Everyone Deserves a Good Paddling

This past weekend, I took our so often neglected kayak out for its* first voyage of the year. I'm always looking for an excuse to get out on the water, but rarely find one. (Lack of transportation for the kayaks is usually one of the main reasons*.) A friend visiting from out of town was reason enough to get out and have a good paddling. We launched the double kayak at low time at South Harbor Park (a.k.a. Sea Farer's Memorial Park) and headed over to Saddlebag Island. Saddlebag is my most common destination because it is a fairly easy paddle (we did it in just over an hour) and it is a state park. I've camped there a time or two but not this time. After exploring the island a bit, we re-took to the sea only to find the rudder broken. My arms got an extra workout as I had to paddle hard to keep us pointed in the right direction. Besides the sore arms, broken rudder, and sun burn*, it was a wonderful way to spend the day. There are pictures of the aforementioned adventure but until they make their way from cell phone to computer (pending learning how to transfer said images), you will have to use your imagination. If human intelligence triumphs over technology sometime soon and the pictures are liberated from the phone, I will post them in the comments. I know how annoying pictureless posts are. EDIT: Humans triumph machine! Here's me on Saddlebag Island.

Monday June 16 2008

File under: Anacortes

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on Mon 16th Jun, 2008 10:58 pm PDT Andrew said: Paddling the school canoe? That's a paddlin'. ************************ on Tue 17th Jun, 2008 01:26 pm PDT Wren said: The pictures keep rolling in: this one was taken on the beach on Saddlebag Island right when we got there. (I know it was right when we got there because after we hiked around for a while and came back to the kayak, the tide had almost taken it out to sea.) ************************

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FC 36 - More Potty Humor

Since I got a chuckle or two out of last week's potty humor comic, I thought I might try another stab in that direction. Typically, potty humor appeals to a slightly younger demographic. This comic, however, should be appreciated by an older demographic as well. Living through the 70s gives you a leg up on understanding. Oh, and again I did the drawing, which is becoming a pesky tradition I know. Hopefully we'll have some guest artists in again here soon. Two are currently contracted out, so next week we should be back to the high caliber of drawing you deserve. As for the humor, however, you shouldn't expect any upward change on that front.

Thursday June 12 2008

File under: comic

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on Fri 13th Jun, 2008 10:51 am PDT Saxtor said: I feel sorry for the poor janitor who must scrub so high up the wall... ************************ on Fri 13th Jun, 2008 09:36 pm PDT Sweet Julie said: Ram Dass! Oh Wrenny! :) ************************ on Sat 14th Jun, 2008 01:39 pm PDT Mom said: Now we're talking my kind of humor! ************************

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Those Clever Coffee Folk

We all know I am a fan of language: crosswords, puns, double entrendes, and the like. One thing I've noticed in my travels (at least here in the U.S.) is the extraordinary number of coffee shops with witty names. I started a little list of some of the clever ones that I've come across. Do you have any to add to the list?* Brewed Awakening - Westmont, IL Loca Mocha - Brookfield, IL Bean Counter - (I forget) Cool Beans - Bellingham, WA Uncommon Grounds - Havelock, NC Brew Thru - OBX, NC Stomping Grounds, New Bern, NC Sacred Grounds, Chicago, IL (I've been collecting these for a while in anticipation of a fun little post when there's not much else exciting going on*. The other day, however, I ran across this post over at Best Week Ever. It is a list of punny store names of any type. Included were The Human Bean and C U Latte. I figured I had better go ahead and get this post up before someone else steals my thunder.)

