Monday, October 20, 2008
Fall Craziness
Yesterday was a lovely fall day to have some classic fall fun. This called for a trip to Iron Kettle Farm - our local purveyor of all things orange and pumpkin-ey. We hit the gas going through Owego as to avoid getting cocooned in our car by massive purple arachnids. This should have brought back memories from last year's trip to Iron Kettle.
In addition to delicious pies, waffle fries, and kettle corn - there were the requisite piles-o-pumpkins. In the picture you can actually see a small child lost among the gourds asking for assistance in finding her family.
Among our purchases were several ears of popcorn - as in "on-the-cob" popcorn. Details may follow when said vegetable is prepared in the Native American tradition - via my microwave.
Among the adventures to be had at the farm - this was the highlight. Being a biker, I looked forward to showing my prowess on these recumbent, single-speed pedal carts. The extreme action shot above captures the spirit of the chase. My own top speed was limited by splaying my legs to avoid the steering wheel, but what was lacking in speed was made up for in paint-swapping. People were sent into the hay bales, knees were bashed, and the faint smell of rubber wafted off scrubbed wheels.
Ultimately, victory was mine as I e-braked my way to the pit - though some site "a little girl hogging the road" as their reason for not taking first. That's just lack of dedication - when it comes to any teenie bopper in my way the story ends with me putting them into the wall.
What better way is there to draw to a close a beautiful Fall day than with a lingering sunset punctuated with a rising planet? A side perk of Winter is that the view from the house just gets better and better.
Posted by frosty at 16:42 1 comments
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Hi. We're in Newark Valley.
It's not every day you find yourself at a gas station in Newark Valley asking directions to a tourist destination - but that day (err... night) came yesterday. The occasion was our adventure to "the MAiZE" - a labyrinth-meets-art grown into a corn field over the course of the year.
You can catch this wonder until Nov. 1st - and the only way to do it is at night. We wandered around in the dark and cold (note - you can see my breath) for about an hour. I don't know why stumbling around in circles by the light of stars is fun... but it is. And I pay for the privilege. Maybe it's for the snacks.
Perhaps I'll go back to see the "corn cannon" - something from the cartoon that looks like a serious engineering attempt at turning compressed air and a corn cob into siege machinery.
Now if you'll excuse me, my mulled cider is ready ;)
Posted by frosty at 00:14 0 comments
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Last night I realized how much fun Game Nights are. No, not watching a national sport - I mean getting together with friends and playing some classic board games. Throw together people, lots of time, snack food and Apples to Apples and you have an evening of good fun and laughter...
Of course you can also throw together a blowtorch, compressed argon, and gasoline to make A REAL FREAKING FLAMETHROWER!
Our subdued game of Taboo was interrupted when the host "wanted to show us something". We fogged up the window in anticipation only to see him SHOOT FLAMES 40 FEET! Giddy like a school girl that found out Miley Cyrus moved in next door I ran out to be closer to the demonic powers issuing from his home-brewed backpack.
As it turns out, a flamethrower is useful for many things - lighting camp fires, removing leaves from the lawn, and lighting tiki torches. After I stopped hyperventilating I was able to request to pull the trigger myself. I laid a stream of Greek Fire on a tiki torch from 20 feet away that plastered the whole metal torch with lingering flame.
Best. Game. Night. Ever.
Posted by frosty at 13:30 3 comments
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Joe the Plumber
Are _you_ the real Joe? Then tell the world! Get your own "I am Joe the Plumber" t-shirt and let everyone know that you are up on current events - just like the presidential candidates! I have a fine selection of items in the store, so take a peek ;)
In case you couldn't tell - today's adventure was watching the last presidential debate. I was totally saturated with fresh cider, having played the "Joe the Plumber drinking game". Drinking on every mention of "Joe the Plumber" would have been bad enough, but there were the advanced rules of "one drink when McCain blinks out S.O.S." and "one drink when Obama smiles as McCain speaks" or "two drinks if he outright laughs".
My second adventure was getting into online merchandising. The fact is I have often lamented not following through on my ideas for humorous shirts and paraphernalia. Such ideas include a small bumpersticker for my bike that says "nice prius." No more will my ideas fad into the fog of history. No more will timely pop culture jokes be left to wither on the vine!
