Beat the Heat

This past Monday was blog action day!, a day where bloggers around the world unite to give coverage to a certain topic. The idea of a group call to action for bloggers doesn't sit extremely well with me (like so many memes), but this year's topic was the environment, so I thought I'd give it a try. Because environment and environmentalism are such huge topics, I abandoned my original idea of listing all the environmental blogs I read, lists of tips and tricks to lessen your environmental footprint, and maybe even post my reflective essay It's About More Than Carbon, Silly. Instead, I decided to cover just one thing, which happens to fit in with what I've been doing recently. Beat the Heat is a community group here in Skagit County (which meets in Anacortes) dedicated to working to "slow global warming through public awareness, personal action, and political advocacy." I've attended a few of their meetings to see what they are all about. It was great to see people self-organizing to work towards a goal they believe in. Many of the projects are closely in line with interests/goals of my own*. Their website has some great resources including a calendar of upcoming environment-related events including sponsored movies and lectures.

Wednesday October 17 2007

File under: environment, Anacortes

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on Wed 17th Oct, 2007 08:35 am PDT gretchen said: this reminds me of a blog that many of the bdw readers might enjoy called u.s. food policy. it is written by one of my professors who is an ag economist turned nutrition crusader. the link to this site is www.usfoodpolicy.blogspot.com he also has a list of many food and environment related blogs linked to his site. ************************ on Wed 17th Oct, 2007 08:36 am PDT gretchen said: sorry, there is no www in the web address. ************************

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Return of Quiz Night

After a longer than normal hiatus, the Backporch Cafe's Quiz Night returned this past Friday evening. A lively crowd* battled it out for the fame and prizes. With my regular team absent, I recruited a crack team of first timers to help with the pursuit. Through round one, we held our own. It turns out our knowledge of indigenous plants, world rivers, classic literature, and Antonio Banderas is above average. Round two was a bit of a suck fest for the Imperfect Ladies*. Out knowledge, or lack thereof, of current events, (post?)modern literature, the Clash, and starlets took us from second place to second-to-last. In a quiz tournament so heavily topicized*, you live and die by the topics. Anyway, as always, it was a good time made even better by the other folks who played. Keep an eye out for the next go round. After all, the more, the merrier. And for all of you who enjoy playing along, I'll share the two identification rounds. Above (click for larger image) are starlets. How many can you name? Or try your knowledge of indigenous plants. I'll post the answers in special hover code in the comments. The Backporch Cafe's Quiz night has been covered before here and here.

Sunday October 14 2007

File under: Anacortes, games

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on Sun 14th Oct, 2007 10:13 am PDT Wren said: Starlets: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 Plants: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 ************************ on Mon 15th Oct, 2007 09:07 pm PDT Emily said: Yeah-I'm glad I wasn't on your team. I know absolutely NONE of those starlets. What's with the major topicization? (Now there's a word.) ************************ on Wed 17th Oct, 2007 10:57 am PDT blank said: What!?! You need to 'rock the casbah' more my friend. ************************ on Mon 05th Nov, 2007 11:36 pm PST Siri said: 1.Bette Davis 2. Rita Hayworth 3. ??? 4. Lauren Bacall 5. Marlene Dietrich 6. ??? 7. Katherine Hepburn 8. Mae West 9. Greta Garbo How'd I do? ************************ on Mon 05th Nov, 2007 11:37 pm PST Siri said: Oh, I just caught on to the whole hover thang. . . I'm a quick one. ************************ on Tue 06th Nov, 2007 08:27 am PST Wren said: Not bad at all! We might have to bring you in as a ringer. There is a quiz night this Friday if you happen to be in town. ************************

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Friday Comic 2

Here is the second in the October Friday series of comics. I personally think this one is more interesting in the art (again, courtesy of Deanna) than in the comic part, but I'll leave it up to you. Maybe for those of you who do sit at a desk all day, it will ring true. (Previous comics: Organic vs. Inorganic and Dating a Jeopardy Writer) Speaking of which, I somehow got dragged back into the grind this week. I'm doing some contract work for PhotoWorks, the company I used to work for down in Seattle. I conceived of this comic well before I rejoined the rat race*. It is rather fitting, though.

