Plan B

Now this is the place to have a picnic after canceling the Poli Poli State Park hike due to bad weather.

This is the view from our park table here at Rice Park in Upcountry Maui.

Our Final Destination

Bubba Gump's

Oh hell yea!

Stop Number Four

Somewhere I have never been, the Maui blowhole.

Stop Number Three

Some art gallery in the middle of nowhere.

Stop Number Two

Somewhere on Highway 36 North.

Stop Number One

Ioa Valley.
(Thats the Ioa Needle in the background)

Riding Day Is Here!

The bikes for our trip.

On the right a 2006 Harley Davidson Heritage Softail.

On the left a 2004 Kawasaki Vulcan 750.

And in the middle you have my 2004 Honda Shadow.

The 6 of of us going around the island . . . this is going to be fun.

My Hawaiian Dream

This is my new Hawaiian love. Last year it was the Honda Rebel.

This year, it's a 2005 Honda Shadow with custom Cobra pipes.

For the next 2 days this bike is going to alow me to relive my dream of bikeing Maui.

Life is good!

Saying Goodbye To A Good Unit

Well this one bedroom with a loft was a wonderful home. But now its time to move to our 'usual' condo. And like a lot of things we say goodbye with a beer on the lanai.

One Big Moco

Oh hell yea!

A Welcome Back

There are only a couple of things that you can find here in Hawai'i, like POG by the gallon and a Mocha Coconut Frappachino at Starbucks.

But at Denny's there is the Local Moco. Fried rice topped with a beef paity smothered with brown gravy with 2 eggs on top.

I'm home. . . I'm finaly home.

The Start Of Hawai'i 2008

So here we are, just settling in to our first of two condos of this vacation (they did not have one open for three weeks in a row).

Why am I starting to blog again?

Well. . . its time for one thing.

And I found an unsecured wireless network so I had to tell someone!!

No more AOL free trials of dial-up when we go on vacation!!

Thank you linksys, Clearwire (the ISP), and the poor sap that forgot to put a WEP key on their network!

Mountain Shooting

See what happens when two guys go up into the mountains with guns!

What to bring: guns, ammo, a half gallon of good beer, soda, and more guns!

~Blake

Holly Pancakes!

Nothing beats all you can eat blueberry pancakes at the convent (Mt. St. Joseph Novitiate and Minor Seminary) here in Loomis!

Another One Off The List

(Monica on the left, Rachael on the right)

Dinner time at a new brewery.

See my ladies holding up the Rubicon Brewing Company coasters, very nice!

Another Wonderful Salena Wednesday

So here is a first, Salena and I at LaSalles seeing Greg (Target Food Ave) kicking ass with a guitar!

He rocks! And being over 21 helps!
(By the way, that is Greg kissing Salena, guitar in hand.)

I Get By With A Little Help From My Friends

Today was a good lack-luster day up until tonight.

An overwhelming wave of malaise towards my former employer hit me tonight. . .

I have been drinking since 9:30 tonight and I'm not stopping anytime soon.

All I have to say is God bless my friends, and God bless Erick for having beer on tap at his house.

The Picture Of The Day

There is nothing more relaxing than having coffee with my parents at a Starbucks in Auburn.

Another Another Salena Wednesday

This time we are exploring the inner Chico city. Today we are at one of my favorite bars.

There is nothing quite like The Oasis. A couple of Gin and Tonics and Sevens Sevens, plus several games of eight ball. All for $10.

Another amazing day with Salena.

Once Again, Starbucks Has All The Answers

It is amazing how one cup of coffee not only revitalizes your body, but also your soul.

As a continuation to an early post from February 2006 (see Starbucks Has All The Answers), "The Way I See It #270" not only gave me hope at the conclusion of one of the worst months of my life, but made think of the good people I had the pleasure to meet along the way.

So here it is in its entirety, I hope you find it as uplifting as I did.

The Way I See It #270
Taste is subjective. Taste is democratic. Taste is powerful. Taste – the combination of texture, aroma, temperature, aesthetic and environment – is also a window into someone else’s life or culture. Be confident in your taste, but remain curious and expose yourself to new tastes. Allow your taste to constantly evolve and grow – while keeping and cherishing the memories that taste creates.

