Taylor’s Blog

is brought to you by Smoothies, Coffee, and The Flaming Lips.. Its Friday and well i’m just happy..

So with my new job I tend to have to drive to Charlotte a ton.. I think I have developed road rage..
Pretty much 6 hours a week of my time looks something along the lines of this..

Today (which is my 3rd trip to Charlotte in the last 3 business days) I was getting
really pissed at folks driving slow in the fast lane.. I thought how great it would really be to have my insult monkey.. If you aren’t familar with my
concept of an insult monkey it goes something like this..

Originally I talked about having a helper monkey much like that episode of friends.. Yeah
I just mentioned friends.. Don’t ask why I have seen that episode or show.. Anyway I figured a helper monkey could scribble notes on large pieces of paper
(sounds like Brak there eh?) and hold up signs to the drivers that I want to say something to.. This way I could be more effective than just staring
through them, or flippign them off.. I could say stuff more effective like:

“Bitch don’t flick your flithy cigarette butt litter at my
car”

or

“Just cause your on your cell phone doesn’t mean you can drive 1/2 the speed limit”

I was driving back to Greensboro this
afternoon actually thinking about this blog and if I had any other great insults for irritating drivers.. I started to realize I had been driving too
much.. In about a month I have put 1200 miles on this company car.. Thats a ton of trips to Charlotte and back.. Low and behold i whip around a curve on
I85 after being on the interstate for maybe 5 minutes and I see a trooper just sitting there.. I look at my speedometer.. 85 mph.. There is no one around
me and I am in the fast lane.. Busted.. So now I got a second ticket.. Hopefully my first one will go away since it was for 44 in a 45 mile/hour zone, but
still I am pissed.. I have to go to court in Charlotte at the end of November.. It’s mandatory.. I guess cause I was going 23 miles over the posted speed
limit (I was ticketed as 83 in a 60).. Either way I hate the car.. I wonder what my car insurance will start to cost with this doosey on my record in a
month..

My boss also called me on my way back to Greensboro and there may be some HR crap I have to deal with cause I got a ticket in a company
vehicle.. I wouldn’t be surprised if they have a 2 tickets automatic termination policy anymore.. Maybe i’ll have to pee in a cup.. Who knows.. We shall
see..

P.S. I swear my next blog will be about something more positive.. Like bacon.. Everyone loves bacon..

So I have talked about it, but I finally took the photos off of my camera.. I still gotta get the
Scarowinds photos off of my other camera but I left it at Sheilas..

So about 2 weeks ago I got a construction dumpster delivered to my new place,
ripped out a wall, and the carpet.. Today I have been taking down the popcorn ceiling, and in an effort to slack I decided the best thing to do was hit up
myspace and blog even..

The wall I took out was added in the 50s I think the previos owner told me.. Anyway the thing was not structural and made 2
weird shaped rooms out of what was one awesome room.. Perfect for dance parties or what not.. It had really thin drywall so I just kicked it all to
oblivion and then ripped out the framing.. The photos are extra cool though.. Maybe an animated gif would be best here?

Going..

Going..

Almost
gone now..

Once I got the rest of the framing out I took out all the nasty carpet in the house..

Carpet up, staples still everywhere.. I think it took Sheila and I a day at most to get
them all pulled up.. The floors are in pretty good shape, but they need a good sanding and re-finishing..

So this is where I am so far with taking down the popcorn.. It’s super messy and really
gross.. I am making good progress now that I have a garden sprayer to wet the ceiling down..

So this is most of hte crap I ended up putting in the dumpster..

Like my neighbor
said.. “It’s a shame you buy a new house and then you go and throw half of it away”..

So kids until next time there is my adventures in
fixer-uppers.. Maybe next time I will have plaster washers here and can start fixing the walls.. I’m gonna need a drink tonight after I am done with this
sloppy mess..

I haven’t blogged in forever.. I have been meaning to, but the internet just hasn’t been as accessible
as normal in the last while.. I got some downtime at work and i’m inspired so i’m typing to you all from my lovely vibrating 4th floor office near the
Greensboro airport.. yes I said vibrating.. This building has this weird vibration most of the time, but its my new office so I gotta deal with it I
suppose..

