Wish

Media_httpfarm4static_wayjj
   Peace, originally uploaded by pdxmac. A buddy of mine and I were asked to shoot an event put on by Oregon's Make-a-Wish chapter.  The event was for a 16 year old guy with congenital heart disease who wanted to wear a Sgt. Pepper uniform, and have a Beatles-themed party. The Make-a-Wish people went all out. He was driven to the Hotel Monaco in a Rolls Royce, walked the red carpet into the hotel, and was surrounded by paparazzi (us, and two different local TV stations.) KGW coverage can be viewed here. (Will open in a new window.) Inside the hotel ballroom, a Beatles cover band called Blackbird played while the news station interviewed him, people danced, hung out, and generally had a great time. I'm hoping to work with Make-a-Wish again; it's a great charity.

Pete

Media_httpfarm4static_tbyhc
Pete, originally uploaded by pdxsurreal.
[I originally posted this photo on Flickr last fall, but wanted to post it here as well.]
Happy hour is one of the greatest things ever invented. Where else can you gather with strangers over confidence-boosting beverages at reasonable prices? People fascinate me, so watching how people interact is a favorite pastime of mine. Recently, while indulging at an Alberta Street happy hour, I met Pete. Pete was waiting for a bus, and was initially a little hesitant to join our table. Eventually, though, he ordered himself a Hennessy and sat down. He showed us scars--one on his scalp, and one on his leg; reminders of the life he has lived. The tattoos all had stories, but he declined to delve into the specifics of the teardrops. He admitted that he'd like to work with kids someday, but that getting out of the life he was in was easier said than done. I was torn between genuine curiosity and the desire to be respectful; I didn't want to ask the wrong question, or be too inquisitive of a life I knew nothing about. Several Hennessys and a game of pool later, Pete had to leave. Proud of his affiliations, he threw his sign, and posed for this picture.

Atlantis Lounge

Media_httpfarm4static_xvrqf

Atlantis Lounge
Originally uploaded by pdxsurreal

Technically, I'm just checking to make sure I've got Flickr set up correctly to post photos directly to the blog.

But, if you've never been to Mississippi Pizza/The Atlantis Lounge, go check it out. Great pizza for lunch--by the slice... C'mon, you know you want to. All the cool kids are there.

Official Google Blog: See where your friends are with Google Latitude

Latitude is a new feature for Google Maps on your mobile device. It's also an iGoogle gadget on your computer. Once you've opted in to Latitude, you can see the approximate location of your friends and loved ones who have decided to share their location with you. So now you can do things like see if your spouse is stuck in traffic on the way home from work, notice that a buddy is in town for the weekend, or take comfort in knowing that a loved one's flight landed safely, despite bad weather.
I've been toying with GPS apps on my iPhone that show my location on a website. It can be fun if I'm going to visit someone out of town for them to be able to see how close I am, etc. I definitely see the privacy concerns with this type of thing, but it seems that Google has addressed them--how effectively remains to be seen. It's not out for iPhone yet, but when it does, I'll give it a try. Sprint had an option that allowed parents to pay a monthly fee to be able to locate their kid's phone (and the kid, if he/she had the phone with him/her,) but I never had a chance to try that out. Personally I think that's a great idea. Not necessarily to spy on your kids (and I'm sure kids hate this feature,) but to find them if they're ever abducted. How great would it be to be able to call police and tell them exactly where your kid has been taken? When it comes out for iPhone, I'll try it out and report back. via The Official Google Blog

Sleep

Why is it that I'm dead tired until I lie down in bed? [caption id="attachment_85" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Can't sleep..."]
Media_httpwwwpdxsurre_zdhqd
[/caption] Sleep -- I was so tired, I almost fell asleep right before American Idol tonight (should've slept through it--not so hot this season.) Yet here I am, writing a blog entry at 1:30am. I was in bed at 11, but couldn't get myself to fall asleep. Way back in the day, I'd sit up and write at times like this. Not on a blog, (there were no blogs back then,) but just on my little Mac Plus in the MacWrite program. It usually ended up putting me to sleep. So, I'm here to bore you to tears tonight with random ramblings. Lucky Lab -- I had lunch at the Lucky Lab today (the one on Quimby in downtown Portland.) Awesome place. I always forget how much I like it there--the wide open setup, the smell of good beer, and the food all make me feel like I could just sit there and work on my laptop all day. They have free WiFi, but it dropped on me today. Paddy's -- Stopped here for happy hour. Great Irish joint, and of course they have Guinness. My great, great, great (don't know how many greats to put there,) grandfather used to paint the Guinness billboards and murals back in some town in England. My grandmother loves to tell that story. She also likes a good beer. I took her to McMenamins in Corvallis a while back, and she ordered a Hammerhead (my favorite.) I think her face actually lit up when she took her first sip. She's ordered Hammerhead every time we've gone back since. Bally's -- Joined back before Thanksgiving, and so far I like it. The location I frequent is generally never very busy, so there's never any trouble finding a free machine. I will be in shape by this summer. Writing -- I used to write interesting things. I've been called eloquent before. Not tonight. Blah. There just doesn't seem to be anything creative floating around in my head tonight. No deep thoughts. :) Man, I used to love to write. I've kept a journal since I was in high school, and used to write these long, well thought out and meaningful entries. The older I get, the shorter the posts. Sometimes I just go as far as recounting my day. I've always used the journal as a way to remember what happened when, so I really don't need to do any more than outlining the day. But it is entertaining as hell to remember the way I thought back then. Such a sappy bastard back in high school. Funny how that dwindles with age, as well. They say you should write what you know. What do I know? I know that right now, I need a sandwich. Maybe I'll do up another post later tonight... But only if I can think of something profound or interesting. Hope everybody else gets a good night's sleep.

Heh

Yeah, ok. Once again, playing with blog systems. Since nobody really reads this anyway, what the hell? I'm going to try to grab all my old blog posts (from way, way back,) but no guarantees. Also, when in Joomla, if I marked something with a "Read More", the rest of the content won't show up... I'm working on transfering that over as well... Bear with me.