Tuesday June 10 2008

File under: misc

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on Tue 10th Jun, 2008 10:39 pm PDT Andrew said: Cool Beans? Not a good name. Coffee is roasted. Not cooled. PDX has Urban Grind. ************************ on Wed 11th Jun, 2008 12:31 am PDT Horge said: Dallas has/had one coffee shop around the corner from where I grew up, founded by ex-lawyers for present lawyers. It is/was called "Legal Grounds". ************************ on Wed 11th Jun, 2008 07:42 am PDT cardboard said: yo i think we got a brewed awakening here in the bham. I wanna start one called "roasted awakenings" in glacier next to the ol wake-n-bakery...the perfect place to get your scone on. ************************ on Wed 11th Jun, 2008 08:33 pm PDT Sweet Julie said: At UNH we had the Licker Store- they sold yummy Green Mtn coffee and Ice Cream! MMMMMmmmmm We all know how Wren feels about Ice Cream! ;) ************************ on Wed 11th Jun, 2008 10:08 pm PDT jule said: I am almost sure I have seen the brewed awakening on best week ever. Maybe in port angeles? ************************ on Thu 12th Jun, 2008 07:23 am PDT Nesbitt said: in my neighborhood the coffee shop is called "Common Ground Cafe." I guess that's the opposite of Uncommon Grounds. ************************ on Fri 13th Jun, 2008 07:55 pm PDT Sarah said: Jule is right! Brewed Awakening is totally in Port Angeles. Rock on, PA! ************************ on Mon 16th Jun, 2008 04:58 pm PDT Wren said: TVland, which I know isn't a real place, has some good clever coffee shop names. Of course there is Central Perk from Friends. Showtime's Weeds* has It's a Grind. ************************ on Mon 16th Jun, 2008 07:05 pm PDT Chris said: just saw "Deja Brew" in good ol' Dayton. Made me think of you. ************************ on Tue 17th Jun, 2008 01:32 pm PDT Wren said: An alert east coast reader submitted "Brew Ha Ha" from her hometown in Delaware. ************************ on Thu 19th Jun, 2008 09:55 am PDT Wren said: It's amazing what you start seeing when you are looking for it. Last night, I saw a Moka No Joka coffee truck on the way back from Mount Vernon. ************************ on Thu 19th Jun, 2008 09:56 pm PDT Mom said: I had tea this morning in Pemberton B.C. at the Pony Espresso, a clever little place. ************************ on Fri 20th Jun, 2008 06:27 pm PDT Ryan said: The Daily Grind Pblo, CO ************************ on Wed 16th Jul, 2008 02:01 pm PDT Saxtor said: I found The Grind House in Belltown in Seattle. ************************ on Fri 26th Jun, 2009 06:18 pm PDT steve said: the supreme bean in Stillwater Mn. ************************

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Chops

A couple of weeks ago, a few good beard links passed through the what's-hot of the internet. 1. Great creative video. (It puts mine from way back to shame.) 2. A fellow documents his pursuit of every beard type. Since it coincided in timing, more or less, with my bi-monthly ridiculous beard shave, I took a little inspiration and this is what I came up with: mega chops, mustache, and uber soul patch. I wore this ridiculousness to frisbee but got enough stares that I deemed it a little much and quickly removed the rest. I can't go around looking like a fool all the time.

Monday June 9 2008

File under: beard

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on Mon 09th Jun, 2008 10:39 am PDT Saxtor said: Man, you're WAAAAY too self-conscious about your facial hair. I think more than a few "hey, cool chops"-type stares are being misplaced in the "hey, check out that freak" bucket. I'm just sayin'... ************************ on Mon 09th Jun, 2008 10:41 am PDT Wren said: The gauntlet is thrown, Saxtor. Let's see your chops! ************************ on Mon 09th Jun, 2008 01:00 pm PDT mandy said: are you serious saxtor? wren self-conscious about facial hair?? did i miss something?? saxtor and i are totally on opposite ends of the facial hair issue. shave, shave, shave! the beard design and the backdrop and the outfit make you look so scary!! ************************ on Mon 09th Jun, 2008 01:56 pm PDT Sean said: Dude, I didn't shave on Saturday until almost 11. Yeah, what's up now? ************************ on Mon 09th Jun, 2008 06:28 pm PDT Wren said: Sean, pictures, man. We want pictures! You would look awesome with a beard! ************************ on Mon 09th Jun, 2008 07:43 pm PDT Saxtor said: See, that's the weird thing about beards. Most people don't acknowledge my non-bearded state. Yet, it was only a little over a year ago when I had a facial hair configuration not very unlike the one displayed above, sans mustache of course. *cringe* All that said, beard-free sucks. Gauntlet REJECTED! And Sean, I think you should play this angle. ************************ on Mon 09th Jun, 2008 10:42 pm PDT Amanda said: I kind of like it Wren- 'specially with the bandana. ************************ on Tue 10th Jun, 2008 10:00 am PDT Jon said: Thanks for the link to that Popcorn video. That was pretty awesome. ************************ on Wed 11th Jun, 2008 11:29 pm PDT Joe Wilbur said: dude i thought that was the coolest shit ever, and i'm pretty sure i told you so. :-) ************************ on Fri 13th Jun, 2008 07:56 pm PDT Sarah said: My Name is Earl--I mean Wren. ************************ on Fri 20th Jun, 2008 06:29 pm PDT Ryan said: A fitting documentary if you haven't seen it http://www.growinabeard.com/ ************************

