"Why the fuck are you in this class?": a vitriolic polemic

Warning: Contains material which might not be suitable for sensitive or young readers.

Today was filled with examples of students who clearly did not have any interest in the class, the material taught, or the social grace to appear alert.  To these "students" I want to ask, "Why the fuck are you in this class?"  Now I understand that some of these fine folks might be fulfilling requirements or took the class because they thought it might cater to their interests.  Fair enough, I have requirements that I have no interest in (i.e. mathematics) but I show up, stay alert, do the fucking work, and God forbid I might actually learn something or realize that I might have an interest in a topic or point made during the class.  Sure, I've even gone into a fugue state where my eyes are open, I'm taking notes, but the god damn lights ain't on.  Everyone has good days and bad.

However, today pushed me to write this simply because I don't have any idea how else to get these thoughts out of my head without going batshit crazy and screaming in tongues and being taken away to a relaxation facility.

1. A big shiny fuck you to the young lady sitting next to me in class, in the front row, who texted the entirety of the class.  This charming coquette didn't have the where-with-all to even attempt to hide her texting.  Hell, the god damn click click click click click of the phone against the desk sounded like an Underwood typewriter.  I think my eye started to do that twitching thing it does when I start to crack a little.  I don't wish her any physical harm and I'm sure she knows a lot about tanning, buying things, and the Shakespearean scope of The Hills.  What I want to harm is her fucking phone.  I want to Bernard Black that fucking thing into a million pieces under the oppressive heel of my hob-nailed boot or similarly re-enact that "Dead fucking duck!" scene from The Doors.  I know you BFF doesn't know how she got gonorrhea in her throat (again) so take the call outside.  You're not only disrespecting the professor but you're also disrespecting your fellow students.  I had a hard time taking notes (and drawing an awesome tiki mask) by you click click clicking away.  I hope you get a suppurating boil on your inner thigh.  p.s. Buy some fucking shorts that cover more flesh than my fucking boxers.  There's a time and place for those kinds of shorts (on stage with men putting dollars in them) and the classroom is not it.
2. Hey ladies who fucking yell across the room (and into my left fucking ear) at your friends before class starts...perhaps you wouldn't have to yell if you walked over and spoke with your friends.  Additionally, 
• For the love of the Virgin's cooch please turn down your music.  I know we're at the back of the class and you think that the subject is boring and "gay" (her terms not mine, I'm pretty sure that the class itself is not homosexual) but y'know turn down the Usher or Florida or whatever shit you're listening to.
• I'm not sure which of you were masticating your gum loudly (maybe you couldn't hear over your delightful music) but it sounded like very well lubricated manual vaginal penetration.
• I am impressed by one young lady's ability to play The Sims on one phone and watch something on youtube on another phone and pay attention to your friend snickering and handing you her phone to see something terribly droll...all while watching a silent movie.
• Finally, I would greatly appreciate it if you didn't suck your teeth at me and mutter something underneath your breath when you saw me look over because I was distracted by the glare of your iTouch fucking Android T-whatever the fuck it is.  I know I maybe white and have close cropped hair but I don't hate you because of your gender or skin tone or your crappy weave (By the way, you need to glue that nasty thing down before it scuttles off and attacks people) - I hate you because you're ruining this class for me.
3. I'm not just hating on the ladies.  Dude.  Druids suck.  How do I know you're a Druid?  BECAUSE FUCKING WARCRAFT WAS BEAMING OFF YOUR LAPTOP IN A DARKENED ROOM.  Truth be told I was trying to figure out where you were and I was hoping you'd be ambushed or have a Troll insert his member into your toon's ocular cavities repeatedly.  I missed parts of the film because I kept seeing flashing Warcraft in my peripheral.  Here's some rare drops for you - an education and an opportunity to know people outside of your Guild.
4. Dear Bro.  I realize that reading "all this faggot bullshit" may not be as enlightening as Mr. Glenn Beck's latest magnum opus and that your professor is some limp dick liberal spouting Socialist propaganda and that you'd rather be playing Halo and teabagging n00bs.  I deeply apologize that the education that your parents are going into debt to pay for (so much for retirement, thanks son!) is not to your liking.  Perhaps you should drop out and get a job doing something you enjoy or naturally excel at (this last line is actually honest and not snarky and there is no hidden punchline).