First things first.. My house in Cary is finally on the market.. So far there have been two showings on the first day.. Sheila and I have
a bet going on when I will get a offer.. If its within the first week I owe Sheila a pitcher, if its in 2 weeks then I get a free pitcher.. After that I
guess we will re-wager or call it off.. Either way I have decided I will never live in the burbs again.. Ever.. I still have my “your grass is too high”
letter from the town of cary that will be framed as a reminder of my moment of weakness and insanity so that I never repeat it.. Who said that those who
forget history are doomed to repeat it?

I closed on my house here in Greensboro a week ago or so.. I already ripped out a wall, I got more walls I
want to take out but i gotta get a structural engineer to look at those first.. I ripped out all the old carpet, and the old lady smell went along with
it.. All my neighbors are relaly nice.. Well except for the one guy, Barry.. My first conversation with him went something like this..

Barry: Hey I
guess you bought this house?
Me: Yep
Barry: Well I was going to buy it for my girlfriend but the old lady was asking way too much.. I am Barry..
Good to meet you
Me: Your a fucking idiot.. (No thats what I wanted to say)..

Then he proceeded to talk to me for 45 minutes while I was trying
to get outta there..

So yeah walls are coming down.. I got a big ‘ole dumpster in the driveway.. Sly now lives with me in Greensboro and he isn’t
really too happy about it right now..

I’ll post some photos soon..

So far I have completed around 7.5% of my MBA (3 credit hours).. Thats
Masters in Business Administration for those who don’t know.. I am getting really tired of people asking me “So what are you getting your MBA in?”.. Do
they not know what it stands for? So far I have reverted to my slacker ways, but since the material is a good deal easier than say Electromagnetics,
Statics or Differential Equations my grades don’t reflect my slackerness.. I got a B in my accounting class, and an A- in my ethics class.. Yeah for those
that are wondering I somehow do have it in me to think ethicly.. School is cool even if 2/3 of the folks I go to school with are really boring people..

It has come to my attention there is no place to buy CDs in Greensboro.. The Record Exchange here is gone, and the other CD shop that was on Tate
street is gone.. I picked up the new Beck (Freakin’ great) and Outkast (Alright) at Schoolkids Monday when I was back in Raleigh.. Where do all the
college kids at UNCG, A&T, and Greensboro College get their music? Is iTunes that popular now? Do they only listen to shit that they sell at Best Buy?

The election is coming up.. I forgot to check the box “yes I am an American citizen” so I almost missed my chance to register, thankfully I got it
back in in time to fix my error.. I was really excited about getting to vote against Vernon Robinson.. Yeah the wonderful man who brought us such
wonderful quotes as
“If Brad Miller had it his way America would be one big fiesta for illegal aliens and homosexuals” represents part of Greensboro.. Just not my part..

Can you say Gerrymandering? If I lived 500 feet to the south I would be able to vote against black jesse, but
alas I do not.. His ads are so horrible and its hard to believe they are real, it seems like something SNL would make.. If you live in the 13th district
(Yeah it covers most of Raleigh too) please please vote against this bigot.. I can’t but I know some of you can..

I also got given a new job at
work.. The title is called “Traffic Engineer” meaning I am supposed to deal with properly planing the capacity of our network.. The title should actually
be something more like “Corporate Whipping Boy” or “Overlord of Counting”.. So far all I have done is play with virtually worthless Excel sheets and sit
on all day conference calls where people talk about each item on a spreadsheet line by line.. Hopefully it will get better, but so far its a bunch of
“make this report for us now and i need it yesterday”.. With my new position I also have to work in Charlotte twice a week, but I get a company car for
that so it’s not all bad.. Just the radio stations between Greensboro and Charlotte.. Well they leave a good deal to be desired.. Thank god for mp3
players..

The Accord is under the weather, and my tools are still in Raleigh so eventually I’ll get her fixed.. I think the shifter cable broke..
During Sheilas finger removal incident of a week or two ago I lost the ability to shift into 2,4 and R.. Then a few miles later I lost 1,3 and 5.. When I
am back in Raleigh this weekend I am going to get my jackstands and tools so I can see about fixing her back up instead of driving my truck all the time..

