Camping, Goo-Monsters, The Mess and Weird Summer Nostalgia

     First, Camping!  I happen to have a family and large "village" of people who camp, dirtbike, surf, skateboard, be musical, be strange and be there. I went camping for a week with said group of people.  This is where I finished Lamentaion (which I found to be a very worthy endeavor.)

     AG, what did you do on this trip you adventuresome and daring adventurer?

Well, since you asked so kindly...

Most of what I did was read and jump off of rocks.

But, I also
Caught a frog,
Called a river a lake,
Ate S'mores,
Geeked out with my cousin-person,
Took illegal(ish) river showers,
Celebrated my Aunt and Uncle's Anniversary,
Played 'Catchphrase' for the first time,
AND
Last, but definitely not least,
I got to spend time with some of my favorite people. Ever. *

     Something I think Hyperspace would want me to mention is that he has full permit and is close to being able to drive to were I am. This will be a big improvement from our current approxiamtely-once-every-three-months arrangement. I have a standing offer with Addyday for driving lessons in the college parking lot.   


     There is a new Goo Monster in my part of Cali. She is the daughter of the sister of Blondie. Which makes me sort of an Aunt, I guess. She is loud and smelly and has adorable toes. She also has the same largeish head that both of her parents had as Goo Monster/Very  VERY small people. 
     The Mess is nearly clean. Which is nothing short of miraculous. It only took me two months. (NOTE: the sarcasm)
     My summer is nearly over, but I hope to get my summer homework done and at LEAST 

spend at least one more day at the beach. 

*Ammamay is more for "outdoorsing". I don't mind tents.

Love You, Stranger,
AG

The Dollar Tree, Lamentation and Pork Skins

Have you heard of the Dollar Tree?

It's a store where EVERYTHING inside is a dollar.

  That makes it a very useful place for people like me who happen to not have a very large amount of spending money. 

On a recent trip to this wondrous place I made two very important purchases. 

1)Pork Skins

and

2)Lamentation

Ok. so, why would pork skins be an important purchase?

     Porks skins are something I have wanted to try for about two years.  It has taken two years because I was very wary about buying them.  The most common argument against being “what if I don’t like the snacky foodstuffs contained in this bag? what if it tastes terrible?”

     The Truth, which I find not hard to admit whatsoever - is that I absolutely, unashamedly, through-and-through find pork skins to be disgusting.  That is one dollar I am never getting back.  

I regret nothing.  

  The other VIP I am talking about is a book.  It is by Ken Scholes.  The advance praise on the cover is from Orson Scott Card!  To those of you familiar with the iconic science fiction work Ender’s Game, that’s a pretty big deal.  

  So, I’m sifting through these books and none of them look particularly interesting for a light read.  There’s some political books, about a bajillion romance/detective books, a book on natural aphrodisiacs and a few “self-help” books.  

     When my friend who was just about through with being checked out pointed out Lamentation “This one looks a bit interesting” and walked out the door.  

This one looks a bit interesting, indeed

I pick up the book, complete my purchase and after consuming five-and-a-half pork skins, dumping the rest, making my way home and finding a nice soft spot to read, I’m hooked.  

One thing before I go- I have a habit of finding mistakes in published works.  Not out of spite, but because I like details.  

On page 71 of Lamentation Lady Jin Li Tam has “Piercing blue eyes”, but on page 121 her eyes are “blazing green”. 

-AG

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!  I HAVE GUNPOWDER ON THE BOTTOMS OF MY FEET!

The gunpowder is from stepping on Pop-Its.  I just rang in the new year!  I'm going to have some trouble for the next seven months trying to remember what year we're in.  Eh, oh well.  I'm just going sit back with mah gun-powder feet an' chug mah rootbeer.  I also have a pretty cool hat.

Pretty

Awesome

Hat

These Two are of The Cast From Hell