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FC 35 - The Answer Lies Within

Not that I think there are any young folk out there that can be bothered to read BdW*, but I should throw the warning out there that this week's comic contains what might be considered a dirty* word by some. I apologize in advance (for those of you that actually read this blurb before clicking straight through to the comic; otherwise it is only an after the fact apology) for potty mouth*. Yep, you guessed it: it's me pushing the pixels again this week. I even went a little wild and tried the non-tracing route (except for the turlet*). All in all, it turned out just fine. I esp. like the dude's hair. Anyway, I got some stuff I gotta go figure out.

Thursday June 5 2008

File under: comic

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on Fri 06th Jun, 2008 08:13 am PDT Saxtor said: It only makes sense, then, that Dennis is German... ************************ on Fri 06th Jun, 2008 01:47 pm PDT Nesbitt said: potty humor always gets a chuckle. ************************ on Mon 09th Jun, 2008 11:27 am PDT Andrew said: best comic yet. Cheers. ************************ on Mon 09th Jun, 2008 12:57 pm PDT mandy said: yup, made me smile! love potty jokes ************************

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Class of 98 Reunion

Ten years ago today, the Anacortes High School class of 98 done grajemated. Ah, the good old days of high school*. We were all so good looking back then. Besides being a great opportunity to reflect on the good old days and how quickly the time has passed, ten years also means it is reunion time. The only official word I've heard about the reunion is a page over at MySpace. Since I know a good portion of the world doesn't use MySpace*, I felt the need to spread the word. But not only did I want to make sure all you 98ers were in the know, I wanted to include my very sincere plea that you all make every attempt to come. If ever an occasion embodied the phrase "the more, the merrier", this would be it. Even if you only want to see what Robert Kennedy is up to, settle a bet as to how many kids Clint Lucas has sired*, or finally get up the nerve to talk to your old crush, PLEASE COME! If you've got a pseudo excuse, I'm sure we can solve it together. Anyway, the gist (for those of you who hate MySpace to the point of not even wanting to visit even for information purposes) is August 9th! Location isn't apparent from the page, but something has supposedly been booked, and we can only assume it is going to be here in Anacortes. I'm sure you will all be here too, right? (Oh, and I plan on having a yearbook study session at my house on the evening before the event so we can at least have a refresher and not pull the old Matt Henry/Peder Moore faux pas. Perhaps we will even break out an old copy of Grosse Pointe Blank to study up on how reunions are supposed to go.)

Wednesday June 4 2008

File under: Anacortes, events

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on Wed 04th Jun, 2008 11:37 pm PDT Horge said: Where are you Wren in that first grad picture? I can't make out the telltale beard. Plus I imagine you are wearing a toga, which would cover up the telltale shorts... ************************ on Thu 05th Jun, 2008 10:32 am PDT hannah said: I'm laughing. Really hard. I'll be there. ************************ on Mon 09th Jun, 2008 11:28 am PDT Andrew said: Didn't I graduate in 1991? ************************ on Fri 13th Jun, 2008 07:51 pm PDT Sarah said: I will totally need that yearbook study session...I'll be there!!! ************************

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Familiar Voice on Marketplace