I am sure there is more stuff I am leaving out, but thats what I have been up to for the last while.. 10 Dollar pitchers Thursday nights at
M’Couls in downtown Greensboro rocks.. Nothing like 2 pitchers of Bass to get the evening started out right, then the obligitary walk to College Hill to
get more beer before going to bed at 230am only to have to be at work at 8am.. My new job is making me a lush (again)..

Until next time have fun
kids!

If I decide to go to the Barristers Ball maybe i’ll see some of you guys.. If not well.. Who knows.. Thanksgiving or Christmas maybe?

Well yesterday I was pretty riled up about all the 9/11 “don’t forget”, “freedom ain’t free”, and “git
r dun” shit.. Now that has passed I really don’t seem as angry as I was yesterday.. I mean idiots are allowed to say whatever they want in this country
and well they sure did.. They needed to silence everyone about Katrina after the spike lee documentary on HBO, so what better way than 1000
documentaries on every channel imaginable about how the towers came down and innocent America was so haneously attacked.. Oh and we can drop gas prices a
ton too.. Could this have anything to do with elections are coming up.. Maybe? Just maybe? My favorite commercial I have seen so far is
for this asshole running for the congresional district that covers Greensboro.. It starts off with “Have you lost your job because an illegal immigrant
took it from you? Are you angry cause they aren’t even supposed to be here?”.. It goes on to talk about the “illegals” burning the flag, taking our
money, how they are all mexican criminals, and then how they spit on and insult us poor poor americans..

Maybe its a good thing I won’t have a
TV..

Oh and I found a cool website yesterday 43places.com where you can list all the places you have been,
reviews, where you want to go and what not.. You can also list personal goals and shit like that.. It’s kinda cool.. Its not the new wheel by any means..
Maybe its old news.. Who knows.. I thought it was bad ass looking at map of where i’ve been and where I want to go!

So I have been living in two places now for the last 3 weeks.. Let me tell you it sucks.. I have no
idea how much money I have spent on gas, but I am sure its a metric assload if not more.. I spent last weekend doing some final stuff on my house in
Cary.. I pretty much just have to straighten it up and what not before I can put it on the market..

I need to get a real estate lawyer so I can do
this FSBO thing.. Anyone have any suggestions for a real estate laywer in the Triangle, preferably Cary or Raleigh?

I found a house in
Greensboro that I am closing on at the end of September.. I am going to be uber poor very soon.. That is until I get my place sold in Cary.. Uggh.. Anyone
who wants to come to Greensboro to hang out and what not let me know.. I still want to have a house warming kegger (or pony kegger).. Who’s down?

I
got a ticket the other day on Benjamin Parkway in Greensboro.. The cop wrote me up for 44 in a 35 zone.. Turns out the speed limit is actually 45 mph for
2 blocks on eitehr side of the “violation”.. Anyone fought a speeding ticket when its pretty clear and cut like this? I am going to try and get some
speed zone maps or documentation from the Greensboro Department of Transportation and take some photos so I can use them as evidence.. Anyone think I need
to do anything else?

School is great, but its really hard to do school shit while I am living in two town and driving between the two..

Anyone want a Samsung 50″ DLP HDTV? I got it about a year ago, but its too big for my new place, and I don’t feel like moving it
either.. If so email me..

Yeah there is some randomness for ya.. Nothing insightful or what not.. At least labor day is coming soon and I
can have a real weekend..

Classes started Monday.. I was nervous as hell.. Nervous like I haven’t been in years.. Well I need
not be nervous anymore..

When I showed up at the office in Greensboro to find out where I was going to sit I figured I would get a cube, and that I
had just lost my squatted on office in Raleigh.. Wrong.. I got a window office again.. How the hell do I pull this shit off?

