Will the bell toll for me?

If you felt my supraspinatus (see, I don't need to re-take A&P!!!!!) you wouldn't feel muscle, you'd feel what apparently is a bag of gravel under my skin.

This muscle, especially the right side one, is where every bit of stress in my body decides to go and have a party. Stress loves it there! Disneyland, Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, my supraspinatus has it all for stress!!

Stress. Waiting. Who likes to wait for anything? Not me! I will pay 20% more for something I want and drive across town to get it, just so I can have it now. Rather than save that 20% buying online and waiting. I like my xmas presents early. I like my birthday presents early. I hate waiting. Waiting=wasting.

How these things go together is that I am super stressed out about waiting for graduate school stuff to happen. Of the 15 schools I applied to it now stands like this: 10 did not offer me a position. 1 application still pending. 1 I've heard nothing from. And 3 who've asked me for more information but have me in a holding pattern.

Where I wait. The application deadline for those 3 is September 1st. So hopefully I will be hearing of an offer to interview by October 1st. Which is 32 days from today....

Schools I'm waiting on:
Loma Linda University here in southern California.
University of Colorado in Denver Colorado.
University of Utah in Salt Lake City Utah.

School with no response:
University of St. Francis in Albuquerque New Mexico.

School with application still pending:
San Joaquin Valley College here in California.

Things I Like More Than I Should....

IDPA and IPSC shooting sports. I am really into this right now, not quite to the level that I was once addicted/obsessed with brazilian jiu jitsu, but close. I've found matches for each week of the month within an hour drive of me. I've bought stuff just for this. I practice daily. I'm almost ready to start joining clubs and national associations.......paying for professional instruction........
And checking out stuff like this, a video you watch on your tv to practice dry firing at. Crazy! Cool!

The Regular Show. There are about 4 things I like to watch on tv. Football. Motorcycle racing. Top Gear. And this cartoon. Though I want to be Mordechai, I am most probably Rigby.

Photography. I used to make fun of photography nerds/lovers. Now I am doing exactly the things I made fun of in other people! Hi, my name is Rowdy and I'm a wanna be...

Things on Ebay with my name on them are a flame to my moth-ness. T-shirts. Books. License plates. Cookie tins. Stickers. I look at this stuff constantly and want almost all of it. I haven't bought any in the past few years, but I window shop the search term "rowdy" in Ebay constantly!

And sharks. But if you've been reading this blog for any length of time or know me in real life then you know anything 'sharky' is hard for me to resist. I'm what you'd call a homosharkual. HA!

The shower. I could stand in the shower with hot water running down me for 45-50 minutes every day easily. I love Popsicle in the shower as well. I used to have a pile of sticks in the shower when I lived in the SF Bay area but someone commented on it in a way I am too self conscious now to let them collect like that again.I've actually been making plans in my mind for a way I could break the world record for taking a shower, which is 341 hours. I need to shower just over two weeks non-stop to break it. I could (should? will??) do it!

You could ad other transient things right now like Dairy Queen Peanut Buster Parfaits and more stuff I won't mention. But this is a good enough list.

#instafun, #instarowdy, #instasandiego

Can you tell I'm having fun with my camera? No photoshop, no editing, just pure skill. hahahaha. But yeah, I'm having fun. And The Rowdy ABC's of San Diego project is shaping up. I now have two items for each letter so that I can try to get a good rowdy representation of San Diego.

And now that I got instagram on my phone I play there once in a while too. The climbing gym the post below is one of them. The really good stuff goes here! And I'm actually trying to figure out how to present the ABC project to best display it....

Here is today's photo fun:

Always fun

Real Numbers

2. Two ideas I have for photo projects. A stop motion film with one of my toy Godzillas. Secondly a collection of 26 photos dealing with the ABC's of San Diego.

Percentages of my life in places I've lived so far. I had thought by now that California would be in the number one spot, but no. Though this still reaffirms I am totally a "west coast" or as I say "best coast" kind of guy.
Iraq 1%
Montana 2%
Arizona 4%
California 25%
Washington 33%
Oregon 35%

I got a ticket Saturday morning. I saw the SDPD and knew I was doing something wrong and did it anyways, hoping to not be seen. Illegal left turn out of a parking lot near my house. In front of two 'no left turn' signs at 8am. I saw the cop just sitting down the road and hoped I could just get away with it.

