Land v. World

I finally made it to Disneyland this past weekend, after only 4 years of living in California. Of course, from San Francisco via San Luis Obispo, it's a bit longer of a trip than it would have been when I lived in southern Cal.

Turns out, Disneyland has its own little charm. I've been to its bigger and noisier sister park in Orlando a number of times, the last of which was 10 years ago, and was eager to see what the big differences might be. But my brain, and the passage of time, have conspired to keep me from a truly informed analysis. Wandering through the Anaheim park conjures up loads of deja vu, but I don't know if the similarities are real or imagined.

So the hell with comparisons. Disneyland is smaller but has a bit more authentic charm. Also, some of the best rides were closed--the Haunted Mansion, the Monorail, 20,000 Leagues (all of which are being "retooled").

But it was all a bunch of fun anyhow! Disney's California Adventure has some cool rides as well, and the use of Fast Passes (they didn't have them when I last went) makes a day at the park into an exercise in logistics and time-management.

Perhaps later I will put up some pictures!

12 of 12

I thought this was a cool idea last month, but thought so far too late to do anything. So I promised various parties, including myself, that I wouldn't let a cool idea go un-...idea'd again, and that I'd do the September 12 of 12.

Sadly, yesterday was one of the more boring days I've had recently. I'm not just saying that to excuse my poor photography--it really was, as days go, more uneventful than most. And this is coming from someone who knows boring.

Anywho, I did it in Flickr because I like their system. And, boring or not, this blog definitely needs more photos of meaningless crap. Check it out, if you'd like.

Or, You Know... Not.

I've tried to hold myself out as an open-minded individual, someone who will readily look to the facts of a situation, and not bow to emotional or irrational pressures in order to reach a conclusion.

This is often not the case. But I considered it the case when I previously wrote that I was unsure about the events of 9/11/01--specifically, who did what and how it all happened.

Now, I'm changing my mind. Again. Once again, facts have surfaced that seem to easily repudiate the formerly-strong case made by those who cry "conspiracy!" I'm not going to go into it here (I don't really want Google referencing my blog as a source of 9/11 conspiracies) but I wanted to take today to note my shift in belief.

This is not to say I'm 100% down with the official story. I think the government did a truly immoral job of investigating the attacks, and I would bet money that more than a few shady things occurred. But the science of the conspiracy folks just doesn't add up anymore, not with so many reputable (non-psycho conservatives) folks disagreeing.

By the way, this didn't come about because of today's anniversary. I just thought it'd be a topical time to mention my slight shift. My previous comments re: dismissal of ideas that seems to juxtapose our present worldview by labeling them "crackpot" still stand. The 9/11 folks aren't necessarily crackpots; wrong, most likely... but let's prove it.


For those keeping score at home, Sam's current mood is: distrustful but of grudging acceptance.

There's a Doings a-Transpirin'

I know that I've been crapulent in my updating "lately" (summertime) but I just wanted to give notice to all you who populate the linkage bars to the right: I still read and love what you're doing. Moving to new cities, arguing with co-workers, installing cabinets, going (back) to school... I may not write as much as I once did, but I still reads 'em all.

I wanted to point that out not because I think it really matters--especially to those of you I've never met face-to-face--but because with the exception of my chicken-head-posting friend, I think all those blogs yonder are writing some great stuff. Some, maybe not as often (kindred spirits) but all entertaining and interesting. And to be honest, I still laugh every time I see the chicken head, too.

While we're on the topic, I'd like to note that both of my sisters are now blogging with at least some regularity (here and here, the latter handily beating my own blog in the too-long-and-weird-URL competition). And to mark the occasion, much like we honor the Olympics ever 4 years, my father has even updated his cobwebbed blog.

With so much genetic competition, perhaps my own Internet writer's block will finally evaporate.