008, a little late

I have meant to write a number of thrilling anecdotes over the last couple months. Realizing I'll never catch up, here's the condensed pictorial version of some 008 adventures so far:

I spent the first 19 days of the Year 008 up in the Great North (aka Monterey and Salinas). Mission: learn Arabic. Mission accomplished, thanks to an intensive program at the Monterey Institute of International Studies. I can read and write and talk now, anyways, at something of an advanced beginner level. [insert Arabic version of 'hooray' here].

Debra The Great, a fellow adventurer with an important daytime public health job, was super kind and let me crash on her couch that whole time. In our non-working, non-Arabic learning time, we enjoyed torrential rains and hurricane winds that knocked the power out but also caused some spectacular crashy waves along the coast:

We indulged in large quantities of crazy creative Salinas sushi, some excellent Chinese hot pot in San Jose, adventurous 99-ranch Asian grocery shopping (how I love thee, taro mochi), and a great Indian buffet. I see no problem with eating 3 large bowls of rice pudding for dessert.
If anyone can explain this sign to me, 42 points. We saw it on one drive along the coast and found it puzzling and delightful. Wild boar crossing?

This is a satellite view of where my truck got stuck in some mud between two fields late one night. I have truly immersed myself in the black earth of Salinas that John Steinbeck loves so much. After repeated efforts to dig, push, pull, and levitate Mazdatron and one rebuffed knock-on-a-neighboring-farm-door-to-solicit-help-effort, I finally just called AAA. The handprints from my pushing efforts still haven't washed off my truck, and that's after at least a couple more weeks of heavy rain.
Shoes I nearly lost to the sticky wet earth:
But, MazdaTron got out alive, as did I.

Leaving Monterey was sad. But I was happy to head back to friends in LA whom I hadn't seen in a month. Friends like the Maxes, who delight me constantly. In this instance, Max and Max were sharing some homemade marshmallows. Yes, you read that correctly. Unfortunately, my Marx hair is hiding Maxine in the photograph - alas!
Also, I officially retired my red fake patent leather pants from high school. Time has not been good to them, though they were good to me. Additionally, my laptop Asterix died a fiery and terribly untimely death, so I had to brave Craigslist in order to secure a new one, quickly. After several aborted attempts and a few overt scamming efforts, I finally got a new-to-me Macbook Pro from a pro-wrestler. Yup.
Little Mushy graduated from the Riverside County Sheriff's Academy at the end of January. She is armed and full of laws and statutes. 21 year olds can't rent cars, but they can rent Uhauls! I helped her move from her Moreno Valley apartment to a pseudo-rest home in Indio, where she had been assigned to work in their maximum security prison.
We did an amazing job of moving fast (even though she drove the whole 70 miles from MV to Indio with the parking brake on). Because it was a few hours before we were able to get the key to the new apartment, we used some over-the-wall, pile-it-up-on-the-lawn tactics. This was the start of the pile:
Rest home lobby? Oye.
[editor's note: Mushy has since realized that working in a prison is the worst job on earth, has since resigned and moved back out to her old Mojave Viper fake insurgent job in 29 Palms].

At the beginning of February, I had the privilege of attending a Slash concert. There are two Slashes in the world, and one of them is Todd Petersen. Todd is the best guitar player I've ever seen in my life.
A few weeks later, I had gathered together some old friends and former bandmates, and we were able to play a sweet set at Lovefest 2008. Drew on guitar, m.Tanner on lead bass, Marc the 19-yr-old from Palmdale on drums, Jonna + Brandon doing vocals, and yours truly on keys. We played Janis Joplin, Doors, Zeppelin, The Who, and Jefferson Airplane, and it was so fun. There are two Jimi Hendrixes in the world, and one of them is named Todd Petersen. Again, his guitar talents amazed and astounded and...well, yeah. Todd is every man's new man crush, and every woman's dream.
so this has been 2008...a bit late. but it's been great. let's take some time to pontificate. (rhyming with the years is something to celebrate, or imitate)