brewery out of Quebec and is a "triple-fermented" Belgian Ale packing 9% AV. The name translated to English means "the End of the World".
And it was for me. I am shamed to admit this but I couldn't even finish this beer. It kicked my ass. I personally didn't care for the taste (too yeasty) but the alcohol content had me feeling "good" in no time. This is one brew I may have to stear clear of during my 365 beer attempt.
I also picked up a sixer of the New Belgium Spring Seasonal, Springboard. I am very much looking forward to killing them all this evening. I am a huge fan of all things New Belgium and this should be no exception.
Hooray BEER!!!

365 Beers

Sorry I haven't posted in ages, I've been extremely busy as of late. I just recently moved to Portland and I am still in the process of getting settled. I also had inventory at work this last week so that's been keeping me occupied. But now that I am "mostly" all moved and done with inventory, I should be able to post on a more regular basis.
Recently while checking out the sites I normally surf (ginapalooza, lisaopolis, abc news, mulgrew, planetdan, red red rine, fark, the letter d, waiterrant, espn, etc.) I came across a link to a site called 365 beer. This site was for a drinking game in which the goal was to drink a different beer every day for a year. When I found the site it was open to anybody to sign up. But since it was linked to Fark.com, soon they shut it down and only opened it to a few, priveledged drinkers. Well since then I have decided that I want to give this a try.
(One thing I have noticed about Portland is all of the different varieties of beers. At the Plaid Pantry near my place they have about 30 different beers. And that's just at the Plaid Pantry. With something like thirty different breweries in Portland I don't think finding that many different beers will be a problem. And knowing how I enjoy beer so much I figured that this sounds like fun.)
My goal is to start on my 30th birthday (February 16th) and drink a different beer a day for the year. Now, on the original webpage it said that you just had to finish four ounces of a beer for it to count. Fuck that. I am going to make myself finish the whole beer for it to count regardless of whether it's a 12 oz can, 16 oz pint or 22 oz bottle (or bigger).
I may also start another blog to keep track of all this consumption. Anybody else interested in giving it a try? I'm looking at you Gus, Smooty and Dicko.....

Halo 3 baby

I just got this email:
"Congratulations Erik Guttormsen, you have been chosen to participate in the Halo® 3 beta. In order to participate, you must have access to: -An Xbox 360TM Pro console or Xbox 360 Core console with hard drive -A valid Xbox Live® Gold subscription Keep an eye on your inbox, we will be sending more information about this opportunity soon."

I have a little bit of a hard on. And I'm not ashamed to admit it. I see a sick day or 5 in my future sometime in February...

Isn't the internet wonderful?

Where else can you search for a picture of Chicken, find instead a picture of a McDonald's chicken nugget that is actually a fried Chicken Head , which leads you to this beauty

Simpsons

In spirit of Smooty's new profile picture, I changed mine, and then found this beauty that was too good not to post.

I'm feeling better, and with a 3 day weekend I hope to stock up the new wine fridge I got for christmas with plenty of 22s of Ruby Ale and Arrogant Bastard Ale. hhhmmmmm, beeeerrrr.

long time no post

Wow, has it really been almost 2 weeks since any of us posted? Damn.

Well how about a quick recap.

Christmas was good. I didn't get much, which is okay because I already bought myself the 360 this year and really didn't want anything but time to play it.

I got sick. Real sick and missed a few days of work. As much fun as sleeping til 2 or 3 every day is, when you wake up covered in sweat, it's no fun. But after 45+ hours of sleep in 3 days, insomnia set in and I finally got to play some Saints Row on the 360, so got that Christmas wish after all.

The one cool thing my parents got us was a new hot tub cover. That was great...and then after 3 days of getting the hot tub up and going for new years eve, something broke, water hit the heating element, a loud bang, and all that effort was for nothing as the fucker sits in my backyard full of luke warm water, probably cooled to a nice 40 degrees or so right now.

Willie turned 30 and came home to visit. Magnums of champagne taste good. Happy birthday you old fucker.

