It's Been Far Too Long...

Four weeks have passed since my last blog post. In fact, there are a couple of drafts sitting in my posting repository, both partially written during my travels. However, my days have been so packed that I had to leave them hanging. You know when you're on a roll and everything just flows as you're writing, but then that roll is interrupted and you end up losing it? That's what happened. I would go back to attempt to finish a post, and found that it lost its flavor. So then I decided to start a new post. Same sad cycle. I started writing today's post with the intention of finishing it, since I didn't want March to come and go with nothing but silence on "From the Mind of 408Down."

Work has been busy the past few weeks. Prior to my departure for my first trip a couple of weeks ago, I was all-consumed with real work (as opposed to perusing the web all day), and barely even had a few minutes to catch up on Twitter. I spent after-office hours scurrying around town on a virtual scavenger hunt for certain clothes in preparation for my travels. Not that I'm complaining about the shopping part, but overall preparation is exhausting. There haven't been enough hours in the day lately, which is ironic since the days seem so much longer since we sprang forward for Daylight Savings.

With two trips behind me, and two to look forward to, I figure that now is as good a time as any to recap where I've been and what I have been up to. Out of fairness to myself and to my readers, I am aware that our time is limited and I'm sure that I can only hold your interest for so long, so this recap is being broken up into installments. Here's Part One:

A couple of weeks ago, I took a weekend getaway to San Francisco. It was a true getaway in the sense that I desperately wanted a break from Sin City for a few days. The desert valley, brown terrain, flashy lights, and dry air tend to collectively take their toll on me over time. Foliage, fog, and beautiful scenery was just what I needed to find peace in this hectic life of mine. Debarking the plane at SFO, I was overcome with a feeling of being home as I always feel when I am back in the Bay. Within an hour, my group and I were downtown at a bar, enjoying complimentary cocktails.

Being from a party town, this concept of an "open bar" event was not new to me. The featured spirit of the evening was a vodka called 42BELOW, and it was served with tropical mixers. Quite tasty, from what I recall. Armed with a fistful of dollar bills for gratuity and an empty stomach, I proceeded to order drinks two at a time, namely a concoction on the menu called "Passion by the Bay," and henceforth I was known by some of my new acquaintances as "Passion." Luckily, the new moniker didn't stick. The last thing I need is another nickname generated from a night of excessive drinking. I did consume more cocktails than I should have that night, managed to send a few of my friends the customary drunk text, posted several drunk tweets, and took a bad spill on the dance floor that resulted in a hideous bruise on my knee. A late night (rowdy) stop at the popular Grubstake restaurant topped off that night. There's nothing like loud conversation about blowjobs and fashion over breakfast at 2am. I'm really surprised that we didn't get eighty-sixed from the Grubstake. Such nice people there.

Another day consisted of a trek to have some Dim Sum, which is oh-so-good in SF for some reason. My last trip to the city in the Fall had a Dim Sum stop included in the itinerary, but after hiking a dozen blocks, my travel companion and I arrived to find the restaurant closed - we had ended up eating pizza at the airport. That disappointment made this trip's nom session incredibly satisfying. Several steam dishes and a pot of tea later, my friend and I decided that a walk would be the best relief for our stuffed bellies. A quick drive west of our location brought us to Cliff House and the Sutro Bath ruins, where we strolled around admiring the glory of the Pacific Ocean and our surroundings until we could no longer tolerate the cold wind. Here are some of my fave shots from there:

On a different day, my friend, Jung, and I spent our afternoon at the California Academy of Sciences. Jung happens to have an annual membership there, which allowed her to bring a guest in for free each visit. If like me, you enjoy aquariums, natural history, and planetariums, this place is for you. It's sensory overload here. I felt like I was in elementary school again, on a field trip, except with no chaperons, the freedom to wander around, and the happy prospect of an afternoon beer. Even if I had to pay to get in, I would have most certainly got my money's worth.

