I am on vacation in Charleston, South Carolina. It’s going great so far. It’s so good it’s reminding me what it’s like to live and travel. If you haven’t traveled anywhere recently, I recommend getting away to a town, state, or country you’ve never been to.

So far in South Carolina I’ve experienced a variety of Southern foods, Southern courtesy and hospitality, and visited a variety of cultural and historical locations.

Highlights thus far: Eating fried green tomatoes on Saturday. Touched a six hundred year old Live Oak tree on Sunday.

I spent the first day and a half being shown around town by a 25 year old woman who also happens to be a pilot. It was a blast. Now I’m just hanging out w/ Mark and his wife, but it’s fun, too ;)

Categories: Life
Tags: Charleston, culture, South Carolina, travel

For Memorial Day weekend, I booked an impulsive flight to Woodland, CA. I bought my tickets on Wednesday, packed Thursday night, flew down Friday evening, flew back Monday evening. It was a quick trip, but I had a great time seeing my Grandpa and Grandma and visiting w/ my Aunt and Uncle and staying on their farm.

I greatly enjoyed the change of context from my day-to-day life and the change of scenery. Woodland is much more of a farm town than I realized. I enjoyed the silence compared to city life. No cars streaming by on the highways as I lay sleeping. No distant city lights brightening the sky. Instead, you can hear animals, insects, and the wind.

Categories: Life, Photographs
Tags: travel, woodland

When I searched for “awesome” on YouTube, this was the number one result. It is awesome.

The Italian Spiderman Movie (Direct Link)

I aim to entertain. Enjoy.

Categories: Good Times, Video
Tags: awesome

Listening to “On Your Porch” by The Format. Staring through my reflection in the window.

I’m not sure what it is tonight. Something feels different.

Influences on present state:
- no caffeine since Sunday
– August Rush — sappy movie, horribly “dubbed” music instrument playing
– several season finales of shows yesterday all high on emotional drama (HIMYM, The Big Bang Theory, House)
– realizing I haven’t seen my family/relatives (other than parents) since last August

The Monkees - Daydream Believer: (direct link)

And a tinge of emo. There’s a reason I still wear my emo bear shirt.

Categories: Life

Today, I took an urban hike.

In the morning, I prepared by packing my new hacker bag full of essential gear:

• HP laptop w/ Ubuntu linux operating system
• wireless mouse
• power cord
• latest copy of Wired magazine
• two USB drives (8GB + 1GB)
• “My Startup Life” by Ben Casnocha
• notebook, pens, pencils
• Nalgene bottle
• iPod, 20GB
• … other miscellaneous

In the post meridian, I headed downtown as per usual intent on traveling to Saturday House at its alternate location in the Giraffe Labs coworking space. (Where’s the author?: if you look in the Flickr photos on the site, you’ll find me.)

I parked under Seattle’s infamous viaduct, one of the main highways which runs past downtown. It is infamous due to the fear that when a large earthquake comes it will collapse and crush everyone beneath it.

Fortunate for me, there’s free parking underneath. I took advantage in order to avoid paying the high cost of parking meters further into downtown.

From thence, I walked to Saturday House at Giraffe Labs. I walked by the baseball stadium, the football stadium, construction-related businesses, restaurants, bars, and homeless shelters.

Upon arrival, I managed to accomplish a few things on my task list for the day. I even managed to do a few things not on the task list like sweat profusely and drink a lot of water. Yes, it was hot.

Afterward, I headed to Elliott Bay Book Company with Rob to catch Cory Doctorow do a reading from Little Brother. Cory Doctorow has been featured in XKCD. Oh, and he’s won some important science fiction awards.

Cory’s a rather personable guy. He walked in the room with little fanfare and introduced himself to the people already waiting. The reading was pleasant and enjoyable (a great way to absorb literature), he took and answered questions, and afterward he signed books.

Now I’ve got a signed, first edition copy of Little Brother. w00t!

Oh, you can download Little Brother free. Legally. He’s cool like that.

I slid the book into my hacker bag, walked up the stairs from the basement of the bookstore, and hiked back to my car. Darkness had not yet descended so I had no reason to fear drug dealers, pimps, or prostitutes popping out as I traveled beneath the highway on-ramp and besides the barbed-wire fence. They will come out later in the night after I have already driven home.

Categories: Books, Life
Tags: Cory Doctorow, drug dealers, hackers, pimps, prostitutes