I finally won a week in pick-em football and got my $20 entry fee back. But I didn't win it all, and so the $30 I coughed up by dropping from 1st to 4th in our fantasy league, the $15 I lost in survivor pick em, $10 in bowl pics, and $19 or so that I plunked down for the KLOG pool is all gone. I did win $50 on a Hawks game after a game winning 50+ yard field goal made my winning score come up at the moose lodge. And I won 2 free pizzas in the Daily News weekly pool, so overall, I think I came out just barely ahead. I still have an outside chance for some money in the Superbowl on Hewey's board. That will swing my end of year betting frenzy to either a barely negative close, or a very positive finish.

Anyone want to put money on march maddness? Anyone think the Cougs can hold on to their new shiny top 25 ranking and make it to the dance? Washington State Men's Basketball Earns National Ranking Fuck that would be outstanding. The second half of the game versus UCLA last month was the first time I had watched more than 5 minutes of Cougar basketball since my junior year in 1998.

And on that same cougar related topic, Washington State's Butch T. Cougar Named Capital One Mascot of the Year

And last but no least, Nate had a chance at the final KLOG week pick em on all the bowl pics. And lost the tiebreaker costing him about $176. That could have bought a whole lot of pudding.

Great Success!

Dicko's fantasy football game just came to an end and I was victorious! I seriously have no idea how I pulled this off. My team was fucking terrible. I mean, when Lamont Jordan is your first round draft pick you aren't supposed to win these things. (Thanks for that advise Hewey)
I was able to luck out with a couple of pick-ups over the season (Ladell Betts and Rex Grossman, I'm looking your direction), picked Drew Brees in my draft and also lucked out with Baltimore's defense.
The championship game I had to play LDT. Lucky for me the Seahawk defense shut him down*. And just like that, the Bad News Monkeys had defeated Twan's Dongers.
Dicko, I want my two dollars!


*and by "shut down" I mean contained him better than anybody else had this year. GO HAWKS!

Time to sell my 89 Upperdeck?

Ken Griffey Jr. Breaks Hand in Accident

Griffey gets hurt more than the guys on my fantasy basketball team and dickos fantasy football team. I wonder if it's time to sell my 89 Upperdeck Rookie card yet...

seriously, out of a 14 man roster, 8 starters and 6 bench, I had 5 injuries as of Monday, I dropped a guy and picked one up, and now Nowitzki is hurt too, putting me back up to 5 injured guys. I almost can't even field a full roster.

Also, I love picking on Christmas light displays. I have what some might refer to as an addiction. Yes, Christmas spirit and all that shit, but tacky is tacky, no matter how you justify it.

The first is tacky. The second is tacky. The third, I can't decide. Sometimes a lot can look good if you don't overuse lights that don't match and snowmen and raindeers, etc. These are internet pictures, but I bet If I drove by I would think "HOLY SHIT, THAT'S TACKY!"

And We Have A Winner... (Christmas Light Snob 2006)

I found an interesting article on the web today. This guy over in the Boston area has over 250,000 Christmas lights. His power company had to install a new power line because he blew up the old one with all of the juice his grotesque display is drawing. I just wish this guy lived across the street from Erik so we could all listen to him bitch.
And I believe I found the most ridiculous display in Longview. I should have some great pics of some terrible displays up on here soon (if I could just remember my camera).
I would also like to take this time to thank my inconsiderate neighbors, who keep their bright white Christmas lights on all night right outside my bedroom window. I know how Griswold's neighbors feel now.

Blazers half court tundra

Blazers Half Court Shot for a new Toyota Tundra. I missed this game but Alex sent me this clip. Pretty crazy to actually see someone with a hint of athletic ability get a chance at one of these half court shots. The last game I was at the guy's shot didn't even land in the key. I hate when people don't even come close. I want to kick them for not signing up someone they know with athletic ability instead of signing themselves up. And I boo them. Loud.

Christmas lights

Speaking of articles in the daily news,
Christmas Lights

They did an article about all the grossly over decorated homes in the area, although they were a little nicer about it than I am.