My favorite exhibit was the Steinhart Aquarium. My love of the ocean and any large body of water has lent itself to my interest in the ecosystems they encapsulate and all living things in them. Lots of strange creatures live in or near water, and there were many to see in Steinhart. One notable tank was a large cylindrical one, about 3 feet in diameter that housed different seahorses. Some were recognizable, others looked like aqua-vegetation. They were so small and delicate that photography was prohibited at that tank since the creatures were sensitive to light. I dared not break the rules here for fear of killing a seahorse with my treacherous camera flash and anti-red eye light, so sadly I am without a photo of them. However, another favorite of mine were the Waxy Box Tree Frogs from the Staff Favorites exhibit, and I did get a picture of them to share (above left). These frogs were so cute and tiny, but they didn't move so they didn't look real. Only when you watched one closely could you see their little frog necks move from their respiration. So fascinating.

Jumping to Saturday night, three of us started the evening at the Orpheum Theater downtown to watch the musical Wicked, the untold story of the witches of the Wizard of Oz. The original Wizard of Oz movie was a favorite of mine as a child, so this musical backstory was a real treat. For those of you who haven't read or seen Wicked, don't count on me to spoil it for you on my blog. See the show or get the book. It's worth it.

That Saturday ended with the three of us theater-goers meeting up with more friends at an afterparty linked to the SF International Asian-American Film Festival happening in the city at the time. With drinks and dancing, you can all guess how this night ended...but no, I did not hurt myself this time.

So that sums up the highlights from San Francisco. Stay tuned for Part Deux of the Adventures of 408Down, March 2009 edition. It may be a day or two (or three) before you see the post, but I promise not to let this month go out too lame.

All Things Lunar

If you haven't already, make sure to take a look up at the sky tonight. According to NASA, tonight's moon is the biggest full moon of the year, with an appearance 14% larger and brightness 30% more than a typical full moon. How is this possible, you ask? Due to the elliptical nature of the moon's orbit around the Earth, the moon is in the perigee of its orbit, where the moon is near the closer end of the ellipse. The Moon is just a tad closer to us in this case.

Fortunately, I did get a chance to step outside in the early evening and observe the moon for myself. I can't say that I've ever really paid attention to a regular full moon, so I was oblivious to the size difference. However, the luminosity of the moon tonight was unmistakable. I could have read a book outside, albeit squinting, but still able to see. Tonight would have made a great camping night. Even now as I look out my window, the sky is dark blue as opposed to black.

Speaking of the moon, coincidentally, today is Global No Pants Subway Ride Day. The idea is the brainchild of New York actor Charlie Todd, whose purpose in organizing this event was to "create scenes of chaos and joy in public places." Going on 8 years now, citizens in cities with subway or mass transportation systems were encouraged to ride around town without pants. The No Pants event originated in New York, and has now spread to other metropolitan cities like Phoenix, and L.A., and even further out internationally to places like Amsterdam, Austria, and Poland.

The requirements for participation are simple: One, be willing to takes pants off on subway, and two, be able to keep a straight face about it. Kudos to the participants who managed to withstand the hilarity of the situation and control their amusement - I am certain I would not be able to restrain my own laughter. With that being said, will someone please bring this event to Las Vegas?!?!

What Goes Around Comes Around

Today was a victory for John "Vegasgeek" Hawkins.

Upon my return from Mexico in late November, I got wind of the fact that Rick Astley himself had Rickrolled the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and I felt motivated to continue promoting the cause. I randomly Rickrolled a few people in the past month for the sheer joy of doing so. John was the one person who fell victim to my Rickrolling schemes more than once. It was only natural that he seek revenge.

This morning I receive this IM from John:

9:04 AM John Hawkins: Hey, so, I get home last night and I'm totally stuck on the bacon website... I spent about an hour looking for themes for it. Haven't found one just yet. But, I was talking to Jason and told him about the Patron Saint of Bacon and he laughed and then showed me another bacon link... So, I had to post about them both. Go check out http://baconfan.com/ - too F'n funny!