I was then
informed that I could only have that office until we move.. Move where I wondered.. How about 3 miles north of UNCG instead of 20 minutes away out by the
airport? Talk about rad.. The worst thing I thought about moving to Greensboro was going to be the commute to work.. Hell I could ride my bike
there.. Maybe get a scooter.. HBomb I know you read this shit.. How much do you love yours?

I did give up on living in the hood.. I am in love with
Seattle too much to lock myself to Greensboro for more than 4 years (how long it will take Sheila and I to get more degrees).. I found a house yesterday
from 1927.. Cool ass front porch.. All plaster.. Much like the house I loved and grew up in.. Its been owned by the same lady since the 40s.. She hasn’t
screwed it up just not done a whole lot to it.. Anyway.. As soon as I walked in my gut said “You love this place.. This rocks.. This is the kind of house
you are supposed to live in”.. Anyway this house is 50k or more below market value for the neighborhood cause it needs a buncha plaster repair, and
the kitchen and bathroom remodeled.. All stuff I can do.. Well with the exception of refinishing hardwood properly.. So I raced to the credit union today
and got pre approval for a loan and made an offer.. I am about to put my balls to the wall to sell this place in Cary.. Either way this house is 1.5
miles to UNCG, near the GTA bus, and walking distance to a few bars on Battleground.. If you are adventerous its walkable to downtown or bars by UNCG as
well.. Hopefully i’ll get the place.. Its really awesome.. I’m having a moving in kegger! Well maybe not a kegger.. I don’t know that many people in
Greensboro yet.. I could have a pony kegger at least.. Heh..

And then there is school.. I actually enjoyed classes for the first time ever.. I did
the homework.. None of the BS of undergrad.. Maybe i’m more mature now.. Maybe I care this time? Maybe the classes are smaller, maybe its
cause its not freakin’ brick-land NCSU.. Who knows.. But I love it, and I am glad to be back in school.. It will be fun, and I will be the master of
business.. I just won’t conform and get the spiky abercombie look that most of my male classmates seem to be sporting..

Could Greensboro be
working out any better?

Next stop Seattle..

I figured I might need to get the rest of the trip documented before school starts tomorrow.. I’m
pretty nervous about it, but i’ll be aight..

Moving right along..

Here are a few photos from the Sea Ranch.. There was this little chapel
at the Sea Ranch.. The wedding didn’t take place there, but it was quite interesting.. Sheila and I went and took some photos of it.. Its sorta like a hat
or something.. Anyway..

Sheila and I after the wedding.. All dressed up, the pacific behind us.. You can see we are
already priming the hangover from hell..

My rents.. See they finally made
myspace..

So the food and drink was amazing at the reception as well.. There were 4 or 5 courses.. Sheila and I probabbly drank a few bottles
worth of wine.. One of my cousins and his wife fell down on the second song.. I danced with my mom.. You know.. General wedding tomfoolery.. I got to
meet my new cousins.. Dan was one of them who insisted we call him Bobo.. I met other cousins I never had met before at all.. Jen and her husband
Mike..

Here is Mike twoard the end of the night, or at least where it gets very
hazy.. Mind you Sheila just pulled out the Tequilla shots.. I think shortly thereafter I asked the bride if she got high (knowing full and well she
doesn’t)..

So the next day we wake up wondering what has happened, realize we left Dan / Bobo sitting in the grassy field.. We also realize we left
a bottle of wine or two out there and some glasses.. I can see it now.. “Hey mommy.. Whats this?”.. So with the help of Naproxin we drive to San
Francisco..

It takes forever.. CA1 is the worst road to drive on hung over.. Man it was horrible.. I mean its terrible anyway..

So we get
there after what seems like eternity.. Take the car back, drop off all our stuff at Lauras place, and proceed to sleep the rest of the hangover off..

The next day we tool around San Fran with Jon some.. We go to the coast, and Sheila finally touches the Pacific for the first time on the
trip..

Then after that we have some brews and get a tour of the coolest
printing place in the world (Lauras old job).. We wimped out of going out that night again.. The next day Laura, Jon, Sheila and I head to a beach
somewhere south of San Fran.. The water was cold as hell and it was windy.. We still got some sun, so I don’t look quite so white..

Jon and Laura..