In the course of our discussion I must have made the right impression as what should have been a $350 traffic ticket turned into a $50 municipal ticket that doesn't go on my record for failing to stop before the sidewalk upon leaving a lot. In this case $50 > $350.

Placing in the shooting contest where I did has inspired me to persue this competitive outlet more. My times and overall score have me very close to "being on the podium", my accuracy is where I will make up the greatest difference between me and the top dogs.
5th out of 10 in my class.
17th out of 34 overall.
In one stage, the final one laying down in the pictures below, I was 3rd fastest and made zero errors. No wonder they congratulated me then, it was apparent I did well.

Things I want to buy. Maybe not need, but definitely want. For a grand total of $170. I actually happen to have that! So I guess I will be doing some shopping this week!
Snap caps for dry fire practice $20
Small size grips for the Sig $20
Tac vest $65
Spare dslr battery $40
Cable release for dslr $25

Killer emailed me 20 pictures from Korea today. I especially like the ones of his "Alien" card.

16 and 3. 3 days a week. My commitment to aerobic exercise for the rest of the year. I'm happy with the muscle I am carrying, I just need to lose a little bit of fat now.
16%!!!! That is the percent increase of my body weight since surgery. I'm freaking 16% heavier/bigger than I was just 8 months ago.

The rootin', tooting-est, shooting-est hombre this side of the Pecosssss

Got my Yosemite Sam action on Saturday by going and shooting in an IDPA competition up at the range in Pala. Like a skilled beginner at anything I went from "eh, look at the clueless new guy" to "wow, great shooting" but the end of the day.

My gun worked great. I liked the style of shooting and competition. Everyone was cool and got along well. No wanna be ninjas or commandos. Good dollar to value. The only negative is waiting on results as it is all paper and pencil hand scored. I have no idea where I finished relative to anyone else.

None the less it was a fun time and I am very definitely going to go back again and again. I will probably mix it up between IDPA and IPSC style of competitions as well. You know how I like variety!

It was very interesting to shoot with the pressure of time, accuracy and people watching. Who you were also trying to beat. Drawing, sight picture, multiple targets, reloading, movement and cover. All of them came into play and it was much more intense than just simple target shooting. I know it is really just a game but it still felt like "more" in the heat of the moment.

And of course, I took my GoPro and got some pictures. Maybe once I am not soo green I will be able to get some video but right now I just have too many other things to concentrate on while shooting to worry about cinematic things.

Thanks Mercutio.....

As he dies in Romeo and Juliet, the Mercutio character exclaims, "A plague on both your houses!"

He must have been friends with my real estate agent. Each year there seems to be a particular beasty that is more prevalent around the house. I'm no pharaoh, though I've seen Pharaoh Monch in concert, but it sure does seem like my house is biblically cursed.

First year in the house, ants. Crazy ants.
Second year spiders.
Third year crickets.
Fourth year lizards.
Fifth year gophers.
And this sixth year, moths. Moths!

Why isn't Godzilla (Gojira) doing anything about this?

(what other person do you know who can segue from Shakespeare to home ownership to Godzilla?? hmmm, who?)

Thaaaaaat's Entertaaaaiiiiinment. And Sports!

Upcoming entertainment adventures

October 4. The Black Keys in concert in San Diego.

August 30. The play, "An Iliad" at the La Jolla Playhouse.

September 8. Doheny Days music festival up in Dana Point. Primarily to see Jane's Addiction and Santigold.

And as far as sporting adventures, I am waffling on competing at the World Masters and Seniors Jiu Jitsu Championships in October. I need to decide in the next week if I am, to begin training camp. Desire is the only thing holding me back.

I'm selling my bmx bike. I am tired of getting beat by 14 year old experts. Evidently no one my age takes up bmx racing as a novice. Go figure...

I have a practical pistol shooting competition tomorrow. I have been in unofficial shooting competitions in Boy Scouts and at the range, but never the real deal. I'm a good shot and shooting is not new to me, but competitive shooting is. Hope it is fun and I'm accurate. This video shows what I am doing and where:

Sprint triathlon in Palm Springs in December. Guess I need to find a cheap road bike as I don't have one anymore. I doooooo have the super tight triathlon outfit though!

