I’ve planned a pseudo surprise trip (I say pseudo because she made me tell her this morning) to Portland this weekend. Home of Stumptown, the International Rose Test Garden, the only Buffalo Wild Wings in the Northwest, and just 45 minutes from some for the best Pinot Noir country in the world.

Got an email with photo attachment from my wife last night, which was weird seeing as she was downstairs, in the house, at the same time as me. The attachment was this photo of me playing XBOX, looking quite silly. It should come as no shock to other gamers that I was so immersed in my game (read: getting slaughtered by 8-year-olds in Modern Warfare 2) that I had no idea she was even standing there when this picture was taken. Sad.

Also, thanks for the invites Jody and Ryan C. We need to organize a session very soon so that you can kill me too.

[Actual grainy, walking while photographing, trying-not-to-be-creepy photo from last Friday.]

It took exactly 1 month from Christmas day for our neighbors (and their neighbors) to take down their Christmas tree and turn off their Christmas lights.

The most interesting part? The lights were on and the blinds open all day, every day. Excessive electricity use and prolonged Christmas celebration? Are we sure this is Seattle?

To be honest, it didn’t really bother me. Christmastime went by entirely too quickly, the presence of the lights helped to slowly ease me out of the spirit. One could easily argue that lights mustn’t be taken down right after you open your presents Christmas morning. Modern day tradition holds that lights and decorations be left up until New Years Day. In which case, they are only 3 weeks behind. Far be it from me the be the Christmas Czar (unless Obama needs one of those, too) but January 25th seems like a little odd, even for decorations at the North Pole.

State Of The Union drinking game for each of the following words/phrases: “Healthcare” (1 drink), “Massachusetts” (2 drinks), if he blames “The former administration.” (3 drinks), “President-elect Palin” (20 drinks), “Hope” (0 drinks… even Obama has lost ‘hope’ in Obama).

Like many of you, I was overly excited about Apple’s announcement. Now that all has been announced, I’m highly underwhelmed. [On a side note, I'm truly considering not getting excited about anything as my track record (Watchmen, Daybreakers, the 2009 Southern Miss football season) is less than stellar as of late.]

No video, camera, Flash (aka: you ain’t watching Hulu on this), phone/video conferencing. They didn’t even make it a widescreen.

And that name. Ew.

Gizmodo lays out every one of my thoughts, and a couple I didn’t think about. My primary problem with this device? Lack of multitasking.

No Multitasking
This is a backbreaker. If this is supposed to be a replacement for netbooks, how can it possibly not have multitasking? Are you saying I can’t listen to Pandora while writing a document? I can’t have my Twitter app open at the same time as my browser? I can’t have AIM open at the same time as my email? Are you kidding me? This alone guarantees that I will not buy this product.

Now if you will excuse me, I’m going to resume my e-reader consideration process until Apple creates something better than a “Super iPod Touch”. Look for a MacTablet coming in January 2011. It will do everything this device does not.

[credit: Ernest Myers]

Seattle was named the Best City for Men in 2010 by Men’s Health magazine.

Researchers at Central Connecticut State University ranked Seattle the most literate city of America’s sixty-nine largest cities in 2005 and 2006, second most literate in 2007 (after Minneapolis), and tied with Minneapolis in 2008. Additionally, survey data from the United States Census Bureau indicate that as of 2003, Seattle had the highest percentage of college graduates among large American cities, with 51.6 percent of residents 25 and over holding at least a bachelor’s degree. By 2008, this increased to 53.8 percent.

Lord knows I love attention. So needless to say I freaked out when I saw that Robby Followell updated his website and we had 2 photos (one of us, one of our rings) from our wedding, I was happy.

Robby’s photos in general have made such a splash around the interwebs that some friends of ours in Seattle are talking to him about their wedding in Spring 2011.

Yahoo Sports recently launched Dirty Tackle, a sports blog devoted entirely to soccer.

I know you don’t care. But it’s there.

The blog will not, however, include this stunning picture or video.

Walker County man writes about boyhood adventures in debut book. Title? Growing Up with Skid Marks

Catchy title, but I don’t know if it’s going to have the desired effect he wants.

This song makes me incredibly happy. Had it on repeat for 2+ months now. Enjoy.

Pull My Heart Away by Jack Penate [listen]

Found out over the weekend that Seattle (well… Kent, which is 22 miles south of Seattle) just added an indoor football team. (RIP, Steeldogs) I’m sure I’ll go to zero games.

Should I try out? Nay. There are no punts in indoor football. Hence, my punt blocking skills are not needed.

So, Tiger Woods’ wife was spotted at Turtle Creek Mall in Hattiesburg? I’m assuming that any positive experience the residents of H’burg provided were immediately erased when she bumped into the kiosk perfume vendors.

Who dat that wants to cheer dem Saints on in the Super Bowl, but are a little turned off at the overuse of this already odd phrase? I am.

You with me?

The piano player at Nordstrom in downtown Seattle played a couple of praise songs, much to the amazement of passing Christians.

$85 million in lost cash, and immeasurable in loss of life. Disgusting.