So, "Why the fuck are you in this class?" people who obviously have interests, passions, or skills laying elsewhere?  Or, perhaps, is this the way you act outside of the classroom as well?  Do you text when your Grandmother is talking to you?  Do you text when the police are talking to you?  Do you stare vacantly, on the verge if drooling, when someone is attempting to dispel the shadows of ignorance with the illumination of knowledge?  Are you the kind of prick who answers an essay question on a final, "Esays is stoopid."?  Do you treat your professors/instructors the way you treat anyone in the service industry, that is to say like your fucking servants?  Do you worry more about the promised money you are going to get with a college degree than an education or working towards a specific goal (much love for Nursing students!  I'd trust a nurse over a doctor any day of the week)?  Are you getting anything out of college - besides the beer, parties, sexual encounters, a certain amount of liberty (don't get me wrong these are the reasons I dropped out after my first semester in 1996 and didn't return to college until 2008)?  

I suppose that these are rhetorical questions and that all you useless fucking flesh sacks are going to excel in whatever corporate middle/upper management position you get into.  Meanwhile, I'll be here...over educated, dicking around with this blog, asshole deep in debt, with a bitter, secretly envious, ultimately false feeling of superiority.

Beef Stock 2: The Quest for Purification

After the flurry of roasting and boiling and watching movies that was Monday, I let the stock sit for a day in the fridge in several containers.  Tonight, I peeled off the foulness and am in the process of getting all the unpleasantness out of the mix.  Once again my house, my self, and my cat all smell like beef stock.

Spice and herb madness in my kitchen:

Well I received my order from myspicesage yesterday - my hat's off to those fine folks in da Bronx; well packaged, complete (and correct) order, and they just seem like nice people.  I posted my order a week or so ago and I wanted to update and tell you guys what is new and exciting that I can't wait to try:

• Ajwain seeds:  The seeds of a plant from the Near East, they are very similar to thyme or caraway.  I'm not sure what I am going to do with them yet but I think I might add them to couscous or any dish I would normally use thyme.
• Aleppo chiles:  A capsicum named for the Syrian city it comes from.  It has a really delightful flavor and heat to it and will serve as a solid mid-tone for any chile mix I add it to.  Either that or it can stand alone, again with either poultry or couscous.
• Aji Panca and Aji Amarillo: Peruvian chiles I have read about but haven't sampled yet.  Neither look or smell particularly dangerous but I have yet to cook with them.  The Amarillo almost has the look of ground mustard mixed with tumeric but the smell of neither.
• Sun Dried Tomato Powder:  But Joshua, couldn't you have dried and powdered your own tomatoes.  Yes but I didn't so meh.  I plan to use this in my pasta sauce, my jambalaya, and my slow cooked pork.
• Cacao Nibs:  Because I wanted them, plus they might make for some tasty mole.

More news to follow.  Hopefully I can get some pictures ASAP of the bounty.

Fun with roasted garlic!

I spent a good part of the last evening in the kitchen, drinking beer, shooting the shit with friends, and after they left I threw on Spice World and then Aliens.  Don't judge me.

While my initial attempt at making beef stock was disappointing I remain undaunted.  Besides, I only ruined one container of stock - not all three - so I have two foundation weak stocks I can build on.  All is not lost and I have a better idea of what I need to do in the next stage of prep (plus I need to collect some spices).

What was very fun last night was roasting about two dozen big cloves of garlic (tossed in grapeseed oil and then thrown into the cast iron skillet) and then pureed them.  Now what was kind of drunkenly brilliant was mixing what roasted garlic there was left in the blender with a splash of oil, a splash of cider vinegar and two big fistfuls of bird's eye chiles then blending the shit out of it.  It has a really bold flavour - aka it feels like falling face first into a box of superheated acupuncture needles dipped in garlic.  I think I want to use it on a sandwich.

FOR THE EMPEROR!

Video Games | | Warhammer 40K: Space Marine Trailer

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

This trailer makes me want to clap my hands and jump up and down giggling.  Granted I think the Ultramarines are bunch of prats but y'know what?  I'll still play the shit out of it.

Consomme, stock, demi-glace...

Why is something so simple so difficult?  Why isn't there a book titled Zen and the Art of Stock?