Jon, Myself and Sheila at a Pacific beach..

So after that we have a few beers back
in town.. Shoot some pool.. Sheila and I burn a buncha brain cells.. I am pretty sure Jebus was there.. Our last day we slept it all away cause of the
previous evening..

We get a ride to the airport, and leave on the redeye back to NC.. We left before the “no liquid” crap started, but it went
into effect for our connection in The City where Fun Goes to Die and Raleigh.. This evil fucking bitch at the airport decided pizza and cookies also were
“gels and liquids”.. Sheila and I were rude as hell to this lady.. In retrospect we were a bit out of line, but her demands were constantly changing..
First its liquids.. Then its toothpaste.. Then its pizza.. Then its a bottle of naproxin (which saved my life after the wedding).. Of couse Sheilas
vicadin was OK cause it had her name on it.. Anyway.. We were pissed.. We get back to raleigh finally after what seems like forever.. Of course cause of
the craziness of the airports that day and barely mising our connection our bags show up about 12 hours later..

All in all it was a crazy and fun
trip.. It was great to see some of my old friends (Jake & Jon), meet some new friends (Laura & Jen), meet new and old family (Cousins (AKA Cuzlos – This
term was created around the time the Tequilla came out at the wedding.. It means cousin..) and what not.. Too many to list, but Jen, Mike and Dan were
really fun)..

Anyway.. I have homework to do.. Classes start tomororw.. Tonight I will eat what may be my last meal at Thai Villa.. Raleigh I will
miss you.. Greensboro starts tomorrow..

McMenamins Kennedy
School in Portland was really awesome.. Here are some photos from it.. It’s like a resort for cool people.. Bars, Movie Theatre, and great food all
under one roof..

This is the room we stayed in, complete with
chalkboard..

One of the many hallways.. It was decorated with salvaged stuff
from a building in Portland in an elementary school theme..

Outdoor patio
where we ate lunch, dinner and a tipsy midnight snack..

After the Kennedy school we drove twoard Crater Lake, and camped somewhere about 50 miles
north of Crater Lake..

The campsite along with the hood of our piece of crap
rental car..

So the road up to Crater Lake is quite scary.. There are no guard rails and the edge of the road is a drop off into oblivion that is
maybe 2 inches from the side of the road.. We head up there take a quick look.. Its as pretty as I remember it from when I went to Oregon as a kid.. We
stop in the Crater Lake Lodge resteraunt I have the best scone I have ever had in my life.. Ask Sheila.. I couldn’t stop talking about it for days.. It
had some lemon and orage zest in it, and some cranberrys.. Man Oh Man..

After crater lake we drive to the Redwood forrest in Cali.. The trees are
so big.. I mean you hear about how big they are, but you really get no appreciation for it until you are there.. I mean look at these guys..

Yes I am
humping the tree if you are wondering..

So we camp in the Humbolt county
state park that night.. On our way to the Sea Ranch we see a bunch of hippies at a festival right at the county line.. Coincidence? I think not..
Heh..

The wedding was beautiful, as was the condo we stayed at with my folks.. I forgot to take pictures of the condo we stayed, but it was the
“Moore Unit” which was Charles Moores personal condo.. He was a famous architect, and it
was still decorated as he had it.. There were nick-nacks from all of his world travels in the entire place.. Whenever I get the rest of hte photos out of
my camera I’ll post photos from the wedding and San Fran..

For now check out the photos of these seals that were hanging out by our condo one
morning just sunning themselves..

Sheila and I flew out last Wednesday at the ass crack of dawn from RDU.. Taking my favorite airline
(US Airways) to Seattle.. The flight was as to be expected.. Crappy, long, not sleep inducing (the 1 vicodin didn’t do anything.. waste of time I guess)..
I did get to try out the guys neck pillow next to me, and I am getting two of those puppies before I get on a plane again, it really feel like it is the
trick to sleeping on a plane..