I was so moved by the debates, not only did I set up a CafePress store for frosty moments, but I made sure that everyone will be able to find via joetheplumber.tv!
Posted by frosty at 23:14 0 comments
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Is this really a reward?
If I had enemies, I might inflict $500 worth of McDonald's food on them. Found on the web making ad dollars for Woot, an interesting "deal a day" site known for creating the "Woot-Off"...
Posted by frosty at 17:45 0 comments
Saturday, August 02, 2008
Friday, August 01, 2008
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Pushing the Limit
Interestingly the car computer says I'm creeping up to 26.4 MPG (up 2/10ths). I wonder if it is my super-mild hyper-miling practice of using neutral to unload the engine when going downhill / at a light. Or perhaps it's because I'm not weighing the car down on the return trip home ;)
On a side note, there is debate over potentially mandating cars to have a real-time MPG display (basic car comp like mine or a spiffy fuel consumption display like the Prius). I'm currently of the opinion that it is a very low cost implementation that can only help. About the only argument is one of safety - but if you are paying attention to the MPG readout you are most likely to be going slower (because it's more efficient).
And no, I can't believe I linked to About.com either.
Posted by frosty at 07:17 1 comments
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
Chinese
* Editor's note - the above post was captured, composed and uploaded all while riding (with a bag of Chinese food effecting my steering with surprising efficiency) - yeah, I want danger kudos. Hey, some people's danger threshold is different than others.
Posted by frosty at 20:06 1 comments
A nuclear clock
I spent my time waiting for my order of food explaining to a family member of the owner why exactly I was taking a picture - and where I was sending it to.
Posted by frosty at 19:38 0 comments
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
Billy is selling something new
Yes my friends, that's right - Billy Mays is selling life insurance. He actually beat SNL to the punch on a skit... I would claim to be at a loss as to how much lower he could go, but I hear the Vatican is in talks with his agent over slumping membership numbers.
Billy Mays here - have you washed and washed, but still can't get that original sin out... well I'm here to tell you about an amazing product called Catholicism!
Posted by frosty at 23:36 0 comments
Wacky Chad dot Com
RE: my discussion below here is self-proclamed Wacky Chad in full action. Yes, those are three flaming torches he is juggling. Yes, he is mounted on a seven foot tall unicycle. No, I didn't know they existed either. His previous unicycle was only five feet tall... how mundane.
I debated making you type in his URL if you were curious - or perhaps scroll down a few virtual inches - but far be it from me to expose your wrists or mouse wheel finger to repetitive stress injuries just because I was too lazy to throw in some markup...
Posted by frosty at 19:57 0 comments
Why I Bike
Actually, that is a Flybar 800 - with 800 lbs of lift in it's elastic - that's four feet of vertical for you average weight people... It's no Flybar 1200, but this is Wacky Chad one hop away from doing a backflip - with his pogo stick. Yeah, you heard me. For the unimaginative ones in the audience, flip your monitor over to get the idea.
The story is this - I'm riding my usual route home from work, and I decide to try and find a less hectic route through Endicott than Main Street. This was a novel idea to me because I was afflicted with driver's syndrome (the inability to go anywhere except by the fastest route, regardless of distance and scenery). I'm getting cured of that. Next thing you know I'll be swapping my handlebars and riding upright like some sort of Dutchman. But I digress.
And so I did digress from my normal route - cutting up a street before Washington, looking for a residential pace instead of drag-racing cars in a 40 MPH zone. No sooner do I turn but there is a crowd of children in front of the library. You can recognize "street performers" in under a second flat so I pulled up to give a gander. What I found was a summer's evening treat of entertainment! All because I was biking along.
Posted by frosty at 19:46 0 comments
Saturday, July 05, 2008
Thursday, July 03, 2008
Monday, June 23, 2008
Softball's ending
You know it's raining well if the drops are big enough to show up on my cameraphone. Incidentally, I later found the end of that rainbow - for the first time in my life it was ten feet away from me! My how everyone got drenched - but the beauty is, you always dry out... my message for today to America is - don't fear getting wet, you may have fun, get exercise, or find gold. (decreasing order of certainty)
Posted by frosty at 19:03 0 comments
Friday, June 20, 2008
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Friday, May 30, 2008
Memo to self
How convenient that this bike was there to let me remember the song, which gave me a chance to see the video. You want to talk about a hook that will get stuck in your head...
