SXSW 2011

Epic indulgence of 2011 all set. Platinum badge secured, flights booked, 9 days in ATX to unfold.

Redefining jetLag

5 days back from my trip to Australia and my sleep patterns are still beyond screwed up.  Rather than one continuous night of sleep, I'm getting a series of naps across the day, separated by work.  In some bizarre, unintended DaVinci-esque sleep cycle that I can't escape.  On top of a freaking packed week at work and prepping for tomorrow night's Holiday party, I'm ready to be on the other side of the Season.  Only highlight of the week was a Liverpool win at home and the prospect of a follow-up in the AM.

A weekend of extremes....

I say that not in the Mountain Dew sense of the word, but rather to represent a Saturday and Sunday at opposite ends of the altitude spectrum.

Saturday morning, dove Redondo beach with Stoller.  Settled down a bit under the water.  It's amazing how much longer the air lasts when you're not darting around this way and that.  Got in two 40-min dives.  Visibility was atrocious but we did manage to explore some pretty interesting junkpiles including a shell of a former VW Bug.  The highlight of the day was either the titanium dive knife I scored on the bottom or the fact that we got to swim around with a huge skate.

Sunday was quite the opposite.  After spending some time at the G&D watching soccer and washing down Beans on Toast with some Irish Coffee, we sprinted up to Snohomish for a Hot air balloon ride.  Freaking terrifying.  Spent 80 minutes alternating between peaceful calm and absolute horror as we floated over the Snoqualmie valley.  Will not be hopping in a wicker basket anytime soon.

Great weekend all around, definitely feel recharged heading into the week.  Big Sounders Match on Saturday, preceded by Chelsea Man U and followed by Chivas v Galaxy.....long freaking day.  Hopefully capped with the either the booking of a Conference Final trip to LA to visit the Galaxy or the much cheaper Chivas home match.  Time will tell.

My latest obsession...SCUBA

Two weeks after getting PADI certified, I have the bug hard.  Last weekend we ventured out instructorless and took down Cove #2 at Seacrest Beach Park on Alki.  Went down to 70 ft., a good 10 past our novice limit.  Got narced a bit at that depth which made for a panicky end to the second dive.  All in all the day was pretty freaking sweet.  A couple of dives down to the Honeybear, a 50-ft Sailboat where we swam with Ginormo Lingcod.

The most shocking aspect of this most new of brief habits is that other than the $300 I dropped on certification I've managed to blow only $140 on gear.  An Atomic Aquatics SubFrame Mask and Snorkel...that's it.  Very proud...my usual self would have burned through a couple g's by now on a top shelf setup.

Perhaps this bodes well for my future in diving...

Reocurring Dilemma

Once again, I go away for a weekend or so of vineyard hopping and come home ready to chuck it all and go learn to grow grapes....then reality sets in, I remember everything I like about the non-agricultural worker life I have.  With that realization at the forefront, I then move on to investigate fractional ownership, the costs of investing in or purchasing a small boutique winery and start mapping out how far off that change of pace would/could be with the right savings plan.

Gone down this road countless times and always stick with the latter....until I don't, I suppose.