I made a mistake recently, a mistake I had forgotten I had made before, hubris...I can make stock, no fucking problem.  Bones!  Check!  Mirepoix!  Check!  Horseshit.  I am going to learn and teach myself how to make a proper beef stock and already fucked up.  I should have roasted my beef bones (neck) with a little water and then...I dunno...I studied the recipes and checked several sources (book and digital) and thought I had it.

What I plan is to finish this current batch, get more bones and then build upon that.  Plus I need to remember that patience is a virtue and not poke at the boil every fifteen minutes.

Not Just Games

Not Just Games

2108 North St

Nacogdoches, TX 75965-3514
(936) 560-3790

I had been meaning to go to Not Just Games for months.  I don't know why I didn't, I don't have an excuse.  Now I'm kicking myself. 

It basically a game lounge, which I'm on the fence about - I still game at home.  However I am not on the fence about the food served by Ronnie Baldwin.  I got a cheesesteak with the works yesterday and it was spectacular, startlingly so since I haven't had a cheesesteak this good since Angelo's in Wildwood.  The man uses some bacon as a starter, mixed peppers, and makes his own bread.  There's also a corned beef cheesesteak which I can't wait to maul.  I've also heard good things about the burritos and apparently the pizza is worth fighting a polar bear for.  The prices might give you sticker shock but let me tell ya - it's an illusion, the food is cheaper than some shitty fast food meal and ten thousand times better.  

I enjoyed my cheesesteak so much I actually thought about going back a few hours later to get another one.  Hell, I'm gonna probably go after work, if not today than tomorrow.  If anyone is game lemme know. 

Time for new glasses, need some advice

I am dire need of new lenses for my glasses but my frames are beat up and need to be retired.  Do I stick with the heavy black frame I've been wearing for years or should I try:

I really dig the clean lines but I'm not 100% sold.  What do you guys think?

Love for the CueCat

Eat a poop infused with crap sandwich Brian Barrett of Gizmodo, I mean that in the nicest way possible, for bagging on CueCat.  The Worst Gadgets Gallery had CueCat at the top of the list.  I love my CueCat and while I don't use it fortnightly it makes short work of the process of cataloging a vast number of books.  Hell, if there had been modern technology available back in the late 80s I would have cataloged my family's collection of books (which was pretty sizable, bookshelves were always ominously creaking when a book was jenga'd off or onto a shelf).

As a collector of books, music, and assorted thingies bedecked with barcodes I think the CueCat is awesome.

You can take the boy out of the bookstore...

My library has broken the five hundred mark!  Actually I think it broke that mark a while back but I haven't been as diligent about scanning in my books as I should have been.  I also haven't been buying books the way I used to.  Here's my almost up to date catalog if you feel like perusing.

I'm also gonna take this opportunity to once again extol the virtues of the CueCat Barcode Scanner.  It's easy to use and apparently easy to mod to read all barcodes, not just books.  I haven't modded mine yet but I mean to, so I can catalog my CD collection (which is about the size of my book collection).  The CueCat is easy to use, cheap, and requires no effort to install (plus, if you're savvy enough you can use it with Excel spreadsheets).

There's a practical reason for cataloging things, besides self-covetous OCD.  It's great for insurance purposes, worst case scenario you lose everything you own during an Act of God, and if you're out hunting for books and need to know whether or not you already own a copy you can search your database.

Tibetan momo's?

"What the hell is he on about now?  It's got to be some kind of new crazy food thing...doesn't he ever just eat corn dogs and fish sticks with catsup?"

I know, I know...I sometimes get overly excited about finding recipes and learning about food but fellow Hooligans these look and sound awesome.

Imagine if you will; a dumpling the size of a pastie, now fill it with ingredients from Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan, or far northern India.  It can be fried or steamed.  That my friends is a momo.  Does that not sound tasty?

And they said I was mad.

Achtung! Nacogdoches readers! I need your help!

Yours truly is in the initial stages of hunting for beef bones with which to make stock.  If you know of a good meat market or have a dead cow laying around let me know.


"But Joshua, couldn't you just buy beef stock?"  Yes.  Yes, I could...but you see dear readers I am going to make phở from scratch, from the ground up.  Canned or boxed stock is fine for stews but I've been sorely disappointed by the saltiness of most pre-made stocks (even low sodium stocks taste a bit off to me).  So, in order to get quality broth (which is vital to a good bowl of phở) I need quality stock.


