jonLiechty.com

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.

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.

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...

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.

So I get home from Cali Friday evening and head out to dinner with Rayna at Plum Bistro...outstanding Vegan joint on Capitol Hill next to La Spiga where Cafe Stellina used to be.  I swear if I had my own chef, I could totally pull off a Macrobiotic/Vegan diet like none other.  Somehow my attempts just turn out to be a bit more bland.

After some @osfrozencustard we get home to find POUSA playing the Chase Jarvis block party in front of our condo.  Pretty sick to listen to "Peaches" in front of one's home with the Seattle Skyline in the background. 

Got up early on Saturday to head down to Fuel pre-Sounders match.  Another example of us dominating the match but failing to put one in the net and walking away with a draw.  I'll take the point though.....we definitely have a shot at the playoffs.  Caught the end of the Husky Game at Collins Pub afterwards...holy WOW!  Can't believe the Dawgs have a winning record and a national ranking...so damn cool.  Needless to say, the mornings events left me in sad shape mid day and I ended up going to bed at 3pm and waking up this morning to join Rayna down at the Brew-Ha-Ha 5k. 

Had some power issues in the condo tonight...pretty sure my 1TB Media drive is fried beyond Software recovery...will have to see what can be done about that this week on my Staycation.  Have some work to bust out tomorrow, but other than that it's hanging out, powering through BSG...catching a couple flicks, thinking Jennifer's Body, District 9, The Informant.  Not much else to do with Rayna out of town.  Maybe skip a few days worth of showers...who knows...