Amused by the fact that John was so entertained by my finding the Patron Saint of Bacon, I obliged by visiting his bacon blog site. At first glance, there he was: Saint Anthony, Patron Saint of Bacon in all his pork glory. The post starts with praise for friends sending him bacon-related products, then describes my find and that of fellow blogger and friend, Jason. Jason's product was unsuspectingly presented as a link, preceded by "I tried 3 times to explain it, but this guy described it better than I ever could." John heralded it as "the weirdest bacon product EVER," so how could I not have clicked on the link?

Well, I clicked. My browser shrank into a smaller version of itself, and danced around on my desktop. When I attempted to use Task Manager to close Firefox, a pop-up appeared announcing that the fun wasn't over. Try to close the pop-up, and it encouraged me to sing along, displaying the beloved lyrics to "Never Gonna Give You Up." That's right...I got RickRolled.

John showed up in my office minutes later with a smile of satisfaction on his face. He turned to my colleague's desk, reached down to pull up a gadget, pointed it at me, and said "You just got RickRolled." We laughed.

It gets funnier.

His accomplice (another employee who had to stand in for my colleague who was his original partner-in-crime) planted the hidden video camera on my colleague's desk without actually pointing the camera in my direction. Instead of capturing my reaction to getting RickRolled, the video camera recorded about 30 minutes of wall. There was audio, however, and it did manage to capture over 4 minutes of my laughter and frantic clicking of the mouse while the RickRoll music played in the background.

Kudos to John for setting up this elaborate prank. You may have won this battle, my friend - but I'm still winning the war.

Help Save Three Sheets!

Zane Lamprey falls into my personal "Top 5 Celebrities I Would Like To Marry If They Weren't Married" list. Zane isn't an A-lister by any stretch, but he is on TV and has the greatest job ever. Oh, and he also gets points for being funny and handsome all in the same package.

For those of you unfamiliar with ZL, he is the effervescent host of "Three Sheets," one of the best shows to grace High Definition TV. Zane has the remarkable privilege of traveling the world to explore the diverse drinking customs of different nations. Furthermore, he gets to sample the local fare, and even teaches us about how some of our favorite drinks are produced and other interesting alcoholic drink facts. For example, did you know that there are three categories of tequila? If you didn't, they are

• Blanco - clear tequila aged a few months
• Reposado- medium colored tequila aged for 2 months - one year
• Anejo - dark tequila aged one - three years

Another cool tidbit: Budweiser is German for "From Budvar." Budweiser Budvar has been brewed in the Czech Republic since 1265. American Budweiser and Budvar are not friends (Budvar thinks they stole their name). For that reason, American Budweiser is not allowed in the Czech Republic. Here's the episode of Three Sheets in Prague:

Three Sheets is a highly entertaining show, as you will all agree. However, the show is in peril. MOJO HD, the channel that once broadcasted Three Sheets went off the air on December 1st, and therefore left the show without a network home. With such a strong following, Zane continues to film episodes around the world for Three Sheets' 5th season. Simultaneously, he and his team have been pitching the show to other HD channels and rallying in major cities to get the attention of major network executives. Recently, he has requested the help of Three Sheets fans and the public, with messages such as this:

Sunday, December 7, 2008 at 11:27am

OK, as you probably have heard by now, MOJO HD is off the air as of December 1st. The big surprise, however, is that another network hasn't swooped in to grab it. What's up with thaaaat?

We have 15 NEW episode completed and 5 more in the works. Can you imagine not ever being able to see them?! So, a grass-roots campaign has been started to SAVE THREE SHEETS. Some radio stations have gotten involved, but the power really is with you.

Here are some networks that would make sense. Send them emails. Tell your friends. Spread the word. Inundate them! Call your local radio station to have them get the word out! Blog about it! Don't let the most fun show on TV end up on the web!

Feel free to send people to my MySpace page. MySpace.com/ZaneLamprey
I'll put the following info on my page...

Here's Spike's email address (they also have an HD channel):
feedback@spike.com

Here's Comedy Central feedback form:
http://www.comedycentral.com/help/questionsCC.jhtml

Here's the Travel Channel form (they also have an HD channel):
http://www.travelchannel.com/About/Viewer_Relations

Here's the form for Discovery Channel (they also have an HD channel):
http://extweb.discovery.com/viewerrelations

Don't let me become "that guy who used to host that drinking show"!!!