I plan to make a Southern Vietnamese styled phở, though once I gain some confidence (as well as gather some ingredients) I will attempt to master phở bắc (Hanoi style) and Bún bò Huế (Huế styled).  I realize I should start with phở bắc because - according to most sources - phở was not widely known in southern Vietnam until the 1940s/50s.  However, I feel most comfortable with my knowledge of Saigon style and flavour.  


Any suggestions, comments, or tips & tricks are very much welcome.

Haiku 4

Angry neighbours shout

Should I call the police now?

Or not get involved?

The First Power (1990) dir Robert Resnikoff Max Payne (2008) dir John Moore

The First Power (1990) was one of those movies that scared the shit out of me when I first saw it in the early 90s (I think I saw it on UHF 62 as a double feature with Angel Heart one late Saturday night).  It just recently came out on DVD and download for netflix and I watched it last night.  The First Power is not a bad horror movie, though it is a Lou Diamond Phillips vehicle, and it's the only movie Robert Resnikoff directed.  On the plus side it has a Stewart Copeland score, Jeff Kober, and some very good - though dated - humor.  The First Power does not hold up as well as some its close contemporaries (i.e. Candyman (1992) ) but it's still worth watching again.

Max Payne (2008).  The little engine that tried and failed...or more accurately "tried and died".  I love Marky Mark and I love Marky Mark movies and I love Marco Beltrami and Marco Beltrami scores and I loved the Max Payne games but this was a walking botched abortion of a movie.  Worse than crappy, it was boooorrrring.  I paid for it so I refused to turn it off but bleh, for every one scene of "hey this kicks ass" there were forty scenes of nose picking.  I almost wanted to open my bag of Skittles and start sorting them into color coded piles.  The high point of the movie, Olga Kurylenko, who I think is the minxiest minx this side of Sherilyn Fenn or Jennifer Tilly, dies within fifteen minutes of her showing up on screen.  Half Constantine, half Sin City - Max Payne delivers on neither.  A waste of time and money and every actor that showed up in it.  Gong!

Haiku 2 & 3

Moxie

Moxie pokes at me

Perhaps I need to get up

But it's only just dawn.

Basho

Basho was the best.

Wish my haiku were like his.

But they ain't, so meh.

My first haiku

Dusk across a pool,
No breeze, yet the bowers are
Rippling with soft light.

Birth of a Nation (1915) dir D.W. Griffith - Observations of a modern audience's response.

I just got home from finishing the second part of Griffith's epic Birth of a Nation in my History of Cinema class.  I had seen the bulk of the film before this class and was familiar with its themes and context as not only a film but a historical document.

If you are unfamiliar with the story here is a plot summary.  The most famous aspects of Birth of a Nation are its controversial (and blatant) racism and glorification of the KKK (portrayed as Teutonic knights not as paragons of scum and villainy).  However on a cinematographic level, Griffith and his cinematographer Bitzer expanded - and in some cases created - the language and technique of film that live on today.  As a historical document, Birth of a Nation and the responses the film caused, and continues to cause, in audiences; a resurgence of the KKK, riots outside cinemas, a Supreme Court case (Mutual Corporation v Ohio 1919) that dealt with whether or not film was protected by the First Amendment, the amount of money the film made and the effects that money had on the building of Hollywood - are all fascinating elements to me.  Sadly though, hearing the comments and reactions of my classmates today, they were not as impressed nor as interested.

A young woman who sits next to me asked, rather loudly during the film, "Why do we have to watch this Klan shit?" Another person commented, "Bunch of racist bullshit."  Another, "What does this have to do with the history of movies?"  Other people grumbled similar grumbles.  One student got up and walked out before the movie ended.  During one pivotal scene near the end I thought I heard, "Fuck those white racists." to which I wanted to respond, "Why do they have to be 'white' racists?"  Additionally I heard one guy chortle derisively during the House of Representatives scene when one of the black delegates is gesticulating with a chicken leg in his hand.

On the walk home I thought, "How can a film nearly one hundred years old still have such an effect on people and not be considered important or relevant to the study of not only cinema but American history and culture?"  While I was sitting in class I was wondering, "How would Birth of a Nation be received by audiences if it was a science fiction film?  Same narrative, set pieces, and themes?"

I have to admit that this post does not have a specific academic direction and for that I apologize.  If any of you fine folks have opinions or information to share please do.  Once I have thought about and discussed the topic more I will post my results.

"And quite clearly, he has gone insane."

