You know your costume sucks when...

...the picture of you in your costume needs post-production work to explain itself.

Look ma--I'm in a video game!

And even then everybody is like "Yeah, I think I remember that..."

For the record, I was Bif this year...a character from Toobin'--the best video game ever. You know, the one where you float down the river in an inner tube and throw pop cans at hippos and snakes and indians trying to shoot arrows at you? And then you get into the sewer and punk rock dudes in mohawks throw bottles at you as you try to avoid toxic waste spills? Not ringing a bell? Wikipedia that shit and see what you're missing.

Also for the record, I had a way better costume that got doomed by its seasonal nature...with a little planning, maybe next year.


Laurel--deadly hot even without the beer steins.

Despite my lameness, there were a number of excellent costumes in the workplace this year. Laurel gets big props for actually importing a Heidi outfit from Germany and foregoing the usual amount of air she recirculates in the average day all for the sake of fashion.


From cubemates to roommates. The winning entry.

The winning entry was actually a group effort from Shannan, Simon and Andrea as the housemates from the sitcom Three's Company. Not surprisingly a girl in short shorts elicited a number of visits from creepy office Larrys.


Get it now? How 'bout now? It's a chicken...and it's on a cord...and I'm wearing blue...

One of our newer hires--an engineer named Greg--came up with the strange "Chicken Cord on Blue." I forgive him...he's an engineer and a really nice guy.


Burgess Meredith eat your heart out. Molly F waddles the waddle.

The most crafty award goes to Molly F who wove her penguin costume out of yarn. Though you can't really see it in the pic, she made the wings and the hat. Very cool. She has a rad lobster outfit from last year too.


Greg is not Moses. Did moses have snakes on his staff? I think not.

Greg gets into Halloween pretty big and this year's fallen-wizard-that-really-looks-more-like Moses costume was pretty good. Nothing he does will ever trump the hula girl from a few years back though. Him having a serious negotiation in the conference room with our German distributor while wearing coconuts on his boobs is a visual I will always cherish.

Why BMX Rules

Into The Void Trailer from Shadow Conspiracy on Vimeo.

Moms say the darndest things

Gwen at the Stanford Sculpture Garden upon her last visit.
----------
From: Gwen
Sent: Monday, October 20, 2008 12:08 PM
To: Don P
Subject: Hello & ?
----------
Hi,

Hope you are doing well. All is well here. I go to Texas on Thursday.

Just to jog your memory. Do you remember the name of the nun, that gave you and Tony such a hard time about red shoe laces in your boots?

Saw her in the grocery today, didn't speak to her 'cause I couldn't remember her name. I know her Mom does or did live in the area, so don't know if she is back at St. Lad's.

If you remember let me know.

Love,
Mom
----------
This made me laugh. And it was Sister Elaine. Of course.

Juvenile video of the week

Yeah, I know. It's low-brow. But it made me laugh like Beavis & Butthead.

Utah Trip 2008: Day 8

DAY EIGHT BOX SCORE:
Ride: Hazzard County, Kokopelli, UPS, LPS, Porcupine Rim
Quote of the day: "So, you're not against gay marriage, you just don't want to participate in the sex?" - unknown (Editors note: Vote No on Prop H8)
Coffee shop of the day: Love Muffin

Shuttle driver extrodinarre Kyle of Acme Shuttles loadin' up bikes.


Shannan happy and sad. Happy because this is super fun. Sad because it's almost over.


Silly horseplay in Jackass Canyon.


Troy get's extra medium air off the final kicker.


I think this might be a rap video, I'm not sure.

2008 Utah Trip: Day 7

DAY SEVEN BOX SCORE
Rides: Sovereign (Troy & Shannan), Amasa Back (Don & Stacy)
Quote of the day: "You gonna make a breakfast sandwich outta THAT?" - the dentist from Santa Rosa
Mechanic of the day: Dustin at Poison Spider


My morning consisted of much fiddling with this to keep the non-drive crank arm from falling off.


Stacy slays the steps that start Amasa Back.


A snapshot doesn't do justice to Amasa Back's top-of-the-world view.


Self-timer action...Amasa foreground, the La Sals in the way back.


And they have this really lovely potash plant down on the river.

2008 Utah Trip: Day 6

DAY SIX BOX SCORE
Bike Rides: Baby Steps and Amasa Back
Bummer of the day: Don's crank arm melt down
Quote of the Day: "Shannan had EPO for breakfast." - Troy
Quote of the Day 2: "Seriously? You'd hit that shit?" - Shannan
Animal of the day: The old retired German-Canadian dude


The rollers on Baby Steps ain't for babies. Stacy rocks it.


Shannan gets extraterrestrial at UFO Rock on Baby Steps.


I really did ride some too.


MmmmmmMiltshake. Good goin down, farty goin out.


