Relying on the kind weirdness of strangers

Life can be very, very dull. For those trapped in mind-numbing, desk jobs forty hours a week, it can be worse. This is why I have a lot of appreciation for others who go out of their way to make the world a little more interesting. To other people, some of it's just vandalism or marketing, but often it's what gets me through the day.

I never know what I'll find on a ride around town...

Wild beasts

A friendless fire hydrant

A flightless bird with high hopes

If I'm really lucky, I'll find a game to play.

This spring, I found most of the Waldos, sometimes with help from friends (group games are even better). Running errands around town was definitely more exciting when you thought you might find a new Waldo on your way. They've all been painted over for months now and the artist(s) remain unknown, but I still look up at hard to reach walls from time to time.

And sometimes you have to leave weirdness to the professionals. If I laugh during The Hobbit, it will be because of this.

So, to all those people out there who help alleviate the dullness, thank you. The world, or at least my corner of it, is a better place because of you.

Take your undead to work day

I sat out Halloween again this year (no time, no motivation - take your pick), but Zombie did make a brief visit to my office before he moved on to his new home. He was pretty bored from lying prone in the garage all year and I could definitely use the extra storage space, so he's being adopted by a new, loving family. I think he enjoyed getting out and catching up on the latest news.

I will always remember his goofy face (before the proper tie was picked out and his flesh tone chosen),

and will think of him as the most attentive date I've ever had.

Never left my side for a moment.

Local harvest

For the last few weeks, I had been looking around town for green/tart apples, to no avail, but when I parked at the neighborhood market today, these caught my eye. Six years of passing through that parking lot, and I never noticed the pear trees next door. The recent snow knocked the fruits down, but gave them a soft landing.

Better than green apples, because now I can make this.

Cake time!

(for anyone not familiar with the Alot, please visit him here)

Melissa got me an Alot t-shirt for my birthday this year and, in return, I made her Alot of birthday cake.

First he was just Alot of cake.

Then he got sprinkles.

The folks at work ate Alot, and eventually he couldn't feel his toes.

What a difference a day makes

Tuesday morning

Wednesday morning

From t-shirt and sunblock days to, "Has anyone seen the shovel?" in the blink of an eye. Many good trees lost limbs and possibly their lives today. I shook around ten trees between my bus stop and office in the morning. If you love your trees, shake them when it snows.

Asters, asters...

...they all

fall

down.

American elm trees have the best skeletons.
Too bad there are so few left.
(a leftover shot from a 2005 NYC trip)

Go north! Why?

What's up there? Just some aspen trees set to "stun,"

waterfalls that look just like their paintings,

eerie landscapes full of strange aliens (tourists)...

...that quickly give way to rainbows,

maybe a piece of Mars,


free steam baths (I don't think Dad saw much of this area),

things to crowd around and photograph,

and bears.