Marketplace is one of my favorite daily radio programs. If you've never heard it, it is worth a listen*. A couple of weeks ago, I wrote an e-mail in response to a story. (Feedback, both positive and negative*, is a great way to help programs, blogs, authors, companies, etc. connect to the actual end consumer. I'm a big fan of feedback.) Anyway, I got a call yesterday asking me to read or paraphrase my letter, so they could broadcast it in their "letters from listeners" section. Needless to say, I was pretty freaking stoked. Unfortunately, Marketplace was preempted on KUOW today by campaign coverage so no one got to hear it. (I did, however, get an e-mail from a friend back in Maine that heard my 15 seconds of fame.) Anyway, for any one interested, you can listen to/read the story on their website or I've edit it down to just my blurb for archival purposes here. I don't know if this counts as my 15 minutes of fame, but it's pretty neat anyway. (Because it fits in so nicely, I thought I would at least mention it for those who don't remember: A couple of years ago, I got a little NPR air time on Weekend Edition Sunday, doing their weekly puzzle (with puzzle master Will Shortz). That clip is archived here. Two "appearances" on popular NPR shows. Once I win that pesky Car Talk puzzler and do something significant enough to get Terry Gross to interview me, I'll have completed the circuit!!)

Tuesday June 3 2008

File under: misc

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on Wed 04th Jun, 2008 12:01 pm PDT Saxtor said: Hmmm, it turns out the circuit isn't completed without a hat-and-cane or softshoe routine on Prairie Home Companion*. Get steppin', Wren. ************************ on Wed 04th Jun, 2008 09:32 pm PDT dave said: Nice, Wren! I wish now that I didn't stop receiving internet a week ago because I used to listen to Marketplace every morning while eating breakfast. Now I just watch the boring ocean. Congratulations! (and being interviewed by Robin Young (Here and Now) should take precedence over Terry - Robin's voice is way hotter.) ************************ on Wed 04th Jun, 2008 10:14 pm PDT per said: I enjoy the feedback a swell bit.Thanks for the language lesson, Wren.Your voice will Propagate Pillside Pastures. ************************ on Wed 04th Jun, 2008 10:17 pm PDT per said: craH! ************************ on Thu 05th Jun, 2008 02:58 pm PDT trista said: yo, i got a message from Zak that day. He heard you. He was stoked. Hardly unnoticed. ************************ on Mon 09th Jun, 2008 12:54 pm PDT mandy said: wren, um, congrats for being on the air, but wow, kinda harsh? not everyone has public transportation options available, maybe relative for the guy who gave it up for 30 days WAS remarkable ************************ on Mon 09th Jun, 2008 10:44 pm PDT Amanda said: I'd be shooting for a little one on one with Ira Glass. ************************

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Our Town Our Park

For those readers who reside in the Anacortes area, this is probably old news; it has been the talk of the town, front page news, etc. For the rest of you, I wanted to clue you in on a great project going on here in town. Our Town Our Park is a community project to build a new playground at Storvik Park. The park was designed by the community (with input from kids), funded by community fund raising, and constructed using volunteer labor from the community, with all sorts of other community involvement (donated meals for the volunteer crews, donated materials, etc.). The organization and enthusiasm for the project have been great and it looks like everything is coming together wonderfully. I went and put in my shift of volunteer labor yesterday. My team put up a little hut in the 2-5 year old section, a hut that I will be able to forever feel a special pride in*. It was amazing how many people I ran into on the build site: old teachers, parents of friends, high school friends who I haven't seen in ages. Granted the majority of the volunteers have some personal stake in the project (i.e. have kids of their own), but there were other who were there just for the community involvement. The grand opening for the park is this evening at 5:00pm. Hopefully their website will be updated with pictures of the build in progress as well as the final project (which, I must say, comes close to rivaling the best playground of all time, South Whidbey). The whole deal has been another one of those I-sure-am-happy-to-live-in-Anacortes experiences.

