The Sum of David

Josh has planted the seed for another blog.

I need another blog like I need another hole in my head, but I have to say I am tempted.

I enjoy Pittsburgh’s public transportation system every weekday, and Josh is delighted every time I come home with a new Bus Adventure. I’ve been riding the public transport in Pittsburgh and Charleston, WV since I was in 7th grade… I can recount such entertaining tales as:

• The guy that pretended to kill me every time we rode together (via fake grenades, rocket launchers and machine guns)
• The guy that called me “Sawah” and was my best friend until I got my nose pierced and he and his religion were very disappointed in me
• The lady that smacked me in the shins with her umbrella because I was “in her seat”
• The multitude of people who have sat on me

I am fascinated with the how, why, and what-the-hell of people… and the bus carries every kind of person imaginable. Maybe it’s not a bad idea after all.

Also, it might not be bad practice for writing some short stories. Hm.

Of course, I could just put them here, but I have the best idea for the banner graphic…

Well, I guess it’s not much of a secret now, is it?

I was thrilled when Woy asked me if I’d be interested in doing PittGirl’s, er Jane Pitt’s, er Ginny’s new banner, even though I was oblivious at first and thought our meeting was about something totally different. (Woy, you ninja, you.)

I was totally bummed when the Burghblog was nixed many months ago. I had happily granted PittGirl her anonymity and was disappointed when that was threatened. Yes, of course there were delightful whispered conversations on who she might be, but I never really wanted to know… that is, I didn’t want to know if it was in any way going to jeopardize her offline life.

But she’s taken the revealing plunge herself, and I hope she is welcomed with open arms. We need her in Pittsburgh. I might not agree with her all the time, but I can almost always appreciate what she’s saying. We are a city that routinely takes itself either way too seriously or not nearly seriously enough. I find her writing to be a wonderfully snarky middleground.

Also, that is one good looking web site, dontchya think?

Welcome back, Ginny (and nice to meet you!)

There are Things afoot.

Fun, secret things.

Also: LUNCH.

Mwa ha ha…

I don’t really mind driving, especially since I have a Brand New Used Car. But Saturday we were on the road for too many hours. We finally dropped our carpool mates off at their house at 2:30 am on Sunday morning. We wished them good night, thanked them for coming along for the ride and then we embarked on our 30 minute drive home.

Me: Okay, Joshua.

Josh: Yezzzzz…

Me: Your mission, should you choose to accept it — and you probably should accept it because it is the only way we will make it home alive — is to keep me awake for the next 30 minutes.

Josh: (without missing a beat) Star Wars is superior to Star Trek because…

The following thirty minutes involved a heated comparison of the The Death Star vs The Borg as Evils and why, when I am typically more of a Fantasy fan, I will fully accept the Science Fiction of Star Trek but snicker at the magic (aka The Force) in Star Wars. The beautiful thing here is that Josh doesn’t care one way or another about either one*, he just needed a way to keep me awake and he knew insulting my beloved Star Trek by toting Star Wars as better (please) would not only keep me awake, but keep me focused because one must be on their game when debating any subject with him. And somehow, he knew enough about both to keep making valid points.

Or rather, as valid as that ludicrous argument could possibly be supported. Psh. It’s kind of an uphill battle if you ask me.

We made it home alive and Josh is a hero. Also, we have never before had such a conversation in our relationship. I’m considering it a turning point in Josh’s rank of geekdom. I’d say “Welcome to the dark side…” but I’m afraid he’ll think I’m conceding his argument.

*Well, not quite - He believes Star Wars is cooler, but only because of light sabers. This was the basis for most of his points: “But… light sabers!”

Okay, I’m over being over football. We’re good again.

Even so, this weekend was exhausting. We left home at noon on Saturday for a trip to Summersville, WV for Josh’s last game and returned at 3 am on Sunday morning with a loss. We got up early the next morning because I thought my cousin was in town for breakfast (that’s next weekend, ha), and then went to Steelers training camp.

I will say it was super hot and super humid and the seats we chose were super uncomfortable and I wished I’d brought more cash so I could get a mother-effing Gatorade… But I will also happily say that I went with a great group of people, King’s makes a good apple pie (and cheesey hash), my predictions will be 100% correct this year, and two-foot long ice-pops are the best. I got to see all my favorite Steelers, and watching Josh play has certainly given me a new appreciation for what they do. They are professionals and it is an honor to watch them, even in practice. Plus, they were full-contact (BOOM!) and did several goal-line drill. Goal-lines are the awesome because you can tell the guys are serious about it — what with bragging rights and all — and as a spectator you win either way:

Defense keeps them out = our dependable Steel Curtain, still at it!

Offense breaks through = our Offense rocks!

Stairway to Seven, anyone?

Saturday is Josh’s last Warhawks game. Between you and me, I am a little over football.

I know, I know, that’s equivalent to blashpemy in Pittsburgh, but I’ve witnessed a solid, two year season between our beloved Steelers and the Warhawks.

I’m driving us to Summersville, WV to battle the Bruins, then driving us back. We’ll get home around 2 am.

…at which time we will try to rest well, because then we have Steelers Training Camp on Sunday.

Since I am officially in Writing/Editing Mode and thus have taken off reading prose, I hijacked Josh’s The Best American Comics 2006 (thanks @kownacki). I read the first piece, Joel Priddy’s “The Amazing Life of Onion Jack”. Freakin’ amazing stuff.

I found Onion Jack to be absolutely charming and wonderful. This single, ten page story made me want to devour the rest of his work. Check out his work and blog… I know I will.

I look forward to reading more of this collection. Check it out!

 …it’s a tiny harvest.

Here’s some backgrounds I did for a great site called iTwixie,
a great social networking hangout for tween girls.

My garden is doing good things.

Well, goodish, anyway.  I killed my peas and my green beans. They apparently needed things like “attention” and “water”. Pff. Losers.

I am perpetually armed with a healthy dose of pessimistic optimism, meaning my line of thought usually goes “The worst will probably happen, but maybe it won’t and everything will turn out better than tolerable”. I actually assumed that nothing would grow, and that is happily not the case. In the spirit of triumph I won’t show you the yellow withered carcasses of the failures. Only successes:

Jalapenos, green peppers (do you see the pepper starting? Aw!) and some sweet Thai basil. I also have some regular basil, Greek oregano, parsley, sage and baby Thai peppers, not to mention some blossoming tomatoes.