Thursday October 11 2007

File under: comic

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on Fri 12th Oct, 2007 12:37 am PDT whuppin stick said: i suppose this means you'll be paying taxes again this year? unless, of course, you managed an under-the-table deal? ************************ on Sat 13th Oct, 2007 08:19 pm PDT Joe said: Eve is just Jay Leno with golden locks haha...who knew? ************************ on Wed 17th Oct, 2007 11:04 am PDT blank said: maybe it's just the growing up in washington, but seriously, the forbidden fruit is an apple? So boring. It should be a pomegranate, or a kiwi or a sex fruit. Stupid genesis, altered beast sucked. ************************ on Wed 17th Oct, 2007 04:12 pm PDT Saxtor said: I don't see any apples in that scene. They look like oranges to me. And since there are plenty of those, but only one frog, I would say the frog is the forbidden fruit, specifically the infamous bufo alvarius. ************************ on Fri 19th Oct, 2007 08:06 pm PDT Emily said: Surprisingly enough, there is actually no mention of the forbidden fruit being apples, just a fruit. That idea came into lore long after the Bible was written. I thought of that before too actually, when first viewing the comic. And thought it was a nod to this fact--- but then I thought maybe it was just an easier tree to draw and left it at that. :) ************************

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Whale Watching

If I told you that I have lived in the San Juan Islands for 18 years and have only seen Orca whales twice in the wild, would you believe me? Well, it's true, and I consider myself lucky to have seen them that much. Once was at WaPa where 60+* cruised by no more than a stone's throw from the beach. The other time was off the head at Rosario. Both were pretty spectacular. This past weekend, I increased my orca sightings by 50%! Emily, who used to work at Island Adventures, managed to score us tickets to go out whale watching. Although it is on the top of some people's list when they come to Anacortes, I have yet to be out on a whale watching boat. I knew that I was in for a real treat. The weather was quintessential for fall in the northwest. There was a chill to the air, wind gusts here and there, and non-rain moisture coming out of the air somehow, as it so mysteryously wont to do. I was afraid the weather would curtail the adventure, but, at least in my eyes, it only added to it. (Plus, it gave me the excuse to drink a whole thermos of hot chocolate!) To read more (and see pictures!), click here.The boat, filled with 100 eager [potential]* whale watchers, headed out in seach of the pod. Cruising out through the islands, the guides pointed out which islands we were passing and interesting tidbits about the local wildlife. Getting outside of the ferry route is a rarity for me, so I was glad to see some of the further out islands, or at least the far side of them. We ended up crusing around for about 3 hours before honing in on the whales. The whales put on a great show for us. They played, splashed their tales, frolicked, and belly-rolled. We were close enough to get an impression for their size, but not close enough to see the whites of their eyes, per se*. If you just happened upon the pod* and weren't out on a mission to find and photograph them, it would have been heaven. As it was, I will classify it as a solid "neat". Speaking of photographs, here's what we got: Clara was a trooper throughout the whole [6-hour] trip, but kid needs a nap; getting good pictures of the whales was tough, but this one turned out; yours truly all bundled up for the weather, trying to look suave; the classic San Juan Islands shot.