Cheers!

Zane

I have stated my case with these networks, and I hope that you might be compelled to do the same, once you've watched Three Sheets. You can see most of the episodes on Zane's site. Write to the networks. It's a show worth saving.

Beware the Rickroll

The online phenomenon of Rickrolling has taken a place in the annals of web history. For those of you unfamiliar with the meme, Rickrolling is essentially a bait and switch where a person presents a web link seemingly relevant to the topic at hand. The link, however, leads to the 80's Rick Astley video, "Never Gonna Give You Up."

Apparently Rickrolling originates from the practice of "duckrolling," where a link would point to a peculiar picture of a duck with wheels. Earlier this year, I had read an article mentioning a poll that revealed that 18 million adults in the US had claimed to have been Rickrolled. Since the phenomenon has started, sporting events, radio and TV have Rickrolled unsuspecting spectators. With the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade being televised to millions of viewers this year, that number has multiplied exponentially, I'm sure.

Want to learn how to Rickroll someone, and see someone get Rickrolled? No problem - just check this out.

Disneyland: Fun At Any Age!

My adventuresome crew and I had been discussing a trip to Southern California for at least the past year, as a way to escape the brutal desert summer weather. A few weeks ago, we collectively summoned the motivation to take this road trip and spent a day at Disneyland.

Now I could not even remember the last time I had gone to Disneyland, although clues from distant memories tell me that I may have been there at age 11. That's 2 decades ago. The last time I was there, Michael Jackson's Captain EO 3-D film was one of the newest attractions. Sadly, Captain EO was removed from the Land of Disney in 1997 - perhaps due to the controversies surrounding the gloved one at the time? Possibly, but that is only my own speculation. Lucky me, I was fortunate to have the Captain EO experience. If you haven't, here's part one of the film - 3-D glasses aren't necessary for this version:

I must say that Disneyland truly maintains its appeal no matter what your age. Even more exciting now is the addition of Disney's California Adventure theme park, complete with more rides for the thrillseeker in all of us. One notable ride: The California Screamin' roller coaster. Had I not been feeling ill to begin with, and time not a factor, I would have rode that coaster several more times.

We managed to spend half of our day at California Adventure before moseying over to the Magic Kingdom, just yards away. Disneyland itself continues to reinvent its own experience, while maintaining the attractions of our youth. Pirates of the Caribbean, the legendary Tea Cups, the Dumbo ride, and Space Mountain are all mainstays.A couple of the new rides proved to be welcome additions. Even though we spent 90 minutes waiting in line, the Indiana Jones Adventure ride is a new favorite of mine. It is definitely a rocky ride, and puts riders right in the midst of the action. If you ever wondered what it might be like to be in an Indy adventure, this is the ride for you!

Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters is inspired by the movie Toy Story, and riders feel like they're in a real life video game. Essentially, the point is to shoot your laser gun at the targets for points as you defend the universe against the Evil Emperor Zurg. In the end, I scored a modest 14,000 or so points, which I felt wasn't so bad for a beginner. To put things into perspective, my pal John (who has clearly had some practice) scored upward of 160,000 points. I'll get there eventually. Fortunately, he's shared some pointers for next time!

All in all, our Disney adventure was quite satisfying. I won't deny myself the opportunity to ever go back, because one day I will. Next time I won't wait 20 years to do so.

The Beauty of Men

My pal Linda Lou, writer/comic/human extraordinaire, co-hosts the Aging Nymphs Internet radio show on Wednesday nights, exploring the reality (and comedy) of a variety of topics. The show started off as a forum intended for the female demographic, but the Aging Nymphs have a pretty strong male following now, too.

The most recent show discussions featured what men look for in women. Starting this week, they are turning the tables and are polling the ladies with what they look for or appreciate in men. When I received an email from Linda Lou earlier this week asking for my feedback on that very topic, I could not resist. At first I had instinctively began with the superficial: good-looking, wealthy, owner of a luxury vehicle and sexy red speedboat...but then I got to thinking that when it comes to snagging a good fella, the material things are not important.

