The GeekHiker

Posted by: GeekHiker | December 30, 2009

End Of ’09

Everywhere I turn, all the news outlets are wrapped up in their Best of 2009 lists right now. I’m starting to think that end of year “best of” lists are starting to take on the same characteristics of Christmas music in the stores: they start too early, they seem cool at first, eventually they become overpoweringly annoying and, by the time the actual end of the year rolls around, you just want them to go away.

Of course, *bonus*, it’s also the end of the decade. Hence the additional wave of “best of the 00’s!” lists. Best films, best T.V. shows, most significant news events, long lists of those who have departed this Earth… the list of lists just goes on and on. Maybe we’ve just become a list-based culture. After all, aren’t we all encouraged to make a, yep, LIST of New Year’s Resolutions?

Luckily for you, I shall spare you any and all lists. You can thank me in the comments. Or send money. 😉

9 Comments

Posted in Life, Random Thoughts

Posted by: GeekHiker | December 25, 2009

Holiday Time Again

It really doesn’t seem that long ago that I was wishing everyone a Merry Christmas, but here it is a year later already.

Sheesh.

I’ve been in Northern California for a couple of days now, busy with stuff about which I’ll post later.

10 Comments

Posted in California, Photography, Stuff I Like, Travel

Posted by: GeekHiker | December 21, 2009

Friday Sillyness: Tauntaun Style

(So, I’d been pondering why this post didn’t get any comments. Then I looked tonight and found out that I’d drafted it, but never actually clicked on “Publish” last Friday.

Oops.

So here it is today. Light blogging over the next week or so as traveling ensues…)

11 Comments

Posted in Camping, Friday Sillyness, Stuff I Like

Posted by: GeekHiker | December 16, 2009

Reading Fool

I don’t know why, but for whatever reason I’ve become a reading fiend the last six months or so. I’ve been going through one book after another, finding myself eyeing the shelf for the next one as I near the end of whatever’s currently in my hands.

I’ve been going through books I’ve had for years but “just never got around to reading,” the books I picked up from UC Press (where, on the last day of the sale, I placed another order), and books from the local library.

In fact, I’ve rather re-discovered my love of the library, usually finding something new (or two or three something new-s) every time I walk in. It’s finally gotten to the point where I keep a file on the BlackBerry of books to check out in the future, just adding to the list whenever I go in.

Kind of ironic, using the modern BB to keep track of books to read. The librarians get a kick out of it.

12 Comments

Posted in Books, Photography, Random Thoughts, Stuff I Like, Writing

Posted by: GeekHiker | December 14, 2009

Mental Survival

Last week was the twisted event of my office Holiday Party.

Not familiar with that particular demented occurrence? Take a few minutes and peruse this post from a couple of years ago.

15 Comments

Posted in Life In LA, Work

Posted by: GeekHiker | December 8, 2009

Station Fire Photos

Caltrans opened Highway 2 a couple of weeks ago into the Angeles National Forest. I headed up on Saturday, hoping to get a few photos in before the storm that hit the L.A. area on Monday caused the whole area to slide or be covered in snow.

As I drove up, there were lots of people doing the same thing: touring the disaster area. In between, road construction crews were moving up and down the road, desperately shoring up what they could before the wet season began. The forest itself is closed.

15 Comments

Posted in Photography

Posted by: GeekHiker | December 3, 2009

Friday Sillyness: So Christmas It Hurts

It’s the holidays, which means two things:

1) WordPress turns on the falling snow app

and

2) I turn on the blindingly colorful Holiday Theme

Because, burning your retinas with an obscene splash of neon red and green? Yeah, that’s how I roll.

😉

14 Comments

Posted in Friday Sillyness, Stuff I Like

Posted by: GeekHiker | December 1, 2009

San Diego Weekend

So, I guess I have to start this travel post with a caveat, which isn’t the most elegant way to start a travel post.

See, Mel Heth left a comment (thanks Mel!) that apparently started all of your imaginations going way, way out of control.

Yes, I did go down to San Diego to meet someone: the lovely fellow blogger TCD of The Coconut Diaries. She does not, in fact, currently live in San Diego, but used to and was back in town to visit friends. She currently resides, works, and lives her life in Texas. With her HUSBAND.

9 Comments

Posted in California, Friendship, Photography, Stuff I Like, Travel, Writing

Posted by: GeekHiker | November 29, 2009

Quiet Thanksgiving

Perhaps I’m just getting older. Or lazier. Or, quite possibly, both.

Whatever the reason, as time goes by, I find myself doing less on the Thanksgiving Holiday, even while society at large seems to be pushing everything and everyone to rush around at a more and more frantic pace every year.

8 Comments

Posted in Family, Hiking, Life, Life In LA, Photography, Stuff I Like, Travel

Posted by: GeekHiker | November 24, 2009

Lingering Memories

I went down to San Diego last weekend weekend before last; just a quick overnight trip.

I’ve only been there a few times in my life, which is kind of strange considering that both a) I like San Diego and b) it’s really not that far away from L.A. On this trip, too, I realized that San Diego (in the downtown section at least) actually reminded me a little bit of Portland. Plus, both cities seem so much more at ease with themselves than L.A., which always seems to want to be all things to all people.

That subject, though, is probably deserving of a post of its own.

Still, I always feel a little mixed, feelings-wise, when it comes to the city of San Diego.

15 Comments

Posted in Family, Random Thoughts, Stuff I Like, Travel