Well folks, got my school money in...so I have a little to play with.  I was thinking of buying a new game or something of the sort.  Then I remembered I had a shopping cart on My Spice Sage full of goodies.  I had to order this much to, uh...get free shipping.  Yeah, free shipping.  

• Aleppo Pepper Crushed (1 oz., Units: 1)
• Aji Amarillo Powder (1 oz., Units: 1)
• Sun Dried Tomato Powder (1 oz., Units: 1)
• Aji Panca Powder (1 oz., Units: 1)
• Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (4 oz., Units: 1)
• Allspice Berries (1 oz., Units: 1)
• Ancho Chile Powder (1 oz., Units: 1)
• Guajillo Chile Powder (1 oz., Units: 1)
• Cascabel Chile Peppers (1 oz., Units: 1)
• Cayenne Pepper 60,000 Scoville Heat Units (4 oz., Units: 1)
• Ajwain Seeds (4 oz., Units: 1)
• Grains of Paradise (1 oz., Units: 1)
• Chile De Arbol Powder (1 oz., Units: 1)
• Thai Chile Peppers (1 oz., Units: 1)
• Japones Chile Peppers (4 oz., Units: 1)
• Lemon Grass (4 oz., Units: 1)
• Cacao Nibs Organic (1 oz., Units: 1)
• Free Sample:
• Fire Salt
• 4 oz. bag of Garam Masala

Dead Rising 2: Case Zero (2010) Capcom

So I was looking for something to play yesterday and Dead Rising 2: Case Zero was available for download on XBOX Live for only 400 MS Points (about $5.00).  While I wasn't a hardcore fan of Dead Rising I figured five bucks is cheaper than a rental of a full title and I felt like whompin on some zombies.

I gotta say it's well worth the price.  DR2:CZ has a lot packed into a small amount of space, at least a good six-eight hours if you want good endings and achievement points.  Plus it's just good fun butchering the snot out of living dead.  Some of my favorite weapons from Dead Rising  make a comeback including; the frying pan, the bowling ball, and the shower head.  There's also the ability to make insane customized weapons, my personal favorite is the baseball bat with nails in it -surprise, surprise.

You can level your character up to five but everything you unlock will carry over to Dead Rising 2.  That's cool. Personally I think this is a great marketing trick - offer a extra large demo for a cost less than a meal at a fast food joint, give the player enough incentive to replay several times, and it's all the hook to draw the player in.  The only downside I have to both Dead Rising and DR2:CZ is that tasks are timed, there little room for exploration the first or second time through. I understand why they did this but I'm not sure I like it, since I mainly game for exploration.

In any case, it's a fun diversion.

So with October pending...

and October being the month to watch horror movies I thought I'd do a preliminary rundown (subject to change) of my ten favorite horror movies.

1. John Carpenter's The Thing (1982) Dir. John Carpenter
2. Night of the Living Dead (1968) Dir. George Romero
3. Jaws (1975) Dir. Steven Spielberg
4. Candyman (1992) Dir. Bernard Rose
5. The 'burbs (1989) Dir. Joe Dante
6. Ravenous (1999) Dir. Antonia Bird
7. Carnival of Souls (1962) Dir. Herk Harvey
8. Dog Soldiers (2002) Dir. Neil Marshall
9. The Changeling (1980) Dir. Peter Medak
10. The Exorcist: The Version You've Never Seen (2000 - original release 1973) Dir. William Friedkin 

These are open to debate but I'm basing this rough top ten on movies that I either watch regularly (i.e. Ravenous) or watch every once in a while because they still creep me out (i.e. Candyman).

What about you folks?  What are your tops?

The Burrowers (2008) dir J.T. Petty & Amok Train (1989) dir Jeff Kwinty

I was digging through netflix last night and happened upon two movies that weren't brilliant but were worth watching.

The Burrowers (2008) is a solid Weird Western.  I'm a huge fan of the genre and have been for longer than I can remember - in fact I think it might be in my top five favorite genres, even beating out Satanic horror flicks.  I wasn't expecting much from The Burrowers yet I was pleasantly surprised.  It was a solid movie from start to finish:  professional production quality, a great score, decent acting, while not chilling it had a few tense moments, the creature effects were good (and reminded me of a movie I think would be a great double feature with -  Dead Birds).  Not to give anything away but it's basically a horror movie set in the late 1800s in the Dakotas.  A group of homesteaders disappears and a group of men go out to find them.  They think it's an Indian raiding party but it turns out to be much worse.  I'm not going to hype The Burrowers  up to much, it's basically a pot-boiler Weird Western but it's well done.