Taking my own advice in the WWW

And by WWW I mean wild wild west. You've probably often seen written here the phrase, "Action is the best response to misfortune." and I still feel that to be true. I also try to heed my own advice, like any good guru.

Well with not getting into the college class I wanted, work hours dropping off, breaking a tooth out of my mouth I had definitely felt like I'd experienced some misfortune. How to help my attitude?

ACTION!

I lifted weights hard two nights in a row.
I went surfing.
I went on a 3 hour hike. (see the Ansel Rowdy pics below)
I practiced drawing and reloading for my competition this weekend.
I did laundry, made the bed, cleaned the kitchen.
I reorganized all my video and photo equipment.
I did yard work in detail.
I washed my motorcycle.
I made bracelets out of stainless steel wire.
And doing silly stuff like this....


There you have my 4-day action response. What time is it for you? Time for some action!

A hidden gem.

Look who was getting all Ansel Adams today....

"swords for $500 Alex"

I'm sorry Sean Connery, but the category is S words.

That's not what your mother said Trebek!

How many "S" words can you pic out in this picture? I can get a dozen....You??

skateboard
San Peligrino
shirtless
slip-on shoes
sunshine
sky
sidewalk
shorts
sexy
self-promotion
San Diego
smiling

Hell Yeah!

Source: memegenerator.net via Cydney on Pinterest

17,18. Two to Go.....

In the climbing world there is a feat called the 7 summits. To complete this you climb the highest point on each continent. I think I could do 3 of the 7, maybe 4 if I put real effort into it.

As I am not really that kind of climber but much more of a traveler, I am just hoping to visit all 7 continents. They are:
North America
South America
Africa
Asia
Europe
Australia
Antarctica

I've been to at least 16 countries outside of the US and I have been to 4 of the 7 continents; I still need to visit Antarctica, Australia and South America.

With my schedule freeing up, Tenacious' need of a good present, my love of MotoGp and a whole assortment of other reasons it is starting to look like a visit to Australia (Hi Ravi!!) and New Zealand will happen the last two weeks of October.

The rough itinerary after a few seconds thoughts is this:
Australia-
Philip Island MotoGP race.
Canberra to visit Ravi.
Sydney.
Shark diving.
New Zealand-
Bungee jumping.
Lord of the Rings tourism.
Mountain biking.
Nature viewing.

Most of the countries I've been to you can see a large percentage of them in two weeks time if you are an active traveler. But something as large as Australia it is just not conceivable with the travel time there from the US, the size of OZ and the race weekend taking up 4 days of time. But it still can be done.

Philip Island course from the air:

There are some things I don't have but there are some things I do have, and lots of them. Books. Sports equipment. Hoody sweatshirts. Travel experiences. So we will see if I am able to add to the list........

North America-USA, Mexico, Canada, Costa Rica, Belize
South America-
Australia-planned
Antarctica-
Africa- Morocco
Asia- Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam
Europe- Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Israel, Italy, Austria, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Great Britain, France

......this is all I can think off right off the top of my head. I'm sure I'm missing one or two......

Any hints dear readers for a quick trip to OZ and NZ?

Rejection Monday

I couldn't buy a parking pass for college as I didn't have an ID yet.
I couldn't get an ID as I wasn't registered for any classes.

I went to 5 sections of Microbiology trying to "crash" the course. 24 spots in each of the three classes on Mon/Wed of Tu/Th. Trying to get into the Mon/Wed classes each class had its full roster of 24. Each class had all 8 people on the waiting list show up. And then there were between 12 and 22 people like me trying to 'crash' the course.

After being there from 9am until 6pm and being pointedly told by each professor of each class that unless I was in the top 2 or possibly 3 of the wait list, there was zero chance of me getting into the class I left.

During the day I even texted a friend going to Grossmont to check and see if she could register for Micro to see if they had any classes open. None at Grossmont or Cuyamaca.

I am not going to even bother tomorrow trying for the Tue/Thur classes as I already know they are full and the wait lists are full.

In an effort to try and salvage something out of this experience I thought I would try and register tonight for some "fun" classes just so I would be used to going a certain place at a certain time, getting a grade and having some fun.

