Thursday, January 15, 2009

#221-230

#221. Read Call of the Wild. Its one of those classics that might be an easy to read novel at face value, but to myself, has a much deeper meaning that I really wanted to read and fully understand. The story is simple. A dog is stolen from his life of leisure on an estate in California and smuggled into the north to become a member of a dog sled team. He is soft and meek at first, though strong, he is not used to being tested and pushed to his limits. He is confronted with nature and how merciless it can truly be.

I really have a strong belief that people need to get out of their homes and really test their mettle against difficult challenges. The outdoors is an easy and close by retreat in order to do this. Everything from walking long distances, climbing, foraging, hunting and even weather conditions.
People become stronger once they learn who they really are, and how much they can persevere in the wild or even every day tasks like work, school, or social situations. It seems like a lot of people have lost their 'grit' when it comes to a challenge they are placed before and they fold up. The Call of the Wild is an inspiring novel that shows that you can handle more than you think, so face it and grow stronger from it!


#222. Drive a vehicle until it runs out of gas. I was driving Snapple (my '84 F150) to work one morning and disaster struck. I was still in the Marine Corps then and I was working in SE DC. I had to cross the 14th bridge that is swamped daily with rush hour morning traffic. As we are slugging along, my engine putters slightly and I try to lurch forward. The engine dies. Shit.

I turn the key, trying to get the engine to turn over, trying to atleast get my truck off the road and onto the shoulder. No such luck. I pop Snapple into nuetral and hop out of the vehicle. I heave and slowly push the truck forward. This truck made out of metal, not the plastic that most automobiles are made of today. Its heavy. I strain and eventually get it to the shoulder of the road and pull out my cell.

"Robinson, get a gas tank and get your ass out to the 14th St bridge, I'm outta gas."

"HAHAHAHAHA"

"So you coming?"

"HAHAHAHA.....yea, I'm on my way."

Colter Robinson came to my rescue, it took him a bit to fight his way through traffic on one going into VA and then back on the 14th to come back into DC. It was a horrible place to get stuck. I still owe him one.

Later that day someone told me that Elliott in the Morning reported "some idiot pushing his truck down the 14th St bridge." I'm famous...famously stupid.

#223. Go to a biker bar. Washington, DC isn't really a biker destination. However, I tried searching for a few biker bars in the area and I stumbled across Asylum. Its a bit deceiving because by day, it serves vegan food. That didn't particularly strike me as somewhere bikers would converge to drown in booze and get in the occaisional fist fight. However, at night, Harleys are parked out front and theres enough leather in there to make Judas Priest smile. A couple of Marine friends from bootcamp and I sifted through enough of the tattooed skin, facial hair and blaring rock music to watch UFC 89 and have a few brews. We missed their evening of Jell-o wrestling and didn't get a chance to see DC's women roller derby team, but it was a pretty good time.

Note: I refrained from knocking over all the hogs over like so many movie characters have in the past. It would be a crime against beauty.

#224. Have a 'secret' recipe. I played around a little bit with chicken wings, because, lets be honest, chicken wings are absolutely delicious. The only thing better than chicken wings are chicken wings and beer....and maybe a thick, rare steak. I make a mean spicy wing that has a delicious sweet glaze over it. Other than that, you aren't getting any information out of me. I garuntee you though, if you start eating them, you won't be able to stop.

#225. Steal a roadway sign. In all seriousness, this one was lame. Stop sign....ooohh...big deal. Can we switch gears and lay it down that Brad Pitt is a badass in Kalifornia. EARLY!!

#226. Go paintballing. They say that certain masks are made with foam padding that prevents your vision from being blurred from all the steam that gathers on your goggles while you're sprinting through the woods. They are wrong. Sure, if you stand still or casually stroll around your vision will be crystal clear. But thats not paintball is about.
You're almost scared. I'm wearing a rickety mask, camoflauge utilities and a sleeveless, ragged t-shirt. I'm drenched in sweat. Somewhere out there, is the enemy.

I'm not going to act like its a ravaged war story I'm writing here. But paintballing is damn fun. Heres a little evidence of how 13 year olds can be some deadly sons of bitches.


#227. Go to a Cleveland Browns football game. Beer. Food. Cold weather. Cleveland Browns Football. To me, it doesn't get much better than this. Well....we could win more than 4 times a season. But hey, I'm a Brownie faithful. It is part of our swagger, we endure losing seasons.
I went to a Browns/Redskins game out at FedEx Field. I was heckled by many a drunk 'Skins fan. I wore my customized Browns jersey proud. Proud even when we got beat. Ah, Browns, can we ever put together a 2 season winning record?
Believe in the Browns.
#228. Learn to change the oil in my car. My truck is leaking fluids. All fluids. Brake fluid. Coolant. Oil. Transmission fluid. But its a work in progress. I think the oil will no longer be a problem. The valve cover gaskets were replaced by Jay and I and then new oil and an oil filter were put in. Luckily, I didn't have to experience the cliche movie scene of oil spilling all over my face. Now, its on to a new radiator.
Update: 3/1/09 - New radiator installed. Now...new brakes are needed. Those will be fixed as soon as I'm off of work.
Updated: 3/10/09 - New brake pads, new rotors, and one new caliper. Son of a bitch.
#229. Have a mohawk. I know this mohawk wasn't long lived, but I have to do it. I cut my hair into this rocking doo but I don't think my employer would have continued paying me had I shown up to work with my mohawk standing tall. Still...enjoy.

#230. Vote in a Presidential election. I realize the 2004 election came and went and I was 20 years old at the time of the election. I didn't vote. I didn't have any desire to vote. I was too busy running amok in Columbus, ripping bongs and being a general bane to society. Between that time and this past 2008 election, I joined the military. I was fortunate or unfortunate depending on how you look at it, to never see a battlefield. My friends went and, luckily, came home and the main questions were: How is it over there? Are we making progress? The general consenus was that the war is a complete disappointment and that there is no reason now to be there and never was.

While I was sitting in my military job, cushy and decently paid to provide food and shelter and everything that I NEED in life, people starting losing their jobs. The economy began to falter. I am lucky enough to have a job and soon, a career. However, it was a little worrisome at times when I didn't quite know where my next paycheck was coming from.
It is time for a change and I wanted to help take part and be a voice of that change. I woke up the morning to vote and walked across the street to a local community college. Jessica and I stepped into an already long line at 5:45 am. After the polls opened up, it was smooth going, and we had plenty of time to cast our votes and perform our duty as citizens of a democracy.
The inauguration takes place in only a few days. Barack Obama will become the President of the United States of America.....yea, I know, I'm slow at posting.

Yes, we can.