So day one we arrive and stay with Sheilas very kind friend Jen who takes us to Upper Queen Anne to get a good view
of the skyline.. We then go down to Seattle center wander around.. Then we are getting sleepy, so whats the cure for being tired? Alcohol.. Of course..
We started drinking at around 4, my buddy Jake (who I haven’t seen on the west coast since he moved here 10 years ago) shows up at some point, and well
much of the rest of the night is a blur.. We play pool, drink, make merryment and what not..

The view from Upper Queen Anne.. The mountain is out too..

So the next morning
we go and see the “Troll” under the bridge that I have had numerous people tell me we have to see.. The bridge that 99 runs across has this art troll
holding a vw bug.. And well just look at the picture.. Pretty cool..

So then we take the “underground” tour of Seattle.. its a pretty tourist tour of
some underground parts of Seattle.. I did learn a good deal about Seattle.. Who it was named for (Chief Seattle), and about the sewage problems they had
here for some time when it was being founded, etc.. To sum it all up the city raised the streets tfor some reason with the tides and the buildings weren’t
at the same level for a small area of town.. They the city made the building owners make their entrances on the new street level.. It was cool, and we saw
this really trippy parking deck, that I don’t think my photo gives justice..

Part of the “underground”..

The parking deck.. You get the impression at first it is level, but it actually is
angled opposite of the street so it looks like its sunken down in teh back, or like a ship about to crush you.. Both Sheila and I were still starting at
it going “what the fuck” when the light changed and the pedestrians started to keep going..

So Friday we do what we vow to be the last touristy
thing of the trip.. We went to one of my favorite countries.. Canada.. We took the Victoria Clipper up to Victoria, and did the tourist thing there.. We
took a bus to the Butchart Gardens which were absolutely amazing.. I won’t bore you with the details as you can read their website and or Wikipedia Entry.. It was nice to show Sheila Vancouver Island, and the gardens were really
amazing, but it was not worth the money.. The Clipper was expensive, and had the worst food on it.. Nutrigrain bars, and other packaged schlock all
wrapped up together in a basket for 5 bucks.. We passed on the food and just made mimossas with the Champagne and OJ they were selling..

The sunken garden.. One of the colorful gardens..

After being driven around
on a tour bus on what was probably the hottest day since we got here (It almost hit 80F).. Hahahah.. You suckers back in NC must be melting.. I love the
climate here.. I have worn jeans everyday..

I digress.. After the gardens we wander around the more touristsy part and look at the totems that are
everywhere in BC.. I didn’t really get many good pictures cause they were all facing away from the sun in the afternoon and it was hard to not get a
washed out photo.. The colors were amazingly bright, and beautiful..

Sheila at the base of a totem pole..

So Saturday we hung out with Jake and get the best Sushi I have ever
had.. Mind you this is after being stuck in traffic all stinkin day.. After the Sushi we headed back to Jakes place for a short “nap”.. Ha! That didn’t
exactly happen.. We woke up the next day.. This is after killing 2 pitchers in maybe 45 minutes, and then heading to the Sushi place.. If anyone wants a
good suggestion for a sushi place in Seattle i’ll get you the name from Jake.. Man it was great..

So Sunday we tool around, eat breakfast in
Freemont, head to the U District, go to Gasworks park (I forgot my camera, but the view of the city was awesome).. I got a really cool Adidas jacket at
this thrift store.. We say our goodbyes and hop the train to Portland.. We get to portland pretty late walk to downtown NYC style with all our luggage and
get a hotel room at some overpriced hotel.. You know the kind where they charge you for everything? 9.95 for Internet, 24.95 for breakfast, 5.00 for
some old ass expired rolaids in the minibar..

Monday night we stayed at this McMenamins Kennedy School.. I will post pictures later, but its
basicly a brewery, hotel, movie theatre in an old elementary school.. Its cool as hell.. We are staying in “Mrs. Drews Room”.. We had drinks at the Honors
bar, and then the Detention bar.. Mind you this is all walking (or wobbling / stumbling) distance from your hotel room.. Check the Wikipedia Entry.. If anyone comes to Portland this is the place to stay..

Today we are going
to drive to Crater Lake.. Hope everyone back home is doing OK and hasn’t melted yet.. If you want a postcard email me your address and i’ll be sure to
send you one..