I Double-Dog Dare You!

Yes, it's a breach in protocol to skip right to the Double-Dog Dare, but I beg your forgiveness.

I double-dog dare you to watch this video without smiling.

Sightseeing

I recently took an afternoon off work because of a basketball game at 5:30 - a rush to get home, get my sister, and get to the game when I usually get home at 4:50-5:00. Since I was already in Carson, I decided to head up to Tahoe over Spooner Summit and back to the Mt. Rose Highway that direction.



It was a very nice view, the only hairy spot was just on the Reno side of the summit, where the road was steep, curvy, shaded and therefore icy. But the good ol' Subaru handled it beautifully.

3...2...1...Whatever

2006b was the most boring year ever. The sun never rose, the dark landscape flashed past the car, illuminated by only a handful of semis heading the opposite way.

It was also only about 30 minutes long, and was spent between 45 miles north of the Oregon-Nevada state line and 15 miles north of it. My sister and I were driving back to Reno from Boise, watching Nevada lose a nailbiter to the University of Miami. Midnight, Mountain Time caught up with us at about Rome, Oregon (seen: a bar, a bridge, and a pickup with two old retrievers sleeping in the back) and so we rung in the New Year by passing a trucker who had pulled over to shoot off a bottle rocket.

But we outraced time, leaping back to 2006 as we headed West. Well, south - but that's just where they decided to put the time line.

Driving from Boise to Reno when leaving Boise at 9pm Pacific time means you get in to town very late. Late, like pick-a-song-on-the-iPod-you-can-sing-aloud-to-stay-awake late. From 5:30 pm Saturday night to 4am Monday morning (34.5 hours total), I:

Spent 10 hours sleeping on my cousin's couch.
Spent 3.5 hours talking with my cousin and his wife.
Spent 5 hours at a football game.
Spent an hour getting gas, in the store, eating dinner, and other miscellaneous tasks.
And spent 15 hours driving.

Weekending in San Francisco

I went to San Francisco with my friends last weekend. It was a whirlwind tour, with actual work to be done. It reminds me why I am a fan of good rapid transit (and I wish that the builders of Reno's I-580 link to Carson would have planned ahead and added dedicated room for a rail or bus line to the freeway).

I visited a bookstore, picked up a Pratchett nover, as well as a translation of the stories of King Arthur I hear is good. We ate at a place called "Sushi Ko" with beautiful presentation of food, incredibly tasty food, and a good price. One of the best meals I have had in some time - a fried california roll, with a main course of chicken teriyaki.

I tried some Brandy in the home of our hosts for the evening, and decided I hadn't been missing anything before I tried it - but I would not know if I had not tried.

I got to drive another guy's car across the Golden Gate Bridge a couple times, and there was only a hint of fog far off to sea. All in all, a beautiful weekend.

And the Nevada football team won, despite my not watching the game to cheer for them. Icing on the cake.

In This Temple

DC1006 (184)
Originally uploaded by renowiggum.

In this temple
As in the hearts of the people
For whom he saved the Union
The spirit of Abraham Lincoln
Is enshrined forever

-Inscription, Lincoln Memorial

People want to worship something bigger than themselves. This is the most popular monument in Washington DC. It is, by its own admission a temple - a place of worship and reverence.

People talk to Honest Abe here. They ask advice. They search for answers and meaning. They also stop just to visit, to see the sights.

I was sad. Here, at the heart of our nation, an idol. Not all idols are sex godesses and sun gods, after all. How many believers put God and Country on the same page? How many put the latter above the former, in custom if not in name?

Equal Justice Under The Law

DC1006 (228)
Originally uploaded by renowiggum.

I stood there, contemplating the promise that in America, any person can have their day in court, can demand to know why they are held, can expect to be tried by a jury of their peers.

It is an ideal, perhaps an unattainable one. All Americans are equal, but some are more equal than others. The system is not perfect, as the rich can afford the fancy teams of lawyers, to file endless appeals, to try and stave off justice.

I thought about recent legislation barring prisoners from using habaeus corpus appeals in the federal appealate courts, and wondered if that was wise.

I thought about the tourists jaywalking across so many streets in DC, and the demands of the Law. Guilty, every one, even if only of a minor offense.

Because Equal Justice Under The Law still puts you under the Law. And the law brings the knowledge of sin, and death. We all respect and cherish the Law, but rely on grace.

I was proud of my country, for the idea that everyone is entitled to their day in court. But I was beyond grateful for a Savior that provided for me what I could never accomplish for myself through the Law. That I was delivered from being under the Law, to being under the boundless grace of God.

Lincoln at Sunset

DC1006 (170)
Originally uploaded by renowiggum.

It had better be a good picture. It was our only sunny evening, and I was determined not to miss the chance, despite a couple small blisters from walking in dress shoes earlier in the day.

Those became large blisters, and the various forms of limping tweaked (in order) my right ankle, my back, and my right hamstring.

But it was worth it. Very pretty. Good setting for contemplation. And a source of more blog posts when my brain is back to working like that.

I just flew in from DC, and boy are my arms tired.

Actually, I flew in last night. But I AM very tired. I woke up at 6:45 feeling as though it had been a full night. I suppose it was, but I need to get back on Reno time now.

I took lots of pictures, and they now completely dominate my Flickr page. I'm going to have to get a pro account to have any old pictures available on there. Decisions, decisions. I'll tease you with one of my favorites.

Spoiled

I'm a spoiled Nevada boy. I imagine it is pretty much always sunny everywhere, all the time. Evidently, it is not. The forecast for my trip to DC next week calls for a 20-40% chance of showers Monday through Wednesday - the other days are currently off the radar.

On top of that, my plans to spend one more night on the Black Rock playa before it becomes a lake again may be foiled by intermittent rain this week. Rain turns the playa into a nasty alkali paste that eats cars. Hopefully, it will still be dry Saturday night into Sunday morning.