Fencing. Closed.
Tennis. Closed.
Badminton. Closed.
Photography. Closed.

And when I got home I had rejection letters from PA schools waiting for me. Rejection Monday.

ps-and i have a horrible sinus infection from surfing and getting ocean water pounded up my nose.
ps-and i have been exercising tons so i am very sore physically. and gaining more than i want to weight wise. less weights and more running i guess.
ps-the past two nights i've awoken yelling due to nightmares about aliens smashing my testicles and trying to anal probe me. super fun!!

Requests for my readers!

Of my 13 or 14 daily readers, what sort of thing would you like to see or have written about here? Gimmie a little hint as to how I might entertain or enlighten you. This is your chance to control some content I'd create especially for you. Challenge me!

For anyone else who just happens to be here randomly, I am looking to start following other blogs regularly, of people who also live in San Diego.

So if you know of any interesting, weird, creative, dynamic blogs of anyone here in San Diego, please share them with me. No "mommy" blogs, no recipe blogs. I want unique people doing unique things!

Thanks! And now gratuitous 'rowdy' pictures.

A San Diego Idyll

Poll of the Month

During the course of a two day interview process for something I was once asked, "What animal do you most identify with?" Of course I instantly blurt out "Great White Shark**!", not realizing I would have to explain why so or thinking of the ramifications in the situation.

I said sharks are lean, efficient, apex predator, powerful, survivors, always moving and beautiful. As I would like those qualities ascribed to myself I was totally happy with my answer and reasoning. I knew I had flubbed it though when the both gave me another chance to answer and then at the end said I was the first and only person to identify with a shark.

This year I am going with dolphin. 'Cause dolphins are intelligent, inquisitive and playful. I can go with that as well and it's probably a more palatable answer to most people.

Along with sharks and sea life I also enjoy cartoons. Not all, but some. I'm not some ComiCon nerd either, just the normal amount of cartoon loving. With that running through my mind yesterday and thinking about the next time someone asks me in an 'oh-so-serious' way what animal I am, I was wondering what cartoon am I?

To make the process easier and with small portion of relativity I chose cartoon characters with red hair. Woody Woodpecker, Fry from Futurama, Yosemite Sam, Dexter from Dexter's Lab and Lil' Devil. (who while not a true red head is a fully red character)

What do you think? Cast your vote in the comments section and let me know which character you think I most resemble in temperament, personality and such. I'm awfully curious to know!!!!

**My love and interest in all things shark-ual is definitely something for another post! I'm too busy enjoying Shark Week.

Dexter

Woody Woodpecker

Philip J Fry

Lil' Devil

Yosemite Sam

Fast, Food, Fishing, Fakes

Turn and burn!! Leave San Diego at 320am. Pick a friend in Vista. Pick up a friend in Temecula. Drive all the way to Mammoth Mountain and arrive at 1020am. Ride until the very last second at 5:00.01PM. Then start the slog of a drive home and get back at 12:55AM. A 22 hour day!

Notice all the camera gear on me? Yeah, none of it turned out. The sd card was corrupted and so was all the data. Lost.

There is a drought in the middle of the US. So the corn crop is suffering. With no corn there is not much for pigs to eat. If pigs don't have food they have to be killed. And when too many pigs get killed then the price for pork ribs drops at the grocery store. So I eat lots of pork ribs!! I am getting them down pretty dang good. The next party I have will be a pork ribs bbq based one.

6 racks of ribs was just too much though, even for my gut. Guess that means I have to make what I call a "pass out" breakfast, 'cause you will want to pass out after you eat it. Eggs, tomato, onion, spinach, mushrooms and diced up left-over ribs.

Ocean Beach (OB) pier at night for fishing. I just kept getting my bait stripped and stolen. And I don't have the patience to really spend the time at it. I would rather just go spend $20 at the fish market to get what I want than spend more than 2 hours fishing off the pier. But for those two hours it is fun.

You know how a guy has recently claimed to photographed the Loch Ness monster? I can top that! I found Santa!!! Yep during the summer Santa comes to San Diego, like everyone else. And seemingly gets his medical care done at the same time.

