Weekend Fun 7/31 & 8/1

<p>hello friends.</p>
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<p>godspeed to our travelers and welcome home to those who were out traveling!</p>
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<p>re: the tolls, <strong>tim</strong>, yeah. thats something we're still getting used to here on the east coast. DH pays 2 bridge tolls to get to work ONE WAY. i think they cost $5.75 and $2.50 so it def adds up. ez-pass is the way to go.</p>
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<p>i want to look into doing CSA. we had friends who were looking to do a CSA share but at the time, i just couldn't commit to it.</p>
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<p>not a whole lot planned for this weekend which was intentional so i look forward to doing whatever i damn well please. will need to rest up b/c i somehow got cajoled into covering some people next week so its back to full time for one week which will be taxing. i'm a saint. that s'all.</p>
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<p>H.O.L.Y. C.O.W.</p>
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<p>I just bought 2,000 yards of delicious <span style="text-decoration:underline;"><em>cashmere</em></span> yarn for $34. !!!!!   That is waaaay more than enough yarn for a sweater for Sisterleenie. It's actually almost enough for 2, depending what she makes. She'll have to knit it up herself, but she is getting the bubble gum pink cashmere for her birthday.</p>
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<p>I also got some SUPER soft wool/angora yarn for a scarf for my mom for her birthday (1,000 yds, $5). (I'll knit it for her.)</p>
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<p>And some yummy peacock green soft soft soft yarn for a lace tshirt for me. SUPER inexpensive.</p>
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<p><strong>Knitters</strong>, you might want to check out <a style="color:rgb(1,108,169);">my friend's Artfire site</a> for similar deals. She and her sister don't care about making money; they are addicted knitters & just want to have access to yarn at wholesale cost and break even. They pass the savings on. It's really gorgeous yarn but they sell it super cheap. This is who I bought the yarn from today.</p>
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<p><img alt="" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/banana.gif" title=""> <img alt="" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/banana.gif" style="border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;" title=""> <img alt="" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/banana.gif" style="border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;" title=""></p>
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<p>Got bit by something last night. Spider or whatever. Once on my ring finger on my left hand, and once above my outside right ankle bone. ITCHY. <img alt="" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/huh.gif" title=""></p>

<p>Drum corp:  (skip the entire post if you don't care about Drum Corp stuff!)</p>
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<p>Amazing was really the best word to describe it.  There was a Jr. Corp band as well, I believe, and one for older folks, too (can't remember the name).</p>
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<p><strong>Kath</strong> - the Corps are typically for ages 18-24.  They cut us older folks off, though after seeing some of the better ones, most band alumni couldn't keep up.  Holy crap.  I never though of drum corps as being athletic!  Anywho.. to get into one of the teams/corps, you go through a tryout/audition and if you make the cut you're in - but you pay for the privilege of participating.  I'm told $2500 per year is not unusual.  They travel all over the US and earn points for how they place in each competition, much like how Nascar drivers earn points for how they place in individual races. At the end of the season, the winner takes all (though I have no idea what "all" entails, other than bragging rights.)</p>
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<p>I had brought my camera (yah!) but apparently the damn thing didn't charge when I set it up last night, and I couldn't get one freakin picture.  (booo!)  Below are a couple from my friend, though. </p>
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<p>The Blue Knights:</p>
<p><a class="H-lightbox-open" href="http://www.kickrunners.com/content/type/61/id/50900/width/1000/height/800/flags/" target="_blank"><img alt="The Blue Knights.jpg" class="lightbox-enabled" data-id="12849" data-type="61" src="http://www.kickrunners.com/content/type/61/id/12849/width/667/height/500" style="; width: 667px; height: 500px"></a></p>
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<p>Pioneer</p>
<p><a class="H-lightbox-open" href="http://www.kickrunners.com/content/type/61/id/50904/width/1000/height/800/flags/" target="_blank"><img alt="Pioneer.jpg" class="lightbox-enabled" data-id="12851" data-type="61" src="http://www.kickrunners.com/content/type/61/id/12851/width/667/height/500" style="; width: 667px; height: 500px"></a></p>
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<p>Tim - Do any of these names ring a bell?  Mandarins, Cavaliers Spirit of Atlanta (formerly just Spirit)?  They were all present and DAMN impressive.</p>
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<p>The bands were getting better and better (they went in reverse order of ranking), and quite frankly, I sometimes have NO idea how the human mind could come up with the complexity of formation changes, coupled with speed and intertwining groups (brass, drum line, colorguard, rifles, etc). I wonder how many times some of these groups literally tripped/ran over each other and/or were accidentally beaten in the head by flags/rifles until everyone knew precisely where to be and when.</p>
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<p>Unfortunately, I had to bail at intermission so I could get home safely before I lost the sunlight.  The best bands were still to come.  Drat!</p>