I was mad I didn't take a camera down Shaun and Angela's street last night. There is a house near theirs with at least 10 inflatables out front, and two houses across the street with more lights than the rest of the block combined.

Letter to the Editor (update)

So it looks like Erik's rant about the idiot drivers in town got published by the local newspaper. Check it out here...
The published version sure is a lot less angry sounding than the original I noticed.

Letter to the Editor (drivers)

I am going to send a letter to the editor about the circle I mentioned yesterday. I have been meaning to do it for about 4 years now since I started working at the Bank and travel the circle on average of 16-20 times a week.

I got fucking cut off again this morning entering the civic circle. Up yesterday's average from a few times a week to at least 3 times a week.

Another case of seeing the car coming on the inside lane about 5-10 over the limit of 25 MPH, seeing that the car in the middle lane was patiently waiting to yield, and KNOWING IN MY HEART that this fucker in the 85 black datsun pickup was not going to yield and then going to double lane change in front of me...

If I hadn't slowed down, he would have t-boned me, and the asshole probably would have thought he had the right away...even though there is a FUCKING YIELD SIGN AND IT HAS BEEN THERE FOR 50 YEARS. Fuck.

Luckily I was not as happy this morning cause I had to run all the way home for something I forgot, and this was on the way back to work, and I just found out I have about 25 hours of work to try and squeeze into the next two 9-10 hour days with no breaks...for no overtime. Luckily because I FUCKING LAYED ON THE HORN ABOUT 5 FEET FROM HIS PASSENGER SIDE DOOR until he was through the circle. About 10 seconds at least. He actually stopped changing lanes for a second before he realized I wasn't going to hit him, and then proceeded with his illegal non-yielding double lane change with no signal. I hope he peed just a little bit. I know that fucker in the passenger seat did. I could see it in his eyes.

Note: also, you must check out Mulgrew's blog. The post about the wine competition and drinking in Seattle is so funny, I feel good about not crashing into that fucker above so that I was around to read it.

Lucky Drivers

The following people that drove like idiots/assholes in front of me in the tiny window of 15 minutes I was on the road today, you are lucky I was in a semi-good mood. And don't have a magic tire-popping device, like a .44

• The person that didn't yield from the inside lane around the circle. Happens every week, but still pisses me off.
• The person who pulled into the intersection and then didn't switch lanes to get out of the intersection when their light turned red, blocking me during an entire green light.
• The person who blew through a red on the next green light after the intersection was unblocked by said dumb bitch, and amazingly didn't hit me or the person coming the other way who just had to sit through an entire green light. Just so you know, that light wasn't even CLOSE to yellow. It was red at least 50 yards before you got there. Fucker.
• The car that went straight from the right hand turn lane, cutting me off as I was going straight. Again, this happens at least a few times a week on this road next to my work, but never ceases to amaze me.
• The car that crossed 3 lanes on a one way road to get into the left turn lane in front of me.
• The next car that crossed 2 lanes, realized they also needed to turn left, and blocked all 3 lanes. You are welcome for letting you in.
• The NEXT CAR that crossed 2 lanes, same story. DID I NOT HAVE MY LIGHTS ON? You are also lucky I am a nice person and let you in.

This may not seem like a lot, but remember that I drive at most 3 miles to and from work and did very little other driving today. I drove about 6 blocks to my wife's work, and Nate drove to lunch. This amount of stupid/inconsiderate people in less than 20 minutes worth of driving is very close to a new record for me.

Speaking of which, Nate got a dirty look from some old guy who didn't think we should turn in front of him while the car in front of him was also turning. Is it a full moon today? What the fuck is wrong with people?

Say Thanks...

Something cool that Xerox is doing.
If you go to this web site, http://www.letssaythanks.com/ , you can pick out a thank you card and Xerox will print it and it will be sent to a soldier that is currently serving in Iraq. You can't pick out who gets it, but it will go to some member of the armed services.
How AMAZING it would be if we could get everyone we know to send one!!! This is a great site. Please send a card. It is FREE and it only takes a second. Wouldn't it be wonderful if the soldiers received a bunch of these?
Whether you are for or against the war, our guys and gals over there need to know we are behind them...

