So the other day I drop the tot off at daycare, and I start heading home. As I am pulling up to my apartment complex, "Everybody Dance Now" by C+C Music Factory comes on the radio. This is not a song you sit still to.... so I decided to go on a drive.

I end up going down a road that I was curious about where it lead... and it came up to a T intersection. One direction was a wide paved street. In the other, a gravel lane that is obviously the road less traveled.

Thus, I turned off the paved road.

As I traveled up the road, the homes in the surrounding lands started becoming more and more scattered. Soon, there were none. After 10 minutes, I was surrounded by desert brush, cactus, and rock. It was absolutely beautiful. All the while, I was driving towards the mountains...

And passing parked cars. If you know what I am sayin....

Eventually, I come to the end of the road There I see two guys in a beat up car, and two very large guns... joy....

I park and get out. I ask about the area, and they explain that this is state land, and people can do pretty much anything they want. I asked what people could hunt here... and I was suprised to hear that the area I live in has bobcats, deer, quail, and other animals. I wish the hunters a nice day, and they go on their way.

A reminder as to why the Gnome doesn't hike.

I turn and look around. The area is absolutely stunning. In front of me is the mountains. Behind me is the valley and the red rock cliffs across the valley. I made a note to myself to come back again and bring a camera.

I also made note once again that I love going off the paved road.

Its hard to make everyone happy. I just redesigned a school's website, rebuilding it from the ground up. New design, new graphics, new navigation.

The school board president is going around bitching to people that I didn't put the school board's email addy on the main page. In fact, its not on the page.

Why? Because the site is built for the kids, and when surveyed, the kids said they didn't care about the school board.

They tell me to build a site the kids will actually use, and I elimate all the stuff they don't use... and not those not used get pissed. Go fig...

You know its ironic: I was chosen to be the school's webmaster. I have had my students redesign the website for the school. We have been pressured and pressured and pressured to release the new page, but I waited and waited until I felt it was ready. Not everything was done, but enough is done to make it worthwhile.

I resisted the pressure.

We did the job.

And we updated the website today. It was getting rave reviews.

And then... the domain expired at around 6pm today. Someone forgot to pay the bill... now the website and the email is down. Way to go, business office! Oye....

Its not a bad oye this time, tho. I called the webmaster from last year about it when I discovered this... and we both just laaaaaaaaaaughed. LOL!

So I got the tot in the car, and we drove towards the Grand Canyon.

However, we didn't make it.

First, I got enchanted once again with the area around Flagstaff. For those who don't know Arizona, once you get up around 4,000 feet, it starts getting greener. You get up around 6,000 feet, and you run into ponderosa pine forests. So I drove around the forests for awhile.

Then as I am heading to the Canyon, I stop at an Aircraft museum, which the tot loves. Lots of cool old airplanes. And a neat airport.

The next stop is a Flinstones roadside tourist trap. Still pretty neat.

Then we stop at a National Geographic museum and we spend time there. By the time we get out, I realize more and more that I really... and I hate to say this.... don't give a fuck about the GC. Really, why pay 20 bucks to go look at a hole in the ground? I mean... come on.

Although I will say I am impressed by how many Asian tourists I saw in the area around the GC. I guess they must really love.... giant holes.

So instead of going into the Canyon, we turned back and drove towards Flagstaff on US 180. If you are ever in Arizona and get a chance, drive on this highway. It is the most beautiful drive I have ever seen. You are surrounded by mountains and giant pine forests. Scattered throughout the pines there are other trees, which this time of year are beautiful spashes of crimson and yellow.

Then we got to Flag... and that was... well, thats for next time.

I admit that I have had plans to go to the Grand Canyon this week, but I have not gone.  I have just enjoyed lounging too much.  Its so nice doing.... nothing!  Its like high school summer vacation all over again.  Rock on!

The Canyon comes tomorrow... and I mean it this time.

I get a week off, and I have a road trip planned starting today.... and last night, I get a horrible headache and could barely sleep.

I feel better now... but not well enough to drive.

Just a pain in the ass, yah know. I mean, its nice to get sick when I wont miss work... but then again, why must I miss part of my vacation for it?

Gotta go! Blues Clues is on. I love Blues Clues! This is one with Joe.... personally I liked Steve better.

SO the kid is sick... but he isn't knock you down and out sick. Oh no... he is just a little sick. Thus, he has enough energy to whine and fuss.

Gah! Drives me nuts. I would rather have him healthy or so sick that all he does is sleep. That whiney cry sets off some nerve in the back of the parental brain and it grinds your sould like railroad spikes on a chalkboard while dancing in a box full of styrafoam peanuts.

Yah.... that damn annoying.

Maybe he will be better tomorrow.

The tot fell asleep in my lap as I surfed the net. It is so sweet. He is such a special little guy.

Even if he is drooling on me.

Its Hump Day!

Who wants to hump the Gnome?


Come on, ladies, you know you want to. It will be the best two minutes of your life!

Maybe minute and a half... at the rate I am going... oye.

One thing I have loved about moving to Arizona is the fact that I feel the monkey of religion is off my back. Where I was from, religion was everywhere. There were more Baptist and Asses of God churches than you could shake a stick at. And religion seemed to consume so many people's lives... and odds were that they wanted it to consume your life as well. They all assume that everyone needs church.... typically their church. Maybe their preachers pressure them to bring in new members and new money. Perhaps they feel insecure and they need to use organized religion as a crutch and they don't like the reminder that there are people out there who don't.

Perhaps they didn't like to see other people happy...

Around here, tho, organized religion is hardly noticable. There are few churches, and the ones that are here don't feel the need to be all in everyone's face. They dont build large "look at us" buildings. They don't advertise. I have not had one person come to my door soliciting their church.

And at the state level, there is no talk about banning porno shop billboards or gambling billboards because they are "immoral". There is no witchhunt against abortion. Heck, I haven't even heard the governor or any legislators make statements about their faith... which is a prerequisite for the politics of my old state.

Its so nice to be... free.

I would love to take a nap and enjoy that freedom. However my son has beat me to the couch. Of course, when he naps on the couch, he almost always rolls off into the floor. Thus I have to clear the floor in front of the couch just in case... then I sit back and watch the fun.