For those of you who didn't make it out to watch the Idiotarod this weekend, let me tell you, it was excellent. There was even a cbs write-up of the festivities.

My team was the Narwhales, a.k.a. the Unicorns of the Sea. As we scrapped together a team barely 15 minutes before the race, we didn't have much of a theme. But I do think our cart looked pretty cool

Lets just say that it is not so easy to do a cart acquisition mission the night before the race. That's been put in the 'lessons learned' folder for next year. This folder is probably pretty thick by the way, but hell, it was never really our goal to win the damn race. All we wanted to run around the city with a shopping cart and drink beer, and we did that with outstanding success.

Other folk had their acts together much better. There was the Barback Mountain crew that dressed up like cowboys and rode a cart rigged with a keg. They got two tickets from the police and their keg was confiscated. There were the five carts of the cobra team, with every member sporting the red cobra uniform, in addition the cart with the flame-blowing snake-head. I got spattered in chocolate from the horse team and their poop thrower, nearly hit with mayo from the mayo clinic team and god knows what else was thrown on me. I'm just glad that I missed the shark team that was throwing chum at everyone. Shudder.

Ah, what a great way to spend a unseasonably warm Saturday.

Posted by Colin J Allen at 5:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

This weekend I am planning on joining in on the 2006 Idiotrod. Imagine a huge race of around 500 people doing a sled race from Brooklyn to Manhattan. Except that instead of dogs, there are humans and instead of sleds there are shopping carts. There is an emphasis on drinking throughout the race, and creativity trumps speed. Monkey suits yes, spandex no.

What else more could you ask for on a Saturday? Well, I'll tell you. Chinese New Year starts when the race ends. Conveniently, the awards ceremony is a block or two north of Chinatown and all their welcome-to-the-year-or-the-dog-celebrations.

I'll bring my camera and I'll give you an update once the festivities are done.

Posted by Colin J Allen at 12:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I am starting to get the feeling that there isn't really going to be a winter this year. Over here in the city it's raining today. In the middle winter. I'm not living in Seattle here, it should be a snow day today. Over the weekend, it was in the mid-60s. If it still wasn't getting dark in the afternoon, I'd say it was spring. There isn't even enough snow on the slopes north of here for any quality skiing. Sigh.

Still, one benefit of global warming is that I had a lovely day in the park on Saturday with Christy playing frisbee, football and even a bit of kite flying. I'm still having fun with the new camera and I took it along too. A little bit of time with iMovies and voila: another cheesy Colin production:

Posted by Colin J Allen at 12:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

As a Mac user, I'd like to point out that Google Earth is now available for anyone with OSX 10.4. Get it now... And for you PC users, you might consider upgrading out of the beta version of the program.

Posted by Colin J Allen at 11:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Okay,

This is the funniest thing that I've seen in some time:

Click to see the movie....

Posted by Colin J Allen at 10:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I saw "Bodies" this weekend. It is a show that is exactly that, real people—perfectly preserved with the magic of plastic—cut up in various ways to show how we humans work. The result is stunning. While pictures hardly compare to the real thing, it's a start: LINK.

It is amazing that we work at all in the first place. To look at all the bits and pieces we have inside us is an act of humility. We certainly are the product of thousands of years of evolution, and this exhibit shows that fact with grace. It makes me want to sign up for the first available anatomy class I see. And after seeing that charred lung, I sure am happy that I'm not a smoker.

This is what science is all about.

Posted by Colin J Allen at 12:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I had to get out of town there for a few weeks there, but I am back now ready for whatever this year has in stock for me. It looks like there are many things to happen on the horizon, both good and bad. This year is going to be a year of change for me. May it be more good than bad.

I just visited Arizona and Colorado these last few weeks as part of my annual Allen pilgrimage. Archeology, skiing, kitchen improvement, thrifting, drinking, dog play, Christmas-ing, New Years-ing and reading were all done with much enjoyment. As you readers may have guessed already, blogging did not make the cut. However, I hope to bring some holiday amusement to you once I get my digital house back in order.

Thanks to you all, and may your 2006 be filled with good things.

Posted by Colin J Allen at 11:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)