Reading (For Dummies)

Comic-Con

I hunkered down and bought a ticket to this year's Comic-Con. It's a pretty nifty celebration of the world's latest form of literature (and movie-making goodness).

My old-skool (as in Syracuse University) friend MK came in from out of town and is sleeping on my couch, such as it is. She is out here with the Friends of Lulu, being the editor of their most recently published anthology. I bummed around her booth pretending to be a woman most of the day when we had a pretty nifty visitor/comic book purchaser...

MK gesticulating in front the man, the legend

Cory ambled up, probably unrecognized by the ladies (I've seen him here and there, like last year's Toorcon) and mentioned blogging the women "on boingboing", before buying a copy. Hellen let out a little squeal of sudden recognition. I'd sure as heck not want to be a famous blogger...

Then there was an old housemate

I wandered around for a while on the exhibition floor as well. I silently stalked my old housemate (who is himself semi-famous). I was, in fact, taking pictures of the cardboard tube cosplayers when I heard someone behind me ask, "Who is that?"

I started to say, "The Cardboard Tube Samurai," but was preempted by the guy next to him who replied, "Matt Singer, from IFC News." Then I realized he and his film crew were right next to me. So I did what any sensible former roommate would do: I walked behind him through a few takes, and then quietly walked away without even saying hello. It will amuse me to no end if he spots me walking around back there during editing...

Ejection Seats

My time in government service officially came to an end on Tuesday. I worked for a bit longer than the two years strictly required by the National Science Foundation program, but towards the end I was really having fun with the work and my brain was being given some challenges again. Alas, more money and the love of my life have drawn me north, to the Eastern Washington/Northern Idaho area. The work seems like it will be even more engaging; the folks I interviewed with are top-shelf.

RFID tag or wiretap: you decide

My last week or two was kind of a harrowing experience. A strange bug-like device showed up outside my apartment, possibly put in by police, possibly not. It seems to be an RFID tag, packaged inside of a metal button that looked something like a watch battery. Strangely, I took it to security on my base before I handed in my badge -- they figured it to be RFID yes, and part of a home security system. They didn't want to bother with it any further. So much for all that paranoid training they make government employees click through as part of the job requirement. Though in all fairness, they (I hope) know better than I about this stuff.

Captain Jay at the controls over La Jolla

After my last real day of work, I did what any sane person would do: I went flying. My housemate got his private pilot's license the day before (Tuesday, July 24th). We went over to his aero club and hopped into a Cessna 152^W150 (the 152 had a fouled plug during engine load testing, so we had to get a different plane). We flew out to Ramona and did a few touch-and-goes on their airstrip, did a few manuevers east of San Diego, and landed comfortably back in Montgomery Field. I was Jay's first official passenger as a pilot. It was definitely a comfortable ride, not at all the white-knuckler (as one would experience riding with a first-time driver, for example).

One last look at Mission Bay

San Jacinto Dreams

I have some serious catching up to do in blog-land. Where to begin. Ah, yes!

Laura came to San Diego some months ago to celebrate the end of the spring semester. We hiked Mount San Jacinto in celebration. San Jacinto is the largest peak in southern california at 10,384 feet. There was still snow at the top in late May...

Taquitz rock is for lovers...

Laura and I at the top

A week later, Laura was gone and I was off for another adventure (June 2nd-3rd): the largest peak in the contiguous US! I managed to bag Mount Whitney over that weekend with a number of photos on the gallery. We left for the peak on Saturday morning starting around 8,000 feet, hiking up to Trail Camp (12,000 feet).

Three of our six-man team bailed at that point, one with altitude sickness, another to take care of the altitude sickness fellow (his brother), and a third for lack of inspiration to do the peak. The other three of us headed up at sunrise and made the peak (14,505 feet) around 10:30am. Then hiked all the way back down by around 4:00pm. It was a long, long day. And yes, I biked to work the next day...