So what makes a great guy in my eyes? At his core, a man has to be considerate and have a heart. Additionally, here is a list of things that I think make up a quality guy:

• Confidence. The vast majority of men out there walk a fine line between confident and cocky. A good man knows how to NOT be a jerk, while being able to embrace his vulnerability. Guys who show severe signs of insecurity through their words and/or actions typically don't make the grade either.

• Stability. I would like to end up with a man with an unyielding sense of self, both mentally and emotionally. This is a guy who has his own identity, doesn't try to be someone he's not, is totally reliable, and accepts his past in order to make his future the best he can make it. He should have ambition and be sensible enough to know which dreams to chase.

• Social aptitude. Kudos to men who are able to carry themselves in any social setting and be able to connect with a woman one on one without being overwhelming or awkward. Men should not only be able to carry on a conversation, but also have some class. Guys who are socially inept are so unattractive. Women like the gentlemen, not dudes who hoot and holler at females to get their attention.

• Spontaneity. Guys, don't be stiffs. Seek adventure and try new things! Furthermore, I don't care what any woman says - ladies enjoy being romanced. A guy who catches us off guard and can sweep us off our feet every once in a while is sexy. I hate when I hear men say that it's gay if they act romantic. Honestly, guys, it's gay if you don't.

• Sense of humor. Laughter and happiness go hand in hand. A man without a good sense of humor is just plain boring, is likely without a personality, and is usually a waste of time.

• Intelligence. Nothing turns us girls off more than a guy who thinks he knows everything, when clearly he does not. A really smart guy is well-rounded, open-minded, knows when to chime in, and is aware of those times in life when words just aren't needed. Intelligence isn't about IQ's; it's more about appreciating life and all of the diverse things in the world, and showing real interest in all of it.

Ok, I know. These all sound like high standards, right? I like to think that I am a woman of substance, so simply looking for an exquisite male specimen with requisite penis is so yesterday. I realize that no handsome man exists with all of these characteristics, but a girl can dream. I'll settle for a dude with at least 3 of the above 6 qualities.

To hear more on this topic and what A.N. might have to say about my response, tune in to the Aging Nymphs show Wednesday at 8pm Pacific time via the Aging Nymphs web site. And for some good reading, check out Linda Lou's blog here.

Disclaimer: The above blog post is not an indicator that I am looking for a boyfriend. Think of it as a social experiment of sorts, simply exploring an idea...

September 19: TLAPD

You're a pirate today, whether you choose to be or even care. All that's missing is an eyepatch, a comandeered vessel, a talking parrot on your shoulder, and a haggard crew of deckhands. One "Arrrrrrr" is all it takes!

Today is International Talk Like a Pirate Day, perhaps one of the most ridiculous practices of modern times. Imagine you and a friend generating some asinine idea that starts off as a joke between the two of you, that later spreads to international observance. That is how Talk Like a Pirate Day was born. Leave it to the media to fuel some of pop culture's outrageous trends.

To learn some pirate lingo, check out the official site for TLAPD.

Here are the top 10 pickup lines you can try out today!

10. Avast, me proud beauty! Wanna know why my Roger is so Jolly?

9. Have ya ever met a man with a real yardarm?

8. Come on up and see me urchins.

7. Yes, that is a hornpipe in my pocket and I am happy to see you.

6. I'd love to drop anchor in your lagoon.

5. Pardon me, but would ya mind if fired me cannon through your porthole?

4. How'd you like to scrape the barnacles off of me rudder?

3. Ya know, darlin’, I’m 97 percent chum free.

2. Well blow me down?

1. Prepare to be boarded.

A Stickler For Detail

I consider myself a person with discerning tastes, but I yield a relatively open sense of flexibility when it comes to the Arts. However, it has recently come to my attention that movies are all too often lackluster, particularly those from book adaptations.

Last night I popped in the DVD The Princess Bride. I had finished reading the book a couple of months ago, and thoroughly enjoyed it. Sadly, the movie did not meet my expectations. In fact, in every case where the literary experience preceded the theatrical one, I was always greatly disappointed.