As a side note, I was a bit disappointed to note the bike in the video has handlebars.
Posted by frosty at 22:25 1 comments
Friday, May 23, 2008
64 Lanes of Fury
Posted by frosty at 18:10 0 comments
Brilliance at the bowling alley
If you are rude about it, we will give espresso to the puppy too (yeah, you might want to turn off your sound for that annoying website).
Posted by frosty at 17:53 1 comments
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Friday, May 16, 2008
NASCAR
Official Chocolate Bar of NASCAR
You can tell your are watching a "sport" when they have official merchandise like this. Granted, even extremely physical activities are sponsored by beer companies - and that says something about you, the fan. And well, I guess Snickers is saying something about the fans too. Hmm - I wonder what McDonald's sponsors. Oh.
Incidentally, I just saw this on the new SAT: "going to the gym" is to "Olympics" as "commuting" is to "NASCAR"...
And you thought you weren't getting a work-out driving to your job. Who even needs bike to work day?!
Posted by frosty at 17:14 0 comments
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Sunday, May 11, 2008
No smoking?
Normally it is much more efficient to list the things I am prohibited from doing, instead of spending the money to tell me what I am permitted to do.
Posted by frosty at 12:19 0 comments
Sunday, May 04, 2008
Friday, May 02, 2008
Friday, April 25, 2008
Class
Sure, some 5 star hotels have a blind guy in the restroom dispensing towels, but you can really judge a place by the urinal cakes they use.
Posted by frosty at 22:24 1 comments
Friday, April 18, 2008
Good to know
Curse you weak digital zoom on my phone! This ever-helpful sign informs the public that "FISH IS BACK". It strikes me as a random message more suited to being scrawled on concrete with spraypaint.
Incidentally, has anyone seen the Zoidberg graffiti on the 17 east-bound drainage ditch (look down and to the right before you hit Apalachin)? It simply has "Mute?" written next to it - a very deep message in my opinion. The picture itself is nice work - considering where we're at. I suppose I'll have to get a picture of it now - even at risk of shutting down "future I-86" with a 22 car pile-up.
"Well you see officer, I have this blog..."
Posted by frosty at 15:54 1 comments
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Party Room
Of all the party rooms, party room four never seemed to be booked with as many birthdays as rooms one through three...
Posted by frosty at 13:17 0 comments
Monday, April 14, 2008
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Welcome Bowler's
I'm not above typos by any means, but I do go over several times anything I'm committing to a sign. This one caught my attention because of the apostrophe...
I thought, maybe they ran out of budget for the second line of text but no, if they wanted to go for a possessive it would be "Welcome Bowlers' Leagues", would it not?
I wouldn't bat an eye at dropping punctuation on signage, but to go out of your way to put it in - that will make my blog. My blog with all the extra commas and ellipses...
Posted by frosty at 10:20 0 comments
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Expensive Cheese
If this is what is what $55US worth of cheese looks like, I'm sticking to my $3/lb cheddar. I guess I just lack the culture to appreciate it...
This is as seen from an ad on the story about the super-internet. I worry that there is some strong, deep reason for the product placement that I am missing.
Posted by frosty at 11:19 0 comments
In the News
The truth is, I have been online this entire time - and finally disabled my StumbleUpon toolbar to free up some spare time. This was a short-lived victory since I was introduced to the "steam-punk comic" genre and have since spent every waking moment online reading Girl Genius thank you very much...
As of now, I am caught up and eagerly awaiting Wednesday to get my next fix.
On another note - I have lost my domain name through a process of neglect that I have perfected. It was scooped up by a cyber-squatter company, and I have no hope that it will be available any time soon. Maybe in a year. Maybe never. (shrug)
And to round out this update, I would be remiss to not point you to an article on the future of the internet. It is an intriguing tale from CERN of ultra-fast speeds and the mysterious Higgs Boson. Incidently, the Higgs Boson is proposed to be the reason there is mass, so perhaps if we crack this particle physics question we can finally find a cure for feeling fat! Look for the article headed "Super-Collider Blasts Love Handle Woes"!
Posted by frosty at 11:08 2 comments