Christmas Light Snob (2006) version 2.0

I pass this beauty every night on the way home. While at first glance, it may not seem as bad as Stacy's entry, you need to know that those are twinkle lights, and that you can only see half of them. And I provided a close up to really show you whats in the window and on the porch...

That is an OUTDOOR Noel light up display put in the front window instead of the yard or on the roof. And that is a light up snowman guarding the lit up front door at the end of the lit up path and garden. And again, you can't see how obnoxious the flashing roof lights are, but imagine at least 1000 more lights along every crease in the roof and covering every leaf on the bushes...

Keep in mind this is actually my 2nd place entry. My first place entry is still to come, and will give Stacy's a run for its money. Like Dicko said, it's nice when people decorate, and this one definitely isn't a winner in the tacky department, but it helps put my snobbery into a frame of reference. Not only do I detest tacky, I also give the finger to unsymetrical, too many colors, colored lights mixed with white lights, and snowmen that are not made out of snow.

I hope when they saw my flash go off 3 or 4 times last night, they heard me laughing and didn't think I was taking pictures because of how beautiful their decorations are...

Dear Abby,

I've never written to you before, but I really need your advice on what could be a crucial decision. I've suspected for some time now that my wife has been cheating on me. The usual signs... phone rings but if I answer, the caller hangs up.

My wife has been going out with the girls a lot recently although when I ask their names she always says, "Just some friends from work, you don't know them."

I always stay awake to look out for her taxi coming home, but she always walks down the drive. Although I can hear a car driving off, as if she has gotten out of the car round the corner. Why? Maybe she wasn't in a taxi? I once picked her cell phone up just to see what time it was and she went berserk and screamed that I should never touch her phone again and why was I checking up on her.

Anyway, I have never approached the subject with my wife. I think deep down I just didn't want to know the truth, but last night she went out again and I decided to really check on her.

I decided I was going to park my Harley Davidson motorcycle next to the garage and then hide behind it so I could get a good view of the whole street when she came home. It was at that moment, crouching behind my Harley, that I noticed that the valve covers on my engine seemed to be leaking a little oil.

Is this something I can fix myself or should I take it back to the dealer?

Thanks,Bob

Christmas Light Snobs (2006)

Another year, another chance to look down upon those that tackily display hundreds of dollars worth of Wal-Mart and Ace Hardware specials. A hint for you. If you buy a new lawn or roof decoration every year, and just add it to your display instead of replacing an old decoration, you have a problem and should seek help.

These first two pics are of the same house, sent in by our very own Stacy, to show the first of the many problems with tacky displays. You have to look at them during the day.

Direct email quote "What you cant see on the photos is the 2nd set of carolers behind the ice skating penguin. (Never thought I'd type that sentence!)"

If you are like me and Abby and Stacy and most other sane people, you may look at this, and realize that you too, are a Christmas Light Snob (CLS). Welcome to the club. Please send in your favorite (i.e. most hated) display that you pass by every day, and we will make this a contest. I myself have seen two "winners" just driving home every day and up to my parents' house. I'll get them up here as soon as I remember the camera and my eyes recover from viewing thousands of twinkle lights and inflatable scooby doos at the same time...

Also, check an old post for CLS 2005. Funny to see how similar last year is to this one. Posts in December last year were talking about the Seahawks, Christmas, drinking, dicko losing at fantasy football...

Get The Drunk Home!

I received a link in my e-mail today for this wonderful time-killer (thanks Shon!). The point of the game is to get the drunk guy home. You have to use your mouse to keep him upright while he walks. What makes it so tough is you can't see your mouse and he keeps leaning from side to side. My high score so far is 72. See if you can beat it.

Coolest "Holiday" Evah....

So I just found out that December 5th is "Day of the Ninja". If I had known this beforehand I would have totally thrown a Ninja Day party! Who wants to go have some ninja-beers with me?