Homeward Bound

I signed the lease yesterday for New Home Candidate #3. I'm planning on moving in on the 10th of February, so I need to be packing right now. I'm excited about this place: the price was reduced significantly, they are doing a lot of work on the house before I move in, and they are planning on doing more. Right now they are putting in new medecine cabinets, repainting the interior, working on the floors, rehabbing some of the radiators, and making some electrical tweaks. The owner is planning on repainting the porch and other parts of the exterior come summer, and possibly doing work on the bathroom and the kitchen. Also, he has offered to install an automatic garage door opener. Now I just need to find reasonably affordable movers, and I am gone.

The Paths of Glory Lead But to the Grave

The evening begins with presents and margaritas...

Steph & Aaron and Dan. First basket of chips are gone, some quesidillas, and the first round of margaritas.

Ian is dubious

Jane, Dan, Mike

The Kesslers. *Awwwwwww*

Steph & Aaron

...he's got those bug eyes... creepy

Dan is very excited about the delicious marble cake Jane made. From scratch. Awesome.

This one's for the ladies

Steph Morrison, Aaron Scholer, Jane Louie, Ian Peters, Dave & Sadie Kessler, and Mike Cintron took me out for an outstanding dinner at Taqueria Poblano tonight, for my 28th birthday. There were margaritas, and pork tacos, and presents, and homemade cake. I am very lucky to have friends like these, both here and in Japan, Oregon, Oklahoma, Ohio, Puerto Rico, Massachusetts, Maine, Montana, Florida, Texas, Louisiana, Washington, and Vermont. Thank you, everyone.

Dr. Freeze

When I was young, any time it got significantly cold, well below zero, Dad would have us conduct this exact experiment to demonstrate just how cold it was. It never worked this well, but I don't think I'd like to be in an environment where it would. Pretty neat, though I suppose you could fake it fairly easily.

In other news, the Reds have fired their general manager and are looking for a replacement. I think my brother Chris should apply. But really, anyone who locks up Adam Dunn in a long term contract is fine by me. If they can find pitching as well, so much the better.

Lastly, today I turn 28. I got a card from my godparents Big Poison and Aunt Wenda that exhorted me to not "think of it as you getting older, but your show getting picked up for another season." It begs the question: am I a drama, a sitcom, a CSI knockoff? Man, I hope I'm Knight Rider.

Previously, on Dan...

(image from Universal Pictures Television Germany)

Happy Birthday, Sara!

In her youth

Today is Sara Best's birthday. Remember, Sara: I'll always be younger, you shriveled old crone.

Traffic School

Okay, everyone listen up. A flashing red means stop. A flashing yellow means proceed with caution. If a traffic light is displaying the two in two directions, it is identical to stop signs on one street and nothing on the other. It does not mean "Do everything possible to create an automotive Thunderdome of chaos at this intersection, right now." Did anyone take drivers' ed? It's right there in the Code of Virginia (and most other states).

So, guess what happened on my drive home last night?

(image from kisrael journal)

Neeeeerrrrdddd

My new glasses

Picked up my new glasses - it's nice to have a set not held together by tape and a hairpin. I also like how these look compared to my old set. I always felt those lenses were too big and round. Dad's new rimless set looked very keen, I think, so this is as close to that look as I could get. The folks at Pearle Vision said they didn't think they could do rimless for my prescription. I think that's because I have some astigmatism, and that makes the edges of the lenses too thick for rimless frames to work. These look pretty okay, though. And soon my nifty prescription polarized sunglasses will be done, too.

More Birthdays

Church St, NW DC

Went to the Birthday Weekend party for Abby Benson and her friend Esmerelda on Saturday night. It was at Abby's place, a few blocks from DuPont Circle - it's an extraordinary place she's living in, a few doors down from the church in the picture above (courtesy Windows Live Local). It was a great party, and I got to meet a number of Abby's friends, her brother, etc. After a few beers there, I decamped with Steph & Aaron and went down to Murphy's in Old Town. We didn't stay long, but we bumped into folks that Aaron knows somehow and made small talk for a while.

I had forgotten how far a walk it can be from Old Town to my place. And I was much more tired than I thought, so I was pretty beat when I got to my front door. But it was a fun night. Things should be a little slower this week, which will let me get caught up on my reading. Unfortunately, starting next week I should really get to work packing up for the move.

Also worth noting, Mike Cintron, Kate Higgins, and Chris Keene have all gotten orders to assume command of 110' patrol boats in the next few months (Adak, Baranoff, and I don't know which one Chris got). It's fantastic news, and I know they will all be extraordinary skippers. The drawback is this means Mike, Kate, and Chris will all be moving away soon. It is a great achievement, though, so congratulations to each of them.