~Marcus Samuelsson
Chef, co-owner of Restaurant Aquavit and author of The Soul of a New Cuisine

As Betty Williams, one of the greatest bosses I ever had the pleasure to work with, once said "variety is the spice of life."

So taste it all, and never hold back from your next great adventure.

A Happy Easter

Dinner time.

I have just finished smoking two chickens and a mess of turkey legs. So what is the family's dinner conversation about? How about my recent unemployment.

Keeping my spirits high while reliving the death of my career to the pace of our "cheerful" banter, someone chimes in with "There all crooks, like the manager from Auburn."

What?!

That was the store that I was going to work at.

That was going to be my store.

I was going to be the ETL-HR of Auburn T-1096.

I mean that was my plan. Their STL (head store manager) Sean loved me. I mean, come on, he was the one who interviewed me for team lead. A great, moral, and dedicated person to work for.

I guess I was wrong.



According to the Auburn Journal, on the 18th Sean Ryan (Auburn Target's STL) was arrested for embezzling $10,000 over 3 months from the store's safe at night. The best part is he was caught by his own AP (that's basic store security).

All of the sudden getting let go over $50 isn't all that bad. I did not steal like he did, but when I got let go I did not face jail time.

There is always a silver lining. Always.

As a side note, I love how he is in his red & khaki for the mugshot. That means he was arrested at the store, during business hours, while he was working.

Another Salena Thursday

You know its funny how much I look foward to Thursday. It gives me a chance to rediscover the things Chico is known for. Today, we hiked upper Bidwell.

We started at Bear Hole, this picture was taken overlooking Salmon Hole. I wonder where we will go next week?

(This was posted LIVE using my Samsung-u740)

It's A Bright Dark Day

It's cold outside, but I can feel the sun on my face. In the distance I can here the train going through town, and if I close my eyes, I can smell the damp earth of a recent rain storm far away. It has been a while since I last posted a "real" entry on my beloved blog. But a lot has happened since my days at the "Townhouse." I have changed, the world around me has changed.

It took me a while to come to grips with what just happened. . . I think that is why I have not posted anything about it. To be honest I am still trying to recover from the dishearting malaise of their quick action to, and I quote, "end their relationship with [me]." After 5 years of dedication, loyalty, and personal defiance of all the evils the outside world would say about my beloved employer; Target fired me over a return which created a $50 loss to the store. And that's it. That's all of it. I did not steal, I did not pocket any products, and to quell a rumor that I still get phone calls about, I did not rape anyone on the clock. If that last one was true don't you think I would be in jail right now?

Five years, then poof, gone. I always volunteered when help was needed. I always traveled when other stores need help (the best was the 2 and a half weeks I spent in Auburn as Human Resources), and I gave up precious time with my ever shrinking family because "they" needed a closer in a position that only I knew. I interned with them, and was even on the right road to becoming an ETL. But all that didn't matter. Once again they saw a return, which gave a guest a $50 gift card, not cash or a refund to their credit card, but in-store credit, as an error.

Even now I feel I did the right thing. I was helping a guest who, for lack of a better term, I fell prey to their sob story. She was old and got the classic runaround from the operators, and her receipt was about to expire, so I wanted to help her out. Target's revenue for Christmas '07 was $19,900,000,000.00. So what is $50 in store credit? I mean just the day before I saw Debbie (the store manager) give a guest a $30 gift card just to shut her up. Nevertheless, I was wrong and $50 dollars is all it took to terminate my employment. Not a suspension, dock in pay, final warning for a year, or a letter of reprimand; all of which you would receive if you worked in a public institution or at the very least a union job.

They may have taken my job, I would not let them take my pride. I walked out of there with a smile on my face and my head held high. Because, in the end, that's all you have left.

Coming Home With Happiness In A Bottle

There is no more room and there is still beer left! It almost feels as if we live in a mini-mart right now.