<p>Hi all - finally taking it easy after a busy first part of the day.</p>
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<p>Fun stuff re: drum corps competition.  Had a friend in high school who was the drum major - we would hang out and he'd be practicing his tosses and spins and all that stuff, and I sorta' hung near the HS band the few times I'd see a sporting event.</p>
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<p><strong>Kath</strong> - that clay tart looks good enough to eat <img alt="" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/lol.gif" title=""></p>
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<p>Going through my first CSA stuff - some good flame grapes, and now I'm going to try out some of the corn they packed.  Got a ton of zucchini to go through - any good ideas of what to do with it (besides fried zucchini and zucchini bread?)</p>
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<p>Got my run started a little late today, so by the time it ended, it was lunch time and I was friggin' starving.  All these long-term plans have me on a quest to try out the very best the Bay Area has to offer, so today it was a stopover at the Fremont Diner for a very moist and delish pulled BBQ pork sandwich, potato salad, and coleslaw (which was actually closer to sauerkraut, but quite tasty.)</p>
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<table style="width:auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/p215jRutSDTjnzNZlmSTUA?feat=embedwebsite" target="_blank"><img alt="2010-07-31%2014.05.53.jpg" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fp2ln2ebSGU/TFTD-PhXx5I/AAAAAAAAAT8/jPpQNZ6lWs0/s144/2010-07-31%2014.05.53.jpg"></a></td>
</tr></tbody></table><p>The pic below is from the SF Giants game earlier this week where my running club got a special reception. As you can tell, we're right on the field in the deepest part of the outfield (which has become to be known as "Triples Alley"  (you can click on either pic to get a bigger image)</p>
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<table style="width:auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/1bSoaBIXJYJID2VQlrOBlA?feat=embedwebsite" target="_blank"><img alt="2010-07-26%2017.03.00.jpg" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_fp2ln2ebSGU/TFTD92fqPTI/AAAAAAAAAT0/HYghf2slv_U/s144/2010-07-26%2017.03.00.jpg"></a></td>
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<p>DCI - my family has been watching DCI competitions all around the country since I joined the drumline at my high school back in 1985.  One of my high school drumline mates marched in the Cavaliers and won the world championship.  Other than those non-age based groups that you saw at the very beginning, the DCI rules allow for students as young as 13 and as old as 21.  When you turn 22, you "age out" of the activity.  You elgibility is determined I believe on your age at the beginning of the season.  So, if you turn 22 at the end of July you can still finish out that season.  </p>
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<p>The Corps that you were referring to like the Blue Knights and such are in what's called the World Class.  Previously, this was called the Open Class or Division I.  There are currently 23 active corps in this division.  Each Corps can have a maximum of 150 participants on the field at one time.  Spirit of Atlanta (formerly just Spirit, and Spirit of Jacksonville) is in the World Class.  The Corps criss cross the country competing against each other at various DCI competitions.  All 23 are present at only a couple of events each year.  The ATL event is one of those rare occasions.  The scores from the season only serve for seeding at the Champsionships.  Then at the champsionships, all 23 perform in the Quarter-Finals, then again in the Semi-Finals, then the top 12 make the Finals.  These performances happen over three consecutive nights.  The winner of the Finals in the declared the World Champion for that season.  </p>
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<p>I marched in the band at Alabama and many of my classmates were members or former members of various DCI Corps.  The top corps are composed of musicians from High Schools and Universities.  Also, many corps has Jr editions where kids can get into the organization at an early age and then work their way up to the SR Corps in the World Class.  </p>
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<p>It is an extremely physical activity when you consider the movement, the playing of your instrument and the summer weather.  Most Corps practice 7 - 9 hours per day almost every day while they're on tour + performing their show at competitions 3 - 5 times per week.  </p>
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<p>When I was in the band at Alabama, we reported for a week of band camp the first week of august.  We spent about 8 hours per day out on the field in 100 degree weather.  The first game was usually brutal from a weather perspective and our uniforms were 100 percent wool.  Someone thought that was a good idea.  We usually had a couple go down with heat exhaustion during the first pre-game.  The fields are grass now, but when I was out there it was all turf and the field temp for an 11:30am or 2:00pm game was usually around 120.  </p>
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<p>Oh well, that's enough of Band Camp type stories.  BTW, DW was on the rifle line in high school, we met both playing sax in the Alabama marching band.  </p>

<p>Not quite on the rhythm section, but check this out.  DH is a lead guitar player to the bone.  DS#2 closely following (DS#1 likes it when noticeable).  Anyway, DH had a show tonight for a big Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation function.  Lots of door prizes and silent auction.  BIG prize was an electric guitar signed by the band members of Shinedown (no clue who they are).  Immediately the kids wanted to win the guitar.   Yeah, yeah, yeah.  Bought $20 in raffle tix and the boys put their names in the various boxes.  Raffle time came and it went on FOREVER.  They finally get to the big prize and announce "Jake" - I immediately knew it was DS #2 (because I filled out the raffle).  He verified his phone number (also on raffle since Mom was too lazy to add last name) and the crowd went NUTS for him yelling Jake! Jake! Jake!.  Kid was beaming and still is.  How fun is that?  And even better, DS#1 took it in stride even though he clearly admitted he was jealous.  </p>
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<p><a href="/photo.php?pid=219770&id=1190554559" id="user_myphotolink"><span style="display:none;"> </span></a><a href="/photo.php?pid=4777070&id=27445627922"><span style="display:none;"> </span><img alt="39675_413045887922_27445627922_4777088_5617808_n.jpg" id="user_myphoto" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs247.snc4/39675_413045887922_27445627922_4777088_5617808_n.jpg" style="width:720px;height:482px;"></a><a href="/photo.php?pid=219770&id=1190554559"><img alt="38555_1505492995868_1190554559_1426102_7526383_n.jpg" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs224.snc4/38555_1505492995868_1190554559_1426102_7526383_n.jpg" style="width:720px;height:626px;"></a></p>