Personal Best

I ran my best mile time tonight! My previous best mile time was 6:36.

Tonight I ran a mile in 6:28. Woot! Closer to running a sub six minute mile!

The last time I was able to run a sub 7 minute mile was well over 7 years ago. So I am super stoked!!

Don't Call Me Oliva.

I have a housekeeper. I also have a seamstress. And I used to have a gardener.

I had to go get Oliva, my housekeeper's name, all of her requested supplies as I had let them almost all run down.

So this is what $110 worth of house cleaning supplies looks like!

Three different people in the grocery store commented on my voluminous cleaning supplies. And I still have to go get hardwood floor cleaner and a new swiffer wetjet mop as she broke my previous one! Though she did try to repair it with duct tape to finish her work last visit.

At least I got to leave the store with a bunch of ladies thinking to themselves, "Dang, that guy is really into cleaning. Why doesn't my man do that? I'm gonna go home and tell him he needs to do more!"

Just don't call me Oliva.

Toothy Update =or= Mouth2K$

I go to a Periodontist. The remaining tooth is to be extracted. Then I get a bone graft to my jaw and some gum work. Then a titanium post implanted and finally a "tooth" then put on that.
First I was all...

Then I was like....

My nightmare come true!

Through my life there have been things I wanted to change about my physical self.

First I wanted clear skin. Eventually I got it with enough time, medication and luck.

Then I wanted to be taller. That is just never gonna happen.

One time I even really really wanted my bottom ribs removed so I would be thinner in my midsection.

For a while I wanted to be bigger. With getting healthy now I can eat enough and work out enough to carry enough muscle to look good and do what I want. For my size.

The past couple years though the one thing I wish I could blink and have be perfect was my teeth. I hate my teeth. I have constant nightmares about a mouth full of crumbly, broken, rotten and painful teeth. Horrible.

Well tonight one of my teeth broke off at the gumline!!!!! Freak! My nightmare come true. I just was tired of my teeth being a little crooked and not perfectly gleaming white. Now I have a tooth that decided to make me even more neurotic about my mouth and requiring thousands of dollars to "fix".

I am not happy and I have a 'whole' broken tooth in my pocket to prove it.

The Funnist: Falling for Fun

Dear Funnist,

I have a question for you. I want to give my 20 year old daughter a unique birthday gift. I am thinking of giving her skydiving. What do you think?

The Mighty Hawaiian in SD

Dear Mighty Hawaiian,

And not only mighty but I have to assume a fun dad based on your gift idea. This is the type of letter I enjoy getting as it makes my job sooo easy. And by "the gift of skydiving" I assume you mean more than this:

The first thing that comes to mind is the old adage, "If at first you don't succeed then skydiving is not for you." Luckily I have some personal experience** with this subject matter.

I have to assume that as her parent your main concern is her safety. (when really it should be all the dirtbag parachute dudes hitting on her) Most likely she will be doing what is called a tandem jump where she is physically connected to a qualified instructor through out the entire jump. She's just along for the ride, as it were. She will be fine!

A little bit of research shows the cost for this to be under $200 in San Diego. Should you really be questioning it I recommend the 'tunnel' up in Perris. Sky divers call this "the crack pipe" as flying in the tunnel is sooo addictively fun.

So I say go for it! And if you chose the real thing or the tunnel make sure you have her take a GoPro and either a helmet, wrist or chest mount. Saving the money over their dvd package.

** I have taken 5 tandem jumps. I have been to the wind tunnel 3 times. And I have done my first AFF jump. If I had a spare two grand around and another friend who did, I would totally get into it and then try to BASE jump once I had enough experience.

Random Rowdy X2

Last two movies I watched- SpiderMan and Safety Not Guaranteed.

Last two things I ate- salad and pasta.

Last two songs I listened to- something by Blackmill and NWA.

Last two books I read- a biography of the actor Robert Mitchum and reread the book on photo composition.

Last to places I ate out at- Gaglioni Brothers and Burger Lounge.

Last two snacks- Swedish Fish and blood orange sorbet. (not together)

Last two things that angered me- no microbiology classes with open registration. the same.

Two random pictures-

Sorry for the 'filler' post, but I am off to Mammoth Mountain for some downhill mnt biking. Later!