We might have gone a little bit overboard, but we have 5 cases of the North Coast's finest Ales! That's 120 bottles of beer!

Bar Hopping In Eureka

Enough said
~Blake

A Drinking Weekend

Nothing like a weekend off to go drinking in Eureka! I mean come on, there are 4 breweris in 10 miles!

By the way, yes, Toph is wearing a bath robe.

Merry Christmas

 

The Tropical Sound Of Music

Aloha from Chico's Laxson Auditorium!

Here are Peaches and myself waiting to see my favorite living Hawaiian artist: Jake Shimabukuro, THE WORLDS FASTEST UKULELE PLAYER!

What a way to end an amazing weekend.
2:30PM, Newport Beach, Fashion Island, Yardhouse, Alaskan Amber & Cherry Wheat, my brother and I, beer.

Amazing.
~Blake

Another Glass

Check another off the list, this is number SEVEN on my Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. tour.
What better way to spend it than with my family (minus Monica and Topher) in Long Beach.

I can't wait to eat!

I Was Shown Heaven

I'm at the Yardhouse with my brother in Irvine. This is my 'welcome to SoCal' gift: a yard glass (2 feet!) of ice cold Kona Longboard Lager.

I love my brother!

In The Middle Of Nowhere

This sign makes it tough to get a ride :-p

Off of California 299 about a mile away from juvenile detention facility.

A Late Night Outing

Happy 21st birthday Crystal!

Concert Number Two

What can I say, we are about to see a live performance of Pink Martini (the band, not the drink) here, at the beautiful Laxson Auditorium at Chico State!

Oh The Beauty

I have never in my life heard anything so moving. I was brought to tears when they performed Wagner.

Sarah and I at the North State Symphony at Chico State

I Love My Dad

Nothing like a quick game of pool at The Four Seasons Resort Lana'i, The Lodge at Koele.

Welcome To Hawai'i?

See what I mean, this is as un-hawaiian as it gets.

Another Island Another World

Another tradition of ours is going over to Lana'i and staying the night. This year only my dad and I wanted to go. The amazing thing about this island in how un-hawaiian it feels. Only 3,000 people live on this island which is owned by one man (well, 98% of it). I'll post a picture when we get to the town; it looks and feels like Tahoe.

Being Saved On Vacation

Nothing like getting woken up by mom saying were running late for church; I thought we were on vacation. Nevertheless, mass at St. Theresa's Catholic Church in Kihei is fun due to a vast amount of singing and closing hula/prayer.

A Dream Come True

It's amazing! Going to Hana on bikes is unlike anything I have ever done! Now this is a true father son moment I will never forget.

I Love My Employer!

OH MY GOD! TARGET WEST SACRAMENTO SELLS BEER! BEER AT 10% OFF. . . I THINK I'M GOING TO CRY!

It's Gone. . .It's All Gone

Nothing like losing 10 lbs of hair to usher in the summer. . .albeit a little late.

Hometown Brew

Nothing like having a beer with your brother in a hide away brewery (Beemann's Brewery in Roseville, CA)

Sugar We're Goin Down

Fall Out Boy them selves. The warm up bands were sweet, but oh God. This is more than I bargained for!

Sleep Train Pavilion @ Concord

Waiting For Fall Out Boy

Nothing like an ice cold beer and friends to have a good time sitting in the sun.

A Bridge To Far

I know it has been a while since I've made a real post...but you'll have to wait a little longer. Today I'm in Redding, at the sun dial bridge.

Finals

My last final kicked my ass. So her I am @ Bellas Sports Pub...killing brain cells that need to die! As a side note I have been here for and hour and i'm starting to feel numb...hehe

Speechless

THEY CARRY CLASSIC NINTENDO GAMES!!

I know...

I know I'm a dork but the entire store has a railroad theme and there are real palm trees growing in the store!

My God Its Open!

Fry's Roseville...SWEET!

Happy Easter

Here's looking at you kid. Have a wonderful Easter Sunday everyone.

I'm Flying Home

That's right...I'm flying into Chico. Thank you United Express!

In Coasta Mesa

This is what you find at the flea markets in So Cal!