Now Amok Train (1989) aka Beyond the Door III is not a good movie.  I haven't seen Beyond the Door or Beyond the Door II but I'm pretty sure I didn't miss anything.  I say it's not a good movie but it has elements that kept me watching: inventive and creepy deaths, a really sweet pseudo-giallo score, creepy villagers, some great lines, Satan, Mary Kohnert's bare bosoms, and - at times - some awesome cinematography.  It's two notches above campy - the creepiness sees to that - and some of the deaths are suitably grisly (one in particular made me rethink eating tomato sauce and rice while the spoon was halfway to my mouth).  I recommend it if you're a fan of Satanic cult movies or obscure horror flicks, if you're not then you might want to look elsewhere.

Okay okay I know I promised but...

this should be the last change to the HYR layout.  I added a navbar to help clean up the mess and am still transferring links over to the appropriate page so ignore the stuff on the bottom.  I'm trying to find my list of html so the colors might change a bit but the overall layout should remain the same.

Thank you for your patience.

Here's something for you Warhammer 40K fans:

Some of you long time readers might remember a post from March 1, 2007 where I mentioned that Vigil Games, based out of Austin, Texas was working on a Warhammer 40K MMORPG.  Well folks, lookie what I found:  Dark Millennium Online.

I'm so excited I might start speaking in tongues.

Making mashed potatoes at 9:25pm CST and I don't have...

milk or fresh garlic.  Merde!

But wait!  I do have fried garlic and lots of cheese and butter.  Yay!  Crisis averted!

DragonCon 2010

I'm finally coming down from the adrenaline high that was DragonCon 2010.  My body thoroughly crashed and it was a miracle I managed to get out of bed today, though I had to call out of work (sorry guys).  People have been asking me how the experience was, what with it being my first time at DragonCon and all. Well, it was total mayhem.  Friday I drank too much.  Saturday I had a panic attack.  Sunday was a lot of fun but then we had to drive back to Texas - leaving Atlanta at 7pm.  There were waits in lines that lasted hours.  Our hotel room smelled vaguely of cat pee.  I was constantly sweaty.  I spent most of the weekend lost in either the Hyatt, the Marriott, or the Hilton.  One of my friends got heat stroke.  I didn't get to go to the aquarium.  All in all, it was totally awesome and I would do it again.

Despite my grumblies it was a great trip with great people.  I got to spend some quality time with Amanda.  I met some top notch individuals.  We got fried duck dumplings at Hsu's.  Watching Ryan negotiate crowds and groupies is a sight to behold.  Heather looked stunning, even though her costumes nearly killed her.  I got to meet Jennie Breeden of The Devil's Panties fame.  She was super nice even though I fanboy'ed on her a little.  I got to wear my white suit.  The folks at the Waffle House Lincoln/Talladega were life savers on Sunday.

Things I learned about DragonCon and traveling in general:

• Buy new socks before you go.
• Airborne Zesty Orange tabs are meant to be dropped into water and not just jammed into your mouth.
• When traveling in the South, Waffle House is better than bad.  It's good.
• I am going to travel with baby wipes and/or A&D ointment from now on.  Why?  Let's just say I'm chafed from all the walking and sweating...and not on my feet.
• Cash is king.
• If someone offers you "pie" say yes.
• The smoking area at the Hyatt is a vital rally point.
• Don't rely on the crappy map DragonCon provides.  They couldn't even manage to put North on the map.
• Find a nice quiet place to hide away from the maddening crowd.  Personally I like the Embassy Level at the Hyatt.

I'm sure there's more but I can't think of it right now.  Expect one more post re: DragonCon (hopefully with pictures).  

A pre-post of my DragonCon 2010 experience

Well, home again after a whirlwind weekend of madness, sleep deprivation, gin, good meals and bad, spending time with excellent people, and ending in a very peculiar sensation that I am not the person I was before I went to this event.

I'm still sleep deprived (the ride home to Texas began around 7pm EST last night and ended around 8am CST this morning) and haven't been to bed yet so I'm not much up for the post this epic quest deserves.  Plus Moxie has been demanding constant attention since I got home.  Full post with pictures and fun stuff will be up this week.