Tuesday October 9 2007

File under: Anacortes, pics

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on Tue 09th Oct, 2007 05:29 pm PDT Sweet Julie said: Way cool! Way cool! I dream of seeing the PacNW O.o.'s! In all of my 13 yrs of marine biology, I have only seen Orcas once in the wild! You are some lucky folks! ************************ on Wed 10th Oct, 2007 08:55 am PDT amanda said: i remember that day at wapa.what a gift. that image of the whale pod so close to the shore during sunset will stay with me forever. ************************ on Thu 11th Oct, 2007 03:32 pm PDT jenelle said: oh those cute little orcas... and their cute little PCB riddled blubbers, ************************ on Fri 12th Oct, 2007 12:33 am PDT whuppin stick said: mmm... whale. ************************

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Friday Comic Number 1

Every Friday this month, we here at BdW will be featuring a home brew comic written by myself* me and drawn by Deanna. Our first collaboration, Dating a Jeopardy Writer, can be seen here. I hope you enjoy! Click on the image to get a larger version.

Thursday October 4 2007

File under: comic

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on Sun 07th Oct, 2007 10:26 pm PDT Mom said: Jule, Step up to the plate here. You're wit can blast this into another dimension. This is a challenge... ************************ on Mon 08th Oct, 2007 05:31 am PDT whuppin stick said: thank you for fixing that grammar note. it was driving me nuts. seriously. it's good to know you're receptive to correction. ************************

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Troothpicks

I'm happy to intoduce* troothpicks. Over 2 years have gone into developing a printing technique, phrases, logos, website, packaging, and more. I'm proud of the result. I think you will be impressed. Troothpicks are essentially phrases (proverbs, fortunes, sayings) printed on toothpicks. The idea started as having something to fill the role of fortune cookies at non-Chinese restaurants and quickly blossomed into what it is today. Troothpicks are great for pre-dinner hors d'oeuvres, after dinner picking, and everything in between. They are also great for gifts, esp. for anyone you know who loves to entertain. You can get them for all occasions (birthday, holidays, graduations, etc.) or you can create your own custom picks with your business name on them or custom messages for your event. More information, photos, and how to order can be found at the website www.troothpicks.com. For anyone who shares my enthusiasm for this product (and who couldn't?), I would love to have you tell your friends about the website. And if you have a non-themed* blog on which a post about a clever product that makes people smile might fit (Dave, Amanda, Andrew, Ryan, Myke, Blake, Saxtor*, I'm looking your way here), I would be ever so much appreciative if you found it in your hearts to maybe mention troothpicks in a post. I'd be happy to return the favor* if you ever have a word that needs spreading.

Wednesday October 3 2007

File under: work, misc

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on Wed 03rd Oct, 2007 09:44 am PDT Nesbitt said: Always something on the pot, huh wren. Is this your company, or did you just design the website? ************************ on Wed 03rd Oct, 2007 09:52 am PDT Wren said: Dave, this is my company. I'm the founder, president, factory worker, marketer, engineer, and janitor. (Oh, but I did kind of borrow the idea from a certain Mr. Goss at Bates.) ************************ on Wed 03rd Oct, 2007 02:12 pm PDT Nesbitt said: Excellent! I will write something about it this weekend for my four loyal readers and will keep it in mind the next time I am having a wine and cheese party. ************************ on Wed 03rd Oct, 2007 08:30 pm PDT Jule said: Those are great pictures on the troothpicks website! Professionally done and all! Cheers to your photographer. By the way, As your "beta" tester, I demand a small cut of your profits, say $5, (or should I say 50%!!! ha! no, I am sure you will make millions). you know, with the weak dollar, I would suggest marketing overseas, say in canada or alaska. ************************ on Wed 10th Oct, 2007 05:58 am PDT Horge said: Quirky idea. Thank you Mr. Goss :) Regulators has been taken down, otherwise I'd be all over posting on this product. I just hope that you get more than one toothpick out of each sequoia you cut down :) ************************

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Link Letter

Huzzah huzzah! BdW has to come the rescue to save you all from another boring Monday*. That's right, folks, I am pleased to announce the debut of my eighth self-conceived*, home-coded nerd game. (To view all the games, be sure and check out the games page so conveniently listed on the left hand column of this very page.) The goal of Link Letter is to create a chain of words, each one letter apart, starting at one word and working your way to another (hopefully the in-game instructions will be a little more articulate than that). Currently, there are 20 levels with the possibility of adding more levels (or maybe even separate tracks) later, so get some while the getting is good. Oh, and I've brought back the community high score board with this one, so you can fight tooth and nail to beat out Joe Mama. Link Letter is written with a javascript front end, so I must deliver my standard hasn't-been-tested-on-Mac caveat. If someone gives it a go, please let me know if it works. As the matter of fact, I'd love any kind of feedback anybody has. I'd love to make this game as good as possible so it might have a shelf life of more than, say, a week*, like all the other games. Happy linking!