Sunday June 1 2008

File under: Anacortes

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on Mon 02nd Jun, 2008 09:53 am PDT Saxtor said: I went and checked this badboy out. This playground is really, really awesome*. Once I went down to check out the progress on Sunday evening, I was left wishing I had pitched in. Not because they appeared desperate for help (because the place was crawling with helpers, and people willing to help at any moment), but I would have loved to have put in my piece for the community. I'm not exaggerating when I say this, if you are within driving/visiting distance of Anacortes, this playground demands a special trip, whether you have kids of your own or not. ************************ on Mon 02nd Jun, 2008 12:25 pm PDT Christen said: What a great project!!! No pictures on their website that I can find, so post some please! Still needing that extra little something something to get us to make the A-town trip this summer, maybe this will put us over the edge! ************************ on Mon 02nd Jun, 2008 02:14 pm PDT Saxtor said: Ask and you shall receive. Someone took some photos...from Flickr ************************ on Mon 02nd Jun, 2008 02:17 pm PDT Saxtor said: I should add that the photos look nothing like what I saw on Sunday evening. I'd guess that those were taken on Saturday or early Sunday. And, I can also tell it would be hard to represent the scale using photographs. In part due to the limitations of the format, but I don't think they make a point-and-shoot kid-scale camera, either. ************************ on Wed 04th Jun, 2008 02:40 pm PDT Wren said: I haven't gotten a change to go up and get pictures yet, but there were a few in the Anacortes American this week. I poked around on their website and came across this slideshow of the process. ************************ on Mon 09th Jun, 2008 09:39 am PDT Wren said: I finally got around to stopping by the park to check it out. It looks even better now that it is all painted up and fully operational. I grabbed a few quick shots to share: 1. Ferry boat/pirate boat 2. Castle towers 3. Musicians. ************************

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FC 34 - An Industry Trend I Can Support

A non-negligible percentage of comic ideas that pass through my comic ideas list are editorial in nature. I do my best to weed those out before they make it to the big time, because the whole point of this Friday comic series is to celebrate the end of the week with a little chuckle, not stir the pot*. At least one has slipped through the cracks way back in the beginning, but all in all I've been pretty good. This week's comic isn't blatantly editorial. In fact, one might argue that it isn't at all editorial. Good comics have allusions to real world stuff frequently. Making light of the world around us is the bread and butter of comic writers Anyway, without further defense, here is this week's comic. As with last week's comic, I drew* it myself. This week, however, the research was much more fun.

Thursday May 29 2008

File under: comic

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on Fri 30th May, 2008 07:52 am PDT Andrew said: First Comment! First one to point out that "industry" is spelled wrong! Woot! ************************ on Fri 30th May, 2008 09:27 am PDT Wren said: Good catch, Andrew. With the magic of cut and paste, the problem has been solved! ************************ on Fri 30th May, 2008 10:47 am PDT Sweet Julie said: I love it! ;) ************************ on Sun 01st Jun, 2008 02:16 pm PDT Mom said: What about the guy swim suits? Haven't they gotten bigger and baggier, more than offsetting any so-called savings reaped from going skimpier on the femaile form. Me thinks this is not about saving fabric. Anyone else?? ************************ on Sun 01st Jun, 2008 03:05 pm PDT Saxtor said: Margaret, Borat begs to differ... ************************ on Mon 09th Jun, 2008 12:49 pm PDT mandy said: mom is so good with the controversy. which one slipped through the cracks again? ;) ************************ on Fri 20th Jun, 2008 12:42 pm PDT rus said: Year after year swimming suits diminish.I sure hope I'm here for the finish. ************************

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Frisbee Season Has Begun

It's that time of year again; the weather is warm(ish) and dry(ish) and I am starting to think about shedding a little of my winter "insulation". Everything is pointing to frisbee time again! This season started last night* with a bang. We had an amazing turnout with a great mix of veterans and first-timers. No more games of 3-on-3 or 4-on-4; we will be playing UPA regulation 7-on-7 and I couldn't be happier about it. If you find yourself in the Anacortes area, come join us or swing by to watch. We play every Tuesday at 6:00 at Smiley's Bottom, until around September when will we move up to Storvik. All skill levels welcome!

Wednesday May 28 2008

File under: Anacortes

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on Wed 28th May, 2008 10:46 am PDT Saxtor said: All skill levels indeed! That dapper looking orange-shirted bloke in the "turnout" photo is none other than yours truly. And I bring new meaning to ultimate "rookie." ************************ on Wed 28th May, 2008 02:59 pm PDT Sean said: Yeah Saxtor!! Get some!Man I wish I could be there. ************************ on Sat 31st May, 2008 10:21 am PDT Chris said: I'm with Sean, I miss me some Anacortes Frisbee action. I am excited though I just found a really nice disc golf course nearby. ************************ on Mon 09th Jun, 2008 12:47 pm PDT mandy said: love the smiley's bottom logo!! lol ************************

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