Troy in the late day sun on Amasa Back.


Shannan's hunting-themed, paint-by-number Vans.

2008 Utah Trip: Day 5

DAY FIVE BOX SCORE
Today's bike ride: Hazard County, Kokopelli, UPS, LPS, Porcupine Rim
Best quote: "Did you come here to complain or ride?" Kyle the shuttle driver


Just some good old boys...


10,000 feet up.


The General Lee has seen better days.


Gnarage.

2008 Utah Trip: Day 4

DAY FOUR BOX SCORE
Today's bike ride: (Not so) Flat Pass, Moab, Utah
Best riding pals: Stacy, Shannan and Troy
Coolest animal sighting: The puppy at the bike shop that chases window reflections


Steelbender is what the Jeepers call Flat Pass. Yeah they're kinda tougher.


You wouldn't make it up either.


TD gettin' medium air.


I met the Duke. He was a bit stiff, I have to say.


Troy enjoys getting a temporary tramp stamp.

2008 Utah Trip: Day 3

DAY THREE BOX SCORE
From/to: Boulder, Utah to Moab, Utah
Driving mileage: 219 miles in 4 hours

National Parks: Capitol Reef NP

Today's bike ride: Sovereign Singletrack, Moab, Utah
Best random iPod segue: "Let the Good Times Roll" The Cars => "Good Life" Kanye West
Coolest animal sighting: Petroglyph Goats (below)

The German toursists really like the petroglyphs in Capitol Reef NP.

Umm, there was this big boat...on blocks...in the desert.

You know, Hanksville? They got the gas station in the hollow mountain there.

Some steep and tricky climbing on Sovereign.

2008 Utah Trip: Day 2

DAY TWO BOX SCORE

From/to: Springdale, Utah to Boulder, Utah

Driving Mileage: 89

National Parks: Zion; Bryce Canyon

Today's bike ride: Thunder Mountain in Panguitch, Utah

Coolest coffee shop name: The Mean Bean, Springdale, Utah

Coolest animal sighting: Bison

Apparently Chevy Impalas are not allowed on the trail.

Stacy rails a turn on Thunder Mountain.

Self-portrait of my self-decorated new helmet.

Tibetan prayer flags rustlin' in the wind.

Stacy bewildered that the oil can is not a trash can.

Hell's Backbone Grill. Some of the best grub on the planet. Yes, Please.

2008 Utah Trip: Day 1

Today Stacy and I departed on our annual pilgrimage to the mountain biking Mecca of Moab, Utah. As planned we hit the road at 7a.m. and sailed to our destination of Springdale, Utah just outside of Zion National Park in just under 11 hours, stops included. Our only traffic was in Las Vegas and it wasn't really that bad. Tommorow we head to Red Canyon just outside of Bryce NP and will ride the one of world's most beautiful trails--Thunder Mountain.

Saturday we roll into Utah and will pick a trail when we get there...we also will hook up with the other half of our party--Troy and Shannan. With the 24 Hours of Moab going on, there's sure to be some reconnects with fun industry friends. Here's the box score and some clicks...more tommorow if the Interwebs cooperates.

-Don

DAY ONE BOX SCORE
From/to: San Jose, Calif. to Springdale, Utah
Mileage: 691 ~MPG: 24 (not bad with bikes at 80mph)
Time: 10 hours, 58 minutes (including stops)
Tumbleweeds obliterated: 3 (They shatter! It's really cool.)
Coolest road names: Main Drain Road, Merle Haggard Blvd.
Coolest town name: Carp, Nev.
Coolest animal sighting: Ostritch


Gas stop #1 near Gilroy. The bikes are filled with excitement.


Stacy munchin' a bunch of lunch. Note the sign in the background.


Looks like Union 76 stole the Urge Overkill logo. Bastards.


Now that's a proper sign. Bun Boy, Baker, Calif.


A cloud and two shells at sunset, Hurricane, Utah


Pioneer Lodge in Springdale, Utah. Because, you know, the pioneers stayed in kitchy motels all the time.

Bikes = Love

I built up Shannan's new bike and she left me a delightfully workplace inappropriate heart note.

(I would have added a photo of the bike, but I think she took off on it!)

Cubs meltdown eminent

I really did mean to post this before the playoffs started...

Yes, the White Sox squeezed into the playoffs by a scant one run, and yes they are the most inconsistent, least deserving playoff team with the second worst record of all the playoff teams who avoided a catastrophic end-of-season collapse by the narrowest of margins. And yes, I would love to see the Chi Sox sweep the Cubs in the World Series, but it ain't gonna happen. Neither team will be there, BUT I can guarantee you this...the Sox will make it further than the Cubs, maybe only a game or two longer, but longer none the less. Them Cubs are cursed.