Sunday September 30 2007

File under: games, coding

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on Sun 30th Sep, 2007 10:31 pm PDT Saxtor said: Awesome! Sounds fun, I'll give it a try. It's not really a matter of having not tested it on a Mac, it's that you haven't tested it on Safari, which is available for Winders! ************************ on Mon 01st Oct, 2007 07:26 pm PDT Sweet Julie said: It is working on my Mac, and my Safari! ************************ on Mon 01st Oct, 2007 10:34 pm PDT Joe Wilbur said: didn't seem to be working properly for me. it didn't really let me play. anything i tried to do it would deny me. and it wasn't just, "that's not a word" problems either. ************************ on Tue 02nd Oct, 2007 12:50 am PDT Horge said: Its a pretty fun little game you got here Wren. Nice and nerdy. ************************ on Tue 02nd Oct, 2007 07:25 am PDT gretchen said: i'm with joe. ************************ on Tue 02nd Oct, 2007 07:55 am PDT cardboard said: Wren you need a Job old boy, if the thought of working for someone doesnt lend to you can come volunteer and plant native species with us and feel like your making a difference in this mad mad world we live in, plus you can get that scoot scoot riding rain gear dirtied up all proper like. I only say that cause monday wasnt boring cause it was wet and there were plants to plant. ************************ on Thu 04th Oct, 2007 09:15 am PDT cara said: Fun game...I wish I could stop playing now.Also, level 8 wouldn't accept the word "fifth." ************************

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Chuckanut Dr.

As summer is coming to an end, that also means an end to the [comfortable] scooter season. Time will tell if I am still able to use it as my prime form of transportation. It's been a fine run with the little guy. I often think back on some of the wonderful roads we've taken together (e.g. 395 and 1 as covered here before.) Recently. I was reminded of another spectucular road we have right here in the northwest, almost perfectly suited to Scoot Scoot. I've had occasion to ride it a few times recently, and I didn't think it was fair not giving it a shout out after calling attention to those other roads. Chuckanut Dr. from the Skagit flats to Fairhaven has got to be one of the best roads of all time. I happened to hit it as the sun was going down on a beautiful autumn day. Returning on a clear night with the moon reflecting off the water was just as spectacular. While traveling via a scooter immerses you in the environment all the more, the road is worth driving in a car as well. It's a road I recommend to friends visiting from out of town who are headed up to Bellingham, and it is a road to I recommend to all of you who might be passing that way.

Saturday September 29 2007

File under: transportation, Anacortes

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on Tue 09th Oct, 2007 10:08 pm PDT Emily said: I love Chuckanut Drive. ************************

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Knitting Season

As the days grow shorter and colder and the leaves change colors and drop from the trees, we are all reminded* that fall is here again. I, myself, couldn't be happier. Sure summer is nice with the long days and sunshine, but I'm always ready for that nip in the air that signifies one thing: hot chocolate season is here. Besides drinking hot chocolate, fall lends itself to all sorts of things*. One of the things that I wasn't expecting to be excited about this year but was is knitting. Sitting down in the evening in front of some t.v. show that you don't really feel deserves your full attention* but is worth looking up for every now and again and just going to town on the knitting - yes, that is on the top of my list for this fall. I am no knitting expert, mind you. I've still not yet learned how to purl. (Yeah, I know you say it is simple, but I just haven't learned yet, so back off!) I'm still a mostly scarves and hat guy (well, scarf and hats, to be precise), but perhaps this year I will expand into wash cloths and pot holders. Get ready family, there is going to be quite a bounty under the Christmas Crassula Ovata this year.