With The Princess Bride, it was like watching an abbreviated version of the story. It moved too quickly, and seemed to conceal some of the less favorable happenings from the book.

When I read Thomas Harris' Hannibal, I actually went to see the movie with low expectations. It was a fairly graphic novel, and I was unable to imagine that any director had the gall to reproduce any of the gory scenes. Surprisingly, Director Ridley Scott executed much of the terrific bloodiness, including the protagonist detective's demise where he is hung by his feet off of a balcony as his viscera shoots out on to the street below. In a story like Hannibal, such details are not to be compromised. Ultimately, however, the conclusion of this story was sanitized to Hollywood standards, and I left the theater with a heavy heart. I will spare the details of the story's ending, and urge you to pick up the book. Then, check out the DVD to compare - just keep in mind that the movie went soft at the end, like a bad sexual experience.

The screen adaptation of Dan Brown's The DaVinci Code was also executed very close to the book, with the ending modified for cinematic reasons. The book ending was far more satisfying, and the meat of the story provided more scientific, philosophic, and religious background. Consequently, this is where my problem lies. When it comes to movies, I want the details: the before, the after, and all of the subtleties in between. The least any of these screenwriters can do is stay true to the books. It's really not too much to ask.

The movie Choke, based on the Chuck Palahniuk book of the same name is due out in theaters in the next few weeks. I think I may forgo this movie to preserve the satisfaction of the story as I read it. Although the book is simplistic in its plot and in its comedy, the probability that it will fail by my expectations is strong. I've already seen the movie in my own imagination after all, and any other version than that would be disastrous.

Farewell, Star Trek Experience

When I found out that the Star Trek Experience at the Las Vegas Hilton would soon be closing, I knew I had to experience it for myself.

You don't necessarily have to be a fan of any Star Trek series to enjoy yourself here. Visiting the STE is an educational trip in itself. Star Trek has cultivated a strong following since the original series. The phenomenon paints a diverse fantasy world - not completely far-fetched from what we might imagine our future to be - with numerous extra-terrestrial cultures, galactic worlds, science that defies known space and time, and socio-political issues that endure centuries. Each alien race portrayed in the ST series is distinct and has its own rich history. The STE captures much of this, as well as the fun and adventure I'm sure ST creators intended to bring to people.

A definite must-try here can be found at Quark's. The Warp Core Breach is an alcoholic concoction of rums, juice, and other ingredients, that they recommend you share with friends. It is probably the best mixed drink on the LV Strip, guaranteed to get drinkers tipsy. If you dare try it, act quickly! The Star Trek Experience will be closing forever in early September...

Moroccan food over Sarah Silverman any day

Good gravy. WTF has happened to Sarah Silverman? Granted, it was past 11pm when she came out for her second scheduled show on Saturday night, but the lady is a paid professional - a headliner - and her piss-poor ending was as pathetic as her seemingly drug-induced introduction. Half the gals in the restroom post-show agree that SS was high as a kite, but unfortunately for us, not a good high. People laughed more at her opening act's performance (an unknown amateur). So disappointing. I was so riding on the expectation that she would be just as hilarious as her "I'm f'ing Matt Damon" skit. Just another lesson to be learned when it comes to entertainment - hope for mediocre. On a positive note, the tickets were free thanks to Budweiser!

The highlight of the evening turned out to be an enjoyable meal at Marrakesh Moroccon Restaurant. My first time there, and it was splendid. I would definitely go back. There were 6 savory courses of varying dishes:
1.A shrimp scampi appetizer served with bread
2.Tomato and lentil soup
3.A "salad" of sorts, featuring grilled and/or marinated veggies with hummus to dip
4.Beef skewers
5.Cornish game hen with veggies served over couscous
6. A powdered sugar, phylo-dough and fruit layered desert, served with some special dessert tea.
Everything was delicious. And to top it all off, great friends, great conversation, and belly dancers made for a pleasant dining experience and a fun way to celebrate my friend's birthday.