Wednesday September 26 2007

File under: misc, pics

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on Thu 27th Sep, 2007 06:01 am PDT gretchen said: please send fall this way. it was nearly 90 the past two days here and is going to be hot and humid again today. ************************ on Thu 27th Sep, 2007 07:48 am PDT cardboard said: YEA BUDDY! I really wanna get my knit but free time is fairly scarce and usually has my hands tied up with delicious beer. However I got 1.25 hrs freetime coming up in november in the mornings (non beer drinking hour) so it will be knitting city. PS! Wren any chance you could help me get that snowboard back??? Pacifier is going back into my early season quiver i hope. ************************ on Fri 28th Sep, 2007 07:40 am PDT Sean said: Kevin, is it still in the garage at 2 Doors Down? ************************ on Sun 30th Sep, 2007 10:33 pm PDT Joe Wilbur said: hey i want a hat wren. for serious. ************************ on Mon 01st Oct, 2007 07:16 pm PDT Sweet Julie said: Oh my goddess(es)! What beautiful ladies with the most precious hats! :) Very impressive, Wren. ************************ on Mon 01st Oct, 2007 10:32 pm PDT Joe Wilbur said: I loves me a man that can knit! ************************ on Sat 06th Oct, 2007 01:36 am PDT whuppin stick said: even though it was 86 degrees here today, we were amidst a typhoon. so in honor of this post, i drank my first japanese hot chocolate. then wiped the sweat off my face. ************************

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www.peoplesGuideToAncortes.com

In hopes of making the People's Guide to Anacortes more accessible, I've recently acquired the domain name www.peoplesguidetoanacortes.com. Hopefully, this will make it easier for everyone to spread the word. For those of you who don't remember the original post, the people's guide to Anacortes is a list of non-commercial activities on Fidalgo Island with an easy to use interface. It is geared towards travelers and residents alike who want to pass a day (or a week) enjoying the non-commercial (which also all happen to be free) things Anacortes has to offer. I hope you have checked it out already or will do so soon. If you think it is a helpful service, spread the word to your friends and family who might be traveling this way.

Tuesday September 25 2007

File under: Anacortes

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on Tue 25th Sep, 2007 03:05 pm PDT Joe Wilbur said: awesome. great idea wren and well executed. definitely be spreadin the word. ************************ on Tue 25th Sep, 2007 04:15 pm PDT Saxtor said: Hmmm, for something non-commercial, it makes me wonder about the ads and the "dot com" TLD. I'm just sayin... ************************ on Tue 25th Sep, 2007 04:48 pm PDT Wren said: Saxtor, your negativity astounds me. ************************ on Tue 25th Sep, 2007 04:52 pm PDT Saxtor said: I'm not being negative at all, the project and intent is awesome and offers the same kind of "warm and fuzzies" like the Friday Harbor lady's pamphlet offers. But if your emphasis is non-commercial, and yet you take commercially minded actions, fuzzy turns to hairy. ************************ on Wed 26th Sep, 2007 11:22 am PDT Dave said: Hey Wren,I noticed that your PGTA blurb about Whistle Lake describes it as being at the western, rather than eastern, edge of the ACFL. Speaking of eastern, I saw that wonderful mother of yours today in Concrete, which happens to be at the eastern edge of the populated portion of Skagit County. What serendipity! ************************ on Wed 26th Sep, 2007 01:52 pm PDT Wren said: A big thanks to Dave and Julie (via e-mail: some ugliness on Mac Safari) for catching errors in the guide. Both should be more or less fixed. ************************ on Wed 26th Sep, 2007 08:06 pm PDT MOM said: Oh, Dave, what a kind thing to say--true, of course, but kind of you. ************************

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